Śrī Śrī Prema-Bhakti-Candrikā 74 (comm. by Śrī Anantadāsa Bābājī Mahārāja)

কর্মী জ্ঞানী মিছাভক্ত,        না হবে তাতে অনুরক্ত,

বিশুদ্ধ ভজন কর মন ।

ব্রজজনের যেই রীত,        তাহাতে ডুবাও চিত,

এই সে পরমতত্ত্ব ধন ॥ ৭৪ ॥

karmī jñānī michā-bhakta,        nā habe tāte anurakta,

biśuddha bhajana kara mana |

braja-janera yei rīta,        tāhāte ḍubāo cita,

ei se parama-tattva dhana || 74 ||

     O mind! Do not be attached to the karmīs, jñānīs and false bhaktas. Perform pure bhajana. Immerse your thoughts in the ways of the Vraja people. This is a great treasure of the supreme reality.

A Treasure of the Highest Truth

     Sudhā-Kaṇikā-Vyākhyā: In this verse, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya is again teaching the sādhakas the method of vraja-bhajana through varjanātmaka (abandoning) and grahaṇātmaka (accepting) instructions to his own mind. First, he gives a varjanātmaka instruction, saying, karmī jñānī michā-bhakta, nā habe tāte anurakta. In the previous verse, the exalted author has forbidden the association of karmīs, jñānīs and so on even in times of difficulty. Again in this verse he says to abandon any attachment for them. It seems that the statements in the previous verse refer to pure or exclusive karmīs and jñānīs, meaning those who consider karma, jñāna and so on as capable of bestowing svarga (heaven) and mokṣa (liberation) without the help of bhakti. Actually, bhakti binu kona sādhana dite nāre phala, saba phala deya bhakti svatantra prabala; ajā-gala-stana nyāya anya sādhana, ataeba hari bhaje buddhimān jana (Śrī-Caitanya-Caritāmṛta, Madhya 24.92-93). “Without bhakti, no sādhana can give any result. Bhakti is independent and powerful and brings all success. Other sādhanas are like the nipples on a goat’s neck. Therefore, intelligent people worship Śrī Hari.” Because karma, jñāna, yoga and so on are similar to sādhanas, they are referred to as such, but in fact they are not. The method by which a desired object is obtained is rightly called a sādhana, but karma, jñāna and so on cannot bestow any fruit without the help of bhakti. For this reason, independent of bhakti, all other sādhanas are like the nipples on a goat’s neck. The nipple-shaped lumps of flesh on the neck of a goat are called nipples, but they never actually produce milk. Like that, karma, jñāna and so on are never able to produce results without the help of bhakti. But because the external religious activities of those paths resemble sādhanas, they have been called sādhanas. In truth, bhakti-mukha-nirīkṣaka karma-yoga-jñāna (Śrī-Caitanya-Caritāmṛta, Madhya 22.17). “Karma, yoga and jñāna gaze upon the face of bhakti.”

     For this reason, those karmīs and jñānīs who are relatively intelligent practice karma, jñāna and so on mixed with bhakti to obtain the fruits of the respective sādhanas as mentioned in the śāstras. Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya had seen the bhajana of these mixed bhaktas and, in his wisdom as a pure bhakta, is cautioning the bhakta-sādhaka who is devoted to bhajana to not develop attachment for them because their association is harmful to pure bhakti. In some books, the reading karmī, jñānī, miśra-bhakta, nā habe tāya anurakta is seen. Michā-bhakta means those who are deceitful or hypocritical. A pure bhakta must not become attached to those dishonest people who externally wear the dress, tilaka and mālā of a bhakta but whose bhajana is pretense only. In fact, they are attached to women and wealth. They must be avoided because their association is dangerous. Such Vaiṣṇava behavior has been indicated in Śrī-Caitanya-Caritāmṛta, Madhya 22.87: asat-saṅga tyāga ei baiṣṇaba-ācāra, strī-saṅgī eka asādhu kṛṣṇābhakta āra. “It is a Vaiṣṇava practice to abandon the association of dishonest or immoral people. One such person is attached to women and another has no faith in Kṛṣṇa.”

     Or, karmī jñānī michā-bhakta can mean that if at any time bhakti is seen among the karmīs, who engage in fruitive work, and the jñānīs, who contemplate undifferentiated brahman, they should be known as michā-bhaktas. If the mercy of some great soul falls upon them, they can become bhaktas in the future, but for now, associating with them in their current condition can hinder one’s advancement in bhakti. Therefore, the sādhaka should give up any attachment for them.

     Then, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya gives a grahaṇātmaka instruction by saying, biśuddha bhajana kara mana. After taking shelter of the path of śuddha-bhakti, one’s bhajana becomes pure and genuine. In determining the nature of śuddha-bhakti, the Śrī-Gopāla-Tāpanī-Śruti says, bhaktir asya bhajanaṁ tad ihāmutropādhi-nairāsyenāmuṣmin manaḥ kalpanam etad eva hi naiṣkarmyam. Bhakti means worship of Śrī Bhagavān that is devoid of all kinds of desires regarding this life and the next, with the mind and all the senses continuously devoted to him. This constant absorption in meditation upon him is known as naiṣkarmya.

     Here, by the correlation of bhajana and naiṣkarmya it is indicated that if a bhakta is engaged in bhajana, all of his past desires for fruitive actions as well as his present ones are destroyed, and his mind, free of any unessential relations, remains fully absorbed in the service of Śrī Bhagavān. This is called viśuddha or pure bhajana. Smṛti also says, sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam, hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate (Śrī-Nārada-Pañcarātra). “Śrī Kṛṣṇa is known as hṛṣīkeśa, controller of the senses. When a devotee, after abandoning all desires regarding this life and the next, serves Śrī Kṛṣṇa with his senses, intending only to please him, this is called uttamā-bhakti.”

     After deliberating upon all such statements from śruti and smṛti, Śrīmad Rūpa Gosvāmipāda has revealed a complete definition of viśuddha-bhakti in a single verse of his Śrī-Bhakti-Rasāmṛta-Sindhuḥ. It should be known that this definition extends everywhere, whether in vaidhī-mārga, rāga-mārga, sādhana-bhakti, sādhya-bhakti, bhāva or prema. The verse is,

anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy anāvṛtam |

ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā ||

     “Favorable, devoted service to Śrī Kṛṣṇa that is devoid of any other desire and is not covered by jñāna or karma is called uttamā-bhakti.” The word anuśīlanam here is, like the verb, understood immediately by the meaning of its root. Verbal roots have two kinds of meanings: pravṛtti and nivṛtti. These two kinds of actions are manifested in the form of bodily, verbal and mental endeavors. Endeavors of the body, mind and speech originating from pravṛtti (desire to act) are described as serving Śrī Kṛṣṇa with one’s body; singing his names and about his qualities, pastimes and so on with the power of one’s speech; contemplating his forms, qualities and pastimes with one’s mind and always keeping love for him in one’s heart. Endeavors of the body, mind and speech that originate in nivṛtti (renunciation) include giving up nāmāparādha (offenses to the Holy Name) and sevāparādha (offenses while performing service).

     Bhakti is also divided into sopādhika (with material qualities) and nirupādhika (without material qualities). Bhakti has two kinds of upādhis or defining qualities: one is anyābhilāṣa (other desires) and the other is anya-miśraṇa (mixing with something else). Other desires means desire for sense-enjoyment, desire for liberation and so on. Mixing with something else means being covered by karma, jñāna and so on. If service to Śrī Kṛṣṇa is devoid of the desire for anything else, is free from admixture, and is practiced by absorption in pure hearing and chanting, it is called nirupādhika-bhakti. This is viśuddha-bhajana.

     The karma alluded to above means regular and occasional actions such as acts of charity and taking of vows, as mentioned in the smṛti-śāstras. Jñāna here means nirviśeṣa-brahma-jñāna, or knowledge that establishes the unity of the jīva and brahma. But in śuddha-bhakti also the acts of worship and praise are absolutely necessary, as is knowledge related to the goal and the method (siddhānta-jñāna). Without these, there is no bhajana. Such karma and jñāna is direct bhakti.

     The word ānukūlya implies a favorable inclination toward Śrī Kṛṣṇa. It has been used in regard to attaining the state of bhakti because even though hostile behavior can be pleasing to Śrī Kṛṣṇa, there is no devotion in it. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in the narration of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s pastime of being tied with a rope, it is described that Mother Yaśodā put him down from her lap, though he was hungry and irritable, to go stir the milk that had boiled over. Mother Yaśodā’s action was not pleasing to Śrī Kṛṣṇa, but because it was done for his benefit, it has been called bhakti. On the other hand, when the asuras fight with the great hero Śrī Kṛṣṇa, they cause him to taste yuddha-rasa (the pleasure of combat). This is pleasing to Śrī Kṛṣṇa, but because of the inherent hostility involved, it does not attain the nature of bhakti. Therefore, viśuddha-bhajana is the repeated practice of actions that please Śrī Kṛṣṇa, such as hearing and chanting about him, worshiping him, praising him and so on without a trace of desire for one’s own sense-pleasure.

     Then Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya said, braja-janera yei rīta, tāhāte ḍubāo cita, ei se parama-tattva dhana. Also within viśuddha-bhajana, rāgānugā-bhajana is practiced in allegiance to Vraja’s madhura-rasa type of rāgātmikā-bhakti. The glorious gift of Śrīman Mahāprabhu in this particular kali-yuga, it is a very mystical type of bhakti-yoga also practiced and preached by his dear companions Śrī Rūpa, Śrī Sanātana and others. Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya says, braja-janera yei rīta, tāhāte ḍubāo cita. Here, braja-jana (people of Vraja) means in a broader context that all his nitya-siddha companions in Vraja have given up thinking of him as God and just consider him to be an ordinary dear friend or relative. mora putra, mora sakhā, mora prāṇapati (Śrī-Caitanya-Caritāmṛta): “My son, my friend, my lover.” They have become wholly absorbed in him, submerged in the rasa of love for him. In the same way, the sādhaka must become submerged in the sweet worship of Vraja in allegiance to them. The meaning is that in Vraja, the nitya-siddha companions in dāsya, sakhya, vātsalya and madhura-bhāvas eternally perform loving service to Śrī Kṛṣṇa in the mood of an ordinary dear friend or relative. Devotees in the Vraja mood perform bhajana in allegiance to the nitya-siddha-pārṣadas of the respective bhāvas, in dāsya and the other rasas, according to the ruci (taste) born of their association with a great soul or from the mercy of a great soul. When they achieve success in bhajana, they will obtain the loving service of Śrī Kṛṣṇa in Śrī Vṛndāvana in that particular bhāva. This is the method of Vraja’s pure rāga-mārga-bhajana. In Śrī-Caitanya-Caritāmṛta, Madhya 9.128-131, Śrīman Mahāprabhu said the following to Veṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa:

braja-lokera bhābe pāi tāṅhāra caraṇa |

tāṅre ‘īśvara’ kari nāhi jāne braja-jana ||

keho tāṅre putra-jñāne udūkhale bāndhe |

keho tāṅre sakhā-jñāne jini caḍe kāndhe ||

‘brajendra-nandana’ tāṅre jāne braja-jana |

aiśvarya-jñāna nāhi–nija sambandha manana ||

braja-lokera bhābe yei karaye bhajana |

sei jana pāya braje brajendra-nandana ||

     “One can attain Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet through the moods of the residents of Vraja. They do not perceive him as God. Someone considers him her son and ties him to a grinding mortar; someone else considers him a friend, and after defeating him, rides on his shoulders. They know him as Vrajendra-nandana, the son of the king of Vraja. They do not consider his divinity; they only think of him in terms of their relationships with him. Whoever performs bhajana in the mood of the Vrajavāsīs gets Vrajendra-nandana in Vraja.”

     The goal of the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas is to worship Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa in the mood of a mañjarī or maidservant of Śrī Rādhārāṇī. Therefore, they worship Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava in rādhā-snehādhikā-bhāvollāsā-rati (having more affection for Śrī Rādhā than Śrī Kṛṣṇa), submerged in the stream of love flowing from Vraja’s nitya-siddhās Śrī Rūpa Mañjarī, Śrī Rati Mañjarī and so on; or in other words, by dedicating their hearts and minds to following the moods of the mañjarīs. This is the highest level of rāga-mārga-bhajana. Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya is Campaka Mañjarī, who is most dear to Śrī Rādhārāṇī, and is an ācārya of mañjarī-bhāva-sādhanā. Therefore, braja-janera yei rīta, tāhāte ḍubāo cita means to absorb the citta (mind, heart) in following the moods of the nitya-siddhā-mañjarīs of Vraja. This is the highest level the jīva-śakti can attain in the realm of bhakti. Therefore he says, ei se parama-tattva dhana. “This is a great treasure of the supreme reality.”