use of a particular form of Sadhana in Devi Bhakti

02-18-2002, 09:47 AM

In the Bengal Vaisnava tradition there is a practice where a serious
practitioner is given an esoteric identity within the realm of Vrindavana by
his or her guru. This includes the following details: age, colour of skin, what
kind of clothes you wear, etc. The practitioner memorises maps of Vrindavana,
where he or she lives, where he or she sports with Krishna, etc. Usually the
identity is that of a manjari, a young girl who assists in the play of Radha
and Krishna, but it could also be a friend of Krsna. This new identity is
called the siddha-deha, the perfected body. It is considered to be the
practitioners true identity. In meditation the practitioner enters this
"reality" and the goal is to enter permanently into it at one point. This
"imaginary" world is considered to be the highest reality, the cosmic drama,
the eternal spiritual play of Radha and Krishna.
Does such kind of practice also exist in the Shakta tradition? Can Devi be
worshiped in a similar way?
If it does not exist in the Shakta tradition, does such a practice exist in the
Shaiva tradition in connection with Parvati and Shiva ?
I would be most grateful for some information.

Kind regards,
Alexandra Kafka

02-18-2002, 03:56 PM

10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy">The practice you describe has no basis in
Gaudiiya Vaishnavism, which is
based on the teachings of Chaitanya Mahaaprabhu, as passed down by the Six Gosvamis.
According to Gaudiiya Vaishnava
philosophy, one’s svaruupa or constitutional
position is eternal. Bhakti-yoga uncovers this svaruupa;
the svaruupa is not “given” by the guru,
as that would mean that it is external to one’s spiritual consciousness,
which it is not.
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy">
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy">In raagaanuga bhakti, which is described in
Nectar of Devotion, it is
explained that the advanced devotee follows in the footsteps of one of the
residents of Vrindaavana. However, this is not a
process that can be emulated merely by externally taking on the appearance of a
devotee, such as by dressing in a certain way, acting in a certain way, etc.
This latter process is more characteristic of the sahajiya
followers in Bengal
color:navy">, who take devotional service to be very cheap. If memory serves,
the “siddha-deha” school is one such sahajiya cult.
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy">
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy">As far as Shaktaism
and Shaivism are concerned, bhakti
really means devotion to Lord Vishnu only. Certainly the whole rasa theology as
described in Nectar of Devotion and seen
in Shriimad Bhaagavatam
applies between the devotee and Lord Krishna. The sahajiya
“schools” are known to mix their “bhakti”
with elements of Islam, maayaavaada, Shaivism, Shaktisim, etc, but
this is not authorized by Vedic injunctions.
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy">
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy">Regards,
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy">
12.0pt">- K

02-20-2002, 08:29 AM

On Mon, 18 Feb 2002, Krishna Susarla wrote:
> If memory serves, the "siddha-deha" school is one such sahajiya cult.

The concept of siddha-deha is actually bonafide, if esoteric, and
it's always possible that someone exists who is actually qualified to
practice devotional service on that level; but such persons are so very rare
that the previous (and present) acaryas sometimes just dismiss the whole
notion outright. In that, there really isn't any harm done.

Once, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura wanted to publish the
Govinda-lilamrta of Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami (or was it another esoteric
book?), so his father Bhaktivinoda Thakura gave him permission to print
*one* copy.

MDd

02-20-2002, 01:54 PM

At 10:29 AM 2/20/02 -0800, M. Tandy wrote:

Once, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura wanted to publish the
Govinda-lilamrta of Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami (or was it another
esoteric
book?), so his father Bhaktivinoda Thakura gave him permission to
print
*one* copy.
I believe it was Govinda-lilamrita.
Babhru

02-21-2002, 01:57 PM

--- In achintya@y..., "M. Tandy" wrote:
> On Mon, 18 Feb 2002, Krishna Susarla wrote:
> > If memory serves, the "siddha-deha" school is one such sahajiya
cult.
>
> The concept of siddha-deha is actually bonafide, if
esoteric, and
> it's always possible that someone exists who is actually qualified
to
> practice devotional service on that level; but such persons are so
very rare
> that the previous (and present) acaryas sometimes just dismiss the
whole
> notion outright. In that, there really isn't any harm done.
>

Thanks for the correction. I looked up Suhotra Swami's essays on the
apasampradaayas on the Hare Krishna: The Complete Picture web page.
Sure enough, I am in error. "Siddha deha" is not a name of one of
the thirteen major apasampradaayas. However, I did hear this term in
the context of a concept where a guru "gives" the svaruupa to
conditioned living entity, usually after that living entity has
externally taken on the appearance of a devotee of a Krishna. This
idea, I'm sure, is at best a perversion of what is taught in our
literature. Specifically, I am under the impression that this cheap
imitation of great devotees is a characteristic of sahajiya schools.
However, I may have been wrong in saying that they are called
as "siddha deha" school. Further corrections welcome.

yours,
- K