Vaishnava Ke
Who is a Vaiṣṇava?
Written by: His Divine Grace Gauḍīya Goṣṭhi Pati
Paramahaṃsācārya Varya Śri Śrīla Bhakti
Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākur Prabhupāda
By the causeless mercy of Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta
Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda Jagat GurU
The book is compiled by His Divine Grace Shri
Shyam Das Babaji Mahārāja
Vaishnava Ke
We pray to all Sarasvati Gaudiya vaiṣṇava,
the most powerful and compassionate
commenders of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's
team, that they will forever protect us under
their divine Lotus Feet and help us carry
out their orders with humility and love. We
ask the readers to forgive our mistakes and
inadequacies and, like bees, only look for the
essence. At the same time, we hope that
the willing readers will submit suggestions
for improvement to us and point out any
shortcomings. We pray, venerable vaiṣṇavas,
to be allowed to be devoted to you from the
bottom of our hearts,
A Note From the Publisher:
On behalf of our society, we feel very happy to have an opportunity
to publish these most valuable verses by Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta
Sarasvatī Ṭhākur Prabhupāda. In response to the ongoing behest
of vaiṣṇavas, Śrīla Babajī Mahārāja guides us through the verses
of “Vaiṣṇava Ke,” increasingly illuminating deeper inner meaning at
each and every step.
Without the unmitigated kṛpā of Śrīla Prabhupāda, it is quite
impossible to gain entry into the subject matter of “Vaiṣṇava Ke.”
Śrīla Prabhupāda’s writings are externally very hard like a coconut
shell, but when that shell is broken, the food inside completely
satiates our minds.
Due to extreme busyness, this sevā was laying due for a long
time. Now by the grace of Śri Śri Guru-Gaurāṅga, it is possible now
for us to publish this. We hope that this may inspire an evolution
within the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava society and that all who may read this
most valuable book will be benefited. We beg for your causeless
mercy, nothing else.
Vaishnava Ke
Table of
Contents
The editorial pen 08
Introduction 11
First Chapter 13
Second Chapter 19
Third Chapter 23
Fourth Chapter 29
Fifth Chapter 35
Sixth Chapter 39
Seventh Chapter 43
Eighth Chapter 47
Nineth Chapter 53
Tenth Chapter 61
Eleventh Chapter 67
Twelfth Chapter 73
Thirteenth Chapter 79
Fourteenth Chapter 85
Fifteenth Chapter 91
Sixteenth Chapter 99
Seventeenth Chapter 107
Eighteenth Chapter 115
Nineteenth Chapter 123
Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī
Ṭhākur Prabhupāda
Vaishnava Ke
Śrī Śrīmad Bhakti Pramoda Purī
Gosvāmī Mahārāja
Shri Shyam Das Babaji Maharaj
Vaishnava Ke
The Editorial Pen
This age of Kali is the age of controversy, so naturally, people are
always confused regarding whom to follow or how to follow. Any
confusion or doubt in our life should be cured immediately before
the disease takes a chronic form.
ajñaś cāśraddadhānaś ca
saṁśayātmā vinaśyati
nāyaṁ loko ’sti na paro
na sukhaṁ saṁśayātmanaḥ
(Bhagavad-gītā. 4.40)
Those who are ignorant, faithless, and whose natures are doubtful
are ruined. Skeptics cannot achieve well-being in this world or the
next, nor can they even achieve happiness.
If misgivings are not resolved relating to dhām, nāma, parikara,
guru-vaiṣṇava-tattva, or bhāgavat–tattva before leaving the body,
then recurring birth and death is a must. Saṁśayātmā vinaśyati
indicates a fall down which descends into the limit of self-destruction.
The most valuable advice we must remember is:
siddhānta baliyā citte nā kara alasa
ihā ha-ite kṛṣṇe lāge sudṛḍha mānasa
(Śri Caitanya Caritāmṛita, Adi, 2.117)
A sincere student (sādhak) should not neglect the discussion
of such conclusions (vaiṣṇava siddhānta vicāra), considering them
controversial, for such discussions strengthen the mind. Thus one's
mind becomes attached to Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
This means we must be very careful about viśuddha-siddhānta
vicāra; we should avoid accepting the very dangerous mood of
lethargy regarding siddhānta vicāra. Through the practice of viśuddha-
siddhānta vicāra, our mind can become firmly fixed unto the Lotus
8
Feet of Śri Kṛṣṇa. Those sahajiyās or so-called devotees never
like to accept the viśuddha-siddhānta vicāra exemplified by Śrīla
Saccidānanda Bhaktivinod Ṭhākur and Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta
Sarasvatī Gosvami Ṭhākur Prabhupāda.
To spare people confusion, Śrīla Prabhupāda has composed
verses in “Vaiṣṇava Ke” that have provided a clear scientific guideline
related to guru-paraṃparā and bhāgavat-paraṃparā, illuminating
the intricate subject matter necessary to understand how to identify
a vaiṣṇava. Inspired by his feelings of grave concern on behalf of
the coming generations, Śrīla Saccidānanda Bhaktivinod Ṭhākur
has written that a pure sādhu-vaiṣṇava cannot be identified only
by external dress and activities; so then how can we identify them?
Śrīla Prabhupāda presented an analytical replay on this subject
matter within the verses of “Vaiṣṇava Ke” that elaborate nearly all
the possible points by which we may discern the symptoms of a
sādhu-guru-vaiṣṇava. Those who are truly interested in doing bhajan
from the core of the heart with full dedication must go through
these verses to develop a complete understanding of the subject
matter. Daily recitation of these verses can give immense strength
and stability in bhajan. This practice can also help us to detect the
various forms of defects that are inside of our hearts, naturally
gaining scope to rectify ourselves in the course of our bhajan.
The study of Sanskrit grammar is such a vast topic that oftentimes
one cannot maintain the patience to complete it. Out of matchless
compassion, our Jīva Gosvāmī has given this subject a scientific
design, shaping it through the application of various harināma-mala.
He has related sūtras of the Vyākaraṇ with various names of Hari
such as Kṛṣṇa, Govinda, Janārdana, Vāsudeva, etc. Similarly, Śrīla
Prabhupāda scientifically expounded the subject matter in “Vaiṣṇava
Ke” for our complete benefit.
All glories to Śri Śrī Guru-Gaurāṅga and Gomata,
The Editors
9
Vaishnava Ke
10
Introduction
His Divine Grace Paramahaṃsa Varya Gauḍīya Goṣṭhi Pati Śri
Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākur Prabhupāda
said, “Bonded jīvas cannot get inspiration to do hari-bhajan until
and unless they find a living firing example in front of them.” Our
ideal example is Saccidānanda Gaura Hari. Anybody can claim
themselves as a follower of Śri Gaurāṅga Deva, but a true follower
is extremely rare. Now the main question is: who is the genuine
follower of Śri Gaurasundar and who is not? To receive the exact
teachings of Śriman Mahāprabhu, we must submit ourselves unto
the Lotus Feet of Śrīla Saccidānanda Bhaktivinod Ṭhākur and Śrīla
Prabhupād Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī.
It has been the consistent, sustained commitment of Śrīla
Prabhupād to stay far away from sahajiyās, māyāvādīs, karmīs, or
wayward non-devotees. Pure devotees can never compromise and
accept anything less than śuddha-bhakti because compromising
means abandoning some good standards and accepting some
bad ones. In the way of pure bhakti, this is quite impossible. Pure
devotees are known for their firm resolution to avoid asat-saṅga.
asat-saṅga-tyāga, — ei vaiṣṇava-ācāra
strī-saṅgī’ — eka asādhu, ‘kṛṣṇābhakta’ āra
(Śri Caitanya Caritāmṛita, Madhya, 22.87)
A vaiṣṇava should always avoid association with ordinary people.
Common people are very much materially attached, especially to
women. Vaiṣṇavas should also avoid the company of those who
are not devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
Śrīla Prabhupāda was bound through compassion to write these
most valuable verses in “Vaiṣṇava Ke” to give us the complete
conception of sad-guru-vaiṣṇava (pure guru).
11
FirstChapter
duṣṭa mana! tumi kisera vaiṣṇava
pratiṣṭhāra tare, nirjanera ghare,
tava harināma kevala kaitava
O ,wicked mind! What kind of vaiṣṇava do you think you are?
Your pretentious show of chanting Lord Hari’s holy name in
a solitary place is only for the sake of attaining the false prestige
of worldly reputation is nothing but pure hypocrisy.
The Essence of This Verse:
Gauḍīya Goṣṭhi Pati Paramahaṃsācārya Varya Śri Śrīla Bhakti
Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākur Prabhupāda said, “What a
great difficult task it is to deliver a bonded soul from the jail-like
trap of mahāmāyā, to help them reach the Lotus feet of Bhagavān,
and to engage them in eternal sevā in the eternal dhām. Who
can realize such a difficult task from the heart? This is a most
benevolent task. Such an absolute benefit for a jīva (para upakār)
can never be found in the infinite cosmic world (material world).
A bonded soul is always full of four kinds of defects: bhrama,
pramāda, vipralipsā, and karaṇāpāṭava.
Bhrama: false knowledge, what is not to be accepted— seeing
something in the wrong way. For example, the fear that comes
from perceiving something like a snake when it is a rope or the
misconception of silver in a pearl-oyster.
Pramāda: lack of attention, wrong hearing or wrong speaking, to
13
Vaishnava Ke
Vaishnava Ke
accept or realize something in a different way than was intended.
Vipralipsā: propensity for cheating oneself.
Karaṇāpāṭava: imperfect material sense organs.
A bonded soul who encounters the topic of hari-bhajan will
experience nothing but nervous laughter. Śrīla Prahlād Mahārāj
spoke the following words in front of Śri Narasiṁha Deva very
softly in a crying mood:
jihvaikato ’cyuta vikarṣati māvitṛptā
śiśno ’nyatas tvag-udaraṁ śravaṇaṁ kutaścit
ghrāṇo ’nyataś capala-dṛk kva ca karma-śaktir
bahvyaḥ sapatnya iva geha-patiṁ lunanti
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 7.9.40)
[My dear Lord, O Acyuta! Infallible one! My position is like that of
a person whose many wives are each trying to attract him in their
own way: the tongue is attracted to palatable dishes, the genitals
toward attraction to the opposite sex, the sense of touch to soft
things, the belly to eating more even after it is filled, and the ears,
when not attempting to hear about You, are generally attracted to
nice songs; the sense of smell has been attracted another way, the
restless eyes are attracted to scenes of sense gratification, and
the active senses are attracted elsewhere to develop more and
more dissatisfaction in my life. In this way, I am certainly feeling
helpless.]
This is the painful situation of a bounded soul as explained in
these verses:
mana eva manuṣyasya
pūrva-rūpāṇi śaṁsati
bhaviṣyataś ca bhadraṁ te
tathaiva na bhaviṣyataḥ
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 4.29)
14
FirstChapter
O King, all good fortune unto you! The mind is the cause of
the living entity attaining a certain type of body per its association
with material nature. According to one’s mental composition, one
can understand what the living entity was in his past life as well
as what kind of body he will have in the future. Thus, the mind
indicates the past and future bodies.
The mind is considered the topmost, wicked of all the material
sense organs; often called the eleventh sense organ. When the
material mind is applied to all of the sense organs, it can never
reach param satya-vastu, (the absolute object).
yato vāco nivartante
aprāpya manasā saha
ānandaṁ brahmaṇo vidvā
ina bibheti kadachaneti
(Taittirīya Upaniṣad, 2.4.1)
[One who relies on the mind and words to reach Brahman will
experience insufficiency and turn back disappointed; one who
knows the bliss of Brahman never fears.]
For a bonded soul, the topic of hari-bhajan causes nothing but
nervous laughter. Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasized for us to chastise
the wicked mind just after waking from sleep. Paramahaṃsa Śrīla
Gaura Kishore Dās Babajī Mahārāj suggested for us to beat the
most dangerous, wicked mind at least one hundred times with a
shoe every morning. If we fail to chastise our wicked minds, there
is no chance for hari-bhajan to arise. In such a case, how and when
can we become a real vaiṣṇava? This is just a false dream for us,
nothing else. We need to engage in self-inquiry to realize whether
we are vaiṣṇava or not in the true sense. It is due to Māyādevī’s
arrangement that everybody likes to get lābha, pūjā, and pratiṣṭhā
in return for whatever act they perform including education,
business, jobs, or even for doing hari-bhajan. Even in the way of
hari-bhajan, hardly any of us like to offer unalloyed sevā of hari-
15
Vaishnava Ke
Vaishnava Ke
guru-vaiṣṇava. There is almost always some duplicity coming to
contaminate our hearts which is a huge type of impediment in the
way of hari-bhajan. To gather false pratiṣṭhā, we sometimes act
as sādhu to show our solitary nāma-bhajan. This is really very
dangerous; it is nothing but cheating.
16
SecondChapter
jaḍera pratiṣṭhā, śūkarera viṣṭhā,
jāna nā ki tāhā māyāra vaibhāva
kanaka-kāminī, divasa-yāminī,
bhāviyā ki kāja, anitya se saba
M aterial name and fame are just like a pig's stool. Do you not
know that it is a part of māyā, the illusory environment? Your
days and nights are filled with worries about money and women,
but what is the use? It is all temporary.
The Essence of This Verse:
Gauḍīya Goṣṭhi Pati Paramahaṃsācārya Varya Śri Śrīla Bhakti
Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākur Prabhupāda told us that,
“rūpānuga devotees never feel they deserve any personal credit for
any kind of specialty or special achievement. Because they know it
for sure that everything is done by the Supreme Lord, they attribute
all glories to the original source.”
Material pratiṣṭhā is compared with pig’s stool—what matter
exists that is worse than that? We know that a pig is a stool-eater
and subsequently passes stool, so what else can we expect out of
that? We should remember that all varieties of material pratiṣṭhā
are none other than expressions of Māyādevī’s opulence—unstable
and subject to change; ultimately terminating with death. Our
ātmā is an eternal cit particle, so our full attention should be on
19
Vaishnava Ke
Vaishnava Ke
pūrṇa chetan-vastu Bhagavān. Kanaka-kāminī-pratiṣṭhā is unstable;
regardless, we stay engaged in thinking about them all day and
night. What is the use of this? We should think over and over again
about these topics.
Actually, we have no connection with this material world, but we
still feel attraction or attachment to it. All worldly relationships we
have developed in this material world such as with father, mother,
brother, or wife are all māyā (illusion), nothing else. All these relative
relationships are ultimately throwing us into the ocean of misery;
such bondage can never be cut. Only perfect sādhu-sanga can help
us to cut this bondage. Bhagavān Kapila Deva has given this advice
to mother Devahūti:
saṅgo yaḥ saṁsṛter hetur
asatsu vihito ’dhiyā
sa eva sādhuṣu kṛto
niḥsaṅgatvāya kalpate
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 3.23.55)
Engaging in material association with a feeling of material
attachment causes material bondage, but if done with a saintly
person, it leads to the path of liberation (or being free of material
association).
20
ThirdChapter
tomāra kanaka, bhojera janaka,
kanakera dvāre sevaha mādhava.
kāminīra kāma, nahe tava dhāma,
tāhāra mālika kevala yādava.”
Y our opulence is the source of enjoyment, but you must use your
opulence to serve Mādhava, The Supreme Lord. You hanker
for women, but they are not meant for you— their only proprietor
is Yādava, Kṛṣṇa.
The Essence of This Verse:
Gauḍīya Goṣṭhi Pati Paramahaṃsācārya Varya Śri Śrīla Bhakti
Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākur Prabhupāda warned us that
to collect a huge amount of money is not our target. If we do so,
the mood to insult guru-vaiṣṇava can develop in us.
Bonded souls roll with material enjoyment life after life; infinitely.
Each and everything including kanaka, kāminī, and pratiṣṭhā should
be utilized in the service of the Supreme Lord. Whatever bonded
souls get is used for personal or material enjoyment; we are
habituated to that indefinitely.
As per yukta-vairāgya vidyā (all proper adjustments in relation
to kṛṣṇa-sevā) we can utilize each and everything for the sevā of
Mādhavajī Bhagavān. Our vairāgya is not avidyā (ignorant) rather it
is very helpful to develop bhakti. A tendency of gradually increas-
ing a sevā mood can be felt inside the heart through the feeling of
yukta-vairāgya. Śrīla Sarvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya has written:
23
Vaishnava Ke
Vaishnava Ke
vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti-yoga-
śikṣārtham ekaḥ puruṣaḥ purāṇaḥ
śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-śarīra-dhārī
kṛpāmbudhir yas tam ahaṁ prapadye
(Gaurāṅga Śatakam)
I take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa,
who has descended in the form of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu to
teach us the real knowledge of His mood of devotional service. He
has descended because He is an ocean of transcendental mercy.
Let me surrender unto His Lotus Feet.
We gauḍīyas should always be in favor of yukta-vairāgya. The
following two important ślokas by Śrīla Rupa Gosvāmīpād are
found in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu as the evidence of yukta-vairāgya
vidyā. As per the instruction of Śrīla Prabhupāda, these two ślokas
are found on the cover front page of Gauḍīya Patrikā:
anāsaktasya viṣayān
yathārham upayuñjataḥ
nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe
yuktaṁ vairāgyam ucyate
(Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu, 1.2.255)
A person without attachment to sense enjoyment who accepts
whatever facilities are appropriate for the service of Śrī Kṛṣṇa is not
bound by such activities. Such detachment is said to be yukta-
vairāgya which means renunciation through always maintaining a
connection with Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
prāpañcikatayā buddhyā
hari-sambandhi-vastunaḥ
mumukṣubhiḥ parityāgo
vairāgyaṁ phalgu kathyate
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, 2.255-256)
24
Third Chapter
When one has no attachment for anything but simultaneously
accepts everything in relation to Kṛṣṇa, then one is properly situated
beyond possessiveness. On the other hand, one who rejects anything
or everything without the sense of sambandha-jñāna relating to
Kṛṣṇa, The Supreme Lord, their mood cannot be appreciated at all
as perfect vairāgya, rather it is called dry vairāgya (renunciation).
Baddha-jīvas are constantly influenced by māyā; always running
towards material enjoyment and feeling dissatisfaction. Certain
insects jump into a fiery death even after knowing the danger, as
do baddha-jīvas.
ye hi saṁsparśa-jā bhogā
duḥkha-yonaya eva te
ādy-antavantaḥ kaunteya
na teṣu ramate budhaḥ
(Bhagavad-gītā, 5.22)
[Learned persons (paṇḍits) never become attached to pleasures
derived from the material senses. Pleasures born of contact with
the senses only bring misery and suffering. O, son of Kunti! Learned
persons never derive pleasure from attaining all sorts of temporary
happiness. In a detached manner, they perform activities only to
maintain the body.]
We also know from Śrīmad Bhāgavatam that even after enjoying
like mad, Yayāti Mahārāj was not at all satisfied. He spoke about
his own painful direct realization in the following manner:
na jātu kāmaḥ kāmānām
upabhogena śāṁyati
haviṣā kṛṣṇa-vartmeva
bhūya evābhivardhate
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 9.19.14)
25
Vaishnava Ke
Vaishnava Ke
[As supplying ghee (clarified butter) into a fire does not diminish
the fire but instead increases it more and more, the endeavor to stop
lusty desires by continual enjoyment can never be successful.]
Nobody can conceive the far-reaching consequence of this kind
of dirty material enjoyment. The unending material desire of a
bonded soul never comes to an end because material enjoyment
can never give complete satisfaction. In Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, Piṅgalā
(a prostitute) has given this comment:
āśā hi paramaṁ duḥkhaṁ
nairāśyaṁ paramaṁ sukham
yathā sañchidya kāntāśāṁ
sukhaṁ suṣvāpa piṅgalā
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 11.8.44)
[Material desire is undoubtedly the cause of endless misery, and
the freedom from such desire is the cause of ultimate happiness.
Therefore, completely cutting off her desire to enjoy herself with
so-called lovers, Pingala was ultimately very happy and went to
sleep peacefully.]
Material desires are the root cause of all kinds of suffering.
No material desire means no tension; automatically, then absolute
bliss can touch the heart, but only through a mood of sevā towards
the Supreme Lord (bhakti). The prostitute Pingala was ultimately
feeling fed up with material enjoyment. She said, “By this material
body, if I could serve the topmost hero of this whole cosmic
creation, Supreme Lord, then my life would have been better. I
wasted all my time and energy for this rubbish material body made
up of blood and flesh which is most unstable.” She developed a
sevā mood for the Supreme Lord, thereby the words absolute bliss
of mind and heart can be applied here.
Śrīla Prabhupāda used to say that when our desires tally with
the desires of Bhagavān (Supreme Lord), then and only then we
can become happy in a true sense. Whatever items we have around
26
Third Chapter
us are for the sevā of the Supreme Lord only, not for our sensual
gratification. The absolute owner of souls, Śri Kṛṣṇa, should be
worshiped with the help of kāminī, kanchan, etc.
27
FourthChapter
pratiṣṭhāśā-taru, jada-māyā-maru
nā pela rāvaṇa yūjhiya rāghava:
vaiṣṇavī pratiṣṭhā, tāte kara niṣṭhā,
tāhā nā bhajile labhibe raurava
T he demon Rāvaṇa (lust-incarnate) fought with Lord Rāmacandra
(love-incarnate) to gain the tree of worldly reputation (worldly
pratiṣṭhā) but that illusion was like an oasis that turned out to be
but a mirage cast in the desert wasteland of the Lord’s illusory
material potency. Please cultivate fixed determination to attain only
the steady and solid platform whereupon a vaiṣṇava ever stands.
If you neglect to worship the Lord from this position, then you will
ultimately attain a hellish existence.
The Essence of This Verse:
29
Vaishnava Ke
Vaishnava Ke
Gauḍīya Goṣṭhi Pati Paramahaṃsācārya Varya Śri Śrīla Bhakti
Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākur Prabhupāda told that we
Gauḍīyas always believe in ekāyan-paddati (one-pointed procedure).
The ekāyan process of sevā means each and everything should
be directed towards the Lotus Feet of the Supreme Lord (sevya-
vigraha) through the authentic channel. All lābha, pūjā, pratiṣṭhā,
etc. coming in our bhajan life should be properly channelized
through authentic guru-paraṃparā (bhāgavat-paraṃparā) to reach
the Lotus Feet of the Supreme Lord, sevya-vigraha through the
original āśraya-vigraha.
There should not be any question of retaining a personal share
of lābha-pūjā-pratiṣṭhā; otherwise, our bhajan may become spoiled.
The usual growth of a pratiṣṭhā-āśā (hope for pratiṣṭhā) tree is just
like the impossible task of searching for water in a desert while
hypnotized by a mirage. A person covers a great distance in vain as
there is no actual water to be found, ultimately resulting in death.
This may be compared to the case of Rāvaṇa. He wanted to fight
with the Supreme Lord Rāghava (Śri Ram) to ensure his personal
lābha-pūjā-pratiṣṭhā or kāminī-kanchan. What was the final result?
We should contemplate this over and again.
Vaiṣṇavi-pratiṣṭhā is exclusive and pure; it should not be confused
with dirty and unstable material pratiṣṭhā. On the contrary, if we
cannot develop full faith in vaiṣṇavi-pratiṣṭhā, then surely we
will have to go to hell—there’s no doubt in it. Vaiṣṇavi-pratiṣṭhā is
all reserved for guru-varga or ultimately for the original āśraya-
vigraha. We cannot reserve the right to avoid this vaiṣṇavi-pratiṣṭhā;
undoubtedly it is a great offense.
Śrīla Mādhavendra Purīpāda was completely uninterested in
any kind of pratiṣṭhā; he always wanted to avoid it. We remember
that when the transcendental news of Śri Gopīnath Bhagavān
Himself having stolen khīra for him was about to be spread quickly
throughout the town, he left immediately in fear of pratiṣṭhā. This
was none other than pure vaiṣṇavi-pratiṣṭhā which was ultimately
arranged by the Supreme Lord, Śri Gopīnath. Therefore, Śrīla
30
Fourth Chapter
Mādhavendra Purīpāda was bound to accept that unique pratiṣṭhā
for the complete satisfaction of the Supreme Lord.
A vaiṣṇava must be ready to accept pure vaiṣṇavi-pratiṣṭhā in
relation to any sevā such as hari-kathā, hari-kīrtan sevā, (preaching)
puja-sevā, bhikṣā-sevā, guru-sevā, etc. Vaiṣṇavi-pratiṣṭhā surely
cannot contaminate his heart because there is no smell of personal
pratiṣṭhā within it.
Vaiṣṇavi Pratiṣṭhā-tattva and Material Pratiṣṭhā
Pratiṣṭhā is a must in our life, nobody can avoid pratiṣṭhā-āśā;
it is next to impossible. Even if we can reach the point of avoiding
kāminī-kanchan, we can not leave that pratiṣṭhā. Honestly speaking,
even after death, we like to protect and preserve our pratiṣṭhā—it is
such a dangerous disease. Our solitary bhajan is to get pratiṣṭhā,
our mauna-vrata is to get pratiṣṭhā, our preaching is also to get
pratiṣṭhā, our guru-vaiṣṇava sevā is for pratiṣṭhā, etc. If someone
claims, “I do not want any pratiṣṭhā,” this is completely wrong.
The desire for pratiṣṭhā can remain very secret and elicit more
and more pratiṣṭhā in our life. All of the fighting and competition
evidenced in the fields of politics, education, service, business, or
even in the field of sports can also be seen in the field of so-called
bhajan. Competition is a must; it can never be avoided.
As per Sanskrit grammar, we know that the suffix prati together
with the root sthā plus oma composes the word pratiṣṭhā. Sthā
means stability, but absolutely everything in this material world is
unstable. This surely indicates the way towards eternity. Material
stability of creation and destruction are natural phenomena in this
material world, so how then can material pratiṣṭhā gain infinite
stability? That is why pure guru-vaiṣṇavas never accept any material
pratiṣṭhā, not even in a dream.
The total existence of this material creation comes from sandhinī
śakti. In Brahma-saṁhitā, we read:
31
Vaishnava Ke
Vaishnava Ke
sahasra-patra-kamalaṁ
gokulākhyaṁ mahat padam
tat-karṇikāraṁ tad-dhāma
tad-anantāṁśa-sambhāvam
(Brahma-saṁhitā, 5.2)
[Śri Gokula-dhāma is the superlative realm of Śri Kṛṣṇa. It
is eternally manifested by Śri Baladeva of whom Śri Anantadeva
is but a partial expansion. This eternal, transcendental abode of
Gokula exists in the form of a divine lotus flower with thousands of
petals. Śri Kṛṣṇa’s residence is the pericarp, situated in the center
of the whorl of that lotus.]
We can see that any eternal stability in the eternal world is
due to Baladeva-Anantadeva who is our Nityānanda Prabhu. The
perverted reflection of that sandhinī-śakti (visible in this material
world as material creation) is due to the original sandhinī-śakti
which exists in the transcendental world where the stability of
eternal creation may be found. The outcome of our discussion
brings attention to the eternal stability of eternal pratiṣṭhā which rests
only unto the Lotus Feet of Nityānanda Baladeva or Anantadeva. The
chastity of our pratiṣṭhā can be protected only if we can attribute
all our credit and glories unto the Lotus Feet of Śriman Nityānanda
Baladeva—the original guru-tattva. This is the actual secret of vaiṣṇavi
pratiṣṭhā-tattva.
If our submission unto the Lotus Feet of Śriman Nityānanda
Prabhu is imperfect or even slightly deviated (coming from a
contaminated heart,) then it is surely not vaiṣṇavi-pratiṣṭhā. Śrīla
Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākur Prabhupāda used
to say that the slightest deviation from the track of your guru-
pādapadma can ultimately throw you away from bhajan. This is
why Raguṇatha Dāsa Gosvāmī has written the following:
32
Fourth Chapter
pratiṣṭhāśā dhṛṣṭā śvapaca-ramaṇī me hṛdi naṭet
kathaṁ sādhu-premā spṛśati śucir etan nanu manaḥ
sadā tvaṁ sevā sva prabhu-dayita-sāmantam atulaṁ
yathā tāṁ niṣkāśya tvaritam iha taṁ veśayati saḥ
(Śri Manaḥ-śikṣā, 7)
Why is it that deceit still lingers in one’s heart despite having given
up all material sense enjoyment? This verse has been composed
to answer this question.
[O, mind! How can pure divine love appear in my heart as
long as the shameless dog-eating, outcaste woman of the desire
for pratiṣṭhā is audaciously dancing there? Therefore always
remember and serve the immeasurably powerful commanders
of the army of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the beloved devotees of the Lord. They
will at once banish this outcast woman and initiate the flow of
immaculate vraja-prema from within your heart.]
Unparalleled, undefeated eternal pratiṣṭhā is resting there unto
the Lotus Feet of my Paramahaṃsa Jagadguru (understanding
that Śriman Nityānanda Baladeva-Anantadeva) is becoming
manifest in front of us as our sad-gurudeva. If anybody likes to
compete with Him, then a fall down is a must in his life. By now,
it is very clear that those who express a jealous mood against
Prabhupāda and his mission surely can get lost or go to hell; there
is no doubt about it.
33
Vaishnava Ke
34
FifthChapter
harijana-dveṣa, pratiṣṭhāśā kleśa,
kara kena tabe tāhāra gaurava.
vaiṣṇavera pāche, pratiṣṭhāśā āche,
tā’ta kabhu nahe anitya-vaibhāva
W hy do you needlessly suffer the torment of blaspheming the
devotees of Lord Hari, attempting to achieve their eminence
while only proving your own fruitless foolishness? The desire for
spiritual eminence is easily fulfilled when one becomes a devotee
of the Lord, for eternal fame automatically follows the heels of a
vaiṣṇava. That fame is never to be considered a temporary worldly
opulence.
The Essence of This Verse:
Gauḍīya Goṣṭhi Pati Paramahaṃsācārya Varya Śri Śrīla Bhakti
Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākur Prabhupāda explained that to
express an angry attitude against one who criticizes sādhu-guru-
vaiṣṇava is bhakti. If in this case anger is not expressed, one can
lose bhakti because it is a great offense.
Those who express an envious attitude against bhāgavat-bhakta
(harijana, sādhu, guru, and vaiṣṇava) don’t know that they are simply
going to destroy themselves. In the last chapter, we discussed
this vaiṣṇavi-pratiṣṭhā and avaiṣṇavi-pratiṣṭhā (material pratiṣṭhā) in
detail. It was explained that one who wishes to prove himself as
being important will start a competition. Otherwise, why should
35
Vaishnava Ke
Vaishnava Ke
one start a competition? Without a mood of jealousy, a competitive
mood cannot arise.
Niṣkiñcan sādhu-guru-vaiṣṇavas deem themselves as being
nothing because they have their eternal relationship with Ananta
Deva. They can see or realize each and everything as being
directed by Ananta Deva; naturally, their humbleness is always in
contact with the Lotus Feet of the tṛṇād api sunīcena bhāva. When
one cannot realize that life is very unstable, then the question
of collecting kāminī-kancan or pratiṣṭhā can arise in their life and
cover up their consciousness, driving them the wrong way towards
māyā.
ajaramavat pragya vidyāmarthancha chintayet
grihita eva kesheshu mrityuna dharmamacharet
(Nītiśāstra, Cāṇakya Paṇḍita)
To collect vidyā (educational qualification) or kāminī-kancan
(opulence/vaibhāva) one must think that he is immortal. Also, he
who runs towards ātmā-dharma must think that his hair is being
pulled by Yamarāja (God of Death). When someone forgets about
his imminent death, then he becomes restless to collect money,
position, (kāminī-kancan), etc. One should not express pride or ego
related to material pratiṣṭhā— it is very unstable.
The opulence of Indra Deva (King of Heaven) or Rāvaṇa are all
very unstable— at any time those can go away; there is no surety
in it. Indra Deva was a street beggar when he was driven away
from heaven by asuras who were empowered by Bali Mahārāja.
After killing Viśvarūpa, the Brahma-guru, and Vṛtrāsura, he was
so helpless that we cannot even imagine. So where then is the
stability of his pratiṣṭhā?
tayendraḥ smāsahat tāpaṁ
nirvṛtir nāmum āviśat
hrīmantaṁ vācyatāṁ prāptaṁ
sukhayanty api no guṇāḥ
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 6.13.11, Glorification of Padma Purāṇa)
36
Fifth Chapter
[Following the advice of the demigods, Indra killed Vṛtrāsura
and he suffered because of this sinful killing. Although the other
demigods were happy, he could not derive happiness from the
killing of Vṛtrāsura. Indra’s other good qualities, such as tolerance
and opulence could not help him in his grief.]
na chendrasya shukham
kinchinna shukham chakkrabartinah
shukhamasti viraktasya
munerekanta jivinah
(Padma Purāṇa, 4.75)
[No trace of happiness can be found in the life of Indra Mahārāja
nor in the life of a king who enjoys full sovereignty. Only those
who are devoid of material enjoyment and living without any
material disturbances with the exclusive mood of bhāgavata-cintā
(constantly remembering the Lord) are leading a truly blissful life—
nobody else.]
Rāvaṇa wanted to exceed the final limit of his false ego by
avoiding or ignoring everyone. Finally, he committed aparādh unto
the Lotus Feet of the Supreme Lord Rāmachandra Bhagavān. Indra
was also very proud of his exclusive unmatched opulence. We have
seen in the previous chapter that the vaiṣṇavi-pratiṣṭhā is running
behind pure guru and vaiṣṇava. This is never unstable because
vaiṣṇavi-pratiṣṭhā means eternal pratiṣṭhā which is resting unto
the Lotus Feet of Anantadeva-Baladeva-Nityānanda. We should
not have any confusion between vaiṣṇavi-pratiṣṭhā and avaiṣṇava-
pratiṣṭhā (or material pratiṣṭhā).
37
SixthChapter
se hari sambandha, śūnya-māyāgandha,
tāhā kabhu naya jaḍera kaitava:
pratiṣṭhā-caṇḍālī, nirjanatā-jālī
ubhaye jāniha māyika-raurava.
T he relationship between a devotee and Lord Hari is devoid of
even a trace of worldly illusion; it has nothing to do with the
materialistic cheating propensity— the pratiṣṭhā (prestige) of so-
called popularity in the material realm is compared to a treacherous
dog-eating witch, and the attempt to live in solitude to supposedly
engage in unalloyed bhajan is compared to an entangling network
of distraction. Please know that anyone striving in either of these
ways verily lives in the hell of Māyā’s illusion.
The Essence of This Verse:
Gauḍīya Goṣṭhi Pati Paramahaṃsācārya Varya Śri Śrīla Bhakti
Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākur Prabhupāda explained,
“Without sambandha-jñāna, hari-bhajan cannot even start.” We
can also listen to the advice of Śrīla Saccidānanda Bhaktivinod
Ṭhākur in his kīrtan:
kṛpā koro vaiṣṇava ṭhākura, sambandha jāniyā
bhajite bhajite, abhimāna hau dūra
(Kalyāṇa-kalpataru, Prarthana Lalasmayi, Song 8)
39
Vaishnava Ke
Vaishnava Ke
[O, Vaiṣṇava Ṭhākura! Please give me your mercy –bestow
upon me the knowledge of my relationship with Bhagavān and the
ability to do bhajan, sending my false ego far away.]
Sambandha-jñāna bhajan can help us to reach the stage of
purity wherein the false ego cannot stay. Śrīla Prabhupāda used to
say, “Śri Gauḍīya Maṭh cannot have any relation with those persons
who viciously join Gauḍīya Maṭh with a motive to misuse divine
knowledge for the service of their selfish ends. Feigned dīkṣā and
obtainment of divine knowledge are never the same. Śri Caitanya
and his sincere devotees are eternally present in Śri Gauḍīya Maṭh.
All those owlish persons who are incapable of seeing the light are
so-called māyāvādīs, karmīs, and wayward non-devotees.”
The vast subject of saṃbandha-jñāna may be summarized in gist
as the realization of our relationship with Guru-Vaiṣṇava-Bhagavān,
the internal relationship between Bhagavān and Māyā, etc. A fully
detailed analytical perception should be inside our hearts to do
hari-bhajan; it cannot practically even start without this.
Upon examining our material lives, we can observe that our
temporary familial relationships such as mother and father with son
or wife with husband automatically can guide us in our respective
duties and responsibilities towards each other. Only after marriage,
a daughter can discover (or feel) her duty to her husband—not before
that; she may give birth, but can only practically feel her maternity
when it happens, not before that. One can never practically develop
sambandha-jñāna (a sense of relationship) by reading books or
papers.
The secrecy of sambandha tattva-jñāna is reserved by sad-
gurudeva because of his direct feeling of bhāgavat-sevā. Naturally,
he can give me that kind of direct feeling of sevā of adhokṣaja-vastu
if he wants to, depending on our sincere and genuine endeavor.
False dīkṣā can never help us to develop sambandha-jñāna in a true
sense. As per the divine formula yukta-vairāgya, proper scientific
adjustment of anything or everything about the Supreme Lord
is possible. In Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Śrīla Rupa Gosvāmīpāda
40
Sixth Chapter
compiled two very important ślokas about this yukta-vairāgya:
anāsaktasya viṣayān yathārham upayuñjataḥ
nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe yuktaṃ vairāgyam ucyate
prāpañcikatayā buddhyā hari-sambandhi-vastunaḥ
mumukṣubhiḥ parityāgo vairāgyaṃ phalgu kathyate
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, 2.255-256)
When one has no attachment for anything but at the same
time accepts everything about Kṛṣṇa, then one is properly situated
beyond possessiveness. On the other hand, for one who rejects
anything or everything without the sense of sambandha-jñāna
relating to Kṛṣṇa the Supreme Lord, this cannot be appreciated at
all as perfect vairāgya, (renunciation) rather it is called dry vairāgya.
From Hari-bhakti-vilās, twenty-eighth wave, ninety-eighth śloka:
sarvatyāge apiahea yāḥ sarvānartha bhuvascha te
kuryuḥ pratiṣṭhā bhi ̄sthaya yatnaṁ sparsane varaṁ
(Haribhakti Vilas 2part 20/370)
Even after leaving everything, which is impossible to avoid,
whereas which is the root cause of all anarthas, such prathista
stool should not be touched with great care, this can ensure the
best mangal.
The theme of this śloka is that though it is impossible to avoid all
evils, (anarthas) still, somehow, even after renouncing everything
which can not be ignored (which are, at the same time, the main
source of all evils (anarthas)—that is called pratiṣṭhā bistha (stool).
One should take care of this thing very sincerely so that this cannot
touch our heart to contaminate or spoil our bhajan.
41
Śrīla Mādhavendra Purīpād Samādhi
SeventhChapter
kīrtana chāḍiba, pratiṣṭhā mākhiba,
ki kāja ḍhuñḍiyā tādṛśā gaurava:
mādhavendra purī, bhāva-ghare chūri,
nā karila kabhu sadāi jānava.
W hat is the use of seeking such material pratiṣṭhā (prestige,
position) if it causes me to leave kīrtan? I should remember
that Mādhavendra Purīpād never wanted to cheat himself. He always
wanted to maintain his aprākṛta-bhāva without any duplicity.
The Essence of This Verse:
Gauḍīya Goṣṭhi Pati Paramahaṃsācārya Varya Śri Śrīla Bhakti
Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākur Prabhupāda told us that,
“Life is unstable, anytime we can go away from this material
world. While staying here we must try to think about what will
happen after our death; where will we be taken after death? We
should think about our eternal life.” He further said that under no
circumstance should we stop hari-kīrtan, hari-kathā—which is the
life and soul of our bhajan.
Jīvātmā aṇu caitanya—jīvātmā is anuśabda; our svarup nature
must be like aprākṛta (sound vibration.) Aprākṛta sound vibration
means aprākṛta nada brahma. So nāma-sankīrtan is our svarūpa
dharma. Nada brahma means aprākṛta śabda brahma. The following
śloka supports our siddhānta vicāra:
43
Vaishnava Ke
Vaishnava Ke
anadi nidhanam brahma sabda yadaksharah
nivartate artha bhabena prakria jagato yatah
(Brahma-khaṇḍa)
This śloka establishes that akṣara or indestructible eternal
śabda-tattva is nadā-brahma. Naturally, brahma-jigyasa (inquiry
about the Brahma) means śabda-jigyasa.
What is that tattva? The first sūtra of Vedānta: janmādy asya
yato. This means that creation, maintenance, and destruction
are all done by nada-brahma (śabda-brahma). The last part of the
above śloka is the same as was given above as the explanation
of janmādy asya yato in Vedānta-sūtra: creation, maintenance and
destruction are all done by nada-brahma.
Śrīla Prabhupāda told us, “We must go on doing kīrtan continuously
while staying under the Lotus Feet of guru-pādapadma.” To stop or
leave kīrtan on some pretext while maintaining a demand of material
pratiṣṭhā (to exhibit solitary bhajan) is really very dangerous. What
is the use in searching for such false pratiṣṭhā? Śrīla Mādhavendra
Purīpād, who is the main pillar in the way of our gauḍīya-bhajan,
never wanted to show such duplicity. He was very fearful about
the dirty stool of material pratiṣṭhā, so he fled when he came to
know that Bhagavān Gopīnath Himself had stolen a pot of khīra for
him. When this news would reach the public, it could bring huge
pratiṣṭhā which a genuine sādhu like him, of course, likes to avoid.
He left that place very early in the morning before sunrise to avoid
such pratiṣṭhā which could be harmful to his bhajan.
Śrīla Prabhupāda used to say that, “In the course of hari-bhajan
labha-puja-pratiṣṭhā (or kāminī-kancan) can automatically come
into your life, but do not be busy yourself with all those things.
Such labha-puja-pratiṣṭhā should be given unto the Lotus Feet of
sad-gurudeva to avoid self-distraction.” The chastity of all pratiṣṭhā
resting unto the Lotus Feet of akar guru-tattva, Śri Nityānanda
Balaram, therefore, we have no right to rob all those things along the
way. Vaiṣṇavi-pratiṣṭhā is such a unique thing that a sādhu cannot
44
SeventhChapter
avoid as it is arranged by the Supreme Lord Himself. Though Śrīla
Mādhavendra Purīpād wanted to avoid pratiṣṭhā, special vaisnavi-
pratiṣṭhā was arranged for him by Śri Gopīnath Himself; naturally,
he was bound to accept that pratiṣṭhā.
pratiṣṭhāra svabhāva ei jagate vidita
ye nā vāñche, tāra haya vidhātā-nirmita
(Śri Caitanya Caritāmṛita, Madhya, 4.146)
[A transcendental reputation makes one well-known. Even though
he may not want fame, it comes anyway.]
45
EighthChapter
tomāra pratiṣṭhā, śūkarera viṣṭhā,
tāra saha sama kabhu nā mānava:
matsaratā-vaśe, tūmi jaḍarase,
majecha chāḍiyā kīrtana-sauṣṭhava.
Y our fame (pratiṣṭhā) is like pig's stool. Never think it is one
and the same with vaiṣṇavi-pratiṣṭhā (as the fame of great
vaiṣṇavas.) You only going to be overwhelmed by the endless
jealousy and enjoyment of this material world and you will forget
all the excellent glories of saṅkīrtan.
The Essence of This Verse:
Gauḍīya Goṣṭhi Pati Paramahaṃsācārya Varya Śri Śrīla Bhakti
Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākur Prabhupāda instructed, “When
I think of myself as being superior to others, then the question of
ignoring or insulting others can come.” Jealousy is the main viral
disease that can lead us up to hell. Of the six dangerous enemies
of kāma, krodha, lobha, moha, mada, and mātsarya, mātsarya is
the topmost enemy of all. Śrīla Narottama Ṭhākur Mahāśaya has
written an exact explanation of the following śloka by Śrīla Rupa
Gosvāmīpād a kīrtan in Prema-bhakti-candrikā:
anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam
ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā
(Śri Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, 1.1.11)
47
Vaishnava Ke
Vaishnava Ke
Perpetual, ardent endeavor exclusively for Śri Kṛṣṇa-sevā, performed
out of genuine love and affection to Him, neither prone to any selfish,
ulterior desires nor eclipsed by impersonal knowledge, fruitive work,
or any other duty is known as uttama-bhakti. These kīrtans from
Prema-bhakti-candrikā were given by Śrīla Narottam Mahāśaya:
anya abhilāṣa chāḍi,
jñāna karma parihari,
kāya mane koribo bhajana
sādhu sańga kṛṣṇa sevā,
nā pūjibo anya devā
ei bhakti parama kāraṇa
(Text 1, Ekānta-bhakti)
[The topmost process of devotional service is to worship the
Lord with one’s body, mind, and senses while giving up desires for
fruitive activities and mental speculation. One should serve Lord
Kṛṣṇa in the association of devotees without worshipping any
demigods.]
mahājanera yei patha
tāte habe anūrata
pūrvāpara kariẏā vicāra
sādhana-smaraṇa-līlā
ihāte nā kara helā
kāẏamane kariẏā sūsāra
(Text 2, Ekānta-bhakti)
[The essence of sādhana-bhakti is to carefully consider and follow
the path displayed by our previous mahājanas (great personalities)
by understanding the proper harmony or relevancy of the teachings
of the previous and the present mahājanas. One should not neglect
the practice of remembering the pastimes of the Lord, for devotional
service should be performed with the mind as well as the body.]
48
EighthChapter
Śrīla Narottam Ṭhākur Mahāśaya has shown us all the unique
application of each and every negative thing like kāma, krodha,
etc. in a positive way related to kṛṣṇa-bhajan:
Kāma (or kamanā) should be applied in kṛṣṇa-karmārpaṇa.
kāyena vācā manasendriyair vā
buddhyātmanā vānusṛta-svabhāvāt
karoti yad yat sakalaṁ parasmai
nārāyaṇāyeti samarpayet tat
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 11.2.36)
[In accordance with the particular nature, one has acquired
in conditioned life, whatever one does with body, words, mind,
senses, intelligence, or purified consciousness should be offered
to the Supreme Lord, thinking, “This is for the pleasure of Lord
Nārāyaṇa.”]
Krodha (anger)—Krodha should be applied against those who
are envious of sādhu guru-vaiṣṇava.
Lobha (greed)—should be applied in hearing hari-kathā from the
Lotus mouth of sādhu guru-vaiṣṇava.
Moha (infatuation)—should be applied in the case of failure in
attaining the successes in hari-bhajan; failure in attaining the Lotus
Feet of the Supreme Lord.
Mada (madness or intoxicated condition)— should be applied in
glorifying the qualities of the Supreme Lord.
Mātsarya (envy)—mātsarya can not be applied in any sevā in
any way because it is the most dangerous disease to spoil our
bhajan life. Within the last anartha-mātsarya all other anarthas can
be found to spoil our bhajan life with totally no solution at all.
Śrīla Narottam Ṭhākur Mahāśay could not find any positive
application of mātsarya in kṛṣṇa-bhajan, as it is the worst of all. All
49
Vaishnava Ke
Vaishnava Ke
the bad effects of all the other dangerous anarthas are present
together in this mātsarya bhāva, which can never be rectified. As we
search for the original reason behind this, we can find that personal
pratiṣṭhā is responsible, which is compared with the stool of a pig.
We think that our material pratiṣṭhā is the same as the vaiṣṇavi-
pratiṣṭhā of a great vaiṣṇava; but this conception is completely
wrong. Our jealousy can ultimately engage us in competition or
fighting with Guru-Vaiṣṇava-Bhagavān. This is the conception of
any asura; Jarasandha, Shishupala, Kamsa, Dantavakra are of this
nature.
Material rasa arising from material opulence can make us blind.
Out of an incurable intoxication mood of material vaibhāva, they
can ignore or insult Guru-Vaiṣṇava-Bhagavān or can even try to kill
or destroy them. Out of tremendous false ego (due to his high level
of material pratiṣṭhā related to his leadership over all prajāpatis),
Prajāpati Dakṣa could not realize the extreme dignity of Śri Śaṅkara
Bhagavān and ignored and insulted he who is known as Vaiṣṇava
Rāj.
nimna-gānāṁ yathā gaṅgā
devānām acyuto yathā
vaiṣṇavānāṁ yathā śambhuḥ
purāṇānām idam tathā
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 12.13.16)
[Just as the Gaṅgā is the greatest of all rivers, Lord Acyuta, the
Supreme Lord among other demigods, Lord Śambhu [Śiva] is the
greatest of all vaiṣṇavas, so Śrīmad Bhāgavatam is the greatest of
all Purāṇas.]
Also from Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, we know the following śloka on
the basis of which we can easily realize the reason why Prajāpati
Dakṣa wanted to ignore and insult Śaṅkara Bhagavān.
50
EighthChapter
vidyā-tapo-vitta-vapur-vayaḥ-kulaiḥ
satāṁ guṇaiḥ ṣaḍbhir asattametaraiḥ
smṛtau hatāyāṁ bhṛta-māna-durdṛśaḥ
stabdhā na paśyanti hi dhāma bhūyasām
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 4.3.17)
[The six qualities of education, austerity, wealth, beauty, youth,
and heritage are for those who are highly elevated. One who is
proud of possessing them becomes blind, thus losing his good
sense, unable to appreciate the glories of great personalities.]
This is the nature of material rasa; there is no stability in it.
When we avoid śrauta kīrtan pantha, (the way followed by our
previous guru-varga) automatically māyā can get control and then
we can feel more and more attraction toward material rasa. To
get aprākṛta-rasa of nāma-sankīrtan, we need free access to the
aprākṛta-sevā field, because this can only be possible when all our
sense organs can try to serve the Supreme Lord from the heart.
ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi
na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ
sevonmukhe hi jihvādau
svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ
(Śri Caitanya Caritāmṛita, Madhya 17.136)
[Therefore, the material senses cannot appreciate Kṛṣṇa’s holy
name, form, qualities, and pastimes. When a conditioned soul is
awakened to Kṛṣṇa-consciousness and renders service by using
his tongue to chant the Lord’s holy name and taste the remnants
of the Lord’s food, the tongue becomes purified, then one gradually
comes to understand who Kṛṣṇa really is.his tongue to chant the
Lord’s holy name and taste the remnants of the Lord’s food, the
tongue become purified, then one gradually comes to understand
who Kṛṣṇa really is.]
51
NinthChapter
tāi duṣṭa mana, nirjana-bhajana,
prachāricha chale kūyogī-vaibhāva
prabhu sanātane, prabhu yatane
śikṣā dila yāhā cinta sei saba
"O , naughty mind, you want to practice solitary bhajan on the
pretense of preaching to make your reputation well-known;
you are collecting opulence related to personal bhajan—this is
totally illegal; you are engaged in a foul practice. Mahāprabhu took
so much care to teach this to Sanātan Gosvāmī; always remember
that.
The Essence of This Verse:
Gauḍīya Goṣṭhi Pati Paramahaṃsācārya Varya Śri Śrīla Bhakti
Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākur Prabhupāda told us that,
“Within this short period of life you all under the guidance of
the same āśraya-vigraha go on doing aprākṛta-sevā with mutual
adjustment.” He further told that, “To collect things which have no
connection with Kṛṣṇa-sevā is the basic desire of bonded souls.”
mana eva manuṣyāṇāṁ
kāraṇaṁ bandha-mokṣayoḥ
bandhāya viṣayāsaṅgo
muktyai nirviṣayaṁ manaḥ
(Amṛta-bindu Upaniṣad, 2)
53
Vaishnava Ke
Vaishnava Ke
This translates as, “As the mind, so the man; bondage or liberation
are in your own mind.”
The material mind can put us in bondage, whereas if the mind
is free of matter then it can help us to reach perfection.
From Śrīmad Bhāgavatam Pitāmaha Brahmā advises his manu-
putra (son) Priyavrata:
bhayaṁ pramattasya vaneṣv api syād
yataḥ sa āste saha-ṣaṭ-sapatnaḥ
jitendriyasyātma-rater budhasya
gṛhāśramaḥ kiṁ nu karoty avadyam
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 5.1.17)
Even if someone goes to the forest, if they are not self-controlled,
they must always fear material bondage as he is living with six
co-wives: the mind and the five knowledge-acquiring senses. Even
householder life, however, cannot harm a self-satisfied, learned
man who has conquered his senses.
An uncontrolled man can invite problems or fear of entanglement
in material bondage, even in the forest, due to his concentration
on māyā (dual conception) because he carries all his five sense
organs together with him along with the six enemies (kāma,
krodha, lobha, moha, mada, and mātsarya). While staying in the
forest, (or any solitary place) such a man can find a comfortable
situation externally and be free of all problems, but he unknowingly
invites more problems that he cannot recognize. But for the man
who already has control over his sense organs, who has firmly
established attachment to the Supreme Lord (Paramātmā,) that
type of wise and knowledgeable man can safely stay in grihasta-
āśram; there is no danger for him. What problem can be there with
him? We also know that Kapila Bhagavān wanted to give almost
the same answer to his mother, Devahūti (manu-putro) to her very
painful strong plea. Devahūtir uvāca:
54
Ninth Chapter
nirviṇṇā nitarāṁ bhūmann
asad-indriya-tarṣaṇāt
yena sambhāvyamānena
prapannāndhaṁ tamaḥ prabho
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 3.25.7)
[Devahūti said, “I am very sick of the disturbance caused by my
material senses, for because of this sense disturbance, my Lord, I
have fallen into the abyss of ignorance.”]
tasya tvaṁ tamaso ’ndhasya
duṣpārasyādya pāragam
sac-cakṣur janmanām ante
labdhaṁ me tvad-anugrahāt
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 3.25.8)
[Your Lordship is my only means of getting out of this darkest
region of ignorance because You are my transcendental eye, which,
by Your mercy only, I have attained after many, many births.]
ya ādyo bhagavān puṁsām
īśvaro vai bhavān kila
lokasya tamasāndhasya
cakṣuḥ sūrya ivoditaḥ
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 3.25.9)
[You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the origin and
Supreme Lord of all living entities. You have arisen to disseminate
the rays of the sun in order to dissipate the darkness of the
ignorance of the universe.]
atha me deva sammoham
apākraṣṭuṁ tvam arhasi
yo ’vagraho ’haṁ mametīty
etasmin yojitas tvayā
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 3.25.10)
55
Vaishnava Ke
Vaishnava Ke
[Now be pleased, my Lord, to dispel my great delusion. Due
to my feeling of false ego, I have been engaged by Your māyā
and have identified myself with the body and consequent bodily
relations.]
taṁ tvā gatāhaṁ śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyaṁ
sva-bhṛtya-saṁsāra-taroḥ kuṭhāram
jijñāsayāhaṁ prakṛteḥ pūruṣasya
namāmi sad-dharma-vidāṁ variṣṭham
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 3.25.11)
[Devahūti continued, “I have taken shelter of Your lotus feet
because You are the only person of whom to take shelter. You
are the ax that can cut the tree of material existence. I, therefore,
offer my obeisances unto You, who are the greatest of all
transcendentalists, and I inquire from You as to the relationship
between man and woman and between spirit and matter.”]
Our wicked minds can put us in danger at any time in our life.
The mind can never be believed because at any time it can go
against us like a traitor. Even munis and ṛṣis never believe their
minds.
vijita-hṛṣīka-vāyubhir adānta-manas tura-gaṁ
ya iha yatanti yantum ati-lolam upāya-khidaḥ
vyasana-śatānvitāḥ samavahāya guroś caraṇaṁ
vaṇija ivāja santy akṛta-karṇa-dharā jaladhau
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 10.87.33)
[The mind is like an impetuous horse that even persons who
have regulated their senses and breath cannot control. Those in
this world who try to tame the uncontrolled mind but who abandon
the feet of their spiritual master encounter hundreds of obstacles
in their cultivation of various distressful practices. O unborn Lord,
they are like merchants on a boat in the ocean who have failed to
employ a helmsman.]
56
Ninth Chapter
Also, we can see from Bhāgavatam that:
cetaḥ khalv asya bandhāya
muktaye cātmano matam
guṇeṣu saktaṁ bandhāya
rataṁ vā puṁsi muktaye
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 3.25.15)
[The stage in which the consciousness of the living entity
is attracted by the three modes of material nature is called
conditional life. But when that same consciousness is attached
to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one is situated in the
consciousness of liberation.]
ahaṁ mamābhimānotthaiḥ
kāma-lobhādibhir malaiḥ
vītaṁ yadā manaḥ śuddhām
aduḥkham asukhaṁ samam
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 3.25.16)
[When one is completely cleansed of the impurities of lust and
greed produced from the false identification of the body as “I”
and bodily possessions as “mine,” one’s mind becomes purified.
In that pure state, he transcends the stage of so-called material
happiness and distress.]
yatrottamaśloka-guṇānuvādaḥ
prastūyate grāmya-kathā-vighātaḥ
niṣevyamāṇo ’nudinaṁ mumukṣor
matiṁ satīṁ yacchati vāsudeve
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 5.12.13)
[Whom are the pure devotees mentioned here? In an assembly of
pure devotees, there is no chance of discussing material subjects
57
Vaishnava Ke
Vaishnava Ke
like Politics and Sociology. In an assembly of pure devotees, the
discussion is only about the qualities, forms, and pastimes of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is praised and worshiped with
full attention. In the association of pure devotees, by constantly
hearing such topics respectfully, even a person who wants to
merge into the existence of the Absolute Truth abandons this idea
and gradually becomes attached to the service of Vāsudeva.]
The mind can act as a chaste lady when engaged in Vāsudeva-
sevā otherwise surely can act as a prostitute. This wicked mind
can guide a sādhaka who is practicing bhajan the wrong way
to earn false pratiṣṭhā vaibhāva in the name of solitary bhajan.
What teachings were given to Sanātan by Śriman Mahāprabhu?
We should think about that over and again. Basically, all the vast
teachings regarding sambandha-jñāna were given to Sanātan Gosāi
by Śriman Mahāprabhu.
Without sambandha-jñāna, all is useless; even bhajan cannot
start. What is jīva-svarūpa? What is the svarūpa of Bhagavān? What
is the svarūpa of māyā? What is the svarūpa of guru-vaiṣṇava?
How and when did we become bonded? Why are jīvas suffering?
What solution is there for their suffering? Ultimately what stage
of excellent sevā-ānanda can a jīva approach in Goloka-dhām?
Answers to all these questions or even more details of the Kṛṣṇa
sambandha-jñāna are required to do kṛṣṇa-bhajan.
The topic of Śri Sanātan-śikṣā is to be received under the
guidance of an authentic sad-guru who is totally established in
Sarasvat Gauḍīya śrauta pantha, in the way of orthodox gauḍīya
guru-paraṃparā. We can find exacting answers to all our questions
are given by Śriman Mahāprabhu in Śri Caitanya Caritāmṛita among
the Sanātan-śikṣā topics. The first question of Śrīla Sanātana
Gosvāmīpāda to Śriman Mahāprabhu was:
‘ke āmi’, ‘kene āmāyā jāre tāpa-traya’
ihā nāhi jāni — ‘kemane hita haya’
(Śri Caitanya Caritāmṛita, Madhya, 20.102)
58
Ninth Chapter
[“Who am I? Why do the threefold miseries always give me
trouble? If I do not know this, how can I be benefited?]
This honest inquiry by Śrīla Sanātan Gosvāmīpād was the basic
inspiration for beginning Sanātan-śikṣā.
From Śrimad Bhāgavad Gītā we can see the advice of the
Supreme Lord Śri Kṛṣṇa:
uddhared ātmanātmānaṁ
nātmānam avasādayet
ātmaiva hy ātmano bandhur
ātmaiva ripur ātmanaḥ
(Bhagavad-gītā, 6.5)
[One must deliver himself with the help of his own mental
strength, saving himself from degradation. The mind can act as
a friend or an enemy for the conditioned soul. For one who has
conquered the mind, the mind can act as the best friend, but for
one who has failed to execute control over his mind, his mind can
act as a great enemy. Everything depends upon the condition of
the mind.]
59
TenthChapter
sei du’ṭi kathā, bhūla’ nā sarvathā,
uccaisvare kara harināma-rava
phalgu āra yukta, baddha āra mukta,
kabhu nā bhāviha 'ekākāra saba
D o not forget for even a moment the two most valuable concepts
that Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu taught: 1) the principle
of dry, apparent renunciation compared with real, appropriate
renunciation; and 2) the principle of a soul being trapped in the
bondage of matter as opposed to a soul who is liberated.
Don’t ever mistakingly consider that these conflicting concepts
are on the same level. Please remember this while engaging
yourself in chanting the Lord’s holy names as loudly as you
possibly can.
The Essence of This Verse:
Gauḍīya Goṣṭhi Pati Paramahaṃsācārya Varya Śri Śrīla Bhakti
Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākur Prabhupāda told that, “Without
sambandha-jñāna, bhajan can not even start.” Śrīla Sanātan Gosāi is
our sambandha-tattva jñāna ācārya as was specifically pointed out
by Śriman Mahāprabhu to the whole Gauḍīya vaiṣṇava-sampradāya.
How, then and when? That is the main question. We can remember
that when Śri Jagadānanda Paṇḍit, the most intimate parṣad of
Śriman Mahāprabhu, wanted to take permission from Him to go for
Śri Vṛndāvan darśan, but Śriman Mahāprabhu was not at all ready
61
Vaishnava Ke
Vaishnava Ke
to give him permission. Ultimately by the request of many exalted
devotees in favor of Jagadānanda Paṇḍit, Śriman Mahāprabhu
was bound to give permission to him with a standing condition
that he should follow the strict guideline of Śri Sanātan for the
darśan of Śri Vṛndāvan-dhām and whenever his Vṛndāvan darśan
was over, he should immediately return to Nilachal-dhām. This
instruction indicates to us that without the kṛpā of sambandha-
jñāna ācārya, one cannot enter into any field of sevā, including dhām
parikramā, nāma-japa, or any sevā relating to the Supreme Lord.
Śrīla Prabhupād wanted to warn us that we should not forget, even
for a moment, the two most valuable concepts that He taught (the
two valuable words). However, those two concepts (words) were
not clearly named.
By the causeless mercy of Śrīla Prabhupāda we can realize
that in the previous verse, Śrīla Prabhupāda has given us strict
instruction to think deeply about the teachings that were given to
Sanātan Gosvāmīpād by Śri Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Deva. The essence of
all the teachings was sambandha jñāna-tattva. The basic principle
of that sambandha jñāna-tattva is as follows:
āmi to’ tomāra, tumi to’ āmāra,
ki kāja apara dhane
(Ātmā-nivedan, Śrīla Bhaktivinod Ṭhākur)
[Oh, Prabhu! You are my soul treasure, (property) and I am your
daśā. What use of other material wealth or property?]
The moment we forget these two most important words, we can
get lost in the ocean of māyā. So we should never forget these two
words. Many times Śrīla Prabhupāda used to say, “Try to chant
hāriṇam loudly, then gradually all anarthas can flee, and those who
always try to joke with you regarding your hāriṇam-kīrtan cannot get
any scope to do so anymore. “Loud hāriṇam-kīrtan can be greatly
beneficial in our bhajan. Śrīla Namācārya Śrīla Haridas Ṭhākur
used to do hāriṇam-japa loudly for the benefit of all jīvas. This
62
Tenth Chapter
siddhānta about dry vairāgya (phalgu-vairāgya) and about yukta-
vairāgya (all proper adjustments for bhāgavat-sevā ) was disclosed
(manifested) by Śrīla Namācārya Haridas Ṭhākur in front of Śriman
Mahāprabhu. Śrīla Sarvabhouma Bhattācārya has written:
vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti-yoga-
śikṣārtham ekaḥ puruṣaḥ purāṇaḥ
śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-śarīra-dhārī
kṛpāmbudhir yas tam ahaṁ prapadye
(Śri Caitanya Satakam)
[Let me take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī
Kṛṣṇa, who has descended in the form of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu
to teach us real knowledge, His devotional service and detachment
can help us develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He has descended
because He is an ocean of transcendental mercy. Let me surrender
unto His Lotus Feet.]
Here vairāgya has been defined as vidyā, not avidyā (ignorance).
When we develop genuine bhakti, detachment may automatically
develop for material enjoyment, yet simultaneously a sweet feel-
ing of kṛpā (pareshanubhāvaha) of the Supreme Lord appears in-
side the heart. All three can appear at the same time—which is
quite natural. The process is itself like that.
bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir
anyatra caiṣa trika eka-kālaḥ
prapadyamānasya yathāśnataḥ syus
tuṣṭiḥ puṣṭiḥ kṣud-apāyo ’nu-ghāsam
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 11.2.42)
[Devotion, the direct feeling related to the Supreme Lord, and
the detachment from kṛṣṇetara-vastu (objects having no relation or
no connection with kṛṣṇa-sevā) occur simultaneously for one who
has taken shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; in the
same way that pleasure, nourishment, and relief from hunger come
simultaneously with each bite for a person engaged in eating.]
63
Vaishnava Ke
Vaishnava Ke
All proper adjustment for the absolute sevā of the Supreme
Lord Śri Kṛṣṇa is the key to our success in our bhajan. Otherwise,
dry vairāgya has no value, because this can lead us up to the stage
of nirviśeṣa-bhāva (impersonalism). Externally it seems that all
vairāgya are the same, but not at all— there is a heaven and hell
difference between the two. We should never think that the status
of a baddha-jīva and mukta-jīva are one and the same. Jīvas are of
two categories: nitya-baddha and nitya-mukta. Nitya-baddha jīvas
are ever averse to bhāgavat-sevā, whereas nitya-mukta-jīvas are
ever active in their bhāgavat-sevā. Baddha-jīvas can qualify for an
active bhāgavat sevā mood if they can get genuine sādhu-sanga.
That is why Śrīla Prabhupāda used to explain the following śloka
very often:
brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva
guru-kṛṣṇa-prasāde pāya bhakti-latā-bīja
(Śri Caitanya Caritāmṛita, Madhya, 19.151)
[According to their karma, all living entities are wandering
throughout the entire universe. Some of them are being elevated to
the upper planetary systems, whereas some are going down into
the lower planetary systems. Out of many millions of wandering
living entities, one who is very fortunate gets an opportunity to
associate with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Kṛṣṇa.
By the mercy of both Kṛṣṇa and the spiritual master, such a person
receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service.]
Though baddha-jīvas are eternally baddha, their bonded state
can still be removed under certain circumstances with the help of
genuine sādhu-sanga. Though jīvas are the expansion of taṭastha-
śakti of Kṛṣṇa; (implying the neutral stage of marginal position)
but still, jīvas can never stay in the taṭastha or marginal position.
Taṭastha or marginal position means nirviśeṣa or impersonal
position, which is practically impossible. The following śloka is
very important:
64
Tenth Chapter
siddhānta baliyā citte nā kara alasa
ihā ha-ite kṛṣṇe lāge sudṛḍha mānasa
(Śri Caitanya Caritāmṛita, Adi, 2.117)
A sincere sādhaka (student) should not neglect the discussion of
such siddhānta-vicāra, (conclusions) considering them controversial,
for such discussions strengthen the mind. Thus one's mind becomes
attached to Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Anyone devoid of siddhānta-jñāna is surely
devoid of bhakti because siddhānta and bhakti go together.
65
EleventhChapter
kanaka-kāminī, pratiṣṭhā-bāghinī,
chādiyāche yāre sei ta’ vaiṣṇava:
sei anāsakta, sei śuddha bhakta,
saṃsāra tathāya pāya parābhāva
If kanaka-kāminī, pratiṣṭhā-bāghinī is completely gone in a perrson
they may be known as a true vaiṣṇava—they are detached; they
are pure devotees and material māyā (saṃsāra) can not touch
them.
The Essence of This Verse:
Gauḍīya Goṣṭhi Pati Paramahaṃsācārya Varya Śri Śrīla Bhakti
Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākur Prabhupāda told that “It is
not our target to collect a huge amount of money because then we
can try to insult Guru-Vaiṣṇava-Bhagavān. Bless me so that I need
not see the faces of those who are collecting money to secure their
personal labha-puja-pratiṣṭhā for the rest of my life.” Regarding
this topic, Śrīla Saccidānanda Bhaktivinod Ṭhākur has written an
article named “Pratiṣṭhā Āśā Varjan” ( how to avoid pratiṣṭhā-āśā).
Present Day Ācāryas Who Are Intolerant and Full of Desire for
Prestige
Nowadays, there are ācāryas who will never tolerate any form
of disrespect to their acclaimed prestige. They proudly lift their
feet from the head of others and exhibit their position of grandeur.
67
Vaishnava Ke
Vaishnava Ke
The right setup is that the ācārya should respect others, but if he
strives to get respect from others, in what way can he be called
superior? To show anger at someone because he is not offering
the required prostrated obeisance is disdainful. In fact, to respect
an ācārya is natural as usually, people with etiquette give them a
separate distinguished seat by virtue of their position. On the other
hand, if the ācārya feels angry if someone usurps or sits there on
his lofty seat, then it is a very sorry situation.
To Give Up Prestige Is Difficult
The following is excerpted from the article “Pratiṣṭhā Āśā Varjan”
by Śrīla Saccidānanda Bhaktivinod Ṭhākur:
Among the vaiṣṇavas, there are many who give up their home
and accept the renounced order. They take to renunciation thinking
it to be more peaceful and an escape from the society increasingly
filled with egoistic householders. However, in that supposedly new
situation, their hankering for prestige only seems to increase. If
one does not respect an ochre-clad sannyāsī, then he becomes
very angry. If neither the householder devotee nor the ochre-clad
sannyāsī gives up hankering for name, fame, and prestige, then
how will the ordinary man give up such trivial desires?
Somehow a sādhu can try to avoid kanaka-kāminī, knowing that
it is quite impossible to gain victory over kanaka-kāminī, still, this
can be possible somehow. But even after that, it is quite impossible
to get victory over the tigress pratiṣṭhā. A real vaiṣṇava can only
be known by his siddhānta-vicāra and yukta-vairāgya mood. Śrīla
Prabhupāda often said, “There is nothing in this material world (or
fourteen worlds) for which a vaiṣṇava can feel attraction.” Why?
What can be the reason?
It is because the Lotus Feet of the Supreme Lord are the only
absolute attraction for them. However attractive these material
things may be, they are all unstable and cannot give them pleasure
or satisfaction. Attachment or detachment are both useless for a real
sādhu-vaiṣṇava. These concepts of attachment and detachment
68
Eleventh Chapter
are not at all acceptable for a real vaiṣṇava; they are not interested
to hear about these terminologies. They are only interested in the
absolute sevā of the Supreme Lord, nothing else. They can even
feel extremely happy to serve the Supreme Lord in the middle of
countless problems; they like to invite this kind of painful situation
for the sevā of the Supreme Lord. Śrīla Saccidānanda Bhaktivinod
Ṭhākur wrote:
tomāra sevāya, duḥkha hoya jato,se-o to’ parama sukha
sevā-sukha-duḥkha, parama sampada,nāśaye avidyā-duḥkha
(Ātmā -nivedana)
[Troubles encountered in Your service shall be the cause of
great happiness, for, in Your devotional service, joy and sorrow are
equally great riches. Both destroy the misery of ignorance.]
We also recall this śloka in which Kunti Devī was speaking
desperately in front of Kṛṣṇa:
vipadaḥ santu tāḥ śaśvat
tatra tatra jagad-guro
bhāvato darśanaṁ yat syād
apunar bhāva-darśanam
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 1.8.25)
[I wish that all those problems or dangers would happen again
and again so that we could see You again and again, for seeing You
means that we will no longer suffer repeated births and deaths.]
janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrībhir
edhāmāna-madaḥ pumān
naivārhaty abhidhātuṁ vai
tvām akiñcana-gocaram
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 1.8.26)
69
Vaishnava Ke
Vaishnava Ke
[Those who are puffed up by the following factors such as
taking birth in a high family, enjoying huge opulence, having high
educational qualifications, or having a beautiful or handsome
figure cannot realize Your absolute tattva, whereas those who
have niṣkiñcan-bhāva can easily realize you.]
If such a stage can be attended in life, then this fearful material
saṃsāra can be defeated then and there—what bad can it do for
us? Śrī Prahlād Mahārāja spoke in front of Narasiṁha Deva: “I
do not fear your fearful appearance, but I fear for this dangerous
material saṃsāra.” He said this only to instruct us; actually, Śrīla
Prahlād Mahārāja cannot have any fear for this material saṃsāra.
From Śrīmad Bhāgavatam we can see the following ślokas by Śrīla
Prahlād Mahārāja in front of Narasiṁha Deva:
nāhaṁ bibhemy ajita te ’tibhayānakāsya-
jihvārka-netra-bhrukuṭī-rabhasogra-daṁṣṭrāt
āntra-srajaḥ-kṣataja-keśara-śaṅku-karṇān
nirhrāda-bhīta-digibhād ari-bhin-nakhāgrāt
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 7.9.15)
[My Lord, You are never defeated by anyone— you are uncon-
querable! I am certainly not afraid of Your ferocious mouth and
tongue, Your eyes bright like the sun, or Your frowning eyebrows. I
do not fear Your sharp, pinching teeth, Your garland of intestines,
Your mane soaked with blood, or Your high, wedge-like ears. Nor
do I fear Your tumultuous roaring, which makes elephants flee to
distant places, or Your nails, which are meant to kill Your enemies.]
trasto ’smy ahaṁ kṛpaṇa-vatsala duḥsahogra-
saṁsāra-cakra-kadanād grasatāṁ praṇītaḥ
baddhaḥ sva-karmabhir uśattama te ’ṅghri-mūlaṁ
prīto ’pavarga-śaraṇaṁ hvayase kadā nu
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 7.9.16)
70
Eleventh Chapter
[O most powerful, insurmountable Lord who is kind to the fallen
souls, I have been put into the association of demons as a result of
my activities, and therefore I am very much afraid of my condition
of life within this material world. When will that moment come
when You will call me to the shelter of Your Lotus Feet, which are
the ultimate goal for liberation from conditional life?]
71
Twelfth Chapter
yathāyogya-bhoga, nāhi tathā roga,
anāsakta sei, ki āra kahaba
āsakti rahita sambandha-sahita,
viṣaya-samūha sakali mādhava.
A devotee leading life in a detached manner who moderately
partakes of worldly things that are deemed necessary for living
in devotional service does not fall prey to the disease of material
infatuation. Thus devoid of selfish attachment and endowed with
the ability to see things in relation to the Lord, all sense objects are
then directly perceived as being Lord Mādhava Himself.
The Essence of This Verse:
Gauḍīya Goṣṭhi Pati Paramahaṃsācārya Varya Śri Śrīla Bhakti
Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākur Prabhupāda told that “To change
the perverted taste of jīva is the duty of most exalted devotees. If
a man can be saved from the fort-like trap of Mahāmāyā, then it is
infinitely times better than to make infinite hospitals as a beneficial
job for others.” For an infinite period, bonded jīvas are habituated
with their material enjoying mood. In the course of their traveling
throughout this vast cosmic world, somehow luckily when the
material disease in that life is approaching conclusion, luckily one
can meet with a sādhu. That sādhu-sanga can give a positive turn
(sat-gathi) which results in an attachment to the Supreme Lord.
From Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, we read:
73
Vaishnava Ke
Vaishnava Ke
bhavāpavargo bhramato yadā bhavej
janasya tarhy acyuta sat-samāgamaḥ
sat-saṅgamo yarhi tadaiva sad-gatau
parāvareśe tvayi jāyate matiḥ
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 10.51.53)
[When the material life of a wandering soul approaches the end,
O Acyuta, then he may attain the association of Your devotees. And
when he associates with them, devotion unto You awakens in him
which is the goal of the devotees.]
The terms attachment and detachment reach their absolute
expression in the way of yukta-vairāgya which can only be seen in a
pure devotee who is always engaged in hari-bhajan. Pain and pleasure
cannot touch them because the absolute object of attraction, the
Supreme Lord, is sitting inside their hearts to accept their loving sevā
which gives them absolute relief from material pain and pleasure
which develops from dirty material enjoyment. That is why we can
find the following siddhānta in Śri Caitanya Caritāmṛita:
kṛṣṇa-bhakta — niṣkāma, ataeva ‘śānta’
bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kāmī — sakali ‘aśānta’
(Śri Caitanya Caritāmṛita, Madhya, 19.149)
[Because a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa is devoid of any desire, he is
peaceful. Fruitive workers desire material enjoyment, jñānīs desire
liberation, and yogīs desire material opulence; therefore, they are
all lusty and cannot be peaceful.]
They are always full of dissatisfaction and restlessness due to
their demand for bhukti (material enjoying mood), mukti (material
salvation) or siddhis. Only a Kṛṣṇa-bhakta is absolutely peaceful
because they have no desires at all. Whatever they find or see,
they can realize that those are the diversified items (or objects) of
kṛṣṇa-sevā, not for our sense gratification. We can see this advice
from Śri Kṛṣṇa:
74
TwelfthChapter
viṣayā vinivartante
nirāhārasya dehinaḥ
rasa-varjaṁ raso ’py asya
paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate
(Bhagavad Gītā, 2.59)
[Sense objects turn away from those who do not enjoy them
with their senses, but the taste for them persists. This relish also
disappears in the case of the person of stable mind when he realizes
the Supreme.]
Otherwise, we can find from the very next śloka that:
yatato hy api kaunteya
puruṣasya vipaścitaḥ
indriyāṇi pramāthīni
haranti prasabhaṁ manaḥ
(Bhagavad Gītā, 2.60)
[Turbulent by nature, even within the senses even of a wise
person who is practicing self-control, forcibly they carry away his
mind, Arjuna.]
Both too much attachment and too much detachment are against
bhakti-yoga. Yukta-vairāgya is the best procedure to get control over
the material mind and senses.
yadṛcchayā mat-kathādau
jāta-śraddhas tu yaḥ pumān
na nirviṇṇo nāti-sakto
bhakti-yogo ’sya siddhi-daḥ
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 11.20.8)
[According to past sukṛti, if someone maintains faith in my kathā,
then no attachment for karma-marga or not even interest in dry
75
Vaishnava Ke
Vaishnava Ke
vairāgya, etc. can stand. For them bhakti-yoga becomes successful.
All proper adjustment or yukta-vairāgya for Śri Kṛṣṇa sevā can give
bhakti.]
anāsaktasya viṣayān
yathārham upayuñjataḥ
nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe
yuktaṁ vairāgyam ucyate
prāpañcikatayā buddhyā
hari-sambandhi-vastunaḥ
mumukṣubhiḥ parityāgo
vairāgyaṁ phalgu kathyate
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, 2.255-256)
When one has no attachment for anything and simultaneously
accepts everything in relation to Kṛṣṇa, then one is properly situated
beyond possessiveness. On the other hand, one who rejects anything
or everything without the sense of sambandha-jñāna relating to
Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, then this cannot be appreciated at all as
perfect vairāgya; rather, it is called dry vairāgya.
76
ThirteenthChapter
se yukta-vairāgya, tāhā t’saubhāgya,
tāhāi jaḍete harira vaibhāva:
kīrtane yāhāra, pratiṣṭhā-sambhāra,
tāhāra sampatti kevala kaitava.
T hose who practice such yukta-vairāgya are extremely fortunate—
they become an extension of the Lord`s opulence in this material
world. If somebody does kīrtan (chants the Holy Name, preaches,
etc.) for their own name and fame, then the result is nothing but
cheating.
The Essence of This Verse:
Gauḍīya Goṣṭhi Pati Paramahaṃsācārya Varya Śri Śrīla Bhakti
Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākur Prabhupāda told that “There
is no alternative way to meet with the absolute object (the Supreme
Lord) except through the ears.” This surely proves that without a
strong faith in śrauta-pantha, nobody can become successful in
hari-bhajan. With the help of yukta-vairāgya, śrauta-pantha can be
effective.
The yukta-vairāgya sevā mood we can see in a śuddha-vaiṣṇava
(pure) is nothing but vaiṣṇavi-pratiṣṭhā. The chastity of vaiṣṇavi-
pratiṣṭhā is resting unto the Lotus Feet of Śri Baladeva Nityananda
Prabhu—the original ākār guru-tattva. So naturally when such eternal
pratiṣṭhā comes down in this material world in the life of those
great devotees, surely this can be called the expression of Hari's
vaibhāva. This kind of vaiṣṇavi-pratiṣṭhā coming down from the
79
Vaishnava Ke
Vaishnava Ke
eternal world is always welcome in our life. Śrī Bhagavān uvāca:
kālena naṣṭā pralaye
vāṇīyaṁ veda-saṁjñitā
māyādau brahmaṇe proktā
dharmo yasyāṁ mad-ātmakaḥ
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 11.14.3)
[The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: By the influence of
time, the transcendental sound of Vedic knowledge was lost at the
time of annihilation. Therefore, when the subsequent creation took
place, I spoke the Vedic knowledge to Brahmā, I am the religious
principles enunciated in the Vedas.]
This way in the course of viśuddha śrauta-vani paraṃparā, this
bhāgavat-dharma flows down to us without contamination. When
we try to avoid śrauta-pantha, then many problems can arise to
disturb the whole system of viśuddha bhāgavat paraṃparā. In
Amṛta Vani (chapter 4) Śrīla Prabhupāda said: “I have not found
anyone sincerely interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness for forty years.
Now whoever comes to me is not interested in hearing hari-kathā.
They are not ready to give up their dependence on their own
education and intelligence. In this world people like to become
popular; they do not like to inquire about the Absolute Truth. Those
who claim to be religious preachers are busy trying to protect their
own existence by flattering others. By speaking and hearing the
truth, one’s popularity is unlikely to be enhanced. Therefore, we are
not interested in the sympathy or support of ordinary people who
are averse to the Lord.”
Now, who can realize how much our Kṛṣṇa Consciousness
movement is successful in a true sense? This is not a joke.
80
ThirteenthChapter
tṛṇād api sunīcena
taror api sahiṣṇunā
amāninā mānadena
kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ
(Śri Śikṣāṣṭakam, Verse 3)
[One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble
state of mind, thinking oneself humbler than the blade of grass;
one should be more tolerant than a tree and devoid of all sense of
false prestige and should be ready to offer all respect to others.
In such a state of mind, one can chant the holy name of the Lord
constantly.]
The third śloka of Śri Śikṣāṣṭakam by the Supreme Lord Śri
Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu proves what the actual quality of a
genuine kṛṣṇa kīrtan-kari (preacher) is. The yardstick set by Śrīla
Svarūpa Gosāi can greatly help us in arresting cheater-preachers.
This procedure can help us to minimize the garbage gathering in the
world by the name of hari-kathā and hari-kīrtan. Śrīla Prabhupāda
used to say, “In the name of hari-kathā and hari-kīrtan, there are
those who are cheating the whole world. We, common people, are
so foolish that we want to be cheated by them; that is why we are
being cheated. This has become a fashion of the day.”
The great Gaura pārṣad Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmīpād has represented
the most scientific and unique gauḍīya darśan-vicāra to us in order
to protect and preserve the unique successive sampradāya status.
He has shown in his Sandarbha that it is strictly prohibited to allow
saraga-bhakta (a speaker who is full of kāma) to take the āsan of
Vyāsadeva.
bakta saraga niraga divida parikirtita
upadesam karoti eva na pariksham karoti ya
apariksa upadistam yad- jagannasaya tad bhavet
(Tattva Sandarbha, Jiva Gosvāmīpada)
81
Vaishnava Ke
Vaishnava Ke
[If we think deeply into this matter, we can realize very easily that
such a false kīrtan-kari (speaker) is surely going to cheat others
and will also destroy himself. So all this labha-puja-pratiṣṭhā that
has been gathered in his life is not at all real property but false
(illusionary) property—nothing else.]
yadṛcchayā mat-kathādau
jāta-śraddhas tu yaḥ pumān
na nirviṇṇo nāti-sakto
bhakti-yogo ’sya siddhi-daḥ
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 11.20.8)
[If somehow by good fortune one develops faith in hearing and
chanting My glories, such a person, being neither disgusted with
nor very much attached to material life, should achieve perfection
through yukta-vairāgya, the path of loving devotion to Me.]
tāvat karmāṇi kurvīta
na nirvidyeta yāvatā
mat-kathā-śravaṇādau vā
śraddhā yāvan na jāyate
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 11.20.9)
[As long as one is not satisfied by fruitive activity and has not
awakened his taste for devotional service by my śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ
viṣṇoḥ, one has to act according to the regulative principles of the
Vedic injunctions.]
82
FourteenthChapter
viṣaya-mumukṣu, bhogera bubhukṣu,
duye tyaja mana, dui avaiṣṇava
kṛṣṇera sambandha, aprākṛta skandha,
kabhu nahe tāhā jaḍera sambhāva
S ome want liberation from the material world, and some want to
enjoy. Dear mind, renounce both, for they are both not vaiṣṇavas.
What is related to Kṛṣṇa and the transcendental world has nothing
to do with the material world.
The Essence of This Verse:
Gauḍīya Goṣṭhi Pati Paramahaṃsācārya Varya Śri Śrīla Bhakti
Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākur Prabhupāda explained, “There
are those who have not yet seen a continuous sevā mood unto the
Lotus Feet of a great ātmā vit puruṣa. Their association can give
us huge pleasure, but this is not at all acceptable in our bhajan life.”
What is the utility of an extreme material detachment mood or an
extreme material enjoying mood? Both are useless in the way of
hari-bhajan. Both of these categories are not at all those associated
with a vaiṣṇava.
We should think over this matter very deeply to avoid confusion.
In fact, we have no right to enjoy anything in this material world
and we have no right to give up anything in this material world; we
are not the material body made up of five elements of nature like
bhūmi, āpo, analo, vāyu, kham, mano, buddhi, ahaṅkār (earth, water,
85
Vaishnava Ke
Vaishnava Ke
fire, air, ether, sky, mind, intellect, and ego). We are actually cinmaya
(cit particle) aṇu caitanya-vastu, but due to false ego derived from
māyā, we like to identify this material body like me and mine. Śri
Kṛṣṇa gave this advice to Arjuna:
bhūmir āpo ’nalo vāyuḥ
khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca
ahaṅkāra itīyaṁ me
bhinnā prakṛtir aṣṭadhā
(Bhagavad Gītā, 7.4)
apareyam itas tv anyāṁ
prakṛtiṁ viddhi me parām
jīva-bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho
yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat
(Bhagavad Gītā, 7.5)
[Earth, fire, air, water, ether, mind, intellect, and ego constitute My
nature divided into eight parts. This indeed is my material nature; the
other than this is, by which the whole Universe is sustained, know
it to be My spiritual nature in the form of jīvas, O Arjuna.]
Now we can try to realize that we have nothing to enjoy in this
material world, or we have nothing of our own in this material world
which we can leave because even this material body is not my own
property and most unstable by nature. It is given to us only for a
very short period of time. Śriman Mahāprabhu spoke the following
to Sanātan Gosāi in Sanātan-śikṣā:
jīvera ‘svarūpa’ haya — kṛṣṇera ‘nitya-dāsa’
kṛṣṇera ‘taṭasthā-śakti’ ‘bhedābheda-prakāśa’
sūryāṁśa-kiraṇa, yaiche agni-jvālā-caya
svābhāvika kṛṣṇera tina-prakāra ‘śakti’ haya
(Śri Caitanya Caritāmṛita, Madhya, 20.108-109)
86
FourteenthChapter
It is the living entity’s constitutional position to be an eternal
servant of Kṛṣṇa because he is the marginal potency of Kṛṣṇa and a
manifestation simultaneously one with and different from the Lord, as
from a spark (or photon) particle of sunshine or fire. Kṛṣṇa has three
varieties of energy. When one can realize the constitutional feature of
jīva, there is no question of any confusion. If by the causeless mercy
of the sad-guru, someone gets initiation that develops complete
sambandha-jñāna, then what illusion or māyā can remain standing?
After taking perfect initiation from a bonafide spiritual master, one
can discover that the only duty of a man is to serve the Supreme
Lord. To see each and everything in the world in relation to the
Supreme Lord is quite natural for a real sādhu or vaiṣṇava. When
we can relate anything or everything with Śri Kṛṣṇa this is due to
bhakti bhāva sambandha and becomes aprākṛta-vastu. In Śrimad
Bhāgavad Gītā we can see the following śloka in support of the
above siddhānta vicāra:
[Whoever offers Me with love a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or even
water, I appear in person before that selfless devotee of sinless
mind and delightfully eat up that article offered by him with love.]
This is the unforeseen power of bhakti. This touch of a pure sādhu
can make an offering cinmaya. Similarly, all our perfect offerings full
of love like rice, dhal, etc. become mahāprasādam, (cinmaya).
Śrīla Prabhupād said, “A materially rich man cannot make a temple
out of his money power.” Śrīla Rāmānujācārya has advised us, “If
a Śivaliṅga or any bhāgavat vigraha is not installed by a bonafide
sādhu-guru-vaiṣṇava, then we need not pay dandavat pranam.” Why?
Because this is not chinmoye. If a deity is laying for a long time
without proper care, (not presently chinmoye), if an exalted vaiṣṇava
or maha-bhāgavata offers daṇḍavat-pranam, immediately prāṇa (life)
can appear inside the deity.
We recall an incident that happened in Sarbhoga during a
deity installation ceremony which was organized by Śrīla Bhakti
Siddhānta Sarasvatī Prabhupāda. The responsibility for all preliminary
87
Vaishnava Ke
Vaishnava Ke
arrangements including installation and abhiṣeka of the deities was
given to Śrīla Ramānanda Prabhu (Śrīla Bhakti Rakshak Śridhar
Dev Gosvāmī Mahārāja) and Śrīla Prabhupāda was to give the final
touch of the pranapratiṣṭhā ceremony. But when Śrīla Prabhupāda
was invited inside the deity room he could see clearly that the
pranapratiṣṭhā of the deities was already completed by Śri Ramānanda
Prabhu´s puṣpāñjali and garland. In this way, we can understand
the deep meaning of bhakti, bhakta, and Bhagavān.
88
FifteenthChapter
māyāvādī jana, kṛṣṇetara mana,
mukta abhimāne se ninde vaiṣṇava
vaiṣṇavera dāsa, tava bhakti-āśa,
kena vā ḍākicha nirjana-āhava
M āyāvādīs (impersonalists) who are averse to Kṛṣṇa and have
the ego of being liberated offend vaiṣṇavas. O mind, if you are
a servant of vaiṣṇavas and aspire for devotion, why are you then
crying and fighting for solitude?
The Essence of This Verse:
Gauḍīya Goṣṭhi Pati Paramahaṃsācārya Varya Śri Śrīla Bhakti
Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākur Prabhupāda told that “So
long as māyāvāda persists in staying on this earth, there will be
a big impediment in the way of śuddha-bhakti pracār.” He further
explained, “The day when all those māyāvādīs started joining the
vaiṣṇava-sampradaya to identify themselves as vaiṣṇavas, a variety
of problems started arising impeding śuddha-bhakti.” Māyāvādīs
who think of themselves as being the most competent candidates
for vairāgya (detachment) always feel proud of that. A famous
śloka often heard in their māyāvāda-sampradaya is:
vedāntavākyeṣu sadā ramanto
bhikṣānnamātreṇa ca tuṣṭimantaḥ .
viśokamantaḥkaraṇe carantaḥ
kaupīnavantaḥ khalu bhāgyavantaḥ
(Kaupīna Panchakam, verse 1)
91
Vaishnava Ke
Vaishnava Ke
[Roaming ever in the insights of Vedanta, Ever pleased with his
beggar’s morsel, Wandering onward, his heart free from sorrow,
blessed indeed is the wearer of the loin-cloth.]
The meaning of this sentence is that those who are absorbed in
roaming around the vedānta-vicāra are lucky with their renounced
order, accepting kaupīna in their life. This is one misconception
that persists among māyāvadis.
Śrīla Prabhupāda used to say, “They are most fallen souls,
because though externally they are engaging in the association of
women, still their pratiṣṭhā-yoshit (an object of enjoyment) is going
to make them fall down because ultimately they want to occupy
the post of Brahma.” They speak aham brahmāsmi (I am Brahma;)
this is their false feeling of bhajan. They are averse to Kṛṣṇa. They
say that the svarūpa of Kṛṣṇa is māyāmoye, not aprākṛta. They
enjoy a false mood believing that we are mukta (liberated). Their
false ego drives them towards vaiṣṇava-ninda (criticism) which is,
of course, their self-destruction. We can remember the following
ślokas that Brahma spoke in front of Kṛṣṇa:
ye ’nye ’ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas
tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ
āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ
patanty adho ’nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 10.2.32)
Someone may say that aside from devotees who always seek
shelter at the Lord’s lotus feet, some are not devotees but who
have accepted different processes for attaining salvation. What
happens to them? In answer to this question, Lord Brahmā and the
other demigods said: O lotus-eyed Lord, although non-devotees
who accept severe austerities and penances to achieve the highest
position may think themselves liberated, their intelligence is impure.
They fall from their position of imagined superiority because they
have no regard for Your Lotus Feet.
92
FifteenthChapter
Another śloka spoken by Brahma to Śrī Kṛṣṇa:
jñāne prayāsam udapāsya nāmanta eva
jīvanti san-mukharitāṁ bhāvadīya-vārtām
sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhir
ye prāyaśo ’jita jito ’py asi tais tri-lokyām
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 10.14.3)
[Brahma spoke, “Oh, My Lord! I am going to through all my
efforts to know you by the help of dry knowledge, rather I would
take shelter unto the Lotus Feet of sadhu-guru-vaiṣṇava, because
by my submission of body, speech, and mind, by discarding all
false ego, and by staying near them I receive an opportunity to
hear your topics. This way you can be conquered, though we know
that You can never be conquered.]
athāpi te deva padāmbuja-dvaya-
prasāda-leśānugṛhīta eva hi
jānāti tattvaṁ Bhagavān-mahimno
na cānya eko ’pi ciraṁ vicinvan
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 10.14.29)
[My Lord, if one is favored by even a slight trace of the mercy
of Your Lotus Feet then he can understand the greatness of Your
personality. But those who try their best to know you by the
application of dry knowledge (or speculation) can never know you
even if they try forever. Vaiṣṇava-dās is a higher designation than
Bhāgavat-dās. Bhakti-siddhi cannot be attained without serving
guru-vaiṣṇava.]
kṛṣṇa-bhakti-janma-mūla haya 'sādhu-saṅga'
kṛṣṇa-prema janme, teṅho punaḥ mukhya aṅga
(Śri Caitanya Caritāmṛita, Madhya, 22.83)
[The root cause of devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa is the
association of advanced devotees. Even after one's dormant love
93
Vaishnava Ke
Vaishnava Ke
for Kṛṣṇa awakens, then the association with devotees remains
essential.]
‘sādhu-saṅga’, ‘sādhu-saṅga’ — sarva-śāstre kaya
lava-mātra sādhu-saṅge sarva-siddhi haya
(Śri Caitanya Caritāmṛita, Madhya, 22.54)
[The verdict of all revealed scriptures is that by even a moment’s
association with a pure devotee, one can attain all success.]
In this way, countless scriptural evidence can be presented to
prove the gravity of sādhu-sanga; we know that only and only with
the association of sādhu-sanga, hāriṇam is possible.
sādhu saṅga kṛṣṇa nāme ei mātra cāi
saṁsāra jinite āra kono vastu nāi
(Prema-vivarta, 6.13)
[I want only to chant the Name of Kṛṣṇa in the association of
the sādhus, there is no other way to conquer saṃsāra.]
Jīvas are Kṛṣṇa-dās by svarūpa, but it is more accurate to say
that, jīvera ‘svarūpa’ haya — gurur nitya-dāsa. Hari-bhakti should be
our only target. Śri Kṛṣṇa speaks to the gopīkas:
mayi bhaktir hi bhūtānām
amṛtatvāya kalpate
diṣṭyā yad āsīn mat-sneho
bhāvatīnāṁ mad-āpanaḥ
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 10.82.44)
[Rendering devotional service to Me qualifies any living being
to attain amṛta. But by your good fortune, you have developed a
special loving attitude toward Me, by which you have obtained Me.
Bhakti unto my Lotus Feet is the nectar for jīvas, which is the real
property.]
94
FifteenthChapter
Śri Naradjī Mahārāj gives the following advice:
devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṝṇāṁ
na kiṅkaro nāyam ṛṇī ca rājan
sarvātmanā yaḥ śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyaṁ
gato mukundaṁ parihṛtya kartam
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 11.5.41)
[O King, one who has given up all material desires and duties and
who has taken shelter unto the lotus feet of Bhagavān Mukunda
fully needs not to discharge any other duty at all; surely he is not
indebted to any deva-ṛṣi or other jīvas, or not even his forefathers
(pitṛnāman).]
Śri Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu said:
prema-dhana vinā vyartha daridra jīvana
‘dāsa’ kari’ vetana more deha prema-dhana
(Śri Caitanya Caritāmṛita, Antya, 20.37)
[Without the love of Godhead, My life is useless. Therefore I
pray that You accept Me as Your servant and give Me the salary of
ecstatic love of God.]
Bonded souls are all in māyā, always try to disregard sadhu-
guru-vaiṣṇava. Śrīla Prabhupada said, “Bonded souls always try
to avoid harikathā-kīrtan.” But they don’t know that this harikathā-
kīrtan can save their life, which is the best medicine for them. Why
do they try to stay away from harikathā-kīrtan or real sadhu-sanga?
This is because their heart is full of dirty (or ugly) anarthas, so they
fear harikathā-kīrtan (or real sadhu-sanga) can expose that. Their
vipralipsā drives them to go to an isolated place to protect and
preserve their dirty anarthas in the name of solitary bhajan, which
is just next to impossible for them to protect themselves. They
like to earn name and fame, which is their main chronic disease. In
this way, they will invite complete destruction of their spiritual life.
95
Vaishnava Ke
Vaishnava Ke
This kind of self-cheating propensity is prohibited in shastra.which
can expose that. Their vipralipsā drives them to go to an isolated
place to protect and preserve their dirty anarthas in the name of
solitary bhajan, which is just next to impossible for them to protect
themselves. They like to earn name and fame, which is their main
chronic disease; so in this way, they like to invite total destruction
of their spiritual life. This kind of self cheating propensity is totally
prohibited in shastra.
96
SixteenthChapter
ye phālgur-vairāgī, kahe, nije, “tyāgī,
se nā pāre kabhu haite vaiṣṇava.
hari-pada chāḍi’, nirjanatā bāḍi’,
labhiyā ki phala, phalgu se vaibhāva
T hose who engage in false renunciation and call themselves
tyāgī can never become a vaiṣṇava. If you leave the lotus feet
of Śri Hari and stay alone in a solitary place, then what will you get
by that? That kind of effort can only cheat you.
The Essence of This Verse:
Gauḍīya Goṣṭhi Pati Paramahaṃsācārya Varya Śri Śrīla Bhakti
Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākur Prabhupāda said, “He who
claim himself as vaiṣṇava is a branded avaiṣṇava.” Vaiṣṇavism is not
a matter of advertisement; it’s spontaneous. Dry vairāgya practice
ultimately can make us a demon.
yadṛcchayā mat-kathādau
jāta-śraddhas tu yaḥ pumān
na nirviṇṇo nāti-sakto
bhakti-yogo ’sya siddhi-daḥ
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 11.20.8)
99
Vaishnava Ke
Vaishnava Ke
[If somehow or other by good fortune one develops faith in hearing
and chanting My glories, such a person, being neither disgusted with
nor very much attached to material life, should achieve perfection
through the path of loving devotion to Me.]
Śrīla Prabhupāda very often used to quote the following verse:
ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kiṁ
nārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim
antar bahir yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kiṁ
nāntar bahir yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim
(Nārada-pañcarātra)
[If Hari is satisfied with me, then what is the utility of my tapasyā?
If Hari is not satisfied with me, then what is the utility of my tapasyā?
If Hari manifests both inside and outside then what is the utility of
my tapasyā? Also if Hari is not manifested inside or outside, then
what is the utility of my tapasyā?]
Vairāgya is quite natural with pure vaiṣṇavas, their yukta-vairāgya
can give full satisfaction to Śri Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Actually
the meaning of vairāgya can be explained in the following way:
Vi+gata+raga yasya iti vairāgya. This means the material attachment
is totally gone, which is called vairāgya. But how and when can
this be possible? Actually, the Absolute Object of Attraction is Śri
Kṛṣṇa Himself, so when we can feel attraction for Śri Kṛṣṇa, then
automatically our vairāgya can automatically come to occupy our
heart completely. So we can explain this vairāgya word another way:
Vi- means vishes (special) +raga (attachment) for Kṛṣṇa equals to
vairāgya.
viṣayā vinivartante
nirāhārasya dehinaḥ
rasa-varjaṁ raso ’py asya
paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate
(Bhagavad Gītā, 2.59)
100
SixteenthChapter
[He who identifies himself with the body may restrict his
enjoyment by withdrawing the senses from their objects, but his
taste for sense pleasure remains. One whose intelligence is fixed,
however, has realized param-vastu (the absolute object) therefore,
his taste for sense objects automatically ceases.]
Until and unless one can see the most excellent and unique
object of attraction—which is known as the absolute object, (the
Supreme Lord Śri Kṛṣṇa) one can not avoid the attraction of māyā.
The following śloka spoken by Śri Kṛṣṇa is very important:
daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī
mama māyā duratyayā
mām eva ye prapadyante
māyām etāṁ taranti te
(Bhagavad Gītā, 7.14)
[This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes
of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have
surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it.]
Then this is also known as yukta-vairāgya. Śrī Hari-caraṇa are
the ultimate and absolute shelter for us all. Hari is the source of all,
the original reason of all countless reasons.
īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
anādir ādir govindaḥ
sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam
(Śrī brahma-saṁhitā, 5.1)
[Kṛṣṇa is known as Govinda, the Supreme Godhead. He has an
eternal blissful spiritual body. He is the origin of all. He has no other
origin and He is the prime cause of all causes.]
101
Vaishnava Ke
Vaishnava Ke
idaṁ hi viśvaṁ bhagavān ivetaro
yato jagat-sthāna-nirodha-sambhavāḥ
tad dhi svayaṁ veda bhavāṁs tathāpi te
prādeśa-mātraṁ bhāvataḥ pradarśitam
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 1.5.20)
[The Supreme Personality of Godhead is Himself this cosmos,
and still, He is aloof from it. From Him only has this cosmic
manifestation emanated, in Him it rests, and unto Him, it enters
after annihilation. Your good self knows all about this. I have given
only a synopsis.]
atra sargo visargaś ca
sthānaṁ poṣaṇam ūtayaḥ
manvantareśānukathā
nirodho muktir āśrayaḥ
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 2.10.1)
[Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī explained that in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam
there are ten divisions of statements regarding the following:
the creation of the universe, sub-creation, planetary systems,
protection by the Lord, the creative impetus, the change of Manus,
the science of God, returning home back to Godhead, liberation,
and the summum-bonum.]
These ten exclusive and absolute symptoms are found in Śrīmad
Bhāgavatam, which is none other than Śri Kṛṣṇa Himself. Directly
or indirectly, Hari (Śri Kṛṣṇa) is the source of all rasa. Rasa is the
most vital factor for why we all like to live. Rasa is the only support
of all jīvas. So when we can understand that material rasa is very
unstable by nature and can ultimately throw us into the ocean of
painful experience of māyā, then we can take shelter unto the Lotus
Feet of Śri Kṛṣṇa, (shelter of pure sadhu-guru-vaiṣṇava).
So prākṛta-rasa is very dangerous for jīva who travels the course
of bondage, whereas aprākṛta-rasa can give us eternal stability.
Śrīla Prabhupāda very often used to say, “The only duty of a jīva is
102
SixteenthChapter
to do hari-bhajan.” Our exclusive hari-bhajan can take us up to the
level of the eternal rasa. Exchange of rasa with the Supreme Lord
through our natural loving sevā mood can give us eternal stability.
From Hari-bhakti-vilāsa, we know the following Skanda-purāṇ vachan:
sa mṛgyaḥ śreyasāṁ hetuḥ panthaḥ santāpa-varjitaḥ
anavāpta-śramaṁ pūrve yena santaḥ pratasthire
(Bhajan-rahasya, 2.42)
[According to the idealism of our previous mahājanas (those
who are mahabhāgavat), we must build up our bhajan life.]
Śrī Prahlād Mahārāja gave this advice:
matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā
mitho ’bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām
adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisraṁ
punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 7.5.30)
[Prahlāda Mahārāja replied,” Because of their uncontrolled senses,
persons too addicted to materialistic life make progress toward
hellish conditions and repeatedly chew that which has already been
chewed. Their inclinations unto the Lotus Feet of Kṛṣṇa can never
arise, either by the instructions of others, by their personal efforts,
or by a combination of both.”]
na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ
durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ
andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās
te ’pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 7.5.31)
103
Vaishnava Ke
Vaishnava Ke
[Persons who are strongly entrapped by the consciousness of
enjoying material life, and who have therefore accepted as their
leader or guru a similar blind man attached to external sense objects,
cannot understand the actual goal of life, engaging in the service
of Lord Viṣṇu. As a blind man guided by another blind man misses
the right path and falls into a ditch, materially attached men led by
another materially attached man are bound by the ropes of fruitive
labor, which are made of very strong cords, and they continue again
and again in materialistic life, suffering the threefold miseries.]
Just like a blind man guided by another blind man may fall down
into a ditch; those materially attached men led by another materially
attached leader are bound by the ropes of māyā.
Why should we project ourselves as being a great vaiṣṇava by
exhibiting our false solitary bhajan and dry phalgu-vairāgya? This
can only give us material vaibhāva such as name, fame, position,
kāminī, kāñcan, etc. Know for sure that all these are useless in the
way of that Absolute Truth.
104
SeventeenthChapter
Rādhā-dasye rahi chhada bhoga-ahi
pratiṣṭhāsa nahe kīrtana-gaurava
Rādhā-nitya-jana taha chhadi mana
kena va nirjana-bhajana-kaitava
F orever engage yourself in the service of Śri Rādhā and keep aloof
from the vicious snake of materialistic sense gratification. The
glory of participating in the Lord’s kīrtan is not meant to bolster
anyone’s ambitions for personal recognition. O, mind, why then do
you prefer to ignore the identity of being a servant of Rādhā’s eternal
servant? Why do you like to indulge in solitary bhajan to accept the
cheating process of so-called bhajan?
The Essence of This Verse:
Gauḍīya Goṣṭhi Pati Paramahaṃsācārya Varya Śri Śrīla Bhakti
Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākur Prabhupāda told that, “In the
way of Rādhā-dāsya, trinad api sunicena bhāva is quite natural.” An
aversive mood or material enjoying mood means kāma. This kāma
inside our heart is a dirty contamination that cannot allow us to do
hari-bhajan. We know that bhakti (sevā) is the natural function of
our soul—this is the siddhānta-vicāra of Śrīla Prabhupāda. Actual
tṛṇād api sunīcena bhāva is only possible when we can realize the
science of yukta-vairāgya in the way of our Hari-bhajan. All proper
adjustment of each and everything for Hari-sevā is the secrecy of
Hari-bhajan. Whatever we can see is meant for Hari-sevā; we have
107
Vaishnava Ke
Vaishnava Ke
no right to use anything for our sense gratification. The intimate
Gaura-pārṣad Śrīla Prabodhānanda Sarasvatīpād wrote:
kaivalyaṁ narakāyate tri-daśa-pūr ākāśa-puṣpāyate
durdāntendriya-kāla-sarpa-paṭalī protkhāta-daṁṣṭrāyate
viśvaṁ pūrṇa-sukhāyate vidhi-mahendrādiś ca kīṭāyate
yat kāruṇya-kaṭākṣa-vaibhāvavatāṁ taṁ gauram eva stumaḥ
(Caitanya-candrāmṛta, 5)
[Let us glorify Lord Gaurasundar whose devotees are enriched
by the priceless treasure of the Lord’s merciful glance, who consider
mukti (liberation) as coveted by the yogis, (kaivalya) or the liberation
of merging into Brahman (sāyujya) to be equivalent to residing in
hell. To these devotees, the goal of fruitive workers (pleasures of
paradise in the heavenly planets) is as ephemeral as castles in
the air. The rapacious senses are like poisonous cobras for the
conditioned souls but become tame and without fangs for the
devotees; the temporary, phenomenal world transforms itself into
an abode of happiness by constant engagement in the service of
the Supreme Lord. Even the lofty and powerful position of Lord
Brahma or Lord Indra becomes as insignificant to the devotees as
that of a tiny insect.]
When vairāgya is quite natural then we can feel tomāra sevāya,
duḥkha hoya jato, se-o to parama-sukha—in the course of serving
You, whatever difficulties may come are indeed absolute bliss.
For gauḍīya-rāgānuga devotees, Rādhā-dāsya is the absolute
goal for them. Śriman Mahāprabhu Śri Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Deva always
wanted to show us this most secret bhajan technique through His life
and precepts. We can see the following śloka by Śrīla Sarvabhouma
Bhattācārya in favor of this siddhānta:
vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti-yoga-
śikṣārtham ekaḥ puruṣaḥ purāṇaḥ
śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-śarīra-dhārī
108
SeventeenthChapter
kṛpāmbudhir yas tam ahaṁ prapadye
(Śri Caitanya Satakam)
[Let me take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī
Kṛṣṇa, who has descended in the form of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu
to teach us real knowledge, His devotional service and detachment
all for our teaching. He has descended because He is an ocean of
transcendental mercy. Let me surrender unto His Lotus Feet.]
Caitanya Aṣṭakam by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmīpād gives us the
following famous śloka:
sadopāsyaḥ śrīmān dhṛta-manuja-kāyaiḥ praṇayitāḿ
vahadbhir girbāṇair giriśa-parameṣṭhi-prabhṛtibhiḥ
sva-bhaktebhyaḥ śuddhasḿ nija-bhajana-mudrām upadiśan
sa caitanyaḥ kiḿ me punar api dṛśor yāsyati padam
(Stavamālā)
[Lord Chaitanya Mahāprabhu is eternally worshipable for
demigods such as Shiva and Brahma, etc. whom all have assumed
human form (as Advaita Ācārya and Haridas Ṭhākur) and who
nurture great love for Him; He is supremely radiant and He instructs
His devotees all the secret of pure bhajan as if being followed by
Himself. When will that Śri Caitanya Deva again become visible to
me?]
For a long time, Rādhā-dāsya was only a dream for us; practically
an impossible conception. Śriman Mahāprabhu came to get
that taste of the excellent or unique and absolute mahābhāva of
Śrimati Rādhārāṇī (her feeling for Kṛṣṇa). He Himself is Kṛṣṇa (the
predominating Absolute), so it was impossible for Him to realize
that mahābhāva of Śrimati Rādhārāṇī. Naturally, He decided to
steal the bhāva of Śrimati Rādhārāṇī Who is the predominated
Absolute, because there was no alternative. He also took the bodily
complexion of Śrimati Rādhārāṇī. This has become a most rare
donation for the whole world, especially for Gauḍīya devotees. Śrīla
109
Vaishnava Ke
Vaishnava Ke
Rupa Gosvāmīpād has written the secret reason for why Śri Kṛṣṇa
Caitanya Mahāprabhu came on this earth:
anarpita-carīṁ cirāt karuṇayāvatīrṇaḥ kalau
samarpayitum unnatojjvala-rasāṁ sva-bhakti-śriyam
hariḥ puraṭa-sundara-dyuti-kadamba-sandīpitaḥ
sadā hṛdaya-kandare sphuratu vaḥ śacī-nandanaḥ
(Vidagdha-mādhav)
[May that Lord who is known as the son of Śrīmatī Śacīdevī
be transcendentally situated in the innermost core of your heart.
Resplendent with the radiance of molten gold, He has descended
in the Age of Kali out of His causeless mercy to bestow what no
incarnation has ever offered before: the most elevated mellow of
devotional service, the mellow of conjugal love.]
We know the following śloka by the great Gaura-parṣad Śrīla
Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī:
premā nāmādbhutārthaḥ
śravaṇapathagataḥ kasya nāmnāṁ mahimnaḥ
ko vettā kasya vṛndāvanavipina-mahāmādhurīṣu praveśaḥ
ko vā jānāti rādhāṁ paramrasacamatkārmādhuryasīmām
ekaś caitanyacandraḥ paramkaru ṇayāḥ sarvvamāviścakāra
(Caitanya-candrāmṛta, 130)
[Had anyone even heard of something known as prema as the
ultimate aim of mankind? Did anyone know of the Divine Power of
the Holy Name? Had anyone entered the sweet, charming forest
of Vṛndāvana? Did anyone know Śri Rādhā as the embodiment
of the highest transcendental ecstasy, the personification of the
furthest reaches of the sweetness of conjugal love, as supremely
worshipful, worthy of the fullest limit of loving adoration? Only due
to the absolute compassion of Śri Caitanya-chandra were these
rarest gems discovered, found shimmering in the darkness (of Kali
Yuga), lit by the moonlight of His benevolence.]
110
SeventeenthChapter
Within all the Infinite brahmāṇḍas (cosmic worlds) there is
nothing more excellent (or important) than Rādhā-dāsya. Rādhā-
dāsya is the only way through which we can get the most excellent
and rare chance to serve Brajendrānandan Kṛṣṇa exclusively in
the way of parakīya mādhurya-rasa bhajan. Ādya-rasa is the prime
rasa—the original rasa. The discussion between Śriman Mahāprabhu
and Raghupati Upadyai at triveṇī sangam (at the house of Vallabha
Bhaṭṭa) can show us the same siddhānta.
śyāmam eva paraṁ rūpaṁ
purī madhu-purī varā
vayaḥ kaiśorakaṁ dhyeyam
ādya eva paro rasaḥ
(Śri Caitanya Caritāmṛita, Madhya, 19.106)
[The form of Śyāmasundara is the supreme form, the eternal
abode of Maṭhurā is the supreme abode, Lord Kṛṣṇa’s fresh youth
should always be meditated upon, and the mellow of conjugal love
is the supreme mellow.]
Also from Śrimad Bhagavad Gītā we find the same supporting
śloka:
na rūpam asyeha tathopalabhyate
nānto na cādir na ca sampratiṣṭhā
aśvattham enaṁ su-virūḍha-mūlam
asaṅga-śastreṇa dṛḍhena chittvā
tataḥ padaṁ tat parimārgitavyaṁ
yasmin gatā na nivartanti bhūyaḥ
tam eva cādyaṁ puruṣaṁ prapadye
yataḥ pravṛttiḥ prasṛtā purāṇī
(Śri Bhagavad Gītā, 15.3-4)
[The actual form of this tree of material existence as described
above is not perceivable within the world, for its beginning, end and
111
Vaishnava Ke
Vaishnava Ke
existence cannot be ascertained here. Therefore after resolutely
cutting down this deeply rooted tree of material existence with the
sharp axe of intense detachment, one should search out the Lotus
Feet of that primeval person, Śri Bhagavān, who is the root of this
tree. One who takes shelter of Him from whom the cycle of birth
and death expands never returns to this material world. With the
heartfelt feeling, I fully surrender unto that primeval Person Who
is the original source of that prime rasa (ādya-rasa) which can be
seen between male and female. ]
It was the special advice of Śrīla Prabhupāda for us so that we
may become established in Rādhā-dāsya to avoid even the scent
of self-enjoying mood, which is compared with a poisonous snake.
All our gauḍīya rūpānuga guru-varga are the personal associates
of Śrimati Rādhārāṇī, so to get entry into Rādhā-dāsya we need
their causeless mercy; we cannot avoid them to achieve our goal
of personal bhajan vaibhāva simply by the cheating procedure of
solitary bhajan effort.
112
EighteenChapter
vraja-basi-gana pracharaka dhana
pratiṣṭhā-bhiksuka tara nahe saba
prana achhe tara se hetu prachara
pratiṣṭhāsa-hina-Kṛṣṇa-gatha saba
T he most valuable treasures amongst the Lord’s preachers are the
eternal personalities residing in Vraja-dhām. They never occupy
themselves with begging for worthless material reputation, which
is cherished only by a living dead body. The vraja-vāsis are truly
infused with life, and therefore they preach in order to give life to
the walking corpses of the mundane world. All the songs that the
vraja-vāsis sing about the glories of Lord Kṛṣṇa are devoid of any
tinge of desire for fame.
The Essence of This Verse:
Gauḍīya Goṣṭhi Pati Paramahaṃsācārya Varya Śri Śrīla Bhakti
Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākur Prabhupāda told that “To serve
those vraja-vāsis who all are feeling a strong pain of separation from
Śri Kṛṣṇa is our duty.” Who is a vraja-vāsi? That is the main question.
Śrīla Prabhupāda explained,“ Those who are always busy to serve
Kṛṣṇa, to seek the total satisfaction of Śri Kṛṣṇa without any smell
of self-interest by the application of all their sense organs together
with their mind; ignoring all rules and regulations, social status, or
personal morality and duty, etc.—they are actually vraja-vāsi.”
115
Vaishnava Ke
Vaishnava Ke
So all our rūpānuga guru-varga they are all vraja-vāsi. Their only
duty is to serve Kṛṣṇa continuously and to sing the glories of Kṛṣṇa
continuously. Śrīla Uddhava Mahārāja wanted to preach kṛṣṇa-tattva
in front of those vraja-gopīs, but ultimately he could realize his own
foolishness and was very much interested to become a dust particle
of Vraja-dhām where vraja-gopīkas are moving around. In reference
to this, we can quote the following ślokas:
vande nanda-vraja-strīṇāṁ
pāda-reṇum abhīkṣṇaśaḥ
yāsāṁ hari-kathodgītaṁ
punāti bhuvana-trayam
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 10.47.63)
[I repeatedly offer my respects to the dust from the feet of those
gopīs of Nanda Mahārāja’s cowherd village. When these gopīs
loudly chant the glories of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the vibration purifies the three
worlds.]
āsām aho caraṇa-reṇu-juṣām ahaṁ syāṁ
vṛndāvane kim api gulma-latauṣadhīnām
yā dustyajaṁ sva-janam ārya-pathaṁ ca hitvā
bhejur mukunda-padavīṁ śrutibhir vimṛgyām
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 10.47.61)
[The gopīs of Vṛndāvana have given up the association of their
husbands, sons, and other relatives, something which is very difficult
to give up. They have forsaken the path of chastity to take shelter
of the Lotus Feet of Mukunda, Kṛṣṇa, which one should search for
by Vedic knowledge. Let me be fortunate enough to be one of the
bushes, creepers, or herbs in Vṛndāvana because the gopīs trample
them and bless them with the dust of their Lotus Feet.]
We can see that actual preaching was done by the mahābhāvavati
vraja-gopīkas in front of Uddhavajī Mahārāja who thought himself to
be the most knowledgeable personality among all Kṛṣṇa-bhaktas.
But finally, he could realize that he was nothing in front of them,
thus, he was very ashamed. Those vraja-vāsis are always full of
natural prema for Kṛṣṇa.
116
EighteenthChapter
gopī-ānugatya vinā aiśvarya-jñāne
bhajileha nāhi pāya vrajendra-nandane
(Śri Caitanya Caritāmṛita, Madhya, 8.230)
[Unless one follows in the footsteps of the gopīs, he cannot attain
the service of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, the son of Nanda Mahārāja.
If one is overcome by knowledge of the Lord’s opulence he cannot
attain the Lord’s lotus feet, even though he is engaged in devotional
service.]
vraja-vāsī lokera kṛṣṇe sahaja pirīti
gopālera sahaja-prīti vraja-vāsi-prati
(Śri Caitanya Caritāmṛita, Madhya, 4.95)
[The ideal place to execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness is Vrajabhūmi,
or Vṛndāvana, where the people are naturally inclined to
love Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa is naturally inclined to love them.]
Actual preaching means to bestow causeless kṛpā on common
people by singing the glories of Kṛṣṇa out of own practical feeling
of sevā to share the direct feeling of sevānanda with them to inspire
them in Kṛṣṇa-sevā. The worldly knowledge of platform speakers
can never infuse devotion in anyone's heart. Although a well-spoken
politician may expertly prepare a moving speech in less than half
an hour, the effect of his rhetoric is merely temporary.
Conversely, the incoherent speech of an entirely illiterate but
surrendered devotee is so courageous that it inspires devotion in
the hearts of those who hear it, even though it may be devoid of
any scriptural references. It was with such surrendered devotees in
mind that Śrīla Prabhupāda wrote in his poem “Vaiṣṇava Ke?” (verse
17): prāṇa āche tā’ra, se hetu pracāra—he who has life can preach.
Now the question is who is the most suitable candidate for
preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness? Who can be the most suitable
candidate than those vraja-vāsis? Śrīla Prabhupāda very often used
to say, “Preaching can be done in two ways: one is a negative way
of preaching and the other is a positive way of preaching.”
117
Vaishnava Ke
Vaishnava Ke
Negative preaching was done by all Aghāsura, Bakāsura, Śiśupāla,
Jarāsandha, Kaṁsā, etc. Because of their aggressive mood to
destroy Kṛṣṇa, this became like a preaching program that helped
Kṛṣṇa to become famous to all. This kind of negative preaching is
a very fast procedure of preaching, but we can never expect it to
help develop our sevā mood.
Positive preaching is rare and progresses slowly. This can be
called actual preaching, because this kind of preaching can put a
deep impression inside the heart of those sincere personalities.
So naturally, we can come to this conclusion (siddhānta) that that
vraja-vāsis are the most suitable candidates of kṛṣṇa prema-pracār.
They are not at all interested in their own lābha-pūjā-pratiṣṭhā. The
naked picture of those beggars of lābha-pūjā-pratiṣṭhā can be seen
at present all over the world. In the name of preaching, they are
only collecting lābha-pūjā-pratiṣṭhā, nothing else. Śrīla Prabhupāda
said that if you are lifeless, then what pracār can be done by you?
Śrīla Saccidānanda Bhaktivinod Ṭhākur has written the following
in his kīrtan:
(1)
śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu jīve doyā kori’
swa-pārṣada swīya dhāma saha avatari’
(2)
atyanta durlabha prema koribāre dāna
śikhāya śaraṇāgati bhakatera prāna
(3)
dainya, ātma-nivedana, goptṛtve varaṇa
‘avaśya rakṣībe kṛṣṇa’—viśvāsa, pālana
(4)
bhaki-anukūla-mātra kāryera svīkara
bhakti-pratikūla-bhāva varjanāńgikāra
(5)
sad-anga śaraṇāgati hoibe jahara
tahara prarthana sune Śri-nanda-kumara
118
EighteenthChapter
(6)
rūpa-sanātana-pade dante tṛṇa kori’
bhakativinoda poḍe duhuń pada dhori’
(7)
kāńdiyā kāńdiyā bole āmi to’ adhama
śikhāye śaraṇāgati koro he uttama
[1-2) Out of compassion for the fallen souls, Śri Kṛṣṇa Caitanya
came to this world with His personal associates and divine abode
to teach śaraṇāgati, surrender to the almighty Godhead, and freely
distribute ecstatic love of God, which is ordinarily very difficult to
obtain. This śaraṇāgati is the very life of the true devotee.
3-4) The ways of śaraṇāgati are humility, dedicating oneself,
acceptance of the Lord as the only maintainer, faith that Kṛṣṇa
will surely protect, execution of only those acts favorable to pure
devotion, and renunciation of conduct adverse to pure devotion.
5) The youthful son of Nanda Mahārāja, Śri Kṛṣṇa, hears the
prayers of anyone who takes refuge in Him by this six-fold practice.
6-7) Bhaktivinoda places a straw between his teeth, prostrates
himself before the two Gosvāmīs, Śri Rūpa and Śri Sanātana, and
grasps their lotus feet with his hands. “I am certainly the lowest of
men,” he tells them weeping, “but please make me the best of men
by teaching me the ways of śaraṇāgati.]
The actual meaning of life is niṣkapaṭa-śaraṇāgati unto the Lotus
Feet of sad-gurudeva who is actually in the line of śrauta-paraṃparā.
So those vraja-vāsis are not dead bodies like us. We are actually
mobile dead bodies. When those vraja-vāsis hear kṛṣṇa-kathā there
is a direct feeling of loving sevā. So in their Kṛṣṇa-kathā, Kṛṣṇa is
undoubtedly present. We can also remember the painful song by
those vraja-gopīkas in Gopī Gita:
119
Vaishnava Ke
Vaishnava Ke
tava kathāmṛtaṁ tapta-jīvanaṁ
kavibhir īḍitaṁ kalmaṣāpaham
śravaṇa-maṅgalaṁ śrīmad ātataṁ
bhuvi gṛṇanti ye bhūri-dā janāḥ
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 10.31.9)
[The nectar of Your words and the descriptions of Your activities
are the life and soul of those suffering in this material world. These
narrations, transmitted by learned sages, eradicate one’s sinful
reactions and bestow good fortune upon whoever hears them.
These narrations are broadcast all over the world and are filled
with spiritual power. Certainly, those who spread the message of
Godhead are most munificent.]
120
EighteenthChapter
NineteenthChapter
śrīdayitadāsa, kīrtanate āśa,
kara uccaiī svare ‘harināma-rava”
kīrtana-prabhāve, smaraṇa svabhāve,
se kāle bhajana-nirjana sambhava
Ś rīla Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī (servant of Rādhārani and Her
beloved Kṛṣṇa) always hopes for kīrtan and he begs all to
loudly sing the names of Lord Hari. The transcendental power of
congregational chanting automatically awakens the remembrance
of the Lord and His divine pastimes in relation to one’s own eternal
spiritual form. Only at that time does it become possible to go to
a solitary place and engage in the extremely confidential bhajan of
Their Lordships.
The Essence of This Verse:
Gauḍīya Goṣṭhi Pati Paramahaṃsācārya Varya Śri Śrīla Bhakti
Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākur Prabhupāda told, “By doing
hāriṇam loudly all anarthas can go away very shortly and those who
are joking with you cannot get any scope to do so.” Śri Kṛṣṇa Caitanya
Mahāprabhu, the Supreme Lord has shown us the excellency of
doing hāriṇam loudly.
Śrīla Prabhupāda also said, “Param vijayate Śri Kṛṣṇa saṅkīrtanam—
this is the only worshipable object of Śri Gauḍīya Maṭh.” Śrīla
Prabhupāda further told that “The saṅkīrtan-yagya agni was ignited by
123
Vaishnava Ke
Vaishnava Ke
the Supreme Lord (saṅkīrtan pitha), Śri Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu
at Śrivas Angan. We can identify ourselves as gauḍīya if we can
sacrifice our whole life in that saṅkīrtan-yajña agni.” Very often, Śrīla
Prabhupāda used to speak about the distinction between saṅkīrtan-
medha (intellect of doing saṅkīrtan) and gṛha-medhā (intellect of
material improvement). If gṛha-medhā is sharply increasing in
someone’s life, then be sure that he cannot stand in the way of Kṛṣṇa
consciousness. Irrespective of honor and position, this is applicable
to all. And when we can see that saṅkīrtan-medhā is increasing
sharply in the life of somebody, then it is a very good symptom.
This is one kind of green signal in the way of Kṛṣṇa consciousness
which can surely support reaching the peak point of Vaiṣṇavism.
Out of his very humble attitude, our Prabhupāda always used
to identify himself as Vrishabhanu-nandini Dayita Dāsa (the most
beloved). He is “Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī,” but he never used
to write that way. On the contrary, he used to sign as “Siddhānta
Sarasvatī.” Actually, he is aprākṛta Sarasvatī of Bhakti Siddhānta; there
is no doubt about it. In his kirtan, Śrīla Saccidānanda Bhaktivinod
Ṭhākur has written: sarasvatī kṛṣṇa-priyā, kṛṣṇa bhakti-tāra hiyā,
vinodera seī se vaibhava.
Śrīla Saccidānanda Bhaktivinod Ṭhākur wanted to express his
heart in the following way:
Sarasvatī is known as Kṛṣṇa-śakti (Kṛṣṇa-priya) and this word is
meant for Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākur. Kṛṣṇa-
bhakti is the heart of Kṛṣṇa-priya (Śrīla Prabhupāda.). Bhaktivinod
Ṭhākur feels from his heart that this is the only treasure (vaibhava)
in his life. Up until his last breath, he was doing hari-kīrtan and this
continues in the eternal world. In Goloka-dhām Vṛndāvan, he is always
engaged in hari-kīrtan. Actually, he is the complete embodiment of
vāṇī-sarasvatī as we can see in the following śloka:
kṛpayā hari-kīrtana-mūrti-dharaḿ
dharaṇī-bhara-hāraka-gaura janam
janakādhika-vatsala-snigdha-padaḿ
praṇamāmi sadā prabhupāda-padam
(Stāva Ekadāsyam)
124
NineteenthChapter
[Bestowing his grace upon all souls, He is hari-kīrtan incarnate.
As the associate of Śri Gaura, He relieves Mother Earth of the burden
of offenses committed upon her. And His graciousness excels that
of a father. I make my obeisance unto him—the mine of all these
qualities; perpetually do I bow down to the effulgence emanating
from the toenails of the holy feet of my Divine Master.]
In fact, everybody cannot realize his aprākṛta vani svarūpa. To
be frank actually when hari-kīrtan becomes quite natural in the life
of a sādhaka to the point when it takes up the entire time of his life,
then and only then solitary bhajan is possible, not before that. This
is the final advice of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmīpād in his Upadeśamṛta:
tan-nāma-rūpa-caritādi-sukīrtanānu-
smṛtyoḥ krameṇa rasanā-manasī niyojya
tiṣṭhan vraje tad-anurāgi-janānugāmī
kālaṁ nayed akhilam ity upadeśa-sāram
(Upadeśamṛta, 8)
[Engage the tongue and mind in the gradual process of chanting
and remembering Kṛṣṇa’s Names, Forms, pastimes, and so forth,
and reside in Vraja and spend all your time as a follower of those
vraja-vasis who have deep attachment to Kṛṣṇa. This is the essence
of all instructions.]
Also, Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī has shown us the gradual procedure
of kṛṣṇa-bhajan in the following way:
prathamam namnah sravanam
antahkarana-suddhy-artham apeksyam
suddhe cantah-karane rupa-sravanena tad-udaya-yoyata bhāvati
samyag-udite ca rupe gunanam sphuranam sampadyate
sampanne ca gunanam sphurane
parikara-vaisistyena tad-vaisistyam sampadyate
tatas tesu nāma-rupa-guna-parikaresu samyak sphuritesu lilanam
sphuranam susthu bhāvati
(Krama-sandarbha commentary to Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 7.5.18)
125
Vaishnava Ke
Vaishnava Ke
First, it is expected that one should hear the Lord's names
in order to purify the heart. Once the mind and intelligence have
been purified in this way, one can hear about Kṛṣṇa's form, through
which one's qualification to visualize it is obtained. When the form
of the Lord has been clearly visualized, one can experience His
qualities. Once these have been clearly understood, one develops
one's own individual spiritual characteristics through the particular
characteristics of the Lord's Associates. Thus, once the name, form,
qualities, and Associates of the Lord have been realized, a clear
realization of Kṛṣṇa's activities will follow.
Similarly, Śrīla Saccidānanda Bhaktivinod Ṭhākur has written
about the gradual promotional procedure of kṛṣṇa-bhajan in Bhajan-
rahasya:
adhikara na labhia siddhadeha bhāve
viparjya buddhi janme saktir abhave
(Bhajan-rahasya, Pratham-yama)
In the way of Gaudiya-bhajan it is certain that without attaining
proper qualification, if there is a desire to jump into higher rasa, then
due to instability of heart and mind, he can fall down.
Another very important point we can find from the writings of
Śrīla Bhaktivinod Ṭhākur:
vidhimarga rata jane svadhinata ratna dane
ragamarge karana pravesa
raga-basavartti ha’ye parakīya –bhāvasraye
labhe jīva Kṛṣṇa-premavesa
(Kalyāṇa-kalpataru)
By granting the jewel of independence to those followers of
vidhi-marga, which is the path of regulative principles of authentic
vaiṣṇava-śāstra, Kṛṣṇa can allow them to enter into raga-marga, the
path of natural loving (spontaneous) attachment. Being controlled
126
NineteenthChapter
by such tremendous loveful attachment and by taking shelter of
parakiya-bhava (paramour love), the jiva can attain the excellent
ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa.
From the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu we can find the gradual
promotional procedure of kṛṣṇa-bhajan:
ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-
saṅgo ‘tha bhajana-kriyā
tato ‘nartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt
tato niṣṭhā rucis tataḥ
athāsaktis tato bhāvas
tataḥ premābhyudañcati
sādhakānām ayaṁ premṇaḥ
prādurbhāve bhavet kramaḥ
(Śri Caitanya Caritāmṛita, Madhya, 23.14-15)
[In the beginning, one must have a preliminary desire for self-
realization. This will bring one to the stage of trying to associate with
persons who are spiritually elevated. In the next stage, one becomes
initiated by an elevated spiritual master, and under his instruction,
the neophyte devotee begins the process of devotional service. By
execution of devotional service under the guidance of the spiritual
master, one becomes freed from all material attachments, attains
steadiness in self-realization, and acquires a taste for hearing about
the Absolute Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa.]
Actually, this is the antim-vani (final advice) of Śrīla Prabhupāda:
when continuous harināma is possible in the life of a sādhaka out
of his tremendous and natural sevā mood, then with this harināma-
kīrtan, nonstop satsaṅga is possible. Since hāriṇam itself is complete
, and is the original source of all, so can gradually show all the
excellency relating to nāma-rupa-guna-parikar-lila etc... in complete
form. Śrīla Saccidānanda Bhaktivinod Ṭhākur has written in his
Gītāvalī:
127
Vaishnava Ke
Vaishnava Ke
(1)
jaya jaya harinām, cidānandāmṛta-dhām,
para-tattva akṣara-ākār
nija-jane kṛpā kori’, nāma-rūpe avatari’,
jīve doyā korile apār
(2)
jaya `hari’, `kṛṣṇa’, `rām’, jaga-jana-suviśrām,
sarva-jana-mānasa-rañjana
muni-vṛnda nirantar, je nāmera samādar,
kori’ gāy bhoriyā vadana
(3)
ohe kṛṣṇa-nāmākṣar, tumi sarva-śakti-dhar,
jīvera kalyāna-vitaraṇe
tomā vinā bhāva-sindhu, uddhārite nāhi bandhu,
āsiyācho jīva-uddhāraṇe
(4)
āche tāpa jīve jata, tumi saba koro hata,
helāya tomāre eka-bār
ḍāke jadi kono jan, ho’ye dīn akiñcan,
nāhi dekhi’ anya pratikār
(5)
tava svalpa-sphūrti pāy, ugra-tāpa dūre jāy,
lińga-bhańga hoy anāyāse
bhakativinoda koy, jaya harināma jay,
paḍe’ thāki tuwā pada-āśe
[1) All glories, all glories to the holy name, the abode of immortal
transcendental bliss. The Supreme Absolute Truth, who possesses
an eternal form, has descended in the form of the holy name. He
shows mercy to His devotees and shows boundless compassion
and kindness to all fallen souls.
128
NineteenthChapter
2) All glories to the Supreme Personality of Godhead who is
called by different names such as Hari, Kṛṣṇa, and Rama. He is the
auspicious resting place of all living entities within the universe,
and He delights the minds of all souls. Great sages, honoring His
holy name, constantly sing that holy name, filling their mouths with
the sound.
3) O eternal holy name of Kṛṣṇa, You possess all powers and
bestow auspiciousness upon the living beings. Without You there is
no other friend to deliver us from the ocean of material existence.
You have come for the deliverance of all fallen souls.
4) For all souls within this world there is much misery and sorrow.
O Hāriṇam, if someone calls upon You just one time, feeling himself
very meek and lowly, possessing nothing and seeing no other remedy
for his relief, You then easily destroy all his sorrows.
5) If one simply obtains a slight reflection or glimmer of You, then
all sorts of terrible miseries disappear. Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda says,
“All glories, all glories to the holy name of Lord Hari! O Hāriṇam, I
perpetually fall at Your lotus feet.”]
īśat vikaśi’ punaḥ, dekhāya nija rūpa-guṇa
citta hari’ laya kṛṣṇa-pāśa
(Śrī Nāma Mahātmya, Śaraṇāgati, Verse 6)
By expressing His own charming feature a little bit, He exposes
His personal beauty and qualities that cause Him to steal the heart
of a devotee who has surrendered unto His Lotus Feet. This is the
unique quality of harinam-mahāmantra.
129
Vaishnava Ke
Vaishnava Ke
130
Glossary
Vaishnava
Ke
131
Vaishnava Ke
Vaishnava Ke
Ācārya — A vaiṣṇava leader – who himself already established in
acharan to help others to do bhajan
Acharan—Vaiṣṇava — etiquette
Ādya-rasa — The original rasa - madhurya-rasa
Adhokṣaja-vastu — which is beyond sens perception (Visnu –tattva)
Ahaṅkār — Intellect and Ego)
Ākār guru-tattva – original guru tattva
Analo – fire
Antim-vani — The last instruction
Aṇu caitanya-vastu — atomic particle like-very small chetan-vastu-
cit-particle- attma
Āpo – Water
Aparādha — offence
Aprākṛta nada brahma – brahma in the form of transcendental
sound name
Aprākṛta-vastu — transcendental object- which is beyond any
material limit
Āśraya-vigraha — The only duty of asraya–vigraha is to seek the
complete satisfaction of visay–vigraha - which is predominating
absolute (Sri Krsna) but the seva –vigraha is predominated Absolute
(Śrī Radha)
Āsan – sit
Asura — demon
Ātmā vit puruṣa — to whom attma tattva is known with full
realization
Ātmā – dharma — Vaisnva dharma or Bhagavat dharma
132
Glossary
Avidyā – Non-Knowledge
Baddha-jīvas — bonded souls
Bhāgavat-bhakta — Vaiṣṇava
Bhāgavata-cintā — sich ständig an den Herrn erinnernd (visnu-
tattva)
Bhāgavat vigraha — bhagavat svarupa
Bhikṣā-sevā — to beg for Bhagavan
Buddhi — mind,
Bhukti – materiel enjoyment
Bhūmi — Earth
Cinmaya — cit-Partikel, aprākṛta (transcendental)
Dandavat pranam — prostrated pranam
Ekāyan-paddati — to channelize everything through one unique
way, which is called absolute surrender
Gurur nitya-dāsa — The eternal servant of śrī guru
Guru-paraṃparā — guru in succesive order- through mantra.
bhāgavat-paraṃparā –follows the way of prema f
Guru-sevā — to serve guru
Guru-tattva — the inner meaning of “guru” the term
Guru-varga — all previous guru
Harijana — Bhagavat bhaktas
Indra Deva – king of heaven
Japa — to chant
Kāma bzw. kamanā – self-gratification mood
133
Vaishnava Ke
Vaishnava Ke
Kāminī-kanchan — women and money (or gold-jewels etc.))
Kanaka-kāminī – gold, women
Kaupīna – the innermost covering of a sannyasi
Kham — ether
Kīrtan – singing the glories of Bhagavan
Krodha – Anger
Kṛpā — mercy
Kṛṣṇa kīrtan-kari – he who is engaged in the glorification of Krsna
Kṛṣṇetara-vastu – Objects, who are not related, or not connected
with kṛṣṇa-sevā)
Lābha-pūjā-pratiṣṭhā — profit - glamour and position (rank)
Lobha — greed
Mada — intoxication due to false ego
Mahājanas — followers of Bhagavat dharma
Mano — mind
Mātsarya — envy
Mauna-vrata -- vow to keep silence
Māyāmoye — full of maya
Moha – being in love
Mukti – Liberation on the material platform
Niṣkiñcan — no possession
Nirviśeṣa-bhāva – Impersonalism
Paṇḍits – scholar with aprākṛta wisdom
134
Glossary
Param satya-vastu – the Absolute Object of meditation
Phalgu-vairāgya — dry detachment
Pracār — to profess on about that Absolute tattva on the strength
on acharan.
Prāṇa — life
Parṣad – eternal associate
Pratiṣṭhā — Prestige
Pratiṣṭhā-āśā – hope to gain pratiṣṭhā
Pratiṣṭhā bistha — material pratiṣṭhā can be compared with stool
Pratiṣṭhā vaibhāva — vaiṣṇavi pratiṣṭhā is the real vaibhava
Puja-sevā — seva in the form of puja
Pūrṇa chetan-vastu — the absolute cit vastu
Sabda-tattva — means śabda-brahma
Sādhu-sanga — association with sadhu
Sambandha-jñāna – our relationship to guru-Vaiṣṇava-Bhagavān
and between Bhagavān and māyā
Sandhinī-śakti — is responsible for any existence (directly or indi-
rectly)
Saṅkīrtan — the singing of the glorification of the supreme Lord
Saraga-bhakta — ein Redner, der voller kāma ist
Sat-gathi – to attain the absolute position after death
Sevya-vigraha — the vigraha to be served
Sikṣā — the absolute object of learning
Siddhānta — the absolute outcome of seva
135
Vaishnava Ke
Vaishnava Ke
Siddhānta-vicāra — the absolute judgment on the Absolute
Srauta-pantha — the successive flow of the Absolute knowledge
through pure guru-parampara
Sravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ – hearing and singing of visnu-tattva
Sbhakti
Suddha-vaiṣṇava – pure-vaiṣṇava (who’s heart is free of any desire)
Svarūpa — the etrnal nature of the soul
Tapasyā — austerity
Taṭastha — the marginal position of bonded soul
Tṛṇād api sunīcena bhāva — to feel himself humbler than the blade
of grass
Tyāgī — a person having detachment mood
Vaiṣṇava-ninda – to criticize a Vaiṣṇava
Vaiṣṇavi-pratiṣṭhā – pratistha arranged by the Lord
Vaibhāva -- opulences
Vairāgya (phalgu-vairāgya) — dry vairāgya–having no link with
bhakti
Vāyu – Air
Vigraha – deity (svarup)
Vichar - judgment (siddhanta)
Vidyā / avidyā—wisdom/ maya
Vipralipsā - a feeling of strong attachment –(or greed) for personal
benefit (profit)
vVvaibhava through guru-parampara
136
Glossary
Viśuddha-siddhānta vicāra—pure siddhanta vichar
Yamarāja – God of death and justice
Yukta-vairāgya-vidyā – the mood of proper (perfect) adjustment
for the absolute hari-bhajan
137
Vaishnava Ke
138
139
Vaishnava Ke
140