Sri K

Krr is
ishh n a K
Kaa t h amr
amrtta
Tav k- QaaMa*Ta& TaáJaqvNaMa(
tava kathämåtaà tapta-jévanam Bi n du
Fortnightly email mini-magazine from Gopal Jiu Publications
Issue No. 10 15 August 2001 Çré Annadä Ekädaçé, 11 Håñékeça, 515 Gauräbda

• BEHAVIOR OF A SADHAKA

·
EHAVIOR

·
·
CONTENTS

HIS DIVINE GRACE A.C. BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI PRABHUP

HAKTIVEDANTA ADA
RABHUPADA

• CRAZE FOR GAUDY BAUBLES

SRILA BHAKTISIDDHANTA SARASW
HAKTISIDDHANTA ATI PRABHUP
ARASWA ADA
RABHUPADA

• CROOKED DISCIPLES
S RILA GOUR GOVINDA SWAMI
• THE ACTIVITIES OF SRINIVAS ACAR
RINIVAS YA
CARY
FROM KARNANANDA

BEHA VIOR
EHAVIOR that he may actually make advancement.
There are eighteen qualifications mentioned
OF A SADHAKA in Bhagavad-gétä, one of which is simplicity. One
ÇRÉMAD BHÄGAVATAM 3.29.18 should be without pride, one should not demand
TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY BY unnecessary respect from others, and one should
H IS DIVINE GRACE A.C. be nonviolent — amänitvam, adambhitvam,
BHAKTIVEDANT
HAKTIVEDANTAA SWAMI PRABHUP ADA
RABHUPADA ahiàsä. One should be very tolerant and simple,
ädhyätmikänuçravaëän näma-saìkértanäc ca me one should accept the spiritual master, and one
ärjavenärya-saìgena nirahaìkriyayä tathä should control the senses. These are mentioned
here and in Bhagavad-gétä as well. One should
A devotee should always try to hear about
hear from authentic sources how to advance in
spiritual matters and should always utilize his
spiritual life; such instructions should be taken
time in chanting the holy name of the Lord. His
from the äcärya and should be assimilated.
behavior should always be straightforward and
simple, and although he is not envious but It is especially mentioned here, näma-saìkértanäc
friendly to everyone, he should avoid the com- ca: one should chant the holy names of the Lord —
pany of persons who are not spiritually ad- hare kåñëa, hare kåñëa, kåñëa kåñëa, hare hare/ hare
vanced. räma, hare räma, räma räma, hare hare — either in-
dividually or with others. Lord Chaitanya has given
PURPORT special stress that the basic principle of spiritual ad-
In order to advance in spiritual understanding, vancement is to chant these holy names of the Lord.
one has to hear from authentic sources about spiri-
Another word used here is ärjavena, meaning
tual knowledge. One can understand the reality of
“without diplomacy.” A devotee should not make
spiritual life by following strict regulative principles
and by controlling the senses. To have control it is plans out of self-interest. Of course, preachers, un-
necessary that one be nonviolent and truthful, re- der proper guidance, sometimes have to make some
frain from stealing, abstain from sex life and pos- plan for execution of the mission of the Lord. But
sess only that which is absolutely necessary for keep- regarding personal self-interest, a devotee should
ing the body and soul together. One should not eat always be without diplomacy, and he should avoid
more than necessary, he should not collect more the company of persons who are not advancing in
paraphernalia than necessary, he should not talk spiritual life.
unnecessarily with common men, and he should Another word is ärya. Äryans are persons
not follow the rules and regulations without pur- who are advancing in both knowledge of
pose. He should follow the rules and regulations so Krishna consciousness as well as in material
Page — 2 é[q k*- Z<ak- QaaMa*Ta ibNdu
B EHA VIOR OF A SADHAKA continued
EHAVIOR sary.” So he threw away the inner portion of the
prosperity. Association with persons who are cardamom and offered the outer skin to the guru.
not spiritually advanced is forbidden. Lord But with cardamom, the seed is necessary and
Chaitanya advised, asat-saìga-tyäga: one should the skin is useless. That means that those who
avoid persons who are attached to the tempo- are kapaöi, crooked persons, only speculate. They
rary. Asat is one who is not a devotee of the Lord will not accept anything as it is. Therefore the
or who is too materially attached, who is too mahäjanas have said that one who is very serious
attached to women or enjoyable material things. and eager to achieve perfection in his human
Such a person, according to vaiñëava philoso- birth, that is kåñëa-bhakti, should cultivate sim-
phy, is a persona non grata. plicity. Simplicity is vaiñëavism. Those who are
A devotee should not be proud of his acquisi- real vaiñëavas are simple by nature. Käpaöya,
tions. The symptoms of a devotee are meekness and crookedness, is a great hindrance on this path of
humility. Although spiritually very advanced, he perfection. It is a sort of disease. And because a
will always remain meek and humble, as Kaviraj crooked person becomes envious towards the
Goswami and all the other vaiñëavas have taught doctor who has come to cure him, his disease is
us by personal example. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu incurable. In Bhakti-sandarbha, Jiva Goswami has
taught that one should be humbler than the grass said that there are many such persons who pre-
on the street and more tolerant than the tree. One tend to be devoted, but inside their heart there is
should not be proud or falsely puffed up. In this great crookedness. Outwardly they pay
·
way one will surely advance in spiritual life.· daëòavats, falling down like a rod from a great
distance, as if they are very humble. Yet they criti-
CROOKED DISCIPLES cize sadhu, äcärya and gurus. They may even
SRILA GOUR GOVINDA SWAMI offer worship, but actually they have no respect
Once a guru went to the house of one of his at all. They are very keen to find out the faults of
disciples. The disciple prepared nice food, and af- the sadhu. Such persons take to karma, jïäna,
ter the guru had eaten, the disciple wanted to show yoga, tapasya, tyäga and néti — fruitive activities,
his guru-bhakti. In Ayurveda the harétaké fruit is rec- speculative knowledge, penance, renunciation
ommended for good digestion, so the disciple came and morality. Externally they practise these things
with harétaké for his guru. The guru said, “All right. and pose as if they are of very high moral char-
Remove the unnecessary things and give me the acter, but actually their hearts are very hard.
necessary part.” That disciple was a speculator, a Unreal Shelter
crooked person. He thought, “Oh, the outer por-
Those persons who leave the bona fide guru and
tion of the harétaké is unnecessary and the inner
go elsewhere, due to crookedness cannot be deliv-
portion is necessary.” So he threw away the outer
ered. In Skanda Puräëa it is said, bhümau skhalita-
skin and gave the inner portion, the hard seed, to
pädänäà, bhümir evävalambanam — “If your feet
the guru. But with harétaké the outer skin is neces-
slip up from the ground, only that same ground
sary and the inner portion is thrown away. That
can give you shelter.” Similarly, if you have slipped
disciple did the opposite because he was a specu-
up from the lotus feet of a bona fide guru, only that
lator — bhäravähé, säragrahi nähiï — he always
guru can give you shelter. A crooked person, who
accepted the unnecessary things that are not the
pretends to be a humble follower of the guru, will
essence. His guru could not enjoy the harétaké. “You
leave that guru and go somewhere else to take shel-
are such a unintelligent fellow,” he said. “Don’t
ter. But he should understand that no one can give
you know? The inner portion, the hard nut of
him shelter. It may seem that some one may give
harétaké, is unnecessary. The outer portion, the skin,
him shelter, but that is not real shelter at all be-
is necessary.”
cause he cannot make any advancement there.
Incurable
Rather, for his offense he will definitely fall down
The next day, after the guru had eaten, that and go to hell. If he does not come back to his guru
so-called disciple brought some cardamom. Re- and beg to be excused, his offense cannot be de-
membering the previous day’s event, he thought, stroyed or counteracted. If he is really an intelli-
“Oh, the guru has taught that this inner portion gent, simple-hearted person, he will understand this
is unnecessary and this outer portion is neces- and come back. Unless he comes back, he must be
Sri K
Krr isishh na-k
-kaa t hamr
amrtta B
Bii n du Page — 3
entrapped by this crookedness. In this way, Jiva of vaiñëava history, mostly focusing on the life
Goswami has discussed käpaöya in his Bhakti- and teachings of Srila Srinivas Acarya Prabhu.
sandarbha, and how it is a great stumbling block on It also includes excerpts from the life of
the path of devotional service. Ramachandra Kaviraj as well as many philo-
Stool of a Hog sophical conclusions of the Six Goswamis.
Karnananda is similar in subject matter to the
Çästra, sadhus and mahäjanas have all warned book Prema-vilas, but it is considered superior
us about käpaöya. But still you will find this crook- in terms of its poetic language, its philosophical
edness going on in the vaiñëava community. Why content, and especially its historical accuracy.
is it that people do not become simple? It is because Srila Yadunandan Acarya completed it in 1529
they are running after name, fame and prestige. çakäbda [1608 A.D.]. The following excerpt
Our vaiñëava äcäryas have said, vaiñëava pratiñöhä,
from the first chapter of that book describes
çukarera viñöhä, such fame is the stool of a hog. A
something about the daily activities of Srinivas
real vaiñëava will never run after it. But all are run-
and his associates.
ning after this by cultivating crookedness. “How
can I get läbha, püjä and pratiñöhä? How can I get When Srinivas Acarya Prabhu established
worship from others and occupy a superior posi- himself at Yajigram, all of his vaiñëava fol-
tion?” Those who think in this way cannot under- lowers would come and meet together daily.
stand that an incurable disease has infected them. They all listened to Prabhu’s ecstatic dis-
They have given up kanaka and käminé, wealth and courses on love and devotion. In this way
women, but they have not given up this pratiñöhä, Srinivas helped them to destroy their disease-
the desire for worldly reputation. · like attachments to knowledge and fruitive
activities. Like this their ecstatic prema con-
THE ACTIVITIES OF SRINIVAS ACAR
RINIVAS YA
CARY
tinued for some days. Full of bhäva, they
FROM KARNANANDA
floated in the juice of love of Krishna.
Srinivas Acarya’s grandson was the Gauòéya At the earnest request of the vaiñëavas,
äcärya Subala-chandra. Yadunandan Das Thakur Srinivas married. After some time he ac-
was a disciple of Subala-chandra. Yadunandan Das cepted a second wife.
appeared in a family of Ayurvedic doctors in the The devotees were constantly reading and
mid to late 1500s. hearing books such as Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu,
Yadunandan Das revealed a little about himself Vidagdha-mädhava, Lalita-mädhava, Hari-
in his book Karëänanda (2.35): bhakti-viläsa, Båhad-bhägavatämåta, Laghu-
déna yadunandana vaidya däsa näma tära bhägavatämåta, Daçama-öippané, Daçama-
mälihäöi gräme sthiti premahéna chära carita, Mathurä-Mähätmya, Stavävalé,
I, the wretched doctor named Yadunandan Das, have Haàsadüta, Uddhava-sandeça, Ñaö-sandarbha,
no devotion. My birthplace is Malihati. Vaiñëava-toñaëé, and the tenth canto of Çrémad
Bhägavatam. They systematically sang and re-
Malihati, also known as Meleti, is a village south cited all of these books. They were hearing
of Katwa in Bengal. and reading Muktä-caritra, Kåñëa-karëämåta,
Aside from being a doctor, Yadunandan Das was Brahma-saàhitä, Gopé-premämåta, and
also a great poet and a Sanskrit scholar. He com- Mädhava-mahotsava, etc. I know of the names
posed many vaiñëava songs, and he also wrote of hundreds and thousands of books that
Bengali verse translations of many important they were continuously reading.
Gauòéya books, including Srila Rupa Goswami’s Hearing and reading these books, all of
Vidagdha-mädhava, Krishnadas Kaviraj the vaiñëavas remained submerged in the
Goswami’s Govinda-lilämåta, and Bilvamangala nectarean ocean of love of God throughout
Thakur’s Kåñëa-karëämåta. the day and night. Each day they would
Karëänanda (bliss for the ears) contains spend one prahära (three hours) chanting a
seven chapters. It is said that Srinivas Acarya’s fixed number of the holy names, and an-
daughter Hemlata Thakurani personally gave the other prahära they would spend reading all
title to the book. Karëänanda is a famous book of these books. Two hours daily they spent
Page — 4 é[q k*- Z<ak- QaaMa*Ta ibNdu
performing kértana of the names of Sri Sri sukåti bäsaye bhäla duñkåti häsaya
Radha-Krishna, Govinda etc. In great ecstasy ebe sei loka sabe änande bhäsaya
they sang the songs of Candidas and Vidyapati, Religious persons swam in the ocean of plea-
as well as Gita-govinda and the plays written sure observing his activities, while the impious
by Ramananda Ray. laughed at him. In this way he brought every-
In the evening, in the association of confi- one happiness.
dential devotees, Srinivasa Acarya Prabhu Bibliography
would sing songs and give teachings on the — Haridas Das. Çré Çré Gauòéya-vaiñëava-abhidhäna. Nabadwip. Sri Haribol
various pastimes of Krishna, such as the räsa- Kutir. Gaurabda 501. (Bengali)

lélä, as well as the science of bhakti and the hap- — Excerpts from Çré Çré Karëänanda by Srila Yadunandan Das Thakur, first
niryäsa, texts 41-63. Translated from the edition published by Hari-bhakta
piness of kåñëa-prema. Das, Gaurabdha 506.
During the day he would worship çälagräma- çilä
and sprinkle water on tulasé with great devotion. CRAZE FOR GAUDY BAUBLES
He was always absorbed in meditation on SRILA BHAKTISIDDHANTA
HAKTISIDDHANTA
the mantra and the names of Radha- SARASWATI THAKUR PRABHUP
ARASWA ADA
RABHUPADA
Krishna, and remembering Their pastimes.
Sometimes he would shout the names of There exists a genuine aesthetic principle
Rupa and Sanatana. He would call out for that is distortedly reflected in the aesthetic en-
Sri Gopal Bhatt a and bitterly lament. terprises of this mundane world. But material-
istic thinkers are repugnant to giving this genu-
rädhä-kåñëa kuëòa bali kñaëe murcchä jäya
ine principle any serious consideration, and this
giri govardhana bali kare häya häya
repugnance is due to the craze for the gaudy
He was fainting at every moment while call- baubles and trinkets of this world. This infatu-
ing out “Radha Kund, Syama Kunda! Ha, ha ated reliance on the unwholesome counterfeit
Giri Govardhan! of material aesthetics causes the materialistic
ei rüpe rätri dine premänande jäya thinkers to condemn the spiritual aesthetic with-
premämåta äsvädaye änanda hiyäya out even a fair hearing. And this condemna-
In this way he spent day and night immersed tion further perpetuates our degrading
in devotional ecstasy. Relishing the nectar of love thralldom to the counterfeit version. All of the
of God, he was immersed in ocean of happiness. so-called wealth of mundane fine arts make
their appeal to the sensuous nature of man and
SRI KRISHNA KATHAMRITA BINDU prompts ultimately to animality of the gross and
a free bi-monthly service provided by: subtle varieties. The finest songs of this world,
says Shelley, are those that tell of saddest
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National Highway No. 5, IRC Village suality. But this consolation is only a passing ray.
Bhubaneswar
Bhubaneswar,, Orissa, India, 751015 As a matter of fact the song that does not por-
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Email: [email protected] — Sri Chaitanya’s Teachings, page 492-493
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for Krishna Consciousness, Founder-Acarya His Divine Grace Our guru-mahäräja did not allow us to read
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. much, even of the lower types of scriptures deal-
Quotations from the books, letters, and lectures of His Divine ing with general sädhana or practices, what to
Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda
©Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. All other materials,
speak of the higher books. Rather, we were ex-
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— Remembrance by Sri Srimad Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Deva Goswami