५ भक्ति-सन्दर्भ-२

Śrila Jiva Gosvāmī ŚRĪ BHAKTI SANDARBHA The Sublime Path to Attain Perfection Volume II Translation & Commentary SATYANARAYANA DASA स वै पुंसां परो धर्मः श्री भागवन सन्दर्भ hastamalakavat-tattvam srimad-bhagavatasya yah darśayāmāsa jivebhyas tam śrī-jiva-prabhum numaḥ We bow down to Śrīla Jiva Gosvāmī Prabhupada who revealed the essential meaning of Srimad Bhagavatam to the people of the world just as plainly as one would display an amalaki fruit kept on one’s palm. sandarbha yena nadhītās tasya bhagavate sramaḥ sandarbha yena cadhītā nāsti bhagavate bhramaḥ One who has not undergone comprehensive study of Sat Sandarbhas must struggle to assimilate the message of Srimad Bhagavatam. One who has studied Sat Sandarbhas, however, will have no misgivings about the essential meaning of Srimad Bhagavatam. ŞAT SANDARBHA Tattva Sandarbha Bhagavat Sandarbha Paramätma Sandarbha Krsna Sandarbha Bhakti Sandarbha Priti Sandarbha श्रीश्रीगौरगदाधरी विजयेताम् ŚRĪ BHAKTI SANDARBHA The Sublime Path to Attain Perfection Volume II Śrīla Jiva Gosvāmī Sanskrit Text with English Translation and Jiva-toşani Commentary SATYANARAYANA DASA JIVA Jiva Institute of Vaishnava Studies Vrindavan Bhakti Sandarbha: The Sublime Path to Attain Perfection, Volume II Translation and Commentary: Satyanarayana Dasa This book is published and distributed by Jiva Institute of Vaishnava Studies. For further information on Jiva books, please contact Jiva Institute of Vaishnava Studies Sheetal Chaya 1, Raman Reti Vrindavan, UP 281121 India or visit www.jiva.org To learn more about Sat Sandarbha, please go to sandarbhas.jiva.org

Contents at a Glance Introduction Dedication… I.xxix I.xlvii I Bhakti Is the Complete Abhidheya 1.1 Anucchedas 1-178… 1.9 II How Akincana-bhakti Is Attained 1.1083 Anucchedas 179-213. 1.1089 III The Practice of Bhakti II.1 Anucchedas 214-340 II.7 References II.789 Editors’ Notes II.791 The Language of Transcendence - Key Terms and Concepts. II.793 Bhakti Sandarbha at a Glance II.808 Glossary 11.811 Subject Index, Verse Index, and Bibliography. 11.839 Abbreviations II.1103 Contributors II.1105 vii Table of Contents III The Practice of Bhakti 1 Sammukhya in the Form of Direct Worship Anucchedas 214-216 Two Divisions of Sammukhya As Direct Worship viii 214 Saviseṣa and Nirvisesa-sammukhya - Jñana Defined….. — 215 Sadhana on the Path of Jnana… 216 Nirviseşa and Savisesa-sammukhya. 216.1 The Nirviseṣa-sammukhya of Jñāna As Indicated in the Gītā… 216.2 Saviseṣa-sammukhya - Ahangrahopāsanā. 216.3 Saviseṣa-sammukhya - Bhakti Defined 1 3 5 7 9 15 15 16 19 2 Three Categories of Bhakti Anucchedas 217-234 Overview 217 Three Categories of Bhakti Defined. 217.1 Aropa-siddha, Sanga-siddha, and Svarupa-siddha-bhakti.. Äropa-siddha-bhakti 217.2 How Worldly Actions Partake of Bhagavata-dharma 218 The Benefit of Offering Vedic Karma. 27 29 31 31 39 41 49 53 58 69 72 79 81 219 Karma Offered to Bhagavan Destroys Karma Anucchedas 219-221. 222 The Fruit of Karma Is Sheltered in Bhagavan. 223 The Offering of Karma Can Lead to Bhakti…. 224 Three Motives behind the Offering of Karma… Sanga-siddha-bhakti 225 Three Divisions of Sanga-siddha-bhakti. 226 Karma-jñāna-miśra Sanga-siddha-bhakti - Kaivalya-kāmā.. 227 Jñana-miśra Sanga-siddha-bhakti- Kaivalya-kāmā.. 228 Karma-miśra Sanga-siddha-bhakti - Bhakti-mätra-kāmā. 229 Karma-jñāna-miśra Sanga-siddha-bhakti- Bhakti-mätra-kämä 888 335 93 95 55 99 ix230 Jñāna-miśra Sanga-siddha-bhakti Bhakti-mätra-kāmā Influence of the Gunas on the Practitioner of Direct Bhakti 231 Svarupa-siddha Sakama Tamasi-bhakti 232 Svarupa-siddha Sakāmā Rājasī-bhakti 233 Svarupa-siddha Kaivalya-kāmā Sattviki-bhakti… Svarupa-siddha-bhakti 234 Svarupa-siddha Nirguna-bhakti. X 104 107 109 112 114 119 121 3 Vaidhi-bhakti Anucchedas 235-309 Overview 137 139 235 Vaidhi-bhakti Impelled by Two Types of Injunctions. Śaraṇāpatti 236 The Sixfold Divisions of Saraṇāpatti. 237 Guru-seva Is Essential To Obtain Bhagavan’s Grace.. Sat-sanga 238 Sat-sanga Captivates Bhagavan 238.1 Guidelines for Associating with Vaisnavas 238.2 Two Kinds of Service to Mahā-bhāgavatas. 238.3 Sadhu-seva’s Apparent Reliance on Other Means.. 238.4 Sat-sanga’s Independent Power Does Not Negate the Need for Ekādaśī… 239 Primary and Secondary Control of Bhagavan through Sat-sanga . 240 Sat-sanga Is Independent of Other Means. 241 Primary Control of Kṛṣṇa Is Possible Only by Sat-sanga… 141 147 149 161 171 173 173 178 180 184 191 201 205 242 Love for Kṛṣṇa Is Attained Only by Sat-sanga. 209 243 Sat-sanga Is Effective Even without Proper Awareness.. 213 244 Service in the Form of Paricaryā. 216 xi 245 Paricarya Established by Vyatireka.. 246 Characteristics of One Perfected through Service to a Devotee.. 219 224 247 Honor Should Be Extended to All Vaisnavas 226 The Nine Primary Limbs of Bhakti 1 Śravanam. 248 Hearing Bhagavan’s Name. 249 Hearing of Bhagavan’s Form. 250 Hearing of Bhagavan’s Qualities. xii 251 Hearing of Bhagavan’s Qualities Purifies Even the Desire for Liberation… 239 241 243 246 250 256 252 The Importance of Hearing Established through Vyatireka 258 253 Hearing Bhagavan’s Līlā 263 254 Two Types of Liläs 266 255 The Effect of Hearing the Narrations of the Lila-avatāras… 269 256 The Sequence and Exalted Status of Hearing 273 256.1 The Recommended Order of Hearing 273 256.2 The Greatness of Hearing from a Mahat 274 257 Hearing Sacred Works Brought Forth or Sung by a Mahat… 278 258 Two Qualities of Hearing Hari-katha Sung by a Mahat Anucchedas 258-259.. 260 The Preeminence of the Words of Srimad Bhagavata.. 282 286 261 Srimad Bhagavata Abounds with Rasa. 289 262 Hearing and Singing about Kṛṣṇa Is Supreme 291 262.1 The Hierarchy of Importance in regard to Hearing.. 291 2 Kirtanam.. 295 262.2 Kirtanam Is the Best Form of Atonement. 297 263 The Primary Result of Nama-kirtanam 301 264 The Importance of Nama-kirtanam. 307 265 The Ten Offenses against the Name of Bhagavan…. 309 265.1 Nama-kirtanam Is the Ultimate Good for Sadhakas and Siddhas … 309 265.2 The Ten Aparadhas to the Name… 314 265.3 Offenses to the Devotee.. 318 265.4 To Regard the Names and Qualities of Siva As Independent of Visņu. 322 265.5 Offenses Four to Six 327 265.6 Committing Sins on the Strength of the Holy Name… 331 265.7 The Name Is Not To Be Equated with Pious Works… 333 xiii 265.8 Offenses of the Instructor and the Instructed….. 336 266 Rupa-kirtanam. 341 267 Guna-kirtanam 344 268 Lilä-kirtanam. 346 269 The Glories of Lila-kirtanam 348 270 The Importance of Kirtanam in Kaliyuga. 356 271 Kaliyuga Is Glorious Because of Kirtanam. 360 272 Why the Glory of Kirtanam Is Not Disclosed in Other Yugas. 273 The Universality of Kirtanam. 274 Kirtanam Should Be Performed without Offenses 363 366 373 3 Smaranam. 377 275 Smaranam Requires Purity of Heart… 379 276 Nama-smaranam and Rupa-smaraņam. 383 277 The Glory of Remembrance 386 278 The Five Stages of Smaranam. 388 279 Two Types of Devotional Samadhi 397 4 Pada-sevanam xiv 401 280 Pada-sevanam - Service to Bhagavan 403 281 Seva Is Perfect in Itself 282 Pure Devotees Desire Only Service 407 410 283 Pada-sevanam Concluded… 412 283.1 Residing in Holy Places As an Extension of Pada-sevanam 412 283.2 Service to Tulasi As an Extension of Sat-seva.. 416 5 Arcanam 419 283.3 Arcanam - Deity Worship 421 283.4 The Necessity of Dikṣa on the Path of Arcanam 427 284 The Difference between Mantras and the Holy Name….. 432 285 Two Ways of Performing Karma As Worship 443 286 Further Considerations Regarding Arcanam 452 286.1 Worship of Bhagavan’s Yoga-pitha 452 286.2 Bhuta-suddhi. 460 286.3 Loci of Worship 468 286.4Gradations of Eligibility for Receiving Worship… 476 287 Worship of Krsna Is Worship of All.. 480 288 Paramatma Is the Source of Life.. 482 289 Honorability Accords with the Degree of Awareness of Bhagavan. 484 290 The Deity Is Superior to Human Beings As an Object of Worship 486 291 Worship of the Deity Should Be Performed without Malice for Other Beings 490 292 A Brahmana Is Most Honorable among Human Beings… 493 XV 293 The Brahmanas Are Honorable Even for Bhagavan … 294 The Deity Is the Supreme Object of Worship 295 Existential Seats of the Worship of Bhagavan. 296 Appropriate Adjustment of the Rules of Worship.. 496 498 502 511 297 Bhagavan Is Attained by Pure Worship. 515 298 Eligibility for Worship. 517 299 The Limbs of Arcanam. 522 299.1 Janmäṣṭami 299.2 Kartika-vrata 522 524 299.3 Ekādasī 526 299.4 Bathing in the Month of Magha 534 300 Offenses in Deity Worship.. 537 301 Offenses to Devotees in the Matter of Worship…. 542 302 Disrespect to a Great Devotee Results in Ruination…. 303 Arcanam Concluded 303.1 The Solution to Offenses 545 547 547 6 Vandanam.. 553 303.2 Vandanam As an Independent Practice.. 555 xvi 7 Dasyam. 304 The Attitude of Being a Servant 561 563 305 Dasyam Embellishes Every Action …. 566 8 Sakhyam. 569 306 Sakhyam Entails Bandhu-bhāva.. 571 307 Sakhyam Brings Bhagavan under Control. 576 308 Bhagavan’s Abode Attained through Sakhyam . . 578 9 Atma-nivedanam. 309 Varieties of Atma-nivedanam.. 581 583 xvii 4 Rāgānuga-bhakti Anucchedas 310-338 Overview 310 Raganuga As Ruci for Ragātmika-bhakti. 310.1 The Meaning of Raga and Ragānugā 310.2 Raganuga with the Abhimana of a Lover - Preyasi. Rāgānugā Is Executed Predominantly through Internalized Awareness 312 Various Considerations Concerning 593 595 597 597 606 609 Rāgānuga.. 612 312.1 Rāgānuga with the Abhimana of a Sevaka or Parent. 612 312.2 Rāgānugā Is Independent of Injunctions.. 617 312.3 Rāgānuga Mixed with Vaidhi.. 626 The Power of Natural Attraction 637 312.4 The Power of the Path of Bhava… 639 313 The Secret behind Sisupala’s Attainment. 641 314 Sisupala’s Envy of Krsna 644 315 Criticism Relates Only to Prakrti and Its Products. 646 316 Bhagavan Is beyond the Range of Criticism 649 317 Absorption in Kṛṣṇa by Whatsoever Means Is Purifying 653 318 Absorption by Enmity Supersedes that of Vaidhi-bhakti.. 658 xviii 319 The Power of Absorption. 320 Perfection in Bhakti Can Be Attained 660 through Kama. 664 320.1 Kama Is Not Inherently Sinful. 664 320.2 Projecting Libidinous Feelings upon Bhagavan Is Not Inherently Sinful.. 673 320.3 Amorous Desire for Bhagavan Is Supported in Scripture.. 675 320.4 Even the Vedas Personified Attained the State of Amorous Love.. 681 321 Examples of Attaining Bhagavan through the Five Feeling States.. 686 322 Enmity Is Rejected As a Valid Means. 693 323 Fix the Mind on Krsna by Whatsoever Means 696 324 Bhakti Is Never To Be Found in Enmity 698 Rāgānuga-bhakti Is Primarily in regard to Kṛṣṇa 705 325 Rāgānuga-bhakti Is Directed Primarily to Krsna in Gokula … 707 326 Uddhava Accepts Bhakti Alone Devoid of Jñana-yoga…. 722 327 Krsna Comes under the Control of His Pure Devotees. . 726 328 A Devotee Would Never Abandon One So Gracious As Krsna 730 329 Krsna’s Supreme Act of Grace… 735 330 Seeing Krsna As Immanent in All Beings. 739 xixXX 331 Worship of Krsna Is Superior to That of Paramātmā Anucchedas 331-332.. 333 The Superiority of Krsna Bhajana Shown through Kaimutya 334 Krsna Fulfills All the Goals of Pure Devotees 335 A Pure Devotee Desires Only Love for Krsna 336 Worship of Krsna Is Recommended Even for Mumuksus… 337 Kṛṣṇa’s Supreme Graciousness. 338 Worship of Krsna along with Radha Is Supreme. 743 753 756 759 761 763 765 5 Conclusion Anucchedas 339-340 339 The Confidentiality of Spiritual Realization… 340 The Sequence of Progress in Bhakti 771 773 777 References 789 Editors’ Notes 791 The Language of Transcendence - Key Terms and Concepts. 793 Bhakti Sandarbha at a Glance 808 Glossary 811 Subject Index. 839 Verse Index. 1001 Bibliography Abbreviations 1092 1103 Contributors. 1105 III The Practice of Bhakti 1 Sammukhya in the Form of Direct Worship Anucchedas 214-216 Two Divisions of Sammukhya As Direct Worship Anucchedas 214-216 Two Divisions of Sammukhya as Direct Worship Anucchedas 214-216 Anuccheda 214 Saviśeşa and Nirviseṣa-sammukhya — Jñana Defined २१४ । तदेवं रुच्यादिः श्रीगुर्वाश्रयान्त उपासनापूर्वाङ्गरूपः साम्मुख्यभेदो बहुविधो दर्शितः । IN THIS MANNER, we have shown the numerous divisions of sammukhya, or the turning of one’s intentful regard toward the Absolute, that are preliminary to the actual stage of worship (upāsana), beginning from initial liking (ruci) up to the point of taking shelter of a guru. अथ साक्षादुपासनालक्षणस्तद्भेदोऽपि बहुविधो दर्श्यते । तत्र साम्मुख्यं द्विविधम्- निर्विशेषमयं सविशेषमयं च । अत्र पूर्वं ज्ञानम् । उत्तरं तु द्विविधम् - अहङ्ग्रहोपासनारूपं भक्तिरूपं च । Now we will discuss sammukhya in the form of direct worship (sākṣāt-upāsanā), which is also of various types. In this regard, sammukhya in the form of direct worship has two broad clas- sifications: the orientation of awareness toward the unqual- ified Absolute (nirviseṣa-maya-sämmukhya) and the orienta- tion of awareness toward the qualified Absolute (saviseṣa-maya- sämmukhya). Out of these two, the first is of the nature of the immediate intuition of the Absolute as nondual consciousness (jñāna). The second classification has two further divisions: ahangrahopäsana, or worship of oneself as the Supreme, and bhakti, or devotion to Bhagavan. 7III The Practice of Bhakti अथ ज्ञानस्य लक्षणम् “ज्ञानं चैकात्म्यदर्शनम्” ( भा० ११ । १९।२७) इति । Bhagavan Kṛṣṇa defines jñāna in these words: “And the immedi- ate intuition of one nondual Reality is known as jñana” (jñānaṁ caikatmya-darśanam, SB 11.19.27). अभेदोपासनं ज्ञानमित्यर्थः ॥ श्रीभगवान् ॥ What is signified here by jñana, or nondual awareness, is worship of the Absolute as one without distinction (abheda- upāsana). Commentary IN ANUCCHEDA 202, Śrī Jīva Gosvami explained the process of attaining bhakti. In this respect, he outlined two paths of bhakti’s unfolding, one based primarily upon deliberation (vicara- pradhana-marga) and the other based primarily on taste (ruci- pradhana-marga). Incidentally, he discussed the topic of the dif- ferent types of gurus, the necessity of a guru, and how to treat the guru. It was said earlier (in Anuccheda 176) that sammukhya is of two types, namely, the turning of regard toward the unqualified Absolute (Brahman) and the turning of regard toward the quali- fied Absolute (Bhagavan). Corresponding to this division, there are three methods of orienting awareness - jñāna is the method for brahma-sammukhya, and ahangrahopāsanā and bhakti are the methods for bhagavat-sammukhya. The word jnana here does not carry its popular meaning of “knowledge,” rather, it means the immediate realization (aparoksa- anubhava) of Brahman as the one nondual Reality present every- where. Brahman is devoid of all variety or qualification (nirviseșa- maya). To have the vision of Brahman everywhere is jñāna. In the next anuccheda, Śri Jīva explains the sadhana that pertains to the path of jñāna. 8 Anuccheda 215 Sadhana on the Path of Jñana २१५ । तत्साधनप्रकारश्चैवं बहुविधस्तत्र तत्रोक्तः । स च ज्ञानमेवोच्यते । तत्र श्रवणं श्रीपृथुसनत्कुमारसंवादादौ द्रष्टव्यम् । THERE are many different methods of sadhana, or spiritual prac- tice, that pertain to the path of jñāna, as described in various places in Srimad Bhagavata. These methods themselves are also termed as jnāna. The first step on this path is hearing (srava- nam), as illustrated in the conversation between King Prthu and the sage Sanat Kumāra [see Srimad Bhāgavata, Fourth Canto, chapter 22]. | तदनुसारेण मननं च ज्ञेयम् । प्रथमतः श्रोतॄणां हि विवेकस्तावानेव यावता जडातिरि- क्तं चिन्मात्रं वस्तूपस्थितं भवति । तस्मिंश्चिन्मात्रेऽपि वस्तुनि ये विशेषाः स्वरूपभूतश- क्तिसिद्धा भगवत्तादिरूपा वर्तन्ते तांस्ते विवेक्तुं न क्षमन्ते यथा रजनीखण्डिनि ज्योतिषि ज्योतिर्मात्रत्वेऽपि ये मण्डलान्तर्बहिश्च दिव्यविमानादिपरस्परपृथग्भूतरश्मिपरमाणुरूपा विशेषास्तांश्चर्मचक्षुषो न क्षमन्त इत्यन्वयस्तद्वत् । This is followed by manana, or deliberation, which is to be undertaken in accordance with what has been heard. In the beginning, the jñāna practitioners who are engaged in hearing require sufficient discernment (viveka) to recognize that the ontologically real substantive (vastu) is present as conscious- ness alone (cin-matra), categorically distinct from inert mat- ter. Although in that substantive, self-disclosed as conscious- ness alone (cin-matra-vastu), varieties ( viśesa ), in the form of 6 III The Practice of Bhakti divine majesty (bhagavatta)1 and so on, are present as the pri- orly existent potencies that are intrinsic to Its essential nature (svarupa-bhūta-sakti-siddha), the jñana practitioners are unable to discern these implicit attributes. This is analogous to the inability of the physical eyes to per- ceive the varieties (višesa) present within the sun. Although the sun (jyoti) is simply light (jyotir-matra), which dissipates the darkness of night, there are varieties within it, such as the indi- vidual particles of light that are distinct from one another, as well as the celestial airplanes that hover both inside and outside its orb. Just as these attributes are imperceptible to ordinary vision, so too the transcendental varieties that are intrinsic to the substantive that is self-disclosed as consciousness alone remain concealed from the view of the jñana practitioners. पूर्ववच्च यदि महत्कृपाविशेषेण दिव्यदृष्टिता भवति तदा विशेषोपलब्धिश्च भवेत् । न चेन् निर्विशेषचिन्मात्र ब्रह्मानुभवेन तल्लीन एव भवति । As discussed earlier, if such jñāna-sädhakas are blessed with divine vision (divya-drşti) by the special mercy of a mahat devo- tee, they too will perceive the attributes that are intrinsically present within the Absolute. Otherwise, they merge into the unqualified Absolute by immediate realization of Brahman as consciousness alone (cin-matra-brahma) devoid of all attributes (nirviśeşa). तथैव निदिध्यासनमपि तेषाम् । तद् यथा ( भा०२।२११५-१६ ) - The jñāna-sädhakas’ practice of nididhyasana, or continuous profound meditation on the same Reality that was first heard about and then deliberated upon, is also of the same nature, as described by Śri Suka: In his commentary on SB 7.10.9, Sridhara Svami glosses the word bhagavattva (which is a synonym for bhagavatta) as samana-aiśvarya, “of the same divine majesty.” Thus, bhagavatta, lit., “Godhood,” here refers to the divine majesties (aisvarya) that are priorly existent in the form of the potencies (saktis) that are intrinsic to the essential nature of the ontologically real substantive (vastu), which is self-disclosed to the jñānis as consciousness alone (cin-matra), devoid of all qualification. 10 215 Sadhana on the Path of Jnana स्थिरं सुखं चासनमास्थितो यतिर्यदा जिहासुरिममङ्ग लोकम् । काले च देशे च मनो न सज्जयेत् प्राणान् नियच्छेन् मनसा जितासुः ॥ ६३१ ॥ मनः स्वबुद्ध्यामलया नियम्य क्षेत्रज्ञ एतां निलयेत् तमात्मनि । आत्मानमात्मन्यवरुध्य धीरो लब्धोपशान्तिर्विरमेत कृत्यात् ॥ ६३२ ॥ O King, when the ascetic (yati) intends to leave this world, he should not be concerned about an auspicious time or place for doing so. Being seated in a stable and comfortable posture and having regulated his vital air, he should withdraw his life air by the mind. Restraining the mind with his purified intellect (buddhi), he should merge the intellect into the witness (kşetra- jña) and then merge the witness into the individual self (ātmā). Then, merging the individual self into the Supreme Self [Brah- man], the person of awakened discernment (dhira) attains per- fect tranquility and should cease from all action. (SB 2.2.15-16)3 एतां बुद्धिं क्षेत्रज्ञे बुद्ध्यादिद्रष्टरि निलयेत् प्रविलापयेत् । तं च क्षेत्रज्ञं स्वरूपभूतया बुद्ध्या आत्मनि तद्द्रष्टृत्वादिरहिते शुद्धे जीवे । तं च शुद्धमात्मानमात्मनि ब्रह्मण्यवरुध्य तदेकत्वेन विचिन्त्य लब्धोपशान्तिः प्राप्तनिर्वृतिः सन् कृत्याद् विरमेत् तस्य ततः परं प्राप्याभावात् ॥ श्रीशुकः ॥ In the second of the above two verses, the pronoun etām, “it,” refers to the intellect (buddhi), which should be merged (nila- yet), or in other words, “dissolved” (pravilapayet) into “the knower of the perceptual field” (kşetrajña), meaning, “the wit- ness (drastari) of the intellect, mind, and so on.” Then by means of the intellect, which is part of the psychic make-up of the wit- ness, he should merge the witness (kṣetrajña) into the individ- ual self (ātmā), meaning, “the pure living being” (suddha-jiva), divested of the functions of phenomenal seership (drastṛtva) and so on in regard to the perceptual field. He should then absorb the pure self (śuddham ätmänam) into the Supreme Self (ätmani), Brahman, by intuiting the self as one with It. Then attaining “perfect tranquility” (upaśānti), meaning, “the state 2 3 Sridhara Svami and Sri Jiva Gosvami sthiram sukham casanam asthito yatir yada jihasur imam anga lokam kale ca dese ca mano na sajjayet prānan niyacchen manasa jitasuh manah sva-buddhyamalaya niyamya kṣetra-jna etam nilayet tam atmani atmanam atmany avarudhya dhiro labdhopasantir virameta krtyat 11 III The Practice of Bhakti of attainment of final repose” (präpta-nirvṛti), he should cease from all action [i.e., from any further practice of sadhana], because beyond this, there is nothing more to be obtained for the jñāna practitioner. Commentary THE PROCESS of attaining Brahman realization is described in a few sections of Srimad Bhagavata, such as the verses cited here from the Second Canto, in the teachings of Kapila (Third Canto, chap- ter 28), in the teachings of Sanat Kumāra to King Prthu (Fourth Canto, chapter 22), and in those of the Hamsa avatara (Eleventh Canto, chapter 13). Both the practice (sadhana) and the goal (sadhya) of the jnana- märga go by the name of jñāna. The general process is the same as outlined in regard to the vicara-marga of bhakti, discussed earlier in Anuccheda 202. This means that it proceeds from sravanam to mana- nam and then to nididhyasanam. For sravanam, or “hearing,” Śrī Jīva mentions the example of King Prthu listening to the teachings of Sanat Kumara, described in Srimad Bhagavata (4.22.18-40). Deliberating on what one has heard in order to remove all doubts is called mananam. In the practice of mananam, intellec- tual discernment (viveka) is required to recognize the distinction between nondual consciousness and inert matter. Thereafter, one engages in nididhyasana, or “continuous meditation,” to directly intuit the individual self as one with Brahman. The jñana prac- titioner who is established in this realization sees only one con- sciousness manifest in everything. This is described as sättvika- jñāna in the Gītā: “The knowledge by which one sees one imperish- able and indivisible reality in all the diverse species of life - know that knowledge to be sättvika” (GĪTĀ 18.20)+ 4 sarva-bhūtesu yenaikam bhavam avyayam ikṣate avibhaktam vibhaktesu taj jnanam viddhi sattvikam 12 215 Sadhana on the Path of Jnana In reality, the unqualified Absolute, Brahman, is nothing other than Bhagavan divested of His manifest qualities. This was dis- cussed in Bhagavat Sandarbha (Anucchedas 2-3). Because the adher- ents of the jñāna-marga are predisposed to deny the existence of all qualities in Brahman, the self-disclosure of such qualities remains concealed from them. This does not mean that variety or attributes do not exist in the Absolute. The jnana practitioners’ inability to perceive such attributes is analogous to the incapability of the naked eye to detect the exis- tence of varieties in the sun. Scientists, however, can perceive these details with a powerful telescope and other instruments. Accordingly, if a jñāna practitioner obtains the grace of an ele- vated devotee, then he too can see the qualified Reality, namely, Bhagavan. Śrī Jīva cites the instructions of Śrī Suka to describe the pro- cess of jnana realization. This practice involves “involution” (laya), which is exactly the reverse of the process of “evolution” (srsti), as it pertains to the systematic unfolding of prakṛti. The jñana prac- titioner merges the gross elements back into their subtle causes and finally identifies his own self with the Supreme Self, Brahman. This is a very tedious process, and the path to success is fraught with much suffering. In this regard, Kṛṣṇa makes the following definitive statement: The misery of those whose minds are attached to the unmanifest is greater, because the goal of the unmanifest is attained with difficulty by embodied beings. (GITĀ 12.5)5 Moreover, it is not possible to attain Brahman realization with- out the grace of bhakti. When Arjuna asked how one can transcend the gunas of nature (GITA 14.21), Krsna replied that it is possible 6 5 kleso’dhikataras teṣām avyaktasakta-cetasam avyakta hi gatir duḥkham dehavadbhir avapyate kair lingais trin gunan etan atīto bhavati prabho kim acaraḥ katham caitāms trin gunan ativartate 13 III The Practice of Bhakti only by bhakti: “A person who serves Me alone through unswerv- ing devotion, completely transcends these gunas of nature and becomes eligible to realize Brahman” (GITA 14.26)? 7 14 mam ca yo’vyabhicarena bhakti-yogena sevate sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhūyaya kalpate Anuccheda 216 Nirvisesa and Saviseṣa-sammukhya 216.1 The Nirviseṣa-sammukhya of Jñana As Indicated in the Gītā २१६ । तदेवं ज्ञानमुक्तम् । इदमेव “स्वभावोऽध्यात्ममुच्यते” (गीता ८।३) इत्यनेन श्रीगी- तासूक्तम् । स्वस्य शुद्धस्यात्मनो भावो भावना | आत्मन्यधिकृत्य वर्तमानत्वादध्यात्म- शब्देनोच्यत इत्यर्थः । We have thus explained the sammukhya of jñāna, or the immedi- ate intuition of the self as nondual consciousness. This very thing is spoken of in the Gita (8.3) in the following words, “The immediate intuition of the self (sva-bhava) is called adhy- atma, or that which directly concerns (adhi) the self (atma).’ In the word sva-bhava, the prefix sva means “of the pure self” (śuddhasya ätmanaḥ), and bhava means “the immediate intu- ition thereof” (bhāvanā). So, because the immediate intuition of the pure self (sva-bhava) involves a state of being present (vartamānatvät) to the self (ätmani) as the subject of experi- ence (adhikṛtya), it is known as adhy-atma. This is the intended sense. 1 In Anuccheda 214, jnana was defined as nirvisesa-sammukhya, or the orientation of awareness toward the unqualified Absolute. 15 III The Practice of Bhakti Commentary THIS SUBSECTION of Anuccheda 216 concludes the topic of the nirviseṣa-sammukhya of jnana, discussed in the previous two anucchedas. Śrī Jiva cites the Gītā (8.3) in support of the defini- tion of jñāna as the immediate intuition of the self as nondual consciousness. He interprets the words svabhava and adhyatma as referring to jñāna in this precise sense. Among the numerous authoritative commentaries on the Gitā, the explanation Śrī Jiva has given of these two words is entirely unique. He says that the word sva-bhava means “consciousness, apprehension, or immediate intuition (bhavana) of the pure self (suddha-ātmā),” and adhy-atma means “concerning or focused (adhikrtya) upon the self (atmani).” This is to say that the immedi- ate intuition of the pure self (sva-bhava) has the realization of the self as its subject (adhyatma). In the practice of jñāna, all phenom- ena are apprehended as nothing other than the self. Jnana can thus be understood as the unmediated consciousness of the self, just as God-consciousness means to see everything as a manifestation of God. 216.2 Saviseṣa-sämmukhya - Ahangrahopāsanā अथाहङ्ग्रहोपासनम् - तच्छक्तिविशिष्ट ईश्वर एवाहमिति चिन्तनम् । अस्य फलं स्वस्मि स्तच्छक्त्याद्याविर्भावः । यथा विष्णुपुराणे नागपाशादियन्त्रितः श्रीप्रह्लादस्तादृशमा- त्मानं स्मरन् नागपाशादिकमुत्सारितवान् । अत्रान्तिमफलं च कीटपेशस्कृन्न्यायेन सारू- प्यसाष्टर्थ्यादिकं ज्ञेयम् । Now we will discuss ahangrahopăsană, or worship of oneself as the Supreme. This practice involves the following type of reflec- tion: “I am indeed the Supreme Being (Iśvara), endowed with divine potencies.” The result of this type of contemplation is that Iśvara’s potencies become manifest in the practitioner. An example of this is found in Visnu Purana. When Śri Prahlada 16 216 Nirviseşa and Savisesa-sammukhya was bound by magical snake-ropes, he was able to release him- self from those bonds by meditating on himself as the Supreme. It is to be understood that the final outcome of this path is liber- ation involving the attainment of a transcendental form (sārü- pya) and majesty (sārṣṭya) similar to that of Bhagavan. This is accomplished by the axiom known as kita-peśaskṛt-nyāya, or “the principle of an insect’s transformation into a wasp.” Commentary Just as in the practice of jñana, the self is identified with Brahman, so too in ahangrahopasana, the self is identified with Bhagavan. This practice has been categorized separately from bhakti, because in bhakti the distinction between the worshiper and the object of worship, between the lover and the beloved, or between the devotee and Bhagavan, is permanently preserved, no matter how intimate the love. An example of ahangrahopasanã can be found in the life-history of Prahlada. When he instructed his atheistic father about devotion to Visņu, his father became furious. Con- sidering Prahlada, his own son, to be his enemy, he ordered for him to be killed. Prahlada, however, was immune to death. He was tied with magical ropes, called snake-ropes (naga-pāśa). At that time, he meditated on himself as the Supreme, as described by sage Parāśara: 2 Because of the omnipresence of the Infinite One [Bhagavan], I am He. Everything emanates from me, I am everything, and every- thing is in me, the perpetually existent. I am imperishable, eternal, the Supreme Self (Paramātmā), and the support of all selves. I am also known as Brahman. Indeed, I am the Supreme Person, who existed in the beginning [prior to the cosmic unfolding] and who will exist in the end [after the cosmic dissolution]. (VP 1.19.85-86)2 sarvagatvad anantasya sa evaham avasthitaḥ mattaḥ sarvam aham sarvam mayi sarvam sanatane aham evakṣayo nityah paramätmatma-samśrayaḥ brahma-sarijno’ham evagre tathante ca parah puman 17III The Practice of Bhakti When Prahlada meditated in this way, he effectively became the Supreme, enabling him to break the snake-ropes. This transmuta- tion occurs by the axiom known as kita-pesaskṛt-nyaya, or the prin- ciple whereby one is transformed into the object upon which one dwells with great intensity, especially out of fear. The example is that of the potter wasp, which captures another insect and impris- ons it in its hive. Some time later, another wasp emerges from the hive. So it is understood that the insect that was held captive is transformed into a wasp by constantly meditating on its captor out of intense fear. Similarly, the practitioner who constantly medi- tates on the self as the Supreme Being becomes a manifestation of the Supreme endowed with specific attributes of God (see SB 7.1.27, Anuccheda 319). Although jñāna and ahangrahopasana are considered as forms of sammukhya, inasmuch as they involve the turning of regard toward the Absolute in a general manner, they are not the utterly essential and self-sufficient means (abhidheya) recommended by śāstra. The reason for this is that the sammukhya they entail does not accord with the most fundamental nature (svarupa) of the authentic self (atma), and hence they are of lesser benefit. More- over, these forms of sammukhya are incomplete, because they are devoid of involvement with Bhagavan, the very “real substantive” toward which all sammukhya is intended in the first place. From this uncompromising stance, bhakti is determined as the only abhi- dheya, and it awards the most complete form of sammukhya. For the reasons just stated, pure devotees are averse to both jnana as well as ahangrahopasana. Śrī Jīva thus begins a new topic, the definition of bhakti. 18 216 Nirvisesa and Savisesa-sammukhya 216.3 Saviseṣa-sammukhya - Bhakti Defined अथ भक्तिः । तस्यास्तटस्थलक्षणं स्वरूपलक्षणं च । यथा गरुडपुराणे- We will now discuss bhakti, or devotion to Bhagavan. Bhakti’s extrinsic characteristics (taṭastha-lakṣana) as well as its intrin- sic characteristics (svarupa-lakṣaṇa)* are referred to in Garuda Purana. [Bhakti’s taṭastha-lakṣana is indicated as follows:] विष्णुभक्तिं प्रवक्ष्यामि यया सर्वमवाप्यते । यथा भक्त्या हरिस्तुष्येत् तथा नान्येन केनचित् ॥ ६३३ || I shall now describe bhakti to Bhagavan Visņu, by which all things are attained. Bhagavan Hari is not as pleased by anything else as He is by bhakti. (Garuda Purana, Purva- kanda 227.1)5 इत्युक्त्वाह- 3 4 5 [Bhakti’s svarupa-lakṣaṇa is next defined with reference to its etymological root, √bhaj:] भज इत्येष वै धातुः सेवायां परिकीर्तितः । तस्मात् सेवा बुधैः प्रोक्ता भक्तिः साधनभूयसी ॥ ६३४ ॥ इति । According to the Gaudiya-vaisnava Abhidhana, a tatastha-laksana is defined as a characteristic that is distinct from the essential nature of an object yet which serves to identify the object (tad-bhinnatve sati tad-bodhakatvam, Siddhanta-ratnam 8.2). Additionally, in Caitanya Caritamṛta (2.20.296), a tatastha-lakṣana is defined as the knowledge of an object that is obtained by observing its effects (karya-dvaraya jnanam). In common parlance, an object is known by its effects. In the first of the two Garuda Purana verses cited hereafter, the reference is to the effects attained through bhakti, and hence this statement constitutes bhakti’s tatastha-laksana. Citing Siddhanta-ratnam 8.2 once again, the Gaudiya-vaisnava Abhidhana defines svarupa-lakṣaṇa as a characteristic that belongs to the essential nature of an object and that serves to distinguish the object (tad-abhinnatve sati tad-bodhakam). visņu-bhaktim pravakṣyami yaya sarvam avapyate yatha bhaktya haris tusyet tatha nanyena kenacit 19 III The Practice of Bhakti The verbal root √bhaj is widely acknowledged to mean “the offering of service” (seva). Therefore, bhakti, which is the preeminent means to attain the Absolute (sadhana), is pro- claimed by the wise as “sacred service” (seva). (Garuda Purana, Pürva-kanda 227.3) अत्र " यया सर्वमवाप्यते” इति तटस्थलक्षणम् । अत्र च “अकामः सर्वकामो वा” (भा० २।३।१०) इत्यादिसिद्धत्वादव्याप्त्यभावः । In the first of these two verses, the statement that all things are attained by bhakti (yaya sarvam aväpyate) is an extrinsic characteristic of devotion (tatastha-lakṣaṇa). That everything is attainable by devotion is evident from statements such as this: A person of evolved discernment, whether desireless, full of desire, or seeking liberation, should worship the Supreme Puruşa with resolute bhakti-yoga. (SB 2.3.10)’ On the basis of this statement, the extrinsic definition of bhakti is shown to be free from the defect of being too narrow (avyāpti) [because there is no attainment - meaning no effect - that is excluded from bhakti’s scope]. यथा भक्त्येत्याद्युक्तत्वादहङ्गहोपासनायामतिव्याप्त्यभावः । बुधैः प्रोक्तत्वादसम्भवाभा- वश्च । The second line of the first verse from Garuda Purana (227.1) states that Bhagavan is pleased only by bhakti and not by any- thing else. By this, the extrinsic definition of bhakti is shown to be free from the defect of being too broad (ativyapti) [since it thereby excludes all other practices as incapable of yielding the same result]. Furthermore, by saying in the second verse that this conclusion is corroborated by the wise [i.e., by the direct experience of realized souls (vidvad-anubhava-pramāna)], the definition is established as free from the defect of infeasibility 6 ⚫ bhaja ity esa vai dhatuh sevayam parikirtitah tasmat seva budhaih prokta bhaktiḥ sadhana-bhūyasi 7 akamah sarva-kamo va moksa-kama udara-dhih tivrena bhakti-yogena yajeta purusam param 20 216 Nirvisesa and Savisesa-sammukhya (asambhava) [since their direct experience stands as proof that bhakti does indeed yield such results). सेवाशब्देन स्वरूपलक्षणम् । सा च कायिकवाचिकमानसात्मिका त्रिविधैवानुगतिरु- च्यते । अत एव भयद्वेषादीनामहङ्ग्रहोपासनायाश्च व्यावृत्तिः । साधनभूयसी साधनेषु श्रेष्ठेत्यर्थः । The intrinsic characteristic of bhakti (svarupa-lakṣaṇa) is referred to by the word seva, or “sacred service,” and this service involves threefold loving attendance upon (anugati), or respon- siveness to, Bhagavän, being enacted through the faculties of body, speech, and mind. Therefore, this definition excludes all service performed out of fear and enmity as well as the worship of oneself as Supreme (aharigrahopāsanā). The adjectival com - pound sadhana-bhuyasi, lit., “ the outstanding practice,” quali- fying the word bhakti, means that bhakti is preeminent (srestha ) among all the various means to attain the Absolute (sadhana). तदेव लक्षणद्वयं प्रकारान्तरेणाह (भा० ११ । २ । ३४ ) - The extrinsic and intrinsic characteristics of bhakti are spoken of in another manner by sage Kavi: ये वै भगवता प्रोक्ता उपाया ह्यात्मलब्धये । अञ्जः पुंसामविदुषां विद्धि भागवतान् हि तान् ॥ ६३५ ॥ All those methods indeed that were spoken of by Bhagavan as the means by which unenlightened humanity can easily attain immediate realization of the Self, you should know to be bhagavata-dharma. (SB 11.2.34) अविदुषां पुंसां तन्माहात्म्यमविद्वद्भिरपि कर्तृभिः । आत्मनः - ब्रह्म परमात्मा भगवा- नित्याविर्भावभेदवतः स्वस्य कर्मभूतस्याञ्जोऽनायासेनैव लब्धये लाभाय ये उपायाः साधनानि स्वयं भगवता ( भा० ११ | १४ | ३ ) - 8 कालेन नष्टा प्रलये वाणीयं वेदसञ्ज्ञिता । मयादी ब्रह्मणे प्रोक्ता धर्मो यस्यां मदात्मकः ॥ ६३६ ॥ ye vai bhagavata prokta upaya hy atma-labdhaye anjaḥ pumsām avidusam viddhi bhāgavatan hi tan 21 22 III The Practice of Bhakti इत्यनुसारेण प्रोक्ताः । The words aviduṣām pumsam, “of unenlightened humanity,” refer to those who are unaware of the glory of Bhagavan. The implication is that the methods spoken of by Bhagavan easily result in the immediate realization of the Self even when per- formed by such people. [In the compound atma-labdhaye,] the word ātmanaḥ, “of the Self,” referring to the distinct disclosure (avirbhava) of the Supreme Self either as Brahman, Paramātmā, or Bhagavan, is taken in the sense of the accusative case (karma) [i.e., as the direct object of the act of attaining]. The methods (upāyāḥ), or in other words, the sadhanas, that are meant for attaining the Self (atma-labdhaye, i.e., ätma-läbhaya) without any difficulty (añjaḥ, i.e., anäyäsenaiva) have been spoken of by Bhagavan Himself. That Kṛṣṇa Himself spoke this knowledge is affirmed in verses such as the following: In due course of time, this speech of Mine, known as the Veda, remained undisclosed during the period of dissolution. In it, the dharma that is entailed is constituted of the very essence of My Being (mad-atmakaḥ)? It was spoken by Me once again to Brahma, at the beginning of a new creational cycle. (SB 11.14.3)10 तानुपायान् भागवतान् धर्मान् विद्धि । हि प्रसिद्धौ । तत्र साक्षाद् भक्तेरपि भागवत - धर्माख्यत्वम् “एतावानेव लोकेऽस्मिन् ” ( भा०६।३।२२) इत्यादौ परमधर्मत्वख्यापनया 9 In his Krama-sandarbha commentary, Sri Jiva glosses the compound mad-atmakaḥ, qualifying dharmah, as mat-svarupa-bhutaḥ hladini sara-svarupatvat, “[dharma] constituted of the very essence of My Being, owing to its being the essence of My intrinsic potency of delight.” Srī Visvanatha Cakravarti offers an additional meaning of the compound, taking the word atmakaḥ to mean “consciousness” (cittah) and the word mat to mean “in Me alone” (mayy eva). He says that the phrase mad-atmakaḥ dharmah would then mean “that dharma by which consciousness (cittah) becomes absorbed exclusively in Me (mad-avistatah), a state of being that can be brought about only by My bhakti.” The two meanings of mad-atmakah given by the two commentators thus inform us what bhakti is by constitution (i.e., its svarupa-laksana) and in what manner it inherently functions as the essence of Bhagavan’s intrinsic potency (taṭastha-laksana). 10 kalena nasta pralaye vaniyam veda-sanjnita mayadau brahmane prokta dharmo yasyam mad-atmakaḥ 22 दर्शितम् । 216 Nirvisesa and Savisesa-sammukhya In the verse under discussion [SB 11.2.34], sage Kavi says: “Know those methods (tan upayan) [i.e., the same methods that consti- tute the mad-ätmaka-dharma spoken of by Kṛṣṇa in SB 11.14.3] as bhāgavata-dharma, or the dharma that pertains directly to the essential nature of Bhagavan.” The indeclinable hi, “indeed,” [highlighting the methods (upayaḥ)] implies that these meth- ods are well-known as bhagavata-dharma [both in Śruti and Smrti]. Direct devotion (säkṣät-bhakti) is also called bhagavata- dharma, because the word parama-dharma [a synonym of bhāgavata-dharma] is used to describe säkṣät-bhakti in this verse: In this world, this alone is asserted to be the supreme essential duty (para-dharma) of humanity, namely, to engage in bhakti- yoga to Bhagavan by uttering His names and other such direct acts of devotion. (SB 6.3.22)11 अत्रात्मलब्धये प्रोक्ता इति तटस्थलक्षणम् । अन्येन तदलाभादव्यभिचारि । आत्मलब्धय उपाया इति तु स्वरूपलक्षणम् । तल्लाभोपायो हि तदनुगतिरेव ॥ श्रीकविर्निमिम् ॥ Returning again to the verse under discussion [SB 11.2.34], the words, “spoken for the purpose of attaining the Self” (atma- labdhaye prokta), refer to bhakti’s extrinsic definition (taṭastha- lakṣaṇa) [because such attainment is an effect of bhakti]. And because the Self [i.e., Bhagavan] cannot be attained by any other means, this definition is without flaw (avyabhicāri) [meaning that it is free from the defects of being too narrow or too broad]. The word upayaḥ, “the methods,” which are meant for the attain- ment of the Self (atma-labdhaye), refers to bhakti’s intrinsic characteristic (svarupa-lakṣaṇa) [because these methods, such as śravana and kirtana, constitute the essential nature of bhakti]. The methods (upayaḥ) to attain Bhagavan are indeed nothing other than loving attendance upon Him (tad-anugati).12 11 etävän eva loke’smin pumsam dharmah parah smrtah bhakti-yogo bhagavati tan-nama-grahanadibhiḥ 12 Identified earlier in this anuccheda with the word seva, or “sacred service,” → 23 III The Practice of Bhakti Commentary To procure an object, one must first become acquainted with its dis- tinguishing characteristics. Every object has numerous attributes. Some of them are general (sadharana), meaning that they are com- mon to other objects as well, whereas other attributes are unique to the object in question (asādhāraṇa), meaning that they are not found in any other object belonging either to the same class or to a different one. For example, a cow has four legs, two ears, and a tail. A dog also has these same characteristics. But a cow has other charac- teristics that distinguish it from every other animal. These distinc- tive attributes constitute its definition (lakṣana). It is necessary to know these distinct features to be able to identify a cow, so that it is not mistaken for a horse or a donkey. In this regard, the fol- lowing statement is relevant: “An object is determined by its defin- ing characteristics (lakṣaṇa) and by the appropriate means of its valid cognition (pramana) and not merely by making an unsubstan- tiated assertion about it” (laksana-pramāṇābhyam vastu-siddhiḥ, na tu kevala-pratijna-matrena). Accordingly, Śrī Jiva begins this new section by defining bhakti before elaborating its practice. A complete definition contains two parts - intrinsic (svarupa- lakṣaṇa) and extrinsic (tatastha-lakṣaṇa). The intrinsic part is that which defines the object in terms of its essential constitution, while the extrinsic part is that which defines the object in terms of its effects or influence (i.e., its power to bring forth effects). The extrinsic characteristic of bhakti refers to that which is attained as an effect of bhakti. The intrinsic characteristic of bhakti refers to that which constitutes its essential nature, described in Garuda Purana (Purva-kanda 227.3) as sevã, or “sacred service.” The intrinsic and extrinsic characteristics of bhakti are summed- up in two famous verses (SB 1.2.6-7) spoken by Suta Gosvāmī to Saunaka. The first verse defines bhakti as constituted of causeless, unobstructed sacred service to Sri Krsna, and the second defines which constitutes the svarupa-laksana of bhakti. 24 44 216 Nirvisesa and Saviseṣa-sammukhya bhakti as that which gives rise to knowledge and detachment as its concomitant effects. According to the Nyaya School of philosophy, definitions of technical terms must be free from three defects - avyapti, being too narrow and thus excluding elements that should fall within the definition; ativyapti, being too broad and thus including elements that should be excluded from the definition; and asambhava, infea- sibility of the validity of an assertion. Jiva Gosvami shows that the definition of bhakti given here is free from these three defects. The intrinsic definition of bhakti is loving attendance (anugati) upon Śri Krsna by the three faculties of body, speech, and mind. This excludes all service that is prompted by some ulterior motive, such as fear. In some parts of India, the phrase bhaya-bhakti, “fear-based devotion,” is popular. In Rama-carita-manasa (Sundera- kanda 57), Tulasidāsa also articulates the same idea: “Thereupon, Sri Rama indignantly said, ’there can be no love without fear’” (bole rama sakopa taba bhaya binu hoi na priti). Śrī Jīva Gosvāmi, however, does not accept fear as belonging to the intrinsic nature of bhakti or as an impetus for true bhakti. Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī makes this point crystal clear in his authori- tative definition of bhakti: “The continuous enactment (anusilana) of favorable service meant exclusively for the pleasure of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, that is devoid of all predilection toward ulterior desire, and that is unobscured by strivings for jñāna and karma, is called paramount devotion (uttama-bhakti)” (BRS 1.1.11).13 Śrī Jiva cites a statement of sage Kavi (SB 11.2.34) to offer an alter- native definition of bhakti. In this verse, the word upayaḥ, “the methods,” constitutes the intrinsic definition of bhakti, because this refers to the actual limbs of bhakti spoken of by Bhagavan Him- self. These methods include uttering or singing the names of Bha- gavan and other similar direct acts of devotion. The compound atma-labdhaye, “for the attainment of the Supreme Self [Bhaga- van]” constitutes the extrinsic definition of bhakti, because it refers to bhakti’s effects. The word atma in the latter compound refers to 13 anyābhilaṣitā-sünyam jnana-karmady-anavṛtam anukulyena kṛṣṇanu-silanam bhaktir uttama 25 15 26 III The Practice of Bhakti the threefold disclosure of the Self as Brahman, Paramatma, and Bhagavan. This implies that bhakti is the sole means to realize the three primary manifestations of the tattva and that there is no other process that can do so. This further implies that perfection on the paths of jnana as well as yoga is not possible without the support of bhakti. 2 Three Categories of Bhakti Anucchedas 217-234 Overview Anuccheda 217.1 Aropa-siddha-bhakti Anucchedas 217.2-224 Sanga-siddha-bhakti Anucchedas 225-230 Influence of the Gunas on the Practitioner of Direct Bhakti Anucchedas 231-233 Svarupa-siddha-bhakti Anuccheda 234Overview Anuccheda 217.1 Anuccheda 217 Three Categories of Bhakti Defined 217.1 Āropa-siddha, Sanga-siddha, and Svarupa-siddha-bhakti २१७ | सा भक्तिस्त्रिविधा - आरोपसिद्धा सङ्गसिद्धा स्वरूपसिद्धा च । तत्रारोपसिद्धा स्वतो भक्तित्वाभावेऽपि भगवदर्पणादिना भक्तित्वं प्राप्ता कर्मादिरूपा । THIS BHAKTI is of three types: aropa-siddha, the attribution of bhakti to conventional and prescribed duties; sanga-siddha, practices acquiring bhakti’s nature by association with direct bhakti; and svarupa-siddha, practices directly constituted of bhakti. Out of these, äropa-siddha-bhakti consists of the exe- cution of prescribed action (karma) and similar undertakings, which although devoid of bhakti by themselves, become of the nature of bhakti by being offered to Bhagavan. सङ्गसिद्धा स्वतो भक्तित्वाभावेऽपि तत्परिकरतया संस्थापनेन “तत्र भागवतान् धर्मान् शिक्षेद् गुर्वात्मदैवतः " ( भा० ११।३।२२ ) इत्यादिप्रकरणेषु “सर्वतो मनसोऽसङ्गम् ” ( भा० ११।३।२३) इत्यादिना लब्धतदन्तःपाता ज्ञानकर्मतदङ्गरूपा । Sanga-siddha-bhakti refers to the practices of jñāna and karma, which although devoid of bhakti by themselves, become estab- lished as component parts of bhakti by being utilized as assis- tants to devotion. For example, the topic of bhāgavata-dharma [i.e., sākṣät-bhakti] was discussed in a series of verses beginning with this statement: 31 111 III The Practice of Bhakti In his presence [i.e., the śravana-guru described in the previous verse], the aspirant who regards his guru as his very self and worshipful object, should learn, by way of unpretentious con- tinuous service, the dharma that pertains directly to Bhagavan. (SB 11.3.22)1 In the context of this discussion, practices that normally belong to the classifications of karma and jñāna are mentioned as included within the scope of bhakti because of being used as assistants to devotion, such as in this statement: One should first detach the mind from all worldly phenomena, associate with those established in authentic being (sadhus), and genuinely extend appropriate compassion toward those who are less evolved, friendship toward equals, and honor toward those of greater awareness. (SB 11.3.23)2 स्वरूपसिद्धा चाज्ञानादिनापि तत्प्रादुर्भाव भक्तित्वाव्यभिचारिणी साक्षात्तदनुगत्यात्मा तदीयश्रवणकीर्तनादिरूपा “श्रवणं कीर्तनं विष्णोः " ( भा० ७।५।२३) इत्यादौ विष्णोः श्रवणं विष्णोः कीर्तनमिति विशिष्टस्यैव विवक्षितत्वात् । तेषामपि नारोपसिद्धत्वं प्रत्युत मूढप्रोन्मत्तादिषु तदनुकर्तृष्वपि कथञ्चित् सम्बन्धेन फलप्रापकत्वात् स्वरूपसिद्धत्वम् । Svarupa-siddha-bhakti consists of practices, such as hearing (śravana) and singing (kirtana) the glories of Bhagavan, which are of the essence of direct loving attendance (anugati) upon Bhagavan in their very constitution, and which, upon being taken up, are never divorced from bhakti’s essential nature even if performed without awareness. Action directly constituted of bhakti is described in this verse: 2 There are nine primary forms of bhakti to Bhagavan Visņu: hearing about Him, singing His glories, remembering Him, serving His feet, worshiping His deity form, offering Him tatra bhagavatan dharman siksed gurv-atma-daivatah amāyayanuvṛttyä… sarvato manaso’sangam adau sangam ca sadhusu dayam maitrim prasrayam ca bhutesv addha yathocitam Of themselves, these practices do not constitute bhakti, but they are included within the context of the elaboration of bhakti because they serve as aids to devotion. 32 217 Three Categories of Bhakti Defined prayers, serving Him in the mood of an unalloyed servant, serving Him in the mood of an intimate friend, and complete surrender of the self to Him. (SB 7.5.23)3 Although the hearing and singing referred to in the above verse are also actions, yet because they are specifically intended for Bhagavan Viṣṇu, they are distinct from karma and jñāna, and thus they do not come under the category of aropa-siddha-bhakti. Rather, even if an ignorant or intoxicated person has some sort of contact with these practices, or even if a person enacts them imitatively, these acts of devotion will bestow their result. For this reason, they are classified as svarupa-siddha-bhakti. यथा श्रीप्रह्लादस्य पूर्वजन्मनि श्रीनृसिंहचतुर्दश्युपवासः । यथा कुक्कुरमुखगतस्य श्येन- स्य भगवन्मन्दिरपरिक्रमः । एवमन्यदृष्ट्यादिना मूढादिभिः कृतस्य वन्दनस्यापि ज्ञेयम् । An example of a person intoxicated with desire, who obtained the benefit of inadvertently fasting on the appearance day of Bhagavan Nrsimha, is seen in the case of Prahlada in his previ- ous life. An example of a living being, less evolved in conscious- ness and yet obtaining the result of devotion, is seen in the case of a hawk, which was caught in the mouth of a dog and received the benefit of circumambulating a temple of God when the dog ran around the temple with the bird still in its mouth. Simi- larly, even the obeisances or prayers (vandana) offered by the ignorant out of some ulterior motive are to be understood as svarupa-siddha-bhakti [because they bestow the fruit of bhakti]. तदेवं त्रिविधापि सा पुनरकैतवा सकैतवा चेति द्विविधा ज्ञेया । तत्रारोपसङ्गसिद्धयोर्यस्या भक्तेः सम्बन्धेन भक्तिपदप्राप्त्यां सामर्थ्यं तन्मात्रापेक्षत्वं चेदकैतवत्वं स्वीयान्यदीयफला- पेक्षत्वं चेत् सकैतवत्वम् । 3 These three types of bhakti each have two further divisions: akaitava, without ulterior motive; and sakaitava, with ulterior motive. Among the three types of bhakti, āropa-siddha-bhakti and sanga-siddha-bhakti are akaitava if performed with the sole sravanam kirtanam visnoḥ smaranam pada-sevanam arcanam vandanam dasyam sakhyam atma-nivedanam 33 III The Practice of Bhakti intent to attain pure devotion, by contact with which these two become capable of acquiring the status of bhakti. If, however, they are performed with the intention to attain the results that pertain to their own respective paths (sviya-phala) or to some other path (anyadiya-phala), then these two are sakaitavā. स्वरूपसिद्धायाश्च यस्य भगवतः सम्बन्धेन तादृशं माहात्म्यं तन्मात्रापेक्षपरिकरत्वं चेदकै- तवत्वं प्रयोजनान्तरापेक्षया कर्मज्ञानपरिकरत्वं चेत् सकैतवत्वम् । Svarupa-siddha-bhakti, which possesses such exalted status (māhātmya) due to its being directly related to Bhagavan, is akaitava, if it is performed as a component part (parikara) of bhakti itself with the sole intention of pleasing Bhagavan. If, however, it is undertaken as a component part (parikara) of karma or jñāna with the intent to fulfill some other purpose, it is sakaitavā. इयमेवाकैतवाकिञ्चनाख्यत्वेन पूर्वमुक्ता “धर्मः प्रोज्झितकैतवोऽत्र परमः” (भा० १११।२) इत्येव वास्य तदुभयविधत्वे प्रमाणं ज्ञेयम् । तथोक्तम् “प्रीयतेऽमलया भक्त्या हरिरन्यद् विडम्बनम्” (भा० ७।७।५२) इति । This same akaitava-bhakti was previously referred to as akiñca- na-bhakti, or “unconditional devotion.” That bhakti has these two divisions of akaitava and sakaitava is evidenced in this verse: “In this Śrimad Bhagavata, the parama-dharma [ofbhakti] is disclosed, utterly devoid of all deception (kaitava)” (SB 1.1.2).* The same idea is expressed in this statement: “Bhagavan Hari is pleased only by untainted devotion (amala-bhakti). Every- thing else is merely a show (vidambanam)” (SB 7.7.52). [The word viḍambanam in the latter verse means the same as kaitava.] 4 5 dharmah projjhita-kaitavo’tra paramah priyate’malaya bhaktya harir anyad vidambanam 34 34 Commentary 217 Three Categories of Bhakti Defined AFTER first defining bhakti in terms of its intrinsic and extrinsic characteristics, Śrī Jiva Gosvāmi now begins a detailed analysis of bhakti. The reason for this is that he wants to make perfectly clear the nature of pure or intrinsic devotion (svarupa-siddha-bhakti), which was previously referred to by the names akincana, nirguņā, ananya, uttama, śuddha, and ekāntiki. It is only this bhakti that is the abhidheya in sastra. If we do not fully comprehend what bhakti is in its own essential constitution, we will involve ourselves in some form of quasi-devotional practice that is not the real abhidheya and that will not bring forth bhakti’s intended goal. Śrī Jiva’s strategy in defining bhakti with a view to its applica- tion is in line with the following rule: “The purpose of a definition is to distinguish an object or entity from other objects and to put it into practical application” (vyävṛttir vyavaharo va lakṣaṇasya prayo- janam). Since bhakti, as intrinsic potency, is not directly percep- tible to outward vision, and since true knowledge of bhakti is not widespread, there is every possibility that one can mistake pseudo- devotion or quasi-devotion for authentic bhakti. For this reason, after briefly defining bhakti, Śrī Jīva begins to elaborate various practices that might resemble bhakti but are not so in their essen- tial nature. First he specifies three categories of bhakti, each having two further divisions:

1. The devotional acts that are directly related to Bhagavan, such as hearing His glories, chanting or singing His name, remember- ing Him, worshiping Him, cleaning His temple, and so on, are bhakti by their very nature. Because these acts are directly of the nature of seva, or “sacred service,” which is the intrinsic charac- teristic of bhakti, they are thus called svarupa-siddha-bhakti, or “intrinsic devotion.” Being directly of the nature of Bhagavan’s svarupa-sakti, these acts have the power to deliver their result to anyone who comes in contact with them, knowingly or unknow- ingly. In this regard, bhakti’s power to bring forth results is com- parable to the burning power of fire. Fire will burn anyone who touches it, knowingly or unknowingly, because fire naturally possesses the potency to burn. 35 36 36 III The Practice of Bhakti
2. Karma, on the other hand, be it prescribed Vedic action or secu- lar action, is not directly related to Bhagavan. Therefore, these two types of action are devoid of bhakti by their fundamental nature. If, however, these actions are offered to Bhagavan, then bhakti is attributed to them. It is as if bhakti becomes superim- posed onto them. This is called aropa-siddha-bhakti, or “bhakti by superimposition.”
3. Next to be considered are practices such as controlling the mind and cultivating detachment from worldly phenomena. Although these practices are devoid of bhakti by themselves, if they are used as assistants to svarupa-siddha-bhakti, they too are counted as bhakti because of association with the latter. Such bhakti is called sanga-siddha-bhakti, or “bhakti by association.” This includes practices that belong to the paths of karma, jñāna, and yoga. These practices are comparable to an iron cauldron that is filled with burning wood. The iron cauldron cannot burn by itself, but being in contact with fire, it will also burn. These three divisions of bhakti each have two further subdi- visions, namely akaitava and sakaitava. The word kaitava means deception or pretense, therefore, akaitava means “without pre- tense” and sakaitava means “with pretense.” When any of the three types of bhakti are performed exclusively for the pleasure of Bha- gavan or to attain pure bhakti, they are called akaitava. When they are undertaken to fulfill some other objective, they are called sakai- tava. For example, a person may offer his karma to Bhagavan with the intention of obtaining pure bhakti. Such äropa-siddha-bhakti is then called akaitava. If, however, karma is offered to Bhagavan with the hope of obtaining a material boon, it is called sakaitava. The same is true of the other two types of bhakti. These two divisions of bhakti as akaitava and sakaitva are under- stood from Srimad Bhagavata (1.1.2). In this verse, the parama- dharma of bhakti is qualified by the compound projjhita-kaitava, or 6 dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo’tra paramo nirmatsaranam satam vedyam vastavam atra vastu sivadam tapa-trayonmulanam srimad-bhagavate mahāmuni-kṛte kim va parair isvaraḥ sadyo hrdy avarudhyate’tra krtibhih suśrusubhis tat-ksanat 217 Three Categories of Bhakti Defined “utterly devoid of pretense (kaitava).” A modifier is used to distin- guish an object from other objects of the same class. This implies that there must be a form of bhakti in which kaitava is present. Otherwise, there would be no need to use the modifier projjhita- kaitava. 37Aropa-siddha-bhakti Anucchedas 217.2-224 217.2 How Worldly Actions Partake of Bhagavata-dharma अथारोपसिद्धा । एतदर्थमेव " नैष्कर्म्यमप्यच्युतभाववर्जितम् " ( भा० १।५।१२ ) इत्यादौ सकामनिष्कामयोर्द्वयोरपि कर्मणोर्निन्दा भगवद्वैमुख्याविशेषात् । Now we will discuss aropa-siddha-bhakti. With this inten- tion, action with attachment to the results (sakāma-karma) and action free from such attachment (nişkama-karma) were both condemned in Śrimad Bhagavata (1.5.12), because they are indis- tinguishable from the general state of disaffected regard (vaimu- khya) in relation to Bhagavan. [This is to say that both these types of karma do not qualify as äropa-siddha-bhakti, when the action or its result is not offered to Bhagavan, as evident from SB 1.5.12, cited here:] Even naişkarmya-jñāna, or “the awareness that pertains to the very nature of Brahman,” which frees one from all taints (nira- njanam), is inadequately illuminating if devoid of devotional affect (bhava) for Bhagavan Acyuta [Sri Kṛṣṇa]. What then can be said of motivated action [kamya-karma], which is always inauspicious, or even of unmotivated action (akaranam), when not offered to Bhagavan? (SB 1.5.12)” तत्र यादृच्छिकचेष्टाया अपि भगवदर्पितत्वे भगवद्धर्मत्वं भवति किमुत वैदिककर्मण इति वक्तुं तस्या अपि तद्रूपत्वमाह (भा० ११ १२ १३६ ) - In this regard, even desire-based worldly action (yadṛcchika- cesta) becomes of the nature of bhagavata-dharma, if offered to Bhagavan, so this is certainly all the more true in the case of prescribed Vedic karma. To express this idea, sage Kavi affirms that any action offered to Bhagavan is of the nature of bhāgavata-dharma: 7 कायेन वाचा मनसेन्द्रियैर्वा बुद्ध्यात्मना वानुसृतस्वभावात् । करोति यद् यत् सकलं परस्मै नारायणायेति समर्पयेत् तत् ॥ ६३७ ॥ naiskarmyam apy acyuta-bhava-varjitam na sobhate jnanam alam niranjanam kutaḥ punaḥ sasvad abhadram isvare na carpitam karma yad apy akaranam 41 III The Practice of Bhakti Whatever actions one performs by means of the body, speech, mind, senses, intellect, and heart, or by the influence of one’s acquired nature, should be offered to the Supreme Transcendence, Bhagavan Narayana. (SB 11.2.36) पूर्वं हि “धर्मान् भागवतान् ब्रत” ( भा० ११ । २ । ३१) इति प्रश्नानन्तरम् “ये वै भगवता प्रो- क्ताः” (भा० ११।२।३४) इत्यादिना मुख्यत्वेन साक्षात् तल्लब्धये उपायभूताः श्रवणकीर्त- नादयो भागवतधर्मा लक्षिताः । ते चात्रैव " शृण्वन् सुभद्राणि रथाङ्गपाणेः " (भा० ११ । २ । ३९) इत्यादि कतिचिद् दर्शिताः । [How the worldly actions referred to in SB 11.2.36 partake of the nature of bhāgavata-dharma is understood as follows.] Just previous to the latter verse, King Nimi had made this request: “Please enumerate the principles of bhagavata-dharma” (SB 11.2.31). In response to this, the sage said: All those methods indeed that were spoken of by Bhagavan as the means by which unenlightened humanity can easily attain immediate realization of the Self, you should know to be bhagavata-dharma. (SB 11.2.34)10 By this verse, actions such as hearing (śravana) and singing (kirtana) the glories of Bhagavan, which are the means to attain Bhagavan directly, were defined as primary bhāgavata-dharma. Some of these practices were highlighted in the same chapter in verses such as this: 8 Hearing of the most auspicious births and divine acts of Bha- gavan Hari - the wielder of the disc - which are celebrated in this world, and singing His names denoting His birth and divine acts, one should roam about free from worldly attachment and inhibition. (SB 11.2.39)11 kayena vāca manasendriyair va buddhyatmanā vānusṛta-svabhavat karoti yad yat sakalam parasmai nārāyaṇayeti samarpayet tat 9 dharman bhagavatan bruta 10 11 ye vai bhagavata prokta upaya hy atma-labdhaye anjah pumsam avidusam viddhi bhagavatan hi tan sravan subhadrani rathanga-paner janmani karmani ca yani loke gitani namani tad-arthakani gayan vilajjo vicared asargah 42 217 Three Categories of Bhakti Defined उत्तराध्याये च “तत्र भागवतान् धर्मान् शिक्षेद् गुर्वात्मदैवतः” (भा० ११ । ३ । २२ ) इत्युप- क्रमवाक्यानन्तरम् “इति भागवतान् धर्मान् शिक्षन् भक्त्या तदुत्यया” ( भा० ११ | ३ | ३३) इत्युपसंहारवाक्यस्य प्राग् भागवतधर्मत्वेनान्यसङ्गादि त्यागादिकमपि वक्ष्यते “सर्वतो मनसोऽसङ्गम्” (भा० ११ । ३ । २३) इत्यादिना । तस्मात् लौकिककर्माद्यर्पणमिदं यथाकथ- ञ्चित् तद्धर्मसिद्ध्यर्थमेवोच्यते । In the next chapter of Srimad Bhagavata, bhāgavata-dharma is discussed beginning from this verse: In his presence [i.e., the śravana-guru described in the previous verse], the aspirant who regards his guru as his very self and worshipful object, should learn, by way of unpretentious con- tinuous service, the dharma that pertains directly to Bhagavan, by which [dharma] Śri Hari, the Supreme Immanent Self, who awards even His own Self [to His devotees], becomes pleased. (SB 11.3.22)12 This topic is concluded in this verse: By learning the principles of bhāgavata-dharma thus stated, a person who is exclusively intent upon Bhagavan Nārāyaṇa eas- ily crosses beyond the insurmountable illusory potency (māyā) by bhakti ensuing from the assimilation of these teachings. (SB 11.3.33) 13 In the beginning of this description, practices such as giving up all other attachments are also spoken of as part of bhāgavata- dharma, as in this verse: “One should first detach the mind from all worldly phenomena” (SB 11.3.23). Consequently, the offering of worldly actions (laukika-karma), [mentioned in SB 11.2.36 as within the description of bhagavata-dharma], has been included simply to enable people to somehow attain bhagavata-dharma. 12 13 tatra bhagavatan dharman siksed gurv-atma-daivatah amayayanuvṛttya yais tusyed atmatma-do harih iti bhagavatan dharman siksan bhaktya tad-utthaya nārāyaṇa-paro māyām añjas tarati dustaram 14 sarvato manaso’sangam adau 43 III The Practice of Bhakti अर्थश्चायं टीकायाम् – “आत्मना चित्तेनाहङ्कारेण वा । अनुसृतो यः स्वभावस्तस्मात् । अयमर्थः । न केवलं विधितः कृतमेवेति नियमः स्वभावानुसारि लौकिकमपीति । श्रीगी- तासु च (गीता १९।२७) - This same conclusion is expressed in Śrīdhara Svami’s commen- tary [on SB 11.2.36]: “The word ätmana, ‘by the heart,’ means ‘by the heart-mind’ (cittena) or ‘by the empirical sence of “I”’ ( ahankārena), and the words anusyta-svabhavat, by the influ - ence of one’s acquired nature,’ mean ‘by the nature (svabhāva) that follows (anusṛta), or is developed out of, the heart-mind or the “I”-sense . ’ This means that there is no rule that only pre- scribed Vedic actions are to be offered. Rather, even worldly actions (laukika-karma) impelled by one’s acquired nature should be offered. This idea is expressed in the Gitä: यत् करोषि यदश्नासि यज् जुहोषि ददासि यत् । यत् तपस्यसि कौन्तेय तत् कुरुष्व मदर्पणम् ॥ ६३८ ॥ इत्येषा | Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer in sac- rifice, whatever you donate in charity, and whatever austerity you perform, O son of Kunti, do all of that as an offering unto Me. (GĪTĀ 9.27) “15 [Here ends Śrīdhara Svamī’s comment.] “इतः पूर्वं प्राणबुद्धिदेहधर्माधिकारतः” इत्यादिकमन्त्रश्च तथा । The same conclusion can be drawn from the following mantra: “And before commencing worship, one should first offer the functions of the vital air, the intellect, the body, as well as acts performed in accordance with one’s Vedic duty.” “16 अत्र स्वाभाविककर्मणोऽर्पणे दुष्कर्मणो द्विविधा गतिः । ज्ञानेच्छूनामविशेषेण भक्ती- च्छूनां त्वनेन दुर्वासनदुःखदर्शनेन स करुणामयः करुणां करोत्विति वा (वि० पु० १।२० /१९) 15 yat karoşi yad asnäsi yaj juhoşi dadasi yat yat tapasyasi kaunteya tat kuruşva mad-arpanam 16 itah purvam prana-buddhi-deha-dharmadhikaratah 44 217 Three Categories of Bhakti Defined या प्रीतिरविवेकानां विषयेष्वनपायिनी । त्वामनुस्मरतः सा मे हृदयान् नापसर्पतु ॥ ६३९ ॥ इति विष्णुपुराणोक्तप्रकारेण । युवतीनां यथा यूनि यूनां च युवतौ यथा । मनोऽभिरमते तद्वन् मनो मे रमतां त्वयि ॥ ६४० ॥ इति पाद्मोक्तप्रकारेण च मम सुकर्मणि दुष्कर्मणि च यद् रागसामान्यं तत् सर्वतोभावेन भगवद्विषयमेव भवत्विति वा समाधेयम् । In regard to the offering of karma impelled by one’s nature (svabhāva), there are certain actions that are considered un- wholesome (duşkarma), and there are two approaches to deal with such actions. Those aspiring to jñāna, or nondual con- sciousness, make no distinction as to whether the action offered is wholesome (sukarma) or unwholesome (duşkarma) [because they allow the physical nature to follow its own course, with- out identifying themselves as the performer or enjoyer of such action]. For those aspiring to bhakti, however, the issue of unwholesome actions is to be resolved by adopting one of two attitudes. First, they may express repentance with the following type of prayer: “May the most merciful Bhagavan be compassionate toward me, seeing my distress due to my unlawful desires.” Alternatively, they may pray with the following intention: “Let whatever ordi- nary attachment I have to wholesome or unwholesome deeds be fully and exclusively directed instead toward Bhagavan.” This latter attitude is inferred from the following two entreaties, the first of which is found in Visņu Purana: 17 O Bhagavan, just as those bereft of discrimination have unswerv- ing love (priti) for sense objects, I pray that while constantly remembering You, love for You of the same unswerving nature be not uprooted from my heart. (VP 1.20.19)17 ya pritir avivekānāṁ vişayeṣv anapayini tvām anusmarataḥ sa me hṛdayan napasarpatu 45 III The Practice of Bhakti And the second entreaty is found in Padma Puraṇa: As the minds of young girls delight in the presence of a young boy, and as the minds of young boys delight in the presence of a young girl, O Bhagavan, let my mind accordingly rejoice in You. (Padma Purana)18 कामिनां तु सर्वथैव सर्वदुष्कर्मार्पणम् “वेदोक्तमेव कुर्वाणो निःसङ्गोऽर्पितमीश्वरे” (भा० ११।३।४६) इत्यत्र पुनर्वैदिकमेवेश्वरेऽर्पितं कुर्वाण इत्युक्तम् ॥ श्रीकविर्निमिम् ॥ Those, however, who are fraught with material desires (kämi- nam) should by all means offer all their unwholesome deeds.19 On the other hand, we do find statements that only prescribed Vedic karma should be offered to Isvara, such as this verse: A person who is free from all attachment (nihsangah) and who executes only those actions that are prescribed by the Vedas and offered to Isvara, attains the perfected state of freedom from bondage to karma. (SB 11.3.46) 20 yuvatinam yatha yüni yunam ca yuvatau yatha mano’bhiramate tadvan mano me ramatam tvayi 19 There is an alternate reading here found in some editions of Bhakti Sandarbha with the negative particle “na” inserted after “tu.” This would give the exact opposite meaning, i.e., “Those, however, who are fraught with material desires (kaminam) should not at all offer all their unwholesome deeds.” The reading with na would appear to make sense if the word kaminam is interpreted to mean sakama-karma-yogis. Since the latter are attentive to follow dharma, even if motivated by material desire, they are advised to offer only Vedic karma, as stated in SB 11.3.46. If, however, the word kaminam is interpreted to mean those who are impelled by material desire alone (kama) and not by dharma, then such individuals would have no choice but to offer even their unwholesome deeds, otherwise they would remain altogether bereft of the possibility of connecting their actions to Bhagavan. Thus, if the reading without the negation is taken as legitimate, Sri Jiva is defining aropa-siddha-bhakti in the most liberal terms, accommodating the offering even of all worldly actions, whether wholesome or unwholesome. This is especially relevant for people of the modern age, who no longer adhere to Vedic karma. 20 vedoktam eva kurvano nihsango’rpitam isvare naiskarmyam labhate siddhim rocanartha phala-srutiḥ 46 Commentary 217 Three Categories of Bhakti Defined Next, Śrī Jiva begins a detailed analysis of aropa-siddha-bhakti. We have already learnt that karma by itself does not bestow awareness of Bhagavan, regardless of whether it is performed with a motive or simply as a duty. Narada Muni severely condemned both types of karma while instructing Vyasa. His criticism is of the karma that is not offered to Bhagavan, because it has no power to direct the performer’s awareness toward the Absolute. It can deliver at most either the material fruit of promotion to heaven or renunciation. Only if karma is offered to Bhagavan can it lead to awareness of either Brahman or Bhagavan, depending upon the type of associ- ation the performer of karma partakes of. If he obtains the associ- ation of a realized jñānī, then karma will lead to jñāna, whereas, if he meets a realized devotee, he will take to bhakti. In its technical sense, the word karma refers to the moral duties prescribed in the Vedas. But even secular action, if offered to Bhaga- vän, directs attention toward Him. This is the opinion of sage Kavi (SB 11.2.31) as well as of Kṛṣṇa (GĪTĀ 9.27). By itself, karma is not bhakti nor is the offering of karma, yet while offering karma, there is awareness of Bhagavan. One cannot offer without thinking of Bha- gavan. This reflection on Bhagavan is the aspect of the karmic act that involves bhakti. Because bhakti in this form is superimposed onto the offering of karma, it is thus called aropa-siddha-bhakti. Secular acts can be wholesome (sukarma) or unwholesome (duskarma). For a practitioner aspiring to jñana, no distinction is made between these two types of acts, because a true jñānī does not hold to the ego of doership or enjoyership. He or she does not consider himself or herself as the doer of wholesome or unwhole- some acts. On the other hand, a practitioner who is exclusively intent on bhakti should pray to Bhagavan that his mind be fixed on Him under all circumstances. Whatever attachment one has for wholesome or unwholesome acts should be directed instead only toward Bhagavan. 4748 III The Practice of Bhakti A person who is rooted in desire and aspiring to enjoy the fruit of action should offer all karma - wholesome or unwholesome - to Bhagavan. This is one opinion. Sage Avirhotra, however, says that only prescribed Vedic karma should be offered to Bhagavan (SB 11.3.46). At present, the second option is not applicable for most people, because they are not engaged in karma as per the Vedic injunctions. Devotees do not separately offer their actions to Bhagavan, because from the outset, they offer their very selves to Him. As a consequence of this root surrender, the self’s functional capacities, including cognition, will, and action, are automatically offered. Devotees should adopt the identity of being servants of Bhagavan, and all their actions should be directed toward His pleasure. Their prayer while performing their actions should be to have unbroken awareness of Bhagavan. Anuccheda 218 The Benefit of Offering Vedic Karma २१८ । अथ वैदिककर्मार्पणस्य प्रशंसामाहुः (भा० ८।५१४७) - Now we can examine the praise attributed to the offering of karma performed in accordance with the Vedic injunctions, such as this statement of the devas in their prayers to Bhagavan Ajita: क्लेशभूर्यल्पसाराणि कर्माणि विफलानि वा । देहिनां विषयार्तानां न तथैवार्पितं त्वयि ॥ ६४१ ।। The actions of those who are identified with their bodies and who are thus tormented by desire for sense objects, yield lit- tle or no result, in spite of tremendous exertion. But such is certainly not the case with karma offered to You. ( SB 8.5.47 ) 1 विषयार्तानां कर्माणि क्वचित् क्लेशो भूरि येषु तथाप्यल्पं फलं येषु तथाभूतानि भवन्ति क्वचित् कृष्यादिवद् विफलानि वा भवन्ति । त्वय्यर्पितं कर्म तु न तथा । किन्तु क्लेश विना यथाकथञ्चित् कृतस्य कामनयाप्यर्पणे तत्कामस्यावश्यकप्राप्तिः । सा च सर्वत उत्कृष्टा भवति । तथा तन्मात्रफलेन च पर्याप्तिर्न भवति संसारविध्वंसादिफलत्वादित्यर्थः । 1 The actions (karmāņi) of those who are tormented by desire for sense objects (viṣayārtānām) sometimes involve excruciat- ing effort (kleśa-bhūri ), yet the result is very meager (alpam), and sometimes these actions end in complete failure, such as in farming [in times of no yield ]. But action (karma) offered to klesa-bhury-alpa-sarani karmani viphalani va dehinām visayartanam na tathaivärpitam tvayi 49 III The Practice of Bhakti You is not like that. Rather, if a person somehow performs an action without hardship and offers it to You, even with a mate- rial motive, he certainly obtains the desired result, and in a way that exceeds all expectation. This means that the result obtained is not limited to the fulfillment of the desire in question, rather, the person who offers his actions is ultimately awarded release from the bondage to worldly existence (samsara). तदुक्तम् (भा० ११।२।३५ ) - This is stated by sage Kavi: यानास्थाय नरो राजन् न प्रमाद्येत कर्हिचित् । धावन् निमील्य वा नेत्रे न स्खलेन् न पतेदिह ॥ ६४२ ॥ इति । O King, having taken to the path [of bhagavata-dharma, or bhakti], a person is never deviated [by obstacles]. Even if he were to run along with his eyes closed, he would neither slip nor fall from the path. (SB 11.2.35)2 “सत्यं दिशत्यर्थितमर्थितो नृणाम्” ( भा० ५।१९।२७) इत्यादि च । 2 3 The same idea is expressed in this verse: It is true that Bhagavan, when prayed to by human beings, awards the results that they seek. [Yet by doing so,] He does not offer anything of genuine value, because [after the petitioners have enjoyed their rewards,] they again pray for something new. [Recognizing this pattern,] Bhagavan personally offers His own lotus feet to those who worship Him, even though they don’t aspire for them, and this brings an end to their material desires. (SB 5.19.27)3 यथैव नाभिः श्रीऋषभदेवरूपं भगवन्तं पुत्रत्वेनापि लेभे I How action offered to Bhagavan yields a greater result than expected is seen specifically in the case of King Nabhi. The king yan asthaya naro rajan na pramadyeta karhicit dhavan nimilya va netre na skhalen na pated iha satyam disaty arthitam arthito nrnam naivarthado yat punar arthita yatah svayam vidhatte bhajatām anicchatam icchapidhanam nija-pada-pallavam 50 218 The Benefit of Offering Vedic Karma desired a son, and for this purpose he performed a sacrifice to worship Bhagavan. Not only did he receive a son, but Bhagavan Himself, in the form of Rsabhadeva, appeared as his son. श्रीगीतासु च (गीता २।४० ) - Accordingly, in the Gitä also, Bhagavan Kṛṣṇa said: नेहाभिक्रमनाशोऽस्ति प्रत्यवायो न विद्यते । स्वल्पमप्यस्य धर्मस्य त्रायते महतो भयात् ॥ ६४३ ॥ इति ॥ देवाः श्रीमदजितम् ॥ On this path [of karma-yoga offered to Bhagavan], there is no loss of progress undertaken, nor is there any chance of obtain- ing a contrary result. Even a little practice of this dharma deliv- ers one from the terrible fear [of repeated birth and death]. (GĪTĀ 2.40)* Commentary VIRTUALLY all people in the world have some desire to fulfill. It is extremely rare for a person to have no desire for anything material. Those who are entrenched in desire will not be interested in either jnana or pure bhakti. Taking this into account, the Vedas prescribe karma so that human beings can fulfill their desires in a dhärmic manner and ultimately become free from the bondage of material existence by taking to bhakti. Karma is inert, and hence by itself it cannot deliver its intended fruit. In this regard, karma is comparable to growing crops. In farm- ing, sometimes the anticipated production is obtained, sometimes a lesser production, while at other times, there may be no result at all. The reason for this is that the outcome of farming depends largely on nature. If there is timely rain, sunshine, and an absence. of natural calamities, such as a hailstorm or hurricane, then a farmer can obtain a just return for his labor, otherwise not. 4 nehābhikrama-naso’sti pratyavayo na vidyate svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat 51 III The Practice of Bhakti Farming provides a vivid example to help us understand that in reality, the outcome of all types of action is uncertain and indepen- dent of our effort. In our general orientation toward action, we feel as if we are in control of the outcome. The reality, however, is quite different. Therefore, in the Gita (18.14), Krsna explains that there are five causes behind each action, the fifth being destiny, daiva. If daiva is not favorable, then even if all other causes are present, the action will not bear fruit. For this reason, there is a prescription to offer one’s actions to Bhagavan. Bhagavan is the Supreme Controller (Parame- svara), and He can ensure that an action yields its intended result. Although all actions should be offered to Him, special praise is given to those actions that are prescribed in the Vedas and then offered to Bhagavan. This is so because such prescribed actions are accompanied by an awareness of Bhagavan, since they are recog- nized as His orders in the form of the Vedic injunctions. Even if one performs Vedic karma with a material motive and then offers it to Bhagavan, it will lead to the ultimate good, because Bhagavan is not content merely in offering material boons. Furthermore, it is the nature of bhakti that it never goes in vain. Since bhakti is indirectly involved in the offering of karma, such offering always bears fruit. This is the meaning of aropa- siddha-bhakti - though secular or even Vedic action is devoid of bhakti on its own, bhakti is superimposed on the action through the medium of offering it to Bhagavan. The implied sense is that if aropa-siddha-bhakti is so beneficial, then how much more ben- eficial must pure bhakti be? It is with this intention that Śrī Jiva Gosvāmī cites SB 11.2.35, spoken by sage Kavi. Running with eyes closed symbolizes performing bhakti without proper knowledge. There is no danger of falling down on this path, because Bhagavan Himself destroys all obstacles for a sincere devotee (see SB 11.5.42, discussed in Anuccheda 172). This type of support is not available on the paths of karma and jñāna. 52 Anucchedas 219-221 Karma Offered to Bhagavan Destroys Karma २१९-२२१ । तदेव कर्मार्पणमुपपादयति त्रिभिः (भा० १।५।३२ ) - IN HIS instructions to Śrī Vedavyāsa, Śrī Narada establishes this principle of offering karma in three verses beginning with this one: एतत् संसूचितं ब्रह्मस्तापत्रयचिकित्सितम् । यदीश्वरे भगवति कर्म ब्रह्मणि भावितम् ॥ ६४४ ॥ O Brahman [Vyasa], action that is offered to Isvara [Param- atma], or to Bhagavan, or to Brahman, has been clearly indi- cated to be the cure for the threefold miseries of material existence. (SB 1.5.32)2 ब्रह्मन् ! हे वेदव्यास ! एतत् तापत्रयस्य चिकित्सितं चिकित्सा तैश्चातुर्मास्यवासिभिः परमहंसैः सूचितम् । किं तत् ? भगवति कर्म यत् समर्पितं भवति । तत्र कर्मसमर्पण- मेवेत्यर्थः । “O Brahman! O Vedavyasa. This (etat) is the cure (cikitsitam) for the threefold miseries of material existence, as indicated (suci- tam) by the paramahamsa sages who were observing the vow of caturmäsya.” And what does “this” (etat) refer to? It refers to 1 2 Sri Giridhara comments that Narada addresses Vyasa here as “Brahman” because he has realized the mystery of the ontological truth of Brahman or Bhagavan (bhagavat-tattva-jñana-paryantam… idam rahasyam tavapi viditam eveti sucayan sambodhayati - he brahman). etat samsucitam brahmams tapa-traya-cikitsitam yad-isvare bhagavati karma brahmani bhavitam 53 53 III The Practice of Bhakti that karma which is offered to Bhagavan. This means that it is only when karma is offered to Bhagavan that it becomes the cure for the threefold miseries. कथम्भूते ? स्वयं भगवति पूर्णस्वरूपैश्वर्यादिमत्तया सर्वांशिन्येव केनचिदंशेन जीवा- दिनियन्तृतया ईश्वरे परमात्मशब्दवाच्ये स्वरूपभूतविशेषेण विना केवलचिन्मात्रतया प्रतिपाद्यत्वेन ब्रह्मणि तच्छब्दवाच्ये ॥ How is that entity described to whom karma is to be offered? The word bhagavati means “unto Svayam Bhagavan,” who is utterly complete (pürna), being intrinsically self-endowed with majesty (aiśvarya) and other such divine opulences that belong to His essential being (svarupa). On this basis, He is the source of all other manifestations (sarva-amsi). [Karma is to be offered to this Bhagavan.] The word isvare means “unto Isvara,” who is referred to by the word paramātmā, and who, as a partial expansion (amsa) of Bhagavan, is the Supreme Regulator (niya- nta) of the living beings (jīvas) and material nature. [Alterna- tively, karma is to be offered to Isvara.] The word brahmani means “unto Brahman,” which is referred to by the same word [brahman], and which is established as consciousness alone (kevala-cin-matra), devoid of the attributes that are intrinsic to the Absolute’s essential being (svarupa). [Alternatively, karma is to be offered to Brahman.] ननु उत्पत्त्यैव तत्तत्सङ्कल्पेन विहितत्वात् संसारहेतोः कर्मणः कथं तापत्रयनिवर्तकत्वम् ? उच्यते - सामग्रीभेदेन घटत इति । A question may be raised about the claim made in the above verse. Karma is ordained for those who are resolved to effect some particular profitable result, and as such, it is the cause of worldly existence (samsara-hetu). So how can karma dispel the threefold miseries? The answer is that karma can do so when constituted of different ingredients. यथा ( भा० १।५।३३) - This is stated in the next verse: 54 54 219-221 Karma Offered to Bhagavān Destroys Karma आमयो यश्च भूतानां जायते येन सुव्रत । तदेव ह्यामयं द्रव्यं न पुनाति चिकित्सितम् || ६४५ ॥ O virtuous one, that very substance by which some particular disease is produced for living beings certainly cannot cure that disease. If, however, that substance is infused with, or trans- formed by, some other substance and then taken as medicine, it can definitely do so. (SB 1.5.33)3 य आयो रोगो येन घृतादिना जायते तदेव केवलमामयकारणं द्रव्यं तमामयं न निवर्त- यति किन्तु चिकित्सितं द्रव्यान्तरैर्भावितं तत् निवर्तयत्येव ॥ An edible product, such as clarified butter (ghṛtādinā), by which (yena) some particular disease (amayaḥ, i.e., rogah) is produced is indeed simply the cause of that disease. As such, it cannot ward off that disease. If, however, it is infused with, or trans- formed by, some other medicinal substance, it will certainly have a curative effect. भा० ११५।३४- Narada concludes: एवं नृणां क्रियायोगाः सर्वे संसृतिहेतवः । त एवात्मविनाशाय कल्पन्ते कल्पिताः परे ॥ ६४६ ॥ In the same manner, all actions performed by human beings are the causes of the perpetuation of material existence. Yet, those very actions, if offered to the Supreme Absolute, become capable of destroying the bondage to action. (SB 1.5.34 ) 4 परे भगवति कल्पिताः कामनयाप्यर्पिताः सन्तः संसारध्वंसपर्यन्तफलत्वादात्मविनाशाय कर्मनिवृत्तये कल्पन्ते ॥ श्रीनारदो श्रीवेदव्यासम् ॥ 3 The implication of this verse is that when actions (kriyā-yogāḥ) are offered (kalpitāh) to the Supreme Absolute (pare), Bhagavan, 4 amayo yaś ca bhūtānām jāyate yena suvrata evam nrnam kriya-yogah sarve samsṛti-hetavah tad eva hy amayam dravyam na punati cikitsitam ta evatma-vinasaya kalpante kalpitah pare 55 55 III The Practice of Bhakti even with material desire, they become capable of destroying the bondage to action (atma-vināśaya, i.e., karma-nivṛttaye), because the fruit of offering karma to Bhagavan extends up to the destruction of worldly existence (samsara-dhvamsa). Commentary The three verses cited here (SB 1.5.32-34) are part of Narada’s instructions to Vyasa, on the basis of which the latter manifested Srimad Bhagavata. In these verses, Śri Narada explains the impor- tance of offering karma to Bhagavan. In the previous anuccheda, it was said that if karma is offered to Bhagavan, it unfailingly bears fruit, which is not the case if it is not offered. Here, Śrī Jiva expands on this idea and says that the offering of karma can even remove the very cause of material bondage. This, of course, occurs by leading the practitioner to bhakti, because true awareness of the Absolute Reality (para-tattva-sammukhya) comes about only through bhakti. Karma is considered as the cause of bondage. Only jñāna and bhakti can engender the turning of regard toward the Absolute, as Brahman and Bhagavan, respectively. Such being the case, how can karma cure the disease of material bondage? Narada’s second verse (SB 1.5.33) responds to this doubt. Sometimes in Ayurveda, and more so in homeopathy, an edible product that is the cause of some particular disease is used to cure the same disease. For example, if milk is consumed in excess, it can result in diarrhea. This can be cured by taking yogurt — which is nothing other than milk in a different form - along with psyl- lium husk. Accordingly, if one is burnt by fire, the pain can be reduced by fomenting the burn with a warm cloth. In the same manner, karma, which is the cause of material bondage, can result 5 In his Krama-sandarbha commentary on this verse, Sri Jiva glosses the compound atma-vinasaya as “for the destruction (vinasaya) of that whose essence (atmā) is concerned with karma in general” (atma-sabdo’tra karma-jati-parah). As such, the compound as a whole is glossed as karma-nivrttaye, “for the cessation of karma.” 56 219-221 Karma Offered to Bhagavan Destroys Karma in release, if it is offered to Bhagavan. With this intent, Krsna offers the following instruction: The virtuous who partake of the remnants of yajna are absolved of all reactions to their misdeeds. But those wrongdoers who cook food for their own gratification alone partake only of demerit [i.e., detrimental karma]. (GITA 3.13) When an action is performed, the act itself (vyāpāra) is shel- tered in the agent (karta), whereas the effect of the action (phala) is sheltered in the direct object (karma) of the verbal act? For exam- ple, when a person cooks food, the action of cooking is performed by the agent, whereas the effect of cooking is exerted on the ingre- dients cooked. The ultimate result of the cooking, however, accrues to the agent. In this regard, agents are of three types - independent (svata- ntra-karta), impelling (prayojaka or hetu-karta), and impelled (prayojya or prayojakadhina-kartā). If a person performs an action with the understanding that it is an order of Bhagavan in the form of the Vedic injunctions, then the result will go to Bhagavan and not to the agent. This is the principle of karma stated by Jaimini: “The result of a scriptural injunction accrues to the impelling agent” (sastra-phalam prayoktari, Jaimini-sutra 3.7.18). This is seen even in day-to-day life. If a person is working under the authority of an employer and executes an act that turns out to be harmful to someone, then it is the employer who must take responsibility for that action, not the employee. Thus, although karma is the cause of bondage, it can result in freedom if offered to Bhagavan. 6 yajña-sistäsinah santo mucyante sarva-kilbiṣaih 7 bhurjate te tv agham papa ye pacanty atma-karanāt phala-vyaparayor dhätur asraye tu tin smṛtāḥ phale pradhanam vyāpāraḥ tin-arthas tu visesanam Vaiyakarana-bhūṣaṇa-sara 1.2 8 karta svatantra ity uktaḥ hetu-kartā prayojakaḥ prayojakadhina-karta karta trividhah smrtah HNV 4.13 57 57Anuccheda 222 The Fruit of Karma Is Sheltered in Bhagavan २२२ । किं च कर्मफलं वस्तुतो भगवदाश्रयमेव । तत् तु दुर्बुद्धेरात्मसात्कुर्वतो युक्त्यैव तुच्छफलप्राप्तिः संसारश्च । सुधियस्तु तत्सात्कुर्वतस्तद्वैपरीत्यमित्याह गद्याभ्याम् “सम्प्र- चरत्सु नानायागेषु विरचिताङ्गक्रियेष्वपूर्वं यत्तत् क्रियाफलं धर्माख्यं परे ब्रह्मणि यज्ञपुरुषे सर्वदेवतालिङ्गानां मन्त्राणामर्थनियामकतया साक्षात्कर्तरि परदेवतायां भगवति वासु- देव एव भावयमान आत्मनैपुण्यमृदितकषायो हविःष्वध्वर्युभिर्गृह्यमाणेषु स यजमानो यज्ञभाजो देवांस्तान् पुरुषावयवेष्वभ्यध्यायत्” (भा० ५ / ७ /६) इति । MOREOVER, in reality the fruit (phala) of karma is exclusively sheltered in Bhagavan. But a person of meager intelligence, who contrives to appropriate the results of karma for himself, obtains trivial benefits as well as material bondage (samsära). On the other hand, those endowed with fine discrimination (sudhiyah) obtain the exact opposite effect by offering their karma to Bhagavan. Śrī Suka conveys this idea in two prose texts, the first of which is cited here [the second verse is quoted in Anuccheda 223]: 58 After the preparatory rites and component parts of a sacrifice are executed and the actual sacrifice performed, what results (kriya-phala) is something not immediately tangible, because it is experienced only in the future [such as promotion to heaven]. This intangible fruit (apurva) is known as dharma, or the merit accruing from religious rites. While performing sacrifices, the host ( yajamana), King Bharata, considered this intangible fruit to be sheltered exclusively in Bhagavan Vasudeva, who is the Supreme Transcendence (para) 222 The Fruit of Karma Is Sheltered in Bhagavan and the Absolute (brahman). He did so because he realized Bhagavan Vasudeva to be the worshipful deity of the sacri- fice (yajña-puruşa)’ and the controller (niyamaka) of all the devas, who are the referents (arthas) of the mantras that sig- nify and reveal them (linga). As such, it is Bhagavan Vasudeva who is the direct agent (säkṣät-kartari) and the supreme deity (para-devată) of the sacrifice. Because of Bharata’s ingenuity (naipunya) in discerning this truth, he became cleansed of all impurity (kaṣaya). When the adhvaryu priests used to take the offering in their hands to pour oblations, the host, Bharata, would consider the devas, who are entitled to a share of the sacrifice (yajña-bhaja), as limbs of Bhagavan’s body. (SB 5.7.6)2 टीकाच - " सम्प्रचरत्सु प्रवर्तमानेषु नानायागेषु विरचिता अनुष्ठिता अङ्गक्रिया येषु तेषु यदपूर्वं तद् वासुदेव एव भावयमानः सञ्चिन्तयन् स यजमानो यज्ञभागभाजो ये देवाः सूर्यादयस्तान् पुरुषस्य वासुदेवस्यावयवेषु चक्षुरादिष्वभ्यध्यायत् न तु तत्पृथक्त्वेनेत्य- न्वयः । Śrīdhara Svāmi comments: “When various sacrifices were being performed along with their limbs and preparatory rites, the host (yajamāna), Bharata, considered the intangible fruit (apūrva) to be sheltered exclusively in Bhagavan Vasudeva. He thus regarded the devas, who are entitled to a share in the sac- rifice (yajña-bhaja), as limbs of Bhagavan Vasudeva’s body. In this respect, he meditated on the sun god as the eyes of Bhaga- vän and on the other gods in a corresponding manner. He did not, however, consider them as independent of Bhagavan. “अपूर्वे पक्षद्वयं मीमांसकानाम् । तदिदानीमेव सूक्ष्मत्वेनोत्पन्नं फलमेवापूर्वं कालान्तरे 1 2 In his Krama-sandarbha commentary on SB 1.5.38, Sri Jiva Gosvami glosses the compound yajna-puruşa as pujayam dhyeyakaram, “He whose form is to be meditated upon through worship.” Srī Viśvanatha Cakravarti glosses the same term as yajaniyam puruşam, “the deity who is to be worshiped.” sampracaratsu nana-yagesu viracitanga-kriyesv apurvam yat tat kriya-phalam dharmakhyam pare brahmani yajña-puruse sarva-devata-lingānāṁ mantraṇām artha-niyamakataya saksat-kartari para-devatayam bhagavati vasudeva eva bhavayamāna ātma-naipunya-mrdita-kasayo haviḥsv adhvaryubhir grhyamāņeṣu sa yajamano yajna-bhajo devams tan purusavayaveṣv abhyadhyayat. 59 59 III The Practice of Bhakti फलोत्पादिका कर्मशक्तिर्वेति । तदुक्तम्– “The Mimāmsakas, or the learned authorities of the path of Vedic ritual action (karma), have two opinions in regard to the intangible fruit of sacrifice (apurva). One group claims that apurva is a fruit (phala) immediately generated from the sacri- fice, although in an intangible form (sükṣmatvena). The other group claims that apurva is the endowment of a certain potency (śakti) within karma that will generate a result later on. These two opinions are expressed in the following verse: यागादेव फलं तद्धि शक्तिद्वारेण सिध्यति । सूक्ष्मशक्त्यात्मकं वापि फलमेवोपजायते ॥ ६४७ ॥ इति । The result (phala) generated from the sacrifice is manifested only through the potency of karma. Alternatively, the sacri- fice produces a result in the form of intangible potency (sakti). (Tantra-värttika on Jaimini-sütra 2.1.5)3 " तदेतदाह - क्रियाफलं धर्माख्यमिति च । “These two opinions are referred to [in the Bhagavata prose text] by the words kriya-phalam, ’the fruit [immediately] generated from the ritual,’ and dharmakhyam, ‘known as religious merit [bearing fruit in the future].’ “ननु यद्यङ्गं देवता कर्म प्रधानमिति मतं तर्हि कर्तृनिष्ठमपूर्वं स्यात् । तदुक्तम्- “The following doubt may be raised in this connection: If the devas to whom sacrifice is offered are considered as mere limbs of the sacrifice (anga), whose only role is to dispense the result, and the actual execution of the sacrifice (karma) is the pri- mary factor (pradhana) upon which the result depends, then the result obtained from the sacrifice (apurva) will be estab- lished in the agent (kartṛ-nistha) who undertakes the sacrifice. This view seems to be supported by the following statement: 3 yagad eva phalam taddhi sakti-dvarena sidhyati sükṣma-sakty-atmakam vapi phalam evopajayate 60 222 The Fruit of Karma Is Sheltered in Bhagavan कर्मभ्यः प्रागयोग्यस्य कर्मणः पुरुषस्य वा । योग्यता शास्त्रगम्या या परा सापूर्वमिष्यते ॥ ६४८ ॥ इति । The ability (yogyata) of karma or of the agent who performs it to manifest the fruit of sacrifice, which was not present prior to the execution of the sacrifice, is called apurva, and this ability, which is generated from the sacrifice, is understood from the injunction of scripture. (Tantra-värttika on Jaimini-sutra 2.1.5)* “अथ देवताप्रधानं कर्म तु देवताराधनार्थम् । तदा देवताप्रसादरूपत्वादपूर्वस्य देवता- श्रयत्वमेव युक्तम् । कर्मभ्यः प्रागयोग्यस्य प्रोक्षणाद्यपूर्वस्येव व्रीह्याद्याश्रयत्वम् । कुतो वासुदेवाश्रयमपूर्वं भावयति ? “If we consider the second alternative, in which karma is per- formed not for personal gain, but for the pleasure of the devas, then the devas become primary (pradhana). In this case, one should consider the intangible fruit (apurva) to be sheltered in the devas, because it is generated by their mercy (prasāda). [The preparatory rites that are part of the sacrifice, such as con- secrating the rice and other items to be offered by sprinkling them with water, also generate apurva.] But prior to the sac- rifice, the apurva, which is not yet capable of bestowing the final result (ayogyasya), lies in the rice and other items to be offered. In either of these two cases, the question must be asked how Bharata considered the intangible fruit to be sheltered in Bhagavan Vasudeva.” “ उच्यते – यदि कर्तृनिष्ठमपूर्वं स्यात् तर्हि वासुदेवस्यान्तर्यामिणः प्रवर्तकत्वेन मुख्य- कर्तृत्वात् तदाश्रयमेवापूर्वं न तु तत्प्रयोज्ययजमानाश्रयम् ‘शास्त्रफलं प्रयोक्तरि’ इति न्यायात् । karmabhyah prag ayogyasya karmanaḥ purusasya vā yogyata sastra-gamya ya parā sāpūrvam isyate 5 In either opinion of the Mimamsakas, the apurva generated from the sacrifice becomes manifest only at some point in the future, so in the meantime where does this intangible fruit reside? The Mimamsakas offer only two possibilities - either the apurva is sheltered in the agent (karta) who performs the sacrifice or in the devas who administer its result. Yet the verse in question (SB 5.7.6) states that Bharata considered this apurva to be sheltered in Bhagavan Vasudeva. Sridhara Svami, whose commentary is being cited here, now explains how this is possible. 61 III The Practice of Bhakti “If we consider the first possibility, in which apurva is estab- lished in the agent (karty-nistha), then because Vasudeva as the Supreme Immanent Self (antaryāmi) is the impeller (prava- rtaka), He is the chief agent (mukhya-karta), and thus apurva is exclusively sheltered in Him. In this case, apurva is not shel- tered in the host who undertakes the sacrifice (yajamāna), who is merely the impelled agent (prayojya-karta), meaning that he is prompted to act by Bhagavan. This is also confirmed by this axiom: “The result generated by adhering to the scriptural injunctions resides in the impelling agent’ (Jaimini-sutra 3.7.18). “अन्यथा ऋत्विजामप्यपूर्वाश्रयत्वप्रसङ्गात् । तदेतदाह - साक्षात्कर्तरीति । “Furthermore, if the apurva was sheltered in the host, it would have to be sheltered in the priests as well, since they conduct the sacrifice on behalf of the host. Therefore, the text under discus- sion states that Bharata considered the apurva to be sheltered exclusively in Bhagavan Vasudeva, who is said to be the direct agent of the sacrifice (sākṣat-kartari). “देवताश्रयत्वेऽपि वासुदेवाश्रयत्वमेवेत्याह–परदेवतायामिति । परदेवतात्वे हेतुः - सर्वदेवतालिङ्गानां तत्तद्देवताप्रकाशकानां मन्त्राणां ये अर्था इन्द्रादिदेवतास्तेषां नियाम- कतया तस्यैव प्रसादनीयत्वात् फलदातृत्वाच्च युक्तमेवापूर्वाश्रयत्वमित्यर्थः । “If we consider the second possibility, in which apurva is shel- tered in the devas, then also it resides exclusively in Vasudeva, because He is supreme among all the devas, as indicated by the compound para-devatayam, ’the supreme deity.’ The reason why Vasudeva is to be considered as the para-devata is stated in the verse itself. He is described as the controller (niyamaka) of Indra and all the other devas, who are the referents (arthas) of the mantras that signify them (linga), meaning that they reveal them (devatā-prakāśaka). So, because the sacrifice is ultimately to please Him alone and because He is the bestower of its result, it is indeed fitting that the intangible fruit (apurva) is sheltered in Him. sastra-phalam prayoktari 62 222 The Fruit of Karma Is Sheltered in Bhagavan " एवं भावनमेव आत्मनो नैपुण्यं कौशलं तेन मृदिताः क्षीणाः कषाया रागादयो यस्य । अध्वर्युभिरिति बहुवचनं नानाकर्माभिप्रायेण” इत्येषा । “The verse states that Bharata’s ingenuity (naipunya, i.e., kausala) was in considering the truth that the intangible fruit of sacri- fice (apūrva) lies in Bhagavan Vasudeva [and not in the impelled agent (prayojya-karta) or in the devas]. It was due to this inge- nuity that he became cleansed of all impurity (kaşaya), such as attachment (rāga). The word adhvaryubhiḥ, ‘by the priests,’ is in the plural, and this is just to indicate that Bharata conducted many sacrifices.” [Here ends Śrīdhara Svami’s comment.] अत्र विष्णोरङ्गित्वे प्राप्ते यज्ञाङ्गत्वेन तद्भजनं च दोष इति लभ्यते । अत्र पाद्मोत्तरखण्डे यथा- In the cited prose passage (SB 5.7.6), Bhagavan Visņu is deter- mined as the whole (angi); therefore, to worship Him as a part (anga) of the sacrifice would be a defect (dosa). This is indicated in the Uttara-khanda of Padma Purana: उद्दिश्य देवता एव जुहोति च ददाति च । स पाषण्डीति विज्ञेयः स्वतन्त्रो वापि कर्मसु ॥ ६४९ ॥ इति । A person who performs a sacrifice or donates charity only to appease the devas, or one who considers himself as the indepen- dent agent of his karma should be considered a heretic (păşandi). (Padma Purana, Uttara-khanda 6.235.8)” पाषण्डत्वमत्र वैष्णवमार्गाद् भ्रष्टत्वमित्यर्थः । The word păşandi, “heretic,” is used here in the sense of one who has slipped away from the Vaisnava path. श्रीगीतासु च (गीता ९।२३-२४ ) - In the Gita also, it is said: 7 uddisya devata eva juhoti ca dadati ca sa pasanditi vijneyaḥ svatantro vapi karmasu 63 III The Practice of Bhakti येऽप्यन्यदेवताभक्ता यजन्ते श्रद्धयान्विताः । तेऽपि मामेव कौन्तेय यजन्त्यविधिपूर्वकम् || ६५० ॥ अहं हि सर्वयज्ञानां भोक्ता च प्रभुरेव च । न तु मामभिजानन्ति तत्त्वेनातश्च्यवन्ति ते ॥ ६५१ ॥ इति । O son of Kunti, even those devotees of other devas who worship them, being endowed with faith, actually worship Me alone, although they do so in an improper manner. Indeed, I alone am the one for whom all yajñas are intended and the one who bestows their results. But they do not know Me in truth, and hence they fall down. ( GITĀ 9.23-24 ) 8 अतो वास्तवविचारे सर्व एव वेदमार्गाः श्रीभगवत्येव पर्यवस्यन्तीत्यभिप्रेत्योक्तं श्रीमद- क्रूरेण ( भा० १० १४० १९-१० ) - Thus, in the true estimation, all Vedic paths culminate only in Sri Bhagavan. With this in mind, Śrī Akrura said: 8 सर्व एव यजन्ति त्वां सर्वदेवमयेश्वरम् । येऽप्यन्यदेवताभक्ता यद्यप्यन्यधियः प्रभो ॥ ६५२ ॥ यथाद्रिप्रभवा नद्यः पर्जन्यापूरिता विभो । विशन्ति सर्वतः सिन्धुं तद्वत् त्वां गतयोऽन्ततः ॥ ६५३ ॥ इति । O Bhagavan, even those who are devoted to other devas, although considering them as independent of You, worship You alone, the Supreme Controller (Iśvara) and the embodiment of all the gods. Just as the rivers issuing forth from the mountains and swollen by the monsoon rains make their way to the ocean from every direction, O Bhagavan, so do all paths ultimately lead to You alone. (SB 10.40.9-10 ) 9 गतयो मार्गाः । अन्ततो विचारपर्यवसानेन ॥ 9 ye’py anya-devata-bhakta yajante śraddhayanvitaḥ te’pi mam eva kaunteya yajanty avidhi-pūrvakam aham hi sarva-yajnanam bhokta ca prabhur eva ca na tu mam abhijananti tattvenatas cyavanti te sarva eva yajanti tvam sarva-deva-mayesvaram ye’py anya-devata-bhakta yady apy anya-dhiyah prabho yathadri-prabhava nadyaḥ parjanyaāpurita vibho visanti sarvatah sindhum tadvat tvam gatayo’ntatah 64 222 The Fruit of Karma Is Sheltered in Bhagavan The word gatayah means “the paths” (märgäḥ), and antataḥ, “ultimately,” means that it is concluded by deliberation [that all paths lead to Bhagavan]. Commentary AFTER explaining how karma offered to Bhagavan can free one from bondage to karma, Śrī Jiva Gosvāmī discusses the theory regarding the fruit of karma. This doctrine deals with the ques- tions as to how the results of karma come about and where they reside. Action is generally undertaken to satisfy some particular desire. Every action yields a definite result, desirable or undesirable. In the Vedas, there are statements such as svarga-kamo yajeta, assert- ing that by performing a particular yajña, one can attain heaven in the next life. It is evidenced that a cause must immediately precede its effect, niyata-purva-vṛttivat kāraṇatvam (Tarka-sangraha). How then can yajna be the cause of heaven? A yajña is an action that comes to an end in the executor’s present life, whereas heaven is a reward that ensues in the next life. At that time, the yajña is no longer existent and thus cannot possibly be the immediate cause of heaven. To solve this problem, the Mimämsakas propose an intermedi- ate potency, called apurva. The yajña along with all its component parts produces the intangible apurva that continues to exist after the yajna is concluded. This apurva then manifests the fruit of the sacrifice at the appropriate time. According to this understanding, yajna is not the immediate cause of heaven but effects this result indirectly through apurva. A thorough discussion of this subject is found in the commen- taries on Jaimini-sutra (2.1.5), codana punar arambhaḥ, “There is an apurva because of the injunction.“10 The two verses cited here by Śrīdhara Svāmī are from the famous commentary Tantra-värttikā 10 This sutra has a highly technical meaning. According to the Mimamsa commentators, the word codana, lit., “that which is impelled” (codyate aksipyate udbhavyate yă sa codana) means apurva. The word punah, which generally → 65 III The Practice of Bhakti of Kumarila Bhatta on Jaimini-sutra. Kumārila explains that prior to the commencement of the yajna proper, the preparatory stage of the yajna as well as the executor of the yajna have no ability (yogyata) to obtain the result proclaimed by the yajña. But once the yajna is executed, then both become qualified to bring forth the result. This qualification is called apurva. This conclusion is derived from Vedic injunctions such as darsa- purṇamāsabhyam svarga-kamo yajet, “A person desiring heaven should execute the Darsa and Purnamasa yajñas.” In this statement, the compound darśa-purṇamāsābhyam is in the instrumental case, which implies that these two yajñas are the means for attaining heaven. When the yajna is performed, it removes the incapacity (ayogyata) that impedes the executor from going to heaven. There are two views about apurva among the Mimamsakas. According to Prabhakara, a religious act, such as a yajña, produces its result (phala) immediately, albeit in a subtle form. This result itself becomes manifest later at the appropriate time. Kumarila Bhatta, however, claims that it is not the result (phala) that is pro- duced but an intermediate power (sakti), which will bring about the result at the appropriate time. In either of these cases, however, the tangible result is experi- enced only in the future. So, the next question is, where does the apurva reside in the meantime? On this point as well, there are two views. The first view is that the apurva lies within the agent who undertakes the yajna (karta), because the devatās are secondary to the act of yajña. The second view is that the apurva lies in the devatās to whom the yajna is offered and who bestow its result. Śrī Jiva Gosvami cites a passage from the life of King Bharata (SB 5.7.6), who, although a devotee, engaged in karma to set an example for people in general who are attached to the fruits of action. He himself was beyond the jurisdiction of karma, because means “again,” here means yataḥ, “because,” and the word arambhah means upadesa, “the instruction or injunction.” Thus, the meaning of the sutra, as given above, cannot be derived from the conventional meaning of the words. It is a characteristic of the sutra literature of all the darsanas that the meaning of the aphorisms can be understood only with reference to the authorized commentaries. 66 222 The Fruit of Karma Is Sheltered in Bhagavan karma’s applicability persists only until detachment from material desires has been awakened or until one develops śraddha in bhakti (SB 11.20.9). The text states that Bharata considered the apurva to be sheltered in Krsna alone, and not in himself as host of the sac- rifice (yajamana) or in the devas. This is a third view, unknown to the Mimamsakas. An objection is raised in this regard. Before the yajña is offi- cially undertaken, there are various preparatory rites, such as sprinkling the rice and the other sacrificial items with water. This also generates a seed-like apurva. This seed apurva is sheltered in the rice itself, not in Bhagavan. Bhagavan is the shelter of the parama-apurva, the final apurva. After the yajña is completed, the apurva resides either in the agent (i.e., the host) or in the devatās. These were the two views of the Mimämsakas. In the view of Jiva Gosvami, however, in both cases the ultimate shelter of apurva is Bhagavan. If the first view is accepted, that apurva lies in the host, then the priest should also be the shelter of apurva, because he is the one who actually executes the yajña, albeit on behalf of the host. But no authorities accept the priest as the shelter of apurva, because the benefit of the yajña is for the host (yajamana), not for the priest. Moreover, it is Bhagavan who is the impelling agent (prayojaka- karta), and according to the Jaimini-sutra cited above, it is the impelling agent who obtains the fruit. An individual being can- not be the shelter of apurva, because he does not have the power to arrange for its result. If the second view is accepted, that apurva lies in the devas, then it must be admitted that the devas are independent divinities. But this is not true. The devas are also not independent, being parts of the body of Bhagavan. To be a part means to be dependent, just as our limbs are dependent on the body as a whole. It is thus con- cluded that only Visņu, who is also called the Yajna-purusa, or “the worshipful deity of the sacrifice,” is the shelter of apurva. In keeping with this idea, Krsna declares that He is the ben- eficiary (bhokta) of all yajñas (GITA 5.29). If He is the beneficiary (bhokta), then He must also be the agent (karta), because these two 6789 68 III The Practice of Bhakti have a common substratum. He is the impelling agent (prayojaka- karta), because He is the ultimate source of all actions, including those of the devatās (GĪTĀ 10.8). It is on this basis that King Bharata accepted only Visņu as the shelter of apurva. There is one more reason for accepting Visņu as the true shel- ter of apurva. In a yajña, it must be determined which element is the whole (angi) and which elements are its parts (angas). The whole can be either the act itself (karma) - meaning the yajña - the devata, or Bhagavan. If the yajna is taken as the whole, then the devata and Visņu will become its subordinate parts. This means that they exist for the sake of the yajña. This, however, is not true, and it is also insulting to them. If a devata is made prominent, then the yajna and Visnu will become subordinate. This will be an offense to Visņu, who is the source of the devatas. Therefore, such people have been declared as heretics. Those who act against the teachings of the Vedas or who criticize their meaning are called heretics.“1 11 veda-marga-virodhena yeşam karanam anv api te hi pakhandino jñeya vedarthasya ca nindakaḥ Source unknown Anuccheda 223 The Offering of Karma Can Lead to Bhakti २२३ । अथ द्वितीयं गद्यम् “एवं कर्मविशुद्धया विशुद्धसत्त्वस्यान्तर्हृदयाकाशशरीरे ब्रह्मणि भगवति वासुदेवे महापुरुषरूपोपलक्षणे श्रीवत्सकौस्तुभवनमालारिदरगदादिभिरुपल- क्षिते निजपुरुषहल्लिखितेनात्मनि पुरुषरूपेण विरोचमान उच्चैस्तरां भक्तिरनुदिनमेध- मानरयाजायत” (भा० ५/७ / ७) इति । AND NOW we will examine the second prose passage: In Bharata’s immaculate heart, which was purified in this man- ner by the sanctification of his karma, there appeared intense devotion (uccaistaram bhaktiḥ), which multiplied vehemently day by day, for Bhagavan Vasudeva, who resides in the sky of the heart [as Paramātmā], who is disclosed [to the jñanis] as unqual- ified Brahman (brahmani), who is distinguished as the Supreme Person (Maha-purusa), who is decorated with the mark of śriva- tsa, the kaustubha gem, and a garland of forest flowers, who bears a disc, conch, club, and other items, who is engraved in the hearts of His devotees, and who radiantly appeared in Bharata’s heart as the Supreme Being (puruşa-rüpena). (SB 5.7.7)2 एवं पूर्वोक्तप्रकारेण कर्मविशुद्धया विशुद्धसत्त्वस्य भक्तिः सश्रद्धश्रवणकीर्तनादिलक्षणा अजायतेत्यन्वयः । 1 This and the next bracketed insert are Visvanatha Cakravarti’s comments. 2 evam karma-visuddhyā visuddha-sattvasyantar-hṛdayākāśa-sarīre brahmaņi bhagavati vasudeve maha-purusa-rupopalaksane Srivatsa-kaustubha-vana-malari-dara-gadadibhir upalaksite nija-purusa-hrl-likhitenatmani purusa-rupena virocamana uccaistaram bhaktir anudinam edhamana-rayājāyata. 69 III The Practice of Bhakti In the above verse, the basic syntax (anvaya) of the princi- pal clause is as follows: “Bhakti, characterized by hearing (śravana), chanting (kirtana), and other devotional acts per- formed with faith, appeared (ajāyata) in Bharata’s immaculate heart (visuddha-sattvasya), which was purified in this manner (evam), meaning by the attitude with which he conducted sac- rifices described in the previous verse (purvokta-prakāreņa), through the sanctification of his karma (karma-viśuddhyā).” क्वचिद् भगवति वासुदेवे पूर्णस्वरूपभगाभ्यां सर्वनिवासेन च तन्नाम्ना प्रसिद्धे अन्तर्हृदये य आकाशः स एव शरीरं स्वस्यैवाविर्भावविशेषाधिष्ठानं यस्य तस्मिन्नन्तर्यामिणि परमात्मा- ख्ये ब्रह्मणि निर्विशेषतयाविर्भावात् तदाख्ये च । भगवतो निराकारत्वं वारयति महापु- रुषस्य यद् रूपं शास्त्रे श्रूयते तदुपलक्ष्यते दृश्यते यत्र तस्मिन् । किं च श्रीवत्सादिभिरपि चिह्निते । एधमानरया वर्धमानप्रकर्षा ॥ श्रीशुकः ॥ The bhakti that appeared in Bharata’s heart was directed toward that entity (tasmin), who is celebrated by the name Bhagavan, because He is intrinsically self-endowed with a transcenden- tal form (svarupa) and complete opulence (purna-bhaga), and by the name Vasudeva, because He is the dwelling-place of all living beings (sarva-niväsa). The sky of the inner heart (antar- hrdayākāśa) is His body (śarira), meaning the substratum (adhi- ṣṭāna) of His own specific manifestation (āvirbhāva-viseṣa) as the Supreme Indwelling Self (antaryami), who is known as Paramātmā. He is also referred to as Brahman, because He is self-disclosed [to the jñānis] as devoid of attributes (nirvisesa). Śrī Suka then denies the formlessness of Bhagavan by specify- ing [that Bharata’s bhakti] was directed toward that form of the Supreme Person (Maha-purușa) that is described in scrip- ture. Furthermore, He is decorated with the mark of śrīvatsa and the other distinguishing features mentioned in the verse. The words edhamana-raya, qualifying the word bhakti, mean “which multiplied vehemently.” 70 223 The Offering of Karma Can Lead to Bhakti Commentary NORMALLY, people perform karma to fulfill some particular mate- rial desire. If, however, karma is performed for the satisfaction of Bhagavan, it will lead to svarupa-siddha-bhakti. To demonstrate this, Śrī Jiva Gosvāmī cites the example of King Bharata. As stated in the previous verse (SB 5.7.6), Bharata performed many yajñas, which are part of the karma path, but he did so only for the satis- faction of Bhagavan. The outcome was that his heart became com- pletely pure, and svarupa-siddha-bhakti manifested therein. More- over, because his bhakti was continuously intensifying day by day, he later handed over the royal responsibilities to his son and retired to the Himalayas to engage in svarupa-siddha-bhakti full-time. This is what is meant when Krsna says that kings such as Janaka attained perfection by karma alone (GĪTĀ 3.20). In reality, King Bharata was pure-hearted from his very birth. This is why his father Rṣabhadeva instructed his other sons to remain under his care (SB 5.5.20). As an aside, it is to be noted from the verse of this anuccheda (SB 5.7.7) that Bharata understood that the unqualified Absolute, Brahman, as well as the Supreme Immanent Self, Paramātmā, are aspects of, and nondifferent from, Bhagavan Vasudeva. 71 Anuccheda 224 Three Motives behind the Offering of Karma | २२४ । तदेतत् कर्मार्पणं द्विविधम्-भगवत्प्रीणनरूपं तस्मिंस्तत्त्यागरूपं चेति । यथोक्तं कौर्म्ये- 1 THE OFFERING of karma can be undertaken in two ways - by performing one’s actions for the pleasure of Bhagavan or by renouncing the results and offering them to Bhagavan. These two methods are described successively in the following two verses from Kurma Purana: प्रीणातु भगवानीशः कर्मणानेन शाश्वतः । करोति सततं बुद्ध्या ब्रह्मार्पणमिदं परम् || ६५४ ॥ यद्वा फलानां सन्न्यासं प्रकुर्यात् परमेश्वरे । कर्मणामेतदप्याहुर्ब्रह्मार्पणमनुत्तमम् || ६५५ ॥ इति । “May Bhagavan, who is the eternal Supreme Regulator (Isa), be pleased by this act.” When a person consistently carries out his actions with such consciousness, this is known as the best method of offering karma to the Supreme Abso- lute (brahmarpanam). Alternatively, one may relinquish the results of his actions by offering them to Parameśvara. This too is known as the unexcelled method of offering karma to the Supreme Absolute (brahmarpanam). (Kurma Purāņa, Pürva-khanda 3.17-18)1 prinātu bhagavaniśaḥ karmaṇānena śāśvataḥ karoti satatam buddhya brahmarpanam idam param yad va phalanam sannyasam prakuryat paramesvare karmanām etad apy ahur brahmarpanam uttamam 72 224 Three Motives behind the Offering of Karma अत्र निमित्तानि च त्रीणि – कामना नैष्कर्म्यं भक्तिमात्रं चेति । निष्कामत्वं तु केवलं न सम्भवति “यद् यद्धि कुरुते जन्तुस्तत्तत् कामस्य चेष्टितम्” इत्युक्तेः । There are three motives behind the offering of karma - to ful- fill a material desire (kämana), to become free from bondage to conditional action (naişkarmya), and to attain pure devotion (bhakti-matra). Offering without desire (niskāmatva), however, is not strictly possible, as indicated in the following statement: “Whatever a living being does is performed under the sway of desire” (Manu-smrti 2.4).2 अत्र कामनानैष्कर्म्ययोः प्रायः कर्मत्यागः । प्रीणनं तु तदाभास एव स्वार्थपरत्वात् । भक्तौ पुनः प्रीणनमेव भक्तेस्तदेकजीवनत्वात् । So, both the offering of karma with desire and the offering with the motivation to become free from karma generally amount to giving up the fruits of karma. In these two cases, there is a mere pretense (abhasa) of acting for the pleasure of Bhagavan, because both actions are self-serving (svartha). In the offering of karma with a desire for bhakti, however, the action is exclu- sively for the pleasure of Bhagavan, because this is the very life breath of devotion. कामनाप्राप्तिर्यथा “ क्लेशभूर्यल्पसाराणि” (भा० ८।५।४७) इत्यादि । Action performed for the fulfillment of desire is as described in this verse: The actions of those who are identified with their bodies and who are thus tormented by desire for sense objects, yield lit- tle or no result, in spite of tremendous exertion. But such is certainly not the case with karma offered to You. (SB 8.5.47)3 यथा चाङ्गस्य राज्ञः पुरुषार्थक यज्ञे । 2 3 yad yad dhi kurute jantus tat tat kamasya cestitam klesa-bhury-alpa-sarani karmani viphalani vā dehinām visayārtānāṁ na tathaivarpitam tvayi 73 III The Practice of Bhakti This statement proved to be true in the case of King Anga, who, in spite of performing a sacrifice to obtain a good son, wound up with a godless, tyrannical one instead. नैष्कर्म्यप्राप्तिश्च “वेदोक्तमेव कुर्वाणो निःसङ्गोऽर्पितमीश्वरे नैष्कर्म्यं लभते सिद्धिम्” (भा० ११ | ३ | ४६ ) इत्यत्र । Action offered to become free from karma is described in this verse: A person who is free from all attachment (niḥsangah) and who executes only those actions that are prescribed by the Vedas and offered to Isvara, attains the perfected state of freedom from bondage to karma. Promises of material fruits are only for enticement [to impel the undiscerning to perform prescribed actions]. (SB 11.3.46)* अथ भक्तिप्राप्तिश्च “एवं कर्मविशुद्धया” (भा० ५।७।७) इत्यादिगधे दर्शितैव । Action offered to attain bhakti was illustrated in the prose pas- sage describing King Bharata (SB 5.7.7) [quoted in Anuccheda 223]. भा० ११५/३५ - It is also referred to in this verse: यदत्र क्रियते कर्म भगवत्परितोषणम् । ज्ञानं यत् तदधीनं हि भक्तियोगसमन्वितम् || ६५६ ॥ इत्यत्र च । Knowledge that is intimately connected with bhakti-yoga is cer- tainly an inevitable result of action performed in this world for the pleasure of Bhagavan. (SB 1.5.35)5 भक्तियोगसहचरत्वाद् ज्ञानमत्र भगवज्ज्ञानम् । The knowledge (jñāna) mentioned here pertains to Bhagavan, because it arises in connection with bhakti-yoga. 4 vedoktam eva kurvano niḥsango’rpitam iśvare naiskarmyam labhate siddhim rocanartha phala-srutih syad atra kriyate karma bhagavat-paritoṣaṇam jnanam yat tad adhinam hi bhakti-yoga-samanvitam 74 74 224 Three Motives behind the Offering of Karma परमभक्तास्तु भगवत्परितोषणं प्रीणनमेव प्रार्थयन्ते ( भा० ४ । ३० । ३९-४० ) - The supreme devotees, however, pray only to be able to give pleasure to Bhagavan, as the Pracetas prayed to the eight-armed form of Bhagavān: यन् नः स्वधीतं गुरवः प्रसादिता विप्राश्च वृद्धाश्च सदानुवृत्त्या । आर्या नताः सुहृदो भ्रातरश्च सर्वाणि भूतान्यनसूययैव ॥ ६५७ || यन् नः सुतप्तं तप एतदीश निरन्धसां कालमदभ्रमप्सु । सर्वं तदेतत् पुरुषस्य भूम्नो वृणीमहे ते परितोषणाय ।। ६५८ ॥ O Supreme Ruler (Isa), whatever Vedic subjects we have atten- tively studied, whatever pleasure we have brought to our teach- ers, the brahmanas, and elders through persistent virtuous con- duct, whatever reverence we have displayed toward those of noble upbringing as well as toward friends and brothers, what- ever regard we have extended toward all other living beings by giving up envy, and the prolonged penance we conscien- tiously undertook by standing in water without any food, O Omnipresent Lord, let all of this be for Your satisfaction. This is the only boon we desire. (SB 4.30.39-40) अदभ्रं बहुकालं ते तव परितोषणाय भवत्विति वृणीमहे ॥ प्रचेतसः श्रीमदष्टभुजं पुरुषम् ॥ The words adabhram kalam, describing the penance of the Pra- cetas, means “for a prolonged period” (bahu-kalam). The Prace- tas requested the boon that all their actions would be a source of pleasure for Bhagavan. Commentary THERE are two ways of offering of karma. The first is to undertake one’s prescribed duty with the intention that this will please Bha- gavan, because it is His order in the form of the Vedic injunctions. 6 yan nah svadhitam guravah prasadita vipras ca vrddhas ca sad-anuvṛttyä arya natah suhrdo bhrataras ca sarvani bhutany anasuyayaiva yan nah sutaptam tapa etad isa nirandhasam kalam adabhram apsu sarvam tad etat puruṣasya bhumno vrnimahe te paritosanaya 75 75 III The Practice of Bhakti In this mode of offering karma, there is constant awareness of Bha- gavän. As a result, every act becomes aropa-siddha-bhakti, because the awareness of Bhagavan is superimposed on every action. This is the type of karmarpanam that Krsna recommends to Arjuna: “Ded- icating all your actions to Me through your mind, regarding Me as the supreme goal, and taking refuge of the yoga of resolute discrim- ination [of intellect resolutely fixed on Me], be always in the state of mental absorption in Me” (GITA 18.57). In the second type of offering, one first performs the action, and when it is completed, one mentally or verbally declares, “I offer this to Krsna” (kṛṣṇārpanam astu). In this mode of offering karma, the performer becomes aware of Bhagavan only at the very end of the process and not while executing the karma. This mode of offering karma is inferior to the first. These two types of offering can have three further divisions based upon the motive behind the karma. The three motives can be to attain a material boon, liberation, or bhakti. The second motive is called nişkāma or naişkarmyam, literally, the absence of desire or freedom from karma. Truly speaking, however, every action is per- formed with some intention or desire. When someone offers an action with an explicit desire, he feels satisfied when he achieves his goal. When, however, someone is nişkāma, he cannot be easily satisfied, because what he really wants is not clearly evident. The term nişkāma does not really mean that the person does not want anything. The desire is not explicit, and so the motive remains hidden. If such niskāma workers render some service to you, you feel obliged to them for the rest of your life, and they also expect some favor from you, even if unexpressed. So niskāma is more demanding than sakāma. The word naiskarmya also means liberation. Taken in this sense, the niskāma worker offers his action with a motive to attain libera- tion, which is also self-serving, because it has nothing directly to do with Bhagavan. The workers who offer their actions exclusively for the pleasure of Bhagavan also have desire. But because their desire is not for any interest of their own but to please Bhagavan, they are not categorized as sakāma. The intention of this entire discussion 76 224 Three Motives behind the Offering of Karma is to point out that karmarpanam should be performed only for the pleasure of Bhagavan and only with the intention of attaining pure bhakti. 77Sanga-siddha-bhakti Anucchedas 225-230 Anuccheda 225 Three Divisions of Sanga-siddha-bhakti २२५ । तदेवमारोपसिद्धा दर्शिता । अथ सङ्गसिद्धोदाहरणप्राप्ता मिश्रा भक्तिर्दर्श्यते । स्वरूपसिद्धासङ्गेन ह्यन्येषामपि भक्तित्वं दर्शितम् " तत्र भागवतान् धर्मान्” ( भा० ११।३।२२) इत्यादिश्रीप्रबुद्धवाक्यप्रकरणे सर्वासङ्गदयामैत्र्यादीनामपि भागवतधर्मत्वा- भिधानात् । We have thus described aropa-siddha-bhakti, or the attribution of bhakti to conventional and prescribed duties. We will now discuss mixed devotion (miśra-bhakti) as an instance of sanga- siddha-bhakti, or practices associated with devotion. We have already shown that by contact with svarupa-siddha-bhakti, or practices directly constituted of devotion, other practices also take on the nature of bhakti. This is understood from the section of verses spoken by sage Prabuddha, beginning with SB 11.3.22. In this section, practices such as detaching the mind from all worldly phenomena and extending compassion toward those who are less evolved and friendship toward equals were also referred to as bhāgavata-dharma. तत्र कर्ममिश्रा त्रिविधा सम्भवति - सकामा कैवल्यकामा भक्तिमात्रकामाच । Karma-miśra-bhakti, or devotion mixed with karma is of three types - (1) sakāmā, with a desire for material enjoyment, (2) kaivalya-kāmā, with a desire for liberation, and (3) bhakti- mätra-kāmā, with a desire for devotion alone. यद्यपि कामकैवल्ये अपि- 81 III The Practice of Bhakti या वै साधनसम्पत्तिः पुरुषार्थचतुष्टये । तया विना तदाप्नोति नरो नारायणाश्रयः ॥ ६५९ ॥ इत्युक्तेः केवलयैव भक्त्या सम्भवतस्तथापि तत्तद्वासनानुसारेण तत्र तत्र रुचिर्जायते । इत्येवं तत्तदर्थं तन्मिश्रता तु जायत इत्यवगन्तव्यम् । The fulfillment of material desires and the attainment of libera- tion are possible through unalloyed bhakti alone, as indicated in this statement: A person surrendered to Bhagavan Narayana can attain every- thing within the four categories of human achievement [moral- ity, prosperity, enjoyment, and liberation], even without adopting the means prescribed in scripture for their attainment! Yet, because of a desire for the specific results of karma or jñāna, a person develops an interest in the means associated with these goals, and in order to attain them, he adopts the path of devotion mixed either with karma or jñāna. This is to be understood. ततः सकामा प्रायः कर्ममिश्रैव । तत्र कर्मशब्देन धर्म एव गृह्यते । तल्लक्षणं च यमदूतैः सामान्यत उक्तम् “वेदप्रणिहितो धर्मः " ( भा० ६।१ । ४० ) इति । In keeping with the above understanding, devotion that is per- formed with a desire for material enjoyment (sakāmā) is gen- erally mixed only with karma. The word karma here means dharma, or prescribed religious action, and it is defined in a gen- eral way by the messengers of Yama: “That which is prescribed in the Vedas is called dharma” (SB 6.1.40).” वेदोऽत्र त्रैगुण्यविषयः " त्रैगुण्यविषया वेदाः” (गीता २।४५) इति श्रीगीतोक्तेः । तत्प्रवर्त- नमात्रत्वेन सिद्धः । न तु भक्तिवदज्ञानेनापीत्यर्थः । 1 In this context, the word veda refers to the section of the Vedas pertaining to the three gunas of material nature. We find a ref- erence to this in the Gita: “The Vedas have as their subject the yä vai sadhana-sampattiḥ puruşärtha-catustaye taya vina tad-apnoti naro nārāyaṇāsrayaḥ 2 veda-pranihito dharmaḥ 82 225 Three Divisions of Sanga-siddha-bhakti three gunas of material nature” (GITA 2.45). Dharma is accom- plished only by carrying out the prescriptions of the Vedas. Unlike bhakti, dharma cannot be accomplished if performed even unknowingly. श्रीगीतास्वेवान्यत्र तस्य कर्मसञ्ज्ञितत्वं चोक्तम् “भूतभावोद्भवकरो विसर्गः कर्मस- ञ्ज्ञितः” (गीता ८|३) इति । Elsewhere in the Gita, dharma, or “ritual action,” is termed as karma: “The acts of resignation (visarga) [such as the offering of sacrifices to the devas] that perpetuate the birth (bhava)^ and evolution (udbhava) of living beings (bhuta) are called consequential action (karma)” (GITĀ 8.3). विसर्गो देवतोद्देशेन द्रव्यत्यागः । तदुपलक्षितः सर्वोऽपि धर्मः कर्मसञ्ज्ञित इत्यर्थः । स च भूतानां प्राणिनां ये भावा वासनास्तेषामुद्भवकर इति विशेषणाद् भगवद्भक्तिर्व्यावृत्ता । The word visargaḥ here means to offer objects to the devas. By extension of meaning, this statement implies that all other forms of prescribed religious action (dharma) are also to be termed as karma. In the adjectival compound bhūta-bhāvodbha- va-karah, which qualifies the word visargah, the word bhutaḥ means “of the living beings” (bhütānām, i.e., prāṇinām), bhāväh means “desires” (vāsanāḥ), and udbhava-karaḥ means “giving rise to.” The statement thus means that the offering of articles to the devas (visarga, i.e., dharma), which gives rise to the desires of the living beings (bhuta-bhāvodbhava-kara), are termed as karma. By use of this adjectival compound, bhagavad-bhakti [which by contrast cleanses all such desire] has been excluded from karma. अथ भक्तिसङ्गाय धर्मस्य वैशिष्ट्यं चैकादशे श्रीभगवतोक्तम् “धर्मो मद्भक्तिकृत् प्रोक्तः” ( भा० ११ । १९ । २७) इति । भगवदर्पणेन भक्तिपरिकरीकृतत्वेन च भक्तिकृत्त्वमुच्यते । 3 4 traigunya-visaya vedaḥ The translation here of the compound bhuta-bhavodbhava-karah is according to the commentary of Śrīdhara Svami, who glosses the word bhavaḥ as utpattih, “birth,” and udbhavaḥ as vrddhih, “evolution or development.” As will be seen, Śrī Jīva Gosvami interprets the same compound in a different manner in keeping with his explanation here of dharma as sakama. 5 bhuta-bhavodbhava-karo visargah karma-sanjnitaḥ 83 III The Practice of Bhakti The special quality of dharma to become associated or correlated with bhakti is mentioned by Bhagavan Śrī Kṛṣṇa in the Eleventh Canto of Srimad Bhagavata: “That which engenders devotion to Me (mad-bhakti-krt) is called dharma” (SB 11.19.27). By offering dharma to Bhagavan or by making it an assistant to devotion, dharma becomes known as bhakti-kṛt, or “that which engenders devotion.” तदेवमीदृशेन कर्मणा मिश्रा सकामा भक्तिर्यथा ( भा० ३।२१।६-७ ) - This sakāmā-bhakti that is mixed with karma of this specific type is as illustrated in Sri Maitreya’s statement to Vidura: प्रजाः सृजेति भगवान् कर्दमो ब्रह्मणोदितः । सरस्वत्यां तपस्तेपे सहस्राणां समा दश ॥ ६६० ॥ ततः समाधियुक्तेन क्रियायोगेन कर्दमः । सम्प्रपेदे हरिं भक्त्या प्रपन्नवरदाशुषम् || ६६१ ॥ Being ordered by Brahma to procreate, the powerful sage, Kar- dama, performed penance for ten thousand years on the bank of the Sarasvati River. Thereupon, by means of the yoga of reveren- tial attendance (kriya-yoga)’ carried out in a state of transcog- nitive awareness (samadhi), Kardama worshiped with devo- tion Bhagavan Hari, who fulfills the desires of His surrendered devotees. (SB 3.21.6-7)8 अत्र तद्दर्शनजातभगवदश्रुपातलिङ्गेन निष्कामस्याप्यस्य ब्रह्मादेशगौरवेणैव कामना ज्ञेया ॥ श्रीमैत्रेयो विदुरम् ॥ Although Kardama was free from desire, as understood from the fact that Bhagavan shed a tear of delight on seeing him, he wor- shiped Bhagavan with a desire to beget progeny simply out of respect for the order of Brahmā. 6 dharmo mad-bhakti-krt proktah 7 8 Śrīdhara Svāmi glosses the compound kriya-yogena, “by means of the yoga of reverential attendance,” as puja-prakarena, “by the prescribed system of active worship.” prajah srjeti bhagavan kardamo brahmanoditaḥ sarasvatyam tapas tepe sahasranam sama dasa tataḥ samadhi-yuktena kriya-yogena kardamah samprapede harim bhaktya prapanna-varadasusam 84 38 Commentary 225 Three Divisions of Sanga-siddha-bhakti AFTER describing aropa-siddha-bhakti, Sri Jīva now explains sanga- siddha-bhakti. As the very name suggests, this involves practices that are not of the nature of bhakti but are counted as bhakti because they assist in its culture. This is comparable to a person who is very close to the president of a country and who is thus treated as and sometimes even called, “president.” It is very common in India for a brother or close relative of a minister to be addressed as a minister. The husband of a female politician in particular is addressed and treated as if he himself were such a politician. Examples of practices that are correlated with direct devotion are drawn from the teachings of sage Prabuddha, including control of the mind, compassion, friendship with other beings, and so on. By themselves, these practices certainly do not constitute bhakti proper, because they are devoid of any direct relation with Bhaga- van. If, however, they are performed by a bhakta as assistants to his or her devotional practice, then they take the appellation of bhakti by association. Alternatively, these practices could also be counted as part of karma or jñāna. In this case, sanga-siddha-bhakti would be bhakti mixed with karma or jñāna, i.e., karma-miśra- orjñāna-miśra- bhakti. It may be noted here that in the case of aropa-siddha-bhakti, the karma is performed first and then offered at the completion of the act. For this reason, the offering involves a superimposi- tion rather than a mixture of bhakti. In the case of sanga-siddha- bhakti, the practices that normally pertain to karma or jñāna are performed in subordination to bhakti. Therefore, sanga-siddha- bhakti involves an admixture of karma or jñana, which are non- constitutional elements, and not a superimposition of bhakti upon such practices. Karma-miśra-bhakti as an instance of sanga-siddha-bhakti has three divisions based on the intention of the sadhaka - (1) sakāma, with a desire for material enjoyment, (2) kaivalya-kāmā, with a desire for liberation, and (3) bhakti-matra-kāmā, with a desire for bhakti alone. In this connection, the following doubt may be raised. 85 III The Practice of Bhakti Earlier it has been repeatedly emphasized that bhakti alone can grant all possible objects of attainment. So why do people not take to pure bhakti alone? Śrī Jiva Gosvāmī replies that this is due to the differences in people’s nature or psychological makeup. Some people are natu- rally inclined toward karma or jñana, and thus they take up these paths to achieve their respective aims. They may add bhakti to these practices in the hope that it might improve their chances of suc- cess. This indeterminate approach occurs because most practition- ers are not very clear about the distinctions between the paths of karma, jñāna, and bhakti. Thus they engage in mixed practice. In particular, those born in traditional Indian families are inclined to follow the path of karma as a religious obligation or to preserve the tradition. They believe that the execution of these religious acts will bestow prosperity in general and fulfill their specific desires. If they are Vaisnavas, then along with dhärmic actions, they also perform bhakti. They do not think that bhakti alone is potent enough to grant their desires. Śrī Jiva clarifies that the words karma and dharma are syn- onyms, because both mean the duty prescribed by the Veda. Another name for karma is yajña, or “ritual action,” because the Veda primarily prescribes yajñas, such as Agnihotra and Darśa- pūrṇamāsa. Therefore, in GITA 8.3, Krsna defines karma as visarga, literally, “to release or give up,” signifying “sacrificial action.” In this context, visarga means to offer oblations into the ceremonial fire for the pleasure of a devata. In the Gitä verse, visarga is qual- ified by the compound bhuta-bhavodbhava-karaḥ, meaning that it is the source of the desires of the living beings, because it is the nature of pleasure (sukha) to give rise to further desires for plea- sure. Patanjali says that pleasure leads to attachment [for more pleasure] (Yoga-sutra 2.7)? 9 Because karma by itself cannot bestow its result, Kṛṣṇa there- fore advises that it should be offered to Him. Such karma is called bhakti-krt, or that which engenders bhakti. Śrī Jīva gives an exam- ple of sakama-bhakti from the life of Kardama Muni. With the sukhanusayi ragah 86 225 Three Divisions of Sanga-siddha-bhakti intention of obtaining a son, he worshiped Bhagavan by kriya-yoga, here meaning karma-miśra-bhakti. Truly speaking, Kardama had no material desires. He was ordered by Brahma to procreate, and out of reverence, he carried out his instruction obediently. As a result, Bhagavan Kapila appeared as his son. Here a doubt may be raised. Bhakti is the antaranga-sakti of Kṛṣṇa. Being an eternally self-existent potency, it cannot be gen- erated as a consequence of some particular act, and certainly not by any material action. Sage Prabuddha affirms that bhakti ensues only from bhakti (SB 11.3.31). So how can karma, which is a mate- rial action, engender bhakti? The answer is that it is not karma that engenders bhakti but the phenomenon of offering the act to Krsna. Offering itself (arpana) is an act of sadhana-bhakti, and this will culminate in svarupa-siddha-bhakti. 87Anuccheda 226 Karma-jñāna-miśra Sanga-siddha-bhakti - Kaivalya-kāmā २२६ । अथ कैवल्यकामा । क्वचित् कर्मज्ञानमिश्रा क्वचिद् ज्ञानमिश्रा च । तत्र ज्ञानम् “ज्ञानं चैकात्म्यदर्शनम् " ( भा० ११।१९।२७) इति दर्शितम् । तदीयश्रवणादीनां वैराग्ययोगसा- ङ्ग्यानां च तदङ्गत्वात् तदन्तःपातः । 1 Now we will discuss kaivalya-kämä, devotion mixed with a desire for liberation. Sometimes this type of devotion is mixed with both karma and jñāna and sometimes with jñāna alone. The word jñāna here refers to nondual awareness, as defined earlier [Anuccheda 214]: “The immediate intuition of one nondual Real- ity is known as jñāna” (SB 11.19.27). Because practices such as hearing and reflecting on the scriptural truths concerning non- dual awareness (śravana, manana, etc.), detachment (vairāgya), yoga, and the analytical study of the distinction between spirit and matter (sänkhya) are all limbs (angas) of jñāna, they are all included in it. अथ कर्मज्ञानमिश्रा यथा ( भा० ३।२७।२१-२३) - Bhakti mixed with both karma and jñana is described by Kapiladeva: अनिमित्तनिमित्तेन स्वधर्मेणामलात्मना । तीव्रया मयि भक्त्या च श्रुतसम्भृतया चिरम् || ६६२ ।। jnanam caikatmya-darśanam 88 226 Karma-jñāna-misra Sanga-siddha-bhakti — Kaivalya-kama ज्ञानेन दृष्टतत्त्वेन वैराग्येण बलीयसा । तपोयुक्तेन योगेन तीव्रेणात्मसमाधिना || ६६३ || प्रकृतिः पुरुषस्येह दह्यमाना त्वहर्निशम् । तिरोभवित्री शनकैरग्नेयनिरिवारणिः || ६६४ ॥ My dear Mother, just as arani wood, which is the source of fire, is consumed by the very fire it produces, the subtle body (prakrti) of the practitioner is burnt day and night and gradu- ally disappears in this very life by performing one’s prescribed duty with a pure heart, unmotivated by the desire to enjoy the fruit, by resolute bhakti for Me nourished by hearing My narra- tions for a long time, by jñana rooted in immediate experience of the Truth, by immovable detachment, by yoga practice cou- pled with penance, and by deep absorption in the transcognitive state of nondual awareness (atma-samadhi). (SB 3.27.21-23)3 निमित्तं फलं तन् न निमित्तं प्रवर्तकं यस्मिन् तेन निष्कामेन । अमलात्मना निर्मलेन मनसा । ज्ञानेन शास्त्रोत्थेन । योगो जीवात्मपरमात्मनोर्ध्यानम “योगः सन्नहनोपायध्या- नसङ्गतियुक्तिषु” इति नानार्थवर्गात् । ध्यानमेव ध्यातृध्येयविवेकरहितं समाधिः । In the compound a-nimitta-nimittena, the first instance of the word nimitta means “the fruit or result” (phala), and the sec- ond instance of nimitta means “the impelling cause” or “the motivating force” (pravartaka), which is used in the instrumen- tal case. The negative particle “a-” denies that the motivation (pravartaka) is for the fruit (phala). Thus, the compound as a whole means “by that action (tena) in which (yasmin) there is no motivation (na pravartaka) to attain the fruit (phala),” or simply stated, “by action without desire for the fruit” (niskā- mena). The compound amalātmană means “with a pure heart 2 Visvanatha Cakravarti glosses the word prakrti here as linga-deha, “the subtle body.” The analogy is that just as fire emerges from wood and then incinerates the wood, so too jnana emerges via the subtle body and then consumes the subtle body. 3 animitta-nimittena sva-dharmeṇāmalātmanā tivraya mayi bhaktyă ca sruta-sambhrtaya ciram jnänena drsta-tattvena vairagyena baliyasa tapo-yuktena yogena tivrenatma-samadhinā prakṛtih purusasyeha dahyamana tv ahar-nisam tiro-bhavitri sanakair agner yonir ivaranih 89 90 90 III The Practice of Bhakti or mind” (nirmalena manasa). The word jñanena means “by knowledge derived from scripture.” The word yoga means “the practice of meditation (dhyana) on the individual self (jīvātmā) and the Supreme Immanent Self (Paramātmā).” In this regard, the Amarakosa lexicon (3.3.22) defines yoga as follows: “The word yoga means ‘fastening or tying together’ (sannahana), ‘a means’ (upaya), ‘meditation’ (dhyana), ‘connection’ (sangati), and ‘union’ (yukti).” Out of these various meanings, meditation (dhyana) is intended here. The word samadhi, or “transcognitive awareness,” refers to the state in which the distinction (viveka) between the meditator (dhyātā) and the object of meditation (dhyeya) disappears. अत्र “सर्वासामपि सिद्धीनां मूलं तच्चरणार्चनम् ” ( भा० १० । ८१ ।१९) इत्युक्त्या भक्तेरेवा- ङ्गित्वेऽप्यङ्गवन् निर्देशस्तेषां तत्र साधनान्तरसामान्यदृष्टिरित्यभिप्रायेण । अत एव तेषां मोक्षमात्रमेव फलमिति ॥ श्रीकपिलदेवः ॥ In Srimad Bhagavata it is said: “Worship of Bhagavan’s feet is the root cause of all perfection” (SB 10.81.19). So according to this statement, bhakti is the whole (angi) of which other methods are but parts (angas). In spite of this, however, in the group of three verses quoted above, bhakti is indicated as being merely one part (anga) of the total practice aiming at liberation. This is so because the practitioners of this type of mixed devotion regard bhakti in the same manner as the other methods of sadhana. Therefore, the result such practitioners attain is limited to liberation (mokşa). Commentary THE second type of sanga-siddha-bhakti is kaivalya-kama, or bhakti performed with the intention of attaining liberation, mukti. Mukti is the goal of jñāna. Although one can also attain mukti by bhakti alone, people who are attracted to the jñāna-marga consider bhakti inferior to jñāna. Thus, they do not give due importance to bhakti 4 sarvāsām api siddhinam mulam tac-caraṇarcanam 226 Karma-jnana-misra Sanga-siddha-bhakti - Kaivalya-kāmā and use it instead as an assisting means on the path of jñāna. They consider it as a useful tool to help focus their minds. It is difficult to focus the mind on the formless, unqualified Brahman, as Krsna con- firms in the Gītā (12.5). For this reason, they take assistance from bhakti in the beginning stage of their practice. If such practitioners come to the jñāna-marga through the path of karma and are still attached to the latter, they may also con- tinue to follow some parts of the karma-marga. Thus there are two types of kaivalya-kama-bhakti - one mixed only with jñāna, and the other mixed with both karma and jñāna. In this anuccheda, Śrī Jiva gives an example of the second type. In the three verses cited here (SB 3.27.21-23), the first half of the first verse refers to niskāma-karma. In the compound animitta- nimittena, the word animitta means “without desire for the fruit” (phala), and nimittena means “by the impelling force behind the action” (pravartaka). Thus, the compound as a whole means “by action that is unmotivated by a desire for the fruit,” or in other words, by niskama-karma. Sva-dharma here refers to varnasrama- dharma. The second half of the first verse refers to bhakti. The two remaining verses from the series outline the practices that pertain to the path of jñāna. Śrī Jiva Gosvāmi comments that whether bhakti is taken as pri- mary or secondary depends upon the mindset of the sadhaka. The adherents of the jñāna-märga consider bhakti to be secondary to jñāna. For this reason, bhakti does not bestow its highest fruit of prema to such practitioners. In these verses, the words yoga, sankhya – meaning the distinction between prakṛti and puruşa - and so on, are all being used as synonyms for jnana. In the final verse, fire is given as an example of that which burns its source. In the same manner, nondual awareness first arises from the knowledge of the self’s distinction from the body. But to become situated in nondual awareness of Brahman, even this knowledge has to be dissolved. The example of fire is given to illus- trate how this knowledge is consumed in the process of Brahman realization. Another example is of medicine. A medicine cures a particular disease and becomes assimilated in the process. It is 91 III The Practice of Bhakti not that one needs to consume something extra to assimilate the medicine. Mukti occurs when the jñānī dissociates himself from both the gross and subtle bodies and becomes firmly established in the self (SB 2.10.6). 92 32 Anuccheda 227 Jñāna-miśra Sanga-siddha-bhakti - Kaivalya-kāmā २२७ । अथ ज्ञानमिश्रामाह (भा० ११।१८।२१) - DEVOTION mixed with jñāna alone is expressed in these words of Bhagavan Śrī Kṛṣṇa: विविक्तक्षेमशरणो मद्भावविमलाशयः । आत्मानं चिन्तयेदेकमभेदेन मया मुनिः || ६६५ ॥ Residing in a secluded and peaceful place and being pure of mind through contemplation of Me, the sage should meditate on the One Self as nondifferent from Me. (SB 11.18.21)1 भावो भावना ॥ श्रीभगवान् ॥ The word bhava [in the compound mad-bhava-vimalāśayaḥ] means “contemplation” (bhāvanā). 1 vivikta-ksema-sarano mad-bhava-vimalasayah atmanam cintayed ekam abhedena maya muniḥ 93 III The Practice of Bhakti Commentary BHAKTI mixed with jñana alone and motivated by the desire for lib- eration is the second division of kaivalya-kama-bhakti. In this verse, the compound mad-bhava, “by contemplation of Me” is indicative of bhakti, whereas the remaining practices are part of jñana. 94 Anuccheda 228 Karma-miśra Sanga-siddha-bhakti Bhakti-mātra-kāmā २२८ । तदेवं कैवल्यकामायां ज्ञानमिश्रोक्ता । अथ भक्तिमात्रकामायां कर्ममिश्रा यथा ( भा० ११ । १९ २०, २३-२४) - WE HAVE THUS explained jñana-miśra-bhakti motivated by a desire for liberation. Now we will discuss karma-misrā bhakti impelled by a desire for bhakti alone, as described by Bhagavan Śrī Krsna: श्रद्धामृतकथायां मे शश्वन् मदनुकीर्तनम् । परिनिष्ठा च पूजायां स्तुतिभिः स्तवनं मम ॥ ६६६ ॥ इत्यादि । मदर्थेऽर्थपरित्यागो भोगस्य च सुखस्य च । इष्टं दत्तं हुतं जप्तं मदर्थं यद् व्रतं तपः ॥ ६६७ ॥ एवं धर्मैर्मनुष्याणामुद्भवात्मनिवेदिनाम् । मयि सञ्जायते भक्तिः कोऽन्योऽर्थोऽस्यावशिष्यते ॥ ६६८ ॥ इत्यन्तम् । O Uddhava, by reverence for hearing My ambrosial narrations, by continuous recitation of My divine acts, by resolute fixity in My worship, by glorifying Me with beautiful prayers, by giving up wealth, sensual enjoyment, and self-centered happi- ness for My sake, by sacrifice, charity, offering oblations into the sacrificial fire, uttering mantras, observing fasts and other sacred vows, and by undergoing austerity for My sake - by all such forms of dharma, bhakti for Me makes its appearance in the hearts of those whose very selves are offered to Me (atma- nivedinām). For such a person (asya), what more remains to be 95 III The Practice of Bhakti achieved [either in the form of sadhana or sadhya]? (SB 11.19.20, 23-24)1 मदर्थे मद्भजनार्थं तद्विरोधितोऽर्थस्य परित्यागः । भोगस्य तत्साधनस्य चन्दनादेः । सुखस्य पुत्रोपलालनादेः । इष्टादि वैदिकं यत् कर्म तदपि मदर्थं कृतं भक्तेः कारणमित्यर्थः । Giving up wealth (artha) for the sake of Bhagavan means to relinquish objects that are opposed to His service (bhajana). Giv- ing up sensual enjoyment (bhoga) means to abandon objects like sandalwood paste, which facilitate such enjoyment. Renounc- ing self-centered happiness (sukha) means to give up pleasures such as caressing one’s child. The other actions mentioned in the verse, which are all Vedic rites, such as sacrifice, charity, and offering oblations, also lead to bhakti when performed for the sake of Bhagavan. धर्मैर्भागवताभिधैः । एवं कायवाङ्मनोभिस्तदर्थमात्रचेष्टावत्त्वेनानुष्ठितैर्भगवद्धर्मैरात्मनिवे- दिनाम् " यस्यास्ति भक्तिर्भगवत्यकिञ्चना” (भा० ५।१८। १२) इत्यादिन्यायेनास्य भक्ति- मात्रकामस्यान्यः कोऽर्थः साधनरूपः साध्यरूपी वावशिष्यते ? सर्वोऽसावनादृतोऽपि तदाश्रितोऽपि भवतीत्यर्थः ॥ श्रीभगवान् || The word dharmaiḥ means “by the methods of dharma that are enunciated by Bhagavan.” So, by all such forms of bhāgavata- dharma enacted exclusively for the pleasure of Bhagavan through the functions of the body, speech, and mind, [bhakti for Bhagavan makes its appearance (sanjayate)] in the hearts of those whose very selves are offered to Him (atma-nivedinām). For such a person (asya), or in other words, for the person desir- ing bhakti alone (bhakti-mätra-kämasya), what more remains to be achieved either in the form of sadhana or sadhya? Although 1 sraddhamrta-kathayam me sasvan mad-anukirtanam 2 parinistha ca pujayam stutibhiḥ stavanam mama mad-arthe’rtha-parityago bhogasya ca sukhasya ca iştam dattam hutam japtam mad-artham yad vratam tapah evam dharmair manusyanam uddhavatma-nivedinām mayi sanjayate bhaktih ko’nyo’rtho’syavasisyate Here, Sri Jiva is providing the syntax for the final quarter of SB 11.19.24, glossing the pronoun asya, “of him,” as bhakti-matra-kamasya, “of the person desiring bhakti alone.” 96 228 Karma-misra Sanga-siddha-bhakti – Bhakti-matra-kama all other goals are disregarded by such a person, they remain at his disposal, as indicated in the following verse: “The celestial beings (suras) along with all their virtuous qualities become firmly established in one who has unconditional devotion for Bhagavan” (SB 5.18.12). Commentary THE THIRD DIVISION of sanga-siddha-bhakti is bhakti-mātra-kāmā, that which is performed with a desire to attain bhakti alone. This has three divisions, namely, mixed with karma, mixed with both karma and jñāna, and mixed with jñāna alone. The specific variety that is mixed with karma alone is described in this anuccheda. The verses spoken by Kṛṣṇa mention various practices that belong to the path of karma but that are executed with the sole intention of attaining bhakti. Kṛṣṇa affirms that bhakti for Him appears to the fully surrendered practitioner as a consequence of such practices. A question may arise in this regard. What is the difference between aropa-siddha-bhakti that is undertaken with the intention of attaining bhakti alone, as discussed in Anuccheda 224, and the sanga-siddha-bhakti mixed with karma that is also performed with the same intention, as discussed in the present anuccheda? The answer is that aropa-siddha-bhakti involves only the acts of karma as prescribed for one’s social status. The sadhaka either offers these prescribed duties to Bhagavan or executes them directly for His pleasure. In either case, bhakti is merely superim- posed on one’s socio-religious obligations. This undertaking does not involve any limbs of svarupa-siddha-bhakti. In sanga-siddha- bhakti, however, the performer engages in some of the practices of svarupa-siddha-bhakti mixed with other practices related to karma. The practices of śravana, kirtana, puja, and stuti, mentioned in the first verse of this anuccheda (SB 11.19.20) all belong to svarupa- siddha-bhakti, whereas those mentioned in SB 11.19.23 belong to the karma-märga. In contrast, the Pracetas engaged only in karma 3 yasyasti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcana sarvair gunais tatra samasate surah 97 46III The Practice of Bhakti without executing any direct bhakti. For ease of reference, we repeat here the verses that pertain to their practice: O Supreme Ruler (Isa), whatever Vedic subjects we have atten- tively studied, whatever pleasure we have brought to our teachers, the brahmanas, and elders through persistent virtuous conduct, whatever reverence we have displayed toward those of noble upbringing as well as toward friends and brothers, whatever regard we have extended toward all other living beings by giving up envy, and the prolonged penance we conscientiously under- took by standing in water without any food, O Omnipresent Lord, let all of this be for Your satisfaction. This is the only boon we desire. (SB 4.30.39-40)4 4 yan nah svadhitam guravah prasadita vipras ca vṛddhas ca sad-anuvṛttyä arya natah suhrdo bhrataraś ca sarvani bhutany anasuyayaiva yan naḥ sutaptam tapa etad isa nirandhasam kalam adabhram apsu sarvam tad etat purusasya bhumno vrnimahe te paritoṣaṇāya 98 Anuccheda 229 Karma-jñāna-miśrā Sanga siddha-bhakti - Bhakti-mātra-kāmā २२९ । कर्मज्ञानमिश्रा यथा ( भा० ३।२९।१५-१९ ) - DEVOTION mixed with both karma and jñāna and impelled by a desire for bhakti alone is described by Bhagavan Kapiladeva: निषेवितेनानिमित्तेन स्वधर्मेण महीयसा । क्रियायोगेन शस्तेन नातिहिंस्रेण नित्यशः ॥ ६६९ ।। मद्धिष्ण्यदर्शनस्पर्शपूजास्तुत्यभिवन्दनैः । भूतेषु मद्भावनया सत्त्वेनासङ्गमेन च ॥ ६७० || महतां बहुमानेन दीनानामनुकम्पया । मैत्र्या चैवात्मतुल्येषु यमेन नियमेन च ॥ ६७१ ॥ आध्यात्मिकानुश्रवणान् नामसङ्कीर्तनाच्च मे । आर्जवेनार्यसङ्गेन निरहङ्कियया तथा ॥ ६७२ ॥ मद्वर्मणो गुणैरेतैः परिसंशुद्ध आशयः । पुरुषस्याञ्जसाभ्येति श्रुतमात्रगुणं हि माम् || ६७३ ।। By attentively executing one’s prescribed duties (sva-dharma) with firm faith (mahiyasa) and without desire for any fruit (animittena), by regularly carrying out the prescribed acts of worship (kriya-yogena) in the esteemed manner ( Sastena ) without excessive violence, by seeing, touching, worshiping, praying, and bowing down to My deity form (mad-dhisnya), by perceiving Me within all living beings, by fortitude and detach- ment, by honoring the sages, by compassion for those in need, by friendship toward those on the same level of awareness, by 99 99 III The Practice of Bhakti adhering to the five moral restraints (yama) and adopting the five ethical codes (niyama), by regularly hearing the scriptures that disclose spiritual truth, by singing My names, by simplic- ity of heart, by associating with sages, and by giving up the false sense of ego, a person engaged in My dharma, whose heart is fully purified by all these virtuous actions, easily attains Me merely upon hearing of My qualities. (SB 3.29.15-19)1 निषेवितेन सम्यगनुष्ठितेन । अनिमित्तेन च निष्कामेन । स्वधर्मेण नित्यनैमित्तिकेन । महीयसा श्रद्धादियुक्तेन । The word nişevitena, qualifying sva-dharmena, means “by atten- tive execution” (samyag anusthitena); and animittena, qualify- ing the same word, means “without desire for any fruit” (niskā- mena). The word sva-dharmeņa means “by one’s regular and incidental prescribed duties” (nitya-naimittikena). The word mahiyasă, lit., “greater,” also qualifying sva-dharmeņa, indi- cates that prescribed duties are superior when endowed with faith (śraddhadi-yuktena). क्रियायोगेन पञ्चरात्राद्युक्तवैष्णवानुष्ठानेन । शस्तेन उत्तमदेशकालादिमता निष्कामेन च । नातिहिंस्रेण अतिहिंसारहितेन । अतिशब्दः प्राणादिपीडापरित्यागफलपत्रादिजी- वावयवस्वीकारार्थः । Kriya-yogena means “by the Vaisnava methods of worship out- lined in scriptures such as the Pañcaratra.” Sastena, “in the esteemed manner,” qualifying kriya-yogena, means “by con- ducting such worship at the optimal time and place and with- out motive (nişkamena).” Natihimsrena, also qualifying kriyā- yogena, means “without excessive violence.” The prefix ati, 1 nisevitenänimittena sva-dharmena mahiyasa kriya-yogena sastena natihimsrena nityasah mad-dhisnya-darśana-sparśa-puja-stuty-abhivandanaih bhüteşu mad-bhavanaya sattvenasangamena ca mahatam bahu-manena dinanam anukampaya maitrya caivātma-tulyeşu yamena niyamena ca adhyatmikanusravanan nama-sankirtanac ca me ärjavenarya-sangena nirahankriyaya tatha mad-dharmano gunair etaiḥ parisamśuddha asayaḥ purusasyanjasabhyeti śruta-mätra-gunam hi mam 100 229 Karma-jnana-misra Sanga-siddha-bhakti - Bhakti-matra-kama “excessive,” in the word atihimsrena, indicates that violence cannot be avoided altogether. This implies that in worship, one should refrain from causing pain to living beings and offer only the fruits, leaves, and other offshoots of living things [which may be utilized without destroying the original plant or tree]. मद्धिष्ण्यं मदर्चादि । भूतेष्वन्तर्यामित्वेन मद्भावनया । सत्त्वेन धैर्येण । असङ्गमेन वैरा- ग्येण च “अहिंसासत्यास्तेयब्रह्मचर्यापरिग्रहा यमाः” । “शौचसन्तोषतपःस्वाध्यायेश्वरप्र- णिधानानि नियमाः” । आध्यात्मिकमात्मानमात्मविवेकशास्त्रम् । निरहङ्कियया गर्वरा- हित्येन । Mad-dhisnyam means “My deity form or other objects that are the substratum of My appearance” (mad-arcadi). Bhüteşu mad- bhavanaya means “by perceiving Me as the Supreme Immanent Self (antaryāmi) situated in the hearts of all living beings.” Sattvena means “by fortitude” (dhairyena), and asangamena means “by detachment” (vairagyena). Yamena, “by moral restraint,” means “by the five yamas mentioned in the Yoga- sutras (2.30), namely, nonviolence, truthfulness, non-theft, celibacy, and non-avariciousness.” Niyamena, “by ethical behav- ior,” means “by the five niyamas mentioned in the Yoga-sūtras (2.32), namely, cleanliness, contentment, austerity, study of scriptures, and surrender to God.” Adhyatmikam, “pertaining to spiritual truth,” refers to the scriptures that disclose the dis- tinction between the conscious self (ātmā) and matter (anātmā). Nirahańkriyaya, “by giving up the false sense of ego,” means “by being devoid of pride” (garva-rähityena)? 2 मद्धर्मणो मद्धर्मानुष्ठातुः पुरुषस्याशयश्चित्तम् । श्रुतमात्रगुणं मामञ्जसाभ्येति “मद्गुणश्रुति- मात्रेण मयि” (भा० ३ । २९।११) इत्याद्युक्तलक्षणां ध्रुवानुस्मृतिं प्राप्नोतीत्यर्थः । [Kapila then concludes:] “The heart (asayaḥ, i.e., cittam) of a per- son who is engaged in My dharma (mad-dharmaṇaḥ, i.e., mad- dharmanusthātuḥ) [is fully purified by all these virtuous actions According to Ujjvala-nilamani 9.20, garva has six facets, namely, egoism (ahankara), inflated self-image (abhimana), pride (darpa), insolence (uddhasita), boasting (mada), and arrogance (auddhatya). By using the word garva here for ahańkriya, Sri Jīva implies that all of these nuances of egoism are to be given up, and not simply pride. 101 III The Practice of Bhakti (etaiḥ gunaiḥ parisamśuddhaḥ)]. Such a person easily attains Me merely upon hearing of My qualities.” This means that he attains the state of continuous remembrance of Bhagavan (dhruvänusmrti), as illustrated in this verse: Just as the water of the Ganga flows irresistibly to the sea, the stream of consciousness flows unobstructedly toward Me, the Supreme Immanent Self within all beings, simply by hearing of My qualities. (SB 3.29.11)3 अत्राध्यात्मिकश्रवणादिना ज्ञानाङ्गेन ज्ञानमिश्रत्वमपि ॥ श्रीकपिलदेवः || In the group of verses spoken by Kapiladeva, practices such as hearing the scriptures that disclose spiritual truth (adhyatmika- śravaṇādi) are limbs (angas) belonging to the path of jñāna, and as such the bhakti being described here is mixed with jñāna as well [along with karma, as indicated by practices such as attentively executing one’s prescribed duties (nişevitena sva-dharmena)]. Commentary THE VERSES cited here are spoken by Bhagavan Kapila to His mother Devahuti in response to her question about bhakti-yoga. In the course of His elaboration, Kapila describes various types of bhakti, such as tamasika, rajasika, sättvika, and nirguna. In the verses cited here (SB 3.29.15-19), He is describing mixed bhakti. Śrī Jiva Gosvāmi points out that the mixture of karma is referred to by the word sva-dharma (SB 3.29.15), and that of jñana is indicated by the compound adhyatmikānusravanat (SB 3.29.18). The bhakti described is sanga-siddha, because karma and jñana are subordinate to kriya-yoga (SB 3.29.15), which is a term used for deity worship in the Pañcaratra literature. That this bhakti is bhakti- matra-kāmā is understood from the last verse of the group, which states that all these practices lead to complete purity of heart and mad-guna-sruti-matrena mayi sarva-guhasaye mano-gatir avicchinna yatha gangambhaso’mbudhau 102 229 Karma-jnana-misra Sanga-siddha-bhakti - Bhakti-matra-kamā attainment of Bhagavan. This is possible only by pure bhakti. In the case of sanga-siddha-bhakti that is motivated by a material desire (sakāmā), there is no purity of heart, and in the case of sanga-siddha- bhakti that is motivated by the desire for liberation (kaivalya-kāmā), there is no attainment of Bhagavan. As an aside, it may be noted that on the path of bhakti, some violence in the form of picking fruits and flowers from trees and plants is accounted for. As such, life is unsustainable without some degree of violence, as affirmed by Śrī Narada: “One living being is the source of life for another” (jivo jivasya jīvanam, SB 1.13.46). But a Vaisnava minimizes violence as far as possible. Unlike on the path of yoga, nonviolence is not a primary or foundational principle of bhakti. Rather, it is a natural outcome of bhakti, but minimal vio- lence of the type described by Jiva Gosvami that is necessary for worship is not forbidden. 103 Anuccheda 230 Jñāna-miśra Sanga-siddha-bhakti – Bhakti-mātra-kāmā २३० । अथ ज्ञानमिश्रा (भा० ६ १६ १६२ ) - DEVOTION mixed with jñāna and motivated by a desire for bhakti alone is described by Bhagavan Sankarṣana to King Citraketu: दृष्टश्रुताभिर्मात्राभिर्निर्मुक्तः स्वेन तेजसा । ज्ञानविज्ञानसन्तृप्तो मद्भक्तः पुरुषो भवेत् ॥ ६७४ ॥ By the power of one’s discrimination, one should become free from the thirst for sense objects that are either directly expe- rienced or heard about. Then, being fully satisfied by knowl- edge and realization, a person should become My devotee. (SB 6.16.62)1 दृष्टेति ऐहिकामुष्मिक विषयैः । स्वेन तेजसा विवेकबलेन || श्रीसङ्कर्षणश्चित्रकेतुम् ॥ The word drsta, “seen,” refers to sense objects that are directly experienced in this world (aihika-vişaya), and the word śruta, “heard,” refers to sense objects that are heard about in scripture [such as the pleasures of heaven] and which pertain to the next life (amuşmika-visaya). Svena tejasa, “by one’s own prowess,’ means “by the power of one’s discrimination” (viveka-balena). 1 drsta-srutabhir matrabhir nirmuktah svena tejasā jnana-vijnana-santṛpto mad-bhaktah puruso bhavet “9 104 230 Jnana-misra Sanga-siddha-bhakti - Bhakti-matra-kāma Commentary THE BHAKTI described here is impelled by a desire for bhakti alone (bhakti-matra-kāmā), because Bhagavan informs Citraketu that the person undertaking this practice should become His devotee. He is not speaking about attaining some material boon or liberation. This statement thus excludes sakāmā as well as kaivalya-kāmā as being the motivations for this form of sanga-siddha-bhakti. The fact that bhakti is here mixed with jñāna is known from the words svena tejasă, referring to the power of discrimination (viveka), as well as by the word nirmukta, or freedom from the desire for sense plea- sure. Viveka, “discrimination,” and vairagya, “detachment,” are two of the four foundational qualifications for the path of jñāna. This is an instance of sanga-siddha-bhakti, because jñāna is spoken of as subordinate to bhakti. 105 Influence of the Gunas on the Practitioner of Direct Bhakti Anucchedas 231-233Anuccheda 231 Svarupa-siddhā Sakāmā Tamasi-bhakti २३१ । अथ केवलस्वरूपसिद्धोदाहियते । तत्र सकामा कैवल्यकामा चोपासकसङ्कल्पगु- णैस्तत्तद्गुणत्वेनोपचर्यते । Now we will describe kevala svarupa-siddha-bhakti, or devo- tional practices directly constituted of bhakti and unmixed with any other process (kevala). As with mixed devotion, this may also be performed with a material motive (sakāmā) or with a desire for liberation (kaivalya-kāmā). These two forms are rec- ognized by the corresponding qualitative constitutions (gunas) that manifest in the worshipers according to their specific resolve. ततः सकामा द्विविधा - तामसी राजसी च । पूर्वा यथा ( भा० ३।२९।८) – Out of these two forms, sakāma is of two types: tamasi, of the nature of indolence and darkness, and räjasi, of the nature of covetousness and distraction. Svarupa-siddha-bhakti prompted by a material motive (sakāmā) and influenced by indolence and darkness (tāmasi) is described in this verse: अभिसन्धाय यो हिंसां दम्भं मात्सर्यमेव वा । संरम्भी भिन्नदृग् भावं मयि कुर्यात् स तामसः ॥ ६७५ ॥ A practitioner who is prone to anger (samrambhi), whose vision is rooted in duality (bhinna-drk), and who renders devotion to Me with the intent to harm others, to uphold some pretense, or 109 III The Practice of Bhakti to bear malice, is influenced by the qualitative state of darkness (tamasa). (SB 3.29.8)’ अभिसन्धाय सङ्कल्प्य । संरम्भी सक्रोधः । भिन्नदृक् स्वस्मिन्निव सर्वत्र यत् सुख दुःख च तत्तदवेत्ता निरनुकम्प इत्यर्थः ॥ The word abhisandhaya refers to the particular resolve or intent (sankalpa) with which the said practitioner carries out the acts of devotion. Samrambhi means that the tamasika practitioner of bhakti is prone to anger (krodhi), and bhinna-drk, “whose vision is rooted in duality,” means that he is concerned only with his own pleasure and pain while oblivious to the pleasure and pain of others. This means that the tamasika practitioner is without compassion for others. Commentary IN ANUCCHEDA 217, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī first identified bhakti in general as being of three categories, namely aropa-siddha, sanga- siddha, and svarupa-siddha. After describing the first two along with the three different motivations that impel them, he now begins to explain the third. The practices that constitute this cat- egory of direct devotion are bhakti by their very nature. Svarupa- siddha-bhakti also has three divisions, namely, sakāmā, kaivalya- kāmā, and niṣkāmā. Sakāmā has two further divisions of tāmasī and rajasī. Of the remaining two, kaivalya-kāmā has only one divi- sion of sättviki, while nişkāmā has two divisions of vaidhi and rāgā- nuga. For ease of comprehension of all these different categories of devotion, one can consult the chart given in the commentary to Anuccheda 234. The verse cited here is spoken by Kapila, and in it He speci- fies the definition of sakāma-tamasi-bhakti. In truth, bhakti, as the intrinsic potency of Bhagavan, is always nirguna by its essential nature, and thus it can never be influenced by any of the gunas 1abhisandhaya yo himsam dambham matsaryam eva va samrambhi bhinna-drg bhavam mayi kuryat sa tamasah 110 231 Svarupa-siddha Sakama Tamasi-bhakti of prakṛti. If, however, the practitioner of svarupa-siddha-bhakti is identified with the material gunas and is thus under the sway of material desire or the urge for liberation, then the bhakti he performs is said to be influenced by the corresponding gunas. Therefore, in Kapila’s statement, the word abhisandhaya, “being of such resolve,” is highly significant. This points to the qualita- tive heart condition or the intent of the performer of bhakti. In this particular case, the practitioner is under the influence of tamas, because he performs bhakti with the intention to harm others, to uphold a pretense, or out of malice. For this reason, the bhakti executed by him takes the appellation tāmasī. 111 Anuccheda 232 Svarupa-siddhā Sakāmā Rājasī-bhakti २३२ । उत्तरा यथा ( भा० ३।२९।९ ) - SVARUPA-SIDDHA-BHAKTI prompted by a material motive (sakāmā) and influenced by covetousness and distraction (räjasī) is as described in this verse: विषयानभिसन्धाय यश ऐश्वर्यमेव वा । अर्चादावर्चयेद् यो मां पृथग्भावः स राजसः ॥ ६७६ ॥ A practitioner holding to a separate self-sense (prthag-bhavaḥ), who worships Me in My deity form with a resolve to enjoy sense objects, fame, or opulence, is influenced by the qualitative state of material dynamism (räjasa). (SB 3.29.9)2 पृथक् मत्तोऽन्यत्र विषयादिष्वेव भावः स्पृहा यस्य न तु मयीति राजसत्वहेतुता दर्शिता ॥ The compound prthag-bhavaḥ means “one who (yasya) main- tains a desire (bhavaḥ, i.e., spṛha) for objects that are separate 1 Sridhara Svāmi glosses the compound prthag-bhavah as bheda-darsi, “one whose vision is rooted in duality.” Elaborating on the latter term, Śrīmad Sukadeva glosses prthag-bhavah as “one who, being ignorant of his own true identity as an integrated part of Bhagavan, holds only to the vision of duality” (svasya bhagavad-amsatvam ajanan kevala-bheda-darsi). It is as a consequence of this separate self-sense and dualistic vision that the practitioner is covetous of objects that are separate from or other than Bhagavan, which is the explanation of the same compound given by Jiva Gosvami. viṣayan abhisandhaya yasa aisvaryam eva vā arcadav arcayed yo mam prthag-bhavaḥ sa räjasaḥ 112 232 Svarupa-siddha Sakama Rajasi-bhakti from or other than Me, but not for Me” (prthak, i.e., matto’nyatra vişayadiṣv eva na tu mayi). This separate self-sense (prthag- bhavaḥ) is thus shown to be the cause (hetu) of the practitioner’s räjasika constitution. Commentary THIS verse describes the qualitative heart condition of a person influenced by material dynamism (rajas). Rajas fills one with the sense of covetousness to enjoy material objects, which makes it impossible to feel the presence of Bhagavan. To enjoy material objects, one needs to consider oneself independent from Bhagavan. This is called the separate self-sense (prthag-bhava). Such a person does not see that everything belongs to Bhagavan and is a manifes- tation of His energy. Krsna asserts that the fundamental nature of such a person’s knowledge is that it is dualistic or pluralistic (prthaktvena): But the dualistic knowledge that recognizes a plurality of liv- ing beings of distinct variety in all living forms know that knowledge to be rajasika. (GITĀ 18.21)3 24 prthaktvena tu yaj jnanam nana-bhavan prthag-vidhan vetti sarveşu bhutesu taj jnanam viddhi rajasam 113 Anuccheda 233 Svarūpa-siddhā Kaivalya kāmā Sattvikī-bhakti २३३ । अथ कैवल्यकामा सात्त्विक्येव । सा यथा ( भा० ३।२९।१०) - SVARUPA-SIDDHA-BHAKTI prompted by a desire for liberation (kaivalya-kāmā) is influenced solely by the qualitative state of material illumination (sättviki), as described by Bhagavan Kapila: कर्मनिर्हारमुद्दिश्य परस्मिन् वा तदर्पणम् । यजेद् यष्टव्यमिति वा पृथग्भावः स सात्त्विकः || ६७७ ॥ A practitioner holding to a separate self-sense (prthag-bhāvah) ; who worships [My deity form (arcādau ) ] 2 with the intent to become free from bondage to karma, to offer his karma to the Supreme, or because he considers it as a moral obligation, is influenced by the qualitative state of material illumination ( sattvika ). ( SB 3.29.10 ) 3 कर्मनिर्हारं मोक्षमुद्दिश्य परस्मिन् परमेश्वरे यो वा कर्मार्पणं कुरुते यो वा यष्टव्यं सर्वे- षां नित्यविधिप्राप्तत्वेनावश्यमेव तत्पूजनं कर्तव्यमिति बुद्ध्या न तु भक्तितत्त्वज्ञानेन यो यजेत् परमेश्वरं पूजयति अत एव पूर्ववत् पृथग्भावो भक्तेः पृथङ् मोक्षमेव पुरुषार्थत्वेन भावयन् स सात्त्विक उच्यते । उत्तरस्या अपि तात्पर्यं कर्मनिर्हार एव भवेदिति । 1 2 Sridhara Svami comments here that the dualistic vision (bheda-darsitvam) with which the worshiper conducts his worship of the deity is the same in all three varieties of sattvika practitioners described in this verse. Śrīdhara Svami. The word arcadau is drawn from the previous verse. 3 karma-nirharam uddisya parasmin va tad-arpanam yajed yastavyam iti va prthag-bhavah sa sattvikah 114 233 Svarupa-siddha Kaivalya-kama Sattviki-bhakti The words karma-nirhāram uddiśya, “with the intent to become free from bondage to karma,” mean “with the resolve to attain liberation” (mokşam uddiśya). Alternatively, the said practi- tioner may worship Parameśvara (yajet, i.e., püjayati) with the intent to offer his prescribed actions (karmarpanam) to the Sup- reme (parasmin). A third alternative is that he may worship Parameśvara with the attitude that it is compulsory to do so (yaşṭavyam iti), being ordained as a regular obligatory duty for everyone, rather than conducting such worship with a true understanding of the principles of bhakti. Consequently, like the sakāma devotees influenced by tamas and rajas, such a devo- tee also holds to a separate self-sense (prthag-bhava) because he considers liberation (mokşa) as an ultimate end (puruṣārtha) separate from bhakti. Such a practitioner is influenced by the qualitative state of material illumination (sättvika). Even in the case of the practitioner who worships Bhagavan with the attitude that it is an obligatory duty, as indicated in the second line of the verse, the end achieved is nothing more than freedom from karma (karma-nirhāra). उक्तं च “सात्त्विकः कारकोऽसङ्गी” ( भा० ११।२५।२६) इति “कैवल्यं सात्त्विकं ज्ञानम्” ( भा० ११ । २५।२४) इति " सात्त्विकं सुखमात्मोत्थम्” ( भा० ११ । २५।२८) इति च तत्साध- नसाध्ययोः सगुणत्वम् । अत्रत्योदाहरणं यजेदित्युत्तरार्द्धमेव ॥ The following statements also typify the sadhana and sadhya of sättvika practice: “The practitioner (karaka) who is unattached to the fruits of action (asangi) is of the sattvika disposition” (SB 11.25.26).* And: “Knowledge that pertains to liberation (kaivalya) [or the immediate intuition of the self’s distinction from the body (dehädi-vyatiriktätma-viṣayaka-jñāna)] is of the nature of sattva” (SB 11.25.24). 4 sättvikah karako’sangi 5 Sridhara Svami 6 kaivalyam sättvikam jñānam 115 III The Practice of Bhakti And also: “Happiness that arises in regard to the self is of the nature of sattva” (SB 11.25.29)? From these statements, it is clearly evident that kaivalya-kāmā svarupa-siddha-bhakti is saguna both in terms of its practice (sadhana) and in terms of its ultimate end (sadhya). Because of the specific use of the verb yajet, “he worships,” in the second half of SB 3.29.10, this verse serves as an example of the class of bhakti under discussion [i.e., of svarupa-siddhā kaivalya-kāmā sättviki-bhakti]. Commentary IN THE GITĀ, Krsna says that jnana arises from sattva (14.17). This jñāna is a doorway to the direct disclosure of Brahman (SB 3.32.23). This implies that the practitioner becomes liberated. Jnana as a product of sattva results in vairagya. This awareness is of Brah- man but not of Bhagavan. To attain this state, one carries out his prescribed karma either as a moral obligation without any other motive or with the intent to become free from karma. This first half of SB 3.29.10 illustrates only the kaivalya-kāma sättvika constitution of the performer but not svarupa-siddha- bhakti per se. It is specifically the word yajet, “he worships” in the second half of the verse that qualifies the statement as an instance of svarupa-siddha-bhakti of the variety being pointed out by Jiva Gosvāmi. It is to be noted that in all three verses cited in the last three anucchedas (SB 3.29.8-10), Kapila uses the word bhinna-drk, “of dualistic vision,” or prthag-bhava, “holding to a separate self- sense.” These terms imply that the bhakti practitioners being described consider themselves as separate from Bhagavan - not as His own integrated parts - and as worshiping Him with a motive to attain some particular boon that is apart from Him. This men- tality is called bhinna-drk or prthag-bhava, and it is a product of ignorance of the truth of Bhagavan. 7 sättvikam sukham atmottham 116 233 Svarupa-siddha Kaivalya-kama Sattviki-bhakti This is the fundamental difference between the awareness of a pure devotee (i.e., the ananya-bhakta) and all other spiritual practitioners. The heart of bhakti involves a complete absence of the separate ego sense (prthag-bhava) and perfect establishment in mamatva-bhāva, the unconditional sense of belongingness by which one feels that “Bhagavan is mine, and I am His.” This is the real meaning of sammukhya. It is on this basis that Śrī Jiva said ear- lier (in Anucchedas 3 and 176) that even the awareness of Brahman does not fit the criteria of sammukhya in the strictest sense. This is why bhakti is the only abhidheya, and not jnana, yoga, or karma. 117Svarupa-siddha-bhakti Anuccheda 234 Anuccheda 234 Svarupa-siddhā Nirguṇā-bhakti २३४ । अथ यस्या एवोत्कर्षज्ञानार्थमेते भक्तिभेदा निरूपिताः सा भक्तिमात्रकामत्वान् निष्कामा निर्गुणा केवला स्वरूपसिद्धा निरूप्यते । इयमेवाकिञ्चनाख्यत्वेन सर्वोर्द्धं पूर्व- मप्यभिहिता । ALL THESE various divisions of bhakti have been discussed sim- ply to bring to light the preeminence of the bhakti that will now be described. Because this bhakti is undertaken with the intent for bhakti alone (bhakti matra-kāma), it is niskama, or “free from all ulterior motive.” It is known as nirguņā, or “devoid of the material guņas,” as kevala, or “unmixed with any other process,” and as svarupa-siddhā, or “ intrinsically constituted of bhakti in its essential nature.” This same bhakti was previously described as the topmost process (sarvorddhvam) because it was defined as being akiñcana, or without dependence on anything else.

तामाह (भा० ३।२९।११-१४ ) - Bhagavan Kapila defines this svarüpa-siddha nirguna-bhakti in these words: मद्गुणश्रुतिमात्रेण मयि सर्वगुहाशये । मनौगतिरविच्छिन्ना यथा गङ्गाम्भसोऽम्बुधौ || ६७८ ॥ लक्षणं भक्तियोगस्य निर्गुणस्य ह्युदाहृतम् । अहैतुक्यव्यवहिता या भक्तिः पुरुषोत्तमे ।। ६७९ ।। सालोक्यसाष्र्ष्टिसामीप्यसारूप्यैकत्वमप्युत । 121 III The Practice of Bhakti दीयमानं न गृह्णन्ति विना मत्सेवनं जनाः ॥ ६८० ॥ स एव भक्तियोगाख्य आत्यन्तिक उदाहृतः । येनातिव्रज्य त्रिगुणं मद्भावायोपपद्यते ॥ ६८१ ॥ Bhakti in the form of an uninterrupted (avicchinna), cause- less (ahaituki), nondual (avyavahita)’ stream of conscious- ness (mano-gati) - impelled merely by hearing My qualities - toward Me, the Supreme Self (Purusottama) and the Indweller in the cave of the hearts of all beings, like the water of the Ganga flowing irresistibly to the sea, is indeed declared as the defini- tive characteristic (lakṣaṇam) [i.e., the constitutional nature (svarupa)] of nirguṇa-bhakti-yoga. Even if granted by Me, [My own] people (janah) do not accept mukti in the form of residence on the same planet as Me (salo- kya), enjoyment of similar opulence (sārsti), proximity to Me (samipya), endowment with a form identical to Mine (sarūpya), or oneness with Me (ekatvam), if such liberated states preclude the possibility of divine service to Me. This seva alone [involv- ing the nirguna flow of consciousness toward Me], known as bhakti-yoga, is determined as the ultimate state of libera- tion (atyantika) by means of which one transcends the three gunas of material nature and attains unadulterated love for Me. (SB 3.29.11-14)2 1 Śrīdhara Svami glosses the word avyavahita as bheda-darsana-rahita, or “devoid of the vision of duality,” which qualifies the compound mano-gatih, or “the stream of consciousness.” This stands in contrast to the vision of the practitioners previously described, who are influenced by the gunas and who have been characterized as bheda-darsī, “of dualistic vision.” Visvanatha Cakravarti glosses the same word as “devoid of any intervention (vyavadhana) of karma and jñana.” As will be seen ahead, Sri Jiva glosses the word avyavahita as “unmediated (na vyavadhanatmika) and direct (säkṣāt), being intrinsically 2 constituted of bhakti in its essential nature (svarupa-siddha).” mad-guna-sruti-matrena mayi sarva-guhasaye mano-gatir avicchinna yatha gangambhaso’mbudhau lakṣaṇam bhakti-yogasya nirgunasya hy udahrtam ahaituky avyavahita ya bhaktiḥ purusottame salokya-sarṣṭi-samipya-särupyaikatvam apy uta dīyamanam na grhnanti vina mat-sevanam janah sa eva bhakti-yogakhya atyantika udahṛtaḥ yenativrajya tri-gunam mad-bhavayopapadyate 122 234 Svarupa-siddha Nirguna-bhakti मद्गुणश्रुतिमात्रेण न तु तत्रोद्देश्यान्तरसिद्ध्यभिप्रायेण । In the first verse, the compound mad-guna-śruti-mātrena, “impelled merely by hearing My qualities,” signifies that in this nirguṇa-bhakti, there is no intention to accomplish any other goal. प्राकृतगुणमयकरणानां सर्वेषां गुहा करणागोचरपदवी तस्यां शेते गुह्यतया निश्चलतया च तिष्ठति यस्तस्मिन् मय्यविच्छिन्ना विषयान्तरेण विच्छेत्तुमशक्या या मनोगतिः सा । The compound sarva-guhaśaye, “unto the Indweller in the cave of the hearts of all beings,” signifies that Bhagavan abides (šete, i.e., tişṭhati) secretly (guhyataya) and immovably (niścalataya) in the cave (guha) that is interior, and hence imperceptible, to everyone’s senses, which are constituted of the material gunas. It is unto Me (mayi), the hidden Indweller, that the stream of consciousness (mano-gati) flows uninterruptedly (avicchinnā), meaning that it cannot be severed by any other object. | । अविच्छिन्नत्वे दृष्टान्तः– यथेति । गतिरिति पूर्वस्मादाकृष्यते छान्दसत्वात् नित्यापेक्ष- त्वात् । लक्षणं स्वरूपम् । Kapila then gives an example to illustrate the unobstructed nature (avicchinnatva) of this flow of consciousness, compar- ing it to the flow of the Ganga to the sea. Although the word gati, “flow,” appears as part of the compound mano-gatiḥ, “the flow of consciousness,” for the purpose of the comparison, it has to be extracted from the compound and applied also to the water of the Ganga (gangambhasah), on the basis of the rules governing poetic usage and because of the perpetual connec- tion between the water of the Ganga and its flow to the sea. In the second verse (SB 3.29.12), the word lakṣaṇam, “the definitive characteristic,” means “the constitutional nature” (svarupam) [of nirguna-bhakti-yoga]. ननु तस्या गुणश्रुतेः का वार्ता । उद्देश्यान्तराभावेन मनोगतित्वाभावेन च द्विधापि निर्देष्टु- मशक्त्यत्वात् ? A doubt may be raised here [in regard to Kapila’s statement in the first verse]. How can one speak of hearing the qualities of 123 III The Practice of Bhakti Bhagavan when it was already admitted above that such hearing is devoid of the intention to accomplish any other goal? Further- more, the stream of the mind (mano-gati) does not naturally flow toward or into Bhagavan. Thus, from both the absence of motivation and the absence of Bhagavan-directed mental flow, it would appear infeasible to direct the mind toward such hearing. तत्राह- अहैतुकी फलानुसन्धानरहिता । अव्यवहिता स्वरूपसिद्धत्वेन साक्षाद्रूपा न त्वारोपादिसिद्धत्वेन व्यवधानात्मिका । तादृशी या भक्तिः श्रोत्रादिना सेवनमात्रं सा च तस्य स्वरूपमित्यर्थः । In answer to the first question, the second verse in this group states that bhakti is ahaituki, “causeless,” meaning that it is devoid of the impetus to seek any fruit (phalanusandhāna- rahita) [and as such, hearing Bhagavan’s qualities is an end unto itself, requiring no other motivation]. In answer to the second question, the second verse specifies bhakti as avyava- hitä, “devoid of any intervening medium or cause.” This means that this nirguṇa-bhakti is direct in nature (sākṣāt) because it is intrinsically constituted of bhakti in its essential being (svarupa- siddha). Consequently, it is independent of any mediating factor, unlike aropa-siddha-bhakti, in which bhakti is merely attributed to actions that are not bhakti by nature. Bhakti of this causeless (ahaituki) and immediate (avyavahitā) nature is nothing other than divine service (seva), manifesting of its own accord through the vehicle of the senses, beginning with the ears, and this sevā is its constitutional nature (svarūpa). मात्रपदेनाविच्छिन्नेत्यनेन च मनोगतेरहैतुकीत्वादिसिद्धेः पृथग्योजनानर्हत्वात् “सात्त्विकः कारकोऽसङ्गी” (भा० ११ | २५ | २६ ) इत्यादिषु “निर्गुणो मदपाश्रयः” इत्यादिभिस्तदाश्रय- क्रियादीनां निर्गुणत्वस्थापनात् ( भा० ११ | १३ | ४० ) -

मां भजन्ति गुणाः सर्वे निर्गुण निरपेक्षकम् । सुहृदं सर्वभूतानां साम्यासङ्गादयोऽगुणाः ॥ ६८२ ॥ इत्यत्र तद्गुणानामप्यप्राकृतत्वश्रवणात् । 124 — 234 Svarupa-siddha Nirguna-bhakti [The second verse thus corroborates what is said in the first verse that in nirguna-bhakti, the stream of consciousness does indeed flow toward Bhagavan - on the following grounds:] First of all, because the separate use of the adjectives ahaituki and avyavahită [qualifying mano-gati] is unnecessary, since the causelessness (ahaitukītva) and unmediated nature (avyavahi- tatva) of the stream of consciousness (mano-gati) was already established in the first verse by the words matrena, [impelled] “merely by” [hearing], and avicchinna, “uninterrupted,” respec- tively [yet these two adjectives have been used simply to empha- size the point in question]; secondly, because the actions of a person who is under the shelter of Bhagavan have been estab- lished as nirguna in verses such as the following: “The agent who is unattached to the fruits of action is sättvika, whereas the agent who works under My shelter is nirguna” (SB 11.25.26);3 and thirdly, because the transphenomenal nature (aprakṛtatva) of Bhagavan’s qualities is itself evidenced in verses such as the following: All transcendental virtues (gunas), such as even-mindedness and detachment, which are not products of the three gunas, are sheltered in Me, who am beyond the gunas (nirguna), utterly independent (nirapekṣaka), and the friend and well-wisher (suhrda) of all living beings. (SB 11.13.40)4 अहैतुकीत्वमेव विशेषतो दर्शयति – जना मदीयाः । सालोक्यादिकमप्युत अपि दीयमा नमपि न गृह्णन्ति । मत्सेवनं विनेति गृह्णन्ति चेत् तर्हि मत्सेवनार्थमेव गृह्णन्ति न तु तदर्थ- मेवेत्यर्थः । Kapila then specifically points out the causeless nature (ahaitu- kitva) of this bhakti [in the third verse from the above group, SB 3.29.13]. He says: “These people (janāḥ), meaning My own devotees (madiyah), do not accept even the five types of liber- ation, beginning with residence on the same planet (salokya), even if granted by Me, if they preclude the possibility of divine 3 a sättvikah karako’sangi… nirguno mad-apasrayaḥ 4 mām bhajanti gunah sarve nirgunam nirapeksakam suhrdam sarva-bhūtānām sāmyāsangadayo’guṇaḥ 125 III The Practice of Bhakti service to Me. This implies that if at all My devotees do accept these forms of liberation, they do so only for the sake of My service, and not for the sake of liberation itself.” साष्र्ष्टिः समानैश्वर्यम् । एकत्वं भगवत्सायुज्यं ब्रह्मसायुज्यं च । अनयोस्तल्लीलात्मकत्वेन तत्सेवनार्थत्वाभावादग्रहणावश्यकत्वमेवेति भावः । The word sărṣți means to attain opulence (aiśvarya) similar to that of Bhagavan. The word ekatva, “oneness with Me,” can mean either to merge in Bhagavan (bhagavat-säyujya) or to merge in Brahman (brahma-säyujya). Because these two forms of ekatva involve the dissolution of the self in Him, they are utterly devoid of the possibility of service to Him, and therefore they are certainly not to be accepted. तस्मात् स एव निर्गुणभक्तियोगाख्य आत्यन्तिकः स एव चात्यन्तिकफलतया भवतीत्य- पवर्ग इत्यर्थः " नात्यन्तिकं विगणयन्ति” ( भा० ३ | १५ | ४८ ) इत्यादेः । आत्यन्तिकप्रलय- तया तत्प्रसिद्धेश्च । [Śri Jiva now elaborates on the final verse from the group, SB 3.29.14.] Consequently, this [seva] alone (sa eva), known as nirguna-bhakti-yoga, is determined [udahṛta] as the ultimate state of liberation (atyantika); which is to say that this alone is the ultimate fruit (atyantika-phala) to be attained, meaning the paramount state of liberation (apavarga). This is the sense of the first line. This conclusion is substantiated by the fact that the devotees who have taken shelter of Bhagavan’s feet do not consider even liberation (atyantikam, i.e., mokşam)5 as His 5 In conventional usage, the word atyantika is an adjective meaning, “infinite, endless, absolute, ultimate, or final.” In Vedanta philosophy, the word atyantika is synonymous with moksa, apavarga, and the other common terms for liberation. In their commentaries on SB 3.15.48, both Sridhara Svami and Sri Jīva Gosvami gloss the word atyantikam as moksam, “liberation.” Visvanatha Cakravarti glosses the same word as both mokṣam and sayujyam. Thus, when Kapila declares nirguna-bhakti-yoga as atyantikam in SB 3.29.14, He means that it is the ultimate or paramount state of liberation, beyond the impersonal form of liberation popularly known as moksa or sayujya, which the Kumāras themselves, the highest authorities on liberation, determine as being disregardable by the devotees in SB 3.15.48. 126 234 Svarupa-siddha Nirguna-bhakti mercy, as stated by the Kumāras in SB 3.15.48 (natyantikam viga- nayanti), and also because nirguṇa-bhakti is widely proclaimed as the ultimate state of liberation (atyantika-pralaya) [in verses such as SB 12.4.34]? ननु गुणत्रयात्ययपूर्वकभगवत्साक्षात्कार एवापवर्ग इति चेत् तस्यापि तादृशधर्मत्वं स्वतः सिद्धमेवेत्याह- येनेति । येन कदाचिदप्यपरित्याज्येन मम भावाय विद्यमानतायै साक्षा- त्कारायेत्यर्थः । उपपद्यते समर्थो भवति । Į | One may object, however, that apavarga should be defined as the immediate self-disclosure (sākṣātkāra) of Bhagavan, attained only after transcending the three guņas. Even if apavarga is understood in this sense, nirguna-bhakti-yoga can still be termed as apavarga because it is intrinsically self-endowed with such nature in its essential constitution. This is confirmed in the second line of SB 3.29.14: “by means of which [bhakti-yoga] one transcends the three gunas of mate- rial nature and attains unadulterated love for Me (mad-bhāva).” This statement can be reinterpreted as follows: The pronoun yena, “by which,” means “by which bhakti-yoga that is never to be given up” (kadacid apy aparityäjyena), the verb upapadyate means “one becomes fit” (samartho bhavati), and mad-bhāvāya means “for My direct presence” (vidyamänataya), or in other words, “for My immediate self-disclosure” (sākṣātkārāya). यथोक्तं पञ्चमे “यथावर्णविधानमपवर्गश्च भवति योऽसौ भगवति” ( भा० ५।१९।१९-२० ) इत्यादिकम् “ अनन्यनिमित्तभक्तियोगलक्षणो नानागतिनिमित्ताविद्याग्रन्थिरन्धनद्वारेण” 7 For ease of reference, the complete translation of SB 3.15.48 is given here: “O Dear One, Your glories are themselves a sacred place of pilgrimage (tirtha) and hence worthy of recitation. Those who have taken shelter of Your lotus feet, who are skillful in narrating Your stories, and who are conversant with the aesthetic rapture (rasa) implicit in such topics, do not regard even liberation (atyantikam) as Your mercy, to say nothing of other boons, which are susceptible to fear at the merest knitting of Your eyebrows.” In support of Sri Jiva’s statement, the translation of SB 12.4.34 is given here: “O King, when, in this manner, the knot of illusory ego that binds the self is cut by the sword of discernment and one becomes firmly established in the immediate cognition of the Supreme Self, Bhagavan Acyuta, that state is known as atyantika-pralaya.” 127इत्यन्तम् । III The Practice of Bhakti That bhakti is equated with apavarga, or “liberation,” is also evident from the following two verses from the Fifth Canto of Śrimad Bhagavata, beginning with this statement: “By carry- ing out one’s prescribed vocational duties and offering them to Bhagavan, one eventually also attains apavarga” (SB 5.19.19) The constitutional nature (svarupa)’ of apavarga is then spec- ified in the next verse: “By destroying the knot of ignorance, which is the cause of innumerable births in different species, a person attains apavarga, characterized as unconditional, causeless bhakti-yoga for Bhagavan Vasudeva” (SB 5.19.20).10 8 अतो निर्गुणापि बहुधैवावगन्तव्या । एवमेवोक्तमेतत्प्रकरणारम्भे ( भा० ३।२९।७ ) - Therefore, nirguṇā-bhakti is also understood to be of various types. This fact was stated by Bhagavan Kapila in the beginning of the discussion of this topic (prakarana):” भक्तियोगो बहुविधो मार्गैर्भाविनि भाव्यते । स्वभावगुणमार्गेण पुंसां भावो विभिद्यते ॥ ६८३ ॥ इति । … yatha-varna-vidhanam apavargas capi bhavati. In his Krama-sandarbha commentary on this verse, Jiva Gosvami glosses the compound yatha-varna-vidhanam as sva-sva-dharmarpaṇādi kramenety arthah. The above translation has been rendered accordingly. ⚫ Both Sridhara Svāmī and Visvanatha Cakravarti introduce this verse by saying that it defines the svarupa, or “the constitutional nature,” of apavarga. The word apavarga in the translation to SB 5.19.20 is drawn from the previous verse, to which SB 5.19.20 is syntactically connected. In this regard, Jiva Gosvami glosses the compound bhakti-yoga-lakṣaṇaḥ as bhakti-yoga lakṣano’py apavargo bhavati, “he attains apavarga, which is also characterized as bhakti-yoga.” From this, it is understood that the svarupa of apavarga is unconditional, causeless (ananya-nimitta) bhakti-yoga. 10 yo’sau bhagavati… vasudeve’nanya-nimitta-bhakti-yoga-laksano nana-gati-nimittävidya-granthi-randhana-dvarena… “The prakarana, or “topical section,” referred to here begins with SB 3.29.7 and ends with the four principal verses of this anuccheda (SB 3.29.11-14), which describe nirguna-svarupa-siddha-bhakti. This topic has been the ongoing discussion in Anucchedas 231-234. 128 234 Svarupa-siddha Nirguna-bhakti O Mother, the intentions (bhavah) of human beings differ according to the operation of the gunas that constitute their nature (svabhava-guna-margena).“2 Bhakti-yoga thus manifests in many ways in human beings of varying intentions (bhāvini)13 according to the specific methods they adopt (märgaih). (SB 3.29.7)14 मार्गैः प्रकारविशेषैः । अतः स्वस्य भक्तियोगस्यैव मार्गेण वृत्तिभेदेन श्रवणादिना भावस्या- भिमानस्य तद्भेदेन दास्यादिना गुणानां तमआदीनां च तद्भेदेन हिंसादिना पुंसां भावोऽभि- प्रायो विभिद्यत इत्यर्थः । In the first line of the verse, the word märgaiḥ, lit., “by the dif- ferent paths,” means “by the specific methods practitioners may adopt” (prakara-viseṣaih). [Bhakti-yoga manifests in many ways according to these specific methods.] In the second line of the verse, the compound sva-bhava-guna-margena is to be under- stood as follows. The word sva means “of or related to the practi- tioner” (svasya); märga means “according to the different prac- tices of devotion undertaken” (bhakti-yogasyaiva vṛtti-bhedena), such as hearing and so on (śravaṇādinā); bhāva means “accord- ing to the practitioner’s self-concept in relation to Bhagavan” (abhimanasya tad-bhedena), such as a servant and so on (däsya- dinā); and guna means “according to the different qualitative constitutions that influence the practitioner,” such as tamas, which predisposes the practitioner toward violence and so on (himsādinā). The intentions (bhavaḥ, i.e., abhiprayah) of human beings differ according to these various criteria. 12 Sridhara Svami glosses this compound as svabhava-bhūto ye gunas tesam margena vrtti-bhedena. The translation has been rendered accordingly. Jīva Gosvāmī gives a different interpretation of the same compound, as will be seen in his explanation that follows. 13 14 There is an alternate reading with the word bhamini found in place of bhavini. The word bhamini would be taken as a vocative, meaning “O noble lady,” or “O Mother.” Jiva Gosvāmi glosses the word bhāvini as bhava yukte puruse, “in human beings endowed with varying intentions.” Visvanatha Cakravarti confirms the same idea in his gloss on the same word - bhavo’bhiprayas tad-vati puruse. bhakti-yogo bahu-vidho margair bhavini bhavyate svabhava-guna-margena pumsām bhāvo vibhidyate 129 III The Practice of Bhakti अत्र मुक्ताफलटीका च " अयमात्यन्तिकः । ततः परं प्रकारान्तराभावात् । अस्यैव भक्ति- योग इत्याख्यान्वर्थेन भक्तिशब्दस्यात्रैव मुख्यत्वात् । इतरेषु फल एवानुरागो न तु विष्णौ फललाभेन भक्तित्यागात्” इत्येषा । In commenting on Mukta-phala (5.14) [in reference to SB 3.29.14],15 Hemadri says: “The bhakti-yoga described in this verse is the ultimate category of devotion (atyantika) because there are no other varieties of devotion beyond it. This alone is termed as ‘bhakti-yoga.’ Bhakti-yoga, as defined specifically in this verse, conforms to the etymological meaning of devotion because the word bhakti is used primarily in this sense. In the various forms of mixed devotion, the attachment is to the fruit and not to Bha- gavan Visņu, because once the practitioners obtain the fruit, they abandon the path of devotion.“16 श्रीगोपालतापनीश्रुतौ च “भक्तिरस्य भजनं तदिहामुत्रोपाधिनैरास्येनामुष्मिन् । मनःक- ल्पनमेतदेव च नैष्कर्म्यम्” (गो० ता० उ०१।१५) इति । The Gopala-täpani-śruti also says: Bhakti means service (bhajana) to Bhagavan, which means to fix the mind exclusively on Him, by giving up all desires related to this world and the next. This alone is naiskarmya, the state of freedom from karmic bondage, or in other words, liberation. (GTU 1.15)17 15 16 Vopadeva has written a work named Mukta-phala, which is a compilation of quotations from Srimad Bhagavata arranged according to rasa. The famous Jain scholar Hemadri wrote a commentary on this essay called Kaivalya-dipika. ayam atyantikah. tatah param prakarantarabhavat. asyaiva bhakti-yoga ity akhyany arthena bhakti-sabdasyatraiva mukhyatvät. itareşu phala evanurago na tu vişnau phala-labhena bhakti-tyagat. The printed edition of Kaivalya-dipika has the reading phala-labhe bhakti-tyāgāt. 17 bhaktir asya bhajanam tad ihamutropadhi-nairasyenamusmin manah kalpanam etad eva ca naiskarmyam 130 234 Svarupa-siddha Nirguna-bhakti शतपथश्रुतौ " स होवाच याज्ञवल्क्यस्तत् पुमानात्महिताय प्रेम्णा हरिं भजेत्” इति । And in the Satapatha-śruti, we find the following statement: “Yajnavalkya said, ‘For the ultimate good of the self, a person should worship Bhagavan Hari with love (prema).’ प्रेम्णा प्रीतिमात्रकामनया यदात्महितं तस्मै इत्यर्थः ॥ श्रीकपिलदेवः ॥ “18 This verse indicates that the self’s ultimate good (atma-hita) ensues solely from the aspiration for divine love of Bhagavan. One should worship Him for that purpose alone. Commentary ŚRI JIVA now begins the explanation of pure devotion, suddha- bhakti, also known as svarupa-siddhā, niskāmā, nirguņā, akiñcană, ananya, and aikantiki. This is the heart of Bhakti Sandarbha. The whole effort so far was made to arrive at this point. This bhakti is the true abhidheya of the sastra. Although various methods have been prescribed throughout the scriptures, the real intention of śāstra culminates only in pure bhakti. Other prescriptions are made for people who are ineligible for pure bhakti because they harbor other desires. Even in prescribing other methods, however, the intention of sastra is still to bring even these practitioners to pure devotion in a gradual manner. The analysis of bhakti undertaken in the preceding anucchedas is very important. This is meant to aid the practitioner in differentiat- ing pure bhakti from its impure varieties. If a person is interested in buying golden jewelry, then he or she must have the required knowledge of gold to be able to distinguish the different varieties of artificial and mixed golden ornaments. Otherwise, one can be cheated. The various qualitative dispositions and desires discussed in relation to the divisions of bhakti are embedded in our hearts. Some of them may be in an active state and others in seed form. When one 18 sa hovaca yajnavalkyas tat-puman atma-hitaya premna harim bhajet 131 III The Practice of Bhakti begins to perform sadhana, these seeds also sprout, like the seeds of weeds that sprout when we plant a shrub in our garden. Usu- ally the weeds grow faster than the original plant itself. If we are not careful, they will choke the plant and devour all the nutrients in the soil. Therefore, sädhakas have to be very attentive to detect these tendencies in their own hearts. If the practitioner commits offenses, they will grow especially quickly. The different varieties of bhakti discussed so far are summarized in Figure 234.1. Bhagavan Kapila has defined pure bhakti to His mother in the verses cited in this anuccheda (SB 3.29.11-14). The fundamental dif- ference between this bhakti and those elaborated earlier is in terms of bhava, or the practitioner’s felt sense of identity in relation to Bhagavan. In all other forms of bhakti, the performer has bhinna or pṛthag-bhava, the sense of being an experiencer independent of Bhagavan. The practitioners who hold to this separate self-sense aspire for some particular end that is separate from Bhagavan. Their bhakti is also undertaken to fulfill their own aims. In contrast, a pure devotee does not desire even the five types of liberation, if they are not conducive to the service of Bhagavan. A pure devotee does not desire even Bhagavan alone. He or she aspires only for the service of Bhagavan. To desire Bhagavan bereft of the will to serve Him means that one intends to use Bhagavan for himself. This mentality is comparable to people who endeavor to make acquaintance with a famous person so that they can take advantage of that person. They are not concerned for the person’s welfare, but only about the potential the relation affords them for their own benefit. Or, to give another example, people commonly work in an office or for a company. The average employees serve the company, but their interest is in their own home or family. Their interest is not identical with that of the company. Their primary motivation to join and serve in a company is not to enable the growth of the company but to enable their own growth. Accordingly, they feel relieved when it is time to go home at the end of the day. They remain content as long as their salary is paid, even if the company 132 234 Svarupa-siddha Nirguna-bhakti goes into the red. And if they find better opportunities elsewhere, they will leave their present employment. The pure devotee, on the other hand, does not have a sense of separate identity (prthag-bhava), nor any separate agenda. He is devoid of all sense of identity and ownership in relation to home, family, and even his own body, and bereft of any plan to enjoy with- out Bhagavan. This is why bhakti is ahaituki, or causeless. There is no external or separate cause motivating it. As a consequence, it is also uninterrupted. There is nothing that can obstruct its flow. The bhakta does not have any other duties to attend to or any other place he needs to go, where he could live without bhakti and Bhaga- van. Bhagavan belongs to him, and he belongs to Bhagavan. He is part of Bhagavan’s family, the acyuta-gotra. Therefore, his mind no longer flows to any other object, activity, or person. Just as the water of the Ganga flows day and night from the Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal, without any external force being applied and without any interruption, the mind of a nirguna-bhakta flows to Bhagavan. The Ganga becomes stable upon reaching the ocean, making no further effort to move from there. If there are still any movements in it, appearing in the form of waves, they remain within the ocean alone. In a corresponding manner, the mind of a nirguna-bhakta is permanently stabilized in Bhagavan. Even if enticed by the five types of mukti, such a bhakta does not leave Bhagavan, because his mind is absorbed in unbroken remembrance. This was stated by sage Hari, while describing the characteristics of a superlative bhakta: He is the foremost Vaisnava whose unabated remembrance never strays even for half a moment - not even for the sake of the opu- lence of the three worlds - from the lotus feet of Bhagavan, which are sought even by the gods for whom Ajita is their very Self. (SB 11.2.53)19 The nirguna-bhakta is willing to accept something only if it facil- itates his service to Bhagavan. This is comparable to the movement 19 tri-bhuvana-vibhava-hetave’py akuntha-smrtir ajitätma-surädibhir vimrgyat na calati bhagavat-padaravindal lava-nimiṣārdham api sa vaisnavāgryaḥ 133 III The Practice of Bhakti of the Ganga in the form of waves as it merges with the ocean. A devotee, however, never accepts sayujya-mukti, because there is no possibility of service therein. Just as the water of the Ganga is considered perfectly pure, so too is the mind of a niskama-bhakta. Ganga water has the power to purify others; so it is with the mind of a bhakta. A doubt may be raised here. Bhakti is said to be causeless, but we learned earlier that it is caused by sadhu-sanga. How is this apparent contradiction to be resolved? The reply to this question is that sadhu-sanga is not different from bhakti. Sadhus are impelled by bhakti to give their association or bhakti to those who are bereft of it. When it is said that bhakti is causeless, it means that it is without any external cause. For this reason, it is said that bhakti is caused by bhakti (SB 11.3.31). A further doubt may be raised on the same point. It is said that bhakti is performed to attain prema, meaning that it is motivated by the desire to attain that particular end, so how can it be called causeless? In reply, it is said that prema is nothing but a higher stage of bhakti. It is the stage when bhakti becomes the natural state of a devotee’s existence. In the final verse from Kapila’s group of statements (SB 3.29.14), the word atyantika should not be misinterpreted to mean sayujyā- mukti. Śrī Jīva Gosvami explains that this word is also used for pure bhakti. Next, he makes the point that nirguna-bhakti is also of various types. There are two primary factors that contribute to its variety. The first is the particular practices of bhakti that are prioritized, such as hearing, singing, and remembering. The other factor is the devotee’s internalized self-concept (abhimana) in rela- tion to Bhagavan, such as the sense of being a servant, a friend, and so on. The third factor mentioned by Kapila in SB 3.29.7 is the influ- ence of the gunas, which, as the very name suggests, has no applica- tion in nirguna-bhakti. Two further divisions of bhakti based on the causal factors that impel the practitioner’s engagement in bhakti are discussed in the next anuccheda. 134 Bhakti 234 Svarupa-siddha Nirguna-bhakti bhakti attributed sakāmā sakaitava naişkarmya- sakaitava to Vedic karma kāmā äropa-siddha- bhakti bhakti-matra- kama akaitava sakama sakaitava bhakti attributed to laukika-karma naişkarmya- sakaitava kama bhakti-matra- akaitava kama sakama karma-misra sakaitava karma-jñana- sakaitava misra sanga-siddha- bhakti kaivalya-kāmā jnana-misrā sakaitava karma-misra akaitava bhakti-matra- karma-jnana- akaitava kama misra jnana-misra akaitava tamasi sakaitava sakama rājasi sakaitava svarupa-siddha- kaivalya-kāmā sattviki sakaitava bhakti bhakti-matra- kāmā nirguna akaitava Figure 234.1: Three Divisions of Bhakti 135 3 Vaidhi-bhakti Anucchedas 235-309 Overview Anuccheda 235 Saraṇāpatti Anucchedas 236-237 Sat-sanga Anucchedas 238-247 The Nine Primary Limbs of Bhakti Anucchedas 248-309Overview Anuccheda 235 Anuccheda 235 Vaidhi-bhakti Impelled by Two Types of Injunctions २३५ । तदेवं बहुधा साधितैषा अकिञ्चनात्यन्तिकीत्यादिसञ्ज्ञा भक्तिर्द्विविधा - वैधी रागानुगा चेति । BHAKTI, which is referred to by names such as akincanā, “uncon- ditional and independent,” and atyantikī, “the ultimate, beyond liberation,” has thus been established in many different ways. It has two divisions – vaidhi, “ impelled by injunctions,” and rāgānugā, “impelled by natural attraction (rāga). " तत्र वैधी शास्त्रोक्तविधिना प्रवर्तिता । स च विधिर्द्विविधः - तत्र प्रथमः प्रवृत्तिहेतुस्तद- नुक्रमकर्तव्याकर्तव्यानां ज्ञानहेतुश्च । Among these two, vaidhi-bhakti is impelled by the injunctions of scripture (vidhi). Scriptural injunctions are also of two types - as a cause for engagement in practice (pravṛtti-hetu), and as a cause of knowledge (jñäna-hetu) of what is to be done and what is to be avoided, as well as the order in which practices are to be executed. प्रथमस्तूदाहृतः (भा० १ २ ।१४ ) - We have already cited examples of the first type of injunction in verses such as this: तस्मादेकेन मनसा भगवान् सात्वतां पतिः । श्रोतव्यः कीर्तितव्यश्च ध्येयः पूज्यश्च नित्यदा ।। ६८४ ॥ इत्यादिना । 141 III The Practice of Bhakti Consequently, with one-pointed mental attention, one should continuously hear about, glorify, meditate upon, and worship Bhagavān Śrī Krsna, the guardian of His devotees. (SB 1.2.14 ) 1 द्वितीयश्चार्चनव्रतादिगतः । तमाह ( भा० ११ | २७/५३ ) - The second type of injunction pertains to devotional practices, such as worship of the deity (arcana) and the observance of vows (vratas). Bhagavan Kṛṣṇa’s statement is an example of this type of injunction: मामेव नैरपेक्ष्येण भक्तियोगेन विन्दति । भक्तियोगं स लभत एवं यः पूजयेत माम् || ६८५ ॥ One who worships Me according to the injunctions already mentioned attains bhakti-yoga, and by performing bhakti- yoga without motive (nairapeksyena ), one attains Me directly. (SB 11.27.53 ) 2 नैरपेक्ष्येण अहैतुकेन । अहैतुकभक्तियोग एव कथं स्यात् ? तत्राह - भक्तियोगमिति । The word nairapeksyena, “ without motive,” [ qualifying bhakti- yogena] means “without cause " (ahaitukena). And how does this causeless bhakti-yoga come about? This is stated in the second line of the verse: “By worshiping Me according to the injunctions already mentioned ( evam). " एवम् (भा० ११।२७।८-९ ) - यदा स्वनिगमेनोक्तं द्विजत्वं प्राप्य पूरुषः । यथा यजेत मां भक्त्या श्रद्धया तन् निबोध मे । ६८६ ॥ अर्चायां स्थण्डिलेऽग्नौ वा सूर्ये वाप्सु हृदि द्विजे । द्रव्येण भक्तियुक्तोऽर्चेत् स्वगुरुं माममायया ॥ ६८७ ॥ इत्याद्युक्तविधिना । 1 2 tasmad ekena manasa bhagavan satvatam patih śrotavyah kirtitavyaś ca dhyeyah pujyaś ca nityada mam eva nairapeksyena bhakti-yogena vindati bhakti-yogam sa labhata evam yah pujayeta mām 142 235 Vaidhi-bhakti Impelled by Two Types of Injunctions In the above cited verse (SB 11.27.53), the word evam, lit., “in this manner,” means “by the injunctions (vidhis) previously men- tioned.” These injunctions were described earlier in the same chapter in the following two verses: Hear from Me how a person should worship Me with faith and devotion after first attaining the status of being twice-born, by following the scriptural injunctions appropriate for his specific level of qualification. The practitioner endowed with devotion should worship Me - without duplicity and with suitable para- phernalia in his own guru, in the form of the deity, in the land cleared for sacrifice, in the fire, in the sun, in water, in his own heart, or in the twice-born. (SB 11.27.8-9)3 एवमेकादशीजन्माष्टम्यादिगतोऽपि ज्ञेयः ॥ श्रीभगवान् ॥ Injunctions regarding the observance of vows (vratas), such as Ekadasi (fasting on the eleventh day of the moon) and Jan- māṣṭami (fasting on the appearance day of Bhagavan Kṛṣṇa), are to be understood in the same manner as injunctions regarding the worship of Bhagavan (arcana). Commentary BHAKTI has the two divisions of vaidhī and rāgānugā in accordance with the two different factors that impel the practitioner’s engage- ment in bhakti. The first of these impelling factors is the power of the injunctions found in the self-disclosed bhakti-sästras. There are many injunctions in these sastras that one should undertake bhakti as a means to transcend the material gunas, as in GĪTĀ 14.26, or to attain the state of complete fearlessness (i.e., liberation), as in SB 2.1.5. There are also statements expressing the obligatory nature of bhakti for all human beings, as in SB 11.5.3. 3 yada sva-nigamenoktam dvijatvam präpya purusah yatha yajeta mām bhaktyä sraddhaya tan nibodha me arcayaṁ sthandile’gnau va surye väpsu hrdi dvije dravyeņa bhakti-yukto’rcet sva-gurum mam amayaya 143 III The Practice of Bhakti If one takes to bhakti only because scriptures recommend it, and not because one is naturally drawn to it, then such bhakti is called vaidhi, literally, “impelled by injunctions.” Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmi defines vaidhi-bhakti as follows: “That bhakti in which the engage- ment in sadhana (pravṛtti) is impelled not by the attainment of natural attraction (raga) but by the injunctions of sastra, is called vaidhi-bhakti” (BRS 1.2.6). On the other hand, some people may hear stories about Kṛṣṇa and become at once attracted to them. From this, the desire to worship Krsna may arise in them. Such people take to bhakti not because sastra or some other authority ordains that they should do so, but because they like it. Later, they may also discover that bhakti is enjoined in the sastra. Bhakti impelled by such natural attraction is called rāgānugā. By way of example, a person may read in some magazine or book about the benefits of buttermilk and the recommendations to drink it regularly. Being influenced by the article, he begins to drink it daily. His initial impetus for doing so is not because he likes buttermilk, although he may develop a taste for it gradually. Vaidhi-bhakti is similarly inspired by the injunctions of sastra, as in the verse cited here (SB 1.2.14). These injunctions are of two types. The first are those that are the cause of the practitioner’s engage- ment in bhakti (pravṛtti-hetu-viddhi). The second are those that are the cause of the knowledge of the rules and regulations in regard to the execution of bhakti (jñana-hetu-viddhi). Continuing our example, there is another man who enjoys the taste of buttermilk. He too drinks it daily, but not for the sake of the benefits described. He just likes it. He may not even know about the benefits and may only discover them at some later date. In anal- ogous fashion, raganuga-bhakti is inspired by one’s natural liking for it and not by scriptural injunctions. Jiva Gosvāmi has been gradually building up his case to show us the greatness of bhakti. It is as if bhakti were a shiny diamond lying covered with mud and unpolished in a pile of other stones that seem more colorful and attractive. In this anuccheda, he demon- strates that bhakti is the most natural engagement for human 144 235 Vaidhi-bhakti Impelled by Two Types of Injunctions beings to participate in. Why is that? Because all human beings are seeking peace and happiness unmixed with any suffering. This is our basic and primary desire. In this regard, we are all equal and can drop all our differences. In other respects, our differences are evident, and we may compete for the satisfaction of our desires. Bhakti, by its very nature, is bliss and awareness. There is no happiness within our range of experience that can compare with the bliss that bhakti bestows. Therefore, participation in bhakti is the most natural engagement for a living being. No injunction is needed for it. When a person is dying of hunger, he does not need an order to eat. He will eat willingly and happily, with great enthu- siasm, and feel great bliss. If someone were to try to stop him, he would even fight for the food. If bhakti is so blissful, then why doesn’t everyone take to it? Why is there a need for sastra to prescribe bhakti? We are all suffering in different ways and starving for peace and happiness. We should naturally become absorbed in bhakti, the very nature of which is peace and supreme bliss, as Krsna informs Uddhava: “Unwaver- ing peace (sama) is fixity of the intellect in Me” (SB 11.19.36). If the mind is absorbed in Krsna, it cannot be disturbed, because it is no longer available for disturbance. It becomes absorbed in Kṛṣṇa, because it is attracted to beauty and pleasure. Kṛṣṇa is beauty and bliss personified. Therefore, bhakti is synonymous with peace and happiness. The reason why people do not take to bhakti in spite of its bliss- ful nature is that they are in a diseased condition. If a person is sick with jaundice or a high fever, he will have no desire to eat, even though food is needed by the body. In the same manner, because of the ignorance that bewilders our intelligence and the offenses that make us immune to the experience of bhakti’s blissful nature, we are not attracted to it. Thus, sastra mercifully enjoins us to take to bhakti, just as a physician prescribes a wholesome diet for a sick patient. It is to be noted, however, that bhakti taken up solely on the basis of sastrika injunctions (i.e., vaidhi) is not performed with the same enthusiasm and absorption as bhakti impelled by natural 4 samo man-nisthata buddheḥ 145 III The Practice of Bhakti attraction (rāgānuga). A sick person does not eat with the same gusto and absorption as a hungry man. Therefore, Jiva Gosvāmi later says that in comparison to taking up bhakti naturally, engagement on the basis of sästrika injunctions is defective. Defective here means that such practice of bhakti is very weak. The divisions of virtue and vice are different in rela- tion to bhakti than in the field of karma. Devotees are beyond the purview of virtue and vice related to karma. This is because devo- tees do not have qualities arising from material nature, consisting of sattva, rajas, and tamas. Their qualities manifest from bhakti and are beyond the gunas of nature, although they may appear material. 146 Śaraṇāpatti Anucchedas 236-237Anuccheda 236 The Sixfold Divisions of Saraṇāpatti २३६ । अथ वैधीभेदाः शरणापत्तिश्रीगुर्वादिसत्सेवाश्रवणकीर्तनादयः । एते च प्रत्येकमपि द्वित्रादयः समुदित्यापि कारणानि भवन्ति तथा श्रवणात् । THERE are various divisions of vaidhi-bhakti, including surren- der ( śaranāpatti), service to authentic devotees (sat-seva), begin- ning with one’s guru, hearing (sravana), singing ( kirtana), and other similar acts of devotion. It is understood from scripture that these divisions of bhakti, whether performed singly or in combinations of two or three, are instrumental in attaining the perfectional stage of bhakti [i.e., bhāva]. तत्र प्रथमतः शरणापत्तिः । षड्वर्गाद्यरिकृतसंसारभयबाध्यमान एव हि शरणं प्रविशत्यन- न्यगतिः । भक्तिमात्रकामोऽपि तत्कृतभगवद्वैमुख्यबाध्यमानः । Among the above mentioned practices, let us first examine sara- ṇāpatti, or surrender. A person who is bereft of all other refuge (ananya-gati) and who is oppressed by the fear of worldly exis- tence (samsāra) instigated by the six enemies [of lust, anger, greed, delusion, pride, and envy], takes shelter of Bhagavan. Even a person who aspires for bhakti alone (bhakti-mātra- kama), being driven to direct his regard away from Bhagavan (vaimukhya), induced by the same six enemies, seeks refuge in Him. अनन्यगतित्वं च द्विधा दर्श्यते - आश्रयान्तरस्याभावकथनेन नातिप्रज्ञया कथञ्चिदा- श्रितस्यान्यस्य त्याजनेन च । 149 III The Practice of Bhakti 1 The state of being bereft of any other refuge (ananya-gatitvam) is also shown to be of two types - by declaring that there is no shelter other than Bhagavan, or by abandoning the shelter of other dependent gods, when a person who was previously lack- ing sufficient knowledge comes to understand that Bhagavan is the only independent refuge. पूर्वेण यथा ( भा० १० । ३ ।२७) - An example of declaring that there is no shelter other than Bhagavan is given in this verse: मर्त्यो मृत्युव्यालभीतः पलायन् लोकान् सर्वान् निर्भयं नाध्यगच्छत् । त्वत्पादाब्जं प्राप्य यदृच्छयाद्य स्वस्थः शेते मृत्युरस्मादपैति ॥ ६८८ ॥ इति । O Primeval Being (adya), terrified of the serpent of death and fleeing to every corner of the universe [for shelter], a mortal being is unable to find a single place free from fear. But hav- ing reached Your lotus feet by the will of Providence [i.e., by the causeless grace of highly realized devotees], he rests in peace, because even death withdraws from him. (SB 10.3.27)1 उत्तरेण यथा ( भा० ११ १२ १४-१५ ) - An example of abandoning all other shelter is spoken of by Bhagavan Kṛṣṇa: तस्मात् त्वमुद्धवोत्सृज्य चोदनां प्रतिचोदनाम् । प्रवृत्तं च निवृत्तं च श्रोतव्यं श्रुतमेव च ॥ ६८९ ॥ मामेकमेव शरणमात्मानं सर्वदेहिनाम् । याहि सर्वात्मभावेन मया स्या ह्यकुतोभयः ॥ ६९० ॥ इति । Therefore, O Uddhava, abandoning all injunctions (codanā)2 and prohibitions (praticodana), all prescribed (pravṛttam) and martyo mṛtyu-vyala-bhitaḥ palayan lokan sarvan nirbhayam nadhyagacchat tvat-padabjam prapya yadrcchayadya svasthah sete mrtyur asmad apaiti 2 Visvanatha Cakravarti glosses the word codanam as vidhim, “injunctions,” and prati-codanām as pratisedham, “prohibitions.” The translation has been rendered accordingly. Sridhara Svami glosses the same two words differently, as will be seen in the excerpt from his commentary. 150 236 The Sixfold Divisions of Saranapatti forbidden action (nivrttam), and all that is worthy of study along with everything already studied, take refuge in Me alone with your entire being, because I am the Self of all embod- ied beings. You will certainly attain fearlessness through Me. (SB 11.12.14-15)3 “चोदनां श्रुतिं प्रतिचोदनां स्मृतिम्” इति टीका च । Śrīdhara Svāmī comments: “The word codana here refers to the Śrutis [i.e., the injunctions found in the original four Vedas] and praticodană refers to the Smrtis [or the injunctions found in the supplementary literature to the Vedas, such as the Purāņas].” श्रीगीतासु च “सर्वधर्मान् परित्यज्य " (गीता १८१६६) इत्यादि । We find a similar statement in the Gitā: Forsake all forms of conventional dharma and take exclusive refuge in Me alone. I shall absolve you of all sins, do not worry. (GĪTĀ 18.66)+ तस्याः शरणापत्तेर्लक्षणं वैष्णवतन्त्रे- Surrender (saraṇāpatti) is defined in the Vaisnava Tantra: 3 4 5 आनुकूल्यस्य सङ्कल्पः प्रातिकूल्यस्य वर्जनम् । रक्षिष्यतीति विश्वासो गोप्तृत्वे वरणं तथा ।। ६९१ ॥ आत्मनिक्षेपकार्पण्ये षड्विधा शरणागतिः ॥ ६९२ ॥ इति । There are six symptoms of self-surrender: a firm resolve to act congenially to Bhagavan, to forsake all that is unfavorable to Bhagavan, a firm belief that Bhagavan will give one protection, deliberate acceptance of Bhagavan as one’s guardian and nour- isher, submission of the self, and humility. (Vaisnava Tantra)5 tasmat tvam uddhavotsrjya codanam prati-codanam pravṛttam ca nivṛttam ca srotavyam srutam eva ca mam ekam eva saranam atmanam sarva-dehinäm yahi sarvatma-bhavena maya sya hy akutobhayaḥ sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja aham tvām sarva-j a-papebhyo mokṣayisyāmi ma sucah anukulyasya sankalpah pratikulyasya varjanam rakṣiṣyatiti viśvāso goptṛtve varanam tatha atma-nikṣepa kārpanye sad-vidha saranagatiḥ 151 III The Practice of Bhakti अङ्गाङ्गिभेदेन षड्विधा । तत्र गोप्तृत्वे वरणमेवाङ्गि शरणागतिशब्देनैकार्थ्यादन्यानि त्वङ्गानि तत्परिकरत्वात् । Saranapatti is sixfold, being divided into the whole (angi) and its constituent parts (angas). The fourth item, goptṛtve varaṇam, or “the deliberate acceptance of Bhagavan as one’s guardian,” is the angi, or “the whole.” The reason for this is that the act of select- ing someone as one’s guardian or protector constitutes the true meaning of the word saranagati, or “approaching someone for shelter.” The other five items are angas, or “parts,” because they are assistants to this principle. आनुकूल्यप्रातिकूल्ये तद्भक्तादीनां शरणागतस्य भावस्य वा । The resolve to act congenially (anukulyasya sankalpaḥ) means to do that which is pleasing to Bhagavan and His devotees or to adopt a disposition that nurtures the mood of surrender. Avoid- ing unfavorable acts (prātikulyasya varjanam) means to reject all that is displeasing to Bhagavan and His devotees or to give up whatever is detrimental to the mood of surrender. रक्षिष्यतीति विश्वासः " क्षेमं विधास्यति स नो भगवांस्त्र्यधीशः” (भा० ३ | १६ | ३७ ) इत्या- दिप्रकारः । Firm faith in Bhagavan’s protection (rakṣiṣyatīti viśvāsaḥ) is illustrated in the following statement: “Śri Bhagavan, who is the master of the three worlds and of the three gunas of material nature, will certainly act for my best interest. In this matter, I have no cause to be concerned at all” (SB 3.16.37). आत्मनिक्षेपः “केनापि देवेन हृदि स्थितेन यथा नियुक्तोऽस्मि तथा करोमि " इति गौतमी- यतन्त्रोक्तप्रकारः । 6 Submission of the self (atma-nikşepa) is illustrated in the Gauta- mīya Tantra: “I shall act as directed by Bhagavan, who is situated within my heart” (Gautamiya Tantra 7.20)? 7 kşemam vidhasyati sa no bhagavams tryadhisas tatrasmadiya-vimṛsena kiyan iharthah kenapi devena hrdi sthitena yatha niyukto’smi tatha karomi 152 236 The Sixfold Divisions of Saraṇāpatti यथोक्तं पाद्मोत्तरखण्डे चाष्टाक्षरस्य नमः शब्दव्याख्याने

Submission of the self is also illustrated in the Uttara-khanda of Padma Purāṇa, in reference to the explanation of the word namaḥ, “obeisance,” in the eight-syllable mantra: अहङ्कृतिर्मकारः स्यान् नकारस्तन्निषेधकः । तस्मात् तु नमसा क्षेत्रिस्वातन्त्र्यं प्रतिषिध्यते ॥ ६९३ ॥ भगवत्परतन्त्रोऽसौ तदायत्तात्मजीवनः । तस्मात् स्वसामर्थ्यविधिं त्यजेत् सर्वमशेषतः ॥ ६९४ || ईश्वरस्य तु सामर्थ्यान् नालभ्यं तस्य विद्यते । तस्मिन् न्यस्तभरः शेते तत्कर्मैव समाचरेत् ।। ६९५ ॥ इति । In the word namaḥ, the syllable ma refers to the separate “I- sense” (ahankṛti), and the syllable na means the negation of the same (tan-nisedhaka). Therefore, the word namaḥ indicates the living being’s conscious relinquishment of the false sense of independence (svätantrya). The living being is dependent upon Bhagavan (päratantrya). Indeed, the very essence of his exis- tence is to be utterly under the shelter of Bhagavan. He should thus abandon in all respects, the sense of his own proficiency (sva-samarthya), separate from Bhagavan. By Isvara’s omnipo- tence (samarthya), however, there is nothing unattainable for such a person. Remaining free from all anxiety by taking refuge in Bhagavan, one should act only for His satisfaction. (Padma Purana, Uttara-khanda 226.41, 44b, 46, 47a) अत एव ब्रह्मवैवर्ते- In the Brahma-vaivarta Purana, it is therefore said: ahankṛtir ma-karah syan na-karas tan-nisedhakaḥ tasmat tu manasa kṣetri svatantryam pratiṣidhyate bhagavat-paratantro’sau tad-ayattatma-jīvanaḥ tasmat sva-samarthya vidhim tyajet sarvam asesataḥ isvarasya tu samarthyan nalabhyam tasya vidyate tasmin nyasta-bharah sete tat-karmaiva samacaret 153 III The Practice of Bhakti अहङ्कारनिवृत्तानां केशवो न हि दूरगः । अहङ्कारयुतानां हि मध्ये पर्वतराशयः || ६९६ ॥ इति । For those who are devoid of ego, Sri Kesava is not at all dis- tant. But, for those who are full of ego, mountain ranges stand between them and Bhagavan. (Brahma-vaivarta Purana)” अत एव तृतीये ब्रह्मस्तवे स्वातन्त्र्याभिमानिनः संसारः श्रूयते ( भा० ३।९१९ ) - Thus, in the prayers of Brahma in the Third Canto of Srimad Bhagavata, we hear of the material bondage of those who are proud of their false sense of independence: यावत् पृथक्त्वमिदमात्मन इन्द्रियार्थमायाबलं भगवतो जन ईश पश्येत् । तावन् न संसृतिरसौ प्रतिसङ्कमेत व्यर्थापि दुःखनिवहं वहती क्रियार्था । ६९७ ॥ इति । O Bhagavan, as long as the living beings consider themselves to be separate from You due to the influence of the deluding potency, which entices them toward material sense enjoyment, they cannot get free from this material existence even though it is essentially unreal and generates temporary results, which in the end lead only to misery. (SB 3.9.9) 10 कार्पण्यम् “परमकारुणिको न भवत्परः परमशोच्यतमो न च मत्परः " ( पद्यावली ६६ ) इत्यादिप्रकारम् । Humility (karpanya) is illustrated as follows: “O Bhagavan, there is no one more merciful than You and no one more deplorable than me” (Padyavali 66).” गोप्तृत्वे वरणं च यथा नारसिंहे- Accepting Bhagavan as one’s guardian (goptṛtve varanam) is illustrated in Nrsimha Purana: 9ahankara-nivrttanam kesavau na hi duragah ahankara-yutanam hi madhye parvata-rasayah 10 yavat prthaktvam idam atmana indriyartha- maya-balam bhagavato jana isa pasyet 11 tavan na samsṛtir asau prati-sankrameta vyarthāpi duḥkha-nivaham vahati kriyārtha parama-kāruniko na bhavat-parah parama-socyatamo na ca mat-parah 154 236 The Sixfold Divisions of Saranapatti त्वां प्रपन्नोऽस्मि शरणं देवदेवं जनार्दनम् । इति यः शरणं प्राप्तस्तं क्लेशादुद्धराम्यहम् ॥ ६९८ ॥ इति प्रकारम् । When a person takes shelter of Me, saying, “O God of gods, O Janardana, I surrender unto You,” I deliver him from all miseries. (Nrsimha Purana 8.29) 12 तदपि त्रिप्रकारं कायिकत्वादिभेदेन । यथोक्तं ब्रह्मपुराणे- This is This acceptance of Bhagavan as one’s guardian is enacted in three ways — with the body, mind, and speech. expressed in Brahma Purana: कर्मणा मनसा वाचा येऽच्युतं शरणं गताः । न समर्थो यमस्तेषां ते मुक्तिफलभागिनः ॥ ६९९ ॥ इति । Even the lord of death, Yamaraja, is unable to punish those who have taken shelter of Bhagavan Acyuta with their actions, minds, and speech, for they have become eligible to taste the fruit of liberation. ( Brahma Purāna 216.84) 13 व्याख्यातं श्रीहरिभक्तिविलासे (ह० भ० वि० ११ । ६७७ ) - Acceptance of Bhagavan as one’s guardian with the body, mind, and speech is explained in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: तवास्मीति वदन् वाचा तथैव मनसा विदन् । तत्स्थानमाश्रितस्तन्वा मोदते शरणागतः । ७०० ॥ इति । One who has surrendered unto Bhagavan, who with his words exclaims, “O Bhagavan, I am Yours!”, who truly adopts this mood within his mind and heart, and who with his body takes refuge in the holy places associated with Bhagavan’s 12 tvām prapanno ‘smi saranam deva-devam janardanam iti yah saranam praptas tam klesad uddharamy aham 13 karmanā manasa vaca ye’cyutam saranam gatah na samartho yamas tesām te mukti-phala bhaginaḥ 155 III The Practice of Bhakti pastimes, experiences great inner satisfaction. (Hari-bhakti- viläsa 11.677)14 तदेवं यस्य सर्वाङ्गसम्पन्ना शरणापत्तिस्तस्य झटित्येव सम्पूर्णफला अन्येषां तु यथासम्प- त्ति यथाक्रमं चेति ज्ञेयम् । Those whose surrender (saraṇāpatti) is complete in every limb (anga) thus described will swiftly attain the complete fruition of their surrender. Others, however, whose surrender is not complete but is deficient in some aspects, will attain a result in accordance with their actual degree of surrender. This is to be understood. तामेतां शरणापत्तिं श्लाघते ( भा० ११।१९।९ ) - Uddhava has glorified this saranapatti in the following statement: तापत्रयेणाभिहतस्य घोरे सन्तप्यमानस्य भवाध्वनीश । पश्यामि नान्यच्छरणं तवाङ्घ्रिद्वन्द्वातपत्रादमृताभिवर्षात् ॥ ७०१ ॥ O Bhagavan, for those whose hearts are scorched by the three- fold miseries on the blazing path of material existence, I see no refuge other than the cooling shade of Your lotus feet, which are like an umbrella emitting a delightful shower of nectar. (SB 11.19.9)15 शरणागतानां सर्वदुःखदूरीकरणं निजमाधुरीणां सर्वतोवर्षं चात्राभिहितम् ॥ उद्भवः श्रीभ- गवन्तम् ॥ In this verse, Uddhava declares that Krsna’s lotus feet dispel all the miseries of those who take shelter of Him and that they unrestrictedly shower such persons with the nectar of their sweetness. 14 tavasmiti vadan vāca tathaiva manasa vidan tat-sthanam asritas tanva modate saraṇāgataḥ 15 tapa-trayenabhihatasya ghore santapyamanasya bhavadhvanisa pasyami nanyac charanam tavanghri-dvandvatapatrad amṛtabhivarsat 156 Commentary 236 The Sixfold Divisions of Saranapatti ŚRI JIVA describes the various divisions of vaidhi-bhakti, the fore- most being surrender (saraṇapatti). Surrender here means taking shelter of Bhagavan. In the material world, everybody has some sense of independent ego, although in truth nobody is independent. Everyone is encaged in a body-mind complex constituted of mate- rial nature. This material nature belongs to Bhagavan, and we have no control over it. If we analyze our own life, we will come to the conclusion that we are not independent. We had no choice in the matter of our birth. We did not choose the time and place of our births, our parents, gender, physical traits, or abilities. Nor do we have any control over our death. We can die anytime, anywhere, in any situation. Logically, it is argued that what is without existence both in the beginning and at the end is also nonexistent in the mid- dle. So, if we had no choice in regard to our beginning and none in the matter of our end, how can choice be said to truly exist in the middle? As babies, we do not have much freedom, and when we get too old, our movements and mental faculties become limited. As youths, we think we are free to act. But this is also not true. We can- not sleep at will. We eat food, but we really have no control over our digestion. We can become paralyzed anytime. We have no control over our breathing or heart functions. Without these two, we can- not live for more than a few minutes. Yet out of ignorance, which gives rise to egotism, we imagine ourselves to be independent, as Krsna affirms in the following statement: All actions are conducted by the senses that are constituted of the gunas of prakṛti. Yet, the person whose mind is deluded by egoic identification thinks, “I am the doer.” (GĪTĀ 3.27)16 This is the cause of pṛthag-bhava, “the separate self-sense,” dis- cussed in the previous anucchedas (231-233). The sense of indepen- dent doership is all the more prominent at present, when the entire 16 prakrteh kriyamaṇāni gunaiḥ karmani sarvaśaḥ ahankara-vimudhatma kartaham iti manyate 157III The Practice of Bhakti upbringing of children is oriented to make them think indepen- dently and egoistically. Promotional speakers are also expert in inciting the ego and making us believe that our destiny lies entirely in our own hands. There is no other power beyond our own mind and will. These are all anti-devotional ideas that are easily prolifer- ated, because they are very soothing to our egos. Therefore, if we seek to know Bhagavan, the first thing we must do is to give up this false idea of independence. According to Rupa Gosvāmi, the act of surrender is carried out in relation to the practitioner’s guru, who is the physical manifes- tation of Bhagavan (BRS 1.2.74). This is also stated by sage Prabud- dha to King Nimi (SB 11.3.21). Surrender is a serious threat to the ego, because the very basis of its existence is the condition of non- surrender. Consequently, if one does not surrender to a living guru, there is no certainty that one has actually surrendered to Bhagavan. The mind is material and functions on the basis of past samska- ras that are related to non-surrender. Our intelligence is influ- enced by the material mind and will therefore rationalize acts of non-surrender to make them appear like surrender. Thus, with- out the guidance of a qualified guru, one will not be able to know the truth of the matter - that one is really not surrendered. Bha- gavan is not physically present, as Krsna was to Arjuna, to advise us that we are rationalizing our egoistic acts to conceive of them as genuine acts of surrender. This is the function of the guru. Thus traditionally, the student lived with his guru so that he could be guided directly. The guru is the litmus test of one’s surrender. We must become aware of our six enemies in the form of lust, anger, greed, delusion, pride, and envy. Lust, kama, is the root cause of all the others. When there is an obstruction to the fulfill- ment of a person’s lust, he becomes angry. If the lust is satisfied, he becomes greedy for more. Both anger and greed result in delu- sion, which prevents one from seeing things as they are. This leads to pride, which culminates in envy, because a proud person can- not tolerate another’s progress. In the material world, conditioned beings are tormented by these six enemies. Generally, people think 158 236 The Sixfold Divisions of Saranapatti of enemies as existing only outside, but the real enemies are within. Even those who desire bhakti but who have not yet attained it are subject to these enemies. The solution is to surrender to Bhagavan. Śrī Jiva explains that surrender can be undertaken in two ways. The first occurs when a person who has tried everything else but failed to solve the problems of material life finally surrenders to Bhagavan. An example of this type of surrender is Gajendra (lit., “chief of the elephants”), whose leg was caught by a crocodile. First he tried to release himself by his own power. Then he appealed to his family members for help, but still he was unsuccessful. Finally, he gave up and just surrendered to Bhagavan. This story also hints at the plight of the conditioned beings. The word gaja, which means “an elephant,” is derived from the root gaj, meaning “to be intoxicated.” On this basis, a conditioned human being is also a gaja, because he is intoxicated by ignorance and caught in the clutches of maya. He struggles to release him- self in order to feel free. But whatever efforts he makes in this regard serve only to implicate him still further. Friends and rela- tives, whom he approaches for help, cannot deliver him, because they themselves are bound. Thus, the struggle continues until, like Gajendra, one takes shelter of Bhagavan, the Master of maya. The second type of surrender comes about when someone who had previously surrendered to some other cause or person out of ignorance later realizes his mistake and surrenders to Bhagavan. An example of this is seen in the brahmanas of Mathura, who were first surrendered to varnasrama-dharma but later surrendered to Kṛṣṇa. Saranagati has six divisions, consisting of the whole (angi) and its parts (angas). In the verse cited from the Vaisnava Tantra, the fourth item, accepting Bhagavan as one’s protector (goptṛtve vara- nam), is the intrinsic feature of surrender, and the other five are its natural outcomes. Therefore, Śrī Jīva singles out this item as the core of surrender and the remaining items as its parts. The first two limbs of surrender are related not only to Bhagavan but to His devotees as well. This means that a surrendered practitioner acts congenially toward other devotees and never in an unfavorable 159 III The Practice of Bhakti manner. There is a subtle difference between the third and fourth items. In the third (rakṣiṣyatīti viśväsaḥ), one has faith that Bha- gavän will protect him, but in the fourth, one consciously calls for help, as Gajendra did, or as Draupadi called for Krsna when she was being disrobed by Duḥsasana in the assembly of the Kauravas. There is also a subtle difference between the fourth and fifth items. The fourth involves depending on Bhagavan for protection, which means to call upon Him in some precarious situation. The fifth item (atma-nikṣepa) entails abstaining from doing anything for oneself and considering oneself as fully dependent on Bhaga- vān, like an animal that has been purchased by someone and is fully dependent on his new owner for its survival. The final item, humility (kärpanya), means to consider oneself completely insignificant in front of Bhagavan. This quality was seen in Sanatana Gosvami in his dealings with Śri Caitanya Maha- prabhu. When Caitanya Mahaprabhu called for Sanatana Gosvāmī during the latter’s visit to Puri, Sanatana did not take the short route that passed by the Puri temple, because he considered him- self as a fallen being and thought that he might pollute the puja- ris of the temple by his proximity. Instead, he took the long route, walking on the midday burning hot sand on the beach of the Indian Ocean. Mahaprabhu was specially touched by his humility. Śrī Jiva Gosvami writes that the fruit of surrender is attained in propor- tion to the actual degree of surrender. Complete fruition is thus possible only through complete surrender. In the next anuccheda, Sri Jiva explains that after surrendering to one’s guru, one should render service to him. 160 Anuccheda 237 Guru-sevä Is Essential To Obtain Bhagavan’s Grace २३७ । तदेवं शरणापत्तिर्विवृता । अस्याश्च पूर्वत्वं तां विना तदीयत्वासिद्धेः । WE HAVE THUS described the devotional act of surrender (sara- ṇāpatti). Surrender is the first limb of devotion to be under- taken, for without it, one cannot attain the sense of belonging to Bhagavan (tadiyatva). तत्र यद्यपि शरणापत्त्यैव सर्वं सिध्यति - In this regard, it is true that all perfection is accomplished simply through surrender, as stated in Garuda Purāņṇa: शरणं तं प्रपन्ना ये ध्यानयोगविवर्जिताः । ते वै मृत्युमतिक्रम्य यान्ति तद् वैष्णवं पदम् ॥ ७०२ ।। इति गारुडात् । Those who have forsaken the paths of meditation and yoga and taken refuge of You certainly transcend death and attain the supreme abode of Bhagavan Visnu. (Garuda Purana 1.227.36 ) 1 तथापि वैशिष्ट्यलिप्सुः शक्तश्चेत् ततो भगवच्छास्त्रोपदेष्टृणां भगवन्मन्त्रोपदेष्टृणां वा श्री- गुरुचरणानां॒ नित्यमेव विशेषतः सेवां कुर्यात् । तत्प्रसादौ हि स्वस्वनानाप्रतीकारदुस्त्य- जानर्थहानी परमभगवत्प्रसादसिद्धौ च मूलम् । saranam tam prapanna ye dhyana-yoga-vivarjitaḥ te vai mṛtyum atikramya yanti tad vaiṣṇavam padam 161 111 The Practice of Bhakti In spite of this, however, if one longs to taste a specific flavor of love and has the ability to do so, he should constantly and single-mindedly render service to the lotus feet of a guru, who can instruct one in the confidential conclusions of the devo- tional scriptures or who initiates one into the mystery of the mantras that pertain to Bhagavan. Indeed, the grace of the guru is the root cause of removing all insurmountable defilements (anarthas) that cannot be overcome by any effort of one’s own and of obtaining the supreme mercy of Bhagavan. पूर्वत्र यथा सप्तमे श्रीनारदवाक्यम् (भा० ७।१५।२२-२५) - In the Seventh Canto of Srimad Bhagavata, Śrī Nārada gives an example of the first of these two, namely, how the mercy of one’s instructing guru is the root cause of removing all defilements: असङ्कल्पाज् जयेत् कामं क्रोधं कामविवर्जनात् । अर्थानर्थेक्षया लोभं भयं तत्त्वावमर्शनात् ॥ ७०३ ॥ आन्वीक्षिक्या शोकमोहौ दम्भं महदुपासया । योगान्तरायान् मौनेन हिंसां कामाद्यनीहया ॥ ७०४ ।। कृपया भूतजं दुःखं दैवं जह्यात् समाधिना । आत्मजं योगवीर्येण निद्रां सत्त्वनिषेवया ॥ ७०५ | रजस्तमश्च सत्त्वेन सत्त्वं चोपशमेन च । एतत् सर्वं गुरौ भक्त्या पुरुषो ह्यञ्जसा जयेत् ॥ ७०६ || One should conquer desire by relinquishing the spirit of enjoy- ment, anger by abandoning desire, greed by discerning the defects of wealth, fear by contemplating the nature of truth, lamentation and delusion by discriminating between real- ity and appearance, deceit by serving the wise, the obstacles to yoga through the practice of silence, violence by indiffer- ence to desire, misery arising from contact with other beings through forgiveness, misery arising from the forces of nature by transcognitive awareness (samadhi), miseries connected with one’s own body and mind through the power of yoga, sleep by adopting the sättvika codes of behavior, the qualitative states of distraction (rajas) and indolence (tamas) through mate- rial illumination (sattva), and material illumination (sattva) 162 237 Guru-seva Is Essential To Obtain Bhagavan’s Grace through detachment. A person can easily conquer all these by bhakti to his guru. (SB 7.15.22-25)2 उत्तरत्र वामनकल्पे ब्रह्मवाक्यम्- — In regard to the second of the above mentioned items, namely, how the grace of one’s mantra-guru is the root cause of obtain- ing the supreme mercy of Bhagavan, we find the following statement of Brahma in the Vamana-kalpa: यो मन्त्रः स गुरुः साक्षाद् यो गुरुः स हरिः स्वयम् । गुरुर्यस्य भवेत् तुष्टस्तस्य तुष्टो हरिः स्वयम् ॥ ७०७ || The mantra is directly the guru, and the guru is Bhagavan Hari Himself. Bhagavan Hari is personally pleased with a person with whom the guru is pleased. (Vamana-kalpa)3 अन्यत्र - 2 3 4 Elsewhere in the same text, it is said: हरौ रुष्टे गुरुस्त्राता गुरौ रुष्टे न कश्चन । तस्मात् सर्वप्रयत्नेन गुरुमेव प्रसादयेत् ॥ ७०८ ॥ इति । If Bhagavan Hari is displeased, one’s guru can offer protec- tion, but if the guru is displeased, nobody can provide protec- tion. Therefore, one should satisfy one’s guru through all one’s endeavors. (Vamana-kalpa)* अत एव सेवामात्रं तु नित्यमेव । यथा चान्यत्र परमेश्वरवाक्यम्- asankalpaj jayet kamaṁ krodhaṁ kāma-vivarjanāt arthanarthekṣaya lobham bhayam tattvavamaršanāt anviksikya soka-mohau dambham mahad upasaya yogantarayan maunena himsām kāmādy anihayā krpaya bhutajam duḥkham daivam jahyāt samādhinā atmajam yoga-viryena nidram sattva-nisevaya rajas tamaś ca sattvena sattvam copasamena ca etat sarvam gurau bhaktyä puruso hy anjasa jayet yo mantraḥ sa guruh sakṣad yo guruh sa harih svayam gurur yasya bhavet tustas tasya tusto hariḥ svayam harau ruşte gurus trata gurau ruste na kascana tasmat sarva-prayatnena gurum eva prasādayet 163 III The Practice of Bhakti Therefore, serving one’s guru is indeed a regular duty, as stated by Bhagavan in the following text: प्रथमं तु गुरु पूज्यः ततश्चैव ममार्चनम् । कुर्वन् सिद्धिमवाप्नोति ह्यन्यथा निष्फलं भवेत् ॥ ७०९ ॥ इति । One should worship Me only after first worshiping one’s guru. By doing so, one attains perfection, otherwise one’s efforts end in futility. अत एव नारदपञ्चरात्रे- Thus it is said in Narada Pancaratra: वैष्णवं ज्ञानवक्तारं यो विद्याद् विष्णुवद् गुरुम् । पूजयेद् वामनःकायैः स शास्त्रज्ञः स वैष्णवः ॥ ७१० ।। श्लोकपादस्य वक्तापि यः पूज्यः स सदैव हि । किं पुनर्भगवद्विष्णोः स्वरूपं वितनोति यः ॥ ७११ || इत्यादि । One who regards a Vaisnava guru, who is a preceptor of tran- scendental knowledge, in the same manner as Visņu, and who worships him with his body, mind, and speech, is a true knower of sastra, and he is a Vaisnava. Even a teacher who explains just a quarter of a verse of scriptural truth is certainly always wor- shipable, so how much more must this be the case for a guru who reveals the essential nature (svarupa) of Bhagavan Vispu! (Narada Pancaratra ) ’ पाद्मे देवद्युतिस्तुतौ– In the prayers of Devadyuti from Padma Purana, we find this statement: 5 6 भक्तिर्यथा हरौ मेऽस्ति तद्वरिष्ठा गुरौ यदि । ममास्ति तेन सत्येन सन्दर्शयतु मे हरिः ॥ ७१२ ॥ इति । prathaman tu gurum pujya tatas caiva mamarcanam kurvan siddhim avapnoti hy anyatha nisphalam bhavet vaisnavam jnana-vaktaram yo vidyad visnu-vad gurum pujayed van-manah-kayaiḥ sa sastrajñaḥ sa vaisnavah sloka-pädasya vaktapi yah püjyaḥ sa sadaiva hi kim punar bhagavad-visnoḥ svarupam vitanoti yah 164 237 Guru-seva Is Essential To Obtain Bhagavan’s Grace If my devotion to my guru surpasses my devotion to Bhaga- vän Hari, then by the strength of this fact, let Bhagavan Hari disclose Himself directly to me. (Padma Purana) 7 तस्मादन्यद् भगवद्भजनमपि नापेक्षते । यथोक्तमागमे पुरश्चरणफलप्रसङ्गे– Consequently, for a person devoted to his guru in this man- ner, there is no need of executing any other limb of devotion, as stated in the Agama scripture in the section describing the results of the puraścarana ceremony: यथा सिद्धरसस्पर्शात् ताम्रं भवति काञ्चनम् । सन्निधानाद् गुरोरेवं शिष्यो विष्णुमयो भवेत् ॥ ७१३ ।। Just as by contact with processed mercury, copper turns into gold, so too a disciple acquires Vişņu’s divine nature by close association with his guru. तदेतदाह ( भा० १० |८०|३४ ) - In his discussion with Śrīdāmā, Bhagavan Kṛṣṇa confirmed the same point that other limbs of devotion are unnecessary for one devoted to his guru: नाहमिज्याप्रजातिभ्यां तपसोपशमेन वा । तुष्येयं सर्वभूतात्मा गुरुशुश्रूषया यथा ॥ ७१४ ॥ I, the Immanent Self within all living beings, am not as pleased by sacrifices, nor by exalted birth, nor by penances, nor by tran- quility of mind, as I am by the service rendered to a guru by his disciple. (SB 10.80.34 ) 9 टीकाच - “ज्ञानप्रदाद् गुरोरधिकः सेव्यो नास्तीत्युक्तम् । अत एव तद्भजनादधिको धर्मश्च नास्तीत्याह नाहमिति । इज्या गृहस्थधर्मः । प्रजातिः प्रकृष्टं जन्म उपनयनं तेन ब्रह्मचा- रिधर्म उपलक्ष्यते ताभ्याम् । तथा तपसा वनस्थधर्मेण । उपशमेन यतिधर्मेण वा । अहं परमेश्वरस्तथा न तुष्येयं यथा सर्वभूतात्मापि गुरुशुश्रूषया ” इत्येषा । 7 8 9 bhaktir yatha harau me’sti tad-varistha gurau yadi mamasti tena satyena sandarsayatu me harih yatha siddha-rasa-sparsat tamram bhavati kancanam sannidhanad guror evam sisyo visņu-mayo bhavet näham ijya-prajatibhyam tapasopasamena vā tusyeyam sarva-bhutatma guru-susruṣaya yathā 165 III The Practice of Bhakti Śrīdhara Svāmi comments: “There is no one more worthy of ser- vice than a guru who bestows transcendental knowledge. This was stated already. Therefore, there is no higher religious duty (dharma) than rendering service to him. The present verse is spoken to elucidate this point. The word ijya, or ‘Vedic sacri- fice,’ refers to the duties of a householder (grhastha-dharma). The word prajatiḥ, ’exalted birth,’ refers to the elevated birth in which one is initiated into the study of the Vedas by accep- tance of the sacred thread (upanayana). This is a reference to the duties of a celibate student (brahmacari-dharma). Since these two (ijyä and prajati) appear in a compound, the instru- mental case ending applies to both of them, i.e., ‘by these two’ (tābhyam). The word tapasă, ‘by penance,’ means ‘by the duties of one who has retired to the forest’ (vanastha-dharma), and upaśamena, ‘by tranquility of mind,’ means ‘by the duties of an ascetic’ (yati-dharma). [Kṛṣṇa declares:] ‘I, Parameśvara, though situated [impartially] as the Supreme Self within all liv- ing beings, am not as pleased by all these practices as I am by the service rendered to one’s guru.’ अत्र ज्ञानं ब्रह्मनिष्ठं भगवन्निष्ठं चेति द्विविधम् । अत्र पूर्वत्र तथैव व्याख्या । उत्तरत्र त्वेवम्- इज्या पूजा | प्रजातिर्वैष्णवदीक्षा । तपः समाधिः । उपशमो भगवन्निष्ठेति ॥ श्रीभगवान् श्रीदामविप्रम् ॥ ။ The transcendental knowledge (jñāna) bestowed by the guru, as referred to in Śrīdhara Svämi’s commentary, can be of two types - that which pertains to Brahman or that which pertains to Bhagavan. In the case where the jñāna pertains to Brahman, the explanation of the words in this verse is as given above. In the second case, however, the words should be understood as fol- lows: ijyä would refer to the worship of Bhagavan (pujā), prajāti to initiation (dikṣā) into a Visņu mantra, tapaḥ to transcognitive awareness of Bhagavan (samadhi), and upasama to the state of resolute fixity (nistha) in Bhagavan. 166 237 Guru-seva Is Essential To Obtain Bhagavan’s Grace Commentary IN THIS ANUCCHEDA, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmi reveals the secret formula for success. This entails unpretentious service to one’s guru from the heart, without desiring anything in return. This formula is true for all paths but especially so for bhakti, and it is compulsory for rāgānuga-bhakti. Although millions of people take to spiritual prac- tice, hardly anyone attains the proclaimed and desired goal. The reason for this is that they fail to apply this secret formula. If an opponent (purva-pakşi) were to analyze the spiritualists from a purely logical point of view, he may conclude that their claims are without any substance. Indeed, there are many nonbe- lievers who make such statements, and many more who silently concur. The low rate of success among spiritual practitioners may be compared to a farmer who plants one million mango trees out of which only one yields any fruit. This could hardly be considered as successful farming, and one would seriously doubt repeating the procedure or recommending it to others. However, instead of con- cluding that mango trees are unsuitable for fruit production, one should question the farming method employed. The same principle is all the more true in regard to the culti- vation of spiritual truth. When the fruits of such cultivation are seen to be meager, one should suspect that the practitioners are doing something wrong and not that spirituality is fictitious. This is because the self-revealed śästra is infallible. Sastra is either the direct words of Bhagavan or of highly self-realized sages who have seen the Truth. It is flawless knowledge transmitted for the highest good of humanity. For it to bear fruit, however, it must be followed as per the prescription. One cannot expect an appropriate result to ensue from a faulty procedure, and correct procedure cannot be applied without proper knowledge. Proper knowledge comes from an authentic guru by studying in the recommended manner. This is the missing link in the chain of success for bhakti. Śrī Jiva Gosvāmī points out that service to one’s guru is so potent that all perfection can be attained simply by this alone, even if the 167III The Practice of Bhakti practitioner does not participate in the other limbs of bhakti. Ear- lier it was said that success in bhakti can come about merely by practicing one of its limbs or by a combination of a few of them. But among all these limbs, service to one’s guru is not optional. Whatever methods one adopts must include this foundational prac- tice. In this regard, we find the following statement in Hari-bhakti- vilasa: All these practices [of mantra meditation and so on] are rooted in the guru, therefore, one must serve one’s guru regularly. By this, the practitioner of mantra can attain perfection even without undertaking the [normally] obligatory preparatory rites known as purascarana. Of this, there is no doubt. (Hari-bhakti-vilasa 17.242)1o The reason for the importance of taking shelter of a guru was explained in the previous anuccheda. Here the importance of ser- vice to one’s guru has been highlighted. In Vamana-kalpa, it is said that if Bhagavan becomes displeased with a practitioner, the latter’s guru can offer protection, but if the guru is displeased, even Bhagavan cannot help, because He himself has entrusted this power to the guru. He does not intend for an aspiring spiritualist to bypass the guru and approach Him directly. First, the practitioner has to prove himself or herself to the guru. Guru is the testing ground. An actor, for example, must rehearse before taking the stage. Similarly, the practitioner has to rehearse with his guru before being permitted to enter into Krsna’s divine play. Once the guru is satisfied, one is granted the requisite visa to enter the kingdom of Bhagavan. The authentic guru is thus like an ambassador from Bhagavan’s kingdom. For this reason, in Indian scriptures, a tremendous amount of emphasis has been given to the principle of guru-sevā. In this regard, Mahabharata (Adi-parva, third chapter) begins with the stories of four students - Aruni, Upamanyu, Veda, and Uttanka and the services they rendered to their gurus. These stories throw light on the prevalent culture of guru-bhakti in the 10

guru-mulam idam sarvam tasman nityam gurum bhajet purascarana-hino’pi mantri siddhyen na samsayah 168 237 Guru-seva Is Essential To Obtain Bhagavan’s Grace olden times, which can still be witnessed at present, although it has become increasingly rare. Even Krsna, who is called jagad- guru, “the universal teacher,” went and lived in the asrama of His guru, Sandipani Muni, and rendered service to him. This was done simply to set an example for people in general. Yet, for all that, there are many teachers who advocate that we do not need a guru, or that we are our own guru. This is like saying, “I have no tongue in my mouth.” If this were true, how could the person make such a claim in the first place? If a guru is not required, then why do such advocates adopt the position of teachers and thus contradict their own statement, because if their words are accepted, they become gurus for their followers? If we reject such teachings, then we should take a guru. In either case, accepting a guru is unavoidable. According to Narada Pañcaratra, one should respect every teacher from whom teachings have been received, and not just the dikṣa-guru. In this regard, Canakya writes: One who does not respect a guru who has taught the meaning even of a single syllable will take birth as a dog for one hundred births and then as a candala, an outcaste. (Canakya-nīti 13.18)” This may sound terribly extreme, but the point is being made to stress the importance of accepting and respecting a guru. 11 ekākṣara-pradataram yo gurum nabhivandate svana-yoni-satam gatva candaleṣv abhijayate 169 Sat-sanga Anucchedas 238-247 Anuccheda 238 Sat-sanga Captivates Bhagavān 238.1 Guidelines for Associating with Vaisnavas २३८ । श्रीगुर्वाज्ञया तत्सेवनाविरोधेन चान्येषामपि वैष्णवानां सेवनं श्रेयः । अन्यथा दोषः स्यात् । यथा श्रीनारदोक्तौ- — WITH THE PERMISSION of one’s guru, it is beneficial (śreya) to render service to other Vaisnavas as well, provided it doesn’t conflict with the service to one’s own guru. Otherwise [if under- taken without the consent of one’s guru], such service will be flawed, as confirmed by Śrī Narada: 1 गुरौ सन्निहिते यस्तु पूजयेदन्यमग्रतः । स दुर्गतिमवाप्नोति पूजनं तस्य निष्फलम् ॥ ७१५ ॥ इति । A person who worships someone else first in the presence of his guru attains an unfavorable result and his worship of Bhagavan is rendered futile! यः प्रथमम् “शाब्दे परे च निष्णातम् ” ( भा० ११।३।२१) इत्याद्युक्तलक्षणं गुरुं नाश्रितवान् तादृशगुरोश्च मत्सरादितो महाभागवतसत्कारादावनुमतिं न लभते स प्रथमत एव त्यक्त- शास्त्रो न विचार्यते । उभयसङ्कटपातो हि तस्मिन् भवत्येव । एवमादिका भिप्रायेणैव- — The characteristics of an authentic guru have already been discussed [in Anuccheda 202] in verses such as this: gurau sannihite yas tu pujayed anyam agratah sa durgatim avapnoti pujanam tasya nisphalam Source unknown 173 III The Practice of Bhakti Therefore, a person who is profoundly inquisitive about the ultimate good should take shelter of a preceptor who is deeply versed in the sound form of Brahman [the Vedas], who has directly realized the transcendental Brahman, and who has thus become a veritable abode of inner tranquility. (SB 11.3.21)2 A person who, in the beginning, fails to accept a guru of this cal- iber and whose guru, out of envy, does not permit him to honor and serve highly realized devotees of Bhagavan, has disregarded śästra from the very outset [by accepting an unqualified guru], and hence sastra doesn’t even consider his case. Calamity cer- tainly befalls such a person on both accounts [because if he fol- lows the order of his guru, he fails to honor the great devotees, and if he honors the devotees, he disobeys his guru]. With this in mind, the Narada Pancaratra states: यो वक्ति न्यायरहितमन्यायेन शृणोति यः । तावुभौ नरकं घोरं व्रजतः कालमक्षयम् || ७१६ || इति नारदपञ्चरात्रे । Both the person whose instructions are not in resonance with scripture and the one who hears such illegitimate teachings pro- ceed to a dreadful hell for an unlimited period of time. (Narada Pancaratra)3 अत एव दूरत एवाराध्यस्तादृशो गुरुः । वैष्णवविद्वेषी चेत् परित्याज्य एव । गुरोरप्यवलिप्तस्य कार्याकार्यमजानतः । उत्पथप्रतिपन्नस्य परित्यागो विधीयते ॥ ७१७ ॥ इति स्मरणात् । Therefore, such a guru should be respected only from a distance. And if he is inimical toward Vaisnavas, he should certainly be given up, as stated: 2 3 tasmad gurum prapadyeta jijnasuh sreya uttamam sabde pare ca nişṇatam brahmany upasamasrayam yo vakti nyaya-rahitam anyāyena sṛņoti yah tav ubhau narakam ghoram vrajatah kalam akṣayam 174 238 Sat-sanga Captivates Bhagavan It is ordained that a guru who is self-conceited, who does not know what is to be done and what is to be avoided, and who has stumbled down the wrong path is to be given up. (Mahabharata, Udyoga-parva 179.25)* तस्य वैष्णवभावराहित्येणावैष्णवतया " अवैष्णवोपदिष्टेन” इत्यादिवचनविषयत्वाच्च । Furthermore, such a guru cannot be considered a Vaiṣṇava, because he lacks the character of a Vaisnava, and thus the following admonition is given with such a guru in mind: One goes to hell by receiving a mantra from a guru who is not a Vaisnava. Such a person should again accept a mantra from a Vaisnava guru, in conformity with the prescribed principles. (Narada Pañcaratra)5 यथोक्तलक्षणस्य गुरोरविद्यमानायां तु तस्यैव महाभागवतस्यैकस्य नित्यसेवनं परमं श्रेयः । स च श्रीगुरुवत् समवासनः स्वस्मिन् कृपालुचित्तश्च ग्राह्यः- If, however, an authentic guru endowed with the character- istics described earlier is no longer present, then regular ser- vice to a highly realized devotee (maha-bhāgavata) is most beneficial. Furthermore, the maha-bhāgavata whose associa- tion one partakes of should have the same devotional regard (sama-vāsana) as that of his guru, and he should be compassion- ately disposed toward oneself. This principle is enunciated in Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya: 5 यस्य यत्सङ्गतिः पुंसो मणिवत् स्यात् स तद्गुणः । स्वकुलद्धयै ततो धीमान् स्वयूथान्येव संश्रयेत् ॥ ७१८ ।। As the qualities of a proximate object are reflected in a crystal, so too the qualities of the person with whom one associates are reflected in one’s own being. Therefore, for the progress of one’s lineage, a person of discernment should associate guror apy avaliptasya kāryākāryam ajanataḥ utpatha-pratipannasya parityago vidhiyate avaisnavopadistena mantrena nirayam vrajet punaś ca vidhina samyag grahayed vaisnavad guroh See Anuccheda 207. 175 III The Practice of Bhakti with those belonging to his own community. (Hari-bhakti- sudhodaya 8.52)” इति श्रीहरिभक्तिसुधोदयदृष्ट्या कृपां विना तस्मिन् चित्तारत्या च । It is essential to accept the association of a mahā-bhāgavata who is compassionate toward oneself, because if he is not compassionate, one will not develop affection for him in one’s heart. Commentary IN THE previous anuccheda, Sri Jīva Gosvāmī explained the impor- tance of service to one’s guru to attain success on the path of bhakti. Now he stresses the importance of service to the devotees of Bha- gavan, especially service to highly realized devotees, the maha- bhagavatas. He advises, however, that service to other devotees should be undertaken with the permission of one’s guru. Moreover, service to another devotee should not conflict with the service to one’s own guru. If one neglects his guru and serves another great devotee, it will not be beneficial to one’s spiritual progress. Rather, it will become an obstacle. The essential point is that one should never disregard or neglect one’s guru, even to serve another great devotee. Serving a great devotee without the permission of one’s guru is tantamount to disregard for the guru. If some other devo- tees are present along with one’s guru, one must first offer respect to one’s guru and afterward to the other devotees. Śrī Jiva Gosvāmī raises an important point about the qualifica- tion of a guru. He says that the guru must embody the character- istics that are approved by the sastra. If a disciple has accepted an unqualified guru, there is every possibility that he will end up com- mitting offenses to other devotees. The unqualified guru, for exam- ple, may be envious of other elevated devotees and may prohibit his disciples from offering respect or service to them. What should 6 yasya yat-sangatih purso mani-vat syat sa tad-gunah sva-kularddhyai tato dhiman sva-yuthany eva samsrayet 176 238 Sat-sanga Captivates Bhagavan a disciple do if faced with such a quandary? If he offers respect to the elevated devotees, he disobeys his own guru, and if he does not offer respect to such devotees, he commits an offense toward them. This is like having to choose between jumping into either a pit of snakes or a ring of fire. Śrī Jīva says that the sastra does not even consider such a situ- ation as worthy of discussion. This is due to the fact that the disci- ple has transgressed the sastra from the very outset by accepting a guru who is not approved by sastra. This can be compared to two thieves who steal from a house and then have a disagreement over the division of the stolen goods. To help them settle the dispute in an egalitarian manner, they then approach a judge. But what sort of legal settlement could the judge possibly propose to those who have broken the law in the first place? Out of compassion, however, Śrī Jiva Gosvāmi offers a solution to such a disciple. He advises that one should not associate with such a guru. The disciple can offer respect to the guru from afar and may continue to accept him as his guru. If, however, the guru is envious of other devotees, then he must be rejected, and the dis- ciple must accept another qualified guru. Śrī Jīva cites a verse from Mahabharata to support his conclusion? Normally in sastra, we find statements that praise the guru and that instruct the disciple to honor the guru as Bhagavan Himself. These verses are aimed at a genuine, qualified guru. But if the guru is unqualified, he will not serve the purpose of uplifting the disciple. For this reason, he must be rejected in favor of a quali- fied, genuine guru. Śrī Jīva is also very clear in stating that only a Vaisnava can be a guru, not a Saivite or a Sakta. By a Vaisnava, he means one who has the vaisṇava-bhava, otherwise he deems a so-called Vaisnava devoid of vaiṣṇava-bhāva as avaiṣṇava (tasya vaiṣṇava-bhāva-rāhityena avaiṣṇavataya…). What should a student do if the guru leaves his body and the student is not advanced enough to continue on his own? Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī replies that such a student should seek a qualified 7 This verse appears four times in Mahabharata: Adi-parva 140.14, Udyoga-parva 178.48, Santi-parva 57.7, and Santi-parva 140.48. 177III The Practice of Bhakti Vaisnava for guidance. There is no need to take mantra-diksä again. The student can learn philosophy and the essential details of prac- tice from such a Vaisnava. Śrī Jīva recommends that the Vaisnava with whom one chooses to associate should have the same philo- sophical understanding and devotional mood as one’s guru. Other- wise, there will be confusion in the mind of the student, who may commit an offense to his guru by going against his teachings and mode of practice. In this context, Sri Rupa Gosvāmī also makes the following recommendation: One should associate with a Vaisnava sadhu who belongs to the same spiritual lineage, who is sympathetically disposed, and who is more advanced in realization. (BRS 1.2.91)8 Moreover, the Vaisnava teacher must be compassionate toward the student. If he is not compassionate, he would not bother to teach, nor would the student be able to develop affection for him. 8 238.2 Two Kinds of Service to Maha-bhāgavatas अथ सर्वस्यैव भागवतचिह्नधारिमात्रस्य तु यथायोग्यं सेवाविधानम् । तत्र महाभागवत- सेवा द्विविधा – प्रसङ्गरूपा परिचर्यारूपा च । । Therefore, one should render suitable service (seva) to all those endowed with the true insignia of a bhāgavata. Service (seva) to highly realized devotees (maha-bhāgavatas) is of two types - in the form of association (prasanga) and in the form of personal attendance (paricarya)? तत्र प्रसङ्गरूपा यथा (भा० ११।१२।१-२ ) - Of these two, service in the form of association (prasanga) is as spoken of by Śrī Kṛṣṇa: a sajatiyasaye snigdhe sadhau sangaḥ svato vare 9 The topic of seva to maha-bhagavatas in the form of prasanga is continued up to the end of Anuccheda 243. Seva in the form of paricarya is discussed beginning from Anuccheda 244. 178 238 Sat-sanga Captivates Bhagavan नो रोधयति मां योगो न साङ्ख्य धर्म एव च । न स्वाध्यायस्तपस्त्यागो नेष्टापूर्तं न दक्षिणा ॥ ७१९ ॥ व्रतानि यज्ञश्छन्दांसि तीर्थानि नियमा यमाः । यथावरुन्धे सत्सङ्गः सर्वसङ्गापहो हि माम् ॥ ७२० ॥ Neither [aştanga] yoga, nor sänkhya [i.e., the discernment of the self (ātmā) from all the empirical categories of nonself (anātmā)], nor dharma [i.e., universal morality, such as the attitude of nonviolence and so on], nor study of the Vedas (svadhyaya), nor voluntary penance (tapa) and the life of renunciation (tyäga, i.e., sannyasa), nor fire sacrifices (ista, i.e., agni-hotras) and works of social welfare, such as excavat- ing wells and ponds (purta), nor charity (dakṣiņā, i.e., dāna), fasts (vratāni), worship of the devas in ritual ceremonies (yajña), uttering secret mantras (chandamsi), visiting holy places (tirthäni), nor observing ethical codes (niyama) and moral restraints (yama) can bring Me under control (avarundhe, i.e., vasi-karoti) in the same manner as does the association of true devotees (sat-sanga), which dispels all other attachments. (SB 11.12.1-2)10 Commentary As far as service is concerned, it can be rendered to any Vaisnava. A student should imbibe the mood of service. Service should be car- ried out in correspondence to the status of the Vaisnava. Service does not always mean to engage in acts of personal benefit to the Vaisnavas. Even to greet a person appropriately is service. After all, students have their own regular duties and spiritual practice to attend to. They are not free to offer personal service to every Vaisnava they encounter. But the idea is to satisfy everyone by the 10 na rodhayati mam yogo na sankhyam dharma eva ca na svadhyāyas tapas tyago nesta-purtam na dakṣinā vratani yajnas chandāmsi tīrthani niyama yamāḥ yathavarundhe sat-sangah sarva-sangapaho hi mam All bracketed inserts in the translation are Visvanatha Cakravarti’s gloss on the key words of the verse. 179 III The Practice of Bhakti nobility of one’s behavior. As far as possible, highly realized devo- tees (maha-bhāgavatas) should be served either through physical presence, by hearing and taking instruction from them (prasanga), or by rendering some personal service to them (paricarya). Service to Vaisnavas gives Krsna the greatest pleasure, so much so that it brings Him under control, which means that the devotee directly attains Him. This message is the essence of this anuccheda concerning sat-sanga. Moreover, this is the supremely confiden- tial truth (parama-guhya-tattva) that Kṛṣṇa promised to disclose to Uddhava at the end of the previous chapter (SB 11.11.49). The two verses quoted here (SB 11.12.1-2) contain the secret that Krsna just previously referred to. This is pointed out later in this anuccheda by Sri Jiva, who cites SB 11.11.49. As the 12th chapter of the Eleventh Canto proceeds, Kṛṣṇa elaborates many different grades of living beings who attained perfection merely through the association of Vaisnavas. This is just to emphasize the power of sat-sanga, testifying further to its supreme confidentiality. 238.3 Sadhu-seva’s Apparent Reliance on Other Means पूर्वाध्याये ( भा० ११ | ११ | ४७) - In the previous chapter [i.e., Chapter 11], Kṛṣṇa made the following statement: 11 इष्टापूर्तेन मामेवं यो यजेत समाहितः । लभते मयि सद्भक्तिं मत्स्मृतिः साधुसेवया ॥ ७२१ ।। A person who, being one-pointedly fixed in mind, worships Me as described above through Vedic sacrifices (ista) and acts of social welfare (purta) attains true devotion (sad-bhakti) to Me, and through service to saintly devotees (sādhu-seva), constant remembrance of Me is born. (SB 11.11.47)11 ista-purtena mam evam yo yajeta samahitah labhate mayi sad-bhaktim mat-smrtih sadhu-sevaya 180 238 Sat-sanga Captivates Bhagavan इत्यनेन साधुसेवया भक्तिनिष्ठाजनने साधनानन्तरसव्यपेक्षत्वमिवोक्तम् । On the basis of this verse, the generation of firmness (nistha) in bhakti, which takes place by service to saintly devotees (sādhu- seva), is spoken of as if reliant (savyapekṣatva) on other means (sadhana).12 तत्रेष्टशब्देन सप्तमस्कन्धोक्तरीत्याग्निहोत्रदर्शपौर्णमासचातुर्मास्ययागपशुयागवैश्वदेव- बलिहरणान्युच्यन्ते । पूर्तशब्देन सुरालयारामकूपवापीतडागप्रपान्नसत्राण्युच्यन्ते । In this regard, in SB 11.12.1, the word işța refers to sacrifices, such as the fire sacrifice (agnihotra, performed daily), the cere- monies performed on the days of the new and full moon (darśa- paurṇamāsa), the sacrifices observed during the four-month period (caturmasya-yaga, performed on four parvas),13 animal sacrifices (pasu-yaga, performed bi-yearly), and making offer- ings to the gods known as the Vaiśva-devas, as described in the Seventh Canto of Srimad Bhagavata [SB 7.15.48-49]. The word pürta in SB 11.12.1 refers to building temples for the devas, con- structing gardens, excavating wells, tanks, or ponds, and estab- lishing places for the distribution of grains or drinking water, as described in the same Seventh Canto passage [SB 7.15.49].14 अत्र तु इष्टम् “हविषाग्नौ यजेत माम् ” ( भा० ११ ११।४३ ) इत्यादावग्निहोत्राद्युपलक्षितं पूर्तम् “उद्यानोपवनाक्रीड” (भा० ११।११।३८) इत्याद्युपलक्षितं ज्ञेयम् । In SB 11.11.47, however, the word ista refers to sacrifices, such as agnihotra, performed specifically for the pleasure of Bhaga- vän, as indicated in the statement: “One should worship Me by 12 Such is not the case, however, as will be made clear by contrasting the meaning of the words ista and purta in SB 11.12.1 with the meaning of the same words as used in SB 11.11.47. 13 The four “divisions” or “divisional dates” (parvas) are known as Vaisva-deva-parva, Varuna-pradhasa-parva, Saka-bhedha-parva, and Sunasiriya-parva. They fall on the four full moon days, known as Caitra Purnima, Sravana Purnima, Mārgasīrsa Purnima, and Phalguna Purnima, respectively. 14 In other words, in SB 11.12.1 the words ista and purta refer to sacrifices and social welfare acts that are not performed specifically for the pleasure of Bhagavan, and hence they do not bring Him under control. 181 III The Practice of Bhakti offering ghee (havis) in the sacrificial fire” (SB 11.11.43)15 Simi- larly, the word purta in the same verse refers to social welfare acts performed for the pleasure of Bhagavan, as indicated in this statement: “The acts of creating a flower garden, a fruit orchard, and a pleasure grove, as well as erecting a boundary wall around a town and constructing a temple should all be offered to Me” (SB 11.11.38, syntactically connected to SB 11.11.41).16 एवं पूर्वोक्तप्रकारेणेष्टापूर्तेन यो मां यजेत स मत्स्मृतिस्तत्र साधुसेवया सतां प्रसङ्गेन सद्भ- क्तिमन्तरङ्गभक्तिनिष्ठां प्राप्नोतीत्यर्थः । तत्राग्निहोत्रादीनां भक्तौ प्रवेशोऽग्यन्तर्यामिरूप- भगवदधिष्ठानत्वेनाग्र्यादिसन्तर्पणात् । कूपारामादीनां च तत्परिचर्यार्थं क्रियमाणत्वात् तत्र प्रवेशः । [Śri Jiva now paraphrases Krsna’s statement:] “One who wor- ships Me in this manner, through the sacrifices (ista) and wel- fare acts (purta) previously described, attains remembrance of Me, and by service (seva) to the sadhus, or in other words, by availing of their association (sat-prasanga), one attains firm- ness (niştha) in true devotion (sad-bhakti), meaning in devotion as an aspect of My intrinsic potency (antaranga-bhakti).” This is the import of SB 11.11.47, quoted above. In this instance, sacri- fices such as agnihotra can be included within bhakti, because one offers oblations in the fire, which is understood to be the existential seat (adhiṣṭhāna) of Bhagavan in His feature as the Supreme Immanent Self (antaryami) dwelling within the fire. Similarly, welfare acts, such as excavating wells and construct- ing gardens, can also be included in bhakti in this case because they are undertaken for the service of Bhagavan. 15 haviṣāgnau yajeta mam The word ista from the verse is here glossed as havisagnau. 16 udyanopavanakrida-pura-mandira karmani … tat tan nivedayen mahyam 182 Commentary 238 Sat-sanga Captivates Bhagavan In the dharma-sastras, there are injunctions to perform ista and purta, as stated in Manu-smrti: Setting aside lethargy, a grhastha should regularly perform işta and purta with faith. When carried out by means of one’s legiti- mately earned wealth and with faith, these acts certainly yield an imperishable result. (Manu-smrti 4.226)17 The word ista here refers to Vedic rituals, such as agnihotra, as stated in the following verse from Atri-smrti: The performance of the agnihotra-yajña, observing voluntary penance, being truthful, adhering to the principles of the Vedas, honoring guests, and conducting the vaiśva-deva-yajña are called işta. (Atri-smrti)18 In contrast to this, purta refers to welfare acts prescribed in the Smrtis, as defined in the following verse: “The construction of pools, wells, ponds, and temples, the distribution of food, and the creation of gardens are called purta.” “19 According to Pürva-mīmāmsā, there are five types of yaga, namely, agnihotra, darsa-paurṇamāsa, pasu, caturmäsya, and soma. Agnihotra is performed daily, and darsa-paurṇamāsa consists of the two yāgas that go by those respective names. Darsa-yaga is performed on the new moon day and paurṇamāsa-yaga on the day of the full moon. Paśu-yaga is carried out every six months, caturmäsya-yaga, four times a year, on the four divisional dates 17 sraddhayestam ca purtam ca nityam kuryad atandritah 18 sraddha-krte hy aksaye te bhavatah svagatair dhanaih agnihotram tapah satyam vedanam caiva palanam atithyam vaiśva-daivas ca istam ity abhidhiyate This verse, which defines the word ista, is cited in The Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary by V. S. Apte, under the word purta. 19 vapi-kupa-taḍagadi devatayatanani ca anna-pradānam āramah purtam iti abhidhiyate This verse, which defines the word purta, is cited in The Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary by V. S. Apte, under the word purta. Apte gives the reference as Manu-smrti 4.226, but it is not found in the printed edition. 183 III The Practice of Bhakti (parvas), and soma-yaga, yearly. According to Sri Vallabhācārya, these yāgas are the five forms of Bhagavan Hari 20 The acts of ista and purta can be performed either as a sastric injunction, with the intention to help others, or for the pleasure of Bhagavan. When executed as acts of social welfare, they yield mer- itorious karma. This is the common understanding of those who adhere to the varṇāśrama system. When, however, these acts are undertaken solely for the pleasure of Bhagavan, they lead to bhakti. Bhakti ensues only from direct acts of devotion and not from any conventional acts of piety. Therefore, Śrī Jiva Gosvami comments that the ista and purta mentioned in SB 11.11.47 can be included in bhakti, because they are performed exclusively for the pleasure of Bhagavan. 238.4 Sat-sanga’s Independent Power Does Not Negate the Need for Ekādaśī तदेवं सत्सङ्गस्य सव्यपेक्षत्वमुक्तम् । पुनश्च तत्रैव तस्य स्वातन्त्र्येण यथेष्टफलदातृत्वं सर्वापेक्षया परमसामर्थ्यं च वक्तुं परमगुह्यत्वमुपदिष्टम् (भा० ११ १११ । ४९ ) - Thus, it is specifically in the manner just explained that the asso- ciation of true devotees (sat-sanga) is spoken of [in SB 11.11.47] as if reliant on other means (savyapekṣatva). Yet just two verses later [in SB 11.11.49], to point out that sat-sanga independently awards whatever result is desired and that it has supreme com- petence exceeding that of all other methods, Kṛṣṇa specifies such association as supremely confidential (parama-guhya): 20 अथैतत् परमं गुह्यं शृण्वतो यदुनन्दन । सुगोप्यमपि वक्ष्यामि त्वं मे भृत्यः सुहृत् सखा ॥ ७२२ ॥ O descendant of Yadu [Uddhava], although this supremely con- fidential truth is to be kept carefully hidden, I will disclose it agnihotram tatha darsa-paurnamasaḥ pasus tatha caturmäsyäni somas ca kramat panca-vidho harih Tattvartha-dipa-nibandha 2 184 238 Sat-sanga Captivates Bhagavan to you hereafter, because you are My servant, well-wisher, and friend. Please hear it attentively. (SB 11.11.49)21 एतादृशमहिमत्वेनानूक्तत्वात् परमगुह्यत्वमाह “न रोधयति” ( भा० ११।१२।१ ) इति । त्यागः सन्न्यासः । दक्षिणा दानमात्रम् । यज्ञो देवपूजा | छन्दांसि रहस्यमन्त्राः । यथा सत्सङ्गो मामवरुन्धे वशीकरोतीति तथा योगो न वशीकरोति न च साङ्ख्यमित्यादि- कोऽन्वयः । ततस्तेऽपि किञ्चिद् वशीकुर्वन्तीत्यर्थलब्धेर्भगवत्परा एव ज्ञेयाः । न च साधारणाः । अत एव च “व्रतान्येकादश्यादीनि " इति टीकाकाराः । Because no other process was said by Krsna to have such power, the association of true devotees (sat-sanga) is disclosed as the supremely confidential truth in the opening two verses of the next chapter, na rodhayati iti (SB 11.12.1-2) [discussed earlier in this anuccheda]. In these two verses, the word tyäga means sannyasa, or acceptance of the renounced order. Dakşină refers to charity in general (dāna), yajña to the worship of the devas, and chandamsi to the utterance of secret mantras. The basic syntax is as follows: “Yoga, sänkhya, and so on, cannot bring Me under control (mām na avarundhe, i.e., na vasi-karoti) in the same manner as the association of true devotees (yatha sat- sanga).” The wording of this statement would seem to imply that even these other acts can bring Bhagavan under control to some extent. It is to be understood, however, that this is the case only when they are performed for the pleasure of Bhaga- vän and not as commonly enacted. Just to emphasize this point, Śrīdhara Svami comments: “The word vratani, or ‘vows,’ refers to observing fasts connected with Bhagavan, such as Ekādaśī.” न चैतावता तेषां नित्यानां वैष्णवव्रतादीनामकर्तव्यत्वं प्राप्तमेकस्य फलातिशयसामर्थ्य- प्रशंसयेतरस्य नित्यत्वनिराकरणायोगात् । 21 athaitat paramam guhyam srnvato yadu-nandana sugopyam api vaksyami tvam me bhrtyah suhrt sakha This statement concludes Chapter 11; then in the opening two verses of Chapter 12, discussed earlier in this anuccheda, Krsna reveals that the supremely confidential truth is that He is brought under control by sat-sanga and not by yoga, sankhya, and all the other methods mentioned. This demonstrates that sat-sanga is independent of all other methods and that it is competent to deliver a result far exceeding that of other methods. 185 III The Practice of Bhakti From this, one should not conclude that regular devotional duties, such as the observance of Vaisnava fasting days, need not be followed, because if one act is singled out for its unique capac- ity to yield the desired fruit, it does not negate the necessity of observing other duties in a regular manner. यथा कर्माधिकारिणः (भा० ७ | १४ | १७ ) - For example, in the case of those who pursue the path of karma, the following statement is made [also prioritizing one act above another, as in SB 11.12.1-2]: न ह्यग्निमुखतोऽयं वै भगवान् सर्वयज्ञभुक् । इज्येत हविषा राजन् यथा विप्रमुखे हुतैः ॥ ७२३ ॥ O King, this Bhagavan [Śrī Kṛṣṇa], who is the enjoyer and bestower of the results of all sacrifices, is certainly not wor- shiped as pleasingly by oblations poured into the sacred fire as by food offered into the mouth of brahmanas. (SB 7.14.17)22 इति श्रुत्वापि पूर्वोक्तम् “अग्निहोत्रादिना यजेत्” (भा० ७ । १४ । १६) इति विधिं न परित्यक्तुं शक्नुवन्ति तद्वत् । Even on hearing this statement, the practitioners whose eligibil- ity is for karma cannot forsake the injunction given in the pre- vious verse: “One should worship Bhagavan by the performance of sacrifices, such as agnihotra” (SB 7.14.16).23 In a corresponding manner, a practitioner of bhakti cannot give up other devotional duties because of the singular glorification of sat-sanga. भक्त्यधिकारिणश्च यथा “मद्भक्तपूजाभ्यधिका ” ( भा० ११।१९।२१) इति श्रुत्वापि दीक्षान- न्तरं नित्यतया प्राप्तां भगवत्पूजां त्यक्तुं न शक्नुवन्ति तद्वदिति । By the same token, we find statements such as this, addressed to those on the path of devotion: “The worship of My devotee exceeds the worship of Me” (SB 11.19.21)24 Yet even on hearing 22 na hy agni-mukhato’yam vai bhagavan sarva-yajna-bhuk ijyeta havisa rajan yatha vipra-mukhe hutaih 23 agnihotrādina yajet 24 mad-bhakta-pūjābhyadhikā 186 238 Sat-sanga Captivates Bhagavan such statements, devotees are not advised to give up the wor- ship of Bhagavan, which is meant to be carried out regularly after taking initiation. The same logic applies here in regard to regular devotional duties [which are not preempted by the superiority of sat-sanga]. अत एव स्कान्दे- Therefore, even verses like this one from Skanda Purana are not prohibitory [of the observance of regular vratas, such as Ekadasī]: षड्भिर्मासोपवासैस्तु यत् फलं परिकीर्तितम् । विष्णोर्नैवेद्यसिक्थेन तत् फलं भुञ्जतां कलौ ॥ ७२४ ॥ इत्यपि न बाधकम् । In Kaliyuga, the result that is obtained simply by honoring food offered to Śri Visņu is the same as that which is proclaimed for observing a six month fast. (Skanda Purana) 25 एकादश्यादौ हि नित्यत्वेऽप्यानुषङ्गिकमेव महाफलकत्वं तत्र तत्र मतम् । अत एव नित्य- त्वरक्षणार्थमपि तादृशं वैष्णवं व्रतमवश्यमेव कर्तव्यमित्यागतम् । नित्यवैष्णवव्रतत्वा- दिकं चैकादश्यादेरर्चनप्रसङ्गे किञ्चिद् दर्शयिष्यामः । Verses like this do not negate the necessity of regular vows, such as observing the Ekādaśī fast. Although fasts such as Ekādasī are regular duties, it is understood that they bestow tremendous results that are concomitant in nature. Consequently, it is con- cluded that such Vaisnava fasts must be observed even to pre- serve the constancy of such duties. In the upcoming section on deity worship (arcana), we will demonstrate that Ekādaśī is a regular fast for Vaisnavas. अत एव पूर्वाध्याये टीकाकारैरपि " आज्ञायैवं गुणान् दोषान् ” ( भा० ११ ११ ३२) इत्य- त्र “विद्वैकादशीकृष्णैकादश्युपवासानुपवासानिवेद्यश्राद्धादयो ये भक्तिविरुद्धा धर्मास्तान् सन्त्यज्येत्यर्थः” इत्युक्तम् । 25 sadbhir masopavasais tu yat phalam parikirtitam vişnor naivedya sikthena tat-phalam bhurjatam kalau 187III The Practice of Bhakti Thus, in his commentary on SB 11.11.32 from the previous chap- ter, Sridhara Svāmī makes the following statement: “When it is said that the practitioner should give up all of his pre- scribed duties [sarvan svakan dharman santyajya], it means that he should give up specifically those duties (dharmas) that are opposed to bhakti, such as fasting on mixed Ekādaśī, neglecting to fast on the Ekadasi that appears in the dark half of the lunar month, and performing the śräddha offering to one’s ancestors with articles that have not first been offered to Bhagavan.” प्रथमे च श्रीभीष्मयुधिष्ठिरसंवादे “भगवद्धर्मान्” (भा० १।९।२७) इत्यत्र “हरितोषकान् द्वा- दश्यादिनियमरूपान्” इति “व्रतानि चैरे हरितोषणानि ” ( भा० ३ । १ । १९) इत्यत्र तृतीय च “एकादश्यादीनि " इति व्याख्यातम् । In a dialogue between Śrī Bhisma and Yudhisthira from the First Canto of Srimad Bhagavata as well, it is said: “Bhişma enunciated the principles of dharma pertaining to Bhagavan” (SB 1.9.27).26 In commenting on this verse, Śrīdhara Svami states: “The words bhagavad-dharman here refer to those duties (niya- mas) that are pleasing to Bhagavan Hari, such as observing the Dvadasi fast.” And in the Third Canto, it is said: “He [Vidura] observed vows pleasing to Bhagavan Hari” (SB 3.1.19).27 Here also, Śrīdhara Svāmi comments: “The word vratāni here refers to vows such as fasting on Ekadaśī.” अत एव भगवन्महाप्रसादैकव्रतस्य श्रीमदम्बरीषस्य सच्छिरोमणेराचारदर्शनात् तदेव निश्चीयत इति ॥ From the conduct of Ambarişa Mahārāja, the crest jewel of devo- tees, who took a vow of accepting only the remnants of food offered to Bhagavan, it is self-evident that Ekadasi is a regular vow to be observed by all Vaisnavas. 26 bhagavad-dharman varṇayāmāsa 27 vratani cere hari-toṣaṇāni 188 Commentary 238 Sat-sanga Captivates Bhagavan Śrī Jiva Gosvāmi shows here in the concluding portion of Anucche- da 238 that although service to one’s guru and the Vaisnavas is independently capable of awarding perfection, this does not mean that other devotional acts, such as fasting on Ekādasī, should be neglected. One must carry out all the standard practices of bhagavata-dharma along with such service. In making this point, Sri Jiva incidentally elucidates a principle of hermeneu- tics. Sometimes, even when a particular principle of dharma or bhakti is stressed as singularly important, it does not override other principles, although it may appear to do so if taken literally. For example, Narada instructed King Yudhisthira that Bhaga- van is more pleased by feeding the vipras than by performing agni- hotra (SB 7.14.17). From this, a practitioner of karma-yoga might wrongly conclude that he can abandon his regular performance of agnihotra-yajña and concentrate on feeding the vipras instead. This, however, is not Narada’s intention. Rather, his intention is sim- ply to emphasize the importance for a grhastha to feed the vipras in addition to his regular performance of agnihotra-yajña. In the same manner, Krsna informs Uddhava that He consid- ers the worship of His devotees as superior to His own worship (SB 11.19.21). By this, He means that we should respect His devo- tees and not that we should neglect to worship Him. By hearing the praise of a certain devotional or dharmic act, one should not abandon one’s regular responsibilities. Therefore, Śrī Jiva Gosvāmi writes: “From this, one should not conclude that regular devotional duties, such as the observance of Vaisnava fasting days, need not be followed, because if one act is singled out for its unique capacity to yield the desired fruit, it does not negate the necessity of observing other duties in a regular manner.” As an aside, Śrī Jiva Gosvāmī makes it clear that Ekadasi-vrata is not a kamya-karma. The general principle in Purva-mīmāmsa is that specific benefits are not described for nitya-karmas. If, however, one fails to observe a nitya-karma, one then incurs sin (pratyavaya). On the other hand, specific benefits are described. 189 III The Practice of Bhakti for kamya-karmas. If, however, one neglects a kamya-karma, no sin is incurred. Based on this general view, an opponent may argue that Ekadasi is a kamya-karma because scriptures proclaim various benefits that accrue from its observance. Śrī Jiva Gosvāmi refutes this idea by pointing out that such benefits are spoken of only as its concomitant effects. They are not prescribed by an injunction as in the Purva-mimamsa view. 190 Anuccheda 239 Primary and Secondary Control of Bhagavan through Sat-sanga २३९ । अथ प्रस्तुतमनुसरामः । वशीकरणमत्र द्विविधम् - मुख्यं गौणं च । तत्र मुख्येन प्रेम लभ्यते” अस्त्वेवमङ्ग भजतां भगवान् मुकुन्दो मुक्तिं ददाति कर्हिचित् स्म न भक्तियोगम्” ( भा० ५।६।१८) इति न्यायेन । 1 WE NOW return to the topic begun in the previous anuccheda [that sat-sanga brings Bhagavan under control (vasi-karoti), as stated in SB 11.12.1-2]. In this regard, the phenomenon of “sub- duing” or “controlling” Bhagavan (vasi-karana) has two classi- fications - primary (mukhya) and secondary (gauna). By sub- duing Bhagavan in the primary sense, one attains divine love (prema). This principle has already been discussed in regard to the following verse: “My dear King, in spite of this, however, Bhagavan Mukunda awards liberation to those who worship Him, but sometimes He does not grant bhakti-yoga [i.e., prema]” (SB 5.6.18).’ astv evam anga bhajatam bhagavan mukundo muktim dadati karhicit sma na bhakti-yogam This verse has been discussed in Anucchedas 141 and 147. The translation here, which is non-standard, has been rendered according to Sri Jiva’s explanation of the verse as given in these two anucchedas. The statement implies that Bhagavan sometimes does award prema, but not unless He is first brought under the control of the devotee who worships Him. Otherwise, He awards liberation or some other benediction. Thus, this verse implies both the primary and secondary varieties of vasi-karana. 191 III The Practice of Bhakti अत एव गौणेनान्यत् फलम् । अत्र मुख्यं श्रीगोप्यादौ । गौणं बाणादौ । उत्तरत्र वशीक- रणत्वं फलदानोन्मुखीकरणतयोपचर्यते । 2 Therefore, by subduing Bhagavan in the secondary sense, one attains some other aspired for result [such as liberation]. An instance of subduing Bhagavan in the primary sense is evi- denced in the case of the [ordinary (sadharana)] gopis [as will be seen ahead]. Instances of subduing Bhagavan in the sec- ondary sense are seen in regard to Bana and others? In the secondary sense, the phenomenon of subduing Bhagavan (vasi- karaṇa), inasmuch as it merely disposes Bhagavan to award some particular result, is figurative (upacāra) 3 तदेतद् वशीकरणे दृष्टान्तमाह ( भा० ११ १२ १३-६ ) — Now we will offer examples of these two classifications of bring- ing Bhagavān under control (vasi-karana), as in the following series of verses: सत्सङ्गेन हि दैतेया यातुधाना मृगाः खगाः । गन्धर्वाप्सरसो नागाः सिद्धाश्चारणगुह्यकाः ॥ ७२५ ।। विद्याधरा मनुष्येषु वैश्याः शूद्राः स्त्रियोऽन्त्यजाः । रजस्तमःप्रकृतयस्तस्मिंस्तस्मिन् युगे युगे ॥ ७२६ ॥ बहवो मत्पदं प्राप्तास्त्वाष्ट्रकायाधवादयः । वृषपर्वा बलिर्बाणो मयश्चाथ विभीषणः ।। ७२७ ॥ सुग्रीवो हनुमानृक्षो गजो गृध्रो वणिक्पथः । व्याधः कुब्जा व्रजे गोप्यो यज्ञपन्यस्तथापरे ॥ ७२८ ।। O Uddhava, simply by the association of true devotees (sat- sanga) many different classes of beings, who were influenced primarily by the qualitative states of rajas and tamas, attained Bana was a great devotee of Siva. Originally, he opposed Krsna in battle, but he was awarded the position of an eternal associate of Siva when Krsna became pleased with his devotion to the latter. 3 In other words, the secondary phenomenon of vasi-karana is said to “control” Bhagavan only inasmuch as it disposes Him to award some particular result (other than prema), meaning that it does not factually bring Him under control in a genuine or primary sense. Thus, its bringing Him under control (vasi-karana) is said to be figurative. 192 239 Primary and Secondary Control of Bhagavan through Sat-sanga My destination (mat-padam)* in different yugas, including the Daityas, the Yatudhānas, animals (mrgah) and birds (khagāḥ), the Gandharvas and Apsaras, the Nagas, Siddhas, Caranas, Guhyakas, and Vidyadharas, and among human beings, numer- ous vaisyas, sūdras, women, and outcastes (antyaja). There were others too, such as Tvāṣṭra, Prahlada, Vṛṣaparvā, Bali, Bāņa, Maya, Vibhişaņa, Sugrīva, Hanuman, a bear, an elephant, a vul- ture, a merchant, a hunter, a hunchbacked woman, the gopis of Vraja, as well as the wives of the brahmanas (yajña-patnīs). (SB 11.12.3-6)5 दैतेयास्तदुपलक्षितासुरदानवाश्च । यातुधाना राक्षसाः । तज्जातिषु दिग्दर्शनम् - त्वाष्ट्रेत्यादि । त्वाष्ट्रो वृत्रासुरः । वृत्रासुरस्य प्राग्जन्मनि श्रीनारदाङ्गिरसोः सङ्गः श्रीस- ङ्कर्षणसङ्गश्च प्रसिद्धः । कायाधवः कयाधुपुत्रः प्रह्लादः । अस्य गर्भे श्रीनारदसङ्गः । In this series of verses, the word daiteyaḥ, lit., “the sons of Diti,” indirectly implies various classes of malefic beings, belonging to the categories of asuras and Danavas. The word yatudḥänäḥ refers to the rakṣasas, “a class of demons,” or “those who are opposed to the Vedas and the worship of Bhagavan.” A brief list of those belonging to these classes of beings is given in the third verse from this group, beginning with Tvastra, which is another name for Vṛträsura. It is well known that in his previous life [as King Citraketu], Vṛtrāsura was blessed with the association 4 5 The compound mat-padam, “My destination,” means that the various individuals mentioned in these four verses each attained the destination desired by them, as in Sridhara Svami’s gloss on the word pada in GITA 8.11, “The word pada refers to that toward which one is directed, or in others words, the object of one’s obtainment” (padyate gamyata iti padam präpyam). sat-sangena hi daiteya yatudhānā mṛgah khagaḥ gandharvapsaraso nagaḥ siddhas carana guhyakaḥ vidyadhara manusyesu vaisyah sudraḥ striyo’ntyajaḥ rajas tamaḥ prakṛtayas tasmims tasmin yuge yuge bahavo mat-padam prāptas tvāṣtra-kāyādhavadayaḥ vṛṣaparvā balir bano mayas catha vibhisanaḥ sugrīvo hanuman rkso gajo grdhro vanikpathaḥ vyadhaḥ kubja vraje gopyo yajñapatnyas tathāpare “In Anuccheda 111 of Bhakti Sandarbha, the raksasas were defined as follows: “Those who do not worship Bhagavan Hari, who are antagonistic to the Vedas, and who are inimical toward the brahmanas and cows, are called raksasas” (BNP 1.37.5). 193 III The Practice of Bhakti of the two sages, Sri Narada and Angira, as well as that of Bha- gavan Sankarṣaṇa. Prahlada is referred to by the matronymic kāyādhavaḥ, “the son of Kayadhu,” who obtained the association of Sri Narada while still in his mother’s womb. आदिशब्दगृहीतान् पूर्वोक्तजातिक्रमेण कतिचिद् गणयति - वृषेति । वृषपर्वा दानवः । अयं हि जातमात्रमातृपरित्यक्तो मुनिपालितो विष्णुभक्तो बभूवेति पुराणान्तरप्रसिद्धिः । The word ādayaḥh, “and others” [in kayadhavadayah], refers to the specific individuals mentioned in the final one and a half verses, beginning with Vṛṣaparva. These individuals corre- spond in order to the different classes of beings mentioned in the first two verses of the group [as will now be demonstrated]. Vṛṣaparva was a Danava [one of the classes of malefic beings signified by the word daitya]. In one of the Puranas, it is related that he was abandoned by his mother immediately after his birth and, having been brought up by a sage, he became a devotee of Śrī Viṣņu. बलेः श्रीप्रह्लादसङ्गः श्रीवामनसङ्गश्च तदनन्तरमेव भक्त्युद्बोधदर्शनात् । Bali obtained the association of Śrī Prahlada and Bhagavan Vamana, and he is given as an example [of an asura], because bhakti was seen to manifest in him only after obtaining such association. बाणस्य बलिमहेशभगवत्सङ्गः । अस्य भुजकर्तनानन्तरं ज्ञातविष्णुमहिम्नो महाभागवत- महेशप्राप्तिरिव स्वप्राप्तिरित्युच्यते । Bāṇa [another asura] obtained the association of Bali, Mahesa [Śiva], and Bhagavan Śrī Kṛṣṇa. After all but two of his one thou- sand arms were chopped off by Kṛṣṇa, he realized the glory of Śrī Viṣṇu. In the third verse from the above series [in the words mat-padam prāptah], Krsna refers to Bana’s attainment of the maha-bhagavata, Mahesa, as if it were the attainment of Him (sva-präpti). मयो दानवः । अस्य सभानिर्माणादौ पाण्डवसङ्गो भगवत्सङ्गश्च । अन्ते तत्प्राप्तिस्तु ज्ञेया । 194 239 Primary and Secondary Control of Bhagavan through Sat-sanga Maya is another Danava. While building an assembly hall for the Pandavas, he obtained their association as well as that of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and ultimately, he attained Kṛṣṇa. विभीषणो यातुधानः । अस्य हनुमत्सङ्गो भगवत्सङ्गश्च । 1 Vibhiṣaṇa was a Yatudhana, or a raksasa. He received the association of Hanuman and Bhagavan Rama. सुग्रीवाद्या गजान्ता मृगाः । तत्र ऋक्षो जाम्बवान् । अस्य भगवत्सङ्गः । गजो गजेन्द्रः । अस्य पूर्वजन्मनि सत्सङ्ग उन्नेयः । उत्तरजन्मान्ते भगवत्सङ्गश्च । The first four words in the first line of the fourth verse, from sugrīva up to gaja, refer to those belonging to the animal species (mrgah). Among them, the bear (rkṣa), refers to Jambavan, who obtained the association of Sri Rama as well as that of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. The elephant (gaja) refers to Gajendra. It is to be inferred that he received sat-sanga in his previous life, and at the end of his next life as Gajendra, he obtained the association of Bhagavan. गृध्रो जटायुनामा खगः । अस्य श्रीगरुडदशरथादिसङ्गः श्रीसीतादर्शनं श्रीभगवद्दर्शनं च । The vulture (grdhra) refers to Jațayu, who belonged to the species of birds (khaga). He obtained the association of Garuda and Dasaratha, and he also received the direct vision (darśana) of Śri Sita and Śrī Rāma. गन्धर्वादींस्त्वनतिप्रसिद्धत्वेनानुदाहृत्य मनुष्येषु वैश्यादीनुदाहरति । The various classes of beings beginning from the Gandharvas up to the Vidyadharas are not so well known, and as such, spe- cific examples from these groups have not been given in these verses. Among human beings (manuşyesu), the vaiśyas, sūdras, outcastes (antyajas), and women are then illustrated in order up to the end of the fourth verse. वणिक्पथस्तुलाधारः । अस्य भारते जाजलिमुनिगन्धर्वप्रसङ्गे प्रोक्तमहिम्नः सत्सङ्गोऽन्वे- षणीयः । The word vanikpatha, “a merchant,” refers to Tulädhära, a shop- keeper (vaisya). That he obtained sat-sanga should be inferred 195 III The Practice of Bhakti from his glories described in the account of Jajali Muni and the Gandharva in Mahabharata. 1 व्याधो धर्मव्याधः शूद्रोऽन्त्यजोऽपि । अत्रादिवाराहकथेयम् - क्वचित् प्राचीनकलियुगे वसुनाम्ना वैष्णवेन राज्ञा प्राग्जन्मनि मृगभ्रान्त्या निहतो ब्राह्मणो ब्रह्मराक्षसतां प्राप्त- स्तस्य राज्ञः प्रापञ्चिकविष्णुलोकगमनसमये तच्छरीरं प्रविष्टः । पुनश्च तस्य तद्भोगान्ते राजतां प्राप्तस्य देहात् तत्कर्तृकब्रह्मपाराख्यस्तवपाठतेजसा निर्गतस्तत्कृतधर्मव्याध- सङ्गो हिंसातिशयविमुखः पर्यवसाने दृष्टनीलाद्रिनाथस्तं च स्तुतवान् । प्राप्ततदालिङ्गन- स्तत्सायुज्यमवापेति । The word vyadha, “a hunter,” refers to Dharmavyādha, who was considered both a sudra, or “laborer,” and an outcaste (antyaja). There is a story about him in the Adi-varaha Purāṇa [Chapter 6]: “In some past Kaliyuga, a Vaisnava king named Vasu killed a brahmana, mistaking him for a deer. After giv- ing up his body, the brahmana became a brahma-räkṣasa, or the malignant ghost of a brahmana. When the time came for the king to ascend to Visņu’s abode situated within the cosmos (prapañcika Vaikuntha), the brahma-rākṣasa entered his body. When the period of his sojourn there came to an end, the king again returned to the earthly sphere and became a king. At that time, he realized that there was a brahma-rakṣasa in his body. To exorcise the evil spirit, the king recited the prayer known as Brahma-pārākhya-stava. By the power of this prayer, the brahma-räkṣasa was delivered from his body, and the king gave him the name Dharmavyädha, ‘a religious hunter.’ There- after, Dharmavyadha developed an acute aversion to violence, and at the end of his life, he saw ’the Lord of the Blue Mountain’ (nilädrinatha), i.e., Lord Jagannatha, and prayed to Him. He was embraced by Jagannatha and attained liberation by merging into Him (sayujya).” कुब्जाया भगवत्सङ्गः पूर्वजन्मनि च नारदसङ्ग इति माथुरहरिवंशप्रसिद्धम् । The hunchbacked woman (Kubjā) obtained the association of Bhagavan Kṛṣṇa and, in her past life, that of Narada. This is described in the Mathura recension of the Hari-vamsa Purana. 196 239 Primary and Secondary Control of Bhagavan through Sat-sanga गोप्योऽत्र साधारण्यः श्रीकृष्णव्रजे तदानीं विवाहादिना समागताः । आसां तन्नित्यप्रेय- सीवृन्दसङ्गः श्रीकृष्णदर्शनादिरूपो भगवत्सङ्गश्च । The word gopyah in the last line of the fourth verse is a reference to the general (sädhäraṇa) gopis [and not to the eternally per- fect gopis, in whom love is priorly present independent of any association or practice]. Through marriage, they came to Vraja, where Śrī Kṛṣṇa was present at the time of His descent. There they came into the association of Kṛṣṇa’s eternal beloveds (the preyasis), and they also obtained the association of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, by seeing Him and interacting with Him in different ways. यज्ञपत्नीनां श्रीकृष्णगुणकयकलोकसङ्गस्तत्सङ्गश्च । अपरे दैतेयादयोऽन्ये च ॥ The wives of the brahmanas (yajña-patnis) associated with those who used to recount the divine qualities of Bhagavan Kṛṣṇa, and they also obtained the association of Sri Kṛṣṇa Himself. The word apare, “others,” refers to the sons of Diti (Daityas) and others. Commentary IN THE CONTEXT of discussing the importance of service to Vaiṣṇavas, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmi spoke about the power of sat-sanga to bring Bhagavan under control. This is directly stated by Bhaga- van Sri Krsna to Uddhava in SB 11.12.1-2. Śrī Jīva elaborates on the controlling power of sat-sanga in the present anuccheda, making two classifications of such control - primary and secondary. Controlling Bhagavan in the primary sense occurs when a devo- tee has no personal motive to fulfill from Bhagavan. In this case, the devotee’s intention is simply to render loving service to Bhagavan. A devotee of such disposition is exceedingly rare and is awarded love by Bhagavan. In this relation, Bhagavan comes fully under the control of His devotee, as He informed Durvasa: “The sages con- trol Me by bhakti, just as a devoted wife controls a worthy husband” (SB 9.4.66)? 7 sadhavaḥ… vase kurvanti mam bhaktyä sat-striyaḥ sat-patim yatha 197III The Practice of Bhakti The other type of control is secondary, in which Bhagavan ful- fills the devotee’s desire but does not grant love. This is so because the devotee’s intention is to obtain a boon from Bhagavan but not to love Him unconditionally. Śrī Jīva comments that in this case, Bha- gavan is brought under control only in the sense that He is impelled to offer the devotee the boon that was desired. For this reason, Bha- gavan’s being brought under control in the secondary sense is said to be merely figurative (upacara). In Canto 11, chapter 12 of the Bhagavata, Srī Kṛṣṇa gives numer- ous examples of how He was brought under control in either the primary or the secondary sense through the influence of sat-sanga. From these examples, cited in this anuccheda, it is clear that sat- sanga is so powerful that it can transform even those born in demonic families, and even those born in the species of animals or birds. This is truly astounding. No other path, such as karma-yoga or jñāna-yoga, claims any power of comparable magnitude. With reference to Krsna’s statements (SB 11.12.3-6), Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī describes different classes of beings that received sat- sanga either in their present or past lives, or in both. Some of these stories are found in Bhagavata Purana, while others are related in the Ramayana of Valmiki, in Mahabharata, or in one of the Puranas. In some cases, there is no clear mention in any scripture of the individuals having received sat-sanga. Śrī Jiva Gosvāmi comments that in such instances as well, it should be assumed that the indi- viduals in question must have had sat-sanga in their present or past lives. Without sat-sanga, no one can become a devotee. This was established in Anuccheda 179. Śrī Jiva gives the example of Gajendra, the king of the elephants, who was King Indradyumna in his past life. Once, he was engaged in the worship of Bhagavan while maintaining a vow of silence. At that time, sage Agastya came to his residence along with his stu- dents. The king maintained his silence and thus did not receive the sage as per the honored tradition. This enraged the sage, who then cursed the king to become an elephant. As a result, he was born as Gajendra. Because, however, the king was engaged in the worship of Bhagavan, it is to be assumed that he must have had sat-sanga. 198 239 Primary and Secondary Control of Bhagavan through Sat-sanga The story of Tuladhara is found in chapters 261 to 264 of the Santi-parva of Mahabharata. He was a shopkeeper in Kāśī (Benaras) and very pious. One day, the sage Jajali became proud of his own severe austerities. As soon as this feeling took hold of him, he heard a voice in the sky that announced, “You are not as virtuous as the shopkeeper Tuladhara.” Hearing this, Jajali became jealous of Tuladhara and went to see him. To Jajali’s surprise, Tuladhara already knew everything about him. The shopkeeper then gave Jajali instructions on dharma. He especially glorified nonviolence, karma-yoga, and śraddha. It is assumed that previously he must have had the association of some devotee to have attained such faith and devotion. The story of Dharmavyādha is described in chapters 206-216 of the Vana-parva of Mahabharata. There was a brahmaṇa named Kausika, who was devoted to studying the Vedas and performing austerities. Once, while he was sitting in a forest under a tree, recit- ing the Vedas, a crane sitting atop the tree defecated on his head. This enraged the brahmana Kausika, and he glared at the bird with great anger, causing it to drop dead on the ground. When Kausika saw this, he felt morose and repented his acrimonious act. Later, Kausika went to a nearby village for alms. He approached a house and called out for alms from the door. The lady of the house asked him to wait. Kausika waited for some time, and when the lady finally came out to offer him some food, he expressed anger at her delay. The lady begged for forgiveness and replied that she was busy taking care of her husband. This enraged Kausika even more. He informed her that a brahmana is superior to all and bragged about the greatness and prowess of the brahmanas. The lady again asked for forgiveness and replied that she was well aware of the greatness of brahmanas, but for her, service to her husband was superior to the service of a brahmana. She replied indignantly that she was not some bird that would be made to drop dead by Kausika’s wrath. This statement stunned Kausika, and he understood that the lady was more advanced than him. He then asked her to elucidate the principles of dharma. She advised him to visit Dharmavyadha in Mithila to learn the intricacies of dharma. 199 III The Practice of Bhakti Kausika was humbled to hear all this and was amazed that the lady could have known about the bird incident by the power of her service to her husband. Kausika then went to Mithila to meet Dharmavyādha, who already knew of his arrival. Dharmavyadha was born in a hunter’s family and earned his livelihood by selling meat. A lengthy discussion about dharma ensued between Dharmavyadha and Kausika. In the end, Kausika inquired as to how it was possible for Dharmavyadha to have been born in a hunter’s family. Dharmavyadha replied that in his previ- ous life, he was a great brahmana, a knower of the Vedas. He had befriended a king, and from the king he learned the art of shoot- ing arrows. Once, the king went to the forest for hunting, and the brāhmaṇa accompanied him. By mistake, the brahmana shot a sage with an arrow. The sage cursed him to be born as a sudra. Śrī Jiva Gosvāmi’s account of Dharmavyadha is a different one, however, found in the sixth chapter of Varaha Purana. The gopis mentioned in the last verse from Krsna’s statements (SB 11.12.6) are not the eternal gopis of Vṛndāvana but those who attained the position of gopis through sadhana-bhakti. At the time of Krsna’s descent, these advanced sadhakas took birth as gopis outside of Vraja and came to Vraja as married wives of different cowherd men, who were associates of Krsna. There, they attained the sat-sanga of the eternal gopis and became perfected. In this manner, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmi establishes the importance of sat-sanga in obtaining the grace of Bhagavan. In the next anuccheda, he demonstrates that sat-sanga is not dependent on anything else. 200 Anuccheda 240 Sat-sanga Is Independent of Other Means २४० । तेषां सत्सङ्गव्यतिरिक्तसाधनान्तराभावमाह (भा० ११।१२।७ ) - IN THE verse that follows, Śri Krsna declares that all these indi- viduals [mentioned in the previous group of verses, SB 11.12.3–6] did not undergo any form of spiritual discipline (sädhana) other than the association of true devotees (sat-sanga): तेनाधीतश्रुतिगणा नोपासितमहत्तमाः । अव्रतातप्ततपसः मत्सङ्गान् मामुपागताः ॥ ७२९ ॥ Although they did not study the Vedas, render service to the most highly realized devotees, observe vows, or undertake aus- terities, they attained Me through association with Me or My devotees. (SB 11.12.7)1 नाधीताः श्रुतिगणा यैः । तदर्थं च नोपासिता महत्तमा यैः । किं च अकृतव्रता अकृततप- स्काश्च । पूर्ववदध्ययनादिकं भगवत्प्रीणनमेव ग्राह्यम् । In this verse, the compound nādhīta-śruti-gaṇāḥ means that they did not study the Śrutis, and the compound nopäsita- mahattamaḥ means that they did not render service to the most highly enlightened devotees (mahattamas) in order to realize the meaning of the Vedas. Furthermore, they did not observe any vows nor engage in austerity. As discussed earlier [in rela- tion to işța, purta, and so on], the practices mentioned in this 1 te nadhita-śruti-ganā nopäsita-mahattamāḥ avratatapta-tapasah mat-sangan mam upagatah 201 III The Practice of Bhakti verse, such as studying the Vedas, are understood as referring to the enactment of such practices exclusively for the pleasure of Bhagavan. अत्रैषां वृत्रादीनां प्राग्जन्मादौ साधनानन्तरं यत् तदपि सत्सङ्गानुषङ्गसिद्धमित्यभिप्रेत्य सत्सङ्गस्यैव तत्तत्फलमुक्तम् । धर्मव्याधादीनां तु केवलस्यैव तस्येति ज्ञेयम् । In this regard, although Vṛträsura and a few others did actually perform other spiritual practices in their previous lives, even these practices were accomplished as a concomitant effect of sat-sanga. With this intention, it is stated here that the var- ious results they attained were due to sat-sanga alone. Dhar- mavyadha and others like him, however, attained Bhagavan exclusively through sat-sanga. मत्सङ्गशब्देनात्र मम सङ्गो मदीयादीनां च सङ्ग इत्यभिधाप्यते । उभयत्रापि मत्सम्बन्धि- त्वादित्यभिप्रायेण । तत्र स्वस्यापि सत्त्वात् सत्सङ्गप्रकरणे स्वसङ्गोऽप्यन्तर्भावितः । यत् तु पुरा भागवतसङ्गेनैव भगवत्कृपा भवतीत्युक्तं तत् तु तत्साम्मुख्यजन्मन्येव । अत्र तु स एव भागवतसङ्गः साधनविशेषत्वेनोच्यत इति न दोषः । The word mat-sanga in the verse implies both “My association” (mama sangah) as well as “the association of My devotees” (madi- yānām sangaḥ), because both interpretations connote a relation with “Me” [Kṛṣṇa]. In this regard, because the state of establish- ment in authentic being (sat-tva) belongs to Bhagavan as well, His association is included within the context of sat-sanga. Pre- viously, though, when it was discussed [in Anuccheda 180] that the mercy of Bhagavan ensues only from the association of devo- tees (bhāgavata-sanga), the implication was specifically that it is only their association that can engender the initial turning of regard toward Bhagavan (tat-sammukhya). In this verse, how- ever, the very same bhagavata-sanga is being spoken of as a specific means of sadhana, and thus there is no discrepancy? 2 This is to say that in regard to engendering sammukhya, sat-sanga or bhagavata-sanga refers only to the association of devotees, since they alone can bring it about. But as an anga of sadhana-bhakti, sat-sanga includes both the association of devotees and the association of Bhagavan. This is indicated in SB 11.12.7 by use of the word mat-sangat, explained above. 202 240 Sat-sanga Is Independent of Other Means यदि वात्र कुत्रचित् साम्मुख्यजन्मकारणमपि भगवत्सङ्गो भवेत् तदाप्येवमाचक्ष्महे- सच्छब्दार्थमवतारमङ्गीकृत्य यत् कदाचित् सर्वत्र कृपां वितनोति भगवान् तच्च सत्स- म्बन्धेनैवेत्यतो नाभ्युपगमहानिरिति ॥ Even if it is acknowledged that the association of Bhagavan may sometimes also be the cause of a person’s turning his regard toward Him (sammukhya), such an occurrence is to be understood in the following manner. When Bhagavan descends into the material world and occasionally distributes His mercy everywhere, He does so only due to His relation with His authen- tic devotees (the sat). This is the true significance of the word sat [i.e., those who impel Bhagavan to appear and bestow His mercy]. Therefore, there is no defect in the principle stated above [that sat-sanga is the sole cause of sammukhya toward Bhagavan]. Commentary IN ANUCCHEDAS 179 and 180, Sri Jiva Gosvāmī established that sat- sanga is the primary cause of turning one’s awareness toward Bha- gavān (sammukhya). In this anuccheda, he shows that sat-sanga is also potent enough to bring a person to perfection on the path of bhakti. Sat-sanga does not depend on any other practice. It is the beginning point of bhakti and can also lead one to the end result of prema. Although sat-sanga includes both the association of devo- tees and that of Bhagavan, its primary meaning is “the association of authentic devotees.” The reason for this is that the association of Bhagavan is ultimately made possible only by a devotee. We saw in Paramatma Sandarbha (Anuccheda 100) that Bha- gavan acts only for the pleasure of His devotees. Therefore, His descent into the material world is also impelled by His intent to bestow grace on His devotees. This is confirmed by Krsna’s own statement in GĪTĀ 4.8, wherein He says that He appears in the world for the protection of His devotees. As a concomitant effect of the latter, He may also bestow grace on the nondevotees. Thus, the 203 111 The Practice of Bhakti devotees are the ultimate cause behind Bhagavan’s distribution of such grace, even if He appears to do so independently. 204 Anuccheda 241 Primary Control of Krsna Is Possible Only by Sat-sanga २४१ | अथ मुख्यं वशीकरणमसम्भावितसाधनान्तरेण सत्सङ्गमात्रेण श्रीगोप्यादीनां दर्श- यति ( भा० ११।१२।८) - IN THE NEXT VERSE, Kṛṣṇa demonstrates that the phenomenon of bringing Him under control in the primary sense (mukhya- vasi karana), as evidenced in the case of the gopis and others, is possible only by sat-sanga and not by any other means: केवलेन हि भावेन गोप्यो गावो नगा मृगाः । येऽन्ये मूढधियो नागाः सिद्धा मामीयुरञ्जसा ॥ ७३० ॥ Indeed, the gopis, the cows, trees, animals, snakes, and other beings of undeveloped consciousness realized the object of their lives and easily attained Me only through love (bhava). (SB 11.12.8)1 भावेन प्रकरणप्राप्तमत्सङ्गमात्रजन्मना प्रीत्या । भावोऽत्र वशीकारमुख्यत्वे चिह्नम् " वशीकुर्वन्ति मां भक्त्या सत्स्त्रियः सत्पतिं यथा” ( भा० ९।४।६६ ) इत्यादेः “भक्त्या- हमेकया ग्राह्यः” (भा० ११ | १४ | २१) इत्यादेश्च । " The word bhävena means “by love” (priti), which is given rise to only through sat-sanga, as understood from the context. In this 1 kevalena hi bhavena gopyo gavo naga mrgah ye’nye mudha-dhiyo nagaḥ siddha mam iyur anjasa 205 III The Practice of Bhakti verse, bhāva is the symptom of primary control (mukhya-vasi- karana), as indicated in statements such as these: “The sages con- trol Me by bhakti, just as a devoted wife controls a worthy hus- band” (vase kurvanti mam bhaktyä sat-striyaḥ sat-patim yatha, SB 9.4.66). And, “I am attainable only by bhakti” (bhaktyäham ekaya grähyaḥ, SB 11.14.21). गावोऽपि गोपीवदागन्तुक्य एव ज्ञेयाः । नगा यमलार्जुनादयः । मृगा अपि पूर्ववत् । नागाः कालियादयः । It should be understood that the cows mentioned in SB 11.12.8 were also new arrivals from outside of Vraja, as was the case with the gopis [as pointed out in Anuccheda 239]. The word nagaḥ, lit., “immobile beings,” refers to trees like the pair of Arjuna trees [which attained Kṛṣṇa through the mercy of Narada]. The word mrgah means “the animals,” which also came from out- side of Vraja like the others already mentioned. The word nāgāḥ refers to snakes such as Kaliya. यमलार्जुनकालिययोः प्तिमपेक्ष्योक्ता । प्राप्तिस्तदानीन्तनतत्क्षणिकभगवत्प्राप्त्यावश्यम्भाविनित्यप्रा- Although the twin Arjuna trees and the Kaliya snake attained Kṛṣṇa only momentarily during His manifest lila, they are said to have attained Him with the idea that in the future they would certainly attain Him eternally [due to the appearance of bhava or priti through sat-sanga]. सिद्धाः पूर्ववद् द्विविधात् सत्सङ्गात् । स तु तेषां भावो योगादिभिरप्राप्य एवेति " यथाव- रुन्धे " ( भा० ११।१२।२) इत्यत्र यथाशब्दार्थस्य पराकाष्ठा ॥ The word siddhaḥ, “having realized the object of their lives,” means that all those mentioned in the verse attained love (bhava) through the two types of sat-sanga previously men- tioned - either the association of Bhagavan or that of His devotees. And the love that thus appeared to them is certainly unattainable by any other means, such as yoga. This is the sig- nificance of the statement already cited [SB 11.12.1-2, quoted in 206 241 Primary Control of Krsna Is Possible Only by Sat-sanga Anuccheda 238]: “No other practice, including yoga, can sub- due Me in the same manner (yatha) as does the association of true devotees (sat-sanga).” Here, the pronoun yatha, “in the same manner as,” singles out sat-sanga as the ultimate limit (parākāṣṭhā) [of the power to bring Bhagavan under control]. Commentary ŚRI JIVA GOSVĀMĪ gives a very special interpretation to the verse spoken by Krsna to Uddhava cited in this anuccheda (SB 11.12.8). He says that the bhava, or divine love, mentioned in this verse was attained by the gopis and others only through sat-sanga and not by any other means. This is understood from the context in which the verse was spoken. The context is the prowess of sat-sanga to subdue Bhagavan. Krsna began this chapter with the intent to disclose the most confidential truth (parama-guhya-tattva). He proclaims this in the last verse of the previous chapter (SB 11.11.49, cited in Anuccheda 238). Thus, in the opening two verses of Chapter Twelve (SB 11.12.1-2), we learn that the most confidential truth is that there is no other means that can control Him as powerfully and assuredly as sat-sanga. This is the sense of the relative pronoun yatha used in Krsna’s statement. According to the Amara-kosa lexicon, this pronoun is used in the sense of “equivalence” (samye, 3.4.9). Thus, the implication is that there is no other process that can equal sat-sanga in the matter of controlling Krsna, yatha avarundhe. Another point to be noted is that like the gopis, the cows, ani- mals, and snakes mentioned in SB 11.12.8 are not the eternal resi- dents of Vraja but those who came to Vraja from outside. Addition- ally, by specifying the trees as the twin Arjuna trees (who were previously Nalakuvara and Manigrīva), it is understood that even the trees being referred to did not originally belong to Vraja. The gopis, cows, trees, and animals of Vrndavana are eternal associates of Krsna in whom divine love for Him is eternally self-manifest. It 207III The Practice of Bhakti would be wrong to say that they attained perfection or love by sat- sanga. Thus, the gopis, cows, and others mentioned in this verse are those who came to Vraja from outside. The twin Arjuna trees, standing in the courtyard of Nanda, were originally two sons of Kubera. When the trees were uprooted by baby Krsna, the two devas were released from their tree forms and returned to their previous status as sons of Kubera. Later, however, they must have attained Krsna. According to Gopala-campu, they became Madhukantha and Snigdhakantha in the aprakața-lila. The same can be assumed about the Kaliya snake, who was ordered to leave the Yamuna River and go to Ramanaka Island. 208 Anuccheda 242 Love for Kṛṣṇa Is Attained Only by Sat-sanga २४२ । तामेव व्यनक्ति (११।१२।९ ) - IN THE NEXT VERSE, Kṛṣṇa makes evident the fact that this love for Him cannot be attained by any other means [only through sat-sanga]: यं न योगेन साङ्ख्येन दानव्रततपोऽध्वरैः । व्याख्यास्वाध्यायसन्यासैः प्राप्नुयाद् यत्नवानपि ॥ ७३१ ॥ [The gopis and the others attained Me (mām iyuḥ) through love (bhava)], which (yam) cannot be attained, even if one strives with great endeavor, by yoga, sankhya, charity, sacred vows, penance, sacrifice, exposition of sacred texts, study of the Vedas, or adopting the path of formal renunciation. (SB 11.12.9)1 यं भावम् । अत्रापि योगादयो भगवत्परा एव । योगादिभिर्यत्नवानपीत्यनेन तत्प्राप्त्यर्थं प्रयुज्यमानत्वावगमात् । 1 yam na yogena sankhyena dana-vrata-tapo’dhvaraih vyakhya-svadhyāya-sannyasaiḥ präpnuyad yatnavän api Sridhara Svami comments that this verse is syntactically connected to the previous verse and in particular to the words mam iyuh. Thus, according to his explanation, the basic syntax would be as follows: “The gopis and the others attained Me (mām iyuh), who (yam) cannot be attained (na prapnuyat) by yoga and so on.” Jiva Gosvami, on the other hand, takes the pronoun yam as referring to the love (bhava) by which Krsna is attained. These two views can be harmonized by the understanding that both Krsna and the means to attain Him (bhava) are possible only through sat-sanga, not by any other means. 209 III The Practice of Bhakti In this verse, the relative pronoun yam, “which,” refers to the love (bhäva) mentioned in the previous verse. The various prac- tices specified in this verse, such as yoga, are understood to be enacted specifically in regard to Bhagavan, because Krsna’s statement that love for Him cannot be attained by yoga and the other means even if one strives with great endeavor implies a context in which such methods are employed for the purpose of attaining Him. एष्वपि श्रीगोपीनां परमकाष्ठाप्राप्तिं दर्शयितुम् “अथैतत् परमं गुह्यं शृण्वतो यदुनन्दनः” ( भा० ११ ११ १४९) इत्येतत्पूर्वोक्तपरमगुह्यत्वस्य परमकाष्ठां दर्शयितुम् “रामेण सार्धम् ” ( भा० ११।१२।१० ) इत्यादिप्रकरणमनुसन्धेयम् ॥ श्रीभगवान् ॥ Even among those who attained love for Krsna [through sat- sanga, as mentioned in the previous verse (SB 11.12.8)], only the gopis attained the highest development of this love (para- kāṣṭhā). To demonstrate this clearly, Kṛṣṇa previously alluded to this fact with these words: “Therefore, O descendant of Yadu, Uddhava, please attentively hear this supremely confidential truth (parama-guhya)” (SB 11.11.49). One should examine the section of verses beginning with SB 11.12.10 [and ending with SB 11.12.13], which are spoken to make evident that the gopis’ love is the highest limit (parākāṣṭha) of the most confidential truth referred to in SB 11.11.49. Commentary ŚRI KṚṢNA confirms that the bhava, or love, that the gopis and others attained was made possible only by sat-sanga. All other processes, such as yoga, even if executed in relation to Krsna, do not have the potency to grant love. Certainly, if these other pro- cesses are performed independently, they do not have any capac- ity to bestow love. Moreover, without the assistance of bhakti, they cannot even grant liberation. This was discussed earlier (in Anucchedas 65-84). 2 For the translation of these verses, see the commentary. 210 242 Love for Krsna Is Attained Only by Sat-sanga Love is the only thing that can control Bhagavan completely. The highest limit of this love is found only in the gopis. This limit is called mahabhava. The symptoms of mahabhava include the inabil- ity to tolerate separation from Krsna even for a moment (nimeṣāsa- hata) and to perceive a moment of separation from Him as equal to a kalpa (kalpa-kṣaṇatvam, Ujjvala-nilamani 14.161). In the following four verses referred to by Jiva Gosvami at the end of this anuccheda, Śrī Kṛṣṇa describes to Uddhava the state of mahabhava experienced by the gopis after He left Vraja to go to Mathura and then to Dvaraka: 3 After Akrura had taken Me to Mathura along with Balarama, the gopis, whose minds were attached to Me through intense love and who suffered acute pangs of separation, did not consider anything other than Me as a source of delight. My dear Uddhava! Those very nights that passed as though barely half a moment when the gopis were united with Me, their most beloved, while I was present in Vrndāvana, appeared to them like a kalpa when bereft of My company. Like sages who lose all awareness of names and forms while absorbed in the state of samadhi, the gopis, whose intellective faculties were intently fixed on Me due to our reunion (anusanga), could not ascertain whether they (ātmānam) and all that is theirs (svam) belonged to “this world” [(idam), i.e., the prakaṭa-lila] or to “the world beyond” [(adah), i.e., the aprakata-lila]. Like rivers merged in the ocean, they entered into Me alone. Some of these vulnerable women (abalah) longed for Me as their husband (mat-kamah ramanam), and some, being unaware of their own intrinsic nature [as My eternal consorts], yearned for Me as their paramour (jaram). Yet all of them attained Me, the Supreme Brahman. By their association (sangat) hundreds of thousands of other women also attained Me. (SB 11.12.10-13)3 rāmeņa sārdham mathuram pranite svaphalkina mayy anurakta-cittah vigaḍha-bhavena na me viyoga-tivradhayo’nyam dadrsuh sukhāya tās tāḥ kṣapāḥ presṭhatamena nītā mayaiva vṛndavana-gocarena ksanardhavat taḥ punar anga tasam hină maya kalpa-sama babhuvuḥ tā nāvidan mayy anuṣanga-baddha-dhiyaḥ svam atmanam adas tathedam yatha samādhau munayo’bdhi-toye nadyah pravista iva nāma rupe → 211 III The Practice of Bhakti A detailed explanation of these verses is given in Kṛṣṇa Sandarbha (Anucchedas 175-177). 212 mat-kamā ramanam jāram asvarupa-vido’balah brahma mam paramam prapuh sangac chata-sahasrasah Anuccheda 243 Sat-sanga Is Effective Even without Proper Awareness 1 २४३ । एष च सत्सङ्गो ज्ञानं विनापि कृतोऽर्थद एव स्यादित्याह (भा० ३।२३।५५ ) - THIS ASSOCIATION of authentic devotees (sat-sanga) is indeed effective in yielding its fruit, even if undertaken without proper awareness (jñāna), as indicated by Devahūti: सङ्गो यः संसृतेर्हेतुरसत्सु विहितोऽधिया । स एव साधुषु कृतो निःसङ्गत्वाय कल्पते ॥ ७३२ ॥ The very same association (sanga) that is the cause of mate- rial bondage (samsṛti) when undertaken out of ignorance (adhiya) in regard to those who are involved in inauthentic being (asatsu), leads to freedom from bondage when taken up [even without proper awareness]1 in regard to genuine saints (sadhus). (SB 3.23.55)2 अधिया अज्ञानेन । यत् तु पूर्वं श्रीनारदादौ मुन्यन्तरसाधारणदृष्टिर्निन्दिता तदिहानिग्धे ज्ञानलवदुर्विदग्धे च ज्ञेयम् ॥ श्रीदेवहूतिः ॥ 2 The word adhiya, which Jiva Gosvami glosses as ajnanena, “out of ignorance,” or “without proper awareness,” can be syntactically connected even to the second line of the verse. This is justified in particular because of the use of the words sah eva sarigaḥ, “the very same association” [i.e., that which is undertaken without proper awareness]. Clearly, this is Śrī Jiva’s intent here, otherwise there would be no point in citing this verse to support his opening statement. sango yaḥ samsṛter hetur asatsu vihito’dhiya sa eva sadhuşu kṛto nihsangatvaya kalpate 213 III The Practice of Bhakti The word adhiya means “out of ignorance” (ajñāna). Previously, however [in Anuccheda 179], considering great devotees such as Śrī Narada as ordinary saints was condemned. [So how can it be said that sat-sanga leads to freedom from bondage even when taken up without the proper awareness?] This restric- tion [i.e., the impropriety of view that counters the effectivity of sat-sanga] should be understood to apply here only in the case of those who are hard-hearted (asnigdha) or who are proud of their petty knowledge (jñana-lava-durvidagdha). [Otherwise, for those who are simple-hearted but ignorant, sat-sanga will definitely yield its fruit.] Commentary SAT-SANGA is efficacious even if taken up unwittingly, meaning, in ignorance of its importance or of the greatness of an advanced devo- tee’s factual state of being. This association is comparable to taking a powerful medicine without having knowledge of its efficiency- the medicine will still act. The potency of an object bears fruit irre- spective of the user’s knowledge about it (vastu-saktir buddhim nape- ksate). Fire will burn whoever touches it, whether a naive child or an educated adult who knows about fire’s burning capacity. The story of Narada in his previous life, as the young son of a maid- servant, is an example of association undertaken without mature awareness. An objection may be raised in this regard. In Anuccheda 179, it was said that if one holds an inappropriate attitude toward a great devotee, it will impede the capacity of that association to engen- der the turning of regard toward Bhagavan (sammukhya). So how can it be said here that sat-sanga is effective even when undertaken without proper awareness? Śrī Jiva Gosvami replies that the statement made earlier was in regard to those who are cunning and proud of their petty knowl- edge. Their unfavorable demeanor curtails the power of transfor- mation that such association holds. For those who are innocent, 214 243 Sat-sanga Is Effective Even without Proper Awareness however, association of the wise will be effective, even if such peo- ple lack proper awareness of the power of that association. Be that as it may, sat-sanga is more effective when taken up in knowledge and with respect. 215 Anuccheda 244 Service in the Form of Paricaryā २४४ | तदेवं महाभागवतप्रसङ्गफलमुक्तम् । तत्परिचर्याफलमाह (भा० ३ / ७ /१९ ) - WE HAVE THUS described the result of service (seva) to highly realized devotees (maha-bhāgavatas) in the form of association (prasanga). We will now describe the result of service in the form of personal attendance to such devotees (paricarya), as Śrī Vidura pointed out to Maitreya: यत्सेवया भगवतः कूटस्थस्य मधुद्विषः । रतिरासो भवेत् तीव्रः पादयोर्व्यसनार्दनः ॥ ७३३ ॥ By rendering service to great devotees, one becomes immersed in a festival of intense love for the lotus feet of the eternally changeless Bhagavan, the slayer of the Madhu demon, which destroys all worldly tribulations. (SB 3.7.19)2 येषां युष्माकं महाभागवतानां सेवया परिचर्यया कूटस्थस्य नित्यस्य भगवतः पादयो रतिरासः प्रेमोत्सवो भवेत् । तीव्र इति विशेषणं प्रसङ्गमात्रात् परिचर्यायां विशिष्ट फलं द्योतयति । 1 | [Śri Jiva paraphrases Vidura’s statement:] “By rendering ser- vice (sevaya, i.e., paricaryaya) to highly realized devotees (maha- bhāgavatānām) like you [Maitreya], one becomes immersed in 2 This relates back to the following statement made in Anuccheda 238: “Service (seva) to highly realized devotees (mahabhagavatas) is of two types - in the form of association (prasanga) and in the form of personal attendance (paricarya).” yat-sevaya bhagavataḥ kütasthasya madhudviṣaḥ ratiraso bhavet tivrah padayor vyasanardanaḥ 216 244 Service in the Form of Paricarya a festival of love (rati-rāsaḥ, i.e., premotsavah) for the feet of Bhagavan, who is changeless (küṭasthaḥ), or in other words, eternal (nityah).” The adjective tivrah, “intense” [qualifying rati-rāsaḥ, “a festival of love”], highlights the fact that the result attained through service (paricarya) is superior to that attained by association alone (prasangaḥ). आनुषङ्गिकं फलमाह – व्यसनादन इति । व्यसनं संसारः । यत एवोक्तम् “मद्भक्तपूजा- भ्यधिका” (भा० ११।१९। २१ ) इति । Vidura also describes the concomitant result (änuşangika- phala) of such service, namely, that it destroys (ardana) all worldly tribulations (vyasana), meaning material existence itself (samsära). For this reason, Kṛṣṇa has said, “The worship of My devotee exceeds the worship of Me” (SB 11.19.21)? मम पूजातोऽप्यभि सर्वतोभावेनाधिका अधिकमत्प्रीतिकरीत्यर्थः । In the latter verse [SB 11.19.21], the prefix abhi [signifying supe- riority] applied to the word adhikā, “exceeds,” implies that the worship of the devotee is superior in all respects even to the wor- ship of Kṛṣṇa Himself, meaning that it is more pleasing to Krsna than serving Him directly. एवं पाद्मोत्तरखण्डे - A similar statement is made in the Uttara-khanda of Padma Purāṇa: आराधनानां सर्वेषां विष्णोराराधनं परम् । तस्मात् परतरं देवि तदीयानां समर्चनम् ॥ ७३४ ॥ इति ॥ विदुरः श्रीमैत्रेयम् ॥ Among all varieties of worship, the worship of Bhagavan Visņu is supreme. But, O Goddess, superior even to that is the worship of His devotees. (Padma Purana, Uttara-khanda 253.176)4 3 mad-bhakta-pujabhyadhikā ^ aradhanānāṁ sarveṣam vişnor aradhanam param tasmat parataraṁ devi tadīyānāṁ samarcanam 217III The Practice of Bhakti Commentary IN ANUCCHEDA 238, it was said that service (seva) to the maha- bhāgavatas is of two types - in the form of association (prasanga), by hearing and taking instruction from them, and in the form of personal attendance (paricarya). The first of these was discussed in Anucchedas 238-243. Here, Sri Jiva Gosvami discusses the second type of sat-seva, which is more potent than the first. The reason for this is that it is much more pleasing to Krsna, who considers service to His devotees even more important than service to Him. This is so because He is completely under the sway of His devotees, as He informed Durvāsā: O brāhmaṇa, I am completely under the control of My devotees, as if I have no independence at all. My heart is fully captivated by My virtuous devotees, for I am their only beloved. (SB 9.4.63)5 It is for this reason that the worship of the guru precedes that of Bhagavan and that Bhagavan is always worshiped along with His consort, who is the best of all His devotees. In Anuccheda 238, it was noted, however, that just because the worship of devotees or of the guru is more pleasing to Krsna than His own worship, one should not wrongly conclude that there is no need to worship Krsna. There are some disciples who think in this way. They are devoted only to their guru and fail to honor Krsna. 5 218 aham bhakta-paradhino hy asvatantra iva dvija sadhubhir grasta-hrdayo bhaktair bhakta-jana-priyah Anuccheda 245 Paricarya Established by Vyatireka २४५ | व्यतिरेकेणाह (भा० १० १८४।१३) - THE IMPORTANCE of service (paricarya) to highly realized devo- tees is indirectly established by the logic of disaffirmation (vyatireka) [i.e., by asserting the deficiency of those who fail to do so], as in this statement of Śrī Kṛṣṇa to the sages: यस्यात्मबुद्धिः कुणपे त्रिधातुके स्वधीः कलत्रादिषु भौम इज्यधीः । यत्तीर्थबुद्धिः सलिले न कर्हिचिज् जनेष्वभिज्ञेषु स एव गोखरः ।। ७३५ ।। One whose self-concept (atma-buddhiḥ) is rooted in this corpse- like body, which is constituted of the three elements, mucus, bile, and air; whose sense of relation (sva-dhih) is in his wife, children, and other kin; whose concept of divinity (ijya-dhih) is in earthen images; and whose notion of the sacred (tirtha- buddhih) is in the water of a river; but who never cherishes the sense of self, of relation, of divinity, and of the sacred, in regard to those who have realized the Absolute, is indeed an ass among cows. (SB 10.84.13)1 जडत्वात् कुणपे स्वयं मृततुल्ये शरीरे । चिद्योगेऽपि त्रिभिर्वातपित्तादिभिर्धातुभिर्दूषित इत्यर्थः । भौमे देवताप्रतिमादौ । [Here, the person being described is one whose self-concept (ätma-buddhiḥ) is rooted] “in a corpse” (kunape), meaning “in 1 yasyatma-buddhiḥ kunape tri-dhatuke sva-dhiḥ kalatradisu bhauma ijya-dhih yat-tirtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicij janesv abhijnesu sa eva go-kharaḥ 219 III The Practice of Bhakti the body” (sarire), which of its own accord is compared to dead matter, because it is inert. Even when animated by the pres- ence of consciousness (citta), the body is defiled by its three constituents mucus, bile, and air. This is the sense. The word bhaume, “in earthen images,” refers to the deity forms (pratimas) of the devatās [but not to those of Bhagavan]. यत् यस्य । अभिज्ञेषु तत्त्ववित्सु ता बुद्धयो न सन्ति । तत्रात्मबुद्धिः परमप्रीत्यास्पदत्वम् । The pronoun yat [in the second line] means “whose” (yasya), referring to the person whose psychological perspectives (buddhis) - including the sense of self, of relation, of divinity, and of the sacred- are not cherished in regard to those who have realized the Absolute (abhijñeşu), the direct perceivers of Reality (tattva-vid). In this context, the self-concept (atma- buddhih) implies whatever a person considers as his object of greatest affection (parama-priti-äspadatvam). स एव गोखरो गोनिकृष्ट उच्यते । यद्वा सिन्धुसौवीरप्रसिद्धो वन्यगर्दभजातिविशेषो म्ले- च्छजातिविशेषो वा सः । न त्वन्यः प्रसिद्धः । विवेकित्वाभिमानितायां सत्यामप्यविवेकि- त्वात् ततोऽपि निकृष्टत्वं तस्येति । That person indeed (sa eva) [who does not cherish these per- spectives in regard to realized beings] is described as “an ass among cows” (go-kharah), meaning “the lowest of the cows” (go-nikṛsta). Alternatively, the word go-kharah may refer to a particular species of wild donkeys found in the lands of Sindhu and Sauvira [part of Pakistan and Afghanistan] or to a class of mlecchas, or outcastes. The term go-kharah is not known to apply to anything else. [In truth, however, it is the person described in the verse who is to be designated as a go-khara, and not the animal so-named.] This is because, although he prides himself as being a man of wisdom, in reality, he is bereft of dis- crimination. For this reason, he is lower even than the lowest of animals, a wild donkey, or an outcaste. भौम इज्यधीरिति साधारणदेवताविषयकमेव पूर्वं तथैवोपक्रान्तत्वात् “अर्चायामेव हरये” (भा० ११।२।४७) इत्यादिविरोधाच्च । 220 245 Paricarya Established by Vyatireka In the phrase, “whose concept of divinity (ijya-dhiḥ) is in earthen images (bhaume),” the object of the person’s reverence is specifically the deity forms of the ordinary devatās, as under- stood from the immediately preceding verses [SB 10.84.10-12, in which this topic is begun]. Additionally, the reference can only be to the deity forms of the ordinary devatās [and not to those of Bhagavan Viṣṇu], otherwise this would contradict the principle established in the verse below: One who offers worship to Bhagavan Hari with faith in the deity form alone but who fails to honor Him as present in His devotees or in other living beings is recognized as a prākṛta-bhakta, or a devotee whose nature [prakṛti] is in the very beginning stage of formation. (SB 11.2.47)2 तदेवं “यथा तरोर्मूलनिषेचनेन " ( भा० ४ । ३१ । १४ ) इत्यादिवाक्यमत्र नावतारयितव्यम् ॥ श्रीभगवान् मुनिवृन्दम् || 2 Thus, it would be inappropriate here to cite the verse given below [in justification of the go-khara’s limited sense of divin- ity, because his worship is of the deity forms of the ordinary devatās, whereas in the verse that follows, the reference is to the worship of Bhagavan Kṛṣṇa]: 3 Just as by pouring water on the root of a tree, its trunk, branches, and twigs become nourished, and just as by supplying food to the vital life current (prana), the senses gain strength, so too by worshiping Bhagavan Acyuta [Krsna], the worship of all entities is effected. (SB 4.31.14)3 arcayam eva haraye pujam yaḥ śraddhayehate na tad-bhaktesu canyesu sa bhaktah prakṛtah smrtah Here, the person who has faith only in the deity of Bhagavan Hari but not in His devotees is designated as a prakṛta-bhakta and not a go-khara. Thus, although both the prakṛta-bhakta and the go-khara have no sense of divinity in regard to true devotees, they are distinguished by the particular objects of their worship - Bhagavan and the ordinary devas, respectively. On this basis, it would be inappropriate to cite SB 11.2.47 to justify the go-khara’s neglect of the devotees, because the verse applies to the prakṛta-bhakta and not to the go-khara. yatha taror mula-nisecanena trpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopasakhaḥ pranopahārac ca yathendriyaņām tathaiva sarvarhanam acyutejyä 221 III The Practice of Bhakti Commentary IN THE previous anuccheda, Sri Jiva Gosvāmī discussed the result of rendering service (paricarya) to great devotees of Bhagavan (mahā- bhagavatas). Now in this anuccheda, he establishes the importance of such service by the logic of disaffirmation (vyatireka). This is summed up in Krsna’s pronouncement that a person who never renders service to great devotees is no better than an animal. According to the principal verse of this anuccheda (SB 10.84.13),” such people identify with four objects - the body, relatives, earthen images of the devas, and sacred water. Correspondingly, they hold four psychological perspectives - atma-buddhih, the sense of self; sva-dhiḥ, the sense of kinship or relatedness; ijya- dhiḥ, the concept of divinity; and finally, tirtha-buddhiḥ, the notion of the sacred. These four perspectives become limitations when chained to conditional objects of identification. Śri Krsna describes a person whose sense of self is limited to the body, whose sense of kinship is limited to his relatives, whose con- cept of the divine is limited to earthen images, and whose notion of the sacred is limited to a physical locality. Such a person does not cherish any of these psychological perspectives in regard to highly realized devotees. By this neglect, the very thing that characterizes his humanity is lost, and he is thus called a go-khara, “an ass among cows.” This means that just as an animal is severely restricted in its awareness and sense of belonging and is incapable of inquiring into or knowing the Absolute, so too, such a person leads a life of ignorance. 4 The compound go-khara is formed from the nouns go and khara. Go means a cow, and khara means a donkey. Thus, go-khara can refer to a more intimidating type of animal, such as the distinct breed of wild donkeys found in Afghanistan. Alternatively, it can refer to a specific clan of mlecchas, or outcastes. The indeclinable eva, “indeed,” in the clause sa eva go-kharah, “he indeed is an ass yasyatma-buddhiḥ kunape tri-dhatuke sva-dhih kalatradisu bhauma ijya-dhih yat-tirtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicij janesv abhijñesu sa eva go-kharah 222 245 Paricarya Established by Vyatireka among cows,” signifies that in reality this designation is applica- ble to the person characterized in Krsna’s statement and not to the animal so-named nor to the outcaste or any other creature. The severity of this criticism is intended. A doubt may be raised here. In Śrī Jiva’s earlier discussion of the threefold classification of devotees (Anucchedas 187-190), sage Havi defined the person who has faith only in the deity but not in the devotees as a prakṛta-bhakta, or a beginning devotee (SB 11.2.47). In Kṛṣṇa’s statement, however, the person who has a sense of divin- ity toward the deity but not toward the devotees is labeled as a go- khara, “an ass among cows.” Since the two appear to share the same basic defect in outlook, why is the former valued while the latter is disparaged? The difference lies in the fact that the go-khara does not recog- nize Bhagavan even in His deity form. He worships only the deity forms of some ordinary devatas and not Bhagavan Visņu. Such a person is bereft of true discrimination and is thus compared to an animal. Similarly, SB 4.31.14 should not be used to defend the wor- shiper of the devas who neglects the sage or advanced devotee. His or her worship of the devas cannot be compared to pouring water on the root of a tree, because the devas are not the root of existence and because worship of the devotees is inseparable from the core worship of Bhagavan. 223 Anuccheda 246 Characteristics of One Perfected through Service to a Devotee २४६ । अथ महाभागवतसेवासिद्धलक्षणम् (भा० ४ १९/१२)- WE WILL now describe the characteristics of the person who has attained perfection (siddha) through service to maha- bhāgavatas, as Dhruva said to Bhagavan: 1 ते न स्मरन्त्यतितरां प्रियमीश मर्त्य ये चान्वदः सुतसुहृद्गृहवित्तदाराः । ये त्वब्जनाभ भवदीयपदारविन्दसौगन्ध्यलुब्धहृदयेषु कृतप्रसङ्गाः ॥ ७३६ ॥ O Īsa, O Lotus-navelled Lord, those, however, who have par- taken of the association of those devotees whose hearts are captivated by the fragrance of Your lotus feet, do not recollect even this most precious mortal body nor the people and objects that accompany it (anu adaḥ), such as children, friends, house, wealth, and husband or wife. (SB 4.9.12)1 परमप्रियमपि मर्त्यं वपुः । ये चादो वपुरनु लक्षीकृत्य सुतादयो वर्तन्ते तानपि न स्मरन्ति । के ते ? इत्यपेक्षायामाह - ये त्विति ॥ ध्रुवः श्रीध्रुवप्रियम् ॥ Here, Dhruva literally states that they do not recollect (na smara- nti) the mortal body (martyam, i.e., vapu), even though it is most te na smaranty atitaram priyam isa martyam ye canvadaḥ suta-suhrd-grha-vitta-darah ye tv abja-nabha bhavadiya-padaravinda- saugandhya-lubdha-hrdayesu krta-prasangah 224 246 Characteristics of One Perfected through Service to a Devotee dear (parama-priyam api). By the same token, they do not recol- lect the people and objects that accompany the body (anu adaḥ), meaning all that bears relation to the body, such as children, friends, and so on. Who are the people thus described (ke te)? This is answered in the second half of the verse [as those who have partaken of the association of those devotees whose hearts are captivated by the fragrance of the lotus feet of Bhagavan]. Commentary EARLIER it was said that service rendered to maha-bhāgavatas grants one the love (prema) that brings Bhagavan under control. The person thus endowed naturally becomes free of ignorance and its by-products in the form of identification with one’s body, rela- tives, and possessions. The verse says that such a devotee does not recollect even his own body. He is like a highly intoxicated person who has lost all external awareness. 225 Anuccheda 247 Honor Should Be Extended to All Vaisnavas २४७ । वैष्णवमात्राणां च यथायोग्यमाराधनं यथेतिहाससमुच्चये- THE INJUNCTION TO HONOR all Vaisnavas according to their stature is found in scriptures such as the Itihasa-samuccaya: तस्माद् विष्णुप्रसादाय वैष्णवान् परितोषयेत् । प्रसादसुमुखो विष्णोस्तेनैव स्यान् न संशयः ॥ ७३७ ॥ इति । One should therefore please the Vaisnavas to attain the favor of Bhagavan Visņu. There is no doubt that Visnu is pleased by this alone. (Itihāsa-samuccaya 25.27 ) 1 व्यतिरेकेणापि पाद्मोत्तरखण्डे - The same conclusion is also drawn through negative inference ( vyatireka) in the Uttarakhanda of Padma Purāna: 1 2 अर्चयित्वा तु गोविन्दं तदीयान् नार्चयेत् तु यः । न स भागवतो ज्ञेयः केवलं दाम्भिकः स्मृतः ॥ ७३८ ॥ इति । One who, after worshiping Sri Govinda, neglects to worship His devotees (tadiyan) should not be recognized as a genuine devotee (bhāgavata); rather, he is regarded as nothing but a pretender. (Padma Purana, Uttarakhanda 253.177) 2 tasmad visņu-prasadaya vaiṣṇavan paritoṣayet prasada-sumukho visnos tenaiva syan na samsayah arcayitva tu govindam tadiyan narcayet tu yaḥ na sa bhagavato jneyah kevalam dambhikah smrtaḥ 226 247 Honor Should Be Extended to All Vaisnavas तत्र ( भा० ४।२१।१२ ) - सर्वत्रास्खलितादेशः सप्तद्वीपैकदण्डधृक् । अन्यत्र ब्राह्मणकुलादन्यत्राच्युतगोत्रतः ॥ ७३९ ॥ इति श्रीपृथुचरितानुसारेण यत् किञ्चिज् जातावप्युत्तमत्वमेव मन्तव्यम् । As evident from the history of King Prthu, a Vaiṣṇava is honorable regardless of his birth: King Prthu had exclusive dominion over the seven islands of the earth, and his order was inviolable everywhere. Only the brahmanas and the devotees of Bhagavan Acyuta were exempt from his rule. ( SB 4.21.12 ) 3 भा० ७।११।३५ - यस्य यल्लक्षणं प्रोक्तं पुंसो वर्णाभिव्यञ्जकम् । यदन्यत्रापि दृश्येत तत् तेनैव विनिर्दिशेत् ॥ ७४० ।। नारदोक्तिदृष्टान्तेन वा । The same conclusion can be drawn from this statement of Narada: If the characteristics that are said to define a person’s social or vocational class (varna) are found to exist even in a per- son belonging to a different varna, his varna is to be assessed strictly according to those characteristics [and not according to the characteristics that pertain to the varna of his birth].* (SB 7.11.35)5 यथोक्तं पाद्मे- As stated in Padma Purana: 3 4 5 sarvatraskhalitadesah sapta-dvipaika-danda-dhrk anyatra brāhmaṇa-kulad anyatracyuta-gotrataḥ na tu jāti nimittenety arthah Sridhara Svāmī yasya yal-lakṣaṇam proktam pumso varnabhivyanjakam yad anyatrapi drsyeta tat tenaiva vinirdiset 227III The Practice of Bhakti किमत्र बहुनोक्तेन ब्राह्मणा येऽप्यवैष्णवाः । न द्रष्टव्या न स्प्रष्टव्या न वक्तव्याः कदाचन ॥ ७४१ ॥ What need is there to elaborate further on this topic? Those who are not Vaisnavas, though they be brahmanas, should never be looked upon, touched, or even spoken to. (Padma Purana)” तत्र माघमाहात्म्ये च- A similar statement is found in the Magha-mahatmya of Padma Purāna: श्वपाकमिव नेक्षेत लोके विप्रमवैष्णवम् । वैष्णवो वर्णबाह्योऽपि पुनाति भुवनत्रयम् ॥ ७४२ ॥ न शूद्रा भगवद्भक्तास्ते तु भागवता नराः । सर्ववर्णेषु ते शूद्रा ये न भक्ता जनार्दने ॥ ७४३ ॥ In this world, one should not even look upon a brahmana who is not a Vaisnava, just as one would not look upon an outcaste who eats dogs (svapākam). But a Vaisnava, even if an outcaste, puri - fies the three worlds. Devotees of Bhagavan are never südras; rather, such people are known as bhāgavatas. Those, however, who are not devotees of Bhagavan Janardana [Krsna] are sudras, regardless of the varna they belong to. (Padma Purāna, Uttara khanda 224.53) 7 इतिहाससमुच्चये- And in Itihāsa-samuccaya: 6 7 स्मृतः सम्भाषितो वापि पूजितो वा द्विजोत्तम । पुनाति भगवद्भक्तश्चाण्डालोऽपि यदृच्छया || ७४४ ।। kim atra bahunoktena brahmana ye’py avaisnavah na drastavya na sprastavya na vaktavyah kadacana ? śvapakam iva nekseta loke vipram avaisnavam vaisnavo varna-bahyo’pi punati bhuvana-trayam na súdra bhagavad-bhaktas te tu bhagavata narah sarva-varneşu te sudra ye na bhakta janardane The second of these two verses is not found in the printed edition. 228 247 Honor Should Be Extended to All Vaisnavas O best among the twice-born, if a devotee of Bhagavan is remembered, spoken to, or worshiped, he, even if born into an outcaste family, effortlessly purifies the recipient (Itihasa- samuccaya 31.55) ® अन्यथा दोषश्रवणं च तत्रैव- — To behave otherwise is understood to be a defect, as indicated in the same book: शूद्रं वा भगवद्भक्तं निषादं श्वपचं तथा । वीक्षते जातिसामान्यात् स याति नरकं ध्रुवम् ॥ ७४५ ॥ One who, on the mundane basis of birth alone, regards a devo- tee of Bhagavan as a sudra or as an outcaste from the tribes of wild hunters or dog-eaters certainly goes to hell. (Itihāsa- samuccaya)” भक्तिवैशिष्ट्येन तु वैशिष्ट्यमपि दृश्यते । यथा गारुडे- If, however, a devotee is blessed with a special quality of devo- tion, he is due a corresponding level of respect, as described in Garuda Purāna: B मद्भक्तजनवात्सल्यं पूजायां चानुमोदनम् । मत्कथाश्रवणे प्रीतिः स्वरनेत्रादिविक्रिया ॥ ७४६ ॥ विष्णोश्च कारण नृत्यं तदर्थं दम्भवर्जनम् । स्वयमभ्यर्चनं चैव यो विष्णुं नोपजीवति ॥ ७४७ ॥ भक्तिरष्टविधा ह्येषा यस्मिन् म्लेच्छेऽपि वर्तते । स विप्रेन्द्रो मुनिश्रेष्ठः स ज्ञानी स च पण्डितः । तस्मै देयं ततो ग्राह्यं स च पूज्यो यथा हरिः ।। ७४८ ॥ इति । There are eight types of bhakti: ( 1 ) affection for My devotees; (2) approval of My worship; (3) fondness for hearing narra- tions about Me; ( 4 ) the upsurge of ecstatic symptoms of love - such as faltering of the voice and tears in the eyes; (5) danc - ing for the pleasure of Visnu; (6) giving up pretentiousness for smrtaḥ sambhasito vapi pujito va dvijottama punati bhagavad-bhaktas candalo’pi yadrcchaya 9 sudram va bhagavad-bhaktam nisadam svapacam tatha vikṣate jati-sāmānyat sa yati narakam dhruvam 229 III The Practice of Bhakti Him; (7) personally attending to the worship of Visnu ; ( 8 ) and not using Visņu to earn one’s livelihood. If these acts of bhakti are found to exist even in an outcaste, such a person is the best of brahmanas, the foremost of sages, one situated in immedi- ate awareness (a jnāni), and a scholar (pandita). One should offer charity to such a person and accept whatever is offered by him, for he is as worshipable as Bhagavan Hari. (Garuda Purana, Purva khanda 227.6-10) 10 अत एवाह भगवान् - Therefore, Bhagavan said: न मे भक्तश्चतुर्वेदी मद्भक्तः श्वपचः प्रियः । तस्मै देयं ततो ग्राह्यं स च पूज्यो यथा ह्यहम् ॥ ७४९ ।। इति । A person who knows the four Vedas but who is not My devotee is not dear to Me, whereas a dog-eater who is My devotee is dear to Me. One should offer charity to such a person and accept it from him, for he is as worshipable as I am.” अत एव ज्ञातभक्तिमहिम्ना सता दुर्वाससापि श्रीमदम्बरीषस्य पादग्रहणमप्याचरितम् | किन्तु अम्बरीषस्यानभीष्टमेव तदिति तत्रैव व्यक्तत्वात् । श्रीभगवता श्रीमदुद्धवादिभिश्च ब्राह्मणमात्रस्य वन्दनाच्च । इतरवैष्णवैस्तु तत् सर्वथा न मन्तव्यम् (भा० १० | ६४ १४१) - विप्रं कृतागसमपि नैव द्रुह्यत मामकाः । घ्नन्तं बहु शपन्तं वा नमस्कुरुत नित्यशः ॥ ७५० || इति भगवदादेशभङ्गप्रसङ्गाच्च । Therefore, when Durvāsā understood the greatness of bhakti, he touched the feet of King Ambarīşa, but Ambarīşa had no desire 10 to mad-bhakta-jana-vatsalyam pujayam canumodanam 11 mat-katha-sravane pritih svara-netradi-vikriya visnos ca karanamh nrtyam tad-artham dambha-varjanam svayam abhyarcanam caiva yo visnum nopajivati bhaktir asta-vidha hy esa yasmin mlecche’pi vartate sa viprendro muni-sresthaḥ sa jnānī sa ca panditah tasmai deyam tato grahyam sa ca pūjyo yatha harih na me bhaktaś catur-vedi mad-bhaktah svapacah priyah tasmai deyam tato grahyam sa ca pujyo yatha hy aham 230 247 Honor Should Be Extended to All Vaisnavas to be honored in this way by a brahmana, as understood from the narration itself. Furthermore, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Uddhava, and oth- ers all bowed down to the brahmanas. Consequently, Vaisnavas who are not brāhmaṇas should in no way think themselves to be superior to brahmanas or desire to be honored by them in the way that Ambarīşa was honored by Durväsä. To do so would be to transgress the order of Kṛṣṇa, as expressed in these words: My beloved kinsmen, never harm a brāhmaṇa, even if he is guilty of an offense. Even if he attacks or curses you profusely, you should salute him daily. (SB 10.64.41)12 " श्वपाकमिव नेक्षेत” इत्यादिकं तु तद्दर्शनासक्तिनिषेधपरत्वेन समाधेयम् । दृश्यते च युधिष्ठिरद्रौपद्यादीनामश्वत्थानि तथा व्यवहारः । Earlier in this anuccheda, we encountered this statement from Padma Purana: “In this world, one should not even look upon a brāhmaṇa who is not a Vaisnava, just as one would not look upon an outcaste who eats dogs (śvapäkam).” “13 [This appears to contradict the above statement that a brahmana is to be respected regardless of his behavior.] This statement from Padma Purana, however, should be understood to mean that attachment to seeing such a brahmana is prohibited [imply- ing that he should be respected only from a distance]. This is how the two statements are to be reconciled. This type of behav- ior was observed in the treatment of Asvatthama by Yudhisthira and Draupadi. [The latter two offered respect to Asvatthämā, the son of Drona, a brāhmaṇa, in spite of his animosity and violence toward the Pandavas, who were Vaisnavas (cf. SB 1.7).] वैष्णवपूजकैस्तु वैष्णवानामाचारोऽपि न विचारणीयः “अपि चेत् सुदुराचारः” (गीता ९।३०) इत्यादेः । Those who are naturally drawn to the worship of Vaisnavas, however, should not judge even the conduct of Vaisnavas, as 12 vipram kṛtagasam api naiva druhyata mamakah ghnantam bahu sapantam va namaskuruta nityasah 13 svapakam iva nekşeta loke vipram avaiṣṇavam 231 III The Practice of Bhakti Krsna declares in the Gita: If a person, who although exceedingly ill-behaved, is imbued with exclusive devotion and worships Me, he should be regarded as indeed virtuous, for he is rightly resolved. (GITA 9.30)14 यथोक्तं गारुडे- A similar statement is found in Garuda Purana: विष्णुभक्तिसमायुक्तो मिथ्याचारोऽप्यनाश्रमी । पुनाति सकलान् लोकान् सहस्रांशुरिवोदितः ॥ ७५१ ।। If a person is endowed with bhakti for Bhagavan Visņu, even if he behaves in a deceitful manner and does not belong to any social order, he purifies the entire world, like a thousand suns rising simultaneously in the sky. (Garuda Purana)15 तदेतदुदाहृतमेव " अहो बत श्वपचोऽतो गरीयान् यज् जिह्वाग्रे वर्तते नाम तुभ्यम्” ( भा० ३।३३।७) इत्यादौ । In this respect, the following verse was cited earlier [in Anuccheda 128]: What a wonder! A dog-eater, on the tip of whose tongue Your name is present, is even more honorable [than the performer of the soma sacrifice]. The reason for this is that those who chant Your holy name have already performed austerities, conducted sacrifices, bathed in the holy places, adhered to the behavioral codes of religious life, and studied the Vedas. (SB 3.33.7)16 अत्र श्वपचशब्दो यौगिकार्थपुरस्कारेणैव वर्तते । ततो दुर्जातित्वेन दुराचारत्वेनापि नावम- न्तव्यस्तद्भक्तजनः स्वावमन्तृत्वेन तु सुतराम् । Here, the word śva-paca is used first and foremost in its etymo- logical sense (yaugika-artha) [as referring to a person belonging 14 api cet suduracaro bhajate mām ananya- a-bhāk 15 sadhur eva sa mantavyaḥ samyag vyavasito hi sah visnu-bhakti-samayukto mithyacaro’py anasrami punati sakalan lokan sahasramsur ivoditaḥ 16 aho bata sva-paco’to gariyan yaj-jihvagre vartate nama tubhyam tepus tapas te juhuvuh sasnur äryä brahmanucur nama grnanti ye te 232 247 Honor Should Be Extended to All Vaisnavas to a tribe of outcastes who cook (paca) and eat dog meat (śva). Consequently, a devotee of Bhagavan should not be disrespected even if he belongs to an inferior social order or is ill-behaved. It is thus all the more self-evident that one should not disrespect a devotee whose irreverent behavior is directed toward oneself. अत एवोक्तं गारुडे- Thus, it is said in Garuda Purāṇa: रुक्षाक्षरं तु शृण्वन् वै तथा भागवतेरितम् । प्रणामपूर्वं तं क्षान्त्या यो वदेद् वैष्णवो हि सः ॥ ७५२ ।। A person who, on hearing harsh words uttered in like tone by a devotee, offers obeisance to him and speaks to him with forbearance, is certainly a Vaisnava. (Garuda Purāṇa, Pürva-khanda 227.5b-6a)17 तदेवं महदादिसेवा दर्शिता । अस्याश्च श्रवणादितः पूर्वत्वम् “महत्सेवां द्वारमाहुर्विमुक्ते- स्तमोद्वारं योषितां सङ्गसङ्गम्” (भा० ५।५।२) इत्युक्तेः । We have thus demonstrated the importance of service to highly realized devotees (mahat-seva). This service to devotees pre- cedes other types of devotion, such as hearing, as indicated in this statement of Bhagavan Rṣabha: “Service to highly real- ized beings (mahat-seva) is said to be the gateway to libera- tion, whereas the association of those who are addicted to women [i.e., to the opposite gender] is the gateway to darkness” (SB 5.5.2).18 तेभ्यो महद्भ्यस्त्वन्यदपि किमपि परममङ्गलायनं जायते । यथा ( भा० ११ । २६।२८-३१) - In addition to ultimate liberation, other forms of supreme auspi- ciousness also ensue from the association of such highly realized beings (mahat), as stated by Bhagavan Kṛṣṇa: 17 ruksakṣaran tu sṛnvan vai tatha bhagavateritam pranama-purvam tam kṣantya yo vaded vaisnavo hi sah 18 mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimuktes tamo-dvaram yositam sangi-sangam 233 III The Practice of Bhakti तेषु नित्यं महाभाग महाभागेषु मत्कथाः । सम्भवन्ति हि ता नृणां जुषतां प्रपुनन्त्यघम् ॥ ७५३ ॥ ता ये शृण्वन्ति गायन्ति ह्यनुमोदन्ति चादृताः । मत्पराः श्रद्दधानाश्च भक्तिं विन्दन्ति ते मयि ॥ ७५४ ॥ भक्तिं लब्धवतः साधोः किमन्यदवशिष्यते । मय्यनन्तगुणे ब्रह्मण्यानन्दानुभवात्मनि ॥ ७५५ ।। यथोपश्रयमाणस्य भगवन्तं विभावसुम् । शीतं भयं तमोऽप्येति साधून् संसेवतस्तथा ॥ ७५६ ।। O greatly blessed Uddhava, narrations about Me (mat-katha) constantly arise in the midst of those highly fortunate saints [santaḥ]. These narrations certainly destroy the sins of human beings who hear them. Those who are exclusively intent on Me, who are filled with reverence for Me [mayi adaravantaḥ]2o and who, being endowed with implicit faith, hear those narrations, sing them, and approve of them, certainly attain bhakti unto Me. For the saint (sadhu) who has attained bhakti to Me, the receptacle of unlimited transcendental qualities, the Absolute (Brahman), and the direct embodiment of being, consciousness, and bliss [sac-cit-ananda-vigraha],” what more remains to be attained? Just as a person’s cold, fear, and darkness disappear when he takes shelter of the venerable god of fire, so too apa- thy, fear of material existence, and ignorance are dispelled by rendering service to sadhus. (SB 11.26.28-31)22 तेषु “सन्तोऽनपेक्षा मच्चित्ताः” (भा० ११ । २६।२७) इत्याद्युक्तलक्षणेषु । 19 In this verse (SB 11.26.28), the words teşu maha-bhageşu, “in the midst of those highly fortunate ones,” refer to the saints (santah) mentioned in the previous verse. 20 This is Śrī Giridhara’s gloss on the word adrtaḥ. 21 This is Sri Giridhara’s gloss on the compound anandanubhavatmani. Here, the word ananda corresponds to bliss, anubhava, to cognition (cit), and atmani, to the very embodiment of being (sat-vigraha). 22 tesu nityam maha-bhaga maha-bhageşu mat-kathaḥ sambhavanti hi tā nṛnam jusatam prapunanty agham ta ye sṛnvanti gayanti hy anumodanti cadrtaḥ mat-paraḥ śraddadhanas ca bhaktim vindanti te mayi bhaktim labdhavataḥ sadhoh kim anyad avasisyate mayy ananta-gune brahmany anandanubhavatmani yathopasrayamanasya bhagavantam vibhavasum sitam bhayam tamo’py eti sadhun samsevatas tatha 234 247 Honor Should Be Extended to All Vaisnavas The words tesu mahā-bhāgeṣu, “in the midst of those highly for- tunate ones,” [in SB 11.26.28] refer to the saints (santaḥ) men- tioned in the preceding verse (SB 11.26.27), who are endowed with exemplary qualities, outlined as follows: The saints (santah) are free from expectation, their minds are exclusively intent on Me, they are established in perfect tran- quility, they regard all with equal vision, they are divested of the sense of “I” and “mine,” free from duality, and devoid of all sense of proprietorship. (SB 11.26.27)23 भक्तिं प्रेम । अत एवोक्तं श्रीरुद्रेण (भा० ४ | २४|५७ ) - In SB 11.26.29 [from the above group of verses], Krsna says that those who hear narrations about Him in the midst of the saints attain bhakti, which here refers to prema, or divine love. It is for this reason that Śrī Śiva makes the following statement: क्षणार्द्धेनापि तुलये न स्वर्गं नापुनर्भवम् । भगवत्सङ्गिसङ्गस्य मर्त्यानां किमुताशिषः ॥ ७५७ ॥ Even a moment’s association with a devotee wholly attuned to Bhagavan cannot be compared with heaven or liberation, to say nothing of the petty blessings of mortal beings. (SB 4.24.57)24 श्रीशौनकेनापि " तुलयाम लवेनापि न स्वर्गम्” (भा० १ । १८ । १३) इत्यादि पूर्ववत् । Śrī Saunaka echoed the same words: 23 24 25 We cannot equate even a moment’s association of a devotee who is wholly attuned to Bhagavan, with the attainment of heaven or liberation, to say nothing of the petty blessings desired by mortal beings. (SB 1.18.13)25 santo’napeksa mac-cittah prasantah sama-darsinah nirmama nir-ahankara nirdvandva nisparigrahah ksanarddhenapi tulaye na svargam napunar-bhavam bhagavat-sangi-sangasya martyanam kim utasisah tulayama lavenapi na svargam napunar-bhavam bhagavat-sangi-sangasya martyänām kim utasiṣaḥ 235 III The Practice of Bhakti तत्रानुषङ्गिकं फलं सदृष्टान्तमाह-यथेति । विभावसुमग्निम् | उपास्यबुद्ध्या श्रयमान- स्य होमाद्यर्थं ज्वालयत इत्यर्थः । तस्य यथा शीतादिकमप्येति । भयं दुष्टजीवादिकृ- तम् । तथा साधून सेवमानस्य कर्मादिजाड्यम् । आगामि संसारभयं तन्मूलमज्ञानं च नश्यतीत्यर्थः ॥ श्रीभगवान् ॥ In the final verse from the above group of verses [SB 11.26.31], Kṛṣṇa uses an example to draw our attention to the concomi- tant effects of service to realized saints. The word vibhavasu, “abounding in light,” is a name for fire. The word śrayamāņa- sya, “of a person who seeks refuge”-meaning one who takes shelter [of the god of fire] with a deliberate attitude of worship (upāsya-buddhyā) - is used in the sense of one who lights a fire to perform a sacrifice (homa). Yet, as a by-product of lighting the fire for worship, the person’s cold (sitam), fear (bhayam), and darkness (tamaḥ) disappear. In this analogy, fear refers to the danger presented by ferocious animals or humans of malicious intent. [Krsna already stated in SB 11.26.29 that the true purpose of sat-sanga is to attain bhakti, or prema.] But as a by-product of rendering service to the sadhus, a person’s cold (sitam), mean- ing the inertia of being frozen in karma (karma-jaḍyam), the fear of future birth and death (agami samsara-bhayam), and the darkness of ignorance (ajñānam) - the very root of material existence are all dispelled. Commentary VEDIC SOCIETY was divided into four vocational classes (varnas) namely, brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, and sudra. At present, the varna system, which was originally determined according to a person’s nature and qualities, has devolved into a caste system, whereby one’s position in society is determined by birth alone. This is understood from the words of Narada cited in this anuccheda (SB 7.11.35). Among the four varnas, the brahmana is regarded as a guru merely by virtue of birth, janmana brahmano guruh (SB 10.8.6), and is thus to be respected by the other three varņas. 236 247 Honor Should Be Extended to All Vaisnavas On the authority of various scriptural statements, however, Śrī Jiva Gosvāmi shows that a Vaisnava is superior even to a brāhmaṇa who is not a Vaiṣṇava. The reason for this is that although the brahmanas are dear to Bhagavan, a Vaisnava is dearer than a non- Vaisnava brahmana. This does not mean, however, that a Vaiṣṇava should demand or expect respect from a non-Vaisnava brahmana. Humility is the basic ornament of a Vaisnava, and thus a true Vaisnava is not proud or desirous of honor. He should always be respectful to a brahmana, regardless of whether the latter is a Vaisnava or not. This is the instruction given by Krsna to His sons (SB 10.64.41). This was exem- plified in the behavior of King Yudhisthira and Draupadi, who were respectful to Asvatthama when Arjuna delivered him to them as a captive prisoner. Asvatthāmā had massacred the five sons of Drau- padi while they were sleeping at night. This was a ghastly and immoral act on the part of Asvatthämä, not at all befitting his status as a brāhmaṇa. Even so, they decided not to inflict the death penalty on him out of respect. A doubt may be raised in this regard. The verse from Padma Purana (Uttara-khanda 224.53) cited in this anuccheda makes the following severe pronouncement: “In this world, one should not even look upon a brahmana who is not a Vaisnava, just as one would not look upon an outcaste who eats dogs (svapakam). But a Vaiṣṇava, even if an outcaste, purifies the three worlds.” This statement appears to contradict the idea that a brahmana is to be respected regardless of his behavior. The actual import of the Padma Purāņa statement is that a non- Vaiṣṇava brāhmaṇa should be respected only from a distance. In his comment, Śrī Jiva Gosvāmi clarifies that the intent of this state- ment is not to suggest that a non-Vaiṣṇava brahmana should be treated worse than an outcaste dog-eater but that one should not be attached to seeing or associating with him. In other words, a devotee should not develop an intimate relation with a nondevo- tee even if he or she is a brahmana. The reason for this is that the association of a non-Vaisnava would have an unhealthy influence on a Vaisnava. A Vaisnava lives in society and thus has to deal and 237III The Practice of Bhakti even cooperate with different classes of people, who may not be Vaisnavas. There is no harm in dealing with them, but one should not develop an attachment to them beyond what is required for the service of Bhagavan. A Vaisnava, however, should be given due respect even if he or she is not of good conduct or is born in a low family. In fact, one should not retaliate against a Vaisnava if the latter behaves in a dis- respectful manner toward oneself. Rather, one should try to pacify such a Vaisnava by offering him respect and speaking conciliatory words. If, however, another Vaisnava becomes an obstacle to one’s service, one should find a peaceful means to resolve such a situa- tion. Living in the community of Vaisnavas can be an enlightening experience if one remains alert to one’s goal. After explaining how Vaisnavas should conduct themselves toward other Vaisnavas and non-Vaiṣṇava brahmanas, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmi continues to describe the importance of sat-sanga. He says that sat-sanga is effective even before one hears or chants about Bhagavan. If, however, one hears and chants in the midst of sat-sanga, these devotional acts will be imbued with the highest potency. All perfection can be attained merely by sat-sanga. There is no other blessing that surpasses or compares to sat-sanga. One should thus seek it out at all cost. Sat-sanga is the only thing that brings about a spiritual revolution in one’s life. Without sat-sanga, one continues to wander aimlessly in the material world. 238 The Nine Primary Limbs of Bhakti Anucchedas 248-309 1 Sravaṇam Anucchedas 248-262.1 Anuccheda 248 Hearing Bhagavan’s Name २४८ । अथ क्रमप्राप्तं श्रवणम् । तच्च नामरूपगुणलीलामयशब्दानां श्रोत्रस्पर्शः । Now we will describe hearing, which is next in the sequence of devotional practices: When the ears contact words describ- ing the name, form, qualities, and divine play of Bhagavan, it is known as hearing, śravanam. तत्र नामश्रवण यथा ( भा० ६ | १६ | ४४ ) - We will first cite an example of the power of hearing Bhagavan’s name (nama-śravanam), as Citraketu expressed to Bhagavan Sankarṣana: न हि भगवन्नघटितमिदं त्वद्दर्शनान् नृणामखिलपापक्षयः । यन्नाम सकृच्छ्रवणात् पुक्कशोऽपि विमुच्यते संसारात् ॥ ७५८ ॥ O Bhagavan, it is not at all astonishing that by seeing You, human beings become free from all sins, because even an outcaste person (pukkasa) becomes liberated from material existence simply by hearing Your name just once. (SB 6.16.44)1 तादृशस्यापि सकृच्छ्रवणेऽपि मुक्तिफलप्राप्तेरुत्तमस्य तच्छ्रवणे तु परमभक्तिरेव फलमि- त्यभिप्रेतम् || चित्रकेतुः श्रीसङ्कर्षणम् ॥ If even an outcaste person attains the fruit of liberation merely by once hearing Bhagavan’s name, then a person of ennobled 1 na hi bhagavann aghatitam idam tvad-darsanan nṛṇām akhila-papa-kṣayah yan-nama sakṛc chravanat pukkaso’pi vimucyate samsarat 243 III The Practice of Bhakti birth who hears Bhagavan’s name attains supreme devotion (parama-bhakti). This is the implication of the verse. Commentary AT THE BEGINNING of Anuccheda 236, it was said that there are various divisions of vaidhi-bhakti, including surrender, service to highly realized devotees, hearing, singing, and other similar acts of devotion. Surrender was discussed in Anucchedas 236-237, and service to sadhus, in Anucchedas 238-247. In the order of succession of bhakti’s practices, hearing is the next limb to be treated, and it is discussed up to Anuccheda 262. A person’s birth in a socially high or low ranking family occurs because of the fructification of their meritorious or unmeritorious karma executed in the past life or lives. To become liberated, one must become free of all one’s past and present karma. Birth as a pukkasa, a denigrated outcaste tribe, is certainly the result of some such forbidden action. Under normal circumstances, the question of liberation from the influence of karma could hardly even arise to them. By reference to the pukkasas, Citraketu intends to make known the unprecedented purifying power of Bhagavan’s name. Hearing Bhagavan’s name just once relieves even a pukkasa of his or her karma and grants freedom from material bondage. If, however, one is free of offenses in the form of the obstacles to bhakti, then such hearing will award love of Bhagavan. This is the implied sense of this verse. A doubt may be raised in this regard. The name is transcenden- tal, and its power is not dependent on anything material, such as the higher or lower birth status of the person who hears or chants. Why then does Śrī Jiva Gosvāmi comment that by hearing Bhaga- van’s name just once, a person of low birth, such a pukkasa, attains only mukti, whereas a person of high birth would attain prema? The reply is that it is assumed here that the disadvantaged birth is an outcome of some offense. Offenses impede the power of bhakti 244 248 Hearing Bhagavan’s Name to disclose its most essential fruit of prema, because they are a source of displeasure to the name. Consequently, the name deliv- ers such a person but does not award prema. It is moreover to be noted that Sri Jiva uses the word uttamasya in reference to the per- son of high social standing. This is not just anyone who happens to be born in a high-ranking family but one who is actually enno- bled in the virtue and moral character that such a birth is meant to entail. If, by implication, the person is also free from offense, then he or she will attain prema. This is the sense of Śrī Jiva’s statement. 245 Anuccheda 249 Hearing of Bhagavan’s Form 1 २४९ । अथ रूपश्रवणम् (भा० ३।९१५) - Now we will give an example of hearing about Bhagavan’s form (rupa-śravanam), as in Brahma’s statement to Bhagavan 2 Garbhodakaśāyi: ये तु त्वदीयचरणाम्बुजकोशगन्धं जिघ्रन्ति कर्णविवरैः श्रुतिवातनीतम् । भक्त्या गृहीतचरणः परया च तेषां नापैषि नाथ हृदयाम्बुरुहात् स्वपुंसाम् ॥ ७५९ ।। On the other hand, O Master, there are those who, through the apertures of their ears, smell’ the fragrance emitted from the whorl of Your lotus feet, carried by the wind of the Śrutis. You are never separated from the lotus hearts of them, Your own people, because Your feet are bound by the ropes of their supreme devotion. (SB 3.9.5)2 तुशब्दो “योऽनादृतो नरकभाग्भिरसत्प्रसङ्गैः " ( भा०३।९१४ ) इति पूर्वोक्तनिन्दितानां भगवद्रूपानादरवतां प्रतियोग्यर्थनिर्देशे निर्दिष्टः । Śrī Vamsidhara glosses the verb jighranti, “they smell,” as aparoksikṛtyanubhavanti, “directly perceiving [the fragrance of Your lotus feet], they make it the object of their immediate experience.” Sri Giridhara glosses the same word as adarena srnvanti, “they hear with great reverence.” ye tu tvadiya-caranambuja-kosa-gandham jighranti karna-vivaraih sruti-vata-nītam bhaktya grhita-caranah paraya ca tesam napaisi natha hṛdayamburuhat sva-pumsām 246 249 Hearing of Bhagavan’s Form The word tu, “on the other hand,” at the beginning of this verse, indicates that those spoken of here are the exact opposite of those mentioned in the previous verse, who are condemned in the following words as having no regard for Bhagavan’s form: “Your form is not esteemed by those who are attached to antithet- ical philosophical views3 and who are thus fit for hell” (yo’nadṛto naraka-bhagbhir asat-prasangaiḥ, SB 3.9.4). अनेन येऽत्र एतद्विरोधिनो भवन्ति त एव पूर्वोक्ता असत्प्रसङ्गा इति गम्यते । चरणमात्र- निर्देशो भक्त्यतिशयेन । गन्धं वर्णाकारादिमाधुर्यं कर्णविवरैर्जिघ्रन्ति नासाविवरैः परमा- मोदमिव तैरास्वादयन्तीत्यर्थः । By this, it can be understood that those who are opposed to Bhagavan’s form are precisely those who are described in the previous verse as being attached to antithetical philosophical views (asat-prasangaḥ). The exclusive mention of Bhagavan’s feet is out of an upsurge of reverential devotion. When it is said that the devotees smell (jighranti) through the apertures of their ears the fragrance (gandham) emitted from Bhagavan’s lotus feet, it means that they themselves taste (āsvädayanti) the sweetness (madhuryam) of Bhagavan’s lustrous complexion (varna), form (äkära), and other features, just as one enjoys smelling an alluring fragrance through the nostril cavities. श्रुतिर्वेदस्तदनुगामिशब्दान्तरं च । सैव वातस्तेन प्रापितम् । ततः परया च भक्त्या प्रेमलक्षणया गृहीतचरणस्त्वं नापयातुं शक्नोषि ॥ ब्रह्मा श्रीगर्भोदशायिनम् ॥ The word śruti in this verse refers to the Vedas and other scrip- tures brought forth in pursuance of the Vedas. These revealed texts are indeed the wind by which the fragrance of Bhaga- van’s lotus feet is carried. Brahma concludes: “Therefore, You, whose feet are bound (grhita-caranah) by Your devotee’s sup- reme devotion (paraya bhaktyā), characterized as divine love (prema-lakṣaṇaya), are unable to withdraw from their lotus hearts.” 3 Śrīdhara Svami glosses the compound asat-prasangaiḥ as nirisvara-kutarka-nisthaih, “by those who are attached to the false logic of atheism or the formless Absolute.” 247III The Practice of Bhakti Commentary IN THE PRECEDING verse, those who are described as having no regard for Bhagavan’s form are called asat-prasanga, which according to Śrīdhara Svami’s commentary means “those who are attached to the false logic of atheism” (nirisvara-kutarka-nisthaiḥ). By contrast, it is understood that those who honor Bhagavan’s form are sat-prasanga, or those who are established in the correct philosophical view that acknowledges the Absolute as transcen- dentally qualified with form and other unlimited attributes. These are the devotees poetically depicted in Brahma’s statement, who are absorbed in the direct experience of Bhagavan’s form through the medium of hearing revealed sound. At first glance, there appears to be an element of incongruity in Brahma’s analogy. Fragrance is the quality of the earth, which is perceived through the nose, whereas sound is the quality of space (ākāśa), which is perceived through the ear. So how can one smell through the ears? And how can one smell sound (Śruti), which is imperceptible to the sense of smell? The point is that ordinarily one can hear the Sruti that depicts Bhagavan’s form without necessarily realizing it directly. But if by hearing the Śruti, one is able to smell the fragrance of Bha- gavan’s feet, it implies direct revelation of Bhagavan’s form and immediate experience of the same. From the point of view of San- khya philosophy, the earth element, being last in the order of evo- lutionary unfolding, includes the qualities of the prior elements. Thus, if one is able to smell the fragrance of Bhagavan’s feet by hearing the Śruti, it implies that His form is heard (the quality of space), felt (the quality of air), seen (the quality of fire), tasted (the quality of water), and finally smelled (the quality of earth). All of this again implies direct experience. Śrī Vamsidhara’s com- ment makes this perfectly evident. He says that the verb jighranti, “they smell,” means that they directly perceive the fragrance of Bha- gavan’s feet, making it the object of their immediate experience (aparokṣikṛtyanubhavanti). 248 249 Hearing of Bhagavan’s Form From another perspective, akāśa is all-pervading within the material creation. Its quality of sound is thus limitless. The implied meaning of smelling through the ear, therefore, is that there is no end to the descriptions of Bhagavan’s form. Thus, one can go on hearing without reaching an end. The ear, being a part of space, which is all-pervading, can never be filled to a capacity that would render further hearing impossible. The devotee is thus never satiated by hearing about Bhagavan’s form. Such hearing with devotion binds Bhagavan to the heart of the devotee. Indeed, Bhagavan becomes situated in the heart of a devo- tee as soon as he or she simply “desires” to hear Bhāgavata Purana (SB 1.1.2), to say nothing of the devotee who is already directly engaged in hearing it. In commenting on the word sruti, Sri Jīva Gosvāmi writes that it includes not only the Vedas but also any literature brought forth in pursuance of the Vedic revelation. Thus, by indicative meaning (lakṣaṇartha), it includes the Vedas, Purāņas, Itihāsas, Agamas, and so on. 249 Anuccheda 250 Hearing of Bhagavan’s Qualities 2 २५० | अथ गुणश्रवणम् ( भा० १२।३।१४-१५) - Now we will cite an example of hearing about Bhagavan’s qualities (guna-śravanam), as Śrī Suka said: कथा इमास्ते कथिता महात्मनां विताय लोकेषु यशः परेयुषाम् । विज्ञानवैराग्यविवक्षया विभो वचो विभूतीर्न तु पारमार्थ्यम् ॥ ७६० ॥ यस्तूत्तमश्लोकगुणानुवादः सङ्गीयतेऽभीक्ष्णममङ्गलनः । तमेव नित्यं शृणुयादभीक्ष्णं कृष्णेऽमलां भक्तिमभीप्समानः ॥ ७६१ ॥ O King, in order to impart knowledge (vijnäna) and detachment (vairagya) to you, I have narrated these stories of glorious kings, who extended their fame throughout the world and then met their demise. These stories, however, are merely a display of elo- quence and are not directly concerned with the Absolute Truth. On the other hand, the descriptions of the qualities of the most highly renowned Bhagavan, which eradicate all inauspicious- ness, are continuously sung [by saintly devotees (sadbhih)].1 One who is eager to attain pure devotion to Bhagavan Kṛṣṇa should regularly and continuously hear these narrations alone. (SB 12.3.14-15)2 1 Sri Giridhara kathā imaste kathitā mahatmanam vitaya lokesu yasaḥ pareyuşam vijnana-vairagya-vivakṣaya vibho vaco vibhutir na tu paramarthyam yas tuttamaḥ-sloka-gunanuvadaḥ sangīyate’bhikṣnam amangala-ghnah tam eva nityam srnuyad abhiksnam krsne’malam bhaktim abhipsamanah 250 250 Hearing of Bhagavan’s Qualities टीकाच - " राजवंशानुकीर्तनस्य तात्पर्यमाह ‘कथा इमाः’ इति । विज्ञानं विषयासारता- ज्ञानम् । ततो वैराग्यम् । तयोर्विवक्षया । परेयुषां मृतानां वचोविभूतीर्वाग्विलासमात्ररू- पाः । पारमार्थ्यं परमार्थयुक्तं कथनं न भवतीत्यर्थः । Śrīdhara Svāmī comments: “In the first of these two verses, Śuka reveals the purpose for which he has described the geneal- ogy of different kings. He has done so simply with the intent to impart knowledge and detachment. The word vijñāna, ‘knowl- edge,’ here refers to the recognition of the futility of sense enjoy- ment, and as a consequence of this recognition, detachment (vairagya) comes into being. The stories of these kings, who have now passed away, are a mere display of eloquence (vibhu- tiḥ, i.e., väg-viläsa-mätra). As such, they are not concerned with the Absolute Truth. कस्तर्हि पुरुषाणामुपादेयः परमार्थः ? तमाह ‘यस्तु’ इति । नित्यं प्रत्यहम् । तत्राप्यभी- क्ष्णम्” इत्येषा । “What then is an expression of the Absolute, which is beneficial for all humanity? The next verse is spoken in response to this question. The word nityam, ‘regularly,’ means that the descrip- tions of Bhagavan’s qualities should be recited daily. Over and above this, they should be sung continuously (abhikṣṇam).” [Here ends Śridhara Svami’s comment.] अत्र यत् क्वचिच्छ्रीरामलक्ष्मणादयोऽपि तेषां राज्ञां मध्ये वैराग्यार्थं छत्रिन्यायेन पठ्यन्ते तन् निरस्यते । In this regard, the avataras of Bhagavan, such as Śrī Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, have also been included along with all the other kings, whose stories were said to be narrated simply to pro- mote detachment. This inclusion is to be understood according to the logic known as “the principle of the umbrella bearers” (chatri-nyayena)? The second verse, however, refutes the idea

• When it is raining and a crowd of people are seen to be carrying umbrellas, someone may look on and remark, “The people are carrying umbrellas.” Although one or two people in the crowd may not be carrying umbrellas, they belong to an overall assembly of people who are doing so, and as such they are → 251 III The Practice of Bhakti that the stories of Rama, Lakṣmaṇa, and other avataras have been narrated only for this purpose. अतो यद्यपि “निगमकल्पतरोः” (भा० १।१।३) इत्याद्यनुसारेण सर्वस्यैव प्रसङ्गस्य रसरू- पत्वं तथापि क्वचित् साक्षाद्भक्तिमयशान्तादिरसरूपत्वं क्वचित् तदुपकरणशान्तादिरसरू- पत्वं च समर्थनीयम् । अस्ति हि तत्र तत्र भक्तिरसेष्वपि तारतम्यमिति । According to the third verse of Srimad Bhagavata, the entire contents of this book are of the nature of aesthetic delight (rasa- rüpatvam): “Having issued from the mouth of Śrī Śuka, this rasa known as Śrimad Bhagavata is the mature fruit of the wish- fulfilling tree of the Vedas, and it abounds with the fluid essence of immortal nectar” (SB 1.1.3). Yet in some places, the statements involve direct descriptions of bhakti-rasa in the form of the aes- thetic experiences of passive-contemplative devotion (sānta- bhakti-rasa) and so on; whereas, in other places, the statements are to be regarded as descriptions of santa-rasa or any of the other rasas inasmuch as they delineate the elements (upaka- ranas) that constitute these same rasas. There is certainly a gradation even among the different rasas of bhakti. गुणाः कारुण्यादयः । तद्गुणकीर्तः स्वभाव एवासाविति श्रीगीतास्वपि दृष्टम् " स्थाने हृषी- केश तव प्रकीर्त्या जगत् प्रहृष्यत्यनुरज्यते च” (गीता ११ । ३६ ) इत्यादौ । The word guna [in SB 12.3.15] refers to qualities such as compas- sion (kärunya). This indeed is the nature of the recitation of 4 5 indiscriminately grouped together with the rest. This is called “the principle of the umbrella bearers.” nigama-kalpa-taror galitam phalam suka-mukhad amṛta-drava-samyutam The upakaranas of bhakti-rasa are the bhavas of which it is constituted, namely, sthayi-bhava, vibhava, anubhava, sattvika-bhava, and vyabhicari-bhava. One of the vyabhicari-bhavas of santa-rasa is nirveda, or “indifference to worldly existence.” In Bhakti-rasamṛta-sindhu (3.1.50), Sri Rupa Gosvami also says that according to some aestheticians [i.e., Mammata in particular], nirveda is the sthayi-bhava of santa-rasa. Thus, in either case, the Bhagavata narrations that engender detachment (vairagya) are ultimately descriptions of one of the upakaranas of santa-bhakti-rasa - in this case, either the vyabhicari-bhāva or the sthayi-bhava of nirveda. This is what Sri Jiva means when he says that the entire Bhagavata is of the nature of aesthetic delight (rasa-rupatvam). It is to be tasted directly and not merely intellectualized. 252 250 Hearing of Bhagavan’s Qualities Bhagavan’s qualities [that it grants aesthetic relish (rasa) and bhakti], as evidenced in the Gītā as well: “It is fitting indeed, O Hṛşikeśa, that the universe exults and is filled with love by proclaiming Your glories” (GĪTĀ 11.36).” अत्र महाभागवतानामपि भगवत इव गुणश्रवण मतम् (भा० १११६ ६ ) - In this regard, hearing the qualities even of great devotees (maha-bhāgavatas) is recommended in the same manner as hearing the qualities of Bhagavan, as expressed by Saunaka: तत् कथ्यतां महाभाग यदि कृष्णकथाश्रयम् । अथवास्य पदाम्भोजमकरन्दलिहां सताम् ॥ ७६२ ॥ इति शौनकोक्तेः । O greatly fortunate one [Süta Gosvāmi], please narrate these incidents if they pertain to Bhagavan Kṛṣṇa or His authen- tic devotees (satām), who lick the honey from His lotus feet. (SB 1.16.6)” यद्यप्यत्र गुणशब्देन रूपलीलयोरपि सौष्ठवं गृह्यते तथापि तत्प्राधान्यनिर्देशात् पृथग्ग्रह- णम् । एवमुत्तरत्रापि । भक्तिं प्रेमाणम् । अमलां कैवल्यादीच्छारहिताम् || श्रीशुकः ॥ Although the word guna, “qualities,” in the verse under discus- sion also includes the beauty of Bhagavan’s form (rupa) and divine play (līlā), yet to single it out as predominant, hearing Bhagavan’s qualities is separately mentioned here. The same principle is understood to apply later on when other limbs of devotion are being described. In the verse [SB 12.3.15], bhakti means “divine love” (prema), and the word amalam, lit., “devoid of all taint,” means “bereft of the desire for liberation (kaivalya) or other attainments.” “sthane hrṣikesa tava prakīrtyä jagat prahṛsyaty anurajyate ca 7 tat kathyatam mahabhaga yadi krsna-kathasrayam athavasya padambhoja-makaranda-liham satam 253 III The Practice of Bhakti Commentary THE BHAGAVATA PURANA, or Srimad Bhagavata, as the very name suggests, is a book about Bhagavan. One may, then, raise a ques- tion about the stories of the various kings described in the book. How do these stories fit into the purpose of this Purana, which is to elucidate Bhagavan? Śrī Sukadeva answers this question in the verse cited at the beginning of this anuccheda (SB 12.3.14). These stories are meant to inspire a sense of detachment by showing the futility of material sense pleasures. These kings, such as Bharata, were very power- ful, lived exceptionally long lives, and ruled without any rival. Yet they gave up their kingdoms in the pursuit of bhakti. Mere sense pleasures, power, and affectionate relatives could not satisfy their inner being. In comparison to these kings, our lifespan, wealth, and power are quite insignificant. For us to hope that we can be fully satisfied by our material pursuits using our limited capabili- ties and facilities is a phantasmagoria. To engender such a sense of detachment is the real purpose behind the narrations of these various kings. Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī says that renunciation has some, but limited, usefulness for entering the devotional path: Knowledge and renunciation are somewhat conducive to first enter the path of bhakti, but they should not be considered as actual limbs (angas) of bhakti. (BRS 1.2.248) To take to bhakti, one needs a certain amount of detachment from one’s material life, possessions, and relations. If one is fully steeped in material life, there is no scope of taking to bhakti. For this reason, the Bhagavata indirectly instills a sense of detachment through the stories of great kings. In this manner, these stories also form part of the description of Bhagavan. 8 One may object that included within the genealogy of great kings, there are also stories of kings like Rama, who is an avatara. jnana-vairagyayor bhakti-pravesayopayogita isat prathamam eveti nangatvam ucitam tayoh 254 250 Hearing of Bhagavan’s Qualities Are the stories even of these avataras only to promote renuncia- tion? Śri Jiva Gosvāmī replies that such is not the case. The stories of the avataras are auspicious for all and conduce to the attainment of pure bhakti. From the third verse of Srimad Bhagavata (1.1.3), it is under- stood that the entire book is in the form of bhakti-rasa - sometimes directly expressed, such as the narrations about Krsna’s lilas, and sometimes indirectly, by inspiring detachment and an interest in bhakti. The stories of the kings that incite renunciation are like an appetizer. 255 Anuccheda 251 Hearing of Bhagavan’s Qualities Purifies Even the Desire for Liberation २५१ । किं च (भा० ५ | १२/१३ ) - MOREOVER, Jada Bharata instructed King Rahugaņa as follows: यत्रोत्तमश्लोकगुणानुवादः प्रस्तूयते ग्राम्यकथाविघातः । निषेव्यमाणोऽनुदिनं मुमुक्षोर्मतिं सतीं यच्छति वासुदेवे ॥ ७६३ || In the assembly of devotees, descriptions of the qualities of the most highly renowned Bhagavan, which put an end to mundane topics, are preeminently sung. When these descriptions are rev- erently heard on a daily basis, they bestow a pure devotional regard (satim matim) for Bhagavan Vasudeva even in a person desiring liberation (mumuksu). (SB 5.12.13)1 मुमुक्षोरपि किं पुनर्भक्तिमात्रेच्छोः ? सतीं मुमुक्षाद्यन्यकामनारहितां तदन्या तु व्यभिचा- रिणीति भावः । श्रीब्राह्मणो रहूगणम् ॥ 1 The implication of this statement is that if the descriptions of Bhagavan’s qualities bestow a pure devotional regard for Him even in a person desiring liberation (mumuksu), then how much more must this be the case for one who desires bhakti alone. The word satim, “pure” [qualifying the word matim], means that the devotional regard that is effected for Bhagavan Vasudeva is yatrottama-sloka-gunanuvadaḥ prastuyate gramya-katha-vighataḥ nisevyamano’nudinam mumuksor matim satim yacchati vasudeve 256 251 Hearing of Bhagavan’s Qualities Purifies Even the Desire for Liberation devoid of all other desires, such as that for liberation (mumu- kṣā). This implies, however, that other types of regard (mati) are adulterated (vyabhicāriņi). Commentary AS HUMAN BEINGS, we have the propensity to speak and convey our ideas to others. This is one of the pleasures of human life. But the topics discussed by materialistic people are all related to mun- dane subjects, such as politics, acquisition of wealth, sensual plea- sures, and so on. This is called gramya-katha, lit., “village talk.” But the true purpose of the tongue is to speak about Bhagavan. In this regard, Saunaka declares that the tongue that does not speak about Bhagavan is comparable to the tongue of a frog, the croaking of which only invites a snake to capture and eat it (SB 2.3.20). From the point of view of unalloyed bhakti, even the desire for liberation is considered to be an impurity, because it too is regarded as a type of selfishness. The beginning point of real purity is complete surrender to Bhagavan, and anything else is a deviation from one’s eternal constitutional position of service to Him. 257Anuccheda 252 The Importance of Hearing Established through Vyatireka २५२ । व्यतिरेकेण च ( भा० १० | ११४ ) - THE IMPORTANCE of hearing Bhagavan’s qualities is also estab- lished through negative inference (vyatireka) [by pointing out the defect of those who fail to do so], as King Parikşit remarked to Śri Suka: निवृत्ततर्षैरुपगीयमानाद् भवौषधाच्छ्रोत्रमनोऽभिरामात् । क उत्तमश्लोकगुणानुवादात् पुमान् विरज्येत विना पशुघ्नात् ॥ ७६४ ॥ What person other than a slayer of animals could remain indif- ferent to the descriptions of the qualities of the most glori- ous Bhagavan, which are sung profusely by those who are free from all desire, which are the cure for the disease of material existence, and which delight the ears and mind? (SB 10.1.4)1 निवृत्तेत्यादिविशेषणत्रयेण मुक्तमुमुक्षुविषयिजनानां ग्रहणम् । 1 In the first line of this verse, there are three adjectival phrases that qualify the compound uttama-sloka-guṇānuvādāt, “the descriptions of the qualities of the most glorious Bhagavan.” By these phrases in order, three types of people who hear these descriptions are implied - the liberated (mukta-janah) [who nivrtta-tarşair upagiyamanad bhavauṣadhac chrotra-mano’bhiramat ka uttama-sloka-gunanuvadat puman virajyeta vina pasughnat 258 252 The Importance of Hearing Established through Vyatireka are free from all desire (nivṛtta-tarsaiḥ), and who also sing these descriptions profusely (upagiyamānāt)], those desiring liberation (mumuksu-janah) [who regard these descriptions as the cure for material existence (bhavauṣadhat)], and ordi- nary enjoyers of sense experience (viṣayi-janaḥ) [whose ears and mind are delighted by them (śrotra-mano’bhiramät)]. पशुघ्नो व्याधः । तस्य हि- राजपुत्र चिरं जीव मा जीव मुनिपुत्रक । जीव वा मर वा साधो व्याध मा जीव मा मर ॥ ७६५ ॥ इति न्यायेन विषयसुखेऽपि तात्पर्यं नास्ति । The word pasu-ghnaḥ, “a slayer of animals,” means “a hunter” (vyadhaḥ). For such a person, even sense pleasure has no meaning, as understood from this statement: O prince, may you live long [because while alive, you will enjoy royal pleasure, but you will have to suffer in the next life]; O son of the sage, may you live no more [because you are undergo- ing great austerity now and will attain felicity in the hereafter]; O sage, you may live or die [because you are established in sup- reme joy, whether in life or in death]; but, O hunter, you should neither live nor die [because while living you create misery for yourself and others, and after death you will suffer even more].* न च तदभिज्ञत्वमस्ति विशेषतस्तु कथारसज्ञाने परममूढत्वात् सामर्थ्यं नास्त्येव । 2 Śrīdhara Svāmi glosses the compound nivṛtta-tarsaiḥ as “by those who are bereft of thirst, or desire, meaning the liberated” (gata-tṛṣṇair muktair ity arthah). Sri Giridhara glosses the same compound as “by those who are bereft of all desire other than for Bhagavan” (nivrtta tarsa bhagavaty-atirikta-viṣaya-tṛṣṇā yeṣām taiḥ). 3 4 The word upagiyamanat is formed by adding the prefix upa to the gerund giyamanāt. In his Vaisnava-tosani commentary, Sri Jiva Gosvami explains that the prefix upa conveys the sense of “profusely” (adhikam) or “above all else” (sarvoparitanatvena). The resultant meaning is that the descriptions of Bhagavan’s qualities are sung profusely or above all else by the liberated. raja-putra ciram jiva ma jiva muni-putraka jīva va mara vā sadho vyadha ma jiva mā mara Source unknown 259 III The Practice of Bhakti The killer of animals has no comprehension of Bhagavan’s narra- tions. In particular, because of his state of utter bewilderment, he has no capacity to recognize the aesthetic experience (rasa) that is implicit in those narrations (katha). यद्वा दैत्यस्वभावस्य यस्य निन्दामात्रतात्पर्यं स एव हिंसकत्वेन पशु नशब्देनोच्यते । पशुघ्नो व्याधः । सोऽपि मृगादीनां सौन्दर्यादिकगुणमगणयन्नेव हिंसामात्रतत्पर इति । ततो रसग्रहणाभावाद् युक्तमुक्तं विना पशुघ्नादिति । उभयथापि तद्बहिर्मुखेभ्यो गालिप्र- दान एव तात्पर्यम् । Alternatively, the word paśu-ghna may simply refer to a per- son of malicious nature (daitya-svabhava), whose intent is solely to criticize others (ninda). Because he thereby inflicts injury (himsa), he too is designated as a paśu-ghna, or “one who wounds the hearts of living beings.” As regards the pasu-ghna in the former sense, i.e., the hunter (vyadha), he too [like the critic] devalues the qualities of his prey, such as their beauty and so on. On this basis, he becomes solely intent on violence. Consequently, because the hunter is unable to grasp the aes- thetic experience (rasa) that is implicit in Bhagavan’s narra- tions, Pariksit rightly asks, “Who other than a slayer of animals could remain indifferent to the descriptions of Bhagavan’s qual- ities?” In either case, the import of the verse is to castigate those who are disinterested in hearing narrations about Bhagavan. यथा तृतीये श्रीमैत्रेयस्य ( भा० ३ | १३१५२ ) - As Śrī Maitreya said in the Third Canto: को नाम लोके पुरुषार्थसारवित् पुराकथानां भगवत्कथासुधाम् । आपीय कर्णाञ्जलिभिर्भवापहामहो विरज्येत विना नरेतरम् || ७६६ ॥ इति ॥ राजा श्रीशुकम् ॥ In this world, what person who has realized [bhakti as] the essence of all human attainments (puruşartha-sära), and who, from among the many stories previously related, has drunk s Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti 260 252 The Importance of Hearing Established through Vyatireka with the folded cups of the ears the nectar of Bhagavan’s narra- tions, which terminate the flow of material existence, could ever desist from such hearing- other than a non-human? (SB 3.13.52)6 Commentary IN THIS ANUCCHEDA, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmi draws on the logic of neg- ative inference (vyatireka) to establish the importance of hearing the qualities of Bhagavan. Hearing about Bhagavan is the most natural activity for the authentic self, because the ātmā is by con- stitution an integrated part of Bhagavan alone. Being influenced by ignorance, however, the self identifies with the material body and becomes deluded by material sense pleasures. In such a state of ignorance, one takes pleasure only in hearing mundane topics, remaining averse to hearing about Bhagavan. On the other hand, those who are free from the conditioning caused by ignorance and who have given up all desire for sense pleasure (nivrtta-tarsa) regularly hear and also sing about Bhaga- vän. Additionally, those who are seeking relief from material suf- fering and bondage also hear about Bhagavän, knowing it to be the panacea for their diseased condition. Indeed, the virtues of Bhaga- van are so wonderful that they captivate the mind even of a mate- rialistic person, provided he or she is not malicious at heart. Thus, those who are liberated (mukta-janah), those who seek liberation (mumukṣu-janāḥ), and even the simple-hearted enjoyers of worldly pleasure (viṣayi-janah) are all attracted to hearing the virtues of Bhagavan. In contrast, however, a person who takes pleasure in causing pain to others does not take interest in hearing about Bhagavan. Such a person is compared to a hunter who kills animals with- out considering the suffering he is causing them. Sri Jiva com- ments that those people who criticize others unnecessarily are like hunters, because their sharp criticism is a form of violence. Their ⚫ ko nama loke purusartha-sara-vit pura-kathanam bhagavat-katha-sudham apiya karnanjalibhir bhavapaham aho virajyeta vina naretaram 261 III The Practice of Bhakti words pierce the hearts of those they abuse, causing more pain than physical arrows. The wound caused by an arrow can be healed, but that caused by sharp words can remain embedded in one’s heart for the rest of one’s life, thereby inflicting immeasurable pain. In this regard, Krsna instructs Uddhava: O disciple of Brhaspati, Uddhava, in this world, it is virtually impossible to find a sadhu who is able to remain composed at heart when pierced by the bitter words uttered by a wicked per- son. Indeed, a man who is pierced by arrows that have struck his vital organs is not so deeply wounded as when stung by the deadly shaft-like words of an ill-tempered person that pierce his heart and torment him. (SB 11.23.2-3)” As in the case of a hunter, the heart of such a cruel person lacks the sensitivity to grasp the confidential meaning and sub- tle sentiments of the narrations concerning Bhagavan’s virtues. If such a person incidentally or by force of circumstance hears such narrations, he feels utterly bored or falls asleep. 262 barhaspatya sa vai natra sadhur vai durjaneritaih duruktair bhinnam atmanam yah samadhatumisvarah na tatha tapyate viddhah puman banaih sumarmagaiḥ yatha tudanti marmastha hyasatam paruşeşavah Anuccheda 253 Hearing Bhagavan’s Līlā २५३ | अथ लीलाश्रवणम् (भा० २।३।१२) - Now we will cite an example of hearing about Bhagavan’s divine play (lila-śravanam), as Śrī Suka said: ज्ञानं यदाप्रतिनिवृत्तगुणोर्मिचक्रमात्मप्रसाद उत यत्र गुणेष्वसङ्गः । कैवल्यसम्मतपथस्त्वथ भक्तियोगः को निर्वृतो हरिकथासु रतिं न कुर्यात् ॥ ७६७ ॥ In consequence of that [i.e., by hearing hari-katha in the asso- ciation of devotees], immediate awareness ( jnāna) is born, by which the waves of the material gunas are completely quelled, the mind becomes serene, non-attachment is felt toward the objects of the senses, and one attains kaivalya, or liberation, the approved path leading thereafter to the appearance of bhakti-yoga. Therefore, who, having experienced the plea- sure of hearing hari-katha, would not develop fondness for it? (SB 2.3.12) 1 यत् यासु कथासु ज्ञानं भवति । कीदृशम् ? आ सर्वतः प्रतिनिवृत्तं उपरतं गुणोर्मीणां रागा- दीनां चक्रं समूहो यस्मात् । यतो यत्र यासु कथासु तद्धेतुरात्मप्रसादश्च तत्प्रसादहेतुर्विष- यानासक्तिश्च । 1 jnanam yad apratinivrtta gunormi-cakram atma-prasada uta yatra gunesv asangaḥ kaivalya-sammata-pathas tv atha bhakti-yogah ko nirvrto hari-kathasu ratim na kuryat 263 III The Practice of Bhakti The pronoun yat, “in consequence of that,” means “in conse- quence of hearing hari-katha.” Immediate awareness (jñāna) is born in the midst of hearing such katha. What is the nature of this awareness? It completely quells the sum total of the waves of the material gunas, which manifest as attachment (raga) and other forms of bondage. As a result, the mind becomes pro- foundly satisfied (atma-prasada) by way of hearing hari-katha. Then, on account of this inner serenity, non-attachment is felt toward the sense objects. किं बहुना ? तत् फलं यत् कैवल्यं तदपि “ब्रह्मभूतः प्रसन्नात्मा” (गीता १८ । ५४) इत्याद्यु- क्तानुसारेण सम्मतः पन्थाः प्राप्तिद्वारं यत्र स प्रेमाख्यो भक्तियोगोऽपि । What more need be said? The fruit of all this is liberation (kaiva- lya), which is “the approved path” (sammataḥ panthaḥ), mean- ing “the gateway of attainment” (präpti-dvāram), leading to bhakti-yoga, also known as prema. That kaivalya is the gateway to bhakti is confirmed in the Gitä: Having realized Brahman, one becomes perfectly serene and neither grieves nor hankers for anything. Having equal vision toward all beings, one attains supreme devotion to Me. (GĪTĀ 18.54)2 यासु श्रुतमात्रासु तत्तदनपेक्ष्यैव भवति तासु हरिकथासु तच्चरितेषु कः श्रवणसुखेन निर्वृतः सनन्यत्रानिर्वृतो वा रतिं रागं न कुर्यात् ॥ श्रीशुकः ॥ All of this occurs simply by hearing hari-katha, even without any desire or expectation for such achievements. Consequently, who, having experienced the bliss (nirvṛta) of hearing hari- katha, or being dissatisfied (anirvṛta)3 with everything else, would not develop “fondness” (rati), or “attachment” (rāga), for hari-katha, which concerns the divine acts of Bhagavān (tac-carita)? 2 brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati na kańksati samaḥ sarveşu bhutesu mad-bhaktim labhate param 3 Due to the Sanskrit rules of euphonic combination (sandhi), the words ko nirvrtaḥ can be read either as kah nirvṛtah, “who, having experienced the bliss [of hearing],” or as kah anirvṛtah, “who, being dissatisfied [with everything else].” This accounts for the two possible meanings given here by Sri Jiva. 264 Commentary 253 Hearing Bhagavan’s Lila OUR LIKES AND DISLIKES depend upon our past experiences of pleasure and pain. Whatever objects or experiences we have found to be enjoyable in the past appeal to us still at present, whereas the things that gave us pain repel us. If we are deeply entrenched in such experiences, then we cannot place any stock in hearing the pastimes of Bhagavan. If, however, we develop faith in them by the grace of a devotee, we are then impelled to listen to them even if we do not necessarily relish them in the beginning. Such hearing cleanses the heart of past attachments to material pleasure, and spiritual knowledge and awareness ensue. Such knowledge leads to detachment from material objects and bestows a sense of self- satisfaction. We then develop a taste to hear more and more, and this will grant us prema for Bhagavan. 265 Anuccheda 254 Two Types of Līlās २५४ । किं बहुना एतदर्थमेवास्य महापुराणस्याविर्भाव इति “भवतानुदितप्रायं यशो भगवतोऽमलम्” (भा० १।५।८) इत्यादौ “समाधिनानुस्मर तद्विचेष्टितम्” (भा० १ | ५ | १३) इत्यादौ च वर्णितम् । WHAT MORE need be said about the greatness of hearing the liläs of Bhagavan? This Mahapurana, known as Srimad Bhagavata, was manifested solely for this purpose, as discussed earlier in regard to the following verses: The immaculate glories of Bhagavan have been virtually unmen- tioned by you. I consider as deficient any philosophy (darsana) by which He derives no pleasure. (SB 1.5.8)1 And: Therefore, O greatly fortunate [Vyasa], since you are of infal- lible vision, pure in glory, established in truth, and of firm vows, you should continuously recollect through transcogni- tive awareness (samadhi) - the divine acts of Bhagavan, who performs extraordinary feats, doing so for the liberation of all living beings from material bondage. (SB 1.5.13)2 सा च लीला द्विविधा - सृष्ट्यादिरूपा लीलावतारविनोदरूपा च । तयोरुत्तरा तु प्रशस्त- तरेत्याशयेनाह (भा० २।६।४६ ) - — 1 bhavatanudita-prayam yaso bhagavato❜malam 2 yenaivāsau na tusyeta manye tad-darsanam khilam atho maha-bhaga bhavan amogha-drk suci-sravaḥ satya-rato dhṛta-vratah urukramasyakhila-bandha-muktaye samadhinanusmara tad-vicestitam 266 254 Two Types of Lilas The liläs of Bhagavan are of two types - those pertaining to cosmic creation (srsti), and those pertaining to the divine play ( vinoda) of the lila-avatāras. Out of these two, the latter is supe- rior. With the intent to point this out, Brahma informed Śrī Narada: प्राधान्यतो यानृष आमनन्ति लीलावतारान् पुरुषस्य भूम्नः । । आपीयतां कर्णकषायशोषाननुक्रमिष्ये त इमान् सुपेशान् ॥ ७६८ ॥ O sage, I shall describe to you in order the lila-avataras of the Supreme Puruşa that are preeminently proclaimed in scrip- tures. Please drink completely the nectar of these beautifully ornamented topics, which dry up the filth of hearing mundane topics. ( SB2.6.46 ) 3 यद्यपि पूर्वम् “आद्योऽवतारः पुरुषः परस्य ” ( भा० २।६।४१) इत्यादिग्रन्थेन पुरुष कालादि- तच्छक्तिं मनआदितत्कार्यं ब्रह्मादितद्गुणावतारान् दक्षादितत्तद्विभूतींश्चोक्तवानस्मि तेन च सृष्ट्यादिलीलाः । Earlier in the same chapter, beginning with sB2.6.41, Brahma spoke about Bhagavan’s first avatara as the Purusa, the Purusa’s potencies (saktis), such as time, the effects brought forth by His potencies, such as the mind, the guna-avatāras of the Purusa, such as Brahma, and His numerous vibhutis, or “empowered beings,” such as Daksa [who are endowed with exceptional abili- ties to assist in the unfolding of creation]. By all of this, Brahma related Bhagavan’s systi lila, or “His play of cosmic creation.” तथापि यान् हे ऋषे ! पुरुषस्य भूम्नो लीलावतारान् प्राधान्येन आमनन्ति तानेव इमान् मम हृदयाधिरूढान् कर्णकषायशोषान् तदितरश्रवणरागहन्तॄन् । किं च सुपेशान् परमम- नोहराननुक्रमिष्ये । तदनुक्रमेण आ सम्यक् पीयताम् ॥ श्रीब्रह्मा नारदम् ॥ In spite of this, however, in the present verse [sB 2.6.46], Brahma makes the following declaration : “O sage, the lila-avatāras of the Supreme Person (bhumnaḥ purusasya) that are preem- inently proclaimed in scriptures have gained ascendency in my heart (mama hrdayadhiruḍhän). I shall describe to you in 3 pradhanyato yan rsa amananti lilavataran purusasya bhumnaḥ apiyatam karna-kasaya-sosan anukramişye ta iman supesan 267III The Practice of Bhakti order (anukramişye) these very lilä-avataras, [the narrations of which] dry up the filth of the ears (karna-kasaya-sosan), mean- ing that they destroy all attachment (raga) to hearing other top- ics. Moreover, discussions of the lila-avataras are beautifully ornamented (supeśān), meaning that they are supremely cap- tivating to the heart (parama-manoharan). Please drink com- pletely (“a,” i.e., “samyak” piyatām) and in order (anukrameṇa) the descriptions of these lilä-avatāras.” Commentary Out of the two types of lilas of Bhagavan, that which concerns the lila-avataras is superior, because it is more attractive to the heart. The reason for this is that these lilas depict Bhagavan’s love and compassion for His devotees. The mind becomes more absorbed in hearing such narrations, and thus one loses interest in hearing mundane topics, which are compared to “filth” (kaṣāya), here implying “ear excrement” (mala) Brahma is more eager to recount these lilas because they are supremely captivating to his heart (parama-manoharan). These lilas are pleasing to both the speaker and the audience. In this regard, Śrī Sukadeva affirms that inquiries regarding väsudeva-katha purify the speaker, the inquirer, and the audience that hears them (SB 10.1.16). 4 This is Sridhara Svami’s gloss on the word kasaya. 268 Anuccheda 255 The Effect of Hearing the Narrations of the Līlā-avatāras २५५ । एवं “ दुरवगमात्मतत्त्वनिगमाय” ( भा० १० । ८७ । २१ ) इत्यादौ वेदस्तुतावपि तच्छलाघा द्रष्टव्या । PRAISE of Bhagavan’s liläs can also be found in the prayers of the personified Vedas, as in this statement: O Iśvara, You have manifested Your own form in order to reveal the truth of Your essential being, which is most diffi- cult to fathom. Your deeds are a vast ocean of nectar, and those who dive into that ocean are relieved of all fatigue. Having abandoned their homes due to association with the swan-like devotees who relish Your lotus feet, they do not yearn even for liberation. (SB 10.87.21)1 अत एव प्रथमे “भावयत्येषः” इत्यादौ “लीलावतारानुरतः ” ( भा० १।२।३४) इति तद्विशे- षणं दत्तम् । Therefore, in the First Canto of Srimad Bhagavata, the adjec- tival compound lilävatārānurataḥ, “fondly assuming avatāric descents for the sake of divine play,” is used to describe Bhagavan: duravagam atma-tattva-nigamaya tavātma-tanos carita mahamṛtabdhi parivarta parisramanāḥ na parilasanti kecid apavargam apīšvara te carana-saroja-hamsa-kula-sanga visrsta-grhah 269 III The Practice of Bhakti Fondly assuming avataric descents for the sake of divine play (lila) among the gods, animals, and human beings, He indeed, the originator of the worlds, maintains all entities through the qualitative state of perpetual being (sattva-guna). (SB 1.2.34)2 तथा च श्रीभगवद्गीतासु (गीता ४ १९ ) - Praise of Bhagavan’s divine acts is also found in the Gitā: जन्म कर्म च मे दिव्यमेवं यो वेत्ति तत्त्वतः । त्यक्त्वा देहं पुनर्जन्म नैति मामेति सोऽर्जुन ॥ ७६९ ॥ इति । O Arjuna, a person who thus knows in reality the transcenden- tal nature of My birth and actions is not reborn after giving up the body but attains Me instead. (GĪTĀ 4.9)3 एषा खलु मर्त्यशरीरमपि पार्षदभावेन जितमृत्युकं विदधाति । यथाह ( भा० ३ |१४|५- ६) - Indeed, the liläs of Bhagavan bestow even to the mortal body the capacity to conquer over death, by endowing it with the exis- tential [bodily] condition of a liberated associate of Bhagavan (pārṣada-bhāva), as Śrī Maitreya said: 2 3 साधु वीर त्वया पृष्टमवतारकथां हरेः । यत् त्वं पृच्छसि मर्त्यानां मृत्युपाशविशातनीम् ॥ ७७० ॥ ययोत्तानपदः पुत्रो मुनिना गीतयार्भकः । मृत्योः कृत्वैव मूद्ध्यङ्घ्रिमारुरोह हरेः पदम् ॥ ७७१ ॥ O hero, I have been questioned by you in a highly honorable manner, because you are asking about the stories of the avata- ras of Bhagavan Hari, which slit the noose of death of mortal bhavayaty esa sattvena lokan vai loka-bhavanah lilavataranurato deva-tiryan naradisu janma karma ca me divyam evam yo vetti tattvatah tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti so’rjuna 4 In his Bengali translation of Bhakti Sandarbha, Sri Radha-ramana Gosvāmi interprets the compound parsada-bhava as meaning parṣada-tanu-bhava, “the existential bodily condition of an eternal associate.” This makes sense here, because in the verse quoted by Sri Jiva, Dhruva’s selfsame physical body was transformed into that of an eternal associate. 270 255 The Effect of Hearing the Narrations of the Lila-avataras beings. By hearing the stories of Bhagavan sung by the sage [Narada], the child Dhruva, son of King Uttanapada, placed his foot upon the head of death and ascended to the abode of Bhagavan Hari. (SB 3.14.5-6)5 मुनिना श्रीनारदेन । अतस्तेन भगवदवतारकथापि तं प्रति श्रावितास्तीति गम्यते । तेन शरीरेणैव मृत्युजयः पार्षदत्वं चोक्तम् (भा० ४।१२।२९ ) - The word munina, “by the sage,” means “by Śrī Narada.” From this, it is understood that Narada also narrated the stories of Bhagavan’s avataras to Dhruva [and not that he only imparted philosophical instructions]. Dhruva’s conquering over death by way of his own phenomenal body and attaining the existential status of an associate of Bhagavan (pärṣadatvam) is described in this verse: परीत्याभ्यर्च्य धिष्ण्याग्र्यं कृतस्वस्त्ययनो द्विजैः । इयेष तदधिष्ठातुं बिभ्रद् रूपं हिरण्मयम् ॥ ७७२ ॥ इति ॥ श्रीमैत्रेयः ॥ Thereafter, Dhruva circumambulated and worshiped the celes- tial airplane and was blessed by the brahmanas. He then assumed an effulgent golden form and prepared to ascend the plane. (SB 4.12.29) 5 sädhu vira tvaya prstam avatara-katham hareh yat tvam prcchasi martyānam mrtyu-pasa-visatanim yayottanapadah putro munina gitayarbhakaḥ 6 mrtyoh kṛtvaiva murddhny anghrim aruroha hareh padam parityabhyarcya dhisnyagryam krta-svastyayano dvijaih iyesa tad-adhisthatum bibhrad rupam hiranmayam There is a different reading of this verse with the words parsadav abhivandya ca, “and reverently greeted the two associates of Bhagavan,” replacing krta-svastyayano dvijaiḥ, “and was blessed by the brahmanas.” 271 III The Practice of Bhakti Commentary THE LILAS of Bhagavan are transphenomenal in nature. Indeed, not only the lilās themselves but the acts of narrating and listening to them are also transphenomenal. Thus, one who listens to them is transported beyond the gunas of prakṛti. This is the import of the Gītā verse (4.9) cited in this anuccheda. There are two types of liberation - namely, jivan-mukti, liber- ation while still living in the material body, and atyantika-mukti, final liberation. By wholehearted application of the recommended spiritual practice, one first attains jīvan-mukti. Then, after giv- ing up the present material body, one attains atyantika-mukti. If one has attained perfection by following the path of bhakti, then atyantika-mukti occurs in the form of attaining a spiritual body. An example of this is seen in the case of Sri Narada (SB 1.6.28-29). The case of Dhruva, however, is extraordinarily unique. When the time came for him to die, his selfsame physical body was trans- muted into a spiritual body without undergoing the experience of death. Śrī Jiva explains that this was possible by the power of hear- ing the lilas of Bhagavan, which he had heard from his guru, Śrī Narada. This is understood from the statement of Maitreya, cited in this anuccheda (SB 3.14.5-6). 272 Anuccheda 256 The Sequence and Exalted Status of Hearing 256.1 The Recommended Order of Hearing २५६ | तदेवं नामादिश्रवणमुक्तम् । अत्र तत्परिकरश्रवणमपि ज्ञेयम् (भा० ३ । १३१४ ) - WE HAVE thus described the practice of hearing (śravanam) about the names ( nāma), forms ( rūpa ), qualities (guna), and līlās of Bhagavan. Hearing about Bhagavan’s liberated asso- ciates (parikaras) is also understood to be included within this practice, as Śrī Vidura confirms: श्रुतस्य पुंसां सुचिरश्रमस्य नन्वञ्जसा सूरिभिरीडितोऽर्थः । तत्तद्गुणानुश्रवणं मुकुन्दपादारविन्दं हृदयेषु येषाम् || ७७३ ॥ इत्यादौ । To repeatedly hear the virtues of those in whose hearts the lotus feet of Mukunda perpetually reside has been rightly esteemed by the wise as the true aim of the extensive effort undertaken by human beings in studying the scriptures. (SB 3.13.4)1 तत्र यद्यप्येकतरेणापि व्युत्क्रमेणापि सिद्धिर्भवत्येव तथापि प्रथमं नाम्नः श्रवणमन्तःकरण- शुद्ध्यर्थमपेक्ष्यम् । शुद्धे चान्तःकरणे रूपश्रवणेन तदुदययोग्यता भवति । सम्यगुदिते च रूपे गुणानां स्फुरणं सम्पद्यते । ततस्तेषु नामरूपगुणेषु तत्परिकरेषु च सम्यक् स्फुरिते- ष्वेव लीलानां स्फुरणं सुष्ठु भवतीत्यभिप्रेत्य साधनक्रमो लिखितः । एवं कीर्तनस्मरणयो- र्ज्ञेयम् । 1 srutasya pumsam sucira-sramasya nanv anjasa suribhir idito’rthah tat-tad-gunanusravanam mukunda-padaravindam hrdayesu yesam 273 III The Practice of Bhakti It is a fact that by hearing even about just one of these four - the names, forms, qualities, or lilas of Bhagavan - and in any given order, perfection ensues. Yet in order for the heart (or “the affective-cognitive faculty,” antah-karana) to become purified, it is necessary to begin with hearing the name. When the heart is thus purified, the practitioner then hears about Bhagavan’s form, by which the heart attains fitness for the self-disclosure of His form. When Bhagavan’s form fully manifests, there fol- lows the revelation of His qualities that are implicit in His form. Thereafter, when Bhagavan’s name, form, and qualities have fully manifested along with Bhagavan’s associates, the liläs of Bhagavan are disclosed in the appropriate manner. It is with this intention that the order of execution of sadhana practices has been stated. The same order is understood to be applicable in regard to singing (kirtana) and remembering (smarana) the names, forms, qualities, associates, and lilas of Bhagavan. 256.2 The Greatness of Hearing from a Mahat इदं च श्रवणं श्रीमन्महन्मुखरितं चेन् महामाहात्म्यं जातरुचीनां परमसुखदं च । तच्च द्विविधम्- महदाविर्भावितं महत्कीर्त्यमानं चेति । If hari-katha is received from the mouth of greatly realized devo- tees (mahat), this practice of hearing attains to its most exalted state of being (maha-māhātmyam) and grants supreme delight (parama-sukhadam) to those in whom the relish (ruci) for such topics has arisen. Additionally, hearing from mahat devotees is of two types - to hear sacred works brought forth by a great devotee (mahad-ävirbhāvitam) and to hear hari-katha sung by a great devotee (mahat-kirtyamānam). 274 256 The Sequence and Exalted Status of Hearing तत्र श्रीभागवतमुपलक्ष्य पूर्वं यथा ( भा० ११३१४० ) - Among these two, an example of the first is found in Śrī Süta’s statement in reference to Srimad Bhagavata: इदं भागवतं नाम पुराणं ब्रह्मसम्मितम् । उत्तमश्लोकचरितं चकार भगवानृषिः । निःश्रेयसाय लोकस्य धन्यं स्वस्त्ययनं महत् ॥ ७७४ ॥ For the highest benefit of humanity, the divine seer [Vyasadeva] brought forth into being this Purana called Srimad Bhagavata, which is equal to all the Vedas, which is filled with the nar- rations of Uttamaśloka, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, which bestows all aspired for aims, which is productive of the highest well-being, and is supremely preeminent. (SB 1.3.40)2 अत्र तन्माहात्म्यसूचनार्थमेव तत्कर्तृकत्ववचनम् ॥ श्रीसूतः ॥ In this verse, the author’s name has been mentioned simply to make evident the exalted state of being (mahatmyam) of Srimad Bhagavata. Commentary JUST AS HEARING about the name, form, qualities, and līlās of Bha- gavan can award perfection in the form of divine love, so too hear- ing about His associates (parikaras) can grant the same perfection. The associates of Bhagavan, being direct manifestations of His own intrinsic potency, are equal to Him in power. This was discussed in Bhagavat Sandarbha (Anuccheda 76). 2 3 idam bhagavatam nama puranam brahma-sammitam uttama-sloka-caritam cakara bhagavan rsih niḥśreyasaya lokasya dhanyam svasty-ayanam mahat Here, Sri Jiva is referring to the first of the two above-mentioned qualities of hearing from a mahat, in this case, the maha-mahatmyam of Srimad Bhagavata, whose exalted state of being (mahatmyam) is highlighted by virtue of its being brought forth by the mahat Vyasa (mahad-āvirbhāvitam). In the next anuccheda, Sri Jiva will illustrate the second quality, that hearing the Bhagavata grants supreme delight (parama-sukhadam). 275 III The Practice of Bhakti Here it may be added that hearing about contemporary devo- tees is similarly purifying. Indeed, hearing about them may be even more inspiring than hearing about Bhagavan or His direct associates, because a practitioner can more readily relate to con- temporary devotees and develop an affinity with them. The listener can empathize with the struggle undergone by such devotees and feel inspired by it. Śrī Jīva Gosvami also singles out the importance of hearing and chanting the name. Hearing and chanting the name are two of the most important spiritual practices in the Gauḍīya School. He rec- ommends that one should first hear the name for purification of the heart. Unless the heart is first purified by hearing and chant- ing the name, the other practices will not easily yield their result. Oftentimes, a disproportionate amount of stress is placed on lila- smaranam, “recollection of, or meditation on, Bhagavan’s lilas.” But this practice requires the heart to be firmly established in sattva, or purity of being. If the heart is not sättvika, lila-smaranam becomes an impossibility. For this reason, Śrī Jīva recommends following the approved order, beginning with hearing the name. Śrī Jiva further advocates that one should hear hari-katha from the mouth of great devotees (mahat). He remarks that hearing of this nature exhibits two qualities, the first of which is that it attains to its most exalted state of being (maha-mahatmyam). Śrī Jiva’s use of the latter compound could also imply that hearing from the mahat becomes of the nature of the exalted state of being (the mahatmyam) of the mahat. The second quality of hearing from the mahat is that it grants supreme delight (parama-sukhadam). This hearing from the mahat is then said to be of two types - hearing the sacred works that have been brought forth by great devotees (mahad-avirbhāvitam) and hearing narrations that are sung by them (mahat-kirtyamanam). Out of these two, Śrī Jiva gives an example of the first in reference to the Bhagavata Purana’s being manifested by the sage Vyasa. In this case, the Bhagavata’s being of the most exalted state (maha-mahatmyam, the first of the two qualities referred to above) is indicated by mention of the author’s name, the mahat Vyasa. 276 256 The Sequence and Exalted Status of Hearing In the next anuccheda, Śrī Jīva gives an example of the Bhaga- vata Purāņa as granting supreme delight to the listener (parama- sukhadam). He then illustrates the second of the above two types of hearing, namely, hearing hari-katha sung by a great devotee. 277Anuccheda 257 Hearing Sacred Works Brought Forth or Sung by a Mahat २५७ । यथा वा “निगमकल्पतरोर्गलितं फलं शुकमुखादमृतद्रवसंयुतम् " ( भा० १।१।३) इत्यादौ । अत्र श्रीशुकमुखादमृतद्रवसंयुतत्वेन परमसुखदत्वमुक्तम् । एतदुपलक्षणत्वेन श्रीलीलाशुकाद्याविर्भावितकर्णामृतादिग्रन्था अपि क्रोडीकर्तव्याः । ANOTHER EXAMPLE of hearing sacred works brought forth by a mahat devotee is found in the following statement, also in reference to Srimad Bhagavata:‘1 1 O you devotees who are connoisseurs of the aesthetic expe- rience (rasa) of prema for Bhagavan (rasikas), and who are well acquainted with transcendental states of awareness in love (bhāvukas)! Drink again and again, up to liberation and beyond, the rasa known as Srimad Bhagavata, the fruit of the wish-fulfilling tree of Vedic literature. Abounding with the fluid essence of immortal nectar, it has descended [fully ripened Here, Śrī Jiva is giving an alternate example of hearing sacred works brought forth by the mahat. This is clear from his use of the words yatha va and from the fact that an example of the second item, hearing hari-katha sung by a mahat, is given hereafter. From Sridhara Svami’s commentary on SB 1.1.3, it is evident that in this case, the “bringing forth of the Bhagavata” involves its being carried by Narada from its origin in Vaikuntha, imparted to Vyasa, and then by way of Vyasa, issued from the mouth of Suka, wherefrom its descent upon the earth came into being. Gradually, by the Bhagavata’s being handed down through generations of authentic teachers and students in the lineage, its self-revelation attains completion. 278 257 Hearing Sacred Works Brought Forth or Sung by a Mahat and unbroken] upon the earth from the mouth of Sri Suka. (SB 1.1.3) 2 This verse specifically mentions that Srimad Bhagavata grants supreme delight (parama-sukhada), because it abounds with the fluid essence of immortal nectar emanating from the mouth of Śrī Suka. By upalakṣaṇa, or the principle of implying an entire set of related objects by reference to just one of its mem- bers, other sacred works, such as Krsna-karnāmrta, brought forth into being (avirbhävita) by Śri Lilaśuka [popularly known as Bilvamangala], are also to be included within this category [i.e., mahad-āvirbhāvita]. अथ महत्कीर्त्यमानं यथा ( भा०४।२०१२५ ) - We will now give an example of hearing hari-katha sung by great devotees (mahat-kīrtyamānam), as King Prthu said: स उत्तमश्लोकमहन्मुखच्युतो भवत्पदाम्भोजसुधाकणानिलः । स्मृतिं पुनर्विस्मृततत्त्ववर्त्मनां कुयोगिनां नो वितरत्यलं वरैः ॥ ७७५ ॥ O most glorious Bhagavān (Uttamasloka), the air [or breath], charged with the particles of nectar from Your lotus feet and issuing from the mouth of mahat devotees, confers remem- brance again to immature yogis like us, who had forgotten the path of the Absolute. Therefore, we have no use for any boon other than such hearing. (SB 4.20.25 ) 3 " न कामये नाथ तदपि " ( भा०४।२०।२४) इत्यादि पूर्वोक्तानुसारात् स्वसुखातिशयेन कैवल्यसुखतिरस्कारी महतां मुखाद् विगलितो भवत्पादाम्भोज माधुर्यलेशस्यापि सम्ब- न्धी शब्दात्मकोऽनिलो विस्मृतपरमतत्त्वात्मकत्वदीयज्ञानानामस्माकं त्वदीयां स्मृति- मपि यच्छति । तस्मात् तथाविधस्य तस्य परमसाध्यसाधनात्मकत्वादलमन्यैवरैरित्य- र्थः । पृथुः श्रीविष्णुम् ॥ 2 3 nigama-kalpa-taror galitam phalam suka-mukhad amrta-drava-samyutam pibata bhagavatam rasam alayam muhur aho rasika bhuvi bhavukah sa uttama-sloka-mahan-mukha-cyuto bhavat-padambhoja-sudha-kananilah smrtim punar vismṛta-tattva-vartmanām kuyoginām no vitaraty alam varaih 279 III The Practice of Bhakti In the previous verse, the king prayed as follows: O Lord (Natha), I shall never desire even liberation, wherein the nectar of Your lotus feet, ascending from the hearts of mahat devotees and flowing out through their mouths, is not to be found. Therefore, kindly grant me 10,000 ears [to hear Your glories].* This is the only benediction I desire. (SB 4.20.24)5 According to this statement, the mellifluousness (madhurya) of Bhagavan’s lotus feet belittles the bliss of liberation (kaivalya) by the superabundance of its own bliss. The king effectively prayed: “The air (anila), charged with the sound (sabda) that is connected even with just a trace of the madhurya of Your lotus feet and issuing from the mouth of mahat devotees, con- fers remembrance of You to us, who had forgotten all knowl- edge of You, the very essence of the Absolute Truth (parama- tattvätmaka). Therefore, because hearing the madhurya of Your narrations emanating from the mouths of mahat devotees is both the supreme goal (parama-sadhya) and the supreme means (parama-sadhana), we have no use for any other boons.” Commentary IN THE previous anuccheda, Śrī Jiva Gosvāmī said that hearing from the mouth of a mahat devotee bestows supreme delight to those in whom the taste (ruci) for such hearing has arisen. In this regard, he now gives the example of Sukadeva, who is the first reciter of the Bhagavata Purana. Śrī Jiva also previously specified that “hearing from the mouth of a great devotee” (śriman-mahan-mukharitam-śravanam) is of two types - hearing sacred works composed or brought forth by a mahat devotee and hearing hari-katha spoken or sung by a mahat devotee. Bhagavata Purana embodies both of these characteristics: yasaḥ śravanaya karnanam ayutam vidhatsva Sridhara Svami 5 na kamaye natha tad apy aham kvacin na yatra yusmac caranambujasavah mahattamantar-hrdayan mukha-cyuto vidhatsva karnayutam esa me varah 280 257 Hearing Sacred Works Brought Forth or Sung by a Mahat It was manifested by Bhagavan Vyasa and was recited by great devotees, such as Sukadeva and Süta Gosvāmi. The compositions of great devotees, such as Bilvamangala, should also be understood as included within the category of sacred writings brought forth by mahat devotees and thus as worthy of hearing. To this, we can add the writings of Sri Rūpa Gosvāmi, Sanatana Gosvāmi, Jiva Gosvāmi, Raghunatha-dāsa Gosvami, Gopala Bhatta Gosvami, Kṛṣṇadāsa Kaviraja, Viśvanātha Cakravarti, and many others. 281 Anucchedas 258-259 Two Qualities of Hearing Hari-kathā Sung by a Mahat २५८-२५९ । तदेवं महामाहात्म्यं महासुखप्रदत्वं चोक्तम् । तदेतदुभयमप्यत्राह द्वाभ्याम् ( भा० ४।२९।४० ) - WE HAVE THUS shown that when hari-katha is heard from mahat devotees, it attains to its highest state of being (maha- mähätmyam) and bestows supreme bliss (maha-sukha-prada- tvam). These two attributes of hearing are indicated in the following two statements of Sri Narada to King Präcīnabarhi: तस्मिन् महन्मुखरिता मधुभिच्चरित्रपीयूषशेषसरितः परितः स्रवन्ति । ता ये पिबन्त्यवितृषो नृप गाढकर्णेस्तान् न स्पृशन्त्यशनतृभयशोकमोहाः || ७७६ ॥ O King, therein [in the association of genuine devotees], many rivers filled with the essence of the nectar of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s līlās, sung by mahat devotees, flow in all directions. Those who drink of them with unabated thirst and rapt attention are never touched by hunger, thirst, fear, dejection, or delusion. (SB 4.29.40 ) 1 तस्मिन् साधुसङ्गे । महद्भिर्मुखरिताः कीर्तिताः । शेषः सारः । अवितृषोऽलम्बुद्धिशून्याः । गाढत्वं सावधानत्वम् । अशनं क्षुत् । 1 tasmin mahan-mukharita madhubhic-caritra- piyüşa-sesa-saritaḥ paritah sravanti ta ye pibanty avitṛso nrpa gadha-karnais tan na sprsanty asana-tra bhaya-soka-mohah 282 258-259 Two Qualities of Hearing Hari-katha Sung by a Mahat The pronoun tasmin, “therein,” means “in the association of genuine devotees” (sadhu-sange). The compound mahadbhir- mukharitāḥ, “articulated by mahat devotees,” means “sung by them” (kirtitaḥ). The word seṣaḥ, lit., “the remainder,” here means “the essence” (sarah). The word avitṛṣaḥ, “with unabated thirst,” means “devoid of all thought that now this is enough” (alam-buddhi-sünyaḥ). The compound gaḍha-karnaiḥ, “with ears deeply immersed in sound,” means “with rapt atten- tion” (sävadhānatvam). The word asanam, lit., “food,” means “hunger” (ksut). भा०४।२९।४१- [The same idea is affirmed through negative inference (vyatireka)] in Narada’s second statement: एतैरुपद्रुतो नित्यं जीवलोकः स्वभावजैः । न करोति हरेर्नूनं कथामृतनिधौ रतिम् ॥ ७७७ ॥ A living being who is continuously tormented by these drives [hunger, thirst, and so on], which arise out of one’s own acquired nature (svabhavaja), certainly never develops love (rati) for the ocean of nectar of the narrations of Bhagavan Hari. (SB 4.29.41)* यैरतैरशनादिभिरुपद्रुतः सन् कथामृतनिधौ रतिं न करोति तानेतान् महत्कीर्त्यमानानि भगवद्यशांसि स्वमाहात्म्येन दूरीकृत्य स्वसुखमनुभावयन्तीति पद्यद्वययोजनार्थः ॥ श्री- नारदः प्राचीनबर्हिषम् ॥ 2 Sridhara Svāmi comments here that etymologically the word sesah means “that alone which remains [when the inessential (asara) is removed]” (tad eva sisyata iti sesah). From this, he goes on to say that the streams of hari-katha are rivers of pure nectar (suddhamṛta-vahini), in which (yasu) only the remainder (sesah), or the essence, is to be found, devoid of all inessential elements (asaramsa-rahitah). This tallies with Sri Jiva’s gloss on the word sesah as “the essence” (sāra). 3 Śri Giridhara glosses the word svabhavajaiḥ as “arising under the influence of the subconscious impressions accumulated over innumerable births” 4 (aneka-janma-parampară-samskara-vasenaiva). etair upadruto nityam jiva-lokah svabhavajaih na karoti harer nunam kathamṛta-nidhau ratim 283 III The Practice of Bhakti One who is tormented by hunger, thirst, and so on, does not develop love (rati) for the ocean of nectar of hari-katha. The glory (yasa) of Bhagavan, sung by great devotees (mahat- kirtyamānam), dispels all these obstacles by its own exalted state of being (sva-māhātmyena) and causes the listener to expe- rience the taste of its own bliss (sva-sukham anubhavayanti). This is the import of these two verses taken together. Commentary EVERY living being has awareness. This awareness can be focused either on matter or on spirit, but not on both simultaneously. In this respect, awareness is comparable to a flashlight. When one is walking in the dark with a torch in his hand, he can see things in front of him, while he himself remains in darkness. If he turns the torch on himself, then he cannot see the things in front of him. In a corresponding manner, when one is materially condi- tioned, he is tormented by material desires, hunger, thirst, and so on. When, however, his awareness is turned toward Bhaga- van by the grace of a devotee, material drives no longer disturb his mind. It is seen that when a boy or girl is deeply in love with another person, then he or she can tolerate immense obstacles. The mind becomes so preoccupied that nothing else really matters. By contrast, absorption in Bhagavan far exceeds such involvement in material emotions. This is why Śrī Jiva Gosvāmī glosses the word gadha (lit., “deeply immersed [in sound]”) in the compound gadha-karnaiḥ as sāvadhānatvam, “with rapt attention.” Thus, great devotees are not disturbed even by hunger or thirst, which are so difficult to endure. King Parīkṣit is the ideal exam- ple of this. He clearly stated that he was not disturbed by hunger, which is most difficult to tolerate, although he had even given 5 Śri Jiva began this anuccheda by saying that the two qualities of hearing hari-katha from mahat devotees (namely, maha-mahatmyam and parama-sukhadam, first mentioned in Anuccheda 256) are indicated in the two verses that he cites in this anuccheda (SB 4.29.40-41). Here, in his concluding statement, he specifies how this is so. 284 258-259 Two Qualities of Hearing Hari-katha Sung by a Mahat up drinking water. The reason for this condition is that he was absorbed in drinking the nectar of hari-katha issuing from the mouth of Sukadeva Gosvāmi (SB 10.1.13). 285 Anuccheda 260 The Preeminence of the Words of Śrīmad Bhāgavata २६० | तत्रापि श्रवणे श्रीभागवतश्रवणं तु परमश्रेष्ठम् । तस्य तादृशप्रभावमयशब्दात्मक- त्वात् परमरसमयत्वाच्च । EVEN among the complete range of bhagavat-katha that is avail- able to be heard, hearing Srimad Bhagavata is supremely pre- eminent. This is because it consists of extraordinarily powerful words of the nature described below (tādrsa-prabhāvamaya- sabda) and also because it abounds with supreme aesthetic relish (parama-rasamaya). तत्र पूर्वस्माद् यथा ( भा० १११।२) - The first of these two characteristics is indicated in the following verse of Srimad Bhagavata: धर्मः प्रोज्झितकैतवो ऽत्र परमो निर्मत्सराणां सतां वेद्यं वास्तवमत्र वस्तु शिवदं तापत्रयोन्मूलनम् । श्रीमद्भागवते महामुनिकृते किं वा परैरीश्वरः सद्यो हृद्यवरुध्यतेऽत्र कृतिभिः शुश्रूषुभिस्तत्क्षणात् ॥ ७७८ ॥ In this Srimad Bhagavata, which has been revealed by the great sage [Vyasa], the supreme mystical path of those who are free from envy and established in the state of authentic being is dis- closed, utterly devoid of all deception. Herein, the [one and only] ontologically real existent, which grants auspiciousness and uproots the threefold miseries, is the subject to be known 286 260 The Preeminence of the Words of Srimad Bhagavata and immediately realized. Is it the case that by [hearing] other scriptures, the Supreme Omnipotent Iśvara can be at once cap- tured within the heart? [No, indeed]. Yet He is so captured by the virtuous in the precise moment that they become desirous to hear the Bhāgavata. (SB 1.1.2)1 महामुनिः सर्वमहन्महनीयचरणपङ्कजः श्रीभगवान् । अत्र किं वा परैरित्यादिना शब्दस्वा- भाविकमाहात्म्यं दर्शितम् ॥ श्रीव्यासः ॥ The word maha-munih, “the great sage,” here refers to Sri Bhaga- vän, whose lotus feet are worthy of being honored by all greatly realized beings (mahat). The question, kim va paraiḥ, “What need is there of any other literature?” or “Is it the case that by [hearing] other scriptures [Isvara can be at once captured within the heart]?” demonstrates the natural exalted status (svābhāvika-māhātmyam) of the words of Srimad Bhagavata. Commentary IN TATTVA SANDARBHA, it was established that the Bhāgavata Purāņa is the most authoritative scripture in the matter of the self-disclosure of the complete Absolute Truth, para-tattva. But this is not its only greatness (mahatmyam). It is also the preemi- nent means to experience the Truth directly. Moreover, it is glo- rious by virtue of its divine author, its quintessential message, and even the very nature of its words. This is to say that even if a listener or a reader does not understand the meaning of the Bhaga- vata’s words, they still exert a powerful influence, like a potent 1 2 dharmah projjhita-kaitavo’tra paramo nirmatsaranam satam vedyam vastavam atra vastu sivadam tapa-trayonmulanam srīmad-bhagavate mahamuni-krte kim va parair isvarah sadyo hrdy avarudhyate’tra krtibhiḥ susrüşubhis tat-kṣaṇāt According to Sridhara Svami, the question kim va paraih is syntactically connected to the words isvaraḥ sadyo hrdy avarudhyate. He interprets it as follows: “Is it the case that by hearing other scriptures (paraih sastraiḥ) or by undertaking other methods advocated in those scriptures (tad-ukta-sadhanair vā), Isvara can be at once captured within the heart?” He adds that the word va in the question implies “derision” or “critical insinuation” (kaṭākṣa), meaning that such is certainly not the case. 287III The Practice of Bhakti medicine ingested unknowingly. Furthermore, the glory of Bhaga- vata Purana is because of its original speaker, Sukadeva, who is cel- ebrated as nitya-visnujana-priya, “the ever-beloved of Bhagavan’s devotees.” An example of the transformative power of the Bhāgavata’s words is evidenced in the case of Sukadeva himself. From his very birth, his consciousness was completely absorbed in the bliss of Brahman, sva-sukha-nibhṛta-cetaḥ (SB 12.12.68). He left home immediately after his birth, without undergoing any education (anupetam, SB 1.2.2). Yet, when he inadvertently heard a few verses depicting the enchanting lilas of Kṛṣṇa, his essential being was irresistibly drawn to them (ajita-rucira-lilakṛṣṭa-saraḥ, SB 12.12.68). Upon this internal transformation, initiated simply by hearing a few of the Bhagavata’s words, he returned to his father Vyasa and studied the Bhagavata Purana from him in full (SB 2.1.8). Therefore, Śri Vyasa questions, “What need is there for any other scripture?” (SB 1.1.2). This is a rhetorical question to stress the greatness of Śrimad Bhagavata. 288 Anuccheda 261 Śrīmad Bhāgavata Abounds with Rasa २६१ | उत्तरस्माद् यथा ( भा० १२ । १३।१५) - THE FACT that Srimad Bhagavata abounds with supreme rasa, the second characteristic mentioned in the previous anuccheda, is expressed in the following verse: सर्ववेदान्तसारं हि श्रीभागवतमिष्यते । तद्रसामृततृप्तस्य नान्यत्र स्याद् रतिः क्वचित् ॥ ७७९ ॥ This beautiful Bhagavata is indeed celebrated as the essence of all Vedanta [i.e., the Upanisads]. One who is enraptured by the immortal nectar of its aesthetic relish (rasa) will not experience attraction (rati) for any other scripture.” (SB 12.13.15)2 तद्रस एवामृतं तेन तृप्तस्य ॥ श्रीसूतः ॥ The rasa, or aesthetic relish, of Srimad Bhagavata is immortal nectar (amṛta). The verse refers to one who is enraptured by the nectar of this rasa. Commentary IN THE previous anuccheda, Śri Jiva Gosvāmi made the point that among all scriptures to be heard, Srimad Bhagavata is preeminent 1 Śrī Giridhara glosses the words anyatra kvacit, “anywhere else,” as sastrantare kvacid api, “for any other scripture.” 2 sarva-vedanta-saram hi sri bhagavatam işyate tad-rasamṛta-tṛptasya nanyatra syad ratiḥ kvacit 289 III The Practice of Bhakti for two reasons – because of the extraordinary power of its words and because it abounds with rasa. The first of these characteristics was illustrated in the previous anuccheda, and the second is being described here. Anyone who has developed a taste for Srimad Bhagavata would not relish any other scripture, because nothing else compares to it. A person who has enjoyed a delicious freshly cooked meal will not be interested in some stale and rotten food. Consequently, Vyasa exhorts all rasikas to drink the rasa of the Bhagavata up to liberation and beyond (pibata bhagavatam rasam alayam, SB 1.1.3). 290 Anuccheda 262 Hearing and Singing about Kṛṣṇa Is Supreme 262.1 The Hierarchy of Importance in regard to Hearing २६२ । अत्रैव विवेचनीयम् - श्रीभगवन्नामादेः श्रवणं तावत् परमं श्रेयः । तत्रापि महदावि- र्भावितप्रबन्धादेः । तत्र महत्कीर्त्यमानस्य । ततोऽपि श्रीभागवतस्य । तत्रापि च महत्की- र्त्यमानस्येति । IN REGARD TO HEARING, the following [hierarchy of impor- tance] should be considered: To hear about the names, forms, qualities, līlās, and associates of Bhagavan to any extent is supremely beneficial. Superior to this is to hear the sacred works brought forth (avirbhävita) by mahat devotees. When these compositions are then sung by a realized devotee (mahat- kirtyamānam), the benefit is greater still. To hear Srimad Bhāga- vata is superior even to this, and better yet, when sung by a mahat devotee. अत्र " मूर्त्याभिमतयात्मनः " ( भा० ११ । ३ । ४८) इतिवत् निजाभीष्टनामादिश्रवणं तु मुहुराव- र्तयितव्यम् । तत्रापि सवासनमहानुभावमुखात् । In addition, the prescription to hear repeatedly is to be enacted specifically in regard to the names, forms, qualities, and lilās of one’s own cherished form of Bhagavan (nījābhīṣṭa), as indicated in this verse: “One should worship the Supreme Puruşa [Bhaga- van] in the form that is according to one’s longing” (SB 11.3.48). 1 maha-purusam abhyarcen mürtyābhimatayatmanaḥ 291 III The Practice of Bhakti Furthermore, such hearing should be received from the mouth of a greatly realized devotee (mahanubhava) who shares the same internal devotional predilection (saväsana). सर्वस्य श्रीकृष्णनामादिश्रवणं तु परमभाग्यादेव सम्पद्यते तस्य पूर्णभगवत्त्वादिति । एवं कीर्तनादिष्वप्यनुसन्धेयम् । तत्र यत् स्वयं सम्प्रति कीर्त्यते तदपि श्रीशुकदेवादिमहत्की- र्तितचरत्वेनानुसन्धाय कीर्तनीयमिति । To hear specifically about the names, forms, qualities, and līlās of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, out of all the various manifestations of Bhagavan, occurs only by supreme fortune because He is Bhagavan in His most original complete essential being. The same conclusion applies in regard to other sadhanas of bhakti, such as singing and remembering. Among the narrations of Sri Krsna, whichever ones a practitioner personally sings at present should be sung as mahat devotees, such as Śrī Sukadeva, previously did, by adopting the manner and devotional mood established by them. तदेवं श्रवणं दर्शितम् । अस्य च कीर्तनादितः पूर्वत्वं तद् विना तत्तदज्ञानात् । विशेषतश्च यदि साक्षादेव महत्कृतस्य कीर्तनस्य श्रवणभाग्यं न सम्पद्यते तदैव स्वयं पृथक् कीर्त- नीयमिति तत्प्राधान्यात् । अत एवोक्तम् “तद्वाग्विसर्गा जनताघविप्लवः” (भा० १।५।११) इत्यादौ । We have thus explained the practice of hearing (śravanam). This precedes the practices of singing and remembering, because without first hearing, one cannot have knowledge of these other practices. In particular, if the fortune to hear directly the narrations sung by a mahat devotee has not yet presented itself, then only should one personally sing them on one’s own (prthak), because hearing [the names and so on of Śrī Kṛṣṇa] is the primary process. Consequently, the following statement and comment are relevant in this regard: [On the other hand,] that linguistic composition in which each verse, even though grammatically or poetically defective, con- tains the names that are imprinted with the glory of the lim- itless One [Bhagavan], destroys the sins of humanity, since 292 262 Hearing and Singing about Krsna Is Supreme these are the names that saintly devotees hear, recite, and sing. (SB 1.5.11)2 टीकाकृद्भिः – “यद् यानि नामानि वक्तरि सति शृण्वन्ति श्रोतरि सति गृणन्ति । अन्यदा तु स्वयमेव गायन्ति” इति । Śrīdhara Svāmi comments: “The pronoun yat, ‘which,’ means ‘which names’ (yani nāmāni). If a speaker is present, the sadhus will hear the names of Bhagavän uttered by him; if an audience is present, they will recite these names for the benefit of the lis- teners; and if neither speaker nor audience is present, they will sing by themselves.” Commentary HEARING BHAGAVATA PURANA from the mouth of a great devo- tee is supremely beneficial. This is confirmed by the Bhagavata- mahatmya from the Uttara-khanda of Padma Purana (chapters 193- 198). There, the story is told of a ghost who was released from his spectral body after hearing the Purana for seven days. At the end of the week’s recitation, Krsna appeared and carried the Purana’s reciter to His abode along with the entire audience. A materialis- tic individual is comparable to a person possessed by the ghost of material desires, kama. The verses of the Bhagavata Purāņa act like a magical incantation to exorcise this ghost and lead the person to the healthy life of prema. The names of Bhagavan are innumerable. The practitioner should regularly hear and sing the specific name of his or her own cherished form of Bhagavan (nijābhista). Of all the names of Bha- gavan, “Kṛṣṇa” is the most potent, because He is Bhagavan in His most original and complete form. Krsna Himself proclaims, “O Arjuna, of all My names, ‘Kṛṣṇa’ is preeminent” (Prabhasa Purana, cited in Kṛṣṇa Sandarbha 82)3 And as Krsna includes and contains 2 tad-vag-visargo janatagha-viplavo yasmin prati-slokam abaddhavaty api namany anantasya yaso’nkitani yat sṛnvanti gayanti grnanti sadhavaḥ 3 nämnaṁ mukhyatamam nama kṛṣṇakhyam me parantapa 293 III The Practice of Bhakti all other forms of Bhagavan within His essential being, so too does His name embody the power of all other names of Bhagavan. This is implied in the following statement from Brahmanda Purāna: The benefit awarded by thrice reciting the divine thousand names of Visnu is attained simply by uttering Krsna’s name just once. (Brahmanda Purana 236.19)* 4 sahasra-namnam punyanam trir avṛttyä tu yat phalam ekavrttya tu krsnasya namaikam tat prayacchati 294 2 Kirtanam Anucchedas 262.2-274 262.2 Kirtanam Is the Best Form of Atonement अथातः कीर्तनम् । तत्र पूर्ववन् नामादिक्रमो ज्ञेयः । नाम्म्रो यथा ( भा० ६ । २ । १० ) - We will now discuss the practice of kirtanam, or singing the glo- ries of Bhagavan. In this regard, the order in which the names, forms, and so on are to be sung is understood to be the same as previously delineated in the case of hearing. An example of singing the names of Bhagavan is found in this statement of the Vişņudūtas to the Yamadūtas: सर्वेषामप्यघवतामिदमेव सुनिष्कृतम् । नामव्याहरणं विष्णोर्यतस्तद्विषया मतिः ॥ ७८० ॥ For sinners of all types, uttering the name of Bhagavan Visņu is indeed the only perfect means of atonement, because Vişņu’s attention (mati) is thereby drawn toward the utterer. (SB 6.2.10)5 टीका च– “सुनिष्कृतं श्रेष्ठं प्रायश्चित्तमिदमेव । तत्र हेतुः । यतो नामव्याहरणात् तद्वि- षया नामोच्चारक पुरुषविषया मदीयोऽयं मया सर्वतो रक्षणीय इति विष्णोर्मतिर्भवति " इत्येषा । Śrīdhara Svāmi comments: “The words idam eva suniskṛtam mean ’this alone [i.e., the utterance of the name] is the best form of atonement’ (śreṣṭham prayaścittam). The reason for this is that when a person utters Visnu’s name, Visnu’s atten- tion (mati) is drawn toward him ( tad-visayā ), the utterer of the name (námoccāraka-purusa ), and Visnu thinks, ‘This person is My very own (madiya), and as such, he is to be protected by Me in every way.”” अतः स्वाभाविकतदीयावेशहेतुत्वेन तदीयस्वरूपभूतत्वात् परमभागवतानां तदेकदें- शश्रवणमपि प्रीतिकरम् । यथा पाद्मोत्तरखण्डे श्रीरामाष्टोत्तरशतनामस्तोत्रे श्रीशिववा- क्यम्- 5 sarveṣām apy aghavatam idam eva sunişkṛtam nama-vyaharanam visnor yatas tad-visaya matiḥ 297III The Practice of Bhakti Therefore, because Bhagavan’s name belongs to His constitu- tional nature (svarupa), it is naturally the cause of absorption in Him (tadiya-avesa). As such, hearing even a single part [or sylla- ble] of Bhagavan’s name induces love (priti) in the foremost devo- tees of Bhagavan (parama-bhāgavatas), as confirmed by Śrī Śiva in the Rāmāṣṭottara-sata-näma-stotra from the Uttara-khanda of Padma Purāṇa: रकारादीनि नामानि शृण्वतो देवि जायते । प्रीतिर्मे मनसो नित्यं रामनामविशङ्कया || ७८१ ॥ इति । O Goddess [Parvati], whenever I hear any name beginning with the letter R, love is ever awakened in my heart, because I sus- pect that it may be the name of Rama. (Padma Purāṇa, Uttara- khanda 254.21) तदेवं सति पापक्षयमात्रं लक्षणं कियत् ? इति भावः ॥ श्रीविष्णुदूता यमदूतान् ॥ Such being the case, to characterize the name merely as some- thing that destroys sins does not at all touch its true significance. Commentary As in the case of hearing (śravana), the sequence to be followed in the practice of kirtana is to first sing Bhagavan’s name, followed in order by His form, qualities, associates, and liläs. Furthermore, it is recommended that kirtana should be of those devotional songs or verses that were composed and sung by mahat devotees. At present, there are many devotional songs written by professional poets and singers. Listening to them or singing them is not recommended, because the sentiments they contain are tainted with the poet’s own subjective projections. Of all the names of Bhagavan, kirtana of Krsna’s name is sup- remely beneficial. And kirtana of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra is ⚫ rakaradini namani srnvato devi jayate pritir me manaso nityam rama-nama-visankaya 298 262 Hearing and Singing about Krsna Is Supreme most highly esteemed, because it was chanted by Sri Krsna Cai- tanya and His mahat devotees. If the opportunity to hear from a great devotee has not yet presented itself, one should perform kirtana on one’s own. In this case, the practice should be under- taken with the awareness that kirtana of these names was enacted in the past by great devotees. One should perform kirtana as a follower of one’s guru-parampara and not independently. If one is in love with a boy or girl and sees another person on the street who resembles them in gait, hairstyle, or other physical features, then at once, one becomes naturally absorbed in thoughts of the beloved. Accordingly, if one hears someone calling another person whose name begins with the same letters as one’s lover’s name, one would be reminded of her or him. Great devotees such as Šiva become absorbed in contemplation of Bhagavan even if they hear just the first syllable of His name. Indeed, Bhagavan’s atten- tion is also drawn to the utterer of His name, even if it is sounded incidentally. A notable example of the power of the name is found in the story of Draupadi from Mahabharata. When Duḥśāsana tried to strip her naked by pulling off her sari, she pleaded to Bhisma and other lead- ers of the Kauravas to put an end to this grave injustice. But nobody came to her rescue. Finally, in desperation, she called out the name of Kṛṣṇa, who immediately appeared there in the form of an inex- haustible garment to keep her covered and foil Duḥśāsana’s evil attempt. Later on, Krsna said: While I was far away in Dvaraka, Draupadi cried My name, “O Govinda.” I am thereby deeply indebted to her, who never strays from My heart. (Mahabharata)’ Such is the power of the name. If you come across a famous per- son but do not recognize him, you would not even take notice of him. But if someone tells you his name or who he is, you would immediately become attentive. This means that the name is more influential than the person himself. 7 govinda iti cukrosa kṛṣṇa mam duravasinam rnam etata pravṛddham me hrdayan napasarpati 299 300 III The Practice of Bhakti Because the name has such potency to draw the attention of great devotees and even of Bhagavan Himself, to describe the name merely as that which removes the sins of a chanter does not at all do justice to its glory. Removal of sins can be accomplished even by a mere semblance of the name, namabhasa, as is known from the story of Ajamila (SB 6.2.14, 18). In the next anuccheda, Śrī Jiva Gosvami describes the real benefit of chanting the name of Bhagavan. Anuccheda 263 The Primary Result of Nama-kirtanam २६३ | फलं त्विदमेव यदाह ( भा० ११।२१४०) - THE PRIMARY RESULT of chanting the names of Bhagavan is as expressed by sage Kavi to King Nimi: एवंव्रतः स्वप्रियनामकीर्त्या जातानुरागो द्रुतचित्त उच्चैः । हसत्यथो रोदिति रौति गायत्युन्मादवन् नृत्यति लोकबाह्यः ॥ ७८२ ॥ The devotee who is consummately resolved to such manner of devotional practice is endowed with love (anuraga) for Bhaga- vän by singing the names of his own cherished form of the Lord (sva-priya). With his heart thus melted, he loudly laughs, weeps, shouts, sings, and dances like a madman, in complete disregard of public opinion and social conventions. (SB 11.2.40)1 एवम् “शृण्वन् सुभद्राणि रथाङ्गपाणेः " ( भा० ११ १२ १३९) इत्याद्युक्तप्रकारं व्रतं वृत्तं यस्य तथाभूतोऽपि स्वप्रियाणि स्वाभीष्टानि यानि नामानि तेषां कीर्तनेन जातानुरागः । The word evam means “of the manner just described” (ukta- prakaram), and the word vrataḥ, lit., “a vow,” here means “a practice or mode of conduct” (vrttah). Together, evam-vrataḥ means “he whose vow or mode of practice is of the manner described in the previous verse”: 1 Hearing of the most auspicious births and divine acts of Bha- gavan Hari - the wielder of the disc - which are celebrated evam-vrataḥ sva-priya-nama-kirtya jatanurāgo druta-citta uccaih hasaty atho roditi rauti gayaty unmada-van nṛtyati loka-bahyaḥ 301 III The Practice of Bhakti in this world, and singing His names denoting His birth and divine acts, the devotee should roam about free from worldly attachment and inhibition. (SB 11.2.39)2 Yet, even for a devotee who is so resolved, love for Bhagavan (anuraga) comes into being by kirtana of the names of his own cherished form of Bhagavan (sva-priya, i.e., svābhiṣṭa). तत एव चित्तद्रवाद् द्रुतचित्तः । तत्रोचितभाववैचित्रीभिर्हसतीत्यादि । अत्र तृतीयाश्रुत्या नामकीर्तनस्यैव साधकतमत्वं लब्धम् । तदेवम् “एवंव्रतः” इत्यत्रापि शब्दोऽप्यध्याहृतः । Due to the appearance of anuraga, the heart is melted, by which it becomes fluid in nature (druta-cittaḥ), giving rise to a vari- ety of corresponding emotions. Under their influence, the devo- tee exhibits various outward symptoms, such as laughter, tears, and so on. In this statement, the word kirtyä, “by singing,” is in the instrumental case, which indicates that nama-kirtana is pre- eminent among all methods that engender divine love. The inde- clinable particle api (“even”) is to be adduced in connection with the words evam-vrataḥ, thus giving the sense, “Even for a devo- tee who is resolved to such manner of practice [anuraga is born by singing the names of his own cherished form of the Lord].” अत एव “भक्तिः परेशानुभवो विरक्तिः " ( भा० ११ १२ ।४२ ) इत्याद्युत्तरपद्ये टीकाचूर्णिका “नन्वियमारूढयोगिनामपि बहुजन्मभिर्दुर्लभा गतिः कथं नामकीर्तनमात्रेणैकस्मिन् जन्मनि भवेत् ? इत्याशङ्क्य सदृष्टान्तमाह भक्तिरिति” इत्येषा । Thus, in order to draw out the significance of the foregoing verse [SB 11.2.40], Śrīdhara Svāmī raises the following objection in the opening words of his commentary on the next verse but one (SB 11.2.42): “A doubt may be raised in this connection. The end state (gati) [of divine love (anuraga)] described two verses ear- lier is rarely attained after many births of practice even by those who have reached the completion stage of yoga, so how can it be attained in a single birth merely by singing the names of Bha- gavän? Anticipating such a question, the sage responds with an example in this verse (bhaktir iti).” 2 srnvan subhadrani rathānga-pāner janmani karmani ca yani loke gitani namani tad-arthakani gayan vilajjo vicared asargah 302 263 The Primary Result of Nama-kirtanam [The verse referred to in the above comment is cited here in full:] Just as with every morsel of food consumed, satisfaction, nour- ishment, and relief from hunger are experienced by a person engaged in eating, so too bhakti [i.e., prema] direct witness- ing of Bhagavan [the immediate self-disclosure of His form (bhagavad-rupa-sphurti)], and detachment from objects unre- lated to devotion - these three occur simultaneously [in the very moment in which bhajana is performed (eka-kalaḥ bhaja- naḥ sama-kāla eva syat)] to a person who has taken complete shelter of Bhagavan [the person engaged in Hari-bhajana]. (SB 11.2.42)* इत्थमुत्थापितं च श्रीभगवन्नामकौमुद्यां सहस्रनामभाष्ये च पुराणान्तरवचनम्- A similar statement from another Purāņa is cited in Bhagavan- nāma-kaumudi and in Sankara’s commentary on the Sahasra- nama: नक्तं दिवा च गतभीर्जितनिद्र एको निर्विण्ण ईक्षितपथो मितभुक् प्रशान्तः । यद्यच्युते भगवति स मनो न सज्जेन् नामानि तद्रतिकराणि पठेदलज्जः ।। ७८३ ।। इति । If a person who has overcome both daytime and nighttime fears, who has conquered sleep, who remains alone, who is disinter- ested in material life, whose vision is awakened to his own spiritual path, who eats frugally, and who is established in perfect mental tranquility, is unable to fix his mind on Bha- gavan Acyuta, then without inhibition, he should utter the names of Bhagavan, which engender divine love (rati) for Him. (Bhagavan-nama-kaumudi)5 अत्र गतभीरित्यादयो गुणा नामैकतत्परतासम्पादनार्थाः । न तु कीर्तनाङ्गभूताः । भक्ति- मात्रस्य निरपेक्षत्वं तस्य तु सुतरां तादृशत्वमिति । यथा विष्णुधर्मे सर्वपातका तिपातक- महापातककारिद्वितीयक्षत्रबन्धूपाख्याने- 3 4 This and the following bracketed inserts are Sridhara Svami’s comments. bhaktiḥ paresanubhavo viraktir anyatra caiṣa trika eka-kalah prapadyamanasya yathaśnataḥ syus tustih pustih ksud apayo’nughasam 5 naktam divă ca gatabhir jita-nidra eko nirvinna iksita-patho mita-bhuk prasantaḥ yady acyute bhagavati sa mano na sajjen nämäni tad-rati-karani pathed alajjah 303 III The Practice of Bhakti 6 The qualities mentioned in this verse, such as freedom from fear, are meant to assist the practitioner in developing single- minded absorption in the name - they are not, however, com- ponent parts (angas) of the practice of kirtana. Since bhakti in general is independent of any other requirement, the practice of kirtana is thereby certainly free of prerequisites. This is evident from a conversation in the Vişnu-dharmottara Purana between a brāhmaṇa and a fallen kṣatriya, who had committed the sins known as sarva-pataka, ati-pätaka, and mahā-pātaka: ब्राह्मण उवाच- यद्येतदखिलं कर्तुं न शक्नोषि ब्रवीमि ते । स्वल्पमन्यन् मयोक्तं भो करिष्यति भवान् यदि ॥ ७८४ ॥ क्षत्रबन्धुरुवाच- अशक्यमुक्तं भवता चञ्चलत्वाद्वि चेतसः । वाक्शरीरविनिष्पाद्यं यच्छक्यं तदुदीरयः ॥ ७८५ ॥ ब्राह्मण उवाच- उत्तिष्ठता प्रस्वपता प्रस्थितेन गमिष्यता । गोविन्देति सदा वाच्यं क्षुत्तृट्प्रस्खलितादिषु ॥ ७८६ ॥ इति ॥ श्रीकविर्विदेहम् ॥ The brahmana said: “If you are unable to carry out all that I have told you, I will give you something less demanding, if you think yourself able to follow it.” Ksatrabandhu said: “Because my mind is unstable, I am unable to follow your instructions. Please inform me if there is something else that I can do by means of speech or body.” The brahmana said: “While rising or falling asleep, departing one place or going to another, whether hungry, thirsty, or stumbling down, always utter the name of Govinda.” (Visnu- dharmottara Purana) brahmana uvaca- yady etad akhilam kartum na saknosi bravimi te svalpam anyan mayoktam bho karisyati bhavan yadi ksatra-bandhur uvaca- asakyam uktam bhavata cancalatvad dhi cetasah 304 Commentary 263 The Primary Result of Nama-kirtanam KṛṣṇA’S NAME is nondifferent from Him (abhinnatvan nama- naminoḥ, BRS 1.2.233). Therefore, it is as potent as Him and can bestow any benediction to the devotee. But the highest award it grants is love, prema, which is superior even to liberation. This will be further established in Priti Sandarbha. Concerning SB 11.2.40, Śrī Jīva Gosvami comments that in the compound sva-priya-nama-kirtyä, “by singing the names of one’s own cherished form of the Lord,” the instrumental case implies that kirtana of the names of one’s most beloved form of Bhagavan is the most efficacious means to attain love of Bhagavan. The third case is used for the instrument that is most effective in bringing about the result of an action, or that is the most immediate cause of the result (sadhakatamam karanam, PANINI 1.4.42). Śrī Jiva Gosvāmī writes that the indeclinable particle api, “even,” should be added to the words evam-vrataḥ to complete the sense of the statement. This signifies that even a devotee who is resolved to hear and sing the names of Bhagavan in a general way must sing the names of Bhagavan that nourish a specific devotional mood in order for love of that nature to manifest. The word evam, “of the manner just described,” refers to the various devotional practices mentioned in the previous verse (SB 11.2.39). The overall sense is that although a devotee may be resolved to these devo- tional practices (evam vratah api), it is only by uttering the name of his own cherished form of the Lord (sva-priya-nama-kirtya) that love (anuraga) is attained, which then melts the devotee’s heart (druta-cittaḥ). This understanding is supported by the state- ment from a Purāņa cited by Lakṣmidhara Pandita, the author of Bhagavan-nama-kaumudi. The name is not dependent on any other process. Even if one is unable to follow any other religious principle, the mere chanting vak-sarira-vinispadyam yac-chakyam tad-udirayaḥ brahmana uvāca - uttişṭhata prasvapata prasthitena gamiṣyata govindeti sada väcyam kṣut-tṛt-praskhalitadiṣu 305 III The Practice of Bhakti of the holy name will bring all perfection. This is the import of the verses cited from Vişnu-dharma Purana. To stress the importance of the name, Süta Gosvāmī refers to its power in the opening chapter of Bhagavata Purana (1.1.14) and concludes the recitation of the book with a glorification of the chanting of the name (SB 12.13.23). We cite these two verses here for reference: A person entangled in the terrifying state of cyclic existence, who, even out of a sense of sheer helplessness, utters the name of He whom Fear itself fears, is immediately delivered from that state of temporal being. (SB 1.1.14)” I bow down to Sri Hari, the Supreme Absolute, the kirtana of whose names destroys all sins and respectful obeisance unto whom brings an end to all misery. (SB 12.13.23)8 Śrī Caitanya Mahaprabhu specifically emphasized näma- sankirtana, declaring that it grants all perfection, param vijayate śrī kṛṣṇa-sankirtanam (Sikṣāṣṭakam 1). This fact was virtually unknown prior to His appearance. It is He who popularized năma- sankirtana and established it as the dharma for Kaliyuga. He also foretold that it would become popular in the future, a prediction that has come true. Sri Jiva Gosvami continues to explain the importance of nama-sankirtana, because at the time of writing this book, nama-kirtana was not a mainstream practice among Hindus. 7 8 apannaḥ samsṛtim ghoram yan-nama vivaso grnan tataḥ sadyo vimucyeta yad bibheti svayam bhayam nama-sankirtanam yasya sarva-papa-praṇāśanam praṇamo duhkha-samanas tam namami harim param 306 Anuccheda 264 The Importance of Nama-kirtanam २६४ | अन्यत्र च ( भा० ६ । २ । ११) - ELSEWHERE, the Viṣṇudutas instruct the Yamadūtas regarding the glories of nama-kirtanam: न निष्कृतैरुदितैर्ब्रह्मवादिभिस्तथा विशुद्धयत्यघवान् व्रतादिभिः । यथा हरेर्नामपदैरुदाहृतैस्तदुत्तमश्लोकगुणोपलम्भकम् ॥ ७८७ ॥ A sinner is not purified in the same manner, or to the same degree, by undergoing atonements or by observing the vows prescribed by the exponents of the Vedas [such as Manu]’ as he is by uttering the names of Bhagavan Hari, because these names disclose the qualities of Uttama-sloka, of infinite glory. (SB 6.2.11)2 न च पापविशोधनमात्रेणापक्षीयते तन्नामपदोदाहरणं किन्तु गुणानामप्युपलम्भकमनुभ- वहेतुर्भवति || श्रीविष्णुदूता यमदूतान् ॥ The effect of uttering the names of Bhagavan is not limited merely to absolution of sins but also grants direct experience of Bhagavan’s qualities. 1 Sridhara Svāmi 2 na nişkrtair uditair brahma-vadibhis tatha visuddhyaty aghavan vratadibhiḥ yatha harer nama-padair udahrtais tad-uttama-sloka-gunopalambhakam 307III The Practice of Bhakti Commentary THE FIRST THREE chapters of the Sixth Canto are specifically devoted to the importance and principles of chanting the holy name. This is one of the central themes of Bhagavata Purana, as indicated by placing the story of Ajamila - which elucidates the glories of the name - in the very center of the book. The present verse is taken from that story. The Visnudutas are servants of Bha- gavan Visnu, while the Yamadutas are servants of Yama, the deva in charge of meting out the results of karma after death. The Visnudu- tas are representatives of the path of bhakti, and the Yamadūtas, that of karma. 308 Anuccheda 265 The Ten Offenses against the Name of Bhagavān 265.1 Nama-kirtanam Is the Ultimate Good for Sadhakas and Siddhas २६५ । अत एव प्रथमस्कन्धान्तस्थितानां राज्ञः श्रेयोविविदिषावाक्यानामनन्तरं द्वितीय- स्कन्धारम्भे सर्वोत्तममुत्तरं वक्तुम् (भा० २।१।८-१०) - AT THE END of the First Canto of Srimad Bhagavata, King Parikşit expressed his desire to know what is the ultimate good (sreya) for human beings. After this, the Second Canto begins, and in order to give the most complete reply to the king’s question, sage Šuka first describes the supreme glory of the Bhagavata Purana in these words: 1 इदं भागवतं नाम पुराणं ब्रह्मसम्मितम् । अधीतवान् द्वापरादौ पितुर्द्वैपायनादहम् || ७८८ ॥ परिनिष्ठितोऽपि नैर्गुण्य उत्तमश्लोकलीलया । गृहीतचेता राजर्षे आख्यानं यदधीतवान् ॥ ७८९ ॥ तदहं तेऽभिधास्यामि महापौरुषिको भवान् । यस्य श्रद्दधतामाशु स्यान् मुकुन्दे मतिः सती ॥ ७९० ॥ At the end of Dvaparayuga,’ I studied the Purana known as Srimad Bhāgavata, which is equal to the Vedas, from my father, The compound dvaparadau would normally be understood as “at the beginning of Dvaparayuga.” In this case, however, it is well known that Sri Suka appeared at the end of Dvaparayuga. Sridhara Svami thus comments as follows: “The compound dvaparadau means ‘at that period of time (kalasya) the beginning → 309 III The Practice of Bhakti Krsna Dvaipayana Vyasa. O sage among kings, although I was firmly situated in Brahman, which is beyond the three gunas of primordial nature, my consciousness became captivated by the enchanting liläs of the most glorious Bhagavan, and there- fore I studied this narration. Because you are a great devotee of Bhagavan, I will disclose it to you. Those who have faith in it quickly develop unconditional devotional regard (sati matiḥ)2 for Bhagavan Mukunda. (SB 2.1.8-10)3 इति श्रीभागवतस्य परममहिमानमुक्त्वा तदनन्तरं श्रीभागवतमुपक्रममाण एव तस्य नानाङ्गवतः श्रीमन्मुख्यतया तन्नामकीर्तनमेवोपदिशति । तत्रापि सर्वेषामेव परमसाध्य- त्वेन चोपदिशति (भा० २।१।११) -

Having first pointed out [in the above group of verses, SB 2.1.8- 10] the supreme glory of Srimad Bhagavata, Śrī Suka begins his narration. Although the Bhagavata as a whole sets forth many limbs (angas) [of spiritual practice], Suka, in his very first words [of the next verse, SB 2.1.11], singles out nama-kirtana of Bhagavan in particular as being foremost among them (śriman- mukhyataya). Moreover, he further instructs the king [in the same verse] that näma-kirtana is both the supreme means of of which (adir yasya) was Dvapara,’ meaning at the end of Dvapara’ (dvaparante).” This is a poetic way of saying that Suka studied the Bhagavata in the period of time that began with the end of Dvapara. 2 Sri Giridhara glosses the words sati matih as “causeless (ahaituki), unflinching (niscală) devotional regard (mati), or in others words bhakti, which dispels the misery of worldly existence (samsara-duḥkha-nivartika).” 3 4 idam bhagavatam nama puranam brahma-sammitam adhitavan dvaparadau pitur dvaipayanad aham parinişthito’pi nairgunya uttama-sloka-lilaya grhita-cetä rajarse akhyanam yad adhitavan tad aham te’bhidhasyami maha-paurusiko bhavan yasya sraddadhatam äsu syan mukunde matih sati There is an alternate reading here with the words sri bhagavad-unmukhatayā in place of sriman-mukhyataya. The alternate reading would mean that nama-kirtana in particular is recommended as the means to effect the turning of regard (unmukhata) toward Bhagavan. This makes sense if SB 2.1.11 is connected back to what is said in SB 2.1.10 - that what is disclosed in the Bhagavata is the cause of developing unconditional devotional regard (sati matih) for Bhagavan. Earlier in Anuccheda 179, Śrī Jiva equated the dawning of mati with sammukhyata or unmukhata, “the turning of regard toward Bhagavan.” From this perspective, the alternate reading is certainly justified. If, however, SB 2.1.11 is considered on 310 265 The Ten Offenses against the Name of Bhagavan attainment (parama-sadhana) as well as the supreme goal to be attained (parama-sadhya) for all categories of human beings: एतन् निर्विद्यमानानामिच्छतामकुतोभयम् । योगिनां नृप निर्णीतं हरेर्नामानुकीर्तनम् ॥ ७९१ ॥ O King, for those seeking fulfillment of material desires [iccha- tām, i.e., kaminam], for those who are indifferent to worldly existence [nirvidyamānānām, i.e., mumukṣūņām] and seeking the state of utter fearlessness [akuto-bhayam, i.e., mokşam iccha- tam], and for those already established in immediate realiza- tion of the Truth [yoginam, i.e., jñāninam], this constant chant- ing of the holy name of Bhagavan Hari has been ascertained [both as the means of attainment (sadhana), in the case of the first two, and as the end to be attained (sadhya), in the case of the last]. (SB 2.1.11) टीका च – “साधकानां सिद्धानां च नातः परमन्यच्छ्रेयोऽस्तीत्याह ‘एतत्’ इति । इच्छतां कामिनां तत्तत्फलसाधनमेतदेव । निर्विद्यमानानां मुमुक्षूणां मोक्षसाधनमेतदेव । योगिनां ज्ञानिनां फलं चैतदेव निर्णीतम् । नात्र प्रमाणं वक्तव्यमित्यर्थः” इत्येषा । Śrīdhara Svāmi comments: “Śrī Śuka speaks this verse to make evident that there is no other ultimate good (śreya) superior to näma-kirtana, both for practitioners aspiring to some particu- lar goal (sādhakas) and for those who have already attained per- fection (siddhas). The word icchatam means ‘for those seeking fulfillment of material desires’ (käminäm). For them, ’this alone’ (etad eva) [i.e., nama-kirtana] has been ascertained (nirņitam) as the means (sadhana) of obtaining their various aspired for fruits (phala). The word nirvidyamānānām, ‘for those who are indiffer- ent to worldly existence,’ means ‘for those who seek liberation’ 5 its own merit, then the reading with śriman-mukhyataya is preferred, giving the sense that nama-kirtana is singled out as foremost among all limbs of bhakti. Śrī Viraraghava 6 etan nirvidyamānānām icchatām akuto-bhayam yoginam nṛpa nirņitam harer namanukirtanam Unless otherwise indicated, all bracketed inserts in this verse are according to the commentary of Sridhara Svami, as seen in the citation of his commentary that follows. 311 III The Practice of Bhakti (mumukşüṇām). For them, this alone (etad eva) has been ascer- tained (nirnītam) as the means (sadhana) to liberation (mokşa). The word yoginam means ‘for those already established in imme- diate realization of the Truth’ (jñāninām). For them, this alone (etad eva) has been ascertained (nirnītam) as the fruit or the com- pletion state (phalam). By saying that this has already been ‘con- clusively determined’ (nirņitam), it indicates that there is no need for further evidence in this regard.” नामकीर्तनं चेदमुच्चैरव प्रशस्तम् “नामान्यनन्तस्य हतत्रपः पठन् " ( भा० ११६ ।२७) इत्यादौ । The singing of Bhagavan’s names is more effective when per- formed loudly, as indicated in this statement of Śrī Narada: “Abandoning all inhibition, I began to sing the names of the Unlimited One [Bhagavan]” (SB 1.6.27)? Commentary SRI ŠUKADEVA, the first speaker of Bhagavata Purana, begins his speech in the first chapter of the Second Canto. In the final chap- ter of the previous Canto, King Parikşit had asked him about the essential duty for human beings in general, and specifically for one who is about to die (SB 1.19.37). Śrī Jīva notes that this is an inquiry as to the ultimate good (śreya) for human beings. The verses cited at the beginning of this anuccheda are part of Sukadeva’s response. To provide a context for his reply, he first speaks about the great- ness of Bhagavata Purana based on his own experience. He also tells Parikşit that he will disclose this Purana to him because he is a great devotee. Thus, the opening group of verses (SB 2.1.8-10) are spoken just to ensure that the king would hear Suka with rapt attention and reverence. Sukadeva’s reply as to what constitutes the ultimate good (śreya) is given in earnest in SB 2.1.11. Among all the various practices set forth in Bhagavata Purana, he singles out nama-kirtana as being the 7 namany anantasya hata-trapah pathan 312 265 The Ten Offenses against the Name of Bhagavan supreme form of sadhana as well as the supreme sadhya. This is due to the fact that it is the most effective means of turning one’s aware- ness toward Bhagavān (sammukhyata or unmukhata). This theme is dealt with repeatedly throughout Bhāgavata Purana and here in Bhakti Sandarbha as well. Although nama-kirtana is a universal practice that is applica- ble at all times and for each age, it is specifically recommended for Kaliyuga. In this regard, Śrī Sukadeva informed King Parīkṣit: O King, Kaliyuga is indeed a storehouse of all vice, yet it has one great virtue. Merely by singing the names of Bhagavan Krsna, one is freed from all bondage and attains the supreme destination. (SB 12.3.51)8 In Narada Purana, sage Sanaka, while foreseeing the conduct of people in Kali, tells Narada (Purva-khanda 41.15): “Only the name of Hari, the name of Hari, the name of Hari is my very life. In Kali- yuga, there is no other means, there is no other means, there is no other means.” Sanaka repeats his words three times for emphasis. He first makes a positive affirmation about the name and then rec- ommends it by denying any other process. Accordingly, in Padma Purāņa, Parvati asks Śrī Śiva about the remedy for the vices of Kaliyuga. In reply, Siva gives the following recommendation: The only remedy is the name of Hari, the name of Hari, the name of Hari alone. Chanting the names “Hare Rama, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa” is itself all-auspicious. (Padma Purana, Patala-khanda 80.2b-3a)10 8 9 10 kaler dosa-nidhe rajann asti hy eko mahan gunah kirtanad eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-bandhah param vrajet harer namaiva namaiva nämaiva mama jīvanam kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam hare rama hare krsna krsna krsneti mangalam 313 III The Practice of Bhakti 265.2 The Ten Aparadhas to the Name अथ पाद्मोक्ता दशापराधाः परित्याज्याः । यथा सनत्कुमारवाक्यम् - In regard to the practice of singing Bhagavan’s names, one should avoid the ten offenses described in Padma Purana, as in the words of Sanat Kumāra: सर्वापराधकृदपि मुच्यते हरिसंश्रयात् । हरेरप्यपराधान् यः कुर्याद् द्विपदपांसवः || ७९२ ॥ नामाश्रयः कदाचित् स्यात् तरत्येव स नामतः । नाम्नोऽपि सर्वसुहृदो ह्यपराधात् पतत्यधः ॥ ७९३ ॥ इति । Even a person who has committed all kinds of offenses is redeemed by taking shelter of Bhagavan Hari. Thus, if a human being commits offenses even to Bhagavan Hari, he is no more than a two-legged animal. If ever such a person takes shelter of the holy name of Sri Hari, he is certainly delivered from all offenses by the name. Therefore, the holy name is the best friend of all. But if one offends the name, his fall-down is inevitable. (Padma Purāna, Brahma-khanda 25.12-13 ) 1 अपराधाश्चैते- The offenses against the name are as follows: 11 सतां निन्दा नाम्नः परममपराधं वितनुते यतः ख्यातिं यातं कथमु सहते तद्विगर्हाम् । शिवस्य श्रीविष्णोर्य इह गुणनामादिसकलं धिया भिन्नं पश्येत् स खलु हरिनामाहितकरः ।। ७९४ ।। गुरोरवज्ञा श्रुतिशास्त्रनिन्दनं तथार्थवादो हरिनाम्नि कल्पनम् । नाम्रो बलाद् यस्य हि पापबुद्धिर्न विद्यते तस्य यमैर्हि शुद्धिः ॥ ७९५ ॥ धर्मव्रतत्यागहुतादि सर्वशुभक्रियासाम्यमपि प्रमादः । अश्रद्दधाने विमुखेऽप्यशृण्वति यश्चोपदेशः शिवनामापराधः ॥ ७९६ ॥ sarvāparādha-krd api mucyate hari-samsrayat harer apy aparadhan yaḥ kuryad dvi-pada-pāmsavaḥ namasrayah kadacit syat taraty eva sa namataḥ namno’pi sarva-suhrdo hy aparadhat pataty adhaḥ 314 12 13 14 15 265 The Ten Offenses against the Name of Bhagavan श्रुत्वापि नाममाहात्म्यं यः प्रीतिरहितोऽधमः । अहम्ममादिपरमो नाम्नि सोऽप्यपराधकृत् ॥ ७९७ ॥ इति । (1) To criticize genuine devotees of Bhagavan (the sat) is a grievous offense against the name (satām ninda). How can the name tolerate criticism of those who spread its glories?12 (2) One who considers the name, qualities, and other attributes of Siva as independent (bhinnam) of the name, qualities, and other attributes of Bhagavan Visņu, displeases the name (sivasya śrī vişnoh…).13 (3) To disrespect one’s spiritual teacher (guror avajna); (4) To criticize the Vedic scriptures (sruti-sastra-nindanam); (5) To consider the scriptural praises of the name as mere commendations (artha-vada); (6) And to ascribe one’s own imaginary meaning to the name (hari-namni kalpanam) are all offenses.14 (7) For one who intentionally commits sins on the strength of the name (nāmno balat…), the means of purification through rules simply does not exist.15 (8) It is an offense to equate the name with all the other pious works (subha-kriya) recommended in scripture, such as pre- scribed duties, vows, renunciation, and sacrifices (dharma- vrata-tyāgaḥ…).16 satam ninda namnaḥ paramam aparādham vitanute yataḥ khyatim yatam katham u sahate tad-vigarham sivasya śrī vişnor ya iha guna-nāmādi-sakalam dhiya bhinnam pasyet sa khalu harināmāhitakarah guror avajna śruti-sastra-nindanam tatharthavado hari-namni kalpanam namno balad yasya hi papa-buddhir na vidyate tasya yamair hi suddhih 16 dharma-vrata-tyaga-hutadi sarva-subha-kriya-samyam api pramadaḥ 315 III The Practice of Bhakti (9) It is an offense to the auspicious (siva)” name to instruct a person who is devoid of faith, oblivious to Bhagavan, and disinterested in hearing (asraddadhane …).18 (10) A person of low character who, in spite of hearing the glo- ries of the name, remains devoid of affection for the name, being immersed instead in the conceptions of “I” and “my” in regard to the body (śrutväpi nama-māhātmyam …), is also an offender against the name. (Padma Purana, Brahma-khanda 25.15-18)19 अत्र सर्वापराधकृदपि इत्यादौ श्रीविष्णुयामलवाक्यमप्यनुसन्धेयम्- Regarding the statement, “Even a person who has committed all kinds of offenses is redeemed by taking shelter of Bhagavan Hari,” which precedes the list of the ten offenses, one should also consider the following from the Viṣṇu-yamala: मम नामानि लोकेऽस्मिन् श्रद्धया यस्तु कीर्तयेत् । तस्यापराधकोटी स्तु क्षमाम्येव न संशयः ॥ ७९८ ।। I forgive even millions of offenses of a person in this world who chants My names with faith. There is no doubt about this. (Vişņu-yamala)20 Commentary After explaining the importance of nama-kirtana, Śrī Jiva Gosvāmī underlines that chanting should be performed without commit- ting the ten offenses stated in Padma Purana. For a serious practi- tioner, it is critically important to carefully understand and avoid 17 As an adjective, the word siva means “auspicious,” which is how we have rendered it here. Later in this anuccheda, however, [in Anuccheda 265.4] Sri Jiva takes it as a name of Visnu Himself, since all names in their primary sense are shown to belong to Visnu alone. 18 asraddadhane vimukhe’py asrnvati yas copadesah siva-namaparadhah 19 20 srutvapi nama-mahatmyam yah priti-rahito’dhamah aham-mamadi paramo namni so’py aparadha-krt mama namani loke’smin sraddhaya yas tu kirtayet tasyāparādha-kotis tu kṣamamy eva na samsayaḥ 316 265 The Ten Offenses against the Name of Bhagavan the offenses, because they impede the power of the name, just as a cloud can obstruct the vision of the sun. It was said in SB 6.2.10 (Anuccheda 262) that uttering the name attracts Bhagavan’s attention toward the utterer. Sridhara Svāmī comments in this regard: “The words idam eva sunişkṛtam mean ’this alone [i.e., the utterance of the name] is the best form of atone- ment’ (śrestham prayascittam). The reason for this is that when a person utters Visņu’s name, Visņu’s attention (mati) is drawn toward him (tad-vişaya), the utterer of the name (namoccaraka- purusa), and Visnu thinks, “This person is My very own (madiya), and as such, he is to be protected by Me in every way.”” If, however, one commits an offense to the name, it is partic- ularly displeasing to Bhagavan. If Bhagavan Himself is the object of an offense, He at once forgives the offender if the latter chants His name, but if the offense is to the name, there is no remedy or atonement for such a transgression. A powerful medicine can offer tremendous relief from a patient’s ailment if consumed as pre- scribed. The same medicine, however, can prove to be extremely perilous if taken in an unprescribed manner. Instead of alleviating the disease, it could even kill the patient. Similarly, the name can award the highest benefit of prema to the chanter, but if offended, it can also intensify the person’s objectionable attitude. Therefore, just as it is important to understand the greatness of the name, it is even more important to understand the offenses to be avoided. In Ayurveda, for a medicine to be effective, the patient has to follow the prescription and also avoid forbidden food. Simi- larly, for the holy name to be effective, the practitioner has to chant it in the prescribed manner and also avoid the offenses mentioned in this anuccheda. 317III The Practice of Bhakti 265.3 Offenses to the Devotee (क) “सतां निन्दा ” इत्यनेन हिंसादीनां वचनागोचरत्वं दर्शितम् । निन्दादयस्तु यथा स्कान्दे श्रीमार्कण्डेयभगीरथसंवादे- ( 1 ) From the first offense, satam ninda, “To criticize genuine devotees of Bhagavan (the sat) is a grievous offense against the name”, it is evident that to commit physical violence to a devotee is so offensive that it defies verbal description. Blas- phemy of devotees and other related offenses are as described in a dialogue between Sri Markandeya and Bhagiratha in Skanda Purāna: निन्दां कुर्वन्ति ये मूढा वैष्णवानां महात्मनाम् । पतन्ति पितृभिः सार्धं महारौरवसञ्ज्ञिते ।। ७९९ ।। हन्ति निन्दन्ति वै द्वेष्टि वैष्णवान् नाभिनन्दति । क्रुध्यते याति नो हर्षं दर्शने पतनानि षट् ॥ ८०० ॥ इति । Those fools who blaspheme the Vaisnava saints fall into the hell called Mahāraurava along with their forefathers. There are six transgressions that lead to such fall-down: to kill Vaisnavas, to criticize them, to bear malice toward them, to fail to greet them, to become angry at them, and to not feel happiness upon seeing them. (Skanda Purana) 2 तन्निन्दाश्रवणेऽपि दोष उक्तः (भा० १० १७४ । ४० ) - Even just to hear criticism of a Vaisnava is an offense, as said: निन्दां भगवतः शृण्वन् तत्परस्य जनस्य वा । ततो नापैति यः सोऽपि यात्यधः सुकृताच् च्युतः ॥ ८०१ ॥ इति । 21 nindam kurvanti ye mudha vaisnavanam mahātmanām patanti pitrbhiḥ särdham mahāraurava-sanjnite hanti nindati vai dvesti vaisnavan nabhinandati krudhyate yati no harsam darsane patanani sat Śuka 318 265 The Ten Offenses against the Name of Bhagavan One who hears criticism of Bhagavan or His devotees and does not leave the area loses all his piety and descends to hell. (SB 10.74.40)22 I ततोऽपगमश्चासमर्थस्यैव । समर्थेन तु निन्दकजिह्वा छेत्तव्या । तत्राप्यसमर्थेन स्वप्राणप- रित्यागोऽपि कर्तव्यः । यथोक्तं देव्या ( भा० ४।४।१७) -

When it is said that a person should leave the place where crit- icism of Bhagavan or His devotees is perpetrated, this applies specifically to one who is incapable of retaliation. If one is able, he should cut out the tongue of the critic, and if unable to do even this, he should give up his life, as the goddess Sati spoke: कर्णौ पिधाय निरियाद् यदकल्प ईशे धर्मावितर्यशृणिभिर्नृभिरस्यमाने । जिह्वाम् प्रसह्य रुषतीमसतां प्रभुश्चेच्छिन्द्यादसूनपि ततो विसृजेत् स धर्मः ॥ ८०२ ॥ इति । If a criticism is made of one’s worshipful Lord (Isa), the protec- tor of dharma, by human beings of frivolous nature, and one is incapable of retaliation, she should cover her ears and leave that place. If, however, she has the ability, she should forcibly cut out the foul tongue of the blasphemer, or even give up her own life. This is the way of virtue (dharma). (SB 4.4.17)23 Commentary The name is not a material sound but a conscious and blissful entity (caitanya-rasa-vigrahah), nondifferent from Krsna Himself (abhi- nnatvān nama-nāminoḥ, BRS 1.2.233). Just as chanting is pleasing to the name, so too offenses displease the name. If examined carefully, 22 nindām bhagavataḥ sṛnvan tat-parasya janasya vā tato napaiti yaḥ so’pi yaty adhah sukṛtāc cyutah 23 karnau pidhaya niriyad yad akalpa ise dharmavitary asrnibhir nrbhir asyamāne jihvām prasahya ruşatim asatām prabhus cec chindyad asun api tato visrjet sa dharmah 319 III The Practice of Bhakti offenses are understood to be those actions that contravene the sen- timent of love. For example, the first offense is to criticize the devo- tees of Bhagavan. It is common knowledge that if you love some- one, you should not criticize those who are dear to your beloved. Bhagavan or His name loves His devotees. If someone criticizes the devotees, the name will not be pleased with that person. If such is the case even with criticism, then it goes without saying that harming a devotee in any way is an exceedingly grave offense and immensely displeasing to Bhagavan. This is under- stood from the story of King Ambarīṣa and sage Durvasa, described in chapters four and five of the Ninth Canto. Many stories in Bhagavata Purana, such as those of King Citraketu, Vṛtrasura, King Indradyumna, Ajamila, and Dakşa, are described to explain the intricacies of offenses to the name. In fact, the whole of the Bhaga- vata can be seen as an attempt to educate spiritual aspirants about the offenses to the holy name, the importance of chanting the name, and pure devotion to Krsna. This is so because in Kaliyuga, chant- ing of the name is the prescribed yuga-dharma (SB 11.5.31-32), and Bhagavata Purana was manifested specifically to provide vision for the people of Kali, who are blinded by ignorance (SB 1.3.44). Just as it is an offense to criticize a devotee, so too it is an offense to hear criticism without raising an objection. For this reason, Sati recommends three possible retaliatory courses of action. The first is to cut out the critic’s tongue. If one is unable to do so, she should give up her own life. If this too is not possible, then she should immediately cover her ears and leave the area. Out of these three, the first two recommendations are not to be taken literally, at least not in the context of the modern moral view. Rather, they are meant to impress upon us the severity even just of hearing crit- icism of Vaisnavas and the need for appropriate action. Conse- quently, one should either try to verbally refute the critic or leave the place. But one should not remain neutral and should certainly not relish the criticism or support it. When Draupadi was being insulted in the assembly of the Kau- ravas, great personalities like Bhisma did not object to it. Thus, all those people who did not raise an objection or leave the assembly 320 265 The Ten Offenses against the Name of Bhagavan became implicated in the offense. Similarly, when Daksa criticized Śiva for not honoring him, those who supported Daksa were sub- jected to the consequences of the offense. Among them, those such as Bhaga and Puşă received special punishment. Bhaga lost his eyes and Püsǎ his teeth. In this context, it is noteworthy that when King Parikṣit went on his world conquest and saw a bull being beaten by Kali person- ified in the guise of a barbarian (mleccha), he understood that the bull was not ordinary but some divine being in the form of a bull. When he asked the bull about its plight, it did not blame Kali. It replied that there are many conflicting opinions among theorists as to the cause of a living being’s suffering - such as the self, provi- dence, karma, and acquired nature - and it was thus unable to pin- point the cause of its own plight. Hearing this strikingly objective reply, King Parikşit made a telling statement that instructs us in the matter of the non-assignment of blame upon others. He spoke the following words: O You who have realized the essence of dharma (dharma-jna)! What you speak is perfectly in line with dharma [for in spite of knowing your assailant, you do not identify him and speak as though undecided about the matter]. Thus, you are dharma per- sonified in the guise of a bull. [And what is the fault in identifying an offender? The dharma-sastras say] that the outcome that an offender must reap is also obtained by his accuser. (SB 1.17.22)24 In the same vein, Krsna advised Uddhava to neither praise nor condemn the nature and actions of others (SB 11.28.1-2). 24 dharmam bravişi dharma-jna dharmo’si vrsa-rupa-dhrk yad-adharma-kṛtah sthanam sucakasyapi tad-bhavet The bracketed inserts are Sridhara Svami’s comments. 321 III The Practice of Bhakti 265.4 To Regard the Names and Qualities of Siva As Independent of Visņu (ख) “शिवस्य श्री विष्णोः” इत्यत्रैवमनुसन्धेयम् । श्रूयते ऽपि (गीता १० १४१ ) - ( 2 ) [ In connection with the second offense, sivasya śrī visnoh…, ] the following conclusion is also heard: यद् यद् विभूतिमत् सत्त्वं श्रीमदूर्जितमेव वा । तत् तदेवावगच्छ त्वं मम तेजोऽंशसम्भवम् ॥ ८०३ ॥ इति । Whatsoever in existence is glorious, opulent, or powerful, know that indeed to be manifested from but a portion of My splendor. (GĪTĀ 10.41)25 “ब्रह्मा भवोऽहमपि यस्य कलाः कलायाः " ( भा० १० । ६८ । ३७ ) इति । As Śrī Balarama said: “Brahma, Śiva, and even I Myself are but portions of His [Krsna’s ] portions” (SB 10.68.37 ) 2 26 “यत्पादनिःसृतसरित्प्रवरोदकेन तीर्थेन मूर्द्धयधिकृतेन शिवः शिवोऽभूत् ” ( भा० ३।२८।२२) इति । Bhagavan Kapila also said: “Siva became siva, or ‘auspicious, ’ by accepting upon his head the sacred water of the Ganga, which is the best of rivers, because it issued forth from the water that washed the feet of Bhagavan” (SB 3.28.22) 27 भा० २।६।३२- And as Brahmä said: 25 सृजामि तन्नियुक्तोऽहं हरो हरति तद्वशः । विश्वं पुरुषरूपेण परिपाति त्रिशक्तिधृक् ॥ ८०४ ॥ yad yad vibhutimat sattvam śrīmad urjitam eva va tat tad evavagaccha tvam mama tejo’msa sambhavam 26 brahma bhavo’ham api yasya kalaḥ kalāyāḥ 27 yat-pada-niḥsṛta-sarit-pravarodakena tirthena murddhny adhikrtena sivaḥ sivo’bhut 322 265 The Ten Offenses against the Name of Bhagavan I evolve the universe as appointed by Him, and Siva dissolves it under His supervision, while He Himself [ Bhagavan Hari ], endowed with the three potencies, preserves it in His form as the Puruşa. (SB 2.6.32) 28 तथा माध्वभाष्यदर्शितानि वचनानि । यथा ब्रह्माण्डे- Similarly, we find these statements from the Brahmanda Purana, cited in Madhva’s commentary on Vedanta-sutra (1.3.3): 28 रुजं द्रावयते यस्माद् रुद्रस्तस्माज् जनार्दनः । ईशनादेव चेशानी महादेवो महत्त्वतः ॥ ८०५ || पिबन्ति ये नरा नाकं मुक्ताः संसारसागरात् । तदाधारो यतो विष्णुः पिनाकीति ततः स्मृतः ॥ ८०६ ॥ शिवः सुखात्मकत्वेन सर्वसंरोधनाद्धरः । कृत्त्यात्मकमिमं देहं यतो वस्ते प्रवर्तयन् ॥ ८०७ ॥ कृत्तिवासास्ततो देवो विरिञ्चिश्च विरेचनात् । बृंहणाद् ब्रह्मनामासौ ऐश्वर्यादिन्द्र उच्यते ॥ ८०८ ॥ एवं नानाविधैः शब्दैरेक एव त्रिविक्रमः । वेदेषु च पुराणेषु गीयते पुरुषोत्तमः ॥ ८०९ ॥ इति । Bhagavan Janardana is called Rudra, because He dispels the disease of material existence (rujam), Iśana, because He rules over all (isana), and Mahadeva (the Great God), because of His supreme glory (mahattva ). Bhagavan Visnu is called Pinakī, because He is the support of those who drink (pibanti) the bliss of the transcendental abode (nāka), having become liberated from the ocean of material existence. He is called Śiva (benev- olent), because He is the very embodiment of beatitude (sukhā- tmakatva), and Hara (the destroyer), because He is the annihi- lator of all. He is called Krttivasa (He who is adorned with a garment of skin), because as the Immanent Self, He dwells in and impels the body, which is covered with skin (krtti). Visņu Deva is called Viriñci, because He sets loose the creative energy (recana) in a most unique manner (vi-, i.e., viseṣa-prakāra). He is designated as Brahman (the infinitely expansive), because He is the source of all expansion (brmhana), and as Indra (the lord srjami tan niyukto ham haro harati tad-vasaḥ visvam purusa rupena paripati tri-sakti-dhrk 323 III The Practice of Bhakti of heaven), because of His supreme majesty (aiśvarya). In this manner, only one Supreme Being (Purusottama), who performs extraordinary deeds, is glorified in the Vedas and the Puranas by many different names. (Brahmaṇḍa Purana)29 वामने- And in Vamana Purana: न तु नारायणादीनां नाम्नामन्यत्र संशयः । अन्यनाम्नां गतिर्विष्णुरेक एव प्रकीर्तितः ॥ ८१० ॥ इति । There is no doubt that Nārāyaṇa and other names are used for others as well, yet Bhagavan Visņu alone is proclaimed as the one and only refuge of all other names. (Vamana Purana)30 स्कान्दे- And in Skanda Purana: ऋते नारायणादीनि नामानि पुरुषोत्तमः । अदादन्यत्र भगवान् राजेवर्ते स्वकं पुरम् ॥ ८११ ॥ इति । With the exception of the names that are unique to Him, such as Nārāyaṇa, Bhagavan Purusottama bestowed other names upon the devas, just as a king invests his ministers with administra- tive authority over his entire kingdom, excluding his private quarters. (Skanda Purāṇa)31 29 rujam dravayate yasmad rudras tasmaj janardanaḥ isanad eva cesano mahadevo mahattvatah 30 31 pibanti ye narā nākam muktaḥ samsara-sagarat tad-adhāro yato visnuh pinakiti tataḥ smrtaḥ sivah sukhātmakatvena sarva-samrodhanad-dharah kṛttyatmakam imam deham yato vaste pravartayan kṛttivāsās tato devo virincis ca virecanat bymhanad brahma-namasau aisvaryad indra ucyate evam nānāvidhaiḥ sabdair eka eva trivikramah vedeșu ca purăneșu giyate purusottamaḥ na tu nārāyaṇādinām namnam anyatra samsayah anya-namnam gatir visnur eka eva prakirtitaḥ rte nārāyanadini namāni purusottamaḥ adad anyatra bhagavan räjevarte svakaṁ puram 324 ब्राह्मे- 265 The Ten Offenses against the Name of Bhagavan And in Brahma Purāṇa: चतुर्मुखः शतानन्दो ब्रह्मणः पद्मभूरिति । उग्रो भस्मधरो नग्नः कपालीति शिवस्य च । विशेषनामानि ददौ स्वकीयान्यपि केशवः ॥ ८१२ ॥ इति । Bhagavan Kesava awarded even some of His own particular names to others. To Brahma He gave the names Caturmukha (the four-headed one), Satānanda (the delight of hundreds), and Padmabhu (the lotus-born); and to Siva He gave the names Ugra (the fierce one), Bhasmadhara (he whose body is smeared with ashes), Nagna (the naked one), and Kapālī ( he who wears a garland of skulls). ( Brahma Purana) 32 तदेवं श्रीविष्णोः सर्वात्मकत्वेन प्रसिद्धत्वात् तस्मात् सकाशात् शिवस्य गुणनामादिकं भिन्नं शक्त्यन्तरसिद्धमिति यो धियापि पश्येदित्यर्थः । In this manner, it is well known [from scriptures] that Bhaga- vän Visnu is the Immanent Self of all the devas and of all living beings (sarvātmakatva ). For this reason, if a person even thinks, or perceives, that the name, qualities, and other attributes of Siva are distinct from those of Visņu - in other words, that they are manifested by Siva’s own independent potency - he is an offender. द्वयोरभेदतात्पर्येण षष्ठ्यन्तत्वे सति श्रीविष्णोश्चेत्यपेक्ष्य चशब्दः क्रियेत । तत्प्राधान्यवि- वक्षयैव श्रीशब्दश्च तत्रैव दत्तः । अत एव शिवनामापराध इति शिवशब्देन मुख्यतया श्रीविष्णुरेव प्रतिपादित इत्यभिप्रेतम् । सहस्रनामादौ च स्थाणुशिवादिशब्दास्तथैव । If the word vişnoh were taken as being in the sixth grammatical case [the genitive case] with the intent to point out the nondis- tinction (abheda ) between Siva and Visnu, then the word ca, 32 catur-mukhaḥ satanando brahmanah padmabhur iti ugro bhasma-dharo nagnaḥ kapaliti sivasya ca visesa-nāmāni dadau svakiyāny api kesavah 325 III The Practice of Bhakti “also,” should have been inserted after visnoḥ33 To show the supremacy of Bhagavan Visņu, the honorific śri has been used only before the name of Visņu. Therefore, even in the compound siva-nämäparādhaḥ, “an offense to the auspicious name,” which appears in the statement of the ninth offense, the word siva primarily indicates Śrī Vişņu. Accordingly, in the list of the 1000 names of Visņu, the names Sthanu34 (the immovable one) and Śiva also refer to Visņu. Commentary The basic principle of all sastra is that there is only one Absolute Truth. This is stated in the very beginning of Bhagavata Purāṇa (1.2.11), which has been established by Jiva Gosvāmi in Tattva Sanda- rbha as the supreme authority in the matter of the ascertainment of the Absolute. This Absolute Truth is identified as Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who is designated as Svayam Bhagavan, or God in His ownmost origi- nal and essential being (SB 1.3.28). No one is independent of Him (BS 5.1, GĪTĀ 10.8). This fact has been demonstrated in Krsna Sanda- rbha (Anucchedas 1-29). This implies that no one is equal to Him, and thus there is no possibility of anyone being superior to Him. Arjuna confirms this in his prayers (GĪTĀ 11.43). Krsna Himself says that there is nothing superior to Him (GĪTĀ 7.7). Śrī Jiva Gosvāmi cites various verses to show that the original meaning of all names, such as Šiva, is Visņu. This is also con- firmed from the use of the word siva for Visnu in the description 33 Grammatically speaking, the word visnoh could be interpreted either as fifth case, “[distinct] from Visnu,” or as sixth case, “of Visnu.” If the point had been to advocate the absolute nondistinction (abheda) between Siva and Visņu, visnoḥ would have to be taken as sixth case. This, however, would require the addition of the word ca, “and,” after vişnoh. The translation would then have been as follows: “One who considers the name, qualities, and other attributes of Siva ‘and’ of Sri Vişnu as different (bhinnam) displeases the name.” Śrī Jiva’s point here is that since the word ca is omitted from the statement, visnoh should be understood as fifth case, signifying instead that Siva’s name and so on should not be considered as “separate from,” or independent of, Visnu. 34 In common usage, the name Sthanu generally refers to Siva. 326 265 The Ten Offenses against the Name of Bhagavan of the offenses (Padma Purana, Brahma-khanda 25.17), cited in this anuccheda. Thus, to consider the name and qualities of Śiva as equal to or independent of Krsna is ignorance and also an insult to Krsna. Being displeasing to the name, it is therefore an offense. This is analogous to addressing and respecting a minister as the emperor in the latter’s presence while disregarding the actual emperor and calling him a minister. As regards the second offense, one should not misconstrue the meaning of the statement sivasya śrī vişnor ya iha guna-namadi- sakalam dhiya bhinnam pasyet sa khalu harinamahitakaraḥ to mean “One who considers the name, qualities, and other attributes of Siva as different (bhinnam) from the name, qualities, and other attributes of Bhagavan Visņu, displeases the name.” Such a mean- ing could be posited only if the word visnoḥ were understood to be in the sixth case. In such instance, however, the word “ca” should have been used in place of yah. But according to the meaning given by Jiva Gosvāmi, the word visnoh is in the fifth case, signifying that Śiva’s name and so on are not to be seen as separate from or independent of Vişņu. This understanding is in harmony with the truth that Kṛṣṇa is the ultimate manifestation of Absolute Reality. 265.5 Offenses Four to Six (घ) अथ “श्रुतिशास्त्रनिन्दनम् " - यथा पाषण्डमार्गेण दत्तात्रेयर्षभदेवोपासकानां पाषण्डिनाम् । (4) The fourth offense, śruti-śästra-nindanam,35 “to criticize the Vedic scriptures,” refers to heretics (paşandis), such as those who worship Dattatreya and Rṣabhadeva through paths that contradict the conclusion of the Vedas. 35 The third offense, to disrespect one’s guru, has not been elaborated by Sri Jiva Gosvami, because it is considered as a special case of the first offense, i.e., to disrespect or criticize the genuine devotees (the sat). 327III The Practice of Bhakti (ङ) तदा " अर्थवादः " स्तुतिमात्रमिदमिति मननम् । (5) The fifth offense, artha-vādah, means to consider the glories of the name as mere eulogy (stuti-mātra). (च) “कल्पनम् ” तन्माहात्म्यगौणताकरणाय गत्यन्तरचिन्तनम् । यथोक्तं कौर्मे व्यास- गीतायाम् - (6) The sixth offense, hari-nāmni kalpanam, “to ascribe one’s own imaginary meaning to the name,” means to interpret the name in an alternate manner [i.e., one that contradicts the con- clusions of sastra] in order to minimize its glory. The fault of kalpanam, inventing unauthorized or contradictory meanings, is as expressed in the Vyasa-gitä from Kurma Purana: देवद्रोहाद् गुरुद्रोहः कोटिकोटिगुणाधिकः । ज्ञानापवादो नास्तिक्यं तस्मात् कोटिगुणाधिकम् ॥ ८१३ ॥ इति । Hostility toward one’s guru is millions upon millions of times worse than hostility toward the deity. To contradict the authorized conclusions of scripture ( jnana - apavada) is athe- ism (nastikyam), and to do so is millions of times worse than hostility toward one’s guru. (Kurma Purana 2.16.18) 36 यत् तु श्रीविष्णुपार्षदभ्यः श्रुतनाममाहात्म्यस्याप्यजामिलस्य “सोऽहं व्यक्तं पतिष्यामि नरके भृशदारुणे” (भा० ६ । २ । २९) इत्येतद् वाक्यम् । तत् खलु स्वदौरात्म्यमात्रदृष्ट्या । नाममाहाग्यदृष्ट्या त्वग्रे वक्ष्यते " तथापि मे दुर्भगस्य” ( भा०६।२।३२-३३) इत्यादि द्वयम् । It is noted, however, that even after Ajamila heard the glory of the name from the associates of Bhagavan Visnu, he spoke these words: “A sinner such as I will surely fall into a dreadful hell” (SB 6.2.29).37 [Yet this statement is in no way an expression of doubt about the power of the name to deliver him.] Rather, it is spoken exclusively out of an acute sense of his own impropriety. A few verses later, he asserts his understanding of the glory of the name in these words: 36 deva-drohad guru-drohaḥ koti-koți-gunadhikaḥ 37 jnanapavado nastikyam tasmät koti-gunadhikam so’ham vyaktam patisyami narake bhṛśa-darune 328 265 The Ten Offenses against the Name of Bhagavan Although I am most unfortunate [i.e., although in this life, I am a great sinner (yady apy aham asmin janmani durbhagaḥ pāpi- yan)],38 it is to be inferred that I must have performed some aus- picious act in a past life by which I have been blessed with the vision of these exalted devotees. By seeing them, my heart has become filled with joy. If it were not so, then it would not have been possible for my tongue to utter the holy name of Bhagavan Visņu in that helpless state while dying, for I am a most impure man and the husband of a prostitute. (SB 6.2.32-33)39 Commentary The third offense is to disrespect one’s guru. This can be under- stood as a particular instance of the first offense - to disrespect the sadhus in general. For this reason, Śrī Jiva does not bother to elab- orate on the third offense. It is to be noted, however, that to disre- spect or criticize one’s own guru among all sadhus is an especially grievous offense. The guru is the very foundation of one’s spiritual life. In this regard, Śrī Kṛṣṇa instructs Uddhava: “One should know the preceptor (acarya) to be Myself. One should never disregard or envy him, thinking him to be a common mortal, because the guru is the embodiment of all the devas” (SB 11.17.27).40 The fourth offense is to criticize the scriptures. The scriptures give us authentic knowledge about our true self and Bhagavan. They inform us about the practical means to realize this knowl- edge. They are the sound manifestation of Bhagavan, sabda-brahma (SB 6.16.51). By becoming well-versed in the scriptures, one attains the Supreme. Uddhava refers to the Veda as the most excellent eye of the pitrs, devas, and human beings, by which they may come to know about the means of attainment (sadhana) and the ultimate 38 Sridhara Svami 39 tathapi me durbhagasya vibudhottama darsane bhavitavyam mangalena yenatma me prasidati anyatha mriyamaṇasya naśucer vrsali-pateḥ vaikuntha-nama-grahanam jihvā vaktum iharhati 40 ācāryam mam vijaniyan navamanyeta karhicit na martya-buddhyāsüyeta sarva-deva-mayo guruh 329 III The Practice of Bhakti goal to be attained (sadhya) to become perfected in life (SB 11.20.4). According to the verse cited from Kurma Purana, criticism of sastra is even more grievous than criticism of one’s guru. This is due to the fact that the guru derives his own authority from the authority of sastra, and it is sastra that defines the characteristics of a genuine guru. The fifth offense is to not have faith in the descriptions of the glories of the name and to consider them as mere commendations (artha-vada). There are some statements in the Vedas whose pur- pose is simply to encourage disinterested people to take to reli- gious practice. They promise some material fruits only to entice people to adopt the injunctions of sastra, rocanartha phala-śrutiḥ (SB 11.3.46). The real purpose of such descriptions is not contained in their primary or literal meaning. Such statements are termed as arthavada. This strategy of enticement through eulogy (artha- vada), however, is not applicable to the descriptions of the fruits related to the holy name. The name is all-powerful and can grant anything up to liberation and beyond. In this regard, one may refer to the story of Gopala Capala, described in Caitanya Caritamṛta (Antya-lila, Chapter 3). The sixth offense is to give imaginary interpretations to the glo- ries of the name, and thus to minimize them. This shows a lack of faith in the name. There are numerous statements asserting that by uttering the name just once, one becomes free of all sins. This is exemplified in the story of Ajamila. A person who does so is no longer a candidate for the punishments of Yama (SB 6.3.26). Thus, for a devotee to think that he or she will go to hell for their unlaw- ful acts betrays a lack of trust in the name. Śrī Jiva Gosvāmī writes that the statement of Ajamila that he would surely fall into a dread- ful hell was made out of humility and not due to a lack of trust in the power of name. On this account, it was not considered an offense. 330 265 The Ten Offenses against the Name of Bhagavan 265.6 Committing Sins on the Strength of the Holy Name (छ) “नाम्नो बलात्” इति । यद्यपि भवेन् नाम्नो बलेनापि कृतस्य पापस्य तेन नाम्ना क्षयः । तथापि येन नाम्नो बलेन परमपुरुषार्थस्वरूपं सच्चिदानन्दसान्द्रं साक्षाच्छ्रीभगवच्चरणा- रविन्दं साधयितुं प्रवृत्तस्तेनैव परमघृणास्पदं पापविषयं साधयतीति परमदौरात्म्यम् | ततः कदर्थयत्येव तन् नाम चेति तत्पापकोटिमहत्तमस्यापराधस्यापातो बाढमेव । ( 7 ) The seventh offense, nāmno balat…, to commit sins on the strength of the name, is understood as follows. It is a fact that the name absolves a practitioner even of those sins that are com- mitted on the strength of the name. Yet, it was by the power of the name that he was first engaged with the intent to attain the lotus feet of Sri Bhagavan Himself, who is the condensed essence of being, consciousness, and bliss, and the supreme goal of human life (parama-purusartha). Now instead, on the strength of the same name, the practitioner strives to accom- plish his sinful aims, which are despicable. This is an instance of extreme ill-heartedness (parama-dauratmyam). By such action, the practitioner grossly misuses the name. Consequently, it is certain indeed that he incurs an offense millions of times more severe than the sin committed. ततो यमैर्बहुभिर्यमनियमादिभिः कृतप्रायश्चित्तस्य क्रमेण प्राप्ताधिकारैरनेकैरपि दण्डध- रैर्वा कृतदण्डस्य तस्य शुद्धयभावो युक्त एव “नामापराधयुक्तानाम्” इत्यादि वक्ष्यमाणा- नुसारेण पुनरपि सन्ततनामकीर्तनमात्रस्य तत्र प्रायश्चित्तत्वात् “सर्वापराधकृदपि” इत्या- द्युक्त्यनुसारेण नामापराधयुक्तस्य भगवद्भक्तिमतोऽप्यधःपातलक्षणभोगनियमाच्च । As a result, the Padma Purana verse concludes that for such an offender the means of purification through rules (yamaiḥ) sim- ply does not exist (na vidyate tasya yamair hi suddhiḥ). The word yamaiḥ, lit., “by rules,” means “by the numerous prescribed moral restraints (yamas) and ethical codes (niyamas).” Even after undergoing atonement by extensive application of such rules, the offender’s purification remains nonexistent (śuddhi- abhāva). Alternatively, the word yamaih can mean “ by a whole 331 III The Practice of Bhakti series of Yamas,” [the deva who administers punishment to the sinful after death]. In that case, the statement would mean that even after being punished by many Yamas,” each acquiring the seat of authority one after the other, the offender’s purification remains nonexistent. This conclusion is certainly appropriate for the following two reasons. First of all, for the person who commits sins on the strength of the name, atonement is possible only if he again continuously engages in singing the name [and not by yamas], as indicated in this upcoming statement of Padma Purāṇa: “The divine names alone can cleanse the sins of those who commit offenses against the name. Only when these names are sung ceaselessly will they bring about the intended result” (Padma Purana, Brahma- khanda 25.23).42 Secondly, according to the Padma Purāņa verse quoted earlier in this anuccheda (sarväparädha-kṛd api, Padma Purana, Brahma-khanda 25.12-13), an offender of the name, even if endowed with devotion to Bhagavan, must reap the consequences in the form of a fall-down (adhah-pāta). तत इन्द्रस्याश्वमेधाख्यभगवद्यजनबलेन वृत्रहत्याप्रवृत्तिस्तु लोकोपद्रवशान्तिं तदीयासु- रभावखण्डनेच्छूनामृषीणामङ्गीकृतत्वान् न दोष इति मन्तव्यम् । Indra’s action of killing Vṛträsura, however, executed on the strength of his worship of Bhagavan in the form of a horse sacri- fice, was approved by the sages, whose intent was that the world would thereby be relieved of [asuric] oppression and that [upon being slain] Vrträsura would be purged of his ungodly temper- ament (asura-bhäva). Therefore, it should not be considered an offense. 41 Śrī Jiva uses the name Dandadhara here for Yama. The name literally means “he who bears the rod of chastisement.” This is a popular name for Yama. 42 nămāparādha-yuktānāṁ nämany eva haranty agham avisranti prayuktāni tany evartha-karani ca 332 265 The Ten Offenses against the Name of Bhagavan Commentary The name is all-powerful and can free a person who takes shelter of the name from all sinful reactions to previous deeds. If a practi- tioner has faith in this principle and then commits some misdeed, thinking that he will be absolved of sinful reaction by chanting the name, then this is an offense. The reason for this is that although such a person has faith in the power of the name, he misuses it to wipe away his sins. Instead of serving the name, he engages it in his own service. Moreover, he uses the pure name to clean some abominable sins. This is like making an emperor clean one’s toilet. The name has the power to award divine love, which is the high- est goal attainable in human life. Instead, one uses it only for the insignificant task of purging sins. Moreover, such a person does not have faith that the name can bestow whatever material benefits are attainable by other methods. Such a person can be purified only by taking full shelter of the name. No other pious act of atonement can relieve him of the offense, just as an offense perpetrated against an emperor can be absolved only by the grace of the emperor. 265.7 The Name Is Not To Be Equated with Pious Works (ज) अथ " धर्मव्रतत्यागः” इति धर्मादिभिः साम्यमननमपि प्रमादोऽपराधो भवतीत्यर्थः । अत एव च- वेदाक्षराणि यावन्ति पठितानि द्विजातिभिः | तावन्ति हरिनामानि कीर्तितानि न संशयः ॥ ८१४ ॥ इत्यतिदेशेनापि नाम्न एव माहात्म्यमायाति । (8) The eighth offense, dharma-vrata-tyägaḥ…, to equate the holy name with the pious works (subha-kriya) recommended in scripture, means that it is an affront to the name (pramada, i.e., aparādha) even to think that prescribed duties, vows, and 333 III The Practice of Bhakti so on are equal to the name. Therefore, by the principle of “extended application” as well (atidesa),” the glories of the name alone are proclaimed in the verse below: Whenever the syllables of the Vedas are uttered by the twice- born, it is in fact the names of Bhagavan Hari that are being sung in every such instance. Of this, there is no doubt.44 उक्तं हि “मधुरमधुरमेतन् मङ्गलं मङ्गलानां सकलनिगमवल्लीसत्फलम्” इति । Thus it was said earlier, quoting from Skanda Purāṇa: O best of the Bhrgu dynasty, the holy name of Kṛṣṇa is the sweet- est of the sweet and the most auspicious of all that is auspi- cious. It is the transcendental fruit of the wish-fulfilling tree of the entire Vedas and is purely of the nature of consciousness (cit-svarupam). If the holy name of Krsna is uttered even once, either with faith or inadvertently, it delivers the utterer from the ocean of material existence. (Skanda Purana)45 तथा श्रीविष्णुधर्मे- And in Visnu-dharma: ऋग्वेदो हि यजुर्वेदः सामवेदोऽप्यथर्वणः । अधीतास्तेन येनोक्तं हरिरित्यक्षरद्वयम् ॥ ८१५ ॥ One who has uttered the two syllables ha-ri has already com- pleted his study of the Rg Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda, and Atharva Veda. (Visnu-dharma)” 43 According to Sabda-kalpadruma, the word atidesa, “extended application,” means “attribution of the quality of one thing to another” (anya-dharmasyanyatra aropanam). In the verse cited as an example, the quality of uttering the Vedic syllables is attributed instead to the quality of reciting Bhagavan’s names by the principle of “extended application” (atidesa). ** vedakṣarani yavanti pathitani dvijatibhih tavanti harinamani kirtitani na samsayah 45 madhura-madhuram etan mangalam mangalanam sakala-nigama-valli-sat-phalam cit-svarupam sakrd api parigitam śraddhaya helaya vā bhrgu-vara nara-matram tarayet kṛṣṇa-nama 46 rg-vedo hi yajur-vedah sama-vedo’py atharvanah adhitas tena yenoktam harir ity aksara-dvayam 334 265 The Ten Offenses against the Name of Bhagavan स्कान्दे पार्वत्युक्तौ च- — In Skanda Purāņa, Parvati has also said: मा ऋचो मा यजुस्तात मा साम पठकिञ्चन । गोविन्देति हरेर्नाम गेयं गायस्व नित्यशः ॥ ८१६ ।। My dear boy, do not study the Rg Veda, Yajur Veda, and Sama Veda. You should always sing “Govinda,” the name of Bhagavan Hari, which alone is worthy to be sung. (Skanda Purana)”” पाद्मे श्रीरामाष्टोत्तरशतनामस्तोत्रे “विष्णोरेकैकनामापि सर्ववेदाधिकं मतम्” इति । And in the Rāmāṣṭottara-sata-nama-stotra from Padma Purana, it is said: “Each and every one of Bhagavan Visņu’s names is superior to all the Vedas” (Padma Purana, Uttara-khanda 254.27)” Commentary 48 To use the name for religious rituals is an offense. It bears resem- blance to the previous offense, being a milder case of the misuse of the name for ulterior purposes. The performer has faith in the power of the name but uses it to accomplish conventional religious acts, which are not at all its intended purpose. Alternatively, the performer may hold to the view that chanting the name is equiva- lent to other ordinary pious deeds. When it is said in Visnu-dharma that by uttering the name of Hari, the Vedas are thereby recited, the intent is to illustrate the glory of the name. The statement does not imply that when there is a requirement to chant some Vedic sūktas in a yajna, one should chant “Hari,” which would reduce the name to a mere instrument of the ritual. Similarly, the intent behind Parvati’s instruction in the Skanda Purana verse is not to forbid the study of the Vedas but to emphasize chanting the name of Govinda. 47 48 marco ma yajus tāta má sama patha-kincana govindeti harer nama geyam gayasva nityasah vişnor ekaika-namapi sarva-vedadhikam matam 335 III The Practice of Bhakti 265.8 Offenses of the Instructor and the Instructed (झ) अथ " अश्रद्दधाने” इत्यादिनोपदेष्टुरपराधम् । (9) The ninth offense, asraddadhāne…, to instruct the glories of the name to a person who is devoid of faith, oblivious to Bhaga- vän, and disinterested in hearing, is applicable to anyone who instructs such faithless people. | (ञ) दर्शयित्वोपदेश्यस्याह - " श्रुत्वा " इति । यतोऽहम्ममादिपरमोऽहन्ताममताद्येक- तात्पर्येण तस्मिन्ननादरवानित्यर्थः । (10) Having pointed out the offense of the instructor (upadesta), the text goes on to describe the offense of the person to whom the instruction is given (upadesya) in the next verse (śrutvāpināma- mahātmyam …). Because of the person’s singular absorption in the conceptions of “I” and “mine” in regard to the body, he remains devoid of reverence for the name. “नामैकं यस्य वाचि स्मरणपथगतम्” इत्यादौ देहद्रविणादिनिमित्तकपाषण्डशब्देन च दशापराधा लक्ष्यन्ते पाषण्डमयत्वात् तेषाम् । Previously [in Anuccheda 153], this verse was quoted from Padma Purana: It is indeed a fact that just one holy name appearing in the midst of a person’s speech, on the pathway of his recollection, or in the root of the ear, whether it is enunciated correctly or incorrectly, and with or without the intervention of other syllables, cer- tainly delivers that person. But if the same name is cast among atheistic people who are greedy to enjoy the body, wealth, or followers, then, O vipra, it does not quickly manifest its result. (Padma Purana, Brahma-khanda 25.24)49 49 nămaikam yasya vāci smarana-patha-gatam srotra-mulam gatam va suddham vasuddha-varnam vyavahita-rahitam tarayaty eva satyam tac ced deha-dravina-janata-lobha-paṣanda-madhye nikṣiptam syan na phala-janakam sighram evatra vipra 336 265 The Ten Offenses against the Name of Bhagavan In this verse, the word pāsanda, “ an atheist, " who is so desig- nated because of his greed to enjoy the body, wealth, and similar pursuits, indicates the ten offenses against the name because of the atheism (pāşandamayatva) that is inherent in them. तथा तद्विधानामेवापराधान्तरमुक्तं पाद्मवैशाखमाहात्म्ये- In addition, the Vaisakha-māhātmya of Padma Purana mentions another offense that is applicable to such people: अवमन्य प्रयान्ति ये भगवत्कीर्तनं नराः । ते यान्ति नरकं घोरं तेन पापेन कर्मणा ॥ ८१७ ॥ Those people who disrespect the singing of Bhagavan’s names and leave the area are destined for a terrible hell because of this sinful act. (Padma Purana, Srsti khanda 96.63) 50 इत्येतेषां चापराधानामनन्यप्रायश्चित्तत्वमेवोक्तं तत्रैव- That the name is the only atonement for all these offenses is also stated in Padma Purana: नामापराधयुक्तानां नामान्येव हरन्त्यघम् । अविश्रान्ति प्रयुक्तानि तान्येवार्थकराणि च ॥ ८१८ ॥ The divine names alone can cleanse the sins of those who com- mit offenses against the name. Only when these names are sung ceaselessly will they bring about the intended result. (Padma Purāna, Brahma - khanda 25.23) 51 अत्र सत्प्रभृतिष्वपराधे तु तत्सन्तोषणार्थमेव सन्ततनामकीर्तनादिकं समुचितम् । अम्ब- रीषचरितादौ तदेकक्षम्यत्वेनापराधानां दर्शनात् । उक्तं च नामकौमुद्याम् " महदपराध- स्य भोग एव निवर्तकस्तदनुग्रहो वा " इति । तस्मादगत्यन्तराभावात् साधूक्तम् “एतन् निर्विद्यमानानाम्” (भा० २ । १ । ११) इति । 50 51 avamanya prayanti ye bhagavat-kirtanam narah te yanti narakam ghoram tena papena karmaņā nāmāparādha-yuktānām nāmāny eva haranty agham avisranti prayuktani tany evartha-karani ca 337III The Practice of Bhakti If, however, one commits an offense toward a devotee, one should continuously sing the names of Bhagavan with the spe- cific intent to appease that devotee, for it is seen in the history of King Ambarīṣa that [Durvasa’s] offenses could be forgiven only by Ambarişa alone [and not even by Bhagavan Himself]. In Nama-kaumudi also, it is said: “An offense to a great devotee is mitigated either by suffering the result or by the grace of that devotee.” Therefore, because of the absence of any other means, it was appropriately said in the beginning of this anuccheda: O King, for those seeking fulfillment of material desires [iccha- tām, i.e., kāminām], for those who are indifferent to worldly existence [nirvidyamānānām, i.e., mumukṣunām] and seeking the state of utter fearlessness [akuto-bhayam, i.e., mokşam iccha- tam], and for those already established in immediate realiza- tion of the Truth [yoginām, i.e., jñāninam], this constant chant- ing of the holy name of Bhagavan Hari has been ascertained [both as the means of attainment (sadhana), in the case of the first two, and as the end to be attained (sadhya), in the case of the last]. (SB 2.1.11)52 एवं श्रीनारदेनोक्तं बृहन्नारदीये- Śri Narada made a similar statement in Bṛhan-naradiya Purana:53 महिनामपि यन्नाम्नः पारं गन्तुमनीश्वराः । मनवोऽपि मुनीन्द्राश्च कथं तं क्षुल्लधीर्भजे ॥ ८१९ ॥ श्रीशुकः ॥ 52 etan nirvidyamānānām icchatām akuto-bhayam yoginām nṛpa nirnītam harer namānukirtanam 53 In the printed edition of Bhakti Sandarbha, this statement and the verse that follows form the opening words of Anuccheda 266, which deals with the topic of rupa-kirtana. Since the verse concludes the entire discussion of nama-kirtana, a topic that was begun in Anuccheda 262.2, we have placed it here at the end of Anuccheda 265 to accord with the thematic division of the book. 338 265 The Ten Offenses against the Name of Bhagavan Even the great sages and the Manus cannot fathom the glory of the name of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. So how can I, of petty intellect, worship Him. (Brhan-naradiya Purana)54 Commentary One should not impart instructions about the name to a person who has no faith in it, who is not at all devotionally inclined, and who has no interest in hearing about it. To insist on instructing such a person is the ninth offense against the name. If a person is not interested in hearing but is forced to hear, he will only disrespect the name, which is an offense. The instructor will also become implicated in the offense, because he is the cause impelling the disinterested person to become offensive. The conclusion is that if an instructor becomes instrumental in making another person commit an offense, then he is also an offender. The tenth offense applies to the person who receives instruc- tions about the name. Even after hearing the glories of the name, if one does not take an interest in surrendering to it but remains entangled in materialistic ways, then he demonstrates disrespect toward the name. Such a person can be compared to a patient who is suffering from a terminal disease and, on coming to know of a sure remedy, does not show any interest in it. By the same token, if the patient rejects the person who mercifully offers the cure, will the latter not feel hurt by the rejection of his selfless offer of help? The main point to understand is that the name is a fully con- scious entity, endowed with all noble qualities and inconceiv- able powers. It is not inert sound. Consequently, one has to be careful while dealing with the name, just as one would adopt a respectful manner of behavior when dealing with a person of honor. One should try to use one’s common sense besides what has been described in these ten offenses. For example, one should not despise or create obstacles for those who are performing kirtana. On the other hand, a practitioner should not do loud kirtana if it is 54 mahimnām api yan-namnaḥ pāram gantum anisvarah manavo’pi munindras ca katham tam kṣulla-dhir bhaje 339 III The Practice of Bhakti disturbing to the neighbors, because this will incite them to com- mit offenses. As stated above, this too falls into the category of offensive behavior. If one offends a devotee, one should try to pacify her or him. It is not that one simply takes recourse to chanting the name but does not try to appease the offended devotee. Durväsä offended Ambarīşa, a great devotee, by creating a hobgoblin to kill him. Visņu’s disc, however, came to the rescue of Ambarīṣa, and Durvāsā had to flee for his life. He approached various devas, such as Śiva, seeking protection from Visnu’s weapon, but all of them expressed their powerlessness in this regard. Finally, he approached Visņu Himself. Visnu, however, advised Durvasa to go back to Ambarişa and take shelter of him. He informed Durvasa that there was no one else who could help him. Thus, if one commits an offense to a devotee, one should either pacify that devotee or face the con- sequences. There is no third solution. If, however, one does not know the cause of one’s offenses, one should continuously chant the name while avoiding further offenses. 340 Anuccheda 266 Rūpa-kirtanam २६६ | अथ श्रीरूपकीर्तनम् “प्रत्याक्रष्टुं नयनमबलाः” (भा० ११।३० ।३) इत्यादौ “यच्छ्रीर्वा- चां जनयति रतिं कीर्त्यमाना कवीनाम्” इति । Now we will describe the practice of singing about or glorifying the forms of Bhagavan (rupa-kirtanam), as illustrated in King Parikşit’s statement to sage Suka: Young women are unable to withdraw their vision from the form of Sri Krsna, their eyes being transfixed upon it. When that form becomes indelibly imprinted in the hearts of the sages, entering through the pathway of the ears, it never departs from there. When the abundant splendor of Bhagavan’s form is glori- fied, it arouses attraction for the poets’ speech and thus ensures their fame. When the warriors on the battlefield of Kuruksetra gave up their lives beholding that same form of Kṛṣṇa, who was seated upon the chariot of Arjuna, they attained liberation by merging into Him. (SB 11.30.3)1 यस्य श्रीकृष्णरूपस्य शोभासम्पत्तिः कीर्त्यमाना सती कवीनां तत्कीर्तकानां वाचां तत्की- र्तनेष्वेव राग जनयति । अथोक्तं श्रीचतुः सनेन “कामं भवः स्ववृजिनैर्निरयेषु नः स्तात्” (भा० ३।१५।४९) इत्यादौ " वाचश्तु नस्तुलसिवद् यदि तेऽङ्घ्रिशोभाः” इति ॥ राजा श्रीशु- कम् ॥ 1 pratyakraṣṭum nayanam abala yatra lagnam na sekuh karnavistam na sarati tato yat satām ātma-lagnam yac-chrir vacam janayati ratim kim nu manam kavīnām drstva jisnor yudhi ratha-gatam yac ca tat-samyam iyuḥ 341 III The Practice of Bhakti In the third line of the above verse, the pronoun yat, i.e., yasya, “of which,” means “of the form (rupa) of Śrī Kṛṣṇa,” and the word śri means “an abundance or wealth of splendor” (sobhā- sampatti). When the abundant splendor of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s form is glorified (kīrtyamānā), it arouses attraction (rati, i.e., rāga) for the speech (vācā), meaning “for the kirtana of Kṛṣṇa’s form” (tat- kirtaneşu), of the poets (kavīnām), meaning “of those who sing the glories of Bhagavan’s form” (tat-kirtakanām). Therefore, the four Kumāras also prayed: Let us gladly accept birth in a series of hellish species2 due to the offenses we have committed, if only our minds can take plea- sure in Your feet, like bees that drink the nectar of flowers, if our speech can be endowed with the splendor of Your feet, as tulasi is beautified by contact with Your feet, and if the holes of our ears can be filled with the glorification of Your qualities. (SB 3.15.49)3 Commentary THE DISCUSSION of the angas of vaidhi-bhakti, begun in Anucche- da 236, continues here. After explaining the principles of surren- der (saranapatti) and service to devotees (sat-seva or bhāgavata- seva), Jīva Gosvami delineated the practice of hearing (sravanam) about the names, forms, qualities, and lilas of Bhagavan in Anucche- das 248-262. He then discussed the practice of singing Bhagavan’s names (nama-kirtana) in Anucchedas 262-265. Now he describes singing about His form (rupa-kirtana). 2 According to Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti, the word nirayesu, “in various hells,” means “in a series of hellish species” (narakiṣv api yonisu). This interpretation is also consistent with the actual details of the story. In addition, he takes the clause vacaś ca nas… yadi te’nghri-sobhah as meaning “if our speech can be that whose splendor (sobhah) is only in describing Your feet (anghri), meaning Your form, qualities, and names, and not in anything else.” 3 kamam bhavah sva-vrjinair nirayesu nah stac ceto’livad yadi nu te padayo rameta vacas ca nas tulasivad yadi te’nghri-sobhah puryeta te guna-ganair yadi karna-randhrah 342 266 Rupa-kirtanam The verse spoken by King Parikşit describes the unparalleled beauty of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. His beauty is so captivating that anyone who sees Him is unable to turn his or her eyes away. This is why He is called Krsna, “the All-attractive.” When Krsna drove Arjuna’s chariot on the battlefield, the warriors who died while beholding His form attained liberation. This is because their minds became fixed on His beauty. According to Krsna’s statement in GĪTĀ 8.6, one attains whatever object one contemplates at the time of death. Krsna’s beauty is so great that even Mahāviṣṇu was intensely eager to see Him. This is why He stole the newborn babies of a brāhmaṇa in Dvaraka, obliging Krsna to go to Mahavisņu’s abode to retrieve them. Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī writes that the sweetness of Krsna’s beauty or form, rupa-mādhuri, is unparalleled (BRS 2.1.43). His beauty is so extraordinary that even He is amazed by it (SB 3.2.12). He is specifically attractive to women, especially the gopis (SB 10.29.40). Śrī Jiva Gosvāmī gives a further example of rupa-kirtana in the prayers offered by the Kumāra brothers, when they went to Vai- kuntha to see Visņu. On arriving at the outskirts of Vaikuntha, they were stopped by Jaya and Vijaya, the gatekeepers of the sev- enth gate. This enraged the Kumāras, and thus they cursed Jaya and Vijaya. At that time, Śrī Visnu came walking to the gate to resolve the dispute. Seeing His beauty, the Kumāras, who had been absorbed in the bliss of Brahman from their very birth, became devotees. They prayed that they should never forget Bhagavan, even if they would have to go to hell for their act of cursing His devo- tees. It is to be noted in this regard that the beauty of Krsna is even more ravishing than that of Visnu. 4 5 This story is described in chapter 89 of the Tenth Canto. It has been discussed at length in Krsna Sandarbha, Anuccheda 29. For a detailed description of this story, see Bhagavat Sandarbha, Anuccheda 79. 343 Anuccheda 267 Guņa-kirtanam २६७ | अथ गुणकीर्तनम् (भा० १।५।२२) - Now we will give an example of singing about or glorifying the qualities of Bhagavan (guna-kirtanam), as illustrated in Śrī Narada’s statement to Vyasa: इदं हि पुंसस्तपसः श्रुतस्य वा स्विष्टस्य सूक्तस्य च बुद्धदत्तयोः । अविच्युतोऽर्थः कविभिर्निरूपितो यदुत्तमश्लोकगुणानुवर्णनम् ॥ ८२० ॥ Recounting the attributes of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who is glorified in elo- quent verses, has indeed been ascertained by realized mystic poets as the unceasing [i.e., eternal] fruit of a human being’s austerities, study of the Vedas, sacrificial performance, recita- tion of Vedic hymns, wisdom, and charity. (SB 1.5.22)1 श्रुतं वेदाध्ययनम् । स्विष्टं यागादि । सूक्तं मन्त्रादिजपः । बुद्धं शास्त्रीयबोद्धः । दत्तं दानम् । एतेषां भगवदर्पितानां सतामेवाविच्युतोऽर्थो नित्यं फलम् । The word śrutam, “orally transmitted knowledge,” means “study of the Vedas” (vedadhyayanam), sviṣṭam means “sacri- ficial performance” (yaga), suktam means “recitation of Vedic mantras,” buddham, “wisdom,” means “realization of scrip- tural knowledge” (śästriya-boddha), and dattam means “char- ity” (dana). Only if these acts are offered to Bhagavan do they 1 idam hi pumsas tapasaḥ śrutasya va svistasya suktasya ca buddha-dattayoh avicyuto’rthaḥ kavibhir nirupito yad-uttama-sloka-gunanuvarnanam 344 267 Guna-kirtanam have unceasing value (avicyuto’rthah) meaning “eternal fruit” (nityam phalam). किं तत् ? उत्तमश्लोकस्य गुणानुवर्णनं यत् । जातायामपि गुणानुवर्णनसाध्यायां परमपु- रुषार्थरूपायां रतौ गुणानुवर्णनस्य प्रत्युत नित्यनित्योल्लासादविच्युतत्वमुक्तम् । तस्मा- दविच्युतत्वेन रतिमेवास्य फलं सूचयति । श्रीनारदः श्रीव्यासम् ॥ And what is that eternal fruit? Recounting the attributes of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who is glorified in eloquent verses (uttama-slokasya guṇānuvarṇanam). Even after the appearance of divine love (rati), which, as the supreme object of human attainment (parama-puruşartha), is the goal (sadhya) of recounting Bha- gavän’s qualities, the unceasing nature (avicyutatva) of this practice is nonetheless affirmed, because one experiences ever- fresh delight (nitya-nitya-ullāsa) by continuing to describe His qualities. Thus, by virtue of the unceasing nature (avicyutatva) of this practice, Narada points out divine love alone (rati) as the actual fruit of recounting Bhagavan’s qualities. Commentary FORM AND QUALITIES are interrelated. Form is the substratum for qualities, and thus they exist together. If one is enamored with the form of Bhagavan, he or she would naturally be in love with His qualities. For this reason, this limb of bhakti (guna-kirtana) follows the previous one (rūpa-kirtana). Generally, pious or dharmic acts, such as those mentioned in this verse, are performed to attain some material end, such as heaven or material prosperity in the present life. But the highest benefit attainable as a consequence of these acts is divine love for Krsna. This is possible only if these acts are performed for the pleasure of Krsna. 345 Anuccheda 268 Līlā-kirtanam २६८ । अथ लीलाकीर्तनम् (भा० २।८।४) - Now we cite an example of singing about or glorifying Bhagavan’s divine acts (līlā-kirtanam), as King Parikṣit said: शृण्वतः श्रद्धया नित्यं गृणतश्च स्वचेष्टितम् । कालेन नातिदीर्घेन भगवान् विशते हृदि ॥ ८२१ ॥ When a devotee regularly hears and recites the divine acts (sva- ceştitam) of Bhagavan with faith, Bhagavan enters his heart in a very short time. (SB 2.8.4)1 नातिदीर्घेन स्वल्पेनैव । विशते स्फुरति ॥ श्रीपरीक्षित् ॥ | The phrase nati-dirgheņa kālena, “in a not excessively long time,” means “in a very short time” (svalpenaiva). The verb visate, “He enters,” means that Bhagavan is directly self-disclosed (sphurati) in the devotee’s heart. 1 Commentary ACCORDING to the Nyaya School, there are three real entities (padă- rtha) in this world: substances (dravya), qualities (guna), and actions (karma). Qualities reside in a substance, and actions also Sravataḥ śraddhaya nityam grnataś ca sva-cestitam kalena näti-dirghena bhagavan visate hrdi 346 268 Lila-kirtanam occur therein. From the perspective of the Nyaya ontology, the form of Bhagavan is a substance and is therefore the substratum for His qualities and actions. Thus, these two- qualities and pas- times - naturally follow the descriptions of His form. In reality, however, everything in regard to Bhagavan is Absolute. There is no difference between His form and His qualities or pastimes. The verse cited here (SB 2.8.4) describes the result of reciting the līlās of Bhagavan. He Himself becomes manifest in the heart of such a reciter. In such kirtana, Bhagavan relishes the devotee’s love that takes the form of His own glorification. This also implies that the devotee attains love for Bhagavan. 347Anuccheda 269 The Glories of Lila-kirtanam २६९ | तथा ( भा० १२ । १२ ।४८) - मृषा गिरस्ता ह्यसतीरसत्कथा न कथ्यते यद् भगवानधोक्षजः । तदेव सत्यं तदुहैव मङ्गलं तदेव पुण्यं भगवद्गुणोदयम् ॥ ८२२ ॥ इत्यादि “यदुत्तमश्लोकयशोऽनुगीयते” (भा० १२।१२ ।४९) इत्यन्तम् । ADDITIONALLY, in the following two verses [Sri Suta speaks about the importance of lila-kirtanam]: That speech in which Bhagavan Adhokṣaja is not described is indeed vain (mysa), false (asatih ), and concerned with the mundane (asat-katha). That speech alone is real (satyam), that speech alone is auspicious (mangalam), that speech alone is virtuous (punyam), in which Bhagavan’s qualities are revealed. That speech alone is delightful and begets newer and newer taste, that speech alone produces an endless festival of joy for the heart, that speech alone dries up the ocean of sorrow for human beings, in which the glory of Uttama-sloka [Bhagavan Hari] is constantly sung (SB 12.12.48-49) 1 असतीरस॒त्यः । असता॑ भगवतस्तद्भक्तेभ्यश्चान्येषां कथा यासु ताः । यद् यासु गीर्षु न कथ्यते । उत्तमश्लोकस्य यशोऽनुगीयत इति तु यत् तत् तदीयलीलामयानुगानमेव 1 348 mrsa-giras ta hy asatir asat-katha na kathyate yad bhagavan adhoksajah tad eva satyam tad uhaiva mangalam tad eva punyam bhagavad gunodayam tad eva ramyam ruciram navam navam tad eva sasvan manaso mahotsavam tad eva sokarnava-sosanam nrnam yad-uttama-sloka-yaso ’nugīyate 269 The Glories of Lila-kirtanam सत्यमित्यादि । कथं सत्यत्वं मङ्गलत्वं च ? तत्राह - भगवद्गुणानामुदयो गायकहृदि स्फूर्तिर्यस्मात् तत् तदीयरतिप्रदमित्यर्थः । The word asatiḥ here means “false” (asatya), and asat-katha, “speech concerned with the mundane,” means “that speech in which the discussions are concerned with those other than Bha- gavan and His devotees.” The pronoun yat means “that speech in which” (yasu gihṣu) Bhagavan Adhokṣaja is not described (na kathyate). On the other hand, that speech in which the glory (yaśaḥ) of Bhagavan Uttama-sloka is repeatedly sung (anugi- yate), or in other words, that act of repeated singing (anugă- nam) that is filled with the descriptions of His lilas, is alone real (satyam) and endowed with the other virtues mentioned in these two verses. And why is this speech real (satyam) and auspicious (mangalam)? In answer to this, Suta says that this speech causes Bhagavan’s qualities to be revealed in the heart of the singer. This means that such lila-katha-kirtana induces divine love (rati) for Bhagavan. स्कान्दे- In Skanda Purana, it is said: यत्र यत्र महीपाल वैष्णवी वर्तते कथा । तत्र तत्र हरिर्याति गौर्यथा सुतवत्सला ।। ८२३ ।। O King, Bhagavan Hari goes wherever stories about Him and His devotees are sung, just as a cow follows her calf out of great affection. (Skanda Purana)2 विष्णुधर्म स्कान्दे च भगवदुक्तौ - In Visņu-dharma and Skanda Purana, Bhagavan makes the following declaration: 2 मत्कथावाचकं नित्यं मत्कथाश्रवणे रतम् । मत्कथाप्रीतिमनसं नाहं त्यक्ष्यामि तं नरम् ॥ ८२४ ॥ इति । yatra yatra mahipala vaiṣṇavi vartate katha tatra tatra harir yati gaur yatha suta-vatsala 349 III The Practice of Bhakti I never abandon a person who always narrates My stories, nor one who is intent on hearing them, nor one whose mind is captivated by My stories. (Skanda Purana 2.5.16.53)3 अत्र च " अनुगीयते” इत्यनेन सुकण्ठता चेद् गानमेव कर्तव्यं तच्च प्रशस्तमित्यायातम् । एवं नामादीनामपि । In the second of Sri Suta’s verses [SB 12.12.49], the verb anugiyate, “is repeatedly sung,” implies that if one has a melodious voice, he should sing the lilas of Bhagavan. This implies that singing (ganam) the liläs of Bhagavan is most highly esteemed [beyond even hearing and recitation]. In the same manner, one should sing about the names, forms, and qualities of Bhagavan as well. उक्तं च “गीतानि नामानि तदर्थकानि गायन् विलज्जो विचरेदसङ्ग” (भा० ११ । २ । ३९) इति । It was said earlier: Hearing of the most auspicious births and divine acts of Bha- gavän Hari - the wielder of the disc - which are celebrated in this world, and singing His names denoting His birth and divine acts, one should roam about free from worldly attachment and inhibition. (SB 11.2.39)* अन्यत्र च (भा० १० १६९/४५ ) - Elsewhere it is said: यानीह विश्वविलयोद्भववृत्तिहेतुः कर्माण्यनन्यविषयाणि हरिश्चकार । यस्त्वङ्ग गायति शृणोत्यनुमोदते वा भक्तिर्भवेद् भगवति ह्यपवर्गमार्गे ॥ ८२५ ॥ O King, one who sings, hears, or approves of the inimitable exploits performed here in this world by Bhagavan Hari [Śri Kṛṣṇa], the source of the evolution, sustenance, and dissolution 3 mat-katha-vācakam nityam mat-katha-sravane ratam mat-katha-priti-manasam naham tyaksyami tam naram 4 sṛnvan subhadrani rathanga-paner janmani karmani ca yani loke gītāni nāmāni tad-arthakani gayan vilajjo vicared asargah 350 269 The Glories of Lila-kirtanam of the cosmos, attains loving devotion (bhakti) for Bhagavan, the refuge and bestower of liberation. (SB 10.69.45)5 गानशक्त्यभावे स्वस्मादुत्कृष्टतरस्य प्राप्तौ वा तच्छृणोति । तदासक्त्यभावे तदनुमोद- तेऽपीत्यर्थः । The import of this verse is that if one is unable to sing the liläs of Bhagavan and encounters a devotee of a higher grade of realiza- tion, he should then hear those līlās from him. And if one is with- out attraction (asakti) for such songs, he can at least approve of their being sung and heard by others. श्रीविष्णुधर्मे श्रीविष्णूक्तौ - In Visnu dharma, we find this statement of Srī Visnu: रागेणाकृष्यते चेतो गान्धर्वाभिमुखं यदि । मयि बुद्धिं समास्थाय गायेथा मम सत्कथाः || ८२६ ॥ If one’s mind is naturally lyrical and thus captivated by melodies, one should fix the mind on Me and sing My virtuous stories. (Visnu-dharma ) " पाद्मे च कार्तिकमाहात्म्ये श्रीभगवदुक्तौ In the Kārtika-mahātmya of Padma Purāna, Sri Bhagavan said: S 6 नाहं वसामि वैकुण्ठे योगिनां हृदये न च । मद्भक्ता यत्र गायन्ति तत्र तिष्ठामि नारद ॥ ८२७ ॥ तेषां पूजादिकं गन्धधूपाद्यैः क्रियते नरैः । तेन प्रीतिं परां यामि न तथा मम पूजनात् ॥ ८२८ ॥ I reside neither in Vaikuntha nor in the hearts of the yogis. O Narada, I remain wherever My devotees sing [my lilas]. When people worship these devotees by offering them scents, incense, yanīha visva vilayodbhava-vrtti-hetuh karmany ananya-visayani haris cakara yas tv anga gayati sṛnoty anumodate vā bhaktir bhaved bhagavati hy apavarga-märge ragenakṛsyate ceto gandharvabhimukham yadi mayi buddhim samasthaya gayetha mama sat-kathaḥ 351 III The Practice of Bhakti and other articles, I am supremely pleased by such worship. I do not derive the same pleasure even from My own worship. (Padma Purana, Kartika-mähätmya)’ ते च प्राणिमात्राणामेव परमोपकर्तारः किमुत स्वेषाम् । यथोक्तं नारसिंहे श्रीप्रह्लादेन-

By singing the līlās of Bhagavan, such devotees are supreme benefactors of all living beings, to say nothing of the benefit they themselves receive. Śrī Prahlada makes this point in Nrsimha Purāņa: ते सन्तः सर्वभूतानां निरुपाधिकबान्धवाः । ये नृसिंह भवन्नाम गायन्त्युच्चैर्मुदान्विताः ॥ ८२९ ॥ O Nrsimha, those saints who loudly sing Your names in bliss are the unconditional friends of all beings. (Nrsimha Purana) अत्र च बहुभिर्मिलित्वा कीर्तनं सङ्कीर्तनमित्युच्यते । तत् तु चमत्कारविशेषपोषात् पूर्व- तोऽप्यधिकमिति ज्ञेयम् । The kirtana of Bhagavan that is performed by many people gath- ered together is called sankirtana, or “congregational singing.” This congregational singing is to be understood as superior even to kirtana [performed alone], because it fosters such extraordinary feelings. अत्र च नामसङ्कीर्तन यथोपदिष्टं कलियुगपावनावतारेण श्रीभगवता- In this regard, Bhagavan Śrī Caitanya, who avatärically ap- peared to deliver the living beings of Kaliyuga, has given the following instruction about the congregational singing of Bhagavan’s names (nama-sankirtana): 7 8 9 naham vasami vaikunthe yoginam hrdaye na ca mad-bhakta yatra gayanti tatra tisthami narada tesam pujadikam gandha-dhupadyaih kriyate naraih tena prītim param yami na tatha mama pujanat te santah sarva-bhutanam nirupadhika-bandhavaḥ ye nrsimha bhavan nama gayanty uccair mudanvitaḥ This is one of the two references to Śrī Caitanya Mahaprabhu in the Six Sandarbhas. 352 269 The Glories of Lila-kirtanam तृणादपि सुनीचेन तरोरपि सहिष्णुना । अमानिना मानदेन कीर्तनीयः सदा हरिः ॥ ८३० || श्रीसूतः ॥ Considering oneself to be even lower than a blade of grass, being more tolerant than a tree, being prideless, and offering respect to all others, one should continuously sing the name of Hari. (Padyavali 32, Šikṣāṣṭakam 3)1o Commentary AFTER describing the singing of Bhagavan’s pastimes (līlā-kirta- nam), Sri Jīva Gosvāmī explains the importance of singing in gen- eral, be it of His name, form, qualities, or pastimes. The essence of all devotional practice is remembrance of Kṛṣṇa, as stated in Padma Purāna: One should remember Bhagavan Visņu always and never forget Him even for a moment. All the rules and prohibitions of scrip- ture are servants of these two principles alone. (Padma Purāṇa, Uttara-khanda 71.100)11 Śrī Narada instructs King Yudhisthira in a similar manner: “Therefore, one should fix one’s mind on Krsna by whatever means possible” (SB 7.1.31).12 Fixing the mind on Krsna or remembrance of Him, however, is not possible if the mind is unstable. The prac- tice of controlling one’s speech is a powerful means to stabilize the mind. In this respect, Śrī Sanatana Gosvāmī advises: The faculty of speech is the regulator of all the senses, both exter- nal as well as internal. If it is brought permanently under control 10 trnad api sunicena taror api sahisņunā 11 12 amanina manadena kirtaniyaḥ sada harih smartavyaḥ satatam visnur vismartavyo na jatucit sarve vidhi-niṣedhah syur etayor eva kinkarah tasmat kenapy upayena manaḥ krsne nivesayet 353 III The Practice of Bhakti [either by observing a vow of silence or by bhagavat-kirtana],” then the mind becomes stable and then only can one be wholly engaged in continuous remembrance of Bhagavan. Consequently [because remembrance (smrti) is the sadhya, or the object to be attained by kirtana], remembrance (smrti) itself is the fruit (phalam) [of kirtana]. (Brhad-bhagavatamṛtam 2.3.149)14 Speech can be controlled either by observing a vow of silence (mauna) or by engaging it in japa or kirtana. The first option is fol- lowed by yogis and jñānīs, and the second, by devotees. The second method is superior, because it engages one’s entire being in the ser- vice of Bhagavan and purifies one’s existence. It is also the method prescribed for the present age, as pointed out earlier. Moreover, it should be noted that sankirtana is not merely an instrument to be given up once the goal of remembrance is attained. It contin- ues even after reaching the perfected stage. A perfected devotee naturally engages in kirtana as an anubhava of love (SB 11.2.40 and SB 1.6.27). Good music has a special power to attract our minds. Singing attracts the mind of the singer as well as that of Krsna. For this rea- son, Krsna says that He is present wherever His devotees sing about Him. He is a musician Himself and thus loves to hear singing per- formed out of love. When many devotees come together and sing with the proper melody (raga), rhythm (tala), and tempo (laya), it creates a very enchanting and beatific atmosphere. This has a pow- erful influence on those who sing as well as those who listen to it. Śrī Jiva therefore recommends that if one has a melodious voice, one should sing bhagavat-kirtana. If possible, one should sing in the company of devotees who have good knowledge of music, sweet voices, and who share the same devotional mood. Śrī Caitanya Mahaprabhu specifically recommended and prop- agated sankirtana for the present age. He demonstrated it by His own life. In the Siksaṣṭakam verse cited at the end of this 13 This and all other bracketed inserts in this verse are Sanatana Gosvami’s own comments. 14 bahyantarasesa-hrsika-calakam vag-indriyam syad yadi samyatam sada cittam sthiram sad-bhagavat-smrtau tada samyak pravarteta tatah smrtiḥ phalam 354 269 The Glories of Lila-kirtanam anuccheda, He describes the proper internal state in which sanki- rtana should be performed. Sankirtana performed in this manner can bring peace and harmony in society. At present, life is filled with strife (kali) in all spheres, be it family, society, or country. Love is scarcely to be found among the members of families, soci- ety, or country. The only solution is to perform sankirtana in the mood recommended by Mahaprabhu. This will purify the heart of envy, jealousy, hatred, greed, and anger. According to sage Karab- hajana, sankirtana is the prescribed process for the present age (SB 11.5.32). He further says that all success can be obtained merely by sankirtana (SB 11.5.36). 355 Anuccheda 270 The Importance of Kirtanam in Kaliyuga २७० । इयं च कीर्तनाख्या भक्तिर्भगवतो द्रव्यजातिगुणक्रियाभिर्दीनजनैकविषयापारक- रुणामयीति श्रुतिपुराणादिविश्रुतिः । कलौ च दीनत्वं यथा ब्रह्मवैवर्ते- — THIS BHAKTI in the form of bhagavat-kirtanam is unlimitedly merciful to those who are destitute (dīna-jana), being bereft of wealth, prestigious birth, admirable qualities, and praise- worthy accomplishments. This is understood from the Vedas and the Puränas. The state of destitution (dinatvam) that is prominent in Kaliyuga is as outlined in Brahma-vaivarta Purāna: 1 अतः कलौ तपोयोगविद्यायज्ञादिकाः क्रियाः । साङ्गा भवन्ति न कृताः कुशलैरपि देहिभिः ॥ ८३१ ॥ Therefore, in Kaliyuga, practices such as penance, yoga, study of the Vedas, and sacrifices, even if performed by those who are highly competent, cannot be executed in their entirety. (Brahmavaivarta Purana ) 1 अत एव कलौ स्वभावत एवातिदीनेषु लोकेष्वाविर्भूय ताननायासेनैव तत्तद्युगगतमहा- साधनानां सर्वमेव फलं ददाना सा कृतार्थयति । यत एव तयैव कलौ भगवतो विशेषतश्च सन्तोषो भवति - तथा चैवोत्तमं लोके तपः श्रीहरिकीर्तनम् । कलौ युगे विशेषेण विष्णुप्रीत्यै समाचरेत् ॥ ८३२ ॥ atah kalau tapo-yoga-vidya-yajnadikah kriyah sanga bhavanti na krtah kusalair api dehibhiḥ 356 270 The Importance of Kirtanam in Kaliyuga इति स्कान्दचातुर्मास्यमाहात्म्यवचनानुसारेण । Therefore, sankirtana, appearing amidst the naturally afflicted people of Kaliyuga, easily confers upon them all the results derived from the practices that are prominent in the other yugas and thus makes them perfect. For this reason, Bhagavān is especially pleased by sankirtana in Kaliyuga. This conclusion is confirmed by the following statement from the Caturmäsya-mahatmya of Skanda Purana: In this world, singing about Sri Hari is the foremost religious austerity (tapah). In Kaliyuga especially, one should per- form kirtana for the pleasure of Śrī Visņu. (Skanda Purāṇa, Caturmäsya-mahatmya)2 तदेवमाह (भा० १२।३।५२) - Thus, it is said by sage Suka: कृते यद्वयायतो विष्णुं त्रेतायां यजतो मखैः । द्वापरे परिचर्यायां कलौ तद्धरिकीर्तनात् ॥ ८३३ ॥ What is obtained in Satyayuga by meditating on Visņu, in Tretayuga by propitiating Him with elaborate sacrifices, and in Dvaparayuga by worship of the deity, is attained in Kaliyuga by hari-kirtana. (SB 12.3.52)3 यद् यत् कृतादिषु तेन तेन साधनेन स्यात् तत् सर्वं कलौ हरिकीर्तनाद् भवतीति । अन्यत्र च (वि० पु०६।२११७) - In other words, whatever is obtainable in Satyayuga and the other ages by the respective methods prescribed for those ages, can be attained in Kaliyuga simply by hari-kirtana. Elsewhere also it is said: 2 tatha caivottamam loke tapaḥ śri hari-kirtanam kalau yuge višeşena vişnu-prītyai samacaret 3 krte yad dhyāyato visnum tretayam yajato makhaih dvapare paricaryayam kalau tad-dhari-kirtanat 357III The Practice of Bhakti ध्यायन् कृते यजन् यज्ञैस्त्रेतायां द्वापरेऽर्चयन् । यदाप्नोति तदाप्नोति कलौ सङ्कीर्त्य केशवम् || ८३४ ॥ इति ॥ श्रीशुकः ॥ Whatever one may obtain in Satyayuga by meditation, in Tretayuga by the performance of sacrifices, and in Dväparayuga by worship of the deity, is attained in Kaliyuga by singing about Kesava. (Vişņu Purana, Uttara-khanda 2.17)* Commentary FROM THE DESCRIPTIONS found in the Puranas, it is understood that people in earlier yugas had much longer lives and were aus- tere, self-controlled, religious, and renounced. As a consequence, they had the capacity to undertake severe austerities or to conduct elaborate and precise religious rituals, such as yajña. Being natu- rally endowed with such superior capabilities, they would not con- sider kirtana as a significant means to attain perfection, because it would appear to them as being too easy and simplistic. Therefore, kirtana was not propagated in other yugas. In Kaliyuga, people gen- erally lack the qualifications possessed by those in previous ages. One advantage of this is that people have no reason to be proud. Humility is the basic qualification to engage in kirtana. This humil- ity is naturally possible in the present age in which people in gen- eral are in a downtrodden condition of life. Thus, one can obtain all the benefits of the religious deeds executed in previous ages merely by performing kirtana in a humble mood. Unfortunately, one can become proud even without having a legitimate reason for it, as the popular adage goes, “Even a pauper is proud of his penny.” This immodesty disqualifies people from tak- ing to kirtana in earnest. Either they abstain from kirtana, think- ing it to be a commonplace act, or they engage in kirtana merely as a show. Such proud people perform kirtana only to impress oth- ers and not as an act of devotion. Even this is of benefit, however, 4 dhyayan krte yajan yajnais tretayam dvapare’rcayan yad apnoti tad apnoti kalau sankirtya kesavam 358 270 The Importance of Kirtanam in Kaliyuga because at least they are spared from singing mundane songs, but it does not yield the aspired for fruit of divine love. The verse from Brahma-vaivarta Purana states that in Kaliyuga, religious practices, such as penances and yoga, cannot be executed in their entirety (sa-angā), meaning “with all their component parts.” This is due both to the lack of qualification of the performers and the absence or adulteration of the materials required for the execution of dharma. The sense is that in Kaliyuga, religious acts are incomplete without kirtana. Therefore, they must be accom- panied by kirtana to bring forth the intended result. But kirtana should not be equated with any other religious act. This would be an offense to the name, as discussed in Anuccheda 265. Kirtana should be understood as superior to all other practices and thus as necessary to bring perfection to these other inferior religious acts. 359 Anuccheda 271 Kaliyuga Is Glorious Because of Kirtanam २७१ । अत एव (भा० ११/५/३६ ) - THEREFORE, sage Karabhajana said to King Nimi: कलिं सभाजयन्त्यार्या गुणज्ञाः सारभागिनः । यत्र सङ्कीर्तनेनैव सर्वः स्वार्थोऽभिलभ्यते ।। ८३५ ।। Those who are cultured in spiritual wisdom (aryah), who can recognize the quality that inheres within any given thing (guna- jñaḥ), and who thus extract the essence of all things (sara- bhaginah), extol the essential value of Kaliyuga, in which all goals that one might aspire for can be attained simply by the performance of sankirtana. (SB 11.5.36)1 गुणज्ञाः कीर्तनप्रचाररूपं तद्गुणं जानन्तः । अत एव तद्दोषाग्रहणात् सारभागिनः सारमात्र- ग्रहणाः कलिं सभाजयन्ति । In the context of this verse, the word guna-jñaḥ, “those who can recognize the quality that inheres within any given thing,” means, “those who recognize Kaliyuga’s quality in the form of the widespread proliferation of kirtana.” Therefore, they are known as sära-bhäginaḥ, or “those who grasp only the essence of all things” (sära-matra-grahaṇah), because they are uncon- cerned with Kali’s defects. It is for this reason that they extol Kaliyuga. 1 kalim sabhajayanty arya guna-jnaḥ sara-bhaginah yatra sankirtanenaiva sarvah svartho’bhilabhyate 360 271 Kaliyuga Is Glorious Because of Kirtanam 1 गुणमेव दर्शयति-यत्र प्रचारितेन सङ्कीर्तनेनैव साधनान्तरनिरपेक्षेण तेनेत्यर्थः । सर्वो ध्यानादिभिः कृतादिषु साधनसहस्रैः साध्यः ॥ Sage Karabhajana describes the virtue of this age in the sec- ond line of the verse. The pronoun yatra, “in which,” means “in Kaliyuga,” and the words sankirtanena eva, “simply by the performance of sankirtana,” mean “by sankirtana alone, with- out reliance on any other practice (sadhana).” The words sarvaḥ svärthaḥ, “all aspired for goals,” mean “all the various ends to be attained (sädhyah) by thousands of methods prescribed for the other yugas, such as the practice of meditation in Satyayuga.” [In Kaliyuga, all of these are attained simply by sankirtana.] Commentary THE result that one can attain by undertaking spiritual practice for thousands of years in other yugas can be attained in a short period of time in Kaliyuga by performing kirtana. Indeed, one can attain a much more valuable end in the form of pure love for Krsna, which was unknown even to great sages in former times. Therefore, those who are able to recognize the quality that inheres within objects praise Kaliyuga, in spite of the fact that it is rife with numerous vices and is considered the most degraded of all the yugas. Kirtana is like a powerful pious emperor who chases away all the rogue-like defects of Kali. This is stated by Sukadeva: O King, Kaliyuga is indeed a storehouse of all vice, yet it has one great virtue. Merely by performing kirtana of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, one is freed from all bondage and attains the supreme destination. (SB 12.3.51)2 There is a popular story of unknown origin that I have heard regarding the glory of Kaliyuga. Once there was a meeting of great sages, who gathered to discuss the greatness of the different yugas. There was no consensus as to which yuga was the best, so they 2 kaler dosa-nidhe rajann asti hy eko mahan gunah kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta-sangaḥ param vrajet 361 III The Practice of Bhakti decided to approach Vyasadeva and take his opinion. They all went to his residence at Badarika Asrama in the Himalayas. When they arrived there, Vyasa was taking a dip in the river Sarasvati. Each time he ducked his head, he would come up muttering, “Kali is great.” When at last he came out of the water, the sages asked him the reason for his statement. In reply, Vyasa explained to them that Kali is the best yuga because in it one can attain the highest goal of life by kirtana alone. Knowing this attribute of Kali, King Parīkṣit did not kill Kali personified, although the latter offended a bull by breaking three of its legs. It may be noted that although kirtana is available in every yuga, it becomes popular only in the age of Kali. Sri Jiva explains the reason for this in the next anuccheda. 362 Anuccheda 272 Why the Glory of Kirtanam Is Not Disclosed in Other Yugas २७२ | कीर्तनस्यैव महिमानमाह (भा० ११ | ५ |३७ ) - IN THE NEXT verse, sage Karabhajana specifically describes the glory of kirtanam: नातः परमो लाभो देहिनां भ्राम्यतामिह । यतो विन्देत परमां शान्तिं नश्यति संसृतिः ॥ ८३६ ॥ For human beings wandering in this material world, there is indeed no higher benefit than this [sankirtana], by which one attains supreme tranquility, and the cycle of birth and death is destroyed. (SB 11.5.37)1 अतः कीर्तनात् । यतो यस्मात् कीर्तनात् । परमां शान्तिम् “शमो मन्निष्ठता बुद्धेः’ ( ११ | १९ / ३६ ) इति भगवद्वाक्यानुसारेण ध्यानादिभिरप्यसाध्यां सर्वोत्कृष्टां भगवन्नि- ष्ठां प्राप्नोत्यनुषङ्गेण संसारश्च नश्यति । अत एव ध्याननिष्ठा अपि कृतादिप्रजा एतादृशीं भगवन्निष्ठां न प्राप्तवत्यः । 1 " The pronoun ataḥ, “than this,” means “than the singing of Bhagavān’s names ” ( kirtana). The pronoun yatah, “by which,” means “by this kirtana.” The words paramām śāntim, “supreme tranquility,” refer to a state described by Bhagavan Kṛṣṇa in these words: “Unwavering mental tranquility (sama) is fixity na hy atah paramo labho dehinam bhramyatām iha yato vindeta paramam santim nasyati samsṛtih 363 III The Practice of Bhakti of the intellect in Me” (SB 11.19.36)? According to this definition, the words paramām santim mean that [by kirtana] one attains the pinnacle of fixity in Bhagavan (bhagavan-nişṭhā), which is unattainable even by meditation and other methods, and as a concomitant result, one’s material bondage (samsara) is also destroyed. Thus, even the people of Satyayuga, though firmly established in meditation (dhyana), could not attain such fixity in Bhagavan. “महाभागवता नित्यं कलौ कुर्वन्ति कीर्तनम्” इति स्कान्दाद्यनुसारेण तादृशनिष्ठाका- रणं कीर्तनं माहात्म्यं च दीनैककृपातिशयशालिना भगवता तदानीं तत्तत्सामर्थ्यावसरे यस्मान् न प्रकाशितं तस्माद् ध्यानादिसमर्थास्ताः प्रजा जिह्रौष्ठस्पन्दनमात्रस्य नातिसा- धनत्वं भवेदिति मत्वा तन् न श्रद्धितवत्यश्च ॥ In Skanda Purana, it is said: “In Kaliyuga, highly realized devo- tees (maha-bhāgavatas) continuously perform kirtana.” Accord- ing to this statement, kirtana is the cause of such fixity in Bha- gavan. In the other yugas, Bhagavan, who bestows special grace only upon those who are destitute of material aspirations (dīna), did not reveal this glory of kirtana because of the competency that was prevalent in those various yugas. Consequently, the people of those ages, who were fit for meditation and other prac- tices, would not have considered the mere movement of the tongue and lips as much of a spiritual practice, and thus they would not have faith in kirtana. Commentary IT IS THE NATURE of the ego to take on challenges. It feels grati- fied by accomplishing difficult and adventurous tasks. When peo- ple are gifted with exceptional physical and mental power, it is not easy for them to remain humble. Their ego cannot feel satis- fied by carrying out a very simple spiritual action, such as kirtana. They cannot even believe that kirtana is a spiritual act. For this 2 samo man-nisthata buddheh 364 272 Why the Glory of Kirtanam Is Not Disclosed in Other Yugas reason, kirtana was not made popular in earlier yugas. As previ- ously mentioned, people in Kali do not have the physical and men- tal capacities possessed by the people of earlier yugas. Since they are incapable of performing severe austerities or of meticulously conducting elaborate Vedic rituals, they can invest their faith in kirtana. 365 Anuccheda 273 The Universality of Kirtanam २७३ । ततः कलिप्रजानां परमभगवन्निष्ठतां श्रुत्वा तदर्थं कलावेव केवलं निजजन्म प्रार्थ- यन्त इत्याह ( भा० ११।५।३८) - THEREFORE, after hearing of the supreme fixity of the people of Kaliyuga in Bhagavan, the people of other yugas pray to take birth only in Kaliyuga to attain this fixity. Karabhajana makes this point in his next statement: कृतादिषु प्रजा राजन् कलाविच्छन्ति सम्भवम् । कलौ खलु भविष्यन्ति नारायणपरायणाः ।। ८३७ ।। O King, people of other ages, such as Satyayuga, aspire to take birth in the age of Kali, because in Kaliyuga, many people will be devoted to Narayana ( nārāyana-parāyanah). (SB 11.5.38 ) 1 तत्परायणत्वमत्र तदीयप्रेमातिशयवत्त्वम् । एतदेव “परमां शान्तिम्” इत्यनेन कार्य- द्वारा व्यञ्जितम् । “मुक्तानामपि सिद्धानां नारायणपरायणः सुदुर्लभः प्रशान्तात्मा” (भा० ६।१४।५) इत्यत्र यद्वत् । अत्र कलिसङ्गेन कीर्तनस्य गुणोत्कर्ष इति न वक्तव्यं भक्तिमात्रे कालदेशनियमस्य निषिद्धत्वाद् । Here, “devotedness to Narayana " ( tat - parayanatvam) means “the state of being filled with exceedingly great love for Him” (tadiya-prematisayavattvam). This is implied by the effect of such love, namely, the supreme tranquility (paramam santim ) mentioned in the previous verse. That those who have attained 1 krtadişu praja rajan kalavicchanti sambhavam kalau khalu bhavisyanti narayana-parāyaṇaḥ 366 273 The Universality of Kirtanam love for Narayana are established in supreme tranquility is affirmed in this verse: O great sage, even among millions of liberated and perfected beings, a person whose interior faculty of awareness is unwa- veringly tranquil (prasantātmā) and who is exclusively intent upon Bhagavan Nārāyaṇa (nārāyaṇa-parayanah) is exceedingly rare. (SB 6.14.5)2 Here, one should not misconstrue that the preeminent quality of kirtana is due to its affiliation with Kaliyuga, because bhakti in its totality is beyond the limitations of time and place. विशेषतो नामोपलक्ष्य च विष्णुधर्मे च क्षत्रबन्धूपाख्याने- We also find specific reference to the name [as being beyond time and place] in the story of Ksatra-bandhu from Visnu-dharma: न देशनियमस्तत्र न कालनियमस्तथा । नोच्छिष्टादौ निषेधश्च हरेर्नामानि लुब्धक ॥। ८३८ ॥ इति । O hunter, in uttering the names of Hari there are no rules and prohibitions pertaining to time and place, and there is no restriction on chanting even in an impure state. (Vişņu- dharma) स्कान्दे पाद्मवैशाखमाहात्म्ये विष्णुधर्मे च “चक्रायुधस्य नामानि सदा सर्वत्र कीर्तयेत्” इति । In Skanda Purāṇa, the Vaiśākha-māhātmya of Padma Purana, and Vişņu-dharma, it is said: “In each moment and every place, one should sing the names of the wielder of the disc weapon, Bhagavan.’ “14 स्कान्द एव च - 2 3 4 muktānām api siddhānām nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇaḥ sudurlabhaḥ prašantātmā kotisv api maha-mune na desa-niyamas tatra na kala-niyamas tatha nocchiṣṭadau nisedhas ca harer namāni lubdhaka cakrayudhasya namani sada sarvatra kirtayet 367III The Practice of Bhakti And again, in Skanda Purāna: न देशकालावस्थात्मशुद्ध्यादिकमपेक्षते । किन्तु स्वतन्त्रमेवैतन् नाम कामितकामदम् ॥ ८३९ ॥ The name of Hari is not dependent upon any particular place, time, condition, or purity of the heart. Rather, it is fully inde- pendent and awards the result desired by the aspirant. (Skanda Purāna)s विष्णुधर्मे च- And in Visnu-dharma: कलौ कृतयुगं तस्य कलिस्तस्य कृते युगे । यस्य चेतसि गोविन्दो हृदये यस्य नाच्युतः ॥ ८४० ॥ For one in whose heart Govinda is present, the age of Kali is Satyayuga, and for one in whose heart Acyuta is absent, the age of Satya is Kaliyuga. (Visņu-dharma) न च कलावन्यसाधनासमर्थत्वादेव तेनाल्पेनापि महत् फलं भवति न तु तस्य गरीयस्त्वे- नेति मन्तव्यम् । One should not misconstrue that people in Kaliyuga obtain great benefit from such a simple process only because they are unable to perform other types of sadhana and not because nāma-sādhana is itself so powerful. वि०पु० ६|८|५७- In Visnu Purana, it is said: 5 यस्मिन् न्यस्तमतिर्न याति नरकं स्वर्गोऽपि यच्चिन्तने विघ्नो यत्र निवेशितात्ममनसां ब्राह्मोऽपि लोकोऽल्पकः । मुक्तिं चेतसि यः स्थितोऽमलधियां पुंसां ददात्यव्ययः किं चित्रं यदघं प्रयाति विलयं तत्राच्युते कीर्तिते ॥ ८४१ ।। na desa-kalāvasthatma-suddhy adikam apeksate kintu svatantram evaitan nama kamita-kamadam " kalau krta-yugam tasya kalis tasya krte yuge yasya cetasi govindo hrdaye yasya nacyutaḥ 368 273 The Universality of Kirtanam By fixing the intellect on Him [Acyuta Śrī Kṛṣṇa], one does not go to hell. As concerns meditation on Him, even the pleasure of heaven is felt to be an obstacle. By virtue of absorption of the mind and self (ātmā) in Him, even the planet of Brahma appears insignificant. Becoming situated in the hearts of those who are pure in mind, this imperishable Bhagavan grants them liber- ation. Thus, it is not at all surprising that a person’s sins are completely dissolved by singing the names of Acyuta. (Visņu Purana, Uttara-khanda 8.57)” इति समाधिपर्यन्तादपि स्मरणात् कैमुत्येन कीर्तनस्यैव गरीयस्त्वं श्रीविष्णुपुराणे दर्शि- तम् । अत एवोक्तम् “एतन्निर्विद्यमानानाम्” (भा० २।१।११) इत्यादि । In this verse of Visnu Purana, by the logic of kaimutya (the a for- tiori argument), kirtana is shown to be superior to the remem- brance of Kṛṣṇa (smaranam), which persists even in the state of samadhi. Therefore, it was said earlier: O King, for those seeking fulfillment of material desires [iccha- tām, i.e., kaminam], for those who are indifferent to worldly existence [nirvidyamānānām, i.e., mumukṣuņām] and seeking the state of utter fearlessness [akuto-bhayam, i.e., mokşam iccha- tâm], and for those already established in immediate realiza- tion of the Truth [yoginām, i.e., jñāninām], this constant chant- ing of the holy name of Bhagavan Hari has been ascertained [both as the means of attainment (sadhana), in the case of the first two, and as the end to be attained (sadhya), in the case of the last]. (SB 2.1.11)8 तथा च — And in Vaisnava-cintamani: 7 8 अघच्छित् स्मरणं विष्णोर्बह्वायासेन साध्यते । ओष्ठस्पन्दनमात्रेण कीर्तनं तु ततो वरम् ॥ ८४२ ॥ yasmin nyasta-matir na yati narakam svargo’pi yac-c c-cintane vighno yatra nivesitatma-manasam brahmo’pi loko❜lpakaḥ muktim cetasi yaḥ sthito’mala-dhiyam pumsam dadaty avyayaḥ kim citram yad agham prayati vilayam tatracyute kirtite etan nirvidyamananam icchatam akuto-bhayam yoginām nṛpa nirnītam harer namanukirtanam 369 III The Practice of Bhakti इति वैष्णवचिन्तामणी । The remembrance (smaranam) of Visņu, which destroys sin, is attained through tremendous effort. Yet, superior to this is kirtana, which is accomplished merely by moving the lips. (Vaisnava-cintamani)” येन जन्मशतैः पूर्वं वासुदेवः समर्चितः । तन्मुखे हरिनामानि सदा तिष्ठन्ति भारत || ८४३ ॥ इत्यन्यत्र । The superiority of kirtana is shown elsewhere also: O descendant of Bharata, the names of Hari are always present on the tongue of one by whom Vasudeva has been perfectly worshiped for hundreds of previous lives.1o “सर्वापराधकृदपि " इत्यादिनामापराधभजनस्तोत्रे च । तस्मात् सर्वत्रैव युगे श्रीमत्की- र्तनस्य समानमेव सामर्थ्यम् । कलौ च श्रीभगवता कृपया तद् ग्राह्यत इत्यपेक्षयैव तत्र तत्प्रशंसेति स्थितम् । अत एव यदन्यापि भक्तिः कलौ कर्तव्या तदा तत्संयोगेनैवेत्युक्तम् “यज्ञैः सङ्कीर्तनप्रायैर्यजन्ति हि सुमेधसः " ( भा० ११।५।३२ ) इति । 9 The preeminence of kirtana is also understood from the Nämä- parādha-bhanjana-stotra, already cited in Anuccheda 265, which states that the holy name delivers one even from offenses to Hari. Thus, in all yugas, singing Bhagavan’s name has the same power. Nonetheless, in Kaliyuga Bhagavan personally advo- cates the method of kirtana out of His grace, and for this reason, kirtana has been specifically praised in scripture for the age of Kali. So, if one performs any other type of bhakti in Kaliyuga, it should be accompanied by kirtana, for it is said: 10 In the age of Kali, the Supreme Absolute [Bhagavan] appears within this world with a non-blackish complexion and con- stantly sings or describes the names of Kṛṣṇa, accompanied by aghacchit smaranam vişnor bahvayasena sadhyate ostha-spandana-matrena kirtanam tu tato varam yena janma-sataiḥ purvam vasudevah samarcitah tan-mukhe hari-namani sada tisthanti bharata 370 273 The Universality of Kirtanam His associates, servants, weapons, and confidential compan- ions. Those endowed with discriminating wisdom worship the Absolute in this form primarily through the sacrifice of the self in complete [sam, i.e., samyak] kirtana [involving the totality of one’s being]. (SB 11.5.32)11 अत्र च स्वतन्त्रमेव नामकीर्तनमत्यन्तप्रशस्तम्- Out of the various forms of kirtana, nama-kirtana is especially glorious of its own accord, as expressed in these words: हरेर्नाम हरेर्नाम हरेर्नामैव केवलम् । कलौ नास्त्येव नास्त्येव नास्त्येव गतिरन्यथा ॥ ८४४ ॥ इत्यादौ । In the age of Kali, the name of Hari, the name of Hari, the name of Hari is the only means of deliverance. There is no other way, there is no other way, there is no other way. (BNP 1.41.27)12 तस्मात् साधूक्तम् “कलिं सभाजयन्त्यार्या गुणज्ञाः " ( भा० ११।५।३६) इत्यादित्रयम् ॥ श्रीकरभाजनो निमिम् ॥ Consequently, the conclusions expressed in the three verses, beginning with SB 11.5.36, cited in Anucchedas 271-273 respectively, are certainly appropriate. Commentary THE GREATNESS of kirtana is not limited to Kaliyuga but is eternally existent, in every place and time. Kirtana is also not praised simply because people in this age are disqualified for other spiritual prac- tices, which would make it no more than a last resort for the incom- petent. The potency of the holy name is not dependent on time or place. It is absolute. Anyone can participate in kirtana, anywhere and at any time. 11 krsna-varnaṁ tvisäkṛṣṇam sangopangastra-pärṣadam yajnaiḥ sankirtana-prayair yajanti hi sumedhasaḥ 12 harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha 371 III The Practice of Bhakti Śri Jiva Gosvāmī writes that kirtana is superior even to remem- brance (smaranam), because smaranam is not possible in an unclean heart. It takes a lot of practice before one can master the mind to attain remembrance of Bhagavan. Kirtana, however, can be performed without much effort even by an impious per- son. Therefore, it is recommended that while undertaking other devotional acts, such as picking flowers, making garlands, cook- ing, or cleaning, one should also do kirtana. Of all types of kirtana, that of the holy name is especially recommended, and of the var- ious types of nama-kirtana, that of the Hare Kṛṣṇa maha-mantra is the best. If one practices this limb of bhakti while avoiding the offenses discussed earlier, he or she will attain the intended result very quickly. According to sage Karabhajana, the wise (sumedhasah) wor- ship Bhagavan through sankirtana-yajña. This implies that those who are not endowed with sufficient discernment take to other processes. Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī writes: “Nonetheless, in Kaliyuga Bhagavan personally advocates the method of kirtana out of His grace…” The Bhagavan mentioned here is none other than Śrī Cai- tanya Mahaprabhu. He is called the father of sankirtana, because He is the one who propagated kirtana in the present age. Before His advent, kirtana was not popular, although it is mentioned in the Puranas, including Srimad Bhagavata Purana. The closing verse of Srimad Bhagavata says, “Nama-sankirtana of Kṛṣṇa’s name relieves one from all sins” (SB 12.13.23). The root cause of all sin is aversion to Bhagavan (bhagavat-vimukhyata). Nama-sankirtana destroys such aversion and awards love of Bhagavan. 372 Anuccheda 274 Kirtanam Should Be Performed without Offenses २७४ । तदेवं कलौ नामकीर्तनप्रचारप्रभावेणैव परमभगवत्परायणत्वसिद्धिर्दर्शिता । तत्र पाषण्डप्रवेशेन नामापराधिनो यो तेषां तु तद्बहिर्मुखत्वमेव स्यादिति व्यतिरेकेण द्रढयति ( भा० १२ । ३ । ४३-४४) - तद् IN THIS MANNER, we have shown that in Kaliyuga, supreme devotedness to Bhagavan (bhagavat-parāyaṇatva) is possible only by the influence of the propagation of nama-kirtana. But those who, being influenced by heretical views, take up nāma - kirtana while committing offenses to the name, remain indif- ferent to Bhagavan (tad-bahirmukha). Śrī Suka emphasizes this point in the following two verses through negative inference (vyatireka): 1 कलौ न राजन् जगतां परं गुरुं त्रिलोकनाथानतपादपङ्कजम् । प्रायेण मर्त्या भगवन्तमच्युतं यक्ष्यन्ति पाषण्डविभिन्नचेतसः || ८४५ ॥ यन्नामधेयं म्रियमाण आतुरः पतन् स्खलन्वा विवशो गृणन् पुमान् । विमुक्तकर्मार्गल उत्तमां गतिं प्राप्नोति यक्ष्यन्ति न तं कलौ जनाः ॥ ८४६ ॥ O King, in Kaliyuga, the minds of human beings are generally bewildered by heretical views, and thus they do not worship Bhagavan Acyuta, the Supreme Guru’ of the cosmos, whose The words param gurum here can have the double sense of “the supreme teacher” and “the supreme worshipful entity.” 373 III The Practice of Bhakti lotus feet are revered by the guardians of the three worlds [such as Brahma]. In Kaliyuga, people will not worship Him [Bhagavan], by utter- ing whose name even helplessly, while on the verge of death, afflicted with disease, stumbling, or stammering, a human being is freed from the bonds of karma and attains the supreme destination. (SB 12.3.43-44)2 स्पष्टम् ॥ श्रीशुकः ॥ The meaning of these two verses is self-evident. Commentary ALTHOUGH KIRTANA is the easiest and most potent process, peo- ple do not take to it, even in this age. The reason for this is that they commit offenses against the name. Because of offenses, one does not acquire faith in the process. The effect of offenses was described in Anuccheda 153. People in general have no clear under- standing about life’s purpose. There are various schools of philoso- phy that are antagonistic to the Vedas and that propagate heretical views. Those who follow such doctrines do not take an interest in kirtana, and even if they do, they do not obtain the intended result because of their offensive mentality. At present, kirtana is becoming popular in various yoga com- munities, among new age spiritualists, and even among those who adhere to an impersonal view of Reality. It is seen, however, that most of them are not clear about the principles of kirtana. There are now big festivals of kirtana, called “Kirtana-fest,” that are attended by thousands of people. For many people who participate in such kirtana, devotional singing is merely a means of feeling good and peaceful and not an actual practice of devotion or an act meant 2 kalau na rajan jagatam param gurum tri-lokanathanata-pada-pankajam prayeņa martya bhagavantam acyutaṁ yaksyanti pasanda-vibhinna-cetasaḥ yan-namadheyam mriyamana aturaḥ patan skhalan va vivašo grnan pumän vimukta-karmärgala uttamam gatim präpnoti yaksyanti na tam kalau janaḥ 374 274 Kirtanam Should Be Performed without Offenses exclusively for the pleasure of Bhagavan. To obtain the intended result of kirtana, the knowledge provided here by Śri Jiva Gosvāmi is of the highest importance. 375 3 Smaranam Anucchedas 275-279Anuccheda 275 Smaranam Requires Purity of Heart २७५ । तदेव कीर्तनं व्याख्यातम् । तत्रास्मिन् कीर्तन निजदैन्यनिजाभीष्टविज्ञप्तिस्तव- पाठावप्यन्तर्भाव्यौ । तथा तत्र श्रीभागवतस्थितनामादिकीर्तनं तु पूर्ववदन्यदीयनामादि- कीर्तनादधिकं ज्ञेयम् । WE HAVE thus described the practice of kirtana. Expressing one’s feelings of humility before Bhagavan, entreating Him with one’s personal aspiration for service, and reciting prayers, are all included within the practice of kirtana. Furthermore, as indicated earlier, singing the names, forms, attributes, and lilās of Bhagavan as they are depicted in Bhāgavata Purāņa, is supe- rior to singing the names, forms, and so on described in other scriptures. कलौ तु प्रशस्तं तत् (भा० १ । ३ ।४३ ) - In Kaliyuga, Srimad Bhagavata is of paramount importance, as Śrī Suta said: कृष्णे स्वधामोपगते धर्मज्ञानादिभिः सह । कलौ नष्टदृशामेष पुराणार्कोऽधुनोदितः || ८४७ ॥ इति । Upon Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s departure to His own abode, accompanied by bhagavad-dharma, bhagavat-jnāna, and [Bhagavān’s six intrin- sic divine opulences],’ this self-effulgent Sun in the form of the 1 Sri Viśvanatha Cakravarti 379 III The Practice of Bhakti Bhagavata Purana has now arisen for those who are bereft of sight in the age of Kali. (SB 1.3.43)2 अथ शरणापत्त्यादिभिः शुद्धान्तःकरणश्चेत् “एतन् निर्विद्यमानानामिच्छतामकुतोभयम्” ( भा० २।१।११) इत्याद्युक्तत्वान् नामकीर्तनापरित्यागेन स्मरणं कुर्यात् । तच्च मनसानु- सन्धानम् । यदेव नामानिसम्बन्धित्वेन बहुविधं भवति । If one’s heart has become pure by surrender (saraṇāpatti), ser- vice to genuine devotees (sat-seva), hearing (śravanam), and singing (kirtana) the names, forms, qualities, and lilās of Bha- gavan, one can take up the practice of smaranam, or remem- brance of Bhagavan. This, however, should be done without giving up nama-kirtana, because the indispensability of singing Bhagavan’s names was already asserted in this verse: O King, for those seeking fulfillment of material desires [iccha- tām, i.e., käminam], for those who are indifferent to worldly existence [nirvidyamānānām, i.e., mumukṣūņām] and seeking the state of utter fearlessness [akuto-bhayam, i.e., mokşam iccha- tam], and for those already established in immediate realiza- tion of the Truth [yoginam, i.e., jñaninam], this constant chant- ing of the holy name of Bhagavan Hari has been ascertained [both as the means of attainment (sadhana), in the case of the first two, and as the end to be attained (sadhya), in the case of the last]. (SB 2.1.11)3 This practice of smaranam entails minute investigation with the mind, and it is of various types, as it pertains to the name, form, qualities, or lilas of Bhagavän. तत्र स्मरणसामान्यम् (भा० ११ । १३ । १४ ) - A description of remembrance in general is as follows: एतावान् योग आदिष्टो मच्छिष्यैः सनकादिभिः । सर्वतो मन आकृष्य मय्यावेश्यते यथा ।। ८४८ ।। 2 krsne sva-dhamopagate dharma-jnanadibhiḥ saha kalau nasta-drsam esa puranarko’dhunoditah 3 etan nirvidyamananam icchatām akuto-bhayam yoginām nṛpa nirnītam harer nämänukirtanam 380 275 Smaranam Requires Purity of Heart This yoga, namely, the method by which the mind can be with- drawn from all other objects and fixed directly on Me, has been taught by My disciples, beginning with Sanaka. (SB 11.13.14)* यथा यथावत् । मय्यावेश्यत इत्येतावानित्यर्थः । तथा च स्कान्दे ब्रह्मोक्तौ “आलोड्य सर्वशास्त्राणि विचार्य च पुनः पुनः” इत्यादि ॥ श्रीभगवान् ॥ Here, the word yatha, means “by which appropriate path or method” (yathāvat), and it is the correlative of etävän, “of this type.” They are syntactically connected as follows: “Yoga is ’this manner of method’ (etävän) ‘by which method’ (yathavat) the mind can be fixed on Me.” In Skanda Purana as well, Brahmā makes this statement about remembrance: Through scrutiny of all the scriptures and repeated delibera- tion upon them, it is unequivocally concluded that one should always meditate on Nārāyaṇa. (Skanda Purana 4.25.35)* Commentary ŚRI JIVA GOSVĀMI concludes the discussion of kirtana that was begun in Anuccheda 262, where it was recommended that hear- ing the compositions manifested and recited by great devotees is supremely beneficial. In Anuccheda 273, it was said that of all types of kirtana, that of the holy name is the best. Here, Śrī Jiva Gosvāmi further determines that kirtana of the names found in Bhagavata Purana is supreme. This is because Bhagavata Purāņa is the sound representation of Krsna Himself. Among the various names found in this Purana, that of Krsna is the best, because He is Svayam Bhagavan. This was also the recommendation of Sukadeva 4 5 etavan yoga adisto mac-chisyaih sanakadibhih sarvato mana akrsya mayy addhavesyate yatha Citing Raghu-vamsa (5.19), the Samskrta-hindi Sabdakosa of V. S. Apte defines the correlative yathavat as “by which prescribed ritual or sacrificial act” (tato yathavad vihitadhvaraya). 6 alodya sarva-sastrani vicarya ca punah punah idam eva sunispannam dhyeyo narayaṇaḥ sada 381 III The Practice of Bhakti to King Parikṣit before the former ended his discourse, kirtanād eva krsnasya (SB 12.3.51). After describing the angas of hearing and singing, Sri Jiva takes up the next limb of bhakti, namely, remembrance (smaraṇam). The impure mind is highly unsteady, and so purity or stability of mind is needed for practicing smaranam. Material desires make the mind unstable. By taking shelter of a genuine guru, one’s mind becomes fixed. When the mind is thus established, it may be engaged in smaranam. 382 Anuccheda 276 Nama-smaraṇam and Rūpa-smaraņam २७६ । तत्र नामस्मरणम्- हरेर्नाम परं जप्यं ध्येयं गेयं निरन्तरम् । कीर्तनीयं च बहुधा निर्वृतीर्बहुधेच्छता ।। ८४९ ।। इति जाबालिसंहिताद्यनुसारेण ज्ञेयम् । REMEMBRANCE of Bhagavān’s name ( nāma smaranam) is described in Jabali-samhitā: Those who desire great varieties of bliss should simply chant, remember, sing, and praise the name of Hari incessantly. (Jabali-samhita) 1 नामस्मरणं तु शुद्धान्तःकरणतामपेक्षते । तत्कीर्तनाच् चावरमिति मूले तु नोदाहरणस्प- ष्टता । A pure heart is required, however, for remembrance of Bhaga- vān’s name. Therefore, it is not as effective as kirtana. But this is not clearly illustrated in the above verse. रूपस्मरणमाह (भा० १२ । १२ ।५४ ) - Remembrance of Bhagavan’s form (rupa- smaranam) is described in these words of Śrī Sūta: 1harer nama param japyam dhyeyam geyam nirantaram kirtaniyam ca bahudha nirvṛtir bahudhecchata 383 III The Practice of Bhakti अविस्मृतिः कृष्णपदारविन्दयोः क्षिणोत्यभद्राणि च शं तनोति । सत्त्वस्य शुद्धिं परमात्मभक्तिं ज्ञानं च विज्ञानविरागयुक्तम् ॥ ८५० ॥ Continuous remembrance of the lotus feet of Bhagavan Sri Kṛṣṇa destroys all inauspiciousness, extends tranquility, puri- fies the heart, awards bhakti for the Supreme Self (Paramātmā), and bestows knowledge accompanied by immediate realization and detachment. (SB 12.12.54)2 परमात्मनि श्रीकृष्णे प्रेमलक्षणां भक्तिमिति मुख्यं फलमन्यानि त्वानुषङ्गिकाणि ॥ श्री- सूतः ॥ The word paramātmā in this verse means “Śrī Kṛṣṇa.” Bhakti characterized by love (prema) for Him is the primary fruit of remembrance. All other results are secondary. Commentary LIKE HEARING AND SINGING, remembrance is also of four types, that of the name, form, qualities, and liläs of Bhagavan. Remem- brance of the name is also called manasika-japa, or repeating the name within the mind. This is considered to be less effective than kirtana, because to control the mind and fix it on the name is more difficult than employing the tongue in the performance of kirtana. Smaranam requires purity of heart, but kirtana does not. For this reason, Jiva Gosvāmī says that kirtana is superior to smaranam. Purity of heart means freedom from material desires. Desires can be gross, such as gratifying one’s senses, or they can be subtle, in the form of the desire for name and fame. There is also the possibil- ity of becoming lethargic and drowsy during nama-smaraṇam, but this is not so much the case during kirtana. This is another reason why kirtana can be understood as superior to smaranam. The smara- nam of Bhagavan’s form should begin with His feet. Consequently, 2 avismṛtih kṛṣṇa-padaravindayoḥ kşinoty abhadrani ca sam tanoti sattvasya suddhim paramatma-bhaktim jnanam ca vijnana-viraga-yuktam 384 276 Nama-smaranam and Rupa-smaranam most of the prayers are addressed to the lotus feet of Bhagavan. This too requires purification of heart. 385 Anuccheda 277 The Glory of Remembrance २७७ । किं च ( भा० १०/८० १११ ) - MOREOVER, Śrīdāma’s wife told her husband: स्मरतः पादकमलमात्मानमपि यच्छति । किं न्वर्थकामान् भजतो नात्यभीष्टान् जगद्गुरुः ॥ ८५१ ॥ Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the teacher of the cosmos, offers even His very Self to one who remembers His lotus feet. So, it goes without saying that He also provides His devotees with wealth and pleasurable objects, which are hardly desirable for them. (SB 10.80.11)1 स्मरतः स्मरते । साक्षात् प्रादुर्भूय आत्मानं स्मर्तुर्वशीकरोतीत्यर्थः । अर्थकामानिति बहुव- चनं मोक्षमप्यन्तर्भावयति लिङ्गसमवायन्यायेन । The present participle smarataḥ, “of one who remembers,” which is in the sixth grammatical case, is used in the sense of the dative case, smarate, “to one who remembers His lotus feet” [Bhagavan offers even His very Self]. The import of the verse is that Bhagavan appears directly (pradurbhūya) and offers Him- self (ātmānam) to one who remembers His feet. This means that He willingly places Himself under the control of such a practitioner (vasikaroti). Since the compound artha-kämän, “wealth and pleasurable objects,” is in the plural, moksa, or “lib- eration,” is also included in the list of things bestowed, by the 1 smaratah pada-kamalam atmanam api yacchati kim nv artha-kämän bhajato näty abhistan jagad-guruh 386 277 The Glory of Remembrance grammatical rule that an unexpressed word can be inferred when it shares the same gender with the other words of the compound (linga-samaväya). [Artha, kama, and mokşa are all masculine in gender.] यस्मादेवं तन्माहात्म्यं तस्मादेव गारुडेऽपीदमुक्तम् - Because the glory of remembering Bhagavan is as above described, the following assertion is also to be found in Garuda Purana: एकस्मिन्नप्यतिक्रान्ते मुहूर्ते ध्यानवर्जिते । दस्युभिर्मुषितेनेव युक्तमाक्रन्दितुं भृशम् ॥ ८५२ ॥ इति ॥ श्रीदामविप्रभार्या तम् ॥ If even a moment is spent bereft of the remembrance of Bha- gavan, one should cry out loudly, as if plundered by dacoits. (Garuda Purana)2 Commentary OUR LIFESPAN is of limited duration. Time once elapsed never returns. Money lost can be earned again, health can also be regained, but not lost time. The value of an object depends on its availability. Rare objects are precious. Since the time that is available to us cannot be extended even by a moment, it is the most precious thing. Therefore, one should be especially careful in how one utilizes it. One of the symptoms of those who have attained bhava is that they do not use time for anything other than acts of devotion (avyartha-kalatvam, BRS 1.3.25). Life’s greatest loss is that of the time that is not employed in the service of Bhagavan. 2 ekasminn apy atikrante muhurte dhyana-varjite dasyubhir musiteneva yuktam akranditum bhrsam 387Anuccheda 278 The Five Stages of Smaranam २७८ । अथ पूर्ववत् क्रमसोपानरीत्या सुखलभ्यं गुणपरिकरसेवालीलास्मरणं चानुसन्धे- यम् । JUST as we have previously discussed that hearing and singing generally proceed in order - from Bhagavan’s names, to His forms, qualities, and finally His liläs - remembrance of Bha- gavän (smaranam) should also be taken up in order, which facilitates each successive stage in the progression. Thus, after remembrance of Bhagavan’s name and form, one should remember His qualities, associates, service, and lilās. तदिदं स्मरणं पञ्चविधम् - यत् किञ्चिदनुसन्धानं स्मरणम् । सर्वतश्चित्तमाकृष्य सामा- न्याकारेण मनोधारणं धारणा । विशेषतो रूपादिविचिन्तनं ध्यानम् । अमृतधारावदवि- च्छिन्नं तद् ध्रुवानुस्मृतिः । ध्येयमात्रस्फुरणं समाधिरिति । There are five stages in the evolution of remembrance: (1) To think of Bhagavan in any manner whatsoever and to whatever extent is known as smarana, or “simple remembrance.” (2) To withdraw the mind from all external objects and fix it in a general way on Bhagavan is called dharaṇā, or “concentration.” (3) To specifically contemplate Bhagavan’s name, form, and so on is called dhyana, or “meditation.” 388 278 The Five Stages of Smaranam (4) When remembrance proceeds without interruption like a continuous flow of nectar, it is called dhruvänusmrti, or “constant remembrance.” (5) And when the object of one’s meditation alone becomes manifest [without awareness even of one’s own self], it is called samadhi, or “transcognitive awareness.” तत्र स्मरणम्- Among these five stages, the first, smaranam, is described in Bṛhan-naradiya Purana: येन केनाप्युपायेन स्मृतो नारायणोऽव्ययः । अपि पातकयुक्तस्य प्रसन्नः स्यान् न संशयः ।। ८५३ ।। इति बृहन्नारदीयादौ । Remembrance of the imperishable Nārāyana by any means whatsoever brings happiness even to a sinful person. There is no doubt about this. (BNP 1.1.77B-78A)1 धारणा (भा० ११ । १४ । २७ ) - Dharaṇā, or “concentration,” is indicated by Kṛṣṇa: विषयान् ध्यायतश्चित्तं विषयेषु विषज्जते । मामनुस्मरतश्चित्तं मय्येव प्रविलीयते ॥ ८५४ ॥ इत्यादौ । The mind of a person who dwells on sense objects becomes attached to them. Whereas, the mind that focuses upon Me becomes absorbed in Me alone. (SB 11.14.27)2 M ध्यानम् – Dhyana, or “meditation,” is referred to in Nrsimha Purana: 1 2 yena kenapy upayena smṛto’näräyano’vyayah api pataka-yuktasya prasannah syan na samsayah visayan dhyayatas cittam visayesu visajjate mam anusmaratas cittam mayy eva praviliyate 389 III The Practice of Bhakti भगवच्चरणद्वन्द्वध्यानं निर्द्वन्द्वमीरितम् । पापिनोऽपि प्रसङ्गेन विहितं सुहितं परम् ॥ ८५५ ॥ इति नारसिंहादौ । Meditation on Bhagavan’s two lotus feet (carana-dvandvam)3 is proclaimed as being beyond duality (nirdvandvam). Even if per- formed incidentally by a sinner, such meditation is ordained (vihitam) as supremely beneficial (param-suhitam). (Nrsimha Purāṇa)* तत्र निर्द्वन्द्वं शीतोष्णादिमयदुःखपरम्परातीतम् । ईरितं शास्त्रविहितम् । तच्च पापि- नोऽपि प्रसङ्गेनापि परमुत्कृष्टं सुहितं विहितं तत्रैवेत्यर्थः । In this verse, the word nirdvandvam, “beyond duality,” means that meditation on Bhagavan’s feet is beyond the chain of mis- ery consisting of opposites, such as heat and cold. The verb iritam, “is proclaimed,” means that such meditation is ordained (vihitam) by scriptures (sāstra) as being beyond duality. Fur- thermore, even if performed incidentally (prasangenäāpi) and even by a sinner (päpino’pi), such meditation is ordained (vihi- tam) in the very same scriptures (tatraiva) as being supremely beneficial (param suhitam). This is the sense of the statement. ध्रुवानुस्मृतिश्च “मद्गुणश्रुतिमात्रेण” (भा० ३।२९।११) इत्यादौ “त्रिभुवनविभवहेतवेऽप्यकु- ण्ठस्मृतिः ” ( भा० ११ । २।५३) इत्यादौ च । Dhruvānusmrti, or “constant remembrance,” is described in these two verses: Just as the water of the Ganga flows irresistibly to the sea, the stream of consciousness flows unobstructedly toward Me, the Supreme Immanent Self within all beings, simply by hearing of My qualities. (SB 3.29.11)5 3 There is a play here on the words carana-dvandvam and nirdvandvam. Although Bhagavan’s feet are dual (dvandvam), meditation upon them is nondual (nirdvandvam). 4 5 bhagavac-carana-dvandva-dhyanam nirdvandvam iritam papino’pi prasangena vihitam suhitam param mad-guna-śruti-matrena mayi sarva-guhāśaye mano-gatir avicchinna yatha gangambhaso’mbudhau 390 278 The Five Stages of Smaranam And: He is the foremost Vaisnava whose unabated remembrance never strays even for half a moment - not even for the sake of the opulence of the three worlds - from the lotus feet of Bhaga- vän, which are sought even by the gods for whom Ajita is their very Self. (SB 11.2.53) एषैव श्रीरामानुजभगवत्पादैः प्रथमसूत्रे दर्शितास्ति । This dhruvānusmrti has been described by Śrī Rāmānuja Bhaga- vatpada in his commentary on the first aphorism of Vedanta- sutra. समाधिमाह (भा० १२/१०/९ ) - Samadhi, or “transcognitive awareness,” is as described by Suta Gosvāmī: तयोरागमनं साक्षादीशयोर्जगदात्मनोः । न वेद रुद्धधीवृत्तिरात्मानं विश्वमेव च ॥ ८५६ ॥ Märkandeya, whose mental processes were completely sus- pended while immersed in samadhi, did not perceive before him the direct appearance of these two [Rudra and Parvati], the twofold Self and Superintendents of the cosmos, nor was he even aware of his own self or of the world. (SB 12.10.9)’ तयोः - रुद्रतत्पत्न्योः । भगवदंशतच्छक्तित्वात् जगदात्मनोस्तत्प्रवर्तकयोरपि । तत्र हेतुः - रुद्धधीवृत्तिर्भगवदाविष्टचित्तः “भक्तिं परां भगवति लब्धवान् " ( भा० १२ १० १६) इति पूर्वोक्तः । The dual number pronoun tayoḥ, “of these two,” means “of Rudra and his wife, Parvati.” Because they are integrated portions (amsas) and thus saktis of Bhagavan, they are here described as the twofold Self (atmanoḥ) and Superintendents 6 7 tri-bhuvana-vibhava-hetave’py akuntha-smrtir ajitatma-suradibhir vimrgyat na calati bhagavat-padaravindal lava-nimisärdham api sa vaiṣṇavagryaḥ tayor agamanam saksad isayor jagad-atmanoh na veda ruddha-dhi-vṛttir atmanam visvam eva ca 391 III The Practice of Bhakti (iśayoḥ, i.e., pravartakayoḥ) of the cosmos (jagat). The reason why Märkandeya was not aware of their arrival is that his men- tal processes (dhi-vṛttih) were completely suspended (ruddha) while immersed in samadhi, meaning that his consciousness was fully absorbed in Bhagavan, as indicated a few verses pre- vious to this: “He attained supreme devotion to Bhagavan, the imperishable and immutable Person” (SB 12.10.6) तस्मादसम्प्रज्ञातनाम्नो ब्रह्मसमाधितो भिन्न एवासौ ॥ श्रीसूतः ॥ Consequently, his samadhi was categorically distinct from the state of immersion in Brahman, technically known as asamprajñāta-samadhi, in which the consciousness of objects no longer remains. Commentary SRI JIVA GOSVĀMI subdivides smaranam into five steps, beginning from simple reflection and culminating in the state of samādhi. These five steps can be correlated to the last three limbs of Patan- jali’s astanga-yoga. The first two correspond to dharaṇā, the next two to dhyana, and the last one to samadhi of two types, namely, samprajnata and asamprajñata. The various stages are evaluated according to their degree of absorption in Bhagavan’s name, form, and so on. Each subsequent step is more intensified than the one preceding it. 8 According to Vedantic epistemology, knowledge is of two types: remembrance (smrti) and apprehension (anubhava). When we apprehend an object, it stays in the mind for a moment, after which it is replaced by a new apprehension. Each apprehension leaves an impression (samskara) on the citta before disappearing from the mind. If the impression is revived back into the conscious mind, it is called remembrance. Thus, remembrance is knowledge produced from mental impressions alone. This remembrance of an object also stays in the mind only for a moment before it is bhaktim param bhagavati labdhavan puruşe’vyaye 392 278 The Five Stages of Smaranam replaced by another apprehension or remembrance. This is what Sri Jiva Gosvāmī calls smaranam, or “simple remembrance,” which is the first stage. If, however, one focuses on the object of remembrance without allowing the mind to think of anything else, this is called dharaṇā, or “concentration,” the second stage. The word dharaṇā, mean- ing “to hold,” signifies the effort to focus the mind on the object of remembrance. Dharana means to think of Krsna’s name, and so on, only in a general manner. If, however, one specifically focuses on Bhagavan’s name, form, and so on, it is then called dhyanam. The difference between dharana and dhyanam is that in the former, the field of investigation is wider than in the second. When the mind becomes completely focused on one object, such as the name, without being interrupted by any other thought, it is called dhruvänusmrti. The word dhruva means “fixed,” and anusmrti means “continuous remembrance.” Thus, combined together, the word means “continuous remembrance of a fixed object.” In this state, there is no interruption by thoughts of any other object. This remembrance is compared to a steady stream of oil or to the flow of the Ganga to the sea. When oil is poured from a bottle, it forms a continuous flow without any break. Similarly, the Ganga flows from the Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal without any disruption. This unbroken remembrance has been described as a means to liberation in the following statement: “Dhruva- smrtiḥ is a special, pronounced form of liberation from all types of entanglements occurring in the acquired state of remembrance” (Chandogya Upanisad 7.26.2). The final stage, namely, samadhi, or “transcognitive aware- ness,” refers to a state in which the meditator is so completely absorbed in the object of meditation that he becomes oblivious to his surroundings. At this point, one even loses awareness of oneself. Śrī Jiva Gosvāmī cites the example of sage Markandeya, who was meditating on Narayana. Although Siva and Parvati came directly before him to bless him, he did not even notice them. ⚫ dhruva-smṛtih smrti-lambhe sarva-granthinam vipramoksah 393 III The Practice of Bhakti According to Patanjali’s yoga system, there are two divisions of samadhi, called samprajñāta (cognitive) and asamprajñata (supracognitive). In the first, meditation proceeds upon an object, but in the second, the mind is made void of any object. It is under- stood that in the state of asamprajñata, consciousness is identified with Brahman alone. According to the Yoga-sutra, asamprajñāta is the ultimate form of samadhi and is synonymous with the word yoga. Here it should be noted that from an epistemological point of view, Märkandeya’s samadhi, described in Suta’s statement (SB 12.10.9), is akin to asamprajñata- or nirbija-samādhi, which is defined as follows: “With the cessation of even that [i.e., the subtle impression generated from truth-bearing insight (prajñā- samskara)], since all impressions are thereby suspended, seedless meditative absorption ensues (nirbija-samadhi)” (Yoga-sutra 1.51).10 From a careful study of the Yoga-sutras, it is clear that the pri- mary difference between the cognitive and supracognitive forms of samadhi is not merely that the first takes support of an object whereas the second is devoid of all objective content. Rather, cog- nitive samadhi involves the operation of subtle psychic functions, such as buddhi, whereas in supracognitive samadhi, these functions are transcended altogether. Even the insight (prajña) that arises in the highest stage of samprajñāta is a function of the pure sattva of buddhi. This means that although prajña allows the object of med- itation to be perceived as it is, without epistemological distortion, it is still just the reflection of the object in buddhi. The seed (bija) of identification with empirical selfhood remains in this stage, and thus from the Yoga perspective, it is inferior to asamprajñāta or nirbija-samadhi, which is independent of any psychic functions. In the statement about Markandeya’s samadhi, it is said that his mental processes were completely suspended (ruddha-dhi-vṛtti). In this respect, his samadhi meets the criteria of asamprajñāta- samadhi. Yet, Śri Jiva Gosvāmi comments that his samadhi was cat- egorically distinct from the latter. This can only mean one of two things either his samadhi was samprajñāta, because it involved tasyapi nirodhe sarva-nirodhan nirbijah samadhih 10 394 278 The Five Stages of Smaranam meditation on an object (sabija), or it was of another category altogether, beyond both samprajñāta and asamprajñāta, because it includes and transcends elements of both. Even if Märkandeya’s samadhi is taken as samprajñāta, still because his cognitive pro- cesses were suspended and because he had lost all perception even of his own self, his resultant samprajñāta-samadhi transcended the normal criteria of cognitive samadhi (samprajñāta) as defined by the Yoga system. This type of samadhi is also referred to by Bhagavan Kapila as sabija-yoga (SB 3.28.1). Up to the culminating stage of prajñā in cognitive samadhi, the devotional practitioner meditates on the form of Bhagavan, taking support of mental processes to do so. When these processes are sus- pended, the supracognitive stage is attained. If in the midst of this state, Bhagavan reveals Himself as He is to the meditator, as in the case of Markandeya, this revelation of Bhagavan’s form is indepen- dent of the functions of buddhi or prajna. The idea that devotional samadhi, such as that of Markandeya and Vyasa, transcends both samprajnata and asamprajnata-samadhi is implied in the following two statements of Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: [Bhagavan said:] When as a matter of divine play, I appeared in a yogi’s meditative state known as asamprajñāta-samadhi, his body began to tremble vigorously, having suddenly attained Me. (BRS 3.1.36)11 And: In the state of nirvikalpa-samadhi, the bliss that manifested to me due to the complete cessation of all ignorance became millions of times more concentrated when Krsna, the Lord of the Yadus, was directly self-disclosed to me. (BRS 3.1.37) 12 11 samadhau yoginas tasminn asamprajnata-nämani lilaya mayi labdhe’sya babhuvotkampini tanuḥ 12 In his translation of Bhakti-rasamṛta-sindhu, David L. Haberman makes the following note to this verse: “Asamprajñāta-samadhi represents the highest stage of yogic development. The point here is that it is surpassed in a direct vision of Krsna, that special Form which is even beyond the state in which all forms have been transcended.” sarvavidya-dhvamsato yah samastad avirbhuto nirvikalpe samadhau → 395 III The Practice of Bhakti In reality, the Yoga system has nothing to say about this type of devotional samadhi, because it lies outside the scope of its the- ory and practice. The Yoga system ends in kaivalya, or “aloneness,” meaning the direct disclosure of the self (puruşa) free from all lim- iting adjuncts (upadhis), whereas samadhi in bhakti ends with the direct disclosure of Bhagavan. This will be clarified in the next anuccheda. 396 jate saksad yadavendre sa vindan mayy anandah sandratam kotidhasit Haberman also provides the following note on this verse: “Nirvikalpa-samadhi is another name for the highest yogic state of objectless consciousness. Again, the point here is that there is a state even higher than this.” Anuccheda 279 Two Types of Devotional Samadhi २७९ । क्वचिल्लीलादियुक्ते च तस्मिन्ननन्या स्फूर्तिः समाधिः स्यात् । SOMETIMES in samadhi, a person may have a direct disclosure (sphürti) of Bhagavan along with His liläs and related attributes, without consciousness of anything else (ananya), as indicated in Śrī Nārada’s statement to Vyasa : यथाह “उरुक्रमस्याखिलबन्धमुक्तये समाधिनानुस्मर तद्विचेष्टितम्” ( भा० १/५/१३ ) इति । Therefore, O greatly fortunate [Vyasa], since you are of infal- lible vision, pure in glory, established in truth, and of firm vows, you should continuously recollect through transcogni- tive awareness (samadhi ) – the divine acts of Bhagavan, who performs extraordinary feats, doing so for the liberation of all living beings from material bondage. ( SB 1.5.13 ) 1 स्पष्टम् । The meaning here is self-evident. एतद्रूपो दासादिभक्तानाम् । पूर्वस्तु प्रायः शान्तभक्तानाम् “स्वसुखनिभृतचेतास्तद्व्यु- दस्तान्यभावोऽप्यजितरुचिरलीलाकृष्टसारः” (भा०१२।१२ । ६९) इत्याद्युक्तिभ्यः ॥ श्रीना- रदो श्रीव्यासम् ॥ atho maha-bhaga bhavan amogha-drk suci-sravah satya-rato dhrta-vratah urukramasyäkhila-bandha-muktaye samadhinānusmara tad-vicestitam 397III The Practice of Bhakti The samadhi experienced by devotees who are established in a relationship with Bhagavan as servants, friends, and so on, is of this type [involving the self-disclosure of Bhagavan together with His lilas]. The samadhi of the santa-bhaktas, however, is generally of the type described in the previous anuccheda [in which Bhagavan alone is self-disclosed without the manifesta- tion of His lilas]. This type of samadhi is referred to in Suta’s statement about Śrī Suka [who was a santa-bhakta]: I offer obeisance unto Śrila Vyasadeva’s son, Sri Suka, who destroys all sins. Although his consciousness was exclusively intent upon the bliss of the Self, and although he had conse- quently cast off all other feelings and thoughts, his essence (sara) [meaning his utter fixity in the bliss of the Self]2 became irresistibly drawn to the enchanting lilas of Bhagavan Ajita, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Out of compassion, he thus narrated this Purana, which illumines Reality. (SB 12.12.69)3 Commentary IN KRSNA SANDARBHA (Anuccheda 153), Śrī Jīva Gosvāmi describes two types of worship, called mantropasanamayi and svarasiki. Cor- responding to these, there are two types of devotional samadhi. He says that the first one is experienced by the santa-bhaktas and the second one by the dasya, sakhya, vatsalya, and madhurya-bhaktas. These five divisions of bhaktas will be elaborated in Priti Sandarbha. As an example of the first type of samadhi, Śrī Jiva refers to the prayers of Suta Gosvāmī to his guru, Śrī Šukadeva. The latter was absorbed in the state of samadhi, as indicated by the words sva- sukha-nibhṛta-cetaḥ, “whose consciousness was exclusively intent upon the bliss of the Self.” But when in that state, he heard verses describing the enchanting liläs of Śrī Kṛṣṇa (ajita-rucira-līlā), he 2 Śrīdhara Svāmi 3 sva-sukha-nibhrta-cetas tad-vyudastanya-bhavo ‘py ajita-rucira-lilakṛṣṭa-saras tadiyam vyatanuta krpaya yas tattva-dipam puranam tam akhila-vrjina-ghnam vyasa-sunum nato’smi 398 279 Two Types of Devotional Samadhi gave up his samadhi. If Bhagavan’s liläs had been self-disclosed to Suka in the state of samadhi, he would not have been drawn out of that state by any external recitation of those lilas. The second type of samadhi is exemplified by Vyasa’s samadhi, in which he saw the enchanting lilās of Kṛṣṇa and later described them in Bhagavata Purāṇa. 399 4 Pada-sevanam Anucchedas 280-283.2 Anuccheda 280 Pāda-sevanam

Service to Bhagavān | २८० । अथ रुचिः शक्तिश्च चेत् तदपरित्यागेन पादसेवा च कर्तव्या । सेवास्मरणसिद्धयर्थं च सा कैश्चित् क्रियते । Ir one has the inclination (ruci) and capability (śakti), he should also render service to Bhagavan’s feet (pāda-sevā), without giv- ing up the practice of remembrance (smaranam). Some people render service to Bhagavan in order to perfect the practice of remembrance. तथा च विष्णुरहस्ये परमेश्वरवाक्यम्- 1 Parameśvara makes a statement to this effect in Vişņu-rahasya: न मे ध्यानरताः सम्यग् योगिनः परितुष्टये । तथा भवन्ति देवर्षे क्रियायोगरता यथा । क्रियाक्रमेण योगोऽपि ध्यानिनः सम्प्रवर्तते ॥ ८५७ ॥ इति । O Devarși, the yogis engaged in meditation are not able to satisfy Me as completely as those engaged in kriya-yoga. By perform- ing kriya-yoga, a dhyana-yogi can also attain yoga [i.e., samadhi]. (Visnu-rahasya) 1 योगोऽत्र समाधिः । The word yoga here means samadhi. na me dhyana-rataḥ samyag yoginaḥ paritustaye tatha bhavanti devarṣe kriya-yoga-rata yatha kriya-kramena yogo’pi dhyaninah sampravartate 403 III The Practice of Bhakti पादसेवायां पादशब्दो भक्त्यैव निर्दिष्टः । ततः सेवायाः सादरत्वं विधीयते । सेवा च कालदेशाद्युचिता परिचर्यादिपर्याया । In the term pada-sevä, “service to Bhagavan’s feet,” the word pāda, “feet,” has been specified simply as an indicator of bhakti [and not that only the feet are to be served]. This implies that service (sevā) is meant to be performed with an attitude of rev- erence (adara). Seva is performed in accordance with time and place and is known by other synonyms, such as paricaryā. सा यथा ( भा० ४।२१।३१ ) - This pada-seva is described by King Prthu in his prayers to Śrī Visnu: यत्पादसेवाभिरुचिस्तपस्विनामशेषजन्मोपचितं मलं धियः । सद्यः क्षिणोत्यन्वहमेधती सती यथा पदाङ्गुष्ठविनिःसृता सरित् ॥ ८५८ ॥ The taste to serve the lotus feet of Bhagavan, which increases day-by-day and is of the nature of authentic being (sati), imme- diately cleanses the mind’s impurities accumulated over unlim- ited births of those who are afflicted by worldly existence, just as the river Ganga, which originated from the toe of Bhagavan, [also washes away sinful desire]. (SB 4.21.31)3 तपस्विनां संसारतप्तानां मलं तत्तद्वासनाम् । त्वत्पादस्यैवैष महिमेति दृष्टान्तेनाह - यथेति ॥ पृथुः श्रीविष्णुम् ॥ The word tapasvinam, “of the distressed,” means “of those who are afflicted by worldly existence” (samsara-taptānām). The word malam, “impurities,” means “the habit patterns or the predispositions toward particular desires accumulated within the mind” (tat-tad-vasanam). Bhagavan’s feet are specifically 2 Sridhara Svami glosses the word sati (qualifying abhiruci) as sattviki, “of the nature of authentic being,” and Śrī Visvanatha Cakravarti glosses the same word as suddha-sattva-svarupa nityety arthah, “of the nature of unalloyed being and, hence, eternal.” Additionally, Sridhara Svami glosses the word tapasvinām as samsara taptanam, “of those who are afflicted by worldly existence.” yat-pada-sevabhirucis tapasvinam asesa-janmopacitam malam dhiyah 3 sadyah ksinoty anvaham edhati sati yatha padangustha-vinihsrta sarit 404 280 Pada-sevanam - Service to Bhagavan endowed with the power to purify the mind from all such habit patterns, as shown in the verse by the example of the river Ganga. Commentary IN THE BEGINNING STAGE of bhakti, it is not easy to remain exclu- sively engaged in singing and remembrance alone. Remembrance in particular is not possible when the mind is agitated by various material desires. For this reason, rendering service helps to utilize one’s energy to purify the mind. As one continues to engage in ser- vice, one develops a taste for it. This helps to focus the mind on Bhagavan. Elsewhere, Śri Narada advises that a renounced spiritual- ist should not engage in any projects, narambhan ärabhet kvacit (SB 7.13.8). Śrī Kṛṣṇa also says that a devotee who gives up all under- takings is dear to Him, sarvarambha-parityagi yo mad-bhaktaḥ sa me priyah (GITA 12.16). Jīva Gosvāmi, however, recommends that for purifying one’s heart, one should also engage in physical seva. The advice of Narada and Krsna implies that one should not become absorbed in projects for material gain. But to act for the sake of service to Bhagavan is purifying and aids one in smaranam. 4 Krsna also recommends physical service for those who are unable to meditate on Him: Fix your mind exclusively on Me, and let your intelligence be absorbed in Me. Thereafter, you will live only in Me. There is no doubt about this. But if you cannot fix your mind steadily on Me, O Dhananjaya, then seek to attain Me by repeated practice. If, how- ever, you are unable even to practice steadily in this manner, then be devoted to working for Me. Even by engagement in actions for My sake, you will attain perfection. (GĪTĀ 12.8-10)+ mayy eva mana adhatsva mayi buddhim nivesaya nivasisyasi mayy eva ata urdhvam na samsayaḥ atha cittam samadhatum na saknoşi mayi sthiram abhyasa-yogena tato mam icchaptum dhananjaya 405 III The Practice of Bhakti Indeed, the very word bhakti means seva, or “service.” Śrī Jīva places two conditions on service, namely, ruci (taste or predilec- tion) and sakti (effective capacity). If one has no taste for service, it will be a struggle to do so. If, on the other hand, one is bereft of sakti, or working capacity, be it physical, mental, or financial, one will become dependent on others. Consequently, it is impor- tant to first assess one’s own capabilities and then engage in service accordingly. Sri Jiva Gosvāmī also recommends that service should be rendered suitably in accordance with time and place. For exam- ple, one should consider the seasonal differences in adjusting one’s service to the deity. 406 abhyase’py asamartho’si mat-karma-paramo bhava mad-artham api karmani kurvan siddhim avāpsyasi Anuccheda 281 Sevā Is Perfect in Itself २८१ । तथा ( भा० १० | ५१/५६ ) - PADA-SEVA is also described by King Mucukunda: न कामयेऽन्यं तव पादसेवनादकिञ्चनप्रार्थ्यतमाद् वरं विभो । आराध्य कस्त्वां ह्यपवर्गदं हरे वृणीत आर्यो वरमात्मबन्धनम् ॥ ८५९ ॥ O Lord, O Hari, I do not covet any boon other than service to Your feet, which is the highest benediction aspired for by those who have abandoned all egoism and desire (akiñcanas). For what person of discernment, having worshiped You, the bestower of liberation, would choose as preferable a boon that perpetuates the bondage of the self? (SB 10.51.56)2 अकिञ्चना मोक्षपर्यन्तकामनारहिताः । तत्र हेतुः - त्वामाराध्य कस्त्वामपवर्गदं सन्तं वृणीत | अपवर्गदतयाविर्भवन्तं समाश्रयेतेत्यर्थः । वरमित्यव्ययमीषत् प्रिये । वरमात्मनो बन्धनमेव वृणीत ॥ | The word akiñcanaḥ means “those who are devoid of all desire” (kāmanā-rahitāh), including the longing for liberation (moksa). In the form of a question, Mucukunda expresses the reason why such akincanas don’t desire even liberation. He asks, “Having worshiped you, who would solicit You merely as the bestower 1 Sridhara Svami glosses the word akincana here as niskamah, “those who are free from desire,” and as nivrtta-abhimānāh, “those who are free from the ego of separate doership.” 2 na kamaye’nyam tava pada-sevanad akincana-prarthyatamad varam vibho aradhya kas tvam hy apavargadam hare vrnita aryo varam atma-bandhanam 407III The Practice of Bhakti of liberation?” In other words, who would take shelter of Bha- gavän with the view that His appearance is only for the sake of awarding liberation? The word varam, “preferable,” [in the final quarter of the verse] is an indeclinable adverb, and it is used here in reference to any boon that is only slightly agree- able (işat-priye). Mucukunda thus asks, “Who would choose as preferable (varam) a boon that is nothing but bondage for the self?” Commentary FROM the discussion in the previous anuccheda, one should not think that service (seva) is only a means to purify the heart, lead- ing to remembrance. Service in itself is a complete act of devotion and does not depend on any other practice. Service indeed is the natural outcome of love. Therefore, perfected devotees pray for ser- vice. This is the essence of Mucukunda’s prayer. Of course, service can also be performed with a motive. This, however, is despised by genuine devotees, or akincana-bhaktas. The word akincana literally means “having nothing at all.” Here, however, it refers to a devotee who has abandoned all sense of pos- sessiveness, or separate ego, and who desires nothing but service to Bhagavan. Truly speaking, all beings in the material world are akincanas, or “owning nothing,” because everything belongs to Bha- gavan. We are born naked, having no possessions, and we die, leav- ing everything behind. We did not bring any possessions with us, not even our clothing, and we do not carry anything with us at the time of death. Between birth and death, however, we harbor the false idea of independent ownership. The word varam has various meanings. Its most common usage is as a noun, meaning, “a boon received from a deity.” In the verse under discussion (SB 10.51.56), the first instance of the word varam has this meaning. As an adjective, varam means “best” or “most 408 281 Seva Is Perfect in Itself excellent.” But as an indeclinable adverb, it means “slightly agree- able” (manak-priye, Amara-kosa 3.3.173) Śrī Jiva takes the sec- ond occurrence of varam in the verse as an indeclinable and thus implies that any boon other than selfless seva to Bhagavan is not desirable for a devotee. 3 devad vrte varaḥ śresthe trisu klibam manak-priye 409 Anuccheda 282 Pure Devotees Desire Only Service २८२ । अनन्तरं चास्य " तस्माद् विसृज्याशिषः " ( भा० १० | ५१।५६ ) इत्यादिवाक्ये “निरञ्जनम्” इत्यादि । IN THE next verse, King Mucukunda said: Therefore, O Lord (Isa), completely rejecting all blessings asso- ciated with the qualitative states of sattva, rajas, and tamas, I approach You, the Supreme Person (param puruşam), who are of the essence of consciousness alone (jnäpti-mätram), free from all limiting adjuncts (niranjanam), beyond the three gunas (nirgunam), the nondual Absolute (advayam). (SB 10.51.57)’ अत्र सेव्यपादत्वेनैव प्राप्तस्य तस्य पुरुषोत्तमस्य सच्चिदानन्दचनत्वमेवाभिप्रेतम् ॥ मुचुकुन्दः श्रीभगवन्तम् ॥ The implication here is that because Mucukunda obtained the Absolute as the supreme object of service, he realized Bhaga- van’s personal feature as the condensed essence, or the direct embodiment, of being, consciousness, and bliss. Commentary THE BLISS of service to Bhagavan is far superior to all so-called benedictions that are but products of the three gunas. It is supe- rior even to brahmananda, the bliss of the immediate intuition of 1 tasmad visrjyäsisa isa sarvato rajas-tamaḥ-sattva-gunanubandhanaḥ niranjanam nirgunam advayam param tvām jnapti-matram purusam vrajamy aham 410 282 Pure Devotees Desire Only Service Brahman. Therefore, a devotee has no desire for anything other than service in divine love. The gunas are inert and are manifes- tations only of the sat potency of Paramātmā, while Bhagavan Him- self is described here as jñāpti-matram, or “consciousness alone.” This also implies His purely blissful nature. 411 Anuccheda 283 Pāda-sevanam Concluded 283.1 Residing in Holy Places As an Extension of Päda-sevanam २८३ । अत्र पादसेवायां श्रीमूर्तिदर्शनस्पर्शपरिक्रमानुव्रजनभगवन्मन्दिरगङ्गापुरुषों- 1 त्तमद्वारकामधुरादितदीयतीर्थस्थानगमनादयोऽप्यन्तर्भाव्यास्तत्परिकरप्रायत्वात् यावज्जीवं तन्मन्दिरादिनिवासस्तु शरणापत्तावन्तर्भवति । गङ्गादीनां तत्स्थप्राणिवृ- न्दानां च परमभागवतत्वमेवेति पक्षे तु तत्सेवादिकं महत्सेवादावेव पर्यवस्यति । ततो गङ्गादिष्वपि भक्तिनिदानत्वं भवेत् । DEVOTIONAL PRACTICES, such as beholding, touching, and cir- cumambulating the deity, following behind the deity in a pro- cession, and visiting Bhagavan’s temples, the Ganga, and holy places, like Purusottama-kṣetra, Dvārakā, and Mathura, are also to be included under the category of service to Bhagavan’s feet (pada-seva), because all of these acts are related to service. To live in a temple or a holy place for the duration of one’s life, however, is included within saraṇāpatti, or surrender [see Anuccheda 236]. Holy places like the Ganga and the living beings residing in them are great devotees of Bhagavan. So, in this sense, service to holy places and their residents can be included under the heading of service to great devotees (mahat-sevä). For this reason, holy places like the Ganga are also instrumental in awarding devotion. अत एव (भा० १ २ ।१६ ) - Sūta thus made the following statement: 412 283 Pada-sevanam Concluded शुश्रूषोः श्रद्दधानस्य वासुदेवकथारुचिः । स्यान् महत्सेवया विप्राः पुण्यतीर्थनिषेवणात् ॥ ८६० ॥ इति । O learned brahmanas, by visiting or dwelling in a holy place and by service to highly realized devotees, attraction for the narra- tions of Bhagavan Vasudeva comes about for a person endowed with firm faith, who is eager to hear. (SB 1.2.16 ) 1 अत्र पुण्यतीर्थशब्दोक्तस्य गङ्गादेः पृथक्कारणत्वं व्याख्येयम् । यथा तृतीये " यत्पादनिःसृ- तसरित्प्रवरोदकेन तीर्थेन मूर्ध्न्यधिकृतेन शिवः शिवोऽभूत् ” ( भा० ३।२८।२२) इति । In this verse, the Ganga and other holy places indicated by the word punya-tirtha should be understood as distinct causes [sep- arate from the influence of service to great devotees] for the awakening of attraction toward the narrations of Bhagavan. This is implied in this statement from the Third Canto of Srimad Bhāgavata: “Siva became siva, or ‘auspicious, ’ by accepting upon his head the sacred water of the Ganga, which is the best of rivers, because it issued forth from the water that washed the feet of Bhagavan” (SB 3.28.22 ) 2 1 शिवत्वं नाम ह्यत्र परमसुखप्राप्तिरिति टीकाकृन्मतम् । तादृशसुखत्वं च भक्तावेव पर्य- वसितम् - तत ऊर्ध्वं सुखान्तराभावात् । According to Sridhara Svāmi, the words sivo bhut, “became siva ( auspicious ) ” mean that Siva attained supreme bliss (parama- sukha). And such bliss is possible only in bhakti, because there is no other bliss higher than bhakti. ब्राह्मे पुरुषोत्तममुद्दिश्य - A reference to Purusottama-kşetra [Jagannatha Puri] is found in Brahma Purāņa: 1 2 अहो क्षेत्रस्य माहात्म्यं समन्ताद् दशयोजनम् । दिविष्ठा यत्र पश्यन्ति सर्वानेव चतुर्भुजान् ॥ ८६१ ॥ susrusoḥ śraddadhanasya vasudeva-katha-rucih syan mahat-sevaya viprah punya-tirtha-nisevaṇāt yat-pada-nihsrta-sarit-pravarodakena tirthena mūrdhny adhikytena sivah sivo ‘bhūt 413 III The Practice of Bhakti How extraordinary is the glory of Purusottama-kṣetra! The celestial beings perceive all living entities within an eighty- mile radius of this sacred place as having four arms [i.e., as being equal to the four-armed associates of Bhagavan in Vaikuntha]. ( Brahma Purana) 3 स्कान्दे- A reference to Dväraka is found in Skanda Purāṇa: संवत्सरं वा षण्मासान् मासं मासार्धमेव वा । द्वारकावासिनः सर्वे नरा नार्यश्चतुर्भुजाः || ८६२ ॥ Any man or woman who lives in Dvaraka for a year, six months, one month, or even half a month, acquires four arms. (Skanda Purana)+ पाद्मपातालखण्डे- Mathura is described in the Patala-khanda of Padma Purana: अहो मधुपुरी धन्या वैकुण्ठाच्च गरीयसी । दिनमेकं निवासेन हरौ भक्तिः प्रजायते ॥ ८६३ ॥ How blessed is this land of Mathura! It is superior even to Vai- kuntha, because simply by residing here for one day, one attains bhakti to Bhagavān Hari (Padma Purāna, Patāla-khanda ) 5 आदिवाराहे तामुद्दिश्य “जन्मभूमिः प्रिया मम” इति । In Adi varāha Purāna, Bhagavan refers to this Mathura: “My birthplace [Mathurā] is dear to Me. "” एषु च स्वोपासनास्थानमधिकं सेव्यम् । श्रीकृष्णस्य पूर्णभगवत्त्वात् तत्स्थानं तु सर्वेषा- मेव पूर्णपुरुषार्थदं भवेत् । अत एवादिवाराहे- 3 aho kşetrasya mahatmyam samantad daśa-yojanam divistha yatra pasyanti sarvan eva catur-bhujan 4 samvatsaram va san-masan masam masardham-eva va dvaraka-vasinaḥ sarve nara naryas catur-bhujah 5 aho madhu-puri dhanya vaikunthac ca gariyasi 6 dinam ekam nivasena harau bhaktih prajayate janma-bhumih priya mama 414 283 Pada-sevanam Concluded Of all the different holy places, those specifically associated with the deity form that one worships are particularly worthy of one’s service or adoration. Nonetheless, because Śrī Krsna is the complete manifestation of Bhagavan, His holy place can award the complete goal of human life (purna-puruṣārtha) to everyone. Thus, it is said in Adi-varaha Purana: मथुरां च परित्यज्य योऽन्यत्र कुरुते रतिम् । मूढो भ्रमति संसारे मोहितो मम मायया || ८६४ ॥ इति । If a person abandons Mathura and becomes enamored with some other place, then such a fool, bewildered by My delud- ing potency, wanders in the material world. (Adi-varaha Purana 150.17)’ Commentary IN THE present context, the compound pada-seva, literally, “service to the feet,” actually signifies service to the whole person, Bhaga- vān. The feet (pada) represent the complete person of Bhagavan by the linguistic rule known as ajahal-lakṣana, or the metaphorical transfer of meaning in which a word carries a secondary extended sense without giving up its own primary meaning. Here, the word pada does not give up its primary or literal meaning of “Bhagavan’s feet” but instead includes it by way of reference to His complete personhood. In Vedic culture, out of respect, a person is referred to by his or her feet. Thus, we have titles of honor like ācārya-pāda, gosvāmi-pāda, and prabhu-pada. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmīpada includes the devotional acts of seeing the deity in the temple, circumambulating the deity, and visiting holy places within the category of pada-sevanam, service to Bhaga- vän. Alternatively, visiting holy places, such as the Ganga, could be considered as service to exalted devotees (mahat-seva), because the Ganga as well as the living beings in it are devotees. The same is true of other holy places, such as Mathura. Being great devotees of ? mathuram ca parityajya yo’nyatra kurute ratim mudho bhramati samsare mohito mama mayaya 415 III The Practice of Bhakti Bhagavan, they all have the power to bestow bhakti to anyone who serves them. This is understood from numerous scriptural state- ments that proclaim this truth. Among all the holy places, Vṛnda- vana is supreme, because it is the abode of Svayam Bhagavan, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. There are many devotees living in Vraja who have taken a vow to never step foot out of Vraja at all. This is part of their service to the holy dhama. There is a story about Śrī Jīva Gosvāmīpāda himself regarding this vow. It is said that once, the Mughal emperor Akbar was vis- iting Agra, which is about 60 kilometers south of Vṛndavana. In his court, a discussion ensued about which river is superior - the Ganga or the Yamuna. Some scholars were proponents of Ganga’s superiority, while others, favored the Yamuna. In scripture, there are statements regarding both. No definite conclusion could be reached. Someone then suggested that the definitive conclusion could be given only by Śrī Jīva Gosvāmīpāda. The emperor called for him, but Gosvāmīpāda expressed his inability to go to Agra, because he did not want to spend a single night outside Vrndavana. Hearing this, the emperor arranged for a few sets of horses to be stationed at different places along the way so that Sri Jiva could be carried from one set to another without delay. In this manner, he could arrive swiftly at the court, give his decision, and return the same day. By this arrangement, Sri Jīva did not have to spend the night in Agra. 283.2 Service to Tulasi As an Extension of Sat-sevä तदेवं तुलसीसेवा च सत्सेवायामन्तर्भाव्या- परमभगवत्प्रियत्वात् तस्याः । यथा अगस्त्यसंहितायां गारुडसंहितायां च- In corresponding manner, service to the tulasi plant can also be included within the category of service to devotees (sat-sevä), because she is supremely dear to Bhagavan, as stated in Agastya- samhita and Garuda-samhitä: 416 283 Pada-sevanam Concluded विष्णोस्त्रैलोक्यनाथस्य रामस्य जनकात्मजा । प्रिया तथैव तुलसी सर्वलोकैकपावनी ॥ ८६५ ॥ Just as the daughter of King Janaka, Sītā Devi, is dear to Bhaga- van Rama - who is Visņu Himself, the Regulator of the three worlds – in the same manner, tulasī, who purifies all beings, is dear to Him. (Agastya-samhitā and Garuda samhita ) ® स्कान्दे- Tulasi is also mentioned in Skanda Purana: रतिं बध्नाति नान्यत्र तुलसीकाननं विना । देवदेवो जगत्स्वामी कलिकाले विशेषतः || ८६६ ॥ निरीक्षिता नरैर्यैस्तु तुलसीवनवाटिका । रोपिता यैस्तु विधिना सम्प्राप्तं परमं पदम् ॥ ८६७ ॥ The Lord of the cosmos ( Jagat - svami ), the Deva of all devas, has no affinity for any place other than a tulasi garden, and espe- cially so in Kaliyuga. Those who merely behold a tulasi garden, or those who plant a tulasi garden according to the prescribed method, attain the supreme destination. ( Skanda Purana) स्कान्द एव तुलसीस्तवे “तुलसीनाममात्रेण प्रीणात्यसुरदर्पहा” इति । There is another reference to tulasi in Skanda Purana, in the prayer known as Tulasi-stava : “Bhagavan, who snatches away the pride of the antigods (asuras), is pleased just by hearing the name of tulasī. “10 तदेवं पादसेवा व्याख्याता । प्रसङ्गसङ्गत्या गङ्गादिसेवा च । We have thus described the devotional practice known as service to Bhagavān’s feet (pada-seva). Through contextual correlation 8 visnos trailokya-nathasya ramasya janakātmajā priya tathaiva tulasī sarva-lokaika-pavani “ratim badhnati nanyatra tulasi-kananam vinā devadevo jagat-svami kali-kale visesataḥ nirikṣitā narair yais tu tulasi-vana-vatika ropita yais tu vidhina samprapta paramam padam 10 tulasi-nama-matrena prinaty asura darpaha 417III The Practice of Bhakti (prasanga-sangati), service to holy places, such as the Ganga, has also been described. Commentary Tulasi is a great devotee of Bhagavan. Although manifest as a plant here in this world, she has a transcendental female form in the spiritual world. She is exceedingly dear to Krsna. Her leaves are offered at the feet of Krsna’s deity form. Tulasi leaves are also used to make garlands for Kṛṣṇa. Whenever any offering is made to Him, fresh tulasi leaves are placed on each dish. It is said that Kṛṣṇa does not accept any dish offered without tulasi leaves. This shows just how great is His love for tulasi. From this perspective, Jiva Gosvāmi says that service to the tulasi plant can be included within the bhakti-anga of service to devotees (sat-seva). Devotees serve tulasi by offering water at her root and circumambulating her. Vrnda is another name for tulasi, and thus by name, the holy land of Vrndāvana means “The Tulasi Garden Forest.” 418 5 Arcanam Anucchedas 283.3-303.1 283.3 Arcanam - Deity Worship अथार्चनम् । तच् चागमोक्तावाहनादिक्रमकम् । तन्मार्गे श्रद्धा चेदाश्रितमन्त्रगुरुस्तं विशे- षतः पृच्छेत् । तथोदाहृतम् " लब्ध्वानुग्रह आचार्यात् तेन सन्दर्शितागमः” (भा० ११ १३ | ४८ ) इत्यादिना । Now we will discuss arcanam, or worship of the deity form. This worship consists of various procedures, beginning with invok- ing Bhagavan’s presence in the form of the deity, as described in the Agama scripture. If one has faith in this path, one should take shelter of a mantra-guru and inquire from him in a specific manner about deity worship, as pointed out earlier: One who has received grace (anugraha)” from an acarya and who has been instructed by him in the prescribed method of worship according to the Agamas, should worship the Supreme Purusa [Bhagavan] in the form that is according to his longing. (SB 11.3.48)12 यद्यपि श्रीभागवतमते पञ्चरात्रादिवदर्चनमार्गस्यावश्यकत्वं नास्ति तद् विनापि शरणा- पत्त्यादीनामेकतरेणापि पुरुषार्थसिद्धेरभिहितत्वात् तथापि श्रीनारदादिवर्त्मानुसरद्भिः श्री- भगवता सह सम्बन्धविशेषं दीक्षाविधानेन श्रीगुरुचरणसम्पादितं चिकीर्षद्भिः कृतायां दीक्षायामर्चनमवश्यं क्रियेतैव । According to the view of Srimad Bhagavata, the path of arcana, as outlined in scriptures like the Pancaratra, is not required, because it is ordained that even without it, perfection can be attained by following even just one of the limbs of bhakti, such as surrender. Yet those who follow the path recommended by sages, such as Sri Narada, and who desire a specific relation 11 In his Bāla-prabodhini commentary on this verse, Śrī Giridhara glosses the word anugraha as “the prior investiture with the sacred thread (upanayana), mantra initiation, and so on.” Additionally, Sridhara Svami glosses the compound sandarsitagamah as “one who has been instructed by that acarya in the prescribed method of worship according to the Agamas” (tenācāryena sandarsita agamo’rcana-prakaro yasya sah). 12 labdhvanugraha acaryat tena sandarsitāgamaḥ maha-purusam abhyarcen mürtyabhimatayatmanaḥ 421 III The Practice of Bhakti with Bhagavan consummated by an authentic guru through the process of dikșă [initiation into mantra for worship], should certainly perform arcana after first accepting dikṣā. ह० भ० वि०२।९-१०- Diksa is described in the Agama (cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa): दिव्यं ज्ञानं यतो दद्यात् कुर्यात् पापस्य सङ्क्षयम् 1 तस्माद् दीक्षेति सा प्रोक्ता देशिकैस्तत्त्वकोविदैः ॥ ८६८ ॥ अतो गुरुं प्रणम्यैवं सर्वस्वं विनिवेद्य च । गृह्णीयाद् वैष्णवं मन्त्रं दीक्षापूर्वं विधानतः ॥ ८६९ ॥ इत्यागमात् । Learned exponents of the Absolute declare that the process by which the spiritual preceptor imparts divine knowledge (divya- jñāna) to the disciple and eradicates all sins is known as dikṣā, or spiritual initiation. Therefore, submitting oneself before one’s guru and offering everything to him, one should accept a Vaiṣṇava mantra in accordance with the standard initiation procedure. (Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 2.9-10 ) 13 दिव्यं ज्ञानं ह्यत्र श्रीमति मन्त्रे भगवत्स्वरूपज्ञानं तेन भगवता सम्बन्धविशेषज्ञानं च । यथा पाद्मोत्तरखण्डादावष्टाक्षरादिकमधिकृत्य विवृतमस्ति । In this context, the compound divya-jñāna, “divine knowl- edge,” means “knowledge of Bhagavan’s constitutional identity (bhagavat-svarūpa - jnana ) and knowledge of one’s specific rela- tion with Him (bhagavat-sambandha-visesa-jnana) transmit- ted through a mantra.” This is explained in the Uttara-khanda [Chapter 226] and other portions of Padma Purana in relation to the eight-syllable mantra. ये ते सम्पत्तिमन्तो गृहस्थास्तेषां त्वर्चनमार्ग एव । यथोक्तं श्रीवसुदेवं प्रति मुनिभिः (भा० १० १८४१३७) -

ja divyam jnanam yato dadyat kuryat papasya sankṣayam tasmad dikşeti sa prokta desikais tattva-kovidaih ato gurum pranamyaiva sarvasvam vinivedya ca grhniyad vaisnavam mantram diksapurvam vidhanatah 422 283 Pada-sevanam Concluded For wealthy householders, however, the path of arcana is indeed primary, as the sages informed Śrī Vasudeva: अयं स्वस्त्ययनः पन्था द्विजातेर्गृहमेधिनः । यच्छ्रद्वयाप्तवित्तेन शुक्लेनेज्येत पुरुषः ॥ ८७० ॥ इति । For twice-born householders, the most auspicious path is to faithfully worship the Supreme Person using wealth acquired through legitimate means. (SB 10.84.37)14 तदकृत्वा हि निष्किञ्चनवत् केवलस्मरणादिनिष्ठत्वे वित्तशाठ्यविप्रतिपत्तिः स्यात् । परद्वारा तत्सम्पादनं व्यवहारनिष्ठत्वस्यालसत्वस्य वा प्रतिपादकम् । ततोऽश्रद्धामय- त्वाद्धीनमेव तत् । ततश्च “योऽमायया सन्ततयानुवृत्त्या” (भा० १ | ३ | ३८) इत्याद्युपदेशाद् भ्रश्येत् । Otherwise, if affluent householders neglect such worship and focus exclusively on practices like remembrance, which is taken up by those who have abandoned all striving for worldly pos- sessions, their duplicity in regard to the use of their wealth becomes evident. And if a householder arranges for such wor- ship to be done by others, it shows that his real interest lies in material affairs or that he is lazy. Arranging for someone else to perform one’s worship is inferior, because it shows a lack of reverence for Bhagavan. Such action amounts to a breach of the following instruction: He alone who constantly worships the fragrance of the lotus feet of Bhagavan without duplicity and in a congenial manner can know to some extent the ways and means of He who is the Supreme Ground and Root Cause of creation, whose power is without limit, and who wields the dynamic disc weapon in His hand. (SB 1.3.38)15 किं च गृहस्थानां परिचर्यामार्गे द्रव्यसाध्यतयार्चनमार्गादविशेषेण प्राप्तेऽप्यर्चनमार्ग- स्यैव प्राधान्यमत्यन्तविधिसापेक्षत्वात् तेषाम् । 14 ayam svastyayanah pantha dvijäter grha-medhinah 15 yac-chraddhayapta-vittena suklenejyeta purusah sa veda dhatuh padavim parasya duranta-viryasya rathanga-paneh yo’mayaya santatayanuvṛttya bhajeta tad-pada-saroja-gandham 423 III The Practice of Bhakti Moreover, for householders, the path of arcana is indeed pri- mary, because they require the strict regulation that it provides, even though there is no difference between the path of service (paricarya) and that of arcana as far as expenditure of wealth is concerned. तथा गार्हस्थ्यधर्मस्य देवतायागस्य शाखापल्लवादिसेकस्थानीयस्य मूलसेकरूपं तदर्च- नमित्यपि तदकरणे महान् दोषः । Additionally, for householders, the worship of Bhagavan con- stitutes the very essence of the dharma of family life, analo- gous to watering the root of a tree, whereas the sacrifices (yaga) that householders offer to the devas as part of their dharma are comparable to watering the tree’s branches and leaves. Conse- quently, it would be a great defect for a householder devotee to neglect to worship the deity form of Bhagavan. अतः स्कान्दे श्रीप्रह्लादवाक्यम्– Thus, we find this statement of Sri Prahlada in Skanda Purana: केशवार्चा गृहे यस्य न तिष्ठति महीपते । तस्यान्नं नैव भोक्तव्यमभक्ष्येण समं स्मृतम् ॥ ८७१ ॥ इति । O King, you should not eat the food of a householder in whose house there is no worship of Kesava because his food is consid- ered tantamount to prohibited food [such as meat]. (Skanda Purāņa 7.4.36.12)16 दीक्षितानां तु सर्वेषां तदकरणे नरकपातः श्रूयते । यथा विष्णुधर्मोत्तरे- And it is understood from scripture that for all those who are initiated [regardless of whether they are householders or not], if they do not perform arcana, they go to hell, as stated in Vişņu- dharmottara Purana: एककालं द्विकालं वा त्रिकालं पूजयेद्धरिम् । अपूज्य भोजनं कुर्वन् नरकाणि व्रजेन् नरः ॥ ८७२ ॥ इत्यादि । 16 kesavarca grhe yasya na tisthati mahipate tasyannam naiva bhoktavyam abhaksyena samam smrtam 424 283 Pada-sevanam Concluded One should worship Hari once, twice, or thrice a day. One who eats without first worshiping Bhagavan is destined to visit multiple hells. (Vişņu-dharmottara Purana)” अशक्तमयोग्यं प्रति चाग्नेये-

If one is unable to worship or is ineligible to do so, the Agni Purāņa ordains: पूजितं पूज्यमानं वा यः पश्येद् भक्तितो हरिम् । श्रद्धया मोदयेद्यस्तु सोऽपि योगफलं लभेत् ॥ ८७३ ॥ इति । One who witnesses Hari being worshiped or having been wor- shiped with devotion, or who approves the worship of Bhagavan with an attitude of faith, also attains the result of yoga. (Agni Purāṇa) 18 योगोऽत्र पञ्चरात्राद्युक्तः क्रियायोगः । क्वचिदत्र मानसपूजा च विहितास्ति । तथा च पाद्मोत्तरखण्डे “साधारणं हि सर्वेषां मानसेज्या नृणां प्रिय” इति । The word yoga here means kriya-yoga, as outlined in the Pañca- rätra. Sometimes internalized mental worship (mänasa-puja) is also ordained, as stated in the Uttara-khanda of Padma Purana: “Worship within the mind is generally pleasing for all human beings.’ “19 Commentary The next limb of devotion is arcanam, or deity worship. To under- take this practice, one must first accept a genuine guru and take dikṣā from him or her. One should learn the process of worship from one’s guru. Every school or sub-school may have its own sys- tem of worship. Without dīkṣā, one is ineligible for worship. Just as a brahmana’s right to study the Vedas is formalized only after he has 17 18 eka-kalam dvi-kalam va tri-kalam pujayed dharim apujya bhojanam kurvan narakani vrajen narah pujitam pujyamanam va yah pasyed bhaktito harim śraddhaya modayed yas tu so’pi yoga-phalam labhet 19 sadharanam hi sarvesām mānasejyä nṛṇām priya 425 III The Practice of Bhakti undergone the upanayana-saṁskära, so too the eligibility to wor- ship the deity is established only after taking dikṣā in a Vaiṣṇava mantra. The mantra is nondifferent from Bhagavan, and it establishes one’s relation with Him. Taking dikṣa is compared to a second birth, a spiritual birth. Just as by seminal birth, one acquires the status of belonging to a particular ancestral line with a corresponding ego and identity, so too by taking dikṣa, one becomes part of a spiri- tual family and dynasty that have their source in Bhagavan Him- self. This endows one with the identity of having a specific relation with Bhagavan. With this relation and identity, one then serves the deity. By performing deity worship with the proper understanding, one can very quickly experience a personal relation with Bhagavan. Thus, after taking dikṣā, it is compulsory for the disciple to engage in deity worship regularly. Besides simply receiving the mantra, one must understand its meaning, the rşi, devata, chandas, and bīja of the mantra. In this regard, Śrī Šiva instructs Parvati: One cannot attain perfection in mantra meditation without knowing its meaning, nor can one obtain any material boon, devotion, or liberation, O beautiful Parvati. (Padma Purana, Uttara-khanda 226.93) 20 The meaning of a mantra is understood after intuiting its devata, as affirmed in the following statement: The devata of a mantra is to be known through diligent effort. One who knows the devata of mantras can understand their meaning. (Brhad-devata 1.2)21 Deity worship is especially recommended for married house- holders. This is because deity worship requires a fixed place and a range of suitable paraphernalia. The renounced sadhus may not 20 aviditva tu mantrartham siddhim naivadhigacchati na tu bhuktam ca bhaktim ca na ca muktim varanane 21 veditavyam daivatam hi mantra-prayatnataḥ daivatajno hi mantränam tad-artham avagacchati 426 283 Pada-sevanam Concluded have the financial means to conduct such worship. Deity worship also helps to regulate the lives of family members and to maintain a standard of cleanliness and purity necessary for the demands of rit- ual conduct. Without deity worship, family members may eat unof- fered, forbidden, or unclean and unhealthy food and may also lead an unregulated life. This is especially true in the present age, when an enormous assortment of food is readily available in the market, most of which is unhealthy. Additionally, there is an abundance of entertainment facilities that influence people to lead unregulated lives. One should not be miserly in the execution of deity worship. However, one should not perform it merely as a show to impress others or to solicit donations. To arrange for the worship of a deity by hiring a pujari is considered inferior to conducting such worship by oneself. It also shows neglect and lack of faith. 283.4 The Necessity of Diksa on the Path of Arcanam किं च अस्मिन्नर्चनमार्गेऽवश्यं विधिरपेक्षणीयस्ततः पूर्वं दीक्षा कर्तव्या । अथ शास्त्रीयं विधानं च शिक्षणीयम् । Moreover, on the path of arcanam, following scriptural injunc- tions is certainly compulsory. As a prerequisite to such worship, one must take dikṣā. Thereafter, one should learn the scriptural procedure of worship. दीक्षा यथागमे- The importance of dikşa is stated in the Agama: द्विजानामनुपनीतानां स्वकर्माध्ययनादिषु । यथाधिकारो नास्तीह स्याच् चोपनयनादनु । ८७४ ॥ तथात्र दीक्षितानां तु मन्त्रदेवार्चनादिषु । नाधिकारोऽस्त्यतः कुर्यादात्मानं शिवसंस्तुतम् ॥ ८७५ ॥ The brahmanas who have not yet undergone the sacred thread ceremony (upanayana) do not have the right to assume their 427III The Practice of Bhakti prescribed duties, such as studying the Vedas. They acquire this authority only after being invested with the power of the upanayana ceremony. In the same manner, those who are not initiated are ineligible to chant mantras and worship the deity. Therefore, one should make oneself fortunate by accepting initiation. (Hari-bhakti-vilasa 2.34)22 शास्त्रीयविधानं च यथा विष्णुरहस्ये- The importance of knowing the scriptural procedures of worship is described in Visņu-rahasya: अविज्ञाय विधानोक्ता हरिपूजाविधिक्रियाम् । कुर्वन् भक्त्या समाप्नोति शतभागं विधानतः ॥ ८७६ ॥ One who worships the deity of Hari with reverence (bhaktyä), yet without knowing the prescribed procedure of worship, obtains only one percent of the benefit of conducting such worship according to the proper method. (Vişņu-rahasya)23 I भक्त्या परमादरेणैव शतभागं प्राप्नोत्यन्यथा तावन्तमपि नेत्यर्थः । विधौ तु वैष्णवसम्प्र- दायानुसार एव प्रमाणम् । यतो विष्णुरहस्ये- In the above verse, the word bhaktyä, lit., “with devotion,” means “with great reverence” (paramädareṇaiva). If one wor- ships the deity with such reverence yet without acquaintance with the prescribed procedures, one obtains only one percent of the benefit, otherwise not even that. The guiding author- ity in the matter of the procedures of worship is the Vaisnava- sampradaya [or knowledge received in the disciplic successions related to Vişnu]. This is indicated in Vişnu-rahasya: अर्चयन्ति सदा विष्णुं मनोवाक्कायकर्मभिः । तेषां हि वचनं ग्राह्यं ते हि विष्णुसमा मताः ॥ ८७७ ॥ 22 dvijänäm anupanitanam sva-karmadhyayanadişu 23 yathadhikaro nastiha syac copanayanad anu tathatradiksitanam tu mantra-devarcanadiṣu nadhikaro’sty ataḥ kuryad ātmānam siva-samstutam avijnaya vidhanoktam hari-puja-vidhi-kriyām kurvan bhaktya samapnoti sata-bhāgam vidhanataḥ 428 283 Pada-sevanam Concluded One should embrace the words only of those who always wor- ship Visņu through the functions of body, mind, and speech, for they are as honorable as Visņu. (Vişņu-rahasya)2+ anti- And in Kürma Purana: सम्पृष्ट्वा वैष्णवान् विप्रान् विष्णुशास्त्रविशारदान् । चीर्णव्रतान् सदाचारान् तदुक्तं यत्नतश्चरेत् ॥ ८७८ ।। One should inquire from Vaisnavas who are brahmanas, adept in the conclusions of scriptures pertaining to Vişņu, engaged in vows, and whose conduct is rooted in truth. One should follow their instructions with great care. (Kurma Purāņa)25 वैष्णवतन्त्रे - And in Vaisnava Tantra: येषां गुरौ च जप्ये च विष्णौ च परमात्मनि । नास्ति भक्तिः सदा तेषां वचनं परिवर्जयेत् ॥ ८७९ ॥ इति । One should always avoid the instructions of those who are not devoted to their guru, to their mantra, and to the Supreme Self, Bhagavan Viṣṇu. (Vaisnava Tantra)26 तथाह “एवं सदा” इत्यादौ " तन्निष्ठविप्राभिहितः शशास हि” (भा० ९।४।२१) इति । Therefore, it is said in Srimad Bhagavata: 24 25 26 Being thus fully devoted with the totality of his being, he [Ambariṣa] always offered all his actions to Bhagavan Adhokṣaja [Śri Krsna], who is the Supreme Absolute and the Enjoyer of arcayanti sada visnum mano-vak-kaya-karmabhiḥ tesam hi vacanam grahyam te hi visnu-sama matah sampṛṣṭvā vaiṣṇavan vipran vişnu-sastra-visaradan cirṇa-vratan sadācārān tad-uktam yatnatas caret yesam gurau ca japye ca visņau ca paramatmani nästi bhaktiḥ sada teṣām vacanam parivarjayet 429 III The Practice of Bhakti all sacrifice. He thus ruled the earth, following the instruc- tions received from the vipras who were exclusively devoted to Bhagavan. (SB 9.4.21)27 अम्बरीष इति प्रकरणलब्धम् ॥ श्रीशुकः ॥ From the context, this refers to King Ambarīṣa. Commentary Sri Jiva Gosvami stresses the importance of taking dikṣā from a qualified guru, especially in relation to deity worship, arcanam. At present, many people engage in deity worship and mantra medita- tion without accepting a guru. They even argue against the need to accept a guru. This is the outcome of the “do-it-yourself” mentality, which is prevalent in modern society. Such an attitude, however, is self-contradictory. On the one hand, they engage in devotional practices, such as deity worship and mantra meditation, which are prescribed in sastra. On the other hand, they argue against the very same sastra, which ordains that these devotional practices are to be taken up only after taking dikşa. They desire the benefit described in the sastra, yet they do not want to follow the required procedure outlined in the very same sastra. This is called ardha-kukkuti-nyaya, or “the half-a-hen principle.” This means to care only for the hind part of the hen, which delivers eggs, but not the front part, or the mouth, which requires to be fed. One of the reasons that such people give for not accepting a guru is that there are no longer any qualified gurus. Alternatively, some people have had bad experiences with gurus, and thus they resolve never to accept a guru. This is comparable to a person who is afflicted with a serious disease and, on researching its remedy in a book, attempts to prepare the medicine himself, thinking that there are no qualified doctors who can do so. Alternatively, he may 27 evam sada karma-kalapam atmanaḥ pare’dhiyajne bhagavaty adhoksaje sarvātma-bhavam vidadhan mahim imam tan-nistha-viprabhihitaḥ sasasa hi 430 283 Pada-sevanam Concluded have had a bad experience with a quack, who deceived him. So now he thinks that all doctors are quacks. 431 Anuccheda 284 The Difference between Mantras and the Holy Name २८४ । ननु भगवन्नामात्मका एव मन्त्राः । तत्र विशेषेण नमः शब्दाद्यलङ्कृताः श्रीभगवता श्रीमदृषिभिश्चाहितशक्तिविशेषाः श्रीभगवता सममात्मसम्बन्धविशेषप्रतिपादकाश्च । तत्र केवलानि श्रीभगवन्नामान्यपि निरपेक्षाण्येव परमपुरुषार्थफलपर्यन्तदानसमर्थानि । ततो मन्त्रेषु नामतोऽप्यधिकसामर्थ्ये लब्धे कथं दीक्षाद्यपेक्षा ? A QUESTION may be raised as follows: Mantras are in their essen- tial makeup nothing but the names of Bhagavan. The difference between the name and mantras is that the latter contain cer- tain special words, such as namah, “obeisances to You.” Further- more, they are infused with specific power (śakti-visesa), either by Bhagavan or the great sages, and they establish a unique rela- tionship with Bhagavan for the practitioner. So, when even Bha- gavan’s names alone are independent of any other process and can bestow all results up to the supreme goal of life (parama- puruşartha), how can mantras, which are invested with even greater power than that of the name, be dependent upon dikṣä? उच्यते - यद्यपि स्वरूपतो नास्ति तथापि प्रायः स्वभावतो देहादिसम्बन्धेन कदर्थशीला- नां विक्षिप्तचित्तानां जनानां तत्तत्सङ्कोचीकरणाय श्रीमदृषिप्रभृतिभिरत्रार्चनमार्गे क्वचित् क्वचित् काचित् काचिन् मर्यादा स्थापितास्ति । ततस्तदुल्लङ्घने शास्त्रं प्रायश्चित्तमुद्भाव- यति । तत उभयमपि नासमञ्जसमिति तत्र तत्तदपेक्षा नास्ति । This may be answered as follows: By constitution, mantras are not dependent on dikṣā. Nonetheless, human beings are by nature prone to unvirtuous behavior and mental agitation due 432 284 The Difference between Mantras and the Holy Name to their bodily identification. In order to curb these tendencies, the rsis have established in various scriptural contexts certain regulations to be followed on the path of arcana [related to the practice of mantra meditation]. So, if these regulations are not followed, scripture prescribes various forms of atonement. Thus there is no incongruity between the name and mantras, in that neither one is dependent on dikṣā by nature. यथा श्रीरामचन्द्रमुद्दिश्य रामार्चनचन्द्रिकायाम्- That mantras are independent of dikṣa is stated in the Rāmārcana- candrika in reference to Bhagavan Ramacandra’s mantra: वैष्णवेष्वपि मन्त्रेषु राममन्त्राः फलाधिकाः । गाणपत्यादिमन्त्रेभ्यः कोटिकोटिगुणाधिकाः ।। ८८० ॥ विनैव दीक्षां विप्रेन्द्र पुरश्चर्यां विनैव हि । विनैव न्यासविधिना जपमात्रेण सिद्धिदाः ॥ ८८१ ॥ इति । Even among Vaisnava mantras, the mantra of Bhagavan Rāma bestows greater benefit. It is millions of times more powerful than mantras such as that of Gaṇeśa. O best of brahmanas, this mantra awards perfection simply by its utterance, even with- out dikṣā, preparatory rites (puraścarya), or mental assignment of deities to different parts of the body (nyasa). (Rāmārcana- candrika)1 एवं साध्यत्वादिपरीक्षानपेक्षा च क्वचित् श्रूयते । यथोक्तं मन्त्रदेवप्रकाशिकायाम् - Similarly, in some scriptural passages, we also find references that mantras are independent of any consideration of their clas- sification, whether they are categorized as sadhya, siddha, or any other type, as in the Mantra-deva-prakāśikā: 1 सौरमन्त्राश्च येऽपि स्युर्वैष्णवा नारसिंहकाः । साध्यसिद्धसुसिद्धारिविचारपरिवर्जिताः || ८८२ ॥ इति । vaisnavesv api mantreşu rama-manträḥ phaladhikaḥ ganapatyadi-mantrebhyah koti-koți-gunadhikaḥ vinaiva dikşam viprendra purascaryam vinaiva hi vinaiva nyasa-vidhina japa-matrena siddhidaḥ 433 III The Practice of Bhakti The mantras of the sun god, the Vaisnava mantras, and the mantras related to Nrsimha are independent of any consid- eration of the relative stages of efficacy of mantras, known as sadhya, siddha, susiddha, and ari. (Mantra-deva-prakasikā)2 तन्त्रान्तरे - And in another Tantra: नृसिंहार्कवराहाणां प्रसादप्रवणस्य च । वैदिकस्य च मन्त्रस्य सिद्धादीन् नैव शोधयेत् ॥ ८८३ || In the case of the Nrsimha mantra, the mantra of the sun god, the Varaha mantra, the mantra of “the benevolent one” [Siva], and the mantras of the Vedas, there is no need to clarify to which category they belong, such as siddha, and so on. सनत्कुमारसंहितायाम् – In Sanat-kumāra Samhita, it is said: साध्यः सिद्धः सुसिद्धश्च अरिश्चैव च नारद । गोपालेषु न बोद्धव्यः स्वप्रकाशो यतः स्मृतः ॥ ८८४ ॥ O Narada, because the Gopala mantra is self-manifest, it is inde- pendent of any consideration of sadhya, siddha, susiddha, and ari. (Sanat-kumāra Samhita)5 अन्यत्र - And elsewhere: 2 saura-mantras ca ye’pi syur vaisnava narasimhakaḥ sadhya-siddha-susiddhari-vicara-parivarjitaḥ See the commentary for an explanation of the terms sadhya, siddha, and so on. 3 In his Bengali translation of Bhakti Sandarbha, Radha-ramana Gosvami 4 interprets the compound prasada-pravanasya, lit., “of he who is benevolently disposed,” as meaning “of Siva,” since this is the literal meaning of the word siva and since he is well-known to be easily pleased. nrsimharka-varahanam prasada-pravanasya ca vaidikasya ca mantrasya siddhadin naiva sodhayet 5 sadhyah siddhah susiddhas ca aris caiva ca narada gopalesu na boddhavyaḥ sva-prakaso yataḥ smrtaḥ 434 284 The Difference between Mantras and the Holy Name सर्वेषु वर्णेषु तथाश्रमेषु नारीषु नानाह्वयजन्मभेषु । दाता फलानामभिवाञ्छितानां द्रागेव गोपालकमन्त्र एषः ॥ ८८५ ॥ इत्यादि । This Gopala mantra swiftly delivers the results coveted by peo- ple of all vocations and stages of life, by all women, and by those of whatsoever name (āhvaya ) and birth constellation ( janma- bha ). ( Krama-dipika 1.4 ) 6 मर्यादा यथा ब्रह्मयामले [As pointed out earlier, although Vaisnava mantras are inde- pendent, the sages have established regulations to counteract the unsupportive tendencies within human beings.] The need for following regulations in regard to mantra and worship is implied in this statement of the Brahma-yamala: श्रुतिस्मृतिपुराणादिपञ्चरात्रविधिं विना । ऐकान्तिकी हरेर्भक्तिरुत्पातायैव कल्पते ॥ ८८६ ॥ इति । Even one-pointed devotion to Bhagavan Hari becomes a source of calamity if performed without adhering to the injunctions of the Śruti, Smrti, Purāņas, and Pañcaratra. (Brahma-yamala)? इत्थमेवाभिप्रेतं श्रीपृथिव्या चतुर्थे ( भा० ४ । १८ । ३-५ ) - The Earth goddess spoke with precisely the same intention in the Fourth Canto of Srimad Bhagavata: 6 7 अस्मिन लोकेऽथवामुष्मिन् मुनिभिस्तत्त्वदर्शिभिः । दृष्टा योगाः प्रयुक्ताश्च पुंसां श्रेयः प्रसिद्धये ॥ ८८७ ॥ तानातिष्ठति यः सम्यगुपायान् पूर्वदर्शितान् । अवरः श्रद्धयोपेत उपेयान् विन्दतेऽञ्जसा ।। ८८८ ।। ताननादृत्य योऽविद्वानर्थानारभते स्वयम् । तस्य व्यभिचरन्त्यर्था आरब्धाश्च पुनः पुनः || ८८९ ॥ इति । sarveşu varneşu tathasrameṣu narīṣu nanahvaya-janma-bhesu dātā phalānām abhivānchitānām drag eva gopalaka-mantra eṣaḥ śruti-smrti-purānadi-pañcaratra-vidhim vinā aikantiki harer bhaktir utpätäyaiva kalpate 435 III The Practice of Bhakti Sages who have realized the Absolute have ascertained (drsta) and implemented many means to bring about the welfare of human beings both in this life and the next. Even a per- son of present time (avarah) who is endowed with faith and who wholeheartedly applies the methods revealed by the sages of yore easily obtains the desired goal. But the unwise who disregard these methods and independently adopt their own concocted procedures (arthan) 10 find that their proce- dures (arthah), though executed repeatedly, end in failure. (SB 4.18.3-5)11 अत एवोक्तं पाद्मे श्रीनारायणनारदसंवादे- Thus it is said in a dialogue between Śrī Nārāyaṇa and Narada from Padma Purāņa: 8 मद्भक्तो यो मदच च करोति विधिवदृषे । तस्यान्तरायाः स्वप्रेऽपि न भवन्त्यभयो हि सः ॥ ८९० ॥ इति । O sage, a devotee of Mine who duly worships My deity form according to scriptural injunctions faces no obstacles even in dreams; indeed such a devotee is fearless. (Padma Purana)12 In his Krama-sandarbha commentary, Jiva Gosvami glosses the word drsta as “having ascertained by knowledge derived from scripture” (drstena sastra-dvara-jnanena). " Both Sridhara Svami and Visvanatha Cakravarti gloss the word avarah as arvacinaḥ, “of recent times.” 10 Śrī Giridhara glosses the word arthan here as upayan, “methods or procedures.” The last line of SB 4.18.5 has been translated in accordance with his syntax (tasya te’arthaḥ punah punararabdha api vyabhicaranti phalam na sadhayanti). 11 asmin loke’thavamusmin munibhis tattva-darsibhih drsta yogaḥ prayuktaś ca pumsam sreyaḥ prasiddhaye tanatişṭhati yaḥ samyag upayan purva-darsitan avaraḥ śraddhayopeta upeyan vindate’rijasa tan anadrtya yo’vidvan arthanarabhate svayam tasya vyabhicaranty artha arabdhaś ca punah punah 12 mad-bhakto yo mad arcăm ca karoti vidhivad rse tasyāntarāyāḥ svapne’pi na bhavanty abhayo hi sah This verse is not found in the printed edition of Padma Purana. 436 284 The Difference between Mantras and the Holy Name तदेतदर्चनं द्विविधम् – केवलं कर्ममिश्रं च । तयोः पूर्वं निरपेक्षाणां श्रद्धावतां दर्शितमावि - र्होत्रेण “य आशु हृदयग्रन्थिम् " ( भा० ११।३।४७) इत्यादी । This arcanam is of two types - pure (kevalam) and mixed with ritual or prescribed action (karma-miśram). The first of these, executed by devotees who are full of faith and devoid of motive (nirapekṣāṇām), is described by sage Avirhotra: A person who aspires to quickly cut the knot [of ego (ahankara)]13 in the heart that binds the transcendental self (paratma- nah)1 should worship Bhagavan Kesava according to the Vedic injunctions and Tantric rites. (SB 11.3.47)15 उक्तं च श्रीनारदेन (भा० ४ । २९।४७ ) - Pure worship (kevala-arcanam) is also referred to by Sri Nārada: यदा यस्यानुगृह्णाति भगवानात्मभावितः । स जहाति मतिं लोके वेदे च परिनिष्ठिताम् || ८९१ ॥ इति । When Bhagavan is meditated on within the heart and thus bestows His grace upon a devotee, he [the devotee] gives up his firmly rooted mental predilection (mati) for material affairs and the conventional duties prescribed in the Vedas. (SB 4.29.46)16 अत्र श्रीमदगस्त्यसंहिता च- And in the Agastya-samhita: यथा विधिनिषेधौ च मुक्तं नैवोपसर्पतः । तथा न स्पृशतौ रामोपासकं विधिपूर्वकम् ॥ ८९२ ॥ इति । 13 Śrīdhara Svāmi 14 Śrī Giridhara interprets the word paratmanah as “the pure self distinct from the body and so on” (dehadi-vilakṣanasya svasya). 15 ya asu hrdaya-granthim nirjihirsuḥ paratmanaḥ vidhinopacared devam tantroktena ca kesavam 16 yada yasyanugrhnati bhagavan atma-bhävitaḥ sa jahati matim loke vede ca parinisthitam 437III The Practice of Bhakti Just as injunctions and prohibitions do not apply to a liber- ated person, so too they have no bearing on a person who wor- ships Bhagavan Rama according to the prescribed procedure. (Agastya-samhitā) " उत्तरं व्यवहारचेष्टातिशयवत्तायादृच्छिकभक्त्यनुष्ठानवत्तादिलक्षणलक्षितश्रद्धानां तथा तद्वैपरीत्यलक्षित श्रद्धानामपि प्रतिष्ठितानां तद्भक्तिं वार्तानभिज्ञबुद्धिषु साधारणवैदिकक- र्मानुष्ठानलोपो ऽपि माभूदिति लोकसङ्ग्रहपराणां गृहस्थानां दर्शितम् । The second type of worship [i.e., karma-miśra-arcanam] is observed in householders whose faith (śraddha) is character- ized by excessive involvement in worldly affairs (vyavahāra- cesta), by engagement in devotional practices picked up and per- formed haphazardly, and by other related symptoms. Karma- miśra-arcanam is also found in householders whose faith is the exact opposite of this [i.e., in householders endowed with pāramārthika- or śastriya-śraddhā], who are established in a social milieu, and who engage in worship mixed with karma simply to set an ideal for people in general, so that those who are ignorant of the theory and praxis of bhakti may not abandon the routine performance of Vedic duties. यथा " न ह्यन्तोऽनन्तपारस्य ( भा० ११ । २७ । ६-७ ) इत्यादी (भा० ११।२७।८-११ ) - यदा स्वनिगमेनोक्तं द्विजत्वं प्राप्य पूरुषः । यथा यजेत मां भक्त्या श्रद्धया तन् निबोध मे । अर्चायां स्थण्डिलेऽग्नौ वा सूर्ये वाप्सु हृदि द्विजे । द्रव्येण भक्तियुक्तोऽर्चेत् स्वगुरुं माममायया ॥ पूर्वं स्रानं प्रकुर्वीत धौतदन्तोऽङ्गशुद्धये । उभयैरपि च सानं मन्त्रैर्मृद्ग्रहणादिना ॥ सन्ध्योपास्त्यादिकर्माणि वेदेनाचोदितानि मे । पूजां तैः कल्पयेत् सम्यक् सङ्कल्पः कर्मपावनीम् ॥ ८९३ ॥ इति । This type of mixed worship is discussed by Bhagavan Kṛṣṇa: 17 yatha vidhi-nisedhau ca muktam naivopasarpatah tatha na sprsatau ramopasakam vidhi-purvakam 438 284 The Difference between Mantras and the Holy Name O Uddhava, since there is no end to the branch of the Vedas deal- ing with ritualistic ceremonies (karma-kända), which is limit- less in scope and volume, I shall discuss this topic succinctly and in due order. There are three types of systems for worshiping Me - Vedic, Tantric, and mixed. Among these three, one should duly worship Me specifically by that system that accords with one’s longing. (SB 11.27.6-7)18 Hear from Me how a person should worship Me with faith and devotion after first attaining the status of being twice-born, by following the scriptural injunctions appropriate for his specific level of qualification. The practitioner endowed with devotion should worship Me - without duplicity and with suitable para- phernalia - in his own guru, in the form of the deity, in the land cleared for sacrifice, in the fire, in the sun, in water, in his own heart, or in the twice-born. After cleaning one’s teeth, one should first of all bathe in order to purify the body. This bathing should be done by reciting both kinds of mantras [Vedic and Tantric]” and by smearing the body with mud. Undertak- ing a serious vow, the practitioner should worship Me, which purifies one of all karma, while simultaneously carrying out the duties enjoined in the Vedas, such as reciting sandhyā prayers. (SB 11.27.8-11) 20 स्पष्टम् ॥ श्रीभगवान् ॥ The meaning of this description is clear. 18 na hy anto’nanta-parasya karma-kandasya coddhava sankṣiptam varṇayisyami yathavad anupurvasaḥ vaidikas tāntriko misra iti me tri-vidho makhaḥ trayanam ipsitenaiva vidhina mām samarcayet 19 Both Sridhara Svami and Viśvanatha Cakravarti take the word ubhayaih as qualifying mantraiḥ. Taken together, they mean “by both kinds of mantras, 20 Vedic and Tantric” (ubhayair vaidikais tantrikais ca mantraiḥ). yada sva-nigamenoktam dvijatvam präpya purusah yatha yajeta mam bhaktya sraddhaya tan nibodha me arcayam sthandile’gnau va surye väpsu hrdi dvije dravyena bhakti-yukto’rcet sva-gurum mam amayaya purvam snanam prakurvita dhauta-danto’nga-suddhaye ubhayair api ca snanam mantrair mrd-grahanadina sandhyopastyadi-karmani vedenacoditani me pujam taiḥ kalpayet samyak sankalpaḥ karma-pavanīm 439 III The Practice of Bhakti Commentary IN THE previous anuccheda, Sri Jiva Gosvāmī made the point that dikşa in a Vaisnava mantra is a prerequisite for worshiping the deity of Bhagavan. This condition was not stipulated for the practices of hearing, singing, and remembering the name. A mantra consists of Bhagavan’s names, usually inflected in the dative or accusative case, with the addition of a few specialized words, such as namah (“I bow down”), prapadye (“I surrender”), and svāhā (“I offer”). Thus, there is essentially no difference between the name and mantras. The question must then be raised, why is dikṣa required for mantras but not for the name? Śrī Jiva replies that sages, such as Śrī Narada, have assigned cer- tain regulations to mantras required for the worship of the deity (śrī vigraha) so that people who worship the deity will not become unclean and lethargic in their habits. Visnu is the predominating devata of sattva, which signifies cleanliness and peacefulness. Con- sequently, He is to be worshiped with a clean body and a peaceful mind. The word upasana literally means “to sit in close proxim- ity.” To come close to Vişņu, the worshipers must follow the rules of cleanliness. Therefore, sages such as Narada, who have delin- eated the process of deity worship in books like Narada Pañcaratra, have established the basic requirements for such service. If one does not follow these rules, the aspired for perfection will not be obtained. Moreover, the worshiper would be required to under- take some form of prescribed atonement (prayaścitta) to counteract the flaws in worship. Mantras are of four types: siddha, sädhya, susiddha, and ari. Siddha-mantras bestow their results in due course of time, sadhya- mantras, by performing japa and homa, susiddha-mantras, by diksa alone, while ari-mantras counteract malevolent influences. These then have 16 further subdivisions, namely, siddha-siddha, siddha- sadhya, siddha-susiddha, siddha-ari, and so on. Based on a person’s birth star, there is a method to determine which type of a mantra is suitable for a particular person. It is for this reason that the birth constellation (janma-bha) is mentioned in the verse cited 440 284 The Difference between Mantras and the Holy Name from Krama-dipika. But this type of calculation is not applicable for Vaisnava mantras, especially not for the Gopala mantra. Although the above-mentioned considerations do not apply to Vaisnava mantras, a practitioner must still follow the rules and reg- ulations established by the sages and those adhered to in one’s own school. To do otherwise would be to exhibit a lack of respect for the previous acāryas, which would thus counter the effort at its root. Ignorance of the principles is also not excused. Śri Rupa Gosvāmī advises all practitioners to follow the path of the sadhus (sādhu- vartmānuvartanam, BRS 1.2.74)21 Although detailed explanations of worship can be found in books like Krama-dipika and Hari-bhakti- vilāsa, yet one should learn the specific process of one’s own school from one’s own guru. Worship is of three types, namely, Vedic, Tantric, and mixed. Not everything stated in the scriptural texts is applicable to everybody. Moreover, the worship should be carried out in conformity to one’s aspired for devotional mood (bhava). There are two divisions of arcanam - pure (kevalam) and mixed with ritual or prescribed action (karma-miśram). The first type of worship is performed exclusively for the pleasure of Bhagavan and is unmixed with any duties related to a person’s status in society based on vocation (varna), such as a brahmana, and stage of life (ašrama), such as a brahmacarī. This type of arcanam is enacted only by those who have taken complete shelter of Bhagavan. The second type of arcanam is mixed with karma, or duties related to social status. This type of worship is evidenced par- ticularly in the social environment of householder life (grhastha- asrama), and it is born of two different categories of faith- conventional (vyavahārika) and transcendental (paramarthika), the latter meaning that which is based on direct experience rooted in a minute investigation of scriptural truth (i.e., sastriya-śraddhā). Worship born of conventional faith is undertaken primarily by two types of people. The first are those who are excessively achievement-oriented, motivated by a desire for recognition and respect in society. Though engaged in arcanam as part of their 21 guru-padasrayas tasmat kṛṣṇa-dikṣādi-sikṣaṇam visrambhena guroḥ seva sadhu-vartmanuvartanam 441 III The Practice of Bhakti public identity, they give greater importance to their social duties. Their interest is to remain part of mainstream society. This shows their lack of understanding and faith in the path of bhakti. The second of the two types of mixed conventional worshipers are those who learn about arcanam within the context of their family tradition. Since their faith is merely conventional and not rooted in sastra, they do not have authentic faith in the process of bhakti. As a consequence, they too engage in mixed worship (arcanam), while giving prominence to their social duties. In contrast to these two types of conventional worshipers, the practitioners who are endowed with transcendental faith in bhakti, yet who are still involved with family and society, continue to per- form their social duties (karma) simply to set an ideal for people in general. They do so in order that common people, who are not devoted to Bhagavan, do not abandon their duties by following their example. They are well established in society, and common people take them as their ideal. If such influential people do not tend to their prescribed karma, then common people will not do so either, nor will the latter engage in pure arcanam, because they lack the requisite faith. Thus, they will be led astray both from the path of karma as well as bhakti. 442 Anuccheda 285 Two Ways of Performing Karma As Worship २८५ । श्रीनारदपञ्चरात्रे चैवमेव श्रीनारायणवाक्यं श्राद्धकथनारम्भे IN NARADA PANCARĀTRA as well, the exact same point [that Vedic karma is not to be abandoned] is made by Bhagavan Nārāyaṇa at the beginning of His elucidation of the śraddha ceremony for the forefathers: नाचरेद् यस्तु सिद्धोऽपि लौकिकं धर्ममग्रतः । उपप्लवाच्च धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति नारद ॥। ८९४ ॥ विवेकज्ञैरतः सर्वैर्लोकाचारो यथा स्थितः । आदेहपाताद् यत्नेन रक्षणीयः प्रयत्नतः ॥ ८९५ ॥ इति । O Narada, even a perfect being (siddha), who does not first exe- cute his socio-religious duties (laukika-dharma), brings about a deterioration of dharma through disruption of the social norms. Therefore, as long as the body remains, all those endowed with discriminating knowledge should endeavor to carefully preserve the socio-religious duties (lokacara) as originally established (yatha-sthita ). ( Narada Pancarātra ) ’ एतेषां च द्विविधा कर्मव्यवस्था श्रीनारदपञ्चरात्रादौ अन्तर्यामिश्रीभगवद्दृष्ट्यैव सर्वारा- धानं विहितम् । विष्णुयामलादौ तु - 1 nācared yas tu siddho’pi laukikam dharmam agrataḥ upaplavac ca dharmasya glanir bhavati narada viveka-jñair ataḥ sarvair lokacaro yatha sthitaḥ adeha-pätäd yatnena rakṣaniyah prayatnataḥ 443 III The Practice of Bhakti For those who engage in worship mixed with prescribed duties (karma-miśra-arcanam), there are two ways in which the ordi- nance for karma may be carried out. In Narada Pancaratra, it is enjoined that one should worship all living beings [includ- ing the forefathers] with the view that Bhagavan is present within them as the Supreme Immanent Self (antaryami). [This is the first manner of offering karma, in which the worship of Bhagavan is executed indirectly by the worship of other living beings.] In the Visnu-yamala, however, karma is prescribed in the following alternate manner: विष्णुपादोदकेनैव पितॄणां तर्पणक्रिया । विष्णोर्निवेदितान्नेन यष्टव्यं देवतान्तरम् ॥ ८९६ ॥ इत्यादिप्रकारेण विहितमिति । The ritual of offering oblations of water to the forefathers should be performed only with water that has washed Bha- gavan Vişnu’s feet. All other devatās should be propitiated only with food offered to Bhagavan Visņu. (Visņu-yamala)2 ये तु तत्र श्रीभगवत्पीठावरणपूजायां गणेशदुर्गाद्या वर्तन्ते ते हि विष्वक्सेनादिवद् भगवतो नित्यवैकुण्ठसेवकाः । ततश्च ते गणेशदुर्गाद्याः । येऽपरे मायाशक्त्यात्मका गणेशदुर्गाद्यास्ते तु न भवन्ति “न यत्र माया कि मुतापरे” (भा० २।९।१०) इति द्वितीयोक्तेः । In this regard, however, it is to be noted that the Ganesa and Durga who are included in the worship of the [transcenden- tal] devas who constitute the outer circumference (āvarana) of Bhagavan’s [yoga] pitha - the sanctum sanctorum of His divine līlā - are eternal servants of Bhagavan in Vaikuntha, akin to Visvaksena. Therefore, the Gaṇeśa and Durga [of Vaikuntha] are not the same Gaṇeśa and Durgā whose forms are products of the extrinsic potency (maya-sakti) [and whose worship is popular among people in general]. This is evidenced from this statement in the Second Canto of Srimad Bhagavata: 2 visņu-pädodakenaiva pitṛṇam tarpana-kriya visnor niveditannena yastavyam devatantaram 444 285 Two Ways of Performing Karma As Worship In Vaikuntha, there is no influence of the material gunas of rajas, tamas, or sattva mixed with these two. There is no supremacy of time and no presence of maya, to say nothing of any other material influences. The attendants of Bhagavan Hari, who are revered by the devas and asuras alike, are present there. (SB 2.9.10)3 ततो भगवत्स्वरूपभूतशक्त्यात्मका एव ते । यत एव च श्रीकृष्णस्वरूपभूते श्रीमदष्टादशा- क्षरादिमन्त्रगणेऽपि दुर्गानाम्नो भगवद्भक्त्यात्मकस्वरूपभूतशक्तिवृत्तिविशेषस्याधिष्ठातृ- त्वं श्रुतितन्त्रादिष्वपि दृश्यते । Therefore, the Ganesa and Durgā who are eternal servants of Bhagavan in Vaikuntha are direct embodiments of the potency that is intrinsic to Bhagavan’s essential being (svarupa-bhūta- śakti). For this reason alone, in Śruti, Tantra, and elsewhere, the specific manifestation of Bhagavan’s intrinsic potency that is predominated by devotion (bhakti-ätmaka) and bears the name of Durga is described as the presiding deity even for the group of mantras beginning with the eighteen-syllable mantra, which embodies the essential being of Bhagavan Kṛṣṇa. यथा नारदपञ्चरात्रे श्रुतिविद्यासंवादे - This is brought out in a dialogue between Śruti and Vidya from Narada Pañcaratra: 3 भक्तिर्भजनसम्पत्तिर्भजते प्रकृतिः प्रियम् । ज्ञायतेऽत्यन्तदुःखेन सेयं प्रकृतिरात्मनः । दुर्गेति गीयते सद्भिरखण्डरसवल्लभा ॥। ८९७ ।। The goddess of devotion (bhakti), who is the personified potency (prakṛti) of Bhagavan and whose only wealth is divine service (bhajana), worships her beloved (priyam) [Śrī Kṛṣṇa]. This potency of His is very difficult to fathom. Therefore she, who is most dear (vallabha) to Bhagavan, being the very essence of complete aesthetic delight (akhanda-rasa), is celebrated by pravartate yatra rajas tamas tayoh sattvam ca misram na ca kala-vikramah na yatra maya kim utapare harer anuvrata yatra surasurārcitaḥ 445 III The Practice of Bhakti the sages as Durga [lit., “she who is difficult to approach or fathom”]. (Narada Pancaratra)* अत एव श्रीभगवदभेदेनोक्तं गौतमीयकल्पे “यः कृष्णः सैव दुर्गा स्याद् या दुर्गा कृष्ण एव सः” इति “त्वमेव परमेशान्यस्याधिष्ठातृदेवता” इत्यादिकं तु विराट्पुरुषमहापुरुषयोरिव केषाञ्चिदभेदोपासनाविवक्षयैवोक्तम् । Therefore, with the intent to assert the nondistinction (abheda) between Durga and Bhagavan, the Gautamiya-kalpa says: “Kṛṣṇa is none other than Durga, and Durga is none other than Kṛṣṇa.” But statements such as, “You are the supreme reigning God- dess (parameśāni), the presiding deity of this mantra,” are made by some [i.e., the worshipers of Durga] who wish to propound the nondistinction between the worship of the phenomenal [pråkṛta] Durga and that of the transphenomenal [aprakṛta] Durgā, just as some propound the nondistinction between the worship of the gross universal form (Virat-purusa) and the Supreme, or Mahā, Purusa. सा हि मायांशरूपा तदधीने प्राकृतेऽस्मिन् लोके मन्त्ररक्षालक्षणसेवार्थं नियुक्ता चिच्छ- क्त्यात्मकदुर्गाया दासीयते न तु सेवाधिष्ठात्री । In this material world, Durga is a partial manifestation of the potency known as Māyā, and under her direction, Durga is engaged in the service of protecting mantras. Thus, she acts as a servant of the aprakṛta Durga, who is an aspect of Bhaga- vän’s intrinsic potency (cit-śakti), and not as the presiding deity of divine service (seva) [which is itself an aspect of the same intrinsic potency]. मायातीतवैकुण्ठावरणकथने यथोक्तं पाद्मोत्तरखण्डे- The aprakṛta Durga is referred to in the Uttara-khanda of Padma Purana in the description of the outer circumference (avaraṇa) of Vaikuntha, which is beyond māyā: 4 bhaktir bhajana-sampattir bhajate prakrtiḥ priyam jnayate’tyanta-duḥkhena seyam prakṛtir atmanah durgeti giyate sadbhir akhanda-rasa-vallabha 446 285 Two Ways of Performing Karma As Worship सत्याच्युतानन्तदुर्गाविष्वक्सेनगजाननाः । शङ्खपद्मनिधीलोकाश्चतुर्थावरणं शुभम् ॥ ८९८ ॥ ऐन्द्रकाग्नेययाम्यानि नैऋतं वारुणं तथा । वायव्यं सौम्यमैशानं सप्तमं मुनिभिः स्मृतम् ॥ ८९९ ।। साध्या मरुद्रणाश्चैव विश्वेदेवास्तथैव च । नित्याः सर्वे परे धानि ये चान्ये च दिवौकसः ॥ ९०० ॥ ते वै प्राकृतलोकेऽस्मिन्ननित्यास्त्रिदशेश्वराः । ते ह नाकं महिमानः सचन्त इति वै श्रुतिः ॥ ९०९ ॥ इति । Satya, Acyuta, Ananta, Durga, Visvaksena, Ganesa, Sankhani- dhi, and Padmanidhi constitute the auspicious fourth concen- tric circle in the sphere of Vaikuntha. The seventh circle is said by sages to be occupied by the guardians of the directions, who are situated in their respective posts: Indra in the east, Agni in the southeast, Yama in the south, Nairṛti in the southwest, Varuna in the west, Vayu in the northwest, Soma in the north, and Rudra in the northeast. The Sadhyas, Maruts, Viśvadevas, as well as the other devas in the transcendental abode (pare dhamni) are all eternal. But the devas who reside in the material heavenly planets (prākṛta-loka) are not eternal, as implied in the Vedic mantra: “The devas who reside in heaven enhance the glories of [ephemeral] heaven.” (Padma Purana, Uttarakhanda 228.60, 64-66) 5 किं च भगवदंशस्वरूपा एव ते । यथोक्तं त्रैलोक्यसम्मोहनतन्त्रे अष्टादशाक्षरषडङ्गादिदे- वताभेदकथनारम्भे- 5 satyācyutānanta-durga-visvaksena-gajananah sankha-padma-nidhi-lokaś caturthavaranam subham aindrakagneyayamyāni nairṛtam varunam tatha vayavyam saumyam aisanam saptamam munibhih smytam sadhya marud-ganas caiva visvedevas tathaiva ca nityah sarve pare dhamni ye canye ca divaukasah te vai prakṛta-loke’smin na nityas tridasesvarah te ha nākam mahimanah sacanta iti vai srutih There is an alternate reading in verse 228.60 with the word smrtam in place of subham. In that case, the translation would be : “Satya and so on are said (smrtam) to constitute the fourth concentric sphere.” The translation with subham is given in the text that follows. 447III The Practice of Bhakti Moreover, the devas who reside in Vaikuntha are integrated por- tions (amsas) of Bhagavan, as stated in the Trailokya-sammohana Tantra in the beginning of the enumeration of the names of the different devatās who preside over the sixfold divisions (sad-anga) of the eighteen-syllable mantra: सर्वत्र देवदेवोऽसौ गोपवेशधरो हरिः । केवलं रूपभेदेन नामभेदः प्रकीर्तितः ॥ ९०२ ॥ इति । Bhagavan Hari, who is the Supreme Deva of all the devas and who is dressed as a cowherd boy, is present everywhere. He is celebrated by different names only because of the different forms that He assumes. (Trailokya-sammohana Tantra) अतो नाममात्रसाधारण्येनानन्यभक्तैर्न भेतव्यम् । किन्तु भागवतनित्यवैकुण्ठसेवकत्वाद् विष्वक्सेनादिवत् सत्कार्या एव ते " यस्यात्मबुद्धिः कुणपे त्रिधातुके” (भा० १० । ८४ । १३) इत्यादौ “अर्चयित्वा तु गोविन्दं तदीयान् नार्चयेत् तु यः” इत्यादिपाद्मोत्तरखण्डवचनेन तदसत्कारे दोषश्रवणात् । Therefore, unalloyed devotees should not be perturbed by the fact that the devas in Bhagavan’s spiritual abode bear the same names as their counterparts in the material world. Rather, unal- loyed devotees should honor the aprakṛta-devas as eternal ser- vants of Bhagavan in Vaikuntha, such as Visvaksena. This is understood from statements that emphasize the defect in failing to honor them, as in these words of Bhagavan Kṛṣṇa: 7 One whose self-concept (atma-buddhih) is rooted in this corpse- like body, which is constituted of the three elements, mucus, bile, and air; whose sense of relation (sva-dhiḥ) is in his wife, children, and other kin; whose concept of divinity (ijya-dhih) is in earthen images; and whose notion of the sacred (tirtha- buddhiḥ) is in the water of a river; but who never cherishes the sense of self, of relation, of divinity, and of the sacred, in regard to those who have realized the Absolute, is indeed an ass among cows. (SB 10.84.13)” 6 sarvatra deva-devo’sau gopa-vesa-dharo harih kevalam rupa-bhedena nama-bhedah prakirtitaḥ yasyatma-buddhiḥ kunape tri-dhatuke sva-dhih kalatradisu bhauma ijya-dhih yat-tirtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicij janesv abhijnesu sa eva go-kharah 448 285 Two Ways of Performing Karma As Worship And in the following statement from the Uttara-khanda of Padma Purāna: One who, after worshiping Sri Govinda, neglects to worship His devotees (tadiyan) should not be recognized as a genuine devotee (bhagavata); rather, he is regarded as nothing but a pretender. (Padma Purāna, Uttarakhanda 253.177 ) 8 अतस्तानेवोद्दिश्याह (भा० ११।२७।२९) - Consequently, the following words of Śrī Kṛṣṇa are spoken specifically in regard to the aprakṛta-devas of Vaikuntha: दुर्गां विनायकं व्यासं विष्वक्सेनं गुरून् सुरान् । स्वे स्वे स्थाने त्वभिमुखान् पूजयेत् प्रोक्षणादिभिः ॥ ९०३ ॥ Situating Durga, Vinayaka, Vyasa, Visvaksena, one’s gurus, and the devas in their respective positions, one should worship them by offering water and other items. (SB 11.27.29)” पाद्मोत्तरखण्ड एव च - The aprakṛta-devas are again referred to in the latter half of the following statement from the Uttara-khanda of Padma Purana: तस्मादवैदिकानां च देवानामर्चनं त्यजेत् । स्वतन्त्रपूजनं यच्च वैदिकानामपि त्यजेत् ॥ ९०४ ।। अर्चयित्वा जगद्वन्द्यं देवं नारायणं हरिम् । तदावरणसंस्थानं देवस्य परितोऽर्चयेत् ॥ ९०५ ।। हरेर्भुक्तावशेषेण बलिं तेभ्यो विनिक्षिपेत् । होमं चैव प्रकुर्वीत तच्छेषेणैव वैष्णवः ॥ ९०६ ॥ इत्यादि ॥ श्रीभगवान् ॥ 8 9 Therefore, one should give up the worship of devas not men- tioned in the Vedas, and even those mentioned in the Vedas arcayitva tu govindam tadīyan narcayet tu yah na sa bhagavato jñeyah kevalam dambhikah smrtah durgām vinayakam vyāsam visvaksenam gurun surān sve sve sthane tv abhimukhan pujayet prokṣaṇadibhiḥ 449 III The Practice of Bhakti should not be worshiped as independent Iśvaras. After worship- ing Bhagavan Hari, who is Nārāyaṇa, the worshipful Supreme Deva of the entire cosmos, one should worship the devas who are situated in His encirclement (tad-ävarana). A Vaisnava should offer them Bhagavan Hari’s remnants and make obla- tions to them using Bhagavan’s remnants. (Padma Purāņa, Uttara-khanda 253.104b, 105-107a)10 Commentary ŚRI JIVA GOSVĀMI makes a pertinent remark about mixing ritual offerings (karma) with arcanam. Normally, karma involves wor- ship of the devas and forefathers. On the path of bhakti, however, Bhagavan is the sole entity to be worshiped. So how can bhakti accommodate the worship of anyone else? There are two methods prescribed in this regard. The first involves worshiping Paramatma within the devas or the forefathers. The second entails worshiping the devas and forefathers as devotees of Bhagavan. This topic was discussed earlier in Anuccheda 106. Related to the subject of worshiping the devas, Sri Jiva explains that in Vaikuntha as well, there are transphenomenal or aprakṛta- devas, who go by the names of Ganesa and Durga. They are differ- ent, however, from the phenomenal or präkṛta Ganesa and Durga of this world. They are devotees and eternal associates of Bhaga- vän. They are worshiped along with Bhagavan. They are called avarana-devatas, or the gods who encircle Bhagavan in the yoga- pitha, or the sanctum sanctorum of His divine lila. They should not be disregarded or disrespected, considering them as phenomenal devas of this material world. The devas in Vaikuntha are all devotees and are expansions (amsas) of Bhagavan. By contrast, the devas in 10 tasmad avaidikanam ca devanam arcanam tyajet svatantra-pujanam yac ca vaidikānām api tyajet arcayitva jagad-vandyam devam narayanam harim tad-avarana-samsthanam devasya parito’rcayet harer bhuktavaŝeşena balim tebhyo vinikşipet homam caiva prakurvita tac chesenaiva vaisnavaḥ 450 285 Two Ways of Performing Karma As Worship the material world are partial manifestations of those residing in Vaikuntha. Arcanam is a very elaborate procedure described in the Agama literature. But on the path of raga-bhakti, arcanam is based on love and not on sets of rules. This, however, does not mean that there are no rules. Śrī Jīva Gosvāmi is explaining some of the basic concepts, but the exact process must be learned from one’s guru. Even in a book like Hari-bhakti-vilasa, which is written specifically for Vaisnavas, there are certain prescriptions that are not to be followed by a devotee pursuing the path of rāgā-bhakti. 451 Anuccheda 286 Further Considerations Regarding Arcanam 286.1 Worship of Bhagavan’s Yoga-pitha २८६ । भूतादिपूजा तु तत्पूजाङ्गत्वे विहितापि न कर्तव्या - तदावरणदेवतात्वाभावात् । निषिद्धं च तत्रैव- ALTHOUGH Worship of the bhūtas, or ghosts, is prescribed as a limb (anga) of the worship of Bhagavan, such worship is not to be undertaken [by pure Vaisnavas], because the bhutas do not belong to the group of devatas who constitute Bhagavan’s sur- rounding entourage ( āvarana). Furthermore, worship of the bhūtas has been forbidden in the same section of Padma Purana: यक्षाणां च पिशाचानां मद्यमांसभुजां तथा । दिवौकसानां भजनं सुरापानसमं स्मृतम् ॥ ९०७ ॥ इति । The worship of Yakṣas, Pisacas, and other residents of the celes- tial realms who eat meat and drink wine, is understood as equal to drinking wine. ( Padma Purana, Uttarakhanda 253.95 ) 1 अत एवावश्यकपूज्यानामन्येषां तत्स्वीकृतैरपि मद्यादिभिः पूजा निषिद्ध । यथा सङ्कर्षणा- दीनाम् । 1 Therefore, the worship of other divinities whose worship is com- pulsory should not be undertaken with forbidden articles, such as wine, even though these items may be acceptable to them, as in the case of Sankarṣaṇa [Balarama] and other deities. yakṣaṇam ca pisacanam madya-mamsa-bhujam tatha divaukasanam bhajanam surapana-samam smṛtam 452 286 Further Considerations Regarding Arcanam अथ पीठपूजायां येऽप्यधर्माद्या वर्तन्ते गुणत्रयं च तानि तु पाद्मोत्तरखण्डे स्पष्टान्यपि न सन्ति तथा स्वायम्भुवागमेऽपि तस्मान् नादरणीयानि । Then again, irreligion (adharma) and the three constituent gunas of material nature- sattva, rajas, and tamas-are included as part of the worship of Bhagavan’s sanctum sanc- torum (pitha-pujä). Yet, the Padma Purana and the Svaya- mbhuva Agama make no explicit mention of this. As such, these attributes personified are not to be given any credence within the scope of such worship. केचित् तु नारदपञ्चरात्रदृष्ट्या तान्यन्यथैव व्याचक्षते यथोक्तं तत्रैव “अधर्माद्यचतुष्कं तु अश्रेयसि नियोजनम्” इत्यधार्मिकादिषु तत्तदन्तर्यामिशक्तिरधर्माद्यमित्यर्थः । Some, however, offer a different explanation of adharma and other such attributes based on the Narada Pañcaratra, as stated therein: “Irreligion (adharma), ignorance (ajñāna), absence of detachment (avairagya), and impotence (anaiśvarya) - these four, however, are employed for inauspicious purposes (aśre- yasi).” According to this statement, irreligion, ignorance, and so on are understood as potencies (śaktis) of the Immanent Self (antaryami) operating in people who manifest these traits. तथा पीठपूजायां भगवद्वामे श्रीगुरुपादुकापूजनमेवं सङ्गच्छते । यथा - य एव भगवानत्र व्यष्टिरूपतया भक्तावतारत्वेन श्रीगुरुरूपो वर्तते स एव तत्र समष्टिरूपतया स्ववामप्रदेशे साक्षादवतारत्वेनापि तद्रूपो वर्तत इति । In the worship of Bhagavan’s sanctum sanctorum (pīțha-püjā), it is thus appropriate that the shoes of Sri Guru are worshiped on the left side of Bhagavan, for it is said that the same Bha- gavān who is present in this world as Śri Guru in individual form (vyaşți-rupa), by means of His avataric descent as a devo- tee, also exists in Vaikuntha in that same feature [as Śri Guru] in His collective form (samaşti-rupa), as the totality of all gurus. Although He Himself is a direct avatara, He is present there in that form [as samaşți-rupa-guru], being situated on His own [i.e., Bhagavan’s] left side in the yoga-pitha. 2 adharmadya-catuskam tu aśreyasi niyojanam 453 III The Practice of Bhakti तथा ये चात्र श्रीरामाद्युपासनायां मैन्दद्विविदादय आवरणदेवतास्ते तु तदीयनित्यधा- मगता नित्याः शुद्धाश्च ज्ञेयाः । यथाक्रराघमर्षणे तेन श्रीप्रह्लादादयो दृष्टाः । य एव श्रीप्रह्लादः पृथ्वीदोहनेऽपि वत्सोऽभूत् - तदानीं तज्जन्माभावात् चाक्षुषमन्वन्तर एव हिरण्यकशिपोर्जातत्वात् । Furthermore, in regard to the worship of Bhagavan Rāma, ävaraṇa-devatās such as Mainda and Dvivida should be under- stood as belonging to Bhagavan’s eternal abode and as such are eternal and pure. As evidence of the eternality of the uttama- bhāgavatas’ presence amidst Bhagavan’s entourage (āvarana), we can cite the story of Akrura’s vision. When he went to bathe in the Yamuna River in order to recite the agha-marṣaṇa- mantra, he saw Śrī Prahlada and other uttama-bhāgavatas encircling Bhagavan [SB 10.39.54]. The same Prahlada appeared as a calf [during the Svayambhuva-manvantara] when King Prthu milked the earth, which had assumed the form of a cow. Prahlada’s prior existence as an eternal associate of Bhagavan can thus be understood, since he had not yet taken birth at the time of Pṛthu. He was born of Hiranyakasipu only later in the Cakṣusa-manvantara. अन्ये तु स्वस्वधानि नित्यप्राकट्यस्यैव श्रीरामादेः प्रपञ्चप्राकट्यावसरं प्राप्य तत्सा- हाय्यार्थं नित्यपार्षदमैन्दद्विविदादिशक्त्यावेशिनो जीवाः सुग्रीवादिभागवतद्वेषिबालि- प्रभृतिसम्बन्धादुत्तरकाले भगवद्द्द्वेषिनरकासुरादिसङ्गाच्च दुष्टभावा भवन्तीत्यवधेयम् । प्रपञ्चलोकमिश्रत्वेनैव प्राकट्यसम्भवात् । When, however, Bhagavan Rama or other avataras, who are each eternally manifest in their own respective transcendental abodes, appear in this world, other living beings, who are jivas invested with the sakti of Bhagavan’s eternal associates, such as Mainda and Dvivida, take birth to assist in His lilä. It is to be understood, however, that the Mainda and Dvivida who were empowered jivas of this world became corrupted due to associa- tion with those like Bali, who was inimical to Bhagavan Rama’s devotee, Sugrīva, and in a later millennium, due to the associ- ation of those like Narakasura, who was inimical to Bhagavan Kṛṣṇa. This sort of phenomenon occurs because the manifesta- tion (präkatya) of Bhagavan’s lilā to the people of this world is 454 286 Further Considerations Regarding Arcanam possible only by a mixture of His eternal associates with jivas belonging to the material world. अथ श्रीकृष्णगोकुलोपासनायामपि यत् श्रीरुक्मिण्यादीनामावरणत्वं तत् तु तच्छक्ति- विशेषरूपाणां तासां विमलादीनामिवान्तर्धानगतत्वेनैव न तु तल्लीलागतप्राकट्येनेति ज्ञेयम् । अत एव ध्याने ता नोक्ताः । In the worship of Bhagavan Kṛṣṇa in Gokula, Rukmini and oth- ers like her [who are not part of the Gokula lilä] are mentioned as Kṛṣṇa’s surrounding associates. It should be understood, however, that such associates are present there in the form of specific potencies (sakti-visesa) of Bhagavan who remain in an unmanifest state, like Vimala and others, but who do not become visible participants in His Gokula lila. Therefore, they are not described in the meditation on this particular lilā. केचित् तु रुक्मिण्यादिनामानि श्रीराधादिनामान्तरत्वेनैव मन्यन्ते । There are some devotional scholars, however, who consider the names of Rukmiņī and others, mentioned in the description of Kṛṣṇa’s surrounding associates in Gokula, simply as alternate names for Śri Radha and other associates of Bhagavan. यथा ते शङ्खचक्रगदामुद्रा दिधारणं श्रीकृष्णचरणचिह्नत्वेनैव स्वीकुर्वन्ति यथा च द्वारान्तः- पार्श्वयोर्गङ्गायमुनयोः पूज्यमानयोर्गङ्गा श्रीगोवर्धन प्रसिद्धा मानसगङ्गेति मन्यन्ते । तथा च विष्वक्सेनादयो भद्रसेनादय इति । Analogous to this is the fact that although Krsna in Vraja does not outwardly adopt the conch, disc, club, and other similar paraphernalia, devotees consider that Kṛṣṇa holds them as sym- bols on the soles of His feet. Similarly, the Ganga and Yamuna Rivers are considered as the two inner sides of the doorway to the abode of Gokula, yet the Ganga does not flow there. In this instance, the worshipful Ganga is accepted as referring to Mānasi Ganga, the well-known lake situated at Govardhana. In the same vein, Visvaksena and others who are mentioned as associates of Bhagavan in Gokula, in spite of being outside of this realm, are regarded as Bhadrasena and others situated within Gokula. 455 III The Practice of Bhakti श्रीकृष्णपीठपूजायां श्वेतद्वीपक्षीरसमुद्रपूजा च गोलोकाख्यस्य तद्धाम्नोऽपि श्वेतद्वीपेतिना- मत्वात् कामधेनुकोटिनिःसृतदुग्धपूरविशेषस्य च तत्र स्थितत्वात् । यथोक्तं ब्रह्मसंहिता- यां तद्वर्णनान्ते (ब्र० सं० ५ /६८) - Another instance of the same thing is the worship of Svetadvipa (“the White Island”) and the Ocean of Milk that surrounds it as part of the pitha-puja of Bhagavan Kṛṣṇa, even though they are not situated in Vraja. In such worship, Svetadvipa is taken simply as another name for Krsna’s abode (dhāma) of Goloka, and the Ocean of Milk is present there in the special form of an abundance of milk flowing from the millions of kama-dhenus, or wish-fulfilling cows. This is stated in the concluding portion of the description of Goloka found in Brahma-samhita: स यत्र क्षीराब्धिः स्रवति सुरभीभ्यश्च सुमहान् निमेषार्धाख्यो वा व्रजति न हि यत्रापि समयः । भजे श्वेतद्वीपं तमहमिह गोलोकमिति यं विदन्तस्ते सन्तः क्षितिविरलचाराः कतिपये ॥ ९०८ ॥ इति । I worship Svetadvipa, where a vast ocean of milk flows from the surabhi cows, where time is not subject to passing away even for half an instant, and which is known as Goloka only to a few rare sages here in this world. (BS 5.56 ) 3 एवमन्यत्रापि ज्ञेयम् । तथा सोमसूर्याग्निमण्डलान्यप्राकृतान्यतिशैत्यतापगुणपरित्यागे- नैव वर्तन्ते । तत्र सर्वकल्याणगुणवस्तूनामेवाभिधानाय प्राकृतनिषेधात् । यथा नृसिंह- तापन्याम् “तद्वा एतत् परं धाम मन्त्रराजाध्यापकस्य यत्र न दुःखादि यत्र न सूर्यो भाति यत्र न वायुर्वाति यत्र न चन्द्रमास्तपति न यत्र नक्षत्राणि भान्ति यत्र नाग्निर्दहति यत्र न मृत्युः प्रविशति यत्र न दोषः " (नृ० ता० उ० ५१९) इत्यादि । 3 Instances of the same thing found elsewhere should be under- stood in the same way. Similarly, the sun, the moon, and fire also exist in Gokula as transphenomenal entities (aprākṛta- vastu), devoid of any debilitating properties of excessive heat sa yatra kṣirabdhih sravati surabhibhyaś ca sumahan nimeṣārddhakhyo va vrajati na hi yatrapi samayaḥ bhaje svetadvipam tam aham iha golokam iti yam vidantas te santaḥ ksiti-virala-caraḥ katipaye 456 286 Further Considerations Regarding Arcanam and cold. This is admitted because the [scriptural] denial of phe- nomenality (prākṛtatvam) in the dhama of Bhagavan is simply to affirm that the truly existent objects (vastu) belonging to it are intrinsically endowed with all auspicious qualities. An instance [of the denial of phenomenality] is seen in the Nrsimha-tapani Upanisad: The supreme dhāma of Bhagavan, who presides over the king of mantras, is that abode, where there is no misery, where the sun does not shine, the wind does not blow, the moon does not glow, the stars do not shine, fire does not burn, death does not enter, and where there are no defects. (Nrsimha-tapani Upani- şad, Purva-khanda 5.9)* तदेवं कर्ममिश्रत्वादिनिरसनप्रसङ्गसङ्गत्या तत्परिकरा व्याख्याताः । Various associates of Bhagavan have thus been described by contextual correlation with the topic of redressing the mixture of conventional ritual elements (karma-miśra) in the worship (arcanam) of Bhagavān. Commentary IN THE previous anuccheda, Sri Jiva Gosvāmi described the worship of the devatās who constitute the outer circumference (āvarana) of Bhagavan’s yoga-pitha. This is part of arcanam, as described in the Tantra literature, such as Gautamiya Tantra, Śārada-tilakam, Krama-dipikā, and so on. Some of this discussion can also be found in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa of Śrī Sanatana Gosvāmi. As seen in Anuccheda 284, sage Avirhotra recommends that one should worship Bhagavan in accordance with the descriptions given in the Vedas and Tantras (SB 11.3.47). Tantric worship is especially recommended in Kaliyuga (SB 11.5.31). In his prayers to Vişņu (SB 8.6.9), Brahma confirms that worship should be carried 4 tad va etat param dhama mantra-rajadhyapakasya yatra na duḥkhadi yatra na suryo bhati yatra na vayur vati yatra na candramas tapati na yatra nakṣatrani bhanti yatra nagnir dahati yatra na mrtyuh pravišati yatra na doṣaḥ 457III The Practice of Bhakti out both by Vedic and Tantric methods. While instructing Uddhava, Śrī Kṛṣṇa also recommends worship mixed with the Tantra process (SB 11.11.37, 11.27.7, 11.27.26, and 11.27.49). At present, the word tantra has negative connotations associ- ated with it. In India, people normally think that tantra implies some kind of black magic, and in the West, people take it to be related with enhanced sexual performance. But both ideas are far from the truth. In India, there have always been two systems of knowledge coming from two different sources, called Nigama and Āgama. Nigama refers to the Vedas, and Agama, to the Tantras. The Nigama system is meant for those who belong to the varṇa- śrama classification of society and is primarily meant for the first three varņas, namely, brahmanas, ksatriyas, and vaisyas. The Agama system, however, is applicable to all members of society, irrespec- tive of whether they belong to varṇāśrama or not. Eligibility to follow the Nigama system is obtained through the ceremony of upanayana-samskära, whereas eligibility for the Agama system is by virtue of the samskära of dikṣā. The Vedas have three divisions, namely, karma-kända, upāsanā- kanda, and jñāna-kända. Karma-kanda recommends various types of ritual acts (yajñas), such as agnihotra, darsa, paurņamāsa, catu- rmasya, and soma. The upāsanā-kanda is related to bhakti, and jnana- kanda, to philosophical insight, or the immediate cognition of ulti- mate truth. The subject of the upasana-kanda is explained in detail in the Agamas. The Vedas speak of the worship of Agni and Soma, and the Agamas, of Sakti and Saktiman. The Agamas have the same authority as the Smrti-sastra, which includes the Puranas and Itihasas. The Agama, or Tantra, is of three types - Vaisnava, Šaiva, and Šakta. The first classification promotes the worship of Visnu, the second, of Śiva, and the third, of Devi or Durga. The Vaisnava Agama also has three divisions, namely, Pañcaratra, Bhāgavata, and Vaikhanasa. The subjects dealt with in the Agama include mantroddhāra, dikṣa-vidhi, bhūta-śuddhi, nyasa, dhyana, svadhyaya or japa, prayoga, carya, and mandira-nirmana. There are different ways to classify the subject matter of Tantra, as illustrated below: 458 286 Further Considerations Regarding Arcanam Tantra texts are divided into four sections:

1. Samanya-pada
2. Mantra-pada 3. Kriya-pada
3. Yoga-pada According to a slightly different classification given in Visņu- samhita, pp. 7-8, the four divisions are enumerated as follows:
4. Jnana - knowledge and its nature.
5. Yoga - concentration of the mind and the means of doing so. 3. Kriya the construction of temples and the consecration of temple murtis.
6. Carya- religious rites and social observances. Worship based on the Vaikhanasa division of the Agama liter- ature can still be witnessed in temples in South India, such as the famous temple of Venkatesvara Balaji in Tirupati. The temples in Tamilnadu, such as that of Śrī Rangam, follow the Pancaratra sys- tem of worship. Temples in North India, especially in the Vṛnda- vana area, follow the Bhagavata system of worship. So, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmi is here giving some essential knowledge for the interested sādhakas. The temples constructed according to the Agama have the main deity in the center, called the yoga-pitha, and there are other deities of the associates of the main deity surrounding the latter. These are called avaraṇa-devatās, and their worship is called avarana-pujā. There are detailed descriptions of these devatas and the process of their worship. Some of the prescriptions are not applicable in the process of pure bhakti, even if found in the description of the yoga- pitha. Śrī Jiva Gosvāmi has thus provided guidelines as to what should be followed and what should be avoided. 459 III The Practice of Bhakti 286.2 Bhuta-suddhi अथ तेषां शुद्धभक्तानां भूतशुद्ध्यादिकं यथामति व्याख्यायते । तत्र भूतशुद्धिर्निजाभिल- षितभगवत्सेवौपयिकतत्पार्षददेहभावनापर्यन्तैव तत्सेवैकपुरुषार्थिभिः कार्या निजानुकू- ल्यात् । To the best of my ability, I shall now explain bhūta-suddhi, or “purification of the constituent elements,” as performed by pure devotees. In this regard, those whose one and only object of attainment is to serve Bhagavän, should perform bhūta-śuddhi up to the point of contemplating the body of an eternal asso- ciate of Bhagavan, which is the vehicle that makes possible the specific service of Bhagavan that one cherishes. This type of bhūta-suddhi is recommended because it is favorable to one’s devotional aspiration (nijābhilaṣita-bhagavat-seva). एवं यत्र यत्रात्मनो निजाभीष्टदेवतारूपत्वेन चिन्तनं विधीयते तत्र तत्रैव पार्षदत्वे ग्रहण भाव्यमहङ्ग्रहोपासनायाः शुद्धभक्तैर्द्विष्टत्वात् । ऐक्यं च तत्र साधारण्यप्रायमेव तदीयचि- च्छक्तिवृत्तिविशुद्धसत्त्वांशविग्रहत्वात् पार्षदानाम् । According to this understanding, wherever it is recommended that one should meditate on oneself as identical with the form of Bhagavan whom one cherishes (nijäbhīṣṭa-devatā), one should rather envision oneself as an associate (parsada) of Bhagavan, because pure devotees abhor ahangrahopasana, or the worship of oneself as Bhagavan. The oneness (aikyam) between Bhaga- vän and His eternal associates that this refers to is in a general sense only, inasmuch as the bodies of Bhagavan’s associates are integrated portions (amsas) of visuddha-sattva, or “unal- loyed being,” which is a functional capacity (vrtti) of Bhagavan’s intrinsic potency, known as cit-sakti.5 5 The oneness spoken of here is in terms of the nature and essence of being, since both Bhagavan and His eternal associates have forms constituted of unalloyed being (visuddha-sattva), which is the very essence of Bhagavan’s own intrinsic potency (cit-sakti). The oneness is thus of the conscious part (amsa) in relation to the conscious whole (amsi). 460 286 Further Considerations Regarding Arcanam अथ केशवादिन्यासादीनां यत्राधमाङ्गविषयत्वं तत्र तन्मूर्तिं ध्यात्वा तत्तन्मन्त्रांश्च जप्त्वैव तत्तदङ्गस्पर्शमात्रं कुर्यात् न तु तत्तन्मन्त्रदेवतास्तत्र तत्र न्यस्ता ध्यायेत् – भक्तानां तदनौ- चित्यात् । In regard to nyasa, or the mental assignment of deities to dif- ferent parts of the body, such as the assignment of Kesava to the lower part of the body, the practitioner should meditate on the specific form of the deity in question, utter the mantra that pertains to that deity, and then merely touch the corresponding area of the body. One should not think, however, that the deity of the mantra is physically installed in that particular limb of the body, because it would be inappropriate for devotees to do So. अथ मुख्यं ध्यानं श्रीभगवद्धामगतमेव हृदयकमलगतं तु योगिमतम् “स्मरेद् वृन्दावने रम्ये” इत्याद्युक्तत्वात् । अत एव मानसपूजा च तत्रैव चिन्तनीया । In the opinion of the yogis, Bhagavan is to be meditated upon as situated on the lotus of the heart, whereas for the devotees, the principal meditation is on Śrī Bhagavan priorly present in His own abode, because it is written [in Tantra], “One should remember Śrī Kṛṣṇa in the enchanting land of Vṛnda- vana” (smared vṛndavane ramye). Consequently, internalized mental worship (mānasa-pūjā) also involves contemplation of Bhagavan specifically in His own abode. कामगायत्रीध्यानं च यत् सूर्यमण्डले श्रूयते तत् तत्रैव चिन्त्यम् " गोलोक एव निवसत्यखि- लात्मभूतः " ( ब्र० सं० ५।४८) इत्यत्र एवकारात् । तत्र श्रीवृन्दावननाथः साक्षान् न तिष्ठति किन्तु तेजोमयप्रतिमाकारेणैवेति । The meditation on Bhagavan in the form of the kāma-gayatri mantra makes reference to Bhagavan situated within the orb of the sun. In this case also, one should meditate on Bhagavan situated in His own abode, because it is emphatically stated in Brahma-samhita: “Śrī Govinda, who is the Immanent Self of all living beings, resides exclusively in Goloka” (BS 5.37). In this statement, the word eva [qualifying Goloka] means “only there.” goloka eva nivasaty akhilatma-bhutah 6 461 III The Practice of Bhakti The Lord of Vṛndāvana [Śrī Kṛṣṇa] does not reside within the orb of the sun in His original form, but He is present there in the form of a super effulgent image (tejomaya-pratima). अथ बहिरुपचारैरन्तःपूजायां वेण्वादिपूजा तदङ्गज्योतिर्विलीनाङ्गस्य स्वस्याङ्गे निविष्टस्य तस्य तन्मुखादावेव भाव्या न तु स्वमुखादौ । In internalized worship (antah-puja) executed through the offering of external objects, a prescription is found to worship the flute and other articles [by placing them on one’s own limbs]. In this regard, because the worshiper’s limbs are merged in the effulgence of Bhagavan’s limbs, and because Bhagavan thus per- vades the worshiper’s limbs, one should contemplate the flute as being placed only in Bhagavan’s mouth and not in one’s own. तथा वेण्वादितद्भूषणमुद्रादर्शनम् - स्वमुखादौ तथा वेण्वादि यत् क्रियते तच्च तस्मै तदीयतत्तत्प्रियवस्तूनां दर्शनार्थमेव न तु स्वस्यैवाङ्गे तानि भाव्यन्त इति पूर्वहेतोरेव । The display of mudras, or gestures, involving the use of Bhaga- van’s ornaments, such as the flute, which is done by holding the flute to one’s own mouth, should be performed simply in the spirit of pleasing Bhagavan by showing Him the articles that are dear to Him. One should not imagine these articles, however, as placed on one’s own limbs for the reason previously discussed [because this would constitute the defect of ahangrahopāsanā]. तथा मानसादिपूजायां भूतपूर्वतत्परिकरलीलासंवलितत्वमपि न कल्पनामयं किन्तु यथार्थमेव । यतस्तस्य प्राकट्यसमये लीलास्तत्परिकराश्च ये प्रादुर्बभूवुस्ते तादृशाश्चाप्र- कटमपि नित्यं तदीये धानि सङ्ख्यातीता एव वर्तन्ते । In internalized mental worship (mānasa-pujā), although the meditation on Bhagavan accompanied by His associates and lilās refers to events that occurred in the past, this meditation is not imaginary, but ontologically real. This is so because the liläs that took place and the associates who were present at the time of Bhagavan’s appearance in this world eternally exist in unlimited number and variety in His own abode, beyond the vision of this world (aprakata). 462 286 Further Considerations Regarding Arcanam असुरास्तु न तत्र चेतनाः किन्तु यन्त्रमयतत्प्रतिमानिभा ज्ञेयाः । “एवं विहारैः” इत्यादी “निलायनैः सेतुबन्धैर्मर्कतोट्प्लवनादिभिः ” ( भा० १० | १४ | ६१ ) इतिवत् तत्तल्लीलानां नानाप्रकाशैः कौतुकेनानुक्रियमाणत्वात् । The asuras, however, who participated in Bhagavan’s līlās in this world, are not present as conscious entities in Bhaga- van’s aprakata-dhäma. Rather, they are understood to exist there as diagrammatic [or “holographic”] replicas (yantramaya- pratimas)? This is evidenced from the fact that [in the aprakața- dhāma as well] Krsna and His friends regularly enact the liläs of His various avataras [including the battles with various asuras] in a spirit of pure enjoyment, as expressed by Sri Suka: In this manner, Kṛṣṇa and Balarama passed their childhood in Vraja by performing childlike pastimes, such as hide-and-seek, building bridges [in imitation of Bhagavan Rāma], and jumping like monkeys [who crossed the ocean to assist Rama in His battle against the demon Ravana]. (SB 10.14.61)8 श्रीभगवत्सन्दर्भादौ हि तथा सन्यायं दर्शितमस्ति । The eternality of each and every one of Bhagavan’s liläs was logi- cally demonstrated in Bhagavat Sandarbha [Anuccheda 47.2] and elsewhere. 7 It is generally understood that asuras cannot exist in the aprakata-dhama, since no conscious entities in that transcendental abode can have a mood antagonistic to Bhagavan. Yet, if there was no sense or bare idea of their existence at all, there would be no possibility of enacting any lilas involving them. And if the lilas involving the asuras did not take place in some form in the aprakaṭa-dhama, this would contradict the eternality of those lilas. Śrī Jīva solves the dilemma by explaining that the asuras are present there not as conscious entities but as diagrammatic or “holographic” replicas (yantramaya-pratimas). In this connection, our Gurudeva, Sri Sri Haridasa Sastri Maharaja, comments in his Hindi translation of Bhakti Sandarbha that when Krsna and His friends want to taste a particular rasa, these diagrammatic (citrarkita) asuras become activated to enable the corresponding lila to unfold. By using the word citrankita as a synonym for yantramaya, Šāstrī Maharaja makes it clear that the asuras in Goloka are “pictographs,” or in the modern space-age sense, something akin to “holograms.” 8 evam vihāraiḥ kaumaraih kaumaram jahatur vraje nilayanaiḥ setu-bandhair markatotplavanadibhiḥ 463 III The Practice of Bhakti अथ मानसपूजामाहात्म्यं यथा नारदपञ्चरात्रे श्रीनारायणवाक्यम् " अयं यो मानसो योगो जराव्याधिभयापहः” इत्यादौ- यश्चैतत् परया भक्त्या सकृत् कुर्यान् महामते । क्रमोदितेन विधिना तस्य तुष्याम्यहं मुने ॥ ९०९ ॥ Now we will point out the glory of internalized mental worship (mānasa-püjā), as expressed by Śri Nārāyaṇa in Narada Pañca- ratra: “This yoga of internalized meditative worship (mānasa- yoga) removes old age, disease, and fear.”” And in this statement as well: O enlightened sage, Narada, I am pleased with that person who even once engages in this [mänasa-yoga] with supreme bhakti in accordance with the recommended order and procedure. (Narada Pancaratra) 10 एषा क्वचित् स्वतन्त्रापि भवति । मनोमय्या मूर्तेरष्टमतया स्वातन्त्र्येण विधानात् “अर्चादौ हृदये वापि यथालब्धोपचारकैः” (भा० ११ । ३ । ५० ) इत्याविर्होत्रवचनेन वाशब्दात् । This manasa-pujā is sometimes taken up independent of any other process, because the deity conceived within the mind (manomayi-mürti) has been ordained as one of the eight distinct forms of the deity. Furthermore, by use of the word va, “or,” in the following statement, the sage Avirhotra has certified inter- nal worship as a viable option: “One should worship Bhagavan with available articles either in the external form of the deity or within the heart (hṛdaye va)” (SB 11.3.50).“11 9 Commentary Bhuta-suddhi, or purification of the elements that constitute the material body, is performed before one begins the act of worship ayam yo manaso yogo jara-vyadhi-bhayapahah 10 yas caitat paraya bhaktyä sakṛt kuryan mahāmate kramoditena vidhina tasya tusyamy aham mune “arcadau hrdaye vapi yatha-labdhopacarakaiḥ 464 286 Further Considerations Regarding Arcanam proper. This is necessary, because the deity is beyond the gunas of prakrti, while our bodies are made of the gunas. To undertake worship, one must have the same nature as the deity, devo bhūtva devam yajeta, or otherwise stated, one who is not divine should not worship the deity, nadevo devam arcayet. There is an elaborate procedure of bhūta-suddhi described in the Tantra and Pancaratra. The process followed in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa (5.63-73) follows the Trailokya-sammohana-tantra. The procedure there calls for one to first desiccate the material body by force of the imagination, then to burn the body to ashes with the fire aris- ing from the heart, and then to pour spiritual ambrosia over the elements to create the spiritual body and invest it with life. This is done in the same manner in which one transforms the mate- rial elements in a deity to make it suitable for Bhagavan’s presence. Included in the process is the elevation of one’s consciousness to the thousand-petalled lotus in the cranium. Another important work that influences the arcana-märga in Gauḍīya Vaisnavism is Krama-dipika (1.8), which also includes instructions for prānāyāma. The Trailokya-sammohana-tantra concludes that bhūta-suddhi can be performed even through a mental process alone, by entering the body through meditation without the other rituals involved. Prāṇā- yama and other rules are to be set by the customs of the particular school or sampradaya!2 Sadhana-dipika explains that the method of bhuta-suddhi taught by Rupa Gosvāmī is that one should first address Sankarṣana, the presiding deity of ego (ahankara), and pray to Him to make one’s body suitable for worship!3 Śrīla Jiva Gosvāmī similarly advises that on the path of pure or raga-bhakti, a practitioner should think of himself or herself as having a requisite spiritual body for service. This type of deliberation is favorable for attaining the ultimate per- fection of the bhakti path, because the bhakti practitioner’s final 12 kim va cintana-matrena bhūta-suddhim vidhaya tam pranayamams tataḥ kuryat sampradayanusarataḥ 13 śri vrajācārya-srimad-rupa-gosvami-bhajanānusāreņa. ahankärādhiṣṭhātṛtvād bhuta-suddher adhidevaya sarkarsanaya namaḥ, he sankarsana! asya janasya deha-rupeņa parinatam bhūta-pañcakam yatha sadyaḥ sudhyed upasanopayuktam syat tatha krpäṁ kuru. 465 III The Practice of Bhakti aspiration is to become an associate of Bhagavan and to serve Him with devotion. In this regard, one can contemplate the following prayer of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu: I am not a brahmana, nor a ksatriya, nor a vaisya, nor a sudra. I am not a brahmacarī, nor a householder, nor a person retired from social involvement, nor an ascetic monk. Rather, I am a servant of the servant of the servants of the lotus feet of the lover of the gopis, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who is an ocean of immortal nectar overflowing with powerfully ascendant waves of unmitigated supreme bliss. (Padyavali 74, Caitanya Caritamṛta 2.13.80)14 Within the process of worship (arcanam), we also find instruc- tions that the worshipers should identify themselves with their worshipful deity. This is called ahangrahopāsana, or worship of oneself as the divine. This, however, is forbidden on the path of pure bhakti, because it runs counter to the very nature of the loving relation that exists between the bhakta and Bhagavan. Nyasa is another part of bhūta-suddhi. It is of various types, such as anga-nyasa, kara-nyasa, mātṛka-nyasa, and keśavādi-nyasa. Nyasa literally means “placement.” In the context of worship, it means to place particular deities or seed mantras on one’s own body by uttering appropriate mantras and meditation. Śrī Jiva Gosvāmi forbids placing a deity on the lower part of the body. The navel is the center of the body, and anything below it is considered base and impure. Therefore, instead of actually placing the deity on the lower part of the body, one should simply meditate on the deity in question, utter the corresponding mantra, and touch the lower part of the body with one’s right hand. See Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 5.89-165 for more extensive descriptions of the various kinds of nyasa. As far as meditation on Bhagavan is concerned, it should be per- formed by contemplating Bhagavan as situated in His own abode and not in one’s heart or in the orb of the sun. Meditation on Bha- gavan in the heart is the prescribed method for the yogis, while the 14 naham vipro na ca narapatir napi vaisyo na sudro naham varni na grhapati na vanastho yatir va kintu prodyan-nikhila-pürṇāmṛtābdher gopi-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dasa-däsänudasaḥ 466 286 Further Considerations Regarding Arcanam adherents of the karma-märga conceive of Bhagavan as situated in the sun’s orb. For bhaktas, however, Bhagavan is a person residing in His own abode. The heart is too constricted a place for Him, and the sun is uninhabitable. Mudras are symbolic hand gestures, which represent certain articles or convey some intention of the worshiper. Mudras are shown to the deity for His pleasure. They are called mudrās because they bring happiness to the deity (mudam ratiti mudra). There are many mudras, but for the worship of Krsna, five in particular are recommended: veņu, vanamālā, śrīvatsa, kaustubha, and bilva (Hari- bhakti-vilāsa 5.166-167). Kara-kacchapika, “the turtle mudra,” is also recommended, particularly for bhūta-suddhi. Mudras are also shown to the deity to invite Him to be present, to be seated, to accept bhoga, and so on. Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī recom- mends that the mudras that signify special ornaments of Bhagavan, such as veņu or vanamalā, should not be placed on one’s own mouth or neck respectively, but should only be shown to the deity for His pleasure. The reason for this is that if they are placed on one’s own body, it would constitute a form of ahangrahopasana, which is forbidden. Mudras can also be stamped on the body by using hot metal branding irons. This is called tapta-mudra. It is recommended that this be done on sayana-ekādasi or dvadasi. The use of mudras should be learned from one’s guru. One should follow the process established in one’s own sampradaya (Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 4.301). In commenting on Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.296, Śrī Viś- vanatha Cakravarti writes that a devotee following rāgānugā-bhakti should not engage in ahangrahopāsana, display mudrās, perform nyasa, meditate on Dvaraka, or worship Rukmiṇī, even if these practices are prescribed in the Agama-sastra as part of arcana- bhakti. The reason for this is that these practices are not con- ducive to the mood of devotion in Vraja. On the whole, Gauḍīya Vaisnavas are disinclined to those rituals that do not directly inspire remembrance of Krsna in Vraja or devotion to Him. In this regard, the Gaudiyas cite the legend of Ranabārī Kṛṣṇa- dāsa. Although he was residing in Vraja, a desire arose within him 467III The Practice of Bhakti to visit the holy places, particularly Dvaraka, where he was per- suaded to have his body branded with the symbols of Visnu (tapta- mudra). On his return, he was no longer able to become absorbed in lila-smaranam in the same manner as he previously did before visiting Dvaraka. Being thus deprived of his internal service to Radhārānī, he became very morose. Then, Radha informed him in a dream, “Your action now makes you a member of Rukmini’s entourage.” He was heartbroken and gave up his life in the fire of separation. Till today, the day of Ranabari’s self-immolation is cele- brated in his village to honor him. These rituals of mudra and nyasa are felt to be in the mood of awe and reverence and not in tune with the mood of worship found in Vrndāvana. 286.3 Loci of Worship अथ पूजास्थानानि विचार्यन्ते । तानि च विविधानि । तत्र शालग्रामादिकं तत्तद्भगवदाका- राधिष्ठानमिति चिन्त्यम् - आकारवैलक्षण्यात् “शालग्रामशिला यत्र तत्र सन्निहितो हरिः " इत्याद्युक्तेः । Now we will discuss the loci of worship (puja-sthānas), mean- ing the places or “the seats” of Bhagavan’s appearance for the purpose of worship. These locations are of various types. In this regard, Śālagrama [the sacred stone that embodies the pres- ence of Bhagavan Visņu], is to be conceived as the existential substratum (adhiṣṭhāna) of Bhagavan’s form (ākāra) [and not as the actual form itself], because Salagrāma’s form is different from that of Bhagavan. This is evidenced in the following state- ment: “Bhagavan Hari is present wherever the Śālagrāma stone is found.” तत्र च स्वेष्टाकारस्यैव भगवतोऽधिष्ठानं सुष्ठु सिद्धिकरम् - तस्मिन्नेवायत्नतस्तदीयप्राक- ट्यात् “मूर्त्याभिमतयात्मनः " ( भा० ११ । ३ । ४८) इत्युक्तेः । In this matter, to meditate on the existential seat (adhiṣṭhāna) of Bhagavan [i.e., Śalagrāma] as the place of manifestation of one’s specific cherished form of Bhagavan yields perfection 468 286 Further Considerations Regarding Arcanam (siddhi) in a highly efficacious manner, because in that par- ticular seat, Bhagavan manifests the coveted form [of His own accord (svabhävika-bhavataḥ)] without any effort [on the part of the sadhaka]. This is substantiated by the following statement: “One should worship Bhagavan in the form that is according to one’s longing” (SB 11.3.48).15 श्रीकृष्णादीनां तु मथुरादिक्षेत्रं महाधिष्ठानम् “मथुरा भगवान् यत्र नित्यं सन्निहितो हरिः” ( भा० १०।१।२८) इत्याद्युक्तेः । तथा तत्तन्मन्त्रध्येयवैभवत्वेन मथुरावृन्दावनादीनां श्री- गोपालतापन्यादौ प्रख्यातत्वात् । मथुरादिक्षेत्राण्येवान्यत्राधिष्ठाने ध्यानेन प्रकाश्य तेषु भगवांश्चिन्त्यते । In contrast, however, Mathura, [Dvārakā, and Vṛndāvana] are the supreme existential seats (maha-adhisthanas) of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. [Likewise, other holy places, such as Ayodhya, are the sup- reme existential seats of His avataras, such as Rama.] This is understood from statements such as this: “Mathura is that abode wherein Bhagavan Hari is eternally present” (SB 10.1.28).16 Another reason why these abodes are considered as supreme seats is because in the Gopala-tapani and other scriptures, Mathura, Vṛndāvana, and other holy places have been described as part of the supreme majesty (vaibhava) of the dhyeya- the Entity to be meditated upon [i.e., Śrī Kṛṣṇa] - through the mantras that denote Him in His various forms. Even if the deity is established in a different location (adhiṣṭhāna), the worshiper should manifest the holy land of Mathura or other abodes through meditation and contemplate his cherished form of Bhagavan as residing in the corresponding sacred place. अथ श्रीमत्प्रतिमायां तु तदाकारैकरूपतयैव चिन्तयन्ति - आकारैक्यात् “शिलाबुद्धिः कृता किं वा प्रतिमायां हरेर्मया” इति भावनान्तरे दोषश्रवणाच्च । 15 labdhvānugraha ācāryat tena sandarsitāgamah maha-puruşam abhyarcen murtyabhimatayatmanah 16 mathura bhagavan yatra nityam sannihito harih 469 III The Practice of Bhakti In contrast to the form of Salagrama, the deity forms (pratimās) of Bhagavan are meditated upon as nondifferent from Bhaga- van’s own form, because these forms are identical in appear- ance. Furthermore, to think of the deity as different from Bha- gavan’s own form is offensive, as understood from this lament of Andha Muni [whose son was accidentally killed by Mahārāja Dasaratha]: “Or, have I at any time considered the deity of Bha- gavan Hari to be made of stone [as a result of which this calamity has befallen me]?“17 एवमेव श्रीभगवता “चलाचलेति द्विविधा प्रतिष्ठा जीवमन्दिरम् " ( भा० ११ । २७ । १३) इत्यु- क्तम् । प्रतिष्ठा – प्रतिमा जीवस्य जीवयितुः परमात्मनो मम मन्दिरं मदङ्गप्रत्यङ्गैरेकाका- रतास्पदमित्यर्थः । Bhagavan Kṛṣṇa has also pointed out the oneness of Bhagavan and the deity in these words: “The deity (pratiṣṭhā), which is the seat of manifestation of Paramātmā (jīva-mandiram), is of two types - moving and stationary” (SB 11.27.13). In this verse, the word pratistha means “the deity” (pratima). In the compound jiva-mandiram, the word jiva means “of He who animates the living beings” (jivasya jivayituḥ), or in other words, “of Param- atma, the Supreme Immanent Self,” meaning “of Me” (mama). The word mandiram, lit., “a dwelling place,” means “the seat of manifestation (aspadam) of that form (ākāra) which is one with My limbs and subsidiary bodily parts” (anga-pratyanga). यद्वा प्रतिष्ठालक्षणेन कर्मणा पूर्वोक्ता प्रतिमा मम तदास्पदं भवतीत्यर्थः । Alternatively, the word pratisthā may refer to the ritual act (karma) by which the above-mentioned deity is established as a seat of manifestation, one in form with My limbs and subsidiary bodily parts. तथा च हयशीर्षपञ्चरात्रेषु “विष्णो सन्निहितो भव” इति सान्निध्यकरणमन्त्रविशेषानन्तरं मन्त्रान्तरम् - 17 sila-buddhiḥ krta kim va pratimayam harer maya 470 286 Further Considerations Regarding Arcanam In Hayasirṣa Pañcaratra, we find this mantra, invoking Bha- gavan’s presence in the deity: “O Bhagavan Visņu, please be present in this deity.” Immediately following this, we find another mantra [indicating the basis of the nondistinction between the form of the deity and that of Bhagavan]: यच्च ते परमं तत्त्वं यच्च ज्ञानमयं वपुः । तत् सर्वमेकतो लीनमस्मिन् देहे विबुध्यताम् ॥ ९९० ॥ इति । O Bhagavan, whatever may be Your supreme existential real- ity (parama-tattva) and Your form of unalloyed conscious- ness (jñāna-maya-vapu), let all that be merged as one in this deity. May You now awaken in and as this form. (Hayasirşa Pancaratra)18 18 अथवा जीवमन्दिरम् – सर्वजीवानां परमाश्रयः साक्षाद् भगवानेव प्रतिष्ठेत्यर्थः । परमो- पासकाश्च साक्षात्परमेश्वरत्वेनैव तां पश्यन्ति । भेदस्फूर्तेर्भक्तिविच्छेदकत्वात् तथैव ह्यु- चितम् । इत्थमेवोक्तं श्रीभगवता ( भा० ११ | २७/३२ ) - In Kṛṣṇa’s statement [SB 11.27.13], the compound jiva-mandiram can also mean, “the ultimate refuge (paramasraya) of all living beings.” In this case, the compound would mean that Bhaga- vän Himself (sākṣāt) becomes the pratistha, or the deity. Wor- shipers on the highest stage of realization directly perceive the deity as Parameśvara Himself, and this indeed is fully appropri- ate, because if any distinction is made between them, bhakti becomes subject to division (viccheda) or duality. The iden- tity of Bhagavan and the deity is indicated in this statement of Bhagavan Kṛṣṇa: 18 वस्त्रोपवीताभरणपत्रस्रग्गन्धलेपनैः । अलङ्कुर्वीत सप्रेम मद्भक्तो मां यथोचितम् ॥ ९११ ॥ My devotee should lovingly decorate Me (mām) as per the rec- ommended procedure with clothes, a sacred thread, ornaments, yac ca te paramam tattvam yac ca jnana-mayam vapuḥ tat-sarvam ekato linam asmin dehe vibudhyatam 471 III The Practice of Bhakti a garland of [tulasi]19 leaves, scents, and sandalwood paste. (SB 11.27.32) 20 इत्यत्र मामिति सप्रेमेति च । अत एव विष्णुधर्मे तामधिकृत्य अम्बरीषं प्रति श्रीविष्णुवा- क्यम् - In this verse, the pronoun mām, “Me,” and the adverb sa-prema, “with love” [indicate the deity’s oneness with Bhagavan].21 Con- sequently, in Visņu-dharma Purana, Bhagavan Visņu makes this statement to King Ambarişa in reference to the deity: तस्यां चित्तं समावेश्य त्यज चान्यान् व्यपाश्रयान् । पूजिता सैव ते भक्त्या ध्याता चैवोपकारिणी ॥ ९१२ ॥ गच्छंस्तिष्ठन् स्वपन् भुञ्जंस्तामेवाग्रे च पृष्ठतः । उपर्यधस्तथा पार्श्वे चिन्तयंस्तामथात्मनः || ९९३ ॥ Fully absorbing your consciousness into the deity, you should abandon all other sources of refuge. When you worship and meditate upon the deity with devotion, the deity itself will bring about your welfare. Consequently, while walking, stand- ing, sleeping, and eating, you should think of the deity as situ- ated in front of you, behind you, above, below, and to your side. (Visnu-dharma Purana)22 अत एव तत्पूजायामावाहनादिकमित्थं व्याख्यातमागमे- — Therefore, in regard to deity worship, practices such as invoking Bhagavan’s presence in the deity are described in the following manner in the Agama: 19 Sri Viśvanatha Cakravarti glosses the compound patra-srak, lit., “a garland of leaves,” as “a garland of tulasi leaves” (tulasi-patra-māla). 20 vastropavitabharana-patra-srag gandha-lepanaiḥ alankurvita sa-prema mad-bhakto mam yathocitam 21 If a distinction were to be upheld between Krsna and the deity, Krsna would not refer to the deity as “Me” (mam). Moreover, if the deity were viewed as a mere 22 representational image, it would be sufficient to worship it according to scriptural injunctions (vidhi-purvaka) and not with love (sa-prema). tasyam cittam samavesya tyaja canyan vyapasrayan pujita saiva te bhaktya dhyata caivopakāriņi gacchams tisthan svapan bhunjams tam evagre ca prsthataḥ uparyadhas tatha pärsve cintayams tam athātmanah 472 286 Further Considerations Regarding Arcanam आवाहनं चादरेण सम्मुखीकरण प्रभोः । भक्त्या निवेशनं तस्य संस्थापनमुदाहृतम् ॥ ९१४ ॥ तवास्मीति तदीयत्वदर्शनं सन्निधापनम् । क्रियासमाप्तिपर्यन्तस्थापनं सन्निरोधनम् ॥ सकलीकरणं प्रोक्तं तत्सर्वाङ्गप्रकाशनम् ॥ ९९५ ॥ इति । To respectfully draw the attention of Bhagavan is known as ävähanam. To seat Bhagavan with devotion is called samstha- panam. To demonstrate that one belongs to Bhagavan by declar- ing, “I am Yours,” is called sannidhäpanam. To keep the deity in place until the worship is completed is called sannirodhanam, and to exhibit all the limbs of Bhagavan is called sakalikaranam. (Agama)23 Commentary Worship is of two types: external (bahya-pujā) and internal (antah- puja). Internalized worship (antah-puja) can also be combined with the offering of external items. Internalized mental worship (mānasa-pujā), however, is conducted entirely within the mind, without any external articles. Śrī Jiva Gosvāmī explains that mānasa-pūjā is related to the unmanifest or aprakaṭa-līlā of Bha- gavan. There is no substantial difference between the prakața- and the aprakata-līlās, except that in the latter, the asuras do not exist as conscious entities. Rather, they exist as diagrammatic repli- cas, pictographs, or even as holographic projections (yantramaya- pratimas). When Kṛṣṇa and His friends desire to enact some partic- ular lila involving the asuras, these “holograms” become activated. Because manasa-puja can be executed without external objects, it is especially suitable for renounced sädhakas. But if one has the means to do so, he or she should not give up external worship and engage only in the internal variety. 23 avahanaṁ cadarena samukhikaranam prabhoh bhaktya nivesanam tasya samsthapanam udahṛtam tavāsmiti tadīyatva-darśanam sannidhāpanam kriya-samapti-paryanta-sthapanam sannirodhanam sakalikaranam proktam tat-sarvanga-prakāsanam 473 III The Practice of Bhakti Śrī Krsna informs Uddhava (SB 11.27.12) that the deity conceived within the mind (manomayi-murti) is one of the eight types of deity forms. Manasa-puja is also recommended by sage Avirhotra to King Nimi (SB 11.3.50). In the latter verse, the word hrdaye means “in the heart or mind” and refers to worship conducted in the mind. In his Durgama-sangamani commentary on Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.2.182), Śrī Jiva Gosvāmi refers to a story from Brahma-vaivarta Purana about a poor brahmana who attained Vaikuntha by virtue of his mānasa-puja alone. In external arcanam, there are strict rules regarding the purity of the worshiper, of the articles, and of the act of worship. There is a significant possibility that one may not be able to meet all the requirements of external worship because of the limitations of the physical body, the environment, and the social conditions. But such is not the case in regard to manasa-pujä. Next, Śrī Jiva Gosvāmī discusses the places of worship (puja- sthana). Śrī Kṛṣṇa describes them as follows: “My dear Uddhava, the sun, fire, a brahmana, a cow, a Vaisnava, the sky (or space), air, water, the earth, one’s body, and all living beings are the places [or the existential seats (adhiṣṭhāna)]24 of My worship” (SB 11.11.42). In the three succeeding verses (SB 11.11.43-45), Krsna explains how worship is to be conducted in relation to these various objects. This will be discussed in Anuccheda 295. There is a difference between the deity form and the sila, or stone, of Salagrama. The deity is nondifferent in form from Bhaga- van, whereas the sila of Salagrama is understood simply as the exis- tential ground of Bhagavan’s appearance. Bhagavan is worshiped in the Salagrama stone by contemplating His form as present therein. Salagrama is a black stone taken from the Gandaki River in Nepal. The stones in this river naturally have different shapes and markings. Sometimes they contain round marks that look like cakras. Depending upon the shape or number of cakras, a Sala- grama is recognized as the seat of a particular form of Bhagavan, such as Kurma, Varaha, or Nrsimha. Šalagrama worship was very common among Hindus in the past. Temples for them were built by kings or wealthy patrons. 24 Sridhara Svami 474 286 Further Considerations Regarding Arcanam Even ordinary devout Hindus kept Salagrama in their houses. Unlike a deity, a Salagrāma stone does not need any installation ceremony to begin its worship (Hari-bhakti-viläsa 5.438). Devotees contemplate their cherished form of Bhagavan in Salagrama and decorate the sila accordingly. Pure devotees worship Sālagrāma or the deity of Bhagavan as nondifferent from Him. Holy places, such as Mathura and Vṛndāvana, are also puja- sthānas, or places where Krsna is worshiped, especially in mãnasa- pūjā. Devotees of Krsna do not meditate on Him in their heart but in His own abode of Vṛndavana. Even if practitioners do not live in a holy place, they can imagine themselves to be residing there. This is the recommendation of Sri Jīva Gosvāmi in his commentary on Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.2.294). Vṛndāvana is a town that has been filled with Krsna temples for the past few hundred years. In the local lore, there are numerous stories about prominent deities, who had personal interactions with their worshipers. Some details of deity worship are given in chapter 27 of the Eleventh Canto of Bhagavata Puraṇa. In the Agama, there is a description of the process for invit- ing a deva (āvāhana) and then sending the deva away (visarjana). This procedure is followed especially in the case of worship that is conducted on specific occasions, such as Durga-pūjā. The devo- tees invite the deva to become present in the deity form for a spe- cific period and then release the deva after the worship period is concluded. The statue is then submerged in water. This process, however, is inapplicable for devotees who perform regular wor- ship in a fixed location. Consequently, Śrī Jiva Gosvāmī gives an alternative meaning to these terms (avahana and so on) for regular worshipers. 475 III The Practice of Bhakti 286.4 Gradations of Eligibility for Receiving Worship अत्र शूद्रादिपूजितार्चापूजानिषेधवचनमवैष्णवशूद्रादिपरमेव- Statements that forbid the worship of a deity that has previously been worshiped by a sudra are applicable only to a sudra who is not a Vaisnava, because it is said: न शूद्रा भगवद्भक्तास्ते तु भागवता नराः । सर्ववर्णषु ते शूद्रा ये न भक्ता जनार्दने ॥ ९९६ ॥ इत्युक्तेः । Devotees of Bhagavan are not sudras; rather, such people are bhagavatas, or those exclusively devoted to Bhagavan. On the other hand, those who are not devotees of Janardana are sudras, regardless of what vocational classification (varna) they belong to.25 अथ सप्तमे “पात्रम्” (भा० ७ । १४ । ३४) इत्यादी श्रीनारदोक्तौ अधिष्ठानविचारे श्रीमदर्चा- तोऽपि यः पुरुषमात्रातिशयस्तत्रापि ज्ञानिनः स च कैवल्यकामो भक्त्याश्रयः । In the Seventh Canto of Srimad Bhagavata (SB 7.14.34), the entity most truly worthy of worship (patram) is determined to be Bha- gavan Hari alone. In the statements of Sri Narada that follow, the various seats of worship (adhiṣṭhānas) are hierarchically graded in terms of the degree to which Bhagavan manifests His presence within them. From this discussion, it is understood that human beings in general are even more worthy of honor than the deity [because Bhagavan is eternally present within the hearts of all living beings]. Among all human beings, the person established in immediate realization of the self (jñāni) is even more worthy of honor. In this case, the jñānī being referred to is a person who takes exclusive shelter of bhakti with a desire for liberation (kaivalya-kama). तस्मिन् प्रकरणे “ज्ञाननिष्ठाय देयानि ” ( भा० ७।१५।२) इत्युपसंहारे ज्ञानिन एव दानपात्र- त्वेन परमोत्कर्षोक्तः । 25 na sudra bhagavad-bhaktas te tu bhagavata narah sarva-varnesu te sudra ye na bhakta janardane 476 286 Further Considerations Regarding Arcanam This section ends with this statement: “One should offer gifts to a person who is established in jñāna” (SB 7.15.2).26 From this, it is concluded that a jñāni is the worthiest recipient of charity. अन्यत्र तु " न मेऽभक्तश्चतुर्वेदी” “नायं सुखापो भगवान् (भा० १०।९।२१) इत्यादौ “मुक्ता- नामपि सिद्धानाम् " ( भा० ६ । १४ । ५) इत्यादौ च भक्तस्यैव ततोऽप्युत्कर्षः किमुत तदुपा- स्यायाः श्रीमदर्घायाः । Elsewhere, however, Bhagavan states: “A person who knows the four Vedas but who is not My devotee is not dear to Me, whereas a dog-eater who is My devotee is dear to Me. One should offer charity to such a person and accept it from him, for he is as wor- shipable as I am.“2” We also find verses such as the ones below, expressing the same idea: This Bhagavan, the son of the gopi [Yasoda], is not as easily attainable here in this world by those who are misidentified with the body (dehinăm), or even by those who have tran- scended empirical identity (jñāninām) [i.e., nivṛttābhimānā- nam]28 and who are established in the self (atma-bhūtānām), as He is for those who are steeped in devotion. (SB 10.9.21)29 And: O great sage, even among millions of liberated and perfected beings, a person whose interior faculty of awareness is unwa- veringly tranquil (prašantātmā) and who is exclusively intent upon Bhagavan Nārāyaṇa (nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇaḥ) is exceedingly rare. (SB 6.14.5)30 From all these statements, it is clear that a bhakta’s honorability exceeds even that of a jñānī. And since the deity is the very object 26 27 jnana-nisthaya deyani na me’bhaktas catur-vedi mad-bhaktah sva-pacah priyah tasmai deyam tato grahyam sa ca püjyo yatha hy aham 28 Sridhara Svāmī 29 nayam sukhapo bhagavan dehinam gopika-sutaḥ jnäninäm catma-bhutanam yatha bhakti-matām iha 30 muktanam api siddhanam narayana-parāyaṇaḥ sudurlabhaḥ prasantatma kotiṣv api maha-mune 477III The Practice of Bhakti of worship (upäsya) for the bhaktas, its supreme honorability is thus all the more self-evident. अत एव तामुद्दिश्योक्तम् “नानुव्रजति यो मोहात्” इत्यादि । Therefore, with respect to the deity, we also find statements such as this: A person who out of delusion does not follow Parameśvara while He rides in His chariot becomes a brahma-rākṣasa [the ghost of a brahmana who led an unholy life], even if he had previously burnt all his karma in the fire of jñana.31 31 तथापि “पात्रम्” इत्यादीनामर्थोऽपि क्रमेण दर्श्यते ( भा० ७ । १४ । ३४-३५ ) - Nonetheless, we will disclose the meaning of the verses in this section in order, beginning from SB 7.14.34. [This sec- tion of verses, which concludes with SB 7.15.2, is presented in Anucchedas 286-294.] Narada’s opening statement is given here: 31 पात्रं त्वत्र निरुक्तं वै कविभिः पात्रवित्तमैः । हरिरेवैक उर्वीश यन्मयं वै चराचरम् ॥ ९१७ || देवर्हत्सु वै सत्सु तत्र ब्रह्मात्मजादिषु । राजन् यदग्रपूजायां मतः पात्रतयाच्युतः । ९१८ ।। O King, the sages who are the foremost authorities in the mat- ter of ascertaining who is fit to receive honor have conclusively determined that in this world, Bhagavan Hari alone is the wor- thiest candidate (patram), because the entire cosmos of mov- ing and stationary entities is simply a manifestation of His being. Although the devas, the sages, the perfected ascetics (arhat), and the sons of Brahma [Sanaka and so on], who were highly realized beings (sat), were all present there [in your raja- suya assembly], Bhagavan Acyuta [Kṛṣṇa] was chosen as the worthiest candidate to be honored first. (SB 7.14.34-35)32 nanuvrajati yo mohad vrajantam jagad-isvaram jnanagni-dagdha-karmapi sa bhaved brahma raksasah 32 patram tv atra niruktam vai kavibhiḥ patra-vittamaih harir evaika urvisa yan mayam vai caracaram devarsy arhatsu vai satsu tatra brahmātmajadisu rajan yad agra-pujayam matah patratayacyutaḥ 478 तत्र राजसूये ॥ 286 Further Considerations Regarding Arcanam In this verse, the pronoun tatra, “there,” means “in the räjasuya sacrifice of King Yudhisthira” [in which Kṛṣṇa was chosen to receive the first worship, described in Srimad Bhagavata, Canto Ten, chapter 74]. Commentary After explaining the process of worship, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmi refers to sage Narada’s teaching about the hierarchy of people who are eligible recipients (patras) of honor or worship. Śrī Narada con- cludes that among all possible candidates, Krsna is the supreme patra (SB 7.14.34). A practical verification of this is seen in the raja- suya sacrifice of King Yudhisthira, in which Kṛṣṇa was selected to receive the principal worship, even though great sages such as Vyasa and Vasistha were present. The word hari in SB 7.14.34, referring to Krsna, means His deity form. A similar hierarchy is presented by Kapila to His mother Devahūti (SB 3.29.28-34). Kapila begins the description by first stating the conclusion: “Therefore, by means of charity and offer- ing respect to others, through friendship and by viewing others as nondifferent from oneself, one should worship Me, the Supreme Immanent Self, who have established My residence within all liv- ing beings” (SB 3.29.27)33 Although this is true, yet on the basis of SB 7.15.2, one might suppose that the topmost pätra for honor and charity is a jñānī. Such a view is also reinforced by the fact that this verse comes after the description of the hierarchy given in the previous chapter. To counter this idea, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī explains that a bhakta is superior to a jñānī as a pătra. 33 atha mam sarva-bhutesu bhutatmānam krtalayam arcayed dana-manabhyam maitryabhinnena caksusa 479 Anuccheda 287 Worship of Kṛṣṇa Is Worship of All २८७ । “जीवराशिभिराकीर्णः " (भा० ७ । १४ । ३६) इत्यादि । BHAGAVAN ACYUTA is the root of the vast tree of this cosmos, which is pervaded by multitudes of living beings. Thus, by wor- shiping Him, all beings as well as one’s own self become satiated. (SB 7.14.36)1 सर्वेषाम् जीवानामात्मनश्च तर्पणरूपा सैव भवतीत्यर्थः ॥ Narada’s statement to the king means that the worship of Bha- gavän Krsna is itself an offering of oblations (tarpanam) to all living beings and to oneself (ätmanam) also. 1 Commentary OVER the next eight anucchedas beginning with this one, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmi undertakes to establish that the deity of Bhagavan is the supreme object of charity and honor (patra). To do so, he cites the final seven verses from chapter 14 of the Seventh Canto (SB 7.14.36- 42) and the first two verses from the following chapter (SB 7.15.1-2). In the first of these verses, Narada points out that just as by watering the root of a tree, the whole tree becomes nourished, so too by pleasing Krsna through our actions, everyone becomes jiva-rasibhir akirna anda-kosanghripo mahan tan-mulatvad acyutejyä sarva-jivātma-tarpanam 480 287 Worship of Krsna Is Worship of All pleased, including one’s own self. Krsna is comparable to the origi- nal object or prototype (bimba), and the living beings are compared to His reflections (pratibimba). If we wish to beautify a reflected image, we need to decorate the original object and not its reflection. 481 Anuccheda 288 Paramātmā Is the Source of Life २८८ । “पुराण्यनेन” ( भा० ७ । १४ । ३७ ) इत्यादि । जीवेन जीवयित्वा जीवान्तर्यामिरूपेणे- ref: 11 HAVING CREATED innumerable residences in the form of the bodies of human beings, birds, animals, sages, and gods, He [Bhagavan Acyuta] rests in them as the Immanent Self of all liv- ing beings [antaryāmi]. Therefore, He is known as the Puruşa, “He who abides (sa, i.e., sete) in the dwelling place of the body (pura).” (SB 7.14.37)1 In this verse, the word jivena, “as the jiva,” means “as the Imma- nent Self (antaryami) of the jivas, as He who brings them to life.” Commentary THE word jiva normally means an individual living being. One who lives or has life symptoms is called a jiva (jivatiti jivaḥ). But in specific contexts, this word can also refer to the Immanent Self in everything. Deriving the word from the causative form of the verbal root √jiv, jivayati iti jivaḥ, it refers to He who infuses life in everything, including the individual living beings. In Taittiriya Upanisad (2.6.1), it is stated that Brahman evolved the world and 1 purany anena srstäni nr-tiryag-rsi-devatah sete jivena rupena pureşu puruso hy asau 482 2 288 Paramatma Is the Source of Life then entered into it (as Paramatma) to bring it to life? This topic is described in greater detail in the Third Canto of Bhagavata Purāṇa (SB 3.26.63-72). tat sṛṣṭvā tad evanupravisat tad anupravisya sac ca tyac cabhavat 483 Anuccheda 289 Honorability Accords with the Degree of Awareness of Bhagavan २८९ । “तेष्वेव भगवान् ” ( भा० ७ | १४ | ३८) इत्यादि । O KING, Bhagavan is present in these different bodies in a graded manner. Therefore [because He is present to a greater extent in human beings than in subhumans],’ human beings in particular are worthy recipients of honor (patra), in accor- dance with the extent and manner to which the Self (ātmā) [or the immediate awareness thereof (jnana)] is present to them. (SB 7.14.38)2 तस्मात् तारतम्यवर्तनात् पुरुषः प्रायो मनुष्यः पात्रम् । तत्र ज्ञान्यादिकं विशिष्टमिति भगवद्वर्तनस्यातिशयात् । तत्राप्यात्मा यावान् यथा ज्ञानादिपरिमाणादिकस्तथासौ पात्र- firgef: 11 In the second line of the verse, the word tasmat, “therefore,’ means “because of the gradation of Bhagavan’s presence” (täratamya-vartanat), and the word puruşa means “a human being” (manusya). So, because of the gradation of Bhagavan’s presence in different bodies, human beings in general are wor- thy recipients of honor (patra). Among human beings, those in whom jñāna is developed are especially worthy of honor, because Bhagavan is present to them to a greater extent. And 1 This and the next bracketed insert are Sridhara Svami’s comments. 2 teşv eva bhagavan rajams taratamyena vartate tasmat patram hi puruso yavan atma yatheyate 484 289 Honorability Accords with the Degree of Awareness of Bhagavan even among those of developed jñāna, the extent and manner to which the Self (ātmā) is immediately present proportionate to the measure of jñäna determines their degree of honorability (pătra). Commentary IN THE VERSE cited here, Śrī Narada specifies awareness of Bha- gavan as the criterion of eligibility to receive honor and charity. This implies two things. First, this eligibility is primarily found in human beings, because subhumans do not have the capacity for such awareness, except in rare cases. Secondly, even among human beings, the degree of honorability is proportionate to the extent of a person’s awareness of Bhagavan. The word atma in this verse can mean either Paramātmā or the awareness of Him (jñāna). The word puruşa, referring here to human beings in general, also implies the presence of their indweller, Paramātmā, for He who abides (sete) as the Immanent Self (antaryami) in the dwelling place (pura) of the body is known as Puruşa (antaryami-rupeņa purau sarire sete iti puruṣaḥ). 485 Anuccheda 290 The Deity Is Superior to Human Beings As an Object of Worship २९० । एवं स्थितेऽपि कालेनोपासकदोषोत्पत्तौ सत्यां वेददृष्ट्या विशिष्टमधिष्ठानान्तरं प्रकाशितमित्याह (भा० ७ | १४ | ३९ ) - ALTHOUGH Such is the case [that all human beings are wor- thy of honor by virtue of Bhagavan’s presence within them], worshipers became prone to the defect [of disrespect] over the course of time. Consequently, because of the influence of this dualistic vision (bheda-drsti), a different and special seat of wor- ship (adhisthāna) was established, as expressed in Sri Narada’s next statement: दृष्ट्वा तेषां मिथो नृणामवज्ञानात्मतां नृप । त्रेतादिषु हरेरच क्रियायै कविभिः कृता ॥ ९९९ ॥ O King, when the sages observed the attitude of mutual disre- spect that had surfaced among human beings, they established the deity form of Bhagavan Hari for the purpose of worship in Tretāyuga and the yugas to follow. (SB 7.14.39 ) 2 मिथोऽवज्ञानमसम्मानंस्तस्मिन्नात्मा बुद्धिर्येषां भावं दृष्ट्वा क्रियायै पूजाद्यर्थमर्चा कृता 1 2 There is an alternate reading here with the compound veda-drstya found in place of bheda-drstya. In that case, the translation would be : “Consequently, a different and special seat of worship was established by the vision of the Vedas.” drstva teṣam mitho nṛnam avajñānātmatām nṛpa tretadiṣu harer arca kriyāyai kavibhiḥ krta 486 290 The Deity Is Superior to Human Beings As an Object of Worship तत्परिचर्यामार्गदर्शनाय सा प्रकाशितेत्यर्थः । एतेन तादृशदोषयुक्तेष्वपि कार्यसाधक- त्वात् श्रीमदचया आधिक्यमेव व्यञ्जितम् । In the compound avajñänätmatām, the word avajñāna means “disrespect” (asammana), the word ātmā means “intellectual view” (buddhi), and the suffix tā added to the word ātmā means “the state or condition” (bhava) of having such a view. The over- all sense is as follows: Having observed the attitude (bhāva) of those whose intellectual view was one of mutual disrespect, the sages established the deity form of Bhagavan for the purpose of worship (kriyā, i.e., pūjā). This means that they introduced the deity in order to demonstrate the path of service to Sri Hari. This implies that the deity is superior to human beings as an object of worship, because worship of the deity can bring perfection even to those who are afflicted with such a defect. “प्रतिमा स्वल्पबुद्धीनाम्” इत्यत्र चाल्पबुद्धीनामपीत्यर्थः - नृसिंहपुराणादौ ब्रह्माम्बरीषा- दीनामपि तत्पूजाश्रवणात् ॥ And the statement: “The deity is for the less intelligent” (Nrsimha Purāņa 62.5)3 means “even for the less intelligent,” because in scriptures such as the Nrsimha Purana, it is affirmed that even exalted personalities such as Brahma and Ambarīșa worshiped the deity. Commentary ŚRĪ NĀRADA gives a historical account of the reason that led to the inauguration of deity worship. In Satyayuga, people were self- satisfied and nonenvious. They were respectful to each other as a consequence of being situated in sattva. Śrī Śuka says that when the mind, intellect, and senses are situated in sattva and when peo- ple are naturally inclined to knowledge and detachment, that age is called Krtayuga (SB 12.3.27). 3 pratima svalpa-buddhinam 4 The word krta means “done, perfected, accomplished, attained, or achieved.” 487III The Practice of Bhakti Śrī Kṛṣṇa explains the reason why Satyayuga is called Krta: “In the first yuga, called Krta, people had only one varna, known as hamsa (‘swan’). They were perfectly accomplished (krta-krtya) by birth, therefore the yuga was known as krta” (SB 11.17.10). The word krta signifies that people were naturally God-oriented and thus respectful to each other, recognizing the presence of God in all beings. As time passed, people gradually became degraded and prone to materialism. As a result, they disrespected each other, having lost the vision of God’s presence in all beings. When the awareness of God is lost, people become egoistic and self-centered. This leads to pride, which results in fault-finding. When we are aware of God, we can understand how insignificant we are, and thus we are not given to pride. To restore this vision of God’s presence in every- body, and thus to counteract the attitude of disrespect, the sages instituted the practice of deity worship. This occurrence took place in Tretayuga, and it is applicable to the yugas that followed. Even one who has little faith can feel the presence of God in the deity. As he continues to serve the deity, his mind is freed of materialistic vision, and he can detect the presence of God in living beings. Śrī Jiva Gosvāmī cites this verse to show that the deity is superior to a human being as an object of worship (patra), because worship of the deity can purify the heart even of a person who is afflicted with the vice of disrespecting others. A doubt may be raised here. It is sometimes claimed that deity worship is for less intelligent people. This view is common among the followers of the paths of jnana and yoga. They argue that less intelligent people cannot meditate on Brahman, and therefore they need a gross object of support (alambana) to fix their minds. By practice, they become purified, and then they can give up deity worship, which is like a prop or a ladder that helps one to climb up. Śrī Jiva Gosvāmi refutes this misconception, pointing out that great personalities like King Ambarīşa also worshiped Bhagavan’s 5 adau krta-yuge varno nṛnam hamsa iti smrtaḥ krta-krtyah praja jātyā tasmāt kṛta-yugam viduḥ 488 290 The Deity Is Superior to Human Beings As an Object of Worship deity form (karau harer mandira-marjanādiṣu, SB 9.4.18 ff.). Deity worship is for all, whether simple-minded or a great scholar. 6 sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayor vacaṁsi vaikuntha-gunanuvarnane karau harer mandira-marjanadişu srutim cakaracyuta-sat-kathodaye 489 Anuccheda 291 Worship of the Deity Should Be Performed without Malice for Other Beings २९१ । “ततोऽर्चायाम् ” ( भा० ७ । १४ ।४०) इत्यादि । 1 THEREAFTER, some people worshiped Bhagavan Hari in the form of the deity with great faith and suitable paraphernalia. But even if the deity is thus worshiped, it does not award the fruit to those who bear malice toward other human beings. (SB 7.14.40)1 तत एवं प्रभावात् । केचिदित्यधिष्ठानवैशिष्ट्येन पूर्वतोऽप्युत्तमसाधनतत्परा इत्यर्थः । The word tataḥ, “thereafter,” implies that from that point on, the deity of Hari was worshiped because It possesses such power [to counter disrespect and instill honor for all beings]. The word kecit, “some people,” refers to those who were resolutely fixed in the highest form of sadhana, because the deity, as a seat of worship (adhisthana), was distinguished as superior to the other seats mentioned earlier. नन्ववज्ञावद् द्वेषेऽपि सिद्धिः स्यात् ? इत्याशङ्क्यातिप्रसङ्गवारणेच्छ्या प्रस्तुतपुरुषरू- पाधिष्ठानादररक्षेच्छया च तं वारयति “उपास्तापि” इति ॥ A doubt may be raised in this regard. Can worship of the deity yield success even for those who bear malice toward others, 1 tato’rcayam harim kecit samsraddhaya saparyaya upāsata upasṭāpi narthada purusa-dvisām 490 291 Worship of the Deity Should Be Performed without Malice for Other Beings just as it does for those who are prone to disrespect? Anticipat- ing this argument, Śri Narada, with the intent to prevent the defect of over-extending the range of application of his previ- ous statement (atiprasanga)2 [SB 7.14.39] and wanting to ensure that respect be maintained for human beings in general as exis- tential seats (adhisthana) of Bhagavan’s abidance, dismisses any such possibility by stating that worship of the deity cannot bear fruit for those who are inimical toward other living beings. Commentary IN THE PREVIOUS verse (SB 7.14.39), it was mentioned that the sages established the worship of the deity, having observed the attitude of disrespect in human beings. From this, it might be assumed that deity worship should be effective even for those who bear malice toward other human beings. To refute this idea, Sri Narada makes it clear in his next statement (SB 7.14.40) that such is not the case, because hatred is far more grievous than disrespect. A person full of hatred for other beings is not purified by deity worship. The rea- son for this is that God is present in all beings and not only in the deity form. One who hates others also hates God, who is present within them. This is an unforgivable offense. Although disrespect- ing others is also disrespect to God, yet because the sages instituted deity worship specifically to counter this defect, the deity tolerates the attitude of disrespect and purifies the worshiper. 2 A doubt may be raised in this regard. Bhagavan Kapila says: I am ever existent as the Supreme Immanent Self in all living enti- ties. If a mortal being disregards any one of them (tam) and hence Me (mam), yet worships My deity form, he makes a mockery of such worship. (SB 3.29.21)3 Atiprasanga is another word for the defect called ativyapti, the over-application of a rule or definition. 3 aham sarvesu bhutesu bhutatmavasthitah sadah tam avajñāya mam martyah kurute’rca-vidambanam 491 III The Practice of Bhakti And further: O sinless one (Devahuti), I am certainly not pleased with a person who disrespects other living beings, even if he worships Me in the deity form by enacting elaborate rituals conducted with all manner of articles. (SB 3.29.24)4 In these verses, Kapila Deva emphasizes that one who worships the deity while disregarding other living beings is not pleasing to Him. Above, however, it is said that one who worships the deity while disrespecting others can be purified, but not one who bears malice. The solution to this apparent contradiction is that the dis- respect referred to by Kapila is inclusive of hatred. This is under- stood from His statement in the same group of verses: “A person who bears hostility toward Me situated in all other bodies… can never attain the state of utter mental tranquility” (dviṣataḥ para- kaye mām … na manaḥ santim rcchati, SB 3.29.23). Alternatively, the meaning of the two verses cited above (SB 3.29.21 and 24) is not that the disrespectful worshiper is denied all benefit, but rather that he attains it belatedly. Śrī Kapila confirms this interpretation in His own words: As long as one does not directly perceive Me within his heart as the Interior Regulator (Iśvara) present within all living beings, he should worship Me in the deity form while carrying out his prescribed duties. (SB 3.29.25) This topic is explained by Śri Jiva Gosvāmī in his comment on SB 3.29.21 (see Anuccheda 106). aham uccavacair dravyaih kriyayotpannayanaghe naiva tuşye’rcito’rcayam bhuta-gramavamaninah 5 arcadav arcayet tavad isvaram mam sva-karma-kṛt yavan na veda sva-hrdi sarva-bhuteşv avasthitam 492 Anuccheda 292 A Brāhmaṇa Is Most Honorable among Human Beings २९२ । अथ पुरुषेषु पूर्वोक्तविशेषं जात्यादिना विवृणोति “पुरुषेष्वपि” (भा० ७ । १४ । ४१) इत्यादि । NÄRADA THEN elaborates on the previously mentioned spe- cial characteristic (pürvokta-viśeşam)’ that distinguishes a per- son as uniquely worthy of honor [patra] among human beings, based on nobility of birth (jati) and related criteria: O King, even among human beings, the brahmana is known as a superior receptacle of Bhagavan, because through penance, knowledge, and self-satisfaction, he upholds the Veda, which is identical to the body of Bhagavan Hari. (SB 7.14.41)2 यो धत्ते तं सुपात्रं विदुः ॥ That which holds (dhatte) is known as a suitable vessel (supă- tra). [The verse specifically mentions that the brahmana holds (dhatte) the Vedas, the body of Bhagavan, and this is what makes him eligible to receive honor (patra).] 1 2 Previously, in SB 7.14.38 (Anuccheda 289), Narada pointed out that a human being’s worthiness to receive honor (patratvam) is in accordance with the degree to which Bhagavan is disclosed to them proportionate to the development of jnana. Now he elaborates on this distinguishing characteristic from the point of view of nobility of birth (jati) and related criteria. purusesv api rajendra supatram brahmanam viduh tapasa vidyaya tustya dhatte vedam hares tanum 493 III The Practice of Bhakti Commentary EARLIER (in Anuccheda 289), it was said that among all types of living beings, humans are the best patra, or worthy recipients of honor. In this verse, Śrī Narada says that even among human beings, a brahmana is supremely worthy of honor. The reason for this is that he holds the Veda in his body. The Veda is compared to the body of Krsna, hares tanum, as Bhagavan Sankarṣaṇa affirms, “Sabda-brahman (the Veda) and Parabrahman are My eternal bod- ies” (SB 6.16.51). The prime duty of a brahmana is to study the Veda (Manu-smrti 1.88, 4.20). Kṛṣṇa says that the body of a brahmana is not meant for fulfilling petty desires but to engage in austerity (SB 11.17.42). Such a brahmana is worthy of respect by other human beings. At present there is a lot of criticism and animosity toward brahmanas and also against the scriptural injunction to respect a brahmana. This is based on a misunderstanding of the scripture. Every scripture that ordains one to respect a brahmana also delin- eates the duties of a brahmana. Those who do not follow these duties are called brahma-bandhus. By seeing the unmeritorious behavior of a brahma-bandhu, one should not criticize the scrip- tures, because the scriptures do indeed make such a distinction between the two. When Asvatthāmā, a brahmana by birth, killed the five sleeping sons of Draupadi, Arjuna set out in pursuit of him. Arjuna was able to find him and capture him. At that time, Krsna ordered Arjuna to kill Asvatthama, referring to him as a brahma-bandhu (brahma- bandhum imam jahi, SB 1.7.35). Thus the brahmana referred to in Narada’s statement is not one who, although born to brahmana par- ents, betrays the qualification and character of a brahmana. Rather, he is one who embodies the true nature of a brahmana, as described by Śrī Kṛṣṇa: 3 sabda-brahma param brahma mamobhe sasvati tanu 4 brahmanasya hi deho’yam ksudra-kāmāya neşyate krcchraya tapase ceha pretyananta-sukhaya ca 494 292 A Brahmana Is Most Honorable among Human Beings The duties of brahmanas, born of their acquired nature, include reg- ulation of the mind, regulation of the external senses, austerity, purity, forbearance, simplicity, knowledge, realization, and firm faith in scripture. (GĪTĀ 18.42)5 5 samo damas tapah saucam kṣantir arjavam eva ca jñānam vijñānam astikyam brahma-karma svabhava-jam 495 Anuccheda 293 The Brāhmaṇas Are Honorable Even for Bhagavān २९३ । पूर्वोक्तं ब्राह्मणरूपं पात्रमेव स्तौति “नन्वस्य” (भा० ७ ११४।४२) इत्यादिना । IN THE next verse, Śrī Nārada praises the previously mentioned receptacle of Bhagavan (pätra) in the form of the brāhmaṇa: O King, the brahmanas are greatly worshipable even for Bhaga- van Kṛṣṇa, the Immanent Self of the cosmos, because the dust of their feet purifies the three worlds. (SB 7.14.42)1 जगदात्मनो जगति लोकसङ्ग्रहधर्मादिप्रवर्तनेन तन्नियन्तुरित्यर्थः । दैवतं पूज्यत्वेन दर्शि- तम् ॥ श्रीनारदो युधिष्ठिरम् ॥ 1 The compound jagad-ätmanaḥ, “the Immanent Self of the cos- mos,” describes Śrī Kṛṣṇa as “He who regulates the cosmos by propounding dharma for the benefit of the people of the world.” The word daivatam, lit., “having as one’s deity or object of wor- ship” [qualifying the brahmanas], signifies that they are worthy of honor [even for Bhagavan Kṛṣṇa]. Commentary BHAGAVAN KRSNA respects the brahmanas because they dedicate their lives exclusively for the welfare of society. They do not engage nanv asya brahmana rajan krsnasya jagad-atmanah punantah pada-rajasa tri-lokim daivatam mahat 496 293 The Brahmanas Are Honorable Even for Bhagavan in earning wealth or amassing power for their enjoyment. They are the pillars of dharma in society, and thus they assist Krsna, who comes to establish dharma on earth. He is called the Regulator of the cosmos (jagat-niyanta). He controls or regulates by establish- ing dharma in society. Brahma describes Krsna as a worshiper of the brahmanas (Padma Purana, Uttara-khanda 229.9)2 Bhagavan Himself declares that He will chop off His own arm if it is antag- onistic to the brahmanas (chindyam sva-bahum api pratikula-vṛttim, SB 3.16.6). Krsna also instructed His own sons about the greatness of the brahmanas (SB 10.64.33-43). namo brahmanya-devaya go-brahmana-hitaya ca jagad-dhitaya kṛṣṇaya govindaya namo namah 497Anuccheda 294 The Deity Is the Supreme Object of Worship २९४ । अथ तदनन्तराध्यायस्यादावेव तेषु सर्वोत्कृष्टमाह द्वाभ्याम् (भा० ७ । १५११-२) - THEN in the very beginning of the next chapter, Śrī Nārada speaks two verses describing the best among these brāhmaṇas: कर्मनिष्ठा द्विजाः केचित् तपोनिष्ठा नृपापरे । स्वाध्यायेऽन्ये प्रवचने केचन ज्ञानयोगयोः ॥ ९२० ॥ ज्ञाननिष्ठाय देयानि कव्यान्यानन्त्यमिच्छता । दैवे च तदभावे स्यादितरेभ्यो यथार्हतः ।। ९२१ ।। O King, some brahmanas are devoted to ritual acts and pre- scribed duty (karma), some are given to austerity, some study and teach the Vedas, while others are engaged in the practices of jñāna and yoga. For one who seeks the limitless (anantya) [i.e., liberation (mokṣa)], the oblations normally intended for the forefathers as well as those intended for the devas should be offered instead to a brahmana established in jñāna. In the absence of such a person, the oblations can be given to others in accordance with their degree of eligibility [i.e., in accordance with the gradation of their awareness (jñāna-tāratamyena)]? (SB 7.15.1-2)3 1 Sri Viśvanatha Cakravarti 2 Sridhara Svami 3 karma-nistha dvijah kecit tapo-nistha nṛpapare svadhyaye’nye pravacane kecana jñana-yogayoh jnana-nisthāya deyani kavyany anantyam icchata daive ca tad-abhave syad itarebhyo yatharhataḥ 498 294 The Deity Is the Supreme Object of Worship अनेन यथात्र मुमुक्षुप्रभृतीनां ज्ञानिपूजैव मुख्या पुरुषान्तरपूजा तु तदभाव एव तथा प्रे- मभक्तिकामानां प्रेमभक्तपूजा ज्ञेया । ततः प्रेमभक्तानामपि यच् चित्तस्य परमाश्रयरूपं तदभिव्यक्तेः सुतरामेवार्चाया आधिक्यमपि । From this, it is to be understood that for those who desire liber- ation (mumuksus), the worship of a jñānī-brāhmaṇa is primary, whereas the worship of others is to be undertaken only in the absence of such a person. In the same manner, for those desir- ing prema-bhakti, the worship of a devotee already established in prema is foremost. Consequently, because Bhagavan is the supreme refuge of the heart for devotees established in prema, the deity, being the seat of His manifestation, is naturally even more worthy of worship. एवं तदाश्रयरूपस्य विलक्षणप्रकाशस्थानत्वादेव श्रीविष्णोर्व्यापकत्वेऽपि शालग्रामा- दिषु निर्धारणम् । तच्च पुरुषवन् नान्तर्यामिदृष्ट्यपेक्षं किन्तु स्वभावनिर्देशपरमेव- तन्निवासक्षेत्रादीनां महातीर्थत्वापादनादिना कीटादीनामपि कृतार्थत्वकथनात् ।

So although Bhagavan Vişņu is all-pervading, He is understood to be present in Sälagrāma and other such forms, because they are the most highly distinguished places of His manifestation as the heart-refuge of the prema-bhaktas. Moreover, the ascer- tainment of His presence in Salagrāma and other deity forms is not based upon the perception of Him as the Immanent Self (antaryāmī), as it is in the case of human beings. Rather, Bha- gavan Visnu is determined to be directly present in Salagrāma by His very nature. This is evidenced from the fact that Sala- gräma transforms the area in which it resides into a great holy place (maha-tirtha). As such, we find scriptural statements that Sālagrāma’s presence bestows perfection even to the residents of places such as Kikata.* 4 According to the Hindi Sabda-sagara, Kīkata is the ancient Vedic name for Magadha-desa (present day Southern Bihar). The word also refers to a class of people residing in Kīkata who did not belong to the Aryan race. 499 तथा च स्कान्दे- III The Practice of Bhakti In Skanda Purana, it is said: शालग्रामशिला यत्र तत्तीर्थं योजनत्रयम् । तत्र दानं जपो होमः सर्वं कोटिगुणं भवेत् ॥ ९२२ ॥ Wherever the sacred Salagrama stone is present, it creates a holy place in its vicinity, extending for twenty-four miles. All charity, uttering of mantras (japa), and sacrifices performed in this vicinity yield millions of times more benefit. (Skanda Purāņa)5 पाद्मे- And in Padma Purāņa: शालग्रामसमीपे तु क्रोशमात्रं समन्ततः । कीकटोऽपि मृतो याति वैकुण्ठभुवनं नरः ॥ ९२३ ॥ इति । Even a human being born in Kikața who dies within a two-mile radius of Śalagrāma goes to Vaikuntha. (Padma Purana)” तस्मादर्चाया आधिक्यमेव हि स्थितम् ॥ श्रीनारदो युधिष्ठिरम् || Worship of the deity is thus established as superior to worship of human beings. These verses were spoken by Sri Narada to King Yudhisthira. Commentary ŚRI NARADA Concludes his discourse on the eligibility to receive honor or worship by speaking the two verses cited here (SB 7.15.1- 2). He says that a jñāni-brahmana is the most worthy among human 5 salagrama-sila yatra tat-tirtham yojana-trayam tatra danam japo homah sarvam koti-gunam bhavet This verse is not found in the printed version of this Purana, but a similar verse is found in Padma Purana (Patala-khanda 20.32): salagrama-sila yatra pujyate purusottamaiḥ tatra yojana-matram tu tirtha-koti-samanvitam 6 salagrāma-samipe tu krosa-matram samantataḥ kikato’pi mrto yati vaikuntha-bhuvanam naraḥ 500 294 The Deity Is the Supreme Object of Worship beings. It is to be noted that Narada makes this statement in the context of elaborating people’s duties according to the varṇa- śrama social system. The basic principle of varṇāśrama-dharma is that all members of society should follow the duties (karma) pre- scribed for them in the Vedas. Moreover, the culmination of all karma is in jñāna (GITA 4.33). For this reason, Narada recommends that for a person seeking liberation, the worship of a jñānī is pri- mary. Extending the discussion beyond the limit of jñana, Śrī Jiva Gosvami adds that for a devotee desiring prema-bhakti, the worship of a prema-bhakta is foremost. Extrapolating still further, he points to the deity as the supreme object of worship beyond all, because it is the most worshipful object of the worshipful prema-bhaktas. Earlier (in Anuccheda 286), Śrī Jiva Gosvāmi explained that Sala- grama is an existential seat (adhisthāna) of Bhagavan. Although Vişņu is omnipresent, He is particularly present in Sālagrāma, as stated in Skanda Purana (6.253.37, 255.16): “Visnu is He who has entered Salagrama.” For this reason, it is understood that Sala- grama’s presence transforms its surrounding area into a holy place. On this note, Śrī Jiva concludes the topic of the loci of worship (puja-sthānas), begun in Anuccheda 286. This topic included an eval- uation of the different seats of worship in terms of the gradation of Bhagavan’s presence within them. In the next anuccheda, by contextual correlation (prasanga-sangati), he continues to describe further seats of worship. 501 Anuccheda 295 Existential Seats of the Worship of Bhagavan २९५ । अथाधिष्ठानान्तराणि चैवम् । यथा ( भा० ११९ | ११ | ४२-४६ ) - IN ŚRIMAD BHAGAVATA, Bhagavan Kṛṣṇa describes other existential seats (adhisthānas) of worship: सूर्योऽग्निर्ब्राह्मणो गावो वैष्णवः खं मरुज् जलम् । भूरात्मा सर्वभूतानि भद्र पूजापदानि मे ॥ ९२४ ॥ सूर्ये तु विद्यया त्रय्या हविषाग्नौ यजेत माम् । आतिथ्येन तु विप्राग्र्ये गोष्वङ्ग यवसादिना ।। ९२५ ।। वैष्णवे बन्धुसत्कृत्या हृदि खे ध्याननिष्ठया । वायौ मुख्यधिया तोये द्रव्यैस्तोयपुरस्कृतैः ॥ ९२६ ॥ स्थण्डिले मन्त्रहृदयैर्भोगैरात्मानमात्मनि । क्षेत्रज्ञं सर्वभूतेषु समत्वेन यजेत माम् ॥ ९२७ ॥ धिष्ण्येष्वित्येषु मद्रूपं शङ्खचक्रगदाम्बुजैः । युक्तं चतुर्भुजं शान्तं ध्यायन्नर्चेत् समाहितः ॥ ९२८ ॥ O blessed Uddhava, the sun, the fire, the brahmanas, cows, a Vaisnava, the sky, the air, the water, the earth, one’s own body- mind complex (ātmā), and all living beings are the existential seats of My worship. My dear Uddhava, one should worship Me as present in the sun by reciting hymns from the three Vedas, in fire by pouring oblations of clarified butter, in a qualified brahmana through hospitality, in cows by feeding them green grass and other eatables, in Vaisnavas by receiving them affec- tionately like family members, in the sky of the heart through fixity in meditation, in the air [i.e., the vital force (prana)] by 502 295 Existential Seats of the Worship of Bhagavan considering it as the primary source of life, in water by arti- cles of worship beginning with water itself, in the earth [or an altar made of earth] by assignment of confidential mantras, in one’s own body-mind complex (atmani)’ through scripturally approved forms of enjoyment (bhoga), and in all beings through equal vision, recognizing Me as the Immanent Self (ātmānam) and the witness of all (kşetrajnam). In this manner, one should intently meditate upon and worship My serene four-armed form, equipped with a conch, disc, club, and lotus, as present in all these various existential seats. (SB 11.11.42-46)3 टीकाच - “इदानीमेकादशपूजाधिष्ठानान्याह ‘सूर्यः’ इति । हे भद्र ! अधिष्ठानभेदेन पूजा- साधनभेदमाह ‘सूर्ये’ इति त्रिभिः । त्रय्या विद्यया सूक्तैरुपस्थानादिना । अङ्ग ! हे उद्धव ! मुख्यधिया प्राणदृष्ट्या । तोये तोयादिभिर्द्रव्यैस्तर्पणादिना । स्थण्डिले भुवि । मन्त्रहृ- दयै रहस्यमन्त्रन्यासैः । सर्वाधिष्ठानेषु ध्येयमाह ‘धिष्ण्येषु’ इति ‘एषु’ इति । ‘इति’ अनेन प्रकारेण । एषु धिष्ण्येषु” इत्येषा । Śrīdhara Svāmi comments: “In the first verse of this group, Śrī Kṛṣṇa specifies eleven different existential seats of wor- ship (adhiṣṭhānas). The word bhadra, ‘O blessed one,’ is an address to Uddhava. In the next three verses of the group, Kṛṣṇa describes the different means of worship (püjä-sadhanas) 1 Both Śrī Vamsidhara and Sri Vijayadhvaja Tīrtha gloss the word atmani as manasi sva-sarīre va, “in one’s own mind or body.” 2 Śrī Viraraghava glosses the word bhogaih, “by enjoyment,” as “by the fulfillment of desires that are not opposed to scripture” (sastrāviruddha-kāmaiḥ). Śrī Visvanatha Cakravarti comments that the word bhoga refers to forms of enjoyment that are partaken of not out of greed (na tu lobhena) but with the understanding that even this body (ayam mamatmapi) is an existential seat (adhisthāna) of one’s beloved Lord. 3 suryo’gnir brahmano gavo vaisnavah kham maruj jalam bhur ātmā sarva-bhūtāni bhadra pujapadāni me surye tu vidyaya trayya haviṣagnau yajeta mam atithyena tu viprägrye gosv anga yavasādinā vaisnave bandhu-sat-krtya hrdi khe dhyana-nisthaya vayau mukhya-dhiya toye dravyais toya-puraskṛtaih sthandile mantra-hrdayair bhogair atmānam ātmani ksetrajnam sarva-bhūteṣu samatvena yajeta mām dhisnyesv ityesu mad-rupam sankha-cakra-gadambujaih yuktam catur-bhujam santam dhyayann arcet samahitah 503 III The Practice of Bhakti in accordance with their respective seats of worship (adhiṣṭhā- nas). In SB 11.11.43, the words trayya vidyaya, ‘by the three Vedas,’ means ‘by the Vedic hymns’ (suktas) and ‘by respectful saluta- tion offered while facing the sun’ (upasthana). The word anga is an affectionate address to Uddhava. In SB 11.11.44, the compound mukhya-dhiya means ‘by considering (drstya) the air (vayu), or in other words, prana, as the primary (mukhya) life-giving sub- stance.’ In water, Bhagavan is worshiped by offering water and other articles back into the water. In SB 11.11.45, the word stha- ndile means ‘in the earth’ (bhuvi) [i.e., an earthen altar], and mantra-hrdayaih means ‘by the assignment of secret mantras to the site in question’ (rahasya-mantra-nyasa). In the final verse of this group, Kṛṣṇa describes the form that should be contem- plated in all these various existential seats. The word iti means ‘in this manner’ (anena prakarena), and eșu means ‘in these var- ious existential seats’ (dhisnyesu).” [Here ends Śrīdhara Svāmi’s comment.] अत्र सर्वत्र चतुर्भुजस्यैवानुसन्धाने सत्यपि द्विधा गतिः – एकाधिष्ठानपरिचर्ययैवाधिष्ठातु- रुपासनालक्षणा । मन्दिरलेपनादिना तदधिष्ठातृप्रतिष्ठाया इव । यथा “वैष्णवे बन्धुस- त्कृत्या” “गोष्वङ्ग यवसादिना” इत्यादि । यतो बन्धुसत्कारो वैष्णवविषयकः । ईश्वरे तु प्रभुभाव उपदिश्यते “ईश्वरे तदधीनेषु” (भा० ११।२ ।४६ ) इत्यादी । Although it is a fact that in all these different seats of worship, it is only Bhagavan’s four-armed form that is to be contemplated, there are two approaches to this worship. In the first, wor- ship (upasana) of the indwelling presiding deity (adhisthātṛ) [i.e., Bhagavan] is effected simply by rendering service to one of the seats (adhiṣṭhāna) in which He resides, just as by cleansing the temple, its presiding deity is naturally served. The manner in which these various seats are to be served is stated in these verses [SB 11.11.43-45]. For example, Bhagavan is worshiped in a Vaisnava by treating him like a friend, and in a cow, by giv- ing her green grass. [In all the above cases, the service recom- mended is appropriate to the particular seat of worship and not to Bhagavan Himself.] This is evidenced by the fact that instructions are elsewhere found that a Vaisnava is to be treated 504 295 Existential Seats of the Worship of Bhagavan as a friend, whereas Bhagavan is to be honored as the master (prabhu-bhāva), as expressed in this verse: One who has love for Isvara, friendship toward His authen- tically sheltered devotees, compassion for the unaware, and indifference toward the inimical, is an intermediate devotee. (SB 11.2.46) 4 तथा गोसम्प्रदानकमेव यवसादिभोजनदानं युज्यते न तु श्रीचतुर्भुजसम्प्रदानकमभक्ष्य- त्वात् । भा० ११।११।४१- यद् यदिष्टतमं लोके यच् चातिप्रियमात्मनः । तत् तन् निवेदयेन् मह्यं तदानन्त्याय कल्पते ॥ ९२९ ।। इति तत्रैव पूर्वमुक्तम् । Similarly, grass is offered only to a cow, not to the four-handed form of Vişņu, because grass is inedible for Him. Food offerable to Bhagavan is specified by Kṛṣṇa in the following statement, just prior to the above cited group of five verses: Whatever articles are considered to be the most highly desir- able in the world and whatever articles are best loved by one- self should be offered to Me. Such an offering bestows imperish- able fruit (ānantyāya) [or in other words, liberation (moksa ) ] . ( SB 11.11.41 ) 5 अन्या तु साक्षादधिष्ठातुरुपासनालक्षणा यथा “हृदि खे ध्याननिष्ठया” “तोये द्रव्यैस्तोयपु- रस्कृतैः” इत्यादि । अत्राग्यादौ तदन्तर्यामिरूपस्यैव चिन्तनं कार्यं न जातु निजप्रेमसेवा- विशेषाश्रयस्वाभीष्टरूपविशेषस्य । स तु सर्वथा परमसुकुमारत्वादिबुद्धिजनितया प्रीत्यैव सेवनीयः । The second approach to worship is that in which the presiding deity (adhisthātr) [ie, Bhagavan] is worshiped directly. From the same group of verses, there are methods applicable to the 4 5 isvare tad-adhinesu balisesu dviṣatsu ca prema-maitri-kṛpopeksa yah karoti sa madhyamah yad-yad-iṣṭatamam loke yac catipriyam atmanah tat tan nivedayen mahyam tad-anantyāya kalpate 505 III The Practice of Bhakti direct worship of Bhagavan. This includes the directive to wor- ship Him in the sky of the heart by fixity in meditation, and in water [i.e., a holy river], by offering articles beginning with water itself. As regards the direct approach to worship, the method of pouring oblations of clarified butter into the fire is to be done while contemplating Bhagavan only in His feature as the Immanent Self (antaryami) present within fire - never as one’s own specific cherished form of Bhagavan (svābhiṣṭha), who is the recipient of one’s loving devotion (nija-prema-sevā). Rather, the latter should by all means be served only with love (priti) and with the attitude that His form is most tender. यथोक्तं श्रीभगवतैव " वस्त्रोपवीताभरण” (भा० ११ । २७ । ३२) इत्यादि । Krsna Himself describes this attitude in this verse: My devotee should lovingly decorate Me (mam) as per the rec- ommended procedure with clothes, a sacred thread, ornaments, a garland of [tulasi] leaves, scents, and sandalwood paste. (SB 11.27.32)? तेषां यथाभक्तिरीत्या परमेश्वरस्यापि तथाभावः श्रूयते । यथा श्रीनारदीये - Parameśvara Himself adopts a disposition (bhava) that is exactly in accordance with the devotional temperament with which the devotees worship Him, as indicated in Naradiya Purāṇa: 6 7 भक्तिग्राह्यो हृषीकेशो न धनैर्धरणीसुराः । भक्त्या सम्पूजितो विष्णुः प्रददाति समीहितम् ॥ ९३० ॥ जलेनापि जगन्नाथः पूजितः क्लेशहा हरिः । परितोषं व्रजत्याशु तृषार्तः सुजलैर्यथा ॥ ९३१ ॥ इति । O brahmanas [lit., “gods of the earth” (dharani-surah)], Bha- gavān Hṛṣīkesa is obtainable only by devotion, not by wealth. Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti glosses the compound patra-srak, lit., “a garland of leaves,” as “a garland of tulasi leaves” (tulasi-patra-mala). vastropavitabharana-patra-srag gandha-lepanaih alankurvita sa-prema mad-bhakto mam yathocitam 506 295 Existential Seats of the Worship of Bhagavan Being duly worshiped with devotion, Vişņu awards one’s most cherished object. Bhagavan Hari, who is the Lord of the cosmos (jagan-natha) and the dispeller of all miseries, is quickly sat- isfied even when worshiped by a simple offering of water, just as a thirsty person is delighted by cool, clean water. (Naradiya Purāna) 1 अत्र दृष्टान्त उपजीव्यः । वैपरीत्ये दोषश्च यथा ग्रीष्मे जलस्थस्य पूजा प्रशस्ता वर्षासु निन्दिता । यदुक्तं गारुडे- Here, the example (dṛṣṭanta) is supportive of the above stated principle (upajivya) [namely, that Parameśvara adopts a dis- position (bhava) that is in accordance with the devotee’s devo- tional temperament]? It is inappropriate, however, to offer the same substance in adverse conditions. For example, during the intense heat of summer in India, it is recommended that one should worship Bhagavan by placing Him in cool water, but to do so during the rainy season is condemned, as stated in Garuda Purāņa: 9 10 शुचिशुक्रगते काले येऽर्चयिष्यन्ति केशवम् । जलस्थं विविधैः पुष्पैर्मुच्यन्ते यमताडनात् ॥ ९३२ ॥ घनागमे प्रकुर्वन्ति जलस्थं वै जनार्दनम् । ये जना नृपतिश्रेष्ठ तेषां वै नरकं ध्रुवम् ॥ ९३३ ॥ इति । Those who worship Bhagavan Kesava during the summer sea- son by placing Him in water and offering Him varieties of flow- ers become free from the jurisdiction of Yama, the Lord of death. But those who worship Bhagavan Janardana during the rainy season by placing Him in water are certainly destined for hell, O best of kings. (Garuda Purana)1o 10 bhakti-grahyo hrşikeśo na dhanair dharani-surah bhaktyä sampujito vişnuḥ pradadati samihitam jalenapi jagannathaḥ pujitah klesa-ha harih paritoşaṁ vrajaty asu tṛṣartaḥ sujalair yatha In other words, just as a person afflicted by thirst craves for water alone and not for anything else, so too Bhagavan, who thirsts only for the love of His devotees, is pleased only by bhakti. suci-sukra-gate kale ye’rcayisyanti kesavam jalastham vividhaiḥ puspair mucyante yama-tādanāt → 507III The Practice of Bhakti I एवमन्यत्रापि । परिचर्याविधौ तद्देशकालसुखदानि शतशो विहितानि । तद्विपरीतानि निषिद्धानि च विष्णुयामले “विष्णोः सर्वर्तुचर्या च " इति । Elsewhere also, hundreds of prescriptions of a similar type can be found regarding the approved methods of rendering service (paricarya) to Bhagavan in a manner that is pleasing according to time and place. Similarly, hundreds of prohibitions are given regarding acts that are contrary to Bhagavan’s pleasure. An example of this is found in this statement from Vişņu-yamala: “The worship of Bhagavan Visnu is to be conducted according to the particular conditions of each and every season. अत एवोक्तम् “यद् यदिष्टतमं लोके” (भा० ११।११।४१) इत्यादि । “11 It is for this reason that Śrī Kṛṣṇa made the statement already cited above: Whatever articles are considered to be the most highly desir- able in the world and whatever articles are best loved by one- self should be offered to Me. Such an offering bestows imperish- able fruit (anantyaya) [or in other words, liberation (mokṣa)]. (SB 11.11.41)12 तत्र तत्रेष्टमन्त्रध्यानस्थलं च सर्वर्तुसुखमयमनोहररूपरसगन्धस्पर्शशब्दमयत्वेनैव ध्यातुं विहितमस्ति । अन्यथा तत्तदाग्रहस्य वैयर्थ्यं स्यात् । तस्मादग्यादौ तत्तदन्तर्यामिरूप एव भाव्य इति स्थितम् ॥ श्रीभगवान् ॥ As regards the various loci of worship, it is prescribed that the location to be meditated upon in the mantra meditation of one’s cherished form of Bhagavan should be one that is congenial in all seasons, with exquisite arrangements of form, taste, fragrance, touch, and sound. Otherwise, the scriptural insistence on med- itating on one’s cherished form of Bhagavan in His own abode would be rendered futile. Therefore, it is concluded that in fire ghanagame prakurvanti jalastham vai janardanam ye jana nrpati-srestha tesam vai narakam dhruvam The first of these two verses is found in Padma Purana (Uttara-khanda 84.12). 11 visnoh sarvartu-carya ca 12 yad-yad-istatamam loke yac catipriyam atmanaḥ tat tan nivedayen mahyam tad-anantyāya kalpate 508 295 Existential Seats of the Worship of Bhagavan and the other seats of worship, Bhagavan is to be meditated upon only in His immanent feature as the antaryāmi, present within fire or any of the other relevant seats of worship. Commentary AFTER DISCUSSING human beings and Śalagrama as the loci of wor- ship, Śrī Jīva Gosvami describes eleven further seats of worship that are elaborated by Śrī Kṛṣṇa to Uddhava. This worship can be performed in two ways, directly or indirectly. Direct worship is performed in regard to the sun, the fire, the sky, the water, and the earth, whereas indirect worship is conducted in regard to the remaining existential seats. In the case of indirect worship, service is rendered to the seat, and this leads to the pleasure of Bhagavan, who dwells within it. For example, a cow should be given food that is pleasing to the cow. If the cow is satisfied, then Bhagavan is sat- isfied. The same is true with the worship of a brahmana, a Vaiṣṇava, one’s own body-mind (ātmā), and other living beings. Bhagavan Krsna Himself has hinted at the process of wor- ship of a particular seat. Worship is an elaborate procedure and involves various rules and prohibitions related to time, place, envi- ronment, and the worshiper. For a more detailed understand- ing of this topic, one should consult the Agama literature, such as Narada Pancaratra, Vişņu-samhita, Kṛṣṇa-yamala, Gautamiya- tantra, Satvata-samhita, and other books written on the basis of the Agamas and Purāņas, such as Hari-bhakti-viläsa, Krama-dipikā, and Sadhana-dipikā. The worship of Bhagavan in the earth, sthandile, means that one should construct an altar out of earth, smear it with cow-dung and fragrant pastes, such as sandalwood, and place secret mantras on the altar. One should then meditate on Bhagavan as situated on the altar. The word mantra-hrdayaiḥ refers to mantras such as om hṛdayāya svāhā, sikhayai vaṣaṭ, and kavacāya hum. The worship of one’s own body-mind (atma) through enjoy- able experiences, bhogair ātmānam atmani, does not mean that one 509 III The Practice of Bhakti should engage in sensual pleasures. Rather, one should meditate on one’s body as a seat of one’s worshipful deity and pray that He be pleased in this body by satisfaction of one’s body and senses. One should not unnecessarily torment the body by engaging in severe austerities. The body should be kept in a healthy condition with proper diet and care. But one should not indulge in forbidden sensual pleasures. Although Sri Krsna advises Uddhava to meditate on Bhagavan’s four-handed form as present in the various seats, by metaphori- cal transfer of meaning (ajahal-lakṣaṇā), it is understood that one should meditate on one’s own cherished worshipful deity, such as the two-handed form of Kṛṣṇa. Śrī Jiva Gosvāmi establishes the basic formula of worship, which is that worship is to be undertaken in accordance with one’s own specific devotional disposition (bhava). If one is wor- shiping Krsna in the parental mood, then one has to think of Krsna as a small boy dependent on the care of His parents. One should not think that He is God and thus not in need of anything. Although Bhagavan is by nature free from hunger, thirst, and all other physical requirements, He becomes just like a thirsty person when a devotee offers Him water with love. Bhagavan reciprocates according to the mood of His devotee (GĪTĀ 4.11). For this reason, service should be performed according to the season, by providing warm clothes in winter, and thin, light clothes in summer. Similarly, one should adjust His diet according to the season and the time of day. The worshipful deity should be treated and meditated upon as one treats a loved one. He is a person with feelings. This is the import of Krsna’s statement in SB 11.11.41. One should offer whatever items are considered to be the finest in the world and also whatever is very dear to oneself, just as one would do in the case of one’s beloved. The compound ati-priyam atmanah (SB 11.11.41) can mean both very dear to the worshiper as well as very dear to the worshipful entity. 510 Anuccheda 296 Appropriate Adjustment of the Rules of Worship २९६ । अथ नैवेद्यार्पणप्रसङ्गे यः क्रमदीपिकादर्शितोऽनिरुद्धनामात्मको मन्त्रस्तस्य स्थाने श्रीकृष्णैकान्तिकभक्तास्तु तन्मूलमन्त्रमेवेच्छन्ति । तथा यच्च तन्मुखज्योतिरनुगतत्वेन ध्यातुं विधीयते तत् तु भोजनसमये तन्मुखप्रसादमेव मन्यन्ते । भोजनं तु यथा लोकसि- द्धमेव नरलीलत्वात् श्रीकृष्णस्य । IN THE DESCRIPTION of offering food to Bhagavan given in Krama-dipika, there is mention of a mantra composed of the name Aniruddha (Krama- dipika 4.62). The exclusive devotees of Bhagavan Kṛṣṇa, however, prefer to use the seed mantra of Krsna in its place. And in regard to the prescription that one should meditate on the offering being infused with the efful- gence emanating from Bhagavan’s face ( Krama-dipika 4.54), the same devotees instead visualize Krsna’s face blossoming with happiness while eating. Krsna’s eating is like that of people in general because He performs human-like pastimes (nara-līlā). अथ जपे मन्त्रार्थस्य नानात्वेऽपि पुरुषार्थानुकूल एवासौ चिन्त्यः । यथा श्रीमदष्टाक्षरा- दावात्मनिवेदनलक्षणचतुर्थ्याद्यभाववति मन्त्रे तदनुसन्धानेनेति । एवमन्येऽपि पूजावि- धयो यथायथं योजनीयाः । शुद्धभक्तिसिद्ध्यर्थं सर्वासां भक्तीनामेव शुद्धत्वाशुद्धत्वरूपेण द्विविधो हि भेदः सम्मत इति । 511 III The Practice of Bhakti In the practice of japa, although the mantras that one utters have many different meanings, one should meditate specifi- cally on the meaning that is conducive to one’s object of attain- ment (puruşartha). For example, in the eight-syllable mantra,’ the fourth case, indicating self-surrender, is not used. Even in mantras of this type, one should utter the mantra while med- itating on the principle of self-surrender. Similarly, all other rules pertaining to worship should be employed in a fitting man- ner. To make possible the perfection of pure devotion (śuddha- bhakti), it is acknowledged [by learned authorities] that all types of bhakti have two divisions - namely, pure (suddha) and impure (aśuddha). तदेतदर्चनं फलेनाह (भा० ११।२७।४९) - Worship (arcanam) of these two types is indicated by Kṛṣṇa through reference to their different results [beginning with the impure variety]: एवं क्रियायोगपथैः पुमान् वैदिकतान्त्रिकैः । अर्चन्नुभयतः सिद्धिं मत्तो विन्दत्यभीप्सिताम् ॥ ९३४ ।। Worshiping Me as described above by the course of kriya-yoga, as instructed in the Vedas and Tantras, a person attains from Me the fulfillment (siddhim)2 of their desire, both here and in the next world. (SB 11.27.49)3 उभयत इहामुत्र च ॥ The pronoun ubhayataḥ means, “both here and hereafter.” Śrī Jiva does not specify here which eight-syllable mantra he is referring to, and most such mantras do in fact employ the fourth case. An example of an eight-syllable mantra that does not use the fourth case is sri krsnah saranam mama. 2 Śrī Vamsidhara glosses the word siddhim as bhoga and moksa, both of which are indicative of results attained through impure devotion or worship. 3 evam kriya-yoga-pathaiḥ puman vaidika-tantrikaih arcann ubhayataḥ siddhim matto vindaty abhipsitam 512 296 Appropriate Adjustment of the Rules of Worship Commentary IN THE AGAMA LITERATURE as well as in other books that are based upon them, there are numerous details and descriptions of the process of worship. These descriptions are generally in the mood of aiśvarya worship, in which Bhagavan is dealt with and served with great reverence in His majestic feature. Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī gives some guidelines here for the devotees following the mood of pure love. They should look upon the deity as a human being with human requirements, and not as God Almighty, who is com- plete in Himself and does not need our service. He gives two exam- ples from Krama-dipika and advises the prema-bhaktas to adjust the instructions in accordance with Krsna’s human-like play (nara- līlā). Śrī Jīva Gosvāmi recommends that the meaning of the mantra used in meditation should be conceived in correspondence with the practitioner’s aspired for aim. One is not limited to the literal meaning of the mantra. As an example, Sri Jiva refers to an eight- syllable mantra that does not employ the fourth case. The fourth case is indicative of surrender. In uttering a mantra of this type, one can still conceive of its meaning as implying surrender to the deity. The most popular eight-syllable mantra is the Nārāyaṇa mantra. It contains the indeclinable namaḥ (lit., “obeisances”), which sig- nifies surrender. The words namaḥ, svāhā, svadhā, saranam, and prapadye all signify surrender to the worshipful deity, and for the most part, one or more of these words will be included in all mantras. It is not known which eight-syllable mantra Śrī Jiva Gosvāmī had in mind, but one that does fit his description of not employing the fourth case is “sri krsnah saranam mama,” the princi- pal mantra of the Vallabha-sampradaya. It means, “Śrī Kṛṣṇa is my shelter.” While reciting this mantra, one can think of its meaning, “I surrender to Sri Krsna,” or “I take shelter of Śrī Kṛṣṇa.” If it so happens that a particular mantra is missing a word or case that directly signifies surrender, the practitioner should nonetheless meditate on the principle of surrender as implicit in the mantra. 513 III The Practice of Bhakti The meaning of a mantra is flexible according to one’s sankalpa, or resolve. A person desiring pure bhakti should take the meaning of his or her mantra as a prayer for pure bhakti. Śrī Jiva mentions that bhakti can be performed either with a pure or an impure intention. The pure intention is to execute bhakti only to attain love of God. The impure intention is to acquire some type of material gain in this life or after death. At the end of this anuccheda, he gives an example of impure worship. An example of pure worship is given in the next anuccheda. 514 Anuccheda 297 Bhagavan Is Attained by Pure Worship २९७ | यथा ( भा० ११/२७/५३ ) - [SIMILARLY, pure worship is indicated by its result], as Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: मामेव नैरपेक्ष्येण भक्तियोगेन विन्दति । भक्तियोगं स लभत एवं यः पूजयेत माम् ॥ ९३५ ॥ One who worships Me according to the injunctions already mentioned attains bhakti-yoga, and by performing bhakti-yoga without any motive (nairapeksyena), one attains Me directly. (SB 11.27.53)1 नैरपेक्ष्येण निरुपाधिना भक्तियोगेन प्रेम्णा । स च भक्तियोग एवं पूजायाः स्यादित्याह भक्तीति ॥ श्रीभगवान् ॥ The word nairapeksyena, “without any motive,” [qualifying bhakti-yogena] means “causeless” or “free from all material con- ditions” (nirupādhina). Bhakti-yogena means, “through love” (premņā), and this causeless bhakti-yoga ensues from worship conducted in this manner. This is clear from Krsna’s statement in the second line of the verse. 1 mām eva nairapeksyena bhakti-yogena vindati bhakti-yogam sa labhata evam yah pujayeta mam 515 516 III The Practice of Bhakti Commentary THE RESULT of an undertaking is dependent upon one’s motive, sankalpa. Bhakti can grant anything material or spiritual, as Krsna assures Uddhava in the Bhagavata (SB 11.20.32-33). In the previous verse (SB 11.27.49), impure worship was demonstrated by the attain- ment of material fruits in this life and the next. Now in this verse, pure worship is indicated by the attainment of causeless devotion, which leads to the direct attainment of Krsna Himself. Anuccheda 298 Eligibility for Worship २९८ । यानि चात्र वैष्णवचिह्नानि निर्माल्यधारणचरणामृतपानादीन्यङ्गानि तेषां च पृथक् पृथक् महामाहात्म्यवृन्दं शास्त्रसहस्रेष्वनुसन्धेयम् । THERE are numerous other practices that are considered as limbs (angas) of worship, such as decorating one’s body with the marks of a Vaisnava, accepting the garlands used by Bha- gavän, and honoring the water that washed Bhagavan’s feet. The individual importance of all these various practices can be gleaned from thousands of different scriptural statements. अथार्चनाधिकारिनिर्णयः (भा० ११।२७।४) - Now we will determine who is eligible to perform worship. In this regard, Uddhava said to Bhagavän Kṛṣṇa: एतद् वै सर्ववर्णानामाश्रमाणां च सम्मतम् । श्रेयसामुत्तमं मन्ये स्त्रीशूद्राणां च मानद ॥ ९३६ ॥ O Manada [You who are respectful to all], this indeed [i.e., the worship of You (tvad-arcanam)]’ is approved for persons belong- ing to all vocational classes (varnas), all stages of life (aśramas), and for women and sudras as well. I consider it to be the fore- most of all practices [sadhanas] that lead to the ultimate good. (SB 11.27.4)3 1 Śrī Viśvanatha Cakravarti 2 Śrī Giridhara 3 etad vai sarva-varṇānam asramanam ca sammatam śreyasam uttamam manye stri-sudrānam ca manada 517III The Practice of Bhakti सर्ववर्णानां त्रैवर्णिकानाम् । तथा च स्मृत्यर्थसारे पाद्मे च वैशाखमाहात्म्ये " The compound sarva-varṇänäm, “for all vocational classes,’ refers to the three higher classes [as the sudras have been men- tioned separately]. The same point, that worship is the right of all human beings, is made in the Smrty-artha-sara and the Vaisakha-māhātmya of Padma Purāṇa: आगमोक्तेन मार्गेण स्त्रिभि शूद्रैश्च पूजनम् । कर्तव्य श्रद्धया विष्णोश्चिन्तयित्वा पतिं हृदि ॥ ९३७ ॥ शूद्राणां चैव भवति नाम्ना वै देवतार्चनम् । सर्वे चागममार्गेण कुर्युर्वेदानुसारिणा ॥ ९३८ ॥ स्त्रीणामप्यधिकारोऽस्ति विष्णोराराधनादिषु । पतिप्रियहितानां च श्रुतिरेषा सनातनी ॥ ९३९ ॥ इति । While contemplating their Supreme Master (pati) within the heart, women and sudras should worship Bhagavan Visnu with reverence by the process described in the Agama. Šūdras should also worship Bhagavan specifically by mantras composed of the names of Bhagavän. Everyone can worship Bhagavan Visnu by the path of the Agama that accords with the Vedas. Women in general, as well as those in particular who are devoted to their husbands,* are also eligible to worship Bhaga- van Visņu. This is an eternal injunction of the Veda. (Padma Purana, Srsti-khanda 84.52-54)5 4 5 According to Smrti-sastra, devotion to the husband is equated with the worship of God, which would obviate the need for such worship. Here, however, it is said that even women who are devoted to their husbands have the right to worship Bhagavan. agamoktena margena stribhih sudrais ca pujanam kartavyam śraddhaya visnos cintayitva patim hrdi sudrānam caiva bhavati nāmnā vai devatarcanam sarve cagama-margena kuryur vedanusarina striņam apy adhikaro’sti visnor aradhanadisu pati-priya-hitanam ca srutir esa sanatani 518 298 Eligibility for Worship विष्णुधर्मे- In Visnu dharma Purāna, it is said: देवतायां च मन्त्रे च तथा मन्त्रप्रदे गुरौ । भक्तिरष्टविधा यस्य तस्य कृष्णः प्रसीदति ।। ९४० ।। तद्भक्तजनवात्सल्यं पूजायां चानुमोदनम् । सुमना अर्चयेन् नित्यं तदर्थे दम्भवर्जनम् ॥ ९४९ ॥ तत्कथाश्रवणे रागस्तदर्थे चाङ्गविक्रिया । तदनुस्मरणं नित्यं यस्तन्नामोपजीवति ।। ९४२ ॥ भक्तिरष्टविधा ह्येषा यस्मिन् म्लेच्छेऽपि वर्तते । स मुनिः सत्यवादी च कीर्तिमान् स भवेन् नरः ॥ ९४३ ॥ Bhagavan Kṛṣṇa is pleased with a person who has bhakti of the following eight varieties toward his worshipful deity, his mantra, and the guru who gave the mantra: to be affectionate toward Bhagavān’s devotees, to approve of Bhagavan’s worship, to worship Bhagavan regularly with a pure mind, to give up hypocrisy for the sake of Bhagavan, to develop attachment to hearing Bhagavan’s narrations, to engage the limbs of the body in the service of Bhagavan, to remember Bhagavan constantly, and to make Bhagavan’s name one’s very life. If these eight types of bhakti are found even in a mleccha, that person becomes a sage and an abode of truth and dignity. (Visnu- dharma Purāṇa) किं च तत्त्वसागरे - Furthermore, it is said in Tattva-sāgara: 6 यथा काञ्चनतां याति कांस्यं रसविधानतः । तथा दीक्षाविधानेन द्विजत्वं जायते नृणाम् ॥ ९४४ ॥ इति । devatayam ca mantre ca tatha mantra-prade gurau bhaktir asta-vidha yasya tasya krsnaḥ prasidati tad-bhakta-jana-vatsalyam pujayam cānumodanam sumana arcayen nityam tad-arthe dambha-varjanam tat-katha-sravane ragas tad-arthe cariga-vikriya tad-anusmaranam nityam yas tan-nāmopajivati bhaktir asta-vidha hy eṣa yasmin mlecche’pi vartate sa muniḥ satyavadi ca kirtiman sa bhaven narah 519 III The Practice of Bhakti Just as bell-metal is turned into gold by an alchemical pro- cess, human beings become twice-born by the process of dikṣā. (Tattva-sägara)’ अथ “कृते शुक्लश्चतुर्बाहुः " ( भा० ११।५।२१) इत्यादिना युगभेदे यश्चोपासनायामाविर्भा वभेद उच्यते स च प्रायिक एव । तेभ्यश्चतुभ्र्भ्योऽन्येषामुपासनाशास्त्रादेव । अन्यथेतरो- पासनायाः कालासमावेशः स्यात् । श्रूयन्ते च सर्वत्र युगे सर्वोपासकास्तस्मात् सर्वैरपि सर्वदापि यथेच्छं सर्वमेवाविर्भावाः पूज्या इति स्थितम् । अत “एतद् वै सर्ववर्णानाम्” इत्यादिकं सर्वसम्मतमेव । उद्भवः श्रीभगवन्तम् ॥ In the section of verses from Srimad Bhagavata beginning with SB 11.5.21, it is stated that in different yugas, there are different manifestations of Bhagavan and, correspondingly, different processes of worship. This is applicable in a relative sense but not absolutely, because scripture itself prescribes the worship of other forms of Bhagavän, distinct from the four forms rec- ommended for the four yugas. If other forms could not be wor- shiped simultaneous to the yuga-avataras, there would be no time at which the worship of other forms could take place. It is also understood from scripture that in all yugas, worshipers of all manifestations of Bhagavan are to be found. Consequently, it is established that all manifestations of Bhagavan can be wor- shiped at all times by everyone, in accordance with individ- ual taste. Thus, the conclusion expressed in SB 11.27.4, that the worship of Kṛṣṇa is approved for all, is universally accepted. Commentary THERE are numerous limbs (angas) of bhakti. The glory of these various limbs is expounded in different Puranas and Tantra liter- ature. Some of them are described in Bhakti-rasämrta-sindhu, in the first division, second wave. Hari-bhakti-viläsa, however, gives many more details. One can refer to it for further specifics. After concluding the description of deity worship, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī cites 7 yatha kañcanatam yati kamsyam rasa-vidhanataḥ tatha dīksa-vidhanena dvijatvam jayate nṛṇam 520 298 Eligibility for Worship verses from various scriptures to establish that every human being has the right to worship Bhagavan. As mentioned earlier, there are two divisions of scriptures in India, called Śruti or Veda (also called Nigama), and Smrti or Agama. Out of the four varnas of brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, and sudra, only the first three classes are eligible to study and prac- tice the dharma propagated by the Vedas, as confirmed in Srimad Bhagavata (1.4.25). In contrast, however, every human being has the right to follow the dharma described in the Agamas. To look at it from a different perspective, there are two types of dharma - that related to the body and that related to the authen- tic self (atma). The karma-kanda division of the Vedas is concerned with the former. Only the first three varnas have the right to prac- tice it. The path of bhakti is concerned with the latter form of dharma, and it is open to all, because in terms of the ātmā, there is no difference between those who belong to the varṇāśrama system and those who lie outside of its scope, often referred to pejoratively as mlecchas. The verses cited from Padma Purana clearly state that Visņu should be worshiped by all. This is also confirmed by sage Camasa (SB 11.5.3-4). By taking dikṣā according to the process described in the Agama, one becomes free of the limitations imposed by one’s low birth. Such a person attains the status of a dvija, the word commonly used for brahmanas, ksatriyas, and vaisyas after they have undergone the upanayana-saṁskāra. By Agamic dīkşa, even a person of low birth becomes as respectable as a dvija. This is also affirmed by Devahūti to Kapila (SB 3.33.6) in regard to those who chant the names of God. 521 Anuccheda 299 The Limbs of Arcanam 299.1 Janmāṣṭamī २९९ । तदेतदर्चनं व्याख्यातम् । अस्याङ्गानि चागमादौ ज्ञेयानि । तथा श्रीकृष्णजन्माष्ट- मीकार्तिकव्रतैकादशीमाघस्रानादिकमत्रैवान्तर्भाव्यम् । IN THIS MANNER, arcanam has been described. The various limbs (angas) of worship can be learnt from books such as the Āgamas. Other devotional practices, such as the celebration of Kṛṣṇa’s birth, observance of vows during the month of Kartika, fasting on Ekādaśī, and bathing during the month of Magha, are to be included as parts of arcanam. तत्र जन्माष्टमी यथा विष्णुरहस्ये ब्रह्मनारदसंवादे - Among these, Krsna’s birth celebration is described in a dialogue between Brahma and Narada in Visņu-rahasya: 1 तुष्ट्यर्थं देवकीसूनोर्जयन्तीसम्भवं व्रतम् । कर्तव्यं वित्ताशाठ्येन भक्त्या भक्तजनैरपि । अकुर्वद् याति निरयं यावदिन्द्राश्चतुर्दश ॥ ९४५ ॥ All devotees without exception (api)’ should celebrate the birth of Bhagavan Krsna, the son of Devaki, for His satisfaction, by The word api is most commonly translated as “even.” This meaning, however, doesn’t quite fit the context of the statement. According to A Practical Dictionary of Sanskrit Grammar, “the word api is used sometimes to mean unqualified by condition.” The Bangiya-sabdakosa includes in its meanings of the word api “certainty” (niscaya), “emphasis” (niscayarthaka), and “totality” (samuccaya). All of these meanings are applicable here. any 522 299 The Limbs of Arcanam observing the appropriate vows with devotion and without miserliness in regard to expenditure. If a devotee does not observe this festival, he goes to hell for a period of fourteen Indras. (Visņu-rahasya)2 तथा- And: कृष्णजन्माष्टमीं त्यक्त्वा योऽन्यद् व्रतमुपासते । नाप्नोति सुकृतं किञ्चिद् दृष्टं श्रुतमथापि वा ॥ ९४६ ॥ If a person gives up the celebration of Kṛṣṇa’s birth and observes other vows instead, he derives none of their benefits that he may have heard about from scriptures or witnessed in others. (Vişnu-rahasya)3 वित्ताशाठ्यं चोक्तमष्टमे ( भा० ८/१९३३७ ) - Non-miserliness (asathya) [i.e., liberality] in regard to expen- diture of wealth is described in the Eighth Canto of Srimad Bhagavata: धर्माय यशसेऽर्थाय कामाय स्वजनाय च । पञ्चधा विभजन् वित्तमिहामुत्र च मोदते ॥ ९४७ ॥ A person who utilizes wealth in five areas - for dharma, for renown, for investments to increase wealth, for fulfillment of desire, and for family - enjoys happiness in this life and the next. (SB 8.19.37) 2 4 tusty-artham devaki-sünor jayanti-sambhavam vratam kartavyam vittäsäṭhyena bhaktyä bhakta-janair api akurvad yāti nirayam yavad indras catur-dasa kṛṣṇa-janmäṣṭamim tyaktva yo’nyad vratam upasate napnoti sukrtam kincid drstam śrutam athāpi vā dharmaya yasase’rthaya kamaya svajanaya ca pañcadha vibhajan vittam ihamutra ca modate 523 III The Practice of Bhakti Commentary IN THIS ANUCCHEDA, Sri Jiva Gosvami concludes the discussion on deity worship, arcanam. This practice has many limbs, and to describe them all in detail would unnecessarily increase the size of the book. Therefore, he limits himself to some of the most important ones. Janmaṣṭami, the birthday of Krsna, is celebrated all over the world, and it is one of the oldest commemorated birthdays. It is celebrated with great pomp and show in Vraja. Because Krsna is Svayam Bhagavan, His birthday celebration is more important than that of any other avatara. One should celebrate it without sparing any expense. Even a teacher the likes of Sukracārya, who advised his student Bali not to honor his promise of giving three steps of land to Vamana Deva, says that one should use wealth for five purposes, one of which is dharma (SB 8.19.37, cited above). This is not to say that all these categories are to be taken as equal, but in any case, one must spend a portion of one’s earnings for religious purposes. For a devotee, this means services and cere- monies related to his or her worshipful deity. Sūta Gosvāmi, how- ever, has a different opinion from that of Sukracarya. According to him, wealth is meant only for dharma (arthasya dharmaikāntasya, SB 1.2.9). 299.2 Kārtika-vrata अथ कार्तिको यथा स्कान्दे “एकतः सर्वतीर्थानि ” इत्यादिकमुक्त्वा- Next, we will describe the observance of vows during the month of Kartika, as discussed in Skanda Purana (2.4.1.21) in the follow- ing words: “The combined benefit of visiting all the holy places and executing all the yajñas with distribution of gifts cannot be 524 299 The Limbs of Arcanam compared even to one sixteenth of the result earned by observ- ing the vow of the Kartika month.” After this statement, the text goes on to say: एकतः कार्तिको वत्स सर्वदा केशवप्रियः । यत् किञ्चित् क्रियते पुण्यं विष्णुमुद्दिश्य कार्तिके । तदक्षयं भवेत् सर्वं सत्योक्तं तव नारद ॥ ९४८ ॥ इति । अव्रतेन क्षिपेद् यस्तु मासं दामोदरप्रियम् । तिर्यग्योनिमवाप्नोति सर्वधर्मबहिष्कृतः ॥ ९४९ ॥ इति । My dear boy, the month of Kartika is always especially dear to Bhagavan Kesava. Whatever pious acts one performs during this month for the sake of Visņu, bear imperishable results. O Narada, this is verily true. But one who passes the month of Kar- tika, which is so dear to Bhagavan Damodara, without observ- ing any vow for His pleasure, takes birth as an animal, being deprived of all dharma. (Skanda Purāņa 2.4.1.23b-24)6 Commentary Kartika is the eighth month of the lunar year. It comes during October-November. It is also called Damodara, which is a name of Krsna. Krsna’s lila of being bound by ropes occurred during this month, and on this basis, it bears the name of Damodara (He whose belly, udara, was bound by ropes, dāma). This festival is celebrated especially in Vṛndāvana. Devotees from all over the world flock to Vrndāvana for one month to commemorate the occasion. They sing special prayers to Krsna and offer Him ghee lamps? 5 6 7 ekataḥ sarva-tirthani sarve yajnah sadaksinah kārtikasya tu māsasya kalaṁ närhati sodasim ekataḥ kartiko vatsa sarvada kesava-priyah yat-kincit kriyate punyam vişnum uddisya kārtike tad-aksayam bhavet sarvam satyoktam tava nārada avratena ksiped yas tu masam damodara-priyam tiryag-yonim avapnoti sarva-dharma-bahiskrtah For more details on the Kartika-vrata, see chapter 16 of Hari-bhakti-vilāsa. 525 III The Practice of Bhakti 299.3 Ekādaśī अथ एकादशी - तत्र तावदस्या अवैष्णवेऽपि नित्यत्वम् । तत्र सामान्यतः विष्णुधर्मे “वैष्णवो वाथ सौरो वा कुर्यादिकादशीव्रतम्” इति । Next, we will discuss the observance of Ekādasī, or fasting on the eleventh day of the lunar month. This is a compulsory vow to be observed even by non-Vaisnavas. There are many general statements about Ekādaśī, such as in Visnu-dharma: “Whether one is a devotee of Visņu or of the sun god, he must observe the vow of Ekadasi.’ “18 सौरपुराणे “वैष्णवो वाथ शैवो वा सौरोऽप्येतत् समाचरेत्” इति । And in the Saura Purana: “Whether one is a devotee of Visņu, of Śiva, or of the sun god, one must observe the vow of Ekādasi.” विशेषतश्च नारदपञ्चरात्रे दीक्षानन्तरावश्यककृत्यकथने “समयांश्च प्रवक्ष्यामि " इत्यादौ- More specific injunctions about Ekadasi can be found in Narada Pancarătra. In the description of the duties that are compulsory after receiving dikşa, it is said, “I will explain to you the rules [regarding the observance of Ekadasi].“10 And then: एकादश्यां न भुञ्जीत पक्षयोरुभयोरपि । जागरं निशि कुर्वीत विशेषां चार्पयेद् विभुम् ॥ ९५० ॥ इति । One should not eat on either of the Ekadasis that occur fort- nightly in the lunar month. One should remain awake through- out the night and worship Bhagavan with special attention. (Narada Pañcaratra)“1 8 vaisnavo vatha sauro va kuryad ekadasi-vratam 9 vaisnavo vatha saivo va sauro’py etat 10 samayamś ca pravaksyāmi 11 ekadasyam na bhurjita pakṣayor ubhayor api jagaram nisi kurvita višesam carpayed vibhum 526 299 The Limbs of Arcanam विष्णुयामलेऽपि तत्कथने दिग्विद्धैकादशीव्रतम्- In Vişņu-yamala as well, there is a description of Ekadasi. After stating that one should not fast on mixed Ekadasi (dig-viddha, i.e., daśami-viddha),12 it is said: शुक्लाकृष्णाविभेदश्वासद्व्यापारो व्रते तथा । शक्तौ फलादिभुक्तिश्च श्राद्धं चैकादशीदिने ॥ द्वादश्यां च दिवास्वापस्तुलस्यवचयस्तथा ॥ ९५९ ॥ One should not make any distinction between the Ekadasis that occur on the light and dark fortnights of the lunar month, think- ing that one of them need not be observed. One should not act irreligiously on the day of fast, and if able to, one should abstain even from light foods, like fruit. One should not per- form the śraddha ceremony to the forefathers on the day of Eka- dasi. One should not pick tulasi leaves and should not sleep throughout the following day of Dvadasi [in completion of the vow]. (Visņu-yamala)13 तत्र विष्णोर्दिवासानमपि निषिद्धत्वेनोक्तम् । पाद्मोत्तरखण्डे च वैष्णवधर्मकथने “द्वादशी- व्रतनिष्ठता” इति । The Vişņu-yamala also forbids the bathing of Visņu during the day of Dvādasī. In the description of duties to be performed by Vaisnavas found in the Uttara-khanda of Padma Purāṇa, it is said: “One should be firmly resolved to follow the vow of Dvādasi [i.e., Ekadasi in general].” तथा स्कान्दे काशीखण्डे सौपर्णद्वारकामाहात्म्ये च चन्द्रशर्मणो भगवद्धर्मप्रतिज्ञा- And in the Käsi-khanda of Skanda Purana, in the section known as “The Glory of Sauparṇa-dvārakā,” the brahmana Candra- śarmă declares his vows concerning bhagavad-dharma: 12 The word dik or dig means “a direction,” such as east. Since Vedic cosmology counts ten directions (four cardinal points, four ordinal points, zenith, and nadir), the word dik also means “ten,” and it is used here in this 13 sense — “Ekadasī mixed with the tenth lunar day.” sukla-krsna-vibhedas casad-vyaparo vrate tatha saktau phaladi-bhuktis ca sraddham caikadasi-dine dvadasyam ca divasvapas tulasya vacayas tatha 527III The Practice of Bhakti अद्यप्रभृति कर्तव्यं यन् मया कृष्ण तच्छृणु । एकादश्यां न भोक्तव्यं कर्तव्यो जागरः सदा ।। ९५२ ।। महाभक्त्यात्र कर्तव्यं प्रत्यहं पूजनं तव । पलार्द्धेनापि विद्वन् तु मोक्तव्यं वासरं तव । ९५३ ।। त्वत्प्रीत्याष्टौ मया कार्या द्वादश्यां व्रतसंयुताः ॥ ९५४ ॥ इत्यादिकाः । O Bhagavan Kṛṣṇa, please hear what my duties are from now onward. I will not eat on Ekādaśī, I will always remain awake during the night of Ekadasi, and every day I will worship You with great devotion. And if the lunar day of Ekadasi is over- lapped even fractionally by the day of Dasami [the tenth day of the lunar month], I will abstain from fasting on that day. For Your satisfaction, I will observe the eight Mahā-dvādasī fasts. (Skanda Purana 7.4.24.32-33) 14 अत उक्तमाग्नेये – Thus it is said in Agni Purana: एकादश्यां न भोक्तव्यं तद् व्रतं वैष्णवं महत् ॥ ९५५ ॥ इति । One should not eat on Ekadasi, because this is a great vow undertaken for Bhagavan Vişņu. (Agni Purana)15 गौतमीये- And in Gautamīya-tantra: वैष्णवो यदि भुञ्जीत एकादश्यां प्रमादतः । विष्ण्वर्चनं वृथा तस्य नरकं घोरमाप्नुयात् ॥ ९५६ ।। 14 adya-prabhrti kartavyam yan maya krsna tac chrnu ekadasyam na bhoktavyam kartavyo jāgaraḥ sadā maha-bhaktyatra kartavyam praty-aham pujanam tava palarddhenäpi viddhan tu moktavyam vasaram tava tvat-prītyastau maya karya dvādasyam vrata-samyutaḥ 15 The second and third lines of the verses cited here are different in the printed version. 15 ekādasyam na bhoktavyam tad-vratam vaisnavam mahat 528 299 The Limbs of Arcanam If due to negligence, a Vaisnava eats on Ekādasi, his worship of Viṣṇu becomes futile, and he will fall into a terrible hell. (Gautamiya-tantra 31.62b-63a)16 मत्स्यभविष्यपुराणयोः- And in Matsya Purana and Bhavisya Purana: एकादश्यां निराहारो यगुडे द्वादशीदिने । शुक्ला वा यदि वा कृष्णा तद् व्रतं वैष्णवं महत् ॥ ९५७ ॥ इति । One should fast on Ekadasi and eat on the following day of Dvä- dasī. The observance of Ekādasi, whether it falls during the dark or light fortnight of the lunar month, is a great vow for the Vaisnavas. (Matsya Purana and Bhavisya Purana)1 स्कान्दे- And in Skanda Purana: मातृहा पितृहा चैव भ्रातृहा गुरुहा तथा । एकादश्यां तु यो भुङ्क्ते विष्णुलोकच्युतो भवेत् ॥ ९५८ ॥ इति । One who eats on Ekadasi is a killer of his mother, father, brother, and preceptor. He will never attain the abode of Bhagavan Visnu. (Skanda Purana)18 अत्र वैष्णवानां निराहारत्वं नाम महाप्रसादान्नपरित्याग एव - तेषामन्यभोजनस्य नित्य- मेव निषिद्धत्वात् । यथोक्तं नारदपञ्चरात्रे - The statements in this section regarding the Vaisnavas’ fast- ing on the day of Ekadasi specifically refer to abstinence from food grains offered to Bhagavan Visņu. There is no need to stip- ulate abstinence from food not offered to Visņu, because the Vaisnavas are ever-forbidden to partake of such food, as stated in Narada Pancaratra: 17 vaisnavo yadi bhunjita ekadasyam pramadatah visny arcanam vṛtha tasya narakam ghoram apnuyat ekadasyam niraharo yad-bhunkte dvadasi-dine sukla va yadi va krsna tad-vratam vaisnavam mahat 18 matr-ha pitr-ha caiva bhratr-ha guru-ha tatha ekadasyam tu yo bhunkte visnu-loka-cyuto bhavet 529 III The Practice of Bhakti प्रसादान्नं सदा ग्राह्यमेकादश्यां न नारद । रमादिसर्वभक्तानामितरेषां च का कथा ॥ ९५९ ॥ इति । O Narada, food grains offered to Bhagavan Vişņu are always for- bidden on Ekadasi for all devotees, headed by the Goddess Ramā [Laksmi]. That this applies to others as well is thus all the more self-evident. (Narada Pañcaratra) » ब्रह्माण्डपुराणे - In Brahmānda Purāna, it is said: पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयमन्नपानाद्यमौषधम् । अनिवेद्य न भुञ्जीत यदाहाराय कल्पितम् ॥ ९६० ॥ अनिवेद्य तु भुञ्जानः प्रायश्चित्ती भवेन् नरः । तस्मात् सर्वं निवेद्यैव विष्णोर्भुञ्जीत सर्वदा ॥ ९६१ ॥ Whatever food one considers suitable for consumption, whether it be leafy vegetables, flowers, fruits, water, grains, beverages, or even medicine, should not be taken without first offering it to Bhagavan Visņu. If one eats without offering it to Visņu, he is liable to perform atonement. Thus, one should always eat after offering everything to Visņu. (Brahmanda Purana)20 जागरस्यापि नित्यत्वं यथा स्कान्दे उमामहेश्वरसंवादे- Remaining awake throughout the night of Ekadasi is also a com- pulsory observance, as stated in a dialogue between Umā and Maheśvara in Skanda Purana: सम्प्राप्ते वासरे विष्णोर्ये न कुर्वन्ति जागरम् । भ्रश्यते सुकृतं तेषां वैष्णवानां च निन्दया ॥ ९६२ ॥ मतिर्न जायते यस्य द्वादश्यां जागरं प्रति । न हि तस्याधिकारोऽस्ति पूजने केशवस्य हि ॥ ९६३ ॥ इति । 19 prasadannam sada grahyam ekadasyaṁ na narada 20 ramadi-sarva-bhaktanam itaresaṁ ca ka katha patram puspam phalam toyam anna-panadyam auṣadham anivedya na bhunjita yadahārāya kalpitam anivedya tu bhurjanah prayascitti bhaven narah tasmāt sarvam nivedyaiva visnor bhurijita sarvada 530 299 The Limbs of Arcanam Those who do not remain awake throughout the night of Eka- daśī, which is known as the day of Visnu, lose all piety. The same outcome results from the blasphemy of Vaisnavas. One who is not inclined to remain awake throughout the night of Dvadasi is ineligible to worship Bhagavan Kesava. (Skanda Purāna 7.4.28.47a ) 21 तद्वत् तस्य विष्णुप्रीतिदत्वं च श्रूयते पाद्मोत्तरखण्डे- Accordingly, observance of the vow of Ekadasi is pleasing to Visņu. This is indicated in the Uttara-khanda of Padma Purana: शृणु देवि प्रवक्ष्यामि द्वादश्याश्च विधानकम् । तस्याः स्मरणमात्रेण सन्तुष्टोऽभूज् जनार्दनः ॥ ९६४ ॥ O Goddess, hear from me the method of observing the vow of Dvadasi. By the mere remembrance of Dvadaśī, Bhaga- vān Janārdana [ Krsna] becomes pleased. ( Padma Purana, Uttara-khanda)22 भविष्ये- And in Bhavisya Purāṇa: एकादशी महापुण्या सर्वपापविनाशिनी । भक्तस्तु दीपनी विष्णोः परमार्थगतिप्रदा ॥ ९६५ ॥ इति । The vow of Ekādaśī is highly meritorious, it dispels all sins, enhances one’s devotion to Bhagavan Viṣṇu, and bestows the supreme goal. ( Bhavisya Purana) 23 अत एव श्रीमदम्बरीषादीनां भक्त्येकनिष्ठानां महाप्रसादैकभुजां तद्वृतं दर्शयता श्रीभाग- वतेनापि तदन्तरङ्गवैष्णवधर्मत्वेन सम्मतमिति दिक् । पाद्मे कार्तिकमाहात्म्ये च ब्राह्म- णकन्यायाः कार्तिकव्रतैकादशीव्रतप्रभावात् श्रीमत्सत्यभामाख्यभगवत्प्रेयसीपदप्राप्ति- रपि श्रूयते । किं बहुना ? 21 22 samprapte väsare vişnor ye na kurvanti jagaram bhrasyate sukṛtam teṣam vaisnavanam ca nindaya matir na jayate yasya dvadasyam jāgaram prati na hi tasyadhikaro’sti pujane kesavasya hi śrņu devi pravakṣyami dvadaśyaś ca vidhanakam tasyaḥ smarana-matrena santusto’bhuj janardanah 23 ekadasi maha-punya sarva-pāpa-vinasinī bhaktes tu dipani visnoḥ paramartha-gati-pradā 531 III The Practice of Bhakti Consequently, by showing that devotees such as King Ambarīşa, who were fixed exclusively in devotion and who ate only the remnants of food offered to Bhagavan, also observed Ekadasi, the Srimad Bhagavata also establishes that Ekādasī is approved as an essential feature of Vaiṣṇava dharma. It is also stated in the Kārtika-mahatmya of Padma Purana that a brāhmaṇa girl attained a status similar to that of Bhagavan’s beloved wife Satyabhämä by following the vows of Ekādasi and Kartika. So what more need be said about the glory of Ekadasi? Commentary Ekādaśī, the eleventh day of the lunar month, has a special signif- icance for devotees of Visņu. It is called the day of Visņu. There are two Ekādasīs every month, and one should fast on both of them. Some people make a distinction between the Ekadasis com- ing in the dark or bright fortnights and fast only on one of them. Śrī Jiva Gosvami does not approve of this and says that even non- Vaisnavas, including the devotees of Siva or Durga, should fast on both Ekadasis. To observe Ekadasi completely, one should not eat on the eve of the fast. Then on the actual day of the fast, one should not eat or drink anything. On the following day, one should break the fast after sunrise and before the expiration of the prescribed time. On that day also, one should avoid eating at night. One should keep vigil on the night of the fasting day. But if one is unable to follow this rigorous program completely, one is permitted to take a light diet consisting of fruits, roots, and juices. Throughout the fast, one should remain engaged in the devotional practices of japa, kirtana, and reading or listening to scriptures, such as Bhagavata Purana. Eating grains, lentils, beans, and honey is completely forbidden. Sometimes the fast is held on the twelfth day instead of the eleventh. This occurs if the eleventh day is overlapped by the tenth (daśami-viddha), or on the basis of particular constellations (nakṣa- tras). The time for breaking the fast also varies in accordance with the ending time of the lunar day of fasting or with the length of 532 299 The Limbs of Arcanam the twelfth day. One should follow the local calendar calculated according to local sunrise timings. Hari-bhakti-vilāsa gives elabo- rate descriptions of the glories of Ekadasi-vrata - how to observe it, when to break the fast, when to fast on Dvādasī, and other such details. The Puranas are full of descriptions of the glories of the Eka- dasi fast and contain numerous stories concerning the benefits of fasting. The story of Satyabhama’s past life is described in the 89th chapter of the Uttara-khanda of Padma Purana. When Śrī Kṛṣṇa brought down the Parijata tree from heaven for Satyabhama, she was exceedingly happy and marveled at her great fortune. She asked Kṛṣṇa, “What pious act or vow might I have observed in my past life by which I have obtained this fortune of being Your dearmost wife?” In the passage cited below, Krsna replied to her question, revealing to her the mystery of her former birth: At the end of Satyayuga, in the city of Mayapura [present day Haridvara] lived a pious brahmana named Atreya Deva Šarma. He was learned in the Vedas and devoted to guests, the fire, and the sun god. He worshiped the sun god regularly, and he himself had become effulgent like the sun. In his advanced age, his wife gave birth to a daughter named Gunavati. He married his daughter to his disciple, Candra Sarma. He had no son, but treated Can- dra exactly as his own son, and Candra was also very obedient to Atreya Deva. One day, they both went to the forest to gather some kusa grass and wood for a yajna. They were in the foothills of the Himalayas when a raksasa attacked and killed them both. By the influence of their worship and the holy land of Mayapura, they were both car- ried to Vaikuntha. When Gunavati heard that both her father and husband had been killed, she wailed and wept, feeling bereft of all shelter. She performed the funeral ceremony for both of them. Thereafter, she lived the rest of her life in devotion to Visņu, having full control over her senses and observing the vratas of Kartika and Ekādaśī.24 24 For further details on the Ekadasi-vrata, read chapters 12 and 13 of Hari-bhakti-vilasa. 533 III The Practice of Bhakti As a consequence of observing these two vratas, she, in her follow- ing life, has now become you, My dearmost wife. (Padma Purana, Uttara-khanda) It should be understood here that Satyabhāmā is an eternal queen of Śrī Kṛṣṇa in Dvaraka, and no one else can take that position. Consequently, it is not that Gunavati herself became Satyabhama but that she was given the opportunity to merge into Satyabhama during Krsna’s manifest lila because of her vratas. 299.4 Bathing in the Month of Magha अथ माघः सौपर्ण– Now we will discuss the observance of vows during the month of Magha, as referred to in Garuda Purana: दुर्लभो माघमासस्तु वैष्णवानामतिप्रियः । देवतानामृषीणां च मुनीनां सुरनायकः । विशेषेण शचीनाथ माधवस्यातिवल्लभः ॥ ९६६ ॥ इति । O Indra, chief of the gods and husband of Sacidevi, the month of Magha, which is so rare, is extremely dear to the Vaisnavas, the devas, the sages (rsis), and the contemplatives (munis). And it is especially dear to Bhagavan Madhava. (Garuda Purāņa)25 स्कान्दे ब्रह्मनारदसंवादे- In Skanda Purana, in a dialogue between Brahma and Narada, it is said: सर्वपापविनाशाय कृष्णसन्तोषणाय च । माघस्रानं सदा कार्यं वर्षे वर्षे च नारद ॥ ९६७ ॥ इति । 25 durlabho magha-māsas tu vaisnavānām ati-priyah devatānam ṛṣīņām ca muninam sura-nayakah višeşeņa sacī-natha madhavasyati-vallabhah 534 299 The Limbs of Arcanam O Narada, every year one should bathe [before sunrise in a holy river like the Ganga] during the month of Magha, in order to nullify all one’s sins and to please Bhagavan Kṛṣṇa. (Skanda Purāṇa)26 भविष्योत्तरे- And in the Uttara-parva of Bhavisya Purana: एकविंशगणैः सार्द्धं भोगान् त्यक्त्वा यथेप्सितम् । माघमास्यूषसि स्रात्वा विष्णुलोकं स गच्छति ॥ ९६८ ॥ इति । By giving up sense enjoyment and bathing early in the morn- ing during the month of Magha, a person ascends to his cov- eted abode of Bhagavan Visnu, accompanied by twenty-one generations of his family. (Bhavisya Purana, Uttara-parva)27 एवं श्रीरामनवमीवैशाखव्रतादयश्चात्र ज्ञेयाः । एतत् सर्वमपि सदाचारकथनद्वारा विधत्ते “गां पर्यटन्” (भा० ३।१।१९) इत्यादी व्रतानि चेरे हरितोषणानि " इति । The observance of other vows, such as Rama-navami and Vaisakha, are to be understood in corresponding manner. All these vows are ordained by describing the conduct of saints, as Śri Suka said about Vidura: “Wandering the earth, he observed vows (vratāni) for the pleasure of Bhagavan Hari [Krsna]” (SB 3.1.19).28 व्रतानि एकादश्यादीनीति | विदुर इति प्रकरणलब्धम् ॥ श्रीशुकः ॥ The word vratani refers to vows, such as Ekadaśī. This is a statement about Vidura, as is evident from the context. 26 27 sarva-papa-vinasaya krsna-santosaṇāya ca magha-snanam sadā karyam varṣe varse ca narada ekavimsa-ganaih sarddham bhogan tyaktva yathepsitam magha-masyūsasi snätvā visņu-lokam sa gacchati 28 gam paryatan… vratani cere hari-toṣaṇāni 535 29 III The Practice of Bhakti Commentary Magha is the eleventh month in the lunar year and falls in January- February. For the entire month, practitioners of all persuasions bathe in a holy river or pond before sunrise. This is also the coldest month in North India. This vrata is especially observed at Prayaga, where holy men from all over India come and reside on the bank of the Ganga River for the whole month, while observing religious vows. Kumbha Mela, the world’s largest festival that takes place once every twelve years, also begins in Magha?” 29 Śri Jiva Gosvāmi does not provide elaborate details about the observance of Magha, because Kṛṣṇa-bhaktas are more accus- tomed to the observances of Ekadasi-vrata, Kārtika-vrata, and the appearance days of avataras, such as Bhagavan Rama. 536 For further details on Magha-vrata, read Hari-bhakti-vilasa (14.48-165). Anuccheda 300 Offenses in Deity Worship ३०० । एवं तादृशव्रतेष्वपि तत्तदुपासकानां स्वस्वेष्टदैवतव्रतं सुष्ठेव विधेयमित्यागतम् । तथास्मिन् पादसेवार्चनमार्गे " यानैर्वा पादुकैर्वापि गमनं भगवद्गृहे” इत्यादिनागमोक्ता ये द्वात्रिंशदपराधास्तथा “राजान्नभक्षण चैवम्” इत्यादिना वाराहोक्ता ये च तत्सङ्ख्यकास्तथा “मम शास्त्रं बहिष्कृत्य ह्यस्माकं यः प्रपद्यते” इत्यादिना तदुक्ता ये चान्ये बहवस्ते सर्वे - IT IS THUS understood that among all these vows, those that are specifically related to the worshipers’ respective cherished forms of Bhagavan must be duly observed by them. On this path consisting of service to Bhagavan’s feet (pada-sevā) and worship of Bhagavan (arcana), one should avoid all offenses. This refers to the thirty-two offenses described in the Agamas, such as the offense of entering a temple of Bhagavan wearing shoes or riding on a carriage! It also includes the thirty-two offenses described in Varāha Purana (Chapter 116.5-36 ), begin - ning with eating the food of a king,2 and many other similar offenses spoken of by Bhagavan Varaha, such as the offense of seeking Bhagavan’s shelter while forsaking His scripture.3 ममार्चनापराधा ये कीर्त्यन्ते वसुधे मया । वैष्णवेन सदा ते तु वर्जनीयाः प्रयत्नतः || ९६९ ॥ इति वाराहानुसारेण परित्याज्या । 1 2 yanair vā padukair vapi gamanam bhagavad-grhe rajanna-bhakṣaṇam caivam 3 mama sastram bahiskrtya hy asmakam yah prapadyate 537III The Practice of Bhakti 4 That these offenses are to be avoided, is in accordance with this statement of Varaha Purana: O Earth Goddess, the offenses I have described along the path of My worship, should always be conscientiously avoided by a Vaiṣṇava. (Varaha Purāṇa)* इत्याशयेनाह (भा० ११ । २७ । १७-१८) - It is with this intention that Bhagavan Kṛṣṇa declared: श्रद्धयोपाहृतं प्रेष्ठ भक्तेन मम वार्यपि । भूर्यप्यभक्तोपाहृतं न मे तोषाय कल्पते ॥ ९७० ॥ Even water offered to Me with fidelity by a devotee is precious to Me. Yet, even lavish gifts bring Me no satisfaction when offered by a nondevotee. (SB 11.27.17B-18A)5 श्रद्धाभक्तिशब्दाभ्यामत्रादर एव विधीयते । अपराधास्तु सर्वेऽनादरात्मका एव । प्रभु- त्वावमानतश्चाज्ञावमानतश्च । तस्मादपराधनिदानमत्रानादर एव परित्याज्या इत्यर्थः ॥ श्रीभगवान् ॥ In the context of worship, the words śraddha, “fidelity,” and bhakta, “[by] a devotee,” specifically enjoin an attitude of rev- erence (adara); whereas, all offenses are rooted in disregard (anädara), either for Bhagavan or His order. Therefore, the disrespect that is the breeding ground of all offenses must be thoroughly uprooted. Commentary THE THIRTY-TWO OFFENSES or prohibitions described in the Agama scriptures are cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa (8.441-448). It is not known in which Agama they are originally found. They are as follows: mamarcanäparädhä ye kirtyante vasudhe maya vaisnavena sada te tu varjaniyah prayatnataḥ 5 sraddhayopahrtam prestham bhaktena mama vary api bhūry apy abhaktopährtam na me tosaya kalpate 538 300 Offenses in Deity Worship

1. Entering the temple with shoes on. 2. Entering the temple in a vehicle.
2. Not observing the festivals of Bhagavan.
3. Not offering obeisance to the deity.
4. Worshiping Bhagavan or praying before the deity without wash- ing the mouth and hands after eating, or with an unclean body. 6. Offering obeisance to Bhagavan in an unclean state.
5. Offering obeisance with one hand only. Therefore, to avoid this offense, all hand-held objects should be set aside before offering obeisances.
6. Turning around in a circle while standing in front of the deity. Some people in India do this because they consider it equivalent to performing parikrama of the deity.
7. Spreading one’s legs and pointing one’s feet toward the deity while sitting in front of the deity.
8. Sitting with one foot over the thigh in a half-lotus pose or with both knees folded together in front of the deity.
9. Sleeping in front of the deity.
10. Eating in front of the deity.
11. Telling lies in front of the deity.
12. Talking loudly in front of the deity. 15. Gossiping in front of the deity.
13. Grieving in front of the deity.
14. Punishing or blessing anyone in front of the deity.
15. Admonishing anyone or using harsh words in front of the deity.
16. Wrapping oneself in a blanket while serving the deity.
17. Criticizing someone in front of the deity.
18. Glorifying someone else in front of the deity.
19. Using obscene words in front of the deity.
20. Breaking wind in front of the deity.
21. Offering useless articles to the deity, though capable of offering superior articles.
22. Not offering seasonal fruits and vegetables.
23. Eating without first offering one’s food to Bhagavan.
24. Giving portions of eatables to someone first and then offering the rest to the deity.
25. Sitting with one’s back toward the deity.
26. Offering obeisance to someone else in front of the deity.
27. Remaining silent when questioned by one’s guru. 539 III The Practice of Bhakti 6
28. Praising oneself in front of the deity. 32. Criticizing the devas in front of the deity. The thirty-two offenses given in Varaha Purana (116.5-36) are summarized in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa (8.449-459) as follows:
29. Eating food received from kings or materialistic businessmen. 2. Touching the deity in the dark.
30. Approaching the deity without observing proper etiquette.
31. Opening the door to the deity’s temple without first clapping or ringing a bell.
32. Offering food to the deity that has been seen by a dog or other animals.
33. Breaking silence while worshiping the deity.
34. Interrupting one’s worship to go out and pass stool or urine.
35. Offering incense without first offering fragrance or scented garlands.
36. Offering forbidden flowers, meaning those that are old, shriv- eled, rotten, already used for other purposes, unclean, or red- colored, except for roses.
37. Serving the deity without cleaning the teeth or without bathing after having sexual union.
38. Worshiping without bathing after touching a woman in her menstrual cycle or a dead body.
39. Worshiping while wearing red, blue, or unclean clothes.
40. Worshiping without bathing after seeing a dead body, visiting a crematorium, passing wind, or after applying oil on one’s own body.
41. Worshiping while angry or in a state of indigestion, which leads. to burping, or while passing gas.
42. Taking up the worship of the deity without respect for devotional scriptures.
43. Preaching nondevotional scriptures.
44. Chewing betel or gum in front of the deity.
45. Worshiping the deity with flowers kept on the leaves of castor- oil plants. Śrī Sanatana Gosvami writes as if he is citing directly from Varaha Purana, but the descriptions in the two books do not match, although the contents are the same. Either Sri Sanatana had a different reading or his list is to be taken as a summary of the Varaha Purana verses 116.5-36. 540 300 Offenses in Deity Worship
46. Worshiping at forbidden times, such as at midnight.
47. Worshiping while sitting on the bare floor or on a wooden seat. 21. Touching the deity with the left hand while bathing them. 22. Worshiping with stale flowers or flowers that had previously been promised to someone else.
48. Spitting while worshiping.
49. Boasting about one’s acts of worship.
50. Putting on a curved or horizontal tilaka mark.
51. Entering the temple without washing one’s feet?
52. Offering food cooked by a nondevotee.
53. Worshiping in front of nondevotees.
54. Bathing the deity with water touched by the fingernails.
55. Worshiping while the body is perspiring.
56. Crossing over the articles offered to Bhagavan.
57. Taking an oath in the name of Bhagavan. In Chapters 129 to 136, Śrī Varaha Deva states the outcome of each particular offense, such as suffering in hell for a specific period of time and then taking birth in lower species. He also describes the appropriate atonement for each of the thirty-two offenses to the deity to enable the perpetrator to counteract the effect of an offense. The basic criterion of an offense is that it causes displeasure to the deity. The deity is to be seen as Bhagavan. The list of offenses should be taken as a guideline. One has to use common sense and follow the basic principles of etiquette that one naturally observes while relating with a highly honorable person, such as a king or the president of a country. Some of the rules are specifically related to Vedic culture, such as spreading one’s legs before the deity or eating in front of the deity. 7 This is often not possible to avoid when no facilities for washing the feet are available. 541 Anuccheda 301 Offenses to Devotees in the Matter of Worship ३०१ । महतामनादरस्तु सर्वनाशक इत्याह (भा० ४ । ३१ । २१ ) - DISRESPECT (anādara) of highly realized devotees (mahat ), however, brings total ruin, as Śrī Nārada informed the Pracetas: न भजति कुमनीषिणां स इज्यां हरिरधनात्मधनप्रियो रसज्ञः । श्रुतधनकुलकर्मणां मदैर्ये विदधति पापमकिञ्चनेषु सत्सु ॥ ९७१ ॥ Bhagavan Hari, who is a connoisseur of the aesthetic delight of divine love (rasa-jnah ) ’ and whose dearest loved ones (priya) are those who have abandoned all material wealth and whose only wealth is the Immanent Self (ätma) [i.e., Bhagavan],2 does not accept the worship of those of polluted intellect, who, due to the pride of education, wealth, lineage, or accomplishments, disre- spect His authentic devotees (satsu), who are devoid of all sense of ego and possessiveness ( akincanesu ). ( SB 4. 31.21 ) 3 अघनाश्च ते आत्मधना भगवदेकधनाश्च ते प्रिया यस्य सः । रसज्ञो भक्तिरसिको हरिः । के कुमनीषिण इत्यपेक्षायामाह - श्रुतेति । पापमपराधम् ॥ श्रीनारदः प्रचेतसः || 1 3 Śrī Viśvanatha Cakravarti comments that the compound rasa-jnah, referring to Bhagavan, means “He who is conversant with the aesthetic delight (rasa) of the prema of His devotees, who invest their sense of belongingness (mamata) in Him alone, giving up all attachment for wealth, children, and so on.” 2 Sridhara Svami na bhajati kumanisinam sa ijyam harir adhanatma-dhana-priyo rasa-jnah sruta-dhana-kula-karmanam madair ye vidadhati papam akincaneşu satsu 542 301 Offenses to Devotees in the Matter of Worship The compound adhanatma-dhana-priyaḥ [referring to Bhaga- van Hari] means “He whose dearest loved ones (yasya priyah) are those who have abandoned all material wealth (adhanah) and whose only wealth is the Immanent Self (atma-dhanah).” The compound rasa-jñaḥ [also referring to Bhagavan Hari] means “He who is a relisher (rasikah) of the aesthetic delight of bhakti.” Who are those of polluted intellect (kumanīṣināḥ)? In anticipa- tion of this question, Narada answers in the second half of the verse that they are those who, due to the pride of education and so on, disrespect Bhagavan’s devotees. The word papam in this context refers to offenses (aparadham). Commentary To disrespect OR OFFEND a great devotee is more grievous than to disrespect the deity. Bhagavan can tolerate an offense commit- ted toward His own Self but not toward His devotee. Disrespect of devotees comes under the namāparādhas described earlier (in Anuccheda 265). There is no separate atonement prescribed for such an offense. Either one has to supplicate the offended devotee or undergo the reaction. Offenses toward a devotee are so severe that even devotees on the perfectional stage of bhava (the first dawn- ing of divine love) can fall from that status, or their bhava can be demoted from a higher to a lower grade of being (BRS 1.3.54). Śrī Nārada hints at the root cause of this offensive mentality. He says that it is due to pride, which may arise due to various rea- sons, such as high birth, education, wealth, beauty, and notewor- thy accomplishments. Bearing this in mind, Śrī Caitanya Mahāpra- bhu offered a golden rule to uproot the tendency toward offenses namely, by humility, tolerance, extending respect to others, and not hankering for respect. Sin (papam) means to engage in an act that is forbidden accord- ing to the Veda or Smrti scriptures. It is related to the law of karma. An offense (aparādha) is also a forbidden act, but it is associated with bhakti. Because bhakti is directly related to Bhagavan, an offense is directly displeasing to Him. Therefore, an offense is 543 III The Practice of Bhakti more damaging to its executor than a sin. Although these are two different things, the word papam is sometimes also used for an offense. 544 Anuccheda 302 Disrespect to a Great Devotee Results in Ruination ३०२ । किं च ( भा०५/१०/२५ ) - MOREOVER, King Rahugana confessed to Sri Bharata: न विक्रिया विश्वसुहृत्सखस्य साम्येन वीताभिमतेस्तवापि । महद्विमानात् स्वकृताद्धि मादृङ् नङ्क्ष्यत्यदूरादपि शूलपाणिः ॥ ९७२ ॥ Although psycho-physical alterations [incited by my disrespect (mamāvajñā-kṛta)]’ are altogether absent in you, who are a friend of the benefactor of the entire cosmos and devoid of all ego, being situated in absolute equality of vision, yet, even a king such as I, who wields the scepter of power like the trident- bearer Siva, will be instantly destroyed due to my disregard of a great devotee, such as you. (SB 5.10.25)2 स्पष्टम् ॥ रहूगणः श्रीभरतम् ॥ The meaning here is self-evident. 2 Sridhara Svami na vikriya viśva-suhrt-sakhasya samyena vitabhimates tavapi mahad-vimanat sva-krtaddhi madrn nanksyaty adūrād api sula-paniḥ 545 III The Practice of Bhakti Commentary RAHUGANA states that Bhagavan is the benefactor of all. Moreover, He is the basis of His devotee’s establishment in equal vision. This implies that by His essential nature, He tolerates offenses toward Himself. But He is especially intolerant of an offense toward His dear devotee. Bhagavan Kṛṣṇa took a vow not to wield a weapon in the battle of Kuruksetra. But one day, when Arjuna’s life was in danger due to the ferocity of Bhisma’s fighting, He jumped down from Arjuna’s chariot and ran to attack Bhisma to protect His devotee. It is thus to be understood that an offense to a great devotee should be avoided at all costs. This does not mean that one can be disrespectful to beginning or intermediate level devotees. One should avoid offenses to all devotees. It is not easy to determine who is great and who is small. A humble-looking devotee may actually be a great devotee or may be on the way to becoming one. In fact, one should not disrespect anyone, devotee or nondevotee, knowing well that Paramatma resides within all beings. 546 Anuccheda 303 Arcanam Concluded 303.1 The Solution to Offenses ३०३ । अथ तथापि प्रामादिके भगवदपराधे पुनर्भगवत्प्रसादनानि कर्तव्यानि । यथा स्कान्दे अवन्तिखण्डे श्रीव्यासोक्तौ- IF, IN SPITE OF THIS understanding, one inadvertently commits an offense to Bhagavan, he should again engage in actions pleas- ing to Bhagavan, as stated by Śrī Vyasa in the Avanti-khanda of Skanda Purāna: वै अहन्यहनि यो मर्त्यो गीताध्यायं पठेत् तु वै । द्वात्रिंशदपराधांस्तु क्षमते तस्य केशवः ॥ ९७३ ॥ इति । Bhagavan Kesava certainly forgives the thirty-two types of offenses of a person who daily reads a chapter of the Gitā. (Skanda Purāna, Avanti- khanda ) 2 तत्रैव द्वारकामाहात्म्ये.

And in the same Purāņa, from the section known as Dvarakä- māhātmya: सहस्रनाममाहात्म्यं यः पठेच्छृणुयादपि । अपराधसहस्रेण न स लिप्येत् कदाचन ॥ ९७४ ॥ इति । 1ahany ahani yo martyo gitadhyayam pathet tu vai dvatrimsad aparadhams tu kṣamate tasya kesavah 547III The Practice of Bhakti A person who [daily] recites or even hears the glories of the thousand names of Visnu is never tainted even by thousands of offenses. (Skanda Purāna, Dvārakā māhātmya) 2 तत्रैव रेवाखण्डे- In the same Purana, from the Revā khanda: द्वादश्यां जागरे विष्णोर्यः पठेत् तुलसीस्तवम् । द्वात्रिंशदपराधानि क्षमते तस्य केशवः ॥ ९७५ ॥ इति । Bhagavan Kesava forgives the thirty-two types of offenses of a person who, for the pleasure of Visņu, remains awake through- out the night of Dvadasi reciting the prayers to tulasi. (Skanda Purāna, Revā khanda ) 3 तत्रैवान्यत्र - Elsewhere in the same Purāņa: तुलस्या रोपण कार्यं श्रवणेन विशेषतः । अपराधसहस्राणि क्षमते पुरुषोत्तमः ॥ ९७६ ॥ इति । One should sow tulasi, especially in the month of Śravaņa. Bha- gavän Purusottama forgives thousands of offenses of a person who does so. (Skanda Purana ) * तत्रैवान्यत्र कार्तिकमाहात्म्ये- In the same Purana, from the Kartika māhātmya: 2 3 4 तुलस्या कुरुते यस्तु शालग्रामशिलार्चनम् । द्वात्रिंशदपराधांश्च क्षमते तस्य केशवः ॥ ९७७ ॥ इति । sahasra-nama-mahatmyam yah pathec chrnuyad api aparadha-sahasreņa na sa lipyet kadacana dvadasyam jagare visnor yah pathet tulasi-stavam dvatrimsad aparadhani kṣamate tasya kesavaḥ tulasya ropanam karyam sravanena visesataḥ aparadha-sahasrani kṣamate purusottamaḥ 548 303 Arcanam Concluded Bhagavan Kesava forgives the thirty-two types of offenses of a person who worships the sacred Salagrama stone with tulasi leaves. (Skanda Purana, Kartika-mahatmya)” अन्यत्र - Elsewhere it is said: यः करोति हरेः पूजां कृष्णशस्त्राङ्कितो नरः । अपराधसहस्राणि नित्यं हरति केशवः ॥ ९७८ ॥ इति । Bhagavan Kesava always absolves thousands of offenses of a per- son who worships Bhagavan Hari while adorning his body with Kṛṣṇa’s insignia of the conch, disc, club, and lotus.” आदिवाराहे- It is said in Adi-varäha Purana: 5 6 7 संवत्सरस्य मध्ये तु तीर्थे शौकरके मम । कृतोपवासः स्रानेन गङ्गायां शुद्धिमाप्नुयात् ॥ ९७९ ॥ मथुरायां तथाप्येवं सापराधः शुचिर्भवेत् । अनयोस्तीर्थयोरेकं यः सेवेत् सुकृती नरः । सहस्रजन्मजनितानपराधान् जहाति सः ॥ ९८० ॥ इति । A person who in the course of a year fasts and bathes in the Ganga at My sacred place known as Varaha-tirtha becomes puri- fied. One who does the same in Mathura is purified even if plagued by offenses. A virtuous person who renders service to either one of these holy places becomes free from offenses committed in thousands of births. (Adi-varäha Purana 177.25- 26)” tulasya kurute yas tu salagrama-silarcanam dvātrimsad aparādhamś ca kṣamate tasya kesava yah karoti hareḥ pujam krsna-sastrankito narah aparādha-sahasrani nityam harati kesavaḥ samvatsarasya madhye tu tirthe saukarake mama kṛtopavasaḥ snanena gangayam suddhim apnuyat mathurayam tathapy evam saparadhah sucir bhavet anayos tirthayor ekam yah sevetsukṛti narah sahasra-janma-janitan aparadhan jahati saḥ 549 III The Practice of Bhakti शौकरके शूकरक्षेत्राख्ये । महदपराधस्तु चाटुकारादिना वा तत्प्रीत्यर्थकृतेन निरन्तरदी- र्घकालीनभगवन्नामकीर्तनेन वा तं प्रसाद्य क्षमापनीय इत्यवोचामैव । तत्प्रसाद विना तदसिद्धेः । The word saukarake means “in the holy place known as Sūkara- kşetra, the place where the boar avatara appeared.” It was already stated that an offense to a highly realized devotee (mahat) is absolved by propitiating him and obtaining forgive- ness, either through humble supplication or by continuously chanting the holy name for an extensive period in order to please him. Without pleasing the mahat whom one disregards, one cannot become free of the offense. अत एवोक्तं श्रीशिवं दक्षेण ( भा० ४।७।१५) - For this reason, Dakṣa petitioned Śrī Śiva in the following words: योऽसौ मयाविदिततत्त्वदृशा सभायां क्षिप्तो दुरुक्तिविशिखैर्विगणय्य तन् माम् । अर्वाक् पतन्तमर्हत्तमनिन्दयापाद् दृष्ट्यार्द्रया स भगवान् स्वकृतेन तुष्येत् ॥ ९८१ ॥ Being blind to the truth of your identity, I wounded you in the assembly with the arrows of harsh speech, yet you disregarded my offense. I had plunged into the darkness of ignorance by offending you, the best of the honorable, but by your compas- sionate glance, you uplifted me. O venerable one, may you be at peace with me out of your own graciousness [as I have no power to counteract this offense on my own (na maya tat-pratikartum sakyam)]. (SB 4.7.15) एवमुत्तरत्रापि ज्ञेयम् । The same conclusion can be understood elsewhere as well. 8 5 yo’sau mayavidita-tattva-drsa sabhayam kşipto durukti-visikhair viganayya tan mām arvak patantam arhattama-nindayapad drstyärdraya sa bhagavan sva-kṛtena tusyet The bracketed insert is Sridhara Svami’s comment. 550 303 Arcanam Concluded Commentary EARLIER (in Anuccheda 286), while discussing the gradations of liv- ing beings in terms of their eligibility to receive honor (pātras), Śrī Jiva Gosvāmi said that among all beings, humans are the best, and of them, the devotees, i.e., the Vaisnavas, are foremost. There- after, he concluded that the worshipful deity of the Vaisnavas is the supreme patra. Since the Vaisnavas and Bhagavan are the highest objects of honor, practitioners should be careful not to displease them. For this reason, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī warns us to avoid this at all costs. Offenses are bound to occur because of our ignorance and our physical and mental limitations. In this anuccheda, he offers dif- ferent scriptural solutions to counteract offenses against the deity as well as against a devotee. Unless one becomes free of offenses, one will not experience the full potency of bhakti. If an offense is committed against a devotee, then unless he or she is pacified, one does not become free of the offense. In this con- text, Śri Jiva gives the example of Daksa, who offended Śiva by his piercing criticism. Later he realized his mistake and begged par- don from Śiva. Even after an offense is forgiven, the tendency to commit offenses remains, just as by atonement, although the ill- effect of a sinful deed can be annulled, yet the tendency to repeat the same act remains. This is seen from the example of Daksa, who offended Sri Narada in his next life, wherein he was also named Dakṣa. Consequently, one has to be very careful not to repeat the same offense again. As one assiduously engages in devotion while avoiding offenses, one’s tendency to commit an offense will also fade away. 551 6 Vandanam Anuccheda 303.2 303 Arcanam Concluded 303.2 Vandanam As an Independent Practice अथ वन्दनम् – तच्च यद्यप्यर्चनाङ्गत्वेनापि वर्तते तथापि कीर्तनस्मरणवत् स्वातन्त्र्येणा- पीत्यभिप्रेत्य पृथग् विधीयते । एवमन्यत्रापि ज्ञेयम् । Now we will examine vandanam, or offering obeisance to Bhaga- vän. Although offering obeisance also falls under the category of worship (arcanam), it has been prescribed separately in order to show that it stands as an independent practice, like singing (kirtanam) and remembering (smaranam) the glories of Bhaga- vän. This same principle applies in the case of other devotional practices as well. वन्दनस्य पृथग्विधानं चानन्तगुणैश्वर्यश्रवणात् तद्गुणानुसन्धानपादसेवादौ विधृतदैन्यानां नमस्कारमात्रे कृताध्यवसायानामर्थे । स एष नमस्कारस्तस्यार्चनत्वेनाप्यतिदिष्टः । Vandanam is prescribed separately for devotees who, after hear- ing about the unlimited virtues and majesty of Bhagavan, feel themselves unfit to render service to Bhagavan’s feet, to medi- tate on His qualities, or to engage in other practices. They exert their full attention simply in offering obeisance (namaskāra) to Bhagavan. This very namaskara is also counted as worship (arcana) of Bhagavan. यथा नारसिंहे- An example of the separate prescription of vandanam is found in Nrsimha Purana: नमस्कारः स्मृतो यज्ञः सर्वयज्ञेषु चोत्तमः । नमस्कारेण चैकेन साष्टाङ्गेन हरिं व्रजेत् ॥ ९८२ ॥ इति । The sacrifice (yajña) of offering obeisance to Bhagavan is con- cluded to be the best of all types of sacrifice. Merely by once bow- ing down to Bhagavan with eight limbs of the body, one attains Bhagavan Hari. (Nrsimha Purana)” 9 namaskāraḥ smrto yajñaḥ sarva-yajneṣu cottamah namaskāreņa caikena sāṣṭāngena harim vrajet 555 III The Practice of Bhakti तदेतद्वन्दनं यथा ( भा० १०।१४।८) - An example of vandanam is found in Brahma’s statement to Bhagavan Kṛṣṇa: तत् तेऽनुकम्पां सुसमीक्षमाणो भुञ्जान एवात्मकृतं विपाकम् । हृद्वाग्वपुर्भिर्विदधन् नमस्ते जीवेत यो मुक्तिपदे स दायभाक् ॥ ९८३ ॥ Therefore (tat), a person who sympathetically anticipates Your grace [consistently reflecting, “when will Your mercy be upon me?” (kada bhavataḥ daya bhaviṣyatīti bahu manyamaṇaḥ)],10 who endures the results of his own past deeds [without attach- ment (anasaktaḥ san sahamanaḥ eva)], and who lives by bowing down to you with his heart, speech, and body, inherits You, the ultimate refuge of liberation (mukti-pade). (SB 10.14.8)11 यस्मात् “गुणात्मनस्तेऽपि गुणान् विमातुम्” ( भा० १० | १४ । ७ ) इत्यादिना तादृशत्वमु- च्यते । तत् तस्मात् । In this verse, the pronoun tat means tasmat, “therefore.” The syntactical connection between this and the previous verse is as follows - “because (yasmat) You are self-endowed with tran- scendental qualities, the extent of which cannot be estimated, therefore (tasmat) the devotee bows down to You with his heart, speech, and body.” [We cite here the previous verse in full:] 10 O Bhagavan, who can measure the extent of the qualities present in You, who are intrinsically self-endowed with tran- scendental qualities (gunätmanah)12 and who avatarically descend for the well-being of this entire world? The dust par- ticles upon the earth, the dew drops in the sky, and the rays of light in the constellations could possibly be calculated after This and the next bracketed insert are Sridhara Svami’s comments. “tat te’nukampam susamikṣamano bhurjana evätma-kṛtam vipakam hrd-vag-vapubhir vidadhan namas te jiveta yo mukti-pade sa daya-bhak 12 In Krama-sandarbha, Sri Jīva Gosvāmi comments that the compound gunatmanaḥ means that Bhagavan’s qualities are intrinsic to His essential being (svarupa-bhuta) and that they are eternal (nitya) and transcendental (aprakṛta). The translation is rendered accordingly. 556 303 Arcanam Concluded many births by some who are exceptionally skilled, but even they could not estimate Your qualities. (SB 10.14.7)13 नमो नमस्कारम् । मुक्तिपदे नवमपदार्थस्य मुक्तेरप्याश्रये परिपूर्णदशमपदार्थे । In SB 10.14.8, the word namaḥ means “obeisance” (namaskāram). In the compound mukti-pade, “the ultimate refuge of libera- tion,” the word mukti refers to the ninth subject out of the ten primary topics of Srimad Bhagavata, and pada refers to the com- plete manifestation of the tenth subject, the ultimate refuge (äśraya) even of liberation. यद्वा मुक्तिरिह पञ्चमस्थगद्यानुसारेण प्रेमैव तत्पदे तद्विषये परिपूर्णभगवल्लक्षणे त्वयि दायभाग् भवति - भ्रातृवण्टन इव त्वं तस्य दायत्वेन वर्तस इत्यर्थः । त्वं तस्य सुवशो भवतीत्यर्थः । Alternatively, the word mukti here can mean “divine love” (prema), in accordance with the prose of the Fifth Canto [i.e., SB 5.19.19-20, discussed in Anuccheda 234]. In this case, mukti- pade would mean “He who is the object (visaya) of the devotee’s prema.” Brahma’s statement would then mean that the devotee who bows to you inherits You [Śrī Kṛṣṇa], who are Bhagavan in His uttermost completion and the object of divine love. Just as a parent’s property is inherited by their children, so too You become the inheritance of such a devotee. In other words, You willingly come under the devotee’s control. मुक्तिमात्रं तु सकृन् नमस्कारेणैवासन्नं स्यात् । यथा विष्णुधर्मे- Mere liberation (mukti-matra), on the other hand (tu),1 is 13 14 gunātmanas te’pi gunan vimatum hitavatirnasya ka isire’sya kalena yair va vimitaḥ sukalpair bhu-pamsavaḥ khe mihika dyu-bhāsaḥ By use of the word tu, “on the other hand,” showing contrast with what was just said, Śrī Jiva Gosvami is implying here that it would be inconsistent with Brahma’s intention to interpret the compound mukti-pade as meaning “[he attains] the state of liberation” and nothing more. Since liberation is attained simply by bowing down once, the devotee who constantly bows down to Bhagavan with heart, speech, and body, must attain something beyond liberation. Indeed, he attains Krsna Himself, the refuge of liberation and the object of prema. In Sri Jiva’s terms, he attains mukti-pade, not mukti-matram. 557III The Practice of Bhakti attained simply by bowing down once, as stated in Vişnu- dharma: दुर्गसंसारकान्तारमपारमभिधावताम् । एकः कृष्णे नमस्कारो मुक्तितीरस्य दैशिकः ॥ ९८४ ॥ इति । For those who are wandering in the impassable forest of mate- rial existence, simply bowing once to Kṛṣṇa leads one to the bank of the river of liberation. (Visņu-dharma)15 “तत् ते” इत्यत्र “सुसमीक्षमाणः प्रतीक्षमाणः” इति टीका । यद्वा प्रतिक्षणं निरुपाधिकृप- यैव प्रभुणा तथा तथा क्रियमाणामनुकम्पां सुष्ठुरूपामीक्षमाणस्तत्रानन्दीभवन् तां सम्यक् पश्यन् विभावयन् तथा हृदा यद्वा वाचा यद्वा वपुषा नमो विदधज् जन इत्यादि व्याख्या ज्ञेया । Commenting on SB 10.14.8, Śrīdhara Svāmi says that the words te anukampām su-samikṣamāṇaḥ, “one who closely inspects or perceives Your mercy,” mean “one who sympathetically antic- ipates (pratikṣamanah)16 Your mercy.” Alternatively, the verse as a whole can be understood as follows: “One who directly perceives (suşthu-rupām ikṣamāṇaḥ) the mercy (anukampām) being enacted in this and that manner at every moment (prati- kṣaṇam) by the Lord (Prabhu) out of His unconditional grace (nirupadhi-kṛpā), who delights in that mercy, and who, out of perfect witnessing of (samyak pasyan), or profound meditation on (vibhavayan) that mercy, bows down to You with his heart, speech, or body, [inherits You, the very object of his prema (mukti-pade)].” नमस्कारेऽप्यपराधाश्चैते परिहर्तव्याः । विष्णुस्मृत्यादिदृष्ट्या ये खलु एकहस्तकृतत्व- वस्त्रावृतदेहत्वभगवदग्रपृष्ठवामभागात्यन्तनिकटगर्भमन्दिरगतत्वादिमयाः ॥ श्रीब्रह्मा श्रीभगवन्तम् ॥ 15 16 durga-samsara-kantaram aparam abhidhavatam ekah kṛṣṇe namaskaro mukti-tirasya daisikaḥ Here, Śrī Jīva is summing up Sridhara Svami’s gloss by the single word pratikşamaṇaḥ, “one who looks for or anticipates.” In his gloss on the word susamīkṣamāṇaḥ, Sridhara Svāmī does not use the word pratikṣamanah but employs an extended phrase that amounts to the same - namely, “one who consistently reflects, ‘when will Your mercy be upon me?’ (kada bhavatah daya bhavisyatiti bahu-manyamanah).” 558 303 Arcanam Concluded In offering obeisances, one should avoid the following offenses, as described in the Visnu-smrti: to bow down with one hand, to offer prostrated obeisance while the body is fully clothed, to offer obeisance directly facing Bhagavan, with one’s back turned toward Bhagavan, to the left side of Bhagavan, or too close to or inside the sanctum sanctorum are all offenses. Commentary After completing the discussion of arcanam, Śrī Jiva takes up the next limb of devotion, namely, vandanam. The word vandanam is derived from the root √vadi, which means to salute and to praise (abhivadana-stutyoh). Consequently, it has both the meanings of reciting prayers and of offering obeisances. Vandanam is actually a part of arcanam, since any description of arcanam in scripture includes reciting prayers and offering obei- sances. Yet it has been counted as an independent limb of bhakti, because some devotees exclusively engage only in this practice. Such devotees, out of humility, feel unqualified to worship the deity and simply pray and bow down to Bhagavan. Having being accorded the status of an independent limb of bhakti, vandanam can award the highest perfection - namely, prema. This is the intent behind the verse spoken by Brahma (SB 10.14.8). Śrī Jiva Gosvāmi writes that one should not bow down with one hand. Sometimes devotees may be holding something, such as a religious book or a japa-mälä, and may thus bow down with only one hand touching the ground. This should be avoided. One should set aside whatever is held in one’s hand and use both hands to bow down. Obeisance is performed in one of two ways - with the full body while lying flat on one’s belly, or with one’s forehead, hands, and knees touching the ground. The first one is called sästänga, involv- ing eight limbs: two hands, two legs, two knees, the chest, and the forehead. The second is called pañcanga, involving only five limbs of the body. If one performs the first type of obeisance, he should 559 III The Practice of Bhakti not have any cloth on the upper body. Women are forbidden to do this type of obeisance. Women and those wearing a cloth on the upper body should perform the second type of obeisance. While bowing down to the deity, one should keep the deity to one’s left side and not offer obeisance from the front or with the deities to one’s right side. One should not offer obeisance too close to the deities, such as inside the sanctum sanctorum. One should also avoid offering obeisance to someone else in front of the deity. 560 7 Dasyam Anucchedas 304-305 Anuccheda 304 The Attitude of Being a Servant ३०४ । अथ दास्यम् - तच्च श्रीविष्णोर्दासम्मन्यत्वम्- Now we will discuss dāsyam, or servitorship. This limb of devo- tion entails considering oneself as a servant of Bhagavan Visņu, as described below: जन्मान्तरसहस्रेषु यस्य स्यान् मतिरीदृशी । दासोऽहं वासुदेवस्य सर्वान् लोकान् समुद्धरेत् ॥ ९८५ ॥ इत्युक्तलक्षणम् । If after thousands of births, a person develops the attitude that “I am a servant of Bhagavan Vasudeva,” he can deliver the entire world. (Itihāsa samuccaya 31.121 ) 1 अस्तु तावत् तद्भजनप्रयासः केवलतादृशत्वाभिमानेनापि सिद्धिर्भवतीत्यभिप्रेत्यैवोत्तरत्र निर्देशश्च तस्य । यथोक्तम् “जन्मान्तर” इत्येतत्पद्यस्येवान्ते “किं पुनस्तद्गतप्राणाः पुरुषाः संयतेन्द्रियाः” इति । To say nothing of the actual effort to serve Bhagavan, perfec- tion is attained even by this attitude alone. It is specifically with this in mind that the succeeding declaration is made. At the end of the previous verse, regarding the development of the attitude of dasya after thousands of births, the text goes on to say: “What more then need be said about those whose very life 1 janmäntara-sahasresu yasya syan matir idrsi daso’ham vasudevasya sarvan lokan samuddharet 563 III The Practice of Bhakti (prāna) is surrendered to Bhagavan and whose senses have thus been brought under control.” श्रीप्रह्लादस्तुतौ “तत् तेऽर्हत्तम” ( भा० ७।९।५० ) इत्यादिपद्ये तु नमःस्तुतिसर्वकर्मार्पण- परिचर्याचरणस्मृतिकथाश्रवणात्मकं दास्यं टीकायां सम्मतम् । In his commentary on Śrimad Bhagavata, Śrīdhara Svämi has affirmed that the attitude expressed by Śri Prahlada in his prayers to Bhagavan Nrsimha, and in particular in SB 7.9.50, is that of servitorship (dasyam), consisting of obeisances, eulogy, offering all of one’s actions, personal service, remembering Bhagavan’s feet, and hearing the narrations of Bhagavän. श्रीमदुद्धववाक्ये च ( भा० ११ । ६ । ४६ ) - Servitorship is also portrayed in the words of Uddhava: त्वयोपभुक्तस्रग्गन्धवासोऽलङ्कारचर्चिताः । उच्छिष्टभोजिनो दासास्तव मायां जयेम हि ॥ ९८६ ॥ इति । We, Your servants, who are adorned with the garlands, san- dalwood paste, garments, and ornaments used by You, and who eat your remnants, will surely conquer over Your māyā. (SB 11.6.46)* तत्र तत्र च कार्यद्वारैव निर्दिष्टम् । उदाहरणं तु " स वै मनः कृष्णपदारविन्दयोः” इत्यादी “कामं च दास्ये न तु कामकाम्यया ” ( भा० ९।४।१८-२० ) इति । तु In these and other instances, servitorship is indicated merely by the actions that constitute it, but direct mention of it is found in Sri Suka’s description of Ambarīṣa given in the following group of verses: “He engaged his mind in meditating on the lotus feet of Śrī Kṛṣṇa …, and his resolve was fixed in the atti- tude of being a servant (dasya), not in the pursuit of sensual enjoyment” (SB 9.4.18-20).5 2 Since the senses are understood to be under the control of the vital force (prana), if the prana is surrendered to Bhagavan, the senses are thereby automatically brought under control. This is the sense of the verse. 3 kim punas tad-gata-pranaḥ purusaḥ samyatendriyah 4tvayopabhukta-srag-gandha väso’lankara-carcitah 5 ucchista-bhojino dāsās tava māyām jayema hi sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padaravindayoh … kamaṁ ca dasye na tu kama-kamyaya 564 304 The Attitude of Being a Servant चकारेति पूर्वेणान्वयः । कामं सङ्कल्पं च दास्ये निमित्ते एव । चकाराद् दासोऽहं तस्य दास्यमेतत् करोमीत्येवं सङ्कल्पितवानित्यर्थः । न तु कामकाम्यया स्वर्गादिभोगेच्छया तं चकारेति वासनान्तरव्यवच्छेदः ॥ श्रीशुकः ॥ The conjunction ca, “and,” connects the final verse (SB 9.4.20) with the two previous verses that describe the services Ambarişa performed. The word kamam, “desire,” means “resolve” (sanka- lpa), and this was rooted exclusively in servitorship to Bhaga- vän. So the use of the conjunction ca along with the statement that follows, indicates that Ambarīṣa had resolved to be a ser- vant of Bhagavan and that he performed each and every action previously mentioned for Bhagavan’s service. In other words, he did not carry out these actions with any desire for personal enjoyment, such as the attainment of heaven. From this, it can be concluded that he was devoid of all other desire. Commentary IN THIS ANUCCHEDA, Śrī Jīva Gosvami explains the next of the nine primary limbs of bhakti. Although the mood of servitude, dasyam, should accompany every act of devotion, yet this mood itself is an independent limb of bhakti. To adopt such a temperament is the basic characteristic of every devotee or Vaisnava. This attitude nat- urally leads a devotee to engage in acts of service. To imbibe this attitude of service is the perfection of life because it nullifies the conditioned being’s root disease of holding to a separative ego. Any action performed with this attitude of service is an act of bhakti. Service, however, can also be undertaken with a motive to attain some particular boon from Bhagavan. Many people approach Bhagavan with a desire for material gain. This is acknowl- edged by Krsna in the Gita (7.16). Such people, however, do not have the attitude of service, dasyam, and thus their actions cannot be included within this limb of devotion. 565 Anuccheda 305 Dasyam Embellishes Every Action 1 ३०५ | तदेतद्दास्यसम्बन्धेनैव सर्वमपि भजनं महत्तरं भवतीत्याह (भा० ९।५।१६) - ALL FORMS of service (bhajana) to Bhagavan become greatly enhanced only when performed with this attitude of being a servant, as sage Durvāsā informed King Ambarīṣa: यन्नामश्रुतिमात्रेण पुमान् भवति निर्मलः । तस्य तीर्थपदः किं वा दासानामवशिष्यते ॥ ९८७ ॥ Merely by hearing the name of Bhagavan, a person becomes free of all impurity. So what remains to be achieved by the servants of Bhagavan, whose feet are a holy shrine ? (SB 9.5.16 ) 1 यस्य भगवतो नामश्रवणमात्रेण यथाकथञ्चित् तच्छ्रवणेन किं पुनः सम्यक् तत्तद्भजनेने- त्यर्थः । तर्हि दासोऽस्मीत्यभिमानेन सम्यगेव भजतां सर्वत्र साधने साध्ये च किमवशि- ष्यते ? तदधिकमन्यत् किमपि नास्तीत्यर्थः ॥ दुर्वासाः श्रीमदम्बरीषम् || The statement, “merely by hearing the name of Bhagavan,” means that regardless of how one may hear Bhagavan’s name, one becomes free of all impurity. How much greater then must be the result by complete engagement in His service? Therefore, what remains to be achieved in all matters of practice (sadhana) and perfection (sadhya) for those who are fully engaged in serving Bhagavan with the self-identity (abhimana) of being yan-nama-sruti-matrena puman bhavati nirmalaḥ tasya tirtha-padaḥ kim vā dāsānām avasisyate 566 305 Dasyam Embellishes Every Action a servant? This signifies that there is nothing greater than the attitude of service. Commentary WHEN SPIRITUAL ASPIRANTS accept a Vaisnava guru, it is under- stood that they have surrendered to Krsna and are no longer inde- pendent. In truth, nobody is independent, because there is only one independent Reality, namely Śrī Kṛṣṇa. But under the influ- ence of ignorance (avidya or maya), people in general consider themselves as independent and as enjoyers of their own deeds. This is the nature of material conditioning, which is the cause of bondage. Accepting a genuine guru means to bring about a transforma- tion in one’s awareness (sammukhya). This entails accepting the reality of one’s beginningless entanglement in material bondage as well as one’s constitutional identity as a dependent servant of the Supreme Reality. To accept that one is a servant of Bhagavan is the greatest achievement of human life. One’s spiritual journey begins in earnest with this awareness. To remind disciples of their true identity, they are given new names, suffixed with the word dasa or dāsī, i.e., a servant. In the varṇāśrama system, the title of dasa is given to a sudra. A dāsa is considered the lowest of the four varnas, but in spiritual cir- cles, this is the highest achievement. This is so because Krsna is the highest Reality, and His servants thus occupy the highest position. Consequently, a sudra can easily turn his low birth into the highest fortune, if he comes to realize his identity as a servant of Bhaga- van, even while continuing his services to the other three varnas. For the other three varnas, it is more challenging to embrace the identity of a dasa, because they are not accustomed to it. So, what is considered as ill-fortune materially is a great fortune spiritually. To those who think less of the sudras with their title of dasa, Mahaprabhu offers the following instruction: 567III The Practice of Bhakti Don’t think less of someone who bears the name of “Krsna-dasa,” for Bhagavan does not accept anyone of paltry fortune as His servant. (Caitanya Bhagavata, Madhya-khanda 17.105)2 Sri Jiva Gosvami therefore rightly comments that to acquire the identity of a dasa of Bhagavan is the highest perfection of life. 2 alpa kari na maniha dasa hena nama alpa bhagye dasa nahi kare bhagavan 568 8 Sakhyam Anucchedas 306-308 Anuccheda 306 Sakhyam Entails Bandhu-bhāva ३०६ । अथ सख्यम् - तच्च हिताशंसनमयं बन्धुभावलक्षणम् “यन्मित्रं परमानन्दम्” (भा० १० | १४ | ३१) इत्यत्र तथैव मित्रपदन्यासात् । Now we will discuss sakhyam, or friendship with Bhagavan, which entails a feeling of amity (bandhu-bhava) imbued with the intent to extend well-being (hitasamsanam). The word mitra, or “friend,” is used precisely in this sense in the following verse: 1 How fortunate! How fortunate are the residents of Nanda’s cowherd community of Vraja, for their benevolent friend (mitra) is Śrī Krsna, the eternal complete Brahman and the direct embodiment of supreme bliss. (SB 10.14.32)1 यथा रामार्चनचन्द्रिकायाम्- An example of sakhyam is given in Rămarcana-candrikā: परिचर्यापराः केचित् प्रासादादिषु शेरते । मनुष्यमिव तं द्रष्टुं व्यवहर्तुं च बन्धुवत् ॥ ९८८ ॥ इति । Some practitioners who are devoted to the personal attendance (paricarya) of Bhagavan sleep in His temple to regard Him in human-like manner and to treat Him as a friend. (Rāmārcana- candrikā)2 aho bhagyam aho bhagyam nanda-gopa-vrajaukasam yan-mitram paramanandam purnam brahma sanatanam 2 paricarya-parah kecit prasadadişu serate manusyam iva tam drastum vyavahartum ca bandhuvat 571 III The Practice of Bhakti अस्य चोत्तरत्र पाठः प्रेमविश्रम्भवद्भावनामयत्वेन दास्यादप्युत्तगत्वापेक्षया । किं च परमे- श्वरेऽपि यत् सख्यं शास्त्रे विधीयते तन् नाश्चर्यम् “नादेवो देवमर्चयेत्” इति तद्भाव- स्यापि विधानश्रवणात् । किन्तु तद्भावस्तत्सेवाविरुद्ध इति शुद्धभक्तैरुपेक्ष्यते । सख्यं तु परमसेवानुकूलमित्युपादीयत इति । In the list of the nine primary limbs of bhakti given in Śrīmad Bhāgavata (7.5.23), the attitude of being a friend to Bhagavan ( sakhyam ) succeeds that of being a servant (dāsyam). This indi- cates that friendship is greater even than servitude, because it is predominated by the attitude of love and intimacy (prema- visrambha-bhāva ). Moreover, it is no surprise that the attitude of friendship (sakhya-bhava) even with Parameśvara Himself is prescribed in scripture, because it is noted that scripture pre- scribes even the attitude [of the self’s ontological identity with Him (sama- or ekatma-bhava ) ], in statements such as, “One should not worship God (Deva) without first becoming God (Deva).’ This attitude [of oneness], however, is contrary to the mood of service toward Bhagavan, and as such it is disregarded by pure devotees. The mood of friendship, on the other hand, is highly conducive to service and is therefore to be accepted. “3 तदेतत् साक्षाद्भजनात्मकं दास्य सख्यं च टीकायामपि दर्शितमस्ति “तस्यैव मे सौहृदस- ख्यमैत्रीदास्यं पुनर्जन्मनि जन्मनि स्यात् ” ( भा० १०।८१।३६) इत्यत्र श्रीदामविप्रवाक्ये | These attitudes of servitude (dāsyam) and friendship (sakhyam), which are of the nature of direct service to Bhagavan (sākṣāt- bhajana), have been mentioned in Sridhara Svamī’s commen- tary on this statement of Śrīdāmā Vipra: “May I be blessed with love (sauhrdam ), friendship (sakhyam), benevolence (maitri ), and servitorship (dasyam) toward Śrī Kṛṣṇa alone in birth after birth” (SB 10.81.36).* यथा " श्रीकृष्णस्य भक्तवात्सल्यं दृष्ट्वा तद्भक्तिं प्रार्थयते - तस्येति । सौहृदं प्रेम च । सख्य हिताशंसनं च । मैत्री उपकारकत्वं च । दास्यं सेवकत्वं च तत्समाहारैकवचनम् । तस्य तत्सम्बन्धिनो मे मम स्यात् न तु विभूतिः” इत्येतत् । 3 nadevo devam arcayet 4 tasyaiva me sauhrda-sakhya-maitri-dasyam punar janmani janmani syat 572 306 Sakhyam Entails Bandhu-bhava Sridhara Svami comments as follows on the above verse: “After witnessing Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s affection for His devotees, Śrīdāmā prays to attain bhakti for Him in this verse. The word sauhrdam means ’love’ (prema), sakhyam, ‘friendship,’ means ’the intent to extend well-being’ (hitāśamsanam), maitrī means ‘benevolence’ (upakā- rikatvam), and dasyam means ‘servitorship’ (sevakatvam). The singular case has been used because all four items have been grouped together as a single compound. Śrīdämä prays to be blessed with these four attitudes in relation to Krsna (tasya), but not for any kind of opulence.” I अत्र नवविधायां साध्यत्वात् प्रेमा नान्तर्भाव्यते । मैत्री तु सख्य एवान्तर्भाव्येति दास्यस- ख्ये द्वे एव गृहीते । Out of the four attitudes mentioned by Śrīdāmā, prema is not included in the nine primary types of bhakti because it is the end state to be attained (sadhya) [and not sadhana]. Maitrī, on the other hand, is subsumed under sakhyam. Consequently, from the above four items, only dasyam and sakhyam have been accepted as distinct limbs of bhakti. अत्र च ताभ्यां कर्मार्पणविश्वासौ न व्याख्यातौ - साक्षाद्भक्तित्वाभावात् । कर्मार्पणस्य फलं भक्तिर्विश्वासश्च भक्त्यभिनिवेशहेतुरितीह पूर्वमुक्तम् । तच्च भगवद्विषयहिताशं- सनमयं सख्यं भगवत्कृतहिताशंसनस्य नित्यत्वात् तेन सह तस्य नित्यसहवासाच्च । भजनविशेषेणापि विशिष्टं सम्पादयितुं नातिदुष्करं स्यादित्याह (भा० ७।७।३८) - Here, dasyam should not be interpreted to mean “the offer- ing of prescribed or ritual action” (karmarpanam), nor should sakhyam be interpreted as “faith” (viśvāsa), because these two are not direct limbs of bhakti. In this regard, it has already been explained that the offering of karma leads to bhakti and that faith is instrumental in developing absorption in bhakti. Because of the eternality of the intent to extend well-being (hita- samsanam) that has been established by Bhagavan, and because 5 Note that this is the exact same wording that Sri Jiva used in the beginning of this anuccheda to define sakhyam, and which he will continue to use throughout this section. Clearly, he must already have had Sridhara Svami’s comment in mind. 573 III The Practice of Bhakti of the eternal co-abidance (saha-vāsa) of the sakhya-bhava devo- tee with Him, this sakhyam, constituted of this hitāśamsanam toward Bhagavan, is not very difficult to execute, even as qual- ified by distinct bhajana practices. Prahlada makes this point clear in his statement to the sons of the asuras: कोऽतिप्रयासोऽसुरबालका हरेरुपासने स्वे हृदि छिद्रवत् सतः । स्वस्यात्मनः सख्युरशेषदेहिनां सामान्यतः किं विषयोपपादनैः ।। ९८९ ।। O sons of the asuras, what is the difficulty in worshiping Bhaga- van Hari, who is present like space in one’s own heart? [There is no difficulty at all (na ko’pity arthah)], because He is the very own Self and the impartial friend of all embodied beings. So, what is the point in striving for sense objects? (SB 7.7.38)” छिद्रवदाकाशवदलिप्तत्वेन सदा वर्तमानस्य । नातिप्रयासे हेतुः - सर्वेषां देहिनां यः स्व आत्माशुद्धं स्वरूपं तस्य सामान्यतः सर्वत्र निर्विशेषतयैव सखा । यथावसरं बहिर- न्तःकरणविषयादिलक्षणमायिक्या निजप्रेमादिलक्षणामायिक्याश्च सम्पत्तेदनिन हिता- शंसी यस्तस्य हरेः । तस्मादारोपितानां नश्वराणां विषयाणां जायापत्यादीनामुपार्जनैः किमिति ॥ श्रीप्रह्लादोऽसुरबालकान् ॥ The word chidra-vat, “like space,” means that Bhagavan Hari is perpetually present untainted by His surroundings, as space (ākāśa) remains untainted by its contents. Prahlada then states the reasons why there is no difficulty in worshiping Him. He is “the very own Self” (sva-ātmā), meaning the unalloyed ground of being (suddha-svarupa), of all embodied beings. Additionally, He is “the impartial friend” (samanyataḥ sakha), meaning that His friendship is extended to all without any discrimination (sarvatra nirviseṣatayaiva). This signifies that in accordance with circumstances, He intends well-being (hitāśamsi) both by awarding material fulfillment in the form of external and inter- nal objects of experience, and spiritual fulfillment in the form of His prema. So, what is the point in accumulating objects for sense enjoyment, such as a wife and children, which are artificial impositions upon the self, ephemeral in nature? “Sri Ganga Sahaya, from his Anvitärtha-prakasika commentary. “ko’ti-prayaso’sura-balaka harer upasane sve hrdi chidra-vat satah svasyatmanaḥ sakhyur asesa-dehinam samanyataḥ kim visayopapadanaiḥ 574 Commentary 306 Sakhyam Entails Bandhu-bhava FRIENDSHIP, Sakhyam, is the eighth of the nine primary limbs of bhakti enumerated by Prahlada Mahārāja. The general principle of the bhakti schools is that all devotees are servants of Bhagavan. In this anuccheda, Śrī Jiva Gosvami extends this idea, disclosing that the devotee’s relationship with Bhagavan can involve greater inti- macy than that of a servant, or dasa. In the mood of a servant, there is always a sense of constraint and reverence toward Bhaga- van. This is evidenced in the behavior of devotees like Hanuman toward Sri Ramacandra. But a devotee imbued with the mood of friendship is more intimate with Bhagavan. He or she continu- ously intends His well-being (hitasamsa), considering Him vulner- able like a human being. It is out of a profusion of love that the devotee feels a need to protect and take care of Bhagavan. As the Immanent Self (Paramātmā), Bhagavan is situated in the heart of all living beings (GĪTĀ 18.61) like an impartial friend (sāmā- nyataḥ sakha). Although He is equal to all, He specifically favors His devotees, who approach Him with a mood of love (GĪTĀ 9.29). Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī comments that because Bhagavan is the uncondi- tional friend of all and is ever present within the heart, it is not at all difficult to deal with Him as a friend. Worldly friends may not always have our best interest at heart. Friendship of the ordi- nary kind is mostly based upon some covert expectation. More- over, worldly friendship is temporary. Nobody can extend friend- ship endlessly. Therefore, Bhagavan is the best friend in the truest sense and without any motive. 575 Anuccheda 307 Sakhyam Brings Bhagavan under Control ३०७ | तद् यथा ( भा० ९१४ | ६६ ) - AN EXAMPLE of sakhyam is given in Bhagavan Vişņu’s statement to Durväsä: मयि निर्बद्धहृदयाः साधवः समदर्शिनः । वशे कुर्वन्ति मां भक्त्या सत्स्त्रियः सत्पतिं यथा ॥ ९९० ॥ The saintly devotees whose hearts are bound to Me and who look upon all with equal vision, control Me by their bhakti [i.e., by their unconditional love for Me (ananya-prayojanaya mayi priti- rupaya)], just as a devoted wife controls her virtuous husband. (SB 9.4.66)2 अत्र दृष्टान्तेनांशतः सख्यात्मिका भक्तिर्लक्ष्यते ॥ श्रीवैकुण्ठो दुर्वाससम् ॥ Bhakti constituted of the attitude of friendship (sakhyam) is partially represented by way of the analogy given in this verse. Commentary ONCE, sage Durväsä visited the exalted devotee, King Ambarīşa. The king received the sage with great honor. Ambarīṣa was then observing Ekadasi, and it was almost time for him to break the fast. 2 1 Śrī Giridhara mayi nirbaddha-hrdayah sadhavah sama-darsinah vase kurvanti mam bhaktyä sat-striyaḥ sat-patim yatha 576 307 Sakhyam Brings Bhagavan under Control The king invited the sage to join him in honoring some sacred food, prasada. The sage replied that he would first go to bathe in the Yamuna River and then accept the invitation. Ambarīşa agreed to wait for him. The sage, however, was taking a long time to return. from his ablutions. In the meantime, Ambarīsa needed to break his fast, otherwise he would violate the rules of the ceremonial fast, which require that some food be taken before a designated time on the follow- ing day. Yet, he also had to bear in mind that it was improper for him to eat before feeding his honored guest. Being confronted with this dilemma, he consulted his court scholars, who advised him to take just a sip of water. This would break his fast and yet would not transgress the etiquette that the host should not eat before his guest. Ambarīşa followed their advice. A few moments later, the sage returned, and by his yogic vision, he could understand that Ambarışa had drunk some water in his absence. He took this as a personal affront and decided to punish the king. Out of anger, he created a fiend to kill him. When the fiend attacked Ambarīşa, Visņu’s Sudarsana disc came to protect him. Sudarsana burned the fiend to ashes and then turned to kill the sage. Out of fear, Durväsä fled for his life. But no matter where he went, the disc followed in close pursuit. The sage travelled even to the celestial abodes, seeking help from great devas, such as Brahma and Śiva, but they all admitted their powerlessness to pro- tect him. Finally, he approached Visņu Himself. Visņu, however, also refused to help him. He spoke many verses to inform Durvāsā that He Himself is not independent, being fully under the control of His devotees. The present verse (SB 9.4.66) is taken from that speech. The example of a chaste wife is given here to indicate her mood of friendship toward her husband. 577Anuccheda 308 Bhagavan’s Abode Attained through Sakhyam ३०८ । एवं च ( भा० ४।१२।३७ ) - THE SAGE MAITREYA makes a similar statement: शान्ताः समदृशः शुद्धाः सर्वभूतानुरञ्जनाः । यान्त्यञ्जसाच्युतपदमच्युतप्रियबान्धवाः || ९९१ ॥ Those who are established in unwavering tranquility, equally disposed toward all, pure, and a source of joy for all living beings, effortlessly go to the abode of Acyuta, because their dearmost friend is Bhagavan Acyuta. (SB 4.12.37)1 अच्युत एव प्रियबान्धवो येषाम् | अच्युतस्य पदं तत्सनाथ लोकम् । अच्युतशब्दावृत्त्या फलस्य केनाप्यंशेन व्यभिचारित्वं नेति दर्श्यते ॥ श्रीमैत्रेयः ॥ The compound acyuta-priya-bandhavaḥ means “those whose dearmost friend is none other than Bhagavan Acyuta.” They attain acyuta-padam, meaning the abode (lokam) in which Bha- gavan Acyuta is personally present as Lord and master (natha). By repetition of the word acyuta, lit., “infallible,” it is being pointed out that there is no possibility whatsoever of deviation in regard to the attainment of the specified result. 1 santaḥ samadṛśaḥ śuddhaḥ sarva-bhūtānuranjanāḥ yanty anjasacyuta-padam acyuta-priya-bandhavaḥ 578 308 Bhagavan’s Abode Attained through Sakhyam Commentary THIS VERSE is spoken to Vidura by sage Maitreya, while he was elaborating the history of King Dhruva. Dhruva performed severe austerities when he was a mere boy of five years. Bhagavan Vişnu personally appeared before him and blessed him. Subsequently, he ruled over the earth for 36,000 years. After that, when the time arrived for him to leave this world, the messengers of Visnu came to carry him to Vişnu’s abode. The present verse describes the characteristics of the devotees who reach that infallible abode. 579 9 Atma-nivedanam Anuccheda 309 Anuccheda 309 Varieties of Atma-nivedanam ३०९ । अथ आत्मनिवेदनम् - तच्च देहादिशुद्धात्मपर्यन्तस्य सर्वतोभावेन तस्मिन्नेवार्प- णम् । तत्कार्यं चात्मार्थचेष्टाशून्यत्वं तन्त्र्यस्तात्मसाधनसाध्यत्वं तदर्थैकचेष्टामयत्वं च । इदं ह्यात्मार्पणं गोविक्रयवत् विक्रीतस्य गोर्वर्तनार्थं विक्रीतवता चेष्टा न क्रियते । तस्य च श्रेयःसाधकस्तं क्रीतवानेव स्यात् । स च गौस्तस्यैव कर्म कुर्यात् न पुनर्विक्रीतव- तोऽपीति । NOW WE WILL discuss atma-nivedanam, or surrender of the self. This limb of bhakti entails offering one’s entire being to Bhagavan alone, beginning from the body up to the pure self (Suddha-atma). It is characterized by an absence of striving for one’s own self, the offering of all one’s practices (sādhanas ) and attainments (sādhyas) to Bhagavān, and application of one’s actions exclusively for Bhagavan. This offering of the self (ātma- arpanam) can be compared to selling a cow. Once a cow is sold, the seller makes no further effort to maintain the cow, the pur- chaser becomes solely responsible for the cow’s welfare, and the cow works only for the new owner and no longer for the seller. इदमेवात्मार्पण श्रीरुक्मिणीवाक्ये “तन् मे भवान् खलु वृतः पतिरङ्ग जायामात्मार्पितश्च भवतोऽत्र विभो विधेहि” ( भा० १० १५२।३९) इति । An example of this type of offering of the self (atma-arpanam) is found in the words of Sri Rukmiņī: 583 III The Practice of Bhakti Hence You alone, my beloved, have been chosen by me as my husband, and this ātmā has been offered to You (arpita). Please come here, my Lord, and accept me as Your wife. (SB 10.52.39)1 अथ केचिद् देहार्पणमेवात्मार्पणमिति मन्यन्ते । यथा भक्तिविवेके- Some authorities are of the opinion that self-surrender simply involves offering the body, as indicated in Bhakti-viveka: चिन्तां कुर्यान् न रक्षायै विक्रीतस्य यथा पशोः । तथार्पयन् हरौ देहं विरमेदस्य रक्षणात् ॥ ९९२ ॥ One should not be concerned about the preservation of one’s body; rather, one should regard it like an animal sold to another. Offering one’s body in this manner to Bhagavan Hari, one should cease all effort to protect it. (Bhakti-viveka)2 केचिच्छुद्धक्षेत्रज्ञार्पणमेव । यथा श्रीमदालबन्दारुस्तोत्रे - Others maintain that offering the pure witness of the presen- tational field [i.e., the body and the world] (suddha-kṣetrajña- arpanam) is what is meant by self-surrender, as in the Śrīmad- alabandaru-stotra: वपुरादिषु योऽपि कोऽपि वा गुणतोऽसानि यथातथाविधः । तदयं तव पादपद्मयोरहमद्यैव मया समर्पितः ॥ ९९३ ॥ इति । Whoever exists within this body-mind continuum, and who- ever is present amidst the variable conditions arising under the influence of the three qualitative forces (gunas) of material nature, O Bhagavan, today I offer this “I” (aham) unto Your lotus feet. (Stotra-ratnam 49)3 केचिच्च दक्षिणहस्तादिकमप्यर्पयन्तस्तेन तत्कर्ममात्रं कुर्वते न तु देहादिकर्मेत्यद्यापि दृश्यते । 1 tan me bhavan khalu vrtaḥ patir anga jayam atmarpitas ca bhavato tra vibho vidhehi 2 cintam kuryan na rakṣayai vikrītasya yatha pasoh tatharpayan harau deham viramed asya raksanat 3 vapur adisu yo’pi ko’pi va gunato’sani yatha tatha-vidhah tad ayam tava pada-padmayor aham adyaiva maya samarpitaḥ The text cited here is known both as Stotra-ratnam and Srimad-alabandaru-stotra. 584 309 Varieties of Atma-nivedanam Still others offer the right hand or other limbs of the body to Bha- gavan and use that limb strictly for Bhagavan’s service, not for fulfilling bodily needs. तदेतत् सर्वात्मकं सकार्यमात्मनिवेदनं यथा ( भा० ९।४।१८-२० ) - Self-surrender that involves offering one’s entire being (sarva- tmakam) [body, mind, and pure self] along with all its cor- responding functions (sa-karyam) is seen in the case of King Ambarīṣa: 4 सवै मनः कृष्णपदारविन्दयोर्वचांसि वैकुण्ठगुणानुवर्णने करौ हरेर्मन्दिरमार्जनादिषु श्रुतिं चकाराच्युतसत्कयोदये ॥ ९९४ ॥ मुकुन्दलिङ्गालयदर्शने दृशौ तद्भृत्यगात्रस्पर्शेऽङ्गसङ्गमम् । घ्राणं च तत्पादसरोजसौरभे श्रीमत्तुलस्या रसनां तदर्पिते ॥ ९९५ ॥ पादौ हरेः क्षेत्रपदानुसर्पणे शिरो हृषीकेशपदाभिवन्दने । कामं च दास्ये न तु कामकाम्यया यथोत्तमश्लोकजनाश्रया रतिः ।। ९९६ ॥ तु He fixed his mind exclusively on the lotus feet of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, he employed his speech in describing the virtues of Bhagavan Visņu, his hands in cleansing the temple of Sri Hari and sim- ilar services, and his ears in hearing the sacred narrations of Bhagavan Acyuta. He employed his eyes in beholding the deity and temples of Bha- gavan Mukunda, his tactile sense in touching the limbs of Bha- gavan’s devotees, his nose in smelling the fragrance of tulasi leaves offered to Bhagavan’s lotus feet, and his tongue in tasting the food offered to Bhagavan. He employed his feet in moving to the holy places of Bhaga- van Hari, and his head in bowing down at the feet of Bhagavan Hṛṣīkesa. His resolve was wholly fixed in the servitorship of Bhagavan, not in any form of material enjoyment. He did all this in such a way that the love (rati) inherent in Bhagavan’s devotees might arise in him. (SB 9.4.18-20)* sa vai manah kṛṣṇa-padaravindayor vacamsi vaikuntha-gunanuvarnane karau harer mandira-märjanädişu śrutim cakaracyuta-sat-kathodaye mukunda-lingalaya-darsane drsau tad-bhrtya-gatra-sparse’nga-sangamam ghranam ca tat-pada-saroja-saurabhe srimat-tulasya rasanam tad-arpite → 585 III The Practice of Bhakti चकार अर्पयामास । कृष्णपदारविन्दयोरित्यादिकमुपलक्षणं तत्सेवादीनाम् । लिङ्गं श्री- मूर्तिः । आलयस्तद्भक्तस्तन्मन्दिरादिः । श्रीमत्तुलस्यास्तत्पादसरोजसम्बन्धि यत् सौरभं तस्मिन् । तदर्पिते महाप्रसादान्नादौ । कामं सङ्कल्पं च दास्ये निमित्ते । कथं चकार ? यथा येन प्रकारेण उत्तमश्लोकजनाश्रया रतिः सा भवेदिति । The verb cakāra, “he employed,” means, “he offered” (arpaya- māsa) [his various physical and mental functions in correspond- ing devotional practices.] The specific mention of Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet as the focus of meditation for the mind indicates an attitude of service to Him. The word lingam means the deity (śrī mürti), and alayaḥ, “the residence of Mukunda,” refers to His devotees and temples. Śrīmat-tulasyah means, “in the fragrance emanat- ing from the tulasi offered to the lotus feet of Bhagavan.” Tad- arpite, “in the offering to Him,” means, “in the sacred remnants of food offered to Bhagavan.” Kamam, “desire,” means “resolve” (sankalpa), which was specifically directed toward the servitor- ship of Bhagavän. In what manner did he do all of this? This question is answered in the final line of the verse. He did every- thing in such a way that the love (rati) inherent in Bhagavan’s devotees might arise in him. अत्र सर्वथा तत्रैव सङ्घातात्मनिक्षेपः कृत इति वैशिष्ट्यापत्त्या स्मरणादिमयोपासनस्यैवा- त्मार्पणत्वम् । In this example, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa surrendered his entire being (sanghäta-ätmä) to Bhagavan alone in every conceivable manner [i.e., with his body, mind, senses, will, and so on]. From this unique demonstration of surrender, the worship (upāsanā) of Bhagavän that consists of offering all the functions of the self, such as remembrance and the other faculties outlined in this group of verses, is understood to be included within the limb of bhakti known as surrender of the self (atma-arpanam). एवमेवोक्तम् " श्रद्धामृतकथायां मे शश्वन् मदनुकीर्तनम् " ( भा० ११ । १९ । २०) इत्यारभ्य " एवं धर्मैर्मनुष्याणाम्” (भा० ११ । १९ । २४ ) इति । padau hareh kṣetra-padanusarpane siro hrsikesa-padabhivandane kamam ca dasye na tu kama-kamyaya yathottamasloka-janasraya ratiḥ 586 309 Varieties of Atma-nivedanam This type of surrender is exactly what Bhagavan Kṛṣṇa described to Uddhava in the section of verses from Srimad Bhagavata beginning from SB 11.19.20 and concluding in SB 11.19.24: O Uddhava, by reverence for hearing My ambrosial narrations, by continuous recitation of My divine acts, by resolute fixity in My worship, by glorifying Me with beautiful prayers, by regard for My service, by bowing down to Me with all limbs of the body, by considering the worship of My devotees as superior [even to My own worship], by perceiving My presence within all living beings, by employing the limbs of the body for My sake, by describing My virtues with one’s speech, by fixing the mind on Me, by abandoning all desires, by giving up wealth, sensual enjoyment, and self-centered happiness for My sake, by sacrifice, charity, offering oblations into the sacrificial fire, uttering mantras, observing fasts and other sacred vows, and by undergoing austerity for My sake by all such forms of dharma, bhakti for Me makes its appearance in the hearts of those whose very selves are offered to Me (atma-nivedinām). For such a person (asya), what more remains to be achieved [either in the form of sadhana or sadhya]? (SB 11.19.20-24)5 यथा स्मरणकीर्तनपादसेवनमयमुपासनमेव आगमोक्तविधिमयत्ववैशिष्ट्यापत्त्यार्चन- मित्यभिधीयते ततो नाविविक्तत्वम् । सानपरिधानादिक्रिया चास्य भगवत्सेवायोग्य- त्वायैवेति तत्रापि नात्मार्पणभक्तिहानिरित्यनुसन्धेयम् । 5 If upāsanā, or worship, consisting of remembrance (smaraṇam), singing Bhagavan’s glories (kirtanam), and serving Bhagavan’s feet (päda-sevanam), is characterized as being executed strictly according to the injunctions outlined in the Agamas, it is called sraddhamṛta-kathayam me sasvan mad-anukirtanam parinistha ca pujayam stutibhiḥ stavanaṁ mama adaraḥ paricaryayam sarvangair abhivandanam mad-bhakta-pujabhyadhika sarva-bhūtesu man-matih mad-arthesv anga-cesta ca vacasa mad-guneranam mayy arpanam ca manasah sarva-kama-vivarjanam mad-arthe’rtha-parityago bhogasya ca sukhasya ca işṭam dattam hutam japtam mad-artham yad vratam tapah evam dharmair manusyanam uddhavatma-nivedinam mayi sanjayate bhaktiḥ ko’nyo’rtho’syavasisyate 587III The Practice of Bhakti arcanam, because smaranam, kirtanam, and so on, when delim- ited by injunctions, are not essentially different from arcanam [in which rules are prominent]. In the practice of self-surrender (atma-arpanam), it is to be understood that bodily functions, such as bathing and putting on clothes, are carried out only for the sake of Bhagavan’s service, and hence even these functions are not detrimental to the devotion of self-surrender. एतदात्मार्पणं श्रीबलावपि स्फुटं दृश्यते । उदाहृतं चेदमात्मार्पणम् “धर्मार्थकामः” (भा० ७।६।२६) इत्यादिना श्रीप्रह्लादमते । Self- This self-surrender is clearly visible in Bali as well. surrender (atma-arpanam) is also exemplified in the view of Prahlada, in statements such as the following: Dharma, artha, and kama, which are designated as tri-varga, or “the three aspired for ends,” as well as the means to attain them [tad-artham ca], including the science of the self (ikṣā), the science of ritual action rooted in the three Vedas (trayi), logic, the penal code, and the various approved means of sus- tenance, are all propounded by the Vedas. Yet I consider these to be valid only if utilized as a means of offering one’s own self (atma-arpanam) to the Supreme Purusa, who is one’s very own well-wisher. (SB 7.6.26)6 “मर्त्यो यदा त्यक्तसमस्तकर्मा निवेदितात्मा” (भा० ११ । २९।३४) इत्यादिना श्रीभगवन्म- तेऽपि । Self-surrender is illustrated in the view of Bhagavan Kṛṣṇa as well, in statements such as the following: 6 When a mortal being relinquishes all duties and surren- ders unto Me, he becomes desirous of undertaking the path dharmartha-kama iti yo’bhihitas tri-varga iksa trayi naya-damau vividha ca varttā manye tad etad akhilam nigamasya satyam svātmārpanam sva-suhrdah paramasya pumsaḥ 588 309 Varieties of Atma-nivedanam specially distinguished by Me, and on attaining liberation, he becomes one in essential being with Me, endowed with divine opulences of the same nature as My own [mad-aikyaya mat-samanaiśvaryaya]. (SB 11.29.34)8 तदेतदात्मनिवेदनं भावं विना भाववैशिष्ट्येन च दृश्यते । पूर्वं यथा “मर्त्यो यदा” इत्यादि । उत्तरं यथैकादश एव “दास्येनात्मनिवेदनम्” (भा० ११ । ११ । ३५ ) इति । यथा च रुक्मिणी- वाक्ये “आत्मार्पितश्च भवतः” (भा० १० । ५२ । ३९) इति ॥ श्रीशुकः ॥ This ätma-nivedanam is seen to be of two types - without a spe- cific temperament of love (bhavam vina), and imbued with a specific loving temperament (bhava-vaisiṣtyena). An example of the first is found in the self-surrender described by Bhaga- vän Kṛṣṇa in the above verse (SB 11.29.34). A reference to the second is found in the Eleventh Canto itself, wherein Bhagavan Kṛṣṇa [in enumerating the practices of bhakti] mentions self- surrender endowed with the devotional attitude of a servant [dāsya-bhāva], dasyenātma-nivedanam (SB 11.11.35). Another example of the second type of self-surrender [imbued in this case with conjugal feelings (madhurya-bhava)] is seen in the words of Rukmiņi Devi, cited earlier: “Hence You alone, my beloved, have been chosen by me as my husband, and this ātmā has been offered to You (arpita). Please come here, my Lord, and accept me as Your wife” (SB 10.52.39)? 7 8 9 According to Sridhara Svami, the words me vicikīrsitah mean “he becomes desirous (isṭaḥ) of doing that which is specially distinguished by Me” (me visistah kartum isto bhavati). Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti expands on this idea, saying that “he becomes desirous (ipsitah) of doing that which is specially distinguished as the practice of My bhakti, which has been set forth by Me (maya pratipadyamanena) and is categorically distinct (vilaksana) even from yoga, jnana, and other such practices.” The translation is rendered accordingly. martyo yada tyakta-samasta-karma niveditatma vicikīrsito me tada’mṛtatvam pratipadyamano mayatmabhūyaya ca kalpate vai The bracketed insert is Sridhara Svami’s comment. tan me bhavan khalu vṛtah patir anga jāyām ātmārpitas ca bhavato ’tra vibho vidhehi 589 III The Practice of Bhakti Commentary SELF-SURRENDER is the ninth and last of the primary limbs of vaidhi-bhakti. It involves a type of identity in which one feels one- self to belong entirely to Bhagavan. The distinction between servi- torship and self-surrender is that in the former, one is endowed with the self-identity (abhimana) of being a servant, while in the latter, one feels as if one were Bhagavan’s property. Just as an ani- mal belonging to its owner does not have the independence to act for its own self-interest, so it is with a devotee surrendered to Bha- gavän. Such a devotee makes no endeavor for his own maintenance or protection. The example of a cow is perfectly appropriate in this regard. A cow does nothing for herself and remains fully dependent on her owner. If the owner sells the cow to another person, the cow leaves the first owner and becomes dependent on the new one. Thereafter, she no longer works for the benefit of her former master in any way. Another example of the offering of the self (atma-arpanam) is that of Rukmini. She accepted Kṛṣṇa as her husband within her heart, and after that, she could not conceive of any other man as her protector. This was the customary tradition in Vedic society - once a girl accepted a boy as her husband, she became fully sur- rendered to him. She had to leave the house of her father, transfer her allegiance from her father to her husband, and even change her family name to that of her husband. There are a few different approaches to self-surrender. Some practitioners surrender only a particular part of their body. For example, they may offer their right hand. In this case, they will not use their right hand for any bodily-related acts. The right hand will be used only for the service of Bhagavan. There are some author- ities who consider the offering of the physical body alone as self- surrender, while others consider it to be the offering of the pure witness of the presentational field (suddha-kṣetrajña-arpaṇam). In reality, however, self-surrender means to offer everything one’s body, mind, speech, and authentic self- to Bhagavan. King Ambarīşa is the ideal example of this type of complete surrender. 590 309 Varieties of Atma-nivedanam One may object that the practitioners who have surrendered to Bhagavan also take care of the body by cleaning it, feeding it, and providing it with regenerative sleep. So how can this be called complete surrender? Sri Jiva Gosvāmī replies that the surrendered practitioners take care of the body only so that they can execute their service capably. The body is comparable to a car, which is fueled with petrol and taken to a garage for maintenance so that it can perform its function efficiently. Prahlada’s grandson Bali is another outstanding example of self-surrender. He had promised to give three steps of land to Śrī Vamanadeva. After Vamana obtained Bali’s promise, He expanded His form and measured the entire three worlds with just two steps. When Vamana demanded the third step, Bali offered himself to Him. Bali’s opinion was that the owner of an object is more valu- able than the object he owns. Consequently, if it took Vamana two steps to measure his kingdom, then Bali himself was worthy of being appropriated for the third step. Vamana then had Bali tied up, just as one would tie an animal after purchasing it. Bali surrendered himself along with his kingdom to Bhagavan Vamana. 591 4 Rāgānuga-bhakti Anucchedas 310-338 Overview Anucchedas 310-312.3 The Power of Natural Attraction Anucchedas 312.4-324 Raganuga-bhakti Is Primarily in regard to Krsna Anucchedas 325-338 Overview Anucchedas 310-312.3 Anuccheda 310 Rāgānugā As Ruci for Rāgātmikā-bhakti 310.1 The Meaning of Raga and Rägänugā ३१० । तदेवं वैधी भक्तिर्दर्शिता । अस्याश्वोक्तानामङ्गानामनुक्तानां च कुत्रचित् कस्याप्य- ङ्गस्यान्यत्र तु तदितरस्य यन्महिमाधिक्यं वर्ण्यते तत्तच्छ्रद्धाभेदेन तत्तत्प्रभावोल्लासापे- क्षयेति न परस्परविरुद्धत्वम् । अधिकारिभेदेन ह्यौषधादीनामपि तादृशत्वं दृश्यते । WE HAVE THUS described vaidhi-bhakti, or devotion impelled by scriptural injunctions. Out of the various limbs of vaidhi- bhakti that have been discussed and others not mentioned, a particular limb of bhakti may be glorified above others in some scriptural references, whereas elsewhere a different limb is given prominence. These statements emphasizing the preemi- nent power of specific practices are made because of the differ- ences in faith (śraddha) that practitioners have in distinct prac- tices. Therefore, there is no real contradiction between these apparently conflicting statements. The same principle is seen to apply in the case of medicine, wherein different remedies are prescribed and acclaimed according to the requirements of different patients. अथ रागानुगा । तत्र विषयिणः स्वाभाविको विषयसंसर्गेच्छातिशयमयः प्रेमा रागः । यथा चक्षुरादीनां सौन्दर्यादौ । तादृश एवात्र भक्तस्य श्रीभगवत्यपि राग इत्युच्यते । Now we will discuss rāgānuga-bhakti, or devotion impelled by natural attraction (raga). In conventional terms, the natural infatuation (svabhāvika-prema) that a person attached to sen- sual enjoyment (vişayi) has for sense objects, which consists 597III The Practice of Bhakti of an ardent desire to contact those objects, is called raga, or “attachment.” The eyes, for example, are naturally drawn to beauty. Correspondingly, in the matter of bhakti, the natural affection (svabhävika-prema) that a devotee feels for Bhagavan [consisting of an ardent desire to attain Him] is also called räga. स च रागो विशेषणभेदेन बहुधा दृश्यते " येषामहं प्रिय आत्मा सुतश्च सखा गुरुः सुहृदो दैवमिष्टम् " ( भा० ३।२५।३८) इत्यादी । This raga for Bhagavan is seen to be of various types, according to the different qualifying terms [that specify its nature], as in this statement of Bhagavan Kapila: “O Mother, I am the beloved (priya), the Supreme Self (ātmā), the son (suta), friend (sakha), respected elder (guru), well-wisher (suhṛda), and worshipful deity (ista-deva) of these devotees” (SB 3.25.38). तत्र प्रियो यथा तदीयप्रेयसीनाम् । आत्मा परब्रह्मरूपः श्रीसनकादीनाम् । सुतः श्रीव्र- जेश्वरादीनाम् । सखा श्री श्रीदामादीनाम् । गुरुः श्रीप्रधुम्नादीनाम् । कस्यापि " भ्राता ” कस्यापि “मातुलेयः” कस्यापि “वैवाहिकः” इत्यादिरूपः स एक एव तेषु बहुप्रकारत्वेन सुहृदः सम्बन्धिनाम् । दैवमिष्टं तदीयसेवकानां श्रीदारुकप्रभृतीनामिति प्रसिद्धम् । Here, the word priya, “beloved,” refers to raga as of the type found in Kṛṣṇa’s beloveds (preyasis); ätma, “the Supreme Self,” as that found in the sages, such as the four Kumāras, who related to Bhagavan as the Supreme Brahman; sutaḥ, “son,” as that found in Kṛṣṇa’s parents, such as Nanda Mahārāja; sakhā, “friend,” as that found in Krsna’s friends, such as Śrīdāmā; and guru, “respected elder,” as that found in juniors, such as Krsna’s son, Pradyumna. Bhagavan is somebody’s brother, someone else’s cousin, and another person’s relative through marriage. In this manner, the one Bhagavan is a “well-wisher” (suhrdah) in many different ways to all those who are related to Him. To servants such as Daruka, He is the “worshipful deity” (daivam iṣṭam). All these different types of raga toward Bhagavan are widely known. 1 yesam aham priya atma sutas ca sakha guruh suhrdo daivam istam 598 310Raganuga As Ruci for Ragatmika-bhakti अत्र श्रीमत्यां मोहिन्यां यः खलु रुद्रस्य भावो जातः स तु नाङ्गीकृतोऽनुक्तत्वात् । तस्य मायामोहिततयैव तादृशभावाभ्युपगमाच्च । In this regard, however, the feeling of attraction ( bhāva) that arose in Rudra toward Mohini [i.e., toward Kṛṣṇa who had assumed the form of Mohini] is not accepted as one of the legiti- mate forms of love for Bhagavan, since it is not referred to in the above verse, and also because such feelings arose in Rudra solely due to bewilderment created by Bhagavan’s deluding potency. तदेवं तत्तदभिमानलक्षणभावविशेषेन स्वाभाविकरागस्य वैशिष्ट्ये सति तत्तद्रागप्रयुक्ता श्रवणकीर्तनस्मरणपादसेवनवन्दनात्मनिवेदनप्राया भक्तिस्तेषां रागात्मिका भक्तिरित्यु- च्यते । तस्याश्च साध्यायां रागलक्षणायां भक्तिगङ्गायां तरङ्गरूपत्वात् साध्यत्वमेवेति न तु साधनप्रकरणेऽस्मिन् प्रवेशः । अतो रागानुगा कथ्यते । This natural (svābhāvika) rāga thus contains distinctions (vaisi - stya), since the different associates of Sri Krsna each have a spe- cific loving mood (bhava-viseṣa) toward Him that is defined by their respective self-identity (abhimāna) [whether as a beloved, a parent, a friend, or a servant ]. The bhakti that inheres in these associates, which is impelled by their respective feelings of raga and which consists primarily of hearing, singing, remembering, serving Bhagavan’s feet, bowing before Bhagavān, and surren dering the self to Him, is called rāgātmikä-bhakti. As enacted by them, these various expressions of bhakti belong exclusively to the perfected state (sadhyatvam), because they arise like waves out of the Ganga River of bhakti, which is characterized as rāga in its priorly perfected condition ( sādhya ). As such, bhakti of this category does not come under the present context of discus- sion, which is bhakti in the stage of practice (sādhana). There- fore, we will now discuss the practice of bhakti that emulates this rāga (rāgānugā-bhakti). यस्य पूर्वोक्त रागविशेषे रुचिरेव जातास्ति न तु रागविशेष एव स्वयं तस्य तादृशरागसु- धाकरकराभाससमुल्लसितहृदयस्फटिकमणेः शास्त्रादिश्रुतासु तादृश्या रागात्मिकाया भक्तेः परिपाटीष्वपि रुचिर्जायते । ततस्तदीय रागं रुच्यानुगच्छन्ती सा रागानुगा तस्यैव प्रवर्तते । I 599 III The Practice of Bhakti When a simple taste (rucir eva) has appeared in a devotee for a specific rāga among those previously mentioned, yet prior to the appearance of that particular räga itself, then the devotee, whose crystal-like heart shines with the reflected rays of the moon of that raga, develops a taste also for the methods of that type of rägätmikä-bhakti, about which he has heard from scrip- ture or from his teacher. Thereafter, the bhakti of “this” devo- tee (tasyaiva) - following the raga of a particular associate of Bhagavan impelled by taste (ruci) - proceeds as rāgānugā. एषैवाविहितेति केषाञ्चित् सञ्ज्ञा रुचिमात्रप्रवृत्त्या विधिप्रयुक्तत्वेनाप्रवृत्तत्वात् । न च वक्तव्यं विध्यनधीनस्य न सम्भवति भक्तिरिति ( भा० २।१।७) - Some people refer to rāgānuga-bhakti as “non-prescribed devo- tion” (avihita-bhakti), because it is impelled only by taste (ruci) and not by scriptural injunctions (vidhis). It should not, how- ever, be claimed that bhakti is not at all possible for a person who is not subservient to scriptural injunctions, for Śrī Suka has said: प्रायेण मुनयो राजन् निवृत्ता विधिषेधतः । नैर्गुण्यस्था रमन्ते स्म गुणानुकथने हरेः ॥ ९९७ ॥ इत्यत्र श्रूयते । O King, those sages who are beyond the injunctions and prohi- bitions of scripture and situated on the nirguna platform, free from material influence, nearly always (prayena)2 delight in recounting the virtues of Bhagavan Hari. (SB 2.1.7)3 ततो विधिमार्गभक्तिर्विधिसापेक्षेति सा दुर्बला । इयं तु स्वतन्त्रैव प्रवर्तत इति प्रबला च ज्ञेया । अत एवास्या जन्मलक्षणं भक्तिव्यतिरेकेणान्यत्रानभिरुचित्वमित्याद्यपि ज्ञेयं यथोक्तं तृतीये श्रीविदुरेण भगवत्कथारुचिमुपलक्ष्य ( भा० ३।५।१३) - 3 2 Śrī Viśvanatha Cakravarti comments that the word prayena, “nearly always,” is used here because there are some other jivan-muktas, inferior in status, who take pleasure in discussing the virtues pertaining to impersonal liberation (sayujya), and not the qualities of Hari. prayena munayo rajan nivrtta vidhi-sedhataḥ nairgunya-stha ramante sma gunanukathane hareḥ 600 310 Ragānugā As Ruci for Ragatmika-bhakti Therefore, it is to be understood that vaidhi-bhakti is compar- atively weak because it depends on scriptural injunctions, whereas rāgānuga is extraordinarily powerful, being self- impelled, independent of scriptural injunctions. Consequently, the symptom that rāgānugā has appeared within a practitioner is indicated by the absence of attraction for anything unrelated to bhakti. This is pointed out [by Śrī Vidura] in the Third Canto: सा श्रद्दधानस्य विवर्धमाना विरक्तिमन्यत्र करोति पुंसः । हरेः पदानुस्मृतिनिर्वृतस्य समस्तदुःखाप्ययमाशु धत्ते ॥ ९९८ ॥ इति । That [i.e., the predilection (mati) for hearing Hari-katha], devel- oping in the heart of a person endowed with faith, begets detach- ment from all other pursuits. For the person who is absorbed in the bliss of remembering the feet of Sri Hari, that predilection quickly dispels all his miseries. (SB 3.5.13)4 सा पूर्वोक्ता कथागृहीता मतिस्तद्रुचिरित्यर्थः । विधिनिरपेक्षत्वादेव पूर्वाभ्यां दास्य- सख्याभ्यामेतदीययोस्तयोर्भेदश्च ज्ञेयः । एवमेवोक्तम् “तन् मन्येऽधीतमुत्तमम्” ( भा० ७।५।२४) इति । In this verse, the pronoun sä, “that,” refers back to its antecedent from the previous verse - the “predilection” (mati) to hear Hari- katha, meaning the “taste” (ruci) for such narrations. It should be understood that because rāgānuga is independent of any injunctions, the practices of dasya and sakhya as undertaken in rāgānuga-sadhana are different from the same two practices undertaken in vaidhi-sadhana. This distinction is exactly what is implied in the following statement of Prahlada: 4 sa sraddadhanasya vivardhamana viraktim anyatra karoti pumsah hareḥ padānusmṛti-nirvṛtasya samasta-duḥkhapyayam asu dhatte 601 III The Practice of Bhakti If bhakti characterized by these nine practices is offered by a person to Bhagavan Vişņu directly in the act of being per- formed (addha kriyeta), then I consider this to be the pinnacle of education. (SB 7.5.24) अत एव विध्युक्तक्रमोऽपि नास्यामत्यादृतः । किन्तु रागात्मिकाश्रुतक्रम एव । Therefore, in rāgānugā, even the system prescribed for vaidhi- bhakti is not especially esteemed, rather, it is only the sys- tem that is heard of in relation to the rāgātmikä associates of Bhagavan that is most highly valued. Commentary IN THIS ANUCCHEDA, Sri Jiva Gosvāmī first provides his conclud- ing statement regarding vaidhi-bhakti. He points out that in some scriptural passages, one particular limb of bhakti may be glorified above others, whereas elsewhere, a different limb is emphasized. For example, in Padma Purana, one can read about the importance of different devotional practices, such as watering a tulasi plant or visiting a holy place like Mathura. By reading these diverse descrip- tions, one may find oneself in a dilemma about what to follow and what to avoid, because it is not possible to follow everything. In this regard, it is to be understood that not all prescriptions are meant for everybody. Based on individual nature and taste (ruci), different practitioners are drawn to different devotional 5 Sridhara Svami gives the following syntax for the latter half of the verse and, in particular, the clause arpita cet addha kriyeta, “if offered directly in the act of being performed”: “If bhakti is performed, being itself priorly offered, and not that it is first performed and afterward offered, then I consider this to be the pinnacle of education” (bhaktiḥ [addha] kriyate sa carpitaiva sati yadi kriyeta na tu krta sati pascad arpyeta tad uttamam adhitam manye). The word addha has been inserted here since it is implicit in Sridhara’s explanation. 6 iti pumsarpita visnau bhaktis cen nava-laksana kriyeta bhagavaty addha tan manye’dhitam uttamam In this verse, the mention of “education” implies a dependence on scriptural injunctions. Hence, the nine primary limbs of bhakti referred to here suggest their application in vaidhi-bhakti. See Anuccheda 169 for a detailed discussion of SB 7.5.23-24. 602 310 Raganuga As Ruci for Ragatmika-bhakti acts. Such being the case, when practitioners read or hear the authentic glories of the practice to which they are drawn, they become resolutely committed to it. For this reason, the bene- fits that naturally ensue from different devotional practices are proclaimed in scripture to encourage people to take them up. A comparison can be drawn here to the benefits of various medicinal herbs described in books such as Caraka-samhita. One is not expected to randomly consume all of these different herbs. Rather, one should consult an expert Ayurvedic doctor concerning which herb to take for one’s own ailment. Similarly, one should follow the instructions of one’s guru regarding the most relevant sadhana practices to be adopted. After concluding the description of vaidhi-bhakti, Śrī Jīva begins the discussion of raganuga-bhakti. His real intent from the very beginning of this volume, and, moreover, from the beginning of the Sandarbhas as a whole, has been to elucidate rāgānugā-bhakti. Whatever he has explained until now has only been to provide a basis to comprehend rāgānugā. It is very difficult to understand rägänuga without having first understood the theory and prac- tice of vaidhi-bhakti, both of which are in turn rooted in authentic knowledge of the ontology of primordial nature, the self, and Bha- gavan. Consequently, all of the latter was first examined in great detail in five volumes up to this point, simply to prepare the ground for what is now being disclosed. In psychological terms, a person may be prompted to act pri- marily in one of two ways - either because there is a social, moral, or cultural injunction to perform a particular action or because one has a natural liking for it. If one is impelled primarily by an injunction, then one acts either to gain something from it or to avoid the consequences of nonaction. It is rarely the case that a person adheres to an injunction without any motive. Sometimes the motive may be covert. For example, a person may be very char- itable outwardly without expecting anything in return. But such a generous person may harbor an implicit wish to be praised or acknowledged as a kindhearted entrepreneur. Thus, actions based on injunctions are almost always tainted with vested interest. It is, 603 III The Practice of Bhakti however, possible that in course of time, one acquires a liking for a particular action that was previously impelled by an injunction. As regards actions impelled by natural liking, these can be per- formed either with or without a motive for gain. If an action is per- formed for its own sake alone and not to accomplish some other end, it can be said to be devoid of “ulterior” motive, but as long as the performer remains egoically identified, acting for his or her own pleasure, the action cannot be free of vested interest. Thus, whether impelled by an injunction or by natural liking, it is only when actions are performed exclusively for the pleasure of Bhaga- vän without any personal motive that they are called vaidhi- and rāgā-bhakti, respectively. Śrī Viśvanatha Cakravarti defines them as follows: When scriptural injunction alone is the cause of engaging in bhakti, it is called vaidhi-bhakti, but if intense longing (lobha) is the cause, then it is called rāgānuga-bhakti. (Raga-vartma-candrikā 3)’ Our senses have a natural attachment, or raga, for their respec- tive pleasing sense objects and a natural aversion (dveşa) toward unpleasant sense objects (GITĀ 3.34). In corresponding manner, when a natural attraction toward Bhagavan becomes manifest within a devotee, it is also called raga. Such raga is intrinsic (svabha- vika) in the eternal associates of Bhagavan, being rooted in their constitutional nature. Their acts and expressions of devotion are called ragatmika-bhakti. As such, they do not come under the head- ing of devotion in practice (sadhana-bhakti) but of devotion in its perfected state (sadhya-bhakti). 7 If, however, a conditioned being hears or reads about the lib- erated acts and internal states of these eternal associates and becomes attracted to the path leading to their actualization, then he or she also becomes drawn to take up the same devotional prac- tices. The devotee should then make every effort to enable the self-disclosure of this bhakti by following the raga of an eternal associate. This undertaking is called rāgānuga-bhakti. vaidhi bhaktir bhavet sastram bhaktau cet syat pravartakam rāgānuga syac ced bhaktau lobha eva pravartakah 604 310 Raganugā As Ruci for Ragatmika-bhakti When a person’s heart is free of material desires, then hearing from a realized devotee inspires him to engage in the practices of hearing and chanting about Bhagavan. He becomes eager to obtain the same kind of loving attachment that Krsna’s associates have for Him. This type of inspiration does not arise from any order or scrip- tural injunction, which is why it is sometimes also called avihita, or “non-prescribed.” The essential difference between vaidhi and rāgā- nuga lies in the nature of the cause that impels the practitioner to engage in bhakti. Here, the adherents of Purva-mimamsa may raise a doubt about the validity of rāgānuga-bhakti. According to Jaimini Rsi, dharma, or religious duty, refers exclusively to actions that are prescribed in sastra and that conduce to the attainment of the good (artha, i.e., niḥśreyasa or kalyana). Since raganuga-bhakti is not based on any injunction, it does not qualify as dharma and hence cannot be productive of the good. Śrī Jiva Gosvāmi counters this opinion, demonstrating that if an action performed on the basis of an injunc- tion can conduce to the good, then certainly an action performed out of natural liking can do so all the more. He cites the state- ment of Sukadeva (SB 2.1.7), which affirms that many elevated sages who are not bound by the injunctions of sastra (vidhi-şedhataḥ) exe- cute bhakti lovingly. This will be discussed in greater detail in Anuccheda 312. Because of the natural liking for it, rāgānuga is more power- ful than vaidhi-bhakti. It can be compared to the difference in the intensity of desire to drink milk between a person who naturally likes it and another who doesn’t but who drinks it only because some book on health eulogizes its benefits and recommends doing so. The first person will drink milk without caring for its promised benefits or about anyone’s recommendation. He relishes drinking it and does so with great enthusiasm. He looks forward to drinking it. The second person has no taste for milk and has to keep its ben- efits in mind while drinking it. He feels relieved when the act of 8 codana-laksano’rtho dharmah Jaimini-sutra 1.1.2 605 III The Practice of Bhakti drinking is over. If he did not have to drink it and could avoid it without losing its benefits, he would be happy to do so. There- fore, although the two appear to be doing the same act externally, there is a great difference in their mood, absorption, and experi- ence. Similarly, although the acts of vaidhi and rāgānugā, such as hearing, chanting, or worship, may appear exactly the same, there is a significant difference in the mood and intensity of absorption of the performer. 310.2 Rägänugā with the Abhimana of a Lover - Preyasi तत्र रागात्मिकायां रुचिर्यथा ( भा० ११ | ८ | ३५ ) - In this regard, taste (ruci) for rāgātmika-bhakti is as illustrated in the following statement of Pingala: सुहृत् प्रेष्ठतमो नाथ आत्मा चायं शरीरिणाम् । तं विक्रीयात्मनैवाहं रमेऽनेन यथा रमा ।। ९९९ ।। This [Bhagavan Acyuta] is the friend (suhrt), the most beloved (presthatama), the Master (natha), and the Immanent Self (ātmā) of all embodied beings. I shall purchase Him at the cost of my very own self (ätmana eva) and thus delight with Him in the same manner as Goddess Rama [Laksmi]. (SB 11.8.35)” अत्र स्वाभाविकसौहृद्यादिधर्मैस्तस्मिन्नेव स्वाभाविकपतित्वं स्थापयित्वा परस्यौपाधि- कपतित्वमित्यभिप्रेतम् । अन्यत्र “पत्यावेकत्वं सा गता यस्माच् चरुमन्त्राहुतिव्रता” इति छान्दोग्यपरिशिष्टानुसारेण कृतिममेवात्मत्वम् । तस्मिन् परमात्मनि तु स्वभावत एवेत्या- त्मशब्दस्याप्यभिप्रायः । The implication here is that because the existential qualities or states of being (dharmas) of “friendship” (sauhṛdya), and so on, are “innate” (svabhävika) to Bhagavan Acyuta, there- fore “innate husbandship” (svabhävika-patitvam) exists in Him 9 suhrt presthatamo natha atma cayam saririnam tam vikriyatmanaivaham rame’nena yatha rama 606 310 Raganuga As Ruci for Ragātmika-bhakti alone, whereas in others, “husbandship” is merely “nominal” (aupadhika-patitvam). Elsewhere it is said: “This woman has become one with her husband through vows consisting of the caru-mantra and oblations offered in the sacrificial fire.’ According to this statement of the Chandogya-parisişța, the one- ness (ekātmatvam) spoken of between husband and wife is arti- ficial (kṛtrimam) [because it is not innate but established on the basis of external rituals and vows]. But in the case of Param- ätmä, this oneness of being is by innate disposition (svabhavata eva). This is also the intent of the word atma in the first line of SB 11.8.35, in Pingala’s reference to Bhagavan as “the Immanent Self of all embodied beings.” एवं यद्यपि तस्मिन् पतित्वमनाहार्यमेवास्ति तथापि आत्मनैव मूल्यभूतेनैव तं विशे- षतः क्रीत्वा यथान्यापि कन्या विवाहात्मकेन स्वात्मसमर्पणेन कञ्चित् पतित्वेनोपाद- ते तथा भावेनाश्रित्यानेन परममनोहररूपेण तेन सह रमे रमा लक्ष्मीर्यथा । तदेवं तस्याः पिङ्गलायाः स्वरुचिद्यतिता ॥ So, although “husbandship” (patitvam) is non-adventitious (anāhāryam) in Bhagavan, Pingalā still states that she will pur- chase Him in a special manner (viseṣataḥ krītva) by offering her very own self (atmană eva) as the price. As an ordinary unmarried woman accepts some man as her husband by offer- ing herself through marriage, so too Pingala intends that by taking shelter of Bhagavan by means of love (bhavenāśritya), she would delight with Him, of supremely enchanting form, in the same manner as Goddess Ramā, or Lakṣmi. In this way, Pingala’s own taste (sva-ruci) in raganuga is indicated. Commentary It appears rather odd that Śrī Jīva Gosvami should choose Pingala, a prostitute, as an example of rāgānuga-bhakti. He does so in order to stress the importance of ruci, or taste, because she was not morally 10 patyav ekatvam sa gata yasmac caru-manträhuti-vrata 607III The Practice of Bhakti bound by any religious codes at all, to say nothing of the regulations that advocate engagement in bhakti! Pingala lived in the city of Mithila. One day, as was her cus- tom, she decorated herself and sat at her door to allure prospec- tive clients. Whenever she saw a man walking in her direction, she would entertain the hope that he would come to her, but she would then feel disappointed when he passed her by. A moment later, she would turn her gaze and thoughts to the next prospect. She cherished the hope of obtaining a rich client who would offer her a big sum of money, but on that day nobody came to take her services. She felt agitated and frustrated. In her impatience, she was pacing back and forth, going inside the house and then back to the door again. A good part of the night passed in this manner, and she felt very dejected. In that state, a sense of detachment filled her mind, and she started to deliberate on her demeaning profes- sion. She realized that she was running after an artificial mortal lover while the real lover resides within as the Immanent Self of all beings. The verse cited here (SB 11.8.35) and the one discussed in the next anuccheda (SB 11.8.40) form part of the song in which she reveals this change of heart. 608 Anuccheda 311 Rāgānugā Is Executed Predominantly through Internalized Awareness 1 2 ३११ | रागानुगायां प्रवृत्तिरपीदृशी (भा० ११।८।४० ) - PINGALA also describes the manner of engaging in rāgānuga- bhakti as follows: सन्तुष्टा श्रद्दधत्येतद् यथालाभेन जीवती । विहराम्यमुनैवाहमात्मना रमणेन वै । १००० ॥ Having full faith in this alone [that I will attain Bhagavan Visņu as my husband]1 and being content to live with whatever is obtained of its own accord, I shall enjoy exclusively with Him, My beloved (ramanena), through the faculty of internalized awareness (ātmanā). (SB 11.8.40)2 In commenting on the words etat sraddhadhati, “having full faith in this alone,” Śrī Visvanatha Cakravarti says that what “this” (etat) refers to is expressed in the second line of the verse (etad eva kim tatraha - viharāmīti). Sri Ganga Sahāya makes the meaning of etat even more explicit, rendering the syntax as follows: “I have full faith in this alone (tatraiva visvasam kurvati), that I (aham) shall enjoy (viharami) exclusively with Him (amunaiva), my dearmost Self (atmana), meaning He who is most dear by His essential constitution (svarupa-bhūtena priyena), as my beloved (ramanena), meaning as my husband (patya).” Sri Jiva, however, interprets the word atmana as an adverb of manner, meaning “by the mind alone” (manasaiva). The translation is rendered accordingly. santusta śraddadhaty etad yatha-labhena jivati viharamy amunaivaham atmanā ramanena vai 609 III The Practice of Bhakti अमुनेति भावगर्भरमणेन सह । आत्मना मनसैव तावद् विहरामि । रुचिप्रधानस्य मार्ग- स्यास्य मनःप्रधानत्वात् तत्प्रेयसीरूपेणासिद्धायास्तादृशभजने प्रायो मनसैव युक्तत्वात् । अनेन श्रीमत्प्रतिमादौ तादृशीनामप्यौद्धत्यं परिहृतम् । एवं पितृत्वादिभावेष्वप्यनुसन्धे- यम् ॥ श्रीपिङ्गला ॥ The pronoun amună, “with Him” [which is used only for persons or objects that are beyond the range of vision], means “with my beloved (ramanena) who is present in the interiority of con- sciousness (bhava-garbha).” The words ätmanä viharāmi mean “I shall enjoy [with Him] exclusively through the mind, or the faculty of internalized awareness (manasaiva).” The verse is to be understood in this way because on the path predominated by taste (ruci-pradhana-marga), internal worship through the function of the mind plays a dominant role. Furthermore, Pin- galä had not yet attained a spiritual form as a beloved (preyasi) of Bhagavan, in which case it is generally appropriate to per- form such worship (bhajana) only through the mind (mana- saiva). From this, it is understood that it is forbidden to behave in an impudent manner with the deity form of Bhagavan, even for practitioners such as Pingala. The same principle is to be understood as applicable in regard to other relationships with Bhagavan, such as that of being a parent. Commentary AFTER DEFINING RAGANUGA-BHAKTI with an example and show- ing its superiority over vaidhi-bhakti, Sri Jiva Gosvāmī sets forth the manner of its execution. He says that the mind, or internal awareness, plays the most important role in this regard. This is so because taste or liking (ruci) is the characteristic of the mind. It is observed in Vraja and elsewhere that some devotees who practice the mood of a beloved (preyasi) of Kṛṣṇa, although pos- sessing male bodies, dress as cowherd girls (gopis). They even treat the deity as their lover by kissing or embracing it. Śrī Jīva does not at all approve of such practices. Rather, his entire emphasis is on the inner feeling or temperament (bhava) and not on the 610 311 Raganuga Is Executed Predominantly through Internalized Awareness external dress or behavior. An actor can also dress as a gopi but will not have the corresponding mood and consciousness. For the practitioner of rāgānuga-bhakti, the transformation is to be brought about from within and not from without. Śrī Jiva Gosvāmi thus informs us that a specific loving relation with Krsna is to be practiced and cultivated internally. Externally, one should under- take the recommended sadhana while embracing the attitude of a servant. 611 Anuccheda 312 Various Considerations Concerning Rāgānugā 312.1 Rāgānugā with the Abhimana of a Sevaka or Parent ३१२ । एवं प्रेयसीत्वाभिमानमयी दर्शिता । एषा ब्रह्मवैवर्ते कामकलायामपि दृष्टा सेवकत्वाद्यभिमानमय्यां रुचिभक्तिश्चान्यत्र ज्ञेया “तस्मादमूस्तनुभृताम्” इत्यादी “उपनय मां निजभृत्यपार्श्वम्” (भा० ७।९।२४) इति श्रीप्रह्लादवचनवत् । IN THIS MANNER, rāgānuga-bhakti undertaken with the self- identity (abhimana) of being a consort (preyasi) of Bhagavan has been demonstrated. This type of rāgānuga is also evidenced in a woman named Kämakala, described in Brahma-vaivarta Purana. Accordingly, rāgānuga-bhakti characterized by a taste (ruci) [for rāgātmika-bhakti] steeped in the self-identity (abhi- māna) of being a servant (sevaka), or one of the other categories of relations, can be seen in other scriptural passages, as in these words of Sri Prahlada [exhibiting the abhimana of a sevaka]: 1 Therefore, I, who am well-acquainted with all these blessings desired by embodied beings, do not covet a long life, opulence, exalted social status, or sense pleasure, not even those available to Brahma, since all of them are vanquished by You in the form of invincible time. Please accept me into the association of Your servants. (SB 7.9.24)1 tasmad amus tanu-bhrtām aham asiso jna ayuh sriyam vibhavam aindriyam avirincyat 612 312 Various Considerations Concerning Ragānugā यथा श्रीनारदपञ्चरात्रादौ - [Another example of ruci for rāgātmikä-bhakti with the abhi- māna of a sevaka] is found in the following statement from Narada Pañcarātra: कदा गम्भीरया वाचा श्रिया युक्तो जगत्पते । चामरव्यग्रहस्तं मामेवं कुर्विति वक्ष्यसि ॥ १००१ ॥ इति । When will such fortune be mine, O Lord of the universe, when I will stand expectantly with a camara in hand, and You, seated with Goddess Laksmi, will instruct me in a deep voice, “do it in this manner?” (Narada Pancaratra ) 2 यथा स्कान्दे सनत्कुमारप्रोक्तसंहितायां प्रभाकरराजोपाख्याने- [An example of ruci in rägätmika-bhakti with the abhimana of a parent] is seen in the narration of King Prabhakara from the Sanat-kumara-samhita of Skanda Purāna: अपुत्रोऽपि स वै नैच्छत् पुत्रं कर्मानुचिन्तयन् । वासुदेवं जगन्नाथं सर्वात्मानं सनातनम् || १००२ ॥ अशेषोपनिषद्वेद्यं पुत्रीकृत्य विधानतः । अभिषेचयितुं राजा स्वराज्य उपचक्रमे । १००३ || न पुत्रमभ्यर्थितवान् साक्षाद् भूताज् जनार्दनात् ॥ १००४ ॥ Although King Prabhakara was issueless, he did not desire a son, considering this to be the result of his past karma. Regarding Bhagavan Vasudeva, the Lord of the cosmos, the eternal Sup- reme Self implicit in all being, and the Truth to be known by all the Upanisads, as his son, he made preparations in accordance with scriptural rites to install Him as the ruler in his kingdom. Even when Bhagavan Janardana appeared directly before him, the king did not pray to Him for a son. (Skanda Purana)” necchami te vilulitan uruvikramena kälätmanopanaya mam nija-bhrtya-pārsvam 2 kada gambhiraya vaca śriya yukto jagat-pate camara-vyagra-hastam mam evam kurv iti vaksyasi 3 This verse is also cited in BRS 1.2.155. aputro’pi sa vai naicchat putram karmānucintayan→ 613 III The Practice of Bhakti अग्रे भगवद्दत्तवरश्च “अहं ते भविता पुत्रः” इत्यादि । Later on, Bhagavan offered him this boon: “I will become your son. “4 अत एवोक्तं श्रीनारायणव्यूहस्तवे- Thus, it is said in the Nārāyaṇa-vyuha-stava: पतिपुत्रसुद्धातृपितृवन् मातृवद्धरिम् । ये ध्यायन्ति सदोद्युक्तास्तेभ्योऽपीह नमो नमः || १००५ ॥ I offer obeisance again and again even to those in this world who always longingly meditate on Bhagavan Hari as their husband, son, friend, or brother, or [on themselves] as a father or mother [to Him]. (Nārāyaṇa-vyuha-stava)5 अत्र पत्यादिवदिति ध्येयस्य पितृवदिति ध्यातुर्विशेषणं ज्ञेयम् । तथा मातृवदिति वतिप्र- त्ययेन प्रसिद्धतन्मातृजनाभेदभावना नैवाङ्गीक्रियते किन्तु तदनुगतभावनैव । एवं पितृ- भावादावपि ज्ञेयम् । अन्यथा भगवत्यहङ्ग्रहोपासनावत् तेष्वपि दोषः स्यात् । In this verse, it is to be understood that the words “as their hus- band, son, friend, or brother” are adjectives (viseşanas) for Bha- gavan Hari, who is the dhyeya, or the entity to be meditated on by the devotees, whereas the words “as a father or mother” are adjectives for the meditators (dhyātuḥ), who conceive of them- selves as parents of Bhagavan. In the compound mātṛ-vat, “like a mother,” the vati suffix [ordinarily conveying the sense of “similarity” or “equivalence”] should not be taken to mean that the sadhakas should meditate on themselves as identical with Bhagavan’s renowned mothers [such as Yasoda], but only in the mood of following them. The same principle is to be understood as applicable when adopting the attitude of a father or that of vasudevam jagannatham sarvatmanam sanatanam aseşopanisad-vedyam putrikṛtya vidhänataḥ abhişecayitum raja svarajya upacakrame na putram abhyarthitavan sakşad bhutaj janardanat 4 aham te bhavita putrah 5 pati-putra-suhrd-bhratṛ-pitrvan-matṛvad dharim ye dhyayanti sadodyuktas tebhyo’piha namo namah 614 312 Various Considerations Concerning Raganuga other relations. Otherwise, it would be a defect on the part of the sadhakas to imagine themselves as eternal associates of Bhagavan, similar to the fault of bhagavati ahangrahopāsanā, or worshiping oneself as Bhagavan. तथा ध्यायन्तीति पूर्वोक्तं मनः प्रधानत्वमेवोरीकृतम् । अपिशब्देन तत्तद्रागसिद्धानां कैमु- त्यमाक्षिप्यते । The verb dhyāyanti, “they meditate,” confirms the preeminence of the role of the mind or contemplation on the path of rāgānuga, as pointed out earlier. In the clause tebhyo’piha namo namah, “I offer obeisance again and again ’even’ to them,” the word api, “even,” implies that if even these sadhakas are worthy of rev- erence, then how much more must this be the case for those who are already perfected (siddhas) in raga of the corresponding type? Commentary IN THE PREVIOUS two anucchedas, rägänuga-bhakti with the self- identity (abhimana) of being a consort (preyasi) of Bhagavan was described. The same basic approach to rāgānuga-sadhana can also be applied with the self-identity of being a servant, a friend, or a parent, by following in the footsteps of those eternal associates of Bhagavan who implicitly have such moods. Śrī Jiva Gosvāmi quotes a verse from Nārāyaṇa-vyuha-stava that requires clarification. Taken in its strict grammatical sense, the first line would mean “… to those who meditate on Hari as their husband, son, friend, brother, father, or mother” (pati-putra-suhrd- bhrātṛ-pitṛvan-matṛvad dharim ye dhyayanti). In this construction, all six words in the compound beginning with pati would be under- stood as qualifiers of Hari, who is to be meditated upon in such relations. Jiva Prabhu, however, divides these relations into two categories according to the referent. He says that the words pati, putra, suhrt, and bhratṛ are qualifiers (višeṣanas) of the entity to be meditated upon (dhyeya), meaning Bhagavan Hari, while pitrvat 615 III The Practice of Bhakti and matrvat are qualifiers of the meditator (dhyātuh), meaning the devotee. Śrī Jīva makes this distinction because it is not at all a custom in the Vaisnava tradition to think of Bhagavan as one’s father and especially not as one’s mother. Although in Dvaraka, Krsna is a father to His sons, such as Pradyumna, rāgānuga-bhakti is per- formed with the intent to render service to Bhagavan with the specific temperament of a servant, a friend, a parent, or a consort. To adopt the self-identity of being His child does not readily pro- vide the opportunity to serve Him. Rather, one becomes an object of His service. Such a relation is tinged with the awareness of Kṛṣṇa’s majesty that constricts the intimacy of love. As such, devo- tees aspiring for a relation with Krsna in Vraja do not aspire for it. In this regard, Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu offers the following descrip- tion of the psychological orientation of the servants (sevakas) in Vraja: Although the servants [sevakas] residing in Vraja are with- out any awareness of Krsna’s majesty as the Supreme Absolute (para-aisvarya), they do indeed have direct experience [vedanam, i.e., anubhavam]’ of His majesty (aiśvarya) as the son of the king of the cowherds, Nanda [such as the direct witnessing of His power (prabhava) in defeating Indra]. (BRS 3.2.155) Śrī Jiva Gosvāmī also warns rāgānuga-sadhakas that they should not consider themselves as absolutely nondistinct from the eternal associates of Bhagavan, such as Nanda or Yasoda. Rather, they should feel themselves to be their assistants. To identify one- self as an eternal associate would involve the same defect as in ahangrahopāsanā, or the worship of oneself as Bhagavan. ❝ Śrī Visvanatha Cakravarti 7 This and the next bracketed insert are Sri Jiva Gosvami’s comments on Bhakti-rasamṛta-sindhu. avraja-sthanam paraiśvarya-jnana-sunya-dhiyam api asty eva vallavadhisa-putratvaiśvarya-vedanam 616 312 Various Considerations Concerning Raganuga 312.2 Rāgānugā Is Independent of Injunctions ननु " चोदनालक्षणोऽर्थो धर्मः” इत्यनेन पूर्वमीमांसायां विधिनैवापूर्वं जायत इति श्रूयते । तथा “श्रुतिस्मृतिपुराणोक्तपञ्चरात्रविधिं विना” इत्यादिना यामले श्रुत्यादेरेकतरोक्तक्र- मनियमं विना दोषः श्रूयते । A question may be raised here. In Purva-mīmāmsā, it is said: “Dharma is an undertaking impelled by Vedic injunctions (codana) that conduces to the attainment of the good [artha, i.e., niḥśreyasa or kalyana]” (Jaimini-sutra 1.1.2). From this, it is understood that on the path of Purva-mīmāmsä, the intangible fruit (apurva) of a religious ceremony is generated only if the ritual is carried out in accordance with the Vedic injunctions (vidhis). And, according to the Vişnu-yamala, whatever action is not in conformity with the rules and methods outlined in one of the canonical texts is faulty: Even one-pointed devotion (aikantiki-bhakti) to Bhagavan Hari becomes a source of calamity if performed without adhering to the injunctions of the Śruti, Smrti, Purāņas, or the Pañcaratra. (Visņu-yamala)10 तथा - श्रुतिस्मृती ममैवाज्ञे यस्त उल्लङ्घ्य वर्तते । आज्ञाच्छेदी मम द्वेषी मद्भक्तोऽपि न वैष्णवः ।। १००६ ।। इत्यत्र श्रुत्याद्युक्तावश्यकक्रियानिषेधयोरुल्लङ्घनं वैष्णवत्वव्याघातकं श्रूयते । Furthermore, it is heard that if one transgresses the compulsory injunctions and prohibitions of Śruti and Smrti, it contradicts his very status as a Vaisnava: ⚫ codana-laksano’rtho dharmah 10 sruti-smrti-purānokta-pancarātra-vidhim vinā aikantiki harer bhaktir utpatayaiva kalpate 617III The Practice of Bhakti Śruti and Smrti are My orders. One who transgresses them disobeys Me and is averse to Me. Even if such a person is My devotee, he cannot be considered a Vaisnava.” कथं तर्हि विधिनिरपेक्षया तया सिद्धिः ? Taking all this into consideration, how can perfection (siddhi) be attained through rāgānuga-bhakti, which is independent of any injunction? उच्यते - श्रीभगवन्नामगुणादिषु वस्तुशक्तेः सिद्धत्वान् न धर्मवद् भक्तेश्वोदनासापेक्ष- त्वम् । अतो ज्ञानादिकं विनापि फललाभो बहुत्र श्रुतोऽस्ति । चोदना तु यस्य स्वतःप्रवृ- त्तिर्नास्ति तद्विषयैव । तथा क्रमविधिश्च तद्विषयः । तस्मिन्नेव नानाविक्षेपवति रुच्यभावेन रागात्मिकभक्तिशैलीमनभिजानति सत्यामपि “धावन् निमील्य वा नेत्रे ” ( भा० ११ १२ १३५) इत्यादिन्यायेन यथाकथञ्चिदनुष्ठानतः सिद्धौ सुष्ठु वर्त्मप्रवेशाय क्रमशश्चित्ताभिनिवेशाय च मर्यादारूपः स निर्मीयते । This is answered as follows: Because Bhagavan’s names, qual- ities, and other characteristics are intrinsically self-endowed with existential potency (vastu-śakti), bhakti - unlike dharma- is not dependent on injunctions. Therefore, we find many ref- erences stating that bhakti yields its result even without knowl- edge (jñāna) and similar factors. The ordinances of scripture (codana) [to engage in dharma] are, however, intended specifi- cally for those who are not naturally inclined [to dharma], and the manner in which such injunctions are to be carried out is also prescribed for them. Because of the absence of taste (ruci) in such people, who are subject to various forms of confusion and distraction (vikşepa), they do not understand the nature and method of rāgātmika-bhakti. Bhakti can genuinely grant perfec- tion in whatever manner it is performed, as per the principle stated below: 11 O King, having taken to the path [of bhagavata-dharma, or bhakti], a person is never deviated [by obstacles]. Even if he sruti-smrti mamaivajne yas ta ullanghya vartate ajnacchedi mama dvesi mad-bhakto’pi na vaisnavah 618 312 Various Considerations Concerning Raganuga were to run along with his eyes closed, he would neither slip nor fall from the path. (SB 11.2.35)12 Yet although this is the case, the path consisting of rules and behavioral codes (maryādā) has been formulated for the above mentioned practitioners in order to facilitate proper entry upon the path of bhakti as well as to lead the mind gradually to the point of absorption in devotion. अन्यथा सन्तततद्भक्त्युन्मुखताकरतादृशरुच्यभावान् मर्यादानभिपत्तेश्चाध्यात्मिकादि- भिरुत्पातैर्विहन्यते च स इति न तु स्वयं प्रवृत्तिमत्यपि मर्यादानिर्माणं तस्य रुच्यैव भगवन्मनोरमरागात्मिकाक्रमविशेषाभिनिवेशात् । तदुक्तं स्वयमेव “ज्ञात्वाज्ञात्वाथ ये वै माम्” (भा० ११।११।३३ ) इत्यादिना । Otherwise, because of the absence of such taste (ruci), which brings about a sustained radical shift of awareness (unmukhata- kara) toward bhakti for Bhagavan, and because of the inability to apply oneself to the rules and behavioral codes (maryādā) along the path, the practitioner is obstructed by the disturbances aris- ing from the body and mind, from other living beings, and from providence. The rules of conduct (maryādā), however, are not created for one who is naturally drawn to bhakti, because by taste alone such a person becomes absorbed in the specific meth- ods of rāgātmika-bhakti that captivate Bhagavan. This is stated by Bhagavan Himself in verses such as the following: Whether aware or unaware of the extent of My being, who I am in reality, and of what nature I am constituted, those who wor- ship Me with exclusive devotion, I consider to be the best of all devotees. (SB 11.11.33)13 रागात्मिकभक्तिमतां दुरभिसन्धिनाप्यनुकरणमात्रेण तादृशत्वप्राप्तिः श्रूयते यथा धात्री- त्वानुकरणेन पूतनायाः । तदुक्तम् “सद्वेशादिव पूतनापि सकुला” (भा० १० | १४ | ३५ ) इति । 12 13 yan asthāya naro rajan na pramadyeta karhicit dhavan nimilya vā netre na skhalen na pated iha jnätväjnätvätha ye vai mam yavan yas casmi yadrsah bhajanty ananya-bhavena te me bhaktatamā mataḥ This verse is discussed in detail in Anuccheda 201. 619 III The Practice of Bhakti It is learnt from scripture that even if out of ill-motive a person imitates the devotees who have rägätmikä-bhakti, the imitator attains perfection of the same nature, as in the case of Pūtanā, who attained the liberated status of a nursemaid (dhātṛtva) by imitating the behavior of a nursemaid [in order to kill Krsna when He was just a baby]. Pütana’s attainment of perfection is referred to by Brahma: “Merely by imitating the dress of a cowherd woman, even Pütana along with her family members, O Deva, attained only You” (SB 10.14.35).14 किमुत तदीयरुचिमद्भिस्तादृशनिरन्तरसम्यग्भक्त्यनुष्ठानेन । तदुक्तम् (भा०१० | ६ | ३५- ३६) - If even Putanā attained such a position, then how much more must this be the case for those who have a natural taste (ruci) for rāgā-bhakti and are always fully engaged in the execution of bhakti of such type? This is stated by Śrī Suka in the following words: पूतना लोकबालनी राक्षसी रुधिराशना । जिघांसयापि हरये स्तनं दत्त्वाप सद्गतिम् ॥ १००७ || किं पुनः श्रद्धया भक्त्या कृष्णाय परमात्मने । यच्छन् प्रियतरं किं नु रक्तास्तन्मातरो यथा ॥ १००८ ॥ इति । The demoness Putana, who was a blood-sucking killer of infants, attained the liberated status (sad-gati) [of a nursemaid in Goloka], simply by offering her breast for Bhagavan Hari to suckle, even though she did so with the intention of killing Him. How much more assured then is the attainment of such a posi- tion [sad-gati] for one who offers whatever is greatly valued to Bhagavan Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Immanent Self, with faith and bhakti, as did His affectionate mothers? (SB 10.6.35-36)15 अत उक्तम् “न मय्येकान्तभक्तानां गुणदोषोद्भवा गुणाः” (भा० ११ | २० | ३६) इति । 14 15 sad-veşad iva putanapi sakula tväm eva devapitā putana loka-bala-ghni raksasi rudhirasanā jighamsayapi haraye stanam dattväpa sad-gatim kim punah śraddhaya bhaktyä kṛṣṇaya paramatmane yacchan priyataram kim nu raktās tan-mataro yatha 620 312 Various Considerations Concerning Rāgānuga Accordingly, Kṛṣṇa said: Those who are established in authentic being (sādhūnām), who are thus equally disposed to all phenomenal uprisings (sama-cittānām), who have attained the transcendence [Isvara] beyond the scope of intellection (buddheḥ param upeyuṣām), and who are exclusively devoted to Me, have no attributes (gunas) arising out of virtue and vice (guna-dosa). (SB 11.20.36)16 एकान्तित्वं खलु भक्तिनिष्ठा । सा रुच्यैव वा शास्त्रविध्यादरेणैव वा जायते । In the compound ekanta-bhaktānām, “of the exclusive devotees,” the state of exclusivity (ekäntitvam) signifies “resolute fixity in devotion” (bhakti-niṣṭhā). This nisṭha comes about either from a taste (ruci) for bhakti or out of regard for scriptural injunctions. ततो रुचेर्विरलत्वादुत्तराभावेनापि यदैकान्तिकीत्वं तत् तस्यैकान्तिमानिनो दम्भमात्रमि- त्यर्थः । ततस्तदनुद्यैव निन्दा “ श्रुतिस्मृतिपुराण” इत्यादिना न तु रुचिभावेऽपि तन्निन्दा युक्ता “पूतना” इत्यादेः । Consequently, because ruci in bhakti is extremely rare, if rever- ence for scriptural injunctions is also absent, then the so-called fixity (ekäntitvam) of one who believes himself to be exclusively fixed is a mere pretense. Hence, the criticism of exclusive devo- tion (aikantiki-bhakti) that does not adhere to the injunctions of scripture, as in the śruti-smṛti-purana verse cited earlier [from Visņu-yamala], is directed specifically toward the latter [i.e., those who make a pretense of fixity without ruci and with- out reverence for scripture]. Such criticism, however, is not appropriate in the case of those who have acquired ruci, as was shown in the verses about Putana quoted above (SB 10.6.35-36). तथा चोक्तं पाद्मोत्तरखण्डे- 16 na mayy ekanta-bhaktānam guna-doṣodbhava gunah sādhūnām sama-cittānāṁ buddheh param upeyusam An extended discussion of this verse can be found in Anuccheda 177. 621 III The Practice of Bhakti Accordingly, it is said in the Uttara-khanda of Padma Purana: स्वातन्त्र्यात् क्रियते कर्म न च वेदोदितं महत् । विनैव भगवत्प्रीत्या ते वै पाषण्डिनः स्मृताः ।। १००९ ॥ इति । Those who are devoid of love for Bhagavan but who indepen- dently undertake great works of piety without regard for the injunctions of the Vedas are certainly to be known as heretics. (Padma Purana, Uttara-khanda 235.9a, 7a)17 प्रीतिरत्र तादृशरुचिः । तदेवमत्र शास्त्रानादरस्यैव निन्दा । न तु तदज्ञानस्य " धावन् निमील्य वै” इत्यादेः । In this verse, the word priti, “love,” means “taste” (ruci) of the type just described. Consequently, it is only the disrespect (anādara) of scripture that is criticized here, not ignorance of it (ajñāna), because such ignorance has not been considered detrimental, as implied in SB 11.2.35, quoted above [“Even if he were to run along with his eyes closed, he would neither slip nor fall from the path”].18 गौतमीयतन्त्रे त्विदमप्युक्तम्- The Gautamiya Tantra goes even a step further with this statement: न जपो नार्चनं नैव ध्यानं नापि विधिक्रमः । केवलं सन्ततं कृष्णचरणाम्भोजभाविनाम् || १०१० || Those who continuously contemplate only the lotus feet of Bha- gavan Krsna have no need for uttering mantras (japa), worship of the deity (arcanam), meditation (dhyana), or the injunctions of scripture (vidhi). (Gautamiya Tantra 33.57)19 17 svatantryat kriyate karma na ca vedoditam mahat vinaiva bhagavat-prityā te vai paşandinaḥ smrtaḥ 18 Cited in Anucchedas 121, 125, and 218. 19 na japo narcanam naiva dhyanam napi vidhi-kramah kevalam santatam krsna-caranambhoja-bhāvinām 622 312 Various Considerations Concerning Raganuga Commentary After introducing rägänuga-bhakti, Śrī Jiva Gosvāmi anticipates a pertinent objection against it. In the past, brahmanas in India pre- dominantly advocated and followed the Purva-mīmāmsā philoso- phy, which is based on the Vedas. The fundamental principles of this school are outlined as follows. The Veda is the supreme author- ity in the matter of providing authentic knowledge of the truth. The essence of the Veda is dharma. It is the duty of every human being to follow dharma, which is nothing other than a beneficial under- taking impelled by the injunctions of the Vedas. By following the Vedic injunctions, one accrues auspicious merit called apurva (see Anuccheda 222). This apurva is instrumental in occasioning happi- ness in this life and elevating one to heaven in the hereafter. If one does not follow the Vedic injunctions, one incurs sin, which leads to misery. Bearing these ideas in mind, if it is admitted that rāgānugă- bhakti is not based on any injunction, which is its basic distinction from vaidhi-bhakti, then its performance should not give rise to any apūrva. Rather, since it is not rooted in the injunction of the Veda, it should be determined as a defective undertaking that leads to suffering. Sri Jiva replies that the rituals prescribed in the Veda, such as the performance of a particular yajña, do not have any inherent potency (vastu-sakti) of their own to bring forth the proclaimed result. In this respect, they are simply material actions. They are able to generate apurva, however, only because they have been ordained in the Veda and because their executor follows the injunction of the Veda. It is only because the Vedic injunctions are ordained by Paramātmā that they are endowed with His potency. Bhakti, on the other hand, is the intrinsic potency (svarupa- sakti) of Bhagavan, and as such, the direct acts of bhakti, such as chanting Bhagavan’s names, are inherently self-endowed with existential power (vastu-sakti) by their very nature. This power is not dependent upon any injunction of the Veda. This is why it is occasionally seen that even ignorant people engaged in acts of 623 III The Practice of Bhakti devotion are benefited by it. Any substance that has potency will influence an object that comes in contact with it, just as fire will burn or heat any object in its proximity. The injunctions of the Veda are for people who are not natu- rally inclined to follow dharma. Such people are troubled by numer- ous desires, as affirmed by Śrī Kṛṣṇa: “The intellectual determi- nations of those who are irresolute are innumerable and many- branched” (GĪTĀ 2.41).20 Vedic injunctions and their corresponding procedures are intended for such people to restrain their turbulent minds, as sage Avirhotra informed King Nimi: The Vedas speak in a covert manner in order to discipline child- ish human beings (balānām). They prescribe karma with the sole intent of facilitating the latter’s release from the bondage to karma, just as a parent administers medicine to their child by first promising sweets as a reward for taking the medicine. (SB 11.3.44)21 The purpose of all injunctions and prohibitions is to bring one to pure devotion, as stated in Padma Purana: One should remember Bhagavan Visņu always and never forget Him even for a moment. All the rules and prohibitions of scrip- ture are servants of these two principles alone. (Padma Purana, Uttara-khanda 71.100)22 If one has a natural taste (ruci) for bhakti, then he does not need any injunctions as an impetus for practice. Rules serve no pur- pose for him, because his actions are already naturally in accord with them. Rules have meaning only for those who would other- wise transgress them. Krsna declares in numerous scriptural pas- sages that for a devotee in whom ruci is born, even knowledge of Him is unnecessary as a prerequisite for worship. Although he may 20 vyavasayatmika buddhir ekeha kuru-nandana bahu-sakha hy anantas ca buddhayo’vyavasayinam 21 parokşa-vado vedo’yam balanam anusasanam 22 karma-mokṣaya karmani vidhatte hy agadam yatha smartavyah satatam vişnur vismartavyo na jatucit sarva-vidhi-niṣedhaḥ syur etayor eva kinkaraḥ 624 312 Various Considerations Concerning Raganuga be without knowledge, he is still a great devotee, as confirmed in SB 11.11.33. Śrī Jiva Gosvami next makes the rather extraordinary point that to imitate the acts of rāgātmikā devotees, even with ill-intention, is ennobling. He gives the example of Putana, who dressed as a gopi but intended to kill baby Krsna by feeding Him her poisoned breast. Kṛṣṇa delivered her and awarded her the post of a nursemaid, just because of her imitation of the gopi’s dress, sad-vesa. The dress acted as an excitant (uddipana) for His love toward all His devotees, and so He graciously favored her despite her wicked intentions. The characteristics of a pure devotee are not a product of the gunas of material nature but arise out of devotion (SB 11.20.36). Pure devotion comes about either as an outcome of one’s natural liking for it (ruci) or by following bhakti impelled by scriptural injunctions. A person who does not have either of these two cannot be considered a pure devotee, or ekanta-bhakta. The fre- quently quoted Vişņu-yamala verse that criticizes exclusive devo- tion (aikāntikī-bhakti) that disregards the injunctions of the Śruti, Smrti, and Puranas is directed toward those who consider them- selves to be pure devotees or who make a show of it while actually being devoid of bhakti. It does not refer to the rāgānuga-sādhakas who may neglect certain scriptural injunctions that are not rele- vant to their practice. Otherwise Putana, who merely pretended to be a gopi, would not have been awarded the elevated post of a nursemaid. People who have neither a natural liking for bhakti nor adher- ence to the scriptural injunctions and who act whimsically are called heretics, pāṣandi. This includes people such as the heterodox followers of the Buddha, of the Jain Mahavīra, and of Dattatreya. It should be noted that it is only the disrespect (anādara) of scriptures that is criticized, not the ignorance (ajñāna) of their con- tent. A person who has a natural liking for bhakti is honorable, even if he is ignorant about scriptures. This is due to the fact that he has already attained the objective intended by a careful study of the scriptures. 625 III The Practice of Bhakti 312.3 Rāgānugā Mixed with Vaidhi अजाततादृशरुचिना तु सद्विशेषादरमात्रादृता रागानुगापि वैधीसंवलितैवानुष्ठेया तथा लोकसङ्ग्रहार्थं प्रतिष्ठितेन जाततादृशरुचिना च । अत्र मिश्रत्वे च यथायोग्यं रागानुगयै- कीकृत्यैव वैधी कर्तव्या । For a person in whom the above described ruci has not yet arisen but who revers rāgānugā simply by the regard he feels for a par- ticular rāgātmikā associate (sad-visesa), rāgānugā-bhakti should still be taken up while combined with the practices of vaidhi- bhakti. And for a person in whom such ruci has already appeared but who is of high social standing, rägänugā mixed with vaidhi should still be undertaken simply to set an example for others. In this mixture, vaidhi should be performed as far as possible by making it one in nature with rāgānugā. केचिदष्टादशाक्षरध्यानं गोदोहनसमयवंशीवाद्यसमाकृष्टतत्तत्सर्वमयत्वेन भावयन्ति यथा चैके “तादृशमुपासनं साक्षाद् व्रजजनविशेषायैव मह्यं श्रीगुरुचरणैर्मदभीष्टवि- शेषसिद्ध्यर्थमुपदिष्टं भावयामि साक्षात् तु श्रीव्रजेन्द्रनन्दनं सेवमान एवास” इति भावयन्ति । Some devotees, while meditating on the eighteen-syllable mantra, visualize Śrī Kṛṣṇa surrounded by His entire entourage of associates, who are completely captivated by the sound of His flute at the time of milking the cows. Others contemplate as fol- lows: “I meditate that such mantra worship (tadrsam upāsanam) has been taught by my revered guru to me - [whom I envision] directly as a particular resident of Vraja - to bring to the state of perfection (siddhi) the specific [bhāva and service] for which I aspire, yet I am directly serving Vrajendra nandana, Srī Krsna.” अथ “श्रुतिस्मृती ममैवाज्ञे” इत्यादिनिन्दितमात्रस्वावश्यकक्रियानिषेधयोरुल्लङ्घनं द्वि- विधम् । तौ हि धर्मशास्त्रोक्तौ भक्तिशास्त्रोक्तौ चेति । तत्र भगवद्भक्तिविश्वासेन दौः शील्येन वा पूर्वयोरकरणप्रत्यासत्तौ न वैष्णवभावाद् भ्रंशः । The transgression of compulsory injunctions and prohibitions, which is criticized in verses such as, “Śruti and Smrti are 626 312 Various Considerations Concerning Raganuga My orders,“23 is of two types - (1) transgression of the rules described in the dharma-sastra, or (2) transgression of those set forth in the bhakti-śastra. In the first case, if a Vaisnava does not carry out the prescriptions of the dharma-śästra or does something forbidden by it, either because of firm faith in bhakti to Bhagavan or due to ill character, he does not fall down from the Vaisnava platform. “देवर्षिभूताप्तनृणाम्” (भा० ११।५।४१) इत्याद्युक्तेः “अपि चेत् सुदुराचारः” (गीता ९ । ३० ) इत्याद्युक्तेश्च । An example of not following the injunctions of the dharma- śästra because of firm faith in bhakti is given in this verse: O King, one who abandons all obligations and wholeheart- edly resorts to the refuge of Bhagavan Mukunda, who alone is worthy of shelter, is no longer a servant of or a debtor to the devas, the sages, the living beings in general, family members, humankind, or the forefathers. (SB 11.5.41)24 And an example of not following the injunctions of the dharma- śästra due to ill character is given in verses such as this: If a person, who although exceedingly ill-behaved, is imbued with exclusive devotion and worships Me, he should be regarded as indeed virtuous, for he is rightly resolved. (GITA 9.30) 25 तादृशरुचिमति तु तयैव रुच्या द्विष्टत्वादपुनर्भवाद्यानन्दस्यापि वाञ्छा नास्ति किमुत परमघृणास्पदस्य विकर्मानन्दस्य । अतस्तत्र स्वत एव न प्रवृत्तिः । प्रमादादिना कदाचिज् जातं चेद् विकर्म तत्क्षणादेव नश्यत्यपि । उक्तं च “विकर्म यच् चोत्पतितं कथञ्चिद् धुनोति सर्वं हृदि सन्निविष्टः " ( भा० ११।५।४२ ) इति । I 23 śruti-smrti mamaiväjne yas te ullanghya vartate ajñācchedi mama dveşi mad-bhakto’pi na vaiṣṇavaḥ This verse was cited earlier in this anuccheda, in section 312.2. 24 devarși-bhutapta-nṛṇām pitṛṇāṁ na kinkaro nāyam rņi ca rajan sarvātmana yaḥ saranam saranyam gato mukundam parihrtya kartam 25 api cet suduracãro bhajate mam ananya-bhāk sadhur eva sa mantavyaḥ samyag vyavasito hi sah 627III The Practice of Bhakti A devotee endowed with the previously described ruci, however, has no desire even for the bliss of liberation, because of the aver- sion he feels toward it as a consequence of his taste for bhakti. It is thus all the more self-evident that such a devotee would not harbor a desire for the pleasures derived from exceedingly con- temptible actions. Consequently, such a devotee is naturally dis- inclined toward forbidden actions. If at any time a devotee inad- vertently commits a sinful act, it is destroyed immediately, as stated earlier: If a forbidden act should somehow occur in the case of a beloved devotee, who is engaged in the worship of the soles of Bha- gavan’s feet and who has forsaken all other affections, the Supreme Immanent Self Hari, being situated within his heart, cleans it away in totality. (SB 11.5.42)26 अथ यदि वैष्णवशास्त्रोक्तौ तौ तर्हि विष्णुसन्तोषैकप्रयोजनावेव भवतः । तयोश्च तादृश- त्वे श्रुते सति तदीयरागरुचिमतः स्वत एव प्रवृत्त्यप्रवृत्ती स्याताम् - तत्सन्तोषैकजीवन- त्वात् प्रीतिजातेः । In the second case, where the injunctions and prohibitions per- tain to the Vaisnava sastra, their sole purpose is the pleasure of Bhagavan Vişņu. Hearing from the Vaiṣṇava sastras that such is the purpose of all injunctions and prohibitions, a devotee who has developed ruci for the raga of Bhagavan’s associates natu- rally follows that which pleases Bhagavan and avoids that which displeases Him, because the act of pleasing Bhagavan is the one and only life support for the genesis of divine love (prīti). अत एव न तत्र स्वानुगम्यमानरागात्मकसिद्धभक्तविशेषेण कृतत्वाकृतत्वयोरनुसन्धानं चापेक्ष्यं स्यात् किन्तु तत्कृतत्वे सति विशेषेणाग्रहो भवतीत्येव विशेषः । In this matter, therefore, the sädhaka does not even need to determine whether or not the specific rāgātmika-siddha-bhakta whom he follows adhered to the injunctions and avoided the 26 sva-pada-mulam bhajatah priyasya tyaktanya-bhavasya harih paresah vikarma yac cotpatitam kathañcid dhunoti sarvam hrdi sanniviştah This verse is discussed in Anuccheda 172. 628 312 Various Considerations Concerning Raganuga prohibitions [of conventional dharma]. The sadhaka should, however, feel special enthusiasm for whatever acts were under- taken [for the pleasure of Bhagavan] by the rägätmika-bhakta whom he follows. अत्र क्वचिच्छास्त्रोक्तक्रमविध्यपेक्षा च रागरुच्यैव प्रवर्तितेति रागानुगान्तःपात एव । ये च श्रीगोकुलादिविराजिरागात्मिकानुगास्तत्परास्ते तु श्रीकृष्णक्षेमतत्संसर्गान्तरायाभा- वादिकाम्यात्मकतदभिप्रायरीत्यैव वैष्णवलौकिकधर्मानुष्ठानं कुर्वन्ति । On this path [of rāgānugā], whatever scriptural injunctions and methods may be required are followed only out of taste (ruci) for rāgā-bhakti, and thus these regulations also form part of rāgānuga-bhakti. The rägänuga-sädhakas, being followers of the rāgātmikä associates residing in Gokula and elsewhere, are exclusively intent upon the behavior demonstrated by them. These sädhakas, however, may also carry out certain Vaisnava conventional socio-religious rituals (laukika-dharma), doing so with the rägätmikäs’ intention and disposition, which are rooted in the desire for Krsna’s welfare and the removal of the obstacles to meeting Him. अत एव रागानुगायां रुचेरेव सद्धर्मप्रवर्तकत्वात् “श्रुतिस्मृती ममैवाज्ञे” इत्येतद्वाक्यस्य न तद्वर्त्मभक्तिविषयत्वम् “अपि चेत् सुदुराचारः” (गीता० ९।३० ) इत्यादिविरोधान् न च विधिवर्त्मभक्तिविषयत्वं किन्तु बाह्यशास्त्रनिर्मितबुद्धर्षभदत्तात्रेयादिभजनवर्त्मविष- यत्वमेव । Consequently, because in rāgānuga, ruci is the sole impetus for engagement in the sad-dharma [of bhakti], the statement, “Śruti and Smrti are My orders,” does not apply to bhakti on the path of ruci. Additionally, this statement does not apply to the path of vaidhi-bhakti either, because it contradicts Kṛṣṇa’s words in the Gītā, api cet sudurācāraḥ (GĪTĀ 9.30). It does, however, specifically apply to the paths of worship established by Bud- dha, Rṣabha, Dattatreya, and others, which are prescribed in scriptures outside of the Vedic canon. तथोक्तम्– 629 III The Practice of Bhakti As it is said: वेदधर्मविरुद्धात्मा यदि देवं प्रपूजयेत् । स याति नरकं घोरं यावदाहूतसम्प्लवम् ॥ १०११ | इति । If one whose essential being is opposed to the dharma of the Vedas intentfully worships the Divine (devam), he goes to a dreadful hell until the final dissolution is invoked.”” रागानुगायां विध्यप्रवर्तितायामपि न वेदबाह्यत्वं वेदवैदिकप्रसिद्वैव सा - तत्र तत्र रुचि- त्वात् । वेदेषु बुद्धादीनां तु वर्णनं वेदबाह्यं विरुद्धत्वेनैव यथा ( भा० १।३।२४ ) - Although rāgānuga-bhakti is not executed on the basis of Vedic injunctions, it is not outside the realm of the Vedas. In fact, rägänuga is renowned in the Vedas and Vedic literature, because the rāgānuga-sadhaka has ruci for those parts of the Vedas and Vedic literature that pertain to rāgānuga-bhakti. On the other hand, although Buddha and others are mentioned in the Vedas, they are outside the realm of the Vedas because their message is antagonistic to the Vedic principles, as Sūta said: ततः कलौ सम्प्रवृत्ते सम्मोहाय सुरद्विषाम् । बुद्धो नाम्नाञ्जनसुतः कीकटेषु भविष्यति || १०१२ | इत्यादि । Thereafter, when Kaliyuga is already underway, the Puruşa will appear as the son of Añjana, named Buddha, in Kīkata [North Bihar], for the purpose of deluding those who are averse to the Divinity of God. (SB 1.3.24 ) 28 तस्माद् भवत्येव रागानुगा समीचीना । तथा वैधीतोऽप्यतिशयवती च सा । मर्या - दावचनं ह्यावेशार्थमेवेति दर्शितम् । स पुनरावेशो यथा रुचिविशेषलक्षणमानसभावेन स्यात् न तथा विधिप्रेरणया स्वारसिकमनोधर्मत्वात् तस्य । तत्र चास्तां तावदनुकूलभावः परमनिषिद्धेन प्रतिकूलभावेनाप्यावेशो झटिति स्यात् । Therefore, raganuga is certainly proper and is qualitatively superior even to vaidhi. The scriptural statements that pro- pound the behavioral codes (maryādā) are intended simply 27 veda-dharma-viruddhatma yadi devam prapujayet sa yati narakam ghoram yavad ahūta-samplavam 28 tatah kalau sampravrtte sammohaya sura-dvisam buddho namnanjana-sutah kikatesu bhavisyati 630 312 Various Considerations Concerning Raganugā to bring the practitioner to the point of absorption (aveśa) in bhakti, as was shown above. This absorption, which is generated by a mental disposition that is rooted in a specific taste, cannot be impelled through scriptural ordinances, because absorption is the natural characteristic of the mind. In this matter, absorp- tion (äveśa) can take place immediately, even through an unfa- vorable mood (pratiküla-bhāva) that is completely forbidden, let alone through a favorable disposition (anukula-bhāva). तदावेशसामर्थ्येन प्रातिकूल्य दोषहानिः स्यात् । सर्वानर्थनिवृत्तिश्च स्यादिति । भावमा- र्गस्य बलवत्त्वे दृष्टान्तोऽपि दृश्यते । तत्र यद्यनुकूलभावः स्यात् तदा परमैकान्तिसाध्य एवासौ । By the power of this absorption, the defect of unfavorability is eradicated and all defilements (anarthas) are removed. There are also examples in scripture that demonstrate the power of the path of natural love (bhava-marga). And if one has developed favorable attraction (anukula-bhāva), he has already attained the goal aspired for by devotees who are supremely established in exclusive devotion (paramaikantis). Commentary Earlier it was said that ruci, or a natural taste, for bhakti is very rare. The question may then be asked, what should be done if one has an interest in răganuga-bhakti but ruci has not yet appeared? Sri Jiva Gosvāmī now provides a solution for this predicament. He says that the practitioner should engage in raganuga-bhakti with a mixture of vaidhi. What exactly does this entail? It means that one should engage in rāgānuga-sadhana in the same manner that one would carry out practices in vaidhi-bhakti. This means that one should under- take rāgānuga-sadhana regularly as though it were an injunction of scripture and with the aim of obtaining ruci. In this regard, one should accept a rāgānuga-bhakti guru, learn from him or her the process, and execute it regularly with the aspiration of obtaining ruci. 631 III The Practice of Bhakti The primary sadhana practices of vaidhi and raganuga are the same, as stated in Bhakti-rasamṛta-sindhu: The limbs of vaidhi-bhakti, such as hearing and chanting, that have been described earlier, should also be understood as limbs of raganuga-bhakti by insightful practitioners. (BRS 1.2.296)29 Practices belonging to vaidhi that are not favorable to raga- nuga should, however, be avoided. These include practices such as mudra and nyasa. The practices to be adopted or avoided should be learnt from one’s guru. Once ruci manifests, the practitioner will undertake all such practices naturally. In the execution of raganuga-sadhana, one should consider one- self as an assistant of one’s guru both in the present external body as well as in the perfected spiritual body. One should not consider oneself to be independent of the guru. In this context, Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmi offers the following advice: The practitioner who is possessed of an intense longing to attain the bhava [i.e., rati] of a specific eternal resident of Vraja should perform divine service (seva) both by means of the phenome- nal body in which he is situated (sadhaka-rupa) as well as by the internally conceived perfected spiritual body (siddha-rupa), while following the residents of Vraja (Vraja-loka). (BRS 1.2.295) 30 To further clarify the status of raganuga-bhakti, Śrī Jīva again deliberates on the subject of transgressing scriptural injunctions. He says that this transgression could be either of the injunctions and prohibitions of the dharma-sastras, such as Manu-smrti, or those of the bhakti-sastras, such as Śrimad Bhagavata. In the former case, the transgression could occur either because of the devotee’s faith in bhakti or because of ill character. In either case, one does not fall from one’s position as a Vaisnava. The transgression of con- ventional dharma that is due to the appearance of faith in bhakti is normal and even recommended, as stated by Śrī Kṛṣṇa: 29 Sravanotkīrtanadīni vaidha-bhakty uditani tu yany angani ca tany atra vijneyāni manisibhih 30 seva sadhaka-rupena siddha-rupena catra hi tad-bhava-lipsuna käryä vraja-lokānusärataḥ 632 312 Various Considerations Concerning Raganuga One should continue to engage in prescribed karma until one has developed detachment from sense pleasure, or until faith has been awakened in hearing narrations about Me. (SB 11.20.9)31 This is also the import of SB 11.5.41, cited in this anuccheda. On the other hand, to transgress the injunctions of the dharma-śāstras due to ill character is abnormal and is the result of one’s previous habits or the outcome of some past offense. In either case, however, even this type of transgression does not cause one to lose one’s sta- tus as a Vaisnava, so long as the practitioner is firmly resolved to serve Kṛṣṇa. Ordinarily, the devotee has no interest in sense plea- sure as the goal of life. This is possible only in a person who has ruci. A person who has ruci is not interested in any material pleasure, nor even in the bliss of Brahman realization. There is no possibility that such a person would be attracted to the pleasure derived from some forbidden activity. If, however, the devotee should somehow become involved in such an act, he still does not fall from his status of a devotee and is quickly purified by Bhagavan. The second type of transgression is related to the bhakti-śästras. The injunctions and prohibitions of these scriptures are all directly related to the pleasure of Krsna. The bhakti-šāstras recommend that the practitioner should perform those actions that are pleasing to Kṛṣṇa and abstain from those that are displeasing to Him. Since the devotee who has developed ruci is solely interested in acting for the pleasure of Krsna, he too would not engage in any forbidden act. Moreover, since the fundamental principle of raganuga-bhakti is to follow the liberated associates of Krsna, there is no possibil- ity that the raganugā-sādhaka would transgress any injunction of the bhakti-sastra. Furthermore, whatever injunctions of scripture he follows also become part of rāgānuga-bhakti and not of vaidhi- bhakti, because his inspiration to follow them springs from his ruci and not from the injunction. Śrī Jiva Gosvāmi concludes that statements such as, “Śruti and Smrti are My orders,” do not apply to raganuga-bhaktas, because 31 tavat karmani kurvita na nirvidyeta yavata mat-katha-sravaṇādau vā śraddha yavan na jayate See Anuccheda 173. 633 III The Practice of Bhakti they do everything exclusively for Krsna’s pleasure. These state- ments do not apply to vaidha-bhaktas either, because the trans- gression of Krsna’s orders contradicts the very nature of a vaidha- bhakta. One whose entire practice is grounded in his faith in the sastra cannot violate its injunctions. Additionally, even if the vaidha-bhakta were somehow to transgress scriptural injunctions, he would not be condemned as a non-Vaisnava as stated in the sruti-smrti verse, because this would contradict Krsna’s statement in the Gītā (9.30) that such a person is to be considered as indeed virtuous because of being rightly resolved. To whom, then, do such statements apply? They apply to prac- titioners who follow a process that is opposed to the Veda. These include people who follow teachings such as those imparted by Bud- dha and Dattatreya, which deny the existence of God based on for- mal logic alone. From the Vedic perspective, such followers are called heretics, pasandīs. Bhakti, whether raganugā or vaidhi, is part of the Veda. It is not against the teachings of the Veda. Rather, it is the essence of the Veda. Krsna says that the purpose of all the Vedas is to know Him (GITA 15.15) and that He can be known only by bhakti (GĪTĀ 18.55 and 11.54; and SB 11.14.21). Therefore, bhakti is the essence of the Vedas. Of these two types of bhakti, rāgānugā is superior because it nat- urally produces a more intense degree of absorption in Bhagavan than is possible in vaidhi. The purpose of all injunctions is also to bring one’s mind to the point of absorption in Bhagavan, culmi- nating in the appearance of bhava. Indeed, this is the end limit of vaidhi-bhakti, as stated by Rupa Gosvāmī: The practitioner who is eligible to follow vaidhi-bhakti remains dependent on sastra and logic favorable to sastra until the manifestation of bhāva. (BRS 1.2.293) 32 Once bhava has appeared, the practitioner is then impelled by that alone and not by sastric injunctions. 32 vaidha-bhakty-adhikari tu bhavavirbhavanavadhiḥ atra sastram tatha tarkam anukulam apeksate 634 312 Various Considerations Concerning Raganuga In contrast, the minds of people in general are absorbed in mate- rialistic pursuits. This is where their ruci lies, and they do not need any injunctions to impel them in these activities. To counteract such tendencies, sastra ordains for them to engage in bhakti. A per- son with ruci for bhakti, however, does not require any such injunc- tion. His mind is naturally inclined toward Bhagavan because of his liking for Bhagavan and bhakti. It is the nature of the mind to be drawn to the object of its ruci. The more ruci, the greater the absorption. Absorption can also come about as a result of an unfavorable temperament, a kind of negative ruci. This was seen in people like Sisupala and Kamsa. The power of absorption in Krsna is so extraor- dinary that it can even destroy an unfavorable temperament and thus lead to liberation. The heart of raganuga-bhakti is natural lik- ing, and this is precisely what makes it superior to vaidhi-bhakti. To elucidate this point, Śrī Jiva begins a new topic in his concluding statement to this anuccheda. 635 The Power of Natural Attraction Anucchedas 312.4-324312 Various Considerations Concerning Raganuga 312.4 The Power of the Path of Bhāva अथ भावमार्गसामान्यस्य बलवत्त्वं दर्शयितुं प्रकरणमुत्थाप्यते । श्रीयुधिष्ठिर उवाच (भा० 1918184)- We will now begin a new division (prakarana) to illustrate the power of the path of natural love (bhāva-märga) in general. King Yudhisthira remarked: अहो अत्यद्भुतं ह्येतद् दुर्लभैकान्तिनामपि । वासुदेवे परे तत्त्वे प्राप्तिश्चैद्यस्य विद्विषः || १०१३ || How greatly astonishing it is indeed that Sisupala, who was so inimical, attained Bhagavan Vasudeva, the Supreme Abso- lute, who is rarely attained even by those who are one-pointed. (SB 7.1.15)33 एकान्तिनां परमज्ञानिनामपि ॥ The words ekantinām api, “even by those who are one-pointed,” means “even for the topmost jñānīs.” Commentary In the upcoming anucchedas, Sri Jīva will show how the path of ruci, or the bhava-marga, is superior in general to vaidhi-bhakti, because it produces deeper absorption in Krsna. In this regard, he refers to the story of the killing of Sisupala by Krsna in the Rajasuya-yajña of King Yudhisthira. This section, which is based on the dialogue between Yudhisthira and Narada from the first chapter of Canto 7, continues up to Anuccheda 323. Sisupala was the king of Cedi. He was Krsna’s cousin and had a natural dislike for Him from his very birth, when it was predicted that he would be killed by Krsna. Sisupala’s mother requested 33 aho aty-adbhutam hy etad durlabhaikāntinām api vasudeve pare tattve praptis caidyasya vidviṣaḥ 639 III The Practice of Bhakti Krsna not to kill him. To honor her request, He promised to forgive him and not to take action against him provided his offenses did not exceed one hundred in number in one go. Sisupala, however, was habitually very abusive toward Kṛṣṇa, as learnt from Mahabharata, Sabha-parva, chapter 45. Once, King Yudhisthira performed a grand yajña, called the Rajasuya (cf. SB 10.74). Kings from all over the world were invited to participate in it. When all the kings assembled in Yudhisthira’s capital city, he received them with the appropriate rituals. The first such worship was to be given to the most honorable person (patra) in the entire assembly. It was decided by all present that Kṛṣṇa should be the one to receive this honor. Sisupala, however, objected vehemently and began abusing his cousin in the assem- bly. Krsna tolerated him patiently, but when Sisupala exceeded his limit of one hundred abuses, Kṛṣṇa’s disc was instantly dispatched to relieve him of his head. Thereafter, the amazing occurrence that was witnessed by all was that Sisupala’s ātmā merged into Krsna’s body. This means that he attained liberation, which is not easily attained even by great yogis and jñānīs. So how was it that Sisupala attained this state, when he was so offensive toward Krsna? This is the matter of extraordinary wonder expressed by King Yudhisthira. Närada’s response to Yudhisthira’s question forms the discussion that follows. 640 Anuccheda 313 The Secret behind Sisupala’s Attainment ३१३ । यतस्तस्य सा न सम्भवति ( भा० ७।१।१६) - [SISUPALA’S ATTAINMENT of Bhagavan Vasudeva was indeed astonishing,] because this should not have been possible for him, as implied by Yudhisthira’s next statement: एतद् वेदितुमिच्छामः सर्व एव वयं मुने । भगवन्निन्दया वेणो द्विजैस्तमसि पातितः ॥ १०१४ ॥ O sage, we are all anxious to find out the secret behind this attainment. Previously, King Vena’ was cast into the darkness by the brahmanas because of his blasphemies against Bhaga- vän. [Therefore, as in the case of Vena, it should have been only fitting for Sisupāla to fall into hell.] (SB 7.1.16)2 तमसि नरके - बहुनरकादिभोगानन्तरमेव पृथुजन्मप्रभावोदयेन तस्य वामनपुराणे सद्ग- तिश्रवणात् ॥ 1 The word tamasi, “into the darkness,” means “into hell” (narake). In Vamana Purana, it is described that after suffering in hell for a long time, Veņa attained an auspicious destination (sad-gati) There is an alternate spelling of the name “Vena” as “Vena,” without the diacritic mark under the letter “n.” Both are accepted as legitimate. 2 etad veditum icchamah sarva eva vayam mune bhagavan-nindaya veno dvijais tamasi patitah The bracketed insert is Sridhara Svami’s comment (tasya tu vena-van naraka-pata evocita). 641 III The Practice of Bhakti through the influence of the birth of King Prthu [who appeared by churning the right arm of Vena’s dead body]. Commentary KING YUDHISTHIRA marveled at Sisupala’s attainment of libera- tion and inquired from sage Narada how such a thing was possi- ble. Earlier, there was a king named Vena, who was blasphemous toward Bhagavan (cf. SB 4.14). He forbade all performance of yajña or worship of Bhagavan (SB 4.14.6). Moreover, he declared himself as Isvara (SB 4.14.24). After his death, he was cast into hell. So how is it that Sisupala did not have to suffer the same fate? This is the implication of Yudhisthira’s statement. The deliverance of Vena because of the influence of King Prthu is mentioned by the devas and brahmanas as follows: “The Vedic statement, ‘By the influence of a [virtuous (sat)] son, a father wins ascension to the upper celestial abodes,’ is certainly true, because even the sinful Vena, who was killed by the curse of the brahmanas, was delivered from hell [by the influence of Pṛthu]” (SB 4.21.46)* The details of the story of Vena’s falldown and his deliverance by his son Prthu are described in chapter 47 of the Vamana Purāna. There it is said that after his death, King Vena was born as a mleccha and suffered from leprosy. Once, sage Narada visited King Prthu, who asked him about his father’s present condition. By his yogic power, Narada came to know of Vena’s birth as a mleccha. Later, King Prthu went to the mleccha land and found his father there. He brought him to his kingdom and later was able to have him deliv- ered from the body of a mleccha by the power of a holy pilgrimage and by the grace of Siva. Here a doubt may be raised. Jīva Gosvāmi says that Vena suf- fered in hell for a long time, while according to the version of Vamana Purāṇa, he became a mleccha. The Bhagavata verse cited 3 Sri Jiva Gosvami from Krama-sandarbha. 4 putrena jayate lokan iti satyavati srutiḥ brahma-danda-hatah papo yad veno’tyatarat tamah 642 313 The Secret behind Sisupala’s Attainment in this anuccheda (SB 7.1.16) also concurs that Veņa was thrown into hell (tamasi pätitah). How is this apparent contradiction to be reconciled? The answer is that hell does not necessarily mean a specific place. Krsna says that “an excess of ignorance is hell” (narakas tama-unnahaḥ, SB 11.19.43). A subhuman birth or birth as an igno- rant human being is also a state of tamas and is comparable to hell (adho gacchanti tamasah, GITA 14.18). Therefore, Vena did not go to hell per se. This conclusion is also consistent with the state- ment of the brahmanas cited above, which affirms that when Vena was falling into hell by the curse of the brahmanas, he was deliv- ered by Prthu, who thus fulfilled the meaning of the word putra, “a son.” Etymologically the word putra means “he who protects (tra, i.e., trayate) his father from the hell known as put” (Manu- smrti 9.138)5 5 pun-namno narakad yasmat trayate pitaram sutah tasmat putra iti proktah svayam eva svayambhuva 643 Anuccheda 314 Krsna Sisupala’s Envy of Kṛṣṇa Śiśupāla’s ३१४ | एषः (भा० ७|१|१७) - [YUDHISTHIRA CONTINUES with the same line of reasoning] in his next statement: दमघोषसुतः पाप आरभ्य कलभाषणात् । सम्प्रत्यमर्षी गोविन्दे दन्तवक्रश्च दुर्मतिः ।। १०१५ ।। The sinful son of Damaghosa [Sisupala] was envious of Govinda [Śri Krsna] from the time he first began to speak in broken tones up until now. The same is also true of the fool Dantavakra. (SB 7.1.17)1 स्पष्टम् ॥ The meaning of this verse is clear. Commentary SISUPALA HAD A natural taste for abusing Kṛṣṇa that was not achieved through any practice. After hearing the story of Sisupala’s liberation, people sometimes think that there is no need of per- forming bhakti and that they can attain liberation by abusing God in the same manner as Sisupala. This is a gross misunderstanding. damaghosa-sutah papa ärabhya kala-bhāṣaṇāt sampraty amarsi govinde dantavakras ca durmatiḥ 644 314 Sisupala’s Envy of Krsna Such people will go to hell like Veņa, because their abuse of Krsna is not born of a natural hatred or negative räga. Earlier it was said that the mind becomes absorbed in an object for which it has a natural taste. The mind also becomes obsessed with a person whom one hates. The liberation of Sisupala was not because he was abusive toward Krsna, but because his mind was naturally absorbed in Krsna, albeit in a negative way. Common people, such as Vena, do not have this type of natural antipathy for Krsna, and thus their minds cannot be fully absorbed in Him in the manner exhibited by Sisupala. Their involvement in abu- sive behavior is like the devotion executed by a neophyte vaidha- bhakta, which does not have the same degree of absorption due to an absence of taste, ruci. Their minds quickly turn to some other object of interest. 645 Anuccheda 315 Criticism Relates Only to Prakṛti and Its Products ३१५ । तत्रोत्तरम् श्रीनारद उवाच यथा - अहो भगवन्निन्दकस्य नरकपातेन भाव्यमिति वदतस्तव कोऽभिप्रायः ? भगवत्पीडाकरत्वाद्वा तदभावेऽपि सुरापानादिवन् निषिद्धनि- न्दाश्रवणाद्वा ? ŚRI NARADA replied to Yudhisthira’s inquiry as follows: “A blas- phemer of Bhagavan is certainly destined for hell, so what is the actual intention behind your statement? Are you suggest- ing that Sisupala should have gone to hell because his insults pained Bhagavan, or even if this were not the case, that the very act of hearing [or uttering] criticism of Bhagavan is sinful, like drinking wine or any other forbidden action?” I तत्र तावद् विमूढैर्जनैर्निन्दादिकं प्राकृतान् तमआदिगुणानुद्दिश्यैव प्रवर्त्यते । ततः प्रकृ- तिपर्यन्ताश्रयस्य तत्कृतनिन्दादेरप्राकृतगुणविग्रहादौ तस्मिन् प्रवृत्तिर्नास्त्येव । न च जीववत् प्रकृतिपर्यन्ते वस्तुजाते भगवदभिमानोऽस्ति । ततश्च तेन तस्य पीडापि नास्त्येव । Out of these two possibilities, the criticism leveled by foolish people occurs with reference to the constituent qualities of material nature (prakrta gunas), and in particular ignorance ( tamas). Consequently, their criticisms, the subject of which extends only to the limit of phenomenal being (prakṛti), cer- tainly do not apply to Bhagavan, whose divine form is con- stituted of transphenomenal qualities (aprakrta gunas ). And 646 315 Criticism Relates Only to Prakrti and Its Products unlike the conditioned beings (jivas), Bhagavan has no identi- fication (abhimana) with phenomenal objects, including even prakrti itself. Therefore, Bhagavan is certainly not pained by any criticism aimed at Him with respect to the material qualities. Agagle Higftafù: (HTO 19 12 12R) — This is described in the next three and a half verses: निन्दनस्तवसत्कारन्यक्कारार्थं कलेवरम् । प्रधानपरयो राजन्नविवेकेन कल्पितम् ॥ १०१६ | O King, the material body is created to experience the nature of criticism, praise, honor, and dishonor, due to the [living being’s] inability to discriminate between matter [pradhana, i.e., prakrti]’ and spirit [para, i.e., puruşa]. (SB 7.1.22)2 निन्दनं दोषकीर्तनम् । न्यक्कारस्तिरस्कारः । निन्दनस्तुत्यादिज्ञानार्थं प्रधानपुरुषयोरविवे- केन जीवानां कलेवरं कल्पितं रचितम् ॥ The word nindanam, “criticism,” means “to proclaim the faults of others” (doşa-kirtanam), and nyakkāraḥ means “to dishonor” (tiraskāraḥ). The material bodies of the living beings (jivas) are created (kalpitam, i.e., racitam) to experience (jnänärtham) crit- icism, praise, and so on, due to the inability to discriminate between inert matter (pradhana) and the spirit that animates it (puruşa). 1 Commentary SAGE NARADA BEGINS to reply to Yudhisthira’s question about why Śiśupala was liberated instead of going to hell for abusing Krsna. But rather than offering a straightforward answer, Narada first probes deeper into the intent behind Yudhisthira’s question. In 2 This and the next bracketed insert are Śrī Visvanatha Cakravarti’s comments. nindana-stava-satkara-nyakkararthaṁ kalevaram pradhana-parayo rajann avivekena kalpitam 647III The Practice of Bhakti doing so, he suggests two possible reasons to warrant Sisupala’s going to hell. The first is that his verbal abuses might have caused pain to Krsna for which he would incur demeritorious karma. The second was that even though he may not have hurt Krsna, he still engaged in a forbidden act by abusing Him. In both cases, he should experience misery. In the verse cited here (SB 7.1.22), Narada refutes the first possi- bility by pointing out that Krsna’s body is not material. Criticism is directed toward the defects perceived in an object, for example, the material body or a person’s character, which are manifestations of the gunas of material nature. Because Krsna’s body is not material, no criticism or abuse can apply to Him or cause Him pain. To say nothing of Bhagavan Himself, even human beings of developed discernment, who recognize the distinction between the body and the self, are not disturbed by any criticism. This is the very nature of a person who has transcended the gunas (GITA 14.24- 25). Only those who are identified with the material body become influenced by criticism and praise. The body is a product of one’s past karma and is awarded to experience the positive and negative outcomes of such karma, which includes praise and criticism. Śrī Jiva elaborates this point in the next anuccheda. 648 Anuccheda 316 Bhagavan Is beyond the Range of Criticism ३१६ | ततश्च ( भा० ७।१।२३-२४) - NARADA CONTINUES: 1 हिंसा तदभिमानेन दण्डपारुष्ययोर्यथा । वैषम्यमिह भूतानां ममाहमिति पार्थिव || १०१७ || यन्निबद्धोऽभिमानोऽयं तद्बधात् प्राणिनां वधः । तथा न यस्य कैवल्यादभिमानोऽखिलात्मनः । परस्य दमकर्तुर्हि हिंसा केनास्य कल्प्यते ॥ १०१८ ॥ O King, in this material world, the living beings are subject to the duality (vaiṣamyam) of “I” and “mine,” due to the self’s identification (abhimana) with the body, and on account of this duality, they experience injury through physical punishment and verbal abuse. Because this identification (abhimana) [in the form of “I” and “mine”] is bound to the material body, the death of the body is mistaken for the expiry of the living being. Bha- gavan, however, who is the Supreme Transcendence (para) and the Immanent Self of all living beings, does not have any such dualistic identity (abhimana), because He is one without a sec- ond (kaivalyat)! So how can injury be brought to bear on Him, the Supreme Disciplinarian, by whatsoever cause? (SB 7.1.23- 24)2 Sridhara Svāmī glosses the word kaivalyat, “because of His absolute oneness,” as “because of the absence of anything else to be identified with, since He is one without a second” (advitiyatvenābhimantavyabhävät). 2 himsa tad-abhimanena danda-parusyayor yatha → 649 III The Practice of Bhakti इह प्राकृते लोके । यथा तत्कलेवराभिमानेन भूतानां ममाहमिति वैषम्यं भवति यथा तत्कृताभ्यां दण्डपारुष्याभ्यां ताडननिन्दाभ्यां निमित्तभूताभ्यां हिंसा च भवति यथा यस्मिन् निबद्धोऽभिमानस्तस्य देहस्य वधात् प्राणिनां वधश्च भवति तथा यस्याभिमानो नास्तीत्यर्थः । अस्य परमेश्वरस्य हिंसा केन हेतुना कल्प्यते ? अपि तु न केनापीत्यर्थः । Here (iha), in this material world (prakṛte loke), the duality (vaişamyam) of “I” and “mine” (mamaham iti) occurs to the liv- ing beings (bhutänam) due to the self’s identification with the body (kalevarabhimanena). Injury (himsa) is thus experienced by them through physical punishment (danda, i.e., tāḍana) and verbal abuse (păruşya, i.e., ninda) brought about by the same dualism (tat-kṛta, i.e., vaişamya-kṛta). And because their self- identity (abhimana) is bound (nibaddha) to the body, when the body dies, it is experienced as the death of the living being (prāniņām). Yet this type of dualistic identification (abhimana) does not exist in Bhagavan (yasya). So by what cause (kena hetuna) can injury (himsa) be brought to bear (kalpyate) on Him, the Supreme Transcendence (Parameśvara)? Not by any cause whatsoever. This is the sense of the above two verses. तथाभिमानाभावे हेतुः - कैवल्यात् “देहेन्द्रियासुहीनानां वैकुण्ठपुरवासिनाम्” (भा० ७।१।३४) इति कैमुत्यादिप्राप्तशुद्धत्वात् तादृशनिन्दाधगम्यशुद्धसच्चिदानन्दविग्रहत्वा- दित्यर्थः । The reason why Bhagavan is devoid of such dualistic identifi- cation (abhimana) is also stated in the verse - it is “because He is one without a second” (kaivalyat), meaning “because He is absolutely unadulterated or pure (śuddha), having a form constituted of being, consciousness, and bliss (sac-cid-änanda- vigraha),” which is not subject to any such form of criticism or punishment. That Bhagavan’s form is absolutely pure can be understood by the a fortiori principle (kaimutya-nyāya) implied in the following statement: “The residents of Vaikuntha are devoid of phenomenal bodies, senses, and vital force [meaning vaisamyam iha bhutanam mamaham iti parthiva yan-nibaddho bhimano’yam tad-vadhat praninam vadhah tatha na yasya kaivalyad abhimano’khilatmanaḥ parasya dama-kartur hi himsa kenasya kalpyate 650 316 Bhagavan Is beyond the Range of Criticism that their bodies are constituted of unalloyed being (suddha- sattva-maya-dehānām), so how much more must this be true in the case of Bhagavan Himself, the Lord of Vaikuntha?]” (SB 7.1.34). तस्य तदगम्यत्वं च “नाहं प्रकाशः सर्वस्य योगमायासमावृतः” (गीता ७।२५) इति श्रीभ- गवद्गीतातः । The fact that Bhagavan is beyond the range of criticism is con- firmed in the Gitä: “I am not manifest to everyone, being veiled by the screen of My divine potency” (GĪTĀ 7.25).5 । तादृशवैलक्षण्ये हेतुः – अखिलानामात्मभूतस्य । तत्र हेतुः - परस्य प्रकृतिवैभवसङ्गरहि- तस्य । हिंसाया अविषयत्वे हेत्वन्तरम् - दमकर्तुः परमाश्चर्यानन्तशक्तित्वात् सर्वेषामेव शिक्षाकर्तुरिति ॥ The reason why Bhagavan is distinguished from other living beings is that He is the Immanent Self of all living beings (akhi- lätmanah). And the reason for the latter is that He is the Sup- reme Transcendence (para), meaning that He is devoid of con- tact with material nature (prakṛti) and its various manifesta- tions (vaibhava). Another reason why Bhagavan cannot be the object of injury (himsa) is that He is “the Supreme Disciplinar- ian” (dama-kartuḥ). This signifies that by virtue of His sup- remely astonishing limitless power (paramäścaryananta-śakti), He disciplines and teaches all. Commentary IN THE CASE of conditioned beings, there is a distinction between the authentic self and the body that conditions it. On this account, there is duality in their experience. As soon as the self identi- fies with the material body, it becomes liable to attachment (rāga) and aversion (dveşa) related to sense experiences. Each sense has 3 Sridhara Svāmī 4 dehendriyasu-hinanam vaikuntha-pura-vasinām 5 naham prakasaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samavṛtaḥ 651 III The Practice of Bhakti its own corresponding raga and dvesa (GITA 3.34). A person feels elated by praise and upset by criticism. But in the case of Sri Krsna, there is no such duality because He is not different from His body. His senses do not have any raga or dvesa toward material objects. Even a jīvan-mukta is not disturbed by praise and criticism, to say nothing of Bhagavan Himself. Because Krsna’s body is not material, conditioned beings are unable to know Him in truth. He can be known only by bhakti. For others, He remains veiled by His yoga-maya (GITĀ 7.25). During Krsna’s manifest appearance (prakatța-lila), the form perceived by His enemies, such as Sisupala, was not His real form but a māyika form. In commenting on the phrase yoga-maya-samavṛtaḥ, “veiled by the screen of My divine potency,” mentioned in GĪTĀ 7.25, Śrī Jiva Gosvami writes: “He is covered by an illusory body, created by māyā, as a snake is covered by a slough.” “6 Therefore, whatever criticisms are made about Krsna by peo- ple such as Sisupala are not really in reference to Him at all, but in regard to some misconception they have of Him. In fact, every criticism of God is ultimately a straw man argument, meaning that people first construct their own imagined idea of God (a mere straw man image of God) and then criticize Him or deny His existence based on their faulty projections. What they deny is nothing other than their own erroneous ideas and not God Himself. Thus, He remains ever untouched by their criticisms. This, however, does not grant anyone a license to criticize Him. Although He is not influenced by any criticism, the person who criticizes Him is guilty of disrespect and is punishable by Yamaraja, the dispenser of the moral law. One should neither criticize Bhagavan and His devotees nor hear such criticisms. 652 kintu gītā-padye yoga-maya-samavrta iti sarpa-kancuka-van-māyā-racita-vapur-abhasa-samavṛta ity arthah. Krama-sandarbha on SB 1.15.35 Anuccheda 317 Absorption in Kṛṣṇa by Whatsoever Means Is Purifying ३१७ । तदेवं यस्माद् भगवतो निन्दादिकृतं वैषम्यं नास्ति तस्माद् येन केनाप्युपायेन “सकृद् यदङ्गप्रतिमान्तराहिता” (भा० १०।१२।३९) इत्यादिवत् तदाभासमपि ध्यायतस्त- दावेशात् तत्र वैरेणापि ध्यायतस्तदावेशेनैव निन्दादिकृतपापस्यापि नाशात् तत्सायुज्या- दिकं युक्तमित्याशयेनाह - तस्मादित्यादिभिः । 1 1 IN THE MANNER just described, because Bhagavan has no sense of personal bias (vaiṣamyam) instigated by criticism or any other attitude, one can meditate on Him by any means whatsoever, as indicated in this statement: “Even a mental image of Bhagavan’s divine form, just once apprehended in the interiority of awareness, bestows the supreme destination” (SB 10.12.39). From statements such as this, it is understood that by the absorption (äveśa) that ensues from meditating even on a mere likeness (ābhāsa) of Him - even by the absorption result- ing from meditating on Him out of enmity (vairena) – the sin incurred through criticism (ninda) is annulled. For this reason, it was fitting that Sisupāla attained the state of liberation by merging into Bhagavan’s body. With all this in mind, Narada begins to unfold the discussion in this and the upcoming verses [up to SB 7.1.31]. sakrd yad-anga pratimantar-ahitä manomayi bhagavatim dadau gatim Cf. Krsna Sandarbha 103 653 तथा हि (भा० ७।१।२५) - III The Practice of Bhakti Getting straight to the point, Narada next says: तस्माद् वैरानुबन्धेन निर्वैरेण भयेन वा । स्रेहात् कामेन वा युञ्ज्यात् कथञ्चिन् नेक्षते पृथक् ॥ १०१९ ।। Therefore, whether by continuous enmity (vairanubandha ), or by an absence of enmity (nirvaira), whether out of fear (bhaya ), affection (sneha), or amorous desire ( kāma), one should fix [the mind] on Kṛṣṇa, such that nothing will be seen apart from Him. ( SB 7.1.25 ) 2 युयादिति स्रेहकामादीनां विधातुमशक्यत्वात् सम्भावनायामेव लिङ् । वैरानुबन्धादी- नामेकतरेणापि युञ्ज्याद् ध्यायेच् चेत् तदा भगवतः पृथङ् नेक्षते तदाविष्टो भवतीत्यर्थः । The verb yunjyät, “one should fix [the mind],” which is in the optative mood (lin), indicates possibility alone (sambha - vanā eva) [and not an injunction ], because affection ( sneha ), amorous desire (kama), and other such feeling states are not something that can be enjoined. If one fixes the mind (yunjyat), i.e., meditates (dhyayet), on Bhagavan by any one of these feel- ing states, even through enmity, then nothing will be seen apart from Bhagavan, meaning that the mind then becomes absorbed in Him (tad-avista). वैरानुबन्धो वैरभावाविच्छेदः । निर्वैरो वैराभावमात्रमौदासीन्यमुच्यते । तेन कामादि- राहित्यमप्यायाति वैरादिभावराहित्यमित्यर्थः । तेन वा वैरादिभावराहित्येन युञ्ज्यात् विहितत्वमात्रबुद्ध्या ध्यायेत् ध्यानोपलक्षितं भक्तियोगं कुर्यादित्यर्थः । स्रेहः कामातिरिक्तः परस्परमकृत्रिमः प्रेमविशेषः । स तु साधके तदभिरुचिरेव ॥ The compound vairānubandhena, “by continuous enmity,” here signifies “an uninterrupted feeling of enmity” (vaira- bhāvāviccheda). The word nirvairena, “by an absence of enmity, " implies “enmity’s bare non-existence” (vairabhāva-matram), or in other words, “the feeling state of neutrality” (audāsīnyam). By this neutrality, the absence of “ enmity” (vaira-bhāva) can 2 tasmad vairanubandhena nirvairena bhayena va snehat kamena va yunjyat kathancin neksate prthak 654 317 Absorption in Krsna by Whatsoever Means Is Purifying further imply the absence of amorous desire (kama) and the other feeling states. [The mind can be fixed through neutrality in this sense of the term (nirvairena yunjyat)]. Alternatively, nirvairena yunjyat can mean that one should engage (kuryat) in bhakti-yoga characterized by meditation (dhyana), with an absence of enmity and the other feeling states, meditating with the attitude that this is simply what is ordained (vihita-matram). The word snehaḥ, “affection,” signifies “a specific type of gen- uine mutual love” (parasparam akṛtrimaḥ prema-viseṣaḥ), dis- tinct from amorous desire (kama). This, however, refers simply to a profound feeling of taste (abhiruci), present in the sädhaka, for this specific type of prema. Commentary IT IS UNDERSTOOD from Narada’s previous statement (SB 7.1.23-24) not only that Krsna was not disturbed by Sisupala’s criticism, but that it is logically impossible for Him to be touched by any criti- cism whatsoever. Still, abusing Bhagavan is a forbidden act. On this account alone, Sisupāla should have been sent to hell. So the question remains, how did Sisupala attain liberation instead? Śri Narada’s response to this enigma is that the very act of med- itating on Krsna purifies the meditator, even if the ensuing absorp- tion is permeated with a feeling of enmity. This is the extraor- dinary quality of Kṛṣṇa, that no matter how one comes into con- tact with Him, the result is always beneficial, just as fire invariably produces heat, whether contacted in a loving or an angry mood. Absorption of the mind in Krsna out of enmity involves two fac- tors - namely, enmity and absorption. The element of enmity is forbidden and thus sinful. But absorption of the mind in Him over- rides this sin. This is so because Krsna is absolutely pure (kaivalya, SB 7.1.24), meaning that His form is the direct embodiment of being, consciousness, and bliss (sac-cit-ananda-vigraha). In SB 7.1.25, the verb yunjyat (lit., “one should fix [the mind]”) is in the optative mood, lin-lakara. This mood is generally applied in the sense of an injunction (vidhi), but it can also be used in the sense 655 III The Practice of Bhakti of possibility (sambhavana). This verb is used here in conjunction with various adverbs of manner - “out of continuous enmity, by an absence of enmity, out of fear, affection, or amorous desire.” The meaning of the verb is altered in accordance with the manner of its application. The point here is that feelings, emotions, and desires are not something that can be ordained. They occur or do not occur of their own accord, without logical or rational superintendence. Therefore, in cases where an emotion appears to be prescribed, the meaning should be taken in the sense of possibility. When, however, an instruction is given in which emotional con- tent is not a factor (i.e., “by an absence of enmity”), one can be enjoined to act in a prescribed manner. Thus, Śrī Jiva points out that nirvairena yuñjyat can be taken to mean that one should engage (kuryat) in meditating on Bhagavan in bhakti-yoga according to the regulative principles of scripture, involving an absence of enmity, desire, and so on. People who are pious by nature yet indifferent to Bhagavan (meaning without a developed feeling of affection for Him) will meditate on Him simply because it is recommended in scriptures. This condition is comparable to that of a patient who takes a course of medicine or who follows a certain diet because it is recom- mended by a doctor or a medical journal. Therefore, the word nirvaira, which Śrī Jīva Gosvāmi glosses as “neutrality” (audasi- nyam), here implies a bare absence of any positive or negative emotion, which is indicative of vaidhi-bhakti. When one’s mind becomes fully absorbed in an object, one loses the sense of separate existence from it. This is the meaning of the last quarter of SB 7.1.25 - “Then nothing will be seen apart from Him.” This is the defining characteristic of supracognitive sama- dhi, as described earlier in Anuccheda 278 in regard to the sama- dhi of Märkandeya. Sisupala’s absorption in Krsna was of a simi- lar constitution. His envy was so pervasive that he could become fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa without any other thought or awareness, including of himself. Because of the potency inherent in Krsna, 3 vidhi-sambhavanadau yadadayo vidhi-nāmānaḥ HNV 3.4 656 317 Absorption in Krsna by Whatsoever Means Is Purifying Sisupala’s absorption freed him of all impurities and sins, includ- ing the sin of abusing Krsna. This is the reason why he attained liberation after being killed by Kṛṣṇa. Alternatively, the last quar- ter of the verse can mean that Krsna does not discriminate how one approaches Him. He benefits anyone who becomes absorbed in Him by whatsoever means. 657Anuccheda 318 Absorption by Enmity Supersedes that of Vaidhi-bhakti ३१८ | तदेवं सर्वेषां तदावेश एव फलमिति स्थिते झटिति तदावेशसिद्धये तेषु भावमय- मार्गेषु निन्दितेनापि वैरेण विधिमय्या भक्तेर्न साम्यमित्याह (भा० ७।१।२६ ) - IN THIS MANNER, the result of meditating on Bhagavan by means of all these different feeling states is simply absorption (āvesa) in Him. Such being the case, since these diverse paths predominated by feeling-awareness (bhava-maya-märgeşu) are the cause of quickly perfecting the state of absorption in Bhaga- vän, then among them even enmity - although otherwise con- demned - is superior to the type of devotion that is impelled merely by rules (vidhi-maya bhaktiḥ). This is stated by Śrī Narada in the next verse: यथा वैरानुबन्धेन मर्त्यस्तन्मयतामियात् । न तथा भक्तियोगेन इति मे निश्चिता मतिः ॥ १०२० || The absorption in Bhagavan that a mortal being can [quickly (sighram)] attain [by meditating on Him (bhagavantam cinta- yan)] through continuous enmity cannot be attained by bhakti- yoga. This is my definite opinion. (SB 7.1.26)1 वैरानुबन्धेनेति भयस्याप्युपलक्षणम् । यथा शैत्र्येण तन्मयतां तदाविष्टतां भक्तियोगेन विहितत्वमात्रबुद्ध्या क्रियमाणेन तु न तथा ॥ 1 yatha vairanubandhena martyas tan-mayatam iyat na tatha bhakti-yogena iti me niscita matih The bracketed inserts are Sri Giridhara’s comments. 658 318 Absorption by Enmity Supersedes that of Vaidhi-bhakti The compound vairānubandhena, “through continuous enmity,” here also implies “through fear.” The absorption in Bhagavan (tan-mayatām, i.e., tad-aviṣṭām) that one can quickly attain (saighryeņa iyat) [by meditating on Him] through feelings such as enmity and fear cannot be attained through bhakti- yoga undertaken with the attitude that this is simply what is ordained (vihita-mātram). Commentary ŚRI JIVA GOSVĀMI’S INTENT in discussing this series of verses is to establish that rāgānuga-bhakti leads to a much greater intensity of absorption in Bhagavan than is possible in vaidhi-bhakti. It is for this reason that he gives the example of Sisupala. The general prin- ciple is that the mind becomes absorbed in the object of an action when the action is performed with some kind of emotional charge (bhava). If the action is performed without any attachment, then the mind wanders off to different objects. The attachment, how- ever, can be out of liking (raga) or aversion (dvesa). These are the two grooves along which the mind wanders. All other emotions spring from these two basic emotions. In the case of vaidhi-bhakti, both raga and dveşa are absent in the beginning stage of practice. At this stage, the sadhaka is neither attached nor averse to Bhagavan. Therefore, the degree of mental absorption in Him is not the same. This is the meaning intended by Nārada. As progress is made in vaidhi-bhakti, one acquires absorp- tion, but it is a lengthy process. In contrast, the mind becomes nat- urally absorbed in any object that it despises or fears. This is due to the identification with the material body and the resulting impulse to protect it. The intention of the verse is not to recommend enmity toward Bhagavan. This would be a misapplication of its meaning and would lead to catastrophe. Narada, a great devotee, is simply hinting at the power of absorption. 659 Anuccheda 319 The Power of Absorption ३१९ । आस्तां तादृशवस्तुशक्तियुक्तस्य तेषु प्रकाशमानस्य भगवतो भगवद्विग्रहाभास- स्य वा वार्ता प्राकृतेऽपि तद्भावमात्रस्य भाव्यावेशफलं महद् दृश्यत इति सदृष्टान्तं तदेव प्रतिपादयति ( भा० ७।१।२७-२८) - LET ALONE FOR a moment the discussion of the phenomenon [of absorption ( āvesa) through enmity and so on], which is naturally endowed with such existential power (vastu-sakti), and which is found in those who possess such feelings (teşu) [i.e., Sisupäla and others] in regard to Bhagavan’s manifest presence or in regard to a likeness (abhasa) of His form. For it is observed that absorption in any object upon which one con- templates - even a material object - through feelings such as enmity or fear has a tremendous effect. This is now pointed out by Sri Narada with reference to an example: कीटः पेशस्कृता रुद्धः कुड्यायां तमनुस्मरन् । संरम्भभययोगेन विन्दते तत्स्वरूपताम् ॥ १०२१ ॥ एवं कृष्णे भगवति मायामनुज ईश्वरे । वैरेण पूतपाप्मानस्तमापुरनुचिन्तया ॥ १०२२ ॥ When a caterpillar is captured by a potter wasp and bound in its nest, the caterpillar constantly thinks of its captor out of hatred and fear and eventually attains the state of identity with the wasp’s own form. In the same manner, those who out of enmity constantly think of Bhagavan Sri Krsna, the Sup- reme Controller (Iśvara), who appears in a human-like form by 660 319 The Power of Absorption His own potency (maya-manuje), become free of their sins and attain Him. (SB 7.1.27-28)2 संरम्भो द्वेषो भयं च ताभ्यां योगस्तदावेशस्तेन तत्स्वरूपतां तस्य स्वमात्मीयरूपमाकृ- तिर्यत्र तत् ताम् तत् सारूप्यमित्यर्थः । एवमिति एवमपीत्यर्थः । नराकृतिपरब्रह्मत्वात् माययैव प्राकृतमनुजतया प्रतीयमाने । In the first of these two verses, the word samrambha means “hatred” (dveṣa), and the compound samrambha-bhaya-yogena means “by absorption (yoga, i.e., äveśa) in feelings of hatred and fear.” In the compound tat-svarüpatäm, the pronoun tat means “of that [potter wasp]” (tasya); sva means “its own” (atmiya); and rupatām means “the state of having such form” (akrti yatra tat tām). Thus, the sense is that the caterpillar attains “the state of identity with the wasp’s own form” (tat-sarūpyam). In the second verse, the word evam is used in the sense of evam api, meaning “in this precise manner” [by absorption in Krsna out of enmity, they are freed of their sins and attain Him. How so?] To this Narada replies with the words maya-manuje - “Because He is the Supreme Absolute in human-like form (narakṛti-para- brahmatvät), who merely appears as though an ordinary human being by the influence of His maya potency.” ननु कीटस्य पेशस्कृद्वेषे पापं न भवति । तत्र तु तत् स्यादित्याशङ्क्याह - र्वैरेण यानु- चिन्ता तदावेशस्तयैव पूतपाप्मानस्तद्ध्यानावेशस्य तादृक्शक्तित्वादिति भावः ॥ 1 2 Sri Viśvanatha Cakravarti comments as follows on the compound māyā-manuje, which qualifies Bhagavan Sri Krsna: “in Him, who out of mercy (maya, i.e., krpa), meaning the potency of grace that bestows the supreme destination (sad-gati-prapani), appears in human-like form (manujesu), i.e., even as their enemy (sva-dvestrsv api yasya tasmin).” Alternatively, the compound means “in Him, who has a human-like form by His very own constitutional nature (mayaya, i.e., svarupenaiva), meaning that His human-like form is manifest by virtue of the eternal potency (nitya-saktya) that is intrinsic to His essential being (svarupa-bhutaya) and is known as maya.” Śri Jiva gives yet another meaning of the compound in his explanation that follows. kitah pesaskṛta ruddhaḥ kuḍyāyām tam anusmaran samrambha-bhaya-yogena vindate tat-svarupatām evam krsne bhagavati māyā-manuja isvare vairena pūta-papmānas tam apur anucintaya 661 III The Practice of Bhakti A question may be raised in this regard. The caterpillar does not incur any sin from its hatred of the wasp, but in the case of Bha- gavan Kṛṣṇa, such enmity is sinful. In anticipation of this doubt, Närada replies that by constantly thinking of Him out of enmity, they attain absorption in Him (tad-aveśa), and by such absorp- tion alone, they are purified of their sins (pūta-papmānaḥ). This is due to the fact that meditative absorption in Bhagavan has such purifying power. Commentary THERE IS A COMMON saying, “Whatever you think of, that you will become.” There are many variations on this idea and indeed many books have been written in recent times based on this principle. In the Bhagavata as well, the Avanti brahmana said the same thing to King Yadu: Upon whatever an embodied being fixes the entirety of his mind along with his intellectual resolve, either through affection, enmity, or fear, he attains identity of form with that. (SB 11.9.22)3 Narada illustrates this principle with an example. In India, there is a type of flying insect called the potter wasp, which makes little clay nests on the walls. It then catches some other insect, such as a caterpillar or a beetle, and imprisons it in its nest. The captive insect thinks of its captor out of fear and ultimately attains a body like that of the wasp. This example is to be understood as more symbolic than literal in the modern scientific sense, since in actual fact, the wasp lays its eggs in the captured insect, which is kept alive until the eggs have hatched. At such time, it becomes food for the newly hatched baby wasps. What is important for the point in question is the idea of physical transformation through absorption of feeling or thought. While being held captive, the caterpillar is factually absorbed in 3 yatra yatra mano dehi dharayet sakalam dhiya snehad dvesad bhayad vapi yati tat-tat-svarupatām 662 319 The Power of Absorption fear of the wasp, and its body is eventually reconstituted to form the body of the newborn wasp. Apart from this example, scrip- tures from diverse mystical traditions also cite numerous cases of advanced yogis and higher beings who were able to change their form by meditation. If such a thing is possible through absorption in a material object, it is certainly all the more possible if the object of meditation is Bhagavan, who is the repository of all wondrous powers. 663 Anuccheda 320 Perfection in Bhakti Can Be Attained through Kāma 320.1 Kama Is Not Inherently Sinful ३२० । न च शास्त्रविहितेनैव भगवद्धर्मेण सिद्धिः स्यात् न च तदविहितेन कामादिनेति वाच्यम् । यतः (भा० ७।१।२९ ) -

IT SHOULD NOT BE argued that perfection (siddhi) can be attained only by following bhagavad-dharma as ordained in scripture and that it cannot be attained through an unpre- scribed path, such as through feelings of amorous desire (kama) and so on, since this is denied in Narada’s next statement: कामाद् द्वेषाद् भयात् स्रेहाद् यथा भक्त्येश्वरे मनः । आवेश्य तदर्घ हित्वा बहवस्तद्गतिं गताः ॥ १०२३ ॥ Many people, having absorbed their minds in Isvara through amorous desire ( kāma), enmity (dvesa), fear (bhaya), or affec- tion (sneha), became free from their sins (agha) and attained the supreme destination, just as one does by bhakti. (SB 7.1.29)’ यथा विहितया भक्त्या ईश्वरे मन आवेश्य तद्गतिं गच्छन्ति तथैवाविहितेनापि कामा- दिना बहवो गता इत्यर्थः । तदघं तेषु कामादिषु मध्ये यद्वेषभययोरधं भवति तद्धित्वैव । भयस्यापि द्वेषसम्वलितत्वादघोत्पादकत्वं ज्ञेयम् । kamad dvesad bhayat snehad yatha bhaktyeśvare manaḥ avesya tad-agham hitva bahavas tad-gatim gataḥ 664 320 Perfection in Bhakti Can Be Attained through Kama The meaning of the verse is that just as some practitioners attain the supreme destination (tad-gatim) by mental absorp- tion (mana-āvesa) in Iśvara through devotion as prescribed in scripture (vihita-bhakti), so too there are many others who have attained the same destination through mental absorption in Him even through unprescribed means (avihita), such as through amorous desire (kama). The words tad-agham hitvä, “having been freed from their sins,” refers specifically to the abandonment of the sins of enmity (dveşa) and fear (bhaya), among the various feeling states mentioned, beginning with kāma. It should be understood that because fear is associated with enmity, it too gives rise to impurity or sin (agha). अत्र केचित् काममप्यचं मन्यन्ते । तत्रेदं विचार्यते - भगवति काम एव केवलः पापावहः । किं वा पतिभावयुक्तः । अथवा उपपतिभावयुक्त इति ? In this connection, some people consider amorous desire (kāma) also to be sinful, which brings up the following discussion: If this opinion is true, is it that amorous desire for Bhagavan is sin- ful in and of itself, or is it so when connected to the feeling that Bhagavan is one’s husband (pati-bhava), or when it leads one to consider Bhagavan as one’s paramour (upapati-bhava)? स एव केवल इति चेत् स किं द्वेषादिगणपातित्वात् तद्वत् स्वरूपेणैव वा । परमशुद्धे भगवति यदधरपानादिकं यच्च कामुकत्वाद्यारोपणं तेनातिक्रमेण वा पापश्रवणेन वा ? In the first case, if amorous desire for Bhagavan is sinful in and of itself, is it so by its very nature, like enmity and other such feelings, being classified as one among them? Or, is it sinful because it involves acts such as kissing and projecting libidi- nous feelings upon Bhagavan (kāmukady aropaṇam), who is sup- remely pure, all of which constitute a transgression of the codes of behavior in regard to Him? Or is it sinful because scripture declares it as such? नाद्येन (भा० १० | २९ | १३ ) - उक्तं पुरस्तादेतत् ते चैद्यः सिद्धिं यथा गतः । द्विषन्नपि हृषीकेशं किमुताधोक्षजप्रियाः || १०२४ || 665 III The Practice of Bhakti इत्यत्र द्वेषादेर्न्यक्कृतत्वात् तस्य तु स्तुतत्वात् । The first possibility, that amorous desire is sinful by its very nature, similar to enmity, is rejected, because enmity has been condemned, whereas amorous desire has been praised in statements such as the following: I informed you previously that Sisupala attained perfection in spite of his animosity toward Hṛṣīkesa [the Master of the senses]. So what can be said of Adhoksaja’s own beloveds (priyah), who were both the subject and object of love for Him? (SB 10.29.13)3 अतश्च “प्रियाः” इति स्नेहवत् कामस्यापि प्रीत्यात्मकत्वेन तद्वदेव न दोषः । तादृशीनां कामो हि प्रेमैकरूपः “यत् ते सुजातचरणाम्बुरुहं स्तनेषु भीताः शनैः प्रिय दधीमहि कर्क- शेषु ” ( भा० १० । ३१ ।१९) इत्यादावतिक्रम्यापि स्वसुखं तदानुकूल्य एव तात्पर्यदर्शनात् । It is thus concluded from the import of the word priyaḥ that like “affection” (sneha), “amorous desire” (kama) is also of the essence of divine love (prity-atmaka), and as such, it is fault- less, exactly like affection. The amorous desire (kama) of such beloveds [i.e., the gopis] is nothing but prema, as understood from the following statement of theirs: 2 3 O beloved (priya), Your lotus feet are so soft and tender that we fear they may be pained by placing them on our hard breasts, and thus we do so very gently. Yet You wander the forest on those same feet. Are they not pained by the pebbles and sharp stones? Our minds reel at this very thought, for You are our very life. (SB 10.31.19)* Śrī Visvanatha Cakravarti comments on the compound adhoksaja-priyah as follows: “The word adhoksaja means of He who is beyond the purview of the senses’ (atīndriyasya), and priyah means ’those specifically [i.e., the gopis] who are both the object of Adhoksaja’s love (priti-viṣayah) and the receptacles of love for Him (priti-asrayah).’ So the compound as a whole means ’the beloveds and lovers of Him’ (tasya priyah).” uktam purastad etat te caidyah siddhim yatha gatah dvisann api hrṣikesam kim utadhoksaja-priyah 4 yat te sujata-caraṇamburuham stanesu bhitaḥ sanaiḥ priya dadhimahi karkaseṣu 666 320 Perfection in Bhakti Can Be Attained through Kama This statement is itself indicative of prema, because it shows that the gopis are concerned exclusively with what is favorable to Kṛṣṇa, disregarding even their own pleasure. सैरिन्ध्यास्तु भावो रिरंसाप्रायत्वेन श्रीगोपिकानामिव केवलतत्तात्पर्याभावात् तदपेक्ष- यैव निन्द्यते न तु स्वरूपतः “सानङ्गतप्तकुचयोः” इत्यादी “अनन्तचरणेन रुजो मृजन्ती” इति “परिरभ्य कान्तमानन्दमूर्तिम्” ( भा० १० । ४८ । ७) इति कार्यद्वारा तत्स्तुतेः । In contrast to the gopis, Kubja’s amorous feeling (bhava) for Kṛṣṇa is predominated by a desire for her own enjoyment (riramsa). As such, it is lacking the gopis’ bhāva, which is exclu- sively for Kṛṣṇa’s pleasure. Thus, Kubja’s amorous feeling is criticized only in comparison with that of the gopis, and not due to any inherent defect of its own (na svarupataḥ). Rather, Śrī Suka has praised Kubja’s bhava because of its effect, as expressed in this verse: By the touch of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet, Kubja relieved the pain of her breasts, chest, and eyes, which were tormented by the pangs of love. Smelling the fragrance of His feet, she took her lover, the very embodiment of bliss, into her arms and embraced Him to her bosom, thus dispelling the agony of long separation from Him. (SB 10.48.7)5 तत्रापि “सहोष्यतामिह प्रेष्ठ ” ( भा० १० । ४८ ।९) इत्यत्र प्रीत्यभिव्यक्तेश्च । 5 6 Kubjā also exhibited love (priti) for Krsna, as in this statement: O Lotus-eyed lover, please come here and stay with me for a few days so that You may enjoy with me. I cannot give up Your company. (SB 10.48.9) tenatavīm atasi tad vyathate na kim svit kurpadibhir bhramati dhir bhavad-ayusam nah sananga-tapta-kucayor uras tathaksnor jighranty ananta-caranena rujo mrjanti dorbhyām stanantara-gatam parirabhya kantam ananda-murtim ajahad ati-dirgha-tapam sahoṣyatam iha prestha dinani katicin maya ramasva notsahe tyaktum sangam te’mburuheksana 667III The Practice of Bhakti अत एव (भा० १० । ४८१८) - Therefore [the following statements in reference to Kubja are also to be considered]: सैवं कैवल्यनाथं तं प्राप्य दुष्प्राप्यमीश्वरम् । अङ्गरागार्पणेनाहो दुर्भगेदमयाचत । १०२५ ॥ इति । How wondrous it is (aho), that having thus attained Him [Śrī Krsna], the Almighty Controller (Isvara ) and Lord of libera - tion (kaivalya-natha), who is so difficult to attain, simply by offering Him scented bodily oil, Kubja [although previously] unfortunate, made the following [greatly fortunate] request. (SB 10.48.8) 7 भा० १०।४८ ।११- And further ahead, Śrī Suka says: दुराराध्यं समाराध्य विष्णुं सर्वेश्वरेश्वरम् । यो वृणीते मनोग्राह्यमसत्त्वात् कुमनीष्यसौ || १०२६ || If after having duly worshiped He who is most difficult to wor- ship, the Supreme Isvara of all Iśvaras, Visņu [Śrī Kṛṣṇa], one then solicits mere sensory pleasures alluring to the mind, he is certainly less intelligent because of the worthlessness of his request. (SB 10.48.11)8 | इति चैवं योजयन्ति । कैवल्यमेकान्तित्वं तेन यो नाथः सेवनीयस्तम् पुरा तादृशत्रि- वक्रत्वादिलक्षणदौर्भाग्यवत्यपि । अहो आश्चर्ये । अङ्गरागार्पणलक्षणेन भगवद्धर्मांशेन कारणेन सम्प्रतीदम् “सहोष्यतामिह प्रेष्ठ दिनानि कतिचिन् मया रमस्व” (भा० १० । ४८ ।९) इत्यादिलक्षणं वक्ष्यमाणं सौभाग्यमयाचतेति । 7 8 saivam kaivalya-natham tam prapya duşprapyam isvaram anga-ragarpanenaho durbhagedam ayacata ⚫ duraradhyam samaradhya vişnum sarvesvaresvaram yo vrnite mano-grahyam asattvat kumanisy asau 668 320 Perfection in Bhakti Can Be Attained through Kama In The above two verses are to be understood as follows. SB 10.48.8, in the compound kaivalya-nätha, “the Lord of lib- eration,” the word natha means “the Entity most truly worthy of service” (sevaniyam), and kaivalyam means “one-pointedness [of bhakti]” (ekantitvam). Thus, the compound as a whole means “He who is to be served by such one-pointedness.” Kubjā is referred to as “unfortunate” (durbhaga), because previously her body was hunched in three places. Yet, in spite of her pre- vious misfortune, what a great wonder it is (aho! aścaryam) that simply by the partial act of bhagavad-dharma in the form of offering Kṛṣṇa fragrant bodily oil, she then made such a greatly fortunate request (saubhagyam), as expressed in her next state- ment: “O Lotus-eyed lover, please come here and stay with me for a few days so that You may enjoy with me. I cannot give up Your company” (SB 10.48.9). अतः (भा० १० १८० | २५) - किमनेन कृतं पुण्यमवधूतेन भिक्षुणा । श्रिया हीनेन लोकेऽस्मिन् गर्हितेनाधमेन च ॥ १०२७ || इति श्रीदामविप्रमुद्दिश्यान्तःपुरजनवचनवदेव तथोक्तिः । Consequently, this statement (SB 10.48.8) is analogous to that made by the residents of the inner quarter of Krsna’s palace in reference to Sudāmā Vipra: 9 What great meritorious act was performed by this unkempt, destitute, and lowly beggar, who is condemned in this world, that could have impelled Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the preceptor of the three The standard translation of this term would be “the Lord of liberation.” In keeping with this understanding, Sri Ganga Sahaya glosses kaivalya-natham as moksa-pradam, “the Bestower of liberation,” and in Subodhini-sara, it is glossed as moksa-patim, “the Lord of liberation.” Śrī Jīva Gosvami, however, interprets the compound in a unique manner. He takes the word kaivalya, lit., “aloneness,” as meaning “one-pointedness [of bhakti]” (ekantitvam), since he has already shown bhakti to be the true import of apavarga or kaivalya in Anuccheda 234. As explained above, the compound as a whole means, “He who is to be served by one-pointedness [of bhakti].” 669 III The Practice of Bhakti worlds, to leave aside Goddess Laksmi, who was seated beside Him on the bed, and embrace him, honoring him just like His own brother Baladeva? (SB 10.80.25-26)10 | ननु कामुकी सा किमिति श्लाघ्यते ? तत्राह - दुराराध्यमिति । यो मनोग्राह्यं प्राकृतमेव विषयं वृणीते कामयत असावेव कुमनीषी । सा तु भगवन्तमेव कामयत इति परमसुम- नीषिण्येवेति भावः । तदेवं तस्य कामस्य द्वेषादिगणान्तःपातित्वं परिहृत्य तेन पापावहत्वं परिहृतम् । The question may be raised that since Kubja is libidinous (kamuki), why is she praised? In reply, Sri Suka speaks the second verse quoted above (SB 10.48.11). He says that [having worshiped Kṛṣṇa] one who solicits or desires only material objects (prākṛtam visayam) that are alluring to the mind (mano- grähyam) is certainly less intelligent, but Kubjä desired only Bhagavan, therefore she is indeed supremely intelligent. This is the import of the verse. So, by thus establishing that Kubja’s amorous desire (kama) for Bhagavan does not fall under the same classification as enmity and other unfavorable attitudes, the notion that kama is inherently sinful has been refuted. Commentary IN ANUCCHEDA 312, Śrī Jīva raised the question how perfection (siddhi) could be attained through raganuga-bhakti when the lat- ter is not subordinated to any dharmika injunction. The reply he gave was that since raganuga-bhakti is endowed with its own. intrinsic power, unlike Vedic dharma, it is not dependent on scrip- tural injunctions to deliver its result. Rather, the perfection of all scriptural injunctions is in raganuga-bhakti. 10 kim anena kṛtam punyam avadhutena bhiksuna sriya hinena loke’smin garhitenadhamena ca yo’sau tri-loka-guruņā srinivasena sambhṛtah paryanka-sthām śriyam hitva parişvakto’grajo yatha Suka’s statement about Kubja (SB 10.48.8) is analogous to this statement about Sudama Vipra, because both Kubja and Sudama are highly praised for their loving feelings toward Krsna in spite of being socially disfavored. 670 320 Perfection in Bhakti Can Be Attained through Kama Sri Jiva now raises the same question in regard to absorption (avesa) in Bhagavan through feeling states (bhavas), including those like enmity (dvesa) that are neither devotional nor ordained by scripture. How can siddhi be attained through such feelings? Once again, he answers that absorption in Bhagavan does not need any ordinance. It is powerful in and of itself, no matter what type of feeling induces it. It has such tremendous potency that it can purify the heart even of a person who may be full of hatred toward Bhagavan. Fear (bhaya) is considered to be in the same category as enmity. This is because when a person fears someone, he has dislike for that person. People generally have fear of snakes. Therefore, if they see a snake, they often make an effort to kill it. The wish to kill or to inflict harm implies hatred. Thus, dislike, whether out of fear or enmity, involves hatred. On this basis, both hatred and fear are understood to be sinful. Śrīdhara Svami considers amorous desire (kama) as sinful, like enmity and fear. In commenting on SB 7.1.29, he writes: “The com- pound tad-agham means ‘sin caused by kama and so on (adi)’ [the word adi here stands for enmity and fear].”” Śri Jiva Gosvāmi, how- ever, does not agree with this view. He begins here a detailed anal- ysis of why kama in relation to Krsna is not sinful. To do so, he first considers the various criteria on the basis of which kama could be determined as sinful. Kama in relation to Krsna can be of three types:

1. Kama in general;
2. Kama in a relation with Krsna as one’s husband;
3. And kama in which one considers Krsna as one’s boyfriend or paramour. In the first category, kama could be sinful because of three possible reasons: 11 tad-agham kamadi-nimittam papam 671 III The Practice of Bhakti a. Because it is sinful by its very nature, like hatred and fear; b. Because it involves actions such as kissing and projecting libidi- nous feelings upon Kṛṣṇa, which constitutes a transgression of the social and moral principles; c. Or, because it is declared as sinful in the scriptures. Śrī Jiva shows that none of these conditions apply to kāma, and thus it is not sinful. First, he cites a verse by Sukadeva (SB 10.29.13) in which the gopis’ kāma is contrasted with the enmity (dvesa) of Sisupala. This verse was spoken by Sukadeva in response to a doubt raised by King Parikṣit. When the king heard that the gopis who were prevented from joining the rasa dance by their rela- tives attained Krsna, he inquired how this was possible, since they thought of Him simply as their paramour. In reply, because Suka contrasts kāma with dvesa, it signifies that kāma is not in the same category as enmity. The phrase kim uta adhoksaja-priyah, “What then can be said of the beloveds of Adhoksaja?” is used to show the distinction between dveşa and kama. Dveşa is despised, while kama is praised. Thus, unlike enmity, kama cannot be considered sinful by its own nature. Next, Śrī Jīva denies that kama is sinful because of being immoral or antisocial. He says that the gopis’ kama is of the essence of divine love (prity-atmaka). It should not be considered as lust, in which one desires one’s own gratification. The gopis have no desire for their own personal pleasure. They have dedicated their lives for the pleasure of Krsna alone. Their temperament is understood from their prayers in the 31st chapter of the Tenth Canto, the Gopi- gīta. This means that if they engage in acts such as kissing Krsna, it is only because it gives Krsna pleasure. Otherwise they would not do so. If Krsna enjoys such dealings, then they cannot be sinful, because Krsna is beyond all sin or piety. It may then be argued that the gopis’ kāma for Krsna is pure and not tinged with any desire for personal pleasure, but Kubjā unques- tionably had a desire for her own enjoyment (riramsa). So her kama must certainly be sinful. Śrī Jiva shows, however, that even Kubja’s kama is not sinful. Although it is categorically much inferior to the love of the gopis, it is still not material. The very fact that Kubja was 672 320 Perfection in Bhakti Can Be Attained through Kama given the opportunity to serve Krsna and furthermore to physically embrace Him proves that her feeling (bhava) for Kṛṣṇa is highly praiseworthy and thus not to be condemned. Even great yogis and jñānis never obtain so much mercy from Kṛṣṇa. The critique of Kubja’s love is made only in comparison to that of the gopis and not in an absolute sense. In keeping with this conclusion, Śri Jiva Gosvāmi explains the true intent of Śrī Suka- deva’s statements regarding Kubja’s behavior toward Krsna. From a cursory glance, these verses seem to portray Kubja in a negative light, but such is not the case, as is evident from Jiva Gosvāmi’s elucidations. Kṛṣṇa performs His play akin to the manner and custom of the people of this world. Thus, externally His dealings with the gopis or Kubja appear like material love affairs, but in reality, they are all direct manifestations of His intrinsic potency (svarupa-sakti). Con- sequently, they are beyond all classifications of good or bad, moral or immoral. 320.2 Projecting Libidinous Feelings upon Bhagavan Is Not Inherently Sinful अथ कामुकत्वाद्यारोपणाद्यधरपानादिरूपस्तत्र व्यवहारोऽपि नातिक्रमहेतुः । यतः “लोकवत् तु लीलाकैवल्यम्” (ब्र० सू० २।१।३३) इति न्यायेन लीला तत्र स्वभावत एव सिद्धा । We will now consider the second possibility. Even such behavior as projecting libidinous feelings upon Bhagavan (kāmukatvady āropaṇam) and kissing Him is not a transgression of the codes of conduct in regard to Him, because it is said: “Bhagavan’s līlās exactly resemble those of human beings” (vs 2.1.33). By this principle, it is understood that Bhagavan’s liläs unfold in this manner out of their own intrinsic nature (svabhavata eva). 12 12 lokavat tu lila-kaivalyam 673 III The Practice of Bhakti तत्र च श्रीभूलीलादीभिस्तस्य तादृशलीलायाः श्रीवैकुण्ठादिषु नित्यसिद्धत्वेन स्वतन्त्रली- लाविनोदस्य तस्याभिरुचितत्वावगमात् तादृशलीलारसमोहस्वाभाविकं भगवत्ताद्यननु- सन्धानमपि कामुकत्वादिमननमपि च तदभिरुचितत्वेनैवावगम्यते । In this regard, because the liläs involving such amorous deal- ings between Bhagavan and His consorts [śaktis], such as Śrī, Bhu, and Lila, are eternally existent in different Vaikunthas, it is thereby understood that Bhagavan, who delights in the utter freedom of His play, has a profound taste (abhiruci) for such amorous dealings. From this, it is also to be concluded that Bhagavan’s natural infatuation (svabhāvika-moha) with the aes- thetic rapture (rasa) of such lilas, the non-ascertainment of His own Godhood (bhagavattady-ananusandhanam), and the con- templation of libidinousness (kāmukatvādi-mananam) all occur under the influence of such profound taste (abhiruci). तथा तत्प्रेयसीजनानामपि तत्स्वरूपशक्तिविग्रहत्वेन परमशुद्धरूपत्वात् ततो न्यूनत्वाभा- वाच्च तदधरपानादिकमपि नानुरूपं पूर्वयुक्त्या तदभिरुचितमेव च । In addition, Bhagavan’s beloved consorts (preyasis), being embodiments of His intrinsic potency (svarupa-śakti), are sup- remely pure, and as such, they are not at all less than Him. Con- sequently, for them to engage in amorous play with Bhagavan, such as kissing Him, is not inappropriate. In fact, by the logic already given, it is fully according to His liking (abhiruci). 1 न च प्राकृतवामाजने दोषः प्रसञ्जनीयः । तद्योग्यं तादृशं भावं स्वरूपशक्तिविग्रहत्वं च प्राप्यैव तदिच्छ्यैव तत्प्राप्तेः । Neither should one ascribe any fault to the women of this world who develop such feelings of conjugal attraction for Bhagavan, because it is only by His will that they attain Him and are thus able to engage in conjugal play with Him, after first developing the appropriate temperament of amorous love (tādṛśa-bhāva) and after acquiring forms constituted of the intrinsic potency (svarupa-sakti-vigraha). 674 320 Perfection in Bhakti Can Be Attained through Kama Commentary The second possibility being considered here is that kama in rela- tion to Śrī Kṛṣṇa is sinful because it projects libidinous feelings upon Him. Kṛṣṇa’s beloveds (preyasis) who have amorous love for Him make Him appear as though an ordinary person of this world because of their amorous dealings with Him, such as kissing and embracing. Śrī Jīva denies that these dealings involve a transgres- sion of the codes of conduct in regard to Him. He makes the point that Krsna’s preyasīs are manifestations of His svarupa-sakti and are thus devoid of any tinge of material lust. Their loving behav- ior toward Krsna is a manifestation of supreme love, although it appears outwardly as the behavior of mortal women. They do not have any tinge of desire to enjoy for themselves. Additionally, those who attain the liberated status of Krsna’s beloveds by way of perfecting sadhana-bhakti also become tran- scendental. They are granted spiritual bodies like the eternal beloveds of Krsna. This is understood from the 29th chapter of the Tenth Canto, which describes that those gopis who had any tinge of materialism could not associate with Kṛṣṇa. They attained union with Kṛṣṇa only after they were completely purified of the material gunas!3 13 320.3 Amorous Desire for Bhagavan Is Supported in Scripture अथ पापश्रवणेन च न पापावहोऽसौ कामः । तदश्रवणादेव | अतः पतिभावयुक्ते च तत्र सुतरां न दोषः प्रत्युत स्तुतिः श्रूयते । भा० १० | ९० १२७- Now [let us consider the third possibility], that amorous desire (kama) for Bhagavan is sinful because scripture declares it as such. This is not the case, however, because there is no such mention anywhere in scripture. So [because kama in general is 13 See SB 10.29.8-11 and the accompanying Vaisnava-tosani commentary. 675 III The Practice of Bhakti devoid of any inherent defect], there is certainly no fault when it is endowed with the feeling of being married to Bhagavan (pati-bhava). Rather, Śrī Śuka glorifies this feeling [in Krsna’s queens]: याः सम्पर्यचरन् प्रेम्णा पादसम्वाहनादिभिः । जगद्गुरुं भर्तृबुद्ध्या तासां किं वर्ण्यते तपः ॥ १०२८ ॥ इति । Who can estimate the penance performed by these women [the queens], who regarded the preceptor of the world, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, as their husband and rendered all kinds of loving service to Him, by massaging His feet, and so on? (SB 10.90.27)14 महानुभावमुनीनामपि तद्भावः श्रूयते । यथा श्रीमाध्वाचार्यधृतं कौर्मवचनम् - In scripture, we find mention of the development of such feelings (tad-bhäva) even in greatly realized sages, as in this statement from Kurma Purana, cited by Śrī Madhvācārya in Bhagavata-tätparya-nirnaya: अग्निपुत्रा महात्मानस्तपसा स्त्रीत्वमापिरे । भर्तारं च जगद्योनिं वासुदेवमजं विभुम् ॥ १०२९ ॥ इति । The sons of Agni, who were highly realized beings, acquired [transcendental] female forms through penance (tapas) and thus attained as their husband Śrī Vasudeva, the unborn, all-pervading source of the cosmos. (Bhagavata-tätparya- nirnaya 1.10.31)15 अत एव वन्दितम् “पतिपुत्रसुहृद्भ्रातृ” (नारायणव्यूहस्तवे ) इत्यादिना । Therefore, practitioners who are endowed with such feelings have been honored in the Näräyaṇa-vyuha-stava, cited earlier: 15 I offer obeisance again and again even to those in this world who always longingly meditate on Bhagavan Hari as their husband, yah samparyacaran premna pada-samvahanadibhiḥ jagad-gurum bhartr-buddhyä täsäm kim varnyate tapaḥ agni-putra mahatmanas tapasa stritvam apire bhartaram ca jagad-yonim vasudevam ajam vibhum 676 320 Perfection in Bhakti Can Be Attained through Kama son, friend, or brother, or [on themselves] as a father or mother [to Him]. (Nārāyaṇa-vyuha-stava)16 अथोपपतिभावेन न च पापावहोऽसौ " यत् पत्यपत्यसुहृदामनुवृत्तिरङ्ग” (भा० १० । २९।३२) इत्यादिना ताभिरेवोत्तरितत्वात् " गोपीनां तत्पतीनां च " ( भा० १० | ३३ | ३५ ) इत्यादिना श्रीशुकदेवेन च । Amorous desire for Bhagavan as a paramour (upapati-bhāva) is also not sinful. The gopis themselves addressed this point in these words: O Dearest One! You, who are the knower of dharma, have instructed us that the duties of women are to obey and serve their husbands, children, and relatives. So, let all these tasks be carried out accordingly, but in regard to You, who are the goal of all such instruction and our Lord, for You alone are the dearmost beloved, the friend, and the very Self of all beings. (SB 10.29.32)1? Śri Sukadeva also confirmed the same: That supreme witness, who dwells within the hearts of the gopis, their husbands, and all living beings, has appeared in human- like form just for the sake of play. (SB 10.33.35)18 “न पारयेऽहं निरवद्यसंयुजां स्वसाधुकृत्यं विबुधायुषापि वः” (भा० १०।३२।२२) इत्यत्र “निरवद्यसंयुजाम्” इत्यनेन स्वयं श्रीभगवता च । Even Bhagavan Kṛṣṇa Himself has pointed out the faultless nature of the gopis’ amorous love by the words niravadya- samyujām, “spotless union,” in the following verse: 17 pati-putra-suhrd-bhraty-pitṛvan-matrvad-dharim ye dhyayanti sadodyuktas tebhyo’piha namo namah yat-paty-apatya-suhrdam anuvṛttir anga striņām sva-dharma iti dharma-vida tvayoktam astv evam etad upadesa-pade tvayise prestho bhavams tanu-bhṛtām kila bandhur ātmā 18 gopinām tat-patinam ca sarveṣām eva dehinām yo’ntascarati so’dhyakṣaḥ kridaneneha dehabhak 677III The Practice of Bhakti My beloved gopis, even with a lifespan as long as Brahma, I can- not repay the supremely virtuous service rendered by you (sva- sadhu-krtyam), whose union with Me is completely pure and faultless, and who have completely cut asunder the stringent bonds of household life just to serve Me. So, may your virtuous deeds be repaid by your own nobility. (SB 10.32.22 ) 19 तादृशानामन्येषामपि तद्भावो दृश्यते । यथा पाद्मोत्तरखण्डवचनम्- Like the gopis, others have also attained this type of feeling state (bhāva) for Bhagavān, as pointed out in the Uttarakhanda of Padma Purana: पुरा महर्षयः सर्वे दण्डकारण्यवासिनः । दृष्ट्वा रामं हरिं तत्र भोक्तुमैच्छन् सुविग्रहम् ॥ १०३० || ते सर्वे स्त्रीत्वमापन्नाः समुद्भूताश्च गोकुले । हरिं सम्प्राप्य कामेन ततो मुक्ता भवार्णवात् ॥ १०३१ ॥ इति । Previously, when all the great sages residing in the Dandaka Forest saw Rāma, the desire arose in them to enjoy with Bhaga- van Hari, whose form is extraordinarily delightful. [In a future life] they all attained female forms and were born in Gokula. Attaining Hari [Krsna] through amorous love (kama), they were delivered from the ocean of material bondage. (Padma Purāņa, Uttarakhanda 245.164-165 ) 20 अतः पुरुषेष्वपि स्त्रीभावेनोद्भवाद् भगवद्विषयत्वान् न प्राकृतकामदेवोद्भावितः प्राकृतः कामोऽसौ किन्तु " साक्षान् मन्मथमन्मथः” ( भा० १० । ३२।२) इति श्रवणादागमादौ तस्य कामत्वेनोपासनाच्च भगवदेकोद्भावितोऽप्राकृत एवासौ काम इति ज्ञेयम् । Therefore, because this amorous passion (kama) felt by a woman for her paramour (stri-upapati-bhava) appears even in men and 19 20 na paraye’ham niravadya-samyujam sva-sadhukṛtyam vibudhayusäpi vah ya mabhajan durjara-geha-srnkalah samvrscya tad vah pratiyatu sädhuna pura maharsayaḥ sarve dandakaranya-vasinaḥ drstva ramam harim tatra bhoktum aicchan suvigraham te sarve stritvam apannah samudbhutas ca gokule harim samprapya kamena tato mukta bhavarnavat 678 320 Perfection in Bhakti Can Be Attained through Kama because it has Bhagavan as its object, it is not material pas- sion (präkṛta-kama) incited by the material Cupid (präkṛta- kamadeva). Rather, it is to be understood as completely tran- scendental (aprākṛta), because it is aroused only by Bhagavan, who is worshiped in the Agamas as the transcendental Cupid and who is described by Suka as the enchanter of Cupid: “Śrī Kṛṣṇa is directly the Cupid who bewilders the mind even of Cupid himself” (SB 10.32.2).21 श्रीमदुद्धवादीनां परमभक्तानामपि च तच्छलाघा श्रूयते " एताः परं तनुभृतो भुवि गोपव- ध्वः” (भा० १० १४७।५८) इत्यादी । Even great devotees such as Uddhava have praised this type of amorous desire: Among all embodied beings on this earth, these cowherd women are supreme, because they are intrinsically endowed with the highest love (rudha-bhava) exclusively for Govinda, the Self of the entire cosmos. Such intensity of love is aspired for not only by those who fear material existence [the mumuksus], but also by the sages [the muktas], and even by us [the bhaktas]. Of what value then are the three births of a brahmana [or repeated birth as Brahma] for one in whom aesthetic relish for the stories of the infinite Lord has been awakened? (SB 10.47.58)22 Commentary The third possibility, that kama in regard to Bhagavan is sinful because scriptures have declared it as such, is also not true, because there are no scriptural statements to this effect, regardless of whether Krsna is considered as a husband or a paramour. The queens in Dvaraka were duly married to Krsna, and their position has been praised by Sukadeva himself, whose vision was so utterly 21 saksan-manmatha-manmathaḥ 22 etah param tanu-bhrto bhuvi gopa-vadhvaḥ govinda eva nikhilatmani rudha-bhavaḥ vañchanti yad-bhava-bhiyo munayo vayam ca kim brahma-janmabhir ananta-katha-rasasya 679 III The Practice of Bhakti pure (vivikta-drsteh, SB 1.4.5) that he did not even distinguish oth- ers as either male or female. The gopis, on the other hand, were not married to Krsna and accepted Him as their paramour. Yet, their love is so pristine that the greatest of transcendentalists, be they mumuksus, jīvan-muktas, or devotees such as Uddhava, covet love for Kṛṣṇa like that of the gopis. In this regard, they can only aspire for such love but have no possibility of actually obtaining it independently, because it can come about only by the blessings of the gopis or those who have received their blessings. The gopis’ love has been praised even by Krsna Himself. Indeed, in the matter of loving service, He feels defeated by them and unqualified to reciprocate the extent of their love. Consequently, their love, which appears outwardly as amorous desire (kama), cer- tainly cannot be sinful. To say nothing of the queens and the gopis, even Kubja’s kama has been shown to be free from any taint of sin. In this manner, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmi demonstrates that kama toward Krsna is not sinful by its very nature. To corroborate his point, Sri Jīva gives the example of the sons of Agni. According to Kurma Purana, the sons of Agni were saintly by nature, yet they undertook austerities to become Krsna’s wives in their next birth. If such a relation were sinful, then they would certainly not have desired it. This story also informs us that it is not only female sädhakas who aspire for an amorous relation with Krsna but even male sadhakas desire it. This implies that such a rela- tion is not sexual, because these highly realized adepts had tran- scended all considerations of gender. It is a relation in pure love to serve Krsna. Another such example is found in Padma Purana, Uttara- khanda (245.164-165) 23 When Bhagavan Rama was exiled to the Dandakaranya Forest, the sages undergoing tapasya therein became enamored by His beauty. He reminded them of Krsna, on whom they were meditating. On seeing Him, the longing arose 23 pura maharsayaḥ sarve dandakaranya-vasinaḥ drstva rāmam harim tatra bhoktum aicchan suvigraham te sarve stritvam apannaḥ samudbhutas ca gokule harim samprapya kamena tato mukta bhavarnavat 680 320 Perfection in Bhakti Can Be Attained through Kama within them to attain transcendental female forms and to become established in a loving relationship with Krsna. By virtue of this longing, they were born as gopis during Krsna’s descent on earth and attained Krsna by means of kama (harim samprāpya kamena, PP 6.245.165). Therefore, their kama cannot be sinful. This story from Padma Purana is related by Siva to Parvati, who then raised a doubt about the relation between the gopis and Kṛṣṇa. To her, this relation appeared immoral, because as far as she knew, the gopïs were wives of the cowherd men, and not of Krsņa. Šiva replied that this relation is not immoral, because Kṛṣṇa’s “husband- ship” is innate, since He is the Immanent Self of all atmas and the Supreme Lord of the entire cosmos (naisargikasya bhartṛtväd ätmeśatväj jagat-pateḥ, PP 6.245.176). Hence, the gopis’ kama toward Kṛṣṇa is not material but spiritual (aprakṛta). In other words, it is prema. 320.4 Even the Vedas Personified Attained the State of Amorous Love किं बहुना ? श्रुतीनामपि तद्भावो बृहद्वामने प्रसिद्धः । यतस्तत्र श्रुतयोऽपि नित्यसिद्धगो- पिकाभावाभिलाषिण्यस्तद्रूपेणैव तद्गणान्तःपातिन्यो बभूवुरिति प्रसिद्धिः । What more need be said? It is well known from the Brhad- vämana Purāṇa that even the Vedas personified acquired the mood of amorous love for Śrī Kṛṣṇa (tad-bhava). This is evi- denced by the fact that even the personified Śrutis coveted the bhava of the nitya-siddha gopis, and by acquiring gopi forms, they were ultimately included within their group, as is renowned in the same text. एतत् प्रसिद्धिसूचकमेवैतदुक्तं ताभिरेव (भा० १० १८७।२३) - The Śrutis themselves hint at this celebrated fact in these words: निभृतमरुन्मनोऽक्षदृढयोगयुजो हृदि यन् मुनय उपासते तदरयोऽपि ययुः स्मरणात् । 681 III The Practice of Bhakti स्त्रिय उरगेन्द्रभोगभुजदण्डविषक्तधियो वयमपि ते समाः समदृशोऽङ्घ्रिसरोजसुधाः || १०३२ ॥ इति । Simply by remembrance of You [out of enmity or fear], even Your enemies attained the same [Absolute] that the sages meditate upon within their hearts while regulating the vital breath, mind, and senses through resolute engagement in yoga. [Accordingly,] the [cowherd] women, whose minds were firmly fixed upon Your sleek serpentine arms, obtained the nectar of Your lotus feet. We too, who are endowed with the same internal vision [i.e., bhava], have attained identity [with them] and have thus obtained the same nectar of Your lotus feet. (SB 10.87.23)24 विस्पष्टश्चायमर्थः । यद् ब्रह्माख्यं तत्त्वं शास्त्रदृष्ट्या प्रयासबाहुल्येन मुनय उपासते तदरयोऽपि यस्य स्मरणात् तदुपासनां विनैव ययुः । तथा स्त्रियः श्रीगोपसुभ्रुवस्ते तव श्रीनन्दनन्दनरूपस्योरगेन्द्रदेहतुल्यौ यौ भुजदण्डौ तत्र विषक्तधियः सत्यस्तवैवाङ्घ्रिसरो- जसुधास्तदीयस्पर्शविशेषजातप्रेममाधुर्याणि ययुः । वयं श्रुतयोऽपि समदृशस्तत्तुल्यभा- वाः सत्यः समास्तादृशगोपिकात्वप्राप्त्या तत्साम्यमाप्तास्त एवाङ्घ्रिसरोजसुधा ययिम यातवत्य इत्यर्थः । The clear meaning of this verse is as follows: The Absolute Real- ity (tattvam), known as Brahman, which the sages meditate upon (upasate) with tremendous effort guided by scriptural vision, was attained even by the enemies of Bhagavan sim- ply through remembrance of Him, without any such upasana. Accordingly, the beautifully-browed cowherd women, whose minds were firmly fixed upon the sleek serpentine arms of You, the son of Nanda Mahārāja, obtained the nectar (sudha) of Your lotus feet (anghri-saroja), meaning that they attained the mel- lifluousness of divine love (prema-mädhurya), born of a special type of contact (sparśa-visesa) with Your lotus feet. We too, the Śrutis, being endowed with “the same internal vision” (sama- drśaḥ), i.e., “the same bhava” as the gopis, have attained identity 24 nibhrta-marun-mano’ksa-drdha-yoga-yujo hrdi yan munaya upasate tad-arayo’pi yayuh smaraṇāt striya uragendra-bhoga-bhuja-danda-vişakta-dhiyo vayam api te samah sama-drso’nghri-saroja-sudhaḥ 682 320 Perfection in Bhakti Can Be Attained through Kama (samah) with them, meaning that having attained the same existential status as gopis (gopikātva), we have attained equiva- lence with them (tat-samyam), which is to say that we too have obtained the nectar of Your lotus feet. अर्थवशाद् विभक्तिविपरिणामः । अङ्घीति सादरोक्तिः । [Regarding the application of the verb yayuḥ to the second line of the verse,] the case ending has been changed to fit the meaning.25 The word anghri, “foot,” is an indication of respect (ādara). अत्र तदरयोऽपि ययुः स्मरणादित्यनेन भावमार्गस्य झटित्यर्थसाधनत्वं दर्शितम् । " समदृशः " इत्यनेन रागानुगाया एव तत्र साधकतमत्वं व्यञ्जितम् । अन्यथा सर्वसा- धनसाध्यविदुष्यः श्रुतयोऽन्यथैव प्रवर्तेरन् । By stating that even the enemies of Bhagavan attained the same Absolute through remembrance, it is shown that the goal is quickly attained on the path of feeling-awareness (bhava- marga). The compound sama-drṣaḥ, “being endowed with the same internal vision [i.e., bhava],” indicates that raganuga is the best among all forms of sadhana. Otherwise, the Śrutis, who are perfectly conversant with all the different paths (sadhanas) and their respective goals (sādhyas), would certainly have adopted a different course. तथा स्मरणपरयुग्मद्वयेऽस्मिन् स्वस्वयुग्मे प्रथमस्य मुख्यत्वं द्वितीयस्य गौणत्वं दर्शि- तम् । उभयत्राप्यपिशब्दसाहित्येनोत्तरत्र पाठादेकार्थताप्राप्तेः । अतः स्त्रिय इति नित्याः श्रीगोपिका एव ता ज्ञेयाः । तथैव श्रुतिभिरिति श्रीकृष्णनित्यधाम्नि ता दृष्टा इति बृहद्वामन एव प्रसिद्धम् । This verse contains two sets of two individuals, all of whom are absorbed in remembrance. In each half of the verse, the set mentioned first [the sages or the gopis] is primary (mukhya), whereas that mentioned second [the enemies or “we”, the 25 The verb yayuh, “they [the enemies] attained,” is to be carried over into the second half of the verse, but there it would have to change its termination from the third to the first person plural (i.e., yayima) in accordance with the change in subject, from “the enemies” (arayah) to the pronoun “we” (vayam), i.e., “the Srutis,” who speak the verse. 683 III The Practice of Bhakti Śrutis] is subsidiary (gauna). This is understood because the word api appears in both halves [in connection with the sub- sidiary set, “even the enemies” or “even us”] and is read in the second quarter [i.e., the second or fourth line], leading to the conclusion that in both cases the subsidiary set of individuals is being equated with the primary set. So, the word striyah, “women,” is to be understood as referring specifically to the eternal gopis. These gopis are seen by the Śrutis in exactly the same manner in the eternal abode of Sri Krsna, as is well known in Brhad-vämana Purāņa. तदेवं साधु व्याख्यातम् “कामाद् द्वेषात् " ( भा० ७।१।२९) इत्यादौ " तदचं हित्वा” इत्यत्र तेषु मध्ये द्वेषभययोर्यदघमित्यादि ॥ Therefore, it was rightly concluded in regard to SB 7.1.29, cited at the beginning of this anuccheda, that the words tad-agham hitvä, “having been freed from their sins,” refers specifically to the abandonment of the sins of enmity (dvesa) and fear (bhaya), among the various feeling states mentioned, beginning with kāma. Commentary Śri Jiva Gosvāmī here concludes the discussion as to whether or not kāma in relation to Kṛṣṇa is sinful, like enmity (dveşa). After refut- ing the various arguments that would seem to support the idea of kama’s being sinful, Sri Jīva now provides evidence by citing the example of the Śrutis personified. The Śruti or Veda is not a mere book but also a person. This is stated in Padma Purana (6.228.21) 26 According to the 87th chapter of the Tenth Canto of the Bhāgavata, the Śrutis personified prayed to Bhagavan Nārāyaṇa. Here the word śruti refers to the mantras of the Vedas. This 26 dharma-jnana-tathaisvarya-vairagyaih pada-vigrahaih rg-yajuḥ-samatharvana-rupair nityam vrtam kramat See Bhagavat Sandarbha, Anuccheda 10.6, pp. 113. 684 320 Perfection in Bhakti Can Be Attained through Kama means that not only the Veda as a whole but also its mantras are per- sons. In Vedic society, the Vedas or Śrutis are the highest author- ity, being directly manifested by Bhagavan Himself and eternal like Him. Therefore, their conclusion is irrefutable. The Śrutis are per- fectly conversant with all the various paths leading to the ultimate good, such as karma, jñāna, yoga, and bhakti-yoga. Their personal preference, however, is raganuga-bhakti, because in the verse cited here (SB 10.87.23), they aspire for the amorous love of the gopis. This is not just a recommendation for others, rather they themselves covet this bhava. This shows the superiority of raganuga-bhakti over all other processes, including vaidhi-bhakti. In this manner, Sri Jiva Gosvāmi refutes the idea that kama for Krsna is sinful. 685 Anuccheda 321 Examples of Attaining Bhagavan through the Five Feeling States ३२१ । अथ “बहवस्तद्गतिं गताः” (भा० ७।१।२९) इत्यत्र निदर्शनमाह (भा० ७।१।३०) - IN THE NEXT verse, Śrī Narada elaborates on the statement “many people attained the supreme destination” (bahavas tad-gatim gatāh), mentioned in the previous verse (sB 7.1.29) : गोप्यः कामाद् भयात् कंसो द्वेषाच् चैद्यादयो नृपाः । सम्बन्धाद् वृष्णयः स्रेहाद् यूयं भक्त्या वयं विभो || १०३३ || O powerful King, the gopis [attained the supreme destination by absorbing their minds in Iśvara]’ through amorous desire ( kāma), Kamsa did so through fear (bhaya), Sisupala and other kings through enmity (dvesa), the Vrsnis through relationship ( sambandha), you Pandavas through affection ( sneha ), and we [Narada and other sages] through devotion (bhakti ). ( SB 7.1.30 ) 2 गोप्य इति साधकचरीणां गोपीविशेषाणां पूर्वावस्थामेवावलम्ब्योच्यते - वयमिति । यथा श्रीनारदस्य हि " प्रयुज्यमाने मयि तां शुद्धां भागवतीं तनुम् " ( भा० १।६।२९) इत्याद्यु- क्तरीत्या पार्षददेहत्वे सिद्धे तेन स्वयं वयमिति पूर्वावस्थामेवावलम्ब्योच्यते । तत्रैव वैधी भक्तिः । I 1 2 īśvare mana avesya tad-gatim gatah (Sri Ganga Sahaya) This comment is simply providing the syntactical connection between SB 7.1.29 and sB 7.1.30. The latter verse by itself contains no verb and no direct object. Hence, they must be drawn from the preceding verse to complete the sense. gopyah kamad bhayat kamso dvesac caidyadayo nṛpah sambandhad vṛṣṇayah snehad yuyam bhaktya vayam vibho 686 321 Examples of Attaining Bhagavan through the Five Feeling States The word gopyah here refers to specific gopis who were under- going practice as sädhakas prior to the stage of attainment [and not to the nitya-siddha-gopis]. Accordingly, the pronoun vayam, “we,” refers to Sri Narada as a sadhaka. He describes his attain- ment of a spiritual form as an associate of Bhagavan in these words: When I was endowed with that body of an associate of Bha- gavan, constituted of unalloyed being, the matured results of my previous actions were exhausted and my phenomenal body constituted of the five material elements fell off. (SB 1.6.29)3 So when Narada says [in SB 7.1.30], “we [attained the supreme destination] through devotion,” he is referring to his own stage of practice prior to this attainment. It was only at that time that he practiced vaidhi-bhakti. अधुना लब्धरागस्य तस्य “न मय्येकान्तभक्तानां गुणदोषोद्भवा गुणाः” (भा० ११ ॥ २० ॥३६) “गुणदोषदृशिर्दोषो गुणस्तूभयवर्जितः " ( भा० ११ । १९ । ४५ ) इति न्यायेन विध्यनधीना रागात्मिकैव विराजत इति । Having attained räga, Närada’s bhakti is now rägätmikā, no longer subservient to any sort of injunction (vidhi), as implied by the principle enunciated in these two statements: “Devotees who are one-pointedly intent on Me have no attributes (gunas) arising out of virtue and vice (guna-dosa)” (SB 11.20.36)* And: “To estimate the virtues and faults of others is itself a defect (dosa), whereas to be free from both evaluations is real virtue (guna)” (SB 11.19.45).5 3 4 5 अत एव " तद्गतिं गताः” इति तेषां फलप्राप्तेरप्यतीतत्वनिर्देशः । अत्र ता गोप्य इवाधुनि- क्यश्च तद्गुणादिश्रवणेनैव तद्भावा भवेयुः । Therefore, when Narada says in SB 7.1.29, “many attained the supreme destination” (bahavas tad-gatim gataḥ), the result prayujyamane mayi tām suddhaṁ bhagavatim tanum arabdha-karma-nirvano nyapatat panca-bhautikah na mayy ekanta-bhaktanam guna-dosodbhava gunah guna-dosa-drsir doso gunas tūbhaya-varjitah 687III The Practice of Bhakti attained by them is spoken of as having taken place in the past. So the implication of the very next verse (SB 7.1.30) is that just as these sädhaka-gopis attained perfection through amorous desire (kāma), current sädhakas as well can become invested with the gopis’ bhāva simply by hearing about their virtues and so on.” यथोक्तम् (भा० १०।९० | २६) - [That such an attainment is possible simply by hearing] is affirmed by Śri Suka: श्रुतमात्रोऽपि यः स्त्रीणां प्रसह्याकर्षते मनः । उरुगायोरुगीतो वा पश्यन्तीनां च किं पुनः || १०३४ ॥ इति । Simply by hearing the songs about Śrī Kṛṣṇa, of Supreme Glory, which are sung in innumerable ways through exquisite hymns and poetry, the minds of women are irresistibly drawn to Him, so what more need be said of those [i.e., Krsna’s queens] who see Him directly? (SB 10.90.26)” अथवा पार्षदचरस्यापि चैद्यस्यागन्तुकोपद्रवाभासनाशदर्शनेनैव साधकत्वनिर्देशः । Sisupala, on the other hand, was previously an eternal asso- ciate of Bhagavan in Vaikuntha [and thus cannot be said to have attained Bhagavan through practice]. So although this is the case, he is spoken of in the context of sädhakas only to demonstrate the destruction of his incidental apparent animosity. सम्बन्धाद् यः स्रेहो रागस्तस्माद् वृष्णयो यूयं चेत्येकम् “तस्माद् वैरानुबन्धेन ” ( भा० ७।१।२५) इत्यादौ “पञ्चानाम्” (भा० ७।१।३१) इति वक्ष्यमाणानुरोधात् । 7 Alternatively, the pronoun tat in Sri Jiva’s statement tad-gunadi-sravanenaiva could refer to Krsna instead of the gopis. In that case, the statement would mean that just as these sadhaka-gopīs attained perfection through amorous desire (kama), current sadhakas as well can become invested with the gopis’ bhava simply by hearing about Krsna’s virtues and so on. This is relevant, since the verse cited as evidence (SB 10.90.26) speaks about the attainment of the gopis’ bhava by hearing about Kṛṣṇa. sruta-matro’pi yah strīņām prasahyakarṣate manaḥ urugãyoru-gito va pasyantinam ca kim punah 688 321 Examples of Attaining Bhagavan through the Five Feeling States [In SB 7.1.30,] the sneha, or “affection,” that is born of “familial relationship” (sambandha) is understood as raga, or “intensified affection.” Both the Vrsnis and the Pandavas attained Bhagavān through this type of raga, and as such, the two of them are given as examples of one feeling state. This conclusion is required to preserve the consistency of meaning with SB 7.1.25 and SB 7.1.29, since this verse [SB 7.1.30] is given as an example to illustrate the five feeling states [bhavas] mentioned in those two verses. This conclusion is again supported by the fact that in the next verse (SB 7.1.31), Śuka refers only to five feeling states (pañcānām)? उभयत्रापि सम्बन्धस्रेहयोर्द्वयोरपि विद्यमानत्वाच्च सम्बन्धग्रहणं रागस्यैव विशेषत्वज्ञा- पनार्थम् । गोपीवदत्रापि साधकचरा वृष्णिविशेषाः पाण्डवसम्बन्धिविशेषाश्च पूर्वावस्था- मवलम्ब्य साधकत्वेन निर्दिष्टाः । अतः सम्बन्धजस्रेहोऽपि तदभिरुचिमात्रं ज्ञेयम् । Furthermore, because both the Vṛṣṇis and the Pandavas are related to Kṛṣṇa (sambandha) and have affection for Him (sneha), the word sambandha is employed here to make evident the spe- cific nature of this intensified affection (räga). Just as the gopis mentioned in this verse were sadhakas [and not the eternally perfect gopis], the Vṛṣṇis referred to were specific members of that dynasty undergoing practice as sädhakas. And in the case 8 In Bhakti-rasamṛta-sindhu (3.2.79), it is said that sambhrama-priti increases from prema to sneha, to raga. Hence, raga is understood as an intensified state of sneha. Raga is defined as follows in BRS 3.2.87: “That sneha by which even sorrow turns to joy even by the slightest contact with Śri Krsna is called raga. In this state of raga, the devotee can even give up his own life for Krsna’s pleasure.” Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti comments that when sneha is enhanced by this type of excellence (etadrśotkarsa), it becomes rāga. Thus, rāga is understood as “intensified or enhanced sneha.” Here also, Sri Jiva terms the sneha that is born of sambandha as “intensified sneha” or raga. This is to say that sneha combined with sambandha involves a stronger feeling of love than simple sneha, or sneha unfortified by sambandha. " Sri Jiva is explaining here that SB 7.1.30 provides examples of those who attained perfection through the five feeling states mentioned in SB 7.1.25 and SB 7.1.29. Yet the verse itself mentions six groups of individuals. Consequently, for SB 7.1.30 to accord with the meaning of the two preceding verses, the Vrsnis and the Pandavas must be understood as having the same bhava, since both of them had sneha combined with sambandha. Sri Jiva terms this intensified form of sneha, or sneha born of sambandha, as rāga. 689 III The Practice of Bhakti of the Pandavas, the reference is to some of their relatives who were also sadhakas prior to the stage of attainment. Therefore, even in the matter of their affection (sneha) born out of familial relationship (sambandha), what is intended is only a profound taste (abhiruci) for such affection.10 भक्त्या विहितया । अस्या एव प्रतिलब्धत्वेन भावमार्गं निर्देष्टुमुपक्रान्तत्वात् ॥ The word bhaktyä, “through devotion,” means “through the path prescribed by scriptural injunctions” (vihitaya) [i.e., vaidhi- bhakti]. This is understood because Narada took up this topic to instruct about the path of bhava that can be attained through the maturation of devotion cultivated in accordance with scriptural codes. Commentary IN THIS ANUCCHEDA, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī cites the next verse in the series spoken by sage Narada (SB 7.1.30), in which he gives exam- ples of people who attained Bhagavan by way of the five feeling states (bhavas) mentioned in the previous verse. In SB 7.1.25, the five feeling states are specified as vairānubandha, nirvaira, bhaya, sneha, and kama. In SB 7.1.29, they are said to be kama, dvesa, bhaya, sneha, and bhakti. In these two verses, kāma, sneha, and bhaya are common to both. Vairānubandha is the same as dveșa, and nirvaira refers to vaidhi-bhakti. Thus, the five bhāvas are kāma, dvesa, bhaya, sneha, and vaidhi-bhakti. In the verse cited in the present anuccheda (SB 7.1.30), there is an additional bhava - that of “familial relationship” (sambandha). This would make six feeling states. But in the very next verse (SB 7.1.31), the number five is explicitly mentioned (pancānām). To bring the present verse into accord with the two earlier verses and the one that follows, Śrī Jiva Gosvami reasons that sambandha and 10 As explained by Sri Jiva in Anuccheda 310, ruci for the raga of Krsna’s eternal associates, prior to the actual appearance of raga itself, is the basis of raganuga-bhakti. Since the Vrsnis and Pandavas being referred to were raganuga-sadhakas, their sneha refers to ruci for such sneha. 690 321 Examples of Attaining Bhagavan through the Five Feeling States sneha are not two separate feeling states, but only different degrees of sneha. Sambandha refers to the specific type of sneha that is born of sambandha. Sneha can be with or without a blood relation (sambandha). Both the Pandavas and the Vrsnis are blood-relatives of Krsna. There is a natural sneha in a blood relation, and generally it is stronger than the sneha that is outside of a blood relation. There is a saying that blood is thicker than water. Thus effectively, only five feeling states are referred to in SB 7.1.30, and there is no discord with the other verses. The other thing to be kept in mind is that the gopis, the Pandavas, and the Vrsnis are all eternal associates of Krsna. Sisupala was also a doorkeeper in Vaikuntha before being cast into temporary appar- ent oblivion and enmity for the sake of Bhagavan’s lilā. So how can it be said that they attained Krsna by any form of sadhana? Śrī Jiva replies that the gopis, the Pandavas, and the Vrsnis mentioned in SB 7.1.30 are not Bhagavan’s well-known eternal asso- ciates but sadhakas, who attained corresponding perfected bhāvas by practicing rägänuga-bhakti following in their moods. In the case of Sisupala, his being mentioned in the context of sadhakas is simply to show that he gave up his temporary mood of animosity and became reinstated in his original position as a Vaikuntha door- keeper. It was pointed out earlier that his mood of enmity is not prescribed for sadhakas. Out of the five bhavas mentioned in these verses, vaidhi-bhakti is the only one that does not involve natural absorption (svābhāvika- avesa) in Kṛṣṇa because of its emotional neutrality (audāsīnyam), as implied by the word nirvaira in SB 7.1.25. The entire discussion beginning from the latter verse was undertaken to demonstrate that the path of absorption through feeling-awareness (bhava- marga) is superior to vaidhi-bhakti, which is based on and impelled by scriptural injunctions. Vaidhi-bhakti, however, also culminates in bhava, as stated by Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī (BRS 1.2.293): “The practitioner who is eligi- ble to follow vaidhi-bhakti remains dependent on sastra and logic favorable to sastra until the manifestation of bhava.” Once bhava 691 III The Practice of Bhakti becomes manifest in the heart, one no longer depends upon sastric injunctions. At this stage, bhava itself impels the devotional acts of the bhakta. Sri Jiva also suggests that just as in the past these sadhakas attained Kṛṣṇa through bhava, contemporary sadhakas can also attain the same bhava for Kṛṣṇa simply by hearing the narrations of His devotees, such as the gopis. Therefore, one should regularly hear books like Bhagavata Purana. 692 Anuccheda 322 Enmity Is Rejected As a Valid Means ३२२ । यदि द्वेषेणापि सिद्धिस्तर्हि वेणः किमिति नरके पातितः ? इत्याशङ्क्याह “कतमोऽपि न वेणः स्यात् पञ्चानां पुरुषं प्रति” (भा० ७ । १ । ३१) इति । IF PERFECTION can be attained even by enmity (dvesa), why is it that Vena was cast into hell? Anticipating such a question, Śrī Narada speaks the next verse: “Vena did not have any one of these five feeling states toward the Purusa [i.e., Bhagavān]” (SB 7.1.31).1 पुरुष भगवन्तं प्रति लक्ष्यीकृत्य पञ्चानां वैरानुबन्धादीनां मध्ये वेणः कतमोऽपि न स्यात् । तस्य तं प्रति प्रासङ्गिकनिन्दामात्रात्मकं वैरं न तु वैरानुबन्धः । ततस्तीव्रध्यानाभावात् पापमेव तत्र प्रतिफलितमिति भावः । ततोऽसुरतुल्यस्वभावैरपि तस्मिन् स्वमोक्षार्थं वैरभावानुष्ठान साहसं न कर्तव्यमित्यभिप्रेतम् । अत एव “ये वै भगवता प्रोक्ताः " ( भा० ११।२।३४) इत्यादेरप्यतिव्याप्तिर्व्याहन्यते - अनभिप्रेतत्वेनाप्रोक्तत्वात् ॥ Veņa did not have any of the five feeling states already described, beginning with unceasing enmity (vairānubandha), in relation to the Purusa, i.e., Bhagavan. Although he did exhibit enmity (vaira) toward Bhagavan in the form of occasional criticism, his enmity was not unbroken ( na tu vairānubandhah ). Conse- quently, because he lacked the intensity of absorption in medi- tation on Bhagavan, his enmity or criticisms resulted only in sin. So the intention here is to show that for the attainment of their own liberation, even those whose nature is like that of an asura should not dare to adopt the attitude of enmity (vaira-bhāva) I katamo’pi na venah syat pancanam purusam prati 693 III The Practice of Bhakti toward Bhagavan. Thus, in the definition of bhagavata-dharma given in the verse below, the possibility of there being an over- extension of the rule (ativyäpti) is negated, because enmity, being outside the scope of Bhagavan’s intent, was not spoken of by Him: All those methods indeed that were spoken of by Bhagavan as the means by which unenlightened humanity can easily attain immediate realization of the Self, you should know to be bhagavata-dharma. (SB 11.2.34)2 Commentary SRI JIVA GOSVAMI makes it perfectly clear that enmity toward Bha- gavän is not a valid means to attain Him. One may then question- so what is the point behind the story of Sisupala? Why bring him up at all? The answer is that this story is meant to inform us about the power of absorption (avesa) in Bhagavan. What liberates one is the absorption in Bhagavan, not the enmity. To make this explicit, Sri Narada gives the example of King Vena. Vena was an atheis- tic king, who declared that nobody should worship Visnu or Krsna, perform any yajña, or engage in any religious acts prescribed by the Veda (SB 4.14.23-28). Even in all this, his mind was not absorbed in Bhagavan as was the case with Sisupala. Therefore, after death, he went to hell for engaging in forbidden acts because he had only enmity devoid of absorption. Consequently, one should not follow in the footsteps of King Vena. To make his point clear, Narada Rṣi gives the positive example of Sisupala and the negative example of Vena. 2 Following Sisupala is not possible, because nobody has natural enmity like him. One may argue that just as by following vaidhi- bhakti, a practitioner comes to the preliminary stage of love (bhava), ye vai bhagavata prokta upaya hy atma-labdhaye anjah pumsam avidusam viddhi bhagavatan hi tan See Anuccheda 216 for a thorough discussion of this verse. 694 322 Enmity Is Rejected As a Valid Means so too one can also practice vaidhi-dveşa and will attain absorp- tion like Sisupala. This argument, however, is completely false. It has been explained earlier that bhakti is the intrinsic potency of Bhagavan and that it descends into the heart of a sadhaka by the grace of Bhagavan or His devotee. By practicing dvesa, grace will never become available. Moreover, there is no recommendation anywhere in the scriptures to take to such a process. Vaidhi means that which is prescribed by sastra. Hence, vaidhi-dvesa is an oxy- moron. One cannot attain Bhagavan by concocting one’s own pro- cess or by misinterpreting the scriptures. If we aspire to the goal described in scripture, then we need to follow sastra tenaciously. Otherwise, we live only in the false hope of becoming successful. 695 Anuccheda 323 Fix the Mind on Kṛṣṇa by Whatsoever Means 1 ३२३ । यस्मादेवम् “तस्मात् केनाप्युपायेन मनः कृष्णे निवेशयेत्” (भा० ७।१।३१ ) इति । THIS IS SO, because [Śrī Kṛṣṇa is attained] in the following man- ner: “Therefore, one should absorb the mind in Kṛṣṇa by any means whatsoever” (SB 7.1.31). अत्रापि पूर्ववन् निवेशयेदिति सम्मतिमात्रं न विधिः । [It was already pointed out in Anuccheda 317, regarding sB 7.1.25, that the verb yunjyāt, “ one should absorb [the mind],” is in the optative mood, indicating possibility (sambhavana) and not an injunction.] In this verse also (SB 7.1.31), as in the prior case [sB7.1.25], the verb niveśayet, “one should absorb [the mind],” indicates simple approval (sammati) and not an injunction. [This is because mental absorption cannot come about through injunctions.] T केनापि तेष्वप्युपायेषु युक्ततमेनैकेनेत्यर्थः । अहो यस्तादृशबहुप्रयत्नसाध्यवैधीभक्तिमा- र्गेण चिरात् साध्यते स एवाचिराद् भावविशेषमात्रेण तत्र च द्वेषादिनापि । तस्मादेवम्भूते परमसद्गुणस्वभावे तस्मिन् दूरेऽस्तु पामरजनभावस्य वैरस्य वार्ता को वाधम औदास्य- मवलम्ब्य प्रीतिमपि न कुर्यादिति रागानुगायामेव तच्च युक्ततमत्वमङ्गीकृतं भवति ॥ श्रीनारदः श्रीयुधिष्ठिरम् ॥ The statement, “by any means whatsoever,” implies “by the most suitable method among those already mentioned.” It is a tasmat kenapy upayena manah krsne nivesayet 696 323 Fix the Mind on Krsna by Whatsoever Means great wonder that the very thing [i.e., avesa in Bhagavan] that is brought about after a long time by the path of vaidhi-bhakti, which is perfected only with great endeavor, is quickly attained simply through a specific feeling state (bhāva-viseṣa), including even enmity (dveşa). Thus, because Bhagavan’s nature is so sup- remely virtuous that He awards the highest destination to those who become absorbed in Him even out of enmity, let us not even consider the case of the vile person who would approach Him with such an inimical feeling (vaira-bhava). Rather, who is that petty person who could remain indifferent to Bhagavan, with- out even feeling any love for Him? Thus, it is concluded that rāgānuga-bhakti is the most suitable means to absorb the mind in Kṛṣṇa among the different attitudes mentioned previously. Commentary THE BEAUTY OF POETRY is in its implied meaning, or vyañjana- vṛtti. Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī concludes that the essential message of the entire episode of the killing of Sisupāla is summarized in this verse (SB 7.1.31). The important thing is absorption in Kṛṣṇa. It is to con- vey this instruction that Sisupala’s enmity was given as an example. We have no experience of raganuga-bhakti, and thus to understand the absorption arising from rāgānuga is a complete mystery. We do, however, have direct experience of dveşa and can understand how the mind becomes absorbed in an object of dvesa. Thus, dvesa is given as an example to help us understand the nature of the men- tal absorption that arises out of devotion. An example is defined as that which is commonly known and which serves to make intelli- gible something unknown. By this discussion, the superiority of rāgānuga-bhakti over vaidhi-bhakti has been established. 697Anuccheda 324 Bhakti Is Never To Be Found in Enmity ३२४ । तदेवं भावमार्गसामान्यस्यैव बलवत्त्वेऽपि कैमुत्येन रागानुगायामेवाभिधेयत्व- माह ( भा० ११।५।४८) - IN THIS MANNER, although the path of feeling-awareness (bhāva-marga) in general is extremely powerful, by reference to the a fortiori (kaimutya) principle in the following statement, Śrī Narada determines rāgānuga-bhakti alone as the abhidheya, or the recommended means of attaining Bhagavän: वैरेण यं नृपतयः शिशुपालशाल्वपौण्ड्रादयो गतिविलासविलोकनाद्यैः । ध्यायन्त आकृतिधियः शयनासनादौ तद्भावमापुरनुरक्तधियां पुनः किम् ॥ १०३५ ।। Out of enmity, kings like Sisupäla, Paundraka, and Salva con- stantly thought of Krsna’s gait, graceful play, glances, and so on, even while lying down on their beds or sitting comfortably. Consequently, their minds were imprinted with the shape of Krsna’s form, and ultimately they attained the liberated state of similarity with His form. So how much more must this be the case for those whose consciousness is fully absorbed in Him out of love? (SB 11.5.48)1 1 vairena yam nrpatayah sisupäla-salva- 698 paundradayo gati-vilasa-vilokanadyaih dhyayanta akṛti-dhiyah sayanasanadau tad-bhavam apur anurakta-dhiyam punah kim 324 Bhakti Is Never To Be Found in Enmity आकृतिधियस्तत्तदाकारा धीर्येषाम् । एवमेवोक्तं गारुडे- The compound akṛti-dhiyah means “those whose minds were imprinted with the shape of Krsna’s form.” The same point is made in Garuda Purana: अज्ञानिनः सुरवरं समधिक्षिपन्तो यं पापिनोऽपि शिशुपालसुयोधनाद्याः । मुक्तिं गताः स्मरणमात्रविधूतपापाः कः संशयः परमभक्तिमतां जनानाम् || १०३६ ॥ इति । Even ignorant and sinful people like Sisupala and Duryodhana, who severely criticized the best of the gods, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, became free of their sins simply by remembering Him and thus attained liberation. So what doubt can there be that those endowed with supreme devotion to Him will attain their aspired for destination? (Garuda Purana, Acara-kanda 227.35 ) 2 अतः “यथा वैरानुबन्धेन” (भा० ७।१।२६) इत्यत्र वैरानुबन्धस्य सर्वत आधिक्यं न योजनी- यम् । यच्च ( भा० ३ ११६ ३१ ) - Therefore, one should not misinterpret Narada’s earlier state- ment (sB 7.1.26 ) 3 to mean that unceasing enmity (vairānuba- ndha) is the best of all feeling states with which to approach Bha- gavän. In this regard, we may also examine Bhagavan Vişņu’s statement to Jaya and Vijaya: मयि संरम्भयोगेन निस्तीर्य ब्रह्महेलनम् । प्रत्येष्यतं निकाशं मे कालेनाल्पीयसा पुनः || १०३७ || इति जयविजय प्रति वैकुण्ठवचनम् । ajnanīnaḥ sura-varam samadhikṣipanto 2 yam papino’pi sisupala-suyodhanadyaḥ muktim gatah smarana-matra-vidhuta-papah 3 kah samsayah parama-bhakti-matam janānām For ease of reference, we repeat here the translation of SB 7.1.26: “The absorption in Bhagavan that a mortal being can [quickly (sighram)] attain [by meditating on Him (bhagavantam cintayan)] through continuous enmity cannot be attained by bhakti-yoga. This is my definite opinion.” 699 III The Practice of Bhakti Becoming free of your disrespect to the brahmanas by continu- ous absorption in Me through anger, you will again return to Me in a short period of time. (SB 3.16.31)* तदपि तदपराधाभासभोगार्थमेव संरम्भयोगाभासं विधत्ते - तत्प्राप्तेस्तयोः स्वाभावि- कसिद्धत्वात् । युद्धलीलार्थमेव तत्प्रपञ्चनात् । Here also, Bhagavan recommended unbroken absorption in Him through a mere semblance of anger (samrambha-yoga- äbhāsa) just to mitigate the semblance of the offense (aparādha- abhasa) Jaya and Vijaya committed toward the brahmanas. This is understood, [because as eternal associates of Bhagavan], their attainment of Him is priorly established by their constitutional nature (svabhävika-siddha), and because they appeared in this world simply to facilitate Bhagavan’s līlā of sportive combat (yuddha-līlā). अत्र द्वेषादावपि केचिद् भक्तित्वं मन्यन्ते तदसत् भक्तिसेवादिशब्दानामानुकूल्य एव प्रसिद्धेः । वैर तद्विरोधित्वेन तदसिद्धेश्च । पाद्मोत्तरखण्डे च भक्तिद्वेषादीनां च भेदोऽव- गम्यते- I In this matter, some people are of the opinion that bhakti is found even in enmity (dveşa) and other similar feelings. This is wrong, however, because it is well known that the words bhakti and seva connote a favorable temperament (anuküla), whereas enmity (vaira), being opposed to what is favorable, fails to meet the criterion of bhakti. In the Uttara-khanda of Padma Purana also, bhakti is differentiated from enmity (dvesa): 4 योगिभिर्दृश्यते भक्त्या नाभक्त्या दृश्यते क्वचित् । द्रष्टुं न शक्यो रोषाच्च मत्सराच्च जनार्दनः || १०३८ ॥ इत्यत्र च । Bhagavan is seen by the yogis through the eyes of devotion, but He can never be seen without devotion. Bhagavan Janar- dana [Krsna] can never be seen through anger or envy. (Padma Purana, Uttara-khanda 238.83b-84a)” mayi samrambha-yogena nistirya brahma-helanam pratyeşyatam nikasam me kalenalpiyasa punaḥ 5 yogibhir drsyate bhaktyä nabhaktya dṛsyate kvacit drastum na sakyo rosac ca matsarac ca janardanah 700 324 Bhakti Is Never To Be Found in Enmity ननु " मन्येऽसुरान् भागवतान्” (भा० ३।२।२४) इत्यादौ श्रीमदुद्भववाक्ये तेषामपि भागव- तत्वं निर्दिश्यते ? The question may thus be raised as to why Śri Uddhava described even the asuras as devotees in statements such as this: “I con- sider (manye) the asuras to be devotees (bhāgavatas)” (SB 3.2.24). मैवं यतो " मन्ये” इत्यनेनोत्प्रेक्षावगमात् न स्वयं भागवतत्वं तत्रास्तीत्येवं सिध्यतीति । It would be wrong to conclude that the asuras are devotees, because it is understood that the verb manye, “I consider,” is used in the sense of utprekṣa, or “poetic fancy” [which is evi- dent from the context of Uddhava’s exchange with Vidura]. It is thus established that the asuras do not actually possess the quality of being devotees (bhāgavatatvam). सा चोत्प्रेक्षा तेन तच्छोकौत्कण्ठ्यवता केवलदर्शनभाग्यांशेनैव रचिता युक्तैव । यथा “हन्त वयमेव तद्बहिर्मुखाः । येषामन्तिमसमये तन्मुखचन्द्रमसो दर्शनसम्भावनापि न विद्यते । येभ्यश्चासुरा अपि भागवताः । ये खलु तदानीं तन्मुखचन्द्रमसो दर्शनसौभाग्यं प्रापुः” इति । Uddhava’s fanciful poetic statement about the asuras (utprekṣā), being uttered by him when he was overwhelmed with grief and longing due to separation from Kṛṣṇa, who had just left the world, was quite appropriate, since it was made only with ref- erence to the asuras’ great fortune of being able see Kṛṣṇa at the time of their death, while opposing Him in battle. The substance of Uddhava’s poetic ascription (utprekṣa) is as follows: “Alas, we indeed must be indifferent to Bhagavan (bahirmukhāḥ) because we have no chance at all to behold His moon-like face at the time of our death. Even the asuras are devotees (bhāgavataḥ), more so than us, because at the time of death they were blessed with the great fortune of seeing the moon-like face of Bhagavan.” तस्मान् न द्वेषादौ कथञ्चिदपि भक्तित्वम् ॥ श्रीनारदः श्रीवसुदेवम् ॥ Therefore, bhakti is not at all to be found in enmity (dvesa) and other inimical feelings. 6 manye’suran bhagavatan 701 III The Practice of Bhakti Commentary IN BHAKTI SANDARBHA, Śrī Jiva first established that throughout Srimad Bhagavata, bhakti in general is the abhidheya, or the recom- mended means of attaining Bhagavan. He then went on to explain that bhakti is of two types - vaidhi and rāgānuga. Now in this anuccheda, he makes the further refinement that it is specifically rāgānuga-bhakti that is the abhidheya. To support this view, he cites a verse spoken by Narada, the foremost teacher of bhakti, to Krsna’s father Vasudeva. The implied meaning of this verse (SB 11.5.48) is that one should engage in raganuga-bhakti. This is the significance of the compound anurakta-dhiyam, lit., “of those whose conscious- ness is absorbed in Him out of love.” Normally, instructions are given by using the potential or optative mood (lin) and are known as vidhi-upadesa, “instructions that carry injunctive force.” In con- trast, instructions that are merely implied without resorting to an injunctive verb are called siddhopadesa, or “instructions (upadeśa) in which the injunction is priorly accomplished or given (siddha).” One should not misconstrue that Narada’s statement and other similar verses are recommending enmity toward Kṛṣṇa. The inten- tion of these verses is to stress the importance of absorption (avesa) in Krsna or loving attachment (anuraga) to Him. This is so because mere hatred cannot lead to liberation. This is understood from the history of King Vena, discussed in Anuccheda 322. In this regard, the following doubt may be raised. After Jaya and Vijaya had been cursed by the Kumāras, Bhagavan Vişņu instructed them that they would be freed from their curse and return to Him by adopting the yoga of anger (samrambha-yoga). From this, it might appear that enmity is a legitimate means to attain Bhagavan. Śrī Jiva comments, however, that since Jaya and Vijaya are eternal associates of Visņu, their attainment of Him is priorly established by their constitutional nature (svabhävika-siddha). As such, there is no possibility of them committing an offense. The complete impossibility of committing offenses is reached at prema-bhakti. Śrī Viśvanatha Cakravarti writes: “On the appear- ance of prema, the eradication of anarthas is complete (purna), and 702 324 Bhakti Is Never To Be Found in Enmity with the final attainment of Bhagavan, the eradication of anarthas is absolute (atyantiki), with no possibility of their reappearance” (Madhurya-kādambini 3)? On this basis, it is understood that Jaya and Vijaya’s so-called transgression against the Kumāras was not really an offense at all, but the mere appearance of an offense (aparādha-abhāsa). Accordingly, their anger or enmity toward Bhagavan was not real, but a mere semblance of anger (samrambha- abhasa). This feeling was manifested in them simply to facilitate Bhagavan’s lila of sportive combat. So their apparent offense and its redressal were both an external show. Śrī Jīva raises another issue. Some people consider dveṣa and fear as part of bhakti or as instrumental in its appearance. The expression bhaya-bhakti, or “devotion out of fear,” is popular. There is a famous chaupai (a four-line stanza) from Rama-carita- manasa to corroborate this idea: Although three days had elapsed, the apathetic ocean did not heed Bhagavan’s entreaty. Thereupon, Śrī Rāma indignantly said, “there can be no love without fear.” (Rama-carita-mānasa, Sundara-kanda 57) This was spoken by Rama when He petitioned the Indian Ocean to give Him way so that He could reach Lanka. The idea that enmity or fear can be part of bhakti is certainly a misunderstanding. The reason for this is that the basic defi- nition of bhakti is to act favorably for the pleasure of Bhagavan, ānukulyena kṛṣṇānusilanam (BRS 1.1.11). But in the feelings of anger, hatred, and fear, there is no intention of rendering favorable ser- vice. Rather, the motive is to destroy or harm the object of hatred or anger. In the case of fear, one may carry out service forcibly, but it is not undertaken with the aim of pleasing the object of service. Therefore, these negative emotions cannot be considered as a part or a cause of bhakti. The word priti, or affection, used by Bhagavan 7 premni pūrņā śri bhagavat-pada-präptāv atyantiki 8 9 vinaya na manata jada gae tini dina biti bole rama sakopa taba bhaya binu hoi na priti anyābhilăsită-sunyam jñāna-karmady-anāvṛtam anukulyena kṛṣṇānu-silanam bhaktir uttama 703 III The Practice of Bhakti Rama in the above chaupai, is in the sense of obedience and not love or devotion. The Padma Purana verse cited in this anuccheda is spoken by Prahlada to his father, who wanted to see Visnu so that he could fight with Him and kill Him. Prahlada makes it perfectly clear that Bhagavan cannot be seen by anger or envy. He can be seen only by bhakti. The logical conclusion is that neither anger nor envy are included in bhakti. Śrī Jiva raises a further doubt in this regard. He cites a state- ment by the great devotee Uddhava, who seems to have accepted the asuras as devotees (SB 3.2.24). Uddhava spoke this verse to Vidura when the two met on the banks of the Yamuna in Vṛnda- vana, after Kṛṣṇa had left the world. Uddhava was feeling over- whelmed with sorrow and considered himself utterly unfortunate. In this state, he imagined that the asuras were greater than him, because they were able to see Bhagavan at the time of their death, while being killed by Him. The word manye is used in the sense of conjecture or poetic fancy (utprekṣā), as stated in Sahitya-darpana (10.46): “The words manye, sanke, dhruvam, prayaḥ, nunam, and so on, are used in the sense of conjecture.”” Therefore, Uddhava’s statement in which he referred to the asuras as devotees is not to be taken in its primary or literal sense. It has only a contextual meaning and expresses Uddhava’s lamentation out of separation from his beloved master, Śri Krsna. 10 11 An utprekṣa is a kind of fanciful assumption or ascription, wherein the subject of the comparison (upameya) is imagined to possess the quality of that with which it is compared (upamana). Expressions like “I believe” (manye), “1 suspect” (sanke), “for sure” (dhruvam), “mostly” (prayah), and “surely” (nunam), are indicators of this figure of speech. manye sanke dhruvam prayo nunam ity evam adayaḥ 704 Rāgānuga-bhakti Is Primarily in regard to Kṛṣṇa Anucchedas 325-338 Anuccheda 325 Rāgānuga-bhakti Is Directed Primarily to Krsna in Gokula ३२५ । तदेवं रागानुगा साधिता । सा च श्रीकृष्ण एव मुख्या “गोप्यः कामात् " ( भा० ७ । १ । ३०) इत्यादिना तस्मिन्नेव दर्शितत्वात् । दैत्यानामपि द्वेषेणापि तस्मिन्नेवावेशलाभ- दर्शनात् सिद्धिप्राप्तेश्च । नान्यत्र तु कुत्राप्यशिन्य॑शे वा । अत एवोक्तम् “तस्मात् केनाप्यु- पायेन मनः कृष्णे " ( भा० ७ । १ । ३१) इत्यादि । IN THIS MANNER, rägänuga-bhakti has been established [as the abhidheya]. This path is directed primarily toward Śrī Kṛṣṇa [in contrast to other forms of Bhagavan], because the verse that serves as the basis of rāgānugā, i.e., “the gopis attained Him by amorous desire (kama)” (SB 7.1.30), has been shown to be exclusively in relation to Him. Furthermore, it was also shown that even the asuras attained absorption (āvesa) in Him alone even through enmity (dvesa), and that they also attained perfection (siddhi). This phenomenon does not occur with any other manifestation of Bhagavan, whether a complete (amsi) or a partial (amsa) manifestation. For this reason, Śrī Narada said: “Therefore, one should absorb the mind in Krsna by any means whatsoever” (SB 7.1.31). अतस्तादृशझटित्यावेशहेतूपासनालाभादेव स्वयमेकादशे वैधोपासना स्वस्मिन् नोक्ता किन्त्वन्यत्र चतुर्भुजाकार एव । तत्र च शुद्धस्य रागस्य श्रीगोकुल एव दर्शनात् । तत्र तु रागानुगा मुख्यतमा यत्र खलु स्वयं भगवानपि तेषां पुत्रादिभावेनैव विलसति “ये 1 tasmat kenapy upayena manaḥ krsne nivesayet 707III The Practice of Bhakti 〃 यथा मां प्रपद्यन्ते” (गीता ४ । ११ ) इत्यादेः “मल्लानामशनिः " ( भा० १० । ४३ ।१७ ) इत्यादेः “स्वेच्छामयस्य " ( भा० १० | १४ |२) इत्यस्माच्च । So, because it is specifically the adoption of rāgānugā worship that quickly leads to this absorption in Him, Kṛṣṇa has not spo- ken about vaidhi worship in regard to Himself in the Eleventh Canto; rather, vaidhi is spoken of elsewhere only in relation to His four-armed form. Additionally, it is also shown there [in the Eleventh Canto] that pure raga for Kṛṣṇa is found only in Śrī Gokula. In particular, rägänuga is supreme (mukhyatamā) there [in Gokula], where even Svayam Bhagavan Himself plays exclusively via the loving disposition (bhava) of a son, a friend, or a beloved of His devotees. This understanding is in confor- mity with Krsna’s statement in the Gitä: “I reciprocate with all those who seek refuge in Me in direct correspondence with the essential nature of their surrender” (GĪTĀ 4.11).? [An example of how Krsna appeared differently to different people in accordance with their bhava is given in this verse:] As Krsna entered the arena of Kamsa with His elder brother Balarama, He appeared differently to different groups of observers: to the wrestlers, He was perceived as a lightning bolt; to the ordinary menfolk, as the best of men; to the women, as the very embodiment of Cupid; to the cowherds, as a kins- man; to the unrighteous kings, as their punisher; to His par- ents, as their own child; to Kamsa, as death personified; to the ignorant, as corporeal; to the yogis, as the Absolute Truth; and to the Vrsnis, as their worshipful deity. (SB 10.43.17)3 Brahmä also confirmed the same in these words: “You mani- fest in accordance with the longing of Your respective devotees” (SB 10.14.2).* 2 ye yatha mam prapadyante tams tathaiva bhajamy aham 3 mallānām asanir nṛṇām nara-varaḥ strinam smaro mūrtiman gopanam sva-jano’satam kṣiti-bhujam sasta sva-pitroh sisuh mrtyur bhoja-pater viradavidusam tattvam param yoginam vrsninam para-devateti vidito rarigam gataḥ sagrajah 4 sveccha-mayasya 708 325 Raganuga-bhakti Is Directed Primarily to Krsna in Gokula ततश्च भक्तकर्तृकभोजनपानस्रपनवीजनादिलक्षणलालनेच्छापि तस्याकृत्रिमैव जायते । साधारणभक्तिसद्भावेनैव हि (गीता ९।२६ ) - Thus [although Bhagavan is supremely independent], His desire to be taken care of by His devotees, by eating the food and drinks they prepare for Him and by allowing them to bathe and fan Him, is certainly also real. Bhagavan graciously accepts even that which is offered with ordinary devotion, as shown in this statement: पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयं यो मे भक्त्या प्रयच्छति । तदहं भक्त्युपहृतमश्नामि प्रयतात्मनः || १०३९ ॥ इत्युक्तम् । If one offers Me with devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit, or water, I accept such an offering of love from that person of purified heart. (GĪTĀ 9.26)5 श्रीशुकदेवेन च तदेतदेवाकाङ्क्षया श्लाघितम् (भा०१०।१५।१७) – To show Bhagavan’s eagerness to be cared for in these various ways by His devotees, Śrī Sukadeva praised Kṛṣṇa’s friends: पादसंवाहनं चक्रुः केचित् तस्य महात्मनः । अपरे हतपाप्मानो व्यजनैः समवीजयन् ॥ १०४० ॥ इत्यादिना । Some greatly fortunate boys massaged the feet of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, while other sinless boys cooled His body with fans. (SB 10.15.17) नानेन चैश्वर्यस्य हानिः - तदानीमपि तस्यैश्वर्यस्यान्यत्र स्फुरद्रूपत्वात् । भक्तेच्छामय- त्वस्य चेशितरि प्रशंसनीयस्वभावत्वादेव । यथा श्रीव्रजेश्वरीबद्ध एव यमलार्जुनमोक्षं कृतवान् । तादृशैश्वर्येऽपि तस्मिन् श्रीव्रजेश्वरीवश्यतैव श्रीशुकदेवेन वन्दिता “एवं सन्द- र्शिता ह्यङ्ग” ( भा० १० । ९ । १९) इत्यादिना । 5 6 Sridhara Svami glosses this compound as sviyānāṁ bhaktanam yatha yatha iccha tatha tatha bhavatah, “You appear in this and that manner in accordance with the respective desires of Your own devotees.” patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktyä prayacchati tad aham bhakty upahṛtam aśnami prayatätmanah This verse is also found in SB 10.81.4. pada-samvahanam cakruh kecit tasya mahatmanaḥ apare hata-papmāno vyajanaiḥ samavijayan 709 III The Practice of Bhakti By this [submission to the will of His devotees], Bhagavan’s sup- reme majesty (aiśvarya) is not at all diminished, because even at such times, His majesty manifests elsewhere [in relation with other devotees]. Furthermore, although Bhagavan is the Sup- reme Controller (Isitr), His nature to be controlled by the will of His devotees (bhakta-icchamayatva) is highly praiseworthy. For example, even when He was bound with rope by His mother, Yasoda Devi, He liberated the Yamalarjuna trees. Although He possessed such majesty, Śrī Sukadeva praised only the quality of His submission to the love of Śrī Vrajeśvarī: My dear King, although Bhagavan Hari, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, is fully inde- pendent, and although this entire universe along with its rulers is subject to His control, He indeed demonstrated this nature of being controlled by His devotees. (SB 10.9.19)’ तस्माद् ये चाद्यापि तदीयरागानुगापरास्तेषामपि श्रीव्रजेन्द्रनन्दनत्वादिमात्रधर्मैरुपा- सना युक्ता । यथा गोवर्धनोद्धरणलब्धविस्मयान् श्रीगोपान् प्रत्युक्तं स्वयं भगवतैव श्रीविष्णुपुराणे (वि० पु० ५ | १३ |११ ) - Therefore, even those who are presently drawn to the path of rägänuga directed toward Kṛṣṇa, should worship Him exclu- sively according to His relevant characteristics (dharmas), such as His being the son of the king of Vraja, Śrī Nanda Mahārāja. This idea was affirmed by Svayam Bhagavan [Sri Kṛṣṇa] Himself to the cowherd men, who were struck with wonder by seeing Him lift Govardhana Hill, as described in Visņu Purana: 7 8 यदि वोऽस्ति मयि प्रीतिः श्लाघ्योऽहं भवतां यदि । तदात्मबन्धुसदृशी बुद्धिर्वः क्रियतां मयि ।। १०४१ ॥ If you love Me and if you regard Me as worthy of your praise, then [give up your sense of wonder and] think of Me as your most intimate friend and relative. (VP 5.13.11) evam sandarsita hy anga harina bhrtya-vasyata sva-vasenapi kṛṣṇena yasyedam sesvaram vase yadi vo’sti mayi pritih slaghyo’ham bhavatam yadi tad-atma-bandhu-sadrsi buddhir vaḥ kriyatam mayi 710 325 Ragānuga-bhakti Is Directed Primarily to Krsna in Gokula “तदाच बन्धुसदृशी बान्धवाः क्रियतां मयि” इति वा पाठः । An alternate reading of the second line is also found: “O my friends, if you consider Me as such, you may worship Me as your kinsman.” “19 तथा (वि० पु०५ | १३ | १२ ) - Similarly: नाहं देवो न गन्धर्वो न यक्षो न च दानवः । अहं वो बान्धवो जातो नातश्चिन्त्यमतोऽन्यथा ॥ १०४२ ॥ इति । I am neither a deva, nor a Gandharva, nor a Yaksa, nor a Danava. I have been born as your kinsman, so from now on do not think of Me otherwise. (vP5.13.12 ) 10 “युवां मां पुत्रभावेन ब्रह्मभावेन वासकृत् ” ( भा० १० ३।४५) इत्यत्र तु श्रीवसुदेवादीनामै- श्वर्यज्ञानप्रधानत्वाद् द्वयात्मिकैव भगवदनुमतिर्ज्ञेया । प्राग्जन्मन्यपि तयोस्तपआदिप्रधा- नैव भक्तिरुक्ता । On the other hand, Kṛṣṇa offered this advice to Vasudeva and Devaki: “You two should constantly think of Me either as your son or as Brahman” (SB 10.3.45).” In this statement, it is to be understood that Kṛṣṇa approved of both conceptions of Him, because knowledge of His supreme majesty (aiśvarya-jñāna) is predominant in devotees such as Śrī Vasudeva. It is described that even in Vasudeva and Devaki’s previous lives, their bhakti was predominated by austerity (tapa) and similar reverential practices. अतः श्रीव्रजेश्वर्याः पुनस्तन्मुखदृष्टवैभवत्वमश्लाघित्वा पुत्रस्रेहमयीं मायाद्येकपर्यायां तत्कृपामेव बहुमन्यमानस्तादृशभाग्यं च श्रीवसुदेवादिकयोर्नास्तीति विस्पष्टयन् तस्याः श्रीव्रजेश्वरस्य च भाग्यं तादृशबाल्यलीलोच्छल्यमानपुत्रभावेन राजमानमतिश्लाघित- वान् राजा “नन्दः किमकरोद् ब्रह्मन्” ( भा० १० १८१४६) इत्यादिद्वयेन । 9 tadarca bandhu-sadṛšī bāndhavaḥ kriyatām mayi 10 nähaṁ devo na gandharvo na yakso na ca danavah 11 aham vo bandhavo jato natas cintyam ato’nyatha yuvam mam putra-bhavena brahma-bhavena vasakrt 711 III The Practice of Bhakti Therefore, in two verses (SB 10.8.46-47), King Parikṣit greatly extolled the extraordinary fortune of Yasoda and Nanda, the excellence of which was because they considered Bhagavan Kṛṣṇa as their son, impelled by His childhood play (balya-līlā). On the other hand, he did not praise Yasoda’s vision of the uni- versal form self-disclosed within Kṛṣṇa’s mouth on two sep- arate occasions. Rather, he honored Kṛṣṇa’s grace upon her (kṛpā), which is synonymous with the word maya, in the form of the intimacy of love she was able to share with Him as her son. In these verses, the king also made it clear that Vasudeva and Devaki did not enjoy such fortune: O enlightened sage, what auspicious deeds did Nanda execute as a result of which he obtained such great fortune? And what did the most blessed Yasoda do that Sri Hari should drink from her breast? Kṛṣṇa’s own parents did not get the opportunity to relish His munificent childhood play, of which poets sing even today, dispelling the inauspiciousness of the whole world. (SB 10.8.46-47)12 श्रीमुनिराजश्च तादृशतत्प्रेमैव श्लाघितवान् “एवं सन्दर्शिता ह्यङ्ग हरिणा” ( भा० १० | ९ | १९) इत्यादिना । Śrī Sukadeva, the best of munis, also glorified such prema for Krsna in the verse cited earlier: My dear King, although Bhagavan Hari, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, is fully inde- pendent, and although this entire universe along with its rulers are subject to His control, He indeed demonstrated this nature of being controlled by His devotees. (SB 10.9.19)13 तदेवं श्रीवसुदेवदेवक्यावुपलक्ष्य श्रीनारदोऽपि साधकान् प्रति “दर्शनालिङ्गनालापैः” ( भा० ११ | ५ |४७) इत्यादिना यदुपदिष्टवान् । 12 nandaḥ kim akarod brahman sreya evam mahodayam yasoda ca mahabhaga papau yasyaḥ stanam harih pitarau nanvavindetam krsnodararbhakehitam gayanty adyapi kavayo yal-loka-samalapaham evam sandarsita hy anga harina bhrtya-vasyata sva-vasenapi kṛṣṇena yasyedam sesvaram vase 13 712 325 Raganuga-bhakti Is Directed Primarily to Krsna in Gokula In corresponding manner, Śrī Narada as well, taking Śrī Vasudeva and Devaki as exemplars, instructed the sädhakas [about the significance of worshiping Krsna with an intimate feeling (bhava) of love]: Cherishing parental love for Krsna, you have both attained abso- lute purity of being (atma-pävitah) by seeing Him, embracing Him, and conversing with Him, as well as by sitting, sleeping, and eating with Him. (SB 11.5.47)14 तत्र टीका च यथा - “पुत्रोपलालनेनैव भागवतधर्मसर्वस्वनिष्पत्तेः” इत्येषा । Śrīdhara Svämi elaborates on this instruction in his commen- tary on this verse: “Bhagavata-dharma, meaning transcenden- tal devotion to Bhagavan, was fully executed by them simply by caring for their son.” तथा “मापत्यबुद्धिमकृथाः कृष्णे सर्वात्मनीश्वरे” (भा० ११।५।४९) इत्येतदपि तदविरोधेन टीकायामेवमवतारितं यथा - " ननु पुत्रस्रेहश्चेन् मोक्षहेतुस्तर्हि सर्वेऽपि मुच्येरन् ? तत्राह मापत्यबुद्धिमिति” इत्येतत् । And yet [Närada follows with this instruction]: Do not nurture the feeling that Śrī Kṛṣņa is your son, for He is the Immanent Self of all beings, the Supreme Regulator (Isvara), the Imperishable, and the Absolute Transcendence, whose supreme majesty (aiśvarya) is concealed by His māyā potency. (SB 11.5.49)15 In spite of this instruction, Sridhara Svami’s commentary on this verse shows that there is no contradiction between this statement and the previous one [SB 11.5.47]. He reasons as fol- lows: “The question may be raised that if affection for one’s child is the cause of liberation, why doesn’t every parent attain liberation? The answer to this is given in this verse.” 14 darsanalinganalapaiḥ sayanasana-bhojanaih 15 atma vam pāvitaḥ krsne putra-sneham prakurvatoḥ mapatya-buddhim akṛthaḥ krsne sarvātmanisvare maya-manusya-bhavena gudhaiśvarye pare’vyaye 713 III The Practice of Bhakti तस्मिन्नपत्यत्वं प्राप्तेऽपि तस्मिंस्तादृशभावनावशं गतेऽप्यस्ति स्वाभाविकं पारमैश्वर्यम- धिकमिति भावः । The sense is that although Kṛṣṇa became the son of Vasudeva and Devaki and although He came under the control of such [parental] feelings of love (bhāvanās), His intrinsic (svābhā- vika) supreme majesty (pāram-aiśvarya) remained present to a greater extent. यद्वा पूर्ववन् नार्षोऽडागमः किन्त्वकारो निषेधे “अभावे न ह्य नो न” इति शब्दकोषात् । ततो निषेधद्वयादपत्यबुद्धिमेव कुर्वित्यर्थः । 37 An alternative explanation to the latter verse [SB 11.5.49] is as fol- lows. [In the previous translation, the words mä akṛthaḥ were interpreted as meaning “do not do.” Although the augment “a” (denoting verbal activity) in akṛthäḥ cannot be used in conjunc- tion with the negative particle ma, “do not,” Śrīdhara Svāmi val- idated this reading on the basis of arsa, or “archaic usage.”] In our alternative interpretation, however, “a” is not an instance of arsa, as previously explained and hence not a verbal aug- ment. Rather, the prefix “a” is being used in the sense of pro- hibition, as stated in Sanskrit dictionaries: “The particles nahi, a, no, and na are used in the sense of negation (abhava).” Since the words mā a-krthäḥ thus involve a double negation, the result is an affirmation: “Nurture the exclusive feeling that Śrī Kṛṣṇa is your son.” 16 अत एव ज्ञानाज्ञानयोरनादरेण केवलरागानुगाया एवानुष्ठितिः प्रशस्ता “ज्ञात्वाज्ञात्वाथ ये वै माम्” ( भा० ११ । ११ । ३३ ) इत्यादिना । Therefore, the best course is to disregard both knowledge (jñāna) and ignorance (ajñāna) [of Bhagavan’s supremacy] and 16 In Sridhara Svami’s commentary, ma is read with the aorist (lun-lakara) akrthah. In such negative commands, the augment “a” is elided, so ma krthah would be the grammatically correct form. Sridhara justifies his reading by calling it an archaic usage, adagamas cchandasaḥ. In Sri Jiva Prabhu’s alternative explanation, however, he rejects this usage and argues that the augment “a” carries a negative sense, thus ma a-kṛthah is a double negative, “do not fail [to nurture the feeling that Krsna is your son].” 714 325 Rāgānuga-bhakti Is Directed Primarily to Krsna in Gokula simply engage in pure rāgānugă devotion, as affirmed in this verse: Whether aware or unaware of the extent of My being, who I am in reality, and of what nature I am constituted, those who wor- ship Me with exclusive devotion, I consider to be the best of all devotees. (SB 11.11.33)” तस्मात् श्रीगोकुल एव रागात्मिकायाः शुद्धत्वात् तदनुगा भक्तिरेव मुख्यतमेति साध्वेवो- क्तम् । तदेवमन्यत्रासम्भवतया रागानुगामाहात्म्यदृष्ट्या पूर्णभगवत्तादृष्ट्या च श्रीकृष्ण- भजनस्य माहात्म्यं महदेव सिद्धम् । तत्रापि श्रीगोकुललीलात्मकस्य । Thus, because rägätmikä devotion exists in its pure form only in Śrī Gokula, it was rightly said that only the rāgānuga-bhakti that follows Kṛṣṇa’s rāgātmaka associates in Gokula is supreme (mukhyatama). So from the point of view of the glory (mähä- tmyam) of rāgānuga, which is determined by the impossibility of rāgātmikā devotion existing outside of Gokula, and from the point of view that the “Complete Godhood” (pürṇa-bhagavatta) is manifest only in Śrī Kṛṣṇa, it has been established that the glory of worshiping Śrī Kṛṣṇa is greatest of all. This applies even more so to Krsna in the midst of His Gokula līlā. अथ तद्भजनमात्रस्य माहात्म्यमुपक्रमत एव यथा ( भा० १/२/५) - The glory of worshiping Sri Kṛṣṇa was stated by Sri Suta at the very beginning of Srimad Bhagavata: 17 18 मुनयः साधु पृष्टोऽहं भवद्भिर्लोकमङ्गलम् । यत् कृतः कृष्णसम्प्रश्नो येनात्मा सुप्रसीदति ॥ १०४३ ॥ इति । O sages, you have questioned me in a highly significant manner, beneficial for the entire world, because thorough inquiry about Kṛṣṇa, as conducted by you, is itself that by which the self is completely fulfilled (ātmā suprasīdati). (SB 1.2.5)18 jnatvajnatvatha ye vai mam yavan yas casmi yadṛśaḥ bhajanty ananya-bhavena te me bhaktatama matah munayah sadhu prsto ham bhavadbhir loka-mangalam yat-krtaḥ krsna-samprasno yenatma suprasidati 715 III The Practice of Bhakti तत्रैतद् वक्तव्यम् - पूर्वं मनसः सुप्रसादहेतुः पृष्टः । अनेन तु श्रीकृष्णप्रश्नमात्रस्य तद्धेतृतो- क्ता The intention of Sri Suta’s statement is as follows: Earlier [in SB 1.1.11], the sages headed by Saunaka had inquired as to the cause of the fulfillment of the self [ātmā suprasīdati], or of the heart-mind faculty (manasaḥ suprasada). Here, however, in his reply to their question, Suta says that inquiry about Śrī Kṛṣṇa, in and of itself, is the cause of such fulfillment. न तु “स वै पुंसां परो धर्मः” (भा० ११२ । ६) इत्यादिना तदीयानन्तरप्रकरणे यथा महता प्रयत्नेन कर्मार्पणमारभ्य भक्तिनिष्ठापर्यन्त एव जाते प्रादुर्भावान्तरभजनस्य तद्धेतुतोक्ता तथेति । In SB 1.2.5, Suta did not answer, as he does beginning from the next verse (SB 1.2.6), that the cause of the self’s fulfillment is the bhajana that is enacted only at the culminating stage of the entire practice. This progression is outlined beginning with the following statement: That alone is humanity’s supreme essential duty by which cause- less, unobstructed bhakti to Adhoksaja, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, can come into being, as a consequence of which the self is completely fulfilled. (SB 1.2.6)19 In the section immediately following this verse [up to SB 1.2.22], Sūta describes a progression that begins with offering one’s karma to Bhagavan through painstaking effort and culminates in the development of fixity (nistha) in bhakti. After this, the first dawning of love of God [bhava] manifests in the heart and the worship that the practitioner then performs becomes the cause of the fulfillment of the self20 19 sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje ahaituky apratihata yayatma suprasīdati 20 In SB 1.2.5, Suta declares that in the matter of the bhajana of Sri Krsna, mere inquiry about Him is itself the cause of the self’s fulfillment. Consequently, when he goes on to say in a series of verses beginning from SB 1.2.6 up till SB 1.2.22 that the cause of the self’s fulfillment is the bhajana that is attained only after the appearance of bhava, the implication is that this requirement 716 325 Raganuga-bhakti Is Directed Primarily to Krsna in Gokula अत एवावतारान्तरकथाया अपि तदभिनिवेश एव फलमित्याह (भा० २।८।२-३) - Therefore, even the descriptions of other avataras culminate in absorption in Śrī Kṛṣṇa alone, as indicated by King Parikṣit: हरेरद्भुतवीर्यस्य कथा लोकसुमङ्गलाः । कथयस्व महाभाग यथाहमखिलात्मनि । कृष्णे निवेश्य निःसङ्ग मनस्त्यक्ष्ये कलेवरम् ॥ १०४४ ॥ इति । The stories of Śrī Hari, who has inconceivable potencies, are highly auspicious for all humanity. O most blessed Sukadeva, please disclose them to me such that I may give up this body while fixing my mind, free of all attachments, on Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Self of all beings. (SB 2.8.2-3)21 हरेस्तदवताररूपस्य । अखिलात्मनि सर्वांशिनि कृष्णे श्रीमदर्जुनसखे ॥ राजा ॥ In this verse, the word hareḥ, “of Hari,” refers to the various avatāras who originate from Kṛṣṇa, while the compound akhi- lātmani, “the Supreme Self of all beings,” refers to Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself, the friend of Arjuna, who is the original source of all avatāras (sarva-amsi). Commentary IN ANUCCHEDAS 310 TO 324, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī has established rāgānuga-bhakti as the supreme abhidheya and has shown it to be more efficacious than vaidhi-bhakti. Now he provides more details concerning this practice. Although in theory, rāgānuga can be directed toward any mani- festation of Bhagavan, it is practiced primarily in relation with Kṛṣṇa, and in this respect, particularly toward Krsna as He appears in Gokula or Vrndāvana. It was said earlier (in Anuccheda 310) pertains only to the worship of the avataras of Bhagavan but not to Svayaṁ Bhagavan, Sri Krsna Himself. This is the sense of Sri Jiva’s explanation. 21 harer adbhuta-viryasya katha loka-sumangalaḥ kathayasva mahabhaga yathaham akhilätmani krsne nívesya nihsangam manas tyaksye kalevaram 717III The Practice of Bhakti that rāgānuga is not impelled by scriptural injunctions but by the taste or liking (ruci) for the raga of the rāgātmaka devotees. This ruci imparts natural absorption of the mind (svabhāvika-āvesa) in Kṛṣṇa. Because Kṛṣṇa is Svayam Bhagavan, His attractiveness is absolute, and thus the aveśa that is possible in regard to Him is unsurpassed. There is no other manifestation of Bhagavan in regard to whom the devotee’s aveśa can reach the same level of depth and intensity as it does in regard to Kṛṣṇa. On this basis, even the enemies of Krsna attain perfection (siddhi), because their minds are fully captivated by Him. Hira- nyākṣa, Hiranyakasipu, Rāvana, Kumbhakarna, and many other such asuras were killed by other forms of Bhagavan, such as Nara- simhadeva and Rama, but they did not attain perfection. It is only the asuras who are killed by Krsna who attain siddhi or mokṣa. This is due to the fact that absorption in Krsna, even if impelled by an antagonistic mood, is unsurpassed. Such absorption is not found even in vaidhi-bhaktas. The reason for all this is that Krsna is Svayam Bhagavan, while other manifestations of Bhagavan are not as complete. Krsna appears as He is in His original form, while other manifestations appear as avatāras of the Puruşa (SB 1.2.27). Moreover, Krsna descends simply to enact His divine play, and when He does so, all other avataras are included in Him. By contrast, the other avataras appear in this world to fulfill some specific purpose, which defines the limits of their supremacy. These topics have already been dis- cussed at length in Krsna Sandarbha. In addition, Kṛṣṇa performs human pastimes (nara-lila), while keeping His majesty concealed. Therefore, His associates feel no inhibition in dealing intimately with Him. The degree of love’s manifestation is proportionate to the degree of intimacy. As an example of the limitations found in other avataras, we may examine the descent of Bhagavan Rama. Although, like Krsna, He appears in human-like form with two hands, He is a royal per- sonage, dedicated to varṇāśrama principles. Thus it would not be possible for a sadhaka to relate with Him in any manner that does not conform to His regal demeanor, because Rāma would not 718 325 Raganuga-bhakti Is Directed Primarily to Krsna in Gokula be able to reciprocate with the sadhaka. Though supremely inde- pendent, He is bound by social rules and customs. This is why Rama is popularly called Maryada-purusottama, “the Supreme Embodiment of socio-religious bounds.” Kṛṣṇa in Mathura and Dvārakā also has some similar limita- tions. In these cities, He is a royal person; He has to follow the regal protocol. But in Vṛndavana, He has no such restriction. He is a free person. He can accept everyone’s love in any manner. Thus He is called Pürna-purusottama (“the Complete Supreme Person”) or Līlā-purusottama (“the Supreme Person at play”). He who integrates within His being all aspects of life, and even all apparent contradictions, is understood as “the Complete Per- son.” Krsna is the tender lover of the cowherd damsels and the friend of the cowherds, yet He is also a ferocious slayer of demons. He is the protector of dharma, and yet He dances at night with the gopis, runs away with their dresses while they bathe in the Yamuna, and steals butter from the neighboring houses. He is afraid of His mother Yasoda, and yet He is the protector of the devas such as Brahma, who prostrates in front of Him, petitioning for His grace. He Himself is bound by ropes as a punishment for breaking a clay pot, and yet He liberated Nalakuvara and Manigrīva from their bondage in the form of the twin Arjuna trees. The verse from the Gita (4.11) hints at this nature of Krsna. He reciprocates with the different loving temperaments of His devo- tees. This was highlighted when Krsna entered the arena of Kamsa in Mathura. Although Krsna was only one, He was perceived differ- ently by different groups of people and by different types of devo- tees. To some, He appeared like a child, and to others, as a grown man. To some, He appeared very tender in body, and yet to others, He simultaneously appeared as hard and impenetrable as a boulder. To some, He appeared exceedingly beautiful, but to others, He had a very harsh outlook, like an ominous punisher or even as death personified. He manifests Himself according to the bhava of His subjects. Although by constitutional nature, Krsna is atmarama, or “He who delights exclusively in His own Self,” He manifests feelings, 719 III The Practice of Bhakti such as hunger and thirst, out of the longing to be nourished by the love of His devotees. In this regard, it is not that He simply makes a show of hunger and thirst, but He actually feels them. In this manner, He gives His devotees the opportunity to serve Him. If He were only pretending and did not actually feel hungry, thirsty, or tired, then the devotees would not derive much pleasure from feed- ing Him or giving Him a massage. It is the love of the devotees that makes Him feel hungry, thirsty, tired, or other such emotional sen- sations. Therefore, Krsna says that He accepts even a leaf, a flower, fruit, or water offered to Him with devotion. Even when He acts like a human being without manifesting His divinity, His majesty is not lost. It only remains subdued because of the love of His devotees. But if there is any need for Him to manifest His divine power, it at once rises to the surface to fulfill His intent. Śrī Jiva Gosvami gives the example of the Dama-bandhana-līlā. Kṛṣṇa once broke a clay pot out of anger at His mother. Mother Yasoda was upset and considered how to punish Him lest He grow up to become a delinquent. She tied Him to a mortar with ropes around His belly. This is a purely human pastime. Krsna was a small child and very helpless, full of fear of His mother. But even in that state, He uprooted two huge Arjuna trees while trying to pass between them with the heavy mortar dragging behind Him. Despite this show of majestic power (aiśvarya), Sukadeva and King Parikşit praised only Krsna’s human-like behavior, because the love that it entails far exceeds that which is found in such majesty. Kṛṣṇa Himself also relishes it more when His devotees treat Him like a human being and not like God Almighty. The love of His ragatmaka devotees is so supreme that it even makes Him forget that He is God. He does not wish to be worshiped as God but to be loved. As a result, He keeps His majesty covered even when He performs His human-like pastimes. When, on occasion, He reveals His majesty, He does so only so that others can understand His exalted position and to contrast it with the mood of natural love. Whenever Krsna displayed His majesty in the midst of His Vraja-lila, He made sure that the cowherd people did not mistake 720 325 Raganuga-bhakti Is Directed Primarily to Krsna in Gokula Him to be some godly or divine being. When He held Govardhana Hill on His little finger for seven days and nights, the cowherd people began to think that He might be a superhuman being. If their conjecture were then confirmed by Krsna, they would have begun to worship Him. This would not have been very pleasing to Him, and so He explicitly asked them to consider Him as one among them, and not as anyone special. He made them disregard His majesty and focus on His identity as a cowherd boy. This emphasis on love over majesty also establishes the superi- ority of Nanda and Yasoda over Devaki and Vasudeva. Nanda and Yasoda did not consider Krsna to be God. For them, He was just their little child. It is because of their superior love that Kṛṣṇa moved from Mathura to Gokula right after His birth. Thus from the very beginning of Srimad Bhagavata, it is only rāgānuga-bhakti to Svayam Bhagavan Śrī Kṛṣṇa- the Supreme Person at play - that has been recommended as the ultimate means of attainment. It is for this reason that Sūta Gosvāmī appre- ciated the questions raised by Saunaka Rsi in the first chapter of the book. Narada Rşi’s conclusive instruction to Yudhisthira is thus about raganuga-bhakti toward Krsna. He specifically refers to Kṛṣṇa (in SB 7.1.31) and not to any other form of Bhagavan. This also implies that the best place to execute rāgānugă- bhakti is the area of Gokula or Vraja, where Krsna appeared about 5,220 years ago. On this note, Śrī Rupa Gosvāmi makes the following recommendation: A rāgānuga-sādhaka should always reside in Vraja while remem- bering his most beloved Kṛṣṇa and the devotees of Krsna who have the same mood for which he aspires. He should be resolutely fixed in hearing or reciting their narrations. (BRS 1.2.294) 22 22 kṛṣṇam smaran janam casya prestham nija-samihitam tat-tat-katha-ratas casau kuryad vāsam vraje sadā 721 Anuccheda 326 Uddhava Accepts Bhakti Alone Devoid of Jñāna-yoga ३२६ । तथा श्रीमदुद्धवसंवादान्ते च यथा । तत्र यद्यपि पूर्वाध्यायसमाप्तौ उक्ताया ज्ञान- योगचर्याया भक्तिसहभावेनैव स्वफलजनकत्वं श्रीभगवतोक्तम् । SIMILARLY, at the end of Kṛṣṇa’s dialogue with Śrī Uddhava [Canto 11, chapter 29], the same is intended. At the end of the previous chapter [sB11.28.44], Bhagavān Śrī Krsna informed Uddhava that jääna-yoga, which was described in that chapter, can bring forth its result only with the assistance of bhakti. तथापि तां ज्ञानयोगचर्यामंशतोऽप्यनङ्गीकुर्वता परमैकान्तिना श्रीमदुद्धवेन ( भा० ११।२९।१-२) - In spite of this, however, Śrī Uddhava, who is supremely fixed in one-pointed devotion, did not accept even partially the practice of jnāna-yoga, rather, he replied as follows: सुदुश्चरामिमां मन्ये योगचर्यामनात्मनः । यथाञ्जसा पुमान् सिध्येत् तन् मे ब्रूह्यञ्जसाच्युत ॥ ९०४५ ॥ प्रायशः पुण्डरीकाक्ष युञ्जन्तो योगिनो मनः । विषीदन्त्यसमाधानान् मनोनिग्रहकशिताः ।। १०४६ || O Infallible one (Acyuta), I consider this yogic discipline (jnana- yoga) extremely hard to practice for one who has not controlled his mind (anatmanah). So kindly tell me in simple language the means by which a human being may easily attain perfection. O Lotus-eyed Lord, generally the yogis, while striving to curb their 722 326 Uddhava Accepts Bhakti Alone Devoid of Jnana-yoga minds, become exhausted in the very attempt to do so and are dejected by their inability to focus their minds in meditation. (SB 11.29.1-2)1 इत्यत्र स्ववाक्ये तस्या दुष्करत्वेन प्रायः फलपर्यवसायित्वाभावेन चोक्तत्वात् । शुश्रूष- माणाया भक्तेस्तु सुकरत्वेनावश्यकफलपर्यवसायित्वेन चाभिप्रेतत्वात् तद्भक्तिरेव कर्त- व्येति स्वाभिप्रायो दर्शितः । Here, in his own words, Uddhava asserts that the practice of jñāna is exceedingly difficult and often fails to yield any fruit. On the other hand, bhakti, which is what he desired to hear about, is the approved path (abhipreta), because it is easy to per- form and certainly leads to success. As such, it is bhakti alone that should be executed. Uddhava’s intention is thus revealed through his own words. तदेवं तां ज्ञानयोगचर्यामनादृत्य भक्तिमेवाङ्गीकुर्वाणास्तव श्रीकृष्णरूपस्यैव भक्तिं तादृ- शास्तु ज्ञानयोगादिफलानादरेणैव कुर्वन्तीति पुनराह चतुर्भिः (भा० ११ । २९ । ३) - In this manner, disregarding the practice of jñāna-yoga and accepting only bhakti, such devotees perform bhakti specifically to Śrī Kṛṣṇa with complete disdain for the results of jñāna-yoga. Uddhava elaborates further on this in four verses beginning with the following statement: अथात आनन्ददुघं पदाम्बुजं हंसाः श्रयेरन्नरविन्दलोचन । सुखं नु विश्वेश्वर योगकर्मभिस्त्वन्माययामी विहता न मानिनः ॥ १०४७ ॥ For this reason, O Lotus-eyed Lord, swan-like devotees of awak- ened discrimination easily and definitely resort to Your lotus feet, which are the reservoir of supreme bliss. O Lord of the universe, they [the pure devotees], who are without pride, are not hindered by yoga and karma or by Your maya potency. (SB 11.29.3)2 1 suduścarām imam manye yoga-caryam anatmanah 2 yathanjasā puman sidhyet tan me bruhy anjasacyuta prayasaḥ pundarīkākṣa yunjanto yogino manah visidanty asamadhanan mano-nigraha-karṣitaḥ athata ananda-dugham padambujam hamsaḥ śrayerann aravinda-locana → 723 III The Practice of Bhakti यस्मादेवं केचन विषीदन्ति - अथात अत एव ये हंसाः सारासारविवेकचतुरास्ते तु समस्तानन्दपरिपूरकं पदाम्बुजमेव नु निश्चितं सुखं यथा स्यात् तथा श्रयेरन् - पदाम्बुजस्य सम्बन्धिपदानुक्तिः साक्षाद्दृश्यमानतदीयपदाम्बुजाभिव्यञ्जनार्था । Because, as stated in the previous verse [SB 11.29.2], some yogis are dejected (vişīdanti) by their inability to focus their minds in meditation [asamadhanät], therefore (athatah) hamsas, the swan-like devotees who are expert in discriminating between the essential and the non-essential, definitely (nu, i.e., niścitam) and easily (sukham) resort (śrayeran) to Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet, which are full of all bliss. The verb śrayeran here means that “they serve” (sevante) Kṛṣņa’s lotus feet. Because Uddhava was directly seeing Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet, he did not use any noun or pronoun to indicate whose lotus feet he was referring to.” अमी च शुद्धभक्ता योगकर्मभिस्त्वन्मायया च विहताः कृतभक्त्यनुष्ठानान्तराया न भवन्ति यतो न च मानिनोऽपि न भवन्ति । पुरुषार्थसाधने भगवतो निरुपाधिदीनज- नकृपाया एव साधकतमत्वं मन्यन्ते न योगिप्रभृतिवत् स्वप्रयत्नस्येत्यर्थः ॥ The pronoun ami, “they,” refers to the pure devotees (suddha- bhaktāḥ), who are not hindered (vi-hatah) by yoga, karma, and Bhagavan’s deluding potency (māyā). This means that obsta- cles (antarāyāḥ) do not impede their practice of bhakti because they are without pride (na maninah). The reason for this is that they consider Bhagavan’s unconditional grace (nirupādhi-kṛpā) on gentle souls (dina-jana) as the supreme cause in the attain- ment of their ultimate goal (puruṣārtha-sadhana), unlike yogis and others, who consider it to be due to their own effort. sukham nu visvesvara yoga-karmabhis tvan-mayayami vihata na maninah The second half of the verse in particular is rendered according to the commentary of Sri Jiva Gosvami that follows. An alternative interpretation of this portion of the verse is given by Sridhara Svami as follows: “But those who are frustrated by Your maya potency, O Lord of the universe, and who are proud because of their yoga and karma, do not resort to Your lotus feet.” 3 In the verse, the compound padambujam, “lotus feet,” appears alone, without any identifying noun or pronoun. 724 326 Uddhava Accepts Bhakti Alone Devoid of Jnana-yoga Commentary UDDHAVA WAS KRSNA’S closest associate in Mathura and Dvārakā. Before leaving the earth, Sri Krsna entrusted him with the instruc- tions that are found in the Eleventh Canto of Srimad Bhagavata. Their dialogue is called Uddhava-gītā. It is more comprehensive than the Bhagavad Gitā spoken to Arjuna, since Krsna explains karma, jñāna, and bhakti-yoga in a much more detailed and sys- tematic manner than He does there. The ultimate conclusion of Kṛṣṇa’s instruction is in bhakti-yoga. This is understood from Uddhava’s statement quoted here, which comes after he had heard all of Krsna’s instructions. Uddhava says that swan-like people, meaning those who can discriminate between the essential and the non-essential, take up devotion to Kṛṣṇa. The reason for this is that bhakti is easy to exe- cute, it never fails to award its result, and it is not dependent upon any other practice. A bhakta is not overpowered by māyā and does not become proud of his or her achievements. A bhakta considers his or her progress as due to the unconditional grace of Bhagavan or Sri Guru and thus does not become proud. Generally, the practi- tioners on other paths consider their achievements to be the result of their own efforts, and thus they have a sense of egotism, which ultimately leads to their downfall. Such peril does not exist on the path of bhakti. Consequently, after hearing from Krsna the com- plete discourse on different paths, Uddhava opts only for bhakti, and he supports it with reason. 725 Anuccheda 327 Kṛṣṇa Comes under the Control of His Pure Devotees ३२७ । एवम्भूतस्य भक्तस्य ज्ञानयोगादीनां यत् फलं तन् मात्रं न किन्त्वन्यन् महदेवेत्याह ( भा० ११।२९।४) - SUCH A PURE DEVOTEE attains not only the results available through jñāna, yoga, and other processes, but something far superior, as indicated in Uddhava’s next statement: किं चित्रमच्युत तवैतदशेषबन्धो दासेष्वनन्यशरणेषु यदात्मसात्त्वम् । योऽरोचयत् सह मृगैः स्वयमीश्वराणां श्रीमत्किरीटतटपीडितपादपीठः ॥ १०४८ ॥ O Infallible one, O Friend of all! Is it any wonder that You Your- self (svayam), whose pedestal is polished by the tips of the bril- liant crowns worn by the universal rulers as they bow down out of reverence for You, should place Yourself under the control of Your servants who are exclusively devoted to You, since You delight even in the company of animals? (SB 11.29.4)1 अशेषबन्धो ! दासेष्वनन्यशरणेषु । यद्वा । अशेषाणामसुरपर्यन्तानां यो बन्धुर्मोक्षादिदा- नैर्निरुपाधिहितकारी । हे तथाभूत ! The address aśesa-bandho, “O Friend of all!”, can mean either that Kṛṣṇa is the one and only friend (bandhu) of His servants 1 kim citram acyuta tavaitad aseṣa-bandho dăseşv ananya-saranesu yad atma-sattvam yo’rocayat saha mrgaih svayam iśvarāṇam Śrīmat-kirita tata-pidita-pada-pithah 726 327 Krsna Comes under the Control of His Pure Devotees (dāsesu) who have taken exclusive shelter in Him (ananya- saraṇeşu), or that He is a friend to all without remainder (aseṣā- nam), including the asuras. This means that He is the uncon- ditional benefactor of all (nirupadhi-hitakäri), by virtue of His awarding liberation and other such boons. The address is thus “O You, who are such” (he tatha-bhūta). तवैतत् किं चित्रम् ? यदनन्यशरणेषु ज्ञानयोगकर्माद्यनुष्ठानविमुखेषु दासेषु शुद्धभक्तेषु बलिप्रभृतिष्वात्मसात्त्वं तेषां य आत्मा तदधीनत्वमित्यर्थः । The [rhetorical] question, “Is it any wonder for You…?” (etat tava kim citram), indicates that it is not at all a wonder that Bha- gavän should accept the state of belongingness (ätma-sättvam) to His servants (däseṣu), the pure devotees (suddha-bhaktesu), such as Bali, who are exclusively devoted to Him (ananya- saraṇeşu), meaning that they are disinterested (vimukheşu) in the practices of jñana, yoga, karma, and so on. The compound ätma-sättvam means “the state of being under the control of those pure devotees (tad-adhinatvam) for whom (teṣām) He is the very Self (ätmā).” तदुक्तम् " न साधयति मां योगः " ( भा० ११ | १४ | २०) इत्यादि । Kṛṣṇa admitted this fact earlier: O Uddhava, neither the practice of yoga, nor sankhya, nor atten- tion to prescribed religious duties (dharma), nor the study of the Vedas, nor penance, nor renunciation can subdue Me as does all-powerful devotion rendered unto Me. (SB 11.14.20)3 तस्य तव तथाभूतेषु न जातिगुणाद्यपेक्षा चेत्यन्तरङ्गलीलायामपि दृश्यत इत्याह- य इति । सहेति सहभावं सख्यमित्यर्थः । मृगैर्वृन्दावनचारिभिः । 2 3 [Uddhava says:] In regard to Your devotees, who are of such nature, criteria such as species (jāti), physical attributes Here, Śrī Jiva is taking the word ananya, “[who are] without any other,” as synonymous with aśesa, lit., “[who are] without remainder.” na sadhayati mam yogo na sankhyam dharma uddhava na svadhyayas tapas tyago yatha bhaktir mamorjitā 727III The Practice of Bhakti The (gunas), and so on, have no bearing, which is evident even in Your pastimes in the spiritual domain (antaranga-līlā). Uddhava hints at this in the second half of the verse. word saha, “in the company of,” is used in the sense of “com- panionship” (saha-bhavam) and more specifically “friendship” (sakhyam). The word mrgaiḥ, “with the animals,” means “with those that roam in Vṛndāvana.” स्वयं तु कथम्भूतोऽपि ? ईश्वराणामित्यादिलक्षणोऽपि । ईश्वराः श्रीशिवब्रह्मादयः । ज्ञान- योगादिपरमफलरूपापि या मुक्तिस्तां दैत्येभ्योऽपि ददासि । पाण्डवादिसख्यदौत्यवी- रासनादिस्थितिवद् दासानां तु स्वयमधीनो भवसि । अत एवम्भूतस्य श्रीकृष्णस्यैव तव भक्तिर्मुख्येति भावः ॥ [Uddhava may then ask:] “Yet You Yourself (svayam) are more- over of what nature (katham bhuto’pi)? You are characterized as the one who is honored even by the universal rulers (isvarāṇām), such as Śrī Śiva and Brahma. Additionally, You award libera- tion, which is the highest fruit of the practices of jñāna and yoga, even to the ungodly (daityas). Yet in the case of Your servants, You Yourself come directly under their control, as You did with the Pandavas by acting as their friend, messenger, and watch- man.” Therefore, the import is that bhakti performed specifi- cally to Śrī Kṛṣṇa, whose nature is as described in the verse, is the chief process (mukhya). Commentary KRSNA is the Supreme Regulator (paramah isvarah), as stated in Brahma-samhita (5.1). The universal rulers (isvarah), such as Brahma and Śiva, bow their heads to Him. This is evident from the story of the Brahma-mohana-lila (Srimad Bhagavata, chapters 10.12- 14) and the story of Krsna’s offering protection to Siva from Vṛka- sura (Chapter 10.88). Yet, in spite of His absolute supremacy, He willingly comes under the control of His surrendered devotees. This is clear from His lila of being bound by Yasoda, as mentioned in Anuccheda 325. 728 327 Krsna Comes under the Control of His Pure Devotees Yogis and jñānis can never know such great fortune. Śrī Suka confirms this idea in the following statement: This Bhagavan [Krsna], the son of the gopi [Yaśodā], is not as easily attainable here in this world by embodied beings undergoing aus- terity, or even by those on the path of insight through knowledge (jñānīs), who have directly intuited the self, as He is for those who are steeped in devotion. (SB 10.9.21)* Others can attain only sayujya-mukti, and this too only with great difficulty. If they receive the blessings of a devotee, they can attain salokya-mukti. By this statement, Uddhava intends to convey the importance of raganuga-bhakti. There is nothing that pleases Krsna as much as loving devotion. 4 nayam sukhapo bhagavan dehinam gopika-sutaḥ jnaninam catmabhūtānām yatha bhaktimatam iha 729 Anuccheda 328 A Devotee Would Never Abandon One So Gracious As Krsna 1 ३२८ । फलितमाह ( भा० ११ । २९।५ ) - UDDHAVA THEN Describes the result of pure devotion to Kṛṣṇa: तं त्वाखिलात्मदयितेश्वरमाश्रितानां सर्वार्थदं स्वकृतविद् विसृजेत को नु । को वा भजेत् किमपि विस्मृतयेऽनुभूत्यै किं वा भवेन् न तव पादरजोजुषां नः ॥ १०४९ ।। What person who is aware of the grace You bestow upon Your own [devotees] could possibly abandon You (tva) of such nature (tam), the very Self, the most beloved, and the Supreme Ruler (Iśvara) of the entire cosmos, who bestow all desired boons upon those who have sought refuge in You? [Leaving You aside,] what person would worship anyone else (kim api) for the sake of mate- rial prosperity (bhutyai) or, thereafter, to forget worldly exis- tence (anu vismṛtaye)? And what fortune will not attend us, who delight in the dust of Your feet? (SB 11.29.5)1 tam tvakhilatma-dayitesvaram asritanam sarvartha-dam sva-krta-vid visrjeta ko nu ko va bhajet kim api vismṛtaye’nubhutyai kim va bhaven na tava pada-rajo-jusam nah The translation of the third line of the verse is according to the commentaries of Sridhara Svāmi and Sri Jīva Gosvāmi. Sridhara Svami also offers an alternative interpretation as follows: “What person would partake (bhajet, i.e., sevate) of anything else (kim api), such as heaven (svarga), even if given by You (tvaya dattam api), which is meant only for sensual enjoyment (bhutyai, 730 328 A Devotee Would Never Abandon One So Gracious As Krsna तमेवम्भूतं त्वां स्वकृतवित् “प्रसन्नवदनाम्भोजं पद्मगर्भारुणेक्षणम्” ( भा० ३।२८।१३ ) इत्यादिश्रीकपिलदेवोपदेशतः स्वसौन्दर्यादिस्फूर्तिलक्षणं स्वस्मिन् कृतं त्वदीयोपकारं यो वेत्ति स को न विसृजेत् ? नु The pronoun två means “You” (tvām), and its appositive pro- noun tam, “that very one,” means “of the nature described in the previous verse” (evam-bhutam)? Uddhava thus asks: “What per- son who is aware of the grace You bestow upon Your own [devo- tees] (sva, i.e., svasmin-kṛta-vit), such as by manifesting Your beauty and other personal attributes, could possibly abandon You (tva) of such nature (tam)?” The beauty of Bhagavan is as described in the teachings of Śrī Kapiladeva: Bhagavan Hari has a smiling lotus face with reddish eyes like the interior of a lotus. His body is dark (syama) like the petals of a blue lotus, and in His hands He bears the conch, disc, club, and lotus. (SB 3.28.13)3 “तच् चापि चित्तबडिशं शनकैर्वियुते” (भा० ३।२८। ३४) इति तदुपदिष्टाधिकारिविशेषवत् परित्यजेत् ? Is it not the case, however, that some practitioners of a specific eligibility (adhikari-viseṣa), do actually give up Bhagavan, such as those for whom Kapila offers the following instruction? At this stage, the yogi gradually withdraws from the object of his meditation even the “mind-hook” (citta-badiśam) that he i.e., indriya-bhogaya) and immediately thereupon (anu, i.e., anantaram eva), results in forgetfulness of You (tad-vismrtaye)?” 2 Uddhava is speaking directly to Krsna, but by Sanskrit syntax, the third-person pronoun tam is placed together with the second-person pronoun tva in order to connect the previous description with the grammatical object of this verse. The sense is thus, “Who would abandon You (tva), the one of such nature (tam)?” prasanna-vadanambhojam padma-garbharunekṣaṇam 3 nilotpala-dala-syamaṁ sankha-cakra-gada-dharam

• Sridhara Svami’s comment on the word badisam, “a fish hook,” is significant here. He says that this word indicates hard-heartedness (kathinyam), unawareness of aesthetic experience (arasa-vittvam), crookedness (kautilyam), arrogance (dambhikatvam), and self-serving practice (svärtha-matra sadhanatvam). He goes on to say that suddha-bhaktas, by contrast, never give up → 731 III The Practice of Bhakti used to capture Bhagavan [just as a hook is used to catch fish]. (SB 3.28.34)5 नकोऽपीत्यर्थः । तस्माद् यस्त्यजति स कृतघ्न एवेति भावः । This statement itself [and in particular the compound citta- baḍiśam] confirms that no one who is aware of Bhagavan’s grace upon His devotees could possibly abandon Him. Consequently, anyone who does give up Bhagavan is simply ungrateful. कथम्भूतं त्वाम् ? स्वरूपत एवाखिलानामात्मनां दयितं प्राणकोटिप्रेष्ठमीश्वरं चेत्यादि । तथा नु वितर्के तद्व्यतिरिक्तं किमपि देवतान्तरं धर्मज्ञानादिसाधनं भूत्यै ऐश्वर्याय संसार- स्य विस्मृतये मोक्षाय वा को भजेत् ? न कोऽपीत्यर्थः । [Uddhava may then ask:] Of what nature are You (katham- bhutam tvām)? By Your constitutional nature (svarupata eva), You are the very Self (atmanām), the most beloved (dayitam) — meaning that You are millions of times more dear than life itself— and the Supreme Ruler (Isvara) of all living beings (akhilānām). The particle nu is used here in the sense of con- jecture (vitarka) [Uddhava further asks:] Leaving You aside, who would worship anyone else (kim api bhajet) — meaning any other devata - or take recourse to other practices, such as dharma and jñāna, simply for the sake of material prosper- ity (bhutyai, i.e., aiśvaryaya) or for the non-remembrance of worldly existence (samsarasya vismṛtaye), meaning for libera- tion (mokṣāya)? The sense is that no one at all would do such a thing. अस्माकं तु तत् तत् फलमपि त्वद्भक्तेरेवान्तर्भूतमित्याह - किं वेति । वाशब्देन तत्राप्य- नादरः सूचितः । तदुक्तम् " यत् कर्मभिर्यत् तपसा ” (भा० ११ | २०१३२) इत्यादि ॥ And by saying, “What fortune will not attend us (kim va bhaven na)?” Uddhava means to say that “for us (naḥ, i.e., asmākam), 5 in this manner the object of their meditation (dhyeyam), Bhagavan, who is as previously described (tam). tac capi citta-baḍisam sanakair viyunkte “This has been rendered in the translation as “possibly.” The conjecture is “Who could possibly abandon You?” 732 328 A Devotee Would Never Abandon One So Gracious As Krsna rather, even these various results are included within devo- tion to You.” The particle vä (“at all”), used in conjunction with the question kim, “what,” indicates a disregard even for these various results. This was stated by Bhagavan Himself: Whatever may be attained by execution of prescribed duties (karma), penances, the cultivation of jñana, renunciation, the practice of yoga, offering of charity in accordance with the prin- ciples of dharma, or even by any other means to the ultimate good, is easily attained by My devotee simply through engage- ment in bhakti-yoga unto Me. If My devotee should somehow aspire for heaven, liberation, or My own abode, he can also attain these. (SB 11.20.32-33) Commentary THE PERSON who bestows a boon is of greater value than the boon he grants. A devotee recognizes this and thus never abandons Bha- gavän. Actually a pure devotee makes no such calculations. He or she simply loves Bhagavan, and in love there are no demands or expectations. Those who approach Bhagavan for some material boon or even for liberation are lacking in discernment. They fail to grasp that if they gain Bhagavan, everything is thereby attained, whereas if they request a specific boon other than Him, that itself defines the limit of their attainment. Their desire is to enjoy inde- pendently of Bhagavan, and because of this ambition, their intel- ligence becomes conditioned. To hold to a separatist mentality and to desire boons from Bhagavan is considered self-deception. (kaitava) according to Srimad Bhagavata (1.1.2). In commenting on the latter verse, Śrīdhara Svami writes that even the desire for lib- eration is a form of self-deception (pra-sabdena mokṣabhisandhir api nirastaḥ). 7 yat-karmabhir yat-tapasa jnana-vairagyatas ca yat yogena dana-dharmena sreyobhir itarair api sarvam mad-bhakti-yogena mad-bhakto labhate’njasa svargapavargam mad-dhama kathancid yadi vanchati 733 III The Practice of Bhakti If we could discern the welfare provided for us by Bhagavan, which He extends even without our asking, we would feel grate- ful to Him. But we take for granted His favors and the facilities He offers us. Consequently, one who does not acknowledge the gifts given by Bhagavan is ungrateful. Only such an ungrateful per- son would abandon Him, the motiveless provider of all essential necessities for our life. Here the question may be raised that since people in general do not even see Bhagavan, where is the question of abandoning Him? Moreover, if He is so beautiful, lovable, and the unconditional well- wisher of all, then certainly no one would give Him up. In response to this doubt, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī cites an example from the teach- ings of Kapiladeva to His mother. A yogi who is interested only in mukti takes recourse to meditation on the form of Bhagavan. When, however, his mind becomes steadily focused and Bhagavan is self- disclosed in his heart, he withdraws his mind from the form of Bha- gavan, because his goal is not Bhagavan but mukti. Kapiladeva com- pares such a yogi to a fisherman, who uses a baited hook to catch a fish. Similarly, yogis of this nature use the form of Bhagavan merely as the bait to hook mukti. Pure devotees, however, stand in radical contradistinction to such yogis. They do not consider anything as superior to Bhaga- van and devotion to Him. Furthermore, whatever can be attained by any other process is readily available to perfected devotees, but they have no interest in such attainments. 734 Anuccheda 329 Kṛṣṇa’s Supreme Act of Grace ३२९ । ननु कथं तत्तत्फलमपि विसृजति न तु माम् । किं वा मम कृतम् ? KṛṣṇA MAY THEN question: “How is it that one can give up even these various fruits but not Me? And what is the favor bestowed by Me [upon My devotees]?” तत्राह ( भा० ११ । २९१६) - In reply, Śri Uddhava makes the following statement: 1 2 3 नैवोपयन्त्यपचितिं कवयस्तवेश ब्रह्मायुषोऽपि कृतमृद्धमुदः स्मरन्तः । योऽन्तर्बहिंस्तनुभृतामशुभं विधुन्वन्नाचार्यचैत्यवपुषा स्वगतिं व्यनक्ति ॥ १०५० ।। O Lord (Isa), the all-knowing ones (kavayah) feel ever-increasing joy as they recall the favor bestowed upon them by You. Yet even if endowed with the life span of Brahma, they could not possi- bly repay their debt to You, because You appear externally as the enlightened master and internally as the Immanent Self to drive away the defilements (asubham)’ of the embodied beings and reveal to them the immediate experience of Your own Self (sva-gatim)? (SB 11.29.6)3 Śrīdhara Svāmi glosses the word asubham, “defilements,” as visaya-vasanām, “sense-driven subconscious habit-patterns.” Sri Jiva glosses sva-gatim as svanubhavam, “the immediate experience of Your own Self.” Sridhara Svāmī takes it as nijam rupam, “Your own form,” and Visvanatha Cakravarti, as premavat-pärṣadatva-lakṣaṇām gatim, “their perfected forms as liberated associates of Bhagavan, permanently endowed with prema.” naivopayanty apacitim kavayas tavesa → 735 III The Practice of Bhakti हे ईश ! कवयः सर्वज्ञा ब्रह्मतुल्यायुषोऽपि तत्कालपर्यन्तं भजन्तोऽपीत्यर्थः । तव कृतमु- पकारमृद्धमुद उपचितत्वद्भक्तिपरमानन्दाः सन्तः स्मरन्तः । अपचितिं प्रत्युपकारमानृण्य- मिति यावत् तां न उपयन्ति पश्यन्ति । तस्मान् न विसृजेदित्युक्तम् । The word isa is in the vocative, “O Lord” (he isa!). The word kavayaḥ means “the all-knowing ones” (sarvajñaḥ). The phrase, “even if endowed with the life span of Brahma” (brahma- tulyäyuşo’pi), means “even if they serve and worship You for that length of time.” The word krtam means “the favor bestowed by You” (upakaram). While recalling such favor, they feel ever- increasing joy (rddha-mudah), meaning the great abundance of supreme bliss (paramananda) that is implicit in bhakti to You. Thus, they cannot possibly repay their debt to You (apacitim na eva upayanti), which is to say that they cannot envision (na pasyanti) how by any return of service (praty-upakaram), they can be absolved of their debt to You (anṛnyam). Consequently, there is no question of leaving You, as already stated [in the previous verse]. कृतमाह – यो भवान् तनुभृतां त्वत्कृपाभाजनत्वेन केषाञ्चित् सफलतनुधारिणां बहिरा- चार्यवपुषा गुरुरूपेणान्तश्चैत्त्यवपुषा चित्तस्फुरितध्येयाकारेणाशुभं त्वद्भक्तिप्रतियोगि सर्वं विधुन्वन् स्वगतिं स्वानुभवं व्यनक्तीति ॥ श्रीमदुद्भवः ॥ In the second half of the verse, Uddhava describes the favor (krtam) bestowed by Śrī Kṛṣṇa. To the embodied beings (tanu- bhṛtām), meaning to all those embodied beings who have been made objects of Your mercy, You (yah, i.e., bhavan) appear exter- nally (bahih) in the form of the enlightened master (ācārya- vapuşă) - meaning as the guru - and internally (antaḥ) in the form of the Immanent Self (caittya-vapuşă) - meaning as the object of meditation (dhyeya) self-disclosed within the heart (citta-sphurita). In both these forms, You drive away all their defilements (aśubham), or in other words, all that is opposed to Your devotion, and reveal to them the immediate experience of Your own self (sva-gatim, i.e., svanubhavam). brahmayuso’pi krtam rddha-mudah smarantaḥ yo’ntar-bahis tanu-bhrtam asubham vidhunvann acarya-caittya-vapusa sva-gatim vyanakti 736 Commentary 329 Krsna’s Supreme Act of Grace THERE ARE various types of welfare provided by Bhagavan. He gives us air to breathe, water to drink, light to see, and earth to dwell upon and grow our food. But beyond all this, He has awarded us the human body, by means of which we can come to realize both Him and ourselves. The highest welfare, however, is that He bestows spiritual knowledge in the form of the scriptures. Without this knowledge, a human being remains ignorant like an animal. But even if the scriptures are at our disposal, the proper under- standing and assimilation of them will not be possible without a realized teacher to transmit them. Vidura clearly says that tran- scendental knowledge (jñāna), devotion (bhakti), and detachment (vairagya) are not possible for human beings by their own efforts (SB 3.7.39) Śrī Kṛṣṇa also confirms that for a living being who is under the influence of beginningless ignorance, self-realization is not possible by one’s effort alone - the guidance of a realized teacher is indispensable (SB 11.22.10). With this in mind, Uddhava says that Bhagavän appears exter- nally as the ācārya and internally as the Immanent Self to guide the seeker on the spiritual path. The word caittya (in the compound caittya-vapuşă) means “manifest in the citta, or heart-mind.” Then by Bhagavan’s own grace, He reveals Himself to the sincere prac- titioner (GĪTĀ 10.10-11). This is His highest welfare. Those who recognize this are called kavis, and even if they were to live for trillions of years, they could never repay their debt to Bhagavan. This is so because there is nothing in their possession that can match the grace bestowed upon them by Bhagavan. Śrī Viśvanatha Cakravarti glosses the compound sva-gatim as “their perfected 4 5 6 svato jñānam kutah pumsam bhakti-vairagyam eva vā anady-avidya-yuktasya purusasyatma-vedanam svato na sambhavad anyas tattva-jno jnana-do bhavet See Paramatma Sandarbha, Anuccheda 44 for more on this verse. teṣām satata-yuktanam bhajatam priti-purvakam dadami buddhi-yogam tam yena mam upayanti te teṣām evānukampārtham aham ajñāna-jam tamaḥ nasayamy atma-bhava-sthojnana-dipena bhāsvatā 737738 III The Practice of Bhakti forms as liberated associates of Bhagavan, permanently endowed with prema” (premavat-pārṣadatva-lakṣaṇam gatim). This means that once the defilements have been removed, Bhagavan reveals the perfected spiritual body (siddha-deha) to a qualified devotee. Anuccheda 330 Seeing Kṛṣṇa As Immanent in All Beings ३३० । तथैव स्वभक्तेरतिशयित्वं श्रीभगवानपि तदनन्तरमुवाच । तत्र च तादृशान् प्रति शुद्धां स्वभक्तिम् “हन्त ते कथयिष्यामि” (भा० ११।२९।८) इत्यादिचतुर्भिरुक्त्वा पुनरेता- दृशान् प्रति च करुणया स्वभजनप्रवर्तनार्थमन्यद् विचारितवान् चतुर्भिः । IN THE SAME VEIN, Bhagavan Kṛṣṇa also makes evident the preeminence of His bhakti immediately following Uddhava’s inquiry. In the course of His reply, He speaks about His own śuddha-bhakti for exclusive devotees such as Uddhava in four verses [sB 11.29.8-11], beginning with the following: O Uddhava, I shall disclose to you that supremely auspicious dharma of Mine, by the enactment of which with faith, a mortal conquers over insurmountable death. (SB 11.29.8) 1 Then in the next group of four verses [sB 11.29.12-15], Krsna rea sons in a different manner, and out of compassion for those who are not of the nature of Uddhava, He speaks to awaken in them the predilection for His worship (sva-bhajana). यतः प्रायशो लोकाः स्पर्धादिपराः कथञ्चिदन्तर्मुखत्वेऽपि सर्वान्तर्यामिरूपत्वद्भजनमा- त्रज्ञानिन इत्यालोच्य कृपया तेषां स्पर्धादीन् झटिति दूरीकर्तुं स्वस्मिन्नेवान्तर्मुखीकर्तुं च “विष्टभ्याहमिदं कृत्स्रमेकांशेन स्थितो जगत्” (गीता १० । ४२ ) इत्याद्युक्ततदन्तर्यामिरूप- स्वांशस्य भजनस्थाने स्वभजनमुपदिष्टवान् । यथा ( भा० ११ ।२९।१२) - 1 hanta te kathayisyami mama dharman sumangalān yan sraddhayacaran martyo mrtyum jayati durjayam 739 III The Practice of Bhakti Because people are generally prone to rivalry (spardha) and other such vitiated emotions, even if their regard is to some extent turned toward Bhagavan, they adopt the jñāna orienta- tion and worship or meditate on Him merely as the Immanent Self within all living beings (sarva-antaryami). Considering this fact, Kṛṣṇa mercifully speaks so as to quickly dispel their sense of rivalry and to enable them to direct their regard specif- ically toward Him. In the Gitä, the following statement pertains to the Immanent Self: “With but a single fragment of Myself, I pervade and support this entire cosmos” (GĪTĀ 10.42)? In place of the worship of His partial expansion in the form of the Imma- nent Self (antaryami), referred to in the latter statement, Kṛṣṇa now offers instruction about His own bhajana, as in this and the following verses: मामेव सर्वभूतेषु बहिरन्तरपावृतम् । ईक्षेतात्मनि चात्मानं यथा खममलाशयः ॥ १०५१ || A person of pure heart should see Me alone, the Supreme Self, as fully present [pürnam] internally and externally in all living beings as well as in his own self and as devoid of all coverings like space (kham). (SB 11.29.12)3 टीका च - " अन्तरङ्गां भक्तिमाह मामिति त्रिभिः । सर्वभूतेष्वात्मनि चात्मानमीश्वरं स्थितं मामेवेक्षेत” इत्येषा | Śrīdhara Svāmi comments: “In three verses beginning with this one, Kṛṣṇa speaks about internal devotion (antaranga-bhakti). He says, ‘One should see Me alone present as Ïsvara, the Sup- reme Self (ātmānam) within all living beings as well as in his own self.”” कथम्भूतमीश्वरम् ? बहिरन्तः पूर्णमित्यर्थः । तत् कुतः ? अपावृतमनावरणम् । तदपि कुतः ? यथा खमनङ्गत्वाद् विभुत्वाच् चेत्यर्थः । अत्र मामेवेति श्रीकृष्णरूपमेवेक्षेत न तु 2 vistabhyaham idam krtsnam ekamsena sthito jagat 3 mam eva sarva-bhūteşu bahir antar-apavrtam ikṣetätmani catmanam yathā kham amalasayah Both Sridhara Svami and Visvanatha Cakravarti gloss the word kham as akasam, “space.” 740 330 Seeing Krsna As Immanent in All Beings केवलान्तर्यामिरूपमित्यभिप्रायेणैव “अन्तरङ्गां भक्तिमाह” इति व्याख्यातम् ॥ Of what nature is Iśvara described here? He is fully present or complete (purņam) both externally (bahiḥ) and internally (antaḥ). And how is that? Because He is devoid of all coverings (apāvṛtam, i.e., anavaraṇam). And this too is on what basis? Because like space (kham), He is untouched by phenomena and all-pervading. Here, when Kṛṣṇa says “one should see Me alone” (mām eva ikşeta), it means that one should see Him exclusively in the form of Sri Kṛṣṇa, and not merely in the form of the Imma- nent Self (antaryämi). It is precisely with this intention that Śrīdhara Svāmi commented: “Krsna now speaks about internal devotion (antaranga-bhakti).” Commentary IN THIS ANUCCHEDA, Sri Jīva Gosvāmi confirms the superiority of bhakti to Kṛṣṇa by citing His own words. Devotees of Krsna perceive His presence in everything. In Paramätma Sandarbha, it was explained that material nature, prakṛti, is under the control of Paramātmā, who is an expansion of Bhagavan. Nevertheless, Kṛṣṇa recommends that devotees should see Him alone as present everywhere in His own form and not that of Paramātmā. This will free them of any sense of rivalry or envy of others. Generally, human beings are prone to feel rivalry toward equals, envy toward superiors, and disdain for those who are inferior (as stated three verses later in SB 11.29.15). But if devotees can feel the presence of Krsna - the very object of their love - in all beings, then all these impurities are washed away. Envy is a major obstacle on the path of love. It leads to pride, dis- respect, and ultimately offensive behavior. Therefore, in the very beginning of Srimad Bhagavata Purana, Vyasa asserts that the sup- reme dharma in the form of priti is meant for those who are free from envy and who have a compassionate heart (nirmatsarāṇāṁ satam, SB 1.1.2). In the principal verse of this anuccheda (SB 11.29.12), 741 III The Practice of Bhakti Śrī Krsna discloses the method to become free from the disease of envy. Śrī Jiva Gosvāmi comments that the first four verses beginning with SB 11.29.8 are spoken by Krsna for pure devotees like Uddhava, who are nonenvious. But in the next four verses (SB 11.29.12-15), He speaks out of compassion for those who are troubled by rivalry, envy, and disdain (spardha, asuya, and tiraskāra, mentioned in SB 11.29.15). Out of these four verses, the first is explained in this anuccheda and the next three in the following two anucchedas. Someone may entertain the doubt that the word ātmānam in SB 11.29.12 refers to Paramātmā, and since Paramātmā is an expan- sion of Krsna, He is equating Himself with Paramātmā by appo- sition to the pronoun mām, “Me.” Such an interpretation, how- ever, is invalid here, because Krsna uses the indeclinable eva “only” along with mam. Eva is used in the sense of exclusion, anya-yoga- vyavaccheda. Kṛṣṇa is thus saying, “One should see only Me” (mam eva ikşeta), and not Paramātmā. 742 Anucchedas 331-332 Worship of Kṛṣṇa Is Superior to That of Paramātmā ३३१-३३२ । ततश्च (भा० ११।२९।१३-१४ ) - THEREAFTER, Sri Krsna said: इति सर्वाणि भूतानि मद्भावेन महाद्युते । सभाजयन् मन्यमानो ज्ञानं केवलमाश्रितः ।। १०५२ ।। ब्राह्मणे पुक्कशे स्तेने ब्रह्मण्येऽर्के स्फुलिङ्गके । अक्रूरे क्रूरके चैव समदृक् पण्डितो मतः ॥ १०५३ ॥ My dear effulgent Uddhava, one who, having taken recourse to nondualawareness ( kevala jnana ) in the manner just described, honors all living beings, intuiting My presence within them, and who thus regards with equal vision a brahmana or an out- caste, a thief or one devoted to the brahmanas, the sun or a mere spark, one of tender heart or a cruel person, is understood to be a person of wisdom. (SB 11.29.13-14)1 केवलं ज्ञानमन्तर्यामिदृष्टिमाश्रितोऽपि । इति पूर्वोक्तप्रकारेण सर्वाणि भूतानि मद्भावेन तेषु मम श्रीकृष्णरूपस्य यो भावोऽस्तित्वं तद्विशिष्टतया मन्यमानः सभाजयन् पण्डितो मतः । मद्दृष्ट्या ब्राह्मणादिषु समदृक् समं मामेव पश्यतीति । 1 The phrase kevalaṁ jñānam āśritaḥ, “having taken recourse to nondual awareness,” means “having also embraced the vision iti sarvāni bhutani mad-bhavena maha-dyute sabhajayan manyamāno jñānam kevalam asritah brahmane pukkase stene brahmanye’rke sphulingake akrure krurake caiva sama-drk pandito matah 743 III The Practice of Bhakti of the Immanent Self (antaryami) within everything.” The word iti, “thus,” means “in the manner described in the previous verse.” The compound mad-bhävena, “My presence,” means “My (mama) existence (astitvam) in the form of Śri Krsna.” One who honors (sabhäjayan) all living beings (sarvāņi bhūtāni), intuit- ing (manyamānaḥ) in this specific manner (tad-visiṣṭataya) My existence in the form of Sri Kṛṣṇa within them (teşu), is under- stood (matah) to be a person of wisdom (panditaḥ). With this vision of Me, such a person regards the brahmana and all oth- ers with equal vision (sama-drk), which means that he sees Me alone as equally present in all manifestations. ततश्च “नरेष्वभीक्ष्णम्” (भा० ११ । २९ । १५) इत्यादिना तादृशस्वोपासनाविशेषस्य झटिति स्पर्धादिक्षयलक्षणं फलमुक्त्वा “विसृज्य” (भा० ११।२९।१६) इत्यादिना तथादृष्टिसाधन सर्वनमस्कारमुपदिश्य " यावत्” (भा० ११।२९।१७) इत्यादिना तादृशोपासनाया अवधि च सर्वत्र स्वतः स्वस्फूर्तिमुक्त्वा “सर्वम्” (भा० ११ । २९ । १८) इत्यादिना । After this, Śrī Kṛṣṇa describes in the next verse (SB 11.29.15) the result of this specific type of worship of Him, which is the sudden dissipation of the sense of rivalry (spardha) and other impurities: A person who incessantly meditates on My presence within all human beings quickly finds that his rivalry (spardha), envy (asuya), and disdain of others (tiraskara), along with the sense of ego (ahankara), certainly disappear. (SB 11.29.15)3 In the next verse (SB 11.29.16), Kṛṣṇa recommends offering obei- sance to all (sarva-namaskāra), as a way of putting into practice the vision discussed in the previous verses: 3 Being unconcerned with his own associates who jeer at him, abandoning all prejudice based on bodily identity, and giv- ing up all sense of shame, he should fall on the ground like a 2 Sridhara Svami comments that “rivalry” (spardha) is felt toward “equals” (sama-janesu); “envy” (asuya), toward “superiors” (uttameşu); and “disdain” (tiraskara), toward “inferiors” (hinesu). naresv abhikṣṇam mad-bhavam pumso bhavayato’cirat spardhasuya-tiraskāraḥ sahankärä viyanti hi 744 331-332 Worship of Krsna Is Superior to That of Paramātmā stick, offering obeisance even to a dog, an outcaste, a cow, and a donkey. (SB 11.29.16)* Then in the next verse (SB 11.29.17), Kṛṣṇa advises that this type of worship should be continued until the self-disclosure of Him everywhere (sarvatra sva-sphürtiḥ) manifests of its own accord (svataḥ): One should continue to worship Me in this manner through the faculties of one’s speech, mind, and body until My presence in all beings is self-disclosed. (SB 11.29.17)5 Following this, [Krsna describes the result of such vision, which is the fact that the ever new self-disclosure (navya-sphürti) of Him, Bhagavan, within all things is itself the realization of Brahman, the Absolute]:” Looking upon all things with the awareness that is grounded in the vision of My omnipresence, the practitioner is freed from doubt and ceases from all endeavor. For such a person, this entire world becomes but a manifestation of Brahman. (SB 11.29.18)” भा० ४।३० १२०- नव्यवहृदये यज्ज्ञो ब्रह्मैतद् ब्रह्मवादिभिः । न मुह्यन्ति न शोचन्ति न हृष्यन्ति यतो गताः ॥ १०५४ || इति प्रचेतसः प्रति श्रीभगवद्वाक्ये तट्टीकायां च तस्य भगवतः प्रतिपदनव्यस्फूर्तिरेव ब्रह्मेति यदुक्तं तदेव तत्फलमित्युक्त्वा । 4 5 6 7 visrjya smayamanan svan drsam vridam ca daihikim pranamed dandavad bhumav a-sva-candala-go-kharam yavat sarveşu bhüteşu mad-bhavo nopajayate tavad evam upasīta van-manah-kaya-vrttibhih This is Sri Jiva’s own statement, but it is placed in brackets because the Sanskrit text for it, beginning with tasya bhagavataḥ and ending with tat-phalam ity uktva, comes at the end of the next block of Devanagari. The English translation is placed here instead because of the statement’s syntactical and semantic connection to SB 11.29.18. sarvam brahmatmakam tasya vidyayatma-manisaya paripasyann uparamet sarvato mukta-samsayaḥ 745 III The Practice of Bhakti The same conclusion is expressed in this statement of Śrī Bhagavan to the Pracetas: Because [such householders are fully engaged in hearing narra- tions about Me], I, being fully omniscient, manifest in ever new varieties within their hearts. This form of Mine is called Brah- man by the knowers of the Veda, because having thus attained Me, such persons are no longer subject to delusion, grief, or jubilation. (SB 4.30.20)” Śrīdhara Svāmi confirms the same in his commentary on this verse: “The word yat, ‘because,’ means ‘because such house- holders are engaged in hearing narrations about Me’ (yasmāt kathā śravaṇāt). For this reason, I, the omniscient Iśvara (jñaḥ, i.e., sarvajño’ham iśvarah), by making the knowers of the Vedas (brahma-vadibhiḥ), i.e., the speakers of My narrations (vaktṛbhih), as the instrumental cause (nimitta-bhūtaiḥ), appear in ever new varieties within the hearts of such listeners. This itself is the direct self-disclosure (säkṣätkära) of the Absolute, known as Brahman.“10 यद्वा “कथमस्यावतारस्य ब्रह्मता भवति” (गो० ता० उ०२।२८) इति गोपालतापनीश्रुति- प्रसिद्धब्रह्मेत्यभिधाननराकृतिपरब्रह्मरूपस्फूर्तिस्तत्फलमित्युक्त्वा तेनैव तादृशोपासनां सर्वोर्द्धमपि प्रशंसति ( भा० ११।२९।१९ ) - Alternatively, the word brahman [in SB 11.29.18] refers to Para- brahman, the Supreme Absolute in human form, who is well known by that name in Gopala-tapani Upanisad: “How is it that this avatara [i.e., Śrī Kṛṣṇa] is of the existential being of Brah- man?” (GTU 2.28).” After thus describing the self-disclosure (sphürti) of Parabrahman in human form as being the outcome 8 9 This is taken from the previous verse, as confirmed by Sridhara Svami’s gloss on the word yat, “because” (see his commentary cited below). navyavad dhrdaye yaj jño brahmaitad brahma-vadibhih na muhyanti na śocanti na hrsyanti yato gataḥ 10 yad yasmat kathā-sravaṇāt jñaḥ sarvajño’ham isvarah brahmavadibhir vaktṛbhir nimitta-bhutaih srotrnam hrt hrdayam navya-vat pratipadam nutana-vat aye prapnomi brahma-sakṣatkaro bhavatity arthah. “katham asyāvatarasya brahmata bhavati 746 331-332 Worship of Krsna Is Superior to That of Paramatma of the vision of Him within all living beings, Kṛṣṇa glorifies this method of worship as topmost in the next verse: अयं हि सर्वकल्पानां सध्रीचीनो मतो मम । मद्भावः सर्वभूतेषु मनोवाक्कायवृत्तिभिः || १०५५ | I consider this process alone of intuiting My existence within all living beings through the faculties of one’s mind, speech, and body, to be the most complete of all methods. (SB 11.29.19) 12 सर्वकल्पानां सर्वोपायानां सध्रीचीनः समीचीनः । मद्भावो मम श्रीकृष्णरूपस्य भावना | The compound sarva- kalpanam means " of all methods” (sarvo- pāyānām), and sadhricīnah means “the most complete " (samici- nah). The compound mad-bhavaḥ, “My existence,” means “to meditate on Me in My form as Śrī Kṛṣṇa [existing within all beings].” एतच्च श्रीकृष्णभजनस्यान्तर्यामिभजनादप्याधिक्यं श्रीगीतोपसंहारानुसारेणैवोक्तं तथाहि (गीता १८ । ६१-६६ ) - And this bhajana of Śrī Kṛṣṇa is superior even to that of the Immanent Self (antaryāmi), as stated in the concluding portion of the Gitā: ईश्वरः सर्वभूतानां हृद्देशेऽर्जुन तिष्ठति । भ्रामयन् सर्वभूतानि यन्त्रारूढानि मायया || १०५६ ॥ तमेव शरणं गच्छ सर्वभावेन भारत । तत्प्रसादात् परां शान्तिं स्थानं प्राप्स्यसि शाश्वतम् ॥ १०५७ ॥ इति ते ज्ञानमाख्यातं गुह्याद् गुह्यतरं मया । विमृश्यैतदशेषेण यथेच्छसि तथा कुरु ॥ १०५८ । सर्वगुह्यतमं भूयः शृणु मे परमं वचः । इष्टोऽसि मे दृढमिति ततो वक्ष्यामि ते हितम् ॥ १०५९ ॥ मन्मना भव मद्भक्तको मद्याजी मां नमस्कुरु । मामेवैष्यसि सत्यं ते प्रतिजाने प्रियोऽसि मे ॥ १०६० ॥ सर्वधर्मान् परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज । अहं त्वां सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुचः ॥ १०६१ ॥ इति । ayam hi sarva-kalpānāṁ sadhrīcino mato mama mad-bhavah sarva-bhūtesu mano-vak-kaya-vrttibhih 747III The Practice of Bhakti O Arjuna, the Supreme Immanent Self (Iśvara) resides in the hearts of all beings. By His extrinsic potency, He causes all of them to revolve [through cycles of creation, sustenance, and dissolution] as if riding on the machine of their bodies. O Bharata, seek refuge in Him alone with your entire being. By His grace you will attain supreme peace and the eternal abode. I have thus explained to you knowledge more secret than secret knowledge itself. Deliberate on it fully and then do as you wish. Hear again My supreme instruction, the foremost of all secrets. Because you are extremely dear to Me, I shall disclose this beneficial teaching to you. Fix your mind on Me, become My devotee, worship Me, and bow down to Me. By doing so, you will certainly come to Me. I promise this to you truly, because you are dear to Me. Abandoning completely all your prescribed and conventional duties, seek refuge in Me alone. I will free you from all sins; do not grieve. (GĪTĀ 18.61-66)13 अत्र च गुह्यं पूर्वाध्यायोक्तं ज्ञानम् । गुह्यतरमन्तर्यामिज्ञानम् । सर्वगुह्यतमं तन्मनस्त्वा- दिलक्षणं तदेकशरणत्वलक्षणं च तदुपासनमिति समानम् । In this group of verses, the word guhyam, “secret knowledge,” refers to the knowledge (jñāna) spoken of in the previous chap- ters. The word guhyataram, “more secret than that,” refers to knowledge of the Supreme Immanent Self (antaryami); and 13 isvaraḥ sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese’rjuna tisthati bhramayan sarva-bhutani yantrarūdhani māyayā tam eva šaranam gaccha sarva-bhavena bharata tat-prasadat param santim sthanam prapsyasi sasvatam iti te jñānam akhyātam guhyad guhyataram maya vimrsyaitad asesena yathecchasi tatha kuru sarva-guhyatamam bhūyah sṛnu me paramam vacaḥ isto’si me drdham iti tato vaksyami te hitam man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mām namaskuru mam evaisyasi satyam te pratijane priyo’si me sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja aham tvam sarva-papebhyo mokṣayisyami ma sucah 748 331-332 Worship of Krsna Is Superior to That of Paramatma sarva-guhyatamam, “the foremost of all secrets,” refers to the worship (upāsanā) of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, characterized as fixity of the mind exclusively on Him [described in GITA 18.65] and as com- plete dedication of the self to Him alone [described in GĪTĀ 18.66]. Both of these practices are effectively the same. एवं श्रीगीतास्वेव नवमाध्यायेऽपि (गीता ९।१). Accordingly, in the ninth chapter of the Gita, Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: इदं तु ते गुह्यतमं प्रवक्ष्याम्यनसूयवे । ज्ञानं विज्ञानसहितं यज् ज्ञात्वा मोक्ष्यसेऽशुभात् ॥ १०६२ ॥ I shall disclose to you, who are devoid of envy, this most secret knowledge [of devotion] along with the means of its imme- diate realization, knowing which, you will be freed from all inauspiciousness. (GĪTĀ 9.1)14 “राजविद्या राजगुह्यम्” (गीता ९।२) इत्यादिना वक्ष्यमाणार्थं प्रशस्य श्रीकृष्णरूपस्वभज- नश्रद्धाहीनान् निन्दंस्तच्छ्रद्धावतः प्रशस्तवान् स्वयमेव । यथा ( गीता ९।११-१३ ) - And: This knowledge [of devotion] is the paramount wisdom, the king of all secrets, supremely purifying, cognized through immediate intuition, intrinsically of the nature of dharma, easily undertaken, and imperishable. (GĪTĀ 9.2)15 In this last verse, after praising the knowledge He is about to describe, Bhagavan Himself reproaches those who lack the faith to worship Him in His form as Śrī Kṛṣṇa while honoring those who have faith in His bhajana, in the following verses: अवजानन्ति मां मूढा मानुषीं तनुमाश्रितम् । परं भावमजानन्तो मम भूतमहेश्वरम् ॥ १०६३ || मोघाशा मोघकर्माणो मोघज्ञाना विचेतसः । 14 idam tu te guhyatamam pravakṣyämy anasuyave jnanam vijnana-sahitam yaj-jnätva moksyase’subhat raja-vidya raja-guhyam pavitram idam uttamam pratyakṣavagamam dharmyam su-sukham kartum avyayam 15 749 III The Practice of Bhakti राक्षसीमासुरीं चैव प्रकृतिं मोहिनीं श्रिताः || १०६४ || महात्मानस्तु मां पार्थ दैवीं प्रकृतिमाश्रिताः । भजन्त्यनन्यमनसो ज्ञात्वा भूतादिमव्ययम् ॥ १०६५ ।। Being unacquainted with My supreme existence as the Almighty Ruler of all beings, the bewildered deride Me as having accepted a [perishable and limited] human body. Those whose minds are thus bewildered, being filled with vain hopes, futile actions, and pointless knowledge, have embraced a malignant, materialistic, and delusive nature. But the highly self-realized, O Partha, who have embraced the divine nature and whose minds are fixed exclusively on Me, worship Me, knowing Me as the origin of all beings and immutable. (GĪTĀ 9.11-13)16 माम् “अव” अनादरेण मानुषीं तनुमाश्रितं जानन्तीत्यर्थः । तस्मात् सर्वान्तर्यामिभजना- दप्युत्तमत्वेन तदनन्तरं च “सर्वगुह्यतमम्” इत्यत्र सर्वग्रहणात् सर्वत उत्तमत्वेन श्रीकृष्ण- भजने सिद्धे तदवतारभजनात् सुतरामेवोत्तमता सिध्यति ॥ In the first verse in this series [GITÄ 9.11], the verb avajananti, “they deride,” means that they consider Kṛṣṇa to have accepted a human body, and thus they disregard Him. Consequently, because the worship of Sri Krsna is ascertained as superior even to the worship of the Supreme Immanent Self within all beings (sarva-antaryami), and thereafter because His worship has been established as the highest of all by use of the word sarva in sarva- guhyatamam, “the foremost of all secrets” (GITA 18.64), it is self- evidently concluded that the worship of Krsna is superior to the worship of His avataras. 16 avajananti mam mudha manusim tanum asritam param bhavam ajananto mama bhuta-mahesvaram moghasa mogha-karmano mogha-jñānā vicetasaḥ rākṣasim asurim caiva prakrtim mohinim sritah mahātmānas tu mam partha daivim prakṛtim asritaḥ bhajanty ananya-manaso jnatva bhutadim avyayam 750 331-332 Worship of Krsna Is Superior to That of Paramatma Commentary IN THESE TWO ANUCCHEDAS, Sri Jiva Gosvāmi continues to discuss Krsna’s instruction to intuit His presence in all beings. This is the essence of His teaching in SB 11.29.12-16. This vision of Him frees one from envy, rivalry, disdain, and the separate ego sense. One should put this into practice by offering respect to all living beings, high or low. How long should this practice be sustained? Krsna answers this in the next verse (SB 11.29.17), saying that it should be continued until His presence in all beings is self-disclosed to the practitioner. The final outcome of such practice is expressed in SB 11.29.18 that the entire world is then directly perceived as but a manifestation of Brahman.

A doubt may be raised in regard to the latter verse. In the state- ment that the entire world is then perceived as Brahman Itself, there is no mention of Krsna, or of the Personal Absolute, Bhaga- vän. The whole emphasis of the discussion, however, has been that bhakti to Krsna is both the supreme method and the supreme goal. With this in mind, Sri Jiva Gosvāmi explains that the word brahman in SB 11.29.18 refers to Kṛṣṇa. The fact that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Brahman is attested to by Brahmā: How fortunate! How fortunate are the residents of Nanda’s cowherd community of Vraja, for their dear friend is Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the eternal complete Brahman, who is the embodiment of supreme bliss. (SB 10.14.32)1? In the latter verse, the word brahman refers only to Kṛṣṇa, and not to the well-known unqualified Brahman. To corroborate this meaning of the word brahman, Sri Jiva cites a verse spoken by Bha- gavan Visnu to the Pracetas (SB 4.30.20) 18 The word brahman in that verse refers to the personal form of Bhagavan and not to His all- pervading impersonal aspect. This is confirmed by Śrīdhara Svami 17 aho bhagyam aho bhagyam nanda-gopa-vrajaukasām yan-mitram paramanandam purnam brahma sanatanam 18 navyavad dhrdaye yaj jno brahmaitad brahma-vadibhiḥ na muhyanti na socanti na hrsyanti yato gatah 751 III The Practice of Bhakti and is appropriate according to the context. This is further sup- ported by Gopala-tapani Upanisad, which refers to the human form of Krsna as Parabrahman, or the Supreme Brahman. In the next verse (SB 11.29.19), Krsna instructs Uddhava that to realize His presence in all beings is the highest attainment. This is also the meaning of the culminating instructions given by Krsna to Arjuna in Bhagavad Gita (18.61-66). There, Krsna uses three words to signify secret knowledge, namely, guhya, guhyatara, and guhya- tama, meaning “secret, more secret, and most secret.” According to Jiva Gosvāmi, these three words refer to the knowledge pertaining to Brahman, Paramātmā, and Bhagavan, respectively. The adjec- tive sarva in sarva-guhyatamam (in GITA 18.64) indicates that the form of Krsna is the most secret among all of Bhagavan’s forms. Jiva Gosvāmi’s exposition here involves a brilliant synthesis of Krsna’s teachings in the Gita together with those given by Him in the Eleventh Canto of Bhagavata Purana. The same topic was also discussed in Krsna Sandarbha (Anuccheda 82). 752 Anuccheda 333 The Superiority of Kṛṣṇa Bhajana Shown through Kaimutya ३३३ । अथ तामेव कैमुत्येनाप्याह (भा० ११ । २९।२१) - ŚRI KRṢNA THEN affirms this very point [i.e., the superiority of His own worship] by means of a fortiori reasoning (kaimutya): यो यो मयि परे धर्मः कल्प्यते निष्फलाय चेत् । तत्रायासोऽनिरर्थः स्याद् भयादेरिव सत्तम ॥ १०६६ || O best of the virtuous [Uddhava], whatever dharma is offered to Me, the Supreme, if it is performed without fruitive motive, then the effort involved never goes in vain (anirarthaḥ), just as is seen in the case of fear and other similar emotions [when experienced in relation to Me]. (SB 11.29.21)1 मयि मदर्पितत्वेन कृतो यो यो धर्मो वेदविहितः स स यदि निष्फलाय फलाभावाय कल्प्यते फलकामनया नार्प्यत इत्यर्थः । तदा तत्र तत्रायासः श्रान्तिरनिरर्थः स्यात् व्यर्थो न भवति । 1 yo yo mayi pare dharmaḥ kalpyate nisphalaya cet tatrayaso’nirarthaḥ syad bhayader iva sattama This verse was also cited in Anuccheda 148. There, however, the translation was rendered with a different intent to show that even worldly actions partake of the nature of parama-dharma when offered to Bhagavan. In that context, Sridhara Svāmī takes the word anirarthah as nirarthaḥ. Here, however, Sri Jiva cites the same verse to show the superiority of the worship of Krsna in particular, through a fortiori reasoning (kaimutya). He thus reinterprets the verse syntax to suit the point in question. 753 III The Practice of Bhakti Whatever dharma, meaning duty prescribed by the Vedas, is per- formed by way of offering it to Me, if it is undertaken with- out fruitive motive (nisphalaya), that is, if offered without any desire for the result, then whatever effort or exertion (āyāsa) goes into its performance does not go in vain (anirartha), mean- ing that it is not futile (na vyartha). निष्फलायेति विशेषणं फलभोगादिरूपतद्भक्त्यन्तरायाभावेनानिरर्थतातिशयतात्प- र्यम् । तत्रानिरर्थत्वे कैमुत्येन श्रीकृष्णलक्षणस्य स्वस्यासाधारणभजनीयताव्यञ्जको दृष्टान्तः- भयादेरिवेति । यथा कंसादौ मत्सम्बन्धमात्रेण भयादेरप्यायासो निरर्थो न भवति - मोक्षसम्पादकत्वादित्यर्थः ॥ The word nisphalaya, “without fruitive motive,” is an adverbial modifier (viseṣaṇa) signifying that due to the absence of obsta- cles to bhakti to Śrī Kṛṣṇa, such as the desire to enjoy the fruit of dharma, the effort involved [ayasa] is not at all meaningless. To illustrate how such effort is not in vain (anirartha), Kṛṣṇa offers the example of relating to Him out of fear. This exam- ple employs a fortiori reasoning (kaimutya)’ that is suggestive of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s existential status as the entirely unprecedented wor- shipful object (äsädhäraṇa-bhajanīyata). The comparison here is to Kamsa and other asuras, whose efforts (āyāsa), even though impelled by fear and other vitiated emotions, did not go in vain, simply because of being related to Kṛṣṇa. This is due to the fact that even fear in relation to Krsna leads to liberation. 2 The kaimutya reasoning employed here is that if even fear connected to Krsna never goes in vain, then how much more must this be so for dharma offered to Him? The fact that absorption in Krsna through fear leads to liberation has already been discussed earlier, so the mention of fear in this verse is once again suggestive of Krsna’s status as the entirely unprecedented worshipful object, since it is He alone who awards liberation to the asuras. Thus, through kaimutya logic, the supremacy of the bhajana of Sri Krsna is shown. 754 333 The Superiority of Krsna Bhajana Shown through Kaimutya Commentary THERE ARE TWO TYPES of modifiers - samanadhikarana and vyadhikarana. The first one has the same gender, case, and num- ber as the object it qualifies, whereas the second one does not. Nişphalaya is the second type of adjective. If one offers one’s prescribed duties to Krsna without desiring anything material in return, it will bring one to the platform of pure bhakti. Anything offered to Krsna never goes to waste, all the more so if it is without any vested interest, more again if it is one’s dharma, more still if it is undertaken with surrender, and most of all if it is performed with affection. This is Krsna’s penultimate instruction to Uddhava in a lengthy discourse that spans twenty-three chapters, beginning from the seventh and ending in the twenty-ninth. After delivering these teachings, Krsna concludes the whole discussion with the follow- ing highly significant statement: “By means of this unreal and mor- tal body, one can attain Me, the real and immortal, in this very life. This, indeed, is the intelligence of the intelligent and the wisdom of the wise” (SB 11.29.22). This is the essence of all teachings. 3 esa buddhimatam buddhir manīṣă ca manīsinam yat-satyam anṛteneha martyenapnoti mamṛtam 755 Anuccheda 334 Krsna Fulfills All the Goals of Pure Devotees 1 ३३४ । अथ श्रीमदुद्धववत् श्रीकृष्णैकानुगतानां साधनत्वे साध्यत्वे च स्वयं श्रीकृष्णरूप एव परमोपादेय इत्याह ( भा० ११।२९।३३ ) - FOR DEVOTEES such as Uddhava, who are exclusively devoted to Śrī Kṛṣṇa, only the original form of Śrī Kṛṣṇa is supremely effi- cacious, both in the stage of practice (sadhana) and in perfection (sādhya), as indicated in this verse: ज्ञाने कर्मणि योगे च वार्तायां दण्डधारणे । यावानर्थो नृणां तात तावांस्तेऽहं चतुर्विधः ॥ १०६७ ॥ My beloved Uddhava, for you, I am the entire range of the fourfold goals attainable by human beings through transcen- dental knowledge ( jnana ), prescribed duty (karma), yoga discipline, business ( varta), and administration of justice (danda-dharana). (SB 11.29.33)1 ज्ञानादौ यावान् धर्मादिलक्षणश्चतुर्विधोऽर्थः । तावान् सर्वोऽप्यहमेव । तत्र ज्ञाने मोक्षः । कर्मणि धर्मः कामश्च । योगे नानाविधसिद्धिलक्षणो लौकिको वार्तायां दण्डधारणे च नानाविधलौकिकश्चार्थ इति चतुर्विधत्वं ज्ञेयम् ॥ श्रीभगवान् ॥ jnane karmani yoge ca vartayam danda-dharane yävän artho nṛṇam tata tavāms te’ham catur-vidhah 756 334 Krsna Fulfills All the Goals of Pure Devotees [The basic syntax is as follows:] “I alone (aham eva) am the entire range (tāvän sarvo’pi) comprehending (yävän) the four- fold goals (catur-vidho’rthaḥ) - in the form of dharma [artha, kāma, and mokṣa] - attainable through transcendental knowl- edge and so on (jñānādau).” As far as the fourfold goals are concerned, it should be understood that liberation (moksa) is attained through jñana; dharma and kāma through proper exe- cution of prescribed duties (karma); distinct types of metanor- mal powers (siddhis) through yoga; and varieties of material prosperity through business and administration of justice. Commentary DHARMA, or the piety acquired by executing one’s socio-religious duties, material prosperity (artha), regulated sense enjoyment (kāma), and liberation (mokşa) are the four human pursuits. The actions of human beings are directed toward the attainment of these four aims. The different processes, such as jñāna, that are meant for their attainment are mentioned in the verse. A devotee, however, does not have to engage in these processes to achieve any or all of the four goals. Krsna can fulfill any aspiration of His devotee, if somehow the devotee should desire it. Pure devotees do not desire anything other than loving service to Krsna. But if ever they happen to desire something, they need not endeavor for it separately. This is asserted by Bhagavan Kṛṣṇa Himself: Whatever may be attained by execution of prescribed duties (karma), penances, the cultivation of jnana, renunciation, the practice of yoga, offering of charity in accordance with the princi- ples of dharma, or even by any other means to the ultimate good, is easily attained by My devotee simply through engagement in bhakti-yoga unto Me. If My devotee should somehow aspire for 757III The Practice of Bhakti heaven, liberation, or My own abode, he can also attain these. (SB 11.20.32-34)2 2 yat-karmabhir yat-tapasa jnana-vairagyataś ca yat yogena dana-dharmena sreyobhir itarair api sarvam mad-bhakti-yogena mad-bhakto labhate’rijasa svargāpavargam mad-dhama kathancid yadi vanchati na kincit sadhavo dhira bhakta hyekantino mama vancchantyapi maya dattam kaivalyam apunarbhavam 758 Anuccheda 335 A Pure Devotee Desires Only Love for Kṛṣṇa ३३५ । पुनरेवमेव श्रीमदुद्धवोऽपि प्रार्थितवान् (भा०११ । २९ ।४० ) - FURTHER, Śrīmän Uddhava also petitioned Bhagavan in the very same manner: नमोऽस्तु ते महायोगिन् प्रपन्नमनुशाधि माम् । यथा त्वच्चरणाम्भोजे रतिः स्यादनपायिनी ॥ १०६८ || Salutations to You, O Supreme Master of yoga. Please instruct me, who have taken refuge in You, in such a manner that inces- sant love for Your lotus feet may abide in my heart. (SB 11.29.40)1 टीका च - " एवं यद्यपि त्वया बहूपकृतं तथाप्येतावत् प्रार्थय इत्याह ‘नमोऽस्तु’ इति । अनुशाधि अनुशिक्षय | अनुशासनीयत्वमेवाह ‘यथा’ इति । मुक्तावप्यनपायिनी ” इत्येषा || श्रीमानुद्भवः ॥ Śridhara Svami comments: “In the first half of this verse, Uddhava effectively says to Krsna, ‘In this manner, although You have bestowed so much favor upon me, I have one further request. Please instruct me (anusadhi, i.e., anusikṣaya).’ Then in the second half of the verse, Uddhava specifies what manner of instruction is to be given (anuśäsaniyatvam), saying that it should be such that it brings about incessant love for Krsna’s lotus feet. By the adjective anapayinī, ‘incessant,’ Uddhava means to say that his love for Krsna should continue even in the post-liberated state.” 1namo’stu te maha-yogin prapannam anusadhi mam yatha tvac caraṇāmbhoje ratiḥ syad anapayini 759 III The Practice of Bhakti Commentary WHEN IT IS said that a devotee does not desire anything, this excludes bhakti to Krsna. As long as one has a mind, desires will be present. The range of desires can be minimized, but desire itself cannot be completely obliterated. Every sense or organ has a spe- cific purpose, implying that as a component part of an integrated system, the sense faculty “desires” to be used only to fulfill the pur- pose for which it is designed. Accordingly, the ultimate purpose of the authentic self is to attain prema. Consequently, the aspiration for prema is the ultimate desire, and when one is taken over by this desire alone, it is considered as freedom from desire. Any other desire signifies imperfection. 760 Anuccheda 336 Worship of Kṛṣṇa Is Recommended Even for Mumuksus ३३६ । अत एवान्यत्राप्यभिप्रायाय ( भा० ११ | १४ |३१ ) - THEREFORE, elsewhere also [i.e., for other sadhakas as well], Uddhava raised the following question with the intention [of facilitating for them meditation upon the form of Śrī Kṛṣṇa]: यथा त्वामरविन्दाक्ष यादृशं वा यदात्मकम् । ध्यायेन् मुमुक्षुरेतन् मे ध्यानं मे वक्तुमर्हसि || १०६९ || O Lotus-eyed Śrī Kṛṣṇa, in what manner (yatha), in what spe- cific form (yadṛśam), and with what essential nature (yad- ätmakam) are you to be meditated upon by a seeker of liberation (mumuksu)? Please instruct me in this meditation. (SB 11.14.31)2 टीकाच - " मुमुक्षुस्त्वां यथा ध्यायेत् तन् मे वक्तुमर्हसीति । जिज्ञासोः कथनाय मे पुनरे- तत् त्वद्दास्यमेव पुरुषार्थः । न तु ध्यानेन कृत्यमस्तीति । तदुक्तम् ‘त्वयोपभुक्तस्रग्गन्ध’ ( भा० ११ । ६।४६) इत्यादि” इत्येषा || श्रीमानुद्भवः ॥ ‘Sridhara Svami comments that the word yatha, “in what manner?” is a question about the practice of meditation itself (dhyānanga-prasna); yādṛsam, “in what specific form?” is a question about the defining characteristics of the Entity to be meditated upon (dhyeya-visesana-prasna); and yad-atmakam is a question about the essential nature of the Entity to be meditated upon, who is intrinsically endowed with such characteristics (yasyaitani visesanani tat-svarupa-prasnah). 2 yatha tvām aravindaksa yadṛśam va yad-atmakam dhyayen mumuksur etan me dhyanam tvam vaktum arhasi 761 III The Practice of Bhakti Śrīdhara Svāmi comments: “Uddhava effectively says: ‘It behooves You to instruct me (me vaktum arhasi) as to how a seeker of liberation (mumuksu) should meditate on You. Please instruct me (kathanaya me), who am inquiring (jijñāsaḥ) [on their behalf]. As for me, however, this servitorship to You (tvad-dāsyam) is the only ultimate goal (puruṣārtha) and not anything that is attainable through meditation.’ As Uddhava himself expressed earlier: ‘We, Your servants, who are adorned with the garlands, sandalwood paste, garments, and ornaments used by You, and who eat Your remnants, will surely conquer over Your maya’ (SB 11.6.46).“3 Commentary A DEVOTEE HAS no need to meditate as a practice independent of bhakti. The heart of bhakti is in performing favorable service to Kṛṣṇa, ānukulyena kṛṣṇānusilanam. A non-devotee, on the other hand, must engage in bhakti to become successful in attaining his or her goal, because nothing can be successful without bhakti. 3 tvayopabhukta-srag-gandha-vaso’lankara-carcitaḥ ucchista-bhojino dasas tava mayam jayema hi 762 Anuccheda 337 Kṛṣṇa’s Supreme Graciousness ३३७ । तस्य सर्वावतारावतारिष्वप्रकटितं परमशुभस्वभावत्वं च स्मृत्याह ( भा० 312123)- REMEMBERING THE SUPREMELY auspicious nature (parama- subha-svabhava) of Bhagavan Kṛṣṇa, which was never manifest in any other avatara or avatāri, Uddhava spoke the following words: 1 अहो बकी यं स्तन कालकूटं जिघांसयापाययदप्यसाध्वी । लेभे गतिं धात्र्युचितां ततोऽन्यं कं वा दयालुं शरणं व्रजेम ॥ १०७० ॥ How astonishing indeed! Although the sinister demoness Pūtană, the sister of the demon Baka, applied deadly poison to her breast and suckled Śrī Kṛṣṇa with the intent to kill Him, she was granted the position of a nursemaid (dhātrī). Conse- quently, who else could be more merciful than Him, whom we should approach for shelter? (SB 3.2.23)2 धात्र्या या उचिता गतिस्तामेव ॥ स ( श्रीमदुद्भवः) एव || Kṛṣṇa awarded Putana the destination appropriate for a nursemaid (dhātrī). The word avatari here refers to any form of Bhagavan who is the source of other avataras, such as Bhagavan Nārāyaṇa. 2 aho baki yam stana-kalakutam jighamsayapayayad apy asādhvi lebhe gatim dhatry ucitam tato’nyam kam va dayālum saranam vrajema 763 III The Practice of Bhakti Commentary UDDHAVA was a disciple of Brhaspati, the guru of the devas. He was one of the most learned among the Yadavas. Even Śrī Kṛṣṇa used to consult with him. His statement is thus authoritative and not made out of mere sentiment. Uddhava spoke this verse to Vidura when they met in Vṛndavana on the bank of the Yamuna. Just prior to this, Krsna had departed the earth for His own abode and had ordered Uddhava to go to Badarīkāśrama. Vidura was not aware of Krsna’s departure at that time. When he inquired about Him from Uddhava, the latter began recollecting Kṛṣṇa’s līlās and His wonderful qualities. In this verse (SB 3.2.23), Uddhava marvels at Krsna’s extraordi- nary graciousness. Putana was sent by Kamsa to kill Kṛṣṇa. She assumed the form of a cowherd woman and smeared her breast with the deadliest poison. She gave her breast to Krsna to suckle but was killed by Him instead. In spite of her sinister intention, Krsna awarded her the position of a nursemaid (dhātrī), which is almost akin to that of a mother. Such grace has never been bestowed by any other avatara or avatarī on anyone. Although Pūtana was not a devotee, did not perform any spiritual practice, and was motivated by a malicious intent, she was awarded a posi- tion that the greatest of jñānis and yogis are unable to attain. For this reason, Uddhava marvels while recollecting this incident. It is believed that this is one of the verses that captivated the mind of Sukadeva, who was fully absorbed in Brahman. On hearing it, he gave up his fixity in Brahman and studied Bhagavata Purāṇa from his father. Even Brahma refers to the same incident in his prayers to Krsna (SB 10.14.35) and marvels at Krsna’s grace. 764 Anuccheda 338 Worship of Kṛṣṇa along with Rādhā Is Supreme ३३८ । अनेन तत्रापि गोकुललीलात्मकस्य श्रीकृष्णस्य भजनमाहात्म्यातिशयो दर्शितः । तथा “पूतना लोकबालघ्नी” (भा० १०१६।३५) इत्यादौ च ज्ञेयम् । BY UDDHAVA’S LATTER statement [SB 3.2.23], it is shown that even within the worship of Krsna in general, the glory of Śri Kṛṣṇa bhajana as He manifests in the Gokula lila is supreme, as is also understood from verses such as this: The demoness Pūtana, who was a blood-sucking killer of infants, attained the liberated status [of a nursemaid in Goloka], simply by offering her breast for Bhagavan Hari to suckle, even though she did so with the intention of killing Him. (SB 10.6.35)1 तथा श्रीकृष्णसन्दर्भे च “येन येनावतारेण ” ( भा० १० । ७ । १) इत्यादिकं विवृतमस्ति । This has also been explained in Śrī Kṛṣṇa Sandarbha [Anuccheda 51] in reference to verses such as the following: 1 O master, the deeds that Bhagavan Hari, the Supreme Con- troller (Iśvara), enacts through His different avataras, are charming to our ears and attractive to our hearts. If you think it fit, kindly narrate those particular exploits of Sri Hari [Krsna] by listening to which a person’s depression and material han- kerings disappear, his mind is quickly purified, and devotion putana loka-bala-ghni raksasi rudhirasana jighamsayapi haraye stanam dattvapa sad-gatim 765 III The Practice of Bhakti to Śri Hari becomes manifest along with friendship toward His devotees. (SB 10.7.1-2)2 अथ गोकुलेऽपि श्रीमद्वजवधूसहितरासादिलीलात्मकस्य परमवैशिष्ट्यमाह ( भा० १० |३३|४० ) - And even as regards Kṛṣṇa in Gokula, the glory of Śrī Kṛṣṇa when He performs pastimes such as the rasa-lila along with the gopis of Vraja is even more greatly distinguished, as described by Sri Sukadeva: विक्रीडितं व्रजवधूभिरिदं च विष्णोः श्रद्धान्वितोऽनुशृणुयादथ वर्णयेद् यः । भक्तिं परां भगवति प्रतिलभ्य कामं हृद्रोगमाश्चपहिनोत्यचिरेण धीरः ॥ १०७१ ॥ A person who is resolutely fixed (dhirah) and endowed with faith (śraddhänvitah) who repeatedly hears or relates these and other amorous sports of Sri Vişnu3 [Krsna] with the gopis of Vraja soon (acirena) attains supreme devotion (bhaktim param) to Bhagavan and is quickly (asu) freed from lust, the disease of the heart. (SB 10.33.40)* चकारादन्यच्च । अथेति वार्थ - शृणुयाद्वा वर्णयेद्वा । उपलक्षणं चैतद् ध्यानादेः । परां यतः परा नान्या कुत्रचिद् विद्यते तादृशीम् । हृद्रोगं कामादिकमपि शीघ्रमेव त्यजति । 2 3 4 yena yenavatāreņa bhagavan harir isvarah karoti karna-ramyani manojnani ca nah prabho yac-chrnvato paity aratir vitrsna sattvam ca suddhyaty acirena pumsaḥ bhaktir harau tat-puruse ca sakhyam tad eva haram vada manyase cet Sri Sanatana Gosvāmi comments that the name Visnu, “the Omnipresent One,” is used in this verse to indicate Krsna’s all-pervasiveness (vyapakatvam), since in the rasa-lila, He was simultaneously present in between each two gopis in the circle dance. vikriditam vraja-vadhubhir idam ca visnoḥ śraddhänvito’nuśṛnuyad atha varnayed yah bhaktim param bhagavati pratilabhya kamam hrd-rogam asv apahinoty acirena dhiraḥ The overall sentence syntax is according to the commentary of Sukadeva (Siddhanta-pradipa), who connects the word dhirah to sraddhanvitah as the subject, and the word acirena, “soon,” to the predicate param bhaktim pratilabhya, “attains supreme devotion.” He also interprets the word dhirah as “one who has conquered the obstacles to hearing and narrating” (sravane varnane va ye vighnās taj-jaya-silah). Sri Sanatana Gosvami glosses the same word as “one who knows the essential truth of all objects” (sarvārtha-tattva-vetta), and Śrī Giridhara glosses it as “one who has conquered the senses” (jitendriyah). 766 338 Worship of Krsna along with Radha Is Supreme The word ca, “and,” implies other pastimes as well (anyac ca). The word atha is used in the sense of “or” (va), which means that one may either hear or describe these pastimes. By extension of meaning (upalakṣaṇa), this further implies meditation on the same pastimes (dhyana) and other related practices. The word parām, “supreme,” is used as an adjective of bhakti, because there is no other devotion superior to this (para) [i.e., than that which follows the raga of the gopis]. It is specifically bhakti of this nature (tädrṛsim) that the practitioner attains. In addition, one very quickly gives up lust (kama) and other impurities, which are the diseases of the heart (hrd-rogam). अत्र सामान्यतोऽपि परमात्वसिद्धे तत्रापि परमप्रेष्ठश्रीराधासंवलितलीलामयतद्भजनं तु परमतममेवेति स्वतः सिध्यति । किन्तु रहस्यलीला तु पौरुषविकारवदिन्द्रियैः पितृपुत्र- दासभावैश्च नोपास्या – स्वीयभावविरोधात् । रहस्यत्वं च तस्याः क्वचिदल्पांशेन क्वचित् तु सर्वांशेनेति ज्ञेयम् ॥ श्रीशुकः ॥ In this regard, although the bhajana of Krsna as He appears in His liläs with the gopis is generally concluded to be supreme, yet highest of all (paramatamam) is the bhajana of Krsna in the midst of His liläs with His supremely beloved (parama-prestha) Śrī Rādha. This is the self-evident conclusion. But the confiden- tial liläs of Krsna with the gopis are not to be meditated upon by a person whose senses are agitated by sexual-emotional feel- ings (pauruşa-vikära), nor by devotees who relate to Bhagavan with the internal disposition (bhava) of a father, a son, or a ser- vant, because these līlās are in opposition to their own respec- tive bhavas. It should also be understood that the confidentiality (rahasyatvam) of these lilas is sometimes partial and sometimes complete. Commentary EARLIER IT WAS said that rāgānuga-bhakti is primarily executed toward Krsna, among all forms of Bhagavan. Krsna performs His līlās in Gokula, Mathura, and Dvaraka. Of these three abodes, rāgānuga-bhakti is most suitable specifically toward Kṛṣṇa in 767III The Practice of Bhakti Gokula. This is the intention of citing Uddhava’s statement (SB 3.2.23) in the previous anuccheda. This conclusion was also established in Krsna Sandarbha (Anuccheda 183). In Gokula, Krsna is surrounded by His parents, His cowherd friends, and the gopis. Of all these different associates, His līlās with the gopis stand above all others. Then again, among all the lilās with the gopis, the rasa-lila is preeminent. And of all the gopis, Sri- mati Radha is supreme. Consequently, the worship of Krsna along with Radha is the foremost worship. Śrī Jiva cites the last verse of the five chapters describing rasa- līlā (SB 10.33.40). In this verse, Śrī Sukadeva praises the benefit of hearing or describing the narrations of rasa-lila. Sri Jīva warns, however, that those who are not free from sexual-emotional agi- tation (pauruşa-vikara) should not hear or describe the confiden- tial dealings of Krsna with the gopis. The reason for this is that if such a person were to listen to these confidential dealings, his or her sexual desire would become stimulated, and the mind would become thus captivated. Then instead of thinking of service, the practitioner would only think of his or her own enjoyment. The characteristic of the mind is that it activates past memories by hearing or seeing objects and actions that resemble one’s past experiences. This happens automatically without one’s conscious involvement. If the mind becomes filled with sexual thoughts, then to overcome this condition becomes problematic. Either the desire is repressed or one engages in sexual acts in a covert manner. Any- thing that is repressed comes up again with stronger force and may even compel one to act on it abnormally. Even if one man- ages to repress sexual desire, it can resurface in the dream state and prompt one to fulfill the repressed desire within the subcon- scious mind, because one has no control over dreams. So, in both cases repression or covert engagement - one will become devi- ated from the path of bhakti due to the mind’s being flooded with sensual thoughts. Therefore, one must be careful and heed Sri Jiva’s advice. There have been many examples of devotees straying away from the path of bhakti or acting hypocritically because of not being judicious in the matter of hearing or describing the rasa-lila. 768 338 Worship of Krsna along with Radha Is Supreme A doubt may be raised in this regard. Sukadeva’s statement seems to be saying just the opposite of the warning expressed by Śrī Jiva. Suka says that by hearing or describing Krsna’s amorous lilās with the gopis of Vraja, a person is freed from sexual desire (kama), the disease of the heart (hrd-rogam). This is the standard argument posited by those who advocate remembrance (smarana) or hearing (śravana) of confidential pastimes (rahasya-lila). The answer lies in the word dhirah. The recommendation to hear or describe this lila is for a person who is dhirah, or one who is established in sattva-guna. Such a person will certainly benefit from hearing Krsņa’s lilas with the gopis. Those who are under the influence of rajas and tamas, however, will find it difficult. Moreover, these lilas should be heard from a qualified speaker, oth- erwise it will only lead to an adverse result, as stated in Narada Pañcaratra: One who expounds teachings without consideration of what is appropriate and one who listens to such teachings without the required eligibility - these two both glide into a terrible hell for unlimited time. (Narada Pañcaratra)5 In addition, Śri Jiva says that those who relate to Bhagavan with the internal disposition (bhava) of a parent, a son, or a servant should also not dare to hear the rasa-lila, because it goes against their bhāva. Certainly parents should not listen to the intimate affairs of their adolescent children, nor the children of their par- ents, nor the servants of their master. Such descriptions do not nourish their bhava. yo vakti nyāya-rahitam anyayena srnoti yah tavubhau narakam ghoram vrajatah kalam akşayam Cited in Hari-bhakti-vilasa 1.101. 769 5 Conclusion Anucchedas 339-340 Anuccheda 339 The Confidentiality of Spiritual Realization ३३९ । तत्र ते भक्तिमार्गा दर्शिताः । अत्र च श्रीगुरोः श्रीभगवतो वा प्रसादलब्धं साधनसा- ध्यगतं स्वीयसर्वस्वभूतं यत् किमपि रहस्यं तत् तु न कस्मैचित् प्रकाशनीयम् । THE PATH OF DEVOTION as a whole has thus been outlined in this book. If by the mercy obtained from Sri Guru or Śrī Bha- gavān, one has realized some confidential truth (rahasya) that has become one’s very existence, whether regarding the prac- tice (sādhana) or the goal (sadhya) of devotion, it should not be disclosed to anybody. 1 यथाह (भा० ८।१७।२० ) - As Śrī Visnu told Aditi Devi: नैतत् परस्मा आख्येयं पृष्टयापि कथञ्चन । सर्वं सम्पद्यते देवि देवगुह्यं सुसंवृतम् ॥ १०७२ ॥ O goddess, never reveal this matter to anyone even if requested. All that is hidden to the devas becomes successful when properly concealed. (SB 8.17.20 ) 1 सम्पद्यते फलदं भवति ॥ श्रीविष्णुरदितिम् ॥ The verb sampadyate, “becomes successful,” means that it “bears fruit” (phaladam bhavati). naitat parasma akhyeyaṁ prstayāpi kathañcana sarvam sampadyate devi deva-guhyam su-samvrtam 773 III The Practice of Bhakti Commentary SRI JIVA GOSVAMI brings his discussion on bhakti to a close with some important advice. This instruction is especially relevant in modern times when people are prone to advertise everything about themselves. Nothing is kept secret in the internet age. Even in applying for a job, people need to write about each of their achievements to impress their would-be employer. They must praise themselves and possibly exaggerate their accomplishments. In former times, it was considered impolite in Vedic culture to speak about oneself. To praise oneself meant that one’s piety was lost. Now it is a compulsive art. One’s success depends not only on one’s qualifications but also on how well one can promote oneself. Many people even make a profession out of teaching this art. Nowadays, in this age of information technology, it is not easy to keep secrets. It is hard to know who is observing and record- ing your actions. There may be hidden cameras around or some- one spying on you from afar. Whatever one writes, says, or does may be made available to millions of people without one’s notice or consent. It may be necessary to broadcast one’s credentials in worldly life, but as regards spiritual matters, one should keep one’s real- izations to oneself. The very meaning of the word mantra is “that which is kept secret.” In this regard, Hari-bhakti-viläsa offers the following advice: “One should keep one’s worshipable deity, one’s guru, one’s dikṣā-mantra, and one’s japa-mala secret” (Hari-bhakti- viläsa 2.147)? Similar statements are found elsewhere in the same book. Śrī Jiva Gosvāmī says that realizations related to one’s sadhana and sadhya should be kept secret. It is important to recognize this principle, because at present most people are not aware of it. 2 One may question: Why should one’s mantra, guru, deity, and mālā be kept secret? The reason for this is that one’s success on the gopayed devatam istam gopayed gurum atmanah gopayec ca nijam mantram gopayen nija-malikām 774 339 The Confidentiality of Spiritual Realization spiritual path very much depends upon one’s śraddha in one’s guru, mantra, deity, and the process. In the Gita, Śrī Kṛṣṇa says that a per- son endowed with faith attains wisdom (4.39), and one devoid of śraddha is lost (4.40). If one’s mantra and so on are revealed to oth- ers, there is a possibility of losing faith in them because of remarks made by those who are either not following any spiritual path or who belong to another that espouses contrary views. Faithless materialists may deride or minimize the process or the goal of sadhakas. They may present various arguments to sup- port their opinions for which sadhakas may have no answer. The practitioners may be harboring doubts within, and these argu- ments may activate their doubts. Those who follow some other path, such as the jñāna-marga, may also make negative remarks about the process of bhakti, even citing scriptures to prove their point. All this may weaken one’s śraddha. One may conclude that one’s mantra or process is not anything special. Alternatively, one may feel proud of one’s mantra, process, or progress. This may give rise to arguments, disrespect, and offenses. Pride is one of the biggest obstacles in bhakti. To teach ordinary sādhakas a lesson about the need to abandon pride, Krsna disap- peared from the rasa-lila when He sensed a semblance of pride in the gopis because of their feeling exceedingly fortunate to be in His company (saubhaga-madam, SB 10.29.48). Although there is no possibility of pride in liberated associates like the gopis, yet this example is given for our benefit. Related to the topic of pride, Śrī Viśvanatha Cakravarti says that there are four types of anarthas, or defilements, on the path of bhakti. One of them is the anartha arising out of bhakti itself, mean- ing the pride in one’s accomplishments. If one reveals one’s prac- tice or progress to others, then some people may become impressed and start honoring the devotee, which can lead to falldown. One’s success depends on one’s faith in one’s mantra, guru, and deity. This is affirmed in Pañcatantra: “One’s success related to a mantra, a holy place, a brahmana, a deity, an astrologer, a doctor, and a guru is in accordance with one’s faith in them” (Pañcatantra 5.96). 3 mantre tirthe dvije deve daivajne bhesaje gurau →→ 775 III The Practice of Bhakti Therefore, one needs to protect that faith by all means. In the same vein, if one has some experience, he should not reveal it to others except to his guru. In this regard, I read a story in a Hindi commentary on the famous book called Bhakta-mala of Nabha Dasa. There was a king who had a very religious queen. The queen always spent her time in devotional acts, such as worship, kirtana, and listening to devo- tional literature. Her only sadness was that although her husband supported and facilitated all her practices, he himself never partic- ipated in them. He would not even utter the name of Kṛṣṇa. The queen tried to convince him to chant, but the king would not com- ply. He would just smile and go away. Many years passed like this, but the queen was unsuccessful in convincing the king to join her in devotional practices. This made her very sad. Then one morning, the king noticed that the queen was very happy and jovial. She was buzzing around and ordering the employees of the palace to decorate the whole palace. She ordered the cooks to prepare a big feast. The musicians were called to come and sing. The king thought that it must be some festival day. But he could not think of what it might be. Being curious, he asked the queen the cause of her celebrations. The queen replied that it was the most festive day of her life. The king inquired further about the special occasion because he could not think of any festival that fell on that date. The queen said that her wish had been granted. The king became even more curious to discover what wish she was talking about. The queen then revealed that at night during his sleep, the king had uttered the name of Krsna. This is what had made her so happy. When the king heard this, he collapsed on the ground while declaring, “O God, my secret is out!” 776 yadrsi bhavana yasya siddhir bhavati tadrsi Anuccheda 340 The Sequence of Progress in Bhakti 1 ३४० । तदेवं साधनात्मिका भक्तिर्दर्शिता । तत्र सिद्धिक्रमश्च श्रीसूतोपदेशारम्भे “शुश्रूषोः श्रद्दधानस्य " ( भा० ११२ । १६ ) इत्यादिना दर्शितः । WE HAVE THUS described bhakti in terms of its practice (sadha- nätmikā). In this regard, the progressive stages of bhakti leading to perfection (siddhi) have been shown in the beginning of Śrī Suta’s instructions to the sages in a series of verses beginning with this one: O learned brahmanas, by visiting or dwelling in a holy place and by service to highly realized devotees, attraction for the narra- tions of Bhagavan Vasudeva comes about for a person endowed with firm faith, who is eager to hear. (SB 1.2.16)1 यथा च श्रीनारदवाक्ये “अहं पुरातीतभवेऽभवम्” (भा० १।५।२३) इत्यादी । An example of how this development unfolds was seen in the case of Śri Narada, who described to Śrī Vyasa the events of his previous life, beginning with this verse: O muni, in the previous evolutionary cycle, in my past birth, I was born from a certain maidservant of brahmanas who were learned in the Vedas. Although only a small boy, I was engaged 1śuśrusoḥ śraddadhanasya vasudeva-katha-ruciḥ syan mahat-sevaya viprah punya-tirtha-nisevanat 777III The Practice of Bhakti in the service of [bhakti] yogis who wished to stay in one place for the duration of the rainy season. (SB 1.5.23)2 " यथा च श्रीकपिलदेववाक्ये “सतां प्रसङ्गान् मम वीर्यसंविदः (भा० ३।२५ ३५ ) इत्यादौ । Another reference to this development is found in the teachings of Śri Kapiladeva: In the association of pure devotees, the discussions (katha) nat- urally come to focus upon Me [Bhagavan]. Such discussions are not only laden with full awareness of My unlimited majesty, but they serve too as inebriating tonic for both the ear and heart. By service and attention to such discussions, faith, spiritual attrac- tion, and divine love quickly and successively unfold for Me [Bhagavan Hari], the very embodiment of the path of liberation. (SB 3.25.25)3 अत्र कैवल्यकामायाम् “भक्त्या पुमाङ् जातविरागः” ( भा० ३।२५।२६) इत्यादिना । The order of progress in bhakti mixed with a desire for liberation (kaivalya-kama) is to be understood from verses such as this: While meditating on My pastimes in the matter of creation, a person, by participation in devotion, awakens detachment from all sensual enjoyment experienced in this world or heard about from scripture. One who is thus intently involved in the yoga of devotion is able to control the mind through the effortless path of devotional yoga. (SB 3.25.26)* शुद्धायाम् “नैकात्मतां मे स्पृहयन्ति केचित् " ( भा० ३ । २५। ३४ ) इत्यादिना क्रमो ज्ञेयः । 2 aham puratita-bhave’bhavam mune dasyaś ca kasyaścana veda-vadinam nirupito balaka eva yoginam susrüsane pravrsi nirvivikṣatam 3 4 satam prasangan mama virya-samvido bhavanti hrt-karna-rasayanah kathaḥ taj-joṣaṇad asv apavarga-vartmani śraddha-ratir-bhaktir anukramisyati bhaktya puman jata-viraga aindriyad drsta-srutan mad-racananucintaya cittasya yatto grahane yoga-yukto yatisyate rjubhir yoga-margaiḥ 778 340 The Sequence of Progress in Bhakti And the order of progress in pure devotion (śuddha-bhakti) is discerned from verses such as this: Some devotees, who are devoted to the service of My feet, whose actions are dedicated to Me, and who gather together to glorify My prowess, do not aspire for the liberation of merging into Me. (SB 3.25.34)5 तथा शुद्धायामेव श्रीप्रह्लादकृतदैत्यबालानुशासने “गुरुशुश्रूषया " ( भा० ७ । ७।३०) इत्या- दिना । Another description of the progression in pure devotion is found in Śri Prahlada’s teachings to the sons of the daityas, beginning with this verse: [This love (rati) for Bhagavan develops] by heedful service to one’s guru (suśruṣaya), by loving devotion to him (bhaktyā) [gurunam premṇa]? by offering everything acquired to him, by associating with saintly devotees, and by the worship of Isvara. (SB 7.7.30)8 तमेवं क्रममेव सङ्क्षिप्य सदृष्टान्तमाह ( भा० ११ १२।४२-४३ ) - The sage Kavi briefly describes the same order to King Nimi along with an example: भक्तिः परेशानुभवो विरक्तिरन्यत्र चैष त्रिक एककालः । प्रपद्यमानस्य यथाश्नतः स्युस्तुष्टिः पुष्टिः क्षुदपायोऽनुघासम् ॥ १०७३ || इत्यच्युताङ्घ्रिं भजतोऽनुवृत्त्या भक्तिर्विरक्तिर्भगवत्प्रबोधः । भवन्ति वै भागवतस्य राजंस्ततः परां शान्तिमुपैति साक्षात् ॥ १०७४ | Just as with every morsel of food consumed, satisfaction, nour- ishment, and relief from hunger are experienced by a person 5 naikatmatam me sprhayanti kecin mat-pada-sevabhirata mad-ihaḥ ye’nyonyato bhagavataḥ prasajya sabhajayante mama pauruṣāņi 8 “This clause is drawn from the previous verse, to which SB 7.7.30 is syntactically connected. 7 Sri Giridhara guru-susruṣaya bhaktyä sarva-labdharpanena ca sangena sadhu-bhaktānām īsvarāradhanena ca 779 III The Practice of Bhakti engaged in eating, so too bhakti [i.e., prema], direct witness- ing of Bhagavan [the immediate self-disclosure of His form (bhagavad-rupa-sphurti)], and detachment from objects unre- lated to devotion - these three occur simultaneously [in the very moment in which bhajana is performed (eka-kalaḥ bhaja- naḥ sama-kāla eva syat)] to a person who has taken complete shelter of Bhagavan [the person engaged in hari-bhajana]. (SB 11.2.42)10 टीका च–“प्रपद्यमानस्य हरिं भजतः पुंसो भक्तिः प्रेमलक्षणा परेशानुभवः प्रेमास्पदभग- वद्रूपस्फूर्तिस्तया निर्वृतस्य ततोऽन्यत्र गृहादिषु विरक्तिरित्येष त्रिक एककालो भजनस- मकाल एव स्यात् । यथाश्नतो भुञ्जानस्य तुष्टिः सुखं पुष्टिरुदरभरण क्षुन्निवृत्तिश्च प्रतिग्रासं PJ: 1 Śrīdhara Svāmi comments: “The word prapadyamanasya, ‘of the person who has taken complete shelter of Bhagavan,’ means ‘of the person engaged in the bhajana of Bhagavan Hari.’ The word bhakti means ‘devotion characterized as divine love’ (prema- lakṣaṇā). The compound pareśänubhava, ‘direct witnessing of Bhagavan,’ means ’the immediate self-disclosure of the form of Bhagavan, who is the object of the devotee’s love’ (premaspada- bhagavad-rupa-sphürti). And because of the joy that the devotee experiences through this revelation of Bhagavan’s form, detach- ment (virakti) is awakened toward all else, such as toward one’s home and belongings. These three developments occur simul- taneously (eka-kalah), or in other words, at the same time that one is engaged in bhajana, just as to a person engaged in eat- ing, satisfaction (tuşți), i.e., enjoyment (sukham), nourishment (puşti), i.e., filling of the belly (udara-bharanam), and relief from hunger (ksud-apayah) are experienced with every morsel of food consumed. 9 This and the following bracketed inserts are Sridhara Svami’s comments. 10 bhaktiḥ paresanubhavo viraktir anyatra caisa trika eka-kalah prapadyamanasya yathaśnatah syus tustih pustih ksud-apayo’nughasam In Jiva Gosvāmi’s original text, SB 11.2.43 is cited immediately after SB 11.2.42, followed by Sridhara Svami’s comment on the latter verse alone. In order to preserve the symmetry of verse and commentary in translation, we have placed SB 11.2.43 after Sridhara Svami’s comment on SB 11.2.42. This is followed by Sri Jiva’s own explanation of SB 11.2.43. 780 340 The Sequence of Progress in Bhakti “उपलक्षणमेतत् । प्रतिसिक्थमपि यथा स्युस्तद्वत् । एवमेवैकस्मिन् भजने किञ्चित् प्रे- मादित्रिके जायमान अनुवृत्त्या भजतः परमप्रेमादि जायते । बहुग्रासभोजिन इव परमतु- ष्ट्यादि । ततश्च भगवत्प्रसादेन कृतार्थो भवतीत्याह ‘इत्यच्युताङ्घ्रिम्’ इति” इत्येषा । “This is implication through analogy (upalakṣana). Bhakti, direct witnessing, and detachment are experienced just as one feels satisfaction, nourishment, and cessation of hunger with every single bite. So in this manner, if by a single act of bhajana, prema, direct witnessing, and detachment all appear to some extent (kiñcit), then by repeated bhajana (anuvṛttyä), the prac- titioner experiences the supreme development of prema and so on, just as one who has eaten a full meal feels complete sat- isfaction and so on. Thereafter, the devotee becomes perfect by the grace of Bhagavan, as stated in the verse that follows [SB 11.2.43].” [Here ends Śrīdhara Svāmi’s comment.] O King, in the manner just stated, a devotee of Bhagavan who worships the lotus feet of Bhagavan Acyuta through continuous practice (anuvṛttya) is certainly blessed with bhakti, immediate realization of Bhagavan (bhagavat-prabodha), and detachment (virakti). Thereafter, he directly attains supreme peace (param santim).” (SB 11.2.43)12 शान्तिं कृतार्थत्वं साक्षादन्तर्बहिश्च प्रकटितपरमपुरुषार्थत्वादव्यवधानेनैवेत्यर्थः । पूर्वप- द्ये भक्त्यादीनां तुष्ट्यादयः क्रमेणैव दृष्टान्ता ज्ञेयाः - उत्तरत्राप्येतत्क्रमेणैव भक्तितुष्ट्योः सुखैकरूपत्वात् । पुष्ट्यनुभवयोरात्मभरणैकरूपत्वात् क्षुदपायविरक्त्योः शान्त्येकरूप- त्वात् । The word santim, “peace,” means that the devotee attains “per- fection” (kṛtärthatvam). This signifies that because the supreme goal (parama-puruṣārtha) becomes directly (sākṣāt) manifest both within the devotee and without, perfection is attained without any separation at all (avyavadhänena eva) [between the act of bhajana and its result]. In the first verse [SB 11.2.42], 11 12 In Krama-sandarbha, Sri Jiva glosses the words param santim as atyantikam kşemam, “the ultimate good.” ity acyutanghrim bhajato’nuvṛttya bhaktir viraktir bhagavat-prabodhah bhavanti vai bhagavatasya rājams tatah param santim upaiti saksat 781 III The Practice of Bhakti it should be understood that bhakti, direct witnessing of Bha- gavan (paresanubhava), and detachment (virakti) are illus- trated in order by satisfaction (tusti), nourishment (pusti), and relief from hunger (kṣud-apayah). In the second verse as well [SB 11.2.43], in accordance with this very same order, bhakti is equated with satisfaction (tuşti), because both are of the nature of happiness (sukha); direct witnessing (anubhava) is equated with nourishment (puşti), because they are one in terms of self- fulfillment (ätma-bharana); and detachment (virakti) is equated with relief from hunger (ksud-apayah), because they both bring about a condition of peace (śänti). यद्यपि भुक्तवतोऽन्नेऽपि वैतृष्ण्यं जायते भगवदनुभविनस्तु विषयान्तर एवेति वैधर्म्यं तथापि वस्त्वन्तरवैतृष्ण्यांश एव दृष्टान्तो गम्य इति ॥ श्रीकविर्निमिम् ॥ There is an element of dissimilarity (vaidharmyam) in the example, because one who has eaten becomes detached from food itself, whereas one who has realized Bhagavan becomes detached only from other objects. In spite of this, however, the example is to be understood as illustrating only the spirit of detachment from objects other than Bhagavan. तदेतद् व्याख्यातमभिधेयम् । अत्रान्योऽपि विशेषः शास्त्रमहाजनदृष्ट्यानुसन्धेयः । We have thus explained abhidheya, or the method to attain the ultimate purpose of human life. In this regard, any other specific details that may be required should be understood from scripture and the vision of highly realized devotees (mahäjanas). गुरुः शास्त्रं श्रद्धा रुचिरनुगतिः सिद्धिरिति मे यदेतत् तत् सर्वं चरणकमलं राजति ययोः । कृपापूरस्यन्दस्रपितनयनाम्भोजयुगलौ सदा राधाकृष्णावशरणगती तौ मम गतिः ॥ १०७५ ।। Śri Radha-Kṛṣṇa, whose lotus feet are everything to me - my preceptor (guru), scripture (sastra), faith (śraddha), attraction (ruci), service (anugati), and goal (siddhi) — whose lotus eyes are always bathed with streams of tears full of compassion, and who are the shelter of the shelterless, are my constant refuge.

782 340 The Sequence of Progress in Bhakti इति कलियुगपावनस्वभजनविभजनप्रयोजनावतार श्रीश्रीभगवत् कृष्णचैतन्यदेव- चरणानुचरविश्ववैष्णवराजसभासभाजनभाजन श्रीरूपसनातनानुशासनभारतीगर्भे षट्सन्दर्भात्मके श्रीश्रीभागवतसन्दर्भे श्रीश्रीभक्तिसन्दर्भो नाम पञ्चमः सन्दर्भः ॥ Thus ends Bhakti Sandarbha, the fifth volume of the Bhagavata Sandarbha, which was written according to the instructions of Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī and Śrī Sanatana Gosvāmi, the revered lead- ers of the royal assembly of world Vaisnavas. They are unalloyed servants of the lotus feet of Bhagavan Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Maha- prabhu, the purifier of the jivas in Kaliyuga, who descended to distribute the benediction of His own devotional service. श्रीभागवतसन्दर्भे सर्वसन्दर्भगर्भगे । पञ्चमो भक्तिसन्दर्भः समाप्तिमिह सङ्गतः ॥ Śri Bhakti Sandarbha, which is the fifth volume of the complete anthology of the Sandarbhas known as Sri Bhagavata Sandarbha, is concluded here. समाप्तोऽयं श्रीश्रीभक्तिसन्दर्भः ॥ HERE ENDS BHAKTI SANDARBHA. 783 III The Practice of Bhakti Commentary UP TO THE previous anuccheda, Sri Jīva Gosvāmī has established that bhakti is the abhidheya, or the prescribed process for attaining the highest goal of life, prema. In this anuccheda, he demonstrates the order of a sadhaka’s progress. First, he refers to the series of verses from the second chapter of the First Canto (SB 1.2.16-21), spo- ken by Suta in response to Saunaka’s questions. This has been summarized by Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmi in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: In the beginning, [by first hearing the sastra in the association of sadhus], one develops śraddha, or faith in the path of devotion. [tad-artha-visvasa]. This leads one to again seek out the associa- tion of a sadhu or guru [to receive formal instructions in bhajana]. Thereafter, one engages in acts of devotion (bhajana-kriyā), as a result of which the practitioner’s defilements (anarthas) are removed from the heart. One then attains resolute fixity (nistha) [meaning unbroken continuity of bhajana without distraction or wavering (avikṣepena satatyam)]. This results in developing a taste for bhajana (ruci) [meaning a longing for service (abhilaṣa) that is however prompted by intellectual resolve (kintu buddhi- pürvikeyam)]. As the practitioner continues, he develops intense attachment to bhajana (asakti) [which is now spontaneous (svara- siki), i.e., independent of intellectual resolve]. This leads to the appearance of bhava, the first dawning of divine love for Bhagavan, which culminates in prema, the full blown manifestation of divine love. This is the order in which prema appears in the practitioners. (BRS 1.4.15-16)14 A detailed explanation of these two verses is given by Śrī Viś- vanatha Cakravarti in his Madhurya-kādambini. The practical appli- cation of these verses is seen in the life history of Narada in his previous birth as the son of a maidservant. First, he obtained the association of the munis, which led to the development of śraddha 13 This and the next bracketed insert are Sri Jiva Gosvāmi’s comments. 14 adau śraddha tataḥ sadhu-sango’tha bhajana-kriya tato’nartha-nivṛttiḥ syat tato nistha rucis tatah tathasaktis tato bhavas tatah premabhyudañcati sadhakanām ayam premnah pradurbhave bhavet kramah 784 340 The Sequence of Progress in Bhakti (SB 1.5.23). Then he continued to associate with them and rendered service to them (SB 1.5.24). This cleaned his heart of impurities, and he attained fixity (SB 1.5.25). As he went on hearing from the munis in a regular manner, he developed ruci (SB 1.5.26). Narada contin- ued to describe his progress to the point of asakti (SB 1.5.27), which led finally to the attainment of bhava (SB 1.5.31). Śrī Jiva Gosvāmi also refers to the teachings of Bhagavan Kapila, in which there is mention of sadhu-sanga and bhajana-kriya in the form of hearing katha. According to Śrī Viśvanatha Cakravarti, the words śraddha, rati, and bhakti in SB 3.25.25 refer to asakti, bhava, and prema, respectively. In Krama-sandarbha, however, Śrī Jiva Gosvāmi writes that śraddha means firm faith (viśvāsa), while rati and bhakti refer to bhava and prema. The order given by Suta Gosvāmī in SB 1.2.16-21 is general in nature. For some practitioners, it may occur somewhat differently depending upon their goal and the intensity of their practice. It is not necessary that all practitioners experience each of these steps one after the other. Sage Kavi summarizes the order of progress on the path of pure devotion in just three words - namely, bhakti, pareśānubhava, and virakti. This means that when a person is pure-hearted, then in the execution of bhajana itself, bhakti, which here means prema, and the immediate realization of Bhagavan (paresanubhava) occur simultaneously. There is no delay. Detachment (virakti) from any- thing not related to devotion is also simultaneously given rise to at this time. This was also affirmed by Suta Gosvāmī in the very beginning of the Bhagavata (janayaty aśu vairagyam, SB 1.2.7). In reality, there is only one step on the path of pure devotion, signifying that in bhakti the means and end are one and the same. If something is causeless, it cannot contain steps. Steps or a sequence are seen on the paths of karma, jñana, and yoga, because on these paths, one makes gradual progress by one’s own efforts. Bhakti, on the other hand, makes its appearance solely by the grace of Kṛṣṇa or His devotee. For this reason, it is not gradual. Yet it is shown to have an order of development so that it also appears like a practice resembling other paths. 785 III The Practice of Bhakti In this regard, one may raise the doubt that in reality, bhakti is also seen to have various steps, as outlined by Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmi. In reply, it may be said that the steps he refers to only show the degree of the practitioner’s readiness or eligibility to receive bhakti, to be the suitable ground for bhakti’s manifestation. As soon as one is ready, bhakti manifests. To convey this idea, sage Kavi uses the word eka-kālaḥ, “simultaneously,” which Sridhara Svami explains as “in the very moment in which bhajana is performed” (eka-kalaḥ bhajanaḥ sama-kala eva syat, SB 11.2.42). In this statement, he is not speaking of any order, steps, or gradual attainment. This is the excellent characteristic of bhakti. The steps in bhakti are described so that practitioners will engage in sadhana. Other- wise, they would only wait for grace to descend and do nothing. But Krsna intends that we should exert ourselves and yet at the same time recognize that it is not by our own efforts that we obtain bhakti. In the Gita, Kṛṣṇa told Arjuna that He had already killed the ene- mies, and He visually demonstrated this to him through the revela- tion of the universal form. In spite of this, however, He instructed Arjuna to fight and become an instrument for what was already the case (GĪTĀ 11.33-34). Yet at the end of Krsna’s instruction in the Gītā, Arjuna acknowledged that it was by Krsna’s grace that he had become enlightened, not by undertaking any sadhana (18.73). Consequently, both the sadhaka’s effort and the grace of Krsna are necessary to achieve perfection. Kṛṣṇa showed this practically in the Dama-bandhana-lila. He could not be bound by the efforts of Mother Yasoda alone. Only when He witnessed her efforts and became gracious upon her did He allow Himself to be bound.15 Śrī Jiva thus concludes Bhakti Sandarbha, having established bhakti- and specifically raganuga-bhakti- as the abhidheya. Bhakti Sandarbha, which contains 340 anucchedas, or sections, can be divided into three parts. In the first part, consisting of Anucche- das 1-178, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmi discusses bhakti as the complete method 15 sva-matuh svinna-gatraya visrasta-kabarasrajah drstva pariśramam krsnaḥ krpayasīt sva-bandhane SB 10.9.18 786 340 The Sequence of Progress in Bhakti (abhidheya), showing that bhakti alone is the most suitable process to realize the Absolute, tattva. In this part, he presents a thorough analysis of bhakti. The second part consists of Anucchedas 179-213. In this part, Śrī Jiva Gosvāmi discusses the greatness of the devotees of Bhagavan. The devotees are so supreme that Bhagavan Himself comes under their control. They are directly the source of bhakti for the condi- tioned beings in the material world. Without their grace, no one can obtain bhakti. The third part of the book consists of Anucchedas 214-340. In this part, Śrī Jiva discusses the practice of bhakti. He defines and cate- gorizes bhakti from various angles. In the last part of the book, he writes that bhakti is of two types, vaidhi and raganuga. Of these two, he favors the second one. The highest form of rāgānugā is practiced toward Krsna in Gokula. On this note, he concludes his discussion of bhakti. In the next book, Priti Sandarbha, he elaborates on the third topic of Bhāgavata Purana, namely, prayojana, or divine love as the ultimate goal. This commentary was completed on Kartika Pūrņimā, Sam- vat 2072, Thursday, November 25th, 2015, at Jiva Institute, Sheetal Chaya, Vrindavan. HARI OM TAT SAT śri guror mukhabjac chrutva śri haridasa-sastrinaḥ yatha-mati kṛtā-tikā satām eṣā prasīdatām kārtikasya purnimayam mahaprabhor vrajotsave netre svare randhre netre tikeyam pūrṇatām gata THUS ENDS THE ŚRI JIVA TOȘANI COMMENTARY ON ŚRI BHAKTI SANDARBHA, THE FIFTH BOOK OF SRI SAT SANDARBHA, BY ŚRILA JIVA GOSVĀMI PRABHUPADA.References Editors’ Notes EACH ANUCCHEDA OF BHAKTI SANDARBHA together with its accompanying commentary is presented as a chapter. If an anuccheda contains more than one main verse, each verse has usually been placed in a separate section within the chapter. Normally, the Sandarbhas have been composed according to a formula where ideas are coalesced around principal verses of the Bhagavata, each one illustrating a particular theological point. Each anuccheda is defined and numbered by the Bhagavata verse itself. The numbering of anucchedas follows the edition of Sri Haridasa Sastrī. The numbering of verses from Srimad Bhagavata and Bhaga- vad Gita follows the edition of Gita Press. The numbering of verses from Mahabharata and the Puranas follows the edition of Nag Pub- lishers. There are numerous verses cited by Jiva Gosvāmi through- out the Sandarbhas that are not to be found in the printed versions of the particular books referenced by him. In all such cases, no number is provided after the verse cited. For clear and easy understanding within the Sanskrit text, the euphonic conjunction of vowels (sandhi) is sometimes bro- ken down and represented as compound words, e.g., sat-cit- ananda instead of saccidananda, or acintya-bheda-abheda instead of acintya-bhedabheda. 791 References In case of the stem word brahman, although the nominative singular is brahma, we have used brahman, which is the popular norm. 792 The Language of Transcendence - Key Terms and Concepts by Navadvip Das (Bruce Martin) IN THE WORK OF TRANSLATING THE SANDARBHAS, careful atten- tion has been given to the language used to convey specific terms and concepts. The emphasis has been on maintaining consistency with the overall theme of the work and, in particular, with the specific vision developed by Śrī Jiva Gosvāmi. The Sat Sandarbha, also known as Bhagavata Sandarbha, is no ordinary exposition of theism, for it defines Bhagavan in terms of nondual consciousness (advaya-jñāna). By so doing, it opens the field of investigation of nondual reality to new insights, and so creates a basis for interface with other wisdom schools, as well as with the fields of transper- sonal psychology, transcendental phenomenology, and the leading edge of quantum physics, cosmology, and consciousness studies. Jiva Gosvāmi’s treatise certainly took into account the most impor- tant philosophical views of his day, and there is much in his writ- ing that can be of great value to modern fields of knowledge as well. So the language used in translating his work has been chosen to facilitate such correspondence. To assist the reader we have supplied below an explanation of key terms that appear throughout the text so that the underly- ing meaning that has informed them can be clearly understood. In this regard, three terms in particular require special attention so that their sense may be correctly understood by the reader: “nondual devotion” as a translation (in select passages) for uttama- bhakti, the “Nondual Personal Absolute” and the “Complete Whole” 793 References as translations for Bhagavan, and “Radical Nondualism” for the Absolute Idealism of Sankara’s Advaita Vedanta. In going through this vital introduction to the language of the Sandarbhas, we hope you will discover that this is not merely a glos- sary of terms, but an interconnected framework of revelatory con- cepts. With this in mind, the selection begins with acintya, the transrational, because it contains a discussion of sabdyate, how the Absolute is describable in words. ACINTYA (TRANSRATIONAL) This term refers to that which is beyond conventional logic or reason, yet not altogether inexpress- ible through language and thought. The Nondual Absolute is not altogether inconceivable because it can be conceived, but only through transrational logic. Śrīdhara Svami as well as Jiva Gosvami define it as tarka-asaham - beyond the range of conventional or linear logic. Just as there exist higher order laws operating within the quantum domain that don’t conform to mechanistic sci- ence, so also there are higher order dynamics existing within the transpersonal domain that surpass conventional logic. It is these transrational dynamics that make possible transcendent variety and distinction within the nondual whole while still preserving perfectly intact its nondual nature. So although acintya literally means “beyond thought,” or “inconceivable,” it actually points to the realm of transconventional being, which is nonetheless describable in words. The transpersonal reality is, of course, beyond mind and thought and is incapable of being grasped merely by mental striv- ing; yet being of the nature of self-luminosity, or self-revelation, it can nonetheless disclose itself even through thought and language. So acintya, rendered as inconceivable, does not imply incapability of being expressed in words. Bearing this in mind, acintya should not be equated with Sankara’s notion of anirvacaniya, or inexpress- ibility through words. If Brahman is no more than unqualified being, devoid of characteristics or potencies, then nothing more can be said about It, because any description would ultimately be an imposition of a thought construct upon inscrutable reality. 794 The Language of Transcendence - Key Terms and Concepts If, however, as the Bhagavata maintains, the Absolute is replete with unlimited potency, then unlimited words, which are them- selves potencies emanating from that source, can appropriately describe that Reality. This is exactly the point that Jiva Gosvāmi makes in Bhagavat Sandarbha (Anuccheda 98). The Vedas are trans- human words emanating from the divine source that accurately depict its true inherent nature, because the Vedas are infused with the self-revelatory power of the intrinsic potency. Jiva goes a step further by saying that even human speech that is similarly infused with the intrinsic potency and thus in correspondence with the divine source can also describe the Absolute. This is the final pur- pose for which the intellect, mind, and senses were created in the first place. In the words of the Bhagavata (10.87.2), these material instruments were created “ultimately to transcend the act of filter- ing experience through the screen of prior assumptions (akalpa- naya), or in other words, for liberation.” So in answer to the ques- tion, “how can thought and language describe the Absolute?” it can simply be said, “because they were created specifically to do so.” Hence, the word sabdyate, “describable in words,” is used in reference to the Nondual Absolute, mentioned in the Bhagavata’s seminal verse (1.2.11). It is for this reason that the knowers of truth (tattva-vit) refer to it as Brahman, Paramātmā, and Bhagavān. It is in this light too that Śrī Jiva defines acintya as sastraika-gamya- tvam that which is knowable only through the revealed word of God or of realized devotees. He did not conclude it to be ineffable. BRAHMAN (THE UNQUALIFIED ABSOLUTE) This refers to the Nondual Absolute (advaya-jñāna), devoid of all distinctions, such as names, forms, qualities, and action, and hence devoid of inher- ent potency (svarupa-sakti). Such distinctions (bheda) are per- ceived through conventional logic to be limiting adjuncts (upādhis) that would confine the Absolute, leading to the inevitable dualism of subject and object (i.e., the name is different from the named and potency different from “the potent”). Thus Brahman is sometimes conceived as that which remains upon negation of the sum total of the phenomenal. 795 References Such conventional logic, of course, presupposes all distinc- tion as “phenomenal distinction.” It cannot at all account even for the possibility of transphenomenal distinction (acintya bheda) because that is necessarily beyond the predetermined range of its own investigative validity. It cannot make any claims whatsoever in regard to possibilities lying beyond this limit. So, in effect, all that can be definitely concluded by this method is that for the Abso- lute to be nondual, it cannot have material names, material forms, and so on. If there are such things as transphenomenal names, forms, qualities, action, and personhood that are inherently non- dual, or that exist as inherent potencies of the Nondual Absolute, an altogether different method and logic, transrational in nature, is required to apprehend them. Hence, to be precise, Brahman is not so much the Absolute devoid of all distinction as the indistinct vision of the Absolute. In other words, it is the indistinct view of Reality as disclosed by the path of jñana. It is not the distinct view of Reality inclusive of a transphenomenal interiority, as disclosed by the path of nondual devotion (see uttama bhakti and svarupa-sakti below). PARAMĀTMĀ (THE SUPREME INDWELLING SELF OR, SIMPLY, THE SUPREME SELF) This refers to the immanent feature of the Absolute, pervading the cosmos and the individual living beings as the supreme witness, internal guide, and regulator. Paramātmā is the Supreme Self of all individual selves (ātmā), and so He may also be referred to as the Supreme Immanent or the Supreme Immanent Self. Though Paramātmā remains uninvolved with prakrti and the living beings as impartial witness, He is, nonetheless, their origina- tor and the facilitator of their operations. As such He is Isvara, the Supreme Controller, Master, Source, and Foundation. Yet, Param- atmä should not be equated with “the Creator God” because primor- dial nature and the living beings are His eternal potencies. Hence, Paramātmā is the Nondual Absolute in His feature of immanence. In contrast with Brahman, Paramātmā is replete with transphe- nomenal distinction, including name, form, qualities, action, and personhood, all of which are inherent in Him. While yet nondifferent from Bhagavan, He is but a portion of a portion of 796 The Language of Transcendence - Key Terms and Concepts the original Complete Person (Svayam Bhagavan). So while He Himself in His own self-effulgent nature is fully transcendent, His sphere of influence is tied to the perpetual play of creation, known as srsti-lila. Thus, He does not manifest the full extension of transcendental variegatedness as in the case of Bhagavan. So Paramātmā is Bhagavan with the limited role of sheltering the modifications of prakrti and the jivas who are involved with her. BHAGAVAN (THE NONDUAL PERSONAL ABSOLUTE) Etymo- logically, the word bhagavan is composed of bhaga + vat, endowed with or encompassing all opulence (bhaga). That which encom- passes everything is the Complete Whole, implying that it includes and yet transcends everything. Bhagavan may also be rendered as the Complete Person (Purna Purusa) when emphasizing that the Complete Whole is inherently personal in nature. The former term may be more appropriate, or universally applicable, when stress- ing simply Bhagavan’s general characteristic of all-inclusivity. In the most generic sense Bhagavan may be referred to simply as the Supreme Person or the Supreme Being. When speaking of the Absolute as nondual awareness (advaya- jñāna) and Bhagavan as the complete distinct vision of nondual awareness, it may be appropriate to refer to Bhagavan as the Non- dual Personal Absolute in keeping with the context. In contrast with Brahman, Bhagavan is the distinct vision of the Nondual Absolute, inherently self-endowed with intrinsic potency (svarupa- sakti), and hence eternally replete with transcendental name, form, qualities, action, and personhood. As discussed above, though all of these distinct characteristics inhere in Him, He is yet one and nondual in nature, which is made possible through His unprece- dented transrational power (acintya-sakti). So the metaphysical system that depicts this state of being is known as acintya-bheda- abheda. In contrast with Paramātmā, who is but a portion of the Complete Whole, Bhagavan’s variegatedness is entirely beyond the realm of creation, being exclusively the play of divinity, known as divya-lila. Hence, Bhagavan may be understood as the Nondual Absolute in His feature of supreme transcendence. 797References The Nondual Personal Absolute, Bhagavan, is not just the Com- plete Whole, but an integrated whole. He is not whole because of being devoid of distinct parts that might otherwise contradict His undifferentiated unity. Rather, He is inherently inclusive of varieties of distinct energies as their supreme source and refuge. These energies have no existence apart from Bhagavan and thus in this sense are nondifferent from Him. Yet, while these energies exist as distinct aspects of His inherent nature, He is more than the sum total of them. He thus includes and yet transcends them. He is therefore an integrated whole having individual parts that are dis- tinct from, and yet one with, Him. There is nothing which exists independent of Bhagavan. THE JIVA (THE INDIVIDUAL LIVING BEING) This refers to the conscious self (atma) as qualified by the intellect (buddhi), ego (ahankara), the mind (manas), the senses, and the physical body. In this sense, the jiva is known as the embodied self or the empiri- cal self. Yet, the jiva’s individual selfhood (i.e., its supra-empirical selfhood rooted in the very identity of the atma) is not a product of mere illusion that vanishes on the awakening of its identity with Brahman. Though the jiva is one in identity with Brahman, this does not signify absolute nondistinction as advocated by Sankara. The jiva is in fact a conscious part of Paramatma. By this it is not meant that the jiva is a broken-off part but an integrated part of the Complete Whole. The jiva eternally partakes of identity with Paramatma and can never be ontologically separated from Paramātmā, even in the so- called state of bondage. The jiva, as conscious or integrated part (cid-amsa), is never truly bound. The jiva, however, is sometimes referred to as vibhinnamsa, a separated part. This separation is purely psychological, owing to beginningless ignorance. Even in this state of psychological or self-imposed bondage, the jiva is no other than an integrated part of the integrated whole. This is due to the fact that the jiva is an eternal distinct potency of Param- atma known as taṭastha-sakti, the intermediary potency. It is so- called because it belongs neither to the intrinsic spiritual potency (svarupa-sakti) nor to the extrinsic material potency (māyā-śakti), 798 The Language of Transcendence - Key Terms and Concepts but can be influenced by both. So the jiva is eternally distinct from and yet one with Paramātmā, by virtue of the transrational potency (acintya-sakti) of the one Nondual Absolute. UTTAMA BHAKTI (PURE OR UNALLOYED DEVOTION) First of all, because the entire discussion of Bhagavata Sandarbha proceeds on the basis of the definition of Ultimate Reality as nondual consciousness (advaya-jñāna), and because Bhagavan is shown to be nondual consciousness in its highest completion, it seems only appropriate to consider bhakti, which is the means of realiz- ing the Nondual Personal Whole, Bhagavan, as being of the nature of nonduality. In light of this consideration, nondual devotion does not refer to devotion merely as a means of realizing the unquali- fied Nondual Absolute (i.e., Brahman). Such a notion would be more appropriately rendered as devotional nonduality, wherein nonduality is the subject and devotion merely a qualifier. Rather, nondual devotion is meant in the sense of the inherent potency of the complete Nondual Absolute, Bhagavan, which reveals Him. as the unity that upholds all distinction. It is the devotion opened to when all separative and dualistic self-concepts operating under the influence of the gunas have been transcended. The purity of uttama bhakti signifies that it is altogether beyond the influence of the gunas of primordial nature, and thus it is also known as nirguna bhakti (see the discussion that follows below). DEVOTION MIXED WITH THE GUNAS (DUALISTIC DEVOTION) Correspondingly, if nondual devotion is the means that discloses the Nondual Absolute as Bhagavan, then devotion mixed with the gunas must necessarily be dualistic in nature. This is exactly what Kapiladeva states in the Bhagavata (3.29.8-10). He uses the terms bhinna-drg-bhava (of separatist vision) and prthak-bhava (a sepa- ratist) to describe the performers of devotion mixed with any one of the three gunas. In Bhakti Sandarbha, after the description of āropa-siddha bhakti (attributive devotion) and sanga-siddha bhakti (associative devotion), there follows the explanation of uttama bhakti (i.e., svarupa-siddha bhakti). But the delineation of uttama bhakti proper is preceded by a discussion of bhakti in the gunas, which is marked by these three types of separatist or dualistic 799 References visions. The key point is that the performer is still rooted in dual- ism, considering him or herself separate from Bhagavan. Sadhana is thus performed with this dualistic mentality, as a means only to an end and therefore causal in nature, rather than as an end unto itself, acausal in nature, as immediate and present connection with Bhagavan, here and now. NIRGUNA BHAKTI (DEVOTION FREE FROM THE GUNAS) BY contrast with mixed devotion, devotion free from the gunas is com- pared (SB 3.29.11) to the natural, continuous, unobstructed flow of the Ganga to the sea, because the Ganga, while distinct from the ocean, is nonetheless in no way disconnected from the ocean, which is its final refuge. Jiva Gosvāmī states in Tattva Sandarbha that the oneness of the jiva and Brahman is in terms of identity of being, yet he clarifies that this oneness in no way implies abso- lute nondistinction. It could also be stated the other way, that the distinction between the jiva and Paramātmā in no way implies absolute or categorical separation. In fact, as an integrated part of the Complete Whole, the jiva can never be separated from Param- ātmā, even in the state of bondage. The sense of separation is merely psychological, having no ontological reality whatsoever. Hence, devotion in which the performer holds to the egoistic posi- tion of being a doer or subject separate from the ultimate “object” (Bhagavan) is most appropriately referred to as dualistic devotion. By placing this discussion as a preface to uttama bhakti, Jiva Gosvāmi clearly recognizes this mentality as a significant and prominent pitfall among those who presume themselves to be on the path of pure devotion. So the terms “nondual devotion” and “dualistic devotion” are helpful in clarifying this most important distinction. And what does this distinction imply in practical terms for the practitioner? It is not we who perform devotion, rather it is devotion that performs us. That is to say that devotion enacts itself through its own power of self-revelation, and in so doing, it reveals the living being in its true identity, lending its inherent nature of awareness and bliss to the instrument of its manifestation. Beginning from the sense organs, the tongue, ears, eyes, hands, and so on, it works its ways inward, pervading the internal organs, 800 The Language of Transcendence - Key Terms and Concepts the vital system, the emotions and the mental quantum of mind, ego, and intellect, till it reaches at last to the atma, making the ātmā one with its essential nature. In what sense then can the practi- tioner truly be said to be a practitioner or a performer of devotion? One who holds to the egoistic and separatist conception of being a performer of devotion, a chanter of the name, a doer of acts of good to others and God, and so on, is caught in dualistic devotion, impeding this transcendental flow. When we abandon this sepa- ratist identity, we become but instruments through which devo- tion itself flows unimpeded, the interactive screen upon which the divine name arises, the playground in which the drama of worship unfolds. KARMA (DUALISTIC ACTION) In the same light, karma, even in its niskama form in which the desire for the fruit of action is relin- quished, is necessarily dualistic because the performer holds to the notion of being separate from the object and the result of action. It is for this reason that Jiva Gosvāmī as well as Sanatana Gosvāmi dis- agree with Śrīdhara Svami in not accepting karma offered to Bhaga- vān as bhakti. Even when the desire for fruit is given up, the sense of doership remains. So, when the discussion again carries refer- ence to the Absolute as nondual awareness, karma is appropriately referred to as dualistic action. In a more general context, it may be rendered as goal-oriented or result-oriented action. This is just another way of saying the same thing because all dualistic action is carried out by a performer seeking some particular result that is separated both from the performer and the act itself in time and place and is therefore causal in nature. SANKARA’S ADVAITA VEDANTA (RADICAL NONDUALISM) This is but one school of Vedanta and hence but one school of nondu- alism. From the Bhagavata (1.2.11) and from Jiva Gosvāmi’s analysis throughout the Sat Sandarbha, it is clear that there is also theistic or devotional nondualism. In fact, Jiva Gosvāmi’s entire vision devel- ops from his understanding of the Absolute as nondual awareness and from his recognition of nonduality as the common ground and the lowest common denominator from which a discussion of the Absolute can proceed. Thus, the Bhagavata’s vision of nonduality, 801 References which Jiva seeks to bring forth, is a unique one, far exceeding the generic oneness of Sankara. So it is essential to speak of different schools of nonduality with different emphasis. It is in this light that we refer to Sankara’s view as Radical Nondualism, from the Latin radix, or “connected to the root,” implying that his view denies all distinction to the very core. It is absolute in its denial of distinction. Sankara’s doctrine claims to represent the quintessence of the Upanisads. Yet in the Upanisads, we find two types of state- ments, i.e., those that accommodate transphenomenal variety within unity and those that emphasize oneness and nondistinc- tion. Examples of the first type are svabhäviki jñana bala kriya ca, “The Supreme Person has multifarious potencies that are intrinsic to His being, including knowledge, will power, and action” (Sveta- śvatara Upanisad 6.8), and, nityo nityanam cetanas cetanānām eko, “There is one supreme eternal among all the eternal living beings and one supreme conscious source among the multitude of con- scious entities” (Katha Upanisad 2.2.13). Examples of the second type are sarvam khalv idam brahma, “All this is indeed Brahman” (Chandogya Upanisad 3.14.1), and, neha nana ‘sti kincana, “There is no diversity here whatsoever” (Katha Upanisad 2.1.11). Sankara has given importance only to those statements that emphasize one- ness alone and treated the statements advocating unity in variety as secondary, denying primary meaning to them without giving any satisfactory explanation or reason. The question may be asked, how can nondualism be put forth as the most valid description of reality when it is practically observed that there is a distinction between subject and object, between Spirit (Brahman) and the world (jagat or prakrti), between con- scious beings (jivas) and insentient matter? Sankara’s solution is to advocate nondualism (lit., “not two”) by denial of the object: brahma satyam jagan mithya (“the world is unreal, only Brahman is real”), so that in effect there is only Brahman, there is only the subject and no object, there is only one. So, because Sankara’s nondualism denies the object to the very root (radix), it may be referred to as Radical Nondualism. That is to say that it can 802 The Language of Transcendence - Key Terms and Concepts account for oneness only (abheda) and not for distinction. Distinc- tion is admitted only in an empirical sense (as mithya) but with- out fundamental ontological existence. He can in no way accom- modate transphenomenal distinction (acintya-bheda) because he cannot accommodate inherent potency (svarupa-sakti) within the Nondual Whole. An alternate meaning of radical is “that which is a departure from tradition.” Sankara’s Vedanta or Nondualism is radical in this sense too because it is a departure from the traditional or mainstream Vedantic view that acknowledges the ontological real- ity of prakrti, Iśvara, and the living being. Sankara may have thought it necessary to reinterpret this view in order to legitimize and stress the nondual nature of the Absolute, but in doing so, he introduced a strategic error that ultimately undermined his own system, that of Brahman’s becoming overwhelmed by māyā. It is for this reason that his doctrine is sometimes rightly referred to as Māyāvada, because māyā, which is said by him to be devoid of onto- logical reality, is yet able to overcome Brahman, the one and only real. Because of this mutation of mainstream Vedantic thought, his system may appropriately be referred to as “Radical Nondualism.” Again, Sankara’s attempt to establish nonduality by denial of the object proves to be inadequate and unsatisfactory. His contri- bution is significant in what it attempts to accomplish, but it begs a more comprehensive and far-reaching understanding of nondu- ality. In a way, Sankara’s view can be seen as a reaction to, and the counterpart of, the Buddhist doctrine of anatta (or anātma), which by contrast establishes nonduality by denial of the subject. Both of these views, though establishing nondualism from opposite starting points, stop short of a truly authentic transrational meta- physics, resorting to conventional logic to establish a limited and hence morphed nonduality. Still, both are useful in urging con- ventional devotion out of its tendency to get stuck in dualism. It is finally the acintya-bheda-abheda metaphysics of the Bhagavata and Jiva Gosvāmi that completes and surpasses the limited nondualistic views of Sankara and the Buddha. 803 References NONDUALITY OF THE BHAGAVATA (THEISTIC NONDUALISM) By comparison, the nonduality of the Bhagavata may be referred to as theistic nondualism, which finds its most complete expression in the visionary view known as acintya-bheda-abheda, the transra- tional inherence of distinction within the integral Nondual Whole. In this view, like that of Sankara, there is only one vastava vastu, or ontological existent that is nondual in nature, yet unlike Sankara, it is admitted that unlimited potency of different categories inheres in this one existent. Though the inherence of distinction appar- ently contradicts its nonduality from the point of view of conven- tional reason or logic, from the transrational perspective (acintya), it is perfect in keeping with the higher internal laws (or consti- tuting nature) that govern the transphenomenal reality. To take it a step further, nondualism that can accommodate oneness only and not distinction remains impoverished and hence can hardly be admitted as the Complete Whole. Therefore, theistic nondualism extends far beyond Sankara’s view. Yet, if Bhagavan is wrongly interpreted merely as the creator or regulator God, then this would seem to advocate dualism. This is a gross error that has allowed nondual devotion to be reduced to dualistic worship. Theism in general is almost automatically equated with dualism and is thus conceived to be inferior by the schools of nondualism that advocate either Brahman or nirvana as ultimate. The highest state of the transpersonal is concluded through conventional logic to be non-personal. But this is exactly the point at which conventional logic breaks down. The logic that exhausts itself at the doorway of Brahman or nirvana becomes the barrier to the hidden interior of nondual awareness, an expanded nonduality that accommodates distinction in oneness. This is why it is imperative to begin the discussion of reality at the point of advaya-jñana and to correspondingly understand Bha- gavan as the Nondual Personal Absolute. In this way, we eliminate the possibility of the misplaced reduction and force the investiga- tion of reality to proceed beyond its general limit, that of unqual- ified, indistinct, monolithic Brahman. That is the real purpose of the Bhagavata and Jiva Gosvāmi’s presentation of the Bhagavata 804 The Language of Transcendence - Key Terms and Concepts Sandarbha to lead the discussion into the interiority of nondual awareness.

SVARUPA-SAKTI (THE INTERIORITY OF NONDUAL AWARE- NESS) This refers to the inherent potency with which the Nondual Absolute is eternally self-endowed. When the Nondual Absolute is conceived as unqualified and devoid of potency, It is known as Brahman. When the same Nondual Absolute is con- ceived as inherently self-endowed with all potency, It is known as Bhagavan. The ontological entity is one and the same, yet, a higher order, or, in other words, transrational, logic is required to under- stand how distinction (bheda) can be possible without violating the basic nature of nonduality (abheda). This is worked out in detail in the Bhagavata and the Sat Sandarbha. In short, the inherent nature of the Nondual Absolute cannot be other than nondual. And it is the inherent nature or intrinsic potency of the Nondual Absolute that discloses its interiority, that discloses its variegated display of transcendent being, awareness, and bliss. So it is the intrin- sic potency (svarupa-sakti), particularly in the form of nondual devotion (uttama bhakti), that reveals the interiority of nondual awareness. EKAPADA & TRIPADA VIBHUTI (Onefold and THREEFOLD DIMENSIONALITY OF BEING) These terms are commonly ren- dered as “the one-quarter manifestation of Reality” (i.e., the mate- rial realm) and “the three-quarter manifestation of Reality” (i.e., the spiritual realm). Strictly speaking, however, this has nothing to do with any sort of mathematical ratio between the material and spiritual domains. If the spiritual realm is infinite, should it not be infinitely more vast than the material world? (In fact, even the material realm is infinite, and conventional mathematics fails at the level of infinity, infinity being transrational.) Moreover, if the 3:1 ratio is merely symbolic to indicate the magnitude of Spirit in relation to matter, why then express it by such a paltry ratio as 3:1 instead of, say, a million to one? After all, we are speaking about infinity and 3:1 just doesn’t seem to cut it. As Jiva Gosvāmi demonstrates in Bhagavat Sandarbha (Anucche- da 78), 3:1 refers to something quite specific. Tripad vibhuti, which 805 References is another name for the spiritual realm, refers to three qualities or dimensions of transcendental being, namely immortality (amṛta- tva), fearlessness (abhaya), and auspiciousness (ksema). These are three qualities woven into the fabric of transcendence. Ekapada vibhuti, on the other hand, which is a name for the material world, refers to mortality alone. Thus, in the material world, “being” cul- minates moment to moment in death alone. Fear and inauspicious- ness, which are the material counterparts of the other two spiritual characteristics, are subsumed within the simple inescapable fact of mortality. So it is clear from this analysis that we are speaking about dimensions or aspects of being and not about mathematical ratios. Further, a parallel can be drawn between the three qualitative dimensions of transcendental being and the well-known descrip- tion of Spirit as sat-cit-ananda. Immortality can be equated with sat, because it signifies eternal existence. Fearlessness can be equated with cit, because it is a state of awareness, and auspicious- ness can be equated with ananda, because it is a state of beatitude and, hence, bliss. Jiva Gosvāmī goes on to explain that kşema, or aus- piciousness, specifically refers to all-auspicious devotion, which culminates in prema (i.e., ananda). 806Bhakti Sandarbha at a Glance The numbers in parentheses refer to anucchedas. I Bhakti Is the Complete Abhidheya 1 2 Establishment of Bhakti As the Complete Abhidheya (1-120) Bhakti Is the Complete Form of Sammukhyata (1-3.1) Bhakti Established by All Teachers in Srimad Bhagavata (3.2-94) Bhakti Is the Culmination of All Methods (95-98) Bhakti Established through Negative Inference — Vyatireka (99-105) Bhakti Is for Bhagavan Alone (106-107) Bhakti Established through Disregard for Nondevotion (108-110) Bhakti Is Universal Dharma (111-113) Bhakti Established by the Hermeneutics of Srimad Bhagavata (114-120) The Essential Nature of Bhakti (121-164) Purifying Power of Bhakti (121-132) Bhakti Is Nirguna (133-138) Bhakti Is Bhagavan’s Svarupa-sakti (139-147) The Power of a Single Act of Bhakti (148-164) 3 Ananya-bhakti Culminates in Natural Attraction (165-178) The Exclusivity of Bhakti (165-169) Assessment of Bhakti through the Nistha of Its Performers (170-176) Bhakti Born of Natural Attraction Is the Abhidheya (177-178) 808 Bhakti Sandarbha at a Glance II How Akiñcana-bhakti Is Attained 1 Devotees As the Cause of Attaining Bhakti (179-187.1) The Cause of Sammukhyata in the Form of Bhakti (179-180.1) The Grace of Bhagavan Is Secondary (180.2-185) Sat-sanga Determines the Nature of a Person’s Sammukhya (186-187.1) 2 Characteristics of Devotees (187.2-202.2) Superlative, Intermediate, and Beginning Devotees (187.2-190) Symptoms of the Superlative Devotee (191-198) Gradations of Devotees According to Practice (199-202.2) 3 Devotees As the Cause of Progress on the Path (202.3-213) Preliminary Steps Leading to True Worship (202.3-205) Sravana, Siksa, and Mantra-gurus (206-213) III The Practice of Bhakti 1 2 Sammukhya in the Form of Direct Worship (214-216) Two Divisions of Sammukhya As Direct Worship (214-216) Three Categories of Bhakti (217-234) Overview (217.1) Aropa-siddha-bhakti (217.2-224) Sanga-siddha-bhakti (225-230) Influence of the Gunas on the Practitioner of Direct Bhakti (231-233) Svarupa-siddha-bhakti (234) 3 Vaidhi-bhakti (235-309) Overview (235) Saranapatti (236-237) Sat-sanga (238-247) The Nine Primary Limbs of Bhakti (248-309) 4 Rāgānuga-bhakti (310-338) Overview (310-312.3) The Power of Natural Attraction (312.4-324) Raganuga-bhakti Is Primarily in regard to Krsna (325-338) 5 Conclusion (339-340) 809 Glossary In this glossary, word meanings are separated by commas when the words in a series are nearly synonymous or when they serve to amplify the meaning of the other words with which they are correlated. They are separated by semicolons when they represent a sufficiently distinct variation in meaning from the previous word or group of words. Periods are used to mark off definitions that are expressed as complete sentences. ABHIDHA The primary meaning of a word. The significative power of a word, meaning the relation that exists between the word and its meaning, by which the meaning is cognized whenever the word is heard. ABHIDHEYA The means by which the ultimate goal is actualized; a method that enables the radical shift in awareness from absorption in mat- ter to immersion in the one Absolute Reality. According to Sri Jiva Gosvāmi, bhakti is the means prescribed in Srimad Bhagavata. ABHIJANA A person who has taken birth in a pious family. ACARYA A spiritual preceptor also called a guru; one who teaches scrip- tural conclusions, embodies them in life, and also guides his or her students to follow by example. ADHIKĀRĪ A person who has the requisite eligibility for studying a book or undertaking a particular spiritual practice. ADHYAROPA Another word for adhyāsa. ADHYASA Superimposing one object or its qualities onto another. This implies wrong knowledge, such as mistaking a rope for a snake in semi-darkness. ADVAITA Nonduality; the metaphysical view based on the Upanisads that Absolute Reality is nondual in nature. 811 References ADVAYA-JNANA Nondual consciousness; the supreme nondual conscious source as defined in Srimad Bhagavata (1.2.11). AGAMA Tantra-sastra. According to Varahi Tantra, the Agamas deal pri- marily with seven topics: creation, dissolution, worship of devatās, sadhana practices, preparatory rites (purascarana), six practices for subduing adversaries, and four divisions of meditation (dhyana- yoga). The Agamas may be divided into two: Vedic and non-Vedic. The Vedic Agamas are further divided into three: Šaiva, Śakta, and Vaiṣṇava. The Vaisnava Agamas deal primarily with the rules and procedures for worship of deities and uttering of mantras. The Brhad-gautamiya, Krama-dipika, and Narada Pañcaratra are among the chief Vaisnava Agamas. AHANKARA The “I”-sense, or the phenomenal principle of individuation, often referred to as “ego.” It has three divisions of sattva, rajas, and tamas. AISVARYA Majesty, supremacy, or ruling power. Krsna has two aspects, namely, majesty (aisvarya) and mellifluousness (madhurya), the lat- ter referring to His intimate human aspect. Aiśvarya refers to His majestic aspect in which He displays superhuman powers, such as having four hands. His aisvarya aspect elicits an attitude of awe and reverence from the worshiper. ANADI Beginningless; that which is without beginning but which can come to an end, such as the bondage and ignorance of the living beings. ANANDA Spiritual bliss or ecstasy; the potency of Bhagavan that relates to His aspect of bliss. This corresponds to the hladini potency. ANGA/ANGI Lit., anga means “a part” and angi means “the whole.” These terms are also used for Krsna and His expansions, such as Narayana, in which case Krsna is the angi and Narayana the anga. ANIRVACANIYA Lit., “ineffable.” This is a term used specifically in Advai- tavada in reference to Brahman, the Absolute Reality, when per- ceived as devoid of qualities, form, or actions. According to the Advaitavadis, language, being a thought construct, cannot touch that Reality, and hence It is ineffable. This term is also used in refer- ence to maya, which is conceived by them to be indefinable either in terms of being existent (sat) or non-existent (asat). It cannot be said to be sat; otherwise, the existence of two ontological realities, Brah- man and māyā, would compromise nonduality. Yet, it cannot be defined as asat; otherwise, the world could never become an object 812 Glossary of our perception. Hence, it is indescribable. ANTARANGA-SAKTI The intrinsic potency of Bhagavan (see svarupa- sakti). ANUCCHEDA A section or division of a book treating primarily one topic. Śri Jiva Gosvami divides each Sandarbha into sections called anucche- das. These anucchedas are organized around one prominent verse from Srimad Bhagavata and conclude with the name of the speaker and hearer of that principal verse. In this translation, we sometimes refer to the anucchedas using the Sanskrit word, and sometimes as “text” or “section.” ANVAYA Positive concomitance; an affirmation used to substantiate the validity of an assertion. This logical strategy is commonly employed in connection with vyatireka, or negative concomitance, which fur- ther corroborates the original assertion by demonstrating the defect that results from its non-application. ANYATHA-SIDDHA Dispensable or inessential antecedent; a condition that is not the true cause of an effect. Any condition that although antecedently present is not at all essential to the production of an object is called anyatha-siddha. For example, thread is indispensable in the production of cloth, yet the cloth is in no way unconditionally or invariably dependent upon the color of the thread used. There- fore, the color of the thread is not considered as a relevant cause in the manufacture of cloth but as a dispensable antecedent. APASIDDHANTA Metaphysical propositions that are not validated by a school of philosophy. APAURUSEYA That which is not a product of the human mind; transhuman; the self-revealed Vedic scriptures. APRAKAŢA Lit., “invisible, or imperceptive display.” This refers to the absence of Krsna or His abode from the vision of the people of this world. ĀRANYAKA One of the four divisions of the Vedas that is primarily con- cerned with the performance of sacrifices (yajña). This class of literature also inculcates the theology that underlies yajña. ASRAMA Four stages of life within the varnasrama system, with a gradu- ated course of duties meant to lead an individual toward realization of Ultimate Truth. The four stages are brahmacarya (study of the Vedas while practicing celibacy), garhasthya (sacrifice, worship, and charity within the context of family life), vanaprasthya (retire- ment from social duties and gradual intensification of spiritual 813 References practice), and sannyasa (detachment from all worldly objects and absorption in knowledge of the self and Bhagavan). ASRAYA The ultimate shelter; the tenth of ten primary topics of Srimad Bhagavata. From an analysis of the other nine topics, it can be under- stood that the tenth topic refers to that which is the shelter of all creation, of all that relates to sustenance, of all forms of dissolution, and even of liberation itself, residing on the far shore of the ocean of causality. That which is the shelter of all manifestation and even of liberation is the ultimate shelter, the one nondual awareness, the Complete Whole, experienced in the intimacy of love as Śrī Kṛṣṇa. ASURA An adversary of the gods (suras); one who opposes the authority of God and the theistic order of the cosmos; the anti-divine. ATMA In accordance with the context, this can refer to the body, mind, intellect, fortitude, or endeavor. It most often denotes the pure self, who is an individual unit of consciousness, the living being. In other contexts, it can signify the supreme consciousness, or the Supreme Immanent Self, Paramātmā. ĀTMĀRĀMA One who rejoices in the pure Self alone; one who is alto- gether free from identification with, or attraction to, all that con- stitutes the non-self, consisting of the physical, the vital-emotional, the mental, and the intellectual instruments of the psycho-physical complex. ATMA-TATTVA The essence of all ātmās; the Supreme Self; knowledge or truth of Absolute Reality. AVADHŪTA An ascetic beyond the bounds of conventional, moral, or cultural sensibilities. ĀVARANA Lit., “a covering”; a potency of maya that conceals the self’s intrinsic identity. ĀVARAṆA-DEVATA Bhagavan’s surrounding associates, often used in relation with the yoga-pitha description. AVASTU That which has no-existence; an illusory object. AVATARA Descent; an appearance or manifestation of Bhagavan upon the earth in any of His forms, to establish dharma and to enact the divine play of transcendence. Technically speaking, it is misleading to translate avatara as “incarnation” when speaking of the descent of the eternal forms of God, who do not “in-carnate” in the ety- mological sense of becoming invested with a human or phenome- nal form. Rather, their “descent” or manifestation amounts to a self-revelation of their own eternal intrinsic forms. 814 Glossary AVATARI The source of all avatāras. ĀVESA Lit., “ingression,” or “mental fixity.” Aveśa-avataras refer to Bha- gavan’s pervasion of specific highly enlightened jivas with some par- ticular aspect of His potency. Examples of this type are Narada, who is empowered with the bhakti potency, and the Kumāras, who are infused with the jñāna potency. AVIDYA Ignorance; an aspect of maya that covers a person’s true self- awareness. BAHIRANGA-SAKTI Bhagavan’s extrinsic potency, which constitutes the cosmos. BHAGAVAN The supreme personal manifestation of God; that Supreme Entity who is complete to an unlimited degree in six opulences: beauty, wealth, strength, fame, knowledge, and detachment; the Complete Whole, encompassing even Brahman and Paramātmā; nondual awareness inherently self-endowed with transphenome- nal form, personhood, and limitless transcendental attributes that invite participation in the infinite play of divine love. BHAJANA In its primary sense, the devotional turning of consciousness (sammukhya) toward Bhagavan in love and service. This includes actions such as hearing narrations of Bhagavan, chanting His name, remembering Him, serving His deity form, and so on. BHAKTI Devotion to Bhagavan; a unique potency of Bhagavan, stemming from His own intrinsic nature and endowed with consciousness and bliss. When this same eternal potency infuses the individual aware- ness of the living being, it takes the shape of love and flows back to its original source, Bhagavan, causing the waves of His own ecstasy to swell. The word bhakti comes from the root √bhaj, which means “to serve.” Hence, the primary meaning of bhakti is to render service with full participation of one’s being, without cause or motive, with- out adulteration of any partial pursuit, for the exclusive pleasure of and communion with the Complete Whole, Bhagavan. BHAŞYA A commentary, especially a commentary that systematically and contextually explains the meanings of the aphorisms (sutras) or verses (slokas) of a traditional philosophical text. BHAVA Being, existence, presence; contemplation, awareness, medita- tion; feeling, emotion, love; a stage of bhakti; the first sprout of prema, or pure love of God (see bhava-bhakti). 815 References BHAVA-BHAKTI The initial stage of perfection in devotion. A stage of bhakti in which suddha-sattva, or the essence of Bhagavan’s intrinsic potency consisting of consciousness and bliss, is transmitted into the heart of the practicing devotee from the heart of one of Bha- gavan’s eternal associates and which softens the heart by different kinds of taste. Bhava-bhakti is the first sprout of prema, or pure love of God. Bhava-bhakti is the eighth of the nine stages of development of the bhakti-lata, the creeper of devotion. Bhava-bhakti is also said to be the fruit of sadhana-bhakti, not as a causal effect, but rather as the blossoming of the very same potency into an existential state of being and awareness within the receptacle of the heart. BHUTA-SUDDHI Purification or transmutation of the elements of the body as a preparation for worship. According to the principle, “To wor- ship God, one must be of the nature of God” (devam bhütva devam yajet), it is understood that to worship the divine in truth, one must be immersed in the same divinity. Even the physical body should be constituted of the same divine nature. This purification of the body is approached in different ways in the various spiritual disciplines. Because bhakti is essentially awareness in love, transmutation of the body, known as bhuta-suddhi, is approached on this path through a conscious process. BRAHMA The primal cosmic being or creator god; the four-headed god who carries out the work of secondary creation (visarga) in the uni- verse under the inspiration and direction of the Supreme Immanent Self, Paramätma. According to the Puranas, he is born from the lotus navel of Garbhodakasayi Vişņu and is one of the three guna- vataras. The secondary creation involves the revelation of the sub- tle creative ideation in accordance with which individual concrete forms come into being. This specifically refers to the sending forth of moving and non-moving living beings. BRAHMA-JÑANA Nondual awareness; knowledge or immediate intuition of unqualified Brahman; knowledge aiming at monistic liberation; also known as kaivalya-jnana, or knowledge of exclusive identity with Brahman. BRAHMA-SAYUJYA One of the five types of mukti, or liberation. This is the goal of those who adopt the path of jnäna-yoga and entails absolute identification with Brahman and abandonment of one’s own distinct identity. BRAHMA-SUTRA A compilation of concise statements called sutras, or 816 Glossary aphorisms, written by Vyasa, providing the essential meaning of the Upanisads; also known as Vedanta-sutra. BRAHMA-VIDYA Knowledge pertaining to Brahman, which is the indeterminate aspect of Absolute Reality. BRAHMACĀRĪ The first asrama, or stage of life, in the varnasrama system, characterized by celibacy, study of the Vedas from a teacher, and practice of austerities. BRAHMAJYOTI The peripheral effulgence (tanu-bha) emanating from the transphenomenal body of Bhagavan. BRAHMAN The Nondual Absolute, divested of all form, quality, and action; the indeterminate aspect of the Supreme Truth; the efful- gence emanating from Bhagavan, the Complete Whole, who is the core of nondual awareness, just as heat and light radiate from the sun. Brahman is thus said to be a generic feature of God, devoid of distinguishing characteristics. BRAHMANA One of the four varnas, or vocational divisions, in the varṇā- śrama system; a priest or teacher. Their specific duties are study and teaching of scriptures, charity, performance of sacrifice for them- selves and others, and acceptance of gifts. When used in reference to the body of sacred literature, the Brahmanas refer to one of the four divisions of the Vedas that provide details about the proper exe- cution of yajna. Every sakha (a branch or school of the Vedas) has its own Brahmana literature. At present a total of 19 Brahmanas are available. BRAHMANDA Lit., “Brahman in the shape of an egg.” This term is often used to refer to the universe or cosmos as a whole. BUDDHI Intellect, perception, comprehension, understanding, discrimi- nation, judgment, discernment; the highest faculty of the psyche, which consists of intellect, ego (i.e., the “I”-sense), and mind; the second of the twenty-five elements of Sankhya in its microcosmic or individuated aspect. Its macrocosmic counterpart is mahat, cosmic intellect, or the collective wisdom principle. CATUR-VYUHA Four expansions of Bhagavan. This refers to Bhagavan’s quadruple manifestations as Vasudeva, Sankarṣaṇa, Pradyumna, and Aniruddha. CITTA Mind, heart, thought, intention; in Patanjali’s astanga-yoga system, citta specifically refers to the mind, which has three components: 817References intellect (buddhi), ego (ahankara), and mind (manas); the individual consciousness in contrast to mahat, or universal consciousness. CITTA-VṚTTI Mental modification. According to Advaita Vedanta, when the luminous mind is projected outward through the sense organs, it contacts the objects and is modified into their forms. This men- tal modification is called citta-vrtti. According to the classical Yoga tradition of Patanjali, the mental modifications are of five types: pramāņa (valid cognition), viparyaya (erroneous knowledge), vikalpa (imagination), nidra (sleep), and smrti (memory). DARSANA Lit., “vision”; direct witnessing of Bhagavan or His associates. This term also refers to the Indian schools of thought, such as Vedanta, because they provide some particular view (darsana) of Reality. DEVA A celestial being; devas are administrative gods residing in the heav- enly planets who are endowed with great piety, tremendous lifes- pans, and superior mental and physical prowess. They are entrusted with specific powers for the purpose of universal administration. DEVATA A god (see deva). DEVI Lit., “a goddess,” which could stand for any among the host of god- desses but popularly used to indicate Goddess Durga (see below). DHAMA A holy place of pilgrimage; the abode of Bhagavan, where He appears and enacts His transcendental pastimes. DHARMA Religion; prescribed duty; nature; justice, virtue, morality, law. In its conventional sense, dharma refers to the socio-religious duties prescribed in scripture for different classes of people in the varnasrama system. In its ultimate or unconditioned aspect, dharma refers to bhagavat-dharma, or the transcendental potency of devotion stemming from Bhagavan and meant exclusively for His pleasure, because this is the spiritual function that actualizes the pure self’s highest potential. DHVANI Lit., “sound” or “reverberation.” In Indian aesthetic theory, this refers to the use of figurative language, involving suggested or indirect meaning (vyanjana), which is said to be the soul of poetry. DURGA A primary form of the feminine Goddess. She is the presiding deity of primordial nature, prakṛti. She is regarded as the consort of Lord Siva and is also popularly known as Devi or Parvati. GARBHODAKASAYI VIṢŅU The second of the three puruṣavataras. He 818 Glossary manifests in each universe, or brahmanda, and it is from His navel that Brahma takes birth. GATI-SAMANYA-NYAYA The principle that there is one Absolute Truth that is the consistent reconciliation of all the apparently contradic- tory truths contained in diverse scriptures, showing in fact that there is no contradiction among them. GAUDIYA VAISNAVA An adherent of the Bengal school of Vaisnavism founded by Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu in the 16th century CE. GAUDIYA VAIṢNAVISM The school of Vaisnavism founded by Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahaprabhu. GAYATRI A Vedic mantra chanted by the twice-born, or dvijas, at the time of sunrise and sunset. It is considered to be the mother of the Vedas. GOPA A Cowherd man. This refers to a class of people who protect and maintain cows. The residents of Vraja or Vrndavana are primarily gopas. GOPI Cowherdess. GOSVĀMI Lit., “one who has mastered his senses,” referring originally to a renounced Vaisnava holy man; a person belonging to certain Brah- mana Vaisnava families associated with a temple; a person born in the dynasty of an acarya. This is a title used for a person who has been formally initiated into the renounced order of life (sannyasa). At present it is also a title for a specific priestly class. GUNA The three constituent aspects of prakṛti, or primordial nature, embodying both psychic and physical force: sattva (luminosity), rajas (dynamism), and tamas (inertia). The word guna in Sankhya is distinguished from its conventional meaning of “a quality,” because the Sankhya doctrine admits no distinction between substance and attribute. Rather, quality and substance together form a sin- gle whole, and it is the concrete unity of both that any material thing represents. The term guna thus means a component factor or constituent of prakrti. GUNAVATARA This refers to the three presiding deities of sattva, rajas, and tamas, namely Vişņu, Brahma, and Siva, respectively. They oversee the functions of world sustenance, evolution, and dissolution. 819 References HIRANYAGARBHA Mahaviṣṇu enters into each brahmanda as Garbho- dakasayi Vişņu. From His navel sprouts a lotus, on which the four- headed Brahma takes birth. Within the stem of this lotus, the four- teen planetary systems of the brahmanda are contained. The subtle form of this brahmanda is called Hiranyagarbha, also known as the aggregate or samaşti-jiva. The term hiranyagarbha is also used for Brahma. HLADINI The delight-giving potency, which is an aspect of Bhagavan’s svarupa-sakti, the potency that constitutes His essential being. It is this hladini potency that gives bliss to Bhagavan and His devotees, just as the light emanating from a luminous object illuminates both the luminous object itself and all other items in its sphere of radi- ance. This hladini potency, manifesting as bhakti within the heart of a devotee, flows back to Bhagavan in the form of love, thus expand- ing His own delight. Bhakti is the supreme aspect of this intrinsic potency. ISTA-DEVATĀ The worshipable deity of a sadhaka. ISVARA Lit., “the controller, regulator, or master.” This term is synony- mous with the word paramatma, the Supreme Immanent Self within all living beings, since it is He who regulates primordial nature and the living beings from within. Sometimes Isvara also refers to Siva. ITIHASA Lit., “so indeed it was.” This term primarily refers to Mahabha- rata and Rāmāyaṇa, the two great epics of India. When not used as a proper noun, it simply refers to a historical event. JIVA The conscious self (atma) as qualified or delimited by the intellect (buddhi), the ego (ahankara), the mind (manas), the senses, and the physical body; the embodied self or the empirical self; an individu- ated part of the intermediary potency (tatastha-sakti) of Paramātmā; an individual living being. JIVAN-MUKTI Living liberation; the state of being liberated from the influence of the material gunas while still embodied. JÑANA Knowledge, awareness, omniscience; the path of knowledge directed toward awareness of oneness with Brahman, and hav- ing as its ultimate aim liberation from material existence; aware- ness of inscrutable being that pervades all form and yet is without form, that is the source of all manifestation and yet lies beyond the manifested cosmos; absorption in that one nondual state of being. 820 Glossary JNANA-MARGA The path of jñāna, as described above. JÑĀNĪ One who pursues or has perfected the path of jnana, directed toward awareness of oneness with Brahman. KAIMUTYA-NYAYA A principle of logic that draws on comparison to estab- lish a conclusion; the principle of “how much more true,” also called a fortiori logic. By showing the validity of a proposition of lesser significance, the proposition of greater significance is thereby con- cluded. This principle is used throughout the text and may be exem- plified as follows: “If even unintentional chanting of the name of Bhagavan leads to emancipation, how much greater must be the effect of conscious chanting.” KAIVALYA The state of “aloneness”; the unconditioned existence of the self; liberation from material bondage; knowledge of the identity between unqualified Brahman and the pure living being; the state of unconditional devotion. KALA A manifestation of Bhagavan that is less powerful than an aṁsa. Some of the sages and Prajapatis are known as kalas (minute por- tions). This means that some power of Bhagavan is manifest in them. KALIYUGA The fourth in a cycle of four ages; the iron age of quarrel, hypocrisy, and degradation, said to last for 432,000 years. It began about 5,200 years ago, the day Sri Krsna departed from earth. KALPA A day of Brahma, or 1,000 cycles of the four yugas, being a period of 4,320 million earth years. At the end of Brahma’s day, there is a partial devastation of the cosmos, and at the beginning of the next day, a new creation is enacted resembling the previous day in some but not all details. The Puranas describe events occurring in differ- ent kalpas, though related events are sometimes merged into one description and spoken of as if occurring on the same day. This accounts for inconsistencies in certain details of descriptions that actually occurred on different days of Brahmā. KALPANA Assumed or apparent reality; imagination; creation; a theoretical construct; the act of conceptualization. KAMA Desire, longing; pleasure, enjoyment; love, affection; object of desire, pleasure, or love; sensuality, sexual love; one of the four puruşarthas, or goals of human attainment, among dharma, artha, kāma, and moksa. In this latter sense, kama refers to enjoyment that is not opposed to dharma and that follows as its outcome. 821 References KAMADEVA The god of love, Cupid. He is one of the devas and often assists Indra in his aim of sexually agitating the minds of his adversaries. In the spiritual world, Krsna is the transcendental Kamadeva, because He bewilders the mind even of Cupid himself. KARAṆĀRNAVAŠĀYI VIṢŅU Another name for Karanodakasayi Visņu. KARAṆODAKASAYI VIṢŅU The first purusavatara, or manifestation of Bhagavan, who oversees the evolution and dissolution of the complete material potency. He is the source of the innumerable brahmandas that emerge from the pores of His body. KARMA-KANDA A division of the Vedas that relates to the performance of ceremonial acts and sacrificial rites directed toward attainment of heaven. Through purification of intent, this path can lead either to jñana or bhakti. KARMA-YOGA The performance of one’s prescribed duties in varṇāśrama in which one offers the fruit to Bhagavan only as a subsidiary pro- cess to attain one’s desired goal. This may be done either with a desire for material reward (sakama) or for purification aiming at liberation or devotion (niskama). KIRTANA One of nine primary limbs of bhakti; recitation of or singing the glories of God; singing the names, form, qualities, and pastimes of Bhagavan. KOSA Lit., “a case or covering.” This term refers to the five sheaths called pañca-kosa in Vedantic philosophy. In Gaudiya Vedanta, the five košas are understood as anna-maya (the gross body), prana-maya (the vital force), mano-maya (the total psychic apparatus taken as a unit), vijñāna-maya (the individual conscious self), and ananda- maya (the Supreme Blissful Self). In Advaita Vedanta, the last two are interpreted differently as intellect and Brahman, respectively. According to some Advaitavada thinkers, however, ananda-maya- kosa refers not to Brahman directly but to the causal body of bliss, which is the finest level of covering of Brahman. KRAMA-MUKTI Lit., “gradual liberation.” This refers to a type of libera- tion in which the sadhaka chooses first to travel to higher regions of the universe before attaining the ultimate liberation of entering the spiritual realm. KSATRIYA The second of the four varnas, or vocational divisions, in the varṇāsrama system; an administrator or warrior. Their specific duties are protection of subjects, charity, performance of sacri- fices, study of scriptures, and absence of attachment for objects of 822 Glossary enjoyment. KŞIRODAKASAYI VIŞŅU He is the third of the purusavatāras and a mani- festation from Garbhodakasayī Viṣṇu. He is present as the Imma- nent Self in all jivas and all phenomena. In this capacity, He is the support for all life. Whenever the devas are faced with extreme adversities, they approach Brahma for assistance. If he is unable to solve their dilemma, he meditates on and receives direction from Kṣirodakaśāyi Vişņu, who reposes in the Milk Ocean. LAKSANA Lit., “indication”; an attribute or quality. In linguistic theory, this refers to the indicated or metaphorical meaning of a word, which is to be accepted when the primary meaning of the word is inapplicable or unsuited to the context. LILA An act of the Divine performed exclusively for transcendental delight and not under the influence of the law of karma; pastime; divine play. This word is commonly used for the sacred acts of Bhagavan and His associates. LILĀVATĀRA A manifestation of Bhagavan for the purpose of displaying His lila within the material world. LOKA Space, the world, a division of the universe, especially, the heav- enly region (svarga). According to Puranic cosmology, the universe is divided into 14 lokas, or planetary spheres. LOKA-PALA A guardian of a particular loka. MADHURYA Commonly translated as mellifluousness, sweetness, loveli- ness, exquisite beauty, charm, and so on. When used in relation to Bhagavan Śrī Kṛṣṇa, it refers to the supremely delightful and intox- icating aspect of His intrinsic nature, which both includes and tran- scends His majesty (aišvarya). Whereas aišvarya inspires awe, rev- erence, and a sense of formality, madhurya induces love and inti- macy. Madhurya, thus, signifies the highest and most mysterious aesthetic quality of Krsna’s innate being. There is no single word in English that adequately conveys the concept of madhurya. Ety- mologically speaking, however, the word madhurya is derived from madhu, “honey,” which is said to possess an intoxicating quality. Accordingly, the English word “mellifluousness” is derived from the Latin mell, “honey,” and fluere, “to flow,” indicating that which has a smooth rich flow, or that which is filled with an intoxicating sweet- ness. Hence, from the point of view of etymology, “mellifluousness” 823 References is closest in meaning to madhurya (also called madhuri). The term signifies the human-like nature and behavior of Sri Krsna. MAHABHŪTA Lit., “a mega-element,” referring to space, air, fire, water, and earth in their causal capacities. Space is the quantum cosmic field in which all events occur. Air represents the gastric state of matter; fire, that of heat and light; water, that of the liquid state; and earth, that of the solid state. MAHAT The second element in the Sankhya system (the first being prakrti itself); the unindividuated, or collective, cosmic intellect; this is the macrocosmic counterpart of buddhi, or individuated intellect; the first evolute of prakrti, or primordial nature in the state of equilib- rium. Mahat or buddhi is the source of ahankara, or ego, the next element of manifestation. MAHAVIṢNU Also called Karaṇārṇavasayi, or He who reposes on the Causal Ocean, the boundary between the spiritual and material uni- verses. Mahāvisnu is also called Purusa, or the first Purusa, Param- atmā, Narayana, and Visņu. He merges into the body of Bhagavan during the complete dissolution. MANGALĀCARANA The invocatory verse or verses at the beginning of a book; lit., “the act of invoking auspiciousness for the completion of the undertaking and removal of any obstacles.” This is usually expressed in the form of a prayer to the deity worshiped by the author. MANTRA A sound formula consisting of the names of Bhagavan, which addresses any individual deity. Mantras are given to a disciple by a guru at the time of formal initiation (dīkṣā) for worship and realization of Bhagavan. Mantra is the sound form of the deity. MANTRA-GURU The teacher who initiates the disciple by mantra recitation into the worship of a specific form of Bhagavan. MANTRA-MAYŤ A type of worship in which the devotee meditates on his or her cherished form of Bhagavan (nijābhīṣṭa) as situated in His own abode, sitting on a throne or standing and surrounded by His associates. Alternatively, this refers to lilas depicting a static state of affairs, which are restricted to one specific location and to corre- sponding contextual factors appropriate to the lila in question. This worship is expressed as a meditation via a correlated mantra that encapsulates the said lilä. MANU The father of mankind; the ruler of a world cycle of humanity. A day of Brahma, called a kalpa, is divided into fourteen periods called 824 Glossary manvantaras. Manu is entrusted with the procreation of human beings and the managerial affairs of this period. Thus, there are fourteen Manus in a day of Brahma. The first of these was a son of Brahma. Now the seventh Manu, Vaivasvata, is ruling. MANVANTARA A world cycle ruled by a Manu; the religious princi- ples established for the Manus, the progenitors and sovereigns of humanity; one of ten primary subjects of Srimad Bhagavata. MAYA Bhagavan’s extrinsic potency that influences the living entities to accept the egoism of being independent enjoyers of this material world; the potency that constitutes the material world. MĪMĀMSA Lit., “respectful investigation”; one of the six schools of Indian philosophy. This system deals mainly with the nature of dharma, or the duties to be followed by human beings, based on the hermeneutics of the Vedas. It is also called Pūrva-mīmāmsa, or the prior investigation, in contrast to Uttara-mimamsa, the poste- rior investigation, also popularly known as Vedanta. This distinc- tion is based on the fact that the Vedas have two divisions: that of karma-khanda, which deals with the execution of yajñas, and jñāna-khanda, which discloses the knowledge of Absolute Reality, Brahman. Because Uttara-mimamsa is popularly called Vedanta, the term Mimamsā, used for Purva-mīmāmsā, is also sometimes called Karma-mimamsa. MITHYA Illusory, that which cannot be defined either as real or as unreal. According to Advaitavada, the phenomenal world is neither real nor unreal. It cannot be accepted as real, because Brahman is the one and only Reality, yet it cannot be determined as altogether unreal, because it is perceivable in the conditioned state and not sublated by subsequent acts of perception. MUDRA A Symbolic gesture usually performed with the hands and fingers. These are employed in the worship of a deity and also in classical dance and drama. Besides conveying a specific message, mudrās also invoke corresponding energies. Thus, they are also used in medita- tion to elicit a suitable effect on the mental state of the practitioner. MUKTI Liberation; the fourth goal of human attainment among dharma, artha, kama, and mokṣa; the goal aspired for through the path of knowledge; one of ten primary topics of Srimad Bhagavata. MUNI A sage intent on the life of contemplation. NAISKARMYA The state of freedom from bondage to action or karma. 825 References NIRGUNA Beyond the influence of primordial nature’s three intercon- nected constituent principles of psychic and physical force, namely, sattva (illumination), rajas (dynamism), and tamas (inertia); exclusively of the nature of transcendence. NITYA-SIDDHA An eternally perfected being. This refers to eternally lib- erated devotees, who have never been subjected to material con- ditioning. The term also refers to objects or events that are self- existent and eternal and thus not originated by any action or cause. OM The sacred syllable embodying the Absolute (see pranava). PANCARĀTRA A body of literature that is part of the Tantras. The Vedas are called Nigama and the Tantras are known as Agama. There are three divisions of Tantra, namely, Vaisnava, Šaiva, and Sakta. Vaisnava Tantras are popularly known as Pañcaratra Agama, Pancaratra, or simply Agama (see also Tantra). PARAMAHAMSA A title awarded to an ascetic of the highest order. The word paramahamsa may be divided into two words - parama (sup- reme) and hamsa (swan). The swan is poetically said to be able to separate milk from water when these two fluids are mixed. Thus, a paramahamsa refers to a topmost, swan-like person who can dis- tinguish spirit from matter, reality from illusion, and who can extract the very essence of spiritual truth. This also refers to the fourth and final stage of sannyasa, which has been referred to as nişkriya (freedom from all material obligations) in Srimad Bhagavata (3.12.43). PARAMĀTMĀ The Supreme Immanent Self; the Supreme Indwelling Self, or the Supreme Witness of the total material energy (the meta- cosm), of the individual universes (the macrocosm), and of the individuated living beings (the microcosm). PARIKARA Another term for parsada. PAROKSAVĀDA Indirect reference or instruction; a manner of speaking in which the subject is described in such a way as to conceal the real meaning. Scripture often makes use of this method to instruct those on varying levels of awareness. Only those on a higher stage of devel- opment can grasp the true intent, and it is rendered all the more rel- ishable because of its mysterious nature. It is, therefore, said that the gods are fond of paroksavāda. 826 Glossary PARŞADA Lit., “a member of an assembly.” This refers specifically to the eternal associates of Bhagavan. In the case of Krsna, the reference is to devotees such as Śrīdāmā, Sudāmā, Srimad Uddhava, and Satyaki, who are integrated portions in relation to Him. PRADHANA Primordial nature, also known as prakṛti. The term pradhana (primary, original, or predominant) suggests the primary nature of prakrti as the first cause of the aggregate of all effects in the world. This refers to the state of equilibrium of the three gunas, prior to their being set in motion by the Puruşa, from whom the cosmos evolves (see also prakṛti). PRAKASA Lit., “illuminating,” “light,” or “effulgence”; a domain of mani- festation. In its technical sense, this refers to an identical manifesta- tion of Bhagavan or of His transcendental abode (dhama). A prakasa can be manifest and visible to the world (prakata) or unmanifest (aprakata). The term prakasa has been used by Śrī Jiva with two pri- mary connotations according to the context. When used in regard to Krsna or His associates, it refers to identical forms or manifes- tations endowed with individual self-sense (abhimana), tempera- ment (bhava), and active capacity. When referring to Kṛṣṇa’s tran- scendental abodes (dhamas), namely, Vṛndavana, Mathura, and Dvaraka, it denotes the various dimensions of unalloyed being in which His lila unfolds, such as the visible plane (prakata) and the invisible (aprakața). PRAKATA The manifest appearance or display of Bhagavan or His dhama. When He reveals these abodes to the people of this world, it is called the prakața-lila. At other times, when He remains invisible or unmanifest, it is called the aprakața-līlā. PRAKRTI According to Sankhya philosophy, prakrti is the uncaused cause of the whole world of effects, which are its modifications. It is the ultimate material cause into which the whole world is dissolved. It is infinite and all-pervasive, inactive and immobile, subject to trans- formation, but devoid of motion. It is one, unconditioned, indeter- minate, devoid of parts, independent, and unmanifest. It is the state of equilibrium of sattva, rajas, and tamas, which are not attributes but constituents of prakṛti. In association with puruşa (the indi- vidual living being), it becomes active but remains unconscious, whereas purusa is inactive but conscious. According to the meta- physics of the Bhagavata, the Supreme Purusa, Mahavisnu, glances at the unconscious prakṛti, thus animating it and causing the guņas 827References to interact with each other. This sets in motion a chain of cause and effect from which the manifested cosmos unfolds. (Contrast with purusa.) PRAMAŅA Evidence; a means of valid knowing; any means by which valid knowledge of an object becomes known to a subject. Three such means of valid cognition are primary, namely, perception, inference, and revealed sound (sabda). PRAMEYA The knowable, referring to the categories of ontological exis- tence; that which is to be known by any means of valid cognition. This especially refers to the ultimate knowable or the Supreme Truth, Bhagavan, which includes knowledge of His energies, the means of attaining Him, and the end state to be attained in relation to Him. PRANAVA The sacred syllable Om, described as follows in the Uttara- khanda of Padma Purana: “Pranava is the seat of Brahman, and it is said to be the embodiment of the three Vedas [Sama, Rg, and Yajuḥ]. It consists of three letters, A, U, and M. A represents Visņu, u represents the Goddess Laksmi, and м represents the twenty- fifth element, who is the servant of these two.” This syllable is often repeated as a form of spiritual practice that reveals one’s nature as a conscious part of the Supreme Whole, whose perfection lies in the spontaneous dedication of love. PRAPANCA Lit., “an expansion of the five mahabhutas.” This refers to the material creation of phenomenal existence, or the cosmos. PRAPANCATĪTA That which is beyond prapanca, or the material world. PRASTHANA-TRAYI Tripartite authoritative scriptures: the Upanisads, the Vedanta-sutra, and the Bhagavad Gita; the threefold basis of Vedanta philosophy. For a Vedantic school to be recognized as dis- tinct and authoritative, it must establish its metaphysics on the basis of these three canonical sources. PRATIJNA A formal declaration or universal proposition. This is the first of the five step-syllogism in Indian logic. PRATYAKSA Perception; knowledge arising out of the contact of a sense organ with its object. It is of two kinds, namely, savikalpaka (determinate) and nirvikalpaka (indeterminate). PRAYOJANA The end state to be attained in relation to the Supreme; the goal of spiritual practice. In bhakti, this refers to prema, or love of God (see below). 828 Glossary PREMA A stage of bhakti characterized by the appearance of love; the perfected stage of devotion. This is the ninth stage in the develop- ment of the creeper of bhakti; the mature state of love that com- pletely melts the heart and gives rise to a deep sense of mamata, or belongingness, in relationship to Bhagavan. PRITI Supreme love for Bhagavan, also known as prema. PŪJA A formal method of worshiping a deity with various items. PURANA A division of the Smrti literature. They are 18 in number and are traditionally accepted to have been composed by Vedavyasa. They are considered to be the backbone of Indian culture. They are second only to the Vedas in authority. They are more popular than the Vedas because of their simple approach of describing the subject matter of the Vedas using historical narrative and stories. PURUSA The Primeval Being as the Self and original source of the cosmos; the Supreme Being, or Immanent Self, of the cosmos; the animating principle in living beings. In other contexts, this can refer to the individual self, or to spirit as opposed to matter (prakrti). It can also refer simply to a male or to mankind. PURUŞAVATĀRA The three manifestations of Visņu who oversee the cre- ation on the levels of metacosmic, macrocosmic, and microcosmic being, also called the three Paramātmās. The first puruṣāvatāra is called Mahāvişņu, or Karanodakaśāyi Vişņu. He is the Paramätmä for the complete extrinsic potency, prakṛti (the metacosm). The second is called Garbhodakaśāyi Vişņu, who is the Paramātmā for each individual universe (the macrocosm). The third is called Kṣiro- dakasayi Vişņu, who is the Paramatma for each individual being, the jiva (the microcosm). The word paramatma is commonly used to refer to the third puruşăvatāra. RAJAS One of the three gunas, or constituent aspects of material nature; the dynamic principle that propels the living beings to action and stimulates desires for material enjoyment. RASA Juice, liquor, potion; taste, flavor, relish; pleasure, delight; essence; the spiritual transformation of the heart that takes place when the perfected state of love for Sri Krsna, known as rati or bhava, is con- verted into profound aesthetic relish (rasa) by combining with vari- ous types of transcendentally awoken ecstasies. In Bhakti-rasāmṛta- sindhu (2.1.5), bhakti-rasa is defined as follows: “When the sthayi- bhava, or foundational love, in one of the five primary relationships 829 References of equanimity, servitorship, friendship, parental affection, or con- jugal love, is combined with vibhava (excitants), anubhava (extrin- sic ecstasy), sättvika-bhava (intrinsic ecstasy), and vyabhicari-bhava (intensifying ecstasy), thus producing an extraordinary taste in the heart of the devotee, it is called bhakti-rasa.” RŞI A sage; one who has realized the Vedic mantras. Rupнi The conventional meaning of a word. SABDA A word; sound; the Vedas as sound revelation or linguistic truth; a form of pramana, i.e., evidence or a means of valid knowing. SADHAKA A practitioner of a particular sadhana. SADHANA Practices undertaken in various traditions as the means of attainment of their respective goals. SADHANA-BHAKTI Devotion in the stage of practice; devotion that puri- fies the heart and leads the devotee toward love of God; the practices of devotion, which can be condensed into nine primary acts, such as hearing, chanting, remembering, and so on. SADHYA-BHAKTI The perfected stage of bhakti, wherein consciousness is permeated with bhava, the intrinsic potency of Bhagavan predomi- nated by awareness and bliss. This is the stage in which bhakti has completely transformed the being, making the self one with its own. inherent nature and culminating in divine love of Bhagavan. The word sadhya implies that this stage develops through sadhana, or the gradual cultivation of devotion. SAGUNA Related to the material influences of sattva, rajas, and tamas. Bhakti is inherently free from the gunas, yet the bhakti of the performer who is still influenced by the gunas is called saguna. SAKĀMA Action performed with a desire for the fruit; duties prescribed in scripture and undertaken with a desire for enjoyment in this world and the next. SAKTI Potency; the female principle of divine energy, especially when personified as the consort of the male expression of the Divine. SAMADHI Transcognitive awareness; complete absorption of all men- tal faculties into the one object of meditation; manifestation of the object of meditation only, devoid of the cognition of the act of meditating; the eighth stage in Patanjali’s astanga-yoga system. On the path of bhakti, samadhi refers to the manifestation of Bha- gavän along with His associates, abode, and lilä in the state of supra-cognitive absorption, as experienced by Vyasa. 830 Glossary SAMAŞTI Collectivity, totality, an aggregate; the collective existence of all living beings; the perspective of the collective in contrast with that of the individual. (Contrast with vyasti.) SAMBANDHA Knowledge of the interrelatedness between the Supreme Being, His potencies, and the living beings. This knowledge of rela- tion is an essential support to the practice of devotion because it pro- vides a clear understanding of the nature of the world we live in, the true nature of the self, the nature of God, and the essential function of the self in relation to God. This essential function can be summed up as dasya, wherein the part finds completion through identifica- tion with and service to the whole. Through bhakti in the stage of bhava, or supra-mundane awareness, this generic identity blossoms into one of the relations of personal servant, friend, parent, or lover. In a different context, sambandha refers to one of the four indis- pensable elements that are described in the introduction of every Vedic literature: adhikari (eligibility of the reader), visaya (the sub- ject matter of the book), sambandha (the relation of the book as refer- ring text with the subject or truth that it refers to), and prayojana (the purpose to be achieved by reading and following the book). SAMMUKHYA The state of having one’s intentful regard turned toward the Absolute; the state of absorption in Bhagavan, as contrasted with vaimukhya. Jiva Gosvāmi says that jnana and bhakti are the two direct methods to shift awareness toward the Absolute. Other meth- ods, such as karma, Sankhya, and vairagya, may act as assistants to these two primary methods. In conclusion, however, bhakti is the sole method that engenders an embrace of the Whole in completion. SAMPRADAYA A school of metaphysical thought and spiritual discipline that has its source in Bhagavan and which transmits its teaching in a disciplic chain of guru-student. SAMSARA Cyclic existence; the domain of karma and rebirth; the con- dition of worldly bondage created by egoism under the impact of ignorance. SAMSKĀRAS The latent desires for action, whether beneficial or detri- mental, that are generated along with corresponding acts and which remain lodged in the heart of the performer; the subconscious imprints recorded and stored in the mind from action, thought, and sensory perception. These imprints give rise to desire that perpetuates the cycle of action and reaction, binding one to samsara. SAMVIT The power of consciousness; an aspect of Bhagavan’s intrinsic 831 References potency by which He is conscious of all things and enables others to know. SANDHINI The power of being or existence; an aspect of Bhagavan’s intrinsic potency by virtue of which He is self-existent and supports the existence of everything else. SÄNKHYA One of the six traditional systems of Indian philosophy; the path of knowledge involving an analysis of Spirit and matter. The founder of the classical Sankhya-yoga system is the sage Kapila, who is different from the avatara of Bhagavan known as Kapila, the son of Kardama and Devahūti. Classical Sankhya is nontheistic in nature, being devoid of the concept of Isvara. In this system, the cosmos unfolds as the interplay of puruşa, the self, and prakrti, pri- mordial nature. When prakṛti, which is the state of equilibrium of the three gunas, is brought into the proximity of the purusas, it sets in motion a chain of cause and effect that evolves the cosmos. In course of time, the cosmos is reabsorbed into its primordial state. All of this takes place to facilitate the purusas in the pursuit of both enjoyment and eventual liberation. In the Bhagavata conception of Sankhya, however, the original Puruşa is Mahavisņu, who activates prakrti through His glance. SANNYASA The renounced order of life, the fourth stage of life in the varṇāśrama system. SANNYASI A member of the renounced order; the fourth asrama, or stage of life, in the varṇasrama system, characterized by detachment from all worldly pursuits, indifference to social status, and full absorption in knowledge or devotion. SARGA The original setting into motion of the material energy by the Purusa; one of ten primary topics of Srimad Bhagavata. The topic of sarga (primary creation) deals with the generation of the universal or collective wisdom faculty (mahat-tattva), the ego (ahankara, the “I”-sense, or the principle of individuation), the mind (manas), the five subtle sense objects (mātrās), the five cognitive and five cona- tive senses (indriyas), and the five meta elements (bhutas), result- ing from the displacement of the equilibrium of the three guņas (i.e., primordial nature’s three interdependent constituting principles of psychic and physical force), brought about through the intent of the Supreme Controller (Parameśvara). SĀRŪPYA-MUKTI One of the five types of liberation in which one attains a form similar to that of Bhagavan. 832 Glossary ŚASTRA Scriptures; this includes the Vedas, Upanisads, Puranas, Smrtis, and Agamas; the authorized literature that is accepted as without human origin (apauruşeya) and thus infallible. SAT Being or existence; that which is ultimately real. SAT-KARYA-VĀDA The theory that an effect pre-exists in its cause as latent potential, from which perspective the effect is understood to be nondifferent from its cause. This, however, does not imply absolute nondifference of cause and effect, because once the effect comes into being, it is seen to have its own distinct existence. The relation between cause and effect is thus understood to be one of difference within identity (bheda-abheda). SATTVA One of the three constituent aspects of prakṛti, or primordial nature, that influences living beings toward the cultivation of wisdom and purity; luminosity. SAYUJYA MUKTI One of the five types of mukti. This refers to the liberated state of merging into Brahman or into the body of Krsna. SIDDHA Realized, perfected; a liberated associate of Bhagavan who accompanies Him when He descends in the material world to assist in His pastimes; one who attains perfection of realization in this life and thus transcends the influence of the gunas. SIDDHA-NIRDESA Eternal self-establishment of Krsna’s form in His own abode, serving as a basis for meditation. SIDDHANTA The conclusive principle on a subject or of a school of thought. SIDDHI Metanormal powers or psycho-spiritual attainments that are the by-products of accomplishment in yogic practice. SKANDHA Lit., “shoulder,” commonly used to denote a division of a book. SMRTI-SASTRA Lit., “that which is remembered”; tradition as distin- guished from Śruti, or revelation; the body of sacred literature that is composed in pursuance of the Śrutis (in contradistinc- tion to Sruti, or that which is directly heard by or revealed to the rsis). These include the six Vedāngas, the dharma-sastras (such as Manu-samhita), the Puranas, and the Itihasas (Vedic historical narrations). ŚRI-VIGRAHA The divine spiritual body or form of Bhagavan. ŚRUTI That which is heard; revelation, as distinguished from Smrti, or tra- dition; infallible knowledge that was received by Brahma or by the 833 References great sages in the beginning of creation and which descends in dis- ciplic succession from them; the body of literature that was directly manifest from Bhagavan. This applies to the original four Vedas (also known as Nigamas) and includes the Upanisads. In Purva- mimämsä, the word śruti is used in a technical sense to mean a direct statement of sastra, which is the first and most authoritative of the six hermeneutical indicators of textual analysis (sat-pramāņa). STHUNA-NIKHANANA-NYAYA Lit., “the principle of driving a post firmly into the ground.” This logical strategy is employed by an author who posits a possible objection to his or her own thesis and then refutes it to establish the thesis all the more forcefully. SUDDHA-SATTVA The state of pure existence, beyond the three gunas of prakrti; the self-luminous state of being in which Bhagavan is revealed along with His associates and abode. SVABHAVA An entity’s own (sva) disposition or nature (bhava). This refers to the innate characteristic of a person or substance. For example, the svabhava of fire is to burn, and the svabhava of a lion is to prey on other animals for food. SVADHARMA A person’s own duty. In its conventional sense, this refers to the duties prescribed in scripture that relate to one’s own voca- tion (varna) and stage of life (asrama). In its transcendental sense, it refers to the nature and function of the pure self, distinct from all material identification. SVÄRASIKI A type of worship in which the devotee meditates on the lilas of his or her cherished form of Bhagavan (nijābhīṣṭa). This is con- trasted with mantramayi-upāsana meditation in which the worship- ful deity is fixed in one place and does not move. Alternatively, this may refer to those lilas in which Kṛṣṇa moves from place to place. In this meditation, He is not depicted as being in a fixed stance. This is compared to the flow of the river Ganga. SVARGA This refers to the five heavenly worlds beginning with Svarloka up to Satyaloka. It is the destination of those endowed with control of the mind and senses and who have performed pious deeds. SVARUPA The intrinsic nature of the self or Bhagavan. SVARUPA-LAKSANA An intrinsic characteristic; the essential characteris- tic of an object by which its identity is made evident. (Contrast with tatastha-lakṣaṇa.) SVARUPA-SAKTI The intrinsic potency of Bhagavan that constitutes His 834 Glossary very nature. It has three aspects: sandhini, the potency that accom- modates the spiritual existence of Bhagavan and His associates; samvit, the potency that is the basis of Bhagavan’s own omniscience and that enables transcognitive awareness of Him; and hladini, the potency by which Bhagavan enjoys transcendental bliss and awards such bliss to His devotees. SVAYAM BHAGAVAN The supreme and original form of Bhagavan. SVAYAM-PRAKASA Self-luminous or self-revealing. This refers in par- ticular to Bhagavan, who, although imperceivable by any external means, is independently self-disclosed by His own will and intrinsic power. TAMAS Inertia; one of the three constituent aspects of primordial nature that promotes ignorance and indolence. TANTRA The word tantra comes from the verbal root √tan, meaning “to spread.” Consequently, Tantra is a scripture that extends knowl- edge, being a storehouse of mysticism, theology, philosophy, and religious principles. It examines topics such as the origin of the cos- mos, the purpose of human life, the socio-religious system of varna- srama, the significance of samskaras, the practice of yoga, and so on. Bhagavan Visnu is the principal deity of the Vaisnava Tantra. The latter deals with the procedures of worship and meditation, the rules of temple architecture, descriptions of the yoga-pitha, wor- ship of tulasi, types of devotion, and various procedures and rules of devotion. Vaisnava Tantras are popularly known as Pancaratra Āgama, Pancaratra, or simply Agama. TATASTHA-LAKSANA An extrinsic characteristic; an incidental defining characteristic of an object which, though not being a permanent or innate feature of the object it qualifies, helps to differentiate it from other objects. (Contrast with svarupa-lakṣaṇa.) TATASTHA-SAKTI The intermediary potency belonging to Paramātmā and consisting of the conscious living beings. TATTVA Essence; truth; Brahman; reality; principle. TRIPADA-VIBHUTI The three-fourths manifestation of the Supreme; the eternal spiritual realm consisting of threefold dimensionality of being, namely, immortality, fearlessness, and all-auspiciousness. TURIYA The fourth state; the Absolute Consciousness; that which tran- scends the three states of waking, dreaming, and deep sleep. This ultimately refers to Bhagavan, who is free from the three kinds of 835 References upadhis, namely, virat (gross), hiranyagarbha (subtle), and karana (causal). UPADHI A limiting adjunct superimposed on the self; an artificial or material designation with which the eternal, transcendent self is identified; designations pertaining to the gross and subtle bodies. UPALAKSANA The implying of that which is not directly stated; a prin- ciple often used by commentators in interpreting scriptural texts. In a different context, this can refer to the incidental determining characteristic of an object in contrast with visesana, or the intrinsic quality of an object. UPAMANA The object with which anything is compared, also known as the standard of comparison. UPAMEYA The subject of comparison, meaning the entity that is compared with some other object. UPASANA Worship involving practices such as bathing the deities, dressing them, and offering them incense, food, and other articles. UPĀSANA-SASTRA The scriptural texts that prescribe the worship of Krsna. VAIKUNTHA The eternal spiritual domain; the majestic realm of the spir- itual world that is predominated by Bhagavan Nārāyaṇa or His various expansions; that domain which is entirely free from the influence of the three gunas. VAIMUKHYA The state of having one’s intentful regard turned away from the Absolute; the state of absorption in the ephemeral, rooted in causeless ignorance. This is the basis of samsara and can be reme- died simply by turning one’s face to encounter the Absolute directly, known as sammukhya (see sammukhya). VAIRAGYA Detachment or indifference to the world; a spiritual disci- pline involving the acceptance of voluntary austerities to develop detachment from sense objects. VAIRĀJA The gross cosmic being or the fourteen planetary systems, also called Virat Purușa. Its subtle form is called Hiranyagarbha. VAISNAVA A person initiated into and devoted to the worship of Visnu, Kṛṣṇa, or any of the avataras of Visnu. VARNA The four vocations (brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, and sudra) in which one carries out corresponding socio-religious duties in the system known as varṇāśrama. 836 Glossary VARNASRAMA The Vedic social system, which organizes society into four occupational divisions (varnas) and four stages of life (asramas). VASTU A substance; that which exists in the ontological sense; the Supreme Existent; Brahman or Bhagavan. VEDANTA One of the six theistic schools of Indian philosophy that is rooted in the teachings of the Upanisads and the Brahma-sutra of Vyasa. Vedanta stresses the nonduality of the Absolute, His potencies, and His integrated parts (the individual living beings). VEDANTA-SUTRA See Brahma-sutra. VIBHŪTI A manifestation of Bhagavan’s power, beauty, or majesty. In its technical sense, the term vibhuti refers to an entity that has less power than a kalā (see kala). VIKSEPA Throwing, scattering, dispersion, or projection; a potency of māya that projects the world appearance. VIRAT PURUŞA See Vairāja. VISARGA Secondary creation; the creative act of the primal cosmic being, Brahma, involving the sending forth of moving and non-moving beings in accordance with their prior karmic inheritance. This is distinguished from sarga, or primary creation, referring to the original setting into motion of primordial nature as a whole by Paramātmā. VISUDDHA-SATTVA Pure existence; unadulterated being; a feature of Bhagavan’s intrinsic potency, known as cit-sakti, the conscious potency (see suddha-sattva). VYANJANA The implied or suggested meaning of a literary statement; a figure of speech. To describe an object or entity through vyanjana is called dhvani. VYAŞTI Individuality; differentiation; an individual entity as distin- guished from the whole; the individuated existence of the living being; the individual perspective. (Contrast with samasti.) VYATIREKA Distinction, separation; negative concomitance or logical dis- continuance, implying the non-possibility of an object’s existence when some other object upon which the former is dependent is absent. For example, if there is no fire, then there is no smoke. This form of reasoning is used in connection with anvaya, or positive concomitance. 837References VYÜHA An expansion of Bhagavan, such as Vasudeva, Sankarṣaṇa, Pra- dyumna, and Aniruddha. All of these are expansions of the origi- nal Complete Person, Svayam Bhagavan Sri Krsna and are almost equally powerful. YAJNA A Vedic sacrifice; a method of worship or communion with Bhagavan or with the devas who function under His jurisdiction. YANTRA A symbolic representation of a mantra and also of the deity of the mantra, used for meditation. It is considered as a sacred enclosure, a dwelling or receptacle of one’s worshipful deity (ista-devata). YAUGIKA The etymological meaning of a word. YOGA A spiritual discipline aiming at union of the individual self with the universal Self. There are many different branches of yoga, such as karma-yoga, jñäna-yoga, and bhakti-yoga. Unless specified, how- ever, yoga generally refers to the classical aştanga-yoga system of Patanjali. YOGA-PITHA The transcendental seat of the worshipful deity or deities, such as Radha and Krsna. This refers to the sanctum sanctorum of Their divine lila. The yoga-pitha is surrounded by the associates of the ista-devata, who are referred to as avarana-devatās or parikaras. In the case of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the surrounding entourage includes the gopis, the cowherd boys, and His other eternal associates in Vraja. YUGA An age of the world. The Vedas describe four yugas that proceed in a cycle: Krta or Satya, Treta, Dväpara, and Kali. The first of these yugas lasts for 1,728,000 years, the second for 1,296,000 years, the third for 864,000 years, and the fourth for 432,000 years. The descending numbers represent the physical and spiritual deteriora- tion of humanity in each age. The four yugas form an aggregate of 4,320,000 years and constitute a maha-yuga, or great yuga. YUGAVATARA A form of Bhagavan that appears in any one of the four yugas and establishes the corresponding dharma to be undertaken. 838 Subject Index abhava (absence) anadi-jñāna-prāg removed by sat-sanga, 1.1107 divisions of according to Nyaya, 1.21 jñāna-samsarga as beginningless, 1.20 dispelled through sat-sanga, 1.1091 pertains to the jiva, 1.631 root cause of samsara, 1.646 vaimukhya rooted in, 1.11 prior nonexistence of awareness, I.21 abhidheya akiñcana-bhakti as, 1.1254 all scriptures recommend bhakti as, 1.481 ascertainment of possible only for Bhagavan, 1.200 Bhagavan extracts from the Vedas, 1.197 bhajana as, 1.156 bhakti as, 1.497, 11.784 among three types of yoga, 1.427 as the life of all sadhanas, 1.498 by bestowing immediate awareness, 1.646 by disregard for karmarpanam, 1.524 for realization of the Absolute, 1.159 grants the ultimate good, 1.500 in Srimad Bhagavata, 1.468, 1.472 not conventional dharma, 1.63 why other paths are advocated, 1.520 bhakti as the ultimate limit of, 1.260 bhakti ascertained as by Brahmā, 1.196, 1.199 839 840 References bhakti established as by all teachers of the Bhagavata, 1.190 by gati-samanya, 1.661, 1.662 by Krsna, 1.370, 1.418 by logic, 1.660 by vyatireka, 1.217, 1.507 by Suka, 1.205 direct path to naişkarmya, 1.353 distinguished from varnasrama, 1.461 for all places and times, 1.698 for all seekers, 1.1149 for all worshipers, 1.207 in contrast to other paths, 1.546 in contrast to yoga, 1.265 in Suta’s concluding instruction, 1.457, 1.458 bhakti prescribed as, 1.48 characteristics of bhakti as, 1.913 etymological meaning of, 1.174 hearing of Bhagavan as, 1.177 in all sastras, 1.674 in the catuh-sloki, 1.667, 1.671, 1.673 in the samadhi of Vyasa, 1.659 jñana and ahangrahopasana not recommended as, II.18 karma and jñana denied as, 1.62 karma-yoga denied as, 1.61 kevala-bhakti as, 1.547 Kumaras recommend bhakti as, 1.265 motivated bhakti discounted as, 1.964, 1.969 nature of bhakti as, 1.719, 1.726 of the Vedas bhakti as, 1.404 one of four primary topics in sastra, 1.665 one of ten primary topics of Srimad Bhagavata, 1.666 primary topic of the Sandarbhas, 1.473 rāgānuga-bhakti as, 11.698, 11.702, 11.707, 11.717, 11.786 Rudra recommends bhakti as, 1.271 sammukhya as, 1.14, 1.27, 1.28, 1.37, 1.38, 1.961, 1.968 sammukhya in the form of bhajana as, 1.30 sastra instructs, 1.35 Subject Index sat-sanga as, 1.1254, 1.1256 Saunaka inquires about, 1.127 secondary import of sastra, 1.26 svarupa-siddha-bhakti as, 11.35, 11.131 synonymous with dharma and vidhi, 1.665 topic of Bhakti Sandarbha, 1.19 universality of bhakti as, 1.363 Vedas establish bhakti as, 1.243 why other paths are described as, 1.725 abhimāna in rāgātmika-bhakti bhava defined by, 11.599 in the body duality due to, 11.649 of a parent exhibited by Prabhakara, 11.613 of a preyasi rāgānugă undertaken with, 11.612 of a sevaka exhibited by Prahlada, 11.612 of I and mine does not exist in Bhagavan, 11.650 raganuga undertaken with, 11.615 acintya-bheda-abheda as the relation between guru and Bhagavan, 1.1326 as the relation between Siva and Kṛṣṇa, 1.1327 adharma not accepted in pīṭha-pūjā, 11.453 people in Kaliyuga drawn to, 1.371 samskaras generated by, 1.764 Advaitavada interprets atimṛtyum as liberation, 1.416 opposed to the basic principle of bhakti, 1.187 Suka’s teachings on, 1.451 theory of absolute identity in, 1.186 view of tattva in, 1.80 advaya-jñāna fundamental realization of the Absolute, 1.29 tattva defined as, 1.69 841 References Āgama Agni aiśvarya worship described in, 11.513 dharma of open to all, 11.521 refers to the Tantras, 11.458 thirty-two offenses listed in, 11.537, 11.538 three types of, 11.458 worship of Bhagavan according to, 11.518 sons of attained pati-bhava for Kṛṣṇa, II.676, 11.680 Agnihotra injunction to perform, 11.183 ista refers to, II.181 Krsna not controlled by, 11.179 not to be abandoned by a karma practitioner, 11.186, II.189 performance of in Purva-mimämsä, 1.212 prescribed in Purva-mīmamsa, 11.183 ahangrahopāsanā as sammukhya in general, 11.18 as saviseṣa-sammukhya, 11.7 condemned in bhakti, 1.1065 excluded from the definition of bhakti, 11.21 forbidden in raganuga-bhakti, 11.467 forbidden in pure bhakti, 11.466 in the use of mudras, 11.467 pure devotees abhor, 11.460 rejected in bhakti, 1.1061 results of, 11.16 to be avoided in raganuga, 11.615, 11.616 ahankära as knot in the heart, 1.122 averse to change, 1.27 dissolved by sakṣātkāra, 1.121, 1.422 knot of cut by pure worship, 11.437 knot of slit by bhakti, 1.263, 1.342, 1.347, 1.348 resistant to surrender, 1.545 thrives on challenges, 1.545 aiśvarya 842 Subject Index jñāna disregarded in rāgānugā, 11.714 prominent in Vasudeva, 11.711 madhyama-bhakta’s bhakti mixed with, 1.1248 of Bhagavan not diminished, 11.710 of Kṛṣṇa concealed by māyā, 11.713 remains present, 11.714 present in Dama-bandhana-lila, 11.720 worship with contrasted with madhurya, 1.1246 Ajamila attained Bhagavan directly, 1.946 bhakti-abhasa exemplified by, 1.683, 1.889 blessed with previous association, 1.943 free of offenses, 1.938, 1.940 glory of the name understood by, 11.328 incidental chanting of, 1.743 influenced by samskāras, 1.951 perfected independent of śraddha, 1.1007, 1.1013 performed bhakti at death, 1.689 sins of destroyed by bhakti-abhasa, 1.868 sins of destroyed from the first name, 1.948, 1.950 sins of removed by namabhasa, 11.300 Akrüra Prahlada seen by in Bhagavan’s avarana, 11.454 vandanam exemplified by, 1.986 Ambarişa Bhagavan subordinate to the will of, 1.1122 complete surrender exemplified by, 11.585, 11.586, 11.590 dasya enacted by, 11.564 Durvāsā touched the feet of, 11.230 Durvasa’s offense forgiven by, 11.338, 11.340 Ekadasi observed by, 11.532 followed the instructions of vipras, 11.429 ideal regard for the devas shown by, 1.582 instructed regarding the deity, 11.472 Nrga contrasted with, 1.899 performed bhakti in youth, 1.689 843 References performed sacrifices to set an example, 1.980 visited by Durvāsā, 11.576 worshiped the deity, 11.487, 11.488 ananda bhakti surpasses all types of, 1.1069 anarthas eradication of in prema, 11.703 four types of in bhakti, 11.775 removed by the power of avesa, 11.631 Andha Muni lament of, 1.587, 1.596, II.470 anvaya as logical strategy, 1.61 bhakti established by, 1.233, 1.277, 1.281, 1.472, 1.571, 1.667, 1.671, 1.698 logic of, 1.218 sat-sanga’s causality established by, 1.1132 aparadha (offense) abhāsa of committed by Jaya and Vijaya, 11.700, 11.703 as disregard or inattention, 1.25 avoidance of a symptom of sraddha, 1.1044 bhakti impeded by, 11.244 bhakti obstructed by, 1.730, 1.866, 1.905, 1.908 causes displeasure to the deity, II.541 destroyed by repetition of the name, 1.903 devotee’s grace required for, 1.1101 displeases the name, 11.319 effects of absorption in mundane objects, 1.926, 1.927 faithlessness, 1.919, 1.921 hypocrisy, 1.912, 1.916 pride, 1.937, 1.939 seen in Gajendra, 1.933 slackening of bhakti, 1.933, 1.935 five primary effects of, 1.909, 1.911 grace required to overcome, 1.1117 impossible in prema, 11.702 in worship thirty-two listed in the Agamas, 11.537, 11.538 844 Subject Index jñānis fall due to, 1.648, 1.798 kirtana impeded by, 11.374 many described in sastra, 1.901 melting of the heart impeded by, 1.235 no scope for in sadhana-bhakti, 1.1036 obstructs the effect of sat-sanga, 1.1095 obstructs the fruits of bhakti, 1.897 of Daksa, 1.940 of Indra counteraction of, 1.751 of the instructor and the instructed, 11.336, 11.339 power of the name impeded by, 11.317 pride a primary cause of, 1.594 progress delayed by, 1.1268 related to vandana, 11.559 related with bhakti, 11.543 six types of in regard to Vaisnavas, 1.753, II.318 solutions to, 11.548, 11.551 some jivan-muktas fall due to, 1.1142 suffering viewed as a reaction to, 1.78 thirty-two listed in Varaha Purana, 11.540 to a devotee appeasement of, 11.338 to a mahat mitigation of, 11.550 to ascribe imaginary meanings to the name, 11.328 to be avoided in nama-kirtana, 11.373 to Bhagavan mitigation of, 11.547 to commit sins on the strength of bhakti, 1.1019 to commit sins on the strength of the name, 11.331, 11.332 to consider Śiva as independent of Visņu, 11.325 to consider Śiva’s name independent of Vişņu, 11.327 to criticize śastra, 11.329 to criticize the Vedas, 11.327 to devotees Bhagavan intolerant of, 11.546 in worship, 11.543 more grievous than that of the deity, II.543 845 References to disrespect the devas, 1.564 to disrespect Śiva, 1.582, 1.584 to equate the name with pious works, 11.333 to Hari the name delivers one from, 11.370 to hear criticism of a Vaisnava, 11.318 to subordinate bhakti to other practices, 1.473, 1.500 to the name ten in number, II.314, II.315 two primary types of, 1.906 Upabarhana’s proud manner as, 1.324 aparoksa-anubhava as immediate realization of Brahman, 11.8 aprakata-dhama asuras present in as diagrammatic replicas, 11.463 apūrva as dharma, 11.58 dependent on injunctions, II.617 in Purva-mimämsä, 11.623 postulated by Mimāmsakas, 11.65 sheltered in Bhagavan, 11.59, 11.62, 11.67 two views of in Mīmamsa, 11.60, 11.66 arcana (worship) additional limbs of, 11.522, 11.524 adhisthanas of deity established as in Tretayuga, II.486 described by Kṛṣṇa, 11.474 eleven specified by Kṛṣṇa, 11.502, 11.509 hierarchical gradation of, 11.476, 11.479 mantra meditation guidelines for, 11.508 puja-sadhanas in accordance with, II.504 respect due to all beings as, II.491 Salagrama as, 11.468 worship of Bhagavan by worship of, 11.504 adjustment of for prema-bhaktas, 11.513 ahangrahopasanā in, 11.466 angas of, 11.517 as kriya-yoga in the Pancaratra, 11.100 by means of Vedic and Tantric rites, 1.1305 846 Subject Index combined with prescribed duties, 1.592 details of regarding pitha-puja, 11.452 dikşa required for, 11.425, II.430, 11.440 eligibility for, 11.517 exemplified by Prthu, 1.986 importance of dikṣā for, 11.427 impure desired fruits attained by, 11.512 in räga-bhakti, 11.451 influence of the gunas in, 1.588 injunctions regarding, II.142 internal and external, 11.473 maha-bhāgavata on the path of, 1.1213, 1.1220 mānasa-pūjā ordained as, II.425 mantra-guru required for, 11.421 mixed with karma, 11.438 two ways of performing, 11.444, 11.450 of Krsna approved for all, 11.518 as worship of all, 1.284, 1.605, 11.480 of the deity Agama practices of, 11.472, 11.475 not to be given up, 1.593, 1.596 to be done without malice, 11.490 unsuccessful without compassion, 1.597 of Svetadvipa in pitha-pujā, 11.456 offense to devotees in, 11.542 one of nine sacrificial acts, 1.1214 primary for householders, 11.423, II.424 pure Krsna attained by, 11.515 pure and mixed, 11.437, II.441 required after dikṣā, 11.422 rşis establish regulations for, 11.433 Tantric recommended in Kaliyuga, 11.457 thirty-two offenses of listed in the Agamas, 11.537 three gradations of devotees on the path of, 1.1234 to be conducted in accordance with bhava, 11.510 847References upāsanā as, 11.588 vandana included in, 11.555, 11.559 Vedic, Tantric, and mixed, 11.439, II.441 with disrespect of others Arjuna artha condemnation of, 1.585, 1.596 accepted Krsna’s Godhood, 1.922 instructed to become an instrument, 11.786 Kṛṣṇa protected from Bhisma, II.546 not allured by Urvasi, 1.530 sakhyam exemplified by, 1.986 dharma and kama dependent on, 1.76 not the aim of dharma, 1.66, 1.68 not the aim of transcendentalists, 1.77 artha-vāda asakti as enticement through eulogy, II.330 offense of Nrga obstructed by, 1.906 obstructs bhakti’s fruits, 1.897 to bhakti, 1.905 to the name, 1.896 power of bhakti-abhāsa not an instance of, 1.891 development of in Narada, 11.785 for bhajana as spontaneous, II.784 asṭānga-yoga as sammukhya, 1.36 bhakti the basis of success in, 1.495 comes to an end, 1.129, 1.650 intent upon Narayana, 1.242 Krṣṇa not controlled by, II.179 not directly related to Krsna, 1.410 propagated by Patanjali, 1.407 remembrance of Bhagavan the fruit of, 1.946 smarana related to the last three limbs of, 11.392 subsumed under jñāna, 1.37 Vasudeva the aim of, 1.148, 1.151 848 Subject Index asuras attained avesa in Krsna by enmity, 11.707 attained perfection by fear, 11.754 diagrammatic replicas in the aprakaṭa-dhama, 11.463, 11.473 killed by Krsna attain liberation, II.718 Kṛṣṇa the unconditional friend of, 11.727 saw Krsna at the time of death, 11.701 Uddhava described as devotees, 11.701, II.704 Asvatthāmā ātmā referred to as a brahma-bandhu, 11.494 acceptance of the gunas by, 1.1060 arpana of described by Prahlada and Krsna, 11.588 exemplified by Rukmini, 11.583, 11.590 upasana consisting of surrender included in, 11.586 as most dear, 1.178 as nondoer, 1.807 Bhagavan as of all living beings, II.574 bhakti comparable to, 1.522 bondage of unreal, 1.385 completely fulfilled only by bhakti, 1.317, 1.323 dharma of as eternal, 1.129 dharma of the Agamas related to, II.521 distinct from the body, 1.122 duality not present in, 1.337 etymological meaning of, 1.84, 1.197 fulfilled by enquiry about Krsna, II.716 impels one to seek out a guru, 1.1315 integrated part of Bhagavan, 11.261 Krsna as, 11.732, 11.740 māyā as upadhi of, 1.168 of all beings Kṛṣṇa as, 1.282 Hari as, 1.278, 1.279 ontological truth of, 1.1217 prakrti as the covering of, 1.375 refers to the threefold disclosure of the Self, 11.25 849 References self-endowed with form, 1.781 subject to prior ignorance, 1.56 svarupa-sakti not innate to, 1.399 to be merged in Brahman, 11.11 atma-nivedana characteristics of, 11.583 compared to selling a cow, 1.989 described by Kṛṣṇa, 11.587 exemplified by Bali, 1.987 sarvātmakam exemplified by Ambarīşa, 11.585 various forms of, 11.584, 11.590 with and without bhava, 11.589 atonement accounted for in the Narayana incantation, 1.581 bhakti beyond, 1.753 effected even by one act of bhakti, 1.863 for the seventh offense, 11.332 jñana as a form of, 1.751 kirtana of the name the best form of, 11.297, 11.317 name of Bhagavan as, 11.337 not absolute, 1.752 not required in bhakti, 1.747, 1.1025, 1.1032 prominent in karma-kanda, 1.873 samskaras not destroyed by, 1.764, 1.766 tendency toward sin not removed by, 11.551 avatāras deeds of attractive, II.765 descriptions of culminate in Krsna, 11.717 hearing of slits the noose of death, 11.270 hearing the līlās of, 11.267 included in Krsna, 11.718 Krsna’s grace superior to that of, 11.764 of Kṛṣṇa, 1.555 stories of related to Dhruva, 11.271 three types of, 1.134 Visnu and the Kumāras as, 1.10 worship of Krsna superior to that of, 11.750 avesa (absorption) 850 Subject Index in bhakti generated by ruci, 11.631 in Bhagavan the power of, 11.694 through feeling states, 11.654, 11.658, 11.671 through unprescribed means, II.665 weaker in vaidhi-bhakti, 11.659 in Krsna absent in vaidhi-bhakti, 11.691 asuras attained by enmity, 11.707 importance of, 11.702 involves two factors, 11.655 ruci imparts, II.718 sins destroyed by, 11.653, 11.662 the point of the story of Sisupala, 11.697 power of, 11.660 quickly attained by bhava, 11.697 Ayodhya as maha-adhisthāna of Rama, 11.469 Balarama Bali imitated the liläs of Rama, 11.463 atma-arpana exemplified by, 11.588, 11.591 atma-nivedanam exemplified by, 1.986 Bhagavan awarded His own Self to, 1.280, 1.1298 Bhagavan became the doorkeeper of, 1.1301 Bhagavan controlled by, 11.727 blessed by Prahlada and Vamana, II.194 disobeyed his family guru, 1.1318 Bhagavan abode of attained by bhaktas, 1.1050 attained by bhakti-abhasa, 1.886 attained by Magha-snāna, 11.535 attained by sakhya, 11.578 attained by Vaisnavas, 1.871 beyond phenomenality, 1.1216 description of, 11.457 paraphernalia associated with, 1.1216 851 852 References absorption in even through enmity, 11.654 absorption in quickly attained by bhava-marga, 11.658 absorption in through feeling states, II.671 acceptance of as one’s guardian, 11.155 acceptance of as one’s protector, 11.159 advocates kirtana for Kaliyuga, 11.370, 11.372 Agama describes aisvarya worship of, 11.513 aiśvarya of not diminished, 11.710 Ambarisa’s attitude of dasya toward, 11.565 appears as the guru and Paramātmā, 11.737 appears in the assembly of His devotees, 1.1093 apūrva sheltered in, 11.62, 11.67 as a self-disclosure of para-tattva, 1.10 as dhyeya in raganuga, 11.614 as foundation of the Vedas, 1.570 as jñapti-mātram, 11.411 as nirguna, 1.795, II.125 as nirguna and advaya, II.410 as para-brahma, 1.373 as sole object of bhakti, 1.555 as supreme patra, 11.476 as Svayam Iśvara, 1.562 as the object of love, 1.302, 1.303 as the root of dharma, 1.315, 1.322 as the Seer and not the seen, 1.190 as the source of sambandha, 1.410 as ultimate shelter, 1.551, 1.552 as vyasti and samasti-guru, 11.453 as word can be used as an honorific, 1.198 atma-nivedana to, 11.583 attained by bhakti, 1.841, 1.842 attained only by bhakti, 11.506 attained only by pure bhakti, 11.103 attainment of by bhava, 11.690 attention of drawn toward the chanter, 11.299 attitude of service to, 11.564 attraction to a specific form of, 1.1255 awards His own Self to His devotees, 1.1297 Subject Index awards liberation, 1.821, 1.824 awareness of at death, 1.945 in the womb, 1.878, 1.882 involves three factors, 1.1101 beauty of described by Kapila, 11.731 bestows knowledge and realization of Him, 1.248 bestows rati, 1.823, 1.826 bhakti as sammukhya toward, 1.968, 1.1065 bhakti as svarupa-sakti of, 1.103, 1.431 bhakti bestows love for, 1.821 bhakti bestows realization of, 1.38, 1.839 bhakti directly related to, 1.518 bhakti meant for, 1.134 bhakti meant for the pleasure of, 1.990 bhakti melts the heart of, 1.1112 bhakti set forth by, 1.400 bhakti toward, 1.1056 Bharata’s bhakti directed toward, 11.70 blessed Dhruva, 1.771 blesses the unpretentious, 1.915 bliss of caused by bhakti, 1.827 bound by His devotee’s love, 1.838, 11.246, 11.247 bound by the rope of love, 1.1211 bound by uttama-bhaktas, 1.1205 bound to the devotee’s heart, 11.249 Brahman as nirvisesa-avirbhāva of, 1.427 Brahman attained by the enemies of, 11.682 brings an end to worldly existence, 11.50 captured by those who hear the Bhāgavata, 1.12 cherished form of hearing to be enacted in regard to, II.291, II.293 cleanses desire from the heart, 1.1019, 11.628 complete disclosure of tattva, 1.78, 1.377, 1.1133 connoisseur of rasa, 11.542 constituted of sac-cid-ananda, 11.650 controlled by bhakti, 1.536, 1.537 controlled by His devotees, II.218, 11.727, II.787 controlled by love, II.211 853 References controlled by remembrance, 11.386 controlled by sakhya, 11.576 cosmos evolved by, 1.156 criticism does not apply to, 11.646 deity and direct agent of yajña, 11.59 deity as the seat of, 1.1128 deity nondifferent from, 11.470 derives pleasure from bhakti, 1.832 descends for the sake of lila, 11.269 desirelessness of, 1.971 destroys all obstacles, 11.52 destroys reactions for devotees, 1.511 devas not equal to, 1.559 devoid of dualistic identity, 11.649 devotees attuned to the will of, 1.1117 devotees desire the service of, II.132 devotees effortlessly realize, 1.398 devotees never abandon, 11.733 devotees refer to tattva as, 1.80 dharma to be undertaken for, 1.392 dharma, artha, and kama subordinate to, 1.967 dhyana easily effected in regard to, 1.658 direct witnessing of as self-fulfillment, 11.782 direct worship of, 11.505 disclosed bhakti to Brahma, 1.499 disclosed by bhakti, 1.993 disclosed in visuddha-sattva, 1.119, 1.1174 disclosed the Vedas to Brahma, 1.87 disclosure of concealed from jñānis, 11.13 displeased by offenses to the name, 11.317 displeased by offenses to Vaisnavas, 1.900 distinct from the jiva, 1.187 does not award mukti to His devotees, 1.826 dweller in the cave of the heart, II.123 ease of worshiping, II.574 eight types of bhakti to, 11.519 embodiment of Brahman, 1.267 eminence of due to imparting bhakti, 1.712 854 Subject Index enacted the lila of studying the Vedas, 1.200 enmity not a valid means to attain, 11.694 enters all bodies as the Purusa, II.482 evidence of the grace of, 1.297 exclusive shelter of uttama-bhagavatas, 1.1192 existential nature of described, 1.1239 extracts the abhidheya from the Vedas, 1.197 feet of as source of the Vedas, 1.1079 dissipate the fever of desire, 1.1202 the glory of contact with, 1.1292 five yāgas as the forms of, 11.184 food to be offered to, 11.530 fruit of karma sheltered in, 11.58 fruits of karma awarded by, 1.1290 fulfills all desires, 1.206, 1.208 glory of sung by mahats, 11.284 grace of available only through sat-sanga, 1.1114 gradations of the presence of, II.484 grants liberation, II.369 guru and mantra nondifferent from, 1.1304 guru and Siva nondistinct from, 1.1325 guru as identical with, 11.163 hearing about grants perfection, 11.275 hearing and glorification of as abhidheya, 1.177 hearing of established by vyatireka, 11.260 hearing the qualities of, 11.251, II.253 helps His devotees, 1.477 highest disclosure of advaya-jnana, 1.29 hladini conveys bliss to, 1.827 identity of with the deity, 11.471 ignorance of as root of suffering, 1.482 immediate perception of accessible, 1.106 immediate realization of, 1.562, 11.785 immediately intuited through bhakti, 1.54 impartial friendship of, 11.574 impeller and object of karma, 11.57 impels the life current of all beings, 1.836 imperceivable by anger or envy, 11.700 855 856 References import of Srimad Bhagavata, 1.471 included within sat-sanga, 11.202 includes and transcends Brahman, 1.1141 indirect worship of, 11.504, 11.509 innate husbandship present in, 11.606 instructed Indra to kill Vrtra, 1.752, 1.754 intensified Narada’s longing, 1.931 intensifies a devotee’s prarabdha-karma, 1.929 intolerant of offenses to His devotees, 11.543, 11.546 Isvara of all the devas, 1.581 jīvas as integrated parts of, 1.1080 jivas’ partness external to, 1.1074 jñāna as the intuition of, 1.426 jnani-bhaktas dear to, 1.1242 kama for not inherently sinful, 11.670 not opposed to scripture, 11.679 sinful or not, 11.665 karmarpanam involves awareness of, 11.76 karmarpanam meant for the pleasure of, 11.76 Kartika dear to, 11.525 kevala as invocation for, 1.541 knowledge of as nirguna, 1.796 knowledge of as most secret, 11.752 knowledge of bestowed by guru, II.166 known through worship, II.423 lilă of eternally existent, 11.462 resembles human acts, 11.673 love for attained by paricarya, II.217 madhurya of belittles liberation, II.280 Magha dear to, II.534 mānasa-pujā of, 11.461 manifests as the guru, 1.1275, 1.1320 manifests as the päramärthika-guru, 1.1322 manifests only in viśuddha-sattva, 1.133 mantra for offering food to, 11.511 mantra nondifferent from, 1.1217, 11.426 many different names of, 11.323 Subject Index Märkandeya absorbed in, 11.392 mati for attained by hearing, 11.256 meaning of jñana in regard to, 1.376 meditated on in His abode, 11.466 mercy of accords with devotee’s intent, 1.832 mercy of as secondary, 1.1111, 1.1115 most worthy of worship, 1.31-33 name of Ajamila perfected by, 1.1007 Ajamila’s sins destroyed by, 1.950 artha-vada offense to, 1.896 as a conscious entity, II.339 as nondifferent from Him, 1.235 awards perfection at death, 1.946 bestows honorability, 1.758 beyond the limits of time and place, 11.367 Caitanya’s instruction regarding, 11.352 chanted by Bharata, 1.1028 chanted by the residents of hell, 1.689 conscious and blissful, 11.319 continuous chanting of recommended, 11.338 contrasted with mantras, 11.432, 11.440 delivers from sin, 1.743 delivers one at death, 1.887 delivers one from offenses to Hari, 11.370 delivers one from samsara, 1.872 destroys prarabdha-karma, 1.755, 1.762 destroys sinful desires, 1.903 destroys sins, 1.869, 1.948 eligibility to chant at death, 1.937, 1.940 endowed with intrinsic power, 1.888, 1.892 frees one from all impurity, 11.566 frees one from temporal existence, 11.306 glory of understood by Ajamila, 11.328 hearing and chanting of as primary, 11.276 hearing begins with, 11.274 injunction not required for, 1.744 kirtana of the best form of atonement, II.297 liberation attained by uttering, 1.870 857858 References liberation by once hearing, 1.875 not to be cast among atheists, 11.336 not to be equated with rituals, 11.335 obstructed by offenses, 1.899 offenses absolved by, 11.316 one of nine sacrificial acts, 1.1214 power of exemplified by Draupadi, 11.299 power of hearing, 11.243, II.244 prescribed for Kaliyuga, 1.1000, II.313 primary result of chanting, 11.301 purifying power of, 11.307 rati induced by, 11.303 repetition of recommended, 1.902 sins destroyed by, 11.333, 11.369 special effect of at death, 1.952 supreme sadhana and sadhya, 11.311 syllables of the Vedas equated with, 11.334 ten offenses to, II.314 uttama-bhaktas constantly chant, 1.1205 utterance of by Vena an offense, 1.1008 nature of as upasya, 1.1214 navya-sphürti of as brahma-säkṣātkāra, 11.746 niştha in attained by kirtana, 11.364 no shelter other than, 11.150 Nondual Personal Absolute, 1.610 object of attainment for mahantas, 1.289 object of bhakti, 1.987 offenses mitigated by worship of, 11.549 offenses to mitigation of, 11.547 offering actions to prescribed, 1.524 offering obeisance to, 11.555 offering of worldly and Vedic action to, II.41 offers His own lotus feet, 1.500, 1.503 offers His own Self to devotees, 1.280 offers the boon of mukti, 1.454 omniscience of not contradicted, 1.1116 oneness of eternal associates with, 11.460 Subject Index pati-bhava toward glorified, 11.676 personal loving manner of, 1.838 pleased by hearing tulasi’s name, 11.417 pleased by insignificant objects, 1.830 pleased by observance of Dvadasi, 11.531 pleased by service to Vaisnavas, II.226 pleased only by bhakti, 1.513, 1.519, 1.526, 1.528, 1.529, 1.695, 1.823 pleased only by untainted bhakti, 1.978 pleasure of as the fruit of dharma, 1.90 potencies of self-existent, 1.184 potencies unconcealed in, 1.80 power of objects related to, 1.1034 Pracetas prayed to give pleasure to, 11.75 prakrti belongs to, 1.225 prema for attained by continuous practice, II.781 prema for attained by kirtana, 11.305 presence of invoked in the deity, 11.471 present within the jiva and Paramātmā, 1.610 primary and secondary control of, II.191, II.197 protector of His devotees, 1.359, 1.360 purifying power of, 1.1293 qualified by svarupa-sakti, 1.1078 qualities of attractive to all, 11.261 qualities of revealed by lila-kirtana, 11.348 qualities of unlimited, 11.556 realization of Brahman included in, 1.798 realized by bhaktas, 1.124 realized by bhakti, 1.1063 referred to in Svetasvatara Upanisad, 1.416 refuge of all names, 11.324 refuses hypocritical offerings, 1.909 relationship with consummated by guru, 11.422 remembrance of attained by hearing, 1.460, 1.487 constant in uttama-bhaktas, 1.1200 destroys calamities, 1.920 ensues from devotion to guru, 1.1312 overrides Yama’s authority, 1.863 protected Prahlada, 1.733 859 860 References slits the knot of karma, 1.98 remembrance of as the purpose of all injunctions, 11.624 replete with all qualities, 1.1057 replete with six majesties, 1.179 represents the original face, 1.976 resides where His lilas are sung, II.351 revelation of independent of buddhi, 11.395 ruci toward a particular form of, 1.1263, 1.1270 sabda-brahman and Parabrahman as the bodies of, II.494 sac-cid-ananda-vigraha, 1.819 sadhana meant for the attainment of, 11.22 sadhya of bhakti, 1.775 sakhya devotee’s intimacy with, 11.575 säkşätkära of, 1.120 ahankara dissolved by, 1.422 as apavarga, 11.127 subsidiary effects of, 1.121 valueless without prema, 1.1147, 1.1152 Šalagrama the adhisthana of, 11.474 Salagrama’s form different from, 11.468 sammukhya intended for, 11.18 sammukhya toward, 1.1053, II.8 sästra as the sound form of, 11.329 sästra teaches sambandha-jñana of, 1.35 seduced Ambarîşa with a boon, 1.582 seen only by bhakti, 11.704 self-disclosed in the uttama-bhakta’s heart, 1.1206 self-disclosed through bhakti, 1.118 self-disclosed through sabda, 1.426 self-endowed with form, 1.781 Sisupala attained, 11.639 Šiva a great devotee of, 1.583 smarana of begins with the feet, 11.385 sole cause of bhakti, 1.835 source of all scriptures, 1.482 sphurana of as attainment of perfection, 1.1035 sphurti of by lila-kirtana, 11.346 Subject Index immediate effect of bhajana, 11.303, 11.780 spiritual education under the control of, 1.1323 subdued by bhakti, 1.843 subjugated by a single act of bhakti, 1.895 subjugated by sadhana-bhakti, 1.850 subjugated by sadhya-bhakti, 1.848, 1.852 subordinate to the will of Ambarişa, 1.1122 substratum of qualities and action, II.347 Supreme Deva of all the devas, 11.448 Supreme Immanence and Transcendence of, 11.651 surrender to as the preeminent quality, 1.1229 systematic disclosure of, 11.274 taken care of by His devotees, 11.709 tattva as qualified, 1.70 temple of as nirguna, 1.802, 1.805 the Absolute disclosed as, 1.1057 the deity to be seen as, II.541 the one Absolute Reality, 1.837 the self identified with in ahangrahopasană, 11.17 the Truth to be known by the Upanisads, II.613 the word brahma commonly stands for, 1.415 three potencies of, 1.797, 1.1219 three types of people hear the qualities of, 11.258 to be meditated on by any means, 11.653 to be meditated upon, 1.659 to be meditated upon at death, 1.448 to be remembered always, 1.201, 1.480, 1.697, 1.861 transcendental disclosure of the Absolute, 1.1130 transmits svarupa-sakti to His devotees, 1.1116 transmitted the catuh-sloki to Brahma, 1.705 true mercy of, 1.787 truth of as atma-tattvam, 1.174 tulasi supremely dear to, 11.416 two types of bliss in, 1.829 two types of grace exhibited by, 1.837 two ways of offering karma to, 11.72 unconditional grace of, 11.724 undisclosed by sattva, 1.785 uniform cause of all attainments, 1.1285, 1.1288 861 References universality of bhakti to, 1.684 uttama-bhāgavatas perceive all beings in, 1.1168 uttama-bhāgavatas perceive in all, 1.1163, 1.1167 uttama-bhāgavatas perceive prema for in all, 1.1171 uttama-bhaktas indifferent to the majesty of, 1.1246 Vaisnavas dear to, 11.237 various types of raga toward, 11.598 various types of welfare provided by, 11.737 Veda as the body of, 11.493 Vedas as the orders of, 1.745 Vedas manifested by, 11.685 Vena’s blasphemy of, 11.641 vision of the feet of as perfection, 1.446 will of subordinate to that of His devotees, 1.1120, 1.1124 worship of as the root of dharma, 1.620 benefits the worshiper, 1.974 Rudra recommends as abhidheya, 1.271 worship of approved for all, 11.518, II.521 worship of contrasted with that of the devas, 11.223 worship of exceeded by that of His devotees, II.187 worship of forms distinct from the yuga-avataras, 11.520 worship of the devas that disregards, 1.553 worshiped in all yugas, 1.363 yogis withdraw their minds from, 11.731, 11.734 bhagavata-dharma as bhakti, 1.305, 1.331 as nirguna, 1.811 as sākṣat-bhakti, 11.23 Bhagavan’s eminence due to imparting, 1.712 bhakti ensues from, 11.96 definition of not over-extended, 11.694 distinct from routine dharma, 1.324 Ekadasi-vrata included in, II.188 executed by Vasudeva and Devaki, 11.713 Kavi defines as the ultimate good, 1.330 Krsna disclosed to Brahma, 1.403, 1.668 necessity of, 1.316 offering of laukika-karma as, 11.43 862 Subject Index other mahajanas unaware of, 1.631 sages unacquainted with, 1.633 soma-yaga of no importance in, 1.761 śravana and kirtana primary forms of, 11.42 the Self to be realized by, II.21 to be learnt from the sravana-guru, 1.1297, 1.1300 to be taken up from childhood, 1.302 twelve knowers of, 1.629 worldly action can partake of the nature of, 1.333, 1.335 worldly and Vedic action as, II.41 bhajana as abhidheya, 1.30, 1.156 development of bhakti by, 11.781 diksă required for, 1.1272 enhanced by the attitude of dasya, 11.566 establishment in knowledge by, 1.1312 faith in described by Prthu, 1.1291 fruit of buddhi, 1.434 immediate effects of, 11.780, 11.785 instruction in for neophytes, 1.1015 Kṛṣṇa advocates His own, 11.740 natural engagement for living beings, 1.32 of Kṛṣṇa faith in, 11.749 superior to that of antaryami, 11.747 of Krsna in Gokula as supreme, 11.765 of Krsna with Radha as supreme, 11.767 sākṣāt dasya and sakhya as, 11.572 siksa-guru guides one in, 1.1268, 1.1273, 1.1298, 1.1304, 1.1313 three immediate effects of, 11.303 with the abhimana of a preyasi bhaktas conducted internally, 11.610 akincana devas manifest in, 1.623, 1.624 liberation not desired by, 11.407 863 864 References service desired by, 11.408 all good qualities manifest in, 1.519 ananya superior to jñāni-bhaktas, 1.1245, 1.1248 appeasement of offenses to, 11.338, 11.340 as dhyātuḥ in raganugā, 11.614 as ekantis, 1.966 as pătra foremost among human beings, II.551 more honorable than jñānis, II.477, II.479 as superior to jñānis and yogis, 1.81 as vasudeva-parāyaṇaḥ, 1.746, 1.748, 1.749 association of leads to bhakti, 1.1049 association of superior to liberation, 11.235 atonement not required for, 1.1032 attuned to Bhagavan’s will, 1.1117 averse to jnana and ahangrahopasanā, 11.18 behold Bhagavan’s lotus feet, 1.840 bestow grace on the non-offensive, 1.1097 beyond virtue and vice, II.146 Bhagavan awards His own Self to, 1.1298 Bhagavan bound by, 11.249 Bhagavan bound by the love of, 11.247 Bhagavan controlled by, 11.218, 11.710, 11.727, 11.787 Bhagavan does not award mukti to, 1.826 Bhagavan intolerant of offenses to, II.546 Bhagavan never abandoned by, 11.733 Bhagavan pleased by the worship of, 11.351 Bhagavan transmits svarupa-sakti to, 1.1116 Bhagavan under the control of, 1.1120 blessings of not impelled by suffering, 1.1120 bound to Bhagavan by affection, 1.724 brahma-jñāna disregarded by, 1.798 brahma-jñana of as nirguna, 1.797 categorized according to mahattva and sattva, 1.1253 contrasted with muktas and siddhas, 1.1142 contrasted with yogis, 11.734 control speech by kirtana, 11.354 criticism of a grievous offense, 11.318 Subject Index criticism of as aparādha, 11.315 criticism of displeases the name, 11.320 cross beyond all obstacles, 1.360, 1.723 desire only bhakti to Krsna, 11.760 desirelessness of, 1.971 dharma of, 1.77 do not accept liberation, 1.694, 1.1061, II.122, II.125 do not desire liberation, 1.289, 1.819, 1.820, 1.982, 1.1010, 1.1062, II.132, II.269, 11.628, II.779 do not look upon offenders, 1.1096 do not pray for alleviation of problems, 1.925 easily conquer over mayā, 1.369 effects of service to, 11.234 ekatma-bhava disregarded by, 11.572 enact all dharma by bhakti, 1.860 feel honored by honoring Bhagavan, 1.976 free from desire, 1.979 free from envy, 1.726, 1.770 grace of as unconditional, 1.1125, 1.1126 gradations of according to practice, 1.1225, 1.1229, 1.1245, 1.1248 greater than all yogis, 1.638, 1.647 guidelines for associating with, 11.174, II.176 have no regard for liberation, 1.791 hearing about is purifying, 11.276 independent will of, 1.1124 Isvara as the aim of, 1.283 Krsna controlled by, 11.712, 11.728 Krsna fulfills the desires of, 11.757 Krsna never abandoned by, 11.730 Krsna the unconditional friend of, 11.727 madhyama bhakti of mixed with aiśvarya-jñāna, 1.1248 contrasted with neophytes, 1.1183 contrasted with uttamas, 1.1173 dharma and jñāna given up by, 1.1236 on the path of worship, 1.1234 psychological disposition of, 1.1170, 1.1176 mahāntas among, 1.1139, 1.1141 mahattvam of accords with prema, 1.1148 865 866 References meditate on Bhagavan in His abode, II.461, II.467 neophyte behavioral traits of, 1.1179 bhajana instruction for, 1.1015 bhakti of mixed with karma or jñāna, 1.1248 cannot intuit Krsna’s presence, 1.608 contrasted with a go-khara, 11.223 definition of, 1.589, II.221 disposition of, 1.1003, 1.1011 faith of, 1.1180, 1.1182 Kapila’s prescription for, 1.596 on the path of worship, 1.1235 respect for others is prescribed for, 1.603 sometimes diverted, 1.730 subject to pride, 1.1196 Nimi inquires about the characteristics of, 1.1159 not hindered by yoga, karma, and maya, 11.723, 11.724 not sudras, 11.476 offense to more grievous than that of the deity, 11.543 offenses to in worship, II.543 perceive Krsna’s presence in everything, II.741 pray to give pleasure to Bhagavan, 11.75 prema of Krsna as the object of, 11.557 premi adjustment of worship for, 11.513 deity most worthy of worship for, 11.499, 11.501 primary cause of Bhagavan’s grace, I.1112 pure perceive Salagrama as nondifferent from Bhagavan, 11.475 purify merely on being seen, 1.1127 purifying power of, 11.229 qualities of do not arise from the guņas, 1.1073 rāgātmikā following the practices of, 11.628 realize Bhagavan, 1.85, 1.125 realize Brahman and Bhagavan, 1.398 realize the Absolute as Bhagavan, 1.1130 Subject Index refer to tattva as Bhagavan, 1.80 root surrender of, 11.48 santa samadhi of, 11.398 should not earn livelihood on the basis of bhakti, 1.981 should not enact roles contrary to their bhava, 1.394 should not mix bhakti with karma or jñāna, 1.1052 sole cause of bhakti, 1.786 superior to misra-bhaktas, 1.1232 superiority of related to prema, 1.1146 three categories of siddhas among, 1.1144 uttama authentic identity of, 1.1195 Bhagavan bound by, 1.1204, 1.1207 constantly chant Bhagavan’s names, 1.1205 contrasted with brahma-jnanīs, 1.1165 contrasted with madhyamas, 1.1171, 1.1176, 1.1178 devoid of bodily ego, 1.1194 devoid of prthag-bhava, 1.1198, 11.117, II.133 devoid of samskaras of sin, 1.1206 established in the bliss of service, 1.1202 free from the seeds of desire, 1.1192 gradation among, 1.1208, 1.1210, 1.1211 honor all beings, 1.604 perceive Bhagavan in all, 1.1167, 1.1169 perceive the world as Bhagavan’s potency, 1.1187 perceive their own prema in all, 1.1164 perception of under the influence of bhāva, 1.1175 psychological disposition of, 1.1162, 1.1166 recognize the sakti of Brahman, 1.1199 remembrance constant in, 1.680, 1.1190, 1.1200 worship with ananya-bhava, 1.1240, 1.1245, I.1249 vaidhi two gradations of, 1.1234 vaidhi and rāgānugā, 11.633 view of regarding suffering, 1.78 worship of exceeds that of Bhagavan, 11.186, 11.217 worship of not to be neglected, 11.226, 11.449 worship of superior to that of Visnu, 1.564 867References Yamadūtas prohibited from approaching, 1.866 bhakti abandonment of karma by firmness in, 1.1024 abhasa Ajamila’s sins destroyed by, 1.868 attracts Bhagavan, 1.851 bhakti invests its own power in, 1.889 destroys sins, 1.886, 1.888 encountered in Ajamila, 1.683 power of exemplified, 1.891 Prahlada attained maha-bhakti by, 1.887 supreme fruit attained by, 1.513 the unhypocritical attain perfection by, 1.910 abhasa with offense power of, 1.893, 1.904 absence of faith in, 1.545 acceptance of a guru vital for, 1.1273 accessible to all performers, 1.676, 1.678, 1.680 accords with eligibility, 1.1051 action in as nirguna, 1.803 Advaitavada opposed to, 1.187 ahangrahopāsana opposed to, 1.1066 ahankära resistant to, 1.545 aikantiki calamitous if opposed to scriptural injunctions, 11.617 aims of jnana ensue from, 1.421 akaitava and sakaitava, 11.33, 11.36 akincana as abhidheya, 1.1254 godly qualities manifest in, 1.623, 1.624, 1.775 unconditional, 1.964 all blessings ensue from, 1.555 all dharma enacted by, 1.860 all other results included in, 11.733 all results attainable by, 1.429, 1.431, 1.498 ananya exclusivity of, 1.962 the Yogesvaras pray for, 1.1240, 1.1244, 1.1247 uttama-bhaktas engaged in, 1.1246 868 Subject Index antarangā attained by one in visuddha-sattva, 1.391 has Kṛṣṇa Himself as the object, 11.741 Kṛṣṇa describes, II.740 aparadha associated with, 11.543 apavarga synonymous with, 1.67, 1.74, 1.77 appearance of in the self-surrendered, 11.587 appeared in Bharata’s heart, 11.70 appears by its own will, 1.63 approach to duskarma in, 11.45, 11.47 aropa-siddha akaitava and sakaitava, 11.33, 11.36 contrasted with sanga-siddha, 11.85, 11.97 contrasted with svarupa-siddha, II.124 defined, II.31 elaboration of, II.41 entails superimposition on karma, 11.36, 11.47, 11.52, 11.76 as abhidheya all scriptures recommend, 1.481 ascertained by Brahma, 1.196, 1.199 direct path to naiskarmya, 1.353 established by all teachers of the Bhagavata, 1.190 established by anvaya, 1.233, 1.571 established by anvaya-vyatireka, 1.277, 1.281, 1.646, 1.671 established by gati-samanya, 1.661 established by Krsna, 1.418 established by logic, 1.660 established by sad-linga, 1.657, 1.662 established by samanvaya, 1.240 established by Śrīdhara Svami, 1.234, 1.235 established by Suta, 1.458 established by the Vedas, 1.243 established by vyatireka, 1.217, 1.357, 1.507, 1.509, 1.673, 1.693, 1.696 established for all seekers, 1.1149 established in all sästras, 1.127, 1.674 established in catuh-sloki, 1.667, 1.669-671, 1.673 five characteristics of, 1.961, 1.968 for all places and times, 1.696, 1.698 for all worshipers, 1.207 869 870 References for realization of the Absolute, 1.159 grants the ultimate good, 1.500 in contrast to yoga, 1.265 in Krsna’s opening and closing statements, 1.370 in Srimad Bhagavata, 1.472 in the strict sense, II.18 in Vyasa’s samadhi, 1.659 Kumaras recommend, 1.265 nature of, 1.726 not conventional dharma, 1.63 of the Vedas, 1.404 universality of, 1.363 as akāmā and ekantita, 1.965 as argi in relation to other sadhanas, 11.90 as atimṛtyu, 1.416 as atyantika, 11.130 as bhagavata-dharma, 1.305, 1.331 as causeless and uninterrupted, 1.51 as dharma distinct from all other duties, 1.721 as dhyana prescribed in Srimad Bhagavata (1.1.1), 1.658 as immediate, 1.308 as isvara-pranidhana, 1.533 as nirguna, 1.404, 1.408, 1.780, 1.783, 1.789, 1.795, 1.796, 1.798, 1.812, 1.832, II.121 as para-dharma, 1.50, 1.628, 1.665, 1.720 as sammukhya in the strict sense, 1.1064 most complete form of, 1.29, 1.38, 1.48 toward Bhagavan, 1.864, II.56 toward the qualified Absolute, 1.993 as saviseṣa-sammukhya, 1.1053, 11.7 as saviseṣa-upāsanā, 1.1060 as Suka’s response to Parikşit, 1.449 as supreme liberation, 1.180 as svarupa-sakti, 1.431, 1.815, 1.1100, 11.35 as the approved path, 11.723 as the dharma of Bhagavan, 1.404 Subject Index as the fulfillment of all dharma, 1.347 as the purpose of Srimad Bhagavata, 1.475 as the source of fearlessness, 1.334 as ultimate good, 1.252 assumes different forms in different yugas, 1.362 atonement effected by, 1.863 atonement not required in, 1.747, 1.1032 attainable only in human birth, 1.305 attained by hearing hari-katha, 11.234, 11.263 attained by hearing rasa-lila, 1.630, 11.766 attained by lila-kirtana, 11.351 attained by remembrance, 11.384 attained by six types of seva, 1.1266 attained by the grace of devotees, 11.787 attained even by offering dharma, 1.90 attained from Visņu, 1.137 attained through sat-sanga, 1.1089 attainment of nisthā in, 1.398 authentic dharma, 1.95 avidya cannot subdue, 1.726 basis of all good qualities, 1.519 basis of success in all practices, 1.495 beginner’s state of, 1.1011 begins with mantra-dikṣā, 1.1317 bestows constitutional fitness, 1.761 bestows immediate awareness, 1.646 bestows knowledge and intuition of Brahman, 1.377 bestows love for Bhagavan, 1.821 bestows realization of Bhagavan, 1.839 bestows virtue and bliss, 1.773 beyond atonement, 1.753 beyond the gunas, 1.532, 1.819 beyond the limits of time and place, 11.367 Bhagavan as sadhya of, 1.775 Bhagavan attained by, 1.841, 1.842, 11.506 Bhagavan controlled by, 1.536, 11.197, II.206, II.576 Bhagavan derives pleasure from, 1.832 Bhagavan easily attainable by, 1.538 Bhagavan known only by, 1.416 871 872 References Bhagavan pleased only by, 1.513, 1.519, 1.526, 1.528, 1.529, 1.695 Bhagavan relishes the rasa of, 11.543 Bhagavan seen by, 11.704 Bhagavan self-disclosed through, 1.118 Bhagavan subdued by, 1.843 Bhagavan subjugated by a single act of, 1.895 Bhagavan the sole cause of, 1.835, 1.837 Bhagavan transmits to His devotees, 1.1116 Bhagavan’s bliss caused by, 1.827 Bhagavan’s eminence due to imparting, 1.712 bliss of contrasted with that of Brahman, 1.629 blissful by nature, 1.818, 1.819 brahma-jnana an effect of, 1.790 brahma-jnana of devotees ensues from, 1.797 brahma-jñāna opposed to, 1.1165 calamitous if not according to the Veda, 11.435 cause of attaining all puruşarthas, 1.318 causeless and uninterrupted, 11.133 causeless and unmediated, 11.124 celebrated as Durgā, 11.445 compulsory nature of, 1.494, 1.496 conceals its power, 1.734, 1.1043 concerned with the dharma of the atma, 11.521 confers eternal benefit, 1.209 continues beyond liberation, 1.787, 1.1015 cuts the knot of karma, 1.99 darśana of Brahman doesn’t occur without, 1.376 dasya and sakhya distinct limbs of, 11.573 dasya as independent limb of, 11.565 defect of discarding, 1.374, 1.540 defined by Rupa Gosvāmi, 11.25 definition of free from three defects, 11.20 desire for as freedom from desire, 11.760 destroys all four stages of sin, 1.765 destroys aprarabdha-karma, 1.738, 1.742 destroys ignorance, 1.608, 1.767 destroys inauspiciousness, 1.721 destroys karma, 1.745, 1.868 destroys prarabdha-karma, 1.755-757, 1.759, 1.761, 1.762 Subject Index destroys sins, 1.739, 1.746, 1.747, 1.750, 1.856, 1.865 detachment ensues from, 1.419, 1.1001, 1.1189 devas minimized, 1.1101 devas stress the necessity of, 1.551 development of by continuous bhajana, 11.781 devoid of external cause, 11.134 devotees as the sole cause of, 1.786 dharma and jnana impotent without, 1.412 dharma leads to, II.755 dharma’s sole purpose, 1.76 Dhruva prayed to Kubera for, 1.583, 1.585 dhyana not required for, 11.762 difficult to attain for two reasons, 1.825 dikşa-guru essential for, 1.1281 direct engagement in recommended, 1.93 disclosed by Bhagavan, 1.499 discloses the Absolute as Paramātmā or Bhagavan, 1.1057 disinterest in karma ensues from, 1.1005 dispels fear, 1.732 displays of power not relevant to, 1.923 dissolves empirical ego, 1.545 distinct from dharma, 1.319, 1.320, 1.325 distinct from karma, 1.335 distinguished from ahangrahopasanā, 11.17 distinguished from karma-yoga, 1.527 distinguished from varnasrama, 1.461, 1.487 distinguished from yoga, 1.530 does not come to an end, 1.129, 1.699 ecstatic symptoms of in Bharata, 1.930 effective agent in the disclosure of Brahman, 1.377 eight types of, 11.229 to the deity, mantra, and guru, II.519 eligibility to perform, 1.1004 embodiment of supreme bliss, 1.1069 enactment of lilas in, 1.394 encountered in all duties and results, 1.683 encountered in all grammatical cases, 1.686 encountered in all objects and actions, 1.682 encountered in all places, 1.681 873 References enmity and fear not included in, 11.703 enmity not included in, 11.700, 11.701 ensues from pure worship, 11.515 ensues only from bhakti, 11.87 equated with apavarga, 11.128 essence of all sastras, 1.49 essential duty of humanity, 1.45, 11.716 essential meaning of the Vedas, 1.1284 examples of the nine primary types of, 1.986 excluded from karma, 11.83 exclusivity of, 1.338, 1.339 execution of within varnäśrama, 1.395 explained in Uddhava-gītā, 11.725 faith as eligibility for, 1.37, 1.351, 1.996, 1.998, 1.1006, 1.1041 faith in as eligibility to give up karma, 1.1231 faithlessness in, 1.919, 1.921, 1.925 five debts not applicable in, 1.1031 fixity in attained by hearing, 1.109 focus on Brahman impossible without, 1.388, 1.389 foremost of all secrets, 1.1001 four types of anarthas in, 11.775 fourteen step progression of, 1.128 free from the desire for liberation, II.253 free of fear from obstacles, 1.477 free of prerequisites, II.304 frees one from karma, 1.310 frees one from fear, 1.178 fruit of attained by one limb of, 1.988 fruit of buddhi, 1.436 fruit of studying scripture, 1.479 fruit of varnasrama, 1.485 fruit of worshiping the devas, 1.210 fruits of obstructed by offenses, 1.897 fulfilling to the self, 1.509 fulfills all aspirations, 1.720 functional capacity of svarupa-sakti, 1.828 functional capacity of visuddha-sattva, 1.114, 1.119 futility of human birth without, 1.226, 1.621 futility of practices devoid of, 1.522 874 Subject Index glories of not mere eulogies, 1.896 glorified throughout Srimad Bhagavata, 1.660 grants all aspirations, 1.145 grants supreme bliss, 1.774 gunas transcended by, 11.127 heart devotionalized by, 1.116 highest fortune, 1.465 how the Absolute is attained by, 1.415 ignorance and desire uprooted by, 1.114 imbibed through hearing, 1.88 immediate and gradual, 1.427 impeded by offenses, 11.244 impels Bhagavan’s love, 1.823 imperishability of, 1.1079 importance of respect in, 1.594 impossible by one’s own effort, 11.737 impossible for the hypocritical, 1.910 impossible without sat-sanga, 1.1132 in the form of ruci two types of, 1.490 in the samadhi of Vyasa, 1.708 independent of all methods, 1.423 independent of all other paths, 1.401 independent of jñāna, 1.60, 1.1059 independent of jnana and vairagya, 1.427, 1.1004, 1.1012 independent of karma and jñāna, 1.64 independent of sraddha, 1.1006, 1.1008 indirect cause of attaining the supreme goal, 1.880 influence of the gunas in, 1.798 intrinsic power of, 1.518 invariable dharma for all, 1.638, 1.646, 1.647, 1.652 işta and purta included within, II.184 jñāna and vairagya ensue from, 1.53 jñana and vairagya not angas of, 1.425 jñāna as functional capacity of, 1.415 jñana ensues from, 1.386, 1.387, 1.632 jñāna fruitless without, 1.491 jñana included within, 1.489 875 876 References jñana ineffective without, 1.168, 1.372, 1.376, 1.383, 1.540 jñāna not manifest without, 1.542 jñana of Bhagavan nondifferent from, 1.376 jnana requires the assistance of, 11.722 jñāna subservient to, 1.267 jñana-sādhakas take as secondary, 11.91 kaivalya disregarded by the bliss of, 1.393 kaivalya-jnana not possible without, 1.796 kaivalya-kama order of progress in, 11.778 Kapila recommends, 1.257 karma a doorway to, 1.1049 karma abandoned for, 1.350 karma and jnäna instrumental in attaining, 1.36 karma offered to attain, II.74 karma to be given up in, 1.1028 karma-kända derives its power from, 1.745 karma-miśra three types of, 11.81, 11.85 karma-yoga leads to, 1.995 knowledge and action of as nirguna, 1.794 knowledge of as most secret, 11.749 Krsna attained only by, 1.436 Krsna awards to His devotees, 1.834 Krsna knowable by, 11.652 Krsna pleased by, 1.92 Krsna subdued by, 1.409 Kṛṣṇa subjugated by, 1.411 Krsna’s concluding instruction in, 1.434 Krsna’s lead-in statement to, 1.373 lack of faith in, 1.592 law of karma nonapplicable to, 1.865 leads to mental stability, 1.259, 1.260 leads to rati, 1.309 leads to the realization of Bhagavan, 1.38 liberation antagonistic to, 1.791 liberation ensues from, 1.250, 1.540 mahanta on the path of, 1.1140 mahat-seva precedes other forms of, 11.233 Subject Index manifests through sat-sanga, 1.354, 1.1254 Märkandeya prayed for, 1.557, 1.564 means and end are one in, 1.50 meant for the pleasure of Bhagavan, 1.990 meditation as, 1.98 meditation on Paramātmā as, 1.190 melts the heart of Bhagavan, 1.1112 miraculous effects of evident in Dhruva, 1.924 misra lower-order sadhakas engage in, 1.1225 most auspicious for brahma-siddhi, 1.257 motivated by desire a mere show, 1.983 naisthiki as dhyana, 1.1209 freedom from rajas and tamas in, 1.116 Narada attained perfection by, 11.686 Narada instructed Vyasa in, 1.703 natural engagement for human beings, II.144 natural state of the jivas, 1.653, 1.1080 nature of accords with sat-sanga, 1.1256 neglect of leads to degradation, 1.360 nine primary types of, 1.985, 1.988 nine stages of, 1.127 nirgunā by nature, II.110 constitutional nature of, 1.799, II.123 jñāna requires support of, 1.538 of various types, 11.134 ultimate state of liberation, II.127 niskincana singled out as topmost path, 1.1062 nistha in ensues from ruci, 11.621 occurs by sadhu-seva, 11.181, 11.182 no other bliss higher than, 11.413 nonviolence natural in, 1.609 not dependent on injunctions, 1.741, 1.745, II.618 not generally manifest in the devas, 1.785 877878 References not impelled by suffering, 1.1120 not in the tatastha-svarupa of the jiva, 1.1081 not innate to the atma, 1.399 not meant for earning one’s livelihood, 1.981 not meant for the devas, 1.134 not related to the gunas, 1.794 not restricted by birth, 1.998 not under the jurisdiction of karma, 1.1022 object of to be questioned, 1.554 obligatory nature of, 1.861 obstructed by offenses, 1.866, 1.899, 1.905-907, 1.911 of the nature of bliss and awareness, 1.1071 of the nature of delight, 1.31 of the nature of happiness, 11.782 omnitemporality of, 1.687, 1.690 one of ten primary topics of Srimad Bhagavata, 1.664, 1.666 only one step on the path of, 11.785 Paramatma and Bhagavan realized by, 1.1064 Parikşit’s nistha in, 1.443, 1.450, 1.452, 1.453 past and future generations delivered by, 1.881, 1.885 path of immediate liberation, 1.424 path of ruci superior in, 1.1265 path of serenity, 1.247, 1.249, 1.250 path of true freedom, 1.35 paths of vicara and ruci in, 1.1264, 1.1266 peace and happiness concomitant effects of, 1.1072 perfection attained by a single limb of, 11.421 performance of at death, 1.937 performed in three attitudes, 1.546 performed with delight, 1.126 persists beyond liberation, 1.649 possible even in hell, 1.692 possible only in human form, 1.621 potent in all circumstances, 1.879 practices of the same in vaidhi and rāgānuga, 11.632 preeminence of, 1.443, 11.728 preeminent among all paths, 1.405 prema attained through, 1.194 prescribed for those of discernment, 1.353 Subject Index present in sadhana and sadhya, 1.689, 1.692 pretentiousness a major obstacle in, 1.917 primary and secondary applications of, 1.503 primary characteristics of, 1.913 pṛthag-bhava in the practitioners of, II.116 Prthu practiced jnana as subsidiary to, 1.268 pure and impure, II.512, II.514 purely spiritual path, 1.518 purifies the heart independently, 1.202 rāgānugā absorption greater in, 11.659 absorption powerful in, 1.1072 aiśvarya-jñāna disregarded in, 11.715 arcana in, II.451 as abhidheya, 11.698, 11.702, 11.721, II.786 as ruci for rāgātmika-bhakti, 11.600 attitude toward the guru in, 1.1327 best means of avesa, 11.697 best of all sadhanas, 11.683 bhuta-suddhi in, 11.465 contrasted with vaidhi, 11.145, II.601 dasya and sakhya undertaken differently in, 11.601 Dvaraka mood not aspired for in, II.616 executed internally, 11.609, 11.610, II.615 impelled by lobha, 11.604 impelled by ruci, 11.629 independently powerful, 11.670 instructions for, 11.632 mixed with vaidhi, 11.626, 11.631 mudra and nyasa forbidden in, 11.467 Pingala’s ruci in, 11.606, 11.607 possible objection to, 11.618, 11.623 practiced by the gopis, Vrsnis, and Pandavas, II.691 prema evolved out of, 1.1152 primarily for Kṛṣṇa in Gokula, 11.707, II.715, II.717, II.767, 11.787 relevance of bhakti-sastras in, 11.633 ruci in exemplified by Pingala, 11.607 service to guru compulsory in, II.167 superior to vaidhi, 11.630, 11.697 879 880 References the meaning of raga in, 11.597 the Srutis prefer over all paths, 11.685 true intent of the Sandarbhas, 11.603 Uddhava conveys the importance of, 11.729 undertaken with various abhimanas, 11.612, 11.615 validity of questioned, 11.605 worship of Krsna in, 11.710 rāgātmikā as sadhya-bhakti, 11.604 definition of, 11.599 exists in pure form in Gokula, 11.715 incomprehensible for those devoid of ruci, 11.618 Narada’s bhakti as, 11.687 perfection attained by imitation of, 11.625 ruci for, 11.600 ruci for as a parent, 11.613 ruci for as a preyasi, II.606 ruci for as a sevaka, 11.612 ruci for propels one in practice, II.619 rajasika practitioner of, II.113 rarity of exceeds that of jnana, 1.1048, 1.1049 real measure of sattva, 1.1238 realization of Brahman dependent on, 11.13 realization regarding to be concealed, 11.773 recommended by Rsabhadeva, 1.290 reliability of, 1.508, 1.510 removes all obstacles, 1.723, 1.726 repeated throughout the Bhagavata, 1.659 resoluteness of, 1.503 results of manifest in prema, 1.955 results of manifest to eligible devotees, 1.953, 1.954 root of all dharma, 1.620 root of all perfection, 1.493 ruci essential for, 1.86 ruci for ensues from sat-sanga, 1.398 ruci for hearing the first step in, 1.97 Rudra recommends as abhidheya, 1.271, 1.273 sadhana Bhagavan subjugated by, 1.849, 1.850, 1.852 Subject Index bhakti as relish propels one in, 1.48 contrasted with other methods of sadhana, 1.848 enactment of lilās as, 1.394 limb of the mystery of prema, 1.701 matures into prema, 1.203 no scope for offenses in, 1.1035 noncausal relationship of with sadhya, 1.50 partial disclosure of potency in, 1.94 prema as the goal of, 1.308 sadhya implicit in, 1.844 sādhya Bhagavan subjugated by, 1.852 ecstatic symptoms evident in, 1.846 faith not relevant to, 1.848 implicit in sadhana, 1.844, 1.850 no obstruction of the senses in, 1.845 prema as, 1.50, 1.94 samskäras removed by, 1.847 sages unacquainted with, 1.633 samadhi in, 11.396 samadhi on Bhagavan attained through, 1.389 sammukhyata complete in, 1.413 sanga-siddha akaitava and sakaitava, 11.33 as misra-bhakti, 11.81, 1.85 bhakti-matra-kāmā, 11.95, 11.97, II.99, II.104 defined, 11.31 includes by association, 11.36 kaivalya-kämä, 11.88, 11.90, 11.93 karma and jnana subordinate in, II.102 sastra cannot be understood without, 1.55 sättvika practitioner of, 11.115 sayujya abhorred in, 1.375 sequence of progress in, 11.777, 11.784 served by knowledge and detachment, 1.83 service to guru not optional in, 11.168 set forth by Bhagavan, 1.400 seva as the meaning of, 11.406 six characteristics of, 1.849 881 882 References slackening of, 1.933, 1.935 slits the knot of ego, 1.263, 1.342, 1.348 sole cause of Narada’s attainment, 1.324 source of fearlessness, 1.337 source of fulfillment for all, 1.769 śraddha as eligibility for, 1.1011 sraddha not an anga of, 1.1014 śraddha the beginning of, 1.104, 1.191 śraddha the precondition for, 1.727 Śri Jiva’s strategy in defining, 11.35 stages of progression in, 1.101 state of love for Bhagavan, 1.448 studying bhakti texts as, 1.56 subordinated to karma-kända, 1.761 success in dependent on śraddha, 11.775 suddha order of progress in, II.779 Suka’s concluding instruction in, 1.441 Suka’s opening and closing instructions in, 1.451 superior to jñāna, 1.751, 1.752 superior to jnana and yoga, 1.193 superior to the worship of devas, 1.205 superior to varṇāśrama, 1.47 support of all living beings, 1.1074 supreme bliss implicit in, 11.736 supreme destination attained by, 11.664 supreme duty of humanity, 1.472, 1.475 supreme independence of, 1.111, 1.169, 1.502 supreme method and goal, 11.751 Süta’s concluding instruction in, 1.457 svarupa-lakṣaṇa of as sevā, II.21 svarupa-sakti of Bhagavan, 11.623 svarupa-siddha acts of consist of seva, 11.35 akaitava and sakaitava, 11.34 as abhidheya, 11.35, II.131 bhakti-matra-kamā, 11.121 consists of direct devotional acts, 11.32 contrasted with aropa-siddha, 11.124 Subject Index defined, 11.31 entails direct devotional acts, 1.339 how karma can lead to, 11.71 inclusion of the angas of in sanga-siddha, 11.97 indicated by the word yajet, 11.116 kaivalya-kama as saguna, II.116 kaivalya-kāmā sattvikī, 11.114 sakāmā rājasī, II.112 sakāmā tāmasī, II.109, II.110 three divisions of, II.110 tamasika practitioner of, 11.110 taṭastha and svarupa lakṣaṇas of, II.19, II.21, II.23, II.24 tattva self-disclosed by, 1.82, 1.85 tattva-jñāna the concomitant result of, 1.69 the self completely fulfilled by, 1.317, 1.323 three attributes of the practitioner of, 1.1020 three categories of, 11.31 three characteristics of, 1.331 three stages of, 1.824 to be learnt from a guru, 1.1300 to be taken up whole-heartedly, 1.234 to guru anarthas removed by, 11.163 to Krsna preeminence of, 11.739, 11.741 Śrīdāmā prayed for, 11.573 toward Paramātmā two types of, 1.1055 transcendental fruit attained by, 1.513 transcends the distinctions of guna and dosa, 1.425 transmitted by devotees, 1.103, 1.1117 two stages of, 1.94 Uddhava’s preference for, 1.368 unbroken continuity of, 1.335 unfathomable and rare, 1.963 uninterrupted, 1.1201 universality of, 1.203, 1.684 unobstructed, 1.206, 1.729, 1.730 unobstructed by desires, 1.110 883 884 References unobstructed by jñana, 1.601 unobstructed by misery, 1.736 unobstructed by prarabdha-karma, 1.926, 1.927 unswerving nature of, 1.333 untainted Bhagavan pleased only by, 1.978 upāsana-kända related to, II.458 uproots suffering, 1.1193 vaidhi absence of avesa in, 11.691 absorption through enmity stronger than, 1.1177 absorption through enmity surpasses, 11.658 absorption weaker in, 1.1072 as that which is prescribed in sastra, 11.695 avesa attained after a long time by, 11.697 bhava-märga superior to, 11.639 characterized by meditation in neutrality, 11.655, 11.656 contrasted with raganuga, II.145 culminates in bhava, 11.690 divisions of, 11.149 emphasis on specific limbs of, 11.597, II.602 impelled by injunctions, 11.604 impelled by two types of injunctions, II.141, II.144 in regard to Krsna’s four-armed form, 11.708 mixed with aisvarya-jñāna, 1.1249 practiced by Narada, 11.687 prema evolved out of, 1.1152 raga and dvesa absent in, 11.659 rāgānuga contrasted with, 11.601 rāgānuga mixed with, 11.626, 11.631 rāgānuga superior to, 11.610, II.631, 11.634, 11.685, 11.697, 11.717 saraṇāpatti foremost in, 11.157 system of not esteemed in raganuga, 11.602 two gradations of, 1.1234 vaidhi and raganugā, II.141, II.143 Vaikuntha attained by, 1.534 vairagya somewhat conducive to, 11.254 vandana an independent limb of, 11.559 vasanas of Subject Index permanently existent, 1.166, 1.169, 1.723 Vedic pursuits fruitless without, 1.304 Vedic rites lead to, 11.96 viewed as a means to liberation, 1.473 why sastra advocates paths other than, 1.520 without any specified end, 1.1010 yoga contrasted with, 1.531 Bharata bhava abandoned the worship of Bhagavan, 1.605 absorption of intensified by Bhagavan, 1.932 as a deer uttered prayers, 1.815 attained Bhagavan directly, 1.944, 1.945 attention of diverted by Bhagavan, 1.930 bhakti appeared in the heart of, 11.70 bhakti-vasanäs of remained intact, 1.723, 1.726 blessed Rahugana with bhakti, 1.1097, 1.1102 chanted the names of Bhagavan, 1.1028 compassion misplaced by, 1.611 considered apurva as sheltered in Krsna, 11.67 defines the Nondual Absolute, 1.1129 obstructed by a past offense, 1.927 prarabdha-karma of, 1.926 prarabdha-karma of intensified, 1.929 pure-hearted from birth, 11.71 third category of bhakta siddhas, 1.1146, 1.1152 view of in regard to yajña, 11.58 absorption in Bhagavan through, 11.671 ananya the Yogesvaras prayed for, 1.1247 uttama-bhaktas worship with, 1.1240, 1.1245 as identity in relation to Bhagavan, 11.132 as kama and prema, 1.1167 atma-nivedana with and without, 11.589 attained by sat-sanga, 11.206, 11.210 attainment of Bhagavan by, 11.690 aveŝa quickly attained by, 11.697 bhajana performed after the appearance of, 11.716 885 References bhakti impelled by, 11.634 development of, II.784 development of in Narada, 11.785 ekatma contrary to the mood of service, II.572 emphasis on in rāgānuga, 11.610 freedom from vasanas in, 1.120 in rāgātmika-bhakti defined by abhimana, 11.599 Krsna manifests according to, 11.708, II.719 non-wastage of time a symptom of, 11.387 nonviolence and detachment natural in, 1.604 of a parent, son, or servant rāsa-līlā not meant for, 11.767, 11.769 of Kubjä contrasted with that of the gopis, 11.667 of Paramesvara accords with the devotional temperament, 11.506 of Rudra toward Mohini as illegitimate, 11.599 of the gopis coveted by the Śrutis, II.681 of the residents of Vraja, 11.632 offenses degrade, 11.543 sadhakas instructed about worshiping with, 11.713 sadhana-bhakti matures into, 1.824 transmitted by Bhagavan, 1.837, 1.838 vaidhi-bhakti culminates in, 11.690, 11.691 virakti a symptom of, 1.419 worship to be conducted in accordance with, II.441, II.510 bhava-märga absorption in Bhagavan quickly attained by, 11.658 superior to vaidhi-bhakti, 11.639, 11.691 the goal quickly attained by, 11.683 Bhisma implicated in an offense to Draupadi, 11.320 Bhrgu curse of, 1.569, 1.572 instructed Märkandeya, 1.691 bhuta-suddhi 886 Subject Index instructions for in worship, 11.460, 11.465 nyasa as part of, 11.466 Brahma abode of uninhabitable without bhakti, 1.694 as existential seat of Visnu, 1.572 as guṇāvatāra, 1.135, II.267 as highly evolved jīva, 1.136 ascertained bhakti as abhidheya, 1.195, 1.675 Bhagavan impels the life current of, 1.836 Bhagavan’s feet sought by, 1.1200 bhakti incumbent on, 1.651 born from Bhagavan’s benevolence, 1.442 commends Narada’s questions, 1.239 days and half-life of, 1.883 deliberation of on the Vedas, 1.84, 1.87 delimited by rajas, 1.135 devotees should not disrespect, 1.581 engaged Sanaka in nivṛtti-dharma, 1.321 Hiranyakasipu prayed to as Išvara, 1.1061 insignificant in relation to Bhagavan, 1.189 instructed Narada to elucidate bhakti, 1.701 Kṛṣṇa disclosed bhagavata-dharma to, 1.403, 1.668 Krsna disclosed the Bhagavata to, 1.658 Krsna disclosed the Vedas to, 1.199, 1.404 Krsna honored by, 11.728 manifest in akincana-bhaktas, 1.623 names awarded to, 11.325 no authority of over the Vaisnavas, 1.864 not equal to Bhagavan, 1.559 not equal to Narayana, 1.1252 not to be worshiped as independent god, 1.131 planet of appears insignificant, II.369 portion of Krsna’s portions, 11.322 post of devotees do not desire, 1.774, 1.979 recommends Vedic and Tantric worship, 11.457 Śiva superior to, 1.138 studied the Vedas three times, 1.480 887References to be worshiped as a Vaisnava, 1.557 took birth from Nārāyaṇa, 1.243 vicara-pradhana-manana exemplified by, 1.1283, 1.1284 vicara-pradhana-sravana exemplified by, 1.1283 Visnu’s supremacy over, 1.565 worship of by Prahlada, 1.574 worshiped the deity, 11.487 brahma-jñāna as saguna, 1.792 as sättvika, 1.796 even Hiranyakasipu had, 1.1060 manifests in relation to the gunas, 1.794 nondistinction realized in, 1.791 opposed to the nature of bhakti, 1.1165 power of bhakti-äbhasa not evident in, 1.894. solitary residence as sadhana for, 1.804 two categories of, 1.790, 1.797 Brahman aim of the jñānis, 1.283 an aspect of Bhagavan, 1.38 as a self-disclosure of para-tattva, 1.10 as devoid of jñāna-sakti, 1.186 as niranjana-jñāna, 1.168 as nirguna-nirākāra, 1.1065 as para-brahma, 1.373 as the effulgence of Krsna, 1.385 atma to be absorbed in, II.11 attained by the enemies of Bhagavan, 11.682 awareness of not strict sammukhya, 11.117 Bhagavan the embodiment of, 1.267 bhakti bestows knowledge and intuition of, 1.378 bliss of contrasted with that of bhakti, 1.629 criteria of eligibility for realization of, 1.111 darsana of doesn’t occur without bhakti, 1.376 devotees effortlessly realize, 1.398 disclosed as nirvisesa to the jñānis, 11.70 eligibility to realize, 1.390 enters the world as Paramatma, 11.482 focus on impossible without bhakti, 1.387-389 888 goal of jñana, 1.999 Subject Index guru must have direct experience of, 1.1274 hearing of does not induce ecstasy, 1.383 identification with in asamprajnata-samadhi, 11.394 identity with as the aim of jñana, 1.375 identity with through brahma-jñana, 1.791 ignorance of as pitiable, 1.346 incomplete disclosure of the Truth, 1.796 intuition of as sättvika, 1.796 intuition of the self as one with, 11.12 jivas’ oneness with, 1.280 jiva’s identity with illustrated, 1.451 jnana as sammukhya toward, 1.52 jnana leads to disclosure of, II.116 jñāna leads to the realization of, 1.36, 1.38 jnäni-mahāntas established in, 1.1138 jnānīs admit the reality of, 1.1199 jñānīs attain Kṛṣṇa as, 1.538 jnanīs refer to tattva as, 1.80 jnānis unable to discern the potencies of, 11.9 karma to be offered to, 11.54 knower of attains the Supreme, 1.414 knower of attains transcendence, 1.264 knowledge of as secret, 11.752 knowledge of bestowed by guru, 11.166 Krsna as, 1.385, II.234, II.751 Krsna as the complete, 11.571 Krsna beyond the intuition of, 1.445 Krsna contemplated as, 11.711 Kṛṣṇa the basis of, 1.153, 1.658 Krsna the embodiment of, 1.841 Krsna’s status as, II.746 Kumāras established in the realization of, 1.502 Kumāras related to Bhagavan as, 11.598 liberation in devotees do not desire, 1.774 naişkarmyam refers to, 1.458 Narayana the aim of, 1.242 nirvisesa-avirbhava of Bhagavan, 1.427 889 References nişkarma refers to, 1.164, 1.167 pada-sevana superior to the bliss of, 11.411 partial disclosure of tattva, 1.77, 1.377 potencies concealed in, 1.80 pranava as the seat of, 1.1075 realization of bhakti most auspicious for, 1.257 dependent on bhakti, 11.13 included in Bhagavan, 1.798 knowledge consumed in, 11.91 navya-sphūrti of Krsna as, 11.745 through jñäni association, 1.1254 realization of as gateway to bhakti, 11.264 realized by jñāna, 1.1063 by jñānis, 1.124 by the grace of bhakti, 1.415 sadhana meant for the attainment of, 11.22 sages attain through great ardor, 1.369 sammukhya toward, 1.1054, 11.8 sayujya in rejected by devotees, 11.126 self-disclosed in two ways, 1.789 Sonic and Transcendent, 1.373, 1.378 source and support of all, 1.157 Suka established in, 1.24 Suka was absorbed in, 11.310 Sukadeva absorbed in the bliss of, 11.288 Sukadeva gave up his fixity in, 11.764 tapas aims at the intuition of, 1.242 tattva as unqualified, 1.69 teachers extol in manifold ways, 1.1278 the attached should not proclaim identity with, 1.895, 1.904 the jiva’s oneness with, 1.784 the self identified with in jñana, 11.17 unqualified disclosure of the Absolute, 1.1129 Upanisads primarily speak of, 1.544 worshipers of experience hardship, 1.536 brahmana abheda-drsti of, 1.559, 1.562 890 Subject Index as adhisthana of worship, 11.502 as maha-bhāgavatas on the path of worship, 1.1213 as pātra foremost among human beings, II.493 honorable even for Krsna, 11.496 as the body of Bhagavan, 1.599 birth as the result of virtuous prärabdha, 1.759 characterization of by the gunas, 1.71 constitutional and functional eligibility of, 1.760 devoid of bhakti condemnation of, 1.513, 1.514, 1.517, 1.518 distinguished from brahma-bandhus, 11.494 food offered to as a vrata, 11.186 gradations of, 1.600, 11.498 jñāni most worthy of honor, 11.500 Krsna bowed down to, II.231 non-Vaisnava one should not associate with, 11.237 of Mathura condemned themselves, 1.522 saraṇapatti exhibited by, 11.159 regarded as a guru by birth, 11.236 requires savitra and daikṣa births, 1.757, 1.760 requires upanayana to study the Vedas, 11.425, 11.427 to be respected, 11.231 twelve qualities of, 1.514 Buddha followers of as heretics, 11.625, 11.634 path of condemned, 11.629 buddhi bhajana the fruit of, 1.434 influenced by samskāras, 1.538 operative in samprajñāta-samadhi, 11.394 to be merged in kṣetrajña, 11.11 visuddha-sattva manifests in all three states of, 1.117 viveka as true function of, 1.436 Caitanya Mahaprabhu advised respect for all beings, 1.594 891 References advocated humility to counter offenses, 11.543 desirelessness expressed by, 1.432 emphasized nama-sankirtana, 11.306 emphasizes humility, 1.545 father of sankirtana, 11.372 instruction of regarding nama-sańkirtana, 11.352 instruction regarding the title of dasa, 11.567 maha-mantra chanted by, 11.299 prayer of, 11.466 sankirtana recommended by, 11.354 touched by Sanatana’s humility, 11.160 vairagya prominent in devotees of, 1.1001 Citraketu citta aspired for svarga, 1.429, 1.433 blessed by Narada and Angira, II.193 cursed by Sati, 1.727 offense of to Siva, 1.585, 1.1036 performed bhakti in heaven, 1.689 sammukhya of Angira the cause of, 1.1123 kaivalya-jñāna realized in, 1.784 citta-vrtti Daksa as paroksa-jñana, 1.167 as vibhuti, 11.267 offended Siva and Narada, 1.937, 1.939, II.551 offensive to Siva, 1.940, 11.321 Siva petitioned by, 11.550 yajna of, 1.572 Dandaka sages of attained Krsna through kama, 11.678, 11.680 Dantavakra envy of toward Krsna, 11.644 darsanas tattva disclosed in, 1.88 Daruka raga of toward Bhagavan, 11.598 892 Subject Index Dasaratha dasya Śravana Kumara killed by, 1.587, 1.595 Ambarisa’s resolve fixed on, 11.586 as independent limb of bhakti, 11.565 as ultimate goal for pure devotees, 11.762 atma-nivedana endowed with, 11.589 attitude of as perfection of human life, 11.567 bhajana enhanced by the attitude of, 11.566 entails servitorship, 11.573 establishment in the identity of, 1.989 exemplified by Hanuman, 1.986 expressed by Uddhava, 11.564 not to be interpreted as karmärpana, 11.573 perfection attained by the attitude of, 11.563 reverence prominent in, 11.575 sakhya greater than, 11.572 undertaken differently in raganuga, 11.601 Dattatreya deity followers of as heretics, II.625, II.634 path of condemned, 11.629 propagated a heretical path, 11.327 twenty-four gurus of, 1.1280, 1.1315 Ambarisa instructed regarding, II.472 as adhiṣṭhāna superior to other seats, 11.490 as pătra superior to human beings, 11.488 supremacy of, 11.480, 11.551 supreme honorability of, 11.477 beyond the gunas, 11.465 counters disrespect, 11.491 eight types of bhakti to, 11.519 established as adhisthäna in Tretayuga, II.486 faith of the neophyte in, 11.221, II.223 impudence in regard to forbidden, 11.610 in nyasa not to be placed on lower body, 11.466 893 References injunctions regarding the worship of, 11.142 instructions for offering obeisance to, 11.560 manomayi-mürti one of eight forms of, 11.464, 11.474 mantra to invoke Bhagavan’s presence in, 11.471 meditated on and treated as a loved one, 11.510 meditation on as present in one’s body, 11.510 most worthy of worship for prema-bhaktas, 11.499, 11.501 mudras shown to, 11.467 nondifferent from Bhagavan, 11.470 of Ananta, 1.528 of Bhagavan as substratum of His appearance, 11.101 neophyte’s faith limited to, 1.1179, 1.1182 pada-sevana as service to, 1.989 purifies after a long time, 1.1128 the eyes meant to behold, 1.228 of mantra as vācya, 1.1217 of Siva worship of Bhagavan in, 1.566 of tamas Šiva as, 1.137 of the mantra in nyasa, II.461 offense causes displeasure to, 11.541 offense to devotees more grievous than, 11.543 offense to guru worse than, 11.328 offenses to related to vandana, 11.559 Paramātmā present in, 1.594 perceived directly as Paramesvara, II.471 Śalagrama contrasted with, II.474 service to included in pada-sevana, II.412, II.415 to be kept secret, 11.774 worship of according to scriptural injunctions, 11.436 as pervasive in India, 1.1181 by neophytes, 1.589 diksä required for, 11.440 engenders awareness of Isvara, 1.592 894 Subject Index mantra required for, 1.1304 mantra-guru necessary for, 1.355 not to be given up, 1.596 out of convention, 1.555 prescribed procedure required for, II.428 relation with Bhagavan established by, 11.426 to be done without malice, 11.490 with disrespect of others, 1.585 worship of described in the Agama, 11.421 worship of Krsna in, II.439 worship of not to be neglected by householders, 11.424 worship of recommended for householders, 11.427 worship of superior to that of human beings, 11.500 worshiped as nondifferent from Bhagavan, II.475 Devaki devas aisvarya-jñāna prominent in, II.711 as exemplar for sadhakas, 11.713 deprived of Krsna’s balya-lila, 11.712 Kṛṣṇa controlled by the parental love of, 11.714 abandoning the shelter of, 11.150 absorbed in sense pleasure, 1.302 Agama practices related to the worship of, 11.475 aprakrta to be worshiped in the avarana-puja, 11.449 apurva as sheltered in, 11.61 apurva not sheltered in, 11.67 as limbs of Narayana, 1.242 aspire for human birth, 1.619, 1.620, 1.963 avaraṇa bhūtas do not belong to, II.452 worship of in avaraṇa-pujā, 11.459 worship of in yoga-pitha, 11.457 award only material boons, 1.555 Bhagavan bestowed different names on, II.324 Bhagavan’s associates revered by, 11.445 Bhagavan’s feet sought by, 1.1200 bhakti incumbent on, 1.652 bhakti not generally manifest in, 1.785 895 896 References bhakti not meant for, 1.134 bhakti the fruit of worshiping, 1.210 debt to an obligatory duty, 1.1031 devotees not debtors to, 11.627 devotees of Visnu, 1.555 do not know the import of dharma, 1.628 favored by Bhagavan, 1.787 grace of as insignificant, 1.554 guru as embodiment of, 1.1320, 11.329 Hiranyakasipu considered Visnu as, 1.1065 how devotees should regard, 1.563, 1.572 ideal regard for shown by Ambarisa, 1.582 ijya-dhi in regard to, II.221, 11.222 import of dharma not known by, 1.963 independent worship of as futile, 1.284 Krsna the origin of, 1.158 limbs of Bhagavan, 11.59 Magha dear to, II.534 manifest in akiñcana-bhaktas, 1.623, 1.624, 1.775 material nature presided over by, 1.74 mati for Bhagavan not attained by, 1.1094 minimized the value of bhakti, 1.1101 modes of worshiping, 1.137 not equal to Bhagavan, 1.559 not equal to Nārāyaṇa, 1.1252 not independent in awarding fruits, 1.1287, 1.1290 not independent of Visņu, 1.565 not to be worshiped as independent gods, 1.131 not viewed independent of Bhagavan, 1.1025 offering to perpetuates desire, 11.83 oversee universal affairs, 1.1323 place obstacles on the path, 1.296, 1.358, 1.360, 1.725 praise birth in Bharata, 1.465 pråkṛta and aprākṛta, 1.579, 11.447, II.448, II.450 propitiated with food offered to Bhagavan, 11.444 Rahugana disregards birth as, 1.295, 1.296 referents of the mantras in yajña, 11.59, 11.62 respect to be offered to, 1.395 rewards of dependent on worship, 1.1126 Subject Index rewards of subordinate to karma, 1.1125 sammukhya toward, 1.1065 should not be disrespected, 1.142, 1.580, 1.584, 1.594, 1.607 stress the necessity of bhakti, 1.551 subject to origination and dissolution, 1.1265 succumb to ignorance, 1.694 to be worshiped as Vaisnavas, 1.564 two modes of worshiping, 1.213 worship of as existential seats, 1.572 as redundant, 1.605, 1.1026 as secondary for householders, 11.424 bhakti superior to, 1.205 contrasted with that of Bhagavan, II.223 in disregard of Bhagavan, 1.553 in Vaisnava Agamas, 1.573 influenced by the gunas, 1.144 intended for Bhagavan, 11.64 intent on bhakti, 1.243 Krsna not attained by, 1.576 Krsna not controlled by, 11.179 meant for Paramātmā, 1.151 rejected in bhakti, 1.1060 through worship of Bhagavan, 1.684 worshiped as Vaisnavas, 1.578 worshiped as vibhutis, 1.574, 1.579 worshiped by those with desire, 1.141, 1.208 worshipers of lack discernment, 1.208 dharaṇā stage of smarana, 11.388, 11.393 dharma abandonment of by madhyama-sadhakas, 1.1231 animal sacrifice performed in the name of, 1.353 apavarga the purpose of, 1.74, 1.76 apurva as, 11.58 artha required for, 1.77 as conventional duty, 1.61 as defined in Purva-mīmāmsā, 11.605, 11.617 as karma prescribed in the Vedas, 11.82 897898 References as means to an end, 1.72 as sanga-siddha-bhakti, 11.100 as yajña system, 1.75 assistant to bhakti, 11.84 attained by karma, 11.757 Bhagavan as the root of, 1.322 bhakti as sadhya of, 1.961, 1.968 bhakti attained by offering, 1.90 bhakti distinct from, 1.319, 1.320, 1.325 bhakti the fulfillment of, 1.347 bhakti the perfection of, 1.46, 1.94 bhakti the root of, 1.620 bhakti the sole purpose of, 1.78 dependent on injunctions, II.618, 11.670 devas do not know the import of, 1.628 devoid of bhakti becomes sin, 1.860 devoid of value without bhakti, 1.512 devotees do not abandon Kṛṣṇa for, 11.732 duties of as obstacles to ananya-bhakti, 1.1236 enacted by bhakti, 1.860 four reasons for the abandonment of, 1.1237 fruitless without bhakti, 1.62, 1.486, 1.491 futility of devoid of bhakti, 1.58 impelled by Vedic injunctions, II.623 import of not known by the devas, 1.963 impotent without bhakti, 1.412 in the view of Prahlada, 11.588 injunctions meant for those disinclined to, 11.624 jñāna unattainable by, 1.59 karma synonymous with, 11.86 Krsna as propounder of, 11.496 Krsna not controlled by, 11.179 Krsna the aim of, 1.154 laukika observance of in raganuga, 11.629 to be upheld in society, 11.443 leads to bhakti, 11.755 meant for protection of the weak, 1.972 Mimamsakas’ view of, 1.151 of all human beings bhakti as, 1.639 Subject Index of bhakti as paramount, 1.472, 1.475 of bhakti endowed with jñana, 1.543 of family life arcana as, II.424 of priti for the nonenvious, II.741 of suddha-bhakti preeminence of, 11.739 of the atma as eternal, 1.129 of the Bhagavata, 1.317 of the three Vedas rooted in the gunas, 1.811 of the Vaisnavas Ekadasi an essential feature of, 11.532 of the Vedas opposition to, 11.630 of the Vedas and Āgamas eligibility for, 11.521 of the Vedas as eternal, 1.404 offered to Krsna never goes in vain, 11.753 opposed to bhakti to be given up, 11.188 para bhakti as, 1.49, 1.628, 1.720 hari-tosanam as, 1.51 parama laukika-karma as, 1.855, 1.865 perfection of, 1.90 possible only in human form, 1.621 pragmatic views of, 1.73 producing good progeny as part of, 1.272 purpose of the Vedas is to delineate, 1.665 real and acquired, 1.95 result of the violation of, 1.341 roots of, 1.315, 1.316 Saunaka questions the essence of, 1.49 899 References service to guru as the highest, 11.166 subordinate to Bhagavan, 1.967 svarga as the fruit of, 1.1288 the bull personified as, II.321 the importance of sankalpa in, 1.91 the self partially fulfilled by, 1.323 to be abandoned for prema, 1.1318 to be undertaken for Bhagavan, 1.392 transgression of in raganuga, 11.632 true purpose of, 1.66, 1.68, 1.70 unique to human beings, 1.220 Vasudeva the aim of, 1.148. wealth to be utilized for, 11.523 worship of Krsna as, 1.861 Dhruva attained the bodily condition of a parṣada, 11.271 Bhagavan offered His own planet to, 1.843 bhakti’s miraculous effects evident in, 1.924 blessed by Suruci, 1.770 blessed by Visnu, II.579 exceptional power of bhakti shown in, 1.762 gave up all desire, 1.503 had extravagant desires, 1.504 initiated by Narada, 1.771 performed bhakti in childhood, 1.689 prayed to Kubera for bhakti, 1.583, 1.585 transcendence of death by, 11.271 dhruvānusmrti attained by sanga-siddha-bhakti, 11.102 compared to the flow of the Ganga, 11.390, 11.393 naisthiki-bhakti as, 1.1210 stage of smarana, 11.389 dhyana bhakti as, 11.655 contrasted with kirtana, 11.364 dasya superior to, 11.762 easily effected by bhakti, 1.658 naisthiki-bhakti as, 1.1209 on Bhagavan as nondual, 11.389 900 Subject Index dikṣā Diti on rasa-lila, 11.767 smarana related to, 11.392 stage of smarana, 11.388, 11.393 as eligibility to follow the Agama system, 11.458 bhakti begins with, 1.1317 doubt compared to an alchemical process, 11.520 definition of, 11.422 Ekadasi compulsory after, 11.526 five samskaras associated with, 1.1220 importance of for worship, 11.427 in Vedic and Tantrika mantras, 1.1305 mantra not dependent on by constitution, 11.432 purpose of culminates in sikşa, 1.1273 required for arcana, 11.425, 11.430, 11.440 required for bhajana, 1.1272 required for mantra worship, 1.1303 to be received from a Vaisnava guru, 1.1304 twice-born status attained by, 11.521 exemplifies the fallibility of karma, 1.510 cut asunder by säkṣātkāra, 1.123 dispelled by manana, 1.1263, 1.1268 three types of, 1.86 three types of cut asunder by sakṣātkāra, 1.121 Draupadi Aśvatthämä respected by, 11.231, 11.237 Bhisma implicated in an offense to, 11.320 consciously called upon Bhagavan, 11.160 power of the name exemplified by, 11.299 duality as mere appearance, 1.153 as raga and dveşa, 1.336 due to bodily identification, 11.651 fear allotted to the perceiver of, 1.597 freedom from through bhakti, 1.340 of I and mine living beings subject to, 11.649 901 References of plurality, to be cast aside, 1.385 of the perceptual apparatus, 1.336 perceiver of defined, 1.590 separateness as the basis of, 1.794 three types of, 1.80 Durga without substantial existence, 1.334 aprakrta resides in Vaikuntha, 11.449 as eternal servant in Vaikuntha, 11.444 bhakti celebrated as, II.446 prakṛta and aprakṛta, 11.446, 11.450 worship of in Sakta Tantra, 11.458 Durvasa Ambarīsa visited by, 11.576 Duryodhana faithlessness of in Krsna’s Godhood, 1.919, 1.921 hypocrisy of, 1.909, 1.912 liberation attained by, 11.699 saw Krsna devoid of love, 1.1152 Uddhava offered obeisance to, 1.1174 Dvadasi observance of offenses mitigated by, II.548 Dvaparayuga contrasted with Kaliyuga, 11.357 Dvarakā as maha-adhiṣṭhāna of Kṛṣṇa, 11.469 glory of described, 11.414 Krsna restricted in, 11.719 Krsna’s fatherhood exhibited in, 11.616 meditation on forbidden in raganuga-bhakti, 11.467 visiting of included in pada-sevana, 11.412 Ekadasi abstinence from food grains on, 11.529 fasting recommended for, 11.528 included in arcana, 11.522 injunctions regarding, 11.143 not a kamya-karma, 11.189 902 Subject Index not preempted by other injunctions, II.187 not to be neglected, 11.189 observed by Ambarīşa, 11.532, 11.576 observed by Gunavati, 11.533 observed by Vidura, 11.535 regulations for, 11.527, 11.532 remaining awake during the night of, 11.531 to be observed even for non-Vaisnavas, 11.526 vrata to be followed, 11.185 eligibility two types of, 1.760 enmity abandonment of sins refers to, 11.684 absorption in Bhagavan through, 11.654, 11.671 supreme destination attained by, 11.664 absorption in Krsna through, 11.655 sins destroyed by, 11.660 absorption through surpasses that of vaidhi-bhakti, 11.658, 11.659 avesa quickly attained by, 11.697 for Bhagavan kama contrasted with, 11.666 in Vena not unbroken, 11.693 meditation on Bhagavan through, 11.653 not a valid means to attain Bhagavan, 11.694, II.699 not a valid means to attain Krsna, 11.702 not included in bhakti, 11.700, 11.701, 11.703 not prescribed for sädhakas, 11.691 of Sisupäla avesa exemplified by, 11.697 gopis’ kama contrasted with, 11.672 Sisupāla attained perfection by, 11.686 epistemology fear point of in bhakti, 1.426 abandonment of sins refers to, 11.684 absorption in Bhagavan through supreme destination attained by, 11.664 903 References absorption through surpasses that of vaidhi-bhakti, 11.659 in the same category as enmity, 11.671 Kamsa attained perfection by, 11.686, II.754 not included in bhakti, 11.703 Gajendra Bhagavan pleased with, 1.824 bhakti-vāsanās of remained intact, 1.723, 1.727 consciously called upon Bhagavan, II.160 effects of aparadha seen in, 1.933 past life of, 11.198 received Bhagavan’s mercy, 1.1112 saraṇāpatti exhibited by, 11.159 sat-sanga inferred in the case of, 11.195 uttered prayers, 1.816 Gaṇeśa as eternal servant in Vaikuntha, 11.444 prakṛta and aprākṛta, 11.450 resides in Vaikuntha, 11.447 Ganga as Manasi Ganga in Vraja, 11.455 as worshipable, 1.554 bathing in during Magha, 11.535 dhruvanusmrti compared to the flow of, 11.390, 11.393 flow of compared to nirguna-bhakti, 1.799, II.122 flow of consciousness compared to, 11.123, 11.133 Magha observed on the bank of, II.536 offenses mitigated by service to, II.549 purifies after a long time, 1.1128 purifying power of, 1.1018, 1.1291, 1.1293, 11.134 sadhya-bhakti compared to, 11.599 Śiva accepted on his head, 1.652, 11.322, 11.413 visiting of included in mahat-seva, 11.415 visiting of included in pada-sevana, 11.412 washes away sinful desire, 11.404 worshiped with a palmful of water, 1.833 Gokula Bhadrasena and other associates in, 11.455 bhajana of Krsna in as supreme, II.765 904 Subject Index lila of Rukmini present as potency in, II.455 raga for Krsna found only in, 11.708 rāgānugā primarily for Krsna in, 11.717, 11.768, 11.787 rāgānuga-bhakti recommended in, 11.721 ragatmika-bhakti exists in pure form in, 11.715 sages of Dandaka born in, 11.678 supremacy of rasa-lila in, 11.766 transphenomenal entities in, 11.456 Goloka gopis Govinda resides in, 11.461 Svetadvipa another name for, II.456 amorous love of as faultless, 11.677 as sädhakas, 11.689, 11.691 attained Krsna by sat-sanga, 11.205 attained Krsna by worship of Katyayani, 1.212 attained prema for Krsna, 11.682 attained the highest development of love, 11.210 bhava attained by hearing of, 11.692 bhava of contrasted with that of Kubjä, 11.667 coveted by the Śrutis, II.681 external imitation of not approved, 11.611 kāma of contrasted with Sisupäla’s enmity, 11.672 kama of as prema, 11.666 Krsna attractive to, 11.343 Krsna’s lilas with meant for the dhira, 11.769 meditation on restricted, 11.767 Krsna’s lilas with as supreme, 11.768 love of praised by Krsna, 11.680 mahabhava found only in, 11.211 nitya referred to by the Śrutis, 11.684 perceive all beings in Bhagavan, 1.1164 perceive Krsna in all beings, 1.1167 perceive their own prema in all, 1.1164 905 References gunas praised by Uddhava, 11.679 prema for Krsna eternal in, 11.207 pride of in rasa-līlā, 11.775 Putana’s imitation of, 11.625 sädhakas attained perfection by kama, 11.687, 11.688 sadharana associated with the preyasis, II.197, II.200 primary control exhibited by, 11.192 sages of Dandaka born as, 11.681 Śrutis aspire for the amorous love of, 11.685 supremacy of Kṛṣṇa’s rasa-lila with, 11.766 acceptance of by the atma, 1.1060 acquired dharma varies according to, 1.95 action according to, 1.780 action and knowledge in, 1.797 agency according to, 1.806, 1.807 akincana-bhaktas devoid of, 1.624 Bhagavan beyond, 1.156 Bhagavan’s qualities as beyond, 11.125 bhakti beyond, 1.532 bhakti free from, 1.169, 11.110, II.121 bhakti frees one from, 1.408 bhakti outside the realm of, 1.819 bondage and liberation pertain to, 1.22 bondage due to the influence of, 1.385 brahma-jñāna manifests in relation to, 1.794 criticism relates to, 11.648 deity as beyond, 11.465 devotees’ qualities do not arise from, 1.1073 devotee’s characteristics not a product of, 11.625 dharma of the Vedas rooted in, 1.811, 11.82 faith according to, 1.809 five types of obstacles instigated by, 1.115 freedom from, 1.116 freedom from through bhakti, 1.114 guṇāvatāras involved with, 1.135 happiness according to, 1.788 906 Subject Index hierarchy among, 1.132, 1.138 influence life perspectives, 1.22 influence of in worship, 1.588 influence of on sädhakas, 11.109 influence the scholars’ views, 1.23 intentions of practitioners’ influenced by, 11.129 invariable entanglement of, 1.532 jīvas impassioned due to contact with, 1.1220 jnana rooted in, 1.538 knowledge according to, 1.783 knowledge and action related to, 1.793 knowledge in, 1.795 manifestations of Paramätma’s sat potency, II.411 no application in nirguṇā-bhakti, 11.134 no influence of in Vaikuntha, II.445 not accepted in pitha-puja, 11.453 prakrti rooted in, 1.406 Puruşa endowed with for creation, 1.132 qualities of devotees’ as beyond, II.146 quelled by hearing hari-katha, 11.263 rajas Brahma delimited by, 1.135 influence of on sadhakas, 11.112 unsalutary boons of, 1.137 rajas and tamas worship influenced by, 1.144, 1.407, 1.553 residence according to, 1.800, 1.801, 1.803, 1.804 sattva Bhagavan maintains all beings by, 11.270 Bhagavan undisclosed by, 1.785 brahma-jñāna arises from, 1.792 establishment in required for smarana, 11.276 influence of on sadhakas, II.114, II.115 jnana and vairagya as derivatives of, 1.426 jñāna-yoga impelled by, 1.376 knowledge derives from, 1.119 predominance of in Satyayuga, 11.487 predominant in kaivalya-jñāna, 1.784 superior to rajas and tamas, 1.566 907References vidya rooted in, 1.798 yoga a product of, 1.532 sraddha determined by, 1.105 subject to origination and dissolution, 1.1265 tamas criticism occurs in reference to, II.646 hell as an excess of, 11.643 influence of on sadhakas, 11.109, II.111 Rudra embodies, 1.567 Šiva delimited by, 1.135 Šiva oversees, 1.572 unsalutary boons of, 1.137 transcended by bhakti, 1.377, 1.539, II.14, II.127, II.143 transcended by nirguna-bhakti, 11.122 transcendence of by hearing lila-katha, 11.272 varnas created in accordance with, 1.72 varnasrama divided according to, 1.70, 1.358 varṇāśrama under the influence of, 1.781 Visņu devoid of, 1.135 yoga under the influence of, 1.533 gunavatāras involved with the gunas, 1.135 Siva and Brahma as, 1.131 guru sṛṣṭi-lilä relates to, II.267 absolute necessity of, 1.1308 acceptance of as sammukhya, 11.567 acceptance of many by some, 1.1278 anarthas removed by the grace of, II.162 Bhagavan appears as, 11.737 Bhagavan as vyasti and samaşti, 11.453 bhakti to be learnt from, 1.1300 brahmana respected as, 11.236 cyber media as, 1.917 derives authority from sastra, 11.330 devotion to remembrance of Bhagavan ensues from, 1.1312 diksä essential for bhakti, 1.1281 908 Subject Index direct manifestation of Bhagavan, I.18, 1.27 eight types of bhakti to, 11.519 examination of, 1.1280 five tattvas to be learnt from, 1.1221 following of in rāgānugā, 11.632 importance of worshiping, II.164 instruction to give up, 11.175, II.177 knowledge must be received from, 1.1307 Krsna appears as, 11.735, 11.736 Krsna rendered service to, 11.169 mantra mercy of Bhagavan obtained by, 11.163 necessity of, 1.1316 not to be abandoned, 1.1303 only one is permissible, 1.1302 permission to give up, 1.1305 required for arcana, 11.421 worship begins with acceptance of, 1.356 mudras to be learnt from, II.467 nondistinct from Bhagavan, 1.1325 not to be disrespected, 11.315 offense to particularly grievous, II.329 offense to worse than that to the deity, 11.328 oneness of heart with essential, 1.1301 oneness of with Bhagavan, 1.1275 päramärthika Bhagavan manifests as, 1.1322 to be regarded as Krsna Himself, 1.1323 päramärthika and vyavahārika, 1.1316 perfection attained by service to, II.167 permission of required for Vaisnava association, 11.173, 11.176 qualifications of, 1.1279 rati attained by service to, 1.309, 11.779 relation with Bhagavan consummated by, 11.422 required for arcana, 11.425, 11.430 reverence and love for required, 1.28 saraṇapatti to be carried out in regard to, 11.158 service to as formula for success, 11.167 service to as highest dharma, II.166 909 References service to awards perfection, II.189 siksä bhajana learnt from, 1.1313 devotional praxis learnt from, 1.1268 necessity of, 1.1311 Sravana-guru generally the same as, 1.1297 sravana characteristics of, 1.1271 generally the same as the sikṣa-guru, 1.1297 scriptural teachings received from, 1.1267 scriptural truths disclosed by, 1.1306 śravana and sikṣā, 1.1298 śravana, siksa, and diksă, 1.1272 sravana, sikṣā, and mantra, 1.1269, 1.1304 the word tirtha can refer to, 1.106 three qualifications of, 1.1273, 1.1274 to be kept secret, 11.774 upaśama an essential quality of, 1.1238 vyavahārika worthy of honor, 1.1321 vyavahārika and päramärthika, 1.1318 with and without attachment, 1.1276 worship of Krsna in, 11.439 worship of precedes that of Bhagavan, 11.218 Hanuman Hari dāsyam exemplified by, 1.986 reverence prominent in, II.575 Vibhisana blessed by, 11.195 as ātmā of all beings, 1.278, 1.279 meaning of as word, 1.179 Haridasa Thakura Capala Gopala’s argument with, 1.874 hari-kathā mati for begets detachment, 11.601 Pariksit absorbed in, 11.285 rati for hearing of, 11.284 results of hearing, 11.264 sung by a mahat, 11.279 910 Subject Index to be heard from a mahat, 11.276 two qualities of, 11.282 two types of hearing of, 11.274, 11.280 hermeneutics bhakti established by, 1.657 Krsna’s opening and closing statements establish bhakti, 1.370 of Purva-mīmāmsa, 1.662 regarding prioritization of injunctions, II.189 Hiranyakasipu brahma-jñāna evident in, 1.1060 conception of niräkara-isvara held to by, 1.1065 prayed to Brahma as Isvara, 1.1061 hladini conveys bliss to Bhagavan, 1.827 ignorance (ajñāna, avidyā) as beginningless vaimukhya, 1.56 as potency of antaryāmi, 11.453 as upadhi of ātmā, 1.168 attraction to mundane topics due to, II.261 beginningless, 1.19 bhakti destroys, 1.767 cannot subdue bhakti, 1.726 causes duality to appear real, 1.334 destroyed by sat-sanga, 11.236 dispelled by the vision of Bhagavan’s feet, 1.446 egoic defiance a symptom of, 1.545 false sense of independence induced by, 11.567 fear a product of, 1.16 gives rise to duality, 1.336 not uprooted by knowledge alone, 1.631 practices devoid of bhakti as, 1.491 removed by jñāna, 1.415 root cause of ahankara, 1.123 root cause of the jivas’ suffering, 1.482 the Self disclosed by dispelling, 1.279 two functional capacities of, 1.21 two offspring of, 1.608 uprooted by bhakti, 1.31, 1.114 vāsanās grounded in, 1.1193 911 References Indra freed from the sin of killing Vrtra, 1.751, 1.753 killing of Vrträsura not an offense, 11.332 Indradyumna obstructed by a past offense, 1.927 Isvara absence of the vision of in worship, 1.589, 1.592 absorption in through unprescribed means, 11.665 aim of the bhaktas, 1.283 as impelling agent, 1.345 devas’ grace contrasted with, 1.554 enters within the jivas, 1.602 Hari discloses, 1.281 Hiranyakasipu prayed to Brahma as, I.1061 indirect worship of through the devas, 11.64 jīvas as saktis of, 1.792 jnānīs do not take shelter of, 1.263, 1.264 karma to be offered to, 11.54 Krsna as, 1.1215, 11.732, II.740 meaning of as word, 1.179 naiskarmya-siddhi ensues by the grace of, 1.347 navya-sphurti of as brahma-saksatkara, 11.746 nirākāra jñana of opposed to bhakti, 1.1166 worship of rejected in bhakti, 1.1060 only Vedic karma to be offered to, 11.46 potencies of manifest by ahangrahopasana, II.16 prescribed duties as the orders of, 1.1048 vidya-sakti of, 1.182 Jada Bharata recommended bhakti, 1.291 jahal-laksana in the instruction to Uddhava, 1.368 Jaimini propagated karma, 1.407 Janmaṣṭamī included in arcana, 11.522 injunctions regarding, 11.143 preeminent importance of, 11.524 912 Subject Index japa guidelines for meditation in, 11.512 japa-mālā to be kept secret, 11.774 Jaya and Vijaya jīva aparadha-abhasa committed by, 11.703 attainment of Bhagavan as svābhāvika, 11.700, 11.702 absence of awareness pertains to, 1.631 as aparā-sakti, 1.1219 as ātmā in contact with upadhis, 1.1218 as pratibimba, 11.481 as sakti of Isvara, 1.792 as tatastha-sakti, 1.10, 1.594, 1.1100, 1.1220 assist in the liläs of Bhagavan, II.454 Bhagavan distinct from, 1.1111 Bhagavan liberates as the guru, 1.1275 Bhagavan present within, 1.610 bhakti the natural state of, 1.653, 1.1080 bodies of created for criticism and praise, 11.647 bound by beginningless ignorance, 1.21, 1.1107 compared to particles of light, 1.280 covered by māyā, 1.20 denied as the Absolute, 1.1133 description of in the womb, 1.877, 1.880, 1.882 dream state of, 1.182 evolution of into human form, 1.621 identified with phenomenal objects, 11.647 identity of with Brahman illustrated, 1.451 ignorance as root cause of their suffering, 1.482 integrated part of Paramatma, 1.1077, 1.1078, 1.1081 Isvara enters within, 1.602 jnana of denied as the Truth, 1.1132 knowledge of Bhagavan absent in the svarupa of, 1.56 nondifferent from Bhagavan as potency, 1.1243 not the independent creator of dreams, 1.187 oneness of with Brahman, 1.281, 1.784 Paramatma creates the dream bodies of, 1.182 Paramātmā impels in worldly action, 1.838 913 References partness of external to Bhagavan, 1.1074 past life remembrance of in the womb, 1.883 potency of Bhagavan for creation, 1.1242 powerless independent of Bhagavan, 1.837 represents a reflection of the original face, 1.976 scriptures offer instruction for, 1.12 tattva as the ground of, 1.83 tattva not referred to as, 1.80 theory of in Advaitavada, 1.186 transcendental to the two bodies, 1.348 true identity of, 1.939 two classifications of, 1.19 vaimukhya the cause of the misery of, 1.15 vaimukhya the conditioned state of, 1.38 vimukha state of described, 1.17 witness of the dream state, 1.184 Jiva Gosvāmi invited to Agra by Akbar, 11.416 jivan-muktas contrasted with siddhas, 1.1142 devoid of bhakti remain bound, 1.632, 1.644 influence of samskaras in, 1.951 undisturbed by praise and criticism, 11.652 jivan-mukti jnana attainment of, 11.272 conditional action abandoned in, 1.632 fall from, 1.643, 1.648 jñānis can fall from, 1.723, 1.727 abandonment of, 1.536, 1.1232 absence of compassion in, 1.478 accords with eligibility, 1.1051 aims at identity with Brahman, 1.375, 1.385 aims of ensue from bhakti, 1.422, 1.427 angas of, 11.88 aparoksa defined, 1.167 approach to duskarma in, 11.45, 11.47 914 Subject Index arises from sattva, 11.116 as a form of atonement, 1.751, 1.752 as assistant to bhakti, 11.31 as brahma-sammukhya, 1.1063 as intuition of Brahman sättvika, 11.12 as intuition of Krsna’s presence, II.743 as nirvisesa-sammukhya, 1.1053, 11.7, II.16 as sammukhya, 1.36, 1.38, 1.52 as sammukhya in general, 11.18 as sammukhya toward Brahman, 1.1054, 11.56 as secret knowledge, 11.748 attained by remembrance, 11.384 based on detachment and discernment, 1.375 bhakti independent of, 1.424, 1.431, 1.1012, II.618 bhakti invested with, 1.83 bhakti mixed with, 1.546, 11.82, 11.88, 11.93, 11.102, II.104 bhakti recommended for, 1.258 bhakti subordinated to in kaivalya-jñāna, 1.796 bhakti superior to, 1.193, 1.750, 1.752, I.1244 bhakti the basis of success in, 1.495 bhakti unobstructed by, 1.601 bhakti-abhasa contrasted with, 1.904 brahmanas established in to be offered oblations, 11.498 can assist bhakti, 1.527 cannot deliver one from bondage, 1.169 cannot grant liberation, 1.168 characteristics of, 1.542 comes to an end, 1.129, 1.650 connotations of in bhakti and jñāna-yoga, 1.375 deity worship minimized in, 11.488 denied as abhidheya, 1.61 dependent on bhakti, 1.60, 1.64, 1.389 dependent on destruction of desires, 1.110, 1.111 detachment as eligibility for, 1.344, 1.351, 1.996, 1.999, 1.1004 devotees attain the results of, 11.726 devotees disinterested in, 11.727 devotees do not abandon Kṛṣṇa for, 11.732 discloses the Absolute as Parabrahman, 1.1057 915 916 References discredited, 1.60 discussed in catuh-sloki, 1.667, 1.670 disregard for, 1.534 disregarded by Uddhava, 11.722, 11.723 eligibility for, 1.1011 ends at liberation, 1.699, I.1015 ensues by hearing hari-katha, 11.263 ensues from bhakti, 1.53, 1.386, 1.387, 1.389, 1.632 explained in Uddhava-gītā, 11.725 for those devoid of faith in bhakti, 1.545 four criteria of eligibility for, 1.419 free from upadhis, 1.164, 1.167 fruitless without bhakti, 1.491 functional capacity of bhakti, 1.415 gradual progress seen in, 11.785 grants success for mumuksus, 1.997 hardship entailed in, 1.250 honorability accords with the degree of, 11.484 ignorance removed by, 1.16, 1.415 impelled by sattva-guna, 1.376 impossible by one’s own effort, II.737 included within bhakti, 1.489 indifference prominent in, 1.722 ineffective without bhakti, 1.372, 1.383, 1.412, 1.459, 1.540 jivan-mukti attained through, 1.643 jnanīs proceed by, 1.1001 karma a doorway to, 1.1049 karma abandoned for, 1.350 karma culminates in, 11.501 karma-yoga leads to, 1.63, 1.995 kirtana superior to, 1.458 Krsna disregards, 1.418, 1.421 Krsna the aim of, 1.152 Krsna’s concluding instruction on, 1.373 Kumāras admit the difficulty of, 1.535 Kumaras as original gurus of, 1.265 Kumaras did not recommend as abhidheya, 1.265 Kumāras instructed, 1.264 liberation attained by, 11.757 Subject Index made possible by sat-sanga, 1.354 made redundant by bhakti, 1.774 mahanta on the path of, 1.1140 manifest in akiñcana-bhaktas, 1.623 manifests through jnani association, 1.1254 misery experienced in, 1.541 mukti the goal of, 11.90 neophyte’s worship mixed with, 1.1248 niskama-karma leads to, 1.61 not an anga of bhakti, 1.425 not directly related to Krsna, 1.410 not generally conducive for bhakti, 1.423 not manifest without bhakti, 1.542 not the answer to Pariksit’s question, 1.453 not under the jurisdiction of karma, 1.1022 obstacle to ananya-bhakti, 1.1236 of nirakara-isvara opposed to bhakti, 1.1166 of the jiva denied as the Truth, 1.1132 one of Bhagavan’s six majesties, 1.179 orientation toward commonly adopted, 11.740 Pariksit attributed little importance to, 1.444 Parikṣit’s nişṭhā not in, 1.452 paroksa defined, 1.167 path of immediate liberation, 1.192 path to the ultimate good, 1.425 perfection in dependent on bhakti, 11.26 perfection of, 1.446 performed in subordination to bhakti, 11.85 practices of not required in bhakti, 1.427 prevalence of in modernity, 1.544 Prthu practiced as subsidiary to bhakti, 1.268 qualified as naiskarmya and nirañjana, 1.167 rarity of bhakti exceeds that of, 1.1048 referred to as naiskarmyam, 1.164 rejected for three reasons, 1.1059 requires abandonment of all karma, 1.395 917References requires support of nirguna-bhakti, 1.538 results of attained through bhakti, 1.428 rooted in the gunas, 1.538 sadhana and sadhya of inferior, 1.250 sadhana of involves involution, 11.13 sadhana on the path of, II.9, II.12 sakti Brahman as devoid of, 1.186 sammukhya of made possible by bhakti, 1.1064 sammukhyata partial in, 1.413 santa-bhaktas’ bhakti predominated by, 1.559 sat-sanga effective without, II.213 sättvika and nirguna, 1.426 self-disclosed through bhakti, 1.56 seven stages of, 1.1149 sharpened by seva, 1.290 subservient to bhakti, 1.267 subsidiary aspect of abhidheya, 1.39 suitable for those who are detached, 1.37 Suka set aside his fixity in, 1.453 Suka’s teachings on, 1.451 the self identified with Brahman in, 11.17 two types of bestowed by guru, 11.166 unattainable through dharma, 1.59 uttama-bhāgavatas have no use for, 1.1165 vairagya and viveka as qualifications for, II.105 vairagya as formal practice in, 1.1002 vairagya the foundation of, 1.394 Vasudeva the aim of, 1.148 jnäna-kända concerned with immediate cognition of truth, II.458 deliberation on the teachings of, 1.350 fulfilled by realization of Kṛṣṇa, 1.153 latter division of the Vedas, 1.151 jnäni-bhaktas jnanis dear to Bhagavan, 1.1242, 1.1249 Yogesvaras prayed for ananya-bhakti, 1.1240, 1.1244 Yogesvaras prayed for ananya-bhava, 1.1247 918 Subject Index admit the reality of Brahman alone, 1.1199 as pātra honorability of, 11.476, II.479 association of leads to jñana, 1.1049 attain Krsna as Brahman, 1.538 attain only sayujya-mukti, 11.729 attainment of mukti by, 11.92 Bhagavan rarely attained by, 11.639 brahma-jñana of as sättvika, 1.797 Brahman disclosed as nirvisesa to, 11.70 Brahman the aim of, 1.77, 1.283 brāhmaṇa most worthy of honor, 11.500 can fall from jivan-mukti, 1.648, 1.723, 1.727 control speech by silence, 11.354 detachment of as phalgu-vairagya, 1.1001 devoid of an object of contemplation, 1.266 devoid of the ego of doership, 11.47 dharma of, 1.77 do not take shelter of Isvara, 1.263 enter the Purusa, 1.249, 1.534 indifferent to others, 1.726 jnana manifests through association of, 1.1254 Kumaras as, 1.504 Kumaras as the greatest of, 1.265 Kumāras maintained the ego of, 1.545 liberation not easily attained by, 11.640 mahäntas among, 1.1139, 1.1141 neither ego- nor God-centered, 1.1167 obtain no benefit without bhakti, 1.693 position of Putanã not attained by, 11.764 realize Brahman, 1.85, 1.125 realize the Absolute as Brahman, 1.1129 refer to tattva as Brahman, 1.80 require the grace of the mahat, 1.1133 siddhas among described, 1.1143 two categories of referred to by Parikṣit, 1.1141 two classes of, 1.798 unable to discern the potencies of Brahman, II.10 919 References undergo hardship, 1.250 uttama-bhagavatas contrasted with, 1.1165 view of regarding suffering, 1.78 worship of primary for liberation, 11.501 yogis as superior to, 1.80, 1.637 kaivalya the Yoga system ends in, 11.396 kaivalya-jñana as saguna, 1.792 as sättvika, 1.783, 1.796, II.115 leads to the nirguņa state, 1.788 Kaliyuga kama as Satyayuga by Govinda’s presence, 11.368 Bhagavan advocates kirtana for, 11.370, 11.372 Buddha’s appearance in, 11.630 dharma incomplete in without kirtana, 11.359 extolled due to sankirtana, 11.360 futility of varnasrama in, 1.509 heretical views prominent in, II.373 kirtana recommended for, 11.357 nama-kirtana recommended for, II.313, 11.320 nama-sankirtana as the dharma for, 11.306 name of Bhagavan prescribed for, 1.1000 people of drawn to adharma, 1.371 people of other yugas pray for birth in, 11.366 sankirtana recommended for, 11.357 Srimad Bhagavata of paramount importance in, II.379 Tantric worship recommended in, 11.457 virtue of, 1.448 absorption in Bhagavan through supreme destination attained by, 11.664 attained by karma, 11.757 cannot be enjoined, 11.654 for Bhagavan not inherently sinful, 11.670 not opposed to scripture, 11.675, 11.679 sinful or not, 11.665, 11.671 for Krsna 920 Subject Index not inherently sinful, 11.675, 11.684 formal definition of, 1.78 gopis attained perfection by, 11.686, 11.688 of the gopis contrasted with enmity, 11.672 of the nature of divine love, 11.666 sages of Dandaka attained Kṛṣṇa through, 11.678, 11.681 siddhi attained by, 11.664 sneha distinct from, 11.655 Kamsa attained perfection by fear, 11.686, 11.754 Kṛṣṇa appeared as death to, 11.708 Kapiladeva condemns disrespect of all beings, 1.585, 1.590, 1.594 elaborates a hierarchy of being, 1.599, 1.610 three paths of sammukhya described by, 1.1056 karma abandoned on the appearance of faith, 1.1006 abandonment of, 1.1026 aparokṣa-jnana not an outcome of, 1.167 aprarabdha bhakti destroys, 1.738, 1.742 arpana of accords with eligibility, 1.1051 dasya not to be interpreted as, II.573 as assistant to bhakti, 11.31 as saguna, 1.779 benefits of offering, 11.49 bhakti beyond virtue and vice of, 1.1073 bhakti distinct from, 1.335 bhakti mixed with, 1.546, 11.82, 11.88, 11.91, II.97, II.102 birth affected by, 11.244 can lead to svarupa-siddha-bhakti, 11.71 cannot bestow its own fruit, 1.1286 culminates in jñāna, 11.501 cut by remembrance of Hari, 1.98 demarcation points to give up, 1.344 destroyed by sat-sanga, 11.236 devas’ rewards subordinate to, 1.1125 921 922 References devoid of Bhagavan’s potency, 1.502 devoid of bhakti by constitution, 11.36 devotees disinterested in, 11.727 devotees not hindered by, 11.723, 11.724 dharma and kama attained by, 11.757 dharma termed as, 11.83 disinterest in ensues from bhakti, 1.1005 dreams created in accord with, 1.187 effects of experienced by the body, 11.648 eligibility to abandon, 1.1023, 1.1030, 1.1040, 1.1045, 1.1231 engaged in by the Pracetas, 11.97 enticement of fruits in, 1.346 envy prominent in, 1.478 explained in Uddhava-gitä, 11.725 freedom from as the end of sättviki bhakti, 11.115, 11.116 freedom not attained by abandoning, 1.1050 fruit of sheltered in Bhagavan, 11.58 fruits of awarded by Bhagavan, 1.1290 futility of, 1.510 gateway to sammukhya, 1.1053 how bondage is removed by, 11.56 how the threefold miseries are dispelled by, 11.54 ignorance the root cause of, 1.768 inauspicious if unoffered, 1.164 indistinguishable from vaimukhya, 11.41 jīva remains bound by, 1.1100 jivan-muktas fall into the bondage of, 1.644 jnana and bhakti not under the jurisdiction of, 1.1022 jnana requires abandonment of, 1.395 jurisdiction of, 1.1030 kirtana superior to, 1.458 knot of cut by bhakti, 1.99 laukika as parama-dharma, 1.855, 1.865 offering of as bhagavat-dharma, 11.44 law of operational prior to bhakti, 1.864 laws of instituted by Bhagavan, 1.1117 leads to jñana or bhakti, 1.1063 meritorious and unmeritorious, 1.741 Subject Index nama-kirtana frees one from, 11.374 neophyte’s worship mixed with, 1.1248 niskāma does not “milk” dharma, 1.601 nisphalam sättvika if offered, 1.781 nullified by säkṣātkāra, 1.122-124 offering of dispels the threefold miseries, II.53 offering of prescribed, 11.52 offering of to Bhagavan, 11.716 path of not to be followed, 1.573 performed in subordination to bhakti, 11.85 petty fruits attained by, 1.512 prärabdha Bhagavan intensifies, 1.929 bhakti destroys, 1.755-757, 1.759, 1.761, 1.762 bhakti unobstructed by, 1.926, 1.927 Bharata’s sattvika taint rooted in, 1.1146 influence of on neophyte devotees, 1.1036 predispositions for cast aside by bhakti, 1.649 prescribed as an enticement, 1.352 prescribed for childish human beings, 1.341, 1.343, II.624 prescribed for those devoid of faith in bhakti, 1.344 prescribed for those with desire, II.51 prioritization of acts in, 11.186 relinquishment of includes sin, 1.1017 result of accords with sankalpa, 1.352 results of attained through bhakti, 1.428 sammukhya of not independent, 1.1065 sanctification of by Bharata, 11.70 semblance of maintained, 1.124 sin related to the law of, 11.543 śraddha implies disinterest in, 1.1013 superimposition of bhakti on, 11.47, 11.52 synonymous with dharma and yajña, 11.86 theory regarding the fruit of, 11.65 three motives behind the offering of, 11.73, 11.76 three types of agents in, II.57 923 References to be given up in bhakti, 1.1028 two opinions regarding apurva of, 11.60 two ways of offering, 11.72, 11.75 unwholesome approach to in jnana and bhakti, 11.45, II.47 uprooted by bhakti, 1.308, 1.310, 1.320, 1.422, 1.745, 1.868 various stages of, 1.742 varṇāsrama perspective regarding, II.184 Vedas prescribe for liberation, 1.348 Vedas prescribe out of leniency, 1.351 Vedas promote release from, 1.350 Vedic compared to Brahman, 1.139 entails awareness of Bhagavan, 11.52 to be offered to Ïśvara, II.46 vimukhya and sammukhya forms of, 1.1106 Vrtrasura exemplifies the fallibility of, 1.728 worship mixed with, 11.438, 11.441 two ways of performing, 11.444, 11.450 Yamadūtas as representatives of, 11.308 karma-kända atonement prominent in, 1.747, 1.872 attachment to outlined, 1.918 bhakti subordinated to, 1.761 dharma of related to the body, 1.812 dharma of the Vedas related to, 11.521 first division of the Vedas, 1.151 no end to, 11.439 Nrga gave greater importance to, 1.906 ritual acts of devoid of inherent power, 1.745 ritual acts recommended in, 11.458 rooted in the gunas, 1.811 Vedas concerned with, 1.149 Vyasa primarily stressed, 1.1319 karma-yoga as a prolonged method, 1.356 as sammukhya, 1.36, 1.1047 beneficial for those who are attached, 1.37 bhakti distinguished from, 1.527 924 bhakti not part of, 1.1000 Subject Index bhakti the basis of success in, 1.495 bhakti unimpeded by, 1.259 birth in varnäsrama required for, 1.517 cannot deliver one from bondage, 1.169 comes to an end, 1.129, 1.650, 1.699 denied as abhidheya, 1.61 dependent on Vedic injunctions, 1.1013 devotees do not participate in, 1.1032 devotees no longer eligible for, 1.166 eligibility for, 1.996 ends at the point of detachment, 1.1015 envy prominent in, 1.722 futility of devoid of bhakti, 1.64 gateway to jnana and bhakti, 1.993, 1.1049 gradual progress seen in, II.785 grants success for those desiring fruits, 1.997, 1.999 jñāna distinguished from by vairagya, 1.419 jurisdiction of ends at bhakti, 1.190 leads to bhakti or jñāna, 1.995 leads to jñāna, 1.63 made redundant by bhakti, 1.774 meant to purify the heart, 1.374 not to be undertaken without bhakti, 1.504 path to the ultimate good, 1.425 prescribed for those devoid of faith, 1.648 propagated by Jaimini, 1.407 respect for guru on the path of, 1.1320 sammukhyatā partial in, 1.413 sraddha marks the end of, 1.191 subsidiary aspect of abhidheya, 1.39 success assured in if offered, 11.51 the offering proceeds afterward in, 1.987 to be given up by a devotee, 1.348 uncertainty and misery in, 1.507, 1.508 Vaisnava defined relative to, 1.1250 valueless without bhakti, 1.282 worship of Bhagavan as, 1.500 karma-yogis 925 References dharma of, 1.77 meditate on Bhagavan in the sun’s orb, 11.467 obtain no benefit without bhakti, 1.693 prone to envy, 1.726 Vaisnava among, 1.1250 view of regarding artha, 1.78 Kartika glory of, 11.524 included in arcana, 11.522 observed by Gunavati, II.533 status of Satyabhama attained by, 11.532 kirtana as arcana, 11.588 beyond the limits of time and place, 11.371 Bhagavan advocates for Kaliyuga, 11.370 brings perfection to all practices, 11.359 Citraketu performed, 1.433 continues after perfection, 11.354 exemplified by Suka, 1.986 free of prerequisites, II.304 glory of not disclosed in other yugas, II.364 greatness of not due to Kali, 11.367, 11.368 humility essential for, 11.358 impeded by offenses, 11.374 of Bhagavan-guna exemplified by Narada, 11.344 of Bhagavan-lila bhakti attained by, 11.351 exemplified by Parīkṣit, 11.346 rati attained by, 11.349 of Bhagavan-nama anuraga attained by, 11.302 ceaseless chanting recommended, 11.337 ceaseless chanting recommended as atonement, 11.332 foremost of all practices, 11.310 not to be given up, 11.380 offenses absolved by, 11.316 offenses to be avoided in, 11.373 primary result of, 11.301 926 Krsna Subject Index purifying power of, 11.307 sins destroyed by, 11.369 supreme sadhana and sadhya, II.312 the best form of atonement, 11.297, II.317 ultimate good for sadhakas and siddhas, 11.311 of Bhagavan-rupa exemplified by Parikṣit, 11.341 of nama one of nine sacrificial acts, 1.1214 of the names found in Bhagavata Purana, 11.381 performed in any manner at all, 1.862 practices included within, 11.379 prema attained by, 11.305 primary bhāgavata-dharma, 11.42 recommended for Kaliyuga, 11.357 recommended order of, 11.298 remembrance the sadhya of, 11.354 smarana not as effective as, 11.383 superior to jñāna, 1.458 superior to smarana, 11.370, 11.384 supreme destination attained by, 1.448 supreme tranquility attained by, 11.363 absorption in Sisupala’s liberation due to, 11.656 absorption in as sama, 1.1072 absorption in through enmity sins destroyed by, 11.660 advantage of worshiping, 1.556 advocates His own bhajana, 11.740 agent and beneficiary of yajña, 11.67 aim of dharma, 1.154 aim of yoga, 1.152 aiśvarya of concealed by maya, 11.713 aiśvarya of remains present, II.714 appears as the guru and Paramātmā, 11.735, 11.736 apurva sheltered in, 11.67 arrival of in Dvārakā, 1.833 as ātmā of all beings, 1.280, 1.282 927928 References as bimba, 11.481 as Brahman, II.234, II.751 as Īsvara, 1.1215 as kaivalya-natha, 11.669 as nirguna, 1.408 as Parabrahman, II.752 as samanvaya of the Vedas, 1.240 as sambandhi, 1.426 as Svayam Bhagavan, 1.10, 1.1324, 11.326, II.416 as the Nondual Absolute, 1.1133 as the transcendental Cupid, 11.679 asuras killed by attain liberation, 11.718 asuras saw at the time of death, 11.701 atma-arpana described by, 11.588 atma-nivedana described by, 11.587 attained by bhāva, 11.692 attained by Kubja, 11.668 attained by pure worship, 11.516 attained by vandana, 11.556 attained only by bhakti, 1.436 attraction for as cowherd boys and calves, 1.930 avesa in raganuga the best means of, 11.697 awarded Putana the status of dhatri, 11.763 awards bhakti to His devotees, 1.834 basis of Brahman, 1.153 beauty and peace personified, 11.145 bestows grace on His devotees, 11.730 beyond sin and piety, II.672 beyond the intuition of Brahman, 1.445 bhajana of in Gokula as supreme, 11.765 bhajana of superior to that of antaryāmi, 11.747 bhakti to as essential duty, 1.45 bound by Yasoda, II.710 bound by Yasoda’s love, 1.1211 bowed down to the brahmanas, 11.231 Brahman as the effulgence of, 1.385 brahmanas honorable for, 11.496 chopped off Bana’s arms, II.194 Subject Index cognitive empathy present in, 1.1116 compared to a monsoon cloud, 1.563 concluding instruction of in bhakti, 1.434 conquered by bhakti, 1.539 constituted of sac-cit-ananda, 11.655 controlled by His devotees, 11.712, II.727, 11.728 controlled by sat-sanga, 11.178, II.180, 11.185 covers His majesty in Vraja-lilä, 11.720 criticism does not apply to, 11.648, 11.655 delivers the residents of hell, 1.691 descriptions of the avataras culminate in, 11.717 directed His friends to the brahmanas, 1.522 disappeared from the rasa-lila, 11.775 disclosed bhāgavata-dharma to Brahma, 1.403, 1.668 disclosed the Bhāgavata to Brahma, 1.658 disclosed the Vedas to Brahma, 1.199, 1.405 dismisses vairagya, 1.418 dispelled maya for Suka, 1.430 disregards jñāna, 1.421 distinct from all other beings, 1.590 duality absent in, 11.652 Durga’s oneness with, 11.446 Duryodhana rejected the Godhood of, 1.919, 1.921 effects of the remembrance of, 1.462 embodiment of Brahman, 1.841 entrusted His final instructions to Uddhava, 11.725 fatherhood of exhibited in Dvaraka, 11.616 form of Parikṣit’s praise of, 11.341 form of as supremely efficacious, II.756 friend of the residents of Vraja, 11.571 fulfills the desires of His devotees, 11.757 gives Himself to His devotees, 1.1301 gives Himself to one absorbed in remembrance, 11.386 gopis’ and queens’ prema for, 1.1165 gopīs attained by worship of Katyayani, 1.212 gopis attained prema for, 11.682 gopis perceive in all beings, 1.1167 929 930 References grace of necessary for perfection, 11.786 guardian of His devotees, 1.733 guna-kirtana of, II.344 guru’s identity with, 11.329 hearing of cleanses the heart, 1.107 holy place of awards the ultimate goal, 11.415 honor of hearing about, 1.234 husbandship of as innate, II.681 imitated the lilas of Rama, 11.463 import of all săstras, 1.150 in the yoga-pitha, 1.578 inquiry about as the cause of perfection, II.716 intended object of all yajñas, 11.64 intensifies the devotee’s love, 1.932 intuition of in all beings, 11.743 kama for not inherently sinful, 11.675 kirtana of the form of, 11.342 Kubja’s bhava for, 11.667 lilă of sung by mahats, 11.282 lila-katha of, 1.443 liläs of with Radha as supreme, 11.767 liläs of with the gopis meant for the dhira, 11.769 lotus feet of devotees resort to, II.724 sevă indicated by, 11.586 majesty of sevakas in Vraja unaware of, 11.616 manifests according to bhava, 11.708, 11.719 manifests in a fivefold manner, 1.575 mantra of preferred for offering food, 11.511 mayika form of seen by Sisupala, 11.652 meditation on by feeling states, 11.654 meditation on via the eighteen-syllable mantra, 11.626 mind to be fixed on by any means, 11.696 name of as most potent, 11.293 as nondifferent from Him, 11.305, 11.319 Subject Index cannot be grasped, 1.816 delivers with or without faith, 1.1006 fruit of the Vedas, 11.334 supremely beneficial, 11.298 unfathomable, 11.339 Nanda and Yasoda considered as their son, 11.712 nara-lilă of adjustment of worship for, 11.513 nectar flows from the feet of, 1.508 not attained by worship of devas, 1.577 Om nondifferent from, 1.150 origin and end of yajña, 1.151 original form of Bhagavan, 1.555 päramärthika-guru to be regarded as, 1.1323 Pariksit describes the beauty of, 11.343 pitha-puja of worship of Svetadvipa in, 11.456 pleased by eight types of bhakti, 11.519 pleased only by bhakti, 1.51, 1.92 praised the gopis’ love, 11.680 preeminence of hearing about, 11.292 preeminence of the birthday of, 11.524 prema attained by the mercy of, 1.545 primary control of by sat-sanga alone, 11.205 primary subject of the Bhagavata, 1.129 protected Arjuna from Bhisma, II.546 Pütană delivered by, 11.625 queens of pati-bhava of glorified, 11.676 praised by Suka, 11.679 raganuga primarily for in Gokula, 11.707, 11.715, 11.717, 11.767, 11.787 rägänuga-bhakti to as abhidheya, 11.721 rasa of the narrations of, 1.374, 1.441 rasa-lila of results of hearing, 1.630 rasa-lila of as supreme, 11.766 rati for continues beyond liberation, 11.759 recommends Vedic and Tantric worship, 11.458 931 932 References refused Duryodhana’s offerings, 1.909, 1.912 remembrance of as the essence of all practice, 11.353 rendered service to His guru, 11.169 rescued Draupadi, 11.299 residents of Dväraka offered lamps to, 1.830 resides where His liläs are sung, II.354 restricted in Mathura and Dvaraka, 11.719 reveals Satyabhama’s past life, 11.533 sadharana-gopis obtained the association of, 11.197 sages of Dandaka attained through kama, 11.678 Self of all beings, 1.178 servants of occupy the highest position, II.567 Sisupala imprinted with the form of, 11.698 Sisupala’s ātmā merged in the body of, 11.640 Sisupala’s envy of, 11.644 Siva and guru honored as great devotees of, 1.1327 source of all being, 1.361 source of all the Vedas, 1.322 source of fearlessness, 1.329 specifies eleven adhisthānas of worship, 11.502 sphürti of as Parabrahman, 11.746 the culmination of His worship, 11.745 Śrīdāmā prayed for bhakti to, 11.573 Srimad Bhagavata the sound representation of, 11.381 Śrutis attained amorous love for, 11.681 status of as the unprecedented worshipful object, 11.754 subdued by bhakti, 1.409, 1.411 subjugated by prema, 1.851 supreme object of love, 1.260 supreme patra in Rajasuya, 11.478 symbols on the feet of, II.455 the only independent Reality, 11.567 to be meditated on in the seats of worship, 11.510 to be meditated upon by mumuksus, 11.761 to be remembered in Vrndāvana, 11.461 to be seen in His own form, 11.741, II.742 to be worshiped by Vedic and Tantric rites, 1.1305 tulasi exceedingly dear to, II.418 Subject Index two gurus of, 1.1318 two types of grace exhibited by, 1.837 ultimate refuge of liberation, 11.557 unconditional friend of all, 11.726 upāsanā of foremost of all secrets, 11.749 uttama-bhaktas worship with ananya-bhava, 1.1240 Vedas disclose as the Absolute, 1.662 Vrndavana and Mathura as adhisthana of, 11.475 women drawn to by hearing, 11.688 worship of approved for all, 11.517, 11.520 as worship of all, 1.284, 1.605, 11.221, II.480 dissipates rivalry, envy, and disdain, 11.744 exceeded by that of His devotees, II.217 in rägänuga, 11.710 superior to that of His avataras, 11.750 with bhāva, 11.713 worthiness of as ultimate refuge, 1.613, 1.615 Yasoda did not think of as God, 1.1246 kṣatriya characterization of by the gunas, 1.71 kṣetrajña Kubja distinct from upadhis, 1.1218 offering of as atma-nivedana, 11.584, II.590 to be merged in the ātmā, II.11 attainment of Krsna by, 11.668 bhava of contrasted with that of the gopis, 11.667 blessed by Narada in her past life, 11.196 desired only Bhagavan, 11.670 kama of not sinful, 11.672, 11.680 Kumaras as avataras of Bhagavan, 1.10 attained Bhagavan’s lotus feet, 1.502 born once in the life of Brahma, 1.883 conflicting accounts of, 1.879, 1.883 desired liberation, 1.504 933 References Kunti greatest of all jnānīs, 1.265 independent ego evident in, 1.753 Jaya and Vijaya cursed by, 11.702 raga of toward Bhagavan, 11.598 rupa-kirtana exemplified by, 11.342, 11.343 subtle ego held to by, 1.545 prayed for perpetual calamities, 1.735 Laksmi as the syllable U in pranava, 1.1075 embodiment of Bhagavan’s lila-sakti, 1.1215 engages in bhakti, 1.680 food grains forbidden for on Ekadasi, 11.530 in the yoga-pitha, 1.578 left aside by Kṛṣṇa, 11.670 pada-sevanam exemplified by, 1.986 liberation (mukti, apavarga) amala-bhakti free from the desire for, 11.253 as a mental construct, 1.792 as freedom from all fear, 1.177, 1.180 as puruşartha, 1.72 association of devotees superior to, 11.235 asuras killed by Krsna attain, 11.718 attained by atma-arpana, 11.589 attained by bhakti, 1.429, 1.431, 1.773, 1.869, 11.82 attained by bowing down once, II.557 attained by hearing Bhagavan-nāma, 11.243, II.244 attained by hearing hari-katha, 11.263 attained by jñana, 1.994, 11.757 attained by jnānis, 1.1050, 11.92 attained by remembrance, 11.386 attained by sanga-siddha-bhakti, 11.90 attained by surrender to Bhagavan, II.155 attained by the warriors at Kuruksetra, 11.341 attained by Sisupala, 11.640, 11.642 attained by Sisupala and Duryodhana, 11.699 atyantika not attained without bhakti, 1.632 awarded by Krsna, 11.727, 11.728 934 Subject Index Bhagavan awards, 1.289, 1.821, 1.824 Bhagavan does not award to His devotees, 1.826 Bhagavan offers the boon of, 1.454 Bhagavan the cause of obtaining, 1.1288 Bhagavan’s madhurya belittles, 11.280 bhakti as, 11.130 bhakti belittles, 1.850 bhakti continues beyond, 1.1015 bhakti performed with a desire for, 11.88, 11.115 bhakti the cause of attaining, 1.720 bhakti the true path to, 1.193 bhakti viewed as a means to, 1.473 bliss of bhakti disregards, 1.393 Brahma and Siva cannot grant, 1.137 by once hearing Bhagavan’s name, 1.875 contrasted with bhakti, 1.538 desire for as an impurity, 11.257 desire for as self-deception, 11.733 devas cannot grant, 1.555 devas not worshiped for, 1.141 devotees do not abandon Kṛṣṇa for, 11.732 devotees do not accept, 1.694, II.125 devotees do not desire, 1.680, 1.774, 1.819, 1.820, 1.979, 1.982, 1.1010, II.132, II.269, 11.628, 11.779 devotees have no regard for, 1.791 dhruvanusmrti a means to, II.393 easily attained by bhakti, 1.266 ensues from bhakti, 1.250, 1.541 fear in relation to Krsna leads to, II.754 final seventh stage of jnana refers to, 1.1150 fit to be rejected, 1.1061 gradual via jñana and vairagya, 1.424, 1.427 granted by Bhagavān, 11.369 hatred does not lead to, 11.702 immediate ananya-bhakti the path of, 1.424 immediate and gradual, 1.192, 1.194 935 936 References jnana cannot grant, 1.168 jñāna cannot grant without bhakti, 1.415 jñāna ends with, 1.699 jñānīs cannot attain, 1.798 knowledge pertaining to as sättvika, 11.115 Krsna as the Lord of, 11.669 Kṛṣṇa as ultimate refuge of, 11.556, II.557 Krsna to be meditated on by seekers of, 11.762 Kumāras desired, 1.504 living and final, 1.1142 mahat-seva as gateway to, II.233 Märkandeya did not desire, 1.561 methods of, 1.981 naişkarmya as, 11.76 nama-kirtana the means to, II.312 nirguna-bhakti as, II.122 not Bhagavan’s true mercy, 1.695 not desired by akiñcanas, 11.407 of Sisupala as appropriate, 11.653 due to absorption, 11.657 questioned, 11.655 outcome of ahangrahopasana, 11.17 pertains to the guņas, 1.22 prema superior to, 11.305 Prsadhra fixed in the desire for, 1.983 Prthu did not desire, 11.280 purpose of dharma, 1.91 rati for Kṛṣṇa continues beyond, 11.759 result of pradhana-bhakti, 1.546 säksätkära of Bhagavan as, II.127 sat-sanga beyond the nirguņa state of, 1.786 sat-sanga cannot be equated with, 1.1128 sattva-guna doesn’t lead to, 1.376 sayujya abhorred by devotees, 1.375 attained by yogis and jñānis, 11.729 attained through jñāna mixed with bhakti, 1.389 devoid of opportunity for service, II.134 Subject Index lila Sukadeva aspired for, 1.430, 1.433 synonymous with bhakti, 1.67, 1.74, 1.76, 1.77 two types of, 11.272 uttama-bhāgavatas have no use for, 1.1165 will to as eligibility for jnana, 1.1012 worship of a jñāni-brāhmaṇa primary for, 11.499, 11.501 yogis use Bhagavan as bait to hook, 11.734 antaranga Krsna’s friendship with the animals in, 11.728 aprakata manasa-pujā related to, 11.473 balya enjoyed by Nanda and Yasoda, 11.712 Bhagavan descends for the sake of, 11.270 Bhagavan manifests by kirtana of, II.347 Dama-bandhana aiśvarya present in, 11.720 significance of, 11.786 hearing of induces rasa, 1.13 kirtana of as authentic speech, 11.349 bhakti attained by, 11.351 nara Krsna’s majesty concealed in, 11.718 of Bhagavan disclosed after the name, form, and qualities, II.274 enactment of, 1.392 eternally existent, II.462 hearing of on the path of taste, 1.1264 jnana ensues by hearing, 11.263 manifest in samadhi, 11.397 of two types, 11.267, II.268 remembrance of as sevã, 1.1266 resembles human acts, 11.673 samadhi with and without, 11.398 Suka captivated by, 11.310 Suka drawn to, 1.453 937References transphenomenal in nature, 11.272 Vyasa instructed to meditate on, 1.705 of Damodara Kartika named after, 11.525 of Gokula bhajana of Krsna in as supreme, 11.765 Rukmini present as potency in, II.455 worship of Krsna in as supreme, 11.715 of Krsna flow from the mouth of sages, 1.537, 1.539 hearing of conduces to prema, 1.108 mode of love displayed in, 1.609 Srimad Bhagavata paramount in, 1.111 sung by mahats, 11.282 tranquility attained through, 1.385 worship of devas in, 1.574 of Krsna with the gopis meant for the dhira, 11.769 of Radha with Krsna as supreme, 11.767 of Rama Mainda and Dvivida in, 11.454 of Rama and Kṛṣṇa enactment of, 1.394 of sportive combat facilitated by Jaya and Vijaya, 11.700, 11.703 of Vraja Kṛṣṇa covers His majesty in, II.720 rāsa supremacy of, 11.766, 11.768 sabda-brahma of, 1.373, 1.378 smarana requires purity of heart, II.276 lila-katha conclusion of Suka’s teachings, 1.449 hearing of as preeminent, 1.443 two kinds of, 1.382, 1.383 Vedas fruitless without, 1.379, 1.382 lilavataras manifestations of visuddha-sattva, 1.135 938 Subject Index madhurya atma-nivedana endowed with, 11.589 worship with contrasted with aiśvarya, 1.1246 Magha bathing in the month of Bhagavan’s abode attained by, 11.535 included in arcana, 11.522 dear to the Vaisnavas and Bhagavan, II.534 observance of, 11.536 maha-bhāgavata effects of service to, 11.224 hearing the qualities of, 11.253 on the path of worship, 1.1213, 1.1220, 1.1234 perform kirtana in Kaliyuga, 11.364 service to in the form of paricarya, II.216, II.218 service to precedes other types of bhakti, 11.233 service to recommended, II.175 sevā to of two types, 11.178 mahabhava found only in the gopis, 11.211 mahantas mahattvam of, 1.1139 sammukhya common to all, 1.1142 two types of, 1.1137, 1.1141, I.1143 mahat disrespect of in worship, 11.542 hari-katha to be heard from, II.276 hearing from hierarchy of importance regarding, 11.291 hearing from of two types, 11.274 hearing hari-katha from, 11.278, 11.280 offense to mitigation of, 11.550 two qualities of hearing hari-katha from, 11.282 Mahāvīra followers of as heretics, 11.625 Mahavisņu desired to see Krsna, 11.343 939 References manana doubts dispelled by, 1.1263, 1.1268 faith in Bhagavan occasioned by, 1.1284, 1.1289 faith in bhajana occasioned by, 1.1291 on the path of deliberation, 1.1284 on the path of jnana, 11.9, 11.12 on the path of vicara, 1.1267 mānasa-pūjā glory of, 11.464 of Bhagavan, 11.461 ontological reality of, 11.462 pleasing for all human beings, 11.425 related to the aprakața-lila, 11.473 rules of purity non-applicable in, 11.474 Vrndāvana as adhisthāna in, 11.475 Manasi Gangā Gangā as in Vraja, 11.455 mantra application of in nyasa, II.461, 11.466 as vācaka, 1.1217 assignment of to an earthen altar, 11.504, 11.509 bhakti to be aimed at by, 1.485 contrasted with the name, 11.432, II.440 defects in, 1.510, 1.728 devata of to be understood, 11.426 dikşă required for, 1.1303, 11.428, 11.430 Durga engaged in protecting, 11.446 eight types of bhakti to, 11.519 for offering food mantra of Krsna preferred, 11.511 four types of, 11.440 guru as identical with, 11.163 guru initiates into the mystery of, II.162 independent of classification, 11.433 kama-gayatri worship of Bhagavan by, II.461 mahā best form of nama-kirtana, 11.372 chanted by Caitanya, 11.298 940 Subject Index meaning of can be adjusted in meditation, II.513 meditation regarding adhisthānas of worship, 11.508 meditation on meant for liberation, 1.981 of Bhagavan a cannibal purified by, 1.893, 1.904 of eight syllables meaning of namaḥ in, 11.153 surrender implied in, 11.512 of eighteen syllables devas preside over the divisions of, 11.448 Durga as presiding deity of, 11.445 elucidation of, 1.1076 meditation on Krsna via, 11.626 to be repeated, 1.902 of Gopala as self-manifest, II.434 of Kṛṣṇa initiation into grants liberation, 1.869 of Nrsimha as king of mantras, 1.569 utterance of by Visvaksena, 1.568, 1.572 of the names of Bhagavan worship by, 11.518 of the Vedas as persons, 11.685 of twelve syllables Bhrgu taught to Markandeya, 1.691 Narada initiated Dhruva in, 1.771 one of five types of statements in the Vedas, 1.665 one of nine sacrificial acts, 1.1214 related to upāsanā-kända, 1.198 required for deity worship, 1.1304 savitri related to săvitra birth, 1.278 to be accepted from a Vaisnava guru, 11.175 to be kept secret, 11.774 to be received from a Vaisnava guru, 1.1303, 1.1304 941 References to invoke Bhagavan’s presence in the deity, 11.471 to study the Vedas, 1.481 unceasing fruit of, 1.382 uttering of Kṛṣṇa not controlled by, 11.179 Vaisnava to be accepted with dikṣā, 11.422, II.426 Vedic and Tantric worship by, 11.439 Märkandeya astrologer predicted the death of, 1.691 conquered over death, 1.691 described as a pure Vaisnava, 1.561 honored more than santa-bhaktas, 1.560 learnt the twelve-syllable mantra from Bhrgu, 1.691 prayed to Siva for bhakti, 1.557, 1.564 samadhi of, 1.565, II.391, II.393 absorption the key factor in, 11.656 samadhi of analyzed, 11.395 Mathura as adhisthäna of Krsna, 11.475 as maha-adhisthāna of Krsna, 11.469 Krsna restricted in, 11.719 offenses mitigated by service to, II.549 superior to Vaikuntha, II.414 visiting of included in mahat-seva, 11.415 visiting of included in pada-sevana, 11.412 mati (devotional regard) maya attained by faith in Srimad Bhagavata, 11.310 attained by hearing, 11.256 attained through present or past association, 1.1094 attained through sat-sanga, 1.1090, I.1091, I.1097 for Hari-katha begets detachment, 11.601 as avidya-karma, 1.1219 as upadhi of atma, 1.168 bondage due to the influence of, 1.385 conquered by dasya, 11.564 942 covers the jivas, 1.20 Subject Index devotees easily conquer over, 1.369 devotees not hindered by, 11.723, 11.724 fear as the outcome of, 1.17 influence of on the jiva, 1.11 jīva covered by, 1.21 Kṛṣṇa appears as a human being by the influence of, 11.661 Krsna veiled by, 11.652 Kṛṣṇa’s aiśvarya concealed by, 11.713 living beings bound by, 11.159 no presence of in Vaikuntha, II.445 svarupa-sakti frees one from, 1.168 tatastha-sakti overpowered by, 1.1081 tattva as the ground of, 1.83 the cause of asmrti, 1.16 transcendence of, 1.29 uttama-bhaktas free from, 1.1191, 1.1195 uttamas perceive the world as a display of, 1.1187 various paths propagated due to, 1.406 Mimāmsakas apūrva postulated by, 11.65 two views of regarding apurva, 11.60, 11.66 view of regarding dharma, 1.151 Mohini Rudra’s bhava toward illegitimate, II.599 mudrās instructions for in worship, II.462, II.467 to be avoided in rāgānuga, 11.467, 11.632 munis Nabhi devoid of bhakti bound in samsara, 1.626, 1.631, 1.632 Rṣabhadeva appeared as the son of, 11.50 Nalakuvara and Manigrīva as Madhukantha and Snigdhakantha, 11.207 blessed by Narada, 1.1094, 1.1097, 1.1102 grace on as unconditional, 1.1125 nāmābhāsa destroys sins, 1.851 943 References functions on the power of bhakti, 1.889 sins removed by, 11.300 uproots sins, 1.847 namaskara (obeisance) sins absolved by, 1.859 Nanda and Yasoda superior to Vasudeva and Devaki, 11.721 Nanda Mahārāja Krsna to be worshiped as the son of, 11.710 Pariksit extoled the fortune of, II.712 raga of toward Bhagavan, 11.598 Narada attainment of not credited to varṇāsrama, 1.318, 1.324 bhakti of as rāgātmikā, 11.687 Brahma engaged in bhakti, 1.321 Citraketu blessed by, II.194 criticized Vyasa, 1.1319 cursed by Daksa, 1.940 Daksa offensive to, 1.937, 1.939 delighted in hearing the Bhagavata, 1.24 delineated the process of deity worship, 11.440 describes his attainment of prema, 1.1145 devas did not receive the grace of, 1.1102 development of bhakti in, 11.777, II.784 establishes bhakti by anvaya-vyatireka, 1.277, 1.281 examines Yudhisthira’s question, 11.647 first category of bhakta siddhas, 1.1144, 1.1151 grace of as unconditional, 1.1125 guna-kirtana exemplified by, 11.344 informed Prthu of Vena’s condition, 11.642 initiated Dhruva, 1.771 inquires as to Brahma’s source, 1.240 instructed by Brahma to elucidate bhakti, 1.701 instructed Prahlada in bhakti, 1.307 instructed Vyasa in bhakti, 1.703 instructed Vyasa regarding the Bhagavata, 1.706 Kubja blessed by in past life, 11.196 longing of intensified, 1.931 Nalakuvara and Manigrīva blessed by, 1.1094, 1.1097, 1.1102 944 Subject Index narrated lila-katha to Dhruva, 11.271 offended by Daksa, 11.551 parsada body attained by, 11.687 past life of, 11.214 prärabdha-karma of intensified, 1.929 previous life of third category of bhakta siddhas, 1.1144, 1.1151 remained in Dvārāka, 1.1176 ruci-pradhana śravana exemplified by, 1.1283 two previous lives of, 1.324 uttama vision of, 1.1168 Nārāyaṇa aim of Brahman, 1.242 Ajamila’s incidental chanting of, 1.743 as samanvaya, 1.241 Brahma and Siva not equal to, 1.1252 Brahma took birth from, 1.243 eight-syllable mantra of, 11.513 essential nature of, 1.465 in the yoga-pitha, 1.578 indwelling Self of the Virat, 1.183 love for attained in Kaliyuga, II.366 meditation on recommended, 11.381 name of uttered by Ajamila, 1.889 remembrance of, 11.389 remembrance of at death, 1.945 to be meditated on constantly, 1.481, 1.675 worshiped by those who desire mukti, 1.142 nididhyasana on the path of jñāna, 11.10, 11.12 on the path of vicara, 1.1267 vijñāna attained through, 1.1264 Nimbārkācārya Nimi Daśasloki of, 1.545 inquires about the characteristics of devotees, 1.1159 nirguna action and knowledge as, 1.797 945 References agency as, 1.806 Bhagavan as, II.125, II.410 bhagavata-dharma as, 1.811 bhakti means for obtaining, 1.606 bhakti as, 1.404, 1.408, 1.780, 1.795, 1.796, 1.798, 1.816, 1.832 bhakti as by nature, 11.110 bhakti-centered action as, 1.800, 1.803 bhakti-centered knowledge and action as, 1.794 bhakti-matra-kāmā as, II.121 constitutional nature of bhakti, 11.123 end state of jnana, 1.1149 faith as, 1.809 grace of devotees as, 1.796 in kevala-advaita and the Bhagavata, 1.781 jñana and vairagya as, 1.426 kaivalya-jnana leads to, 1.788 mind becomes by seva, 1.532 parameśvara-jñāna as, 1.783 performer of bhakti as, 11.125 sat-sanga as, 1.786, 1.787 temple of Bhagavan as, 1.802, 1.805 nistha (fixity) development of in bhakti, 11.716 development of in Narada, 11.785 develops from the removal of anarthas, 11.784 ensues from ruci, 11.621 in bhakti cause of, 1.397 occurs by sadhu-seva, 11.181, II.182 in Bhagavan attained by kirtana, 11.364 of Pariksit in bhakti, 1.443, 1.450, 1.452, 1.454 through the sabda-brahma of Krsna’s lila, 1.374, 1.378 Nondual Absolute as Bhagavan, 1.610 designated as Vasudeva, 1.158 disclosed in three features, 1.1063, 1.1133 essential nature of described, 1.1131 946 ontologically real, 1.1130 realized by bhakti, 1.82 Subject Index realized in three features, 1.69, 1.1056, 1.1129 three designations of, 1.134 nonduality Nrga fundamental to Vedanta, 1.544 obstructed by the artha-vada offense, 1.898, 1.905 Nrsimhadeva nyasa asuras killed by not liberated, 11.718 blessed all jivas, 1.1099 dispeller of tamas, 1.567 narrates Prahlada’s past life, 1.891 Prahlada not tempted by the boons of, 1.454, 1.972 worship of through Siva, 1.572 assignment of to an earthen altar, 11.504 instructions for in worship, 11.461, II.466 to be avoided in rägänuga, 11.467, 11.632 Nyaya abhava defined in, 1.21 sentence analysis in, 1.807 three defects of definitions in, 11.25 three padarthas posited by, 11.346 pada-sevana as arcana, 11.587 as service to the deity, 1.989 exemplified by Laksmi, 1.986 independent of other practices, II.408 Mucukunda prayed for, 11.407 services included under, 11.412, 11.415 superior to brahmananda, 11.410 vāsanās cleansed by, 11.404 Pandavas as sadhakas, 11.690, 11.691 attained Bhagavan by raga, 11.689 attained perfection by sneha, 11.686 Krsna controlled by, 11.728 Maya blessed by, 11.195 947References para-brahma as word generic significance of, 1.373 Parabrahman as the body of Bhagavan, II.494 characterized as consciousness alone, 1.1057 Krsna as, 11.752 sphürti of Krsna as, II.746 subject of the Upanisads, 1.373, 1.378 the Absolute disclosed as, 1.1057 paramartha-jñana distinguished from vṛtti-jñāna, 1.1131, 1.1134 Paramatma as a self-disclosure of para-tattva, 1.10 as indwelling Regulator, 1.272 as para-brahma, 1.373 as the agent of dreams, 1.182, 1.184, 1.187 Bhagavan appears as, 11.737 Bhagavan present within, 1.610 bhajana of Krsna superior to that of, 11.747 bhakti meant for the pleasure of, 1.324 bhakti toward, 1.1055 Brahma and Siva partial manifestations of, 1.137 characterized as Isvara, 1.1057 deity as the seat of manifestation of, 11.470 ignorance not originated by, 1.19 immanent disclosure of the Absolute, 1.70, 1.1130 immanent within the Virat, 1.186 impartial friendship of, 11.575 in Advaitavada, 1.186 indweller of the body, 11.485 infuses life in the jivas, II.483 jivas as integrated parts of, 1.1077, 1.1078, 1.1081 knowledge and action as potencies of, 1.792 knowledge of as more secret, 11.748, 11.752 Krsna appears as, II.735, 11.736 meditation on as sarva-antaryāmi, 11.740 meditation on recommended, 1.190, 1.191 neutrality of, 1.838 948 Subject Index oneness of with the deity, 1.587 perception of as antaryami, 11.101 potencies partially concealed in, 1.80 prakrti under the control of, II.741 present even in insentient beings, 1.594 primary factor in the outcome of action, 1.496 realized by bhakti, 1.1063 realized by yogis, 1.124 sadhana meant for the attainment of, 11.22 sammukhya toward, 1.1053 sat potency of gunas as manifestations of, 11.411 sky of the heart as adhiṣṭāna of, 11.70 source of the jivas, 1.280 the Absolute disclosed as, 1.1057 to be worshiped in everything, 1.355 two features of, 1.1064 vision of as nondual awareness, 11.744 vision of superseded by that of Krsna, II.741, II.742 Visnu as, 1.303 worship of Krsna superior to that of, 11.750 worship of the devas meant for, 1.151 worship of within the devas, 11.450 worshiped as the antaryami within fire, 11.182 yogis refer to tattva as, 1.80 Paramesvara bhava of accords with the devotional temperament, 11.506 existence of accounts for the fruits of action, 1.1287 friendship with prescribed in sastra, 11.572 pleased by service to guru, II.166 Prthu establishes by three pramānas, 1.1289 Prthu identifies Vişņu as, 1.1288 sättvika worship of, 11.115 Śrutis propound the existence of, 1.1285 the deity perceived directly as, II.471 Pariksit attained the feet of Bhagavan, 1.446 awareness of covered by Bhagavan, 1.930 describes Krsna’s beauty, 11.343 949 References did not desire freedom from calamity, 1.920, 1.922 effects of bhakti evident in, 1.955 inquired about the duty at death, 1.447 inquires about the ultimate good, 11.312 nistha of in bhakti, 1.443, 1.450, 1.452, 1.453 praised the bull for not blaming Kali, 11.321 praised the fortune of Nanda and Yasoda, 11.712 sravanam exemplified by, 1.986 three categories of transcendentalists referred to by, 1.1141 undisturbed by hunger and thirst, 11.284 paroksa-väda criticized by Narada, 1.353 Śrīdhara Svāmi defines, 1.342 Vedas employ the strategy of, 1.343, 1.349 parsadas (parikaras) bhakti encountered in, 1.680 bhakti of as rāgātmikā, 11.604 body of attained by Narada, 11.687 Dhruva attained the bodily condition of, 11.270 envisioning oneself as, 11.460 established in pure friendship, 1.603 hearing about grants perfection, 11.275 hearing about included in śravana, 11.273 in the yoga-pitha, 1.579 worship of devas by, 1.574 Parvati not perceived by Markandeya, 11.391, II.393 Patanjali propagated yoga, 1.407 pati-bhava toward Bhagavan glorified by Suka, 11.676 patras (loci of honorability) accords with the degree of jñana, II.484 based on nobility of birth, 11.493 brahmanas as foremost among human beings, 11.494 honorable even for Krsna, II.496 950 Subject Index deity as superior to human beings, 11.488 supremacy of, 11.480, 11.551 human beings, jñānis, and bhaktas, 11.476 Krsna supreme among, 11.478, 11.640 Pingala describes the manner of raganuga, 11.609 hosted sage Dattatreya, 1.1103 rāgānuga-bhakti exemplified by, 11.607 ruci of in răganugā, 11.607 ruci of in rägätmikä-bhakti, 11.606 sat-sanga inferred in the case of, 1.1093, 1.1102 Prabhakara exhibited the abhimana of a parent, 11.613 Pracetas engaged in karma alone, 11.97 pradhana as the world of duality, 1.334 potency of Bhagavan for creation, 1.1242 Pradyumna Krsna’s fatherhood exhibited toward, 11.616 raga of toward Bhagavan, 11.598 Prahlada ahangrahopāsana exemplified by, 11.16, 11.18 as ekantita, 1.965 as exemplar of bhakti, 1.124 atma-arpana emphasized by, 11.588 attained maha-bhakti by an abhāsa, 1.887 blessed all beings, 1.1098, 1.1103 considered himself as wretched, 1.13 dasya as the attitude of, 11.564 exceptional power of bhakti shown in, 1.762 exhibited the abhimana of a sevaka, 11.612 expressed compassion for living beings, 1.1171 faith of in bhakti, 1.920, 1.922 felt compassion for his father, 1.1177 Narada instructed in bhakti, 1.307 nine types of bhakti enumerated by, 1.985 not tempted by Nrsimha’s boons, 1.454, 1.972 951 References overcame all obstacles, 1.732, 1.734 past life of narrated by Narasimha, 1.891 perceived Bhagavän everywhere, 1.1168 performed bhakti in the womb, 1.689 prayed for freedom from desire, 1.979, 1.984 previous life of, 11.33 received Bhagavan’s true mercy, 1.787 remembrance of Bhagavan unbroken in, 1.1201 seen by Akrura in Bhagavan’s avaraṇa, 11.454 smaranam exemplified by, 1.986 twenty-one generations delivered by, 1.881, 1.885 unbiased nature of illustrated, 1.1198 worshiped devas as vibhutis, 1.574 prakrti as the covering of atma, 1.375 Bhagavan devoid of contact with, 11.651 Bhagavan untouched by, 1.541 criticism relates to, 11.646 devoid of birth, 1.1218 eight categories of, 1.1241 human body constituted of, 1.225 jnana rooted in, 1.538 manas a product of, 1.532 rooted in the gunas, 1.406 subject to origination and dissolution, 1.1265 under the control of Paramātmā, 11.741 pramāņa for Paramesvara direct experience cited as, 1.1287 sruti and yukti cited as, 1.1286 material vision discounted as, 1.1323 of dharma Bhagavan as, 1.315, 1.322 Srimad Bhagavata the highest, 1.48, 1.473 śruti, yukti, and vidvad-anubhava, 1.1288, 1.1289 vidvad-anubhava in the definition of bhakti, II.20 pranava (Om) as mahaväkya, 1.1076 952 Subject Index jivas referred to in the explanation of, 1.1075 nondifferent from Krsna, 1.150 prayojana as anubhava, 1.28 as direct witnessing of Bhagavan, 1.27 para-tattva-anubhava as, 1.15 prema primary topic of the Sandarbhas, 1.473 secondary import of sastra, 1.26 a confidential mystery, 1.701 abhiruci for, 11.655 anubhavas of, 1.1163 as sadhya, 1.50, 1.94 as the aim of sadhana-bhakti, 1.308 attained by hearing Bhagavan-nāma, II.244 attained by hearing Bhagavan’s qualities, 11.253 attained by hearing hari-katha, 11.264, 11.265 attained by hearing in sat-sanga, 11.235 attained by kirtana of the name, 11.301 attained by Kṛṣṇa’s mercy, 1.545 attained by Narada, 1.1151 attained by paricarya, II.217 attained by pleasing Bhagavan, 11.628 attained by primary control of Bhagavan, II.191, II.197 attained by sat-sanga, 11.205 attained by vandana, 11.559 attained only through sadhana-bhakti, 1.194 attained through bhakti, 1.994 awakened in Suka, 1.24 awarded by Bhagavan, 11.574 Bhagavan bound by, 11.247 Bhagavan subjugated by, 1.849 bhakta-mahāntas established in, 1.1139, 1.1141 bhakti as the means of attaining, 1.673 bhakti bestows, 1.964 bhakti with a motive to attain, II.134 contrasted with kama, 1.1167 dependent on sat-sanga, 1.25 desire for as freedom from desire, 11.760 953 954 References development of, 11.784 development of by continuous bhajana, 11.781 dharma of for the nonenvious, II.741 dharma to be given up for, 1.1318 discussed in catuh-sloki, 1.667, 1.670 for Kṛṣṇa exhibited by Kubja, 11.667 glorified by Sukadeva, 11.712 for Narayana attained in Kaliyuga, 11.366 gopis attained for Krsna, 11.682 gopis’ kama as, II.681 gradations of in bhakta siddhas, 1.1146 immediate effect of bhajana, 11.303, 11.780, II.785 induced in Siva by Rama’s name, 11.298 kama of the gopis as, 11.666 karmic predispositions cast aside by, 1.650 Kṛṣṇa as the object of, 11.557 Krsna attained by, 11.515 Krsna subjugated by, 1.411, 1.851 Krsna’s name awards, 11.305 mahattvam accords with the gradation of, 1.1148, 1.1153 manifestation of in uttama-bhaktas, 1.1210 name of Bhagavan can award, 11.317 Narada describes his attainment of, 1.1145 not bestowed on mixed practitioners, II.91 not caused by sadhana, 1.850 obstructed by worldly desire, 1.1192 offenses impossible in, 11.702 primary fruit of remembrance, 11.384 qualitative and quantitative superiority of, 1.1146, 1.1152 result of kevala-bhakti, 1.546 results of bhakti manifest in, 1.955 sadhana matures into, 1.203 sadhya not sadhana, 11.573 sat-sanga leads to, 11.203 the purpose of sat-sanga, 11.236 uttama-bhagavatas perceive in all, 1.1164, 1.1171 worship of a prema-bhakta primary for, 11.499, 11.501 Subject Index preyasis abhimana of rāgānugā undertaken with, 11.612 embodiments of svarupa-sakti, 11.674 raga of toward Bhagavan, 11.598 prthag-bhava Prthu false sense of independence the cause of, 11.157 in practitioners of bhakti, 1.799, II.116, 11.132 in the rajasika practitioner, II.112 in the sättvika practitioner, II.114, 11.115 pure devotees devoid of, 11.133 uttama-bhagavatas free from, 1.1198 arcanam exemplified by, 1.986 desired to hear hari-katha, 11.279 establishes Parameśvara by three pramaņas, 1.1289 faith in bhajana described by, 1.1291, I.1292 śraddha exemplified by, 1.1284 Vena delivered by the influence of, 11.642 Purānas Bhagavan glorified by different names in, 11.324 transgression of calamitous in bhakti, 11.617 Purusa abides in the body as antaryami, 11.482, 11.485 ground of all being, 1.361 jnanis enter, 1.249, 1.534 neglect of results in degradation, 1.358, 1.359 srşti-lilä relates to, II.267 to be worshiped by all, 1.206 puruṣārtha as ultimate good, 1.406 attained by bhakti, 1.318 dāsya as, 11.762 directly manifest to the devotee, 11.781 puruṣāvataras manifestations of visuddha-sattva, 1.135 Purusottama-kṣetra glory of described, 11.413 visiting of included in pada-sevana, 11.412 955 References Purva-mimamsa dharma as defined in, 11.605, 11.617 five types of statements identified by, 1.665 five types of yäga prescribed in, 11.183 fundamental principles of, 11.623 hermeneutics of, 1.662 injunctions crucial to, 1.744 nitya- and kamya-karma in, 11.189 preclusive injunction used in, 1.866 samyoga-prthaktva in, 1.210, 1.212, 1.213 special rules supersede general ones in, 1.1031 view of dharma in refuted, 1.91 view of regarding dharma, 1.77 view of regarding piety and sin, 1.742 Pūtana attained perfection by imitation, 11.620, 11.625 awarded the status of dhatri by Kṛṣṇa, 11.763 queens of Krsna Radha rāga perceive their own prema in all, 1.1165 appears to Ranabārī in a dream, 11.468 in the yoga-pitha, 1.578 Krsna’s lilas with as supreme, 11.767 Rukmini as a name of, 11.455 supreme among all the gopis, 11.768 as defined in raganuga-bhakti, 11.598 bhakti impelled by, 11.599 for Krṣṇa found only in Gokula, 11.708 Narada’s attainment of, 11.687 of Bhagavan’s eternal associates, 11.604 of eternal associates ruci for, 11.628 of the rāgātmikas raganuga impelled by ruci for, 11.718 sneha with sambandha as, 11.689 toward Bhagavan 956 Subject Index various types of, 11.598 rāgātmakas in Gokula rāgānuga that follows as supreme, 11.715 love of makes Krsna forget His Godhood, 11.720 ruci for the raga of, 11.718 Rahugana Bharata blessed with bhakti, 1.1097, 1.1102 räja-yoga Rama rasa does not involve devotional acts, 1.339 accepted food from Sabari, 1.519 asuras killed by not liberated, 11.718 avaraṇa-devatās of, II.454 Ayodhya as maha-adhisthana of, 11.469 bound by social rules and customs, 11.719 Hanuman’s bhakti toward, 11.575 Krsna imitated the lilas of, 11.463 lila of Mainda and Dvivida in, 11.454 mantra of independent of dikṣā, 11.433 name of induces prema in Šiva, 11.298 narrations of not for vairagya, 11.252, II.254 petitioned the Indian Ocean, 11.703 sages of Dandaka developed kama for, 11.678, 11.680 Sītā dear to, II.417 Vibhişana blessed by, II.195 worship of as kevala-arcana, 11.438 akhanda bhakti as, 11.445 Bhagavan as the connoisseur of, II.542 Bhagavan’s natural infatuation with, II.674 guru’s adeptness in tasting, 1.1277, 1.1280 in katha animal killers cannot taste, II.260 induced by hearing, 1.13 of the narrations of Krsna, 1.374, 1.441 957References santa upakaranas of, 11.252 Śrimad Bhagavata abounds with, 11.289 Srimad Bhagavata as, 11.278 Srimad Bhagavata of the nature of, 11.252, II.255 ultimate object of attainment, 1.1217 rasa-līlā rati Krsna disappeared from, 11.775 restriction regarding the hearing of, 11.768 results of hearing, 1.630 as sadhya of Ambarīşa’s surrender, 11.586 attained by lila-kirtana, 11.349 attained through bhakti, 1.309 Bhagavan bestows, 1.823, 1.826 bhakti bestows, 1.821 development of, 11.779 for Krsna continues beyond liberation, 11.759 for the narrations of Bhagavan, II.283 guna-kirtana continues after attaining, II.345 induced by kirtana of the name, 11.303 sadhana-bhakti matures into, 1.824 Rāvana antagonistic to Bhagavan, 1.519 Rṣabhadeva ruci appeared as the son of Nabhi, 11.51 path of condemned, 11.629 propagated a heretical path, 11.327 absence of, 11.622 as impetus for practice, 11.624 as predilection leads to niṣṭhā, 1.397 attained through sat-sanga, 1.1255 bhakti to be enacted with, 1.1015 characteristic of the mind, 11.610 cleansing of the mind begins from, 1.1018 development of in Narada, 11.785 958 Subject Index ensues from śraddha, 1.1020 for a particular form of Bhagavan, 1.1270 for a specific mode of worship, 1.1270 for bhajana intellectual resolve present in, 11.784 for bhakti effects of, 1.953, 1.954 ensues from sat-sanga, 1.398 for hari-katha, II.274, II.601 for hearing attainment of, 1.101 born of sat-sanga, 1.102, 1.105, 1.106 development of, 1.1267 dharma fruitless without, 1.58 for katha an outcome of bhakti, 1.63 bhakti begins with, 1.85 the first step in bhakti, 1.97 for raga of the eternal associates, II.628 for ragatmika-bhakti, 11.600 as a parent, 11.613 as a preyasi, 11.606 as a sevaka, 11.612 propels one in practice, 11.619 for seva cleanses all impurities, 1.1291 in rägänugā exemplified by Pingalā, 11.607 for prema, 11.655 for sneha-prema, 11.690 leads to absorption in Bhagavan, II.635 leads to asakti, 1.119, 1.128 leads to disinterest in material pleasure, 11.633 nistha in bhakti ensues from, 11.621 of Bhagavan for amorous dealings, 11.674 of Pingalā in rāgānuga, 11.607 on the path of taste, 1.1282 959 References practice accords with, 11.602 promotes disregard for liberation, II.628 raganuga impelled by, 11.629, 11.718 rāgānuga prior to the appearance of, 11.626, 11.631 rāgātmika-bhakti incomprehensible for those devoid of, 11.618 required for seva, 11.406 toward a particular form of Bhagavan, 1.1263 two types of obtained by yogis, 1.490 ruci-pradhana-märga for the feelingly inclined, 1.1266 internal worship prominent in, II.610 progress straightforward in, 1.1269 progressive stages in, 1.1264 śravana exemplified in, 1.1282 superior to that of vicara, 1.1265 Rudra bhava of toward Mohini illegitimate, II.599 born from Bhagavan’s fury, 1.442 devotees should not disrespect, 1.581 embodies tamas, 1.567 Rukmini atma-arpana exemplified by, 11.583, 11.590 atma-nivedana of endowed with madhurya, 11.589 not to be worshiped in raganuga-bhakti, 11.467 present as potency in Gokula lilā, 11.455 Sabarī sabda Rama accepted food from, 1.519 Bhagavan self-disclosed through, 1.426 sabda-brahman as the body of Bhagavan, 11.494 of the lilas of Bhagavan, 1.373, 1.378 sadhakas attain bhava by hearing, 11.692 attain gopi-bhava by hearing, 11.688 avara engage in misra-bhakti, 1.1225 do not deviate from bhakti, 1.724, 1.727 960 Subject Index doubts and pride as obstacles for, 11.775 efforts of dependent on Krsna’s grace, 11.786 gopis as attained perfection by kama, 11.687 attained sat-sanga of the eternal gopis, 11.200 gopis, Vrsnis, and Pandavas as, 11.689, II.691 in rāgānugā ahangrahopasana to be avoided by, 11.614, II.616 aspire for gopi-bhāva, 11.680 bhakti-sästra not transgressed by, 11.633 follow the rāgātmikā associates, 11.629 ruci of, 11.630 ruci of for prema, 11.655 in the beginning stage of practice, 11.659 madhyama engage in saksat-bhakti, 1.1230 nāma-kirtana as ultimate good for, 11.311 of jnana take bhakti as secondary, II.91 order of progress for, 11.784 renounced manasa-pūjā suitable for, 11.473 respect for others occurs naturally in, 1.603 restricted in regard to Rama, 11.719 rupa of rāgānugā carried out by, 11.632 should respect all beings, 1.594 Sisupala spoken of as, II.688 slackening of bhakti in, 1.935 Vasudeva and Devaki as exemplars for, 11.713 sadhana as upāsanā, 1.88 association of Bhagavan included within, 11.202 bhakti the preeminent means of, 11.20 completed by the abhimana of dasya, 11.566 gradations of devotees according to, 1.1225, 1.1245 Krsna’s form supremely efficacious for, 11.756 meant for attaining the Self, 11.22 nama-kirtana as supreme means of, II.311 961 References not required for eligible adepts, 1.24 of jñāna inferior, 1.250 involves involution, II.13 offering of to Bhagavan, 11.583 on the path of jñāna, 11.9, 11.12 order of execution, II.274 rägänugă the best of, 11.683 rāgānuga-bhakti as, 11.599 realization regarding to be concealed, 11.773, 11.774 sammukhya as the essence of, 1.28 valueless without bhakti, 1.279 worship of Krsna as foremost, 11.517 sadhya Saiva completed by the abhimana of dasya, 11.566 Kṛṣṇa’s form supremely efficacious for, 11.756 nama-kirtana as supreme form of, 11.311 of bhakti Bhagavan as, 1.775 of dharma bhakti as, 1.961 of jnana inferior, 1.250 of kirtana remembrance as, II.354 offering of to Bhagavan, 11.583 prema as, 11.573 rāgātmika-bhakti as, 11.599, 11.604 realization regarding to be concealed, 11.773, 11.774 remembrance of Bhagavan at death, 1.945 path of not to be followed, 1.573 Tantra of worship of Śiva in, II.458 Vaisnava defined relative to, 1.1252, 1.1253 worshipers of Śiva as independent, 1.565 sakhya Bhagavan controlled by, 11.576 Bhagavan’s abode attained by, II.578 962 Subject Index entails hitasamsana, 11.571, 11.573, II.574 exemplified by Arjuna, 1.986 greater than dasya, 11.572 intimacy greater in, II.575 of Krsna with the animals of Vraja, 11.728 undertaken differently in raganuga, 11.601 with Paramesvara prescribed in sastra, 11.572 sākṣätkära Säkta sakti ahankara dissolved by, 1.123 of Bhagavan as apavarga, II.127 occurs after the removal of impurities, 1.1292 possible after uprooting all desire, 1.1205 subsidiary effects of, 1.120, 1.422 valueless without prema, 1.1147, 1.1152 of Bhagavan through bhakti, 1.119, 1.121 of Brahman navya-sphurti of Bhagavan as, II.746 Tantra of worship of Durga in, 11.458 not independent of the Absolute, 1.69 of Bhagavan liläs with exist in Vaikuntha, 11.674 uttama-bhaktas recognize everything as, 1.1199 Salagrāma adhisthāna of Bhagavan’s form, 11.468 contrasted with the deity, II.470, 11.474 offenses mitigated by worshiping with tulasi, 11.549 Visnu present in, 11.499, 11.501 worshiped as nondifferent from Bhagavan, 11.475 samadhi attained by pada-sevana, 11.403 bliss of contrasted with bhakti, 1.629 distinction between dhyata and dhyeya disappears in, 11.90 gopis’ state compared to, II.211 963 References meant for liberation, 1.981 miseries overcome by, 11.162 nirvikalpa Sukadeva established in, 1.1151 of Märkandeya, 1.561, 1.565, 11.391 absorption the key factor in, 11.656 beyond asamprajñāta, 11.394 of Narada, 1.931 of santa-bhaktas, 11.398 of the lilas of Bhagavan, 1.703 of Vyasa, 11.397 bhakti the abhidheya in, 1.659 bhakti the import of, 1.708 on Bhagavan attained through bhakti, 1.389 samprajñata and asamprajñata, 11.392, II.394 sixth stage of jnana, 1.1150 smaranam persists in, 11.369 sphurti of Bhagavan in, 11.397 stage of smarana, 11.389 two types of in bhakti, 11.398 worship of Bhagavan through, 1.1266 samanvaya (scriptural reconciliation) Krsna’s status as authenticates bhakti, 1.240 Nārāyana as, 1.241 Vasudeva as, 1.156, 1.159 sambandha Bhagavan as the source of, 1.410 described in the first four Sandarbhas, 1.18 of the Vrsnis and Pandavas with Kṛṣṇa, 11.689 primary topic of the Sandarbhas, 1.473 śästra instructs, 1.35 sneha with or without, II.691 vacya-vācaka, 1.9, 1.426 Vrsnis attained perfection by, 11.686 with sneha as rāga, 11.689 sambandhi as object of the relation, 1.10 964 Subject Index Krsna as, 1.426 sämmukhya acceptance of guru as, II.567 as abhidheya, 1.14, 1.27, 1.28, 1.30, 1.39, 1.961, 1.968 as the highest good, 1.1063 as the state of purity, 1.413 attained through sat-sanga, 1.1255 attainment accords with, 1.1050 Bhagavan as secondary cause of, 1.1111 bhakti the most complete form of, 1.48 common to all mahantas, 1.1142 effected by ruci for hearing, 1.1267 established through sat-sanga, 1.1092 foundational orientation of svarupa-sakti, 1.1081 impediment to, 11.214 induced by hearing, 1.12 jñana and ahangrahopāsana as, 11.18 jnana as, 1.36, 1.38, 1.52 jñāna, karma, and bhakti as, 1.37 karma-yoga as, 1.1047 miseries of samsara absent in, 1.1079 nama-kirtana the most effective means of, 11.313 nature of determined by sat-sanga, 1.1137, 1.1140, 1.1149 nirvisesa and saviśesa, 11.7 of Bhagavan, 1.1058 jñāna does not lead to, 1.61 of Brahman, 1.1057 of Citraketu Angira the cause of, 1.1123 of jñāna as immediate intuition of the self, 11.15 of Paramātmā, 1.1058 real meaning of, 11.117 sākṣāt nirviseşa and savišesa, 1.1053 sākṣāt-bhakti as, I.1089 sat-sanga as the sole cause of, 11.202 sat-sanga the cause of, 1.1095, 1.1103, 1.1105, 1.1129, 1.1133 slits the bondage to karma, 1.99 965 References three categories of, 1.993 three paths of described by Kapila, 1.1056 three types of, 1.1064 two types of, 11.8 unattainable without sat-sanga, 1.1106 samsära allotted to the perceiver of duality, 1.597 destroyed by kirtana, 11.364 destroyed by paricarya, 11.217 fear of leads to surrender, II.149 jīvas subjected to, 1.11 karma as the cause of, II.54, 11.58 miseries of experienced by jivas, 1.1079 munis devoid of bhakti bound in, 1.627, 1.631, 1.632 name of Bhagavan delivers one from, 1.872 release from by offering karma, 11.50 root cause of, 1.646 sravana the vessel to cross, 1.374, 1.441 samskaras absence of in Sukadeva, 1.1151 Ajamila influenced by, 1.951 as default mechanisms, 1.407 buddhi influenced by, 1.538 desire and action influenced by, 1.969 desire rooted in, 1.810 five related to worship, 1.1213, 1.1220 in Vedantic epistemology, 11.392 influence of on neophytes, 1.819, 1.1012, 1.1044 mind functions on the basis of, 11.158 mind led astray by, 1.1020 not destroyed by atonement, 1.764, 1.766 of bhakti influence the jiva in the womb, 1.882 of enjoyment weakening of, 1.731 of sin uttama-bhaktas devoid of, 1.1206 present in murcchita-kaṣaya uttama-bhaktas, 1.1209 present in Narada’s previous life, 1.1152 966 Subject Index present in the third category of bhakta siddhas, 1.1148 regarding the worship of local deities, 1.1181 related to karma-yoga creates doubts about bhakti, 1.1000 removed by sadhya-bhakti, 1.847 suspension of in nirbija-samādhi, 11.394 upanayana required to study the Vedas, 11.426 twice-born status attained by, 11.521 upanayana and dikṣa as, 11.458 vāsanās formed from, 1.765 Sanatana Gosvāmī humility exhibited by, II.160 sankalpa result of action corresponds to, 1.91 Sankara Vedanta influence of, 1.543 Sankarsana addressed in regard to bhuta-suddhi, 11.465 Sankhya as sammukhya, 1.36 Bhagavan the highest object of, 1.815 bhakti contrasted with, 1.851 comes to an end, 1.699 intent upon Nārāyaṇa, 1.242 Krsna not controlled by, 1.52, 11.179 not directly related to Kṛṣṇa, 1.410 pointless without bhakti, 1.278, 1.282, 1.522 practiced in the womb, 1.878 qualities of the elements in, 11.248 remembrance of Bhagavan as sadhya of, 1.945 remembrance of Bhagavan the fruit of, 1.946 subsumed under jñāna, 1.37 sankirtana Caitanya as the father of, 11.372 Kaliyuga extolled due to, 11.360 recommended by Caitanya, 11.354 recommended for Kaliyuga, 11.357 superior to kirtana, 11.352 967References sannyasa Krsna not controlled by, 11.179 misery experienced in, 1.541 santa-bhaktas (sama-bhaktas) abheda-drşti of, 1.559 cherish the vision of equality, 1.565 Markandeya was not, 1.561 saraṇāpatti sastra ananya-gatitvam of two types in, II.149 foremost in vaidhi-bhakti, 11.157 glorified by Uddhava, 11.156 living in a temple included in, II.412 perfection attained by, 11.161 six symptoms of, II.151, II.153, II.154, II.159 symptom of sraddha, 1.1026, 1.1032, 1.1033, 1.1042 undertaken in two ways, II.159 abhidheya one of four primary topics in, 1.665 as authority in the matter of guru, 1.1323 ascertainment of the meaning of, 1.1263 bhakti relevance of in rāgānuga, 11.633 bhakti as the intention of, 11.131 bhakti established in, 1.671, 1.674 bhakti propounded by, 1.127 bhakti recommended in, 11.145 criticism of a grievous offense, 11.330 dependence on in vaidhi-bhakti, 11.691 devotion impelled by as defective, 1.1072 dharma injunctions in, 11.183 transgression of, 11.627 disregard of by accepting an unqualified guru, 11.174, 11.177 disrespect of criticized, 11.622, 11.625 faith impossible in ignorance of, 1.1041 faith in protects devotees, 1.731 faith in protects one from sin, 1.1020 friendship with Paramesvara prescribed in, II.572 guru must be deeply versed in, 1.1273 968 Subject Index guru worshiper as true knower of, 11.164 half-a-hen principle in regard to, 11.430 import of in bhakti alone, 1.513 importance of in bhakti, 1.426 infallibility of, II.167 injunctions in regarding bhakti, 11.143 injunctions of two types of transgression of, 11.627, 11.632 instructs abhidheya and prayojana, 1.26 instructs sambandha and abhidheya, 1.35 kama for Bhagavan not opposed to, 11.675, 11.679 Krsna as the import of, 1.150 learnt from the śravana-guru, 1.1298, 1.1304 neophytes not skilled in, 1.1182 nirguna-śraddha in, 1.23 non-Vaisnava devotees should not deride, 1.580 offenses described in, 1.901 ordains meditation on Bhagavan as nondual, 11.390 prescribed duties ordained in, 1.61 primary intention of, 1.26 radical nondualism contradicts, 1.377 recommends various paths, 1.520 reflection upon results in faith, 1.1289 sat and asat, 1.570 second mode of receiving, 1.24 source of knowledge of Bhagavan, 1.482 śraddha as trust in, 1.1008, 1.1013, 1.1026, 1.1043 śraddha based on, 1.1045 statements of inspire faith, 1.1033 study of bhakti as fruit of, 1.479 essential for sraddha, 1.1042 from a qualified teacher, 1.85 importance of, 1.55 not to be undertaken independently, 1.108 Suta selects the essence of, 1.49 svarupa-siddha-bhakti as abhidheya of, 11.35 teaches what is to be avoided, 1.188 969 References theoretical knowledge of as vṛtti-jñāna, 1.632 three ways to follow, 1.502 truths of disclosed by the śravana-guru, 1.1306 two divisions of, 11.521 two modes of reception of, 1.23 universal concordance of, 1.662 vaidhi as that which is prescribed in, 11.695 vaidhi-bhakti dependent on, 11.634 Vaisnava purpose of, 11.628 sat-sanga always beneficial, 1.1102 as abhidheya, 1.1254, 1.1256 as parama-guhya-tattva, 11.207 as parama-nirguna, 1.786 beginningless ignorance removed by, 1.1107 Bhagavan included within, 11.202 bhakti impossible without, 1.1132 bhakti manifests through, 1.1254 bhava attained by, 11.206, 11.209, II.210 cause of bhakti, 11.134 cause of sammukhya, 1.1095, 1.1105 cause of supreme purity, 1.1127 cause of the jiva’s deliverance, 1.1100 cause of the predilection for bhakti, 1.1149 detachment ensues from, 1.354 determines the nature of sammukhya, 1.1137, 1.1140 effective even without jñana, 11.213 effects of on different classes of beings, 11.192, 11.198 faith transmitted by, 1.1267 four scenarios involving, 1.1100 grace of Bhagavan available through, 1.1114 importance of, 11.238 independent of other means, II.201 inferred in the case of Gajendra, II.195 inferred in the case of Pingala, 1.1093, I.1102 Krsna controlled by, 11.179, 11.180, 11.185 leads to prema, 11.203 mati attained through, 1.1090, 1.1091, 1.1097 970 sattva Subject Index nistha in bhakti attained by, II.182 nondual consciousness attained by, 1.1132 not reliant on other means, 11.181, II.184 obtained by the will of saints, 1.1119 predilection for bhakti ensues from, 1.399 prema the purpose of, II.236 primary and secondary control by, 11.197 primary cause of Bhagavan’s grace, 1.1112 primary control of Krsna by, 11.205 ruci for hearing attained by, 1.102 sad-acara essential to, 1.1233 sammukhya unattainable without, 1.1106 sastra to be heard in, 1.25 sole cause of sammukhya, 1.1129, 1.1130 śraddha and ruci attained through, 1.1255 śraddha attained by, 11.784 the Absolute attained by, 1.1133 with a sadhu of virtuous conduct, 1.1278 jñāna arises from, 11.116 sättvika-bhāvas eight in number, 1.234 Satyabhama Gunavati merged in the body of, II.534 past life of, 11.533 status of attained by the Ekadasi vow, II.532 Satyayuga sevā as Kaliyuga by Govinda’s absence, 11.368 contrasted with Kaliyuga, 11.357, II.364 people of pray for birth in Kali, 11.366 predominance of sattva in, 11.487 as svarupa-siddha-bhakti, 11.35 as the fruit of birth, 1.278 connotes a favorable temperament, 11.700 consists of six acts, 1.1266 constitutional nature of bhakti, 11.124 devas place obstacles on the path of, 1.296 devoid of hardship, 1.250, 1.534 971 References devotees attuned to, 1.266 dharma, artha, and kama to be carried out as, 1.392 in raganuga, 11.632 independent of other practices, 11.408 indicated by Krsna’s lotus feet, 11.586 jnana sharpened by, 1.290 meaning of the verbal root bhaj, 11.20 meant to be performed with reverence, 11.404 mind directly tranquilized by, 1.532 one of nine sacrificial acts, 1.1214 performed out of love, 1.250 präkṛta Durga not the presiding deity of, 11.446 recommended for purification of heart, 11.405 ruci for cleanses all impurities, 1.1291 svarupa-laksana of bhakti, 11.21 to maha-bhagavatas effects of, 11.224 in the form of paricarya, 11.216 of two types, 11.178 precedes other types of bhakti, 11.233 to sadhus effects of, 11.234 in the form of paricarya, 11.218 nistha in bhakti occurs by, 11.182 not reliant on other means, II.181 ultimate state of liberation, II.122, II.126 sevakas abhimana of in raganuga, 11.612 in Vraja siddhas psychology of, 11.616 bhaktas prema the common feature of, 1.1146 three categories of, 1.1144, 1.1150 jivan-muktas contrasted with, 1.1142 jnänis and bhaktas among, 1.1149 nama-kirtana as ultimate good for, 11.311 siddhi 972 Subject Index as the fulfillment of worship with desire, II.512 asuras attained, 11.707, 11.718 attained by meditation on Bhagavan, 11.469 attained by raganuga-bhakti, 11.618, II.670 attained through yoga, 11.757 in the eighteen-syllable mantra meditation, 11.626 through an unprescribed path, II.664 siddhopadeśa sin as implied injunction, 1.174, 11.702 Krsna’s statement as, 1.1073 four stages of, 1.765 Śiśupāla Sītā Šiva attained perfection by enmity, 11.686 attainment of questioned, 11.646 avesa in Kṛṣṇa exemplified by, 11.697 Bhagavan attained by, 11.639 did not attain Bhagavan by practice, 11.688 enmity natural in, 11.694 enmity of gopis’ kama contrasted with, 11.672 envy of toward Krsna, 11.644 example of to illustrate absorption, 11.659 history of, 11.639 imprinted with Krsna’s form, 11.698 liberation attained by, 11.642, 11.699 liberation of due to absorption in Kṛṣṇa, 11.656 liberation of as appropriate, 11.653 liberation of questioned, 11.647, 11.655 mayika form of Krsna seen by, 11.652 perfection attained by, 11.666 spoken of as a sadhaka, 11.691 dear to Rāma, 11.417 accepted the Ganga on his head, 1.652, II.413 appeared in Märkandeya’s samadhi, 1.561 as existential seat of Visņu, 1.566, 1.572 973 974 References as guṇāvatāra, 1.135 awarded a dangerous boon to Bakasura, 1.556 Bana blessed by, II.194 Bhagavan impels the life current of, 1.836 Bhagavan’s name induces absorption in, 11.299 bhakti incumbent on, 1.651 considered as a great Vaisnava, 1.568, 1.583, 1.1253 could not protect Durvasa, 11.340 Daksa offensive to, 1.937, 1.939 dear to the devotees, 1.560, 1.1172 delimited by tamas, 1.135 disrespect of a severe offense, 1.582, 1.584, 1.594 distinguished among Vaisnavas, 1.564 friend of Kubera, 1.583, 1.585 independent worship of, 1.569 intrinsic nature of concealed, 1.1036 Krsna honored by, 11.728 manifest in akincana-bhaktas, 1.623 modes of worshiping, 1.137 name of not independent of Visņu, 11.327 names awarded to, 11.325 Narasimha worshiped in the form of, 1.572 no authority of over the Vaisnavas, 1.864 nondistinct from Bhagavan, 1.1325 not a jīva, 1.136 not equal to Narayana, 1.1252 not equal to Visņu, 1.558 not independent of Visņu, 1.565 not perceived by Markandeya, 11.391, II.393 not to be considered independent of Visnu, 11.315, II.325 not to be worshiped as independent god, 1.131 offended by Daksa, 11.321, II.551 one with and distinct from Kṛṣṇa, 1.1327 petitioned by Dakṣa, 11.550 portion of Krsna’s portions, 11.322 prema induced in by Rama’s name, 11.298 prominence of among the devas, 1.564 recommends nama-kirtana for Kaliyuga, 11.313 regard for on the Saiva path, 1.1252 Subject Index Rudra-gita of, 1.273 superior to Brahma, 1.138 to be worshiped as a Vaisnava, 1.557 vision of Krsna superior to, 1.563 worship of by Prahlada, 1.574 worship of in Saiva Tantra, 11.458 smarana (remembrance) aided by service, II.405 as arcana, 11.588 attained by hearing, 1.88, 1.460, 1.487 bestows all good fortune, 1.723 Bhagavan controlled by, 11.386 characteristic of an uttama Vaisnava, 1.113 effects of, 1.462 exemplified by Prahlada, 1.986 five stages of, 11.388, 11.392 Jada Bharata absorbed in, 1.325 kirtana superior to, 11.369, 11.372, 11.384 lila as sevā, 1.1266 not restricted to Bhagavan’s feet, 1.862 of an uttama Vaisnava, 11.391 of Bhagavan as the purpose of all injunctions, II.624 atonement accomplished by, 1.1025, 1.1032 constant in uttama-bhaktas, 1.1190, 1.1195, 1.1200, 1.1210, 1.1212 destroys all calamities, 1.920 ensues from devotion to guru, 1.1312 overrides Yama’s authority, 1.863 primary fruit of all paths, 1.946 rooted in love, 1.1207 of Bhagavan-lila purity of heart required for, 11.276 of Bhagavan’s name and form, 11.383 of Kṛṣṇa essence of all practice, II.353 of Narayana at death, 1.945 Prahlada protected by, 1.733 975 References Smrti sneha of rahasya-lila meant for the dhira, 11.769 pada-sevana to be accompanied by, 11.403 purity of heart required for, 11.380, 11.382 abandonment of the injunctions of, II.151 Agamas have the same authority as, II.458 as the root of dharma, 1.315, 1.322 associated with karma-kända, 1.873 known as Agama, 11.521 transgression of calamitous in bhakti, 11.617 welfare acts prescribed in, 11.183 absorption in Bhagavan through supreme destination attained by, 11.664 as abhiruci for sneha-prema, 11.655, 11.690 cannot be enjoined, 11.654 of the nature of divine love, 11.666 Pandavas attained perfection by, 11.686 with or without sambandha, 11.691 with sambandha sphurti as rāga, 11.689 of Bhagavan by lila-kirtana, 11.346 development of by continuous bhajana, 11.781 immediate effect of bhajana, 11.303, 11.780 in samadhi, 11.397 of Krsna as Parabrahman, 11.746 as the culmination of His worship, 11.745 śraddha (faith) according to the gunas, 1.809 accords with nature, 1.145 accords with psycho-physical nature, 1.520 as eligibility for bhakti, 1.425, 1.592, 1.996, 1.998, 1.1003, 1.1006, 1.1011- 1013, I.1041 as eligibility to abandon karma, 1.1023, 1.1031, 1.1231 as the basis of action, 1.810 976 Subject Index as the faculty of acute insight, 1.344 as the grace of devotees, 1.103 attained by sat-sanga, 1.1255, 1.1267, II.784 basic attribute of a practitioner, 1.1020 bhakti independent of, 1.1006, 1.1008 binds devotees to Bhagavan, 1.724, 1.727 demarcation point to give up karma, 1.344 developed by śravana and manana, 1.1263 development of in Narada, 11.784 discernment as co-extensive with, 1.351 doubt overcome by, 1.86 importance of in bhakti, 1.129 in a specific bhajana-märga, 1.1264 in Bhagavan occasioned by manana, 1.1284, 1.1289 in bhajana occasioned by manana, I.1291, 1.1293 in bhajana of Krsna, 11.749 in devotees, 1.102 in the practice of bhakti, 1.1268 marks the beginning of bhakti, 1.191 matures through deliberation, 1.87 necessity of, 1.1014 of the neophyte, 1.730, 1.1180, 1.1182 on the path of taste, 1.1282 pertains to sadhana-bhakti, 1.848, 1.851 practical applications of, 1.1035 practice accords with, 11.597 promotes absorption in bhakti, 11.573 result of action corresponds to, 1.91 saraṇapatti a symptom of, 1.1026, 1.1032, 1.1042 sastriya as nirguna, 1.23 as trust in the import of scripture, 1.1008 protects one from sin, 1.1021 worship rooted in, II.438, II.441 sastriya and laukika, 1.105, 1.1037, 1.1038, 1.1045, 1.1181 success in bhakti dependent on, 11.775 symptoms of, 1.1033, 1.1042, 1.1043 977References the wise firmly established in, 1.1079 śravana all limbs of bhakti preceded by, 1.442 definition of, II.243 doubt dispelled by, 1.122 exemplified by Parīksit, 1.986 from a mahat two qualities of, 11.282 gopi-bhava attained by, 11.688 hierarchy of importance in, II.291 includes hearing about Bhagavan’s parikaras, 11.273 of Bhagavan established by vyatireka, 11.260 of Bhagavan-guna animal killers indifferent to, 11.258 bestows mati for Bhagavan, 11.256 bhakti attained by, 11.250 established by vyatireka, 11.261 of Bhagavan-lilä jnana ensues from, 11.263 slits the noose of death, 11.271 Srimad Bhagavata manifested for, II.266 transphenomenal in nature, 11.272 of Bhagavan-nama power of, 11.243 of Bhagavan-rupa Bhagavan bound by, II.246 leads to immediate experience, 11.248 no end to, II.249 of hari-katha attachment for, 11.264 two types of, 11.274, II.276 of hari-katha from a mahat, 11.278, 11.280 of Krsna cleanses the heart, 1.107 of lilä-katha preeminence of, 1.443, 1.450 of rahasya-lilä meant for the dhira, 11.769 978 Subject Index of rasa-līlā results of, 1.630 of Srimad Bhagavata preeminence of, 11.286 of the qualities of Bhagavan’s devotees, 11.253 on the path of jñāna, 11.9, 11.12 on the path of vicara, 1.1267, 1.1268 on the paths of taste and deliberation, 1.1282, 1.1283 one-pointed attention in, 1.94 primary bhagavata-dharma, 11.42 recommended order of, 11.274 smarana dependent on, 1.88 to ascertain the meaning of sastra, 1.1263 Śrīdāmā prayed for bhakti to Kṛṣṇa, 11.573 raga of toward Bhagavan, 11.598 Śrīdhara Svāmī establishes bhakti as abhidheya, 1.233, 1.235 Srimad Bhagavata abounds with rasa, 11.289 akaitava bhakti propounded in, 11.36 as sat-săstra, 1.570 benefit of hearing from a mahat, 11.293 Bhagavan captured by those who hear, 1.12 bhakti as the purpose of, 1.475 bhakti established by all teachers in, 1.190 bhakti glorified throughout, 1.659, 1.660 bhakti one of ten primary topics of, 1.664, 1.666 brought forth and sung by mahats, 11.280 catuh-sloki of bhakti established in, 1.667, 1.670, 1.671, 1.673 transmitted by Bhagavan, 1.705 vicara-pradhana-sravana of, 1.1283 classed as kavya, 1.1100 concurrence of opening and closing statements in, 1.658 dharma of, 1.317 dharma of for the nonenvious, II.741 essence of Vedanta, 1.544 establishes Vasudeva as the source, 1.157 979 References Sruti example of mahad-avirbhävitam, 11.275 hearing of grants supreme delight, 11.279 hearing of leads to nistha in bhakti, 1.110 hermeneutics of bhakti established by, 1.657, 1.662 highest pramana, 1.48, 1.473 import of in Bhagavan, 1.471 importance of the name a central theme of, 11.308 integral nondualism of, 1.780 Krsna the primary subject of, 1.129 manifested according to Narada’s instructions, 1.707 manifested to hear Bhagavan-līlā, 11.266 nama-sankirtana mentioned in, 11.372 of paramount importance in Kaliyuga, 11.379 of the nature of rasa, 11.252, 11.255 offenses to the name depicted in, 11.320 paramount in Krsna’s lila-katha, I.111 preeminence of, II.286, 11.288, II.291 sound representation of Krsna, 11.381 Suka describes the glory of, 11.309 Sukadeva studied from his father, 11.764 two characteristics of, 11.289 two schools of, 1.713 Vyasa and Narada delighted in hearing, 1.24 Vyasa’s samadhi the basis of, 1.709 abandonment of the injunctions of, II.151 dharma of eligibility for restricted to three varnas, II.521 hearing and realization of, 11.248 propounds the existence of Paramesvara, I.1285 transgression of calamitous in bhakti, 11.617 Śrutis (personified) as highest authority, 11.685 attained the mood of amorous love, II.681 conversant with all sadhana and sadhya, 11.683 nitya-gopis referred to by, 11.684 status of gopis attained by, 11.682 Sudama 980 Subject Index sudra praised by the residents of Dvarakā, 11.669 characterization of by the gunas, 1.71 Sukadeva Suta aspired for liberation, 1.430, 1.433 beloved of the devotees, 1.1173 bhakti the import of his teachings, 1.450 concluding instruction of in bhakti, 1.441 describes the glory of Srimad Bhagavata, 11.309 did not need to perform sadhana, 1.24 drawn to the lilas of Bhagavan, 1.453 gave up his fixity in Brahman, 11.764 kirtanam exemplified by, 1.986 offers instruction for the dying, 1.447 opening and closing instructions of in bhakti, 1.451 Parikṣit absorbed in hearing from, 11.285 praised by Parikṣit, 1.444 recommended bhakti to Pariksit, 1.452 samadhi of, 11.398 second category of bhakta siddhas, 1.1144, 1.1151 singles out nama-kirtana, 11.312 Srimad Bhagavata emanated from the mouth of, 11.279 Śrimad Bhagavata sung by, II.281 Suta related the teachings of, 1.468 took lessons from Janaka, 1.1103 transformed by the power of Srimad Bhagavata, 11.288 concluding instruction of in bhakti, 1.457 established bhakti as abhidheya, 1.458 related the teachings of Suka, 1.468 svarga (heaven) accrues to the performer with desire, 1.347, 1.352 as petty fruit, 1.513 association of devotees superior to, 11.235 attained by bhakti, 1.429, 1.432, 1.773 Bhagavan the cause of obtaining, 1.1288 bhakti the cause of attaining, 1.720 causality of karma in attaining, 11.65 Citraketu aspired for, 1.429, 1.433 981 References devotees do not desire, 1.296, 1.979 karma generally leads to, 1.1049 obstacle to meditation, 11.369 phantasmagoric, 1.404 semblance of the bliss of Nārāyaṇa, 1.242 Vedas entice with the promise of, 1.349 Vedas prescribe karma for, 1.349 svarupa-sakti as para-sakti, 1.1219 Bhagavan qualified by, 1.1078 Bhagavan transmits to His devotees, 1.1116 bhakti as, 1.815, 1.1100, 11.623 bhakti as an aspect of, 11.35 bhakti as the essence of, 1.377 bhakti invests in its own abhasa, 1.889 dispels ignorance, 1.608 frees one from māyā, 1.168 Ganesa and Durga as embodiments of, 11.445 hladini as an aspect of, 1.827 jīvas not part of, 1.1081 Krsna’s dealings with the gopis as manifestations of, 11.673 not innate to the atmā, 1.399 preyasis as embodiments of, 11.674 sadhana and prema the essence of, 1.850. tattva as the ground of, 1.83 Svayam Bhagavan avesa in unsurpassed, 11.718 instruction of to the cowherd men, II.710 karma to be offered to, 11.54 Krsna as, 1.10, 1.1324, 11.326, 11.381, II.718 preeminence of the birthday of, II.524 present exclusively in Gokula, 11.708 raganuga-bhakti to as abhidheya, 11.721 Vrndavana the abode of, 11.416 Svetadvīpa worship of in pitha-pujā, 11.456 Tantra bhūta-suddhi in, 11.465 division of texts in, II.459 982 tapas three types of, 11.458 Vaisnava Subject Index as Pancaratra or Agama, 1.1305 aims at the intuition of Brahman, 1.242 taṭastha-sakti indenpendent agency absent in, 1.797 jīvas as, 1.10, 1.594, 1.1100, 1.1220 nonindependence of the jiva as, 1.837 Paramātmā qualified by, 1.1078, 1.1081 svarupa-sakti not innate to, 1.399 two classifications of, 1.19 tattva abhidheya as means to realize, 1.19 Bhagavan the complete disclosure of, 1.134 Brahman and Bhagavan disclosures of, 1.377 complete and partial disclosures of, 1.78 defined as advaya-jñāna, 1.69 devoid of three types of bheda, 1.80 ground of all potencies, 1.83 in Advaitavada Brahman as, 1.186 inquiry into as life’s purpose, 1.78 jīvas turned away from, 1.10. manifests according to the mode of contemplation, 1.1064 realization of by bhakti, 1.490 sammukhya toward, 1.12, 1.38 sastra’s intention is to diclose, 1.26 self-disclosed by bhakti, 1.82 self-disclosed in three features, 1.84 the word atma refers to, 1.124 three disclosures of, 1.10, 1.80, 1.248 three steps in the self-disclosure of, 1.88 Tretayuga tulasi contrasted with Kaliyuga, 11.357 deity established as adhisthāna in, 11.486 Bhagavan sells Himself by the offering of, 1.896 garden of 983 References benefit of beholding or planting, II.417 leaves of not to be picked on Ekadasi, 11.527 offenses mitigated by service to, 11.548 recitation of prayers to, 11.548 service to included in sat-seva, II.416, II.418 Visnudasa worshiped with, 1.528 Uddhava bowed down to the brahmanas, 11.231 dasya expressed by, 11.564 described the asuras as devotees, 11.701, 11.704 instruction to as jahal-lakṣaṇā, 1.367 instruction to meant for others, 1.370 jnäna disregarded by, 11.722 Krsna’s final instructions entrusted to, 11.725 marvels at Krsna’s supreme graciousness, II.764 offered obeisance to Duryodhana, 1.1174 played the role of a conditioned being, 1.371 preference of for bhakti, 1.368 suddha-bhakti indicated for, 11.739 upadhis ahankara as, 1.121, 1.122 atma in contact with, 1.1217 influence by proximity, 1.167 jīvas covered by, 1.1078 kaivalya entails freedom from, 11.396 kşetrajña distinct from, 1.1218 niranjana-jñāna dispels, 1.164, 1.458 of ātmā, māyā as, 1.168 worship of Brahma and Siva with, 1.137 upanayana as eligibility to follow the Nigama system, 11.458 required to study the Vedas, II.426, II.427 twice-born status attained by, II.521 Upanisads adhyatma-vidya the subject of, 1.812 Bhagavan the Truth to be known by, 11.613 devoid of lila-katha, 1.383 jnana self-disclosed through, 1.55 Krsna the aim of, 1.152 984 Subject Index meaning of the word brahma in, 1.415 Parabrahman the subject of, 1.373, 1.378 primarily speak of Brahman, 1.544 repetition of practices instructed in, 1.901 Srimad Bhagavata the essence of, 11.289 Vedanta-sutra the synthesis of, 1.157, 1.710 upapati-bhava for Bhagavan not material passion, II.678 toward Bhagavan not sinful, 11.677 Uparicara Vasu blessed the daityas with bhakti, 1.1097, 1.1102 upāsanā as direct worship of Bhagavan, 11.505 bhakti attained through, 1.83 characterized by injunctions known as arcana, 11.587 included in atma-arpana, 11.586 of Kṛṣṇa dissipates rivalry, envy, and disdain, II.744 foremost of all secrets, 11.749 sadhana as, 1.88 sākṣāt sammukhya as, 11.7 sammukhya as, 1.14, 1.968 saviseṣa bhakti as, 1.1060 two approaches to, 11.504, 11.509 upāsanā-kāṇḍa related to bhakti, 11.458 Vaikuntha ancestors carried to by bhakti, 1.722 aprakṛta Durga resides in, 11.449 aprākṛta-devas reside in, 11.448, 11.450 attained by Ajamila, 1.946 attained by bhakti, 1.429, 1.431, 1.534, 1.773 attained by Citraratha, 1.904 attained by Deva and Candra Sarma, 11.533 985 References attained by manasa-puja, 11.474 attained by Mudgala, 1.546 attained by Saivya and Satadhanu, 1.907 attained by Visnudasa, 1.526, 1.529 attained by worshipers of the Sun, 1.577, 1.579 attainment of by Salagrama’s influence, 11.500 Bhagavan as samaşti-guru in, II.453 Gaṇeśa and Durga as eternal servants in, II.444 Kumaras’ visit to, 11.343 Laksmi as the Goddess of, 1.1215 lilas with Bhagavan’s ŝaktis exist in, II.674 Mathura superior to, II.414 residents of devoid of phenomenal bodies, 11.650 Sisupala an eternal associate in, 11.688, 11.691 the Brahman who resides in, 1.841 the goal of bhakti in some Vaiṣṇava schools, 1.474 the place of freedom from obstacles, 1.250 Vedas abound in descriptions of, 1.198 yearned for by Bhagavan’s associates, 1.430, 1.433 vaimukhya ajñāna as, 1.56 as a separatist point of view, 1.28 as root deficiency, 1.413 as the jiva’s defect, 1.21, 1.864 Bhagavan’s grace not available in, 1.1114 bhakti not possible in the state of, 1.1105 cause of samsara, 1.32, 1.1079 counteracted by sammukhya, 1.14 destroyed by nama-sankirtana, 11.372 dharma devoid of bhakti as, 1.46 dispelled through sat-sanga, 1.1091 jiva’s state of described, 1.17 karma indistinguishable from, 1.38, 11.41 offenses as forms of, 1.235 root cause of suffering, 1.27 rooted in beginningless ignorance, I.10 vairagya (detachment) aims of ensue from bhakti, 1.427 as a product of jnana, 11.116 986 Subject Index as eligibility for jñana, 1.996, 1.999, 1.1012 as eligibility to abandon karma, 1.1031 attained by remembrance, II.384 basis of jñāna, 1.394, 1.419 bhakti independent of, 1.424, 1.431, 1.1012 bhakti invested with, 1.83 can assist bhakti, 1.527 dependent on bhakti, 1.60 development of by continuous bhajana, 11.781 ensues from bhakti, 1.53, 1.419, 1.503, 1.534, 1.1189, 11.778 genealogy of kings related to induce, 11.251 immediate effect of bhajana, 11.303, 11.780, 11.785 impossible by one’s own effort, 11.737 in sanga-siddha-bhakti, 11.101 Krsna dismisses, 1.418 manifest in akiñcana-bhaktas, 1.623 not an anga of bhakti, 1.425 not generally conducive for bhakti, 1.423 of jñānis as phalgu-vairagya, 1.1002 of the nature of peace, 11.782 one of Bhagavan’s six majesties, 1.179 practice of not required in bhakti, 1.427 precondition for jñana, 1.344, 1.351, 1.1004 prominent in devotees of Caitanya, 1.1001 sättvika and nirguna, 1.426 somewhat conducive to bhakti, 11.254 Vaisnava abstain from unoffered food, 11.529 aprakṛta-devas to be worshiped by, 11.450 as adhisthāna of worship, 11.502 as pātra foremost among human beings, II.551 beyond all sins, 1.871 Bhagavan pleased by service to, II.226 Brahma and Siva to be worshiped as, 1.557 conduct of not to be judged, 11.231 criticism of a severe offense, 11.320 dasya as the basic characteristic of, 11.565 987988 References defined relative to karma-yoga, 1.1250 defined relative to other paths, 1.1253 defined relative to the Saiva path, 1.1252 devas have no authority over, 1.864 devas to be respected as, 1.584, 1.607 devas to be worshiped as, 1.564, 1.572, 1.578 devas worshiped as vibhutis by, 1.579 dharma of Ekadasi an essential feature of, II.532 Ekadasi to be followed by, 11.187, 11.527 fasting recommended for on Ekadasi, II.529 guidelines for associating with, 11.173 guidelines for service to, 11.179 guru required to be, 11.177 guru who is not to be given up, 11.175 honorable regardless of birth, II.227 Magha dear to, 11.534 minimize violence, II.103 not affected by harsh words, 11.233 offenses to Bhagavan displeased by, 1.900 obstruct bhakti’s fruits, 1.897 pride the cause of, 1.937 six types of, 1.753, 11.318 offenses to be avoided by, 11.538 preeminent among the fivefold worshipers, 1.576 pure honored more than santa-bhaktas, 1.560 Markandeya described as, 1.561 respect to be accorded to, 11.238 sampradaya of guiding authority in regard to worship, 11.428 service to awards perfection, 11.189 should not think themselves superior to brahmanas, 11.231 sin forbidden for, 1.1017 Siva distinguished among, 1.564 Siva regarded as, 1.558, 1.568 Śiva to be worshiped as, 1.563, 1.565 Subject Index status of transgressed by scriptural transgression, II.617 superiority of to non-Vaisnava brāhmaṇas, 11.237 Tantra of worship of Visņu in, 11.458 to be treated as a friend, 11.504 transgression of the dharma-sastra by, 11.627 uttama remembrance constant in, 1.680 remembrance of, 11.391 worship of Siva by, 1.566 worthy of respect, 1.610 Yamadūtas ordered not to approach, 1.691, 1.856 Vaiṣṇava Āgamas worship of devas in, 1.573 yoga-pitha described in, 1.578 vaisya characterization of by the gunas, 1.71 Vallabha-sampradaya eight-syllable mantra of, 11.513 Vamana Bali’s surrender to, 11.591 vandana as independent practice, 11.555, 11.559 as namaskara, 11.557 exemplified by Akrūra, 1.986 Krsna attained by, 11.556 offenses related to, 11.559 one of nine sacrificial acts, 1.1214 Varaha appeared at Sukara-kṣetra, 11.550 conflicting accounts of, 1.879, 1.883 Varaha Purana thirty-two offenses listed in, 11.537, II.540 varṇāśrama as sva-dharma, 11.91 basic principle of, 11.501 bhakti as invariable duty in, 1.647 bhakti distinguished from, 1.461 bhakti superior to, 1.47 989 References bhakti the fruit of, 1.485 birth in as eligibility for karma, 1.517, 1.1013 brahmanas the highest in, 1.518 collapse of in modernity, 1.918 concerned with the dharma of the body, 11.521 determination of varnas in, 1.72 divided according to the gunas, 1.358 duties of given up in ananya-bhakti, 1.1236 meant to please Bhagavan, 1.360 not equal to bhakti, 1.529 execution of bhakti within, 1.395 futility of, 1.509 intended for people in general, 1.319 meant to lead to jñana or bhakti, 1.999 Narada’s attainment not credited to, 1.318, 1.324 Nigamas meant for, 11.458 obligatory duties in, 1.1030 operational structure of, 1.70 perfection of, 1.90 perspective of regarding karma, 11.184 practiced in two ways, 1.487 surrender to Krsna within, 1.395 title of dasa in, 11.567 under the influence of the gunas, 1.781 universal dharma in, 1.315 virtuous and sinful prärabdha in, 1.759 Vişņu worshiped by, 1.152 vyavahārika-guru offers guidance in, 1.1318 yajñas ordained in, 1.579 vāsanās abandonment of through bhakti, 1.119 bhakti destroys, 1.764 cleansed by bhakti, 1.491 cleansed by hearing, 1.107 cleansed by pada-sevana, 11.404 desire rooted in, 1.810 eradication of in suddha-sattva, 1.113 formed from samskäras, 1.765 990 Subject Index freedom from the influence of, 1.120 mistakes prompted by, 1.112 of Ajamila eradicated by the name, 1.949 of bhakti permanently existent, 1.166, 1.169, 1.723, 1.727 the ignorant influenced by, 1.752 transmutation of through bhakti, 1.116 uttama-bhagavatas free from, 1.1192 Vasudeva aišvarya-jñāna prominent in, 11.711 as exemplar for sadhakas, 11.713 deprived of Krsna’s bālya-līlā, 11.712 Krsna controlled by the parental love of, II.714 Vasudeva as samanvaya of all scriptures, 1.156, 1.159 as the Nondual Absolute, 1.1133 Bhagavata establishes as the source, 1.158 dharma meant for the pleasure of, 1.58 import of all scriptures and practices, 1.147, 1.149 Vasudeva and Devaki Nanda and Yasoda superior to, II.721 Vedanta epistemology in, II.392 of Sankara nirguna in, 1.781 Sankara’s influence on, 1.543 Srimad Bhagavata the essence of, 1.544, II.289 vṛtti-jñāna as defined in, 1.1134 wider view of, 1.544 Vedanta-sutra Vedas bheda-abheda propounded in, 1.544 defines Brahman as the source, 1.157 gati-sämanya established in, 1.662 repetition of practices recommended in, 1.901 synthesis of the Upanisads, 1.710 abandonment of the dharma of, 1.1231 abhidheya of 991 992 References bhakti as, 1.404 as highest authority, 11.685 as Krsna’s speech, 1.403 as the root of dharma, 1.316 as the word of Bhagavan, 1.782 Bhagavan as the embodiment of, 1.315 Bhagavan as the foundation of, 1.570 Bhagavan extracted the essence of, 1.198 Bhagavan glorified by different names in, II.324 Bhagavan the object of all acts of, 1.1077 Bhagavan’s feet as the source of, 1.1079 Bhagavan’s name superior to, 11.335 bhakti the essential meaning of, 1.1284 called Nigama, 1.1305 carry the fragrance of Bhagavan’s feet, 11.247 conventional duties of given up in pure worship, II.437 deliberation on by Brahma, 1.84, 1.87 dharma impelled by the injunctions of, 11.623 dharma of opposition to, 11.630 dharma of rooted in the gunas, 1.811, II.82 eligibility to study, 1.518 employ paroksa-vada, 1.343, 1.349 entice with the promise of heaven, 1.349 eternal fruit of, 11.344 eye of the devas, 11.329 fire related to the ritual acts of, 1.133 five types of statements in, 1.665 flowery language of, 1.918 fruitless without lilä-katha, 1.379, 1.382 initiation into the study of, 11.166 injunctions of endowed with Paramatma’s power, 11.623 expressed in five ways, 1.743 two types of, 1.1030 karma-kanda derives its power from, 1.745 known as Nigama, II.458 known as Śruti and Nigama, 11.521 Kṛṣṇa as the source of, 1.322, 1.842 Vena Subject Index Krsna disclosed to Brahma, 1.199, 1.659 Krsna the import of, 1.150 Kṛṣṇa the mystery alluded to in, 1.1215 Kṛṣṇa the ultimate goal of, 1.154 mantra to study, 1.481 Nārāyaṇa the import of, 1.241, 1.243 not to be criticized, 11.315 offense to criticize, 11.327 pranava as embodiment of, 1.1075 prescribe karma as the lenient path, 1.351 for liberation, 1.348 for those with desire, 11.51 promote many different paths, 1.400 propound three paths, 1.197 pursuits of fruitless without bhakti, 1.304, 1.306 rägänuga-bhakti the essence of, 11.634 Ravana learned in, 1.519 ritual acts of pointless without bhakti, 1.278, 1.522 Śankara Vedanta as the teaching of, 1.543 Sonic Brahman, 1.373 speak in a covert manner, 1.341 Srimad Bhagavata equal to, 1.544, 11.309 Śrīmad Bhagavata the mature fruit of, 11.252 study of bhakti as fruit of, 1.480, 1.485 bhakti distinguished from, 1.460, 1.487 Kṛṣṇa not controlled by, 11.179 meant for liberation, 1.981 syllables of equated with the name, 11.334 three divisions of, 11.458 tri-varga of Prahlada’s view of, II.588 two primary divisions of, 1.151 universal concordance of, 1.662 upanayana required to study, 11.425, II.428 upheld by the brahmanas, 11.493 Vasudeva the import of, 1.148, 1.149 993 References absorption in Krsna not attained by, 11.645 cast into hell, 11.641 devoid of the five feeling states, II.693 fall of and deliverance described, 11.642 had enmity devoid of absorption, 11.694 liberation not attained by, 11.702 vicara-pradhana-märga path of ruci superior to, 1.1265 progressive stages in, 1.1264 śraddha in Bhagavan exemplified in, 1.1289 sravana and manana exemplified in, 1.1283 sravana exemplified in, 1.1283 steps of identical in jnana and bhakti, 11.12 three steps involved in, 1.1267 Vidura Ekadasi observed by, 11.535 Krsna visits the home of, 1.833, 1.912 praised as a great devotee, 1.251 vijñāna Virät Visnu attained by remembrance, 11.384 attained through nididhyasana, 1.1264 discussed in catuh-sloki, 1.667, 1.670 perfection of, 1.446 sakṣatkāra as, 1.119 bhakti toward, 1.1055 cosmic form of Paramatma, 1.1064 identity of with the Maha-Purusa, II.446 meditation on recommended, 1.185, 1.191, 1.233 meditation on ultimately rejected, 1.181 meditation on unnecessary, 1.202 Paramātmā immanent within, 1.186 perception of by yogis, 1.183, 1.187 appeared to Visnudasa, 1.529 as an avatara of Bhagavan, 1.10 as gunavatāra, 1.135 994 Subject Index as Supreme Immanent Regulator, 1.233 as Svayam Isvara, 1.565 as the syllable A in pranava, 1.1075 attention of drawn toward the chanter, II.297 beauty of surpassed by Krsna, 11.343 controlled by His devotees, II.577 could not protect Durvāsā, 11.340 devas as devotees of, 1.555, 1.564 devas supported by, 1.584 devas’ boons bestowed by, 1.208 devoid of the gunas, 1.135 Dhruva blessed by, 11.579 embodiment of visuddha-sattva, 1.132, 1.135, 1.555, 1.571 Hiranyakasipu considered as a deva, 1.1065 not to be bathed on Ekadasi, 11.527 predominating devata of sattva, 11.440 present in Salagrāma, 11.499, 11.501 Prthu identifies as Paramesvara, 1.1288 regard for on the Saiva path, 1.1252 Siva as existential seat of, 1.566, 1.568, 1.572 Šiva nearest in being to, 1.139 Šiva not equal to, 1.558 Siva not independent of, 1.565, 11.315, 11.325 Śiva’s name not independent of, 11.327 worship meant exclusively for, 1.607 worship of by the king of Chola, 1.528 distinct from all other duties, 1.721 recommended for all, 1.145 worship of devas as existential seats of, 1.572 worship of in Vaisnava Tantra, 11.458 worship of Vaisnavas superior to, 1.564 Visnudasa story of, 1.525 viśuddha-sattva antaranga-bhakti attained in, 1.392 avatāras as manifestations of, 1.135 Bhagavan as direct embodiment of, 1.133 Bhagavan disclosed in, 1.119, 1.1174 995 References Bhagavan’s abode constituted of, 1.1216 bhakti a functional capacity of, 1.114 bodies of eternal associates constituted of, 11.460 devotees nourished through, 1.136 establishment in, 1.116 manifests in all three states of buddhi, 1.117 sattva not opposed to, 1.138 transcendental to material sattva, 1.134 Vaikuntha residents constituted of, 11.651 vāsanās eradicated in, 1.113 Vişņu as direct embodiment of, 1.132, 1.135, 1.555, 1.571 Viśvanatha Cakravarti Vraja elaborates fourteen step progression of bhakti, 1.128 bhava of the residents of, 11.632 Krsna as friend of the residents of, 11.571 lila of Krsna covers His majesty in, 11.720 rāgānuga-bhakti recommended in, 11.721 sevakas in psychology of, 11.616 Vṛndāvana as adhisthana of Krsna, 11.475 as maha-adhiṣṭhāna of Kṛṣṇa, 11.469 faith in the nonmateriality of, 1.1043 Krsna to be remembered in, 11.461 Krsna unrestricted in, 11.719 Krsna’s friendship with the animals of, 11.728 mudra and nyasa not in tune with the mood of, 11.468 supreme among all holy places, 11.416 Vrsnis as sädhakas, 11.689, II.691 attained Bhagavan by raga, 11.689 attained perfection by sambandha, 11.686 Krsna the worshipful deity of, 11.708 Vrtrasura bhakti of due to Narada, 1.785 bhakti-vasanas of remained intact, 1.723, 1.726 exemplifies the fallibility of karma, 1.510, 1.728 996 Subject Index Indra freed from the sin of killing, 1.751, 1.753 Indra’s killing of not an offense, 11.332 parameśvara-jñāna manifest in, 1.796 Vyasadeva brought forth Srimad Bhagavata, 11.275 delighted in hearing the Bhagavata, 1.24 despondency of, 1.710 instructed regarding the Bhagavata, 1.706 instructed to meditate on the lilas of Bhagavan, 1.705 Kali’s supremacy declared by, 11.362 Narada criticized, 1.1319 Narada instructed in bhakti, 1.703 samadhi of, 11.397, 11.399 bhakti the abhidheya in, 1.659 bhakti the import of, 1.708 Srimad Bhagavata brought forth by, 11.281 vyatireka yajna as logical strategy, 1.61 bhakti established by, 1.277, 1.281, 1.357, 1.507, 1.510, 1.667 logic of, 1.218 sat-sanga’s causality established by, 1.1132 artha required for, 1.77 Bhagavan the deity and direct agent of, 11.59 causality of in attaining heaven, 11.65 competence for in other yugas, 11.358 defects in rectified by bhakti, 1.496 devas’ rewards dependent on, 1.1126 devoid of inherent potency, 11.623 karma synonymous with, 11.86 Krsna as the object of, 1.151, 1.578, 11.64 Krsna not controlled by, 11.179 of Daksa, 1.573 ordained in varṇāśrama, 1.579 performance of by the wealthy, 1.528 precise manner required for, 1.1309 production of the fire for, 1.1308 Rājasuya Kṛṣṇa the supreme patra in, 11.478 997References performed by Yudhisthira, 11.640 worship of devas in, 1.574, 1.579 recommended in karma-kända, 11.458 synonymous with dharma, 1.75 theory of regarding apurva, 11.66, 11.67 Yamadūtas Ajamila protected from, 1.950 authority of overriden by bhakti, 1.863 carry the sinful to Yama’s abode, 1.865 committed the artha-vada offense, 1.940 did not attain Ajamila’s perfection, 1.938 Malini and Avakokila saved from, 1.890 ordered not to approach Vaisnavas, 1.691, 1.856 representatives of the karma path, 11.308 warded off by bhakti-abhasa, 1.889 Yamalarjuna trees liberated by Krsna, 11.710 Yamaraja authority of overriden by bhakti, 1.863 devotional mood of, 1.862 instructed the Yamadūtas, 1.691 Nrga should not have been brought to, 1.906 orders of regarding who is punishable, 1.857, 1.859 preclusive injunction given by, 1.866 unmeritorious karma meted out by, 1.865 Yamuna doorway to Gokula, 11.455 Yasoda bound Krsna by her love, 1.1211 bound Krsna with ropes, 11.720 yoga efforts of to bind Krsna, 11.786 Krsna bound by, II.710, 11.728 Pariksit extoled the fortune of, 11.712 prema of not covered by majesty, 1.1246 saw the universe in Krsna’s mouth, 1.1168 as meditation on atma and Paramātma, 11.90 bhakti distinguished from, 1.530 bhakti mixed with, 1.546 998 Subject Index bhakti superior to, 1.193 bhakti unimpeded by, 1.259 cannot grant love, II.210 comes to an end, 1.699 contrasted with bhakti, 1.531 deity worship minimized in, II.488 devotees attain the results of, 11.726 devotees disinterested in, 11.727 devotees not hindered by, 11.723, II.724 difficult to undertake, 1.264 disregarded as abhidheya, 1.526 gradual progress seen in, 11.785 metanormal powers of devotees do not desire, 1.774, 1.979 one of nine sacrificial acts, 1.1214 path of gradual liberation, 1.192 perfection in dependent on bhakti, 11.26 pointless without bhakti, 1.278, 1.282, 1.522 product of sattva-guna, 1.532 results of attained through bhakti, 1.428 siddhis attained by, 11.757 topmost realizers of, 1.535 with and without bhakti mixture, 1.532 yoga-pitha avaraṇa-devatas in, 11.450 avaraṇa-puja in, II.444 descriptions of in Vaisnava Agama, 1.578 guru present in, 11.453 in temples constructed according to the Agama, 11.459 worship of avarana-devatas in, 11.457 Yoga-sutras yogis isvara-pranidhana in, 1.533 attain only sayujya-mukti, 11.729 Brahman the aim of, 1.77 control speech by silence, 11.354 dejected by the inability to focus their minds, 11.722, 11.724 dharma of, 1.77 greatest among, 1.637, 1.647 999 References liberation not easily attained by, 11.640 meditate on Bhagavan in the heart, II.461, 11.466 mind of, 1.527 obtain no benefit without bhakti, 1.694 perception of the Virat by, 1.183, 1.187 position of Putana not attained by, 11.764 realize Paramātmā, 1.85, 1.125 realize the Absolute as Paramatma, 1.1130 refer to tattva as Paramātmā, 1.80 require the grace of the mahat, 1.1133 see Bhagavan by devotion, 11.700 subject to latent impressions, 1.530 take pride in their accomplishments, II.724 three types of, 1.1052 two types of ruci obtained by, 1.489 unsuccessful in their attempts, 1.491 view of regarding suffering, 1.78 withdraw their minds from Bhagavan, 11.731, II.734 Yudhisthira Asvatthama respected by, 11.231, 11.237 Narada examines the question of, 11.647 Rajasuya of, 11.479 Rajasuya performed by, 11.640 recommends the path of the mahajanas, 1.1108 worshiped the devas as vibhutis, 1.574, 1.579 yuga-avataras yugas worship of forms distinct from, 11.520 bhakti present in all, 1.688 1000 Verse Index abhasatăm ca śanakair (BRS 1.3.54), II.543 abhayam sarvatha tasmai (Garuda Purana), 1.872 abhayam sarvatha tasmai (Rāmāyaṇa 6.18.33), 1.872 abhedenocyate brahmams (Hayasirşa Pañcaratra), 1.1217 abhimani vyapadeśas tu viseşanugatibhyam (vs 2.1.5), 1.1290 abhinnatvän nama-naminoḥ (BRS 1.2.233), II.305, II.319 abhisandhaya yo himsam (SB 3.29.8), 1.799, 1.1198, 11.109, II.116 abhiṣecayitum rājā (Skanda Purana), 11.613 abhivyanag jagad idam (SB 7.3.26), 1.1061 abhiyuktatarair anyair (BRS 1.1.46), 1.1107 abhūta-pūrvaḥ sahasa (SB 1.18.29), 1.930 abhyarcati svalakam unnasam īkṣya vaktram (SB 3.15.22), 1.680 abhyasa-yoga-yuktena (GĪTĀ 8.8), 1.1055, 1.1064 abhyasa-yogena tato (GITA 12.9), 1.525, II.405 abhyase’py asamartho’si (GITA 12.10), 1.525, 11.405 ācāras caiva sadhūnām (Manu-smrti 2.6), 1.316, 1.323 acaryaddhaiva vidya (CHU 4.9.3), 1.1273 ācāryam mām vijānīyan (SB 11.17.27), 1.1275, 1.1320, 1.1323, 11.329 ācāryavan puruso veda (CHU 6.14.2), 1.1273, 1.1307 acaryo’ranir adyaḥ syad (SB 11.10.12), 1.1306 ācāryopāsanam saucam (GĪTĀ 13.7), 1.541 adad anyatra bhagavan (Skanda Purana), 11.324 adanta-gobhir visatām tamisram (SB 7.5.30), 1.1106, 1.1108 adaraḥ paricaryāyām (SB 11.19.21), 11.587 adasas tu viprakṛṣṭām, 1.1103 adau krta-yuge varno (SB 11.17.10), II.487 adau śraddha tataḥ sadhu- (BRS 1.4.15), 1.127, 1.397, I.1015, II.784 adav ante ca madhye ca (Skanda Purana 4.95.12), 1.151 adeha-pätäd yatnena (Narada Pañcaratra), 11.443 1001 References adharam sarva-bhūtānām (Hayasirşa Pañcaratra), 1.1216 adharmadya-catuşkam tu (Narada Pañcaratra), 11.453 adhayo vyadhayo yasya (Skanda Purana), 1.759 adhibhutam kṣaro bhavaḥ (GITA 8.4), 1.1054, 1.1064 adhikari tu vidhivad- (Vedanta-sara 1.6), I.1011 adhiṣṭhānam tatha kartā (GITA 18.14), II.51 adhītas tena yenoktam (Vişņu-dharma), 11.334 adhītavān dvāparadau (SB 2.1.8), II.288, 11.309, II.310, 11.312 adhiyajño’ham evätra (GĪTĀ 8.4), 1.1054, 1.1064 adhyagan mahad akhyānam (SB 1.7.11), 1.433, 1.1173 adhyatma-jääna-nityatvam (GITA 13.11), 1.492, 1.541 adhyatmikānusravanan (SB 3.29.18), 11.99, II.102 admam aşta-dalam tatra (SB 11.27.26), II.457 adveṣṭā sarva-bhūtānām (GĪTĀ 12.13), 1.1233 ady-antavanta urugaya vidanti hi tvam (SB 7.9.49), 1.1265 ady-antavantaḥ kaunteya (GITĀ 5.22), 1.34 adya-prabhṛti kartavyam (Skanda Purana 7.4.24.32), 11.528 adyo’vataraḥ puruṣaḥ parasya (SB 2.6.41), II.267 agamoktena märgena (PP 5.84.52), 11.518 aghacchit smaranam visnor (Vaisnava-cintamani), 11.370 agham dhunvanti kartsnyena (SB 6.1.15), 1.679, 1.746-748 aghayur indriyaramo (GĪTĀ 3.16), 1.999 agnihotram tapaḥ satyam (Atri-smrti), 11.183 agnihotram tatha darsa- (Tattvartha-dipa-nibandha 2), 11.183 agnihotry apavidhyagnin (Manu-smrti 11.41), 1.872 agni-putra mahātmānas (Bhagavata-tatparya-nirnaya 1.10.31), 11.676 agrato vakṣyamaṇāyās (BRS 1.1.44), 1.850 ahaituky apratihata (SB 1.2.6), 1.45-47, 1.49-51, 1.61, 1.114, 1.127, 1.317, 1.323, 1.324, 1.665, 1.768, 1.1201, 11.24, 11.716 ahaituky avyavahita (SB 3.29.12), 1.799, I.1166, II.122, II.123, II.132 aham adir hi devānām (GITA 10.2), I.33, I.158 aham amara-ganarcitena dhatra (Nrsimha Purana 9.2), 1.863 aham bhakta-paradhino (SB 9.4.63), 1.972, 1.1119, 11.218 aham bhaktir iti khyata (Padma Purana, Bhāgavata-mahatmya 1.45), 1.54 aham brahma param dhama (SB 12.5.11), 1.451 aham ca bhagavan brahma (SB 12.10.21), 1.559, 1.562, 1.565 aham ca samsmārita atma-tattvam (SB 12.12.56), 1.467 aham cadhyagamam tatra (SB 1.3.44), 11.320 aham evākṣayo nityah (vP 1.19.86), 11.17 1002 Verse Index aham evāsam evagre (SB 2.9.32), 1.667, 1.1283 aham hi sarva-yajnānām (GĪTĀ 9.24), 1.151, 1.578, 11.64 aham krtsnasya jagatah (GĪTĀ 7.6), 1.1241 aham purātīta-bhave’bhavam mune (SB 1.5.23), 11.777, II.784 aham sarvasya prabhavo (GĪTĀ 10.8), 1.33, 1.187, 1.361, 1.490, 11.67, 11.326 aham sarvesu bhuteṣu (SB 3.29.21), 1.585, 1.592, 1.594, II.491, II.492 aham tv akāmas tvad-bhaktas (SB 7.10.6), 1.970, 1.971, 1.984 aham tvām sarva-papebhyo (GITĀ 18.66), 1.92, 1.1027, 1.1318, II.151, 11.748, II.752 aham uccavacair dravyaiḥ (SB 3.29.24), 1.591, II.492 aham vai sarva-bhūtāni (SB 6.16.51), 11.329 aham vo bandhavo jato (VP 5.13.12), 11.711 aham yogasya sankhyasya (SB 11.15.35), 1.720 aham-mamadi paramo (PP 3.25.18), 11.315 ahankara itiyam me (GITA 7.4), 1.1241 ahankaram balam darpam (GITA 18.53), 1.111, 1.389 ahankara-nivṛttanam (Brahma-vaivarta Purana), 11.154 ahankara-vimüḍhātmā (GĪTĀ 3.27), 11.157 ahankara-yutānām hi (Brahma-vaivarta Purana), 11.154 ahankṛtir ma-kāraḥ syan (PP 6.226.41), II.153 ahany ahani yo martyo (Skanda Purana, Avanti-khanda), 11.547 ähärä vividha bhuktāḥ (Garbhopanisad 4), 1.883 ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithunam ca (Hitopadesa 1.25), 1.220 ahimsa brahmacaryam ca (SB 7.11.8), 1.317, 1.320 ahimsa-satyasteya-brahmacaryaparigraha yamah (Yoga-sutra 2.30), II.101 ahny apṛtārta-karana nisi niḥsayana (SB 3.9.10), 1.28, 1.626, 1.631, 1.632 aho amiṣām kim akari sobhanam (SB 5.19.21), 1.466 aho aty-adbhutam hy etad (SB 7.1.15), 11.639 aho baki yam stana-kalakūtam (SB 3.2.23), 11.763-765, 11.767 aho bata sva-paco’to garīyan (SB 3.33.7), 1.755, 1.762, 11.232 aho bhagyam aho bhagyam (SB 10.14.32), II.571, II.751 aho duḥkhodadhau magno (Garbhopanisad 4), 1.883 aho kṣetrasya māhātmyam (Brahma Purana), 11.413 aho madhu-puri dhanya (Padma Purana, Pätäla-khanda), 11.414 aho nr-janmākhila-janma-sobhanam (SB 5.13.21), 1.295 aho-ratrani punyartham (PP 4.94.8), 1.1252 aikantiki harer bhaktir (Brahma-yamala), 11.435 aikantiki harer bhaktir (Vişnu-yamala), 11.617, 11.621, 11.625 aindrakagneyayāmyāni (PP 6.228.64), II.447 1003 References ajamilo’py agad dhama (SB 6.2.49), 1.1007 ajnacchedi mama dvesi (source unknown), 1.1023, 11.617, 11.626 ajñaḥ sukham aradhyaḥ (Niti-sataka 3), 1.916 ajñānād athavā jñānād (SB 6.2.18), II.299 ajñānam ca nirastam me (SB 12.6.7), 1.446 ajñānenävṛtam jñānam (GĪTĀ 5.15), 1.20, 1.21, 1.55, 1.56, 1.108 ajñānīnah sura-varam samadhiksipanto (Garuda Purana, Acara-kanda 227.35), 11.699 ajñaś caśraddadhanaś ca (GITA 4.40), 1.24, 1.87, 1.351, II.774 ajnayaivam gunan dosan (SB 11.11.32), 1.1023, 1.1228-1232, 1.1235-1237, 1.1245, II.188 ajneṣu tapa-taptesu (SB 12.6.3), 1.444, 1.452 akala-mṛtyu-samanam (BNP 1.37.16), 1.1034 akamad api ye visnoḥ (BNP 1.36.58), 1.870 akamaḥ sarva-kamo va (SB 2.3.10), 1.145, 1.205, 1.207, 1.211, 1.498, 1.501-503, 1.683, 1.720, 1.965, II.20 akāmasya kriya kacid (Manu-smrti 2.4), 1.969 a-karaś capy u-kāraś ca (PP 6.226.22), 1.1075 a-karenocyate vişnuḥ (PP 6.226.23), 1.1075 aklista-buddhya bharatam bhajadhvam (SB 5.5.20), 11.71 akruras tv abhivandane kapi-patir dasye’tha sakhye’rjunaḥ (Padyavali 53), 1.986 akrüre krürake caiva (SB 11.29.14), II.743 akṣaram brahma paramam (GĪTĀ 8.3), 1.1054, 1.1064, II.15, II.16, 11.83 aksīna-vāsanam rajan (SB 10.51.61), 1.527, 1.530 akurvad yāti nirayam (Visnu-rahasya), 11.522 alaksya-lingo nija-labha-tusto (SB 1.19.25), 1.198 alankurvita sa-prema (SB 11.27.32), II.471, II.506 alingana-sthagitam urmi-bhujair murarer (SB 10.21.15), I.1164 aloḍya sarva-sastrani (Linga Purana 2.7.11), 1.481, 1.675, II.381 aloḍya sarva-śāstrāņi (Skanda Purana 4.25.35), 1.481, 1.675, II.381 alpa bhagye dāsa nahi (Caitanya Bhagavata, Madhya-khanda 17.105), 11.567 alpa kari nā māniha (Caitanya Bhagavata, Madhya-khanda 17.105), II.567 amānī māna-daḥ kalyo (SB 11.11.31), 1.1226, 1.1229, 1.1232, 1.1235-1237, 1.1245, I.1248 amāninā mānadena (Padyavali 32), 11.353 amanina månadena (Siksästakam 3), 1.545, 11.353 amanitvam adambhitvam (GITĀ 13.7), 1.541 amayayanuvṛttyä yais (SB 11.3.22), 1.1297, 1.1299, II.32, II.43, II.81 1004 Verse Index amayo yaś ca bhūtānam (SB 1.5.33), II.55, 11.56 ambaṣṭhaḥ sūdryam niṣado (Yajnavalkya-smrti 1.91), 1.1194 ami hi pañca-samskāraḥ (Padma Purana), 1.1213, 1.1234 anadir adir govindah (BS 5.1), 11.326, 11.728 anady-avidya-yuktasya (SB 11.22.10), 1.1273, 11.737 ananda-samplave lino (SB 1.6.18), 1.1145 ananya-cetaḥ satatam (GITA 8.14), 1.1056, I.1064 ananyaś cintayanto mam (GITA 9.22), 1.962, 1.1033, 1.1034 ananyenaiva yogena (GITA 12.6), 1.477 anapekṣaḥ śucir dakṣa (GITĀ 12.16), II.405 anarthopaśamam sākṣād (SB 1.7.6), 1.659 anasaktasya viṣayan (BRS 1.2.255), 1.1002 anaśritah karma-phalam (GITA 6.1), 1.1050 anayos tirthayor ekam (Adi-varaha Purana 177.26), 11.549 aneka-janma-janita- (Brahma-vaivarta Purana), 1.14 aneka-janma-samsara- (Visnu-dharma Purana), 1.1098 anena prasavisyadhvam (GĪTĀ 3.10), 1.74 angani vişnor atha taj-janānām (SB 10.80.4), 1.235 anga-ragarpaṇenaho (SB 10.48.8), 11.668, 11.669 anicchayapi huta-bhuk (Brahma-vaivarta Purana), 1.869 anicchayapi samsprsto (BNP 1.11.100), 1.678 aniho mita-bhuk śäntah (SB 11.11.30), 1.1226, 1.1229, 1.1232, 1.1235-1237, 1.1245, 1.1248 animitta-nimittena (SB 3.27.21), II.89, 11.91 anivedya na bhuñjīta (Brahmanda Purana), 11.530 anivedya tu bhunjanaḥ (Brahmanda Purana), 11.530 añjaḥ pumsām aviduṣām (SB 11.2.34), 1.330, 11.21, 11.23, II.25, II.42, 11.694 annad bhavanti bhūtāni (GITÄ 3.14), 1.75 annadyadeḥ samvibhago (SB 7.11.10), 1.320 anna-pradānam ārāmaḥ (Manu-smrti), 11.183 antam gato’pi vedānāṁ (Garuda Purana 1.231.17), 1.642, 1.675 antar-grha-gatāḥ kāścid (SB 10.29.9), 11.675 antaryamy adhidhaivadiṣu tad dharma-vyapadeśat (vs 1.2.18), 1.1290 antavat tu phalam teṣām (GITA 7.23), 1.209 antimapratyayo’bhyarhitah (Nama-kaumudi), 1.945 anubandham kṣayam himsam (GĪTĀ 18.25), 1.780 anugrahaya bhaktänam (SB 10.33.37), 1.108 anugrahayeha caranti nunam (SB 3.5.3), 1.1092, 1.1096 anujānīhi mām brahman (SB 12.6.6), 1.445 1005 References anukulyasya sankalpaḥ (Vaisnava Tantra), 11.151 anukulyena kṛṣṇānu- (BRS 1.1.11), 11.25, 11.703 anulomyena sambhütä (Manu-smrti 10.5), 1.1194 anupanīta satam ekam (Nrsimha-tapani Śruti, Purva 5.10), 1.569 anvaya-vyatirekabhyam (SB 2.9.35), 1.667, 1.668, 1.670, 1.685, 1.687, 1.696- 699, 1.701, 1.1283 anvikşikyä śoka-mohau (SB 7.15.23), II.162 anyabhilaṣita-sünyam (BRS 1.1.11), II.25, 11.703 anya-namnam gatir vişnur (Vamana Purana), 11.324 anyatha mriyamanasya (SB 6.2.33), 1.942, 11.328 anyatra brahmana-kulad (SB 4.21.12), 11.227 anyatra dharmad anyatradharmad (Kathopanisad 1.2.14), 1.1106 anye ca samskṛtatmano (SB 10.40.7), 1.134 apannaḥ samsṛtim ghoram (SB 1.1.14), 1.872, 1.920, 11.305, 11.306 aparādha-sahasrani (Skanda Purana), 11.548 aparādha-sahasraņi (source unknown), 11.549 aparadha-sahasreņa (Skanda Purana, Dvāraka-mahatmya), 11.547 apare hata-papmano (SB 10.15.17), II.709 apareyam itas tv anyam (GITA 7.5), 1.1219, 1.1241 apariksyopadişṭam yal- (Brahma-vaivarta Purana), 1.1276 apasyat puruşam purnaṁ (SB 1.7.4), 1.708, 1.1058 apasyatam atma-tattvam (SB 2.1.2), 1.173 apayayati govinda- (SB 1.18.12), 1.507, 1.818 aphala-prepsuna karma (GĪTĀ 18.23), 1.780, 1.781 api cet sudurăcaro (GĪTĀ 9.30), 1.677, 1.731, 1.962, 1.1019-1021, 1.1037–1039, I.1045, 1.1233, II.232, II.627, 11.629, 11.633 api pataka-yuktasya (BNP 1.1.78), 11.389 apiya karnanjalibhir bhavapahām (SB 3.13.52), 11.260 āpīyatam karṇa-kaṣaya-soṣan (SB 2.6.46), II.267 apo nārā iti proktā (VP 1.4.6), 1.243 apramatto gabhiratma (SB 11.11.31), 1.1226, 1.1229, 1.1232, 1.1235-1237, 1.1245, 1.1248 aprapya mam nivartante (GITA 9.3), 1.543, 1.545 aprärabdha-phalam papam (Padma Purana), 1.765 apujya bhojanam kurvan (Vişnu-dharmottara Purana), 11.425 aputro’pi sa vai naicchat (Skanda Purana), 11.613 arabdha-karma-nirvano (SB 1.6.29), 1.1144, 11.272, II.687 arādhanam bhagavata (SB 6.18.74), 1.982, 1.984 arādhanānāṁ sarvesam (PP 6.253.176), 1.564, 11.217 1006 Verse Index arādhya kas tvām hy apavargadam hare (SB 10.51.56), 1.624, 11.407, 11.408 arcadau hrdaye vapi (SB 11.3.50), 11.464, II.473 arcadav arcayed yo mam (SB 3.29.9), 1.799, 1.1198, 11.112, 11.116 arcadav arcayet tavad (SB 3.29.25), 1.589, 1.592, 11.492 arcanam mantra-pathanam (PP 6.253.25), 1.1214 arcanam vandanam dasyam (SB 7.5.23), 1.985, 1.987, 11.32, 11.572, 11.602 arcann ubhayataḥ siddhim (SB 11.27.49), II.457, II.512, 11.516 arcayam eva haraye (SB 11.2.47), 1.589, 1.1179, 1.1183, 1.1187, 1.1208, 1.1211, 1.1212, 1.1225, 1.1228, II.221, II.223 arcayam sthandile’gnau va (SB 11.27.9), II.143, 11.438 arcayed dana-manabhyam (SB 3.29.27), 1.598, 1.599, II.479 arcayitva jagad-vandyam (PP 6.253.105), II.449 arcayitva tu govindam (PP 6.253.177), 11.226, 11.449 arcitaḥ sarva-devah syur (Skanda Purana), 1.684 arcitas carcayen nityam (Brahma Purana 226.55), 1.895 arcite deva-deveśe (Skanda Purana), 1.684 arcye visņau śila-dhir guruşu nara-matir vaisnave jäti-buddhir (Padma Purana), 1.587 ärjavenārya-sangena (SB 3.29.18), 11.99, II.102 artha eva pradhana (Artha-sastra 1.3.6.1), 1.76 artha-jnāt samsaya-cchetta (SB 3.29.32), 1.600, 1.601, 1.610, II.479 artha-mulau hi dharma- (Artha-sastra 1.3.6.1), 1.76 arthanarthekṣaya lobham (SB 7.15.22), II.162 artha-pañcaka-vid vipro (PP 6.253.27), 1.1213, 1.1220, 1.1234 arthasya sadhane siddhe (SB 11.23.17), 1.380 artha-vādam harer namni (Katyayana-samhita), 1.896 arthavādopapatti ca, 1.662 arto jijñāsur artharthi (GITA 7.16), 1.1242, 11.565 aruhya kṛcchrena param padam tataḥ (SB 10.2.32), 1.60, 1.61, 1.388, 1.626, 1.631, 1.642, 1.723, 1.727, 1.798, 1.1142 arvāk patantam arhattama-nindayapad (SB 4.7.15), 11.550 arya nataḥ suhrdo bhrataraś ca (SB 4.30.39), 11.75, 11.98 asa hi paramam duḥkham (SB 11.8.44), 1.34 asa-bandhaḥ samutkantha (BRS 1.3.25), 11.387 asad ity ucyate pärtha (GITA 17.28), 1.91, 1.487, 1.596 asaj-jitātmā hari-sevaya sitam (SB 5.13.20), 1.289, 1.290 asaktir anabhişvangah (GITA 13.9), 1.541 asakyam uktam bhavata (Visnu-dharmottara Purana), 11.304 asankalpaj jayet kamam (SB 7.15.22), 11.162 1007References āśāsāno na vai bhrtyah (SB 7.10.5), 1.971, 1.984 aseṣopanisad-vedyam (Skanda Purana), 11.613 asite mudire yatha sikhi (Cintamani Dikṣita), 1.563 aśītim caturas caiva (Brahma-vaivarta Purana), 1.620 aśleṣād ubhayos tad- (Hayasirsa Pañcaratra), 1.1217 asmin loke’thavamusmin (SB 4.18.3), 11.435 asmin loke vartamanah (SB 11.20.11), 1.63, 1.1047, 1.1124 asocyan anvasocas tvam (GĪTĀ 2.11), 1.23 aśraddadhānāḥ puruşa (GITA 9.3), 1.543, 1.545 aśraddadhāne vimukhe’py aśṛnvati (PP 3.25.17), 1.1041, II.315, 11.326 asraddhaya hutam dattam (GITĀ 17.28), 1.91, 1.487, 1.596 astadhipatyam guna-sannivaye (SB 2.2.22), 1.192 asthitaḥ sa hi yuktātmā (GITA 7.18), 1.1242 asti yajña-patir nama (SB 4.21.27), 1.1284, 1.1289 astu tavat paro dharmaḥ (Gautamiya Tantra 33.84), 1.581 astv evam anga bhajatam bhagavan mukundo (SB 5.6.18), 1.821, 1.824, 1.848, II.191 astv evam etad upadesa-pade tvayiśe (SB 10.29.32), 11.677 asty eva vallavadhīśa- (BRS 3.2.155), 11.616 asubha-kṣaya-kartaram (Garbhopanisad 4), 1.883 asvamedha-sahasranam (Skanda Purana), 1.721 asya mahato bhutasya (BAU 2.4.10), 1.322 ata atyantikam kşemam (SB 11.2.30), 1.329 atah kalau tapo-yoga- (Brahma-vaivarta Purana), 11.356, 11.359 atah prcchami samsiddhim (SB 1.19.37), 1.178, 1.447, 1.449, 11.312 ataḥ pumbhir dvija-srestha (SB 1.2.13), 1.46, 1.47, 1.51, 1.52, 1.90, 1.127, 1.1318 ataḥ sadho’tra yat saram (SB 1.1.11), 1.48, 1.127, 1.150, 1.159, 1.323, II.716 ataḥ śrī kṛṣṇa-namadi (BRS 1.2.234), 1.816 atatatvac ca matṛtväd (Tantra), 1.197 atattvarthavad alpam ca (GITA 18.22), 1.795 atha bhagavata yuyam (SB 4.24.30), 1.560, 1.1172 atha bhagavatam bruta (SB 11.2.44), 1.1159, 1.1206, 1.1211, I.1244 atha cittam samadhatum (GITA 12.9), 1.525, 11.405 atha jantuḥ stri-yoni- (Garbhopanisad 4), 1.883 atha kathañcit skhalana-ksut- (SB 5.3.12), 1.948, 1.951 atha mam sarva-bhüteşu (SB 3.29.27), 1.598, 1.599, 11.479 atha navame masi (Garbhopanisad 3), 1.883 atha panca-guna ye syur (BRS 2.1.37), 1.139 athadhi-vidyam acaryah (TU 1.3.3), 1.1307 1008 Verse Index athainam mapanayata (SB 6.2.13), 1.949, 1.951 athaitad apy asakto’si (GITĀ 12.11), 1.525 athaitat paramam guhyam (SB 11.11.49), II.180, II.184, II.207, II.210 athanaghanghres tava kirti-tirthayor (SB 4.24.58), 1.1114 athapi me durbhagasya (SB 6.2.32), 1.938 athāta ānanda-dugham padambujam (SB 11.29.3), 11.723 athavasya padambhoja- (SB 1.16.6), 1.471, II.253 atho maha-bhāga bhavan amogha-drk (SB 1.5.13), 1.703-705, 11.266, 11.397 atho na pasyanty urugaya nunam (SB 3.5.44), 1.1095 atimrtyu-padam na muktau rudhah (Sandilya-bhakti-sutra 5), 1.415 atithyam vaiśva-daivaś ca (Atri-smrti), 11.183 atithyena tu vipragrye (SB 11.11.43), 11.502-504 ativrajya gatis tisro (SB 11.29.44), 1.369 atma ca karmanusayam vidhūya (SB 11.14.25), 1.649 atmā va are draṣṭavyah (BAU 2.4.5), 1.84, 1.88, 1.1267 ātmā vām pāvitaḥ kṛṣṇe (SB 11.5.47), 11.713 atma-bhavam nayaty anga (SB 12.3.50), 1.448, 1.452 atmajam yoga-viryena (SB 7.15.24), II.162 atmanam atmany avarudhya dhiro (SB 2.2.16), II.11 ātmānam cintayed ekam (SB 11.18.21), 11.93 atmanaś ca parasyapi (SB 3.29.26), 1.597, 1.598 ätmanas tu kāmāya (BAU 2.4.5), 1.282 atmano gurur ātmaiva (SB 11.7.20), 1.1314, 1.1315 ātmāparijñāna-mayo vivado (SB 11.22.33), 1.11 ātmārāmaṁ pūrṇa-kāmam (SB 1.11.4), 1.830, 1.832 atmārāmāś ca munayo (SB 1.7.10), 1.679, 1.790 ātmārāmo’naya vṛttyä (SB 11.11.17), 1.372 atmavit-sammataḥ pumsam (SB 2.1.1), 1.175 ato gurum pranamyaiva (Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 2.10), 11.422 ato vai kavayo nityam (SB 1.2.22), 1.45, 1.49, 1.99, 1.126, 1.509, 1.818, II.716 atra sargo visargaś ca (SB 2.10.1), 1.664, 1.666 atra sastram tatha tarkam (BRS 1.2.293), II.634, II.691 atranuvarṇyate’bhīkṣṇam (SB 12.5.1), 1.442, 1.450, 1.452 atyanta-sukaratvena (HNV 4.21), 1.122 avadhāraṇa-vacyeva (PP 6.227.36), 1.1075 āvāhanam cadarena (Agama), 11.473 avaiṣṇavopadiştena (Narada Pañcaratra), 1.1303, 11.175 avajānanti mām mudha (GITA 9.11), 11.750 avajānanty ami mudha (SB 4.14.24), II.642 1009 References avamanya prayanti ye (PP 5.96.63), 11.337 avan-mukhaḥ pīḍyamāno (Nirukta, Parisista 13.19), 1.878 avarah śraddhayopeta (SB 4.18.4), 11.435 avatirno’si bhagavan (SB 11.11.28), 1.1228 avätsin narado’bhikṣṇam (SB 11.2.1), 1.1176, II.186 avesya tad-agham hitva (SB 7.1.29), 11.664, 11.671, 11.684, 11.686-688, 11.690 avibhaktam vibhakteşu (GITA 18.20), 1.795, II.12 avicyuto’rthaḥ kavibhir nirupito (SB 1.5.22), 1.382, 1.661, 1.662, II.344 aviditvā tu mantrartham (PP 6.226.93), 11.426 avidvad-adhikaritvät (SB 6.1.11), 1.747, 1.751, 1.752 avidya-karma-sanjnanya (vp 6.7.61), 1.1218 avidyam nirdahaty asu (Padma Purana), 1.767 avidyamano’py avabhati hi dvayo (SB 11.2.38), 1.334, 1.336, 1.338 avidyasmita-raga-dveṣabhiniveśaḥ kleśaḥ (Yoga-sutra 2.3), 1.21 avijñāya vidhānoktam (Vişnu-rahasya), 11.428 avikriyāt svanubhavad arupato (SB 10.14.6), 1.1057 avipakva-kaṣayaņām (SB 1.6.22), 1.929, 1.931, I.1145 avismitam tam paripurṇa-kāmam (SB 6.9.22), 1.551, 1.555, 1.607, 1.613 avismrtiḥ krsna-padaravindayoḥ (SB 12.12.54), 1.462, 11.384 avismrtiḥ śrīdhara-pada-padmayor (SB 12.12.53), 1.460, 1.487, 1.508 aviśranti prayuktāni (PP 3.25.23), 1.902, 11.332, 11.337 avratatapta-tapaso (SB 11.12.7), II.201, II.202 avratena kṣiped yas tu (Skanda Purāņa 2.4.1.24), 11.525 avṛttir asakrd upadesat (vs 4.1.1), 1.901 avyakṛtam bhāgavato’tha vaiṣṇavam (SB 4.24.29), 1.138 avyakta hi gatir duhkham (GITA 12.5), 1.250, 1.385, 1.389, 1.535, 1.538, 1.539, 1.643, 11.13 ayam atyantikaḥ (Kaivalya-dipika 5.14), 11.130 ayam devo munir vandya (Garuda Purana), 1.1025 ayam hi krta-nirveśo (SB 6.2.7), 1.950 ayam hi sarva-kalpānām (SB 11.29.19), II.747, II.752 ayam svastyayanah pantha (SB 10.84.37), II.423 ayam yo manaso yogo (Narada Pancaratra), 11.464 ayanam tasya tāḥ purvam (VP 1.4.6), 1.243 äyäsye bhavato geham (SB 10.41.17), 1.614 ayuktaḥ prakrtah stabdhaḥ (GITA 18.28), 1.807 ayur harati vai puṁsam (SB 2.3.17), 1.217, 1.218, 1.232, 1.868 ayutasya japenaiva (Trailokya-sammohana-tantra), 1.902 babhüvithehajita-kīrti-mālām (SB 3.8.1), 1.252 1010 Verse Index baddho mukta iti vyakhya (SB 11.11.1), 1.22, 1.384 badhnati na ratim hamsaḥ (Visnu-dharma), 1.903 badhyamano’pi mad-bhakto (SB 11.14.18), 1.678, 1.729, 1.845-847, 1.849, I.1036 bahavo mat-padam praptas (SB 11.12.5), II.192, II.198, II.201 bahu-murty-eka-murtikam (SB 10.40.7), 1.134 bahūnām janmanām ante (GITA 7.19), 1.153 bahu-sakha hy anantaś ca (GĪTĀ 2.41), 11.624 bahyantaraseṣa-hṛṣīka-calakam (Brhad-bhāgavatamṛtam 2.3.149), 11.353 bālānām anusāsanam (SB 11.3.44), 1.343 balavan indriya-gramo (SB 9.19.17), 1.538, 1.1020 balayor anayor nṛnam (SB 10.8.6), 11.236 balisa bata yuyam vā (SB 4.14.23), 11.694 bandhako bhava-pāśena (Skanda Purana), 1.1289 barhaspatya sa vai nātra (SB 11.23.2), 11.262 barhayite te nayane naraṇām (SB 2.3.22), 1.228 bhagavac-carana-dvandva- (Nrsimha Purana), 11.390 bhagavac-cheṣa-rupo’sau (PP 6.226.28), 1.1075 bhagavad-dharman varņayāmāsa (SB 1.9.27), II.188 bhagavad-dharma-niratas (Skanda Purana), 1.1198 bhagavad-dharminaḥ sadhoh (SB 4.23.10), 1.267 bhagavams takṣakadibhyo (SB 12.6.5), 1.445 bhagavan brahma kārtsnyena (SB 2.2.34), 1.84, 1.87, 1.196, 1.198, 1.200, 1.202, 1.404, 1.480, 1.675, 1.1283, 1.1284 bhagavan sarva-bhūtesu (SB 2.2.35), 1.197 bhagavan śrotum icchami (SB 7.11.2), 1.322 bhagavan-nindaya veno (SB 7.1.16), II.641, II.642 bhagavantam harim prayo (SB 11.5.1), 1.357, 1.359 bhagavata upalabdhi-matra-dhamne (SB 12.12.68), 11.288 bhagavata uru-vikramänghri-säkhä- (SB 11.2.54), 1.1202, 1.1212 bhagavataḥ karma-bandha-vidhvamsana-śravana-smarana- (SB 5.9.3), 1.320, 1.325 bhagavat-paratantro’sau (PP 6.226.44), 11.153 bhagavat-sangi-sangasya (SB 1.18.13), 1.786, 1.1128, 1.1255, II.235 bhagavat-sangi-sangasya (SB 4.24.57), 1.1172, II.235 bhagavat-sangi-sangasya (SB 4.30.34), 1.1255 bhagavat-tattva-vijñānam (SB 1.2.20), 1.118, 1.119, 1.127 bhagavaty acalo bhavo (SB 2.3.11), 1.210, 1.211, 1.1049 bhagavaty acyutām bhaktim (SB 12.10.34), 1.557, 1.564 1011 References bhagavaty uttama-sloke (SB 1.2.18), 1.110, 1.127 bhago ma aiśvaro bhavo (SB 11.19.40), 1.708 bhaikṣasy atma-viśuddhyartham (Manu-smrti 11.72), 1.873 bhaja ity eşa vai dhatuḥ (Garuda Purana, Pürva-kanda 227.3), 11.19, 11.24 bhajaneşu sprha bhaktir (Sarartha-darsini 1.2.21), 1.128 bhajanti ye yatha devan (SB 11.2.6), 1.1125, 1.1126 bhajanty ananya-bhavena (SB 11.11.33), 1.677, 1.1236, 1.1239, 1.1244-1246, II.619, 11.624, 11.715 bhajanty ananya-manaso (GITA 9.13), 11.750 bhajatanihayātmānam (SB 7.7.48), 1.967, 1.969 bhajate tadrsiḥ kriḍā (SB 10.33.37), 1.108 bhaje svetadvipam tam aham iha golokam iti yam (BS 5.56), 11.456 bhajeta śravaṇady-arthim (Brahma-vaivarta Purana), 1.1277 bhakta-kṣanah kṣano visnoh (Mahabharata), 1.206 bhaktes tu dipani visnoḥ (Bhavisya Purana), II.531 bhakti-grahyo hrsikeśo (Naradiya Purana), 11.506 bhaktiḥ paresanubhavo viraktir (SB 11.2.42), 11.302, 11.303, 11.779, 11.781, II.785 bhaktiḥ punāti man-nistha (SB 11.14.21), 1.421, 1.662, 1.756, 1.843, 1.848, 1.850, 1.851, 11.634 bhaktih seva bhagavato (Padyavali 110), 1.375 bhakti-hino dvijaḥ santaḥ (Skanda Purana), 1.515 bhaktim labdhavataḥ sadhoḥ (SB 11.26.30), 11.234 bhaktim param bhagavati (SB 12.10.6), 1.561, 11.391 bhaktim param bhagavati pratilabhya kamam (SB 10.33.40), 1.630, 11.766, II.768 bhaktim vidhaya paramam śanakair avidya- (SB 4.11.30), 1.767, 1.768 bhaktir asta-vidha hy eşa (Garuda Purana 1.227.8), 11.229 bhaktir asta-vidha hy eṣa (Vişnu-dharma Purana), II.519 bhaktir aṣṭa-vidha yasya (Vişņu-dharma Purana), 11.519 bhaktir asya bhajanam (GTU 1.15), 1.987, 11.130 bhaktir bhagavati brahmany (SB 4.23.10), 1.267 bhaktir bhajana-sampattir (Narada Pancaratra), 11.445 bhaktir bhavati govinde (Skanda Purana), 1.910 bhaktir eva param tasya (PP 6.109.25), 1.526, 1.529 bhaktir harau tat-puruse ca sakhyam (SB 10.7.2), 11.765 bhaktir mukunda-carane (SB 6.14.2), 1.785 bhaktir utpadyate pumsaḥ (SB 1.7.7), 1.108, 1.659 bhaktir yatha harau me’sti (Padma Purana), 11.165 1012 Verse Index bhaktis tvayy upayujyeta (SB 11.11.26), 1.1228 bhakti-yogaḥ samakhyāto (SB 12.12.5), 1.666 bhakti-yogam sa labhata (SB 11.27.53), II.142, II.515 bhakti-yogasya tat sarvam (SB 7.10.1), 1.980 bhakti-yogena manasi (SB 1.7.4), 1.708, 1.1058 bhakti-yogo bahu-vidho (SB 3.29.7), II.128, 11.134 bhakti-yogo bhagavati (SB 6.3.22), 1.50, 1.472, 1.475, 1.628, 1.671, 1.720, II.23 bhakty udrekena tat-karma- (Bhāvārtha-dipikā 2.3.1), 1.233 bhaktyä grhita-caraṇaḥ paraya ca teṣam (SB 3.9.5), 11.246 bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (GĪTĀ 18.55), 1.119, 1.383, 1.389, 1.798, II.634 bhaktyä niveśanam tasya (Agama), 11.473 bhaktyā puman jāta-viraga aindriyad (SB 3.25.26), 11.778 bhaktyä sampujito vişnuḥ (Naradiya Purana), 11.506 bhaktyā sañjātaya bhaktyā (SB 11.3.31), 1.49, 11.87, 11.134 bhaktyä sulabhye puruse purane (Nrsimha Purana 62.19), 1.538 bhaktya tv ananyaya sakya (GĪTĀ 11.54), 1.966, II.634 bhaktyāham ekaya grahyaḥ (SB 11.14.21), 1.421, 1.662, 1.756, 1.843, 1.848, 1.850, 1.851, II.205, II.634 bhaktyoddhavanapayinya (SB 11.18.45), 1.841 bhāraḥ param patta-kirita-justam (SB 2.3.21), 1.226 bhartaram ca jagad-yonim (Bhagavata-tatparya-nirnaya 1.10.31), 11.676 bhartur mithaḥ suyasasaḥ kathananuraga- (SB 3.15.25), 1.431, 1.433 bhaskarasya prabha yad-vat (PP 6.227.39), 1.1075 bhasvan yathāśma-sakaleșu nijesu tejah (BS 5.49), 1.136 bhautikaś ca katham klesa (SB 3.22.37), 1.736 bhava-bandha-cchide tasyai (Padyavali 111), 1.375 bhavadbhir vaisnavas tyajyo (Padma Purana, Svarga-khanda 31.100), 1.856 bhavad-vidhesv atitaram (SB 3.21.24), 1.207, 1.729 bhavam prajapatin devan (SB 7.10.32), 1.574 bhavambudhir vatsa-padam param (SB 10.14.58), 1.266 bhavami nacirāt pārtha (GĪTĀ 12.7), 1.477, 1.726 bhavan me khalu bhaktānāṁ (SB 7.10.21), 1.124 bhavan prabhur aham dasa (Padyavali 111), 1.375 bhavanti krta-punyānām (Visņu-sahasra-nama-stotra 133), 1.954 bhavanti puruşa loke (SB 7.10.21), 1.124 bhavanti tādṛśa vallyas (Hayasirsa Pañcaratra), 1.1216 bhavanti vai bhagavatasya rajams (SB 11.2.43), 11.781 bhaväpavargo bhramato yada bhavej (SB 10.51.53), 1.1090, 1.1099, 1.1255 bhavata darsitam kṣemam (SB 12.6.7), 1.446 1013 References bhavata vidusă capi (SB 4.22.18), 1.265 bhavatanudita-prayam (SB 1.5.8), II.266 bhavato darsanam yat syad (SB 1.8.25), 1.735 bhavatodahṛtaḥ svamin (SB 11.14.2), 1.400, 1.401 bhavat-padambhoruha-navam atra te (SB 10.2.31), 1.1113, 1.1114 bhava-vrata-dhara ye ca (SB 4.2.28), 1.569, 1.571 bhavayaty esa sattvena (SB 1.2.34), 11.269 bhavitavyam mangalena (SB 6.2.32), 1.938, 11.328 bhavo’py abhavam ayati (BRS 1.3.54), 11.543 bhavottho’ti-prasādotthaḥ (BRS 1.4.4), 1.88 bhayam dvitiyabhinivesatah syad (SB 11.2.37), I.16, 1.18, 1.27, 1.36, 1.39, 1.178, 1.330-332, 1.335, 1.336, 1.339, 1.660, 1.1191, 1.1300 bhayam pramattasya vanesv api syad (SB 5.1.17), 1.804 bheda-sahisnur abhedas (Nyaya-kosa), 1.280 bhedo vairam avisvasaḥ (SB 11.23.18), 1.380 bhejire munayo’thägre (SB 1.2.25), 1.133, 1.135, 1.138 bhidyate hrdaya-granthis (SB 1.2.21), 1.99, 1.121, 1.124, 1.127 bhidyate hrdaya-granthis (SB 11.20.30), 1.421 bhiksor dharmaḥ samo’himsa (SB 11.18.42), 1.638 bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānāṁ (GĪTĀ 2.44), 1.918 bhoktāram yajña-tapasām (GĪTĀ 5.29), 1.337, 1.340, 11.67 bhramadbhiḥ purusaiḥ präpya (Brahma-vaivarta Purana), 1.620 bhramayan sarva-bhūtāni (GĪTĀ 18.61), 11.575, 11.748, 11.752 bhrasyate sukrtam teṣām (Skanda Purana 7.4.28.47), 11.530 bhrguh pratyasrjac chapam (SB 4.2.27), 1.569, 1.571 bhrgu-vara nara-matram (Skanda Purana), 1.1006, 11.334 bhruvor madhye pranam avesya samyak (GĪTĀ 8.10), 1.1055, 1.1064 bhumir apo’nalo vayuḥ (GITA 7.4), 1.1241 bhunjate te tv agham papa (GITA 3.13), II.57 bhūr ātmā sarva-bhūtāni (SB 11.11.42), 11.474, II.502 bhūrīņi bhūri-karmāņi (SB 1.1.11), 1.48, 1.127, 1.150, 1.159, 1.323, II.716 bhūry apy abhaktopähṛtam (SB 11.27.18), 1.1009, 11.538 bhūta-bhāvodbhava-karo (GITA 8.3), 1.1054, 1.1064, 11.15, 11.16, 11.83 bhutani bhagavaty atmany (SB 11.2.45), 1.604, 1.1162-1168, 1.1187, 1.1207, 1.1208, 1.1210-1212 bhūtāni yanti bhūtejyä (GITA 9.25), 1.578, 1.580 bhūteşu baddha-vairasya (SB 3.29.23), 1.589, 1.591, II.492 bhuteşu mad-bhāvanaya (SB3.29.16), II.99, II.102 bhüteşv anukrosa-susattva-silinam (SB 4.24.58), 1.1114 1014 Verse Index bhuvi puru-punya-tirtha-sadanany rṣayo vimadas (SB 10.87.35), 1.102, 1.845 bibhrānam sahasa bhatam (SB 12.10.13), 1.561, 1.565 bile batorukrama-vikraman ye (SB 2.3.20), 1.224, 1.620, 11.257 bodhaḥ kalusitas tena (Brahma-vaivarta Purana), 1.1303 bole rama sakopa taba (Rama-carita-manasa, Sundara-kanda 57), 11.703 brahma bhavo’ham api yasya kalaḥ kalayaḥ (SB 10.68.37), 11.322 brahma mam paramam prapuḥ (SB 11.12.13), II.211 brahma ya eşa jagad-anda-vidhana-karta (BS 5.49), 1.136 brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (GĪTĀ 18.54), 1.389, 1.424, 1.430, 1.433, 1.790, 1.798, 11.264 brahma-danda-hataḥ papo (SB 4.21.46), 11.642 brahmahā dvādaśa samah (Manu-smrti 11.72), 1.873 brahmaitad advitiyam vai (SB 11.9.31), 1.1278 brahma-jñas tapate devaḥ (source unknown), 1.481 brahmakhyam dhama te yanti (SB 11.6.47), 1.369 brahma-kopotthitad yas tu (SB 1.18.2), 1.447 brāhmaṇaḥ ksatriyo vaisyah (Kasi-khanda), 1.516 brāhmaṇaḥ sadhavaḥ santa (SB 12.10.20), 1.559, 1.562, 1.565 brāhmaṇam praty abhud brahman (SB 1.18.29), 1.930 brāhmaṇānāṁ sahasrebhyah (Garuda Purana), 1.1063 brahmanando bhaved esa (BRS 1.1.38), 1.629 brahmanasya hi deho’yam (SB 11.17.42), 11.494 brahmane bhagavat-proktam (SB 2.8.28), 1.544 brahmane pukkase stene (SB 11.29.14), 11.743 brahmanesv api veda-jño (SB 3.29.31), 1.600, 1.610, 11.479 brahmano hi pratisthāham (GĪTĀ 14.27), 1.56, 1.152, 1.658, 1.1141 brahmanyasya vadanyasya (SB 10.64.25), 1.898, 1.905 brahmanyo bhagavad-bhakto (SB 6.15.19), 1.1123 brahma-sañjño’ham evagre (VP 1.19.86), 11.17 brahma-svam hi visam proktam (SB 10.64.33), II.496 brahma-varcasa-kamas tu (SB 2.3.2), 1.205, 1.208, 1.211 brahma-vid apnoti param (TU 2.1.1), 1.264, 1.414, 1.415 brahmeti paramatmeti (SB 1.2.11), 1.69, 1.79, 1.84, 1.1129, II.326 brmhanād brahma-nāmāsau (Brahmanda Purana), 11.323 bruhi naḥ śraddadhānānāṁ (SB 1.1.11), 1.48, 1.127, 1.150, 1.159, 1.323, 11.716 bruyuḥ snigdhasya sisyasya (SB 1.1.8), 1.704 buddhi-yogam upaśritya (GITA 18.57), 11.75 buddho nämnänjana-sutaḥ (SB 1.3.24), 11.630 1015 References buddhyā vā kim nipunaya (SB 4.31.11), 1.277, 1.278, 1.522 buddhyā viśuddhaya yukto (GITA 18.51), 1.111, 1.389 buddhya yukto yaya pārtha (GITĀ 2.39), 1.1000 cakrayudhasya nāmāni (Padma Purāṇa, Vaišākha-māhātmya), 11.367 cakrayudhasya namāni (Skanda Purana), 11.367 cakrayudhasya namāni (Viṣṇu-dharma), 11.367 cakruh krpam yadyapi tulya-darśanaḥ (SB 1.5.24), II.784 calacaleti dvividha (SB 11.27.13), 11.470, II.471 camara-vyagra-hastam mam (Narada Pañcaratra), 11.613 camara-vyagra-hastam mam (BRS 1.2.155), 11.613 cancalam hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa (GITA 6.34), 1.1313 candālā api te śreṣṭhā (Bṛhad-naradiya Purana 1.37.12), 1.516 candrayanam caren masam (Manu-smrti 11.41), 1.872 caturātmā hariḥ pujyaḥ (Visnu-dharmottara Purana 3.354.13), 1.567 catur-bhujam kanja-rathanga-sankha- (SB 2.2.8), 1.190, 1.1058 caturmäsyäni somas ca (Tattvärtha-dipa-nibandha 2), 11.183 catur-mukhaḥ satanando (Brahma Purana), 11.325 caturvarnyaṁ maya sṛṣṭam (GĪTĀ 4.13), 1.72 catur-vidha bhajante mam (GITA 7.16), 1.1242, II.565 catvaro jajnire varņa (SB 11.5.2), 1.357, 1.359, 1.494, 1.496, 1.639, 1.672, 1.861, 1.916 ceta etair anaviddham (SB 1.2.19), 1.113, 1.127 cetasä sarva-karmāņi (GĪTĀ 18.57), 11.75 chayeva karma-sacivah (SB 11.2.6), 1.1125, 1.1126 chindanti kovidas tasya (SB 1.2.15), 1.97, 1.99, 1.127 chindyam sva-bahum api pratikula-vrttim (SB 3.16.6), II.496 chittvacyutātmānubhavo’vatisthate (SB 12.4.34), II.126 cintăm dirghatamām prāptas (SB 7.5.44), 1.732, 1.734 cintam kuryan na rakṣayai (Bhakti-viveka), 11.584 cintamani-mayam sākṣāt (Hayasirşa Pañcaratra), 1.1216 cittam sthiram sad-bhagavat-smrtau tada (Brhad-bhagavatamṛtam 2.3.149), 11.353 cittasya yatto grahane yoga-yukto (SB 3.25.26), 11.778 codana-laksano’rtho dharmah (Jaimini-sutra 1.1.2), 1.61, 1.665, II.605, II.617 dadāmi buddhi-yogam tam (GITA 10.10), II.737 dadhati sakrn manas tvayi ya ātmani nitya-sukhe (SB 10.87.35), 1.845 dadhau mukundanghrim ananya-bhavo (SB 1.19.7), 1.444 daivad apetam atha daiva-vasad upetam (SB 11.13.36), 1.1143 1016 Verse Index daivahatärtha-racanã munayo’pi deva (SB 3.9.10), 1.28, 1.626, 1.631, 1.632 daivam eväpare yajñam (GITĀ 4.25), 1.638 daivam na tat syan na patiś ca sa syan (SB 5.5.18), 1.1316 daivatajno hi mantrāṇām (Brhad-devată 1.2), 11.426 daive ca tad-abhave syad (SB 7.15.2), 11.498, 11.500 daivi hy esa guna-mayi (GITA 7.14), 1.17, 1.28, 1.168 dākinyo raksasaś caiva (BNP 1.11.8), 1.733 damaghosa-sutaḥ papa (SB 7.1.17), 11.644 dana-vrata-tapo-homa- (SB 10.47.24), 1.485 dantā gajānām kulisagra-niṣthurah (VP 1.17.44), 1.733, 1.920 darśanalinganālāpaiḥ (SB 11.5.47), I1.713 darsanan no bhaved bandhaḥ (SB 10.10.41), 1.1091 darśana-sparsana-prasna- (SB 10.84.10), II.220 darśaś ca purnamasaś ca (SB 7.15.48), II.181 dasa-bhūtam idam tasya (source unknown), 1.1076 daśa-kṛtvo japen mantram (Trailokya-sammohana-tantra), 1.902 dasantam takṣakam pade (SB 12.5.12), 1.451 dāso’ham vasudevasya (Itihasa-samuccaya 31.121), 1.871, 11.563 dasyubhir muşiteneva (Garuda Purana), 11.387 dātā phalānām abhivānchitānāṁ (Krama-dīpikā 1.4), 11.435 dauhitryadin ṛte mrtyoh (SB 4.21.30), 1.1284, 1.1288, 1.1289 dayām maitrim prasrayam ca (SB 11.3.23), 11.32, 11.43 deham ca naśvaram avasthitam utthitam va (SB 11.13.36), 1.1143 dehāpatya-kalatradiṣv (SB 2.1.3), 1.175 deha-vag-buddhijam dhīrā (SB 6.1.14), 1.747 dehendriya-prāṇa-mano-dhiyam yo (SB 11.2.49), 1.1190, 1.1195, 1.1207, 1.1209, I.1212 dehendriya-prana-mano-dhiyo’mi (SB 6.16.24), 1.792 dehendriyasu-hīnānāṁ (SB 7.1.34), 11.650 dehinām visayartānām (SB 8.5.47), 11.49, 11.73 dehinas tasya papasya (Skanda Purana), 1.900 desa-kalady avasthāsu (source unknown), 1.1076 dese ca kale ca mano na sajjayet (SB 2.2.15), 1.192 devad vṛte varaḥ śreṣthe (Amara-kosa 3.3.173), 11.408 deva-datto yatha kaścit (PP 6.88.44), 1.575, 1.576 devadevo jagat-svāmi (Skanda Purana), 11.417 deva-drohad guru-drohah (Kurma Purana 2.16.18), II.328 devan bhavayatanena (GĪTĀ 3.11), 1.74, 1.76, 1.1126 devän deva-yajo yanti (GITĀ 7.23), 1.209 1017References devanam suddha-sattvanām (SB 6.14.2), 1.785 devarși-bhūtāpta-nṛṇām pitrnām (SB 11.5.41), 1.1024, 1.1026, 1.1027, 1.1031, 1.1032, 11.627, 11.633 devarsy arhatsu vai satsu (SB 7.14.35), 11.478 devatānām ṛṣīņām ca (Garuda Purana), 11.534 devatayam ca mantre ca (Visnu-dharma Purana), 11.519 devim māyām tu śrī kāmas (SB 2.3.3), 1.212 devyas tatinyas tri-daśās tadagā (Cintamani Dīksita), 1.563 dharanad dharma ity ahur (MB 8.69.58), 1.73 dharma eva hato hanti (MB 3.313.128), 1.73 dharmad arthas ca kamaś ca (MB 18.5.49), 1.70 dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo’tra paramo nirmatsarānāṁ satām (SB 1.1.2), 1.316, 1.539, 1.664, 1.726, 11.34, 11.36, 11.249, 11.286, 11.288, 11.733, II.741 dharmaḥ satya-dayopeto (SB 11.14.22), 1.412, 1.643, 1.845, 1.849 dharmaḥ svanusthitaḥ pumsam (SB 1.2.8), 1.46, 1.58, 1.60-62, 1.64, 1.70, 1.74, 1.127, 1.486 dharma-jñāna-tathaiśvarya- (PP 6.228.21), II.684 dharmam bhagavatam suddham (SB 6.2.24), 1.811 dharmam bravişi dharma-jña (SB 1.17.22), 11.321 dharmam ca satyam ca damas-tapaś ca (MB 3.43.20), 1.514 dharmam tu sākṣad bhagavat-pranītam (SB 6.3.19), 1.628, 1.963 dharma-mulam hi bhagavan (SB 7.11.7), 1.315-317, 1.319, 1.322, 1.323 dharman bhāgavatan brüta (SB 11.2.31), 1.330, 11.42, 11.47 dharman santyajya yaḥ sarvan (SB 11.11.32), 1.1023, 1.1228-1232, 1.1235-1237, 1.1245, II.188 dharmartha-kama iti yo’bhihitas tri-varga (SB 7.6.26), 1.303, 1.305, 11.588 dharmartham jivitam yesam (Skanda Purana), 1.1251 dharmarthāvirodhena kamaṁ seveta (Artha-sastra 1.3.6.3), 1.73 dharma-samsthapanarthaya (GITA 4.8), 11.203 dharmasya hy apavargyasya (SB 1.2.9), 1.66, 1.68, 1.70, 1.74, II.524 dharmasya tattvam nihitam guhāyām (MB 3.313.117), 1.1105, 1.1107 dharma-vrata-tyaga-hutadi sarva- (PP 3.25.17), II.315, II.326 dharmaya yasase’rthaya (SB 8.19.37), 11.523, 11.524 dharmo hi teṣām adhiko viseso (Hitopadesa 1.25), 1.220 dharmo mad-bhakti-krt prokto (SB 11.19.27), II.84 dhatte’sav atmano lingam (SB 7.2.22), 1.1060 dhavan nimilya va netre (SB 11.2.35), 1.330, 1.725, 1.727, 1.741, 1.745, 11.50, II.52, 11.618, 11.622 1018 Verse Index dhig janma nas trivrd yat tad (SB 10.23.39), 1.521, 1.522 dhik kulam dhik kriya-dākṣyam (SB 10.23.39), 1.521, 1.522 dhisnyeşv ityesu mad-rupam (SB 11.11.46), II.502 dhruva-smrtiḥ smrti-lambhe (Chandogya Upanisad 7.26.2), 11.393 dhunoti śamalam krsnah (SB 2.8.5), 1.25, 1.108 dhyana-präptäcyutaśleṣa- (SB 10.29.10), 11.675 dhyana-yoga-paro nityam (GĪTĀ 18.52), 1.111, 1.389, 1.804 dhyayan kṛte yajan yajñais (VP 6.2.17), 11.358 dhyāyanta akṛti-dhiyaḥ śayanasanadau (SB 11.5.48), 11.698, II.702 dhyayanti paramātmānam (Hayasirsa Pancaratra), 1.1231 dhyayen mumuksur etan me (SB 11.14.31), II.761 dig-gajair dandaśukendrair (SB 7.5.43), 1.732, 1.734 dikṣā-matrena krṣṇasya (Skanda Purana), 1.869 dinam ekam nivasena (Padma Purana, Patala-khanda), 11.414 diva carthehayā rājan (SB 2.1.4), 1.175 divaukasānāṁ bhajanam (PP 6.253.95), 11.452 diviṣṭha yatra pasyanti (Brahma Purana), 11.413 divisthas tatra pasyanti (Brahma Purana), 1.802, 1.805 divyam jñānam yato dadyat (Hari-bhakti-vilasa 2.9), 11.422 diyamanam na grhnanti (SB 3.29.13), 1.694, 1.1061, 11.122, II.125, II.132 dorbhyām stanantara-gatam parirabhya kantam (SB 10.48.7), II.667 doṣasya dṛṣṭvā guru-laghavam yatha (SB 6.1.8), 1.752 drakṣyanty agha-kṣata-drśo hy ahi-manyavas tan (SB 3.16.10), 1.599 draṣṭavyas tena bhagavan (Brahma Purana 226.46), 1.562 draṣṭum na sakyo rosac ca (PP 6.238.84), 11.700 dravyam vikaro guna indriyani (SB 2.6.41), 11.267 dravya-tattvam śrņu brahman (Hayasirsa Pancaratra), 1.1216 dravyeņa bhakti-yukto’rcet (SB 11.27.9), 11.143, 11.438 dronam ca bhismam ca jayadratham ca (GITA 11.34), 11.786 dṛṣṭa yogaḥ prayuktaś ca (SB 4.18.3), 11.435 drṣṭaḥ paśyed ahar ahah (Brahma Purana 226.55), 1.895 drsta-śrutabhir matrabhir (SB 6.16.62), 1.301, 11.104 drstva bhagavatam durat (Skanda Purana), 1.900 dṛṣṭvā bhāgavatam vipram (Skanda Purana), 1.900 drṣṭvā pariśramaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ (SB 10.9.18), II.786 dṛṣṭvā rāmam harim tatra (PP 6.245.164), 11.678, II.680 dṛṣṭvā teṣām mitho nṛṇām (SB 7.14.39), 11.486, 11.490, 11.491 drsyadibhiḥ prthag bhāvair (SB 3.32.26), 1.1056, 1.1063 drsyair buddhy-adibhir drastā (SB 2.2.35), 1.197 1019 References duḥsaha-prestha-viraha- (SB 10.29.10), II.675 duraradhyam samaradhya (SB 10.48.11), II.668, 11.670 duravagam atma-tattva-nigamaya tavātma-tanos (SB 10.87.21), II.269 düre hari-kathah kecid (SB 11.5.4), 1.915, II.521 durgam vinayakam vyasam (SB 11.27.29), 11.449 durga-samsara-kantaram (Visnu-dharma), 11.558 durgeti giyate sadbhir (Narada Pañcaratra), 11.445 durjanena samam sakhyam (Hitopadesa 3.81), 1.1102 durjatir eva savana- (BRS 1.1.22), 1.762 durjäty-arambhakam papaṁ (BRS 1.1.22), 1.762 durlabham manusam janma (SB 7.6.1), 1.301, 1.304 durlabho magha-māsas tu (Garuda Purana), 11.534 duruktair bhinnam ātmānam (SB 11.23.2), II.262 duryodhanam ca vidhi-vad (SB 10.68.17), 1.1174 dvādaśaite vijänimo (SB 6.3.21), 1.628, 1.630 dvadasi-vrata-nişṣṭhata (Padma Purana, Uttara-khanda), 11.527 dvadasyam ca divasvapas (Visņu-yamala), 11.527 dvadaśyām jāgare vişnor (Skanda Purana, Reva-khanda), 11.548 dvapare paricaryayam (SB 12.3.52), 1.688, 11.357 dväraka-väsinaḥ sarve (Skanda Purana), II.414 dvātrimsad aparadhamś ca (Skanda Purana, Kartika-mahatmya), 11.548 dvātrimsad aparadhams tu (Skanda Purana, Avanti-khanda), 11.547 dvātrimsad aparadhani (Skanda Purana, Reva-khanda), II.548 dvija-go-dvesinas capi (BNP 1.37.5), 1.642, II.193 dvijānām anupanītānām (Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 2.34), 11.427 dvijopasrstah kuhakas takṣako va (SB 1.19.15), 1.444, 1.920 dviśaḥ sadbhiḥ padair etan (BRS 1.1.44), 1.850 dvisann api hrşikeśam (SB 10.29.13), II.666, II.672 dvişataḥ para-kaye mam (SB 3.29.23), 1.589, 1.591, II.492 dvitiye tu tataḥ sthula- (Bhavartha-dipika 2.2.1), 1.233 dvi-vidho bhuta-sargo’yam (Agni Purana), 1.641 dvi-vidho bhūta-sargo’yam (Vişnu-dharma Purana), 1.641 eka eva vaset tasmat (SB 11.9.10), 1.394 eka eveśvaraḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Hayasirşa Pañcaratra), 1.1215 ekādasi mahā-punya (Bhavisya Purana), 11.531 ekadasyam na bhoktavyam (Agni Purana), 11.528 ekadaśyam na bhoktavyam (Skanda Purana 7.4.24.32), 11.528 ekādasyam na bhuñjita (Narada Pancaratra), 11.526 ekadasyam nirāhāro (Bhavisya Purana), II.529 1020 Verse Index ekādaśyām niraharo (Matsya Purana), 11.529 ekadaśyam tu yo bhunkte (Skanda Purana), 11.529 ekagra-manasaś capi (Vaisnava Tantra), 1.558 ekaḥ krsne namaskaro (Visnu-dharma), 11.558 eka-kālam dvi-kalam va (Visnu-dharmottara Purana), 11.425 ekaki tena dahyāmi (Garbhopanisad 4), 1.883 ekākṣara-pradātāram (Canakya-nīti 13.18), II.169 ekanta-bhaktā asmāsu (SB 12.10.20), 1.559, 1.562, 1.565 ekanta-bhakti-bhavena (SB 9.4.28), 1.980 ekanta-bhaktir govinde (SB 7.7.55), 1.671, 1.673 ekanta-bhaktya ko vanchet (SB 4.24.55), 1.964 ekanta-matir unnidro (SB 1.4.4), 1.1151 ekantena sadā vişnau (Garuda Purana, Acara-khanda 227.13-14), 1.966 ekantino yasya na kañcanarthaṁ (SB 8.3.20), 1.965 ekantitvad bhagavati (SB 7.9.55), 1.454, 1.965, 1.984 ekantitvam gato bhaktyā (SB 9.2.11), 1.979, 1.983 ekasminn apy atikrante (Garuda Purana), 11.387 ekasya tu ubhayatve samyoga-prthaktvam (Jaimini-sütra 4.3.5), 1.212, 1.213 ekataḥ kārtiko vatsa (Skanda Purana 2.4.1.23), 11.525 ekataḥ sarva-tirthani (Skanda Purana 2.4.1.21), 11.524 ekavimsa-ganaih sarddham (Bhavisya Purana, Uttara-parva), 11.535 ekavṛttya tu krsnasya (Brahmanda Purana 236.19), 11.294 eko bahunam yo vidadhāti kāman (Katha Upanisad 2.2.13), 1.34 eko’ham pañcadhā jātah (PP 6.88.44), 1.575, 1.576 eşă buddhimatam buddhir (SB 11.29.22), 1.79, 1.434, 1.435, 1.1080, II.755 eşa eva hi lokanam (SB 4.2.31), 1.570 esa ta ätmântaryamy (BAU 3.7.3), 1.1286, 1.1290 esa te’bhihita sankhye (GĪTĀ 2.39), 1.1000 eşa vai bhagavan sākṣat (SB 7.15.27), 1.1322 eta uddhava te praśnaḥ (SB 11.19.45), 1.1070, 11.687 etad evātma-bhū rajan (SB 2.4.25), 1.239 etad istam pravṛttakhyam (SB 7.15.49), II.181 etad uktaḥ praty uvaca (Visnu-dharmottara Purana 3.354.12), 1.567 etad vai sarva-varnānām (SB 11.27.4), II.517, II.520 etad veditum icchamah (SB 7.1.16), II.641, II.642 etadrsi tava krpa bhagavan mamapi (Sikṣāṣṭakam 2), 1.892 etad-yonini bhūtāni (GĪTĀ 7.6), 1.1241 etäḥ param tanu-bhrto bhuvi gopa-vadhvaḥ (SB 10.47.58), 11.679 etair upadruto nityam (SB 4.29.41), II.283 1021 References etaj jñānam iti proktam (GĪTĀ 13.11), 1.492, 1.541 etan me purusadhyaksa (SB 11.11.27), 1.1228 etan nirvidyamānānām (SB 2.1.11), 1.452, 1.690, 1.692, 1.1205, 11.311, II.312, II.338, 11.369, 11.380 etasyaivānandasyänyani bhütäni (BAU 4.3.32), 1.154 etat samsucitam brahmams (SB 1.5.32), 11.53, II.56 etat sarvam gurau bhaktyā (SB 7.15.25), 1.1300, II.162 etat syat sarva-vedesu (Jaimini-sutra, Sabara-bhāṣya 1.3.1), 1.743 etat te kathitam täta (SB 12.5.13), 1.442, 1.452 etavad eva jijñāsyam (SB 2.9.35), 1.667, 1.668, 1.670, 1.685, 1.687, 1.696-699, 1.701, 1.1283 etavan eva loke’smin (SB 3.25.44), 1.259, 1.260, 1.671 etāvān eva loke’smin (SB 6.3.22), 1.50, 1.472, 1.475, 1.628, 1.671, 1.720, 11.23 etävän eva loke’smin (SB 7.7.55), 1.671, 1.673 etävän eva yajatām (SB 2.3.11), 1.210, 1.211, 1.1049 etävän sänkhya-yogabhyam (SB 2.1.6), 1.945 etävän sarva-vedarthaḥ (SB 11.21.43), 1.26 etavan yoga adisto (SB 11.13.14), II.381 ete camsa-kalaḥ pumsaḥ (SB 1.3.28), 11.326 ete na hy adbhuta vyadha (Skanda Purana), 1.603 ete pancadasanartha (SB 11.23.19), 1.380 etenaiva hy aghono’sya (SB 6.2.8), 1.950 evam aghaṭamana-manorathakula-hrdayo (SB 5.8.26), 1.926 evam agny-arka-toyadav (SB 11.3.55), 1.355 evam dehe mrte jivo (SB 12.5.5), 1.451 evam dharmair manuṣyanam (SB 11.19.24), II.95, II.96, 11.587 evam dharṣtyany usati kurute mehanadini vastau (SB 10.8.31), 1.1323 evam etan nigaditam (SB 2.3.1), 1.207, 1.449 evam gurupāsanayaika-bhaktyä (SB 11.12.24), 1.1315 evam jijñāsayapohya (SB 11.11.21), 1.384 evam karma-viśuddhya (SB 5.7.7), 11.69, 11.71, 11.74 evam kriya-yoga-pathaih (SB 11.27.49), II.457, II.512, II.516 evam kṛṣṇa-mater brahman (SB 1.6.28), II.272 evam kṛṣṇe bhagavati (SB 7.1.28), 11.660 evam nānāvidhaih sabdair (Brahmanda Purana), 11.323 evam nirjita-sad-vargaiḥ (SB 7.7.33), 1.309, 1.821 evam nṛņām kriya-yogah (SB 1.5.34), II.55, II.56 evam pralobhyamano’pi (SB 7.9.55), 1.454, 1.965, 1.984 evam prasanna-manaso (SB 1.2.20), 1.118, 1.119, 1.127 1022 Verse Index evam pravartitam cakram (GĪTĀ 3.16), 1.999 evam sada karma-kalapam atmanah (SB 9.4.21), II.429 evam samiksya cātmānam (SB 12.5.11), 1.451 evam sandarsita hy anga (SB 10.9.19), 11.710, II.712 evam satata-yukta ye (GITA 12.1), 1.535, 1.658 evam sva-bhaktayo rajan (SB 10.86.59), 1.972 evam sva-citte svata eva siddha (SB 2.2.6), 1.30, 1.32, 1.39 evam trayi-dharmam anuprapanna (GITA 9.21), 1.61, 1.811 evam vadanti ye nityam (PP 4.80.3), 1.1000 evam viditvä manträrtham (source unknown), 1.1076 evam vihāraiḥ kaumāraiḥ (SB 10.14.61), II.463 evam vimrsya sudhiyo bhagavaty anante (SB 6.3.26), 11.330 evam vyavasito buddhya (SB 8.3.1), 1.816 evam-vrataḥ sva-priya-nama-kirtyä (SB 11.2.40), 1.1163, 11.301, 11.302, II.305, 11.354 gacchams tisthan svapan bhuñjams (Visnu-dharma Purana), 11.472 gām dugdha-dohām asatim ca bharyam (SB 11.11.19), 1.379, 1.383 gām paryatan medhya-vivikta-vrttiḥ (SB 3.1.19), II.535 gamyasya yavantasya karmano’dhikaranac ca pañcami (HNV 4.122), 1.1010 ganapatyadi-mantrebhyaḥ (Ramärcana-candrika), 11.433 gandha-rupam svadu-rupam (Hayasirṣa Pañcaratra), 1.1216 gandharvapsaraso nagaḥ (SB 11.12.3), II.192, II.198, II.201 garbha-väsa-sahasreşu (Brahma-vaivarta Purana), 1.894 gatasun agatāsümś ca (GĪTĀ 2.11), 1.23 gati-samanyat (vs 1.1.10), 1.662 gaty-utsmitekṣaṇa-kṣveli (SB 11.6.49), 1.369 gayann anusmaran karma (SB 11.11.23), 1.391, 1.393 gayanty adyapi kavayo (SB 10.8.47), II.711, II.712 ghanagame prakurvanti (Garuda Purana), 11.507 ghate bhinne ghaṭākāśa (SB 12.5.5), 1.451 ghnantam bahu sapantam va (SB 10.64.41), II.231, II.237 ghrānam ca tat-pada-saroja-saurabhe (SB 9.4.19), 11.585 ghrāṇena nāsike vayur (SB 3.26.63), 11.482 gītāni nāmāni tad-arthakāni (SB 11.2.39), 1.334, 1.338, 1.340, 1.1160, 11.42, II.301, II.305, II.350 goloka eva nivasaty akhilätma-bhūtaḥ (BS 5.37), 11.461 gopalam pujayed yas tu (Gautamiya Tantra 33.84), 1.581 gopăleşu na boddhavyaḥ (Sanat-kumara Samhita), II.434 gopayec ca nijam mantram (Hari-bhakti-viläsa 2.147), II.774 1023 References gopayed devatam işṭām (Hari-bhakti-viläsa 2.147), II.774 gopīnām tat-patīnāṁ ca (SB 10.33.35), 11.677 gopyah kamad bhayat kaṁso (SB 7.1.30), 11.686-688, 11.690, 11.691, 11.707 govinda iti cukrosa (Mahabharata), 11.299 govinda-bhuja-guptayam (SB 11.2.1), 1.1176, 11.186 govindapahṛtätmano (SB 10.29.8), 11.675 govindeti harer nama (Skanda Purana), 11.335 govindeti sadā vācyam (Visnu-dharmottara Purana), 11.304 grham sariram manusyam (SB 11.19.43), II.643 grheṣu jāyātmaja-rätimatsu (SB 5.5.3), 1.1138, 1.1147, 1.1148 grhita-cetă rajarse (SB 2.1.9), II.309, II.310, II.312 grhita-sakti-tritayaya dehinam (SB 2.4.12), 1.239 grhitvāpīndriyair arthan (SB 11.2.48), 1.1187, 1.1206, 1.1209, 1.1212 grhnīyad vaiṣṇavam mantram (Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 2.10), II.422 guhyam visuddham durbodham (SB 6.3.21), 1.628, 1.630 guna-sangam vinirdhuya (SB 11.25.33), 1.787 gunasya māyā-mülatvät (SB 11.11.1), 1.22 gunātmanas te’pi gunan vimätum (SB 10.14.7), II.556 gurau sannihite yas tu (source unknown), 11.173 guror apy avaliptasya (MB 3.179.25), 11.175, 11.177 guror avajñā śruti-sastra-nindanam (PP 3.25.16), 11.315 guru-bhaktya sa milati (Brahma-vaivarta Purana), 1.1312 guruḥ sastram śraddha rucir anugatiḥ siddhir iti me (Jiva Gosvāmi), 11.782 guru-mulam idam sarvam (Hari-bhakti-viläsa 17.242), II.168 guru-pādāśrayas tasmat (BRS 1.2.74), 1.27, 1.1273, 1.1317, 11.158, II.441 gurur brahma gurur vişnur (Skanda Purana, Guru-gita 1.1), 1.1326 gurur eva param brahma (Skanda Purana, Guru-gita 1.1), 1.1326 gurur na sa syāt sva-jano na sa syat (SB 5.5.18), 1.1316 gurur yasya bhavet tustas (Vamana-kalpa), 1.1304, 11.163 gurur yena parityaktas (Brahma-vaivarta Purana), 1.1303 guruşu nara-matiḥ (Padyavali 114), 1.1301 guru-suśruṣaya bhaktyā (SB 7.7.30), 1.309, 1.1233, 11.779 hanan brāhmaṇam atyantam (Brahma-vaivarta Purana), 1.903 hanta citriyate mitra (Padyavali 112), 1.375 hanta te kathayisyami (SB 11.29.8), 11.739, II.742 hantasmin janmani bhavan (SB 1.6.22), 1.929, 1.931, 1.1145 hanti nindati vai dvesti (Skanda Purana), 1.753, 11.318 hantum samarthaḥ purusam (Garuda Purana 1.234.33), 1.736 harau ruste gurus trata (Vamana-kalpa), 11.163 1024 Verse Index harav abhaktasya kuto mahad-guna (SB 5.18.12), 1.519, 1.623, 1.673, 1.773, 1.775, 1.1020 hare rama hare krsna (PP 4.80.3), 1.1000, 11.313 hareḥ padānusmrti-nirvṛtasya (SB 3.5.13), II.601 harer adbhuta-viryasya (SB 2.8.2), 11.717 harer apy aparadhan yah (PP 3.25.12), II.314, II.332 harer bhuktāvaśesena (PP 6.253.106), 11.449 harer gunakṣipta-matir (SB 1.7.11), 1.433, 1.1173 harer madhuryanubhava (Sarartha-darśini 1.2.21), 1.128 harer nama harer nama (BNP 1.41.27), II.371 harer nama harer nama (PP 4.80.2), 1.1000, II.313 harer nama param japyam (Jabali-samhita), 11.383 harer namaiva nämaiva (Narada Purana, Purva-khanda 41.15), 11.313 harer viśvātmanas cestam (SB 12.5.13), 1.442, 1.452 hari-bhaktau pravṛttä ye (Skanda Purana), 1.603 hari-bhakti-parānāṁ tu (Bṛhan-naradiya Purana), 1.857 hari-guru-vimukhan prasasmi martyān (Nrsimha Purana 9.2), 1.863 harim samprāpya kamena (PP 6.245.165), 11.678, II.680 hariņā caśv adeyeti (BRS 1.1.35), 1.825 hari-puja-vihīnāś ca (BNP 1.37.5), 1.642, II.193 harir eva sada dhyeyo (Harivamsa 3.89.8), 1.571 harir eva sadaradhyaḥ (Padma Purana), 1.581 harir evaika urvīša (SB 7.14.34), II.476, II.478, II.479 harir harati papani (BNP 1.11.100), 1.678 harir ity avaśenäha (SB 6.2.15), 1.740, 1.743, 1.744 hariścandro rantideva (SB 10.72.21), 1.435 harṣa-sokānvitaḥ karta (GITA 18.27), 1.807 hasaty atho roditi rauti gayaty (SB 11.2.40), 1.1163, 11.301, 11.302, 11.305, II.354 haviṣāgnau yajeta mām (SB 11.11.43), II.181, II.474 hayasīrṣā mām pathi deva-helanat (SB 6.8.17), 1.581 he krsna krsna krsneti (Nrsimha Purāṇa 8.27), 1.691 helanam girisa-bhratur (SB 4.11.33), 1.583 heyamśānām abhavac ca (Hayasirşa Pañcaratra), 1.1216 hima-väyv-agni-salilaiḥ (SB 7.5.44), 1.732, 1.734 himsa tad-abhimanena (SB 7.1.23), II.649, 11.655 himsram dravyamayam kamyam (SB 7.15.48), II.181 hitvārcām bhajate maudhyad (SB 3.29.22), 1.586, 1.588, 1.592 hiyate hi matis täta (Hitopadesa 1.41), 1.1278 1025 References homam caiva prakurvīta (PP 6.253.107), 11.449 hrdi katham upasidatām punaḥ sa (SB 11.2.54), 1.1202, 1.1212 hrdi sthito yacchati bhakti-pute (SB 3.5.4), 1.247 hrd-vag-vapubhir vidadhan namas te (SB 10.14.8), 11.556-559 hrdy antaḥstho hy abhadraņi (SB 1.2.17), 1.107, 1.127 idam bhagavatam nama (SB 1.3.40), 1.544, II.275 idam bhāgavatam nāma (SB 2.1.8), II.288, 11.309, 11.310, 11.312 idam eva sunispannam (Linga Purana 2.7.11), 1.481, 1.675, 11.381 idam eva sunişpannam (Skanda Purana 4.25.35), 1.481, 1.675, 11.381 idam hi pumsas tapasaḥ śrutasya va (SB 1.5.22), 1.382, 1.661, 1.662, II.344 idam japata bhadram vo (SB 4.24.69), 1.271, 1.273 idam pavitram param isa-cestitam (SB 4.7.61), 1.108 idam tu te guhyatamam (GITA 9.1), 11.749 idamas tu sannikṛṣṭam, 1.1103 idanim śrņu devi tvam (Trailokya-sammohana-tantra), 1.902 idrsanam athanyeṣam (SB 4.21.29), 1.1284, 1.1289 ihamutra ca lakṣyante (SB 4.21.27), 1.1284, 1.1289 ijyeta haviṣā rājan (SB 7.14.17), 11.186, II.189 iksetätmani cātmānam (SB 11.29.12), 11.740-742, 11.751 ikṣitā api gacchanti (BNP 1.20.73), 1.880 indram indriya-kamas tu (SB 2.3.2), 1.205, 1.208, 1.211 indrari-vyakulam lokam (SB 1.3.28), II.326 indrasyarthe katham daityan (SB 7.1.1), 1.787 indriyanam hi caratam (GITA 2.67), 1.24 indriyani pramathini (GĪTĀ 2.60), 1.538 indriyartheşu vairagyam (GITA 13.8), 1.541 indriyasyendriyasyarthe (GITÄ 3.34), 1.336, 11.604, 11.651 indro maheśvaro brahma (Skanda Purana, Reva-khanda), 1.651 iśanad eva cesano (Brahmanda Purana), 11.323 isat prathamam eveti (BRS 1.2.248), 1.425, 1.527, 11.254 īsāvasyam idam sarvam (Isopanisad 1), 1.340 istam dattam hutam japtam (SB 11.19.23), 11.95, 11.97, 11.587 iṣṭā-pürteņa mām evam (SB 11.11.47), II.180-182, II.184 işto’si me drdham iti (GITÄ 18.64), 1.556, 1.1001, II.748, 11.750, 11.752 isvarah paramaḥ krsnah (BS 5.1), 11.326, 11.728 iśvarah sarva-bhūtanam (GITA 18.61), 11.575, 11.748, 11.752 isvara-pranidhanat-va (Yoga-sutra 1.23), 1.533 isvarasya tu sămarthyan (PP 6.226.46), II.153 isvarasya vimuktasya (SB 3.7.9), 1.20 1026 Verse Index ïśvare tad-adhīneşu (SB 11.2.46), 1.1170, 1.1171, 1.1187, 1.1208, 1.1210-1212, 11.505 iśvaro jiva-kalaya (SB 3.29.34), 1.602, 1.610, II.479 itaḥ pūrvam prāṇa-buddhi- (source unknown), 11.44 itare brahma-rudradya (Padma Purana), 1.581 iti bhāgavatan dharman (SB 11.3.33), 11.43 iti bhāratam ākhyānam (SB 1.4.25), 11.521 iti dvapara urv-isa (SB 11.5.31), II.320, II.457, II.784 iti matva bhajante mam (GĪTĀ 10.8), 1.33, 1.361, 1.490, II.67, II.326 iti nṛ-gatim vivicya kavayo nigamāvapanam (SB 10.87.20), 1.652, 1.698, 1.1077 iti nyavarayad dharmam (SB 4.14.6), 11.642 iti pumsārpita viṣṇau (SB 7.5.24), 1.985, 11.602 iti sarvāņi bhūtāni (SB 11.29.13), 11.743 iti svarupa-samsiddham (source unknown), 1.1076 iti te jñānam ākhyātam (GITA 18.63), 11.748, 11.752 iti veda sa vai vidvan (SB 4.29.51), 1.1272, 1.1275 iti vidya-tapo-yonir (source unknown), 1.481 iti yah saranam praptas (Nrsimha Purana 8.29), 1.691, II.155 ittham parasya nija-vartma-rirakṣayatta- (SB 10.90.49), 1.108 ittham strībhiḥ sa-bhaya-nayana-śrī-mukhālokinībhir (SB 10.8.31), 1.1323 ity acyutanghrim bhajato’nuvṛttya (SB 11.2.43), II.781 ity akhyā jāyate tavad (Garuda Purana), 1.1025 ity asadharanam proktam (BRS 2.1.43), II.343 ity asya hrdayam loke (SB 11.21.42), 1.198, 1.200 ity etat kathitam gurvi (SB 3.32.31), 1.1063 iyan asav īśvara-vigrahasya (SB 2.1.38), 1.185 iyeşa tad-adhisthātum (SB 4.12.29), 11.271 jagad-dhitaya kṛṣṇāya (PP 6.229.9), 11.496 jagad-dhitaya so’py atra (SB 10.14.55), 1.280 jagad-gurum bhartṛ-buddhya (SB 10.90.27), II.676 jagaram nisi kurvita (Narada Pañcarātra), 11.526 jaghanya-guna-vṛtti-stha (GITA 14.18), 11.643 jahur guna-mayam deham (SB 10.29.11), 11.675 jajapa paramam japyam (SB 8.3.1), 1.816 jalam bhittvā yatha padmam (Nrsimha Purana 8.27), 1.691 jalastham vividhaiḥ puspair (Garuda Purana), 11.507 jalastham vividhaiḥ puspair (PP 6.84.12), II.507 jalenäpi jagannathaḥ (Naradīya Purana), 11.506 1027References janasya kṛṣṇād vimukhasya daivad (SB 3.5.3), 1.1092, 1.1096 janayaty asu vairagyam (SB 1.2.7), 1.53-56, 1.60, 1.61, 1.64, 1.79, 1.114, 1.127, 1.502, 1.631, 1.768, 1.797, II.24, 11.785 janayaty asu vairagyam (SB 3.32.23), II.116 janma karma ca me divyam (GĪTĀ 4.9), 11.270, 11.272 janma-bhūmiḥ priya mama (Adi-varaha Purana), 11.414 janmädy asya yatah (vs 1.1.2), 1.157 janmady asya yato’nvayad itaratas carthesv abhijnah svarat (SB 1.1.1), 1.657, 1.658 janma-koti-sahasresu (BNP 1.39.51), 1.486 janma-labhaḥ paraḥ pumsam (SB 2.1.6), 1.945 janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi- (Sahasra-nama-stotra 131), 1.934 janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi- (GITA 13.8), 1.541 janmanā brāhmaṇaḥ jneyah (PP 6.148.129), 1.518 janmanā brāhmaṇo guruh (SB 10.8.6), II.236 janmäntara-sahasresu (Itihasa-samuccaya 31.121), 1.871, 11.563 janmäntara-sahasresu (Adi-varaha Purana), 1.568 jano’bhadra-rucir bhadra (SB 11.7.5), 1.368, 1.371 jata-sraddho mat-kathasu (SB 11.20.27), 1.592, 1.730, 1.1003-1005, 1.1009, I.1011, 1.1012, 1.1014 jätasyaiva mṛtasyaiva (Garbhopanisad 4), 1.883 jäte säkṣād yadavendre sa vindan (BRS 3.1.37), 11.395 jayamānam hi purusam (MB 12.348.73), 1.1115 jayante tat-svarupaś ca (Hayasirsa Pancaratra), 1.1217 jighamsayapi haraye (SB 10.6.35), 11.620, 11.621, II.765 jihvā na vakti bhagavad-guna-namadheyam (SB 6.3.29), 1.857, 1.858, 1.862, 1.866, 1.899, 1.905 jihvam prasahya rusatim asatam prabhus cec (SB 4.4.17), II.319 jihväsati därdurikeva süta (SB 2.3.20), 1.224, 1.620, 11.257 jitam ajita tada bhavata (SB 6.16.40), 1.712, 1.713 jitendriyasyätma-rater budhasya (SB 5.1.17), 1.804 jīva vā mara vā sadho (source unknown), 11.259 jīva-bhūtām mahā-baho (GITA 7.5), 1.1219, 1.1241 jīvāḥ śreṣṭhā hy ajīvānām (SB 3.29.28), 1.600, 1.602, 1.610, II.479 jivan-chavo bhāgavatanghri-renum (SB 2.3.23), 1.230 jīvan-muktā api punar (Bhagavat-parisista), 1.644 jīvan-muktah prapadyante (Bhagavat-parisista), 1.644 jiva-rasibhir akīrņa (SB 7.14.36), 11.480 jivasya tattva-jijñāsā (SB 1.2.10), 1.66, 1.68, 1.70, 1.230 1028 Verse Index jīvitam visņu-bhaktasya (Visnu-dharmottara Purana), 1.877 jivitam yasya dharmarthe (PP 4.94.8), 1.1252 jnanagni-dagdha-karmapi (Visņu-bhakti-candrodaya), 1.645, II.478 jñāna-lava-durvidagdham (Niti-sataka 3), 1.916 jnanam caikatmya-darsanam (SB 11.19.27), II.8, II.88 jñānam karma ca bhaktiś ca (SB 11.20.6), 1.37, 1.425, 1.994, 1.1000, 1.1001, 1.1022, 1.1063 jñānam labdhvā param santim (GĪTĀ 4.39), II.774 jnanam parama-guhyam me (SB 2.9.30), 1.667, 1.670, 1.701 jnanam te’ham sa-vijnanam (GITA 7.2), 1.1241 jnanam vijñānam astikyam (GĪTĀ 18.42), 11.494 jnanam vijnāna-sahitam (GĪTĀ 9.1), 11.749 jnānam visuddham āpnoti (SB11.20.11), I.63, I.1047, I.1124 jñānam viśuddham paramartham ekam (SB 5.12.11), 1.1129, 1.1133 jnanam yad apratinivrtta-gunormi-cakram (SB 2.3.12), 11.263 jñānam yat tad adhinam hi (SB 1.5.35), II.74 jñāna-matram param brahma (SB 3.32.26), 1.1056, 1.1063 jñāna-niṣṭhāya deyani (SB 7.15.2), 11.477-479, 11.498, 11.500 jñānāpavādo nastikyam (Kurma Purana 2.16.18), 11.328 jñāna-vairagya-nāmānau (Padma Purana, Bhagavata-mahatmya 1.45), 1.54 jñāna-vairāgyayor bhakti- (BRS 1.2.248), 1.425, 1.527, 11.254 jñāna-vijñāna-sampanno (SB 11.19.5), 1.645 jnana-vijñāna-santoṣaḥ (Mukta-phala-țīkā 16.26), 1.515 jñāna-vijñāna-santṛpto (SB 6.16.62), 1.301, II.104 jñana-yogena sankhyānāṁ (GITĀ 3.3), 1.1000, 1.1001 jñāne karmani yoge ca (SB 11.29.33), 11.756 jñāne prayāsam udapasya namanta eva (SB 10.14.3), 1.536, 1.539 jnanena dṛṣṭa-tattvena (SB 3.27.22), 11.89, 11.91 jñānena tu tad ajñānam (GĪTĀ 5.16), 1.56 jñānena vaiyāsaki-sabditena (SB 1.18.16), 1.446 jñānināṁ catma-bhūtānām (SB 10.9.21), II.477, II.729 jñātum draṣṭum ca tattvena (GITA 11.54), 1.966, II.634 jñātvajñātvatha ye vai mam (SB 11.11.33), 1.677, 1.1236, 1.1239, 1.1244-1246, II.619, 11.624, II.715 jñāyate’tyanta-duḥkhena (Narada Pañcaratra), 11.445 jñeyas tada manusyendra (Vişnu-dharma), 1.1018 joşayet sarva-karmāņi (GĪTĀ 3.26), 1.1040, 1.1045 jugupsitam dharma-kṛte’nusāsataḥ (SB 1.5.15), 1.164, 1.353, 1.1041, 1.1317, 1.1319 1029 References juşamāņaś ca tän kämän (SB 11.20.28), 1.730, 1.1003, 1.1010, 1.1011, I.1014, 1.1015, 1.1020, I.1036 jvara-marana-dasayam api (SB 5.3.12), 1.948, 1.951 kā sā rakṣā na tām vedmi (Visnu-dharma), 1.893 ka stry anga te kala-padayata-veņu-gīta- (SB 10.29.40), 11.343 ka uttama-sloka-gunānuvādāt (SB 10.1.4), II.258 kā vidya hriḥ para kā śrīḥ (SB 11.19.30), 1.708 kacam vicinvann api divya-ratnam (Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya 7.28), 1.503 kada gambhiraya vaca (Narada Pancaratra), 11.613 kada gambhiraya vacā (BRS 1.2.155), 11.613 kah panditas tvad aparam saranam samiyad (SB 10.48.26), 1.613 kah samaḥ ko damaḥ krsna (SB 11.19.28), 1.1069 kair lingais trin gunän etan (GĪTA 14.21), II.13 kaivalyadaḥ param brahma (Skanda Purana), 1.1289 kaivalyam sattvikam jnanam (SB 11.25.24), 1.783, 1.788, 1.796, 11.115 kaivalya-sammata-pathas tv atha bhakti-yogah (SB 2.3.12), 11.263 kālaḥ prādurabhüt kale (SB 1.6.28), 11.272 kala-karma-gunadhino (SB 1.13.46), II.103 kālātmanopanaya mam nija-bhrtya-pārsvam (SB 7.9.24), 1.124 kalau khalu bhavisyanti (SB 11.5.38), II.366 kalau kṛta-yugam tasya (Vişnu-dharma), 11.368 kalau na rajan jagatam param gurum (SB 12.3.43), II.373 kalau nasta-dṛśām esa (SB 1.3.43), 11.379 kalau nasty eva nasty eva (Narada Purana, Purva-khanda 41.15), 11.313 kalau nasty eva nasty eva (BNP 1.41.27), 11.371 kalau yuge visesena (Skanda Purana, Caturmasya-mahatmya), 11.357 kale ca dese ca mano na sajjayet (SB 2.2.15), II.11 kālena naṣṭā pralaye (SB 11.14.3), 1.403, 1.404, 1.410, 1.499, 1.668, 1.670, 1.687, II.22, II.23 kalena nati-dirghena (SB 2.8.4), 11.346, II.347 kalena yair vā vimitaḥ sukalpair (SB 10.14.7), II.556 kaler dosa-nidhe rajann (SB 12.3.51), 1.448, 1.452, II.313, II.361, II.381 kalim sabhajayanty arya (SB 11.5.36), II.354, 11.360, 11.371 kalpante kala-srstena (SB 7.3.26), 1.1061 kama hṛdayya nasyanti (SB 11.20.29), 1.418, 1.419, 1.426, 1.427 kamad dveṣad bhayat snehad (SB 7.1.29), II.664, II.671, 11.684, 11.686-688, 11.690 kamair ahata-dhir danto (SB 11.11.30), 1.1226, 1.1229, 1.1232, 1.1235-1237, 1.1245, 1.1248 1030 Verse Index kamais tais tair hṛta-jnanaḥ (GITA 7.20), 1.142 kāma-krodhadi-yukto’pi (Brahma-vaivarta Purana), 1.1277 kāmam bhavaḥ sva-vrjinair nirayesu nah stac (SB 3.15.49), 11.342 kāmam ca dasye na tu kama-kamyaya (SB 9.4.20), 11.564, 11.565, 11.585 kāmānam hrdy asamroham (SB 7.10.7), 1.980, 1.984 kamasya nendriya-prītir (SB 1.2.10), 1.66, 1.68, 1.70 kāmātmānaḥ svarga-para (GĪTĀ 2.43), 1.918 kamaturam harsa-soka-bhayaiṣaṇārtam (SB 7.9.39), 1.13 karau harer mandira-märjanādiṣu (SB 9.4.18), II.488, 11.564, 11.585 karayan bhagavad-dhama (Vişnu-dharma Purana), 1.881 karma brahmodbhavam viddhi (GĪTĀ 3.15), 1.74 karmabhir va trayi-proktaiḥ (SB 4.31.10), 1.277, 1.278, 1.281, 1.522 karmabhyaḥ prag ayogyasya (Tantra-värttika on Jaimini-sütra 2.1.5), 11.61 karma-mokṣāya karmāņi (SB 11.3.44), 1.341-343, 1.348, 1.353, 11.624 karmanā karma-nirhāro (SB 6.1.11), 1.747, 1.751, 1.752 karmanā manasā vācā (Brahma Purana 216.84), II.155 karmanaiva hi samsiddhim (GITĀ 3.20), 1.139, 1.1103, II.71 karmaņām etad apy ahur (Kurma Purana, Purva-khanda 3.18), 11.72 karmāņi karma-kaṣaṇāni yaduttamasya (SB 10.90.49), 1.108 karma-nirharam uddiśya (SB 3.29.10), 1.799, 1.1198, 11.114, 11.116 karma-nisthā dvijaḥ kecit (SB 7.15.1), II.498, II.500 karmany asminn anasvase (SB 1.18.12), 1.507, 1.818 karmany evadhikāras te (GĪTĀ 2.47), 1.496, 1.1289 karma-śreyasi müḍhānām (SB 1.4.25), II.521 karmibhyas cadhiko yogi (GĪTĀ 6.46), 1.77, 1.81, 1.637, 1.646 karṇa-piyusam āsvadya (SB 11.6.44), 1.953, 1.954 karṇau pidhāya niriyad yad akalpa ise (SB 4.4.17), 11.319 karoti karna-ramyani (SB 10.7.1), 11.765 karoti satatam buddhya (Kürma Purana, Purva-khanda 3.18), 11.72 karoti yad yat sakalam parasmai (SB 11.2.36), 1.63, 1.330, 1.333, 1.335, 11.42- 44 kartā svatantra ity uktah (HNV 4.13), II.57 kartavyam śraddhaya viṣṇoś (PP 5.84.52), 11.518 kartavyam vittāśathyena (Vişņu-rahasya), 11.522 kārtikasya tu māsasya (Skanda Purana 2.4.1.21), 11.524 kartr-karmanoḥ ṣasthi krd-yoge (HNV 6.37), 1.203 kartum sametāḥ prabhavanti pumsas (SB 8.24.49), 1.554, 1.555 karyate hy avaśaḥ karma (GITA 3.5), 1.335 kasmad bhajanti kavayo dhana-durmadandhan (SB 2.2.5), 1.983, 1.1043 1031 References kasmai yena vibhāsito’yam atulo jñāna-pradipah pura (SB 12.13.19), 1.658 kasmin kale sa bhagavan (SB 11.5.19), 1.362 katamo’pi na venah syat (SB 7.1.31), 11.353, 11.653, 11.688, 11.690, II.693, 11.696, 11.697, 11.707, II.721 kathā imaste kathitä mahātmanam (SB 12.3.14), 11.250, II.254 katham anyāms tu gopayet (SB 1.13.46), 11.103 katham asyāvatārasya brahmatā bhavati (GTU 2.28), 11.746, 11.751 katham vā pāṇḍaveyasya (SB 1.4.7), 1.544 katham vinā roma-harsam (SB 11.14.23), 1.846, 1.847, 1.849 kathayasva mahabhaga (SB 2.8.2), II.717 kaumāra acaret prajño (SB 7.6.1), 1.301, 1.304 kaunteya pratijanihi (GITA 9.31), 1.726, 1.731 kavim purānam anusāsitāram (GĪTĀ 8.9), 1.1055, 1.1064 kaya-kleśaḥ phalam tasam (Skanda Purana), 1.494 kayena vāca manasendriyair va (SB 11.2.36), 1.63, 1.330, 1.333, 1.335, 11.42-44 kecit kevalaya bhaktyā (SB 6.1.15), 1.679, 1.746-748 kecit sva-dehantar-hrdayāvakāśe (SB 2.2.8), 1.190, 1.1058 kenapi devena hrdi (Gautamiya Tantra 7.20), II.152 kesavarca grhe yasya (Skanda Purana 7.4.36.12), II.424 kevalam rupa-bhedena (Trailokya-sammohana Tantra), II.448 kevalam santatam kṛṣṇa- (Gautamiya Tantra 33.57), 11.622 kevalam satatam kṛṣṇa- (Gautamiya Tantra 33.57), 1.1028 kevalena hi bhavena (SB 11.12.8), 11.205-207, II.210 kham vayum agnim salilam mahim ca (SB 11.2.41), 1.1163, 1.1164, 1.1167 kikato’pi mṛto yati (Padma Purana), 11.500 kim ācāraḥ katham caitāms (GĪTĀ 14.21), 11.13 kim anena krtam punyam (SB 10.80.25), II.669 kim atra bahunoktena (Padma Purana), 11.228 kim citram acyuta tavaitad aśesa-bandho (SB 11.29.4), II.726 kim idam kuta eveti (SB 12.10.13), 1.561, 1.565 kim janmabhis tribhir veha (SB 4.31.10), 1.277, 1.278, 1.281, 1.522 kim maya pathi drstasya (Agni Purana), 1.587 kim nv artha-kāman bhajato (SB 10.80.11), II.386 kim punaḥ śraddhaya bhaktyä (SB 10.6.36), II.620, II.621 kim punar bhagavad-visnoh (Narada Pañcaratra), 11.164 kim punar ye sada bhaktyä (Skanda Purana), 1.869 kim punas tad-gata-präṇaḥ (Itihasa-samuccaya 31.122), 1.871, 11.563 kim satyam anrtam ceha (Brahma-vaivarta Purana), 1.1039 kim svalpa-tapasām nṛnām (SB 10.84.10), 11.220 1032 Verse Index kim tasya bahubhiḥ sastraiḥ (Padma Purana), 1.693 kim va bhāgavata dharma (SB 1.4.31), 1.710 kim va cintana-matrena (Trailokya-sammohana-tantra), 11.465 kim va parair isvarah (SB 1.1.2), 1.12, 1.23, 1.49, 1.111 kim va śreyobhir anyaiś ca (SB 4.31.12), 1.277, 1.278, 1.522 kim va yogena sankhyena (SB 4.31.12), 1.277, 1.278, 1.522 kim varnaye tava vibho yad-udirito’suḥ (SB 12.8.40), 1.835, 1.838 kim varnitena bahuna (SB 11.19.45), 1.1070, 11.687 kim vedaiḥ kim u sastrair vā (Padma Purana), 1.693 kim vidhatte kim acaste (SB 11.21.42), 1.198, 1.200 kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya (Gurvastakam 7), 1.1326 kintu prodyan-nikhila-purṇāmṛtabdher (Caitanya Caritamrta 2.13.80), II.466 kintu prodyan-nikhila-pürnamṛtabdher (Padyavali 74), 11.466 kintu svatantram evaitan (Skanda Purana), 11.368 kintv asyaḥ sangamasadya (Visnu-dharma), 1.893 kirata-hunandhra-pulinda-pukkasa (SB 2.4.18), 1.517 kirtanād eva kṛṣṇasya (SB 12.3.51), 1.448, 1.452, II.313, II.361, II.381 kirtaniyam ca bahudha (Jabali-samhita), 11.383 kiṭaḥ peśaskṛtā ruddhaḥ (SB 7.1.27), 11.660 kīṭa-pakṣi-mrgānāṁ ca (Garuda Purana, Acara-khanda 230.30), 1.676 kleśa-bhūry-alpa-sarāņi (SB 8.5.47), II.49, 11.73 kleśa-ghni subhada mokṣa- (BRS 1.1.17), 1.850, 1.1192 kleso’dhikataras teṣam (GĪTĀ 12.5), 1.250, 1.385, 1.389, 1.535, 1.538, 1.539, 1.643, II.13 ko muḍho dāsatam prapya (Padyavali 110), 1.375, 1.1061 ko nama loke purusartha-sara-vit (SB 3.13.52), 11.260 ko nu rajann indriyavan (SB 11.2.2), 1.1176, 1.1177, II.186 ko’ti-prayaso’sura-balaka harer (SB 7.7.38), 11.574 ko va bhajet kim api vismrtaye’nubhutyai (SB 11.29.5), 11.730 krameņaiva praliyeta (Padma Purana), 1.765 kramoditena vidhina (Narada Pañcaratra), 11.464 kratu-rajena govinda (SB 10.72.3), 1.575 krcchraya tapase ceha (SB 11.17.42), II.494 krcchro mahan iha bhavārṇavam aplavesam (SB 4.22.40), 1.263, 1.265, 1.535 kriya-kramena yogo’pi (Visnu-rahasya), 11.403 kriyamāņam tu yat karma (HNV 4.21), 1.122 kriya-samapti-paryanta- (Agama), 11.473 kriyate bahulāyāsam (GĪTĀ 18.24), 1.780 1033 References kriya-visesa-bahulam (GITA 2.43), 1.918 kriya-yogena śastena (SB 3.29.15), 1.606, 11.99, II.102 kriyeta bhagavaty addha (SB 7.5.24), 1.985, 11.602 krpalur akṛta-drohas (SB 11.11.29), 1.1226, 1.1229, 1.1232, 1.1235–1237, 1.1245, I.1248 kṛpa-pūrasyanda-snapita-nayanambhoja-yugalau (Jiva Gosvāmi), 11.782 kṛpasya dainyadi-yuji (Daśasloki 9), 1.545 kṛpaya bhutajam duḥkham (SB 7.15.24), II.162 kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇety aho-ratram (Brahma-vaivarta Purana), 1.903 krsna visno hrṣikeśety (VP 2.13.9), 1.1029 kṛṣṇa-janmāṣṭamim tyaktvä (Vişņu-rahasya), 11.523 kṛṣṇājinopavītākṣan (SB 11.5.21), 11.520 kṛṣṇam enam avehi tvam (SB 10.14.55), 1.280 kṛṣṇam smaran janam casya (BRS 1.2.294), 11.475, 11.721 kṛṣṇam tad-bhavana-yukta (SB 10.29.9), 11.675 kṛṣṇanghri-sevam adhimanyamāna (SB 1.19.5), 1.443 kṛṣṇa-varņam tvişäkṛṣṇam (SB 11.5.32), 11.320, 11.354, 11.370 kṛṣṇaya no namati yac-chira ekadāpi (SB 6.3.29), 1.857, 1.858, 1.862, 1.866, 1.899, 1.905 kṛṣṇe niveśya niḥsangam (SB 2.8.3), 1.450, 11.717 kṛṣṇe sva-dhāmopagate (SB 1.3.43), II.379 kṛtādiṣu praja rajan (SB 11.5.38), 11.366 kṛtajñaḥ ko na seveta (SB 3.19.36), 1.911, 1.912 kṛtākṛtam ca karma bhavati (Garbhopanisad 4), 1.883 krta-krtyāḥ praja jätyä (SB 11.17.10), II.487 krtam treta dväparam ca (SB 11.5.20), 1.363 kṛtänuyātrā vidyabhir (Padma Purana), 1.767 krte suklaś catur-bahur (SB 11.5.21), 11.520 krte yad dhyāyato visnum (SB 12.3.52), 1.688, 11.357 kṛtopavasaḥ snänena (Adi-varaha Purana 177.25), 11.549 krttiväsas tato devo (Brahmanda Purana), 11.323 kṛttyatmakam imam deham (Brahmanda Purana), 11.323 krudhyate yāti no harṣam (Skanda Purana), 1.753, II.318 kṣaṇārddhenäpi tulaye (SB 4.24.57), 11.235 kṣaṇārdhavat täḥ punar anga tāsām (SB 11.12.11), II.211 kṣaṇardhenapi tulaye (SB 4.24.57), 1.1172 kşantir avyartha-kalatvam (BRS 1.3.25), 11.387 ksemam na vindanti vina yad-arpanam (SB 2.4.17), 1.693 kşemam vidhāsyati sa no bhagavāms tryadhīsas (SB 3.16.37), II.152 1034 Verse Index ksetrajnaṁ sarva-bhüteşu (SB 11.11.45), II.502-504 kşipanty agham mahad api (SB 6.1.14), 1.747 kṣipram bhavati dharmātmā (GĪTĀ 9.31), 1.726, 1.731, 1.1019, I.1038 kşīram yatha dadhi vikara-visesa-yogat (BS 5.45), 1.136, 1.139 kşiyante casya karmāņi (SB 1.2.21), 1.99, 1.121, 1.124, 1.127 kşiyante casya karmāņi (SB 11.20.30), 1.421 kulacalendra-droņişu (SB 6.17.3), 1.429 kulācara-vihino’pi (Skanda Purana), 1.515 kulam silam athācāram (Brahma-vaivarta Purana), 1.1277 kulānāṁ śatam-agami (Vişnu-dharma Purana), 1.881 kurari vilapasi tvam vīta-nidra na śeşe (SB 10.90.15), 1.1165 kurvan bhaktya samapnoti (Visņu-rahasya), 11.428 kurvan siddhim avapnoti, II.164 kurvanti satvatām bhartur (SB 10.6.3), 1.733 kurvanty ahaitukim bhaktim (SB 1.7.10), 1.679, 1.790 kuryat kriyeta kartavyam (Jaimini-sutra, Sabara-bhasya 1.3.1), 1.743 kutah punaḥ śaśvad abhadram iśvare (SB 1.5.12), 1.47, 1.52, 1.60, 1.61, 1.163, 1.167, 1.169, 1.457, 1.458, 1.703, 1.705, 1.781, II.41 kutah punaḥ sasvad abhadram isvare (SB 12.12.52), 1.457, 1.458 kvacin madhya-pada-lopaḥ (HNV 6.107), 1.416 labdhva sudurlabham idam bahu-sambhavante (SB 11.9.29), 1.78, 1.621 labdhvānugraha ācāryat (SB 11.3.48), 1.355, 1.1270, 1.1302, 11.421, 11.468 labhate ca tataḥ kämän (GITA 7.22), 1.208, 1.555 labhate mayi sad-bhaktim (SB 11.11.47), II.180-182, II.184 labhate niścalam bhaktim (SB 11.11.24), 1.391, 1.393 labho mad-bhaktir uttamaḥ (SB 11.19.40), 1.708 lakṣaṇam bhakti-yogasya (SB 3.29.12), 1.799, 1.1166, II.122, II.123, II.132 lebhe gatim dhātry ucitam tato’nyam (SB 3.2.23), 11.763-765, 11.767 līlā-katha-rasa-nisevanam antarena (SB 12.4.40), 1.108, 1.374, 1.441, 1.450 līlā-premņā priyadhikyam (BRS 2.1.43), II.343 lilavataranurato (SB 1.2.34), II.269 līlāvatārepsita-janma vā syād (SB 11.11.20), 1.381, 1.383 lilaya mayi labdhe’sya (BRS 3.1.36), II.395 lipyante na ca papena (Itihasa-samuccaya 31.120), 1.871 lokan anucarann etan (SB 6.14.14), 1.1123 loka-sangraham evapi (GĪTĀ 3.20), 1.139, 1.1103, 11.71 lokavat tu lila-kaivalyam (vs 2.1.33), 11.673 loke’smin dvi-vidha niṣṭhā (GITA 3.3), 1.1000, 1.1001 1035 References mā karma-phala-hetur bhur (GITĀ 2.47), 1.496, 1.1289 ma mam pralobhayotpattya (SB 7.10.2), 1.979, 1.984 marco ma yajus täta (Skanda Purana), 11.335 mad-abhijñam gurum santam (SB 11.10.5), 1.1315 mad-anyat te na jananti (SB 9.4.68), 1.1248 mad-arpanam nisphalam vā (SB 11.25.23), 1.779-781 mad-artham api karmāņi (GITĀ 12.10), 1.525, 11.405 mad-arthe dharma-kamarthan (SB 11.11.24), 1.391, 1.393 mad-artheʼrtha-parityago (SB 11.19.23), 11.95, II.97, II.587 mad-artheşv anga-cesta ca (SB 11.19.22), II.587 mad-bhakta etad-vijnaya (GĪTĀ 13.18), 1.542 mad-bhakta yatra gayanti (Padma Purana, Kārtika-mahatmya), 11.351 mad-bhaktah puruso bhavet (SB 6.16.62), 1.301 mad-bhakta-jana-vatsalyam (Garuda Purana 1.227.6), 11.229 mad-bhakta-pujabhyadhika (SB 11.19.21), II.186, II.189, 11.217, 11.587 mad-bhaktim vahatam pumsām (Skanda Purana), 1.722 mad-bhakto yo mad arcam ca (Padma Purana), 11.436 mad-bhaktyāpetam ātmānam (SB 11.14.22), 1.412, 1.643, 1.845, 1.849 mad-bhavaḥ sarva-bhuteṣu (SB 11.29.19), II.747, II.752 mad-dharmano gupair etaiḥ (SB 3.29.19), 1.606, 11.99, II.102 mad-dhisnya-darsana-sparsa- (SB 3.29.16), 11.99, 11.102 mad-guna-śruti-matrena (SB 3.29.11), 1.799, 11.102, 11.122, II.132, 11.390 madhura-madhuram etan (Skanda Purana), 11.334 madiyaṁ mahimanam ca (SB 8.24.38), 1.243, 1.789 magha-mäsyūsasi snätvā (Bhavisya Purana, Uttara-parva), 11.535 magha-snanam sadā karyam (Skanda Purana), 11.534 maha-bhaktyātra kartavyam (Skanda Purana 7.4.24.33), 11.528 mahad-aparadhasya bhoga (Nama-kaumudi), 11.337 mahad-vimanāt sva-krtaddhi madrń (SB 5.10.25), 11.545 mahantas te sama-cittaḥ prasanta (SB 5.5.2), 1.1138 maha-puruşam abhyarcen (SB 11.3.48), 1.355, 1.1270, 1.1302, II.291, II.421, II.468 mahatam bahu-mänena (SB 3.29.17), 11.99, II.102 mahātmānas tu mām partha (GĪTĀ 9.13), II.750 māhātmyāvagater vidhy-, 1.744 mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimuktes (SB 5.5.2), 11.233 mahattamantar-hrdayan mukha-cyuto (SB 4.20.24), II.280 maha-vipat-papa-vinasano’yam (VP 1.17.44), 1.733, 1.920 mahimnām api yan-nāmnaḥ (Brhan-naradiya Purana), 11.339 1036 Verse Index mahiyasām pāda-rajo’bhisekam (SB 7.5.32), 1.399, 1.786, I.1106, I.1108 mainam pārtharhasi tratum (SB 1.7.35), II.494 maitrya caivātma-tulyeşu (SB 3.29.17), II.99, II.102 ma-kāras tu tayor dasaḥ (PP 6.226.23), 1.1075 mallānām aśanir nṛṇām nara-varaḥ strīņām smaro mürtiman (SB 10.43.17), 11.708 mām anadrtya dharmo’pi (Padma Purana), 1.860, 1.865 mām anusmaratas cittam (SB 11.14.27), II.389 mām bhajanti gunaḥ sarve (SB 11.13.40), 11.125 mam ca yo’vyabhicarena (GITA 14.26), 1.376, 1.539, 11.13 mām ekam eva saranam (SB 11.12.14-15), II.150 mām eva nairapeksyena (SB 11.27.53), II.142, II.515 mam eva prapnuvantiha (PP 6.88.43), 1.575, 1.576 mam eva sarva-bhüteşu (SB 11.29.12), 11.740-742, 11.751 mam eva ye prapadyante (GITA 7.14), 1.17, 1.28, 1.168 mām evaisyasi satyam te (GITA 18.65), 1.92, 1.556, 1.1028, 11.748, II.752 mam vidhatte’bhidhatte mam (SB 11.21.43), 1.26 mama janmani janmaniśvare (Siksaṣṭakam 4), 1.432 mama namani loke’smin (Vişnu-yamala), 11.316 mama sastram bahiskrtya (source unknown), 11.537 mama vartmānuvartante (GITA 4.11), 1.826, II.510, 11.708, 11.719 mamadyamangalam nastam (BRS 3.2.79), 11.688 mamaivāmŝo jiva-loke (GITA 15.7), 1.1219 mamarcanāparādha ye (Varaha Purana), 11.538 mamästi tena satyena (Padma Purana), 11.165 mamatanya-mamatvena (BRS 1.4.4), 1.88 manaḥ kalpanam etad eva (GTU 1.15), 1.987, 11.130 manaḥ sva-buddhyamalaya niyamya (SB 2.2.16), II.11 mānāpamanayos tulyas (GITA 14.25), II.648 manasaitāni bhūtāni (SB 3.29.34), 1.602, 1.610, 11.479 mānasenopacāreņa (source unknown), 1.681 manavo’pi munindraś ca (Brhan-naradiya Purana), 11.339 man-mana bhava mad-bhakto (GITA 18.65), 1.92, 1.556, 1.672, 1.673, 1.1028, 11.748, 11.752 man-mana bhava mad-bhakto (GĪTĀ 9.34), 1.672, 1.673 man-māyā-mohita-dhiyah (SB 11.14.9), 1.406, 1.407 man-nāma kirtana-phalam vividham nisamya (Brahma-samhita), 1.897 man-nimittam krtam papam (Padma Purana), 1.860, 1.865 man-nistham nirgunam smrtam (SB 11.25.24), 1.796 1037References mano’bhiramate tadvan (Padma Purana), 11.46 mano yenaiva vidhina (SB 3.28.1), 11.394 mano-gatir avicchinna (SB 3.29.11), 1.799, II.102, II.122, II.132, II.390 mano-mayi mani-mayi (SB 11.27.12), II.473 manor uttanapadasya (SB 4.21.28), 1.1284, 1.1289 mantratas tantratas chidram (SB 8.23.16), 1.493, 1.496 mantre tirthe dvije deve (Pañcatantra 5.96), 11.775 manusyam iva tam draṣṭum (Rämärcana-candrika), 11.571 manvantaraņi sad-dharma (SB 2.10.4), 1.664, 1.666 manvantaresanukatha (SB 2.10.1), 1.664, 1.666 manyamano hrsîkesaṁ (SB 7.10.1), 1.980 manye dhanabhijana-rupa-tapah-srutaujas- (SB 7.9.9), 1.513, 1.515, 1.824 manye kutascid-bhayam acyutasya (SB 11.2.33), 1.329 manye sanke dhruvam prayo (Sahitya-darpana 10.46), II.704 manye’suran bhagavatan (SB 3.2.24), 11.701, 11.704 manye tad etad akhilam nigamasya satyam (SB 7.6.26), 1.303, 1.305, 11.588 manye tad-arpita-mano-vacanehitärtha- (SB 7.9.10), 1.513, 1.641 mapatya-buddhim akṛthah (SB 11.5.49), II.713, 11.714 martyāsad-dhiḥ śrutam tasya (SB 7.15.26), 1.1300, 1.1322 martyo mṛtyu-vyäla-bhitaḥ palayan (SB 10.3.27), 11.150 martyo yada tyakta-samasta-karma (SB 11.29.34), 11.588, 11.589 marut-sagara-samyoge (Hayasirsa Pañcaratra), 1.1217 maryādam ca krtam tena (Vişnu-dharma Purana), 1.1017, 1.1038 mathura bhagavan yatra (SB 10.1.28), 11.469 mathuram ca parityajya (Adi-varaha Purana 150.17), 11.415 mathurāyām tathapy evam (Adi-varaha Purana 177.26), 11.549 matir na jayate yasya (Skanda Purana 7.4.28.47), 11.530 matir na krsne paratah svato va (SB 7.5.30), 1.1106, 1.1108 mat-kāmā ramaņam jāram (SB 11.12.13), II.211 mat-kamaḥ śanakaiḥ sadhuḥ (SB 1.6.23), 1.931 mat-karma-kṛn mat-paramo (GITA 11.55), 1.966 mat-katha-prīti-manasam (Skanda Purana 2.5.16.53), 11.350 mat-katha-śravaṇadau va (SB 11.20.9), 1.191, 1.344, 1.593, 1.648, 1.1006, 1.1022, 1.1023, 1.1026, 1.1031, 1.1032, 1.1040, 1.1318, 11.66, 11.632 mat-katha-śravane pritiḥ (Garuda Purana 1.227.6), 11.229 mat-katha-śravane śraddha (SB 11.11.35), 11.589 mat-katha-vācakam nityam (Skanda Purana 2.5.16.53), 11.350 mat-parah sraddadhānās ca (SB 11.26.29), 11.234-236 mātrā svasra duhitra va (SB 9.19.17), 1.538, 1.1020 1038 Verse Index mātṛ-hä pitṛ-hã caiva (Skanda Purana), 11.529 mätrvat parirakṣantam (Mahabharata), 1.640 mat-sevaya pratitam te (SB 9.4.67), 1.680, 1.819 mattaḥ parataram nanyat (GITĀ 7.7), 1.658, 1.1241, II.326 mattaḥ sarvam aham sarvam (VP 1.19.85), II.17 matto’py anantat parataḥ parasmat (SB 5.5.25), 1.289, 1.964 mauhurtikad yasya samagamac ca me (SB 5.13.22), 1.295 mauna-vrata-śruta-tapo’dhyayana-sva-dharma- (SB 7.9.46), 1.981, 1.984 maya hatāms tvam jahi ma vyathistha (GITA 11.34), 11.786 maya vyavasitaḥ samyan (SB 11.29.20), 1.169 māyābhiḥ sannirodhaiś ca (SB 7.5.43), 1.732, 1.734 mayadau brahmane proktā (SB 11.14.3), 1.403, 1.404, 1.410, 1.499, 1.668, 1.670, 1.687, 11.22, 11.23 mayaivaite nihataḥ purvam eva (GĪTĀ 11.33), 11.786 māyā-manuṣya-bhavena (SB 11.5.49), II.713, II.714 māyā-matram idam jñātva (SB 11.19.1), 1.153 māyā-matram tu kartsnyenanabhivyakta-svarupatvat (vs 3.2.3), 1.184 mayānukulena nabhasvateritam (SB 11.20.17), 1.1315 mayayāpahṛta-jñānā (GITA 7.15), 1.640, 1.672, 1.673 mayi buddhim samasthāya (Vişņu-dharma), 11.351 mayi cânanya-yogena (GĪTĀ 13.10), 1.492, 1.541, 1.804 mayi nirbaddha-hrdayah (SB 9.4.66), II.197, II.576, 11.577 mayi samrambha-yogena (SB 3.16.31), 11.699 mayi sañjāyate bhaktiḥ (SB 11.19.24), II.95, II.96, II.587 mayi sarvam idam protam (GITA 7.7), 1.658, 1.1241, II.326 mayi sarvāņi karmaņi (GITA 3.30), 1.63, 1.74 mayi sarvāņi karmaņi (SB 11.11.22), 1.386, 1.388 mayy ananta-gune brahmany (SB 11.26.30), II.234 mayy arpanam ca manasaḥ (SB 11.19.22), II.587 mayy arpitātmanaḥ pumso (SB 3.29.33), 1.600, 1.601, 1.610, 11.479 mayy aveśita-vāk-citto (SB 11.29.44), 1.369 mayy äveśya manaḥ samyak (SB 11.7.6), 1.367-370 mayy äveśya mano ye mam (GĪTĀ 12.2), 1.535 mayy eva mana adhatsva (GITA 12.8), 1.525, II.405 milito’pi na labhyate (Brahma-vaivarta Purana), 1.1312 moghāśā mogha-karmāņo (GĪTĀ 9.12), 11.750 mohad arabhyate karma (GĪTĀ 18.25), 1.780 mriyamāṇair abhidhyeyo (SB 12.3.50), 1.448, 1.452 mriyamano harer nama (SB 6.2.49), 1.1007 1039 References mriyamano hy avahitas (SB 12.3.49), 1.448, 1.452 mrsa-giras ta hy asatir asat-katha (SB 12.12.48), 11.348 mrtas caham punar-jāto (Nirukta, Parisista 13.19), 1.878 mrtyoḥ krtvaiva murddhny anghrim (SB 3.14.6), II.270, II.272 mrtyur bhoja-pater viraḍaviduşam tattvam param yoginam (SB 10.43.17), II.708 mucyate sarva-papebhyo (Bṛhan-naradiya Purana), 1.857 mucyeta yan-nämny udite närako’pi (SB 9.4.62), 1.689 mudho bhramati samsare (Adi-varaha Purana 150.17), II.415 mudho’yam nābhijanāti (GĪTĀ 7.25), 1.842, 11.651, II.652 mukha-bahuru-pädebhyah (SB 11.5.2), 1.357, 1.359, 1.494, 1.496, 1.639, 1.672, 1.861, 1.916 muktā api lilaya vigraham (Bhavartha-dipika 10.87.21), 1.649 mukta api prapadyante (Vasana-bhāṣya), 1.724 mukta eva hi bhaktās te (Skanda Purana, Reva-khanda), 1.68 mukta-kāmāśayam cetaḥ (SB 12.6.6), 1.445 muktānām api siddhanam (SB 6.14.5), 1.785, 1.1139, 1.1141, II.367, II.477 mukta-sangas tato bhuyan (SB 3.29.32), 1.600, 1.601, 1.610, II.479 mukta-sango’naham-vadi (GITA 18.26), 1.807 muktiḥ kaivalya-nirvana-śreyo- (Amara-kosa 1.5.6), 1.74 muktim cetasi yaḥ sthito’mala-dhiyam pumsam dadaty avyayah (vP 6.8.57), 11.369 muktim gataḥ smaraṇa-mätra-vidhüta-päpäḥ (Garuda Purana, Acara- kända 227.35), 11.699 muktir hitvanyatha rupam (SB 2.10.6), 1.194, 11.91 mukunda-lingalaya-darśane dršau (SB 9.4.19), 11.585 mukunda-sevaya yad vat (SB 1.6.36), 1.531, 1.532 mumukṣavo ghora-rupan (SB 1.2.26), 1.141, 1.679 mumuksubhiḥ parityago (BRS 1.2.256), 1.1001 mumukşūņām sahasreşu (SB 6.14.4), 1.1142 munayaḥ sadhu prsto’ham (SB 1.2.5), 1.129, 11.715, 11.716 munir vivakşur bhagavad-guṇānām (SB 3.5.12), 1.661, 1.662 murtyābhimatayātmanaḥ (SB 11.3.48), II.291 na bhajanty avajananti (SB 11.5.3), 1.357, 1.359, 1.494, 1.496, 1.639, 1.672, 1.673, 1.861, 1.916, II.143, II.521 na bhajati kumanīsiņām sa ijyam (SB 4.31.21), II.542 na bhajet sarvato-mrtyur (SB 11.2.2), 1.1176, 1.1177, 11.186 na brahmā na sivāgnīndrā (Skanda Purana 2.3.3.15), 1.864 na buddhi-bhedam janayed (GITA 3.26), 1.1040, 1.1045 1040 Verse Index na ca durvāsasaḥ sapo (Garuda Purāņa 1.234.33), 1.736 na ca sannyasanad eva (GITA 3.4), 1.1050 na ca smärta atad dharmabhilapat (vs 1.2.19), 1.1290 na calati bhagavat-padāravindal (SB 11.2.53), 1.113, 1.679, 1.1200, 1.1209, 1.1211, I.1212, II.133, II.391 na calati nija-varna-dharmato yaḥ (VP 3.7.20), 1.1251 na canya-devata-bhakto (Skanda Purana), 1.576 na chandasā naiva jalagni-suryair (SB 5.12.12), 1.1129, 1.1133 na danam na tapo nejya (SB 7.7.52), 1.695, 1.823, 1.978, 1.982 na deśa-kälävasthatma- (Skanda Purana), 11.368 na deśa-niyamas tatra (Visnu-dharma), 11.367 na dhanam na janam na sundarim (Sikṣastakam 4), 1.432 na drakṣyasi sariram ca (SB 12.5.12), 1.451 na draṣṭavyä na spraṣṭavya (Padma Purana), 11.228 na ghatata udbhavaḥ prakṛti-puruşayor ajayor (SB 10.87.31), 1.1218 na gṛhņāti haris tasya (Skanda Purana), 1.900 na harati na ca hanti kiñcid uccaiḥ (VP 3.7.20), 1.1251 na hi bhagavann aghatitam idam (SB 6.16.44), 1.875, II.243 na hi kaścit kṣaṇam api (GĪTĀ 3.5), 1.335 na hi tasyadhikaro’sti (Skanda Purana 7.4.28.47), 11.530 na hy adbhutam tvac-caraṇābja-renubhir (SB 5.13.22), 1.295 na hy agni-mukhato’yam vai (SB 7.14.17), II.186, II.189 na hy am-mayani tīrthani (SB 10.84.11), 1.1127, II.220 na hy angopakrame dhvamso (SB 11.29.20), 1.169 na hy anto’nanta-parasya (SB 11.27.6), 11.438 na hy apunyavatam loke (Skanda Purana), 1.910 na hy ataḥ paramo labho (SB 11.5.37), 11.363 na hy ato’nyaḥ śivaḥ pantha (SB 2.2.33), 1.193, 1.202, 1.203, 1.449, 1.452, 1.697, 1.698 na hy ekasmäd guror jñānam (SB 11.9.31), 1.1278 na japo narcanam naiva (Gautamiya Tantra 33.57), 1.1028, II.622 na jätaḥ prag abhūtodya (SB 12.5.2), 1.451 na jātu kāmaḥ kāmānām (SB 9.19.14), 1.500 na jñānam na ca vairagyam (SB 11.20.31), 1.423, 1.425, 1.426, 1.1005, 1.1059 na kama-karma-bījānāṁ (SB 11.2.50), 1.1192, 1.1209, 1.1212 na kamaye nätha tad apy aham kvacin (SB 4.20.24), 11.280 na kamaye’nyam tava pada-sevanad (SB 10.51.56), 1.624, II.407, 11.408 na karmaņām anarambhān (GITA 3.4), 1.1050 na karoti harer nunam (SB 4.29.41), II.283 1041 References na karoti puman bhupa (vP 3.8.14), 1.1016, 1.1037 na khadanti na mehanti (SB 2.3.18), 1.218, 1.219, 1.221 na kiñcit sadhavo dhira (SB 11.20.34), I.1010, 1.1062, II.757 na krodho na ca matsaryam (Visnu-sahasra-nama-stotra 133), 1.954 na kuryan na vadet kincin (SB 11.11.17), 1.372 na labheyuh punar-bhaktim (Vaisnava Tantra), 1.558 na mad-bhagavatānam ca (SB 4.24.30), 1.560, 1.1172 na mam duskṛtino mudhah (GITA 7.15), 1.640, 1.672, 1.673 na martya-buddhyasüyeta (SB 11.17.27), 1.1275, 1.1320, 1.1323, 11.329 na mayy ekanta-bhaktānām (SB 11.20.36), 1.624, 1.1070, II.621, 11.625, 11.687 na me bhaktaś catur-vedi (source unknown), 11.230 na me dhyana-rataḥ samyag (Visnu-rahasya), 11.403 na me viduḥ sura-ganah (GITA 10.2), 1.33, 1.158 na muhyanti na socanti (SB 4.30.20), 11.746, II.751 na naka-prstham na ca särva-bhaumam (SB 10.16.37), 1.979 na nirviņņo natisakto (SB 11.20.8), 1.37, 1.425, 1.996-998, 1.1001, 1.1003, 1.1004, 1.1006, 1.1009-1012, 1.1014, 1.1022, 1.1040, 1.1124 na niskṛtair uditair brahma-vadibhis (SB 6.2.11), 11.307 na paramesthyam na mahendra-dhiṣṇyam (SB 11.14.14), 1.774 na paraye’ham niravadya-samyujām (SB 10.32.22), 11.677 na parilaşanti kecid apavargam apisvara te (SB 10.87.21), 11.269 na pasyāmi param bhutam (SB 3.29.33), 1.600, 1.601, 1.610, II.479 na putram abhyarthitavan (Skanda Purana), 11.613 na rati roginopathyam (SB 6.9.50), 1.1041 na rodhayati mam yogo (SB 11.12.1), 11.179-181, II.185, II.191, II.197, II.206, II.207 na rte tat kriyate kincanare (Rg Veda 10.112.9), 1.793 na sa bhagavato jñeyah (PP 6.253.177), II.226, II.449 na sädhayati mam yogo (BRS 1.1.42), 1.850 na sadhayati mam yogo (SB 11.14.20), 1.52, 1.92, 1.409, 1.531, 1.843, 1.844, 1.848, 1.850, 1.851, II.727 na samartho yamas teṣām (Brahma Purana 216.84), II.155 na sammumohorubhayad (SB 1.18.2), 1.447 na śaśāka yada hantum (SB 7.5.44), 1.732, 1.734 na sastre satya-buddhiḥ syat (Brahma-vaivarta Purana), 1.14 na sauro na ca saivo va (Skanda Purana), 1.576 na siddha-mukhya asura manuṣyah (SB 6.3.19), 1.628, 1.963 na sisyan anubadhnīta (SB 7.13.8), 11.405 na sudra bhagavad-bhaktas (Padma Purana), 11.228, 11.476 1042 Verse Index na svadhyayas tapas tyago (BRS 1.1.42), 1.850 na svadhyayas tapas tyāgo (SB 11.12.1), II.179-181, II.185, II.191, II.197, II.206, II.207 na svādhyāyas tapas tyāgo (SB 11.14.20), 1.52, 1.92, 1.409, 1.531, 1.843, 1.844, 1.848, 1.850, 1.851, 11.727 na svāmi bhrtyataḥ svamyam (SB 7.10.5), 1.971, 1.984 na tad-bhakteşu canyeşu (SB 11.2.47), 1.589, 1.1179, 1.1183, 1.1187, 1.1208, I.1211, I.1212, 1.1225, 1.1228, 11.221, 11.223 na tat phalam avapnoti (Skanda Purana), 1.721 na tatha bhakti-yogena (SB 7.1.26), 1.1177, 11.17, 11.658, 11.699 na tatha hy aghavan rajan (SB 6.1.16), 1.750, 1.752 na tatha tapyate viddhah (SB 11.23.3), 1.591, II.262 na te mayy acyute’je ca (SB 12.10.22), 1.559, 1.560, 1.565 na te yamam pasa-bhrtas ca tad-bhatan (SB 6.1.19), 1.863 na teṣām bhava-bandhas tu (BNP 1.36.58), 1.870 na tu bhuktam ca bhaktim ca (PP 6.226.93), 11.426 na tu kalpa-sahasrani (Visnu-dharmottara Purana), 1.877 na tu mam abhijananti (GITA 9.24), 1.151, 1.578, II.64 na tu nārāyaṇādīnām (Vamana Purana), 11.324 na tvat-samo’sty abhyadhikaḥ kuto’nyo (GITA 11.43), 11.326 na vai jatu mrsaiva syat (SB 3.21.24), 1.207, 1.729 na vastavyam tvayaiveha (SB 11.7.5), 1.368, 1.371 na vasudeva-bhaktānām (Sahasra-nama-stotra 131), 1.934 na veda ruddha-dhi-vṛttir (SB 12.10.9), II.391, II.394 na vikriyā visva-suhrt-sakhasya (SB 5.10.25), II.545 na vikriyetatha yadā vikaro (SB 2.3.24), 1.232, 1.898 na visņu-bhakto vijñeyah (Vişnu-dharma Purana), 1.1017, 1.1038 na vyakhyām upayunjita (SB 7.13.8), 11.405 na yaṣṭavyam na datavyaṁ (SB 4.14.6), II.642 na yasya janma-karmabhyam (SB 11.2.51), 1.1194, 1.1208, 1.1212 na yasya svaḥ para iti (SB 11.2.52), 1.1197, 1.1208, 1.1212 na yati svarga-narakau (SB 11.20.10), 1.1017, I.1047 na yat-karna-pathopeto (SB 2.3.19), 1.221 na yat-prasādāyuta-bhaga-leśam (SB 8.24.49), 1.554, 1.555 na yatra māyā kim utapare harer (SB 2.9.10), II.444 na yatra śravaṇādīni (SB 10.6.3), 1.733 na yatra vaikuntha-katha-sudhāpaga (SB 5.19.24), 1.693 na yatra yajñeśa-makha mahotsavah (SB 5.19.24), 1.693 na yoga-siddhir apunar-bhavam va (SB 10.16.37), 1.979 1043 References na yoga-siddhir apunar-bhavam va (SB 11.14.14), 1.774 na yogya kesavam stotum (Visnu-dharma), 1.903 na yujyamanaya bhaktyä (SB 3.25.19), 1.257 nācared yas tu siddho’pi (Narada Pancaratra), 11.443 nacared yas tu vedoktam (SB 11.3.45), 1.341, 1.343-345, 1.350, 1.353 nådevo devam arcayet, II.464, II.572 nadharmajam tad-dhrdayam (SB 6.2.17), 1.764 nadhikaro’sty ataḥ kuryad (Hari-bhakti-vilasa 2.34), 11.427 nadyas tada tad upadharya mukunda-gītam (SB 10.21.15), 1.1164 nagnir na suryo na ca candra-taraka (SB 10.84.12), 11.220 naham devo na gandharvo (VP 5.13.12), II.711 naham hälähalam manye (SB 10.64.33), 11.496 naham ijya-prajatibhyam (SB 10.80.34), 1.1300, II.165 naham prakasaḥ sarvasya (GĪTĀ 7.25), 1.842, 11.651, 11.652 naham tu sakhyo bhajato’pi jantun (SB 10.32.20), 1.932 naham vasami vaikunthe (Padma Purana, Kartika-mahatmya), 11.351 naham vipro na ca narapatir napi vaiśyo na sudro (Caitanya Caritamṛta 2.13.80), II.466 naham vipro na ca narapatir napi vaisyo na sudro (Padyavali 74), 11.466 naikatmatam me sprhayanti kecin (SB 3.25.34), 11.779 naimise’nimisa-kṣetre (SB 1.1.4), 1.510 nairgunya-stha ramante sma (SB 2.1.7), II.600, II.605 naiṣā tarkena matir apaneya (Katha Upanisad 1.2.9), 1.54 naiṣām matis tavad urukramanghrim (SB 7.5.32), 1.399, 1.786, 1.1106, 1.1108 naisargikasya bhartṛtvad (PP 6.245.176), 11.681 naiṣātiduḥsahā kṣun mām (SB 10.1.13), 1.955, II.284 naişkarmyam apy acyuta-bhava-varjitam (SB 1.5.12), 1.47, 1.52, 1.60, 1.61, 1.163, 1.167, 1.169, 1.457, 1.458, 1.703, 1.705, 1.781, II.41 naişkarmyam apy acyuta-bhava-varjitam (SB 12.12.52), 1.457, 1.458 naişkarmyam labhate siddhim (SB 11.3.46), 1.341, 1.345, 1.351-353, II.46, 11.48, II.74, II.330 naitan manas tava kathāsu vikuntha-natha (SB 7.9.39), 1.13 naitan vihaya krpanan vimumuksa eko (SB 7.9.44), 1.1098, 1.1103 naitat parasmā ākhyeyam (SB 8.17.20), 11.773 naite guna na gunino mahad-adayo ye (SB 7.9.49), 1.1265 naiti bhakti-sukhambhodheḥ (BRS 1.1.38), 1.629 naiva tuşye’rcito’rcayam (SB 3.29.24), 1.591, 11.492 naivānyada lauham ivaprataptam (SB 6.16.24), 1.792 naivātmanah prabhur ayam nija-labha-pūrno (SB 7.9.11), 1.974, 1.976 1044 Verse Index naivecchaty aśisah kvapi (SB 12.10.6), 1.561 naivopayanty apacitim kavayas tavesa (SB 11.29.6), 1.1323, 11.735 nakşīņe jayate pumsam (Visnu-dharma Purana), 1.1098 naktam diva ca gatabhir jita-nidra eko (Bhagavan-nama-kaumudi), 11.303 nalam dvijatvam devatvam (SB 7.7.51), 1.823, 1.978, 1.982 nāma cintamaniḥ krsnaś (BRS 1.2.233), II.305, 11.319 namaḥ parasmai puruṣaya bhūyase (SB 2.4.12), 1.239 nāmaikam yasya vāci smarana-patha-gatam śrotra-mulam gatam vā (PP 3.25.24), 1.867, 1.899, 11.336 nāmāny anantasya hata-trapah pathan (SB 1.6.27), 11.312, 11.354 nāmāny anantasya yaśo’nkitäni yat (SB 1.5.11), 11.292 nāmāparādha-yuktānāṁ (PP 3.25.23), 1.902, 11.332, II.337 nama-sankirtanam seva (PP 6.253.25), 1.1214 nama-sankirtanam yasya (SB 12.13.23), 11.305, 11.306, II.372 namaskāraḥ smrto yajñaḥ (Nrsimha Purana), 11.555 namaskāreņa caikena (Nrsimha Purana), 11.555 nāmāśrayaḥ kadācit syat (PP 3.25.13), 11.314, 11.332 namasyantaś ca mam bhaktyä (GITA 9.14), 1.543 nama-vyaharanam vişnor (SB 6.2.10), 1.851, II.297, II.317 nāmnā vā kena vidhina (SB 11.5.19), 1.362 nāmnām akāri bahudha nija-sarva-saktis (Sikṣāṣtakam 2), 1.892 namno balad yasya hi papa-buddhir (PP 3.25.16), 1.1019, 1.1038, 1.1045, II.315 nāmno’pi sarva-suhrdo (PP 3.25.13), II.314, II.332 namo brahmanya-devaya (PP 6.229.9), 11.496 namo’stu te maha-yogin (SB 11.29.40), II.759 nanama taträrdham ibhendra-dhisthita (SB 4.8.79), 1.924 nana-tantra-vidhänena (SB 11.5.31), II.320, II.457, II.784 nānā-varṇābhidhakaro (SB 11.5.20), 1.363 nana-yoni-sahasrani (Garbhopanisad 4), 1.883 nandah kim akarod brahman (SB 10.8.46), II.711, II.712 nāntarāyair vihanyeta (SB 11.28.44), 11.722 nänuvindanti te bhadram (SB 4.14.24), II.642 nānuvrajati yo mohad (Visņu-bhakti-candrodaya), 1.645, II.478 nanv asya brāhmaṇā rājan (SB 7.14.42), 11.496 nanyaj jagada maitreya (VP 2.13.10), 1.1029 nanyasya barhiṣi balin dadataḥ sva-bhagan (SB 11.4.10), 1.63, 1.296, 1.358, 1.360, 1.386, 1.388, 1.724 nanyatha te’khila-guro (SB 7.10.4), 1.972 nanyathehavayor artho (SB 7.10.6), 1.970, 1.971, 1.984 1045 References näpnoti sukṛtam kincid (Visnu-rahasya), 11.523 naradhanam bhagavato vitaranty amusya (SB 3.15.24), 1.619, 1.621, 1.963 naradhanaya hi bhavanti parasya pumso (SB 7.9.9), 1.513, 1.515, 1.824 narakas tama-unnaho (SB 11.19.43), II.643 nārāyaṇa-kalaḥ santa (SB 1.2.26), 1.141, 1.679 nārāyaṇam devam adevam īsam (SB 12.12.55), 1.464 narayana-para lokā (SB 2.5.15), 1.241 nārāyaṇa-para veda (SB 2.5.15), 1.241 nārāyaṇa-parāḥ sarve (SB 6.17.28), 1.791 nārāyana-param jñānam (SB 2.5.16), 1.241 nārāyaṇa-paro māyām (SB 11.3.33), 11.43 nārāyaṇa-paro yogo (SB 2.5.16), 1.241 nārāyaṇāya haraye nama ity udaram (SB 5.14.45), 1.815 nārāyane bhagavati (SB 6.14.1), 1.785 naresv abhikṣṇam mad-bhavam (SB 11.29.15), II.741, II.742, 11.744 narthasya dharmaikāntasya (SB 1.2.9), 1.66, 1.68, 1.70, 1.74, 1.78, 11.524 nāśayamy atma-bhava-stho (GĪTĀ 10.11), 1.491, II.737 nasopabhoga ayasas (SB 11.23.17), 1.380 nasta-prayeṣv abhadresu (SB 1.2.18), 1.110, 1.127 nästi bhaktiḥ sada teşam (Vaisnava Tantra), 11.429 nasto mohaḥ smrtir labdha (GITĀ 18.73), 11.786 näsubham vidyate loke (Skanda Purana), 1.722 nātmanas ca parasyapi (SB 12.10.22), 1.559, 1.560, 1.565 naty-adbhutam aham manye (SB 12.6.3), 1.444, 1.452 natyantikam viganayanty api te prasadam (SB 3.15.48), 1.695, 1.791, II.126 nava-karma-vidhänejya (PP 6.253.25), 1.1214 navame sarvanga-sampurno bhavati (Nirukta, Parisista 13.19), 1.878 navayutam tat-kulajam (source unknown), 1.881 navyavad dhrdaye yaj jno (SB 4.30.20), 11.746, 11.751 nayam loko’sti na paro (GITA 4.40), 1.24, 1.87, 11.774 nayam loko’sty ayajñasya (GITÄ 4.31), 1.74, 1.76 nayam sukhāpo bhagavan (SB 10.9.21), 11.477, 11.729 necchami te vilulitan uruvikrameņa (SB 7.9.24), 11.612 necchanti sevaya purnah (SB 9.4.67), 1.680, 1.819 nehabhikrama-naso’sti (GITA 2.40), II.51 nibhṛta-marun-mano’ksa-drdha-yoga-yujo hrdi yan (SB 10.87.23), II.682, II.684 nidraya hriyate naktam (SB 2.1.4), 1.175 1046 Verse Index nigama-kalpa-taror galitam phalam (SB 1.1.3), 1.544, 1.1305, II.252, II.255, II.278, 11.290 nigama-krd upajahre bhṛngavad veda-saram (SB 11.29.49), 1.198, 1.200 niḥšeşa dharma-kartā vā (Skanda Purana, Reva-khanda), 1.860, 1.865 niḥsreyasaya lokasya (SB 1.3.40), 1.544, 11.275 nilāyanaiḥ setu-bandhair (SB 10.14.61), II.463 nilotpala-dala-syamam (SB 3.28.13), II.731 nimna-ganam yatha ganga (SB 12.13.16), 1.139, 1.557, 1.563, 1.584 nindam bhagavataḥ śrnvan (SB 10.74.40), II.318 nindām kurvanti ye mudha (Skanda Purana), 11.318 nindana-stava-satkara- (SB 7.1.22), II.647, II.648 nipänägamayos tirtham (Amara-kosa 3.3.86), 1.106 niranjanam nirgunam advayam param (SB 10.51.57), II.410 nirasīr nirmamo bhutvā (GITĀ 3.30), 1.63, 1.74 nirasya sarvataḥ sangam (SB 11.14.2), 1.400, 1.401 nirbandhaḥ krsna-sambandhe (BRS 1.2.255), 1.1002 nirguno mad-apasrayaḥ (SB 11.25.26), II.124 nirikṣitā narair yais tu (Skanda Purana), 11.417 nirmamā nir-ahankara (SB 11.26.27), 11.235 nirmamo nirahankaraḥ (GITÄ 12.13), 1.1233 nirnīte kevalam (Amara-kosa 3.3.204), 1.59 nirodho’syanusayanam (SB 2.10.6), 11.91 nirupito bālaka eva yoginām (SB 1.5.23), II.777, 11.784 nirvairah sarva-bhuteṣu (GITA 11.55), 1.966 nirvedo’yam durāśāyā (SB 11.8.37), 1.1103 nirviņņānām jñāna-yogo (SB 11.20.7), 1.37, 1.419, 1.996, 1.1010, 1.1022 niścalā tvayi bhaktir ya (Skanda Purana, Reva-khanda), 1.68 nişevitenänimittena (SB 3.29.15), 1.606, 11.99, 11.102 nişevyamano’nudinam mumukşor (SB 5.12.13), 11.256 nişkiñcanaiḥ paramahamsa-kulair asangair (SB 6.3.28), 1.857, 1.858 niṣṭhā rucir athāsaktī (Sarartha-darsini 1.2.21), 1.128 nitya atmavyayahḥ suddhah (SB 7.2.22), 1.1060 nityaḥ sarva-gataḥ purno (Hayasîrşa Pañcaratra), 1.1215 nityaḥ sarve pare dhamni (PP 6.228.65), 11.447 nityam ca sama-cittatvam (GITĀ 13.9), 1.541 nivasisyasi mayy eva (GĪTĀ 12.8), 1.525, 11.405 nivrtta-tarşair upagīyamānad (SB 10.1.4), 11.258 niyatam sanga-rahitam (GĪTĀ 18.23), 1.780, 1.781 nocchistadau nişedhaś ca (Visņu-dharma), 11.367 1047References noddhavo’nv api man-nyuno (SB 3.4.31), 1.367 notpadayed yadi ratim (SB 1.2.8), 1.46, 1.58, 1.60-62, 1.64, 1.70, 1.74, 1.127, 1.486 nottamaśloka-värttānāṁ (SB 1.18.4), 1.447 nr-deham adyam su-labham (SB 11.20.17), 1.1315 nṛṇām ayam paro dharmah (SB 7.11.12), 1.320, 1.639, 1.861 nṛṇām viparyayehekṣa (SB 7.11.9), 1.320 nṛṇām yan mriyamāņānāṁ (SB 2.3.1), 1.207, 1.449 nrņām yena hi viśvātmā (SB 4.31.9), 1.277, 1.278, 1.485 nrsimhārka-varāhāņām (source unknown), 11.434 nunam me bhagavan prito (SB 11.8.37), 1.1103 nyunam sampurnatam yati (Skanda Purana), 1.683 om ity ekakṣaram brahma (GITĀ 8.13), 1.150 ostha-spandana-matreņa (Vaisnava-cintamani), 11.370 pacanam vipra-sukhartham (Skanda Purana), 1.1251 pada-samvahanam cakruh (SB 10.15.17), 11.709 padau hareḥ kṣetra-padānusarpane (SB 9.4.20), 11.564, 11.565, 11.585 padau nṛṇām tau druma-janma-bhajau (SB 2.3.22), 1.228 palarddhenapi viddhan tu (Skanda Purana 7.4.24.33), 11.528 pancadhā vibhajan vittam (SB 8.19.37), 11.523, 11.524 pancānām purusam prati (SB 7.1.31), 11.353, 11.653, 11.688, 11.690, 11.693, II.696, 11.697, II.707, 11.721 pänena te deva katha-sudhayaḥ (SB 3.5.45), 1.249, 1.534 papam bhavati dharmo’pi (Skanda Purana, Reva-khanda), 1.860, 1.865 papani bhagavad-bhaktis (PP 4.85.31), 1.739 papino’pi prasangena (Nrsimha Purana), 11.390 para-duḥkhenatma-duḥkham (Skanda Purana), 1.1198 param bhāvam ajananto (GITA 9.11), 11.750 param vijayate srī kṛṣṇa-sankirtanam (Sikṣaṣṭakam 1), 11.306 parama kāruņiko na bhavat parah (Padyavali 66), 11.154 paramam puruşam divyam (GITA 8.8), 1.1055, 1.1064 para-patni-para-dravya- (vp 3.8.14), 1.1016, 1.1037 parasparam bhavayantaḥ (GITA 3.11), 1.74, 1.76, 1.1126 para-svabhāva-karmāņi (SB 11.28.1), 11.321 para-svabhava-karmāņi (SB 11.28.2), 11.321 pare’vän manasagamyam (source unknown), 1.681 paricarya-paraḥ kecit (Ramarcana-candrika), 11.571 parikṣitam upakhyanam (SB 12.12.5), 1.666 1048 Verse Index parinisthā ca pūjāyām (SB 11.19.20), 11.95, 11.97, 11.587 parinişthito’pi nairgunya (SB 2.1.9), 11.309, 11.310, 11.312 paripasyann uparamet (SB 11.29.18), II.745, II.746, 11.751 parişvajyaha jiveti (SB 4.9.46), 1.769 paritoşaṁ vrajaty aśu (Naradiya Purana), 11.506 paritraṇāya sadhūnām (GĪTA 4.8), 11.203 parityabhyarcya dhiṣnyagryam (SB 4.12.29), II.271 parityajed artha-kamau (Manu-smrti 4.176), 1.73 paro’pi manute’nartham (SB 1.7.5), 1.20 paroksa-vado vedo’yam (SB 11.3.44), 1.341-343, 1.348, 1.353, 11.624 parthivad däruno dhumas (SB 1.2.24), 1.132, 1.138, 1.139, 1.376, 1.562, 1.565 paryanka-sthām śriyam hitva (SB 10.80.26), II.669 pāşandinas te bhavantu (SB 4.2.28), 1.569, 1.571 paścad aham yad etac ca (SB 2.9.32), 1.667, 1.1283 paśyami nanyac charanam tavänghri- (SB 11.19.9), 11.156 pasyanty atmani catmānam (SB 1.2.12), 1.82, 1.84, 1.85, 1.376 patanti pitṛbhiḥ sardham (Skanda Purana), 11.318 pati-priya-hitānam ca (PP 5.84.54), 11.518 pati-putra-suhrd-bhrātṛ- (Nārāyaṇa-vyuha-stava), 11.614, II.615, 11.676 patitaḥ skhalito bhagnah (SB 6.2.15), 1.740, 1.743, 1.744 patram puspam phalam toyam (Brahmanda Purana), 11.530 patram puspam phalam toyam (GITA 9.26), 11.709 patram puspam phalam toyam (SB 10.81.4), 1.682, 11.709 patram tv atra niruktam vai (SB 7.14.34), 11.476, 11.478, 11.479 patreşu puşpeşu phaleṣu toyeṣv (Nrsimha Purana 62.19), 1.538 patyāv ekatvam sa gata (Chandogya-parisista), 11.606 paurvaparye purva-daurbalyam prakṛtivat (Mīmāṁsä-sutra 6.5.54), 1.1031 phala-labhena bhakti-tyägät (Kaivalya-dipikā 5.14), 11.130 phalam ata upapatteh (vs 3.2.38), 1.1286, 1.1290 phala-vyāpārayor dhātur (Vaiyakarana-bhūṣaṇa-sara 1.2), II.57 phale pradhanam vyāpāraḥ (Vaiyakaraṇa-bhūṣaṇa-sāra 1.2), II.57 pibantam tvan-mukhambhoja- (SB 10.1.13), 1.955, II.284 pibanti ye bhagavata ātmanaḥ satām (SB 2.2.37), 1.197, 1.202, 1.449 pibanti ye narā nākam (Brahmanda Purana), 11.323 pitaram sarva-suhrdam (SB 1.11.5), 1.830, 1.832 pitarau nänvavindetam (SB 10.8.47), 11.711, 11.712 pitary uparate (SB 5.9.8), 1.320, 1.325 pitasi lokasya caracarasya (GĪTĀ 11.43), 11.326 piteva putram karuno (Mahabharata), 1.590 1049 References pitr-bhūta-prajeśādīn (SB 1.2.27), 1.144, 1.407, 1.553, 1.554, II.718 pitr-deva-manuṣyānāṁ (SB 11.20.4), 11.329 prabhavanti yada sattve (SB 12.3.27), II.487 pradhana-parayo rajann (SB 7.1.22), 11.647, 11.648 pradhanyato yān ṛṣa amananti (SB 2.6.46), II.267 praha bhāgavatam nama (SB 2.8.28), 1.544 prāhāsman yamuna-bhrātā (Padma Purana, Svarga-khanda 31.100), 1.856 prahladasya bales capi (SB 4.21.29), 1.1284, 1.1289 prahlado janako bhismo (SB 6.3.20), 1.252, 1.628, 1.631, 1.1103 prahrada-narada-vasu (SB 10.39.54), 11.454 prajāḥ srjeti bhagavan (SB 3.21.6), 11.84 prākhyāhi duḥkhair muhur arditatmanām (SB 1.5.40), 1.706 prākṛtaṁ tāmasaṁ jñānam (SB 11.25.24), 1.783, 1.788, 1.796 prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni (GĪTĀ 3.27), 11.157 prakrtiḥ purusasyeha (SB 3.27.23), 11.89, 11.91 prakrtim yanti bhūtāni (GITĀ 3.33), 1.27, 1.1177 praṇāma-pūrvam tam kṣantya (Garuda Purana 1.227.6), II.233 pranamed dandavad bhumav (SB 11.29.16), II.744 praṇāmo duḥkha-samanas (SB 12.13.23), 11.305, 11.306, 11.372 prāṇasya prānam uta cakṣuşaś (BAU 4.4.18), 1.793, 1.836 pranata-bhara-vitapa madhu-dhāraḥ (SB 10.35.9), 1.1164 praṇatāyānuraktaya (SB 11.11.27), 1.1228 präṇāyāmāmś tataḥ kuryat (Trailokya-sammohana-tantra), 11.465 pranaya-rasanaya dhṛtanghri-padmaḥ (SB 11.2.55), 1.1166, 1.1204, 1.1210- 1212 prāṇopahārāc ca yathendriyaṇām (SB 4.31.14), 1.284, 1.347, 1.605, 1.684, 1.769, 1.1026, II.221 prapadyamanasya yathaśnataḥ syus (SB 11.2.42), 11.302, 11.303, 11.779, 11.781, 11.785 prapancikataya buddhya (BRS 1.2.256), 1.1001 prapyāpi durlabhataram (Brahma-vaivarta Purana), 1.620 prarabdha-papa-haratvam (Nama-kaumudi 3), 1.759 prasādānnam sadā grāhyam (Narada Pañcaratra), 11.530 prasāda-sumukho visņos (Itihasa-samuccaya 25.27), 11.226 prašamāya prasādāya (SB 10.29.48), 11.775 prasanna-vadanāmbhojam (SB 3.28.13), 11.731 prasastaḥ sarva-lokānām (Skanda Purana), 1.515 prasīdati na viśvātmā (Skanda Purana), 1.900 prathaman tu gurum pujya, 11.164 1050 Verse Index pratima svalpa-buddhīnām (Nrsimha Purāņa 62.5), 11.487 pratisthā sūkari-viṣṭhā, 1.1044 pratisthitarca na tyäjyä (Hayasirṣa Pañcaratra), 1.593 pratyak cakasti bhagavāms tam avehi so’smi (SB 4.22.37), 1.264 pratyak praśāntam bhagavac-chabda-sañjñam (SB 5.12.11), 1.1129, 1.1133 pratyakraṣṭum nayanam abala yatra lagnam na sekuḥ (SB 11.30.3), II.341 pratyakṣāvagamam dharmyam (GĪTĀ 9.2), 11.749 pratyeşyatam nikāśam me (SB 3.16.31), 11.699 praudha-śraddho’dhikari yaḥ (BRS 1.2.17), 1.1181 pravartate yatra rajas tamas tayoḥ (SB 2.9.10), II.444 praviṣṭaḥ karna-randhrena (SB 2.8.5), 1.25, 1.108 praviṣṭāny apraviṣṭāni (SB 2.9.34), 1.667, 1.1283 pravisto brahma-nirvanam (SB 12.6.5), 1.445 pravṛttam ca nivṛttam ca (SB 11.12.14-15), II.150 pravṛttyakhye maricyadya (Nrsimha Purana 4.4), 1.321, 1.326 prayaḥ param purusa te tv ajitendriyaṇām (SB 7.9.46), 1.981, 1.984 prayaḥ pragalbhaya bhaktyä (SB 11.14.18), 1.678, 1.729, 1.845-847, 1.849, 1.1036 prayāņa-kāle manasa’calena (GITA 8.10), 1.1055, 1.1064 prayāņe caprayane ca (PP 6.128.238), 1.948 prayaśaḥ puṇḍarīkākṣa (SB 11.29.2), II.722, II.724 prayeņa martya bhagavantam acyutam (SB 12.3.43), 11.373 prayeņa munayo rajan (SB 2.1.7), 11.600, 11.605 prayena veda tad idam na mahajano’yam (SB 6.3.25), 1.631 prayojakādhina-karta (HNV 4.13), I1.57 prayopavese nṛpateḥ pariksitaḥ (SB 12.12.56), 1.467 prayujyamane mayi tam (SB 1.6.29), 1.1144, 11.272, 11.687 prema-maitri-kṛpopekṣa (SB 11.2.46), 1.1170, 1.1171, 1.1187, 1.1208, 1.1210- 1212, II.505 prematibhara-nirbhinna- (SB 1.6.18), 1.1145 premņi pūrņā śri bhagavat- (Madhurya-kadambini 3), 11.702 pretāḥ piśācāḥ kuşmandā (BNP 1.11.8), 1.733 pretan bhūta-ganams canye (GITA 17.4), 1.1045 preyan na te’nyo’sty amutas tvayi prabho (SB 4.7.38), 1.1240, 1.1243, 1.1247, I.1249 priṇanaya mukundasya (SB 7.7.51), 1.823, 1.978, 1.982 prīņātu bhagavānīśaḥ (Kurma Purana, Pürva-khanda 3.18), 11.72 prite harau bhagavati (SB 8.7.40), 1.560 prītir me manaso nityam (PP 6.254.21), 11.298 1051 References pritir na yavan mayi vasudeve (SB 5.5.6), 1.1147 prity-utphulla-mukhaḥ procur (SB 1.11.5), 1.830, 1.832 priya tathaiva tulasi (Agastya-samhita), 11.417 priya tathaiva tulasi (Garuda-samhita), 11.417 priyah paramahamsanam (SB 1.4.31), 1.710 priyate’malaya bhaktyā (SB 7.7.52), 1.695, 1.823, 1.978, 1.982, II.34 priyavratasya rajarṣer (SB 4.21.28), 1.1284, 1.1289 priyeta sadyaḥ sa ha visva-jivah (SB 5.15.13), 1.828 priyo hi jñanino’tyartham (GITA 7.17), 1.1242 proktena bhakti-yogena (SB 11.20.29), 1.418, 1.419, 1.426, 1.427 prthaktvena tu yaj jñānam (GITA 18.21), 1.795, II.113 pūjām taiḥ kalpayet samyak (SB 11.27.11), 11.438 pujanam vasudevasya (Skanda Purana), 1.674 pujayadhvam grpantas ca (SB 4.24.70), 1.271-273 pujayamaś ca naivanya (Vişnu-dharmottara Purana 3.354.13), 1.567 pujayed vän-manaḥ-kayaiḥ (Narada Pancaratra), 11.164 pujitä saiva te bhaktyā (Visnu-dharma Purana), 11.472 pujitaṁ pūjyamānam vā (Agni Purana), 11.425 pujito bhagavan viṣṇur (Skanda Purana), 1.900 pumsah kim svid balam śrīman (SB 11.19.30), 1.708 punantaḥ pāda-rajasa (SB 7.14.42), 11.496 punanti sakalan lokan (Itihasa-samuccaya 31.120), 1.871 punanti te visaya-vidusitaśayam (SB 2.2.37), 1.197, 1.202, 1.449 punaś ca vidhina samyag (Narada Pañcaratra), 1.1303, 11.175 punāti bhagavad-bhaktas (Itihasa-samuccaya 31.55), 11.228 punāti sakalan lokan (Garuda Purana), 11.232 pundarīkākṣa devesa (Nrsimha Purana 8.28), 1.691 pundarika-visālākṣaḥ (Hayasirşa Pancaratra), 1.1215 pun-namno narakad yasmat (Manu-smrti 9.138), 11.643 pura maharṣayaḥ sarve (PP 6.245.164), II.678, 11.680 purana-samhitam etam (SB 12.6.4), 1.444, 1.452 purany anena sṛṣṭāni (SB 7.14.37), II.482 purascarana-hino’pi (Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 17.242), 11.168 pureha bhuman bahavo’pi yoginas (SB 10.14.5), 1.489, 1.491 pūrṇaḥ śuddho nitya-mukto (BRS 1.2.233), II.305, II.319 purtam suralayarama- (SB 7.15.49), II.181 purusaḥ sa paraḥ pārtha (GITA 8.22), 1.842 puruşam tam ajam nityam (VP 5.17.17), 1.722 purusas cadhidaivatam (GITA 8.4), 1.1054, 1.1064 1052 Verse Index puruṣasyanjasābhyeti (SB 3.29.19), 1.606, II.99, II.102 purusasyeha yat karyam (SB 1.19.37), 1.178, 1.447, 1.449, 11.312 purusesv api rajendra (SB 7.14.41), 11.493 pūrva-jātīḥ smarati (Garbhopanisad 3), 1.883 purvam snanam prakurvita (SB 11.27.10), II.438 putana loka-bala-ghni (SB 10.6.35), 11.620, 11.621, 11.765 putrena jayate lokan (SB 4.21.46), 11.642 putreti tan-mayataya taravo’bhinedus (SB 1.2.2), 11.288 ragadi-duṣitam cittam (Visņu-dharma), 1.903 rāgānuga syac ced bhaktau (Raga-vartma-candrika 3), 11.604 rāgenākṛṣyate ceto (Visnu-dharma), 11.351 ragi karma-phala-prepsur (GĪTĀ 18.27), 1.807 rahugana tvam api hy adhvano’sya (SB 5.13.20), 1.289, 1.290 rahugaṇaitat tapasa na yati (SB 5.12.12), 1.1129, 1.1133 raja ca taskaras capi (BNP 1.11.7), 1.733 rajan yad agra-pujayam (SB 7.14.35), 11.478 räjänna-bhakṣaṇam caivam (Varaha Purana 116.5), 11.537 rāja-putra ciram jiva (source unknown), 11.259 rajas tamaḥ prakṛtayah (SB 1.2.27), 1.144, 1.407 rajas tamah prakrtayas (SB 11.12.4), 11.192, II.198, II.201 rajas tamas ca sattvena (SB 7.15.25), 1.1300, II.162 rajasam phala-sankalpam (SB 11.25.23), 1.779-781 rajas-tamah-prakṛtayah (SB 1.2.27), 1.553, 1.554, II.718 rajas-tamaḥ-svabhavasya (SB 6.14.1), 1.785 raja-vidya raja-guhyam (GITA 9.2), 11.749 rajyanti jantavas tatra (Padma Purana), 1.770 rakarādīni nämäni (PP 6.254.21), 11.298 rākṣasim asurim caiva (GITA 9.12), 11.750 rakṣiṣyatīti viśvāso (Vaisnava Tantra), 11.151 ramādi-sarva-bhaktānām (Narada Pancaratra), 11.530 ramasva notsahe tyaktum (SB 10.48.9), 11.667, 11.668 rāmena särdham mathurām praṇīte (SB 11.12.10), II.210, II.211 ranjitam guna-ragena (Narada Pancaratra), 1.1220 rasasya yogato brahman (Hayasirşa Pañcaratra), 1.1216 rasa-vad bhautikam dravyam (Hayasirṣa Pancaratra), 1.1216 ratim badhnati nanyatra (Skanda Purana), 11.417 ratiraso bhavet tivrah (SB 3.7.19), 11.216 reme vidyadhara-stribhir (SB 6.17.3), 1.429 rg-vedo hi yajur-vedah (Visnu-dharma), 11.334 1053 References rg-yajuḥ-sāmātharvana- (PP 6.228.21), 11.684 rnam etata pravṛddham (Mahabharata), 11.299 ropita yais tu vidhina (Skanda Purana), 11.417 ṛtambhara-dhyana-niväritaghah (SB 6.13.17), 1.751 ṛte nārāyanadini (Skanda Purana), 11.324 rte’rtham yat pratiyeta (SB 2.9.33), 1.667, 1.1283 rujam dravayate yasmad (Brahmanda Purana), 11.323 rukṣākṣaran tu śrnvan vai (Garuda Purana 1.227.5), II.233 rupa-bheda-vidas tatra (SB 3.29.30), 1.600, 1.610, II.479 rupam tavaitat puruşarṣabhejyam (SB 8.6.9), II.457 sa adi-devo jagatām paro guruh (SB 2.9.5), 1.557 sa aikṣata (BAU 1.2.5), 1.182, 1.184, 1.186 sa asu bhrasyate svarthad (SB 11.28.2), II.321 sa durgatim aväpnoti (source unknown), 11.173 sa eva bhakti-yogakhya (SB 3.29.14), 1.606, II.122, II.126, II.127, II.130, II.132, II.134 sa eva sadhuşu krto (SB 3.23.55), 11.213 sa evedam sasarjägre (SB 1.2.30), 1.156 sa gunan samatītyaitan (GITÄ 14.26), 1.376, 1.539, II.13 sä hänis tan mahac-chidram (Visnu Purana), 1.688, 1.692 sa hema-rāsim utsrjya (Mahabharata), 1.554 sa hovaca yajnavalkyas (Satapatha-sruti), 11.131 sa jahati matim loke (SB 4.29.46), II.437 sa karanaṁ karanadhipadhipah (Su 6.9), 1.1074 sa kartta sarva-dharmaņām (Skanda Purana, Reva-khanda), 1.860, 1.865 sa kartta sarva-papānāṁ (Skanda Purana, Reva-khanda), 1.860, 1.865 sa lakşam varṣa-lakṣaṇām (SB 6.17.2), 1.429 sa muniḥ satyavadi ca (Visnu-dharma Purana), 11.519 sa papistho manusyānāṁ (Katyayana-samhita), 1.896 sa paṣaṇḍīti vijneyah (PP 6.235.8), 11.63 sa samaradhito devo (Brahma-vaivarta Purana), 1.869 sa sannyasi ca yogi ca (GITA 6.1), 1.1050 sa sarva-dhi-vṛtty-anubhuta-sarva (SB 2.1.39), 1.181, 1.185, 1.186 sa śraddadhanasya vivardhamana (SB 3.5.13), II.601 sa taya śraddhaya yuktas (GĪTĀ 7.22), 1.208, 1.555 sa uttama-sloka-mahan-mukha-cyuto (SB 4.20.25), 11.279 så väg yaya tasya gunan grnite (SB 10.80.3), 1.232, 1.235 sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padaravindayor (SB 9.4.18), 11.488, 11.564, 11.585 sa vai me darśitam sadbhir (SB 11.11.25), 1.398 1054 Verse Index sa vai priyatamas catma (SB 4.29.51), 1.1272, 1.1275 sa vai pumsam paro dharmo (SB 1.2.6), 1.45-47, 1.49-51, 1.61, I.114, 1.127, 1.194, 1.317, 1.323, 1.324, 1.665, 1.768, 1.1201, II.24, II.716 sa veda dhatuḥ padavim parasya (SB 1.3.38), II.423 sa viprendro muni-śresthah (Garuda Purana 1.227.9), 11.229 sa visņu-rupa-dhrg vipro (PP 6.109.22), 1.526, 1.529 sa yati narakam ghoram (source unknown), 11.630 sa yāti visņu-salokyam (Itihasa-samuccaya 31.122), 1.871 sa yatra kṣirabdhiḥ sravati surabhibhyaś ca sumahan (BS 5.56), II.456 sabda-brahma param brahma (SB 6.16.51), II.329, II.494 sabda-brahmani niṣṇāto (SB 11.11.18), 1.373, 1.378, 1.383 sabdadin visayams tyaktva (GĪTĀ 18.51), 1.111, 1.389 sabde pare ca nişņātam (SB 11.3.21), 1.1238, 1.1271, 1.1273, 1.1279, 1.1298, 11.158, II.173 sabhajayan manyamano (SB 11.29.13), 11.743 sada tisthati bhaktas te (Skanda Purana, Reva-khanda), 1.860, 1.865 sad-asad-rupaya casau (SB 1.2.30), 1.156 ṣadbhir masopavasais tu (Skanda Purana), II.187 sadhakānām ayam premṇaḥ (BRS 1.4.16), 1.127, 1.397, 1.1015, 11.784 sadhakatamam karanam (PANINI 1.4.42), II.305 sadhanaughair anäsangair (BRS 1.1.35), 1.825 sadharanam hi sarveşam (Padma Purana, Uttara-khanda), 11.425 sadhavo hrdayam mahyam (SB 9.4.68), 1.1248 sadhricino hy ayam loke (SB 6.1.17), 1.477, 1.721, 1.726 sadhu prṣṭam mahārāja (SB 4.22.18), 1.265 sadhu vira tvaya prstam (SB 3.14.5), 11.270, 11.272 sadhubhir grasta-hrdayo (SB 9.4.63), 1.972, 11.218 sadhūnām sama-cittānām (SB 10.10.41), 1.1091 sadhunam sama-cittānāṁ (SB 11.20.36), 1.624, 1.1070, 11.621, 11.625, 11.687 sadhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (GITA 9.30), 1.677, 1.731, 1.962, I.1019-1021, 1.1037- 1039, 1.1045, 1.1233, II.232, II.627, 11.629, 11.633 sadhus tavottama-sloka (SB 11.11.26), 1.1228 sadhya marud-ganas caiva (PP 6.228.65), 11.447 sadhyah siddhaḥ susiddhaś ca (Sanat-kumara Samhita), 11.434 sadhya-siddha-susiddhari- (Mantra-deva-prakäsikā), 11.433 sadṛśam cestate svasyah (GITA 3.33), 1.27, 1.1177 sadrso’sti sivaḥ pantha (SB 3.25.19), 1.257 sad-veşad iva pütanapi sakulā tväm eva devapita (SB 10.14.35), 11.619, 11.764 sadyaḥ kṣinoty anvaham edhatī sati (SB 4.21.31), 1.1018, 1.1291, I.1292, II.404 1055 References sadyah punati sad-dharmo (SB 11.2.12), 1.682, 1.856 sadyo hrdy avarudhyate’tra (SB 1.1.2), 1.12, 1.23, 1.49, 1.111 sadyo naśyati papaugho (PP 6.128.238), 1.948 sahasra-janma-janitan (Adi-varaha Purana 177.26), 11.549 sahasra-japtena tatha (Trailokya-sammohana-tantra), 1.902 sahasra-nama-māhātmyam (Skanda Purana, Dvaraka-mahatmya), 11.547 sahasra-nämnām punyanām (Brahmanda Purana 236.19), II.294 saha-yajñaḥ prajaḥ srstva (GITA 3.10), 1.74 sahoşyatam iha prestha (SB 10.48.9), II.667, 11.668 saili daru-mayi lauhi (SB 11.27.12), 11.473 saivam kaivalya-natham tam (SB 10.48.8), 11.668, II.669 sajätiyāśaye snigdhe (BRS 1.2.91), 11.178 sajjate’sminn aham-bhavo (SB 11.2.51), 1.1194, 1.1208, 1.1212 sakala-nigama-valli- (Skanda Purana), 11.334 sakalikaranam proktam (Agama), 11.473 sakrd api parīgītam (Skanda Purana), 1.1006, 11.334 sakrd eva prapanno yas (Garuda Purana), 1.872 sakrd eva prapanno yas (Ramayana 6.18.33), 1.872 sakrd uccarayed yas tu (Padma Purana), 1.870 sakrd yad darsitam rupam (SB 1.6.23), 1.931 sakrd yad-anga pratimantar-ahita (SB 10.12.39), 11.653 sakṛn manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padaravindayor (SB 6.1.19), 1.863 sākṣad-dharitvena samasta-sastrair (Gurvastakam 7), 1.1326 säkṣan-manmatha-manmathah (SB 10.32.2), 11.678 saktās tu nigraham kartum (Skanda Purana 2.3.3.15), 1.864 saktau phaladi-bhuktiś ca (Vişņu-yamala), 11.527 salagrāma-samīpe tu (Padma Purana), 11.500 salagrama-sila yatra (Skanda Purana), 11.500 sa-lokā loka-pālās tan (SB 12.10.21), 1.559, 1.562, 1.565 sälokya-särṣṭi-sāmīpya- (SB 3.29.13), 1.694, 1.1061, II.122, II.125, II.132 sama-buddhya pravartante (BNP 1.5.72), 1.1252 samadhau yoginas tasminn (BRS 3.1.36), II.395 samadhinānusmara tad-vicestitam (SB 1.5.13), 11.266 sama-duḥkha-sukhaḥ sva-sthah (GITÄ 14.24), II.648 samaḥ priyah suhrd brahman (SB 7.1.1), 1.787 samaḥ sarveşu bhuteṣu (GĪTĀ 18.54), 1.389, 1.424, 1.430, 1.433, 1.790, 1.798, II.264 samais ca samatām eti (Hitopadesa 1.41), 1.1278 samanam astu vo mano (RV 10.191.4), 1.1300 1056 Verse Index samani va akutiḥ (RV 10.191.4), 1.1300 samanyato visesasya nirddharane (HNV 4.140), 1.647 samasenaiva kaunteya (GĪTĀ 18.50), 1.111, 1.389 samasrita ye pada-pallava-plavam (SB 10.14.58), 1.266 samatvenaiva vīkseta (Vaisnava Tantra), 1.558, 1.1252 sambandhad vrsnayah snehad (SB 7.1.30), 11.686-688, 11.690, II.691, 11.707 sambhavanti hi ta nṛnam (SB 11.26.28), 11.234 samīcīnam vaco brahman (SB 2.4.5), 1.239 samo damas tapaḥ saucam (Mukta-phala-tika 16.26), 1.515 samo damas tapaḥ saucam (GITA 18.42), II.494 samo’ham sarva-bhütesu (GITA 9.29), 1.602, 1.837, 1.1116, 11.575 samo man-nişṭhata buddher (SB 11.19.36), 1.248, 1.1069, 1.1072, 11.145, 11.363 samparkad yadi va mohad (Padma Purana), 1.870 sampracaratsu nana-yageṣu (SB 5.7.6), 11.58, 11.61, 11.63, 11.66, II.71 samprapede harim bhaktyä (SB 3.21.7), II.84 samprapte väsare vişnor (Skanda Purana 7.4.28.47), 11.530 samprapto yantreņa pīdyamano (Garbhopanisad 4), 1.883 sampraty amarsi govinde (SB 7.1.17), II.644 samprcche bhava etasmin (SB 4.22.15), 1.265 samrambha-bhaya-yogena (SB 7.1.27), II.660 samrambhi bhinna-drg bhavam (SB 3.29.8), 1.799, 1.1198, 11.109, II.116 samsara-dharmair avimuhyamanaḥ (SB 11.2.49), 1.1190, 1.1195, 1.1207, 1.1209, 1.1212 samsaranty iha ye camum (SB 4.2.24), 1.582 samsara-sindhum ati-dustaram uttitīrsor (SB 12.4.40), 1.108, 1.374, 1.441, 1.450 samsare’smin mahäghore (Skanda Purana), 1.674 samsevaya tvayi vineti sad-angaya kim (SB 7.9.50), 1.1265, 11.564 samvadaḥ samabhut tata (SB 1.4.7), 1.544 samvatsaram va şan-mäsän (Skanda Purana), 11.414 samvatsarasya madhye tu (Adi-varaha Purana 177.25), 11.549 samyak karunikasyedam (SB 2.5.9), 1.239 sanakadayo nivrttyakhye (Nrsimha Purana 4.4), 1.321, 1.326 sananga-tapta-kucayor uras tathākṣṇor (SB 10.48.7), 11.667 sanat-kumaro bhagavan (SB 4.23.9), 1.267, 1.268 sandharyate’smin vapuşi sthavişthe (SB 2.1.38), 1.185 sandhye srstir aha hi (vs 3.2.1), 1.184 sandhyopastyadi-karmani (SB 11.27.11), 11.438 sandrananda-viseṣātmā (BRS 1.1.17), 1.850, 1.1192 1057References sanga bhavanti na kṛtah (Brahma-vaivarta Purana), 11.356, 11.359 sangena sadhu-bhaktanam (SB 7.7.30), 1.1233, 11.779 sango yaḥ samsṛter hetur (SB 3.23.55), 11.213 sañjātāḥ sarvato brahman (Hayasirsa Pancaratra), 1.1217 sanketyam pārihasyam va (SB 6.2.14), II.299 sankha-cakrady urddhva-pundra- (Padma Purana, Uttara-khanda), 1.1235 sankha-padma-nidhi-lokaś (PP 6.228.60), II.447 sankhyam yogam samabhyaset (Nirukta, Parisista 13.19), 1.878 sankirtitam agham pumso (SB 6.2.18), II.299 sankṣiptam varnayiṣyami (SB 11.27.6), II.438 sannidhänäd guror evam, 11.165 sanniyamyendriya-grāmaṁ (GĪTĀ 12.4), 1.535, 1.538 santaḥ samadṛśaḥ śuddhaḥ (SB 4.12.37), 11.578 santam eva rasam pürve (BRS 3.1.50), 11.252 santo’napekṣā mac-cittaḥ (SB 11.26.27), 11.235 santosah samadrk-seva (SB 7.11.9), 1.320 santuşta śraddadhaty etad (SB 11.8.40), 11.608, 11.609 sarago lolupaḥ kami (Brahma-vaivarta Purana), 1.1276 sa-rahasyam tad-angam ca (SB 2.9.30), 1.667, 1.670, 1.701 saranam tam prapanna ye (GP 1.227.36), II.161 sarasvatyam tapas tepe (SB 3.21.6), II.84 śārīrā mānasa divya (SB 3.22.37), 1.736 sarīras cobhaye’pi hi bhedenainam adhiyate (vs 1.2.20), 1.1290 sarit-samudramś ca hareḥ sariram (SB 11.2.41), 1.1163, 1.1164, I.1167 sarva eva yajanti tvām (SB 10.40.9), 11.64 sarva-bhoga-prada yatra (Hayasirşa Pancaratra), 1.1216 sarva-bhūta-suhrc chantaḥ (SB 11.2.52), 1.1197, 1.1208, 1.1212 sarva-bhūteşu yaḥ pasyed (SB 11.2.45), 1.604, 1.1162-1168, 1.1187, 1.1207, 1.1208, 1.1210-1212 sarva-bhüteşu yenaikam (GĪTĀ 18.20), 1.795, II.12 sarva-dharman parityajya (GĪTĀ 18.66), 1.92, 1.1027, 1.1318, II.151, II.748, II.752 sarva-dharmojjhitä visnor (Padma Purana), 1.1029 sarva-duḥkhopa-samanam (BNP 1.37.16), 1.1034 sarvagatväd anantasya (VP 1.19.85), 11.17 sarva-guhyatamam bhūyaḥ (GĪTĀ 18.64), 1.556, 1.1001, 11.748, 11.750, 11.752 sarva-karma-phala-tyagam (GITA 12.11), 1.525 sarva-labhopaharanam (SB 11.11.35), 11.589 sarva-lakṣaṇa-sampurno bhavati (Garbhopanisad 3), 1.883 1058 Verse Index sarvam brahmatmakam tasya (SB 11.29.18), 11.745, 11.746, II.751 sarvam karmakhilam partha (GITÄ 4.33), 1.61, 1.354, 11.500 sarvam karoti niśchidram (SB 8.23.16), 1.493, 1.496 sarvam mad-bhakti-yogena (SB 11.20.33), 1.34, 1.145, 1.426-428, 1.432, 1.773, 1.1005, 1.1059, 11.516, II.733, 11.757 sarvam sampadyate devi (SB 8.17.20), II.773 sarvam tad etat purusasya bhumno (SB 4.30.40), II.75, 11.98 sarvam tad-bhautikam viddhi (Hayasirsa Pañcaratra), 1.1216 sarvan dadati suhrdo bhajato’bhikāmān (SB 10.48.26), 1.613 sarva-papa vinirmuktaḥ (Padma Purana), 1.870 sarva-papa-vināśāya (Skanda Purana), 11.534 sarvaparādha-krd api (PP 3.25.12), 11.314, II.332 sarvapekṣā ca yajñādi-śrutir asvavat (vs 3.4.26), 1.306 sarvarambha-parityagi (GĪTĀ 12.16), II.405 sarvarambha-parityagi (GĪTĀ 14.25), 11.648 sarva-sāksiņi sarveśe (Bhavartha-dipikā 2.2.1), 1.233 sarvasam api siddhīnam (SB 10.81.19), 1.493, 1.496, 1.720, 11.90 sarvāsām api siddhīnām (SB 11.15.35), 1.720 sarvasya dhātāram acintya-rupam (GĪTĀ 8.9), 1.1055, 1.1064 sarvātma-bhāvam vidadhan mahim imam (SB 9.4.21), 11.429 sarvātmana yaḥ saranam saranyam (SB 11.5.41), 1.1024, 1.1026, 1.1027, 1.1031, 1.1032, 11.627, 11.633 sarvatmany akhiladhara (SB 2.7.52), 1.700, 1.701 sarvato mana ākṛşya (SB 11.13.14), II.381 sarvato manaso’sangam (SB 11.3.23), 11.32, 11.43 sarvatra deva-devo’sau (Trailokya-sammohana Tantra), 11.448 sarvatra-gam acintyam ca (GITA 12.3), 1.535 sarvatraskhalitadeśaḥ (SB 4.21.12), II.227 sarva-varņeṣu te sudra (Padma Purana), 11.228, 11.476 sarva-varṇeşu tulyasu (Manu-smrti 10.5), 1.1194 sarva-vedanta-sāram hi (SB 12.13.15), 1.544, II.289 sarva-vedanta-vit-kotyam (Garuda Purana), 1.1063 sarva-vedetihāsānāṁ (SB 1.3.42), 1.544 sarva-vidhi-niṣedhaḥ syur (PP 6.71.100), II.624 sarvävidya-dhvamsato yaḥ samastad (BRS 3.1.37), II.395 sarva-yajña-tapo-homa- (Skanda Purana), 1.721 sarve cagama-margena (PP 5.84.53), 11.518 sarve’py ete yajña-vido (GĪTĀ 4.30), 1.74 sarve veda yat padam amananti (Katha Upanisad 1.2.15), 1.150 1059 References sarve vidhi-nisedhah syur (PP 6.71.100), 1.480, 1.697, 1.861, II.353 sarveṣām api bhutanam (SB 4.31.13), 1.277, 1.279, 1.280, 1.282 sarvesam apy aghavatam (SB 6.2.10), 1.851, II.297, II.317 sarveşam mad-upasanam (SB 11.18.43), 1.639, 1.861 sarveşu varneşu tathāśrameşu (Krama-dipika 1.4), II.435 sarvotpatty-apyayam brahma (SB 11.18.45), 1.841 sasanenaiva sastrasya (BRS 1.2.6), II.143 sastrajño’pi svätantryena (Sankara-bhasya, MUU 1.2.12), 1.1273 sastra-phalam prayoktari (Jaimini-sutra 3.7.18), 11.57, 11.62 sastre yuktau ca nipunah (BRS 1.2.17), 1.1181 sasvatasya ca dharmasya (GĪTĀ 14.27), 1.56, 1.152, 1.658, 1.1141 sata-janmarjitam papam (Skanda Purāna 5.3.157.12), 1.859 satam kṛpā mahat-seva (Sarartha-darsini 1.2.21), 1.128 satām nindā nāmnaḥ paramam aparādham vitanute (PP 3.25.15), 11.315 satam prasangan mama vīrya-samvido (SB 3.25.25), 1.25, 1.102, 1.1007, 1.1265, II.778, 11.785 satatam kirtayanto mam (GITA 9.14), 1.543 satayur vai puruso vibhajya (Kama-sutra 2.1), 1.73 saṭhyenapi namaskāram (Skanda Purana 5.3.157.12), 1.859 satram svargaya lokaya (SB 1.1.4), 1.510 satra-yaji-sahasrebhyah (Garuda Purana), 1.1063 sat-sanga-labdhaya bhaktyä (SB 11.11.25), 1.397 sat-sangamo yarhi tadaiva sad-gatau (SB 10.51.53), 1.1090, 1.1099, 1.1255 sat-sanga-sastra-śravanad (Brahma-vaivarta Purana), 1.14 sat-sangena hi daiteya (SB 11.12.3), II.192, II.198, II.201 sat-sevaniyo bata puru-vamso (SB 3.8.1), 1.252 sattvam rajas tama iti prakṛter gunas tair (SB 1.2.23), 1.132, 1.134, 1.135, 1.138, I.150, 1.554, 1.571 sattvam viśuddhaṁ kṣemaya (SB 1.2.25), 1.133, 1.135, 1.138 sattvam visuddham vasudeva-śabditam (SB 4.3.23), 1.119, 1.1174 sattvam yad brahma-darsanam (SB 1.2.24), 1.376 sattvanurupā sarvasya (GITA 17.3), 1.146, 1.519, 1.810, 1.1021, 1.1045 sattvasya suddhim paramātma-bhaktim (SB 12.12.54), 1.462, 11.384 sattvät sanjayate jñānam (GĪTĀ 14.17), 1.119, 1.376, 1.784, II.116 sattve ca tasmin bhagavan vasudevo (SB 4.3.23), 1.119, 1.1174 sättvikaḥ kārako’sangi (SB 11.25.26), 1.806, II.115, II.124 sättvikaḥ sa tu vijñeyo (MB 12.348.73), 1.1115 sättvikam sukham atmottham (SB 11.25.29), 1.788, 11.115 sättviki rajasi caiva (GITA 17.2), 1.1045 1060 Verse Index sattviky adhyatmiki śraddha (SB 11.25.27), 1.809 satyäcyutänanta-durga- (PP 6.228.60), 11.447 satyam daya tapaḥ saucam (SB 7.11.8), 1.317, 1.320 satyam disaty arthitam arthito nṛṇām (SB 5.19.27), 1.500, 1.501, 1.503, 1.823, 1.826, II.50 satyam param dhimahi (SB 1.1.1), 1.611 satyam satena vighnänam (Vişnu-dharma), 1.911 satya-saro’navadyātmā (SB 11.11.29), 1.1226, 1.1229, 1.1232, 1.1235-1237, 1.1245, 1.1248 sauca-santosa-tapah-svadhyayesvara-pranidhānāni (Yoga-sutra 2.32), 11.101 saura-mantraś ca ye’pi syur (Mantra-deva-prakäsika), 11.433 sauraś ca saivā gāṇeśa (PP 6.88.43), 1.575, 1.576 sauvïra-patir api sujana-samavagata- (SB 5.13.25), 1.946 śāvau karau no kurutaḥ saparyam (SB 2.3.21), 1.226 sete jivena rūpeņa (SB 7.14.37), II.482 seva sadhaka-rupena (BRS 1.2.295), 11.632 sevejyävanatir dasyam (SB 7.11.11), 1.320, 1.639, 1.861 sevonmukhe hi jihvadau (BRS 1.2.234), 1.816 seyam bhagavato maya (SB 3.7.9), 1.20 siddham bhavati pūrṇā syat (Brahma-vaivarta Purana), 1.1039 siddhartha etena vigrhyate mahān (SB 10.59.41), 1.693 siddhim prapto yatha brahma (GITĀ 18.50), 1.111, 1.389 siddho’smy anugrhito’smi (SB 12.6.2), 1.444, 1.452 siddhy-asiddhyor nirvikäraḥ (GĪTĀ 18.26), 1.807 sila-buddhiḥ kṛtā kim va (Agni Purana), 1.587, 11.470 siras tu tasyobhaya-lingam anamet (SB 10.80.4), 1.235 sītam bhayam tamo’py eti (SB 11.26.31), 11.234, 11.236 sivaḥ sukhātmakatvena (Brahmanda Purana), 11.323 sivasya śrī vişnor ya iha guna-nāmādi-sakalam (PP 3.25.15), 11.315 sive ca parameśāne (BNP 1.5.72), 1.1252 sloka-padasya vaktapi (Narada Pancaratra), 11.164 smarantaḥ kirtayantas te (SB 11.6.49), 1.369 smarantaḥ smārayantas ca (SB 11.3.31), 1.49, 11.87, II.134 smaratah pada-kamalam (SB 10.80.11), II.386 smared vasantam sthira-jangameşu (SB 10.80.3), 1.235 smared vṛndavane ramye (Tantra), 11.461 smartavyaḥ satatam vişnur (PP 6.71.100), 1.480, 1.697, 1.861, II.353, 11.624 smartavyam bhajanīyam va (SB 1.19.38), 1.178, 1.201, 1.202 1061 References smrtaḥ sambhasito vapi (Itihasa-samuccaya 31.55), 11.228 smrtam ca tad-vidām rajan (SB 7.11.7), 1.315-317, 1.319, 1.322, 1.323 smrte sakala-kalyana- (VP 5.17.17), 1.722 smrtim punar vismrta-tattva-vartmanam (SB 4.20.25), 11.279 smrtir nädyāpi vidhvasta (SB 10.64.25), 1.898, 1.905 snehad dveṣad bhayad vapi (SB 11.9.22), II.662 snehaḥ sa rago yena syat (BRS 3.2.87), 11.688 snehāt kāmena va yunjyat (SB 7.1.25), 11.654-656, 11.688, 11.690, 11.691, 11.696 so’bhivandyambika-putram (SB 10.68.17), 1.1174 so’ham vaḥ śravayisyami (SB 1.3.44), II.320 so’ham vrajami saranam hy akuto-bhayam me (SB 3.31.12), 1.877 so’ham vyaktam patiṣyāmi (SB 6.2.29), 11.328 soce tato vimukha-cetasa indriyartha- (SB 7.9.43), 1.1170 spandanti vai tanu-bhṛtām aja-sarvayoś ca (SB 12.8.40), 1.835, 1.838 spardhāsuya-tiraskāraḥ (SB 11.29.15), II.741, II.742, II.744 śraddha-krte hy akṣaye te (Manu-smrti 4.226), 11.183 śraddhalur mat-kathaḥ śrnvan (SB 11.11.23), 1.391, 1.393 śraddham bhagavate sastre (SB 11.3.26), 1.580 śraddha-mayo’yam puruso (GITA 17.3), 1.146, 1.519, 1.810, 1.1021, 1.1045 śraddhamṛta-kathāyām me (SB 11.19.20), 11.95, 11.97, 11.587 sraddhavaml labhate jñānam (GĪTĀ 4.39), II.774 śraddhavan bhajate yo mam (GĪTĀ 6.47), 1.77, 1.81, 1.151, 1.637, 1.646 śraddhaya modayed yas tu (Agni Purana), 11.425 śraddhaya parayopetas (GITA 12.2), 1.535 śraddhayestam ca purtam ca (Manu-smrti 4.226), II.183 śraddhayopahrtam prestham (SB 11.27.17), 1.1009, 1.1014, 11.538 śramas tasya śrama-phalo (SB 11.11.18), 1.373, 1.378, 1.383 śrautena janmanathapi (SB 11.5.5), 1.915, 1.918 śravanaṁ kirtanam casya (SB 7.11.11), 1.320, 1.639, 1.861 śravaņam kirtanam visnoḥ (SB 7.5.23), 1.985, 1.987, 11.32, 11.572, 11.602 śravanotkirtanādīni (BRS 1.2.296), 11.632 śravito yac ca me säkṣād (SB 12.6.2), 1.444, 1.452 śreyaḥ-srtim bhaktim udasya te vibho (SB 10.14.4), 1.60, 1.61, 1.250, 1.374, 1.387, 1.388, 1.410, 1.540, 1.1059 śreyan dravya-mayad yajñāj (GĪTĀ 4.33), 1.61, 1.354, 11.500 śreyan sva-dharmo viguṇaḥ (GITĀ 3.35), 1.810 śreyas tv anupalabdhe’rthe (SB 11.20.4), 11.329 śreyasam api sarveṣām (SB 4.31.13), 1.277, 1.279, 1.280, 1.282 1062 Verse Index śreyasām uttamam manye (SB 11.27.4), II.517, 11.520 śreyo vadanty anekantam (SB 11.14.9), 1.406 śreyobhir vividhais canyaiḥ (SB 10.47.24), 1.485 śrī visnoḥ śravane pariksid abhavad vaiyasakiḥ kirtane (Padyavali 53), 1.986 śrī visņu-padya manujas tulasyah (SB 2.3.23), 1.230 śrī vrajācārya-śrimad-rupa-gosvami-bhajananusāreņa (Sadhana-dipika), II.465 śrīmad-bhāgavatam puranam amalam yad vaiṣṇavānāṁ priyam (SB 12.13.18), 1.108 śrīmad-bhagavate mahamuni-krte kim va parair isvarah (SB 1.1.2), II.286, II.288, 11.733, II.741 śrīman nārāyaṇaḥ svāmī (source unknown), 1.1076 śrīmate vişnave tasmai (source unknown), 1.1076 sris ca tat-paksa-patitvad (PP 6.227.36), 1.1075 śriya hinena loke’smin (SB 10.80.25), 11.669 srjami tan niyukto’ham (SB 2.6.32), 11.323 śrņu devi pravakṣyāmi (Padma Purana, Uttara-khanda), 11.531 śrnvan subhadraņi rathanga-päner (SB 11.2.39), 1.334, 1.338, 1.340, 1.1160, II.42, II.301, II.305, 11.350 śṛṇvanti gayanti grṇanty abhikṣṇasah (SB 1.8.36), 1.839 śrnvataḥ śraddhaya nityam (SB 2.8.4), II.346, 11.347 śrnvatam sva-kathaḥ krsnah (SB 1.2.17), 1.107, 1.127 srotasya srotram (BAU 4.4.18), 1.793, 1.836 srotavyadini rajendra (SB 2.1.2), 1.173 śrotavyah kirtitavyaś ca (SB 1.2.14), 1.93, 1.127, 1.524, 1.527, II.142, II.144 śrotavyah kirtitavyaś ca (SB 2.1.5), 1.177, 1.450, 1.740, 1.744, II.143 śrotavyah kirtitavyaś ca (SB 2.2.36), 1.197, 1.201-203, 1.696-698 śrotranjalir upasprsya (SB 9.24.62), 1.108 srotra-tvak-cakṣur-jihva-ghrananam (Kama-sūtra 2.11), 1.78 śruta-dhana-kula-karmaņām madair ye (SB 4.31.21), 11.542 śrutam apy aupaniṣadam (Padyavali 39), 1.382 śruta-matro’pi yah strīņām (SB 10.90.26), 11.687, 11.688 śrutasya pumsam sucira-sramasya (SB 3.13.4), 1.479, 11.273 śrutena tapasa va kim (SB 4.31.11), 1.277, 1.278, 1.522 śruti-smrti mamaiväjne (source unknown), 1.1023, II.617, 11.626 sruti-smrti-puraṇādi- (Brahma-yamala), 11.435 sruti-smrti-puranokta- (Visnu-yamala), 11.617, 11.621, 11.625 sruto’nupathito dhyata (SB 11.2.12), 1.682, 1.856 1063 References śrutvā vikasam ayati (Brahma-vaivarta Purana), 1.1277 śrutvāpi nama-mahatmyam (PP 3.25.18), II.315 śrutvapy enam veda na caiva kascit (GĪTĀ 2.29), 1.24 steyam himsanṛtam dambhah (SB 11.23.18), 1.380 sthānābhilāṣi tapasi sthito’ham (Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya 7.28), 1.503 sthāna-tattvam ato vakṣye (Hayasirşa Pancaratra), 1.1216 sthandile mantra-hrdayair (SB 11.11.45), 11.502-504 sthāne hṛṣīkesa tava prakīrtya (GĪTĀ 11.36), II.252 sthāne sthitaḥ śruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhir (SB 10.14.3), 1.536, 1.539 sthavişte bhagavad-rupe (Bhavartha-dipika 2.1.1), 1.233 sthayinam eke tu nirveda- (BRS 3.1.50), II.252 sthiram sukham casanam asthito yatir (SB 2.2.15), 1.192, II.11 sthitir vaikuntha-vijayah (SB 2.10.4), 1.664, 1.666 sthito’smi gata-sandehah (GITA 18.73), 11.786 sthity-adaye hari-viriñci-hareti sañjñaḥ (SB 1.2.23), 1.132, 1.134, 1.135, 1.138, 1.150, 1.554, 1.571 strīņām apy adhikaro’sti (PP 5.84.54), II.518 stri-pum-bhidā na tu sutasya vivikta-drsteḥ (SB 1.4.5), 1.1151, 11.679 stri-sudra-dvijabandhunam (SB 1.4.25), 11.521 striya uragendra-bhoga-bhuja-danda-vişakta-dhiyo (SB 10.87.23), II.682, 11.684 striyaḥ śudradayaś caiva (SB 11.5.4), 1.915, II.521 stuyamānam prthag-bhāvair (SB 10.39.54), II.454 stuyamano maha-yogi (SB 6.17.2), 1.429 subhasubham ca karma vindati (Garbhopanisad 4), 1.883 śuci-sukra-gate kale (Garuda Purana), 11.507 śuci-sukra-gate kale (PP 6.84.12), 11.507 śuddhantaḥ-karano bhütvā (Padma Purana), 1.870 suddha-sattva-mayam surya- (Hayasirṣa Pañcaratra), 1.1216 suddhe tan-namni mantre sakala-kalusa-he sabda-samanya-buddhir (Padma Purana), 1.587 śudram va bhagavad-bhaktam (Itihasa-samuccaya), 11.229 sudraṇam caiva bhavati (PP 5.84.53), 11.518 sudurlabhaḥ prasantātmā (SB 6.14.5), 1.785, 1.1139, 1.1141, II.367, II.477 suduścaram imam manye (SB 11.29.1), 11.722 suduścikitsyasya bhavasya mrtyor (SB 4.30.38), 1.558, 1.563, 1.1325 sugopyam api vakṣyami (SB 11.11.49), 11.180, 11.184, 11.207, 11.210 sugrīvo hanuman rkso (SB 11.12.6), 11.192, II.198, II.200, II.201 suhrdam sarva-bhutanam (GĪTĀ 5.29), 1.337, 1.340, 11.67 1064 Verse Index suhrdam sarva-bhūtānāṁ (SB 11.13.40), II.125 suhrt presthatamo natha (SB 11.8.35), 11.606-608 sujana-samavagata-paramatma-satattva (SB 5.13.25), 1.946 sukham nu visvesvara yoga-karmabhis (SB 11.29.3), II.723 sukhānuśayi rägaḥ (Yoga-sutra 2.7), 11.86 sukhena yam gatim yanti (Padma Purana), 1.1029 śuklā vā yadi va kṛṣṇā (Bhaviṣya Purana), 11.529 śuklā vā yadi va kṛṣṇā (Matsya Purana), 11.529 śukla-kṛṣṇa-vibhedaś ca (Visnu-yamala), 11.527 suksma-śakty-atmakam vapi (Tantra-varttika, Jaimini-sutra 2.1.5), 11.60 sumana arcayen nityam (Visnu-dharma Purana), 11.519 surucis tam samutthapya (SB 4.9.46), 1.769 surye tu vidyaya trayya (SB 11.11.43), 11.502-504 suryo’gnir brāhmaṇo gavo (SB 11.11.42), II.474, II.502 susīlāḥ sadhavo yatra (SB 6.1.17), 1.477, 1.721, 1.726 śuśruşoḥ śraddadhanasya (SB 1.2.16), 1.101, 1.106, 1.127, 1.789, 1.901, 1.998, I.1264, II.413, II.777, 11.784, 11.785 svabhāva-guṇa-margena (SB 3.29.7), 11.128, II.134 svābhāviki jñāna-bala-kriya ca (su 6.8), 1.184, 1.186 sva-bhojyasyārpanam danam (Mahabharata), 1.206 sva-dharmam anutisthanto (SB 4.24.69), 1.271, 1.273 sva-dharma-nisthaḥ śata-janmabhiḥ puman (SB 4.24.29), 1.138 sva-dharma-stho yajan yajnair (SB 11.20.10), 1.1017, 1.1047 sva-dharme nidhanam śreyah (GITĀ 3.35), 1.810 svadhyaye’nye pravacane (SB 7.15.1), 11.498, 11.500 śvādo’pi sadyaḥ savanaya kalpate (SB 3.33.6), 1.755, 11.521 sva-karmaņā tam abhyarcya (GITA 18.46), 1.64 sva-karma-nirataḥ siddhim (GITA 18.45), 1.64, 1.139 sva-krta-pureşv amīşv abahir-antara-samvaranam (SB 10.87.20), 1.652, 1.698, 1.1077 sva-kularddhyai tato dhiman (Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya 8.52), 11.175 svalpam anyan mayoktam bho (Visnu-dharmottara Purana), 11.304 svalpam apy asya dharmasya (GITĀ 2.40), II.51 sva-mataram parityajya (Skanda Purana), 1.553 sva-mātuḥ svinna-gatraya (SB 10.9.18), 11.786 śvāna-yoni-satam gatva (Canakya-nīti 13.18), 11.169 svanusthitasya dharmasya (SB 1.2.13), 1.46, 1.47, 1.51, 1.52, 1.90, 1.127, 1.1318 śvapacad apakṛṣṭatvam (Skanda Purana, Reva-khanda), 1.651 śvapaco’pi bhavaty eva (Skanda Purana, Reva-khanda), 1.651 1065 References śvapaco’pi mahīpāla (Nārada Purāņa 2.10.37), 1.516, 1.641 sva-pada-mulam bhajatah priyasya (SB 11.5.42), 1.108, 1.510, 1.731, 1.1019, 1.1026, II.52, II.628 svapakam iva nekşeta (PP 6.224.53), 11.228, 11.231 svargāpavargam mad-dhama (SB 11.20.33), 1.145, 1.426-428, 1.432, 1.773, 1.1005, 1.1059, 11.516, II.733, 11.757 svargapavarga-narakeṣv (SB 6.17.28), 1.791 svargāpavargayoḥ pumsam (SB 10.81.19), 1.493, 1.496, 1.720 svargapavarge mad-dhama (SB 11.20.33), 1.34 svarṇa-käntyä viśālākhyā (Hayasirṣa Pañcaratra), 1.1215 sva-sukha-nibhṛta-cetas tad-vyudastanya-bhavo (SB 12.12.69), 1.453, 1.1144, 1.1151, II.398 svasyätmanaḥ sakhyur asesa-dehinam (SB 7.7.38), 11.574 svatantra-pujanam yac ca (PP 6.253.105), II.449 svätantryāt kriyate karma (PP 6.235.9), 11.622 svato jnanam kutaḥ pumsām (SB 3.7.39), 1.1273, 11.737 svato na sambhavad anyas (SB 11.22.10), 1.1273, II.737 sva-vasenapi krṣṇena (SB 10.9.19), II.710, II.712 śva-vid-varahostra-kharaih (SB 2.3.19), 1.221 svayam abhyarcanam caiva (Garuda Purana 1.227.7), 11.229 svayam niḥśreyasam vidvän (SB 6.9.50), 1.1041 svayam samuttīrya sudustaram dyuman (SB 10.2.31), 1.1113, 1.1114 svayam vidhatte bhajatām anicchatam (SB 5.19.27), 1.500, 1.501, 1.503, 1.823, 1.826, 11.50 svayambhur nāradaḥ sambhuḥ (SB 6.3.20), 1.252, 1.628, 1.631, 1.1103 sve sve’dhikare ya niṣṭhā (SB 11.21.2), 1.1051 sve sve karmany abhiratah (GITA 18.45), 1.64, 1.139 sve sve sthane tv abhimukhan (SB 11.27.29), 11.449 sveccha-mayasya na tu bhūta-mayasya ko’pi (SB 10.14.2), 1.1119, 11.708 syan mahat-sevaya viprah (SB 1.2.16), 1.101, 1.106, 1.127, 1.789, 1.901, 1.998, 1.1264, II.413, II.777, II.784, 11.785 syat sambhramo’nta-kale’pi (SB 1.18.4), 1.447 ta ekadā nimeḥ satram (SB 11.2.24), 1.1119 ta eva pasyanty acireņa tavakam (SB 1.8.36), 1.839 ta evātma-vinasaya (SB 1.5.34), 11.55, 11.56 tā nāvidan mayy anuşanga-baddha- (SB 11.12.12), II.211 tā varyamāṇaḥ patibhih (SB 10.29.8), 11.675 ta ye pibanty avitrso nrpa gadha-karnais (SB 4.29.40), 11.282, 11.283 ta ye śrnvanti gayanti (SB 11.26.29), 11.234-236 1066 Verse Index tac capi citta-badisam śanakair viyunkte (SB 3.28.34), II.731 tac ced deha-dravina-janata-lobha-pasanda-madhye (PP 3.25.24), 1.867, 1.899, II.336 tac-chraddadhānā munayo (SB 1.2.12), 1.82, 1.84, 1.85, 1.376 tad aham bhakty upahrtam (GITA 9.26), 11.709 tad aham bhakty upahṛtam (SB 10.81.4), 1.682, 11.709 tad aham krta-viśrambhah (SB 4.22.15), 1.265 tad aham te’bhidhasyami (SB 2.1.10), II.309, II.310, II.312 tad apy aphalatam jātam (Brahma-vaivarta Purana), 1.620 tad apy aprarthitam dhyāto (Garuda Purana 2.234.12), 1.501 tad asya harati prajñām (GĪTĀ 2.67), 1.24 tad ayam tava pada-padmayor (Stotra-ratnam 49), 11.584 tad eva hy amayam dravyam (SB 1.5.33), 11.55, 11.56 tad eva ramyam ruciram navam navam (SB 12.12.49), 11.348, 11.350 tad eva satyam tad uhaiva mangalam (SB 12.12.48), 11.348 tad eva śokārṇava-sosanam nrnām (SB 12.12.49), 11.348, 11.350 tad idam grahayam asa (SB 1.3.42), 1.544 tad va etat param dhama (Nrsimha-tapani Upanisad, Purva-khanda 5.9), II.457 tad vidyad ātmano māyām (SB 2.9.33), 1.667, 1.1283 tad yatheha karma-jito (CHU 8.1.6), 1.59 tada devam avijñāya (su 6.20), 1.27 tada krta-yugam vidyaj (SB 12.3.27), 11.487 tada’mṛtatvam pratipadyamano (SB 11.29.34), II.588, 11.589 tada rajas tamo-bhāvāḥ (SB 1.2.19), 1.113, 1.127 tad-adharo yato visnuḥ (Brahmanda Purana), 11.323 tad-adhina-vacane (PANINI 5.4.54), 1.267 tad-adhyavasyat kuṭastho (SB 2.2.34), 1.84, 1.87, 1.196, 1.198, 1.200, 1.202, 1.404, 1.480, 1.675, 1.1283, 1.1284 tadaiva vilayam yanti (Skanda Purana), 1.759 tadaivacyuta yanty ete (Skanda Purana, Reva-khanda), 1.651 tad-aksayam bhavet sarvam (Skanda Purana 2.4.1.23), 11.525 tad-anusmaranam nityam (Vişnu-dharma Purana), 11.519 tadarca bandhu-sadrsi (vP 5.13.11), 11.710 tad-artham eva sakalam (SB 10.14.54), 1.280 tad-asma-saram hrdayam batedam (SB 2.3.24), 1.232, 1.898 tad-atma-bandhu-sadrsi (VP 5.13.11), II.710 tad-avaraṇa-samsthanam (PP 6.253.106), II.449 tad-bhakta-jana-vatsalyam (Visnu-dharma Purana), 11.519 1067References tad-bhava-lipsuna käryä (BRS 1.2.295), II.632 tad-bhinnatve sati tad-bodhakatvam (Siddhanta-ratnam 8.2), 11.19 tad-bhūri-bhagyam iha janma kim apy aṭavyam (SB 10.14.34), 1.518 tadiyārādhanaṁ cejya (PP 6.253.25), 1.1214 tad-rasāmṛta-trptasya (SB 12.13.15), 1.544, II.289 tad-väg-visargo janatagha-viplavo (SB 1.5.11), 11.292 tadvan na rikta-matayo yatayo’pi ruddha- (SB 4.22.39), 1.263, 1.265 tad-vijñānārtham sa gurum (MUU 1.2.12), 1.1307 taḥ śraddhaya me’nupadam visrnvatah (SB 1.5.26), 1.1282, 1.1283, II.784 tair eva sad bhavati yat kriyate’prthaktvät (SB 8.9.29), 1.793 tais tany aghani puyante (SB 6.2.17), 1.764 taj-janma tani karmāņi (SB 4.31.9), 1.277, 1.278, 1.485 taj-joṣaṇād āśv apavarga-vartmani (SB 3.25.25), 1.25, 1.102, 1.1007, 1.1265, 11.778, 11.785 tam avajñāya mam martyah (SB 3.29.21), 1.585, 1.592, 1.594, II.491, II.492 tam ca brahmarṣayo’bhyetya (SB 6.13.18), 1.751 tam duraradhyam aradhya (SB 4.24.55), 1.964 tam etam vedänuvacanena (BAU 4.4.22), 1.346, 1.352, 1.1107 tam eva nityam śrnuyad abhikṣṇam (SB 12.3.15), 1.108, 11.250, 11.252, 11.253 tam eva paramatmanam (SB 10.29.11), 11.675 tam eva saranam gaccha (GITA 18.62), 11.748, 11.752 tam eva viditvätimṛtyum eti (su 3.8), 1.168, 1.414-416 tam evātmānam atma-stham (SB 4.24.70), 1.271-273 tam mopayatam pratiyantu vipra (SB 1.19.15), 1.920 tam nadhyagacchad drsam atra sammatam (SB 2.9.5), 1.557 tam nirvṛto niyatartho bhajeta (SB 2.2.6), 1.30, 1.32, 1.39 tam satyam ānanda-nidhim bhajeta (SB 2.1.39), 1.181, 1.185, 1.186 tam sukharadhyam rjubhir (SB 3.19.36), 1.911, 1.912 tam tam evaiti kaunteya (GITA 8.6), 1.938, 1.940, 11.342 tam tam niyamam asthaya (GĪTĀ 7.20), 1.142 tam tvakhilatma-dayitesvaram asritanam (SB 11.29.5), 11.730 tam vā etam catur-hūtam (Taittariya-brahmana 2.3.11.4), 1.342 tam vikriyātmanaivaham (SB 11.8.35), II.606-608 tamasaḥ smrti-vibhrasto (SB 11.25.26), 1.806 tamasam dyūta-sadanam (SB 11.25.25), 1.800, 1.801, 1.803 tamasam moha-dainyottham (SB 11.25.29), 1.788 tamasas tu rajas tasmat (SB 1.2.24), 1.132, 1.138, 1.139, 1.376, 1.562, 1.565 tamaso nasanayalam (Visnu-dharma), 1.903 tamasy adharme ya śraddha (SB 11.25.27), 1.809 1068 Verse Index tamo visiryate mahyam (SB 2.4.5), 1.239 tams tarayati samsthäpya (Vişnu-dharma Purana), 1.881 tan anadṛtya yo’vidvan (SB 4.18.5), II.435 tan anayadhvam asato vimukhan mukunda- (SB 6.3.28), 1.857, 1.858 tan manye’dhitam uttamam (SB 7.5.24), II.602 tan me bhavan khalu vrtaḥ patir anga jayam (SB 10.52.39), 11.584, 11.589 tän nopasidata harer gadayabhiguptan (SB 6.3.27), 1.857, 1.858 tän vai hy asad-vrttibhir akşibhir ye (SB 3.5.44), 1.1095 tānātiṣṭhati yaḥ samyag (SB 4.18.4), 11.435 tan-mayayato budha abhajet tam (SB 11.2.37), 1.16, 1.18, 1.27, 1.36, 1.39, 1.178, 1.330-332, 1.335, 1.336, 1.339, 1.660, 1.1191, 1.1300 tan-mudränkita-dehasya (Agni Purana), 1.587 tan-mukhe hari-nāmāni (source unknown), 11.370 tan-mulatvad acyutejya (SB 7.14.36), 11.480 tan-namas-karanam caiva (Padma Purana, Uttara-khanda), 1.1235 tāpādi pañca-saṁskārī (PP 6.253.27), 1.1213, 1.1220, 1.1234 tapaḥ pundram tathā nāma (Padma Purana), 1.1213, 1.1234 tapaḥ-svadhyāyeśvara-pranidhānāni kriya-yogaḥ (Yoga-sutra 2.1), 1.533 tapasa brahmacaryena (SB 6.1.13), 1.747 tapasa vidyayā tustya (SB 7.14.41), II.493 tapasvibhyo’dhiko yogi (GĪTĀ 6.46), 1.77, 1.81, 1.637, 1.646 tapasvino dana-para yaśasvino (SB 2.4.17), 1.693 tapa-trayenābhihatasya ghore (SB 11.19.9), II.156 tapo-yuktena yogena (SB 3.27.22), 11.89, II.91 taravah kim na jīvanti (SB 2.3.18), 1.218, 1.219, 1.221 tarko’pratisthaḥ śrutayo vibhinna (MB 3.313.117), 1.1105, 1.1107 täs täḥ kṣapāḥ preṣṭhatamena nītā (SB 11.12.11), 11.211 tāsām tat-saubhaga-madam (SB 10.29.48), II.775 tasma adad dhariś cakram (SB 9.4.28), 1.980 tasmad amūs tanu-bhṛtām aham asiṣo jña (SB 7.9.24), II.612 tasmad anartham arthakhyam (SB 11.23.19), 1.380 tasmād arthāś ca kāmāś ca (SB 7.7.48), 1.967, 1.969 tasmäd avaidikānāṁ ca (PP 6.253.104), II.449 tasmad bharata sarvātmā (SB 2.1.5), 1.177, 1.450, 1.740, 1.744, II.143 tasmad bhavanto hrdayena jätäh (SB 5.5.20), 11.71 tasmad danais ca yajñaiś ca (PP 6.109.25), 1.526, 1.529 tasmad deham imam labdhva (SB 11.25.33), 1.787 tasmad dharmam na tyajāmi (MB 3.313.128), 1.73 tasmād dikṣeti să proktā (Hari-bhakti-viläsa 2.9), 11.422 1069 References tasmad ekantinaḥ proktās (Garuda Purana, Acara-khanda 227.13-14), 1.966 tasmad ekena manasa (SB 1.2.14), 1.93, 1.127, 1.524, 1.527, II.142, II.144 tasmad gurum prapadyeta (SB 11.3.21), 1.1238, 1.1271, 1.1273, 1.1279, 1.1298, II.158, II.173 tasmad vairānubandhena (SB 7.1.25), 11.654-656, 11.688, 11.690, II.691, 11.696 tasmad visņu-prasadaya (Itihasa-samuccaya 25.27), 11.226 tasmad visrjyasiṣa īsa sarvato (SB 10.51.57), II.410 tasmai deyam tato grahyam (Garuda Purana 1.227.10), II.229 tasmai deyam tato grahyam (source unknown), 11.230 tasmai namanti bhutani (SB 4.9.47), 1.769 tasmai namo bhagavate’nuvidhema tubhyam (SB 3.9.4), 1.645 tasmāj jñānena sahitam (SB 11.19.5), 1.645 tasman mad-bhakti-yuktasya (SB 11.20.31), 1.423, 1.425, 1.426, 1.1005, 1.1059 tasman mayy arpitasesa- (SB 3.29.33), 1.600, 1.610, 11.479 tasmat kenapy upayena (SB 7.1.31), 11.353, 11.653, 11.688, 11.690, II.693, II.696, II.697, 11.707, II.721 tasmat parataram devi (PP 6.253.176), 1.564, 11.217 tasmat patram hi puruso (SB 7.14.38), 11.484, 11.493 tasmat priyatamaḥ svatma (SB 10.14.54), 1.280 tasmat puraivasv iha papa-niskrtau (SB 6.1.8), 1.752 tasmat putra iti proktah (Manu-smrti 9.138), 11.643 tasmat sadhyo raso brahman (Hayasirşa Pañcaratra), 1.1216 tasmat sarva-gatam brahma (GITA 3.15), 1.74 tasmat sarvam nivedyaiva (Brahmanda Purana), 11.530 tasmat sarva-prayatnena (Skanda Purana), 1.721 tasmat sarva-prayatnena (Vamana-kalpa), 11.163 tasmat sarvätmanā rājan (SB 12.3.49), 1.448, 1.452 tasmat sarvatmana rajan (SB 2.2.36), 1.197, 1.201-203, 1.696-698 tasmat seva budhaih prokta (Garuda Purana, Purva-kanda 227.3), 11.19, II.24 tasmat sva-samarthya vidhim (PP 6.226.46), II.153 tasmat tu manasa kṣetri (PP 6.226.41), II.153 tasmat tvam uddhavotsṛjya (SB 11.12.14-15), II.150 tasmat tvam uttiṣṭha yaso labhasva (GĪTĀ 11.33), 11.786 tasmims tada labdha-rucer maha-mate (SB 1.5.27), 11.784 tasmims tuşte yad-aprapyam (VP 1.11.46), 1.498 tasmin mahan-mukharita madhubhic-caritra- (SB 4.29.40), 11.282, II.283 tasmin nyasta-bharah sete (PP 6.226.47), II.153 tasya bhinna-drso mṛtyur (SB 3.29.26), 1.597, 1.598 1070 Verse Index tasya kartāram api mam (GITA 4.13), 1.72 tasya putro maha-yogi (SB 1.4.4), 1.1151 tasya tīrtha-padaḥ kim va (SB 9.5.16), II.566 tasya vyabhicaranty artha (SB 4.18.5), II.435 tasyabalāḥ krīḍanam ahur isitus (SB 7.2.39), 1.1060 tasyaḥ smaraṇa-matrena (Padma Purana, Uttara-khanda), 11.531 tasyaham na pranaśyami (GITA 6.30), 1.355 tasyaham nigraham manye (GĪTĀ 6.34), 1.1313 tasyaham sulabhaḥ partha (GITA 8.14), 1.1056, 1.1064 tasyaikada tu bhavanam (SB 6.14.14), 1.1123 tasyaite kathitä hy arthah (su 6.23), 1.55, 1.59, 1.150, 1.1299, 1.1313 tasyaiva me sauhrda-sakhya-maitri- (SB 10.81.36), 11.572 tasyaivam vadataḥ sapaṁ (SB 4.2.27), 1.569, 1.571 tasyām cittam samaveśya (Visnu-dharma Purana), 11.472 tasyannam naiva bhoktavyam (Skanda Purana 7.4.36.12), II.424 tasyāntarāyāḥ svapne’pi (Padma Purana), 11.436 tasyaparadha-koṭīs tu (Viṣṇu-yamala), 11.316 tasyapi nirodhe sarva-nirodhan nirbijaḥ samadhiḥ (Yoga-sutra 1.51), 11.394 tasyarte yat-kṣano nīta (SB 2.3.17), 1.217, 1.218, 1.232, 1.868 tasyopasannam avitum jagad icchayatta- (SB 3.31.12), 1.877 tat kathyatām mahābhāga (SB 1.16.6), 1.471, 11.253 tat sṛṣṭvā tad evanupravisat (TU 2.6.1), II.482 tat tad evavagaccha tvam (GITA 10.41), 1.154, II.322 tat tan nivedayen mahyam (SB 11.11.41), II.181, II.505, II.508, II.510 tat te’nukampam susamīkṣamāņo (SB 10.14.8), II.556-559 tat te’rhattama namah stuti-karma-pujah (SB 7.9.50), 1.1265, II.564 tat tvam harer bhagavato bhajaniyam anghrim (SB 4.22.40), 1.263, 1.265, 1.535 tat tvam narendra jagatām atha tasthuṣam ca (SB 4.22.37), 1.264, 1.265 tataḥ kalau sampravṛtte (SB 1.3.24), 11.630 tataḥ sa-cittaḥ pravaras (SB 3.29.28), 1.600, 1.610, II.479 tataḥ sadyo vimucyeta (SB 1.1.14), 1.872, 1.920, 11.305, 11.306 tataḥ samadhi-yuktena (SB 3.21.7), 11.84 tataḥ sampujya sirasa (SB 7.10.32), 1.574 tataś ca daśame masi prajayate (Nirukta, Parisista 13.19), 1.878 tatha bhavanti devarse (Visņu-rahasya), 11.403 tatha caivottamam loke (Skanda Purana, Caturmasya-mahatmya), 11.357 tatha dikṣa-vidhänena (Tattva-sägara), 11.520 tatha mad-vişaya bhaktir (SB 11.14.19), 1.738, 1.741, 1.743, 1.744, 1.847, 1.851 1071 References tatha na sprsatau rama- (Agastya-samhita), 11.437 tatha na te madhava tävakaḥ kvacid (SB 10.2.33), 1.723, 1.724, 1.727 tatha na yasya kaivalyad (SB 7.1.24), 11.649, 11.655 tatha samasta-siddhīnam (BNP 1.4.4), 1.495 tatha tatha harau bhaktim (Nrsimha Purana), 1.689 tatha tatha pasyati vastu sūksmam (SB 11.14.26), 1.414, 1.844 tathapare catma-samadhi-yoga- (SB 3.5.46), 1.249, 1.534 tathapi bhrtyeśa tayopadhāvatam (SB 4.7.38), 1.1240, 1.1243, 1.1247, 1.1249 tathāpi bhuman mahimagunasya te (SB 10.14.6), 1.1057 tathäpi me durbhagasya (SB 6.2.32), 11.328 tatharpayan harau deham (Bhakti-viveka), 11.584 tathartha-vado hari-namni (PP 3.25.16), 1.896 tathasaktis tato bhavas (BRS 1.4.16), 1.127, 1.397, 1.1015, 11.784 tathātrādīkṣitānām tu (Hari-bhakti-vilasa 2.34), 11.427 tat-karma-sankalpa-vikalpakam mano (SB 11.2.38), 1.334, 1.336, 1.338 tat-katha-śravane ragas (Visnu-dharma Purana), 11.519 tat-kşetrasya prabhaveņa (PP 6.88.42), 1.577 tato bhajeta mam pritaḥ (SB 11.20.28), 1.592, 1.730, 1.1003, 1.1010, 1.1011, I.1014, 1.1015, 1.1020, 1.1036 tato’dhanam tyajanty asya (SB 10.88.8), 1.735 tato mam tattvato jñātva (GĪTĀ 18.55), 1.119, 1.383, 1.389, 1.798, 11.634 tato napaiti yah so’pi (SB 10.74.40), II.318 tato’nartha-nivrttiḥ syat (BRS 1.4.15), 1.127, 1.397, 1.1015, 11.784 tato’rcayam harim kecit (SB 7.14.40), 11.490, II.491 tato varnaś ca catvaras (SB 3.29.31), 1.600, 1.610, II.479 tat-phalam koti-gunitam (Skanda Purana), 1.721 tat-prasadat param santim (GĪTĀ 18.62), 11.748, II.752 tat-puman atma-hitaya (Satapatha-śruti), 11.131 tatra bhagavatan dharman (SB 11.3.22), 1.1297, 1.1299, 11.32, 11.43, 11.81 tatra danam japo homaḥ (Skanda Purana), 11.500 tatra jñāna-viraga-bhakti-sahitam naişkarmyam äviskṛtam (SB 12.13.18), 1.108 tatra kīrtayato vipra (SB 1.3.44), 11.320 tatra pratyayaika-tanata dhyanam (Yoga-sutra 3.2), 1.1209 tatra sannihito visņur (Itihasa-samuccaya 25.22), 1.1093 tatra śrīr vijayo bhutir (GITA 18.78), 1.151 tatra tatra harir yati (Skanda Purana), 11.349 tatra tu prathame’dhyaye (Bhavartha-dipikā 2.1.1), 1.233 tatrabhavad bhagavan vyasa-putro (SB 1.19.25), 1.198 1072 Verse Index tatränvaham krsna-kathah pragayatam (SB 1.5.26), 1.1282, 1.1283, 11.784 tatrapi sparsa-vedibhyah (SB 3.29.29), 1.600, 1.610, 11.479 tatrapi svajana-sangac ca bhrsam (SB 5.9.3), 1.320, 1.325, 1.946 tatrayaso nirarthah syad (SB 11.29.21), 1.855 tatrayaso’nirarthah syad (SB 11.29.21), 11.753 tatremam ka upāsīran (SB 3.7.37), 1.687 tatropanita-balayo (SB 1.11.4), 1.830, 1.832 tatropāya-sahasranam (SB 7.7.29), 1.307, 1.1233 tat-sadhu-varyadisa vartma sam nah (SB 3.5.4), 1.247 tat-sambandha-lave’py atra (BRS 3.2.87), 11.688 tat-samsparsac ca me brahman (Visņu-dharma), 1.893 tat-sandhanam pravacanam (SB 11.10.12), 1.1306 tat-sanga-bhito nirviņņo (SB 7.10.2), 1.979, 1.984 tat-sarvam ekato linam (Hayasirşa Pancaratra), 11.471 tat-sarvam nirdahaty asu (Hari-bhakti-vilasa 11.339), 1.951 tat-sarvam nirdahaty aśu (Laghu-bhagavata), 1.868 tat-sthanam aśritas tanva (Hari-bhakti-viläsa 11.677), 11.155 tat-tad-gunānusravanaṁ mukunda- (SB 3.13.4), 1.479, 11.273 tat-tat-katha-ratas casau (BRS 1.2.294), II.475, II.721 tāv ubhau narakam ghoram (Narada Pañcaratra), 11.174 tava vikrīḍitam kṛṣṇa (SB 11.6.44), 1.953, 1.954 tavad evam upāsīta (SB 11.29.17), 11.745, II.751 tāvaj-jara-maraṇa-janma-satābhighāta- (PP 4.85.33), 1.673 tavan na samsrtir asau prati-sankrameta (SB 3.9.9), II.154 tävanti harināmāni (source unknown), 11.334 tavasmiti tadiyatva- (Agama), 11.473 tavāsmīti vadan vaca (Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 11.677), 11.155 tavat karmāņi kurvita (SB 11.20.9), 1.191, 1.344, 1.593, 1.648, 1.1006, 1.1022, 1.1023, 1.1026, 1.1031, 1.1032, 1.1040, 1.1318, 11.66, 11.632 tavat sthaviyaḥ puruṣasya rupaṁ (SB 2.2.14), 1.189 tāvubhau narakam ghoram (Narada Pañcaratra), 11.769 taya vina tad-apnoti (Mahabharata, Moksa-dharma), 1.499 tayettham avirata-purușa-paricaryaya bhagavati (SB 5.7.12), 1.930 tayor agamanam sākṣad (SB 12.10.9), 11.391, II.394 tayor na vasam agacchet (GITA 3.34), 1.336, 11.604, 11.651 te deva-siddha-parigīta-pavitra-gatha (SB 6.3.27), 1.857, 1.858 te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā (GITA 7.28), 1.1191 te ha nākam mahimanaḥ (PP 6.228.66), II.447 te hi pakhandino jñeya (source unknown), 11.68 1073 References te mayy apetakhila-capale’rbhake (SB 1.5.24), II.784 te me na dandam arhanty atha yady amiṣam (SB 6.3.26), 11.330 te na smaranty atitaram priyam isa martyam (SB 4.9.12), 11.224 te nadhita-sruti-gana (SB 11.12.7), 11.201, 11.202 te’naika-janma-samalam sahasaiva hitva (SB 3.9.15), 1.887, 1.892 te’pi mam eva kaunteya (GITÄ 9.23), 1.578, 1.962, 11.64 te’pi vaḥ pariharyah syus (Padma Purana, Svarga-khanda 31.103), 1.856 te präpnuvanti mam eva (GĪTĀ 12.4), 1.535, 1.538 te punanty uru-kalena (SB 10.84.11), 1.1127, II.220 te punyam asadya surendra-lokam (GITA 9.20), 1.61 te santaḥ sarva-bhūtanam (Nrsimha Purana), 11.352 te sarve strītvam apannāḥ (PP 6.245.165), 11.678, 11.680 te stambha-sveda-romancaḥ (BRS 2.3.16), 1.234 te tam bhuktva svarga-lokam visālam (GĪTĀ 9.21), 1.61 te vai mrtyum atikramya (GP 1.227.36), II.161 te vai prakrta-loke’smin (PP 6.228.66), 11.447 te vai vidanty atitaranti ca deva-mayam (SB 2.7.46), 1.676, 1.997 te yanti narakam ghoram (PP 5.96.63), II.337 te yanti paramam dhäma (Itihasa-samuccaya 31.119), 1.871 tebhyo gandha-vidaḥ śresthas (SB 3.29.29), 1.600, 1.610, 11.479 tejo-vari-mṛdām yatha vinimayo yatra tri-sargo’mrsa (SB 1.1.1), 1.657, 1.658 tena pritim param yami (Padma Purana, Kartika-mahatmya), 11.351 tenaham karmaņā tābhyam (PP 6.88.42), 1.577, 1.580 tenātavim atasi tad vyathate na kim svit (SB 10.31.19), II.666 tepus tapas te juhuvuḥ sasnur arya (SB 3.33.7), 1.755, 1.762, 11.232 teşam adityavaj jñānam (GĪTĀ 5.16), 1.56 teṣām aham samuddharta (GITA 12.7), 1.477, 1.726 teṣām aśānta-kāmānāṁ (SB 11.5.1), 1.357, 1.359 teṣām asau klesala eva sisyate (SB 10.14.4), 1.250, 1.374, 1.387, 1.388, 1.410, 1.540, 1.1059 teṣām bahu-padaḥ śresthaś (SB 3.29.30), 1.600, 1.610, II.479 teşam bhaktir bhavec chuddha (BPN 1.39.51), 1.486 teṣām evānukampärtham (GITÄ 10.11), 1.491, 11.737 teşam jñāni nitya-yukta (GITA 7.17), 1.1242 tesam niṣṭhā tu kā krṣṇa (GĪTĀ 17.1), 1.105, 1.588, 1.1037, 1.1039, 1.1045 teṣam nityabhiyuktanam (GĪTĀ 9.22), 1.962, 1.1033, 1.1034 teṣām pramatto nidhanam (SB 2.1.3), 1.175 teşām pūjādikam gandha- (Padma Purana, Kartika-mahatmya), 11.351 teṣām satata-yuktanam (GĪTĀ 10.10), II.737 1074 Verse Index teṣam vikalpa-pradhanyam (SB 11.14.1), 1.400, 1.401, 1.844 teşu nityam maha-bhaga (SB 11.26.28), 11.234 teşv anirvinna-cittānām (SB 11.20.7), 1.37, 1.419, 1.996, I.1010, I.1022 teşv atma-devata-buddhiḥ (SB 7.11.10), 1.320 teşv eva bhagavan rajams (SB 7.14.38), 11.484, 11.493 tiro-bhavitri sanakair (SB 3.27.23), 11.89, 11.91 tiryag-yonim avapnoti (Skanda Purana 2.4.1.24), 11.525 titikṣā duḥkha-sammarso (SB 11.19.36), 1.248 tīvraya mayi bhaktya ca (SB 3.27.21), 11.89, 11.91 tivrena bhakti-yogena (SB 2.3.10), 1.145, 1.205, 1.207, 1.211, 1.498, 1.501-503, 1.683, 1.720, II.20 tivrena bhakti-yogena (SB 3.25.44), 1.259, 1.260, 1.671 traigunya-viṣaya vedaḥ (GITÄ 2.45), 11.82 trailokya-saubhagam idam ca nirīksya rupam (SB 10.29.40), 11.343 trai-vidyā mām soma-pah puta-pāpā (GĪTĀ 9.20), 1.61 trayaņām ipsitenaiva (SB 11.27.7), 1.1270, 11.438, II.457 trayyam jadi-krta-matir madhu-puspitāyām (SB 6.3.25), 1.631 trayyam vidyāyām eva (SB 5.9.8), 1.320, 1.325 tretadiṣu harer arca (SB 7.14.39), 11.486, 11.490, 11.491 tri-bhuvana-vibhava-hetave’py akuntha- (SB 11.2.53), 1.113, 1.679, 1.1200, 1.1209, 1.1211, 1.1212, II.133, II.391 triḥ-saptabhiḥ pitä putaḥ (SB 7.10.18), 1.881 trimsal-laksanavan rajan (SB 7.11.12), 1.320 trir uccair vyajaharasau (PP 6.109.29), 1.526 tri-vidha bhavati śraddha (GITA 17.2), 1.1045 trnad api sunicena (Padyavali 32), 11.353 trnad api sunicena (Sikṣāṣṭakam 3), 1.545, 11.353 tṛṣṇa-harah ko’pi na krsna-megham (Cintamani Diksita), 1.563 trtiye visņu-bhaktes tu (Bhavartha-dipika 2.3.1), 1.233 tulasi-dala-mātrena (Visnu-dharma), 1.896 tulasya kurute yas tu (Skanda Purana, Kartika-mahatmya), 11.548 tulasya ropaņam karyam (Skanda Purana), 11.548 tulayama lavenapi (SB 1.18.13), 1.786, 1.1128, 1.1255, II.235 tulayama lavenāpi (SB 4.30.34), 1.1255 tulya-priyapriyo dhiras (GĪTĀ 14.24), 11.648 tūrṇam yateta na pated anumṛtyu yavan (SB 11.9.29), 1.78, 1.621 tuşty-artham devaki-sunor (Vişņu-rahasya), 11.522 tusyeyam sarva-bhūtātmā (SB 10.80.34), 1.1300, II.165 tvad-vartaya tarisyāmas (SB11.6.48), 1.369 1075 References tvag-bijam caiva heyamsam (Hayasirşa Pancaratra), 1.1216 tvām aham saranam prapta (Nrsimha Purana 8.28), 1.691 tvām anusmarataḥ sa me (VP 1.20.19), II.45 tvam apy adabhra-śruta viśrutam vibhoh (SB 1.5.40), 1.706 tvam attum āgatah kṣipto (Vişnu-dharma), 1.893 tvam brahma paramam vyoma (SB 11.11.28), I.1228 tvam ca mam ca smaran kale (SB 7.10.14), 1.1099 tvam eva dhīrāḥ purusam visanti (SB 3.5.46), 1.249, 1.534 tvam hi brahma-vidam śresthaḥ (SB 10.8.6), II.236 tvam prapanno’smi saranam (Nrsimha Purana 8.29), 1.691, II.155 tvam pratyag-atmani tada bhagavaty ananta (SB 4.11.30), 1.767, 1.768 tvām sevatam sura-krta bahavo’ntarayaḥ (SB 11.4.10), 1.63, 1.296, 1.358, 1.360, 1.386, 1.388, 1.724 tvam tu rajan marisyeti (SB 12.5.2), 1.443, 1.449, I.451 tvam tu sarvam parityajya (SB 11.7.6), 1.367-370 tvat-pādābjam prapya yadrcchayadya (SB 10.3.27), 11.150 tvat-päduke aviratam pari ye caranti (SB 10.72.4), 1.495, 1.496 tvat-prityastau maya karya (Skanda Purana 7.4.24.33), II.528 tvayabhigupta vicaranti nirbhaya (SB 10.2.33), 1.723, 1.724, 1.727 tvayopabhukta-srag-gandha- (SB 11.6.46), 1.369, 1.395, II.564, 11.761 tyägena satya-saucābhyam (SB 6.1.13), 1.747 tyaktvä deham punar janma (GITĀ 4.9), II.270, II.272 tyaktva sva-dharmam caraṇāmbujam harer (SB 1.5.17), 1.165, 1.319, 1.325, 1.512, 1.1027 tyaktvamrtam sa mudhatma (Skanda Purana), 1.553 ubhabhyam veda-tantrabhyam (SB 11.27.26), II.457 ubhayair api ca snanam (SB 11.27.10), II.438 ucchista-bhojino dasas (SB 11.6.46), 1.369, 1.395, II.564, II.761 udāraḥ sarva evaite (GITA 7.18), 1.1242 uddisya devata eva (PP 6.235.8), 11.63 udvigna-buddher asad-atma-bhavad (SB 11.2.33), 1.329 udyanopavanakrīḍa- (SB 11.11.38), II.181 ugro bhasma-dharo nagnah (Brahma Purana), 11.325 uktam purastad etat te (SB 10.29.13), 11.666, 11.672 upacita-nava-saktibhiḥ sva atmany (SB 12.12.68), 11.288 upadeśam karoty eva (Brahma-vaivarta Purana), 1.1276 upakramopasamhārau, 1.662 upanaya mām nija-bhrtya-pārsvam (SB 7.9.24), 1.124 upapadam atin (PANINI 2.2.19), 1.416 1076 Verse Index upaplavac ca dharmasya (Narada Pancaratra), 11.443 upärameta virajam (SB 11.11.21), 1.384 uparyadhas tatha parśve (Visņu-dharma Purana), 11.472 upasata upastapi (SB 7.14.40), 11.490, II.491 upasita bheda-kṛto haranty agham (SB 10.84.12), 11.220 urddhvām eva gatim manye (Garuda Purana, Acara-khanda 230.30), 1.676 urdhva-bahur viraumy esa (MB 18.5.49), 1.70 urdhvam gacchanti sattva-stha (GITĀ 14.18), II.643 urugayoru-gito va (SB 10.90.26), II.687, II.688 urukramasyäkhila-bandha-muktaye (SB 1.5.13), 1.703-705, 11.266, 11.397 usitvadisya san-margam (SB 10.86.59), 1.972 usno dahati cangarah (Hitopadesa 3.81), 1.1102 utpatha-pratipannasya (MB 3.179.25), 11.175, II.177 uttama-sloka-caritam (SB 1.3.40), 1.544, 11.275 uttisthata prasvapata (Visnu-dharmottara Purana), 11.304 vacas ca nas tulasivad yadi te’nghri-sobhah (SB 3.15.49), II.342 vacyatvam vacakatvam ca (Hayasirsa Pancaratra), 1.1217 vadanti krsna śreyamsi (SB 11.14.1), 1.400, 1.401, 1.844 vadanti tat tattva-vidas (SB 1.2.11), 1.69, 1.79, 1.84, 1.1129, II.326 väg gadgadā dravate yasya cittam (SB 11.14.24), 1.847 vahnir vāca mukham bheje (SB 3.26.63), 11.482 vaidha-bhakty-adhikari tu (BRS 1.2.293), 11.634, II.691 vaidhi bhaktir bhavet sastram (Raga-vartma-candrika 3), 11.604 vaidikas tantriko miśra (SB 11.27.7), 1.1270, 11.438, 11.457 vaidikasya ca mantrasya (source unknown), 11.434 vaidiki tantriki dikṣā (SB 11.11.37), 1.1305, 11.457 vaikuntha-bhavanam nïtau (PP 6.88.42), 1.577 vaikunthadhi-pati-devyä (Hayasirşa Pancaratra), 1.1215 vaikuntha-nama-grahanam (SB 6.2.14), 11.299 vaikuntha-nama-grahanam (SB 6.2.33), 1.942, 11.328 vairagya-saram pratilabhya bodham (SB 3.5.45), 1.249, 1.534 vairena pūta-papmānas (SB 7.1.28), II.660 vairena yam nrpatayaḥ sisupäla-salva- (SB 11.5.48), 11.698, 11.702 vaiṣamyam iha bhutanam (SB 7.1.23), II.649, 11.655 vaiṣṇavam jñana-vaktaram (Narada Pancaratra), 11.164 vaiṣṇavanam sahasrebhya (Garuda Purana), 1.1063 vaiṣṇavānām yatha sambhuḥ (SB 12.13.16), 1.139, 1.557, 1.563, 1.584 vaiṣṇavatvam labhed dhiman (Adi-varaha Purana), 1.568 vaiṣṇave bandhu-sat-kṛtya (SB 11.11.44), II.502-504 1077References vaiṣṇavena sadā te tu (Varaha Purana), 11.538 vaiṣṇaveņa vayuna samsprsya (Garbhopanisad 4), 1.883 vaisnaveṣv api mantresu (Ramarcana-candrika), 11.433 vaisnavo varna-bahyo’pi (PP 6.224.53), II.228 vaiṣṇavo vatha saivo va (Saura Purana), 11.526 vaiṣṇavo vatha sauro va (Visņu-dharma), 11.526 vaisnavo yad-grhe bhunkte (Padma Purana, Svarga-khanda 31.103), 1.856 vaiṣṇavo yadi bhunjita (Gautamiya-tantra 31.62), 11.528 vaivarnyam aśru pralaya (BRS 2.3.16), 1.234 vaivasvatam samyamanam (Śruti), 1.862 väjapeya-sahasrair va (Padma Purana), 1.693 vak-sarīra-vinispadyam (Visnu-dharmottara Purana), 11.304 vaktā sarago nīrāgo (Brahma-vaivarta Purana), 1.1276 vaktāram pracchakam śrotṛms (SB 10.1.16), 1.240, 11.268 vana-latas tarava atmani visnum (SB 10.35.9), 1.1164 vanam tu sättviko vaso (SB 11.25.25), 1.800, 1.801, 1.803 vana-malini yadrśaśayo (Cintamani Dīksita), 1.563 vāñcchantyapi maya dattam (SB 11.20.34), 11.757 väñchanti yad-bhava-bhiyo munayo vayam ca (SB 10.47.58), II.679 vänchanty api maya dattam (SB 11.20.34), 1.1010, 1.1062 vapi-kupa-taḍāgādi (Manu-smrti), 11.183 vāpīṣu vidruma-taṭasv amalamṛtāpsu (SB 3.15.22), 1.680 vapur adişu yo’pi ko’pi va (Stotra-ratnam 49), 11.584 varākāṇām anāśritya (Brahma-vaivarta Purana), 1.620 varam ekam vrne’thapi (SB 12.10.34), 1.557, 1.564 varam prana-parityagah (Hayasīrsa Pancaratra), 1.593 varga-svargāpavargaņām (SB 4.21.30), 1.1284, 1.1288, 1.1289 variyān eşa te praśnaḥ (SB 2.1.1), 1.175 varṇāśramācāravata (VP 3.8.9), 1.76, 1.152 varṇāśramācāra-yutam (SB 7.11.2), 1.322 vartamānam ca yat papam (Laghu-bhāgavata), 1.868 vartamanam tu yat papam (Hari-bhakti-vilasa 11.339), 1.951 varuņi-dig-gatam vastu (Vişņu Purana), 1.846 väse bahūnām kalaho (SB 11.9.10), 1.394 vase kurvanti mam bhaktyä (SB 9.4.66), II.197, II.205, II.576, 11.577 vastropavītabharana- (SB 11.27.32), II.471, II.506 vasudevah sarvam iti (GITA 7.19), 1.56, 1.153 vasudevaika-nilayah (SB 11.2.50), 1.1192, 1.1209, 1.1212 vasudeva-katha-prasnah (SB 10.1.16), 1.240, II.268 1078 Verse Index vasudevam jagannatham (Skanda Purana), 11.613 vasudevam parityajya (Skanda Purana), 1.553 vasudeva-para veda (SB 1.2.28), 1.147, 1.150, 1.243, 1.480 vasudeva-para yoga (SB 1.2.28), 1.147, 1.150, 1.243 vasudeva-param jñānam (SB 1.2.29), 1.147, 1.150, 1.243 vasudeva-paro dharmo (SB 1.2.29), 1.147, 1.150, 1.243 vasudeve bhagavati (SB 1.2.22), 1.45, 1.49, 1.99, 1.126, 1.509, 1.818, 11.716 vasudeve bhagavati (SB 1.2.7), 1.53-56, 1.60, 1.61, 1.64, 1.79, I.114, 1.127, 1.502, 1.631, 1.768, 1.797, 11.24, 11.785 vasudeve bhagavati (SB 2.2.33), 1.193, 1.202, 1.203, 1.449, 1.452, 1.697, 1.698 vasudeve bhagavati (SB 3.32.23), II.116 vasudeve bhagavati (SB 7.7.33), 1.309, 1.821 vasudeve bhagavati (SB 9.2.11), 1.979, 1.983 vasudeve pare tattve (SB 7.1.15), II.639 vasu-kāmo vasun rudran (SB 2.3.3), 1.212 vāta-vasana munayo (SB 11.6.47), 1.369 vayam iva sakhi kaccid gadha-nirviddha-ceta (SB 10.90.15), 1.1165 vayam tu sākṣad bhagavan bhavasya (SB 4.30.38), 1.558, 1.563, 1.1325 vayam tv iha maha-yogin (SB 11.6.48), 1.369 vayau mukhya-dhiya toye (SB 11.11.44), II.502-504 vayavyam saumyam aisānam (PP 6.228.64), II.447 veda duḥkhatmakan kaman (SB 11.20.27), 1.730, 1.1003-1005, 1.1009, 1.1011, 1.1012, 1.1014 veda-dharma-viruddhātmā (source unknown), 11.630 veda-garbho’bhyadhāt sākṣād (SB 2.4.25), 1.239 veda-guhyo gabhīrātmā (Hayasirṣa Pancaratra), 1.1215 vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyo (GITA 15.15), 1.26, 1.152, 1.662, 1.812, 11.634 vedakṣarāņi yavanti (source unknown), II.334 veda-marga-virodhena (source unknown), 11.68 veda-pranihito dharmah (SB 6.1.40), II.82 veda-trayatmakam proktam (PP 6.226.22), 1.1075 veda-vāda-rataḥ pārtha (GITA 2.42), 1.918 vede rāmāyaṇe caiva (Skanda Purana 4.95.12), 1.151 vedeșu ca puranesu (Brahmanda Purana), 11.323 veditavyam daivatam hi (Bṛhad-devată 1.2), 11.426 vedo’khilo dharma-mulam (Manu-smrti 2.6), 1.316, 1.323 vedoktam eva kurvano (SB 11.3.46), 1.341, 1.345, 1.351-353, 11.46, 11.48, 11.74, II.330 vetsyasy anugrhitam me (SB 8.24.38), 1.243, 1.789 1079 References vettha tvam saumya tat sarvam (SB 1.1.8), 1.704 vetti sarveşu bhuteṣu (GĪTĀ 18.21), 1.795, II.113 vibudhya bhaktyaiva kathopanītaya (SB 10.14.5), 1.489, 1.491 vicare’pi krte rajann (Brahma-vaivarta Purana), 1.1039 videhānām pure hy asminn (SB 11.8.34), 1.1093, 1.1103 vidhinopacared devam (SB 11.3.47), 1.341, 1.347, 1.353, 1.1305, 11.437, 11.457 vidhi-sambhavanadau yadadayo (HNV 3.4), II.655 vidya sandhiḥ pravacanam (TU 1.3.3), 1.1307 vidyadhara manusyesu (SB 11.12.4), II.192, II.198, II.201 vidyatmani bhida-badho (SB 11.19.40), 1.708 vidyaya yati vipratvam (PP 6.148.129), 1.518 vigadha-bhavena na me viyoga- (SB 11.12.10), II.210, II.211 vighnayutena govinde (Vişnu-dharma), 1.911 viharamy amunaivaham (SB 11.8.40), 11.608, II.609 vijita-hrṣīka-vayubhir adanta-manas-turagam (SB 10.87.33), 1.28, 1.1311 vijñāna-vairagya-vivaksaya vibho (SB 12.3.14), II.250, 11.254 vikarma yac cotpatitam kathañcid (SB 11.5.42), 1.108, 1.510, 1.731, 1.1019, 1.1026, II.52, 11.628 vikarmana hy adharmeņa (SB 11.3.45), 1.341, 1.343, 1.344, 1.350, 1.353 vikriditam vraja-vadhubhir idam ca visnoh (SB 10.33.40), 1.630, 11.766, II.768 vikrīnīte svam ātmānam (Viṣṇu-dharma), 1.896 vikṣate jäti-sāmānyat (Itihasa-samuccaya), 11.229 vilajja udgayati nrtyate ca (SB 11.14.24), 1.847 vimrsyaitad asesena (GITA 18.63), 11.748, 11.752 vimucya nirmamah santo (GITA 18.53), 1.111, 1.389 vimukta-karmärgala uttamam gatim (SB 12.3.44), II.373 vinaiva bhagavat-prītya (PP 6.235.7), 11.622 vinaiva dīkṣām viprendra (Rāmarcana-candrika), 11.433 vinaiva nyasa-vidhina (Ramarcana-candrika), 11.433 vinänandāśru-kalaya (SB 11.14.23), 1.846, 1.847, 1.849 vinaya na manata gae (Rama-carita-mānasa, Sundara-kāṇḍa 57), 11.703 vindanti te kamala-nabha bhaväpavargam (SB 10.72.4), 1.495, 1.496 vinindan devam iśanam (Kurma Purana), 1.583 vinirdhutaseṣa-mano-malaḥ puman (SB 4.21.32), 1.1291 vinopasarpaty aparam hi baliśaḥ (SB 6.9.22), 1.551, 1.555, 1.607, 1.613 vipadaḥ santu tāḥ sasvat (SB 1.8.25), 1.735 viparyayas tu dosah syad (SB 11.21.2), 1.1051 viprad dvi-sad-guna-yutad aravinda-nabha- (SB 7.9.10), 1.513, 1.641 1080 Verse Index vipram krtagasam api (SB 10.64.41), II.231, II.237 vipran murdhāvasikto hi (Yajnavalkya-smrti 1.91), 1.1194 vipro rajanya-vaisyau va (SB 11.5.5), 1.915, 1.918 viraktir indriyärthānāṁ (BRS 1.3.30), 1.419 vişādi dirgha-sutri ca (GITA 18.28), 1.807 visanti sarvatah sindhum (SB 10.40.10), II.64 vişayan abhisandhaya (SB 3.29.9), 1.799, 1.1198, II.112, II.116 vişayan dhyāyataś cittam (SB 11.14.27), II.389 visaya-sneha-samyukto (Brahma-vaivarta Purana), 1.894 viṣayāviṣṭa-cittānāṁ (Visnu Purana), 1.846 visesena sacī-natha (Garuda Purana), 11.534 visidanty asamadhanan (SB 11.29.2), 11.722, 11.724 visistaḥ sarva-dharmaņām (Skanda Purana), 1.721 vismäpanam svasya ca saubhagarddheḥ (SB 3.2.12), II.343 viṣṇau bhaktim sthiram dehi (PP 6.109.29), 1.526 visnoḥ sarvartu-carya ca (Visņu-yamala), 11.508 visņor ekaika-namapi (PP 6.254.27), 11.335 vişnor māyām idam pasyan (SB 11.2.48), 1.1187, 1.1206, 1.1209, 1.1212 vişnor naivedya sikthena (Skanda Purana), 11.187 vişnor niveditannena (Vişņu-yamala), 11.444 visnos ca karanam nrtyam (Garuda Purana 1.227.7), 11.229 vişnos trailokya-nathasya (Agastya-samhita), 11.417 visnos trailokya-nathasya (Garuda-samhita), 11.417 visņu-bhaktim pravaksyāmi (Garuda Purana, Purva-kanda 227.1), 11.19 vişņu-bhakti-paro daiva (Agni Purana), 1.641 vişņu-bhakti-paro daiva (Vişnu-dharma Purana), 1.641 visņu-bhakti-samayukto (Garuda Purana), 11.232 visņu-bhakti-samayukto (Kāsī-khanda), 1.516 vişņu-bhakti-vihīnā ye (Bṛhad-naradiya Purana 1.37.12), 1.516 visņu-bhakti-vihīnānāṁ (Padma Purana), 1.693 visņu-bhakti-vihīnānam (Skanda Purana), 1.494 vişņu-bhakti-vihino yo (Narada Purana 2.10.38), 1.516, 1.641 viṣṇum yo nopajīvati (Garuda Purana 1.227.8), 1.981, 1.983 vişņu-mantram sadā viprah (Harivamsa 3.89.8), 1.571 visņu-pādodakenaiva (Vişņu-yamala), 11.444 vişnur aradhyate pantha (VP 3.8.9), 1.76, 1.152 visnu-saktiḥ para prokta (VP 6.7.61), 1.1218 vişnv arcanam vṛtha tasya (Gautamiya-tantra 31.63), II.528 viśrambhena guroḥ seva (BRS 1.2.74), 1.27, 1.1317, II.158, II.441 1081 References vettha tvam saumya tat sarvam (SB 1.1.8), 1.704 vetti sarveşu bhüteşu (GITA 18.21), 1.795, II.113 vibudhya bhaktyaiva kathopanītaya (SB 10.14.5), 1.489, 1.491 vicare’pi krte rajann (Brahma-vaivarta Purana), 1.1039 videhānām pure hy asminn (SB 11.8.34), 1.1093, 1.1103 vidhinopacared devam (SB 11.3.47), 1.341, 1.347, 1.353, 1.1305, 11.437, 11.457 vidhi-sambhāvanādau yadadayo (HNV 3.4), II.655 vidya sandhiḥ pravacanam (TU 1.3.3), 1.1307 vidyadhara manusyesu (SB 11.12.4), II.192, II.198, II.201 vidyatmani bhida-badho (SB 11.19.40), 1.708 vidyaya yāti vipratvam (PP 6.148.129), 1.518 vigaḍha-bhāvena na me viyoga- (SB 11.12.10), II.210, II.211 vighnayutena govinde (Vişnu-dharma), 1.911 viharamy amunaivaham (SB 11.8.40), 11.608, 11.609 vijita-hrṣika-vayubhir adanta-manas-turagam (SB 10.87.33), 1.28, 1.1311 vijñāna-vairagya-vivaksaya vibho (SB 12.3.14), II.250, 11.254 vikarma yac cotpatitam kathañcid (SB 11.5.42), 1.108, 1.510, 1.731, 1.1019, 1.1026, II.52, 11.628 vikarmana hy adharmeņa (SB 11.3.45), 1.341, 1.343, 1.344, 1.350, 1.353 vikriditam vraja-vadhubhir idam ca visnoḥ (SB 10.33.40), 1.630, 11.766, II.768 vikrīnīte svam ātmānam (Vişņu-dharma), 1.896 vikṣate jäti-samanyat (Itihasa-samuccaya), 11.229 vilajja udgayati nrtyate ca (SB 11.14.24), 1.847 vimṛśyaitad aśeşena (GĪTĀ 18.63), II.748, 11.752 vimucya nirmamaḥ santo (GITĀ 18.53), 1.111, 1.389 vimukta-karmärgala uttamam gatim (SB 12.3.44), 11.373 vinaiva bhagavat-prītyä (PP 6.235.7), 11.622 vinaiva dīksām viprendra (Ramarcana-candrika), 11.433 vinaiva nyasa-vidhina (Ramarcana-candrika), 11.433 vinanandaśru-kalaya (SB 11.14.23), 1.846, 1.847, 1.849 vinaya na manata gae (Rama-carita-manasa, Sundara-kända 57), 11.703 vindanti te kamala-näbha bhaväpavargam (SB 10.72.4), 1.495, 1.496 vinindan devam īsānam (Kurma Purana), 1.583 vinirdhutaseṣa-mano-malaḥ puman (SB 4.21.32), 1.1291 vinopasarpaty aparam hi balisaḥ (SB 6.9.22), 1.551, 1.555, 1.607, 1.613 vipadaḥ santu taḥ sasvat (SB 1.8.25), 1.735 viparyayas tu doṣaḥ syad (SB 11.21.2), 1.1051 viprad dvi-sad-guna-yutad aravinda-nabha- (SB 7.9.10), 1.513, 1.641 1080 Verse Index vipram krtagasam api (SB 10.64.41), 11.231, II.237 vipran murdhavasikto hi (Yajnavalkya-smrti 1.91), 1.1194 vipro rajanya-vaisyau va (SB 11.5.5), 1.915, 1.918 viraktir indriyārthanam (BRS 1.3.30), 1.419 visādi dirgha-sutri ca (GITA 18.28), 1.807 visanti sarvatah sindhum (SB 10.40.10), 11.64 vişayan abhisandhaya (SB 3.29.9), 1.799, 1.1198, II.112, II.116 visayan dhyāyataś cittam (SB 11.14.27), 11.389 visaya-sneha-samyukto (Brahma-vaivarta Purana), 1.894 viṣayāvista-cittānām (Visnu Purana), 1.846 viśesena śaci-natha (Garuda Purana), 11.534 vişīdanty asamadhanan (SB 11.29.2), 11.722, 11.724 visiṣṭaḥ sarva-dharmaņām (Skanda Purana), 1.721 vismapanam svasya ca saubhagarddheḥ (SB 3.2.12), 11.343 viṣṇau bhaktim sthiram dehi (PP 6.109.29), 1.526 vişnoḥ sarvartu-carya ca (Visnu-yamala), 11.508 visnor ekaika-nāmāpi (PP 6.254.27), 11.335 vişņor māyām idam pasyan (SB 11.2.48), 1.1187, 1.1206, 1.1209, 1.1212 vişnor naivedya sikthena (Skanda Purana), 11.187 vişņor niveditannena (Vişņu-yamala), 11.444 vişnoś ca karanam nrtyam (Garuda Purana 1.227.7), II.229 visnos trailokya-nathasya (Agastya-samhita), 11.417 visnos trailokya-nathasya (Garuda-samhita), 11.417 vişņu-bhaktim pravakṣyami (Garuda Purana, Purva-kanda 227.1), 11.19 vişņu-bhakti-paro daiva (Agni Purana), 1.641 visņu-bhakti-paro daiva (Visnu-dharma Purana), 1.641 visņu-bhakti-samayukto (Garuda Purana), 11.232 visņu-bhakti-samayukto (Käsi-khanda), 1.516 visņu-bhakti-vihina ye (Brhad-naradiya Purana 1.37.12), 1.516 visņu-bhakti-vihīnānāṁ (Padma Purana), 1.693 visnu-bhakti-vihinanam (Skanda Purana), 1.494 vişņu-bhakti-vihino yo (Narada Purana 2.10.38), 1.516, 1.641 viṣṇum yo nopajivati (Garuda Purana 1.227.8), 1.981, 1.983 visņu-mantram sada viprah (Harivamsa 3.89.8), 1.571 visņu-pādodakenaiva (Vişnu-yamala), 11.444 viṣṇur aradhyate pantha (VP 3.8.9), 1.76, 1.152 vişņu-saktiḥ para proktā (vP 6.7.61), 1.1218 visnv arcanam vṛtha tasya (Gautamiya-tantra 31.63), 11.528 viśrambhena guroḥ seva (BRS 1.2.74), 1.27, 1.1317, II.158, II.441 1081 References visrjati hrdayam na yasya sakṣad (SB 11.2.55), 1.1166, 1.1204, I.1210-1212 visrjya smayamanan svän (SB 11.29.16), II.744 viṣṭabhyaham idam kṛtsnam (GĪTĀ 10.42), 11.739 visuddhasya hṛşikešas (Mahabharata), 1.590 viśvam ekatmakam pasyan (SB 11.28.1), 11.321 visvam purusa-rupeņa (SB 2.6.32), 11.323 vittam tv atirthi-krtam anga vācam (SB 11.11.19), 1.379, 1.381, 1.383 viveka-jnair ataḥ sarvair (Narada Pancaratra), 11.443 vivekino’pi ye kuryus (Padyavali 112), 1.375 vividhaś ca prthak cesta (GITA 18.14), II.51 vivikta-deśa-sevitvam (GĪTĀ 13.10), 1.492, 1.541, 1.804 vivikta-kşema-sarano (SB 11.18.21), 11.93 vivikta-sevi laghv-aśi (GITA 18.52), 1.111, 1.389, 1.804 vivṛścya jīvāśayam apramattah (SB 11.12.24), I.1315 vrajanti tat pärama-hamsyam antyam (SB 1.18.22), 1.604 vraja-sthānāṁ paraiśvarya- (BRS 3.2.155), 11.616 vratani cere hari-toşaṇāni (SB 3.1.19), II.188, II.535 vratani yajñas chandamsi (SB 11.12.2), II.179, II.180, 11.185, 11.191, 11.197, II.206, II.207 vratopavāsa-niyamair (Agastya-samhita), 1.486 vrṣaparvā balir bano (SB 11.12.5), II.192, II.198, II.201 vyadhaḥ kapoto bahavo (SB 10.72.21), 1.435 vyadhaḥ kubja vraje gopyo (SB 11.12.6), II.192, II.198, 11.200, 11.201 vyäkhya-svadhyaya-sannyasaiḥ (SB 11.12.9), 11.209 vyartho’pi naivoparameta puṁsam (SB 11.22.33), 1.11 vyasana-satānvitāḥ samavahāya guros caranam (SB 10.87.33), 1.28, 1.1311 vyatanuta kṛpaya yas tattva-dīpam puranam (SB 12.12.69), 1.453, 1.1144, I.1151, II.398 vyavasayatmika buddhiḥ (GITA 2.44), 1.918 vyavasayatmika buddhir (GITA 2.41), 11.624 ya asu hrdaya-granthim (SB 11.3.47), 1.341, 1.347, 1.353, 1.1305, 11.437, 11.457 ya eşam puruşam säkṣad (SB 11.5.3), 1.357, 1.359, 1.494, 1.496, 1.639, 1.672, 1.673, 1.861, 1.916, II.143, II.521 ya etat kirtayen mahyam (SB 7.10.14), 1.1099 yā mābhajan durjara-geha-srnkalaḥ (SB 10.32.22), 11.677 ya pritir avivekanam (VP 1.20.19), 11.45 yā vai sādhana-sampattiḥ (Mahabharata, Mokṣa-dharma), 1.499 yac ca te paramam tattvam (Hayasirṣa Pañcaratra), 11.471 yac ca vrajanty animisam rṣabhanuvṛttyä (SB 3.15.25), 1.431, 1.433 1082 Verse Index yacchan priyataram kim nu (SB 10.6.36), II.620, 11.621 yac-chauca-niḥsṛta-sarit-pravarodakena (SB 3.28.22), 1.651 yac-chraddhayapta-vittena (SB 10.84.37), 11.423 yac-chrir vācām janayati ratim kim nu manaṁ kavīnām (SB 11.30.3), 11.341 yac-chrnvato paity aratir vitṛṣṇā (SB 10.7.2), 11.765 yac-chrotavyam atho japyam (SB 1.19.38), 1.178, 1.201, 1.202 yad aham coditaḥ saumya (SB 2.5.9), 1.239, 1.240 yad anyatrapi drsyeta (SB 7.11.35), 11.227, 11.236 yad äpnoti tad äpnoti (VP 6.2.17), 11.358 yad asau bhagavan-nama (SB 6.2.13), 1.949, 1.951 yad atra kriyate karma (SB 1.5.35), 11.74 yad esa sarva-bhūtānāṁ (SB 7.6.2), 1.301, 1.303, 1.304 yad vā phalānāṁ sannyasaṁ (Kurma Purana, Purva-khanda 3.18), 11.72 yad yad dhi kurute jantus (Manu-smrti 2.4), 1.969, 11.73 yad yad vibhutimat sattvam (GITA 10.41), 1.154, II.322 yad yaj jano bhagavate vidadhīta mānam (SB 7.9.11), 1.974, 1.976 yad yujyate’su-vasu-karma-mano-vacobhir (SB 8.9.29), 1.793 yada carmavad ākāśam (su 6.20), 1.27 yadā nārāyaṇāyeti (SB 6.2.8), 1.950 yada necchati pāpāni (Visnu-dharma), 1.1018 yada sva-nigamenoktam (SB 11.27.8), 11.143, II.438 yada yasyanugrhnati (SB 4.29.46), 11.437 yad-adharma-kṛtaḥ sthanam (SB 1.17.22), II.321 yadaika-padena sa parthivātmajas (SB 4.8.79), 1.924 yadaivam etena viveka-hetina (SB 12.4.34), II.126 yad-akşaram veda-vido vadanti (GĪTĀ 8.11), 1.1054, 1.1064, 11.192 yad-anghri-müle krta-ketanah punar (SB 4.21.32), 1.1291 yad-anudhyasina yuktaḥ (SB 1.2.15), 1.97, 1.99, 1.127 yad-dhrṣikeśa-yaśaḥ-kṛtātmanām (SB 5.13.21), 1.295 yad-durlabham yad aprāpyam (Garuda Purana 2.234.12), 1.501 yadi dasyasi me kaman (SB 7.10.7), 1.980, 1.984 yadi garha-vikalpayoh (Medini-kosa 2.39), 1.62 yadi prayasyan nṛpa parameṣṭhyam (SB 2.2.22), 1.192 yadi vo’sti mayi pritiḥ (VP 5.13.11), 11.710 yadi yonyam pramucyami (Garbhopanisad 4), 1.883 yad-icchanto brahmacaryam caranti (Katha Upanisad 1.2.15), 1.150 yad-icchanto brahmacaryam caranti (GITÄ 8.11), 1.1054, 1.1064, II.192 yad-iśvare bhagavati (SB 1.5.32), 11.53, 11.56 yad-iśvare bhagavati (SB 7.7.29), 1.307, 1.1233 1083 References yadṛcchā svairita (Amara-kosa 3.2.2), 1.1119 yadrcchaya mat-kathadau (SB 11.20.8), 1.37, 1.425, 1.996-998, 1.1001, 1.1003, 1.1004, 1.1006, 1.1009-1012, 1.1014, 1.1022, 1.1040, 1.1124 yadṛcchayesaḥ srjatidam avyayo (SB 7.2.39), 1.1060 yadṛsi bhavana yasya (Pancatantra 5.96), 11.775 yadu-cakra-druham hatva (SB 10.41.17), 1.614 yad-vakyato dharma itītaraḥ sthito (SB 1.5.15), 1.1041, 1.1317, 1.1319 yad-vyājahāra vivaso (SB 6.2.7), 1.950 yady acintya-maha-saktau (Bhagavat-parisista), 1.644 yady acintya-maha-saktau (Vāsanā-bhasya), 1.724 yady acyute bhagavati sa mano na sajjen (Bhagavan-näma-kaumudi), 11.303 yady adbhuta-krama-parayana-sila-siksas (SB 2.7.46), 1.676, 1.997 yady aniso dharayitum (SB 11.11.22), 1.386, 1.388 yady anyan na samacaret (SB 11.20.10), 1.1017 yady etad akhilam kartum (Vişņu-dharmottara Purana), 11.304 yad-yad-istatamam loke (SB 11.11.41), 11.505, 11.508, 11.510 yägäd eva phalam taddhi (Tantra-varttika, Jaimini-sutra 2.1.5), 11.60 yah karoti hareḥ pujam (source unknown), 11.549 yaḥ krṣṇaḥ saiva durga syad (Gautamiya-kalpa), 11.446 yah kṣetravit-tapataya hrdi viśvag aviḥ (SB 4.22.37), 1.264, 1.265 yah prayati tyajan deham (GITA 8.13), 1.150 yah prthivyām tiṣthan (BAU 3.7.3), 1.1290 yaḥ sambhutam api tatha samupaiti karyad (BS 5.45), 1.136, 1.139 yaḥ samparyacaran premņā (SB 10.90.27), II.676 yaḥ sastrādiṣv anipunah (BRS 1.2.18), 1.1181 yaḥ smaret pundarikaksam (Garuda Purana, Preta-khanda 47.52), 1.1035, 1.1043 yahi sarvātma-bhavena (SB 11.12.14-15), II.150 yaiḥ prasannaḥ prapannāya (SB 11.2.31), 1.330, II.42, II.47 yair aśrito na govindas (Brahma-vaivarta Purana), 1.620 yair janma labdham nrsu bharatajire (SB 5.19.21), 1.466 yaj jñātva neha bhūyo’nyaj (GĪTĀ 7.2), 1.1241 yajante sättvikā devan (GITA 17.4), 1.1045 yajanti tvan-mayas tvām vai (SB 10.40.7), 1.134 yajed iśvaram atmanam (SB 11.3.55), 1.355 yajed yastavyam iti va (SB 3.29.10), 1.799, I.1198, II.114, II.116 yaj-jīvitam tu nikhilam bhagavan mukundas (SB 10.14.34), 1.518 yajñād bhavati parjanyo (GITĀ 3.14), 1.75 yajñaḥ karma-samudbhavaḥ (GITA 3.14), 1.75 1084 Verse Index yajnaiḥ sankirtana-prayair (SB 11.5.32), 11.320, 11.354, 11.370 yajnaiś ca vividhaiḥ samyag (Agastya-samhita), 1.486 yajnaś ca danam ca dhrtiḥ śrutam ca (MB 3.43.20), 1.514 yajna-śistämṛta-bhujo (GITA 4.31), 1.74, 1.76 yanti brahma sanatanam (GITA 4.31), 1.76 yajña-siṣṭāśinaḥ santo (GITA 3.13), 11.57 yajnaya dharma-pataye vidhi-naipunaya (SB 5.14.45), 1.815 yajneśacyuta govinda (VP 2.13.9), 1.1029 yakṣaṇām ca piśācānāṁ (PP 6.253.95), 11.452 yakşye vibhutir bhavatas (SB 10.72.3), 1.575 yam imam puspitam vacaṁ (GITA 2.42), 1.918 yam na yogena sankhyena (SB 11.12.9), II.209 yam pravrajantam anupetam apeta-krtyam (SB 1.2.2), 11.288 yam purve canusantasthur (SB 4.2.31), 1.570 yam yam vapi smaran bhavam (GĪTĀ 8.6), 1.938, 1.940, II.342 yamadibhir yoga-pathaih (SB 1.6.36), 1.531, 1.532 yamah kati-vidhah prokto (SB 11.19.28), 1.1069 yaman abhikṣṇam seveta (SB 11.10.5), 1.1315 yama-niyamasana-pranayama- (Yoga-sutra 2.29), 1.533 yan asthaya naro rajan (SB 11.2.35), 1.330, 1.725, 1.727, 1.741, 1.745, 11.50, 11.52, II.618, 11.622 yan maya parijanasyarthe (Garbhopanisad 4), 1.883 yan na santi dravac-citta- (Padyavali 39), 1.382 yan nah sutaptam tapa etad Isa (SB 4.30.40), 11.75, 11.98 yan nah svadhitam guravaḥ prasadita (SB 4.30.39), 11.75, 11.98 yan namasye bhagavato (BRS 3.2.79), 11.688 yan śraddhayacaran martyo (SB 11.29.8), 11.739, II.742 yanair vā padukair vapi (Agama), 11.537 yaniha viśva-vilayodbhava-vrti-hetuḥ (SB 10.69.45), 11.350 yan-martya-lilaupayikam sva-yoga- (SB 3.2.12), 11.343 yan-mitram paramanandam (SB 10.14.32), 11.571, 11.751 yan-muhurtam kṣaṇam vapi (Vişņu Purana), 1.688, 1.692 yan-nāma sakṛc chravanat (SB 6.16.44), 1.875, 11.243 yan-namadheyam mriyamāņa aturaḥ (SB 12.3.44), 11.373 yan-namadheya-śravaṇānukīrtanād (SB 3.33.6), 1.755, 11.521 yan-nama-śruti-matrena (SB 9.5.16), II.566 yan-nibaddho’bhimano’yam (SB 7.1.24), II.649, II.655 yanti deva-vrata devan (GITA 9.25), 1.578, 1.580 yanty añjasacyuta-padam (SB 4.12.37), II.578 1085References yany angani ca tany atra (BRS 1.2.296), II.632 yanyam icchanty asaty asmad (SB 11.8.34), 1.1093, 1.1103 yaś caitat paraya bhaktyā (Narada Pañcaratra), 11.464 yas ta asiṣa āśaste (SB 7.10.4), 1.972 yas tu nārāyaṇam devam (Vaisnava Tantra), 1.558, 1.1252 yas tu visņum parityajya (Mahabharata), 1.554 yas tuttamaḥ-śloka-gunanuvadaḥ (SB 12.3.15), 1.108, 11.250, 11.252, 11.253 yas tv anga gayati śrnoty anumodate vã (SB 10.69.45), 11.350 yaśaḥ-śriyām eva pariśramaḥ paro (SB 12.12.53), 1.460, 1.487, 1.508 yasmin nyasta-matir na yati narakam svargo’pi yac-cintane (VP 6.8.57), 11.369 yasmin sat-karna-piyuşe (SB 9.24.62), 1.108 yaśoda ca mahabhaga (SB 10.8.46), II.711, II.712 yasya cetasi govindo (Visnu-dharma), 11.368 yasya deve para bhaktir (su 6.23), 1.55, 1.59, 1.150, 1.1299, 1.1313 yasya prasādajo brahma (SB 12.5.1), 1.442, 1.450, 1.452 yasya prasanno bhagavan (SB 4.9.47), 1.769 yasya prthivi sariram (BAU 3.7.3), 1.1290 yasya sakṣad bhagavati (SB 7.15.26), 1.1300, 1.1322 yasya smrtya ca nämoktyä (Skanda Purana), 1.683 yasya śraddadhatam aśu (SB 2.1.10), II.309, II.310, II.312 yasya yal-lakṣaṇam proktam (SB 7.11.35), 11.227, 11.236 yasya yat-sangatiḥ pumso (Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya 8.52), 11.175 yasyaham anugṛhņāmi (SB 10.88.8), 1.735 yasyam khaluttamaḥ-śloko (SB 12.6.4), 1.444, 1.452 yasyam na me pavanam anga karma (SB 11.11.20), 1.381, 1.383 yasyam vai śrüyamaṇāyāṁ (SB 1.7.7), 1.108, 1.659 yasyasti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcana (SB 5.18.12), 1.53, 1.519, 1.623, 1.673, 1.773, 1.775, 1.1020, II.96 yasyatma-buddhiḥ kunape tri-dhätuke (SB 10.84.13), 1.1180, 11.219, 11.222, II.448 yasyavatara-guna-karma-vidambanāni (SB 3.9.15), 1.887, 1.892 yat karoşi yad aśnasi (GITA 9.27), 1.38, 1.63, 1.152, 1.682, 11.44 yat syad dharana-samyuktam (MB 8.69.58), 1.73 yat tapasyasi kaunteya (GITA 9.27), 1.38, 1.63, 1.152, 1.682, 11.44 yat te sujāta-caraṇāmburuham staneşu (SB 10.31.19), 11.666 yat tu kämepsunä karma (GITÄ 18.24), 1.780 yat tu krtsnavad ekasmin (GĪTĀ 18.22), 1.795 yat tvam prcchasi martyānāṁ (SB 3.14.5), 11.270, 11.272 1086 Verse Index yataḥ pravṛttir bhūtānāṁ (GITA 18.46), 1.64 yatato hy api kaunteya (GITĀ 2.60), 1.538 yatha bhaktyä haris tuşyet (Garuda Purana, Purva-kanda 227.1), 11.19, II.20 yatha harau bhagavati (SB 2.7.52), 1.700, 1.701 yatha harer nama-padair udahṛtais (SB 6.2.11), 11.307 yatha hi purusasyeha (SB 7.6.2), 1.301, 1.303, 1.304 yatha hi yuyam nrpa-deva dustyajad (SB 7.15.68), 1.318 yathā kāñcanatam yati (Tattva-sagara), 11.520 yathā kṛṣṇārpita-prāņas (SB 6.1.16), 1.750, 1.752 yatha mahānti bhūtāni (SB 2.9.34), 1.667, 1.1283 yatha samādhau munayo’bdhi-toye (SB 11.12.12), II.211 yathā samasta-lokānāṁ (BNP 1.4.4), 1.495 yathā sañchidya kantāśām (SB 11.8.44), 1.34 yathā siddha-rasa-sparśat, II.165 yatha taror mula-niṣecanena (SB 4.31.14), 1.284, 1.347, 1.605, 1.684, 1.769, 1.1026, II.221 yatha tudanti marmastha (SB 11.23.3), 1.591, II.262 yatha tvac caraṇambhoje (SB 11.29.40), II.759 yatha tvām aravindakṣa (SB 11.14.31), 11.761 yathā vairānubandhena (SB 7.1.26), 1.1177, 11.17, 11.658, 11.699 yatha vidhi-niṣedhau ca (Agastya-samhita), 11.437 yatha yajeta mām bhaktyā (SB 11.27.8), 11.143, II.438 yatha yatha harer nama (Nrsimha Purana), 1.689 yatha yathātmā parimṛjyate’sau (SB 11.14.26), 1.414, 1.844 yathācarati yad brute (SB 11.2.44), 1.1159, 1.1206, I.1211, I.1244 yathadhano labdha-dhane vinaşte (SB 10.32.20), 1.932 yathadhikāro nāstīha (Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 2.34), 11.427 yathadri-prabhava nadyaḥ (SB 10.40.10), II.64 yathagniḥ susamiddhārciḥ (PP 4.85.31), 1.739 yathagniḥ susamiddharciḥ (SB 11.14.19), 1.738, 1.741, 1.743, 1.744, 1.847, 1.851 yathagnina hema malam jahāti (SB 11.14.25), 1.649 yathanjasā pumān sidhyet (SB 11.29.1), 11.722 yathāvad dikṣayam cakruḥ (SB 6.13.18), 1.751 yatha-varṇa-vidhanam (SB 5.19.19), 1.67, 1.74, II.128, 11.557 yathavarundhe sat-sangaḥ (SB 11.12.2), 11.179, 11.180, 11.185, II.191, II.197, 11.206, 11.207 yathopaśrayamāṇasya (SB 11.26.31), II.234, II.236 yatinam vişnu-bhaktānām (BNP 1.20.73), 1.880 1087 References yat-karmabhir yat-tapasa (SB 11.20.32), 1.428, 1.773, 1.1005, 1.1059, II.516, II.733, II.757 yat-kincit kriyate punyam (Skanda Purana 2.4.1.23), 11.525 yat-krtaḥ kṛṣṇa-sampraśno (SB 1.2.5), 1.129, 11.715, 11.716 yatnenapadito’py arthah (BRS 1.1.46), 1.1107 yato va imani bhutani jayante (TU 3.1), 1.157 yato vindeta paramam (SB 11.5.37), 11.363 yat-pada-niḥsṛta-sarit-pravarodakena (SB 3.28.22), II.322, 11.413 yat-pada-pankaja-palāśa-vilāsa-bhaktyä (SB 4.22.39), 1.263, 1.265 yat-pada-pańkeruha-sevaya bhavan (SB 7.15.68), 1.318 yat-pada-sevabhirucis tapasvinam (SB 4.21.31), 1.1018, 1.1291, 1.1292, II.404 yat-paty-apatya-suhṛdām anuvṛttir anga (SB 10.29.32), 11.677 yat-pratyakṣanumanabhyam (SB 11.7.20), 1.1314, 1.1315 yat-prīṇanād barhişi deva-tiryan- (SB 5.15.13), 1.828 yātra bali-vidhanam ca (SB 11.11.37), 1.1305, 11.457 yatra kva vabhadram abhud amusya kim (SB 1.5.17), 1.165, 1.319, 1.325, 1.512, I.1027 yatra puja-paro visņos (BNP 1.11.7), 1.733 yatra rägadi-rahitä (Itihasa-samuccaya 25.22), 1.1093 yatra raganavaptatvät (BRS 1.2.6), 11.143 yatra sankirtanenaiva (SB 11.5.36), 11.354, 11.360, 11.371 yatra yatra mahipala (Skanda Purāna), 11.349 yatra yatra mano dehi (SB 11.9.22), II.662 yatra yogeśvaraḥ krsno (GITA 18.78), 1.151 yatranuraktäḥ sahasaiva dhira (SB 1.18.22), 1.604 yatrottama-sloka-gunanuvadaḥ (SB 5.12.13), II.256 yat-sadho’sya grhe jato (SB 7.10.18), 1.881 yat-satyam anṛteneha (SB 11.29.22), 1.79, 1.434, 1.435, 1.1080, 11.755 yat-sevaya bhagavataḥ (SB 3.7.19), II.216 yat-spardhaya maya caitad (PP 6.109.22), 1.526, 1.529 yat-taṭastham tu cid-rupam (Narada Pancaratra), 1.1220 yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicij (SB 10.84.13), 1.1180, II.219, II.222, II.448 yāvaj-jano bhajati na bhuvi visņu-bhakti- (PP 4.85.33), 1.673 yāvaj-jīvan tu yat tabhyam (PP 6.88.42), 1.577, 1.580 yāvān artho nṛṇām tāta (SB 11.29.33), 11.756 yavan na jayeta paravare’smin (SB 2.2.14), 1.189 yavan na veda sva-hrdi (SB 3.29.25), 1.589, 1.592, II.492 yävat papais tu malinam (Brahma-vaivarta Purana), 1.14 1088 Verse Index yavat pṛthaktvam idam ātmana indriyartha- (SB 3.9.9), II.154 yavat sarveṣu bhuteṣu (SB 11.29.17), II.745, II.751 yaya sammohito jīva (SB 1.7.5), 1.20 yayāca anamya kirita-kotibhiḥ (SB 10.59.41), 1.693 yayaham etat sad-asat sva-mayaya (SB 1.5.27), 11.784 yayātmā suprasīdati (SB 1.2.6), 1.317 yayottanapadaḥ putro (SB 3.14.6), 11.270, 11.272 ye bhajanti tu mām bhaktyā (GĪTĀ 9.29), 1.602, 1.837, 1.1116, 11.575 ye bhavisyanti ye’tītā (Visnu-dharma Purana), 1.881 ye’bhyarthitām api ca no nr-gatim prapanna (SB 3.15.24), 1.619, 1.621, 1.963 ye capy akṣaram avyaktam (GITA 12.1), 1.535, 1.658 ye dhyayanti sadodyuktas (Nārāyaṇa-vyuha-stava), 11.614, II.615, II.676 ye hi samsparśa-ja bhoga (GĪTĀ 5.22), 1.34 ye jana nṛpati-śrestha (Garuda Purana), 11.507 ye me tanur dvija-varan duhatir madīya (SB 3.16.10), 1.599 ye’nga tvad-anghri-sarana bhavataḥ kathāyāḥ (SB 3.15.48), 1.695, 1.791 ye nṛśamsa durācārāḥ (Itihasa-samuccaya 31.119), 1.871 ye nrsimha bhavan nama (Nrsimha Purana), 11.352 ye’nye ca papa yad-apaśrayaśrayaḥ (SB 2.4.18), 1.517 ye’nye mudha-dhiyo nagah (SB 11.12.8), 11.205-207, 11.210 ye’nyeʼravindākṣa vimukta-maninas (SB 10.2.32), 1.60, 1.61, 1.388, 1.631, 1.642, 1.723, 1.727, 1.798, 1.1142 ye’nyonyato bhāgavataḥ prasajya (SB 3.25.34), II.779 ye’py anya-devata-bhaktā (GITA 9.23), 1.578, 1.962, II.64 ye’py anya-devata-bhakta (SB 10.40.9), II.64 ye śastra-vidhim utsṛjya (GITA 17.1), 1.105, 1.588, 1.1037, 1.1039, I.1045 ye tu necchanty api param (SB 6.18.74), 1.982, 1.984 ye tu sarvāņi karmāņi (GITA 12.6), 1.477 ye tu tvadīya-caraṇambuja-kosa-gandham (SB 3.9.5), 11.246 ye tv abja-nābha bhavadīya-padaravinda- (SB 4.9.12), II.224 ye tv akşaram anirdesyam (GITA 12.3), 1.535 ye tv atma-rama-gurubhir hrdi cintitanghri- (SB 8.7.33), 1.558 ye tyakta-loka-dharmartha (Hayasirşa Pañcaratra), 1.1231 ye va mayīśe kṛta-sauhṛdartha (SB 5.5.3), 1.289, 1.1138, 1.1147, 1.1148 ye vai bhagavata proktā (SB 11.2.34), 1.330, II.21, II.23, II.25, II.42, II.694 ye vṛttidam patim hitva (SB 4.14.23), 11.694 ye yathā mām prapadyante (GĪTĀ 4.11), 1.826, 11.510, II.708, 11.719 yena janma-śataiḥ purvam (source unknown), 11.370 yena karma-vipäkena (Agni Purana), 1.587 1089 References yena kenapy upayena (BNP 1.1.77), 11.389 yena yenavatarena (SB 10.7.1), II.765 yenaivāsau na tusyeta (SB 1.5.8), 11.266 yenänubuddhyate tattvam (SB 3.32.31), 1.1063 yenarca bhagavad-bhaktyä (source unknown), 1.881 yenarcito haris tena (Padma Purana), 1.770 yenativrajya tri-gunam (SB 3.29.14), 1.606, II.122, II.126, II.127, 11.130, II.132, II.134 yeṣām aham priya atma sutaś ca (SB 3.25.38), 11.598 yeşām gurau ca japye ca (Vaisnava Tantra), 11.429 yeṣām kim u syad itareņa teṣām (SB 5.5.25), 1.964 yeşăm tv anta-gatam papam (GITA 7.28), 1.1191 yo bhavet komala-śraddhaḥ (BRS 1.2.19), 1.1181, 1.1182 yo hi mam drastum iccheta (Brahma Purana 226.46), 1.562 yo mam paśyati sarvatra (GITĀ 6.30), 1.355 yo mām samarcayen nityam (Kurma Purana), 1.583 yo mām sarveşu bhuteṣu (SB 3.29.22), 1.586, 1.588, 1.592 yo mantraḥ sa guruḥ säkṣād (Vamana-kalpa), 1.1304, 11.163 yo manusas tam iha duḥkhacaye kṣipāmi (Brahma-samhita), 1.897 yo’mayaya santatayanuvṛttyä (SB 1.3.38), II.423 yo na sarveśvare bhaktas (Garuda Purana 1.231.17), 1.642, 1.675 yo’nadṛto naraka-bhagbhir asat-prasangaiḥ (SB 3.9.4), 11.246 yo närcayati deveśam (Mahabharata), 1.640 yo nityadakarnya naro’nukirtayed (SB 4.7.61), 1.108 yo’ntar-bahis tanu-bhṛtām asubham vidhunvann (SB 11.29.6), 1.1323, II.735 yo’ntascarati so’dhyakṣaḥ (SB 10.33.35), 11.677 yo’rocayat saha mrgaiḥ svayam iśvarāṇām (SB 11.29.4), 11.726 yo’sau bhagavati sarvātmany (SB 5.19.20), 1.67, 1.74, 11.128, 11.557 yo’sau mayavidita-tattva-dṛśa sabhayam (SB 4.7.15), II.550 yo’sau tri-loka-guruņa (SB 10.80.26), 11.669 yo’savanagasaḥ suptan (SB 1.7.35), 11.494 yo va etad akṣaram gargy (BAU 3.8.10), 1.346 yo vakti nyāya-rahitam (Narada Pañcaratra), 11.174, 11.769 yo vidyaśruta-sampanna (SB 11.19.1), 1.153 yo vrnite mano-grahyam (SB 10.48.11), II.668, II.670 yo yac-chraddhaḥ sa eva sah (GITĀ 17.3), 1.1021 yo yajña-puruso yajñe (VP 1.11.46), 1.498 yo yo mayi pare dharmah (SB 11.29.21), 1.855, 11.753 yoga-caryam imam yogi (SB 11.28.44), II.722 1090 Verse Index yogam tenaiva puruşam (SB 4.23.9), 1.267, 1.268 yogāntarāyān maunena (SB 7.15.23), 11.162 yogas trayo maya proktā (SB 11.20.6), 1.37, 1.425, 1.994, 1.1000, 1.1001, 1.1022, 1.1063 yogasya lakṣaṇam vakṣye (SB 3.28.1), II.394 yogena dana-dharmeņa (SB 11.20.32), 1.428, 1.773, 1.1005, 1.1059, II.516, II.733, II.757 yogena dhātaḥ saha nas tri-lokan (SB 8.6.9), II.457 yogeśvarair vimṛgyanghrir (SB 7.15.27), 1.1322 yogibhir drsyate bhaktyā (PP 6.238.83), 11.700 yoginām api sarveṣām (GITA 6.47), 1.77, 1.81, 1.151, 1.637, 1.646 yoginām nṛpa nirnītam (SB 2.1.11), 1.452, 1.690, 1.692, 1.1205, 11.311, 11.312, 11.338, 11.369, II.380 yogindraya tad-ätmanatha bhagavad-rataya karunyatas (SB 12.13.19), 1.658 yogino vai na lipyante (Bhagavat-parisista), 1.644 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Baker Academic, 2005. 1101 Abbreviations BAU Bṛhad-aranyaka Upanisad BNP Brhan-naradiya Purana BRS Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu BS Brahma-samhita CHU Chandogya Upanisad GĪTĀ Bhagavad Gita GTU Gopala-tapani Upanisad HNV Hari-nāmāmṛta-vyākaraṇa MB Mahabharata PANINI Panini-sutra PP Padma Puraṇa SB Srimad Bhagavata śu Svetasvatara Upanisad TU Taittiriya Upanisad VP Visņu Puraṇa vs Brahma-sutra (Vedanta-sutra) 1103 Contributors PROJECT DIRECTOR Satyanarayana Dasa TRANSLATION Satyanarayana Dasa, Navadvip Das (Bruce Martin) COMMENTARY Satyanarayana Dasa CHIEF-EDITOR Navadvip Das ASSOCIATE EDITOR Jagadananda Das (Dr. Jan Brzezinski) PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Malati Manjari Dasi ENGLISH PROOFREADING Malati Manjari Dasi, Shailesha Krishna Das SANSKRIT PROOFREADING Tanmay Lele LAYOUT Jaroslav Ovčáček, Ruci Krishna Das Navadvip Das, Aloka Krishna Das (Albert Sadikovic) GLOSSARY Satyanarayana Dasa, Navadvip Das, Malati Manjari Dasi BIBLIOGRAPHY Vilasa Das DRAWINGS Aljoša Basarić, Sonja Fink-Ocklenburg, Dridha Vrata Das COVER DESIGN Janja Pirc, Meera Joshi, Daniel Joshi FONTS ADVICE AND SUPPORT David Březina and the Rosetta Type Foundry PRINT AND SUPPORT Klaus Schneider and Eberl & Koesel GmbH & Co. KGBHAKTI is a specific functional capacity of Bhagavan’s intrinsic potency, and as such, it belongs to Him alone. By His causeless grace, He invests this potency into His devotees, who can then transmit it to other living beings by the same power of grace. Without the grace of a devotee or Bhagavan, bhakti cannot make its appearance within the atma. In this regard, since Bhagavan is not manifest to people in general except when He descends into the material world as an avatāra, His direct grace is scarcely available. Consequently, at all other times, when there is no manifest avatara on earth, bhakti is available only through the grace of a devotee. The devotees’ grace has no specific cause, because they are not in need of anything material. Their grace usually comes about through the medium of hearing their words and rendering some form of personal service to them. ‘This grace is first transmitted in the form of faith, sraddha, appearing in those who receive their grace. Initially, this faith is directed toward the very same devotees whose presence and teachings originally gave birth to it. One is then struck with the feeling that such realized devotees are exceptional human beings, and one is drawn to associate with them, listen to what they say, and render service to them. From the commentary on Anuccheda 11 SJIVA Jiva Institute of Vaishnava Studies Vrindavan