Śrī Śrī Prema-Bhakti-Candrikā 101 (comm. by Śrī Anantadāsa Bābājī Mahārāja)

আন কথা না বলিব,        আন কথা না শুনিব,

সকলি করিব পরমার্থ ।

প্রার্থনা করিব সদা,        লালসা অভীষ্টকথা,

ইহা বিনা সকলি অনর্থ ॥ ১০১ ॥

āna kathā nā baliba,        āna kathā nā śuniba,

sakali kariba paramārtha |

prārthanā kariba sadā,        lālasā abhīṣṭa-kathā,

ihā binā sakali anartha || 101 ||

टीका—परमार्थ–श्रीकृष्णभक्तिः

     I will neither speak nor hear of any other topic; I will devote everything to the highest truth. I will always pray longingly to hear the stories of my deity. Other than this, all talk is useless.

Longing for One’s Cherished Deity

     Sudhā-Kaṇikā-Vyākhyā: In the previous verse, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya prayed that the sole object of his devotion in life and death would be the lotus feet of Yugala-Kiśora Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava. In this verse, he resolves to dedicate the actions of his external and internal senses to the service of the Supreme Truth Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava and to abandon all concerns other than Kṛṣṇa, considering them to be useless. First, he says, āna kathā nā baliba, āna kathā nā śuniba, sakali kariba paramārtha. Other than discussions about Śrī Kṛṣṇa, kṛṣṇa-bhakti and the bhaktas, discussions about things such as karma, jñāna, yoga, wealth, supernatural powers, liberation and so on are all āna kathā or ‘other talk.’ Hearing or speaking about these topics causes the mind to be distracted and keeps it absorbed in matters other than Kṛṣṇa. The jīvas, bound by māyā and indifferent to Śrī Kṛṣṇa since beginningless time, have become worldly-minded and devoid of spiritual knowledge. Because of this, they have obtained this miserable material condition. kṛṣṇa bhuli’ sei jība anādi-bahirmukha, ataeba māyā tāre deya saṁsāra-duḥkha (Śrī-Caitanya-Caritāmṛta, Madhya 20.117). The origin of this material disease is forgetfulness of Bhagavān; all the śāstras have declared the remedy for this to be remembrance of him. The following is found in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 12.12.55:

avismṛtiḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ 

kṣiṇoty abhadrāṇi ca śaṁ tanoti |

sattvasya śuddhiṁ paramātma-bhaktiṁ 

jñānaṁ ca vijñāna-virāga-yuktam ||

     “Constant remembrance of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet destroys inauspicious or worldly desires born of aversion to him and awakens auspiciousness or eagerness for his lotus feet. It creates apathy toward matters other than Kṛṣṇa and increases prema-bhakti and divine realization.” When divine realization and apathy toward matters other than Kṛṣṇa arise in the pure mind devoid of attachment and aversion, then uninterrupted remembrance of Kṛṣṇa occurs. This is called dhruvānusmṛti, which is synonymous with darśana or direct knowledge and which is the immediate and best means to meet Bhagavān. At the beginning of his Śrī-Bhāṣya, Śrīpāda Rāmānujācārya said the following about dhruvānusmṛti: bhavati ca smṛter bhāvanā prakarṣād darśana-rūpatā. “When meditation becomes very deep and one’s thoughts are concentrated and harmonious, free from any stream of unrelated ideas, then knowledge having the nature of smaraṇa* is transformed into direct knowledge.”

     Śrī Bhagavān has repeatedly described the glories of smaraṇa in Śrīmad-Bhagavad-Gītā. For example, verse 8.14:

ananya-cetāḥ satataṁ yo māṁ smarati nityaśaḥ |

tasyāhaṁ sulabhaḥ pārtha nitya-yuktasya yoginaḥ ||

     “O Pārtha! I am easy to obtain for the devoted yogī who constantly remembers me with a concentrated mind.”

     And again in verse 9.22:

ananyāś cintayanto māṁ ye janāḥ paryupāsate |

teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham ||

     “For those who constantly and exclusively think of me and worship me, I provide what they need and protect what they have.” Therefore, he said to Arjuna, tasmāt sarveṣu kāleṣu mām anusmara (8.7). “Thus, Arjuna, remember me at every moment.” Because speaking and hearing about other topics are invariably impediments to the glorious smaraṇa limb of bhajana, he resolves to abandon them completely.

     Then Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya says, sakali kariba paramārtha. He vows to devote all efforts of his body and mind to śrī-kṛṣṇa-bhakti, the highest goal of life. The lesson for the sādhakas in this is that they must try to dedicate all their physical, verbal and mental endeavors to śrī-kṛṣṇa-bhajana. No action that is unfavorable to bhajana should be done with the body. There should be no words spoken that hinder bhajana and one should not think about anything that is detrimental to bhajana. Regarding the process of śaraṇāgati (taking shelter), the śāstras and great sages have instructed through the analogy of selling a cow that the body and all things related should be employed for Śrī Kṛṣṇa. A person who buys a cow feeds and protects her, and the cow provides a service for him, not for the person who sold her. In the same way, a sheltered sādhaka dedicates his body, mind and soul to Śrī Bhagavān and devotes all of his efforts to śrī-kṛṣṇa-bhajana. With the help of divine power, nothing is unattainable for someone who in every respect gives up self-reliance and actions born of weakness.** After handing the burden over to God, such a person performs his work in a carefree way, meaning Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the center of inspiration for all action, dwells in his heart and causes him to perform his work. tavāsmīti vadana vācā, tathaiva manasā vidan; tat-sthānam āśritas tanvā, modate śaraṇāgataḥ. “The surrendered sādhaka says, ‘O Bhagavān! I am yours.’ Having said it with his mouth, he also knows it in his mind. With his body he takes shelter of Śrī Bhagavān’s pastime places and remains there in joy.” All of his bodily and mental efforts are paramārtha, meaning they are performed for the sake of śrī-kṛṣṇa-bhakti. The sādhakas must first put in some effort; after that, everything gradually becomes spontaneous.

After that, he says, prārthanā kariba sadā, lālasā abhīṣṭa-kathā, ihā binā sakali anartha. “I will always pray that a longing to hear the stories of my beloved Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava is born in me. Other than this, all talk is useless for bhajana.” For rāgānugā-sādhakas who are absorbed in līlā-rasa, all discourse other than talk of their cherished deity’s pastimes is worthless. The internal bhajana of rāgānugā-sādhakas is contemplation of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava’s aṣṭa-kālīya-līlā while conceiving of themselves as residents of Vraja. They meditate on performing their own services within their meditation on the pastimes. At the time of maturity, sādhane bhābiba yāhā, siddha-dehe pāba tāhā. “That which I contemplate in sādhana, I will attain in the siddha-deha.” By following this method, they obtain directly in the kingdom of līlā the service they think about in their internally conceived siddha-svarūpas. Therefore, in rāga-bhajana, it is inappropriate for them to nourish a desire for anything other than the līlā-kathā of their chosen deity. Everything else is useless for their bhajana. Without the mercy of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava, the sādhaka is unable to free himself from the influence of anarthas and maintain the desire to hear līlā-kathā. For this reason, they pray constantly at Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava’s lotus feet. The sādhaka’s plaintive prayer unlocks the deity’s mercy and he or she is blessed to attain the deity without delay.

*Smaraṇa means remembrance, recollection, reflection, meditation, etc.

**An example of this might be the Gajendra story in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Canto 8, Chapter 2. 

Śrī Śrī Prema-Bhakti-Candrikā 100 (comm. by Śrī Anantadāsa Bābājī Mahārāja)

লীলারস সদা গান,        যুগল-কিশোর প্রাণ,

প্রার্থনা করিব অভিলাষ ।

জীবনে মরণে এই,        আর কিছু নাহি চাই,

কহে দীন নরোত্তম দাস ॥ ১০০ ॥

līlā-rasa sadā gāna,        yugala-kiśora prāṇa,

prārthanā kariba abhilāṣa |

jībane maraṇe ei,        āra kichu nāhi cāi,

kahe dīna narottama dāsa || 100 ||

  I pray that I may always sing of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Krsna’s pastimes, that I may dedicate my life to them and forever serve them. Lowly Narottama Dāsa wants nothing more in life or death.

Desirable in Life and Death

Sudhā-Kaṇikā-Vyākhyā: In this verse, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya reveals three prayers for his life and death. līlā-rasa sadā gāna, yugala-kiśora prāṇa, prārthanā kariba abhilāṣa. He wants to always sing of Yugala-Kiśora’s nectarous pastimes, to dedicate his life to Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava and be engaged in his long-cherished sevā. Although these desires are natural for Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya, who is an embodiment of prema, he expressed this threefold prayer due to his deep humility or because of the insatiable quality of bhakti. For the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas, this is the highest aspiration in life or death.

The first of these prayers is līlā-rasa sadā gāna. Here, by using the word līlā (pastimes), their names, forms and qualities are also implied. By using the word gāna (singing), the acts of hearing, remembering and so on are implied. Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s names, forms, qualities and pastimes are all rasa and most delicious. Śrī Kṛṣṇa is ānanda-svarūpa (the embodiment of joy) or rasa-svarūpa (the embodiment of rasa). His joyful, rasika nature is revealed through his names, qualities, pastimes and so on because they are all born of that nature. kṛṣṇa-nāma, kṛṣṇa-guṇa, kṛṣṇa-līlā-bṛnda; kṛṣṇera svarūpa sama saba cidānanda. Rasa-svarūpa Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s names, forms, qualities and pastimes combined with those of mahābhāvamayī Śrī Rādhārāṇī are sweeter than sweet. In the same way, premamayī Śrī Rādhā’s qualities, pastimes and so on mixed with those of rasarāja Śrī Kṛṣṇa are extremely sweet. Therefore, Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava sādhakas accept the identities of their siddha-svarūpas and relish the rasa of Yugala-Kiśora’s forms, qualities and pastimes. In this way they become happy and experience the highest level of enjoyment in the spiritual realm.

Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya has not mentioned forms or qualities here; he only spoke of līlā-rasa. This is because rūpa, guṇa and nāma are all contained within līlā. When you hear or sing about Yugala-Kiśora’s pastimes, you also hear and sing about their forms, qualities and so on. The purport of him saying gāna (singing) without mentioning śravaṇa or smaraṇa is that they are automatically accomplished along with the performance of kīrtana. One reason for using the word gāna instead of kīrtana is that Śrī Yugala-Kiśora’s līlā-rasa is sweeter than sweet, and if songs about it are accompanied by melody and rhythm, it melts the heart. By introducing a type of music known as garāṇahāṭī, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya demonstrated such amazing knowledge of music that great devotees who hear and witness it are astonished and their hearts are melted. Here he reveals his desire to always remain submerged in līlā-rasa-kīrtana.

Then, his second prayer is yugala-kiśora prāṇa. Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava are the self of the self or paramātmā, another of their transcendental forms. Therefore, it is natural that everyone feels them to be dearer than their own lives. The ātmā or self is the object of everyone’s love. Due to their relationship with it, a person’s body, home, spouse, children, wealth and so on become dear. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.14.50-55 says the following:

sarveṣām api bhūtānāṁ nṛpa svātmaiva vallabhaḥ |

itare’patya-vittādyās tad-vallabhatayaiva hi ||

tad rājendra yathā snehaḥ sva-svakātmani dehinām |

na tathā mamatālambi-putra-vitta-gṛhādiṣu ||

dehātma-vādināṁ puṁsām api rājanya-sattama |

yathā dehaḥ priyatamas tathā na hy anu ye ca tam ||

deho’pi mamatā-bhāk cet tarhy asau nātmavat priyaḥ |

yaj jīryaty api dehe’smin jīvitāśā balīyasī ||

tasmāt priyatamaḥ svātmā sarveṣām api dehinām |

tad-artham eva sakalaṁ jagad etac carācaram ||

kṛṣṇam enam avehi tvam ātmānam akhilātmanām |

jagad-dhitāya so’py atra dehīvābhāti māyayā ||

When Śrī Śukamuni described in the brahma-mohana-līlā (the bewilderment of Brahmā) how the vrajavāsīs had more affection for Yaśodānandana than even their own sons, Mahārāja Parīkṣit inquired, “It is usually seen that everyone has more affection for their own children than for the children of others, but the vrajavāsīs love Yaśodā’s son even more than their own. Why is that?” Śrī Śukamuni replied, “O King! To all creatures the self or ātmā is most dear. Children, wealth and other things become dear because the self is dear. For this reason, the kind of affection expressed by living beings for their own bodies is not expressed for the other objects of their affection, such as children, wealth, home and so on. Even those who accept the body as the self do not consider their children and so on to be as dear as their own bodies. Though the body is an object of attachment, it is still not as dear as the ātmā. For example, when the body wears out and a person is about to die, his desire to live still remains strong. Therefore, the ātmā is very dear to those who are embodied, and the mobile and immobile universe becomes dear due to love of the ātmā. O King! Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the supreme form of paramātmā, the self of all selves, but for the benefit of the world, he has appeared like an ordinary embodied soul.”

Even though Śrī Kṛṣṇa is naturally dearer to everyone than their own souls, the heart and mind of a jīva who has been forever averse to him are polluted by māyā and cannot experience this. If one is eager for Kṛṣṇa and takes shelter of the path of bhakti, his realization of Kṛṣṇa’s dearness awakens to the degree of his bhakti. The premika-bhaktas feel that Kṛṣṇa is millions of times more precious than their own lives. The highly advanced premika-bhakta Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya is Śrī Rādhā’s dear maidservant. Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava are countless times more dear to her than her own life. Therefore, he said, yugala-kiśora prāṇa.

Then he said, prārthanā kariba abhilāṣa. “I pray that I may fulfill my long-cherished desire to serve Śrī Yugala-Kiśora.” Bhakti means sevā or service. bhaj ity eṣa vai dhātuḥ sevāyāṁ parikīrtitaḥ. The word bhakti is derived from the verbal root bhaj, which means service. Therefore, bhakti means service. The most precious thing for a bhakta is the sevā of his chosen deities. Service to them is happiness; everything else is misery. Those who worship in mañjarī-bhāva are especially devoted to sevā. Sevā is their life; they are always ready to serve. Sevā is the only wealth they desire. Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya has thus expressed his prayer for service. His song Prārthanā is saturated with the rasa of his unprecedented prayer for the sevā of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava. He prayed to Śrī Rādhārāṇī as follows in verse 33:

prāṇeśvari! eibāra karuṇā kara more |

daśanete tṛṇa dhari, añjali mastake kari, eijana nibedana kare ||

priya-sahacarī saṅge, sebana kariba raṅge, aṅge beśa karibeka sādhe |

rākha ei sebā kāje, nija-pada-paṅkaje, priya-sahacarī-gaṇa mājhe ||

sugandhi candana, maṇimaya ābharaṇa, kauṣika basana nānā-raṅge |

ei saba sebā yāra, dāsī yena haṅ tāra, anukṣaṇa thāki tāra saṅge ||

jala subāsita kari, ratana bhṛṅgāre bhari, karpūra-bāsita guyāpāna |

e saba sājāiyā ḍālā, labaṅga mālatī mālā, bhakṣya-drabya nānā anupāma ||

sakhīra iṅgita habe, e saba āniba kabe, yogāiba lalitāra kāche |

narottama dāsa kaya, ei yena mora haya, dāṇḍāiyā raha sakhīra pāche ||

Narottama Dāsa says, “O goddess of my life! Please give me your mercy now. Holding straw in my teeth, with my hands folded at my head, I submit this prayer. I wish to serve you along with my friends in great delight. I wish to dress your beautiful limbs with fragrant sandalwood paste, jeweled ornaments and colorful silken clothes. Keep me engaged among my friends in this service to your lotus feet. I will be your maidservant and remain with you at every moment. When beckoned by a sakhī, I will bring to Lalitā a jeweled tray bearing scented water in a jeweled pitcher, camphor scented tāmbūla, garlands of cloves and jasmine and a variety of excellent foods. I will then stand behind a sakhī, waiting for my chance to serve.”

Then he prays,

prāṇeśvari! kabe more habe kṛpā-diṭhi |

ājñāya āniba kabe, bibidha phula-bara, śuniba bacana duṅhu miṭhi ||

mṛgamada tilaka, sindūra banāyaba, lepaba candana gandhe |

gāṅthi mālatī phula, hāra pahirāoba, dhāoyāba madhukara bṛnde ||

lalitā kabe more, bījana deoba, bījaba māruta mande |

śrama-jala sakala, miṭaba duṅhu kalebara, heraba parama ānande ||

narottama dāsa, āśa pada-paṅkaja, sebana mādhurī pāne |

haoba hena dina, nā dekhiye kona cina, duṅhu-jana heraba nayāne ||

“O goddess of my life! When will you cast your merciful glance on me? When, by your order, will I bring you various kinds of beautiful flowers? When will I hear your sweet conversations with Kṛṣṇa? When will I anoint your forehead with tilaka made of musk, paint vermilion in the part of your hair and smear your body with fragrant sandalwood paste? I will adorn you with a garland strung with jasmine flowers and chase away the bees. When will Lalitā give me a fan so I can cool you both with a gentle breeze? I will wipe the perspiration from your bodies. I will behold you in great joy. Narottama Dāsa hopes he can drink the sweetness of service to your lotus feet, but he sees no sign that he will ever see you both with his own two eyes.”

This sevā is to be desired in life, and it is also most desirable in the siddha-svarūpa after death. Other than this, a pure bhakta has no other desire. Therefore Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya said, jībane maraṇe ei, āra kichu nāhi cāi, kahe dīna narottama dāsa. “Lowly Narottama Dāsa says, ‘In life or death, I want nothing more than this.” Previously, in verse 42, he said, jībane maraṇe gati, rādhā-kṛṣṇa prāṇa-pati, doṅhāra pīriti-rasa-sukhe, yugala saṅgati yārā, mora prāṇa gale hārā, ei kathā raha mora buke. “Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa are the rulers of my life and my only shelter in this world and the next. Those sakhīs and mañjarīs who are always with them, submerged in the joy of the Divine Couple’s mutual love, are like a garland around not only my neck, but also my very life. Let these words remain forever in my heart.”

Śrī Śrī Prema-Bhakti-Candrikā 99 (comm. by Śrī Anantadāsa Bābājī Mahārāja)

শ্রীগুরু-ভকত-জন,        তাহার চরণে মন,

আরোপিয়া কথা-অনুসারে ।

সখীর সর্বথা মত,        হইয়া তাহার যূথ,

সদাই বিহরে ব্রজপুরে ॥ ৯৯ ॥

śrī-guru-bhakata-jana,        tāhāra caraṇe mana,

āropiyā kathā-anusāre |

sakhīra sarbathā mata,        haiyā tāhāra yūtha,

sadāi bihare brajapure || 99 ||

टीका—কথা অনুসারে–शास्त्रकथानुसारेण । হইয়া তাহার যূথ–सखीनां यूथवर्तिनी भूत्वा । বিহরে–विहारं कुर्याम् ॥

     According to śāstra, the sādhaka must fix her mind at the lotus feet of Śrī Guru and the Vaiṣṇavas. Always following the sentiments of the sakhīs and being part of their group, she will forever sport in Vrajapura.

Devotion to Śrī Guru and the Vaiṣṇavas

     Sudhā-Kaṇikā-Vyākhyā: Rāga-mārga-sādhana is of two kinds: (1) serving Śrī Guru and the Vaiṣṇavas externally, in the sādhaka body, through hearing, chanting and so on, and (2) in the mind by recollecting one’s siddha-svarūpa and then meditating on the service of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava during the eight periods of a day. In this verse, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya has mentioned both kinds of sādhanas. He speaks first of devotion to the lotus feet of Śrī Guru and the Vaiṣṇavas. śrī-guru-bhakata-jana, tāhāra caraṇe mana, āropiyā kathā-anusāre. The bhakti-śāstras have stated that devotion to Śrī Guru and the Vaiṣṇavas is the only requirement for eliminating one’s anarthas through śravaṇa-kīrtana and then quickly obtaining prema. In accordance with that, the sādhaka must concentrate his or her mind at their lotus feet.

     Two streams of Śrī Bhagavān’s compassion flow through the world bearing blessings in the form of Śrī Guru and Śrī Vaiṣṇava. Other than by taking shelter of divine bhakti, there is no way for a jīva with beginningless aversion to Śrī Bhagavān to be freed from the terrible grip of illusion. The function of the bhakti-śakti is to create eagerness in the jīva toward the most merciful Śrī Bhagavān. It manifests in this world through the gateway of Śrī Guru and Śrī Vaiṣṇava’s compassion. By the powerful association and mercy of the distinguished sādhus and guru, a taste for śrī-kṛṣṇa-bhajana is born. After taking shelter of the path of bhakti, those who have accepted service to the sādhus and guru as the primary limb of bhajana render that service to them in a variety of ways. By the power of their devotion to guru-vaiṣṇava, all anarthas are quickly destroyed and they attain the affectionate Bhagavān. This is the conclusion of all the bhakti-śāstras. The following are statements of evidence from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.15.22-25 regarding the destruction of anarthas through śrī-guru-sevā.

asaṅkalpāj jayet kāmaṁ krodhaṁ kāma-vivarjanāt |

arthānarthekṣayā lobhaṁ bhayaṁ tattvāvamarśanāt ||

ānvīkṣikyā śoka-mohau dambhaṁ mahad-upāsayā |

yogāntarāyān maunena hiṁsāṁ kāmādy-anīhayā ||

kṛpayā bhūta-jaṁ duḥkhaṁ daivaṁ jahyāt samādhinā |

ātma-jaṁ yoga-vīryeṇa nidrāṁ sattva-niṣevayā ||

rajas tamaś ca sattvena sattvaṁ copaśamena ca |
etat sarvaṁ gurau bhaktyā puruṣo hy añjasā jayet ||

     “If desire is to be conquered, the resolve to enjoy must be abandoned. Anger is conquered by giving up desire. Greed is conquered by seeing the danger in wealth. Fear is conquered by philosophical reflection. Grief and illusion are conquered by distinguishing matter from spirit. Pride is conquered by service to a great soul. Single-mindedness is attained through practicing silence. Violence is conquered by abandoning the quest for sense-enjoyment. Through compassion or forgiveness, the suffering caused by other creatures ceases. Through deep meditation, the suffering caused by natural phenomena is destroyed. Relief from bodily and mental suffering comes through the practice of aṣṭāṅga-yoga. Sleep is conquered by increasing the quality of goodness. Rajas and tamas are overcome by sattva. Sattva is overcome through restraint of the senses. But all these anarthas are easily conquered through śrī-guru-bhakti alone.” In regard to attaining success in bhakti through service to Śrī Guru, śāstra says,

guru-śuśrūṣaṇaṁ nāma 

sarva-dharmottamottamam |

tasmād dharmāt paro dharmaḥ 

pavitro naiva vidyate ||

     “Service to Śrī Guru is the best of all dharmas. There is no purer dharma in the world.” Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam says, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (The devotion of the jīva to Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who is beyond sense-perception, is called parama-dharma.) and dharmo mad-bhakti-kṛt prokta (Devotion to me is known as parama-dharma). According to these statements, the highest dharma is bhagavad-bhakti and the highest limb of bhakti is śrī-guru-sevā. The following is said in the Āgamas:

yathā siddha-rasa-sparśāt 

tāmraṁ bhavati kāñcanam |

sannidhānād guror evaṁ 

śiṣyo viṣṇumayo bhavet ||

     “Just as copper is transformed into gold by the touch of mercury, a disciple becomes viṣṇumaya from the association of Śrī Guru.” The meaning is that mercury, by its own inconceivable power, independently causes copper to transform into gold merely by its touch. In the same way, by the inconceivable power of service to Śrī Guru, the disciple becomes viṣṇumaya, meaning he becomes absorbed in viṣṇu-bhakti or assumes the same nature as Śrī Bhagavān. Brahmā spoke the following in Vāmana-Kalpa:

yo mantraḥ sa guruḥ sākṣāt 

yo guruḥ sa hariḥ svayam |

gurur yasya bhavet tuṣṭas 

tasya tuṣṭo hariḥ svayam ||

     “The mantra is directly the guru and the guru is Hari himself, meaning there is no difference between the guru, the iṣṭa-mantra and Śrī Hari. One who pleases the guru also pleases Śrī Hari.” Devahūti says in Padma-Purāṇa,

bhaktir yathā harau me’sti 

tad-variṣṭhā gurau yadi |

mamāsti tena satyena 

sandarśayatu me hariḥ ||

     “If I have more devotion to Śrī Guru than to Śrī Hari, then for this reason may Śrī Hari reveal himself to me.” By the words tad-variṣṭhā it has been shown that guru-bhakti is even more exalted than bhagavad-bhakti. We see the following in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.80.34:

nāham ijyā-prajātibhyāṁ 

tapasopaśamena vā |

tuṣyeyaṁ sarva-bhūtātmā 

guru-śuśrūṣayā yathā ||

     ijyā pūjā, prajāti vaiṣṇava-dīkṣā, tapaḥ samādhiḥ, upaśamo bhagavan-niṣṭheti (from Śrī Jīvapāda’s commentary). Śrī Bhagavān said to Sudāmā Vipra, “I, the self of all beings, am more satisfied through guru-sevā than by Vaiṣṇava initiation, worship, devotion to me, meditation and so on.”

     Various statements have been made in śāstra regarding the necessity of service to the Vaiṣṇavas. In Ādi-Purāṇa, Śrī Kṛṣṇa said to Arjuna,

ye me bhakta-janāḥ pārtha 

na me bhaktāś ca te janāḥ |

mad-bhaktānāṁ ca ye bhaktās 

te me bhaktatamā matāḥ ||

     “O Pārtha! Those who are devoted only to me are not my true bhaktas. Those who are also devoted to my bhaktas are my true bhaktas.” In Skanda-Purāṇa, Śrī Bhagavān said, vaiṣṇavā viṣṇuvat pūjyā mama mānyā viśeṣataḥ. “The Vaiṣṇavas are to be honored like Viṣṇu. I, especially, will always honor them.” In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.19.21, Śrī Kṛṣṇa told Śrī Uddhava that it is more important to worship the bhaktas than to worship him: mad-bhakta-pūjābhyadhikā. “Understanding that I am more satisfied when the bhaktas are worshiped than when I am, you should worship the bhaktas more than you do me.” In Padma-Purāṇa, Śrī Mahādeva said to Devī,

ārādhanānāṁ sarveśāṁ 

viṣṇor ārādhanaṁ param |

tasmāt parataraṁ devi 

tadīyānāṁ samarcanam ||

     “O Devī, it is best to worship Śrī Viṣṇu above all other devatās. Even better than that is to worship his bhaktas.” The reason for this is found in the Śāṇḍilya-Smṛti: 

siddhir bhavati vā neti 

saṁśaye’cyuta-sevinām |

na saṁśayo’tra tad-bhakta-

paricaryā-ratātmanām ||

     “There may be some doubt about whether or not prema can be obtained by those who serve Śrī Bhagavān, but there is no doubt that it can be obtained by those who are devoted to serving his bhaktas.” Thus, there are many statements in śāstra regarding the necessity for a bhakta to serve the Vaiṣṇavas.

    Then, regarding the internal bhajana of a bhakta who follows rāga-mārga, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya said, sakhīra sarbathā mata, haiyā tāhāra yūtha, sadāi bihare braja-pure. Following the sentiments of the sakhīs in all respects, the bhakta always sports among them directly in the kingdom of līlā in his internally conceived siddha-deha with the sole intention of serving Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa and their friends. The following is written in the Śrī-Sanat-Kumāra-Saṁhitā:

ātmānaṁ cintayet tatra tāsāṁ madhye manoramām |

rūpa-yauvana-sampannāṁ kiśorīṁ pramadākṛtim ||

sakhīnāṁ saṅginī-rūpām ātmānaṁ vāsanāmayīm |

ājñā-sevā-parāṁ tat-tad-rūpālaṅkāra-bhūṣitām ||

     A sādhaka following the rāga-mārga should contemplate herself as a charming adolescent girl, endowed with beauty and youth, living among the gopīs in the kingdom of līlā. She should meditate on her desired form as being adorned with Śrī Rādhārāṇī’s prasādī clothing and ornaments. She is a companion to Śrī Lalitā, Śrī Viśākhā, Śrī Rūpa Mañjarī and the other sakhīs. By following their instructions, she will become engaged in the service of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava from early morning till the dead of night. After taking shelter at the lotus feet of Śrī Guru, a Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava learns from him or her about the eleven aspects (ekādaśa-bhāva) of the mañjarī-svarūpa given in her siddha-praṇālī. Establishing her sense of self in that mañjarī-svarūpa, she meditates on serving Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava throughout the eight daily time periods. When she attains siddhi (maturity), she will be blessed with direct sevā in that same form. This was also discussed previously.

Śrī Śrī Prema-Bhakti-Candrikā 98 (comm. by Śrī Anantadāsa Bābājī Mahārāja)

পরম-নাগর কৃষ্ণ,        তাহে হও অতিতৃষ্ণ,

ভজ তাঁরে ব্রজভাব লৈয়া ।

রসিক-ভকত-সঙ্গে,        রহিব পীরিতি-রঙ্গে,

ব্রজপুরে বসতি করিয়া ॥ ৯৮ ॥

parama-nāgara kṛṣṇa,        tāhe hao atitṛṣṇa,

bhaja tāṅre braja-bhāba laiyā |

rasika-bhakata-saṅge,        rahiba pīriti-raṅge,

braja-pure basati kariyā || 98 ||

     टीका—ভজ তাঁরে–श्रीकृष्णं भज । পীরিতি-রঙ্গে–युगल-प्रेम-कथा रङ्गेण ।

     O mind, long for the supreme lover Śrī Kṛṣṇa and worship him in the Vraja mood. With joyful love I will dwell among the rasika-bhaktas of Vṛndāvana.

Vraja-Bhāva-Bhajana

     Sudhā-Kaṇikā-Vyākhyā: Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya then gives the gist of vraja-bhajana: parama-nāgara kṛṣṇa, tāhe hao atitṛṣṇa, bhaja tāṅre braja-bhāba laiyā. “O mind, long for the supreme lover Śrī Kṛṣṇa and worship him in vraja-bhāva.” Śrīpāda Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa has said that bhakti means longing for Śrī Kṛṣṇa. kṛṣṇa-mātraika tṛṣṇā, kṛṣṇa-vinānya-tṛṣṇā-śūnyā bhaktiḥ. “Bhakti means longing for Śrī Kṛṣṇa and nothing but Śrī Kṛṣṇa.” This is intense longing or thirst. While thirst remains weak, thoughts of water occur alongside thoughts of other matters. But if that thirst is intense, the mind only thinks of water. This intense thirst has been called the natural characteristic of rāga-bhakti. iṣṭe gāḍha-tṛṣṇā ‘rāga’–ei svarūpa-lakṣaṇa, iṣṭe ābiṣṭatā–ei taṭastha-lakṣaṇa (Śrī-Caitanya-Caritāmṛta, Madhya 22.151). Deep longing for Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the essential quality of rāga. As a result, attachment for Kṛṣṇa is born and attachment for matters other than Kṛṣṇa disappears.

     Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya is saying, “We must long for Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the supreme lover.” Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the vraja-sundarīs’ clever hero, for which he is called nāgara (lover, gallant, paramour). When he is the lover of Śrī Rādhārāṇī, the crest-jewel of all the vraja-sundarīs, he is the parama-nāgara. Therefore, by saying parama-nāgara kṛṣṇa, tāhe hao atitṛṣṇa, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya has given the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas an instruction about the rāga-bhajana of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. The Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas who are devotees of mañjarī-bhāva or rādhā-kiṅkarī-bhāva possess bhāvollāsā-rati. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmipāda has written, sañcārī syāt samonā vā kṛṣṇa-ratyāḥ suhṛd-ratiḥ, adhikā pūṣyamāṇā ced bhāvollāsa itīryate. In madhura-rasa, those among Śrī Rādhārāṇī’s girlfriends who love Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa equally or who love Kṛṣṇa a little more than Rādhā have the sthāyi-bhāva called śrī-kṛṣṇa-rati. Their love for Rādhārāṇī will be a sañcārī or passing sentiment. But if their love for Śrī Rādhārāṇī exceeds that for Śrī Kṛṣṇa, then it is known as bhāvollāsā-rati. Their sthāyi-bhāva is called rādhā-snehādhika, or having more love for Śrī Rādhā. The Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas mainly perform śrī-kṛṣṇa-bhajana under the shelter of Śrī Rādhā. āmāra īśvarī hana bṛndābaneśvarī, tāṅra prāṇanātha bali’ bhaji giridhārī. “My Goddess is Vṛndāvaneśvarī Śrī Rādhā; because Giridhārī is the lord of her life, I also worship him.” tavaivāsmi tavaivāsmi na jīvāmi tvayā vinā, iti vijñāya devi tvaṁ naya māṁ caraṇāntikam. “I am yours! I am yours! I cannot live without you. O Goddess! Now that you know this, please lead me to your lotus feet.” This is the mūla-mantra of those who worship in mañjarī-bhāva. Therefore, why did Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya tell us to long for Śrī Kṛṣṇa instead of Śrī Rādhā? Such a question may arise. The author did not just say kṛṣṇa; he said parama-nāgara kṛṣṇa. Profound meaning lies hidden within the words parama-nāgara kṛṣṇa. In some līlās, for the sake of serving Śrī Rādhārāṇī, the rādhā-snehādhikā-mañjarī-bhāva-sādhaka must meditate on yugala-sevā with a desire for Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

     While contemplating a pastime in his mentally conceived siddha-svarūpa, the sādhaka has taken the anxious Śrī Rādhā to meet with Śrī Kṛṣṇa. After preparing the bower with the help of her maidservant, Śrīmatī fixed her eyes on her lover’s path. The time for their meeting has passed. Śrīmatī became confused and wept in separation from Śrī Kṛṣṇa. One of Śrīmatī’s maidservants helped her regain her composure and then left in search of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. She carried a great longing for Kṛṣṇa in her heart. After looking everywhere for him without success, she finally became distressed and began to cry. “Alas, Lord of Rādhā! Alas, Supreme Lover! Show yourself to me. Your beloved Rādhā suffers a terrible burning sensation born of separation from you.” Now, after seeing the strong desire of Śrī Rādhā’s maidservant for Śrī Kṛṣṇa, one wonders if such desire is even possible for a worshiper of Kṛṣṇa. Because of the kiṅkarī’s intense desire, parama-nāgara Śrī Kṛṣṇa revealed himself to her. The kiṅkarī brought the king of lovers to the bower and performed her unique service to Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa there. Therefore, it is understood that in a particular type of service to Yugala-Kiśora, Śrī Rādhā’s maidservant must have deep longing for Śrī Kṛṣṇa while maintaining greater affection for Śrī Rādhā.

     Then Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya says, bhaja tāṅre braja-bhāba laiyā. “Worship Śrī Kṛṣṇa in the mood of Vraja.” Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s eternal rāgātmikā companions living in Vraja have forgotten all of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s aiśvarya and serve him through ordinary positive human relationships in vātsalya, sakhya and madhura-rasas. mora putra mora sakhā mora prāṇa-pati. “Kṛṣṇa is my son. Kṛṣṇa is my friend. Kṛṣṇa is the lord of my life.” The sādhaka who follows them also forgets Kṛṣṇa’s aiśvarya and serves him through an ordinary human relationship in his or her own rasa. Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the object of love; except by love, he cannot be caught. The sentiment of the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas toward Śrī Kṛṣṇa is that he is the dear friend of Śrī Rādhā. This is vraja-bhāva. Śrīmad Raghunātha Dāsa Gosvāmipāda wrote the following in verse nine of his Manaḥ-Śikṣā:

mad-īśā-nāthatve vraja-vipina-candraṁ vraja-vane-

śvarīṁ tan-nāthatve tad-atula-sakhītve tu lalitām |

viśākhāṁ śikṣālī-vitaraṇa-gurutve priya-saro-

girīndrau tat-prekṣā-lalita-ratidatve smara manaḥ ||

     “O mind! Remember Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the moon of Vṛndāvana, as the lord of my queen Śrī Rādhā’s life. Remember Śrī Rādhā, the goddess of the Vraja forest, as the lover of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Remember Śrī Lalitā as her dearest friend and Śrī Viśākhā as the guru who teaches the sakhīs the arts of sevā. Remember their beloved lake Śrī Rādhā-Kuṇḍa and Govardhana, king of mountains, as revealers of Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa and  givers of innocent love for them.”

     Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya then describes the sādhana that nourishes the sādhaka’s vraja-bhāva: rasika-bhakata-saṅge, rahiba pīriti-raṅge, braja-pure basati kariyā. Here, rasika-bhakta-saṅga means associating with devotees who are earnest about tasting bhakti-rasa, who are well-established in virtuous practices, are affectionate to you and are more advanced than you: sajātīyāśaye snigdhe sādhau saṅgaḥ svato vare, śrīmad-bhāgavatārthānām āsvādo rasikaiḥ saha. “I shall remain among such bhaktas in joyful love.” In his commentary on this section, Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartipāda wrote yugala-prema-kathā-raṅgeṇa, meaning, submerged in the wondrous rasa of stories about Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava’s mutual love, the sādhaka should take shelter of their transcendental playground Śrī Vṛndāvana, the ultimate place for the illumination of śrī-yugala-līlā, and pass the rest of his life in bhajana. This is the best sādhana for nourishing the vraja-bhāva of the vraja-rasa-sādhaka.

Śrī Śrī Prema-Bhakti-Candrikā 97 (comm. by Śrī Anantadāsa Bābājī Mahārāja)

জগৎ ব্যাপক হরি,        অজ ভব-আজ্ঞাকারী,

মধুর মূরতি লীলাকথা ।

এই তত্ত্ব জানে যেই,        পরম উত্তম সেই,

তার সঙ্গ করিব সর্বথা ॥ ৯৭ ॥

jagat byāpaka hari,        aja bhaba-ājñākārī,

madhura mūrati līlā-kathā |

ei tattva jāne yei,        parama uttama sei,

tāra saṅga kariba sarbathā || 97 ||

     Śrī Hari pervades the entire world and is its eternal ruler. The stories of his pastimes embody his sweetness. Those who know this are the greatest devotees and I shall always seek their association.

Svarūpa, Aiśvarya and Mādhurya-Tattvas

     Sudhā-Kaṇikā-Vyākhyā: Longing for the association of a great bhakta who is devoted to mādhurya and is expert in Śrī Bhagavān’s svarūpa, aiśvarya and mādhurya-tattvas, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya says, jagat byāpaka hari, aja bhaba-ājñākārī, madhura mūrati līlā-kathā. Jagat byāpaka hari (Hari pervades the universe) indicates Śrī Bhagavān’s svarūpa (nature, character); aja bhaba-ājñākārī (he is its eternal ruler) indicates his aiśvarya (power) and madhura mūrati līlā-kathā (his pastimes embody his sweetness) indicates his mādhurya (sweetness or charm). Śrīmat Jīva Gosvāmipāda has written, bhagavāṁs tāvad asādhāraṇa-svarūpaiśvarya-mādhuryas tattva-viśeṣaḥ. tatra svarūpaṁ paramānanda aiśvaryam asamordhvānanta-svābhāvika-prabhutā, mādhuryam asamordhvatayā sarva-manoharaṁ svābhāvika-rūpa-guṇa-līlādi sauṣṭhavam (Laghu-Toṣaṇī commentary on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.12.11). Bhagavān is the name of a particular type of tattva composed of extraordinary nature, power and sweetness. Paramānanda or supreme joy is Śrī Bhagavān’s svarūpa; unequalled, boundless, innate power* is his aiśvarya; the excellence of his incomparable natural beauty, qualities, pastimes and so on, or the quality of being attractive to all, is his mādhurya. By using the word paramānanda, Śrī Jīva has indicated the world-pervading brahma. The svarūpa or nature of brahma is saccidānanda, which has been described in various places in the śruti: saccidānanda-mayaṁ parabrahma; sarva-pūrṇa-rūpo’smi saccidānanda-lakṣaṇaḥ; satyaṁ jñānam ānandaṁ brahma; vijñānam ānandaṁ brahma and so on. Therefore, paramānanda is understood to refer to the omnipresent brahma-tattva. This is Śrī Bhagavān’s nature. By saying jagat byāpaka hari, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya has ascertained the svarūpa-tattva of Śrī Hari.

     By the words aja bhaba-ājñākārī, the author refers to Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s aiśvarya, or his incomparable, boundless, natural power. brahmādi-paribhāvaka-prabhāvo hi aiśvaryam (Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa). “The governing power possessed by Brahmā, Śiva and others is called aiśvarya.” 

     According to the statement by Śrī Jīva, the excellence of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s all-alluring natural beauty, qualities, pastimes and so on is his mādhurya, which Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya expresses as madhura mūrati līlā-kathā. Truly, incomparable character and power are present in Svayaṁ Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the embodiment of sweetness. Sweetness rests upon a foundation of character and power. Without character and power, the attractiveness of form and pastimes alone is not mādhurya. If it were, even the charm of an ordinary boy restless for play would be called mādhurya.

     Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartipāda wrote the following in his Rāga-Vartma-Candrikā (Dvitīya-Prakāśa): mahaiśvaryasya dyotane vādyotane ca nara-līlatvānatikramo mādhuryam. yathā pūtanā-prāṇa-hāritve’pi stana-cūṣaṇa-lakṣaṇa-nara-bāla-līlatvam eva. mahākaṭhora-śakaṭa-spotane’py ati-sukumāra-caraṇa-traimāsikyottānaśāyi-bāla-līlatvam. mahādīrgha-dāmāśakya-bandhatve’pi mātṛ-bhīti-vaiklavyam. brahma-baladevādi mohane’pi sarva-jñatve’pi vatsa-cāraṇa-līlatvam. tathā aiśvarya-sattva eva tasyādyotane dadhi-paya-cauryaṁ gopa-strī-lāmpaṭyādikam. “Whether his divinity is being manifested or not, as long as the appropriate mood for his human pastimes is not violated, that is called mādhurya. For example, even while Śrī Kṛṣṇa was killing Pūtanā, he sucked her breast like a human child. Although Mother Yaśodā found it impossible to tie him with a rope, he was overwhelmed with fear of her. In the brahma-mohana-līlā, the omniscient Bhagavān of the śruti personally went searching for a calf, as though he were uninformed. While bewildering Brahmā, Baladeva and others, he revealed his sweet pastime of grazing the calves. Moreover, though possessing endless power, without revealing any of it he entered the cowherds’ homes and stole their yogurt, butter and so on. Because of this, he is known in śāstra as navanīta-caura, the butter thief. After attracting the young gopīs with his charming form and the sound of his flute, he became known as gopa-strī-lampaṭa, the gopīs’ debauchee.” By the power of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s acintya-śakti,** omniscience and innocence exist in him simultaneously. This is not surprising because divinity is the shelter of mutually opposed dharmas. Śrīpāda Līlāśuka has written, maugdhye ca sārva-jñe ca sārva-bhaumam idaṁ mahaḥ. “Sovereignty over all, whether in innocence or omniscience: this is power.”

     Regarding the sādhana for realizing svarūpa, aiśvarya and mādhurya, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmipāda wrote, tat-tad-anubhava-sādhanaṁ ca krameṇa jñānaṁ jñeyaṁ bhaktyākhya gaurava-miśrā-prītiḥ śuddha-prītiś ca. Through jñāna-sādhana, svarūpa is realized; through love mixed with the awe and reverence of aiśvarya-bhāva, aiśvarya is realized; and through pure love or vraja-prema, mādhurya is realized. In the absence of these three kinds of sādhanas, the māyā-bound human has no realization of any of the three tattvas. Śrī Bhagavān said, nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yogamāyā-samāvṛtaḥ (Śrī-Bhagavad-Gītā 7.25). “O Arjuna, concealed by my yogamāyā, I am not revealed to everyone.” 

     When the bhaktas who possess aiśvarya-jñāna experience Śrī Hari’s majesty, they feel awe and reverence and their relationships with him loosen. But the nature of the Vrajavāsīs’ pure mādhurya-jñāna is such that even though they may witness hundreds of his divine attributes, they will feel no awe or hesitation in their hearts or minds and their relationships with him will not loosen. Rather, their relationships with him become closer. dekhile nā māne aiśvarya kebalāra rīti (Śrī-Caitanya-Caritāmṛta, Madhya 19.194). “Even if one sees aiśvarya, he does not consider it so. This is the way of pure bhakti.” In Vraja, beginning from Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s childhood pastimes up to the rāsa-līlā, the crown jewel of all pastimes, vast aiśvarya has been manifested; it is inconceivable. But to the Vrajavāsīs, all these appear as though adorned with boundless mādhurya. Glowing testimony has been given of his countless pastimes such as the killing of Pūtanā, Tṛṇāvarta, Bakāsura and Aghāsura; the bewilderment of Brahmā; the subduing of Kāliya; consuming the forest fire; lifting Govardhana and so on. Śrīpāda Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa has written the following in his book Siddhānta-Ratna: mādhurya-jñāna-niṣṭhānām aiśvarya-jñānaṁ triveṇyāṁ sarasvatī-pravāhavad-gauṇatayāsti. virahe vismaye vipadi ca tasyodaya-parvaṇi sārasvatasyeva pravāhasya. Like the current of the Sarasvatī in the Triveṇī,*** aiśvarya-jñāna resides secondarily in the vraja-bhaktas who are fixed in mādhurya-jñāna. Just as the current of the Sarasvatī briefly manifests at auspicious times like the full moon day, in the same way, when the Vrajavāsīs experience separation, bewilderment and difficulty, aiśvarya-jñāna manifests for a short time to bless them with the forbearance necessary to sustain their lives. But in this also, there is no awe or hesitation in their minds because Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s aiśvarya vanishes to the unfathomable floor of the Vrajavāsīs’ vast ocean of mādhurya and nourishes it. They continuously enjoy the happiness of swimming in Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s immense ocean of sweetness.

     Not to speak of Kṛṣṇa’s eternal associates in Vraja, his ever-fresh mādhurya appeared in Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura, a sādhaka-jīva whose eyes had been smeared with the ointment of devotional love. Even today, his book Śrī-Kṛṣṇa-Karṇāmṛta continues to give his glowing testimony; it can be described as an endless fountain of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s mādhurya-rasa. How can the poet completely express in language the awakening of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s sweetness in his heart? Perhaps one percent has been communicated through words. But even language is ultimately brought to a standstill and he can only repeat the words madhuram madhuram madhuram madhuram (sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet). This is the highest stage in the realization of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s mādhurya. After Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s sweetness is revealed to the rasika devotees fixed in mādhurya, for them the whole world becomes beautiful, full of flavor and as mellow as honey. Above, below, in front and behind them—in every direction—endless, billowy waves surge and fall in a great ocean of sweetness. The premika devotees forget about their bodies and homes and dive deeply into the waves of mādhurya. This the highest and final stage of vraja-rasa worship, the last frontier in the realization of Śrī Bhagavān, because mādhurya is the essence of the divine nature. Śrī-Caitanya-Caritāmṛta, Madhya 21.110:

mādhurya bhagabattā-sāra, braje kaila paracāra, tāṅhā śuka byāsera nandana |

sthāne sthāne bhāgabate, barṇiyāche nānā-mate, yāhā śuni’ māte bhakta-gaṇa ||

     “Mādhurya is the essence of divinity. It was introduced in Vraja. Śuka, the son of Vyāsa, described it in different places in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in various ways. Hearing this, the devotees are filled with joy.”

     Even though Śrī Śuka Muni has described Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s mādhurya in various places in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the essence of all the Vedas, until now, the door to that storehouse of mādhurya had been closed to the sādhakas of the world. Wanting to experience his own incomparable sweetness, Vrajendranandana accepted Śrī Rādhā’s mood and complexion and incarnated as Śrī Gaurāṅga. He personally relished as much of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s mādhurī as he desired, and after opening the door of that mystical storehouse of sweetness, he freely gave its contents to the jīvas punished by kali-yuga. Moreover, it is through the mercy of Śrī Rūpa, Śrī Sanātana and the other Gosvāmīs sheltered at Śrīman Mahāprabhu’s lotus feet that the experience of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s sweetness is possible. They established the jeweled temple of madhura-bhajana on the firm foundation of scriptural logic and their own realizations. Every day they submerged themselves in bhajana-rasa, entered the world of meditation and relished Śrī Bhagavān’s mādhurī-rasa. This they taught to the sādhakas of the world through their own behavior. 

     Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya said, ei tattva jāne yei, parama uttama sei, tāra saṅga kariba sarbathā. The rasika-bhaktas, who are expert in all these mystical doctrines, are the greatest devotees and provide  valuable association. Those sādhakas who long to taste Śrī Bhagavān’s mādhurya-rasa must always seek  the company of such great bhaktas.

*Author’s footnote: “The burning capacity of fire is natural or innate. It is not incidental like the burning power of an iron bar that has been in contact with fire.”

**Inconceivable power

***The confluence of the Gaṅgā, Yamunā and Sarasvatī at Allahabad

Śrī Śrī Prema-Bhakti-Candrikā 96 (comm. by Śrī Anantadāsa Bābājī Mahārāja)

জ্ঞান কর্ম করে লোক,        নাহি জানে ভক্তি যোগ,

নানা-মতে হইয়া অজ্ঞান ।

তার কথা নাহি শুনি,        পরমার্থ-তত্ত্ব জানি,

প্রেমভক্তি ভক্তগণ-প্রাণ ॥ ৯৬ ॥

jñāna karma kare loka,        nāhi jāne bhakti yoga,

nānā-mate haiyā ajñāna |

tāra kathā nāhi śuni,        paramārtha-tattva jāni,

prema-bhakti bhakta-gaṇa-prāṇa || 96 ||

टीका—नाहि शुनि–श्रवणं  न कुर्याम् । परमार्थ तत्त्व जानि–परमार्थ-तत्त्वं ज्ञातव्यम् ॥

     Those who know nothing of bhakti devote themselves to jñāna, karma or yoga. They do not understand the nature, form, qualities and benefits of bhakti. Avoid even hearing about such people. They should learn that bhakti is the supreme truth. Prema-bhakti is the life of the devotees.

Supreme Truth

     Sudhā-Kaṇikā-Vyākhyā: In the establishment of prema-bhakti as a genuine spiritual truth, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya first speaks about people who are uneducated regarding bhakti-tattva. jñāna karma kare loka, nāhi jāne bhakti yoga, nānā-mate haiyā ajñāna. Those who are unacquainted with the doctrine of bhakti take shelter of karma, jñāna, yoga and so on. In speaking about karma and the others in the sovereign Śrīmad-Bhagavad-Gītā, Śrī Bhagavān has ascertained the devoted bhakta to be the greatest yogī (6.46-47):

tapasvibhyo’dhiko yogī

jñānibhyo’pi mato’dhikaḥ |

karmibhyaś cādhiko yogī

tasmād yogī bhavārjuna ||

yoginām api sarveṣāṁ

mad-gatenāntarātmanā |

śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ

sa me yuktatamo mataḥ ||

     “O Arjuna! The yogīs are superior to the karmīs, the ascetics, and the jñānīs who meditate upon nirguṇa-brahma. Therefore, become a yogī. Among all types of yogīs, the practitioner of bhakti-yoga, meaning one who worships me with faith, is the best of all.”

     Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya says, nānā-mate haiyā ajñāna. Without understanding the nature, form, qualities and benefits of bhakti, the foolish person abandons bhakti-sādhana and devotes himself to the sādhanas for karma, jñāna and so on. In the commentary on the previous verse, we discussed a little about bhakti being the essential function of the hlādinī and saṁvit aspects of Śrī Bhagavān’s svarūpa-śakti or innate power. Quoting statements from the śruti, Śrīpāda Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa has written, vijñāna-ghana ānanda-ghana saccidānandaika-rase bhakti-yoge tiṣṭhatīti śruteḥ (Gopāla-Tāpanī) itarathā bhagavad-vaśīkara-hetur asau na syāt. tathābhūtāyās tasyā bhakta-kāyādir vṛtte tādātmya nāvirbhūtāyākriyākārātvam. “Deep perception and concentrated joy reside in bhakti-yoga, the embodiment of saccidānanda-rasa. Without this, bhakti could never be the cause of Śrī Bhagavān’s subjugation. Though being the essential faculty of Śrī Bhagavān’s innate hlādinī and saṁvit energies, bhakti appears in and unites with the functions of the senses of a bhakta sheltered at Śrī Bhagavān’s lotus feet and remains active therein.” Śrīpāda Vidyābhūṣaṇa said, sā tathā-bhūtā nitya-dhāmni nitya-pārṣadeṣu nityaṁ cakāsti sura-sarid iva tad-bhakta-praṇālyā prapañce’vatarati. When the jīva’s heart is purified by śravaṇa-kīrtana and so on, the prema-bhakti present in Śrī Bhagavān’s eternal associates descends like the current of the Mandākinī through the channel of sādhu-bhaktas into the phenomenal world. It then enters the heart of the jīva and causes the ever-perfect kṛṣṇa-prema to appear. Therefore, in karma, jñāna and so on, the sādhya (goal) and sādhana (means of attainment) are different, but in bhakti, sādhya and sādhana are the same. Someone may say, sādhyate’nena, “That by which a result is obtained is called a sādhana, and sādhyate’sau, meaning that which is obtained by an action is a sādhya. If this is so, how can sādhana and sādhya be the same?” Those who understand the above mentioned conclusion (that sādhana and sādhya are the same in bhakti) will see that the first appearance of Śrī Bhagavān’s self-manifesting energy named bhakti, which is composed of consciousness and joy, is called sādhana, and its second appearance is called sādhya. This is the great difference between this transcendental bhakti-sādhana and other sādhanas.

     Regarding the form, nature and so on of bhakti, the following is written in the seventy-eighth anuccheda of Prīti-Sandarbha: nikhila-paramānanda-candrikā-candramasi sakala-bhuvana-saubhāgya-sāra-sarvasva-sattva-guṇopajīvyānanta-vilāsamayāmāyika-viśuddha-sattvānavaratollāsād asamordhva-madhure śrī-bhagavati katham api cittāvatārād anapekṣita-vidhiḥ svarasata eva samullasantī viṣayāntarair anavacchedyā tātparyāntaram asahamānā hlādinī-sāra-vṛtti-viśeṣa-svarūpā bhagavad-ānukūlyātmaka-tad-anugata-tat-spṛhādimaya-jñāna-viśeṣākārā tādṛśa-bhakta-manovṛtti-viśeṣa-dehā pīyūṣa-pūrato’pi sarasena svenaiva svadehaṁ sarasayantī bhakta-kṛtātma-rahasya-saṅgopana-guṇamaya-rasanā bāṣpa-muktādi-vyakta-pariṣkārā sarva-guṇaika-nidhāna-svabhāvā dāsī-kṛtāśeṣa-puruṣārtha-sampattikā bhagavat-pātivratya-vrata-varyāparyākulā bhagavan-manoharaṇaikopāyahāri-rūpā bhagavati bhāgavatī prītis tam upasevamānā virājata iti. “Divine love (bhakti) is the moon whose rays are supreme joy; she is the greatest blessing on the world. She is the shelter of sattva-guṇa, the material quality of goodness. Because of the continuous delight of the endless, pleasure-filled, transcendental viśuddha-sattva, if she somehow thinks of the incomparably sweet Śrī Bhagavān, without relying on any rule or method she naturally feels joy. She is not obstructed by anything. She cannot tolerate other intentions. She embodies the essential faculty of hlādinī. She takes the form of a type of jñāna that is by nature favorable to Bhagavān and desires to attain him. Her body is the mind of the bhakta, and being herself filled with nectar, she invests it with nectar. Her beautiful necklace is the bhaktas’ concealment of her mystery, adorned with their pearl-like tears. Her nature is that she is a treasure house of all good qualities. She has made endless wealth and the other objects of human pursuit her maidservants. She is always ardent in her firm vow of devotion to Śrī Bhagavān, like a wife to her husband. Stealing Śrī Bhagavān’s mind is her only activity. Such divine love always serves Śrī Bhagavān in many ways.” If after learning about all these qualities of bhakti from sādhu and śāstra, will anyone disregard the shelter of bhakti-sādhana and devote himself to the sādhana of karma or jñāna? Would a thirsty person abandon an ocean of nectar and run after a mirage? Would a person wanting milk leave behind a kāmadhenu and accept the refuge of a donkey? Therefore, those who give up the shelter of bhagavad-bhakti and devote themselves to the sādhanas of karma, jñāna and so on are foolish people, thoroughly deceived by māyā. Of this there is no doubt.

     Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya says, tāra kathā nāhi śuni, paramārtha-tattva jāni, prema-bhakti bhakta-gaṇa-prāṇa. Those who desire good fortune should never associate with people who have abandoned the nectarous bhakti-sādhana and dedicated themselves to karma and jñāna. Not to speak of associating, they should not even hear about them. They must understand that prema-bhakti is the supreme truth or highest human goal. When Śrīman Mahāprabhu was in the assembly of sannyāsīs in Kāśī, he refuted the jñāna-based interpretation of Vedānta and gave his own based on bhakti. Then, while establishing prema as the highest human goal, he said the following in Śrī-Caitanya-Caritāmṛta, Ādi 7.144-145:

pañcama-puruṣārtha sei prema-mahādhana |

kṛṣṇera mādhurya-rasa karāya āsvādana ||

premā haite kṛṣṇa haya nija-bhakta-baśa |

premā haite pāi kṛṣṇa-sebā-sukha-rasa ||

     “This great treasure of prema is the fifth goal of human life; it causes one to taste Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s mādhurya-rasa. Due to prema, Kṛṣṇa becomes charmed by his devotee. Due to prema, the devotee gets the nectar of joyful service to Kṛṣṇa.”

     Therefore, prema-bhakti is the life of the bhaktas. Constantly longing for prema-bhakti, they enthusiastically pass their time engaged in devotional life. In a previous verse, it was said, jala binu yena mīna, duḥkha pāya āyu-hīna, prema binu eimata bhakta. “As a fish without water suffers and then dies, so does a bhakta without prema.”