KrishnaCaitanya dasa

Mixed Devotion<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:" /><o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Ramananda, having realized the desire of Lord Caitanya, then suggested an improved process, called calculated devotion (jnana-misra-bhakti). Driven by a false sense of oneness with the Absolute Truth, the empiric philosopher tries to make an analytical study of the cosmic situation to find out the Absolute Truth. When he has done so, he becomes cheerful on account of his self-realization. <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The symptoms of perfect realization of the Absolute Truth, which promote one to the stage of pure devotional service to the Personality of Godhead, are described in the Bhagavad-gita (18.54). This was quoted by Ramananda as a further improvement on the suggestion of renunciation of karma: <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> brahma-bhutah prasannatma<o:p></o:p> na socati na kanksati<o:p></o:p> samah sarvesu bhutesu<o:p></o:p> mad-bhaktim labhate param<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> "The practitioner who has realized the Absolute Truth as the nondifferentiated impersonal Brahman does not lament over any material loss, neither does he desire any material gain. He is equipoised towards all objects of the material world, and these conditions make him fit to be promoted to the pure devotional service of Godhead."<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> However, the brahma-bhutah state of consciousness is also not a fully transcendental state of spiritual existence. The supramental consciousness, as exists in the spiritual <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place><st1:PlaceType>kingdom</st1:PlaceType> of <st1:PlaceName>Vaikuntha</st1:PlaceName></st1:place>, is a further development. The brahma-bhutah state of consciousness is undoubtedly free from gross material consciousness, and although touching the Absolute Truth indicates a transcendental feeling, it is not the actual transcendental position for realizing the activities of Vaikuntha. As such, it is also external. <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Lord Caitanya wants the living entity to be free from every type of material consciousness, including becoming unconcerned with empiric knowledge and fruitive activities. One should stay in pure consciousness, as even a slight tinge of material consciousness causes an impersonal conception of the Absolute Truth. In all these different stages of material consciousness, only imaginary arguments predominate over the Absolute Personality of Godhead. Imaginary argumentative endeavors are detrimental to the pure devotional service of Godhead, and, as such, even the liberated state as above mentioned is external. This liberated state is something like the convalescent stage after relief from a disease. If a convalescent person is not properly taken care of, a relapse of the disease may mar the whole attempt at recovery. <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> In the brahma-bhuta liberated stage, one has not yet obtained a resting place at the lotus feet of the Personality of Godhead. As such, one is still unsupported and thus runs the chance of falling down again into material activities. It is therefore also external and thus the fourth suggestion of Ramananda was rejected by Lord Caitanya. <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Knowledge-free Devotion<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Ramananda then suggested the beginning of pure devotional service unconcerned with empiric knowledge or fruitive activity. To support this suggestion, Ramananda quoted a statement of Brahma during his prayer of regret before Sri Krsna, the Personality of Godhead: <o:p></o:p> jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva<o:p></o:p> jivanti san-mukharitam bhavadiya-vartam<o:p></o:p> stane stitah sruti-gatam tanu-va†-manobhir<o:p></o:p> ye prayaso ‘jita jito ‘py asi tais tri-lokyam<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> "O my Lord, those devotees who completely give up the attempt to become one with You by the culture of empiric knowledge and simply try to hear about Your glories from the mouths of self-realized saints, and who live a virtuous life, can easily achieve Your favor although You are unconquerable by anyone within the three worlds."(Bhag. 10.14.3)<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> This stage of culturing devotional service directly was accepted by Lord Caitanya. All the previously described stages of the culture of spiritual realization were rejected by Lord Caitanya most logically. The Lord, however, accepted the universal method of hearing the glories of the Personality of Godhead in all circumstances from the mouths of self-realized souls and giving up the attempt to become one with Godhead. <o:p></o:p> The poison of attempting to become one with Godhead kills the nucleus of devotional service. Anyone actually desiring to be engaged in the transcendental loving service of Godhead must definitely give up this idea for good. In the Caitanya-caritamrta, it is said that the idea of being one with Godhead is the topmost type of pretension, and even a slight development of this idea will completely eliminate the prospect for devotional service. This is the most dangerous misconception in spiritual life and one should at once give up the idea. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Hear From Self-realized Souls<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> A pure living entity, being always subservient to the Almighty Godhead Sri Krsna, should reverentially give an aural reception to the transcendental sound emanating from the mouth of a self-realized soul describing the glories of the Personality of Godhead. Only a self-realized soul can produce the powerful effect of transcendental sound. Devotees must live thoroughly honest lives in all respects by their body, mind, and words. These are the simple methods of culturing spiritual realization to its zenith<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Therefore, the imaginary idea of becoming one with Godhead is a mental creation of the empiric philosopher as a result of his material vanity. Otherwise, the idea has no substance. The idea of becoming one with Godhead is artificial (…)<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The message of Bhagavad-gita is to be heard from a self-realized soul and not from anyone speculating on dry subjects with imaginary meanings. The un-bona-fide attempt at hearing will simply be a waste of time. The devotee must always be careful that the speaker is in the transcendental line of disciplic succession called the parampara. The qualification of the prospective devotee should be that he must live an honest life by his body, mind, and words, which will all depend on the mercy of Godhead.<o:p></o:p> -o-<o:p></o:p> The Extraordinary Four Kumaras<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The four Kumaras are the perfect example of this shanta rasa. Initially they were already self realized in the Brahman stage, or brahma-bhuta, but they further progressed.<o:p></o:p> “When the great sage Narada was glorifying the pastimes of the Lord with his vina, the four Kumaras, headed by Sanaka, although merged in the impersonal conception of Brahman, were trembling all over.”-NOD Ch.32 Symptoms of Continuous Love, Neutrality.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> “When the breeze carrying the aroma of tulasi leaves from the toes of the lotus feet of the Personality of Godhead entered the nostrils of those sages, they experienced a change both in body and in mind, even though they were attached to the impersonal Brahman understanding.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> PURPORT<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> It appears from this verse that the four Kumaras were impersonalists or protagonists of the philosophy of monism, becoming one with the Lord. But as soon as they saw the Lord’s features, their minds changed. In other words, the impersonalist who feels transcendental pleasure in striving to become one with the Lord is defeated when he sees the beautiful transcendental features of the Lord. Because of the fragrance of His lotus feet, carried by the air and mixed with the aroma of tulasi, their minds changed; instead of becoming one with the Supreme Lord, they thought it wise to be devotees. Becoming a servitor of the lotus feet of the Lord is better than becoming one with the Lord.-SB 3.15.43.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> The position of the four Kumaras is extraordinary, they are head of one of the four Vaishnava Sampradayas. They are also counted among the twelve Mahajanas, authorities on devotional sevice (SB 6.3.20).<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> And further more, Srila Rupa Goswami sings in his Sri Radhika-Stava (from Stava-mala). <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> karunam kuru mayi karuna-bharite<o:p></o:p> sanaka-sanatana-varnita-carite<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “O You who are filled with compassion! O You whose divine characteristics are described by the great sages Sanaka and Sanatana [sanatana Gosvami o Sanatana Kumara]! O Radha, please be merciful to me!” By Sri Nandanandana das (ACBSP)<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The real war going on in human society is the fight against Impersonalism and the misconception the marginal living entity originates from the Impersonal Brahmajyoti

One cannot remain in the brahma-bhuta stage without engaging in the service of the Lord:<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:" /><o:p></o:p> “The yogi whose mind is fixed on Me verily attains the highest happiness. By virtue of his identity with Brahman, he is liberated; his mind is peaceful, his passions are quieted, and he is freed from sin.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> PURPORT<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Brahma-bhuta is the state of being free from material contamination and situated in the transcendental service of the Lord. Mad-bhaktim labhate param. One cannot remain in the quality of Brahman, the Absolute, until one’s mind is fixed on the lotus feet of the Lord. Sa vai manah <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place>Krishna</st1:place> -padaravindayoh. To be always engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, or to remain in <st1:place>Krishna</st1:place> consciousness, is to be factually liberated from the mode of passion and all material contamination.-Bg.6.27.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> In the word of Srimad-Bhagavatam unless one is engaged in the service of the Lord one should fall from the brahman realization due to fail to take shelter of the transcendental Lord Sri Krishna, whose eyes are like lotus petals, and therefore having an impure intelligence (Bhag. 10.2.32):<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> ye ’nye ’ravindaksa vimukta-maninas<o:p></o:p> tvayy asta-bhavad avisuddha-buddhayah<o:p></o:p> aruhya kricchrena param padam tatah<o:p></o:p> patanty adho ’nädåta-yuñmad-aìghrayah<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> “Thus I have explained to you the most confidential of all knowledge. Deliberate on this fully, and then do what you wish to do.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> PURPORT<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The Lord has already explained to Arjuna the knowledge of brahmabhuta. One who is in the brahma-bhuta condition is joyful; he never laments, nor does he desire anything. That is due to confidential knowledge. <st1:place>Krishna</st1:place> also discloses knowledge of the Supersoul. This is also Brahman knowledge, knowledge of Brahman, but it is superior.-Bg. 18.63.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> “Because you are My very dear friend, I am speaking to you the most confidential part of knowledge. Hear this from Me, for it is for your benefit.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> PURPORT<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The Lord has given Arjuna confidential knowledge of the Supersoul within everyone’s heart, and now He is giving the most confidential part of this knowledge: just surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. At the end of the Ninth Chapter He has said, “Just always think of Me.” The same instruction is repeated here to stress the essence of the teachings of Bhagavad-gita. This essence is not understood by a common man, but by one who is actually very dear to <st1:place>Krishna</st1:place>, a pure devotee of <st1:place>Krishna</st1:place>. This is the most important instruction in all Vedic literature. What <st1:place>Krishna</st1:place> is saying in this connection is the most essential part of knowledge, and it should be carried out not only by Arjuna but by all living entities.-Bg. 18.64.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> “Always think of Me and become My devotee. Worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> PURPORT<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The most confidential part of knowledge is that one should become a pure devotee of Krishna and always think of Him and act for Him…These words stress that one should concentrate his mind upon Krishna —the very form with two hands carrying a flute, the bluish boy with a beautiful face and peacock feathers in His hair. There are descriptions of <st1:place>Krishna</st1:place> found in the Brahma-samhita and other literatures. One should fix his mind on this original form of Godhead, Krishna.-Bg. 18.65.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> So, we should meditate upon that beautiful bluish boy Who plays His wonderful pastimes in Vrindavana. <o:p></o:p> -o-<o:p></o:p> Recently I found in the Sri Ramananda-Savada, a manuscript by Srila Prabhupada made public by BG Narasimgha Swami, the following and deals with the same topic.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Go Higher<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> An improved consciousness for the materialists is a desire to either retire from material activities or stay at a place that is undisturbed by the uproar of the modes of nature. The river Viraja is outside the boundary of the material world where there is no disturbance from the three modes of nature. The material world is the creation of the external energy of Godhead, and Vaikuntha, the spiritual world, is the creation of the internal energy of Godhead. <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Viraja is situated between the material world and the spiritual world. It is outside the boundary of both the material and the spiritual world. However, renunciation without any positive engagement is imperfect and cannot give the candidate the desired result of love of God. <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The aim of Lord Caitanya is to bring people to the spiritual world. Therefore, this suggestion of Ramananda, which does not take one within the boundary of Vaikuntha, was also rejected by the Lord. Negating the material activities or becoming disinterested in material activities does not suggest accepting positive spiritual activities. Spiritual activities completely depend on spiritual understanding. People having no realization of the spiritual world cannot sustain themselves by giving up all other activities. One must have a positive transcendental engagement. Otherwise, simply negating the material activities of religiosity will not help one the slightest bit in spiritual realization. By such renunciation, one will simply feed a void in his life and will again be attracted by the material activities for want of actual spiritual engagements. This sort of spiritual realization is another type of impersonal conception and is therefore not ultimately suitable for the prospective devotee. <o:p></o:p>

“When a devotee is situated on the platform of santa-rasa, he desires neither elevation to the heavenly planets nor liberation. These are the results of karma and jñana, and the devotee considers them no better than hell. A person situated on the santa-rasa platform manifests the two transcendental qualities of detachment from all material desires and full attachment to Krishna.-Text 215.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:" /><o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> These are the two qualities of shanta rasa present in all the other mellows as Srila Prabhupada explains in text 217. The qualities of shanta rasa and bhrama-bhuta stage explained in Bhagavad-gita 18.54 are the same. Na socati na kaksati, “He never laments nor desires to have anything”; he has no material aspirations. In text 214 Srila Prabhupada explains, “When one is not agitated or disturbed, he can immediately realize his relationship with ffice:smarttags" />“This is the brahma-bhuta stage, and this stage is attained very easily by the pure devotee. In that stage of existence, the idea of becoming one with the Supreme Brahman and annihilating one’s individuality becomes hellish, and the idea of attaining the heavenly kingdom becomes phantasmagoria, and the senses are like broken serpents’ teeth.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> “‘A person who is devoted to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana, is not afraid of anything. Elevation to the heavenly kingdom, condemnation to hell and liberation from material bondage all appear the same to a devotee.’-Text 216.<o:p></o:p> “These two qualities of the santa stage spread through the lives of all devotees. They are like the quality of sound in the sky. Sound vibration is found in all material elements.-Text 217.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> “It is the nature of santa-rasa that not even the smallest intimacy exists. Rather, knowledge of impersonal Brahman and localized Paramatma is prominent.-Text 218.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> PURPORT<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Because of an impersonal impression of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, a devotee in the santa-rasa relationship worships the impersonal Brahman or localized aspect of the Absolute Truth (Paramatma). He does not develop a personal relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna. [One must read Srila Prabhupada’s puport to text 228 to gain further understanding].<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> “On the platform of santa-rasa, one realizes only his constitutional position. But when one is raised to the platform of dasya-rasa, he better understands the full opulence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.-Text 219.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> “On the dasya-rasa platform, knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is revealed with awe and veneration. By rendering service unto Lord Krishna, the devotee in dasya-rasa gives constant happiness to the Lord.-Text 220.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> “The qualities of santa-rasa are also present in dasya-rasa, but service is added. Thus the dasya-rasa platform contains the qualities of both santa-rasa and dasya-rasa.-Text 221.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> “The qualities of santa-rasa and the service of dasya-rasa are both present on the platform of sakhya-rasa. On the platform of fraternity, the qualities of dasya-rasa are mixed with the confidence of fraternity instead of awe and veneration.-Text 222.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> “On the sakhya-rasa platform, the devotee sometimes offers the Lord service and sometimes makes In] <FONT size=" /><st1:place>Krishna</st1:place> serve him in exchange. In their mock fighting, the cowherd boys would sometimes climb on <st1:place>Krishna</st1:place>’s shoulders, and sometimes they would make <st1:place>Krishna</st1:place> climb on their shoulders.-Text 223.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> “Awe and veneration are absent on the platform of fraternity, since this rasa is predominated by service imbued with confidentiality. Therefore sakhya-rasa is characterized by the qualities of three rasas.-Texts 224.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> “On the platform of sakhya-rasa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kåñëa is controlled by the devotees who are intimate with Him and think themselves equal to Him.-Text 225.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> “On the platform of parental love, the qualities of santa-rasa, dasya-rasa and sakhya-rasa are transformed into a form of service called maintenance.-Text 226.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> “The essence of fraternal love is intimacy devoid of the formality and veneration found in dasya-rasa. Due to a greater sense of intimacy, the devotee functioning in parental love chastises and rebukes the Lord in an ordinary way.-Text 227.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> “On the platform of parental love, the devotee considers himself the Lord’s maintainer. Thus the Lord is the object of maintenance, like a son, and therefore this mellow is full of the qualities of four rasas—santa-rasa, dasya-rasa, fraternity and parental love. This is more transcendental nectar.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> <st1:place>Krishna</st1:place>. A santa-rasa devotee is therefore always fixed in realization. This instruction was given by the Lord Himself to Uddhava. The beginning of pure devotional service is called anyabhilasita-sunya. When one is situated on the platform of neutrality, he is freed from the material platform and fully situated in spiritual life”. <font size=" /><st1:place>Krishna</st1:place> as one’s only shelter and friend is absent in santa-rasa because one accepts <st1:place>Krishna</st1:place> as the impersonal Parambrahma or localized Paramatma. This understanding is based on the speculative knowledge of the jñani. However, when this knowledge is further developed, one is convinced that the Paramatma, the Supreme Lord, is the master and that the living entity is His eternal servant. One then attains the platform of dasya-rasa. In dasya-rasa the Lord is accepted with awe and veneration. Thus the active service that is absent in santa-rasa becomes prominent in dasya-rasa. In other words, in dasya-rasa the qualities of santa-rasa are present, and service also becomes predominantly visible. Similarly, when this same rasa is developed into fraternity (sakhya-rasa), a friendly intimacy is added. There is no awe or veneration in sakhya-rasa. Therefore sakhya-rasa is invested with the qualities of three rasas—santa, däsya and sakhya. Similarly, on the platform of parental love, the qualities of çänta-rasa, dasya-rasa and sakhya-rasa are fully developed in another form—the sense of maintaining the Lord. Therefore on the platform of parental love there exists a combination of the qualities of four transcendental mellows—santa, dasya, sakhya and parenthood. The mellow of parenthood puts the devotee in the position of a maintainer. Indeed, without formality the devotee takes the position of maintainer and regards the Lord as the object of maintenance. Thus on the platform of parental love the qualities of four transcendental mellows of love of Krishnaa are present.-228.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> “The exchange of spiritual happiness between <st1:place>Krishna</st1:place> and His devotee in which <st1:place>Krishna</st1:place> is controlled by His devotee is compared to an ocean of nectar into which the devotee and <st1:place>Krishna</st1:place> plunge. This is the verdict of learned scholars who appreciate <st1:place>Krishna</st1:place>’s opulence.-Text 229.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> “‘Again let me offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. O my Lord, I offer my obeisances hundreds and thousands of times with all affection because by Your personal pastimes You plunge the gopis into an ocean of nectar. Appreciating Your opulence, devotees generally declare that You are always subjugated by their feelings.’-Text 230.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> “On the platform of conjugal love, attachment for Kåñëa, rendering service unto Him, the relaxed feelings of fraternity and the feelings of maintenance all increase in intimacy.-Text 231.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> “On the platform of conjugal love, the devotee offers his body in the service of the Lord. Thus on this platform the transcendental qualities of all five rasas are present.-Text 232.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> “All the material qualities evolve one after another in the material elements, beginning from ether. By gradual evolution, first one quality develops, then two qualities develop, then three and four, until all five qualities are found in earth.-Text 233.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> “Similarly, on the platform of conjugal love, all the feelings of the devotees are amalgamated. The intensified taste is certainly wonderful.”-Text 234.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> “Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu then concluded, “I have simply given a general survey describing the mellows of devotional service. You can consider how to adjust and expand this. “When one thinks of <st1:place>Krishna</st1:place> constantly, love for Him manifests within the heart. Even though one may be ignorant, one can reach the far shore of the ocean of transcendental love by Lord Krishna’s mercy.”-CC Madhya 19.235-236.<o:p></o:p>

Lord Caitanya Preached Pure Devotional Service<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:" /><o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> By Sri Nandanandana das (ACBSP)<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Shambhuddhi dasa’s article, Lord Caitanya on the Constitutional Position of the Soul, is misleading. I don’t know if he is an impersonalist but that is the idea that he conveys:<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “In conclusion, Lord Caitanya does not teach that the constitutional position of the soul is anything more than impersonal realization of Lord Krishna in his impersonal Brahman effulgence.” <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> That is Shambhuddhi’s own conclusion, that is not what Srila Prabhupada explains neither what Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraja is saying in Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, nor the conclusion of the acaryas. <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> His own words are contradictory, “Lord Caitanya explains to Rupa Goswami that shanta-rasa does not possess even the smallest of intimacy with Lord Krishna and that the impersonal Brahman and the Paramatma are prominent.” <o:p></o:p> Paramatma realization is not impersonal realization:<o:p></o:p> “Real yogis meditate upon the transcendental form of the Lord as He stands on the whorl of the lotus of their hearts, the jewellike nails of His lotus feet glittering.”-SB.4.8.50.<o:p></o:p> And there are many other quotes in the sastras in this regard.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> This constitutional position is explained by Lord Sri Krishna Himself in Bhagavad-gita (18.54). The brahma-bhuta stage is the realization of aham bhramasmi, “I am not this matter, I am spirit soul, I am of the nature of Brahman”. At this stage is when real bhakti begins. The Vaisnava’s realization is that if he is brahman then his nature is to be engaged in the transcendental service of the Lord. To be engaged in activities of the nature of Brahman, not in material activities. This is also the explanation of the famous Tat tvam asi sutra. The Vaisnavas acaryas had explained it to mean, “You are of the same nature of the Supreme therefore your nature is to be engaged in the spiritual activities of devotional service to the Lord.” Or it also means, “You are His”. You belong to the Supreme Lord and therefore you have an eternal relationship of service to Him.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> brahma-bhutah prasannatma<o:p></o:p> na socati na kaksati<o:p></o:p> samah sarvesu bhutesu<o:p></o:p> mad-bhaktin labhate param<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “One who is thus transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman. He never laments nor desires to have anything; he is equally disposed to every living entity. In that state he attains pure devotional service unto Me.”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> PURPORT<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> To the impersonalist, achieving the brahma-bhuta stage, becoming one with the Absolute, is the last word. But for the personalist, or pure devotee, one has to go still further to become engaged in pure devotional service. This means that one who is engaged in pure devotional service to the Supreme Lord is already in a state of liberation, called brahma-bhuta, oneness with the Absolute… This is the brahma-bhuta stage, and this stage is attained very easily by the pure devotee. In that stage of existence, the idea of becoming one with the Supreme Brahman and annihilating one’s individuality becomes hellish, and the idea of attaining the heavenly kingdom becomes phantasmagoria, and the senses are like broken serpents’ teeth. As there is no fear of a serpent with broken teeth, so there is no fear from the senses when they are automatically controlled… Such a stage can be achieved by the mercy of Lord Caitanya, who preached pure devotional service in this age.-Bg.18.54.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Lord Caitanya Himself says:<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> jivera ‘svarupa’ haya——krisnera ‘nitya-dasa’<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “It is the living entity’s constitutional position to be an eternal servant of <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place>Krishna</st1:place>”. Not the impersonal position! This quality of service to the Lord is the basic ingredient. <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Next is the further realization:<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Gopi-bhartur pada-kamalayor dasa-dasa-dasa-dasanudasa. To serve Sri Krishna who is the Lord of the gopis, always accompany by Srimati Radharani. But one cannot serve Him directly, but rather thru the servant of the servant of the servant of the gopis. Our link to this chain of servants of the Lord is our spiritual master, and we cannot give him up as the mayavadis do. <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> This is the progression on this chapter of Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya 19, about shanta rasa and the other mellows:<o:p></o:p> “When one is fully attached to <st1:place>Krishna</st1:place>’s lotus feet, one attains the samata stage. The word ‘samata’ is derived from the word ‘sama’; therefore santa-rasa, the position of neutrality, means being fully attached to the lotus feet of <st1:place>Krishna</st1:place>. This is the verdict from the mouth of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. This state is called self-realization.-Text 211.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “‘These are the words of the Supreme Personality of Godhead: “When one’s intelligence is fully attached to My lotus feet but one does not render practical service, one has attained the stage called santa-rati, or sama.” Without santa-rati, attachment to <st1:place>Krishna</st1:place> is very difficult to achieve.’-Text 212.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “‘The word “sama” or “santa-rasa” indicates that one is attached to the lotus feet of <st1:place>Krishna</st1:place>. “Dama” means controlling the senses and not being deviated from the Lord’s service. Endurance of unhappiness is “titiksa,” and “dhriti” means controlling the tongue and the genitals.’-Text 213.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “Giving up all desires not connected with <st1:place>Krishna</st1:place> is the business of one who is in santa-rasa. Only a devotee of <st1:place>Krishna</st1:place> can be situated on that platform. He is thus called a santa-rasa-bhakta.- Text214.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p>