সাধনে যে ধন চাই, সিদ্ধদেহে তাহা পাই,
পক্বাপক্ব মাত্র সে বিচার ।
পাকিলে সে প্রেমভক্তি, অপক্বে সাধনগতি,
ভকতি লক্ষণ তত্ত্বসার ॥ ৫৬ ॥
sādhane ye dhana cāi, siddha-dehe tāhā pāi,
pakvāpakva mātra se bicāra |
pākile se prema-bhakti, apakve sādhana-gati,
bhakati lakṣaṇa tattva-sāra || 56 ||
I will attain in my siddha-deha the treasure that I long for during sādhana: the only consideration is ripeness or unripeness. The unripe stage consists of the practices of sādhana; the ripened stage is prema-bhakti. This is the essential characteristic of the path of devotion.
The Essential Truth
Sudhā-Kaṇikā-Vyākhyā: After describing the consistent nature of sādhana and siddhi in the previous verse, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya now clearly defines it through an example: sādhane ye dhana cāi, siddha-dehe tāhā pāi, pakvāpakva mātra se bicāra. Sādhana-bhakti, bhāva-bhakti and prema-bhakti are the primary, comparative and superlative states of the same thing. At the time of sādhana, the rāgānugīya-sādhaka meditates on performing whatever treasured prema-sevā to Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava that he desires. When the sādhaka attains prema, he will obtain that same sevā in his siddha-svarūpa or spiritual form. When passionate devotion is in an incomplete state and is moving in the direction of siddhi, that is sādhana-bhakti. When it reaches a concentrated state, then it is prema-bhakti. For this reason it has been said, siddhasya lakṣaṇaṁ yat syāt sādhanaṁ sādhakasya tat (Śrī-Bṛhad-Bhāgavatāmṛtam ṭīkā). “That which is the natural characteristic of a siddha or saint is the devotional practice of a sādhaka.” It is always the nature of sādhana-bhakti to awaken and sustain the desire to attain prema-bhakti or direct sevā. Therefore Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya says, sādhane ye dhana cāi. Insatiability is the nature of bhakti: the higher the sādhaka ascends in bhakti-sādhana, the more eager or impatient he becomes. This impatience or extreme eagerness quickly leads the sādhaka to the kingdom of prema-siddhi or direct sevā. Abundant enjoyment has also been stored in sādhana-bhakti, specifically in the rāga-sādhaka’s līlā-smaraṇa wherein his meditation is like direct sevā. Therefore, the extraordinary enjoyment they experience during sādhana has no comparison. If the sādhaka becomes satisfied with that enjoyment and cannot sustain his longing for prema or direct sevā, then in the end a state similar to self-delight (ātmārāmatā) can arise which obstructs the sādhaka’s progress in bhakti-sādhana. It should be understood that this truth has also been hidden within the statement sādhane ye dhana cāi.
Sādhane ye dhana cāi means that whatever direct prema-sevā of Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava the sādhaka desires during the stage of sādhana, he will obtain that same sevā in his siddha-deha after reaching the stage of prema. This is certain: siddha-dehe tāhā pāi. After giving dīkṣā in the kāma-bīja and kāma-gāyatrī, Śrī Gurudeva teaches the sādhaka to worship Śrī Yugala and gives him siddha-praṇālī, which establishes the sādhaka’s relationship with his cherished deity. Siddha-praṇālī contains the name, complexion, age, nature and the rest of the eleven aspects of the sādhaka’s siddha-svarūpa or spiritual form. Those scholars who know the truth describe dīkṣā as a method to destroy a person’s sins and give him spiritual knowledge: divyaṁ jñānaṁ yato dadyāt kuryāt pāpasya saṁkṣayam, tasmād dīkṣeti sā proktā deśikais tattva-kovidaiḥ. After quoting this verse in anuccheda 283 of his Śrī-Bhakti-Sandarbha, Śrīmat Jīva Gosvāmipāda has written the following: divyaṁ jñānaṁ hy atra śrīmatī mantre bhagavat-svarūpa-jñānaṁ tena bhagavatā sambandha-viśeṣa-jñānaṁ ca; yathā pādmottara-khaṇḍādāv aṣṭākṣarādikam adhikṛtya vivṛtam asti. Here, the word divya-jñāna is understood to mean knowledge of Śrī Bhagavān’s form within a potent mantra, and through that, knowledge about the sādhaka’s specific relationship with Śrī Bhagavān, the presiding deity of the mantra. Regarding this, there is an explanation of the eight-syllable and other mantras in the beginning of the Uttara-Khaṇḍa of Śrī-Padma-Purāṇa wherein this meaning of the word divya-jñāna has been established. In the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava Sampradāya, this knowledge of a specific relationship became ekādaśa-bhāva, the eleven items defining the relationship of the sādhaka’s mañjarī form with Śrī Gopījanavallabha, the deity of the mantra. In the Pātāla-Khaṇḍa of Padma-Purāṇa we find a description of meditation on the siddha-deha, which is suitable for performing mental service, done by the sādhaka who understands the essential nature of śrī-kṛṣṇa-rasa and who has taken shelter of madhura-rasa. Nādevo devam arcayet, devo bhūtvā devaṁ yajet. “If one is not a god, he cannot worship a god. If one becomes a god, he can worship a god.” This statement from śāstra firmly establishes through prohibition and prescription that a bhakta who desires to serve Śrī Bhagavān must perform bhajana while thinking of himself as one of Bhagavān’s companions (pārṣadas). Thinking of himself as a companion means the sādhaka contemplates his own siddha-deha.
Some people mistakenly think, “In the beginning the sādhaka meditates by resorting to an imagined mental body, and then, by performing sādhana-bhajana, the sādhaka satisfies Śrī Bhagavān. Following the system of yādṛśī bhāvanā yasya siddhir bhavati tādṛśī, meaning ‘one accomplishes that which he contemplates,’ Śrī Bhagavān makes the sādhaka’s ātmā his companion. In this way, although the sādhaka’s pārṣada body is ultimately real, at the stage of meditation it is imagined.” This conclusion is not supported by the śāstras and mahājanas. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.15.14 says, vasanti yatra puruṣāḥ sarve vaikuṇṭha-mūrtayaḥ, ye’nimitta-nimittena dharmeṇārādhayan harim. “Śrī Bhagavān’s companions always reside in his abode in spiritual forms similar to his own. They constantly worship Śrī Hari through the selfless practice of bhāgavata-dharma.” In his commentary on this verse in anuccheda 10 of Śrī-Prīti-Sandarbha, Śrīmat Jīva Gosvāmipāda has written, vaikuṇṭhasya bhagavato jyotir aṁśa-bhūtā vaikuṇṭhaloka-śobhā-rūpā yā anantā mūrtayaḥ tatra vartante tāsām ekayā saha-muktasyaikasya mūrtiḥ bhagavatā kriyata iti vaikuṇṭhasya mūrtir iva mūrtir yeṣām ity uktam. The gist of Śrīmat Jīva Gosvāmipāda’s statement is that in Śrī Bhagavān’s eternal abode, the Lord’s companions are of two kinds. One kind is engaged in Śrī Bhagavān’s direct sevā, and the other, being part of the Lord’s luster, is transcendental like his body but exists eternally in countless inactive forms as the brilliant radiance of Vaikuṇṭhaloka. Every one of the countless jīvas is the servant of Śrī Bhagavān; a body suitable for performing the Lord’s sevā has been kept in his abode for each of them. When by bhakti’s mercy he becomes eligible for bhagavat-sevā, Śrī Bhagavān blesses him with that body.
In the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava Sampradāya, siddha-praṇālī is received from Śrī Guru’s lotus feet and contains the particulars of that spiritual body. No one should consider this to be imagined; it is eternal truth. Among those countless forms situated in Śrī Bhagavān’s abode, the Lord determines the particular body the bhakta will receive. After being informed of that through the power of meditation, Śrī Gurudeva gives that form to the sādhaka as his siddha-deha. At the time of sādhana, after establishing a sense of self in that body, the devotee must perform sādhana-bhajana in it. When the sādhaka attains prema, he is blessed with direct sevā in that very body. pakvāpakva mātra se bicāra, pākile se prema-bhakti, apakve sādhana-gati, bhakati lakṣaṇa tattva-sāra. “Ripe or unripe: that is the only consideration. If mature, it is prema-bhakti; if still in development, sādhana is the method. This is the essence of bhakti’s nature.” When a fruit is unripe, its juice is sour or bitter; but when ripe, it is sweet and delicious. In the same way, when sādhana-bhakti becomes fully developed, it is called prema. Even though in the stage of sādhana the enjoyment is somewhat diluted because of anarthas and so on, in prema-bhakti the enjoyment is extremely concentrated. By saying apakve sādhana-gati, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya has hinted at a few principles of sādhana-bhakti. One meaning of the word gati is stream or current. The current of the Mandākinī River flows constantly toward the sea; there is no stopping until it reaches its goal. In the same way, sādhana-bhakti constantly flows like the current of the Mandākinī toward the ocean of prema-bhakti. Even though this does not exactly harmonize with the example of the ripe or unripe fruit, still, the thirst for prema-bhakti remains always awake in the sādhaka’s heart, producing within him an inclination toward continuous sādhana-bhakti, which leads him to the kingdom of prema. This part of the example is consistent. The word gati is also defined as both means and goal. Sādhana-bhakti is the method to attain prema-bhakti and also the goal itself, meaning it is the embodiment of prema. This has been implied by the example of the ripe and unripe fruits. Or, sādhana-bhakti is the method and the goal because even in sādhana-bhakti there is no dearth of enjoyment. The premika devotees also long to relish the rasa of sādhana-bhakti. One who eats ripe mangoes may also desire to eat unripe mangoes after making them into pickles. Another meaning of the word gati is class or type. Apakve sādhana-gati means that the different classes of sādhana-bhakti beginning from śraddhā and reaching up to āsakti are in the unripe state. Bhāva-bhakti or rati is the partially ripened state and prema-bhakti is the completely ripened state. The reading apakve sādhana-rīti is also seen in some editions of this book. It should be understood here that the word rīti also refers to those successive stages the bhakta passes through.
Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya says this is the bhakati lakṣaṇa tattva-sāra, meaning that which one desires at the time of sādhana is obtained when one reaches siddhi. The only difference is that it is unripe in sādhana and ripe in siddhi. This is the essence of the devotional principle. Or, beginning from verse fifty-two (śrī-rūpa-mañjarī sāra) and continuing up to this verse, the mysteries of mañjarī-bhāva-sādhana have been revealed; these comprise the essential characteristics of bhakti. Selfless (niṣkāma) service of Śrī Bhagavān’s lotus feet is the natural characteristic of bhakti. There is no comparison anywhere to the pure, selfless service of the mañjarīs. In them we find the highest level of selflessness.
