Sri Jaiva-Dharma

The Universal Religion

by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura

 Sri Jaiva-dharma
The Universal Religion

Table of Contents:
Chapter One
The Soul's Eternal and Temporary Natures 6
Chapter Two
The Soul's Eternal Nature is Pure and Everlasting 22
Chapter Three
The Soul's Temporary Duties are Imperfect, Horrible, Contaminated and
Short lived 37
Chapter Four
Another Name for the Eternal Religion is the Vaisnava Religion 60
Chapter Five
Vaidhi-bhakti — the Eternal Religion. It is Not Temporary. 81
Chapter Six
Eternal Religion and the Differences of Caste 103
Chapter Seven
Eternal Duties, Household Life, and the Material World 133
Chapter Eight
Eternal Religion and Ordinary Activities 164
Chapter Nine
Eternal Religion and Modern Science-Civilization 196
Chapter Ten
Eternal Religion and History 219
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Chapter Eleven
Eternal Religion and Byut-parasta or Deity Worship 240
Chapter Twelve
Eternal Religion and Devotional Service in Practice 255
Chapter Thirteen
Eternal Religion and Sambandha, Abhidheya and Prayojana (Evidence
and Truth) 275
Chapter Fourteen
Eternal Religion and Sambandha, Abhidheya, and Prayojana (The Lord's
Potencies) 298
Chapter Fifteen 321
Eternal Religion and Sambandha, Abhidheya and Prayojana (The
Individual Spirit Souls) 321
Chapter Sixteen
Eternal Religion and Sambandha, Abhidheya and Prayojana
(The Individual Souls Swallowed by Maya) 342
Chapter Seventeen
Eternal Religion and Sambandha, Abhidheya and Prayojana
(The Souls Free From Maya's Prison) 361
Chapter Eighteen
Eternal Religion and Sambandha, Abhidheya and Prayojana
(Simultaneous Oneness and Difference) 383
Chapter Nineteen
Eternal Religion and Sambandha, Abhidheya and Prayojana (Abhidheya) .....
Chapter Twenty
Eternal Religion and Sambandha, Abhidheya and Prayojana
(Abhidheya: Vaidha-sadhana-bhakti) 430
Chapter Twenty-one
Eternal Religion and Sambandha, Abhidheya and Prayojana
(Abhidheya: Raganuga-sadhana-bhakti) 458
Chapter Twenty-two
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Eternal Religion and Sambandha, Abhidheya and Prayojana
(The Discussion of Prayojana Begins) 479
Chapter Twenty-three
Eternal Religion and Sambandha, Abhidheya and Prayojana
(The Discussion of the Holy Name Begins) 498
Chapter Twenty-four
Eternal religion and Sambandha, Abhidheya and Prayojana (Offenses to
the Holy name) 513
Chapter Twenty-five
Eternal religion and Sambandha, Abhidheya and Prayojana (Offenses to
the Holy name) 527
Chapter Twenty-six
The Discussion of Rasa Begins 542
Chapter Twenty-seven
The Rasas 554
Chapter Twenty-eight
The Rasas 564
Chapter Twenty-nine
The Rasas 578
Chapter Thirty
The Rasas 593
Chapter Thirty-one
Madhura-rasa 605
Chapter Thirty-two
Madhura-rasa 624
Chapter Thirty-three
Madhura-rasa 644
Chapter Thirty-four
Madhura-rasa 668
Chapter Thirty-five
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Madhura-rasa 686
Chapter Thirty-six
Madhura-rasa 704
Chapter Thirty-seven
Srngara-rasa (Madhura-rasa) 729
Chapter Thirty-eight
Srngara-rasa 743
Chapter Thirty-nine
Entering the Lord’s Pastimes 760
Chapter Forty
The Greatest Good Fortune 773

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 Chapter One

The Soul's Eternal and Temporary Natures

Jiver nitya o naimittik dharma

Of all earthly realms, Jambudvipa is the best. O fall places in

Jambudvipa, Bharata-varsa is the best. Of all places in Bharata-
varsa, Gauda-desa is the best. Of all places in Gauda-desa, Sri
Navadvipa-mandala is the best. In one part of Sri Navadvipa-
mandala, on the Ganga shore, the beautiful village of Sri
Godruma is splendidly manifested eternally. In ancient times
many bhajananandi devotees made their homes in the gardens of
Sri Godruma.
In that place, in a cottage of vines, a surabhi cow once
worshipped Lord Gaurasundara, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. Not far from that place was a bhajana-kutira named
Pradyumna-kunja. In that bhajana-kutira thick with vines, a
paramahamsa babaji, who was an initiated disciple of the
Supreme Lord‟s personal associate Pradyumna Brahmacari,
always stayed, rapt in the bliss of worshipping the Lord
(bhajanananda).
Aware that Sri Godruma is not different from Sri Nanda-
grama in Vrndavana, Sri Prema-dasa Babaji, who was learned in
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all the scriptures, also took shelter in that holy place. Every day
he chanted Lord Hari‟s holy names two hundred thousand times.
Every day he offered hundreds and hundreds of dandavat
obeisances to all the Vaisnavas. He maintained his life by
madhukari begging at the homes of the cowherd people there.
He strictly followed the rules of a saintly life.
When he had finished all his spiritual duties, he would not
waste his time with gossip. Rather, he would read, with tears in
his eyes, the Prema-vivarta of Lord Gaurasundara‟s dear associate
Jagadananda Pandita. At those times the devotees in that forest
grove would listen with love and devotion. And why not? The
book Prema-vivarta is full of the sweet mellows (rasas) of
devotional service. Also, this babaji read it so sweetly that
hearing its words at once extinguished whatever remained of the
poison fire of material desires in the hearts of the devotees.
One afternoon, when he had finished the chanting of all his
rounds, the paramahamsa babaji sat down in his madhavi-vine
covered cottage and read from “Prema-vivarta” and as he read he
became plunged in the ocean of devotional love. At that moment
an austere sannyasi approached him and again and again offered
dandavat obeisances at his feet.
Plunged in devotional bliss, the babaji was for a moment
unaware of external events. Finally seeing the sannyasi prostrate
before him, the babaji who was more humble than a blade of
grass, at once bowed down to greet him. Saying, “O Lord
Caitanya, O Lord Nityananda, please be merciful upon me, a
fallen soul,” the babaji began to weep.
Then the sannyasi said to the saintly babaji, “O master, I am
very lowly and fallen. Why, imitating my actions, do you mock
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me in this way?” Then, taking the dust of the babaji‟s feet, the
sannyasi sat down before him.
Giving the sannyasi a tree bark sitting place, and then sitting
beside him, the babaji, his words choked with spiritual love said,
“O master, I am a fallen soul. How may I serve you?”
Setting down his kamandalu, the regal sannyasi respectfully
folded his hands and said, “O master, I am very unfortunate. I
studied the sankhya, patanjala, nyaya, vaisesika, purva-
mimamsa, and uttara-mimamsa philosophies. I studied the
Vedanta, Upanisads, and many other scriptures also. I traveled
on pilgrimage to Varanasi and many other holy places. I spent
much time debating with others the meaning of the scriptures.
“It is twelve years now since I accepted a sannyasi danda from
Srila Saccidananda Sarasvatipada. After I accepted the danda I
spent my time always traveling to all the holy places. Wherever I
went in Bharata-varsa I always associated with the sannyasi
followers of Sankaracarya. Passing through the stages of
kuticaka, bahudaka and hamsa, after a few days I attained the
stage of paramahamsa. Then I stayed always at Varanasi.
“Observing a vow of silence, I took shelter of the sayings
„aham brahmasmi‟ (I am Brahman), „prajnanam brahma‟
(Brahman is consciousness), and „tat tvam asi‟ (You are that),
which Sankara declares are the maha-vakyas (most important
statements of the scriptures).
“Then one day a saintly Vaisnava singing songs about Lord
Hari‟s pastimes came before me. Opening my eyes wide, I gazed
at him. He was bathed by the tears flowing from his eyes, and the
hairs of his body stood erect in ecstasy. In a choked voice he

8
chanted “Sri Krsna Caitanya! Prabhu Nityananda!‟ Again and
again he danced with faltering steps. Sometimes he fell to the
ground.
“As I gazed at him and heard his song, my heart became filled
with love, a love I have no power to describe. Even though I
became filled with love, I followed the rules of paramahamsa life
and I did not speak a word to him.
“I am pathetic, my rules of paramahamsa life are pathetic, and
my so-called good fortune is also pathetic. Why did I not speak
to him?
“Since that day my heart has been irresistibly drawn to the
feet of Sri Caitanya. I became very agitated. I spent many days
searching for that Vaisnava, but I did not see him anywhere.
“When I saw that Vaisnava and heard the holy names from
his mouth I became filled with a pure and sacred bliss. Before
that time I did not know that such a bliss existed anywhere. I did
not think it was possible for a human being to experience such
bliss.
“After some days of thinking I decided that it would be best
for me to take shelter of the feet of a Vaisnava. Then I left
Varanasi and went to Sridhama Vrndavana.
“There I saw many Vaisnavas. Every one of them was calling
out the names, „O Sri Rupa! O Sri Sanatana! O Sri Jiva Goswami!‟
and lamenting. They were all meditating on Sri Sri Radha-Krsna‟s
pastimes and in voices choked with love, calling out the name of
Navadvipa.

9
 “From that moment I have yearned to see Navadvipa. After a
168 mile journey from Sri Vraja-dhama, I arrived in Mayapura a
few days ago.
“In Mayapura town I heard of your glories, so now I have
come to take shelter of your feet. Please be merciful to me,
accept me as your servant, and give my story an ending that is
good.”
Weeping again and again, and humbly placing a blade of
grass between his teeth, the saintly paramahamsa said, “O saintly
sannyasi, I am very unfortunate. I fill my belly, I sleep, I speak
useless gossip. In this way I have wasted my life.
“Now I pass my days in the place where Sri Krsna Caitanya
enjoyed His pastimes. Still, I have no power to taste what is true
love for Lord Krsna.
“You are fortunate. Gazing at a Vaisnava, for a moment, you
tasted that love. You have received the mercy of Lord Krsna
Caitanya. If, when you taste pure spiritual love, you once
remember this fallen person, my life will be a great success.”
Speaking again and again in this way, the saintly babaji
tightly embraced the saintly sannyasi and bathed him with the
tears flowing from his eyes. Touched by a Vaisnava, the saintly
sannyasi felt an emotion he had never known before. He danced
and wept. As he danced, he sang this verse:
Glory to Sri Krsna Caitanya! Glory to Lord Nityananda!
Glory to my spiritual master, Sri Prema-dasa! Glory to the bliss
of devotional service!
After a long time of chanting and dancing the two of them
talked about many things. Saintly Prema-dasa Babaji humbly
10
said, “O great soul, please stay in this Pradyumna-kunja for some
days and purify me.”
The saintly sannyasi replied, “I place my body in the service
of your feet. What to speak of a few days, I will serve you to the
end of my life. That is my wish.”
The saintly sannyasi was learned in all the scriptures. He
knew well the spiritual benefit to be attained by staying in the
spiritual master‟s home and studying under his guidance.
Therefore he very happily stayed for some says in that forest
grove.
After some days the paramahamsa babaji said, “O great soul,
Sri Pradyumna Brahmacari Thakura kindly keeps me at his feet.
Today he is rapt in the worship of Lord Nrsimha in the village of
Deva-palli in the outskirts of Navadvipa-mandala. When we have
finished our madhukari begging for alms, let us go and see him.
The saintly sannyasi replied, “As you order, so I shall do.”
Crossing the Alakananda River, the two of them came to
Deva-palli at two in the afternoon. Then, crossing the Suryatila
River, they saw the Supreme Lord‟s personal associate Sri
Pradyumna Brahmacari in the temple of Lord Nrsimha.
From a distance the paramahamsa babaji offered dandavat
obeisances to his spiritual master. Melting with love for the
Lord‟s devotees, the saintly brahmacari at once left the temple,
with both hands lifted up the paramahamsa babaji, affectionately
embraced him, and inquired about his welfare.
After a long talk about spiritual matters, the paramahamsa
babaji introduced the saintly sannyasi. The saintly brahmacari
respectfully said, “You have attained a proper spiritual master.
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You should learn Prema-vivarta from Prema-dasa. It is said (Sri
Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya 8.128):
“Whether one is a brahmana, sannyasi or sudra, regardless of
what he is, he can become a spiritual master if he knows the
science of Krsna.”
Then the saintly sannyasi humbly offered dandavat
obeisances to his parama-guru (the spiritual master of his
spiritual master) and said, “O master, You are a personal
associate of Lord Caitanya. Your glance of mercy can purify
hundreds of arrogant sannyasis like myself. Please be merciful to
me.”
The saintly sannyasi was not experienced in the relationships
among devotees. Still, he could see the relationship of the guru
and parama-guru, and he did act in the way a sincere disciple
should to his spiritual master. Then, after seeing the sandhya-
arati, the two of them returned to Sri Godruma.
After some days had passed in this way, the saintly sannyasi
desired to learn the spiritual truth from the paramahamsa babaji.
Except for his garments, the sannyasi had become like the
Vaisnavas. Controlling his mind and senses, and filled with a
host of virtues, he had full faith in the spiritual path. In addition
to that, he was very humble and he now had faith in the
transcendental pastimes of the Supreme Lord.
One morning, at sunrise, the paramahamsa babaji sat in his
cottage of madhavi vines and chanted his rounds on tulasi beads.
As he remembered the Lord‟s pastimes of leaving Vrndavana,
tears flowed again and again from his eyes. Now aware of his
original spiritual form and forgetful of his external material

12
body, he became engaged in a service appropriate for that time of
morning. Approaching, the saintly sannyasi could see that the
babaji was plunged in an ecstatic trance.
Staring at the sannyasi, the paramahamsa babaji said, “O gopi
friend, please silence that monkey, so he will not break the
happy sleeping of our Radha-Govinda. If They waken, then our
friend Lalita will be unhappy and she will rebuke me. Look!
Ananga Manjari is signaling that it be done. You are Ramana-
manjari. This is the service given to you. Please be careful and
attentive.”
Speaking again and again in this way, the paramahamsa
babaji finally became unconscious. Now understanding his
identity in the spiritual world, the saintly sannyasi became
engaged in those services.
Then the sun rose and the beauty of dawn became manifest.
The birds sang. Gentle breezes blew. The morning sunlight made
the cottage of madhavi vines very beautiful, beautiful beyond
description.
The paramahamsa babaji was sitting on a seat made from
banana bark. Gradually he regained external consciousness.
Then he continued to chant the holy names. At that time the
saintly sannyasi offered dandavat obeisances to the feet of the
babaji, humbly sat down beside him, and said, “O master, this
lowly person has a question. Please answer his question and
make his burning life cool and happy again. Please sprinkle the
nectar of Vraja on his heart, a heart burned by the fire of
impersonalism.”

13
 The babaji replied, “You are qualified to hear answers. Please
ask your question, and I will reply as I am able.”
The sannyasi said, “O master, for many days I have heard
about religion. I have asked many people about the truth of
religion. Sad to say, their answers were not in harmony with each
other. Therefore I ask: What is the true duty of the individual
soul? Why do different teachers give different explanations of
the truth of religion? If there is only one truth, why do the
philosophers not agree in their opinions?”
Meditating on the feet of Sri Krsna Caitanya Prabhu, the
saintly babaji replied, “O fortunate one, as far as my
understanding allows, I will tell you the truth of religion. Please
listen.
“The eternal nature of a thing is its eternal religion. The
religion of something comes from its original identity. When
Lord Krsna desires to create something, He creates its original
nature. That original nature is its eternal religion. However when
a thing comes into contact with other things, its nature may
become changed. After some days that changed state becomes
firmly established and it seems to be the eternal nature of the
thing. However this changed nature is not in truth the real
nature of the thing. These changed natures are called nisarga. I
will give you an example of such a changed nature. Water has an
original nature. The original nature of water is that it is liquid.
However, in contact with certain circumstance, that nature
becomes changed and the formerly liquid water may become
solid ice. That is the changed nature of water, which seems to be
its original nature. However, this changed nature is not eternal. It
is always temporary. It is manifested for some reason, it remains
14
for some time, and eventually it disappears of its own accord. On
the other hand, the original nature of a thing is eternal. Even
when the changed nature is manifested, the original nature
remains, although it is dormant. In the course of time, when
circumstances are favorable, the original nature is again openly
manifested.
“The original nature of a thing is eternal. Its changed nature
is temporary. One who knows the truth knows the difference
between the eternal and temporary nature. One who does not
know the truth thinks the temporary nature is eternal.”
Then the saintly sannyasi asked, “You speak of a „thing‟
(vastu). What does this word mean?”
The paramahamsa replied, “The word „vastu‟ is derived from
the verb „vas‟ (to exist) and the affix „tu‟. Therefore that which
exists is called „vastu‟.
There are two kinds of vastus: Things that exist in reality and
things that do not exist in reality. What exists in reality are
spiritual truths and the spiritual goal of life. What does not exist
in reality are material objects, material qualities, and the like.
What exists in reality exists in truth. What does not exist in
reality exists only in someone‟s mistaken belief.
“When a person believes something it may be that what he
believes is the truth, or it may be that it is only an illusion. In
Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.1.2) it is said:
“The highest truth is reality distinguished from illusion for
the welfare of all.”
In this way it is proved that the world of spirit is the true
reality. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the only reality.
15
From Him the many individual spirit souls, who are all his parts
and parcels, are manifested, and from Him also the potency of
illusion (maya) is also manifested.
“Therefore the word „thing‟ (vastu) may be applied to three
things: 1. the Supreme Personality of Godhead, 2. the individual
spirit souls and 3. the illusory potency (maya). These three
things exist in reality. Knowledge of the relationships that exist
between these three things is said to be pure knowledge.
“There are many different conceptions of the true natures of
these three things. These conceptions tend to be full of errors.
The vaisesika philosophers, in their categorization of things and
qualities, believe to be true many things that are not true.
“Things that exist in true have specific attributes. These
attributes determine their nature. The individual spirit souls
exist in truth. The individual spirit souls have specific attributes
that are eternal. These determine the natures of the individual
souls.
Then the saintly sannyasi said, “O master, I yearn to
understand this properly.”
Then the saintly babaji said, “A devotee named Krsnadasa
Kaviraja, who has received the mercy of Lord Nityananda,
showed me a manuscript of a book he had written, a book named
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta. In that book (Madhya 20.108 and 117)
Sri Mahaprabhu gives this instruction:
“It is the living entity‟s constitutional position to be an
eternal servant of Krsna because he is the marginal energy of
Krsna and a manifestation simultaneously one and different from
the Lord.
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 “Forgetting Krsna, the living entity has been attracted by the
external feature from time immemorial. Therefore the illusory
energy (maya) gives him all kinds of misery in his material
existence.”
“Lord Krsna is the totality of spiritual existence. He is like a
sun from which many spiritual universes have come. The
individual spirit souls are rays of light from that Krsna-sun.
There are many individual spirit souls.
“Someone may say, „You say that the individual spirit souls
are parts of Lord Krsna. This means that when He is broken up
to become the individual spirit souls, Krsna ceases to exist. This
is like a mountain that is broken up into many parts. When it is
broken in this way the mountain ceases to exist.‟
“To this I reply, You cannot speak in that way. If my
opponent then protests, „Why not?‟ then I reply: From Lord
Krsna limitless individual souls are manifested as His parts and
parcels. Still, Lord Krsna is not diminished even slightly because
of that.
“In all the Vedas it is said that the individual souls are like
sparks emanating from the blazing fire of Lord Krsna. However
none of these comparisons give a completely accurate picture of
the real truth. The examples of the great fire and the spark, the
sun and the rays of light, and the alchemists stone and gold do
not describe the entire situation. Therefore, rejecting these
material analogies, one should look inside his heart and there he
will understand the truth of the soul‟s nature.
“Lord Krsna is the great spiritual being and the individual
soul is the infinitesimal spiritual being. Lord Krsna and the

17
individual soul are one in the sense that they are both spiritual.
However, Lord Krsna is the complete whole and the individual
souls are only parts of the whole. That is the difference between
them.
“Lord Krsna is the supreme master eternally, and the
individual spirit soul is His servant eternally. In this way their
natures are described.
“Lord Krsna is the supreme attractive, and the individual
spirit soul is attracted to Him. Lord Krsna is the supreme
controller, and the individual spirit soul is controlled by Him.
Lord Krsna sees all, and the individual spirit soul is observed by
Him. Lord Krsna is perfect, and the individual spirit soul is poor
and lowly. Lord Krsna is all-powerful, and the individual soul is
powerless. Therefore the eternal nature or religion of the
individual soul is to be a faithful servant of Lord Krsna eternally.
“Lord Krsna is the master of limitless potencies. All these
potencies are perfectly manifested in the spiritual world. For the
manifestation of the individual souls one particular potency, the
tatastha sakti is employed.
“The imperfect material universes are also manifested by one
of the Lord‟s potencies. That is the same potency, called the
tatastha sakti.
“This potency creates a world where spiritual beings and
inanimate matter stay together in the same realm. In this way it
creates a kind of relationship between the spiritual world and the
material world.
“Spirit, which is conscious and pure, and matter, which is
inanimate, are opposites. Therefore it is not really possible for
18
the conscious spirit soul to have a relationship with unconscious
and inanimate matter.
“The individual soul is a small particle of spirit. Nevertheless,
one of the Supreme Lord‟s potencies makes some individual
souls somehow have a relationship with matter. The potency that
does this is called tatastha sakti.
“The place that exists between a river‟s water and the dry land
is called tata (shore). Such a place touches both land and water.
In that place between land and water the attributes of both the
land and water are manifested.
“The individual soul is spiritual. Nevertheless the spiritual
soul may be placed under the control of inanimate matter.
“Thus the individual soul is not like the spiritual world,
which never comes into contact with the material world. Nor is
the individual soul like inanimate matter. In this sense the
individual soul is neither spirit nor matter. That is why it is true
that the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the individual
spirit souls are different beings eternally.
“The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the master of the
illusory potency maya. Maya is under His control. On the other
hand, the individual spirit soul may in some circumstances find
himself under the control of maya. Therefore the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, the individual spirit souls and the
illusory potency maya are three distinct entities eternally.
“That the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the eternal root
of all existence is confirmed by the following words of the Vedas
(Katha Upanisad 2.2.13 and Sevatasvatara Upanisad 6.13):
The Supreme Lord is eternal and the living beings are eternal.
19
 Thus the individual spirit soul is a servant of Lord Krsna
eternally. The spirit soul is manifested from the Lord‟s tatastha
sakti. For this it may be concluded that the individual spirit soul
is simultaneously one and different from the Supreme
Personality of Godhead.
“The individual soul may sometimes find himself under the
control of the illusory potency maya, but the Supreme
Personality of Godhead is always the controller of maya. In this
way the individual spirit soul and the Supreme Personality of
Godhead are different eternally.
“The individual soul is spiritual in nature and the Supreme
Personality of Godhead is also spiritual in nature. Thus the
individual soul is one of the potencies of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead.
“On the other hand, because he is part and parcel of Him, the
individual soul is also not different from the Supreme Personality
of Godhead eternally.
“If the individual soul and the Supreme Personality of
Godhead are simultaneously one and different eternally, then the
eternal difference between them is most important.
“The eternal nature and duty of the individual soul is service
to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If he forgets this duty,
the individual souls comes under maya‟s control. Then the soul
stays away from Lord Krsna. That staying away from Lord Krsna
means that the soul enters the material world.
“It is not possible to give an historical account describing
when, in time, the soul first fell into the material world. That is
why it is said „anadi-bahirmukha‟ (the living entity has been
20
attracted by the external feature from time immemorial). This
staying away from Krsna and the time of entering maya‟s world
are both different from the soul‟s eternal nature. They are
perversions of it.
“It is because he is in contact with maya and under her
control that the soul‟s temporary nature and temporary duties
are manifested. The eternal nature of the soul is one, unchanged,
and completely faultless. The temporary natures, created by
contact with the material world, are of great variety.”
After speaking these words, the saintly paramahamsa babaji
stopped and began to chant the names of Lord Hari. After
hearing this description of the truth, the saintly sannyasi offered
dandavat obeisances and said, “O master, today I will think over
all that you have said. If I have any questions, tomorrow I will
place them before your feet.”

21
 Chapter Two

The Soul's Eternal Nature is Pure and

Everlasting
Jiver Nitya-dharma Suddha O Sanatana

The next morning saintly Premadasa Babaji was plunged in

the ecstasies of Vraja. Although the saintly sannyasi wished to
place some questions before him, there was no opportunity.
Then, in the afternoon, when they had finished their madhukari
begging of alms, they both entered the cottage of madhavi and
malati vines. The saintly paramahamsa babaji then kindly said,
“O best of devotees, now that you have heard my explanation of
the true nature of the soul, what is your conclusion?” Happy to
hear these words, the saintly sannyasi asked, “O master, if the
individual spirit soul is by nature only atomic in size, how is it
possible that his eternal nature is pure and perfect? If the soul is
created at a certain point in time, then the soul‟s nature is also
created at that time. If this is true, how can the soul‟s nature be
eternally existing in past, present and future?”
Hearing this question the paramahamsa babaji meditated on
the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya, smiled and then replied, “O
noble-hearted one, even though he is atomic in size, the soul is
nevertheless perfect, pure and eternal. His being atomic is only

22
in relation to his substance. The Supreme Personality of
Godhead, Lord Krsnacandra, is alone great in substance. The
multitude of individual souls are His limitless atomic parts.
Although the fire itself is not broken up into parts, many tiny
sparks come from it. In the same way Lord Krsna, the supreme
conscious being, is not divided into parts, but still a great
multitude of individual spirit souls are manifested from Him. As
each spark has all the power of fire, so each individual soul has
all the powers of consciousness. As each spark has all the
burning powers of fire, and can, in the right circumstances, start
a fire that will burn down the entire material universe, so each
individual soul has the ability to fall in love with Lord
Krsnacandra. He has the ability to be plunged in an ocean of love
for Lord Krsna. As long as he is not in touch with his original
nature, the consciousness and atomic soul cannot manifest its
natural powers. In truth the nature of the soul is considered in
terms of the soul‟s perception of others. Thinking, „What is the
soul‟s eternal nature?‟, one should carefully search for the truth.
The soul‟s eternal nature is love. Therefore the soul is not
unconscious or inanimate. It is different from unconscious
matter. The soul‟s nature is to be conscious. The soul‟s nature is
to love. In its pure state, love is identical with devotional service
to Lord Krsna. Therefore love, manifested as devotional service
to Lord Krsna, is the original nature of the individual soul.
The individual soul may be situated in two states of existence
1. the soul‟s pure state and 2. the soul‟s state of material bondage.
In the pure state the individual soul is manifested as pure spirit
only, free of any contact with inanimate matter. In his pure state
the soul is still atomic, and for this reason it is possible that he
may change his state of existence. Because Lord Krsna is the
23
supreme consciousness, He never changes His state of existence.
In truth, Lord Krsna is supreme, perfect, pure and eternal. In the
conditioned state the individual spirit soul is pathetic, broken
and impure. In his original state, the soul is great, unbroken,
pure and eternal. When the individual soul is in his pure state,
his pure nature is manifested. But when the individual soul is in
contact with the illusory potency maya, the soul‟s pure state is
not manifested. Then his original nature is perverted and he is
impure. Then he does not take shelter of Lord Krsna. Then he is
tormented by happinesses and sufferings. When he forgets the
service of Lord Krsna, the soul finds himself situated in the
material world of repeated birth and death.
As long as he remains pure, the individual soul retains his
original nature, then he understands that he is a servant of Lord
Krsna. However, when he comes into contact with the illusory
potency maya, the soul becomes impure. In that condition the
understanding of Lord Krsna‟s service is diminished. Then the
soul accepts many different material bodies, one after another.
When he is in contact with the illusory potency maya, the
individual soul is covered by a body of gross and subtle material
elements. First, the soul identifies himself with the subtle
material body. Second, he identifies himself with the gross
material body. Third, he identifies himself as the subtle and gross
bodies mixed together. In this way the soul‟s conception of his
identity becomes changed. In his pure state the individual soul is
an unalloyed devotee of Lord Krsna.
When he identifies himself as the subtle material body, the
soul thinks of himself as the enjoyer of the fruits of his work. In
this way his conception of himself as a servant of Lord Krsna

24
Eĝ
becomes covered over by his misidentification of himself as the
subtle material body.
When he identifies himself as the gross material body, the
soul thinks, „I am brahmana‟. „I am a king‟. „I am poor.‟ „I am
unhappy.‟ „I am defeated by disease and grief‟. „I am a wife‟. „I am
a husband‟. Thus the soul‟s misidentification with the gross
material body is manifested in a great variety of ways.
When the soul thus has a false conception of his identity, his
original nature becomes perverted. The original nature of the
pure soul is pure love. That pure love appears in the subtle
material body in a perverted way as material pleasure, suffering,
lust and hatred. That pure love is seen in the gross material body
in an even more perverted way as material eating, drinking, and a
host of other so-called pleasures derived from contact with
inanimate matter. In this way you can see that the soul‟s eternal
nature is manifested only when the soul is in his pure state of
existence. When the soul is situated in material bondage, only
the soul‟s temporary nature is manifested. Thus the eternal
nature of the soul is that the soul is perfect, pure, and eternal.
The temporary nature of the soul I will describe in more detail
on another day.
In the scripture Srimad-Bhagavatam pure devotional service
to Lord Visnu is described. That devotional service is the eternal
activity of the individual soul. Three different conceptions of the
soul‟s nature are described in the material world. They are: 1. the
eternal nature, 2. the temporary nature and 3. the nature that
contradicts the eternal nature.
The conception that rejects the existence of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead and the eternal soul is the third of these.
25
The conception that accepts the existence of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead and declares that one should employ
temporary, material means to win His mercy, is the second of
these, the conception of the soul‟s temporary nature. The
conception that declares that by employing the activities of
spiritual love one should strive to attain direct service to Lord
Krsna is the first of these, the conception of the soul‟s eternal
nature.
The conception of the soul‟s eternal nature may be described
differently in different countries, among different peoples, and in
different languages, but these descriptions all refer to the same
eternal nature of the soul. Still, the Vaisnava religion followed in
India is the original form, the prototype of all these conceptions
of the soul‟s eternal nature. And the form of the Vaisnava
religion that Lord Caitanya, who is the son of Saci and the Lord
of our hearts, taught the world is the purest form of the Vaisnava
religion, the form that the great souls filled with the bliss of pure
spiritual love accept and follow.”
At this point the saintly sannyasi folded his hands and said,
“O master, at every moment I see that what was taught by Lord
Caitanya, the son of Saci, is the best form of the pure Vaisnava
religion. I also see that the theory of impersonal monism taught
by Sankaracarya is very wretched and horrible.
“Still, a thought has risen in my mind, a thought I will not
accept it unless it is first placed before your feet. It is this: Is the
state of deep ecstatic spiritual love revealed by Lord Caitanya
really different from the state of merging into the impersonal
Supreme?”

26
 When he heard the name “Sankaracarya” the paramahamsa
babaji at once offered dandavat obeisances. Now he spoke the
following words: “O noble-hearted friend, one should always
think: „Sankaracarya is Lord Siva himself.‟ Sankaracarya is
actually the spiritual master of all the Vaisnavas. That is why
Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu honors him with the title acarya.
Sankaracarya is a perfect Vaisnava.
“When Sankaracarya appeared in Bharata varsa there was
great need for a guna-avatara of the Lord. The voidist philosophy
of Buddha had already practically destroyed the teachings of the
Vedas and the duties of varnasrama-dharma. Voidist Buddhism
even denied the existence of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. Although it did hint at the existence of the individual
soul, Buddhism denied the soul‟s true eternal nature. At that time
the brahmanas had practically become Buddhists and practically
abandoned the religion of the Vedas.
“At that time extraordinarily powerful Lord Siva descended as
Sankaracarya to this world, re-established the authority of the
Vedas, and transformed voidist Buddhism into the philosophy of
Vedic impersonalism. For succeeding in this extraordinary work,
the world will be long indebted to Sankaracarya.
“Every work in this world may be considered in two ways.
Some work is useful in the context of a certain period of time,
and other work is useful for all time. Sankaracarya performed
work that was very important for that particular period in
history.
From his efforts many good results came. Sri Ramanujacarya
and Sri Madhvacarya built the palace of pure Vaisnava religion
on the walls and foundation created by Sri Sankaracarya.
27
Therefore Sankaracarya is a great friend of the Vaisnava religion.
He is one of its founding teachers. The benefit created by
Sankaracarya‟s teaching is now enjoyed, without any effort on
their part by the Vaisnavas.
“Individual souls still in the grip of material bondage urgently
need to understand their relationship with the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. The individual soul is different from and
superior to the gross and subtle material bodies in the material
universes. The Vaisnavas and Sankaracarya agree on this point.
They do not disagree on the spiritual nature of the individual
soul.
“Liberation is defined as becoming free from the material
world. Both agree on this also. Up to the stage of liberation
Sankaracarya and the Vaisnavas agree on many points.
“By worshipping Lord Hari one purifies his heart and attains
liberation. Sankaracarya teaches this also.
“However, about the state of existence that is superior to
impersonal liberation Sankaracarya is silent. Sankaracarya knew
well that if the individual soul employed the worship of Lord
Hari as the way to proceed on the path of liberation, the soul
would begin to taste the pleasures of devotional service and
would eventually become a pure devotee of Lord Hari. It is for
this reason that Sankaracarya, after showing the true path, did
not reveal anything more about the secrets of Vaisnava religion.
“They who carefully study all his commentaries can see that
this was Sankaracarya‟s hidden intention. It is only they who
waste time merely circle the outskirts of Sankaracarya‟s teachings
who stay far away from the Vaisnava religion.

28
 “Being one with the Supreme Lord and attaining love for Him
are, in one sense, the same thing. However, they who narrowly
define oneness with the Lord claim, that it is different from love
for the Lord.
“Consider, for a moment, the meaning of the word „love‟. The
think that attracts one spiritual entity to another spiritual entity
is called „love‟. If the two spiritual entities are not in truth
different from each other, they cannot love each other.
“All spiritual entities are naturally attracted to the supreme
spiritual entity, Lord Krsnacandra. That attraction is called
krsna-prema, or love for Lord Krsna.
“Lord Krsnacandra and the individual spirit souls are
eternally distinct spiritual entities. Therefore the love they bear
for each other is an eternal fact.
“Three things exist eternally: 1. the enjoyer, 2. the enjoyed, 3.
the way enjoyment is obtained. If the person who enjoys by
loving another is identical with the object of his enjoyment or
love, then the love he feels can never be eternal.
“If oneness is defined as the spiritual living entity‟s pure state,
where he is free from any contact with matter, then oneness and
spiritual love are identical.
“However, the present day pandita followers of Sankaracarya
are not content to accept such a definition. Instead they
undertake a great struggle to prove that the Vedas teach the
existence of ultimately only one spiritual entity, an entity who
transforms Himself into everything exists. Such a view kills the
eternal existence of love. The Vaisnavas have conclusively
proved that this view contradicts the true teachings of the Vedas.
29
 “Sankaracarya affirmed that the pure spiritual state is one of
perfect oneness. However, his present-day followers do not
understand the hidden meaning of his words. Thus they
gradually ascribed to him a position not truly his own. They
declared the various stages of pure spiritual love to be products
of the illusory potency maya. It is for this reason that their theory
is called mayavada. It is the lowest and most horrible of all
theories in the world.
“The mayavada philosophers refuse to accept the existence of
more than one spiritual entity. They refuse to accept the
existence of spiritual love. They say that the supreme spirit
(brahman) stays aloof from matter only as long as He remains
one and undivided. They say that when He assumes any form of
His own or the forms of the many individual souls He is in the
grip of illusion (maya). Thus they think that the eternal, pure
and spiritual form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is a
manifestation of the illusory potency maya. They think the
separate existence of the individual spirit souls an illusion
created by maya.
Thinking that spiritual love and its manifestations are all
products of the illusory potency maya, they affirm that
meditation on the oneness of everything is the only thing beyond
maya‟s touch. Thus these bewildered fellows‟ idea of oneness is
not at all the same as spiritual love.
“However, the spiritual love Lord Caitanya tasted in His
pastimes and taught to the world is completely beyond the touch
of the illusory potency maya. That love is the highest fruit of
pure spiritual oneness.

30
 Mahabhava is a specific transformation of that pure spiritual
love. It is a very intense form of the bliss of pure love for Lord
Krsna. In it the confidential relationship between the lover and
the beloved reaches an intensity never known before. On the
other hand, the mayavada philosophy is shallow and
unimportant. It can never understand that exalted love.”
Then the saintly sannyasi respectfully said, “O master, my
heart is filled with conviction that the mayavada theory is
shallow and unimportant. Any doubt I had about that is now
thrown far away by your mercy. Still, I myself wear the garments
of a mayavadi sannyasi. Now I yearn to rid myself of them.”
The saintly babaji replied, “O great soul, I do not teach that
one should like or hate any particular kind of garments. When
one‟s heart is purified, his garments will also become pure. When
a person gives great respect to his outward garments, it shows
that he does not give great attention to the condition of his heart.
“In my opinion one should first purify his heart. Then he may
adopt the external activities and garments of a saintly person
without committing an offense.
“In your heart become a sincere follower of Sri Krsna
Caitanya. Then you will naturally desire to accept the external
things that are appropriate for that following. Let that be the way
you act. Always remember these words of Lord Caitanya
Mahaprabhu (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya 16.238-239):
“You should not make yourself a show bottle devotee and
become a false renunciant. For the time being enjoy the material
world in a befitting way and not become attached to it.

31
 “Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu continued: Within your heart you
should keep yourself very faithful, but externally you may
behave like an ordinary man. Thus Krsna will soon be very
pleased and deliver you from the clutches of maya.”
Understanding, the saintly sannyasi did not say anything
more about changing his garments. Folding his hands, he said,
“O master, I am your disciple and I have taken shelter at your
feet. Whatever instruction you give, I will place on my head
without argument. By hearing your words I have understood that
pure love for Lord Krsna is the only Vaisnava religion. That love
is the eternal religion of the soul. That religion is perfect, pure
and natural. How should I regard the other religions in the
various countries of the world?”
The saintly babaji replied, “O great soul, religion is one. It is
not two, and it is not many. There is only one religion for the
soul. That religion is called the Vaisnava religion. There is no
reason why religion should be different for different languages,
countries and peoples. The religion of the soul may be called by
different names, but it is not possible that there can be different
religions. The religion of the soul is the pure love the atomic
spiritual entity bears for the supreme spiritual entity. Because of
differing material conceptions, some spirit souls have distorted
that original religion and given it a variety of different shapes.
The pure and original form of the soul‟s religion is the Vaisnava
religion. Other so-called religions are merely distorted forms of
the Vaisnava religion. Other religions are pure to the degree that
they are like the Vaisnava religion.
“Some days ago, in Sri Vraja-dhama, I placed this same
question before the feet of Srila Sanatana Goswami, who is a
32
personal associate of Lord Caitanya. “In the religion of the
Yavanas there is a word „esk‟. Does this word mean pure spiritual
love, or does it not.” That was my question. The saintly Goswami
is learned in all scriptures, and he is especially learned in the
language of the Yavanas. In that language his learning has no
limit. Srila Rupa Goswami, Srila Jiva Goswami, and many other
learned scholars were also present in that assembly. Saintly Srila
Sanatana Goswami kindly replied in these words:
“Yes, the word „esk‟ means love. When the Yavanas worship
God they use the word „esk‟. However „esk‟ is often used to mean
material love also. Examples of this may be seen in the history of
Layala Manjanu and the writings of Hafiz. The Yavana acaryas
could not understand the true meaning of spiritual life. When
they write of „esk‟ they mean love in terms of either the gross or
subtle material bodies. However, they could not distinguish
between material love and pure spiritual love, and they could not
understand pure love for Lord Krsna. I have not seen an accurate
description of spiritual love in any of the books of the Yavana
teachers. I have seen them only in the books describing the
Vaisnava religion. The Yavana teachers use the word „ru‟ to
describe the pure individual soul. However they could not
understand the soul in truth. They used the word „ru‟ to describe
the conditioned souls bound by maya. That was all they could
understand. I have not seen a description of pure love for Lord
Krsna in any but the Vaisnava religion. Generally speaking, pure
love for Lord Krsna is described only in the books of Vaisnava
religion. Pure love for Lord Krsna is described in these words of
Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.1.2):

33
 “Completely rejecting all religious activities which are
materially motivated, this Bhagavata Purana propounds the
highest truth...”
“I am confident that before Sri Krsna Caitanya came to this
world, no one had given a complete description of pure love for
Lord Krsna. If you have faith in my words, then you may accept
this conclusion.”
“After hearing these instructions, again and again I offered
dandavat obeisances to Srila Sanatana Goswami.” At that time
the saintly sannyasi offered dandavat obeisances.
Then the paramahamsa babaji said, “O great devotee, now I
will answer your second question: Please listen with an attentive
mind. The words „the creation of the individual soul‟ or „the
fashioning of the individual soul‟ are all manifested by the
illusory potency maya. They are material words that describe
inanimate material things. The three divisions of time are: 1.
past, 2. present and 3. future. These divisions refer to material
time, time within the realm of the illusory potency maya. In the
spiritual world the present exists eternally. In the spiritual world
the past and future do not exist. Lord Krsna and the individual
spirit soul exist in that eternal present. In this way the individual
soul is eternal and his original nature, which is his pure love for
Lord Krsna, is also eternal. Talk of the individual soul‟s being
„created‟ or „fashioned‟ is a misconception, mistakenly imposing
the time patterns of the inanimate material world on a spiritual
entity. The atomic individual soul is spiritual and eternal. He
existed before his entrance into the material world. Because in
the spiritual world there is no past or future, whatever exists
there exists in an eternal present. Therefore the soul and its
34
nature are both eternal. They exist in that eternal present. I am
only describing this in words. Your understanding will depend
on your ability to understand the pure spiritual world. I can only
give a hint here. In spiritual trance you will be able to see all this
directly. The logic and argument of this material world will not
help you to understand it. Your ability to directly perceive the
spiritual world beyond the realm of matter will depend on how
much you can loosen the shackles of material bondage. In the
beginning you will see your own pure spiritual form. By again
and again chanting the spiritual and holy names of Lord Hari,
you will come to understand the nature of the soul. By practicing
astanga-yoga or following the path of the impersonalists you will
not be able to see the pure spiritual nature. By directly serving
Lord Krsna you will be able to understand the eternal nature of
the soul. Therefore you should chant the holy names of Lord
Hari always and with enthusiasm. Only by chanting the names of
Lord Hari will you make advancement in spiritual life. Again and
again chanting the holy name of Lord Hari for some days, you
will eventually attain love for the holy name, a kind of love you
had never known before. Accompanying that love will be direct
perception of the spiritual world. Of all the different activities of
devotional service, chanting the holy names of Lord Hari is the
most important and the most quickly effective. In Krsnadasa
Kaviraja‟s delightful books (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya 4.70-
71) Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu teaches:
“Among the ways of executing devotional service, the nine
prescribed methods are the best, for these processes have great
potency to deliver Krsna and ecstatic love for Him.”

35
 “of the nine processes of devotional service, the most
important is to always chant the holy name of the Lord. If one
does so, avoiding the ten kinds of offenses, one very easily
obtains the most valuable love of Godhead.”
“O great soul, if you now ask, „Who is a Vaisnava?‟ I give this
reply: A person who without offense chants the holy names of
Lord Krsna is a Vaisnava. The Vaisnavas are again divided into
three groups: 1. kanistha (neophyte), 2. madhyama
(intermediate), and 3. uttama (advanced). One who from time to
time chants the holy names of Lord Krsna is a neophyte devotee.
One who always chants the holy names of Lord Krsna is an
intermediate devotee. A person the sight of whose face causes
others to chant the holy names of Krsna is an advanced devotee.
Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu has taught us that one should not
use any other criterion to determine who is a Vaisnava.”
Diving into the nectar of these teachings, the saintly sannyasi
began to chant:
Hare Krsna Hare Krsna
Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare

Singing these holy names, he danced again and again. From

that day forward he found great pleasure in chanting the holy
names of Lord Hari. Offering dandavat obeisances to his spiritual
master‟s lotus feet, he said, “O master, please be merciful to this
fallen person.”

36
 Chapter Three

The Soul's Temporary Duties are Imperfect,

Horrible, Contaminated and Short lived
Naimittik dharma asampurna, heya, misra o
acirasthay

Staying on a small hill in Godruma forest and looking to the

north, the saintly sannyasi spent the whole day and three hours
of the night in chanting the holy names of Lord Hari. Then the
full moor rose and filled Navadvipa-mandala with a wonderful
splendor and beauty. The sannyasi placed his glance on Sri
Mayapura, which was not very far away.
The saintly sannyasi said, “Ah! Now I can see the
wonderfully blissful spiritual abode. The Ganga shore is
splendid, garlanded with light from many great jewel palaces,
temples, and archways. In many places tumultuous chanting of
Lord Hari‟s holy names fills the sky. Hundreds of devotees
playing vinas chant and dance like Narada Muni.
“In one place Lord Siva, the master of the demigods,
manifests a white form. Playing a dambaru drum, he chants, “O
Caitanya, O maintainer of the universes, please be merciful to
me!” Wildly dancing again and again, he finally falls to the
ground.

37
 “In another place four-faced Brahma lectures on the Vedas to
an assembly of sages. He quotes and then purely explains these
words (Svetasvatara Upanisad 3.12): “The Supreme Personality
of Godhead is Mahaprabhu who disseminates transcendental
enlightenment. Just to be in touch with Him is to be correct with
the indestructible brahmajyoti.”
In another place Indra and the demigods jump and chant:
“Glory to Lord Gauracandra! Glory to Lord Nityananda!”
The birds on the branches chirp: “Caitanya! Nityananda!”
“Everyone is intoxicated by drinking the nectar of Lord
Caitanya‟s holy names. From the gardens in the four directions
come sweet humming sounds. Intoxicated by drinking the nectar
of Lord Caitanya‟s holy names, Prakrti-devi (the goddess of the
material nature) fills every place with beauty and splendor. Ah!
Now that I see the Sri Mayapura, what can I not see? What do I
see now?”
Remembering his spiritual master, he said, “O master, now I
understand. It is by your mercy that I am able to see the spiritual
Mayapura. From this day I will stay in the association of Lord
Caitanya‟s devotees. Now that I have seen the spiritual
Mayapura, I will wear tulasi beads, tilaka, and the writing of the
holy names. This I will do.” Saying this again and again, the
saintly sannyasi fell unconscious for a moment.
After a moment he became conscious again. However he
could no longer see the wonderful spiritual vision he saw before.
Weeping again and again, the saintly sannyasi said, “I am very
unfortunate. By my spiritual master‟s mercy I was able for a
moment to see the holy abode of Sri Navadvipa.”

38
 The next day the saintly sannyasi threw his ekadanda in the
water, placed tulasi beads around his neck, wore Vaisnava tilaka
on his forehead, chanted “Hari! Hari!” and danced. Seeing his
wonderful new garments and demeanor, and remarking how
fortunate he had become, the residents of Godruma offered
dandavat obeisances to him. Embarrassed, the saintly sannyasi
said, “It is by the Vaisnavas‟ mercy that I am now dressed like a
Vaisnava. However, there is still a danger for me. Again and
again I heard from my spiritual master‟s mouth these words (Sri
Siksastaka 3, Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya 20.21):
„One who thinks himself lower than the grass, who is more
tolerant than a tree, and who does not expect personal honor,
but is always prepared to give all respects to others, can very
easily always chant the holy name of the Lord.”
Then he remembered his Vaisnava spiritual master. He
thought, “I should offer my obeisances to him.” Again and again
thinking in this way, he approached the paramahamsa babaji and
offered dandavat obeisances to him.
Sitting in his cottage of madhavi vines, the saintly babaji was
chanting the holy names of Lord Hari again and again. Seeing
that the saintly sannyasi had completely changed his garments
and was chanting the holy names with spiritual love, the babaji
again and again bathed his disciple with the tears flowing from
his eyes. Embracing him, the babaji said, “O Vaisnava dasa, by
today touching your perfectly auspicious body, my life is now a
great success.”
When he heard these words, the saintly sannyasi at once
threw far away his previous name. Now he accepted the name
Vaisnava dasa. From that day on the saintly sannyasi began a
39
new life. He threw far away his mayavadi-sannyasi garments and
arrogant sannyasi name. In the afternoon many residents of Sri
Pradyumna-kunja, Sri Godruma and Sri Madhyadvipa came to
see the saintly paramahamsa babaji. They all sat in a circle
around the saintly paramahamsa babaji. They all chanted the
holy names of Lord Hari on tulasi beads. Some chanted “O
Gauranga-Nityananda”, others chanted “O Advaita, husband of
Sita!”, others chanted “Glory to the son of Saci!” Chanting again
and again, their eyes became filled with tears. All the Vaisnavas
conversed about spiritual matters. All the assembled Vaisnavas
circumambulated the tulasi plant and offered dandavat
obeisances to the assembled Vaisnavas. Then Vaisnava dasa
circumambulated the tulasi plant and then he rolled about in the
dust that had touched the Vaisnavas‟ feet. The saintly Vaisnavas
said, “This is not the same sannyasi. Now his form is wonderful.”
Rolling on the ground before the Vaisnavas, Vaisnava dasa
said, “Today I have attained the dust of the Vaisnavas‟ feet. Now
my life is a success. By my spiritual master‟s mercy I have learned
the truth. Without the dust of the Vaisnava‟s feet, my future is
not good. The dust of the Vaisnava‟s feet, the nectar water that
has washed the Vaisnavas‟ feet and the nectar flood touched by
the Vaisnavas‟ lips are three medicines to cure the disease of
repeated birth and death. They cure the disease of repeated birth
and death. When he is cured of the disease of repeated birth and
death, a person enjoys great pleasure. O Vaisnavas, formerly I
was very proud of my great learning, but today there is no pride
in my heart. I was born in a brahmana family, I studied all the
scriptures and I entered the sannyasa-asrama. In this way my
pride reached the highest point. When I was first attracted to the
Vaisnava religion the seed of humbleness was planted in my
40
heart. Gradually, by your mercy, I have thrown far away the
pride I felt for my birth, learning and sannyasa. Now in my heart
I know that I am only a small soul, a soul without any shelter.
Without taking shelter of the Vaisnava‟s feet, for me there is no
hope. My status as a brahmana, my learning and my sannyasa
were actually making me degraded: leading me lower and lower.
Therefore I truly make this request at your feet: “Please accept
me as your servant.”
Hearing Vaisnava dasa‟s humble words, the Vaisnavas said,
“O best of the devotees, we are very eager to attain the dust from
the feet of Vaisnavas like Vaisnava dasa. Please be merciful and
make out lives successful by giving us the dust of your feet. You
have attained the mercy of a saintly paramahamsa babaji. Please
give us your association and purify us. Devotional service is
attained by one who associates with devotees like yourself. This
is confirmed by the following words of Brhan-naradiya Purana:
“Devotional service is attained by associating with devotees.
The association of devotees is attained by past pious deeds.”
“Therefore it is because in the past we performed many
devotional pious deeds that we have obtained your association.
Because we have attained your association we may now hope to
attain true devotional service.”
Saintly Vaisnava dasa thus stayed among the devotees as they
humbly offered obeisances to each other and conversed about
devotional service. He looked splendid and glorious as in his
hands he held new beads for chanting the holy names of Lord
Hari.

41
 That day a fortunate person came to that group of Vaisnavas.
Since childhood he was able to read and write the language of
the Yavanas. He imitated the activities of the Mohammedan kings
and in their country he counted himself one amongst them. His
home was in Santipura. He was born in a brahmana family. He
associated with many wealthy men. For many days he enjoyed all
worldly pleasures, but they did not make him happy. At the end
he turned to religion and began chanting the holy names of Lord
Hari. When he was a child he had studied ragas and raginis from
a Delhi classical music teacher. He would employ this knowledge
in melodiously singing the holy names of Lord Hari. Gradually
he became famous as a singer and musician in Vaisnava circles,
and his sweet singing was in great demand. After some days he
began to understand the pleasures that reside in the Lord‟s holy
names with the Vaisnavas there. He stayed at a Vaisnava‟s
asrama. Accompanied by this Vaisnava, he came to the cottage of
malati and madhavi vines in Pradyumna-kunja. Hearing from
Vaisnava dasa of the Vaisnavas‟ saintliness and humbleness,
some doubts still remained in his mind. With boldness and
eloquence he placed a question before the assembled Vaisnavas.
He asked, “In Manu-samhita and the other dharma-sastras it
is said that the brahmanas are the best caste. In those scriptures
are described the brahmana‟s regular duties, which begin with
chanting the Gayatri mantra. If these are the regular activities of
the best caste, then why are the duties of the Vaisnavas
different?”
The Vaisnavas did not reply. Afraid to dispute with this
brahmana logician, they gave no answer. After the asker of the
question had sung the holy names of Lord Hari, the Vaisnavas

42
finally said, “The saintly paramahamsa babaji will answer your
question. His reply will make us happy.”
Hearing the order of the assembled Vaisnavas, the saintly
paramahamsa babaji offered dandavat obeisances and said, “O
saintly devotees, if you wish, the Sri Vaisnava dasa, the best of
devotees, will give the proper answer.” Everyone was happy with
this proposal.
Hearing his spiritual master‟s words, and reflecting on his
own good fortune, Sri Vaisnava dasa said, “I am very fallen, and I
do not possess anything of any value. Therefore it is not right
that I speak very much in the assembly of the saintly and wise.
However, the spiritual master‟s order should always be
respectfully carried on one‟s head. I have drunk the nectar of
truth, nectar words that flowed from my spiritual master‟s
mouth. Therefore I will repeat what I can remember of his
words. That I will do.” After speaking these words, Vaisnava dasa
placed on all his limbs the dust from the feet of the saintly
paramahamsa babaji. Then, offering dandavat obeisances,
Vaisnava dasa spoke the following words:
“The original form of the Supreme is the supremely blissful
Supreme Person (bhagavan). The impersonal Brahman is the
effulgence of His transcendental body, and the all-pervading
Supersoul is His expansion. Sri Krsna Caitanya, who is the abode
of all glory, and all pastimes, taught this to us. The Manu-
samhita and other dharma-sastras, which are supplements to the
original Vedas and which explain what should and should not be
done, should be followed by the entire world. The religious
activities of human beings are of two kinds: 1. vaidhi (spiritual
rules and regulations to be followed), and 2. raganuga (spiritual
43
activities to which one is naturally attracted and which one
performs even without being impelled to do so by the rules of
the scriptures). When he is under the control of the illusory
potency maya, the human being must perform vaidhi spiritual
activities. When he is greed from maya‟s grip, the human being
need not perform vaidhi spiritual activities. Then his spiritual
activities are raganuga. Engagement in raganuga spiritual
activities is the pure state of the individual spirit soul, a state that
is naturally pure, spiritual and free from matter. By Lord Krsna‟s
wish the pure spirit soul may become free from the grip of
matter. However, that is not Lord Krsna‟s wish. However, from
the day Lord Krsna does not wish that the individual soul be
liberated, from that day the soul is thrust into the calamity that is
life in the material world. When he is thrust into the calamity of
material life, the soul cannot truthfully be liberated from the grip
of matter. When he is truthfully liberated from the grip of
matter, the pure soul naturally engages in ragatmika spiritual
activities. The spiritual activities of the people of Vraja are
ragatmika. When the soul still resides in the calamity that is the
material world, these activities are raganuga. As long as he
engages in raganuga spiritual activities, the soul in the material
world is happy. As long as he does not engage in raganuga
spiritual activities, the soul in the material world is attracted to
the illusions of maya. Attracted to maya, the soul becomes
bewildered. Then he is not attracted to pure spirit. „It is „I‟ and „It
is mine‟ are the two conceptions maya thrusts upon the soul.
Then the soul thinks, „This material body is mine‟ and „I am this
body‟. In this condition the soul loves persons who bring
pleasure to his material body and hates persons who thwart the
brining of pleasure to his material body. Thus the bewildered
44
soul becomes a slave of love and hatred. The bewildered soul
thinks others are either his friends or his enemies in three ways:
1. saririla (in relation to material bodies) 2. samajika (in relation
to society and social groups), and 3. naitika (in the context of
ideas). One who unlawfully desires gold and women will find
himself a slave to pleasures and pains. That condition of life is
called: samsara (the world of repeated birth and death). One who
is attached to the world of samsara is subject to birth, death,
karmic reactions, and a variety of living conditions, some high
and some low. Thus the souls bound by material illusion wander
here and there in the material worlds. However, the souls
attracted to spirit do not experience these troubles. They do not
experience these troubles. They who are attracted to spirit attain
their eternal spiritual nature. They who forget they are by nature
small particles of spirit fall down into the experience of material
life. Staying in the material world, they suffer many misfortunes,
although they think they do not suffer misfortunes at all.
For the souls bound by maya, the activities of ragatmika are
far away and the activities of raganuga are not accepted. It is only
by the mercy of a devotee of the Lord that the activities of
raganuga may rise within a conditioned soul‟s heart. The
activities of raganuga are rare and difficult to attain. The
residents of the material world have been cheated of them.
However, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is all knowing
and full of mercy. He sees that the souls imprisoned by maya
have been cheated by their spiritual activities. How will these
souls attain auspiciousness? By what means will the souls
bewildered by maya remember Lord Krsna? The answer is that
by associating with saintly devotees the soul is able to

45
understand that he is in reality a servant of Lord Krsna. The rules
of ordinary piety do not enjoin that one associate with saintly
devotees. How, then, does one associate with devotees, or what
makes one desire to associate with devotees? The association of
devotees does not generally happen when one follows the path of
rules and regulations (vidhi-marga). That is not the way one
comes to associate with devotees. It is from the merciful glance
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead that the scriptures are
created. Born from the mercy of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, the sun of the scriptures rises in the sky of the
devotee‟s heart. In this way the rules of piety are manifested.
In the beginning is the Veda. One part of the Veda teaches
fruitive work, another part transcendental knowledge, and
another part loving devotional service. The individual souls
bewildered by maya are situated in different states of existence.
Some are very bewildered, some are a little enlightened, and
some are very enlightened. In this way the conditioned souls
have different kinds of intelligence. The Veda teaches all these
classes of souls. Although one may consider that the souls have
an infinite variety of natures, still they are grouped into three
broad categories: 1. those qualified to perform fruitive work
(karma), 2. those eligible for transcendental knowledge (jnana),
and 3. those eligible to engage in loving devotional service
(prema) to the Supreme Lord. The Vedas thus describes these
three categories of eligibility. The Veda‟s description of what
should and should not be done by these three classes of living
entities constitute Vaidhi-dharma (the rules of religion). When
one actively performs pious deeds that is called vaidhi-pravrtti.
They who do not follow the rules of Vaidhi commit sinful acts.
Therefore living entities should always avoid actions that violate
46
these rules and regulations. They who are outside the
jurisdiction of the Vedas are called by the name mleccha and by
other names also. The conclusion, then, is that three classes of
living entities are qualified to follow the Veda. For their benefit
the great sages have written many books to supplement the
hymns of the Veda. Manu and twenty other sages thus wrote the
dharma-sastras to benefit the persons eligible to perform pious
fruitive work (karma). Different philosophers wrote books of
logic and philosophy to benefit the persons eligible for
philosophical speculation (jnana). The great devotees wrote the
Puranas and pure Tantras to teach the persons eligible to engage
in devotional service (bhakti) and to guide their actions. This is
the nature of all the Vedic literatures. The philosophy of the
mimamsakas is not seen anywhere in the original scriptures.
Every point the mimamsakas claims shows the superiority of
their idea is easily thrown into a dark hole of counter-arguments
and doubts. In all the scriptures the uttara-mimamsa (Vedanta)
philosophy is most clearly shown in Bhagavad-gita. The teaching
of karma that ignores jnana in an atheists kind of karma and that
teaching should be rejected. In the same way the teaching of
karma and jnana that ignores bhakti is atheistic karma and jnana.
There are only three kinds of yoga: karma-yoga, jnana-yoga and
bhakti-yoga. That is the Vaisnava description of the Veda‟s
teachings.
The individual soul bewildered by maya first takes shelter of
fruitive work (karma). Then he takes shelter of karma-yoga. At
the end, when he comes to the conclusion of karma yoga and
jnana yoga, he takes shelter of bhakti yoga. The soul bewildered
by maya does not ascend only one step in the staircase.

47
Ascending only one step of the staircase, he cannot enter the
temple of devotional service.
What is taking shelter of fruitive work (karma)? Fruitive
work is the activity performed by the body and mind while one is
alive in the body. Fruitive work is of two kinds: 1. auspicious,
and 2. inauspicious. By performing inauspicious work one
attains an inauspicious result. Inauspicious work is called either
„papa‟ (sin) or „vikarma‟ (evil work). When one does not perform
auspicious work that is called „akarma‟. Both of these are bad.
Auspicious work is good. Work is of three kinds: 1. nitya
(regular), 2. naimittika (occasional) and 3. kamya (desired).
Kamya work, where the desire for personal benefit is very
prominent, should be avoided. Nitya and naimittika work, on the
other hand, is work prescribed by scripture. Considering what
should and should not be done, the scriptures explain what is
nitya, naimittika and kamya work. Akarma (failure to do
auspicious work) and vikarma (inauspicious work) are not the
same as karma (auspicious work). When one avoids kamya
work, then his work is nitya or naimittika. Work that brings
auspiciousness to the body, the mind, other people or humanity
at large, is called nitya work. Everyone should perform nitya
work. When work prompted by a temporary circumstance is like
nitya work in this way, it is called naimittika work. Chanting
Gayatri, offering obeisances and cleanliness are activities that
maintain one‟s own body and the welfare of society at large. So
also do honest dealings and protection of they who should be
protected. All these are nitya work. Duties to one‟s deceased
parents, other like duties, and atonement of sins are all
naimittika work.

48
 Nitya and naimittika work bring good to the world.
Therefore the great sages order that such auspicious work be
performed. Considering the different natures of the human
beings, they thus describe what is called the varnasrama system.
According to their natural tendency for work, human beings are
thus divided into four classes: 1. brahmana, 2. ksatriya, 3. vaisya,
and 4. sudra. In this material world there are also four other
divisions, called asramas. The four asramas are: 1. grhastha, 2.
brahmacari, 3. vanaprastha and 4. sannyasi. They who are fond
of performing akarma and vikarma work are called antyaja (the
lowest) and nirasrama (outside the asrama system). The different
varnas (classes) are determined according to 1. birth, 2. nature,
3. work and 4 qualities. Whenever the varnas are determined by
birth, the meaning of the varnasrama system is lost. The different
asramas are determined according to these states: 1. being
married, 2. not being married, and 3. the renunciation of
association with women. They who are married are in the
grhastha asrama. They who are not married are in the brahmacari
asrama. They who have renounced association with women are
in the vanaprastha and sannyasa asramas. Of all the asramas, the
sannyasa asrama is the best. Of all the varnas, the brahmana
varna is the best. This is all described in the crest jewel of all
scriptures, Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.17.15-21) in the following
words: “The various occupational and social division of human
society appeared according to inferior and superior natures
manifest in the situation of the individual‟s birth.
“Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, cleanliness, satisfaction,
tolerance, simple straightforwardness, devotion to Me, mercy
and truthfulness are the natural qualities of the brahmanas.

49
 “Dynamic power, bodily strength, determination, heroism,
tolerance, generosity, great endeavor, steadiness, devotion to the
brahmanas, and leadership are the natural qualities of the
ksatriyas.
“Faith in Vedic civilization, dedication to charity, freedom
from hypocrisy, service to the brahmanas, and perpetually
desiring to accumulate more money are the natural qualities of
the vaisyas.
“Service without duplicity to the brahmanas, cows,
demigods, and other worshippable personalities and complete
satisfaction with whatever income is obtained by such service,
are the natural qualities of sudras.
“Dirtiness, dishonesty, thievery, faithlessness, useless quarrel,
lust, anger, and hankering constitute the nature of those in the
lowest position outside the varnasrama system.
“Non violence, truthfulness, honesty, desire for the
happiness and welfare of all others and freedom from lust, anger,
and greed constitute duties for all members of society.”
In the assembly of the wise, everyone can understand the
meaning of the scriptures. Therefore I shall not give any
comment on these words. I will only say this: The duties of varna
and asrama are the root of following the scriptures rules and
regulations (vaidha). A country is impious to the degree it does
not follow varnasrama.
“Now let us consider: How are the words „nitya‟ (eternal) and
„naimittika‟ (temporary) used here with the word „karma‟? If we
consider the deep meaning of the scriptures, we will see that

50
these two words do not refer to the supreme spiritual goal of life.
The terms are used with ordinary, or material meaning.
“Words like „nitya-karma‟, „nitya-tattva‟ and „nitya-sattva‟ may
be applied only to the soul‟s pure spiritual position. They cannot
be used to refer to anything else. Therefore when the word „nitya
is used to modify the word „karma‟ that „nitya karma‟, seemingly
of the material world, indirectly refers to the eternal spiritual
reality. The karma of the material world is never eternal. When
karma is employed in karma yoga, karma yoga leads to the
search for jnana (knowledge) and that search leads to bhakti
(devotional service), then that karma and jnana may be called
„nitya‟ because they lead to something that actually is nitya.
“Therefore a brahmana‟s chanting of the Gayatri mantra is
called a „nitya karma‟ because, even though it is an activity in
relation to the material body, it does have an oblique reference to
the path of devotional service. Therefore these things may be
called „nitya‟ even though in themselves they are not really
„nitya‟. Such a usage is called „upacara‟ (a figure of speech).
“The word „nitya karma‟ can be applied truthfully only to
krsna-prema (pure love for Lord Krsna). The word „nitya karma‟
can be applied truthfully only to the realm of the spirit. When
the activities of this material world are used for advancement in
spiritual life, those activities may be called „nitya karma‟. There is
nothing wrong with that usage. However, one who sees the truth
does not call these activities „nitya‟ (eternal). He prefers to call
them „naimittika‟ (temporary). It is not really true that the words
„nitya karma‟ and naimittika karma‟ may refer to materialistic
activities.

51
 “In truth, the eternal nature of the soul is purely spiritual.
The religion that describes the pure soul is the real eternal
religion. All other religions are temporary. Varnasrama dharma,
astanga yoga, sankhya and austerities are all temporary. If an
individual spirit soul is not bound by maya, there is no need for
him to follow any of these paths. These temporary religions are
meant only for souls bewildered by maya. All these religions are
intended for certain specific circumstances. Therefore the truth
is that they are all temporary.
“The brahmanas are the best of the social classes, the
brahmana‟ duty is to chant the Gayatri mantra, and the sannyasi‟s
duty is to renounce other duties. However all these duties are
temporary. All these duties are praised by the dharma-sastras,
and they are good for some spiritual aspirants. Still, they are not
in any way equal to the eternal duties of the soul, Srimad-
Bhagavatam (7.9.10) explains:
“If a brahmana has all twelve of the brahminical
qualifications (as they are stated in the book called Sanat-sujata)
but is not a devotee and is averse to the lotus feet of the Lord, he
is certainly lower than a devotee who is a dog-eater but who has
dedicated everything - mind, words, activities, wealth and life -
to the Supreme Lord. Such a devotee is better than such a
brahmana because the devotee can purify his whole family,
whereas the so-called brahmana in a position of false-prestige
cannot purify even himself.
The twelve brahminical qualifications here are: 1.
truthfulness, 2. self-control, 3. austerity, 4. freedom from envy,
5. modesty, 6. tolerance, 7. freedom from malice, 8. sacrifice, 9.
charity, 10 steadiness, 11. hearing the Vedas, and 12. observing
52
vows. A brahmana who possesses these twelve qualities should
be honored by everyone in the world. However, if a brahmana
has all these qualities,, but has no devotion for Lord Krsna, then
that brahmana is degraded. Even a devotee who is a dog-eater is
better than such a brahmana. The meaning here is that the dog-
eater referred to is a person who has taken birth in a dog-eater
family, but by association with saintly persons becomes purified
(samskara), and because of that purification engages in the
eternal spiritual activities of the soul. The brahmana referred to
here is a person who has taken birth in a brahmana family, but is
averse to the eternal activities of the soul, and prefers to perform
temporary, material activities in their stead. Than such a
brahmana, such a dog-eater is better.
“Human beings in the material world are of two kinds: 1. the
intelligent, and 2. the unintelligent. The material world is filled
with unintelligent human beings. Intelligent human beings are
rare. Among such unintelligent persons, the brahmanas are the
best, and thus the duties of the brahmanas, such as their
chanting of the Gayatri mantra, are the best of these kinds of
duties. „Intelligent person‟ is a synonym for the word „Vaisnava‟.
The activities of the Vaisnavas and the activities of unintelligent
persons are inevitably very different. However the teachings of
the Vaisnavas and the teachings of the unintelligent followers of
the smrti-sastras (the so-called smartas) are not really opposed to
each other. The teachings of the scriptures are always in
harmony with each other. Intelligent persons accept the
scriptures as their friends. They do not think that the different
duties described in the scriptures have different purposes in the
end. The duties prescribed in the scriptures for unqualified
persons are indeed different from the duties prescribed for the
53
intelligent. Still, these different activities have the same purpose
at their root. For the unintelligent the scriptures prescribe
temporary duties as most appropriate. However, temporary
duties are all imperfect, horrible, contaminated and short lived.
“These temporary duties are not the same as directly spiritual
duties. Temporary duties may be accepted when they follow the
spiritual path. Then they help one to attain the spiritual nature.
When the means does not lead to the goal, the means should be
rejected. Therefore the means is not complete in itself. It is
merely a part, a separated fragment of what will be the final goal.
Therefore temporary duties are not complete. For example, a
brahmana‟s chanting Gayatri, like his other duties as well, is
subjected to various rules and meant to be performed only at
certain specified times. All these duties are not manifested from
the soul‟s natural spiritual activities. However, after many days of
following such rules a person may become purified by
associating with saintly Vaisnavas. Then he develops a liking for
the spiritual holy name of Lord Hari. At that time he does not
continue other activities, such as the chanting of Gayatri.
Chanting the holy name of Lord Hari is the perfect spiritual
activity. The chanting of Gayatri and other like activities are only
various means to attain the goal, which is the chanting of Lord
Hari‟s holy name. Therefore these activities are not the final
perfection. Saintly persons teach that these temporary duties,
while honorable in themselves, are still imperfect, horrible,
contaminated, and short lived. The spiritual truth is the final
goal. Because they bring one into contact with matter and
materialists, temporary duties are horrible for the individual
souls. Temporary duties are very material. Temporary duties
bring with them many irrelevant results. The individual soul
54
naturally attains these results. Even though he does not wish
these petty results, he cannot escape them.
“For example, that a brahmana worships the Supreme
Personality of Godhead is good. However, a brahmana tends to
think, „I am brahmana. Other souls are inferior to me.” Such a
falsely brahmana finds that his worship of the Lord brings a
horrible result. Mystic powers obtained by practicing astanga-
yoga also bring horrible results. They are very inauspicious for
the individual souls. Material sense gratification and impersonal
liberation are the two unavoidable friends of temporary duties.
Only if he can cheat these two will the individual soul attain his
root spiritual nature. Therefore temporary duties are very
horrible for the individual soul.
Temporary duties are short lived. The soul‟s temporary duties
are not performed in all situations and all times. For example: a
brahmana‟s brahmana nature, a ksatriya‟s ksatriya nature, and
other like natures also, are manifested because of a particular
cause. When the cause ceases to be, these natures vanish. A
person may in one birth be a brahmana and in the next birth an
outcaste. Therefore the duties of the brahmana caste are
temporary. They are not the original duties of the soul. Therefore
in reference to temporary duties the phrase „own duty‟ is only a
figure of speech. That is why in every birth a soul‟s „own duty‟
changes. However, in none of these births does the soul‟s eternal
duty ever change. This eternal duty is the soul‟s true „own duty‟.
Temporary duties are all short lived.
“If one asks, „What are the duties of the Vaisnavas?‟ then I
answer: The Vaisnavas‟ duties are the eternal duties of the soul.
When he is liberated from the world of matter, the Vaisnava soul
55
attains his pure spiritual body, and with that body he engages in
devotional activities that express his spiritual love for Lord
Krsna. When he resides in the material world, a person who is
intelligent respectfully accepts all that advances his spiritual life
and rejects all that hinders it. He does not blindly follow the
orders and prohibitions of the scriptures. When the scriptures
encourage devotion to Lord Hari, then such a person happily
accepts those teachings. When the scriptures‟ teachings do not
encourage devotion, he does not dishonor those teachings. In the
same way a Vaisnava also honors or rejects the prohibitions
taught in the scriptures. A Vaisnava is the best person in the
world. A Vaisnava is the friend of everyone in the world. A
Vaisnava is the auspiciousness of the world. In this way I have
humbly said all I wish to say to this assembly of Vaisnavas. May
the Vaisnavas wash away all my faults and mistakes.”
After speaking these words, Vaisnava dasa offered dandavat
obeisances to the Vaisnava assembly, and then sat down to one
side. The Vaisnavas‟ eyes were filled with tears. With one voice
the Vaisnavas called out, “Well done! Well done!” The four
directions of Godruma forest echoed with “Well done! Well
done!”
The brahmana singer who had first asked the question could
see deep truth in many of the speaker‟s arguments. Although he
still had some doubts, the seed of faith in the Vaisnava religion
had been very firmly planted in his mind. With folded hands he
said, “O great souls, I was not a Vaisnava. Again and again
hearing Lord Hari‟s holy names, I have now become a Vaisnava.
If you are merciful and teach me a little more, all my doubts will
go far away.”

56
 Then Sri Prema dasa, the saintly paramahamsa babaji,
mercifully said, “Stay with Sriman Vaisnava dasa. He is learned
in all the scriptures. At Varanasi he deeply studied Vedanta-sutra
and accepted sannyasa. By the limitless mercy of Sri Krsna
Caitanya, who is the Lord of our lives, he was attracted to Sri
Navadvipa. He knows all the truths of the Vaisnava religion.
Deep love for Lord Hari‟s holy names has taken its birth within
him.
The questioner was a pious man named Sri Kalidasa Lahiri.
Hearing the saintly babaji‟s words, in his heart he accepted
Vaisnava dasa as his spiritual master. In his mind he thought,
“This person was born in a brahmana family and he accepted
sannyasa. Therefore he is fit to teach a brahmana. Also, I see that
he has deeply entered the truths of Vaisnava religion. From him I
will learn much about the Vaisnava religion. Thinking in this
way, Lahiri Mahasaya offered dandavat obeisances at Sri
Vaisnava‟s feet and said, “O great soul, please be merciful to me.”
Offering dandavat obeisances to him, Vaisnava dasa replied, “If
you are merciful to me, then I have attained my wish.”
With sunset approaching, everyone returned to their own
places.
Lahiri Mahasaya‟s home was in a secluded part of the village.
It was in a grove. In the middle was a cottage of madhavi vines
and a platform of tulasi-devi. There were two rooms, one on each
side. The yard was hedged with cita bushes. With a bela tree,
nim tree, and some other trees bearing fruits and flowers, the
place was charming. The proprietor of that grove was named
Madhava dasa Babaji. At first the babaji had been a good soul,
but by bad association he had fallen away from the Vaisnava
57
religion. Because of improper association with a woman, his
devotional practices were now dwarfed. Pushed by poverty, he
could not live happily. He begged in many places and rented out
one of his rooms. Lahiri Mahasaya was now staying in that room.
In the middle of the night Lahiri Mahasaya‟s sleep was
broken. Again and again he thought of what Vaisnava dasa Babaji
had said. Then he heard a sound in the courtyard. Coming
outside, in the courtyard he saw Madhava dasa talking with the
woman. Seeing him, the woman disappeared. Embarrassed
before Lahiri Mahasaya, Madhava dasa stood motionless.
Lahiri Mahasaya said, “Babaji, what‟s wrong?”
Tears in his eyes, Madhava dasa replied, “O my misfortune!
What more can I say? What was I in the past? What am I now?
How much faith the saintly paramahamsa babaji had in me! Now
I am ashamed even to come near him.”
Lahiri Mahasaya said, “If you tell me clearly, I can
understand.”
Madhava dasa said, “The woman you saw was my married
wife in my former asrama. A few days after I accepted a life of
renunciation, she came to Sri Santipura and lived in a cottage she
built by the Ganga‟s shore. Many days passed in that way.
Walking by the Ganga‟s shore at Sri Santipura, I saw her and
said, „Why did you leave your home?‟ She told me, „Material life
is not good. Now that I am robbed of your feet, I will stay at a
holy place and beg alms.‟ Not saying anything more, I slowly
returned to Sri Godruma. At Sri Godruma I eventually stayed at a
Sad-gopa‟s house. Every day, at some place or other, I would see
her. The more I tried to avoid her, the more she tried to come

58
near me. Now she stays at an asrama. She comes late at night and
tries to ruin me. Now I am infamous everywhere. Because I now
associate with her, my devotional service has become dwarfed. I
am a cinder that blackens the family of Sri Krsna Caitanya‟s
servants. Since the time of Chota Haridasa‟s punishment, I am
the deserving of punishment. Being merciful, the babaji of Sri
Godruma have not yet punished me, but they do not trust me.
Hearing these words, Lahiri Mahasaya said, “Take care, O
Madhava dasa Babaji”. After speaking these words, he entered
the house. The babaji sat on his own seat.
Lahiri Mahasaya could not sleep. Again and again he thought,
“Madhava dasa Babaji has fallen down. He is like one who eats
his own vomit. I should not stay in this house. Why not? Even if
I do not fall down by associating with him, I will be criticized by
others. Not trusting me, the pure Vaisnavas will not teach me.
At sunrise he went to Pradyumna-kunja, properly greeted Sri
Vaisnava dasa and asked for a place to stay. When Vaisnava dasa
informed the saintly paramahamsa babaji of this request, the
babaji said he could stay in a cottage on one side of the forest.
Lahiri Mahasaya stayed in that cottage and arranged to get
prasadam at the home of a nearby brahmana.

59
 Chapter Four

Another Name for the Eternal Religion is

the Vaisnava Religion
Nitya-dharmer namantara vaisnava-dharma

The cottage of Lahiri Mahasaya and the cottage of Sri

Vaisnava dasa stood side by side. Nearby were some mango and
kanthala trees. Some betel plants gracefully enclosed the place on
four sides. In the courtyard was a large circular terrace. The
terrace had been there since the days when Pradyumna
Brahmacari lived there. Many days since then the Vaisnavas came
to call that place “Surabhi‟s Terrace” and became accustomed to
circumambulate it and offer dandavat obeisances.
It was shortly after dusk. Sitting on a leaf-seat in his cottage,
Sri Vaisnava dasa chanted the holy names of Lord Hari. It was
the dark fortnight. The night was gradually becoming dark. A
flickering lamp burned in Lahiri Mahasaya‟s cottage. Seeing a
snake at his doorway, Lahiri Mahasaya quickly trimmed the lamp
and took up a stick to kill the snake, but when he came outside
with his lamp he did not see the snake. Then Lahiri Mahasaya
said to Vaisnava dasa, “Take care. A snake has entered your
cottage.” Vaisnava dasa replied, “Why do you worry about a
snake? Come. Enter my cottage without fear.” Lahiri Mahasaya

60
entered the cottage and sat on the leaf seat. Still, his mind was
agitated about the snake. He said “O noble-hearted one,
Santipura is very good in this way. It is a city and there is no fear
of snakes or other dangers. In Nadiya there is always fear of
snakes. Especially Godruma and the other forest places. It is hard
for a gentleman to live in those places.
Sri Vaisnava dasa babaji replied, “O Lahiri Mahasaya, It is
foolish to let the mind be agitated over these things. You must
have heard the story of Maharaja Pariksit in the Srimad-
Bhagavatam. Giving up all fear of snakes, with an unagitated
mind he heard nectar descriptions of Lord Hari from the mouth
of Srila Sukadeva Goswami. In this way he attained
transcendental bliss. No snake can kill a man‟s spiritual body.
The spiritual body is bitten only by the snake of separation from
hearing the nectar topics of the Supreme Lord. The material body
is not eternal. Some day you must give it up. One may do
everything to maintain his material body. Still, whenever Lord
Krsna wills, that material body will certainly collapse, and one
will not be able to protect it. If the time of one‟s death has not yet
come, one may even sleep beside a snake, but the snake will not
harm him. Therefore one who gives up fear of snakes or other
dangers may be called a true Vaisnava. If it is afraid of every
danger, the mind will always be restless.. How can a restless
mind always think of Lord Hari‟s lotus feet? Therefore one
should abandon all fear of snakes and all attempts, born from
that fear, to kill snakes.
Becoming a little faithful, Lahiri Mahasaya said, “O saintly
one, your good words have made my heart fearless. I know that
only a person with a noble heart is qualified to attain the final

61
goal of life. The great souls who stay in mountain caves and
worship the Lord there are never afraid of wild animals. On the
contrary, it is because they fear the association of materialistic
persons that they voluntarily live in the forest surrounded by
wild animals.”
The saintly babaji then said, “When Bhakti-devi (the goddess
of devotional service) appears in someone‟s heart, that heart
naturally becomes exalted. The whole world loves such a person.
Saints and ruffians alike, everyone loves a devotee of the Lord.
Therefore every human being should become a Vaisnava.”
Hearing this, Lahiri Mahasaya said, “You have given me great
faith in the eternal religion. The Vaisnava religion is very close to
the eternal religion. That is my belief. I am not convinced that
the Vaisnava religion is completely identical with the eternal
religion. Therefore I ask you to tell me what you think of all this.
Vaisnava dasa babaji then said:
“In this material world two different religions are called by
the name the Vaisnava religion. One is the pure Vaisnava religion
and the other is the contaminated Vaisnava religion. The pure
Vaisnava religion is one, although it is divided into four
according to the different rasas. Thus there is the Vaisnava
religion in servitorship (dasya), a Vaisnava religion in friendship
(sakhya), a Vaisnava religion in parental love (vatsalya), and a
Vaisnava religion in conjugal love (madhurya). Still, the pure
Vaisnava religion is one. It is not many. „The eternal religion‟ and
„the transcendental religion‟ are merely other names for the
Vaisnava religion. The Sruti sastra declares:
“By understanding the Supreme, one comes to understand
everything.”
62
 “These words refer to the Vaisnava religion. This truth will
gradually be revealed to you.
“The contaminated Vaisnava religion is of two kinds: 1.
Vaisnava religion contaminated by fruitive work (karma) and 2.
Vaisnava religion contaminated by the impersonalist fallacy
(jnana). The activities of the Vaisnava religion as conceived by
the smarta panditas are the Vaisnava religion contaminated by
fruitive work. Although it includes initiation in chanting a
Visnu-mantra, this conception of the Vaisnava religion belittles
the all-pervading Supreme Personality of Godhead and makes
Him subordinate to fruitive work. According to these people,
even though He is the master of all the demigods, Lord Visnu is
merely a part of the process of karma and is Himself subject to
the laws of karma. Thus karma is not subordinate to the will of
Visnu, but Visnu is subordinate to the will of karma. According
to them all worship and spiritual practices are merely various
aspects of fruitive work, and therefore nothing is higher than
fruitive work. This form of Vaisnava religion according to the
conception of the mimamsaka philosophers has existed for many
days. In India many follow this idea, and they claims to be
Vaisnavas. They do not accept the pure Vaisnavas to be
Vaisnavas at all. Such is the misfortune of the mimamsakas.
Vaisnava religion contaminated by impersonal philosophy is
also prevalent in India. According to the impersonalists, in order
to attain the qualityless impersonal Brahman one should worship
Surya, Ganesa, Sakti, Siva or Visnu. Then, when one attains
perfect knowledge, he can discard the form that he had
worshipped. Then, at the end, he attains the qualityless
impersonal Brahman. Accepting these ideas, many persons

63
dishonor the pure Vaisnava religion. The worship of Lord Visnu
is included in the impersonalists worship of five Deities (Surya,
Ganesa, Sakti, Siva or Visnu as described above), and that
worship includes initiation, Deity worship, and the other aspects
of devotion to Lord Visnu. Sometimes it may even include the
worship of Sri Sri Radha-Krsna. Still, this is not the pure
Vaisnava religion.
The pure Vaisnava religion is different from these kinds of
contaminated Vaisnava religion. It is the true Vaisnava religion.
Because of the defects of Kali-yuga, many people do not
understand what is the pure Vaisnava religion. They think these
varieties of contaminated Vaisnava religion are the true Vaisnava
religion.
The worshippers of the Paramatma (Supersoul) wish to meet
the Supersoul. Desiring to enter a mystic trance and there meet
the Supersoul, they engage in kriya-yoga, karma-yoga, or
astanga-yoga. According to these people, initiation into chanting
Visnu mantras, worship of Lord Visnu, meditating on Lord
Visnu, and other kinds of devotional service, are all various
aspects of karma-yoga. Among these people, Vaisnava religion
contaminated by fruitive work is manifested.
Srimad-Bhagavatam explains that the most fortunate persons
are attracted to pure devotional service, service to the pure form
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such persons engage in
Deity worship and the other activities of devotional service.
These activities of devotional service are not subordinate aspects
of kriya-yoga, karma yoga or the speculations of the
impersonalists. Rather, they are aspects of pure devotional

64
service. These activities are the pure Vaisnava religion. Srimad-
Bhagavatam (1.1.1) explains:
“Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth
call this non-dual substance Brahman, Paramatma or Bhagavan.”
One should see in this way. The Supreme Personality of
Godhead, who is not different from either the Paramatma or the
impersonal Brahman, is the highest, the final manifestation of
the Supreme. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is Lord
Visnu, who is supreme pure. Individual spirit souls that become
His followers are also pure. The activity of such pure souls is
called „bhakti‟ (devotional service). Hari-bhakti (devotional
service to Lord Hari) is also called by the names suddha-
vaisnava-dharma (pure Vaisnava religion), nitya-dharma (eternal
religion), jaiva dharma (duty of individual souls), bhagavata
dharma (religion of worshipping the Supreme Personality of
Godhead), paramartha-dharma (way to attain the final goal of
life), and para-dharma (highest religion). Religions that strive to
attain the Paramatma and the impersonal Brahman are all
temporary religions. A material motive pushes one to seek the
impersonal Brahman. Therefore the religion of the impersonal
Brahman is materially motivated and temporary. It is not eternal.
The individual soul trapped in the material world is eager to
escape his material bondage. To escape this material bondage the
soul searches for the impersonal Brahman. In this way he takes
shelter of a religion that is both temporary and materially
motivated. Therefore the religion of seeking the impersonal
Brahman is not eternal. Seeking the happiness of rapt meditation
(samadhi), a soul may take shelter of the religion of seeking the
Paramatma. Thus, seeking a more subtle kind of material

65
pleasure, he follows a temporary religion based on a material
motive. Therefore the religion of seeking the Paramatma is not
eternal. The religion of serving the Supreme Personality of
Godhead is alone eternal.”
Hearing these words, Lahiri Mahasaya said, “Please described
to me the pure Vaisnava religion. I am advanced in years. I take
shelter of your feet. Please be merciful and accept me. I have
heard it said that a person previously initiated and instructed by
an unworthy person should find a worthy teacher and accept
initiation and instruction from him. For some days I have heard
your good instructions and now I have faith in the Vaisnava
religion. Please be merciful. Teach me the Vaisnava religion and,
when your teaching is concluded, initiate me and purify me.
A little embarrassed, the saintly babaji said, “Saintly brother,
I will teach you as far as I am able, but I am not qualified to be an
initiating spiritual master. However that may be, you should now
learn about the pure Vaisnava religion.
“Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is the original
spiritual master of the entire world, teaches that there are three
basic truths in the Vaisnava religion. They are: 1. sambandha
(the relationship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the
individual soul), 2. abhidheya (the activities in that
relationship), and 3. prayojana (the final goal, which is pure love
for the Supreme Personality of Godhead). One who understands
these three truths can act properly. He is a pure Vaisnava, or a
pure devotee of the Lord.
“Within sambandha are three distinct truths: 1. the material
world, or the illusory potency maya, 2. the individual soul, or the
subordinate living entity, and 3. the Supreme Personality of
66
Godhead, who is one and unrivaled, the master of all powers, all
attractive, the abode of all opulence and sweetness, and the only
shelter of both the individual spirit souls and the illusory
potency maya. Although He is the only shelter of both the
individual spirit souls and the illusory potency maya, He is
always supremely independent, and His transcendental form is
both sublimely handsome and eternal. The impersonal Brahman
effulgence is merely a distant reflection of the splendor of His
limbs. With His potency of transcendental power (aisi sakti) He
manifests the material universes and places the individual souls
within them. Then He expands to become the Supersoul. As the
Supersoul He enters the material universes. In this way He is the
Supreme controller. When He manifests His feature of supreme
opulence, He is Lord Narayana in the spiritual sky. When He
manifests His feature of supreme sweetness, He is Lord
Krsnacandra, the gopis‟ beloved in Goloka Vrndavana. His
different forms and pastimes are all limitless and eternal. No
person or thing is His equal. Nothing is superior to Him. All His
forms and pastimes are manifested by his para sakti
(transcendental potency). Of His many different transcendental
potencies, three are especially known to the individual souls.
One of these potencies is called the cit potency. Employing this
potency, the Supreme Personality of Godhead enjoys all His
transcendental pastimes. Another of these potencies is called the
jiva potency or the marginal potency. By this potency limitless
individual souls are manifested and maintained. The third
potency is called the maya potency. By this potency all material
things, material time, and material activities are manifested. The
Supreme Personality of Godhead has a relationship with the
individual spirit souls. The material energy and the individual
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spirit souls both have relationships with the Supreme Personality
of Godhead. The Supreme Personality of Godhead and the
individual souls both have relationships with the material
energy. These different relationships are called sambandha.
Sambandha is understood when one understands these different
relationships. Without first understanding these relationships it
is not possible for anyone to become a pure Vaisnava.”
Lahiri Mahasaya said, “From the Vaisnavas themselves I have
heard that Vaisnavas surrender to their emotions and therefore
they have no need for knowledge. What kind of statement is
that? I myself, up to this time, have chanted the holy names of
Lord Hari only to attain a certain feeling. I did not strive to
understand any relationships.”
The babaji said, “A Vaisnava‟s feelings of ecstatic love are the
final result of his devotional service. However, such love must be
pure. They who think that this ecstatic emotion culminates in
oneness with the impersonal Brahman cannot have actions and
ecstatic emotions that are pure. Their pure ecstatic emotions are
all an empty show. A single drop of pure ecstatic love fulfills all
the desires of the spirit soul. However, when that emotion is
contaminated by impersonalism, the only result is trouble and
calamity for the spirit soul. The devotional emotional displays of
one who in his heart thinks he is not different from the
impersonal Brahman are merely a trick to cheat the innocent
people. Therefore pure Vaisnavas must thoroughly understand
these relationships.
Faithful Lahiri Mahasaya then said, “Is there something
higher than the impersonal Brahman? If the Supreme Personality
of Godhead is the origin of the impersonal Brahman, then why
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do the philosophers not leave the impersonal Brahman and
worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead instead?”
The saintly babaji laughed and said, “Brahma, the four
Kumaras, Sukadeva Goswami, Narada, Siva, and all other truly
great philosophers took shelter of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead‟s feet.”
Lahiri Mahasaya said, “If the Supreme Personality of
Godhead has a form situated within space, then that form must
also be limited in spatial terms. How, then, can the spatially
limited form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead be the
resting place of the all-pervading, spatially limitless impersonal
Brahman?”
The babaji replied, “Even in the material world the element
ether is also all-pervading and spatially limitless. Why then
should the impersonal Brahman be considered so glorious,
merely because it is all-pervading and spatially limitless? From
the splendor of His transcendental limbs the Supreme
Personality of Godhead manifests the all-pervading, spatially
limitless impersonal Brahman, and at the same time His
transcendental form is spatially limited, situated in a specific
place. Who has seen anyone like Him? Because no one is like
Him, and because He has no rival, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead is superior to the impersonal Brahman. His form is
wonderfully attractive. In His transcendental form all-
pervasiveness, omniscience, omnipotence, the greatest mercy,
and the greatest bliss are gloriously manifest in their
completeness. Is this form good? What virtue does it not have?
What power does it not have? Is an amorphous, all-pervading,
unknowable something good? The truth is that the impersonal
69
brahman is the qualityless aspect of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. Personality and impersonality exist side by side in the
handsome form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The
impersonal Brahman is merely one aspect of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. This formless, changeless, qualityless,
unknowable, immeasurable feature of the Lord is liked by short
sighted persons. However, they who see everything do not like
any feature but the original and complete form of the Lord. The
Vaisnavas cannot place their faith in the formless impersonal
Brahman, for to do so would block their eternal nature and also
block their pure love for Lord Krsna. The Supreme Personality of
Godhead, Lord Krsna, is the resting-place of both features: the
qualityless Brahman and the quality-filled Supreme Person. He is
an ocean of transcendental bliss, and therefore He is attractive to
all pure spirit souls.
Lahiri: Krsna was born, performed activities, and then left
His body at death. How is it possible that His form is eternal?
Babaji: Sri Krsna‟s form is eternal and full of knowledge and
bliss. His birth, activities, and so called death are not material.
Lahiri: Why do the Mahabharata and other scriptures
describe Him in that way?
Babaji: The eternal Absolute Truth is beyond description.
Pure souls see Lord Krsna‟s form and pastimes. These persons
then describe these both with words. Those words are like
ordinary historical accounts of material persons. They who know
the true meaning of the Mahabharata and the other scriptures
understand Lord Krsna‟s pastimes and other features in one way,
and the unintelligent materialists understand Lord Krsna‟s
pastimes and other features in a very different way.
70
 Lahiri: When one meditates on Lord Krsna‟s form, in one‟s
heart naturally arises the idea of a form limited by both time and
space. What other way is there to think of Lord Krsna‟s form?
Babaji: Thinking is an activity of the mind. As long as the
mind is not purified and spiritualized, the mind‟s activity of
thinking and meditating cannot be spiritual in its nature. When
it develops a devotional attitude, the mind gradually becomes
spiritualized. Then the mind‟s activity of thinking and meditating
is inevitably spiritual in nature. When the Vaisnava devotees,
who delight in devotional service, chant the holy names of Lord
Hari, the material world has no power to touch them. They are
spiritualized. Residing in the spiritual world, they meditate on
Lord Krsna‟s daily activities. In this way they attain the bliss of
confidential service to the Lord.
Lahiri: Please be merciful and give that spiritual
understanding to me.
Babaji: When you give up all material arguments and doubts,
and when you chant the holy names day after day, then after a
few days genuine spiritual understanding will rise in your heart.
As long as those material arguments remain, your mind will stay
in the shackles of material understanding. When you taste the
nectar of the holy name, the material shackles will become
loosened. Then the spiritual world will be gloriously manifested
in your heart.
Lahiri: Please be merciful and tell me about that. That I
desire.
Babaji: The mind and words cannot understand it. Only
when one attains the bliss of spiritual life can one understand it.

71
Give up all your arguments and for a few days chant the holy
names of Lord Hari. Then all your doubts will go far away. Then
you will no longer ask any question of anyone.
Lahiri: I know that a person who has faith in Lord Krsna and
tastes the nectar of His holy names attains the highest of all
goals. I have well understood the relationship of the Lord and
the individual soul. I will take shelter of the Lord‟s holy names.
Babaji: That is the best of all. Understand well your
relationship with the Lord and you will directly see the spiritual
truth.
Lahiri: I understand the truth of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the ultimate
form of the Supreme. The impersonal Brahman and the
Supersoul are subordinate to Him. He is all-pervading. In the
spiritual world He manifests His wonderful form. He is a person,
He is eternal and full of knowledge and bliss, and He is the
master of all potencies. Even though He is the master of all
potencies, He is always overcome with bliss in the company of
His hladini sakti (pleasure potency). Now please tell me about
the individual spirit souls.
Babaji: Among the limitless potencies of Sri Krsna, one is
called tatastha sakti. Positioned between the spiritual and
material, this potency can reside in either of them. This potency
is also called jiva-tattva (the individual spirit souls). The
individual souls are tiny particles of spirit. Because they are tiny
particles, they may attain bondage in the material world.
However, because they are pure spirit, they may also reside
eternally in the supremely blissful spiritual world. The individual
souls are of two kinds: 1. souls who reside in the spiritual world,
72
and 2. souls in bondage who reside in the material world. Souls
in bondage in the material world are of two kinds: 1. intelligent
and 2. unintelligent. Birds, beasts and human beings who do not
strive to attain the supreme spiritual goal are the unintelligent
materially bound souls. Human beings who follow the path of
the Vaisnava religion are intelligent. They who are not Vaisnavas
do not actively strive for the real goal of life. Therefore the
scriptures declare the service to Vaisnavas and association with
Vaisnavas are the best of all activities. Intelligent human beings
who have faith in the scriptures and chant the holy names of
Lord Hari naturally associate with Vaisnavas. They who are not
intelligent do not have faith in the scriptures and do not chant
the holy names of Lord Krsna. Even though they may serve the
Deity form of Lord Krsna according to the rules passed down
through the disciplic succession, in their hearts such
unintelligent persons do not properly honor Vaisnavas.
Lahiri: Now I understand the truth about Lord Krsna and the
truth about the individual spirit souls. Now please tell me the
truth about the illusory potency maya.
Babaji: Maya is matter. Maya is one of the potencies of Lord
Krsna. Maya is also called apara sakti (material potency) and
bahiranga sakti (external potency). As a shadow stays far away
from light, so maya stays far away from Lord Krsna and His
devotees. Maya manifested the fourteen material worlds, earth,
water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego, which
makes one think „I am this material body‟. The gross and subtle
material bodies of the bound souls are manifested by maya.
When a soul attains liberation, his spiritual body is cleansed of
maya‟s influence. To the extent he is tightly bound by maya, to

73
that extent the soul is far away from Lord Krsna. To the extent
the soul is free of maya‟s influence, to that extent the soul is able
to see Lord Krsna face-to-face. The material universe, which is a
place of sense-pleasures for the bound souls has sprouted from
Lord Krsna‟s will. The spirit souls do not stay forever in the
material world. The material world is only a prison for the spirit
souls.
Lahiri: O master, now please tell me of the eternal
relationship that exists between maya, the individual soul, and
Lord Krsna.
Babaji: The tiny spirit soul is an eternal servant of Lord
Krsna. The world of maya is the souls‟ prison. By associating
with devotees and chanting the holy names, the soul attains Lord
Krsna‟s mercy. Then, restored to his original spiritual form, the
soul tastes the nectar of direct service to Lord Krsna in the
spiritual world. These are the confidential relationships between
these three. Without understanding this, how can anyone engage
in devotional service?
Lahiri: If one should carefully attain this knowledge, must
one become a great scholar before becoming a Vaisnava?
Babaji: A Vaisnava need not study different languages and not
become a great scholar. To throw far away the bewilderment
presented by maya, what the soul must do is take shelter of the
feet of a bona-fide Vaisnava spiritual master. By the spiritual
master‟s words of instruction and by the disciple‟s own spiritual
activities, the disciple comes to understand the truth of these
relationships. This is called diksa (initiation) and siksa
(instruction).

74
 Lahiri: What does one do after initiation and instruction?
Babaji: Living a moral life, one should serve Lord Krsna. This
is called abhidheya. Because it is clearly described in the Vedas
and all other scriptures, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu called this
activity abhidheya.
Lahiri (with tears in his eyes): O spiritual master, I take
shelter of your feet. By hearing the honey of your words, I now
understand my relationship with Lord Krsna. By your mercy all
my previous ideas of caste, knowledge, and spiritual instruction
are thrown far away. Now please mercifully instruct me about
abhidheya.
Babaji: There need be no more worry. Now that you are
humble, Sri Krsna Caitanya will certainly be merciful to you.
Association with devotees is the only cure for souls bound in the
material world. The bona fide spiritual master mercifully teaches
one how to serve Lord Krsna. By engaging in devotional service
one gradually attains the goal of life. Thus devotional service is
called abhidheya.
Lahiri: Please tell me: How does one serve Lord Hari?
Babaji: Devotional service to Lord Hari is called bhakti.
Bhakti has three stages: 1. sadhana (devotional service in
practice), 2. bhava (ecstasy) and 3. prema (pure love). The
beginning stage is sadhana. By again and again performing
sadhana, bhava is manifested. When bhava becomes perfect it is
called prema.
Lahiri: What are the different kinds of sadhana and how are
they performed? Please teach me that.

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 Babaji: In his book Sri Hari-bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, Srila
Rupa Goswami has elaborately described all this. I will give a
brief summary. There are nine kinds of sadhana. In Srimad-
Bhagavatam (7.5.23) it is said:
“Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name,
form, qualities, paraphernalia, and pastimes of Lord Visnu,
remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering
the Lord respectful worship with sixteen types of paraphernalia,
offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering
the Lord one‟s best friend, and surrendering everything unto Him
(in other words serving Him with the body, mind and words) -
these nine processes are accepted as pure devotional service.”
Thus in Srimad-Bhagavatam it is written that the nine kinds
of sadhana-bhakti are: 1. hearing and chanting about the
transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia, and
pastimes of Lord Visnu, 2. remembering them, 3. serving the
lotus feet of the Lord, 4. offering the Lord respectful worship
with sixteen types of paraphernalia, 5. offering prayers to the
Lord, 6. becoming His servant, 7. considering the Lord one‟s best
friend, and 8 surrendering everything unto Him. Describing the
different limbs and sub-limbs that are parts of these, Srila Rupa
Goswami describes 64 different kinds of sadhana bhakti. While
considering these points, another topic needs to be explained.
Sadhana bhakti is of two kinds: 1. vaidhi (according to rules and
regulations), and 2. raganuga (spontaneous). In vaidhi bhakti
one engages in the nine kinds of activities previously described.
In raganuga-bhakti one engages in the activities of sadhana
bhakti, but one becomes a follower of the people of Vraja, and in

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one‟s mind one serves Lord Krsna as they do. One should engage
in the kind of sadhana bhakti for which he is qualified.
Lahiri: How does one know he is qualified for one or the
other of these kinds of sadhana bhakti?
Babaji: A faithful person who follows the rules and
regulations is qualified. In the beginning his spiritual master
teaches him vaidhi sadhana-bhakti. Then, when the disciple
becomes qualified, the spiritual master teaches him how to
worship the Lord by following the path of raganuga-bhakti.
Lahiri: How does a person know he has become qualified for
this?
Babaji: One who has not yet experienced in his heart the love
that characterizes raganuga-bhakti, and who instead wishes to
serve the Lord according to the rules and regulations described
in the scriptures is qualified to engage in vaidhi bhakti. One who
does not wish to be ruled by the scriptures‟ rules and regulations
in his devotional service to Lord Hari, and in whose heart a
spontaneous love for Lord Hari‟s devotional service has become
manifested, is qualified to engage in raganuga-bhakti.
Lahiri: O master, please tell me for which one I am qualified.
I cannot understand these explanations of who is qualified for
what. I do not know whether I should engage in vaidhi or
raganuga bhakti.
Babaji: If you examine your heart you will understand where
you are qualified. In your heart do you see the idea that it is not
possible to engage in devotional service to Lord Hari without
following the scriptures‟ teachings?

77
 Lahiri: In my mind is the idea that sadhana-bhakti following
the scriptures teachings brings the best result. But now in my
mind I also think that devotional service to Lord Hari is a great
ocean of nectar, and by engaging in devotional service I will
gradually be able to taste that nectar.
Babaji: You can now see that the scriptures‟ rules and
regulations are the ruler of your mind. Therefore you should
engage in vaidhi bhakti. Gradually the spiritual love that is
raganuga bhakti will manifest in your heart.
Hearing these words, Lahiri Mahasaya, his eyes now filled
with tears, touched the babaji‟s feet and said, “Please be merciful
and engage me as I am qualified. I am not able to understand my
own qualifications.” The saintly babaji then embraced him and
made him sit down again.
Lahiri: Please clearly order me, and I will thus engage in
devotional service.
Babaji: You should chant the holy names of Lord Hari.
Taking shelter of the holy names is the most powerful of all
kinds of devotional service. The name of the Lord and the Lord
Himself are not different. By offenselessly chanting the holy
names one quickly attains all spiritual perfections. Therefore
with great faith you should chant the holy names. By again and
again chanting the holy names, one engages in all nine kinds of
devotional service. By chanting the holy names aloud one
engages in sravanam (hearing) and kirtanam (chanting). As one
chants the holy names one will naturally remember (smaranam)
the pastimes of Lord Hari, and in one‟s mind one will serve His
feet (pada-sevanam), worship Him (arcanam), offer obeisances to
Him (vandanam), serve Him (dasyam), think of Him as a friend
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(sakhyam) and surrender everything to Him (atma-nivedanam).
In this way one engages in all nine activities of devotional
service.
Lahiri: My heart is very eager to receive the holy names. O
master, please be merciful. Please don‟t delay any further.
Babaji: O great soul, without committing offenses, you
should always chant this mantra:
Hare Krsna Hare Krsna
Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare.
As he chanted these words again and again, the saintly babaji
placed in Lahiri Mahasaya‟s hands a string of tulasi beads.
Weeping, Lahiri Mahasaya again and again chanted the holy
names on these beads. He said, “O master, I cannot express the
happiness I feel today.” Overcome with happiness, Lahiri fell
unconscious at the babaji‟s feet. The saintly babaji carefully
picked him up. After a long time Lahiri Mahasaya said, “Today I
am fortunate. Never before have I been so happy.”
Babaji: O great soul, you are fortunate, for you have faithfully
accepted the holy names. Thus you have made me fortunate also.
From that day Lahiri Mahasaya chanted the holy names on
those beads. Without fear he stayed in his cottage and chanted
the holy names. Some days passed in this way. Lahiri Mahasaya
wore the twelve tilaka marks. He did not eat anything but krsna
prasadam. Everyday he chanted two lakhs of the holy names of
Lord Hari. Whenever he saw a pure Vaisnava, he would always
offer dandavat obeisances to the paramahamsa babaji before
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attending to other duties. He always served his spiritual master.
He was not attracted to useless gossip or non devotional music.
He was not the same Lahiri Mahasaya. Now he was a Vaisnava.
One day he offered dandavat obeisances to saintly Vaisnava
dasa Babaji and asked, “O master, what is the final spiritual goal
(prayojana)?”
Babaji: Pure love for Lord Krsna (Krsna-prema) is the final
spiritual goal for the individual soul. Again and again performing
the duties of sadhana-bhakti, one attains the state of bhava
(ecstasy). When bhava becomes complete and reaches its
perfection, it is called prema (pure spiritual love). That is the
individual soul‟s eternal nature, his eternal wealth, his highest
goal. The absence of this love is the greatest calamity. It means
bondage in the material world. It means the attempt to enjoy
with the material senses. Nothing is higher or better than this
spiritual love (prema). Lord Krsna Himself is controlled by this
love alone. This love is purely spiritual. It is filled with the most
intense spiritual bliss.
Lahiri (weeping again and again): Will I ever be qualified to
attain this spiritual love?
Babaji (embracing him): Look, and in a few days your
sadhana-bhakti will become bhava bhakti. A few days after that
Lord Krsna will certainly be merciful to you.
Overcome with joy to hear this, Lahiri Mahasaya said, “Ah,
aside from the spiritual master, nothing is important. My
spiritual master has mercifully rescued me from the blind well of
material sense gratification.”

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 Chapter Five

Vaidhi-bhakti — the Eternal Religion. It is

Not Temporary.
Vaidhi-bhakti-nitya-dharma, naimittik naya

Lahiri Mahasaya had a large family in his home in Santipura.

His two sons were famous scholars. One was named
Candranatha, who was 35 years old. He was a landowner
(zamindar) and he looked after all the household affairs. He was
learned in the medical texts. He did trouble himself much with
religion. Still, he was honored in brahmana society. He took care
of the servants, maids, doorkeepers, and others, and he looked
after the household affairs. The second son was named Devidasa.
From childhood he eagerly studied the Nyaya-sastra and Smrti-
sastra. He had his own school with ten or fifteen students. He
bore the title Vidyaratna (the jewel of knowledge).
One day in Santipura there was a rumor that Kalidasa Lahiri
had become a Vaisnava ascetic. The rumor was everywhere: at
the bathing ghatas, in the marketplace, and on the streets. Some
said that he was now a senile old man. Indeed, on that day the
general opinion was that he had become senile. Some said,
“Perhaps he was struck with some disease. He is a brahmana by
birth. His sons and wife and family obey him. What suffering led

81
him to renounce the world?” Some said, “Such is the sad end of
they who run here and there advertising their love for religion.”
Some educated persons said, “Kalidasa Lahiri is a very pious
man. Although everything this world has to offer is in his
possession, in his old age he has become attracted to the holy
names of Lord Hari.” In these ways they talked. Hearing all these
rumors, someone repeated them to Devidasa Vidyaratna
Mahasaya.
Rapt in thought, Vidyaratna approached his elder brother and
said, “Brother, I think our father is in great trouble. His body is
in good health. He is staying at Godruma in Nadiya. But he has
fallen into bad association. We cannot be blind to the rumors in
the village.”
Candranatha replied, “O brother, I have also heard some of
these rumors. The fame of our house is very great. Still, when I
hear these rumors about father, I can no longer hold my head
high. We have always held the family of Advaita Prabhu in low
esteem. But what has no happened in our own house? Let us go
home, consult with our saintly mother, and do what we can.”
Devidasa and Candranatha sat on the veranda of their home.
A brahmana widow served them their meal. Their mother sat
with them, arranging for the meal. Candranatha said, “Mother,
have you heard any news about father?”
The saintly mother replied, “Why? Is his health good? He is
in Navadvipa now. He is mad after the holy names of Lord Hari.
Why don‟t you bring him back here?”

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 Devidasa said, “Mother, his health is good. But I have heard
that other things are not good. If we bring him home our
reputation will be ruined.”
Then the saintly mother asked, “How can it be? The other
day at the Ganga‟s shore I talked about many things with the
daughter-in-law of one of the big Goswami‟s. She said to me,
„Your husband is very fortunate. The Vaisnavas honor him‟.”
Devidasa said, “He is not honored in our social circles. Now
that he is old in years will he stay at home and allow us to serve
him? No. He eats the remnants left by men who wear loincloths.
He has defiled our exalted family. O wicked age of Kali! Our
father has seen and heard so much! What has happened to his
intelligence now?”
The saintly mother said, “Bring him here and keep him
hidden until you can bring him to his senses.”
Candranatha said, “What else can we do? Accompanied by
two or three men, Devi should go to Godruma and secretly bring
father back.”
Devi said, “You know very well that father, thinking me an
atheist, does not have a very good opinion of me. If I cannot even
talk with him there should be something else I can do.”
Devidasa‟s maternal cousin Sambhunatha is liked by father.
Sambhunatha stayed with him and served him for many days. So
it was settled that the two of them, Devidasa and Sambhunatha
were to go to Godruma. A servant was sent in advance to arrange
their stay in some brahmana‟s home.
The next day Sambhunatha and Devidasa finished their meal
and set out for Godruma. Arriving, they descended from their
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palanquins and gave the bearers permission to depart. At their
new place they would have one brahmana cook and two
servants.
At sunset Devidasa and Sambhunatha peacefully walked
about Pradyumna-kunja. They saw Lahiri Mahasaya sitting on a
leaf-seat in Sri Surabhi‟s courtyard. His eyes closed, he was
chanting the holy names of Lord Hari on his beads. His limbs
were glorious with the twelve tilaka marks. Quietly entering the
courtyard, Sambhunatha and Devidasa offered dandavat
obeisances to the feet of Lahiri Mahasaya. Startled, Lahiri
Mahasaya opened his eyes and said, “Sambhu, why have you
come? What is in your mind, that you have come here? Devi, is
all well with you?‟
The two of them humbly said, “Because you have blessed us,
all is well.”
Lahiri Mahasaya asked, “Will you take your meal here?” The
two answered, “We are already guests at someone‟s house. You
need not worry for us.”
At that moment the sound of Lord Hari‟s holy names came
from Sri Prema dasa‟s cottage of madhavi and malati vines. Then
Sri Vaisnava dasa came from his cottage and asked Lahiri
Mahasaya, “Why does the sound of Lord Hari‟s holy names come
from the paramahamsa babaji‟s cottage?” Lahiri Mahasaya and
Vaisnava dasa went there. There they saw many Vaisnavas
chanting the holy names of Lord Hari and circumambulating the
saintly babaji. The two of them joined in these activities. Then
everyone offered dandavat obeisances to the saintly
paramahamsa babaji. Then everyone sat down. Devidasa and

84
Sambhunatha also sat down to one side. They were like tow
ducks surrounded by a flock of swans.
One of the Vaisnavas said, “We come from the town of
Kattwa. Our primary reason to come here is to see Sri Navadvipa
and Sri Mayapura and to attain the dust of the paramahamsa
babaji‟s feet. Embarrassed, the paramahamsa babaji said, “I am a
fallen sinner. You have come here to purify me. After a short
time it becomes obvious that these Vaisnavas are very expert in
singing the glories of Lord Hari. In a moment mrdanga and
karatalas are brought. Reading from a paper, an elderly Vaisnava
sang these words:
“O Sri Krsna Caitanyacandra! O Prabhu Nityananda! O
Gadadhara! O Advaitacandra! O devotees of Lord Gaura!
“O Vaisnava Thakura, O shoreless ocean of mercy, please be
merciful to me, a fallen sinner.
“Master, please be merciful and deliver me, a person mad
with pride in my birth, learning, and wealth.
“Please purify me of the desire for gold, women, and fame.
That is my prayer.
“O servant of Lord Krsna, please be merciful and give me
attraction for the holy name, mercy to the living entities and
happy association with the Vaisnavas.
“The shade of your feet is my only hope. Whether I live or
die, you are my only shelter.”
When these verses came to an end, Lahiri Mahasaya sang a
prayer he had himself composed:

85
 “I was in the grip of illusion. I had fallen into the ocean of
birth and death. You were merciful to me. You gave me the shade
of your feet. You rescued me.
“Please hear me! O saintly Vaisnava, please hear me! Now I
surrender to your feet. Please throw my sufferings far away.
“Pride of caste is hell. Material learning is ignorance. Please
purify me and place me before Lord Nityananda‟s feet. Please
extinguish the fire that burns within me.
“Please be merciful and place on my tongue the holy names
of the Divine Couple. Kalidasa prays: Please place Sri Sri Radha-
Syama in my heart.
Hearing this song, everyone became wild with happiness.
Together they stood up. Again and again they sang. Again and
again singing the words “Please place Sri Sri Radha-Syama in my
heart”, they danced wildly. Again and again dancing, some
Vaisnava become overwhelmed with spiritual love and fell
unconscious. Then something unprecedented happened,
something that when he saw it made Devidasa think, “Father is
now plunged in meditation on the Absolute. It will be difficult to
take him home again. The meeting broke up in the middle of the
night. After saying their farewells, everyone returned to their
own places. After bidding farewell to Lahiri Mahasaya, Devidasa
and Sambhunatha returned to their host‟s home.
The next day, after they had finished their meal, Devi and
Sambhu entered Lahiri Mahasaya‟s cottage. After offering
dandavat obeisances, Devidasa Vidyaratna placed the following
request before Lahiri Mahasaya: “This is my request: Please
reside in Santipura. In this place there are many troubles and

86
inconveniences. All of us will happily serve you at home. If you
order, we will arrange a solitary room for you to stay there.”
Lahiri Mahasaya replied, “It is not a bad idea. Still, in
Santipura I will not be able to associate with devotees as I do
here. Devi, you know that the people of Santipura are atheists
and delight in criticizing others. It is not a happy place for
anyone to live. True, there are many brahmanas there, but their
intelligence is warped by association with weavers. The three
characteristics of Santipura‟s people are fine garments, pompous
words, and blasphemy of Vaisnavas. That is why the descendants
of Advaita Prabhu suffer there. By bad association even many of
them have also turned against Lord Mahaprabhu. Therefore
please arrange that I may stay here in Godruma. That is my
desire.”
Devidasa said, “Father, what you say is true. Still, why need
you have any contact with Santipura‟s people? In your own
private room you can chant Gayatri and perform your other
religious duties. In this way you may pass your days. A brahmana
has eternal duties and eternal religions rituals. Great souls like
yourself should always be absorbed in these duties.”
Lahiri Mahasaya said, “Son, those days are no more. Now
that I have stayed for some months with the devotees and heard
the teachings of my spiritual master, my view of life is
completely changed. What you call eternal duties I call
temporary duties. Devotional service to Lord Hari is the soul‟s
only eternal duty. Chanting Gayatri and other like duties are all
temporary.
Devidasa replied, “Father, I do not see that duty in any
scripture. Is chanting Gayatri not the worship of Lord Hari? If
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chanting Gayatri is the worship of Lord Hari, then it is an eternal
religious duty. How is chanting Gayatri different from hearing
and chanting about Lord Hari and the other activities of vaidhi-
bhakti?”
Lahiri Mahasaya said, “Child, chanting Gayatri and other
karma-kanda activities are very different from vaidhi-bhakti.
Chanting Gayatri and other karma-kanda activities are
performed with a desire to attain impersonal liberation. However
hearing and chanting about Lord Hari and the other activities of
vaidhi-bhakti are not performed with any material motive. When
in the scriptures such results are seen to come from the
devotional activities that begin with hearing and chanting the
glories of Lord Hari, that is so only for the purpose of attracting
the materialists. Devotional service to Lord Hari brings only one
result: devotional service to Lord Hari. It brings no other result.
The primary result attained by vaidhi-bhakti is that one becomes
attracted to serve Lord Hari.”
Devidasa said, “Father, then it is true that some secondary
results also come from devotional service to Lord Hari.”
Lahiri Mahasaya: For different kinds of neophyte devotees
there are secondary results. Still a true Vaisnava engages in
sadhana-bhakti so that he may some day attain the perfection of
devotional service. They who are not true devotees perform
sadhana-bhakti to attain two goals: 1. material sense
gratification, and 2. impersonal liberation. Externally one cannot
see a difference in the activities of true Vaisnavas and pretenders,
but internally, at the root, there is a difference of faith. The
worship of Lord Hari performed by a person who thinks that
worship a material fruitive activity may bring purity of mind,
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impersonal liberation, cure of diseases, or other material results.
Still, the worship of Lord Hari performed by a person who thinks
that worship is spiritual devotional service brings attraction to
Lord Krsna‟s holy names as its only result. For the materialists,
observance of the ekadasi vow destroys sins. For the devotees,
observance of the ekadasi vow increases devotion to Lord Hari.
You can see the difference here. The subtle difference of
sadhana-bhakti performed by they who think it a material
activity and they who think is spiritual devotional service can be
understood only by the mercy of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. The materialists are caught up in the secondary
results. The devotees attain the primary result. All secondary
results may be grouped into two categories: 1. material sense
gratification, and 2. impersonal liberation.
Devidasa: Then why do the scriptures praise these secondary
results? Lahiri Mahasaya: Two kinds of human beings inhabit the
material world: 1. the intelligent and 2. the unintelligent. The
unintelligent will not perform any spiritual activity unless they
see an immediate material benefit comes from it. For such
persons the scriptures praise the secondary results of devotional
service. However, it is not the purpose of the scriptures that such
persons shall remain always content with these secondary
results. The idea is that, after a short time and by the mercy of
the Lord‟s devotees, such persons will become attracted to the
primary result.
Devidasa: Are Raghunandana and the other authors of smrti-
sastras then unintelligent?

89
 Lahiri Mahasaya: No. They themselves seek the primary
result. Still, the code of actions they prescribe is meant for the
unintelligent.
Devidasa: In some scriptures we see only the secondary
results are described and there is no mention of this primary
result. What is the reason for that?
Lahiri Mahasaya: The scriptures are of three kinds according
to the three classes of human beings eligible to receive them. For
human beings in the mode of goodness there are scriptures in
the mode of goodness. For human beings in the mode of passion
there are scriptures in the mode of passion. For human beings in
the mode of ignorance there are scriptures in the mode of
ignorance.
Devidasa: In which of these scriptures should one place his
faith? How can a person in the lower stages become elevated?
Lahiri Mahasaya: Persons with different kinds of
qualifications have different kinds of faith. They who are in the
mode of ignorance have faith in the scriptures of the mode of
ignorance. They who are in the mode of passion have faith in the
scriptures of the mode of passion. They who are in the mode of
goodness have faith in the scriptures of the mode of goodness.
Thus a person believes the conclusions of the scripture in which,
according to the modes, he naturally has faith. By faithfully
performing the duties for which he is qualified, and by
associating with saintly devotees, one becomes elevated in this
birth. Thus elevated, a person attains faith in the scriptures
meant for elevated persons. The authors of the scriptures are
perfectly learned and not at all bewildered. They composed the
scriptures in such a way that by faithfully performing his own
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duties a person may be gradually elevated. That is why the
different scriptures describe many different kinds of duties. Faith
in the scriptures is the source of all auspiciousness. Bhagavad-
gita describes all the different conclusions of the different
scriptures and at the end it clearly describes the final conclusion
of all scriptures.
Devidasa: Since boyhood I have studied many scriptures, but
today, by your mercy, I can understand the wonderful purpose of
them all.
Lahiri Mahasaya: In Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.8.10) it is
written:
“Just as a honeybee takes nectar from all flowers, big and
small, an intelligent human being should take the essence from
all religious scriptures.”
Son, I used to call you an atheist. Now I do not speak ill of
anyone. Anyone who faithfully performs the prescribed duties
that suit his nature should not be criticized. In fact everyone acts
according to their nature and all will be gradually elevated at the
proper time. You are learned in books of logic and fruitive
action. Therefore you are not to blame if your words follow those
ideas.
Devidasa: I know some things, but I am not learned in the
Vaisnava religion. I used to think that the Vaisnavas are fanatics
who insisted on interpreting the scriptures in their own way. But
now that I heard your explanation, I know that among the
Vaisnavas are learned persons who know the true meaning of the
scriptures. From what great soul have you learned all this about
the scriptures?

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 Lahiri Mahasaya: Son, recently I have been instructed by a
staunch Vaisnava. In the next cottage my spiritual master
worships the Lord. He has taught me the meanings of all the
scriptures. He is the person I have described to you. If you
approach his feet you may ask him about devotional service.
Come, you and I will visit him.
After speaking these words, Lahiri Mahasaya took Devidasa
Vidyaratna to the cottage of Sri Vaisnava dasa. Leaving him
there, Lahiri went to his own cottage, sat down and chanted the
holy names.
Sri Vaisnava dasa: Child, have you studied the scriptures?
Devidasa: I studied the nyaya-sastras from Muktipada to
Siddhanta-kusumanjali, and I also studied the smrti-sastras.
Sri Vaisnava dasa: Did you study many scriptures diligently?
What was your conclusion after diligently studying them?
Devidasa: The conclusion is given in the words, “With great
trouble one should renounce everything and attain impersonal
liberation.” Therefore the conclusion of the scriptures is that one
should struggle by every available means to attain impersonal
liberation. Therefore, while faithfully executing my prescribed
duties, I have sought impersonal liberation.
Sri Vaisnava dasa: At one time I also studied all books, and,
like you, I also yearned to attain impersonal liberation.
Devidasa: Why did you abandon the desire for impersonal
liberation?
Sri Vaisnava dasa: Child, tell me: What is the nature of
impersonal liberation?

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 Devidasa: In the opinion of the nyaya-sastras, Brahman and
the individual soul are eternally distinct. How, then, is it possible
to renounce everything and attain impersonal liberation.
According to this system, it is clearly not possible. According to
the Vedanta philosophy, however, liberation is defined as
understanding that the individual soul and the Supreme are not
really different from each other. According to this system, then,
impersonal liberation is clearly possible.
Sri Vaisnava dasa: Child, for fifteen years I studied Sankara‟s
interpretation of Vedanta, and after that I accepted sannyasa. In
many ways I struggled to attain impersonal liberation. For many
days I meditated on what Sankara considered the four most
important statements of the Vedas. Afterward, thinking them all
foolish, I rejected what I had read.
Devidasa: Why did you think those books were foolish?
Sri Vaisnava dasa: Child, a person should examine his own
heart. How can others do it for him? How can others understand
his heart?
Devidasa could see that Sri Vaisnava dasa was honest,
intelligent and very learned. Devidasa had never studied
Vedanta. In his heart he thought, “If he is merciful to me, I can
learn Vedanta from him.” Thinking in this way, he said, “Am I
qualified to study Vedanta?”
Sri Vaisnava dasa: You know Sanskrit well, so you may easily
study Vedanta.
Devidasa: If you feel merciful to me, then please teach it to
me. I would learn it from you.

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 Sri Vaisnava dasa: These are my words: I am a penniless
servant of the Vaisnavas. Because I attained the mercy of a saintly
paramahamsa babaji, I stay here and always chant the holy
names of Lord Hari. I have very little opportunity to teach
anyone Vedanta. Also, I have heard that Srila Rupa Goswami,
who is the spiritual master of the entire world, has forbidden the
Vaisnavas to hear or explain Sankara‟s Sariraka-bhasya
commentary on Vedanta. Therefore now I will neither study nor
teach Sankara‟s commentary. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is
the son of Saci-devi and the spiritual master of all living entities,
taught the right commentary of Vedanta-sutra to Sri
Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya. His commentary is recorded in the
notebooks of many Vaisnavas. If you make a copy of that
commentary, then perhaps I can help you. Go to Kancana-palli
and you may get a copy of that commentary from the home of
Sriman Kavikarnapura.
Devidasa: I will try. You are a great scholar of Vedanta. You
have spoken honestly with me. Why should I not study the
Vaisnava commentary on Vedanta?
Sri Vaisnava dasa: In the past I have studied and taught
Sankara‟s commentary. There is also Sri Ramanujacarya‟s Sri-
bhasya and many other commentaries also. The Bengali
Vaisnavas have the commentary that Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu
gave to Sri Gopinatha Acarya. I have not seen any commentary
better than that. No one can dispute the Supreme Personality of
Godhead‟s own explanations of the Vedanta-sutras.
Commentaries on the Vedanta-sutras should include many
quotations from the Upanisads. If one simply writes what he

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thinks, and does not support his arguments with quotations from
the Upanisads, learned persons will not accept his commentary.
Happy at heart to hear these words, Devidasa Vidyaratna
offered dandavat obeisances to Sri Vaisnava dasa. Then Devidasa
entered his father‟s cottage and told him all that had been said.
Filled with happiness, his father, “Devi, you have studied and
taught many books. Now you should research the eternal nature
of the soul.”
Devidasa: Father, I had earnestly hoped to bring you away
from Sri Godruma. That is why I came here. Please be merciful.
Come back just once and fulfill everyone‟s desires. Especially my
saintly mother yearns to see your feet just one more time.
Lahiri Mahasaya: I have taken shelter of the Vaisnavas‟ feet. I
have made a solemn vow that I shall never return home, for even
a visit would obstruct my devotional life. In the past you have all
worshipped Lord Visnu. You may all visit me.
Devidasa: Father, what kind of answer is that? At our home
we are all servants of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We
do not dishonor the holy names of Lord Hari. I am always ready
to serve a Vaisnava guest! Are we not Vaisnavas?
Lahiri Mahasaya: If you think your activities are the same as
the Vaisnavas‟ activities, then you are not a Vaisnava.
Devidasa: Father, why am I not a Vaisnava?
Lahiri Mahasaya: A Vaisnava renounces temporary material
duties and takes shelter of his eternal spiritual duty.
Devidasa: Still, I have one doubt. You have given a very good
analysis of the scriptures. The Vaisnavas‟ activities of hearing

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(sravana), chanting (kirtana), remembering (smarana), serving
the feet (pada-sevana), worship (arcana), obeisances (vandana),
carrying out the orders (dasya), friendship (sakhya), and
surrendering everything (atma-nivedana) are activities mixed
with materialism. Are they not all impelled by material motives?
I think you are unreasonably attached to these things.
Worshipping the Deity of the Lord, fasting, and worshipping the
Lord by offering Him material things are all material activities.
How can they be eternal?
Lahiri Mahasaya: Son, I have thought about these things for
many days. Please think about this carefully. There are two
classes of human beings: 1. they who are interested in this
material world, the here and now and 2. they who are interested
in the highest goal of life. The materialists are interested only in
material happiness, material fame, and material exalted status.
Human beings who are interested in the highest goal of life
are divided into three classes: 1. the devotees of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, 2. they who are attached to impersonal
speculation, and 3. they who desire mystic powers.
They who desire mystic powers are eager to attain the results
offered by the karma-kanda section of the Vedas. By performing
these karma-kanda activities they attain extraordinary powers. By
performing yajnas, yajnas, and yoga one can attain these powers.
They think that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is obliged
to give them the results of their karma-kanda activities.
The next group is they who are attached to impersonal
speculation. By cultivating impersonal knowledge such persons
strive to become the Supreme. Some of them say the Supreme
Personality of Godhead exists, and others of them say He does
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not exist. Some of them say the Supreme Personality of Godhead
is merely an imagination and that by worshipping this imaginary
God one gradually attains impersonal knowledge. Others of them
say that one must use the worship of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, as a tool to attain impersonal knowledge. Then when
one attains impersonal knowledge, the tool of worship should be
thrown away. According to them, when one attains the result of
worshipping the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that worship
becomes transformed into impersonal knowledge. In their
opinion neither the Supreme Personality of Godhead nor the
worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are eternal.
The third class of human beings who are interested in the
highest goal of life is the devotees of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. In deed, the devotees are the true seekers of the
highest goal of life. In the opinion of the devotees there is one
Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has neither beginning nor
end. Employing His potencies, He manifests the individual spirit
souls and the material world. The individual spirit souls are all
His servants. Eternal service to the Lord is the soul‟s eternal duty
and eternal nature. On his own power, the individual soul is not
able to do anything. By performing materialistic activities
(karma) the individual soul cannot attain any result that is
eternal. However, by obeying and serving the Supreme
Personality of Godhead the individual soul can, by the Lord‟s
mercy, attain the fulfillment of all his desires.
The previous two classes of human beings are called: 1.
karma-kandi (they who perform material pious deeds), and 2.
jnana-kandi (impersonalists). The third class is called isa-bhakta
(devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead). The karma-

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kandis and jnana-kandis are proud to call themselves seekers
after the highest spiritual goal. However, the truth is that they
are materialists. They are materialists because they are pushed by
material motives. Whatever pious deeds they perform are all
pushed by personal, material motives.
The present day worshippers of Siva, Durga, Ganesa and
Surya are all followers of the jnana-kanda. When such persons
engage in the devotional activities that begin with hearing and
chanting, their goal is to attain impersonal liberation and become
one with the Supreme.
They who do not have material sense gratification or
impersonal liberation as their goal when they perform the
devotional activities that begin with hearing and chanting are
devotees of Lord Visnu. They worship the Deity form of Lord
Visnu.
The form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is eternal,
spiritual, and all-powerful. If the Supreme Personality of
Godhead were not the highest object of worship, then it may be
said that the worship of Him is temporary and not eternal.
Son, the service you offer to the deity form of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead will not bring you the highest spiritual
benefit. Why not? Because you do not think the Lord‟s form is
eternal. Therefore you are not a devotee of the Lord. Do you
understand the difference between worship that is eternal and
worship that is temporary and pushed by material motives?
Devidasa: Yes. If one does not think that the form of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, then one‟s worship of the Lord

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is not eternal worship. But why can one not employ a temporary
kind of worship to seek the eternal truth?
Lahiri Mahasaya: You cannot say that the worship you
perform is eternal worship. The worship the Vaisnavas perform
is eternal. The form of the Lord is eternal, their worship of that
form is eternal, and all in relation to them are eternal. Therefore
the Vaisnava religion is eternal.
Devidasa: The Deity form of the Lord is a statue made by a
human being. How can such a form be eternal?
Lahiri Mahasaya: The Deity form worshipped by the
Vaisnavas is not like that. First, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead is not formless, like the impersonal Brahman. The form
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is all powerful, eternal,
and filled with knowledge and bliss. That is the Lord‟s form that
should be worshipped. In the beginning the Lord‟s form is
manifested within the individual spirit soul. Thus the Lord‟s
form appears in the living entity‟s heart. When bhakti-yoga
(devotional service) is manifested in the heart, then the Lord‟s
form also appears there. When a devotees sees in his heart the
spiritual form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the
devotee knows that this is the same form manifested externally
as the Deity. The impersonalists do not worship the form of the
Supreme Lord in this way. They think the Deity is a statue made
of material elements, a statue that while it is being worshipped is
imagined to be the same as the impersonal Supreme. However,
the truth is that the Deity form of the Lord is not at all a statue
made of material elements. In this way the impersonalists and
the devotees have very different conceptions of the worship of
the Deity of the Lord. By the mercy of a bona-fide master one
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may accept Vaisnava initiation. Then one is able to directly see
that the Deity of the Lord is not a statue made of material
elements.
Devidasa: I see that. The Vaisnavas are not fanatics. They see
very subtle things. The worship of the Deity form of the Lord
and the worship of a material statue are very different indeed.
However, I do not see any difference in the external actions of
these two kinds of worship. The difference is in the spiritual
faith of the worshipper. I will think about this subject for a few
more days. Father, I have one big doubt. As far as I am able to
understand, the impersonalists worship of the Lord is merely a
form of cheating and trickery. At a later time I will place this
question before your feet.
After speaking these words, Devidasa Vidyaratna went with
Sambhunatha to their host‟s house, where they spent the
remainder of the afternoon. Still, they did not find an
opportunity to talk among themselves. Everyone at that house
found all their happiness in singing the holy names of Lord Hari.
The next afternoon they all went to the paramahamsa babaji‟s
terrace. There Devidasa Vidyaratna, Sambhunatha, and Lahiri
Mahasaya stayed close together. At that time the kazi of
Brahmana-puskarini also came there. Seeing the kazi, the
Vaisnava respectfully stood up. Happily greeting the Vaisnavas,
the kazi entered the terrace. The paramahamsa babaji said to
him, “We are now fortunate, for a descendant of the Canda Kazi
who received the mercy of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu has come
to visit us. Please give your mercy to us.” The kazi then said, “It
is by the mercy of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu that I have
received the mercy of the Vaisnavas. Lord Caitanya is the master
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of my life. I do not do anything without first offering my
dandavat obeisances to Him.”
Lahiri Mahasaya was fluent in the language of the Muslims.
He had studied the Koran and also man books of the sufis. To
the kazi he addressed this question: “What is your idea of
liberation?”
The kazi replied, “Where you use the word „jiva‟ (individual
spirit soul), we use the word „ru‟. The ru has two states of
existence: 1. ru-mujarradi and 2. ru-tarkibi. What you call „cit‟
(spirit) we call „mujarrad‟. What you call „acit‟ (matter) we call
„jisam‟. The spiritual world (mujarrad) is beyond material time.
The material world (jisam) is subject to time‟s control. The
„tarkibi-ru‟ or „baddha-jiva‟ (conditioned soul), is filled with
material desires. His mind is filled with material ideas. The
„mujarrad-ru‟ (liberated soul) is pure and free from these
contaminations. A person who says, „alam misal‟ (I am spirit) is
able to become a „mujarradi-ru‟ (liberated soul). By the gradual
development of „esk‟ (spiritual love) the „ru‟ (soul) becomes
purified. A great saint goes to the abode of God. He does not stay
in the material world. In that spiritual world he is the servant
and God is the master. The soul and God have that relationship
eternally. The attainment of that pure relationship with God is
called liberation. The sufis explain the Koran in that way, but not
everyone is able to understand this explanation. By the mercy of
Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Canda Kazi understood this and
taught this to me. In that way I know that you are all pure
devotees of the Lord.
Lahiri Mahasaya: What is the teaching that is at the root of
the Koran?
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 Kazi: there are many teachings in the Koran. I cannot single
out a particular kind of worship to tell you. However, the
purpose of life is to worship God. When they see the supremely
blissful Supreme God, all people become plunged into
transcendental bliss. Lord Caitanya has explained in this way.
Lahiri Mahasaya: How does the Koran describe the form of
God?
Kazi: The Koran says that God has no form. However, Lord
Caitanya told the Canda Kazi that the meaning of these words of
the Koran is that God has no material form. The Koran does not
mean to say that God does not have a spiritual form. The prophet
himself saw the form of God, which is filled with transcendental
love. He also described all the rasas, but only in a concealed way.
Lahiri Mahasaya: What do the sufis say?
Kazi: their philosophy is „anal hak‟, which means “I am God”.
In this way the philosophy of the Vedic impersonalists and the
Muslim sufis is the same.
Lahiri Mahasaya: Are you a sufi?
Kazi: No. I am a pure devotee. I have surrendered my life to
Lord Caitanya.
Thus talking about many things, the saintly kazi and the
Vaisnavas treated each other with great respect. Finally the
meeting ended with a great chanting of the holy names of Lord
Hari.

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 Chapter Six

Eternal Religion and the Differences of

Caste
(Nitya-dharma o jati-varnadi-bheda)

Devidasa Vidyaratna was a teacher. For many days he had

complete faith that the brahmanas were the best of all castes. He
thought, “None but the brahmanas could understand the
spiritual goal of life. Without first taking birth in a brahmana
family no one can attain liberation. It is by birth that one
becomes a brahmana”. When he heard the conversation the
Vaisnavas had with Canda Kazi‟s descendant, he became very
disgusted. He could not enter into an understanding of the truths
explained by the saintly kazi. In his mind he thought, “The
Yavana caste certainly acts strangely. No one can understand the
meaning of what they say. Ah well, father could read Persian and
Arabic. He has spend many days studying religion. But why does
he respect the Yavanas so? In that assembly why did Vaisnava
dasa and the paramahamsa babaji show so much respect to a
Yavana, whose contaminating touch makes one take a bath?”
That night he said, Sambhu, with the fire of logic I will burn
the philosophy of the offenders into ashes. It was in Navadvipa
that Sarvabhauma and Siromani discussed the nyaya-sastra. It

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was in Navadvipa that Raghunatha churned the twenty eight
truths from the smrti-sastras. How can Hindus and Yavanas
mingle together in this same Navadvipa? Perhaps the teachers of
Navadvipa do not understand how they should act. In one or two
days this Vidyaratna will do something to set this situation
right.”
Nine hours had passed. Covered by the malice of clouds, the
sun had not yet been able to glance upon the earth. At dawn it
rained with thudding sounds of “dipdip”. During the twelfth
half-hour Devi and Sambhu ate kichari. The Vaisnavas were
delayed in their madhukari begging for alms. By the time the
third three hour watch had passed all the Vaisnavas had honored
prasadam. Now they stayed in one part of the malati and
madhavi vine terrace and chanted the holy names on their beads.
The paramahamsa babaji, Vaisnava dasa, pandita Ananta dasa,
who had just come from Nrsimha-palli, Lahiri Mahasaya, and
Yadava dasa from Kuliya were happily chanting the holy names
on their tulasi beads. At that time Vidyaratna Mahasaya,
Caturbhuja Padaratna from Samudragara, Cintamani Nyayaratna
from Varanasi, Kalidasa Vasaspati from Purvasthali, and the
famous pandita Krsna Cudamani all came there. The Vaisnavas
very respectfully offered sitting places to their brahmana pandita
guests. The paramahamsa babaji said, “it is said that a day
overcast with clouds is a bad day indeed. However, for us it has
become a good day, for many learned panditas who live in holy
places have mercifully placed the dust of their feet in my cottage.
Because they were naturally humbler than a blade of grass, the
Vaisnavas, saying, “We offer our respectful obeisances to the
brahmanas”, bowed down to offer their respects. Thinking
themselves very learned and important, the brahmanas
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responded by offering blessings. Vidyaratna had invited them
there for a great debate. Because they were all younger than him,
the brahmanas bowed down before Lahiri Mahasaya. Because he
now understood the real truth, Lahiri Mahasaya at once
reciprocated by bowing down before the brahmanas.
Among these panditas, Krsna-Cudamani was the most
eloquent. In Varanasi, Mithila, and many other places he had
defeated many panditas with the great power of his logic. He was
short, splendidly dark, and grave. His eyes glistened like two
stars. It was he who began the discussion with the Vaisnavas.
He said, “Saying amongst ourselves, „Today we shall see the
Vaisnavas‟, we have now come here. We do not think everything
you do is very good, but still we think your single-pointed
devotional service is very good indeed. The Supreme Personality
of Godhead Himself has said (Bhagavad-gita 9.30):
“Even if one commits the most abominable actions, if he is
engaged in devotional service, he is to be considered saintly
because he is properly situated.”
“We offer our respectful obeisances to these words of
Bhagavad-gita. Therefore I have come here to see many saintly
persons. However, we have another purpose also. It is this: On
the pretext of devotional service you associate with Yavanas. I
want to talk with you about that. One of you expert in debate
should now please step forward.”
Hearing Cudamani‟s words, the Vaisnavas became unhappy.
The saintly paramahamsa babaji said, “I am a fool. What do I
know of debates? As great saints have acted in a saintly way, so

105
we also try to act. You please repeat the teachings of the
scriptures and we will listen in silence.”
Cudamani said, “What kind of talks is this? If the Hindus do
not understand the scriptures, then the whole world will perish.
You will act in a way that violates the scriptures and then you
will claim you are following the great saints. What is this? Of
what saints do you speak? If they are persons who follow the
scriptures and teach the message of the scriptures, then they are
saints indeed. But if the people follow anyone and everyone,
calling them all great saints, and if they defend their actions by
quoting the words „mahajano yena gatah sa pantha‟ (one should
accept whatever progressive path the mahajanas advocate), then
how can there be any auspiciousness in this world?”
Hearing Cudamani‟s words, the Vaisnavas assembled in one
of the cottages to decide what should be done. They came to this
conclusion: When great saints are criticized, the Vaisnavas
should, if they are able, defend them in debate. The
paramahamsa babaji did not participate in this discussion.
Although the pandita Ananta dasa Babaji had seen the farther
shore of the nyaya-sastra, everyone decided that Vaisnava dasa
should argue in the debate. Everyone could understand that
Devidasa Vidyaratna was the real cause of all this trouble. Staying
among them, Lahiri Mahasaya openly said, “Devi is very proud.
His mind became agitated when he saw us associating with the
saintly kazi. That is why he has brought all these panditas.”
Taking the dust of the paramahamsa babaji‟s feet, Vaisnava dasa
said, “I carry the Vaisnavas‟ command upon my head. Today all
my scholarship will be successful.”

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 By then all the clouds had gone. A sitting place was arranged
in the grove of malati and madhavi vines. On one side were the
brahmana panditas and on the other were all the Vaisnavas. All
the Vaisnava panditas from Sri Godruma and Madhyadvipa
came. Many brahmanas and students from nearby also joined the
meeting. It was not a small meeting. On one side were a hundred
brahmana panditas and on the other were two hundred
Vaisnavas. Ordered by the Vaisnavas, Vaisnava dasa Babaji
peacefully sat in front. Then something wonderful happened.
When they saw it, the Vaisnavas happily shouted out the holy
name of Lord Hari. The wonderful event was this: a cluster of
malati flowers spontaneously fell on Vaisnava dasa‟s head. The
Vaisnavas said, “This is a sign of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu‟s
mercy.”
On the other side Krsna-Cudamani turned up his nose and
said, “You may think that, but flowers will not do. The tree is
known by its fruits.”
Without showing any pride, Vaisnava dasa declared, “Today‟s
meeting in Navadvipa is just like a meeting in Varanasi. This is a
source of great joy. Although I live in Bengal, I stayed for a long
time in Varanasi. There I studied and I also spoke in many
meetings. Therefore I am not accustomed to speak in Bengali. I
wish that for today‟s meeting the questions and answers shall be
in Sanskrit. Although Cudamani had labored greatly in his
scripture study, aside from memorizing some verses he could not
speak Sanskrit. Taken aback by Vaisnava dasa‟s proposal, he said,
“Why? For a meeting in Bengal it is best to speak the Bengali
language. I am not like the panditas in the western provinces. I
cannot speak Sanskrit. Seeing this, everyone could understand

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the Cudamani was becoming afraid to debate with Vaisnava dasa.
Speaking together with one voice, everyone requested Vaisnava
dasa Babaji to speak in Bengali, and he agreed.
To start the debate, Cudamani asked, “Is caste eternal? Are
the Yavanas and the Hindus different castes? Does a Hindu fall
down by associating with Yavanas?”
Vaisnava dasa answered, “In the nyaya-sastra it is said that
caste is eternal. However, the true difference is not seen among
human beings born in different countries in different situations.
The real differences are birth as a cow, or a goat, or a human
being. These are real differences.”
Then Cudamani said, “Yes. What you say is true. Still, are the
Hindus and the Yavanas in different castes?”
Vaisnava dasa replied, “Yes. In one sense there is a difference
of caste, but that caste distinction is not eternal. The human race
is one. Difference of language, country, garments, caste and the
like are only imaginary differences.
Cudamani: Are human beings different according to the
differences of their birth? If this is not so then is the difference
between a Hindu and a Yavana only the difference of their
clothing and other external things?
Vaisnava dasa: According to his past karma, the soul accepts
a higher or lower birth. The differences of caste are considered
according to how human beings are qualified to perform
different kinds of work. The four castes are brahmana, ksatriya,
vaisya and sudra. All others are outcastes.
Cudamani: Are the Yavanas not outcastes?

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 Vaisnava dasa: Yes. In the conclusion of the scriptures they
are outcastes. They are outside the four castes.
Cudamani: If this is so, then how can a Yavana become a
Vaisnava, and how can a pious Vaisnava associate with a Yavana?
Vaisnava dasa: One who engages in pure devotional service is
a Vaisnava. Simply by being human one is qualified to be a
Vaisnava. Because they have taken a low birth, the Yavanas may
not be qualified to perform the duties of the different castes.
Nevertheless, they are perfectly qualified to engage in all the
activities of devotional service. One who does not understand the
subtle differences of the karma-kanda, jnana-kanda, and bhakti-
kanda parts of the Vedas cannot be said to be truly learned in the
scriptures.
Cudamani: Good. By acting rightly one becomes pure in
heart. When the heart is purified, one is qualified to understand
transcendental knowledge. Among they who have attained
transcendental knowledge some are impersonalists and some are
Vaisnavas, who believe in spiritual variety. In the beginning of
spiritual life one must perform pious deeds (karma). If one‟s
pious deeds have attained their completion, one cannot become a
Vaisnava. However, the Muslims are not qualified to perform
pious deeds. Therefore, how can they ever become qualified to
engage in devotional service?
Vaisnava dasa: Even outcastes can become qualified to
engage in devotional service. This accepted by all the scriptures.
In the Bhagavad-gita (9.32) it is written:

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 “O son of Prtha, those who take shelter in Me, though they
be of lower birth - women, vaisyas (merchants), as well as sudras
(workers) approach the supreme destination.”
Here the word „asraya” means “engage in devotional service”.
Also in the Kasi-khanda it is said:
“Either a brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, or outcaste, a
person is most exalted if he engages in devotional service to Lord
Visnu.”
In the Narada Purana it is also said:
“O king, a dog-eater who is devoted to Lord Visnu is better
than a brahmana. A sannyasi who is not devoted to Lord Visnu is
also inferior to such a dog-eater devotee.”
Cudamani: There are many scripture quotes like that. How
should these quotes be understood? That we must see. How can
the defect that is attained by birth be removed by any means
other than another birth?
Vaisnava dasa: The defect of a low birth comes from
prarabdha-karma (past karma that has begun to bear fruit).
When one chants the holy names of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, those karmic reactions are thrown far away. In Srimad-
Bhagavatam (6.16.44) it is said:
“Merely by hearing the holy name of Your Lordship only
once, even candalas, men of the lowest class, are freed from all
material contamination.”
It is also dais (Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.2.46):
“Therefore one who desires freedom from material bondage
should adopt the process of chanting and glorifying the name,
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fame, form and pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
at whose feet all the holy places stand. One cannot derive the
proper benefit from other methods, such as pious atonement,
speculative knowledge, and meditation in mystic yoga, because
even after following such methods one takes to fruitive activities
again, unable to control his mind, which is contaminated by the
base qualities of nature, namely passion and ignorance.”
It is also said (Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.33.7):
“Oh, how glorious are they whose tongues are chanting Your
holy name! Even if born in the families of dogeaters, such
persons are worshippable. Persons who chant the holy name of
Your Lordship must have executed all kinds of austerities and
fire-sacrifices and achieved all the good manners of the Aryans.
To be chanting the holy name of Your Lordship, they must have
bathed at holy places of pilgrimage, studied the Vedas, and
fulfilled everything required.”
Cudamani: Why is it, then, that an outcaste who chants the
holy name of Lord Hari is not qualified to perform yajnas and
other rituals?
Vaisnava dasa: To perform yajnas and other rituals one needs
to take birth in a brahmana‟s home. A person who takes birth in
a brahmana‟s home is not qualified to perform Vedic rituals after
he has received the sacred thread, so an outcaste who has
become purified by chanting Lord Hari‟s holy name but who has
not taken birth in a brahmana‟s home cannot perform yajnas and
other rituals. However, the various activities of devotional
service are immeasurably better than the performance of Vedic
yajnas.

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 Cudamani: What kind of conclusion is that? That a person
not qualified for an ordinary thing can be qualified for an exalted
thing! What is the clear proof for that?
Vaisnava dasa: Human activities are of two kinds: 1. material
and 2. spiritual. Even after becoming qualified, one may not
necessarily be able to perform certain material activities. For
example, a person born in a Yavana family may become purified
and, spiritual speaking, may become a genuine brahmana. Still,
according to the material conception, he is still not qualified to
marry a brahmana‟s daughter.
Cudamani: Why not? What is wrong with that?
Vaisnava dasa: It is wrong to violate social custom. They who
are proud of their material activities do not break social custom,
and they who are qualified to make spiritual advancement do not
break social custom either.
Cudamani: How does one become qualified to perform
material activities? How does one become qualified to perform
devotional service?
Vaisnava dasa: One‟s nature, birth, and other things qualify
one to engage in material activities. Faith in the truth qualifies
one to perform devotional service.
Cudamani: Without overwhelming me with Vedanta
vocabulary, please clearly tell me: What are the natures needed
to perform the different kinds of duties?
Vaisnava dasa: Some qualities in a brahmana‟s nature are: 1.
peacefulness, 2. self-control, 3. austerity, 4. purity, 5.
satisfaction, 6. tolerance, 7. honesty, 8. devotion to the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, 9. mercy, and 10. truthfulness. Some of
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the qualities in a ksatriya‟s nature are: 1. power, 2. strength, 3.
determination, 4. heroism, 5. tolerance, 6. generosity, 7.
perseverance, 8. gravity, 9. service to the brahmanas, and 10.
leadership. Some of the qualities in a vaisya‟s nature are: 1.
religiousness, 2. charity, 3. faith, 4. humbleness, and 5. eagerness
to become wealthy. Some of the qualities in a sudra‟s nature are:
1. service to the brahmanas, cows and demigods, and 2. being
satisfied with whatever is one‟s situation in life. Some of the
qualities in an outcaste‟s nature are: 1. impurity, 2.
untruthfulness, 3. theft, 4. atheism, 5. senseless quarreling, 6.
lust, 7. anger, and 8. desire for material sense gratification. The
scriptures teach that the different castes are determined by seeing
these qualities. To determine the castes by birth alone is the
materialistic practice of modern times. A person‟s natural
inclinations and natural ability to learn different skills are to
some extent determined by birth. Thus one‟s nature makes him
qualified to perform specific duties. The nature of many people is
determined by their birth. From childhood they manifest certain
specific tendencies. In this way it is seen that one‟s nature is
determined by his birth. However, birth is not the only factor
determining one‟s nature and one‟s fitness to perform certain
kinds of work. There are many other factors also. For this reason
the scriptures affirm that in determining a person‟s fitness for a
certain kind of work, one should examine his nature and
qualities.
Cudamani: What did you mean when you said the words
“faith in the truth”?
Vaisnava dasa: When a person has in his heart sincere faith
and trust in the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that is called

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faith. When a person is materialistic, has an impure heart, in his
heart has a false conception of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, and is selfish. proud, and eager for fame, his faith is
called “insincere”. Some saintly persons say that “sincere faith”
means “faith that follows the scriptures‟ teachings”. This kind of
sincere faith makes one qualified to engage in devotional service.
Cudamani: Various persons may possess this “faith that
follows the scripture‟s teachings”, but they are not necessarily all
exalted great souls. Are such persons qualified to engage in
devotional service?
Vaisnava dasa: A person‟s nature makes him qualified to
perform specific duties, but it does not necessarily qualify him to
engage in devotional service. Please look at the explanation
written in this page of Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.20.27-30 and 32-
33):
“Having awakened faith in the narration‟s of My glories,
being disgusted with all material activities, knowing that all
sense gratification leads to misery, but still being unable to
renounce all sense enjoyment, My devotee should remain happy
and worship Me with great faith and conviction. Even though he
is sometimes engaged in sense enjoyment, My devotee knows
that all sense gratification leads to a miserable result, and he
sincerely repents such activities.
“When an intelligent person engages constantly in
worshipping Me through loving devotional service as described
by Me, his heart becomes firmly situated in Me. Thus all material
desires within the heart are destroyed.

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 “The knot in the heart is pierced, all misgivings are cut to
pieces, and the chain of fruitive actions is terminated when I am
seen as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
“Everything that can be achieved by fruitive activities,
penance, knowledge, detachment, mystic yoga, charity, religious
duties, and all other means of perfecting life is easily achieved by
My devotee through loving service unto Me. If somehow or other
My devotee desires promotion to heaven, liberation or residence
in My abode, he easily achieves such benedictions.”
In this way faith in devotional service develops.
Cudamani: What if I have no respect for Srimad-Bhagavatam?
Vaisnava dasa: Srimad-Bhagavatam teaches the conclusion of
all the scriptures. The scriptures are one. If you do not respect
Srimad-Bhagavatam, then you insult all the other scriptures. I do
not need to show evidence from many scriptures. Does everyone
accept Bhagavad-gita? Think about that. When you first spoke
from your mouth came a verse from Bhagavad-gita, a verse that
contains the teachings of all the scriptures. In the Gita (9.30-32)
it is said:
“Even if one commits the most abominable actions, if he is
engaged in devotional service, he is to be considered saintly
because he is properly situated.
“He quickly becomes righteous and attains lasting peace. O
son of Kunti, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes.
“O son of Prtha, those who take shelter in Me, though they
be of lower birth - women, vaisyas (merchants), as well as sudras
(workers) approach the supreme destination.”

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 These verses mean that a person who has faith in Me alone
(ananya-bhak) and who engages in the activities of devotional
service, which begin with hearing and chanting Lord Hari‟s holy
names and the descriptions of Lord Hari, renounces all impious
deeds, which are naturally sources of misery. He renounces
materialistic activities and he is considered saintly. In this way
he follows the glorious spiritual path. One path is the path of
karma-kanda, which begins with the duties of varnasrama. A
second path is the path of jnana-kanda, which begins with
speculative knowledge and renunciation. The third path is to
stay among the devotees and have faith in the holy name of Lord
Hari and the descriptions of Lord Hari. Sometimes these three
paths are considered yogas. In this way they are called karma-
yoga, jnana-yoga and bhakti-yoga. Some people practice these
different yogas. Thus they are called karma-yogi or jnana-yogi.
Among all these yogis, the bhakti-yogi is the best, for in bhakti
yoga one attains limitless auspiciousness. At the end of the first
six-chapter section of Bhagavad-gita (6-47) one may see the
following conclusion:
“And of all yogis, he who abides in Me with great faith
worshipping Me in transcendental loving service, is most
intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all.”
One must properly understand the meaning of Bhagavad-gita
9.31. This verse means that a person who faithfully engages in
devotional service quickly casts far away all faults in his
character and activities. A person who engages in devotional
service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead becomes pious,
for the Supreme Personality of Godhead is Himself the root of all
piety. The Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself is conquered

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by devotional service. When the Supreme Personality of
Godhead stays in a person‟s heart, the bondage of maya is at once
thrown far away. Such a person need not adopt any other process
to become free from maya. Whether he performs material pious
deeds or not, a devotee‟s heart is naturally filled with piety and
saintliness. Lust is then thrown far away, and in its stead
peacefulness enters his heart. The Supreme Lord Himself
promises: “My devotee will never perish. The karmi or jnani may
fall into bad company, but My sincere devotee will never fall into
bad company, for he always has Me as his companion. Therefore
he will never fall down. Whether born in a sinful family or a
brahmana family, a devotee always has the supreme goal of life in
the palm of his hand.”
Cudamani: Look, my scriptures says the qualification that
comes from birth is the best. I was born in a brahmana‟s home.
By chanting the Gayatri mantra and performing other like duties
I will gradually attain transcendental knowledge and at the end I
must attain liberation. How does faith arise? I do not know. I see
that the Gita and Bhagavatam teach that faith leads to devotional
service. Please explain what the soul must do to attain that faith.
Vaisnava dasa: Faith is part of the soul‟s eternal nature. The
duties of varnasrama and other like duties arise when the soul‟s
temporary nature is manifested. That is the conclusion of all the
scriptures. In the Chandogya Upanisad (7.19.1) it is said:
“A person who has faith can understand. A person who has
no faith cannot understand. A person who has faith can
understand. Therefore one should ask about faith.” „O master, I
wish to know about faith.‟”

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 Some philosophers define the word „faith‟ as „trust in the
words of the Vedas and the spiritual master‟. That is not a wrong
definition. However, it is not very clear. In my sampradaya „faith‟
is defined in these words (Amnaya-sutra 57):
“Faith is a specific activity performed in the heart. It makes
one desire to engage in devotional service. It is different from the
other means of spiritual advancement.”
By associating with devotees and repeatedly hearing from
them, a person becomes convinced in his heart that ordinary
pious deeds (karma), impersonal speculation (jnana), and the
gymnastics of yoga will not help him reach the eternal
destination, and that destination cannot be attained by any
means other than sincerely taking shelter of Lord Hari‟s feet.
When one thinks in this way he naturally attains faith in the
words of the Vedas and the spiritual master. The nature of this
faith is described in these words (Amnaya-sutra 58):
“Faith is characterized by taking shelter of the Lord and
surrendering unto Him.”
Thus it is seen that taking shelter of the Lord and
surrendering unto Him is the external symptom of faith. This
surrender and taking shelter are described in these words (Sri
Hari-bhakti-vilasa 11.417):
“The six divisions of surrender are the acceptance of those
things favorable to devotional service, the rejection of
unfavorable things, the conviction that Krsna will give
protection, the acceptance of the Lord as one‟s guardian or
master, full self-surrender and humility.”

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 Thus one makes the following vow: “I will do whatever is
favorable for pure devotional service, and I will reject whatever is
not favorable for it. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is my
protector. By being active in impersonal speculation (jnana),
yoga, and other like activities, I cannot attain anything of value. I
cannot protect myself. I will serve the Lord as far as I am able,
and He will protect me. In this way I will be protected. Who am
I? I am His property. Whatever He wishes, that I will do. In this
way I will offer myself to Him. I own nothing. I am poor and
lowly.” In this way one understands his lowly position. When
this vow, along with trust, confidence that the Lord will give
protection, complete self-surrender, and humility are manifested
in the heart, that is called „faith‟. When this faith is manifested in
the heart one is qualified to engage in devotional service. This
faith is the first step to becoming pure and eternally liberated.
This faith is part of the soul‟s eternal nature. All spiritual paths
that differ from this faith are temporary in their nature.
Cudamani: I understand that much. But how is this faith
attained? You have not told me that. If faith is created by pious
deeds, then my argument is stronger, for one who does not
perform the pious duties and rituals of varnasrama cannot attain
faith. The Yavanas do not perform these pious varnasrama
duties, so how can they become qualified to engage in devotional
service?
Vaisnava dasa: It is true that faith is created by pious deeds,
for the Narada Purana declares:
“Devotional service is attained by associating with devotees.
The association of devotees is attained by past pious deeds.”

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 Pious deeds are of two kinds: 1. eternal, and 2. temporary.
The pious deeds that bring association with devotees and
devotional service are called eternal pious deeds. The pious
deeds that bring material sense gratification and impersonal
liberation are called temporary pious deeds. The pious deeds that
bring eternal results are called eternal pious deeds. The pious
deeds that bring temporary results are called temporary pious
deeds. All kinds of material sense gratification are clearly
temporary in their nature. They are not eternal. Many think that
impersonal liberation is eternal, but such persons do not
understand the real nature of impersonal liberation. The
individual soul is pure, eternal, and unchanging. The individual
soul imprisoned in the material world of illusions is in his
temporary nature. When his prison shackles are cut and he is
released, that moment is called “liberation”. The act of becoming
liberated from the prison occurs in a single moment. Therefore
the act of becoming liberated is not in itself eternal. There is the
moment of liberation, and that moment comes to an end. When
the soul‟s temporary nature is destroyed, the result is liberation.
When liberation does not occur, then the temporary state is
manifested. Attraction to Lord Hari‟s feet never comes to an end.
That attraction is part of the soul‟s eternal nature. No impartial
person will claim that these aspects of the soul‟s nature are
temporary in nature. So-called devotional service that ends when
liberation is attained is temporary in nature. That so-called
devotion is actually a specific kind of material activity. However,
the devotional service that exists before, during, and after
liberation is eternal. It is the eternal nature and duty of the soul.
Liberation is merely a less-important by-product of that
devotional service. In the Mundaka Upanisad (1.2.12) it is said:
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 “Seeing the true nature of the higher worlds attained by pious
karma, a brahmana does not desire them. To learn
transcendental subject matter, one must approach the spiritual
master. In doing so he should carry fuel to burn in sacrifice. The
symptom of such a spiritual master is that he is expert in
understanding the Vedic conclusion, and therefore he constantly
engages in the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”
Pious fruitive work (karma), impersonal speculation (jnana)
and yoga are all temporary pious deeds. Association with
devotees and the performance of activities that lead to devotional
service are eternal pious deeds. A person who for many previous
births has performed such eternal pious deeds attains faith. A
person who performs temporary pious deeds may attain many
different results, but faith in pure devotional service is not one of
them.
Cudamani: Please clearly describe association with devotees
and the performance of activities that lead to devotional service.
What kind of pious deeds are these?
Vaisnava dasa: Conversing with a pure devotee, serving him,
and hearing his explanations, all these I call association with
devotees. Chanting the holy names in towns and cities in the
company of other devotees, and other like activities, are all
activities of devotional service. Giving charity and performing
yoga, when connected to devotional service, are activities that
lead to devotional service. In the scriptures it is said that
cleaning the temple of Lord Hari, offering a lamp to tulasi-devi,
fasting on ekadasi and other like activities, are activities of
devotional service. Even if they are performed without pure faith,
or even if they are performed accidentally, these pious activities
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still increase one‟s devotion for the Lord. When these pious
deeds gradually become powerful, after many births they lead to
pure faith in the association of devotees and the performance of
pure devotional service. The word “vastu-sakti” means that every
thing has a certain innate power. The activities of devotional
service have the power to increase one‟s love and devotion for
the Lord. Even if they are performed without faith, or even if
they are performed with contempt, they still bring good results,
what to speak of when they are performed with faith. In the
Prabhasa-khanda it is said:
“Krsna‟s name is the sweetest of sweet things, the most
auspicious of auspicious things, the transcendental fruit of the
vine of all Vedic literature. O best of the Bhrgus, chanted even
once, either with faith or contempt, it delivers the chanter.”
Thus these pious deeds that increase one‟s devotion for the
Lord are all eternal pious deeds. As these pious deeds gradually
become powerful, they lead to faith in the association of devotees
and the performance of pure devotional service. Because of his
past temporary misdeeds a person may take birth in a Yavana‟s
home, and because of past eternal pious deeds he may also attain
faith in pure devotional service. What is surprising about that?
Cudamani: I say that if a person has performed even a small
number of the pious deeds that lead to devotional service, then
his other deeds must all be pious deeds also. One who is born as
a Yavana cannot possibly have performed only pious deeds, and
therefore it is not possible that in the past he performed the
pious deeds that lead to devotional service.
Vaisnava dasa: One should not have such a belief. Eternal
pious deeds and temporary pious deeds are independent of each
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other. One does not need the other to exist. It is said that a
hunter who was filled with many sins and misdeeds by accident
fasted and kept an all-night vigil on a day sacred to Lord Siva,
and because of performing this eternal pious deed he attained
devotion to Lord Hari. It is said (Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.13.16),
“vaisnavanam yatha sambhuh” (A great Vaisnava like Lord Siva).
Because of these words I accept that Lord Siva is supremely
worshippable, and a great Vaisnava also. Therefore by observing
his holy day one can certainly attain devotion to Lord Hari.
Cudamani: Then you say it is possible to perform eternal
pious deeds accidentally?
Vaisnava dasa: All is an accident. Even the path of karma is
like that. It was by accident that the individual soul first fell into
the cycle of karma. What was that chance accident? The
followers of karma-mimamsa claim that karma has no beginning,
but the truth is that there is a root from which karma has grown.
In the individual soul‟s aversion to the Supreme Personality of
Godhead is the accident that is the root of karma. As that is
believed to be an accident, so eternal pious deeds may also be
believed to be chance accidents. In the Svetasvatara Upanisad
(4.6-7) it is said:
“Although the two birds are on the same tree, the eating bird
is fully engrossed with anxiety and moroseness as the enjoyer of
the fruits of the tree. But if in some way or other he turns his face
to his friend who is the Lord, and knows His glories, at once the
suffering bird becomes free of all anxieties.”
In Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.51.53 and 3.25.22) it is said:

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 “O my Lord! O infallible Supreme Person! When a person
wandering throughout the universes becomes eligible for
liberation from material existence, he gets an opportunity to
associate with devotees. When he associates with devotees, his
attraction for You is awakened. You are the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, the highest goal of the supreme devotees and the
Lord of the universe.”
“The spiritually powerful message of Godhead can be
properly discussed only in the society of devotees, and it is
greatly pleasing to hear in that association. If one hears from
devotees, the way of transcendental experience quickly opens,
and gradually one attains firm faith that in due course develops
into attraction and devotion.”
Cudamani: In your opinion is there no difference between a
Hindu and a Yavana?
Vaisnava dasa: There are two kinds of difference: 1. spiritual
and 2. material. Spiritually, Hindus and Yavanas are not
different. However, materially there is a difference.
Cudamani: Why do you speak with the pompous words of
the Vedanta? What is the material difference between the Hindus
and Yavanas?
Vaisnava dasa: I speak of material social customs. According
to the material idea, a Yavana is untouchable. Thus, in the
materialists‟ idea, one should neither touch nor associate with a
Yavana. Thus, a Hindu touched by a Yavana must at once bathe
with water. Also, a Hindu should not accept food or other things
from a Yavana. Because it is attained by committing sinful deeds,

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a Yavana‟s body is horrible and should be avoided. Therefore it is
untouchable.
Cudamani: If this is so, then how can the Hindus and
Yavanas be the same spiritually? Please clearly explain.
Vaisnava dasa: The scriptures declare:
“O best of the Bhrgus, the holy name of Lord Krsna delivers
the chanter.”
These words mean that the Yavanas and everyone else can
attain the supreme spiritual goal of life by chanting the holy
name of Lord Krsna. In this way the Hindus and Yavanas may
become equals. A human being who does not perform eternal
pious deeds like chanting Lord Krsna‟s name is declared by the
scriptures to be “dvi-pada-pasu” (an animal pretending to be a
human being). This is because such a person has no faith in the
holy name of Lord Krsna. Although such a person may have
taken birth as a human being, he is not really human. In truth he
is an animal. The Mahabharata explains:
“O king, a person whose past pious deeds are small cannot
have faith in Lord Govinda, the remnants of food offered to Him,
His holy name, or His devotees.”
Eternal pious deeds, which purify the soul, are called “great
pious deeds”. Temporary pious deeds, which are performed
without spiritual faith, are called “small pious deeds.” The
remnants of food offered to Lord Krsna, Lord Krsna, Lord
Krsna‟s holy name, and the pure Vaisnavas — these four are
spiritual. They reveal the spiritual truth.

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 Cudamani (with a smile): What kind of talk is this? This is
just the Vaisnavas‟ fanatic dogma. How can rice, dahl, and curry
be spiritual? There is nothing that you will not claim.
Vaisnava dasa: Do what you like, but please do not criticize
the Vaisnavas. That is my request. In a debate, only the various
arguments should be considered. Why do you need to verbally
attack the Vaisnavas? The remnants of foods offered to the Lord
are beyond the touch of the material world. One should not eat
foods that are not thus offered to the Lord, for eating the
remnants of food offered to the Lord illumines the way to the
spiritual world and drives away all that is foolish and material.
Therefore Sri Isopanisad (Mantra 1) explains:
“Everything animate or inanimate that is within the universe
is controlled and owned by the Lord. One should therefore
accept only those things necessary for himself, which are set
aside as his quota, and one should not accept other things,
knowing well to whom they belong.”
Whatever exists in the material universe has a relationship
with the potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. A
person who sees that everything has a relationship with the
Lord‟s potency will not attempt to enjoy the things of this
external material world. If a spiritually conscious soul accepts
only what he must to maintain his material body in this world,
and if he understands that everything is the Supreme Personality
of Godhead‟s mercy, then he will not fall down. That is the way a
person eager to attain the spiritual world will act. Therefore the
remnants of food offered to Lord Krsna are called „maha-prasada‟
(great mercy). Still, you are not attracted to these spiritual things
- that is your misfortune.
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 Cudamani: Let‟s change the subject. Let‟s consider ordinary
material things: How should one behave with Yavanas?
Vaisnava dasa: As long as a person is a Yavana, we should
ignore him. However, if by performing eternal pious deeds, the
Yavana becomes a Vaisnava, then I will not use the word
“Yavana” to refer to him. The scriptures declare (Padma Purana
and Itihasa-samuccaya):
“He goes to hell who thinks in terms of his birth and caste,
and who thus sees a Vaisnava as a sudra, a barbarian, or an
outcaste.”
“The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: A scholar learned
in the four Vedas is not truly dear to Me. An outcaste who has
become My devotee is truly dear to Me. To him gifts should be
given. From him blessings should be accepted. He should be
worshipped as much as I.”
Cudamani: I understand. If this is so, then why cannot a
Vaisnava householder marry his daughter to a Yavana Vaisnava,
or why cannot he himself marry the daughter of a Yavana
Vaisnava?
Vaisnava dasa: In ordinary material understanding, when a
person is born in a Yavana family he remains a Yavana until his
death. However, in the spiritual understanding, when he engages
in devotional service he is a Yavana no longer. Ten kinds of
ordinary social rites are described in the Smrti-sastra. Marriage is
one of them. If a householder Vaisnava is a Hindu, then he has a
status within the four castes and it is proper that he should
marry within his own caste, for in ordinary material dealings it is
best to accept the temporary duties assigned to the four castes.

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One does not become a Vaisnava merely by rejecting the duties
of the four castes. A true Vaisnava who do whatever is favorable
for devotional service. If a person becomes spiritually advanced,
and thus qualified to ignore or renounce the duties of the four
castes, then he may do so. Then he may renounce all duties of
the four castes. If the duties of the four castes are not favorable
for one‟s devotional service, then they may be easily rejected. If
association with the Yavanas is not favorable for devotional
service, then a faithful Yavana Vaisnava should reject their
association. What is the difference between a Hindu Vaisnava
who properly rejects the duties of the four castes and a Yavana
Vaisnava who rejects association with Yavanas? Both have
rejected what is material and inferior. Spiritually they are
brothers. However, this may not be true for a householder
Vaisnava. Even though his associates and duties may not always
be favorable for his advancement in devotional service, he should
not renounce them prematurely. He may renounce them only
when he is properly qualified. However, when his attachment to
devotional service becomes very strong, he will naturally
renounce unfavorable association and duties. In Srimad-
Bhagavatam (11.11.32) the Supreme Personality of Godhead
explains:
“Understanding these virtues and faults I have described, a
sincere devotee renounces all ordinary material duties and
worships Me alone. Such a devotee is the best of all.”
In the concluding statements of Bhagavad-gita (18.66) the
Supreme Personality of Godhead declares:
“Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me.
I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.”
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 In Srimad-Bhagavatam (4.29.54) it is said:
“When a person is fully engaged in devotional service, he is
favored by the Lord, who bestows His causeless mercy. At such a
time, the awakened devotee gives up all material activities and
ritualistic performances mentioned in the Vedas.”
Cudamani: If a Yavana becomes a sincere Vaisnava, can you
take food, drink and other things with him?
Vaisnava dasa: Sannyasi Vaisnavas may take maha-prasada
with them. Householder Vaisnavas who are materialistic may not
be so inclined. However, there is no rule forbidding one from
even taking the remnants of food left by any other Vaisnavas.
Indeed, one should take their remnants.
Cudamani: Why is it, then, that in Vaisnava temples Yavana
Vaisnavas are not allowed to touch the Deities?
Vaisnava dasa: It is an offense to call a Vaisnava born in a
Yavana family a “Yavana Vaisnava”. Simply by being a Vaisnava,
he is qualified to serve Lord Krsna. If a householder Vaisnava
engaged in serving the Deity of the Lord is, in the opinion of
materialistic person, outside the caste-rules of varnasrama
dharma, the Vaisnava is at fault only from the point of view of
persons eager to follow material customs. Still, a sannyasi
Vaisnava should not worship the Deity, for if he worships the
Deity then his status as a person beyond the caste-system
becomes ruined. Instead, in his heart he should worship Lord
Krsna, the beloved of Sri Radha.
Cudamani: I understand. Now please tell what you think
about the brahmanas.

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 Vaisnava dasa: Brahmanas are of two kinds: 1. brahmanas by
nature and 2. brahmanas only by birth. They who are brahmanas
by nature are mostly Vaisnavas. Serious thinkers from every
philosophical camp will honor such a brahmana. They who are
brahmanas by birth are honored because of ordinary social
customs. That the Vaisnavas should be honored as the genuine
brahmanas is confirmed by the following words of scripture
(Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.10):
“If a brahmana has all twelve of the brahminical
qualifications (as they are stated in the book called Sanat-sujata)
but is not a devotee and is averse to the lotus feet of the Lord, he
is certainly lower than a devotee who is a dog-eater but who has
dedicated everything - mind, words, activities, wealth, and life -
to the Supreme Lord. Such a devotee is better than such a
brahmana because the devotee can purify his whole family,
whereas the so-called brahmana in a position of false prestige
cannot purify even himself.
Cudamani: The sudras are not allowed to study the Vedas. If
a sudra becomes a Vaisnava would he not then be allowed to
study the Vedas?
Vaisnava dasa: Regardless of the caste in which he was born,
a pure Vaisnava becomes a brahmana according to spiritual
calculations. The Vedas are divided into two parts: 1. the Veda
describing ordinary rituals and duties and 2. the Veda describing
the spiritual truth. They who are brahmanas because of social
custom are allowed to study the Veda describing ordinary rituals
and duties, and they who are brahmanas according to spiritual
calculations are allowed to study the Veda that describes the
spiritual truth. Regardless of the caste in which he was born, a
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pure Vaisnava is perfectly qualified to study and teach the Veda
that describes the spiritual truth. This is described in the
following words of Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad (4.4.21):
“A wise brahmana should study the part of the Veda that
describes the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”
It is also said (Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad 3.8.10):
“He is a miserly man who does not solve the problems of life
as a human and who thus quits this world like the cats and dogs,
without understanding the science of self-realization.”
“He is a brahmana who does solve the problems of life as a
human and who quits this world knowing the truth of the
eternal Supreme Personality of Godhead.”
They who are brahmanas because of social custom are
described in these words of Manu-samhita (2.168): “A
brahmana who does not study the Vedic literatures, and who
instead laboriously studies many other books about material
things becomes at once, in this life, and along with his entire
family, a sudra.”
The qualification of a person entitled to study the Veda that
describes the spiritual truth is stated in these words (Svetasvatara
Upanisad 6.23):“Only unto those great souls who have implicit
faith in both the Lord and the spiritual master are all the imports
of Vedic knowledge automatically revealed.”
The word “para bhakti” here means “pure devotional
service”. I cannot say more on this subject. Please understand it
as far as you are able. The summary conclusion of all this is: A
person who has faith in pure devotional service is qualified to
study the part of the Veda describing spiritual truth, and a
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person who has attained pure devotional service is qualified to
teach the part of the Veda describing spiritual truth.
Cudamani: Is your conclusion, then, that the part of the
Vedas describing spiritual truth teaches only the Vaisnava
religion and does not teach any other religion?
Vaisnava dasa: There is only one religion. There is no such
thing as two religions. That one religion is called “the eternal
religion” or “the Vaisnava religion”. Other religions are
temporary. They serve as steps leading up to the Vaisnava
religions. In the Eleventh Canto (Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.14.3)
the Supreme Personality of Godhead explains:
“By the influence of time, the transcendental soul of Vedic
knowledge was lost at the time of annihilation. Therefore, when
the subsequent creation took place, I spoke the Vedic knowledge
to Brahma because I Myself am the religions principles
enunciated in the Vedas.”
The Katha Upanisad (1.2.15 and 1.3.9) explains:
“All the Vedas describe the abode of the Supreme Personality
of Godhead...Now I will briefly describe that abode to you.”
“The realm of Lord Visnu is the supreme spiritual abode.”
When the discussion had reached this point the faces of Devi
Vidyaratna and his associates had become pale and withered. The
great pandita teachers were completely demoralized. It was no
five o‟ clock. Everyone said, “Let us end the meeting now.”
Everyone agreed, and the meeting ended. With one voice the
brahmana panditas praised the learning of Vaisnava dasa.
Chanting the holy names of Lord Hari as they went, the
Vaisnavas returned to their homes.
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 Chapter Seven

Eternal Duties, Household Life, and the

Material World
Nitya-dharma o samsara

On the bank of the Sarasvati was an ancient merchant town

named Saptagrama. For a long time a thousand merchants and
bankers have lived there. By the mercy of Lord Nityananda, since
the time of Sri Uddharana Datta these merchants have
enthusiastically chanted the holy names of Lord Hari. Fearing
that much money would be spent, a merchant named Candi dasa
would not join the people of the town in chanting the holy
names of Lord Hari. By living very frugally, he had accumulated
a lot of money. His wife Damayanti, who had contracted this
nature from her husband, would not give due respect to
Vaisnavas or guests. In their youth this merchant couple had
four sons and two daughters. Marrying off first one and then the
other daughter, the couple carefully kept their great wealth to
give to their sons. When Vaisnavas never visit a home, the
children in there do not naturally become very kind or generous.
These qualities become stunted. As the children grew up they
became more and more selfish. Eager to get their inheritance,
they yearned for their parent's deaths. The unhappiness of the
merchant couple knew no bounds. One by one of the sons were
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also married. Imbibing their husband's nature, the daughters-in-
law also began to wish their husband's parents would die. When
they became able, the sons divided their father's wealth, and set
themselves up as merchants.
One day Candi dasa called together his sons and said, "Look.
By living frugally since childhood, I have accumulated some
wealth for your sakes. For all this time your mother and I have
not eaten good food or dressed in nice clothing. Now we are
growing old and you should take care of us. That is your duty.
However, I see that you are not inclined to take care of us, and
that has made me very sad. I have some wealth hidden away, and
I will give to whomever amongst you acts like a good son.
Hearing these words, the sons and their wives became silent.
Meeting in another place, they all decided that the best thing
would be to send father and mother far away and then take the
hidden money, for there was no saying to whom the old man
would wrongly give it. All were sure the wealth was hidden in
the father's bedroom.
The father's eldest son was name Nari-carana. One morning
he said to his father, "Father, you and mother should go and see
Sridhama Navadvipa. In that way your human life will be
successful. I have heard that in the age of Kali no holy place is
sacred and auspicious like Navadvipa. To travel to Navadvipa is
neither difficult nor expensive. If you cannot walk, for two panas
a boat can take you there. If you wish, a Vaisnava lady is willing
to accompany you there.
Candi dasa consulted with his wife, Damayanti. She was very
happy. The two talked. "Your words the other day brought our
sons to their senses. We are not so weak that we cannot walk.
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Passing through Kalna and Santipura, let us go to Sridhama
Navadvipa."
Noting an auspicious day, the two began their pilgrimage.
Walking and walking, on the next day they came to Ambika.
Staying there at a merchant's place, they cooked and ate their
meal. A man from Saptagrama came there and told them, "Your
sons broke into your room and took all your belongings. They
will not allow you to return home. They have taken all your
hidden wealth."
Hearing this, Candi dasa and his wife lamented greatly. On
that day they would not eat. They wept and wept. The Vaisnava
lady accompanying them said, "Don't be attached to your home.
Continue traveling. Renounce the world. Meet the Vaisnavas.
They for whom you have done so much have now become your
enemies. Now you cannot return home. Continue traveling. You
can stay in Navadvipa. By begging you can eat. All will be well."
Hearing of what their sons and daughters-in-law had done,
Candi dasa and his wife said again and again, "We will not return
home. It is better that we give up our lives. That would be best."
After that they stayed at the home of a Vaisnava in Ambika-
grama. After two or four days they went to see Santipura and
then they went to Navadvipa. There they stayed in Mayapura, in
the home of a relative who was a merchant. They stayed for two
or four days and then went to see the seven village of Navadvipa,
and, on the other side of the Ganga, the seven villages of Kuliya-
grama. After a few days love for their sons and daughters-in-law
again arose in their hearts.

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 Candi dasa said, "Come. Let us go to Saptagrama. Will not
our sons love us even a little?" Then the Vaisnava lady who was
accompanying them said, "Have you no shame? They will kill
you. Hearing this, the old couple became afraid. They said to her,
"O saintly Vaisnava, please return to your home. We will live
alone. We will approach a saintly person, learn from him, and
live by begging."
The Vaisnava lady left. The merchant couple gave up all hope
of returning home. They considered building a new home in the
Chakari Catta neighborhood of Kuliya-grama. After begging from
many good people, they were able to build a cottage. In sacred
Kuliya-grama past offenses are all forgiven. When a person lives
there his past offenses are thrown far away. That is what is said
about that place.
One day Candi dasa said, "O mother of Hari, why do you
continue like this? Don't say anything more about your sons.
Don't even think of them. In our past lives we must have
committed many, many offenses. That is why we took birth in
the homes of merchants. Because of that low birth we became
misers and refused to serve Vaisnavas and guests. If here we can
make a little money, we should use it to serve guests. Then our
next birth will be good. I have set my mind to open a grocery
store. After a few days of striving in that way, Candi dasa finally
opened a small store. Every day he earned a small profit. After
eating a full meal, every day the husband and wife fed a guest.
Candi dasa lived better than he did before.
Candi dasa was a little educated. In his spare moments at the
store he would read Gunaraja Khana's book Sri Krsna-vijaya. He
was honest in buying and selling and he would serve guests. In
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this way five or six months passed. When they learned his story,
the people of Kuliya-grama began to have faith in Candi dasa.
It was in that neighborhood that Yadava dasa lived. Yadava
dasa was a household Vaisnava. He would read Sri Caitanya-
mangala. Sometimes Candi dasa would listen to him reading.
Yadava dasa and his wife liked to serve the Vaisnavas. Seeing
them, Candi dasa and his wife also came to like serving the
Vaisnavas.
One day Candi dasa asked Yadava dasa, "What is the material
world?" Yadava dasa replied, "On the other shore of the Ganga,
on the island of Godruma, live many learned Vaisnavas. Go
there. Ask them this question. I go there sometimes and in that
way I learn many things. Nowadays the Vaisnava panditas in Sri
Godruma are better scripture scholars than even the brahmana
panditas. Yesterday an assembly of brahmana panditas were
defeated in debate by Sri Vaisnava dasa Babaji. He will give a
good answer to your question.
That afternoon Yadava dasa and Candi dasa crossed the
Ganga. Damayanti was now accustomed to serve the Vaisnavas.
The miserliness in her heart had lessened. She said, "I will go
with you to Sri Godruma." Yadava dasa said, "The Vaisnavas
there are not householders. They are renunciants. I think they
will not be happy to have you in their midst." Damayanti said, "I
will offer dandavat obeisances from afar. I will not enter into the
middle of the grove. I am an old lady. They will not be angry
with me." Then Yadava dasa said, "The custom is that women
may not go there. It is better that you merely wait nearby and
accompany us when we return."

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 At nine in the morning the three of them crossed the Ganga
and approached Pradyumna-kunja. At the entrance to the forest
grove Damayanti offered dandavat obeisances and sat down
under an old banyan tree. Yadava dasa and Candi dasa entered
the forest grove and devotedly offered dandavat obeisances to the
Vaisnavas sitting in the place of madhavi and malati vines.
The paramahamsa babaji was sitting there. On his four sides
were Sri Vaisnava dasa, Lahiri Mahasaya, Ananta dasa Babaji and
many others. Yadava dasa approached and sat down. Candi dasa
sat beside him.
Saintly Ananta dasa Babaji asked, "Who is the new man?"
Yadava dasa repeated all of Candi dasa's story. Ananta dasa
babaji smiled and said, "Yes. That is what is called 'the material
world.' He who knows the true nature of this world is wise. He
who is trapped in the cycle of birth and death in this world is
truly an object of pity."
Candi dasa's heart gradually become purified. One who
performs eternal pious deeds attains auspiciousness. Honoring
the Vaisnavas and reading and hearing the Vaisnava scriptures
were the beginning of Candi dasa's eternal pious deeds. By
performing these pious deeds again and again he became pure in
heart and attained sincere faith in pure devotional service. When
he heard Ananta dasa's words, Candi dasa, his heart now
beginning to melt, said, "Today I make this request: Please be
merciful and tell me clearly: What is the material world?"
Sri Ananta dasa: Candi dasa, your question is very serious. I
wish that either the paramahamsa babaji or Sri Vaisnava dasa
Babaji would give the answer.

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 The Paramahamsa Babaji: This is a serious question. Sri
Ananta dasa Babaji is qualified to give the answer. Today we will
all listen to the instruction he gives.
Ananta dasa: I must obey your order. I will speak as far as I
have understanding. I will begin by remembering the lotus feet
of my spiritual master, Srila Pradyumna Brahmacari, who is an
exalted personal associate of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead.
The individual spirit soul has two state of existence: 1. the
liberated state, and 2. the state of bondage in the prison of the
material world. An individual soul who is a pure devotee of Lord
Krsna is not bound by the illusory potency maya. By Lord
Krsna's mercy such a soul is liberated from the material world of
maya. He is a liberated soul. His state of existence is the liberated
state. On the other hand, a soul who tries to avoid Lord Krsna
falls into the gaping mouth of the illusory potency maya.. Such a
soul is imprisoned in the material world. His state of existence is
residence in the material world. A soul liberated from maya is
always conscious of his original spiritual identity. His whole life
is service to Lord Krsna. Such a soul does not reside in the
material world. He resides in one of the pure spiritual worlds.
Goloka, Vaikuntha and Vrndavana are the names of some of
these pure spiritual worlds. The souls free from maya are
limitless in number. They cannot be counted.
The souls bound in maya's prison are also limitless in
number. They cannot be counted either. A soul averse to Lord
Krsna, is bound by Lord Krsna's shadow-potency maya, who
binds that soul with ropes of goodness, passion and ignorance.
Because of the difference of these three ropes, the imprisoned
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souls are placed in many different states of existence. The variety
of those states is astonishing. They who think for a moment will
see this astonishing variety. These souls manifest an astonishing
variety of material bodies, an astonishing variety of states of
existence, an astonishing variety of forms, an astonishing variety
of natures, an astonishing variety of residences, and an
astonishing variety of movements. When he first enters the
material world, the soul is covered by a new sense of identity. In
his pure state of existence the soul thinks "I am a servant of Lord
Krsna". However, in the state of material bondage the soul
thinks: "I am a human being". "I am a demigod." "I am an
animal". "I am a king". "I am a brahmana". "I am an outcaste". "I
am suffering". "I am hungry". "I am insulted". "I am generous".
"I am a husband". "I am a wife". "I am a father". "I am a son". "I
am an enemy". "I am a friend". "I am learned". "I am handsome".
"I am wealthy". "I am poor". "I am happy". "I am sad". "I am
strong". "I am weak". In this way the soul may have different
conceptions of his identity. This is called "false-ego". There is
also another thing called "false possessiveness". In the grip of
false-possessiveness, the soul things: "This is my house". "This is
my thing." "This is my wealth". "This is my body". "This is my
son and my daughter". "This is my wife". "This is my husband".
"This is my father". "This is my mother." "This is my caste into
which I was born." "This is my power." "This is my form." "This
is my virtue." "This is my knowledge". "This is my
renunciation." "This is my wisdom." "This is my activity." "This
is my good fortune." "These are my servants and dependents." In
this way the souls uses the word "my" in many different ways.
This great variety of "I's" and "My's" are called the "material
world".
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 Yadava dasa: I see how there are many "I's" and "My's" in the
state of material bondage. But are there no "I's" and "My's" in the
liberated state?
Ananta dasa: In the liberated state the "I's" and "My's" are all
spiritual and free of fault. There is manifested the soul's original
spiritual identity, which was originally created by Lord Krsna.
Because of these different spiritual identities, in the spiritual
world there are many different "I's". Although all souls there are
Lord Krsna's servants, they have a great variety of spiritual
relationships with the Lord. All the different relationships
manifest the idea of "My".
Yadava dasa: If this is so, then what is the fault in the great
variety of "I's" and "My's" manifest among the souls bound in
the material world?
Ananta dasa: The fault is this: In the soul's pure state the
ideas of "I" and "My" are based on reality. However, when the
soul resides in the material world these ideas of "I" and "My" are
artificial impositions. They are not real. They are illusions. In the
material world they are all temporary, unnatural, and the sources
of fleeting pleasures and pains.
Yadava dasa: Then is the material world an illusion?
Ananta dasa: The material world is not an illusion. By Lord
Krsna's will it is reality. However, a soul who enters this world
has many illusory conceptions of "I" and "My". Those false
conceptions are illusions. The mayavadis, who are all offenders,
claim that this world is an illusion.
Yadava dasa: Why do we have illusory material relationships?

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 Ananta dasa: The individual soul is a tiny particle of spirit.
The first situation of the soul is on the boundary line that
separates the spiritual and material worlds. In that condition the
souls that do not forget their original relationship with Lord
Krsna come under the control of the spiritual potency and are
drawn into the spiritual world. Becoming eternal associates of
Lord Krsna, they enjoy the bliss of serving Him directly. The
souls who are averse to Lord Krsna and who wish to enjoy the
pleasures offered to maya are drawn into the world of maya. That
is why we now reside in the material world. When we enter the
material world we forget our true spiritual identity. Then we
think "I am the enjoyer of maya". Then maya encircles us with a
great variety of false identities.
Yadava dasa: Why, then, though we endeavor to attain it, we
do not succeed in regaining the consciousness of our original
spiritual identity?
Ananta dasa: Those endeavors are of two kinds: 1.
appropriate, and 2. inappropriate. Appropriate endeavors
inevitably throw far away all material illusions about our
identity. On the other hand, how can one succeed if his
endeavors are not appropriate?
Yadava dasa: What are inappropriate endeavors? Please tell
me.
Ananta dasa: When a soul purifies his heart by performing
the duties of karma-kanda, takes shelter of the impersonal
Brahman, and thinks "Now I will become free of maya", his
endeavors are all inappropriate. When a soul tries to attain
spiritual perfection by performing astanga-yoga and entering a

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trance of samadhi, his endeavor also is inappropriate. There are
many other kinds of inappropriate endeavor also.
Yadava dasa: Why are these endeavors not appropriate?
Ananta dasa: They are not appropriate because many
obstacles stop one from attaining the desired results by
practicing them, and because there is only the most slender
chance that one will succeed by practicing them. We were thrust
into this material world because we committed an offense. We
will not be able to throw away our material condition of life
without first attaining the mercy of that person we offended.
Without His mercy we will not attain our original pure state.
Yadava dasa: What are the appropriate means?
Ananta dasa: Association with devotees and surrender.
Association with devotees is described in these words of Srimad-
Bhagavatam (11.2.30):
"Therefore, O completely sinless ones, I ask you to kindly tell
me what the supreme good is. After all, even half a minute's
association with pure devotees within this world of birth and
death is a priceless treasure for any man."
If you ask, "How can the souls in this material world attain
the supreme good," then I say, "if one has a moment's
association with the devotees of the Lord, then one will attain
the supreme good." The Supreme Personality of Godhead
describes surrender in these words of Bhagavad-gita (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."

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 Here the Lord says, "My divine maya potency consists of the
three material modes of goodness, passion and ignorance. By his
own endeavor, a human being cannot cross beyond this maya.
Therefore this maya is very difficult to overcome. However a
person who surrenders unto Me and takes shelter of Me can
cross beyond this maya."
Candi dasa: O saintly one, I am not able to understand all
these explanations very well. This much I understand: I am
originally a pure being. Forgetting Krsna, I have fallen into maya.
I am bound in the prison of the material world. By Lord Krsna's
mercy I may be released. If I do not attain Lord Krsna's mercy, I
will stay in this condition.
Ananta dasa: Yes. Now you accept this much. Your teacher,
Yadava dasa knows all these truths, and you have learned them
from him. In the book Sri Prema-vivarta, Sri Jagadananda, who is
a close associate of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has
said:
"The individual soul is a tiny particle of spirit, and Lord
Krsna is a great sun of spirit. The liberated soul always gazes at
Lord Krsna. The liberated soul always worships Lord Krsna.
"As soon as one becomes inimical to Krsna and desires sense
gratification, he is immediately struck down by the illusory
energy of the Lord.
"When a living entity is conditioned by material nature, he is
exactly like a person haunted by a ghost.
"Forgetting the words 'In my perfect state I am servant of
Krsna', he serves maya for a long time.

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 "Sometimes he is a king. Sometimes he is a citizen.
Sometimes he is a brahmana. Sometimes he is a sudra.
Sometimes he is sad. Sometimes he is happy. Sometimes he is a
tiny insect.
"Sometimes he is in Svargaloka. Sometimes he is in the
earthly realms. Sometimes he is in hell. Sometimes he is a
demigod. Sometimes he is a demon. Sometimes he is a servant.
Sometimes he is a master. Sometimes he is a servant.
"Thus he wanders in the material worlds. When he attains
the association of devotees, he can understand the truth about
himself.
"When he understands the truth about himself he no longer
wishes to stay in the material world. Then he laments, 'Why did I
serve maya for so long?"
"He weeps and cries out, 'O Krsna, I am Your servant. By
leaving Your feet, I lost everything."
"When the soul once cries for Krsna in this way, Lord Krsna
becomes merciful and helps him leave the material world.
"Then the soul turns away from maya. Again and again
worshipping Krsna, the soul attains Krsna's lotus feet.
"Krsna then places that soul under the protection of His
internal potency. Maya then loses her power. Maya no longer
attracts that soul.
"This is attained by associating with devotees and chanting
the holy names of Lord Krsna. There is no other way to escape
the material world of birth and death."

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 Yadava dasa: O saintly babaji, you speak of association with
devotees, but devotees also live in the material world. They also
suffer in the material world. How is it possible that they can
deliver other souls?
Ananta dasa: Devotees live in the material world. Still, the
material world that is their home is very different from the
material world that is home to the souls bewildered by maya.
Looking at them from the outside, they seem to be the same
world. But within they are very different. There are always some
devotees in the material world. Still, the non-devotees do not
choose to associate with them. The association of devotees is
rarely attained. The souls devoured by maya may be divided into
two groups: 1. they who, mad to enjoy the tiny pleasures of
maya, worship the material world, and 2. the intelligent souls
who, not attracted to the pleasures of maya, hope to attain better
pleasures. In this way the residents of the material world are
divided into two groups: 1. the unintelligent, and 2. the
intelligent. Some call these two groups: 1. they who desire
material sense gratification, and 2. they who desire liberation.
The phrase "they who desire liberation" does not refer to the
impersonalists. It means "they who, burned by the flames of the
world of repeated birth and death, seek to understand their true
spiritual identity. The Vedic literatures call such persons "they
who desire liberation". When such persons renounce the desire
to attain impersonal liberation and instead engage in
worshipping and serving the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
their worship is called pure devotional service. The scriptures do
not order that one should renounce the desire for liberation.
Rather, the moment he understands the truth of Lord Krsna and
the individual spirit soul, the person desiring liberation becomes
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at once liberated. This is explained in the following words of
Srimad-Bhagavatam (6.14.3-5):
"In this material world there are as many living entities as
atoms. Among these living entities a very few are human beings,
and among them few are interested in following religious
principles.
"O best of the brahmanas, Sukadeva Goswami, out of many
persons who follow religious principles, only a few desire
liberation from the material world. Among many thousands who
desire liberation, one may actually achieve liberation, giving up
material attachment to society, friendship, love, country, home,
wife, and children. And among many thousands of such liberated
persons, one who can understand the true meaning of liberation
is very rare.
"O great sage, among many millions who are liberated and
perfect in knowledge of liberation, one may be a devotee of Lord
Nityananda, or Krsna. Such devotees, who are fully peaceful, are
extremely rare."
As the number grains of sand in the world cannot be counted.
Among these souls a small number seek eternal auspiciousness.
Most are interested in material sense gratification. Of they who
seek the highest spiritual good, most are interested in liberation,
which means to escape the material world. Of thousands and
thousands of souls seeking liberation, few attain the perfection of
truth and actually become liberated. Of millions and millions of
liberated souls, few become peaceful devotees of Lord Narayana.
A devotee of Lord Narayana is very rare. A devotee of Lord Krsna
is even more rare. Even though they may live in the material
world, the devotees of Lord Krsna experience a life that is
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different from the life of the materialists. The devotees of Lord
Krsna experience two conditions of existence.
Yadava dasa: You have said that there are four kinds of
intelligent persons. What are their different statements of
existence, and what is association with devotees?
Ananta dasa: There are four kinds of intelligent persons: 1.
they who are the beginning stage of being intelligent, 2. they who
desire to attain liberation, 3. they who are liberated, and 4. they
who have attained perfection, or in other words, the devotees of
the Lord. For persons at the beginning states of being intelligent,
association with persons who desire liberation is good. The
liberated souls may be divided into two groups: 1. liberated souls
who taste the nectar of the spiritual mellows, and 2. the
mayavadis, who falsely imagine that they are not different from
the Supreme. These mayavadis are considered offenders. All
classes of people are forbidden to associate with them. In the
Tenth Canto (Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.2.31) it is said:
"O lotus-eyed one, those who think they are liberated in this
life but do not render devotional service to You must be of
impure intelligence. Although they accept severe austerities and
penances and rise to the spiritual position, to impersonal
Brahman realization, they fall down again because they neglect to
worship Your lotus feet."
The fourth kind of intelligent person, the devotees, are
divided into two groups: 1. they who worship the Lord in His
feature of opulence, and 2. they who worship the Lord in His
feature of sweetness. Association with such devotees is beneficial
in every way. Especially, if one takes shelter of a devotee who is

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attached to the Lord's feature in sweetness, the nectar of pure
devotional service rises within his heart.
Yadava dasa: You have said that there are two kinds of
devotees. Please describe them more clearly, so even
unintelligent persons like myself can understand.
Ananta dasa: The devotees are of two kinds: 1. householder
devotees, and 2. devotees who have renounced householder life.
Yadava dasa: What is the situation of a householder devotee
in the material world. Please kindly explain this.
Ananta dasa: The word "householder" does not mean "one
who builds a house". Rather, the word means "a person who
accepts a wife and stays with her in a house." A devotee in this
situation is called a "householder devotee". A soul bound in the
prison of the illusory potency maya, enters the material world
through the doors of the five knowledge-acquiring senses.
Through the door of the eyes he sees forms and colors. Through
the door of the ears he hears sounds. Through the door of the
nose he smells fragrances. Through the door of the skin he
touches. Through the door of the tongue he tastes. Entering the
material world through these five doors, the souls becomes
attached to the world. As he becomes attached to the material
world, the soul goes farther and farther from Sri Krsna, the Lord
of the heart. That is why the material world is called "the
external world". They who are mad after enjoying the material
world are called hedonists. The householder devotees of the Lord
are not eager to please their senses. Therefore they are not like
the hedonists. For a householder devotee, his wife is the
maidservant of Lord Krsna. His sons and daughters are also all
the servants of Lord Krsna. When with his eyes he sees the Deity
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form of Lord Krsna or the form of things related to Lord Krsna,
the householder devotee becomes happy. When with his ears he
hears the topics of Lord Krsna or the biographies of the great
devotees, the householder devotee becomes happy. When with
his nose he smells the tulasi leaves and fragrances offered to Lord
Krsna, the householder devotee becomes filled with bliss. With
his tongue the householder devotee tastes the holy names of
Lord Krsna and remnants of food offered to Lord Krsna. When
with his skin he touches the feet of the Lord's devotees, the
householder devotee becomes happy. His hopes, actions, desires,
hospitality, and service to the Deity are all used in the service of
Lord Krsna. His entire life is a great festival of 1. mercy to others,
2. the holy name of Lord Krsna, and 3. service to Vaisnavas. In
this way a devotee householder remains aloof from hedonism: In
the age of Kali it is very appropriate that the individual souls
become householder Vaisnava. In that way there is no fear that
they will fall down. Also, by following this path one may attain
the full perfection of devotional service. Many self-realized
Vaisnava spiritual masters are householders. Their children also
are pure devotees. In this way association with householder
devotees of the Lord is especially beneficial to the souls in this
world.
Yadava dasa: Householder Vaisnavas are naturally under the
control of the smarta panditas. If the Vaisnavas try to be
independent of them, there is trouble. In this situation how is it
possible to engage in pure devotional service?
Ananta dasa: For marrying off sons and daughters, for
performing funeral rites, and for a few others rituals it may be
necessary to engage smarta panditas. Still, there is no need to

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engage them for the spiritual activities that are most dear to the
heart. Look, for maintaining the material body all are dependent
on others. Even they who proudly think themselves independent
are in truth still dependent on others. When one suffers from
disease, he must take medicine. When one is hungry, he must eat
food. To ward off the cold, one must accept clothing. Because of
the sun, rain, and other difficulties one must build a house. For
these and many other things one needs to maintain his material
body, one must depend on others. To be independent is merely,
as far as possible, to limit these situations of depending on
others. The truth is, however, that no one can be completely
independent and still maintain his material body. Still, to be
independent as far as possible is good and helpful for devotional
service. If one observes all these previously described rituals in
relation to Lord Krsna, then there is no fault in observing them.
For example, if marriage is accepted not only to beget good
children and worship the Prajapati, but also to engage one's wife
and family in devotional service to Lord Krsna, then household
life is favorable for devotional service. Let the materialists, the
Vedic priests, and other say what they will, one still attains the
spiritual benefit of these devotional activities. On the sraddha
day one should first worship Lord Krsna, offer the remnants of
that offering as pinda to his ancestors, and then feed the
brahmana Vaisnavas. These activities are favorable for a
householder's devotional service. When these smarta rituals may
be performed in the context of devotional service. Then that are
not at all unfavorable to pure devotional service. Ordinary
activities should be done with a sense of detachment and
renunciation. Spiritual activities should be performed in the
association of devotees. Then one will not be at fault. Look. Most
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of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu's personal associates were
householder devotees. From time without beginning many great
rajarsis (saintly kings) and devarsis (divine sages) were
householder devotees. Dhruva Maharaja, Prahlada Maharaja, the
Pandavas, and many others were all householders. Householder
devotees of the Lord are worshipped by all the world.
Yadava dasa: If householder devotees are so worshippable and
qualified to attain all spiritual love, then why do some devotees
renounce householder life?
Ananta dasa: Among the householder devotees, for some it is
appropriate to renounce household life. However, in the material
world the number of these devotees is very small and association
with them is very rare.
Yadava dasa: What makes a man qualified to renounce
household life?
Ananta dasa: Human beings have two kinds of activities: 1.
external activities, and 2. internal activities. In the language of
the Vedas these activities are called "parak" and "pratyak". When
a pure spirit soul forgets its original spiritual form, misidentifies
himself as a subtle material body (of mind, intelligence, and false
ego), and, exits through the door of the material senses, he
becomes attracted to the external world of material sense objects.
These are called "external activities". When the direction is
reversed, and the soul goes from the material sense objects to the
mind and then to the original form of the soul, then these are
called "internal activities". As long as the desire to perform
external activities is strong, one should stay in the association of
devotees, and without offense perform these external activities
with the idea that this material world is Lord Krsna's property.
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By thus taking shelter of devotional service to Lord Krsna, in a
very short time the external direction of one's activities becomes
reversed and one's activities are then directed inward. When one
is thus fully engaged in internal spiritual activities, he becomes
qualified to renounce household life. If one tries to renounce
household life before one reaches that stage, then there is the
danger that he will fall down. Household life is then a school
where one gains experience and learns the true nature of the
spirit soul. When the education is complete, one may leave the
school.
Yadava dasa: What are the symptoms of a devotee qualified to
renounce household life?
Ananta dasa: The first symptom is that 1. one is not
enthusiastic to associate with women. Other symptoms are: 2.
mercy to all living entities, 3. considering that activities to
accumulate money are not very important, 4. endeavoring to
attain a home and clothing only when they are genuinely needed,
5. faith in Lord Krsna, 6. love and devotion for Lord Krsna, 7.
considering that it is not good to associate with worldly people,
8. thinking praise and criticism are the same, 8. aversion to
material activities, and 9. not being concerned whether one lives
or dies. These symptoms are described in the following words of
the scriptures (Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.2.45, 3.25.22 and
11.2.55):
"A person advanced in devotional service sees within
everything the soul of all souls, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, Sri Krsna. Consequently he always sees the form of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead as the cause of all causes and
understands that all things are situated in Him."
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 "Such a sadhu engages in staunch devotional service to the
Lord without deviation. For the sake of the Lord he renounces
all other connections, such as family relationships and friendly
acquaintances within the world."
"Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who destroys
everything inauspicious for His devotees, does not leave the
hearts of His devotees even if they remember Him and chant
about Him inattentively. This is because the rope of love always
binds the Lord within the devotees' hearts. Such devotees should
be accepted as most elevated."
When these qualities manifest in a householder devotee, that
devotee finds himself unable to continue with his household
duties. At that time he renounces household life. Such a
renounced devotee is rare. Association with such a devotee
brings great good fortune.
Yadava dasa: Nowadays I see that some young men renounce
household life, accept the garments of a renunciant, build a
temple, and serve the Lord. As time passes they eventually fall
into evil association with women, but they do not give up
chanting the holy names of Lord Hari. To maintain the temple
they beg alms at different places. Are such devotees householders
or renunciants?
Ananta dasa: You ask many questions at once. Can I reply in
a single answer? Being young or old has no bearing on
renunciation. By purification in past lives or in this life a young
man may become qualified to renounce household life. From his
very birth Sukadeva Goswami was qualified for renunciation.
One should see if the qualification is genuinely there. It should

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not be artificial. If he is genuinely renounced, there is no harm in
a young man accepting the renounced order.
Yadava dasa: What is genuine renunciation and what is
artificial renunciation?
Ananta dasa: Genuine renunciation is strong. It does not
break in any situation. Artificial renunciation is based on the
desire to be honored by others. This kind of renunciation is
marked by cheating and impiety. Thinking "a devotee who
renounces household life is worshipped and respected," and
hoping to be worshipped in this way, a man artificially
renounces the world. Such renunciation brings no benefit.
Rather, it is the source of great inauspiciousness. As soon as he
attains his end and he accepts the order of renunciation, his
qualifications disappear. From that moment his true wickedness
is manifested.
Yadava dasa: When a devotee renounces family life should he
accept the garments of a renunciant?
Ananta dasa: When he has definitely thrown far away the
desire for household life, a devotee may live in the forest (as a
renunciant) or he may live at home (as a householder). In either
situation he remains a renounced soul, who has nothing to do
with the material world. Such a great devotee purifies the entire
world. Among these renounced souls some accept the external
signs of the renounced order and wear the kaupina and kantha.
At the time of accepting the kaupina and kantha, they take a firm
vow of renunciation in the presence of other renounced
Vaisnavas. This is called "entering the renounced asrama" or
"accepting the garments of a renunciant". If one accepts the
garments of a renunciant, what is the harm? One who has thus
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renounced the world should not stay in contact with his
relatives. He should stay away from them. He should not desire
to enter either his home or others. A person who is genuinely
renounced should be cautious in dealing with others. A person
advanced in renunciation does not need to wear the garments of
a renunciant. Still, for some persons wearing the garments of
renunciation is useful. It is said (Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.29.45):
"When a person is fully engaged in devotional service, he is
favored by the Lord, who bestows His causeless mercy. At such a
time, the awakened devotee gives up all material activities and
ritualistic performances mentioned in the Vedas."
Yadava dasa: From whom should one accept the garments of
a renunciant?
Ananta dasa: One should accept the garments of a renunciant
from a Vaisnava who has renounced household life. A
householder devotee has not experienced the ways of one who
has renounced household life, therefore a householder devotee
should not give initiation into the renounce asrama. The reason
for this is written in these words of the scriptures (Sri Brahma-
vaivarta Purana):
"If one teaches a religious principle he does not himself
follow, that teaching pushes the world closer to destruction."
Yadava dasa: What thoughts arise in the mind of a spiritual
master who is about to give initiation into the renounce asrama?
Ananta dasa: First the spiritual master should see whether the
disciple is qualified. Has this householder devotee been able, by
engaging in devotional service, to control his mind and senses
and act in a spiritual way? Is he free of the desire to associate
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with a woman? Has he uprooted the thirst for money and the
desire toe at sumptuous foods? The spiritual master will stay
near the disciple and observe him for some day. When he knows
for certain that the disciple is qualified, the spiritual master will
initiate him into the renounced order. He will not initiate any
disciple before knowing that he is qualified. If he gives an
unqualified person initiation into the renounced order, the
spiritual master himself will fall down.
Yadava dasa: Now I see. Accepting the renounced order is not
simply a matter of speaking words with one's mouth. It is very
difficult. Pretenders who are not qualified to be spiritual masters
are making it a common thing. Now is only the beginning. No
one knows what will be the end.
Ananta dasa: In order to keep this system pure, Lord Caitanya
Mahaprabhu punished Chota Haridasa, whose offense was very
slight. The followers of Lord Caitanya should always remember
the punishment of Chota Haridasa.
Yadava dasa: After accepting the order of renunciation should
one build a temple and worship the Deity of the Lord?
Ananta dasa: No. A person who has accepted the renounced
order should live by begging every day. In that way he should
maintain his life. He will net enter a situation of dealing with
material affairs, as will come from building a temple. He will live
in a secluded cottage, or in a temple managed by a householder.
He will not do anything that requires money. He will always
offenselessly chant the holy names of Lord Krsna.
Yadava dasa: What do you say about a renunciant who builds
a temple and then lives like a householder?

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 Ananta dasa: I say he is a person who eats his own vomit.
First he vomits and then he eats what he has vomited.
Yadava dasa: Is he not a Vaisnava?
Ananta dasa: He has become a materialist. He breaks the rules
of scripture and the rules of being a Vaisnava. Why should you
associate with him? He has renounced the ways of pure
devotional service and accepted the role of a cheater. How is he
like the Vaisnavas?
Yadava dasa: If he has not given up chanting the holy names
of Lord Hari, how can you say he has ceased to be a Vaisnava?
Ananta dasa: Chanting the holy names of Lord Hari and
committing offenses to the holy name of Lord Hari are different
things. When a person commits sin on the strength of chanting
the holy name, that is an offense to the holy name. You should
stay always very far away from offenses to the holy name.
Yadava dasa: Should his household life not be called
"household life dedicated to Lord Krsna?"
Ananta dasa: It should not be called that. In household life
dedicated to Lord Krsna there is no cheating or hypocrisy. That
household life is completely honest and sincere. That household
life is not based on an offense.
Yadava dasa: Then I suppose he is inferior to a regular
householder devotee.
Ananta dasa: He is not a devotee. How can you consider his
status, high or low, among the devotees?
Yadava dasa: How can he be rescued?

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 Ananta dasa: When he gives up all his offenses, always chants
the holy name, and sheds tears of repentance, he may be counted
again among the devotees.
Yadava dasa: O saintly babaji, householder devotees live
under the shelter of the varnasrama system. May a householder
devotee leave the varnasrama system?
Ananta dasa: Ah! The Vaisnava religion is very broad and
generous. Another name for the Vaisnava religion is "Jaiva-
dharma" (the religion for all human beings). This means that
every human being is qualified to join the Vaisnava religion.
Even outcastes may embrace the Vaisnava religion and live as
householders. For them there is no varnasrama. They who break
the varnasrama rules of sannyasa may, by associating with
devotees, attain pure devotional service. Then they may be
householder devotees. For them there are no rules of
varnasrama. They who because of their misdeeds have left the
varnasrama system may still, along with their children, take
shelter of pure devotional service in the association of the
devotees. Then they are householder devotees. But they are not
part of the varnasrama system. Householder devotees are of two
kinds: 1. they who follow the varnasrama system, and 2. they
who do not follow the varnasrama system.
Yadava dasa: Of these two which is the best?
Ananta dasa: He who has more devotion is the best. If neither
have any devotion then according to the material point of view
the follower of varnasrama is better because he is pious and the
other is an outcaste. However, from the spiritual point of view
they are both degraded, for neither has any devotion.

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 Yadava dasa: Is a householder devotee allowed to wear the
garments of a renunciant?
Ananta dasa: No, for he cheats himself and he cheats the
world also. Those are his two faults. If a householder wears a
kaupina and the other garments of renunciant then that
householder mocks and insults the true renunciants.
Yadava dasa: O saintly babaji, do the scriptures describe how
one should accept the garments of a renunciant?
Ananta dasa: Not very specifically. People of every caste may
become Vaisnavas. However, in the opinion of the scriptures,
none but the brahmanas may accept sannyasa. In Srimad-
Bhagavatam (7.11.35) after describing the features of the
different castes, Narada Muni explains:
"If one shows the symptoms of being a brahmana, ksatriya,
vaisya or sudra, as described above, even if he has appeared in a
different class, he should be accepted according to those
symptoms of classification."
This verse means, "A person's caste is determined by his
personal characteristics, and they were previously described.
Thus the scriptures declare that a person born in a non
brahmana family should be considered a brahmana if he is seen
to have the qualities of a brahmana, and that such a brahmana
ma become qualified to accept sannyasa. This is the opinion of
all the scriptures. From the spiritual point of view, this is proved.
Still, they who look at things from the material point of view do
not accept it.
Yadava dasa: Candi dasa, they certainly answered your
question.
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 Candi dasa: Of all the instructions that came from the saintly
and honorable babaji's mouth, this much I understand: The
individual soul is eternally the servant of Lord Krsna. Forgetting
Krsna, the soul takes shelter of a material body and, pushed by
maya's modes of nature, he experiences material happiness and
distress. The result of his material activities is that he must wear
around his neck a garland of birth, old age, and death.
Sometimes he is born in an exalted situation and sometimes in a
lowly situation. He takes birth after birth, and in each birth he
has a new conception of who he is. As he stays in a fragile
material body that may be torn apart at any moment, hunger,
thirst, and other prompting push him to act in various ways.
Unable to attain what he wishes, he is troubled in many ways in
this world. His material body grows old and torments him in
many ways. Again and again quarreling with wife and children,
he is pushed so far that sometimes he even commits suicide. To
get money he sometimes commits many sins. He suffers
punishment from the king, the insults of his neighbors, and great
variety of other troubles. He is separated from his loved ones, he
loses his wealth, and he is robbed by thieves. Again and again he
suffers many troubles. When he grows old his relatives refuse to
care for him. This makes him suffer greatly. His old body is
troubled by mucus, rheumatism and host of other troubles.
Finally he dies. Then he is again pushed into a mother's womb.
Still, as long as he is alive in that material body, lust, anger,
greed, delusion, pride and envy remain very powerful and they
refuse to give any place to intelligence. That is life in the material
world. Now I know the meaning of the phrase "the material
world". Again and again I offer my dandavat obeisances to the
saintly babaji. It is the Vaisnavas who are the true spiritual
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teachers of the world. By the mercy of the Vaisnavas I have
learned the truth about the material world.
After hearing the instructions of Ananta dasa Babaji, all the
Vaisnavas called out, "Well done!" and began to chant the holy
names of Lord Hari. Gradually may Vaisnavas gathered there.
Then Lahiri Mahasaya sang a song he wrote:
"Fallen into the horrible material world, a person suffers
without end. Still, if he associates with devotees and worships
Lord Hari, a person will make his sufferings come to an end.
"The heart burns in the fire of sense gratification. The fire
burns more and more. Avoiding offenses, chant the holy names
of Lord Krsna. That will pour water on the fire.
"He who has taken shelter of the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya
and Lord Nityananda is my shelter in life and death. Thus says
Kalidasa."
As these words were sung, Candi dasa began to dance with
great joy. He happily rolled in the dust touched by the Vaisnava
babajis' feet. He wept. Everyone said, "Candi dasa has become
very fortunate."
After some time Yadava dasa Babaji said, "Come, Candi dasa,
now we must cross the river." Candi dasa joked, "If you carry me
across, I will cross." After offering dandavat obeisances to
Pradyumna-kunja, the two of them left. There they saw
Damayanti. Again and again offering dandavat obeisances, she
said, "Alas, Why did I take birth as a woman? If I had taken birth
as a man I could have easily entered this forest grove, seen the
saintly devotees, touched the dust from their feet, and made my

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life a great success. Birth after birth I will serve the Vaisnavas in
Sri Navadvipa. In that way I will pass my days."
Then Yadava dasa said, "Ah! Godruma is a very sacred place.
Simply by entering this place, a soul attains pure devotion. This
Godruma is the pastime place of the master of our lives: Lord
Caitanya, the son of Saci. It is identical with holy Vrndavana, the
village of cowherds. Understanding this truth, Srila
Prabodhananda Sarasvati wrote the following prayer (Sri
Navadvipa-sataka 36):
"Fools, the path of the world and the Vedas will bring you
only trouble! Give up everything and make yourself a leaf-hut in
Sri Godruma in Gauda-desa!"
The three of them crossed the Ganga and returned to Kuliya-
grama. From that day forward Candi dasa and his wife
Damayanti became wonderful Vaisnavas. Understanding the
truth about them, the illusory material world no longer touched
them. Service to Vaisnavas, continual chanting of the holy name
of Lord Krsna, and mercy to all living entities were the
ornaments they wore. Glorious became that merchant couple!
Glorious is the mercy of the Vaisnavas! Glorious is the holy
name of Lord Hari! Glorious is the land of Sri Navadvipa!

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 Chapter Eight

Eternal Religion and Ordinary Activities

Nitya-dharma o vyavahar

One afternoon, after honoring prasada, the Vaisnavas of Sri

Godruma gathered in a secluded forest grove on the Northeast
side of Sri Gaura Lake. There Lahiri Mahasaya sang a song that
awakened in them the ecstatic love of Vraja. He sang:
"How many pastimes did Lord Caitanya enjoy here with
Advaita and the other devotees? Here He chanted the names of
Lord Krsna and danced. As Lord Krsna rescued Kaliya, here our
Lord rescued a crocodile."
When the song was ended the Vaisnavas discussed the similar
natures of Lord Krsna and Lord Caitanya's pastimes. Then two or
four Vaisnavas from Baragachi came there. They offered dandavat
obeisances, first to Gaura lake and then to the Vaisnavas. The
Vaisnavas honored them and offered sitting places. In that
secluded grove was an old banyan tree. Around its roots the
Vaisnavas had built a stone platform. They all informed the
visitors from Baragachi that the tree was honored with the name
Nitai-bata (Lord Nityananda's banyan tree), for Lord Nityananda
liked to sit under it.
Sitting under Lord Nityananda's banyan tree, the Vaisnavas
talked about spiritual life. Among the Vaisnavas from Baragachi

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was a youth who wanted to ask a question. He suddenly said, "I
want to ask a question. Someone please answer it and make me
happy."
In that secluded grove lived Hari dasa Babaji, who was a very
learned scholar. He almost never left that place. He was almost a
hundred years old. On some rare occasions he would go to
Pradyumna-kunja and meet with the paramahamsa babaji. He
had personally seen Lord Nityananda sitting under that banyan
tree. He had one desire. He wished that when he left his body it
would be at that place. He said, "Son, now that the paramahamsa
babaji's associates have assembled here, why should you worry
about the answer to your question?"
Then the Vaisnava from Baragachi asked his question. "The
Vaisnava religion is the eternal religion. How should a person
who has taken shelter of the Vaisnava religion act in relation to
others. I wish to understand this very thoroughly."
Glancing for a moment at saintly Vaisnava dasa Babaji, Hari
dasa Babaji said, "O Vaisnava dasa, nowadays no one in Bengal is
learned and devoted like you. You should answer this question.
You had the association of Srila Sarasvati Goswami and you were
personally taught by the paramahamsa babaji. You are thus very
fortunate. You have certainly attained the mercy of Lord
Caitanya Mahaprabhu."
Saintly Vaisnava dasa Babaji humbly said, "O great soul, you
personally saw Lord Nityananda, who is an incarnation of Lord
Balarama. In the assembly of many great souls you taught many
students. Please be merciful and give some instruction to us. All
the Vaisnavas there begged Hari dasa Babaji to answer the
question. The babaji at last agreed. After first offering dandavat
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obeisances to Lord Nityananda under that banyan tree, the
saintly babaji began to speak.
"Addressing them all as "servant of Lord Krsna", I offer my
obeisances to every soul in this material world. It is said (Sri
Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi 6.85):
"Some accept Him whereas others do not, yet everyone is
Lord Krsna's servant."
"I place upon my head these words of the saintly devotees.
Although every soul is by nature a perfect servant of Lord Krsna,
some souls, because of ignorance of bewilderment, do not accept
that they are His servant. They are one group. Other souls,
however, do accept that they are His servants. They are another
group. Thus, in this material world the souls may be divided into
two groups: 1. they who turn away from Lord Krsna, and 2. they
who are eager to approach Lord Krsna. In the material world
most of the souls prefer to turn away from Lord Krsna. Many of
these souls do not accept any religion. There is no need to say
much about these persons. They have no idea what should and
should not be done. For them their own personal happiness is
the be-all-and-end-all of their lives. Persons who accept religion
have an idea of what should be done. For their benefit, the great
Vaisnava Manu has written (Sri Manu-samhita 6.92):
"The ten features of religious life are: 1. patience, 2.
forgiveness, 3. self-control, 4. honesty, 5. cleanliness, 6. sense-
control, 7. knowledge, 8. wisdom, 9. truthfulness and 10.
freedom from anger."
"Among these, six are features that benefit the performer.
They are: 1. patience, 2. self-control, 3. cleanliness, 4. sense-

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control, 5. knowledge and 6. wisdom. The remaining four are
done for the benefit of others. They are: 1. patience, 2. honesty,
3. truthfulness, and 4 freedom from anger. Devotional service to
Lord Hari is not clearly mentioned in this list of ten features.
These ten features of religious life are taught here for the benefit
of ordinary people. It cannot be said that by faithfully following
the teaching of this verse one will attain perfect auspiciousness,
for Sri Visnu-dharmottara Purana explains:
"To live for five days as a devotee of Lord Visnu is far better
than to live for a thousand kalpas as a person who has no
devotion for Lord Kesava."
"They who are not devotees of Lord Krsna cannot be said
even to be human beings. They who are not devotees are all
counted as animals walking on two legs. It is said (Srimad-
Bhagavatam 2.3.19):
"Men who are like dogs, hogs, camels and asses praise those
men who never listen to the transcendental pastimes of Lord Sri
Krsna, the deliverer from evils."
"Here the question is not what these persons should or
should not do. The question is only how should persons who
have taken shelter of the path of devotional service act in relation
to these persons. Of that I will speak. They who have taken
shelter of the path of devotional service may be divided into
three groups: 1. kanistha (neophyte), 2. madhyama
(intermediate), and 3. uttama (advanced). Although he has taken
shelter of the path of devotional service, a neophyte is not yet a
true devotee. He is described in these words (Srimad-Bhagavatam
11.2.47):

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 "A prakrta, or materialistic devotee, does not purposefully
study the sastra and try to understand the actual standard of pure
devotional service. Consequently he does not show proper
respect to advanced devotees. He may, however, follow the
regulative principles learned from his spiritual master or from
his family who worships the Deity. He is to be considered on the
material platform, although he is trying to advance in devotional
service. Such a person is a bhakta-praya (neophyte devotee), or
bhaktabhasa, for he is a little enlightened by Vaisnava
philosophy."
"Thus one who faithfully worships the Deity of the Lord but
does not faithfully worship the Lord's devotees, is a materialistic
devotee (prakrta-bhakta). The conclusion, then, is that faith is
the seed of devotional service. To faithfully worship the Deity of
the Lord is to engage in devotional service. Still, if one does not
also worship the Lord's devotees, his worship is note pure
devotional service. His worship is not devotional service in its
complete form. His worship is merely stepping into the entrance
of the house of devotional service. The scriptures (Srimad-
Bhagavatam 10.84.13) explain:
"A human being who identifies this body made of three
elements with the self, who considers the by-products of the
body to be his kinsmen, who considers the land of birth as
worshippable, and who goes to the place of pilgrimage simply to
take bath, rather than meet men of transcendental knowledge
there, is to be considered as an ass or a cow."
"The meaning is this: Although in the beginning devotional
service consists of worship of the deity and nothing else, and
although dry, materialistic logic is not recommended, for it
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crushes the heart into powder, it is nevertheless necessary that
one understand that the Deity of the Lord and service to the
Deity are pure and spiritual. All living entities in the material
world are spiritual by nature. Among these living entities they
who are devotees of Lord Krsna especially manifest their pure
and spiritual nature. The devotee and Lord Krsna are two
different pure and spiritual identities. To understand their true
spiritual natures one must understand the relationships between
the material world, the individual soul and Lord Krsna. A person
who understand these relationships and simultaneously
worships the Deity of Lord Krsna and serves the Lord's devotees
acts rightly. When one faithfully worships the spiritual truth in
this way, it is said that he has "faith in the scriptures". A person
who worships the deity of the Lord but does not understand the
relationships that exist between the various spiritual entities has
only a materialistic kind of faith. Although he stands at the
entrance of the house of devotional service, his service is not
pure devotional service. That is the conclusion. A person thus
standing at the entrance to the house of devotional service is
described in these words of the scriptures:
"A person who has accepted a Vaisnava initiation and who
devotedly worships Lord Visnu is said by the wise to be a
Vaisnava. All others are not Vaisnavas."
"Persons born in families who generation after generation are
initiated by their family priest in the chanting of Visnu-mantras
and who thus worship the deity of the Lord with materialistic
faith are neophyte (kanistha) or materialistic devotees. They are
not pure devotees. Over them the shadow of devotional service is
strongly cast. However, the reflection of devotional service is not

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manifested in them, for the reflection of devotional service is
counted among the offenses. Therefore they who possess this
reflection are not Vaisnavas. However, from the shadow of
devotional service may come a great good fortune, for such a
neophyte devotee may gradually become an intermediate
(madhyama) and eventually an advanced (uttama) devotee.
However that may be, persons at that stage of spiritual
advancement are not yet pure devotees. They may worship the
Deity of the Lord with material faith and they may manifest the
ten signs of piety in dealing with ordinary persons. Still, the
scriptures' descriptions of the devotees' ways are not meant to
describe them. To convert non-devotees into devotees is not in
their power. The ways of the intermediate (madhyama) devotees
are described in these words (Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.2.46):
"An intermediate, second-class devotee shows love for the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, is friendly to all devotees, and
is very merciful to neophytes and ignorant people. The
intermediate devotee neglects those who are envious of
devotional service."
The behavior described in this verse is the behavior of one
who follows the eternal religion. Temporary or material activities
are not described here. In a Vaisnava's life such behavior must be
followed. Other kinds of behavior, as long as they do not
contradict this behavior, may be adopted when necessary.
"A Vaisnava relates to four kinds of persons: 1. the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, 2. the devotees who are surrendered to
the Lord, 3. innocent persons, and 4. they who are enemies of
devotional service. To these four kinds of persons a Vaisnava
shows love, friendship, mercy and neglect. To the Supreme
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Personality of Godhead he shows love, to the devotee he shows
friendship, to the innocent people in general he shows mercy,
and to persons filled with hate he shows neglect.
"First he shows love to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
To Lord Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master
of all, he shows love (prema). The word 'prema' means 'pure
devotional service." The characteristics of pure devotional
service are described in these words (Sri Bhakti-rasamrta-
sindhu):
"One should render transcendental loving service to the
Supreme Lord Krsna favorably and without desire for material
profit or gain through fruitive activities or philosophical
speculation. That is called pure devotional service."
"These words describe the devotional service of an
intermediate (madhyama) Vaisnava, service that reaches up to
the stages of ecstasy (bhava) and pure spiritual love (prema). By
itself, without the addition of the qualities described here,
worshipping the Deity of the Lord with faith is the activity of a
neophyte devotee. This means that a neophyte devotee does not
have the qualities of pure devotional service, which are: 1. being
without desire for material profit or gain through fruitive
activities or philosophical speculation, and 2. rendering
transcendental loving service to the Supreme Lord Krsna
favorably. However, on the day that these qualities are
manifested in his heart, such a person may be called an
intermediate (madhyama) devotee. That is how a materialistic
devotee becomes an intermediate devotee. As long as these
qualities do not arise in his heart, he is a materialistic devotee.
This means that he is considered only a shadow of a true devotee
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or a shadow of a true Vaisnava. Here the word "krsnanusilanam"
refers to spiritual love (prema). However, the word "anukulyena"
refers to all four qualities of an intermediate devotee: 1. favorable
love for Lord Krsna, 2. friendship, 3. mercy and 4. neglect.
"The second of these qualities is that one is friendly to the
devotees, who are surrendered to the Supreme Lord. Any person
in whom pure devotional service is manifested is considered a
devotee surrendered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Neophyte devotees are neither pure devotees nor are they
surrendered to the Lord. Their tendency is to disrespect the true
pure devotees. Therefore one should make friendship with
intermediate and advanced devotees only. In answering a Kulina-
grama devotee's question, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu described
the neophyte, intermediate, and advanced devotees. He
explained that the intermediate and advanced devotees are
counted among the true Vaisnavas, whereas the neophyte
devotees, who do not know anything beyond worshipping the
Deity, are not yet true Vaisnavas. The true holy name of Lord
does not appear on the mouths of such worshippers of the Deity.
The name that appears on their mouths is only the shadow of
Lord Krsna's holy name (chaya-namabhasa). Lord Caitanya
Mahaprabhu ordered the intermediate (madhyama) householder
devotees to serve all three classes of devotees, the three classes
being: 1. a person on whose mouth the holy name of Lord is
heard even only once, 2.a person on whose mouth the holy name
of Lord Krsna is heard always, and 3. a person the sight of whom
inspires one to chant the holy name of Lord Krsna. One should
serve a Vaisnava who chants only a shadow of Lord Krsna's holy
name. One should serve only a Vaisnava who takes shelter of the
pure holy name of Lord Krsna. As there are different kinds of
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Vaisnava, so there are different kinds of service to Vaisnavas. The
"making friendship" includes associating with Vaisnavas,
conversing with them, and serving them. The moment one sees a
pure Vaisnava one should greet him, honor him, and offered
both a sitting place and conversation. One must serve him in all
these ways. One should never hate, envy, or insult him. One
should not disrespect him if his body is ugly or if he suffers from
some disease.
"The third of these qualities is that one is merciful to the
innocent people in general. The phrase "innocent people in
general" means "they who do not understand the spiritual truth",
"they who are bewildered", and they who are foolish". Persons
who are not educated, have not entered into the theories of the
mayavadis and other offenders, have not learned how to hate the
devotees and devotional service, but, being overcome by
powerful false-ego and false-possessiveness, do not yet have faith
in the Supreme Personality of Godhead are called "the innocent
people in general". Even if one is a great scholar, if he does not
have faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he is counted
among the "innocent people in general". Even though he has
approached the entrance to the house of devotional service, a
materialistic neophyte devotee may also be counted among the
"innocent people in general", for such a devotee has not yet
attained pure devotional service and does not yet clearly
understand his relationship with the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. When such a devotee understands his relationship
with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, associates with pure
devotees, and chants the holy name with purity, then his status
as one of the "innocent people in general" is thrown far away and
he attains the status of an intermediate (madhyama) Vaisnava.
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For an intermediate it is absolutely essential that he be merciful
to the innocent people in general. As far as possible he should
invite them to his home. Even that is not enough. He should
show mercy to such persons by helping them to attain faith in
pure devotional service and attraction for the pure holy name of
the Lord. Because they are not learned in the scriptures, the
innocent people in general may easily fall down because of
association with wicked persons. Therefore the intermediate
devotee should mercifully give his association to the innocent
people and gradually allow them to hear the glories of the holy
names and the various teachings of the scriptures. A diseased
person cannot cure himself. He must be cured by a physician. If
the patient sometimes speaks angrily or commits other like
offenses, he is to be forgiven. In the same way if an innocent
person sometimes act improperly, he is to be forgiven. This is
called mercy. An innocent person may have many
misconceptions. He may have faith in the karma-kanda portion
of the Vedas, faith in various non-devotional philosophies, an
inclination to worship the Deity of the Lord in order to attain
various material desires, faith in yoga and other like paths,
disinterest in associating with pure Vaisnavas, or attachment to
varnasrama and other like things. In this way he may have many
different kinds of misconceptions. When by good association,
mercy and spiritual instruction he gradually gives up these
misconceptions, the neophyte devotee quickly becomes an
intermediate devotee. Then he is a pure devotee. His worship of
the Deity form of Lord Hari was thus the foundation upon which
he built the house of all spiritual auspiciousness. Of this there is
no doubt. He does not make the mistake of trying to follow one
of the myriad of competing philosophies. Because he does not
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make this mistake, he as a scent of true faith. When he worships
the Deity of Lord Hari, a follower of the mayavadi philosophy or
other like philosophies does not have even the slightest true faith
in the Deity. Such a person is an offender. It is for this reason
that Srimad-Bhagavatam (ii.2.47) describes him with the phrase
(sraddhayehate" (He worships with faith). In their hearts the
followers of the mayavadi philosophy and other like
philosophies think, "The supreme spirit has no form. The Deity
form that we worship is merely the product of our imagination."
How can such persons have faith in the Deity form of the Lord?
In this way the mayavadi's worship of the Deity and the most
neophyte Vaisnava's worship of the Deity are very different. It is
for this reason, that, even though he does not have the various
virtues of a Vaisnava, at least he is not a mayavadi, that the
neophyte is called a "materialistic Vaisnava". In this way he is
considered a Vaisnava. By the mercy of saintly devotees, such a
neophyte gradually becomes elevated. This is inevitable. Second
class pure Vaisnavas are inevitably merciful to them. Then the
neophyte devotee's worship of the Deity and chanting of Lord
Hari's holy name do no remain shadows of the real thing.
Quickly they manifest their true spiritual nature.
"The fourth of these qualities is that one neglects hateful
persons. One should understand the different kinds of hateful
persons. Envy is a synonym of hatred. Hatred is the opposite of
love. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the only true object
of love. The opposite of love for Him is hatred of Him. This
hatred is manifested in five ways:
1. to not believe in the existence of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead.

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 2. to believe that the living entity himself has created God
3. to not believe that God has a form
4. to not believe that the individual souls are eternally
subordinate to God
5. to be merciless

"Persons contaminated by hatred do not have pure devotion.

Neither do they have the materialistic devotion manifested by
neophytes who worship the Deity. These five kinds of hatred
brings with them, as a by product, attachment to material sense-
gratification. It is sometimes seen that the third and fourth of
these kinds of hatred may bring one to austerities so severe that
one kills himself in the process. This is seen in the lives of the
mayavadi sannyasis. How should a pure devotee relate to all
these hateful persons? A pure devotee should avoid them.
"Avoiding them does not mean that one should renounce all
ordinary dealings one human being naturally has with another. It
does not mean that if a hateful person falls into danger or want
one should not try to help him. A householder devotee has many
relationships with others. By marriage he has many relatives. By
buying and selling various goods he has many relationships. By
owning property and protecting animals he has many
relationships. By acting to treat diseases and relieve other's
sufferings he has many relationships. The king and his subjects
have many kinds of relationships. Avoiding hateful person does
not mean suddenly renouncing all these different kinds of
relationships. In ordinary material dealings one may have
relationships with such persons, but in spiritual activities such
persons should be shunned. As the result of past karma a family
member may be such a hateful person. Should such a person be
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cast out of the family? No. Without becoming attached, behave
with that person as is expected in ordinary dealings, but do not
share that person's ideas of spiritual life. In this way one should
avoid that person. Meeting for spiritual activities, conversing
about spiritual activities, and helping and serving one another in
spiritual life are the different kinds of spiritual association. To
avoid such association is called "neglect of hateful persons". If he
hears the praises the pure devotional service or teachings about
pure devotional service, a person who accepts the philosophy of
hateful persons will only argue needlessly. In this way neither he
nor you will be benefited. Avoiding such barren debates,
associate with him only in ordinary material things. If you say
that you will consider such a hateful person among the innocent
people in general and you will be merciful to him and thus
benefit him, then I say you may very well harm him and yourself.
If you must try to do good to him, then do it very carefully.
"An intermediate (madhyama) pure devotee should act in
these four ways. If such an intermediate devotee is reluctant to
act in these ways then he commits the fault of acting improperly,
in a way he is not qualified to act. Thus he avoids acting
properly, in the ways he is qualified. This is a great fault, as the
scriptures explain:
"One who accepts the duties for which he is qualified is
praiseworthy, and who does not is subject to blame. That is the
right conclusion."
"Thus an intermediate (madhyama) devotee should perform
the activities of pure devotional service, follow the scriptures,
love the Supreme Personality of Godhead, make friendship with
pure devotees, be merciful to the innocent people in general, and
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neglect persons who hate the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Different degrees of advancement in devotional service on the
part of one's devotee friends may elicit different degrees of
friendship. Different degrees of sincerity on the part of innocent
persons may elicit different degrees of mercy. Different degrees
of hatred on the part of hateful persons may elicit different
degrees of avoidance. Considering these differences, an
intermediate devotee should behave, in his spiritual activities,
differently with different persons. Material activities should be
performed honestly and they should be secondary to spiritual
activities."
Then Nityananda dasa from Baragachi asked, "What are the
material activities of these devotees you have described?" Hari
dasa Babaji replied, "Son, if you ask this question of me, then I
cannot give a good explanation. I am an old man, my memory is
short, my mind is not powerful, I easily forget."
Hari dasa was a very strict babaji. No fault could ever be seen
in him. Still, when this inappropriate question was asked, he
gave this reply. When they heard his words, everyone was
stunned.
After again bowing down before the banyan tree of Lord
Nityananda, Hari dasa said, "When his love and devotion
becomes intensified, then an intermediate (madhyama) devotee
becomes an advanced (uttama) devotee. The qualities of an
advanced devotee are written in these words of Srimad-
Bhagavatam (11.2.45):
"A person advanced in devotional service sees within
everything the soul of all souls, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, Sri Krsna. Consequently he always sees the form of the
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Supreme Personality of Godhead as the cause of all causes and
understands that all things are situated in Him."
An advanced (uttama) Vaisnava sees that the Supreme
Personality of Godhead loves all souls and all souls love the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. For an advanced devotee there
is no other love. Whatever other kind of love he may manifest in
different situations is all but a transformation of that spiritual
love. Look. Srila Sukadeva Goswami is an advanced devotee.
Still, he insulted Kamsa by calling him "the vicious sinner of the
Bhoja dynasty". However, that insult was really manifested from
love. It was based on spiritual love and there was not any malice
in it. When pure love becomes his entire life, then a person is
called "the best of devotees". In this state the differing degrees of
love, friendship, mercy, and neglect described before are no
longer manifested. Now everything is spiritual love. For such a
person there is no difference between neophyte, intermediate,
and advanced devotees. Indeed, for him there is no difference
between devotees and non devotees. Such a state is very rarely
attained.
A neophyte devotee does not serve Vaisnavas and an
advanced devotees does not think that some persons are
Vaisnavas and others are not. Therefore it is only the
intermediate devotees who honor and serve Vaisnavas. An
intermediate devotee must serve the three kinds of Vaisnavas: 1.
he who once chants the holy name of Lord Krsna, 2. he who
always chants the holy name of Lord Krsna, and 3. he who,
simply by being seen, makes others chant the holy name of Lord
Krsna. Thus Vaisnavas should be served according to the degree
of their advancement, whether they are a good Vaisnava, a better

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Vaisnava, or the best Vaisnava. No one can judge who is a good
Vaisnava and who is an intermediate Vaisnava. Only an advance
Vaisnava can understand that. If an intermediate (madhyama)
Vaisnava tries to say this, he will commit an offense. Lord
Caitanya Mahaprabhu hinted this in His instructions to the
residents of Kulina-grama. All intermediate devotees should
honor that teaching more than even the Vedas. Someone may
ask: What are the Vedas, or Sruti? The answer is given: The
Vedas are the orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
After speaking these words, Hari dasa was silent for a moment.
Then the visitor from Baragachi said, "May I ask a question?"
Hari dasa Babaji replied, "As you like".
Young Nityananda dasa asked, "Saintly babaji, what kind of
Vaisnava am I? Am I a neophyte Vaisnava or an intermediate
Vaisnava? An advanced Vaisnava I certainly am not."
Saintly Hari dasa Babaji smiled and said, "Can a person who
accepts the name Nityananda dasa not be an advanced Vaisnava?
Our Nityananda is very merciful. Even when He is beaten, He
gives love in return. How can words properly glorify a person
who chants Lord Nityananda's name and becomes His servant.
Nityananda dasa: I would like to know truthfully what my
position is.
Hari dasa: Son, tell me all about yourself. If Lord Nityananda
gives me the power to say, I will tell you.
Nityananda dasa: I was born in a lowly family in a village on
the bank of the Padmavati. I was married at a young age. I did
not learn how to be wicked. When my wife died, thoughts of
renunciation came to my mind. In Baragachi I saw many

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Vaisnavas who had renounced family life. Everyone was
respectful to them. Desiring to be honored like that, and inspired
by the temporary feeling of renunciation my wife's death
brought, I accepted the garments of a Vaisnava renunciant. After
some days wickedness came into my mind. My Vaisnava friend
was a very good person. Now he stays in Vraja. He gave me good
advice, protected me with his good association, and kept my
mind pure. Now my mind no longer wants to leave the right
path. It likes to chant a hundred thousand holy names every day.
I understand that the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His
holy name are not different. Both are perfectly spiritual. I observe
ekadasi according to the scriptures and I water tulasi. When the
Vaisnavas sing the holy names together, I join in the singing. I
drink the nectar water that has washed the Vaisnava's feet. I read
Sri Caitanya-mangala. I do not desire opulent food and clothing.
I do not like to hear gossip. When I see how the Vaisnavas are
filled with ecstatic love, I also become ecstatic and I roll in the
dust that has touched their feet. In spite of all this, to a certain
extent I still desire fame. Now please tell me: To what class of
Vaisnava do I belong? How should I behave?
Showing a little smile, Hari dasa Babaji said to Vaisnava dasa,
"You say. To what class of Vaisnava does Nityananda dasa
belong?"
Vaisnava dasa: From what I have heard he has left the
neophyte stage and become an intermediate devotee.
Hari dasa: I also think that.
Nityananda dasa: Good. From the mouth of a great soul I
now know my true position. Please give your mercy to me so I
may gradually become an advanced devotee.
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 Hari dasa: When you first accepted the garments of a
sannyasi, you desired material fame. That inappropriate desire
meant that you were still fallen. In spite of that, the mercy of the
Vaisnavas brought auspiciousness to you.
Nityananda dasa: I still have a slight desire for fame. In my
mind I think, "Bewildered by the tears in my eyes and many
other symptoms of ecstatic love, the people will worship me."
Hari dasa: You should struggle to renounce those thoughts.
Don't keep thoughts like those. There is the danger they will
diminish your devotional service. If you allow them to diminish
your devotion, you will again become a neophyte devotee. Even
after lust, anger, and other vices have left, the desire for fame
may stubbornly stay with a Vaisnava. It does not go away very
easily. A single drop of sincere love for the Lord is better than an
elaborate pretense of that love.
Touching the dust of Hari dasa Babaji's feet, Nityananda dasa
Babaji said, "Please have mercy on me." Hari dasa at once
embraced him and made him sit down. How wonderful is the
result attained by a Vaisnava's touch! Tears streamed from
Nityananda's dasa's eyes. Taking a blade of grass between his
teeth, he said, "I am very fallen and lowly. I am very fallen." Hari
dasa Babaji embraced him and wept. How wonderful it all was!
Nityananda dasa had attained the true goal of life. After a short
time, when all the symptoms of ecstatic love had subsided, in his
heart Nityananda dasa accepted Sri Hari dasa as his spiritual
master. Then Nityananda dasa asked a question.
Nityananda dasa: What are the primary and secondary
features of a neophyte devotee's devotional service?

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 Hari dasa: The two primary features of a neophyte devotee's
devotional service are: 1. faith that the Supreme Personality of
Godhead's form is eternal, and 2. worship of the Lord's Deity
form. The secondary features of a neophyte devotee's devotional
service are: 1. hearing about the Lord, 2. chanting the Lord's
glories, 3. remembering the Lord and 4. a host of other activities,
beginning with offering obeisances to the Lord.
Nityananda dasa: Without having faith that the Lord's form is
eternal, no one can be a Vaisnava. Also, without worshipping the
Deity form of the Lord according to the rules of worship, no one
can be a Vaisnava. I can understand why these two are the
primary features. However, I do not understand why the other
features are secondary.
Hari dasa: A neophyte devotee does not understand the true
nature of pure devotional service. Hearing and chanting the
Lord's glories, as well as other like devotional activities are all
part and parcel of pure devotional service. However, a person
who does not understand the true nature of devotional service,
does not think these are the primary activities of devotional
service. Such a person considers these activities secondary. The
three modes of material nature are: 1. goodness, 2. passion and 3.
ignorance. When the performer takes shelter of these material
modes, he considers these devotional activities to be secondary.
When the performer is free from the influence of the material
modes, he considers these activities, which begin with hearing
and chanting the Lord's glories, to be the primary features of
devotional service. When a person is thus free of the material
modes, he is an intermediate (madhyama) devotee.

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 Nityananda dasa: A neophyte devotee is still contaminated by
mental speculation, fruitive work, and non-devotional desires.
Why is he still considered a devotee?
Hari dasa: Faith is the root of devotional service. Anyone who
has faith is qualified to engage in devotional service. A neophyte
devotee stands at the entrance to the house of devotional service.
Of that there is no doubt. The word "faith" means "trust".
because he trusts that the form of the Lord is a reality, the
neophyte devotee is qualified to engage in devotional service.
Nityananda dasa: When will such a person attain true
devotion to the Lord?
Hari dasa: When he becomes free from mental speculation
and fruitive work, when he desires only to engage in unalloyed
devotional service, when he understands that honoring a guest is
different from honoring a devote, and when he desires to serve
the devotees, that service being very conducive to the attainment
of true devotion, then he becomes an intermediate (madhyama)
devotee, a pure devotee.
Nityananda dasa: Pure devotional service is manifested at the
same time one attains knowledge of his relationship with the
Lord. When does he attain knowledge of that relationship,
knowledge that makes him eligible to engage in pure devotional
service?
Hari dasa: When he is no longer contaminated by mayavada
philosophy, then his awareness of his true relationship with the
Lord and his engagement in pure devotional service are
manifested simultaneously.
Nityananda dasa: How many days does that take?
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 Hari dasa: A person who in the past performed many pious
deeds will attain it quickly.
Nityananda dasa: What is the first result these past pious
deeds bring?
Hari dasa: Association with devotees.
Nityananda dasa: What result is gradually attained by
associating with devotees?
Hari dasa: Srimad-Bhagavatam (3.25.25):
"In the association of pure devotees, discussion of the
pastimes and activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is
very pleasing and satisfying to the ear and the heart. By
cultivating such knowledge one gradually becomes advanced on
the path of liberation, and thereafter he is free, and his attraction
becomes fixed. Then real devotion and devotional service begin."
Thus, a person who, in the association of devotees, hears
about Lord Hari, gradually attains faith and other virtues.
Nityananda dasa: How does one attain association with
devotees?
Hari dasa: I have already explained that. It is by past pious
deeds. It is said (Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.51.53):
"O my Lord! O infallible Supreme Person! When a person
wandering throughout the universe becomes eligible for
liberation from material existence, he gets an opportunity to
associate with devotees. When he associates with devotees, his
attraction for You is awakened. You are the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, the highest goal of the supreme devotees and the
Lord of the universe."
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 Nityananda dasa: If, in the association of devotes, a neophyte
devotee worships the Deity of the Lord, can it be said that the
neophyte devotee does not by that action also serve the devotees
there?
Hari dasa: By associating with devotees one gradually attains
faith in the Deity form of the Lord. However, one must worship
the Supreme Personality of Godhead and also serve His devotees.
As long as one does not have faith in both the Lord and His
devotees, one will not attain true faith and one will not be
qualified to engage in pure devotional service.
Nityananda dasa: Through what stages does a neophyte
devotee pass as he makes spiritual advancement?
Hari dasa: First he has faith in the Deity, but he has not yet
lost the desire for material things and non-devotional talk. Every
day he worships the Deity. Devotees come to visit the temple
where he worships the Deity. He honors the devotees as he
would any visitors. The neophyte devotee sees the activities of
these more advanced devotees. He hears them discussing the
scriptures and the Vaisnava philosophy. Thus hearing and
hearing and seeing and seeing, he develops respect for the good
character of the more advanced devotees. Then he himself
gradually becomes purified. Gradually his interest in mental
speculation and fruitive activities becomes less and less. Then his
heart becomes purified and the material desires in it are thrown
far away. Hearing and hearing about Lord Hari's nature and
activities, he becomes learned in the scriptures. Studying again
and again the truths that Lord Hari is beyond the touch of the
material modes of nature, Lord Hari's holy name is beyond the
touch of the material modes of nature, and the devotional
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activities that begin with hearing and chanting the glories of
Lord Hari are also beyond the touch of the material modes of
nature, he gradually comes to understand the truth of his
relationship with Lord Hari. When that understanding becomes
perfect, he becomes an intermediate (madhyama) devotee of the
Lord. Then he spontaneously associates with and serves the
devotees. Then he can understand that the devotees who have
accepted a spiritual master are different from ordinary guests.
Nityananda dasa: Many neophyte devotees do not become
advanced in this way. Why is that?
Hari dasa: When his association with persons who hate
devotional service is strong, he quickly loses the right to be a
neophyte devotee. Then his interest in mental speculation and
fruitive actions becomes strong. Sometimes the neophyte devotee
neither makes advancement nor falls away.
Nityananda dasa: When does that happen?
Hari dasa: When the neophytes association with devotees and
persons who hate devotional service is of equal strength. Then it
is seen that he neither advances, nor does he fall away.
Nityananda dasa: When does he definitely make
advancement?
Hari dasa: When his association with devotees is great and his
association with persons who hate devotional service is small.
Then he makes swift advancement.
Nityananda dasa: What are the sins and virtues of the
neophyte devotee?

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 Hari dasa: In the beginning a neophyte devotee may be much
like the mental speculators (jnanis) ad fruitive workers (karmis).
However, as he makes advancement in devotional service, his
sins and defects are thrown far away. Then his desire to please
the Supreme Personality of Godhead becomes strong.
Nityananda dasa: O master, I have understood the description
of the neophyte devotees. Now please describe to me the primary
qualities of the intermediate (madhyama) devotees.
Hari dasa: The primary qualities of the intermediate
(madhyama) devotees are: 1. Unalloyed devotion to Lord Krsna,
2. friendship with persons who identify themselves as devotees,
think "Krsna is my Lord", and visit holy places, and 3. mercy to
the innocent persons who do not understand the truth and 4.
neglect of persons who hate devotees. The primary activities of
the intermediate devotees are these: 1. Lord Krsna and 2. by
engaging in devotional service (abhidheya) to Lord Krsna, the
intermediate devotee, 3. attains the highest goal (prayojana),
which is the perfection of love for Lord Krsna. Without
committing offenses, the intermediate devotee performs various
kinds of devotional services in the association of other devotees,
services that begin with the chanting of Lord Hari's holy name.
Nityananda dasa: What are the secondary qualities of an
intermediate devotee?
Hari dasa: The way an intermediate devotee lives his life is his
secondary quality. He lives in such a way that he obeys Krsna's
will and he serves Krsna favorably.
Nityananda dasa: Is he not able to sin or commit offenses?

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 Hari dasa: In the beginning he may be a little prone to sin or
offend, but gradually he throws these things far away. In the
beginning these faults may be present, but in time they become
completely destroyed. They become like chick-peas crushed into
powder. Thus an intermediate devotee's life is characterized by
appropriate renunciation (yukta-vairagya).
Nityananda dasa: Are philosophical speculation (jnana),
fruitive action (karma), and the desire for things outside the
realm of devotional service not present even slightly in his life?
Hari dasa: In the beginning there may be the dim reflection of
these things, but at the end they are torn up by their roots. In the
beginning they may sometimes be visible, but in the course of
time they are never seen again.
Nityananda dasa: Do the intermediate devotees wish to
continue living in the material world? If so, why?
Hari dasa: They wish to continue living in the material world
only so they may attain the perfect stage of pure devotional
service. They do not wish to live in the material world for its
own sake, nor do they not wish to attain liberation for its own
sake.
Nityananda dasa: Why do they not wish for death? What
happiness can they find in this dull and inert material body? By
Lord Krsna's mercy will they not at once attain their original
spiritual forms when they die?
Hari dasa: They want whatever Krsna wants. If Krsna wishes
that something happen, it will happen. They do not need to wish
for anything independently.

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 Nityananda dasa: Now I understand the qualities of an
intermediate (madhyama) devotee. What are the secondary
qualities of an advanced (uttama) devotee?
Hari dasa: His only secondary qualities are the actions he
performs with his body, actions impelled by pure spiritual love
(prema) free from the material modes (nirguna). Therefore these
actions cannot be seen as true secondary qualities.
Nityananda dasa: O master, a neophyte (kanistha) devotee
does not renounce householder life, and an intermediate
(madhyama) devotee may live either as a householder or a
sannyasi. Is it possible for an advanced (uttama) devotee to
remain as a householder?
Hari dasa: These conditions are present in all the stages of
devotional service. It is not that simply by remaining as a
householder or by accepting sannyasa one becomes situated in a
particular stage of advancement in devotional service. An
advanced devotee may remain in householder life. The residents
of Vrajapura were all householders. Yet they were all certainly
advanced devotees. Many of Lord Mahaprabhu's personal
associates were householders. They were also certainly advanced
devotees. Ramananda Raya is the first proof of that.
Nityananda dasa: O master, if an advanced devotee is a
householder and an intermediate devotee is a sannyasi, how
should they act in regard to each other?
Hari dasa: The less-advanced devotee should offer dandavat
obeisances to the more advanced devotee. This rule applies only
to intermediate devotees. An advanced devotee is not very

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interested in things like offering obeisances. He sees the Supreme
Lord present in the hearts of all living beings.
Nityananda dasa: Should many Vaisnavas gather together to
hold festivals and honor the Lord's prasadam?
Hari dasa: Devotees often gather together. At these times
householders who are intermediate devotees like to offer
prasadam to the other devotees. From the spiritual point of view
no one should object to this. However, it is not good to make a
great pompous display of serving the Vaisnavas. That is in the
mode of passion. Otherwise one should certainly offer prasadam
to saintly Vaisnavas. In that way one honors the Vaisnavas. If one
wishes to serve the Vaisnavas in this way, one should invite only
pure Vaisnavas.
Nityananda dasa: In my home place of Baragachi it is
customary to honor the descendants of great Vaisnavas.
Householders who are neophyte devotees invite them to honor
prasadam. Is this proper?
Hari dasa: Are these descendants of great Vaisnavas pure
devotees?
Nityananda dasa: I don't see pure devotion in all of them.
They say they are Vaisnavas. Some wear the kaupina of a
sannyasi.
Hari dasa: How this custom started I cannot say. It is not
right. This happens because a neophyte devotee does not have
the power to understand who is truly an advanced Vaisnava.
Nityananda dasa: Is it right to give special honor to the
descendant of a great Vaisnava?

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 Hari dasa: A Vaisnava should be honored. If the descendant
of a great Vaisnava is himself a pure Vaisnava then certainly he
should be honored according to the level of his own
advancement in devotional service.
Nityananda dasa: And if the descendant of a great Vaisnava is
himself only an ordinary man?
Hari dasa: Then he should be counted among the ordinary
men. He should not be honored or counted among the
Vaisnavas. Still, one should always remember Sri Mahaprabhu's
teaching (Siksastaka 3):
"One who thinks himself lower than the grass, who is more
tolerant than a tree, and who does not expect personal honor but
is always prepared to give all respects to others, can very easily
always chant the holy name of the Lord."
This means that one should be humble and give appropriate
honor to all other people. To a Vaisnava one should give the
honor proper for a Vaisnava. To one who is not a Vaisnava one
should give the honor that one should give to every human
being. A person who does not honor others is not qualified to
chant the holy names of Lord Hari.
Nityananda dasa: What kind of humility is appropriate?
Hari dasa: One should not proudly think, "I am a great
brahmana", "I am wealthy", "I am a great scholar", "I am a great
Vaisnava", "I am a great sannyasi". One should not aspire to be
honored by others. One should not think, "I should be honored,
for I am exalted in many ways". Instead, one should think, "I am
very poor and fallen. I am lower than a blade of grass."

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 Nityananda dasa: From this I can understand that without
being humble and merciful one cannot be a Vaisnava.
Hari dasa: That is true.
Nityananda dasa: Does the goddess of devotion (Bhakti-devi)
require humbleness and mercy from the devotees?
Hari dasa: Devotional service is independent. Devotional
service is beautiful by itself. It does not need to be decorated by
good qualities. Those two virtues: humility and mercy, are not
separate from devotional service. They are spontaneously
included with devotional service. A person who has devotion to
the Lord is naturally humble. He naturally thinks, "I am a
servant of Lord Krsna. I am poverty stricken. I do not have
anything. Krsna is my only treasure, my everything, the be-all-
and-end-all of my life." When a person is situated in devotional
service, his heart melts with love for Krsna. Because such a
person sees all other living beings as servants of Krsna, his heart
also melts with love for them. Thus he has mercy on them. In
this way mercy is naturally included within devotional service.
Forgiveness is situated between mercy and humility. In this way
one thinks, "I am poor and fallen, how can I be qualified to
punish others?" When this thought joins with mercy, forgiveness
is born. In this way forgiveness is also naturally included within
devotional service. Krsna is eternal and real (satya), the
individual spirit soul is eternal and real, the individual spirit
soul's service to Lord Krsna is also eternal and real, and the
individual soul's temporary sojourn in the material world is also
real. In this way the relationship between the individual soul and
Krsna, a relationship that is manifested as devotional service, is
eternal and real. Therefore eternal spiritual reality, humility,
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mercy and forgiveness are four things naturally included in
devotional service.
Nityananda dasa: How should a Vaisnava relate to persons of
other religions?
Hari dasa: Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.26) gives this
explanation:
"Those who are serious about liberation are certainly non-
envious and they respect all. Yet they reject the horrible and
ghastly forms of the demigods and worship only the all-blissful
forms of Lord Visnu and His plenary portions."
The Vaisnava religion is the only religion. There is no other
religion but that. The other religions that are present in this
world are either steps in the staircase leading to the Vaisnava
religion, or else perverted reflections of the Vaisnava religion.
When other religions are steps leading to the Vaisnava religion,
these religions should be appropriately honored. When their
religions are perverted reflections of the Vaisnava religion, one
should ignore them, and without malice or envy, place his
thoughts on the truths of devotional service. In this way one
should avoid attacking other spiritual paths. When his
auspicious day comes, the follower of another religion will
naturally become a Vaisnava. Of this there is no doubt.
Nityananda dasa: Then one should not preach the Vaisnava
religion?
Hari dasa: One should preach in every way possible. Our
Lord Mahaprabhu has given us all the duty to preach the
Vaisnava religion. He said (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 7.92
and 9.36):
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 "My dear child, continue dancing, chanting and performing
sankirtana in association with devotees. Furthermore, go out and
preach the value of chanting Krsna-nama, for by this process You
will be able to deliver all fallen souls."
"Therefore I order every man within this universe to accept
this Krsna consciousness movement and distribute it
everywhere."
However, keep this in mind: Unworthy persons must first be
made worthy before you give them many instructions about the
holy name. In certain situations one should remain silent. Do not
give elaborate explanations in situations where your words
become an obstacle to preaching.
Overwhelmed with love by hearing saintly Haridasa Babaji's
sweet words, Nityananda dasa began to roll about on the ground
in ecstasy. Then all the assembled Vaisnavas chanted the holy
names of Lord Hari. They all offered dandavat obeisances to the
saintly babaji. Then that day's meeting in the secluded grove
came to an end, and everyone returned to his own place.

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 Chapter Nine

Eternal Religion and Modern Science-

Civilization
Nitya-dharma o prakrta-vijnan evam sabhyata

Living among the Vaisnavas in Godruma for three or four

years, Lahiri Mahasaya became pure in heart. He always chanted
the holy names of Lord Hari. He wore simple clothing. He had
neither sandals nor wooden slippers. His pride of caste was now
thrown far away. Whenever he saw a Vaisnava, he would at once
offer dandavat obeisances and insist on taking the dust of that
Vaisnava's feet. He would search for pure Vaisnavas and accept
the remnants of their meals. Sometimes his sons would visit.
Understanding his situation, they would not propose that he
return home. Everyone could see that Lahiri Mahasaya was a
Vaisnava babaji. Following the conclusion accepted by the
Vaisnavas of Sri Godruma, he understood that renunciation was
needed within the heart, and the external trappings of
renunciation were not important. Following the example of Srila
Sanatana Goswami, he would take one piece of cloth and divide
it into four. Those would be his garments. He still wore a sacred
thread around his neck. Sometimes his sons would try to give
him money. Saying, "I do not accept money from materialists",
he would not take it. Once Candrasekhara tried to give him a
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hundred coins to have a great festival for the Vaisnavas.
Remembering the example of Raghunatha dasa Goswami, Lahiri
Mahasaya refused the money.
One day the paramahamsa babaji said, "O Lahiri Mahasaya,
you never act in any way improper for a Vaisnava. Though I am
the sannyasi, you teach me what true renunciation is. If you
accept a Vaisnava name from me, then everything will be
complete."
Lahiri Mahasaya replied, "You are my parama-guru. Whatever
you wish, that will be done."
The saintly babaji said, "You come from Santipura, therefore I
will call you Advaita dasa."
Offering dandavat obeisances, Lahiri Mahasaya accepted the
merciful gift of his new name. From that day forward, everyone
called him Advaita dasa, and the cottage where he performed
devotional service they called Advaita-kutira.
Advaita dasa had a childhood friend named Digambara
Cattopadhyaya. Holding various high posts in the Mohammedan
government, he had become wealthy. Attaining old age, he
retired from his government post, returned to his home town of
Kalna, and tried to find Kalidasa Lahiri. He heard that Kalidasa
Lahiri had gone to Sri Godruma, accepted the name Advaita
dasa, and was always chanting the holy names of Lord Hari.
Digambara Cattopadhyaya was a fanatical devotee of Goddess
Durga. His response to hearing a Vaisnava's name was to cover
his ears with his hands. Hearing that his old friend had become
fallen in that way, he declared, "O Vamana dasa, arrange for a
boat. I will go to Navadvipa and rescue my unfortunate old
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friend, Kalidasa. Quickly arranging for the boat, Vamana dasa
returned and informed his master. Digambara Cattopadhyaya
was very intelligent. He was learned in the Tantras, and he was
also learned in the ways of the Mohammedans. Arguing in
Persian and Arabic, he could even defeat the best Mohammedan
scholars. Arguing about the Tantras, he made the best brahmana
scholars speechless. His name was well known in Delhi,
Lucknow and other places. In his leisure time he had written a
book titled Tantra-sangraha (An anthology from the Tantras). He
was learned in many subjects and could discourse on many
scripture passages.
Proudly grasping his Tantra-sangraha, Digambara stepped
into the boat. After a six hour journey the boat landed at Sri
Godruma. Staying in the boat, he send an intelligent messenger
to Sri Advaita dasa.
Sri Advaita dasa was sitting in his cottage and chanting the
holy names of Lord Hari. Digambara Cattopadhyaya's messenger
approached and bowed down. Advaita dasa asked him, "Who are
you and why have you come?" The messenger replied, "I am sent
by Sri Digambara Cattopadhyaya. He asks this question: 'O
Kalidasa, do you remember me, or have you forgotten?'
Sri Advaita dasa replied, "Digambara? Where? My childhood
friend! Do I have to power to forget him? Has he taken shelter of
the Vaisnava religion?" The messenger said, "He is sitting in a
boat by the landing place. I cannot say whether he has become a
Vaisnava." Advaita dasa said, "Why does he stay at the landing
place? Why does he not come to my cottage?" Hearing this, the
messenger left.

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 After an hour, Digambara Cattopadhyaya appeared at
Advaita-kutira with three or four gentlemen. Digambara always
was generous at heart. When he saw his old friend, his heart
became filled with joy. Singing some verses he himself had
written, he embraced Advaita dasa. He sang:
"O Mother Kali, who in the three worlds knows all about
Your transcendental pastimes? Sometimes You are a man,
sometimes a woman, and sometimes a ferocious warrior. You
become Brahma and create the world. You become Siva and
destroy it. You become all-pervading Visnu and protect
everyone. You become Krsna and play the flute in Vrndavana
forest. You become Gaura and make all of Navadvipa wild with
the chanting of the holy names."
Advaita dasa said, "My brother, come in. Come in."
Digambara sat on a leaf-seat. Tears of love glistened in his eyes.
He said, "Dear brother Kalidasa, where shall I go? Now you are
sannyasi and you have given up duties and demigods. How
hopeful I was when I first came from Punjab. Our boyhood
friends: Pesa, Pagla, Khenda, Girisa, Ise Pagla, Dhana Mayara,
Kele Chutor, Kanti Bhattacarji, all have died. Only you and I
remain. I thought some days I would cross the Ganges and visit
you at Santipura and other days you would cross the Ganges and
visit me at Ambika. In the few days that remain for us, we would
sing together and study the Tantras together. Alas, bad luck has
struck my head. You have become a bullheaded fool, useless in
this world and the next. Look at yourself. Tell me: How has this
happened to You?"
Advaita dasa could see that this person was very bad
company. He began to think how he could escape the hands of
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his childhood friend. He said, "Brother Digambara, do you
remember how one day when we were playing dandaguli we
gradually came to that old tamarind tree?
Digambara: Yes, yes. I remember. That was near Gauridasa
Pandita's house. The tamarind tree where Gaura-Nitai used to sit.
Advaita: As we were playing you said, "Don't touch that
tamarind tree! Aunt Saci's son used to sit here. If we touch this
tree we will become sannyasis."
Digambara: I remember. I could see that you liked the
Vaisnavas. I said, "You will fall into Gauranga's trap."
Advaita: Brother, for a long time I was like that. I was always
just about to fall into that trap. Now I have fallen in.
Digambara: Catch hold of my hand and come out. It is not
good to stay in a trap.
Advaita: Brother, I am very happy in this trap. I pray that I
shall stay here forever. Just once you should touch this trap and
see what it is like.
Digambara: I have seen. In the beginning it is happiness. But
in the end it is a hoax.
Advaita: Do you think the trap where you live will bring you
happiness at the end? My mind says it will not.
Digambara: Let us see. We are servants of Goddess
Mahavidya. In this life we have happiness, and in the next life we
also have happiness. You think that you are happy, but I don't
see that you are happy. In the end there will be no end to your
sufferings. Why does someone become a Vaisnava? I cannot say.
Look, we enjoy eating fish and meat and other things. We are
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happy. We are more civilized than you. We enjoy all the good
things modern science provides. You have renounced all these
good things. And in the end for you there will be no escape.
Advaita: Why, brother, will there be no escape for me?
Digambara: If Mother Nistarini becomes averse, then even
Brahma, Visnu and Siva cannot escape. Mother Nistarini is the
primordial power. She gives birth to Brahma, Visnu and Siva. By
her power she protects them. When the great mother wills, the
great pot of the material universe will again enter her womb.
Have you worshipped the mother, so she will have mercy on
you?
Advaita: Is Mother Nistarini conscious, or is she unconscious
matter?
Digambara: She is consciousness personified. All her desires
are at once fulfilled. It is by her wish that spirit was created.
Advaita: What is spirit, and what is matter.
Digambara: Vaisnavas only worship. They know nothing of
philosophy. Spirit and matter are like the two halves of a chick-
pea. Unhusk it, and there are two halves. Leave the husk
untouched, and there is one chick-pea. When consciousness and
unconsciousness join and become one, that is called Brahman.
Advaita: Is your mother female or male?
Digambara: Sometimes she is male and sometimes female.
Advaita: Spirit and matter are like the two halves of a chick-
pea. Which is the mother and which is the father?

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 Digambara: You are eager to know the truth? We know the
truth very well. The truth is that matter is mother and spirit is
father.
Advaita: Who are you?
Digambara: When I am bound by ropes of illusion I am an
individual soul. When those ropes are untied, I am Lord
Sadasiva.
Advaita: You are spirit? You are not matter"
Digambara: I am spirit. Mother is matter. When I am bound
by illusion she is my mother. When I am free of illusion she is
my wife.
Advaita: Now the truth is out! Now doubt is gone. Where did
you get these truths?
Digambara: Brother, you are always saying, "Vaisnava!
Vaisnava!" I am not like that. I have associated with many
sannyasis, brahmacaris, and tantrik saints. I have studied the
Tantras day and night. That is how I have attained this
knowledge. If you like, I can teach it to you.
Advaita: (thinking to himself) How horrible! How
unfortunate! (aloud) Very good. Please explain one thing to me.
What is civilization, and what is modern science?
Digambara: 1. To speak in such a way that pleases respectable
people, 2. to wear clothing that pleases them, and 3. to eat food
they like, to do things like them, and not to do anything to
displease them. You do not do any of these three!
Advaita: How is that?

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 Digambara: You do not associate with others. You are very
unsocial. The Vaisnavas have never learned the art of flattering
others with sweet words. When they see someone they always
tell him to chant the name of Hari. Can't they say something
else? When people see your clothing they refrain from inviting
you to visit them. You wear a stupid tuft of hair on the top of
your head and a beads around your neck, and your own garment
is a loin-cloth! You only eat vegetables and roots! You are not
civilized, even slightly.
Advaita: (thinking to himself) If I quarrel with him, he will
go away. That would be good for me. (aloud) Does this kind of
civilization make one's next life auspicious?
Digambara: It does not make the next life auspicious. If there
is no civilization how will society become uplifted? First society
must be uplifted. when it is uplifted, then people may try to
improve the next life.
Advaita: Brother, if you do not become angry, I could say
something.
Digambara: You are my boyhood friend. I would give up my
life for your sake. Why would I not peacefully tolerate a single
statement of yours? We are civilized men. Even if we are angry,
sweet words will stay on our mouths. The more we hide our true
feelings, the more civilized we become.
Advaita: Human life is for only a few days. Still, it contains
many troubles. In this very short life one should sincerely
worship Lord Hari. The 'civilization' you talk about is only a way
to cheat the soul. Therefore I say that this 'civilization' is only
another word for 'cheating'. When men walk on the path of

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truth, they are simple and honest. When men's actions are a
collection of lies, their hearts are full of cunning, their deeds are
sins, and their words are empty flattery. That is your
'civilization'. True civilization is not like that. In true civilization
men are honest and sincere. Nowadays people merely hide the
wickedness in their hearts, and that hiding they call 'civilization'.
The true meaning of 'civilization' is 'honesty and goodness'.
What you call 'civilization' is only cheating and wickedness.
Civilization that is sinless is found only among the Vaisnavas.
So-called 'civilization' that is filled with sins is liked only by they
who are not Vaisnavas. The 'civilization' you describe has
nothing to do with the soul's eternal nature. If wearing
fashionable clothes that please others is the true mark of
civilization, then prostitutes are the most civilized. The purpose
of clothing is only to cover the body. Clothing should be neat
and clean, and free from unclean odors and other faults. Food
should be pure and nutritious. There is nothing wrong with food
like that. You think only that food should be palatable. You don't
consider whether it is pure or not. Liquor and meat are naturally
impure and unholy. A 'civilization' that lives by enjoying them is
only a collection of sins. What you call 'modern civilization' is
the civilization of Kali-yuga.
Digambara: Have you forgotten the very civilized society of
the Muslim emperors? You should see how the people dress
fashionably and speak politely in the Muslim emperor's court!
Advaita: That is only material politeness. What does a man
lose if he is unaware of this exaggerated politeness? Brother, you
spent too many days working for the Muslims. That is why you
defend the Muslim ways. True civilization is when men are free

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from sins. "Civilization" that encourages sin is the civilization of
Kali-yuga. That kind of civilization is only a pathetic joke.
Digambara: Look, the modern idea is 'humanism'. They who
don't accept modern civilization aren't considered human.
Fashionable clothing that makes women attractive and masks
their imperfections are very popular nowadays.
Advaita: You consider whether this is good or bad. I see that
the people who advance this modern civilization are only clever
opportunists. Partly because they are superstitious and partly
because they like to conceal their own flaws, these people like
this dishonest 'civilization'. Will a wise man be happy in such a
civilization? This civilization of rogues can be kept together only
by meaningless words and by brute force.
Digambara: Some say that the people of the world are
gradually becoming more educated. As they become more
educated, they will become more civilized, and as the people
become more civilized, the earth will gradually become
Svargaloka.
Advaita: Those philosophers are smoking ganja. Anyone who
believes those stories is rich in blind faith. They who don't
believe those stories are fortunate. There two kinds of
knowledge: 1. spiritual, and 2. material. I don't think spiritual
knowledge is increasing. In many places spiritual knowledge
collapsing. I think it is material knowledge that is increasing.
Does material knowledge touch the soul eternally? When
material knowledge increases, then the heart becomes attracted
to material things and has contempt for the spiritual truth. I
agree that material knowledge is increasing, but from that

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knowledge comes a dishonest civilization. That 'civilization'
brings great misfortune to the soul.
Digambara: Why misfortune?
Advaita: As I said before, human life is very short. The soul is
like a traveler briefly staying at an inn. He should use this short
time to attain spiritual perfection. If the travelers are concerned
only with how to be most comfortable at the inn, the time they
should be spending on planning their journey is lost. As material
knowledge increases, the time spent on spiritual things will
decrease. I think that material knowledge should be accepted
only as far as is needed in ordinary affairs. There is no need for
more material knowledge or its lady friend, material civilization.
For how many days will the benefits of this world last?
Digambara: I have fallen into the company of a fanatic
sannyasi. Is society not important?
Advaita: Different kinds of society bring different results. If
one associates with Vaisnavas, then there is a good result. If one
associates with materialists, then the results are not good for the
soul. Let us stop talking of this. What is material science?
Digambara: Many kinds of material sciences are described in
the Tantras. Whatever knowledge, skill, and beauty are present
in the material world are all described in material science.
Military science, medicine, music, and astronomy are all
examples of material sciences. The material nature is the first
power (again I describe the spiritual truth!). She gave birth to
the material world. From her it is manifested. By her power it is
filled with wonderful variety. One by one, all forms come from
her. One by one, all kinds of knowledge come from her. When a

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person understands this, Mother Nistarini frees him from sin and
he becomes liberated. The Vaisnavas will not seek out Mother
Nistarini. However, we attain liberation by understanding these
truths. Look, by the careful study of material knowledge Plato,
Aristotle, Socrates, the famous Hakim, and many other great
souls in the yavana countries have written many, many books.
Advaita: You said that the Vaisnavas are not interested in
science. That is not true. Why not? The Vaisnavas are interested
in the science of pure knowledge, which is described in these
words of Srimad-Bhagavatam's four nutshell verses (2.9.30):
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Knowledge about
Me as described in the scriptures is very confidential, and it has
to be realized in conjunction with devotional service. The
necessary paraphernalia for that process is being explained by
Me. You may take it up carefully."
Pleased by Brahma's devotional service, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead gave him this instruction even before the
material world was created. In this way the Lord taught him the
pure Vaisnava religion. The Lord said, "O Brahma, knowledge
about Me as described in the scriptures is very confidential, and
it has to be realized in conjunction with devotional service. The
necessary paraphernalia for that process is being explained by
Me. You may take it up carefully." O Digambara, there are two
kinds of knowledge: 1. spiritual knowledge, and 2. material
knowledge. Because it is attained through the material senses,
material knowledge is very impure. Neither is it needed for
spiritual advancement. It is needed only for the conditioned
soul's life in the material world. Spiritual knowledge is called
'suddha-jnana' (pure knowledge). that eternal knowledge is the
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foundation-stone of the Vaisnavas' temple of devotional service.
Spiritual knowledge and material knowledge are very different.
They are opposites. You call material knowledge 'science', but it
is not science at all. You call medical knowledge and other kinds
of material knowledge 'science', but it is spiritual knowledge,
which is different from material knowledge, that should be called
'science'. 'Knowledge' and 'science' are synonyms. Direct
perception of the spiritual truth is called 'knowledge'. When it
eclipses material knowledge, pure spiritual knowledge is called
'science'. Thus these two are actually the same thing, called
either 'knowledge' or 'science' in different circumstances. You
call material knowledge 'science'. The Vaisnavas call the proper
use of material knowledge 'science'. Military, skill, medicine,
astronomy, chemistry, and all other kinds of material knowledge
have no eternal relation to the soul. Therefore they have no
bearing at all on the soul's eternal activities and eternal duties.
The Vaisnavas do not criticize the materialists who perform
Vedic rituals (karma-kanda) for material elevation. Why not?
Indirectly their attempts for material elevation help the spiritual
advancement of the Vaisnavas. You may call material knowledge
'material science'. What is wrong with that? It is foolish to
squabble over names.
Digambara: Well, if there were no progress in material
knowledge, it would not be so easy for you to pass your life in
devotional service. Therefore you also should strive for material
progress.
Advaita: Different people, with different desires, try in
different ways, and the Supreme Controller gives each person the
fruits of his actions.

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 Digambara: Why do people have different desires?
Advaita: Desires are created by past karma. One whose
material desires are strong becomes learned in material things
and expert in material work. What is produced in this way may
help the Vaisnavas in their service to Lord Krsna. However, the
Vaisnavas themselves need not become expert in these different
skills. Look, a carpenter may make a cart, and householder
Vaisnava may use that cart to carry the Deity of the Lord. Bees
may gather honey, and the devotees of the Lord may take the
honey and employ it in the Lord's service. Not everyone in this
world is interested in spiritual advancement. From their different
desires different kinds of work are manifested. Men are of
different kinds, some exalted and others lowly. They whose
desires are lowly may work in different ways, and they whose
desires are lofty may use the result of that work for good
purposes. Pushed by these differences, the circle of the world
turns. Materialistic men work in different ways, and what they
produce may be helpful to the spiritualists, the Vaisnavas. The
materialists do not understand how they are helping the
Vaisnavas. Still, bewildered by Lord Visnu's maya potency, they
act in that way. Thus the entire world unknowingly serves the
Vaisnavas.
Digambara: What is the illusory potency of Lord Visnu you
mentioned?
Advaita: In the Candi-mahatmya of the Markandeya Purana it
is said:
"The entire world is bewildered by Lord Hari's maya
potency."

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 These words describe Lord Visnu's maya potency.
Digambara: Then who is the goddess I know as Mother
Nistarini?
Advaita: She is Lord Visnu's maya potency.
Digambara: (opening his book about the Tantras) Look! Here
it says, "My Mother is the form of spiritual consciousness. Her
desires are at once fulfilled. She is beyond the touch of the three
modes, but still She manifests the three modes". Your maya
potency of Lord Visnu is not beyond the three modes. How can
you say that your maya potency of Lord Visnu is the same as my
Mother? When I see how you Vaisnavas are such closed-minded
fanatics, it does not make me happy at all.
Advaita: Brother Digambara, please don't be angry. After so
many days you have seen me again. I want to make you happy. If
I say 'the maya potency of Lord Visnu', how have I become small-
minded? Lord Visnu is the all-knowing Supreme Personality of
Godhead. All that exists is His potency. The word 'potency' does
not mean a substance. Rather it means the quality that a
substance possesses. Therefore the statement that a potency is
the root of all existence goes counter to the truth. A potency
cannot exist apart from its substance. An original substance with
a spiritual form must first be accepted. After all, the commentary
on Vedanta-sutra declares:
"The potency and the possessor of the potency are not
different."
The meaning, then, is that the potency does not exist apart
from its substance. The only true substance is the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, the master of potencies. The nature of
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the potency is either to be a quality of the Supreme Lord, or
submissive to His will. When it is said that the potency has pure
consciousness, that means that because the potency and the
master of potencies are not different, therefore, like the master of
potencies, the potency also has a form of spiritual consciousness,
has desires that are at once fulfilled, and is beyond the touch of
the three modes. It is not a mistake to say these things. Will and
consciousness are qualities of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. By itself, the potency does not possess will, but rather
it carries out the will of the Supreme. For example, you have
power, and by Your will, your potencies act. If you say, 'the
power acted', then that means that the possessor of the power
was actually behind the action. To say that 'the power acted' is
only to use a figure of speech. In truth, the Supreme Personality
of Godhead has only one potency. When she performs spiritual
actions, she is called spiritual potency, and when she performs
material actions, she is called the material potency, or maya. The
Vedas (Svetasvatara Upanisad 6.8) explain:
"The potency of the Supreme is manifested in many different
ways."
The potency that manifests the three modes is the material
potency. She creates and destroys the material universes. Those
are her duties. In the Puranas and Tantras this potency is called
by many names, such as Visnu-maya, Maha-maya, and Maya.
Allegorically she is also called 'the mother of Brahma, Visnu and
Siva", 'the killer of Sumbha and Nisumbha', and other like names
that describe her different activities. As long as he remains
deeply enmeshed in material consciousness, the soul is under her
power. When he attains pure spiritual knowledge, the soul can

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understand the nature of his original spiritual form. Then he is
freed from the ropes of Maya. Then he is under the power of the
spiritual potency. Then he becomes happy.
Digambara: Are you under the power of one of these
potencies, or are you not?
Advaita: Yes. We are also a potency. We are 'jiva-sakti',
individual souls. when we become free from the ropes of the
maya potency, we are in the power of the spiritual potency.
Digambara: Then you are also a sakta, a worshipper of the
potency.
Advaita: Yes. The Vaisnavas are naturally saktas. We are the
servants of Sri Radhika, who is the spiritual potency. Under Her
patronage we worship and serve Lord Krsna. Who is more of a
sakta than we? I don't see any difference between the saktas and
the Vaisnavas. They who do not take shelter of the spiritual
potency, but only take shelter of the material potency, but only
take shelter of the material potency Maya may be saktas, but they
are not Vaisnavas. They are materialists. In the Narada-
pancaratra, Goddess Durga explains:
"O Krsna, I am Radha, who stays on Your chest during the
rasa dance in Vrndavana forest."
Thus from Durga-devi's words we can understand that the
Lord does not have two potencies. there is only one potency,
who manifests Herself as the spiritual potency Radhika and the
material potency Visnu-maya. When the potency is free from the
material modes, she is called the spiritual potency, and when she
is within the sphere of the material modes, she is called the
material potency.
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 Digambara: You said that your yourself are a potency, the
'jiva-sakti'. What potency is that?
Advaita: In Bhagavad-gita (7.4-5), the Supreme Personality of
Godhead explains:
"Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence, and false ego
- altogether these eight comprise My separated material energies.
"Besides this inferior energy, O mighty-armed Arjuna, there is
a superior energy of Mine, which are all living entities who are
struggling with material nature and are sustaining the universe."
Digambara, do you know the glory of Bhagavad-gita? It is the
best of all scriptures. It solves all the problems of life. It explains
that the individual souls are superior to dull matter, and that
they are one of the potencies of the Lord. The wise call the
individual souls "tatastha-sakti" (marginal potency). The
marginal potency is superior to dull matter and inferior to the
Lord's cit-sakti (internal potency). Therefore the individual spirit
souls are one of the potencies of the Lord.
Digambara: Kalidasa, have you seen this Bhagavad-gita?
Advaita: Yes. I have read that book.
Digambara: What does it teach?
Advaita: Brother Digambara, men praise molasses only as
long as they have not tasted sugar-candy.
Digambara: My brother, you are a fanatic. Devi-bhagavata and
Devi-gita are honored by everyone. You Vaisnavas alone have not
heard of them.
Advaita: My brother, have you read Devi-gita?

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 Digambara: No. Why should I lie? I tried to make a
manuscript copy of them, but I was not able.
Advaita: How can I say that a particular book, which I have
not read, is good or bad? Am I the fanatic, or are you?
Digambara: My brother, I am always afraid of you. You were
always very talkative. As a Vaisnava you are even more talkative.
Whatever I say, you refute.
Advaita: I am a fool. But I can see that there is no pure
religion but the Vaisnava religion. For a long time you held a
grudge against the Vaisnavas. That is why you could not see that
path that leads to your own auspiciousness.
Digambara: (a little angry) Is it! I do so much worship and
devotion, and you say I cannot see the path to my own good!
Have I been walking the wrong path all along? Look! Here is the
Tantra-sangraha! How I labored on it! Now that you are a
Vaisnava you like to blaspheme modern science and modern
civilization! What can I do to convince you? Go to civilized
people see whether they praise you or me!
Advaita: (thinks to himself) How good it will be when this
very bad company runs away! (aloud) Very well! Brother, when
you die you will see how much benefit modern science and
modern civilization have given you!
Digambara: Kalidasa, you are being foolish. Is there anything
after death? As long as you stay in this world try to become
famous among civilized men, and try to enjoy the five material
pleasures. Enjoy. At the time of death Mother Nistarini will take
you to a good place. She will protect you. Death will come at its
own time. Why should you suffer before then? When you die,
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and the ingredients of your body mingle with the other
ingredients of the world, where will you be? This world is an
illusion. It is Maya, Yogamaya and Maha-maya. It is she who
gives you pleasure here, and it is she who will give you liberation
after death. Nothing exists but the potency. From the potency
you have come. Into the potency you will enter at the end. Serve
the potency! Just see the power in the knowledge she gives! Try
to increase your own spiritual power! At the end you will see
that there is nothing but the spiritual potency! What ganja did
you smoke to dream up the fantastic story that an all-knowing
personal God exists? By believing that story you attained only
suffering. In the next life what benefit will you earn that I will
not also get? I do not know. What is the use of believing in a
personal God? Serve the potency! You will merge into the
potency. In her you will rest forever.
Advaita: My brother, you are very attached to the material
potency. If an all-knowing personal God exists, what will be your
fate after death? What is happiness? Happiness is peace of mind.
Renouncing material pleasures, I have found peace and
happiness inside my heart. If something good exists after death, I
will attain it. You are not peaceful and happy. The more you
enjoy, the more your thirst for evermore pleasure increases. You
have never known real happiness. Again and again you call out
'Pleasure! Pleasure!" One day you will become plunged in an
ocean of sufferings.
Digambara: Whatever will be, will be. Why do you shun the
company of good people?
Advaita: I do not shun the company of good people. I already
have their company. I only shun the wicked.
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 Digambara: Who are these wicked?
Advaita: Please don't become angry when you hear. I say this
(Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.30.33):
"Dear Lord, as long as we have to remain within this material
world due to our material contamination and wander from one
type of body to another and from one planet to another, we pray
that we may associate with those who are engaged in discussing
Your pastimes. We pray for this benediction life after life, in
different bodily forms and on different planets."
Again, in the Seventh Canto it is said:
"One should never associate with materialists and non-
devotees. By their association all is lost. By their association one
falls into the lower worlds."
In the Katyayana-samhita it is said:
"Even if one is forced to live within a cage of iron or in the
midst of a blazing fire, he should accept this position rather than
live with non devotees, who are through and through against the
supremacy of the Lord."
In the Third Canto it is said (Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.31.33-
34):
"(By associating with unrighteous people, a person) becomes
devoid of truthfulness, cleanliness, mercy, gravity, spiritual
intelligence, shyness, austerity, fame, forgiveness, control of the
mind, control of the senses, fortune and all such opportunities.
"One should not associate with a coarse fool who is bereft of
knowledge and self-realization and who is no more than a
dancing dog in the hands of a woman."
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 In the Garuda Purana it is said:
"Even though one may have gone to the other side of all the
Vedas, and even though one is well versed in all the revealed
scriptures, if one is not a devotee of the Supreme Lord, he must
be considered the lowest of mankind."
In Srimad-Bhagavatam (6.1.18) it is said:
"My dear king, as a pot containing liquor cannot be purified
even if washed in the waters of many rivers, non devotees cannot
be purified by processes of atonement even if they perform them
very well."
In the Skanda Purana it is said:
"A person who attacks, criticizes, or hates the Vaisnavas, or
who becomes angry with them, does not respectfully greet them,
or is not pleased to see them, finds himself in the six hells.
Digambara, association with wicked people will never bring
one any good. What will one gain by associating with them?
Digambara: What a fine fellow I have come to talk with! He
thinks we are all wicked people! You stay with your pure
Vaisnavas! I am going home.
Advaita: (thinking to himself) It is almost done. Now I had
best speak very sweetly to him. (aloud) Ah, now you must go
home. You are my boyhood friend. I do not wish to see you go. If
you are kind, then please stay. Stay for some time, take
prasadam, and then go.
Digambara: Kalidasa, you know very well that I eat only
havisya, and I already had some havisya before I came here. I am
glad to see you. I will come again if I find the time. I can't stay
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the night because I must follow the spiritual practices my guru
gave me. for today, brother, I must go.
Advaita: Let us go then. I will walk with you to the boat.
Digambara: No. No. You do your own business. I have some
friends with me.
After speaking these words, Digambara burst into a song
glorifying Goddess Durga, and left. Advaita dasa returned to his
cottage and, without encountering any more interruptions,
chanted the holy names of Lord Hari.

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 Chapter Ten

Eternal Religion and History

Nitya-dharma o itihasa

A doubt arose in the mind of Sri Harihara Bhattacarya, a

teacher who lived in Agradvipa. He discussed it with some
people, but his doubt would not go away. It troubled his mind
more and more. One day, when he was in the village of Arkatila,
he asked Sri Caturbhuja Nyayaratna, "O saintly Bhattacarya,
please tell me: How old is the Vaisnava religion?" Harihara
Bhattacarya is an initiated Vaisnava and he worships Lord Krsna
in his home. Nyayaratna Mahasaya has pursued twenty years of
laborious study. He was not interested in any religion. He did not
like talking about religion. Only when Goddess Durga was
worshipped would he show a slight religious sentiment.
Harihara's question made him think, "this Harihara must be a
supporter of Vaisnavism. He could get me in some trouble. It is
best to keep trouble away." Thinking in this way, Nyayaratna
Mahasaya said, "What kind of question is this today? You have
read many books. You even read the Muktipada. Look, in the
whole of nyaya-sastra there is no mention of the Vaisnava
religion. Why do you annoy me with this question?
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 Harihara said, "O Bhattacarya Mahasaya, I come from a
Vaisnava family and I am an initiated Vaisnava. I never had any
doubts about the Vaisnava religion. You know Tarka-cudamani
of Vikramapura. Wishing to uproot the Vaisnava religion, he
preaches against it in many places in this country and others
also. In this way he has earned a lot of money. In a gathering of
mostly Durga-worshippers he said the Vaisnava religion is
modern in its origins and has no substance or reality. He said
only low-class people call themselves Vaisnavas and upper class
people have no respect for the Vaisnava religion. When I heard
this pandita's conclusion at first I was pained at heart, but then,
as I thought it over, I could see that before Prabhu Caitanyadeva
there was no Vaisnavism in Bengal. At that time almost everyone
performed worship by chanting Durga-mantras. Some few of us
worshipped by chanting Vaisnava mantras, but all of those
Vaisnavas wanted in the end to attain impersonal liberation and
become Brahman. All those Vaisnavas were pancopasakas.
However, after Prabhu Caitanyadeva Vaisnavism assumed a new
form. Now Vaisnavas cannot bear to hear the words 'mukti' and
'brahman'. What is their understanding of devotional service? I
do not have the power to say. There is a saying "The followers of
a one-eyed guru will be led astray". I see these Vaisnavas are like
that. My question is: "Did this kind of Vaisnavism exist before,
or was it only invented after the time of Caitanyadeva?"
Nyayaratna Mahasaya could see that Harihara's mentality was
unusual. In other words, Harihara was not an orthodox Vaisnava.
When this thought entered his mind, his face blossomed with
happiness. He said, "Harihara, you are a good scholar of nyaya-
sastra. I agree with your idea. Nowadays a new kind of
Vaisnavism has come. I am afraid to say anything against it. It is
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the Kali-yuga! We should be a little careful. Many rich and
respectable gentlemen have accepted Caitanya's philosophy.
They have no faith in us. They think we are the enemies. I think
that in a few days our business will collapse. The Telis, Tamlis,
and Suvarna-vaniks all have taken to talking about the
scriptures. They have brought great trouble to us. Look, for a
long time the brahmanas had so arranged things that no other
caste could read the scriptures. Even the Kayasthas, who were
next below the brahmanas, could not chant the sacred syllable
Om. All followed what we said. But nowadays all these Vaisnavas
are discussing the spiritual truth. They have completely defeated
us. Since the time of Nimai Pandita the Brahmana religion has
practically disappeared. O Harihara, Tarka-cudamani spoke the
truth. Considering what they have seen or heard, others may say
what they like about him. I say he has spoken well. When I hear
the words of these Vaisnava fools, my whole body burns with
anger. They even say that Sankaracarya's books are false, and his
words are all maya. They say that Lord Visnu ordered him to
speak a pack of lies. And then on top of that they say the
Vaisnava religion had no beginning. The Vaisnava religion is
barely a hundred years old! And now it has no beginning. As the
saying goes:
"The fools find an innocent man, make him into a scapegoat,
and attack him again and again."
Let them say what they like. Navadvipa was as good in the
past as it is bad in the present. Nowadays a few Vaisnavas who
live at Baragachi in Navadvipa see the ideas of the entire world as
foolish. Some two or three scholars amongst them have turned
the whole country upside-down. the ideas that castes are rigidly

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fixed, that the whole world is an illusion, and that one should
worship Goddess Durga have all been crushed by them. Look.
Nowadays there are not even many sraddha ceremonies. What
will happen to the professional brahmanas?
Then Harihara said, "O Bhattacarya Mahasaya, is there no
remedy? In Mayapura there are still five or six big, big brahmana
scholars. Then on the other side of the Ganges there are many
scholars of Smrti and Nyaya. Why do they not join forces and
attack Gadigacha?
Nyayaratna said, "Yes! If they band together, the brahmana
scholars can do it! Of course the brahmana scholars tend to fight
among themselves. They like to fight and they pretend that
fighting among themselves is part of the job of being a scholar. I
heard that some followers of Krsna-cudamani went to Gadigacha
for a debate and came back defeated. Now they won't even come
out of their classrooms. Some have said that."
Harihara said, "O Bhattacarya Mahasaya, You are our teacher.
You are the teacher of many great scholars. By studying your
commentaries on nyaya-sastra, many have learned the art of
tricking others by juggling words. Please go and defeat the
Vaisnava scholars once and for all. The Vaisnava religion is a
modern concoction. It is not the teaching of the Vedas. Please go
and prove these truths. Then our pancopasana worship, which is
the teaching of all the previous authorities, will be saved."
In Caturbhuja Nyayaratna's mind there was one fear. He was
afraid that he would meet the same fate as Krsna-cudamani and
others who had already been defeated by the Vaisnavas. He said,
"Harihara, I will go there in disguise. You go there also. Pose as a
scholar, and kindle the fire of debate in Gadigacha." Harihara
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said, "I must obey your order. Calling myself 'Mahadeva', on
Monday I will cross the Ganges."
Monday came. Accompanied by Sri Caturbhuja Nyayaratna of
Arkatila, the three scholars of Harihara, Kamalakanta, and
Sadasiva crossed the Ganges. After a little more than ten hours of
traveling along the Ganges, they finally arrived at Sri Pradyumna-
kunja. Again and again calling out "Haribol! Haribol!", like a
small contingent of Durvasa Munis, they entered the grove of
madhavi vines. Advaita dasa came out, greeted them, gave them
sitting-places, and asked, "What order would you like to give to
me?" Harihara said, "We have come to discuss some things with
the Vaisnavas." Advaita dasa replied, "the Vaisnavas of this place
do not engage in debates. But if you sincerely have some
questions, then that is all right. The other day some scholars
came, asked some questions, stirred up a great debate, and were
left unhappy at the end. I will ask the saintly paramahamsa
babaji, and then I will give you his answer. After speaking these
words, he entered the cottage of the paramahamsa babaji.
After a moment, Advaita dasa returned among them and
began to arrange sitting places for everyone. Entering the
beautiful grove, the saintly paramahamsa babaji offered dandavat
obeisances first to the tulasi plant and then to the brahmana
guests. He asked them, "O saintly ones, what order would you
like to give to me?"
Then the Nyayaratna said, "I have two questions to ask.
Please answer them. Hearing this, the saintly paramahamsa
babaji called for saintly Sri Vaisnava dasa Babaji. When the
Vaisnavas were all seated comfortably, Nyayaratna Mahasaya

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asked, "First consider, and then speak: Is the Vaisnava religion
ancient or modern?"
Following the saintly paramahamsa babaji's wish, Vaisnava
dasa spoke. He said, "The Vaisnava religion is eternal. It always
existed."
Nyayaratna: As I see it, there are two kinds of Vaisnava
religion. In one kind of Vaisnava religion it is accepted that the
Supreme is the formless Brahman. However, no one can actually
worship something that is formless. Therefore one may imagine
that the Supreme has a form, and by worshipping that imagined
form, one gradually becomes pure in heart. When one becomes
thus pure in heart, knowledge of the formless Brahman naturally
arises within him. Thus, by worshipping the imaginary forms of
Radha-Krsna, Rama or Nrsimha, one eventually attains
knowledge of Brahman. They who accept this philosophy,
worship the Deity of Visnu, and chant Visnu-mantras, consider
themselves Vaisnavas and count themselves among the
pancopasakas. Another kind of Vaisnava religion affirms that
Lord Visnu, Lord Rama, or Lord Krsna have real forms that are
eternal. Then, by worshipping these forms and chanting Their
mantras, the devotee attains eternal knowledge of Them,, and
Their mercy also. This Sankara is in error and his idea that the
Supreme is formless is a pack of lies. Of these two kinds of
Vaisnava religion, which is eternal? Which of them always
existed?
Vaisnava dasa: The second one you mentioned is the real
Vaisnava. It is eternal. The first one is Vaisnava religion in name
only. It is the enemy of the true Vaisnava religion. It is not
eternal. It is only a collection of lies.
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 Nyayaratna: I can understand that in your opinion the only
true Vaisnava religion is the philosophy of Caitanyadeva. Thus
the Vaisnava religion does not mean only the worship of Radha-
Krsna, Rama and Nrsimha, it means worshipping Radha-Krsna
and the other Deities according to the principles taught by
Caitanya. Very good. However, how can you say that this kind of
Vaisnava religion is eternal?
Vaisnava dasa: The four Vedas teach this kind of Vaisnava
religion. All the Smrti-sastras teach this kind of Vaisnava
religion. All the Vedic histories (itihasas) sing the glories of this
kind of Vaisnava religion.
Nyayaratna dasa: Caitanyadeva was born not even 150 years
ago. From what I can see He is the first teacher of this kind of
religion. If this is so, how can this kind of religion be eternal?
Vaisnava dasa: As long as any souls ever existed, this kind of
Vaisnava philosophy existed also. The time when the individual
souls first came into existence cannot be calculated according to
material time. Actually, there never was a time when the
individual souls first came into existence. As the individual souls
are thus beginningless, so the Vaisnava religion is also
beginningless. Brahma was the first individual soul to take birth
in this universe. As soon as Brahma was manifested, the words of
the Vedas, which are the root of the Vaisnava religion, were also
manifested. This is recorded in the four essential verses of
Srimad-Bhagavatam (2.9.33-36). This is also described in these
words of Mundaka Upanisad (1.1.1):
"Brahma, who is the first demigod, the creator of the
universe, and the protector of the worlds, spoke knowledge of

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the Supreme, the first of all kinds of knowledge, to his eldest
son, Atharva."
This knowledge of the Supreme is also taught in these words
of the Rg Veda (1.22.20):
"The lotus feet of Lord Visnu are the supreme objective of all
the demigods. These lotus feet of the Lord are as enlightening as
the sun in the sky."
In the Svetasvatara Upanisad (5.4.) it is said:
"The glorious Supreme Personality of Godhead alone rules all
creatures."
In the Taittiriya Upanisad (2.1.2) it is said:
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead is real, eternal,
limitless, and all-knowing. One who understands the Supreme
Lord residing in his heart goes to the spiritual world. There He
associates with the all-knowing Supreme Lord. There all his
desires are fulfilled."
Nyayaratna: You say that the Rg Veda verse "tad visnoh
paraman padam" describes your kind of Vaisnava religion and
not the Vaisnava religion that follows the mayavada theory of
impersonalism. How can you claim that?
Vaisnava dasa: The Vaisnava religion that is a part of
impersonalism refuses to affirm that service to Lord Visnu is
eternal. That religion claims that by attaining spiritual
knowledge a person himself becomes the Supreme. However, in
the Katha Upanisad (1.2.23) it is said:
"The Supreme Lord is not attained by expert explanations, by
vast intelligence, nor even by much hearing. He is attained only
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by one who He Himself chooses. To such a person He manifests
His own form."
Service to the Lord and surrender to the Lord are the only
true religion. By following that religion one attains the Lord's
mercy, and only then is one able to see the Lord's eternal form.
By cultivating impersonal speculation one will not attain that
form of the Lord. By understanding these clear and unequivocal
words of the Vedas, one can see that the pure Vaisnava religion
has its roots in the Vedas. The Vaisnava religion that Sriman
Mahaprabhu taught is the same religion that is taught in the
Vedas. Of this there is no doubt.
Nyayaratna: Does any Vedic passage affirm this idea that the
worship of Krsna, and not impersonal knowledge, is the highest
attainment?
Vaisnava dasa: In the Taittiriya Upanisad (2.7.1) it is said:
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the reservoir of
transcendental mellows."
In the Chandogya Upanisad (8.13.1) it is said:
"To attain Lord Krsna, I surrender to Sri Radha. To attain Sri
Radha, I surrender to Lord Krsna."
I can quote many Vedic passages proving that devotional
service to Lord Krsna is the highest attainment.
Nyayaratna: Is the name "Krsna" found in the Vedas?
Vaisnava dasa: Is not the word "syama" a name of Lord
Krsna? In the Rg Veda (1.22.164) it is said:
"Then I saw a cowherd boy who will never die."

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 This is only one of the many Vedic passages that describe
Lord Krsna, the son of a gopa.
Nyayaratna: These are all strained and twisted interpretations
of the Vedic passages.
Vaisnava dasa: If one studies the Vedas thoroughly, he will
see that these are the right interpretations. We should
understand the Vedas according to the explanations given by the
ancient sages.
Nyayaratna: Now please narrate the history of the Vaisnava
religion.
Vaisnava dasa: I have already said that when the first
individual soul came into existence, the Vaisnava religion came
into existence with him. Therefore the demigod Brahma is the
first Vaisnava. Lord Siva is also a Vaisnava. The original
prajapatis are all Vaisnavas. Brahma's mind-born son Narada
Goswami is also a Vaisnava. Can you not see that the Vaisnava
religion was present at the moment the material universe was
created? The truth is that not everyone is beyond the influence of
the material modes. Whoever is genuinely free of the material
modes is a genuine Vaisnava. The Mahabharata, Ramayana, and
Puranas are all histories of the Vedic civilization. You have
already seen that the Vaisnava religion was present at the
moment the material universe was created. When the scriptures
describe the different demigods, human beings, and demons,
there are descriptions of Prahlada, Dhruva, and other Vaisnavas
from the very beginning. The Vedic histories have only recorded
the names of some of the most famous. There is no saying how
many hundreds of other great Vaisnavas there were at the time of
Prahlada and Dhruva. Dhruva, Manu's sons, and Prahlada are all
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grandsons of Prajapati Kasyapa. Therefore they lived at the very
beginning of the universe. Of this there is no doubt. In the Vedic
histories it is seen that the Vaisnava religion was present at the
very beginning of time. The kings of the Candra-vamsa and
Surya-vamsa, as well as the great munis and rsis, were all
sincerely devoted to Lord Visnu. These things are written in the
descriptions of the three yugas: Satya, Treta and Dvapara. In the
Kali-yuga Sri Ramanuja, Sri Madhvacarya and Sri Visnu Swami in
the south and Sri Nimbarka Swami in the west brought many
thousands to the pure Vaisnava religion. By there mercy perhaps
half the people of Bharata-varsa crossed the ocean of maya and
found shelter at the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord. In Bengal
you may see Lord Sacinandana, who is the master of our hearts.
How many fallen souls did He deliver? When you look at all
these great souls, you do not see the glory of the Vaisnava
religion!
Nyayaratna: Yes. But what kind of Vaisnavas are Prahlada and
the others? What do you say?
Vaisnava dasa: One must study the scriptures thoroughly.
Rejecting the impersonalist theory that Sanda and Amarka taught
him, Prahlada instead made the holy names of Lord Hari the be-
all-and-end-all of his life. Therefore Prahlada was a pure devotee.
Of this there is no doubt. The truth is that without careful and
impartial investigation, one cannot understand the true meaning
of the scriptures.
Nyayaratna: If this is true, that the Vaisnava religion existed
from time immemorial, then what new thing did Caitanya
Mahaprabhu teach, that He should be especially honored?

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 Vaisnava dasa: The Vaisnava religion is like a lotus flower. It
blossoms slowly. First it is a bud. Then it is partly blossomed.
Only slowly does it become like a fully-blossomed flower. At the
time of the demigod Brahma, the impersonalist theory, the
practice of devotional service, and the knowledge of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead as described in the four essential verses
of Srimad-Bhagavatam were new sprouts just beginning to grow
in the hearts of the living entities. At the time of Prahlada and
the others the sprout had grown to become a bud. That you can
see. At the time of Vyasa Muni that bud slowly opened, and at
the time of the great Vaisnava acaryas it became a flower. When
Sriman Mahaprabhu came to this world that flower of love
became fully blossomed and spread its sweet fragrance to
everyone. Sriman Mahaprabhu revealed the most confidential
secret of the Vaisnava religion: the pure love attained by
chanting the Lord's holy names. In this way he gave the greatest
good fortune to the living entities in the material world. The
chanting of the holy names of the Lord is such a valuable
treasure. Who else but Lord Caitanya revealed the truth of this?
Although this truth was certainly described in the scriptures, it
had not been revealed to the people in general. Ah, before Lord
Caitanya had the treasure house of the nectar of love of God even
been opened in this way?
Nyayaratna: Well, if the chanting of the holy names is so
sweet, why do the learned panditas not like it?
Vaisnava dasa: In Kali-yuga the word 'pandita' no longer
means what it once did. In the scriptures the word 'panda' is
defined as 'brilliant intelligence', and therefore a person who has
brilliant intelligence is called a 'pandita'. Nowadays anyone who

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can spout meaningless jargon from the nyaya-sastra or interpret
the Smrti-sastra in a way to please the people in general is called
a 'pandita'. Are such 'panditas' able to understand and or to teach
the truth of religion and the true meaning of the scriptures? Can
anyone attain through the meaningless jargon of the nyaya-sastra
the spiritual truth, which is to be attained by impartial and
careful study of all the scriptures? In truth only persons expert at
cheating themselves and others are called pandita in the Kali-
yuga. These so-called panditas carry on great stormy debates
over earthen pots and scraps of cloth. What is reality, what is the
relationship between the individual souls and the Supreme, what
the real spiritual need of all living entities, and how can that
need be fulfilled, these panditas will never have a stormy debate
to settle these things. Only when one understands the truths of
these things will one be able to know the answer to the question:
What is the value of the loving chanting of Lord Hari's holy
names?
Nyayaratna: Well, I'll certainly agree that there are hardly any
good panditas nowadays. Still, why is it that the great brahmanas
born in exalted families refuse to accept your Vaisnava religion?
The brahmana caste is in the mode of goodness. Brahmanas are
naturally on the right path and naturally attracted to the highest
religious principles. Why, then, are the brahmanas so ferociously
opposed to the Vaisnava religion?
Vaisnava dasa: Since you have asked this question, it is right
that I give the proper reply. Still, Vaisnavas do not like to
criticize others. Look, if you will not feel pain and anger in your
heart, and if you desire to know what is the real truth, I can
answer your question.

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 Nyayaratna: Do it. I have studied the scriptures. I am in favor
of peacefulness, self-control, and tolerance. Your words will not
be intolerable for me. Please speak straight. I accept what is good
and true.
Vaisnava dasa: Look, Sri Ramanuja, Madhava, Visnu Swami
and Nimbarka were all brahmanas. They had thousands and
thousands of brahmana disciples. In our Bengal our Mahaprabhu
was a vaidika brahmana. Our Nityananda Prabhu was a radhiya
brahmana. Our Advaita Prabhu was a rajendra brahmana. Our
Goswamis and mahantas were mostly brahmanas. Thousands
and thousands of great souls who were the tilaka markings of
great brahmana families took shelter of the Vaisnava religion and
preached the pure Vaisnava religion to the people of the world.
How can you say that exalted brahmanas do not honor the
Vaisnava religion? This we know: All the brahmanas who honor
the Vaisnava religion are all exalted brahmanas. Only because of
bad families, bad association, or bad education do some
brahmanas become enemies because their brahminical principles
are so great and exalted. They become enemies because they are
degraded and unfortunate. The scriptures declare that in Kali-
yuga the number of true brahmanas is very few. These few
brahmanas become Vaisnavas. When he accepts the Vaisnava
gayatri, which is the mother of all the Vedas, a brahmana
becomes an initiated Vaisnava. However, pushed by the faults of
Kali-yuga, such a brahmana may then accept another, a non-
Vedic initiation. In this way he loses his status as a Vaisnava.
Simply because you see they are few in number, please do not
come to the wrong conclusion about the Vaisnava brahmanas.

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 Nyayaratna: Why do many low-class people embrace the
Vaisnava religion?
Vaisnava dasa: There is no doubt of that. Many low-class
people are naturally very humble, and for this reason the
Vaisnavas consider them good candidates for their mercy. No
one can become a Vaisnava without first receiving the mercy of
the Vaisnavas. Persons who are intoxicated with pride of caste,
pride of wealth, or other kinds of pride cannot be humble. For
them it is very difficult to attain the mercy of the Vaisnavas.
Nyayaratna: I don't like to know any more about it. I can see
that eventually you will quote some hard words from the
scriptures. It gives my heart great pain to hear these words,
words like these of the Varaha Purana:
"In the Kali-yuga demons take birth in the families of the
brahmanas."
I don't like to talk about these things. Now please say why
you have no respect for our Sri Sankara Swami, who is a
shoreless ocean of spiritual knowledge?
Vaisnava dasa: Why do you say that? We say that Sri Sankara
Swami is an incarnation of Lord Siva Himself. Sriman
Mahaprabhu taught us to honor him with the title Acarya. The
only thing is we do not accept his mayavada philosophy. The
mayavada philosophy is not the religion taught in the Vedas.
Actually, it is covered Buddhism. In order to give the demons a
stable life, by the Supreme Lord's order the acarya distorted the
true meaning of the Vedas, Vedanta, and Bhagavad-gita, and
taught the Advaita-vada, the philosophy of an impersonal God. Is
the acarya at fault for that? Do people criticize him? Buddha was

233
an incarnation of the Supreme Lord. He preached a philosophy
opposed to the Vedas. Do the followers of the Vedas criticize
him? If someone says, "It is not good for the Supreme Lord and
the demigod Siva to act in that way", then I reply: Why not?
They are never cruel or unjust. The Supreme Personality of
Godhead, the protector of the universe, and His assistant Lord
Siva are both all-knowing and the givers of all good. They are
never cruel or unjust. Their actions have a deep purpose the
small individual souls have no power to understand. Therefore
They should not be criticized. Because they are not intelligent
enough to understand the purpose of the Lord, people may
criticize Him, saying "It is not good for the Supreme Lord to act
in this way. He should have acted in that way." Intelligent people
never talk like that. Why was the impersonalist philosophy
needed then to control the demonic people? Only the all-
powerful Lord knows. Why is there a need to create the various
life-forms and then destroy them at the end? We have not the
power to know. These are the pastimes of the Lord. Persons who
are devoted to the Lord feels bliss to hear of His pastimes. They
are not eager to say the Lord acted wrongly or to question the
virtue of the Lord's actions.
Nyayaratna: Good. But why do you say that the mayavada
philosophy is against the teachings of the Vedas and the
Vedanta-sutra?
Vaisnava dasa: If you carefully consider the Vedas and the
Vedanta-sutra, then please tell me which mantras and which
sutras support the mayavada conclusion? I will show the proper
interpretation of all those mantras and sutras. It may seem that
some Vedic mantras show a dim reflection of the mayavada

234
philosophy. However, when we look at what precedes and
follows those mantras, in a moment the mayavada interpretation
flees far away.
Nyayaratna: My brother, I never studied the Upanisads and
the Vedanta-sutra. I can discuss anything about the nyaya-sastra.
In that debate I can turn a clay pot into a piece of cloth and a
piece of cloth into a clay pot. I read a little of the Gita, but I did
not really enter into it. Here I must stop. Well, I would like to as
one more thing. You are a great pandita, so you can give a good
answer. Why do the Vaisnavas have faith only in the prasadam
remnants of Lord Visnu and not in the remnants of the demigods
and demigoddesses?
Vaisnava dasa: I am not a pandita. I am a great fool. If I can
speak nicely that is only because of the mercy of my
paramahamsa gurudeva. Everyone should know that. The ocean
of the scriptures has no shore. No one can study all the
scriptures. My gurudeva churned the ocean of the scriptures and
gave me the cream of their final conclusions. In know that what
he teaches is the final conclusion of all the scriptures. The
answer to your question is this: The Vaisnavas do not disrespect
the prasadam remnants of the demigods and demigoddesses. Sri
Krsna is the only Supreme God. The other demigods and
demigoddesses are His obedience devotees. The Vaisnavas
respect the prasadam remnants left by the devotees of the Lord.
They do not disrespect them. By accepting the prasadam
remnants left by the devotees, one attains pure devotion to the
Lord. The dust of the devotees' feet, the nectar water that has
washed the devotees' feet, and the nectar food that has touched
the devotees' lips, these three are all very wonderful and

235
delightful. They should certainly be accepted. Here is the truth:
If an impersonalist worships a demigod and offers food and other
things to him, the demigod will not accept the worship, the food,
or any other offering, because the person making the offering is
contaminated by the impersonalist philosophy. There is
abundant proof of that in the scriptures. If you like, I can quote.
The worshippers of the demigods are mostly impersonalists. The
demigod-prasadam they offer destroys devotional service and
creates an offense before Bhakti-devi, the goddess of devotion. If
a pure Vaisnava offers the prasadam tasted by Lord Krsna to a
demigod or a demigoddess, that demigod or demigoddess
happily accepts that prasadam and dances with joy. If a Vaisnava
then takes that prasadam, he becomes filled with happiness.
Look, the commands given by the scriptures are most important.
It is written in the yoga-sastra that a person practicing yoga
should not accept the prasadam of any demigod. This does not
mean that a person practicing yoga should disrespect the
prasadam remnants offered to the demigods. It merely means
that renouncing these remnants is helpful for yoga meditation. In
the same way, if a person is engaged in devotional service accepts
prasadam remnants offered to any but the Lord He worships, the
devotee cannot attain unalloyed devotion to his Lord. This does
not mean that he disrespects the prasadam remnants offered to
the demigods. Please know, then, that this is ordered by the
scriptures and it is meant only to attain a particular goal.
Nyayaratna: Good. I accept that answer. Why do you reject
the animal sacrifices prescribed in the scriptures?
Vaisnava dasa: The scriptures do not teach that one should
kill animals. The scriptures declare: "Don't do violence to any

236
creature." With these words the Vedas prohibit violence to
animals. As long as he is in the grip of the modes of passion and
ignorance, a man will yearn to associate with women, eat meat,
and drink liquor. He does not wait to hear the Vedas command
him before he does these things. The purpose of the Vedas is
this: As long as a man is not situated in the mode of goodness, a
man will not be able to renounce killing animals, drinking
liquor, and yearning for the touch of a woman. It is to curb these
propensities that the scriptures prescribe association with a
woman in marriage, killing animals in sacrifice, and drinking
liquor at certain ceremonies. In these ways a man's indulgence in
these things is curtailed, and at the end he becomes able to
renounce them completely. That is the purpose of the Vedas. The
Vedas do not really teach that one should kill animals. That is
described in these words of Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.5.11):
""In this material world the conditioned soul is always
inclined to sex, meat-eating, and intoxication. Therefore
religious scriptures never actually encourage these activities.
Although the scriptural injunctions provide for sex through
sacred marriage, for meat eating through sacrificial offerings, and
for intoxication through the acceptance of ritual cups of wine,
such ceremonies are meant for the ultimate purpose of
renunciation."
Therefore the Vaisnavas do not protest if men in the modes of
passion and ignorance kill animals in these circumstances.
However, men in the mode of goodness should not perform such
activities. To be violent to others is the way of the animals. Sri
Narada Muni describes the way of the animals in these words
(Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.13.47):

237
 "Those who are devoid of hands are prey for those who have
hands. Those devoid of legs are prey for the four-legged. The
weak are the sustenance of the strong, and the general rule holds
that one living being is food for another."
Manu also explains (Manu-samhita 5.56):
"Everyone in material life is attracted to furthering the way of
attachment (pravrtti-marga), but the greatest treasure is to be
gained by following the path of detachment (nivrtti-marga)."
Nyayaratna: Good. Why do the Vaisnavas object to
performance of sraddha and other rituals to repay the debts one
owes to his ancestors?
Vaisnava dasa: If men who follow the karma-kanda rituals of
the Vedas perform the sraddha ceremony, the Vaisnavas have no
objection. However, the scriptures do say this (Srimad-
Bhagavatam 11.5.51):
"Anyone who takes shelter of the lotus feet of Mukunda, the
giver of liberation, giving up all kinds of obligation, and has
taken to the path in all seriousness, owes neither duties nor
obligations to the demigods, sages, general living entities, family
members, humankind, or forefathers."
The conclusion, then, is that devotees who have surrendered
to the Lord do not need to perform karma-kanda sraddha
ceremonies to repay the debts they owe to their ancestors. They
worship the Lord, offer the Lord's prasadam to their ancestors,
and then honor that prasadam with their family. That is the
sraddha ritual they perform.
Nyayaratna: When is one qualified to act in that way?

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 Vaisnava dasa: On the day when one has faith in the
descriptions of Lord Hari and the holy name of Lord Hari one is
counted as a Vaisnava. This is described by the Supreme Lord
Himself in these words (Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.20.9):
"As long as one is not displeased by fruitive activity and as
long as one has no faith in hearing about Me, one has to follow
the rituals of the Vedas."
Nyayaratna: I am very pleased. When I see your scholarship
and sharp intelligence, I have faith in the Vaisnavas. I feel
happiness in my heart. Harihara, why should we argue with these
people? These people are very great scholars. They are very
expert in understanding the scriptures. Whatever we may say to
keep our business prosperous, Nimai Pandita is the greatest
philosopher and Vaisnava who ever took birth in the land of
Bengal. Of this there is no doubt. Now let us cross the Ganges.
The day is almost ended. Calling our "Haribol! Haribol!"
Nyayaratna and his companions departed. Singing "Jaya
Sacinandana!", the Vaisnavas danced.

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 Chapter Eleven

Eternal Religion and Byut-parasta or Deity

Worship
Nitya-dharma o byut parasta arthat pauttalikata

On the Ganges' western shore is the village of Pahara-pura.

That famous village is in the middle of Koladvipa, which is
within Navadvipa. At the time of Sriman Mahaprabhu an
especially respectable and influential man named Sri Madhava
dasa Cattopadhyaya (also known as Ca'kari Cattopadhyaya).
Ca'kari had a son named Srila Vamsivadanananda Thakura. By
Lord Mahaprabhu's mercy, Sri Vamsivadanananda became very
great and powerful. Thinking him an incarnation of Lord Krsna's
flute, everyone called him Prabhu Vamsivadanananda. It was
well known that Mother Visnupriya was especially merciful to
Prabhu Vamsivadanananda. After Mother Visnupriya
disappeared, Vamsivadanananda moved the Deity form of the
Lord from Sri Mayapura to Kuliya Pahara-pura. When his
descendants attained the mercy of Mother Sri Jahnavi and moved
to Sripat Baghanapara, the worship of the Deity of Lord
Mahaprabhu was continued by the pujaris living in Malanca in
Kuliya-grama.

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 The village of Kuliya-grama was situated across the Ganges
from the old city of Navadvipa. In the area of Kuliya were some
famous small hamlets, such as the one named Cinadanga. A
devotee merchant of Cinadanga once held a great spiritual
festival in the temple at Kuliya Paharapura. Many brahmana
panditas and all the Vaisnavas within thirty-two miles of
Navadvipa were invited to that festival. On the day of the festival
the Vaisnavas were coming from all directions. Sri Ananta dasa
and others came from Sri Nrsimha-palli. Sri Gauracandra Babaji
and others came from Sri Mayapura. Sri Narayana dasa Babaji
and others came from Sri Bilva-puskarini. Sri Narahari dasa and
others came from Sri Modadruma. The paramahamsa babaji,
Vaisnava dasa, and others came from Sri Godruma. Sri
Sacinandana dasa and others came from Sri Samudragar. The
tilaka mark of Lord Hari's temple was on their foreheads, tulasi
beads were around their necks, and all their limbs were
resplendent with the marks of Lord Gaura and Lord Nityananda.
In every hand were beads for chanting the holy names of Lord
Hari. Everyone loudly chanted:
Hare Krsna Hare Krsna
Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare

That was the mantra they sang. Some played the karatalas and
sang: "Glorious Lord Gaura dances in the sankirtana!" Again and
again some danced and sang:

sri krsna caitanya prabhu nityananda

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 sri advaita gadadhara srivasadi bhakta vrnda

Many tears fell from many eyes. Some limbs had hairs
standing erect in ecstasy. Some fervently called out, "O Gaura-
kisora! Will You eternal pastimes ever be seen by our eyes!"
Some Vaisnavas played mrdangas and repeatedly sang the holy
the holy names as they walked. The women from Kuliya who
were devotees of Lord Gaura became filled with wonder to see
the ecstatic love the Vaisnavas showed. Walking and walking,
the Vaisnavas finally came to the temple, which was now a
theater where there would be a play about Sriman Mahaprabhu.
A cloth around his neck, the host merchant fell at the Vaisnavas'
feet and spoke many humble words. Then the Vaisnavas took
their seats within the theater. The pujaris came and placed
prasadam flower-garlands around the Vaisnavas' necks. Then the
play Sri Caitanya-mangala began. As they heard the nectarean
pastimes of Lord Caitanya, the Vaisnavas manifested different
kinds of sattvika-bhava ecstasies. As everyone was thus plunged
in an ocean of transcendental bliss, one of the gatekeepers
approached the temple authorities and said that the head mullah
of Satsahaika Paragana had come, was now seated in the
courtyard with his associates, and wanted to talk with a Vaisnava
pandita. The temple authorities informed the assembled babaji
panditas. The nectar of the play was thus interrupted, the
Vaisnavas became unhappy. Sri Krsnadasa Babaji or
Madhyadvipa asked, "What is the mullah's intention?" Aware of
the mullah's intention, one the temple authorities said, "The
mullah wishes to talk with the Vaisnavas about the spiritual
truth." He also said that the mullah had no rival among the
Mohammedan scholars, he was very earnest about preaching his
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own religion everywhere, and he was not a fanatic who hated
other religions. Also, the emperor at Delhi greatly respected him.
The mullah also asked that only one or two Vaisnava panditas
engage in the conversation about scripture. He thought in that
way the pure Vaisnava religion would be defeated. Hearing that
an opportunity to preach the Vaisnava religion had now come,
the desire to talk with this mullah arose in the hearts of some of
the Vaisnavas. Talking among themselves, they decided that
Gauracandra dasa Pandita Babaji of Sri Mayapura, Sri Vaisnava
dasa Pandita Babaji of Sri Godruma, Prema dasa Babaji of Jahnu-
nagara, and Kali-pavana dasa Babaji of Campahatta would go and
talk with the mullah, and when the play Sri Caitanya-mangala
ended, everyone else would come and join them. Calling out,
"Jaya Nityananda!" the four babajis followed the mahanta to the
outer courtyard. The outer courtyard was very pleasant. It was
cool with the shade of a banyan tree. Seeing the Vaisnavas
coming, the mullah and his associates greeted them respectfully.
Fully aware that al souls are servants of Lord Krsna, the
Vaisnavas offered dandavat obeisances to Lord Vasudeva residing
in the hearts of the mullahs. Then the Vaisnavas took their seats.
It was a very beautiful sight. On one side were fifty white-
bearded Mohammedan scholars, nicely dressed and decorated.
Behind them some decorated horses were tethered. On the other
side were four humble and effulgent Vaisnavas. Behind them
were many Hindus who had come and taken their seats out of
curiosity. The pandita Gauracandra spoke first, "O noble ones,
for what purpose have you remembered us poor people?" The
saintly mullah Badaruddin Sahib humbly replied, "Salaam! Please
accept our respects. We have come to ask some questions. The
pandita Gauracandra replied, "As far as I am able, I shall answer
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your learned questions. Badaruddin Sahib stepped forward and
said, "Brothers, in Hindu society the worship of demigods and
demigoddesses has existed for many days. In our holy Koran I
see that Allah is one, not two. He has no form. To make an image
of Him and to worship it is a great offense. I asked many
brahmana panditas about this, and they said that although Allah
is indeed formless, the mind cannot meditate on a formless
thing, and therefore one should create an imaginary form of
Allah, and that form should receive our worship and meditation.
I am not able to accept these words very happily. Why not? To
create an imaginary form like that is the work of Satan. We call
that 'byut'. To worship 'byut' is completely forbidden. By that
worship one is pushed far away from pleasing Allah and one
becomes worthy of punishment by Him. We have heard that
your first preacher, Caitanyadeva took all the faults of the Hindu
religion. Still, He was in favor of this 'byut' worship, or worship
of a material thing. We want to know from the Vaisnavas is:
Why, after consulting the scriptures, have you not rejected this
'byut' worship?"
Hearing this question from the mullah, the Vaisnava panditas
smiled within their minds. Openly they said, "This saintly
pandita babaji will give the answer to you." Replying with, "As
you order", the pandita Gauracandra said, "He whom you call
Allah, we call Bhagavan. Both these words refer to the same
Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is called by different names
in the Koran, the Puranas, and in different countries and
languages. The name that best expresses all the qualities of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead should be accepted. That is
why we favor the name Bhagavan over Allah, Brahman,
Paramatma and all other names. The word Allah means 'He who
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has no superior'. We do not call superiority the best of the Lord's
qualities. We say that wonderfulness is the best of His qualities.
To be very big is certainly very wonderful. However, the
opposite, to be very small, is also very wonderful. Therefore the
name Allah does not reach to the highest limit of the Lord's
wonderful qualities. The word Bhagavan, however, refers to all
wonderful qualities human beings can know. It puts them all in
one word. The ultimate of greatness and the ultimate of
smallness are only one feature of Bhagavan. That He is the
master of all potencies is a second feature of Bhagavan. Whatever
a human being thinks is impossible, His inconceivable potency
can easily accomplish. It is by the power of His inconceivable
potency that He both has a form and does not have a form. If we
say that He does not have a form, then we deny His
inconceivable potency. By His inconceivable potency He has a
form and He enjoys pastimes with His devotees eternally. Allah,
Brahman and Paramatma are formless, therefore They do not
have these wonderful features. Bhagavan is all-auspicious and
all- famous. His pastimes are sweet like nectar. Bhagavan is
sublimely handsome. With spiritual eyes, the liberated souls gaze
on His handsomeness. Bhagavan has all knowledge. He is pure
and perfect. He is beyond the touch of matter. His form is
spiritual. He is beyond the material elements, or 'byut'. Although
He is the creator of the material world, Bhagavan is untouched
by matter. He is independent. The word Bhagavan means "He
who has six opulences'. Bhagavan has two features: 1. opulence
and 2. sweetness. The feature of sweetness is the best friend of
the spirit souls. He is the Lord of our hearts. He is Krsna or
Caitanya. Therefore if someone says that the word of an
imaginary form of Bhagavan is 'byut' worship, or worship of
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matter, that is not in opposition to our philosophy. The Vaisnava
religion teaches that one should worship the Lord's eternal form
(which is perfectly spiritual). According to the Vaisnava
philosophy this kind of worship of the Lord's form is not 'byut'
worship. If in any book it is said that this kind of worship is
'byut' worship and is forbidden, then that book has no authority
to forbid it. Everything depends on the faith within the heart. A
person whose heart is free from 'byut', who is beyond the
material world, can worship the pure spiritual form of the Lord.
You are Mullah Sahib. You are a great pandita. Your heart is
certainly free from the touch of matter. But are the hearts of your
neophyte disciples free from the thought of 'byut'? To whatever
extent a man is filled with thoughts of 'byut' to that extent his
worship of God is really worship of 'byut'. With his mouth he
says God is formless, and his mind is filled with thoughts of
'byut'. The people in general find it very hard to worship the
pure form of the Lord. Only a person who is specially qualified,
who is beyond the touch of matter, can rise above thinking of
'byut'. I request that you consider these points."
Mullah: I have considered these points, and I think that the
six wonderful qualities of Bhagavan you have described are also
ascribed to Allah in the holy Koran. There is no need to debate
the etymology of the word Allah is Bhagavan.
Gauracandra: Good. Then you accept that the Supreme Being
has opulence and handsomeness. Then it is accepted that he has
a handsome form in the spiritual world, which is a place
different from the material world. That form of the Lord is the
Deity we worship.

246
 Mullah: In our Koran it is also written that the Supreme has a
spiritual form that is greater than the greatest. We accept that.
However, when you make a statue of that spiritual form, that
statue is material. Therefore I say that it is 'byut'. Worship of
'byut' is not the same as worship of He who is greater than the
greatest. Please say what you think of this.
Gauracandra: In the Vaisnava scriptures it is said that one
should worship the pure and spiritual Deity form of the Lord.
Exalted devotees would not worship the Deity form of the Lord if
that form were made of earth or any other material element. In
Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.48.13) it is said:
"A human being who identifies this body made of three
elements with his self, who considers the by-products of this
body to be his kinsmen, who considers the Deity form of the
Lord to be made of earth or other material elements, who goes to
the place of pilgrimage simply to take a bath rather than to meet
men of transcendental knowledge there, is to be considered as an
ass or a cow."
In Bhagavad-gita (9.25) it is said:
"They who worship matter remain in the material world."
Therefore the conclusion of the scriptures is that worship of
matter is not allowed. That you can see. However, a certain point
should be explained. Human beings are situated on different
levels of knowledge and purity. A person situated in pure
spiritual knowledge is able to worship the pure spiritual form of
the Lord. Persons situated on lower levels of spiritual awareness
understand the Lord to a lesser degree, and they who are on the
lowest level cannot understand the Lord's spiritual nature at all.

247
When he meditates on God, a person on the lowest level
inevitably imagines that God has a material form with material
qualities. To think that the Deity form of the Lord is a statue
made of clay is the same as to meditate in the mind on a Supreme
that one imagines to have a form made of matter. Actually for
persons on that level of advancement, worship of the Deity form
of the Lord is very beneficial. In fact, if there were no deity
worship, the people in general would be in an inauspicious
condition. If an ordinary person eager to see God were not able
to see the Deity form of the Lord, then he would lose hope that
he would ever see the Lord. The followers of religions that forbid
Deity worship are on a low level of spiritual advancement. They
are materialistic and not interested in worshipping the Lord.
Therefore Deity worship is the foundation of religion. Pure and
wise saints gaze on the form of the Supreme Lord. Their hearts
purified by devotion, they know that the Deity form of the Lord
is pure spirit. As the heart becomes more and more purified by
devotion, the worshipper gradually comes to understand that the
Deity form of the Lord is a spiritual form reflected within the
realm of the material world. Thus the Deity form is the spiritual
form of the Lord, a form that the great saints have arranged to be
reflected within the material world. An advanced devotees can
directly perceive that the Deity form is perfectly spiritual. An
intermediate devotee thinks the Deity form is a mental image. At
first a neophyte devotee thinks the Deity is a statue made of
material elements, but as he gradually become pure in heart, he
also gradually comes to understand that the Deity is actually
made of spirit. Therefore the Deity form of the Lord should be
worshipped by all classes of devotees. To worship an imaginary
form is forbidden. However, to worship the real eternal form of
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the Lord is very auspicious. Therefore the worship of the Deity of
the Lord is established for all three classes of Vaisnavas. There is
nothing wrong in it. On the contrary, it brings the greatest
auspiciousness. In Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.14.26) the Supreme
Lord Himself declares:
"When a person purifies his heart by hearing and singing
pure songs describing Me, he gradually becomes able to see
spirit. He becomes like a person whose eyesight is restored by
medicinal ointment."
In the material world the mind tends to be filled with
material thoughts. In that condition the soul is not able to
understand his true spiritual identity and he is also not able to
serve the Supreme Lord, who resides in his heart as the
Supersoul. By hearing and chanting the Lord's glories and by
performing other kinds of devotional service, the soul gradually
becomes powerful. Then the bonds of matter that hold him
become slackened. As the bondage of matter becomes slackened,
the soul becomes stronger, and in the course of time the soul
becomes exalted. He can directly see spirit, and he can act on the
spiritual platform. Some say that one should far away all that has
no relation to the Lord and one should act only to attain Him.
However, one cannot become spiritual strong merely by dry
knowledge. How can a conditioned soul get the power to
suddenly renounce all that has no direct relation to the Lord?
Can a prisoner in jail release himself simply by wishing to be
free? The soul imprisoned in the material world has committed
an offense to the Supreme Lord. He must find a way to lessen
that offense. The spirit soul is by nature an eternal servant of
Lord Krsna. The root of the soul's offense is that he has forgotten

249
that. Therefore, somehow or other he should turn his mind to
think of the Lord. By gazing at the Deity form of the Lord,
hearing the description of the Lord's pastimes, and other
devotional activities, the soul gradually revives his original
spiritual nature. The more the soul's original nature is revived,
the more the soul can see spirit directly. Serving the Deity of the
Lord, and hearing and chanting the Lord's glories are the only
way for the neophyte devotee to make spiritual advancement.
For this reason the great saints have established Deity worship in
this world.
Mullah: Is it not better to meditate on an imaginary within
the mind than to make an imaginary Deity form out of the
material elements?
Gauracandra: They are the same. When the mind is material,
it thinks only of material things. You may say, Brahman, the
Supreme, is all-pervading". Still, the material mind will think
Brahman is like the material element ether, which is also all-
pervading. However, if I continue to meditate on Brahman in
that way, in the course of time the real truth about Brahman will
be manifested in my heart. Time and space are material. If the
mind's meditation is not beyond time and space, then how can
the mind meditate on something that is beyond the material
world. Rejecting the Deity form as something made of earth,
water, or other material elements, you meditate on an imaginary
form of the Lord, a form made of time and space. That is worship
of a material form of the Lord, a graven image of the Lord. A
material so-called form of the Lord is not needed. The Lord is
not material. His is spiritual. That is His nature. Therefore a
process is given to the conditioned souls by which they can

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approach the spiritual Supreme Lord. By chanting the Lord's
holy names, by narrating His pastimes, and by worshipping His
Deity form, one gradually becomes more and more devoted to
the Lord. When the worshipper attains pure devotion, he can see
the spiritual form of the Supreme Lord. Philosophical
speculation and fruitive work will not help one to see the Lord.
Mullah: The Supreme Lord is different from matter. It is said
that Satan introduced the worship of material things in order to
trap the souls in the material world. Therefore I think it is not
good to worship material things.
Gauracandra: The Supreme Personality of Godhead is one
without a rival. No one can possible compete with Him.
Everything in this material world was created by Him and is
dependent on Him. The Supreme Lord may be worshipped in
many different ways. He is pleased by all these different kinds of
worship. It is not that He will become an enemy if someone
worships Him in a particular way. He is all-auspicious. If you say
that Satan does something, then I say that Satan does not have
the power to do anything against the Supreme Lord's will. If
Satan exists, then he must be an individual soul dependent on
the Supreme Lord. however, I think that this Satan does not
exist. Why not? Because in this material world nothing can ever
be done to thwart the Supreme Lord's will. There is not a single
individual soul who is not dependent on the Supreme Lord. You
may ask, 'What is the origin of sin?' I reply: The individual soul
is by nature a servant of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Awareness of this fact is knowledge. To forget this fact is
ignorance. If an individual spirit soul forgets this fact, then he
sows the seed of sins in the field of his heart. A person who

251
always remains a liberated associate of the Lord does not plant
the seed of sin in his heart. Instead of imagining this
mythological Satan, one should honestly see the ignorance in his
own heart. Therefore, even if one worships the Supreme Lord as
present in the material elements, he commits no offense.
Therefore Deity worship is necessary for the neophyte devotee
and the source of great auspiciousness for the advanced devotee.
Therefore the idea that Deity worship is not good is only a theory
of some thinkers. It is not at all supported by the pure scriptures.
Mullah: Deity worship is not good for attaining love of God.
It simply fills the mind with many material ideas.
Gauracandra: By studying the ancient history books we can
see that your conclusion is wrong. Many neophyte devotees
begin their spiritual life by worshipping the Deity form of the
Lord. As they continue the Deity worship in the association of
the devotees, they gradually become advanced, and then they can
directly see that the Deity is the spiritual form of the Supreme
Lord Himself. Then they become plunged in a great ocean of
spiritual love for the Lord. This is the undeniable truth:
Association with the devotees of the Lord is the root of all that is
good. By associating with spiritually advanced devotees of the
Lord, one gradually attains spiritual love for the Lord. When one
attains spiritual love for the Lord, the idea that the Deity form is
material perishes. As one gradually becomes advanced, he attains
great good fortune. Non Aryan religions are generally opposed to
deity worship. But look! How many followers of those religions
have attained spiritual love for the Lord? They simply spend
their time arguing with each other and hating each other. How
can they understand loving devotion to the Lord?

252
 Mullah: If one has love for the Lord, then there is no fault in
His worshipping the Deity. However, how can the worship of a
dog, a cat, a snake, a debauchee, or some other kind of being be
worship of the Supreme Lord? The honorable prophet has
specifically forbidden worship of 'byut'.
Gauracandra: The people in general are grateful to God.
Whether they sin or not, they have faith in the supremacy of
God, and they bow down before the wonders that are displayed
in this world. Prompted by their gratitude to God, the ignorant
aborigines bow down before the sun, the river, the mountain, or
anything that is very big and grand. They offer themselves to
these things and they reveal their hearts to them. Although there
is certainly a great difference between spiritual love for the Lord
and the worship of material things, the bewildered people who
show their gratitude to God by bowing down before these
material things gradually attain a good result. Therefore it you
see with the eye of reason, you will not blame them for
worshipping material things. If one meditates on a formless all-
pervading God, or if without any spiritual love one offers namaz
prayers or other prayers, then how is that different from
worshipping a cat? It is our idea that one should do whatever is
necessary to arouse one's love for God. If those neophytes are
mocked or attacked, then the path of gradual spiritual
advancement will be blocked. Dogmatic people refuse to honor
the followers of other religions. They mock and attack others
who do not worship in the same way they do. They make a great
mistake.
Mullah: Should it then be said that everything is God, and the
worship of anything is the worship of God? Is the worship of

253
sins worship of God? Is the worship of sinful desires worship of
God? Is God pleased by any kind of worship?
Gauracandra: We do not say that everything is God. Rather,
God is different from all else. Everything is created by God and
dependent on Him. Everything has a relationship with God. By
following the thread of that relationship, any thing may lead one
to become curious about God. Therefore the sutra says:
"Curiosity pushes one to tastes things." Therefore this kind of
curiosity gradually pushes one to try to experience what is spirit.
You are all great panditas. If you are merciful and generous, you
will understand what is the truth of this. We are only poor
Vaisnavas. We do not like to enter into debates. If you give
permission, we will now hear the musical play Sri Caitanya-
mangala.
No one could understand what conclusion the mullah came
to by hearing these arguments. After a short silence he said, "I
am glad to hear your arguments. I will come on another day and
ask about something else. Now it is late. We wish to return to
our homes. After speaking these words, the mullah sahib and his
followers mounted their horses and left for Satasaika Paragana.
The babajis happily called out the holy names of Lord Hari, and
entered the temple to hear the play Sri Caitanya-mangala.

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 Chapter Twelve

Eternal Religion and Devotional Service in

Practice
Nitya-dharma o sadhana

Sri Navadvipa-mandala is the best of all holy places in the

world. It is a thirty-two mile eight petal lotus flower. The whorl
of that lotus flower is Sri Antardvipa. In the center of Antardvipa
is Sri Mayapura. To the north of Sri Mayapura is Sri
Simantadvipa. In Simantadvipa is a temple of Sri Sinmanta-devi.
To the north of that temple is Bilva-puskarini, and to the south is
Brahmana-puskarini. The region that contains Bilva-puskarini
and the Brahmana-puskarini is called Sumuliya by the people in
general. Therefore the village of Sumuliya-grama is in the
northern part of Sri Navadvipa. At the time of Sri Mahaprabhu
this place was the home of many, many panditas. This village
was the home of Saci-devi's father, Sri Nilambara Cakravarti. Not
far from his house lived a vaidika brahmana named Vrajanatha
Bhattacarya. By studying in a school at Bilva-puskarini, in a few
days he had attained great learning in nyaya-sastra, learning that
was like a shoreless ocean. All the famous panditas of Bilva-
puskarini, Brahmana-puskarini, Mayapura, Godruma,
Madhyadvipa, Amraghatta, Samudragar, Kuliya and many other
places also were embarrassed and frustrated by Vrajanatha's skill
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in newer and newer logical arguments. In the assemblies where
the panditas were invited, Vrajanatha Pancanana became like a
lion attacking a herd of elephants. Raising newer and newer
arguments, he made the panditas burn with anger. Of these
panditas a very hard-hearted logician decided to kill Pancanana
by casting a spell from the Tantras. Day after day he stayed in the
cremation ground of Rudradvipa and chanted mantras to kill his
foe.
It was a frightening new-moon night. Blinding darkness filled
every direction. At midnight in the cremation ground Naiyika-
cudamani called out to his worshipable deity, "O mother only
you should be worshipped in the Kali-yuga! I have heard that
you are very easily pleased by even a little chanting of your
mantras and you easily grant boons. O mother with the terrifying
face, your servant has performed great austerities and chanted
your mantra for many days. Please be merciful this one time. O
mother, I have many faults. Still, you are my mother. Please
forgive my faults and appear before me. Again and again
screaming, Tarka-cudamani offered oblations into the fire and
chanted a mantra with Nyaya-pancanana's name. What
wonderful power did that mantra possess! At that moment the
sky became covered with clouds. A powerful wind blew. A
deafening thunder sounded. Again and again there was lightning.
Many grotesque ghosts could be seen. Intoxicated by drinking
the sacrificial wine, Cudamani called out, "O mother, please
don't delay!" At that moment a voice spoke from the sky. "Do
not worry. Nyaya-pancanana will not continue as a logician for
many more days. In a few days he will renounce logical debates.
Then he will become silent. He will be your opponent no longer.
Be peaceful and go home." Hearing this voice from the sky,
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Cudamani became happy. Again and again he offered dandavat
obeisances to Lord Siva, the author of the Tantras. Then he
returned home.
Vrajanatha Pancanana became a dig-vijayi pandita when he
was only twenty one years old. Day and night he studied the
books of Gangesopadhyaya. Seeing many faults in Kanabhatta
Siromani's commentary, he wrote his own. He never thought
about material affairs. Neither would he turn his ear to spiritual
life. His whole life was logic, filled with phrases like "ghata, pata
and avaccheda, vyavaccheda". Even when he was resting,
sleeping, eating or walking about, his heart was rapt in logic,
thinking about the nature of time, reality, solids, liquids and a
host of other things. One day at sunrise at the Ganges' shore, as
he was analyzing the sixteen categories enunciated by Gautama
Muni, a new nyaya student asked, "O saintly Nyaya-pancanana,
have you heard Nimai Pandita's analysis of the atomic theory?"
Nyaya-pancanana roared like a lion, "Who is Nimai Pandita? Do
you speak of Jagannatha Misra's son? What was His argument?
Please tell me." The new student said that some days before in
Navadvipa there was a great person named Nimai Pandita. He
was very expert in considering many different arguments of the
nyaya-sastra. He thoroughly embarrassed and defeated
Kanabhatta Siromani. Nimai Pandita had traveled to the father
shore of the ocean of the nyaya-sastras. Even though He was so
learned, in the end He considered the nyaya-sastras to be
insignificant. He came to consider all material knowledge
unimportant. He became a sannyasi and traveled from place to
place preaching the chanting of Lord Hari's holy names. The
Vaisnavas say He was the Supreme Personality of Godhead
Himself, and they worship Him by chanting the "Gaura-Hari"
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mantra. O saintly Nyaya-pancanana, please take a look at His
logical arguments." After hearing this praise of Nimai Pandita's
logical arguments, Pancanana began to collect some of those
famous arguments. It is the nature of a man that when he is very
interested in a certain subject, he will honor the great teachers of
that subject. Also. people tend not to honor great men while they
are alive, but only after they are dead. Thus,, after studying
Nimai Pandita's logical arguments, Nyaya-pancanana held Him
in great esteem. He would say, "O Nimai Pandita, if only I had
been born during Your time! Then I could have been Your
student! Then I could have attained great learning! O Nimai
Pandita, please just once enter my heart! You are in truth the
Supreme Brahman. If this were not so, then how could these
wonderful logical arguments have entered Your intelligence? You
are in truth Lord Hari with a fair complexion. How can this not
be? You created the most wonderful logical arguments. You
destroyed the blinding darkness of ignorance. Now is especially
the time of blinding ignorance. You are fair and effulgent. You
throw the darkness of ignorance far away. You are Lord Hari
Himself. How can this not be? You enchanted the minds of the
entire world. With Your logical arguments You have certainly
enchanted my mind." Again and again speaking words like these,
Vrajanatha became like a madman. He called out, "O Nimai
Pandita! O Gaura-Hari! Please be merciful to me!" He called out,
"When will I be able to make logical arguments like Yours?
Please be merciful to me, so I can become a most powerful
scholar of the nyaya-sastra!"
Vrajanatha thought, "The worshippers of Gaura-Hari must be
attracted to Him as I am, because of His great skill in logic. I
must see if they have any books about logic written by Him.
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Thinking in this way, Vrajanatha decided to associate with the
devotees of Lord Gauranga.
Thus Vrajanatha again and again loudly chanted "Nimai
Pandita! Gaura-Hari!" and many other holy names of the Lord.
He also desired to associate with the devotees of Lord Gaura.
These two acts brought him great spiritual merit just on the
verge of bearing fruit. One day, as he was taking his meal, he
asked his paternal grandmother, "O saintly grandmother, did
you ever see Gaura-Hari? When she heard the name of Lord
Gauranga, Vrajanatha's grandmother began to think of her
childhood. She said, "Ah, will the charming form of Gauranga
ever again come before my eyes? Who can remain a materialists
after seeing Him? When He chanted the holy names of Lord
Hari, even the animals, birds, trees and vines all became stunned,
overcome with spiritual love. When I think of Him, tears from
my eyes stream over my chest." Vrajanatha asked, "O saintly
grandmother, do you know any stories about Him?" The
grandmother replied, "Yes. When He came to His maternal
uncle's house with Mother Saci, the elderly women of our family
serve Him the vegetable saka. Praising the saka, He happily ate it.
O Vrajanatha, when His mother brought the plate of saka, he
said, "Saka is the favorite of the logician Nimai Pandita", and he
ate it with great relish. No one can describe how much
Vrajanatha, who was completely uninterested in spiritual life,
became attached to Nimai Pandita because of Nimai's great
learning in logic. He took a fancy to Nimai. When he heard
Nimai's name he became happy. When he gave alms to a beggar,
he always said "Jaya Sacinandana!" he would visit the pandita
babajis of Sri Mayapura, listen to them chant the holy names of
Lord Gauranga, and ask them many questions about the Lord's
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victories in learned debate. In this way two or four months
passed. Vrajanatha was now a changed man. Previously it was
only the descriptions of Nimai's learning in logic that pleased
him. Now any talk about Nimai pleased him. Now he was no
longer interested in logic. The logician Nimai no longer lived in
his heart. Now it was the devotee Nimai who lived there. When
he heard the sounds of khola and karatalas, his heart danced.
When he saw the pure devotees, he bowed down before them in
his mind. Declaring that it was the birthplace of Lord Gauranga,
he worshipped the land of Navadvipa. Vrajanatha was now polite
and gentle. His opponents in the debating arena could see that
his heart had become calm and cool. No longer was he eager to
shower them with arrows of logical arguments. Nyaya-cudamani
thought his worshipable deity had made Vrajanatha powerless.
Now he felt safe.
One day, in a secluded place, Vrajanatha said to himself, "If
Nimai could abandon the path of logic and turn to the path of
devotion, then what is the harm we do the same? When I was
obsessed with logic, I could not hear the name of Nimai with
attention and devotion. Then the nyaya-sastra had me in its grip.
Then I ignored eating, sleeping, and everything else. Now I look
at the world with different eyes. The arguments of the nyaya-
sastra no longer enters my mind. Now only the name Gauranga
enters my minds. Now when I see the Vaisnavas dancing I think
how beautiful the dancing is. But I am born in an exalted vaidika
brahmana dynasty. My dynasty is honored in society. The
Vaisnavas are very respectable people. Still, it is not good that I
join them. I worship Lord Gaura only within my thoughts. That
is the only proper way for me to act. There are many Vaisnavas at
Sri Mayapura, at the place where the Kazi broke the drums and at
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the place where there are many sannyasis. When I see how their
faces are effulgent, I become happy at heart. Among them Sri
Raghunatha dasa babaji greatly attracts my mind. I think I
should study the bhakti-sastras under his guidance. In the Vedas
it is said (Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad 4.5.6):
"One should always gaze upon, hear about, think of, and
meditate on the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
Although the word "mantavyah" (one should think about
Him) here certainly refers to the nyaya-sastras, where by logical
analysis one gradually attains knowledge of the Supreme, I have
already spent a long time studying logic. Now I think it is right
for me to do a little more "srotavyah" (hearing about the
Supreme). For a long time logic was my life and soul. Now I
desire to take shelter of Lord Gaura-Hari's feet. A little after
sunset I will go to see Sri Raghunatha dasa babaji. I think that is
the best thing to do."
The day was ended. The sun was almost invisible. A very
gentle breeze blew from the south. In every direction the birds
had gone to their nests. One by one the stars were visible in the
sky. At that time the Vaisnavas had begun the arati and kirtana
in the courtyard of Srivasa's home in Sri Mayapura. Vrajanatha
then slowly entered and sat down under the bakula tree in the
place in Srivasa's courtyard where the khola was broken. As he
listened to the chanting in the arati of Lord Gaura-Hari, his heart
became softened. When the kirtana ended, one by one the
Vaisnavas came and sat under the bakula tree also. When,
proclaiming "Jaya Sacinandana!, Jaya Rupa-Sanatana! and Jaya
Dasa Goswami!", elderly Raghunatha dasa Babaji Mahasaya also
entered the courtyard, all the elder Vaisnavas greeted him with
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dandavat obeisances. In that situation Vrajanatha could not
avoid also bowing down before him. Seeing the effulgence of
Vrajanatha's face, the elderly babaji embraced him and sat down
beside him. He asked, "Baba, who are you?" Vrajanatha replied,
"I am a person who thirsts for the truth. I have decided to learn
the truth from you. A Vaisnava sitting nearby knew who
Vrajanatha was. He said, "He is Vrajanatha Nyaya-pancanana. In
understanding nyaya-sastra no pandita in Sri Navadvipa is his
equal. Nowadays he has attained a little faith in Lord
Sacinandana. Thus hearing the glories of Vrajanatha, the elderly
babaji politely said, "Baba, you are a pandita, and we are poor
fools. You reside in the holy abode of our Lord Sacinandana. It is
you who should be merciful to us. How can we teach you? It is
you who should mercifully tell us about Lord Gauranga, and
thus makes us cool and peaceful." As the two of them conversed,
all the Vaisnavas gradually left to fulfill their various duties. Only
the old babaji and Vrajanatha remained.
Vrajanatha said, "O saintly babaji, I was born as a brahmana.
Therefore I am very proud of my learning. I am so proud that I
see the entire world as my possession. I do not know that I
should honor saintly persons. How did I become fortunate, that I
now have some faith in your saintly character and actions? How
can I know that? I wish to ask one or two questions. Please
answer them. I do not come to mock or trick you. Please tell me:
What is the true goal of life and how may the spirit soul attain it?
When I studied nyaya-sastra I came to the firm conclusion that
the Supreme Lord and the individual spirit soul are different
eternally. It is only by the mercy of the Supreme Lord that the
individual spirit soul can attain liberation. The Supreme Lord's
mercy is then the means by which one attains liberation. By that
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means, then, one attains the goal of life. Many times I asked the
nyaya-sastra., 'What is the true goal of life and how may the
spirit soul attain it?', but the nyaya-sastra gave me no answers. I
was always thwarted. Please tell me your idea of what is the goal
of life and the way to attain it."
Sri Raghunatha dasa babaji was very wise. For many days he
had lived at Radha-kunda, where he took shelter of Sri
Raghunatha dasa Goswami's feet. There he spent every afternoon
listening to Lord Gaura's pastimes from Sri Raghunatha dasa
Goswami's own mouth. Many times Sri Raghunatha dasa Babaji
and Sri Krsnadasa Kaviraja would discuss the spiritual truth, and
if any doubt arose among them, they would ask Sri Raghunatha
dasa Goswami to give the answer. At that time Sri Raghunatha
dasa Babaji was the most prominent of the pandita babajis. Many
times he and Prema dasa, the paramahamsa babaji of Sri
Godruma, would discuss the nature of pure spiritual love for the
Lord. Happy to hear Vrajanatha's question, he replied, "O saintly
Nyaya-pancanana, a person who after studying the nyaya-sastra
is eager to understand the true goal of life and the way to attain it
is very fortunate in this world. Why should he not be considered
fortunate? Nyaya-sastra is an attempt to understand what is the
most important thing. Scholars who understand that grasp the
truth of the nyaya-sastra. However, they who study nyaya-sastra
only to attain skill in debate do not repeat the true fruit of nyaya.
Their labor is all for nothing. Their lives are wasted. What is
attained when one follows the path that leads to the truth is
called the true goal of life. The method one adopts to attain that
goal is the way of attaining the true goal of life. According to
their different qualifications, the individual souls trapped in the
material world have differing conceptions of what is the true goal
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of life. Still, the true goal of life is only one. It is not two.
According to their different qualifications, the spirit souls
proclaim three different goals of life. They are: 1. bhukti
(material sense gratification), 2. mukti (impersonal liberation),
and 3. bhakti (devotional service). They who yearn for material
pleasures and are bound by ropes of material karma affix that
bhukti is the true goal of life. The scriptures are a kamadhenu
cow that fulfills all desires. Whatever one desires, there is a
description somewhere in the scriptures of how to attain it. For
they who desire material pleasures, the scriptures give the
karma-kanda section of the Vedas. The residents of the material
world generally yearn for material pleasures, so the scriptures
gives certain specific instructions to them. They who have
material bodies generally think sense pleasures are the best and
most important attainment. The material world is, after all, the
abode of material sense pleasures. The material sense pleasures
the soul attains from the time of birth until the time of death are
called 'pleasures this world', and the material sense pleasures one
may attain after dying are called 'pleasures of the next world'.
There are many different kinds of pleasure in the next world. In
Svargaloka and Indraloka there are the pleasures of seeing the
apsaras' dancing, the pleasure of drinking heavenly nectar,
smelling the flowers and other scented objects in the Nandana
gardens, seeing the beauty of Indrapuri and the Nandana
gardens, hearing the singing of the gandharvas and others, and
living with the Vidyadharis are all pleasures attainable in
Svargaloka. To a lesser degree these same kinds of material sense
pleasure are also available in Tapoloka and Maharloka. In
Bhuloka (the earth) the material sense pleasures are gross. As
one goes to higher and higher planets, the sense pleasures
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become more and more subtle. In this way they are different.
Still, they are all material sense pleasure. It is not that any of
them are not material sense pleasures. None of these planets are
spiritual. The subtle body of mind, intelligence and false ego is a
perverted reflection of spirit. In the higher planets the pleasures
are pleasures of the subtle body. All these different kinds of
material pleasures are called 'bhukti'. The conditioned souls
trapped in the circle of karma take shelter of karmic activities in
order to attain material sense pleasures. That is called their
'sadhana', the means they adopt to attain what they see is the
true goal of life. In the Yajur Veda (2.5.5.) it is said:
"One who desires to attain Svargaloka should perform the
asvamedha-yajna."
Thus the asvamedha-yajna, agnistoma-yajna, visvadeva-bali,
istapurta, and darsa-paurnamasi are some of the ways the
scriptures give for the conditioned soul to attain material sense
pleasures. In this way the materialists say that material sense
pleasure is the true goal of life. Then there are other persons
who, tortured by the flames of trouble that must accompany life
in the material world, know that the fourteen material worlds
filled with sense pleasures are all unimportant and unworthy
places, and therefore yearn to escape the circle of karmic
reactions. These persons think that liberation is the true goal of
life. They think that material sense pleasures are the ropes that
bind them to the material world. Therefore they say, 'Let they
whose desire for material pleasures has not been destroyed
follow the karma-kanda's prescription for attaining sense
pleasures. Nevertheless in the Bhagavad-gita (9.21) it is said:
ksine punye martya-lokam visanti (When they have thus enjoyed

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heavenly sense pleasure, they return to this mortal planet again.
Thus, through the Vedic principles, they achieve only flickering
happiness). In this sloka it is seen that material sense pleasure is
not eternal. At a certain point it certainly wanes and perishes. It
must perish. It is material. It is not spiritual. One should
therefore strive to attain a result that is eternal. Liberation is
eternal. Therefore liberation is the true goal of life for all spirit
souls. The fourteen practices that begin with renunciation are the
way to attain it. Therefore they are the way of attaining the true
goal of life. Therefore to understand the true goal, of life and the
way to attain, one should study the jnana-kanda portion of the
Vedas'. The scriptures are like a kamadhenu cow in that the
scriptures give different attainments to different living entities
according to their different qualification. Even if a spirit soul
attains impersonal liberation, that liberation is not the final goal
of life. The highest stage of impersonal liberation is called
'nirvana', where the individual souls imagine that they cease to
exist. However, the spirit souls exist eternally. That is their
nature. Therefore this imaginary 'nirvana' never actually occurs.
That the individual spirit souls are eternal is confirmed by these
words of Svetasvatara Upanisad (6.13):
'The Supreme Lord is eternal and the living beings are eternal.
The Supreme Lord is cognizant and the living beings are
cognizant.'
In this way the Vedic mantras affirm that the individual spirit
soul exists eternally. It is not possible for something that exists
eternally to ever cease to exist. They who affirm that the
individual spirit soul continues to exist even after liberation also
affirm that neither 'bhukti' (material sense pleasures) nor 'mukti'

266
(liberation) are the final, highest goal of life. These are lesser
goals. All activities are in relation to a particular goal and a
method of attaining that goal. The goal is called 'sadhya', and the
means by which one attains it is called 'sadhana'. Think of it in
this way: goals and ways of attaining them are like links in a
chain. What at first is considered a goal, later becomes a means
and something else is the goal. In this way goals and means are
like links in a chain, with each goal being eventually hanged into
a means for attaining a new goal. Continuing in this way there is
one final goal that does not become the means of attaining
another goal. That final goal is 'bhakti' (devotional service).
Therefore devotional service is the final goal, because devotional
service is the eternal nature of the individual spirit souls. The
activities of human beings are all various links in this chain of
goals and means. The different kinds of karmic activities are
different links in this chain. Following them, the different kinds
of philosophical speculation (jnana) are also links in this chain.
After the links that are philosophical speculation, come to the
link 'bhakti' (devotional service). The goal of fruitive activities
(karma) is material sense pleasure (bhukti). The goal of
philosophical speculation (jnana) is impersonal liberation
(mukti). The goal of devotional service (bhakti) is pure love of
God (prema-bhakti). The final conclusion, then, is that bhakti is
the final means, and the goal attained by bhakti is bhakti.
Fruitive work (karma) and philosophical speculation (jnana) are
then only the primary and intermediate links in the chain of
means of goals. They are not the goal."
Vrajanatha: It is said in the scriptures (Brhad-aranyaka
Upanisad 4.5.25 and 2.4.24): "Who is the seer and who the
seen?" It is also said (Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad 1.4.10): "I am
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Brahman." It is also said (Aitareya Upanisad 1.5.3): "Brahman is
spiritual truth." It is also said (Chandogya Upanisad 6.8.70): "O
Svetaketu, you are that."
In these and many other passages of scripture it is not at all
seen that devotional service is the final goal. Therefore, how can
it be wrong to say that impersonal liberation is the final goal?
Babaji: I have already said that the goals are different
according to the different desires of the living entities. They who
yearn after material sense pleasures do not accept liberation as
the final goal. To these persons the scriptures advise (Apastamba
Srauta-sutra 2.1.1):
"They who perform the caturmasya-yajnas attain
immortality."
There are also many other passages like this. Baba, is the
word 'mukti' (liberation) of any use at all? The fruitive workers
(karmis) do not aspire for it. They ask, "Why is the word 'mukti'
(liberation) never mentioned in the mantras of the four Vedas?"
One or two karmi philosophers claim that renunciation is only
meant for the incompetent, and they are competent should be
engaged in fruitive work (karma). These instructions are written
in the scriptures so that persons situated in the lowest level of
spiritual qualification may be steady in their duties. It is not
auspicious for the living entities to shirk the duties that fit their
spiritual qualification. When a person is steady in the duties for
which he is qualified, he easily becomes qualified for the next
level of duties. Therefore the Vedas do not criticize being steady
in one's duties. Rather, one who criticizes the performance of
duties himself falls down. The souls in this world who have
become advanced in spiritual life have all reaped the good results
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of being steady in their duties. The impersonal path, where one
employs philosophical speculation (jnana) to attain liberation, is
not revealed to persons qualified only for fruitive work (karma).
The impersonal path, where one employs philosophical
speculation (jnana) to attain liberation, is not praised in the
presence of persons qualified only for fruitive work. The Vedic
mantras praise it only in the presence of persons qualified to
follow the impersonal path. As the impersonal path is superior to
the path of fruitive work, so the path of devotional service is
superior to the impersonal path. By speaking words like "tat
tvam asi" (You are that) and "aham brahmasmi" (I am Brahman),
the Vedic mantras make the impersonalist steady in his duty of
acting to attain liberation. The Vedas are not to be blamed for
doing that. Still, the impersonal liberation described there is not
the ultimate stage. The final conclusion of the Vedic mantras is
that the final goal is love of God and that goal is attained by
performing devotional service.
Vrajanatha: Is it possible that great maha-vakyas of the Vedas
have describe only secondary goals and means?
Babaji: You may call some mantras maha-vakyas, but the
Vedas themselves do not distinguish any particular mantras as
better than the others. In order to claim that their doctrine is
superior, the impersonalist teachers have labeled some mantras
maha-vakya, and all other Vedic mantras are subordinate to it. If
one wishes to call all the statements of the Vedas maha-vakyas,
there is nothing wrong in that. However, if one wishes to label
one particular mantra the maha-vakya, and all the others
ordinary vakyas, then one commits an offense to the sacred
Vedas. In the Vedas there is praise for fruitive work (karma),

269
praise for impersonal liberation (mukti), and praise for many
other goals and means also. Still,, one must consider everything
as a whole and determine what is the final conclusion of all the
Vedas. The Vedas are like a cow, and the milkman is Lord Krsna.
It is He who reveals the true purpose of all the Vedas. He
explains (Bhagavad-gita 6.46-47): "A yogi is greater than the
ascetic, greater than the empiricist and greater than the fruitive
worker. Therefore, O Arjuna, in all circumstances be a yogi.
"And of all yogis, he who always abides in Me with great
faith, worshipping Me in transcendental loving service, is most
intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all."
In the Svetasvatara Upanisad (6.23) it is also said: "Only unto
those great souls who have implicit faith in both the Lord and
the spiritual master are all the imports of Vedic knowledge
automatically revealed."
In the Gopala-tapani Upanisad (1.14) it is said: "Devotional
service to Lord Krsna is performed when the heart no longer
desires any material benefit to be obtained in this life or the next.
This is freedom from the bonds of karma."
In the Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad (1.4.8) it is said: "One
should worship the Supreme Lord, considering Him the most
dear."
In the Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad (4.5.6) it is also said: "One
should gaze on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, hear about
Him, think of Him, and meditate upon Him." One who analyses
these statements of the Vedas will easily see that devotional
service is described in the Vedas as the means to attain the goal
of life.

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 Vrajanatha: In the karma-kanda section of the Vedas it is said
that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the ultimate awarder
of the fruits of karma. In this way the karma-kanda enjoins one
to have faith in devotional service. In the jnana-kanda also,
pleasing Lord Hari by engaging in His devotional service is
described as one of the four means of attaining the goal. If
devotional service is thus one of the means employed to attain
sense gratification and impersonal liberation, then how can
devotional service be the final goal of life? When sense
gratification or impersonal liberation are attained, then the
means employed to get them are thrown away. That is what is
generally taught. Please give me some clear teaching on this
point.
Babaji: In the karma-kanda portion of the Vedas it is said that
one should engage in devotional service in order to attain sense
gratification, and in the jnana-kanda portion of the Vedas it is
said that to attain impersonal liberation one should engage in
devotional service. That is true. Without first pleasing the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, no one can attain any result.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the abode of all
potencies. The individual spirit souls and the material worlds are
only a small part of the Lord's potencies. The Supreme Lord is
not pleased by fruitive work (karma) or impersonal speculations
(jnana). However, when karma and jnana take shelter of
devotional service, they can give certain results. Therefore it is
said that in karma and jnana the reflection of devotional service
is present. However, the devotional service seen in karma and
jnana is not pure devotional service. It is merely a reflection of
true devotional service, present there to give certain results. This
reflection of devotional service is of two kinds: 1. the reflection
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of pure devotional service, and 2. the reflection of mixed
devotional service. The reflection of pure devotional service I
will describe later. The reflection of mixed devotional service is
of three kinds: 1. the reflection of devotional service mixed with
karma, 2. the reflection of devotional service mixed with jnana,
and 3. the reflection of devotional service mixed with both
karma and jnana. At the time of performing a yajna one may say,
"O Indra, O Surya, please be merciful and give me the result of
this yajna." This is an example of the reflection of devotional
service mixed with karma (karma-viddha-bhakty-abhasa). Some
philosophers call this reflected devotional service karma-misra
bhakti (devotional service mixed with karma), and others call it
aropa-siddha bhakti (artificial devotional service). Another
example is seen in the words, "O Krsna, pushed by fear of
repeated birth and death, I now approach You. Day after day I
chant the Hare Krsna mantra. Please be merciful and give me
impersonal liberation." Another example is the words, "O
Supreme Lord, You are Brahman, and I have fallen into the abyss
of maya. Please pick me up and make me one with You." These
two statements are examples of the reflection of devotional
service mixed with jnana. Some philosophers call this kind of
reflected devotional service jnana-misra bhakti (devotional
service mixed with jnana), and others call it aropa-siddha bhakti
(artificial devotional service). All these reflections of devotional
service are different from pure devotional service. The devotional
service described by the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gita 6.47
(sraddhavan bhajate yo mam) is pure devotional service. It is
that kind of devotional service that we adopt as the means to
attain the goal of prema (pure love of God). Karma and jnana are
the means to attain sense gratification and impersonal liberation.
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They are not the means for the individual spirit soul to regain his
eternal nature."
After hearing all this, Vrajanatha could not ask any questions.
He though, It will be good to make the argument for the nyaya-
sastra wait for a while as I think about this subtle points. The
saintly babaji is especially learned about this topic. In time I will
ask him questions and then I will learn what is the truth of this.
Now it is night. I should return home." Then Vrajanatha said
aloud, "O saintly babaji, I have learned many truths from you
today. From time to time I will return. Please continue to
instruct me. You are a very great teacher, and I am dependent on
your mercy. There is one thing I wish to know. When I hear your
reply I will depart. Did Lord Gauranga the son of Saci write any
book of His teachings? I would like to have such a book."
Babaji: Sri Mahaprabhu did not write any book Himself. By
His order His followers wrote many books. Mahaprabhu
personally wrote eight verses, called Siksastaka, which are like a
jewels the devotees wear around their necks. The teachings in
them are very profound. Studying these deep truths, the devotees
have written a poem called Dasa-mula (the Ten Roots). In this
poem the goal and the means are briefly described in terms of
sambandha (the relationship of the living entities and the
Supreme), abhidheya (the activities of that relationship) and
prayojana (the final goal of life). You should begin by
understanding this poem.
Vrajanatha replied, "As you order. Tomorrow evening I will
return and learn this Dasa-mula from you. You are my siksa-guru
(instructing spiritual master). I offer dandavat obeisances to
you." The saintly babaji politely embraced him and said, "Baba,
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You purify the community of brahmanas. Please come tomorrow
evening. That will please me very much."

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 Chapter Thirteen

Eternal Religion and Sambandha,

Abhidheya and Prayojana
(Evidence and Truth)
Nitya-dharma o sambandhabhidheya-prayojana
(Pramana-vicara o prameya arambha)

The next evening Vrajanatha sat down under the bakula tree
facing the courtyard of Srivasa's home. The saintly elderly babaji
had developed a kind of paternal love for Vrajanatha. He was
waiting for Vrajanatha to come. When Vrajanatha arrived, the
babaji at once came out from the courtyard. Embracing
Vrajanatha, he took him to his cottage (bhajana-kutira) in a
grove of jasmine vines to one side of Srivasa's courtyard.
Touching the dust of the saintly babaji's feet, Vrajanatha thought
that his life had now become successful. He humbly said, "O
saintly babaji, please teach me the Dasa-mula, which contains
the essence of our Lord Nimai's teachings."
His heart blossoming with happiness to hear this very
appropriate question, the elderly babaji said, "Baba, I will explain
the Dasa-mula to you. You are a pandita. Please carefully

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understand the truths described in these verses. The first verse is
this:
"The Vedas teach that Lord Hari is the Supreme Truth. He
has all potencies and He is an ocean of the nectar of
transcendental mellows. The individual spirit souls, which are
His parts-and-parcels, are divided into groups, some swallowed
up by the material energy, and others free from her clutches.
Everything that exists is simultaneously one and different from
Him. Pure devotional service is the way to attain Lord Hari. The
goal of life is to love Him. This Lord Gauracandra personally
taught to the living entities."
In the verses that begin here, Sriman Gauracandra teaches ten
truths to the faithful souls. Of these the first verse describes the
various kinds of evidence, and the remaining nine verses
describe various truths learned from these evidences. First the
evidence is given, and then the truths that may be learned from
that evidence. Evidence is called 'pramana'. The verse I have just
recited is an introductory verse that contains a summary of the
"Dasa-mula". The verse that follows it is the first verse of the
Dasa-mula proper. In verses two through eight the relationship
(sambandha) of the souls and the Lord is revealed. In verse nine
the activities (abhidheya) of that relationship are described. In
verse ten the true need of the living entities (prayojana) is
described. The meaning of the introductory, summary verse is
this: The word 'amnayah' means 'the statements of the Vedas as
they are understood through the disciplic succession." The
Vedas, the Srimad-Bhagavatam and other Smrti-sastras that
follow the Vedas, and the direct perception and other kinds of
evidence that support the evidence of scripture are all called

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'pramana', or evidence. These evidences support the following
definite conclusions: 1. Lord Hari is the Supreme Truth, 2. He
has all potencies, 3. He is an ocean of the nectar of
transcendental mellows, 4. the two liberated and conditioned
souls are His parts-and-parcels, 5. some souls are imprisoned by
the material energy, and others free from her clutches, 6. the
entire material universe, which contains both matter and spirit,
is inconceivably, simultaneously one and different from Him, 7.
devotional service is the way to attain Lord Hari, and 8. the goal
of life is to love Lord Krsna.
After hearing this summary verse, Vrajanatha said, "O saintly
babaji, now is not the time for me to ask any questions. After you
recite the first verse I will speak any questions that may arise in
my heart. Hearing this, the elderly babaji said, "Good. Good. I
will recite the first of these mula verses. Please listen carefully.
"The self-evident Vedas, which by Lord Hari's mercy are
obtained from the disciplic succession beginning with the
demigod Brahma, and which are accompanied by other sources
of evidence, such as direct perception, are the evidence for the
following nine truths. Ordinary logic, called 'tarka', has no power
to enter a discussion of these truths."
Vrajanatha: Is there any evidence in the Vedas that Brahma
taught disciples?
Babaji: Yes. There is. In the Mundaka Upanisad (1.1.1) it is
said: "Brahma, who is the first demigod, the creator of the
universe, the protector of the worlds, spoke knowledge of the
Supreme, the first of all kinds of knowledge, to his eldest son,
Artharva." There it is also said (Mundaka Upanisad 1.2.13):
"Brahma taught him the science of the eternal Supreme Person."
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 Vrajanatha: Is there any evidence that when they wrote the
Smrti-sastras the sages gave the proper interpretations of the
Vedas?
Babaji: In Srimad-Bhagavatam, which is the crest jewel of all
scriptures, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself explains
(11.14.3): "At the time of cosmic annihilation, the Vedas became
lost. At the beginning of the next creation I again taught the
Vedas to the demigod Brahma, for the principles of true religion
are My very heart. Then Brahma repeated this knowledge to his
first son Manu. Then the seven great sages, whose leader is
Bhrgu, learned this knowledge from Manu."
Vrajanatha: Why is there a Vaisnava disciplic succession?
Babaji: Misled by impersonalism, many people in the world
have left the true path. If the devotees untainted by
impersonalism do not have their own disciplic succession, then
it will be very difficult to associate with true devotees of the
Lord. In the Padma Purana it is written: "Unless you are initiated
by a bona-fide spiritual master in the disciplic succession, the
mantra that you might have received is without any effect. The
four Vaisnava disciplic successions, beginning from Laksmi-devi,
Brahma, Siva and Sanaka Kumara, have purified the entire
world."
Of all of these, the disciplic succession from Lord Brahma is
the oldest. The disciplic succession begins with Brahma and
extends even to the present day. The Vedas, Vedangas, Vedanta,
and other scriptures have been passed down unchanged from an
ancient time, carefully preserved by the disciplic succession.
Nothing has been changed or added to the scripture under the
care of the disciplic succession. Therefore no one should doubt
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that the Vedas and other scriptures that are accepted by the
bona-fide disciplic succession are authentic. There is a great need
for a bona-fide disciplic succession. Therefore from the earliest
time the great saints have followed the bona-fide disciplic
succession.
Vrajanatha: Are there complete lists of the disciplic
successions?
Babaji: The lists contain the names of only the most
important acaryas. It is their names that are included in the lists.
Vrajanatha: I wish to hear the list of acaryas in the disciplic
succession from Brahman.
Babaji: Here is the list: "Lord Brahma is the direct disciple of
Visnu, the Lord of the spiritual sky. His disciple is Narada,
Narada's disciple is Vyasa, and Vyasa's disciples are Sukadeva
Goswami and Madhvacarya. Padmanabha Acarya is the disciple
of Madhvacarya, and Narahari is the disciple of Padmanabha
Acarya. Madhava is the disciple of Narahari, Aksobhya is the
direct disciple of Madhava, and Jayatirtha is the disciple of
Aksobhya. Jayatirtha's disciple is Jnanasindhu, and his disciple is
Mahanidhi. Vidyanidhi is the disciple of Mahanidhi, and
Rajendra is the disciple of Vidyanidhi. Jayadharma is the disciple
of Rajendra. Purusottama is the disciple of Jayadharma. Sriman
Laksmipati is the disciple of Vyasatirtha, who is the disciple of
Purusottama. And Madhavendra Puri is the disciple of
Laksmipati."
Vrajanatha: In this verse it is said that the Vedas are the 'only
evidence', and direct perception along with the other sources of
evidence, should be accepted only to help in understanding the

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Vedas. However, nyaya, sankhya and the other philosophies are
also sources of evidence. The Puranas, direct perception,
inference, comparison, the Vedas, the Vedic histories (Itihasa).
Understanding something by its absence (anupalabdhi),
circumstantial evidence (arthapatti), and probability (sambhava)
are all considered different sources of evidence. Why should it be
considered that some kinds of evidence are more valuable than
others. If direct perception and inference are not considered
sources of evidence, then what kind of knowledge will one be
able to get? Please explain this so that I may understand.
Babaji: Direct perception and other sources of evidence like it
all depend on the material senses. The material senses of the
conditioned soul are subject to four defects: 1. bhrama
(mistakes), 2. pramada (illusions), 3. vipralipsa (cheating), and
4. karanapatava (sensory inefficiency). How can one attain true
knowledge with such faulty instruments? The Supreme
Personality of Godhead Himself appeared in the hearts of the
great saints and sages as they were rapt in meditation on Him.
The Lord then gave them the perfect knowledge that is the
Vedas. Therefore without fear one can accept the Vedas as truth.
Vrajanatha: Please explain these four defects: mistakes,
illusions, cheating, and sensory inefficiency.
Babaji: When the imperfect material senses make mistakes in
perceiving the world around it, that is called 'bhrama'. Seeing a
mirage in the desert is an example of such a mistake. The
intelligence of the conditioned souls is limited. Therefore, when
such a limited intelligence tries to understand the unlimited
Supreme Truth, the limited intelligence is bound to be illusioned
in many ways. That is called 'pramada'. An example of this is
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seen when the material intelligence, limited by time and space,
questions how the Supreme Person could have created the
material world of time and space. Doubt is called 'vipralipsa'. The
material senses are not very efficient tools for acquiring
knowledge. When they make mistakes again and again that is
called 'karanapatava'.
Vrajanatha: Do not sensory perception and other sources of
knowledge have any value at all?
Babaji: Is there a way to understand the material world except
with the material senses and other like sources of knowledge?
Still, all these sources of knowledge are powerless to understand
the spiritual world. For the spiritual world the Vedas are the only
source of knowledge. If sense perception and these other sources
of evidence confirm the truths revealed in the Vedas, then the
knowledge and other life sources of knowledge may be accepted
only when they confirm the teachings of the self-perfect Vedas.
Vrajanatha: Are the Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam and
other like scriptures not sources of true knowledge?
Babaji: The Bhagavad-gita has come from the mouth of the
Supreme Lord Himself. It is also called the Gita Upanisad. It is
counted as one of the Vedas. Because they are the teachings of
Lord Gauranga, the ten verses of Dasa-mula are also one of the
Vedas. The Srimad-Bhagavatam is an anthology of the truths
described in the Vedas. It is the crest jewel of all sources of
knowledge. If they confirm the Vedas' teachings, the other smrti-
sastras are also sources of true knowledge. The tantra-sastra are
of three kinds: 1. those in the mode of goodness, 2. those in
passion, and 3. those in ignorance. Among them, the pancaratras
and other tantras in the mode of goodness expand the
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confidential portions of the Vedas' teachings. The word 'tantra'
comes from the verbal root 'tan' (to expand). Therefore these
tantras are also counted among the sources of true knowledge.
Vrajanatha: The Vedas consist of many different books.
Among them which should be accepted and which not? Please
tell me.
Babaji: In the course of time certain unscrupulous men
interpolated many new chapters, mandalas, and mantras in the
text of the Vedas. Therefore it is not that all the parts of the
Vedas should be accepted. What in the course of time the acaryas
in the bona fide disciplic succession have accepted, that should
be considered the actual Veda. What they have rejected as
interpolations should not be accepted.
Vrajanatha: What books of the Vedas have the acaryas of the
bona fide disciplic successions accepted?
Babaji: The acaryas have accepted the twelve Upanisads
named Isa, Kena, Katha, Prasna, Mundaka, Mandukya, Taittiriya,
Aitareya, Chandogya, Brhad-aranyaka and Svetasvatara, as well
as the Gopala-tapani Upanisad, the Nrsimha-tapani Upanisad
and other like tapani Upanisads, as well as the brahmanas,
mandalas, and other portions of the Rg, Yajur, Sama, and Atharva
Vedas. The acaryas have accepted all these books as sources of
genuine knowledge.
Vrajanatha: You said that material logic has no power to
understand spiritual things. What is the proof of that?
Babaji: In the Katha Upanisad (1..2.9) it is said: "The spiritual
truth cannot be understood by material logic."

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 In the Vedanta-sutra (2.1.11) it is said: "Transcendental
topics cannot be understood by argument or logic."
In these and other statement of the Veda and Vedanta it is
seen that material logic cannot be counted on as a source of true
spiritual knowledge. In the Mahabharata (Bhisma-parva 5.22) it
is said: "Anything transcendental to material nature is called
inconceivable, whereas arguments are all mundane. Since
mundane arguments cannot touch transcendental subject
matters, one should not try to understand transcendental subject
matters through mundane arguments."
In these words of the Mahabharata, the limits of material
logic are seen. The conclusion of devotional service is also
explained in these words written by Srila Rupa Goswami
(Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.1.32): "For persons who have a
natural taste for understanding books like Bhagavad-gita and
Srimad-Bhagavatam. Devotional service is easier than for those
simply accustomed to mental speculation and argumentative
processes."
Material logic cannot bring a definitive, conclusive
understanding. This is described in the following words (Bhakti-
rasamrta-sindhu 1.1.33): "A person may become governed by
certain convictions derived by his own arguments and decisions.
Then another person, who may be a greater logician, will nullify
these conclusions and establish another thesis. In this way the
path of argument will never be safe or conclusive."
If this is so, then what is the use of material logic and
argument?

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 Vrajanatha: O saintly babaji, I accept that the self-perfect
Vedas are the best of all sources of knowledge. If they try to
contradict the Vedas, the logicians are merely speaking in vain.
Now please recite the second verse of the Dasa-mula.
Babaji: "Lord Hari is the only Supreme Truth. Brahma, Siva,
and Indra bow down before Him. The impersonal Brahman,
which is completely untouched by matter, is the effulgence of
His transcendental form. The all-pervading Supersoul is His
expansion. He is the father of the material universes. He is the
lover of Sri Radha. His form is splendid like a dark monsoon
cloud. He is completely spiritual."
Vrajanatha: The Upanisads teach that the impersonal
Brahman is the highest truth and it is beyond the touch of
matter. Why, then, does Sriman Gaura-Hari affirm that it is the
effulgence of Lord Hari's body? Please explain that to me.
Babaji: Lord Hari is the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
Bhagavan. The word 'bhagavan' means "He who possesses six
opulences". In the Visnu Purana (6.5.47) it is written: "Full
wealth, strength, fame, beauty, knowledge and renunciation -
these are the six opulences of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead."
These six opulences are interrelated, like the limbs of a body.
Which of them is the body? Which of them are the limbs? The
body is the resting place of the limbs. The tree is the body, and
the branches are the limbs. The whole form is the body, and the
hands and feet are included among the limbs. The body is the
resting place of the limbs. Of the Supreme Lord's opulences, His
handsomeness is the body and the other opulences are the limbs.
Wealth, strength, and fame are three limbs. The effulgence of
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fame consists of knowledge and renunciation. Therefore these
two are the effulgence of one of the limbs. They are the
opulences of an opulence. They are not direct opulences
themselves. Knowledge of changeless spirit and renunciation of
matter are the parts of the body of the impersonal Brahman. The
impersonal Brahman is the effulgence emanating from the
spiritual worlds. The unchanging inactive formless, qualityless
Brahman is not the independent highest truth. It is the form of
the Supreme Personality of Godhead that is the independent
highest truth. The light of a fire is not independent. It is the fire
itself that is independent, and the light is merely one of the fire's
qualities.
Vrajanatha: In many places in the Vedas, after the impersonal
Brahman was described, the text declared, "Om Santih. Santih.
Harih. Om." In the way the Vedas affirm the superiority of Lord
Hari. Who is Lord Hari?
Babaji: Lord Hari is Radha and Krsna, who enjoy
transcendental pastimes.
Vrajanatha: I will ask about this later. Now please tell me:
What kind of expansion of the Supreme Lord (bhagavan) is the
Supersoul (paramatma), the father of the material universes?
Babaji: Employing the two opulences of wealth and strength,
the Supreme Lord created the material world of maya. After
creating the world, the Lord expanded Himself as Visnu and
entered it. When the Lord expands Himself, each expansion is
perfect and complete. This is described in the following words of
Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad (5.1): "The Supreme Personality of
Godhead is perfect and complete, and because He is completely
perfect, all emanations from Him, such as this phenomenal
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world, are perfectly equipped as complete wholes. Whatever is
produced of the complete whole is also complete in itself.
Because He is the complete whole, even though so many
complete units emanate from Him, He remains the complete
balance."
Therefore the Supersoul (paramatma), is Lord Visnu, who is
perfect and complete, who has entered the material world, and
who protects the material world. Lord Visnu thus manifests in
three forms, as: 1. Karanodakasayi Visnu, Ksirodakasayi Visnu,
and Garbhodakasayi Visnu. The Karana Ocean, which is also
known as the Viraja River,, lies on the boundary that separates
the spiritual and material worlds. To that place Lord Maha-Visnu
goes and reclines on the Karana Ocean. Thus He is
Karanodakasayi Visnu. Glancing at her from far away, the Lord
employs Maya-devi to create the material world. The Lord
Himself describes this in these words of Bhagavad-gita (9.10):
"The material nature is working under My direction, O son of
Kunti, and it is producing all moving and unmoving beings."
In the Vedas it is said (Aitareya Upanisad 1.1.): "The Supreme
Personality of Godhead glanced over the material creation."
It is also said (Aitareya Upanisad 1.1): "The Supreme
Personality of Godhead created this entire material world."
The Supreme Lord, whose glance is so powerful, expands
Himself as Garbhodakasayi Visnu and enters the material world.
The particles of light that constitute Lord Maha-Visnu's glance
are the conditioned spirit souls. Into the heart of each
conditioned soul, the Lord enters in a form the size of a thumb.
That form is called Ksirodakasayi Visnu or Hiranyagarbha. Thus
the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the individual spirit
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soul both reside in the heart. This is described in the following
words of Svetasvatara Upanisad (4.6): "The individual spirit soul
and the Supersoul, Supreme Personality of godhead, are like two
friendly birds sitting on the same tree."
In this way the Sruti-sastra explains that the Supreme
Personality of Godhead and the individual spirit soul are like two
birds. The bird that is the Supreme Personality of Godhead gives
the fruits of karma, and the bird that is the individual spirit soul
tries to enjoy the material world. In Bhagavad-gita (10.41-42),
the Supreme Lord declares: "Know that all beautiful, glorious,
and mighty creations spring from but a spark of My splendor.
"But what need is there, Arjuna, for all this detailed
knowledge? With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and
support this entire creation."
Therefore the Supersoul (paramatma), who creates, enters,
protects and controls the material world, is an expansion of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead (bhagavan).
Vrajanatha: I accept that the impersonal Brahman is the
effulgence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead's body and
that the Supersoul is His expansion. Now please tell me: What is
the proof that Lord Krsna is the original form of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead?
Babaji: The Supreme Personality of Godhead has all opulence
and sweetness eternally. When His opulence is manifested, He is
Lord Narayana, the master of the spiritual world and the origin
of Lord Maha-Visnu. Thus when His pastimes of opulence are
manifest He is Lord Narayana, and when His pastimes of
sweetness are manifest, He is Lord Krsna. Lord Krsna possesses

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the highest limit of sweetness. The effulgence of His sweetness is
so great that it eclipses all opulence that exist anywhere.
Therefore the conclusion is that Lord Narayana and Lord Krsna
are not different. However, in the spiritual world the greatest
sweetness of transcendental mellows is present in Lord Krsna.
He is the highest resting place of all transcendental mellows.
This is explained in the following words of the Rg Veda
(1.22.164.31):
"I have seen a certain gopa dressed in colorful garments and
accompanied by many beautiful girls as He wanders the
pathways in the spiritual world. That same gopa again and again
enters the material worlds and stays in the hearts of the living
beings."
In the Chandogya Upanisad (8.13.1) it is said: "To attain Sri
Radha I surrender to Lord Krsna. To attain Lord Krsna I
surrender to Sri Radha."
These verses describe the liberated souls and their
relationship with Lord Krsna. In Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.3.28) it
is said: "All of the above-mentioned incarnations are either
plenary portions or portions of the plenary portions of the Lord,
but Lord Sri Krsna is the original Personality of Godhead."
In the Bhagavad-gita (7.7) Lord Krsna Himself declares: "O
conqueror of wealth (Arjuna), there is no truth superior to Me."
In the Gopala-tapani Upanisad (1.20) it is said: "Lord Krsna
is the worshipable, all-pervading supreme controller, and
although He is one, He manifests in many forms."
Vrajanatha: Lord Krsna has an average-sized form. How can
He be present everywhere? If we accept that Lord Krsna has a
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form, we must also accept that His form can only stay in one
place at time. Now He must fall under the control of the material
modes. No longer can He be supremely independent. How call
all these defects be removed from Lord Krsna?
Babaji: Baba, you are a conditioned soul trapped in the
material world of maya. That is why you have all these doubts.
As long as it is bound by the ropes of maya, your intelligence will
never be able to touch the transcendental reality. When it tries to
understand the pure spiritual reality, it will assume that spirit
has qualities and forms just like those of matter. When it does
this, the intelligence becomes worried that it has followed the
wrong path. Then the intelligence begins to imagine that the
Supreme Spirit has no form and no qualities. In this way the
intelligence becomes cheated and cannot understand the truth
about the Supreme Spirit. In truth the defects you think might
affect the ordinary sized form of Lord Krsna do not have any
bearing on His true spiritual form. The idea that the Supreme
Spirit is "formless", "unchanging", and "inactive" are ideas
obtained by looking for the exact opposites of what appears in
the material world. These are also qualities of a certain kind.
Qualities of another kind are Lord Krsna's handsome form, His
face blossoming with happiness, His lotus eyes, His lotus feet,
which give peacefulness to the devotees, and all His graceful
limbs perfect for enjoying transcendental pastimes. This pure
spiritual form of Lord Krsna is one feature of the Lord. When
these two features, the personal and impersonal, are considered,
it is seen that the average-sized form of Lord Krsna is the most
handsome and pleasing. This is described in the following words
of Sri Narada-pancaratra:

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 "Lord Krsna is supremely independent. His form and
qualities are free of any possible flaw. His body is not like the
bodies made of matter. His hands, feet, face, belly, and all the
other parts of His body are all made of transcendental bliss and
nothing else. Lord Krsna is not different from His body. He does
not reside in a material body from Himself, as the conditioned
souls in the material world do. He and His body are one."
Lord Krsna's form is eternal and full of knowledge and bliss.
His qualities are not material. Nothing about Him is material in
even the slightest degree. He is not limited by material time and
space. His form is fully present in every place for all time. He is
one. His form has all knowledge. The material world is so large it
cannot be measured by the conditioned souls. It is natural that a
form of average size could never be present everywhere in the
material world. However, in the spiritual world all qualities have
limitless power. Therefore the average-sized form of Lord Krsna
can be present everywhere. That is actually one of its natural
qualities. In the material world an average-sized form cannot be
all-pervading. However, the supremely handsome spiritual form
of Lord Krsna is certainly all-pervading. The extraordinary
qualities of that form are very different from the qualities of
material forms. That spiritual form is very glorious. Can anyone
be more glorious than the all-pervading Supreme Spirit? In the
material world everything is limited by time and space. What is
the glory of a form that is free from the limits of time and present
everywhere? Lord Krsna's transcendental abode of Vraja is
described in the Chandogya Upanisad, which calls it "Brahma-
pura". That abode is perfectly spiritual. It has all spiritual
wonders. Its activities are all spiritual. Its places are spiritual. Its
land and water are spiritual. Its rivers and trees are spiritual. Its
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sky is spiritual. Its sun, moon, and stars are all spiritual. They
have not the slightest drop of any material flaw. Rather they
filled with spiritual bliss. O baba, the Navadvipa-Mayapura
where you are sitting now is that same spiritual world. However,
because you are trapped in Maya's net you cannot reach out and
touch it. When you attain the mercy of a great saintly person you
will see that everything in this place is spiritual. Then you will be
living in the spiritual world of Vraja. When did you get the idea
that the average-sized form of Lord Krsna could have any flaws?
The glory of Lord Krsna's average-sized spiritual form is far from
what your material intelligence can understand. This has
happened because in the past you committed many impious
deeds.
Vrajanatha: O saintly babaji, Sri Sri Radha-Krsna's forms,
beauty, features, pastimes, companions, homes, forest-groves,
and all else of Them are purely spiritual. A wise man will not
doubt that. However, in what times and places do They manifest
Their forms, abodes, and pastimes?
Babaji: Sri Krsna is the master of all potencies. He can make
any possible thing possible. There is nothing surprising in this.
He is playful and enjoys transcendental pastimes. Whatever He
wishes is at once accomplished. He has all powers. If He wishes,
He can bring His transcendental form and abode to the material
world. There is no doubt of that.
Vrajanatha: The doubt is this. By His own will Lord Krsna
appears in the material world. However, the people who see Him
tend to think that His "transcendental abode" is a material place
like other material places, His "transcendental form" is a material
form like the forms of ordinary human beings, and His
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"transcendental pastimes in Vraja" are ordinary material
activities. Why do they see like that? If it is true that Lord Krsna
has mercifully appeared within the material world, why do not
all people see that His form is spiritual?
Babaji: One of Lord Krsna's limitless transcendental qualities
is His mercy to His devotees. Employing His hladini sakti, He
gives His devotees the power to see that everything about Him is
spiritual. To His devotees He reveals everything about His
transcendental pastimes. However, the non-devotees' eyes, ears
and other senses, which are contaminated by many offenses,
cannot see any difference between the pastimes of the Lord and
ordinary historical narratives of human activities.
Vrajanatha: Did not Sri Krsna descend to this material world
to show mercy to the people in general?
Babaji: His descent to this world brings all auspiciousness.
When He descends to this world and manifests His
transcendental pastimes, the devotees can see that His form and
pastimes are purely spiritual. The non-devotees surely see them
as material. Still, merely by seeing them, the non-devotees gain
great spiritual merit. When this spiritual merit accumulates and
becomes very great they become able to have faith in pure
devotional service. Therefore the Lord's descent to this world
brings a great benefit to the conditioned souls.
Vrajanatha: Why are Lord Krsna's pastimes not clearly
described in every page of the Vedas?
Babaji: On every page the Vedas again and again sing the
glories of Lord Krsna's pastimes. In some places they are
described directly and in other places they are only hinted at.

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When the words of the texts directly refer to Lord Krsna, the
description is direct. An example of that is the following words
of the Chandogya Upanisad:
"To attain Sri Radha I take shelter of Lord Krsna. To attain
Lord Krsna I take shelter of Sri Radha."
In these words and the words that follow it in the Chandogya
Upanisad, the liberated souls and their service to Lord Krsna in
the different rasas is clearly described. When the words only hint
at the description of Lord Krsna, the description is indirect. In
the conversations of Yajnavalkya, Gargi and Maitreyi (in the
Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad), the description of Lord Krsna is at
first indirect, and then at the end direct. In some places the
Vedas have described Lord Krsna's eternal pastimes directly, and
in other places, chanting the glories of the impersonal Brahman
and the Supersoul, the Vedas have described Lord Krsna only
indirectly. In truth, the Vedas have taken a vow to chant the
glories of Lord Krsna.
Vrajanatha: O saintly babaji, Lord Krsna is the Supreme
Truth. Of this there is no doubt. However, what is the status of
Brahma, Siva, Indra, Surya, Ganesa, and the other demigods
worshipped in this world? Please tell me. Many brahmanas say
that Siva is the Supreme Truth and no one is higher than Him. I
was born in the family of such a brahmana, and I have heard and
repeated this idea since childhood. What is the truth of this?
Please tell me.
Babaji: Now I will describe to you the relative merits of the
ordinary living entities, the demigods and demigoddesses
worshipped in this world, and the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. Please listen. I will now repeat to you a list of some of
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Lord Krsna's transcendental qualities. They are described in
these words of a great philosopher (Srila Rupa Goswami's Sri
Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu:
"Krsna, the supreme hero, has the most beautiful
transcendental body. This body possesses all good features. It is
radiant and very pleasing to the eyes. His body is powerful,
strong and youthful.
"Krsna is the linguist of all wonderful languages. He is a
truthful and very pleasing speaker. He is expert in speaking and
He is very wise, learned, scholar and a genius.
"Krsna is very expert in artistic enjoyment. He is highly
cunning, expert, grateful and firmly determined in His vows. He
knows how to deal according to time, person and country, and
He sees through the scriptures and authoritative books. He is
very clean and self-controlled.
"Lord Krsna is steady, His senses are controlled, and He is
forgiving, grave, and calm. He is also equal to all. Moreover, He
is magnanimous, religious, chivalrous, and kind. He is always
respectful to respectable people.
"Krsna is very simple and liberal, He is humble and bashful
and He is the protector of the surrendered soul. He is very
happy, and He is always the well-wisher of His devotee. He is
auspicious and He is submissive to love.
"Krsna is very influential and famous, and He is the object of
attachment for everyone. He is the shelter of the good and the
virtuous. He is attractive to the minds of women, and He is
worshipped by everyone. He is very, very rich.

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 "Krsna is the Supreme, and He is always glorified as the
Supreme Lord and controller. Thus all the previously mentioned
transcendental qualities are in Him. The fifty qualities of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead above mentioned are as deep as
the ocean. In other words, they are difficult to comprehend.
"These qualities are sometimes very minutely exhibited in
living beings, but they are fully manifest in the Supreme
Personality of Godhead.
"Apart from these fifty qualities, there are five other qualities
found in the Supreme Personality of Godhead that are partially
present in demigods like Siva.
"These qualities are: 1. the Lord is always situated in His
original position, 2. He is omniscient, 3. He is always fresh and
youthful, 4. He is the concentrated form of eternity, knowledge
and bliss, and 5. He is the possessor of all mystic perfection.
These are another five qualities, which exist in the Vaikuntha
planets in Narayana, the Lord of Laksmi. These qualities are
present in Krsna, but are not present in demigods like Lord Siva
or in other living entities. These are: 1. inconceivable supreme
power, 2. generating innumerable universes from the body, 3.
being the original source of all incarnations, 4. bestowing
salvation upon enemies killed and 5. the ability to attract exalted
persons who are satisfied in themselves. Although these qualities
are present in Narayana, the dominating Deity of the Vaikuntha
planets, they are even more wonderfully present in Krsna.
"Apart from these sixty transcendental qualities, Krsna has an
additional four qualities, which are not manifest even in the
personality of Narayana. These are: 1. Krsna is like an ocean
filled with eaves of pastimes that evoke wonder within everyone
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in the three worlds. 2. In His activities of conjugal love, He is
always surrounded by His dear devotees who possess unequaled
love for Him. 3. He attracts the minds of all three worlds by the
melodious vibration of His flute. 4. His personal beauty and
opulence are beyond compare. No one is equal to Him, and no
one is greater than Him. Thus the Supreme Personality of
Godhead astonishes all living entities, both moving and non
moving, within the three worlds. He is so beautiful that He is
called Krsna.
"Above Narayana, Krsna has four specific transcendental
qualities - His wonderful pastimes, an abundance of wonderful
associates who are very dear to Him (like the gopis), His
wonderful beauty and the wonderful vibration of His flute. Lord
Krsna is more exalted than ordinary living beings and demigods
like Lord Siva. He is even more exalted than His own personal
expansion Narayana."
These sixty-four opulences are fully, eternally and splendidly
manifest in Lord Krsna, whose pure spiritual form is eternal and
full of knowledge and bliss. The last four opulences are present
only in the form of Lord Krsna. They are not present in even the
Lord's pastime incarnations. Now that these four qualities are
excluded, the remaining sixty qualities are fully and splendidly
manifest in Lord Narayana, who is the master of the spiritual
sky, and whose form is perfectly spiritual. When the next five
opulences are excluded, the remaining fifty-five opulences are
present in Lord Siva and other exalted demigods. Drops of the
remaining fifty opulences may be seen in the individual spirit
souls. Siva, Brahma, Surya, Ganesa, and Indra are partial
expansions of the Lord. Given jurisdiction to rule over certain

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affairs of the Lord's opulences. Still, they are individual souls,
servants of the Supreme Lord. By their mercy many people
attained pure devotional service. They are rulers over the
conditioned souls, and that is why they are objects of worship in
the material world. The worship of them gradually leads to
worship of the Supreme Lord. If they give to certain souls the gift
of pure devotional service to Lord Krsna, those souls consider
them spiritual masters and worship them eternally. Lord Siva,
who is filled with devotion to the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, is considered non-different from the Supreme Lord
Himself. That is why people addicted to the ideas of
impersonalism take shelter of Him and consider Him the highest
form of the Supreme.

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 Chapter Fourteen

Eternal Religion and Sambandha,

Abhidheya, and Prayojana
(The Lord's Potencies)
Nitya-dharma O Sambandhabhidheya-prayojana
(Prameyantar-gata Sakti-vicara)

When he thought of what he heard the previous night from

the elderly babaji, Vrajanatha became filled with bliss. He
thought, "Ah! The teachings of Lord Gauranga are wonderful!
When I hear them my heart becomes filled with nectar. When I
hear them from the saintly babaji's mouth, my thirst to hear
them increases more and more. No part of them seems illogical.
They seem to be supported by the scriptures. I cannot
understand why the brahmanas criticize them. I think they
criticize because they are impersonalists. Thinking in this way,
Vrajanatha came to Raghunatha dasa Babaji's cottage. Seeing the
saintly babaji, Vrajanatha offered dandavat obeisances. The
saintly babaji happily embraced him and made him sit down
next to him. With an earnest heart he said, "O master, I wish to
hear the third verse of the Dasa-mula. Please kindly recite it. The
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hairs of his body upright with spiritual happiness, the saintly
babaji recited:
"Glory to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is never
touched by material changes. He is not different from His
spiritual potency. He is situated in His own transcendental glory.
From Him are manifested His spiritual potency by which all His
desires are fulfilled, His potency of the individual spirit souls,
and His potency of inanimate matter."
Vrajanatha: The brahmanas say that when the Supreme is the
impersonal Brahman He has no potency. It is only when He
appears as the Supreme Controller that He has potencies. What
do the Vedas teach about this?
Babaji: In every feature of the Lord His potencies are
manifested. The Vedas (Svetasvatara Upanisad 6.8) declare: "He
does not possess bodily form like that of an ordinary living
entity. There is no differences between His body and His soul. He
is absolute. All His senses are transcendental. Any one of His
senses can perform the function of any other sense. Therefore,
no one is greater than Him or equal to Him. His potencies are
multifarious, and thus His deeds are automatically performed as
a natural sequence."
The Lord's iccha-sakti, the potency that fulfills all His desires,
is described in these words (Svetasvatara Upanisad 1.3): "Rapt in
meditation, the sages then saw the mysterious potency and
transcendental qualities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
the first cause, who alone dominates the secondary causes, from
time to the individual living entity."

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 The Lord's jiva-sakti, the potency that is the individual spirit
souls, described in these words (Svetasvatara Upanisad 4.5): "An
unborn man enjoys an unborn red, white and black woman who
bears many children like herself. Another unborn man first
enjoys and then forsakes her."
Note by translators: The unborn woman is the material
nature. The colors red, white and black are the modes of passion,
goodness and ignorance. The many children are the ingredients
of the material universes. The first unborn man is the
conditioned soul. The second unborn man is the soul who, after
trying to enjoy matter, finally renounces the world and attains
liberation.
The Lord's maya-sakti, the potency that is the material world,
is described in these words (Svetasvatara Upanisad 4.9): "The
Vedas describe a bewildering variety of hymns, prayers,
sacrifices, rituals, vows, austerities, history and predictions of the
future. Simply by studying the Vedas, it is very difficult for the
conditioned soul, illusioned by maya and trapped in the material
world, to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the
controller of the illusory potency and the creator of the material
universes."
The words 'parasya saktih' (in Svetasvatara Upanisad 6.8)
indicate that of all the Lord's potencies one is the most
important. The Vedas never say that the Supreme has a feature
without potencies. When He has qualities, He is the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. When He has no qualities, He is the
impersonal Brahman. It is the Lord's most important potency
that manifests His feature as impersonal Brahman. In this way it
is seen that the impersonal Brahman does indeed have a potency.
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That most important potency has been described in the Vedas in
many places, where it is called by many names, such as 'para
sakti', 'svarupa-sakti', and 'cit-sakti'. The impersonalists imagine
that the impersonal Brahman has no potencies. The truth is that
the impersonal Brahman is beyond the understanding of the
impersonalists. The Vedas affirm that the Supreme has two
features, one with qualities and the other without qualities. That
the impersonal feature of the Lord has potencies is explained in
these words of the Vedas said (Svetasvatara Upanisad 4.1):
"Although he has no qualities, by His potencies the Supreme
created the great variety of the material world."
That the personal feature of the Lord has potencies is
explained in these words of the Vedas (Svetasvatara Upanisad
3.1): "Employing His potencies, the Supreme Person created the
material world."
In this way you can see that the Supreme is never bereft of
His potencies. The self-manifest Supreme Lord is always
accompanied by them. The self-manifest Lord who is the master
of three eternal potencies is described in this mantra of the Vedas
(Svetasvatara Upanisad 6.16): "The Supreme Lord, the creator of
this cosmic manifestation, knows every nook and corner of this
creation. Although He is the cause of creation, there is no cause
for His appearance. He is fully aware of everything. He is the
Supersoul, the master of all transcendental qualities, and He is
the master of this cosmic manifestation in regard to bondage to
the conditional state of material existence and liberation from
that bondage."
The three potencies of the Lord are described in this verse.
Here the word 'pradhana' refers to the Lord's maya-sakti, the
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word 'ksetrajna' refers to the potency of the individual spirit
souls, and the word 'ksetrajna-pati' refers to the Lord's spiritual
potency. The idea that when the Supreme manifests His
impersonal feature He has no potencies, and when He manifests
His personal feature He has potencies is an idea created in the
fertile workshop of the impersonalists' imaginations. In truth the
Lord is always the master of all potencies. When the Lord is
situated in His own glory, and when His original, natural
condition is manifest, in other words, when He is manifested as
the Supreme Person, He is always accompanied by His potencies.
Thus His desires are always fulfilled.
Vrajanatha: If He is always accompanied by His potencies,
and if everything is done by His potencies, then How is He
independent, and how is it that His desires are always fulfilled?
Babaji: In the scriptures it is said: "The potencies and the
master of potencies are not different."
The potencies thus do whatever the master of potencies
desires. The duty of the maya-sakti is to manifest the material
universe. The duty of the jiva-sakti is to manifest the many
individual spirit souls. The duty of the cit-sakti is to manifest the
spiritual world. After assigning these different duties to the cit-
sakti, jiva-sakti and maya-sakti, the Supreme Lord steps back,
untouched and unchanged. If these actions are performed
because of His desire, how can He remain aloof and
unconcerned? If He desires that certain things be done, he will
certainly be affected by the result.
Vrajanatha: When the scriptures say the Lord is not affected,
the meaning is that the Lord never undergoes any material
changes. His material potency is a reflection of His internal,
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spiritual potency. Whatever the material potency maya does may
be real, but it does not exist eternally. The changes that maya
produces do not last eternally. Whatever changes the Lord may
manifest in His desires of in His pastimes are all manifested by
His spiritual potency, cit-sakti. These changes are manifestations
of His spiritual love, and therefore they are free of any fault or
impurity. They are included within spiritual knowledge.
Although it is by His wish that the maya-sakti creates the
material world, the Supreme Lord remains perfectly spiritual in
His nature. In the great varieties created by His spiritual potency,
cit-sakti, there is no touch of matter, or maya. When they hear
the descriptions of the great variety manifested by the Lord's
spiritual potency, ordinary people, whose intelligence cannot
conceive of anything beyond matter, assume that those
descriptions must be descriptions of material things. Thus they
are like people who, suffering from jaundice, see everything is
yellow, or they are like people who, standing in the shadow of a
cloud cannot see the sun. The root meanings is this: The material
potency is a reflection of the spiritual potency. Therefore the
variety manifested in the material world is a reflection of the
variety manifested in the spiritual world. To one who looks
superficially they seem to be the same. However, the truth is that
they are exact opposites. A mirror's reflection of a man's body
seems just like the original body. However, the position of all the
various limbs is inverted in the reflection. In the reflection the
right hand is on the left and the left hand is on the right.
Therefore, material eyes see the varieties of the spiritual and
material worlds to be the same, although to spiritual eyes see
that they are indeed opposites. Actually the material variety is a
perverted reflection of the spiritual variety. Superficially they
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seem the same, but in truth they are different. Free from material
changes, and His every desire at once fulfilled, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead controls the material potency, maya and
gives her various tasks to fulfill.
Babaji: Which of Lord Krsna's potencies is Sri Radhika?
Vrajanatha: Lord Krsna is the master of potencies in His
perfect, original form. Srimati Radhika is the potency in its
perfect, original form. Srimati Radhika is the original
manifestation of the Lord's internal, spiritual potency. As musk
is not different from its fragrance, and as fire is not different from
its power to burn, so Radha and Krsna, who enjoy the nectar of
transcendental pastimes together, are eternally different and not
different from each other. From the internal potency, Sri Radha,
are manifested the three potencies 'cit-sakti' (spirit), 'jiva-sakti'
(the individual souls), and 'maya-sakti' (matter). These three are
seen to be three different kinds of kriya-sakti (potency of action).
The cit-sakti is also called 'antaranga-sakti', and the jiva sakti is
also called 'tatastha-sakti'. The maya-sakti is also called
'bahiranga-sakti'. Although it is one, the Lord's internal potency
assumes these three forms in order to act in these different ways.
All the eternal opulences of the internal potency are fully
manifested in the cit-sakti. An atomic fragment of each of these
opulences is present in the jiva-sakti, and a perverted reflection
of them is present in the maya-sakti. The internal potency is also
manifested in three other ways. These three manifestations are
called: 1. hladini, 2. sandhini, and 3. samvit. They are described
in these words of the Dasa-mula:
"Glory to Lord Sri Krsna, who enjoys nectar pastimes in
Vraja, who plays in a nectar ocean of transcendental mellows,
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who enjoys the feelings of ecstatic love brought by the Hladini-
sakti, who tastes the nectar of the confidential love brought by
the samvit-sakti, and who resides in the pure transcendental
abode created by the sandhini-sakti."
Thus the Lord's internal potency manifests three features: 1.
hladini, 2. sandhini and 3. samvit. The hladini-sakti which in its
complete form is Sri Radha, the daughter of Vrsabhanu, brings
transcendental bliss to Lord Krsna. The form of the highest
ecstatic love (maha-bhava), is the very dear and pleasing to Lord
Krsna. She expands into many other forms. She expands as the
eight principal gopis (asta-sakhi), the dear gopis (priya-sakhi),
the gopis speaking joking words (narma-sakhi), the gopis more
dear than life (prana-sakhi), and the most dear gopis (parama-
prestha-sakhi). These four kinds of gopis are manifested for
different kinds of devotional service. These gopis are eternally-
perfect souls who reside in the spiritual world of Vraja. The
samvit-sakti manifests the different relationships of the people of
Vraja. The sandhini-sakti manifests the land, water, villages,
forests, hills like Govardhana Hill, pastime-places of Sri Krsna,
Sri Radha, Their gopa and gopi friends, Their servants, the cows,
and all the other residents of Vraja, their spiritual forms, and the
paraphernalia used in their pastimes. Pushed by the feelings of
ecstatic love brought by the hladini-sakti, Lord Krsna is always
filled with transcendental bliss. The activities of love are brought
by the samvit-sakti, activities like Lord Krsna attracting the gopis
by playing on the flute, His herding the cows, and His rasa-dance
pastimes. To perform all these activities, Lord Krsna takes shelter
of His samvit-sakti. Always swimming in the nectar of
transcendental mellows, Lord Krsna enjoys pastimes in the land

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of Vraja, a land manifested by the sandhini-sakti. Of all spiritual
abodes, the land of Vraja is the best.
Vrajanatha: You have said that the internal potency is
manifested as the hladini-samvit, and sandhini potencies. A tiny
fragment of the internal potency is the jiva-sakti and a perverted
reflection of the internal potency is the maya-sakti. Please tell me
how the hladini, samvit and sandhini potencies work in the jiva-
sakti and maya-sakti.
Babaji: In the jiva-sakti, which is an atomic fragment of the
internal potency, a fragmental part of these three potencies is
present. There the hladini-sakti is manifested as the eternal bliss
of the impersonal Brahman, the samvit-sakti is manifested as the
individual soul's awareness of impersonal Brahman, and the
sandhini-sakti is manifested as the atomic spiritual forms of the
spirit souls. You wished to know about the individual spirit
souls. That is how you should understand them. In the maya-
sakti, the hladini-sakti is manifested as material happiness, the
samvit-sakti is manifested as material knowledge, and the
sandhini-sakti is manifested as the fourteen material worlds and
the external material bodies of the conditioned souls.
Vrajanatha: If their activities are so easily explained, why are
the Lord's potencies called 'inconceivable'?
Babaji: When they are considered one by one, each feature is
easily understood. However, when all the features are considered
together, they are beyond understanding. In the material world
mutually contradictory qualities do not exist together in the
same place, for they would negate each other. It is the
inconceivable nature of Lord Krsna's potency that in the spiritual
world all mutually contradictory qualities exist happily together
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and the result is very beautiful and pleasing. In Lord Krsna the
qualities of having a form and being formless, being all-
pervading and having a form present in one place only, being
active and inactive, being unborn and being the son of Nanda,
being the all-worshipable Supreme Lord and being a gopa boy,
being all-knowing and having the limited knowledge possessed
by a human being, having qualities and having no qualities,
being beyond conception and being sweet like nectar, being
limited and unlimited, being far away and very near, being
completely aloof and also being afraid of the gopis' jealous anger
are simultaneously present. These numberless other mutually
contradictory qualities happily stay together in Lord Krsna's
transcendental form, in Sri Krsna's transcendental abode, and in
Sri Krsna's transcendental pastimes. That these mutually
contradictory qualities help Lord Krsna's pastimes, making them
more beautiful and pleasing is beyond human conception.
Therefore it is said that the Lord's potencies are inconceivable.
Vrajanatha: Is this idea supported by the Vedas?
Babaji: This is accepted everywhere in the Vedas. In the
Svetasvatara Upanisad (3.19) it is said: "Learned
transcendentalists explain that God is the greatest, the original
person. He has no material hands, but He can take anything. He
has no material legs, but He can travel faster than anyone. He has
no material eyes, but He sees everything. He has no material ears,
but He hears everything. He knows everything, but no one
knows Him."
In the Isa Upanisad (mantras 5 and 8) it is said: "The
Supreme Lord walks and does not walk. He is far away, but He is

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very near as well. He is within everything, but yet He is outside
of everything."
"Such a person must factually know the greatest of all, who is
unembodied, omniscient, beyond reproach, without veins, pure,
and uncontaminated, the self-sufficient philosopher, who has
been fulfilling everyone's desires since time immemorial."
Vrajanatha: Is it written in the Vedas that by His own will the
Supreme Lord sometimes descends to the material world?
Babaji: Yes. In many places. In the Kena Upanisad, in a
conversation of Siva and Uma, it is said that Indra and the
demigods became very proud because they had conquered the
demons. As the demigods were telling each other how wonderful
they were, the Supreme Lord assumed a wonderful form and
appeared among them, asked them why they were so proud, and
gave them a single blade of grass to burn up with their own
power. In this way the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has
wonderful powers, manifested His form among the demigods. An
example of a mantra from that passage is (Kena Upanisad 3.6):
"Placing a blade of grass before him, the Supreme Lord said:
'Burn this.' With all his power, Agni attacked the blade of grass,
but could not burn it. Returning to the demigods, Agni said: 'I do
not know who this yaksa is'."
The hidden meaning of this passage is that the Supreme Lord
is a person with an inconceivably handsome form, and who His
own will he descends to the material world and enjoys pastimes
with the individual spirit souls.

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 Vrajanatha: It is said that the Supreme Lord is an ocean of the
nectar of transcendental mellows, where is this said in the
Vedas?
Babaji: In Taittiriya Upanisad (2.1) it is clearly said:
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the reservoir of
transcendental mellows. When one understands the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, the reservoir of pleasure, Krsna, he
actually becomes transcendentally blissful. Who could breathe
without the Lord giving breath? Who could be happy without
the Lord giving happiness. It is He who gives transcendental
bliss."
Vrajanatha: If He has a form of the nectar of bliss, why can
the people of the material world not see Him?
Babaji: The individual souls imprisoned in the material world
are of two kinds. One faces Krsna and the other turns his back
on Krsna. The soul that turns away from Krsna cannot see
Krsna's handsomeness. Instead he gazes on material sense
objects and fixes his mind in thinking of material sense objects.
The soul that turns toward Krsna turns away from the material
world of maya. He is able to see the form of Lord Krsna. In that
Katha Upanisad (2.1.1) it is said:
"A person eager for material pleasures cannot see the
Supreme Personality of Godhead within his heart. Only a wise
man who turns from the world of matter can see the Lord within
his heart."
Vrajanatha: The Vedas say that the Supreme Personality of
Godhead is 'raso vai sah' (the reservoir of spiritual nectar). How
do the Vedas describe the Lord's nectar spiritual form?
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 Babaji: In the Gopala-tapani Upanisad (1.10) it is said:
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead is a cowherd boy. His
eyes are handsome lotus flowers, His complexion a dark
monsoon cloud, and His garments lightning. He has two arms.
He is rich in transcendental knowledge. He wears a garland of
forest flowers."
Vrajanatha: From this I can understand that the form of Lord
Krsna is the eternal spiritual form of the Lord in the spiritual
world. He is the form of spiritual nectar, He is the shelter of all.
He is not attained by impersonal speculation or any other non-
devotional means. They who follow the path of astanga-yoga
search after the Supersoul, who is His plenary portion. The
impersonal Brahman is the effulgence of His transcendental
body. He is endowed with all spiritual qualities. He is the highest
object of worship in the world. He is not easy to see. He is
beyond conception. What method may a human being adopt to
understand Him? The brahmanas cannot understand Him and
neither can the candalas understand Him. What method should
one adopt to understand Him? It is very difficult to know how to
please Him.
Babaji: In the Katha Upanisad (2.2.13) it is said: "Only saintly
persons who can see, within and without, the same Supreme
Lord, can actually attain to perfect and eternal peace."
Vrajanatha: They who can see the Supreme Lord within their
hearts attain eternal peace. However, what method should one
adopt to see the Lord in this way? That's what I would like to
see. That's what I don't understand.

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 Babaji: In the Katha Upanisad (1.2.23) it is also said: "The
Supreme Lord is not attained by expert explanations, by vast
intelligence, nor even by much hearing. He is attained only by
one who He Himself chooses. To such a person He manifests His
own form."
In Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.14.28) it is said: "My Lord, if one
is favored by even a slight trace of the mercy of Your lotus feet,
he can understand the greatness of Your personality. But those
who speculate in order to understand the Supreme Personality of
Godhead are unable to know You, even though they continue to
study the Vedas for many years."
O baba, our Lord is very merciful. The Lord of our hearts is
Sri Krsna. Simply by studying and understanding the scriptures
one does not attain Him. Simply by being very intelligent or
studying from many teachers one does not attain Him. Only to
one who says, "Krsna is my Lord," does Lord Krsna mercifully
reveal His eternal spiritual form of knowledge and bliss. Think
about this and you will easily understand it.
Vrajanatha: Is anything written in the Vedas about Lord
Krsna's spiritual abode?
Babaji: It is described in many places. In some places it is
called 'para-vyoma' (the spiritual sky), in other places
'samvyoma' (the great sky), in other places 'brahma-gopala-puri'
(the city of Lord Gopala), and in other places 'gokula' (the world
of the surabhi cows). It is described in these words of the
Svetasvatara Upanisad (4.8): "In the eternal spiritual sky the
demigods and the Vedic hymns serve the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. What will he who does not know Him do with the

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Vedic hymns? They who know Him have attained the goal of
life."
In the Mundaka Upanisad (2.2.1) it is said: "The Supreme
Personality of Godhead stays in the effulgent spiritual world."
In the Purusa-bodhini-sruti it is said: "In the spiritual world
named Gokula, in the circle of Mathura, the Supreme Personality
of Godhead stays, with Radha and Candravali at His sides."
In the Gopala-tapani Upanisad it is said: "In the spiritual sky
is the city of Lord Gopala."
Vrajanatha: Tantrika brahmanas say that the potency of Lord
Siva is the 'adya sakti' (original potency). Why do they say that?
Babaji: The potency of Lord Siva is the maya-sakti. From
maya the three material modes: goodness, passion and ignorance
are manifested. The brahmanas are in the mode of goodness.
They purely worship Goddess Maya, who is the origin of
material goodness. They who are in the mode of passion worship
Goddess Maya as the mother of the mode of passion. They who
have taken shelter of the mode of ignorance worship Maya as
Goddess Vidya, the controller of the mode of blinding darkness.
In truth, Maya is a transformation of the potency of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. Maya is not a separate potency. Maya is
a shadow or a reflection of the Supreme Lord's original spiritual
potency. Maya imprisons the conditioned souls and she also sets
them free. Persons averse to Lord Krsna she imprisons in the
material world and punishes. Persons who are favorably inclined
to Lord Krsna she places in the mode of goodness and gives
knowledge of Lord Krsna. Persons shackled and imprisoned by
Maya cannot see that Maya herself is a reflection of the Supreme

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Lord's original potency. It is these persons who claim that Maya
is the 'adya sakti' (original potency). A person bewildered by
Maya may reach the right conclusion if he has performed many
pious deeds. One who has not performed pious deeds will not.
Vrajanatha: Among the servants of Lord Krsna in Gokula is
mentioned someone named "Durga-devi". Who is that "Durga"?
Babaji: She is Yogamaya. She is the seed that grows into the
changed forms accepted by the cit-sakti (spiritual potency). She
stays in the spiritual world, and there she is considered identical
with the Lord's internal potency. It is by her power that the
Lord's spiritual potency is reflected as the material potency maya.
The Durga of the material world is a maidservant of her,
Yogamaya, who is the Durga of the spiritual world. This spiritual
Durga assists in Lord Krsna's spiritual pastimes. Manifested as
Yogamaya, in the spiritual world she makes the nectar of Lord
Krsna's pastimes by convincing the gopis that they are married to
others and Krsna is their paramour (parakiya-bhava). She also
arranges for the Lord's rasa-lila pastimes. This is described in
these words of Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.29.10): "Taking shelter of
His Yogamaya potency, Lord Krsna enjoyed the rasa dance."
The meaning of these statements is this: Among the many
spiritual pastimes arranged by the Lord's internal potency are
some activities that seem to be situated in ignorance, although in
truth they are not situated in ignorance at all. When these
activities that superficially appear to be situated in ignorance are
useful to make the nectar of Lord Krsna's pastimes sweeter,
Yogamaya arranges that they are manifested. In this way the
nectar of the Lord's pastime is understood.

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 Vrajanatha: I wish to understand something about the
spiritual abode (dhama) of the Lord. Please be kind and explain
this to me: Why do the Vaisnavas use the word 'sridhama' in
relation to Navadvipa?
Babaji: Sri Navadvipa-dhama and Sri Vrndavana-dhama are
not different. This Mayapura is the highest spiritual abode. Sri
Mayapura is to Navadvipa what Sri Gokula is to Vraja. Mayapura
is the holiest place in Navadvipa. In Srimad-Bhagavatam (7.9.38)
it is said: "O Lord, in the age of Kali, however, You do not assert
Yourself. In that age Your incarnation is hidden."
As the Supreme Lord's incarnation is hidden in the Kali-yuga,
so the Supreme Lord's abode, Sri Navadvipa, is also hidden. In
the age of Kali there is no holy place like Sri Navadvipa. A person
who understands the spiritual nature of Sri Navadvipa has
become qualified to reside in the spiritual world of Vraja.
Material eyes see Vraja and Navadvipa are both material places,
made of the five material elements. Only persons who have
become fortunate to have their spiritual eyes opened are able to
see the truth of these holy abodes.
Vrajanatha: I wish to know the truth about Sri Navadvipa-
dhama.
Babaji: "Goloka", "Vrndavana", and "Svetadvipa" are the
names of the innermost places in the spiritual world. In Goloka
the Lord's svakiya pastimes are manifested, in Vrndavana the
parakiya pastimes are manifested, and in Svetadvipa other
pastimes are manifested. Gokula, Vrndavana, and Svetadvipa are
not different in nature. Sri Navadvipa is therefore not different
from Svetadvipa and Vrndavana. The residents of Sri Navadvipa
are most fortunate - They are the eternal associates of Lord
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Gauranga. It is because in past lives they performed many pious
deeds that now they are able to reside in Sri Navadvipa. The
transcendental mellows (rasa) that were not revealed in Sri
Vrndavana have been revealed in Sri Navadvipa. When a person
becomes qualified, he is able to taste the sweetness of those
mellows.
Vrajanatha: What is the size of Navadvipa-dhama?
Babaji: The circumference of Sri Navadvipa is sixteen krosas
(32 miles). The holy abode of Navadvipa is an eight-petal lotus
flower. Eight of the dvipas form the eight petals, and the island
in the middle is the whorl of the lotus. The eight islands that are
petals of the lotus are: Simantadvipa, Godrumadvipa,
Madhyadvipa, Koladvipa, Rtudvipa, Jahnudvipa,
Modadrumadvipa and Rudradvipa. The whorl in the middle of
the lotus is Antardvipa. In the middle of Antardvipa is Sri
Mayapura. A soul who performs sadhana-bhakti (devotional
service in practice) in Navadvipa-dhama, or especially in Sri
Mayapura, quickly attains the perfection of prema (pure love of
God). In the center of Sri Navadvipa is the very holy place of Sri
Jagannatha Misra's home. The most fortunate devotees are able
to see Lord Gaurangadeva enjoying His eternal pastimes in this
holy place.
Vrajanatha: Does the Lord's internal potency arrange for Lord
Gaurangadeva's pastimes?
Babaji: As Sri Krsna's pastimes are arranged by the internal
potency, so Lord Gauranga's pastimes are arranged in the same
way. There is not the slightest difference between Lord Krsna
and Lord Gauranga. In his notebook, Sri Svarupa Damodara
Goswami explains (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Adi 1.5):
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 "The loving affairs of Sri Radha and Krsna are transcendental
manifestations of the Lord's internal pleasure-giving potency.
Although Radha and Krsna are one in Their identity, They
separated Themselves eternally. Now these two transcendental
identities have again united in the form of Sri Krsna Caitanya. I
bow down to Him, who has manifested Himself with the
sentiment and complexion of Srimati Radharani although He is
Krsna Himself."
Lord Krsna and Lord Caitanya are both manifested eternally.
No one has the power to say which of Them came first and
which second. It cannot be said that Lord Caitanya was
manifested first and Sri Sri Radha-Krsna were manifested second.
Neither can it be said that Sri Sri Radha-Krsna were manifested
first and Lord Caitanya was manifested second. The truth is that
Lord Caitanya and Sri Sri Radha-Krsna both exist eternally. All
the pastimes of the Supreme are eternal. A person who thinks
that of the pastimes of Lord Caitanya and the pastimes of Sri Sri
Radha-Krsna, the pastimes of one is more important and the
pastimes of the other is less important, does not understand the
truth. He does not understand the nectar of the Lord's pastimes.
Vrajanatha: If Sri Gauranga is the original form of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, then how should one worship
Him?
Babaji: As one worships Lord Krsna by chanting the names
and mantras of Lord Krsna, so one should worship Lord Gaura
by chanting the names and mantras of Lord Gauranga. One may
worship Lord Gaura by chanting Krsna-mantras, or for that
matter one may worship Lord Krsna by chanting Gaura-mantras.

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They are all the same. Anyone who thinks Lord Krsna and Lord
Gaura are different is a fool. He is a servant of Kali-yuga.
Vrajanatha: If Lord Caitanya is the hidden (channa)
incarnation described in the Seventh Canto of Srimad-
Bhagavatam, how are there any mantras to worship Him?
Babaji: The Tantras that openly give mantras for worshipping
the openly manifested incarnations of the Lord secretly reveal
the mantras for worshipping the secret, hidden incarnation of the
Lord. People whose intelligence is not crooked can understand
the presence of these mantras.
Vrajanatha: How does one worship the Divine Couple, Sri Sri
Radha-Krsna, while one is engaged in worshipping Lord
Gauranga?
Babaji: There are two ways one may worship the Divine
Couple, Sri Sri Radha-Krsna, while one is engaged in
worshipping Lord Gauranga. These two ways are: 1. arcana-
marga (Deity worship) and 2. bhajana-marga (the practices of
devotional service). In the path of arcana-marga one worships
Gaura-Visnupriya, and in the path of bhajana-marga one
worships Gaura-Gadadhara.
Vrajanatha: Which potency of Lord Gauranga is Sri
Visnupriya?
Babaji: Generally the devotees say she is the Lord's Bhu-sakti.
But the truth is that she is samvit-sakti accompanied by the
essence of the hladini-sakti. This means that she is the Goddess
of Devotion, Bhakti-devi and during Lord Gauranga's advent she
comes to help Him preach the glories of the holy name. As the
nine islands of Sri Navadvipa-dhama embody the nine kinds of
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devotional service, so Srimati Visnupriya is also the nine kinds of
devotional service personified.
Vrajanatha: Can it be said, then, that Sri Visnupriya is the
Lord's internal potency?
Babaji: How can there be any doubt? Is not the internal
potency (svarupa-sakti) the same as the samvit-sakti
accompanied by the essence of the hladini-sakti?
Vrajanatha: O master, soon I will learn the proper way to
worship Lord Gaura, but now a question has entered my mind.
The cit-sakti, jiva-sakti, and maya-sakti are manifested from the
Lord's internal potency (svarupa-sakti), and the hladini-sakti,
samvit-sakti, and sandhini-sakti are also manifested from the
internal potency. All that is done is apparently done by the
Lord's potencies. The spiritual world, spiritual bodies, spiritual
relationships, and spiritual pastimes are all manifested by the
Lord's potencies. Does Lord Krsna, the master of all these
potencies, do anything Himself?
Babaji: That is a difficult question. Are you trying to attack an
old man with arrows of logical puzzles? The question is simple,
and it has a simple answer. Still, it is hard to find a person
qualified to understand the simple answer to this question. I will
speak. You please try to understand my words. Lord Krsna's
name, forms, qualities, and pastimes are all manifested by His
potencies. Still, Krsna's supreme independence and His desires
are not manifested by His potencies. They are part of His nature.
They are manifested by the Supreme Personality of Godhead
alone. Lord Krsna can do anything He wishes. He is the shelter of
His potencies. Krsna is the enjoyer. His potencies are enjoyed by
Him. Krsna is independent. His potencies are dependent on Him.
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At every turn the independent Supreme Personality of Godhead
is surrounded by His potencies. Still, He remains always perfect
and always independent. Although He is always surrounded by
His potencies, He is also always their master. When human
beings understand the Supreme they must do it through the aid
of the Lord's potencies. Therefore it is hard for them to
understand that the Supreme Lord is the master of all potencies,
and He is actually beyond the influence of His potencies.
However, a devotee who has attained love (prema) for the Lord
can directly see that the Supreme Lord is the master of all
potencies and is beyond their influence. Devotional service
(bhakti) is one of the Lord's potencies, and therefore is feminine
in nature. Following the Lord's internal potency, the potency of
devotional service can bring one to the position where one can
directly perceive the masculine nature of Sri Krsna, the
independent, self-willed supreme male.
Vrajanatha: If there is a being beyond the influence of the
potencies, that being must be the impersonal Brahman described
in the Upanisads.
Babaji: The impersonal Brahman described in the Upanisads
has no desires. The 'purusa' described in the Upanisads is Lord
Krsna, the supreme male. He is filled with desires. These two are
different in many ways. Impersonal Brahman has no qualities.
Krsna, completely independent of His potencies, has a host of
qualities. They are part of His character as the supreme male, the
supreme enjoyer, and the supreme independent being. In truth,
Krsna and His potencies are not different. The potency that
allows us to see Krsna is also Krsna Himself. Why not? Sri Radha
is the most exalted potency. She serves Krsna and Krsna also

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serves Her. They worship each other, and in this way they are
different from each other.
Vrajanatha: If the fact that Krsna has desires and enjoyments
are proof of His masculine nature, then how is it that Radha has
desires and still a feminine nature?
Babaji: Srimati Radha's desires are subordinate to Krsna's
desires. She never desires anything or does anything that has no
relationship with Krsna. That is Radha's desire. Radha is the
purna-sakti (complete potency) or adya-sakti (original potency).
Krsna is the supreme male. He is the master and controller of His
potency.
At this point in their conversation, Vrajanatha took
permission to depart. After offering dandavat obeisances to the
saintly babaji, Vrajanatha happily returned to his home in Bilva-
puskarini. Seeing that day by day he was changing, his
grandmother said that it was time for him to get married.
Vrajanatha would not listen to her. Day and night he thought
about what the saintly babaji was teaching him. Thinking,
"These teachings are very pleasing to my heart. Now I will hear
more teachings, teachings sweet like nectar," he happily went to
Srivasa's courtyard.

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 Chapter Fifteen

Eternal Religion and Sambandha,

Abhidheya and Prayojana
(The Individual Spirit Souls)
Nitya-dharma o sambandhabhidheya prayojana
(Prameyantargata jiva-vicara)

This day Vrajanatha came a little too early to Srivasa's

courtyard. The devotees living in Sri Godruma had come to
Srivasa's courtyard to see the evening arati. Paramahamsa Babaji
Sri Prema dasa, Vaisnava dasa, Advaita dasa and all the other
devotees had already entered the temple to see the arati. Seeing
the residents of Sri Godruma, Vrajanatha thought, "Now I have
their association. My life is now a great success." Seeing humble,
devoted, smiling Vrajanatha, everyone gave him their blessings.
When after a short time they left, going south to return to Sri
Godruma, the saintly elderly babaji noticed that tears were
streaming from Vrajanatha's eyes. Saintly Raghunatha dasa Babaji
had by this time developed strong affection for Vrajanatha. He
asked Vrajanatha, "Baba, why are you weeping?" Vrajanatha
humbly replied, "O master, your teachings and association has
brought an upheaval in my thoughts. Now my heart understands
how worthless the material world is. My heart yearns to take
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shelter of Lord Gaura's feet. In my mind there is one question:
Who am I in reality, and why do I live in the material world?
Babaji: Good. With this question you have made me
fortunate. When his auspicious day comes, a soul places this
question before all others. When you hear the fifth verse of Dasa-
mula and its explanation, doubts will no longer live in your
heart.
"As sparks fly from a blazing fire, or rays of light fly from the
sun, so the individual spirit souls come from the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, Lord Hari. As the sparks and rays of
light are at once different and not different from their source, so
the individual souls are different and not different from Lord
Hari. Lord Hari is the supreme controller. He is the master of the
material world. The illusory potency maya is under His control.
The individual soul is not like Him. Even when he is liberated,
the soul is capable of coming under maya's control."
Vrajanatha: That is a wonderful conclusion! I wish to hear
the evidence the Vedas give for it. The words of the Supreme
Lord (Bhagavad-gita) are worthy evidence by themselves.
However, when they are supported by the words of the
Upanisads, they are more easily accepted by the people in
general.
Babaji: These truths are revealed in many passages of the
Vedas. I will recite one or two of them. Please listen carefully. In
the Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad (2.2.20 and 4.3.9) it is said: "As
tiny sparks fly from a fire, so all individual souls have come from
the Supreme."

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 "A person has two places: the spiritual world and the place
where the spiritual world meets another world. There is also a
third place, a place of dreams. Standing between them, the soul
sees on one side the spiritual world and on the other side the
place of dreaming."
This passage describes the individual soul's (jiva-sakti),
which can reside in either the spiritual or material worlds
(tatastha). In the Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad (4.3.18) it is also
said: "As a large fish in a river may go to one shore or the other,
so a person may go to one world or another. He may go to a
world where he is awake, or may go to a world made of dreams."
Vrajanatha: How does the Vedanta philosophy define the
word "tatastha?"
Babaji: The place where a river's waters meet with the land of
the shore is called the 'tata'. The 'tata' is then the place where
water meets the land. What is the nature of this 'tata'? It is like
the thinnest of threads that runs along the boundary of land and
water. A 'tata' is like the finest of lines, so small that the gross
material eyes cannot even see it . In this example the spiritual
world is like the water and the material world is like the land.
The thin line that separates them is the 'tata'. That boundary
place is the abode of the individual spirit souls. The individual
spirit souls are like atomic particles of sunlight. The souls can
see both the spiritual world and the material world created by
Maya. The Lord's spiritual potency, cit-sakti, is limitless, and the
Lord's material potency, maya-sakti, is gigantic. Standing
between them, the individual spirit soul is very tiny. The
individual spirit souls are manifested from the tatastha-sakti of

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Lord Krsna. Therefore the souls are naturally situated on the
boundary (tatastha) of matter and spirit).
Vrajanatha: What is this 'tatastha' nature of the individual
souls?
Babaji: Standing between them, the soul can see these two
worlds. The 'tatastha' nature of the souls refers to the fact that
they must be under the control of one of these two potencies.
The actual place of the 'tata' (shore may change. What was once
dry land may be covered with water, and what was once covered
by water may again become dry land. If he turns his gaze upon
Lord Krsna, the soul comes under the shelter of Lord Krsna's
spiritual potency. But if he turns away from Krsna and turns his
gaze to the material potency, maya, then the soul is caught in
maya's trap. That is what is meant by 'the soul's tatastha nature'.
Vrajanatha: Does maya have anything to do with the nature of
the spirit souls?
Babaji: No. The spirit souls are completely spiritual. However,
because they are atomic in size, the souls are not very strong.
That is why maya can dominate them. However, in the soul's
nature there is not the slightest scent of maya.
Vrajanatha: I heard from my teacher that when it is
surrounded by maya, the impersonal brahman becomes the
individual spirit soul. When a small portion of the great sky is
surrounded by the walls of a clay pot, it becomes the sky within
a pot. In the same when the impersonal Brahman is surrounded
by Maya, it becomes the individual soul. What does this mean?
Babaji: That is just impersonalism (mayavada). How can
maya have the power to touch the Supreme Brahman? If you say
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that Brahman has no potency, then how can maya even approach
Brahman? The maya potency has no independent power. How
can she have any effect on the Brahman? It cannot be said that
the great Brahman becomes covered by maya and is then forced
to suffer in different ways. That is not possible. If Brahman's
spiritual potency is always awake and vigilant, how can the
insignificant maya-sakti defeat her and proceed to create the
individual souls from Brahman in this way? The Supreme
Brahman is limitless and immeasurable. How can the limitless
Brahman be broken into smaller souls in the same way the great
sky is broken into the little skies within a series of clay pots? The
idea that maya can have some effect on the Brahman cannot be
accepted. Maya has nothing to do with the creation of the
individual spirit souls. Although they are atomic in size, the
individual spirit souls are superior to maya.
Vrajanatha: At another time another teacher said that the
individual spirit soul is a reflection of Brahman. As the sun is
reflected on the water, so the Supreme Brahman, reflected on
maya, becomes the individual soul. What does that mean?
Babaji: That is also impersonalism. Brahman has no limit.
Something that is unlimited cannot be reflected anywhere. The
Vedas do not teach that Brahman is limited. This reflection-
theory should be rejected.
Vrajanatha: Another time a dig-vijayi sannyasi said that the
individual spirit soul does not really exist. The idea of the
individual soul is only an illusion. When the illusion is thrown
far away, only the undivided Brahman remains. What does that
mean?

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 Babaji: That is also impersonalism. That idea has no root in
the truth. In the Chandogya Upanisad (6.2.1) it is said:
"Brahman is one without a second."
Do these words of the Vedas mean that only Brahman, and
nothing else, exists? If nothing but Brahman exists, then from
where has this illusion come? Whom does this illusion bewilder?
If you say this illusion bewilders Brahman, then you make
Brahman a pathetic being. If you say this illusion bewilders
something other than Brahman, then you contradict the idea that
only Brahman exists.
Vrajanatha: Another time a brahmana pandita of Navadvipa
said that only the individual soul exists. In a dream he
experiences material happiness and suffering. When he wakes up
from the dream, he discovers that he is Brahman. What does this
mean?
Babaji: That is also impersonalism. Brahman has a dream and
becomes the individual soul? What proof do they have for that?
The scriptures give the examples of mistaking the glittering on a
seashell's surface for silver and mistaking a rope for a snake, but
these examples do not prove the impersonalist idea that Brahman
alone exists. These words are only a great network of word-
jugglery meant to bewilder the people in general.
Vrajanatha: The individual soul is not created by maya. That I
accept. Maya has the power to dominate the individual soul.
That I understand. This is my question: Does the spiritual
potency (cit-sakti) place the individual soul on the border
(tatastha) of matter and spirit?

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 Babaji: No. The cit-sakti is the full manifestation of Lord
Krsna's potency. Whatever she creates is eternally perfect (nitya-
siddha). The individual spirit souls are not eternally perfect. By
engaging in the activities of devotional service (sadhana) they
may become perfect (sadhana-siddha) and thus enjoy spiritual
bliss exactly like that enjoyed by the eternally perfect (nitya-
siddha) beings. The four kinds of gopi-friends (sakhi) of Srimati
Radharani are eternally perfect beings (nitya-siddha). They are
manifested from the form of Srimati Radharani, who is the cit-
sakti Herself. All the individual spirit souls are manifested from
Lord Krsna's jiva-sakti. The cit-sakti is Lord Krsna's complete
potency (purna-sakti). The individual souls (jiva-sakti) are
counted among Lord Krsna's incomplete potencies (apurna-
sakti). From the complete potency complete and perfect things
are manifested. From the incomplete potency all the individual
souls, who are atomic fragments of consciousness, are
manifested. Lord Krsna manifests different kinds of entities
according to the different kinds of potencies He employs to
create them. When He is manifested in His cit-sakti, He appears
as Krsna and as Narayana, the master of Vaikuntha. When He is
manifested in the jiva-sakti, He appears as Baladeva, His pastime
form (vilasa-murti) in Vraja. When He is manifested in the maya-
sakti, He appears as the three forms of Karanodakasayi Visnu,
Garbhodakasayi Visnu and Ksirodakasayi Visnu. In Vraja He
appears in His original form, as Krsna, a form manifested by His
complete potency. Appearing as Baladeva, He manifests His sesa-
tattva (nature of Lord Sesa). In this way He manifests the eight
kinds of services the eternally liberated associates offer to Him.
Again in Vaikuntha He appears as Sesa-Sankarsana and manifests
the eight kinds of service His eternal associates offer to Lord
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Narayana. Lord Sankarsana incarnates as Maha-Visnu. He
becomes the resting-place of the jiva-sakti and appears as the
Supersoul in the hearts of all the individual souls residing in the
material world. All these individual souls are attracted to maya.
As long as they do not attain the mercy of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead and take shelter of the Lord's spiritual
hladini-sakti, they are defeated by Maya. Numberless souls are
defeated by Maya and cast into Her prison. They are the
followers of Maya's three modes. The conclusion is this: the
individual souls are manifested by the jiva-sakti. They are not
manifested by the cit-sakti.
Vrajanatha: I have heard that the spiritual world is eternal
and the individual spirit souls are also eternal. How is it possible
for eternal things to be born, created, or manifested? If there was
a time when they were not manifested and they only appear at a
certain point in time, how can they be eternal?
Babaji: The time and space present in the spiritual world is
different from the time and space you experience now in the
material world. In the material world time has three phases: past,
present and future. In the spiritual world time is not broken in
that way. There time is an eternal present. In the spiritual world
things do not come into being. Everything exists in an eternal
present. When we who living in the world of material time and
space try to describe the spiritual world, we tend to say things
like, "The individual souls were created," "the individual souls
were imprisoned by Maya", "the spiritual world was manifested",
and "the individual souls are spiritual and were not created by
maya". When we talk in these ways we certainly show how much
we are influence by staying in this world of material time. As

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long as we stay in Maya's prison we cannot avoid talking in this
way. That is why when we describe the individual souls or the
nature of spirit we cannot avoid speaking in terms of material
time. Therefore we tend to speak in terms of past and future.
Therefore a person who tries to understand the spiritual world
properly tries to speak in terms of an eternal present. Baba, logic
cannot help us understand these things. Here logic should be
rejected. Then you will be able to see the nature of spirit. When
he forgets that he is eternally a servant of Lord Krsna, the
individual soul enters Maya's prison. Originally all souls are
Vaisnavas. However, they become two groups: 1. nitya-baddha
(eternally imprisoned by Maya) and 2. nitya-mukta (eternally
liberated). A human being bewildered by matter cannot describe
these things. Still, a saintly devotee can attain the spiritual vision
to see these spiritual truths directly. My words are inevitably
influenced by matter. I will describe these things as far as I am
able. My words will inevitably be imperfect. O baba, you will be
able to see the pure spiritual truth. However, logic will not help
you. Why will logic not help? Because logic is useless in grasping
what is beyond the mind's understanding. I know you will not be
able to understand this all at once. Still, the more you follow the
spiritual path the more you will be able to see the difference
between matter and spirit. Your body is material. All the body's
actions are material. But the truth is that You yourself are not
material. You are a tiny particle of conscious spirit. The more
you understand that truth, the more you will be able to perceive
your own identity and the truth that you are superior to the
material world. You will not understand this merely by hearing
me tell you about it. As you follow the path of regularly chanting
the holy names of Lord Hari, these spiritual truths will gradually
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spontaneously appear before you. Then you will understand the
spiritual world. As long as the mind and words are influenced by
matter, try as one may one will not be able to touch the spiritual
truth. The Vedas (Taittiriya Upanisad 2.4.1.) explain:
"The descriptive power of speech fails in the realm of the
Absolute Truth and the speculative power of the mind cannot
achieve Him."
My advice to you is: Don't ask anyone what they think of
these conclusions. Experience them yourself. I can only give a
hint about them.
Vrajanatha: I say this: If the individual souls are like sparks
from a blazing fire or atomic particles of sunlight, then what is
the function of the jiva-sakti potency?
Babaji: Krsna is self-effulgent, like a blazing fire or the sun.
Krsna is like a blazing fire. In the center of the fire is the cit-sakti
is present in fullness. In addition to the center there is also a
great expanse illuminated by the fire. The same way the Krsna-
sun illumines a great area with sunlight. The rays of sunlight are
particles of His internal potency (svarupa sakti). Those atomic
particles that constitute those rays of sunlight are the individual
spirit souls. The internal potency (svarupa sakti) manifests the
Krsna-sun planet itself. The sunlight emanating from that planet
is manifested by the cit-sakti and the individual particles of light
are manifested by the jiva-sakti. Therefore the individual spirit
souls are manifested by the jiva-sakti. This is described in the
following words of the Svetasvatara Upanisad (6.8): "The Lord's
spiritual potency is manifested in many different ways."

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 In this way the Lord's spiritual potency manifests the jiva-
sakti-sunlight, which shines on the borderline (tata) of the
spiritual and material worlds. In this way the eternal individual
spirit souls are manifested.
Vrajanatha: A blazing fire is material, the sun is material, and
sparks are material. Why are material examples used here to
describe the spiritual truth?
Babaji: I have already explained that when we try to use
material words to describe spiritual things, the faults of matter
tend to slip into the description. In this situation we have no
choice but to use examples like the fire or the sun. In truth, Lord
Krsna is much greater than the sun. Lord Krsna's circle of
spiritual potencies is much greater than the circle of the sun's
light. Lord Krsna's effulgence is much greater than the sun's
light. In this case certain features that may be similar are
considered, but in many other ways the two things being
compared are not at all alike. The sun and the sunlight are
beautiful and glorious. However, the sun is material and it also
burns things to ashes, and has many other like qualities also.
These qualities are absent in the spiritual truth. When we say
that milk is like water, we mean that as water is a liquid, so milk
is also a liquid. We do not mean that milk and water are identical
in all respects. If that were so, why would we designate one thing
as milk and another as water? Therefore, when we use an
example to describe something, the example shows a similarity
in only one point. The two things compared are not alike in
everything.
Vrajanatha: The individual soul-sunlight is simultaneously
one and different from the Krsna-sun. How is this possible?
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 Babaji: In the material world when one thing is manifested
from another, the thing manifested is either different from or
identical with its source. That is the nature of material things.
When an egg comes from a bird, the egg and bird are then
distinct. The egg does not remain a part of the bird. As long as
they are not cut off, the hair and nails of a human body remain
part of it. In the world of spirit the situation is different. When
they are emanated from the spiritual sun, the rays of spiritual
sunlight remain simultaneously one and different from their
source. The rays of light and the atomic particles of which those
rays are constituted are not different from the sun that is their
origin. In the same way the sunlight or the jiva-sakti and the
atomic particles of which that sunlight is composed, which
particles are the individual spirit souls, are not different from the
Krsna-sun that is their origin. In this way the individual spirit
souls are not different from Lord Krsna. However, the individual
souls are all individual persons, and each of them has free-will.
In this way they are each eternally different from Lord Krsna. In
this way the individual spirit souls are simultaneously one and
different from Lord Krsna. This is so eternally. In this way the
nature of spirit is different from that of matter. The panditas also
give another example from the material world. It is this: There is
a large lump of gold, and from that lump a bracelet is fashioned.
Because it is gold, the bracelet is not different from the gold
lump. Still, because it is a bracelet, it is also different from the
lump of gold. The example here does not hold in all its details,
but in one point it holds. The Krsna-sun and the individual
souls-sunlight are one in the sense that they are both spirit, but
they are different in the sense that one is the complete spirit and
the other is a tiny particle of spirit. The impersonalists' example
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of the 'sky within the clay pot and the great sky expanded
everywhere' does not properly explain the spiritual truth.
Vrajanatha: If spirit and matter are different, then why are
these examples used?
Babaji: The nyaya philosophers like to divide the components
of the material world into various categories, and then claim that
these divisions are eternal. Matter and spirit are not really
different from each other in that way. As I said before, matter is
merely a perverted manifestation of spirit. The perverted
manifested and the original pure form from which it has come
may share many similar features. The perverted manifestation is
certainly different from the original pure form, but still the two
share many similarities. Ice is a perverted manifestation of water.
Ice is different from water. Still water and ice may both be cold
and may share many other qualities also. There may also be
differences. Cold and hot water do not share the quality of
coldness. However, they do share the quality of liquidity.
Therefore a perverted manifestation may have many qualities like
those present in the pure manifestation that is its origin. Because
matter is a perverted manifestation of spirit, spirit and matter do
have some similar qualities. These similar qualities may provide
material examples to describe spiritual things. Here the example
of 'arundhati-darsana-nyaya' (showing the position of the star
Arundhati in the sky by using an object on the earth as a point of
reference. In this way one may say, "If you look between these
two branches of this tree, the star in the sky shining there is
Arundhati") is appropriate. In this way examples drawn from
material things can be used to reveal spiritual truths. Lord
Krsna's pastimes are perfectly spiritual. They have not even the

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slightest scent of matter. Lord Krsna's Vraja pastimes in Vraja,
which are described in Srimad-Bhagavatam are perfectly spiritual
and not material. When they are read to a circle of human
hearers, they produce different results according to the
qualifications of the different people hearing them. When people
very attached to matter hear these pastimes they enjoy the
material poetic language and, as far as they are concerned, think
they are hearing description of an ordinary romantic couple.
People of an intermediate qualification think in terms of the
'arundhati-darsana-nyaya'. They think these pastimes are
examples drawn from the material world to reveal spiritual
truths. Persons who are most qualified know that these pastimes
are spiritual activities far beyond the realm of matter. These
persons dive into an ocean of nectar happiness to hear these
pastimes. Without speaking examples like these, how can one
teach the people about the spiritual truth? The material mind
and material words are defeated when they try to describe these
things. How will the souls imprisoned in the material world
attain an auspicious life? We do not see any way other than by
speaking examples like the example of 'arundhati-darsana-
nyaya'. Material things are either one or different. Spiritual things
are not like that. Lord Krsna, His jiva-sakti potency and the
individual spirit souls manifested from that potency are all
inconceivable. You should accept that they are simultaneously
one and different.
Vrajanatha: In what ways are the individual spirit soul and
the Supreme Personality of Godhead different?
Babaji: First I will explain how the individual spirit soul and
the Supreme Personality of Godhead are eternally one. After that

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I will explain how They are eternally different. The Supreme
Personality of Godhead is consciousness, a knower, an enjoyer, a
thinker, self-manifested, and visible to others. He is also the
knower of all fields of activity and He is full of desires. The
individual spirit soul is also consciousness, a knower, an enjoyer,
a thinker, self-manifested, and visible to others. He is also the
knower of a field of activity and he is also full of desires. Because
He is the master of all potencies, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead has these qualities to the highest degree. On the other
hand, the individual spirit soul, possessing only very slight
power, has these qualities in a very slight degree. Although they
are different in the sense that one is perfect and complete and the
other is very small and atomic, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead and the individual spirit soul are alike in that They
both possess these qualities. The Supreme Personality of
Godhead is the master of all potencies. He is the controller of the
svarupa-sakti (internal potency), jiva-sakti and maya-sakti. These
potencies are all His obedient maidservants. He is their master.
Whatever He wishes, they do. That is the nature of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. He is subordinate to the Lord's other
potencies. The word 'maya' is used in the Dasa-mula (in the verse
quoted in the beginning of this chapter) to mean not only the
Lord's material potency but also His internal potency (svarupa-
sakti). The dictionaries explain: "That which measures is called
'maya'."
According to this explanation, the word 'maya' refers to the
potency of Lord Krsna that manifests the spiritual world, the
individual spirit souls, and the material world. Understood in
this way, the word 'maya' refers to the Lord's internal potency
(svarupa-sakti), not to His material potency. Lord Krsna is the
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master of this maya potency. The individual spirit souls are
under the control of the maya potency. This is described in the
following words of the Svetasvatara Upanisad (4.9-10): "It is very
difficult for the conditioned soul, illusioned by maya and trapped
in the material world, to understand the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, the controller of the illusory potency and the creator of
the material universes.
"One should know that although maya (illusion) is false or
temporary, the background of maya is the supreme magician, the
Personality of Godhead, who is Mahesvara, the Supreme
Controller."
In these verses the word 'mayi' refers to Lord Krsna, the
controller of maya, and the word 'prakrti' refers to His complete
potency. This glorious quality (being the controller of maya)
belongs to the Supreme Personality of Godhead alone. The
individual souls do not possess it. Even the liberated souls
cannot attain this quality. In the Vedanta-sutra (4.4.17) it is said:
"Even after he attains liberation, the individual soul does not
have the power to create the material world."
Therefore the conclusion of Vedanta-sutra is that the
individual souls are eternally different from the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. The circle of the wise accept this
conclusion. This eternal difference is not an imagination. It is
eternally real. The difference between the soul and the Lord will
never be destroyed. Therefore you should know that the
statement "The individual spirit soul is eternally a servant of
Lord Krsna" is one of the most important teachings of the
scriptures.

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 Vrajanatha: If they are eternally different, then how are they
not different? Should we accept the idea that when he attains
nirvana, the soul becomes one with the Supreme?
Babaji: Baba, it is not like that. At no time does the individual
soul become non-different from the Supreme.
Vrajanatha: Then why do you say that the soul is
simultaneously one and different from the Lord?
Babaji: In the sense that they are both spiritual in nature,
Lord Krsna and the individual soul are eternally not different.
Otherwise, their natures are eternally different. Their oneness is
eternal and their difference is also eternal. Their oneness does
not refer to the other qualities of their natures. In other qualities
their difference is more prominent. Therefore, if one says that a
house is simultaneously "the property of Devadatta" and
"without Devadatta's presence", then even though Devadatta may
be absent, the idea that it remains his property is the more
important of the two ideas. Now I will give another material
example. The sky is a material thing. If some portion of the sky is
contained within a clay pot, the existence of the great sky outside
the pot remains more important than the sky within the pot. In
the same way the eternal difference between the Supreme Lord
and the individual spirit soul is more important than their
oneness.
Vrajanatha: Please describe the soul's eternal nature more
clearly.
Babaji: The individual spirit soul is an atomic fragment of
consciousness. He has knowledge. He has ego, or a sense of self,
and he calls himself by the word "I". He is an enjoyer, and

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thinker, and a knower. The soul has an eternal form. That form
is spiritual and subtle. That form has hands, feet, eyes, nose, ears,
and other limbs, all handsome and graceful, superficially like the
limbs of an ordinary material body. That body is made of a
spiritual atom. It is very handsome. It is spiritual. That is the
eternal form of the individual spirit soul. When the soul is
imprisoned by Maya, the soul's original spiritual body is covered
by two material bodies. One of these bodies is called 'linga-
sarira" (the subtle body) and the other is called 'sthula-sarira'
(the gross body). The linga-sarira covers the atomic spiritual
form of the individual spirit soul. From the time the soul is first
imprisoned in the material world until the time he is released,
the linga-sarira cannot be removed. When the soul takes birth in
another body, he enters a different sthula-sarira (gross body). He
does not enter a different linga-sarira. He keeps the same linga-
sarira. The linga-sarira is one. On the other hand, the soul
periodically leaves one sthula-sarira and, impelled by his
material desires, accepts another sthula-sarira. Thus, following
the path of the five fires described in the Vedas, the soul attains a
new sthula-sarira. These five fires, beginning with "citagni, vrsty-
agni, bhojagni and reto-havanagni" are described in the
Chandogya Upanisad and the Vedanta-sutra. In this way one
birth follows another. According to the desires he had in his
previous births, the soul attains a particular kind of new body. In
this way he attains a certain kind of material nature and a
particular status among the castes. According to the way he acts
in the varnasrama system, he gets an appropriate new body at the
time of death. Meanwhile his original spiritual form remains
covered, first by the linga-sarira, and secondly by the sthula-
sarira.
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 Vrajanatha: What is the difference between the eternal
spiritual body and the linga-sarira?
Babaji: The eternal body is an atomic particle of spirit. It has
no defects. The soul may properly apply the word "I" to this
body alone. The linga-sarira is composed of material perversions
of the soul's original mind, intelligence and ego.
Vrajanatha: How can mind, intelligence and ego be material?
If they are material, how can they be conscious of anything?
Babaji: Lord Krsna explains in the Bhagavad-gita (7.4-6):
"Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false-ego -
altogether these eight comprise My separated material energies.
"Besides this inferior nature, O mighty-armed Arjuna, there is
a superior energy of Mine, which are all living entities who are
struggling with material nature and are sustaining the universe.
"Of all that is material and all that is spiritual in this world,
know for certain that I am both its origin and dissolution."
Look at these words of Gita Upanisad. Here two natures:
superior (para) and inferior (apara) are described. The superior
nature is the jiva-sakti, and the inferior nature is the maya-sakti.
Because it is a particle of spirit, the jiva sakti is here called
'superior'. On the other hand, the maya-sakti is made of matter,
and therefore it is called 'inferior'. The individual spirit souls are
different from the inferior, material potency. The inferior
potency has eight elements: the five gross elements and the three
subtle elements of mind, intelligence and false ego. When they
are manifested in the material potency, mind, intelligence and
ego are material in nature. These three form a body made of
consciousness, but that consciousness is not spiritual, it is
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material consciousness. From the material mind all else is
manifested. The mind is thus conscious of material objects and
engaged in directing material activities. Thus the material mind
is the root from which material things grow. It is not the root of
spiritual things. In the material consciousness is placed the
conception of what is good and what is not good. This is called
'intelligence'. This intelligence is material in nature. From this
material intelligence material ego is manifested. This kind of ego
is not spiritual in its nature. When these three material elements
(material mind, intelligence and ego) combine they form a
second body, which is called the linga-sarira. The material ego of
this material linga-sarira then covers the eternal spiritual ego of
the individual spirit soul. In the soul's eternal spiritual form, the
spiritual ego understands its relationship with the spiritual
Krsna-sun. When the soul attains liberation, this original
spiritual ego becomes uncovered and is openly manifested. As
long as the linga-sarira covers the soul's eternal spiritual form,
the soul tends to identify itself as matter. At that time the truth,
that the soul is spiritual, is almost completely lost. The linga-
sarira is made of subtle matter and because it is subtle it is easily
covered by another body, the sthula-sarira, which is made of
gross matter. When the covering of the sthula-sarira is in place,
the ego identifies with one of the castes or other groups (varnas)
of this world. Because they are perverted manifestations of their
counterparts in the soul's original spiritual body, the material
mind, intelligence and ego think they are really conscious of the
world around them.
Vrajanatha: I understand now that the individual soul has an
eternal spiritual form, each limb of which is very graceful and
beautiful. When the soul is imprisoned by Maya, that original
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spiritual form is covered by the linga-sarira. In this way the soul's
beauty is covered and hidden. Then the linga-sarira is covered by
the gross sthula-sarira. In this way the soul's original form is
completely hidden by a great apparatus of material things. My
question is this: Is the liberated soul completely perfect and free
of any defect?
Babaji: Although he is free of defects, the atomic spiritual
soul is not perfect. Why no? He is very tiny and very weak. For
this reason one defect may be seen in the individual soul:
because he is so weak, when he comes into contact with maya-
sakti, the soul is easily overpowered and his original form
becomes covered. In Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.2.32) the demigods
speak the following prayer to the Supreme Lord: "O lotus-eyed
one, those who think they are liberated in this life but do not
render devotional service to You must be of impure intelligence.
Although they accept severe austerities and penances to rise to
the spiritual position, to impersonal Brahman realization, they
fall down again because they neglect to worship Your lotus feet."
Therefore, even when he is liberated, the individual spirit
soul is not very great and is always imperfect. That is the truth of
the individual spirit souls. The Vedas declare that the Supreme
Personality of Godhead is the controller of Maya, but on the
other hand the individual spirit souls are so weak that at any
moment they may be overpowered by Maya.

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 Chapter Sixteen

Eternal Religion and Sambandha,

Abhidheya and Prayojana
(The Individual Souls Swallowed by Maya)
Nitya-dharma o sambandhabhidheya prayojana
(Prameyantar-gata maya-kavalita jiva-vicara)

After he had heard the Dasa-mula's teachings about the

individual spirit soul, Vrajanatha lay in his bed in his own home
and deeply thought, "Who am I?" that question was answered.
Now I know who I am. I am an atomic particle of light shining
from the spiritual sun of Lord Krsna. I am atomic in size, and
therefore I possess consciousness, a spiritual identity, and a
single drop of spiritual bliss. I have a form made of a tiny
fragment of spirit. I am very tiny and my form is somewhat like
the moderately sized form of Lord Krsna. I cannot see my
spiritual form. That is my misfortune. That I am now very eager
to see this spiritual form means that now I have become
fortunate. Why did I fall into this unfortunate situation? I must
understand that very clearly. Tomorrow I will place this question
before Sri Gurudeva's feet. He thought about it again and again.
After six hours of the night had passed, the goddess of sleep
came like a thief and gradually stole away his wakefulness. Then
the night was ending he dreamed that he had renounced the
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material world and accepted the garments of a Vaisnava. When
his sleep broke he though, "Now the Lord will take me from this
material life." He went to the family shrine of Goddess Durga.
His students came, fell at his feet, and requested, "We have come
to study logic. Please teach us the book Kusumanjali. That is our
wish." Vrajanatha humbly replied, "Like Nimai Pandita, I too
have closed my books. I have made my mind place its gaze on a
different path. Please find another teacher." One by one, the
students left. Then the matchmaker Caturbhuja Misra visited
Vrajanatha's grandmother with a proposal for Vrajanatha's
marriage. He said, "Vijayanatha Bhattacarya comes in a good
family. His daughter is very beautiful. She would be good for
your grandson. The Bhattacarya has not yet promised his
daughter to anyone." Hearing this marriage proposal,
Vrajanatha's grandmother became very happy. Vrajanatha
thought, "What a calamity! Now I have decided to renounce the
world. How can any good come from this talking of my
marriage? With Vrajanatha on one side and his mother,
grandmother, and the elderly ladies of the family on the other,
there was much talking about it. In that way the day passed. At
sunset there were clouds, thunder, and rain. That day Vrajanatha
did not go to Mayapura. The night passed. The next day there
was more talk about the marriage. Vrajanatha could not
peacefully take his meals or do anything else. At sunset
Vrajanatha approached the elderly babaji's cottages. He offered
dandavat obeisances. The saintly babaji said, "Last night it
rained, so you could not come. Now I am very glad to see you."
Vrajanatha replied, "O master, many calamities have fallen upon
me. Later I will tell you about them. For now I will ask this
question: The individual soul is pure spirit. Why does the
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calamity of residing in the material world fall upon him?" The
saintly babaji smiled and recited this verse:
"Covering them with gross and subtle material forms,
chaining them with the modes of nature, and pulling them with
the painful ropes of karma, Maya leads to Svargaloka and to hell
the criminal souls who, forgetting their own spiritual welfare,
have turned from Krsna and become intent on their own
happiness."
In Goloka, which is manifested by Lord Baladeva, and in
Vaikuntha, which is manifested by Lord Sankarsana, numberless
individual souls are eternal associates of the Lord. There they
taste the nectar of worshipping and serving the Lord. They are
always inclined to spiritual things. They seek the happiness of
worshipping the Lord. They are always eager to serve the Lord.
Empowered by the Lord's jiva-sakti and cit-sakti, they always
have great spiritual strength. They never touch Maya. They do
not even know that a potency called maya-sakti exists. Staying in
the middle of the circle of the spiritual world, they are very far
away from Maya. They always swim in the ocean of pleasure that
is worshipping and serving the Lord. They know nothing of
suffering, material pleasure or selfish pleasure. They are eternally
liberated. Love for the Lord is their entire life. What are grief,
death, and fear they do not know. When He glances at Maya,
Lord Karanodakasayi Visnu sends numberless atomic spirit souls
to the material world. Because they are now on Maya's side, the
many creations of Maya now enter the pathway of their eyes.
These souls have all the qualities of the soul I have already
described. However, because they are atomic in size, from the
border of matter and spirit (tatastha) they must place their

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glance on either the spiritual world or the material world. The
individual souls are very weak. How can this not be? These souls
did not obtain the spiritual strength that comes from the Lord's
mercy, mercy that comes from properly serving Him. That is why
these souls develop a desire to enjoy the pleasures that Maya
offers. These souls enter Maya's world, and there Maya imprisons
them for what seems an eternity. When these souls again turn to
spiritual life and service to the Lord, they can attain the Lord's
mercy, which will give them spiritual strength. Then they can
return to the spiritual world. Baba, I am very unfortunate. I have
forgotten that I am eternally a servant of Lord Krsna. I have
entered Maya's world, and here Maya keeps me imprisoned. I
have forgotten my own spiritual welfare. I am very unfortunate!
Vrajanatha: O master, why did some souls leave the
borderline of matter and spirit and enter the world of Maya?
Why did other souls go to the spiritual world?
Babaji: Lord Krsna's own qualities are present in a very small
degree in the individual spirit souls. Because Lord Krsna has free
will, so the individual souls eternally possess a small quantity of
free will also. When that free will is used properly, the individual
soul is favorable to Krsna and turns toward Him. When the free
will is misused, the soul is averse to Krsna and turns away from
Him. Then the soul tries to enjoy Maya. Puffed up with petty
pride, the soul thinks, "I am the enjoyer of matter." Then the
pure spiritual form of the soul becomes covered by the five kinds
of ignorance that begin with illusion and false-ego. Thus it is the
proper or improper use of free will that bring us either liberation
or imprisonment in the material world.

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 Vrajanatha: Lord Krsna is supremely merciful. Why, then, did
He make the individual spirit souls so weak that they fall into
Maya's world?
Babaji: As He is merciful, so Krsna is also playful. Desiring
many different kinds of pastimes with individual spirit souls in
many different conditions of life, He created many exalted
conditions, which culminate in 'maha-bhava' great ecstatic
spiritual love for the Lord., and He also created, with the help of
Sri Radha's expansion Maya, the degraded material conditions of
life, which reach their nadir in 'ahankara' (the soul's
misidentification with matter). In this way, by the influence of
Sri Radha there is the attainment of limitless transcendental bliss,
and by the influence of Maya there is a descent into the lower
depths. The souls that thus enter Maya's abyss are not interested
in their own spiritual well-being. They are averse to Lord Krsna
and interested in their own selfish pleasure. Thus they go down
lower and lower. However, supremely merciful Lord Krsna sends
His own personal associates from His own spiritual world into
the material world to make these souls favorable to Him and to
lift them out of the abyss. In this way some of the fallen souls
gradually become elevated and eventually return to the spiritual
world, where they become eternal associates of the Lord.
Vrajanatha: Why must the individual souls suffer so the Lord
can enjoy pastimes like these?
Babaji: What should be said is this: It is by the great mercy of
the Lord that the individual souls have free will. Why not speak
in that way? Inanimate matter is very lowly and unimportant
because it has no free will. It is because they have free will that
the individual souls can become masters of the world of matter.
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"Pain" and "pleasure" are two destinations the mind can attain.
What you and I may call "pain", another person, who is attached
to it, may call "pleasure". All material pleasures bring only pain
at the end. They do not lead to anything but that. Therefore a
person attached to material pleasures becomes unhappy at the
end. When that unhappiness becomes very acute, the soul begins
to desire happiness that is not mixed with sufferings. From that
desire comes intelligence, and from that intelligence comes the
spirit of inquiry. From the spirit of inquiry comes association
with saintly persons, from association with saintly persons
comes faith in spiritual life, and from faith in spiritual life one
becomes gradually elevated. In this way what began as pain
became at the end the giver of auspicious happiness. When it is
heated and burnished, impure gold becomes pure. In the same
way, when they suffer in Maya's material world, the impure souls
averse to Lord Krsna and yearning to enjoy maya become
purified. That this suffering turns into the giver of happiness is
the mercy of Lord Krsna. Therefore they who are far-sighted see
that these sufferings of the conditioned souls eventually bring
auspicious happiness. They who are short sighted cannot see
that. They see only sufferings.
Vrajanatha: Although they may bring happiness at the end,
for the present the conditioned souls' sufferings are very painful.
Could not the all-powerful Lord invent a different path, one
without these sufferings?
Babaji: Lord Krsna enjoys many different kinds of wonderful
pastimes. This is one of His wonderful pastimes. A person who is
supremely independent can enjoy many different kinds of
pastimes, and this may be one of them. Why not? If the Lord has

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every kind of pastime, then no pastime may be rejected. If one
pastime is substituted for another, then still some kind of
troubles must be expected. Lord Krsna is the supreme person
and the creator. Everyone is subject to His will. If one person is
subject to the will of another, is there not some difficulty in
that? If that difficulty eventually leads to happiness, then it is no
difficulty at all. Why do you say it is suffering and difficulty? If
to expand Lord Krsna's pastimes the individual souls go through
some difficulties, the difficulties are only happiness. Lord Krsna's
pastimes are naturally full of bliss. If an individual soul of his
own free will voluntarily leaves those pastimes and enters the
world of Maya and accepts the sufferings there, then if anyone is
at fault it is the individual soul who is at fault. Krsna is not at
fault.
Vrajanatha: In that situation, what is the harm that Lord
Krsna does not give the soul free will? Krsna knows everything.
Therefore Krsna knows if a certain soul will misuse his free will
and bring suffering to himself. In that situation it is cruel of
Krsna to give such a person free will. Is it not?
Babaji: Free will is a precious jewel. In the material world
there are many inanimate material objects. None of them were
given the jewel of free will. That is why inanimate objects are
lowly and unimportant. If he had not been given free will, the
individual soul would be lowly and unimportant, just like
inanimate objects. The individual soul is a tiny particle of spirit.
Whatever qualities spirit has, the soul must also have. Free will
is one of the qualities of spirit. Spirit can never be separated from
its eternal qualities. Therefore, as a tiny particle of spirit, the soul
must have free will. It is because they have free will that the

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individual souls are superior to inanimate matter and are the
masters of the material world. The souls, who all have free will,
are all the dear servants of Lord Krsna. When they misuse that
free will and enter the world of maya, merciful Krsna weeps to
see how they are suffering. Eager to deliver them, He follows the
individual souls into the material world. Ware that the souls will
not see His nectarean pastimes in the material world, He brings
His inconceivable pastimes there. Seeing that the conditioned
souls do not understand His pastimes, he descends to Navadvipa
and teaches them about His form, qualities, and pastimes and
about His own holy name, which is the best way for spiritual
advancement, and He also teaches them by acting the role of His
won devotee. Baba, how can you place the blame on merciful
Krsna? Even though His mercy is fathomless, you remain
unfortunate and very pathetic.
Vrajanatha: Is the maya-sakti then out enemy and the cause
of our misfortune? Krsna is all-powerful and all-knowing. If
Krsna had driven Maya far away, then the individual souls would
not have to suffer.
Babaji: Maya is the reflection of the Lord's internal potency.
She is a perverted manifestation of the Lord's pure spiritual
potency. She purifies the criminal rebellious souls. She gives
them a way to reform themselves. Maya is a maidservant of Lord
Krsna. She punishes the souls averse to Lord Krsna. She gives
them medicine and cures them. By forgetting "I am eternally a
servant of Lord Krsna", the individual souls commit a crime.
They are at fault. It is because of this crime that the witch Maya
punishes them. These criminals souls are sent to the prison that
is the world of Maya. As it is out of kindness that a king sends a

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criminal to prison, so it is out of kindness that Lord Krsna sends
these criminal souls to the prison of the material world and
placed Maya there as the warden.
Vrajanatha: If the material world is a prison, then what are
the shackles?
Babaji: Maya's shackles are of three kinds: 1. shackles made of
the mode of goodness, 2. shackles made of the mode of passion,
and 3. shackles made of the mode of ignorance. The criminal
souls are bound with these shackles in different appropriate
ways. Some souls may be bound with goodness shackles, others
with passion shackles, and others with ignorance shackles. All
are shackled. There may be golden shackles, silver shackles or
iron shackles. Shackles made of different elements do not cease
to be shackles.
Vrajanatha: How can the shackles of Maya bind the soul,
which is an atomic particle of spirit?
Babaji: Material things cannot touch spiritual things. When
an individual soul gets the idea "I am the enjoyer of Maya", the
subtle coverings of material ego is placed around him. Covered
in this way by subtle matter, his feet are bound with Maya's
shackles. The individual souls covered with material ego in the
mode of goodness are the demigods residing in the higher
material planets. Their feet are bound with the golden shackles
of the mode of goodness. The individual souls covered with
material ego in the mode of passion have a nature that is a
combination of the natures of the demigods and the human
beings. Their feet are bound with the silver shackles of the mode
of passion. The individual souls covered with material ego in the
mode of ignorance are intoxicated by material pleasures. Their
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feet are bound with the iron shackles of the mode of ignorance.
None of these shackled souls can leave the prison. All are
troubled by many kinds of sufferings.
Vrajanatha: What activities are done by the souls in Maya's
prison?
Babaji: Firstly they do what they can to enjoy material
pleasures, and secondly they do what they can to avoid or negate
the sufferings that come from the shackles they wear.
Vrajanatha: Please describe to me the first of these actions.
Babaji: The sthula-sarira is the gross material body covering
the soul. It has six stages of existence: 1. the birth of the material
body, 2. its maintenance, 3. its decline, 4. its growth, 5. its
change, and 6. its dissolution. The gross material body
undergoes these six changes. Hunger, thirst, and other like
desires are also part of the body's nature. Pushed by the desire
for material pleasures, the soul within the material body becomes
an obedient servant of eating, sleeping, associating with women,
and other material activities. To attain material pleasures he
performs the ten pious rituals that begin with birth and end on
the funeral pyre. He performs the eighteen kinds of yajnas
described in the Vedas. He hopes "By following the path of pious
deeds (karma), I will enjoy with the demigods in Svargaloka.
When I again enter the human realm, I will take birth in a
brahmana's home and I will enjoy many happinesses." Or, the
imprisoned soul may follow the impious path. By performing
many sins, he enjoys sense pleasures. By the first course of action
one attains Svargaloka and other higher material planets. Then,
when his period of enjoyment ends, the soul again attains a
human body. By the second course of action one goes to hell
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because of his many sins. When his period of suffering ends, the
soul again attains a human body. In this way the soul imprisoned
by Maya travels on the wheel of karma. Day after day he
struggles to enjoy material pleasures and he tastes the fruits of
his actions. Thus, beginning at a time he cannot trace, the soul
wanders in the material worlds. By performing pious deeds, he
briefly enjoys, and by performing sins, he briefly suffers.
Vrajanatha: Now please describe the second kind of action.
Babaji: Caught in a trap of many needs, the soul in a gross
material body suffers. To drive away these sufferings, he acts in
many ways. To drive away hunger and thirst, he struggles to get
food and drink. So these things may come easily, he labors to
collect money. To drive away the cold, he collects clothing. To
stop the thirst for sense pleasures he becomes married and
performs many other activities also. To fill the needs and
increase the happiness of his family and descendants, he labors
hard. When the gross material body is attacked by disease, he
must find medicines or other ways to cure it. To protect his
property he enters disputes in the law courts. Tossed about by
the six waves - lust, anger, greed, bewilderment, pride and envy -
he engages in fighting, argument, violence to others, tormenting
others, robbing others' wealth, cruelty, senseless pride, and a
host of other evil deeds. So he can live independently, he builds
his own house and performs other deeds. In this way the soul in
Maya's prison struggles day and night to attain pleasure and stop
distress.
Vrajanatha: Had Maya only covered the soul with the linga-
sarira (subtle body), would that not have been enough?

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 Babaji: No. With just the linga-sarira, no one can perform
actions. Therefore the covering of the sthula-sarira (gross body)
is necessary. Following the results of actions performed by the
sthula-sarira, various desires are created in the linga-sarira.
Following these desires, (at the time of his next birth) the soul
attains an appropriate new sthula-sarira.
Vrajanatha: What is the relationship between actions and the
results they bring? The mimamsa philosophers say that God,
who awards the results of actions, is only a fiction, that every
action produces something called an 'apurva' and this 'apurva'
gives the result of the action. Is this true?
Babaji: The followers of karma-mimamsa do not understand
the true conclusion of the Vedas. Quickly glancing at the Vedic
yajnas and other pious deeds, they come to a hasty conclusion.
The true conclusion of the Vedas they do not grasp. The Vedas
explain (Svetasvatara Upanisad 4.6 and Mundaka Upanisad
3.1.1):
"In the individual spirit soul and the Supersoul, Supreme
Personality of Godhead, are like two friendly birds sitting on the
same tree. One of the birds (the individual atomic soul) is eating
the fruit of the tree (the sense gratification afforded by the
material body), and the other bird (the Supersoul) is not trying
to eat these fruits, but is simply watching His friend."
Where is there any mention here of the mimamsa
philosophers 'apurva'? Any conclusion that denies the existence
of God cannot be good.
Vrajanatha: Why did you say that karma has no beginning?

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 Babaji: Material desire is the root from which all karma
(fruitive action) grows. Ignorance is the root from which
material desires grows. That ignorance did not begin within the
boundaries of material time. The ignorance that is the root of the
individual soul's karma begins at the borderline of matter and
spirit (tatastha). Therefore the beginning of karma occurs
outside the framework of material time. In that sense karma has
no beginning.
Vrajanatha: What is the difference between 'maya' and
'ignorance'?
Babaji: Maya is Lord Krsna's potency. Using this potency, He
created the material world to purify the rebellions souls. Maya
has two features 'avidya' (ignorance) and 'pradhana' (the
primordial form of matter). Avidya directs her efforts to the
individual souls, and pradhana directs its efforts to inanimate
matter. From pradhana the material universes are manifested.
From avidya the material desires of the conditioned souls are
manifested. Maya also has two other features: 'vidya'
(knowledge) and "avidya" (ignorance). These two both direct
their efforts to the individual spirit souls. Avidya keeps the souls
imprisoned in the material world, and vidya releases them from
that prison. When the criminal souls turn toward Lord Krsna,
the vidya potency acts on them, and when the criminal souls
forget Krsna, the avidya potency acts. Knowledge of Brahman is a
specific feature of vidya. The first phase of vidya is pious deeds,
and the concluding phase is understanding the truth. Avidya
covers the soul and vidya uncovers him.
Vrajanatha: What does pradhana do?

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 Babaji: In the beginning the Supreme Lord employs time to
agitate the material energy. In this way the mahat-tattva is
produced. Agitated in this way, Maya's feature called 'pradhana'
creates things. From the mahat-tattva, the false-ego is
manifested. When false-ego is transformed by ignorance, the sky
is manifested. From the sky, air is manifested. From air, fire is
manifested. From fire, water is manifested. From water, earth is
manifested. In this way the five material elements, which are
called 'panca-maha-bhuta', are manifested. Now please hear how
the five 'tan-matras' are created. When time agitates avidya
(ignorance), jnana (knowledge of the impersonal) and karma
(fruitive action) are manifested from the mahat-tattva. From the
karma thus manifested from the mahat-tattva, the modes of
goodness and passion are manifested, and from them come jnana
(knowledge) and kriya (action). From the mahat-tattva, false-ego
is manifested. From false-ego, intelligence is manifested. From
intelligence, the quality of sound is perceived in the sky. From
sound comes touch. Thus sound and touch are manifested the
air. From them come 'prana' (the life-force), 'ojah' (energy) and
'bala' (strength). In fire are manifested form, touch, and sound.
Then, by the transformation created by time, water is manifested.
In water are taste, form, touch and sound. A further
transformation brings earth, in which are fragrance, taste, form,
touch and sound. The all-knowing purusa-avatara helps these
changes become manifested. False-ego has three features:
'vaikarika' (goodness), 'taijasa" (passion), and 'tamasa'
(ignorance). From false ego in the mode of goodness, material
objects are manifested. From false ego in the mode of passion,
the ten material senses are manifested. There are two sets of
senses: knowledge-acquiring senses, and working senses. The
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knowledge-acquiring senses are: eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and
skin. The working senses are: voice, hands, feet, genitals and
rectum. Even when the gross and subtle elements are assembled
together, nothing can happen until the individual soul, the tiny
particle of spirit enters. With a glance, the Supreme Personality
of Godhead places the individual soul in the body of gross and
subtle elements, and only then does the body begin to move. In
this way the senses manifested by the modes of goodness and
passion come into contact with the sense-objects the pradhana
has manifested through the mode of ignorance. In this way
avidya and pradhana act. Maya is divided into twenty four
categories: the five great elements, namely earth, water, fire, air
and sky, the five tan-matras, namely fragrance, form, taste,
touch, and sound, the previously described ten knowledge-
acquiring and working senses, and, in addition to these, mind,
heart, intelligence and false-ego. Altogether these are the twenty
four categories of matter. The conscious individual spirit soul is
the twenty fifth category in the body, and the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, the Supersoul, in the twenty-sixth.
Vrajanatha: In the human body of seven spans, what part is
the subtle body, what part the gross body, and where in the body
does the spirit soul reside? Please tell me
Babaji: The sthula-sarira (gross body) consists of the five
gross elements (panca-maha-bhuta), five sense objects (panca-
tan-matra) and the ten senses. The linga-sarira (subtle body)
consists of the mind, heart, intelligence and false-ego. The
individual spirit false thinks of this material body in terms of "I"
and "mine". In this way he does not understand how his own
welfare is best served. The soul, a tiny fragment of spirit, exists

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in a dimension beyond time, space, and the other features of the
material world. Even though it is a tiny particle, the soul is all-
pervading within the material body. As a tiny drop of sandal-
paste cools the entire body, so the soul, situated in one place
within the material body, is aware of the pleasure and pains of
the body as a whole.
Vrajanatha: If by his actions (karma) the individual soul
creates his own pleasures and sufferings, what does the Supreme
Personality of Godhead do?
Babaji: The individual soul is the immediate cause, but the
Supreme Personality of Godhead is the ultimate cause. By his
various actions, the individual soul makes himself qualified to
receive various results. However, he does not have the power to
simply take them. All results must be given to him by the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, the ultimate cause. The
Supreme Personality of Godhead gives the results, and the
individual spirit soul receives them.
Vrajanatha: Through what different stages of life do the souls
imprisoned by Maya pass?
Babaji: The souls imprisoned by Maya in a gross material
body pass through five stages of existence. They are: "acchadita-
cetana" (covered consciousness), "sankucita-cetana" (retracted
consciousness), "mukulita-cetana" (budding consciousness),
"vikacita-cetana" (blossoming consciousness), and "purna-
vikacita-cetana" (fully blossomed consciousness).
Vrajanatha: Which souls are in the stage of covered
consciousness?

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 Babaji: The souls who reside in the bodies of trees, grass, and
stones are in the stage of covered consciousness. They are close
to being unconscious. Forgetting that they are servants of Krsna,
they have entered deeply into the realm of matter. They have no
understanding of spirit. All they know is the six changes of
material life. This is the lowest depth to which the soul can fall.
Ahalya, the yamalarjuna trees, and the seven tala trees are some
examples the Puranas give of souls in this stage of existence.
Great offenses push souls into that state, and Lord Krsna's mercy
delivers them.
Vrajanatha: Which souls are in the stage of retracted
consciousness?
Babaji: Animals, birds, snakes, fish, other water-creatures,
worms and insects are examples of the beings with retracted
consciousness. The beings with covered consciousness exist on
the verge of being unconscious. The beings with retracted
consciousness have their consciousness a little opened. That
consciousness is directed toward eating, sleeping, fearing and
bustling to and fro to fulfill a host of desires, arguing with others
over property claims and anger when someone is wronged.
However, that consciousness remains unaware of the existence of
a world beyond the circle of matter. Monkeys may be
mischievous, may give some thought to understanding the way
things work, by thinking "This will happen, and that will not
happen", may plan for the future, and may show signs of
gratefulness and other like feelings. Some animals have
knowledge of the different properties of various objects.
However, the animals do not search to find God. Therefore their
consciousness is said to be retracted. In the scriptures it is said

358
that the great devotee Bharata took birth as a deer and in that
condition he was fully aware of the holy names of the Supreme
Lord. However, Bharata was a special case. In general, animals do
not have spiritual knowledge. Because of offenses, Bharata and
Nrga became animals, but then by the mercy of the Supreme
Lord, they again attained an auspicious condition of life.
Vrajanatha: Which souls are in the stage of budding
consciousness?
Babaji: Conditioned souls in human bodies display three
stages of consciousness: budding consciousness, blossoming
consciousness, and fully blossomed consciousness. There are five
kinds of human beings: immoral people, atheists who follow
moral principles, people who believe in God and follow moral
principles, people engaged in practical devotional service
(sadhana-bhakti), and people engaged in loving devotional
service (bhava-bhakti). Thus the categories are: people who
because of ignorance or because of improper knowledge become
atheists, the immoral people, the moral atheists, the moral
people who have a little faith in God, the people who believe in
God, the people who, following the rules of the scriptures,
engage in sadhana-bhakti (devotional service in practice), and
the people who have attained love for God and thus engage in
bhava-bhakti. The immoral people and the two kinds of atheists
are situated in the stage of budding consciousness. The people
who believe in God and the people engaged in sadhana-bhakti
are situated in the stage of blossoming consciousness, and the
people engaged in bhava-bhakti are situated in the stage of fully
blossomed consciousness.

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 Vrajanatha: For how many days do the souls situated in
bhava-bhakti continue to stay in Maya's prison?
Babaji: This question is answered in the seventh verse of the
Dasa-mula. Now it is night. You should go home.

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 Chapter Seventeen

Eternal Religion and Sambandha,

Abhidheya and Prayojana
(The Souls Free From Maya's Prison)

Nitya-dharma o sambandhabhidheya prayojana

(Prameyantar-gata maya-mukta-jiva-vicara)

The grandmother had already made arrangements for

Vrajanatha's marriage. That night she told Vrajanatha all about it.
Not giving any reply, Vrajanatha took his meal and went to bed.
Again and again thinking about the pure spirit soul, he fell asleep
late at night. The old grandmother kept thinking, "How can I
make Vrajanatha agree to the marriage?" At that time
Vrajanatha's cousin Vani-Madhava arrived. The girl in the
proposed marriage was Vani-Madhava's cousin. Vijaya
Vidyaratna had sent Vani-Madhava to complete the arrangements
for the marriage. Vani-Madhava said, "O great aunt, why is there
a delay? Please quickly make arrangements for Vrajanatha's
marriage." Vrajanatha's grandmother lamented, "Brother, you are
very expert. You convince Vrajanatha to agree to the marriage. I
told him about it, but Vrajanatha will not reply."

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 Vani-Madhava was short, with a short neck, dark
complexion, and blinking eyes. He started many things, but he
did not bring any of them to completion. Hearing the old lady's
words, he said, "Nothing can stop me. If you command me, what
can I not do? Do you know how expert I am? I can multiply a
single coin into a great sum. Well, I will talk to Vrajanatha. Will
you not cook me a feast if I succeed? The grandmother replied,
"Vrajanatha went to bed right after his meal." Hearing this, Vani-
Madhava said, "Tomorrow I will come and take up the task", and
left. The next morning came. Vrajanatha was sitting outside the
shrine to Goddess Durga. Seeing Vani-Madhava, Vrajanatha said,
"Brother, why have you come?" Vani-Madhava replied, "O noble
brother, for many days you studied and taught the nyaya-sastra.
You are the son of Haranatha Cudamani. Your name is famous in
every country. However, you are the only male in the family. If
there are no descendants, how can the family continue? Brother,
that is why we all request you: Please get married." Vrajanatha
replied, "Brother, why do you agitate me for no reason? I have
taken shelter of Lord Gaurasundara's devotees. Why would I
want to marry? When I stay near the Vaisnavas of Sri Mayapura,
I become filled with happiness. I do not think worldly life is
good. I will take sannyasa. I will take shelter of the Vaisnavas'
feet. I tell you this confidentially. Please do not reveal it to
anyone." Seeing Vrajanatha's state of mind, Vani-Madhava
thought, "This will not be an easy path to tread. I will have to
trick him. Cunningly concealing what was in his heart, Vani-
Madhava said, "I have always helped you. When you were a
student, I carried your books. When you take sannyasa, I will
carry your danda and waterpot."

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 Cheaters speak with a forked tongue. To one person they say
one thing, and to another person they say something different. In
this way they make trouble. From what they say it is not at once
seen what is really in their hearts. Honey sits on their mouths,
and poison in their hearts. Hearing Vani-Madhava's sweet words,
Vrajanatha said, "brother, I know that for many days you have
been my true friend. My grandmother is an old lady. She does
not understand anything that is very deep. She wants to push me
together with this girl and throw me into a hell of household life.
If you can stop her, I will be forever indebted to you." Vani-
Madhava said, "Rest easy. No one will do anything against your
wishes. Friend, tell me one thing with an open heart, so I will
know how to help you. I wish to know: Why do you hate the
idea of getting married? Who taught you to become renounced?
Vrajanatha told Vani-Madhava all about how he had become
renounced. He also said, "Elderly Raghunatha dasa Babaji in
Mayapura is my teacher. Every evening I go to him. He has
extinguished the blazing fire of my materialism. He has been
very kind to me." Fashioning a sinister plot in his mind, Vani-
Madhava though, "Now I have found his weak point. Now I will
construct an expert stratagem. I will turn his weakness against
him." Then he said aloud, "Brother, in secret I will change your
grandmother's mind. But for now I will go home." After speaking
these words, He first went home and then by a side road he
quickly went to the entrance of Srivasa's courtyard in Sri
Mayapura. Sitting under the bakula tree, he thought, "These
Vaisnavas are plundering all the good things in the world for
their own enjoyment! What beautiful homes! What a pleasant
garden! What a graceful courtyard! What a beautiful place! One
by one they sit in their bhajana-kutiras. The Vaisnava sit and
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chant on japa beads. They are like the bulls of religion. They are
free of all cares! After bathing in the Ganges, the respectable
ladies of the neighborhood bring them gifts of water, fruit, and
various kinds of food. The brahmanas used to get gifts like that
for performing karma-kanda rituals. Nowadays these babajis
enjoy them. O fortunate age of Kali! 'He says he is a devotee of
Ramacandra, but in truth he is a devotee of Kali-yuga.' Now I
understand what that old saying means. Alas! I am born in a
brahmana's family in vain! Nowadays no one gives us fruit! No
one gives even water! The Vaisnava says the follower of nyaya
are fools for talking so much about clay pots and scraps of cloth.
I think they are right. At least about Vrajanatha. Now he has
fallen into the hands of these wicked people wearing only
loincloths. I am Vani-Madhava. I will straighten out my friend. I
will straighten out these wicked Vaisnavas too." Thinking in this
way he entered one of the cottages. By chance he had entered the
cottage of saintly Raghunatha dasa Babaji, who was sitting down
and chanting the holy names of Lord Hari. A person's nature is
easily seen on his face. When the elderly babaji looked, he saw
that Kali-yuga personified stood before him in the form of a
brahmana's son. Vaisnavas naturally think themselves very lowly
and fallen. When enemies torment them, they are patient and
tolerant. They wish good for all. They don't require that others
honor, although they give honor to everyone else. That is why
saintly Raghunatha dasa Babaji gave all respects to his guest and
politely offered him a place to sit. Vani-Madhava was very
emphatically not a Vaisnava. He did not understand the proper
etiquette of how to approach a Vaisnava. Thinking the elderly
babaji a sudra, he gave a blessing to him. The saintly babaji asked
him, "Baba, what is your name? My body, why have you come
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here?" When the elderly babaji used the words "tumi" (you, the
young boy) and "ami" (I, the respectable gentleman), Vani-
Madhava became angry. Speaking crookedly, Vani-Madhava said,
"Babaji! Do you think by wearing a loincloth you are now equal
to the brahmanas? Ah well, it must be. There is one thing I, a
respectable gentleman, would like to ask you, O young boy. Do
you know a Vrajanatha Pancanana?"
Babaji: Please forgive my offense. Please do not find fault with
an old man's words. Vrajanatha kindly comes here sometimes.
Vani-Madhava: He is not an honest man. He will be humble
and polite for two or four days. That is how he will bring you
under his control. Then he will be able to make you do what he
likes. Seeing the way you act, the Bhattacaryas of Belapukura
have become your bitter enemies. Consulting among themselves,
they have sent Vrajanatha to you. You are an old man. You
should take care. From time to time I will come and tell you of
their plot. Don't tell anyone about me. If you tell them, it will not
be good for you. Now I must go.
After speaking these words, Vani-Madhava returned to his
own home.
After finishing his lunch, Vani-Madhava went to Vrajanatha
and said, "Brother, today I went to Mayapura on business. There
I saw an old Vaisnava. Perhaps he was your Raghunatha dasa
Babaji. As I talked with him, the topic of you came up. He used a
very bad word to describe you, a word one should not use for a
brahmana. At the end he said, "I will make Vrajanatha eat the
remnants from the plates of 36 low-caste people. In that way I
will destroy all the brahmanas." Ha! If panditas like you stay
with such people, then no one will ever respect the brahmana
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panditas." Vrajanatha was very surprised to hear all these words
of Vani-Madhava. There was no knowing why the firm faith he
had in the Vaisnavas and the devotion he had for the elderly
babaji suddenly became doubted. Vrajanatha said, "Brother,
today I am very busy. Please go home, and in time I will think
about what you said." Vani-Madhava went home.
Vrajanatha knew well that Vani-Madhava was double-
hearted. Vrajanatha had been involved in nyaya logic, but he did
not like dishonesty. Now he could see why Vani-Madhava
offered to help him take sannyasa. He could understand Vani-
Madhava's crooked reason for speaking favorably about
sannyasa. As he thought about it, he concluded that Vani-
Madhava must have something to gain from this marriage, and
Vani-Madhava must have gone to Mayapura to do something to
further his crooked plot. In his thoughts Vrajanatha prayed to
the Supreme Lord, "O Supreme Lord, please give me strong faith
in my spiritual master and in the Vaisnavas. Let it not diminish
because of the misdeeds of cunning men. As he thought about
these things, the day came to an end. With an agitated heart, he
went to Srivasa's courtyard at dusk.
After Vani-Madhava had left, the saintly elderly babaji
thought, "That man is a brahmana-raksasa. The scriptures
declare: "In the Kali-yuga, raksasa take birth in the families of
brahmanas."
"That man is seen in those words. He has pride of caste, pride
even though he has nothing really to be proud about. He hates
the Vaisnavas. He is a hypocrite, proudly waving the flag of piety
while he sins. All these things are written on his face. His short
neck, blinking eyes, and devious words all show what is in his
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heart. Ah, how pleasant and gentle is Vrajanatha, and how much
of a demon is this other fellow! O Lord Krsna, O Lord Gauranga,
please let me not associate with people like him. Today I will
warn Vrajanatha about him."
Vrajanatha entered the cottage. The saintly elderly babaji, his
affection for Vrajanatha now doubled, said, "Come in, baba.
Come in," and embraced Vrajanatha. Tears flowing from his
eyes, Vrajanatha kissed the dust of the babaji's feet. Embarrassed,
he could not speak. The saintly babaji said, "This morning a
dark-complexioned brahmana came here and spoke some very
disturbing words. Do you know him?"
Vrajanatha: O master, you have explained to me that many
different kinds of living entities live in this material world.
Among all these living entities, some envious beings delight in
troubling others. Among these envious beings my cousin (I am
embarrassed to call him my cousin) Vani-Madhava is one of the
foremost. If we do not talk about him, that will make me happy.
The truth is that to you he speaks bad things about me and to me
he speaks bad things about you. He does this so we will think
badly of each other and out friendship will break. When you
hear his words, did you not form an opinion in your mind?
Babaji: O Krsna! O Gauranga! For a long time I have served
the Vaisnavas. By their mercy I have a little power to tell who is a
Vaisnava and who is not a Vaisnava. I have understood
everything. You need not say anything about this.
Vrajanatha: Let us forget all he has said. Please tell me: How
is the soul released from Maya's prison?

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 Babaji: When you hear the seventh verse of the Dasa-mula,
you will find the answer to your question: "When a soul
wandering from one species to another in the material world sees
a Vaisnava filled with the nectar of devotion to Lord Hari, he
becomes attracted to follow that Vaisnavas. By chanting the holy
names of Lord Krsna, that soul gradually renounces materialism,
and in the end he regains his original spiritual form. In that form
he enjoys the pure and sweet nectar of the spiritual mellows of
direct service to Lord Krsna."
Vrajanatha: I would like to hear one or two quotes from the
Vedas as evidence for these truths.
Babaji: In the Vedas it is said (Mundaka Upanisad 3.1.2 and
Svetasvatara Upanisad 4.7): "Although the two birds (the
Supersoul and the individual soul) are on the same tree, the
eating bird (the individual soul) is fully engrossed with anxiety
and moroseness as the enjoyer of the fruits of the tree. But if in
some way or other he turns his face to his friend who is the Lord,
and knows His glories, at once the suffering bird becomes free of
all anxieties."
Vrajanatha: It is said that when he sees the worshipable
Supreme Lord and understands His glory, the individual soul
becomes free from anxiety. Do these words describe 'liberation'?
Babaji: When one is released from Maya's prison, that is
called 'liberation'. To attain liberation one must associate with
saintly devotees of the Lord. When he attains liberation, the soul
regains its original spiritual glory. That kind of liberation should
be sought. In Srimad-Bhagavatam (2.10.6) it is said: "Liberation
is the permanent situation of the form of the living entity after he
gives up the changeable gross and subtle material bodies."
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 When the soul is released from Maya's prison, at the moment
he is at once liberated. However, when he is thus situated in his
original form, the soul begins to perform an endless series of
spiritual activities. The soul's first need is to perform these
duties. It may be said that liberation puts an end to a great host
of sufferings. However, beyond that, liberation brings with it
spiritual bliss. This is described in the following words of
Chandogya Upanisad (8.12.3): "Then the soul leaves the material
body and goes to the effulgent Supreme Personality of Godhead.
The soul then regains his original spiritual form and in that form
he enjoys many pastimes, eating and playing with the Supreme
Personality of Godhead."
Vrajanatha: What are the signs that show one has been
released from Maya's prison?
Babaji: Eight signs are described in these words of the
Chandogya Upanisad (8.7.1): "One should seek a soul who is
free from sins, old-age, death, lamentation, hunger, and thirst,
who desires the truth, and whose thoughts are fixed on the
truth."
Vrajanatha: In the verse from the Dasa-mula it was said that
when he attains the association of a Vaisnava who relishes the
nectar mellows of service to Lord Hari, the soul wandering in the
cycle of birth and death can attain auspiciousness. I have a
question. By practicing impersonal speculation, astanga-yoga, or
other auspicious deeds, does one not at the end attain devotional
service to Lord Hari?
Babaji: With His own transcendental mouth, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead declares (Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.12.1-2):
"Neither through astanga-yoga (the mystic yoga system to
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control the senses), nor through impersonal monism or an
analytical study of the Absolute Truth, nor through study of the
Vedas, nor through practice of austerities, nor through charity,,
nor through acceptance of sannyasa, nor through yajnas, nor
through Vedic hymns, nor through going on pilgrimages, nor
through religious duties and self-control can one attain Me as
much as one can by associating with saintly devotees whose
good association releases one from all that is inauspicious."
In the Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya (8.61) it is said: "Association is
very important. It acts just like a crystal stone, which will reflect
anything which is put before it. Similarly, if we associate with the
flowerlike devotees of the Lord, and if our hearts are crystal
clear, then certainly the same action will be there."
Therefore association with saintly devotees brings an
auspicious result. When the scriptures say one should live alone,
the meaning is that one should associate only with devotees. If
by accident one unknowingly associates with devotees, he attains
a great benefit. In Srimad-Bhagavatam (3.23.55) it is said:
"Association for sense gratification is certainly the path of
bondage. But the same type of association, performed with a
saintly person, leads to the path of liberation, even if performed
without knowledge."
In Srimad-Bhagavatam (7.5.32) it is also said: "Unless they
smear upon their bodies the dust of the lotus feet of a Vaisnava
completely freed from material contamination, persons very
much inclined toward materialistic life cannot be attached to the
lotus feet of the Lord, who is gloried for His uncommon
activities. Only by becoming Krsna conscious and taking shelter

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at the lotus feet of the Lord in this way can one be freed from
material contamination."
In Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.48.31) it is also said: "One can
take advantage of the place of pilgrimage only after going there.
By worshipping the particular demigod, it takes a long time for
fulfillment of desire, but saintly persons like you, My dear
Akrura, can immediately fulfill all the desires of the devotees."
In Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.51.53) it is also said: "O my Lord!
O infallible Supreme Person! When a person wandering
throughout the universes becomes eligible for liberation from
material existence, he gets an opportunity to associate with
devotees. When he associates with devotees, his attraction for
You is awakened. You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
the highest goal of the supreme devotees and the Lord of the
universe."
Vrajanatha: By performing pious deeds one attains the
association of saintly devotees. What are these pious deeds? Are
they not karma (Vedic rituals) and jnana (impersonal
speculation)?
Babaji: The scriptures describe pious deeds. Pious deeds are
of two kinds: 1. pious deeds that bring devotional service, and 2.
pious deeds that bring useless results. Regular and occasional
Vedic duties, sankhya philosophy, and impersonal speculation
all bring useless results. Association with saintly devotees and
contact with places, times and things that bring devotion bring
the result of devotional service. As one accumulates these results,
they eventually become so powerful that they bring devotion for
Lord Krsna. The useless results produced by other pious
activities do not accumulate in this way. One enjoys their results
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and then they are gone. In this material world pious activities
like giving charity bring material enjoyment as their result.
Impersonal speculation and other like activities bring impersonal
liberation as their result. The activities do not have the power to
give devotional service. Associating with saintly devotees,
observing ekadasi, Janmastami, Gaura-purnima, and other holy
days that instill devotion in persons observing them,
worshipping Tulasi-devi, worshipping the Lord in His temple,
honoring maha-prasadam, visiting holy places, and seeing and
touching the devotees all bring the result of devotional service.
Vrajanatha: If a person tormented by the troubles of material
life flees from material illusion and intelligently takes shelter of
Lord Hari's feet, will he not attain devotional service?
Babaji: If he intelligently understands that his sufferings are
all caused by the illusory potency maya, and that the entire
material world is by nature inauspicious, and that his only
shelter is the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord and the association
of the Lord's devotees, then he will take shelter of the feet of the
devotees who have taken shelter of the feet of the Lord. Taking
shelter of their feet is the most effective means to attain
devotional service. That is the way one attains the feet of the
Supreme Lord. In the beginning renunciation and the
intelligence to understand what is auspicious and what is not
auspicious are certainly present, but they are of only secondary
importance for a person striving for devotional service.
Association with saintly devotees is the most important factor in
attaining devotional service. Aside from that association, no
other means is very important.

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 Vrajanatha: What is the objection to saying that karma (pious
deeds), jnana (impersonal speculation), vairagya (renunciation)
and viveka (the ability to understand what is auspicious and
what is not) are secondary means that also help one attain
devotional service?
Babaji: There is an objection. Generally, these means bring
results that are trivial and useless. After giving the soul material
pleasures, pious deeds go away. Renunciation and the ability to
understand what is auspicious and what is not tend to lead to
impersonalism. Impersonalism tends to cheat the soul of the
opportunity to attain the Lord's feet. One should not trust these
means to bring devotional service. Sometimes these means may
take one to devotional service, but generally they do not. On the
other hand, association with pure devotees does not bring results
that are trivial and temporary. Their association inevitably brings
one to pure love of God. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam (3.25.25) the
Supreme Lord explains: "In the association of pure devotees,
discussion of the pastimes and activities of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead is very pleasing and satisfying to the ear
and heart. By cultivating such knowledge one gradually becomes
advanced on the path of liberation, and thereafter he is freed and
his attraction becomes fixed. Then real devotion and devotional
service begin."
Vrajanatha: Association with saintly devotees is then the way
to attain devotional service. First one hears from the devotees'
mouths the descriptions of Lord Hari, and then one attains
devotional service. Is that the right sequence?
Babaji: I will tell you the right sequence. Please listen. A soul
wandering from birth to birth in the material world may by
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destiny attain something that leads to devotional service. In the
course of his life, by destiny a soul may encounter one of the
limbs of devotional service. By chance he may fast on ekadasi, or
see and touch a holy place, receive a pure devotee as a guest, or
hear the holy names of Lord Hari, or the descriptions of Him, or
songs about Him from the mouths of saintly devotees who have
Lord Hari as their only possession. If a person performs these
activities with a desire to attain material sense pleasures or
impersonal liberation, he will not attain devotional service by
performing them. However, if an innocent person by chance
performs these activities with any motive to use them to attain
sense pleasure or impersonal liberation, then these activities will
lead him to devotional service. When these devotion-giving
pious deeds accumulate after many births, one finally attains
faith in pure devotional service. Faith in pure devotional service
creates the desire to associate with pure devotees. By associating
with devotees one gradually becomes engaged in sadhana
(devotional service in practice) and bhajana (worship of the
Lord). By performing bhajana one gradually casts all unwanted
material desires far away. When material desires are cast far
away, one attains pure faith. When faith becomes more and more
pure, one gradually attains 'ruci' (attraction to the Lord). As one
becomes more and more attracted to the beauty of the Lord, the
attraction becomes transformed into attachment (asakti) to the
Lord. When this attachment becomes fully manifested, one
attains ecstatic love (bhava or rati) for the Lord. This ecstatic
love turns into 'rasa' (the nectar mellows of a relationship with
the Lord), which brings 'premotpatti' (pure love for the Lord).
This the root of devotional service is seeing and following pure
devotees of the Lord. The conclusion, then, is that in the
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beginning one associates with devotees. Then one develops faith.
Then one continues to associate with devotees. The result of
associating with devotees is that one attains faith. Faith is also
known as surrender (saranapatti) to the Lord. The first
association with the devotees brings attraction to the places,
times, things, and persons dear to Lord Hari. The first
association with devotees brings with it a faith that becomes
manifested as surrender to the Lord. This is seen in the Lord's
final teaching in Bhagavad-gita (18.66): "Abandon all varieties of
religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all
sinful reactions. Do not fear."
Here the word "sarva-dharma" (all varieties of religion) refers
to smarta-dharma (the rules of the smrti-sastras), astanga-yoga,
sankhya, jnana (impersonal speculation), vairagya
(renunciation), and all other like varieties of religion. None of
these kinds of religion is able to fulfill the soul's true spiritual
needs. Therefore in the Gita it is written that these religions
should be abandoned. In pravrtti-sraddha (positive faith) one
thinks, "I know that Lord Krsna, whose form is the perfection of
eternity, knowledge, and bliss, and who enjoys pastimes in Vraja,
is the spirit souls' only goal. Therefore, completely rejecting
material sense gratification, impersonal liberation, and any other
non-devotional goal, with unalloyed spiritual love I now
surrender unto Him." When this kind of faith arises, one
becomes the humble follower of a saintly Vaisnava. In this way
one surrenders to a saintly Vaisnava spiritual master.
Vrajanatha: What are the soul's anarthas (unwanted things)?"
Babaji: There are four kinds of anarthas: 1. sva-svarupa-
aprapti (things that prevent one from reviving one's original
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spiritual nature), 2. asat-trsna (thirst for material things), 3.
aparadha (offenses), and 4. hrdaya-daurbalya (weakness of
heart). Forgetting "I am pure, a particle of spirit, a servant of
Lord Krsna, the imprisoned soul goes far away from his original
nature. That the first anartha: sva-svarupa-aprapti. One may
think "I am material, and these material objects are my
property". In this way one thirsts for happiness in the realm of
material things. This is called asat-trsna. The three kinds of asat-
trsna are: 1. desire for good children and descendants, 2. desire
for wealth and 3. desire to reside in Svargaloka. The ten kinds of
aparadhas (offenses) I will describe later. From hrdaya-daurbalya
(weakness of heart) come lamentation and a host of other
problems. These four anarthas are the natural property of a soul
shackled by material ignorance. By associating with devotees and
cultivating Krsna consciousness, the soul gradually throws these
anarthas far away. The path of yoga, which consists of the four
parts pratyahara (withdrawal from sense-objects), yama (self-
control), niyama (restraint), and vairagya (renunciation), is not
an easy path to follow. It is filled with problems. It does not
easily lead to the final goal. On the other hand, cultivating Krsna
consciousness in the association of devotees is an easy path to
follow. It easily eclipses anarthas and materialism. When
materialism is eclipsed, the original form of the soul is
spontaneously manifested.
Vrajanatha: Should persons free of anarthas be called
'liberated'?
Babaji: Please reflect on these words of Srimad-Bhagavatam
(6.14.3-5): "In this material world there are many living entities
as atoms. Among these living entities, very few are human

376
beings, and among them, few are interested in following religious
principles.
"O best of brahmanas, Sukadeva Goswami, out of many
persons who follow religious principles, only a few desire
liberation from the material world. Among many thousands who
desire liberation, one may actually achieve liberation, giving up
material attachment to society, friendship, love, country, home,
wife and children. And among many thousands of such liberated
persons, one who can understand the true meaning of liberation
is very rare.
"O great sage, among many millions who are liberated and
perfect in knowledge of liberation, one may be a devotee of Lord
Narayana, or Krsna. Such devotees, who are fully peaceful, are
extremely rare."
Only pure devotees are really free of anarthas. Such devotees
are very rare. One must search among many millions and
millions of liberated souls to find one who is a devotee of Lord
Krsna. Therefore in this material world there is no group more
difficult to associate with than the devotees of Lord Krsna.
Vrajanatha: Does the word "Vaisnava" refer only to a
Vaisnava who has renounced family life?
Babaji: The Vaisnava refers to a pure devotee of Lord Krsna.
Such a devotee may be either a householder or a sannyasi. He
may be a brahmana or a candala (outcaste). He may be wealthy
or poverty stricken. To the extent that he has pure devotion to
Lord Krsna, to that extent he is a pure devotee.
Vrajanatha: You have explained that the souls swallowed up
by Maya are of five kinds. In those five kinds of souls imprisoned
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by Maya, you included the sadhana-bhaktas (devotees in the
stage of devotional service in practice) and bhava-bhaktas
(devotees in the stage of spiritual love). Which devotees are
released from Maya's prison?
Babaji: From the moment he begins to live as a devotee of the
Lord, the soul may be said to be released from Maya's prison.
However, the final stage of release from Maya's prison is only
attained when one attains the final stage of mature devotion to
the Lord. Before that one is situated in the preliminary stage of
release from Maya's prison. When the gross (sthula-sarira) and
subtle (linga-sarira) material bodies are both finally broken, the
soul attains the final stage of release from Maya's prison. By
practicing sadhana-bhakti (the practical activities of devotional
service) one gradually attains bhava-bhakti (spiritual love of
God). When bhava-bhakti becomes strong and firm, the soul is
able, at the time of leaving the gross body, to leave the subtle
body also and be situated in his original spiritual form. Because
material life lingers during the stage of sadhana-bhakti, and
because it is not yet completely removed even in the beginning
stages of bhava-bhakti, the sadhana-bhaktas and bhava-bhaktas
are included among the five kinds of souls swallowed by Maya.
The materialists and the impersonalists are certainly to be
counted among the souls swallowed by Maya. Among the
liberated souls, they who have attained liberation by engaging in
devotional service to Lord Hari have alone attained the true
perfection of liberation. A soul who commits offenses and is
therefore imprisoned by Maya forgets "I am a servant of Lord
Krsna". That forgetfulness is the root from which his offenses
grow. Without the mercy of Krsna, that soul is not excused from
his offense. In the same way, with the mercy of Lord Krsna, that
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soul will not be released from Maya's prison. The impersonalist
sampradaya's faith that by cultivating impersonal speculation
they will attain liberation. That faith is groundless. Without first
attaining Lord Krsna's mercy, no one is released from Maya's
prison. In Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.2.32-33) the demigods speak
these two verses to explain this truth: "O lotus eye one, those
who think they are liberated in this life but do not render
devotional service to You must be of impure intelligence.
Although they accept severe austerities and penances to rise to
the spiritual position, to impersonal Brahman realization, the fall
down again because they neglect to worship Your lotus feet.
"O Madhava, Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord of the
goddess of fortune, if devotees completely in love with You
sometimes fall from the path of devotion, they do not fall like
non devotees, for You still protect them. Thus they fearlessly
traverse the heads of their opponents and continue to progress in
devotional service."
Vrajanatha: What are the different kinds of souls free of
Maya's prison?
Babaji: The souls free from Maya's prison are of two kinds: 1.
nitya-mukta (the souls who were never placed in Maya's prison),
and 2. baddha-mukta (the souls who were at one time
imprisoned, but now are free). The nitya-mukta souls may be
divided into two groups: 1. aisvarya-gata (souls who appreciate
the Lord's feature of opulence), and 2. madhurya gata (souls who
appreciate the Lord's feature of sweetness). The aisvarya-gata
nitya-mukta souls are personal associates of Lord Narayana, the
master of Vaikuntha. They are particles of spiritual effulgence
emanated from Lord Mula-Sankarsana, who resides in
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Vaikuntha. The madhurya-gata nitya-mukta souls are personal
associates of Lord Krsna, the master of Goloka Vrndavana. They
are particles of spiritual effulgence manifested from Lord
Baladeva, who resides in Goloka Vrndavana. The baddha-mukta
souls (who were once imprisoned but now are free) are of three
kinds: 1. aisvarya-gata (souls who appreciate the Lord's feature of
opulence), 2. madhurya-gata (souls who appreciate the Lord's
feature of sweetness), and 3. brahmajyotir-gata (souls situated
within the Lord's spiritual effulgence). Souls who during their
period of practicing sadhana-bhakti are attracted to the Lord's
opulence become eternal associates of Lord Narayana, the master
of Vaikuntha. They attain salokya-mukti (the liberation of
residing on the same planet as the Lord). Souls who during their
period of practicing sadhana-bhakti are attracted to the Lord's
sweetness, after liberation enjoy the sweetness of direct service to
Lord Krsna in the eternal spiritual abode of Vrndavana and other
like abodes. Souls who during their period of sadhana are
attracted to become one with the Lord, after liberation attain
brahma-sayujya-mukti (the liberation of merging with the Lord).
In this way these souls are completely destroyed.
Vrajanatha: What is the final destination of the soul who is a
devotee of Lord Gaura-kisora (Lord Caitanya)?
Babaji: Krsna and Gaura-kisora are not different. They are
both shelters of the feature of sweetness (madhurya-rasa). They
do have one difference. Madhurya-rasa (the Lord's sweetness)
has two features: 1. madhurya (sweetness), and 2. audarya
(mercy). When sweetness is prominent, Lord Krsna is
manifested. When mercy is prominent, Lord Gauranga is
manifested. The spiritual world of Vrndavana is divided into two

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abodes: 1. the abode of Lord Krsna, and 2. the abode of Lord
Gaura. The eternally perfect and eternally liberated souls who
have sweetness first and mercy second reside in Lord Krsna's
abode. They are Lord Krsna's associates. The eternally perfect
and eternally liberated souls who have mercy first and sweetness
second reside in Lord Gaura's abode. They are Lord Gaura's
associates. Some souls manifest two forms and reside in both
abodes simultaneously. Other souls manifest only one form and
are present in one of the abodes and not in the other. Souls who
during the time of sadhana worship only Lord Gaura, at the time
of attaining perfection go to Lord Gaura's abode and serve Him
there. Souls who during the time of sadhana worship only Lord
Krsna, at the time of attaining perfection go to Lord Krsna's
abode and serve Him there. Souls who during the time of
sadhana worship both Lord Krsna and Lord Gaura, at the time of
attaining perfection manifest two forms, go to both Lord Krsna's
abode and Lord Gaura's abode, and in their two forms serve the
two Lord's simultaneously in both places. This truth: that Lord
Gaura and Lord Krsna are simultaneously one and different from
each other, is a very confidential secret.
After hearing these teachings about the souls released from
Maya's prison, Vrajanatha, now filled with ecstatic love, fell at
the feet of the elderly Vaisnava and stayed there for some
minutes. Weeping and sweeping, the saintly babaji picked up
Vrajanatha and firmly embraced him. A good portion of the
night had already passed. Taking leave of the babaji, Vrajanatha
returned home. Traveling on the path, he deeply thought about
the soul's final destination. When he returned home and was
taking his meal, he said to his grandmother, "Grandmother, if
you wish to continue seeing me, you should stop all this talk of
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marriage and you should not allow Vani-Madhava to come here.
He is my bitter enemy. Tomorrow I will refuse to talk with him.
You also should ignore him." Vrajanatha's grandmother was
intelligent. Thinking about her conversation during the daytime
with Vani-Madhava and what Vrajanatha has just told her, she
decided to stop the marriage. She could see that if too much
pressure was placed on him, Vrajanatha would go to Varanasi or
Vrndavana. That she did not wish. She decided" "What will be,
will be."

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 Chapter Eighteen

Eternal Religion and Sambandha,

Abhidheya and Prayojana
(Simultaneous Oneness and Difference)

Nitya-dharma o sambandhabhidheya prayojana

(Prameyantar-gata bhedabheda-vicara)

Vani-Madhava was a vicious person. Reproached by

Vrajanatha, in his mind he plotted how to harm both Vrajanatha
and the babajis. He met with some thugs and together they
decided that when he returned from Srivasa's courtyard,
Vrajanatha would be attacked at a secluded place near
Laksmana-tila. Hearing of this plot, Vrajanatha decided to visit
the saintly elderly babaji only during the daytime. Also, he
would not visit Srivasa's courtyard every day, and when he did it
would be only in the daytime and accompanied by a bodyguard.
Vrajanatha had some tenants. Among them was an expert fighter
named Harisa Doma. Vrajanatha said to Harisa, "Today a great
calamity has fallen upon me. If you help, I may be protected
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from it." Harisa replied, "Sir, I will do whatever you ask. Give the
word, and I will kill your enemy." Vrajanatha said, "Vani-
Madhava wants to harm me. I am no longer able to visit the
Vaisnavas in Srivasa's courtyard. Vani-Madhava plans to have me
attacked on the road." Harisa replied, "Sir how can he attack you
when Harisa is there? Know that this bamboo club will fall on
Vani-Madhava Thakura's head. Sir, take me with you whenever
you go to Srivasa's courtyard. Who can harm you? I can defeat a
hundred fighters."
Accompanied by Harisa Doma, Vrajanatha would visit
Srivasa's courtyard only once every two or four days. He could
not stay for long. He could not hear discussions of the spiritual
truth. In his heart he became sad. Ten or twenty days passed in
this way, and then Vani-Madhava died of snakebite. Hearing the
news of Vani-Madhava's death, the Vaisnava Vrajanatha thought,
"Is this fate of a person who hates Vaisnavas?" In his mind he
remembered these words of Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.1.38): "One
may die today or after hundreds of years, but death is sure for
every living entity."
He thought, "No one lives forever. Everyone must die. What
obstacle now stops me from going to Srivasa's courtyard every
day?" That evening at sunset Vrajanatha went to Srivasa's
courtyard and offered dandavat obeisances to the saintly babaji.
He said, "from today on I will visit your feet every day. The
obstacle Vani-Madhava has left this world." The very merciful
babaji was at first silent and thoughtful, unhappy to hear that a
person whose spiritual intelligence was not awakened had died.
Then he said, "It is said (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Antya 2.163):
"A person is sure to achieve the results of his fruitive activities."

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 "The soul must go where Lord Krsna sends him. Baba, are
you unhappy at heart?"
Vrajanatha: The only unhappiness in my heart is that for
some days I have not heard the nectar of your teachings. That
has troubled my heart. I wish to hear the remaining teachings of
the Dasa-mula.
Babaji: I am always ready to teach you. Just tell me how far
you have heard and what questions have risen in your mind.
Vrajanatha: What is the name of the pure philosophy Sri
Gaura-kisora taught to the world? Advaita-vada, Suddhadvaita-
vada, Visistadvaita-vada, and Dvaita-vada are the names of the
philosophies taught by the previous acaryas. Did Sri
Gaurangadeva accept one of these philosophies, or did He teach
a different philosophy? In describing the sampradayas, you said
that Sri Gauranga is in the Brahma-sampradaya. Did He teach the
Dvaita-vada of Sri Madhvacarya, or did He teach something else?
Babaji: Baba, please listen to the eight verse of the Dasa-mula:
"The entire spiritual and material creation is manifested from the
potency of Lord Hari. The impersonalist idea is an impurity of
the Kali-yuga and it is refuted by the Vedas. The pure truth
taught by the Vedas is the philosophy of acintya-bhedabheda
(simultaneous oneness and difference). By understanding this
truth one eventually attains the perfection of love for the
Supreme Eternal."
The conclusions taught in the Upanisads are called "Vedanta"
(the conclusion of the Vedas). Srila Vyasadeva summarized these
conclusions in a book of four chapters, a book called the
Brahma-sutra or Vedanta sutra. The truly learned people of this

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world respectfully accept the authority of this book. The general
conclusion is that the Vedanta-sutra gives a proper exposition of
the truths taught in the Vedas. The different acaryas have each
explained Vedanta-sutra in a way to support their conclusions.
Sri Sankaracarya used the Vedanta-sutra to support his
philosophy of impersonalism (vivarta-vada). He said that the
philosophy of parinama-vada is not correct, for it must lead to
the conclusion that Brahman is not the highest. He taught a
philosophy called vivarta-vada, which is also called mayavada.
To support this philosophy of vivarta-vada, he collected
quotations from all the Vedas. It seems that the philosophy of
parinama-vada must have been popular before his time. By
establishing his vivarta-vada, Sri Sankara suppressed the
parinama-vada. Still, the vivarta-vada is only one of many
theories. Displeased with it, Sri Madhvacarya created the theory
of dvaita-vada. He collected quotes from all the Vedas to support
his theory of dvaita-vada. In the same way Srimad
Ramanujacarya established the Visistadvaita-vada and collected
quotations from the Vedas to support it. Sri Nimbarka Acarya
established his philosophy of dvaitadvaita-vada and he also
collected many quotes from the Vedas to support it. Sri Visnu
Swami preached the philosophy of suddhadvaita-vada, which he
based on the Vedanta-sutra and the texts of the Vedas. The
mayavada philosophy preached by Sri Sankaracarya is opposed to
the truths of devotional service. Each with his own philosophy,
the four Vaisnava acaryas taught that devotional service is the
highest conclusion. Sriman Mahaprabhu based His philosophy
on all the statements of the Vedas. His philosophy is called
'acintya-bhedabheda" (simultaneous oneness and difference).

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This philosophy accepts the basic framework of Madhvacarya's
teachings.
Vrajanatha: What is the parinama-vada?
Babaji: There are two kinds of parinama-vada: brahma-
parinama-vada and sakti-parinama-vada. The brahma-parinama-
vada teaches that Brahman becomes transformed into the
individual souls and the material world. Thus they say that only
Brahman exists, and to support their idea they quote these words
of the Chandogya Upanisad (6.2.1): "Brahman is one without a
second."
This theory may be called 'advaita-vada' (impersonalism).
Look. In this context 'vivarta' and 'parinama' are synonyms. On
the other hand, the philosophy of sakti-parinama-vada declares
that Brahman Himself never becomes transformed. Rather it is
Brahman's inconceivable potency that becomes transformed. The
jiva-sakti becomes transformed into the individual spirit souls
and the maya-sakti becomes transformed into the material world.
If this version of parinama-vada is accepted, Brahman does not
become transformed. The act of transformation is defined in
these words:
"Transformation is when something appears to be what it is
not."
What is transformation? Transformation is when something
appears to be different that what is it. Milk becomes transformed
into yogurt. It is still milk in essence. It only appears to be
something else. That is transformation. According to the
brahma-parinama-vada, the individual spirit souls and the
material world are both transformations of Brahman. This idea is

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not correct. Of this there is no doubt. The impersonal Brahman
has no qualities. Therefore it has nothing that could be
transformed into something else. Therefore it cannot be said to
be the origin of transformations. Therefore the brahma-
parinama-vada theory is not good. On the other hand, the sakti-
parinama-vada does not have these defects. According to sakti-
parinama-vada, Brahman is not transformed. Rather it is
Brahman's potency, which can do any impossible thing, that is
transformed into the atomic individual souls and into the
perverted reflection that is the material world. When Brahman
desires, "Let the individual souls come into existence",
numberless souls are manifested from His potency. When
Brahman desires, "Let the material world come into existence",
material universes without limit are manifested from His
potency. These things are not transformations of Brahman. If
someone says, "If Brahman has a desire, then Brahman is
transformed. The desire itself is a transformation of the original
desireless Brahman. How is it possible that Brahman can be
transformed in this way?" then I reply, "You are assuming that
Brahman's desire is like the desires possessed by the individual
spirit souls. That is why you say Brahman's desire is evidence
that Brahman becomes transformed. The individual spirit soul is
very small, and therefore his desire naturally touches Brahman's
other potencies. For this reason the soul's desires are actually
transformations. However, Brahman's desires are completely
independent. They are part of His intrinsic nature and are not
subjected to outside influences. They are at once the same as and
different from His potencies. Therefore Brahman's desires are
part of His original nature. They do not involve any
transformations. Ordered by His desires, His potencies act. His
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potencies then become transformed. The living entity's small
intelligence does not have the power to discover these subtle
truths unaided. These truths are known only by hearing the
testimony of the Vedas. Now we may consider the nature of the
transformation of the potency. The example of milk being
transformed into yogurt is not the only example to show the
transformation of potency. Although material analogies cannot
give one a complete understanding of spiritual realities, they can
help one understand certain aspects of it. Even though it is
material in nature, a cintamani jewel is said to produce many
other jewels within itself being changed in any way. The Spiritual
Supreme Personality of Godhead creates in a way like that. The
Supreme Personality of Godhead remains completely unchanged
after creating, by His desire and with the aid of His inconceivable
potency, the numberless individual souls and numberless
material universes consisting of fourteen planetary systems. This
explanation that the Supreme is "untransformed" does not mean
that the Supreme exists only as the qualityless impersonal
Brahman. The word 'brahman' means the greatest (brhat).
Therefore the word "brahman" directly refers to the eternal
Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the master of six
opulences. If we only say that He is 'untransformed' and do not
say anything else about Him, we do not accept His cit-sakti
(spiritual potency). The truth is that by the power of His
inconceivable potency, He is simultaneously the qualityless
Brahman, and the Supreme Person who possesses a host of
spiritual qualities. Therefore to say only that He is
'untransformed' means to understand only half of His nature, and
thus not understand Him in full. The Vedas have used the
instrumental (by), ablative (from), and locative (in) cases to
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describe His relationship with the material world. In the
Taittiriya Upanisad (3.1.1) it is said: “Please know that Brahman
is He from whom all living beings are born, by whose power they
remain alive, and into whom they enter at the end."
When it is said that the living beings are manifested from
Brahman, the ablative case is used. When it is said that the living
beings live by Brahman's power, the instrumental case is used.
When it is said that the living beings enter into Brahman, the
locative case is used. In this way it is said that the Supreme has
qualities. This shows that He is the Supreme Person, for it is a
person that has qualities. Srila Jiva Goswami describes the
Supreme Person in these words:
"The Absolute Truth is one. Still, by His inconceivable
potency He is manifested in four ways: 1. svarupa (His original
form), 2. tad-rupa-vaibhava (His incarnations), 3. jiva (the
individual spirit souls), and 4. pradhana (the material energy).
These four features are like: 1. the interior of the sun planet, 2.
the sun's surface, 3. the sunlight, and 4. the reflection of the
sun."
This example of course, explains only a small part of the
Lord's nature. His svarupa (original form) is His form of eternity,
knowledge and bliss. His svarupa-vaibhava (manifestations of
His form) are His spiritual abode, name, associates and
paraphernalia. The jiva-sakti is the abode of the numberless
eternally liberated and conditioned individual souls, who are tiny
particles of spirit. The pradhana is the material world of subtle
and gross material elements. As these four features are eternal, so
the oneness of the Absolute Truth is also eternal. Someone may
ask: "How is it possible that the Lord is eternally manifest in
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these four ways, but still is eternally one? Is it not a
contradiction that He is both one and many simultaneously?" To
this the answer is given: The intelligence of the individual living
entities will certainly declare that it is impossible. But why
should it not be possible? The intelligence of the individual
living entity is very small and limited, and, on the other hand,
the powers of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are beyond
human conception. Therefore, for the Lord it is not impossible.
Vrajanatha: How do you define 'vivarta-vada"?
Babaji: In the Vedas there is description of transformation
(vivarta), but that description is not at all like what has become
known as the 'vivarta-vada'. Sri Sankaracarya has used the words
'vivarta' and 'vivarta-vada' to mean 'maya-vada' (the philosophy
of impersonalism). The true meaning of the word 'vivarta' is
given in these words: "The word 'vivarta' means
'misunderstanding the true nature of a certain thing'."
The individual is a tiny particle of spirit. But when he is
imprisoned in the gross and subtle material body, he becomes
bewildered and thinks, "I am this gross and subtle material
body." Thus he misunderstands his true identity.
"Misunderstanding" is the only definition of 'vivarta' given in the
Vedas. Someone may think, "I am Raghunatha Bhattacarya, the
son of Sanatana Bhattacarya", and someone else may think, "I am
Sadhu Candala, the son of Vise Candala". In this way the
intelligence becomes bewildered. Both of those persons are
individual souls, tiny particles of spirit. They are not Raghunatha
Bhattacarya and Sadhu Candala. Still, they are bewildered and
they think they are identical with the material body. To mistake
a rope for a snake or the glistening on a seashell's surface for
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silver are other examples of misunderstandings (vivartas). By all
these examples the Vedas teach that one should throw far away
the idea that he is identical with the material body. The
mayavadis (impersonalists), however, reject this proper use of
the word 'vivarta' and teach a funny theory they called 'vivarta-
vada'. They say that the idea "I am the Supreme" is the true idea,
and the misconception, or vivarta, is the idea "I am an individual
spirit soul". By accepting this kind of ''vivarta-vada" one will not
understand what is the actual truth. The true vivarta-vada does
not at all contradict the sakti-parinama-vada. On the other hand,
the mayavadis (impersonalists') vivarta-vada is only an object of
laughter. The mayavadis' vivarta-vada is of three kinds: 1. the
soul is really Brahman but he becomes bewildered into thinking
that he is an individual soul, 2. the idea that the individual souls
are reflections of Brahman, and 3. the idea that Brahman takes a
nap and dreams that He has become the many individual souls.
None of these are the true vivarta-vada. The evidence of the
Vedas refutes them all.
Vrajanatha: What is this mayavada philosophy? My
intelligence does not understand it.
Babaji: Try to understand it soberly and carefully. The maya-
sakti is a perverted reflection of the svarupa-sakti (internal
potency). The maya-sakti cannot enter the spiritual world. The
maya-sakti is the controller of the material world. Because he is
bewildered by ignorance, the soul enters the material world.
Spiritual things are real and do have an independent, separate
existence. However, the mayavada theory does not accept the
reality of spiritual things. The mayavada theory declares that the
individual soul is actually Brahman, and it is only by the

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influence of maya that he thinks he is different from Brahman.
The mayavada theory declares that as long as he is under maya's
influence, the soul thinks he is an individual soul, but when he
becomes free of maya's influence, the soul learns that he is
actually Brahman. The mayavada theory declares that when
maya's influence ceases, the individual spirit soul also ceases to
exist. In this way liberation is thought to mean nirvana, or the
souls merging into the existence of Brahman. In this way the
mayavada theory does not accept the existence of a pure
individual spirit soul, free from maya's clutches. The mayavada
theory also declares that when he incarnates in the material
world, Brahman must take shelter of maya and accept a body
made of matter. Brahman thus does not have a spiritual form and
must accept a form made of matter. Thus Brahman accepts the
different material forms of His incarnations, descends to the
material world, performs very great deeds, leaves His material
form behind, and returns to His own abode. The mayavadis' offer
one kindness to the Supreme Lord. They say that individual
souls and the incarnations of Brahman have one difference. They
say that the individual souls are dependent on their past karma,
are pushed into the gross material body against their will, and
carried along by the strong current of their past karma, are
forced to suffer old-age, death and re-birth. On the other hand,
the Supreme Lord accepts a material body, material identity,
material name, material qualities, and other material things
voluntarily, by His own will, and by His own will at a certain
time He abandons those material things and becomes again
manifest as pure spiritual consciousness. Although He performs
activities, the Lord is not forced to accept the karmic results of

393
those actions. All these are the mistaken conclusions of the
mayavadis.
Vrajanatha: Do the Vedas give any evidence to support the
mayavada philosophy?
Babaji: No. In no place do the Vedas teach the mayavada
philosophy. Actually, the mayavada philosophy is identical with
Buddhism. In the Padma Purana Lord Siva tells Parvati: "The
mayavada philosophy is impious. It is covered Buddhism. My
dear Parvati, in the form of a brahmana in Kali-yuga I teach this
imagined mayavada philosophy."
Vrajanatha: O master, why did Lord Siva, who is the best of
Vaisnavas and the leader of the demigods, do such a wicked
deed?
Babaji: Lord Siva is a guna-avatara of the Supreme Personality
of Godhead. At one time the demons had taken to following the
path of devotion in order to fulfill their own sinful lusty desires.
Seeing this the merciful Supreme Personality of Godhead,
concerned for the benefit of the true, sincere devotees decided to
deter the demons from following the path of devotion. With this
in mind, He called for Lord Siva and told him, O Siva, that the
demons in the mode of ignorance are now preaching the path of
pure devotional service is not good for the world. Please write a
book to bewilder the demons. Conceal the truth about Me and
preach the mayavada, impersonal philosophy. The demons will
then leave the path of pure devotional service and take shelter of
impersonalism. That will be very pleasing to My genuine pure
devotees. Of this there is no doubt. The great Vaisnava Siva
unhappily accepted this order of the Supreme Lord. However, he
placed the Lord order on his head and obediently preached the
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mayavada philosophy. How can there be any fault, then, for Lord
Siva, the spiritual master of the entire world?
Vrajanatha: For the good of all the conditioned souls, the
Supreme Personality of Godhead turns the wheel of the material
world of birth and death. The Sudarsana-cakra He holds in His
hand brings only good. His order brings only good. The servant's
duty is to carry out his master's order. Therefore the pure
Vaisnavas do not blame Lord Siva for descending as Sankaracarya
and preaching the mayavada philosophy. Now I will recite the
scripture evidence for all this. Please listen. In the Padma Purana
the Supreme Lord tells Siva: "O Siva, because you worship Me, I
will always give My blessings to you. In Kali-yuga, mislead the
people in general by propounding imaginary meanings of the
Vedas to bewilder them. In this way conceal Me and make people
turn away from Me."
In the Varaha Purana the Supreme Lord tells Siva: "O mighty-
armed Siva, please write books filled with lies, and thus bewilder
the people.
"O might-armed one, please preach a collection of lies. Place
yourself in the forefront, and conceal Me."
Babaji: Do any Vedic passages refute the mayavada theory?
Vrajanatha: All the Vedas refute the mayavada theory.
Searching through all the Vedas, the mayavadis have found four
statements to buttress their argument, and these they call maha-
vakyas (the great statements of the Vedas). These four statements
are (Chandogya Upanisad 3.14.1): "Everything is Brahman."
Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad 4.4.19 and Katha Upanisad 2.1.11:
"Nothing is different from Brahman."
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 Aitareya Upanisad 1.5.3: "Brahman is consciousness."
Chandogya Upanisad 6.8.7: "O Svetaketu, you are that."
Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad 1.4.10: "I am Brahman".
What does the first of these maha-vakyas teach? It teaches
that the material world and the individual souls are all Brahman,
that there is nothing but Brahman. What is the nature of
Brahman? That is explained in another place in the Vedas. In the
Svetasvatara Upanisad (6.8) it is said: "The Supreme Lord has
nothing to do. Nothing is equal to Him or greater than Him. He
acts in different phases by manifesting His parts and parcels
which are all simultaneously differently situated by His
unlimited, variegated potencies. Each potency acts quite
naturally in sequences, providing Him full knowledge, power
and pastimes."
In these words Brahman and Brahman's potency are accepted
as one. Here it is said that the potency is the property
(svabhaviki) of Brahman, and it is also said that the potency is
manifested in many different ways (vividha). Because the
potency and the master who possesses the potency are not
different, it may certainly be said that nothing is different from
Brahman. However, when we look at the material world, we can
also see that in another sense Brahman and His potency are
certainly different. In the Vedas (Katha Upanisad 2.13 and
Svetasvatara Upanisad 6.10) it is said: "The Supreme Lord is
eternal and the living beings are eternal. The Supreme Lord is
cognizant and the living beings are cognizant. The difference is
that the Supreme Lord is supplying the necessities of life for the
many other living entities."

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 In these words of the Vedas variety is accepted as an eternal
fact. In the other passages of the Vedas (Svetasvatara Upanisad
6.8) the Lord's potency and His knowledge, power, and pastimes
are also considered, in one sense, to be different from Him.
Now let us consider these words of Aitareya Upanisad
(1.5.3): "Brahman is consciousness."
Here is it said that Brahman is identical with consciousness.
The nature of consciousness is described in these words of
Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad (4.4.21): "A wise man who
understands the Supreme falls in love with Him."
Here the word 'prajna' does not mean merely 'consciousness'.
Here it means 'love and devotion'.
Now let us consider these words of Chandogya Upanisad
(6.8.7): "O Svetaketu, you are that."
These words supposedly teach that the Supreme Lord and the
individual spirit soul are identical. However, the proper
explanation of these words is found in this passage from the
Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad (3.8.10): "He is a miserly man who
does not solve the problems of life as a human and who thus
quits this world like the cats and dogs, without understanding
the science of self-realization."
The words 'tat tvam asi' therefore actually mean "He who has
attained devotion to the Lord is a true brahmana."
Now let us consider these words of Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad
(1.4.10): "I am Brahman".
Some thinkers say that the knowledge described in these
words does not culminate in devotional service as its final

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attainment. This idea is criticized by these words of Isa Upanisad
(mantra 9):
"Those who engage in the culture of nescient activities shall
enter into the darkest region of ignorance. Worse still are those
engaged in the culture of so-called knowledge."
These words mean that persons who are ignorant and do not
know that they are pure spirit souls enter into terrible blinding
darkness. However, they who, even though they become free
from that ignorance, foolishly think that the individual soul is
Brahman and not a tiny particle of spirit, enter into an even more
terrible blinding darkness of ignorance. O baba, the Vedas are
like an ocean that has no shore. One should carefully study each
mantra of each Upanisad and then one should study the
Upanisads together as a whole. In that way one will understand
the true meaning of the Vedas. However, if one only studies a
few passages here and there, the conclusion he gets at the end
will be horrible and wrong. Therefore, after carefully studying all
the branches of the Vedas, Sriman Mahaprabhu taught the final
conclusion: that the individual spirit souls and the material
world are simultaneously, inconceivably one and different from
the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Babaji: Please explain to me more clearly how this philosophy
of inconceivable simultaneous oneness and difference is the true
teaching of the Vedas.
Vrajanatha: In the Chandogya Upanisad (3.14.1) it is said:
"Everything is Brahman."
In the Chandogya Upanisad (7.25.2) it is said: "The Supreme
Soul is everything."

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 In the Chandogya Upanisad (6.2.1) it is said: "In the
beginning only the Supreme existed. There was none but Him."
In the Svetasvatara Upanisad (5.4) it is said: "As the sun
shines in all directions: above, below and across, so the glorious
Supreme Personality of Godhead rules all creatures."
These passages describe the oneness part of simultaneous
oneness and difference.
In the Taittiriya Upanisad (2.1) it is said: "One who
understands the Supreme, attains the Supreme."
In the Katha Upanisad (1.2.22 and 2.1.4) it is said: "A wise
man who meditates on the all-pervading Supreme Soul never
laments."
In the Taittiriya Aranyaka, First Anuvaka, it is said: "Brahman
is limitless, eternal and all-knowing. A person who knows that
Brahman stays both in the spiritual sky and in the hearts of all
creatures attains Brahman. He associates with the all-knowing
Brahman. All his desires are fulfilled."
In the Svetasvatara Upanisad (3.9) it is said: "There is no
truth superior to that Supreme Person because He is the
supermost. He is smaller than the smallest and He is greater than
the greatest. He is situated as a silent tree, and He illumines the
transcendental sky, and as a tree spreads its roots, He spreads His
extensive energies."
In the Svetasvatara Upanisad (6.16) it is said: "The Supreme
Person is fully aware of everything. He is the Supersoul, the
master of all transcendental qualities."

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 In the Katha Upanisad (2.23) and the Mundaka Upanisad
(3.2.3) it is said: "The Supreme Lord is attained only by one who
He Himself chooses. To such a person he manifests His own
form."
In the Svetasvatara Upanisad (3.19) it is said: "Learned
transcendentalists explain that God is the greatest, the original
person."
In the Isa Upanisad (mantra 8) it is said: "The Supreme
Personality of Godhead has been fulfilling everyone's desires
since time immemorial."
In the Kena Upanisad (3.6 and 3.10) it is said: "I do not
understand who this yaksa is."
In the Taittiriya Upanisad (2.7) it is said: "In the beginning
only the Supreme existed. From Him everything was born. Then
He personally appeared within the world. That is why He is
called 'sukrta' (the creator)."
In the Katha Upanisad (2.13) and the Svetasvatara Upanisad
(6.13) it is said: "Of all eternal beings one is the most
important."
In the Mandukya Upanisad (mantra 2) it is said: "The
Supreme soul is the greatest. He is everything. He manifests in
four forms."
In the Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad (2.5.14) it is said: "All living
beings find that the Supreme Person is sweet like nectar."
In these and countless other passages, the Vedas declare that
the individual souls are eternally different from the Supreme.
Every part of the Vedas is beautiful and good. No part should be

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rejected. That the individual souls are eternally different from
the Supreme is the truth. That the individual souls are eternally
non-different from the Supreme is also the truth. Both are true
simultaneously. All the Vedas declare that difference and non
difference are both true. This simultaneous difference and non
difference is inconceivable, beyond the power of human
intelligence to understand. Applying material logic to understand
it will bring only confusion. What the Vedas speak is always the
truth. The Vedas' statements should not be rejected merely
because they are beyond the understanding of our tiny human
intelligence. In the Katha Upanisad (1.2.9) it is said:
"Ordinary material logic cannot be used to disprove the
truths taught by the Vedas."
In the Kena Upanisad (2.2) it is said: "I do not think, 'I do not
know anything about the Supreme'. Neither do I think, 'I know
everything about the Supreme'."
In these passages the Vedas declare that the Lord's potency is
inconceivable. Therefore material logic is not the proper tool
with which to understand the Lord's potency. In the
Mahabharata it is said:
"The Puranas, Manu-samhita, the Vedas with all their limbs
and the science of Vedic medicine are the words of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. They are His commands. Material logic
cannot refute them."
Thus simultaneous oneness and difference is the pure truth,
the conclusion taught by the Vedas. When one considers the
final goal and need of all individual souls, he will see that there
is no conclusion but simultaneous oneness and difference. When

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one understands this truth of simultaneous oneness and
difference, he will see that the difference between the soul and
the Supreme is eternal. Without understanding this difference,
the individual soul cannot attain the true goal of life: love for the
Supreme.
Babaji: What evidence from scripture and logic shows that
love for the Supreme is the final goal of life?
Vrajanatha: The Vedas (Mundaka Upanisad 3.1.4) declare:
"The Supreme Person is the life of all that live. One who knows
Him is not eager to talk of other things. Such a person loves the
Lord, always remembers the Lord's pastimes, and is active in the
Lord's service. He is the best of transcendentalists."
In the Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad (2.4.5 and 4.5.6) it is said:
"Every living being loves others not to please them, but to please
himself."
These words of Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad show that love is
the individual soul's primary need and goal. Baba, love for the
Supreme is described in many passages of the Vedas and the
Srimad-Bhagavatam. It is clearly described in these words of the
Taittiriya Aranyaka, Seventh Anuvaka:
"Who could live, who could breathe, if he did not find
pleasure in his heart? Living in the heart, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead gives pleasure to all living beings."
Happiness is a state of being created by love. All spirit souls
strive to find pleasure. Persons striving for liberation think
liberation will bring them pleasure. That is why they are mad
after liberation. Materialists think material sense objects will
bring them pleasure. That is why they chase after sense objects.
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The hope for pleasure pushes the living entity into action. The
devotees act so they can find pleasure in service to Lord Krsna.
Thus all living entities are searching for pleasure and for love.
For the sake of pleasure and love they are even willing to give up
their bodies. The conclusion is this: everyone sees pleasure and
love as their final goal,, their true need. No one will deny it. One
may be an atheist, one may be a theist, one may be a proponent
of fruitive work (karma-vadi), one may be an impersonalist
(jnana-vadi), one may be a hedonist (kami), one may be an
ascetic (niskami), all living entities are searching for pleasure
and love. All search for pleasure and love, but not everyone finds
it. The proponents of fruitive work think they will find pleasure
and love in Svargaloka. However, the Bhagavad-gita (9.21) says
of them: "When they have thus enjoyed heavenly sense pleasure,
they return to this mortal planet again. Thus, through the Vedic
principles, they achieve only flickering happiness."
This means that eventually they must fall down from
Svargaloka. In this way their plan to enjoy becomes frustrated.
When a person fails to find true pleasure in the wealth, children,
fame, power, and other things available in the world of human
beings, he begins to desire the pleasures available in Svargaloka.
When he must fall from Svargaloka he realizes that the pleasures
available there are not very valuable. Then he sees that the
pleasures of the human worlds, of Svargaloka, and of the highest
material planets, even up to the planet of the demigod Brahma,
are all temporary. Then he begins to search for impersonal.
When he finally attains impersonal liberation, he sees that there
is not real pleasure in that either. Then he searches for another
path to follow. How is it possible to find either pleasure or love
in impersonal liberation? If a person's sense of identity is
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annihilated, how can he enjoy any pleasure? Or if everything
becomes one, how can he enjoy any pleasure? Who will exist to
experience the pleasure? If I lose my identity, who will exist to
experience Brahman? The statement "Pleasure exists in
impersonal liberation" has no meaning, for no one exists to
experience the pleasure. In impersonal liberation does pleasure
exist, or does it not exist? What is the conclusion? If my
personal identity is destroyed, then everything about me is
destroyed. What remains of me, that I can experience the
attainment of a goal or the fulfillment of a need? In impersonal
liberation I do not exist. I do not exist at all. If someone says, "In
impersonal liberation I exist as Brahman", then Brahman does
not perform any action. Is it not so? If I become Brahman
eternally, then there is nothing for me to attain, and therefore I
need not perform any action. Therefore in impersonal liberation
is not the way to attain pleasure or love. Actually impersonal
liberation does not exist. It is only a trick played on the
individual soul. It is a flower imagined to float in the sky.
Devotional service is the only method by which the individual
souls can attain the true goal of their live and fulfill their true
needs. The final stage of devotional service is love and pleasure.
That love and pleasure are eternal. Pure Krsna is eternal, and
pure love for Him is also eternal. Therefore, when one accepts
the truth of inconceivable oneness and difference, he can attain
the eternal perfection of true love. If there is no simultaneous
oneness and difference, then the eternal spiritual love that is the
soul's true goal and need becomes not-eternal. That non-
eternality attacks the love and destroys it. Therefore all Vedic
scriptures confirm that simultaneous inconceivable oneness and

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difference is the true conclusion. All other conclusions are
meaningless speculations.
Plunged into an ocean of bliss as again and again he thought
about the meaning of spiritual love, Vrajanatha walked home.

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 Chapter Nineteen

Eternal Religion and Sambandha,

Abhidheya and Prayojana
(Abhidheya)

Nitya-dharma o sambandhabhidheya prayojana

(Prameyantar-gata abhidheya-vicara)

After finishing his meal, Vrajanatha went to bed. Again and

again in his heart he thought about simultaneous oneness and
difference. He thought, "I used to think that the philosophy of
inconceivable simultaneous oneness and difference was only one
of many competing philosophies. As he deeply thought about it
he concluded that no passages of scripture refuted it. Indeed, all
the scriptures supported it. Sri Gaura-kisora is the Supreme
Personality of Godhead Himself. There cannot be any fault with
His profound teachings. I cannot leave the shelter of Lord Gaura-
kisora's feet, which are the abode of spiritual love. Alas! What
have I attained thus far? The teaching of inconceivable
simultaneous oneness and difference is the truth. That much I
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know. But by knowing it what have I attained? The saintly babaji
told me that spiritual love is the final goal of life for all souls.
The fruitive workers (karmis) and impersonalists (jnanis) are all
searching for love, but they do not know what is the pure state of
love. One must attain the pure state of love. I will ask the saintly
babaji how to attain it. I will hear his conclusion." Again and
again thinking in this way, he gradually fell asleep.
It was late at night when Vrajanatha finally fell asleep and it
was late in the morning when he finally awakened. He got up
from bed. When he had washed and performed his morning
duties, his uncle Vijaya-kumara Bhattacarya Mahasaya arrived for
a visit. Seeing that he had come after many days in Sri
Modadruma, Vrajanatha at once offered dandavat obeisances to
his uncle.
Vijaya-kumara was especially learned in Srimad-Bhagavatam.
By the mercy of Srimati Narayani-devi, he had attained great love
for Lord Gauranga. Nowadays he went from place to place
reading aloud from Srimad-Bhagavatam. At the village of
Denuda-grama he personally met Sri Vrndavana dasa Thakura,
who advised him to visit Sri Mayapura, the inconceivable
spiritual abode of the Lord. Vrndavana dasa Thakura told him
that soon all the places of Lord Mahaprabhu's pastimes would
become hidden, and only after four hundred years would they
again be openly manifested. He also said that the places of Lord
Caitanya's pastimes are not different from Sri Vrndavana, and
that only a person who can see the spiritual nature of Sri
Mayapura and the other places of Lord Caitanya's pastimes has
the power to see Vrndavana as it truly is. Hearing these words of
Sri Vrndavana dasa Thakura, who is an incarnation of Srila

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Vyasadeva, Vijaya-kumara became very eager to see Sri
Mayapura. In his mind he decided to visit his sister and nephew
in Bilva-puskarini, and then visit Sri Mayapura. In those days
Bilva-puskarini and Brahmana-puskarini touched each other.
Nowadays they are far apart. In those days the boundary of Bilva-
puskarini was within a mile of holy Sri Mayapura. That
abandoned village of Bilva-puskarini now goes by the names
"Tota" and "Taranabasa".
Vijaya-kumara embraced his nephew and said, "Baba, now I
will go to visit Sri Mayapura. Please tell your mother that I will
return for lunch." Vrajanatha replied, "Uncle, why are you going
to visit Sri Mayapura?" Vijaya-kumara was not aware of
Vrajanatha's present condition, how he had abandoned the study
of nyaya-sastra and become an ardent student of Vedanta.
Therefore he thought it not appropriate to describe his
devotional activities to Vrajanatha. He simply said, "I want to
visit someone in Mayapura." Aware that his uncle was a devotee
of Lord Gauranga and a scholar of Srimad-Bhagavatam, and
thinking that his uncle must have a spiritual purpose in visiting
Sri Mayapura, Vrajanatha said, "A very faithful Vaisnava named
Sri Raghunatha dasa babaji Mahasaya resides in Sri Mayapura.
Please speak with him when you make your visit." Hearing
Vrajanatha's words, Vijaya-kumara said, "Baba, now you have
faith in the Vaisnavas? I heard that you had abandoned nyaya
and turned to Vedanta. Now I can understand that you have
entered the path of devotional service. I no longer need to
conceal things from you. Vrndavana dasa Thakura has ordered
me to visit the holy abode of Sri Mayapura. In my mind I have
decided to bathe in the Ganges at Sri Mayapura-ghata, see and
circumambulate the yoga-pitha, and once roll about in the dust
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from the Vaisnavas' feet at Srivasa's courtyard." Vrajanatha said,
"Uncle, please be kind and take me with you. I will take
permission from mother, and we will both go to Sri Mayapura.
After this conversation, Vrajanatha spoke to his mother,
Vrajanatha and Vijaya-kumara both left for Sri Mayapura. With
great delight they both bathed in the Ganges. As they bathed,
Vijaya-kumara said, "Nephew, today I am fortunate. Up till the
age of twenty, Lord Sacinandana showed His mercy to Sri Ganga-
devi by playing in the waters here. By bathing in these waters, I
have become very happy." Melting with happiness to hear these
encouraging words, Vrajanatha said, "Today I am fortunate, for
today I am able to follow your feet." After bathing, they both
went to Jagannatha Misra's home. There they became decorated
with streaming tears of great spiritual love. Vijaya-kumara said,
"They who have taken birth in the land of Lord Gaura but have
never touched this most sacred place have taken their birth in
vain. That is not just an exaggeration. Look! With material eyes
this looks like another ordinary place, a place of cottages made of
leaves. By Lord Gauranga's mercy what glory do we see now! We
see great jewel palaces, charming gardens, grand archways, and
so many other glorious things! Look! How beautiful are the
forms of Sri Gauranga-Visnupriya in that palace! What beautiful
forms!! Again and again speaking in this way, the uncle and
nephew were both overwhelmed, stunned with ecstatic love. For
a long time they were both overcome in this way. Finally some
devotees helped them go to Srivasa's courtyard. When they
entered it, streams of tears flowed from their eyes. Rolling on the
ground in Srivasa's courtyard, the both called out, "O Srivasa! O
Advaita! O Nityananda! O Gadadhara-Gauranga! Please give

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Your mercy to us. Please take away our false pride. Please give us
shelter of Your feet."
Seeing the two brahmanas in this devotional mood, the
Vaisnavas called out, "Glory to the moon of Mayapura! Glory to
invincible Lord Gauranga! Glory to Lord Nityananda!" and
danced. In a moment Vrajanatha offered his body at the feet of
his worshipable master, Sri Raghunatha dasa. The elderly babaji
picked him up, embraced him, and said, "Baba, why have you
come at this time today? Who is the great soul accompanying
you?" Vrajanatha humbly explained everything. The Vaisnavas
gave them nice sitting places in the courtyard of the bakula tree.
Then Vijaya-kumara humbly asked saintly Sri Raghunatha dasa
Babaji, "O master, what is the real goal and need of all living
entities?"
Babaji: You are both great devotees. You have already attained
the goal of life. Still, to show kindness to me, you have asked this
question. As far as I know, I will speak. Devotional service to
Lord Krsna, devotional service that is free of any trace of fruitive
work or impersonal speculation is both the final goal of life and
the means to attain the goal of life. In its beginning stage it is
called "sadhana-bhakti" and in its final, perfect stage, it is called
'prema-bhakti‟.
Vijaya-kumara: O saintly babaji, what different qualities does
devotional service possess?
Babaji: By Lord Mahaprabhu's order, Srila Rupa Goswami
wrote the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, where the qualities of
devotional service are described in these words (1.1.11):

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 "One should render transcendental loving service to the
Supreme Lord Krsna favorably and without desire for material
profit or gain through fruitive activities or philosophical
speculation. That is called pure devotional service."
In this verse the direct and indirect qualities of pure
devotional service are described. Here the words "bhaktir
uttama" mean "pure devotional service." Pure devotional service
is never mixed with karma (fruitive activities) or jnana
(impersonal speculation). When the desire for sense gratification
is present, devotional service is mixed with fruitive activities.
When the desire for impersonal liberation attained through
philosophical speculation is present, devotional service is mixed
with impersonal speculation. When the desire for sense
gratification and impersonal liberation are completely absent,
then devotional service is "uttama" or pure. Pure devotional
service brings pure love of God as its result. What is devotional
service? The direct qualities of devotional service are the
endeavor to please Krsna with the activities of one's body, mind,
and words, and also love for Lord Krsna within one's heart. The
soul has certain powers of his own. However, when one attains
the mercy of Lord Krsna and the mercy of a devotee, then Lord
Krsna manifests His own internal potency (svarupa-sakti). It is
then that the true nature of devotional service becomes
manifested. In the present condition, the living entity's body,
mind, and words are all material. If he works with the power of
his own intelligence, his only attainment will be material
knowledge and dry renunciation. He will not attain devotional
service. However, if Lord Krsna's internal potency (svarupa-
sakti) becomes manifested and is even slightly active, then pure
devotional service is manifested also. Lord Krsna is the original
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form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead (bhagavan).
Activities meant to please Him are called devotional service.
Jnana (impersonal speculation) and karma (fruitive work),
which are meant to please Brahman and Paramatma, are not
devotional service. Devotional service should be favorable
(anukulya), meant to please Lord Krsna. If it is not favorable,
devotional service cannot reach the perfect stage. The word
'anukula' means 'pleasing to Lord Krsna". In the stage of
sadhana-bhakti, the activities of devotional service are to a
certain extent gross and unrefined. In the stage of perfect
devotional service, the activities of devotional service are free
from connection with the material world. In this way they are
subtle and refined. In both stages the qualities of devotional
service remain the same. Therefore that devotional service
should be favorable (anukulyena) and directly to Lord Krsna
(krsnanusilanam) are the direct qualities of devotional service.
Now that the direct qualities have been described, we will
describe the indirect qualities of devotional service. Sri Rupa
Goswami has mentioned two indirect qualities of devotional
service. The first indirect quality is 'anyabhilasita-sunyam
(freedom from other desires), and the second indirect quality is
'jnana-karmady-anavrtam" (freedom from impersonal
speculation and fruitive work). In the heart any desire for
something other than devotional service is antagonistic to
devotional service. When jnana, karma, yoga, renunciation, and
other things cover the heart, the situation is not favorable for
devotional service. Therefore devotional service is pure when it
is freed from these two obstacles and when it is favorable and
directed to Lord Krsna.

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 Vijaya-kumara: What is the special quality of devotional
service? I mean to say, what are its specific characteristics?
Babaji: Srila Rupa Goswami explains that pure devotional
service has six specific characteristics. They are described in
these words (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.1.13): "There are six
characteristics of pure devotional service, which are as follows: 1.
pure devotional service brings immediate relief from all kinds of
material distress, 2. Pure devotional service is the beginning of
all auspiciousness, 3. Pure devotional service automatically puts
one in transcendental pleasure, 4. Pure devotional service is
rarely achieved, 5. Those in pure devotional service deride even
the conception of liberation, and 6. Pure devotional service is the
only means to attract Krsna."
Vijaya-kumara: How does pure devotional service bring
immediate relief from all kinds of material distress?
Babaji: Material distress has three causes: 1. papa (sins), 2.
papa-bija (the seeds of sins) and 3. avidya (ignorance). The word
'papa' (sins) refers to the activities that begin with 'pataka' (sins),
"maha-pataka" (great sins), and "ati-pataka" (the greatest sins).
When pure devotional service appears in the heart, sinful
activities cannot remain there. the desire to commit sins is called
'papa-bija' (the seeds of sins). When the heart is purified by
performing devotional service, sinful desires cannot stay there.
The individual soul's illusions are called 'avidya'. When pure
devotional service is performed, the soul thinks "I am a servant
of Lord Krsna." When that happens illusions about the soul's
true identity cannot stay. When the effulgence of Bhakti-devi
(the goddess of devotional service) enters the heart, sins, the
seeds of sins, and the blinding darkness of ignorance all perish.
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Thus, when devotional service arrives, material distress is no
longer seen. Therefore one of the characteristics of devotional
service is that it brings immediate relief from all kinds of
material distress.
Vijaya-kumara: How is pure devotional service the beginning
of all auspiciousness?
Babaji: The word auspiciousness means: 1. love for all living
entities, 2. all virtues, and 3. every kind of happiness. When pure
devotional service arises in his heart, a person becomes
decorated with these four virtues: 1. humility, 2. mercy, 3.
pridelessness, and 4. giving honor to all others. The result of this
is that the entire world loves him. Every virtue that exists among
the living entities is spontaneously manifested within a person
who is a devotee of the Lord. Devotional service also gives every
kind of happiness. It gives material sense happiness, the
happiness of attaining the qualityless impersonal liberation, all
yogic perfections, sense gratification, liberation and every other
kind of happiness. However, the four kinds of devotees do not
desire any of these kinds of happiness, for none of them can even
approach the eternal bliss attained by engaging in devotional
service.
Vijaya-kumara: Why is it that persons engaged in pure
devotional service deride even the conception of impersonal
liberation?
Babaji: When the happiness that comes from pleasing the
Lord is even slightly manifested in one's heart, the happinesses
obtained from material piety, material sense gratification and
impersonal liberation automatically become very insignificant.

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 Vijaya-kumara: Why is pure devotional service rarely
achieved?
Babaji: Please try to understand this carefully. By following
thousands and thousands of spiritual paths one will not easily
attain devotional service. Lord Hari is not pleased by persons
who strive for material sense gratification or impersonal
liberation. To them He will not give devotional service.
Therefore for the followers of these two paths devotional service
is very rarely achieved. By following the path of impersonal
speculation one may attain impersonal liberation, and by
performing yajnas and other pious deeds one may easily attain
material sense gratification, but by these means one will never
become expert in the yoga of devotional service. One may follow
thousands and thousands of such paths, but one will not attain
devotional service to Lord Hari.
Vijaya-kumara: How does pure devotional service
automatically put one in transcendental pleasure?
Babaji: Devotional service is filled with spiritual pleasure. It is
an ocean of bliss. If all the material pleasures available in the
troublesome material world were added to its opposite, the
pleasure of merging into the impersonal Brahman, and then
multiplied by a hundred thousand million, all that accumulated
pleasure would not equal a single drop of the happiness of
devotional service. Material sense pleasures is very insignificant,
and impersonal brahman pleasure is very dry. These two kinds of
pleasure are very different from spiritual pleasure. Dissimilar
things cannot be compared. The pleasure of devotional service is
a deep ocean of bliss. Compared to it, the happiness of
impersonal liberation is like a mud-puddle in a cow's hoofprint.
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Only persons who have tasted the pleasure of devotional service
know what that pleasure is like. They cannot really describe that
pleasure to others.
Vijaya-kumara: How does pure devotional service attract
Krsna?
Babaji: When devotional service appears in someone's heart,
Lord Krsna, who is controlled by love, becomes attracted to enter
that heart along with all His associates. By no other way can Lord
Krsna be brought under control.
Vijaya-kumara: If devotional service is as you describe, then
why do not all scripture scholars carefully engage in it?
Babaji: The root of the matter is this: human intelligence and
material logic are limited. Any human beings who tries with his
limited intelligence to understand Lord Krsna and His devotional
service, which are far beyond the boundary of the material world,
will certainly fail. Lord Krsna and devotional service will remain
far away from him. On the other hand, a person who because of
past pious deeds now has a single drop of attraction to Krsna can
easily understand devotional service. Aside from being fortunate
in this way, no one can understand the truth of devotional
service.
Vijaya-kumara: Why is material logic useless in understand
spiritual pleasure?
Babaji: Material logic has no power to understand spiritual
pleasure. In the Vedas (Katha Upanisad 1.2.9) it is said: "The
Supreme cannot be understood by material logic." In the
Vedanta-sutra (2.1.11) it is also said: "Transcendental topics
cannot be understood by argument or logic." In this way it is
416
explained that material logic cannot be used to understand
spiritual matters.
Vrajanatha: Is there a stage in between sadhana-bhakti
(devotional service in practice) and prema-bhakti (devotional
service in pure love of God)?
Babaji: Yes. There are three stages: sadhana-bhakti, bhava-
bhakti (devotional service in ecstasy), and prema-bhakti.
Vrajanatha: What distinguishes sadhana-bhakti from the
others?
Babaji: The highest stage is prema-bhakti. As long as he
remains imprisoned by the material senses, the soul's devotional
activities are situated in sadhana-bhakti.
Vrajanatha: You have explained that prema-bhakti is the
eternal perfection, the highest stage. How is this highest stage
attained?
Babaji: One cannot attain that eternal perfection by his own
efforts. In the beginning the stage called 'sadhana' is manifested
in the heart. Until the day when the eternal perfection appears of
its own accord, one cannot force its presence. The eternal
perfection must come of its own.
Vrajanatha: Please explain more clearly.
Babaji: Because it is manifested from the Lord's own internal
potency (svarupa-sakti), prema-bhakti is eternally perfect. It is
not manifested in the hearts of souls still imprisoned by matter.
With the body, mind, and words one may endeavor to attain that
eternal perfection in his heart, but as long as it is not attained,
the devotee is situated in sadhana-bhakti.

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 Vrajanatha: What are the qualities of sadhana-bhakti?
Babaji: The nature of sadhana-bhakti is that it is a method of
making the mind think of Lord Krsna.
Vrajanatha: How many stages are present in sadhana-bhakti?
Babaji: There are two stages: vaidhi and raganuga.
Vrajanatha: What is vaidhi-sadhana-bhakti?
Babaji: Vaidhi is of two kinds. When one follows the rules
given in the scriptures, his activities are called 'vaidhi-pravrtti'.
When by following the rules given in the scriptures a person
attains devotional service, his activities are called 'vaidhi-bhakti'.
Vrajanatha: Later I will ask about raganuga-bhakti. Now
please tell me: What are the qualities of vaidhi-bhakti?
Babaji: Activities the scriptures say should be performed are
called 'vaidhi'. Activities the scriptures say should not be
performed are called 'nisedha'. To do what should be done and
avoid what is forbidden is called 'vaidha-dharma.'
Vrajanatha: From your words I have understood that 'vaidha'
means 'following the rules of all the 'dharma sastras' (scriptures).
However, it is very difficult for the living entity to determine
from these scriptures exactly what should be done and what is
forbidden. Therefore, please briefly summarize the scriptures
rules of what should be done and what is forbidden.
Babaji: In the Padma Purana it is said: "Krsna is the origin of
Lord Visnu. He should always be remembered and never
forgotten at any time. All the rules and prohibitions mentioned
in the sastras (scriptures) should be the servants of these two
principles."
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 One should always remember Lord Visnu. That is the root of
all rules. The duties of varnasrama-dharma are meant to follow
that rule of always remembering Lord Visnu. That is the root of
all prohibitions. Avoidance of sin, abandonment of materialism,
penance for sins committed in the past and other like
prohibitions are meant to follow this prohibition: that one
should never forget Lord Visnu. Therefore the rules and
prohibitions described in the scriptures are the servants of the
rule to remember Lord Visnu and the prohibition to never forget
Him. Therefore the rules of varnasrama and other like rules are
meant to enable one to always remember Lord Visnu. This is
described in the following words of Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.5.2-
3): "From the mouth of Brahma, the brahminical order has come
into existence. Similarly, from his arms, the ksatriyas have come,
from his waist the vaisyas have come, and from his legs the
sudras have come. These four orders and their spiritual
counterparts (brahmacarya, grhastha, vanaprastha, and
sannyasa) combine to make human society complete.
"If one simply maintains an official position in the four
varnas and asramas but does not worship the Supreme Lord
Visnu, he falls down from his puffed-up position into a hellish
condition."
Srila Rupa Goswami explains that among the human beings
who follow the rules of scripture, some have faith in devotional
service. These are the person qualified to engage in devotional
service. These persons are not attracted to following rules for
their own sake, and neither are they attracted to renunciation for
its own sake. Following the rules of ordinary civilized life and at
the same time full of faith in devotional service, they engage in

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sadhana-bhakti. This engagement in sadhana-bhakti is the result
of many lifetimes of pious deeds. Faithful persons thus engaged
in devotional service are divided into three groups: 1. uttama
(advanced), 2. madhyama (intermediate), and 3. kanistha
(neophyte).
Vrajanatha: In Bhagavad-gita (7.16) it is said that the
devotees are of four kinds: 1. arta (the distressed), 2. jijnasu (the
inquisitive), 3. artharthi (the desirer of wealth), and 4. jnani (he
who is searching for knowledge of the Absolute). How are these
persons eligible to engage in devotional service?
Babaji: When they attain the association of saintly devotees,
these four kinds of persons, the arta, jijnasu, artharthi, and jnani
develop faith in unalloyed devotional service. Then they become
qualified to engage in devotional service. Gajendra, Saunaka Rsi,
Dhruva, the four Kumaras, and many others may be cited here as
examples of this.
Vrajanatha: Why are the devotees not eager for liberation?
Babaji: Of the five kinds of liberation - salokya (to live on the
same planet as the Lord), sarsti (to have the same opulences as
the Lord), samipya (to have constant association with the Lord),
sarupya (to obtain the same bodily features as the Lord) and
sayujya (to become one with the Lord) - only sayujya is openly
opposed to the principles of devotional service. Therefore the
devotees of Lord Krsna never accept sayujya (impersonal)
liberation. The other four kinds of liberation - salokya, sarsti,
samipya, and sarupya - are not openly opposed to the principles
of devotional service, but some aspects of them are not helpful
for developing devotional service. The devotees of Lord Krsna do
not accept these four kinds of liberation when they are
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manifested in Vaikuntha, the abode of Lord Narayana. In some
situations spiritual opulence is prominent in these kinds of
liberation, and in other situations loving service is prominent.
The devotees reject these kinds of liberation when their final goal
is spiritual opulence. In those situations the devotees say, "Talk
of liberation should stay far away." The devotees' hearts are
attracted only to Lord Krsna. The devotees' hearts are not
enchanted by the mercy of Lord Narayana. Why not? Even
though Lord Narayana and Lord Krsna are in the end not
different from each other, the highest nectar is present only in
the form of Lord Krsna.
Vrajanatha: Are persons born in upper-class families in
varnasrama the only persons eligible to engage in devotional
service?
Babaji: Simply by being a human being one is eligible to
engage in devotional service.
Vrajanatha: Persons who follow varnasrama must follow both
the rules of varnasrama and the rules of devotional service. I see
they must follow both sets of rules. On the other hand, persons
who do not follow varnasrama need only follow the rules of pure
devotional service. From what I can see it must be very difficult
for the followers of varnasrama to follow both the rules of
karma-kanda and the rules of devotional service. What is the
proper understanding of all this?
Babaji: A person engaged in pure devotional service need only
follow the rules of devotional service, even though he may be
living within the varnasrama social system. By following the
rules of devotional service, his duty to follow the rules of karma-
kanda is automatically fulfilled. In the places where they do not
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oppose devotional service there is no harm in following the rules
of karma-kanda. A person engaged in devotional service
naturally has no desire to act badly or commit sins. If by accident
he commits a sin, he is not required to perform the penance
described in the karma-kanda. No accidentally committed sin
has the power to stay in a heart where devotional service also
stays. A sin that tries to stay there will soon perish. Therefore
such a devotee does not need to perform penance.
Vrajanatha: How does a person engaged in devotional service
repay his debts to the demigods and others like them?
Babaji: Baba, please reflect on the message of this verse in the
Eleventh Canto (Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.5.41): "Anyone who has
completely surrendered unto Krsna, Mukunda, giving up all
other duties, is no longer a debtor, nor is he obliged to anyone -
not the demigods, nor the sages, nor the people in general, nor
kinsmen, nor humanity, nor forefathers." Also, at the end of the
Bhagavad-gita (18.66) the Supreme Personality of Godhead
declares: "Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender
unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not
fear." These words of the Gita mean that a person who engages
in unalloyed devotional service is no longer required to follow
the rules given in the scriptures describing impersonal liberation
(jnana-sastras) and fruitive work (karma-sastras). Simply by
engaging in devotional service he will attain all perfection. The
Supreme Lord also declares (Bhagavad-gita 9.31): "My devotee
never perishes." This promise of the Lord stands above all other
rules in the scriptures.
After hearing these words, Vrajanatha and Vijaya-kumara said
with one voice, "In our hearts there is no doubt about devotional
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service. We know that jnana and karma are very insignificant
and very unimportant. Without Bhakti-devi's (the goddess of
devotion's) mercy no one an attain auspiciousness. O master,
please be kind to us and describe the different features of pure
devotional service. Then our lives will become a success."
Babaji: Vrajanatha, you have heard the Dasa-mula up to the
eight verse. At another time please relate these verses to your
saintly uncle. My heart blossoms with happiness when I see him.
Please listen now to the ninth verse: "Hearing about Lord Krsna,
chanting His glories, remembering Him, bowing down before
Him, worshipping Him, serving Him, thinking of Him as a
friend, serving His lotus feet, and surrendering everything unto
Him are the nine limbs of devotional service. A faithful person
who every day worships the Lord by performing these devotional
activities attains pure love for Him."
When Lord Krsna's spiritual holy name, and the descriptions
of His form, qualities, and pastimes touch the ear, that activity is
called 'sravanam' (hearing). This hearing is of two kinds: before
one has attained faith in the Lord one in conversation may hear
the qualities of Lord Krsna from the mouth of a saintly devotee.
That is one kind of hearing. By hearing in this way one attains
faith. When one attains faith, he develops a deep thirst to hear
about Lord Krsna. Then again and again he hears about Lord
Krsna's holy name and other features. After that, he hears the
holy name and qualities of Lord Krsna from the mouth of a
Vaisnava spiritual master. That is the second kind of hearing.
Hearing is one limb of pure devotional service. At the time of
performing sadhana-bhakti one hears from a Vaisnava spiritual

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master, and when one finally attains perfection, he continues to
hear. Hearing is the first limb of devotional service.
When Lord Krsna's holy name and the descriptions of His
form, qualities, and pastimes touch the tongue, that activity is
called 'kirtanam' (chanting). Discussions of Lord Krsna, chanting
His holy name, attracting everyone by reading aloud the
descriptions of Him in the scriptures and singing songs about
Him, speaking humble words before Him, proclaiming His
glories to others, reciting prayers, and placing humble requests
before Him are all counted within the category of chanting. Of all
the limbs of devotional service, chanting is said to be the most
important. In Kali-yuga especially, chanting can bring
auspiciousness to all souls. This is declared in the scriptures
again and again. For example, it is said (Padma Purana, Uttara-
khanda, 72.25): "Whatever is achieved by meditation in Satya-
yuga, by performance of yajna in Treta-yuga, or by the worship
of Krsna's lotus feet in Dvapara-yuga, is obtained in the age of
Kali simply by chanting and glorifying Lord Kesava."
No other method is as affective in purifying the heart as hari-
kirtana (chanting the glories of Lord Hari). When many devotees
chant together, that is called 'sankirtana'.
Remembering Lord Krsna's name, form, qualities, and
pastimes is called 'smaranam' (remembering). Remembering is of
five kinds: 1. when one searches for something, that is called
'smarana'. 2. When one withdraws the mind from other things
and fixes it on one object, that is called 'dharana'. 3. When one
meditates on a particular form, that is called 'dhyana'. 4. When
meditation is unbroken and becomes like a flood of nectar, that
is called 'dhruvanusmrti'. 5. When only the object of meditation
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and nothing else is present in the heart, that is called 'samadhi'.
Sravanam (hearing), kirtanam (chanting), and smaranam
(remembering) are the three most important limbs of devotional
service. All the other limbs are included within these three. Of
the three limbs hearing, chanting, and remembering, the most
important is chanting, for hearing and remembering are naturally
included within it.
In Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.5.23 it is said that 'pada-seva'
(serving the feet) or 'paricarya' (service) is the fourth limb of
devotional service. Serving the Lord's feet should be performed
along with hearing, chanting and remembering. When one serves
the Lord's feet one should think oneself worthless and
unqualified to serve, and one should think of the object of His
service is a person who is eternal and full of knowledge and bliss.
To think in these ways is essential. When serving the Lord's feet
one should think that he is seeing the Lord's handsome face,
touching Him, circumambulating Him, following Him, and
seeing His temple, the Ganges, Jagannatha Puri, Dvaraka,
Mathura, Navadvipa, and other holy places. Srila Rupa Goswami
has eloquently described sixty-four limbs of devotional service.
Serving Tulasi and serving the Lord's devotees are included
within this limb, serving the Lord's feet.
The fifth limbs is 'arcanam' (worship). Many things could be
said about the qualifications of the worshipper and the activities
of worship. If, after being engaged in hearing, chanting and
remembering, one becomes attracted to the path of worship, one
should take shelter of the lotus feet of a bona-fide spiritual
master, accept mantra-diksa initiation from him, and become
engaged in the activities of worship.

425
 Vrajanatha: What is the difference between 'nama' (the holy
name) and 'mantra'?
Babaji: The holy name of the Supreme Lord is the life and
soul of all mantras. By adding the word 'namah' (obeisances) and
other like words to the Lord's holy names, the sages have given
us various mantras glorifying the Lord, mantras that each possess
specific powers. The holy name of the Lord has nothing to do
with the material world. To withdraw the mind from thoughts of
the material body and other material things, mantras containing
the Lord's holy names are given. To be able to chant mantras,
materialistic persons require to accept initiation (diksa). To
chant Krsna-mantras there is no need to accept the purificatory
processes called 'siddha', 'sadhya', 'susiddha', and 'ari'. Initiation
into the chanting of Krsna-mantras is very beneficial for the
living entity. Krsna-mantras are the most powerful mantras in
the entire world. When he accepts a Krsna-mantra from a bona-
fide spiritual master, a qualified person gets strength from Lord
Krsna Himself. The spiritual master then describes the path of
arcana (worship) to the inquisitive disciple. I need not describe
all of that now. In brief it may be said that the observance of Sri
Krsna-janmastami, Karttika-vrata, Ekadasi-vrata, Magha-snana,
and other vows are included in this path of worship. One thing
especially should be noted about the path of worshipping Lord
Krsna: One must worship Lord Krsna's devotees along with Lord
Krsna Himself.
Vandana (offering obeisances) is the sixth limb of devotional
service. Although it is included within pada-seva, kirtana and the
other limbs of devotional service, vandana is also considered a
separate limb. Vandana means 'offering obeisances'. There are

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two ways to offer obeisances: 1. ekanga-namaskara (offering
obeisances with one limb) and 2. astanga-namaskara (offering
obeisances with eight limbs). To offer obeisances with one hand,
with the body completely covered with cloth, directly before, on
the left side, or behind the Lord, or very close to the Lord, are all
considered offenses.
Dasya (service) is the seventh limb of devotional service.
"Dasya" means to think "I am a servant of Lord Krsna". The best
kind of worship is performed when the worshipper thinks that
he is a servant of Lord Krsna. Offering obeisances, reciting
prayers, offering all of ones actions, serving, offering honor,
remembering, hearing about the Lord, and other like activities
are included within dasya.
Sakhya (friendship) is the eight limb of devotional service.
"Sakhya" means to act as a friend to Lord Krsna. There are two
kinds of such friendship: 1. vaidhanga (friendship in vaidhi-
bhakti), and 2. raganga (friendship in raganuga-bhakti). Here we
will only describe vaidhanga friendship. This kind of friendship
is possible when the devotee engages in Deity worship. That is
called 'vaidha-sakhya'.
Atma-nivedana (surrendering everything) is the ninth limb of
devotional service. To offer the pure soul, the material body, and
everything else to Lord Krsna is called "Atma-nivedana". To act
only for Lord Krsna's benefit and not for one's own benefit is the
special feature of atma-nivedana. As a cow that is sold to
someone does not do anything to protect or maintain herself, so
the surrendered soul acts only according to Lord Krsna's desires.
Such a soul desires whatever Lord Krsna desires. The activities of
atma-nivedana are described in these words (Srimad-Bhagavatam
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9.4.18-20): "Maharaja Ambarisa always engaged his mind in
meditating upon the lotus feet of Krsna, His words in describing
the glories of the Lord, his hands in cleansing the Lord's temple,
and his ears in hearing the words spoken by Krsna or about
Krsna. He engaged his eyes in seeing the Deity of Krsna, Krsna's
temples, and Krsna's places like Mathura and Vrndavana, he
engaged his sense of touch in touching the bodies of the Lord's
devotees, he engaged his sense of smell in smelling the fragrance
of tulasi offered to the Lord, and he engaged his tongue in tasting
the Lord's prasada. He engaged his legs in walking to the holy
places and temple of the Lord, his head in bowing down before
the Lord, and all his desires in serving the Lord, twenty four
hours a day. Indeed Maharaja Ambarisa never desired anything
for his own sense gratification. He engaged all his senses in
devotional service, in various engagements related to the Lord.
This is the way to increase attachment for the Lord and be
completely free from all material desires."
Filled with bliss to hear all this, Vrajanatha and Vijaya-
kumara offered dandavat obeisances to the saintly babaji and
said, "O master, you are a personal associate of the Supreme
Lord Himself. We are both very fortunate to drink the nectar of
your teachings. For so many days we were uselessly proud of our
caste and learning. It is only because of many pious deeds in
many past births that now we have attained the shelter of your
feet." Vijaya-kumara said, "O best of the Lord's devotees, Sri
Vrndavana dasa Thakura instructed me to see the Yoga-pitha in
the Sri Mayapura. It is by his mercy that today I have seen both
the Lord's transcendental abode and the Lord's personal
associate. Please be merciful and allow that tomorrow evening
we may again come to see you."
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 Hearing the name of Vrndavana dasa Thakura, the elderly
babaji at once offered dandavat obeisances. He said, "Again and
again I offer my respectful obeisances to Vrndavana dasa
Thakura, who is Vyasadeva himself, and who has come to this
world to record Lord Caitanya's pastimes."
It was late. Vrajanatha and Vijaya-kumara returned to
Vrajanatha's home
.

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 Chapter Twenty

Eternal Religion and Sambandha,

Abhidheya and Prayojana
(Abhidheya: Vaidha-sadhana-bhakti)

Nitya-dharma o sambandhabhidheya-prayojana
(Prameyantar-gata abhidheya-vicara vaidha-
sadhana-bhakti)

Almost six hours had passed when Vrajanatha and Vijaya-

kumara returned home. Vrajanatha's mother carefully served a
delicious lunch to her brother. After lunch, the uncle and
nephew conversed very affectionately. To his uncle, Vrajanatha
repeated one by one all the teachings he had heard from the
saintly babaji. Hearing them, Vijaya-kumara became plunged in
an ocean of bliss. He said to his nephew, "You have become very
fortunate! from a great saint you have heard all these
descriptions of the spiritual truth. It is always auspicious to hear
descriptions of Lord Hari and devotional service, but when these
430
descriptions come from the mouth of a saint, when they enter
the ear they very quickly bring the desired result. Baba, you are
learned in all the scriptures. In the nyaya-sastras you have no
peer. You were born in a family of vaidika brahmanas. You are
not poverty-stricken. You are wealthy. These advantages are all
ornaments decorating you now that you have taken shelter of a
Vaisnava's feet and you relish hearing His descriptions of Lord
Krsna."
Sitting in the house's shrine to Goddess Candi, the uncle and
nephew conversed about spiritual life. In a side room
Vrajanatha's mother privately said to Vijaya-kumara, "Brother,
after many days you have come for a visit. Please try to turn your
nephew into a householder. I am afraid to see how Vrajanatha
acts. Vrajanatha may never get married. Many matchmakers have
offered many matches, but Vrajanatha is stubborn. He refuses to
marry. My mother-in-law tried, but she could not convince him.
Hearing all that his sister had to say, Vijaya-kumara replied, "I
will stay for ten or fifteen days. I will think about it and I will tell
you what to do. For now please go to your own part of the
house." When Vrajanatha's mother returned to her rooms,
Vijaya-kumara returned to his spiritual discussions with
Vrajanatha. They spent the day in those discussions. The next
day, after their meal, Vijaya-kumara said to Vrajanatha, "This
evening we will go to Srivasa's courtyard. From the mouth of the
saintly babaji we will hear Srila Rupa Goswami's description of
the sixty four limbs of devotional service. Vrajanatha, I wish that
birth after birth I could associate with saintly devotees like you.
If I had not associated with you, I would never have heard such
nectarean teachings. Look, the saintly babaji said that the path of
sadhana-bhakti has two parts: 1. vaidha-marga (devotional
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service by following the rules and regulations), and 2. raga-
marga (spontaneous devotional service). You and I are qualified
to follow the path of vaidha-marga. Later we will hear about the
raga-marga, but first we should hear about the vaidha-marga.
Then we will be able to being sadhana-bhakti. After hearing the
saintly babaji's description of the nine processes of devotional
service, I do not understand how to begin. Today I will ask him
about that." The two of them spent the day discussing many
things. Then, garlanded with rays of light, the sun approached
the western horizon. Again and again exclaiming "Haribol!
Haribol!" our two saintly devotees entered Srivasa's courtyard,
offered dandavat obeisances to the circle of Vaisnavas, and
entered the elderly babaji's cottage. Seeing the two devotees
eager to ask questions, the saintly babaji happily embraced them,
and offered them sitting places made of banana leaves. The two
devotees offered dandavat obeisances, sat down, and after some
conversation revealed their questions.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, we give so you so much trouble.
Still, because you are merciful to the devotees you kindly accept
the inconveniences we bring. Today we would like to hear from
your mouth Srila Rupa Goswami's description of the sixty-four
limbs of devotional service. If you are inclined to be merciful to
us, then please kindly describe how we may easily attain pure
devotional service.
Smiling, the saintly babaji said, "I will describe to you the
sixty-four limbs of devotional service. Srila Rupa Goswami
mentions in his book. Here are the first ten of those sixty-four: 1.
accepting the shelter of the lotus feet of a bona-fide spiritual
master, 2. becoming initiated by the spiritual master and learning

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how to discharge devotional service from him, 3 obeying the
orders of the spiritual master with faith and devotion, 4.
following in the footsteps of the great acaryas (teachers) under
the direction of the spiritual master, 5. inquiring from the
spiritual master how to advance in Krsna consciousness, 6. being
prepared to give up anything material for the satisfaction of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna (this means that
when we are engaged in the devotional service of Krsna, we must
be prepared to give up something which we may not like to give
up, and also we may have to accept something which we may not
like to accept), 7. residing in a sacred place of pilgrimage like
Dvaraka or Vrndavana, 8. accepting only what is necessary, or
dealing with the material world only as far as necessary, 9.
observing the fasting day on ekadasi, and 10. worshipping sacred
trees like the banyan tree.
The next ten limbs of devotional service are prohibitions that
should be carefully followed. They are:
one should rigidly give up the company of non-devotees. 12.
One should not instruct a person who is not desirous of
accepting devotional service. 13. One should not be very
enthusiastic about constructing costly temples or monasteries.
14. One should not try to read too many books, nor should one
develop the idea of earning his livelihood by lecturing on or
professionally reciting Srimad-Bhagavatam of Bhagavad-gita. 15.
One should not be neglectful in ordinary dealings. 16. One
should not be under the spell of lamentation in loss or jubilation
in gain. 17. One should not disrespect the demigods. 18. One
should not give unnecessary trouble to any living entity. 19. One
should carefully avoid the various offenses in chanting the holy

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name of the Lord or in worshipping the Deity in the temple. 20.
One should be very intolerant toward the blasphemy of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, or His devotees.
These twenty limbs are the gateway to devotional service.
Among them the first three, beginning with accepting the shelter
of the lotus feet of a bona fide spiritual master, are the most
important. The next limbs are:
One should decorate the body with tilaka, which is the sign
of the Vaisnavas. 2. In marking such tilaka sometimes one may
write Hare Krsna on the body. 23. One should accept flowers and
garlands that have been offered to the Deity and the spiritual
master and put them on one's body. 24. One should learn to
dance before the Deity. 25. One should learn to bow down
immediately upon seeing the Deity or the spiritual master. 26. As
soon as one visits a temple of Lord Krsna, one must stand up. 27.
When the Deity is being borne for a stroll in the street, a devotee
should immediately follow the procession. 28. A devotee must
visit a Visnu temple at least once or twice every day, morning
and evening. 29. One must circumambulate the temple building
at least three times. 30. One must worship the Deity in the
temple according to the regulative principles. 31. One must
render personal service to the Deities. 32. One must sing. 33.
One must perform sankirtana. 34. One must chant. 35. One must
offer prayers. 36. One must recite notable prayers. 37. One must
taste maha-prasada (food from the very plate offered before the
Deities). 38. One must drink caranamrta (water from the bathing
of the Deities, which is offered to guests). 39. One must smell
the incense and flowers offered to the Deity. 40. One must touch
the lotus feet of the Deity. 41. One must see the Deity with great

434
devotion. 42. One must offer arati at different times. 43. One
must hear about the Lord and His pastimes from Srimad-
Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita and similar books. 44. One must pray
to the Deity for His mercy. 45. One should remember the Deity.
46. One should meditate upon the Deity. 47. One should render
some voluntary service. 48. One should think of the Lord as
one's friend. 49. One should offer everything to the Lord. 50.
One should offer a favorite article (such as food or a garment).
51. One should take all kinds of risks and perform all endeavors
for Krsna's benefit. 52. In every condition, one should be a
surrendered soul. 53. One should pour water on the tulasi tree.
54. One should regularly hear Srimad-Bhagavatam and similar
literature. 55. One should live in a sacred place like Mathura,
Vrndavana or Dvaraka. 56. One should offer service to
Vaisnavas. 57. One should arrange for one's devotional service
according to one's means. 58. In the month of Karttika (October
and November), one should make arrangements for special
services. 59. During Janmastami (the time of Krsna's appearance
in this world) one should observe a special service. 60. One
should do whatever is done with great care and devotion for the
Deity. 61. One should relish the pleasure of Bhagavatam reading
among devotees and not among scholars. 62. One should
associate with devotees who are considered more advanced. 63.
One should chant the holy name of the Lord. 64. One should live
in the jurisdiction of Mathura.
Although they had already been mentioned in the list, the last
five items are repeated because they are very important. Please
know that all these limbs describe how to worship Lord Krsna
with one's body, senses, and mind. Items 21 through 49 in the
second part describe initiation into the worship of Lord Krsna.
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 Vijaya-kumara: O master, please explain to us the first item.
What does "1. accepting the shelter of the lotus feet of a bona
fide spiritual master" mean?
Babaji: The disciple should be qualified to engage in pure
devotional service. To learn the science of Krsna, the disciple
should take shelter of the spiritual master's feet. Any person who
has faith is qualified to engage in devotional service. When, after
many births of pious deeds, one hears the descriptions of Lord
Hari from a saintly devotee's mouth, and from that hearing
develops strong faith in Lord Hari, that strong faith is called
'sraddha'. From that sraddha (faith) comes saranapatti
(surrender). Faith and surrender are almost the same thing.
Devotion to Lord Krsna is the most valuable thing in the world.
One should think, "I will do whatever is favorable for devotional
service to Lord Krsna. I will avoid whatever is not favorable for
devotional service to Lord Krsna. Lord Krsna is my only
protector. I am confident that Lord Krsna will always protect me.
I am very poor and worthless. It is not good that I desire to be
independent. I should do whatever Lord Krsna desires." A
person who thinks in this way has firm faith. He is qualified to
engage in unalloyed devotional service. When a person becomes
qualified in this way, he becomes very eager to learn the science
of devotional service. To learn it, he accepts the shelter of the
lotus feet of a bona fide spiritual master. The Vedas (Mundaka
Upanisad 1.2.12) declare: "To learn transcendental subject
matter, one must approach the spiritual master. In doing so, he
should carry fuel to burn in sacrifice. The symptom of such a
spiritual master is that he is expert in understanding the Vedic
conclusion, and therefore he constantly engages in the service of
the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
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 It is also said (Chandogya Upanisad 6.14.2): "One who
approaches a bona fide spiritual master can understand
everything about spiritual realization."
The qualifications of a bona fide spiritual master and a bona
fide disciple are elaborately described in Sri Hari-bhakti-vilasa.
The gist of that description is this: A person who has faith and a
pure character is qualified to be a disciple. A person who is
engaged in pure devotional service, who knows the science of
devotional service, whose character is saintly, who is honest,
straightforward, and sincere, who is not greedy, who is not an
impersonalist, and who is expert in performing his spiritual
duties is qualified to be a bona fide spiritual master. A brahmana
who has these qualities and who is honored by all others may
become a spiritual master of the other castes. In the absence of
such a brahmana, a person may become a spiritual master if he is
superior to his disciple. The root meaning of these rules is that,
regardless of his status in the varnasrama social system, any
person who knows the science of Krsna can become a spiritual
master. Brahmanas who are proud of their high status in the
material world may like to accept a spiritual master who is a
brahmana, but the truth is that any person who is a pure devotee
of the Lord is qualified to be a bona fide spiritual master. The
scriptures describe a time of testing, when the spiritual master
and disciple examine each other. That test is to enable the
spiritual master to know whether the prospective disciple is truly
qualified, and also to enable the prospective disciple to know
whether the spiritual master is truly a pure devotee of the Lord.
When the disciple has faith that the spiritual master is qualified,
the bona fide spiritual master bestows his mercy on the disciple.

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 There are two kinds of spiritual masters: 1. diksa-guru
(initiating spiritual master) and 2. siksa-guru (instructing
spiritual master). The diksa-guru gives initiation and teaches
how to worship the Lord. One may accept only one diksa guru,
but one may accept many siksa-gurus. The diksa-guru may also
perform the duties of a siksa-guru.
Vijaya-kumara: The disciple is not allowed to reject his diksa-
guru. But if the diksa-guru is not qualified to teach, how can he
instruct the disciple?
Babaji: At the time of choosing the spiritual master, the
prospective disciple should test to see whether the spiritual
master has traveled to the farther shore of the Vedic scriptures
and the science of the Supreme Lord. The spiritual master must
be qualified to teach all aspects of the spiritual science. The
disciple is not allowed to reject his diksa-guru. However, there
are two circumstances where the disciple must reject his diksa-
guru. If at the time of choosing a spiritual master the disciple did
not test to see whether the spiritual master was a Vaisnava and
learned in the spiritual science, the disciple may reject the
spiritual master. Or, if it is seen that in the course of his activities
the spiritual master does what he should not do, then the
disciple may also reject the spiritual master. Again and again the
scriptures give testimony to prove these points. In the Narada-
pacanratra (quoted in Hari-bhakti-vilasa 1.101) it is said: "A
spiritual master who speaks wrongly, without logic, and a
disciple who hears wrongly, without logic, both go to a terrible
hell for a long time that seems not to end." It is also said
(Mahabharata, Udyoga-parva, Asvopakhyana 179.25): "A
spiritual master who is materialistic, who does not know what

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should and should not be done, and who follows the wrong path
should be rejected." It is also said (quoted in Hari-bhakti-vilasa
4.144): "A person who accepts mantra initiation from a non
Vaisnava goes to hell. A person initiated in this way should
accept initiation again, this time from a Vaisnava spiritual
master."
A second reason for rejecting the spiritual master is this: If at
the time of choosing the spiritual master, the spiritual master
was a Vaisnava and learned in the spiritual science, but by bad
association the spiritual master became an impersonalist and a
hater of Vaisnavas, then that spiritual master should be rejected.
If one accepts a spiritual master who is neither an impersonalist,
nor a hater of Vaisnavas, nor sinful, but is not very learned, then
that spiritual master should not be rejected. One should honor
that spiritual master. However, with the spiritual master's
permission, one should approach another Vaisnava, serve him,
and learn from him the spiritual science.
Vijaya-kumara: What does "2. becoming initiated (krsna-
diksa) by the spiritual master and learning (krsna-siksa) how to
discharge devotional service from him" mean?
Babaji: From the spiritual master one should learn the path of
devotional service to Lord Krsna and the science of
understanding Lord Krsna. Applying that knowledge, one should
sincerely serve Lord Krsna and cultivate Krsna consciousness in
one's heart. In this way one should learn the different limbs of
worshipping the Lord. At the spiritual master's feet one should
learn sambandha (the soul's relationship with Lord Krsna),
abhidheya (devotional service to Lord Krsna), and prayojana
(love for Lord Krsna).
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 Vijaya-kumara: What does "3. obeying the orders of the
spiritual master with faith and devotion" mean?
Babaji: Don't think your spiritual master is an ordinary
human being. Know that he is the embodiment of all the
demigods. Never disrespect him. Know that he is a resident of
the spiritual world.
Vijaya-kumara: What does "4. following the footsteps of great
acaryas (teachers) under the direction of the spiritual master"
mean?
Babaji: Anything at all that makes the mind think of Lord
Krsna may be considered sadhana-bhakti. However, one should
follow the path traversed by the great devotees. That path will
always be free from sufferings, the cause of all auspiciousness,
and free from obstacles. In the Skanda Purana it is said: "One
should follow the path of the great devotees, for that path is free
of sufferings and obstacles."
One person by himself cannot determine what is the best
path. Therefore one should follow the devotional path that was
walked by the great devotees. In the Brahma-yamala it is said:
"Devotional service to the Lord that ignores the authorized Vedic
literatures like the Upanisads, Puranas, Narada-pancaratra, etc.,
is simply an unnecessary disturbance in society."
Vijaya-kumara: How is it that unalloyed devotional service
can become an unnecessary disturbance in society? Please
explain clearly?
Babaji: Unalloyed devotional service can be attained only by
following the path walked by the previous great devotees. If one
creates a new path he expect to follow it to unalloyed devotional
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service. Dattatreya, Buddha, and other recent thinkers were not
able to understand the truth of pure devotional service. Some
taught a philosophy mixed with impersonalism and others a
philosophy mixed wit atheism. They taught horrible and ugly
philosophies they imagined would lead to unalloyed devotional
service to Lord Hari, but in truth did not at all lead to devotional
service. Their philosophies became a disturbance to society. On
the other hand, the path of raga-marga (spontaneous love) does
not depend on the rules presented in the authorized Vedic
literatures like the Upanisads, Puranas, Narada-pancaratra, etc.
Rather, it follows the path walked by the people of Vraja.
However, the devotees qualified only to follow the path of vidhi-
marga (performing devotional service according to the rules and
regulations) must follow the devotional path walked by Dhruva,
Prahlada, Narada, Vyasa, Sukadeva, and other great souls. For
the devotees on the path of vidhi-bhakti there is no alternative
but to follow the path of the great devotees.
Vijaya-kumara: What does "5. inquiring from the spiritual
master how to advance in Krsna consciousness" mean?
Babaji: Persons who are very eager to understand the spiritual
truth quickly attain all they desire. "Very eager" here means that
they ask saintly devotees to explain the truth of spiritual life.
Vijaya-kumara: What does "6. being prepared to give up
anything material for the satisfaction of the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, Krsna" mean?
Babaji: The pleasures attained by eating palatable foods, the
pleasures of marriage, and other like pleasures are called
'material sense pleasures'. These pleasures are all obstacles on the
path of devotional service. One who renounces them for the sake
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of worshipping Lord Krsna makes easy progress in devotional
service. A person attached to material sense pleasures becomes
addicted to them in the same way an alcoholic becomes addicted
to liquor. Overcome by powerful material desires, he cannot
attain pure devotional service. Therefore one should eat only
prasadam offered to the Supreme Lord, and then only enough to
keep the body fit to engage in devotional service, and one should
also fast on ekadasi. In this way one can completely renounce
material sense pleasures.
Vijaya-kumara: What does "7. Residing at a sacred place of
pilgrimage like Dvaraka or Vrndavana" mean?
Babaji: When one lives at the holy places where the Supreme
Lord was born or enjoyed pastimes, or at places by the Ganges,
or other sacred rivers, one naturally attains faith in devotional
service.
Vijaya-kumara: Is living at Sri Navadvipa purifying only
because it is by the Ganges or is there another reason?
Babaji: Ah! Living within the thirty two mile area of Sri
Navadvipa is exactly like living in Sri Vrndavana. This is
especially true for Sri Mayapura. Seven holy cities are famous for
granting liberation. They are: Ayodhya, Mathura, Mayapura,
Varanasi, Kanci, Avantipura, and Dvaraka. Of them, Mayapura is
the most important. Sri Mahaprabhu brought the spiritual world
of Svetadvipa to Mayapura. Four hundred years after Lord
Mahaprabhu's appearance, this land of Mayapura-Svetadvipa will
be the most important of all holy places. A person who lives in
this place throws all offenses far away and easily attains pure
devotional service. Sri Prabodhananda Sarasvati said that this

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abode of Navadvipa is not different from Sri Vrndavana. Indeed,
he said it was more glorious than Vrndavana.
Vijaya-kumara: What does "8. Accepting only what is
necessary, or dealing with the material world only as far as
necessary" mean?
Babaji: In the Narada Purana it is written: "One should earn
and spend money only as far as he truly needs. If one does it too
much or too little, he will fall from the spiritual goal."
A person eligible to perform vaidhi-bhakti should earn his
livelihood by honest means according to varnasrama. In that way
he will attain auspiciousness. If he becomes greedy for more than
he needs, his devotional life will become stunted. If he accepts
less than he truly needs, he will gradually become unable to
perform devotional activities, and in that way he will also be at
fault. As long as one is not able to completely renounce
everything, he should collect only as much money as he truly
needs for his spiritual life. In this way he will be able to properly
cultivate his Krsna consciousness.
Vijaya-kumara: What does "9. observing the fasting day on
ekadasi" mean?
Babaji: Pure ekadasi is called "Hari-vasara". One should not
observe ekadasi when it is interrupted (viddha) by another tithi.
When there is a maha-dvadasi, that should be observed and not
the ekadasi. On the day before ekadasi one should observe
celibacy, on the day of ekadasi one should fast completely,
avoiding even water, and one should also worship Lord Hari
during an all-night vigil. On the day after ekadasi one should
continue his observance of celibacy and one should also break

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his fast at the appropriate time. In this way one should observe
ekadasi. During ekadasi one should also fast from maha-prasada,
for otherwise fasting from even water has no meaning. For
persons unable to fast completely, certain specific foods may be
taken during ekadasi. This is described in Hari-bhakti-vilasa in
the passage beginning with verse 12.97.
Vijaya-kumara: What does "10. worshipping sacred trees like
the banyan tree" mean?
Babaji: In the Skanda Purana it is written: "When they are
worshipped, meditated on, or bowed down before, the banyan
tree, the tulasi tree, the dhatri tree, the cows, the earth, the
demigods, and the Vaisnavas destroy the sins of the people."
A householder eligible to perform vaidhi-bhakti should in the
course of his life, meditate on, and bow down before the asvattha
and other shade-giving trees, the dhatri and other fruit-giving
trees, tulasi and other sacred trees, the cows and other animals
that do good to the people of the world, the brahmanas, who are
the teachers of religion and the protectors of true civilization,
and the Vaisnava devotees of the Lord. In this way they should
live in this world.
Vijaya-kumara: What does "11. One should rigidly give up
the company of non devotees" mean?
Babaji: When spiritual love rises in the heart, one's devotion
to the Lord becomes intense. As long as love does not arise in
that way, one must avoid the association of persons opposed to
devotional service. Here the word 'association' means
'attachment'. When in the course of ordinary activities one
casually comes into contact with other people that is not

444
'association' as meant here. When by contact with others one
develops a desire to associate with them, that is 'association'.
Therefore association with persons averse to the Supreme Lord
should be carefully avoided. When love for the Lord rises within
the heart, it is not possible that one will desire to associate with
persons averse to the Lord. Therefore persons who are situated
in the stage of vaidhi-bhakti should carefully avoid association
with person averse to the Lord. As a very hot summer breeze can
wilt vines growing on trees, so association with persons averse to
Lord Krsna can wilt the vine of devotional service.
Vijaya-kumara: Who are the non devotees?
Babaji: Four kinds of people are averse to Lord Krsna. They
are: 1. persons who have no devotion to Lord Krsna, 2. persons
addicted to material sense gratification and association with
women, 3. persons whose hearts are polluted by atheism and
impersonalism, and 4. persons dulled by working for material
gain. One should stay far away from the company of these four
kinds of persons.
Vijaya-kumara: What does "12. One should not instruct a
person who is not desirous of accepting devotional service"
mean?
Babaji: If, greedy to accumulate money, a spiritual master
accepts many disciples, he is greatly at fault. If a spiritual master
accepts many disciples, then some of them will likely be
unqualified persons who do not have faith in devotional service.
To accept such persons as disciples is an offense. Only a person
who has faith is fit to be a disciple.

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 Vijaya-kumara: What does "13. One should not be very
enthusiastic about constructing costly temples or monasteries"
mean?
Babaji: Live simply and engage in devotional service to the
Lord. Don't be attached to great pomp or activities that require
unnecessary endeavor. They will not push the heart to worship
the Lord.
Vijaya-kumara: What does "14. One should not try to read
too many books, nor should one develop the idea of earning his
livelihood by lecturing on or professionally reciting Srimad-
Bhagavatam or Bhagavad-gita" mean?
Babaji: The scriptures are like an ocean. If one wants to learn
a particular subject, he should carefully study, from beginning to
end, the books describing that subject. If one merely reads a little
from one book and a little from another, he will not learn the
subject properly. Thus if one does not study them carefully and
completely one will not properly understand the scriptures
describing devotional service. One should accept the
straightforward, obvious interpretations of the scriptures. One
should not struggle to construe obscure, contradictory, opposite
meanings from them.
Vijaya-kumara: What does "15. One should not be neglectful
in ordinary dealings" mean?
Babaji: To maintain the material body one requires food and
clothing. If one cannot get these things he is troubled, and if he
loses them he is also troubled. If he is troubled in these ways, a
devotee of the Lord should not become agitated at heart. rather,
he should continue to fix his thoughts on Lord Hari.

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 Vijaya-kumara: What does "16. One should not be under the
spell of lamentation in loss or jubilation in gain" mean?
Babaji: How is it possible that Lord Krsna's spiritual form
could appear in a heart overpowered by lamentation, fear, anger,
greed, envy and other vices. A person engaged in sadhana-bhakti
may feel lamentation, bewilderment, or other inauspicious
sentiments because of being separated from relatives, thwarted in
desires, or other problems. However, it is not good to be
overpowered by lamentation, bewilderment, and other like
inauspicious things. Separation from one's children and other
unhappy events inevitably lead to lamentation. However, one
should fix his thoughts on Lord Hari and in this way quickly
throw these inauspicious emotions far away. In this way one
should fix his mind on the Lord feet of Lord Hari.
Vijaya-kumara: What does "17. One should not disrespect the
demigods" mean? Does this mean it is right to worship the
demigods?
Babaji: One should have unalloyed devotion to Lord Krsna.
One should not worship the demigods thinking them
independent of Lord Krsna. However, when you see other people
worshipping the demigods, you should not be disrespectful to
the demigods. You should honor the demigods, but always
remember that all the demigods worship Lord Krsna. As long as
the heart remains in the grip of the three material modes, one
cannot attain unalloyed devotion to Lord Krsna. Only persons
overpowered by goodness, passion, and ignorance worship the
demigods with the idea that the demigods are equal to Lord
Krsna. These persons are qualified only to have faith in the
demigods. Therefore one should not disrespect their method of
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worship. By the mercy of the demigods, these persons will
gradually become elevated. Eventually their hearts will become
free of the three material modes.
Vijaya-kumara: What does "18. One should not give
unnecessary trouble to any living entity" mean?
Babaji: Lord Krsna is quickly pleased by merciful persons
who refrain from bringing suffering to others. Mercy is one of
the most important virtues of a Vaisnava.
Vijaya-kumara: What does "19. One should carefully avoid
various offenses in chanting the holy name of the Lord or in
worshipping the Deity in the temple" mean?
Babaji: One should avoid offenses in worshipping the Lord
and one should especially avoid offenses to the holy name.
Beginning with riding a palanquin into the Lord's temple and
wearing shoes in the Lord's temple, there are thirty-two offenses
in worshipping the Lord, beginning with blaspheming the
devotees who have dedicated their lives to preaching the glories
of the Lord, there are ten offenses to the holy name. All these
offenses should be avoided.
Vijaya-kumara: What does "20. One should be very intolerant
toward the blasphemy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
Krsna, or His devotees" mean? Does this teaching mean that one
should at once verbally attack the blasphemer?
Babaji: A person who blasphemes Lord Krsna or a Vaisnava
must be averse to Lord Krsna. One should not tolerate their
blasphemies. One should react by casting the willingness to
associate with them far away.

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 Vijaya-kumara: What is the relationship between these first
twenty limbs of devotional service with the other limbs?
Babaji: The next forty-four limbs are actually included in
these first twenty limbs. They are described separately in order to
give a more detailed explanation. Thirty limbs, beginning with
"One should decorate the body with tilaka which is the sign of
the Vaisnavas" and culminating in "One should offer a favorite
article (such as food or a garment)" are included within the path
of Deity worship (arcana-marga). These limbs are: 21. One
should wear three strands of tulasi beads around his neck and
decorate his body with twelve tilaka markings. These is called
"the sign of the Vaisnavas." 2. To write "Hare Krsna", other
names of Lord Krsna, or the names of the Panca-tattva on the
upper part of the body with sandalwood paste is called "marking
the holy name on the body." 23. That one should accept flowers
and garlands that have been offered to the Deity and the spiritual
master and put them on one's body is described in these words of
Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.6.31, where Uddhava tells Lord Krsna:
"My dear Lord, the garlands, scented substances, garments,
ornaments, and other such things that have been offered to You
may later be used by Your servants. By partaking of these things
and eating the remnants of food You have left, we will be able to
conquer the illusory energy."
The next limbs of devotional service are: 24. One should
learn to dance before the deity. 25. One should learn to bow
down immediately upon seeing the Deity or the spiritual master.
26 As soon as one visits a temple of Lord Krsna, one must stand
up. 27. When the Deity is being borne for a stroll in the street, a
devotee should immediately follow the procession. 28. A devotee

449
must visit a Visnu temple at least once or twice every day,
morning and evening. 29. One must circumambulate the temple
building at least three times. 30. One must worship the Deity in
the temple according to the regulative principles. For these items
no separate explanation is needed. 31. One must render personal
service to the Deities is explained in this verse (Bhakti-rasamrta-
sindhu 1.2.61): "One should serve the Deity with a parasol,
camara, instrumental music, and many other offerings. This is
called 'worship'.
The next items are: 32. One must sing. 33. One must perform
sankirtana. 34. One must chant. 35. One must offer prayers. 36.
One must recite notable prayers. 37. One must taste maha-
prasada (food from the very plate offered before the Deities). 38.
One must drink caranamrta (water from the bathing of the
Deities, which is offered to guests). 39. One must smell the
incense and flowers offered to the Deity. 40. One must touch the
lotus feet of the Deity. 41. One must see the Deity with great
devotion. 42. One must offer arati at different times. 43. One
must hear about the Lord and His pastimes from Srimad-
Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita and similar books. 44. One must pray
to the Deity for His mercy. 45. One should remember the Deity.
46. One should meditate upon the Deity. 47. One should render
some voluntary service. 48. One should think of the Lord as
one's friend. 49. One should offer everything to the Lord (atma-
nivedana). Here 'atma' means the idea of 'I' in relation to the
material body and the idea of 'mine' in relation to the material
body. These two things one should surrender (nivedana) to
Krsna.

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 Vijaya-kumara: Please clearly explain these two things: the
idea of 'I' in relation to the material body and the idea of 'mine' in
relation to the material body.
Babaji: Residing in the material body, the conditioned soul
thinks "I am this material body" or "This material body is mine".
Both these ideas should be surrendered, offered to Lord Krsna.
Thus renouncing the ideas "I am this material body" and "This
material body is mine", one should think "I am a servant of Lord
Krsna" and "I am dependent on Lord Krsna's mercy", and "this
material body is a machine that I shall use in Lord Krsna's
service". To spend one's time within this material body in this
way is called 'atma-nivedana' (offering everything to the Lord).
Vijaya-kumara: What does "50. One should offer a favorite
article (such as food or a garment)" mean?
Babaji: In this material world many things become dear to a
person. To accept the relation that all these things have to Lord
Krsna is called "offering a favorite article".
Vijaya-Kumara: What does "51. One should take all kinds of
risks and perform all endeavors for Krsna's benefit" mean?
Babaji: Whatever Vedic or ordinary duties there are in the
material world should be performed in such a way that they
advance devotional service to Lord Krsna. That is "performing all
endeavors for Krsna's benefit."
Vijaya-kumara: What does "52. In every condition, one
should be a surrendered soul" mean?
Babaji: To think, "O Lord, I am Yours" and "O Lord, I
surrender unto You" is called "being a surrendered soul".

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 Vijaya-kumara: What does "53. One should pour water on
the tulasi tree" mean?
Babaji: There are nine kinds of service to tulasi. They are: 1.
seeing tulasi, 2. touching tulasi, 3. meditating on tulasi, 4.
glorifying tulasi, 5. offering obeisances to tulasi, 6. hearing the
glories of tulasi, 7. planting tulasi, 8. serving tulasi, and 9
regularly worshipping tulasi. In these nine ways tulasi is glorious
in the context of service to Lord Krsna.
Vijaya-kumara: What does "54. One should regularly hear
Srimad-Bhagavatam and similar literature" mean?
Babaji: Books that explain the science of devotional service
offered to Lord Krsna are called 'sastras' (scriptures). Among all
scriptures, Srimad-Bhagavatam is the best, for it is the essence of
the Vedas and Vedanta. A person who relishes the nectar of
Srimad-Bhagavatam is no longer attracted to other scriptures.
Vijaya-kumara: What does "55. One should live in a sacred
place like Mathura, Vrndavana or Dvaraka" mean?
Babaji: One should hear about, remember, glorify, visit,
touch, reside in, and serve Mathura. In this way one will attain
his spiritual desires.. Know that the same applies to Sri
Mayapura.
Vijaya-kumara: What does "56. One should offer service to
Vaisnavas" mean?
Babaji: The Vaisnavas are very dear to the Supreme Lord. By
serving the Vaisnavas one renders devotional service to the Lord.
In the scriptures it is said:

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 "Although the Vedas mention worship of demigods, the
worship of Lord Visnu is topmost and is ultimately
recommended. However, above the worship of Lord Visnu is the
rendering of service to Vaisnavas, who are related to Lord
Visnu."
Vijaya-kumara: What does "57. One should arrange for one's
devotional service according to one's means" mean?
Babaji: As far as one is able, one should collect various things,
offer them to the deity of the Lord in the temple, and then offer
them again to the Vaisnavas. This is called mahotsava" (a great
festival). In the entire world no festival is better than this.
Vijaya-kumara: What does "58. In the month of Karttika
(October and November), one should make arrangements for
special services" mean?
Babaji: The month of Karttika is also called "Urja". To render
devotional service to Lord Damodara by hearing and chanting
His glories and in other ways also is called 'urjadara" (worship in
the month of Karttika).
Vijaya-kumara: What does "59. During Janmastami (the time
of Krsna's appearance in this world) one should observe a special
service" mean?
Babaji: To celebrate a great festival on Lord Krsna's
appearance day on the eight day of the dark fortnight in the
month of Bhadra and again on the full moon day of the month of
Phalguna is called "Sri Janma-yatra" (the birth festivals). The
surrendered souls should observe these festivals.
Vijaya-kumara: What does "60. One should do whatever is
done with great care and devotion for the Deity" mean?
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 Babaji: With a heart filled with love and enthusiasm one
should always carefully serve the Deity of the Lord. To a devotee
thus engaged the Lord does not give the pathetic and worthless
gift of impersonal liberation. Rather, the Lord gives the great gift
of devotional service.
Vijaya-kumara: What does "61. One should relish the
pleasure of Bhagavatam reading among devotees and not among
outsiders" mean?
Babaji: Srimad-Bhagavatam is the mature fruit of the desire
tree of Vedic literatures. One should not taste the sweetness of
Srimad-Bhagavatam in the company of persons who are not
qualified to taste the nectar of transcendental rasas. Offenses will
result. Therefore one should read the verses of Srimad-
Bhagavatam and taste their nectar only with pure devotees, who
thirst to taste the nectar of Lord Krsna's pastimes, and who have
the power to know the sweetness that is in Srimad-Bhagavatam.
Reciting and hearing Srimad-Bhagavatam in the company of non
devotees does not lead to pure devotional service.
Vijaya-kumara: What does "62. One should associate with
devotees who are considered more advanced" mean?
Babaji: One should associate with devotees. If one associates
with non devotees, he will not make progress in devotional
service. Devotees yearn to directly serve Lord Krsna in His
transcendental pastimes. Persons who have that desire are called
'bhaktas' (devotees). If we associate with more advanced
devotees, then we make progress in devotional service. If we do
not our progress stops. We become like our associates. In the
scriptures (Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya 8.51) it is written:

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"Association is very important. It acts just like a crystal stone,
which will reflect anything which is put before it."
Vijaya-kumara: What does "63. One should chant the holy
name of the Lord" mean?
Babaji: The holy name of the Lord is not material. Rather, it is
spiritual, conscious, and full of nectar. It has not the slightest
scent of matter. When a living entity desires to serve the Lord,
and when he becomes purified by engaging in devotional service,
the holy name of the Lord personally appears on his tongue. The
holy name of the Lord cannot be understood by the material
senses. Therefore one should always, either alone or in the
company of others, chant the holy name of the Lord.
Vijaya-kumara: By your kindness I have understood the
meaning of "64. One should live in the jurisdiction of Mathura".
Now please explain the essence of all these limbs of devotional
service.
Babaji: The last five limbs are the best. By remaining free of
offenses and performing these last five items even slightly, one
make wonderful progress in devotional service and attains
ecstatic love for the Lord.
Vijaya-kumara: Please describe whatever else I should know
about sadhana-bhakti.
Babaji: Sometimes the scriptures describe many non-
devotional benefits to be attained by practicing the different
activities of devotional service. These benefits are given to attract
materialistic people who otherwise would have no interest in
devotional service. Still, the most important result attained by
performing any of the different activities of devotional service is
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the attainment of attraction and love for Lord Krsna. Wise
persons who know the truth about devotional service value the
different limbs of devotional service and reject materialistic,
fruitive activities. Jnana (knowledge) and vairagya
(renunciation) may give a little help in making a person qualified
to enter the temple of devotional service. But still they are not
counted among the limbs of devotional service. They make the
heart hard, whereas devotional service makes the heart soft and
gentle. Therefore knowledge and renunciation should be
accepted only when they come from devotional service.
Knowledge and renunciation do not bring devotional service.
Devotional service easily gives blessings that knowledge and
renunciation can never give. By engaging in sadhana-bhakti and
worshipping Lord Hari, one attains attraction and love for Lord
Hari. At that time one's attraction for material sense objects
disappears. The aspiring devotee must accept appropriate
renunciation (yukta-vairagya) and he also must reject false
renunciation (phalgu-vairagya). To accept, material things when
they have a relationship with Lord Krsna, is called "yukta-
vairagya" (proper renunciation). To reject, in the hope of
attaining impersonal liberation, material things when they have a
relationship with Krsna is called "phalgu-vairagya" (false
renunciation). One should reject impersonal speculation and
false renunciation. To make a show of devotional service in order
to attain wealth, disciples and other material things is very far
from genuine, pure devotional service. Such an artificial show of
devotional service is not counted among the limbs of true
devotional service. Material intelligence and other material good
qualities are not the distinguishing features of a person qualified
to engage in devotional service. Therefore these material good
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qualities are not among the limbs of devotional service. Control
of the mind, control of the senses, purity, good conduct, and
other virtues spontaneously appear in a person who is attached
to Lord Krsna. Still, these virtues are not counted among the
limbs of devotional service. Purity of heart, external cleanliness,
austerity, peacefulness, and all other virtues voluntarily take
shelter in a devotee of Lord Krsna. The devotee does not need to
strive to attain them. I have now described all the limbs of
devotional service. By faithfully practicing one or many of these
limbs, a person will attain perfection. Thus I have briefly
described vaidhi-sadhana-bhakti. Think about them in your
heart, try to understand them, and try to follow them.
After hearing these instructions, Vrajanatha and Vijaya-
kumara offered dandavat obeisances to the lotus feet of their
spiritual master. The said, "O master, please be merciful to us.
Please deliver us. For a long time we have been drowning in the
abyss of false pride." The babaji said, "Lord Krsna will be
merciful to you." It was late. The uncle and nephew left for
home.

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 Chapter Twenty-one

Eternal Religion and Sambandha,

Abhidheya and Prayojana
(Abhidheya: Raganuga-sadhana-bhakti)

Nitya-dharma O Sambandhabhidheya-prayojana
(Prameyantar-gata Abhidheya-vicara Raganuga-
sadhana-bhakti)

The same wonderful thought rose in the hearts of Vijaya-

kumara and Vrajanatha. With one mind they decided that they
must accept initiation (diksa) from the saintly babaji. When he
was a child, Vijaya-kumara was initiated by his family-guru.
Vrajanatha has received gayatri initiation but not initiation into
any other mantras. From the saintly babaji they had learned that
by chanting a mantra given by an impersonalist guru one goes to
hell. Therefore they decided to be properly re-initiated by a
Vaisnava spiritual master. If he is initiated by a perfect pure
devotee, the disciple very quickly attains perfection by chanting
the sacred mantras. Therefore they both decided, "Tomorrow
morning we will first bathe in the Ganges and then accept
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initiation from the worshipable and saintly babaji." Their hearts
fixed in that decision, the next morning they bathed in the
Ganges, decorated their bodies with twelve tilaka markings as
previously described, and then offered dandavat obeisances to
the feet of Srila Raghunatha dasa Babaji. The saintly babaji was a
perfect devotee. Aware of what they were thinking, he asked
them, "Why have you come this morning?" The two of them
replied, "O master, we are fallen and worthless. Please be
merciful to us." The saintly babaji took them separately to his
cottage and gave them the eighteen-syllable mantra. Again and
again chanting the mantra, the two disciples became maddened
with spiritual love. Calling out "Jaya Gauranga!", they danced.
Seeing the tulasi beads on their necks, their splendid sacred
threads, their twelve tilaka marks, their bright faces, some
beginning symptoms of sattvika-bhava ecstasy on their bodies,
and streams of tears flowing from their eyes, the saintly babaji
embraced them and said, "Today you have purified me." Again
and again the two disciples took the dust of the saintly babaji's
feet and placed it on their heads. Vrajanatha had arranged that
many excellent foods would be offered to Lord Mahaprabhu. By
his arrangement, two servants from his house brought a great
abundance of palatable foods. Vijaya-kumara and Vrajanatha said
to the Sri Vaisnavas, "We have brought these foods. Please offer
them to Lord Mahaprabhu." The leader of the devotees at
Srivasa's courtyard had the pujari cook the foods and offer them
to the Panca-tattva Deities.
The conchshell sounded. Playing karatalas and mrdangas, the
Vaisnavas sang as the bhoga arati was offered to Lord
Mahaprabhu. Gradually many Vaisnavas came. They were all
filled with happiness. The arati ended gloriously. A place was
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arranged before the temple for the Vaisnavas to honor the
prasadam. Loudly chanting the holy names of Lord Hari, each
Vaisnava brought his bowl. At the time of honoring prasadam,
poetry was read. The Vaisnavas sat down to honor the prasadam.
Vrajanatha and Vijaya-kumara would not sit down and place the
prasadam in their mouths. The leaders of the babajis forced them
to sit. The babajis said, You are householders who have become
Vaisnavas. Therefore by offering dandavat obeisances to your
feet, we become fortunate." Vijaya-kumara and Vrajanatha said,
"You are great sannyasi Vaisnavas. Therefore, by accepting the
nectar remnants of the prasadam that has touched your lips, we
become most fortunate. If we associate with you as equals, it will
be an offense on our part." The Vaisnava babajis said, "Vaisnava
who are householders or sannyasis are not different. It is
devotion to the Lord that makes one a great Vaisnava."
Conversing in this way, all the Vaisnavas honored the prasadam.
Hoping to get the remnants of the prasadam eaten by their
spiritual master, Vijaya-kumara and Vrajanatha hesitated to
honor the prasadam. Seeing that they were reluctant to honor the
prasadam, the Vaisnavas said to Srila Raghunatha dasa Babaji, "O
best of the Vaisnavas, please be merciful to your disciples. They
will not honor the prasadam." Hearing this, the elderly babaji
placed the remnants of his prasadam in his disciples' hands. They
accepted them as very valuable things. They said, "We offer
obeisances to our spiritual master", and then they began to
honor the prasadam. As the prasadam was honored many
descriptions of the glories of prasadam were spoken, as also was
the advice, "O devotees, please be careful". Ah! The area before
Srivasa's courtyard was so beautiful then. Then suddenly the
devotees saw Lord Mahaprabhu and His personal associates
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honoring the prasadam with them, and Sri Saci, Sita, and Malini-
devi were themselves distributing the prasadam. The devotees
remembered these lines of Sri Jagadananda Pandita's Prema-
vivarta:
"Lord Gaura enjoys pastimes in Mayapura eternally. The
power of their transcendental pious deeds enables the Lord's
devotees to see these pastimes directly."
As long as these pastimes were present before their eyes the
Vaisnavas were stunned and motionless, like a row of columns.
No one was honoring the prasadam. After a short while these
pastimes again became invisible. The devotees looked at each
other and burst into tears. No one could describe the
unprecedented wonderful delicious taste the prasadam now had.
Everyone said, "These two young brahmanas have attained the
mercy of Lord Mahaprabhu. Lord Gaura again revealed His
pastimes at their festival. Weeping and weeping, Vrajanatha and
Vijaya-kumara said, "We are poor and worthless. One thing we
know: It is because of the mercy of our spiritual master and the
mercy of the Vaisnavas that we have seen these things."
After honoring prasadam and taking permission from the
Vaisnavas, Vijaya-kumara and Vrajanatha returned home. From
that day forward, every day they would bathe in the Ganges, offer
obeisances to the feet of their spiritual master, see the Deity form
of the Lord, circumambulate Tulasi, and perform many other
devotional activities. This they did every day. A day did not pass
where they did not learn something new. On the fourth or fifth
evening, after concluding their evening duties at Srivasa's
courtyard, seeing the arati and chanting the holy names in
sankirtana, the two of them went to the saintly elderly babaji in
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his cottage and asked him, "O master, by your mercy we have
been able to understand sadhana-bhakti. Now we request you,
please be merciful and explain raganuga-bhakti to these two
lowest of persons." The saintly babaji happily replied, "Lord
Gauranga has accepted you two as His devotees. Therefore I
cannot withhold anything from you. Please listen carefully, and I
will explain raganuga-bhakti to you. Again and again I offer my
respectful obeisances to Srila Rupa Goswami, whom the Supreme
Personality of Godhead rescued from the clutches of the yavanas
and whom, at Prayaga-ksetra, the Lord taught the science of
transcendental mellows. I surrender to the feet of Srila
Raghunatha dasa Goswami, whom the merciful Supreme
Personality of Godhead rescued from the abyss of material life,
placed in the hand of Srila Svarupa Damodara Goswami and gave
the gift of all spiritual perfections.
"However, before I describe raganuga-bhakti, I shall first
describe the nature of ragatmika-bhakti.
Vrajanatha: Please tell what the word 'raga' means. I wish to
understand that first.
Babaji: Materialists fall in love with the objects of the material
senses. This love may be called 'raga'. In this way the eyes
become excited when they see beauty and other attractive
qualities. In this way one is attracted to the material sense
objects and the mind develops 'raga' or love for them. When that
love (raga) is placed in Lord Krsna as its only object, that is
called 'raga-bhakti'. Srila Rupa Goswami explains that when love
is focused on a single object of desire, that is called 'raga'. When
this kind of love exists in devotional service, then the devotional
service is called 'ragatmika-bhakti'. In brief, when there is a love-
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filled thirst to attain Lord Krsna, that is called ragatmika-bhakti.
As long as this raga has not manifested itself, one is enjoined to
follow vidhi-bhakti, following the rules and regulations of
scripture. Awe, fear and faith are the three aspects of vaidhi-
bhakti. An intense desire to meet Lord Krsna and associate with
Him in His pastimes is the main feature of ragatamika-bhakti.
Vrajanatha: Who is qualified to perform raga-bhakti?
Babaji: A person whose faith rests in the rules of the
scriptures is qualified to engage in vaidhi-bhakti. A person
whose faith rests in an intense desire to attain Lord Krsna is
qualified to engage in ragatmika-bhakti. Manifested according to
their different rasas (relationships with Lord Krsna), Lord
Krsna's personal associates in the spiritual world of Vraja with
strong faith engage in ragatmika-bhakti. A person who has a
strong desire to love Lord Krsna as the residents of Vraja in the
spiritual world do, is qualified to engage in raganuga bhakti.
Vrajanatha: What are the qualities of this strong desire?
Babaji: One quality is that when one hears about the
sweetness of the love and other emotions manifested by the
residents of Vraja in the spiritual world, one yearns to go there.
When a person qualified to engage in vaidhi-bhakti hears the
descriptions of Lord Krsna, he calmly things about these
descriptions, using his intelligence, logic, and the evidence of
scripture. However, when a person following the path of
raganuga-bhakti hears these descriptions, he does not carefully
consider them in terms of intelligence, logic and scripture.
Instead he is overcome with the desire to love Krsna as the
residents of Vraja do.

463
 Vrajanatha: What are the activities of raganuga-bhakti?
Babaji: The devotee engaged in raganuga-bhakti yearns to
become one of the residents of Vraja in the spiritual world and
there serve Lord Krsna directly. He always thinks of that desire.
He likes to talk with other devotees about the pastimes of his
beloved Krsna. He resides in Vraja, either with his external body,
or within his thoughts. Yearning to attain the spiritual love that
they possess, he becomes a follower of the people of Vraja. He
always serves the Lord in two ways. Externally he performs
sadhana-bhakti. Internally he thinks of his original spiritual form
and in that form he serves the Lord.
Vrajanatha: What is the connection between raganuga-bhakti
and the different limbs of vaidhi-bhakti?
Babaji: A person engaged in raganuga-bhakti also performs
the different activities of sadhana-bhakti, such as hearing and
chanting the glories of the Lord. However, within his heart he is
a follower of the people of Vraja. In this way he tastes the nectar
of always serving the Lord. At the same time he serves in this
way within his heart, he engages in the activities of sadhana-
bhakti with his external body.
Vrajanatha: How is raganuga-bhakti glorious?
Babaji: By engaging in raganuga-bhakti one quickly attains
what takes a long time to attain by performing sadhana-bhakti.
Vaidhi-bhakti is weak, but raganuga-bhakti is both independent
and very powerful. By following in the footsteps of the people of
Vraja, one attains raga. That raga naturally pushes one to engage
in the devotional activities of hearing, chanting and remembering
the Lord's glories, serving His lotus feet, bowing down before

464
Him, and surrendering everything to Him. When the heart is free
of the three material modes, one naturally desires to follow in the
footsteps of the people of Vraja. Therefore the attraction to
raganuga-bhakti, or the intense desire to attain raganuga-bhakti
is the inspiration that pushes one to true spiritual life. As there
are many different kinds of ragatmika-bhakti, so there are also
many different kinds of raganuga-bhakti.
Vrajanatha: What are the different kinds of ragatmika-bhakti?
Babaji: Ragatmika bhakti is of two kinds: 1. kama-rupa
(devotion born from desire) and 2. sambandha-rupa (devotion
born of a relationship).
Vrajanatha: Please explain the difference between kama-rupa
and sambandha-rupa.
Babaji: In the Seventh Canto (Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.1.30-31)
it is written: "Many, many persons have attained liberation
simply by thinking of Krsna with great attention and giving up
sinful activities. This great attention may be due to lusty desires,
inimical feelings, fear, affection, or devotional service. I shall not
explain how one receives Krsna's mercy simply by concentrating
one's mind upon Him.
"My dear King Yudhisthira, the gopis, by their lusty desires,
Kamsa by his fear, Sisupala and other kings by envy, the Yadus
by their familial relationship with Krsna, you Pandavas by your
great affection for Krsna, and we the general devotees, by our
devotional service, have obtained the mercy of Krsna."
Here six items are mentioned: lusty desires, inimical feelings,
fear, familial relationships, affection, and devotional service.
Among these, inimical feelings and fear are not appropriate
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sentiments for devotees of the Lord. When it becomes the idea
that the Lord is a friend, affection is appropriate in vaidhi-bhakti.
However, when affection becomes pure love (prema) it is no
longer within the realm of sadhana bhakti. That kind of love
belongs in the path of raga. It has no place in sadhana-bhakti.
The word 'bhaktya' in Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.2.135 refers to
vaidhi bhakti. In some situations the word 'bhakti' refers to the
vaidhi-bhakti performed by the great sages, and in other
situations the word 'bhakti' refers to 'jnana-misra-bhakti'
(devotional service mixed with impersonal speculation). Here
the words 'many attained Him" mean that because Lord Krsna is
identical with the impersonal Brahman in the same way the rays
of sunlight are identical with the sun planet, when the
impersonalists merge into Brahman, or when Krsna's enemies
merge into Brahman, they certainly attain Krsna. In this way they
become plunged into the happiness of Brahman liberation, which
is a perverted reflection of sarupya liberation. In the Brahmanda
Purana it is said that they attain Siddhaloka, which is on the
farther shore of the ocean of maya. Two different kinds of beings
reside in Siddhaloka. They are the impersonalists, who are
plunged into Brahman happiness and the demons killed by
Krsna. Among those liberated impersonalists, some attain a faint
scent of love for Krsna (raga). By worshipping Lord Krsna's lotus
feet, these impersonalists eventually become dear devotees of the
Lord. In this way they attain love (prema) for Lord Krsna. As the
sun is not different from the rays of sunlight, so Lord Krsna is
not different from His Brahman effulgence. Therefore the word
'tad-gati' (that attainment) here means "Krsna-gati" (the
attainment of Lord Krsna). Therefore the impersonalists and
demons who attain sayujya (impersonal) liberation attain Lord
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Krsna's Brahman effulgence. On the other hand, the devotees,
who love the Lord, attain direct service to Lord Krsna, who is
like the sun-planet from whom the sunlight that is the
impersonal Brahman has come. In this way we have described
four of these emotions: inimical feelings, fear, affection, and
devotional service. Only lusty desires and familial relationships
remain to be described. In the path of raga-bhakti lusty desires
and familial relationships are both very important. Thus raga-
bhakti is of two kinds: 1. lusty desires (kama) and 2. familial
relationships (sambandha).
Vrajanatha: What is the nature of devotional service with
lusty desires?
Babaji: The word 'lust' means 'the thirst to enjoy'. When it is
manifested in ragatmika-bhakti, that thirst to enjoy becomes
causeless love for Lord Krsna. Thus it becomes the thirst to enjoy
the association of Lord Krsna. In this situation the devotee acts
only to please Lord Krsna. The devotee does not act for his own
happiness. The devotee accepts his own happiness only if it leads
to Krsna's happiness. This very wonderful unprecedented love is
perfectly manifested in the gopis of Vraja. because it possesses
the qualities of wonderful sweetness and playfulness, panditas
use the word "lusty desires" (kama) to describe the gopis love
(prema). However, the truth is that the gopis 'lusty desires' are
spiritual and free from the slightest scent of any fault. On the
other hand, the lusty desires felt by the souls in Maya's prison
are wretched, lowly and filled with faults. When they saw it,
Uddhava and other dear devotees of the Lord yearned to attain
the 'lusty desires' felt by the gopis of Vraja. The gopis' lusty
desire cannot be compared to anything else. It can be compared

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only to itself. These 'lusty desires' in ragatmika bhakti exist only
in Vraja and not in any other place. The 'lusty desires' that Kubja
manifested in Mathura are called 'kama-praya' (resembling lusty
desires). Although they bear some resemblance to the gopis'
lusty desires, they are different.
Vrajanatha: What is the nature of raga-bhakti with familial
relationships?
Babaji: Raga-bhakti in the rasa of familial relationships is
manifested when one identifies himself as Krsna's parent or other
relative. When one thinks, "I am Krsna's father", or "I am Krsna's
mother", or when one thinks of oneself as another kind of
relative of Krsna, that is called devotional service in the mood of
familial relationships. In the Vrsni dynasty there are also
devotees who identify as Krsna's father and mother. Still,
devotional service in familial relationships is first manifested in
Vraja: in Nanda, in Yasoda, and in others also. Pure love for
Krsna is manifested in these kinds of 'lusty desires' and 'familial
relationships'. That is why the eternally liberated souls take
shelter of them. In raganuga-bhakti these two sentiments are
mentioned only briefly. In the practice of devotional service,
these two sentiments take two forms: 1. kamanuga (following
lusty desires), and 2. sambandhanuga (following familial
relationships).
Vrajanatha: What are the qualities of kamanuga-bhakti in the
practice of raganuga-bhakti?
Babaji: When a devotee thirsts to follow the path of kama
devotional service, that is called 'kamanuga'. Kamanuga-bhakti is
of two kinds: 1. sambhogecchamayi (yearning to enjoy), and 2.
tat-tad-bhavecchamayi (yearning to love).
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 Vrajanatha: What is the nature of sambhogecchamayi?
Babaji: Sambhogecchamayi means 'the desire to participate in
Lord Krsna's pastimes (keli) with the gopis".
Vrajanatha: What is the nature of tat-tad-bhavecchamayi?
Babaji: Tat-tad-bhavecchamayi means 'the desire to attain the
sweetness of love that the Vraja-gopis felt for Lord Krsna."
Vrajanatha: How are these two sentiments manifested in the
practice of raganuga-bhakti?
Babaji: By seeing the sweetness of Lord Krsna's Deity form
and by hearing the descriptions of Lord Krsna's pastimes, one
develops a desire to fall in love with Krsna. Devotees who have
that desire practice raganuga-bhakti that is either kamanuga or
sambandhanuga.
Vrajanatha: Lord Krsna is male, and the Vraja-gopis are all
female. Therefore I can see that only women are qualified to
practice this kind of raganuga-bhakti. How can men be qualified
to attain it?
Babaji: Each individual soul residing in the material world
has an original spiritual form that manifests one of the five rasas
(relationships with Lord Krsna). Four of these rasas, namely,
dasya (servitorship), sakhya (friendship), vatsalya (parental love)
and madhura (conjugal love) are present among the people of
Vraja. In Vraja, males participate in the rasas of dasya
(servitorship), sakhya (friendship) and the fatherhood portion of
vatsalya (parental love). In these three rasas males engage in
direct service to Lord Krsna. However, it is only females who
serve the Lord in madhura (conjugal love) and in the
motherhood portion of vatsalya. Among both liberated souls and
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beginners engaged in sadhana bhakti, many souls with external
male material bodies have original spiritual forms that are
female.
Vrajanatha: How do souls with male external material bodies
follow in the footsteps of the Vraja-gopis?
Babaji: In different ways, as they are qualified, they become
attracted to the rasa of conjugal love (srngara-rasa). Even though
their external material form is male, their original spiritual form,
which is female, is always present. According to one's inclination
and one's original spiritual form, one is qualified to become the
follower of a particular Vraja-gopi. By following that gopi, one's
original spiritual form is again openly manifested and in that
original form one serves Lord Krsna directly. In the Padma
Purana an example is given of souls who, although their external
material bodies were male, eventually became gopis. There it is
said that when they saw the handsomeness of Lord Ramacandra,
the sages of Dandakaranya forest yearned to attain Him as their
husband. When Lord Krsna manifested His Gokula pastimes,
these same sages were born as women. In those forms they
served Lord Krsna in the rasa of conjugal love.
Vrajanatha: I have heard that the women of Gokula are
eternally liberated souls in the spiritual world who descended to
the material world to help Lord Krsna's pastimes. Why, then,
does the Padma Purana say that these sages were born as gopis in
Gokula?
Babaji: Many eternally liberated souls came to this world to
participate in Lord Krsna's pastimes. In addition to them, many
souls from the material world, who by engaging in devotional
service became qualified to do so, also participated in Lord
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Krsna's pastimes. Worshipping Lord Krsna in kamanuga-bhakti,
they took birth in Gokula. These gopis are described in Srimad-
Bhagavatam 10.29.8-11, where it is said that by serving Lord
Krsna in meditation they abandoned their external material
bodies and regained their original spiritual forms. Many of these
gopis had previously been the sages of Dandakaranya.
Vrajanatha: Which gopis were eternally liberated and which
became liberated by engaging in devotional service?
Babaji: Srimati Radhika is Lord Krsna's internal potency
(svarupa-sakti). She expands into the forms of Her eight close
friends (asta-sakhi) and they expand into the forms of other
gopis (sakhis). These gopis are all eternally liberated (nitya-
siddha). These gopis are not manifested by the jiva-sakti. Rather,
they are manifested by the Lord's internal potency (svarupa
sakti). In addition to these gopis, there are other gopis (also
sakhis) who attained liberation by engaging in devotional service
(sadhana-siddha), and were thus allowed to join Srimati
Radhika's entourage. These gopis are individual souls (jiva) who
attained liberation by engaging in devotional service (sadhana-
siddha). By the power of the Lord's hladini-sakti they attained
salokya liberation and were allowed to associate with Sri Radha,
the queen of Vraja. Devotees who follow the path of raganuga-
bhakti and aspire for srngara-rasa eventually attain liberation as a
result of their devotional service. Thus they are able to join the
company of gopis (sakhis). Devotees who follow the path of
vidhi-bhakti and desire to enjoy Krsna, which means they desire
that Lord Krsna will become their husband, become the Lord's
queens at Dvaraka. Devotees who follow the path of vidhi-bhakti
do not become followers of Sri Radha, the goddess of Vraja. Only

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devotees who follow the path of vidhi-bhakti externally and the
path of raganuga-bhakti internally attain devotional service in
the land of Vraja.
Vrajanatha: How does one become purified of the desire to
enjoy (riramsa) Krsna, which means the desire that Lord Krsna
will become one's husband?
Babaji: These devotees who have accepted the role of Lord
Krsna's queens should renounce all pride and humbly serve Lord
Krsna as a wife serves her husband. However, even if they do
this, these devotees may not attain the desire to become one of
the gopis of Vraja.
Vrajanatha: Please explain more clearly.
Babaji: Devotees who aspire to attain Lord Krsna as their
husband (svakiya) become the Lord's queens (mahisi-bhava).
These devotees cannot taste the rasa where Krsna is one's
paramour (parakiya), a rasa relished by the Vraja-gopis. For this
reason these devotees cannot follow in the footsteps of the gopis.
Only by following the path of raganuga-bhakti and cherishing
the idea that Lord Krsna is one's paramour (parakiya) can one
attain the rasa of a gopi in Vraja.
Vrajanatha: By your mercy, I have understood all this. Now
please kindly explain one thing: What is the difference between
'lust' (kama) and 'love' (prema)? If there is no difference, why
did you use the word 'prema-rupa' (the nature of love)? When I
hear it, the word 'lust' (kama) brings pain to my ears.
Babaji: There is a difference between lust and love. When we
say 'love' we mean an emotion like what is felt in raga-bhakti
when the devotee considers Krsna a relative in his family
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(sambandha). In that devotional service as a family member,
there is no idea of trying to exploit Krsna for one's own
enjoyment. In devotional service where one relates to Lord Krsna
as a family member, there is no scope for an amorous
relationship. Still, that relationship is undoubtedly based on love
(prema). However, when this love for Krsna is gracefully mixed
with the desire to enjoy Krsna, the result is devotional service
(bhakti) performed in the spirit of lust (kama). In the other rasas
lust and devotional service are not mixed together in this way.
This combination is present only in the rasa of conjugal love.
Aside from the Vraja-gopis, no one practices this kind of
devotional service mixed with lust. In this material world the
word 'lust' means to desire material sense pleasures. However,
the 'lust' felt by the gopis is very different from material lust. The
lust felt by the gopis is completely pure and faultless. Material
lust is a perverted reflection of the gopis' lust. Though it was
directed Lord Krsna, the lust felt by Kubja cannot be said to be
like the gopis lust (saksat-kama). Lust to enjoy with the material
senses is an emotion that is worthless, wretched, and degraded.
On the other hand, lust that is a feature of pure love for Krsna is
exalted and full of bliss. Because material lust is wretched and
degraded, what shall stop you from using the word 'spiritual lust'
(aprakrta-kama) to describe the emotion felt by the gopis?
Vrajanatha: Now please explain the aspect of raganuga-bhakti
where one thinks of Krsna as one's family member?
Babaji: Devotional service where one has a family or other
kind of relationship with Krsna is called 'sambandhanuga-
bhakti'. This kind of relationship is present in three rasas: dasya
(servitorship), sakhya (friendship) and vatsalya (parenthood). In

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this relationship one thinks, "I am a servant. Krsna is my
master", or one thinks, "I am Krsna's friend", or one thinks, "I
am Krsna's father", or one thinks "I am Krsna's mother". These
are the thoughts of one in sambandha. This sambandhanuga-
bhakti is manifested in its pure form among the residents of
Vraja.
Vrajanatha: How is raganuga-bhakti cultivated in the dasya,
sakhya, and vatsalya rasas?
Babaji: A devotee attracted to dasya-rasa (servitorship) should
follow in the footsteps of Raktaka, Patraka, and other eternally
liberated servitors of the Lord. By emulating the sweetness of
their love for the Lord, he will eventually serve Lord Krsna
directly. A devotee attracted to sakhya-rasa (friendship) should
follow in the footsteps of Subala and the other friends of the
Lord. In this way he will eventually serve Lord Krsna directly. A
devotee attracted to vatsalya-rasa (parenthood) should follow in
the footsteps of Nanda and Yasoda. In this way he will eventually
serve Lord Krsna directly.
Vrajanatha: How does one follow in their footsteps?
Babaji: The soul's eternal nature gives rise to certain actions.
These actions are called 'mudra'. For example, Nanda Maharaja
has a certain eternal nature, and because of that nature he deals
with Krsna in a specific way. One should following in the
footsteps of those activities. However, one should not think, "I
am Nanda", "I am Subala", or "I am Raktaka". One should only
follow in the footsteps of their activities. In that way one will not
commit an offense.
Vrajanatha: What rasa should I cultivate in raganuga-bhakti?

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 Babaji: Baba, look at your own nature. Because of that nature
you have a certain inclination. According to that inclination you
naturally accept a particular rasa. You should follow the
footsteps of an eternally liberated soul who serves the Lord in
that rasa. You should closely examine your own inclination. If
you are inclined to the path of raga-bhakti, then you should
follow your inclination. If you are not inclined to the path of
raga-bhakti, then you should follow the path of vaidhi-bhakti.
Vijaya-kumara: Master, I have studied Srimad-Bhagavatam for
many days. Whenever I hear or read of Lord Krsna's pastimes, in
my heart I yearn to serve the divine couple as Srimati Lalita does.
Babaji: Don't say anything more. You are a manjari follower
of Sri Lalita-devi. What service do you think is appropriate for
you?
Vijaya-kumara: In my heart I think Sri Lalita has ordered me
to string garlands of flowers. I gather many beautiful flowers,
make them into garlands, and place them in her beautiful hand.
She gives me a smile of mercy, and then she places them around
the necks of Sri Sri Radha-Krsna.
Babaji: May you attain that service. I give you my blessings.
At that moment Vijaya-kumara fell, weeping, at his spiritual
master's lotus feet. Seeing his emotional state, the saintly babaji
said to him, "Baba, within your heart you should always practice
raganuga-bhakti, and externally you should engage in vaidhi-
bhakti." Seeing Vijaya-kumara's good fortune, Vrajanatha placed
these words before his spiritual master's feet: "O master, when I
think of Lord Krsna's pastimes I desire to become a follower of
Subala."

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 Babaji: To what kind of activities do you feel attracted?
Vrajanatha: Subala and I will fetch the calves that have
strayed far away. As Krsna sits down and plays the flute, by
Subala's mercy I will let the calves drink water, and after I will
bring them again to our brother Krsna. That is my desire.
Babaji: I give you my blessings. May you become a follower of
Subala and in that way serve Lord Krsna. You are qualified for
sakhya-rasa.
This was all a great wonder. From that day on, in his heart,
Vijaya-kumara began to think of himself as a maidservant of
Srimati Lalita. Then he began to see the elderly babaji as an
incarnation of Sri Lalita. Vijaya-kumara said, "O master, what
more need be done by your mercy?" The saintly babaji replied,
"Nothing more need be done. Only you should know the name,
form, and garments of your spiritual body. Come to me in
private and I will tell you of them." Saying, "As you order",
Vijaya-kumara offered dandavat obeisances.
From that day on Vrajanatha saw the elderly babaji as an
incarnation of Subala. The babaji said to him, "Come to me all
along and I will tell you the name, form and garments of your
spiritual body." Saying, "As you order", Vrajanatha offered
dandavat obeisances.
Thinking that their lives had not become perfect, Vrajanatha
and Vijaya-kumara happily followed the path of raganuga-bhakti.
Externally everything was as before. Externally Vijaya-kumara
was a male, but within his heart he had become a gopi.
Meanwhile within his heart, Vrajanatha had become a cowherd
boy.

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 A good part of the night had already passed. Chanting on japa
beads the mantra:
Hare Krsna Hare Krsna
Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare
that their spiritual master had given them, the two of them
walked toward Bilva-puskarini. Almost half the night had passed.
The moon rose. The season place a pleasant situation in every
direction. When they came to Laksmana-tila, the two men sat
under an amalika tree. Vijaya-kumara asked Vrajanatha, "O
Vrajanatha, the desires in our hearts are now fulfilled. Because
we have attained the mercy of a great Vaisnava, we will not attain
the mercy of Lord Krsna. Now we should consider what will
happen in the future. Vrajanatha, with an honest heart please tell
me: What will you do? Will you marry, or will you take
parivrajaka sannyasa? This request does not come from me. I
only ask so I can tell your grandmother."
Vrajanatha: Uncle, I am devoted to you. You are a pandita
and a Vaisnava. In the absence of my father, you are my
guardian. The path that you order, I will follow. I do not wish to
become attached to material things, and thus forget the spiritual
goal of life. Therefore I do not wish to marry. What do you
think?
Vijaya-kumara: I will not force you. You decide for yourself
and tell me.
Vrajanatha: I will ask our spiritual master. I will do whatever
he says.

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 Vijaya-kumara: Good. Tomorrow we will go and hear what
Prabhupada says about this.
Vrajanatha: Saintly uncle, what do you think? Should I
become a householder? Should I not become a parivrajaka
sannyasi?
Vijaya-kumara: Baba, my conclusion is the same as yours. We
are of one mind. Accept parivrajaka sannyasa and extinguish the
fire of household life. If you accept household life your heart will
dry up. You will be cheated of the nectar of devotional service.
My wish is that you follow whatever Sri Prabhupada says about
this.
A large part of the night had passed. It was right that they
return home. Again and again singing the glories of Lord Hari,
the uncle and nephew returned home, honored prasadam and
went to sleep.

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 Chapter Twenty-two

Eternal Religion and Sambandha,

Abhidheya and Prayojana
(The Discussion of Prayojana Begins)

Nitya-dharma o sambandhabhidheya-prayojana
(Prameyantar-gata prayojana-vicararambha)

Today is ekadasi. Under the bakula tree in Srivasa's courtyard

the Vaisnavas are chanting the holy names of the Lord. Some call
out, "O Gauranga! O Nityananda!" and sigh. Our saintly babaji
was motionless, plunged in ecstatic love. Who knows what he
was thinking? After a few moments he said, "Alas!" and began to
weep. "Ah! Where is Rupa? Where is Sanatana! Where is
Raghunatha dasa Goswami! Where is my life's brother,
Krsnadasa Kaviraja? I cannot be with them. Today I am all alone.
I cannot be happy. The memory of Radha-kunda brings me pain.
O my life, now you are leaving me. I pray that Rupa and
Raghunatha show themselves to me and save my life. Even
though I am separated from you, still I remain alive. How
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pathetic is my life." Again and again speaking in this way, he
began to roll about in the dust under the bakula tree in Srivasa's
courtyard. The assembled Vaisnavas said to him, "Babaji, be
peaceful. Rupa and Raghunatha are in your heart. Lord Caitanya
and Lord Nityananda are dancing before you. Saying, "Where?
Where?" the babaji jumped up. As he gazed at the Panca-tattva
Deities before him, his grief went far away. He said, "O glorious
Mayapura! Only Mayapura makes the sadness of Vraja go far
away." Saying these words, he danced for some moments and
then sat down in his cottage. At that moment Vijaya-kumara and
Vrajanatha came and offered dandavat obeisances. When he saw
them, the babaji's heart blossomed with happiness. He said,
"How is your devotional service progressing?" Folding their
hands, the two disciples humbly said, "O master, your mercy is
the be-all-and-end-all of our lives. In the past we must have
performed many, many pious deeds that we so easily have
attained your fearless lotus feet. Today is ekadasi. by your order
we are fasting even from water. We have come to see your sacred
feet." The babaji replied, "You are fortunate. Very soon you will
attain bhava." Vijaya-kumara asked, "O master, what is bhava?"
Is there something called 'bhava' that you have not yet taught
us?"
Babaji: Up till now I have taught you about sadhana-bhakti.
By practicing sadhana-bhakti again and again, one eventually
comes to the stage of spiritual perfection. The stage that
immediately precedes the perfect stage is called 'bhava' (ecstatic
love). The perfect stage is described in these words of the Dasa-
mula:

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 "When his sadhana-bhakti reaches maturity, the living entity
becomes aware of his original spiritual form. Then, by the power
of the Lord's hladini-sakti, the ecstatic love (bhava) of madhura-
rasa becomes manifested. Then the living entity bears in his heart
ecstatic love (bhava) for Sri Sri Radha-Krsna in Vraja. Then he
attains ecstatic love (priti) and bliss. Gradually he attains
happiness and good fortune that have no equal anywhere in this
world. He enters the Lord's pastimes. There he attains direct
service to the Lord. There is nothing higher than that."
In this verse the final goal of life (prayojana), which is pure
love for the Lord, is described. The beginning stage of that pure
love is described in the final verse of the Dasa-mula:
"Who is the Supreme Lord? Who is the individual spirit soul?
What is the material world? Considering these questions, a
devotee becomes learned in the scriptures. He shuns all offenses,
sins, material pious deeds, and aspirations to become one with
the Lord, and, thinking himself a servant of Lord Hari, in the
company of other devotees he drinks the blissful nectar of Lord
Hari's holy name."
What a wonderful poem is the Dasa-mula. In it the individual
souls find the essence of the teachings that have come from Lord
Mahaprabhu's sacred mouth.
Vijaya-kumara: I would like to hear a summary of the Dasa-
mula's glories?
Babaji: Then listen.
"A person who carefully studies this Dasa-mula becomes free
of ignorance. By associating with devotees, he attains spiritual
love and bliss."
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 Vijaya-kumara: O master, this wonderful Dasa-mula will
become the necklace we all wear. Every day we will recite this
Dasa-mula and offer dandavat obeisances to Lord Mahaprabhu.
Now please be merciful and explain the clear meaning of these
truths.
Babaji: Pure love of God (prema) is like a sun. The pure rays
of that prema-sun are the spiritual state of 'suddha-sattva'. The
internal nature of 'suddha-sattva' is called "bhava". The suddha-
sattva manifestation called 'bhava' is also called by the names
'rati' and 'premankura' (the sprouting of love). When the all-
enlightening svarupa sakti (internal potency) is manifested in the
activities called 'samvid' (knowledge), those activities are called
"suddha-sattva" (spiritual existence). These are not activities of
maya (material illusion). When the activities of the samvit-sakti
join with the activities of the hladini-sakti, the result is the
manifestation of bhava. The activities of samvit-sakti bring
knowledge. The activities of hladini-sakti bring pleasure. In this
way the activities of the Lord's svarupa-sakti bring knowledge of
the Absolute Truth, Sri Krsna. The small knowledge potency
(samvit-sakti) of the individual souls (jiva-sakti) cannot bring
understanding of the Absolute Truth. By the mercy of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, or by the mercy of the
Lord's devotee, the Lord's svarupa-sakti (internal potency) will
appear in a living entity's heart. Then the svarupa-sakti's
activities of knowledge (samvit) can act in the living entity's
heart. Then knowledge of the spiritual world becomes
manifested there. The real form (svarupa) of the spiritual world
is the state of spiritual existence (suddha-sattva). The real form
of the material world is maya is gross matter, which is a mixture
of the three modes of material goodness, passion, and ignorance.
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When knowledge of the spiritual world combines with the
essence (sara) of the hladini-sakti, the result is that one is able to
relish (asvada) the pleasures of the spiritual world. When the
relishing of the pleasures of the spiritual world reaches its
perfection and fullness (purna-svarupa), the result is called
'prema' (pure love of God). Prema is like a sun, and bhava is the
rays of that sun. That is the nature of bhava. The specific nature
of bhava is this: Ruci (attraction to Krsna) makes the living
entity's heart melt and become soft (masrna). Here the word
'ruci' means 'the desire to attain Krsna, the desire to please
Krsna, and the desire to have a friendly relation with Krsna".
Bhava is said to be the first manifestation of the splendor of
prema. The word 'masrna' means 'the melting of the heart'. In the
Tantras it is said that bhava is the first manifestation of prema.
When bhava appears, the sattvika-bhava ecstatic symptoms, such
as the standing erect of the body's hairs, become slightly
manifested. In eternally liberated souls these ecstatic symptoms
appear spontaneously. In souls imprisoned in the material world
these ecstatic symptoms appear as activities of the mind, and
only gradually do they manifest their original spiritual nature.
Although these ecstatic symptoms come of their own accord,
they seem to be induced by something external. The activities of
sattvika-bhava ecstasy reveal the true nature of Lord Krsna and
His transcendental pastimes. Manifested among the imprisoned
souls as what seems to be an activity of the mind, it seems to
bring knowledge of other, non-spiritual truths. The truth is that
it enables one to relish spiritual pleasures. In this way it enables
the souls imprisoned in the material world to relish the spiritual
pleasures of Lord Krsna and Lord Krsna's transcendental
pastimes.
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 Vijaya-kumara: Does bhava manifest any variety?
Babaji: Yes. Bhava is of two kinds, according to its place or
origin. Bhava may come from the practice of sadhana-bhakti, or
it may come from the mercy of Lord Krsna or the mercy of Lord
Krsna's devotee. Generally it comes from the practice of sadhana-
bhakti. It only rarely comes from mercy.
Vijaya-kumara: What is the nature of bhava produced by the
practice of sadhana-bhakti?
Babaji: There are two kinds of bhava created by the practice
of sadhana-bhakti. One is created by the practice of vaidhi bhakti
and the other by the practice of raganuga-bhakti. In the first of
these two kinds of bhava created by sadhana-bhakti, at the
beginning there is ruci (attraction to Krsna). From that comes
asakti (attachment to Krsna). At the end comes rati (love for
Krsna). In the Puranas and the Natya-sastras it is said that 'rati'
and 'bhava' are symptoms. I also say that they are symptoms.
Vaidhi bhakti first creates faith, and from faith attraction to
Krsna (ruci) follows. However, when one practices raganuga-
bhakti, ruci appears at once (without any intervening stages).
Vijaya-kumara: What is the nature of bhava created by the
mercy of Lord Krsna or Lord Krsna's devotee?
Babaji: When bhava suddenly appears without its recipient
having practiced either vaidhi-bhakti or raganuga-bhakta, then
bhava is created by the mercy of Lord Krsna or Lord Krsna's
devotee.
Vijaya-kumara: What is the nature of bhava created by the
mercy of Lord Krsna?

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 Babaji: Lord Krsna's mercy is manifested in three ways: 1.
vacika (by His words), 2. aloka-dana (by a glance), and 3. harda
(by the mercy in His heart). Lord Krsna may give His mercy to
someone by saying, "O king of the brahmanas, may devotion to
Me, devotion that brings all transcendental bliss and is the crest
jewel of all auspicious things, appear within you." Simply by the
Lord's speaking these words, bhava suddenly appears in that
brahmana. The aborigines residing in the jungle had never seen
Krsna before. However, simply by seeing them they at once
attained bhava because of the compassion in Lord Krsna's heart.
That is called 'aloka-danaja-bhava (bhava created from a glance).
When feelings of compassion arise in Lord Krsna's heart, they
produce the bhava called 'harda'. This bhava is seen in Sukadeva
Goswami and other devotees. When He descended to this world,
Lord Mahaprabhu granted these three kinds of bhava from mercy
on many occasions. Simply by seeing the Lord, many people
attained bhava. Jagai, Madhai, and many others attained bhava
because of the Lord's words. Srila Jiva Goswami attained bhava
because of the mercy in Lord Krsna's heart.
Vijaya-kumara: What is the nature of bhava created by the
mercy of a devotee of Lord Krsna?
Babaji: Because of the mercy of Sri Narada Goswami,
auspicious desires appeared in the hearts of Dhruva and
Prahlada. By the mercy of Srila Rupa Goswami, Srila Sanatana
Goswami and their associates, the desire to perform devotional
service appeared in the hearts of numberless persons.
Vijaya-kumara: What are the symptoms of bhava's
appearance?

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 Babaji: When the seed of ecstatic emotion (bhava) for Krsna
fructifies, the following nine symptoms are manifest in one's
behavior: forgiveness, concern that time should not be wasted,
detachment, absence of false prestige, hope, eagerness, a taste for
chanting the holy name of the Lord, attachment to descriptions
of the transcendental qualities of the Lord, and affection for
those places where the Lord resides - that is a temple or holy
place like Vrndavana. These are all called 'anubhava',
subordinate signs of ecstatic emotion. They are visible in a
person in whose heart the seed of love of God has begun to
fructify.
Vijaya-kumara: What is 'forgiveness'?
Babaji: Forgiveness is when, even though there is ample
reason to become agitated and angry, one is not agitated and
angry. This is called 'forgiveness'. "Tolerance' is a synonym for
forgiveness.
Vijaya-kumara: What is 'concern that time should not be
wasted"?
Babaji: It means not to spend time in useless activities. To
always be engaged in devotional service to Lord Hari is called
'concern that time should not be wasted.'
Vijaya-kumara: What is 'detachment'?
Babaji: To find that one sees no pleasure in so-called material
sense pleasures is called 'detachment'.
Vijaya-kumara: When a person accepts sannyasa can he claim
to have attain 'detachment'?

486
 Babaji: Sannyasa is a material convention in the material
world. When the heart finds its pleasure in the spiritual world,
and when the heart finds its pleasure in the material world grow
less and less until finally it disappears almost completely, that is
called 'detachment'. A person who is detached from the material
world and then accepts sannyasa to remove the obstacles that
prevent him from attaining bhava can claim to be a 'detached
Vaisnava'. However, a person who accepts sannyasa prematurely,
before he has any understanding of the happiness of spiritual life
(bhava) is not properly initiated as a sannyasi. He is not a true
sannyasi. The Lord's punishment of Chota Haridasa taught this
to the entire world.
Vijaya-kumara: What is "absence of false-prestige"?
Babaji: Birth, varna, asrama, wealth, power, beauty, a high
statue in society, and many other things make a person proud.
To renounce the pride that comes from all these things is called
'absence of false prestige'. In the Padma Purana is written the
story of a great king who attained devotion to Lord Krsna.
Renouncing the pride that comes from royal opulence, this king
passed his life as a beggar performing madhukari in the capitol
city of the king that had been his rival and enemy. He always
offered respectful obeisances to everyone, not caring whether
they were brahmanas or candalas.
Vijaya-kumara: What is 'hope'?
Babaji: To engage in devotional service with firm conviction,
thinking "Lord Krsna will certainly be merciful to me", is called
hope."
Vijaya-kumara: What is 'eagerness?'

487
 Babaji: Intense greed to attain what one desires is called
'eagerness'.
Vijaya-kumara: What is 'a taste for chanting the holy name of
the Lord?"
Babaji: Of all the different activities of devotional service,
chanting the holy name of the Lord is the best. To always chant
the holy name of the Lord." A taste for chanting the holy name of
the Lord fulfills all spiritual desires. You will learn more about
the holy name separately, at another time.
Vijaya-kumara: What is 'attachment to descriptions of the
transcendental qualities of the Lord?"
Babaji: In Sri Krsna-karnamrta (verse 65) it is written:
"He is sweeter than sweetness personified. His youthfulness is
Kamadeva himself. He is more restless and playful than
restlessness and playfulness personified. Alas, He has stolen my
heart. What will I do now?"
One may hear again and again of Lord Krsna's transcendental
qualities, but one's desire to hear them will never be satiated.
Rather, one's attachment to hear of them will grow stronger and
stronger.
Vijaya-kumara: What is 'affection for those places where the
Lord resides?"
Babaji: When he circumambulates the holy Navadvipa, a
devotee will ask, "O residents of the Lord's sacred place, where
did the Lord take birth? Walking down what pathway did the
Lord perform sankirtana? Please tell me: where did the Lord
enjoy pastimes with the gopas in the morning?" The residents of
the holy abode may reply, "In Mayapura, in a raised tulasi-forest,
488
the Lord took birth. In Ganganagara, Simuliya, Gadigacha,
Majida, and many other villages He performed sankirtana. By
drinking with the cup of his ears these nectar words from the
mouth of a resident of the land of Gauda, a devotee will manifest
ecstatic symptoms, such as shedding tears and the hairs of his
body standing erect, as he circumambulates the holy place. This
is called 'affection for those places where the Lord resides".
Vijaya-kumara: When this kind of emotion is present can we
say without doubt that "Krsna-rati" (pure love for Krsna) is
definitely present?
Babaji: No. When the heart is pure, then 'rati' arises within it.
The symptoms I have described may appear when other kinds of
devotional emotions are manifested. They are not manifested
only when there is rati.
Vijaya-kumara: Please be kind and give one or two examples
so I may understand.
Babaji: A person thirsty fro impersonal liberation may again
and again chant a dim reflection of Lord Hari's holy name
(namabhasa). Hearing that the holy name has the power to give
liberation, he may weep again and again and may fall down
almost unconscious. Still, one should not say that he has attained
krsna-rati (love for Krsna) in the stage of bhava (ecstasy). Such a
person does not have sincere love for Lord Krsna. Rather, he
makes a show of ecstatic symptoms (bhavabhasa) only because
he is greedy to attain his own petty desire. A person desiring
material sense pleasures may worship Goddess Durga, and after
the worship may pray for many things, saying, "Please grant me
boons. Please give me wealth." Thinking of how the goddess has
the power to fulfill his desires, he may weep and roll on the
489
ground. Still, one cannot say that has attained bhava. Perhaps
one can say he has attained a glimpse of bhava (bhavabhasa) or a
mocking imitation of bhava (bhava-dauratmya). Bhava does not
appear in a person who is not a pure devotee of Lord Krsna.
When a person who desires material sense gratification or
impersonal liberation manifests a glimpse of bhava (bhavabhasa),
that is not true bhava. Rather it is only a mocking imitation
(bhava-dauratmya) of true bhava. As he stands before the Deity
of Lord Krsna, such a person may faint and remain unconscious
for twenty one hours. Even then, he does not display true bhava.
Ah, the eternally liberated souls and the souls free from all
material desires diligently search for bhava. Still, bhava remains
hidden from them. Even after a person performs many
devotional activities, Lord Krsna does not very quickly or easily
give him the gift of bhava. How can pure love (rati) for Lord
Krsna rise in a heart that does not have pure devotion to the
Lord, or in a heart crushed by desires for material sense
gratification or impersonal liberation?
Vijaya-kumara: O master, many times it is seen that, when
they participate in the chanting of Lord Hari's holy names (hari-
nama-sankirtana), persons who thirst for material sense
gratification or impersonal liberation may manifest the
previously described symptoms of bhava. What shall we call that
display?
Babaji: Only fools think that display is wonderful. Persons
who know the truth of bhava avoid these persons and say that
outward display is only a glimpse of bhava (bhavabhasa).
Vijaya-kumara: What are the different kinds of this glimpse of
bhava (bhavabhasa)?
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 Babaji: It is of two kinds: 1.pratibimba-raty-abhasa (the
reflection of ecstatic love), and 2. chaya-raty-abhasa (the dim
shadow of ecstatic love).
Babaji: A person who desires impersonal liberation may think
he can easily attain that liberation by attaining bhava for Lord
Krsna. Thus desiring the happiness of impersonal liberation, he
puts on a false show of the symptoms of bhava. This is called
'pratibimba-raty-abhasa. An impersonalist may think, "Attaining
knowledge of impersonal Brahman is the only way to attain
impersonal liberation. There is no other way. However, the
process by which one attains that impersonal knowledge is very
difficult and troublesome. If by chanting the holy names of Lord
Hari one can easily attain liberation, that must mean that by
chanting the holy names one may easily attain knowledge of
impersonal Brahman." Hoping to easily get impersonal
liberation, such a person may then make an outward display of
ecstatic symptoms, such as shedding tears and standing erect of
the bodily hairs. All this is only a glimpse (abhasa) of true bhava.
Vijaya-kumara: Why is it called pratibimba (a reflection)?
Babaji: When they engage in chanting the Lord's holy names
or in other devotional activities, persons who thirst after material
sense gratification or impersonal liberation may by destiny attain
the association of true devotees. When the moon of true bhava
arises in the hearts of these true devotees, that moon becomes
reflected in the hearts of the hedonist or impersonalist
pretenders. That is why their bhava is called pratibimba (a
reflection). Pure bhava does not appear as long as one thirsts
after material sense gratification or impersonal liberation.
However, when a person sees pure devotees (suddha-bhakta) of
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the Lord, the devotees' bhava becomes reflected on him. That is
called pratibimba-bhavabhasa (a reflection of true bhava).
Pratibimba-bhavabhasa does not bring eternal auspiciousness to
the soul. As soon as the pretender attains his goal of sense
gratification or liberation, his devotional activities stop.
Therefore this pratibimba-bhavabhasa is said to be one of the
offenses against the holy name. It is not praiseworthy.
Vijaya-kumara: What is chaya-bhavabhasa (the dim shadow
of ecstatic love).
Babaji: An honest neophyte devotee not very learned in the
science of spiritual life may come into contact with activities,
times, places, or persons that are dear to Lord Hari, and by this
contact they may attain a small, pleasant, suffering removing,
flickering shadow of true love (rati) for the Lord. That is called
"chaya-raty-abhasa". When a person has a small quantity of pure
devotion to the Lord, but that devotion is not very strong, then
this kind of shadow devotion (raty-abhasa) is manifested. This
shadow of devotion may appear in a person because in the past
he performed many pious deeds. This shadow of devotion may
gradually bring more and more auspiciousness to the person who
obtains it. By the mercy of a pure devotee of Lord Hari, this
shadow love can be transformed into genuine pure love for the
Lord (suddha-bhava). However, if one commits offenses to pure
Vaisnavas, this shadow love may gradually diminish, like the
waning of the moon in the dark fortnight. This is not said only of
the shadow of love. Even pure love (suddha-bhava) for Lord
Krsna can be destroyed (abhava) if one commits offenses to Lord
Krsna's devotees. Or that pure love may gradually become
changed into shadow love, or it may be reduced to a lower level

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of love. If one closely associates with impersonalists, then his
love for Krsna may also become changed into shadow love, or
else one may become an impersonalist himself, and become
convinced that he himself is the worshipable Supreme
Personality of Godhead. It is because of this bad association that
new devotees (navya-bhakta) sometimes have impersonalist
ideas and think they have become god as they dance in krsna-
kirtana or perform other devotional activities. This is sometimes
seen. Unaware of the consequences, new devotees, may
sometimes associate with impersonalists. That bad association
beings many troubles. Therefore new devotees should carefully
avoid the association of impersonalists. Sometimes bhava may
suddenly appear in a person who has not performed any
devotional activities (sadhana). this means that the person
involved performed many very good devotional activities in his
previous births. Because of certain obstacles, the results of those
activities were not immediately manifested. Now that the
obstacles are removed, the results are suddenly manifested. If the
highest kind of love (bhava), which is all powerful and
wonderful to everyone, suddenly becomes manifested, it should
be said that it was produced by the mercy of Lord Krsna. Even if
you see some faults in his activities, you should not become the
enemy of a person who has natural love (bhava) for the Lord.
Why not? A person who has attained love for the Lord has made
his life a complete success. A devotee will never commit a sin.
However, if it is seen that somehow or other a devotee has
committed a sin, the one should think of this in two ways: 1. by
accident a great soul has somehow committed a sin, but that sin
will not stay, 2. This sin is only the reflection of a previous
misdeed (purva-papabhasa). The devotee's spiritual love (bhava)
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will quickly destroy that sin. Very quickly it will be destroyed. In
this way in one's heart one should not see the faults of the
devotees. To see that devotees have faults is one of the offenses
against the holy name. In the Nrsimha-Purana it is written:
"If a person has completely engaged his mind, body, and
activities in the service of the Supreme Godhead, but externally
he is found to be engaged in some abominable activities, those
abominable activities will surely be very quickly vanquished by
the influence of his staunch devotional service. On the full moon
there are some spots, which may appear to be pockmarks. Still,
the illumination spread by the full moon cannot be checked."
One should not think that this instruction means that the
devotees of the Lord are always committing sins. The truth is
that when a person has faith in devotional service, he no longer
desires to commit sins. However, as long as the material body is
present, there may be some accidental slip into a sinful action.
Devotional service, however, which is like a blazing fire, at once
burns all these sins into ashes, and after than the devotee is
cautious not to sin again. When unalloyed devotional service
appears in someone, the ignorance that is the root of sin is flung
far away from such a devotee. If it is seen that a person commits
sins again and again, one should not be under the
misunderstanding that he possesses unalloyed devotion to Lord
Krsna. Why not? To commit sins with the hope that his
devotional activities will nullify his sins is an offense. Devotees
do not commit that offense.
Love (rati) for Krsna makes one desire to please Krsna more
and more. It is filled with warmth and power. It is sweet like
millions of moons.
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 Hearing these explanations of ecstatic love (bhava),
Vrajanatha and Vijaya-kumara became stunned. Their hearts
were filled with love. Even after the babaji had finished speaking,
they both remained for a while stunned and silent. Finally they
said, "O master, the nectar of your teachings have brought a
flood of love to our burnt-out hearts. Ah, what will we do?
Where will we go? We are not able to be steady and calm. We are
filled with pride because we were born in brahmana families. In
our hearts is not the slightest bit of humbleness. The hope of one
day attaining ecstatic love (bhava) for the Lord is very far from
us. Our only hope is that you, a personal associate of the Lord, a
devotee filled with pure spiritual love (prema), may place a
single drop of spiritual love (prema) in our hearts. Then our lives
will become a great success. Because of our relationship with
you, the bird of hope now lives in our hearts. We are very poor
and lowly and worthless. You are a great king among the true
devotees of the Lord. You are very merciful. Please be merciful to
us and explain to us what our duties should be. In my heart I
yearn to renounce the material world and household life and
become a servant of your feet." Then Vijaya-kumara took this
opportunity to say, "O master, Vrajanatha is still a boy. His
mother wishes that he become a householder. However, in his
heart he does not see the same way she does. Please be merciful
and say what is to be done."
Babaji: Lord Krsna has given His mercy to you. Your
householder life will be Lord Krsna's household life, for you will
render service to Lord Krsna there. Our Lord Mahaprabhu taught
the entire world, and the world should follow His teachings. In
this material world there are two kinds of situations: 1.
household life, and 2. sannyasa. As long as one is not qualified to
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become a sannyasi, he should remain as a householder and serve
Lord Krsna in that asrama. In the first twenty four years of His
pastimes, the Lord set the example of ideal Vaisnava household
life, and in the second twenty four years of His pastimes, the
Lord set the example of ideal Vaisnava sannyasa life.
Householders should follow the Lord's example. It is my opinion
that for the present you should act as He did. In your heart do
not think that in the householder asrama you cannot attain the
highest stage of pure love for Lord Krsna (krsna-prema). The
devotees who received the greatest mercy from Lord
Mahaprabhu were all householders. The Vaisnava sannyasis offer
prayers to these householders and respectfully touch the dust
from their feet.
It was late at night. In the company of the Vaisnavas, Vijaya-
kumara and Vrajanatha sang songs glorifying Hari again and
again. In that way they passed the night in Srivasa's courtyard.
The next morning they washed, bathed, performed various
duties, sang the holy names with the Vaisnavas and accepted a
maha-prasadam breakfast. In the afternoon they slowly walked to
Bilva-puskarini. As they thought about it, both uncle and
nephew decided that they should serve Lord Krsna within the
householder asrama. That would be best. Vijaya-kumara said to
his sister, "Vrajanatha has decided to marry. You make all the
arrangements. I will go to Modadruma for a few days. When I
hear news that Vrajanatha's wedding day is coming, I will come
with all the relatives to celebrate the happy day. Tomorrow I will
sent Kanistha Harinatha to help with the arrangements."
Vrajanatha's mother and grandmother were flooded with bliss.
The gave garments and other gifts to Vijaya-kumara and bade
him farewell.
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497
 Chapter Twenty-three

Eternal Religion and Sambandha,

Abhidheya and Prayojana
(The Discussion of the Holy Name Begins)

Nitya-dharma o sambandhabhidheya-prayojana
(Prameyantar-gata nama-tattva-vicararambha)

The village of Bilva-puskarini is very beautiful. The river

Ganges flows on its northern and western sides. There, on the
shore of the Puskarini, in a grove of Bilva trees, is a temple of
Lord Siva. Not far from there is a place called Bhava-tarana. On
one side is Bilva-puskarini and on the other side is Brahmana-
puskarini. Between them lies the village called Simuliya, which
on one side borders the town of Navadvipa. In the middle of
Bilva-puskarini and north of the royal road lies Vrajanatha's
house. After traveling a short distance, Vijaya-kumara returned
to his sister. In his mind he had decided, "I won't leave until I
have learned the truth about the holy name." Returning to Bilva-
puskarini, he saw his sister and nephew and told them, "I will
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stay another day or two and then I will go." That afternoon two
Vaisnavas in the Ramanuja-sampradaya wearing Sri-tilaka came
to the Candi-mandapa at Vrajanatha's house. Sitting in the shade
of the panasa tree before Vrajanatha's house, the two Vaisnavas
made a fire with some dried twigs and began to smoke ganja.
Vrajanatha's mother was very happy to get the opportunity to
show hospitality to some guests. Seeing that they were not eating
anything, she brought them different kinds of food. Pleased, the
began to cook some capatis. Seeing that the Vaisnavas were
peaceful and bright-faced, Vrajanatha and Vijaya-kumara
gradually felt attracted to them. Seeing that Vrajanatha and
Vijaya-kumara wore tulasi beads on their necks and twelve tilaka
marks on their limbs, the two Vaisnavas respectfully greeted
them and spread a cloth for them to sit. As Vrajanatha
questioned them, one of the sannyasis said, "O maharaja, we
have seen Ayodhya and now we are going to Navadvipa. In our
hearts we have decided to see the places of Caitanya Prabhu's
pastimes." Vrajanatha replied, "You are in Sri Navadvipa now.
Please rest here today and tomorrow see the birthplace of Lord
Mahaprabhu and the courtyard of Srivasa. The two sannyasis
then happily recited these words of Lord Krsna in the Bhagavad-
gita (15.6): "They who reach My supreme abode never return to
this material world."
The two sannyasis said, "Today we are very fortunate, for we
will see holy Sri Mayapura, the best of the seven holy cities."
As they sat under the panasa tree, the two sannyasis
discussed the 'artha-pancaka' (five topics) of the Ramanuja-
sampradaya. The five topics are: 1. sva-svarupa (the nature of
one's own self), 2. para-svarupa (the natures of others), 3. upaya-

499
svarupa (the means for spiritual advancement), 4. purusartha-
svarupa (the true goal of life), and 5. virodhi-svarupa (obstacles
that prevent one from attaining the true goal of life). With great
attention Vijaya-kumara heard and considered the sannyasis'
explanations of these topics and the tattva-traya (three truths) of
the Sri-sampradaya. After discussing these points for a long time,
Vijaya-kumara asked, "What is your sampradaya's explanation of
the holy name?" When they heard the two Vaisnava's
explanations, Vrajanatha and Vijaya-kumara did not become very
happy. Vrajanatha said, "Uncle, after considering all these points,
I have come to the conclusion that only taking shelter of Lord
Krsna's holy name, and nothing else, brings auspiciousness to
the living entities. It was to preach the pure holy name of Lord
Krsna to the world that Sri Gauranga, the master of our lives,
descended to this world and came to the holy city of Mayapura.
When he was teaching us yesterday, Sri Gurudeva explained that
chanting the holy name is the best of all devotional practices. He
also asked us to give special attention to understanding the truth
of the holy name. Uncle, let us go there this evening and learn
about this." They spent that afternoon showing hospitality to
their guests and talking about many things.
When the evening arati ended, the Vaisnavas assembled
under the bakula tree in Srivasa's courtyard. Chanting the holy
names on his tulasi beads, saintly elderly Raghunatha dasa Babaji
sat among them. Vrajanatha and Vijaya-kumara came and offered
dandavat obeisances to him. The saintly babaji embraced them
and said, "Are you happy in your devotional service?" Vijaya-
kumara replied, "O master, by your mercy everything is
auspicious for us. Please be merciful and teach us this evening
about the holy name of the Lord. His face blossoming with
500
happiness, the saintly babaji said, "The Supreme Personality of
Godhead has tow kinds of names: 1. mukhya (primary) and 2.
gauna (secondary). Names that show His relation to the material
creation and the material modes of nature are all secondary
names. "Srsti-karta" (the creator of the material world), "Jagat-
pata" (the maintainer of the material world), "visva-niyanta" (the
controller of the material world, "visva-palaka (the protector of
the material world), and "paramatma" (the Supersoul present
everywhere in the material world) are examples of some of these
many secondary names. Some other names, although beyond the
touch of the material modes of nature, are also counted among
these secondary names. "Brahma" (Brahman) is an example of
these names. When they are chanted, these secondary names
bring many different kinds of benefits, but they do not directly
or quickly bring the highest spiritual benefit. The names that
describe the Lord as He is manifested in the spiritual world,
which is beyond material time and space, and where time is
manifested as an eternal present (nitya-vartamana) are names
that are all spiritual and primary. "Narayana", "Vasudeva",
"Janardana", "Hrsikesa", "Hari", "Acyuta", "Govinda", "Gopala"
and "Rama" are examples of these primary names. All these
primary names are identical with the form of the Supreme Lord
Himself, and therefore they exist in the eternal present in the
spiritual world. Attracted by devotional service, these holy names
dance on the tongues of certain very fortunate souls in the
material world. These names have no connection at all with the
material world. When it descends to the material world, the holy
name of the Lord, which has all the Lord's powers, destroys the
illusions of maya. The individual souls in the material world
have the holy name of Lord Hari as their only friend. They have
501
no other true friend. In the Brhan-naradiya Purana it is said:
"The holy name, the holy name, the holy name of Lord Hari is
my very life. In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy, the only means
of deliverance is the chanting of the holy names of the Lord.
There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other
way."
The holy name has limitless power. The holy name uproots
all the sins of the conditioned souls burning in a great forest-fire
of sins. In the Garuda Purana it is said: "If one chants the holy
name of the Lord, even in a helpless condition or without
desiring to do so, all the reactions of his sinful life depart, just as
when a lion roars, all the small animals flee in fear."
A person who takes shelter of the holy name becomes free of
all sufferings. The holy name has the power to destroy all
sufferings. In the Skanda Purana it is said: "I offer my respectful
obeisances to the limitless Supreme Personality of Godhead.
When a person remembers Him or chants His holy names, that
person's diseases of the mind or body all run to their extinction."
A person who chants the holy name of Lord Hari purifies his
family, friends, and all others. In the Brahmanda Purana it is
said: "Even if he has committed many great sins, a person who
chants the holy name of the Lord day and night become pure at
heart. He purifies all his relatives."
A person who is devoted to the holy name becomes free of all
sufferings. In the Brhad-Visnu Purana it is said: "The chanting of
Lord Hari's holy name cures all diseases, removes all obstacles
and rescues one from all calamities."

502
 The age of Kali cannot make trouble for a person who loudly
chants the holy name of Lord Hari. In the Brhan-Naradiya
Purana it is said: "The age of Kali cannot make trouble for a
person who always chants 'Hare! Kesava! Govinda! Vasudeva!
Jaganmaya!"
Simply by hearing the holy name of Lord Hari, the residents
of hell become delivered. In the Nrsimha Purana it is said:
"When they began to chant the holy name of Lord Hari, the
residents of hell began to develop devotion to Lord Hari. They
were carried to the heavenly worlds."
By loudly chanting the holy name, a person destroys his
prarabdha karmic reactions. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam (12.3.44)
it is said: "Terrified, about to die, a man collapses on his bed.
Although his voice is faltering and he is hardly conscious of what
he is saying, if he utters the holy name of the Supreme Lord he
can be freed from the reactions of his fruitive work and achieve
the supreme destination. But still people in the age of Kali will
not worship the Supreme Lord."
The holy name of Lord Hari is more glorious than all the
Vedas. In the Skanda Purana it is said: "My son, don't study the
Rg Veda. Don't study the Yajur Veda. Don't study the Sama Veda
at all. Simply chant 'O Govinda!' Always chant the holy names of
Lord Hari."
The holy name of Lord Hari is more glorious than all holy
places. In the Vamana Purana it is said: “By chanting the holy
names of Lord Visnu, a person attains the benefit of visiting
hundreds of thousands of millions of sacred pilgrimage places."

503
 Even a glimpse (namabhasa) of the holy name is infinitely
better than all material pious deeds. In the Skanda Purana it is
said: "Neither giving millions of cows in charity, nor residing at
Prayaga by the Ganges for a kalpa, nor performing millions of
yajnas, nor giving a Mount Meru of gold in charity brings a
benefit equal to one hundredth part of the benefit obtained by
chanting the holy names of Lord Govinda."
The holy name of Lord Hari gives all benefits. In the Skanda
Purana it is said: "Chanting the holy names of Lord Visnu
removes the six troubles of material life, defeats enemies, and is
the root of spiritual knowledge."
The holy name of Lord Hari has all powers. In the Skanda
Purana it is said: "Lord Hari has gathered from charity, vows,
austerities, pilgrimages, the demigods, the great saints, the
rajasuya and asvamedha yajnas, and the study of transcendental
knowledge all their powers to bring auspiciousness and removes
sins, and placed these powers in His holy names."
The holy name of Lord Hari brings bliss to the entire world.
In the Bhagavad-gita (11.36) it is said: "O Hrsikesa, the world
becomes joyful upon hearing Your name, and thus everyone
becomes attached to You."
The entire world bows down before a person who loudly
chants the holy name. In the Brhan-Naradiya Purana it is said:
"In every direction the people bow down to offer respect to the
devotees who always chant, 'Narayana! Jagannatha! Vasudeva!
Janardana!'."
The holy name is the only shelter of the shelterless. In the
Padma Purana it is said: "Even though they may be materialistic,

504
distraught, completely impious, or bereft of knowledge,
renunciation, celibacy, and a host of virtues, persons who
completely surrender to Lord Visnu and even only once chant
His holy name easily attain the supreme spiritual destination that
all the pious saints cannot enter."
One should chant the holy name of Lord Hari always and
everywhere. In the Visnu-dharmottara Purana it is said: "A
person who is greedy to chant the holy name of Lord Hari does
not consider whether the time or place is right for such chanting.
He does not accept any restrictions on chanting the holy name."
The holy name easily gives impersonal liberation to they who
want it. In the Varaha Purana the Supreme Personality of
Godhead declares: "A person who always chants, 'Narayana!
Acyuta! Ananta! Vasudeva! may, if he wishes, merge into My
existence."
In the Garuda Purana it is said: "What is the use of sankhya?
What is the use of yoga? O king of kings, if you wish to attain
impersonal liberation, then you should chant the holy name of
Lord Govinda."
The holy name of Lord Hari sends the individual souls to the
spiritual world of Vaikuntha. In the Nandi Purana it is said:
"Persons who in the past have committed every possible sin in
every possible situation, but who now chant the holy name of the
Lord, go to the supreme abode of Lord Visnu."
By chanting the holy name one pleases the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. In the Brhan-Naradiya Purana it is said:
"O brahmanas, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is
beyond the touch of the material senses, becomes very pleased

505
with a person who, in spite of hunger, thirst, and many troubles,
continues to always chant His holy name."
By chanting the holy name of Lord Hari one can bring the
Supreme Personality of Godhead under one's control. In the
Mahabharata, Lord Krsna declares: "When I was away from
Draupadi she cried with the words, 'He Govinda!' This call has
put Me in her debt, and that indebtedness is gradually increasing
in My heart."
The holy name of Lord Hari gives the final goal of life to the
people. In the Skanda and Padma Puranas it is said: "Chanting
the holy name of Lord Damodara brings the greatest
auspiciousness, the greatest wealth, the greatest benefit."
Chanting the holy name of Lord Hari is the best of all
devotional activities. In the Vaisnava-cintamani it is said: "By
working very hard to always remember Lord Visnu, one can
destroy all sins. However, one can attain an even greater benefit
simply by moving the lips to chant the Lord's holy name."
In the Visnu-rahasya it is said: "The same result that was
obtained in the Satya-yuga by worshipping Lord Hari and in the
Treta-yuga by performing hundreds of sacrifices is obtained in
the Kali-yuga simply by chanting the holy name of Lord
Govinda."
In Srimad-Bhagavatam (12.3.52) it is said: "Whatever result
was obtained in Satya-yuga by meditating on Visnu, inn Treta-
yuga by performing sacrifices, and in Dvapara-yuga by serving
the Lord's lotus feet, can also be obtained in Kali-yuga by
chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra."

506
 O Vijaya-kumara, think about it and you will see that even
the shadow of the holy name of Lord Hari is better than all
material pious deeds. And why not? Pious deeds are only the
means to attain an end. Once the end is attained, the means are
thrown away. Pious deeds are all material. However, the holy
name of Lord Hari is spiritual. The holy name may be the means
to attain an end, but when one attains the end he finds that the
holy name itself is also the end itself. Think about it and you will
see that all the different limbs of devotional service take shelter
of the holy name of Lord Hari.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, the holy name of Lord Hari is
spiritual. I have faith in that truth. However, so that my faith
may be free from doubts I need to understand how it is that the
holy name, which is a series of syllables, is spiritual. Please be
merciful and explain.
Babaji: The scriptures (Padma Purana) declare: "The holy
name of Krsna is transcendentally blissful, It bestows all spiritual
benedictions, for it is Krsna Himself, the reservoir of all pleasure.
Krsna's name is complete, and it is the form of all transcendental
mellows. It is not a material name under any condition, and it is
no less powerful than Krsna Himself. Since Krsna's name is not
contaminated by the material qualities, there is no question of its
being involved with maya. Krsna's name is always liberated and
spiritual. It is never conditioned by the laws of material nature.
This is because the name of Krsna and Krsna Himself are
identical."
Vijaya-kumara: How can a name, which is after all a series of
syllables, be different from other sounds in this material world?

507
 Babaji: The holy name of Lord Hari does not take its birth in
the material world. Only when he is situated in his original
spiritual body is the individual soul, who is a tin particle of
spirit, eligible to pronounce the pure holy name of Lord Hari.
The material senses of a soul imprisoned in Maya's world have
no power to pronounce the pure holy name of Lord Hari.
However, by the mercy of the Lord's hladini-sakti, such a soul
can be situated in his original form. Then the holy name will
appear before him. By the mercy of the pure holy name, the holy
name enters the devotee's thinking process,, and then descends
to the tongue if the tongue is purified by devotional service. On
that tongue the holy name dances. The holy name is not a series
of material syllables. It only seems to be material syllables when
it dances on a tongue made of matter. That is the secret of the
holy name.
Vijaya-kumara: Of the primary names of the Lord, which
name is the most sweet?
Babaji: In the Sata-nama-stotra it is said: "One utterance of
the name Visnu is better than all the Vedas. One utterance of the
name Rama is equal to a thousand utterances of the name
Visnu." Then, in the Brahmanda Purana it is said: "The pious
results derived from chanting the thousand holy names of Visnu
three times can be attained by one repetition of the holy name of
Krsna." Therefore the holy name of Lord Krsna is the best. That
is why our Lord, Sri Gauranga, taught the mantra that begins
"Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna". You should always chant that mantra.
Vijaya-kumara: What is the path of chanting the holy name?
Babaji: Using tulasi beads, or, in the absence of beads,
counting on your fingers, and carefully avoiding offenses, you
508
should always chant the holy name of Lord Hari. By chanting the
holy name purely one attains prema (pure love of God). The
purpose of counting is to know whether or not the number of
names chanted is gradually increasing. Tulasi is very dear to
Lord Hari, therefore touching tulasi beads as one chants the holy
name brings a better result. When one chants one should be
conscious that the name of Lord Krsna is not different from Lord
Krsna Himself.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, there are nine processes of
devotional service, and sixty four categories of devotional
activities. If one constantly chants the holy name, which is only
one of the activities of devotional service, how will one find time
to perform any other devotional activity?
Babaji: What is the difficulty? The sixty four devotional
activities are actually included within the nine devotional
processes. One may worship the Deity of the Lord, or one may
chant the holy name in a solitary place. One can practice the
nine processes of devotional service in any situation. In the
presence of the Deity one can purely hear, chant, remember, and
in other ways serve the holy name of Lord Krsna. All these
activities may be counted together as devotion to the holy name.
If one has no opportunity to see the deity, one may remember
the Deity and in this way in the presence of the Deity one may
practice the nine devotional activities beginning with hearing
and chanting the holy name. If in the past one has performed
many pious deeds, then he will naturally yearn to chant the holy
name. By constantly chanting the holy name one automatically
performs all the activities of different limbs of devotional service.
Of the nine processes of devotional service beginning with

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hearing and chanting, chanting the holy name is the most
powerful. If one can taste bliss by chanting the holy names, that
is enough. It is not that one must perform every devotional
activity.
Vijaya-kumara: What does 'to always chant the holy name'
mean?
Babaji: Aside for the time when one sleeps, one can chant the
holy name throughout the day as one performs various activities.
That is called constant chanting of the holy name. One can chant
the holy name in any place, at ant time, or in any situation.
There are no restrictions.
Vijaya-kumara: Aha! Unless you first give us your mercy, we
will never have the power to always chant the holy name in this
way. Without your mercy we do not see any hope that we will
ever become true Vaisnavas.
Babaji: First I will tell you of the different kinds of Vaisnavas.
Lord Gauranga, the master of our hearts, told Satvaraja that any
person who has once uttered the holy name of Lord Krsna
should be considered a Vaisnava. Then again, a person who
always chants the holy name of Lord Krsna is a better Vaisnava.
A person the sight of whom makes the holy name of the Lord
appear on others' mouths is the best Vaisnava. By chanting the
holy name of Lord Krsna with faith you will become true
Vaisnavas.
Vijaya-kumara: Please describe to us the pure holy name of
Krsna and all other things we should know.
Babaji: When the holy name of Lord Krsna appears in a
person who has full faith and who practices unalloyed devotional
510
service, that is said to be the 'true holy name of Lord Krsna'.
When the holy name appears in any other situation the name is
either 'namabhasa' (a glimpse of the holy name) or
'namaparadha' (the holy name chanted with offenses).
Vijaya-kumara: O master, should we call the holy name the
goal (sadhya) or the means (sadhana) to attain the goal?
Babaji: When a devotee practices sadhana-bhakti, his
chanting of the holy name may be said to be the means for
attaining the goal (sadhana). However, when one practices
bhava-bhakti or prema-bhakti, his chanting of the holy name is
said to be the goal (sadhya) itself. In this way the holy name
contracts or expands according to the devotees' stage of spiritual
advancement.
Vijaya-kumara: Is Lord Krsna really not different from His
name? Or is this not really true?
Babaji: There is not the slightest difference. However, there is
one secret difference: The holy name is more merciful that Lord
Krsna Himself. If one commits an offense to Him, Lord Krsna
will not forgive. But if one commits an offense to Lord Krsna, or
His Holy name, then the holy name will be merciful and forgive.
You should carefully understand the offenses to the holy name.
Carefully avoiding these offenses, one should chant the holy
name. Why should one avoid them? A person who is not free
from offenses cannot chant the holy name purely. Tomorrow you
will learn about these offenses.
After thus learning about the true nature and glories of the
holy name, Vrajanatha and Vijaya-kumara respectfully touched

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the dust of their spiritual master's feet, and then they both
returned to Bilva-puskarini.

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 Chapter Twenty-four

Eternal religion and Sambandha, Abhidheya

and Prayojana
(Offenses to the Holy name)

Nitya-dharma O Sambandhabhidheya-prayojana
(Prameyantar-gata Namaparadha-vicara)

That evening Vrajanatha and Vijaya-kumara purely chanted

50,000 holy names (29 rounds) on their tulasi beads. Late at
night they finally fell asleep. As they purely chanted the holy
name, they both felt the presence of Lord Krsna's mercy. The
next morning they told each other all they had felt. They were
blissful. They bathed in the Ganges, worshipped Lord Krsna,
chanted the holy name of Lord Hari, recited the Dasa-mula,
studied Srimad-Bhagavatam, served the Vaisnavas, honored the
Lord's prasadam, and performed other devotional activities. In
this way they passed the day. At dusk they visited the cottage of
the elderly saintly babaji at Srivasa's courtyard. After offering
dandavat obeisances, they said down, thinking of what had been

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proposed during the previous evening's talks, Vijaya-kumara
asked about the offenses to the holy name. With the cheerfulness
that was a part of his nature, the saintly babaji said, "As chanting
the holy name is the best of all spiritual activities, so offenses to
the holy name are the gravest of sins. When a person takes
shelter of the holy name, all his sins flee far away. But the
offenses to the holy name do not flee away so easily. In the
Padma Purana it is said:
"The chanting of Hare Krsna is recommended for persons
who commit offenses, because if they continue chanting they
will gradually chant offenselessly. Even if in the beginning one
chants with offenses, one will become free from such offenses,
one will become free from such offenses by chanting again and
again."
Baba, look. How difficult it is to become free from offenses to
the holy name! An intelligent person will strive to chant the holy
name without offense. A person who takes great care to avoid
offenses is quickly able to chant the pure holy name. A person
may display ecstatic symptoms, may shed tears, and the hairs of
his body may stand up, but he may still be committing offenses
and he may still not chant purely. If they do not take special
care, the aspiring devotees will not be able to chant the holy
name purely.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, what is pure chanting of the holy
name?
Babaji: When one does not commit the ten offenses to the
holy name, then he chants purely. Chanting purely here does not
mean chanting with accurate pronunciation. In the Padma
Purana it is said: "If a devotee once utters the holy name of the
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Lord, or if it penetrates his mind or enters his ear, which is the
channel of aural reception, that holy name will certainly deliver
him from material bondage, whether vibrated properly or
improperly, with correct or incorrect grammar, and properly
joined or vibrated in separate parts. O brahmana, the potency of
the holy name is therefore certainly great. However, if one uses
the vibration of the holy name for the benefit of the material
body, for material wealth and followers, or under the influence
of greed or atheism - in other words, if one utters the name with
offenses - such chanting will not produce the desire result very
soon. Therefore one should diligently avoid offenses in chanting
the holy name of the Lord."
Vijaya-kumara: Now I can see that the aspiring devotee has
no alternative but to be aware of the offenses in chanting the
holy name. Please be kind and describe those offenses.
Babaji: There are ten offenses to the holy name. They are
described in these words of the Padma Purana (Brahma-khanda
25.15-18): Blasphemy of the great saintly persons who are
engaged in preaching the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, is the worst
offense at the lotus feet of the holy name. The nama-prabhu, who
is identical with Krsna, will never tolerate such blasphemous
activities, even from one who passes as a great devotee. 2. In this
material world, the holy name of Visnu is all-auspicious. Visnu's
name, form, qualities, and pastimes are all transcendental,
absolute knowledge. Therefore if one tries to separate the
Absolute Personality of Godhead from His holy name or His
transcendental form, qualities and pastimes, thinking them to be
material, that is offensive. Similarly, to think the names of

515
demigods such as Lord Siva to be as good as the name of Lord
Visnu is also blasphemous.
To consider the spiritual master to be material and therefor to
envy his exalted position. 4. Blasphemy of Vedic literature, such
as the four Vedas and the Puranas. 5. To give some interpretation
on the holy name of the Lord. 6. to consider the glories of the
holy name to be imaginary. 7. To think that since the Hare Krsna
mantra can counteract all sinful reactions one may therefore go
on with his sinful activities and then at the same time chant the
Hare Krsna mantra to neutralize them is the greatest offense at
the lotus feet of Hari-nama. One who thinks in this way cannot
be purified by any means, such as by austerities or by the various
punishments of Yamaraja.
It is a great offense to consider the chanting of the Hare Krsna
mantra to be equal to the performance of religious ceremonies,
following austere vows, practicing renunciation, and fire
sacrifices, which are all materialistic auspicious activities. 9. It is
an offense to preach the glories of the holy name to those who
will not hear, to those who are atheistic and those who have no
faith in the chanting of the holy name.
That lowest among men, who, even after hearing the glories
of the transcendental holy name of the Lord, continues in a
materialistic concept of life, thinking, 'I am this body, and
everything belonging to this body is mine (aham mameti)', and
does not show respect and love for the chanting of the Hare
Krsna maha-mantra is an offender to the holy name."
Vijaya-kumara: Please kindly explain each verse separately so
I may understand the offenses.

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 Babaji: Two offenses are described in the first verse. The first
offense is blasphemy of the great saintly persons who have
renounced karma, dharma, jnana and yoga, and have completely
taken shelter of the holy name. That is a very great offense. And
why should it not be a great offense? The holy name of Lord Hari
will not excuse the blasphemy of great souls who properly
preach the glories of the holy name to the world. The holy name
is quickly merciful to persons who chanting the holy name in the
company of the most saintly devotees and who avoid
blaspheming devotees attached to the holy name.
Vijaya-kumara: I can understand the first offense very easily.
O master, please explain the second offense.
Babaji: In the second half of the verse we are discussing, the
second offense is described. This offense may be explained in
two ways. The first explanation is this: Lord Visnu and Lord
Sadasiva are the leaders of the demigods. To see that Their
qualities, names, and other features show that They are both
independent of each other is an offense to the holy name. The
idea that Lord Visnu may be a supreme controller, but Lord Siva
is also a supreme controller, and he is independent of Lord
Visnu, is an idea that leads to bhava-isvara-vada, the idea that
there are many independent gods. That idea is a great
obstruction blocking the path of unalloyed devotional service.
The truth is that Lord Siva and the other demigods have no
power independent of Lord Visnu. If one understands in this
way, then he does not commit this offense to the holy name. The
second interpretation is this: To think that the name, form,
qualities and pastimes of the all-auspicious (siva) Supreme
Personality of Godhead are different from the transcendental and

517
eternally perfect spiritual body of the Lord is an offense to the
holy name. The truth is that Krsna's for, Krsna's name, Krsna's
qualities, and Krsna's pastimes are all spiritual. They are not
different from each other. A person who understands this
theoretically (jnana) and practically (vijnana) when he chants
the holy name of Lord Krsna does not commit this offense to the
holy name. It is with this knowledge that one should chant the
holy name of the Lord.
Vijaya-kumara: I understand the first and second offenses. By
your mercy I have understood that Lord Krsna's form is spiritual
and not material, that He is not different from His qualities,
names, parts-and-parcels, and all else in relation to Him. A
person who takes shelter of the holy name is obliged to learn the
truth of matter and spirit by approaching the feet of a bona-fide
spiritual master. Now please explain the third offense.
Babaji: One should have unwavering devotion to the spiritual
master who gives one the holy name, for the holy name is the
highest of all spiritual activities. A person who disrespects the
spiritual master who gives the holy name, a person who thinks
that although his spiritual master may be learned in the
scriptures describing the holy name, he is not learned in Vedanta
and other philosophies, a person who then thinks he knows
more about philosophy than his spiritual master, commits an
offense to the holy name. No teacher is superior to the spiritual
master who knows the truth of the holy name. Therefore to think
lightly of him is an offense to the holy name.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, if we are purely devoted to you,
then our lives will be auspicious. Now please be merciful and
explain the fourth offense.
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 Babaji: In the Sruti sastras it is said that chanting the holy
name is the best of all spiritual activities. There it is said (the
Vedas, quoted in Hari-bhakti-vilasa 11.510-512): "O Lord Visnu,
now that we understand the truth, we worship the glory of Your
holy name.
"Om Tat Sat Om. I offer my respectful obeisances to the feet
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. To attain liberation, the
pure devotees chant and hear His transcendental holy names.
"As far as they can understand You, the sages in ancient times
chanted the glories of You, who are perfect and complete, and
who are the father of the Vedas. O Lord Visnu, now that we
understand the truth, we worship the glory of Your holy name."
In this way it is seen that all the Vedas and all the Upanisads
chant the glories of the holy name. To blaspheme all these
scriptures is an offense to the holy name. If one honors the
scriptures but blasphemes the parts of the scriptures that teach
the glories of the holy name, one commits an offense to the holy
name. Because of this offense one will not feel attracted to the
holy name. Fully aware that the holy name is the crest jewel of
all the Vedas, one should respectfully chant the holy name.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, your mouth is showering nectar on
us! Now we thirst to learn about the fifth offense.
Babaji: The fifth offense to the holy name of Lord Hari is to
give some interpretation on the holy name of the Lord. In the
Jamini-samhita it is said: "Persons who give the interpretation
that the glories of the holy name as described in the Sruti-, Smrti
and Puranas are exaggerations, live always in hell."

519
 In the Brahma-samhita, the Supreme Personality of Godhead
explains to Bodhayana: "Any person who, after hearing the
descriptions of the various benefits obtained by chanting the
holy name thinks these benefits are exaggerated, I throw into a
host of sufferings and torture in many horrible ways."
The scriptures explain that the holy name has all the powers
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. The holy name
is perfectly spiritual. Therefore it has the power to deliver one
from the cycle of birth and death. In the Visnu-dharma Purana it
is said: "My dear king, this word Krsna is so auspicious that
anyone who chants this holy name immediately gets rid of the
resultant actions of sinful activities from many, many births."
In the Brhan-Naradiya Purana it is said: "O best of the
brahmanas, chanting Lord Hari's holy names is the only way the
people can become free of all sins. I do not see any other way."
In the Brhad-Visnu Purana it is said: "A person who chants
the holy name of Krsna can at once counteract the resultant
actions of more sinful activities than he is able to perform."
These descriptions of the holy name's glories are all
completely true. However, when they hear these descriptions,
persons who earn their livelihood by performing the rituals of
karma or teaching the impersonal speculations of jnana, in order
to protect their livelihood, say these descriptions are all
exaggerations. Their interpretation is this: "The scriptures'
descriptions of the glories of the holy names are not really true.
Exaggerated descriptions of the benefits brought by chanting are
given so that the mind may be attracted to the holy name."
Persons who commit this offense do not attain attraction to the
holy name. Therefore, with full faith in the words of scripture,
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you should chant the holy name of Lord Hari. But you should
avoid the company of people who give the interpretation that the
glories of the holy name are exaggerated. If somehow you see
such a person, you should at once bathe while still wearing all
your clothing. That teaching Lord Gauranga has given.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, it is not easy for householders to
chant the holy name purely. And why not? They are always
surrounded by non devotees who are all offenders to the holy
name. Brahmana panditas like myself find it very hard to have
the company of pious devotees. O master, please be merciful and
give me the spiritual strength to avoid the company of non
devotees. As I hear the words from your mouth, my faith grows
more and more strong. Now please explain the sixth offense.
Babaji: The sixth offense is to consider the glories of the holy
name to be imaginary. The impersonalists and fruitive workers
think that the Supreme is formless and nameless. They think the
sages invented the names Rama, Krsna and the other names of
the Lord to help the people attain perfection. Persons who accept
this conclusion are offenders to the holy name. The truth is that
the holy name is spiritual and eternal. The holy name appears
only on spiritual senses engaged in devotional service. Taking
lessons from the bona fide spiritual master and the holy
scriptures, you should understand that the holy name is real,
spiritual and eternal. The holy name will not be merciful to you
if you think he is imaginary.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, before we had taken shelter of your
feet, which bring freedom from fear, we stayed in the company of
fruitive workers and nyaya logicians and we thought as they did.

521
Now, by your mercy, we have thrown those ideas far away.
Please be merciful and now explain the seventh offense.
Babaji: To think that since the Hare Krsna mantra can
counteract all sinful reactions one may therefore go on with his
sinful activities and then at the same time chant the Hare Krsna
mantra to neutralize them is an offense at the lotus feet of Hari-
nama. A person who commits sins expecting that the holy name
will purify him does not become purified even by practicing
austerities. And why not? His action is counted among the
offenses to the holy name. Its only atonement is the atonement
that removes offenses to the holy name. That is the only way it is
removed.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, in this world no sin exists that is
not destroyed by chanting the holy name. Why, then does the
holy name not destroy this sin? Why is it counted among the
offenses to the holy name?
Babaji: Baba, on the day when a living entity purely takes
shelter of the holy name, from that day forward all his sinful
reactions, either prarabdha (that have already begun to bring
suffering) or aprarabdha (that will bring suffering in the future),
are at once destroyed. Eventually the holy name gives him prema
(pure love of God). A person who purely takes shelter of the
holy name throws sinful desires far away. He does not even
desire the benefits attained by performing material pious deeds.
He throws talk of material piety and sin far away. Neither is he
attracted to impersonal liberation. Thus a person who purely
chants the holy name does not commit sins. However, if a person
commits offenses while he chants the holy name his chanting is
namabhasa (a reflection of the holy name). It is not pure
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chanting of the holy name. In the stage of namabhasa, the
chanter's past sins are all destroyed and at present he is not
attracted to sinning. However, some remnant of past sinful habits
remains and only gradually is destroyed. It is because of past
habits the chanter accidentally commits some sins, the
namabhasa (reflection of the holy name) throws that sin far
away. However, if a person who takes shelter of the holy name
thinks, "The chanting of the holy name destroys all sins. If I
commit a sin, then the holy name will then destroy that sin." and
if he then commits sins expecting to be forgiven, his sinful action
is an offense to the holy name.
Vijaya-kumara: Now please explain the eighth offense and
thus make us happy.
Babaji: It is a great offense to consider the chanting of the
Hare Krsna mantra to be equal to following the varnasrama-
dharma, giving charity, performing religious ceremonies,
following austere vows, practicing renunciation and performing
fire sacrifices, astanga-yoga and other like deeds, which are all
materialistic auspicious activities. These and the other pious
deeds described in the scriptures are all material activities.
However, the holy name of the Lord is beyond the world of
matter. The pious activities described here are all means to attain
certain goals. The final goal is spiritual in nature. All these pious
deeds are means. They are not goals. However, the holy name of
Hari is a means during the period of sadhana-bhakti, and a final
goal when the devotee reaps the fruit of his spiritual activities.
Therefore ordinary material pious activities are not equal to
chanting the holy name of Lord Hari. A person who thinks
ordinary material pious activities are equal to chanting the holy

523
name of Lord Hari commits an offense to the holy name. Material
pious deeds bring only very small and pathetic benefits. A person
who prays that the holy name grant him these pathetic material
benefits commits an offense to the holy name. And why not?
Such a persons thinks material pious deeds are equal to chanting
the holy name. A person who knows that material pious deeds
bring only small and pathetic results and who understands that
the holy name of Lord Hari is perfectly spiritual has the
knowledge called 'abhidheya-jnana (knowledge of how one
makes spiritual advancement by engaging in devotional service).
Vijaya-kumara: O master, now I understand that nothing is
equal to the holy name of Lord Hari. Now please explain the
ninth offense. My heart thirsts to hear of it.
Babaji: The Vedas teach that the chanting of Lord Hari's holy
name is the best of all spiritual activities. A person who has faith
in unalloyed devotional service is naturally qualified to chant the
holy name of Lord Hari. Persons who have no such faith are
naturally averse to spiritual activities. When they hear the holy
name they are not attracted to it. To teach such persons about
the holy name is an offense. Chanting the holy name of Lord
Hari is the best of all spiritual activities. The holy name brings
auspiciousness to everyone. Therefore the teaching is that it is
best to chant the holy name and allow such persons to hear the
chanting. However, without first seeing that the recipient is
properly qualified, one should not give initiation into the
chanting of the holy name. When you become a parama-
bhagavata (great devotee of the Lord), the you will have
transcendental potency. By the Lord's mercy you will have the
power to give people faith in the holy name. To such persons

524
you may teach the truth about the holy name of Lord Hari. As
long as you remain a madhyama-vaisnava (intermediate devotee
of the Lord) you should avoid the faithless, the non devotees and
the persons who hate the Lord.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, pushed by greed for fame and
money, many spiritual masters initiate unqualified persons in the
chanting of Lord Hari's holy name. What is the status of these
spiritual masters?
Babaji: They are offenders to the holy name.
Vijaya-kumara: Please be merciful and explain the tenth
offense.
Babaji: A resident of the material world who is intoxicated
with the idea, "I am wealthy and glorious. I have many servants
and followers", and who on some rare occasions thinks favorably
about renunciation or has a glimpse of spiritual understanding,
or hears the glories of the holy name from panditas, but does not
earnestly love the holy name as he should, commits an offense to
the holy name. To teach these persons, the Lord says in Sri
Siksastaka (verse 2): "O my Lord, Your holy name alone can
render all benediction to living beings, and thus You have
hundreds and millions of names like Krsna and Govinda. In
these transcendental names You have invested all Your
transcendental energies. There are not even hard and fast rules
for chanting these names. O my Lord, out of kindness You
enable us to easily approach You by chanting Your holy names,
but I am so unfortunate that I have no attraction for them."
Baba, avoid these ten offenses and chant Lord Hari's holy
name always. Then the holy name will quickly be merciful to

525
you, give you prema (pure love of God) and turn you into a
parama-bhagavata (a great devotee of the Lord).
Vijaya-kumara: O master, now I see that the impersonalists,
fruitive workers, and yogis are all offenders to the holy name.
When many people gather together to chant the holy name
(sankirtana) is it right for a pure Vaisnava to join them?
Babaji: If offenders to the holy name are prominent among
the chanters, then it is not right for a true Vaisnava to join them
in chanting. However, if the chanters are mostly pure Vaisnavas
or Vaisnavas whose chanting is on the level of namabhasa (the
reflection of the holy name), then there is no harm. In truth it is
good. That chanting brings spiritual happiness. Now it is late at
night. Tomorrow you will hear more about namabhasa.
Their voices choked with love for the holy name, Vijaya-
kumara and Vrajanatha offered prayers to the saintly babaji,
touched the dust from his feet, and, signing the song "Hari
haraye namah", began walking to Bilva-puskarini.

526
 Chapter Twenty-five

Eternal religion and Sambandha, Abhidheya

and Prayojana
(Offenses to the Holy name)

Nitya-dharma o sambandhabhidheya-prayojana
(Prameyantar-gata namaparadha-vicara)

The next evening, at dusk, Vijaya-kumara and Vrajanatha

approached the saintly babaji and offered dandavat obeisances to
him. When it was appropriate, Vijaya-kumara said, "o master,
please be merciful and fully explain namabhasa (the reflection of
the holy name). We thirst to hear about the holy name." The
saintly babaji replied, "You are very fortunate. To understand the
holy name you should first understand three things: 1. nama (the
pure chanting of the holy name), 2. namabhasa (the reflection of
the holy name) and 3. namaparadha (offenses to the holy name).
Now I will explain about namabhasa. The reflection of the holy
name is called 'namabhasa'.

527
 Vijaya-kumara: What kind of reflection is it, and how many
kinds of reflection are there?
Babaji: The word 'abhasa' has three definitions: 1. kanti
(light), 2. chaya (shadow) and 3. pratibimba (reflection). An
effulgent object manifests light and also creates shadows. In this
way the sun of the holy name manifests as nama-chaya (the
shadow of the holy name) and nama-pratibimba (the reflection
of the holy name). The wise speak of 'bhakty-abhasa" (the partial
presence of devotional service), "bhavabhasa' (the partial
presence of ecstatic love of God), 'namabhasa' (the partial
presence of the holy name), and 'vaisnavabhasa' (being a
Vaisnava in part). Each of these 'abhasas' is divided into two
aspects: 'pratibimba' (reflection) and 'chaya' (shadow).
Vijaya-kumara: How are bhakty-abhasa, bhavabhasa,
namabhasa, and vaisnavabhasa related to each other?
Babaji: A Vaisnava chants the holy name of Lord Hari. If he
chants the holy name with bhakty-abhasa, then the holy name
manifests before him as namabhasa, and he himself is a
Vaisnavabhasa. The words bhava and bhakti refer to the same
thing. They are called by different names because one is
contracted and the other expanded.
Vijaya-kumara: In what condition of life is one a
Vaisnavabhasa?
Babaji: In Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.2.47) it is said: "A prakrta,
or materialistic devotee does not purposefully study the sastra
and try to understand the actual standard of pure devotional
service. Consequently he does not show proper respect to
advanced devotees. He may, however, follow the regulative

528
principles learned from his spiritual master or from his family
who worships the Deity. He is to be considered on the material
platform, although he is trying to advance in devotional service.
Such a person is a bhakta-praya (neophyte devotee), or
bhaktabhasa, for he is a little enlightened by Vaisnava
philosophy."
The word 'sraddha' (faith) in this verse means 'sraddhabhasa'
(the partial presence of faith). And why not? When faith is
directed to the Lord alone and not to the Lord's devotees, such
faith is called chaya (shadow) or pratibimba (reflection). That is
the faith of ordinary materialist people. It is not the spiritual
faith of pure devotional service. Because a bhaktabhasa (a person
who is partially a devotee) has faith and worship that are
material (prakrta) in nature, a bhaktabhasa devotee is also called
a 'prakrta-bhakta' or a "Vaisnavabhasa'. Lord Mahaprabhu said
that Hiranya-Govardhana was a 'Vaisnava-praya'. The word
"Vaisnava-praya' means 'a person who, wearing beads, tilaka
markings and other things, looks like a true Vaisnava, although
his chanting of the holy name is only namabhasa'. Such a person
is not a true Vaisnava or a 'suddha-Vaisnava" (pure Vaisnava).
Vijaya-kumara: If an impersonalist accepts the various
outward markings of a Vaisnava and chants the holy name, is he
then a Vaisnavabhasa?
Babaji: No. They cannot be called 'Vaisnavabhasa'. They are
offenders. They should be called "Vaisnavaparadhi" (offenders to
the Vaisnavas). They who take shelter of pratibimba-namabhasa
(the reflection of the holy name) and pratibimba-bhavabhasa
(the reflection of ecstatic love for the Lord) may be called

529
Vaisnavabhasa. But it is not right to call the great offenders by
the name "Vaisnava". They should be called something else.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, please explain more clearly the
nature of the pure chanting of the holy name, so we may
understand it better.
Babaji: When a person who chants the holy name is
'anyabhilasita-sunya' (free of all material desires), 'jnana-
karmady-anavrta' (free of impersonalism and fruitive work), and
'anukulya-bhava' (favorable to Lord Krsna), then his chanting is
pure chanting of the holy name. Here the word 'anyabhilasa' does
not refer to the desire to taste the transcendental bliss that comes
when the spiritual holy name is openly manifested. "anyabhilasa'
here refers to the desire to attain impersonal liberation or
freedom from sins as the result of one's chanting of the holy
name. If these desires are present, then one's chanting of the holy
name will not be pure. If one is not free from the desire to enjoy
the so-called benefits obtained by jnana (impersonal speculation)
and karma (fruitive work), then his chanting of the holy name
will not be pure either. If one throws far away all feelings of
enmity toward the Lord, and maintains only favorable emotions
directed to the Lord, then one's chanting of the holy name will
be pure. In this way you can see that when one's chanting is free
of namaparadha (offenses to the holy name) and namabhasa (the
partial manifestation of the holy name), then his chanting is
suddha-nama (the pure chanting of the holy name), Lord
Gauracandra, the purifier of the Kali-yuga has described this
pure chanting in the following words: "One should chant the
holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking
oneself lower than the straw in the street. One should be more

530
tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige, and
ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one
can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly."
Vijaya-kumara: O master, how are namabhasa and
namaparadha different?
Babaji: Namabhasa is not suddha-nama (the pure chanting of
the holy name). In one circumstance the chanting of the holy
name is called 'namabhasa' and in another circumstance it is
called 'namaparadha'. When out of bewilderment and foolishness
one does not chant the holy name purely, his chanting is called
'namabhasa'. On the other hand, when a rascal impersonalist
who yearns to attain impersonal liberation chants the holy name,
or when a hedonist who yearns after material pleasures chants
the holy name, their impure chanting is called 'namaparadha'
(offense to the holy name). I have already described to you the
ten offenses. If a sincere person out of ignorance commits these
offenses, his chanting is namabhasa. This should be understood:
As long as one's chanting is namabhasa and does not have the
nature of namaparadha, then one may hope that one day he will
rise above namabhasa and attain suddha-nama (the pure
chanting of the holy name). As long as one is in the stage of
namaparadha it will not be easy for him to chant the holy name
purely. I have already explained how one becomes free from
namaparadha (offenses to the holy name). Aside from that, there
is no other method by which one can attain auspiciousness.
Vijaya-kumara: What should a person whose chanting is
namabhasa do to turn his namabhasa chanting into suddha-nama
(the pure chanting of the holy name)?

531
 Babaji: By associating with pure devotees one quickly
becomes attracted to pure devotional service. When the holy
name dances on the tongue of such a person, that chanting is
suddha-nama (pure chanting of the holy name). However, such a
person must scrupulously avoid the association of persons whose
chanting is namaparadha. And why not? If he associates with
them, he will not be able to chant the holy name purely.
Association with saintly devotees is the only way for the
individual soul to attain auspiciousness. For this reason Lord
Gauracandra, who is the master of our lives, taught Sanatana
Goswami that association with saintly devotees is the root from
which devotional service grows. When one associates with
saintly devotees and avoids the association of non devotees and
women, he will be able to chant the holy name of Lord Krsna
properly.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, does this mean that if a man does
not renounce the association of his wife he will not be able to
chant the holy name purely?
Babaji: One should renounce association with women. When
a householder Vaisnava associates with his wife and he lives
Vaisnava household life in an unattached way, that is not what is
meant here by "association with women". When a man has a
material attachment to a woman or a woman has a material
attachment to a man, that is what is meant here by 'association
with women'. A householder may remain in family life, and if he
is free from material attachment he can chant Lord Krsna's holy
name purely and he can attain the final goal of life.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, what are the different kinds of
namabhasa?
532
 Babaji: In Srimad-Bhagavatam (6.2.14) it is said: "One who
chants the holy name of the Lord is immediately freed from the
reactions of unlimited sins, even if he chants indirectly (to
indicate something else), jokingly, for musical entertainment, or
even neglectfully. This is accepted by all the learned scholars of
the scriptures."
Vijaya-kumara: O master, what does it mean to 'chant
indirectly' (sanketya)?
Babaji: At the moment of his death Ajamila called for his son,
who was named Narayana. By speaking the word "Narayana",
which is a name of Lord Krsna, Ajamila attained the benefit
brought by chanting the Lord's name indirectly. The mlecchas
use the words 'Harama! Harama!", which means "Pig"!, to show
their horror and contempt. However, these words mean "Ha
Rama!" (O Lord Rama!). By chanting the Lord's holy name in
this indirect way, the mlecchas become free from Yamaraja's grip.
Namabhasa (the glimpse of the holy name) brings liberation.
That is the conclusion of all the scriptures. The holy names of
Lord Mukunda (Krsna) are not different from the Lord Himself.
Therefore a person who says the word "Mukunda" touches Lord
Mukunda directly. In this way he easily attains liberation. By
following the path of impersonal speculation one attains
liberation only after much difficulty. But by namabhasa (the
glimpse of the holy name)everyone attains liberation very easily.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, many arrogant impersonalist
scholars, mlecchas completely ignorant of the truth and demons
who stand opposed to all spiritual goals attained liberation by
jokingly (parihasya) chanting the holy name. This I have read in

533
many places in the scriptures. Please describe this joking
chanting of the holy name.
Babaji: When a person disrespectfully chants the holy name
that is called 'stobha'. As a Vaisnava chants the holy name aloud,
a blasphemer may approach and say, “He, your „Hari Kesta‟ will
bring everything to you!" By thus chanting the holy name, even
disrespectfully, the blasphemer will eventually attain liberation.
That is the power of the holy name.
Vijaya-kumara: What is chanting the holy name neglectfully
(helana)?
Babaji: That is chanting the holy name without honoring it.
In the Prabhasa-khanda it is said: "Krsna's name is the sweetest
of sweet things, the most auspicious of all auspicious things, the
transcendental fruit of the vine of all Vedic literature. O best of
the Bhrgus, chanted even once, either with faith or contempt, it
delivers the chanter." In this verse the word 'sraddhaya' means
'with respect' and 'helaya' means 'without respect'. The words
'nara-matram tarayet' mean that the holy name delivers even the
yavanas.
Vijaya-kumara: Is it not an offense to chant the holy name
without showing respect?
Babaji: If it is done because of a demonic nature it is an
offense. But if it is done because of ignorance, it is namabhasa (a
glimpse of the holy name).
Vijaya-kumara: Please explain what benefit namabhasa brings
and what benefit it does not bring?
Babaji: Sense pleasures (bhukti), liberation (mukti) and the
eighteen yogic perfections are included among the benefits
534
namabhasa brings. However, pure love for Lord Krsna (krsna-
prema) which is the highest goal of life, is not granted by
namabhasa. If a person whose chanting is on the level of
namabhasa associates with a pure devotee (suddha-bhakta), then
the chanter can come to the level of a madhyama-Vaisnava
(intermediate devotee). From that status he can become further
elevated, attain pure devotion, chant the holy name purely, and
finally attain pure love for Lord Krsna (krsna-prema).
Vijaya-kumara: O master, in this world there are many
devotees who are on the platform of Vaisnavabhasa. They have
the outward marks of a Vaisnava and they diligently chant the
holy name although their chanting is on the level of namabhasa.
Even though they chant, after many days they still do not attain
pure love for Lord Krsna (krsna-prema). Why is that?
Babaji: The reason is confidential. It is this: Persons on the
level of bhakty-abhasa (a glimpse of devotional service) are
certainly eligible to eventually attain pure devotional service.
However, if such persons mistakenly think impure persons,
persons who do not have unalloyed devotion to the Lord, to be
great saints, and if by this bad association they eventually
associate with impersonalists and other offenders, by that bad
association they also become offenders to the pure Vaisnavas. In
this way their path of gradual spiritual advancement becomes
checked. Thus by bad association they come to accept the
doctrines of the impersonalists or other offenders. In this way
they wander far away from pure devotional service and
eventually they become offenders. However, if, because of past
pious deeds they are able to shun bad association and remain in

535
the association of good devotees, then they eventually will
become pure Vaisnavas.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, what result is obtained by
namaparadha (offenses to the holy name)?
Babaji: Even if they were multiplied millions of time, the five
sins would not equal an offense to the holy name. You can very
easily see the result reaped by offending the holy name.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, a person who offends the holy
name certainly reaps an inauspicious result. Still, does he not
also obtain a good result because he has spoken the syllables of
the holy name?
Babaji: The holy name fulfills the chanter's desires, whatever
they are. However, to the offensive chanter the holy name will
not give pure love for Lord Krsna (krsna-prema). Eventually the
offensive chanter must taste the result of his offenses. However, a
person who, although he commits offenses to the holy name,
regularly chants the holy name will attain the result of his
chanting. After some time his chanting will become a great
transcendental pious deed. As that transcendental pious deed
grows greater and greater, he will attain the association of saintly
devotees who devotedly chant the holy name in a pure way. Thus
by always chanting the holy name, the offender eventually
becomes free of his offenses to the holy name. By following this
path even impersonalists gradually become sincere devotees of
Lord Hari.
Vijaya-kumara: By chanting the holy name only once a
person is freed from all sins. Why, then should one chant the
name always?

536
 Babaji: Offenders to the holy name have hearts and activities
that are always impure. They are naturally averse to the Lord.
They are never attracted to saintly persons, holy objects, or holy
times. They are naturally attracted to evil persons, evil theories,
and evil deeds. However, constant chanting of the holy name
turns them away from evil persons and evil deeds. Free from bad
association, they come to chant the holy name purely. The holy
name then gives them the strength to proceed on the spiritual
path.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, from your saintly mouth flows a
nectar stream of the descriptions of the holy name, a stream that
flows through the cave of our ears and into our hearts. Drinking
from this stream makes us intoxicated with the nectar of love for
the holy name. Now we understand the difference between nama
(the pure chanting of the holy name), namabhasa (a glimpse of
the holy name), and namaparadha (offensive chanting of the
holy name). Now our lives are a success. Please tell us the
conclusion of all this. We yearn to hear it.
Babaji: In Jagadananda Pandita's Prema-vivarta the
conclusion is eloquently taught. Please listen to it.
"O brother, the holy name of Lord Krsna does not come from
a person who associates with non devotees. The syllables of the
holy name may come from him, but the true holy name does not.
"Sometimes a glimpse of the holy name (namabhasa) comes
from him. Always offenses to the holy name (namaparadha)
come from him. O my brother, please know that these are all
obstacles to the path of devotion to Lord Krsna.

537
 "If you wish truly to chant the holy name of Lord Krsna, then
stay in the association of devotees and keep far away from the
desire for sense gratification, impersonal liberation, and yoga-
siddhis.
"Avoid the ten offenses, remain aloof from praise and blame,
perform your duties, and chant the holy name of Lord Krsna.
"Always accept what is favorable to Lord Krsna's devotional
service and always reject what is not favorable to Lord Krsna's
devotional service.
"Avoid impersonal speculation, yoga, and fruitive work.
Avoid the pretended renunciation practiced by persons who are
like monkeys. That so-called renunciation is only a funny
comedy played on the stage of the material body.
"Always think, 'Krsna is my protector'. By humbly
surrendering to Him you will be free of troubles.
"It is very difficult for a conditioned soul to meet a great
saint. That is why Lord Krsna came, in the form of a great
devotee, to the land of Nadiya.
"If you are wise, you will take shelter of Lord Gaura's feet.
Where is there a saintly guru like Lord Gaura?
"O sannyasi brother, don't talk or hear gossip when you meet
with others.
"O my sannyasi brother, even in dreams do not talk to
women. O my brother, please remember that you have left your
wife at home, and now you live in the forest.
"If you wish to keep Lord Gauranga's love, then please keep
in your mind the story of Chota Haridasa.
538
 "Don't eat opulent food. Don't wear opulent clothing. In your
heart always worship Radha and Krsna.
"Like Haridasa Thakura, always chant the name of Lord
Krsna. At every moment of the eight parts of the day worship
Radha and Krsna in the groves of Vrndavana forest.
"To both householder and sannyasi, Lord Gaura Raya says,
'My brother, do not pass your days without chanting the holy
name.'
"O my brother, there is no need to perform a great variety of
many different devotional activities. You need only purely take
shelter of Lord Krsna's holy name. Pass your life in that way.
"Merciful to the conditioned souls, Lord Krsna has descended
as His holy name. Merciful to the people in Kali-yuga, Lord
Krsna has descended as fair-complexioned Lord Gaura.
"Sincerely worship Lord Gaura's devotees. O my brother, that
is the way to attain Lord Krsna's feet.
"In the company of Lord Gaura's devotees, chant the names
of Lord Gaura, chant the Hare Krsna mantra, and dance again
and again.
"O my brother, in this way you will quickly attain the wealth
of love for the holy name, a wealth that our Lord personally
came to Nadiya to deliver."
Hearing Sri Jagadananda Pandita's Prema-vivarta from the
mouth of the elderly saintly babaji, Vijaya-kumara and
Vrajanatha were overcome with spiritual love. For some
moments the saintly babaji fell unconscious. Then, placing his

539
arms around Vijaya-kumara's and Vrajanatha's necks, he began
to sing:
"How powerful is the holy name of Lord Krsna!
"Ablaze with material desires, my heart has become like a
desert scorched by the sun. But now something walks on the
pathway of my ears. Now it enters my heart. It is like a peerless
shower of nectar.
"That shower of nectar has now left my heart. Now it walks
on my tongue. Assuming the form of a sound, it dances again
and again. My voice is choked. My limbs tremble. My feet cannot
stay still.
"A torrential stream flows from my eyes. My body is covered
with perspiration. The hairs of my body stand erect. I fall
unconscious. I think the end of the world has come. My entire
body is filled with ecstatic love.
"It greatly troubles me. It showers my heart with nectar. It
plunges me into an ocean of love. Now I do not understand
anything. It has made me a madman. It has robbed all the wealth
I keep in my heart.
"I take shelter of Him, and this is the way He acts. I cannot
tell it all. The holy name of Lord Krsna is independent. He acts
as He likes. If He wishes, He makes me happy. He is the wealth
of my happiness.
"The holy name is the budding flower of love. It is the resting
place of wonderful nectar. It shows so much power. The budding
flower begins to open. It shows a little of its beauty and virtue.
Binding me with the ropes of Krsna, it steals my heart.

540
 "When it opens fully, that flower carries me to Vraja. It shows
me its own form and pastimes. It gives me a perfect spiritual
body. It places me by Krsna's side. It completely destroys my
material body.
"The holy name of Lord Krsna is a cintamani jewel. It is the
spring from which all nectar flows. It is eternally liberated. It is
pure and sweet. If I can die plagued by the troubles brought by
the holy name, then I will be happy."
Again and again he sang the glories of the holy name. In this
way half the night passed. Then he stopped. Taking permission
from their spiritual master, Vijaya-kumara and Vrajanatha, now
plunged in the nectar of the holy name, returned to their own
place.

541
 Chapter Twenty-six

The Discussion of Rasa Begins

Rasa-vicara arambha

Vijaya-kumara did not come for almost a month. Knowing

the desire of Vrajanatha and Vijaya-kumara, Vrajanatha's
grandmother arranged, with the help of a matchmaker, for a
suitable bride. Hearing this news, Vijaya-kumara sent his brother
to Bilva-puskarini to perform his nephew's auspicious wedding
ceremony. The auspicious day of the auspicious ceremony came.
Hearing all about the wedding, one day Vijaya-kumara came
there. His heart was restless for spiritual advancement. He would
not talk of material things. Vrajanatha said to him, "Uncle, why
is your heart not peaceful today? Tell me confidentially. By your
order I now wear the shackles of household life. Please tell me
what you are thinking about your own self." Vijaya-kumara
replied, "Baba, I have decided that at least once I should see
Jagannatha Puri. In a few days I will leave with a group of
pilgrims from Jagannatha Puri. Come, let us go to our spiritual
master and I will ask his permission. After lunch, Vrajanatha and
Vijaya-kumara went to Sri Mayapura, told everything to saintly
Raghunatha dasa Babaji and asked his permission to go on
542
pilgrimage to Jagannatha Puri. With great happiness the saintly
babaji said that nowadays in Jagannatha Puri, at Jagannatha
Misra's home, where Lord Mahaprabhu stayed, resides Sri
Vakresvara Pandita's disciple Sri Gopala-guru Goswami, whose
saintly feet Vijaya-kumara should see, and whose teachings he
should devotedly hear, and around whose neck now rest the
teachings of Sri Svarupa Damodara Goswami. When Vrajanatha
and Vijaya-kumara returned, Vrajanatha declared that he also
wished to go to Jagannatha Puri. Vijaya-kumara was very glad to
hear this. When they both explained all this, it was finally
decided that Vrajanatha's grandmother would accompany them.
The month of Jyaistha (May-June) had not yet come when the
pilgrims left their homes and entered the path to Jagannatha
Puri. Walking and walking, after some days they came to
Dantana and then Jalesvara. Eventually they saw the Deity Sri
Ksiracora Gopinatha. Then they came to Sri Viraja-ksetra. After
performing the nabhigaya-kriya ritual, they bathed in the
Vaitarani River and then went to Cuttack, where they saw the
Deity of Sri Gopala. Then they saw a Deity of Lord Siva in a
mango grove. Finally they came to Jagannatha Puri. There the
panditas arranged lodgings for each of the pilgrims. Vijaya-
kumara, Vrajanatha and Vrajanatha's grandmother all stayed at
the home of Haracandi-sahi. They circumambulated the holy
place, bathed in the sea, saw the five famous holy places, and
honored the prasadam foods offered to the Lord. Three or four
days passed in this way. Then, in the temple Vijaya-kumara and
Vrajanatha saw a picture of Lord Mahaprabhu as well as His
footprints and fingerprints. Overcome with love, that very day
they went to the home of Kasi Misra. In Kasi Misra's home they
saw the stone Gambhira room and they also saw Lord
543
Mahaprabhu's sandals and other things. On one side was the
temple of Sri Radha-kanta and on the other side was the room of
Sri Gopala-guru Goswami. Their voices choked with the
happiness of spiritual love, Vijaya-kumara and Vrajanatha fell
before Gopala-guru Goswami's feet. Gopala-guru Goswami
mercifully glanced at them, embraced them, and asked, "Who are
you?" When Vijaya-kumara and Vrajanatha told about
themselves, tears flowed from the eyes of Gopala-guru Goswami.
When he heard the word "Sri Navadvipa", he said, "I am
fortunate, for today I have seen two residents of the holy abode.
Please tell me: How are Raghunatha dasa and Gauracandra dasa
and the other Vaisnavas in Sri Mayapura these days? Ah!
Whenever I think of Raghunatha dasa Babaji I also remember my
siksa-guru Srila Raghunatha dasa Goswami. Then Gopala-guru
Goswami called for his disciple Sri Dhyanacandra and said to
him, "These two great souls should be given prasadam." Going
to Dhyanacandra's room, Vrajanatha and Vijaya-kumara honored
the maha-prasadam. After honoring maha-prasadam, the three
devotees talked about many things. Learning that Vijaya-kumara
was a scholar of Srimad-Bhagavatam and Vrajanatha was a
scholar of many scriptures, Dhyanacandra Goswami became very
happy. He approached Gopala-guru Goswami and told him all
about it. Gopala-guru Goswami merciful said, "These two
persons are the great treasure of my heart. Please bring them to
see me every day that they stay in Jagannatha Puri. At that time
Vijaya-kumara and Vrajanatha said, "O master, Raghunatha dasa
Babaji Mahasaya of Sri Mayapura has been very merciful to us.
He ordered us to take instructions at your feet." Gopala-guru
Goswami said, "Raghunatha dasa Babaji is very learned. You
should carefully follow whatever advice he gives. If you wish to
544
study something he has not yet taught you, then you may come
tomorrow at midday, honor the Lord's lunch prasadam and then
ask questions. After accepting Gopala-guru's invitation, the two
devotees returned to Haracandi-sahi's home.
The next day, at the appointed time, the two devotees went to
the temple of Sri Radha-kanta, honored prasadam, and then
placed some questions before Gopala-guru Goswami's feet. They
said, "O master, we wish to understand the transcendental rasas
(relationships with Lord Krsna). By hearing the description of
the rasas of devotional service to Lord Krsna from your holy
mouth our lives will become successful. You are the foremost
spiritual master of Lord Nimai Pandita's sampradaya. You stay in
Lord Mahaprabhu's home, and you have accepted the seat given
by Sri Svarupa Damodara Goswami. You are the spiritual master
of the entire world. When we hear from your mouth about the
transcendental rasas, whatever little we have learned about the
transcendental science will finally bear its proper fruit. Taking
these two disciples to a secluded place, he happily said, "May
Nimai Pandita, who is the son of Sri Saci-devi, and who,
descending to this world in the land of Sri Mayapura, mercifully
delivered the people of Bengal and Orissa, grant transcendental
bliss to us. May Sri Svarupa Damodara Goswami, who pleased
Lord Mahaprabhu by describing to Him the sweet mellows of
madhura-rasa, appear in our hearts. May Vakresvara Pandita,
whose dancing made Nimai Pandita into his submissive servant,
and who purified Devananda Pandita, grant auspiciousness to
you.
"The rasas cannot be compared to anything else. When the
moon of the Supreme Lord's transcendental pastimes directly

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rises, then the activities of pure devotional service become
'bhakti-rasa' (the mellows of devotional service).
Vrajanatha: What pious deeds must one have performed in
the past in order that one may attain rasa?
Goswami: I cannot answer this question with only a brief
explanation. I will explain elaborately. Then you will
understand. From your spiritual master you have heard about
'krsna-rati' (attachment to Krsna), which is also called 'sthayi-
bhava' (steady ecstasy). When that ecstatic love increases, it
becomes krsna-bhakti-rasa (the mellows of devotional service to
Lord Krsna).
Vrajanatha: Please describe 'sthayi-bhava' (steady ecstasy)
and "samagri' (the ingredients of rasa). I have already heard my
spiritual master explain what is 'bhava'. I did not hear from him
how these things combine to become 'rasa'.
Goswami: Generally, bhava-bhakti (ecstatic devotional
service) and krsna-rati (attraction to Lord Krsna) appear because
of transcendental pious deeds performed in this life or a previous
life. In this way one attains a condition of life that is filled with
bliss. There are four kinds of samagris (ingredients or rasa). They
are: 1. vibhava (special symptoms or causes of ecstasy), 2.
anubhava (subsequent ecstasy), 3. sattvika-bhava (constitutional
or existential ecstasy), and 4. vyabhicari-bhava (aggressive
ecstasy) or sancari-bhava (continuously existing ecstatic
symptoms). Let me begin by explaining these different samagris
(ingredients of rasa). Vibhava, which causes one to taste the
sweetness of attraction to Krsna, is of two kinds: 1. alambana
(basic) and 2. uddipana (impelling). Alambana is itself of two
kinds: 1. visaya (the object of love), and 2. asraya (the reservoir
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of love). The object of love is the visaya-alambana, and the
person who possesses the love is the asraya-alambana. thus the
person who is the object of attachment or love is the rati-visaya,
and the person who is attached or who loves is the rati-asraya.
Thus a devotee who in his heart loves Lord Krsna is the rati-
asraya, and Lord Krsna, who is the object of His devotee's love, is
the rati-visaya.
Vrajanatha: I have understood that vibhava is divided into
alambana and uddipana. Further, alambana is of two kinds:
visaya and asraya. Lord Krsna is the visaya and the devotee is the
asraya. This I desire to know: Is there any situation where Lord
Krsna Himself is the rati-asraya (a person who loves someone).
Goswami: Yes. When Lord Krsna loves His devotee, then
Krsna is the rati-asraya and the devotee is the rati-visaya.
Vrajanatha: From my spiritual master I have heard the
description of Lord Krsna's sixty four qualities. Please tell me
what more may be said about Lord Krsna.
Goswami: Lord Krsna is perfect and complete. He has all
transcendental qualities and virtues. When He is in Dvaraka He
is perfect. When He is in Mathura He is more perfect. When He
is in Gokula He is most perfect. His transcendental qualities are
manifested in this way in different degrees. In His different
pastimes Lord Krsna appears as 'dhirodatta', 'dhira-lalita', 'dhira-
prasanta', and 'dhirodhatta'. In these four ways Lord Krsna is a
hero.
Vrajanatha: What is "dhirodatta"?
Goswami: As a dhirodatta hero Lord Krsna is very grave,
gentle, forgiving, merciful, and virtuous in many ways.
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 Vrajanatha: What is 'dhira-lalita'?
Goswami: As a dhira-lalita hero Lord Krsna is naturally very
funny, always in full youthfulness, expert in joking, free from all
anxieties, and domesticated and very submissive to His lovers.
Vrajanatha: What is "dhira-prasanta"?
Goswami: As a dhira-prasanta hero Lord Krsna is very
peaceful, forbearing, considerate and obliging.
Vrajanatha: What is 'dhiroddhata'?
Goswami: As a dhiroddhata hero Lord Krsna is very envious,
proud, easily angered, restless and complacent.
Vrajanatha: Many of these qualities you have described
contradict each other. How is that possible?
Goswami: Lord Krsna possesses all powers and opulences
without any limit. Therefore by His inconceivable potencies it is
entirely possible that He possess many mutually contradictory
qualities. This is described in the following words of the Kurma
Purana: "He is not great and He is not small. He is the greatest
and He is the smallest. He has no color. His color is dark and the
corners of His eyes are red.
"Because He has all powers and opulences, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead possesses contradictory qualities. Even
so, there is no fault in this. His contradictory qualities are
glories."
In the Maha-Varaha Purana it is said: "All the forms of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead are eternal and everlasting.
Nothing can be given to improve them, for they are perfect.
Nothing can be taken from them. They are not material.
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 "They are full of transcendental bliss and knowledge. They
are filled with all virtues and free from all faults."
In the Vaisnava Tantra it is said: "The form of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead is eternal, full of knowledge, bliss, power
and opulence and free of the eighteen faults."
"The eighteen faults are: illusion, fatigue, errors, roughness,
material lust, restlessness, pride, envy, violence, disgrace,
exhaustion, untruth, anger, hankering, dependence, desire to
lord over the universe, seeing duality, and cheating."
The forms of the Lord's incarnations are all perfect. The form
of Lord Krsna, who is the source of all incarnations is supremely
perfect. Aside from what has already been said, Lord Krsna
possesses the eight qualities of a great personality: 1. decorated,
2. enjoying, 3. pleasing, 4. dependable, 5. steady, 6.
predominating, 7. a meticulous dresser, and 8. a magnanimous
personality. It is said that a person is great if he is decorated with
the qualities of being very merciful toward the unfortunate, very
powerful, superior, chivalrous, enthusiastic, expert, and truthful.
When a person is always happy and is accustomed to speak
smilingly, he is considered to be in the mode of enjoyment.
When one's characteristics are very sweet and desirable, his
personality is called pleasing. Any person who is reliable in all
circumstances is called dependable. A person who is not
disturbed even in a situation of reverses is called steady. A
person who can affect the mind of everyone is called
predominating. A person who is fond of dressing himself is
called lalita, or a meticulous dresser. Persons who can give
themselves to anyone are called magnanimous. Although Krsna
is independent of everyone, out of His causeless mercy He is
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dependent upon Garga Rsi for religion instruction, for learning
the military art He is dependent upon Satyaki and for good
counsel He is dependent upon His friend Uddhava
Vrajanatha: Now I have learned how Lord Krsna is the hero
of rasas. Now please describe the devotees who are qualified for
the rasas and who have attain vibhava.
Goswami: A person who in his heart has ecstatic love (bhava)
for Lord Krsna is considered a devotee situated in the rasas. The
26 qualities of Lord Krsna that begin with truthfulness and end
with shyness are all present in the devotees of Lord Krsna.
Vrajanatha: What are the different kinds of devotees qualified
to participate in the rasas?
Goswami: The devotees of Krsna can be classified into two
groups: 1. sadhaka (those who are cultivating devotional service
in order to enter into the transcendental kingdom), and 2. siddha
(those who are already in the perfectional stage of devotional
service).
Vrajanatha: Who are the sadhakas?
Goswami: A person who has the stage of attraction for Krsna
and who is not freed from the material impasse, but who has
qualified himself to enter into the kingdom of God is called
sadhaka. Sadhaka means one who is cultivating devotion in
Krsna consciousness. The description of such a devotee is found
in the Eleventh Canto, Second Chapter, verse 46 of Srimad-
Bhagavatam.
Vrajanatha: O master, are not the devotees described in
Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.2.47 also qualified for the rasas?

550
 Goswami: If one has not obtained the mercy of a pure devotee
and become a pure devotee himself, then he cannot be
considered a sadhaka. An example of a sadhaka cultivating
devotional service is Bilvamangala Thakura.
Vrajanatha: Who are the siddha devotees?
Goswami: When a devotee is never tired of executing
devotional service and is always engaged in Krsna conscious
activities, constantly relishing the transcendental mellows in
relationship with Krsna, he is called (siddha). There are two
kinds of perfect devotees: 1. they who attained perfection
(asamprapta-siddha) and 2. they who were always perfect (nitya-
siddha).
Vrajanatha: Who are the samprapta-siddha devotees?
Goswami: The perfectional stage can be achieved (samprapta-
siddha) in two ways: one may achieve this stage of perfection by
gradual progress in devotional service (sadhana-siddha), or one
may become perfect by the causeless mercy of Krsna, even
though he has not executed all the details of devotional service
(krpa-siddha).
Vrajanatha: Who are the nitya-siddha devotees?
Goswami: Srila Rupa Goswami writes (Bhakti-rasamrta
sindhu 2.1.290): "Persons who have achieved eternal, blissful life
exactly on the level of Sri Krsna and who are able to attract Lord
Krsna by their transcendental loving service, and who love Lord
Krsna millions of times more than they love themselves are
called eternally perfect (nitya-siddha)."
In the Padma Purana, Uttara-khanda it is said: "Just as Lord
Ramacandra descends along with Laksmana (an incarnation of
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Sankarsana) and Bharata (an expansion of Pradyumna), so the
members of the Yadu dynasty and the cowherd men of
Vrndavana also descend with Lord Krsna in order to join in the
transcendental pastimes of the Lord. When the Supreme Lord
returns to His eternal abode, His associates return with Him to
their respective places, As such, these ever-liberated Vaisnavas
are not bound by the material laws of birth and death."
Vrajanatha: O master, now I can understand the alambana
part of vibhava. Please explain the uddipana part.
Goswami: Some things that give impetus (uddipana) or
stimulation to ecstatic love of Krsna are His transcendental
qualities, His uncommon activities, His smiling features, His
apparel and garlands, His flute, His buffalo-horn, His leg-bells,
His conchshell, His footprints, His places of pastimes (such as
Vrndavana), His favorite plant (tulasi), His devotee, and the
periodical occasions for remembering Him. One such occasion
for remembrance is ekadasi.
Vrajanatha: As far as Krsna's transcendental qualities are
concerned, they can be divided into three groups: qualities
pertaining to His transcendental body, qualities pertaining to His
transcendental speech, and qualities pertaining to His
transcendental mind. Krsna's age is considered in three periods:
kaumara, pauganda, and kaisora. These are described in the
following words (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 2.1.309): "Krsna's age
is considered in three periods: from His appearance day to the
end of His fifth year is called kaumara, from the beginning of the
sixth year up to the end of the tenth year is called pauganda, and
from the eleventh to the end of the fifteenth year is called

552
kaisora. After the beginning of the sixteenth year, Krsna is called
yauvana, or a youth, and this continues with no change."
Krsna's kaisora age may be divided into three parts. Among
His many transcendental qualities manifested in this age, His
handsomeness is very prominent. Lord Krsna's limbs are graceful
and appropriately shaped. This feature is called 'saundarya'
(handsomeness). Lord Krsna is dressed in exquisite garments,
decorated with ornaments, and His hair is also decorated. All this
is called 'prasadhana' (decoration).
There are three kinds of flutes used by Krsna. One is called
venu, one is called murali and the third is called vamsi. Venu is
very small, not more than six inches long, with six holes for
whistling. Murali is about eighteen inches long with a hole at the
end and four holes on the body of the flute. This kind of flute
produces a very enchanting sound. The vamsi flute is about
fifteen inches long, with nine holes on its body. The right
turning conchshell Krsna holds in His hand is called
"Pancajanya". All these uddipana's increase the devotee‟s
attraction and love for Krsna and fill the devotee with bliss. The
result is that rati (attraction) and sthayi-bhava (continuous
ecstasy) turn into rasa (the transcendental mellows of a personal
relationship with Krsna). Come again tomorrow and I will
describe anubhava and other things.
The two devotees then took their leave of the Goswami's feet.
Again and again thinking about the rasas, Vijaya-kumara and
Vrajanatha happily saw the siddha-bakula tree and other holy
places in Lord Jagannatha's temple. Finally they returned to their
lodgings.

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 Chapter Twenty-seven

The Rasas
Rasa-vicara

After the next day's noon-arati, the two devotees, thirsting to

understand about rasa, honored prasadam and then went to the
Sri Radha-kanta temple. Sri Gopala-guru Goswami honored
maha-prasadam and waited for the two inquisitive devotees.
Nearby Sri Dhyanacandra Goswami was writing a book about the
path of devotional service. The features of Gopala-guru Goswami
were very wonderful. He was dressed as a sannyasi. He wore
Vaisnava Tilaka. The holy name of Lord Hari was written on the
various limbs of His body. On his neck were four strands of
tulasi beads. His hands were always on His japa beads. He was
rapt in meditation, his two eyes half closed. From time to time he
was decorated with a stream of tears. From time to time he
would call out, "O Gauranga! O Nityananda!" His body was a
little large. His complexion was dark and splendid. He sat on a
banana-bark seat. At a little distance were wooden sandals and a
coconut shell pitcher of water. Vijaya-kumara and Vrajanatha
were both learned in many scriptures, were sincere Vaisnavas

554
and were residents of Sri Navadvipa. For these three reasons
everyone at the temple carefully honored them. Vijaya-kumara
and Vrajanatha offered dandavat obeisances to Gopala-guru
Goswami and he respectfully embraced them. In the course of
time Vrajanatha humbly introduced the topic of rasas. The
Goswami carefully said, "Today I will teach you about anubhava
and other topics related to the rasas. The four samagris
(ingredients of rasa) are vibhava (special symptoms or causes of
ecstasy), anubhava (subsequent ecstasy), sattvika-bhava
(constitutional or existential ecstasy), and vyabhicari-bhava
(aggressive ecstasy). Yesterday I explained about vibhava. Today
I will begin the explanation of anubhava. Please listen. When one
is attracted (rati) to Krsna, that is called vibhava. When, as a
result of that attraction, ecstatic love (bhava) appears in the
heart, the result is called 'udbhasvara'. The bodily symptoms
manifested by a devotee in expressing that ecstatic love for Krsna
are called anubhava. Practical examples of anubhava are as
follows: dancing, rolling on the ground, singing very loudly,
stretching the body, crying loudly, yawning, breathing very
heavily, neglecting the presence of others, drooling, laughing like
a madman, wheeling the head, and belching.
Vrajanatha: How is it possible that these unusual external
symptoms can increase the sweet taste of the rasas of sthayi-
bhava? When the devotee relishes the rasas in his heart, that
taste is manifested externally as these anubhavas. Why, then,
should these anubhavas be considered a samagri separate and
distinct from the taste of rasas in the heart?
Goswami: Baba, you have learned the nyaya-sastra very well.
Till this day I have not seen anyone raise such a subtle point of

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logic. When I studied the rasas I also asked this question of Srila
Pandita Goswami. By my spiritual master's mercy my doubt was
thrown far away. The secret is this: When the heart is agitated by
the ecstatic feelings of vibhava, many extraordinary and
wonderful feelings (vaicitrya) are manifested. These feelings
blossom in many different ways in the heart. When these feelings
blossom in the heart, they eventually bear fruits of ecstatic
symptoms that are manifested in the external body. These fruits
are called 'udbhasvara'. The fruits of ecstatic symptoms are
manifested as dancing and in many other ways also. Thus, when
the heart dances, then the body dances also. When the heart
sings, then the tongue sings also. In this way you should
understand it. Thus the ecstatic symptoms called udbhasvara are
the root from which all this comes. However, the anubhavas do
increase the vibhavas within the heart. In this way the
udbhasvaras are manifest in the body. Thus the sthayi-bhava and
vibhava in the heart manifests the anubhavas, and the anubhavas
in turn also have an effect upon the heart. Because the anubhavas
have this effect they are considered separate samagris
(ingredients of rasa). When there are singing, yawning, and other
like activities, the symptoms are called 'sita', and where there is
dancing and other like activities they are called 'ksepana'. There
are other ecstatic symptoms, such as blossoming of the body, the
flowing of blood, and expansion and contraction of the body's
joints. However, because these symptoms are very rare, I will not
describe them further. However, when He assumed the form of a
tortoise and manifested other unusual activities, these symptoms
were present on the body of our master, Lord Nimai Pandita.
Still, these symptoms are not seen on the body of a sadhaka
devotee.
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 After hearing these confidential explanations from Gopala-
guru Goswami, the two inquiring devotees were silent for a long
time. Then, touching the dust of his feet, they asked, "O master,
what are the sattvika-bhavas?"
Goswami: When a devotee is always intensely affected by love
for Krsna in a direct relationship with Him - or even a little apart
from Him - his status is called sattvika-bhava' (existential ecstatic
love). The symptoms originating from such existential ecstatic
love are divided into three headings - namely moist (snigdha),
burnt (digdha) and dried-up (ruksa).
Vrajanatha: What is moist sattvika-bhava?
Goswami: Moist sattvika bhava is divided into two: direct and
indirect. When the heart is directly attracted to Lord Krsna, that
is called "mukhya-snigdha-sattvika-bhava" (direct moistened
existential ecstatic love). Being stunned and perspiring are some
of the symptoms of mukhya-sattvika-bhava. When the heart is
attracted to Lord Krsna indirectly, that is called 'gauna-snigdha-
sattvika-bhava' (indirect moistened existential ecstatic love).
Changing of bodily colors and faltering of the voice are the two
symptoms of gauna-snigdha-sattvika-bhava. Aside from direct
and indirect moistened existential ecstatic love, digdha-sattvika-
bhava (burnt existential ecstatic love) may also enter the heart.
Trembling of the body is the symptom of digdha-sattvika-bhava.
When a non devotee is filled with wonder and bliss by hearing
the description of the great wonder that is Lord Krsna's
sweetness, the ecstatic symptoms are called 'ruksa' (dried up).
Standing of the hairs on the body is the symptom of ruksa-
sattvika-bhava.
Vrajanatha: How is sattvika-bhava created?
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 Goswami: When the sadhaka devotee's vital force of life is in
contact with the various external elements, agitation and
transformation result. From this agitation the various ecstatic
symptoms, such as becoming stunned, are manifested.
Vrajanatha: What are the different ecstatic symptoms
manifested?
Goswami: There are eight symptoms of sattvika-bhava
(existential ecstatic love): becoming stunned, perspiring,
standing of the hairs on the body, faltering of the voice,
trembling of the body, changing of bodily colors, shedding of
tears and devastation. When the vital force of life is in contact
with the earth one is stunned. When the same force comes into
contact with water, there is shedding of tears. When the same
force comes into contact with fire, there is perspiration. When
the force comes into contact with sky, there is complete
devastation. And when that force comes into contact with air,
there is trembling, failing of the voice, and standing up of the
hairs on the body. In this way the different ecstatic symptoms are
manifested. These symptoms are sometimes manifested
internally and sometimes externally. Sometimes they are called
'bhavas' and sometimes they are called anubhavas. All the
anubhavas are manifested externally only. This is not said of the
sattvika-bhavas. For example, in dancing or other like activities,
the bhava (ecstatic love) is not manifested directly. The bhava is
rather manifested by the intelligence or the heart. Therefore the
various external symptoms of ecstasy, such as becoming
stunned, are considered anubhavas, and are not sattvika-bhavas.
Therefore the anubhavas and sattvika bhavas are different from
each other.

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 Vrajanatha: I desire to understand why the ecstatic
symptoms, such as becoming stunned are manifested.
Goswami: Joy, fear, wonder, lamentation, and hatred create
an emptiness in the heart that manifests the ecstatic symptom of
becoming stunned. Joy, fear, anger and other emotions combine
to moisten the body and thus manifest the ecstatic symptom of
perspiration. Wonder, joy, eagerness, fear and other emotions
combine to manifest the ecstatic symptom of the body's hairs
standing up. Lamentation, wonder, anger, joy, fear, and other
emotions bring the ecstatic symptom of faltering of the voice.
Fear, anger, joy, and other emotions bring the ecstatic symptom
of trembling of the body. Lamentation, anger, fear and other
emotions bring the ecstatic symptom of changing of bodily
colors. Joy, anger, lamentation, and other emotions bring the
ecstatic symptom of shedding tears. When they are produced
from joy, the tears are cold, and when they are produced from
anger and other like emotions, the tears are hot. Happiness and
unhappiness combine to make one fall unconscious and attain
other like conditions of life, conditioned that are the ecstatic
symptom called devastation. These transcendental ecstatic
symptoms gradually develop, and in the course of such
development, they are sometimes called smoky, sometimes
called blazing, sometimes called shining, and sometimes called
intensely shining. These are the four kinds. In dried up sattvika-
bhava the symptoms are smoky. In moistened sattvika-bhava the
ecstatic love rises higher and higher. Real love (rati) for Lord
Krsna produces all bliss and wonder. When there is only the
semblance of love (raty-abhasa), the symptoms are dried up.
Then there is no wonder.

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 Vrajanatha: O master, the ecstatic love of sattvika-bhava
brings all good fortune. However, to attain material benefits
many people may make a show-of these ecstatic emotions, as if
they were acting in a drama. What is the position of these
people?
Goswami: Genuine sattvika-bhava is manifested from genuine
pure devotional service. The ecstatic love (bhava) felt by true
Vaisnavas is genuine. Aside from this genuine bhava, the other
so-called bhavas are divided into four groups: raty-abhasa,
sattvabhasa, nihsattva and pratipa.
Vrajanatha: What is raty-abhasa?
Goswami: When they hear the descriptions of Lord Krsna,
the impersonalists or the sannyasi followers of Sankaracarya,
manifest raty-abhasa.
Vrajanatha: What is sattvabhasa?
Goswami: when they hear about Lord Krsna, persons who are
naturally soft-hearted may manifest the semblance of joy,
wonder, and other ecstatic emotions. The mimamsaka
philosophers and ordinary women may manifest this when they
hear about Lord Krsna.
Vrajanatha: What is nihsattva-bhavabhasa?
Goswami: Some wicked-hearted persons exhibit artificial
ecstatic symptoms as a sort of dramatic show. In this way they
shed tears and perform other actions. These actions are called
nihsattva. In this way some hard-hearted persons put on an
artificial show of crying in ecstatic love. These persons are
wicked at heart.

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 Vrajanatha: What is pratipa?
Goswami: One who acts as Krsna's enemy manifests the
semblance of the ecstatic emotions like anger and fear. This is
called pratipa-bhavabhasa.
Vrajanatha: O master, now I have understood vibhava,
anubhava, and sattvika bhava, and I have also understood the
difference between sattvika and anubhava. Now please explain
vyabhicari-bhava.
Goswami: There are 33 vyabhicaris. These 33 bhavas work to
increase the sthayi-bhavas. That is why they are called
'vyabhicari'. They are manifested in the words, limbs, and
thoughts. They are also called 'sancari-bhava'. They are like
waves in the nectar ocean of sthayi-bhava, waves that rise from,
and then again disappear into the ocean of sthayi-bhava. The 33
vyabhicari-bhavas are: disappointment, lamentation, humility,
guilt, fatigue, intoxication, pride, doubt, apprehension, intense
emotion, madness, forgetfulness, disease, confusion, death,
laziness, inertness, bashfulness, concealment, remembrance,
argumentativeness, anxiety, thoughtfulness, endurance,
happiness, eagerness, violence, haughtiness, envy, impudence,
dizziness, sleepiness, and alertness. Some of the sancari-bhavas
are independent (sva-tantra) and others are dependent on
something else (para-tantra). The para-tantra sancari-bhavas are
of two kinds: superior and inferior. The superior sancari-bhavas
are themselves of two kinds: direct and indirect. The sva-tantra
sancari bhavas are of three kinds: rati-sunya (without attachment
to Krsna), raty-asparsa (with a touch of attachment to Krsna),
and rati-gandha (with the scent of attachment to Krsna). If these
bhavas are directed to the wrong object they are of two kinds:
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pratikulya (unfavorable) and anaucitya (improper). All these
bhavas are manifested in four different conditions: 1. utpatti
(growth), 2. sandhi (union), 3. savalya (variety) and 3. santi
(peace).
Vrajanatha: Bhava-utpatti is easy to understand. What is
bhava-sandhi?
Goswami: When two like or unlike emotions meet, that is
called 'sandhi'. Desirable laziness and undesirable laziness may
both appear simultaneously. This is an example of the meeting of
like emotions. Joy and fear may also appear simultaneously. That
is an example of the meeting of unlike emotions.
Vrajanatha: What is bhava-savalya?
Goswami: When two emotions clash, that is called 'bhava-
savalya". When he heard about Krsna, Kamsa became
simultaneously angry and fearful. That is an example of bhava-
savalya.
Vrajanatha: What is bhava-santi?
Goswami: When an intense emotion suddenly disappears,
that is called 'santi'. When they could not see Krsna, the boys of
Vraja became anxious, but when they heard the sound of Krsna's
flute from afar, their anxiety was at once pacified. This is an
example of the pacification of happiness.
Vrajanatha: If anything else remains to be known about this
topic, then please explain it.
Goswami: To these 33 vyabhicari-bhavas may be added the
one primary (mukhya) sthayi-bhava and the seven secondary
(gauna) sthayi-bhavas). In this way there are 41 bhavas that

562
produce ecstatic symptoms on the body and the senses. The
activities of the mind are the origin of these bhavas.
Vrajanatha: What are the various bhavas produced in this
way?
Goswami: They produce the eight sattvika-bhavas, the
vibhavas and the anubhavas.
Vrajanatha: Are all these part of the original nature?
Goswami: No. Some are part of the original nature and other
come from outside the original nature. The sthayi-bhava is part
of the devotee's original nature, but the vyabhicari-bhavas mostly
come from outside the original nature.
Vrajanatha: Do all devotees possess the same bhavas?
Goswami: No. The devotees have different natures. That is
because the nature of the mind and heart is different in each
devotee. According to the condition of the heart, the bhava is
more or less exalted. The heart may be exalted, lowly or in an
intermediate state. The bhavas are manifested according to the
condition of the heart. However, nectar is always liquid, and
therefore a devotee's heart is naturally soft and liquid for it like
nectar. Today we will end here. Tomorrow I will describe sthayi-
bhava.
Vijaya-kumara and Vrajanatha offered dandavat obeisances
and took their leave.

563
 Chapter Twenty-eight

The Rasas
Rasa-vicara

Vrajanatha: O master, I see that vibhava, anubhava, sattvika-

bhava, and vyabhicari bhava are all bhavas. What is sthayi-
bhava?
Goswami: The one bhava that controls all the other bhavas,
both obstructed and unobstructed, and that is the monarch even
of Lord Krsna Himself is called 'sthayi-bhava'. When 'Krsna-rati'
(attraction to Krsna) takes shelter of a devotee's heart, that
attraction is called 'sthayi-bhava', Look, among the samagris is
vibhava and included within vibhava is alambana. However,
there is another bhava, a bhava independent of all these others, a
bhava that is the origin and the helper of the rasas, a bhava that
becomes both the enjoyment (asvadana) and the object of
enjoyment (asvadya). Please think deeply about this and try to
understand how sthayi-bhava is different from the other bhavas.
Sthayi-bhava is divided in two: primary (mukhya-rati) and
secondary (gauna-rati).
Vrajanatha: What is primary sthayi-bhava?

564
 Goswami: In the description of bhava-bhakti you have
already heard about suddha-sattva-rati. That is the same as
mukhya-rati.
Vrajanatha: When I read the alankara-sastras (books of
rhetoric) the love that I understood there was all material. It was
very different. The spiritual love that is now described is very
different from that material love. Now I understand that only
when a person is pure in heart will he attain the nectar (rasa) of
love for the Supreme Lord. The so-called love written about by
the authors of the alankara-sastras is only the love that appears
in the material bodies and material minds of souls imprisoned in
the material world. Now I can understand the other kind of love,
the love you have described in your explanation of the rasas.
This pure spiritual love is the be-all-and-end-all of the pure
liberated souls. By the mercy of the hladini sakti, this pure love is
sometimes experienced even by the conditioned souls
imprisoned in the material world. Now I wish to understand the
different kinds of pure spiritual love (suddha-rati).
Seeing Vrajanatha's clear grasp of the spiritual truth, Gopala-
guru Goswami, shedding tears of happiness, embraced him and
said, "I am very fortunate to have a disciple like you. Please
listen, Mukhya-rati is of two kinds: svartha (for the sake of one's
own self) and parartha (for the sake of the beloved).
Vrajanatha: What is the nature of svartha-mukhya-rati?
Goswami: When no obstacles stop the bhava (aviruddha-
bhava) then svartha-mukhya-rati increases. However, when
obstacles do stop the bhava (viruddha-bhava), then svartha-
mukhya-rati diminishes.

565
 Vrajanatha: What is the nature of parartha-mukhya-rati?
Goswami: Whether obstacles are present or not, parartha-
mukhya-rati contracts of its own accord. Aside from these two,
there is also another kind of mukhya-rati.
Vrajanatha: What is it like? Please tell.
Goswami: This is suddha-mukhya-rati (pure love). It is
divided into five rasas: santa (neutrality), dasya (servitude),
sakhya (friendship), vatsalya (parenthood) and madhurya
(conjugal love). As sunlight is divided into different colors when
it passes through a prism or other like object, so sthayi-bhava
assumes different features according to the different kinds of
persons who contain it.
Vrajanatha: Please describe this suddha-rati (pure love).
Goswami: Suddha-rati is of three kinds: samanya (ordinary),
svaccha (clear) and santa (peaceful). Samanya-rati is the love the
people in general feel for Lord Krsna. When mukhya-rati is
manifested in different ways in the different kinds of devotees, as
light assumes different colors as it passes through colored glass,
that kind of mukhya-rati is called 'svaccha' (clear). In this way
some devotees offer prayers to Krsna and call Him "master",
others joke with Krsna and call him "friend", still others protect
Krsna and call him "son", and still others meditate on Krsna and
call Him "the Supersoul". A devotee in santa-rati (neutrality)
meditates with a peaceful mind on the unchanging Supreme.
Suddha- rati is of two kinds: 'kevala' (unmixed) and 'sankula'
(mixed). Among the residents of Vraja, Rasala and Sridama are
examples of devotees whose love for Krsna is of one kind only,
unmixed with even the slightest scent of any other kind of rasa.

566
Their pure love (suddha-rati) is called 'kevala' (unmixed). Other
devotees, such as Uddhava and Bhima have love that is a mixture
of different rasas. Their pure love (suddha-rati) is called 'sankula'
(mixed).
Vrajanatha: Formerly I thought their was not santa-rati in
Vraja. Now I see it is slightly present there also. When they
consider the different kinds of rati (love), books of material
rhetoric (jada-alankara) do not accept santa-rati as a genuine
kind of love. Here it is seen that santa-rati must be accepted as
one kind of love for the Supreme. Now please describe dasya-rati
(love in the rasa of servitorship).
Goswami: When the devotee thinks, "Krsna is the master,
and I am His servant", he loves Krsna in the dasya-rasa. When he
is attached to Krsna in this way, a devotee is not attracted to or
pleased by anything outside this rasa of servitorship.
Vrajanatha: What are the qualities of sakhya-rati (love in
friendship)?
Goswami: When a devotee is firmly convinced that Krsna is
his equal, his love for Krsna is called sakhya-rati. In sakhya-rati
there are joking, laughing, and other like activities.
Vrajanatha: Please described the nature of vatsalya-rati
(parental love).
Goswami: the kindly love that His elders give to Krsna is
called vatsalya-rati. Embracing and fondling Krsna, performing
auspicious rituals for His benefit, pronouncing blessings upon
Him and affectionately touching His chin are some of the
activities of vatsalya-rati.

567
 Vrajanatha: Now kindly describe the qualities of madhura-rati
(conjugal love for Krsna).
Goswami: The eight kinds of pleasing activities, beginning
with remembering Krsna and gazing at Krsna, that are performed
in the deer-eyed gopis' love for Krsna are called the activities of
'priyata' (love) or 'madhura-rati' (sweet love). Included in these
activities are sidelong glances, moving the eyebrows, speaking
sweet words, and speaking joking words. beginning with santa
and extending up to madhura-rati, the devotees' love, relish, and
bliss increase more and more. Thus I have briefly described the
five kinds of mukhya-rati (primary rasas).
Vrajanatha: Now please describe the secondary (gauna)
spiritual rasas.
Goswami: The secondary rasas (gauna-bhava) which are part
of alambana, are: laughter, astonishment, chivalry, lamentation,
anger, dread, and ghastliness. In the first six of these rasas the
devotee always meditates on Krsna. When the devotee attains
pure love (suddha-rati), then he finds the material body and
material activities to be very distasteful. He is horrified by them.
That is the seventh rasa, ghastliness. Although these seven rasas
are different from pure love (suddha-rati) because they are in
contact with parartha-mukhya-rati (the primary rasas), therefore
these seven secondary emotions are included among the rasas
and the word 'rati' (love) is used to described them. For some
devotees one or more of these secondary rasas remain a
permanent part of their relationship with Krsna. But this is not
true for every devotee by any means. For most devotees these
secondary rasas are manifested only temporarily. In some

568
situations one or more of these secondary rasas become so strong
that they eclipse the natural primary rasas.
Vrajanatha: In material rhetoric (alankara) eight rasas,
beginning with conjugal love, laughter, and compassion are
described. I can understand how these material rasas look
beautiful only from the point of view of pathetic material heroes
and heroines. These material rasas have no bearing on the
spiritual rasas of Vraja, which are the activities of the pure spirit
soul,, and thus have nothing to do with the activities of the
material mind. The great devotees have divided sthayi-bhava rati
into five primary and seven secondary rasas. This is proper. Now
please kindly describe hasya-rati (the rasa of laughter).
Goswami: Certain unusual words, appearances, or activities
cause laughter to appear in the heart. In laughter the eyes may
open wide, and the nostrils, lips and cheeks may tremble. This
laughter is produced by sankoca-bhava-rati directed toward Lord
Krsna.
Vrajanatha: What is the rasa of astonishment (vismaya-rati)?
Goswami: When one sees something extraordinary,
astonishment is manifested in his heart. Some of the symptoms
of astonishment are: opening the eyes wide, speaking words of
praise, and standing of the body's hairs.
Vrajanatha: What is the rasa of chivalry (utsaha-rati)?
Goswami: When the heart is determined to perform the noble
deeds that are glorified by great saints, that is called chivalry.
Promptness, impatience, and enthusiasm are among the
symptoms of chivalry.
Vrajanatha: What is the rasa of anger (krodha-rati)?
569
 Goswami: When actions of an enemy make the heart burst
into flames, that is called anger. Harshness, knitting the
eyebrows, and redness in the eyes are among the symptoms of
anger.
Vrajanatha: What is the rasa of dread?
Goswami: When the sight of horrible things makes the heart
wish to flee, that is called dread. Hiding oneself, dryness of the
heart, and fleeing away are among the symptoms of dread.
Vrajanatha: What is the rasa of ghastliness?
Goswami: When one is averse to abominable things, that is
called ghastliness. Spitting, curling the lips and speaking harsh
criticisms are among the symptoms of ghastliness. When this
emotion is in relation to Lord Krsna, then it is considered on the
spiritual rasas. Otherwise it is merely another material emotion.
Vrajanatha: How many bhavas (emotions) are present in
bhakti-rasa (the mellows of devotional service)?
Goswami: Sthayi-bhava has eight bhavas, sancari bhava has
33 bhavas, and sattvika bhava has eight bhavas. Combined
together there are 49 bhavas. When these bhavas are manifested
from the three modes of nature and are thus material, they are
causes of material happiness and material suffering. When these
bhavas help one attain Krsna, they are spiritual, beyond the
material modes, and filled with bliss, and what seems to be
sorrow in them is actually spiritual happiness. Srila Rupa
Goswami explain that Lord Krsna and Krsna's dear devotees are
the two alambanas, or resting places, and therefore the causes of
the rasas of spiritual love (rati). The ecstatic symptoms that
begin with being stunned are counted among the effects of rati
570
and the ecstatic symptoms that begin with lamentation help the
progress of rati. When the rasas are awakened, these ecstatic
symptoms are no longer called cause, effect, and helper. Then
they are called vibhava. Because these activities then have an
especially sweet taste, the panditas call them 'vibhava'. When
dancing and other activities increase the sweetness of vibhava,
the vibhava is called 'anubhava'. Spiritual (sattvika) activities
bring spiritual results. Thus these actions are called 'sattvika-
bhava'. When these vibhavas bring renunciation and other like
emotions, the bhava is called 'sancari-bhava'. Readers attracted to
poems, plays, and other books describing Lord Krsna know that
the vibhavas are causes of devotional service. In truth these
activities of rati (pure love) are inconceivable. They are very
great pastimes of devotional service. In Mahabharata and other
scriptures it is said that these activities of devotional service are
very exalted. They are beyond the touch of ordinary, material
logic. In the Mahabharata it is written that these bhavas are
beyond the understanding of the material mind, and therefore
material logic cannot be employed to understand them.
Whatever is beyond the world of matter cannot be understood by
the material mind. One who attains sweet love for Lord Krsna's
form and other features attains vibhava. This vibhava does not
remain static. It spontaneously increases, growing greater and
greater. Rati (love for Krsna) enables one to directly perceive
Lord Krsna, who is the resting place of transcendental sweetness
and other virtues. On the other hand, when he directly sees Lord
Krsna's form and other features, the devotees love Lord Krsna
more and more. In this way vibhava, anubhava, sattvika-bhava
and vyabhicari-bhava all increase rati, and rati increases them.

571
 Vrajanatha: What is the difference between love for Krsna
(krsna-rati) and material love (visaya-rati). Please kindly explain.
Goswami: Material love is part of the material world. Lord for
Krsna is beyond the material world, and it is also the origin of
many wonderful things. Material love is pleasant when the
beloved and present and unpleasant when the beloved is absent.
When a person loves Krsna and Krsna is present, then the lover
experiences the taste of a certain kind of rasa, the rasa of
sambhoga-sukha (the happiness of enjoying with Krsna).
However, when Krsna is absent, the lover experiences the rasa of
vipralambha (separation), which itself produces a specific kind
of wonderful transcendental bliss. In answer to one of Lord
Mahaprabhu's questions, Ramananda Raya described (Sri
Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya 8.194) the wonderful bliss the
devotee feel in separation from Krsna, a bliss he called 'vivarta'.
Therefore what seems here to be suffering is in truth the highest
spiritual bliss.
Vrajanatha: Material logician says that the rasas are
unimportant. They are only a small portion of what exists. What
is the answer to that claim?
Goswami: It is true that the material rasas are unimportant.
And why not? In the material rasas material ingredients
(samagri) may nourish the material sthayi bhava (permanent
emotions). However, these are only material rasas. They are not
spiritual. In the state of spiritual perfection, the spiritual rasas
are eternal, complete and self-manifest. However, to an
inexperienced devotee the spiritual rasas may seem to be
material. When the lover is separated from the beloved, the
material rasas o love do not remain indefinitely. The spiritual
572
rasa of love in separation is much more beautiful and glorious
than its material counterpart. The great potency hladini-sakti
brings transcendental bliss to the rasa of spiritual love in
separation. That is why the rasa of spiritual love in separation is
blissful and why it is beyond the power of material logic to
understand. Therefore it is said to be inconceivable.
Vrajanatha: How many kinds of spiritual rasas are there?
Goswami: Even though the primary rasas are five, they are
still considered as one. Therefore, adding the seven secondary
rasas, there are eight rasas all together.
Vrajanatha: Please recite the names of these eight rasas. The
result of my hearing your words is that my desire to hear grows
stronger and stronger.
Goswami: Srila Rupa Goswami explains (Bhakti-rasamrta-
sindhu 2.5.115-116): "The five primary rasas each more exalted
than the preceding one, are: neutrality, servitorship, friendship,
parenthood, and conjugal love.
"The seven secondary rasas are: laughter, astonishment,
chivalry, lamentation, anger, dread, and ghastliness."
Vrajanatha: In the context of the spiritual rasas, what is the
proper definition of the word 'bhava'?
Goswami: Considering the truth in their spiritually purified
hearts, great panditas have written many books about rasa (rasa-
sastras), and in these books they have defined the word 'bhava'. I
have already explained that rasa is of two kinds: 1. cintya-bhava
(bhava that can be understood by the material mind), and 2.
acintya-bhava (bhava that is inconceivable, beyond the
understanding of the material mind). Material logic can be used
573
to understand cintya-bhava. And why not? The emotions that
arise in the heart of a conditioned soul imprisoned in the
material world are all material in nature. The conditioned souls
material ideas and emotions about the Supreme Lord are also
understandable by the material mind. However, true ideas and
emotions directed to the Supreme Lord are inconceivable,
beyond the power of the material mind to understand. And why
not? The Supreme Lord is far beyond the touch of matter.
Because the Supreme Lord is inconceivable, it is not good to
think there can be no bhavas (emotions) in relation to Him. All
emotions are possible in relation to the Supreme Lord. But they
are inconceivable, beyond the material mind's understanding. In
your heart remain rapt in meditation on one of the inconceivable
rasas in relation to the Lord. Meditate on the appropriate sthayi-
bhava and samagris. Then the eternal and perfect spiritual rasa
will be manifest to you.
Vrajanatha: O master, what does 'being rapt in meditation'
mean?
Goswami: Baba, contaminated by matter, you have wandered
in the circle of karma for many births. Meditation is of two
kinds: previous meditation (praktani) and present meditation
(adhunika). By staying in the material world your originally pure
heart and pure thoughts have both become contaminated.
However, by associating with saintly devotees and by performing
spiritual pious activities, one can throw far away the
contaminated material thoughts and regain his original, natural,
spiritual meditation. When this spiritual meditation becomes
strong, the inconceivable truth appears in his heart. That is the
meaning of 'being rapt in meditation'.

574
 Vrajanatha: Who is qualified to understand the spiritual
rasas? That I would like to know.
Goswami: A person who, by constant meditation in this way,
finds that the inconceivable spiritual truth is manifested in his
heart, is along qualified to understand the spiritual rasas. No one
else is qualified to understand the spiritual rasa. No one else is
qualified. Srila Rupa Goswami explains (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu
2.5.132): "When one transcends the status of ecstatic love and
thus becomes situated on the highest platform of pure goodness,
one is understood to have cleansed the heart of all material
contamination. In that pure stage of life, one can taste this
nectar, and this tasting capacity is technically called rasa, or
transcendental mood."
Vrajanatha: Who is not qualified to thus taste the nectar of
the transcendental rasa? As it is an offense to give the holy name
to an unqualified person, so it must also be an offense to explain
the rasas to an unqualified person. O master, please be merciful
and explain this point to poor and fallen people like myself.
Goswami: Renunciation that has nothing to do with pure
devotional service is called phalgu-vairagya (false renunciation).
Persons who are in the fire of false renunciation, the dry
speculative habit, and who neglect devotional service are in a
lamentable situation. Persons who are attached to the ritualistic
ceremonies recommended in the Vedas and to the impersonal
Brahman cannot relish the transcendental pleasure of devotional
service. Therefore devotees who have already tasted the nectar of
devotion should be very careful to protect devotional service
from such dry speculators, formal ritual elevationists and
impersonal salvationists. Devotees should protect their valuable
575
jewel of spiritual love from the clutches of thieves and burglars.
In other words, a pure devotee should not describe devotional
service and its different analytical aspects to speculators and false
renounces.
Vrajanatha: I have become very fortunate. I will always honor
the order that comes from your saintly mouth.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, I maintain my family by reading
and lecturing on Srimad-Bhagavatam. Srimad-Bhagavatam is a
book describing the rasas of devotional service. If man reads and
explains Srimad-Bhagavatam to the people in general in order to
earn money, does he commit an offense?
Goswami: Ah! Srimad-Bhagavatam is the crest jewel of all
scriptures. It is the mature ripened fruit of the tree of Vedic
knowledge. In Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.1.3) it is said: "O expert
and thoughtful men, relish Srimad-Bhagavatam."
The meaning of these words is that only the expert and
thoughtful, who know how to relish the transcendental rasas are
qualified to taste the nectar of Srimad-Bhagavatam. No one else is
qualified. Baba, give up this profession. You are a person who
likes to drink the nectar of the transcendental rasas. Don't
commit an offense to the rasas. In the Vedas (Taittiriya Upanisad
2.7) it is said: "The Supreme Lord is rasa."
This means that the rasas are Lord Krsna Himself. There are
many other books you could teach to maintain your material
body. Teach some other book for that purpose. You should not
read Srimad-Bhagavatam to the people in general in order toe
earn money. If you find a person qualified to taste the spiritual

576
rasas, then with great bliss you may read Srimad-Bhagavatam to
him, but do not accept any salary or any daksina (donation).
Vrajanatha: O master, today you have saved me from a great
offense. What will come from the offense I have already
committed?
Goswami: That offense will not stay. With an honest heart
surrender to the rasas and take shelter of them. They will
certainly forgive you. You need not worry.
Vrajanatha: O master, if need be I will accept a very lowly
profession. But I will not describe the rasas to an unqualified
person, and I will not accept money for teaching about the rasas.
Goswami: Baba, you are very fortunate. Lord Krsna has
accepted you as His own devotee. If this were not so, then how
could you be so sincere and dedicated to devotional service?
Lord Gaura has given all His potencies to you.

577
 Chapter Twenty-nine

The Rasas
Rasa-vicara

Vrajanatha and Vijaya-kumara decided to stay in Jagannatha

Puri for caturmasya. After hearing about the rasas from the
mouth of Sri Gopala-guru Goswami, they both decided to follow
the path of worshipping the Lord according to the rasas. Hearing
from him the glories of observing caturmasya, Vrajanatha's
grandmother accepted his suggestion to stay in Jagannatha Puri.
Every morning and evening they would all see Lord Jagannatha.
They bathed in Narendra-sarovara, and they saw all there was to
see in Jagannatha Puri. With devotion they saw Lord Jagannatha
as He was being served. When he learned of their decision, Sri
Gopala-guru was very happy. He said, "O Vrajanatha, O Vijaya-
kumara, I love you as a father loves his sons. I am not happy to
be separated from you. If your stay here for many days, then I
will be happy. It is easy to find a sincere spiritual master, but it is
not easy to find a sincere disciple."
Vrajanatha humbly asked, "O master, please explain the
features of the different rasas. We will consider ourselves
fortunate to hear about them from you.
578
 Goswami: Your proposal is excellent. Please hear the words
Lord Gauracandra will place in my mouth. First is santa rasa
(neutrality). In this rasa the sthayi-bhava is santa-rati. The
happiness attained in the impersonal Brahman is very slight. The
happiness attained in a relationship with the Supreme Person is
much greater than that impersonal happiness. The cause of that
personal happiness is the direct perception of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead's spiritual form. The alambana (object of
worship) in santa rasa is the four-armed form of Lord Narayana.
This form of the Lord manifests qualities like supreme power
and opulence. In this way the visaya and anubhava are
manifested in alambana. Peaceful persons situated in santa-rasa
are the asraya of santa-rati. Atmaramas and persons who have
faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead are qualified for
santa rasa. The four sages headed by Sanaka and Sanandana are
prominent among the atmaramas. These four sages are boy
sannyasis. At first they were attached to the impersonal Brahman.
Later they became attracted to the sweetness of the form of the
Supreme Person. They began to worship the Lord's spiritual
form. Persons who are austere and renounced, but who have not
yet thrown far away the desire for impersonal liberation, are
eligible for santa-rasa. Hearing the important Upanisads, living in
a secluded place, meditating, searching for the truth, study,
seeing the universal form, associating with persons engaged in
devotional service mixed with impersonal speculation (jnana-
misra-bhakti), and studying the Upanisads with others of equal
scholarship are the uddipanas that inspire this rasa. The
fragrance of tulasi offered to the Supreme Lord's lotus feet, the
sound of the conchshell, sacred mountains, sacred forests, sacred
places, the Ganges, being free of material desires, and the
579
awareness that time will eventually destroy everything material,
are also uddipanas that inspire santa-rasa.
Vrajanatha: What are the anubhavas of this rasa?
Goswami: Staring at the tip of the nose, acting like an
avadhuta, looking for a distance of four hands as one walks,
assuming the jnana-mudra (joining the forefinger and thumb),
not hating the enemies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
being slightly inclined to the devotees dear to the Lord, being
attracted to the soul's liberation and the end of his residence in
the material world, being neutral and aloof, being free of false
ego, material possessiveness, and material pride, and feeling a
sort of cool tempered love for the Supreme are included among
the anubhavas of santa-rasa. Yawning, swelling of the limbs,
teaching about devotional service, bowing down before Lord
Hari, and offering prayers to Lord Hari are also included among
anubhavas.
Vrajanatha: What are the sattvika ecstatic symptoms in santa-
rasa?
Goswami: Devastation (except the aspect of falling to the
ground) and being stunned are included among the many
ecstatic symptoms in this rasa. There are no passionate (dipta)
ecstatic symptoms in this rasa.
Vrajanatha: What are the sancari-bhavas in this rasa?
Goswami: Lamentation, patience, joy, thoughtfulness,
remembrance, melancholy, eagerness, anxiety and
argumentativeness are seen among the sancari bhavas of santa-
rasa.
Vrajanatha: How many are the different kinds of santa-rati?
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 Goswami: Sthayi-bhava santa-rati is of two kinds: 1. sama
(equipoised) and 2. sandra (intense). In sama santa rati is
manifested asamprajnata-samadhi, where the activities of the
body are filled with awareness of the Supreme Lord's presence.
In sandra santa rati is manifested nirvikalpa-samadhi where all
ignorance is destroyed and the direct manifestation of the
Supreme Lord's form brings intense bliss. On the basis of these
two kinds of santa-rati, there may also be divisions of pariksya
(indirect) and saksat-kara-rupa (direct) santa-rati. Sukadeva
Goswami and Bilvamangala Thakura are examples of two
persons who renounced santa-rasa and became expert in tasting
the bliss of the rasas of direct devotional service. The great
scholar Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya is also an example of that.
Vrajanatha: The books of material rhetoric (alankara) do not
accept santa-rasa. Why is that?
Goswami: Peacefulness is far away from all materialistic
activities. When spiritual activities are performed, then the
peacefulness of santa-rasa gradually become manifested. In this
way the spiritual rasas become manifested. The Supreme Lord
Himself declared, "Faith in Me brings peacefulness." Look, how
can one attain faith in the Lord without first being situated in
santa-rati? Therefore, at the beginning of spiritual life one must
first accept santa-rasa.
Vrajanatha: Now I understand santa-bhakti-rasa. Now please
explain, one by one, the vibhavas and other aspects of dasa-rasa
(servitorship). Dasya rasa is also called prita-bhakti rasa by the
panditas. Dasya rasa is of two kinds: 1. anugrahya-patra-dasya
(the object of mercy), and 2. lalya-patra dasya (the object of
affection). Prita rasa is also divided into these two kinds: 1.
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sambhrama-prita (with pride) and 2. gaurava-prita (with
submission).
Goswami: What is sambhrama-prita?
Vrajanatha: Persons who are proud to be servants of Krsna
have sambhrama-prita for Krsna, the son of Nanda. When this
rasa develops it is called sambhrama-prita. In this rasa Krsna and
Krsna's servants are both the alambanas.
Goswami: What form does Krsna manifest in this rasa?
Vrajanatha: In Gokula sambhrama-prita Krsna has two arms.
In the other parts of this rasa He sometimes has two arms and
sometimes four arms. In Gokula Krsna is a cowherd boy, has two
arms, holds the flute and is decorated with a peacock-feather and
other ornaments. When He is manifested outside of Gokula,
Krsna is decorated with jewels and His feature is that of aisvarya
(power and opulence). Srila Rupa Goswami (Bhakti-rasamrta-
sindhu 3.2.11-15) explains: "Krsna possesses the following
qualities: 1. Many millions of universes come from the pores of
His body, 2. He is an ocean of mercy, 3. He has inconceivable
potencies, 4. He is served by all mystic powers, 5. He is the seed
from which all incarnations have come. 6. His transcendental
qualities attract the hearts of the liberated souls. 7. He is the
supreme controller. 8. He is the supreme object of worship. 9. He
knows everything. 10. He is determined. 11. He has all wealth.
12. He is tolerant and forgiving. 13. He protects the surrendered
souls. 14. He is happy. 15. He is truthful. 16. He is expert. 17. He
brings all auspiciousness. 18. He is powerful. 19. He is religious.
20. He sees through the eyes of the scriptures. 21. He is the best
friend of the devotee. 2. He is generous. 23. He is glorious. 24.
He is grateful. 25. He is the resting place of fame. 26 He is the
582
best. 27. He is powerful. 28. He is controlled by love. In this way
Lord Hari is the alambana (the object of love) for His four kinds
of servants."
Vrajanatha: What are these four kinds of servants?
Goswami: The devotees who have taken shelter of dasya-rasa
are of four kinds: 1. prasrita (who humbly look down when they
stand before their master), 2. ajnanuvarti (who humbly carry out
their master's orders), 3. visvasta (who have full faith in their
master), and 4. prabhu jnane namra-buddhi (who are humble
and very conscious of their master's superiority). These four are
also called: 1. adhikrta (they who are qualified), 2. asrita (they
who have taken shelter), 3. parisada (associates) and 4. anugata
(followers).
Vrajanatha: Who are the adhikrta servants?
Goswami: Brahma, Siva, Indra, and the other demigods and
demigoddesses are adhikrta servants and maidservants. By
fulfilling various duties in the material world, the eventually
become qualified (adhikrta) to serve the Supreme Lord directly.
Vrajanatha: Who are the asrita servants?
Goswami: The three kinds of asrita servants are: 1. saranagata
(surrendered souls), 2. jnani (wise philosophers) and 3. seva-
nistha (intent on serving). Kaliya and the kings imprisoned by
Jarasandha are counted among the saranagata servants. Saunaka
and the other sages who have rejected the desire for impersonal
liberation and taken shelter of Lord Hari are counted among the
jnani servants. Because they were attached to worshipping the
Lord from the very beginning of their lives Candradhvaja,

583
Harihara, Bahulasva, Iksvaku and Pundarika are counted among
both the seva-nistha and saranagata servants.
Vrajanatha: O master, who are the parisada servants?
Goswami: Uddhava, Daruka, Satyaki, Srutadeva, Satrajit,
Nanda (this is another Nanda, not Lord Krsna's father),
Upananda, and Bhadra are counted among the parisada servants.
Although these persons give advice to Lord Krsna, at the
appropriate times they also serve Him. Among the Kauravas,
Bhisma, Pariksit, Vidura and others are counted among the
parisada servants. Among them all Uddhava, who is filled with
pure love (prema) is the best.
Vrajanatha: Who are the anuga devotees?
Goswami: The anugata devotees, whose hearts are always
eager to serve the Lord are of two kinds: 1. the servants who stay
in Dvaraka, and 2. the devotees who stay in Vraja. Sucabdra,
Mandala, Stambha, and Sutambha are included among the anuga
devotees in Dvaraka. Raktaka, Patraka, Patri, Madhukanta,
Rasala, Suvilasa, Premakandha, Makarandaka, Ananda,
Candrahasa, Payoda, Bakula, Rasada and Sarada are included
among the anuga servants in Vraja. Raktaka is the best of the
anuga servants in Vraja. The parisada servants are of three kinds:
1. dhurya (leaders), 2. dhira (philosophers) and 3. vira (heroes).
The asrita servants are also of three kinds: 1. nitya-siddha
(eternally perfect), 2. siddha (perfect), and 3. sadhaka (aspiring
for perfection).
Vrajanatha: What are the uddipanas of dasya-rasa?
Goswami: The sound of Krsna's flute, the sound of His
buffalo-horn bugle, His smiling glance, hearing the narration of
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His glories, His lotus footprints, His bodily limbs splendid like a
new monsoon cloud, and the fragrance of His transcendental
body.
Vrajanatha: What are the anubhavas of this rasa?
Goswami: To perform one's duties in every situation, to
follow orders, to be free of envy, to make friendship with
devotees sincerely surrendered to Lord Krsna, and to have faith
in Lord Krsna are included among the extraordinary anubhavas
of this rasa. Dancing all the udbhasvaras, respect for Lord Krsna's
personal friends, and renunciation for everything outside the
realm of Krsna consciousness are also included among these
anubhavas.
Vrajanatha: What are the sattvika-vikaras (ecstatic
symptoms) of these three aspects of prita-rasa (dasya rasa)?
Goswami: In this rasa are many sattvika-bhavas, among
which being stunned is the most prominent.
Vrajanatha: What are the vyabhicaris in this rasa?
Goswami: Joy, pride, determination, remorse, melancholy,
humility, anxiety, remembrance, misgivings, thoughtfulness,
eagerness, fickleness, argumentativeness, passion, shyness, being
stunned, illusion, madness, concealment, awakening, dream,
exhaustion, disease and death are the vyabhicaris of this rasa.
Arrogance,, fatigue, fear, forgetfulness, ferocity, anger, envy and
sleep are not present among the vyabhicaris in this rasa. When
he meets the Lord, the devotee manifests joy, pride, and
peacefulness. When he is separated from the Lord, the devotee
manifests withering away, disease and death. The eighteen

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bhavas that begin with remorse are seen in all circumstances,
whether the devotee meets the Lord or is separated from Him.
Vrajanatha: I wish to know what are the sthayi-bhavas of
prita-rasa.
Goswami: The sthayi bhava of this rasa is the love (priti) that
appears in the heart when the heart is filled with awe and
trembles at the thought of master. In santa-rasa, attraction to the
Supreme is the only sthayi-bhava. In dasya-rasa, affection
combined with the possessive idea that 'the Lord is mine' is the
sthayi-bhava. This respectful affection gradually grows stronger
and stronger until it becomes pure affection (prema), love
(sneha) and intense love (raga). When it is free from fear and
awe, and when it is deep rooted, this respectful affection
(sambhrama-priti) becomes pure affection (prema). When that
pure affection becomes intense, the heart melts and the pure
affection (prema) is called love (sneha). In this condition of
sneha, the devotee cannot bear even a moment's separation from
the Lord. When this love (sneha) increases to the point where
the devotee finds that even his sorrow brings happiness, the love
becomes intense love (raga). At this point the devotee wishes to
do whatever pleases Krsna, even if the devotees loses his own life
in the process. Adhikrta and asrita servants experience love up to
the stage of prema. The parisada servants experience love up to
the stage of sneha. Pariksit, Daruka, Uddhava, and the anuga
servants in Vraja experience love up to the stage of raga. When
raga is manifested, then a small portion of sakhya-rasa
(friendship inevitably comes with it). Panditas say that in this
rasa meeting with Krsna is called 'yoga' and separation from
Krsna is called 'ayoga'. Ayoga is of two kinds: 1. utkanthita (filled

586
with longings), and 2. viyoga (tragic). Yoga is of three kinds: 1.
siddhi (perfection), 2. tusti (happiness), and 3. sthiti (residence).
Siddhi is to see Krsna after longing to meet Him. Tusti is to see
Krsna after a long separation. Sthiti is to live in the same place
with Krsna.
Vrajanatha: I understand sambhrama-priti (respectful
affection). Now please explain gaurava-priti (love mixed with
pride).
Goswami: When he is proud to be able to embrace Krsna, the
devotee's affection is called gaurava-priti. When the affection
present in this rasa is increased by the vibhavas and other
bhavas, it becomes gaurava-priti. Lord Hari and the servants
Lord Hari love are the alambanas of this love. In gaurava-priti the
devotee thinks that Krsna is more important, more famous, more
intelligent, and more strong than the devotee. The devotee
thinks Krsna is his protector and affection parent. In this way
Krsna becomes the object (visaya) of the devotee's love. The
affectionate devotees are of two kinds: 1. the devotees proud to
be younger associates of Krsna, and 2. the devotees proud to be
Krsna's sons. Sarana, Gada, and Subhadra are among the
devotees proud to be younger associates of Krsna. Pradyumna,
Carudesna and Samba are among the devotees proud to be
Krsna's sons. Sri Krsna's parental affection, gentle smiles, and
other activities are the uddipanas of this love. These affection
devotees sit on a seat below that of Krsna. They respectfully
follow behind Krsna. The renounce their own wishes and fulfill
Krsna's wishes. These are the anubhavas of this relationship. The
sancaris and vyabhicaris of this relationship are like those
already explained.

587
 Vrajanatha: What does the word 'gaurava' mean?
Goswami: The word "gaurava" means 'the situation where the
devotee is proud to have Krsna as his father or superior (guru)."
Love that is mixed with pride to have such a relationship with
Krsna is called 'gaurava-priti'. That is the sthayi-bhava of this
rasa.
Vrajanatha: O master, now I understand the priti rasa (dasya
rasa). Now please explain the rasa that is called sakhya-rasa.
Goswami: In this rasa Krsna and His friends are the
alambanas. Krsna, who is the prince of Vraja, and who holds the
flute in His two hands, is the visaya. Krsna's friends are the
asraya.
Vrajanatha: I wish to understand the different kinds of friends
Krsna has and their qualities and features.
Goswami: Their forms, qualities, and garments are like those
of Krsna's servants. However, Krsna's friends are confident to
approach Krsna as equals. They are not filled with awe and
veneration like Krsna's servants. These friends are of two kinds:
1. friends in Dvaraka and 2. friends in Vraja. Arjuna, Bhimasena,
Draupadi, and Sridama Vipra are among the friends in Dvaraka,
and the other cities. Among them, Arjuna is the best. The friends
in Vraja are always eager to see Krsna. Krsna is their very life.
They are the best of Krsna's friends. In Vraja, Krsna has four
kinds of friends: 1. suhrt (well-wishers), 2. sakha (friends), 3.
priya-sakha (confidential friends) and 4. priya-narma-vayasya
(intimate friends). Krsna's well-wisher friends are a little bit
older than Krsna and they have some parental affection for Him.
Because of their being older than Krsna, they always try to

588
protect Him from any harm. As such, they sometimes bear
weapons so that they can chastise any mischievous persons who
want to harm Krsna. Counted among the well wisher friends are
Subhadra, Mandalibhadra, Bhadravardhana, Gobhata, Yaksa,
Indrabhatta, Bhadranga, Virabhadra, Mahaguna, Vijaya, and
Balabhadra. Among these friends Balabhadra and Mandalibhadra
are the best. Friends who are younger than Krsna, who are
always attached to Him, and who give Him all kinds of service
are called ordinary friends, or simply friends. Such ordinary
friends are called sakhas, and the names of some sakhas are
Visala, Vrsabha, Ojasvi, Devaprastha, Varuthapa, Maranda,
Kusumapida, Manibandha, and Karandhama. Among them
Devaprastha is the best. The more confidential friends are called
priya-sakhas and are almost Krsna's age. Because of their very
confidential friendship, their behavior is only on the basis of
pure friendship. Some confidential friends are as follows:
Sridama, Sudama, Dama, Vasudama, Kinkini, Stoka-krsna, Amsu,
Bhadrasena, Vilasi, Pundarika, Vitanka, and Kalavinka. There are
other friends who are more confidential than the suhrt, sakha
and priya-sakha friends. They are called priya-narma or intimate
friends. Counted among the priya-narma friends are Subala,
Arjuna, Gandharva, Vasanta, and Ujjvala. Among them, Ujjvala,
who is always eager to speak joking words, is the best. Among
these friends some are nitya-siddha (eternally perfect), others are
suracara (demigods who eventually attained this rasa) and others
are sadhaka (human beings who by performing devotional
service eventually attained this rasa). The friends serve Krsna in
many different ways. Thus they perform a wonderful variety of
different activities.
Vrajanatha: What are the uddipanas of this rasa?
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 Goswami: Krsna's age, His beauty, His bugle, His flute, His
conchshell, His pleasing attitude, His exceptional joking abilities,
His great power, and His playful activities all provoke
(uddipana) love in friendship for Him. When Krsna is spending
His days as a cowherd boy, he is in the kaumara and pauganda
ages. In the kaisora age, when Krsna appeared in Gokula, He
acted as a cowherd boy, and then, when He was sixteen, He went
to Mathura.
Vrajanatha: I request that you explain to me the anubhavas of
Krsna's friends.
Goswami: Krsna played with His intimate friends sometimes
by fighting or wrestling with their arms, sometime by playing
ball, and sometimes by playing chess. Sometimes they carried
one another on their shoulders and sometimes they exhibited
their expertness at whirling logs. And the cowherd friends used
to please Krsna by sitting together with Him on couches or on
swings by lying together on their beds, by joking together, and
by swimming in the pool, by playing with the monkeys and other
animals and by dancing, singing and other activities. All these
activities are called anubhava. The suhrt friends used to sit
together and advise one another what to do, sometimes inducing
one another to be engaged in welfare work. The sakha friends
would offer betel nuts to one another, decorate one another's
faces with tilaka, or smear pulp of candana on one another's
bodies. The priya-sakha friends wanted to defeat Krsna.
Sometimes they used to snatch His clothing or snatch away the
flowers from His hands. Sometimes they would try to induce one
another to decorate His body for Him, and failing this, they were
always ready to fight, challenging one another to combat in

590
wrestling. The priya-narma-sakha friends would make
arrangements for Krsna's madhura-lila. Like the servants, these
friends also decorated Krsna with forest flowers and fanned Him.
Vrajanatha: What are the sattvika bhavas and sancari-bhavas
of this rasa?
Goswami: They are like those for dasya-rasa, only a little
more.
Vrajanatha: What is the sthayi-bhava for this rasa?
Goswami: Srila Rupa Goswami explains (Bhakti-rasamrta-
sindhu 3.3.105): "When there are dealing between Krsna and His
friends, which are completely devoid of any feelings of respect
and they all treat one another on an equal level, such ecstatic
love in friendship is called sthayi."
Vrajanatha: What does the word 'visrambha' mean here?
Goswami: It is said (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 3.3.106):
"Visrambha means firm confidence that one is equal to his
friend."
Vrajanatha: How does this kind of friendship develop?
Goswami: The stages of sakhya-rasa are: prema, sneha, raga
and pranaya.
Vrajanatha: What are the qualities of pranaya?
Goswami: In this kind of love awe and veneration are
completely absent, even in situations where they might be
appropriate. Sakhya-rasa is very wonderful and unprecedented.
Sakhya-rasa is very different from either dasya-rasa or vatsalya-
rasa. Among all the rasa, sakhya-rasa is especially dear to Krsna.
And why not? Krsna and His friends have a very close
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relationship. In some ways the spiritual ecstasy of sakhya-rasa is
almost similar to the ecstasy of madhurya-rasa.

592
 Chapter Thirty

The Rasas
Rasa-vicara

Today, after honoring kichari prasadam, Vijaya-kumara and

Vrajanatha saw the samadhi of Haridasa Thakura. Then they saw
the temple of Sri Tota-Gopinatha, and then they went to the
temple of Sri Radha-kantha. There they offered dandavat
obeisances to Sri Gopala-guru Goswami and then sat down. They
discussed many things with Sri Dhyanacandra Goswami.
Meanwhile, Sri Gopala-guru Goswami honored prasadam and
then also sat down on his seat. Vrajanatha humbly asked him
about vatsalya-bhakti rasa. Sri Gopala-guru Goswami said, "In
vatsalya-rasa Krsna is the visaya, and His elder relatives and
superiors are the asraya. Krsna's body is dark and handsome. He
has all virtues. He is gentle , a pleasing speaker, honest, sincere,
shy, humble, respectful, and generous. The king and queen of
Vraja, Rohini, the elder gopis, Devaki, Kunti, Vasudeva and
Sandipani Muni are included among the devotees in vatsalya
rasa. Nanda and Yasoda are the best among them. The uddipanas
include Krsna's kaumara age and other ages and His form,
garments, childhood, restlessness, talking, joking and pastimes.
593
 Vrajanatha: What are the anubhavas in this rasa?
Goswami: The anubhavas include smelling Krsna's head,
massaging His limbs, offering blessings to Him, giving orders to
Him, caressing Him, protecting Him, and giving good advice to
Him, kissing Him, hugging Him and calling His name are also
included among these activities.
Vrajanatha: What are the sattvika ecstatic symptoms in this
rasa?
Goswami: The sattvika ecstatic symptoms in this rasa include
milk flowing from the breasts and the eight ecstatic symptoms
that begin with becoming stunned.
Vrajanatha: What are the vyabhicari-bhavas in this rasa?
Goswami: The vyabhicaris in vatsalya rasa are like those in
prita-rasa (dasya rasa).
Vrajanatha: What are the sthayi-bhavas in this rasa?
Goswami: The sthayi-bhavas are mercy and love that is free
from awe and veneration. The parental love felt by Yasoda and
other great devotees is naturally very strong. The sthayi-bhava in
this rasa proceeds from prema, to sneha and raga. Lord
Balarama's rasa is a mixture of dasya-rasa and vatsalya rasa. King
Yudhisthira's rasa is a mixture of vatsalya, dasya and sakhya.
King Ugrasena‟s rasa is a mixture of vatsalya and sakhya. The
rasa of Nakula, Sahadeva, Narada Muni and many others is a
mixture of sakhya and dasya. The rasa of Siva, Garuda, Uddhava
and many other is a mixture of dasya and sakhya.
Vrajanatha: O master, now we have heard your description of
vatsalya-rasa. Please be merciful now and describe madhura rasa,

594
the most exalted of the rasas. By hearing your description we will
become fortunate.
Goswami: Madhura-rasa is said to be the most important of
the bhakti-rasas. A living entity who has taken shelter of the
material rasas may become devoted to the Supreme Lord and
may thus gradually turn from the things of the material world
and thus attain renunciation. A person who is not renounced in
this way is not qualified to understand the spiritual rasas.
Therefore the people in general are not qualified to understand
the madhura-rasa. Madhura-rasa is very difficult to understand.
It is not easy to find a person qualified to understand it. This rasa
is very confidential. Therefore it is appropriate to keep it hidden
from general view. Therefore, even though many things could be
said about madhura-rasa, I will describe it only briefly.
Vrajanatha: O master, I am a follower of the cowherd boy Sri
Subala. Please consider what I am qualified to hear, and tell me
only that much.
Goswami: The priya-narma-sakha friends of Krsna are to a
certain extent aware of the activities of madhura-rasa. Taking
this into consideration, I will tell you what is right for you to
hear, and I will not tell you what is not appropriate for you to
hear.
Vrajanatha: What are the alambanas of this rasa?
Goswami: In this rasa the visaya is Sri Krsna, the hero whose
handsomeness has no equal. The transcendental asraya is the
devotees who relish pastimes with Him. Therefore the vraja-
gopis are the asraya in this rasa. Of all the dear gopis, Sri Radha
is the best. Of the many uddipanas in this rasa, the sound of

595
Krsna's flute is the first. The anubhavas of this rasa include
sidelong glances and smiles. All the sattvika-bhavas are
gloriously present in this rasa. All the vyabhicaris, except for
laziness and ferociousness, are also present in this rasa.
Vrajanatha: What are the sthayi-bhavas of this rasa?
Goswami: The appropriate vibhavas act to increase the love
present in madhura-rasa. No vijatiya or svajatiya bhavas can
break the love that Sri Radha and Sri Madhava feel for each
other.
Vrajanatha: How many are the different varieties of madhura-
rasa?
Goswami: Madhura-rasa is of two kinds: 1. vipralambha
(separation) and sambhoga (meeting).
Vrajanatha: What is vipralambha?
Goswami: Vipralambha is of many kinds, including purva-
raga (the beginning of love), mana (jealous anger), and pravasa
(the beloved goes far away).
Vrajanatha: What is purva-raga?
Goswami: Purva-raga is said to be the situation before the
lover's have met.
Vrajanatha: What are mana and pravasa?
Goswami: Mana is well known. Pravasa is when the lover
loses the association of the beloved.
Vrajanatha: What is sambhoga?
Goswami: When the two lovers meet and enjoy (bhoga)
together, that is called sambhoga. I will not say anything more
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about madhura-rasa. Persons qualified to understand madhura
rasa should study the confidential description of it in the book
Sri Ujjvala-nilamani.
Vrajanatha: Now please briefly describe the gauna-bhakti-rasa
(the secondary rasas of devotional service).
Goswami: The seven gauna-rasas are: laughter, astonishment,
chivalry, lamentation, anger, dread, and ghastliness. When one
of these secondary rasas becomes very powerful, it occupies the
place of primary (mukhya) rasas. In this situation it seems to be
independent of the primary rasas. Seemingly independent in this
way, the secondary rasa then becomes nourished by its own
sthayi-bhavas, vibhavas, and other bhavas. However, the truth is
that the five rasas beginning with santa-rasa are the only primary
rasas. The seven secondary rasas, which begin with hasya
(laughter), are considered vyabhicaris in relation to the five
primary rasas.
Vrajanatha: From my study of rhetoric (alankara), I have
learned all these things about the rasas. I know all this about the
secondary rasas, which begin with hasya (laughter). I wish to
know how these secondary rasas are related to the primary rasas
of devotional service. Please be merciful and explain this.
Goswami: It is said that among the five rasas some are friends
(compatible) and some are enemies (incompatible). The friends
of santa-rasa are dasya, ghastliness, dharma-vira (chivalry in
performing pious deeds), and astonishment. The friends of
astonishment are dasya, sakhya, vatsalya and madhura-rasa. The
enemies of santa-rasa are madhura rasa, yuddha-vira (chivalry in
battle), anger, and dread. The friends of dasya-rasa are
ghastliness, santa-rasa, dharma vira (chivalry in performing
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pious deeds), and dana-vira (chivalry in giving charity). The
enemies of dasya-rasa are madhura-rasa, yuddha-vira (chivalry in
battle), and anger. The friends of sakhya rasa are madhura rasa,
laughter, and yuddha-vira (chivalry in battle). The enemies of
sakhya-rasa are vatsalya rasa, ghastliness, anger, and dread. The
friends of vatsalya rasa are laughter, compassion, and dread. The
enemies of vatsalya rasa are madhura rasa, yuddha-vira (chivalry
in battle), dasya rasa, and anger. The friends of madhura-rasa are
laughter and sakhya rasa. The enemies of madhura rasa are
vatsalya rasa, ghastliness, santa-rasa, anger, and dread. The
friends of hasya-rasa (laughter are ghastliness, madhura-rasa and
vatsalya-rasa. The enemies of hasya rasa are compassion and
dread. The friends of adbhuta-rasa (astonishment) are chivalry,
santa rasa, dasya rasa, sakhya rasa, vatsalya rasa and madhura
rasa. The enemies of adbhuta rasa are anger and ghastliness. The
friends of vira-rasa (chivalry) are astonishment, laughter, sakhya-
rasa and dasya-rasa. The enemy of vira-rasa is dread. Some think
that santa rasa is also an enemy of vira-rasa. The friends of
karuna-rasa (compassion) are anger and vatsalya rasa. The
enemies of karuna-rasa are chivalry, laughter, astonishment, and
the sambhoga (meeting) part of madhura rasa. The friends of
raudra-rasa (anger) are compassion and chivalry. The enemies of
raudra-rasa are laughter, madhura rasa, and dread. The friends of
bhayanaka rasa (dread) are ghastliness and compassion. The
enemies of bhayanaka-rasa are chivalry, madhura rasa, laughter
and anger. The friends of bibhatsa rasa (ghastliness) are santa
rasa, laughter, and dasya rasa. The enemies of bibhatsa rasa are
madhura rasa and sakhya rasa. All the other rasas are closely
related.

598
 Vrajanatha: Please explain the result of these rasas meeting
with each other.
Goswami: When the friendly rasas meet, the result is very
palatable. It is good when an anga rasa (part) meets with an angi
rasa (whole). The rasas may be primary or secondary, an angi
rasa should meet with a friendly anga-rasa.
Vrajanatha: Please explain the difference between angi
(whole) and anga (part).
Goswami: Whether it is a primary rasa or a secondary rasa,
when on rasa dominates another, the dominating rasa is called
angi. The anga rasa (dominated rasa) then becomes a sancari-
bhava that nourishes the angi-rasa. In the Visnu-dharmottara
Purana is said:
"When rasas meet, the dominating rasa becomes the sthayi
bhava and the others become the sancari bhavas."
Vrajanatha: How is it possible for one of the secondary
(gauna) rasas to become an angi rasa (a dominating rasa).
Goswami: Srila Rupa Goswami explains (Bhakti-rasamrta-
sindhu 4.8.45):
"Lord Vamanadeva is actually the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, but He appeared to have been 'born' as one of the
brothers of Indra. Although Vamanadeva is sometimes taken as a
less important demigod, He is actually the maintainer of Indra,
the king of the demigods. Thus, although sometimes
Vamanadeva is considered to be a subordinate demigod, His
actual position is that of the supreme whole, the source f the
entire demigod system. In the same way, a rasa which is actually
prominent may sometimes appear to be manifested in a
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subordinate way, although its actual position is as the main or
prominent loving feeling of a devotee."
Vrajanatha: What happens when two inimical rasas meet?
Goswami: It becomes like sweet nectar when something salty
or sour is mixed in. This mixing of incompatible rasas is called
'rasabhasa'.
Vrajanatha: Is the mixing of incompatible rasas never good in
any situation?
Goswami: Srila Rupa Goswami explains (Bhakti-rasamrta-
sindhu 4.8.63-64):
"When an opposing argument is to be refuted, or when
remembering something, or when speaking impartially, or in a
favorable way one stands between two rasas, or when there is a
difference of the lover (asraya) and beloved (visaya), then the
meeting of incompatible rasas does not produced an unpalatable
result."
In this way it is seen that even though dasya-rasa and vatsalya
rasa are enemies, when they are present, at different times, in the
relationship of King Yudhisthira with Lord Krsna, there is no
incompatibility. Although these two rasas are enemies, they are
not present simultaneously. Sometimes, when the ecstasy of
bhava is very intense, there is no incompatibility when
incompatible rasas meet. Srila Rupa Goswami explains (Bhakti-
rasamrta-sindhu 4.8.83):
"Sometimes, when they are present in very exalted and
powerful personalities, many different incompatible rasas join to
become compatible."

600
 Vrajanatha: I heard from the Vaisnavas that Lord
Mahaprabhu was not very happy to hear words contaminated
with rasabhasa, and he would not agree to hear songs
contaminated with that defect. Now I understand the fault of
rasabhasa. Now please kindly explain the different kinds of
rasabhasa.
Goswami: Rasabhasa, or incompatible mixtures of mellows,
may be classified as uparasa (false expression), anurasa
(imitation), and aparasa (perverted or misrepresented mellows).
In this way there is great, intermediate, or lesser expression of
rasabhasa.
Vrajanatha: What is uparasa?
Goswami: Pushed by sthayi-bhava, vibhava, anubhava, and
the other bhavas, the twelve rasas may become uparasas. When
sthayi-bhava, vibhava, or anubhava are manifested in a distorted
way, then uparasa is manifested.
Vrajanatha: What is anurasa?
Goswami: When the twelve secondary rasas are manifested,
but they have no relation to Krsna, then they are anurasa. When
chivalry and other like rasas only approach the borderline of
having a relationship with Krsna, they are also considered
anurasa.
Vrajanatha: If these sentiments have no relationship with
Krsna, then they are not rasas at all. They are only material.
What is the distinguishing feature of anurasas that makes them
different from material feelings?
Goswami: Anurasas do not have a direct relationship with
Krsna. Some examples of anurasas are the gopis' laughing (hasya
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rasa) when they saw a monkey dance, and Narada's astonishment
(adbhuta-rasa) when he heard two parrots debating Vedanta in
Bhandiravana. In these examples one can see a relationship with
Krsna, but it is distant. One cannot see a direct relationship with
Krsna. In such a situation there is anurasa.
Vrajanatha: What is aparasa?
Goswami: If Krsna becomes the object of His enemy's
laughter or other unfavorable sentiment, that is called aparasa.
When he saw Krsna flee from the battlefield, Jarasandha laughed
again and again. That is an example of aparasa. Srila Rupa
Goswami explains (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu):
"Some call these incompatible mellows 'tad-abhasa' and
others call them 'rasabhasa'. But person who know the truth
about the rasas use the word 'rasa' to refer to the compatible,
pleasing rasas only."
After hearing these words, Vijaya-kumara and Vrajanatha,
tears in their eyes and their words choked up, at once fell before
the lotus feet of their spiritual master and said:
"I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master,
who with the torchlight of knowledge has opened my eyes,
which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance."
Filled with the bliss of spiritual love, Sri Gopala-guru
Goswami embraced the two disciples. With a sincere heart he
blessed them, "May the truth of the rasas be manifest before
you."
Every day Vijaya-kumara and Vrajanatha discussed the
spiritual truth with Sri Dhyanacandra Goswami. They would also
accept the caranamrta from Sri Gopala-guru Goswami's feet and
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the nectar remnants of the prasadam foods that had touched his
lips. Some days they stayed in their own bhajana-kutira. Other
days they would visit Sri Haridasa Thakura's samadhi. Other
days they would visit the temple of Sri Gopinatha. Other days
they would see the many pure Vaisnavas performing devotional
service under the siddha bakula tree. In these ways the two
devotees became plunged in the nectar ocean of devotional
service. Sometimes they would see the places where Lord
Mahaprabhu was overcome with ecstatic love, places described
in Srila Rupa Goswami's Stava-mala and Srila Raghunatha dasa
Goswami's Stavavali. Sometimes they would join the pure
Vaisnavas in chanting the holy names of Lord Hari. In this way
Vijaya-kumara and Vrajanatha gradually became advanced in
devotional service. Vijaya-kumara thought, "Sri Gopala-guru
Goswami briefly described madhura-rasa to us. I should hear a
more detailed explanation of it from his mouth. Let Vrajanatha
remain plunged in his mellows of sakhya rasa. I will go alone and
learn all the truths of madhura-rasa." By the kind help of
Dhyanacandra Goswami, Vijaya-kumara got a copy of Sri
Ujjvala-nilamani. He studied that book. When any doubts arose,
he placed his questions before Sri Gopala-guru Goswami.
One afternoon Vijaya-kumara and Vrajanatha were sitting by
the seashore, looking at the waves, and observing how the wave-
filled ocean was like life. Vijaya-kumara said, "No one could say
what would happen next in life. We should learn about the path
of raga-marga (raganuga-bhakti) from Sri Gopala-guru
Goswami." Vrajanatha said, "Sri Dhyanacandra Goswami has
written a book about raga-marga. I have seen it. If our spiritual
master teaches us that book we will gain a great result. Good. I
will make a copy of that book." After coming to this conclusion,
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he approached Sri Dhyanacandra and requested a copy of the
book. Sri Dhyanacandra replied, "I cannot give you a copy. You
must first get permission from Sri Gopala-guru Goswami.
Then the two of them approached Sri Gopala-guru Goswami
and placed their request before him. He said, "Good. Get a copy
and then return." With these words as their permission, Vijaya-
kumara and Vrajanatha got a copy of the book. They thought
that at appropriate times they would approach Sri Gopala-guru
Goswami and learn the book under his guidance.
Sri Dhyanacandra Goswami was learned in all the scriptures.
Especially in the scriptures that describe devotional service to
Lord Hari, he had no equal. He was the foremost of Sri Gopala-
guru Goswami's disciples. Thinking them good candidates for
devotional service, he taught Vijaya-kumara and Vrajanatha
everything about the path of devotional service. Again and again
they approached Sri Gopala-guru Goswami's holy feet, and again
and again Vijaya-kumara and Vrajanatha had their doubts
answered. They learned about Lord Mahaprabhu's daily activities
and Lord Krsna's daily pastimes. Following these pastimes, they
worshipped the Lord during the eight portions of the day.

604
 Chapter Thirty-one

Madhura-rasa
Madhura-rasa-vicara

Autumn came. After five hours of night, the moon rose.

Vijaya-kumara thought, "I should see Sraddhavali and
Sundaracala. Vijaya-kumara had studied the method of
worshipping the Lord in pure madhura-rasa. He liked only Lord
Krsna's pastimes in Vraja and nothing else. He was always rapt in
thinking of Lord Krsna's pastimes with the gopis in Vraja. He
had heard that Lord Mahaprabhu saw Sundaracala as the land of
Vraja. Vijaya-kumara set out for Sundaracala. He crossed the
Balagandi and began to proceed toward Sraddhavali. AS he
walked he saw gardens on both sides. Finally Vrndavana
appeared before him. Plunged in an ocean of spiritual love,
Vijaya-kumara said, "Ah! How fortunate I have become today!
Today I can see Vraja Puri, which even Brahma and the
demigods cannot easily attain. Here is a forest garden. Here, in a
bower of malati and madhavi vines, Sri Krsna, the master of my
life, is joking with the gopis." Pushing aside all feelings of awe
and veneration, agitated Vijaya-kumara ran to that place. As he
was running, Vijaya-kumara fainted and fell unconscious to the
ground. A gentle breeze blew on Vijaya-kumara. After a short
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time Vijaya-kumara became conscious again. He looked in one
direction and then another. Not seeing the Lord's pastimes, he
became unhappy at heart. Eventually Vijaya-kumara returned
home. He went to bed. He did not tell anyone what he had seen.
The sight of Lord Krsna's pastimes in Vraja made Vijaya-
kumara's heart blossom with joy. In his heart Vijaya-kumara
thought, "Today I have seen something very confidential.
Tomorrow I will tell my spiritual master." After a few moments
he remembered that a person who sees the Lord's confidential
pastimes should not reveal that fact to anyone. Thinking about
this again and again, he gradually fell asleep. When he rose in
the morning he could think of nothing else. He honored
prasadam, went to the home of Kasi-misra and offered dandavat
obeisances to his spiritual master. His spiritual master
respectfully embraced him and asked about his welfare. Vijaya-
kumara kept his eyes on his spiritual master's lotus feet. With a
steady heart he asked about the madhura-rasa.
Vijaya-kumara, "O master, you have been merciful to me
without limit. I would like to ask a question about the
confidential truths of the splendid madhura-rasa. I have been
reading Sri Ujjvala-nilamani, and some parts of it I do not
understand." Hearing this, the spiritual master replied, "Baba,
you are a very dear disciple of mine. You may place your
questions before me. I will answer as far as I am able.
Vijaya-kumara said, "O master, it is said that among the five
primary rasas, the madhura rasa is the most confidential. And
why not? Madhura rasa eternally possesses all the virtues present
in santa, dasya, sakhya and vatsalya rasas. Madhura rasa is the
most wonderful and beautiful of all rasas. How can there be any

606
doubt? Persons who follow the path of dry renunciation are
completely unqualified to understand the truth of madhura rasa.
On the other hand, the path followed by the materialists is not a
good path to follow. The Vraja madhura rasa is completely
different from material sexual activities. The madhura rasa
cannot be understood very easily. If the madhura rasa is so
wonderful, why it is so much like the affairs of ordinary men and
women in the material world?
Goswami: Baba Vijaya-kumara, you know very well that the
wonderful variety present in the material world is only a
perverted reflection of the wonderful variety present in the
spiritual world. The confidential truth here is that in a reflection
everything is the reverse of the original. Thus what is highest in
the original is lowest in the reflection, and what is lowest in the
original is highest in the reflection. When we look in the mirror,
we see our limbs reflected in reverse. That is easy to understand,
In the same way, when the shadow of the Supreme Lord's
inconceivable potency is reflected in the material world, that
reflected image is in reverse. Thus when the spiritual rasas are
reflected in the material world, that reflected image is in reverse.
The Absolute truth has a great variety of unprecedented and
wonderful happinesses. The highest stage of those happinesses is
the rasas. The conditioned souls think of these rasas only in
terms of their material reflections. Some thinkers claim that the
spiritual truth has no variety. These persons try to become one
with the Supreme. They think variety exists only in the material
world and in the world of spirit there is no variety. These
persons cannot understand the truth about the spiritual world.
However, a person who takes shelter of logic and simple
common sense can easily understand the truth. The reality is that
607
the Supreme is the resting place of all rasas. Therefore wonderful
variety exists in Him. The great variety of material rasas are all
reflected from Him. Therefore, by looking at the material rasas
we can understand something of the original spiritual rasa,
which cannot be perceived by the material senses. A great variety
of rasas exist within the Supreme. That much may be
understood. The lowest rasa in the spiritual world is the peaceful
rasa called santa-rasa. Above that is dasya-rasa. Above dasya rasa
is sakhya rasa. Above sakhya rasa is vatsalya rasa. Then, above
them all, is madhura rasa. However, when these rasas are
reflected in the material world, their positions are all inverted.
Thus, in the material world the madhura rasa is in the lowest
position. Above that is vatsalya rasa. Above vatsalya rasa is
sakhya rasa. Above sakhya rasa is dasya rasa. Then, above them
all, is santa rasa. They who analyze the different rasas in the
material world come to the conclusion that madhura rasa is the
lowest of all. That is why the activities of madhura rasa in the
material world are very unimportant and are a source of
embarrassment. However, in the spiritual world the madhura
rasa is the most pure of all the rasas. It is filled with purity,
splendor and wonderful sweetness. In the spiritual world when
Krsna, the supreme male, meets with His potencies, who are all
female, Their activities are supremely pure. Their activities are
the root of spiritual reality. However, the perverted reflection of
those activities in the material world is degraded and a source of
embarrassment. The truth is that Krsna is the only male, and His
potencies are all female. Therefore, in this rasa in the spiritual
world there is nothing that is impious or goes against the
teachings of religion. In the material world one individual soul is
the enjoyer and another individual soul is the enjoyed. In this
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way the material madhura rasa contradicts the original spiritual
reality. That is why the material madhura rasa is the resting place
of revulsion and embarrassment. The truth is that it is not
possible for one individual soul to be the enjoyer of another
individual soul. All individual souls are meant to be enjoyed, and
Lord Krsna is the only enjoyer. It is because it is so much in
opposition to the true nature of the individual soul that the
material madhura rasa is so abominable, repulsive, and
embarrassing. How can there be any doubt? Look, consider the
nature of a reflection in a mirror? There must be some similarity
between the reflected material couples in the material world and
their origin in Lord Krsna's supreme pure transcendental
pastimes. However, the difference between them is that one is
the most abominable and the other is the most exalted.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, now my life is a success. I fully
accept your very pleasing conclusion. Now my doubt is
destroyed. Now I am able to understand the madhura rasa
present in the spiritual world. Ah, the very word 'madhura rasa'
is sweet. It is spiritual and free from the touch of matter. It is the
source of supreme transcendental bliss. Who is so unfortunate
that he will refer to the happiness of santa rasa to the sweet
happiness of madhura rasa? O master, I am very eager to
understand the madhura rasa. Please be merciful to me.
Goswami: Baba, please listen carefully, and I will speak. In
madhura rasa Krsna is the visaya and His beloveds are the asraya.
Their meeting is the alambana.
Vijaya-kumara: What are the features of Krsna when He is the
visaya in madhura rasa?

609
 Goswami: Ah! That is a very pleasing question. Krsna's
complexion is the color of a new rain cloud. He is charming. All
His features are sweet and charming. He is the strongest. His
youthfulness is always new and fresh. He speaks eloquently and
sweetly. He is intelligence, glorious, sober, profound the best,
famous, charming to all women, always new and fresh, the
enjoyer of incomparable transcendental pastimes, handsome, the
most dear and expert at playing the flute. The supreme male
Krsna has many transcendental qualities like these. The glory of
all the Kamadevas is at once eclipsed by a mere glimpse of the
glory of Krsna's feet. Lord Krsna's sidelong glance enchants the
hearts of all. Krsna is the great treasure of transcendental
pastimes. He is the good fortune attained by the gopis.
Vijaya-kumara: Krsna has a great host of wonderful spiritual
qualities. Krsna is the only hero of the wonderful and spiritual
madhura rasa. Now I can fully understand all this. Previously I
studied many scriptures. I had praise only for material logic.
Even though I would sometimes meditate on Lord Krsna, I did
not have firm faith in Him. But now, by your mercy a little bit of
devotion, devotion that is the root of attraction to Krsna, has
risen in my heart. Now that my heart has become purified by
devotion, I have attained the direct perception of Lord Krsna. I
turned away from Krsna. But still Krsna never left my heart. Ah,
how merciful He is! Now I can understand these words (Bhakti-
rasamrta-sindhu 2.5.131-132):
"Non devotees cannot understand the transcendental
mellows experienced between the devotee and the Lord. In all
respects, this is very difficult, but one who has dedicated

610
everything to the lotus feet of Krsna can taste the transcendental
mellows.
"When one transcends the status of ecstatic love and thus
becomes situated on the highest platform of pure goodness, one
is understood to have cleansed the heart of all material
contamination. In that pure stage of life, one tastes this nectar,
and this tasting capacity is called 'rasa' or transcendental mood.
O master, now I can directly understand that the true rasas
are the splendid spiritual rasas in the heart. The so-called rasas in
the material world are not the true rasas. The true rasas are in the
spiritual world. Each living being is a tiny particle of spirit, a
soul. When the soul becomes rapt in the meditation of
devotional service (bhakti-samadhi), then the spiritual rasas are
manifested in him. By the mercy of the spiritual master one is
able to understand both the soul's pure, original, spiritual
identity, and the soul's conditioned existence in the material
world. One who understands this has no doubts.
Goswami: Baba Vijaya-kumara all you say is true. To further
remove any doubts you may still have, I will explain more about
the spiritual truth. Tell me: What is the relationship of pure
truth and mixed truth?
Vijaya-kumara: (offering dandavat obeisances to his spiritual
master's feet's) O master, only by your mercy I will be able to
speak properly. If my explanations are faulty, then please be
merciful and correct me. That which truly exists is called
'existence' (satta). Thus it is said that there is 'true existence of a
particular place' (sthiti-satta), 'true existence of a form' (rupa-
satta), 'true existence of certain qualities' (guna satta) and 'true
existence of certain activities' (kriya-satta). True existence (satta)
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has neither beginning nor end. True existence is manifested in an
eternal present, uncontaminated by past or future. It is filled
with many great wonders and it is perfectly pure in nature. That
is pure existence (suddha-sattva). Pure existence is manifested
by the Lord's pure spiritual potency (suddha-cit-sakti). The
material world of maya, where past and future are manifested, is
only a shadow of the original spiritual potency (cit-sakti). When
that something is seen to begin its existence in the world of
maya, that beginning comes from the material mode of passion.
When something is seen to come to an end in the material world
of maya, that ending comes from the material mode of ignorance.
These kinds of existence are all mixed. The pure spirit soul,
however, is unmixed, pure existence (suddha-sattva). The form,
qualities, and activities of the pure soul are all pure existence
(suddha-sattva. However, when the individual spirit soul is
imprisoned by maya, the soul's qualities are seen to be mixed
with the material modes of passion and ignorance.
Goswami: Baba, your analysis is very subtle. Now please tell
me: How does the living entity's heart become enlightened with
pure existence?
Vijaya-kumara: As long as he remains imprisoned in the
material world, the soul does not manifest its original, pure
existence. Only the is the soul's original, pure form manifested.
The soul's original form is not manifested as a result of
impersonal speculation (jnana-cesta) or fruitive work (karma
cesta). How can one become clean if he washes himself with
dirt? Spiritual knowledge is like fire. With the fire of knowledge
one should burn away the contamination of materialism. How
does one attain the spiritual happiness that comes from washing

612
away the contamination of matter? By the mercy of Krsna and
the Vaisnavas one attains devotional service. By engaging in
devotional service one regains his original spiritual identity.
When that original identity is regained, the heart becomes
effulgent with pure spiritual existence.
Goswami: Baba, I am very happy to teach a qualified student
like you. What other questions do you have?
Vijaya-kumara: Previously you said that there are four kinds
of heroes: dhirodatta, dhira-lalita, dhira-prasanta and
dhirodhatta. Which kind of hero is Krsna?
Goswami: Krsna is all four of these heroes. If one asks how a
personality can be beheld in four quite opposing ways the
answer is that the Lord is the reservoir of all transcendental
qualities and activities. Therefore, His different aspects can be
analyzed according to the exhibition of Hi limitless variety of
pastimes, and as such there is no contradiction.
Vijaya-kumara: If you are merciful, then please kindly explain
all this. (speaking these words), Vijaya-kumara fell, with tears in
his eyes at the feet of his spiritual master. The saintly Goswami
lifted him up, embraced him, and tears flowing from his own
eyes, began to speak.
Goswami: In madhura rasa Krsna assumes two roles: that of
husband and that of paramour.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, Krsna is our eternal husband. How
can He be a paramour?
Goswami: This is very confidential. In the realm of spiritual
activities, madhura rasa is a secretly hidden jewel. Among the

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many jewels of madhura rasa, the jewel where Krsna assumes the
role of paramour (parakiya) is the best, the Kaustubha jewel.
Vijaya-kumara: The devotees who have taken shelter of
madhura rasa worship Krsna as their husband. What is this
secret, that Krsna can be a paramour?
Goswami: If the Supreme is impersonal and without qualities,
then there is no possibility of a rasa with Him. If He is
impersonal, the Veda's declaration, 'raso vai sah' (The Supreme
Personality of Godhead is the reservoir of transcendental rasas)
has no meaning. If the Supreme has neither qualities nor
happiness, then He cannot have any contact with rasa. Only if He
has qualities may He have contact with rasa. The rasas are
manifested in the heart. The rasas cannot be manifested in
relation to an impersonal qualityless Supreme. They are manifest
only in relation to the Supreme Person. In santa rasa the Lord's
supreme power and opulence are prominent. The dasya rasa,
where the Lord's position as the supreme master is prominent, is
above santa rasa. The sakhya rasa, where the idea that one is the
Lord's equal is prominent, is above dasya rasa. The vatsalya rasa
where the idea that one is the Lord's superior is prominent, is
above sakhya rasa. The madhura rasa is above the vatsalya-rasa.
It is above all the other rasas. In madhura rasa, parakiya is above
svakiya. These two are based on 'atma' (myself) and 'para'
(another person). The one means that one is Krsna's, and the
other means that one belongs to another. These two opposites
are both manifested in relation to the Supreme Person. In one
part of Krsna's pastimes, svakiya love is manifested, and in
another part of His pastimes parakiya love is manifested. When
the hero and heroine passionately meet, that is the wonderful

614
parakiya rasa. Parakiya rasa is much great then svakiya rasa. The
svakiya rasa is dry in comparison, and the parakiya rasa is
blossoming with happiness. When Krsna is the hero, parakiya
rasa is not at all abominable. If an individual soul is the hero,
then one can consider whether his actions follow the path of
religion or oppose it. If an individual soul is the hero in parakiya
love, then that is very abominable. Therefore philosophers affirm
that an individual soul who becomes a paramour is very
rehensible. Srila Rupa Goswami explains that in books of
ordinary material rhetoric (alankara-sastra) it is accepted that a
paramour is in an inferior position. This is true for a material
paramour, but it is not true for Sri Krsna, the spiritual Supreme
Personality of Godhead, the origin of all incarnations.
Vijaya-kumara: Lord Krsna then appears as both husband and
paramour. Please first explain His role as husband.
Goswami: When He accepts a girl's hand in marriage, then He
is the husband.
Vijaya-kumara: What is the nature of His role as paramour
and His parakiya rasa?
Goswami: When love becomes everything for Him, and when,
passionately desiring another's wife, He jumps over the rules of
religion, then He is a paramour. When He ignores the religious
rules that govern this life and the next and when He has only
contempt for the institution of marriage, and when He thus
offers Himself to a girl, then Lord Krsna enjoys the parakiya rasa.
In parakiya rasa there are two kinds of heroines: 1. an unmarried
girl and 2. the wife of another.
Vijaya-kumara: What is the nature of svakiya rasa?

615
 Goswami: When He accepts a girl's hand in marriage,
becomes her husband, and protects her, and when she is always
faithful to Him, that is svakiya rasa.
Vijaya-kumara: When does Sri Krsna accept the svakiya and
parakiya rasas?
Goswami: When He marries the queens in Dvaraka, He
accepts svakiya rasa and when He becomes the lover of the girls
of Vraja, He accepts the parakiya-rasa.
Vijaya-kumara: What is the position of these two kinds of
beloveds in Lord Krsna's unmanifested pastimes?
Goswami: This is very confidential. You know that Lord
Krsna's opulences are four quarters. Three quarters are the
spiritual world, and one quarter is the material world. Within
that one quarter of the Lord's opulences exist the material
universes that have fourteen planetary systems. On the boundary
that divides the material and spiritual world flows the Viraja
river. On the father shore of the Viraja is the spiritual world. The
spiritual world is enclosed by a wall of light called the
Brahmajyoti. Beyond that wall may be seen the spiritual sky of
Vaikuntha. In Vaikuntha the Lord's opulence is prominent.
There Lord Narayanacandra, the king of kings, is served by
numberless spiritual opulences. In Vaikuntha the Lord accepts
only the svakiya rasa. There Sri, Bhu, Nila and the other wives
serve their husband, Lord Narayana. Above Vaikuntha is Goloka.
In Vaikuntha the Dvaraka queens serve Krsna according to
svakiya rasa. In Goloka the girls of Vraja serve Krsna according
to their own rasa.

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 Vijaya-kumara: If Goloka is Lord Krsna's highest abode, why
is Vraja gloried as the most wonderful place?
Goswami: Vraja, Gokula, Vrndavana, and many other places
are all situated within Mathura-mandala. Goloka is the highest
abode. When it is manifested within the material world, Goloka
is called Mathura-mandala. They are both the highest abode.
Vijaya-kumara: How is that possible? I don't understand.
Goswami: It is possible by the power of Lord Krsna's
inconceivable potency. Lord Krsna's inconceivable potency
cannot be understood by material thought process or material
logic, the spiritual realm called Goloka comes to the material
world and is then called Mathura-mandala. In the Lord's
unmanifested pastimes (aprakata-lila) that same world is called
Goloka. Lord Krsna's transcendental pastimes are eternal. When
one is qualified to see pure spirit, then he can see the world of
Goloka. Then he sees that the Gokula present in the material
world is the same as Goloka in the spiritual world. However,
when a person's intelligence is tortured by material ideas, he
cannot see that Goloka is the same as Gokula. He sees that they
are different. He sees that Gokula is part of the material world.
Vijaya-kumara: How does one become qualified to see
Goloka?
Goswami: Sri Sukadeva Goswami explains (Srimad-
Bhagavatam 10.28.14-15):
"Krsna immediately thought that His devotees in Vrndavana
should be informed of the spiritual sky and the Vaikuntha
planets therein. Thus Krsna showed them the eternal, ever-
existing spiritual sky, which is unlimited and full of knowledge.
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Information of the spiritual sky can be had only from great sages
and saintly persons who have already surpassed the influence of
the three material modes of nature."
Baba, with Krsna's mercy, no one can see Goloka. It was by
His mercy that the people of Vraja were able to see Goloka.
Goloka is the supreme spiritual abode, far beyond the material
world. It contains all wonders. It is eternal and spiritual. It is the
home of limitless spiritual pastimes. The spiritual effulgence
called Brahmajyoti is the eternal effulgence emanating from
Goloka. The devotees who have completely renounced the
material world are able to see Goloka as it is.
Vijaya-kumara: Are all liberated souls able to see Goloka?
Goswami: Among millions and millions of liberated souls it is
hard to find a single devotee of the Supreme Lord. Persons who
follow the path of astanga yoga or the path of impersonal
speculation may attain liberation, but in that kind of liberation
they forget their original spiritual identity in the spiritual world
of Vraja. Devotees who are attracted by the Supreme Lord's
opulences also cannot see the world of Goloka. Following their
hearts, they go to Vaikuntha and there they serve the Supreme
Lord in His form of opulence and majesty. Among the devotees
who worship Krsna according to the rasas of Vraja, only they
who by Lord Krsna's mercy are released from Maya's prison are
able to see Goloka.
Vijaya-kumara: Well, if one these few liberated souls can see
Goloka, then why is Goloka described in Sri Brahma-samhita,
Hari-vamsa, Padma Purana and other scriptures? Simply by
worshipping Him in Vraja one can easily attain Lord Krsna's
mercy. Why, then do all these scriptures describe Goloka?
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 Goswami: A rasika devotee who worships Krsna according to
the rasas of Vraja Lord Krsna lifts from the material world and
places in Goloka. Such a person can see Goloka in full. Among
the pure devotees who worship Krsna in Vraja some, very few are
able to see Goloka. There are two kinds of devotees: siddha
(perfect devotees) and sadhaka (aspiring devotees). The sadhaka
devotees are not qualified to see Goloka. The siddha devotees are
of two kinds: vastu-siddha (perfect in reality) and svarupa siddha
(perfect in conception). The vastu-siddha devotees are persons
who by Lord Krsna's mercy are taken directly to Goloka. The
svarupa-siddha devotees are persons who, although they are not
taken, by Lord Krsna's mercy, from the material world and
placed in Goloka, can still see the true form of Goloka. There are
many kinds of devotees whose eyes of devotional service are
gradually opened, by Lord Krsna's mercy. Some can see a little of
Goloka, some can see more of Goloka and some can see a great
deal of Goloka. According to the degree they have attain Lord
Krsna's mercy, to that degree they can see Goloka. In the stage of
sadhana the devotee can have a brief glimpse of Goloka in
Gokula in the material world. When a devotee leaves the stage of
sadhana-bhakti and attains bhava-bhakti, then he can see Goloka
to a greater extent. When a devotee attains the stage of prema,
then he can see Goloka to a very great extent.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, what is the difference between
Goloka and Vraja?
Goswami: Whatever can be seen in Vraja can also be seen in
Goloka. However, persons with different kinds of qualification
may see Vraja differently. The truth is that Goloka and
Vrndavana are not different in anyway. However, there may be

619
differences in different persons' ability to see. A person tightly
bound by the mode of ignorance will see Vraja as just another
place in the material world. A person influenced by the mode of
passion will see Vraja as a pleasant place. A person in the mode
of pure goodness will see Vraja more clearly than the others. In
this way different people are more or less able to properly see the
land of Vraja.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, I can understand a little. Please
give one or two examples to help me understand. Examples
comparing things in the spiritual world to things in the material
world are always imperfect. Still, they can be useful, for the
nature of one thing can be hinted by comparing it to another.
Goswami: This is a very difficult topic. If one has a direct
spiritual vision, he is forbidden to reveal it to others. If by
Krsna's mercy one is able to see directly, one must keep that
revelation always a secret. I will repeat to you what the previous
acaryas have taught about this. Anything more than that you will
soon see for yourself by Lord Krsna's mercy. Pure spiritual
perception exists in Goloka. Material ideas do not exist there at
all. To nourish the rasas, the Lord's spiritual potency (cit-sakti)
manifests all wonderful states of being (bhava). In this way many
ideas and conceptions are manifested. In Goloka Krsna is
beginningless. He is never born. Still, to help the Lord's pastimes,
the Lord's spiritual potency convinces Nanda and Yasoda that
they are Krsna's parents. In this way the vatsalya rasa is
manifested. In madhura rasa the wonderful varieties of
vipralambha (separation) and sambhoga (enjoying pastimes
together) are also manifested by the Lord's spiritual potency. In
this way the parakiya rasa and svakiya rasa are manifested in an

620
eternal present (nitya-vartamana). Look, in this way many
different ideas and beliefs are manifested by Yogamaya in Vraja.
Yogamaya convinces Yasoda that Krsna was born in her
maternity room. Yogamaya convinces the gopis that they were
married to Abhimanyu, Govardhana-gopa, and others. In this
way the parakiya rasa is nourished. These various ideas and
beliefs created by Yogamaya are not really untrue. They are part
of the total reality of Goloka. Thus the different residents of
Goloka do indeed see things differently.
Vijaya-kumara: Should one purify his thoughts by meditating
on the Lord's pastimes in the eight periods of the day (astakaliya-
lila) and in this way be able to see the Lord in meditation?
Goswami: It is not like that. One first sees the Lord's pastimes
in Vraja, and then one remembers those pastimes of the eight
periods of the day. By engaging in devotional service one obtains
Krsna's mercy, and then the Lord's pastimes are manifested
before one. There is no need to first purify one's thoughts by
meditating on the Lord's pastimes.
Vijaya-kumara: It is said: "One attains perfection that
corresponds to his meditation." Does this mean that when one
attains perfection he will obtain what he meditated on during the
period of sadhana-bhakti? Therefore one should strive to
meditate purely one Goloka.
Goswami: What you say is true. All the ideas and beliefs
present in vraja are pure truths. There is nothing imperfect or
wrong with about them. If there were anything untrue about
them, they would be faulty. When one perfectly practices
sadhana bhakti, he attains perfection. What one purely meditates
on during the practice of sadhana bhakti, one directly sees when
621
one attains perfection. Try to perform the duties of sadhana
bhakti nicely. Do not try to purify these activities. To purify
them is beyond your power. With His inconceivable potency,
Lord Krsna Himself will purify them. If you try to purify them
yourself, you will be pricked by the thorn of material ideas. If
Krsna is merciful to you, the fruit you pick will not be bitter.
Vijaya-kumara: Today I have become fortunate. I have one
more question. Do the Lord's wives in Dvaraka reside in
Vaikuntha? If not, do they reside in Goloka?
Goswami: All bliss is found in Vaikuntha in the spiritual
world. There is no attainment higher than Vaikuntha. Dvaraka
and all the cities where the Lord resides are manifested in
Vaikuntha. each in her own abode, the Lord's wives in these
different cities serve the Lord there. As far as madhura-rasa is
concerned, only the girls in Vraja reside in Goloka. Whatever
pastimes were manifested in Vraja in the material world are all
manifested in Goloka. Also, in the Gopala-tapani Upanisad it is
seen that Rukmini devi, following the svakiya rasa, enjoys
pastimes in Mathura-Puri in Goloka.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, the activities of parakiya rasa are
manifested in a certain sequence in Vraja in the material world.
Are they all manifested in exactly the same sequence in Goloka?
Goswami: They are all exactly the same. They are all spiritual.
Only the beliefs created by Yogamaya are absent. Those beliefs
do not remain there. Only the pure spiritual part remains there. I
cannot explain that any more clearly. By the power of your
devotional activities you will come to understand what I mean.

622
 Vijaya-kumara: At the time of cosmic devastation the entire
material world disappears. How, then, is it possible that the
Supreme Lord enjoys pastimes eternally in His abode of Vraja in
the material world?
Goswami: The Lord's pastimes in Vraja are eternal in two
ways. Traveling in a great circle through the numberless material
universes, the Lord manifests all His pastimes, one after another.
In this way the Lord's pastimes are manifested eternally. Also,
the Lord's pastimes always exist in the spiritual eternal present
(nitya-vartamana), even when they may be invisible to material
eyes (aprakata).
Vijaya-kumara: If the Lord openly manifests (prakata-lila) His
pastimes in every material universe, does that mean that every
universe has its own land of Vraja?
Goswami: Yes, it does. Goloka has the power to manifest
itself anywhere. In every material universe the abode of the
Lord's pastimes is manifested. The world of Goloka also
manifests itself in the heart of every devotee of the Lord. Why
does the land of Mathura (Mathura-mandala) continue to exist
in the material world, even though the Lord no longer manifests
(prakata) His pastimes there?
Vijaya-kumara: The Lord continues to enjoy pastimes there
eternally, even though those pastimes cannot be seen by material
eyes (aprakata). Also, to show mercy to the devotees, the Lord
keeps His abode manifested in the material world.
In that way the day's conversation ended. Again and again
thinking of the Lord's pastimes during the eight periods of the
day (asta-kaliya-seva), Vijaya-kumara returned to his residence.

623
 Chapter Thirty-two

Madhura-rasa
Madhura-rasa-vicara

Vijaya-kumara honored prasadam and took rest at night.

Vrajanatha completed his devotional activities, chanted the holy
names of Lord on his beads, and went to sleep. Vijaya-kumara
did not sleep. He used to think that Goloka was a different place.
Now he could understand that Goloka and Gokula were not
different. The parakiya rasa has its root in Goloka. However, how
could Krsna be a paramour? That was his only doubt. Now he
thought, "Krsna is the Absolute Truth. The potency and the
master of potencies are not different. If Krsna and His potency
are not different, then how can Krsna be the husband or the
paramour of His potency?" Once he thought, "Tomorrow I will
place this question before my spiritual master, and he will
remove my doubt." Then again he thought, "It would not be
good to ask the master again about Goloka. Still, I must throw
this doubt far away." Thinking very seriously about all this, he
fell asleep. Asleep, he dreamed that he met his spiritual master
and placed this question before him. In the dream his spiritual
master resolved the doubt. The spiritual master said, "Baba,
Vijaya-kumara, Krsna's desires are not dependent on the wishes
of others, pushed here and there like an elephant prodded with a
goad. He eternally desires to conceal His own opulence and
624
divine power, and instead manifest His charming sweetness. He
makes His potency exist as a separate entity. Then His potency
manifests Herself as millions and millions of beautiful girls. In
this way His potency serves Him very diligently. Krsna is not
very pleased when His potency serves Him in the mood of
opulence. With the wonderful power of His potency, He makes
these manifestations of His potency into married girls. Then He
becomes their sole paramour. Desiring to enjoy the parakiya-
rasa, Krsna rejects His own natural self-sufficiency (atmarama-
dharma), and enjoys the rasa dance and other wonderful
pastimes with His potencies, who are all convinced that they are
the wives of others. In all these activities, His flute becomes a
dear friend. In this way the parakiya-rasa is eternally perfect in
the realm of Goloka. It is for this purpose that the pastime forests
of Goloka and Vrndavana exist. Vraja's rasa-mandala, Yamuna
shore, Govardhana Hill, and other pastimes places all exist in
Goloka also. In this way svakiya rasa and parakiya rasa both exist
in Goloka. Pure svakiya rasa is splendidly manifested in
Vaikuntha. Svakiya rasa and parakiya rasa, which are
simultaneously one and different from each other, are both seen
in Goloka. Look. This is very wonderful. Although the parakiya-
rasa in Vraja seems to be material and Krsna seems to be an
ordinary paramour, the truth is that it is not material and Krsna
is not a paramour at all. And why not? Krsna has been enjoying
the company of His potencies from a time without beginning.
Their relationship is actually the perfection of svakiya-rasa, of
the love of a husband and wife. That His potencies are married to
others and Krsna is their paramour is only an idea created to
nourish the bliss of Their pastimes in Vraja. This same idea also
nourishes the Lord's pastimes in Goloka, which is far from the
625
world of matter. In Gokula, which is manifested within the
material world, Yogamaya creates the idea that Krsna's potencies
are married to others and Krsna is their paramour."
Hearing this explanation in his dream, Vijaya-kumara threw
all his doubts far away. He became fully convinced that Goloka
beyond the material world, and Gokula situated within the
material world are indeed the same place. Then the bliss of the
rasas of Vraja appeared in his heart. He became firmly convinced
of Krsna's eternal pastimes in Vraja during the eight periods of
the day (astakaliya). Rising the next morning, he thought, "My
spiritual master has been merciful to me without any limit".
From that time he had full faith in his spiritual master's
descriptions of the rasas.
Vijaya-kumara honored prasadam and, at the appropriate
time, shedding tears of love, fell down before his spiritual
master's lotus feet. Filled with spiritual love, the spiritual master
picked him up and said, "Baba, you have attained Lord Krsna's
mercy. Simply by seeing you, I have become fortunate." He
hugged Vijaya-kumara and then he began to sing these verses
from Prema-vivarta:
"A person who has attained Lord Krsna's mercy is the most
fortunate person in the entire world.
"The spiritual love of Goloka is manifest in his heart. He sees
Goloka and Gokula. Maya flees from him."
After singing this song for many minutes, the spiritual master
again became aware of the external world. Then Vijaya-kumara
offered dandavat obeisances to him.

626
 Vijaya-kumara: O master, I do not know anything about Lord
Krsna's mercy. I only know that everything has come from your
mercy. Stopping all efforts to see Goloka directly, I am now
content to place my eyes on Gokula. For now it is good that I try
to understand the wonderful variety of rasas in Vraja. Now I will
return to the original topic we were discussing. O spiritual
master, May it be said that the gopis who thought of Krsna as
their husbands are situated in svakiya rasa?
Goswami: The gopis who thought of Krsna as their husband
may at that time be situated in svakiya rasa. However, the natural
position of the girls in Gokula is parakiya rasa. Although their
natural position is not svakiya rasa, because they marry Krsna by
the gandharva rite or another rite, they may for some time be
situated in svakiya-rasa. This is manifested in the Lord's Gokula
pastimes.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, I have many questions. I shall ask
them according to the sequence presented in Sri Ujjvala-
nilamani. Now I would like to learn about the nayakas (heroes).
There are four kinds of nayakas: anukula (friendly) daksina
(sincere), satha (deceptive) and dhrsta (arrogant). What is the
nature of the anukula hero?
Goswami: A hero who is attached to one heroine does not
desire any other, is an anukula hero. Lord Ramacandra has that
kind of love for Sita. Lord Krsna has anukula love for Sri
Radhika.
Vijaya-kumara: I wish to learn how the anukula hero is
manifested in the four personality types that begin with
dhirodatta. Please be merciful and describe the dhirodatta-
anukula hero.
627
 Goswami: The dhirodatta-anukula hero is grave, humble,
tolerant, merciful, true to His word, averse to praising Himself,
modest and generous at heart. However, the dhirodatta-anukula
hero will renounce these qualities in order to secretly meet with
His beloved.
Vijaya-kumara: What is the dhira-lalita anukula hero?
Goswami: The dhira-lalita hero is naturally very funny,
always in full youthfulness, expert in joking, and free from all
anxieties. If He always enjoys pastimes with the same heroine,
the dhira-lalita hero becomes a dhira-lalita anukula hero.
Vijaya-kumara: What is a dhira-prasanta anukula hero?
Goswami: A dhira-prasanta anukula hero is very peaceful,
forbearing, considerate, and obliging.
Vijaya-kumara: What is a dhirodatta anukula hero?
Goswami: A dhirodatta anukula hero is very envious, proud,
easily angered, restless, and complacent.
Vijaya-kumara: What is a daksina hero?
Goswami: The word 'daksina' means 'honest'. A hero who
does not stop feeling respect, awe and love for His previous
beloved, even after He becomes attached to a new beloved is a
daksina hero. A daksina hero treats His many beloveds equally.
Vijaya-kumara: What is a satha hero?
Goswami: A hero who is affectionate to His beloved when she
is present, but blasphemes her when she is not present, is a satha
hero.
Vijaya-kumara: What are the qualities of a dhrsta hero?
628
 Goswami: a dhrsta is expert at fearlessly speaking lies, even
when His body clearly bears many marks showing how He
enjoyed with another beloved.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, how many different kinds of heroes
are there?
Goswami: As far as we are concerned, there is no hero but
Krsna. In Dvaraka He is perfect. In Mathura He is more perfect.
In Vraja He is most perfect. In each of these places He is both
husband and paramour. In this way He is six (3 x 2) heroes. In
each of these six different situations He is also the four kinds of
heroes that begin with dhirodatta. In that way he becomes 24 (2
x 3 x 4) different kinds of heroes. In each of these 24 situations
he is also an anukula, daksina, satha and dhrsta hero. In this way
He becomes 96 (2 x 3 x 4 x 4) kinds of heroes. Thus there are 24
svakiya heroes and 24 parakiya heroes. The svakiya heroes are
less prominent and the parakiya heroes are more prominent. In
the rasas and pastimes of Vraja the 24 kinds of parakiya heroes
are manifested eternally. In different kinds of pastimes a different
kind of hero is required. In this way Krsna assumes the roles of
these different kinds of heroes.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, now I can understand the different
qualities of the hero and heroine. Now I request that you teach
me about the hero's different assistants.
Goswami: The hero had five kinds of assistants. They are:
ceta (confidential messenger), vita (valet), vidusaka (comedian),
pitha-mardaka (constant companion), and priya-narma-sakha
(dear friend). All these assistants are expert at speaking joking
words, always bound by ties of strong friendship, an expert judge

629
of time and circumstances, expert, and expert at speaking
confidential words to pacify the gopis when they become angry.
Vijaya-kumara: Who are the cetas? Please say.
Goswami: The cetas are expert at arranging Krsna's
rendezvous with the gopis. The cetas are naturally bold and
arrogant. Bhangura and Bhrngara are prominent among Krsna's
ceta companions in Gokula.
Vijaya-kumara: Who are the vitas? Please say.
Goswami: the vitas are expert in dressing and decorating
Krsna. They are clever, skilled in conversation, and expert in
bringing other under their control. Kadara and Bharatibandhu
are prominent among the Krsna's vita companions.
Vijaya-kumara: Who are the vidusakas? Please say.
Goswami: The vidusakas are fond of eating, fond of
quarreling and expert at inducing laughter by means of their
funny gestures, expert jokes and funny appearance. Vasanta,
Madhumangala, and many other gopas are prominent among
Krsna's vidusaka companions.
Vijaya-kumara: Who are the pitha-mardakas?
Goswami: The pitha-mardaka has qualities like those of the
hero. He is the hero's constant companion. Sridama is Krsna's
pitha-mardaka companion.
Vijaya-kumara: What are the qualities of the priya-narma-
sakha?
Goswami: The priya-narma-sakha companions have taken
shelter of friendship with Krsna. They know Krsna's closest
secrets. Subala and Arjuna are prominent among Krsna's priya-
630
narma-sakha friends. The priya-narma-sakhas are the best of
these five kinds of assistants. Among these five assistants - the
cetas, vitas, vidusakas, pitha-mardakas, and priya-narma-sakha -
the cetas are in dasya rasa, the pitha-mardakas are in vira-rasa
(chivalry), and the others are in sakhya rasa. The cetas are
servants, and the other four kinds of assistants are friends.
Vijaya-kumara: Are there no women among the assistants?
Goswami: Yes. There are. They are the dutis (messengers).
Vijaya-kumara: How many different kinds of dutis are there?
Goswami: There are two kinds of dutis: svayam-duti
(messengers of their own accord) and apta-duti (they who are
appointed as messengers). The svayam-dutis are Krsna's sidelong
glance and the sound of His flute.
Vijaya-kumara: Ah! Who are the apta-dutis?
Goswami: Vira, who is expert at speaking bold and
outrageous words, and Vrnda, who speaks sweetly, are Krsna's
two apta-dutis. The svayam-dutis and these two apta-dutis are
extraordinary. In addition there are many ordinary dutis, such as
Lingini, Daivajna, and Silpa-karini. It is better that I describe
them later, when we discuss the heroines and messengers.
Vijaya-kumara: Now I understand Sri Krsna's natures,
qualities, and other features as a hero. I have also learned that
Krsna eternally enjoys pastimes as both a husband and a
paramour. As a husband He enjoys pastimes in Dvaraka, and as a
paramour He enjoys pastimes in Vraja. Our Krsna is a paramour.
Therefore we must learn about the beautiful girls of Vraja.

631
 Goswami: Almost all of Krsna's gopi-beloveds in Vraja are in
the parakiya rasa. And why not? In madhura rasa nothing is
higher than parakiya. The svakiya rasa felt by the queens in
Dvaraka is dull and stunted in comparison. Therefore the
parakiya-rasa gives the most pleasure to Lord Krsna.
Vijaya-kumara: What is the meaning of all this?
Goswami: Lord Siva, who is expert at understanding the
mellows of madhura rasa, explains that when women are very
contrary or hard to find, or when they are protected by a host of
obstacles, then Kamadeva uses his most powerful weapons.
Visnugupta also explains that when the hero is forbidden to meet
His beloved, or when His doe-eyed beloved is unapproachable
then the hero's heart is very strongly attracted to His beloved.
Look, even though He is always self-satisfied (atmarama), Krsna
expanded into as many forms as there were gopis in the rasa
dance pastime. A sadhaka devotee should try to understand the
rasa dance pastime of the Lord. The instruction is given that if a
sadhaka devotee desires to attain auspiciousness, then with
devotion he should enter into an understanding of the rasa dance
pastimes. Of course, he should not be so foolish as to try and
imitate Lord Krsna's activities in the rasa dance. The meaning is
that the devotee should try to understand how much the gopis
love Lord Krsna.
Vijaya-kumara: Please clearly describe the love the gopis feel
for Lord Krsna.
Goswami: Krsna is a gopa. He is the son of Nanda. He enjoys
pastimes of madhura rasa only with the gopis. He does not enjoy
these pastimes with no other girls. A devotee who is qualified for
madhura rasa, and who is either a sadhaka bhakta or a bhava
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bhakta should worship Krsna as the gopis do. In your
meditation, you should serve Sri Sri Radha-Krsna as the
fortunate gopis of Vraja do. If you cannot think of yourself as a
gopi married to someone other than Krsna, then you will not be
able to attain the parakiya rasa. To think that they are married to
someone less is the nature of the gopis in Vraja. Srila Rupa
Goswami has written (Sri Ujjvala-nilamani, Krsna-vallabha-
prakarana 19):
"The Vraja-gopis never meet with their husband, nor do their
husbands even feel jealous, for the gopis husbands are all
creations of Yogamaya."
The gopis' weddings and husbands are both creations of
Yogamaya. The gopis never had any husband but Krsna. Still, in
the eternal present (nitya-vartamana) that is the feature of time
in the spiritual world, the gopis eternally think that they are
married to someone other than Krsna. If this were not the case,
then the wonderful rasas where the beloved in contrary,
unattainable, surrounded by obstacles, and forbidden, would not
be possible. It is because she refuses to accept parakiya rasa that
Goddess Laksmi in Vaikuntha cannot become on of Krsna's
beloved in the rasas of Vraja.
Vijaya-kumara: How does a gopi think herself married to
someone other than Krsna?
Goswami: A gopi thinks, "I was born in a gopa's house. At the
appropriate time I was given in marriage to a certain gopa."
Thinking in this way, a gopi develops a strong yearning to enjoy
pastimes with Krsna. In this way the gopis think they are married
to a certain gopa, and that they have no children. This is called
'gopi-bhava' (the assumptions of the gopis).
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 Vijaya-kumara: How does a male attain this conception?
Goswami: It is only because of the power of Maya that a soul
residing in the material world imagines that it is male. In the
understanding of pure spirit, Krsna is the only male and all
others are female. In spirit there is no sign of material male or
female. Still, if one intently meditates on this rasa, one can
become qualified to become a gopi in Vraja. A person who yearns
to attain the madhura rasa will become qualified to become a
gopi in Vraja. By again and again desiring in this way, one attains
that perfection.
Vijaya-kumara: What is the glory of being a gopi married to a
gopa other than Krsna?
Goswami: When the vraja-gopis married to other gopas yearn
to enjoy pastimes with Krsna, then the greatest splendor and the
greatest virtues decorate them with the beauty of pure love. Their
rasa is sweeter than the rasas of Laksmi and all the goddesses of
fortune.
Vijaya-kumara: How many different kinds of beautiful girls
are there in Vraja?
Goswami: There are three kinds: sadhana-para (persons who
became gopis by performing sadhana-bhakti), devi
(demigoddesses who became gopis) and nitya-priya (eternally
dear gopis).
Vijaya-kumara: Are the sadhana-para gopis divided into
different groups?
Goswami: The sadhana-para gopis are divided into yauthiki
and ayauthiki.

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 Vijaya-kumara: Who are the yauthiki gopis?
Goswami: Persons who performed sadhana-bhakti in order to
enter this rasa in Vraja, and become yauthiki gopis, that is gopis
who belong to certain groups.
Vijaya-kumara: Which sages in this way took birth in Vraja?
Goswami: Some sages found that even after dutifully
worshipping Lord Gopala, they still could not attain their desired
perfection. However, when they were able to personally see the
glorious handsomeness of Lord Ramacandra, the diligently
performed sadhana-bhakti in order to attain their desire. As a
result they attained ecstatic love (bhava) and they took birth in
Vraja as gopis. This is described in the Padma Purana. In the
Brhad-Vamana Purana it is said that some of these gopis attained
their desires perfection at the beginning of the rasa dance.
Vijaya-kumara: How did the personified Upanisads take birth
as gopis?
Goswami: When they saw the gopis' good fortune, the
intelligent Upanisads became filled with wonder. They faithfully
performed austerities, and as a result were born in Vraja as gopis
filled with spiritual love (premavati).
Vijaya-kumara: Who are the ayauthiki gopis?
Goswami: Persons who, seeing the gopis' passionate love for
Krsna, yearn to become like them, and to attain this end engage
in sadhana bhakti, become the ayauthiki gopis (which are
divided into two groups: pracina (elderly) and navina (young).
In this way one, two or three of these gopis are born in Vraja.
The pracina ayauthiki gopis eventually attain salokya-mukti, and
in the spiritual world they associate with the eternally dear (nitya
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priya) gopis. After a lifetime as demigoddesses, human beings or
other kinds of beings, the pracina ayauthiki gopis take birth in
Vraja. Eventually they become pracina gopis and at the end
attain the salokya-mukti I have just described.
Vijaya-kumara: I can understand this description of the
sadhana-para gopis. Now please described the devis.
Goswami: When Lord Krsna took birth as an amsa
incarnation among the demigods in Svargaloka, some eternally
dear (nitya priya) gopis took birth as amsa incarnations among
the demigoddesses to please Him. When Krsna took birth in His
original form in Gokula, they took birth as daughters of the
gopas. They became the dear friends (prana-sakhi) of the
eternally dear (nitya-priya) gopis.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, when did Lord Krsna take birth as
an amsa incarnation among the demigods?
Goswami: Taking birth from Aditi's womb, Lord Krsna
appeared as the amsa incarnation Vamana. The demigods are
also vibhinnamsa manifestations of Lord Krsna. Siva and Brahma
were not born from a mother's womb. Brahma and Siva posses
fifty of Lord Krsna's qualities, as do the ordinary souls. However,
Brahma and Siva are not counted among the ordinary souls, for
they are vibhinnamsas. In addition to the fifty qualities all
individual souls possess, Brahma and Siva also possess five other
qualities. Therefore they are called the best of the demigods.
Ganesa and Surya are also considered on the same level as the
millions of Brahmas. All other demigods are considered ordinary
individual souls. All the demigods are vibhinnamsas manifested
from Lord Krsna. The wives of the demigods are also
vibhinnamsas of the Lord's cit potency (spiritual potency).
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Before Krsna's appearance on the earth, Brahma ordered the
demigoddesses to take birth on the earth in order to please
Krsna. Following Brahma's order, they took birth in different
places in Vraja according to their own inclination and their
activities in sadhana-bhakti. These demigoddesses born in Vraja
became dear friends (prana-sakhi) of the Lord's eternally dear
(nitya-priya) gopis. They yearned to attain the association of
Lord Krsna.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, the personified Upanisads took
birth as gopis. Did the goddesses who rule over any other
scriptures also take birth in Vraja?
Goswami: In the Padma Purana, Srsti-khanda it is said that
Gayatri-devi, the mother of the Vedas, took birth as a gopi and
attained Lord Krsna's association. It was at that time that she
manifested the form of Kama-Gayatri.
Vijaya-kumara: Is the Kama-Gayatri not beginningless?
Goswami: The Kama-Gayatri is certainly beginningless?
However, there is a time when this beginningless Gayatri first
appeared in the form of the Goddess Gayatri who is the mother
of the Vedas. Because of her engagement in sadhana-bhakti, the
Goddess Gayatri could understand how fortunate the Upanisads
were to have become gopis. Then, accompanied by the Gopala-
tapani Upanisad she took birth in Vraja. In this way it is
understood that the Kama-Gayatri is eternal, and the Goddess
Gayatri who is the mother of the Vedas is eternally distinct from
the Kama-Gayatri.
Vijaya-kumara: All the Upanisads took birth as gopis in Vraja.
They all accepted the gopa-hero Krsna as their husband (pati).

637
Following the marriage ritual of the gandharvas, these gopis then
accepted Krsna as their husband. This much I understand.
However, the nitya-priya (eternally dear) gopis associate with
Krsna from time without beginning and in that relationship is
their paramour. Is this relationship created by Maya?
Goswami: It may be created by Maya, but it is not created by
the Maya of the material world. The Maya of the material world
has no power to touch Lord Krsna's pastimes. Even though it
may be manifested within the material world, Lord Krsna's Vraja
pastimes are beyond the touch of the material Maya. Another
name of the Lord's cit sakti (spiritual potency) is Yogamaya. She
arranges Lord Krsna's pastimes so that ordinary people influence
by Maya see them as material. She makes the nitya-priya gopis of
Goloka think they are married to persons other than Krsna, and
she also brings those gopis to Vraja in the material world. She
arranges the nitya-priya gopis' wedding ceremonies, and she
arranges that Krsna becomes their paramour. The all-knowing
supreme male, Krsna and His all knowing spiritual potencies
voluntarily accept the rasa roles Yogamaya gives The. Thus it is
seen that this is the best of all rasas, Lord Krsna is supremely
independent, all His desires are at once fulfilled, and His iccha-
sakti (the potency that fulfills His desires) is supremely glorious.
The great glory of this rasa is not seen in Vaikuntha, Dvaraka,
and other places. When they attain salokya liberation, the prana
sakhi gopis and the nitya priya gopis leave behind any idea that
He is their paramour. That is their final attainment.
Vijaya-kumara: The conclusion is very wonderful. Now I am
fully satisfied. O master, please teach me about the nitya-priya
gopis.

638
 Goswami: If you were not qualified to hear these explanations
would Lord Gauracandra make these confidential truths appear
in my mouth? Look, all knowing Srila Jiva Goswami kept these
truths hidden in his heart, although in some places in his
commentaries, in his Krsna-sandarbha, and in other books he
did reveal them. Srila Jiva Goswami was always anxious that if
unqualified persons heard these confidential truths, they would
take shelter of irreligion. Seeing how the Vaisnavas mostly
understood the rasas and accepted rasabhasa, Srila Jiva Goswami
became anxious. For this reason he took great care not to write
anything that would support any false conclusion. You are
qualified to hear these things. I do not reveal these truths to
unqualified persons. Now I will describe the nitya-priya gopis.
Vijaya-kumara: Who are the nitya-priya gopis? Although I
have studied many scriptures, I still yearn to drink the nectar
words that come from my spiritual master's saintly mouth.
Goswami: The nitya-priya gopis in Vraja, among whom
Radha and Candravali are the most important, possess
transcendental beauty, intelligence and a host of virtues. In this
way they are like Lord Krsna Himself. They are described in
these words Brahma-samhita (5.37):
"I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who resides in His
own realm, Goloka, with Radha, who resembles His own
spiritual figure and who embodies the ecstatic potency (hladini).
The companions are Her confidants, who embody the extensions
of Her bodily form, and who are imbued and permeated with
ever-blissful spiritual rasa."
In these words of Brahma, which are the essence of all the
Vedas, the nitya-priya gopis are described. The nitya priya gopis
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are said to be 'nitya' (eternal) because they are the Lord's
spiritual potency, and therefore they are beyond the limitations
of time and space imposed by the material energy. They are an
eternal spiritual reality. The word 'kalabhih' here may refer to the
sixty four arts practiced by the nitya-priya gopis in their eternal
pastimes. Or, this word may have another meaning. The
commentary of this verse explains:
"Here the word 'kalabhih' means 'with the potencies who are
expansions of Her form."
What I have explained to you are the opinions of Srila
Svarupa Damodara Goswami. Please know that these confidential
explanations are the great treasure that Srila Rupa Goswami,
Srila Sanatana Goswami and Srila Jiva Goswami keep hidden in
the vaults of their hearts.
Vijaya-kumara: My ears yearn to hear the names of the nitya-
priya gopis?
Goswami: Radha, Candravali, Visakha, Lalita, Syama, Padma,
Saibya, Bhadrika, Tara, Vicitra, Gopali, Dhanistha and Pali are
among the names of the nitya-priya gopis written in the Skanda
Purana, Prahlada-samhita and other scriptures. Candravali is also
known by the name Somabha. Radha is also known by the name
Gandharva. Khanjanaksi, Manorama, Mangala, Vimala, Lila,
Krsna, Sari, Visarada, Taravali, Cakoraksi, Sankari, Kunkuma
and many other gopis are also famous in this world.
Vijaya-kumara: How do these gopis relation to each other?
Goswami: All these gopis are yuthesvaris (leaders of groups
of gopis). There are hundreds and hundreds of groups, and in
each group there are hundreds of thousands of gopis. From
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Radha to Kunkuma, all these groups are yuthesvaris. Visakha,
Lalita, Padma and Saibya are also mentioned here. Among the
yuthesvaris, eight gopis, headed by Radha, are considered the
most fortunate. They are called the 'pradhana' (most important)
gopis.
Vijaya-kumara: Visakha, Lalita, Padma and Saibya are all
pradhana gopis. They are all very expert in making Lord Krsna's
pastimes especially glorious. Why were they not clearly
mentioned as yuthesvaris?
Goswami: They have all transcendental virtues, and they are
certainly very qualified to become yuthesvaris. However, Lalita
and Visakha are so overcome with bliss simply by associating
with Sri Radha that they have no desire to become independent
yuthesvaris themselves. Some gopis are followers of Srimati
Radharani and other gopis are followers of Candravali. This is
described in the scriptures.
Vijaya-kumara: Still, I have heard that Lalita does indeed have
a group. What is it like?
Goswami: Srimati Radharani is the foremost of all group
leaders. Out of special affection and respect some gopis are said
to belong to Lalita's group or Visakha's group. However Lalita,
Visakha, and the other eight principal friends (asta-sakhi) of
Radha are considered the leaders of different factions in Sri
Radha's group. By great good fortune one may be able to enter
Srimati Lalita's group.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, in which scriptures are the names
of the gopis found?

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 Goswami: All these names are found in the Padma Purana,
Skanda Purana, and Bhavisya Purana Uttara-khanda. In the
Satvata Tantra many other names are also found.
Vijaya-kumara: Srimad-Bhagavatam is the crest jewel of all
scriptures in the world. If all these names were found in Srimad-
Bhagavatam, that would be a source of great bliss.
Goswami: Srimad-Bhagavatam is a scripture that teaches the
highest truth. It is an ocean filled with the nectar of the spiritual
rasas. Persons expert at relishing the spiritual rasas (rasika) can
see that all the truths of the rasas are described in Srimad-
Bhagavatam. The name of Sri Radha and the names of all the
gopis are secretly written in Srimad-Bhagavatam. If you carefully
read the verses of the Tenth Canto, you will see them all. To
keep unqualified persons far away, Srila Sukadeva Goswami
described all these things very secretly. O baba Vijaya-kumara,
what will happen if you give japa beads to a person who will
wear them only as an ornament around his neck. The more the
reader is exalted in devotional service, the more he will
understand the secrets hidden in Srimad-Bhagavatam. Here the
skill of Srila Sukadeva Goswami was shown in his power to
explain very confidential truths in a way the people in general
could not understand. Only a reader qualified to understand
these secrets properly has the power to understand them all. The
truth is that without taking shelter of the disciplic succession
(guru-parampara), no one can understand these truths. A person
studying on his own cannot understand them. Carefully study
Ujjvala-nilamani and you will become able to see how all the
rasas are described in Srimad-Bhagavatam.

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 After talking for a long time, they ended the day's
conversation about the Lord (ista-gosthi). Again and again
thinking about the transcendental hero and heroines in the
spiritual world, Vijaya-kumara walked to Haracandi-sahi's place.
As he thought about the vidusakas, pitha-mardakas, and other
associates or the Lord, he tasted many different kinds of
happiness. As he thought about Krsna's flute and the other
svayam-duti messengers, tears came from his eyes. The spiritual
love (bhava) of Vraja rising in his heart, Vijaya-kumara blissfully
danced. The pastimes and gardens he saw last night splendidly
rose again in his heart.

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 Chapter Thirty-three

Madhura-rasa
Madhura-rasa-vicara

Today Vijaya-kumara and Vrajanatha bathed in Indrayumna-

sarovara, honored prasadam, and returned home. After eating,
Vrajanatha went to see the samadhi of Haridasa Thakura. Vijaya-
kumara went to the temple of Sri Radha-kanta and offered
obeisances to his spiritual master. At an appropriate time Vijaya-
kumara asked about Sri Radhika. Vijaya-kumara said, “O master,
Sri Radha is the be-all-and-end--all of my life. How can I describe
it? When I hear the name „Radhika‟, my heart melts. Even though
Sri Krsna is the only goal of my life, still I like to taste only the
descriptions of His pastimes with Sri Radha. I do not like to hear
descriptions of Sri Krsna if Sri Radha is not included ion them. O
master, I would like to say that I no longer wish to call myself
Vijaya-kumara Bhattacarya. I wish to be known as a maidservant
protected by Sri Radha. I do not wish to speak to speak the
wonderful descriptions of Vraja to materialists. When persons
unqualified to understand the transcendental rasas (arasika)
discuss the glories of Sri Radha, I yearn to flee from that place.

644
 Goswami: You are fortunate. As long as you did not have full
faith in the gopis you were not qualified to understand the
pastimes of Radha and Krsna. Descriptions of those pastimes are
far beyond what ordinary human beings can understand. Even
the demigoddesses in Devaloka are not qualified to understand
them. O Vijaya-kumara, I have already described the gopis who
are dear to Lord Krsna. Among them Radha and Candravali are
the most important. Each of them presides over millions and
millions of groups of beautiful gopis. At the time of the great
rasa-dance, the rasa-dance circle is beautiful with many
hundreds of millions of beautiful gopis.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, Candravali may preside over
millions and millions of groups of gopis. Still, I wish that the
glories of Sri Radha will be the only sweet nectar to flood and
purify my contaminated ears. I am your surrendered disciple.
Goswami: Between the two of them - Radha and Candravali -
it is Radha who is the personification of the highest ecstatic love
(maha-bhava-svarupa). It is She who has the greatest qualities.
She is superior to Candravali in every way. Look. The Gopala-
tapani Upanisad calls Her by the name Gandharva and glorifies
Her. In the Rk-parisista it is said that Lord Madhava is glorious
because Radha stands by His side. In the Padma Purana, Narada
declares, “As Radha is dear to Krsna, so Her pond, Radha-kunda
is also dear to Him. Of all the gopis, Radha is the most dear to
Lord Krsna.” And why not? What is Radha‟s nature? She is the
great hladini-sakti, the best of Lord Krsna‟s potencies. Radha is
the essence of the hladini-sakti (hladini-sara-bhava).
Vijaya-kumara: These descriptions are very wonderful! What
is Sri Radha‟s nature?
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 Goswami: My Radhika is the most beautiful (susthu-kanta-
svarupa). She is the daughter of King Vrsabhanu. She is glorious
with the sixteen ornaments. She is also decorated with twelve
other kinds of ornaments.
Vijaya-kumara: What do you mean by the word “susthu-
kanta-svarupa”?
Goswami: It means that Her form is so beautiful that even the
most exquisite garments and ornaments are insignificant in
comparison to Her and therefore powerless to make Her any
more beautiful. Her hair is gracefully curly, Her face is a
blossoming lotus flower, Her large eyes are beautiful and Her
large breasts are wonderfully beautiful. Her waist is slender, Her
shoulders are graceful and Her fingernails shine like a row of
jewels. In the three worlds there is no festival of beauty that
compares with Her.
Vijaya-kumara: What are the “sixteen ornaments”?
Goswami: The sixteen ornaments are: 1. Her pleasant bath, 2.
The glistening jewel decorating the tip of Her nose, 3. Her blue
garments, 4. Her belt, 5. Her braids, 6. Her earrings, 7. The
sandal paste anointing Her limbs, 8. The flowers placed in Her
hair, 9. Her necklace, 10. The lotus flower in Her hand, 11. The
betelnuts in Her mouth, 12. the musk dot on Her chin, 13. The
mascara around Her eyes, 14. the colorful designs and pictures
drawn on Her cheeks, 15. The red kunkuma on Her feet, and 16.
The tilaka markings on Her forehead.
Vijaya-kumara: What are the “twelve ornaments”.
Goswami: 1. The wonderful jewel that crowns Her head, 2.
Her golden earrings, 3. The belt around Her hips, 4. The golden
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locket around Her neck, 5. Her golden salaka earrings, 6. The
bracelets on Her wrists, 7. The ornament on Her neck, 8. The
rings on Her fingers, Her pearl necklace, 10. Her armlets, 11. Her
ankle bells, and 12. The rings on Her toes are the twelve
ornaments decorating Sri Radha‟s limbs.
Vijaya-kumara: Please describe the most prominent
transcendental qualities of Sri Radha?
Goswami: Like the qualities of Sri Krsna, the qualities of
Vrndavana‟s queen Radha are limitless and cannot truly be
counted or listed in full. Among them these twenty five may be
considered prominent.
 She is very sweet.
 She is always freshly youthful.
 Her eyes are restless.
 She smiles brightly.
 She has beautiful, auspicious lines.
 She makes Krsna happy with Her bodily aroma.
 She is very expert in singing.
 He speech is charming.
 She is very expert in joking and speaking pleasantly.
 She is very humble and meek.
 She is always full of mercy.
 She is cunning.
 She is expert in executing Her duties.
 She is shy.
 She is always respectful.
 She is always calm.
 She is always grave.
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  She is expert in enjoying life.
 She is situated at the topmost level of ecstatic love.
 She is the reservoir of loving affairs in Gokula.
 She is the most famous of submissive devotees.
 She is very affectionate to elderly people.
 She is very submissive to the love of Her friends.
 She is the chief gopi.
 She always keeps Krsna under Her control.

Vijaya-kumara: I would like to hear an explanation of “5.

She has beautiful and auspicious lines.”
Goswami: The Varaha Purana, Jyotih-sastra, Kasi-khanda,
Matsya Purana, and Garuda Purana describe the auspicious lines.
These lines are:
 I. On the left foot:
 1. A barleycorn mark at the root of Her left tope.
 2. below that toe a cakra.
 3. below the middle toe a lotus flower
 4. below the lotus flower a banner.
 5. below the banner a flag.
 6. a urdhva-rekha line extending from the middle-toe to
the middle of the sole.
 7. below the small toe an elephant goad.
 II. On the right foot:
 1. at the root of the right big toe a conchshell.
 2. on the heel a fish.
 3. below the small toe an altar.
 4. above the fish a chariot.
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  5. a mountain.
 6. an earring
 7. a club
 8. the mark of a sakti weapon.
 III. On the left hand:
 1. a long life-line beginning at the meeting of the
forefinger and middle finger, and extending to below the
little finger.
 2. below that another line going from below the lifeline
to the middle of the space between the forefinger and
thumb.
 3. from below the thumb a curving line rises from the
wrist and goes to the space between the thumb and
forefinger.
 4-8. on the tips of each of the five fingers is a cakra.
 9. below the ring finger is an elephant.
 10. below the life-line is a horse.
 11. below the middle line is a bull.
 12. below the small finger is an elephant goad.
 13 a fan.
 14. a Sri tree.
 15. a yupa.
 16. an arrow.
 17. a tomara weapon.
 18. a flower garland.
 IV. On the right hand:
 1-8. In the right hand, like the left, there are three
prominent lines including the lifeline, and on the tips of
each finger a cakra.
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  9. below the forefinger a camara
 10. below the small finger an elephant goad.
 11. a palace.
 12. a dundubhi drum.
 13. a lightning bolt.
 14. two carts.
 15. an archer‟s bow.
 16. a sword.
 17. a waterpot.
Thus on the left foot are 7 signs, on the right foot 8 signs, on
the left hand 18 signs and on the right hand 17 signs. Altogether
there are 50 auspicious lines.
Vijaya-kumara: An individual soul may have a drop of some
of these qualities, but Sri Radha has them all in perfect fullness.
The demigoddesses may have them slightly more than others.
Still, Sri Radha, has them all, and in Her they are all perfectly
spiritual, untouched by matter. Any why not? In the material
world these qualities are never manifested in purity, perfection,
and completeness. Gauri and other demigoddesses may have
these qualities, but in these demigoddesses the qualities are not
pure, perfect, or complete.
Vijaya-kumara: Ah! Srimati Radhika‟s beauty and qualities are
inconceivable. Only by Her mercy can one see or understand
them.
Goswami: Gazing at Sri Radha‟s beauty and qualities, even
Lord Krsna Himself is bewildered and enchanted. How can I
properly describe them with my words?

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 Vijaya-kumara: O master, please be merciful and describe Sri
Radha‟s friends (sakhis).
Goswami: Sri Radha‟s group is the best of all. The girls in Her
group are all decorated with all transcendental qualities. Their
charming playfulness always attracts Lord Krsna.
Vijaya-kumara: How many different kinds of friends (sakhis)
does Sri Radha have?
Goswami: They are of five kinds: 1. sakhi (friends), 2. nitya-
sakhi (eternal friends), 3. prana-sakhi (life friends), 4. priya-
sakhi (dear friends) and 5. parama-prestha-sakhi (most dear
friends).
Vijaya-kumara: Who are the sakhis?
Goswami: The sakhis include Kusumika, Vrnda and
Dhanistha. These gopis are famous among the sakhis.
Vijaya-kumara: Who are the nitya-sakhis?
Goswami: The nitya-sakhis include Kasturi, Mani-manjari
and many others.
Vijaya-kumara: Who are the prana-sakhis?
Goswami: The prana-sakhis include Sasimukhi, Vasanti,
Lasika, and many others. In many ways they are like the queen of
Vrndavana Herself.
\Vijaya-kumara: Who are the priya-sakhis?
Goswami: The priya-sakhis include Kurangaksi, Sumadhya,
Madanalasa, Kamala, Madhuri, Manjukesi, Kandarpa-sundari,
Madhavi, Malati, Kamalata, Sasikala, and many others.
Vijaya-kumara: Who are the parama-prestha-sakhis?
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 Goswami: The parama-prestha-sakhis include Lalita, Visakha,
Citra, Campakalata, Tungavidya, Indulekha, Rangadevi, and
Sudevi. These eight are the most important of all the gopis.
Therefore they are called parama-prestha-sakhis. They are
situated in the topmost love for Sri Sri Radha and Krsna.
Sometimes they show more love to Sri Krsna and other times
they show more love for Sri Radha.
Vijaya-kumara: I understand what the word „yutha‟ (group)
means. What does the word „gana‟ (sub group( mean?
Goswami: Every yutha is divided into sub-groups, which are
called ganas. For example, Lalita is a member of Sri Radha‟s
group. However, Lalita herself has followers, and they are called
the members of Lalita‟s gana (sub-group).
Vijaya-kumara: That the gopis are married to gopas other
than Krsna is one of the most important characteristics. Still, it
does not look good.
Goswami: In this material world „woman‟ and „man‟ are only
external designations. Because of past material activities one soul
becomes a „woman‟ and another soul becomes a „man‟. In the
material world of Maya, many people are filled with petty or
sinful desires. For this reason the great sages have forbidden,
except within the institution of marriage, contact with women.
Writing about the rasas, poets have generally avoided describing
the love of a woman for a paramour. However, in the Lord‟s
spiritual pastimes this kind of love is one of the rasas. The sexual
affairs of men and women in the material world is a perverted
reflection of that original rasas in the spiritual world. Therefore
material sexual activities are very dull, pathetic, and a breeding
ground for a host of anxieties (kuntha). Also, the rules of
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religion place many restrictions on these activities. For these
reasons men in the material world are enjoined to avoid
approaching the wives of others. However, if Lord Krsna, whose
form is eternal and full of knowledge and bliss, is the only male
and the only hero, and he accepts this activity to increase the
sweetness of His spiritual rasas, He is never contaminated and He
is not to be criticized. He is independent of the material
institution of marriage. When Sri Krsna, who enjoys pastimes in
Goloka, came to the material world from Goloka, He took the
transcendental parakiya-rasa with Him. Therefore no one should
criticize Him for enjoying the parakiya rasa with the gopis who
have come from Goloka.
Vijaya-kumara: What exalted symptoms of love did the gopis
from Goloka display?
Goswami: Before the gopis Lord Krsna appears only in His
form as the son of Nanda. The non devotee philosophers are far
from understanding the gopis‟ exalted love for Krsna. Even the
devotees find it difficult to understand that love. When Krsna
manifests His form as Nandanandana, His opulence never
eclipses His sweetness. One time, as a joke, Krsna manifested His
four-armed form before the gopis, who were not at all impressed.
However, when Sri Radha approached, the four-armed form at
once disappeared. Because of the greatness of Radha‟s
confidential parakiya love, Krsna again became two-handed.
Vijaya-kumara: Now my desires are all fulfilled. O master,
please describe the different kinds of heroines (nayikas).
Goswami: There are three kinds of heroines (nayikas): 1.
svakiya, 2. parakiya, 3. samanya. I have already described the
spiritual svakiya and parakiya heroines. Now I will describe the
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samanya heroines. Students of material rhetoric (alankara)
explain that the samanya heroines are prostitutes, interested only
in money. If their lover has no good qualities, then they hate
him, and if he is virtuous, still they do not really love him.
Therefore their so-called love is only a perverted reflection of
love. It is not true love. Sometimes it is said that Kubja in
Mathura was such a samanya heroine who does not really love
her hero. I do not agree. I place her among the parakiya heroines.
Vijaya-kumara: How did she become qualified to become a
parakiya-heroine?
Goswami: When Kubja was an ugly, disfigured woman, she
never loved any man. However, when she saw Krsna and desired
to place sandal paste on His limbs, then she thought of Him as
her beloved. For this reason I say her love is in the parakiya-rasa.
However, the desire to please only Krsna, a desire possessed even
by the queens at Dvaraka, was absent in Kubja. Therefore her
love was inferior to the love of the queens. When she tugged at
Krsna‟s upper garment and begged that He enjoy amorous
pastimes with her, her love for Him was mixed with her own
selfish desires. There her love is considered sadharani (ordinary).
Vijaya-kumara: Because Kubja is considered in the parakiya
rasa, I can see that the svakiya and parakiya heroines are both
divided into two sub-groups. How many different sub-groups are
there? Please describe them.
Goswami: In the spiritual rasas the svakiya and parakiya
heroines are of three kinds: 1. mugdha, 2. madhya, and 3.
pragalbha.

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 Vijaya-kumara: O master, when by your mercy I think of the
spiritual rasas, I naturally think of myself as a gopi in Vraja. At
that time I do not think of myself as a male in the material world.
When I hear of the different kinds of heroines, my heart become
agitated. And why not? I do not know what I should do so that
some day I may love the Lord as the gopis do. So that some day I
may attain this kind of service to Lord Krsna, I now place this
question before your holy feet: What is the nature of the mugdha
heroines? Please describe them.
Goswami: These are the qualities of the mugdha heroine: She
is in the bloom of youth (nava-yauvana), amorous (kamini),
contrary in love (rati-dane vama), and submissive to her girl
friends (sakhi-vasi-bhuta). Although externally she is shy to
enjoy amorous pastimes,. within her heart she secretly and
diligently labors to make various arrangements to enjoy with her
lover. When her lover offends her, tears flow from her eyes. At
that time she neither speaks sweetly, speaks harshly nor becomes
angry.
Vijaya-kumara: What are the qualities of the madhya
heroine?
Goswami: These are the qualities of the madhya heroine: She
is equally amorous and shy, she is in the full bloom of youth,
and all her words are touched with a small amount of arrogance.
She enjoys amorous pastimes until she faints unconscious.
Sometimes her heart is gentle. Sometimes it is hard. Sometimes
she is jealous, sometimes peaceful, and sometimes agitated.
Sometimes she is both peaceful and agitated (dhiradhira). A
heroine who, when her lover offends her, mocks him with
crooked words, is called „dhira madhya‟. A heroine who in that
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situation attacks her lover with merciless angry words is called
an „adhira madhya‟ heroine. A heroine who in that situation
sheds tears, speaks sweetly, and then also speaks crooked words
to mock her lover is called a „dhiradhira madhya‟ gopi. In a
madhya heroine the natures of the mugdha and pragalbha
heroines are mixed together. The madhya heroine is the best of
the three kinds of heroines.
Vijaya-kumara: What are the qualities of the pragalbha
heroine?
Goswami: These are the qualities of the pragalbha heroine:
She is in the full bloom of youth, blinded with pride, and very
eager to enjoy amorous pastimes. She is very passionate. Pushed
by the rasas, she attacks her lover. Her words and deeds are very
passionate. When her jealousy is aroused, she becomes very
harsh. The pragalbha heroines are of three kinds: 1. dhira,
adhira, and dhiradhira. The dhira pragalbha heroine pretends to
be disinterested in enjoying with her lover. Externally she is
polite and respectful. She carefully conceals the passion in her
heart. The adhira pragalbha heroine beats her lover with cruel
words. The dhiradhira pragalbha heroine is like the dhiradhira
madhya heroine. The madhya and pragalbha heroines are also
divided into jyestha (older) and kanistha (younger). In this way
there are jyestha-madhya and kanistha-madhya heroines and also
jyestha-pragalbha and kanistha pragalbha heroines. The
difference of jyestha kanistha are considered according to the
nature of the heroine‟s love for the hero.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, how many kinds of heroines are
there all together?

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 Goswami: There are fifteen kinds of heroines. Very young
heroines are always mugdha. The three basic kinds of heroines
are mugdha, madhya and pragalbha. The madhya and pragalbha
heroines are further divided into dhira, adhira, dhiradhira. Thus
there are seven kinds of svakiya heroines, seven kinds of
parakiya heroines, and fifteen kinds of heroines in all.
Vijaya-kumara: What different conditions of life do the
heroines experience?
Goswami: The eight different conditions of life are: 1.
abhisarika (going to meet her lover), 2. vasaka-sajja (dressed and
decorated to meet her lover), 3. utkanthita (yearning to meet her
lover), 4. khandita (whose meeting with her lover is broken), 5.
vipralabdha (separated from her lover), 6. kalahantarita
(quarreling with her lover), 7. prosita-bhartrika (her lover has
gone far away), and 8. svadhina-bhartrika (she dominates her
lover). The previously described fifteen kinds of heroines all
experience these eight conditions of life.
Vijaya-kumara: What is the nature of the abhisarika heroine?
Goswami: A heroine who arranges that her lover meet her, or
who goes to meet her lover is called „abhisarika‟. If, going to meet
her lover, she wears white clothing when the moon is bright, she
is called „jynotsnabhisarika‟. If, going to meet her lover, she
wears dark clothing when the moon is dark, she is called „tamo-
bhisarika‟. She is so shy she seems to hide behind her own body.
Silent, nicely decorated, and her head carefully covered, she
goes, accompanied by a dear friend, to meet her lover.
Vijaya-kumara: What is the nature of the vasaka-sajja
heroine?

657
 Goswami: A heroine who, anxious to meet her lover, carefully
decorates both her body and the meeting place is called „vasaka-
sajja‟. She yearns to enjoy amorous pastimes, keeps her eyes
fixed on the path her lover will walk, discusses with her friends
the pastimes of love, and again and again waits for her
messenger‟s return. These are her activities.
Vijaya-kumara: What is the nature of the utkanthita heroine?
Goswami: A heroine who is filled with longing and anxiety
when her lover is, though no fault of his own, late in coming to
the rendezvous, is called „utkanthita‟ by persons learned in the
different bhavas. Her heart is feverish, she trembles, she
speculates about why her lover has not yet come, she becomes
irritated, and she sheds tears. These are her activities. She is not
like the vasaka-sajja heroine. She worries that her lover, now
under the control of some other girl, will not come to meet her.
Vijaya-kumara: What is the nature of the khandita heroine?
Goswami: When, the time of rendezvous long passed and the
night almost over, the lover finally comes, his body bearing the
clear marks of his having enjoyed pastimes with some other girl,
the heroine is called „khandita‟. This heroine‟s activities are
anger, long sighs, and silence.
Vijaya-kumara: What is the nature of the vipralabdha
heroine?
Goswami: A heroine who becomes anxious when, somehow
or other, her lover does not come to their rendezvous, is called
„vipralabdha‟. Unhappy at heart, she laments, weeps, faints, sighs,
and performs other like activities.

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 Vijaya-kumara: What is the nature of the kalahantarita
heroine?
Goswami: A heroine who will not forgive her lover, even
when, surrounded by all her friends, he humbly falls before her
feet, and who manifests lamentation, grief, withering, and
sighing, is called „kalahantarita‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What is the nature of the prosita-bhartrka
heroine?
Goswami: A heroine whose lover has gone to a faraway place
is called „prosita-bhartrka”. She praises the virtues of her lover, is
humbler, becomes thin and emaciated, suffers insomnia, and
becomes melancholy, restless, stunned and anxious. Her
activities are like that.
Vijaya-kumara: What is the nature of the svadhina-bhartrika
heroine?
Goswami: A heroine whose lover always stays with her and is
submissive to her is called „svadhina-bhartrika‟. Her activities are
to enjoy pastimes with him in the forest, in the water, while
picking flowers, and in other like situations.
Vijaya-kumara: The svadhina-bhartrika heroine must be very
happy.
Goswami: If her lover is completely controlled by his love for
her and if he cannot leave her even for a moment, the svadhina-
bhartrika heroine is called „madhavi‟. Among the eight kinds of
heroines, three kinds - svadhina-bhartrika, vasaka-sajja, and
abhisarika - are happy at heart. They are nicely decorated with
garments and ornaments. However, the other five kinds of
heroines - khandita, vipralabdha, utkanthita, prosita-bhartrka,
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and kalahantarita - do not wear ornaments. A hand resting on
their left cheek, the lament.
Vijaya-kumara: Their love for Krsna brings them
unhappiness! What does that mean?
Goswami: Love for Krsna is spiritual and always blissful.
These seeming sufferings are actually included among the
wonderful variety of blissful spiritual emotions. In the material
world these emotions are suffering, but in the spiritual world
they are different kinds of bliss. A person who has the power to
taste spiritual bliss can understand. Other cannot.
Vijaya-kumara: Among the different kinds of heroines, what
are the different degrees of love?
Goswami: According to the intensity of their love for Krsna,
the heroines are of three kinds: 1. uttama (high), 2. madhyama
(intermediate) and 3. kanistha (low). As the heroines love Him,
so Krsna loves them in the same degree. This is well known.
Vijaya-kumara: What is the nature of the uttama heroine?
Goswami: The uttama heroine is willing to renounce any
activity in order to please her lover, even for only a moment.
Even if he makes her unhappy, she is never displeased with him.
If someone lies that her lover is unhappy, her heart becomes
ripped to shreds.
Vijaya-kumara: What is the nature of a madhyama heroine?
Goswami: When she hears that her lover is unhappy, she
becomes sad at heart.
Vijaya-kumara: What is the nature of a kanistha heroine?

660
 Goswami: The kanistha heroine is anxious that obstacles will
prevent her from meeting her lover.
Vijaya-kumara: How many kinds of heroines are there?
Goswami: There are 360 kinds of heroines. The first
mentioned fifteen kinds of heroines are each divided according
to the next mentioned eight kinds of heroines. In this way (15 x
8) there are 120 heroines. These 120 kinds of heroines are each
divided according to the last mentioned three kinds of heroines.
In this way there are 360 kinds of heroines.
Vijaya-kumara: Now I have heard about the heroines. Now I
wish to hear about the different kinds of yuthesvaris (group
leaders).
Goswami: According to friends and enemies, the yuthesvaris
are of three kinds: 1. svapaksa (allies), 2. vipaksa (enemies), and
3. tatastha (neutrals). According to their good fortune they are of
these kinds: 1. adhika (great), 2. sama (moderate, and 3. laghvi
(light). They are also of these three kinds: 1. prakhara (harsh), 2.
madhya (moderate) and 3. mrdvi (sweet). Here „prakhara‟ is a
synonym for „pragalbha‟. When the quality of harshness is
manifested only very slightly, the yuthesvari is considered mrdvi.
When sweetness and harshness are equally present, she is
considered madhya. The yuthesvaris are also divided into 1.
atyantiki (great), and 2. apeksiki (less). When a yuthesvari has
no equal in any sphere, she is considered atyantikadhika (the
best of atyantikis). This refers to Sri Radha alone. She is a
madhya and in Vraja She has no equal.
Vijaya-kumara: Who are the apeksikadhikas (the second level
of the great)?

661
 Goswami: A yuthesvari who accepts another yuthesvari as her
superior is called “apeksikadhika‟.
Vijaya-kumara: Who are the atyantika laghu (or atyantiki
apeksiki)?
Goswami: A yuthesvari who is not inferior to the other
heroines is called „atyantika laghu‟. In relation to the atyantika
adhika yuthesvari (the greatest yuthesvari, Sri Radha), all the
heroines are laghu (inferior). Aside from the atyantiki laghus, all
the yuthesvaris are adhikas. Still, the atyantiki adhika yuthesvari
(the greatest yuthesvari, Sri Radha) should never be considered
their equal or inferior. Also, the atyantiki laghu yuthesvaris
should not be considered equal to the adhika yuthesvaris. There
is but one kind of sama laghu yuthesvari. Divided according to
the qualities of madhya, adhika, prakhara, and the like, there are
twelve kinds of yuthesvaris. They are: 1. atyantika adhika, 2.
sama-laghu, 3. adhika-madhya, 4. sama-madhya, 5. laghu-
madhya, 6. adhika-prakhara, 7. sama-prakhara, 8. laghu
prakhara, 9. adhika-mrdvi, 10. sama-mrdvi, 11. laghu-mrdvi, and
12. atyantika-laghu.
Vijaya-kumara: I wish to hear about the different kinds of
duties (messengers)?
Goswami: The heroines thirsting for association with Krsna
need the help of the dutis. The duties are of two kinds: 1.
svayam-duti (messengers who act on their own initiative), and 2.
apta-duti (messengers given a specific order).
Vijaya-kumara: What is the nature of the apta-duti
messengers?

662
 Goswami: When great enthusiasm breaks apart any shyness
she may have possessed. and, bewildered with love, she openly
declares her love for the hero, that is a svayam-duti messenger.
These messengers are three kinds: 1. kayika (bodily gestures), 2.
vacika (words), and 3. caksusa (glances).
Vijaya-kumara: What is the nature of the vacika (words)
messenger?
Goswami: Hints (vyanga) expressed in words are of two
kinds: 1. sabda-vyanga (the hint is present in the sound of the
words), and 2. artha-vyanga (the hint is present in the meaning
of the words). Sometimes the hints are directly related to Krsna
and other times the hints pretend to be about some other topic.
Vijaya-kumara: What are the hints directly related to Krsna?
Goswami: They are of two kinds: 1. hints to Krsna Himself
and 2. hints spoken on some pretext.
Vijaya-kumara: What are hints to Krsna Himself?
Goswami: Speaking proudly, lamenting, and begging are
some of the many ways hints may be expressed before Krsna
Himself.
Vijaya-kumara: What is the hint in the form of a lament?
Goswami: A lament expressed by the sound of the words
(sabda-vyanga) is one kind of lament hint, and a lament
expressed by the meaning of the words (artha-vyanga) is another
kind of lament hint. You studied rhetoric (alankara). I need not
give many examples.
Vijaya-kumara: Yes. That is good. What is the nature of a hint
in the form of begging.
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 Goswami: Begging is of two kinds: 1. begging for oneself, and
2. begging on behalf of another person. Then begging may again
be divided into these two kinds: Begging expressed by the sound
of the words (sabda-vyanga), and 2. begging expressed by the
meaning of the words (artha-vyanga). The begging described
here is all hints. When the begging is for oneself, the heroine
tells her own story. When the begging is on behalf of another
person, the speaker tells another‟s story.
Vijaya-kumara: I understand these direct hints. In them the
heroine may directly accuse Krsna of something. These hints are
also sabda-vyanga (according to the sound) and artha-vyanga
(according to the meaning). Many poets have expertly placed
such clever hints in the mouths of actors and actresses. Now
please explain vyapadesa (a pretext).
Goswami: In the alankara-sastra it is said the apadesa and
vyapadesa are synonyms. Apadesa means to indicate one thing
while speaking of another. In this way one speaks words that
clearly m mean one thing while hinting a request to serve Krsna
in a certain way. This is called „vyapadesa‟. „Vyapadesa‟ should be
spoken by a messenger (duti).
Vijaya-kumara: Vyapadesa is then a kind of trick where a
request has a hidden meaning. Now please describe purastha-
visaya-gata-vyanga (the hint of talking about something before
one‟s eyes).
Goswami: When one thinks, “Krsna has heard, but He did
not hear”, and when Krsna changes the subject, talking instead
about some nearby animal of something else, that is the hint
called „purastha-visaya-gata-vyanga‟. This hint is of two kinds: 1.
Sabda (sounds) and 2. Artha (meaning).
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 Vijaya-kumara: By your mercy, I understand everything. Now
please describe the hints given by bodily gestures.
Goswami: Gesturing with the fingers, moving quickly on
some pretext, covering the body out of fear and shyness,
scratching the ground with one‟s foot, scratching the ear, making
a gesture of applying tilaka, dressing in a certain way, moving the
eyebrows, embracing a gopi friend, hitting a gopi friend, biting
one‟s lips, playing with one‟s necklace, making one‟s ornaments
tinkle, moving one‟s shoulders, writing the name „Krsna‟, and
twining a vine around a tree are all included among the hints
given by bodily gestures.
Vijaya-kumara: Now please describe the hints given by the
eyes.
Goswami: Laughing and smiling with the eyes, half-closing
the eyes, moving the eyes, looking in the distance, crooked
glances, glancing with the left eye, and sidelong glances are some
of the hints given by the eyes.
Vijaya-kumara: Now I understand the svayam-dutis. You have
only given some hints. But that is good enough.. There are
limitless kinds of such messengers. Now please describe the
apta-dutis.
Goswami: The messenger who is a beautiful Vraja-gopi, who
is affectionate and eloquent, and whom one can trust to faithfully
keep a secret, even to end of life, is this kind of messenger (apta-
duti).
Vijaya-kumara: How many kinds of apta-dutis are there?
Goswami: The apta-dutis are of three kinds: 1. Amitartha, 2.
Nisrstartha and 3. Patra-hari. A messenger, understanding the
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meaning of various hints and signs, brings the lovers together, is
called an „amitarth duti‟. A messenger who uses the persuasive
power of her eloquent words to bring to the lovers together is
called a „nisrstartha duti‟. A messenger who carries letters is
called a „patra-hari‟.
Vijaya-kumara: Are there any other apta-dutis?
Goswami: The silpa-karini (artists), daivajna (astrologers),
lingini (brahmana girls), paricarika (maidservants), dhatreyi
(nursemaids), vanadevi (goddesses of the forest), sakhis (gopi
friends), and many others are also counted among the apta-dutis.
The silpa-karinis included girls who use their skill at drawing
pictures to arrange for the meeting of the lovers. The daivajnas
use their knowledge of astrology to arrange the lovers‟ meeting.
The linginis dress in the garments of brahmana ascetics, like
Paurnamasi. There are many paricarika messengers, such as
Lavanga-manjari and Bhaumati. The dhatreyis are the women
who had been nursemaids to Radha and the other gopis. The
vanadevi is the goddesses of Vrndavana (forest). The sakhis have
already been described. They also become messengers. These
girls carry messages, either direct and clear messages, or
messages filled with hints and suggestions, hints that may be
either sabda-vyanga or artha-vyanga, both of which I have
already described. In this situation there may be vyapadesa
(statements with a hidden meaning), arthta-mula, prasamsa
(words of praise), aksepa (words of lamentation), and many
other kinds of words also.
After hearing all these explanations, Vijaya-kumara offered
respectful obeisances to his spiritual master‟s feet and then took

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his leave. Thinking and thinking of all these descriptions, he
walked home.

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 Chapter Thirty-four

Madhura-rasa
Madhura-rasa-vicara

Quickly honoring prasadam, and then walking by seacoast,

Vijaya-kumara went to Kasi Misra‟s home. As he looked at the
waves in the ocean, he thought of the ocean of rasas entered his
heart. He thought, “Ah! This ocean reminds me of ecstatic love
(bhava) for Lord Krsna. Even a material thing can remind one of
spiritual love. This ocean is like the ocean of rasas my spiritual
master described. Some day I will throw this gross and subtle,
material body far away, I will attain the form of a manjari, I will
go the shore of the ocean of rasas, and I will taste the sweetness
of the rasas. Lord Krsna, who is dark like a monsoon cloud, is
the only master of my life. Sri Vrsabhanunandini (Sri Radha),
who stays by His side, is the queen of my life. This ocean is like
the ecstatic love Sri Radha and Krsna feel for each other. Their
rasas and bhavas are an ocean garlanded with waves. When
bhava arises, then there are wonderful waves in this ocean. Then
I am a sakhi (gopi) standing on the shore. Then I float in the
ocean of prema-rasa (the rasas of spiritual love). Lord Krsna is
the ocean of rasas. Krsna is dark like the ocean. Sri Radha is the

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waves of love (prema) in that ocean of Krsna. She is beautiful
with a fair complexion. The many great waves in that ocean are
Her friends (sakhis). The smaller waves are Her maidservants
(paricarikas). I am very far from them all. I am a maidservant of
Radha‟s maidservant‟s.” Thinking and thinking in this way,
Vijaya-kumara fell unconscious. Soon he regained
consciousness. Slowly he approached his spiritual master and
offered dandavat obeisances to his feet. Humbly he sat down.
Gopala-guru Goswami embraced him and said, “O Vijaya-
kumara, is everything well with you?” Vijaya-kumara replied, “O
master, your mercy is the root of all auspiciousness. I am a
follower of the sakhis (gopi friends of Sri Radha). Therefore I
want to clearly understand about the different kinds of sakhis.
Goswami: O Vijaya-kumara, to properly glorify the sakhis is
beyond the power of the individual souls. You are a follower of
Srila Rupa Goswami, so you can understand all this. The
beautiful girls of Vraja who are sakhis are expert in manifesting
many (vistarini) pastimes of love (prema-lila). They are great
reservoirs filled with faith in Vraja‟s divine youthful couple. A
person who wishes to clearly understand them is certainly very
fortunate. When describing the different groups of gopis, I have
already described the different kinds of sakhis, namely the sakhis
who are adhika, sama, and laghvi, and the sakhis who are
prakhara, madhya, mrdvi. I explained all these divisions
yesterday. Here is the evidence for them, from Srila Rupa
Goswami (Ujjvala-nilamani, Sakhi-prakarana, 3-5):
“In the matters of spiritual love, good fortune and spiritual
virtues, and in other matters also, the sakhis are divided into
three groups: 1. Adhika, 2. Sama, and 3. Laghu.

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 “A prakhara sakhi speaks heavy words that are difficult to
counter. A mrdvi sakhi does not speak harshly at all. A sama
sakhi stands midway between the prakhara and mrdvi sakhi.
“The sakhis may be divided into different types, beginning
with the atyantadhika. In each group of sakhis the leader is
atyantadhika.
“Some of the atyantadhika sakhis are prakhara, some are
madhya, and some are mrdvi.”
Vijaya-kumara: The yuthesvari is the leader of a particular
group. You have already described how the yuthesvaris are
atyantika and how they are divided into three kinds: prakhara,
madhya, and mrdvi. In this way they are either atyantadhika
prakhara, atyantadhika madhya, or atyantadhika mrdvi. This you
have already explained. Now please describe the different kinds
of sakhis.
Goswami: In each group the yuthesvari is the only
atyantadhika sakhi. The other sakhis are all apeksikadhika,
apeksika sama, or apeksika laghvi. Then again, these are also
divided into prakhara, madhya, and mrdvi. In this way the three
groups are multiplied by three to bring nine groups altogether.
They are:
Apeksikadhika prakhara, 2. Apeksikadhika madhya, 3.
Apeksikadhika mrdvi, 4. Apeksika-sama prakhara, 5. Apeksika-
sama madhya, 6. Apeksika-sama mrdvi and 9. Apeksika-laghvi
mrdvi.
The antyantika laghvi is of two kinds: 1. Atyantika laghvi,
and 2. Sama-laghvi. This two is added to the preceding nine, and

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to them added the yuthesvari. In this way there are twelve types
of heroines in each group.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, which famous gopis are examples
of each of these different kinds of sakhis?
Goswami: Lalita and many other sakhis in Sri Radha‟s group
are apeksikadhika prakhara sakhis. Visakha and many other
sakhis in the same group are apeksikadhika madhya sakhis.
Citra, Madhurika and many other sakhis in that group are
apeksikadhika mrdvi sakhis. However, Lalita and the other asta-
sakhis (eight closest friends of Sri Radha) are all apeksika laghvi
when compared to Sri Radha Herself.
Vijaya-kumara: Are the apeksika-laghvi prakhara sakhis and
the other groups of sakhis like them further divided into other
kinds of sakhis?
Goswami: The Laghvi prakhara sakhis are of two kinds: 1.
Vama (left wing), and 2. Daksina (right wing).
Vijaya-kumara: What are the qualities of vama sakhis?
Goswami: They are always very proud. If there is some
slackening in the respect shown to them, they become angry.
They are not submissive to their lover. Such a sakhi is called
„vama‟. In Radha‟s group, Lalita and many others are considered
vama prakhara sakhis.
Vijaya-kumara: What are the qualities of the daksina sakhis?
Goswami: These heroines cannot tolerate pride. These
heroines speak sweetly to their lover and they are conquered by
His sweet words to them. Such a sakhi is called „daksina‟. In Sri

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Radha‟s group. Tungavidya and many others are daksina
prakhara sakhis.
Vijaya-kumara: Who are the atyantika sakhis?
Goswami: These sakhis are always sweet. They are less
important than the other sakhis. Kusumika and many others are
said to be atyantika laghvi sakhis.
Vijaya-kumara: How do the sakhis carry messages?
Goswami: The sakhis bring the hero, who has come a great
distance, to meet the heroine. That is the message they carry.
Vijaya-kumara: Are the sakhis ever heroines?
Goswami: The yuthesvaris are heroines eternally. The
apeksikadhika prakharas, apeksikadhika madhyas, and
apeksikadhika mrdvis may be either heroines or sakhis. They
have both natures. When gopis of an inferior status are present,
they may assume the role of heroine. When a gopi of superior
status is present, they assume the role of sakhi. The gopis of
inferior status consider them heroines, and the gopis of superior
status consider them sakhis. Therefore they are called „nayika-
praya‟ (almost heroines). The apeksika prakhara, apeksika
madhya, and apeksika mrdvis also play double roles. They
become sakhis when superior gopis are present and heroines
when inferior gopis are present. The apeksika prakhara, apeksika
madhya, and apeksika mrdvis are most often sakhis. Because the
yuthesvari and the previous described three classes of gopis are
superior to them, the atyantika laghvi gopis are considered here
as a fifth category. They are always sakhis. In the presence of the
yuthesvari, the apeksika gopis are all sakhis and dutis
(messengers). Then they are not heroines. The atyantika laghvi
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gopis are always sakhis. They are never heroines, and they are
never dutis.
Vijaya-kumara: Who are the sakhis that act as dutis?
Goswami: The yuthesvari are always heroines. Everyone
always honors them. They do not carry messages. However, the
yuthesvari entrusts to her favorite sakhi the task of carrying
messages. However, when one of her sakhis becomes the objects
of the hero‟s love, the yuthesvari will become a gauna
(secondary) kind of messenger on her behalf. Here „gauna‟ means
that the yuthesvari does not come and go for long distances
carrying. This kind of carrying messages is of two kinds: 1.
When Krsna is present, and 2. When Krsna is not present.
Vijaya-kumara: In what different ways are messages carried
when Krsna is present?
Goswami: These messages are of two kinds: 1. Hints, and 2.
Direct statements.
Vijaya-kumara: What are the hints?
Goswami: When, by a sidelong glance, an eyebrow
movement, a movement of the forefinger or another part of the
body, or another kind of hint, a sakhi sends Krsna to the heroine,
that is called the message in the form of a hint.
Vijaya-kumara: What are the direct statements?
Goswami: When, either directly to Lord Krsna or secretly
behind his back, the messenger speaks appropriate words, that is
called a message in the form of a direct statement.
Vijaya-kumara: What are the messages when Krsna is absent?

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 Goswami: Here one sakhi brings another sakhi to Krsna.
There are man ways a message can be carried in this way. These
are all considered carrying a message when Krsna is not present.
Vijaya-kumara: What are messages carried for the nayika-
praya (almost heroine)?
Goswami: When an apeksikadhika prakhara, apeksikadhika
madhya or apeksikadhika mrdvi carry a message for a gopi of
inferior status, this is called „carrying a message for a nayika-
praya‟. The sama sakhis and madhya sakhis are naturally friends.
Their friendship is mostly sweet and for the most part they have
no difference between them. Panditas learned in the science of
spiritual love (prema) can understand all this.
Vijaya-kumara: What is „a message carried by a sakhi-praya‟
(one who is almost a sakhi)?
Goswami: These are messages carried by a laghu-prakara,
laghu-madhya, or laghu-mrdvi gopi. When they are engaged in
carrying messages they are called „sakhi-praya‟ (almost sakhi).
Vijaya-kumara: What is a nitya-sakhi (always a sakhi)?
Goswami: Gopis who only wish to be a sakhi and never desire
to become a heroine are called „nitya-sakhi‟. The nitya-sakhis are
of two kinds: 1. Atyantika laghvi and 2. Apeksika laghvi.
Vijaya-kumara: Do the sakhis eternally possess certain
specific qualities, like the quality of being prakhara (harsh),
qualities that they always manifest and never abandon?
Goswami: Although certain qualities are part of the eternal
nature of each gopi, sometimes, according to time, place and
circumstances, the gopis manifest other qualities, even qualities

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that are the opposite of their ordinary nature. An example of this
is Lalita‟s attempt to calm Radha‟s jealous anger.
Vijaya-kumara: It seems to me that Radha takes great care to
arrange the meeting of Lord Krsna with her friends.
Goswami: O Vijaya-kumara, I can say something about that.
When a sakhi sent with a message meets Krsna in a secluded
place, and He requests that she enjoy with Him, she will not
agree. She will not break the trust of the gopi friend who sent her
with the message.
Vijaya-kumara: What are the sakhis‟ activities?
Goswami: The sakhis have sixteen kinds of activities: 1. To
praise the virtues of the hero before the heroine and to praise the
virtues of the heroine before the hero. 2. To make the hero and
heroine attached to each other. 3. To arrange for the rendezvous
of the hero and heroine. 4. To give the heroine to Krsna. 5. To
speak eloquent jokes. 6. To give consolation. 7. To decorate the
heroine in her room. 8. To reveal to the hero the love in the
heroine‟s heart and to reveal to the heroine the love in the hero‟s
heart. 9. To hide faults. 10. To teach the heroine how to deceive
her husband and other superiors. 11. To bring the hero and
heroine together at the appropriate time. 12. To fan with a
camara and perform other like services. 13. To approach the hero
or heroine when it is appropriate. 14. To carry a message. 15. To
save the heroine‟s life, and 16. To be careful and diligent in
everything. Many examples could be given to illustrate each of
these. What more shall I say:
Vijaya-kumara: O master, I understand these brief
explanations. Later I will see the examples given in the book

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Ujjvala-nilamani. Now I have learned a great deal. O master, now
I would like to learn about the sakhis‟ affection for each other
and love for Lord Krsna.
Goswami: The sakhis are of two kinds: 1. The sakhis whose
love for Krsna and their own yuthesvari is not equal, and 2. The
sakhis who love Krsna and their own yuthesvari equally.
Vijaya-kumara: What sakhis have love for Krsna and their
own yuthesvari that is not equal.
Goswami: These gopis, who are called „asama-sneha sakhis‟
are of two kinds. Some love their yuthesvari more than they love
Krsna. Others think, “I am a maidservant of Krsna.” These gopis
will not leave their group to join another. Still, they love Krsna
more than they love their yuthesvari. A gopi who is proud to
serve her yuthesvari, and who loves her yuthesvari more than
Krsna, is called „sakhi-snehadhika‟.
Vijaya-kumara: Why are they?
Goswami: Among the five kinds of sakhis I have already
described, those who are simply called sakhis love Krsna more
(krsna-snehadhika). The previously described nitya-sakhis and
prana sakhis love their yuthesvari more (sakhi-snehadhika).
Vijaya-kumara: Who are the gopis that love Krsna and their
yuthesvari equally?
Goswami: The gopis that love Krsna and their yuthesvari
equally are called „sama-sneha‟.
Vijaya-kumara: Of these sakhis who are the best?

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 Goswami: The sakhis who love Radha and Krsna equally, and
who think, „I am a follower of Radha‟ are the best of all. They are
called „priya-sakhis‟ and „parama-prestha-sakhis‟.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, please describe the rivalries of the
different groups of sakhis.
Goswami: All the groups of Vraja-gopis are divided in four
ways: 1, sva-paksa (one‟s own group), 2, suhrt-paksa (friends), 3,
tatastha-paksa (neutral parties), and 4, pratipaksa (enemies). The
gopi groups associate with the suhrt-paksas and tatastha-paksas,
and they avoid the pratipaksas. In this way there is exchange of
rasas.
Vijaya-kumara: Please describe the sva-paksa, pratipaksa and
the others.
Goswami: The sva-paksa I have already explained. Now I will
explain how the suhrt-paksas and the other groups differ. The
suhrt-paksas are of two kinds: 1, ista-sadhaka (friends pushed
together to do something favorable) and anista-sadhaka (friends
pushed together to do something unfavorable). The tatastha-
paksa is friendly to both the sva-paksa and the pratipaksa.
Vijaya-kumara: Please describe the pratipaksas.
Goswami: The vipaksas are enemies. They destroy what is
good and bring what is evil. The vipaksas manifest trickery,
malice, restlessness, envy, spite, mercilessness, pride and a host
of other like qualities.
Vijaya-kumara: How is pride manifested?
Goswami: False-ego, self-importance, arrogance, mocking,
conceit, and haughtiness, are the six manifestations of pride.

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 Vijaya-kumara: What is the nature of false-ego?
Goswami: When one praises the sva-paksa and reviles the
pratipaksa, that is false ego.
Vijaya-kumara: What is self-importance?
Goswami: When one explains how one‟s own group has the
most exalted spiritual love, that is self importance.
Vijaya-kumara: What is arrogance?
Goswami: When one is convinced that one‟s own group
enjoys the most exalted spiritual pastimes, that is arrogance.
Vijaya-kumara: What is mocking?
Goswami: When one laughs at the other group, that is
mocking.
Vijaya-kumara: What is conceit?
Goswami: When pride improves one‟s devotional service, that
is conceit in this context.
Vijaya-kumara: What is haughtiness?
Goswami: To openly declare one‟s own superiority is called
haughtiness. To criticize other sakhis and speak sarcastically
about them is also haughtiness.
Vijaya-kumara: Do the yuthesvaris show malice directly?
Goswami: No. The yuthesvaris always keep their gravity and
decorum. They do not openly express malice. Even if a prakhara
sakhi speaks maliciously in her presence, the yuthesvari
continues to speak pleasantly.

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 Vijaya-kumara: O master, the yuthesvaris in the Lord‟s Vraja
pastimes are all eternally perfect. They are one of the Lord‟s
potencies. What does it mean that malice and other inauspicious
qualities are present among them? Seeing these qualities, non
devotee philosophers will criticize the Lord‟s Vraja pastimes.
They will say, “If malice and other inauspicious qualities are
present in the spiritual world, then why do the devotees criticize
or renounce the material world?”
O master I am a resident of holy Navadvipa, where, by the
will of Lord Krsna Caitanya, many materialists may be seen.
Some are followers of karma-kanda. Some are barren logicians.
Some are impersonalists. In this way there are many offenders.
They condemn the Lord‟s pastimes. They claim that the Lord‟s
pastimes are material and are filled with imperfections.
Goswami: Persons (arasika) who cannot understand the
Lord‟s spiritual rasas claim that it is not right for the Lord‟s
personal associates manifest malice or other seemingly
inauspicious qualities. When one is at last able to understand the
spiritual truth, then one can see Vraja‟s madhura-rasa, which is
the dear friend of Lord Krsna, the Lord who destroys all sins and
whose transcendental form enchants a multitude of Kamadevas.
Malice and other seemingly inauspicious emotions felt by Lord
Krsna‟s personal associates are meant to enhance Lord Krsna‟s
transcendental pleasure when the associates are in His company.
Apart from these pastimes with Krsna, these seemingly
inauspicious qualities are not manifested. At that time there is
only love.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, I am a tiny creature. These
confidential truths do not easily enter my heart. Please be
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merciful and explain it very simply and clearly. That will be
auspicious for me.
Goswami: The rasas of spiritual love (prema-rasa) are like a
great ocean of milk. However, material logic is bitter like cow‟s
urine. One who can understand the spiritual rasas obtains an
auspicious life. And why not? It is after a person performs many
pious deeds that Bhakti-devi (the goddess of devotional service)
places the fruit of the hladini-sakti in his heart. Thus a person
who shuns the study of material logic obtains the final truth. On
the other hand, persons who use material logic to understand the
truth cannot understand the spiritual truth, which is
inconceivable, beyond the understanding of the material mind.
The so-called truth they accept is filled with misconceptions.
However, you are a fortunate soul. Therefore by the grace of
Bhakti-devi you understand everything. However, to make the
truth very clear, I must answer your question. You are not a
material logician, nor a follower of karma-kanda, nor a follower
of jnana-kanda, nor a doubter. You are a sincere devotee engaged
in vaidhi-bhakti devotional service. I will explain the truth to
you. I have no objection. You asked two kinds of questions. One
kind of question takes shelter of dry material logic. The other
kind of question may be satisfied by faith in logic. The other
kind of question may be satisfied by faith in devotional service.
You should not answer the question posed by the impersonalist.
Why not? Because they have no faith in the actual truth and thus
they will not believe what is the true answer. Without taking
shelter of the Lord‟s cit-sakti (spiritual potency) a soul
imprisoned by Maya cannot understand the inconceivable
spiritual truth merely by using the instrument of material logic
in a great series of debates. That is the fate of persons who have
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no faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Many different
kinds of persons engage in devotional service. Persons who are
qualified to understand the madhura rasa can understand all
these truths from their spiritual master. O Vijaya-kumara, the
Lord‟s pastimes and rasas in Vrndavana are very wonderful. The
Lord‟s madhura-rasa is very different from the amorous pastimes
of the material world. By studying Srimad-Bhagavatam‟s five
chapter description of the Lord‟s rasa dance, a devotee will
uproot the desire that grows in his heart. What disease grows in
the heart of the souls imprisoned by Maya? The disease is
material lust. A soul who has taken shelter of the subtle material
body consisting of mind, intelligence and false ego, who is filled
with material desires, who identifies with the gross material body
made of seven elements beginning with flesh, and who thinks it
is a man or a woman, does not have the power to throw material
lust far away very easily. Only by hearing about the Lord‟s Vraja
pastimes will that soul be able to throw material lust far away. In
the end, such a person is able to see the great wonder that is the
Lord‟s madhura-rasa pastimes in Vrndavana. When He throws
the impersonalists philosophy far away, then the spiritual
madhura-rasa is eternally manifest before him. When he
understands the lesser importance of the Lord‟s majestic feature
in Vaikuntha, the soul can understand the supreme glory of the
Lord‟s eternal and splendid rasas. Then the soul is filled with
intense transcendental bliss. Then the dry happiness of
impersonalism and the dull pleasures of the material world
become very unimportant for him. Then he is filled with a bliss
that is perfect and complete. This perfect and complete bliss is
manifest in many places and in many ways. In some bhavas it is
manifested as affection and other like emotions, and in other
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places it is manifested as malice and other so-called inauspicious
emotions. Material malice and material inauspicious emotions
are all abominable. These spiritual emotions are not like them.
They are all various transformations of spiritual bliss. They are
like waves in the great ocean of the spiritual rasas. They make
that ocean glorious. The conclusion of Srila Rupa Goswami is
that these different rasas show the wonderful variety of ecstatic
love (bhava). In the sva-paksa, these bhavas are all the same. In
the suhrt-paksa the bhavas are slightly different. In the tatastha-
paksa, the bhavas are slightly similar. In the vipaksa, the bhavas
are completely different. Look. When the bhavas are not
compatible the situation is not pleasant. In that situation the
supremely blissful rasas produce malice and other seemingly
inauspicious emotions.
Vijaya-kumara: Why do sva-paksas and vipaksas exist?
Goswami: When two heroines have the same nature, sva-
paksa and vipaksa are manifested. In this way friends and
enemies are manifested from the spiritual rasas. The purpose of
these emotions is to increase the sweetness of the Lord‟s spiritual
madhura-rasa.
Vijaya-kumara: Are Radha and Candravali equally powerful?
Goswami: No. No. Sri Radha is full of the highest ecstatic
love. She is the essence of the hladini-sakti. Candravali is
manifested from a tiny particle of Sri Radha‟s transcendental
form. Still, in order to increase the prema-rasa (loving pastimes)
of Sri Radha, Candravali is manifested as if she were Radha‟s
equal and rival (vipaksa). Look, it is not possible for these two
yuthesvaris to be completely alike. If these two seem sometimes
to be equals, it is only an accident, like the path of a bookworm
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accidentally forming the shape of a certain letter of the alphabet.
In truth, the sva-paksas and vipaksas are needed to make the
rasas glorious.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, no I have no doubts. The nectar of
your words flows into my ears and enters my heart, where it
destroys all the bitterness that was there. In my heart I can now
understand the transformations of madhura-rasa. Lord Krsna is
eternal and full of knowledge and bliss. He is the only hero
(nayaka). I meditate on His form, qualities, and activities. He is
dhirodhatta, dhira-lalita, dhira-prasanta, and dhirodhatta. His
qualities are anukula, daksina, satha, and dhrstha. He is always
served by His are ceta, vita, vidusaka, pitha-mardaka, and priya-
narma-sakha companions. He likes to play the flute. Lord Krsna,
who enjoys the madhura-rasa, is manifest in my heart. I have
also understood the descriptions of the beautiful girls of Vraja
who have taken shelter of the madhura-rasa. They are heroines
(nayika). The heroines are of two kinds: 1. Svakiya, and 2.
Parakiya. The best rasa is that of the parakiya heroines in Vraja.
These heroines are of three kinds: 1, sadhana-para, 2, devi, and
3, nitya-priya. Divided into many, many different groups, the
girls of Vraja serve Lord Krsna. There are many millions and
millions of such girls of Vraja, each of them subordinate to one
of the many, many yuthesvaris. Radha and Candravali are the
most important of the yuthesvaris. There are five kinds of sakhis:
1 sakhi, 2 nitya-sakhi, 3 prana-sakhi, 4 priya-sakhi, and 5
parama-prestha-sakhi. In Radha‟s group the eight sakhis headed
by Lalita are para-prestha-sakhis. These eight sakhis headed by
Lalita are qualified to become yuthesvaris themselves, but they
do not form separate groups, for they prefer to remain followers
of Sri Radha. Still, many other girls of Vraja consider themselves
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followers of these eight sakhis. The heroines are divided in
different ways: as mugdha, madhya, and pragalbha, as dhira,
adhira, and dhiradhira, and as kanya, svakiya and parakiya. In
this way there are fifteen different kinds of heroines. The
heroines have eight different conditions of life, which begin with
abhisarika. The heroines are also divided into uttama, madhyama
and kanistha. In this way there are 360 (15 x 8 x 3) different
kinds of heroines. Knowledge of the friendship and other
emotions felt by the yuthesvaris is now also present in my heart.
Knowledge of the messengers and sakhis is now also manifested
in my heart. Now I am able to understand the shelter in whom
the rasas rest. Now I understand the visaya and asraya, and,
included within them, the vibhava and alambana. Tomorrow I
will take shelter of your feet and learn from you about the
uddipanas. Lord Krsna has been very kind to me, to give me such
a kind spiritual master. Tomorrow I will be very well nourished
by drinking the nectar words that flow from your mouth.
Sri Gopala-guru Goswami embraced Vijaya-kumara and said,
Baba. I am very fortunate to have you as a disciple. You like to
ask many questions, and Lord Caitanya Himself has placed all
the answers in my mouth. The two of them wept tears of love.
After that they were both stunned and motionless.
Seeing how fortunate Vijaya-kumara had become,
Dhyanacandra and the other great souls there became plunged
into great transcendental bliss. At that moment some pure
Vaisnavas came to visit the Sri Radha-kanta temple. They began
to sing this song of Candi-dasa:

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 “O friend, whom did I hear pronounce the name „Syama‟?
That name entered my ears. Then it traveled to my heart. Now
my life breath trembles.
“I do not know why the name „Syama‟ is so sweet. My mouth
cannot renounce saying it. I say it again and again. My senses are
all overwhelmed. What will become of me?
“If this name makes my senses burn with fever, what would
happen if the bearer of this name were to touch my limbs? If I
were to see this person with my eyes, how could I continue on
the religious path?
“In my heart I decide to forget Him, but He will not be
forgotten. What will I do? Considering the fate of a saintly young
girl in danger of destroying her family, the brahmana Candi-dasa
speaks these words.”
Accompanied by karatalas and mrdanga, everyone sang this
song. An hour and half passed in this way. Everyone was
plunged in spiritual love (prema). When the spiritual bliss was a
little broken, Vijaya-kumara offered dandavat obeisances to Sri
Gopala-guru Goswami and the other Vaisnavas, respectfully bade
them farewell, and began walking to Haracandi-sahi‟s house.

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 Chapter Thirty-five

Madhura-rasa
Madhura-rasa-vicara

Again and again Krsna appeared in his thoughts. Vijaya-

kumara‟s heart was attracted to Krsna. His ordinary dealings
were now chaotic. He ate a little of what food was around and
then ran like a madman to his spiritual master, and then fell
down before his feet. Gopala-guru Goswami carefully picked him
up and embraced him. Vijaya-kumara said, “O master, I wish to
learn about the uddipanas in madhura rasa.” Then the saintly
Goswami carefully spoke.
Goswami: The qualities, names, activities, decorations, and
other things directly and indirectly related to Krsna and His
beloved gopis are the uddipanas in madhura rasa.
Vijaya-kumara: Please describe these qualities.
Goswami: The qualities are of three kinds: 1 mental, 2 verbal
and 3 physical.
Vijaya-kumara: What are the mental qualities?
Goswami: Gratefulness, forgiveness, and kindness are
included among the many mental qualities.

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 Vijaya-kumara: What are the verbal qualities?
Goswami: The verbal qualities are words that delight the ear.
Vijaya-kumara: What are the physical qualities?
Goswami: Youthfulness, splendor, charm, beauty, delight,
sweetness, and gentleness are included among the physical
qualities. Four kinds of youthfulness take shelter of madhura
rasa. They are: 1 vaya-sandhi, 2 navya-vayasa, 3 vyakta-vayasa
and 4 purna-vayasa.
Vijaya-kumara: What is vaya-sandhi?
Goswami: The pint where balya and yauvana meet is called
vya-sandhi. It is also called „prathama-kaisora‟. When kaisora
arises, that is vayah-sandhi. Here balya and pauganda are
synonyms. The sweetness of the gopis‟ vaya-sandhi age is an
uddipana that inspires Lord Krsna.
Vijaya-kumara: What is navya-vayasa?
Goswami: It is the beginning of yauvana. In this age the gopis
smile gently, their eyes are restless, their hearts are beginning to
become agitated, and their breasts are beginning to manifest.
Vijaya-kumara: What is vyakta-vayasa?
As this question was spoken, Sri Vaisnava and pandita
sannyasi from the Sankara-matha came to see the Deity. The Sri
Vaisnava considered himself a male servant of the Lord, and the
Sankara sannyasi was plunged in dry meditation on impersonal
Brahma. Neither of them were qualified to hear about the Vraja-
gopis. It is forbidden to discuss madhura-rasa with person firmly
convinced of their material malehood. Gopala-guru Goswami
and Vijaya-kumara at once stopped their conversation and made
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small talk about other things. After a short while the two guests
left to see the siddha bakula tree. Gently smiling, Vijaya-kumara
repeated his question.
Goswami: When the breasts are clearly manifested, three
folds of skin are manifested on the waist, and all the limbs are
splendid, then the age is said to be vyakta-vayasa.
Vijaya-kumara: What is purna-vayasa?
Goswami: When the hips are large, the waist slender, all the
limbs splendid with extraordinary beauty, the breasts large, and
the thighs like banana trees, the age is called purna-vayasa.
Vijaya-kumara: Now I understand these different ages. Now
please describe form.
Goswami: When the form is so splendid and glorious that it
seems to be decorated even when it is not, is called splendor.
When all the limbs are beautiful, that is called splendor.
Vijaya-kumara: What is charm?
Goswami: When all the limbs shine with a splendor like the
splendor of pearls, that is called charm.
Vijaya-kumara: What is beauty?
Goswami: When each limb is shaped in the most appropriate
way, and when all the limbs are combined together in the most
beautiful way, that is called beauty.
Vijaya-kumara: What is delight?
Goswami: When one‟s wonderful qualities make those nearby
also wonderful in the same way, that is called delight.
Vijaya-kumara: What is sweetness?
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 Goswami: When the body‟s beauty is so great that it cannot
be described, that is sweetness.
Vijaya-kumara: What is gentleness?
Goswami: When the body is so soft and delicate it cannot
tolerate even the slightest touch, that is called gentleness.
Gentleness is of three kinds: 1 great, 2 intermediate and 3 less.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, now I understand all these
qualities. Now please describe the names.
Goswami: Transcendental names, such as the name Radha-
Krsna are the birthplace of the rasas and bhavas.
Vijaya-kumara: I understand. Now please describe the
activities.
Goswami: The activities are of two kinds: 1 anubhava and 2
lila. Anubhava was already described after vibhava.
Vijaya-kumara: Please describe lila.
Goswami: Beautiful pastimes, dancing, playing the flute,
milking the cows, herding the cows from the hill, and other like
activities are all called lila.
Vijaya-kumara: What are beautiful pastimes?
Goswami: The rasa dance, and playing games with a ball are
included among the numberless beautiful pastimes that charm
the heart.
Vijaya-kumara: What are the decorations?
Goswami: Garments, ornaments, garlands and ointments are
the four kinds of decorations.

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 Vijaya-kumara: What are the things directly related to Krsna
and the gopis?
Goswami: Two kinds of things are directly related to Krsna
and the gopis. They are: 1. things touching and 2. things nearby.
Vijaya-kumara: What are the things touching?
Goswami: The sound of the flute, the sound of the buffalo-
horn, bugle, the singing, fragrance, tinkling of the ornaments,
footprints, sound of the vina, and artistic skill are included
among the things touching.
Vijaya-kumara: What is the sound of the flute?
Goswami: From Krsna‟s mouth, nectar flute-music flows.
That music is the best of the uddipanas.
Vijaya-kumara: Please be kind and describe the things nearby.
Goswami: Flower remnants, peacock feathers, mineral dyes
from the hills, the cows, the stick, the flute, the buffalo-horn
bugle, the sight of Krsna‟s dear associates, the dust raised by the
cows, Vrndavana. The living entities and things that have their
shelter in Vrndavana, Govardhana Hill, the Yamuna, and the
rasa-dance arena are included among the things nearby.
Vijaya-kumara: Who are the living entities that have taken
shelter in Vrndavana?
Goswami: Many birds, bees, deer, forest groves, vines, tulasi
plants, karnika flowers, and kadamba trees have taken shelter of
Vrndavana.
Vijaya-kumara: What are the things indirectly related to
Krsna and the gopis?

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 Goswami: The moonlight, clouds, lightning, springtime,
autumn, full moon, breeze and birds are included among what is
indirectly related.
After hearing about all these uddipanas, Vijaya-kumara was
silent for a moment. Pushed by the uddipanas, ecstatic love arose
in his heart. Then the anubhavas became manifested on his body.
With a choked voice, Vijaya-kumara said, “O master, please
describe the anubhavas. When describing His lilas, you said they
were part of Lord Krsna‟s activities. When I understand the
anubhavas I will be able to know the full outline of Krsna‟s
activities.”
Goswami: The anubhavas are of three kinds: 1 alankara, 2
ubhasvara and 3 vacika.
Vijaya-kumara: What are the alankaras?
Goswami: In their yauvana age the beautiful girls of Vraja
manifest twenty kinds of alankara (ornaments). With these
ornaments they conquer their beloved. These ornaments are:
Ornaments manifested from the body: 1 bhava, 2 hava 3 hela.
Ornaments manifested spontaneously: 4 sobha, 5 kanti, 6
dipti, 7 madhurya, 8 pragalbha, 9 audarya, 10 dhairya.
Natural ornaments: 11 lila, 12 vilasa, 13 vicchitti, 14
vibhrama, 15 kila-kincita, 16 mottayita, 17 kuttamita, 18
vibboka, 19 lalita and 20 vikrta.
Vijaya-kumara: What is bhava in this context?
Goswami: When the heart is steady in madhura-rasa, that
state is called „rati‟. The first manifestation of rati is called
„bhava‟. When the heart is steady in rati, that state is called
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„sattva‟. When the heart becomes agitated with ecstatic love, that
is called „bhava‟.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, what is hava?
Goswami: To tilt the neck, move the eyes or eyebrows, or
give other hints of love called „hava‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What is hela?
Goswami: When the amorous hints of hava are more openly
expressed, that is called „hela‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What is sobha?
Goswami: The beauty that amorous pastimes use to decorate
the limbs is called „sobha‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What is kanti?
Goswami: When amorous desires are satisfied, the splendor
then manifested is called „kanti‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What is dipti?
Goswami: When youthfulness, enjoyment, place, time,
virtues, and other like things bring a great and glorious splendor
that splendor is called „dipti‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What is madhurya?
Goswami: Still in all activities is called „madhurya‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What is pragalbha?
Goswami: To be self assured and free from doubt is called
„pragalbhata‟. This brings great splendor to every limb.
Vijaya-kumara: What is audarya?

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 Goswami: To be humble in every situation is called „audarya‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What is dhairya?
Goswami: When the mind is exalted, that is called „dhairya‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What is lila?
Goswami: To imitate the beloved‟s graceful garments and
actions is called „lila‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What is vilasa?
Goswami: When walking, staying still, sitting, the mouth, the
eyes, and many other things are all employed to give amorous
hints to the beloved, that is called „vilasa‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What is vicchitti?
Goswami: If there is great beauty, even though the ornaments
are few, that is called „vicchitti‟. In the opinion of some scholars
of rasa, when the lover commits an offense, the sakhis carefully
decorated Him, and in spite of all efforts, the girl remains angry,
her condition is called vicchitti.
Vijaya-kumara: What is vibhrama?
Goswami: When, at the time of going to meet her beloved, a
girl is so bewildered with amorous desire that she decorates
herself with necklace, garland and other ornaments in the wrong
way, that is called „vibhrama‟.
Vijaya-kumara: what is kila-kincita?
Goswami: Pride, desire, weeping, laughing, envy, fear, and
anger, when they are manifested as symptoms of happiness when
one meets the beloved, are called „kila-kincita.”

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 Vijaya-kumara: What is mottayita?
Goswami: When, by remembering the beloved or receiving
news of him, the lover feels love and then desire, that is called
„mottayita‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What is kuttamita?
Goswami: When the lover touches the beloved‟s breast, and
the beloved, although actually pleased, puts on an outward show
of anger, that is called „kuttamita‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What is vibboka?
Goswami: When pride and jealousy make the beloved insult
the lover, that is called „vibboka‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What is lalita?
Goswami: When the movements of the body and the
eyebrows show softness, that is called „lalita‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What is vikrta?
Goswami: When shyness, pride, and anger are expressed not
by words but by actions, that is called „vikrta‟. In this way twenty
ornaments are manifested from the body and mind. Some
scholars of rasa add two more ornaments - maughdya and cakita
- to this list.
Vijaya-kumara: What is maughdya?
Goswami: When, even though she already knows the answer,
the beloved, as if she didn‟t already know, asks the lover anyway,
that is called „maugdhya‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What is cakita?

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 Goswami: When, even though there is no reason to fear, the
beloved tells her lover that she is very afraid, that is called
„cakita‟.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, thus I have heard about these
alankaras (ornaments). Now please teach me about the
udbhasvaras.
Goswami: When the ecstatic love present in the heart is
splendidly manifested in the body, that is called „udbhasvara‟.
When in madhura rasa the belt, bodice and braids become
loosened, the limbs are agitated, the mouth is opened wide, and,
with dilated nostrils there is heavy breathing, that is called
“udbhasvara”.
Vijaya-kumara: All these udbhasvaras could easily have been
included within mottayita and vilasa.
Goswami: They have a different kind of glory. Therefore they
are considered separately.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, now please describe the verbal
anubhavas.
Goswami: Alapa, vilapa, samlapa, pralapa, anulapa, apalapa,
sandesa, atidesa, apadesa, upadesa, nirdesa and vyapadesa are the
twelve verbal anubhavas.
Vijaya-kumara: What is alapa?
Goswami: When one speaks pleasing, flattering words, that is
called „alapa‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What is vilapa?
Goswami: When one laments, that is called „vilapa‟.

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 Vijaya-kumara: When one laments, that is called „vilapa‟.
Goswami: Pleasing conversations are called „samlapa‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What is pralapa?
Goswami: Meaningless words are called „pralapa‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What is anulapa?
Goswami: Repeating the same thing over and over is called
„anulapa‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What is apalapa?
Goswami: To explain something a second time is called
„apalapa‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What is sandesa?
Goswami: To send a letter to a beloved in a faraway place is
called „sandesa‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What is atidesa?
Goswami: To say, „His words are my words‟ is called „atidesa‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What is apadesa?
Goswami: While speaking about one thing to reveal another
is called „apadesa‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What is upadesa?
Goswami: To give instruction is called „upadesa‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What is nirdesa?
Goswami: To affirm, “I am that person” is called „nirdesa‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What is vyapadesa?

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 Goswami: To misrepresent one‟s true desire is called
„vyapadesa‟. All these anubhavas are present in all the rasas.
However, they are famous for making the madhura-rasa sweet.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, why are these rasa anubhavas
considered separately?
Goswami: When the alambanas and uddipanas enter the
heart, bhava is manifested. Then the symptoms called
„anubhavas‟ are manifested on the body. If all the anubhavas were
not discussed separately, then it would not be possible to see
their natures clearly.
Vijaya-kumara: Now please describe the sattvika-bhavas in
madhura rasa.
Goswami: The eight sattvika-bhavas, beginning with being
stunned and perspiring, which I had previously described, are
also present in madhura-rasa. However, in this rasa they are
manifested in a different way.
Vijaya-kumara: How is it different?
Goswami: Look at the Lord‟s Vraja pastimes. Being stunned
comes from joy, fear, wonder, melancholy and anger.
Perspiration comes from joy, fear and anger. Standing up of the
body‟s hairs comes from wonder, joy and fear. Choking up of the
voice comes from melancholy, wonder, anger and fear.
Trembling of the body comes from fear, joy and anger. Becoming
pale comes from fear, joy and anger. Becoming pale comes from
melancholy, anger, fear. Shedding tears comes from joy, anger,
and melancholy. Devastation comes from either happiness or
distress.

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 Vijaya-kumara: Are these sattvika ecstatic symptoms
manifested differently in madhura rasa?
Goswami: Yes. They are. When before I described the
sattvika-bhavas I explained that they were manifested as either
dhumayita (smoky), jvalita (blazing), dipta (shining), or uddipta
(bright shining). In madhura-rasa these bhavas are manifested
only in two ways, as either uddipta (brightly shining) or sudipta
(brilliantly shining).
Vijaya-kumara: O master, please be kind to me. Please
describe the vyabhicari-bhavas in madhura rasa and make me
happy.
Goswami: The thirty-three vyabhicari-bhavas or sancari-
bhavas, which begin with nirveda (disappointment), and which I
have previously described to you, are almost all present in
madhura-rasa. Only augrya (violence) and alasya (laziness) are
not present in this rasa. In madhura-rasa these sancari-bhavas are
very wonderful.
Vijaya-kumara: What is the most wonderful thing about them
in this situation?
Goswami: The love for Krsna (krsna-prema) that Krsna‟s
friends and superiors feel for Him in sakhya-rasa and the other
rasas, becomes sancari-bhava in madhura rasa. In other words
what was sthayi-bhava in the other rasas becomes sancari-bhava
or vyabhicari bhava in madhura rasa.
Vijaya-kumara: What else is wonderful in this situation?
Goswami: The vyabhicari-bhavas are not considered direct
ingredients of madhura-rasa. Even the vyabhicaris that begin
with marana (death) are not direct ingredients. Instead of being
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ingredients, the vyabhicari-bhavas are considered the qualities of
madhura-rasa. The vyabhicari bhavas are the qualities, and
madhura rasa is the possessor of the qualities. That is the proper
conclusion.
Vijaya-kumara: How are the vyabhicari-bhavas manifested in
this rasa?
Goswami: Nirveda (disappointment) is born from suffering,
unpleasantness, envy, melancholy, calamity and offense.
Vijaya-kumara: From what is dainya (humility) born?
Goswami: Dainya is born from unhappiness, fear and offense.
Vijaya-kumara: From what is glani (guilt) born?
Goswami: Glani is born from fatigue, anxiety and attraction.
Vijaya-kumara: From what is srama (fatigue) born?
Goswami: Srama is born from losing one‟s way, dancing, and
attraction.
Vijaya-kumara: From what is mada (intoxication) born?
Goswami: Mada is born from drinking liquor. In this way one
becomes jubilant and one also loses one‟s power of
discrimination.
Vijaya-kumara: From what is garva (pride) born?
Goswami: Garva is born from good fortune, beauty, virtue
and obtaining what is the best of all.
Vijaya-kumara: From what is sanka (doubt) born?
Goswami: Sanka is born from theft, offense, cruelty to others,
lightning, fearsome creatures, and fearsome sounds.
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 Vijaya-kumara: From what is avega (intense emotion) born?
Goswami: Avega is born from seeing the object of love,
hearing about the object of love, seeing what is not loved, and
hearing about what is not loved. The heart becomes bewildered
by these intense emotions.
Vijaya-kumara: From what is unmada (madness) born?
Goswami: Unmada is born from intense bliss or separation
from the beloved.
Vijaya-kumara: From what is apasmara (forgetfulness) born?
Goswami: Apasmara is born from unhappiness, which upsets
the body and the mind.
Vijaya-kumara: From what is vyadhi (disease) born?
Goswami: Vyadhi is born from fever and other like causes. It
is also born from anxiety, intense emotion, and other feelings.
Vijaya-kumara: From what is moha (confusion) born?
Goswami: Moha is bewilderment of the mind. Moha is born
from joy, separation and sorrow.
Vijaya-kumara: From what is mrti (death) born?
Goswami: Mrti is not directly manifested in madhura-rasa.
Sometimes there is the desire for death.
Vijaya-kumara: From what is alasya (laziness) born?
Goswami: Alasya is not directly manifested in madhura-rasa.
When a strong person pretends that he is not strong, that is
called alasya. Alasya does not exist in devotional service to Lord

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Krsna. However, it is seen indirectly, as the opposite of true
devotional service.
Vijaya-kumara: From what is jadya (inertness) born?
Goswami: Jadya is born from hearing about the beloved,
seeing the beloved, seeing what is unpleasant, and separation
from the beloved.
Vijaya-kumara: From what is vrida (bashfulness) born?
Goswami: Vrida is born from first meeting, doing what
should not be done, words of praise, and words of insult.
Vijaya-kumara: From what is avahittha (concealment) born?
Goswami: Avahittha, or concealment, is born from treachery,
shyness, cleverness, fear and respect.
Vijaya-kumara: From what is smrti (remembrance) born?
Goswami: Smrti is firm belief based on previous direct
perception.
Vijaya-kumara: From what is vitarka (argumentativeness)
born?
Goswami: Vitarka is born from melancholy or doubt.
Vijaya-kumara: From what is cinta (anxiety) born?
Goswami: Cinta is born from failing to attain what one
desires, or attaining what one does not desire.
Vijaya-kumara: From what is mati (thoughtfulness) born?
Goswami: Mati is giving thought to understand something.
Vijaya-kumara: From what is dhrti (endurance) born?

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 Goswami: Dhrti is steadiness of the mind. It is born from the
absence of suffering and the attainment of the best thing.
Vijaya-kumara: From what is harsa (happiness) born?
Goswami: When, because of seeing or attaining the object of
one‟s desires, one is pleased, that is called „harsa‟.
Vijaya-kumara: From what is autsukya (eagerness) born?
Goswami: Autsukya is born from the desire to see or attain
the beloved.
Vijaya-kumara: From what is augrya (violence) born?
Goswami: Violence is called „augrya‟. As I have already said, it
is not manifested in madhura-rasa.
Vijaya-kumara: From what is amarsa (haughtiness) born?
Goswami: Inability to tolerate disrespect and insult is called
“amarsa”.
Vijaya-kumara: From what is asuya (envy) born?
Goswami: Asuya is hatred of another person‟s good fortune. It
comes from good fortune and virtue.
Vijaya-kumara: From what is capala (impudence) born?
Goswami: Lightness of the mind is called „capala‟. It is born
from attraction and revulsion.
Vijaya-kumara: From what is nidra (dizziness) born?
Goswami: Nidra is born from exhaustion.
Vijaya-kumara: What is supti (sleepiness)?
Goswami: Supti is sleepiness.

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 Vijaya-kumara: What is bodha (alertness)?
Goswami: Bodha is the opposite of sleepiness.
O Baba Vijaya-kumara, all these vyabhicaris are manifested in
four ways: 1 utpatti, 2 sandhi, 3 savalya and 4 santi. When two
bhavas join together, that is called „bhava-sandhi‟. When two
different manifestations of one kind of bhava join together, that
is called „svarupa-sandhi‟. When different kinds of bhavas join
together, that is called „bhinna-sandhi‟. When many different
bhavas are mixed together, that is called „bhava-savalya‟. When a
bhava disappears, that is called „bhava-santi‟.
Thus hearing about the vibhavas, anubhavas, sattvika-bhavas,
and vyabhicari-bhavas of madhura-rasa, Vijaya-kumara could
understand the samagris (ingredients) of this rasa. His heart
became plunged in prema (pure love). Still, he thought he had
no prema. Falling at His spiritual master‟s feet, and weeping and
weeping, he said, „O master, why is my heart not plunged in
prema? Please be merciful and tell me.‟ Gopala-guru Goswami
replied “Come tomorrow, and I will teach you about prema. You
have understood the samagris (ingredients) of prema. But prema
is still not openly manifested in your heart. The prema that is the
same as sthayi-bhava you have heard from me in a general way.
When you hear how prema is manifested in madhura-rya, you
will attain all perfection.” After speaking these words, Gopala-
guru Goswami embraced Vijaya-kumara. Vijaya-kumara offered
dandavat obeisances, and then he returned to his own residence.

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 Chapter Thirty-six

Madhura-rasa
Madhura-rasa-vicara

Today Vijaya-kumara came at the appointed time and offered

dandavat obeisances to Sri Gopala-guru Goswami. Seeing that
today Vijaya-kumara was very eager to learn about sthayi-bhava,
the spiritual master began to speak.
Goswami: The sthayi-bhava of madhura-rasa is madhura-rati.
Vijaya-kumara: What causes madhura-rati to become
manifested?
Goswami: Madhura-rati is manifested from abhiyoga, visaya,
sambandha, abhimana, tadiya-visesa, upama, and svabhava. Each
item in this list is better than the preceding item. In this way the
rati that is manifested from svabhava is the best of the ratis.
Vijaya-kumara: What is bhiyoga?
Goswami: To openly reveal one‟s love (bhava) is called
„abhiyoga”. One may make the revelation personally, or another
person may do it.
Vijaya-kumara: What is visaya?

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 Goswami: The five visayas are sound, touch, form, taste and
fragrance.
Vijaya-kumara: What is sambandha?
Goswami: The five glorious sambandhas are family, beauty,
virtue and pastimes.
Vijaya-kumara: What is abhimana?
Goswami: When, given the choice of many beautiful and
pleasing objects, a person conclusively chooses one, and one
alone, demanding, “I want that one”, that is called „abhimana‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What is tadiya-visesa?
Goswami: The tadiya-visesas are footprints, the land of the
cows, and dear friends. In this context the land of the cows is the
land of Vrndavana, and the dear friends are the devotees who
love Krsna deeply.
Vijaya-kumara: What is upama?
Goswami: When one thing is somewhat like another, that is
called „upama‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What is svabhava?
Goswami: The nature that manifests spontaneously, without
any external cause is called „svabhava‟. Svabhava is of two kinds:
nisarga and svarupa.
Vijaya-kumara: What is nisarga?
Goswami: A habit born from repetition is called nisarga‟.
Qualities, form, and hearing are included among the causes of
nisarga. The meaning here is that when the soul again and again
acts in a certain way, after many births he develops a habit,
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which is called „nisarga‟. Therefore, it when hearing about Lord
Krsna‟s qualities and form a person suddenly and passionately
(hatha) falls in love (bhava) with Krsna, that love is caused not
by the immediate circumstances, but by repeated past devotional
activities (nisarga).
Vijaya-kumara: What is svarupa?
Goswami: What is unborn, beginningless, and self-perfect is
called „svarupa‟. Svarupa is of three kinds: 1 krsna-nistha (faith in
Krsna), lalana-nistha (faith in the gopis), and ubhaya-nistha
(faith in both Krsna and the gopis). Persons of demonic nature
do not attain krsna-nistha. On the other hand, persons of godly
nature easily attain it. Persons who are spiritual enlightened can
attain lalana-nistha. Sometimes even without seeing or hearing of
Krsna‟s form and other features a person suddenly develops
intense love for Him. When one has both krsna-nistha and
lalana-nistha that is called -‟ubhaya-nistha‟.
Vijaya-kumara: Is every aspect of madhura rasa manifested
from the seven causes abhiyoga, visaya, sambandha, abhimana,
tadiya-visesa, upama, and svabhava?
Goswami: The beautiful girls of Gokula love Krsna with a
love that is part of their own nature (svabhava), a love that is
naturally perfect (svarupa-siddha), a love that is not caused by
the seven causes that begin with abhiyoga. Rather, their love is
caused by various different pastimes. However, for the sadhana-
siddha (who attained perfection by engaging in sadhana-bhakti)
and nisarga-siddha-sadhaka (who are still striving to attain
perfection) devotees, the seven causes that begin with abhiyoga
do indeed inspire love for Krsna.

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 Vijaya-kumara: One or two examples here would be very
pleasing to the heart.
Goswami: This kind of love is attained by practicing
raganuga-bhakti. It cannot be attained by vaidhi-bhakti. This
kind of love stays far away from a person who practices vaidhi-
bhakti. When a devotee engaged in sadhana-bhakti sees the
loving service the beautiful girls of Vraja offer to Lord Krsna, and
when that devotee yearns to serve Krsna in the same way, then
the previously mentioned causes, with priyajana (the dear
friends of Krsna) especially prominent and now numbering only
six because svabhava is not present here, become the causes of
his ecstatic love for Krsna, In this way the devotee gradually
attains rati (spiritual love). When the devotee attains the stage of
sadhana-siddha then he may attain lalana-nistha.
Vijaya-kumara: What are the different kinds of rati?
Goswami: There are three kinds of rati: 1 sadharani
(ordinary), 2 samanjasa (proper) and 3 samartha (perfect). Kubja
is an example of sadharani-rati. She yearned for her own person
enjoyment in Krsna‟s company. Therefore her love is of an
inferior nature. The Dvaraka queens‟ love is samanjasa (proper).
And why not? They enjoyed Krsna‟s company within the
religious institution of marriage. The love of the Gokula
goddesses, the gopis is, samartha. It exists in a plane above the
ordinary activities of the world and the ordinary rules of religion.
This Samartha love is not improper (asamanjasa). Rather,
because is has the power to bring the highest goal of life, it is the
most proper (ati-samanjasa). Sadharani love is like a jewel,
samanjasa love is like a cintamani jewel, and samartha love,
which has no equal, is like a Kaustubha jewel.
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 Vijaya-kumara: (weeping and weeping) What a wonderful
description this is! I wish to learn more about sadharani rati.
Goswami: When by directly seeing Krsna a person yearns to
enjoy in His company, and in this way feels a love that is not yet
very intense, that love is called „sadharani‟. Because that love is
not yet very intense, the desire for one‟s own enjoyment is still
present within it. When the desire for personal enjoyment
becomes dwarfed, then what remains to dwarf the growth of real
love?
Vijaya-kumara: What is samanjasa rati?
Goswami: When by hearing the qualities of Krsna a girl
yearns to become His wife, her intense love is called „samanjasa‟.
Still, in this lover there is sometimes the desire for personal
enjoyment. However, without this desire the wife will not be
under Krsna‟s dominion.
Vijaya-kumara: What is samartha love?
Goswami: In rati the desire for enjoyment is always present.
In sadharani rati and samanjasa rati the devotee desires her
personal enjoyment. When the desire for enjoyment is
completely free for the desire for one‟s own personal enjoyment,
and one desires only the enjoyment of the beloved, that kind of
love is called „samartha‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What is that like? Please explain and make it
more clearly understood.
Goswami: The desire for enjoyment is of two kinds. One kind
is the desire that the beloved will please my own senses. The
other kind is the desire that I will please the senses of my
beloved. The first kind of desire is called „kama‟ (lust). And why
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not? In that situation one is eager only for his own happiness. In
the second kind of desire one is eager for the happiness and well-
being of the beloved. That desire is the desire of love (prema). In
sadharani love the desire for personal enjoyment is strong. In
samanjasa love that desire is not strong. In samartha love the
desire for enjoyment is of a different nature. It is, as I have
already said, the desire that the beloved should enjoy.
Vijaya-kumara: In loving affairs the touch of the beloved
inevitably brings pleasure. How is it possible that in samartha
love this pleasure is not desired?
Goswami: That desire is inevitably difficult to stop. Still, in
samartha love that desire of the heart is very weak. In this kind
of love the desire to please the beloved is very strong. That desire
then embraces the desire for personal enjoyment, and in that
embrace both desires become one. Because this is the strongest
(samartha) of all kinds of love, it is called „samartha‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What are the glories of samartha love?
Goswami: Among the seven previously described causes
beginning with abhiyoga, sambandha may e manifested, or
tadiya-visesa may be manifested or svarupa may be manifested
and in this way samartha love may come into being. Or,
forgetting all these, this very powerful love may come into being
by itself.
Vijaya-kumara: How do the desire for personal enjoyment
and the desire that the beloved should enjoy join and become a
single desire?
Goswami: The beautiful girls of Vraja love Krsna with
samartha love. They desire only for His happiness. When they
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associate with Krsna, the certainly experience their own
happiness. However, they accept only those activities that bring
happiness to Krsna. Thus the desire for personal enjoyment and
the desire only to please Krsna meet in the waves of sublime and
wonderful pastimes. In that condition the desire for personal
enjoyment does not exist apart from the desire to please Krsna.
In this way the desire for personal enjoyment ceases to exist.
Vijaya-kumara: Aha! How wonderful is this love! I yearn to
hear of it‟s highest glories.
Goswami: When this love (rati) matures it reaches the stage
called „maha-bhava‟. All the liberated souls seek this stage of
love. The five kinds of devotees attain it to the degree they are
able.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, I request that you explain the
different stages of this love.
Goswami: It is said (Ujjvala-nilamani, Sthayi-bhava-
prakarana):
“When rati becomes very intense, it is called „prema‟. As
prema gradually manifests its sweetness, it is called sneha, mana,
pranaya, raga, anuraga, and bhava.”
Vijaya-kumara: O master, please give an example.
Goswami: As there is a progression in sweetness from sugar-
cane plant to sugar-cane juice to molasses to gur, to sugar
granules, to rock candy, so there is a progression in love from
rati to prema, to sneha, to mana, to pranaya, to raga, to anuraga,
and finally to bhava. The word „bhava‟ in this progression refers
to maha-bhava.

710
 Vijaya-kumara: Why are so many different stages with so
many different names grouped under the general heading of
„prema‟?
Goswami: The six kinds of love, which begin with sneha, are
all different pastime stages of prema. The panditas who are
learned in this matter call them all by the name “prema”. In this
way prema is manifested.
Vijaya-kumara: What are the different kinds of prema?
Goswami: There are three kinds of prema: 1, praudha
(mature) , 2 madhya (intermediate) and 3, manda (slow).
Vijaya-kumara: What is praudha prema?
Goswami: When the lover is anguished to think her delay
may worry her beloved, that is praudha-prema.
Vijaya-kumara: What is madhya prema?
Goswami: When the lover is not concerned about the
beloved‟s anguish, that is madhya prema.
Vijaya-kumara: What is manda prema?
Goswami: When the lover neither cares nor does not care,
that is manda prema. This kind of love can inspire one to create
obstacles to stop the exalted love of a rival. O Vijaya-kumara,
Praudha, madhya and manda are thus the three divisions of
prema. They can also be described in these words: When the
lover cannot tolerate the beloved‟s suffering, that is praudha
prema. When the lover can tolerate the beloved‟s suffering, that
is madhya prema. When the lover forgets whether the beloved
suffers or not, that is manda prema.

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 Vijaya-kumara: Now I understand prema. What are the
characteristics of sneha?
Goswami: When it reaches its highest state, prema is like a
brilliant lamp. This is known as „citprema‟ (spiritual love). When
it makes the heart melt, this spiritual prema is called „sneha‟. The
by product of sneha is that the lover never becomes satiated or
disinterested, even if the lover sees the beloved at every moment.
Vijaya-kumara: Are there different kinds of sneha, some
better and some lesser?
Goswami: In the lowest kind of sneha, the lover‟s heart melts
at the touch of the beloved. In the intermediate kind of sneha,
the lover‟s heart melts at the sight of the beloved. In the best
kind of sneha, the lover‟s heart melts simply by hearing of the
beloved.
Vijaya-kumara: What are the other different kinds of sneha?
Goswami: Sneha is also of two kinds: 1. Ghrta sneha (gee
love) and madhu-sneha (honey love).
Vijaya-kumara: What is ghrta-sneha?
Goswami: When love is very respectful (adaramaya) it is
called „ghrta-sneha‟. When ghrta-sneha is mixed with madhu
sneha, the result is very palatable. Ghrta-sneha is by nature cool.
When the respect (adara) is increased (ghani-bhuta), this love
becomes more intense. It is called „ghrta-sneha‟ because it has the
qualities of ghrta (gee).
Vijaya-kumara: What is respect (adara).
Goswami: Respect (adara) comes from honoring others
(gaurava). In this way respect and honor are interdependent.
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When love (rati) is manifested with them it is called, in this
context, „sneha‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What is gaurava (honor).
Goswami: When one thinks of a person as a guru, that is
called „gaurava‟. From gaurava is manifested sambhrama
(esteem). This is all said to be included within adara (respect).
Adara and gaurava are interdependent.
Vijaya-kumara: What is madhu-sneha?
Goswami: When the lover thinks, “The beloved is my
property‟, then that is called „madhu-sneha‟. Many different rasas
meet in this sweet love. This love is passionate and therefore it
brings warmth. Because this love is sweet (madhura), there it is
called „madhu-sneha‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What does it mean to think “The beloved is
my property‟?
Goswami: Love is manifested in two ways. In one way the
lover thinks, “I am the property of my beloved”. In the other way
the lover thinks, “My beloved is the property of me.” In ghrta-
sneha the idea “I am the property of my beloved” is prominent.
In madhu-sneha the idea “My beloved is the property of me” is
prominent. Candravali possesses ghrta-sneha. Radha possesses
madhu-sneha.
Vijaya-kumara: (after offering dandavat obeisances to his
spiritual master). What is mana?
Goswami: When sneha becomes exalted and manifests a new
kind of sweetness, the lover manifests various crooked dealings
with the beloved. That is called „mana‟.

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 Vijaya-kumara: What are the different kinds of mana?
Goswami: There are two kinds of mana: 1 udatta and 2 lalita.
Vijaya-kumara: What is udatta mana?
Goswami: It is of two kinds. In one kind the lover is
straightforward, open, and free of diplomacy. In the other kind
the lover engages in concealment and crooked diplomacy.
Udatta-mana is manifested in ghrta-sneha.
Vijaya-kumara: What is lalita-mana? I cannot say why, but
somehow I feel attracted to it.
Goswami: Lalita-mana is of two kinds. In kautilya-lalita-mana
there is independence and crookedness. In narma-lalita-mana
there are joking words. Both kinds of lalita-mana manifested in
madhu sneha.
Vijaya-kumara: What is pranaya?
Goswami: When the lover trusts the beloved and feels one at
heart with the beloved, that is called „pranaya‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What does „trust‟ (visrambha) mean in this
situation?
Goswami: The real nature of pranaya is trust, which is called
„visrambha‟. Visrambha is of two kinds: 1 maitra and 2 sakhya.
Visrambha means „firm trust‟. This trust is not merely the
secondary cause of pranaya. It is the original cause of it, the very
ingredient of which it is made.
Vijaya-kumara: What is maitra-visrambha?
Goswami: When visrambha is joined with humility, that is
called „maitra‟.
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 Vijaya-kumara: What is sakhya-visrambha?
Goswami: When the lover is free from all fear and convinced
that the beloved is completely under the lover‟s control, that is
called „sakhya-visrambha.”
Vijaya-kumara: Please clearly explain how pranaya, sneha and
mana are related to each other.
Goswami: In some situations sneha gives birth to pranaya,
and from pranaya mana is manifested. In other situations sneha
gives birth to mana and from mana pranaya is manifested.
Therefore mana and pranaya may assume both roles of either
cause or effect. Visrambha requires a separate explanation.
Udatta and lalita exist in both maitra and sakhya. However, in
sakhya they are also called “su-maitra” and “su-sakhya”.
Vijaya-kumara: What is raga?
Goswami: When pranaya becomes exalted even great
suffering is considered happiness. That stage of pranaya is called
„raga‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What are the different kinds of raga?
Goswami: There are two kinds: 1 nilima-raga and 2 raktima-
raga.
Vijaya-kumara: How many kinds of nilima-raga are there?
Goswami: There are two kinds of nilima-raga: 1 nili-raga and
syama-raga.
Vijaya-kumara: What is nili-raga?
Goswami: In this raga there is no possibility of loss of
destruction. Externally there is great glory and love is concealed
715
within the heart. That is nili-raga. Candravali manifests this raga
before Lord Krsna.
Vijaya-kumara: What is syama-raga?
Goswami: When the beloved‟s delay makes the worried lover
water the forest plants with a stream of tears, that is called
syama-raga.
Vijaya-kumara: How many kinds of raktima raga are there?”
Goswami: Raktima raga is of two kinds: 1 kusumbha and 2
manjistha-sambhava,
Vijaya-kumara: What is kusumbha-raga?
Goswami: When the other ragas manifest their beauty and
glory, that is called „kusumbha raga‟. Kusumbha-raga rests in a
particular object. When it mixes with manjistha-raga, it produces
withering and melancholy in a gopi who loves Krsna (krsna-
pranayi).
Vijaya-kumara: What is manjistha-raga?
Goswami: The eternal, unchanging, unalloyed, eternally very
glorious love that Sri Sri Radha and Madhava feel for each other
is called manjistha-raga. The final conclusion is that ghrta,
sneha, udatta, maitra, su-maitra, nilima, and other like bhavas
that have been described here are manifested in Candravali and
by the queens headed by Rukmini. On the other hand, madhu,
sneha, lalita, sakhya, su-sakhya, raktima, and other like bhavas
are manifested in Sri Radha. Sometimes they are also seen in
Satyabhama. I have already explained that the beautiful girls of
Vraja are divided into many rival (sva-paksa and vipaksa)
groups. In this way there is much dissension among them. When

716
they relate to the other bhavas, these create many different
features. Only panditas learned in this particular topic can
understand all this. In other words, I will not give a more
elaborate explanation of it.
Vijaya-kumara: To which bhavas does the phrase „the other
bhavas‟ refer?
Goswami: It refers to sthayi-madhura-bhava, the 33
vyabhicari-bhavas, and the seven bhavas that begin with hasya.
Thus it refers to 41 bhavas. These are the „other bhavas‟ referred
to here.
Vijaya-kumara: Now I understand raga. Please explain
anuraga.
Goswami: The raga that is always newer and newer and
makes the beloved newer and newer at every moment is called
„anuraga‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What is the glorious wonder that this raga
manifests?
Goswami: It brings the lover under the beloved‟s control and
the beloved under the lover‟s control. It creates prema-vaicittya.
It makes one yearn to take birth even as a very lowly being (if
that birth is within the holy abode is Sri Vrndavana). It is
limitless and most exalted. It makes Krsna present even when the
devotee is separated from Him.
Vijaya-kumara: I can easily understand how anuraga brings
the lover and beloved under each other‟s control and how it
makes one yearn to take birth as a tree or other lowly being
(within the holy abode of Sri Vrndavana). But, O master what is
prema-vaicittya?
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 Goswami: Prema-vaicittya is the love the devotee feels in
separation from Krsna. You will learn about that later.
Vijaya-kumara: Now please describe maha-bhava.
Goswami: O Vijaya-kumara, I am a very insignificant person.
I am not really qualified to describe the wonders of the rasas of
Vraja. Whatever Srila Rupa Goswami and Srila Pandita Goswami
have mercifully taught me, I will now reveal to you. Please
consider it their mercy upon you.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, I, the asker of questions and very
fallen and unintelligent. Please explain maha-bhava so even my
heart can understand it.
Goswami: Sri Radha is the asraya of anuraga and Lord Krsna
is the visaya. Sri Krsna, who is the son of Nanda is the visaya in
madhura-rasa. Sri Radha is the asraya. Anuraga is the sthayi
bhava. When that anuraga reaches its highest, most glorious
stage, it is called maha-bhava.
Vijaya-kumara: Aha! Maha bhava! Maha bhava! Today I can
understand something of maha-bhava. The highest point of all
the bhavas is maha-bhava. Please place on my ears an example of
maha-bhava.
Goswami: O Vijaya-kumara, you are very fortunate. The
following verse is an example of maha-bhava:
“Vrnda-devi said to Lord Krsna: O regal elephant who
wanders in the jungles and mountains, Your amorous pastimes
have shaken away Radha sadness in separation from You. With
the red color of ever-new love, the artist of Your amorous
pastimes paints a glorious picture in the palace of the world.”

718
 Vijaya-kumara: Where does maha-bhava reside?
Goswami: Maha-bhava does not reside in the Dvaraka
queens. It resides only in the gopis, the goddesses of Vraja.
Vijaya-kumara: What does all this mean?
Goswami: When the lover and beloved are bound by ties of
marriage, the relationship is svakiya-rasa, and the love is
samanjasa. In this situation samartha love, which brings the
possibility of maha-bhava is not present. In Vraja, although
svakiya-rasa is also present, parakiya rasa predominates. In the
highest stage of parakiya-rasa samartha love, maha-bhava is
manifested.
Vijaya-kumara: How many are the different kinds of maha
bhava?
Goswami: When it appears, maha-bhava floods the heart with
nectar. Maha-bhava is of two kinds: 1 rudha and 2 adhirudha.
Vijaya-kumara: What is rudha maha bhava?
Goswami: When all the sattvika bhavas shine very brightly,
that is rudha maha-bhava.
Vijaya-kumara: Please describe the anubhavas in maha-bhava.
Goswami: Inability to tolerate the eye‟s natural activity of
blinking, agitating the hearts of those nearby, thinking a kalpa to
be as long as a moment, worrying that Krsna may be suffering,
even when it is obvious that He is happy, forgetting everything,
thinking a moment to be as long as a kalpa, and although they
are not bewildered, they forget everything about themselves.
These anubhavas are present in both meeting the beloved
(sambhoga) and separation from the beloved (vipralambha).
719
 Vijaya-kumara: What is „inability to tolerate the eye‟s natural
activity of blinking‟?
Goswami: In this bhava the feeling of separation
(vipralambha) is present in meeting (sambhoga). Here the lover
is unable to tolerate even a brief moment‟s separation from the
beloved. At Kuruksetra the vraja-gopis cursed the creator Brahma
for creating eyelashes that impeded their always seeing Krsna.
And why not? The blinking of their eyelashes became an obstacle
that stopped them from seeing Krsna for a moment.
Vijaya-kumara: What is „agitating the hearts of those nearby‟?
Goswami: When they saw the gopis‟ ecstatic love, the kings
and queens present at Kuruksetra felt deeply moved at heart.
Vijaya-kumara: What is „thinking a kalpa to be as long as a
moment‟?
Goswami: The rasa dance lasted for an entire night of
Brahma. Still, the gopis thought it lasted for only a moment.
Vijaya-kumara: What is „worrying that Krsna may be
suffering, even when it is obvious that He is happy‟?
Goswami: In Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.31.19) the gopis worry
that Krsna will suffer if He places His lotus feet on their hard
breasts.
Vijaya-kumara: What is „although they are not bewildered
they forget everything about themselves‟?
Goswami: Because Krsna is always present before them, they
are not bewildered. However, when Krsna is present, they forget
everything about their own bodies and about everything else in
the material world.
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 Vijaya-kumara: What is „thinking a moment to be as long as a
kalpa‟?
Goswami: Krsna said to Uddhava, “When I was with the
gopis in Vrndavana, all the nights seemed to pass like half a
moment. But now that I am separated from them, every night
seems like a kalpa.” This is an example of „thinking a moment to
be as long as a kalpa‟?
Vijaya-kumara: Now I understand the rudha-bhavas. Please
describe the adhirudha-bhavas.
Goswami: When these rudha-bhava anubhavas I have just
described become very wonderful, they become the adhirudha-
bhavas.
Vijaya-kumara: How many kinds of adhirudha-bhava are
there?
Goswami: There are two kinds: 1 modana and 2 madana.
Vijaya-kumara: What is modana?
Goswami: When Radha and Krsna both feel adhirudha-bhava,
and when They both manifest all the sattvika-bhavas with the
most brilliant glory, that is called „modana‟. In modana-bhava
Radha and Krsna both become very agitated. This condition is
the highest good fortune of spiritual love manifested among the
gopi lovers of Lord Krsna.
Vijaya-kumara: Where does modana-bhava reside?
Goswami: Modana-bhava does not reside outside of Sri
Radha‟s group. Modana-bhava is manifested in the very dear
pastimes of the hladini-sakti. When the lovers are separated,
modana gives birth to mohana. When there is great distress
721
because of separation, the sattvika-bhavas are very brilliantly
manifest.
Vijaya-kumara: Please describe the anubhavas of mohana?
Goswami: Embraced by His beloved, Krsna falls unconscious.
Although she suffers unbearably, a gopi still thinks only of how
Krsna will be happy. Thirsting for the touch of Krsna, a gopi
becomes mad and decides to commit suicide, thus filling the
spiritual and material worlds with anxiety and making the
nearby animals weep. Mohana-bhava is possible in Sri Radha, the
queen of Vrndavana. These mohana vyabhicari-bhavas are not
present in anyone but Radha.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, if you think it is right, then please
describe divyonmada (transcendental madness).
Goswami: When it enters a certain indescribable state,
mohana-bhava becomes like a bewildered condition. This very
surprising and wonderful state is called „divyonmada‟. This state
has many different divisions, such as udghurna (agitation) and
citra-jalpa (surprising talk).
Vijaya-kumara: What is udghurna?
Goswami: Many different kinds of activities can be called
„udghurna‟. When Krsna went to Mathura, Sri Radha manifested
udghurna.
Vijaya-kumara: What is citra-jalpa?
Goswami: Seeing one of the beloved‟s friends, with wonderful
anger the lover harshly expresses her anxiety and longing. This is
called „citra-jalpa‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What are the different kinds of citra-jalpa?
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 Goswami: The ten kinds of citra-jalpa are: 1 prajalpa, 2
parijapita, 3 vijalpa, 4 ujjalpa, 5 sanjalpa, 6 avajalpa, 7 abhijalpa,
8 ajalpa, 9 pratijalpa, and 10 sujalpa. All these different kinds of
citra-jalpa are manifested in the Bhramara-gita chapter of
Srimad-Bhagavatam‟s Tenth Canto.
Vijaya-kumara: What is prajalpa?
Goswami: Citra-jalpa has numberless wonderful forms.
Therefore it is very difficult to describe it with any kind of
completeness. When the lover spitefully, maliciously, and
passionately insults the beloved, that is called „prajalpa‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What is parijalpita?
Goswami: When the lover claims that the beloved, who is the
master of her heart, is merciless, crooked, and fickle is called
„parijalpita.”
Vijaya-kumara: What is vijalpa?
Goswami: When in the heart one honors and loves Krsna,
although externally one casts spiteful glances and speaks spiteful
words, is called „vijalpa‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What is ujjalpa?
Goswami: When the lover angrily, arrogantly and spitefully
insults Krsna, calling Him a rake and a rogue that is called
„ujjalpa‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What is sanjalpa?
Goswami: When the lover mocks Krsna with many sarcastic
words and asserts that Krsna is ungrateful, that is called
„sanjalpa‟.

723
 Vijaya-kumara: What is avajalpa?
Goswami: When the lover says that because Krsna is harsh,
lusty and crooked, she is afraid of what loving Krsna may bring,
that is called „avajalpa‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What is abhijalpa?
Goswami: When the lover says, “It is foolish and useless to
fall in love with Krsna. He is so cruel he tortures even the
innocent birds.” These crooked words are called „abhijalpa‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What is ajalpa?
Goswami: When the lover, filled with disgust, declares,
“Krsna is crooked and deceptive. He only gives us pain. We
should stop talking of Him, and instead talk about something
else, something more pleasant.” That is called ajalpa.
Vijaya-kumara: What is pratijalpa?
Goswami: When the lover declares, “Krsna is a highwayman
in loving affairs. He is a rake who likes to enjoy pastimes with
many girls. Therefore he should not come anywhere near me.”
That is called „pratijalpa‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What is sujalpa?
Goswami: When the lover sincerely, deeply, humbly, and
restlessly asks many questions about Krsna, that is called
„sujalpa‟.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, am I qualified to understand
madana?
Goswami: When the most exalted love of the hladini-sakti, a
love that is the best of all the bhavas, is splendidly manifested,
724
that is called „madana‟. Madana-bhava is eternally manifested in
Sri Radha.
Vijaya-kumara: Does envy exist in madana-bhava?
Goswami: Envy is very prominent in madana-bhava. It is seen
that even inanimate objects are envied. Again, sometimes it is
seen that words of praise are offered to all who have a
relationship with Krsna. Words describing envy of Krsna‟s flute
and words praising the pulinda girls may be cited as examples
here.
Vijaya-kumara: At what stage is madana seen?
Goswami: The wonderful madana-bhava is manifested when
the lover‟s meet and enjoy pastimes together. Madana-bhava is
manifest in thousands of ways in the eternal pastimes.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, do the great sages give a
description of madana-bhava?
Goswami: Madana-rasa is limitless. Even Lord Krsna Himself
could not understand everything about the spiritual madana-
rasa. The great sage Sukadeva Goswami found himself unable to
describe it completely. The rasa-acarya Bharata Muni and many
others were also unable to properly describe madana-rasa.
Vijaya-kumara: What wonderful things have I heard! Even
Lord Krsna Himself, the enjoyer of madana-rasa, cannot
understand it completely. Why is that?
Goswami: Lord Krsna is rasa personified. He is limitless, all
knowing, and all powerful. Nothing is unknown by Him,
unattainable for Him, or impossible for Him to do. He is
inconceivably and simultaneously one and different from the

725
rasas. He is each rasa and He is all rasas. He accepts each rasa. In
this way He is „atmarama‟ (the enjoyer of the spiritual rasas).
Nothing in the rasas is apart from Him. He is present in all the
rasas simultaneously. Aside from Krsna‟s own (atma) rasa, there
is also the rasa of others (para). Both these kinds of rasas bring
the experience of the happiness of spiritual pastimes. When the
rasa of others (para) is manifest in its highest stage, it is called
„parakiya-rasa‟. This highest stage is manifested in all its glory in
the land of Vrndavana. When the atma-rasa (svakiya-rasa) is
completely unknown, and only parakiya-rasa is known, that is
the highest stage of madana-rasa. In this way madana-rasa is
purely manifested in the Lord‟s aprakata (invisible to material
eyes) pastimes in Goloka. It is also manifested in the land of
Vraja situated in the material world.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, you mercy to me has no limit. I
request that you please give a summary of the whole madhura-
rasa.
Goswami: The various bhavas manifested by the vraja gopis
are all spiritual, beyond the touch of the material world. They are
beyond the understanding of material logic. Therefore the
human intelligence cannot describe the completely. I have heard
in the scriptures that Sri Radha had raga (love) for Krsna was
manifested even in Her purva-raga (the beginnings of love).
From this raga came the anuraga sneha. From that came mana
and pranaya. These topics cannot be understood completely. In
sadharani-rati is manifested dhumayita. Sneha, mana, pranaya,
raga and anuraga are manifested in samanjasa-rati. From that
comes splendid dipta-rati. Then are manifested rudha, uddipta,
modana, and sudipta-rati. Please know that this is merely a

726
general summary. And why not? There may be exceptions
according to time, place and object. Sadharani-rati culminates in
prema. Samanjasa-rati culminates in anuraga. Samartha-rati
culminates in maha-bhava.
Vijaya-kumara: What is the extent of rati in sakhya-rasa?
Goswami: The highest stage of the narma-sakhas is anuraga.
However, Subala and some others among them attain maha-
bhava.
Vijaya-kumara: I have already described sthayi-bhava. Sthayi
bhava culminates in maha-bhava. Why are different rasas seen in
sthayi bhava, even though it has only one nature?
Goswami: Sthayi-bhava is manifested in the different rasas.
The secret activities of sthayi bhava are not openly manifested.
When there is contact with the samagris, then the different rasas
may be seen. The appropriate samagris are manifested in sthayi-
bhava.
Vijaya-kumara: Are svakiya-rasa and parakiya rasa both
eternally manifested in madhura-rasa?
Goswami: Yes. Svakiya and parakiya are both eternal. The
difference between them is not merely a material designation. If
the difference between them were material, the madhura rasa and
the other rasas would all be material in nature. The rasas are
eternal, and they are manifested eternally. In the rasas there are
ruci (attraction to Krsna), bhajana (service to Krsna), and prapti
(attainment of Krsna), bhajana (service to Krsna), and prapti
(attainment of Krsna). Svakiya-rasa is also present in Vraja. In
that rasa the devotee thinks of Krsna as her husband. In that
rasa, ruci, sadhana, (spiritual practice), bhajana, and prapti are
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all manifested. The svakiya-rasa manifest in Dvaraka is the same
as that of Vaikuntha. However, please know that the svakiya-rasa
of Vraja is different from the rasas of Goloka. In other words,
Lord Krsna, the master of Vraja, resides in the highest portion of
the Vaikuntha world.
With great love Vijaya-kumara offered dandavat obeisances
and returned to his residence.

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 Chapter Thirty-seven

Srngara-rasa (Madhura-rasa)
Srngara-rasa-vicara

Again and again relishing the sweetness of the bhavas, Vijaya-

kumara offered dandavat obeisances to his spiritual master‟s
lotus feet. He asked, “O master, I have understood vibhava,
anubhava, sattvika-bhava, and vyabhicari-bhava. I have also
understood sthayi-bhava. However the rasa that comes from the
meeting of the sthayi bhava with the previously described four
ingredients has not yet manifested within me. Why is that?”
Goswami: O Vijaya-kumara, you should understand about
the rasa called srngara-rasa. Only then will you be able to
understand the sweetness of sthayi bhava.
Vijaya-kumara: What is srngara-rasa?
Goswami: When madhura-rasa becomes very beautiful, it is
called „srngara-rasa‟. This rasa is of two kinds: 1 vipralambha
(separation) and 2 sambhoga (enjoyment).
Vijaya-kumara: I wish to learn about vipralambha.
Goswami: Whether they meet or not, the two youthful lovers,
yearn to embrace and enjoy many pastimes. When these desires
729
remain unfulfilled, their love (bhava) becomes very great. This
most intense emotional state, which make the happiness of
meeting all the greater, is called „vipralambha‟. The word
„vipralambha‟ means parting (viraha) or separation (viyoga).
Vijaya-kumara: How does vipralambha make the happiness of
sambhoga (meeting) greater?
Goswami: When a red cloth is placed again into red dye, the
cloth is made even more red. In the same way, vipralambha
increases the enjoyment of the lovers when they finally meet.
Without vipralambha, the enjoyment of sambhoga does not
become increased.
Vijaya-kumara: What are the different kinds of vipralambha?
Goswami: There are four kinds of vipralambha: 1 purva-raga,
2 mana, 3 prema-vaicittya and 4 pravasa.
Vijaya-kumara: What is purva-raga?
Goswami: Before the young lovers meet they may somehow
see each other, hear of each other, or in some other way come to
know of each other. When, by these activities they become
attracted to each other and begin to fall in love, that is called
„purva-raga‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What are the different ways they may see
each other?
Goswami: The lover may see Krsna directly, see a picture of
Him, or see Him in a dream. These ways of seeing Him are called
„darsana‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What are the different ways they may hear of
each other?
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 Goswami: They may hear from the mouth of a poet reciting
prayers, from the mouth of a gopi-friend, from the mouth of a
gopi-messenger, or from a song, or in some other way. That is
called „sravana‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What causes them to be attracted and fall in
love (rati).
Goswami: I have already described the many causes of rati,
causes that begin with abhiyoga. These are said to be the causes
in purva-raga also.
Vijaya-kumara: Who attains purva-raga first: Krsna or the
gopis?
Goswami: This may be considered in different ways. In the
material world woman are shy and posses other feminine
qualities. For this reason it is the man who pursues the woman.
However, it is also said that women are naturally more attracted
to the affairs of love, and therefore doe-eyed women feel purva-
raga first. In the Bhakti-sastras it is that the devotee feels purva-
raga first, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead feels purva-
raga afterward. Therefore it is said that the vraja-gopis feel purva-
raga most intensely, and they feel it first.
Vijaya-kumara: What are the vyabhicari-bhavas in purva-
raga?
Goswami: Included among the vyabhicari-bhavas in purva-
raga are: disease, doubt, envy, fatigue, disappointment,
eagerness, humility, anxiety, dizziness, alertness, lamentation,
inertness, madness, confusion, and death.
Vijaya-kumara: How many different kinds of purva-raga are
there?
731
 Goswami: There are three kinds of purva-raga: 1 praudha, 2
samanjasa and 3 sadharana.
Vijaya-kumara: What is praudha purva-raga?
Goswami: When it is manifested in samartha-rati, purva-raga
is manifested as praudha-purva-raga. In this kind of purva-raga,
yearning, death, and other conditions of life are manifested. The
vyabhicari-bhavas are filled with yearnings.
Vijaya-kumara: Please describe these different conditions of
life.
Goswami: It is said in the Ujjvala-nilamani:
“Yearning, anxiety, wakefulness, emaciation, being stunned,
bewilderment, disease, madness, illusion and death are the ten
conditions present in purva-raga.”
Vijaya-kumara: What is yearning?
Goswami: Yearning is an intense desire to attain the beloved.
In it eagerness, restlessness, moving to and fro, sighing and other
like symptoms are manifested.
Vijaya-kumara: What is anxiety?
Goswami: Anxiety is when the mind is restless. In this
condition there are deep sighs, restlessness, being stunned,
worry, tears, becoming pale, perspiring and other like symptoms.
Vijaya-kumara: What is wakefulness?
Goswami: Wakefulness is when sleep is destroyed. In this
condition there are being stunned, being withered, being angry,
and other like symptoms.
Vijaya-kumara: What is emaciation?
732
 Goswami: Emaciation is when the body becomes very thin. In
this condition there are weakness, giddiness, and other like
symptoms. In some texts the word „vilapa‟ (lamentation) is read
here.
Vijaya-kumara: What is being stunned?
Goswami: Inability to see any difference between what is
desirable and what is not desirable, failure to answer questions,
and the ability to see or hear are present when one is stunned.
Inarticulate sounds made suddenly and for no reason, inertness,
long sighs and bewilderment are also included among the
symptoms here.
Vijaya-kumara: What is bewilderment?
Goswami: The state of being deeply upset and thus unable to
cope is called bewilderment. In this condition there are
disappointment, melancholy, envy, and loss of discrimination.
Vijaya-kumara: What is disease?
Goswami: Disease is when, because of being unable to attain
the beloved, one become pale and feverish. In that condition one
yearns for coolness, one is bewildered, one sighs and one falls to
the ground.
Vijaya-kumara: What is madness?
Goswami: When, in every place, every condition and every
time one is bewildered and says things are other than they
actually are, that is called madness. Hatred of the beloved,
sighing, blinking of the eyes, and separation from the beloved are
included in madness.
Vijaya-kumara: What is illusion?
733
 Goswami: When the mind acts in a contrary, improper way,
that is called illusion. Being motionless and fainting occur in
illusion.
Vijaya-kumara: What is death?
Goswami: When, in spite of all efforts to make Him return,
the beloved does not return, the lover, tormented by love, yearns
for her own death. She bequeaths to her friends all her favorite
things: the bumblebees, the gentle breeze, the moonlight, and the
kadamba flowers. This is the anubhava.
Vijaya-kumara: What is samanjasa purva-raga?
Goswami: Samanjasa purva-raga is manifested in samanjasa-
rati. In it are manifested desire, thoughtfulness, remembrance,
glorifying the beloved‟s virtues, passion, lamentation, madness,
disease, being stunned, and death.
Vijaya-kumara: In this context what is desire?
Goswami: To yearn for the touch of the beloved is called
„desire‟. To attain this desire the lover decorates herself with
ornaments and reveals her passion.
Vijaya-kumara: In this context what is thoughtfulness?
Goswami: To think of different ways to attain the beloved is
called thoughtfulness. In this situation the lover carefully
arranges the bed, sighs, and anxiously looks to see the beloved‟s
arrival.
Vijaya-kumara: In this context what is remembrance?
Goswami: To think of the beloved and things in relation to
Him is called remembrance. In this situation the lover trembles,

734
has a seizure where she loses control of her limbs, weeps, sighs,
and performs other like activities.
Vijaya-kumara: What is glorifying the beloved‟s virtues?
Goswami: To praise the beloved‟s handsomeness and other
virtues is called glorifying the beloved‟s virtues. In this situation
the anubhavas include trembling, standing up of the body‟s and
choking of the voice. In this situation anxiety, mad lamentation,
disease, being stunned, and death are manifested in samanjasa
purva-raga as they are also in samanjasa-rati.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, please describe sadharana purva-
raga.
Goswami: Sadharana samanjasa purva raga is like sadharana-
rati. In it are manifested the six conditions beginning with
lamentation, only their manifestation is softer. The situation is
natural, so there is no need to give any examples. In this purva-
raga the lovers send love letters, garlands and other things to be
placed in each other‟s hands.
Vijaya-kumara: What are the love-letters?
Goswami: Love-letters are of two kinds: 1 those that are not
written with words, and 2 those that are written with words.
Because in them the author reveals His or Her love, they are
called „love-letters‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What are the love letters that are not written
with words?
Goswami: Without drawing any words, the author may use
her fingernail to draw a half-moon on a red flower petal or leaf.
That is called „a letter written without any words‟.

735
 Vijaya-kumara: What is a love-letter that is written with
words?
Goswami: When the lover personally writes with His or Her
own hand verses in the Prakrt language, that is called a „love
letter that is written with words‟. The ink for the letter may be
red hingula, musk or black ashes and water. The pages of the
letter are extraordinarily large flower petals. The stamp to seal
the letter is made of kunkuma. Lotus fibers are the string to tie
the pages together.
Vijaya-kumara: What is the sequence of events in purva-raga?
Goswami: First there is the sight of something pleasing to the
eye. Then there is thinking of what one has seen. Then there is
attachment, then yearning, then loss of sleep, then becoming
emaciated, then renouncing all else, then destruction of shyness,
then madness, then falling unconscious and then death. These
are the stages of love. These stages are manifested in both the
hero and the heroine. However, they are manifested first in the
heroines and only later in Krsna.
Vijaya-kumara: What is jealous anger?
Goswami: When the lovers meet, but the heroine will not
allow her lover to touch her, that is called jealous anger. Disgust,
anxiety, restlessness, arrogance, envy, concealment, loss and
worry are included among the sancari-bhavas in jealous anger.
Vijaya-kumara: Where does jealous anger rest?
Goswami: Jealous anger rests in pranaya (love). Before
pranaya exists jealous anger cannot be said truly to exist. If it
exists at all, it is very stunted. Jealous anger is of two kinds: 1
with a cause, and 2 without a cause.
736
 Vijaya-kumara: What is jealous anger with a cause?
Goswami: When the beloved gives His affection to a rival,
and the lover feels jealous anger mixed with love (pranaya), that
is called jealous anger with a cause. The ancient sages affirm that
without sneha, fear is not possible, and without pranaya, jealous
anger is not possible. Therefore, when jealous anger is
manifested, this reveals the love felt by the hero and heroine. A
girl who sincerely loves her beloved cannot bear the idea of a
rival for her beloved‟s affections. When the Dvaraka queens
heard that Krsna had given a parijata flower to Rukmini, jealous
anger arose only in the heart of Satyabhama and not in the heart
of any other queen.
Vijaya-kumara: In what different ways is the rival (vipaksa)
discovered?
Goswami: There are three ways: 1 the lover hears about her
rival, 2 she suspects the rival‟s existence, and 3 she sees the rival
in a dream.
Vijaya-kumara: What is hearing about the rival?
Goswami: The lover may hear from the mouth of one of her
friends, from the mouth of a parrot, or from the mouth of
someone else. In these ways she hears about her rival.
Vijaya-kumara: How does she suspect her rival‟s existence?
Goswami: She may see the marks of amorous enjoyment, hear
the name of her rival accidentally spoken, or see her rival in a
dream. In these ways she may suspect the existence of a rival. On
the limbs of her beloved she may see various signs of His having
enjoyed with another girl. That is called „seeing the marks of
enjoyment‟. Her beloved may accidentally speak the name of a
737
rival. That is called, „hearing the name of her rival accidentally
spoke‟. These things make the heroine so sad that she wishes she
were dead. In a dream the lover may see Krsna and a rival
beloved. This is called „seeing the rival in a dream”.
Vijaya-kumara: What is directly seeing the rival?
Goswami: The girl may directly see her beloved enjoying
pastimes with a rival. That is called „directly seeing the rival‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What is jealous anger without a cause?
Goswami: When there is no real cause, but there is only a
flimsy reflection of a cause, and the heroin takes shelter of
pranaya (love), the result is jealous anger without a cause.
Jealous anger with a cause is itself a transformation of pranaya.
When the pastimes of pranaya are manifested, one by product is
the creation of jealous anger without a cause. This kind of
jealous anger is called „pranaya-mana‟. The ancient panditas
declare that spiritual love moves in a crooked way, like the
movements of a snake. That is why the heroine manifests these
two kinds of jealous anger, anger with and without a cause. This
rasa has many vyabhicari-bhavas. Among them concealment is
the most important.
Vijaya-kumara: How does the beloved pacify jealous anger
without a cause?
Goswami: Jealous anger without a cause will be pacified
spontaneously. No effort is needed to pacify it. In the course of
joking and other like pastimes, it will go away. Jealous anger
with a cause will be pacified when there are conciliation, quarrel,
giving a gift, and bowing down to offer respects. Jealous anger

738
may also be pacified by shedding tears, by joking pastimes, or in
other ways also.
Vijaya-kumara: What is conciliation?
Goswami: Speaking affectionate words is called „conciliation‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What is quarrel?
Goswami: Quarrel is of two kinds: 1 crookedly praising one‟s
own glories, and 2 using a friend to criticize the beloved.
Vijaya-kumara: What is giving a gift?
Goswami: When on some pretext an ornament or other gift is
given to the jealous beloved, that is called „giving a gift‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What is bowing down to offer respects?
Goswami: When the lover humbly falls at the feet of the
jealous beloved, that is called „bowing down to offer respects.”
Vijaya-kumara: What is „upeksa‟?
Goswami: When, seeing that neither conciliation nor any
other means will pacify His jealous beloved, the lover simply
remains silent, that is called „upeksa‟. Some scholars say that
„upeksa‟ here means that by speaking joking words the lover
pacifies His jealous beloved.
Vijaya-kumara: You used the word „rasantara‟. What does that
word mean?
Goswami: To speak words that bring sudden fear to the
jealous beloved is called „rasantara‟. Rasantara is of two kinds: 1
yadrcchika and 2 buddhi-purvaka. When it occurs accidentally it
is called „yadrcchika‟. When it happens because of the lover‟s
great intelligence it is called „buddhi-purvaka‟.
739
 Vijaya-kumara: In what other ways can the lover break His
beloved‟s jealous anger?
Goswami: One way is to play the flute at an appropriate time
and place. There are also other ways to remove the jealous anger
of the vraja-gopis. A small among of jealous anger may be easily
pacified. A moderate amount of jealous anger may require some
effort. Intense jealous anger is difficult to pacify, even with great
effort. When a gopi expresses her jealous anger at Krsna, she
may say, „O crooked one, O crest-jewel of the malicious, O king
of cheaters, O king of the deceivers, O best of the wicked, O
great demon, O hard-hearted one, O shameless one, O rake
whose playing is a host of sins, O lecher who hunts out the
gopis, O thief of beautiful girls‟ hearts. O destroyer of the gopis‟
piety, O rake who mocks the saintly gopis, O king of the
debauchers, O great darkness of sins, O thief of the gopis‟
garments, O highwayman who lurks in the valley of Govardhana
Hill!”
Vijaya-kumara: What is „prema-vaicittya‟?
Goswami: When, even though her beloved is present before
her, a girl suffers, mistakenly thinking He is far away, that is
called „prema-vaicitya‟. When she is so overwhelmed with
intense love that her mind mistakenly thinks her beloved is far
away, that is called „vaicittya‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What is „pravasa‟?
Goswami: When, although previously they were together, the
hero and heroine now stay in different countries, different towns,
different rasas, or different localities, that is called „pravasa‟. The
vyabhicaris of the pravasa separation are all the vyabhicaris of

740
srngara-rasa except for joy, pride, passion, and shyness. Pravasa
is of two kinds: 1 buddhi-purvaka and 2 abuddhi-purvaka.
Vijaya-kumara: What is buddhi-purvaka pravasa?
Goswami: When the beloved goes far away to perform a
specific duty, that is called „buddhi-purvaka pravasa‟. Krsna‟s
duty in this situation is to give pleasure to His devotees. This
kind of pravasa is of two kinds: 1 going a short distance, and 2
going far away. When the journey is far away, it is of three kinds:
1 future, 2 present, and 3 past. When the journey is far away, the
lovers exchange letters.
Vijaya-kumara: What is abuddhi-purvaka-pravasa?
Goswami: When fate forces the beloved to live far away that
is called „abuddhi-purvaka pravasa‟. In the grip of the demigods
or other forces, the lovers are forced into many different
situations. Anxiety, sleeplessness, agitation, being emaciated,
bodily limbs becoming discolored, wild talking, disease,
madness, bewilderment, and death are the ten conditions of life
in this kind of pravasa. When Krsna goes far away, all these ten
conditions of life are manifested. O Vijaya-kumara, these
different kinds of spiritual love (prema) and these ten conditions
of life can be understood only by mercy. Without mercy they
cannot be understood.
Vijaya-kumara: When my heart thinks about this description
of separation, it says that separation is not an end in itself.
Rather, it is meant to increase the ocean of pleasure the lovers
feel when they meet. Although a soul imprisoned by Maya will
prefer the ocean of happiness obtained in meeting and think it
better than the rasa of separation, still, the rasas of separation is

741
eternally manifested. The Lord‟s pastimes would not be so
wonderful if it were absent.

742
 Chapter Thirty-eight

Srngara-rasa
Srngara-rasa-vicara

Folding his palms, Vijaya-kumara asked his spiritual master

about sambhoga (enjoyment in meeting).
Goswami: Sri Krsna‟s pastimes are of two kinds: 1 prakata
(manifested and 2 aprakata (unmanifested). The separation from
Krsna I described occurs in the prakata pastimes. In Vrndavana
Krsna eternally enjoys the rasa dance and other pastimes with
the gopis. Therefore, because these pastimes are eternal, Krsna
and the gopis are never separated. In the Mathura mahatmya it is
said that Krishna eternally enjoys pastimes with the gopas and
gopis. There the verb „kridati‟ (enjoys pastimes), which is in the
present tense, affirms that Lord Krsna eternally enjoys pastimes
in Vrndavana. Therefore in Goloka or in Vrndavana, in Lord
Krsna‟s aprakata (unmanifested) pastimes, Krsna and the gopis
always enjoy together. Krsna never goes to a faraway place. There
is no separation. Gazing at each other, embracing and enjoying
many pastimes, Krsna eternally enjoys (sambhoga) with the

743
gopis. This enjoyment (sambhoga) is of two kinds: 1 mukhya
(primary) and 2 gauna (secondary).
Vijaya-kumara: What is mukhya sambhoga?
Goswami: When Krsna and the gopis enjoy while they are
awake, that is called „mukhya-sambhoga‟. Mukhya-sambhoga is
of four kinds. The sambhoga that occurs soon after the purva
raga is called sanksipta (brief). The sambhoga that occurs after
jealous anger is called „sankirna‟ (narrow). The sambhoga that
occurs after a nearby pravasa (journey) is called „sampanna‟
(fortunate). The sambhoga that occurs after a faraway journey is
called „samrddhiman‟ (opulent).
Vijaya-kumara: What is sanksipta-sambhoga?
Goswami: When fear, shyness, and other like emotions keep
the meeting brief, that is called „sanksipta-sambhoga‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What is sankirna-sambhoga?
Goswami: When the lovers worry that an unpleasant obstacle
may thwart their pastimes, and therefore Their enjoyment
becomes like drinking hot sugar cane juice, that is called
„sakirna-sambhoga‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What is sampanna-sambhoga?
Goswami: When, after a long journey the lover meets His
beloved, Their enjoyment is called „sampanna-sambhoga‟. This
sambhoga is of two kinds: 1 agati and 2 pradhurbhava. An
ordinary meeting is called „agati‟. When the two passionate lovers
accidentally and suddenly come face-to-face, that is called
pradhurbhava. Pradhurbhava brings a great festival of the best
transcendental happiness.

744
 Vijaya-kumara: What is samrddhiman sambhoga?
Goswami: This is when the young lovers have a rare
opportunity to see each other. And why not? Because they are
under the control of others, this does not always happen. Now
that they are free from the control of others, they can enjoy
without any obstacles. This is called „samrddhiman sambhoga‟.
This sambhoga is of two kinds: 1 concealed and 2 openly
manifested. I need not describe them now.
Vijaya-kumara: What is gauna-sambhoga?
Goswami: When one enjoys pastimes with Krsna in a dream,
that is called „gauna-sambhoga‟. These dreams are of two kinds: 1
samanya (general) and 2 visesa (specific). This gauna sambhoga
is of two kinds. When the vyabhicari-bhava sleep is prominent, it
is samanya gauna sambhoga. Visesa gauna-sambhoga is when
one awakens from the dream and sees that the waking reality is
exactly the same as the dream. Thus the meeting with Krsna in
the waking state is exactly like the meeting with Him in the
dream. This rasa is filled with the yearnings of love. The four
divisions of sanksipta, sankirna, sampanna, and samrddhiman
also exist in gauna sambhoga.
Vijaya-kumara: Dreams aren‟t real. How can samrddhiman
sambhoga occur in a dream?
Goswami: In the spiritual world waking and dreaming are the
same. Usa and Aniruddha met in a dream. In the same way Krsna
and His beloved gopis can meet in Their dreams. Perfected
devotees (siddha-bhakta) sometimes have very wonderful
dreams, and when they awaken they attain an ornament or
something else that they first saw in the dream. These dreams are

745
of two kinds: 1 being awake when one is dreaming, and 2
dreaming when one is awake. The gopis‟ dreams, which are filled
with spiritual love are in the fifth condition of life, far beyond
the yogis samadhi, which is in the fourth condition of life. Thus
the gopis‟ dreams are not at all like material dreams, which are
born from the mode of passion. This means that the gopis‟
dreams are not material and are not impelled by the material
modes of nature. Rather, they are eternal spiritual reality.
Therefore Lord Krsna can certainly enjoy wonderful pastimes
with the gopis in their dreams.
Vijaya-kumara: Please describe visesa-gauna-sambhoga.
Goswami: The following are all the visesa gauna sambhoga
(special situations of meeting): seeing, talking, touching,
blocking the path, putting an obstacle on the path, pastimes in a
house, pastimes in Vrndavana forest, pastimes in the Yamuna‟s
waters, pastimes in a boat, pastimes of stealing flowers, pastimes
at a ghata (the dana-keli pastime), playing hide-and-seek in the
forest, drinking madhu nectar, Krsna disguising Himself as a
woman, pretending to be asleep, gambling with dice, tugging at
garments, kissing, embracing, scratching with fingernails,
drinking the nectar of each other‟s bimba fruit lips, and enjoying
amorous pastimes.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, playful pastimes (lila-vilasa) is one
thing, meeting (samprayoga) is another thing. Of the two, which
brings the most happiness?
Goswami: Playful pastimes (lila-vilasa) bring more happiness
than meeting (samprayoga).

746
 Vijaya-kumara: With what affectionate names do the gopis
address Krsna?
Goswami: The gopis address Krsna with the following
affectionate names: Gokulananda (O bliss of Gokula), Govinda
(O pleasure of the cows, land and senses), Gosthendra-kula-
candra (O moon born from the king of Vraja), Pranesvara (O
master of our lives), Sundarottamsa (O crown of all handsome
men), Nagara-siromani (O crest-jewel of amorous heroes),
Vrndavana-candra (O moon of Vrndavana), Gokula-raja (O king
of Gokula), and Manohara (O enchanter of our hearts). There
are many other names also.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, Lord Krsna‟s pastimes are of two
kinds: 1 prakara (manifested) and 2 aprakata (unmanifested).
Still, all His pastimes are the same spiritual reality. What are the
different kinds of His prakata pastimes in Vraja?
Goswami: The Lord‟s prakara pastimes in Vraja are of two
kinds: 1 nitya (regular) and 2 naimittika (for some special
occasion). The Lord‟s astakaliya-lila (pastimes in the eight
periods of the day) in Vraja are His nitya pastimes. Other
pastimes, like His killing Putana and other demons, and His
going far away on a journey are His naimittika pastimes.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, I wish to learn about the Lord‟s
nitya-pastimes.
Goswami: O Vijaya-kumara, would you like to hear the
description given by the ancient sages, would you like to hear
the description given by the Six Goswamis?
Vijaya-kumara: I would like to hear the descriptions given by
the ancient sages.
747
 Goswami: It is said:
“The eight periods of the day are: 1 the end of night, 2 the
early morning, 3 the late morning, 4 midday, 5 the afternoon, 6
sunset, 7 evening, and 8 night. Midday and night last for six
muhurtas each. Evening and the other periods last for three
muhurtas each.”
Two dandas (24 minutes) equal one muhurta (48 minutes).
In the Sanat-kumara-samhita, Lord Sadasiva described Lord
Krsna‟s pastimes in these eight periods of the day.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, am I qualified to hear these words
of Lord Sadasiva, the spiritual master of the universe?
Goswami: Please listen. Lord Sadasiva said (Sanat-kumara-
samhita 183-188): “Thinking of Him as their paramour, with
hidden love the gopis please their beloved Krsna.
“One should think of oneself as a beautiful young gopi girl
expert in various arts, pleasing to Lord Krsna, reluctant to
directly enjoy with Lord Krsna even if He were personally to
invite you...
...a follower of Sri Radha, always devoted to Her service, more
affectionate to Sri Radha than to Lord Krsna Himself...
...every day carefully and affectionately arranging the meeting
of Sri Sri Radha-Krsna, and becoming happy to see Them pleased
by your service.
“Thinking of oneself in this way, one should serve Sri Sri
Radha-Krsna from the early morning of Brahma-muhurta to the
end of night.‟
Vijaya-kumara: what are the pastimes at the end of night?
748
 Goswami: Sri Vrnda-devi said (Sri Sanat-kumara-samhita
196-201): “In the middle of beautiful Vrndavana fore, which is
decorated with fifty groves, in a grove of kalpa-vrksa trees, in a
glittering jewel palace...
...on a graceful be, the sleeping, tightly embracing divine
couple were awakened by birds following my command.
“Their firm embrace broken, the divine couple became
unhappy at the thought of Their impending separation. They had
no wish to rise even slightly from Their bed.
“Awakened by the cheerful words of many parrots and other
birds, Sri Sri Radha-Krsna rose from Their bed.
“Seeing that the divine couple had happily risen from bed, the
gopis entered and served Them in ways appropriate to that time.
“When the female parrots spoke, the divine couple rose from
Their bed. Very anxious, They returned to Their homes.”
Vijaya-kumara: What are the pastimes in the early morning?
Goswami: There it is said (Sri Sanat-kumara-samhita 202-
218): “Wakened by His mother in the early morning, Lord Krsna
rose from bed. Then He and Balarama brushed Their teeth.
“With His mother‟s permission, Lord Krsna eagerly went to
the barn to milk the cows. Then Sri Radha, wakened by the elder
gopis, also rose from Her bed.
“Sri Radha rose, brushed Her teeth, anointed Herself with
fragrant oils, and then went to the bathing room, where Lalita
and the other gopis bathed Her.

749
 “Then She went to the decorating room, where Her friends
decorated Her with garlands, scents, oils, and many glittering
ornaments.
“Then, after first speaking to Radha‟s mother-in-law, Yasoda
called Radha and Her friends to cook breakfast for Lord Krsna.
“Sri Narada said: O goddess, why did Yasoda call Sri Radha to
cook when Rohini and so many other expert cooks were present
in her home?
“Sri Vrnda said: The great sage Durvasa gave Radha a boon
that She would be the best of cooks. This I heard from the mouth
of Katyayani.
“Durvasa said to Radha: O goddess, by my mercy whatever
You cook will be more delicious than nectar. It will increase the
life of whoever eats it.
“That is why every day Yasoda calls Radha to cook. Yasoda
thinks, “Eager to eat this delicious food my son will live a very
long life.”
“Receiving permission from Her mother-in-law, Radha
becomes very happy. Accompanied by a host of friends, She goes
to Krsna‟s home to cook.
“Meanwhile, Lord Krsna milked some cows and had the other
boys milk the others. Then, called by His father, He and His
friends returned home.
“Then the servants happily massaged Lord Krsna, bathed
Him, dressed Him in clean garments, garlanded Him and
anointed His body with sandal paste.

750
 “Then the servants gathered Lord Krsna‟s hair from His
forehead to His neck and tied it in a topknot. They made the
moon of His forehead splendid with tilaka and curling locks of
hair.
“They decorated Lord Krsna with armlets and bracelets. They
made His hands splendid with jewel rings. They placed a
necklace of pearls across His chest and decorated His ears with
shark shaped earrings.
“Again and again called by His mother, Lord Krsna holding
His mother‟s hand, finally followed Balarama into the breakfast
room.
“Accompanied by His mother and His friends, Lord Krsna ate
a breakfast feast of many different kinds of foods. He told many
jokes, laughing and making His friends laugh.
“Then the servants brought betel nuts. After sharing them
with His friends and chewing some Himself, Lord Krsna rested
for a moment on a splendid bed.”
Vijaya-kumara: Please describe the pastimes of the late
morning.
Goswami: It is said (Sri Sanat-kumara-samhita 220-223:)
“When dressed as a cowherd boy, Lord Krsna followed the cows
to the pasture, all the people of Vraja affectionately followed Him
on the path.
“Bowing down before His father and mother, casting sidelong
glances at His gopi-beloveds, and dealing appropriately with all
the others, Lord Krsna sent them all back. Then He again
proceeded to the forest.

751
 “Lord Krsna entered the forest, played for a while with His
friends, and then slipped away with two or three especially close
friends.
“Eager to see His beloved, Lord Krsna happily went to meet
Her.”
Vijaya-kumara: Please describe the pastimes of midday:
Goswami: It is said (Sri Sanat-kumara-samhita 223-262):
“When She saw that Lord Krsna had gone to the forest, Sri
Radha returned to Her home.
“Then on the pretext of gathering flowers and other things
for the worship of the sun-god and other purposes, Sri Radha
tricks Her superiors and, yearning to meet Her beloved, goes to
the forest.
“Finally meeting after a great effort, the divine couple enjoy
many happy pastimes in the forest with Their associates.
“Sometimes Radha and Krsna enjoy pastimes on a swing
hanging from a tree branch and pushed by the gopis. Sometimes
Radha steals the flute from Lord Krsna‟s hand.
“Sometimes the gopis hide and make Him search after them.
Sometimes they teased and scolded Him. Sometimes they joked
with Him and made Him laugh. In these ways they charmed Lord
Krsna and stole His heart.
“Sometimes Lord Krsna happily enters the forest in the
beautiful springtime and with a sprinkler sprinkles the gopis
with water mixed with sandal, kunkuma and other colorful
scents. The gopis respond by sprinkling Him. Then Radha and
Krsna sprinkle each other again and again.
752
 “O brahmana, in the forest groves the divine couple enjoy
many different pastimes with Their associates, pastimes
appropriate to the different times and seasons.
“O best of sages, sometimes They become tired. Then, sitting
on a splendid throne under a tree, They drink nectar.
“Intoxicated by drinking nectar, their eyes become closed
with sleepiness. Holding hands, They are attacked by Kamadeva‟s
arrows.
“Desiring to enjoy, They place Their lotus feet in a forest
grove. There They enjoy pastimes like two regal elephants.
“Intoxicated by drinking nectar, and their eyes closed with
sleepiness, the gopis entered the nearby forest groves.
“Expanding into many different forms, all-powerful Lord
Krsna approached each gopi individually.
“As an elephant king enjoys with His many wives, so Lord
Krsna enjoyed with the gopis. Then Lord Krsna, His beloved
Radha and all the gopis entered a lake.
“Sri Narada said: O Vrnda-devi, if His pastimes of sweetness
are like this, then when does Lord Krsna manifest His pastimes
of opulence? Please cut apart my doubt?
“Sri Vrnda said: O sage, the powerful potency of the pastimes
of sweetness is one of Lord Hari‟s potencies. With that potency
Lord Hari enjoys pastimes with the gopis.
“When in His original form Lord Krsna enjoys pastimes with
Sri Radha, He manifests the potency of His pastimes of
sweetness. At that time He does not manifest the potency of His
pastimes of opulence.
753
 “Accompanied by Their gopi friends, the divine couple enjoy
pastimes of splashing each other in the water. Then They are
decorated with splendid garments, ornaments, garlands and
sandal paste.
“Then in a jewel cottage by the lake shore, the divine couple
eat a snack of delicious fruits and roots carefully prepared by me.
“After Their snack, Lord Hari and His beloved recline on a
couch of flowers. There two or three gopis serve Them.
“Served by the gopis who offer Him betelnuts, fan Him and
massage His feet, Lord Krsna, His thought fixed on His beloved,
becomes filled with happiness.
“As Lord Krsna slept, Sri Radha and Her associates happily
ate the remnants of His meal.
“After eating, Sri Radha went to the bed to gaze on Her
beloved‟s lotus face as a cakori bird gazes at the moon.
“The gopis there gave Her the remnants of betelnuts chewed
by Lord Krsna. Some She chewed and some She gave to Her
friends.
“Eager to hear what the gopis said, Lord Krsna only
pretended to be asleep as He lay under the covers.
“As they playfully joked about their beloved Hari they could
gradually understand that He was only pretending to sleep.
“Seeing the signs of wakefulness on Lord Krsna‟s face, they
looked at each other and suddenly became silent out of
embarrassment.

754
 “Suddenly pulling the blanket from His limbs and exclaiming,
„My, You must have had a pleasant sleep!‟ they laughed and make
Lord Krsna laugh also.
“O best of sages, in this way the divine couple enjoyed a
pleasant nap and a host of happy joking words.
“Sitting on a splendid throne and surrounded by Their
associates, the divine couple gamble at dice, with garlands,
kisses, and embraces as the winner‟s prize.
“Joking with words of love, Radha and Krsna gamble with
dice. Defeated by His beloved, Lord Krsna slowly pronounces, „I
have lost‟.
“Taking the necklace and other prizes, Sri Radha struck Lord
Krsna with a lotus flower.
„O Narada, His unhappiness showing on His face, Lord Krsna
felt as if He had lost a great treasure. “O goddess, You have
defeated Me”, He said. “Please take the winner‟s prize.”
“To see Radha‟s crooked raised eyebrows and hear Her words
of rebuke, Lord Krsna declared, „Now I will give You the kiss and
the other prizes.‟ Then He gave Her all the prizes.
“Then, hearing the parrots calling, Radha and Krsna bathed
and decided to return to Their homes.
“Taking leave of His beloved, Lord Krsna returns to the cows.
Accompanied by Her friends, Sri Radha goes to the temple of the
sun-god.
“Lord Krsna goes a short distance, disguises Himself as a
brahmana and then goes to the temple of the sun-god.

755
 “Requested by the gopis, the disguised Krsna worships the
sun god. Lord Krsna then recites a host of imaginary Vedic
prayers, prayers made up on the spot and filled with a host of
errors.
“Finally understanding that this person was their beloved
Krsna, the intelligent gopis became plunged in an ocean of bliss.
Intoxicated with bliss they did not know who they were or who
anyone else was.
“O sage, in this way the divine couple and Their associates
passed six hours enjoying many pastimes. Finally the gopis
returned to their homes and Lord Krsna returned to the cows.”
Vijaya-kumara: What are the afternoon pastimes?
Goswami: It is said (Sri Sanat-kumara-samhita 263-270):
“Meeting with His gopa friends, taking the cows with Him, and
attracting everyone with the music of His flute, Lord Krsna
returned to Vraja village.
“Hearing the sound of Krsna‟s flute and seeing the sky filled
with the dust raised by the cows, King Nanda and all the men
and women and children of Vraja stopped all they were doing
and ran to see Krsna.
“Sri Radha, bathed and decorated, came, bringing many
delicious foods for Her beloved. She and Her friends were all
eager to see Krsna.
“On the royal road at the entrance to Vraja village Lord Krsna
met all the people of Vraja one after another.

756
 “He met them with embraced, glances, and smiling glances.
He bowed before the elder gopas and His honored them with His
words.
“O Sri Narada, Lord Krsna prostrated His entire body to show
respect to His parents and to Rohini-devi. From the corner of His
eye He shyly glanced at His gopis beloveds.
“Then in the ways proper for each, all the people of Vraja
worshipped Lord Krsna. Then Lord Krsna took the cows into the
barn.
“Requested by His parents, Lord Krsna went home with
mother Yasoda. Requested by her, He bathed and then He ate
and drank, and then He went to milk the cows.”
Vijaya-kumara: What are the sunset pastimes?
Goswami: It is said (Sri Sanat-kumara-samhita 271-272):
“After milking some the cows, having the other gopas milk the
other cows, and allowing the calves to also drink some of the
milk, Lord Krsna, accompanied by His father and by servants
carrying the milk, returned home.
“Then accompanied by Lord Balarama, the gopa boys, and the
boys; mothers, Lord Krsna ate a feast of many different kinds of
foods, foods to be chewed, licked or consumed in other ways.”
Vijaya-kumara: What are the evening pastimes?
Goswami: It is said (Sri Sanat-kumara-samhita 273-277):
“On Mother Yasoda‟s request, Sri Radha and Her friends had
cooked this feast.

757
 “After enjoying the feast in the company of His father and the
others, Lord Krsna praises with many words. Then, accompanied
by the poets and reciters, Lord Krsna goes to the assembly house.
“Then Mother Yasoda gave abundant remnants from the feast
to the gopis who had brought it in the first place.
“Mother Yasoda gives them the remnants from Lord Krsna‟s
plate. The gopis take it and in a secluded place present it before
Sri Radha.
“Then Sri Radha and Her friends honor Lord Krsna‟s
remnants. Then, to prepare for Her meeting with Lord Krsna, the
gopis decorate joyful Radha.”
Vijaya-kumara: O master, I yearn to hear the pastimes of
night.
Goswami: Sri Vrnda-devi described them in these words (Sri
Sanat-kumara-samhita 278-285): “One of the gopis has already
made arrangements for Sri Radha‟s secret meeting with Lord
Krsna by the Yamuna‟s shore.
“Accompanied by Her friends and dressed in garments
suitable for a bright or dark night, Sri Radha goes to a jewel
palace in a kalpa-vrksa grove.
“Meanwhile Lord Krsna saw many festive ceremonies and
heard many beautiful poems and songs.
“Then Lord Krsna pleases the artists and performers with
many valuable gifts and then, called by His mother, He goes to
bed.

758
 „When, after giving Him a nighttime snack, mother Yasoda
left the bedroom, unseen by anyone, Lord Krsna left His home
and went to meet His beloved.
“Meeting in the forest groves, Sri Sri Radha and Krsna enjoy
singing, dancing and many other pastimes.
“After enjoying pastimes for seven and a half hours of the
night, Lord Krsna becomes sleepy. Accompanied by five or six
gopis and unseen by the others, He enters another forest.
“Served by Their dear gopi friends, the divine couple sleeps
there on a beautiful pastime bed made of unstemmed flowers.
O Vijaya-kumara, These are the astakaliya pastimes. They
have all the samagris (ingredients) of the rasas. All these
pastimes have been described in the books of the ancient sages.
In every time, place, and situation, you should mediate on these
pastimes and engage in devotional service.
Hearing these pastimes, the learned pandita Vijaya-kumara
became plunged into the nectar of ecstatic love. Streams of tears
flowed from his eyes. The hairs of his body stood up. He spoke
one or two broken words in a choked voice. He fell before Sri
Gopala-guru Goswami‟s feet, offering obeisances for a long time.
Then he rose up and slowly walked home. Day and night these
words about the rasas stayed in his heart.

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 Chapter Thirty-nine

Entering the Lord’s Pastimes

Lila-pravesa-vicara

Now Vijaya-kumara was always eager to hear about these

pastimes. He did not like to hear about anything else. When he
went to see Lord Jagannatha, Vijaya-kumara could not remain
peaceful and composed. For many days now he had studied the
rasas. He had learned about madhura-rasa, sthayi-bhava, vibhava,
anubhava, sattvika bhava, and vyabhicari bhava. One by one, the
different kinds of ecstatic love entered his heart. They would
bring him great delight, and then they would go away. Some days
passed in this way. He did not understand how the presence of
ecstatic love had changed him. One day, with tears in his eyes, he
fell down before His spiritual master‟s feet and said, “O master,
by your mercy I have learned everything. However, I am not able
to make spiritual advancement. I have not attained sthayi bhava
and I have not entered Lord Krsna‟s pastimes. Please teach me
what I should do.” Seeing how his disciple was rapt in ecstatic
love, Gopala-guru Goswami was very pleased. In his heart he
thought, “Love for Krsna (Krsna-prema) is such that its
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happiness brings distress, and its distress brings happiness.”
Then he openly said, “I will tell you how to enter Lord Krsna‟s
pastimes”.
Vijaya-kumara: How can I enter them?
Goswami: Srila Raghunatha dasa Goswami has revealed the
way in these words (Manah-siksa 2):
“Mind don't do the pious and impious deeds described in the
Vedas. Intently serve Sri Sri Radha-Krsna in Vraja. Always
remember that Lord Caitanya is Lord Krsna, the son of Maharaja
Nanda and my spiritual master is most dear to Lord Mukunda.”
Don‟t perform the pious and impious deeds described in the
Vedas. Reject this past of the Vedas and instead earnestly engage
in raganuga-bhakti. Again and again serve Sri Sri Radha-Krsna in
Vraja. Serve the Lord according to the rasas of Vraja. If you ask,
“Who will teach me how to serve the Lord according to the rasas
of Vraja?”, then I will tell you. Please listen. Sridhama
Navadvipa, where Lord Caitanya appeared in Saci-devi‟s womb is
a manifestation of Vrndavana. Lord Caitanya is Krsna Himself,
Krsna the son of Nandisvara‟s king. Lord Caitanya is not
different from Krsna. Thinking that Lord Krsna has descended to
Navadvipa to enjoy pastimes as Lord Caitanya, one should not
reject the worship of Lord Krsna as the amorous hero of Vraja
and instead worship Lord Caitanya as the amorous hero of the
young girls in Navadvipa. Lord Caitanya is Lord Krsna Himself.
Still, one should not criticize the devotees who worship Him
with different mantras and meditate on Him separately. In the
path of the rasas one should worship only Krsna, the beloved of
Radha, and Lord Caitanya one should worship as the spiritual
master of the rasas of Vraja. One should meditate on Lord
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Caitanya‟s pastimes and on Lord Krsna‟s astakaliya pastimes.
One should not think that one‟s spiritual master is not a sakhi or
a yuthesvari in Vraja. By worshipping in this way one will be able
to enter Lord Krsna‟s pastimes in Vraja.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, I understand that one should reject
other scriptures and other paths, worship Lord Caitanya and
serve one‟s spiritual master, aware that the spiritual master is a
sakhi in Lord Krsna‟s pastimes. How can one make his heart
steady and determined to follow this path?
Goswami: Two things should be understood: 1 upasaka-
pariskrti (the worshipper) and 2 upasya-pariskrti (the object of
worship). You have learned about the rasas. Therefore you have
learned about upasya-pariskrti. The upasaka-pariskrti has eleven
bhavas. Almost all of them you have already learned. Only one
remains for you to learn.
Vijaya-kumara: Please describe these eleven bhavas.
Goswami: These eleven bhavas are: 1 sambandha
(relationship), 2 vayasa (age), 3 nama (name), 4 rupa (form), 5
yutha (group), 6 vesa (garments), 7 ajna (command), 8 vasa
(residence), 9 seva (service), 10 parakasthasvasa (highest
aspiration) and 11 palya-dasi-bhava (the nature of a
maidservant).
Vijaya-kumara: What is sambandha?
Goswami: Sambandha is the foundation of spiritual
attainments. When one has a relationship with Krsna, then the
bhavas are manifested. The final goal one attains is based on the
relationship. Souls who address Krsna as „master‟ become
servants of Krsna. Souls who address Krsna as „friend‟ become
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friends of Krsna. Souls who address Krsna as „son‟ become the
mother or father of Krsna. Souls who address Krsna as „husband‟
become queens at Dvaraka. In Vraja there is no santa-rasa and
dasya rasa is curtailed. Each devotee attains a relationship
according to his own natural inclination. You are naturally
attracted to parakiya-rasa. Therefore you are a follower of Vraja‟s
queen. In your relationship you say, “I am a maidservant of Sri
Radha‟s maidservant. She is the controller of my life. Krsna is the
controller of Radha‟s life, and therefore Krsna, the beloved of
Radha, is the controller of my life also.
Vijaya-kumara: I have heard that the great acarya Srila Jiva
Goswami preferred svakiya rasa. Is that true?
Goswami: Not one of the true followers of Lord Caitanya
Mahaprabhu rejected the pure parakiya-rasa. Who can be a better
teacher of this rasa than Srila Svarupa Damodara Goswami? He
taught the truth of the pure parakiya rasa. Srila Jiva Goswami
and Srila Rupa Goswami and Srila Sanatana Goswami all
accepted his teachings in this matter. In his own personal
devotional service Srila Jiva Goswami did not accept svakiya rasa.
However, he did explain that even in Vraja some devotees
manifest a scent of svakiya rasa. When samartha rati carries a
scent of samanjasa rati, then svakiya-rasa is present in Vraja.
Therefore when a slight sense of svakiya-rasa is present, the
devotee may be called a worshipper in svakiya rasa. Srila Jiva
Goswami has two kinds of disciples. One group of his disciples
was situated in pure parakiya-rasa. Another group of his
disciples were situated in parakiya rasa mixed with svakiya rasa.
According to the different inclinations of his different disciples,

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he gave different appropriate instructions. This he clearly
explained when he wrote the words:
“What I have written is appropriate for devotees who are
inclined in a certain way.”
Vijaya-kumara: Now I clearly understand that the pure
Gaudiya Vaisnava philosophy teaches the pure parakiya rasa.
Now that I understand sambandha, please describe vayasa.
Goswami: When you attain your relationship with Krsna, you
will have a wonderful form. In your case it will be the form of a
beautiful girl in Vraja. That form will be manifested in a specific
age appropriate to your service. The age from ten to sixteen years
is called „kaisora‟. That is generally the appropriate age in this
situation. Therefore in your spiritual form your age begins at ten
and, as you make advancement in service, increases up to the age
of sixteen That is called „vayah-sandhi‟. Balya (childhood),
pauganda (pre-adolescence) and vrddha (old age) do not exist
among the beautiful girls of Vraja. Therefore you should know
that your spiritual form is situated in the kaisora age.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, what is name? I have already
received a name. Please clearly explain „name‟ to me.
Goswami: You naturally become the follower of a
maidservant-friend of Sri Radha. That friend‟s name is your
name. Examining your nature, your spiritual master gives you a
name. Please know that is your name eternally. The beautiful
girls of Vraja will delight in addressing you by that name.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, please explain rupa.
Goswami: Your spiritual master reveals to you the nature of
the beautiful and youthful kaisora age form that, according to
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your own inclination, is your own form. You have an
inconceivable beautiful spiritual form. If that were not so, then
how could you be a maidservant of Sri Radha?
Vijaya-kumara: Please clearly describe „yutha‟.
Goswami: Sri Radha is your yuthesvari. You belong to a gana
(sub-group) presided over by one of Sri Radha‟s eight closest
friends (asta-sakhi). Your spiritual master has placed you in
Lalita‟s gana. Therefore, following Lalita‟s orders you will serve
your yuthesvari (Sri Radha) and playful Lord Krsna, who enjoys
pastimes with Her.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, who are the devotees that follow
Candravali as their yuthesvari?
Goswami: After many births a soul will become a fortunate
and desire to be a follower of a yuthesvari. A soul who has all
good fortune enters the group led by Sri Radha. The gopis led by
Candravali strive to increase the bliss that Sri Radha and Lord
Krsna enjoy in Their pastimes. Therefore the rival groups, called
paksa, and vipaksa, make the taste of rasa sweeter. In truth Sri
Radha is the only real yuthesvari. Because She enjoys wonderful
pastimes with Krsna, She is glorious, and a soul who serves Her
becomes glorious also.
Vijaya-kumara: Please explain visesa.
Goswami: Your spiritual master describes to you your
garments, personal qualities, and the skills you have to perform
various kinds of service.
Vijaya-kumara: Please describe „ajna‟.

765
 Goswami: Ajnas are of two kinds: 1 nitya (regular) and 2
naimittika (occasional). A merciful sakhi orders you to engage in
a certain regular (nitya) service. This service you should
diligently execute during the eight periods of the day. Any other
service she may give you is naimittika service. That also you
should execute diligently.
Vijaya-kumara: What is vasa?
Goswami: Your eternal residence in Vraja is called „vasa‟.
Vijaya-kumara: You will take birth as a certain gopi in a
certain village within the land of Vraja. Within that village you
will be married to a certain gopa. However, you will be attracted
by the sound of Krsna‟s flute. You will be the follower of a
certain sakhi. Her cottage at Radha-kunda will be your residence
also. In this way your eternal nature is situated in parakiya rasa.
Vijaya-kumara: Please describe „seva‟.
Goswami: You are a follower of Sri Radha. Your service is to
serve Her. If, when she sends you with a message, and you meet
Krsna in a secluded place, Krsna expresses His love for you and
proposes that you enjoy with Him, you should not accept His
proposal. You are Radha‟s maidservant, and without Her
permission you cannot serve Krsna. You are not independent.
Although you love Radha and Krsna both, your love and service
to Radha is more important to you than your love and service to
Krsna. That is the explanation of the word „seva‟. Your service is
to serve Sri Radha throughout the eight periods of the day.
Following the descriptions in Srila Svarupa Damodara‟s Kadaca
(notebook), Srila Raghunatha dasa Goswami describes these
services in his poem Vilapa-kusumanjali.

766
 Vijaya-kumara: What is “parakasthavasa”?
Goswami: In the following two verses (Vilapa-kusumanjali
102 and 100) Srila Raghunatha dasa Goswami describes
parakasthasvasa:
“O Radha, for me somehow the present moment is flooded by
a nectar ocean of many hopes. If You do not give Your mercy,
then of what use to me are this life, the land of Vraja, and Sri
Krsna, the enemy of Baka?”
“O Lord Krsna, O nectar moon of Gokula, O Lord whose
cheerful face is a lotus flower, O sweetly smiling one, O Lord
melting with compassion, so I may serve You both with love and
please lead me to the place where Your beloved enjoys pastimes
with You.”
Vijaya-kumara: Please describe „palya-dasi-bhava‟
Goswami: In the following words of Vraja-vilasa-stava (text
29) Srila Raghunatha dasa Goswami describes palya-dasi-bhava:
“Flooded with the nectar of intense love for her two friends
(Sri Sri Radha-Krsna), who are more dear to her than her own
life, affectionately arrogant in Their presence, and daily
arranging for Their rendezvous, Lalita-devi expertly teaches her
friend Radha the art of jealous anger. I pray Lalita-devi will one
day accept me as one of her associates.”
Vijaya-kumara: How should such a palya-dasi (maidservant)
act in relation to the other gopis who are companions of Sri
Lalita?
Goswami: Srila Raghunatha dasa Goswami studied all the
rasa-sastras under Srila Svarupa Damodara Goswami. Srila

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Raghunatha dasa Goswami has written (Vraja-vilasa-stava, text
38)
“By offering Her betel nuts, by massaging Her feet, by
bringing Her water, by arranging for Her secret meeting with
Lord Krsna, and by performing many other services, many gopi
maidservants affectionately please Sri Radha, the great queen of
Vrndavana forest. When the divine couple enjoy the presence of
the great gopis for whom Sri Radha is more dear than life. I take
shelter of these gopi maidservants, who have Srimati Rupa-
manjari as their leader.”
Vijaya-kumara: What is the nature of the other prominent
sakhis?
Goswami: Srila Raghunatha dasa Goswami gives this hint
about their nature (Vraja-vilasa-stava text 30):
“Visakha-devi is the place where the youthful divine couple
enjoys affectionate and playful joking pastimes. Her sweet
transcendental singing eclipses the voices of the cuckoos. I pray
that Visakha-devi may become pleased with me and accept me as
her student.”
Vijaya-kumara: What is the nature of the vipaksa (rival)
gopis?
Goswami: Srila Raghunatha dasa Goswami describes them.
Please hear this description (Vraja-vilasa-stava, text 41):
“In order to increase the splendid and nectarean jealous love
of Srimati Radharani, who sometimes becomes proud of Her own
good fortune, Lord Krsna briefly enjoys pastimes with other
gopis, who blossoms with many amorous desires. Let us offer
our respectful obeisances to these gopis, who must have
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performed many great pious activities in their previous births in
order to play this role in the Lord‟s pastimes.”
That is how you should thing about the rival groups of gopis
(paksa and vipaksa). However, when they are serving the Lord
directly in the spiritual world, there may be a situation where
mocking gopi rivals is appropriate. This direct service in the
spiritual world is described in Srila Raghunatha dasa Goswami‟s
Sri Vilapa-kusumanjali. The proper way to relate to the other
liberated associates of the Lord is described in Srila Raghunatha
dasa Goswami‟s Sri Vraja-vilasa-stava. The divine couple‟s
pastimes are seen in Srila Raghunatha dasa Goswami‟s Sri
Visakhanandabhidha-stotra and other prayers. You should see
the astakaliya pastimes in those poems. The proper method of
worship (paddhati) is seen in Srila Raghunatha dasa Goswami‟s
Sri Manah-siksa. By following that method of worship you will
become rapt in meditation on the divine couple‟s pastimes.
Ecstatic love (bhava) is seen in Srila Raghunatha dasa Goswami‟s
Sva-niyama-dasaka. You should carefully observe the vows
describe in that poem. Srila Rupa Goswami described the rasas in
his books. Lord Caitanya gave that task to him. However, Srila
Rupa Goswami did not describe how an aspiring devotee can
enter into these rasas. That Srila Raghunatha dasa Goswami,
following the teachings in Srila Svarupa Damodara‟s Kadaca,
described. Lord Caitanya gave these specific tasks to these
devotees, and they all followed His order.
Vijaya-kumara: Please describe the tasks Lord Mahaprabhu
ordered these devotees to perform.
Goswami: The Lord ordered Srila Svarupa Damodara
Goswami to describe the method of worship according to the
769
rasas. Following that order, Srila Svarupa Damodara Goswami
wrote his Kadaca, which is divided into two parts, one part
describing the internal path (antah-pantha) or worship according
to the rasas, and the other part describing the external path
(bahihi pantha) of worship according to the rasa. The internal
path he placed around the neck of Srila Raghunatha dasa
Goswami, who described that path in his writings. The external
path Srila Svarupa Damodara Goswami gave to Srila Vakresvara
Pandita. That teaching is the great treasure of this temple. That
treasure I have given to Srila Dhyanacandra Goswami, and he has
written that treasure into a books. You already have a copy of
that book. Lord Mahaprabhu ordered Lord Nityananda and Lord
Advaita to preach the glories of the holy name, and He also gave
Them the power to do it. Lord Mahaprabhu gave Srila Rupa
Goswami the order to write books about the rasas, and He also
gave him the power to do it. Lord Mahaprabhu gave Srila
Sanatana Goswami the order to write about vaidhi bhakti and the
relationship between vaidhi bhakti and raga bhakti. The Lord
also gave Srila Sanatana Goswami the order to write about the
Lord‟s prakata and aprakata pastimes in Gokula. Lord
Nityananda Prabhu and Srila Sanatana Goswami gave Srila Jiva
Goswami the order to write books about sambandha, abhidheya
and prayojana, and they also gave him the power to do it. All of
these great devotees fulfilled the orders they were given.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, what task was given to Srila
Ramananda Raya?
Goswami: Lord Mahaprabhu gave Srila Ramananda Raya the
task of expanding the rasas. Srila Ramananda Raya used Srila
Rupa Goswami as his instrument in fulfilling this task.

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 Vijaya-kumara: O master, what task was given to Srila
Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya?
Goswami: To Srila Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya He gave the task
of explaining philosophy. Srila Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya
executed that task by having one of his disciples teach Srila Jiva
Goswami.
Vijaya-kumara: What task did the Lord give to the great
devotees in Bengal;?
Goswami: To the great devotees in Bengal the Lord gave the
task to teaching the truth about Lord Caitanya and showing the
people how to have faith in Lord Caitanya‟s descriptions of
Krsna-rasa. These devotees fulfilled that order by writing many
books glorifying the rasas.
Vijaya-kumara: What task was given to Srila Raghunatha dasa
Goswami?
Goswami: To him was given the task of preaching the glories
of Srimad-Bhagavatam.
Vijaya-kumara: What task was given to Srila Gopala Bhatta
Goswami?
Goswami: To Srila Gopala Bhatta Goswami was given the task
of stopping perverted misinterpretations of pure srngara-rasa and
also stopping the tendency not to have faith in vaidhi-bhakti.
Vijaya-kumara: Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati was the uncle
and spiritual master of Srila Gopala Bhatta Goswami. What task
was given to him?

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 Goswami: To Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati was given the
task of showing the world that the path of the rasas and
anubhavas in Vraja is the highest of all paths.
Hearing all this, Vijaya-kumara thought himself very
fortunate.

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 Chapter Forty

The Greatest Good Fortune

Sampatti-vicara

Vijaya-kumara decided that by hearing about the Lord‟s

pastimes in Vraja, one gradually attains the greatest good
fortune. Thinking in this way, he posed a question.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, I would like to know how many
stages there are between first hearing about the Lord and finally
attaining the greatest good fortune.
Goswami: There are five stages: 1 sravana-dasa (hearing), 2
varana-dasa (desiring), 3 smarana-dasa (remembering), 4
bhavapana-dasa (attaining ecstasy) and 5 prema-sampatti-dasa
(the greatest good fortune of spiritual love).
Vijaya-kumara: Please describe sravana-dasa.
Goswami: When he attains faith in hearing about Krsna
(Krsna-katha), a soul throws materialism (bahirmukha-dasa) far
away. In that stage the soul yearns to hear about Krsna. Such a
soul intently hears about Krsna from an exalted devotee. This is
described in Srimad-Bhagavatam (4.29.40):

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 “My dear king, in the place where pure devotees live,
following the rules and regulations and thus purely conscious
and engaged with great eagerness in hearing and chanting the
glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in that place if
one gets a chance to hear their constant flow or nectar, which is
exactly like the waves of a river, one will forget the necessities of
life - namely hunger, and thirst - and become immune to all
kinds of fear, lamentation and illusion.”
Vijaya-kumara: Sometimes the people hear about Krsna from
materialists. What is the result of that hearing.
Goswami: One may hear about Krsna from a materialist, or
one may hear about Krsna from a devotee. These two kinds of
hearing are different in many ways. By hearing about Krsna from
a materialist, the hearer does not gradually attain faith. On the
other hand, by hearing about Krsna from a devotee eager to
engage in devotional service, the hearer attains spiritual piety. In
some future birth spiritual faith will rise within him. When he
attains this faith, a soul is eager to hear the glories of Krsna only
from the mouths of great devotees. This stage is called „sravana-
dasa‟. Sravana dasa is of two kinds: 1 krama-suddha-sravana dasa
and 2 krama-hina-sravana dasa.
Vijaya-kumara: What is krama-hinasravana dasa?
Goswami: When the hearing is done without determination
and when it does not touch Lord Krsna‟s pastimes, it is called
„krama-hine‟. If there is no touch of Lord Krsna‟s pastimes, the
rasas will not become manifested.
Vijaya-kumara: What is krama-suddha sravana-dasa?

774
 Goswami: When hearing is done with great determination,
and when it touches on Lord Krsna‟s pastimes, then the rasas
will become manifested. Hearing about Lord Krsna‟s astakaliya
nitya lila (regular pastimes in the eight periods of the day) and
His birth pastime and other naimittika-lila (occasional pastimes)
is called “krama-suddha-sravana-dasa‟. To properly engage in
devotional service one must perform krama-suddha-sravana. By
again and again engaging in krama-suddha-sravana dasa and
hearing the Lord‟s pastimes, one perceives how sweet the Lord‟s
pastimes are. At that time the activities of raganuga bhakti rise in
the heart of the hearer. Then the hearer thinks in his heart, “Aha!
Subala has such wonderful ecstatic love! I should serve Krsna in
sakhya-rasa, as Subala does.‟ This kind of activity is called „lobha‟
(greedy desire). To thus worship Krsna by greedily following the
liberated residents of Vraja is called „raganuga-bhakti‟. I have
given an example in sakhya rasa. Raganuga bhakti exists in the
four rasas that begin with dasya-rasa. By the mercy of Lord
Caitanya, who is the master of our lives, you have become
qualified for srngara-rasa. Seeing the beautiful gopis of Vraja, you
have yearned to become like them. That yearning will lead you to
the path of fulfilling that yearning. In truth, this is revealed in
the conversation of the spiritual master and the disciple. That is
sravana-dasa.
Vijaya-kumara: How does one attain the perfection of
sravana-dasa?
Goswami: When one understands that Lord Krsna‟s pastimes
are eternal, and when one declares that they are pure and
spiritual, one‟s heart will become enchanted by them. Then one
will become agitated with an intense desire to enter those

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pastimes. When he sees that the disciple is qualified, the spiritual
master will show him the eleven bhavas described in the
scriptures. When the disciple‟s heart is passionately devoted to
the Lord‟s pastimes, that is the perfection of sravana-dasa. When
he is greatly agitated in this way, the disciple attains varana-dasa.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, what is varana-dasa?
Goswami: Bound with the shackles of the eleven bhavas, the
heart becomes passionately attached to the Lord‟s pastimes.
Weeping, the disciple falls before his spiritual master‟s feet. Then
the spiritual master‟s original form as a sakhi is manifested and
the disciple manifests his original form as a gopi maidservant.
This disciple is agitated to engage in devotional service as a gopi.
By serving the spiritual master ,the disciple attains the supreme
goal of his life and becomes a beautiful girl in Vraja. The disciple
speaks these words (Srila Raghunatha dasa Goswami‟s Sri
Premambhoja-marandakhya-stava-raga 11-12): “Taking a straw
in his mouth, this person offers respectful obeisances unto you.
This person is very unhappy. Please bring him to life by
sprinkling him with the nectar of service to you.
“O gopi friend of Sri Radha, as merciful Lord Krsna never
rejects a surrendered soul, even a soul who has performed many
misdeeds, in the same way I request that you please do not reject
a person like me.”
This state is called „varana-dasa‟. Then, in his form as a sakhi,
the spiritual master gives to his disciple residence in Vraja and
orders him to take shelter of Lord Krsna‟s holy name and
meditate on Lord Krsna‟s pastimes. Then the spiritual master
gives encouragement, saying, “Soon you will attain what your
heart desires.”
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 Vijaya-kumara: What is smarana dasa?
Goswami: Srila Rupa Goswami gives this description (Bhakti-
rasamrta-sindhu 1.2.150-152): “Always meditating on Krsna as
the object of one‟s love, and always engaged in hearing and
chanting His glories, a devotees should always live in the land of
Vraja.
“Desiring to become like them, the sadhaka and siddha
devotees should follow in the footsteps of the liberated residents
of Vraja.
“In this way the wise understand the activities of vaidhi-
bhakti, which begin with hearing and chanting.”
After hearing these two verses, Vijaya-kumara asked, “What
do the words „kuryad vasam vraje sada (a devotee should always
live in the land of Vraja) mean?
Goswami: Srila Jiva Goswami explains “To place one‟s body
in the circle of Vraja means to place it in the circle of the Lord‟s
pastimes. If one is not able to place his physical body in Vraja,
one can meditate on living in Vraja. By this meditation one
attains the final goal. Then one becomes the follower of a
particular sakhi, one serves that sakhi in the forest, and one
always meditates on that sakhi and her particular kind of love for
Lord Krsna. Thus you should engage your gross material body in
the activities of vaidhi-bhakti, which begin with hearing and
chanting and also, with the eleven bhavas, you should meditate
on the pastimes of a liberated sakhi in Vraja. In this way you
should engage in devotional service. Thus you should engage
your material body in the activities of vaidhi-bhakti. When your

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spiritual body becomes manifest, you will become averse to all
that is not related to Vraja.
Vijaya-kumara: Please clearly describe this path.
Goswami: The word “vraja-vasa” means to avoid the
company of materialists”. One should chant a certain prescribed
number of holy names of Lord Hari and also meditate on the
Lord‟s astakaliya pastimes. Do not think of your material body as
an enemy. Rather, use it and all in relationship with it in
favorable service to the Lord.
Vijaya-kumara: (after deep thought) O master, these
descriptions are very pleasing to my heart. How can I make my
heart determined to follow this path?
Goswami: When it attains raganuga-bhakti, the heart will be
determined. And why not? If there is even a slight scent of
raganuga bhakti, then one will be inclined to Vraja. Then one
will no longer be attracted to material things. If you are worried
that you will stray from the path, then at first proceed gradually.
When you become steady you will not be able to stray from the
path.
Vijaya-kumara: Please describe this gradual path.
Goswami: Every day for a certain amount of time, one
should, avoiding all material interruptions, chant the holy name
with sincere love. The time spent in this way should be gradually
increased. When one finally spends all his time in this way, he
will attain very wonderful love for the Lord. At that time one will
dread any external thing that may come to interrupt these
activities.

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 Vijaya-kumara: For how many days should one practice in
this way?
Goswami: Until, one is free from all material obstacles, or
until material obstacles no longer arise in one‟s meditation.
Vijaya-kumara: What does it mean „to remember the holy
name with love‟? Please clearly explain.
Goswami: In the beginning on joyfully chants the holy name.
That joy leads one to think, „the holy name is mine‟. From that
feeling of possessiveness one attains love for the holy name.
Gradually pure ecstatic love (bhava) becomes manifested. This is
called „bhavapana-dasa”. At the stage of smarana-dasa, love is
merely an external imposition. However, in the stage of
bhavapana-dasa genuine, pure love is manifested. In this way the
devotee finally attains prema, the highest love. This is called
„upasaka-nistha‟. There is also another path, which is called
„upasya-nistha‟.
Vijaya-kumara: What is upasya-nistha?
Goswami: If one wholeheartedly yearns to attain prema, he
should honor this advice given by Srila Raghunatha dasa
Goswami (Manah-siksa text 3):
“Mind, listen to me! If you desire to reside in Vraja birth after
birth, and if you desire to directly serve the youthful divine
couple, then with great love always remember and bow down
before Srila Svarupa Damodara Goswami, Srila Rupa Goswami,
his elder brother, Srila Sanatana Goswami and all their associates
and followers.”
Vijaya-kumara: How does one gradually become purified by
meditating on the Lord‟s astakaliya pastimes?
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 Goswami: Please consider what Srila Rupa Goswami has said
(Ujjvala-nilamani, Gauna-sambhoga-prakarana) about the great
wonder of the rasas manifested in the Lord‟s astakaliya pastimes:
“Because it is shoreless, peerless and unfathomable, I merely
stand on the shore of the ocean of rasa and touch only one drop
of its sweetness.”
Why should this not be so? The ocean of rasa is spiritual,
wonderful, all-pervading and shoreless. If one tries to describe
that spiritual ocean of rasa with words, his words will inevitably
be both impure and incomplete. Even if the Supreme Lord
Himself describes it, the hearers and readers, still bearing the
faults that the material world impresses on them, will not be able
to understand it perfectly. Therefore because the ocean of rasa
cannot e fathomed, one can merely stand at its shore and
understand only a single drop of it.
Vijaya-kumara: O master, if this is so, then how can I have
any conception at all of the spiritual rasas?
Goswami: The madhura rasa is shoreless, peerless, and
unfathomable. Lord Krsna‟s pastimes are like that. However,
Lord Krsna has two transcendental qualities that give us hope:
He is all powerful and He can do whatever He likes. Therefore,
even though the ocean of rasa is peerless, shoreless and
unfathomable, Lord Krsna can shrink it so that it fits within the
material world. The material world is indeed a very small place.
Still, if Krsna wishes He can bring His supremely glorious rasas
to the small and insignificant material world. In this way He
mercifully descends to the material world and He takes His
spiritual and eternal rasas and pastimes with Him. When He
descends to the material world, he brings with Him His own
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spiritual world of Mathura-mandala, which is beyond the touch
of matter. One cannot ask how the Lord does all this. Why not?
All this is down by His inconceivable potency. Even the
demigods and other exalted beings are not intelligent enough to
understand how it is done. In this way the Lord manifested His
Vraja pastimes, which are the best of all pastimes, and which are
beyond the touch of matter. I do not lament merely because I
cannot understand them perfectly or completely.
Vijaya-kumara: If the Lord‟s prakata (manifested) and
aprakata (unmanifested) pastimes are the same pastimes, then
why are the aprakata pastimes considered superior?
Goswami: These two kinds of pastimes are identical. Of this
there is no doubt. They are both perfect, complete, glorious and
beyond the touch of matter. However, the prakata pastimes can
be seen and remembered by conditioned souls imprisoned in the
material world, but the aprakata pastimes can be seen only by
purified souls who are in mature devotional service and who
have attained the stage of bhavapana-dasa.
O Vijaya-kumara, to you I can disclose this secret. And why
not? You are qualified to hear it. By practicing smarana-dasa for a
long time, one eventually becomes qualified for bhavapana-dasa.
During smarana-dasa one begins to become cleansed of material
contamination, but that cleansing is not complete until one
attains bhavapana-dasa. By following smarana-dasa one attains
pure sadhana-bhakti. In this way by the Lord‟s mercy, pure
devotional service is manifested in the devotee‟s heart. That pure
devotion attracts Krsna. In this way, by Lord Krsna‟s mercy, the
devotee advances beyond smarana-dasa. This is described by the

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Supreme Lord Himself in these words (Srimad-Bhagavatam
11.14.26):
“When a diseased eye is treated with medicinal ointment it
gradually recovers its power to see. Similarly, as a conscious
living entity cleanses himself of material contamination by
hearing and chanting the pious narrations of My glories, he
regains his ability to see Me, the Absolute Truth, in My subtle
spiritual form.”
This is also described in the following words of Brahman-
samhita (5.38):
“I worship the primeval Lord, Govinda who is always seen by
the devotee whose eyes are anointed with the pulp of love. He is
seen in His eternal form of Syamasundara, situated within the
heart of the devotee.”
A person who has attained the stage of bhavapana-dasa
attains spiritual vision and thus can see his spiritual master as a
sakhi and yuthesvari. He can also see Lord Krsna, the master of
Goloka. Still, until his linga-sarira (subtle material body) is at
last dissolved, he does not attain sampatti-dasa (the greatest
good fortune) and he does not see Krsna at every moment. When
he attains bhavapana-dasa, the pure soul has complete control
over his gross and subtle material bodies. However, only when
he attains Lord Krsna‟s complete and full mercy will the soul
attain the final spiritual goal, where the soul completely breaks
of all relationship with the material world of five elements.
Bhavapana-dasa is also called „svarupa-siddhi‟, and sampatti-dasa
is also called „vastu-siddhi‟.

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 Vijaya-kumara: When one attains vastu-siddhi, in what way
will he see Lord Krsna‟s name, form, qualities, pastimes and
abode?
Goswami: I cannot answer. When I myself attain vastu-
siddhi, I will be able to see and tell. When you attain sampatti-
siddhi you will certainly be able to understand. You will
understand without any struggle. And why not? You will see it
all before your eyes. You will not need to ask questions. Even
what the soul sees at the stage of svarupa-siddhi or bhavapana-
dasa an ordinary person cannot understand. And why not? Even
if he hears a person in bhavapana-dasa describe what he sees, an
ordinary person will not understand the description. The nature
of a soul situated in svarupa-siddhi is described by Srila Rupa
Goswami in these words (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.3.29 and
1.4.12):
“If a person is completely detached from material enjoyment
and has developed pure ecstatic devotion, even if he is
sometimes accidentally found not living up to the standard of
devotional service, one should not be envious of him.”
“Only the most fortunate persons can achieve such success in
life. Those who are simply academic students of the Vedic
scriptures cannot appreciate how such a development takes
place.”
Vijaya-kumara: If this is so, then why do the Brahma-samhita
and other scriptures try to describe the world of Goloka?
Goswami: When by the Lord‟s mercy they attain the stage of
svarupa-siddhi, Brahma and the demigods speak many prayers to
describe what they have seen. However, ordinary persons who

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are less spiritually advanced cannot understand these prayers
very well. Still, there is no need for the devotees to understand
all these points. By Lord Krsna‟s mercy His prakata pastimes are
manifested, and you can worship Him. By doing that you will
attain all perfection. Within a short time you will attain great
spiritual faith, and then the spiritual world of Goloka will be
manifested before you. Gokula is the same as Goloka. And why
not? Gokula and Goloka are not different places. That spiritual
realm is not seen by the eyes of materialists. Materialists do not
attain the stage of svarupa-siddhi. Only persons who are
qualified can see these spiritual truths. Please Krsna by engaging
in His devotional service. Follow Krsna‟s commands. By
following Krsna‟s commands, you will gradually attain His
mercy. Then your vision will be pure and perfect.
Vijaya-kumara had no longer any doubts. He followed the
eleven bhavas. He meditated on Lord Krsna‟s handsome form
and pastimes. Staying in a cottage by the seashore, he always
tasted the sweetness of pure spiritual love (prema). Meanwhile,
Vrajanatha‟s mother fell sick with cholera and died. Vrajanatha
and his grandmother returned home. In Vrajanatha‟s pure heart
was manifested pure love (prema) in sakhya-rasa. He passed his
days staying among the Vaisnavas by the Ganges shore at
Sridhama Navadvipa. Vijaya-kumara renounced household life
and accepted the kaupina of a sannyasi. He lived by taking a little
maha-prasadam he obtained by madhukari begging. During the
eight periods of the day he meditated on Sri Sri Radha-Krsna. At
night he briefly slept. He honored a little prasadam. While he
was awake he served the divine couple in ways appropriate to the
particular time of day. On japa beads he always chanted the holy
names of Lord Hari. Sometimes he danced, sometimes he wept,
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and sometimes he smiled to see the waves in the ocean. Who can
understand the symptoms of his devotional life? He accepted the
name Nimai dasa Babaji. He would neither hear nor speak
gossip. He was very humble. His actions were pure. He was fixed
in devotional service. When someone offered him maha-
prasadam or cloth for his kaupina, he accepted only what he
actually needed. He never accepted more than that. When he
chanted the holy names of Lord Hari tears would stream from his
eyes, his voice would become choked, and the hairs of his body
would stand erect. After only a few days he became perfect in
devotional service. He obtained Lord Krsna‟s mercy, and thus he
became qualified to enter the Lord‟s aprakata pastimes. Like
Haridasa Thakura, when he died his material body was placed in
a tomb by the seashore. Haribol.

***

“Bearing with him the mercy of his spiritual master, Lord

Krsna, and the Vaisnavas, a poor person named Bhaktivinoda
labored greatly to write this book.
“This book, the Jaiva-dharma, written in the Bengali
language, was completed by the Ganges‟ shore at Surabhi-kunja
in Godruma, at Navadvipa, on the full moon day of the month of
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Magha in the 410th year after Lord Caitanya‟s appearance in this
world.
“Persons who yearn to attain the feet of Lord Gaura, the
delivered of the Kali-yuga, will have faith in this book.
“I place a curse on any person who does not have even the
smallest particle of faith, but still reads this book.
“Persons who speak the theory of dry impersonal liberation
cannot understand Krsna. Only faithful persons can purely
understand Lord Krsna‟s pastimes in Vraja."
The End.

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