A thought for today

There are many ways to be free. One of them is to transcend reality by imagination, as I try to do. -Anais Nin, writer (1903-1977)

Śrī Śrī Prema-Bhakti-Candrikā 36 (comm. by Śrī Anantadāsa Bābājī Mahārāja)

তুমি ত পরম দেবা,        নাহি মোরে উপেক্ষিবা,

শুন শুন প্রাণের ঈশ্বর ।

যদি করি অপরাধ,        তথাপিহ তুমি নাথ,

সেবা দিয়ে কর অনুচর ॥ ৩৬ ॥

tumi ta parama debā,        nāhi more upekṣibā,

śuna śuna prāṇera īśvara |

yadi kari aparādha,        tathāpiha tumi nātha,

sebā diye kara anucara || 36 ||

     You are truly the Supreme God; please do not reject me. Hear me, hear me, O Lord of my life! If I should commit some offense, still, you are my master. Please give me some sevā and make me your servant.

Prayer for Servitude

     Sudhā-Kaṇikā-Vyākhyā: Filled with deep humility and sorrow, Śrīla Narottama Dāsa Ṭhākura Mahāśaya desires dāsya (the mood of a servant) at Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet: tumi ta parama debā, nāhi more upekṣibā, śuna śuna prāṇera īśvara. Previously, a bhakta’s devotion to his chosen deity has been likened to a wife’s devotion to her husband. If a jīva’s devotion toward a deity is applied exclusively to the Supreme Deva, Śrī Bhagavān, the jīva can be blessed with genuine spiritual knowledge. If those who worship other devas think that by placing their faith in their respective worshipable deities they can attain true spiritual knowledge, they are mistaken. The reason is that as the result of forgetting Śrī Bhagavān’s lotus feet, the jīva, who is in fact an eternal servant of Parameśvara Śrī Bhagavān, acquires the worldly condition and wanders about, suffering various kinds of miseries like birth and death in the 8,400,000 different kinds of wombs. Other than by becoming Śrī Bhagavān’s servant through the performance of bhajana, there is no way for the jīva to obtain true spiritual knowledge. Though one may have faith in the worship of various devas and devīs, there is no possibility of attaining anything other than sensual enjoyment, wealth and so on in this world, or the enjoyment of heavenly pleasures in the next. Therefore, in the Bhagavad-Gītā, Śrī Kṛṣṇa said to Arjuna, “Because all devas and devīs are within me, the worship of those devoted to other deities comes to me. Still, their devotees do not attain me because their worship is not according to scriptural injunctions, meaning, there is no system for attaining prema or service to Śrī Bhagavān’s lotus feet in that type of worship.” ye’py anya-devatā-bhaktā yajante śraddhayānvitāḥ, te’pi mām eva kaunteya yajanty avidhi-pūrvakam (B.G. 9.23).

     However, Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme God and is worshipped by even the best of the devas, beginning with Brahmā and Rudra. He is their deity. Not only that: divyantīti devāḥ. He is the greatest among even those who are transcendentally radiant or are composed of sac-cid-ānanda, meaning among Śrī Bhagavān’s various other forms. He is not an aṁśa (a part), he is the aṁśī (the whole). He is not a portion of the moon, he is the moon. He is not just a person, he is the Supreme Person. He is not just Bhagavān, he is Svayaṁ Bhagavān (the Supreme Lord Himself). Therefore, the word parama (the greatest) reaches its highest limit in him. Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya is saying, “Prabhu! Because you are Svayaṁ Bhagavān, the source of all forms of God, you cannot neglect me in any way. Rather, you, who are most compassionate, should give me your absolute attention.” We can understand from the bhakti-śāstras that for the jīva, the objective is not so much to attain Śrī Bhagavān or his sevā. The greater need is to find a jīva in the form of a bhakta who shows the way to Śrī Bhagavān. Those who have studied the second khaṇḍa of Śrīmat Sanātana Gosvāmipāda’s Śrī Bṛhad-Bhāgavatāmṛtam are aware that when Śrī Gopakumāra went to Vaikuṇṭha, Śrī Nārāyaṇa personally told him that he (Nārāyaṇa) had come to him in the form of a bhakta, after having tried for a long time in various ways to get him in his presence or otherwise express his compassion. Śrī Nārāyaṇa also revealed that Gopakumāra’s arrival there fulfilled a long-cherished hope of his. Moreover, when Gopakumāra saw Śrī Kṛṣṇa in Goloka as he returned from the meadows, Śrī Kṛṣṇa lovingly embraced him, swooned in ecstasy and fell to the ground. Though we have heard many stories of how all forms of Śrī Bhagavān show extreme care and attention toward the jīva, and never show indifference, this quality is known to reach its highest limit in Svayaṁ Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

     Then Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya said, śuna śuna prāṇera īśvara. To draw Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s glance in his direction and to make him attentive, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya used the word śuna (hear me) twice. ‘Lord of my life’ means he is the soul of all, so he is always aware of the intentions in everyone’s heart. Nothing more needs to be said to him. Or, lord of my life means that worshipable truth who is dearer than millions of lives. If he is indifferent to the jīvas, what other shelter do they have? Or, lord of my life means that Vṛṣabhānu-nandinī Śrī Rādhā is truly the life of the Gauḍīya-Vaiṣṇava sādhakas. Under her shelter, the Gauḍīya-Vaiṣṇavas perform śrī-kṛṣṇa-bhajana. Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who is dearer to her than her own life and who is the crest-jewel of all rasikas, is the lord of her life. It should be understood that, through this prayer, he is referring to the lotus feet of Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava in an indirect way. After this also, he has repeatedly expressed his prayers to their lotus feet. To make Śrī Kṛṣṇa listen to his prayer, he says, yadi kari aparādha, tathāpiha tumi nātha, sebā diye kara anucara. “If I should commit some offense, still, you are my master. Please give me some sevā and make me your servant.” In the previous verse, he said, yadi hai aparādhī, tathāpiha tumi gati, satya satya yena satī-pati. “Though I have committed many offenses, because your lotus feet are my only shelter, please forgive me and be satisfied, like a husband forgives the offense of his devoted wife and remains content with her.” If Śrī Kṛṣṇa says, “Okay. What if I forgave all your accumulated offenses? It is still your nature to commit them. What evidence is there that you won’t do it again?” Filled with extraordinary humility, he considers this and replies, “Prabhu, it is my nature to commit hundreds of offenses, so it is not that I won’t commit any more. Even though I may commit an offense, you are a nātha, a constant protector. Please always protect me from my offenses.” Or, nathṛ upatāpake. The word nātha has been derived from the verbal root nathṛ, which has many meanings, one of which is upatāpa, pain or burning. “O Lord! If I, your dāsa, commit an aparādha, purify me by pain or punishment and then accept me.” If Śrī Kṛṣṇa says, “Tell me what you want,” Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya replies, sebā diye kara anucara. “Prabhu! Please bless me with the gift of your sevā; I want nothing more. Let your sevā be the only possession of my life. As your attendant, I shall always remain close by to serve you. This is my greatest desire.” Or, the word anucara could mean, “You are the playful God of līlā. Wherever you may roam throughout Vraja, deeply absorbed day and night in various kinds of līlā-rasa with Śrī Rādhārāṇī, I shall always follow you, performing sevā, submerged in sevā-rasa. This is my desire.” Though in truth being the embodiment of prema, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya has humbly prayed in this way, thinking himself to be an ordinary sādhaka plagued by anarthas. Because these words were spoken while he was absorbed in the mood of a sādhaka, they have been kept by the sādhaka community as an ideal precept of bhajana.

Śrī Śrī Prema-Bhakti-Candrikā 35 (comm. by Śrī Anantadāsa Bābājī Mahārāja)

পতিত-পাবন নাম,        ঘোষণা তোমার শ্যাম,

উপেক্ষিলে নাহি মোর গতি ।

যদি হই অপরাধী,        তথাপিহ তুমি গতি,

সত্য সত্য যেন সতীপতি ॥ ৩৫ ॥

patita-pābana nāma,        ghoṣaṇā tomāra śyāma,

upekṣile nāhi mora gati |

yadi hai aparādhī,        tathāpiha tumi gati,

satya satya yena satī-pati || 35 ||

     O Śyāma! You are known by the name Patita-Pāvana, the savior of the fallen. If you reject me, I have no other refuge. Though I am an offender, you are still truly my only shelter, like a husband is for his devoted wife.

The Name Patita-Pāvana

     Sudhā-Kaṇikā-Vyākhyā: At the awakening of such deep humility, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya considers himself an extremely fallen, wretched person and desires exclusive shelter at Śrī Bhagavān’s lotus feet: patita-pābana nāma, ghoṣaṇā tomāra śyāma, upekṣile nāhi mora gati. “O Śyāma! You are known around the world by the name Patita-Pāvana, the savior of the fallen, and I am an extremely fallen person. Therefore, if you reject me, I have no other shelter.” By addressing Śrī Kṛṣṇa as Śyāma, he has placed a little esoteric teaching in the prayerful words of this verse. In the dictionary, one meaning of the word śyāma is written as follows: śyāyate gacchati mano’sminn iti śyāmaḥ. “That to which the mind goes is called śyāma.” But everyone’s mind does not naturally go toward Śyāma. Everyone’s mind frequently goes to topics regarding the happiness and ease of the body and things related, such as wealth, followers, vanity, reputation and so on. If everyone’s mind would have naturally gone to Śyāma (Śrī Kṛṣṇa), then what would be the need for so much sādhana-bhajana? Such a question, of course, can arise in our minds. If we consider this calmly, we can surely understand that the mind of every jīva in the world is rushing toward joy. The jīvas want happiness or joy, and the condensed form of that joy is Śyāma: raso vai saḥ (He is indeed rasa.); ānandaṁ brahma (Brahma is joy.); rasānāṁ rasatamaḥ (He is the greatest of all rasas). Therefore, though all our minds are in fact running toward Śyāma, many of us cannot catch him. Ānanda radiates from him and a mere particle of its glow has been deposited in the material forms, flavors and so on of the world. By accepting that tiny particle, we become intoxicated and continue to ignore Śyāma. Those who, by the mercy of Śrī Guru and the Vaiṣṇavas, are eager to experience Śrī Jagannātha’s transcendental beauty, charm, form, flavor and so on, and who ignore or forget the world are blessed to taste Śyāma’s mādhurī when their sādhana-bhajana matures. If those who have forgotten the world, meaning they have given up their pride in the body and things related, are not truly patita (fallen), it will be very difficult for them to get the friendship of Patita-Pāvana. Śrīla Narottama Ṭhākura Mahāśaya is saying, “It has been proclaimed in the world that your name is Patita-Pāvana, the savior of the fallen, and I truly am extremely fallen. Therefore, if you neglect me, it will be a stain on your name because you will not find another person in this universe as fallen and lowly as I.” If Śyāma says, “If I neglect you, a stain will be on my Patita-Pāvana name. So be it; why do you care?” In response, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya says, “If you neglect me, I’ll have no other support or shelter anywhere.”

     Alternatively, this half-verse can also be explained in this way: “O Śyāma! Your names, such as ‘Kṛṣṇa,’ ‘Govinda’ and so on, have been proclaimed everywhere in this world to be the saviors of the fallen. Though I am lowly and fallen, I have taken shelter of your name and thus have no other shelter. You cannot neglect me.” Though Śrī Kṛṣṇa is Patita-Pāvana, this quality is most thoroughly manifest in his names. This has been described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in the story of Ajāmila. Though he was a great sinner and about to die, because he merely uttered the name of his son, ‘Nārāyaṇa,’ the viṣṇudūtas arrived, drove away the yamadūtas and protected him. At the appropriate time, they then took him to Vaikuṇṭha. In this story, we find the following statement (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.2.9-10), spoken by the viṣṇudūtas to the yamadūtas:

stenaḥ surāpo mitra-dhrug brahma-hā guru-talpa-gaḥ |

strī-rāja-pitṛ-go-hantā ye ca pātakino’pare ||

sarveṣām apy aghavatām idam eva suniṣkṛtam |

nāma-vyāharaṇaṁ viṣṇor yatas tad-viṣayā matiḥ ||

     “The chanting of Śrī Viṣṇu’s names is the best and most sacred penance for all kinds of sinners, whether one may be a thief, a drunkard, one hostile to his own friend, a killer of brāhmaṇas, one who shares the bed of his guru’s wife, one who kills a woman, a king, a father, or a cow, or so many other kinds of great sinners. Śrī Viṣṇu’s attention remains upon one who chants his names.” The purport is that even though sins are destroyed by other forms of prāyaścitta (atonement), the sinner’s heart is not purified or contemplation of Śrī Bhagavān is not awakened in his mind. Rather, the concept that ‘I am free from sin’ arises within him. The greatness of prāyaścitta in the form of śrī-nāma-kīrtana is that even by nāmābhāsa (a faint or indistinct presence of nāma), unlimited deadly sins are immediately burned to ashes like a cotton ball in a raging fire and the citta contaminated by the desire to sin is also purified. The reason is that by nāmābhāsa, though there is no search for Śrī Viṣṇu in the heart of the person pronouncing nāma, meaning there is no intention to chant the holy name of Śrī Viṣṇu (like Ajāmila addressing his son as Nārāyaṇa), Śrī Viṣṇu still remembers the speaker’s words and thinks, “He is my servant; I must always protect him.” Therefore, Bhagavān’s names have the quality or power of being the savior of the fallen; this is not possible anywhere else.

     Śrī Bhagavān could say, “Those qualities of nāma, such as being the savior of the fallen, are displayed toward an offenseless person, but nāma is not pleased by an offender.” In response, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya says, yadi hai aparādhī, tathāpiha tumi gati, satya satya yena satī-pati. Though being the embodiment of prema, because of his deep humility, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya thinks himself to be a great offender. He says, “O Lord, a husband will no doubt forgive his devoted wife if she somehow offends him because the husband is the only shelter for his wife. If he doesn’t forgive her, to whom shall she go? In the same way, though I am indeed an offender, you are my only shelter. If you don’t forgive me, I have nowhere else to go.”

     The meaning here is that if a devoted wife commits some offense at the feet of her husband, the husband will undoubtedly forgive her. But if the wife is an adulteress, the husband abandons her and never forgives her. In the same way, those who are single-mindedly and exclusively devoted to Śrī Hari, meaning those who have faith in some particular form of Śrī Hari, such as Vrajendranandana, don’t worship other devas and devīs. There is no place in their hearts for anything other than the desire for prema-sevā. If, by the influence of asat-saṅga (bad association) or asat-saṁskāra (a bad impression on the mind), they accidentally commit an offense at Śrī Hari’s lotus feet, Śrī Hari certainly forgives them. But if the desire to worship other devas or the desire for anything other than Kṛṣṇa is present in their hearts, Śrī Hari abandons them like an adulterous wife. Or, after fixing his mind on Śrī Bhagavān, if someone commits an offense while engaged in sevā, Śrī Bhagavān forgives him. But if someone becomes attached to another’s wife and commits adultery with her, though he may be engaged in activities of service to Śrī Bhagavān, Śrī Bhagavān does not forgive him or even accept his sevā. Still, it should be understood that if some performer of exclusive bhajana becomes attached to another’s wife as the result of powerful asat-saṅga or asat-saṁskāras, if he then feels deeply repentant, abandons her and sincerely takes shelter at Śrī Hari’s lotus feet, Śrī Hari is satisfied and forgives him. For this reason, in the Gītā it has been said, kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā śaśvac-chāntiṁ nigacchati, kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (B.G. 9.31). “He quickly becomes righteous and attains eternal peace. O Kaunteya, you must understand that my devotee never perishes.”

Bhāvanā-Sāra-Saṅgrahaḥ, Prātaḥ 71-73

निवेद्य कुशलं चास्यै तयोत्कण्ठितया सह ।

उत्का शय्यागृहं सूनोः प्रविवेश व्रजेश्वरी ॥ ७१ ॥

nivedya kuśalaṁ cāsyai tayotkaṇṭhitayā saha |

utkā śayyā-gṛhaṁ sūnoḥ praviveśa vrajeśvarī || 71 ||

     “Yaśodā politely informed her that they were all well and then the two of them eagerly entered Kṛṣṇa’s bedroom.” (Govinda-Līlāmṛtam 2.7)

डोरी-जूटित-वक्रकेशपटला सिन्दूरबिन्दूल्लसत्-

सीमन्तद्युतिरङ्गभूषण-विधिं नातिप्रभूतं श्रिता ।

गोविन्दास्य-निसृष्ट-साश्रुनयनद्वन्द्वा नवेन्दीवर-

श्याम-श्यामरुचिर्विचित्र-सिचया गोष्ठेश्वरी पातु वः ॥ ७२ ॥

ḍorī-jūṭita-vakra-keśa-paṭalā sindūra-bindūllasat-

sīmanta-dyuti-raṅga-bhūṣaṇa-vidhiṁ nātiprabhūtaṁ śritā |

govindāsya-nisṛṣṭa-sāśru-nayana-dvandvā navendīvara-

śyāma-śyāma-rucir vicitra-sicayā goṣṭheśvarī pātu vaḥ || 72 ||

     May Yaśodā Mā, queen of the cowherds, protect you all. Her dark, curly locks have been tied back and the line of vermilion in the part of her hair shines radiantly. She is modestly decorated with ornaments, and her eyes fill with tears as she gazes at Govinda’s face. Her bodily complexion is dark blue, like a newly grown blue lotus, and she wears a beautiful and colorful dress. (Bhakti-Rasāmṛta-Sindhuḥ 3.4.13)

पर्यङ्के न्यस्य सव्यं तदुपरि निहितस्वाङ्गभाराथ पाणिं

कृष्णस्याङ्गं स्पृशन्तीतर-करकमलेनेषदाभुग्नमध्या ।

सिञ्चन्त्यानन्दबाष्पैः स्नुतकुचपयसां धारया चास्य तल्पं

वत्सोत्तिष्ठाशु निद्रां त्यज मुखकमलं दर्शयेत्याह माता ॥ ७३ ॥

paryaṅke nyasya savyaṁ tad-upari nihita-svāṅgabhārātha pāṇiṁ

kṛṣṇasyāṅgaṁ spṛśantītara-kara-kamaleneṣad-ābhugna-madhyā |

siñcanty ānanda-bāṣpaiḥ snuta-kuca-payasāṁ dhārayā cāsya talpaṁ

vatsottiṣṭhāśu nidrāṁ tyaja mukha-kamalaṁ darśayety āha mātā || 73 ||

     “Placing her left hand on the bed above Kṛṣṇa for support, she leaned over and gently touched his body with her right hand. Moistening the bed with tears of joy and the milk oozing from her breasts, she said to him, ‘My child! Get up quickly. Wake up and show us your lotus face.’” (Govinda-Līlāmṛtam 2.13)

Śrī Śrī Prema-Bhakti-Candrikā 34 (comm. by Śrī Anantadāsa Bābājī Mahārāja)

যাবৎ জনম মোর,        অপরাধে হৈনু ভোর,

নিষ্কপটে না ভজিনু তোমা ।

তথাপি তুমি সে গতি,        না ছাড়িহ প্রাণপতি!

আমা সম নাহিক অধমা ॥ ৩৪ ॥

yābat janama mora,        aparādhe hainu bhora,

niṣkapaṭe nā bhajinu tomā |

tathāpi tumi se gati,        nā chāḍiha prāṇapati!

āmā sama nāhika adhamā || 34 ||

     For my entire life I have been engrossed in committing offenses; I have not sincerely worshipped you. Still, you are my refuge. O Lord of my life, do not abandon me! There is no one as worthless as I.

Sincere Bhajana

     Sudhā-Kaṇikā-Vyākhyā: The intensity of Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya’s humility has gradually increased. Considering himself as extremely offensive, lowly and devoid of bhajana-sādhana, he says, yābat janama mora, aparādhe hainu bhora, niṣkapaṭe nā bhajinu tomā. “For my entire life I have been engrossed in committing offenses; I have not sincerely worshipped you.” Though being the embodiment of prema, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya has given through this outpouring of humility all the instructions which are most beneficial for the sādhaka, like a medicine that restores life. In the progressive life of bhajana, there are many kinds of obstacles on the path of obtaining prema. Among them all, aparādha (offense) is the most powerful. In Śrī Caitanya-Caritāmṛta Ādi 8.26-30, we see the following:

eka kṛṣṇa-nāme kare sarba-pāpa nāśa |

premera kāraṇa bhakti karena prakāśa ||

premera udaye haya premera bikāra |

sveda-kampa-pulakādi gadgadāśrudhāra ||

anāyāse bhaba-kṣaya, kṛṣṇera sebana |

eka kṛṣṇa-nāmera phale pāi eta dhana ||

hena kṛṣṇa-nāma yadi laya bahubāra |

tabe yadi prema nahe, nahe aśrudhāra ||

tabe jāni aparādha tāhāte pracura |

kṛṣṇa-nāma bīja tāhe nā haya aṅkura ||

     “Simply by chanting one name of Kṛṣṇa, all sins are destroyed and bhakti, the cause of prema, becomes revealed. At the appearance of prema, various transformations of prema, such as perspiration, trembling, goosebumps, faltering voice, tears and so on occur. One’s worldly existence is easily finished and one obtains Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s sevā. We get such a great treasure as the result of chanting just one name of Kṛṣṇa. If one chants kṛṣṇa-nāma repeatedly but neither prema nor tears appear, then we can understand the person has committed many offenses. The seed of kṛṣṇa-nāma does not sprout in that person.” 

     In the growing of a sprout, if a potent, well-nourished seed is dropped into the ground and gets rained upon, it germinates. If it is then carefully guarded, watered and so on, at the appropriate time the fruit will be produced. In the same way, after planting the seed of kṛṣṇa-nāma in the field of one’s heart, if one sprinkles it with the water of hearing, chanting and so on, a sprout of the creeper of devotion will grow, and at the proper time, the flower of bhāva and the fruit of prema will inevitably follow. But if that seed is deposited upon a stone, there is no possibility of it ever germinating. The heart and mind of an aparādhī are also like stone, whereupon the seed of bhakti, understood as the Holy Name, has no possibility of sprouting. For this reason, careful thought about aparādha is so important in the Vaiṣṇava Sampradāya.

     Immediately after the verses of Śrī Caitanya-Caritāmṛta that were previously quoted, the following is written: caitanya-nityānande nāhi esaba-bicāra, nāma laite prema dena, bahe aśrudhāra. “In Śrī Caitanya and Śrī Nityānanda, there is no such consideration. They give prema to one who chants the Holy Names, and tears flow from his eyes.” By this statement, it can be understood that in Śrī Caitanyadeva and Śrīman Nityānanda, there is no consideration of aparādha. If even an offender simply chants the Holy Names, they give him prema. Still, in Śrīman Mahāprabhu’s Navadvīpa-līlā, some critical students, atheists and others had spoken ill of him, so he accepted sannyāsa, not seeing any other way of giving prema to such offenders. After Prabhu took sannyāsa, the critical people then bowed down at his lotus feet and their offenses were removed. Because he was then able to give them prema, this pastime has been described in Śrī Caitanya-Caritāmṛta. Moreover, because Gopāla Cāpāla had been offensive toward Śrīvāsa, Prabhu arranged for Śrīvāsa to forgive his offense and then he gave prema to him. It has also been described that after Prabhu mentioned that even his own mother had made some offense to Śrī Advaitācārya, she took the dust from Advaita’s feet and then Prabhu gave her prema. Therefore, it is not that Śrī Caitanya and Nityānanda don’t consider offenses, it is rather that they don’t make any judgement about who deserves or doesn’t deserve the gift of prema. It should be understood that after destroying the offenses of critical people, they also gave prema to them. By these deliberations, the gravity of aparādha, the most powerful impediment to bhakti-sādhanā, has been established. Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya says, yābat janama mora, aparādhe hainu bhora. “I have behaved offensively since birth and have sunk into the mud of aparādha. Or, I have been overwhelmed by aparādha, meaning while constantly committing offenses, I have lost the intellect or power for being cautious regarding those offenses.” As much as we continue to cry out ‘aparādha aparādha,’ to that degree we are consequently unable to be attentive regarding offenses. Or, as the result of committing an offense, we become depressed, indeed stupefied. A sādhaka seeking auspiciousness must endeavor with great care to constantly perform offenseless bhajana, having given up in every way the great impediments which are nāmāparādha, sevāparādha and so on. Otherwise, because of offenses, the attempt to obtain prema, the true fruit of bhajana, will be foredoomed to failure.

     Then he says, niṣkapaṭe nā bhajinu tomā. “I have not worshiped you sincerely.” Filled with humility, Śrīla Narottama Ṭhākura Mahāśaya is in his own words giving a very valuable instruction to the society of sādhakas: niṣkapaṭe nā bhajinu tomā. Some of the dictionary meanings of the word kapaṭa are ‘illusion, having one mood internally and another externally, deceit, cunning, cheating, swindling’ and so on. After giving up one’s affinity for māyā and being devoid of any other desires, if one performs bhajana in the consciousness of his own svarūpa, it is called niṣkapaṭa, free from deceit or fraud. Because of the sādhaka’s absorption in the body and things related, various kinds of desires for profit, adoration, distinction and so on awaken in his citta (heart, mind) at the time of bhajana. This is also one of māyā’s deceptions by which one’s bhagavad-bhajana cannot be filled with niṣkapaṭa or sincerity. If one pays homage to Śrī Guru, the Vaiṣṇavas and Śrī Bhagavān externally but has no such faith and devotion in his heart, such deceit will prevent his pursuit of bhakti. In Śrī Bhakti-Sandarbha, Śrīmat Jīva Gosvāmipāda has declared this deceitful mentality to be the result of an old offense to a great soul. Even with bhakti or bhajana characterized by residence in the dhāma and the association of great souls, if this deceit is not removed, it becomes dangerous like a disease that is difficult to cure. As a result of this, various kinds of deception, cunning, crookedness and so on get displayed toward Śrī Guru, the Vaiṣṇavas and Bhagavān. Though such people whose citta has been defiled by deceit may pretend externally to perform bhajana, as long as that deceit has not been removed by association with powerful devotees or by their mercy, no hope for sincere bhajana remains. After taking shelter at the feet of Śrī Guru, the Vaiṣṇavas and Śrī Bhagavān, those who perform bhajana with an innocent heart are blessed with their compassion and receive the great fortune of sincere bhajana. Therefore, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya says, tathāpi tumi se gati, nā chāḍiha prāṇapati! āmā sama nāhika adhamā. “Although I am unable to sincerely give up everything, surrender to you and earnestly worship you with an innocent heart, still you are my only refuge. Although, in truth, I am your servant and you are my eternal master, by the deception of your powerful external māyā-śakti, I have been indifferent to your lotus feet since beginningless time. And though I have become habituated to being attached to this body and things related to it, my servant-master relationship with you has not been destroyed. Truly, you are my only refuge and shall remain so forever. Therefore, O Lord of my life, though I have fallen under the delusion of your māyā, have abandoned your lotus feet and desire other things, please do not abandon your eternal servant. No one is as lowly, worthless and in all respects unqualified as I. Because you are the savior of the lowly, and I am indeed the lowest of all, please attract this wretched person with your wonderful qualities and give him a place at your lotus feet, which free one from all fear.” The import of this discussion is that if the sādhaka who has taken refuge at Śrī Bhagavān’s lotus feet offers his prayers at those feet with humility and anguish, by Bhagavān’s mercy, he can be blessed with the great fortune of sincere bhajana.

Bhāvanā-Sāra-Saṅgrahaḥ, Prātaḥ 68-70

तामागतामभिप्रेक्ष्य साक्षादिव तपःश्रियम् ।

व्रजराज्ञी पराभिज्ञा स्थितिज्ञाभ्युद्ययौ मुदा ॥ ६८ ॥

tām āgatām abhiprekṣya sākṣād iva tapaḥ-śriyam |

vraja-rājñī parābhijñā sthiti-jñābhyudyayau mudā || 68 ||

     “When Yaśodā Mā, who is very wise and knowledgeable about the traditional customs, saw that Paurṇamāsī, who is like an embodiment of the power of austerity, had arrived, she went joyfully out to meet her.” (Govinda-Līlāmṛtam 2.4)

एहि भो भगवति व्रजवन्द्ये स्वागतासि भवतीं प्रणमामि ।

इत्युदीर्य सविधे प्रणमन्तीं सा मुकुन्द-जननीं परिरेभे ॥ ६९ ॥

ehi bho bhagavati vraja-vandye svāgatāsi bhavatīṁ praṇamāmi |

ity udīrya savidhe praṇamantīṁ sā mukunda-jananīṁ parirebhe || 69 ||

     “‘Hello Bhagavatī! Please enter. Welcome to my home. I offer obeisance unto you, who are highly respected in Vraja.’ Saying this, Yaśodā bowed down and then Paurṇamāsī embraced her.” (Govinda-Līlāmṛtam 2.5)

आशीर्भिरभिनन्द्यामूं गोविन्द-दर्शनोत्सुका ।

पप्रच्छ कुशलं चास्याः सधवात्मज-गोततेः ॥ ७० ॥

āśīrbhir abhinandyāmūṁ govinda-darśanotsukā |

papraccha kuśalaṁ cāsyāḥ sadhavātmaja-go-tateḥ || 70 ||

     “Eager to see Govinda, Paurṇamāsī expressed her happiness by giving blessings, and then asked about the welfare of Yaśodā, her husband, son and cows.” (Govinda-Līlāmṛtam 2.6)

Śrī Śrī Prema-Bhakti-Candrikā 33 (comm. by Śrī Anantadāsa Bābājī Mahārāja)

তুমি ত দয়ার সিন্ধু     অধম-জনার বন্ধু

মোরে প্রভো! কর অবধান ।

পড়িনু অসৎ-ভোলে,        কাম-তিমিঙ্গিলে গিলে,

ওহে নাথ! কর পরিত্রাণ ॥ ৩৩ ॥

tumi ta dayāra sindhu,        adhama-janāra bandhu,

more prabho! kara abadhāna |

paḍinu asat-bhole,        kāma-timiṅgile gile,

ohe nātha! kara paritrāṇa || 33 ||

  O Master! You are an ocean of mercy, the friend of the fallen. Please hear me! I have fallen into an impure state and have been swallowed by a timiṅgila* in the form of desire. O Lord! Please deliver me.

Mercy toward the Fallen

  Sudhā-Kaṇikā-Vyākhyā: Absorbed in the mood of a sādhaka, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya has prayed to Śrī Kṛṣṇa for deliverance from his attachment to worldly sense-enjoyment because the Lord is benevolent and compassionate, or mahāśaya. He has addressed Śrī Kṛṣṇa as mahāśaya, as though he were some magnanimous or generous person of this world, but in this verse he now says, tumi ta dayāra sindhu. “You are an ocean of mercy.” Just as an ocean is vast, boundless and unfathomable, Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s compassion is also boundless and unfathomable. Never mind the insignificant jīva-śakti, even Brahmā, Maheśvara, Anantadeva and others can never reach the limit of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s qualities of compassion and so on. For the jīva, there is no other means of relief than by touching a drop of that boundless ocean of mercy. We shall now mention a little about that ocean of mercy. Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s compassion toward the jīva is described as being of two natures: māyāmayī and svarūpa-śaktimayī. The type of compassion that is manifested through the māyā-śakti is māyāmayī-karuṇā. Even that māyāmayī compassion is not deficient in any respect. Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s taṭasthā-śakti (marginal energy) is comprised of innumerable, spirit-particle jīvas of two types: nitya-mukta and nitya-baddha. Since time immemorial, the aggregate of jīvas has remained divided into these two groups. Those who are nitya-mukta (eternally free) have spent eternity in the overwhelming joy of serving Śrī Kṛṣṇa and shall remain so forever. The nitya-baddha (eternally bound) jīvas have remained indifferent to Śrī Kṛṣṇa since time immemorial. The cause of this indifference is that although the jīvas are the eternal servants of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, they have forgotten his sevā and have desired to enjoy independently. Being merciful, Śrī Bhagavān has created through his māyā-śakti the body, which is the abode of enjoyment, and this universe, the field of enjoyment, for the jīva who desires sensual pleasures and has turned away from Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Although sense-enjoyment itself does not cause the desire for enjoyment to cease, still, because of this pleasure-seeking, one suffers the miseries of hell and so on and thus becomes repentant or disinterested in worldly affairs. Then, by the mercy of Śrī Guru and the sādhus, the jīva becomes eager for Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet, and as a result of bhajana, he is forever blessed with prema-sevā. If Śrī Kṛṣṇa, through his māyā-śakti, had not created this material world as a place of sense-enjoyment for them, they would forever remain indifferent to him. Moreover, for sustaining the lives of the jīvas of this vast universe, he has created water, air, the sun and moon, the planets and stars and many other enjoyable things. All this kindness delivered through his māyā-śakti is not insignificant, but still, the jīva is not liberated from his worldly bondage. The jīva, though getting information about his own svarūpa (true nature) as the eternal servant of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, can still not be blessed with the sevā of his eternal master. This is because it is through the hlādinī and samvit faculties of his svarūpa-śakti, along with the merciful help of Śrī Guru and the Vaiṣṇavas, that Śrī Kṛṣṇa gives bhakti to the jīvas. After causing his transcendental līlā to descend into this material world, he blesses the jīvas with prema and direct prema-sevā through the components of bhajana, such as his name, qualities and pastimes. Because his compassion is extremely far-reaching, vast and inexhaustible, the words dayāra sindhu (an ocean of mercy) are only an indication. In fact, in the presence of the magnanimity of his mercy, even millions of oceans are insignificant.

  Even though Śrī Kṛṣṇa is an ocean of endless compassion, his mercy, which is pervaded by his svarūpa-śakti, never allows the pride of wealth, followers or noble birth to get a place in the recipient’s heart and mind. Therefore, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya says, adhama-janāra bandhu, more prabho! kara abadhāna. “O Master! You are the friend of the fallen, and I am indeed extremely fallen. Therefore, I am a suitable candidate for your mercy. Please hear me just this once!” By this prayer of Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya, the sādhaka is instructed that once situated on the path of bhakti, when one gets the mercy of Śrī Guru, the Vaiṣṇavas and Śrī Bhagavān, he shall abandon all pride in the body and things related to it and feel himself to be adhama. Some of the dictionary meanings of the word adhama are ‘low, poor, inferior, looked down upon, insignificant’ and so on. Though the bhakta is a wellspring of all good qualities, he considers himself to be very poor, lowly and wretched. This state of being a storehouse of all good qualities is a manifestation of bhāgavatī-bhakti. This is because by nature the jīvātmā is not an independent tattva (truth, reality); he is dependent on paramātmā. Moreover, in the illusory world, he is controlled by kāla (time), karma (action), guṇa (qualities) and so on. When, by the mercy of a great soul, the jīva takes shelter of the path of bhakti, he then learns about this mystery through his association with the devotees. By the awakening of this ātma-jñāna, he becomes aware that he is not the performer of action and for this reason considers himself unsuitable for and incapable of engaging in any occupation. Realizing God’s powerful authority in all respects, he completely takes refuge at his lotus feet and immediately thinks of himself as adhama or lowly. This is called dainya (humility) and is the treasure of the bhaktas’ sādhana. This humility very quickly attracts Śrī Bhagavān’s compassion to the sādhaka. Regarding the characteristics of a sādhaka in whom rati (love, attachment) has arisen, it is said in Caitanya-Caritāmṛta, Madhya 23.26 that sarbottama āpanāke ‘hīna’ kari māne: “Although the devotee is the best among men, he regards himself as lowly.”

  Śrī Narottama Ṭhākura Mahāśaya says, “O Master! Please, just once consider the words of this fallen, wretched person.” If Śrī Kṛṣṇa says, “What words of yours should I consider?” In reply, he says, paḍinu asat-bhole, kāma-timiṅgile gile, ohe nātha! kara paritrāṇa. “O Lord! I have fallen into a state of illusion and have been swallowed by a great timiṅgila in the form of desire. Please rescue me from his control.” Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya discussed asat-bhola in the previous verse and is once again mentioning it in this one. By seeing the context here, one understands that asat-bhola means falling into illusion by mistaking the asat, meaning the transitory body and all things related to it, to be sat or real. From this type of false notion, people who are deluded regarding their own nature consider the body and things related to be real, and they continue to desire worldly wealth, property and so on. They become absorbed in this delusion to such an extent that though hearing hundreds of good instructions concerning the transient nature of these things and the miseries caused by them, they are still unable to comprehend the truth of the matter by any means and in fact spend their lives in the service of these desires. For example, in the Yogopaniṣad we see a deliberation on the nature of this body, which is the vessel for the enjoyment of one’s desires: 

amedhya-pūrṇe kṛmi-jāla-saṅkule

svabhāva-durgandhi-vininditāntare |

kalevare mūtra-purīṣa-bhāvite

ramanti mūḍhā viramanti paṇḍitāḥ ||

  “The ignorant continue to long for enjoyment in this body, which is full of impurities, infested with worms and by nature filled with foul-smelling urine and stool. The wise give up their attachment to the repugnant body.” Moreover, it has also been described in this way:

vraṇa-mukham iva dehaṁ pūti-carmāvanaddhaṁ

kṛmi-kula-śata-pūrṇaṁ mūtra-viṣṭhānulepam |

vigata-bahula-rūpaṁ sarva-bhogādivāsaṁ

dhruva-maraṇa-nimittaṁ kintu moha-prasaktyā ||

  “This body has acne on its face, is wrapped in foul-smelling skin and filled with hundreds of worms, and is at some ages smeared with urine and stool. The body appears in many different forms, all of which will no doubt be destroyed. In spite of all this, because of its connection with illusion, it has become the origin of the desire for all kinds of enjoyment.” Though hearing and comprehending these very simple, easily understood and correct instructions, ignorant people still consider their bodies to be themselves. This is asat-bhola, or mistaking the unreal to be real, the roots of which are the powerful mental impressions caused by one’s desires. Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya says that it is as though these powerful desires have swallowed him like a giant timiṅgila. The timi (whale) is a very large aquatic animal that can be swallowed by an even larger kind of aquatic animal called a timiṅgila. He is saying that he has been swallowed by a timiṅgila in the form of desire. By this, the power or danger of desire has been shown. The poor human does not have the innate strength to rescue himself from the grasp of this desire. Therefore Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya said, ohe nātha! kara paritrāṇa. “O Master, Śrī Kṛṣṇa! Only you can rescue someone from the control of this powerful kāma; therefore, please rescue me.”

* A huge mythological marine animal capable of swallowing a whale

Bhāvanā-Sāra-Saṅgrahaḥ, Prātaḥ 66-67

क्षौमं वासः पृथुकटितटे बिभ्रती सूत्रनद्धं

पुत्रस्नेहस्नुतकुचयुगं जातकम्पं च सुभ्रूः ।

रज्ज्वाकर्ष-श्रमभुजचलत्कङ्कणौ कुण्डले च

स्विन्नं वक्त्रं कवर-विगलन्मालती निर्ममन्थ ॥ ६५ ॥

kṣaumaṁ vāsaḥ pṛthu-kaṭi-taṭe bibhratī sūtra-naddhaṁ

putra-sneha-snuta-kuca-yugaṁ jāta-kampaṁ ca subhrūḥ |

rajjv-ākarṣa-śrama-bhuja-calat-kaṅkaṇau kuṇḍale ca

svinnaṁ vaktraṁ kavara-vigalan-mālatī nirmamantha || 65 ||

     “With a silken dress tied around her broad hips, the lovely Mother Yaśodā churned butter, her face wet with perspiration. Her breasts, moistened with milk from affection for her son, shook slightly as she pulled the churning rope. The bangles on her tired arms jingled, her earrings swung to and fro, and jasmine blossoms fell from her braided hair.” (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, 10.9.3)

रजनि-विपरिणामे गर्गरीणां गरीयान् दधिमथन-विनोदादुद्भवन्नेष नादः ।

अमरनगरकक्षाचक्रमाक्रम्य सद्यः स्मरयति सुरवृन्दान्यब्धिमन्थोत्सवस्य ॥ ६६ ॥

rajani-vipariṇāme gargarīṇāṁ garīyān

dadhi-mathana-vinodād udbhavann eṣa nādaḥ |

amara-nagara-kakṣā-cakram ākramya sadyaḥ

smarayati sura-vṛndāny abdhi-manthotsavasya || 66 ||

     “In the morning, the loud sounds of all the churning pots together rose up to the heavenly planets and reminded the gods and goddesses of the great churning of the ocean.” (Lalita-Mādhava-Nāṭakam 2.2)

मन्थानोद्धृत-गव्यबिन्दुनिकरैर्व्याकीर्ण-रम्याङ्गनं

प्रेमस्निग्धजनान्वितं बहुविधै रत्नैर्विचित्रान्तरम् ।

क्षीरोर्म्युच्छलितं मुदा हि विलसच्छय्याप्रसुप्ताच्युतं

श्वेतद्वीपमिवालयं व्रजपतेर्वीक्ष्यास सानन्दिता ॥ ६७ ॥

manthānoddhṛta-gavya-bindu-nikarair vyākīrṇa-ramyāṅganaṁ

prema-snigdha-janānvitaṁ bahu-vidhai ratnair vicitrāntaram |

kṣīrormy-ucchalitaṁ mudā hi vilasac-chayyā-prasuptācyutaṁ

śvetadvīpam ivālayaṁ vraja-pater vīkṣyāsa sānanditā || 67 ||

     “When Paurṇamāsī saw Nanda’s house, in ecstasy she thought it to be Śvetadvīpa. The charming courtyard, decorated with many kinds of jewels, was sprinkled all about with drops of milk risen from the gopīs’ churning. Boiling pots billowed like waves in the ocean of milk, and Acyuta slept upon his lustrous bed, surrounded by his loved ones.” (Govinda-Līlāmṛtam 2.3)

Śrī Śrī Prema-Bhakti-Candrikā 32 (comm. by Śrī Anantadāsa Bābājī Mahārāja)

সদা সেবা-অভিলাষ,        মনে করি বিশোয়াস,

সর্বথাই হইয়া নির্ভয় ।

নরোত্তম দাসে বোলে,        পড়িলু অসৎ-ভোলে,

পরিত্রাণ কর মহাশয় ॥ ৩২ ॥

sadā sebā-abhilāṣa,        mane kari biśoyāsa,

sarbathāi haiyā nirbhaya |

narottama dāse bole,        paḍilu asat-bhole,

paritrāṇa kara mahāśaya || 32 ||

     Always maintain a desire for sevā, remain faithful and be fearless in all respects. Narottama Dāsa says, “O Kṛṣṇa! I have fallen into a state of illusion. Please rescue me.”

Desire for Sevā

     Sudhā-Kaṇikā-Vyākhyā: After renouncing the misery-filled sense-enjoyment of the material world and settling in Vraja, if one worships Śrī Govinda by always hearing and chanting śrī-kṛṣṇa-kathā and śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāma in the association of the great souls who have taken shelter there, one is blessed with a taste of the sweet rasa of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s name, form, qualities and pastimes. This has been described in the previous verse. In this verse, he is saying that by establishing firm faith in the above-mentioned practices, abandoning any other desires and always nurturing his desire for sevā, a sādhaka who has taken shelter at Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet in Vraja becomes fearless in all respects.

     Such faith makes him eligible for bhakti or bhajana: śraddhāvān jana haya bhakti-adhikārī (CC. Madhya 22.64). Faith comes from faith. śraddhā-śabde–biśvāsa kahe sudṛḍha niścaya (CC. Madhya 22.62). “The word śraddhā means firm faith, free from doubt.” Even though the words śraddhā and viśvāsa are synonymous, śraddhā is the initial state of faith and viśvāsa the subsequent state. Therefore, although it has been indicated that faith is the only cause of eligibility for bhagavad-bhajana, faith mixed with realization of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who is obtainable by the power of that bhajana, has been kept as an essential ingredient.* Moreover, śaraṇāgati (taking shelter) also appears along with śraddhā or viśvāsa because śraddhā and śaraṇāgati mean the same thing. In his Bhakti-Sandarbha (374 Anuḥ), Śrīmat Jīva Gosvāmipāda has written, śraddhā-śaraṇāpattyor aikārthyaṁ labhyate, tac ca yuktam. śraddhā hi śāstrārtha-viśvāsaḥ. śāstraṁ ca tad-aśaraṇasya bhayaṁ tac-charaṇasyābhayaṁ vadati. tato jātāyāḥ śraddhāyās tac-charaṇāpattir eva liṅgam iti. “It is logical to say that śraddhā and śaraṇāgati are one in meaning because according to śāstra the meaning of śraddhā is firm faith. Śāstra has also taught us that those who have not taken shelter of Śrī Bhagavān will be fearful, while those who have taken shelter will feel no fear. Therefore, according to the meaning given in śāstra, śaraṇāgati is a sign of the appearance of firm faith.” Regarding the fearlessness of those who have taken shelter, we see the following in the prayers of Śrī Devakī Devī in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.3.27: 

martyo mṛtyu-vyāla-bhītaḥ palāyan

lokān sarvān nirbhayaṁ nādhyagacchat |

tvat-pādābjaṁ prāpya yadṛcchayādya

svasthaḥ śete mṛtyur asmād apaiti ||

     “O Primeval One, a mortal runs in all directions in fear of the black cobra of death, but nowhere can he be free from fear. From highest to lowest, all are being swallowed by time. If, as the blessed result of associating with some great soul and receiving his mercy, one gets shelter at your lotus feet, that person sleeps peacefully and death runs away forever.” By this it is understood that if a sādhaka takes shelter of Śrī Kṛṣṇa and does bhajana with faith, he will remain fearless in all circumstances. The kṛṣṇa-bhakta, however, does not desire to be fearless; this is only an incidental result of bhajana. The attainment of sevā to one’s beloved is the true intention of bhajana. Therefore, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya has said, sadā sebā abhilāṣa. The desire to obtain the direct sevā of his beloved must always remain awake in the sādhaka’s heart. The meaning of bhakti is sevā, or service. bhaj ity eṣa vai dhātuḥ sevāyāṁ parikīrtitaḥ. The verbal root bhaj means ‘to serve,’ and from it the word bhakti is derived. Therefore, service to Śrī Bhagavān is called bhakti. Śrī Bhagavān also desires that the longing for sevā always remains in the bhakta’s heart. It is an act of mercy that Śrī Bhagavān causes the desire for sevā to awaken in the bhakta and then blesses him with that cherished sevā. anukampā ca pūrṇe’pi svasmin nija-sevādy-abhilāṣaṁ sampādya sevakādiṣu sevādi-saubhāgya-sampādikā bhagavataś cittārdratāmayī tad-upakārecchā (Prīti-Sandarbhaḥ 84 Anuḥ). Śrī Bhagavān’s compassion is shown in his softhearted wish to help his servants by awakening their desire to serve him and then blessing them with that sevā, though he is by nature complete and satisfied within himself. Now, it is understood that the actions of Śrī Bhagavān and bhakti are meant to establish in the sādhaka’s heart the desire to serve Śrī Bhagavān. The sādhaka also must keep the desire to serve Śrī Bhagavān awake by always restraining his enjoyment-seeking mind and heart and expelling the desire for anything other than Śrī Kṛṣṇa. When the sādhaka’s bhajana-sādhana matures, this desire for service causes an intense longing to awaken in his heart and blesses him with the gifts of prema and direct sevā. This is the hidden secret of the statement sadā sevābhilāṣa.

     Then Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya says, narottama dāse bole, paḍilu asat-bhole, paritrāṇa kara mahāśaya. Even though Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya is the direct embodiment of prema, because of his deep humility, he considers himself to be an ordinary sādhaka affected by anarthas. He says he is asat-bhole, meaning that he has fallen under the spell of the asat and is unable to sustain the desire for sevā that had awakened in his heart. Whatever is not sat is asat. That which exists eternally is sat. All that does not exist eternally, meaning the perishable body and things related to it, is asat. Having succumbed to the allurement of this asat, the jīva, though being the eternal servant of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, has forgotten the sat: the immortal, everlasting truth, the embodiment of condensed transcendental joy, Śrī Govindacaraṇa or his sevā. The enticement of the transitory, perishable, worldly objects of this manifest universe is also not insignificant. Even very intelligent, highly qualified and learned people, unable to avoid the influence of this temptation, have been carried by its strong current toward the ocean of misery. It is as though extensive study of śāstra and extensive hearing of good instructions both become useless in the presence of this temptation. Its origin is Śrī Bhagavān’s powerful māyā-śakti, consisting of the three modes of nature. Therefore, the insignificant jīva-śakti is unable to free himself from the grip of this allurement by his own effort. For this reason, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya says, paritrāṇa kara mahāśaya. In his commentary, Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartipāda has translated the word mahāśaya here as ‘O Kṛṣṇa!’ mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (Gītā 7.14). Without Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s mercy, no one has the power to avoid the allurement of the sensual enjoyments of this illusory phenomenon. Therefore, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya has prayed to Śrī Kṛṣṇa for deliverance from the enticement of the worldly sense objects or asat-bhola.

     By using the word mahāśaya, he suggests that Śrī Kṛṣṇa has a very generous heart. Śrī Kṛṣṇa knows how the insignificant jīva-śakti falls under the delusion of his extremely powerful external māyā, becomes intoxicated by the worldly pleasures and loses his power to practice sādhana-bhajana. If he doesn’t bestow his causeless mercy and rescue the jīva, meaning if he doesn’t give the jīva a little taste of his own bhajana-rasa and deliver him from asat-bhola in the form of absorption in worldly rasa, the jīva has no other means of salvation. Moreover, because of that, the most magnanimous, high-minded Śrī Kṛṣṇa also shows no miserliness in the giving of his mercy: guru-rūpe ghare ghare, dīkṣā deya sabhākāre, baiṣṇaba-rūpete deya śikṣā. śāstra-rūpe kahe jñāna, ātmā-rūpe adhiṣṭhāna, dekha tāṅra kāre bā upekṣā. “In the form of guru, he gives dīkṣā to the devotees in the various lineages. In the form of the Vaiṣṇavas, he gives instructions. In the form of śāstra, he teaches knowledge, and in the form of the Self, he gives guidance. Consider this: does he in any way neglect anyone?” dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ yena mām upayānti te (Gītā 10.10). “I give the understanding by which they can come to me.”

*This seems to mean, in a nutshell, that faith is the only qualification for beginning the process of bhakti and it becomes stronger as we gain realization. It is not that faith is useful only in the beginning and abandoned later on. As we have many times heard, ‘Life comes from life,’ or ‘Bhakti comes from bhakti,’ it appears also that ‘Faith comes from faith.’

Bhāvanā-Sāra-Saṅgrahaḥ, Prātaḥ 62-64

अत्रान्तरे मधुरिका मिलिताथ पृष्टा ताभिर्जगाद मधुरं शृणुतैतदाल्यः ।

कस्यैचिदेव कृतये व्रजराज-वेश्म प्राप्ताद्य कौतुकमहो यदुषस्यपश्यम् ॥ ६२ ॥

atrāntare madhurikā militātha pṛṣṭā

tābhir jagāda madhuraṁ śṛṇutaitad ālyaḥ |

kasyaicid eva kṛtaye vrajarāja-veśma

prāptādya kautukam aho yad uṣasy apaśyam || 62 ||

     Meanwhile, the sakhī named Madhurikā arrived and everyone inquired about any news. She said sweetly, “O Sakhīs! Today, to complete some work, I went to the house of Nanda Mahārāja at daybreak. I saw something very curious there. Listen.” (Kṛṣṇa-Bhāvanāmṛtam 3.32)

पौर्णमासी भगवती सर्वसिद्धि-विधायिनी ।

काषायवसना गौरी काशकेशी दरायता ।

कृष्णं द्रष्टुमनास्तल्पादुदतिष्ठद्द्विजध्वनैः ॥ ६३ ॥

paurṇamāsī bhagavatī sarva-siddhi-vidhāyinī |

kāṣāya-vasanā gaurī kāśa-keśī darāyatā |

kṛṣṇaṁ draṣṭu-manās talpād udatiṣṭhad dvija-dhvanaiḥ || 63 ||

     “Eager to see Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavatī Paurṇamāsī, who can bless one with all success, rose from her bed with the singing of the birds. She wears a reddish garment, has a golden complexion, hair as white as a kāśa flower and a slightly tallish body.” (Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa-Gaṇoddeśa-Dīpikā 69) 

अथ प्रभाते कृतनित्यकृत्या प्रीत्याच्युतस्यातिविहस्तचित्ता ।

प्रेमेन्दुपूर्णा किल पौर्णमासी तूर्णं व्रजेन्द्रालयमाससाद ॥ ६४ ॥

atha prabhāte kṛta-nitya-kṛtyā

prītyācyutasyātivihasta-cittā |

premendu-pūrṇā kila paurṇamāsī

tūrṇaṁ vrajendrālayam āsasāda || 64 |

     “Paurṇamāsī, in whose heart prema always shines like the full moon, quickly finished her morning duties and hurried to Nanda Mahārāja’s house, eager to see her beloved Kṛṣṇa.” (Govinda-Līlāmṛtam 2.2)