Śrī Śrī Prema-Bhakti-Candrikā 8 (comm. by Śrī Anantadāsa Bābājī Mahārāja)

জয় সনাতনরূপ,        প্রেমভক্তি রস-কূপ,

যুগল উজ্জ্বলময় তনু ।

যাঁহার প্রসাদে লোক,        পাসরিল সব শোক,

প্রকট কলপতরু জনু ॥ ৮ ॥

Jaya Śrī Sanātana! Jaya Śrī Rūpa! You are like deep wells filled with prema-bhakti-rasa and are the embodiment of the sweetest pure love for Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. You have appeared like the fabled wish-fulfilling trees before the people of the world, and by your mercy, they have forgotten all their sorrows.

Yugala-Ujjvalamaya Tanu

Sudhā-Kaṇikā-Vyākhyā: In this verse, after proclaiming victory for the chief Gauḍīya Sampradāya ācāryas, Śrī Śrī Rūpa-Sanātana, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya speaks of their transcendental achievements. He first says, jaya sanātana-rūpa. By using the word jaya, he indicates the prominency of Śrī Rūpa-Sanātana over all others. Śrīman Mahāprabhu’s unique contribution was that highest of all forms of bhakti, mañjarī-bhāva-sādhanā, also called rādhā-dāsya, which has the lofty ujjvala-rasa as its nature and which was never given before. In the practice and teaching of that bhāva, Śrī Rūpa-Sanātana stand above all. Knowing their uncommon capacity for disseminating bhakti, Śrīman Mahāprabhu personally gave Śrī Sanātana, in Kāśī, and Śrī Rūpa, in Prayāga, detailed instructions concerning bhakti-tattva and rasa-tattva. Then he mercifully infused them with the power and inspiration to practice and spread these teachings. In Śrī Caitanya-Candrodaya-Nāṭaka 9.48, Śrī Kavi Karṇapūra has written,

कालेन वृन्दावनकेलिवार्त्ता लुप्तेति तां ख्यापयितुं विशिष्य ।

कृपामृतेनाभिषिषेच देवस्तत्रैव रूपं च सनातनं च ॥

“When, by the influence of time, the stories of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s Vṛndāvana pastimes had faded away, Śrīman Mahāprabhu bathed Śrī Rūpa-Sanātana in the nectar of his mercy to once again bring that līlā clearly to light.” Śrī Rūpa-Sanātana are particularly known for this development in the Gauḍīya Sampradāya.

Besides this, Śrī Rūpa-Sanātana were without equals in Śrī Vṛndāvana. Like the steadfast Pole Star, their sādhana-bhajana, renunciation, asceticism and their tasting of prema-rasa all served as a model for everyone. In his discussion of their ideal examples of bhajana (C.C. Mad. 19.123-132), Śrīla Kavirāja Gosvāmipāda has written,

মহাপ্রভুর যত বড় বড় ভক্ত মাত্র । রূপ সনাতন সবার কৃপা-গৌরব-পাত্র ॥

কেহ যদি দেশে যায় দেখি বৃন্দাবন । তারে প্রশ্ন করেন প্রভুর পারিষদগণ ॥

‘কহ---তাঁহা কৈছে রহে রূপ সনাতন? । কৈছে রহে বৈরাগ্য, কৈছে বা ভোজন? ॥

কৈছে অষ্টপ্রহর করেন শ্রীকৃষ্ণভজন?’ । তবে প্রশংসিয়া কহে সেই ভক্তগণ ॥

‘অনিকেতন দোঁহে রহে, যত বৃক্ষগণ । একেক-বৃক্ষের তলে একেক রাত্রি শয়ন ॥

বিপ্রগৃহে স্থূলভিক্ষা কাঁহা মাধুকরী । শুষ্ক রুটি চানা চিবায় ভোগ পরিহরি ॥

করোঁয়া মাত্র হাতে কাঁথা ছিঁডা বহির্বাস । কৃষ্ণকথা কৃষ্ণনাম নর্তন উল্লাস ॥

অষ্টপ্রহর কৃষ্ণভজন---চারিদণ্ড শয়নে । নামসংকীর্তনে সেহো নহে কোন দিনে ॥

কভু ভক্তিরসশাস্ত্র করয়ে লিখন । চৈতন্য কথা শুনে, করে চৈতন্য চিন্তন’ ॥

এই কথা শুনিয়া মহান্তের মহাসুখ হয় । চৈতন্যের কৃপা যাঁহে, তাঁহে কি বিস্ময় ॥

  “Śrī Rūpa-Sanātana were the deserving recipients of kindness and honor from all of Śrīman Mahāprabhu’s eminent bhaktas. If someone returned to his native land after visiting Śrī Vṛndāvana, he would be questioned by Mahāprabhu’s followers. They would say, ‘Please tell us; how are Śrī Rūpa and Śrī Sanātana living there? Tell us about their asceticism. How are they eating? How do they perform śrī-kṛṣṇa-bhajana all day long?’ Then he would tell them of Śrī Rūpa-Sanātana’s glories. ‘Neither of them have homes; they rest underneath a different tree every night. To get food, they practice mādhukarī by begging from the houses of brāhmaṇas, like a bee gathering honey from flower to flower. Shunning all types of sense enjoyment, they eat foods like dry bread and fried chickpeas. They carry only a waterpot in hand and wear torn cotton quilts as their outer garments. Always talking about Śrī Kṛṣṇa and chanting his name, they sometimes dance in great joy. They engage in śrī-kṛṣṇa-bhajana for almost twenty-four hours a day, sleeping only about an hour and a half. Some days, absorbed in chanting, they don’t even sleep that much. Sometimes they write books about bhakti-rasa, and sometimes they listen to stories about Caitanya Mahāprabhu or meditate upon him.’ Hearing this narration, the devotees would become very happy. Nothing is astonishing for one who has received the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.” From this, some details of Śrī Rūpa-Sanātana’s eminence can be known. Alternatively, the word jaya implies an obeisance. Lying at the feet of Śrī Rūpa-Sanātana, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya sings of their greatness.

First he says that Śrī Rūpa-Sanātana are prema-bhakti-rasa-kūpa, or deep wells of prema-bhakti-rasa. In the above statements, their excellent examples of renunciation, asceticism and bhajana were pointed out. But because someone may think they are only ordinary sādhakas, it is stated here that they are deep wells of prema-bhakti-rasa. As nitya-siddha residents of Vraja, Śrī Rūpa-Sanātana exist as Śrī Rūpa Mañjarī and Śrī Lavaṅga Mañjarī. They incarnated on earth as associates of Śrīman Mahāprabhu to propagate the vraja-rasa-sādhanā. Even though Śrīman Mahāprabhu is the direct form of Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa combined and remains continuously immersed in tasting the prema-mādhurī of Śrī Rādhā, he thought of himself as a disciplined sādhaka and joyfully drank the nectar of this vraja-rasa-sādhanā. In the same way, even though Śrī Rūpa-Sanātana are eternal residents of Vraja, like sādhaka-bhaktas they tasted the rasa of bhajana. Truly they are deep wells of prema-bhakti-rasa.

It may be asked that since one hears about the boundless, unfathomable prema in the lotus feet of Śrī Rūpa-Sanātana, Śrīman Mahāprabhu and Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, and since Śrī Rūpa-Sanātana have produced such a vast treasury of books filled with syllables dripping in prema, why were they not called “oceans” of prema-bhakti-rasa? Why has Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya used the word “wells” instead? In an ocean, there is a mixture of the water from different rivers and streams; in a well, on the other hand, the water is not mixed but is rather in its pure, natural state. In the same way, the prema-bhakti-rasa propagated by Śrī Rūpa-Sanātana is of the highest purity, and within it there is no mixture of jñāna, yoga or aiśvarya-bhāva. It is supremely pure and sweet. Secondly, ocean water is salty and therefore not fit for drinking; and during the summer, the water in rivers, streams and ponds becomes too warm and muddy to be drinkable. But well water is cool and very enjoyable. In the same way, jñāna and yoga are incapable of mitigating the grief and suffering of the jīvas in kali-yuga, who are continuously burnt by the fire of the three types of misery. Only prema-bhakti-rasa has the capacity to make their lives cool and pleasant. This prema-bhakti alleviates the sorrow and misery of the jīvas’ painful worldly lives and blesses them with a taste of the sweet nectar of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Because Śrī Rūpa-Sanātana are the embodiments of that wonderfully cool and sweet prema-bhakti-rasa, they have been described as deep wells of nectar. Actually, the measure of their prema-bhakti is not like a well at all, but rather vast and deep like an ocean. The prema-bhakti-rasa in their hearts has also been manifest in the books they composed. Even today, countless people have immersed themselves in those wells of nectar in the form of books and have not only avoided the blazing fire of worldly miseries, but have also been blessed with a personal taste of rasa, an experience they will cherish for eternity. Of this there is no doubt.

Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya then describes Śrī Rūpa-Sanātana as yugala-ujjvalamaya tanu, which means that Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava’s ujjvala-rasa has manifested itself in their bodies, or that their bodies have been formed by this yugala-ujjvala-rasa. Among all types of rasa, yugala-ujjvala-rasa reigns supreme. Bhakti-rasa is primarily of five types: śānta, dāsya, sakhya, vātsalya and madhura, or ujjvala-rasa. Among these, madhura or ujjvala-rasa is preeminent because all the qualities and moods contained within the previous four rasas are also included within it. Concerning this, in Śrī Caitanya-Caritāmṛta, during his instructions to Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmipāda, Śrīman Mahāprabhu says,

কৃষ্ণনিষ্ঠা, তৃষ্ণা ত্যাগ---শান্তের দুই গুণে । এই দুইগুণ ব্যাপে সব ভক্তজনে ॥

শান্তের স্বভাব কৃষ্ণে মমতাগন্ধহীন । পরংব্রহ্ম-পরমাত্মা-জ্ঞান-প্রবীণ ॥

কেবল স্বরূপজ্ঞান হয় শান্তরসে । পূর্ণৈশ্বর্য-প্রভুজ্ঞান অধিক হয় দাস্যে ॥

ঈশ্বর-জ্ঞান সম্ভ্রম গৌরব প্রচুর । সেবা করি কৃষ্ণে সুখ দেন নিরন্তর ॥

শান্তের গুণ দাস্যে আছে অধিক ‘সেবন’ । অতএব দাস্য রসের হয় দুই গুণ ॥

শান্তের গুণ, দাস্যের সেবন---সখ্যে দুই রয় । দাস্যের সম্ভ্রম গৌরব সেবা, সখ্যে বিশ্বাস ময় ॥

কান্ধে চড়ে কান্ধে চড়ায়, করে ক্রীড়া রণ । কৃষ্ণে সেবে কৃষ্ণে করায় আপন সেবন ॥

বিশ্রম্ভপ্রধান সখ্য---গৌরব সম্ভ্রম-হীন । অতএব সখ্যরসের তিন গুণ চিন ॥

মমতা-অধিক কৃষ্ণে আত্মসম জ্ঞান । অতএব সখ্যরসে বশ ভগবান্ ॥

বাৎসল্যে শান্তের গুণ, দাস্যের সেবন । সেই সেই সেবনের ইহা নাম ‘পালন’ ॥

সখ্যের গুণ, অসঙ্কোচ অগৌরব আর । মমতা-আধিক্যে তাড়ন-ভর্ৎসন ব্যবহার ॥

আপনাকে ‘পালক’ জ্ঞান কৃষ্ণে ‘পাল্য’ জ্ঞান । চারি রসের গুণে বাৎসল্য অমৃত-সমান ॥

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মধুররসে---কৃষ্ণনিষ্ঠা, সেবা অতিশয় । সখ্যের অসঙ্কোচ লালন মমতাধিক্য হয় ॥

কান্ত-ভাবে নিজাঙ্গ দিয়া করেন সেবন । অতএব মধুররসে হয় পঞ্চগুণ ॥

আকাশাদির গুণ যেন পর-পর ভূতে । এক দুই তিন ক্রমে পঞ্চ পৃথিবীতে ॥

এইমত মধুরে সব ভাব-সমাহার । অতএব স্বাদাধিক্যে করে চমৎকার ॥

“The two qualities of śānta-rasa, or the peaceful mood, are deep attachment for Śrī Kṛṣṇa and the renunciation of desire and greed. These two qualities pervade all bhaktas. The nature of śānta-rasa is that there is no trace of the feeling that ‘Kṛṣṇa is mine.’ Bhaktas in this mood are very knowledgeable about Paraṁbrahma and Paramātmā. Only svarūpa-jñāna, or realization of one’s own nature, is present in śānta-rasa. 

  “In dāsya-rasa, or servitude, there is more knowledge of God with all his opulences. The bhakta is filled with reverence mixed with awe and submission in the presence of God’s majesty. Always engaged in serving, he gives great happiness to Śrī Kṛṣṇa. In dāsya-rasa, besides the qualities in śānta-rasa, sevana or service is included. Therefore dāsya-rasa contains two qualities.

“In sakhya-rasa, or friendship, we find the qualities of both śānta and dāsya, except that whereas in dāsya, the service is done in awe and reverence, in sakhya, one serves as Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s confidante. Sometimes, while play-fighting, the bhakta climbs on Kṛṣṇa’s shoulders and sometimes he makes Kṛṣṇa climb on his. Sometimes he serves Kṛṣṇa and sometimes he makes Kṛṣṇa serve him. Rather than reverence, playful familiarity is the primary mood. Thus, in sakhya-rasa there are three qualities. There is more of a sense that ‘Kṛṣṇa is mine,’ and that ‘I am Kṛṣṇa’s equal.’ Therefore, sakhya-rasa has the power to influence or even subjugate Śrī Bhagavān.

“Vātsalya-rasa, or parental love, contains the qualities of śānta, dāsya and sakhya, as well as a mood of service known as pālana, or protecting and nourishing. This mood has no sense of hesitation or reverence, and with the increased feeling that ‘Kṛṣṇa belongs to me,’ the bhakta sometimes scolds and chastises him. The vātsalya-bhakta feels himself or herself to be the protector and Kṛṣṇa to be the one who needs protected. This mood is just like nectar because it contains all the qualities of the first four rasas.

“In madhura-rasa, or the sweet and amorous mood, there is a deep attachment for Kṛṣṇa as well as an increase in the quantity and quality of service. It contains the friendliness of sakhya and the nourishing mood of vātsalya. The feeling of mamatā, that ‘Kṛṣṇa is mine,’ is at its highest. In the mood of a lover, the bhakta serves Kṛṣṇa with her own body. Therefore, madhura-rasa includes five moods. Just as the qualities of the elements, beginning with subtle space, successively increase in number up to the five qualities present in earth, in the same way, all the emotions are included within madhura-rasa. This superabundance of flavor is truly amazing!” (C.C. Mad. 19. 215...234)

In the madhura-rasa or ujjvala-rasa of Vraja, there is complete absorption in the wondrous parakīya-bhāva, wherein an endless variety of enjoyment is revealed. In that highest yugala-ujjvala-rasa, meaning in the incomparable sweetness of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava’s union, lies the pinnacle of enjoyment. The sakhīs in Śrī Rādhā’s group have been blessed with the good fortune of tasting that unequalled sweetness. And among them, those kiṅkarīs or mañjarīs who serve with more affection toward their beloved Śrī Rādhā than Śrī Kṛṣṇa experience a taste that is sweeter and more diverse than any others. The reason is that even the sakhīs don’t get the privilege of seeing Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava’s most confidential pastimes. Only the minnow-like eyes of the mañjarīs happily swim as they please in that sea of līlā-rasa. By getting the good fortune of this sublimely delightful sevā, they truly receive the highest blessing of all. Their natures and moods are so amazingly attuned to Śrīmatī’s that she considers them to be identical with her own body. Therefore, during times of intimacy, Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava feel no hesitation or shyness before the mañjarīs as they perform their personal sevās. Moreover, as a result of their extraordinary oneness of mood with Śrīmatī, the marks left on Śrī Rādhā’s body after lovemaking also appear unchanged upon their bodies! For this reason, as Śrī Rūpa Mañjarī and Śrī Lavaṅga Mañjarī, the leaders of the nitya-siddhā-mañjarīs in vraja-līlā, and as Śrī Rūpa and Śrī Sanātana in gaura-līlā, they have been called yugala-ujjvalamaya-tanu: those within whom an abundance or brightness of yugala-ujjvala-rasa is seen. 

It may be asked why those who are nitya-siddhā-mañjarīs in Vraja were engaged in such sādhana-bhajana like ordinary sādhakas troubled by poverty and illness. To explain this, a specific reference is given: yāṅhāra prasāde loka, pāsarila saba śoka, prakaṭa kalapa-taru janu. “You have appeared like the fabled wish-fulfilling trees before the people of the world, and by your mercy, they have forgotten all their sorrows.” In fact, Śrī Rūpa Mañjarī and Śrī Lavaṅga Mañjarī, eternal maidservants in Vraja, incarnated as associates of Śrī Gaurāṅga, the combined form of Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. The purpose of their appearance, by means of their personal examples and the vast treasury of books they published, was to introduce to the world the sādhanā of Vraja’s madhura-rasa-prema. By their mercy, they have shown themselves as living examples of vraja-rasa-sādhanā, and in their books, they have given information about sambandha-abhidheya-prayojana-tattva, thus providing the people with eternal relief from the blazing fire of worldly miseries. But the removal of this misery and sorrow is only a secondary result. In reality, the people of this world have been blessed with prema-sevā at the feet of their most cherished Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava. To express this, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya says prakaṭa kalapa-taru janu, which means that Śrī Rūpa-Sanātana have incarnated as desire trees bearing the fruit of Vraja’s madhura-rasa-mañjarī-bhāva. To perceive a kalpa-taru in this world is truly rare, but Śrī Rūpa-Sanātana are called prakaṭa kalpa-taru, meaning that they blessed mankind at that time by appearing personally before them, and that for all eternity they shall bless mankind with the gift of prema by placing them on the path of prema-sādhanā through their books, lovingly written by their own lotus hands.

Or, another meaning of the word prakaṭa could be śreṣṭha (greatest). Compared to a kalpa-taru of the world, Śrī Rūpa-Sanātana are even greater. The reason is that a desire-fulfilling tree of this world can only give some material substance to its supplicant; it isn’t capable of bestowing prema. But Śrī Rūpa-Sanātana are prema-kalpa-tarus because they can bless anyone who takes shelter of them with vraja-prema, the highest gift of all. Therefore, they are the śreṣṭha (greatest) or prakaṭa (clearly revealed) kalpa-tarus. Moreover, if due to lack of knowledge a person prays for something that could be harmful to him or her, a kalpa-taru will still grant that wish. When fulfilling a supplicant’s wish, a kalpa-taru doesn’t normally consider whether the wish is harmful or helpful. But even though someone may desire something other than Kṛṣṇa from that śreṣṭha-kalpa-taru Śrī Rūpa-Sanātana, they bless him instead with the gift of prema. For example, after receiving instructions from Śrī Viśvanātha in a dream, the poor brāhmaṇa Kāśīśvara of the village named Mānakara obtained a philosopher’s stone from Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmipāda. But after associating with Śrīla Gosvāmipāda and seeing his example, he abandoned that stone and was then blessed with the treasure of prema, for which he is known as kṛtārtha, or one who has reached his goal. Compared to a kalpa-taru of this world, the prakaṭa or śreṣṭha-kalpa-tarus Śrī Rūpa-Sanātana are vastly different.

Śrī Śrī Prema-Bhakti-Candrikā 7 (comm. by Śrī Anantadāsa Bābājī Mahārāja)

বৈষ্ণব-চরণরেণু,        ভূষণ করিয়া তনু,

যাহা হৈতে অনুভব হয় ।

মার্জন হয় ভজন,        সাধুসঙ্গে অনুক্ষণ,

অজ্ঞান অবিদ্যা পরাজয় ॥ ৭ ||

     By ornamenting one’s body with dust from the lotus feet of Vaiṣṇavas, one gains spiritual realization. Continuously performing bhajana in the association of advanced devotees, one becomes purified and conquers illusion and ignorance.

Dust from the Bhakta’s Feet and Sādhu-Saṅga

     Sudhā-Kaṇikā-Vyākhyā: In this verse, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya first of all glorifies the dust from the lotus feet of Vaiṣṇavas. baiṣṇaba-caraṇa-reṇu, bhūṣaṇa kariyā tanu, yāhā haite anubhaba haya. In the matter of obtaining bhakti or fruition of one’s bhajana, all the śāstras have with one voice proclaimed the extraordinary power of the dust from the Vaiṣṇavas’ lotus feet. In verse 5.12.12 of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the essence of all vedānta, the great sage Jaḍabharata says to Mahārāja Rahūgaṇa,

रहूगणैतत्तपसा न याति न चेज्यया निर्वपणाद् गृहाद्वा ।

न च्छन्दसा नैव जलाग्निसूर्यैर्विना महत्पादरजोऽभिषेकम् ॥

     “O Mahārāja Rahūgaṇa! If one is never anointed with the foot-dust of a great soul, even though he may perform austerities or Vedic rituals, give food and other goods in charity or build houses for the benefit of others, study the Vedas, worship the gods of water, fire or the sun, or perform any other type of sādhana, he will not be able to acquire true knowledge of God.”

     In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.5.32, Śrīla Prahlāda Mahāśaya says to his father Hiraṇyakaśipu,

नैषां मतिस्तावदुरुक्रमाङ्घ्रिं स्पृशत्यनर्थापगमो यदर्थः ।

महीयसां पादरजोऽभिषेकं निष्किञ्चनानां न वृणीत यावत् ॥

     “So long as a worldly man has not been sprinkled with the foot-dust of the great souls, who are devoid of materialistic egotism, his thoughts are unable to touch the lotus feet of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. When the intellect is firmly fixed at Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s feet, all of one’s anarthas spontaneously disappear.”

     When Bhṛgu Muni kicked Śrī Nārāyaṇa’s chest to test his true nature (Bhāg. 10.89.11-12), Śrī Nārāyaṇa replied, 

पुनीहि सहलोकं मां लोकपालांश् च मद्गतान् । पादोदकेन भवतस्तीर्थानां तीर्थकारिणा ॥

अद्याहं भगवँल्लक्ष्म्या आसमेकान्तभाजनम् । वत्स्यत्युरसि मे भूतिर्भवत्पादहतांहसः ॥

     In his Śrī Caitanya-Bhāgavata, Śrīla Vṛndāvana Dāsa Ṭhākura has given a very beautiful Bengali translation of these verses:

এইযে তোমার পাদোদক পুণ্যজল । তীর্থেরে করয়ে তীর্থ হেন সুনির্মল ॥

যতেক ব্রহ্মাণ্ড বৈসে আমার দেহেতে । যত লোকপাল সব আমার সহিতে ॥

পাদোদক দিয়া আজি করিলা পবিত্র । অক্ষয় হৈয়া রহ তোমার চরিত্র ॥

এইযে তোমার শ্রীচরণচিহ্নধূলি । বক্ষে রাখিলাম আমি হই কুতূহলী ॥

লক্ষ্মীসঙ্গে নিজবক্ষে দিল আমি স্থান । বেদে যেন শ্রীবৎস-লাঞ্ছন বলে নাম ॥

     “The water from your feet is so sacred and pure that it sanctifies even the holy places. All the universes and their presiding deities reside within my body, and today you have purified us with the water from your feet. Your good name will be known forever. Having your footprints upon my chest delights me so much that I keep them alongside Lakṣmīdevī, who resides there as the curl of hair known in the Vedas as śrīvatsa.”

     Svayaṁ Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa said to Uddhava, anuvrajāmy ahaṁ nityaṁ pūyeyety aṅghri-reṇubhiḥ (Bhāg. 11.14.16). “O Uddhava! I shall purify the whole universe with the dust from the feet of the bhaktas, to whom I’m forever devoted, thus blessing everyone with the gift of bhakti” (Śrīdhara Svāmī’s commentary). In this current kali-yuga, Śrīman Mahāprabhu, the combined form of Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, eager for the taste of bhakti-rasa, has himself taken the dust from the Vaiṣṇavas’ lotus feet. sabāra caraṇa-dhūli laya biśvambhara (Caitanya-Bhāgavata). “Viśvambhara has taken everyone’s foot-dust.” Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmipāda has written,

ভক্তপদধূলি আর ভক্তপদজল । ভক্তভুক্ত-অবশেষ---তিন মহাবল ॥

এইতিন সেবা হৈতে কৃষ্ণপ্রেমা হয় । পুনঃপুনঃ সর্বশাস্ত্রে ফুকারিয়া কয় ॥

     “These three substances are very powerful: the dust from the bhakta’s feet, the water from his feet, and the remnants from his meal. By accepting them, one develops kṛṣṇa-prema. This is repeatedly proclaimed in every śāstra.” (Caitanya-Caritāmṛta, Antya 16.60-61)

     About adorning one’s body with the Vaiṣṇavas’ foot-dust, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya says, baiṣṇaba-caraṇa-reṇu bhūṣaṇa kariyā tanu. Just as men and women of the world very meticulously adorn themselves with ornaments for decorating their bodies, in the same way, for beautifying one’s own soul, one must very carefully and lovingly serve the foot-dust of Vaiṣṇavas. By this, we are being advised to have the highest regard for the Vaiṣṇavas. vaiṣṇavānāṁ parā bhaktiḥ (Nārada-Pañcarātra). “The highest reverence shall be shown toward the Vaiṣṇavas.” The Vaiṣṇavas are to be honored by the sādhakas of the bhakti-mārga just as they honor Śrī Viṣṇu. vaiṣṇavā viṣṇuvat pūjyāḥ. If a bhakta-sādhaka doesn’t show respect for the Vaiṣṇavas, Śrī Bhagavān is never pleased by that person’s sādhana-bhajana.

ये मे भक्तजनाः पार्थ न मे भक्ताश्च ते जनाः । मद्भक्तानां च ये भक्तास्ते मे भक्ततमा मताः ॥ (Ādi-Purāṇa)

तस्माद्विष्णुप्रसादाय वैष्णवान् परितोषयेत् । प्रसादसुमुखो विष्णुस्तेनैव स्यान्न संशयः ॥ (Itihāsa-Samuccaya)

  

     Śrī Bhagavān said to Arjuna, “O Pārtha! Those who worship me alone are not my true bhaktas; I consider those who are the bhaktas of my bhaktas to be the highest of all. Therefore, for the satisfaction of Viṣṇu, all arrangements must be made to satisfy the Vaiṣṇavas. If the Vaiṣṇavas are pleased, then Viṣṇu is also pleased. Of this there is no doubt.” On the other hand, if the Vaiṣṇavas are disrespected even a little, though one may worship the soul of the universe Śrī Viṣṇu hundreds of times, the Lord will not be satisfied: prasīdati na viśvātmā vaiṣṇave cāpamānite. Therefore, Śrī Bhagavān eloquently said to Śrī Uddhava, mad-bhakta-pūjābhyadhikā (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.19.21). abhyadhikā-mat-pūjāto’pi tatra mama santoṣa-viśeṣāt (from Śrī Jīva’s commentary). “Seeing my bhakta being worshipped gives me more satisfaction than receiving worship myself. Therefore, great honor shall be given to the bhaktas.” In the matter of obtaining bhakti, the service of great souls has certainly been mentioned in many śāstras and in the writings of the mahājanas. Consequently, it has been said, yāhā haite anubhava haya, meaning that if the sādhaka’s body is adorned with dust from the feet of Vaiṣṇavas, he will acquire realization concerning his sambandha, abhidheya and prayojana.

     After this, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya says, mārjana haya bhajana, sādhu-saṅge anukṣaṇa, ajñāna abidyā parājaya. If one decorates his body with the Vaiṣṇava’s foot-dust, or places that dust upon his head, with great devotion and faith, and with the understanding that it can fulfill all desires, one obtains the good fortune of constant sādhu-saṅga. In that continual sādhu-saṅga, one’s bhajana becomes purified, and as a secondary result, ignorance and illusion are also destroyed. Concerning the importance of sādhu-saṅga, in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.26.31 we find yathopaśrayamāṇasya bhagavantaṁ vibhāvasum, śītaṁ bhayaṁ tamo’py eti sādhūn saṁsevatas tathā. “Just as under the shelter of Bhagavān Agnideva, cold, fear and darkness are destroyed, in the same way, under the shelter of the sādhus, the stupefying effect of the jīva’s karma, his fear of worldly life and the ignorance born of worldly life are all destroyed.” In his commentary on this verse, Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartipāda has written, svīyaudana-siddhy-artham upāśrayamāṇasya apy eti naśyati. tathaiva bhajana-siddhy-arthaṁ sādhūn saṁsevyamānasya karmādi-jāḍyaṁ saṁsāra-bhayaṁ bhajana-vighnaś ca. “When one lights a fire in the stove for cooking rice and vegetables, besides the food being cooked, a natural consequence is that cold, fear and darkness are also dispelled. In the same way, for attaining success in bhajana, if one associates with and serves the sādhus, a concomitant result of this bhajana-siddhi is the destruction of the stifling effect of karma, the fear of worldly life, illusion, ignorance and any other impediment to bhajana.” And why is that satsaṅga direct bhakti? Because it has the power to captivate Śrī Bhagavān.

अथैतत् परमं गुह्यं शृण्वतो यदुनन्दन । सुगोप्यमपि वक्ष्यामि त्वं मे भृत्यः सुहृत्-सखा ॥ (Bhāg. 11.11.49)

न रोधयति मां योगो न साङ्ख्यं धर्म एव च । न स्वाध्यायस्तपस्त्यागो नेष्टापूर्तं न दक्षिणा ॥

व्रतानि यज्ञश्छन्दांसि तीर्थानि नियमा यमाः । यथावरुन्धे सत्सङ्गः सर्वसङ्गापहो हि माम् ॥ (Bhāg. 11.12.1-2)

     Śrī Bhagavān said to Śrī Uddhava, “O Yadunandana! You are my best friend, servant and ally. Therefore, I’m telling you a very confidential secret; please listen. Aṣṭāṅga-yoga, truth-discerning sāṅkhya, varṇāśrama-dharma or other dharmas such as nonviolence, reciting the Vedas, performing austerities, renunciation, doing public welfare work such as performing the agniṣṭoma-yāga and constructing wells and gardens, giving charity, making vows, worshipping the gods, chanting mantras, going on pilgrimages, self-restraint,  fire sacrifices and so on---none of these have the power to capture me. Only sādhu-saṅga can remove all other attachments and bring me under its control.” Therefore, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 12.10.7 says, ayaṁ hi paramo lābho nṛṇāṁ sādhu-samāgamaḥ. “This sādhu-saṅga is indeed the greatest attainment for everyone.” The indescribable importance of such sādhu-saṅga has been repeatedly extolled in all the spiritual śāstras. 

সাধুসঙ্গ সাধুসঙ্গ সর্বশাস্ত্রে কয় । লবমাত্র সাধুসঙ্গে সর্বসিদ্ধি হয় ॥

     “In all the śāstras it is said that merely a moment’s association with a sādhu can bring about all success.” (CC. Mad. 22.54)

Śrī Śrī Prema-Bhakti-Candrikā 6 (comm. by Śrī Anantadāsa Bābājī Mahārāja)

শ্রীগুরু করুণাসিন্ধু,        অধম জনার বন্ধু,

লোকনাথ লোকের জীবন ।

হা হা! প্রভু! কর দয়া,        দেহ মোরে পদছায়া,

এবে যশঃ ঘুষুক ত্রিভুবন ॥ ৬ ||

     “Śrī Guru, you are an ocean of mercy, the friend of the poor and humble. O Lokanātha, you are the life of your followers. Master! Please be kind to me; give me the shade of your lotus feet. May your glory be proclaimed throughout the three worlds.”

The Quality of Śrī Guru’s Mercy

     Sudhā-Kaṇikā-Vyākhyā: After singing the glories of Śrī Gurudeva and describing his qualities of compassion and kindness, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya is himself humbly praying for that compassion. Śrī Guru is a boundless ocean of mercy: śrī-guru karuṇā-sindhu. We have already characterized Śrī Guru as the embodiment of the Lord’s concentrated mercy. When one’s heart melts upon seeing another’s suffering, and one feels anxiety until that other’s misery has been removed, that is called karuṇā, or compassion. To understand the importance of Śrī Gurudeva’s compassion, it must first be understood what Bhagavān’s compassion is, because the manifest form of the Lord’s compassion is Śrī Guru. In a discussion about determining the nature of the Lord’s compassion, Śrīmat Jīva Gosvāmipāda has written about the mercy of Śrī Bhagavān: anukampā ca pūrṇe’pi svasmin sevādyabhilāṣaṁ sampādya sevakādiṣu sevādi-saubhāgya-sampādikā bhagavac-cittārdratāmayī tad-upakārecchā. “Though the Lord is complete within himself, because of the softness of his heart, he first establishes the desire for sevā in the sevaka, and then he wants to help him attain it. This is called his karuṇā.” The significance is that even though Śrī Bhagavān is self-pleased, self-satisfied and complete within himself, due to the pleasure of prema, he cannot under any circumstance be indifferent toward the bhakta who has taken shelter of his lotus feet. First, he causes the desire for sevā to awaken within the heart of the bhakta, because without this longing the bhakta’s mind can never become completely absorbed in serving the Lord. Such longing for sevā is called bhakti. bhaj ityeṣa vai dhātuḥ sevāyāṁ parikīrtitaḥ. The Lord’s karuṇā, or compassion, is the yearning in his softened heart to help the bhakta by awakening the desire for sevā within the bhakta’s mind so he may bless him with that great treasure of direct service. The manifest form of that compassion is Śrī Gurudeva. In the Śrī Bṛhad-Bhāgavatāmṛta (2.4.85-86), Śrīman Nārāyaṇa speaks to Gopakumāra: 

तत्ते मय्यकृपां वीक्ष्य व्यग्रोऽनुग्रहकातरः । अनादिं सेतुमुल्लङ्घ्य त्वज्जन्मेदमकारयम् ॥

श्रीमद्गोवर्धने तस्मिन् निजप्रियतमास्पदे । स्वयमेवाभवं तात जयन्ताख्यः स ते गुरुः ॥

     “Dear boy, seeing your indifference toward me, I became anxious and wanted to help you. Breaking my own eternal rules of dharma, I caused you to take birth at my beloved Śrī Govardhana, where I incarnated as your guru named Jayanta.” When Śrī Bhagavān sees the miserable state of the jīva, in the form of Śrī Guru he blesses the jīva by giving him the precious treasure of prema. Because Śrī Bhagavān’s compassion has no limit in the form of Śrī Guru, Śrī Guru is known as karuṇā-sindhu, an ocean of mercy. The importance of Śrī Guru’s mercy can also be seen in another way: If Śrī Hari becomes angry, Śrī Guru can give one protection; but if Śrī Guru becomes angry, no one can give protection! Therefore, Śrī Guru must be satisfied to the best of one’s ability. harau ruṣṭe gurus trātā gurau ruṣṭe na kaścana tasmāt sarva-prayatnena gurum eva prasādayet. Among the prayers of Śrī Devahūti Devī in the Padma-Purāṇa we find bhaktir yathā harau me’sti tad-variṣṭhā gurau yadi mamāsti tena satyena sandarśayatu me hariḥ. “If there exists within me more devotion to my guru than to Śrī Hari, on the strength of that virtue please bless me with the vision of Śrī Hari!” Just as in the above words tad-variṣṭhā the position of guru-bhakti is indicated to be higher than that of even bhagavad-bhakti, by implication, the mercy embodied within the form of Śrī Guru is even greater than that within the form of Śrī Bhagavān. Because Śrī Gurudeva is the most compassionate person, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya has described him as an ocean of mercy.

     One other quality of Śrī Gurudeva has been mentioned: adhama-janāra bandhu.  Though Śrī Gurudeva is an ocean of mercy, his surrendered bhakta must feel himself lowly, because the guru is the friend of the poor and humble. This adhama state of mind is a fitting vessel for the compassion of his guru and other sādhus. Concerning mahat-kṛpā, the mercy of a great person, Śrīmat Jīva Gosvāmipāda has written, satāṁ kṛpā ca duravasthā-darśana-mātrodbhavā na svopāsanādy apekṣā, yathā śrī-nāradasya nalakūvara-maṇigrīvayoḥ (Bhakti-Sandarbhaḥ 193 anu). “When sādhus see the miserable condition of the jīvas, they shower their mercy upon them without expectation of worship or service, just as Śrī Nārada bestowed his mercy upon Nalakūvara and Maṇigrīva.” The mercy of Śrī Guru is also like that. Some people who are intoxicated with pride in their wealth, followers and noble birth serve Śrī Gurudeva by giving as much as possible of their money and property. Seeing the natural happiness of Śrī Guru, who is the embodiment of perpetual joy, they consider themselves to have been amply blessed with his mercy. Therefore, they think, “Why not let our intoxication with sense enjoyment and wealth continue? Guru-kṛpā will one day carry us to Śrī Bhagavān’s lotus feet.” These people should give close attention to the great words of Ṭhākura Mahāśaya: Gurudeva is adhama-janāra bandhu, “the friend of the poor and humble.” This humble, lowly state of mind is the perfect receptacle for the compassion of Śrī Gurudeva. Guru-kṛpā will never allow its recipient to remain in the terrible, hellishly fetid pit of worldly life.  A person who has obtained genuine kṛpā repeatedly cries, “How wonderful is my guru’s mercy!” That mercy causes more humility to surge within his heart, bathes him in a stream of bhakti-rasa nectar, and keeps him always absorbed in thinking of Śrī Guru’s lotus feet. Therefore it has been said that Śrī Gurudeva is adhama-janāra bandhu. 

     Another quality has also been described: lokanātha lokera jīvana. Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya’s dīkṣā-guru is Śrīpāda Lokanātha Gosvāmī, a dear associate of Śrīman Mahāprabhu. By mentioning Śrī Gurudeva’s holy name, the author is expressing his appreciation for the spiritual treasure, referred to in previous verses, that he has attained by Śrī Guru’s mercy. He is also implying that even though he has been Śrī Gurudeva’s servant for many births, carrying his order and serving with both body and mind, he has yet to repay Śrī Guru for even a tiny amount of that treasure. The meaning of Lokanātha Prabhu as lokera jīvana is that, by his own ideal example, he has introduced the people of the world to the highest level of bhajana-mārga (bhakti-mārga). For the jīva to be situated in this path of devotion is jīvana, or life; not to be so situated means death.

     Another meaning of lokanātha lokera jīvana is that Śrī Gurudeva is the master, protector and life of everyone in the universe. In this interpretation, two other esoteric qualities of Śrī Guru are being disclosed, specifically referring to the samaṣṭi-guru, or aggregate guru. Śrī Bhagavān is always present in the eternal realm as the samaṣṭi-guru. This samaṣṭi-guru is a direct incarnation of the Lord. The worldly-minded jīvas of the universe are covered by ignorance, constantly scorched by the three kinds of miseries, and bound by the chains of sensual enjoyment. To free them from this net of illusion and lead them to his own lotus feet, the infinitely and causelessly compassionate Śrī Bhagavān assumes the form of samaṣṭi-guru. From that most compassionate samaṣṭi-guru, the guru-śakti appears in this world in the body of the greatest bhakta, who is always deeply absorbed in bhagavad-bhajana, while also entering into everyone’s individual vyaṣṭi-guru. Śrīmat Jīva Gosvāmipāda has written, ya eva bhagavān atra vyaṣṭi-rūpatayā bhaktāvatāratvena śrī-guru-rūpo vartate, sa eva tatra samaṣṭi-rūpatayā svavāma-pradeśe sākṣād-avatāratvenāpi tad-rūpo vartate iti (Bhakti-sandarbhaḥ 286 anuḥ). The samaṣṭi-guru manifests himself in all the vyaṣṭi-gurus of this world and rescues mankind from the grip of māyā by bestowing the gift of bhagavad-bhakti. Thus, he remains lokanātha lokera jīvana.

     After such an expression of Śrī Guru’s great magnanimity, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya prays with transcendental anguish for the mercy of Śrī Guru:  hā hā! prabhu! kara dayā, deha more pada-chāyā, ebe yaśaḥ ghuṣuka tribhuvana. “Master! Please be kind to me; give me the shade of your lotus feet. May your glory be proclaimed throughout the three worlds.” Ṭhākura Mahāśaya, considering himself with deep humility to be a person bound to the world, reflects, “How unlimited Śrī Bhagavān’s compassion is in the form of Śrī Guru! But alas, for a person like me, fettered by illusion, misfortune is also without limit. How shall I ever be showered with even a drop of his mercy?” Thinking like this, he has used the words hā hā, conveying a feeling of profound anguish. Then he considers, “Śrī Guru is most competent; it is his līlā to rescue the fallen. Therefore, in spite of the countless ways in which I am unworthy, by his power everything is possible.” For this reason, the word prabhu, or master, has been used, meaning ‘competent.’ “Hā hā Prabhu! Please be merciful and give me shelter in the shade of your lotus feet!” He is praying for refuge within the cooling shade of Śrī Guru’s lotus feet, which are like a tree that fulfills all wishes, and which free one from being burnt again by the agonizing fire of saṁsāra. With great humility welling up within him he says, “Hā hā Prabhu! If you bless an unworthy and insignificant person like me with the shelter of your lotus feet, your glory as purifier of the fallen will be proclaimed throughout the three worlds. ebe yaśaḥ ghuṣuka tribhuvana.

Śrī Śrī Prema-Bhakti-Candrikā 5, pt. 2 (comm. by Śrī Anantadāsa Bābājī Mahārāja)

     Then Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya says prema-bhakti yāṅhā haite, abidyā bināśa yāte, bede gāya yāṅhāra carita. We have said that it is as though the compassion of that boundless ocean of mercy, Śrī Bhagavān, has condensed into the form of Śrī Guru and appeared here for the benefit of all worldly souls. It is through Śrī Gurudeva, the avatāra of Śrī Bhagavān’s compassion, that we experience the Lord’s mercy. Śrī Gurudeva’s heart is the jeweled throne of Śrī Bhakti Mahārāṇī, the quintessence of the hlādinī and samvit śaktis. Residing there, Bhaktirāṇī bestows her mercy upon the people of the world. With Śrī Guru’s compassion as the vehicle, her mercy is set in motion within the sādhaka, and he becomes blessed with the gift of prema. Because of this sambandha-jñāna (knowledge of relationship) gained by the mercy of Śrī Guru, attachment for the body and subject matters not related to Kṛṣṇa is lost, while a deep affection for Kṛṣṇa arises. Prema-bhakti then appears within the sādhaka’s heart, having flowed through the guru-praṇālī like the current of the Mandākinī. This mystical truth can also be known from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.31):

svayṁ samuttīrya sudustaraṁ dyuman bhavārṇavaṁ bhīmam adabhra-sauhṛdāḥ |

bhavat padāmbhoruha-nāvam atra te nidhāya yātāḥ sad-anugraho bhavān ||

 bhavat padāmbhoruha-rūpāṁ nāvam atraiva nidhāya bhakti-mārga-sampradāyaṁ pravartety arthaḥ pāraṁ yātāḥ (Svāmi-ṭīkā)

     While offering prayers to Śrī Kṛṣṇa within the womb of Devakī Devī, Brahmā and the other devas said, “O Self-manifested One! Your compassion for your devotees is boundless. By the strength of that mercy, your devotees accept the shelter of your lotus feet, which are like sturdy boats that carry them across the troublesome ocean of material life. Moreover, by the system of guru-paramparā these devotees give their mercy to the souls of this world by keeping that boat here in the form of the bhakti-mārga-sampradāya.” From this it is clearly understood that without the shelter of the lotus feet of Śrī Guru there is no way to attain prema-bhakti and cross the ocean of material life. The direct result of receiving shelter at the lotus feet of Śrī Guru is the attainment of prema and sevā at the lotus feet of Śrī Bhagavān. A secondary result is the destruction of ignorance, the basis of materialistic life. Therefore Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya says abidyā bināśa yāte. The forgetful jīva’s beginningless aversion to God has arisen due to Śrī Bhagavān’s external māyā-śakti of avidyā. This avidyā is of five kinds: tamaḥ, moha, mahāmoha, tāmisra and andha-tāmisra. Here tamaḥ indicates ignorance, or lack of knowledge. If one extends his hand while in dense darkness, he is unable to see it or anything else around him. In the same way, if ignorance doesn’t allow the jīva to ascertain his own nature, how in this state of darkness shall he see Śrī Kṛṣṇa? Moha means the state of being unable to discern what should and shouldn’t be done. Mahāmoha indicates desire for sensual enjoyment. Tāmisra means the angry state arising when one’s enjoyment is hindered, and andha-tāmisra denotes being absorbed in guarding one’s enjoyable things from possible loss. These are the functions of avidyā-māyā, and they are removed as a secondary fruit of Śrī Guru’s mercy.

     Those anarthas that disrupt the sādhaka’s bhajana are also known to be avidyā. They are of four kinds: duṣkṛtottha (born of evil deeds), sukṛtottha (born of good deeds), aparādhottha (born of offensive deeds) and bhaktyuttha (born of following the path of bhakti). The anarthas born of wicked acts have been described as comprised of kleśa, or misery and distress. Kleśa is of five kinds: avidyā, asmitā, rāga, dveṣa and abhiniveśa. Here avidyā means considering that which is impermanent to be eternal, that which is impure to be pure, misery to be happiness and that which is not the self to be the self. Asmitā means arrogance, pride, egotism. Rāga means desire or attachment for happiness and comfort. Dveṣa means the desire to remove all misery or its causes. Abhiniveśa means fear of death. Some also consider pious deeds aimed at sense enjoyment as anarthas and are thus included as miseries. By the mercy of Śrī Guru, all these are easily destroyed. By his mercy the sādhaka is also freed from the anarthas born of aparādha, namely the ten offenses against the Holy Name, as well as the anarthas born of following the path of bhakti, such as the desire for profit, adoration and fame. In this way, the sādhaka obtains the treasure of pure bhajana.

     bede gāya yāṅhāra carita: In the Vedas and the religious texts that follow the Vedas the importance of Śrī Guru has been repeatedly described. The Vedas constantly sing of him by whose mercy prema-bhakti is obtained and ignorance is thoroughly destroyed. ācāryavān puruṣo veda (Chāndogya): “Having taken shelter of the lotus feet of Śrī Guru, a person devoted to the service of Śrī Guru attains and remains situated in spiritual truth.”

yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā gurau |
tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ prakāśante mahātmanaḥ ||

     “For one who studies the Vedic literature with equal devotion to Śrī Hari and Śrī Guru, the power of that devotion causes the meaning of the Vedas to awaken within him.” (Śvetāśvatara) 

     tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet samit-pāṇiḥ śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham (Muṇḍaka). In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the cream of all vedānta, Śrī Kṛṣṇa has said, ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyāt: “Śrī Guru shall be understood as My own form.”

     In the Chāndogya Upaniṣad of the Sāmaveda, one story concerning the importance of Śrī Guru is found. Sent by Jābālā, Satyakāma Jābāla approached Maharṣi Gautama to receive spiritual knowledge. When he arrived, Gautama initiated him and engaged him in the work of cow protection and so on. Satisfied by Satyakāma’s devotion and service to his guru, Rṣabha (the bull), Agni (the fire), Haṁsa (the swan) and others blessed him with spiritual knowledge. Gautama, pleased by this, then also gave him instructions. When Upakauśala approached Satyakāma for spiritual knowledge, Satyakāma engaged him in tending the fires and fetching things. Pleased by Upakauśala’s devotion to Śrī Guru, Agni taught spiritual knowledge to him. Then, Satyakāma, being pleased, also enlightened him. In the Veda-following Mahābhārata, there are also many well-known stories about the guru-sevā and guru-niṣṭhā of Upamanyu, Uttaṅka, Uddālaka and others. bede gāya yāṅhāra carita.

Śrī Śrī Prema-Bhakti-Candrikā 5, pt. 1 (comm. by Śrī Anantadāsa Bābājī Mahārāja)

চক্ষুদান দিল যেই,         জন্মে জন্মে প্রভু সেই,

দিব্যজ্ঞান হৃদে প্রকাশিত ।

প্রেমভক্তি যাঁহা হৈতে,        অবিদ্যা বিনাশ যাতে,

বেদে গায় যাঁহার চরিত ॥ ৫ ||

     “He who gave me the gift of sight is my master in birth after birth. He has awakened spiritual knowledge within my heart. By this prema-bhakti all ignorance is destroyed. The Vedas sing of his character and activities.”

Divine Knowledge

     Sudhā-Kaṇikā-Vyākhyā: Though the spiritual nature of the jīva is that he is the eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, since immemorial time he has been forgetful of this nature, having been swallowed by the gaping mouth of bahiraṅgā-māyā, the Lord’s external illusory energy.  Thinking in terms of ‘I’ and ‘mine’ concerning his material body and that which is related to it, he wanders from form to form according to his desires and mental impressions, suffering the terrible worldly miseries of birth, death, old age and disease. Taking shelter of Śrī Guru and performing śrī-kṛṣṇa-bhajana is the only way to be freed from this misery.

কৃষ্ণনিত্যদাস জীব তাহা ভুলি গেল । সেই দোষে মায়া তার গলায় বান্ধিল ॥

তাতে কৃষ্ণভজে করে গুরুর সেবন । মায়াজাল ছুটে পায় কৃষ্ণের চরণ ॥

     “When the jīva forgets that he is the eternal servant of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, māyā binds him by the throat. Still, if he worships Kṛṣṇa and serves his guru, the net of māyā releases him and he obtains the Lord’s lotus feet.” (CC.M.22.24-25)

     After rescuing his disciple from the ocean of material life by giving him initiation and instructions, Śrī Gurudeva covers the disciple’s materialistic eyes, which are incapable of seeing God directly, and opens his spiritual eyes, suitable for seeing the supreme truth, as well as causing him to taste the nectar of kṛṣṇa-bhajana. By designating the eyes, it is implied that the sādhaka’s other senses also become spiritualized and thus capable of bhagavad-bhajana. The meaning is that the material body, mind and senses are not capable of performing śrī-kṛṣṇa-bhajana. When Śrī Gurudeva, overwhelmed by causeless compassion, gives him the dīkṣā-mantras, the disciple exclaims trāyasva bho jagannātha guro saṁsāra-vahninā, dagdhaṁ māṁ kāla-daṣṭaṁ ca tvām ahaṁ śaraṇaṁ gataḥ. “Śrī Guru! You are the embodiment of the Lord’s compassion. Please rescue me from being scorched by the fire of material life and swallowed by death! O Master, I seek your refuge.” When the disciple receives Śrī Gurudeva’s shelter and dedicates his body, mind and soul, then by the touch of the nectarous power of God known as Śrī Gurudeva’s mercy (just as iron is turned to gold by contact with the philosopher’s stone), the disciple is infused with bhakti-śakti. His body and senses become spiritualized and fit for performing bhajana to the lotus feet of Śrī Bhagavān. The sādhaka’s body, mind and senses obtain that spirituality by assuming the same nature as that of bhagavad-bhajana, and this transformation occurs solely by the mercy of Śrī Guru. In this way, Śrī Guru’s mercy qualifies the disciple to worship the lotus feet of Bhagavān, delivers him at the Lord’s lotus feet and establishes his particular relationship with the Lord. Therefore, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya says cakṣu-dāna dila yei, janme janme prabhu sei, dibya-jñāna hṛde prakāśita. “Śrī Guru, the giver of love of Kṛṣṇa and knowledge of Kṛṣṇa, is my master birth after birth, and I am his servant birth after birth. Having freed me from materialistic vision, he has opened my spiritual eyes of devotion, smeared with the ointment of love, which are suitable for seeing God. If Śrī Guru is satisfied, he deposits the power of his compassion within one’s heart, and then the divine knowledge embodied in kṛṣṇa-dīkṣā and his instructions is realized.” This clearly indicates the master-servant relationship between Śrī Guru and the disciple, as well as the permanent nature of that relationship. As the result of his past actions, the wandering jīva is born into various wombs, and in each birth he establishes connections with a different mother and father, and with different friends and relatives. But the guru-śiṣya relationship is not like that. At a suitable time after many births, the very same Śrī Guru becomes present before his disciple and causes him to drink the sweet rasa of bhajana, blesses him with the gift of prema and leads him into the kingdom of līlā for the direct sevā of his beloved Lord. Ah! The mercy of Śrī Guru! Nothing compares to this!

(to be continued...)

Śrī Śrī Prema-Bhakti-Candrikā 4, pt. 2 (comm. by Śrī Anantadāsa Bābājī Mahārāja)

     It may be asked that since the supreme refuge (uttama-gati) or most cherished attainment of the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas is the prema-sevā of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava, then why is it mentioned here that devotion to the feet of Śrī Guru is the uttama-gati? The meaning is that since the sādhaka who has attachment for the feet of Śrī Guru certainly obtains the uttama-gati of Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa’s nikuñja-sevā, it indicates in a logical way that the two are identical. For example, the phrase āyur ghṛtam iti literally means ‘ghee is life.’ Ghee is not life, but because by eating ghee one’s life is undoubtedly extended, it is said that ‘ghee is life.’ Therefore, by indicating that devotion to the feet of Śrī Guru and the uttama-gati are not different, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya has determined that this attachment to Śrī Guru’s lotus feet is the sādhaka’s sole and most important sādhana and sādhya (means and purpose). The essential meaning is that wherever loving devotion to Śrī Guru’s lotus feet exists, the uttama-gati, or ultimate refuge, should be understood to also always be present. The meaning of ye prasāde pūre sarva āśā is that by the mercy of Śrī Gurudeva, if he is pleased, all the sādhaka’s hopes for the prema-sevā of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa in their jeweled cottage within the forest of Śrī Vṛndāvana are fulfilled. ‘All hopes’ means that whenever the sādhaka’s heart is pervaded by constant longing for Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava’s prema-sevā, by the mercy of Śrī Gurudeva, that cherished desire is fulfilled. Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya has revealed a similar hope in these verses of his Prārthanā:

কুসুমিত বৃন্দাবনে নাচত শিখিগণে পিককুল ভ্রমর ঝঙ্কারে ।

প্রিয় সহচরী সঙ্গে গাইয়া যাইবে রঙ্গে মনোহর নিকুঞ্জ কুটিরে ॥

হরি! হরি! মনোরথ ফলিবে আমারে? ।

দুঁহক মন্থর গতি কৌতুকে হেরব অতি অঙ্গভরি পুলক অন্তরে ॥

চৌদিকে সখীর মাঝে রাধিকার ইঙ্গিতে চিরুণী লইয়া করে ধরি ।

কুটিল কুন্তল সব বিথারিয়া আঁচরব বনাইব বিচিত্র কবরী ॥

মৃগমদ মলয়জ সব অঙ্গে লেপব পরাইব মনোহর হার ।

চন্দন কুঙ্কুমে তিলক বনাইব হেরব মুখ-সুধাকর ॥

নীল পট্টাম্বর যতনে পরাইব পায়ে দিব রতন মঞ্জীরে ।

ভৃঙ্গারের জলে রাঙ্গা চরণ ধোয়াইব মুচ্ছাইব আপন চিকুরে ॥

কুসুম কোমলদলে সেজ বিছাইব শয়ন করাব দোঁহাকারে ।

ধবল চামর আনি মৃদু মৃদু বীজব ছরমিত দুঁহক শরীরে ॥

কনক সম্পুট করি কর্পূর তাম্বূল ভরি যোগাইব দোঁহার বদনে ।

অধর সুধারসে তাম্বূল সুবাসে ভোখব অধিক যতনে ॥

শ্রীগুরু করুণাসিন্ধু লোকনাথ দীনবন্ধু মুই দীনে কর অবধান ।

রাধাকৃষ্ণ বৃন্দাবন প্রিযনর্ম্ম সখীগণ নরোত্তম মাগে এই দান ॥

     “Along with their dear companions, they will sing and joke as they walk among the dancing peacocks, the cuckoos and buzzing bees to that charming cottage within the blossoming Vṛndāvana forest. Hari! Hari! Will my heart’s desire ever come true? When I see Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa walking slowly together, happy in each other’s company, my limbs will erupt in goosebumps from delight. Surrounded by her sakhīs, Rādhikā will beckon me to dress her hair. With a jeweled comb I shall spread her curled tresses and braid them into a beautiful plait. I shall anoint her limbs with musk and sandalwood paste, and adorn her throat with an exquisite necklace. Gazing upon her moonlike face, I shall decorate her forehead with delicate tilaka made of candana and kuṅkuma. I shall very carefully clothe her with a blue silken dress and place jeweled anklets upon her feet. I shall bathe her crimson lotus feet with scented water and dry them with my own hair. Then I shall scatter soft flower petals upon their bed and ask them both to lie down. I shall fan their tired bodies very gently with a white cāmara and place camphor-scented tāmbūla from a golden box into their lotus mouths. Then, with great care, I shall taste the remnants of that fragrant tāmbūla mixed with the nectar of their lips. Śrī Guru! You are an ocean of mercy. Śrī Lokanātha! You are the friend of the poor. I am very miserable, so please hear my cry! Narottama begs you for the service of Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa with their priya-narma-sakhīs in the forests of Vṛndāvana.”

Śrī Śrī Prema-Bhakti-Candrikā 4, pt. 1 (comm. by Śrī Anantadāsa Bābājī Mahārāja)

গুরু-মুখপদ্মবাক্য,        হৃদি করি মহাশক্য,

আর না করিহ মনে আশা ।

শ্রীগুরুচরণে রতি,        এই সে উত্তমগতি,

যে প্রসাদে পূরে সর্ব্ব আশা ॥ ৪ ॥

     “The words from Śrī Guru’s lotus mouth have great power. Take them into your heart and rely upon nothing else. Attachment to his lotus feet is the best way to achieve success. By his mercy, all your hopes will be fulfilled.”

The Gravity of Śrī Guru’s Words

     Sudhā-Kaṇikā-Vyākhyā: After the sādhaka has taken shelter of the lotus feet of a sad-guru who understands śrī-kṛṣṇa-tattva, meaning after he has accepted dīkṣā-mantras and so on, Śrī Gurudeva shall give him instructions in sādhana and bhajana, as well as in śrī-kṛṣṇa-tattva, bhakti-tattva, prema-tattva and rasa-tattva. The instructions flowing from Śrī Gurudeva’s lotus mouth are as sweet as honey and are like an elixer for the heart and ears. They have a powerful effect in establishing the sādhaka on the path of bhajana. In this verse, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya introduces this idea by saying guru-mukha-padma-bākya, hṛdi kari mahāśakya, āra nā kariha mane āśā. The honey-like words falling from the lotus mouth of Śrī Gurudeva, the embodiment of bhagavad-bhakti-rasa, are ambrosial as well as intoxicating. There is no comparison anywhere to the instructions that Śrī Gurudeva speaks, his heart melted with affection and compassion, to his sheltered disciple. The word mahāśakya means ‘endowed with the power to lead one to God.’ The word bākya means ‘instructive speech concerning the prema-rasa of devotion to Śrī Kṛṣṇa.’ The sādhaka must hold within his heart the words of Śrī Gurudeva (who is the embodiment of pure devotion to God) and give up all dependence on anything else. The purport is that when the merciful Lord sees the sad and miserable condition of the māyā-bound people, his heart melts for them. In order to teach them about the various tattvas and cause them to personally taste the sweetness of bhajanānanda-rasa, the bhagavat-svarūpa-samaṣṭi-guru (God as the aggregate guru) empowers some great soul who has attained bhakti to act as vyaṣṭi-guru (individualized guru). He alone is to be regarded as the genuine sad-guru. Since Śrī Guru is the embodiment of the Lord’s mercy, there is no doubt that his instructions have the power to deliver one to the Lord. Therefore, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya is saying here that for those who are very eager to obtain Śrī Kṛṣṇa, it is essential that they hold the powerful words of Śrī Guru within their hearts and give up their reliance on anything else.

     The question may arise that if the instructions given by Śrī Gurudeva do not agree with the opinions of śāstra and the mahājanas, how can the sādhaka establish trust in those instructions? In reply, it has been said that the sad-guru can never give instructions that disagree with the sādhus and śāstras. If some guru should happen to instruct his śiṣya in a way contrary to the opinions of sādhu and śāstra, the virtuous śiṣya shall, without showing any disrespect, refuse to accept that instruction. He should disregard it with the attitude that he is unable to understand its hidden meaning. Therefore, in the twelfth verse Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya says sādhu-śāstra-guru-bākya, hṛdaye kariyā aikya, satata bhāsiba prema-mājhe. “By making your heart one with the teachings of sādhu-śāstra-guru, you will always be flooded with divine love.”

     After that Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya says śrī-guru-caraṇe rati, ei se uttama-gati, ye prasāde pūre sarva āśā. This means that those who possess some attachment for Śrī Guru’s lotus feet, having accepted within their hearts his instructions on śrī-kṛṣṇa-tattva, bhakti-tattva, prema-tattva and rasa-tattva, are blessed because of that sincere devotion to easily obtain the most precious thing within the kingdom of prema, the service of the lotus feet of Śrī Rādhā’s beloved sweetheart. By ‘devotion to Śrī Guru’s feet,’ it is meant that if the sādhaka’s mind becomes satisfied by his firm devotional attachment to Śrī Guru’s lotus feet, or if the sādhaka’s mind becomes absorbed in contemplating the form of Śrī Guru, who is always engaged in bhajana, then he easily obtains the supreme refuge. 

(to be continued...)

Śrī Śrī Prema-Bhakti-Candrikā 3, pt. 2 (comm. by Śrī Anantadāsa Bābājī Mahārāja)

     By serving Śrī Guru, the sādhaka easily attains all success, but he or she must perform that guru-sevā with the utmost care and attention. viśrambheṇa guroḥ sevā (Śrī Rūpa). This means that after understanding śri-guru-tattva and having established complete trust in it, then śrī-guru-sevā should be performed. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.17.27), Śrī Kṛṣṇa speaks about śrī-guru-tattva to Śrī Uddhava:

ācāryā māṁ vijānīyān nāvamanyeta karhicit |

na martya-buddhyāsūyeta sarva-devamayo guruḥ ||

     “You should know the ācārya to be one of my forms. You should never disrespect or find fault with him as though he were an ordinary man because Śrī Gurudeva contains all the gods.” After establishing full faith in śrī-guru-tattva, the sādhaka must carefully serve Śrī Gurudeva in such a way that no tendency to view him as an ordinary person arises. Often, even while engaged in śrī-guru-sevā through our bodily, verbal and mental activities, some uncontrolled movements, attitudes and behaviors reveal themselves, and in doing so become  serious aparādhas that accumulate and become obstacles to obtaining the fruit of that sevā. The reason for this is that even after receiving so much information about śrī-guru-tattva, and after being made aware of the many śāstrika injunctions and prohibitions concerning śrī-guru-sevā, we are still unable to engage in that sevā with attention and meticulous care. Therefore Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya says bandoṅ mui sābadhāna mate.

     Some of the injunctions for śrī-guru-sevā are as follows: The sādhaka shall personally prepare the water for Śrī Guru’s foot-washing, bathing, etc. He shall massage Śrī Guru’s feet, help him with his bath, smear his body with candana and wash his clothes. Upon seeing his gurudeva’s arrival, he shall offer obeisance by lying flat on the ground before him. He shall gather all the ingredients such as Tulasī leaves and flowers for the pūjā his guru performs daily. He shall offer the Lord’s prasāda to Śrī Guru every day and then eat the remnants. Before speaking Śrī Gurudeva’s name, the sādhaka shall bow his head, press his palms together and say the words aṣṭottara-śata-śrī-śrī, then Śrī Guru’s name, followed by the word prabhupāda or viṣṇupāda. With a sincere and affectionate heart, the sādhaka should always try in every way to satisfy Śrī Guru by his bodily, verbal and mental actions, as well as with his own wealth, body, home and spirit. bandoṅ mui sābadhāna mate.

     Some prohibitions: The sādhaka must never violate Śrī Gurudeva’s order, his sitting place, clothing, bed, shoes or other practical articles he may use. He shall never imitate the walking, speech, gestures or tone of voice of Śrī Guru. He shall never stretch out his feet in the presence of Śrī Guru, or sit with his foot upon his thigh in such a way that it is visible to others. He shall never yawn, laugh loudly, snap his fingers or dance in a ludicrous way before Śrī Guru. He shall not sit in a chair, lie in a bed, bow to others or try to dominate others before Śrī Guru. When in the presence of Śrī Guru, the sādhaka should not leave without receiving Śrī Guru’s permission. Without Śrī Guru’s permission, the sādhaka shall not give dīkṣā to anyone or produce a commentary on any śāstra. He shall not speak as though he is giving an order to Śrī Guru, nor shall he gesture toward Śrī Guru with hand or finger movements. He should not use words that in any way indicate disrespect, such as ‘Give me this, or bring me that.’ Rather, when necessary, he should say things that indicate supplication, like ‘Please allow it to be said or done.’ He shall not use the personal articles of Śrī Guru without his permission. He shall not go to any place where Śrī Guru is criticized or his dignity impugned. He shall not look upon the face of anyone who vilifies Śrī Guru. He shall remain patient if Śrī Gurudeva chastises or reprimands him. Even if Śrī Guru treats him in an unfriendly way, he will hold no grudge. In summary, the sādhaka should at no time behave in such a way that it would indicate he considers Śrī Guru to be an ordinary person or ‘lightweight’ in status. Guru means ‘heavy,’ so how could he ever be ‘lightweight’? bandoṅ mui sābadhāna mate.

     Within this statement of Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya one more deep mystery is hidden. sādhakasya gurau bhaktiṁ mandīkurvanti devatāḥ, yan no’tītya vrajed viṣṇuṁ śiṣyo bhaktyā gurau dhruvam. This means that in many cases the devatās (gods) try to cloud the intelligence of the sādhaka in order to weaken his guru-bhakti. The reason for this is that the devatās think, “By the power of this sādhaka’s firm devotion to his guru, he will go beyond us and surely attain the blessed state of Śrī Bhagavān. Therefore, if we can make him go astray, then he won’t be able to surpass us.” Alas! If the devas are so envious that they will try to weaken a sādhaka’s guru-bhakti, then what doubt is there that ordinary ignorant, malicious and envious people, for the sake of their own profit, fame and other insignificant self-interests, will resort to all kinds of deceit to do so? Therefore, for this reason also, the guru-niṣṭha-sādhaka should be particularly careful and, with the support of the sādhus and śāstras, remain engaged with unwavering devotion in the service of Śrī Guru’s lotus feet. If the sādhaka is vigilant and has good association, neither devatā nor human will be able to weaken his guru-bhakti.

     After that Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya says yāṅhāra prasāde bhāi, e bhava tariyā yāi, kṛṣṇa-prāpti haya yāhā hate. “O Brother, by Śrī Guru’s mercy we can transcend this mundane world and obtain Kṛṣṇa.” By serving the lotus feet of Śrī Gurudeva, who is the abode of bhakti, the embodiment of śuddha-bhakti and the direct mercy-cloud avatāra of Śrī Bhagavān, the sādhaka receives both the means and the object of his devotion. By satisfying Śrī Guru, he reaches God and easily attains his transcendent goal of prema-sevā (service in pure love). Concomitantly, all the miseries of his material life finally come to an end. The bhakta is no longer concerned about transcending the saṁsāra because when he takes shelter of the boat of the Lord’s lotus feet, the ocean of material life becomes as insignificant as the hoofprint of a cow. Still, the sādhaka remains vigilant regarding any anarthas that may obstruct his bhakti. The reason is that the bhakti-śāstras have determined that the most cherished goal of reaching the Lord comes after all anarthas have ceased. By the mercy of Śrī Guru, the sādhaka’s anarthas are easily destroyed and he is blessed with the nectar of the Lord’s ultimate compassion. tat-prasādo hi sva-sva-nānā-pratīkāra-dustyajyānartha-hānau parama-bhagavat-prasāda-siddhau ca mūlam (Bhakti-Sandarbhaḥ). “For the destruction of the sādhaka’s anarthas during bhajana, which he finds very difficult to overcome on his own, as well as for the ultimate satisfaction of Śrī Bhagavān, there is only one cause: the mercy of Śrī Guru.” In his Gurvaṣṭaka prayers, Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartipāda has written yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto’pi, etc.

Śrī Śrī Prema-Bhakti-Candrikā 3, pt. 1 (comm. by Śrī Anantadāsa Bābājī Mahārāja)

শ্রীগুরু-চরণপদ্ম,        কেবল ভকতি সদ্ম,

বন্দোঁ মুই সাবধান মতে ।

যাঁহার প্রসাদে ভাই,        এ ভব তরিয়া যাই,

কৃষ্ণপ্রাপ্তি হয় যাহা হতে ॥ ৩ ॥

     “The lotus feet of Śrī Guru are the abode of pure bhakti. Therefore I worship them with great care. O Brother, by Śrī Guru’s mercy we can transcend this mundane world and obtain Kṛṣṇa.”

The Abode of Pure Bhakti

Sudhā-Kaṇikā-Vyākhyā

     After having celebrated śrī-guru-tattva (the spiritual teacher principle) as the root of all sādhana and siddhi in the beginning of this book, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya now praises the lotus feet of Śrī Guru in a different way. In all scriptures it has been described that the fundamental need and ultimate goal of the jīva is devotion to God. It is the opinion of the scriptures and the great devotees that there is no other way to begin bhakti-sādhana than by taking shelter at the lotus feet of a true guru. In his Bhakti-Rasāmṛta-Sindhu, while describing the sixty-four limbs (aṅgas) of bhakti, Śrīpāda Rūpa Gosvāmī has listed ten limbs as being the doorway to the temple of bhakti. Among those, the first are guru-pādāśrayas tasmāt kṛṣṇa-dīkṣādi-śikṣaṇam, viśrambheṇa guroḥ sevā. This means that (1) taking shelter of the guru, (2) receiving initiation into śrī-kṛṣṇa-mantra followed by instructions on bhāgavata-dharma, and (3) faithfully serving the guru are the three limbs that comprise the first and most important gateway onto the path of bhakti. Therefore, if one is to enter into the temple of bhakti, one must first accept shelter at the lotus feet of Śrī Guru. Without this, obtaining bhakti or Bhagavān’s mercy is hardly possible. Just as water in contact with coldness assumes the form of ice and also becomes very cold, in the same way, when Bhagavān’s concentrated mercy in the form of Śrī Guru is revealed to the bhakta-sādhaka, the sādhaka’s heart, which has been scorched by the three types of miseries, is cooled in the stream of bhajana-rasa and he is blessed with the gift of loving service to Bhagavān’s lotus feet.

     By Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya first mentioning Śrī Guru, he is indicating guru-tattva. The word śrī means the treasure of prema, and whoever possesses that treasure is known as Śrī Guru. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam we find: tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. śābde pare ca niṣṇātaṁ brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam. (Bhāg.11.3.21) uttamaṁ śreyo jñātum icchuḥ. śābde brahmaṇi vedākhye nyāyato vyākhyānato niṣṇātaṁ tattva-jñam anyathā saṁśaya-nirāsakatvāyogāt. pare ca brahmaṇi aparokṣānubhavena niṣṇātam anyathā bodha-sañcārāyogāt. parabrahma-niṣṇātatva-dyotakam āha upaśamāśrayam iti. (Śrīdhara ṭīkā) The meaning is that one who longs to know that most beneficial and most auspicious bhakti-tattva will take shelter of the lotus feet of Śrī Guru, who is learned in śabda-brahma (scriptures), specifically the bhakti-śāstras, and experienced in parabrahma, meaning that he has direct perception of Śrī Bhagavān by virtue of his attainment of bhakti. If Śrī Gurudeva doesn’t understand the tattva, he won’t be able to remove his sheltered disciple’s uncertainties about bhajana, and if he doesn’t possess bhakti, he won’t be able to infuse his disciple with a direct experience of bhajana. The question may be raised that even if it’s possible to judge by a guru’s erudition whether he has a true philosophical understanding or not, is bhakti just a function of the mind? How can the sādhaka know if the guru actually has bhakti? The answer is upaśamāśrayam, which means that the true guru is one in whom the six enemies of bhakti, such as lust, anger and greed, have been thoroughly calmed. Such a guru is capable of destroying his disciple’s many anarthas, giving him prema and placing him at Bhagavān’s lotus feet.

     Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya said, ‘The lotus feet of Śrī Guru are the abode of pure bhakti.’ Here the word caraṇa (foot) has been used to invoke a sense of ‘to be honored’ or ‘filled with bhakti,’ such as in svāmi-caraṇa, gosvāmi-caraṇa, etc. Essentially, śrī-guru-caraṇa refers to Śrī Gurudeva. The significance of the word padma (lotus) being used is that just as a lotus is a reservoir or receptacle for flower nectar, in the same way Śrī Gurudeva is the ultimate reservoir of pure and sacred bhakti. In determining the characteristics of pure or sacred bhakti, Śrīmad Rūpa Gosvāmipāda has written anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam, ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā. Uttamā-bhakti, or the most elevated type of devotion, is that which is free from any other desires, is untinged by jñāna or karma, and is favorable for constant devotion to Śrī Kṛṣṇa. The word anuśīlana comes from the verbal root śīl, which indicates repeated practice. This practice is of two types: that which originates from pravṛtti, or engagement, and that which originates from nivṛtti, or renunciation. The first type consists of engaging the body and words in service with an affectionate state of mind, namely performing physical service with the body, glorifying the Lord’s qualities and pastimes with one’s speech, hearing about him with one’s ears, meditating on his form, qualities and pastimes within the mind, and always feeling love for him within one’s heart. The practices born of nivṛtti include endeavoring to give up any offenses committed while performing sevā, chanting nāma, etc. If this continual practice is free from any desire for liberation or sense enjoyment, and if the hearing and chanting, etc. are performed with rapt attention only for the sake of developing pure love of God, this is called śuddha-bhakti or pure devotion. It is referred to in different ways such as ‘the highest, beyond the mundane qualities, pure, preeminent, unparalleled, the fully ripened natural state, etc.’

     By Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya saying ‘the abode of pure bhakti,’ he has at once ascertained the nature of Śrī Guru as well as proclaimed his glory. The lotus feet of Śrī Guru are the abode of pure bhakti as well as the extraordinary meeting place of śrī-bhagavat-tattva, pervaded by devotion to Bhagavān, and bhakta-tattva, meaning that both sādhana-bhakti and the perfected prema-bhakti simultaneously coexist there. By taking shelter at the lotus feet of Śrī Guru, which are the wellspring of śuddha-bhakti, the fortunate jīva obtains the nectar of pure devotional service. By the mercy of Śrī Guru’s devotion-filled lotus feet, the sādhaka is freed from all anarthas and he easily reaches and remains established in love of God. On the other hand, if mistrust or ingratitude is shown toward Śrī Guru’s feet, then the seeds of aparādha accumulate and one’s bhakti and bhajana dry up and nearly die. For this reason, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya next says, ‘Therefore I worship them with great care.’

(to be continued...)

Śrī Śrī Prema-Bhakti-Candrikā 2, pt. 2 (comm. by Śrī Anantadāsa Bābājī Mahārāja)

     As an authentic teacher of the bhajana-mārga introduced by Śrīman Mahāprabhu, Śrīmad Rūpa Gosvāmipāda has established kṛṣṇa-bhakti, kṛṣṇa-prema-tattva, bhakta-tattva and Vaiṣṇava behavior by his own example and by the publishing of many books. He installed and began the service of the vigrahas of Śrī Govinda and Śrī Dāmodara. He roamed all about the Vraja area recovering the lost holy places and served as an ideal example of vairāgya (renunciation) by eating only dry ruṭis and chickpeas, and wearing only torn cloth upon his body. In this way, he has established the most cherished object of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s heart within the world.

     Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya has said, so’yaṁ rūpaḥ kadā mahyaṁ dadāti svapadāntikam. “When will Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmipāda give me a place at his lotus feet?” In his commentary on this verse, Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartipāda has written: sa svayaṁ rūpaḥ svapadāntikaṁ nija-caraṇa-nikaṭaṁ kadā bhāgyavaśena mahyaṁ dadāti. śrī-rūpasya kṛpayā nijānucaratvena tat-sevana-karma karavānīti bhāvaḥ. “When, by my good fortune, will Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmipāda give me a place at his lotus feet? When, by the merciful order of Śrī Rūpa, shall I be engaged as his attendant in the prema-sevā of Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa?”

     In vraja-līlā Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmipāda is Śrī Rūpa Mañjarī, the leader of all the other mañjarīs. She has incarnated as the beloved companion of Śrīman Mahāprabhu, and by introducing within this world his most confidential and mystical mañjarī-bhāva-sādhanā, she has blessed everyone with the prema-sevā of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava within the hidden forest bowers of Vraja. Therefore, the rāga-mārga-sādhaka eager to obtain the prema-sevā of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava in mañjarī-bhāva meditates upon doing sevā in allegiance to Śrī Rūpa, Śrī Sanātana and the other Gosvāmīs in his sādhaka-deha, and in his internally conceived siddha-deha, he serves as an assistant of the mañjarīs headed by Śrī Rūpa Mañjarī. At the time of siddhi (devotional maturity), he will also always remain with them, and by their order, be blessed with the prema-sevā of his beloved Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. In his song Prārthanā, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya has brightly illuminated this subject:

শ্রীরূপের কৃপা যেন আমা প্রতি হয । সে পদ আশ্রয যাঁর সেই মহাশয ॥

প্রভু লোকনাথ কবে সঙ্গে লঞা যাবে । শ্রীরূপের পাদপদ্মে মোরে সমর্পিবে ॥

এই নব-দাসী বলি শ্রীরূপ চাহিবে । হেন শুভক্ষণ মোর কতদিনে হবে ॥

শীঘ্র আজ্ঞা করিবেন দাসী হেথা আয । সেবার সুসজ্জা কার্য করহ ত্বরায ॥

আনন্দিত হঞা হিযা তাঁর আজ্ঞা বলে । পবিত্র মনেতে কার্য করিব তৎকালে ॥

সেবার সামগ্রী রত্নথালাতে করিযা । সুবাসিত বারি স্বর্ণ-ঝারিতে পূরিযা ॥

দোঁহার সম্মুখে লযে দিব শীঘ্র গতি । নরোত্তমের দশা কি হৈবে এমতি? ॥

শ্রীরূপপশ্চাতে আমি রহিব ভীত হঞা । দোঁহে পুন কহিবেন আমা পানে চাঞা ॥

সদয হৃদয দোঁহে কহিবেন হাসি । কোথায পাইলে রূপ এই নব দাসী ॥

শ্রীরূপমঞ্জরী তবে দোঁহ-বাক্য শুনি । মঞ্জুলালী দিল মোরে এই দাসী আনি ॥

অতি নম্রচিত্ত আমি ইহারে জানিল । সেবাকার্য দিযা তবে হেথায রাখিল ॥

এই তত্ত্ব দোঁহাকার সাক্ষাতে কহিযা । নরোত্তমে সেবায দিবে নিযুক্ত করিযা ॥

     “I pray for the mercy of the great soul Śrī Rūpa to obtain shelter at his feet! When shall my master Śrī Lokanātha  (as Mañjulālī Mañjarī) deliver me at the lotus feet of Śrī Rūpa, saying, ‘This is a new dāsī’? When shall that auspicious day arrive when Śrī Rūpa Mañjarī casts her merciful glance and promptly calls, ‘Dāsī, come here. Quickly prepare all the ingredients for Yugala-Kiśora’s sevā.’ By the strength of her order, I shall at that time perform my duty with a pure and joyful heart. I shall place all the ingredients for sevā upon a jeweled platter, fill a golden pitcher with scented water and quickly bring them before Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. When shall Narottama find himself in such a condition? I shall remain timidly behind Śrī Rūpa, but when they see me, both will smile tenderly and say, ‘Rūpa, where did you get the new dāsī?’ Śrī Rūpa Mañjarī will reply, ‘Mañjulālī brought her to me. She’s very humble, so I taught her how to perform sevā and kept her here.’ After saying this in the presence of Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava, she will then engage me in their sevā.”

     The reason Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya was able to get this loving sevā of Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava was that he had a strong desire to be near the lotus feet of Śrī Rūpa. This is the most cherished object of the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava community. In the beginning of this book, it has been determined that this shall be the subject matter discussed and that through Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmipāda the people of this world may become happy. May everyone be blessed with this experience. This profound benediction completes the maṅgalācaraṇa.