What is GAUDIYA vaisnavism?

[Guest guest]

The first essay of this book is one reference that discusses third initiation, and why Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura offered tridandi sannyasa and not babaji vesa to his disciples.

 

Five Essential Essays - Prabandha Panchakam

http://bvml.org/SBNM/books/index.html

 

This exceptional book is a compilation of five different essays which Srila Gurudeva has written over the past 20 years in defense of Gaudiya sampradaya tattva siddhanta. Each refutation is elaborately and conclusively proven with evidence from sastra.

 

Included in this edition are two lectures by Srila Gurudeva which glorify and follow the example of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada who boldly re-established the true conceptions of Sriman Mahaprabhu and the gosvamis, and began the preaching mission which is today bringing this pure bhakti tattva siddhanta to every country in the world.

[Guest guest]

"The Gaudiya Sampradaya worships Sri Radha Govinda in parakiya (paramour) mood, in manjari bhava"

 

This statement is the problem. And it is not just this statement, it is the whole philosophy of preaching that some people have i.e Gaudiya sampradaya is about manjari bhava.

 

An accurate statement would have been "Some Gaudiya vaisnavas worship Sri Radha Govinda in prakiya mood, in manjari mood". Or, "Some Gaudiya's consider manjari bhava in parakiya to be the sweetest attainment."

 

But he, and your enitire parivar, takes the approach in their preaching, of a manjari bhava exclusivity as the raison d'etre of the Gaudiya sampradaya.

 

In other words you guys preach that we are supposed to be in a specific mood if we are true Gaudiyas. We have to be in manjari bhava, or aspire for that, otherwise we are just "not getting it".

 

You can say that your parivar doesn't do this, but a simple perusal of all your posts here, and of any of your websites will see this to be the truth.

 

That's what I am saying is the improper way to present the Gaudiya sampradaya. You are supposed to present the Gaudiya sampradaya in a more holistic manner. Otherwise you end up either turning people off by making them think they have to consider themselves girls, if they are to be close to God, or you turn neophytes into sahajiyas by having them focus on something that is so beyond their ability to fully comprehend, that they misconstrue and misinterpret everything. Instead of focusing on trying to become self realized, they absorb themselves in hearing about rasa, which they cannot understand without being self realized.

 

This is what Krishna wants neophyte and intermediate devotees to focus on:

 

"SB 11.29.8:The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Yes, I shall describe to you the principles of devotion to Me, by executing which a mortal human being will conquer unconquerable death.

 

SB 11.29.9: Always remembering Me, one should perform all his duties for Me without becoming impetuous. With mind and intelligence offered to Me, one should fix his mind in attraction to My devotional service.

 

SB 11.29.10: One should take shelter of holy places where My saintly devotees reside, and one should be guided by the exemplary activities of My devotees, who appear among the demigods, demons and human beings.

 

SB 11.29.11: Either alone or in public gatherings, with singing, dancing and other exhibitions of royal opulence, one should arrange to celebrate those holy days, ceremonies and festivals set aside specially for My worship.

 

SB 11.29.12: With a pure heart one should see Me, the Supreme Soul within all beings and also within oneself, to be both unblemished by anything material and also present everywhere, both externally and internally, just like the omnipresent sky.

 

SB 11.29.13-14: O brilliant Uddhava, one who thus views all living entities with the idea that I am present within each of them, and who by taking shelter of this divine knowledge offers due respect to everyone, is considered actually wise. Such a man sees equally the brahmana and the outcaste, the thief and the charitable promoter of brahminical culture, the sun and the tiny sparks of fire, the gentle and the cruel.

 

SB 11.29.15: For him who constantly meditates upon My presence within all persons, the bad tendencies of rivalry, envy and abusiveness, along with false ego, are very quickly destroyed.

 

SB 11.29.16: Disregarding the ridicule of one's companions, one should give up the bodily conception and its accompanying embarrassment. One should offer obeisances before all -- even the dogs, outcastes, cows and asses -- falling flat upon the ground like a rod.

 

SB 11.29.17: Until one has fully developed the ability to see Me within all living beings, one must continue to worship Me by this process with the activities of his speech, mind and body.

 

SB 11.29.18: By such transcendental knowledge of the all-pervading Personality of Godhead, one is able to see the Absolute Truth everywhere. Freed thus from all doubts, one gives up fruitive activities.

 

SB 11.29.19: Indeed, I consider this process -- using one's mind, words and bodily functions for realizing Me within all living beings -- to be the best possible method of spiritual enlightenment.

 

SB 11.29.20: My dear Uddhava, because I have personally established it, this process of devotional service unto Me is transcendental and free from any material motivation. Certainly a devotee never suffers even the slightest loss by adopting this process.

 

SB 11.29.21: O Uddhava, greatest of saints, in a dangerous situation an ordinary person cries, becomes fearful and laments, although such useless emotions do not change the situation. But activities offered to Me without personal motivation, even if they are externally useless, amount to the actual process of religion.

 

SB 11.29.22: This process is the supreme intelligence of the intelligent and the cleverness of the most clever, for by following it one can in this very life make use of the temporary and unreal to achieve Me, the eternal reality.

 

SB 11.29.23: Thus have I related to you -- both in brief and in detail -- a complete survey of the science of the Absolute Truth. Even for the demigods, this science is very difficult to comprehend.

 

SB 11.29.24: I have repeatedly spoken this knowledge to you with clear reasoning. Anyone who properly understands it will become free from all doubts and attain liberation.

 

SB 11.29.25: Anyone who fixes his attention on these clear answers to your questions will attain to the eternal, confidential goal of the Vedas -- the Supreme Absolute Truth.

 

SB 11.29.26: One who liberally disseminates this knowledge among My devotees is the bestower of the Absolute Truth, and to him I give My very own self.

 

SB 11.29.27: He who loudly recites this supreme knowledge, which is the most lucid and purifying, becomes purified day by day, for he reveals Me to others with the lamp of transcendental knowledge.

 

SB 11.29.28: Anyone who regularly listens to this knowledge with faith and attention, all the while engaging in My pure devotional service, will never become bound by the reactions of material work.

 

SB 11.29.29: My dear friend Uddhava, have you now completely understood this transcendental knowledge? Are the confusion and lamentation that arose in your mind now dispelled?

 

SB 11.29.30: You should not share this instruction with anyone who is hypocritical, atheistic or dishonest, or with anyone who will not listen faithfully, who is not a devotee, or who is simply not humble.

 

SB 11.29.31: This knowledge should be taught to one who is free from these bad qualities, who is dedicated to the welfare of the brahmanas, and who is kindly disposed, saintly and pure. And if common workers and women are found to have devotion for the Supreme Lord, they are also to be accepted as qualified hearers.

 

SB 11.29.32: When an inquisitive person comes to understand this knowledge, he has nothing further to know. After all, one who has drunk the most palatable nectar cannot remain thirsty.

 

SB 11.29.33: Through analytic knowledge, ritualistic work, mystic yoga, mundane business and political rule, people seek to advance in religiosity, economic development, sense gratification and liberation. But because you are My devotee, whatever men can accomplish in these multifarious ways you will very easily find within Me.

 

SB 11.29.34: A person who gives up all fruitive activities and offers himself entirely unto Me, eagerly desiring to render service unto Me, achieves liberation from birth and death and is promoted to the status of sharing My own opulences.

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

 

That's what I am saying is the improper way to present the Gaudiya sampradaya. You are supposed to present the Gaudiya sampradaya in a more holistic manner. Otherwise you end up either turning people off by making them think they have to consider themselves girls, if they are to be close to God, or you turn neophytes into sahajiyas by having them focus on something that is so beyond their ability to fully comprehend, that they misconstrue and misinterpret everything. Instead of focusing on trying to become self realized, they absorb themselves in hearing about rasa, which they cannot understand without being self realized

 

We've seen this argument before, to no avail.

 

Hearing from A Rasika Acarya?

BY DHRSTADYUMNA DAS aka Sripad Bhakti Sar Maharaja

<a href="http://bvml.org/contemporary/hfara.htm" target="_blank">http://bvml.org/contemporary/hfara.htm</a>

 

What does self realization mean? It is not something abstract, but an eternal truth, that will be revealed to the sadhaka when he realizes the ista deva of his guru gayatri mantra, and the istadeva of the kama gayatri mantra Then he can chant the suddha nama maha mantra.

 

Then he can understand what Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura says in his Bhajana Rahasya concerning how the ajata-rati sadhaka chants to achieve perfection and how the perfected jata-rati-sadhaka chants the maha mantra with full realization of the asta kaliya lila of Sri Krsna and His eternal associates in braja.

 

 

Couching self realization in abstract terms doesn't help anyone realise his eternal siddha svarupa or what Krsna Consciousness actually means.

 

Srila Promod Puri Maharja once said that if we do not know the goal of our sadhana, then it is useless. What you consider harmful is actually essential for devotees to understand. Srila Promod Puri Maharaja also wrote

 

"The famous wrods of the great souls tell us: viddhi marga braja-bhave nahi sakti. Once cannot attain spontaneous devotion by mere practice of devotoin (sadhana). The actual gift of sponaneous devotion is awarded only by the intense greed to receive it, coupled with the blessings of proximity to a genuine teacher who is a resident of the holy Dham.

 

It is indeed unfortunate that you chose to cut yourself off from such snghda and sajatiya association.

 

Sad indeed that you come to the false conclusion that

preaching about Srila Rupa Gosvami's eternal mood is harmful to the jiva souls who hear about it.

 

Fortunate 4us that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was the one who inspired Srila Rupa Gosvami to write his many books about the highest levels of bhakti and not you. If you find some problem in an eternal self conception that is not male, then you have a fundamental problem accepting the principle of purusa and prakrti. Good thing for us that our acaryas want to reveal this information and not hide it from us.

 

 

YOU say that. By your own words perhaps, you are not getting it. However, I never heard anyone in GVS say this. I never read anything from Srila B.V. Narayana Maharaja that makes such an assertion.

 

You can say that your parivar doesn't do this, but a simple perusal of all your posts here, and of any of your websites will see this to be the truth.

 

 

 

These are your subjective conclusions, and the way you personally react to hearing about the topic of manjari bhava. Why you have such a negative reaction to hearing about the eternal seva of such elevated personalities,and how our guru varga is connected to that mood through Srila Rupa Gosvami is something you will have to search your own heart for as to why.

 

Srila Maharaja recently held large pandals in Delhi and his preaching encouraged everyone present. He never mentioned manjari bhava to that audience. He is quite capable of adjusting his pravachan according to time and circumstance.

Anyway he doesn't have to answer to you, but to his own gurudeva, Srila Bhakti Prajnan Kesava Gosvami Maharaja.

FYI, many member of other missions in the gaudiya community, Srila Bhakti Kumud Santa Maharaja, Srila Promod Puri Maharaja, Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Maharaja to mention only a few, except perhaps yourself and the iskcon gbc, have had a positive reaction to both Srila Narayana Maharaja's books and preaching mission. The iskcon gbc also objected to Srila Gour Govinda Maharaja's frequent presentations about madanakya mahabhava, why Ramanada Raya fainted etc. We don't really worry about their or your opinion.

 

[Guest guest]

Hearing from A Rasika Acarya?

BY DHRSTADYUMNA DAS aka Sripad Bhakti Sar Maharaja

http://bvml.org/contemporary/hfara.htm

 

[Guest guest]

THE APPEARANCE DAY OF

SRILA BHAKTI PRAMODA PURI GOSVAMI MAHARAJA

OCT. 20, 2001

 

By Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja

 

Srila Bhakti Pramoda Puri Gosvami Maharaja

 

All glories to Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga

 

The following is a holy puspanjali at the lotus feet of Parampujyapada astottarasata Sri Srimad Bhakti Pramoda Puri Gosvami Maharaja in his divine remembrance:

 

In November of 1946, I left my home and came to Sri Devananda Gaudiya Matha in Sri Dhama Navadvipa. After a short time, in 1947, at the end of Sri Navadvipa Dhama Parikrama which was held on the occasion of the divine appearance of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, I took shelter at the lotus feet of my most beloved om visnupada astottarasata Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja. He made my life successful by initiating me with harinama and diksa. After celebrating the holy festival of Gaura Purnima and Sri Dhama Parikrama, I accompanied Gurudeva to one of the branches of Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti, namely Sri Uddharana Gaudiya Matha in Chinchurah.

 

It was there, at Sri Uddharana Gaudiya Matha, that I had darsana of Parampujyapada astottarasata Sri Srimad Bhakti Pramoda Puri Gosvami's lotus feet for the first time. He had already accepted the renounced order on March 3, 1947 at Sri Gaura-Gadadhara Matha, Campahatti, from nitya-lila pravista om visnupada astottarasata Srila Bhakti Gaurava Vaikhanas Maharaja, one of the prominent sannyasa disciples of jagad-guru Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada.

 

I was very impressed by his darsana, and my most beloved Gurudeva, Sri Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, engaged me in his service. Every day I used to go with him to take bath in the Ganges nearby, carrying his outer garment, kaupin and kamandalu (water pot). After bathing I carried his wet clothes and kamandalu, now filled with water, back to our Matha, and then I fed him prasadam. Moreover, I obeyed the many instructions he used to kindly give me on various occasions. I submissively put so many questions (pariprasnena) before him, and he used to reply all my inquiries with great affection.

 

During our discussions in those days, he used to tell me some things about his life history. His name was previously Pramoda Bhusana. His parents were religious and from brahmana (Cakravarti) caste. He took birth on October 8, 1898 in the village of Gangananda Pura in the district of Jessore, in the present-day Bangladesa. From his very childhood he was fond of hari-kirtana. He felt so much pleasure in hearing hari-kirtana that sometimes he would become forgetful of his bodily condition.

 

During his student life he met a Gaudiya Vaisnava named Sri Bhaktiratnakara Thakura. Sri Bhaktiratnakara Thakura was the first person to introduce him to the books of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. After receiving the books he studied them thoroughly, and then he began to read Sri Caitanya Caritamrta in the association of that Vaisnava.

 

After completing his B.Sc. degree at Calcutta University, he wanted to continue his education, but the burden of maintaining his family fell on his shoulders. He unwillingly left his studies and accepted employment at the Post Commission in Calcutta. It was during that period that he met jagad-guru nitya-lila pravista om visnupada Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada and was deeply influenced by hearing his powerful hari-katha. In 1923, on the auspicious occasion of Sri Krsna Janmastami, he received diksa from Srila Prabhupada at Uttadanga Gaudiya Matha and was given the name Sri Pranavananda Brahmacari.

 

Srila Prabhupada was immensely satisfied by his steadiness, full surrender, loving service endowed with bhava, and especially his art of writing. Therefore he was given the responsibility to manage sankirtana, preaching, hari-katha, brhad-mrdanga, the Dainika Nadia Prakasa, and the writing of articles for Sri Gaudiya Matha's journals. For the service of the brhad-mrdanga, he stayed at different places such as Calcutta, Krsna Nagar, and Mayapura. For the sake of preaching gaura-vani, the message of Gaurasundara, he traveled not only throughout Bengal, but also to so many different places throughout India, and he met with great success. He sometimes traveled with Srila Prabhupada and sometimes with the senior intimate sannyasa disciples of Srila Prabhupada. In this way he served his Gurudeva by internal, mano'bhista seva, fulfilling his innermost cherished desires.

 

After the disappearance of Srila Prabhupada, Srila Bhakti Pramoda Puri Gosvami Maharaja stayed for a few months with my beloved Gurupadapadma Sri Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, Srila Bhakti Dayita Madhava Gosvami Maharaja, Srila Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Gosvami Maharaja, and other god-brothers. I had a wonderful opportunity to serve him and hear his hari-katha during that period. He had so much affection for me that he used to consider me his disciple, and I used to respect him as I respected my Gurudeva. On numerous occasions he blessed me with abundant kindness.

 

Once, when we were at Chinchurah Matha, we went together for bathing in the Ganga. I was carrying his cloth and water-pot, and also my own lota (cup) that I still had from my purvasrama (previous home life). I put them down on the ghata and we both entered the water of Bhagavati Bhagirathi for bathing. After bathing I found that my lota was gone. It had been carried away by the waves of the Ganga, which was very near the ocean at that place. Pujyacarana Puri Maharaja smiled and said, "You left your home, family, wife, son and wealth to become an akincana-vaisnava, so what need is there to be attached to a lota?" I was also smiling. Taking his wet clothes and water-pot, we returned to the matha. As long as he was present, every time we met he used to remind me of this pastime, and I also cannot forget the mercy he showed to me throughout my life.

 

After a long time, Prapujya-carana Srila Puri Gosvami Maharaja was given the responsibility of serving the Deity of Sri Ananta Vasudeva of Kalna. The King of Vardhman was unable to serve this Deity. When he observed the pure disposition and devotion of Srila Puri Gosvami Maharaja, he was immensely impressed and offered the service of Ananta Vasudeva to him. Later, he took charge of the temple along with his disciples. I also went to have his darsana there many times at Kalna.

 

I always saw him busy in writing. His pen never stopped. He used to spend every moment in writing articles about suddha-bhakti, whenever a chance came after completing his fixed number of rounds of harinama, serving the Deity, and studying the sastras. He also used to submit many articles to the journals of different Gaudiya Mathas. Especially, he was the editor-in-chief of "Sri Caitanya Vani", the journal of Srila Bhakti Dayita Madhava Gosvami Maharaja's Matha.

 

In the last years of his life, he stayed in Sridhama Mayapura, where he established Sri Gopinatha Gaudiya Matha at Isodyana. In the last stage of his life he stayed at Bankim Muhana Cakratirtha in Sri Purusottama Dhama. Finally, he entered into nitya-lila on November 22nd 1999 at 2.07 am.

 

Whenever I used to go to Sridhama Vrndavana, Sridhama Mayapura or Calcutta, I had the good fortune to have darsana of his lotus feet. At that time I used to present to him whatever new publications we had produced from our Matha in the Hindi language such as Jaiva Dharma, Caitanya Siksamrta, the Teachings of Sriman Mahaprabhu, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura's Bindu, Kirana and Kana, Upadesamrta, Manah Siksa, Raga Vartma Candrika and also some English publications. He was delighted to receive all these books from me, and in return he inspired and instructed me to publish more books of Gaudiya Vaisnava siddhanta. Whenever we would meet he would ask, "What new publications are coming in Hindi?"

 

He was present to pacify us at the time our beloved Gurudeva entered into nitya-lila and also when the Samadhi Mandira was established at Sri Devananda Gaudiya Matha. During his visit, he told us with a melting heart, "Vinoda Da (Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja) was very affectionate to us. Whenever we knew that Vinoda Da was not in Mayapura, we would also cancel our scheduled program to visit Mayapura." He said that there was no one as warmly affectionate as Vinoda Da.

 

So Srila Puri Gosvami Maharaja was fully surrendered and one of the internal associates of Srila Prabhupada. At the time of performing kirtana and giving lectures he would close his eyes, which were brimming with tears, being incessantly immersed in the bhava of bhakti. He would express such deep realizations while discussing bhakti-tattva and rasa-tattva that his whole audience would be enchanted. He was the embodiment of Sriman Mahaprabhu's verse, "trnad api sunicena". He was a parama-bhagavata and guna-grahi (deeply appreciative of others' merit). Until this very day, I never saw him criticize anyone, and he even used to give inspiration and respect to this insignificant person who is thoroughly bereft of bhakti.

 

I always saw him walking with his danda, traveling barefoot in Navadvipa Dhama and eighty-four krosa Vraja Mandala Parikrama. Even in his advanced age, I saw him doing parikrama, without eating and drinking, always singing kirtanas and speaking hari-katha.

 

I went to see him almost one month and fifteen days prior to his divine disappearance. At that time he was not speaking at all and he kept his eyes closed. I caught hold of his lotus feet and said, "I am your most insignificant servant, Narayana Maharaja." Upon hearing this, he caught both of my hands in his and gave me his blessings. Then he ordered his servants to give me prasadam. I do not know if he spoke to anyone else again after that moment. He entered into nitya-lila at the age of 101 years.

 

He was expert in all siddhanta and a pure devotee in the line of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada, and I felt so much inspiration from his blessings and instructions. Now, after his entrance into the divine aprakata-lila, I am bereft of the touch of that hand which used to confer upon me profuse blessings and inspiration, and thus I feel a profound sadness in his absence.

 

In this way I am offering sri sri puspanjali at the lotus feet of such a parama-niscincana mahabhagavata, Sri Sri Bhakti Pramoda Puri Gosvami Maharaja. May he be pleased to shower his causeless mercy upon me.

 

 

 

Vaisnava krpalesaprarthi, Tridandisvami Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja

 

[Guest guest]

Hearing from A Rasika Acarya?

BY DHRSTADYUMNA DAS aka Sripad Bhakti Sar Maharaja

http://bvml.org/contemporary/hfara.htm

 

This is an amazingly brilliant refutation of apasiddhanta. Thankyou for posting this.

 

Major Tom

[Guest guest]

SRIMAD BHAGAVAD-GITA

The Hidden Treasure of the Sweet Absolute

by

Om Visnupada Paramahamsa Parivrajakacharya-varya

Sarva-sastra-siddhanta-vit Astottara-sata-sri

Srimad Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Goswami Maharaja

 

Rendered into English by

Tridandi Bhiksu Sripad Sagar Maharaj

Assisted by Sripad Nimai Sundar Brahmachari

and Sripad Jagadananda Adhikari

 

Chapter 10

 

8) I am Krsna, the Sweet Absolute, I am the root cause of the all comprehensive aspect of the Absolute, the all-permeating aspect of the Absolute, and also the personal aspect of the Absolute the Master of all potencies, who commands the respect of everyone Lord Narayana of Vaikuntha. The universe of mundane and divine flow, every attempt and movement, the Vedas and allied scriptures which guide everyone´s worship all are initiated by Me alone. Realizing this hidden treasure, the virtuous souls who are blessed with fine theistic intellect surpass the standards of duty and nonduty, and embrace the paramount path of love divine, raga-marga, and adore Me forever.

 

Commentary: Verses 8-11 are the four principal verses of the

Srimad Bhagavad-gita. The ontological substance of the book is contained within these four essential verses, beginning ahaµ sarvasya prabhavo "Everything emanates from Me."In the Srimad Bhagavatam (1.2.11), the three main conceptions of theAbsolute are given as Brahman, Paramatma, and Bhagavan. Brahman

is the all-comprehensive aspect of the Absolute, Paramatma is the allpermeating aspect of the Absolute, and Bhagavan is the personalconception of the Absolute. The general definition of the word Bhagavan is given,

aisvaryasya samagrasya, viryasya yasasah sriyah

jnana-vairagyayos caiva, sannam bhaga itingana

(Visnu Purana 6.5.47)

Bhagavan, the Supreme Lord, is thus defined as 'He who is

inseparably replete with the six inconceivable qualities of wealth, power fame, beauty, knowledge, and renunciation.' The characteristic of Bhagavan, as Lord Narayana, is that all kinds of potencies are personally controlled by Him. However, Srila Jiva Goswami has given a special and particularly fine interpretation: Bhagavan means bhajaniya guna-visis_a. His nature is such that whoever comes into contact with Him cannot resist serving Him. No one can resist feeling moved to worship and adore His charming personality. As Lord Krsna, He attracts the love of

everyone. Therefore by the word sarvasya, Lord Krsna indicates, "I am svayam Bhagavan, the Supreme Lord Himself. I am the origin of not only Brahman, the all-comprehensive aspect, and Paramatma, the all permeating aspect. I am also the origin of the Master of all potencies, who commands the respect of everyone Lord Narayana of Vaikuntha." Matta sarva pravartate "Every attempt and movement begins from Me, including the methods by which everyone worships and serves Me in devotion."

 

nayam atma pravacanena labhyo

na medhaya na bahuna srutena

yam evaisa vrnute tena labhyas

tasyaisa atma vivrnute tanum svam

(Kathopanisad 1.2.23)

 

"The Lord cannot be known by copious logic, intelligence, or deep study of the scriptures. But He reveals Himself personally to the soul who, having become eager to engage in His devotional service, prays to Him for His mercy."In this way, mattaª sarvaµ pravartate "I am the first to reveal to the public, 'Worship Me in this way.' I appear as guru, and through him, I worship Myself." In the Srimad Bhagavatam, the guru is described by the Lord as His own direct manifestation.

 

acaryam mam vijaniyan, navamanyeta karhicit

na martya buddhyasuyeta, sarva deva-mayo guruh

(Bhag. 11.17.27)

(Lord Krsna said to His devotee, Uddhava:) "You should know the bona fide spiritual master as My very Self. Never dishonor him. The nature of gurudeva is everything that is godly, and he should never be envied by ascribing one´s mundane conception of place, time, and circumstances upon him." Furthermore, the Lord's finest potency is Srimati Radharani. Of course, there are many other eternal associates, but the highest order of devotional service is represented in Srimati Radharani. The Lord is therefore saying, "My worship is shown by Me. I, as My finest potency, worship Myself. Iti matva bhajante mam understanding this conception, the devotee will come to worship Me, always under the direction of My best worshiper My finest potency and representation Radharani, or gurudeva. Crossing Her, the highest and most desirable form of service to Me is not possible." Radha-dasyam, the servitorship of Srimati Radharani, is indicated here. Only those who are blessed with divine intelligence will be able to appreciate this, and not persons with self-acquired intelligence from this mayika quarter, the world of misconception.

 

In this verse the word budhah refers to sumedhasah as described in the Srimad Bhagavatam (11.5.32): persons of fine theistic intelligence arising from direct connection with the transcendental plane. The inner guidance and direction they receive is the outcome of sukrti, divine

merit acquired by the association of pure devotees. Bhava-samanvitahmeans raga-samanvitah - anuraga - love and attraction which is affinity not by strictly following scriptural rules, or drawn from any plane of loss and gain, but from bhava, inner divine inspiration. Devotion of this high type is completely noncalculative (jnana-sunya bhakti), as described by Srila Rupa Goswami in Sri Bhakti-rasamrtasindhu:

 

anyabhilasita sunyam, jnana-karmady anavrtam

anukulyena krsnanusilanam bhaktir uttama

(B.r.s. 1.1.9)

"The highest devotion pleases the transcendental desires of Lord Krsna, and is free from the external coverings of any pursuits based on action or knowledge."

 

The most rare and elevated stage of devotion is the line of spontaneous devotion, known as raga-marga. In that line, guided by the qualified guru, an elevated pure devotee may gradually come to render service to a leader of one of the groups of Krsna's personal associates, who serve the Lord in His pastimes in friendship (sakhyarasa), parenthood (vatsalya-rasa), or consorthood (madhura-rasa). In Vrndavana, the Lord is being served in sponaneous devotion by His friends such as Subala Sakha, and by His parents, Nanda Maharaja and mother Yasoda. Gopis such as Lalita and Visakha serve Him in conjugal love. But amongst all His associates, and amongst all the gopis, the highest order of divine loving service is rendered to the Lord by Srimati Radharani. Therefore the acme of raga-marga is to render service unto Radharani (Radha-dasyam). This is the highest goal of the Rupanuga Gaudiya Sampradaya, the followers of pure devotion as taught by Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhupada, in the line of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

***************

 

I'll post the next 3 verses and commentaries later today.

[Guest guest]

Puru Das wrote:

 

"What does self realization mean? It is not something abstract, but an eternal truth, that will be revealed to the sadhaka when he realizes the ista deva of his guru gayatri mantra, and the istadeva of the kama gayatri mantra Then he can chant the suddha nama maha mantra."

 

Hilarious stuff. No...Really funny stuff.

 

Self realization has nothing to do with gayatri mantras, it has to do with divya jnana and Krishna's desire for you.

 

Lord Kapila explains Self Realization in the 3rd canto of the Srimad Bhagavata Purana

 

 

The Personality of Godhead, Kapila, continued: My dear mother, now I shall describe unto you the different categories of the Absolute Truth, knowing which any person can be released from the influence of the modes of material nature.

 

Knowledge is the ultimate perfection of self-realization. I shall explain that knowledge unto you by which the knots of attachment to the material world are cut.

 

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the Supreme Soul, and He has no beginning. He is transcendental to the material modes of nature and beyond the existence of this material world. He is perceivable everywhere because He is self-effulgent, and by His self-effulgent luster the entire creation is maintained.

 

The material ego springs up from the mahat-tattva, which evolved from the Lord's own energy. The material ego is endowed predominantly with active power of three kinds — good, passionate and ignorant. It is from these three types of material ego that the mind, the senses of perception, the organs of action, and the gross elements evolve.

 

 

Very interesting, the gross elements and the senses and the mind evolve from the Ahankara, the material or false ego, what does this mean ? It means that this material world is a product of our vision and understanding, in reality everything is God. It is through misidentifying everything that the material world evolves from our false idea of it, in other words the material world exists because we think it does. We see the world as separate objects, in reality everything is fully God. Our senses, our mind, our body, matter, all is God, but our false identifying of these things create the material world, when we stop this false identifying then we live in the spiritual world, same place, different vision.

 

 

More from Kapiladeva

 

The threefold ahankara, the source of the gross elements, the senses and the mind, is identical with them because it is their cause. It is known by the name of Sankarsana, who is directly Lord Ananta with a thousand heads.

 

 

The false ego is identical with the material world because it is in fact causing at every moment the "material world", but in fact, even that is God as well.

 

 

Kapiladeva continues

 

This false ego is characterized as the doer, as an instrument and as an effect. It is further characterized as serene, active or dull according to how it is influenced by the modes of goodness, passion and ignorance.

 

From the false ego of goodness, another transformation takes place. From this evolves the mind, whose thoughts and reflections give rise to desire.

 

The mind of the living entity is known by the name of Lord Aniruddha, the supreme ruler of the senses. He possesses a bluish-black form resembling a lotus flower growing in the autumn. He is found slowly by the yogis.

 

 

We are not the mind, the mind is actually God, that truth is learned slowly, we must stop identifying our SELF with the mind.

 

 

 

 

More from Kapiladeva

 

Therefore, through devotion, detachment and advancement in spiritual knowledge acquired through concentrated devotional service, one should contemplate that Supersoul as present in this very body although simultaneously apart from it.

 

A liberated soul realizes the Absolute Personality of Godhead, who is transcendental and who is manifest as a reflection even in the false ego. He is the support of the material cause and He enters into everything. He is absolute, one without a second, and He is the eyes of the illusory energy.

 

The presence of the Supreme Lord can be realized just as the sun is realized first as a reflection on water, and again as a second reflection on the wall of a room, although the sun itself is situated in the sky.

 

My devotee actually becomes self-realized by My unlimited causeless mercy, and thus, when freed from all doubts, he steadily progresses towards his destined abode, which is directly under the protection of My spiritual energy of unadulterated bliss. That is the ultimate perfectional goal of the living entity. After giving up the present material body, the mystic devotee goes to that transcendental abode and never comes back.

 

When the mind is thus completely freed from all material contamination and detached from material objectives, it is just like the flame of a lamp. At that time the mind is actually dovetailed with that of the Supreme Lord and is experienced as one with Him because it is freed from the interactive flow of the material qualities.

 

Thus situated in the highest transcendental stage, the mind ceases from all material reaction and becomes situated in its own glory, transcendental to all material conceptions of happiness and distress. At that time the yogi realizes the truth of his relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He discovers that pleasure and pain as well as their interactions, which he attributed to his own self, are actually due to the false ego, which is a product of ignorance.

 

The blazing fire is different from the flames, from the sparks and from the smoke, although all are intimately connected because they are born from the same blazing wood.

 

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is known as Parambrahma, is the seer. He is different from the jiva soul, or individual living entity, who is combined with the senses, the five elements and consciousness.

 

A yogi should see the same soul in all manifestations, for all that exists is a manifestation of different energies of the Supreme. In this way the devotee should see all living entities without distinction. That is realization of the Supreme Soul.

 

As fire is exhibited in different forms of wood, so, under different conditions of the modes of material nature, the pure spirit soul manifests itself in different bodies.

 

Thus the yogi can be in the self-realized position after conquering the insurmountable spell of maya, who presents herself as both the cause and effect of this material manifestation and is therefore very difficult to understand.

 

As the chariot of air carries an aroma from its source and immediately catches the sense of smell, similarly, one who constantly engages in devotional service, in Krsna consciousness, can catch the Supreme Soul, who is equally present everywhere.

 

I am present in every living entity as the Supersoul. If someone neglects or disregards that Supersoul everywhere and engages himself in the worship of the Deity in the temple, that is simple imitation.

 

One who worships the Deity of Godhead in the temples but does not know that the Supreme Lord, as Paramatma is situated in every living entity's heart, must be in ignorance and is compared to one who offers oblations into the ashes.

 

One who offers Me respect but is envious of the bodies of others and is therefore a separatist never attains peace of mind, because of his inimical behaviour towards other living entities.

 

My dear mother, even if he worships with proper rituals and paraphernalia, a person who is ignorant of My presence in all living entities never pleases Me by the worship of My Deities in the temple.

 

Performing his prescribed duties, one should worship the Deity of the Supreme Personality of Godhead until one realises My presence in his own heart and in the hearts of all other living entities as well.

 

As the blazing fire of death, I cause great fear to whoever makes the least discrimination between himself and other living entities because of a differential outlook.

 

Therefore, through charitable gifts and attention, as well as through friendly behaviour and by viewing all to be alike, one should propitiate Me, who abide in all creatures as their very self.

 

 

 

Here also in the 11 canto Krishna gives instructions on becoming self realized:

 

 

An enlightened person who is free from the contamination of material desire does not consider himself to be the performer of bodily activities; rather, he knows that in all such activities it is only the senses, born of the modes of nature, that are contacting sense objects born of the same modes of nature.

 

An unintelligent person situated within the body created by his previous fruitive activities thinks, "I am the performer of action." Bewildered by false ego, such a foolish person is therefore bound up by fruitive activities, which are in fact carried out by the modes of nature.

 

Although the sky, or space, is the resting place of everything, the sky does not mix with anything, nor is it entangled. Similarly, the sun is not at all attached to the water in which it is reflected within innumerable reservoirs, and the mighty wind blowing everywhere is not affected by the innumerable aromas and atmospheres through which it passes. In the same way, a self-realized soul is completely detached from the material body and the material world around it. He is like a person who has awakened and arisen from a dream. With expert vision sharpened by detachment, the self-realized soul cuts all doubts to pieces through knowledge of the self and completely withdraws his consciousness from the expansion of material variety.

 

Sometimes for no apparent reason one's body is attacked by cruel people or violent animals. At other times and in other places, one will suddenly be offered great respect or worship. One who becomes neither angry when attacked nor satisfied when worshiped is actually intelligent.

 

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Uddhava, the Supreme Lord gives life to every living being and is situated within the heart along with the life air and primal sound vibration. The Lord can be perceived in His subtle form within the heart by one's mind, since the Lord controls the minds of everyone, even great demigods like Lord Siva. The Supreme Lord also assumes a gross form as the various sounds of the Vedas, composed of short and long vowels and consonants of different intonations.

 

The material body certainly moves under the control of supreme destiny and therefore must continue to live along with the senses and vital air as long as one's karma is in effect. A self-realized soul, however, who is awakened to the absolute reality and who is thus highly situated in the perfect stage of yoga, will never again surrender to the material body and its manifold manifestations, knowing it to be just like a body visualized in a dream.

 

All results of fruitive work have been arranged within this world by Me, the supreme creator acting as the force of time. Thus one sometimes rises up toward the surface of this mighty river of the modes of nature and sometimes again submerges.

 

A person exhibiting qualities such as self-control is understood to be predominantly in the mode of goodness. Similarly, a passionate person is recognized by his lust, and one in ignorance is recognized by qualities such as anger.

 

The Supersoul alone is the ultimate controller and creator of this world, and thus He alone is also the created. Similarly, the Soul of all existence Himself both maintains and is maintained, withdraws and is withdrawn. No other entity can be properly ascertained as separate from Him, the Supreme Soul, who nonetheless is distinct from everything and everyone else. The appearance of the threefold material nature, which is perceived within Him, has no actual basis. Rather, you should understand that this material nature, composed of the three modes, is simply the product of His illusory potency.

 

Real spiritual knowledge is based on the discrimination of spirit from matter, and it is cultivated by scriptural evidence, austerity, direct perception, reception of the Puranas' historical narrations, and logical inference. The Absolute Truth, which alone was present before the creation of the universe and which alone will remain after its destruction, is also the time factor and the ultimate cause. Even in the middle stage of this creation's existence, the Absolute Truth alone is the actual reality.

 

 

Within this world, whatever is perceived by the mind, speech, eyes or other senses is Me alone and nothing besides Me. All of you please understand this by a straightforward analysis of the facts.

 

According to My instructions, one should fix the mind on Me alone. If, however, one continues to see many different values and goals in life rather than seeing everything within Me, then although apparently awake, one is actually dreaming due to incomplete knowledge, just as one may dream that one has wakened from a dream.

 

Those states of existence that are conceived of as separate from the Supreme Personality of Godhead have no actual existence, although they create a sense of separation from the Absolute Truth. Just as the seer of a dream imagines many different activities and rewards, similarly, because of the sense of an existence separate from the Lord's existence, the living entity falsely performs fruitive activities, thinking them to be the cause of future rewards and destinations.

 

 

[Guest guest]

 

 

 

 

 

TEXT Ten

 

karmibhyah parito hareh priyataya vyaktim yayur jnaninas

tebhyo jnana-vimukta-bhakti-paramah premaika-nisthas tatah

tebhyas tah pasu-pala-pankaja-drsas tabhyo 'pi sa radhika

prestha tadvad iyam tadiya-sarasi tam nasrayet kah krti

 

SYNONYMS

 

karmibhyah--than all fruitive workers; paritah--in all respects; hareh--by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; priyataya--because of being favored; vyaktim yayuh--it is said in the sastra; jnaninah--those advanced in knowledge; tebhyah--superior to them; jnana-vimukta--liberated by knowledge; bhakti-paramah--those engaged in devotional service; prema-eka-nisthah--those who have attained pure love of God; tatah--superior to them; tebhyah--better than them; tah--they; pasu-pala-pankaja-drsah--the gopis who are always dependent on Krsna, the cowherd boy; tabhyah--above all of them; api--certainly; sa--She; radhika--Srimati Radhika; prestha--very dear; tadvat--similarly; iyam--this; tadiya-sarasi--Her lake, Sri Radha-kunda; tam--Radha-kunda; na--not; asrayet--would take shelter of; kah--who; krti--most fortunate.

 

TRANSLATION

 

In the sastra it is said that of all types of fruitive workers, he who is advanced in knowledge of the higher values of life is favored by the Supreme Lord Hari. Out of many such people who are advanced in knowledge [jnanis], one who is practically liberated by virtue of his knowledge may take to devotional service. He is superior to the others. However, one who has actually attained prema, pure love of Krsna, is superior to him. The gopis are exalted above all the advanced devotees because they are always totally dependent upon Sri Krsna, the transcendental cowherd boy. Among the gopis, Srimati Radharani is the most dear to Krsna. Her kunda [lake] is as profoundly dear to Lord Krsna as this most beloved of the gopis. Who, then, will not reside at Radha-kunda and, in a spiritual body surcharged with ecstatic devotional feelings [aprakrtabhava], render loving service to the divine couple Sri Sri Radha-Govinda, who perform Their astakaliya-lila, Their eternal eightfold daily pastimes. Indeed, those who execute devotional service on the banks of Radha-kunda are the most fortunate people in the universe.

 

PURPORT

 

At the present moment almost everyone is engaged in some kind of fruitive activity. Those who are desirous of gaining material profits by working are called karmis, or fruitive workers. All living entities within this material world have come under the spell of maya. This is described in the Visnu Purana (6.7.61):

 

visnu-saktih para prokta

ksetrajnakhya tatha para

avidya-karma-samjnanya

trtiya saktir isyate

 

Sages have divided the energies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead into three categories--namely, the spiritual energy, marginal energy and material energy. The material energy is considered to be the third-class energy (trtiya saktih). Those living beings within the jurisdiction of the material energy sometimes engage themselves like dogs and hogs in working very hard simply for sense gratification. However, in this life, or, after executing pious activities, in the next life, some karmis become strongly attracted to performing various kinds of sacrifices mentioned in the Vedas. Thus on the strength of their pious merit, they are elevated to heavenly planets. Actually those who perform sacrifices strictly according to Vedic injunctions are elevated to the moon and planets above the moon. As mentioned in Bhagavad-gita (9.21), ksine punye martya-lokam visanti: after exhausting the results of their so-called pious activities, they again return to the earth, which is called martya-loka, the place of death. Although such persons may be elevated to the heavenly planets by their pious activities and although they may enjoy life there for many thousands of years, they nonetheless must return to this planet when the results of their pious activities are exhausted.

This is the position of all karmis, including those who act piously and those who act impiously. On this planet we find many businessmen, politicians and others who are simply interested in material happiness. They attempt to earn money by all means, not considering whether such means are pious or impious. Such people are called karmis, or gross materialists. Among the karmis are some vikarmis, people who act without the guidance of Vedic knowledge. Those who act on the basis of Vedic knowledge perform sacrifices for the satisfaction of Lord Visnu and to receive benedictions from Him. In this way they are elevated to higher planetary systems. Such karmis are superior to the vikarmis, for they are faithful to the directions of the Vedas and are certainly dear to Krsna. In Bhagavad-gita (4.11), Krsna says: ye yatha mam prapadyante tams tathaiva bhajamy aham. "In whatever way one surrenders unto Me, I reward him accordingly." Krsna is so kind that He fulfilled the desires of the karmis and jnanis, not to speak of the bhaktas. Although the karmis are sometimes elevated to higher planetary systems, as long as they remain attached to fruitive activities they must accept new material bodies after death. If one acts piously, he can attain a new body among the demigods in the higher planetary systems, or he may attain some other position in which he can enjoy a higher standard of material happiness. On the other hand, those who are engaged in impious activities are degraded and take birth as animals, trees and plants. Thus those fruitive actors who do not care for the Vedic directions (vikarmis) are not appreciated by learned saintly persons. As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (5.5.4):

 

nunam pramattah kurute vikarma

yad indriya-pritaya aprnoti

na sadhu manye yata atmano 'yam

asann api klesada asa dehah

 

"Materialists who work hard like dogs and hogs simply for sense gratification are actually mad. They simply perform all kinds of abominable activities simply for sense gratification. Materialistic activities are not at all worthy of an intelligent man, for as a result of such activities, one gets a material body, which is full of misery." The purpose of human life is to get out of the threefold miserable conditions, which are concomitant with material existence. Unfortunately, fruitive workers are mad to earn money and acquire temporary material comforts by all means; therefore they risk being degraded to lower species of life. Materialists foolishly make many plans to become happy in this material world. They do not stop to consider that they will live only for a certain number of years, out of which they must spend the major portion acquiring money for sense gratification. Ultimately such activities end in death. Materialists do not consider that after giving up the body they may become embodied as lower animals, plants or trees. Thus all their activities simply defeat the purpose of life. Not only are they born ignorant, but they act on the platform of ignorance, thinking that they are getting material benefits in the shape of skyscraper buildings, big cars, honorable positions and so on. The materialists do not know that in the next life they will be degraded and that all their activities simply serve as parabhava, their defeat. This is the verdict of Srimad-Bhagavatam (5.5.5): parabhavas tavad abodha jatah.

One should therefore be eager to understand the science of the soul (atma-tattva). Unless one comes to the platform of atma-tattva, by which one understands that the soul and not the body is oneself, one remains on the platform of ignorance. Out of thousands and even millions of ignorant people who are wasting their time simply gratifying their senses, one may come to the platform of knowledge and understand higher values of life. Such a person is called a jnani. The jnani knows that fruitive activities will bind him to material existence and cause him to transmigrate from one kind of body to another. As indicated in Srimad-Bhagavatam by the term sarira-bandha (bound to bodily existence), as long as one maintains any conception of sense enjoyment, his mind will be absorbed in karma, fruitive activity, and this will oblige him to transmigrate from one body to another.

Thus a jnani is considered superior to a karmi because he at least refrains from the blind activities of sense enjoyment. This is the verdict of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. However, although a jnani may be liberated from the ignorance of the karmis, unless he comes to the platform of devotional service he is still considered to be in ignorance (avidya). Although one may be accepted as a jnani, or one advanced in knowledge, his knowledge is considered impure because he has no information of devotional service and thus neglects the direct worship of the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

When a jnani takes to devotional service, he rapidly becomes superior to an ordinary jnani. Such an advanced person is described as jnana-vimukta-bhakti-parama. How a jnani takes to devotional service is mentioned in Bhagavad-gita (7.19), wherein Krsna says:

 

bahunam janmanam ante

jnanavan mam prapadyate

vasudevah sarvam iti

sa mahatma sudurlabhah

 

"After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare." Actually a person is wise when he surrenders unto the lotus feet of Krsna, but such a mahatma, great soul, is very rare.

After taking to devotional service under the regulative principles, a person may come to the platform of spontaneous love of Godhead, following in the footsteps of great devotees like Narada and Sanaka and Sanatana. The Supreme Personality of Godhead then recognizes him to be superior. The devotees who have developed love of Godhead are certainly in an exalted position.

Of all these devotees, the gopis are recognized as superior because they do not know anything other than satisfying Krsna. Nor do the gopis expect any return from Krsna. Indeed, sometimes Krsna puts them into extreme suffering by separating Himself from them. Nonetheless, they cannot forget Krsna. When Krsna left Vrndavana for Mathura, the gopis became most dejected and spent the rest of their lives simply crying in separation from Krsna. This means that in one sense they were never actually separated from Krsna. There is no difference between thinking of Krsna and associating with Him. Rather, vipralambha-seva, thinking of Krsna in separation, as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu did, is far better than serving Krsna directly. Thus of all the devotees who have developed unalloyed devotional love for Krsna, the gopis are most exalted, and out of all these exalted gopis, Srimati Radharani is the highest. No one can excel the devotional service of Srimati Radharani. Indeed, even Krsna cannot understand the attitude of Srimati Radharani; therefore He took Her position and appeared as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, just to understand Her transcendental feelings.

In this way Srila Rupa Gosvami gradually concludes that Srimati Radharani is the most exalted devotee of Krsna and that Her kunda (lake), Sri Radha-kunda, is the most exalted place. This is verified in a quotation from Laghu-bhagavatamrta (Uttara-khanda 45), as quoted in Caitanya-caritamrta:

 

yatha radha priya visnos

tasyah kundam priyam tatha

sarva-gopisu saivaika

visnor atyanta-vallabha

 

"Just as Srimati Radharani is dear to the Supreme Lord Krsna [Visnu], so Her bathing place [Radha-kunda] is equally dear to Krsna. Among all the gopis, She alone stands supreme as the Lord's most beloved."

Therefore everyone interested in Krsna consciousness should ultimately take shelter of Radha-kunda and execute devotional service there throughout one's life. This is the conclusion of Rupa Gosvami in the tenth verse of Upadesamrta.

 

TEXT ELEVEN

 

TEXT

 

krsnasyoccaih pranaya-vasatih preyasibhyo 'pi radha

kundam casya munibhir abhitas tadrg eva vyadhayi

yat presthair apy alam asulabham kim punar bhakti-bhajam

tat premedam sakrd api sarah snatur aviskaroti

 

SYNONYMS

 

krsnasya--of Lord Sri Krsna; uccaih--very highly; pranaya-vasatih--object of love; preyasibhyah--out of the many lovable gopis; api--certainly; radha--Srimati Radharani; kundam--lake; ca--also; asyah--of Her; munibhih--by great sages; abhitah--in all respects; tadrk eva--similarly; vyadhayi--is described; yat--which; presthaih--by the most advanced devotees; api--even; alam--enough; asulabham--difficult to obtain; kim--what; punah--again; bhakti-bhajam--for persons engaged in devotional service; tat--that; prema--love of Godhead; idam--this; sakrt--once; api--even; sarah--lake; snatuh--of one who has bathed; aviskaroti--arouses.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Of the many objects of favored delight and of all the lovable damsels of Vrajabhumi, Srimati Radharani is certainly the most treasured object of Krsna's love. And, in every respect, Her divine kunda is described by great sages as similarly dear to Him. Undoubtedly Radha-kunda is very rarely attained even by the great devotees; therefore it is even more difficult for ordinary devotees to attain. If one simply bathes once within those holy waters, one's pure love of Krsna is fully aroused.

 

PURPORT

 

Why is Radha-kunda so exalted? The lake is so exalted because it belongs to Srimati Radharani, who is the most beloved object of Sri Krsna. Among all the gopis, She is the most beloved. Similarly, Her lake, Sri Radha-kunda, is also described by great sages as the lake that is as dear to Krsna as Radha Herself. Indeed, Krsna's love for Radha-kunda and Srimati Radharani is the same in all respects. Radha-kunda is very rarely attained, even by great personalities fully engaged in devotional service, not to speak of ordinary devotees who are only engaged in the practice of vaidhi bhakti.

It is stated that a devotee will at once develop pure love of Krsna in the wake of the gopis if he once takes a bath in Radha-kunda. Srila Rupa Gosvami recommends that even if one cannot live permanently on the banks of Radha-kunda, he should at least take a bath in the lake as many times as possible. This is a most important item in the execution of devotional service. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura writes in this connection that Sri Radha-kunda is the most select place for those interested in advancing their devotional service in the wake of the lady friends (sakhis) and confidential serving maids (manjaris) of Srimati Radharani. Living entities who are eager to return home to the transcendental kingdom of God, Goloka Vrndavana, by means of attaining their spiritual bodies (siddha-deha) should live at Radha-kunda, take shelter of the confidential serving maids of Sri Radhaand under their direction engage constantly in Her service. This is the most exalted method for those engaged in devotional service under the protection of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. In this connection Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura writes that even great sages and great devotees like Narada and Sanaka do not get an opportunity to come to Radha-kunda to take their baths. What, then, to speak of ordinary devotees? If, by great fortune, one gets an opportunity to come to Radha-kunda and bathe even once, he can develop his transcendental love for Krsna, exactly as the gopis did. It is also recommended that one should live on the banks of Radha-kunda and should be absorbed in the loving service of the Lord. One should bathe there regularly and give up all material conceptions, taking shelter of Sri Radha and Her assistant gopis. If one is thus constantly engaged during his lifetime, after giving up the body he will return back to Godhead to serve Sri Radha in the same way as he contemplated during his life on the banks of Radha-kunda. The conclusion is that to live on the banks of the Radha-kunda and to bathe there daily constitute the highest perfection of devotional service. It is a difficult position to attain, even for great sages and devotees like Narada. Thus there is no limit to the glory of Sri Radha-kunda. By serving Radha-kunda, one can get an opportunity to become an assistant of Srimati Radharani under the eternal guidance of the gopis.

 

 

 

HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

[Guest guest]

The Absolute Necessity of Second Initiation

by Tridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja

 

Hilo, Hawaii: January 13, 2003

 

[srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja spent the week of January 11-17 in Hilo, Hawaii, enlightening his audience of two hundred fifty on the topics of guru-tattva and the gradual development of devotion for Sri Krsna. Meanwhile, as sometimes occurs, certain individuals, in an attempt to disinterest others from attending Srila Narayana Maharaja's classes, were engaged in passing out copies of a paper. This time the paper was written on the subject of the relative necessity of harinama initiation (first initiation) and diksa (second initiation). The paper tried its level best to prove that Srila Prabhupada Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja and Srila Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Maharaja have a different view on the subject than Srila Narayana Maharaja. If this were true, it would place Srila Narayana Maharaja outside the disciplic line of his predecessor acaryas. When Srila Narayana Maharaja became aware of this attempt to show a difference between them, he gave the following class and clearly showed that the three above-mentioned acaryas are exactly in the same line. They are all saying, in fact, that the acceptance of the diksa mantras is essential.]

 

[srila Narayana Maharaja:] In my classes I have been explaining the meaning of bhakti and I have explained how we can gradually achieve it, beginning from the smallest fraction of bhakti called sraddha. We discussed many points, among which was the necessity for guru-padasraya and diksa. In the meantime, a topic has arisen that I want to clarify. You should very carefully and seriously hear this very important subject matter. First Sripad Padmanabha Maharaja will present the argument and then I will reply it.

 

[sripad Padmanabha Maharaja:] There is a question concerning the relationship between gayatri-mantra (diksa) and harinama initiation. Some persons have presented quotes from Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and Srila Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Maharaja in order to present the idea, based upon their own understanding, that harinama is complete and sufficient in itself for the conditioned soul, and that initiation into the gayatri mantra is not actually required for him. I will read their quotations, and then Srila Maharaja will explain the conclusive philosophical understandings. First of all they quote Srila Prabhupada in a room conversation in 1973 in Paris, where he says, "Chanting the Hare-Krsna maha-mantra. Then, as he practices, he becomes more purified. Then second initiation – gayatri mantra. The first initiation, according to Jiva Gosvami, that is sufficient. Chanting the Hare Krsna mantra, that is sufficient. But still, to purify them more, the second initiation, gayatri, is given." That is one quote.

 

Then they quote Srila Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Maharaja in his book Sri Guru and his Grace. There he says, "We accept the mantra only to help the nama bhajana, the worship of the holy name. Otherwise it may not be necessary at all. It has been judged in such a way. The name alone can do everything for a person; it is full and complete. The gayatri mantra helps us to do away with the aparadhas (offenses) and the abhasa or hazy conception. The gayatri mantra comes to help us only so far."

 

With these two quotations these persons have attempted to support their statement that it is not actually completely essential or necessary for us conditioned souls to accept the gayatri mantra – diksa – because harinama is sufficient. They have also suggested that Srila Narayana Maharaja is saying something contrary to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Sridhar Maharaja. I am also reading the two statements they have quoted from Srila Narayana Maharaja. The first is from his book, Going Beyond Vaikuntha: "Without the gopala-mantra and the kama-gayatri, will our sadhana be complete with only the nama-sankirtana? No, because by nama-sankirtana alone we will not be able to chant suddha-nama, the pure name of Krsna." The second quotation they cited is from a lecture given by Srila Narayana Maharaja on the topic of Sri Bhajana Rahasya: "Everything is there, but don't think that we can realize all this by chanting krsna-nama alone. We must chant harinama and gayatri-mantra as well. If we want full understanding and realization of what is in the Hare Krsna mantra, we must also chant the gayatri mantras.

 

I want to request Srila Narayana Maharaja to kindly give the proper philosophical conclusions, so that everyone can understand clearly the position of gayatri-mantra initiation and harinama initiation, and their relationship.

 

[srila Narayana Maharaja:] I think you have all understood the argument; now you should try very carefully to understand the reply so that you can reconcile all the statements. Someone has presented the idea that the acceptance of diksa is not essential, and he has indirectly indicated the verse:

 

 

diksa-purascarya-vidhi apeksa na kare

jihva-sparse a-candala sabare uddhare

 

["One does not have to undergo initiation or execute the activities required before initiation. One simply has to vibrate the holy name with his lips. Thus, even a man in the lowest class [candala] can be delivered."]

The holy name is sufficient. The holy name is very powerful and can fulfill all desires. The name will even give vraja-prema. What, then, is the need of taking initiation? The paper has quoted my statement, along with the statement of Prapujya-carana Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Maharaja and Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja; so I want to reconcile all statements.

 

It is true that diksa-purascarya (initiation and the purificatory activities performed before initiation) is not needed in all circumstances; but we should know something about the actual meaning of this verse. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada has written a book of rules and regulations in deity worship called Arcana Dipika, and there he has explained that harinama is bhagavata-svarupa, the actual form of Krsna and Radha, and for this reason it is stated in Sri Siksastakam, "Param vijayate sri krsna-sankirtana." By chanting and remembering Krsna's names, all kinds of perfection — like vraja-prema and even radha-dasya (becoming a maid servant of Srimati Radhika) — can be attained. In the first stage, however, when a devotee is uttering the holy name he is full with many aparadhas, and also anarthas such as laya (sleep), viksepa (distraction), apratipatti (indifference or disinterest in spiritual topics), and so on. It is guaranteed that such a person cannot utter the pure name. Rather, his chanting will be nama-aparadha. Chanting the pure name is only possible after the diksa-samskara.

 

Srila Jiva Gosvami explains diksa in his Bhakti-sandarbha (283):

 

 

divyam jnanam yato dadyat kuryat papasya sanksayam

tasmat dikseti sa prokta desikais tattva-kovidaih

 

["Diksa is the process by which one can awaken his transcendental knowledge and vanquish all reactions caused by sinful activity. A person expert in the study of the revealed scriptures knows this process as diksa." (quoted in Sri Caitanya-caritamrta: Madhya 15. 108 purport)]

The gayatri-mantra gives all kinds of divya-jnana, transcendental knowledge, including the knowledge of krsna-tattva and jiva-tattva, and it also gives a relationship with Krsna. Nama alone will not give this relation to the person filled with anarthas. All of our acaryas, from top to bottom, have stated that in order to purify us from our sinful actions and to clear offenses (anartha-nrvrtti) so that we can develop the ability to chant the pure name, we must accept diksa-vidhana (the process of initiation). Di — ksa. Di means divya-jnana, or realized knowledge of our relationship with Krsna. Ksa is the washing away of all sins, aparadhas, and other impurities. For this, diksa-vidhana is essential. Without diksa-samskara, one's relationship with Krsna (sambandha-jnana) cannot manifest and one cannot chant suddha-nama. It is essential to accept diksa.

 

 

yatha kancanatam yati

kamsyam rasa-vidhanatah

tatha diksa-vidhanena

dvijatvam jayate nrnam

 

["As bell metal (a mixture of copper and tin) becomes gold by mixing with mercury, similarly, by the process of diksa, initiation, a person becomes a brahmana."( Sri Hari-bhakti-vilasa)]

Bell metal turns into gold by the help of the element mercury in an al-chemical process. Similarly, by this element, the process of diksa, our chanting of the holy name will become pure; otherwise it is not possible.

 

If there is no necessity to accept diksa-mantra, why did Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada take second initiation from Srila Gaurakisora dasa Babaji Maharaja, and why did he give diksa initiation to all of his disciples? Parama-pujyapada Srila Sridhara Gosvami Maharaja also took diksa from him. If there is no necessity, why did Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura give diksa initiation, and why did his disciples accept it?

 

Not only that, Brahma received kama-gayatri and Gopal-mantra from Krsna Himself. Brahma then gave the diksa-mantra to Sri Narada Rsi, and Narada gave it to so many disciples. Narada not only gave harinama to Dhruva Maharaja; he gave him diksa by the mantra: om namo bhagavate vasudevaya. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu took initiation from Sri Isvara Puripada, who first gave Him harinama, and to purify that chanting of nama, he gave Him Gopal-mantra. Gopal-mantra is transcendental and ever-existing, and it gives a relationship with Krsna as Gopijana-vallabha. We should consider all this evidence.

 

All the acaryas in our guru-parampara have accepted second initiation from a bona fide guru. Can those who say that harinama is sufficient for conditioned souls name any acarya in our guru-parampara who has not taken diksa initiation? Srila Gaurakisora dasa Babaji Maharaja, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, and the Six Gosvamis took second initiation, and Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada took it. Why did they take diksa initiation if it is not essential? You should know the gravity of this truth. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Nityananda Prabhu, Sri Advaita Acarya, Sri Gadadhara Pandita, Sri Isvara Puri, and Sri Madhavendra Puri have all taken diksa. Why, then, should we not take it? Why is it not essential? If it is not essential, then why did Sri Sanatana Gosvami write about it in his Sri Hari-bhakti-vilasa? Why did Sri Gopal Bhatta Gosvami also write about it? Did he say it was useless? Those who say that diksa is not essential will not be able to answer these questions in hundreds and millions of years.

 

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu took initiation even though he is the Lord of lords — Radha and Krsna combined — and yet He went to Gaya and took initiation. He vividly explained this fact in a gathering of sannyasis in Kasi when those sannyasis asked Him, "O, You are a very young and qualified sannyasi. Why do you not hear Vedanta? Why do you engage in singing and dancing and rolling on the ground? A sannyasi should not dance and do all these things." Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu replied by telling them of the order of His guru, Sri Isvara Puripada:

 

Mahaprabhu said, "Guru mora murkha dekhi — My Guru Maharaja told me that because I am foolish and unintelligent, I am not qualified to study Vedanta. He said that instead I should always chant Hare Krsna and I should remember this verse:

 

 

harer nama harer nama

harer namaiva kevalam

kalau nasty eva nasty eva

nasty eva gatir anyatha

(Caitanya Caritamrta Adi-lila 17.21)

 

["In this Age of Kali there is no other means, no other means, no other means for self-realization than chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name of Lord Hari."]

But Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu not only took harinama from His gurudeva; He also took second initiation through the Gopal-mantra. In our parampara, in order to purify one's chanting and to and give the chanter a relationship with Krsna who has kindly taken the form of His holy name, the Gopal-mantra is given along with harinama. Up until Caitanya Mahaprabhu's manifested pastimes only the Gopal-mantra was given. Later, Srila Dhyanacandra Gosvami and Srila Gopal-guru Gosvami gave the regulations we now follow. They gave brahma-gayatri, guru-mantra, guru-gayatri, gaura-mantra, gaura-gayatri, krsna-mantra (Gopal-mantra) and finally kama-gayatri. This is the process followed in our sampradaya as begun by Srila Gopal-guru Gosvami, who is a disciple of Vakresvara Pandita, who is an associate of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

Caitanya Mahaprabhu quoted His gurudeva saying, "Krsna-mantra japa sada — ei mantra-sara. You must always chant the holy name of Krsna. This is the essence of all mantras, or Vedic hymns."

 

 

krsna-mantra haite habe samsara-mocana

krsna-nama haite pabe krsnera carana

 

["Simply by chanting the holy name of Krsna one can obtain freedom from material existence. Indeed, simply by chanting the Hare Krsna mantra one will be able to see the lotus feet of the Lord."]

The offenseless chanting of the holy name does not depend on the initiation process. But that name must be the pure name, and how will it become so? It can only become pure through that diksa process; otherwise it is not possible. It is not that the holy name is not pure, but if a person is not a pure devotee he cannot chant the pure name. He can only chant syllables that sound like the name. He can only chant offenses to the name (nama-aparadha) or a shadow of the name (nama-abhasa). Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu chanted the pure name, and therefore He was able to tell His gurudeva:

 

 

kiba mantra dila, gosani, kiba tara bala

japite japite mantra karila pagala

 

["'My dear lord, what kind of mantra have you given Me? I have become mad simply by chanting this maha-mantra!'"(Caitanya-caritamrta Adi 7.81)]

Caitanya Mahaprabhu told the sannyasis, "You ask why I dance and sing and roll on the ground. Here is the reason: When My gurudeva initiated me, he gave me both the harinama mantra and the gopal mantra." Then He said, "japite japite mantra." If He had only received harinama, the maha-mantra, He would not have said the word "mantra"? Mantra especially refers to Gopal-mantra and kama-gayatri. He first received harinama and then gopal-mantra. "Japite japite mantra karila pagala — and this made Me mad. Krsna nama mantra — meaning gopal and maha mantra made Him "like a madman".

 

For those who always remember and meditate on the gopal-mantra and kama-gayatri, by the power of the mantra, rati (bhava-bhakti) will at once enter their hearts. It has been written in Caitanya-caritamrta: Antya-lila 4.192:

 

 

diksa-kale bhakta kare atma-samarpana

sei-kale krsna tare kare atma-sama

 

["At the time of initiation, when a devotee fully surrenders unto the service of the Lord, Krsna accepts him to be as good as Himself."]

First initiation is called harinama initiation only, and the second initiation is called diksa. Atma samarpana — at the time of diksa the disciple totally surrenders unto the feet of his gurudeva. Sei-kale. At that time Krsna gives the shelter of His lotus feet, and He makes that disciple atma-sama, very near and dear to Him.

 

According to the Vaisnava regulative principles, one must be initiated as a brahmana. As quoted in the Hari-bhakti-vilasa (2.6) from the Visnu-yamala, Lord Sankara says to his wife Parvati:

 

 

adiksitasya vamoru krtam sarvam nirarthakam

pasu-yonim avapnoti diksa-virahito janah

 

"O Vamaru — O beautiful Parvati. Regarding those who have not taken diksa, all their devotional activities, such as sadhana, bhajana, and puja, have all gone in vain. They are all useless. Such persons who are not properly initiated must again enter the many animals species."

In addition, it has been told that nama can give everything, including Krsna-prema, simply by touching the tongue. It is stated in Padyavali, a book compiled by Srila Rupa Gosvami:

 

 

akrstih krta-cetasam su-manasam uccatanam camhasam

acandalam amuka-loka-sulabho vasyas ca mukti-sriyah

no diksam na ca sat-kriyam na ca purascaryam manag iksate

mantro 'yam rasana-sprg eva phalati sri-krsna-namatmakah

 

["'The holy name of Lord Krsna is an attractive feature for many saintly, liberal people. It is the annihilator of all sinful reactions and is so powerful that, save for the dumb who cannot chant it, it is readily available to everyone, including the lowest type of man, the candala. The holy name of Krsna is the controller of the opulence of liberation, and it is identical with Krsna. When a person simply chants the holy name with his tongue, immediate effects are produced. Chanting the holy name does not depend on initiation, pious activities or the purascarya regulative principles generally observed before initiation. The holy name does not wait for any of these activities. It is self-sufficient.'"(quoted in Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya 15.110]

Can this occur if one's chanting is not pure? This is the question that has been raised here. Can this occur without diksa? In the Hari-bhakti-vilasa (17.4-5, 7) it is stated:

 

 

vina yena na siddhah syan mantro varsa-satair api

krtena yena labhate sadhako vanchitam phalam

purascarana-sampanno mantro hi phala-dhayakah

atah puraskriyam kuryat mantra-vit siddhi-kanksaya

puraskriya hi mantranam pradhanam viryam ucyate

virya-hino yatha dehi sarva-karmasu na ksamah

purascarana-hino hi tatha mantrah prakirtitah

 

["Without performing the purascarya activities, one cannot become perfect even by chanting this mantra for hundreds of years. But one who has undergone the purascarya-vidhi process can attain success very easily. If one wishes to perfect his initiation, he must first undergo the purascarya activities. The purascarya process is the life force by which one is successful in chanting the mantra. Without the life force, one cannot do anything; similarly, without the life force of purascarya-vidhi, no mantra can be perfected." (quoted in Srila Prabhupada's purport to Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya 15.108)]

Srila Jiva Gosvami has quoted a verse, in order to further dissolve any misunderstanding in this regard. In his Bhakti-sandarbha (283-84), Srila Jiva Gosvami describes the importance of Deity worship and initiation (diksa) as follows:

 

 

avasyakatvam nasti, tad vinapi saranapattyadinam ekatarenapi purusartha-siddher abhihitatvat, tathapi sri-naradadi-vartmanusaradbhih sri-bhagavata saha sambandha-visesam diksa-vidhanena sri-guru-carana-sampaditam cikirsadbhih krtayam diksayam arcanam avasyam kriyetaiva.

 

yadyapi svarupato nasti, tathapi prayah svabhavato dehadi-sambandhena kadarya-silanam viksipta-cittanam jananam tat-tat-sankoci-karanaya srimad-rsi-prabhrtibhir atrarcana-marge kvacit kvacit kacit kacin maryada sthapitasti.

 

["It is Srimad-Bhagavatam's opinion that the process of Deity worship is not actually necessary, just as the specific prescriptions of the Pancaratra and other scriptures do not have to be followed. The Bhagavatam enjoins that even without practicing Deity worship one can achieve the complete success of human life by any of the other devotional processes, such as simply offering oneself at the Lord's feet for His protection. Nonetheless Vaisnavas, following the path of Sri Narada and his successors, endeavor to establish a personal relationship with the Lord by receiving the grace of a bona fide spiritual master through initiation, and in this tradition the devotees are obliged at the time of initiation to begin engaging in Deity worship.

 

"Although Deity worship is not essential, the material conditioning of most candidates for devotional service requires that they engage in this activity. When we consider their bodily and mental conditions, we find that the character of such candidates is impure and their minds are agitated. Therefore, to rectify this material conditioning the great sage Narada and others have at different times recommended various kinds of regulations for Deity worship." (quoted in Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya 15.108 purport)]

Simply by the tongue touching the Krsna-mantra, that holy name gives all kinds of perfection, including krsna-dasya and radha dasya. But Srila Jiva Gosvami has written a very clear commentary to this verse, and you should note this down in your heart for continual remembrance. In his Bhakti-sandarbha (283) he has written:

 

 

dvijanam anupetanam svakarmadhyayanadisu

yathadhikaro nastiha syac copanayanad anu

tathatradiksitanam tu mantra-devarcanadisu

nadhikaro 'sty atah kuryad atmanam siva-samstutam

 

["Even though born in a brahmana family, one cannot engage in Vedic rituals without being initiated and having a sacred thread. Although born in a brahmana family, one becomes a brahmana only after initiation and the sacred thread ceremony. Unless one is initiated as a brahmana, one cannot worship the holy name properly." (quoted in Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya 15.108)] [see Endnote]

It is true that simply by touching the tongue krsna-nama can give everything, but the material tongue, the tongue of the conditioned soul cannot touch the transcendental holy name.

 

 

atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih

sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah

 

["With the material senses one cannot understand the transcendental holy name of the Lord or His form, activities and pastimes. But when one actually engages in devotional service, utilizing the tongue, the Lord is revealed." Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.2.234)]

Sri Narada Muni, and other previous acaryas like Brahma, Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatana, and Sanat Kumar, have all taken diksa. One receives diksa and then he performs his sadhana bhajana and worships his istadeva (worshipful deity), Radha and Krsna. Srila Jiva Gosvami has written that without diksa there will be no relationship with Krsna — neither, dasya, sakya, vatsalya nor madhurya. It will never be possible without diksa. In our sampradaya, sambandha-jnana comes only by uttering "gopijana-vallabhaya"; otherwise it cannot come.

 

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has written an explanation of this same verse, and therein he vividly explains that one may have given up all kinds of sadhana and pious activities. He may be chanting and remembering the holy names of Bhagavan and he may have determined that his Istadeva is Krsna. Still, if he has not taken initiation from a Vaisnava guru, thinking that it is not essential, he can never achieve Krsna. The only good result he achieves is that he will not go to hell. He cannot achieve the lotus feet of Krsna, in any life, until he is properly initiated. In a future life, by the fruit of his previous activities of bhajana, he will take birth in a very religious family and there he will have sadhu-sanga, guru padasraya, and then diksa. At that time he will make solid advancement in bhakti. This is the only way.

 

Also, Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami has written in the first verse of his Sri Manah-Siksa:

 

 

Gurau gosthe gostalayisu sujane bhusura-gane

sva-mantre sri -namni vraja-nava-yuva-dvandva-sarane

sada dambham hitva kuru ratim apurvam atitara-

maye svantar bhratas catubhir abhiyace dhrta-padah

 

["O my dear brother my foolish mind! Taking hold of your feet, I humbly pray to you with sweet words. Please give up all pride and quickly develop sublime and incessant rati for Sri Gurudeva, Sri Vraja-dhama, the residents of Vraja, the Vaisnavas, the brahmanas, my diksa-mantras, the holy names of the Supreme Lord, and the shelter of Kisora-Kisori, Sri Sri Radha-Krsna, the eternally youthful divine couple of Vraja."]

Why has he said "mantra" if diksa initiation is not necessary? Why he has not said only "Sri namni"? What is sva-mantra? There is some difference between mantra and harinama, and that is why he has told his mind, "You should develop sublime and unprecedented attachment for both. Take shelter of nama and mantra, and then your life will be successful." So there are two things – not one. Srila Raghunatha has written, '"Sada dambham hitva kuru ratim apurvam – O mind, you should give up your false pride and try to develop sublime and unprecedented attachment for both." His guru gave him mantra, and that is diksa.

 

We should now reconcile all these things.

 

[Endnote: The quote of Srila Prabhupada speaking in Paris in 1973, as quoted by Sripad Padmanabha Maharaja in the beginning of this lecture, refers to this verse of Srila Jiva Gosvami.]

 

Editorial Advisors: Pujapad Madhava Maharaja and Sripad Brajanath das

Editor: Syamarani dasi

Transcriber: Danvantari das

Typist: Anita dasi

 

 

[Guest guest]

TEXT 108

 

TEXT

 

diksa-purascarya-vidhi apeksa na kare

jihva-sparse a-candala sabare uddhare

 

SYNONYMS

 

diksa--initiation; purascarya--activities before initiation; vidhi--regulative principles; apeksa--reliance on; na--not; kare--does; jihva--the tongue; sparse--by touching; a-candala--even to the lowest of men, the candala; sabare--everyone; uddhare--delivers.

 

TRANSLATION

 

"One does not have to undergo initiation or execute the activities required before initiation. One simply has to vibrate the holy name with his lips. Thus even a man in the lowest class [candala] can be delivered.

 

PURPORT

 

Srila Jiva Gosvami explains diksa in his Bhakti-sandarbha (283):

 

divyam jnanam yato dadyat

kuryat papasya sanksayam

tasmad dikseti sa prokta

desikais tattva-kovidaih

 

"Diksa is the process by which one can awaken his transcendental knowledge and vanquish all reactions caused by sinful activity. A person expert in the study of the revealed scriptures knows this process as diksa." The regulative principles of diksa are explained in the Hari-bhakti-vilasa (2.3,4) and in Bhakti-sandarbha (283). As stated:

 

dvijanam anupetanam svakarmadhyayanadisu

yathadhikaro nastiha syac copanayanad anu

tathatradiksitanam tu mantra-devarcanadisu

nadhikaro 'sty atah kuryad atmanam siva-samstutam

 

"Even though born in a brahmana family, one cannot engage in Vedic rituals without being initiated and having a sacred thread. Although born in a brahmana family, one becomes a brahmana after initiation and the sacred thread ceremony. Unless one is initiated as a brahmana, he cannot worship the holy name properly."

According to the Vaisnava regulative principles, one must be initiated as a brahmana. The Hari-bhakti-vilasa (2.6) quotes the following injunction from the Visnu-yamala:

 

adiksitasya vamoru

krtam sarvam nirarthakam

pasu-yonim avapnoti

diksa-virahito janah

 

"Unless one is initiated by a bona fide spiritual master, all his devotional activities are useless. A person who is not properly initiated can descend again into the animal species."

Hari-bhakti-vilasa (2.10) further quotes:

 

ato gurum pranamyaivam

sarva-svam vinivedya ca

grhniyad vaisnavam mantram

diksa-purvam vidhanatah

 

"It is the duty of every human being to surrender to a bona fide spiritual master. Giving him everything-body, mind and intelligence-one must take a Vaisnava initiation from him."

The Bhakti-sandarbha (298) gives the following quotation from the Tattva-sagara:

 

yatha kancanatam yati

kasyam rasa-vidhanatah

tatha diksa-vidhanena

dvijatvam jayate nrnam

 

"By chemical manipulation, bell metal is turned into gold when touched by mercury; similarly, when a person is properly initiated, he can acquire the qualities of a brahmana."

The Hari-bhakti-vilasa (17.11,12) in discussing the purascarya process, quotes the following verses from Agastya-samhita:

 

puja traikaliki nityam

japas tarpanam eva ca

homo brahmana-bhuktis ca

purascaranam ucyate

 

guror labdhasya mantrasya

prasadena yatha-vidhi

pancangopasana-siddhyai

puras caitad vidhiyate

 

"In the morning, afternoon and evening, one should worship the Deity, chant the Hare Krsna mantra, offer oblations, perform a fire sacrifice, and feed the brahmanas. These five activities constitute purascarya. To attain full success when taking initiation from the spiritual master, one should first perform these purascarya processes."

The word purah means "before" and carya means "activities." Due to the necessity of these activities, we do not immediately initiate disciples in the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. For six months, a candidate for initiation must first attend arati and classes in the sastras, practice the regulative principles and associate with other devotees. When one is actually advanced in the purascarya-vidhi, he is recommended by the local temple president for initiation. It is not that anyone can be suddenly initiated without meeting the requirements. When one is further advanced by chanting the Hare Krsna mantra sixteen rounds daily, following the regulative principles and attending classes, he receives the sacred thread (brahminical recognition) after the second six months.

In the Hari-bhakti-vilasa (17.4,5,7) it is stated:

 

vina yena na siddhah syan

mantro varsa-satair api

krtena yena labhate

sadhako vanchitam phalam

 

purascarana-sampanno

mantro hi phala-dhayakah

atah puraskriyam kuryat

mantravit siddhi-kanksaya

 

puraskriya hi mantranam

pradhanam viryam ucyate

virya-hino yatha dehi

sarva-karmasu na ksamah

purascarana-hino hi

tatha mantrah prakirtitah

 

"Without performing the purascarya activities, one cannot become perfect even by chanting this mantra for hundreds of years. However, one who has undergone the purascarya-vidhi process can attain success very easily. If one wishes to perfect his initiation, he must first undergo the purascarya activities. The purascarya process is the life-force by which one is successful in chanting the mantra. Without the life-force, one cannot do anything; similarly, without the life force of purascarya-vidhi, no mantra can be perfected."

In his Bhakti-sandarbha (283), Srila Jiva Gosvami states:

 

yadyapi sri-bhagavata-mate pancaratradi-vat arcana-margasya avasyakatvam nasti, tad vinapi saranapattyadinam ekatarenapi purusartha-siddher abhihitatvat, tathapi sri-naradadi-vartmanusaradbhih sri-bhagavata saha sambandha-visesam diksa-vidhanena sri-guru-carana-sampaditam cikirsadbhih krtayam diksayam arcanam avasyam kriyetaiva.

 

Of similar importance is diksa, which is explained as follows in Bhakti-sandarbha (284):

 

yadyapi svarupato nasti, tathapi prayah svabhavato dehadi-sambandhena kardaya-silanam viksipta-cittanam jananam tat-tat-sankoci-karanaya srimad-rsi-prabhrtibhir atrarcana-marge kvacit kvacit kacit kacin maryada sthapitasti.

 

Similarly in the Ramarcana-candrika it is stated:

 

vinaiva diksam viprendra

purascaryam vinaiva hi

vinaiva nyasa-vidhina

japa-matrena siddhida

 

In other words, the chanting of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra is so powerful that it does not depend on official initiation, but if one is initiated and engages in pancaratra-vidhi (Deity worship), his Krsna consciousness will awaken very soon, and his identification with the material world will be vanquished. The more one is freed from material identification, the more one can realize that the spirit soul is qualitatively as good as the Supreme Soul. At such a time, when one is situated on the absolute platform, he can understand that the holy name of the Lord and the Lord Himself are identical. At that stage of realization, the holy name of the Lord, the Hare Krsna mantra, cannot be identified with any material sound. If one accepts the Hare Krsna maha-mantra as a material vibration, he falls down. One should worship and chant the holy name of the Lord by accepting it as the Lord Himself. One should therefore be initiated properly according to revealed scriptures under the direction of a bona fide spiritual master. Although chanting the holy name is good for both the conditioned and liberated soul, it is especially beneficial to the conditioned soul because by chanting it one is liberated. When a person who chants the holy name is liberated, he attains the ultimate perfection by returning home, back to Godhead. In the words of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta (Adi 7.73):

 

krsna-mantra haite habe samsara-mocana

krsna-nama haite pabe krsnera carana

 

"Simply by chanting the holy name of Krsna one can obtain freedom from material existence. Indeed, simply by chanting the Hare Krsna mantra one will be able to see the lotus feet of the Lord."

The offenseless chanting of the holy name does not depend on the initiation process. Although initiation may depend on purascarya or purascarana, the actual chanting of the holy name does not depend on purascarya-vidhi, or the regulative principles. If one chants the holy name once without committing an offense, he attains all success. During the chanting of the holy name, the tongue must work. Simply by chanting the holy name, one is immediately delivered. The tongue is sevonmukha-jihva-it is controlled by service. One whose tongue is engaged in tasting material things and also talking about them cannot use the tongue for absolute realization.

 

atah sri-krsna-namadi

na bhaved grahyam indriyaih

sevonmukhe hi jihvadau

svayam eva sphuraty adah

 

According to Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 17.134):

 

ataeva krsnera 'nama', 'deha', 'vilasa'

prakrtendriya-grahya nahe, haya sva-prakasa

 

"With these material senses, one cannot understand the transcendental holy name of the Lord or His form, activities and pastimes. However, when one actually engages in devotional service, utilizing the tongue, the Lord is revealed."

 

HDGACBSP

Cc. Madhya 15.108

 

 

[Guest guest]

I don't know why you go into a long dissertation on the so called necessity of the gayatri mantra. The point I was responding to was Puru saying that:

 

"What does self realization mean? It is not something abstract, but an eternal truth, that will be revealed to the sadhaka when he realizes the ista deva of his guru gayatri mantra, and the istadeva of the kama gayatri mantra Then he can chant the suddha nama maha mantra."

 

I then posted quotes from Krishna and Kapila directly instructing on self realization. Gayatri mantras were not mentioned by them even once. But Puru complains about how self realization is not "something abstract", yet he insists on presenting an abstract concept i.e gayatri mantra will magically give self realization.

 

I know Narayana Maharaja considers Gayatri to be essential, the fact is other acaryas do not agree with him.

 

You mentioned Prabhupada and Sridhar Maharaja both saying Gayatri is not necessary, althouth Prabhupada said it more then just that one time.

 

Also Bhaktivinoda has said all that is needed is Krishna nama to take you to Vraja:

 

isat vikasi punah dekhaya nija rupa guna

citta hari laya krsna pasa

purna vikasita hana vraje more jaya lana

dekhaya nija svarupa vilasa

 

"When the name is even slightly revealed it shows me my own spiritual form and characteristics. It steals my mind and takes it to Krsna's side. When the name is fully revealed, it takes me directly to Vraja, where it shows me my personal role in the eternal pastimes."

 

 

Either way that was not the issue. The issue was Puru saying that self realization magically appears from gayatri mantras. Yet we do not find that mentioned in the Bhagavatam quotes, what we do find is:

 

"Knowledge is the ultimate perfection of self-realization. I shall explain that knowledge unto you by which the knots of attachment to the material world are cut.

 

 

My devotee actually becomes self-realized by My unlimited causeless mercy, and thus, when freed from all doubts, he steadily progresses towards his destined abode, which is directly under the protection of My spiritual energy of unadulterated bliss. That is the ultimate perfectional goal of the living entity. After giving up the present material body, the mystic devotee goes to that transcendental abode and never comes back."

 

 

So I don't agree with people who insist that gayatri mantras are absolutely necessary. That kind of thinking I wrote about earlier here:

 

 

I was reading at a website of an ex iskcon guy from back in the 60's recently. While he was in India he became involved with other traditions within the Chaitanya school. He concluded that the power of a mantra is only present when it is received within a chain of gurus, anyone outside that chain who doesn't receive the mantra from that succession is receiving a dead mantra.

 

In other words he claims, as I guess many others do outside of the Gaudiya school, that if you attempt to connect to God through a mantra, God will not respond to that endeavor unless you received that mantra from baba booie such and such, who in turn received it from his guru baba louie and on and on.

 

In this conception we have the power of the mantra not within the control of God, but rather within the control of humans. In effect they are saying God is subordinate to the mantra, and more importantly, God's potency is subordinate to them. In this conception the mantra is not effective unless touched and transmitted by humans. Therefore the mantra cannot have power in and of itself. God is forbidden from empowering the mantra. He is locked out by the human chain of command.

 

In this way they have fashioned a theory of disciplic succession which conveniently leaves out all those who are not submitting to them as being keepers of the secret, as being fakes.

 

This is their central argument, if you are not connected to them, then your mantra is ineffective due to God having his hands tied, God needs a permission slip from some mantra wallah in Calcutta or Radha Kunda.

 

In various discussions from various schools of thought we often hear of the concept of the necessity of receiving the gayatri mantras from a preceptor in a lineage of mahants in order to delve into or receive the proper result desired, i.e such and such rasa.

 

Is this really the case ? Is a person's rasa with Radha Krishna dependent on receiving a specific mantra in a specific way from a specific person ?

 

My understanding is that the mantra is a tool for meditation. The revelations do not come from the mantra itself. By that I mean that Isvara is the revelator, independent of any rules concerning mantras. Isvara is revealing knowledge or not, with a specific mantra or without. Any mantra is subordinate to Isvara. And therefore a mantra is empty words unless Isvara participates in the mantra. No chain of command or person has the ability to empower a mantra. The empowerment of a mantra is not like a magical incantation, rather it is the Lord manifesting knowledge or experience to the sadhaka by divine choice, regardless of any other consideration.

 

The concept of the necessity of specific mantras from specific sources to realize a desired goal negates the role of the divine will. The divine will is made subordinate to a formulaic method of revelation, a magical incantation. By that I mean the divine will is the only thing which can reveal or hide desired jnana or experience. The formulaic idea is the same as that of the magical incantation which puts the power of the mantra squarely in the hands of the chanter. He will receive the desired goal if he follows the methodology given and will not receive the desired goal without that carefully followed methodology.

 

This is the magical or alchemical or kabbalistic approach to the divine. The belief that the divine will can be controlled by our actions or inactions is the essence of the magical, mystic alchemical path. Which posits our ability to control our own destiny based on our manipulation of words or concepts within our mind.

 

My understanding is that all revelation is divine providence. Regardless of any attempt utilizing mantra or tantra or any other esoteric tool. The reality is that we exist under the autocratic rule of the divine will and desire. In this concept any mantra or sadhana is essentially unnecessary if the divine will desires, or conversely, absolutely necessary if the divine will desires. The basic premise is that there are no absolute rules for revelation. Revelation is independent of all forms or systems utilizing the ascending process prescribed in any methodology from any school of mysticism or religion.

 

Of course there are those who will insist that the mantra is non different from the divine. With them I differ. The mantra is a tool of the divine, but the divine is not subordinate to the mantra. Just like if you insist that the mantra must be empowered by a guru, I also will insist that the mantra is not empowered itself but rather it is the divine will that is the relevant potency. Being an autocrat and supremely independent the divine will can do as it likes and all formulas are subordinate to this conception.

 

My understanding is that the empowered mantra is non different from Bhagavan if it is the desire of of the divine. It is the divine will which is the actual potency and revealer of all truths and all reality of whatever type. The mantra is not to be understood as a separate principle having a separate potency from the divine potency it represents.

 

We shouldn't think of any mantra as being the actual potent factor, that would leave the Personality of Godhead as a subordinate potency to the mantra. The mantra is potent only due to the Personality of Godhead manifesting to the chanter, without that, the mantra is no different then any other words.

 

The mantra is not empowered by a line of succession. It is not empowered by humans. A mantra is effective if the supreme will desires, and it is not effective likewise. The mantra itself is nothing without the divine will, a humans touch is irrelevant.

 

Whenever sastra advises taking the mantra from a bona fide guru, it is not the mantra itself that is being empowered by that guru. Rather it is the conception, the teaching that the guru imparts that is important. The mantra will be effective or not regardless of it's source. But what is important is the philosophical teaching that the guru provides along with the mantra. In this way the sadhaka is given a mantra that is invested with potency due to the the context it is given in.

 

In this concept a person need not take the mantra in a formal initiation from a specific lineage of unbroken succession in order for the mantra to be effective. Anyone can read or hear the proper teachings of the mantra and the associated philosophy and the mantra will be effective. The potency is not in the line of succession itself. The potency is the divine will helped along by the associated jnana or philosophy.

 

There are those who want to be the gatekeepers of the higher reality and they will use the methodology of the occult master i.e. "I have the secret whatever and it is here in this mantra or spell, and it is only effective if it comes from me or my lineage, directly handed to you".

 

There are many non Gaudiya Caitanya Saraswat vaisnavas who believe exactly these concepts. They criticize and belittle all and anyone who is not receiving mantras from them. They teach that without their touch, the mantras have zero potency. As silly as this is, it has attracted more then a few people away from the Gaudiya Saraswat tradition.

 

 

[Guest guest]

The guest who posted that Caitanya Caritamrta purport, you left out a couple things [in bold]

 

Here is the entire purport, which makes the point quite nicely about gayatri not being needed.

 

 

 

PURPORT

 

Srila Jiva Gosvami explains diksa in his Bhakti-sandarbha (283):

 

divyam jnanam yato dadyat kuryat papasya sanksayam

 

tasmat dikseti sa prokta desikais tattva-kovidaih

 

"Diksa is the process by which one can awaken his transcendental knowledge and vanquish all reactions caused by sinful activity. A person expert in the study of the revealed scriptures knows this process as diksa." The regulative principles of diksa are explained in the Hari-bhakti-vilasa (2.3-4) and the Bhakti-sandarbha (283). As stated:

 

dvijanam anupetanam svakarmadhyayanadisu

 

yathadhikaro nastiha syac copanayanad anu

 

tathatradiksitanam tu mantra-devarcanadisu

 

nadhikaro 'sty atah kuryad atmanam siva-samstutam

 

"Even though born in a brahmana family, one cannot engage in Vedic rituals without being initiated and having a sacred thread. Although born in a brahmana family, one becomes a brahmana only after initiation and the sacred thread ceremony. Unless one is initiated as a brahmana, one cannot worship the holy name properly."

 

According to the Vaisnava regulative principles, one must be initiated as a brahmana. The Hari-bhakti-vilasa (2.6) quotes the following injunction from the Visnu-yamala:

 

adiksitasya vamoru krtam sarvam nirarthakam

 

pasu-yonim avapnoti diksa-virahito janah

 

"'Unless one is initiated by a bona fide spiritual master, all his devotional activities are useless. A person who is not properly initiated can descend again into the animal species.'"

 

Hari-bhakti-vilasa (2.10) further quotes:

 

ato gurum pranamyaivam sarva-svam vinivedya ca

 

grhniyad vaisnavam mantram diksa-purvam vidhanatah

 

"'It is the duty of every human being to surrender to a bona fide spiritual master. Giving him everything -- body, mind and intelligence -- one must take Vaisnava initiation from him.'"

 

The Bhakti-sandarbha (298) gives the following quotation from the Tattva-sagara:

 

yatha kancanatam yati kamsyam rasa-vidhanatah

 

tatha diksa-vidhanena dvijatvam jayate nrnam

 

"'By chemical manipulation, bell metal is turned into gold when touched by mercury; similarly, when a person is properly initiated, he can acquire the qualities of a brahmana.'"

 

The Hari-bhakti-vilasa (17.11-12), in discussing the purascarya process, quotes the following verses from the Agastya-samhita:

 

puja traikaliki nityam japas tarpanam eva ca

 

homo brahmana-bhuktis ca purascaranam ucyate

 

guror labdhasya mantrasya prasadena yatha-vidhi

 

pancangopasana-siddhyai puras caitad vidhiyate

 

"'In the morning, afternoon and evening one should worship the Deity, chant the Hare Krsna mantra, offer oblations, perform a fire sacrifice and feed the brahmanas. These five activities constitute purascarya. To attain full success when taking initiation from the spiritual master, one should first perform these purascarya processes.'"

 

The word purah means "before," and carya means "activities." Due to the necessity of these activities, we do not immediately initiate disciples in the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. For six months, a candidate for initiation must first attend arati and classes in the sastras, practice the regulative principles and associate with other devotees. When one is actually advanced in the purascarya-vidhi, he is recommended by the local temple president for initiation. It is not that anyone can be suddenly initiated without meeting the requirements. When one is further advanced by chanting the Hare Krsna mantra sixteen rounds daily, following the regulative principles and attending classes, he receives the sacred thread (brahminical recognition) after the second six months.

 

In the Hari-bhakti-vilasa (17.4-5, 7) it is stated:

 

vina yena na siddhah syan mantro varsa-satair api

 

krtena yena labhate sadhako vanchitam phalam

 

purascarana-sampanno mantro hi phala-dhayakah

 

atah puraskriyam kuryat mantra-vit siddhi-kanksaya

 

puraskriya hi mantranam pradhanam viryam ucyate

 

virya-hino yatha dehi sarva-karmasu na ksamah

 

purascarana-hino hi tatha mantrah prakirtitah

 

"Without performing the purascarya activities, one cannot become perfect even by chanting this mantra for hundreds of years. But one who has undergone the purascarya-vidhi process can attain success very easily. If one wishes to perfect his initiation, he must first undergo the purascarya activities. The purascarya process is the life force by which one is successful in chanting the mantra. Without the life force, one cannot do anything; similarly, without the life force of purascarya-vidhi, no mantra can be perfected."

 

In his Bhakti-sandarbha (283-84), Srila Jiva Gosvami describes the importance of Deity worship and initiation (diksa) as follows:

 

avasyakatvam nasti, tad vinapi saranapattyadinam ekatarenapi purusartha-siddher abhihitatvat, tathapi sri-naradadi-vartmanusaradbhih sri-bhagavata saha sambandha-visesam diksa-vidhanena sri-guru-carana-sampaditam cikirsadbhih krtayam diksayam arcanam avasyam kriyetaiva.

 

yadyapi svarupato nasti, tathapi prayah svabhavato dehadi-sambandhena kadarya-silanam viksipta-cittanam jananam tat-tat-sankoci-karanaya srimad-rsi-prabhrtibhir atrarcana-marge kvacit kvacit kacit kacin maryada sthapitasti.

 

"It is Srimad-Bhagavatam's opinion that the process of Deity worship is not actually necessary, just as the specific prescriptions of the Pancaratra and other scriptures do not have to be followed. The Bhagavatam enjoins that even without practicing Deity worship one can achieve the complete success of human life by any of the other devotional processes, such as simply offering oneself at the Lord's feet for His protection. Nonetheless, Vaisnavas following the path of Sri Narada and his successors endeavor to establish a personal relationship with the Lord by receiving the grace of a bona fide spiritual master through initiation, and in this tradition the devotees are obliged at the time of initiation to begin engaging in Deity worship.

 

"Although Deity worship is not essential, the material conditioning of most candidates for devotional service requires that they engage in this activity. When we consider their bodily and mental conditions, we find that the character of such candidates is impure and their minds are agitated. Therefore, to rectify this material conditioning the great sage Narada and others have at different times recommended various kinds of regulations for Deity worship."

 

Similarly, the Ramarcana-candrika states:

 

vinaiva diksam viprendra purascaryam vinaiva hi

 

vinaiva nyasa-vidhina japa-matrena siddhi-da

 

"O best of the brahmanas, even without initiation, preliminary purification or acceptance of the renounced order, one can attain perfection in devotional service simply by chanting the Lord's holy name."

 

In other words, the chanting of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra is so powerful that it does not depend on official initiation, but if one is initiated and engages in pancaratra-vidhi (Deity worship), his Krsna consciousness will awaken very soon, and his identification with the material world will be vanquished. The more one is freed from material identification, the more one can realize that the spirit soul is qualitatively as good as the Supreme Soul. At such a time, when one is situated on the absolute platform, one can understand that the holy name of the Lord and the Lord Himself are identical. At that stage of realization, the holy name of the Lord, the Hare Krsna mantra, cannot be identified with any material sound. If one accepts the Hare Krsna maha-mantra as a material vibration, he falls down. One should worship and chant the holy name of the Lord by accepting it as the Lord Himself. One should therefore be initiated properly according to revealed scriptures under the direction of a bona fide spiritual master. Although chanting the holy name is good for both the conditioned and liberated soul, it is especially beneficial to the conditioned soul because by chanting it one is liberated. When a person who chants the holy name is liberated, he attains the ultimate perfection by returning home, back to Godhead. In the words of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta (Adi 7.73):

 

krsna-mantra haite habe samsara-mocana

 

krsna-nama haite pabe krsnera carana

 

"Simply by chanting the holy name of Krsna one can obtain freedom from material existence. Indeed, simply by chanting the Hare Krsna mantra one will be able to see the lotus feet of the Lord."

 

The offenseless chanting of the holy name does not depend on the initiation process. Although initiation may depend on purascarya or purascarana, the actual chanting of the holy name does not depend on purascarya-vidhi, or the regulative principles. If one chants the holy name even once without committing an offense, he attains all success. During the chanting of the holy name, the tongue must work. Simply by chanting the holy name, one is immediately delivered. The tongue is sevonmukha-jihva -- it is controlled by service. One whose tongue is engaged in tasting material things and also talking about them cannot use the tongue for absolute realization.

 

atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih

 

sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah

 

[bRS. 1.2.234]

 

"With the material senses one cannot understand the transcendental holy name of the Lord or His form, activities and pastimes. But when one actually engages in devotional service, utilizing the tongue, the Lord is revealed." As it is said in the Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 17.134):

 

ataeva krsnera 'nama', 'deha', 'vilasa',

 

prakrtendriya-grahya nahe, haya sva-prakasa

 

"The holy name of Krsna, His body and His pastimes cannot be understood by the blunt material senses. They are manifested independently."

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Initiation Into Spiritual Life

by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura

 

THE ceremony of diksha or initiation is that by which the spiritual Preceptor admits one to the status of a neophyte on the path of spiritual endeavour. The ceremony tends to confer spiritual enlightenment by abrogating sinfulness. Its actual effect depends on the degree of willing co-operation on the part of the disciple and is, therefore, not the same in all cases. It does not preclude the possibility of reversion on the novice to the non-spiritual state, if he slackens in his effort or misbehaves. Initiation puts a person on the true track and also imparts an initial impulse to go ahead. It cannot, however, keep one going for good unless one chooses to put forth his own voluntary effort. The nature of the initial impulse also varies in accordance with the condition of the recipient. But although the mercy of the good preceptor enables us to have a glimpse of the Absolute and of the path of His attainment, the seed that is thus sown requires very careful tending under the direction of the preceptor, if it is to germinate and grow into the fruit-and-shade-giving tree. Unless our soul of his own accord chooses to serve Krishna after obtaining a working idea of his real nature, he cannot long retain the Spiritual Vision. The soul is never compelled by Krishna to serve Him.

 

But initiation is never altogether futile. It changes the outlook of the disciple on life. If he sins after initiation, he may fall into greater depths of degradation than the uninitiated. But although even after initiation temporary set-backs may occur, they do not ordinarily prevent the final deliverance. The faintest glimmering of the real knowledge of the Absolute has sufficient power to change radically and for good the whole of our mental and physical constitution and this glimmering is incapable of being totally extinguished except in extraordinarily unfortunate cases.

 

It is undoubtedly practicable for the initiated, if only he is willing, to follow the directions of the preceptor that lead by slow degrees to the Absolute. The good preceptor is verily the savior of fallen souls. It is, however, very rarely that a person with modern culture feels inclined to submit to the guidance of another specially in spiritual matters. But the very person submits readily enough to the direction of a physician for being cured of his bodily ailments. Because these latter cannot be ignored without consequences that are patent to everybody. The evil that results from our neglect of the ailments of the soul is of a nature that paralyses and deludes our understanding and prevents the recognitions of itself. Its gravity is not recognized as it does not apparently stand in the way of our worldly activities with the same directness as the other. The average cultured man is, therefore, at liberty to ask questions without realizing any pressing necessity of submitting to the treatment of spiritual maladies at the hands of a really competent physician.

 

The questions that are frequently asked are as these: ‘Why should it be at all necessary to submit to any particular person or to to any particular ceremony for the purpose of realizing the Absolute Who by His nature in unconditioned? Why should Krishna require our formal declaration of submission to Himself? Would it not be more generous and logical to permit us to live a life of freedom in accordance with the principles of our perverted nature which is also His creation. Admitting that it is our duty to serve Krishna, why should we have to be introduced to Him by a third party? Why is it impossible for one to serve Sri Krishna directly?’ It would no doubt be highly convenient and helpful to be instructed by a good preceptor who is well-versed in the Scriptures in understanding the same. But one should never submit to another to an extent that may furnish a rascal with an opportunity of really doing harm. The bad preceptor is a familiar character. It is inexplicable how those gurus who live in open sin contrive nevertheless to retain the unquestioning allegiance of the cultured portion of their disciples.

 

Such being the case, can we blame any person who hesitates to submit unconditionally to a preceptor, whether he is good or bad? It is of course necessary to be quite sure of the bonafide of a person before we accept him even tentatively as our spiritual guide. A preceptor should be a person who appears likely to possess those qualities that will enable him to improve our spiritual condition.

 

Those and similar thoughts are likely to occur to most persons who have received an English education, when they are asked to accept the help of any particular person as his spiritual preceptor. The literature, science and art of the West, body forth the principle of the liberty of the individual and denounce the mentality that leads one to surrender to however superior a person his right of choosing his own course. They inculcate the necessity and high value of having faith in oneself.

 

But the good preceptor claims our sincere and complete allegiance. The good disciple makes a complete surrender of himself at the feet of the preceptor. But the submission of the disciple is neither irrational or blind. It is complete on condition that the preceptor himself continues to be altogether good. The disciple retains the right of renouncing his allegiance to the preceptor the moment he is satisfied that the preceptor is a fallible creature like himself. Nor does a good preceptor accept any one as his disciple unless the latter is prepared to submit to him freely. A good preceptor is in duty bound to renounce a disciple who is not sincerely willing to follow his instructions fully. If a preceptor accepts as his disciple one who refuses to be wholly guided by him, or if a disciple submits to a preceptor who is not wholly good, such preceptor and such disciple are, both of them, doomed to fall from their spiritual state.

 

No one is a good preceptor who has not realised the Absolute. One who has realised the Absolute is saved from the necessity of walking on the worldly path. The good preceptor who lives the spiritual life is, therefore, bound to be wholly good. He should be wholly free from any desire for anything of this world whether good or bad. The categories of good and bad do not exist in the Absolute. In the Absolute everything is good. We can have no idea in our present state of this absolute goodness. Submission to the Absolute is not real unless it is also itself absolute. It is on the plane of the Absolute that the disciple is required to submit completely to the good preceptor. On the material plane there can be no such thing as complete submission. The pretence of complete submission to the bad preceptor is responsible for the corruptions that are found in the relationship of the ordinary worldly guru and his equally worldly-minded disciples.

 

All honest thinkers will realise the logical propriety of the position set forth above. But most persons will be disposed to believe that a good preceptor in the above sense may not be found in this world. This is really so. Both the good preceptor and his disciple belong to the spiritual realm. But spiritual discipleship is nevertheless capable of being realised by persons who belong to this world. Otherwise there wold be no religion at all in the world. But because the spiritual life happens to be realizable in this world it does not follow that it is the worldly existence which is capable of being improved into the spiritual. As a matter of fact the one is perfectly incompatible with the other. They are categorically different from one another. The good preceptor although he appears to belong to this world is not really of this world. No one who belongs to this world can deliver us from worldliness. The good preceptor is a denizen of the spiritual world who has been enabled by the will of God to appear in this world in order to enable us to realise the spiritual existence.

 

The much vaunted individual liberty is a figment of the diseased imagination. We are bound willingly or unwillingly to submit to the laws of God in the material as well as in the spiritual world. The hankering for freedom in defiance of His laws is the cause of all our miseries. The total abjuration of all hankering for such freedom is the condition of admission to the spiritual realm. In this world we desire this freedom but are compelled against our will to submit to the inexorable laws of physical nature. This is the unnatural state. Such unwilling for forced submission does not admit us into the spiritual realm. In this world the moral principle, indeed claims our willing submission. But even morality also is a curtailment of freedom necessitated by the peculiar circumstances of this world. The soul who does not belong to this world is in a state of open or court rebellion against submission to an alien domination. It is by his very constitution capable of submitting willingly only to the Absolute.

 

The good preceptor asks the struggling soul to submit not to the laws of this world which will only rivet its chains but to the higher law of the spiritual realm. The pretence of submission to the laws of the spiritual realm without the intention of really carrying them out into practice is often mistaken for genuine submission by reason of the absence of fullness of conviction. In this world the fully convinced state is non-existent. We are, therefore, compelled in all cases to act on make-believes viz. the so-called working hypotheses. The good preceptor tells us to change this method of activity which we have learnt from our experience of this world. He invites us first of all to be really and fully informed of the nature and laws of the other world which happens to be eternally and categorically different from this phenomenal world. If we do not sincerely submit to be instructed in the alphabets of the life eternal but go on perversely asserting however unconsciously our present processes and so-called convictions against the instructions of the preceptor in the period of novitiate we are bound to remain where we are. This also will amount to the practical rejection of all advice because the two worlds have nothing in common though at the same time we naturally fail to understand this believing all the time in accordance with our accustomed methods that we are at any rate partially following the preceptor. But as a matter of fact when we reserve the right of choice we really follow ourselves, because even when we seem to agree to follow the preceptor it is because he appears to be in agreement with ourselves. But as the two worlds have absolutely nothing in common we are only under a delusion when we suppose that we really understand the method or the object of the preceptor or in other words reserve the right of assertion of the apparent self. Faith in the scriptures can alone help us in this otherwise unpracticable endeavour. We believe in the preceptor with the help of the shastras when we understand neither. As soon as we are fully convinced of the necessity of submitting unambiguously to the good preceptor it is then and only then that he is enabled to show us the way into the spiritual world in accordance with the method laid down in the shastras of that purpose which he can apply properly and without perpetrating a fatal blunder in as much as he himself happens to belong to the realm of the spirit.

 

The crux of the matter lies not in the external nature of the ceremony of initiation as it appears to us because that is bound to be unintelligible to us being an affair of the other world, but in the conviction of the necessity and the successful choice of a really good preceptor. We can attain to the conviction of the necessity of the help of a good preceptor by the exercise of our unbiased reason in the light of our ordinary experience. When once this conviction has been truly formed Sri Krishna Himself helps us in finding the really good preceptor in two ways. In the first place he instructs us as regards the character and functions of a good preceptor through the revealed Shastras. In the second place He Himself sends to us the good preceptor himself at the moment when we are at all likely to benefit by his instructions. The good preceptor also comes to us when we reject him. In such cases also it is certainly Krishna Who sends him to us for no reason what-so-ever. Krishna has revealed from eternity the tidings of the spiritual realm in the form of transcendental sounds that have been handed down in the records of the spiritual Scriptures all over the world. The spiritual Scriptures help all those who are prepared to exercise this reason for the purpose of finding not the relative but the Absolute Truth to find out the proper instructor in accordance with their directions. The only good preceptor is he who can make us really understand the spiritual scriptures and they enable us realise the necessity and the nature of submission to the processes laid down in them. But there is still every chance of foul play. A very clever man or a magician may pass himself off as a person who can properly explain the Scriptures by means of his greater knowledge or deceptive arts. It is very important, therefore, that we should be on our guard against such tricks. The Scholar as well as the magician pretend to explain the Scriptures only in terms of the object or happenings of this world. But the Scriptures themselves declare that they do not tell us at all of the thing of this world. Those who are liable to be deluded by the arts of pervert yogis who persuade themselves into believing that the spiritual is identical with the perversion, distortion or defiance of the laws of physical nature. The laws of physical nature are not unreal. They govern the relation of all relative existences(.) In our present state it is therefore, always possible for another who possesses the power or the knowledge to demonstrate the merely tentative character of what we choose to regard as our deepest convictions by exposing their insufficiency or inapplicability. But such surprises as they belong to the realm of the phenomenal, have nothing to do with the Absolute. Those who have an unspiritual partiality for scholarship or for magic fall into the clutches of the pseudo-religionists. The serious plight of these victims of their own perversity will be realised from the fact that no one can be delivered from the state of ignorance by the method of compulsion. It is not possible to save the man who refuses on principle to listen to the voice of reason. The empiric pedants are no exception to this rule.

 

The plain meaning of the Shastras should, therefore, be our only guide in the search of the good preceptor when we actually feel the need of his guidance. The Scriptures have defined the good preceptor as one who himself leads the spiritual life. It is not any worldly qualifications that make the good preceptor. It is by unreserved submission to such a preceptor that we can be helped to reenter into the realm that is our real home but which unfortunately is veritable terra incognita to almost all of us at present and also impossible of access to one body and mind alike which is the result of the disease of abuse of our faculty of free reason and the consequent accumulation of a killing load of worldly experiences which we have learnt to regard as the very stuff of our existence.

 

[Guest guest]

Pancha Samskara: The Process of Initiation

by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura

 

[The following discourse is a translation of an article written in Bengali, entitled Panca-samskara, by Thakura Bhaktivinoda. The article was originally published in his journal, Sajjana Tosani (vol. 2/ 1) in 1885. I have added portions, indicated by square brackets, from a supplementary article of the same title also from Sajjana Tosani (vol. 4/1) published in 1892. I present this translation with the hope that it will encourage a deeper understanding of the initiation process by both teacher and student within our Vaisnava tradition. - Shukavak Das ]

 

 

The sastras explain that a person who receives panca-samskara can practice two kinds of devotion (1) and gain permanent happiness in the eternal abode of Sri Hari:

 

 

avapta-panca-samskaro labdhva-dvi-vidha-bhaktikah

saksat krtya harim tasya dhamni nityam pramodate (2)

Persons who read this instruction with faith will want to understand the meaning of the expression panca-samskara. In order to help them, we will first explain the conventional understanding of the term and then give its deeper significance.

The smrti sastras explain panca-samskara in the following manner:

 

 

tapah pundram tatha nama mantro yagas ca pancamah

ami hi panca-samskarah paramaikanti-hetavah

"Tapa, pundra, nama, mantra, and yaga - these five items comprise panca-samskara. They are the cause of intense devotion to Lord Hari." (3)

 

When a faithful person learns about panca-samskara, he approaches a religious teacher and humbly requests him for initiation, or diksa. After considering the student's sincerity, the teacher mercifully gives tapa and pundra to the student in order to sanctify his body. Some religious groups give tapa by marking the student's body in various places with the symbols of Lord Vishnu's conch, disc, club and lotus using hot iron brands. Other religious groups imprint the name of Hari with clay using a sandalwood stamp. In reference to tapa the smrti sastras further state:

 

 

hari-namaksarair gatram ankayet candanadina

sa loka-pavano bhutva tasya lokam avapnuyat (4)

"One who marks his body with the syllables of Hari's name using sandal paste purifies the world and after death attains the kingdom of God."

In the Sri Sampradaya of Ramanuja tapa is given by branding the body with the symbols of conch and disc, but Sri Chaitanyadeva has instructed that we mark the body with Harinama using sandal paste etc. instead of brands. This rule is a blessing for the souls of Kali-yuga.

 

Pundra, or tilaka marks, are vertical lines drawn on the body. The sastras interpret these vertical marks either as symbols representing the Temple of Hari, or as His footprints. Accordingly each religious group has its own prescription for pundra which is universally accepted within that particular group. (5)

 

Nama or name is the third samskara. Mercifully the teacher utters the name of Hari into the ear of the faithful student. This name is to be recited daily by the student. [Receiving name means that one understands one's self to be a servant of Hari. During initiation the teacher also gives a personal name to the student which indicates devotion to Hari. In the Sri Sampradaya of Ramanuja, names like Rama Krishna Dasa, Narayana Dasa, Ramanuja Dasa etc. are given. In the Gaudiya Sampradaya names such as Sri Govinda Dasa, Sri Nityananda Dasa, Sri Chaitanya Dasa etc. are used. Since the time of Sriman Mahaprabhu names like Ratnabahu, Kavikarnapura, Premanidhi etc. have been used. Subsequently even names such as Bhagavatabhusana, Gitabhusana, Bhaktibhusana etc. are employed.]

 

The fourth samskara is mantra. Out of his mercy the teacher gives an 18 syllable mantra to his beloved student. [Mantra is the recitation of a short prayer which corresponds to the particular deity one worships. In the worship of Krishna an 18 syllable mantra is given.]

 

The fifth and final samskara is yaga or deity worship. Using the mantra which he has received from his teacher, the student begins the worship of salagrama sila or sri murti, the Deity of Vishnu. This is known as yaga. By receiving panca-samskara, the five sacraments, a faithful person enters into bhajana-kriya or the personal worship of God, which eventually leads to pure love for Sri Hari.

 

When we analyze the stages that lead to love of God, we understand that faith or sraddha is the first stage. Without sraddha, there is no way to obtain love of God. From faith, one seeks saintly association which is called sadhu-sanga. This leads to shelter at the feet of a spiritual teacher. Thereafter, panca-samskara or initiation follows. Panca-samskara gives rise to bhajana-kriya or the personal worship of God.

 

Bhajana-kriya leads to anartha-nivrtti, which is the stage where one clears up unwanted things from his heart. After anartha-nivrtti one's faith can develop and enters the stage called nistha or mature faith. From nistha, taste or ruci develops. This leads to the stage of asakti or deep attachment. From asakti spiritual emotions called bhava spring forth. This eventually ripens into the stage called love of God, prema. Therefore, everyone should seek shelter at the feet of a spiritual teacher and receive panca-samskara, which is the source of bhajana. Without panca-samskara, bhajana is not spontaneous. Instead, it is performed with difficulty.

 

Some people think that prema or love of God can be obtained without panca-samskara. This is incorrect. The conditioned soul in this world has become hostile to the Divine, and consequently his original spiritual nature has become distorted. As a result he must sanctify himself before that true spiritual nature can develop. And what is the means to attain this pure state? The best way is through samskara or sanctification. Without samskara how can his distorted nature be given up? If we see someone whose nature is not distorted then we think that in a previous birth, through the mercy of a spiritual teacher, he must have received samskara, and on the strength of that samskara he has attained his true spiritual nature wherein prema or love of God has arisen. Otherwise we think that this person has been imperceptibly sanctified by the inconceivable mercy of the Lord Himself. No matter how you look at it, samskara is always there.

 

On the other hand, samskara is not necessary for liberated persons because their nature is not distorted. Distortion of the soul's original spiritual nature is the cause of his bondage in this world. For this reason, without samskara the life of the conditioned soul is impure. Even if a person has attained prema on account of previous samskara, still in his present life he again receives samskara in order to set a proper example for the good of all.

 

Samskaras exist in all religions and in all countries. The purer a particular religion is, the more its samskaras are sacred and complete. Although we have not had the opportunity to thoroughly study the samskaras of all religions, we at least can say that the samskaras of the Aryan religion appear to be of a higher order than the samskaras of other religions. In particular, the samskaras of Vaisnava culture are the best part of the Aryan religion. No other practise is as sacred and complete.

 

The question arises, "if the practise of samskara found in Vaisnava culture is so good, then why are those who practise it still bound by distorted natures?" The answer is that Vaisnava samskara is the best, but at the present time (6) it is practised in name only. Both the spiritual teacher and the student block their own spiritual advancement by being content with the external aspects of samskara alone, as I've just described.

 

Today, the deeper significance of samskaras is not understood at all. When the student submits himself to the teacher, the teacher gives panca-samskara and then abandons him. What good can come from panca-samskara of this type?

 

Externally the student looks good, but internally there is nothing. The symbols of divine conch, disc and the name of Hari mark the body. The tongue utters the name of Hari and worship of salagrama sila or sri murti with mantra is performed, but the student is addicted to endless sinful practises. At night, he takes intoxicants and practises debauchery!

 

Oh good teacher, how have you benefited your student? What is the difference in him before and after diksa? In fact, he is worse. He is a hypocrite. There is no remorse, "I am sinful. It is my fault. How can my sin be given up?" These days no one thinks like this when they take shelter of a spiritual teacher. Sinful activities are performed without the slightest concern. What misfortune!!

 

Why is this? The reason is that the wrong kind of relationship exists between teacher and student. The sastra gives rules to guide this relationship, but they are not followed. The student who is burning in the fire of material life, who analyses his predicament and concludes, "My relationship with material nature is not permanent, therefore I must take shelter of a spiritual teacher in order to obtain the feet of God" has reached the stage of faith and is qualified to take shelter of a spiritual teacher. The teacher should study the student for one year and observe his atonement. This is called tapa.

 

During this examination period the student is encouraged to atone even more and when the teacher is satisfied, he brands the student with the symbols of conch and disc. These marks are permanent and they symbolize the purity that the student must maintain for the rest of his life. This is tapa, the faithful soul's first samskara. In English we define the word tapa as "repentance, atonement, and the permanent impression of higher sentiment on the soul." Tapa applies not only to the body, but also to the mind and the soul. If it is only physical, in the form of branding or stamping, then tapa has not actually taken place and religious practise becomes hypocritical. At the present time this kind of hypocrisy has weakened Vaisnava culture. Without tapa or inner repentance, the soul cannot live as a Vaisnava. Without tapa, the whole process becomes useless. Without tapa the heart remains impure. Therefore, good friends, seek atonement without delay!

 

When the teacher sees that the student has received tapa properly (in other words, genuine atonement has occurred), then out of his mercy, the teacher gives him urdhva-pundra. What is urdhva- pundra? It is effulgence! It is also known as urdhva-gati, the path of advancement. After receiving tapa the student voluntarily accepts a suitable amount of renunciation from worldly activities. This is the path of advancement. However, if the student accepts no renunciation then his tapa or atonement is useless. So much trouble! So much asceticism! So much renunciation of one's happiness! So much work to control lust, anger and greed, but it is all useless labor if one does not perform these austerities in order to obtain Vaikuntha, the kingdom of God.

 

In other words, by taking shelter of Sat Cit Ananda Lord Hari, a soul follows the path of advancement, urdhva-gati. The illumination of the soul, the mind and the body is called urdhva-pundra. Aversion to material life and attachment to the Supreme Lord is called tapa and pundra, and these two ornaments are absolutely necessary for the conditioned soul.

 

Without urdhva-pundra the body is as good as dead. Realizing this we must bathe in atonement. Without urdhva-pundra the mind drifts and becomes attached to lowly sense objects and then wastes its time discussing the lowest subjects. O repentant soul! Do not delay, mark the body, mind and soul with urdhva-pundra and follow the path of advancement which leads to the kingdom of God. Without urdhva-pundra the soul's real nature is extinguished. Therefore adopt urdhva-pundra.

 

Seeing the beloved student shining with tapa and urdhva-pundra, the teacher gladly gives nama, the holy name of God which awakens the soul's eternal nature. The eternal nature of the soul is servitude to the Lord, and by tasting the nectar of the Lord's holy name the soul is carried to the supreme abode. Then he says, "I am Hari Dasa. I am not the enjoyer of this world. Even Maya herself is eternally connected to Krishna and I must utilize her in the service to Krishna." The eternal soul is then enchanted by singing the name of Hari. By taking shelter in the nectar of the Lord's holy name, the soul becomes aware of his own spiritual nature. Intelligent men, always sing the name of Hari! Let the mind always remember the name of Hari. May the soul always be adorned with the name of Hari.

 

Out of affection, teacher next gives a mantra that allows his student to easily experience the nectar of the Lord's holy name. A mantra is a kind of prayer that contains the name of God that is inflected grammatically in the dative case. (7) The mantra also includes certain adjectives that qualify the name of God and allows it to express a particular mood or taste. By giving a mantra the teacher helps his student taste the holy name by selecting a suitable 'flavor' for him. When we say "namah", obeisance to Hari, we employ the 4th or the dative case ending. The dative case expresses the proper relationship between the worshiper, the worshiped and the worship that allows the taste of the holy name to be easily experienced.

 

There is no end to the happiness of a person who has received a mantra. Those who analyze the meaning of the 18 syllable mantra, generally used in the worship of Sri Krishna, know that it is a condensed sampling of the taste available from the Lord. (8) The same also applies to the 24 syllable gayatri and other mantras that are used to worship the Lord. (9) Those who have not received a mantra can only speculate about the taste of the holy name, but unfortunately most of their considerations are useless. Therefore you must receive a mantra. Those who have received it consider it to be a most important samskara.

 

There are those who are aware of these principles and yet are not firmly fixed in the matter of worship because they have not received tapa, pundra, nama, and mantra from a qualified teacher. Every subject has its rules and regulations and those who reject the rules and regulations of worship often experience difficulty. Therefore it is said:

 

 

sruti-smrti-puranadi-pancaratra-vidhim vina

atyantiki harer bhaktir utpatayaiva kalpate

"Devotional service of the Lord that ignores the authorized Vedic literature like the Upanisads, Puranas and Narada-pancaratra is simply an unnecessary disturbance in society." (10)

Therefore my friends! With logic and pure reasoning receive tapa, pundra, nama and mantra from a qualified teacher. Not only will you become happy, but by establishing this divine link with God you will benefit all the people around you.

 

Out of love the teacher next explains the procedure of yaga or Deity worship to his student. Without Deity worship the conditioned soul cannot advance properly. Even though one has received tapa, pundra, nama, and mantra the soul's material condition has not fully abated. Only when one has pleased Lord Hari is the soul freed from this material world at the time of death. Therefore, until the end of life, yaga is necessary even for those who have received mantra. Even though one lives in this world without attachment to matter, still there is danger from matter. Therefore, yaga, or the path of Deity worship, is the proper way to deal with matter. Yaga is the procedure of worshiping the Lord by employing all the physical and mental faculties of seeing, touching, smelling, tasting, thinking, discriminating and acting.

 

Utilizing each of these faculties in the worship of salagrama, for example, is a good way to cultivate love of God. Service of Sri Vigraha, the Deity, is called Vaisnava yaga. No matter what our situation, we must live in this world by working. Therefore a person who has received mantra has the duty to spend his life worshiping God with devotion following the rules of Deity worship. By teaching yaga the compassionate teacher rescues his student from the ocean of material existence.

 

Yaga is the fifth and final samskara. A person without yaga has no life and he is forced to accept the results of his karma. Therefore, one should live in this world as Vaisnava and engage in Deity worship. A detailed explanation of the principles of Deity worship is offered in the book Sri Chaitanya-siksamrta in the discussion under vaidhi-bhakti. (11)

 

I have now explained both the conventional understanding and the inner significance of the expression panca-samskara. But still one question arises. "Why do teachers not give this kind of instructions to their students today?" The answer is that due to the degenerative effects of time, man's understanding about the role of spiritual teacher has become extremely corrupt. Today people take instruction from kula-gurus, hereditary family teachers or similar such persons and therefore they are unable to take shelter of a qualified teacher. It is said in the sastras that the seriously inquisitive student must approach a spiritual teacher who has attained shelter and faith in the Vedas and God, and surrender to Him.

 

 

tasmad gurum prapadyeta jijnasuh sreya uttamam

sabde pare ca nisnatam brahmany upasamasrayam (12)

When one surrenders in this way, the material ocean diminishes to the size of a calf's hoofprint. However, if that surrenders is in name only, then it is pointless. At the present time most people do not want the shelter of a genuine teacher because very few want to solve the problems of life. However, it is the responsibility of the living soul in this world to search for a teacher and solve these problems. The Lord reveals Himself to the serious student in the form of a teacher who can rescue him. It is good to have a strong desire for a teacher, but it is wrong to accept just any person simply to satisfy one's desires. A genuine teacher will come to one who is sincerely searching, but before the student accepts that teacher he should also examine him for one year. Without examination the teacher - student relationship is only a disturbance.

After close study we conclude that without proper acceptance of panca-samskara the conditioned soul cannot develop intense devotion to Sri Hari. Therefore panca-samskara is extremely necessary.

 

 

Reference

(1) Devotion is of two kinds, namely vidhi-bhakti, devotional service performed according to rules and regulations and raganuga-bhakti, devotional service performed by following the moods of Krishna's Vrindavan associates.

(2) Prameya Ratnavali (by Baladeva Vidyabhusana) 8.5

(3) Prameya Ratnavali 8.6

(4) Prameya Ratnavali 8.6

(5) For more information about tilaka see A.W. Entwistle's work, Vaisnava Tilakas, published in the International Association of the Vrindavan Research Institute's bulletin, number 11 and 12, 1981-2.

(6) The late 19th century, Bengal.

(7) Such as Krishnaya or Ramaya.

(8) The 18 syllable Gopal mantra is one example.

(9) The kama-gayatri, used by Gaudiyas, is one example.

(10) Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.2.101.

(11) The original text of this article used the future tense, indicating that the book Sri Chaitanya-siksamrta had not yet been published.

(12) Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.3.21.

[Guest guest]

Faith in the devotees

Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Maharaja

 

 

If we want to penetrate the deeper understandings of faith – not mere belief – we must go to the devotees. They are like so many pillars of faith. We are told electricity is everywhere, and there are so many dynamos that can show electric power. Similarly, there are so many devotees past and present with whom we can find real Godliness.

 

They are standing like pillars of faith. If we accept Jesus Christ, then his ideal way of sacrifice will encourage and increase faith in us. So many devotees are there to help us. What sort of devotee is Prahlada? When we come in history to such a life like the great devotee Prahlada, then our heart is fulfilled, “Oh, how great – God is present there.”

 

In this way, when our attention is toward the devotees, we automatically rise to a particular high standard of faith. When the devotees help us, we are in a safe plane with our attention towards them. So many pillars of faith are standing there and proving that the Lord is existing. The devotees are neglecting the objects of enjoyment and standing with their heads erect to show, to say and to declare that. “There is a Supreme Entity. We have seen Him repeatedly and we have experienced all this.”

 

Faith in the advanced devotees is a very substantial help to us all, as their position is not flickering. They have a firm position because of their faith in the higher devotees. So, when one has got faith in the elevated devotees, then his faith – his devotion – is of tangible character.

 

Otherwise, the beginners, they have not much faith in the devotees, but some abstract faith in the Lord. That is not reliable. Devotion comes to a reliable standard when one can find devotion in the devotees and give more importance to them.

 

Above scripture, the devotees are there and our faith in the devotees is the real way. Faith in the devotees is something tangible to us. In the higher stages, one can trace the Supreme Entity everywhere, in every movement. It is His Sweet Will. When the middle things – the barriers within that give opposition – are gone, then direct connection with the Supreme Entity fully awakens.

 

Sometimes the Lord likes to play hide-and-seek with the devotees. Sometimes He comes clear and sometimes He is vague. Whenever He is vague, the devotees begin to cry, “Where are You, my Lord? I don’t feel You, I cannot see You. How can I continue my life? How can I live without You? You are so charming, so joyous, so fulfilling that I cannot live without Your connection?”

 

In this way, the devotees begin to wail and cry when He appears vague to them. Everything is depending on the Lord’s Sweet Will. If we want to trace the cause, then we shall find this is the cause of something, and that is the cause of the cause. Then we shall think, “Oh, this is the final substance, the Reality we are searching after. The whole world is searching after this beauty and charm of the Lord.”

 

There is a song, “O Mountain! O Himalaya! O Alps! O Sumeru! What are you searching for with your heads erect? Have you seen the creator of this world? Have you attained the fulfilment of your life? Have you seen Him?” In this way, a devotee feels – in his heart of hearts – that everything is searching for Krsna, God, who is the complete fulfilment of life.

 

In this world of life and death, there is nothing tangible to attract our attention. In this phenomenal world, our inner heart searches after something eternal. There is sat – Eternal Consciousness; cit – satisfying our search for knowledge of Him; and anandam – satisfying our hankering for beauty and love. Love is the fulfilment of life. We shall be able to understand that when love awakens in the heart and the function of the brain is gone away. This is a peculiar and particular phase of life. Wherever we may be, we are automatically searching, searching, and searching for that big “Yes” – “Om”.

 

“Om” means a big “Yes”. Whatever you are searching for, it exists. What your inner heart hankers after, that exists and is existing. Whatever apparently you see, you must go to the inner substance – the Super-subjecct. The Lord of your search is there. From Omkara comes Gayatri, next comes the Vedas, and then the Vedanta. Lastly, the Srimad Bhagavatam descends to give a description of the ecstatic side, the joyful side of the Lord.

The Infinite Lord comes so close to the finite that the finite thinks, “He is one of us.” He plays the part of such nearness – a near friend to us – so much so that we think, “He is one of us.” This is the Lord’s highest grace and kindness towards us. Our highest attainment is also there in His Divine Abode, Vrndavan.

 

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu told us, “Eliminate all other conceptions and make haste to that Vrndavana Lord – Sri Krsna. He is Svayam Bhagavan – God of Gods, Lord of Lords. He is the source of so many majestic displays of His supernatural powers.

 

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu explained it succinctly, “Search for Sri Krsna! There is no other alternative, no other duty in this world except what I say, ‘Search for Sri Krsna’ Take His Holy Name, and talk about Him. Whatever you do, connect with Krsna Consciousness and go on with faith and firm determination. You will get your fulfilment of life very shortly.”

 

So, go on taking His Holy Name, while searching or talking, whether you are sleeping, eating, walking or quarrelling. Whatever you are doing, connect with Krsna and go on making progress. Sincere search is necessary for the aspiring devotee so that his Krsna conception may not be only a sham – a hypocritical endeavour. And you will get help in that direction from the real devotees.

 

Anyhow, go on searching for Krsna with the help of the devotees, the scriptures and all sincerity within you. Whomever you meet with, talk about Krsna, and do not invite the prey of death – family, money and everything else may evaporate the next moment. Sincerely searching for Krsna is the eternal joy in every step of your life. Krsna is not your concoction.

 

The source is the saints and scriptures, and not this mundane world of enjoyment. Neither through abhorrence or renunciation will you find Krsna. Krsna is the positive inquiry in the heart of the devotees. Those who are carried by the charm of this external world cannot understand what is their inner requirement. They are unfortunate.

 

So, the main conclusion is to keep company with the devotees who have got real faith in Krsna. It is very, very rare in this world to find such devotees. If we want the help of that association, then you are to keep this ideal on the crown of your head.

 

‘sadhu-sanga’, ‘sadhu-sanga’, sarva sastre kaya

lava-matra sadhu sange sarva siddhi haya

(Chaitanya-charitamrita, Madhya 22.54)

 

“If properly utilized, a moment’s association with the fully surrendered devotees is sufficient for your highest attainment. If one moment can be properly used, sufficiently used, then there is no necessity of long, long life. Only a point in time is sufficient to solve the whole problem of life if it is properly used in association with the devotees, the agents of Krsna. We shall try to associate with them at all costs. What is the necessity of ages and ages of living a long, long life if we are unconscious of our own self-interest? One moment with the agents of Krsna, if properly utilized, is sufficient to solve the whole problem of our life for which we are eternally wandering about for millenniums. We must be wakeful to our interest. We must not be negligent, but wakeful – to our own self-interest.”

 

Sri Chaitanya Maharapbhu came to tell us what is our real interest within. “You do not want to know your own heart. You do not know. You are a foreigner to your own heart and its demand. Faith in the devotees is the wealth within your heart – try to find that ‘Hidden Treasure’.”

 

This was the direction of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

It is all within you. You are to eliminate all foreign things, then within your heart you will find a Temple of Krsna. Your heart within is a Temple of Krsna. Search your own heart with the help of a proper guide and you will find Krsna there. A proper guide is not a foreign substance to you. Every heart is a temple of the Lord. It is your inner wealth. It is your Home – ‘Back to God, back to Home’.”

 

Gaura Haribol. Gaura Haribol.

[Guest guest]

Brahma Gayatri Bhasya

 

by

 

Srila Bhaktiraksaka Sridara Deva Goswami Maharaja

"The gayatri mantra will excite us to be mindful

about Srimati Radharani's lotus feet, to obey her orders."

 

"Radha-dasyam, the service of Srimati Radharani, is the ultimate meaning to be extracted from the gayatri mantra."

 

 

The Mantra

 

om bhur bhuva sva tat savitur varenyam bhargo devasya dhimahi dhiyo yo na pracodayat om

 

om - the seed mantra which contains everything within it; bhur - the physical world; bhuva - the mental world; sva - the intellectual world; tat - that, the three planes of experience; savituh - the soul; varenyam - worshipable, venerable; bhargo - the supersubjective area, the svarupa-sakti; devasya - who is beautiful and playful, Krsna, Reality the Beautiful; dhimahi - come meditate; dhiyah - of meditation, of service; yo - who; na - us; pracodayat - enthuses our capacity;

 

Translation

 

"Above the three planes of mundane experience, bhu, bhuvah, svah is the soul, savitur, who shows us everything just like the sun. Above the soul is the supersubjective plane which is varenyam, most venerated and worshipable. That worshipable plane of existence is called bhargo, brilliant and illuminating. The supersubjective area, bhargo, is the plane known as the svarupa-sakti which is the internal pleasure potency of deva, Krishna, Reality the Beautiful. That bhargo is His own divine potency Srimati Radharani. Let us meditate upon the lotus feet of Srimati Radharani, whose extended self and essential nature, mahabhava, is the svarupa-sakti, and who enthuses our capacity of devotional service. Let us surrender unto Her divine service."

 

Introduction

 

The meaning of the brahma gayatri must bring us to the conclusion of Srimad-Bhagavatam. The gayatri mantra and the Srimad-Bhagavatam are one and the same. It is the very gist of the Vedanta-sutra. Srimad-Bhagavatam is the elaborate commentary of gayatri:

 

artho 'yam brahma-sutranam bharatartha-vinirnay

gayatri-bhasya-rupo 'sau vedartha-parivrmhita

 

"The meaning of the Vedanta-sutra is present in Srimad-Bhagavatam. The full purport of the Mahabharata is also there. The commentary of the brahma-gayatri is also there and fully expanded with all Vedic knowledge." (Garuda Purana )

 

The meaning of the gayatri mantra must be in the line of Srimad-Bhagavatam. If we analyze how this is possible, we shall uncover the steps leading the gayatri mantra, to the Srimad-Bhagavatam.

 

What is the meaning of gayatri ? The word gayatri is a combination of two Sanskrit words: ganat (what is sung) and trayate (gives deliverance). This means, "A kind of song by which we can get our salvation, relief, emancipation. Gayatri is known as veda-mata, the mother of the Veda. If we examine the Vedic conclusion from it's most condensed aphorism to its most extensive expression, we shall find that it begins with omkara : the Vedic symbol OM. That truth is expressed as the gayatri mantra, then it appears in the form of the Vedas, and then as the Vedanta-sutra. Finally, the Vedic conclusion is given its fullest expression in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Since the meaning, the purpose of Vedic knowledge progresses in this line, the gayatri mantra must contain within it the meaning of Srimad-Bhagavatam ---that is, that the Krsna conception of Godhead is the highest. This must be the meaning of the gayatri mantra, but the problem is how to extract Srimad-Bhagavatam-----the Krsna conception------ from within the womb of gayatri. I heard that Jiva Goswami has given such an interpretation, but I could not find where it is written. I heard that he has given the meaning of gayatri leading to Krsna consciousness. Anyhow, the tendency awakened in me to draw the meaning to the Krsna conception.

 

The general meaning of gayatri is "that song which grants liberation." Liberation must have some positive meaning. Liberation means not freedom from the negative side, but positive attainment. This is the definition given in Srimad-Bhagavatam : muktir hitvanyatha rupam svarupena--- unless and until we attain the highest possible positive position, real mukti, real salvation, has not been effected. Mere withdrawal from the negative plane cannot be called liberation. Hegal has said that the object of our life is self-determination. We must determine our normal function in the organic whole---not mere emancipation in a positive function in the domain of service. This is considered to be the highest attainment of life. This is the real meaning of gayatri.

 

The word gayatri comes from two Sanskrit roots: ganat and trayate. Trayate means positive attainment to the final stage (sva-rupena vyavashitih ). And ganat means not mere sound, but musical sound. That musical sound which grants us the highest positive deliverance indicates the sankirtana of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and the flute song of Sri Krsna.

 

Brahma-Gayatri-Bhasya

 

bhvades-tat savitur-vavarenya-vihitam ksetrajna-sevaya-arthakam

bhargo vai vrsabhanuja-atma-vibhava-eka-aradhana sri-puram

bhargo jyotir-acintya-lilana-sudha-eka-aradhana-sri-puram

bhargo dhama-taraga-khelana-sudha-eka-aradhana-sri-puram

bhargo dhama-sada nirasta kuhakam prajnana lila-puram

devasya-amrta-rupa-lila-rasa-dheraradha-dhi-prerina

devasya-amrta-rupa-lila-purusasyaradha-dhi-preyasina

devasya dyutisundara-eka-purusasyaradhaya-dhi-preyasina

gayatri-muralisÝa-kirtana-dhanam radhapadam dhimahi

gayatri-gaditam mahaprabhu-matam radhapadam dhimahi

dhir-aradhanam eva nanyad-iti-tad-radhapadam dhimahi

srila sri-bhaktiraksaka sridhara deva-gosvami maharaja

 

Purport

 

The purport of the brahma-gayatri is as follows: The first word is OM. Om is the seed mantra which contains everything within it. The next word is bhur. Bhur is where we are--Bhu-loka-- the world of our experience. The next word is buvah. Buvarloka is the world of mental acquisition. It is the support, the background of our experience. Our present position of experience is the effect of our mental acquisition. That we are here in the world of experience is not an accident; we have acquired this position by our previous karma. The physical sphere, this present world of experience, is only the product, the outcome of our previous mental impulses. And the subtle world of previous karma, the mental sphere, is known as Bhuvarloka.

 

The next word in the mantra is svah. Above Bhuvaloka is Sva-loka. The mental world (Bhuvarloka) means acceptance and rejection: what to do and what not to do--"I like this, I don't like that." Sva-loka, however, is the plane of decision, the world of intelligence (Buddiloka). Our intelligence tells us, "You may like this, but you don't do that, for then you will be the loser." That plane, the plane of reason, is known as Sva-loka. In this way, this material world is composed of three general layers, bhur, the physical world, bhuvah, the mental world, and svah, the intellectual world.

 

Of course, a more detailed analysis will reveal seven layers: Bhur, Bhuvah Svah, Maha, Jana, Tapa, and Satyaloka. This has been dealt with in detail by Sanatana Goswami in his Brhad-Bhagavatamrtam. Here, these seven strata have been summarized in three planes of existence: physical, mental, and intellectual. And these three planes of experience have been summarized in a word, tat.

 

The next word in the brahma-gayatri is savitur. Savitur generally means surya, the sun. And the sun means, figuratively, that which shows or illuminates; that by which we can see. The three gross and subtle strata within this world are shown to us by a particular thing, savitur. What it that? The soul. Actually, the world is not shown to us by the sun, but by the soul. What really gives us perception and allows us to see gross things? It is not actually the sun that helps us to see; we see with the help of the soul. This is found in Bhagavad-gita (yatha prakasayaty ekah krtsnam lokam imam ravih). The soul reveals this world to us just as the sun does. The sun can show color to our eyes, the ear can reveal the sound world, and the hand can reveal the touch world. But really in the center is the soul. It is the soul who gives light to this world, who gives us an understanding of the environment, the world of perception. All perception is possible only because of the soul. Here, the word savitur, which generally means sun, can only mean soul, like the sun, shows us everything.

 

All seven strata of our existence-represented by bhur, the physical plane, bhuvah, the mental plane, and svah, the intellectual plane-have here been reduced to one entity: tat-"that.That" is shown by the sun which in this context indicates the soul. Here soul means individual soul. The individual soul is the cause of his world. Not that the mind is in the world, but the world is in the mind. Berkeley has said that the world is in the mind. Here it is being expressed that everything is seen with the help of the sun. If there is no sun, everything is dark- nothing can be seen. So without light, nothing can be seen. And in a higher sense, light means the soul. The soul is the subject and the soul's object is the seven planes of experience within this world.

 

The next word in the gayatri mantra is varenyam. Varenyam means puja: worshipable, venerable. This indicates that although within this plane--the objective world--the is the subject, there is another domain which is to be venerated and worshipped by the soul. That is the Supersoul area.

 

That worshipable plane of existence is known as bhargo. Bhargo means the super subjective area, the area of the Supersoul. This is mentioned in the first verse of Srimad-Bhagavatam: dhamna svena sada nirasta-kuhakam satyam param dhimahi. Srila Vysadeva says that here he is going to deal with another world whose pristine glory is so great that by its own ray, all misconceptions are brushed aside. The subject is the soul, and its object is all these worlds of experience. And the super subject, is the venerable area which is superior to the subject, the soul-- that is the super subjective area.

 

The word bhargo means"more subtle than the soul," and "holding a more important position than the soul." So this means the Supersoul, the Paramatma. In general, of course, the word bhargo ordinarily means light. Just as an X-ray can show us what the ordinary eye cannot see, bhargo is svarupa-sakti: higher, more powerful light that can reveal the soul. And that energy--bhargo--belongs to whom? It belongs to deva. What is the meaning of the word deva? Deva means "who is beautiful an playful," that is, Sri Krsna: Reality the beautiful. He is not a nondifferentiated substance, but is full of lila, pastimes. Deva means pastimes and beauty combined and this is Krsna.

 

His domain is bhargo, brilliant, and it is varenyam, to venerated by the jiva soul. What is the nature of the svarupa-sakti? It is the vaibava, the extend body of Srimati Radharani. She holds the full service responsibility and the energy to serve Krsna. bhargo is no less than the vaibava, the extended body of Srimati Radharani, which contains everything for the service of Krsna. Bhargo represents Mahabava, the predominated moiety, and deva, Krsna, is Rasaraja, the predominating moiety.

 

In the gayatri mantra, we are requested, bhargo devasya dhimahi: "come meditate". What sort of meditation is possible in that plane of dedication? Not abstract meditation, but service cultivation, krsnanusilanam. Dhimahi means " to participate in the spontaneous flow, the current of devotion in Vrndavana." And what will be the result (dhiyo yo nah pracodayat)? The capacity of our cultivation will be increased. As we serve, a greater capacity and willingness to serve will be given to us in remuneration-- just as interest is added to capital in the bank(dasa kari' vetana more deha prema-dhana). In this way, our dedicating principle will be increased again and again. Dhimahi means aradhana, worship. It cannot but be explained in terms of aradhana, puja, seva-- worship, adoration, loving service. The word buddhi means that which we cultivate with the help of our intelligence. But here, dhi is a reference to that venerable intelligence which descends into this plane to help us cultivate service. So dhimahi does not mean abstract meditation, but devotional service. This is the underlying meaning of the gayatri mantra.

 

Gayatri, the song of deliverance, also means sankirtana. Kirtana is also sung, and it also improves us towards the highest goal. The sankirtana of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu also reinstates us in out highest serving position. So brahma-gayatri in connection with Mahaprabhu comes to mean krsna-kirtana. Then it reaches Vrndavana and the flute-kirtana. And when we enter Vrndavana, we shall find that the sweet sound of Krsna's flute helps to engage all the Lords servants in their respective duties. When the flute is sounded, the gopis and others are adjusted in their respective duties. At night, the gopis, hearing the sound of the flute will run to the Yamuna, thinking, "Oh, Krsna's is there." And when Yasoda hears the song of Krsna's flute, she thinks, "My son is there. He is coming home soon." In this way, the sound of the flute engages all the servants of the Lord in their respective positions and inspires them to be mindful of their service.

 

In my Sanskrit commentary on the gayatri mantra, I have written dhiraradhanam eva nanyaditi tad radha-padam dhimahi : All other services are represented fully in Radhika. Like branches they are all part of her. Madhura rasa is the chief or mukhya-rasa, the combination of all rasas. Srimati Radharani is Mahabhava--she represents the entire serving attitude.

 

The flute-song of Sri Krsna, expressed as the gayatri mantra, is reminding us and engaging us in our service. And what is our service? Our service must be to surrender ourselves in the service of Srimati Radharani-to accept the suggestion of Radharani. The gayatri mantra will excite us to be mindful about Srimati Radharani's lotus feet, to obey her orders. She is mainly representing the whole service area. So to try to engage ourselves in her service, under her order- to accept her direction and to obey her- that is the service of Sri Radha. In this way, the meaning of the gayatri mantra has been drawn to radha-dasyam, self-determination (svarupena vyavasthitih ).

 

In the meantime, the partial representations in vatsalya and sakhya rasa are also part and parcel of the original mellow of conjugal love, madhura rasa. The vatsalya rasa devotees will serve Nanda and Yasoda, the sakhya rasa devotee will serve Sridama and Sudama, but ultimately, the whole system in one conception is included in Radharani.

 

Radha-dasyam, the service of Srimati Radharani, is the ultimate meaning to be extracted from the gayatri mantra. That is the supreme end of our life. It cannot but be so. Srimad-Bhagavatam is the ultimate or full-fledged theism to be extracted from the Vedas, Upanisads, and so many scriptures. All the revealed truth rises to its acme, to its highest position, in the conception given by Srimad-Bhagavatam. And Srimad-Bhagavatam teaches us that the highest realization, self-determination, is the service of Srimati Radharani-that under her guidance we may serve Sri Krsna. We aspire for a direct connection with her service.

 

What, then, is the inner meaning or purport of the word bhargo? Bhargo means the sum, or "who shows us by light." Radharani is the daughter of Vrsabhanu. I have selected the word bhanu. To represent her personal extended self, I have given the word vaibhava. Vaibhava means, "what comes out," or "extended self." Prabhava is the central representation and vaibhava is the outer extension. The very gist of svarupa-sakti is Srimati Radharani, and the whole svarupa-sakti is her extended self. The town of her beautiful service is the whole svarupa-sakti.

 

Just as rays of light extend from the sun, the whole internal potency is an extension of Mahabhava, Sri Radhika. She has developed herself into such a beautiful area of brilliance, of internal energy, and thereby she serves her Lord. All these necessary things have sprung from her. To help her in serving her Lord, they all come out. When the entire internal energy is condensed in a concise form, it is Mahabhava, Radharani. And when Radharani wants to serve, she extends herself in limitless different ways. And with some contribution from Baladeva and Yogamaya, the whole spiritual world, including Vrndavana, Mathura, and Vaikuntha, evolves to assist Srimati Radharani in the service of Sri Krsna.

 

In this way, I have drawn out radha-dasyam, the service of Srimati Radharani as the meaning of the gayatri mantra and have tried to represent it in the above Sanskrit verse.

 

 

[Guest guest]

TEXT 9

 

TEXT

 

keha ta' acarya ajnaya, keha ta' svatantra

sva-mata kalpana kare daiva-paratantra

 

SYNONYMS

 

keha ta'--some; acarya--the spiritual master; ajnaya--upon His order; keha ta'--some; sva-tantra--independently; sva-mata--their own opinions; kalpana kare--they concoct; daiva-paratantra--under the spell of maya.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Some of the disciples strictly accepted the orders of the acarya, and others deviated, independently concocting their own opinions under the spell of daivi-maya.

 

PURPORT

 

This verse describes the beginning of a schism. When disciples do not stick to the principle of accepting the order of their spiritual master, immediately there are two opinions. Any opinion different from the opinion of the spiritual master is useless. One cannot infiltrate materially concocted ideas into spiritual advancement. That is deviation. There is no scope for adjusting spiritual advancement to material ideas.

 

TEXT 10

 

TEXT

 

acaryera mata yei, sei mata sara

tanra ajna langhi' cale, sei ta' asara

 

SYNONYMS

 

acaryera--of the spiritual master (Advaita Prabhu); mata--opinion; yei--what is; sei--that; mata--opinion; sara--active principle; tanra--his; ajna--order; langhi'--transgressing; cale--becomes; sei--that; ta'--however; asara--useless.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The order of the spiritual master is the active principle in spiritual life. Anyone who disobeys the order of the spiritual master immediately becomes useless.

 

PURPORT

 

Here is the opinion of Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami. Persons who strictly follow the orders of the spiritual master are useful in executing the will of the Supreme, whereas persons who deviate from the strict order of the spiritual master are useless.

 

Cc. Adi lila Ch. 12, Txt 9-10

 

 

[kailasa 0]

***Some of the disciples strictly accepted the orders of the acarya, and others deviated, independently concocting their own opinions under the spell of daivi-maya.

 

Nice. They not be able understand Lord Caitanya.

 

Then dear friends make adminictrative metiods. Hey you! what ISKCON administrative? No. YOU most administrative.

[kailasa 0]

"nikunja-yuno rati-keli-siddhyai ...

 

The spiritual master&#8217;s ultimate goal is that he wants to be transferred to the planet of Krsna, where he can associate with the gopis to help them serve Krsna. Some spiritual masters are thinking of becoming assistants to the gopis, some are thinking of becoming assistants to the cowherd boys, some are thinking of becoming assistants to Nanda and Mother Yasoda, and some are thinking of becoming God's servants. Some are thinking of becoming flower trees, fruit trees, calves, or cows in Vrndavana. There are five kinds of mellows: santa [veneration], dasya [servitorship], sakhya [friendship], vatsalya [parenthood], and madhurya [conjugal love]. Everything is there in the spiritual world. Cintamani-prakara-sadmasu. In the spiritual sky, even the land is spiritual. The trees are spiritual, the fruit is spiritual, the flowers are spiritual, the water is spiritual, the servants are spiritual, the friends are spiritual, the mothers are spiritual, the fathers are spiritual, the Lord is spiritual, and His associates are spiritual. It is all absolute, although there are varieties."

 

Adi 7.17

 

"The devotees headed by Gadadhara Pandita are to be considered incarnations of the internal potency of the Lord. They are confidential devotees engaged in the service of the Lord.

 

Narottama - "Only if I become attached to the instructions given by the six Gosvamis, headed by Rupa Gosvami and Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, will it be possible for me to understand the conjugal love of Radha and Krsna."

 

Prabhupada - "By attachment to the devotional service of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu one immediately comes to the ecstatic position. When he develops his love for Nityananda Prabhu he is freed from all attachment to the material world, and at that time he becomes eligible to understand the Lord's pastimes in Vrndavana. In that condition, when one develops his love for the six Gosvamis, he can understand the conjugal love between Radha and Krsna. These are the different stages of a pure devotee's promotion to conjugal love in the service of Radha and Krsna in an intimate relationship with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

These are the different stages of a pure devotee's promotion to conjugal love in the service of Radha and Krsna in an intimate relationship with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

pure devotee's promotion to conjugal love in the service of Radha and Krsna in an intimate relationship with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

service of Radha and Krsna in an intimate relationship with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

in an intimate relationship with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

in an intimate relationship with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

in an intimate relationship with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu."

 

Here it is not told in direct relations with Radha Krishna

 

 

Rupa Gosvami Stava mala, mala 3

 

Srimati Radharani's Reply

 

TEXT 240

 

"Separation from Krsna is better than meeting Him. When I meet Him there is only one Krsna, but when I am separated from Him the three worlds become filled with Krsnas."

 

Jaiva Dharma

 

"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."

[kailasa 0]

***Even the Hindu laws of India consider it at the time of dispute for succession the person who did perform the rituals at the time of the funerals, giving him main preference.

 

In this case it is no has big importance. Prabhupada speak His disciples - "be careful Sriman Narayana desire take powr ISKCON."

 

Prabhupada speak him perform the ritual for pacifi (?) NM. And disciple be yang. Nm not follow Srila Prabhupada and he is try destroy.

[kailasa 0]

***He will be the guru of the sahajiyas, and Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami, who has written Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, will be the maha-guru of all sahajiyas.

 

Needs first understand CC, they do not understand CC and mood Lord Caitanya, they do not follow this mood.

[kailasa 0]

***Tridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja

MEETING IS HIGHER THAN SEPARATION

 

It is not rupanuga.

[kailasa 0]

***Those who follow Srila Rupa Gosvami&#8217;s Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu and are under the guidance of Krsna&#8217;s cowherd friends (sakhas), like Subala, Sridama and all others, and who want to serve Lord Krsna like the sakhas &#8211; will not be called rupanuga

 

Ramananda Ray not rupanuga?

[kailasa 0]

***. A diksa guru in sakhya rasa will send such a disciple in madhurya rasa to a siksa guru who is in that eternal mood.

 

Not strongly. Srila Prabhupada speak if guru pure devotee not needs be equal rasa guru and rasa disciple.