Six Faults that Destroy Bhakti
2. Prayäsa – Over-Endeavoring
Prayäsa – Overendeavoring
The hard labor for activities like visiting holy places is prayäsa that is
unfavorable for devotional service.
If, however, one goes to the places of Kåñëa's pastimes with a greedy
desire to awaken his ecstatic love for Kåñëa and to associate with the
devotees, then this is certainly devotional service-not useless
prayäsa.
Following the vows of devotional service is not useless prayäsa, they
are all accepted as part of the process of devotional service.
Prayäsa – Overendeavoring
The prayäsa for serving the Vaiñëavas is not prayäsa; for greed to
associate with one's own peers destroys faults in the form of desires
to associate with worldly-minded people.
The prayäsa for temple worship is a spontaneous manifestation of
the heart's emotions.
The prayäsa for activities like saìkértana is only meant to open one's
heart to chanting the Lord's holy names; it is therefore extremely
natural.
Prayäsa – Overendeavoring
There is no need for prayäsa in renunciation; because when devotion
to Kåñëa arises in the heart, the living entity easily becomes
disinterested in everything other than Kåñëa.
The Çrémad-Bhägavatam (1.2.7) says:
Prayäsa – Overendeavoring
väsudeve bhagavati
bhakti-yogaù prayojitaù
janayaty äçu vairägyaà
jïänaà ca yad ahaitukam
Bhakti (bhakti-yogaù) dedicated to Lord Kåñëa (väsudeve
bhagavati), endowed with special moods (prayojitaù),
quickly produces (janayaty äçu) detachment from material
goals (vairägyaà) and knowledge of the Lord (jïänaà ca)
devoid of the desire for liberation (yad ahaitukam).
Prayäsa – Overendeavoring
So when one gives up jïäna, karma, and vairägya prayäsa and engages in
devotional practices, then the obstacles of jïäna, karma, yoga, and vairägya
cannot pull one down.
Therefore it is established in the Çrémad-Bhägavatam (11.2.42):
bhaktiù pareçänubhavo viraktir anyatra caiña trika eka-kälaù
"Devotion (bhaktiù), direct experience of the Supreme Lord (pareçänubhavo),
and detachment from other things (viraktir anyatra ca)-these three (eña trika)
occur simultaneously for one who has taken shelter of the Supreme Personality
of Godhead (eka-kälaù),"
Prayäsa – Overendeavoring
When a devotee humbly and without duplicity chants and
remembers the holy names of Kåñëa, then real intelligence easily
awakens in this way: "I am spiritual particle, servant of Kåñëa; Kåñëa
is my eternal Lord; surrender to Kåñëa's lotus feet is my eternal
nature; this world is like a traveler's rest-house; and to be attached to
anything of this world will not give me eternal happiness."
Like this, a practitioner soon attains all perfection.
Prayäsa – Overendeavoring
Jnäna-prayäsa, karma-prayäsa, yoga-prayäsa, mukti-prayäsa, as well
as overendeavoring for material enjoyment, worldly achievements,
and association with materialistic people are all hostile principles for
one who has taken shelter of the holy name.
By these different forms of prayäsa, one's devotional service is
ruined.
The prayäsa for attaining pratiñöhä, or fame, is the lowest of all kinds
of prayäsa.
Prayäsa – Overendeavoring
Although it is the lowest, it is unavoidable for many.
And that also should be given up by the simple process of devotional
service.
Therefore Sanätana Gosvämé has stated in the Hari-bhakti-viläsa, the
concluding verse:
Prayäsa – Overendeavoring
sarva tyäge 'py aheyäyäù
sarvänartha bhuvaç ca te
kuryuù pratiñöhäviñöhäyä
yatnam asparçane varam
"Even if one can give up all material desires (sarva tyäge 'py), the
desire for fame is very difficult to give up (aheyäyäù). This desire for
fame, which is compared to stool (pratiñöhäviñöhäyä), is the root
cause of all anarthas (bhuvaç ca te sarvänartha kuryuù). Therefore,
one should carefully avoid touching this stool-like desire for fame
(yatnam asparçane varam)."
Prayäsa – Overendeavoring
This instruction is extremely serious.
The devotee should follow this exclusive duty with special care.
A practicing devotee should pass his life in a natural occupation that
is favorable to devotional service, and he should chant and
remember the holy names with knowledge of his relationship with
the Lord.
Prayäsa – Overendeavoring
This process of worship without prayäsa again has two different
kinds of applications-for householders and for renunciates.
Making varëäçrama favorable to devotional service, the householder
should pass his life engaged in devotional service free from prayäsa.
They should earn and save only to easily maintain the family
members.
Prayäsa – Overendeavoring
If they always remember that worshiping Hari is the only purpose of
life, then they will never fall into illusion.
In happiness and distress, in good fortune and bad, in waking and
sleep-in every condition-worshiping Hari will quickly be perfected.
And the renunciate should not save at all.
Prayäsa – Overendeavoring
He should maintain his body by daily begging alms and thus engage
in devotional service.
They should not stay in any enterprise.
By entering into enterprise, he is at fault.
The more he worships the Lord with humility and simplicity, the
more he will understand Kåñëa, by His mercy.
Prayäsa – Overendeavoring
• As stated by Lord Brahmä in the Çrémad-Bhägavatam (10.14.8):
tat te 'nukampäà susamékñamäëo
bhuïjäna evätma-kåtaà vipäkam
håd-väg-vapurbhir vidadhan namas te
jéveta yo mukti-pade sa däya-bhäk
One who earnestly waits (su-samékñamäëo) for you to bestow your mercy
upon him (tat te ’nukampäà), all the while patiently suffering the reactions of
his past misdeeds (bhuïjäna evätma-kåtaà vipäkam) and passes his life (yah
jéveta) by offering you respectful obeisances with his heart, words and body
(håd-väg-vapurbhir vidadhan namas te), is the rightful claimant (sah däya-
bhäk) of you, the shelter of liberation (mukti-pade).
Prayäsa – Overendeavoring
Nothing is achieved by jnäna-prayäsa, but one can know Kåñëa only by His
mercy. Therefore Çrémad-Bhägavatam (10.14.29) says:
athäpi te deva padämbuja-dvaya-
prasäda-leçänugåhéta eva hi
jänäti tattvaà bhagavan-mahimno
na cänya eko 'pi ciraà vicinvan
"My Lord (deva), if one is favored (athäpi anugåhéta) by even a slight trace of
the mercy (prasäda-leça) of Your lotus feet (te padämbuja-dvaya), he can
understand the greatness of Your personality (jänäti tattvaà bhagavan-
mahimno). But those who speculate to understand the Supreme Personality of
Godhead are unable to know You (na cänya eko 'pi), even though they
continue to study the Vedas for many years (ciraà vicinvan)."
Prayäsa – Overendeavoring
If one takes shelter of the holy names with humility, then by the
mercy of the Lord-without prayäsa-all knowledge of the Absolute
Truth that should be known awakens within the heart of the simple
devotee.
This knowledge is never attained by independent prayäsa.
