Art of Sadana

Introduction
guru vaiava bhagavn tinera smaraa
tinera smarae haya vighna-vinana
anyse haya nija vchita praa
I meditate on the guru, the Vaishnavas, and the Lord. By remembering them,
all obstacles are destroyed and one quickly attains the fulfillment of all
desires.
(Chaitanya Charitmta ..!"#!$
%ith these &ords, 'rishnad(sa 'avir()a *osv(m+ begins his Chaitanya
Charitmta. ,his -rayer is his magalcaraa, or aus-icious invocation. .ollo&ing in
'rishnad(sa/s footste-s &e invoke the mercy of gurudeva. By remembering
'rishna, the abode of all good fortune, in accordance &ith the directions of 0is
devotees, it is -ossible to quickly attain the Lord/s mercy.
yasya prasdd bhagavat-prasd
yasyprasdn na gati! "ut#pi
,he guru is the best of 'rishna/s devotees and non#different from 0is beloved
1(dh(r(2+. ,herefore &hen guru is -leased, 'rishna is also -leased.
,he conclusion of the mahjanas is that there is no &ay of gaining the Lord/s
-leasure other than through the guru. ,hus, &e -ray that our beloved gurudeva be
-leased &ith us and that the devotees of 'rishna, all of &hom, as 0is e3-ansions,
are non#different from 0im, &ill also look u-on us &ith -leasure. %e -ray that their
combined mercy &ill result in our obtaining the great fortune of 'rishna/s
satisfaction. 4ay 5r+ *uru, *aur(6ga, *(ndharvik(, and *iridh(r+ be ever glorious,
and may they besto& all aus-iciousness u-on us.
In the $ahbhrata, 'ing 7udhi89hira and the other :(2;avas &ere challenged to
ans&er questions by 7amar()a, &ho had disguised himself as a heron. <f the five
brothers, only 7udhi89hira &as able to ans&er all the questions, thus -assing
7amar()a/s test. In ans&er to the question about the genuine s-iritual -ath, the
eldest :(2;ava stated that only the -ath follo&ed by the mahjanas &as free of all
obstacles, and that everyone should therefore cast aside all intellectual criticism
and sim-ly follo& that -ath. =nyone &ho disregards the -ath of the mahjana#s for
another &ill soon find that they are no longer headed to&ard the divine abode,
*oloka, but rather in the com-letely o--osite direction>to&ard a hellish e3istence.
It is therefore necessary for us to ascertain &ho the mahjanas are, find the -ath
they have left for us, and learn ho& &e should follo& it. ,his -ath is the art of
sadhana>the means to achieving the su-reme goal of s-iritual life.
%hile recounting the story of =)(mila in the %r&mad 'hgavatam#s si3th canto,
5ukadeva names t&elve mahjanas, all of &hom are said to kno& the inner secrets
of the -ath to *od. ,hese mahjanas are ?v(yambh@, A(rada, 5ambhu, the four
'um(ras, 'a-ila, 4anu, :rahl(da, Banaka, Bh+8ma, Bali, Vaiy(saki and 7amar()a.
,he 'a-ila s-oken of here is the son of 'ardama and Cevah@t+ and not the
atheistic author of ?(6khya -hiloso-hy. =ll of these great -ersonalities &ere
follo&ers of the -ath of devotion and all of them demonstrated, each in his o&n
&ay, the e3cellence of this -ath.
bhagavn brahma "rtsnyena
trir anv&"ya man&ay
tad adhyavasyat "(asth
ratir tman yat bhavet
Lord Brahm(, for instance, carefully studied the Vedic literature three times
and came to the conclusion that attachment to the ?u-reme ?elf is the Vedic
literature/s ultimate goal. (%r&mad 'hgavatam
!.!.DE$
Bust as munis read a scri-ture t&o or three times over in order to understand it
-ro-erly, so Brahm( also decided to -lay the -art of a seeker, even though he is
all#kno&ing. 0e thus took on the character of a muni>)ust as it is said in the %rutis,
sa munir bhtv samacintayat, 0e became a muni and started to think carefully.
Brahm( carefully studied the Vedas three times in their entirety, )ust to sho& ho&
difficult it is to e3tract the essence of the scri-tures and find their ultimate
meaning. %hen Brahm( com-leted his study, he came to the conclusion that
attachment to the ?u-reme Lord 0ari, or bha"ti-yga, is the genuine fruit of such
scholarly research.
na hy at #nya! iva! panth
viata! sa)smtv iha
vsudeve bhagavati
bha"ti-yg yat bhavet
,here is no more aus-icious a -ath for the souls &ho have entered the &orld
of re-eated birth and death than the -ath &hich leads to Lord V(sudeva/s
devotional service. (%r&mad 'hgavatam !.!.DD$
=lthough there are many -aths to liberation, none is more reasonable, easily
-erformed or safer than the -rocess by &hich one -leases the ?u-reme Lord and,
as a result, attains devotion or love for 0is lotus feet. ,here is no doubt that direct
devotional service is su-erior to other -rocesses such as "arma-yga, by &hich one
offers the results of one/s activities to the Lord.
,he su-eriority of devotional service over other -aths of s-iritual life is clearly
stated in the concluding verses of the 'hagavad-g&t/s si3th cha-terF
tapasvibhy#dhi" yg& (G.EG$ and yginm api sarvem (G.EH$. .urthermore, the
most confidential instructions of the Lord, at the end of the *&t/s eighteenth
cha-ter (man-man bhava and sarva-dharmn parityajya+, also indicate clearly that
the ultimate goal of the Vedic literature is Bhakti yoga.
4any conflicting ideas about religion have develo-ed throughout history.
=ccording to the authority of the %r&mad 'hgavatam (.!.G$, ho&ever, the ultimate
religious activity for all human beings is devotion to the ?u-reme Lord, 5r+
'rishna, &ho lies beyond em-irical validation. =t its a-e3, such devotion
(characteriIed by activities such as hearing and chanting about 'rishna$ must be
causelessJ that is, the -erformer should be free from any selfish motive. Cevotion
must also be uninhibitedJ nothing must be allo&ed to interfere &ith its
-erformance, and it must be inde-endent and s-ontaneous.
In the si3th canto of the %r&mad 'hgavatam, it is said that bhakti, devotional
service, is -rimarily e3ecuted in the form of sa"&rtanaF
etvn eva l"e ,smin
pu)s) dharma! parah smta!
bha"ti-yg bhagavati
tan-nma-grahadibhi!
,herefore, the su-reme religious activity for -eo-le in this &orld is devotional
service to the Lord, -erformed by such acts as re-eating 0is divine names.
(%r&mad 'hgavatam G.D.!!$
5r+ Khaitanya 4ah(-rabhu also confirmed this statement from the 'hgavatam in
0is o&n &ordsF
bhajanera madhye re(ha nava-vidh bha"ti
"a-prema, "a dite dhare mah-a"ti
tra madhye sarva-re(ha nma-sa"&rtana
nirapardhe laile nma pya prema-dhana
<f the many &ays of e3ecuting devotional service, there are nine varieties
&hich are considered to be the best, for they -ossess a great ca-acity to
deliver love for 'rishna and thus 'rishna 0imself. <f these nine -rocesses of
devotional service, the most im-ortant is the chanting of the Lord/s 0oly Aame,
for if one chants &ithout committing offenses, the treasure of love for the Lord
&ill be obtained. (Chaitanya Charitmta
D.E.H"#H$
In the t&elfth cha-ter of the 'hagavad-g&t, it is said that remembering,
contem-lating and meditating on the Lord de-ends on inner -urificationJ thus,
these activities are not easily -erfected by ordinary -eo-le. <n the other hand,
since sa"&rtana is an activity e3ecuted by the e3ternal senses, it is &ithin the
gras- of anyone, even the disturbed human beings of this =ge of 'ali. ,he most
merciful 5r+ Khaitanya 4ah(-rabhu, &ho a--eared in this age to give the great
gift of love of *od in the mood of 'rishna/s associates in Vra)a, testified to this end
&hen 0e emotionally embraced 0is most confidential associates, ?var@-a
C(modara and 1(m(nanda 1(ya, and saidF
hare prabhu "ahena una svarpa rma-rya
nma-sa"&rtana "alau parama upya
Khanting the 0oly Aames is the su-reme means of salvation in this age of
'ali. (Chaitanya Charitmta
D.!".L$
.rom this statement &e can easily understand that the Lord invested some s-ecial
-o&ers in the chanting of 0is 0oly Aames in this -articularly fortunate age of 'ali.
,his s-ecial -o&er is its ca-acity to a&aken affectionate attachment or rga for the
Lord. ,his is thus the best -rocess by &hich one can develo- rga-bha"ti, or
devotional service in s-ontaneous affection.
Mven though Khaitanya 4ah(-rabhu has stated that through devotional service
based on rules and regulations one cannot attain the ty-e of love of *od that is
found in Vra)a, (vidhi-bha"tye vraja-bhva pite nhi a"ti-Chaitanya Charitmta
.D.N$, if one takes u- harinma-sa"&rtana on the vidhi-bha"ti -latform according
to the directions given by Khaitanya 4ah(-rabhu, then one &ill quickly attain the
qualifications necessary for the inner a&akening of such a s-ontaneous service
attitude. 4ah(-rabhu told ?var@-a C(modara and 1(m(nanda 1(ya ho& one
should chant the 0oly Aame in order to a&aken his dormant love for 'rishnaF
td api sun&cena
tarr iva sahiun
amnin mnadena
"&rtan&ya! sad hari!
<ne should chant the 0oly Aame of the Lord &hile thinking oneself to be lo&er
than the grass. 0e should be more tolerant than the tree, take no res-ect for
oneself and give all res-ect to others. (Chaitanya Charitmta D.!".!$
,hus, if anyone follo&s 4ah(-rabhu/s direction and chants the 0oly Aame in the
manner described in this verse, he or she &ill quickly develo- transcendental
greed or intense hankering. ?uch greed, &hich mirrors the eternal attachment that
the residents of Vra)a have for their Lord, is the -rice that one must -ay to
-urchase a consciousness imbued &ith devotional sentiment. ,his is called
rgnug bha"ti, and it is the merciful manifestation of 'rishna/s -leasure -otency,
hldin&-a"ti.
M3-ertise in devotional service is measured by the e3tent to &hich one is able to
satisfy the senses of the Lord. =n advanced devotee &ho has this e3-ertise is one
&ho has taken e3clusive shelter of 'rishna. 0e is free from any tendency to
criticiIe others, and seeks only to be absorbed in the -astimes of the Civine Kou-le
of Vra)a. ?uch a devotee is very dear to 'rishna and is certainly rare in this &orld.
,o see such a devotee, to associate &ith him, or to serve him are manifestations of
good fortune on a level seldom e3-erienced. <nly if 'rishna besto&s 0is mercy on
someone can he e3-erience the blessing of such association. ,o inform everyone
of this im-ortant as-ect of s-iritual life, mahjanas such as Bhaktivinoda Oh(kura
have -rayed for the contact of a -erson &ho is e3-ert in devotional serviceF
"abe r& caitanya mre "aribena day
"abe mi piba vaiava-pada-chy
%hen &ill 5r+ Khaitanya 4ah(-rabhu be merciful unto meP %hen &ill I find
shelter in the shade of a Vaishnava/s lotus feetP
(.alya-"alpataru, /ainyamay& prrthan, $
,his kind of consciousness, imbued &ith a taste for devotion to 'rishna, is obtained
by the grace of a great soul &ho has traveled the rgnug bha"ti -ath0 4illions and
millions of births filled &ith -ious acts &ill not bring about the same result.
=fter taking shelter of a s-iritual master, one should engage &ith absolute
dedication in the &orshi- of the 0oly Aame, in the association of devotees and in
the dee-est solitude. ,hrough this &orshi-, the devotee/s understanding of the
ob)ect of &orshi- (upsya$, the &orshi-er (upsa"a$ and the -rocess of &orshi-
(upsan$ &ill be clarified. ,his advancement in s-iritual life &ill a&aken an intense
desire or s-iritual greed to attain the mood of 'rishna/s associates in Vra)a. Mven
so, everyone should remember the &arning of the .a(ha 1panishadF
"urasya dhr niit duratyay
durga) pathas tat "avay vadanti
,he -ath of s-iritual realiIation is very difficultJ it is shar- like a raIor/s edge.
,hat is the o-inion of learned transcendentalists. (.a(ha 1panishad .D.E$

If one s&erves even slightly from the -ath laid out by the s-iritual master, he &ill
fall do&n. If one gives any consideration to desires for -rofit, adoration or -restige,
or if one allo&s themself to succumb to -olitical intrigues, the gro&th of one/s
devotional cree-er &ill be stunted. In this matter, the devotee &ho is dear to
'rishna is the only one &ho can save us. ,he scri-tures say that the ty-e of
-erfection one attains de-ends on the thoughts one has &hile engaged in s-iritual
-ractice (yd& bhvan yasya siddhir bhavati td&$. If &e concentrate &ith
transcendental greed on obtaining the association of a devotee &ho is e3-ert in
the science of serving the Lord, then 'rishna &ill surely a--ear 0imself in the form
of such an advanced soul.
<n the other hand, if &e have some other ob)ective in mind, &e may encounter
many -eo-le &ho merely -resent themselves as religious leaders or as saintly
-ersons but &ho have no substance. %e may be confused by their -o&ers or
-o-ularity and lose our bearings, &andering ever further from the genuine goal of
-ure devotion. .ar from achieving love for 'rishna in Vrindavan, &e &ill become
totally confused and thus inevitably lose our soul on the -ath to oblivion.
It has been said that the -ath of religion is established by *od 0imself>dharma) tu
s"d bhagavat-pra&tam0 If one has no understanding of this basic -rinci-le of
s-iritual life, no matter ho& intellectually gifted he may be, his gras- of the truth
&ill be ske&ed and he &ill become indifferent to the true, eternal, s-iritual religion
of the soul. ?uch -ersons -romote the idea of a secular state &here everyone is
indifferent to the -ractice of religion. <ne should never, ho&ever, be indifferent to
the true, eternal, s-iritual religion. ,he secularist is &rong &hen he thinks that one
&ho adheres to the su-reme truth of s-iritual life is affected by a sectarian or
ungenerous s-irit.
,he ?u-reme Lord is eternal, true, -ermanent and everlastingJ the living being also
has these same qualities. ,he relationshi- bet&een them is thus eternal and
indissoluble. ,he ?u-reme Lord is infinite consciousness. By 0is omni-otent desire,
the atomic conscious -article (the individual living being$ is brought into being.
Ces-ite this difference>the Lord being infinite and the living being atomic>the
as-ect of consciousness and s-irituality is common to both. ,hus the relation of
the individual to the ?u-reme Lord is described as being one of simultaneous
oneness and difference. ?ince it is im-ossible for one to understand ho& t&o
things can be simultaneously one and distinct, the *au;+ya mahjanas have added
the ad)ective acintya or inconceivable to this definition, calling their doctrine,
acintya-bhedbheda. ,he im-lication is that one can only kno& this relationshi-
through revealed scri-ture and acce-t it on faith.
In this &orld, -eo-le have -resented many doctrines about s-iritual life and
religion &ithout an understanding of this basic relation bet&een the individual soul
and *od. =s it is said in the 'hgavatamF ,hus, due to their different natures,
human beings have a variety of different understandings (eva) pra"ti-vaicitryd
bhidyante matay n2m$. ?ince -eo-le are under the influence of the qualities of
material nature, namely goodness, -assion and ignorance, they differ in their
-erce-tions of reality and thus conflicts inevitably arise bet&een them. ?ince
4ah(-rabhu/s religion of love is universal, the secular state should -romote it, for
under its influence alone can all quarrels and conflicts be eliminated.
4ah(-rabhu/s religion of love is the unique route to lasting &orld -eace.
<nly a true saint, fi3ed in the eternal religion of devotion to the one su-reme truth,
can harmoniIe all conflicting -oints of vie& and -roduce lasting -eace. 'rishna is
the source of all incarnations, the com-lete &hole and is all#-ervading. =ll
a--arent contradictions are resolved in 0im. ?imilarly, the devotee &ho is
e3clusively devoted to the Lord is ca-able of harmoniIing all different -hiloso-hical
-ositions from his transcendental vantage -oint. ,herefore, &hen one sho&s
-reference to such a devotee, one is in fact follo&ing a -olicy of non#-referential
treatment to&ards any religious denomination.
In the second of the %r&mad 'hgavatam#s invocatory verses, the non#envious saint
has been described as a -erson &ho is uniquely qualified to engage in the true,
eternal religion from &hich all cheating tendencies have been discarded. ,he &ord
mtsarya (envy$ indicates the inability to tolerate another/s good fortune or
ha--iness. Mnviousness &ithin individuals does not allo& -ro-er distinction
bet&een the inner self and the material self. ?uch envy creates -hiloso-hical ideas
based on distinctions bet&een that &hich one -ossesses and that &hich belongs to
others. ?uch envy is the source of &ar and other disru-tions. <f course, varieties
e3ist in the divine dimension, but the lack of unity arising from such varieties does
not result in any real conflict because each individual is firmly fi3ed in the non#dual
su-reme truth, the source of s-iritual harmony.
<n the other hand, it is im-ossible to harmoniIe the materialistic -ro-ensity &ith
the s-iritual. ,he futile efforts to legislate harmony bet&een these mutually
o--osing realities merely contribute to further unrest and disharmony. ,he sun,
&hich allo&s us to see, cannot com-romise &ith the darkness that obstructs vision.
?imilarly, the non#envious nature cannot accommodate the envious nature of the
mundaneJ rather, it drives it a&ay and -roclaims its conquest, )ust as the rising sun
dis-els darkness and brings aus-iciousness to the &orld. In this &ay, su-reme
-eace comes to reign in the &orld.
=t first, the 'hgavata a--ears to condemn s-iritual -ractices such as &ork in the
s-irit of renunciation or the cultivation of kno&ledge. It does acce-t, ho&ever, the
necessity for &ork -erformed for the satisfaction of the ?u-reme Lord and the
cultivation of kno&ledge in the categories of sambandha, abhidheya, and prayjana in
relation to 'rishna. %hen -laced in the conte3t of devotion to 'rishna, these
contradictory visions of s-iritual -ractice are thus harmoniIed. ,o 4ah(-rabhu, the
%r&mad 'hgavatam is the only authoritative scri-tureJ thus, it sets the standard for
Vaishnava behavior and doctrine. ,rue -eace in the &orld can only be achieved on
the basis of the -ure -hiloso-hical conclusions established by the 'hgavatam. In
this -ublication, 3he 4rt 5 6adhana, various as-ects of the Vaishnava scri-tures>
the %r&mad 'hgavatam, 7ari-bha"ti-vilsa and Chaitanya Charitmta>are cited to
highlight different as-ects of the -ath of devotion.
Mvery single living being is in essence a -art of the single non#dual ?u-reme ,ruth.
=s one takes shelter of this ?u-reme ,ruth and dee-ens ones kno&ledge of that
eternal relationshi- (sambandha$, ones understanding of the -rocess (abhidheya$ by
&hich to reach the ultimate -erfection of life (prayjana$ becomes clear. =s this
develo-ment takes -lace, true vision of equality and friendshi- bet&een living
beings becomes a reality.
%hen &e s-eak of the 'hgavata, &e mean t&o different things. ,he first is the
scri-ture, %r&mad 'hgavatam. ,he second is the 'hgavata devotee &ho has
established a relation &ith 'hagavn, the ?u-reme Lord. ?var@-a C(modara
instructed the brahmin from Mast Bengal to go and study the 'hgavatam from a
Vaishnava.
jha bhgavata paa vaiavera sthne
e"nta raya "ara caitanya-carae
caitanya bha"ta-gaera nitya "ara saga
tabe ta jnibe siddhnta-samudra-taraga
*o and study the 'hgavatam from a Vaishnava. ,ake e3clusive shelter of
Khaitanya 4ah(-rabhu/s lotus feet. =l&ays associate &ith Khaitanya
4ah(-rabhu/s devotees. If you do all this, you &ill be able to -lunge into the
ocean of 0is divine teachings. (Chaitanya Charitmta D.N.D#D!$
siddhnta baliye citte n "ara alasa
ih haite "a lge sud8ha mnasa
Co not, out of laIiness, neglect to meditate on the conclusions of the
scri-tures. .rom kno&ledge of the siddhnta, the mind &ill become fi3ed on
'rishna. (Chaitanya Charitmta .!.H$
= saintly -erson &ho is free from envy and &ho has studied the art of sadhana as
taught by 5r+ Khaitanya has entered into the Lord/s most confidential teachings.
By hearing the 'hgavata from such a -erson, it is -ossible to learn its true
meaning and gain the ultimate aus-iciousness. By the grace of 5r+ Khaitanya/s art
of sadhana, it becomes -ossible to understand the transcendental nature of
'rishna Khaitanya 4ah(-rabhu/s body. .rom that kno&ledge, one can come to
understand that the )e&el in the center of the nine islands of Aabad&i-, the divine
garden of QRody(na

, is similarly transcendental, as is the &hole of 4ah(-rabhu/s

abode.
,he Lord says, Both the divine sound and the divine form are 4y eternal bodies
(abda-brahma para) brahma mambhe vat& tan$. ,he sound vibration &hich
designates the ?u-reme Lord is kno&n as the divine sound or abda brahma.
Khaitanya 4ah(-rabhu/s gos-el is )ust such a divine sound. By careful attention to
it anyone can achieve an understanding of the form of the para) brahma, or divinity
in its highest, -ersonal as-ect. ,his leads to relishing 0is ever#fresh and delightful
name, form, attributes, and -astimes>a fortune that -uts to rest any residual
attraction that one may have for material sense -leasures. =s one starts to
e3-erience the )oy of the eternal realm, one &ill be able to have direct -erce-tion
of 5r+ Khaitanya 4ah(-rabhu/s transcendental form, &hich &ill then a--ear like
the rising full moon. 4ay this book, 3he 4rt 5 6adhana, based on the teachings of
the Lord and the great devotees, be ever victorious.
Chapter I
Perfection in Worship
,he &ord vednta means the end result of kno&ledge. It is a reference to the
1panishads, the final books of the Vedic revelation or %ruti. ,hese books contain
the mystic insights of the rishis and are considered to be the basis for all s-iritual
kno&ledge in India. ,he Lord/s incarnation, Vedavy(sa, the com-iler of the Vedic
literature, also com-osed the 9edanta sutras, or 'rahma sutras, in order to
summariIe the teachings of the 1panishads0 ,he &ord sutra means a-horism, or
code, a short, enigmatic statement meant to remind one of an entire as-ect of
the S-anishadic teaching.
,hus, sutras are the te3ts &hich stand as the basis of all religious -hiloso-hy in
India. Indeed, the founders of every school of Indian -hiloso-hy (5a6kara,
1(m(nu)a, Vallabha, Vishnusv(m+, 4(dhva and Aimb(rka$ have all &ritten
commentaries or bhyas on the sutras in order to e3-lain their understanding of
the su-reme truth. ,he *au;+ya Vaishnava school founded by Khaitanya
4ah(-rabhu also has an authoritative commentary on this im-ortant scri-ture, the
*vinda-bhya of Baladeva Vidy(bh@8a2a. .or the *au;+yas, ho&ever, the
unblemished commentary on the 9edanta 6utra is the %r&mad 'hgavatam, also
com-osed by Vy(sadeva, &here the three as-ects of s-iritual kno&ledge,
sambandha, abhidheya and prayjana, are clearly enunciated.
,he 9edanta 6utra is divided into four cha-ters or adhyyas, and each is further
subdivided into four pdas. ,he first and second cha-ters deal &ith sambandha-
tattva, the third &ith abhidheya-tattva, and the fourth &ith prayjana0
,he first cha-ter of the 9edanta 6utra is called samanvaya, or synthesis, for it
organiIes all the ideas of the Vedas and the 1panishads into an orderly &hole
centered around the conce-t of Brahman, the ?u-reme ,ruth. ,he second cha-ter
is called avirdha, &hich means consistency or harmony. =ccording to
Baladeva Vidy(bh@8a2a, in this cha-ter all a--arently inconsistent scri-tural
statements are sho&n to -oint harmoniously to the one Brahman, or ?u-reme
Lord

(tad evam aviruddhn) rut&n) samanvaya! sarvevare siddha!$. ,he third

cha-ter is named sdhana, or the means. It discusses devotion, &hich is the only
means for attaining Brahman. ,he fourth cha-ter is kno&n as phala, or the result.
,he term prayjana, or ultimate -ur-ose, is also used to indicate the attainment
of Brahman.
5r+ Khaitanya 4ah(-rabhu made the teachings of the Vedanta more e3-licit to 0is
disci-les and 0is e3-lanations &ere mercifully recorded by 'rishnad(sa 'avir()a
*osv(m+ in the Chaitanya CharitmtaF
veda-stra "ahe sambandha abhidheya prayjana
"a prpya sambandha bha"ti prptyera sdhana
abhidheya-nma bha"ti prema prayjana
pururtha-irmai prema mah-dhana
,he Vedic kno&ledge is subdivided into three -arts kno&n as sambandha
(relations$, abhidheya (-rocedure$ and prayjana (the aim or end$. ,he
kno&ledge of 'rishna as the goal of s-iritual life is called sambandha. ,he
kno&ledge that devotion is the means of attaining 0im and acting accordingly
is called abhidheya. ,he ultimate goal of life, or prayjana, is love of 'rishna or
prema0 ,his prema is the greatest treasure of s-iritual life and is foremost
amongst all the ob)ectives of human life.
(Chaitanya Charitmta !.!".!E#!N$

Mlse&here, 'rishnad(sa re-eats the same thing even more succinctlyF
veda-stre "ahe sambandha abhidheya prayjana
"a "a-bha"ti prema tina mah-dhana
,he Vedic kno&ledge is subdivided into three -arts kno&n as sambandha
(relations$, abhidheya (-rocedure$ and prayjana (the aim or end$. ,hese
three great treasures are 'rishna, devotion to 'rishna, and love for 'rishna.
In the 'ha"ti-rasmta-sindhu:..$ 'rishna is stated to be the a"hila-rasmta-
mrti or -ersonification of all t&elve aesthetic and relational e3-eriences kno&n as
rasa. =ccording to sambandha kno&ledge, 'rishna is the ?u-reme ,ruth. ,he only
means to attain 0im is bhakti or devotion, and love for 0im is the ultimate
ob)ective of s-iritual -ractices.
Sambandha
In the 'hagavad-g&t, Lord 'rishna says,
vedai ca sarvair aham eva vedy
vednta-"d veda-vid eva cham

I am the ob)ect to be kno&n by all the Vedic literatures. I am the com-oser of
the 1panishads or Vedanta and the kno&er of the true meaning of the Veda.
(*&t N.N$
In the %vetvatara 1panishad the ?u-reme is described as the attributeless
BrahmanF
e" deva! sarva-bhteu g8ha!
sarva-vyp& sarva-bhtntartm
"armdhya"a! sarva-bhtdhivsa!
s"& cet! "eval nirgua ca
,here is but one Civine Mntity, &ho is hidden &ithin all beings. =ll#-ervading,
0e is the d&ells &ithin every created thingJ 0e is the overseer of all activities,
the refuge of all creatures, the &itness, the consciousness, the one e3isting
thing. 0e has no attributes.
(%vetvatara 1panishad G.$
,he %r&mad 'hgavatam, ho&ever, sho&s that there is an as-ect of the divine
beyond even this Brahman. It is partpara, or beyond that &hich lies beyondF
vadanti tat tattva-vidas
tattva) yaj jnam advayam
brahmeti paramtmeti
bhagavn iti abdyate
'no&ers of the truth have ascertained that the su-reme non#dual substance is
named in three &aysF as Brahman, as :aram(tman, and as Bhagav(n.
(%r&mad 'hgavatam .!.$
,he Bhagav(n, or -ersonal as-ect of the ?u-reme, is kno&n as 'rishna-"as tu
bhagavn svayam (%r&mad 'hgavatam .D.!L$.
harir hi nirgua! s"t
purua! pra"te! para!
,he ?u-reme Lord 0ari is untouched by the material qualities. 0e is the
su-reme -erson, beyond the material nature. (%r&mad 'hgavatam ".LL.N$

Abhidheya
0ari or 'rishna is the pratyag-tm, the innermost soul of every individual, and is
only understandable through bhakti, or devotion.
tva) pratyag-tmani tad bhagavaty ananta
nanda-mtra upapanna-samasta-a"tau
bha"ti) vidhya param) ana"air avidy-
granthi) vibhetsyasi mamham iti prar8ham
By engaging in intense devotion to the ?u-ersoul, the ?u-reme Lord &ho is
infinite, defined by )oy alone, and in &hom all -otencies are -resent, you &ill
slo&ly cut the tight knots of ignorance based in the conce-ts of TI/ and Tmine./
(%r&mad 'hgavatam E..D"$
Brahman is said to be unkno&able, ineffable, unmanifest and im-erce-tible by the
material senses. Mven so, it must not be said that 0e is com-letely unattainable. If
&e think that 0e can never be attained, then &e &ill lose ho-e, and that is a
serious im-ediment to ever taking u- devotional service. .or this reason, Baladeva
quotes a line from the .aivalya 1panishadF raddh-bha"ti-dhyna-ygd avaiti-<ne
can have direct kno&ledge of 0im through the disci-line of faith, devotion, and
meditation.
Baladeva further e3-lains, .aith is firm beliefJ devotion is a reference to the
numerous devotional -ractices beginning &ith hearingJ and meditation means
thinking of Brahman uninterru-tedly>one/s thought being like a stream of oil. ,he
&ord Tyoga/ in the te3t means that the disci-line combines all three of these
-ractices. ,he &ord avaiti, The kno&s,/ means to have s"t"ra-direct
-erce-tion or e3-erience of Brahman; (*vinda-bhya$.
In the 'hagavad-g&t, 'rishna says that 0e can only be kno&n by devotion (bha"ty
mm abhijnti$. 0e confirms the same to Sddhava in the 'hgavatam< bha"tyham
e"ay grhya! (.E.!$. ,he $(hara-ruti further glorifies bhaktiF
bha"tir evaina) nayati
bha"tir evaina) darayati
bha"ti-vaa! purua!
bha"tir eva bhyas&
Cevotion attracts 0im, devotion reveals 0imJ the Lord is influenced by
devotion. Aothing is more -o&erful than bhakti.
=ll these te3ts confirm that although the Lord is inconceivable and unmanifest,
devotion has the -o&er to reveal 0is form.
= &ell#kno&n a-horism from the 9edanta 6utras (D.!.!E$-api sa)rdhane
pratya"numnbhym-also broaches the same sub)ect. ,he sutra arises in the
conte3t of the -ossible ob)ection that the ?u-ersoul or the :aram Brahman cannot
be -erceived by sight and the other senses. ,he first &ord of the a-horism, api,
s-ecifically condemns the idea. If one is -ro-erly engaged in devotional -ractices
(sa)rdhane$, the Lord becomes accessible even to our senses. ,his is confirmed by
the %ruti (pratya"a$ and the %mti (anumna$.
!
In the *vinda-bhya commentary to this sutra, Baladeva quotes t&o verses from
the %ruti and t&o from the 'hagavad-g&t (6mti$ to su--ort the idea that certain
devotees fi3ed in kno&ledge do indeed see the LordF
parci "hni vyatat svayambhs
tasmt par payati nntartman
"acid dh&ra! pratyag-tmnam ai"ad
vtta-ca"ur amtatvam icchan
,he ?elf#born Kreator -ierced holes facing out&ard (making eyes in the body$J
therefore men look out&ard and do not see the soul &ithin. Cesiring
immortality, some &ise men turn their eyes in&ard and see the atman, &ho
d&ells &ithin. (.a(ha
1panishad !..$
na ca"u ghyate npi vc
nnyair devais tapas "arma v
jna-prasdena viuddha-sattvas
tatas tu ta) payati ni"ala) dhyyamna!
,hough 0e cannot be seen by the eyes, described by &ords, revealed by the
gods, or understood through austerities or rituals, one &hose very being has
been -urified by Uscri-turalV kno&ledge can see 0im in 0is entirety by
meditation. ($u8a"a 1panishad
D..L$
In the 'hagavad-g&t also, 'rishna further confirms the -ossibility of a direct vision
of the LordF
nha) vedair na tapas
na dnena na cejyay
a"ya eva)-vidh dra(u)
d(avn asi m) yath
bha"ty tv ananyay a"ya
aham eva)-vidh ,rjuna
jtu) dra(u) ca tattvena
prave(u) ca parantapa
I cannot be seen in the same &ay that you have seen 4e sim-ly through a
study of the Veda, nor through serious -enances, charity, or &orshi-. < =r)una,
it is only through undivided devotional service that I can be kno&n in this &ay,
that I can be seen, and indeed, entered into. (*&t .ND#NE$
,he -hrase in the same &ay (eva)-vidh$ in these verses refers to 'rishna/s
human form. Baladeva concludesF ,herefore, by the -erfect -erformance of
devotional service (samyag-bha"ty$ the Lord can indeed be -erceived. =t this time,
the eyes and the other senses are saturated &ith devotion and this gives them the
ability to kno& him.
D
<nce a -erson (the &ise individual or Tdh&ra/ in the .a(ha 1panishad verse
quoted above$ sto-s seeking the satisfaction of his o&n senses, he attains love of
'rishna, in &hich he seeks only the -leasure of 'rishna/s senses. In the conte3t of
Baladeva/s comments on the 9edanta 6utra, such a -erson obtains divine sight
&hen his eyes are smeared &ith the unguent of love. ,his gives him the
qualification to behold 5y(masundara/s divine form of un-aralleled beauty.
The Different Forms of Yoga
In some -laces, the scri-tures glorify ritual activity or disinterested &orks as being
the best means for s-iritual accom-lishment, or abhidheyaJ in others, they glorify
kno&ledge. ,hese are also kno&n as yogas, or s-iritual disci-lines. 7oga also
means uniting &ith the su-reme. ,he abovementioned yogas are thus kno&n as
"arma-yga and jna-yga0 It is a fact ho&ever, that the to-most -rocess for
achieving s-iritual -erfection is devotion, or Bhakti yoga. Bhakti is com-letely
inde-endent of any other kind of -rocess, &hereas "arma, jna and yga all rely on
bhakti to give their full re&ards. ,his is stated in the Chaitanya Charitmta
(!.!!.H$F
"a-bha"ti haya abhidheya pradhna
bha"ti-mu"ha-nir&"a"a "arma-yga-jna
,he -rimary re&ards of "arma, jna, and mystic yoga, namely sense
en)oyment, liberation and mystic -o&ers, are all considered by the devotees to
be most insignificant. ,hese -rocesses have no inde-endent -o&er to besto&
re&ards on the -ractitioner. Mven liberation itself stands &ith hands folded,
&aiting for the o--ortunity to serve bhakti. ,he other goals of life>religiosity,
&ealth, and sense en)oyments>are even more de-endent on bhakti and stand
quietly &aiting for her glance of mercy.
=lthough the entire 'hagavad-g&t deals &ith the sub)ect of yoga, the si3th cha-ter
in -articular discusses the meditational form of yogic disci-line (the eightfold yogic
system$ that is usually equated &ith the term yoga. =t the end of that cha-ter, t&o
verses clearly state that of all the yogas, Bhakti yoga, or the disci-line of devotion,
is the best.
E

In his e3-lanation of these verses, our -redecessor crya Bhaktivinoda Oh(kura
has e3-lained the meaning of the term yoga and discussed the differences
bet&een the different ty-es of yogic -racticeF = fruitive &orker (sa"ma-"arm&$
cannot be called a yogi, for this term is only a--licable to the disinterested &orker,
the -hiloso-her, the follo&er of the eightfold mystic -ath, and the -ractitioner of
devotional service. ,he &ord yoga itself refers to the gradual -ath of s-iritual
develo-ment. =ny -erson &ho takes to yoga is on the road to a direct e3-erience
of the ?u-reme ?-irit.
,he yoga of desireless action is the first ste- along this -ath, and &hen
kno&ledge and renunciation are added to such action, the as-irant advances to
the stage of jna-yga. %hen direct meditation on the ?u-reme Lord is added to
the other qualities, then one advances to the stage of -racticing the eightfold
yogic system, or a(ga yga0 ,he fourth and highest stage is &hen the feeling of
love for the ?u-reme :erson is added to these disci-lines.
,he seeker of the ultimate good &ill veritably engage in the s-iritual disci-line of
yoga. =s one takes to the -ractices of each successive stage of develo-ment, a
necessity to develo- strong determination and faith in its -ractices &ill ensue.
0o&ever, as advancement -rogresses, one ultimately discards strict adherence to
the detailed -ractices of that -articular stage. If one remains attached to one or
the other of these stages &ithout going on further, their &ill be limiting
identification &ith the -artial yogic -ractice in &hich one is engaged. =s a result,
some -ersons are kno&n as "arma-ygis, some are jna-ygis, &hile others are
a(ga-ygis or bha"ti-ygis.
'rishna says, T,herefore, < =r)una, anyone &ho makes it his e3clusive goal to
engage in devotion to 4e alone is su-erior to the three other kinds of yogi. 7ou
should therefore become a yogi, that is, a bha"ti-ygi. ,hrough the yoga of
desireless action one advances in kno&ledgeJ through the yoga of kno&ledge, one
advances to the yoga of meditation on the ?u-reme Lord and from there, one
finally -rogresses to the yoga of devotion, characteriIed by love for the ?u-reme
:erson./
In his commentary to these verses, ViRvan(tha Kakravart+ &ritesF "arm& jn& ca
yg& mata!= 4(ga-yg& ygitara!= %ravaa-"&rtandi-bha"tim)s tu ygitama ity
artha!< ,he "arm& and jn& are considered yogis. ,he a(ga-ygi, the follo&er of
the eightfold yoga system of :ataW)ali, is considered to be a greater s-iritualist than
the aforementioned t&o. But the best of all yogis is one &ho -ractices devotional
acts like hearing and chanting.
,hus a devotee takes no interest in other -ractices of yoga, &hich are -artial. ,he
devotee considers them not only incom-lete, but even defective because of the
-resence of ego desire im-licit in their -ractice. ,he Lord made the follo&ing
statement to SddhavaF
tasmd mad-bha"ti-yu"tasya
ygin vai mad-tmana!
na jna) na ca vairgya)
prya! rey bhaved iha
yat "armabhir yat tapas
jna-vairgyata ca yat
ygena dna-dharmea
reybhir itarair api
sarva) mad-bha"ti-ygena
mad-bha"t labhate#jas
svargpavarge mad-dhma
"atha)cid yadi vchati
na "i)cid sdhav dh&r
bha"t hy e"ntin mama
vchanty api may datta)
"aivalyam apunarbhavam
.or the devoted yogi &ho has surrendered his thoughts to 4e, neither
kno&ledge nor renunciation are considered to be the sources of true good in
this &orld. =ll the results obtained through ritual -ractices, -enance,
-hiloso-hy, renunciation, yogic disci-line, charity or -erformance of -rescribed
duties, are easily obtained by 4y devotees through the -ractice of devotional
service to 4e. 4y saintly, -atient and single#minded devotees desire nothing of
all thisJ nevertheless, I still besto& all these re&ards on them, even including
liberation and freedom from rebirth. (%r&mad 'hgavatam
.!".D#DE$
,herefore, other than devotional service, mystical -ractices are like the teats on
the neck of a goat>they serve no &orth&hile function. .or this reason, an
intelligent -erson gives u- the useless tendency to seek out sense en)oyment and
liberation and cultivates -ure devotion through the -ractice of Bhakti yoga.
The Perfect Process of Worship
,he &ord sa)rdhan found in the 9edanta 6utra a-horism quoted earlier is also
significant. It comes from the verb root rdh, &hich means to &orshi-. ,he -refi3
sam means com-lete or -erfect. =lso derived from the same root is the name of
'rishna/s internal -otency, 5r+ 1adha. 1(dh(r(2+ is the -erfect &orshi-er of
'rishna, as indicated by the 'hgavatam verse s-oken by the gp&s in the
descri-tion of the rsa-l&l<
anayrdhit nna)
bhagavn harir &vara!
yan n vihya gvinda!
pr&t ym anayad raha!
,ruly the ?u-reme Lord, the su-reme controller, has been -erfectly &orshi-ed
by 0er (1adha$. It is for this reason that *ovinda &as so -leased &ith 0er that
0e took 0er to a secluded s-ot, leaving all of us behind.
(%r&mad 'hgavatam ".D".!L$
Khaitanya 4ah(-rabhu/s teachings can be summariIed as follo&sF
rdhy bhagavn vrajea-tanayas tad-dhma vndvanam
ramy "cid upsana vraja-vadh-varge va "alpit
r&mad-bhgavata) pramam amala) premn pumarth mahn
r&-caitanya-mahprabhr matam ida) tatrdara! na! para!
,he ob)ect of &orshi- (rdhya$ is the Lord in 0is form as the son of the 'ing of
Vra)a. 0is abode is Vrindavan and the co&herd girls &ho live there &ith him,
chief amongst &hom is 1(dhik(, are 0is -erfect &orshi-ers, or s)rdhi"s. ,he
most enchanting method of &orshi-ing the ?u-reme Lord is that devised by
these gp&s. ,he most authoritative source of divine revelation is the %r&mad
'hgavatam. Love for 'rishna or prema is the fifth and ultimate goal of human
life. ,hese are the basic -rinci-les of 5r+ Khaitanya 4ah(-rabhu/s belief and
&e thus consider this doctrine to be su-reme.
,he conclusion is that &orshi-ing 'rishna by follo&ing 5r+mat+ 1(dh(r(2+ is the
s-iritual -rocess )ustifiably named sa)rdhan, the most -erfect -rocess of
&orshi-. =ny activity of &orshi- in &hich the element of prema is absent &ill not
result in a direct vision of the ?u-reme :erson.
,he follo&ing cou-lets are found in the Chaitanya CharitmtaF
jna-"arma-yga-dharme nahe "a vaa
"a-vaa-hetu e"a prema-bha"ti-rasa
By follo&ing the -aths of s-eculative -hiloso-hical kno&ledge, fruitive activity
or mystic yoga to control the senses, one cannot &in 'rishna over. ,he only
&ay of &inning 0is love is through the taste of devotion in ecstatic love.
(Chaitanya Charitmta .H.HN$
aiche stra "ahe "arma jna yga tyaji
bha"tye "a vaa haya bha"tye tre bhaji
?uch scri-tures say that one should give u- fruitive activity, s-eculative
kno&ledge and the mystic yoga system. By devotion, 'rishna is &on over.
,herefore, I &orshi- him &ith devotion. (Chaitanya Charitmta
!.!".DG$
%ithout -ure devotion, the a&akening of ecstatic love is an im-ossibility. :ure
devotion or uttam bha"ti as described by 1@-a *osv(m+ is the culture of 'rishna
consciousness characteriIed by the absence of desire for anything but 'rishna.
1@-a *osv(m+ further notes that such culture must not be enfeebled by the
admi3ture of -ractices a--ro-riate to the -aths of -hiloso-hical s-eculation and
fruitive action. =fter re-eating this same descri-tion in the Chaitanya Charitmta,
'rishnad(sa 'avir()a goes on to sayF
ei uddha-bha"ti ih haite prem haya
pacartre bhgavate ei la"aa "aya
,his is the definition of -ure devotional service from &hich ecstatic love is
develo-ed. ,he characteristics of such love are described in literatures like the
'hgavata and >acartra.
N
(Chaitanya Charitmta !.X.GX$
,he >acartra s-ecifically defines devotional service as the engagement of the
senses in the service of the :ro-rietor of the ?enses. It adds that this service is to
be free from any contamination by identity &ith the body and unblemished
through being e3clusively fi3ed on the Lord ('ha"ti-rasmta-sindhu ..!J
Chaitanya Charitmta !.X.H"$F
sarvpdhi-vinirmu"ta)
tat-paratvena nirmalam
h&"ea h&"ea-
sevana) bha"tir ucyate
=nd in the 'hgavatam, the follo&ing e3tended descri-tion of -ure bhakti is given
by 'a-iladeva to his mother Cevah@tiF
mad-gua-ruti-mtrea
mayi sarva-guhaye
man-gatir avicchinn
yath gagmbhas ,mbudhau
la"aa) bha"ti-ygasya
nirguasya hy udhtam
ahaitu"y avyavahit
y bha"ti! puruttame
,he -rimary sign that -ure union in devotion, free from any material quality,
has a--eared in someone/s heart comes &hen, u-on hearing about 4y
qualities, that -erson/s thoughts are dra&n immediately and irresistably
to&ards 4e, &ho lies &ithin every being, in the same &ay that the &aters of
the *anges flo& to&ard the sea. Like the flo& of the *anges, such devotion to
the ?u-reme :erson is unmotivated and unim-eded. (%r&mad
'hgavatam D.!X."#$

sl"ya-sr(i-sm&pya-
srpyai"atvam apy uta
d&yamna) na ghanti
vin mat-sevana) jan!
sa eva bha"ti-yg"hya
tyanti"a udhta!
yentivrajya tri-gua)
mad-bhvypapadyate
Snless he is assured of having service to the Lord, a -ure devotee does not
acce-t any kind of liberation, &hether it be residence on the same -lanet,
equal o-ulences to the Lord, -ro3imity to 0im, having the same form as the
Lord, or monistic union>even though they may be offered to the devotee by
the Lord.
,hus I have described the su-erlative stage of that &hich is kno&n as Bhakti
yoga. By mastering this disci-line, one can overcome the three qualities of
material nature and attain true feeling (bhva$ for 4e. ('hgavatam D.!X.!#
D$
,he above quotations sho& that the 'hgavata and the >cartri"a schools of
thought ultimately reach the same conclusion.
=nyone &ho engages in the -ractice of devotional service is gradually freed of the
bad habits (anarthas$ that hold him back from making s-iritual -rogress. =s the
anarthas recede, he becomes firmly fi3ed in his devotional -ractices and this
firmness allo&s him to e3ecute his -ractices &ith -urity and dee- attachment. ,he
devotee then goes on develo-ing a real taste (ruci$ &hich, &hen strengthened,
develo-s into the divine emotion and -reliminary ecstasies of the bhva stage.
.rom there it is not long before he attains the stage of ecstatic love kno&n as
prema. = devotee/s -rogress does not sto- at this stage of -erfection, ho&ever.
,here are numerous stages &hich develo- &ithin ecstatic love, namely sneha,
mna, praaya, rga, anurga, bhva, and mahbhva0
Prayojana
,he fourth cha-ter of the 9edanta 6utra is called the results. ,he first section or
adhi"araa of this cha-ter is called vtty-adhi"araa, or re-etition. ,he sutra after
&hich this section is named is vttir asa"d upadetF <ne must engage in the
re-eated -ractice of hearing and chanting, or the uninterru-ted meditation on the
?u-reme, for this instruction has been given again and again. (9edanta 6utra
E..$
Baladeva Vidy(bh@sa2a understands this instruction to be contained in the &ords
re-eated nine times to 5vetaketu in the Chndgya 1panishadF sa ya e#imaitad-
tmyam ida) sarva) tat satya) sa tm tat tvam asi veta"etF ,hat &hich is the
smallest of the small is that of &hich all that e3ists is made, < 5vetaketu. It is the
truth and it is the ?elf. 7ou are that, < 5vetaketu. ,he ?elf here means the
?u-reme Brahman. ,he &ords tat tvam asi can also be understood as you are
0is.
,hus it is quite logical that the em-hasis on sound is found again at the end of the
9edanta 6utra in its final a-horismF anvtti! abdd anvtti! abdt>1evelation
tells us that &e never come back. 1evelation tells us that &e never come back.
(9edanta 6utra E.E.!!$
,he -ur-ort is that &hen one kno&s the Lord/s true identity, one attains 0is abode
of *oloka by the influence of 0is devotional service. <nce he is so liberated, he
never again returns to this &orld of re-eated birth and death. ,he -roof of this is
found in sound, or revelation (abda$.
,he relevant -assages Baladeva cites from the revealed scri-tures areF
etena pratipadyamn ima) mnavam varta) nvartante
,hose &ho have taken shelter of Brahman and are thus liberated never return
to this mortal &orld of re-eated birth and death.
sa "halv eva) vartayan yvad yua) brahma-l"am abhisampadyate
na ca punar vartate na ca punar vartate
,he liberated -erson remains as such throughout his life and then after death
goes to the Brahmaloka, &hence he never returns, &hence he never returns.
(Chndgya 1panishad L.N.$
'rishna confirms this statement in the *&t &ith t&o im-ortant versesF
mm upetya punar janma
du!"hlayam avatam
npnuvanti mahtmna!
sa)siddhi) param) gat!
brahma-bhuvanl l"!
punar vartin ,rjuna
mm upetya tu "aunteya
punar janma na vidyate
,he great devotees &ho attain the status of -artici-ating in 4y divine
-astimes, once having reached 4e, never again acce-t a transitory birth, &hich
is the d&elling house of agony. < =r)una, from the -lanet of Lord Brahm(
do&n&ards, the residents of all -lanets are naturally sub)ected to re-eated
birth and death. But, u-on reaching 4e, < 'aunteya, there is no rebirth.
(*&t L.N#G$
,he re-etition of the -hrase anvtti! abdt is an indication that the 9edanta 6utra
ends &ith these &ords.
G
<f course, for the devotees, prema, &hich is bhakti in its -urest form, is its o&n
re&ard. Cevotees are therefore ready to take birth in any lo&ly s-ecies as long as
they can be assured of some service to the Lord, &hich is the highest good as far
as they are concerned. ,his attitude is e3em-lified by Lord Brahm( in his -rayers
to *o-(la 'rishnaF
tad astu me ntha sa bhri-bhg
bhave#tra vnyatra tu v tiracm
yenham e"#pi bhavaj-jann)
bhtv nieve tava pda-pallavam
< my lord, allo& me to have that great good fortune, either in this life or in
another else, even if it be in the body of a lo&ly creature, &hereby I can live
amongst your intimate devotees and serve 7our lotus feet.
(%r&mad 'hgavatam ".E.D"$
5r+la Bhaktivinoda Oh(kura re-eats the same sentiment in one of the songs in his
*&tval&F
janmbi me icch jadi tra
bha"ta-ghe jani janma ha-u mra
"&(a janma hau jath tu? dsa
bahirmu"ha brahm nhi a
< Lord, if it is your &ish that I should take birth again, grant me birth in the
house of a devotee. I &ill even gladly become a &orm or an insect as long as I
can be 7our servant, but I have no interest in becoming a Brahm( &ho has no
interest in 7our service. (%aragati $
What is Sadhana Bhati!
In this &ay, bhakti is both the abhidheya and the prayjana, both the means to
-erfection and -erfection itself. It is said there are three levels of bhaktiF devotion
in -ractice (sdhan.-bha"ti$, devotion on the level of ecstasy (bhva-bha"ti$, and
devotion on the level of -ure love (prema-bha"ti$. 'hva-bha"ti is attained &hen the
devotional service in -ractice has become mature and &hen intensified it becomes
prema-bha"ti0
Cevotional service in -ractice is defined by 1@-a *osv(m+ in the
'ha"ti-rasmta-sindhu as follo&sF
"ti-sdhy bhavet sdhya-
bhv s sdhanbhidh
nitya-siddhasya bhvasya
pr"a(ya) hdi sdhyat
,hat devotion &hich is e3ecuted by the senses and &hich aims at the
attainment of bhva is called sdhana-bha"ti. ,he bhva &hich it seeks is
eternally -erfect and sim-ly becomes manifest in the heart of the -ractitioner.
('ha"ti-rasmta-sindhu .!.!$
0ere, 1@-a *osv(m+ &arns against a misunderstanding of the term sdhan.
,hrough the e3ecution of the regulative -rinci-les of devotion one does not create
or -roduce bhva-bha"ti, or devotional feeling. Cevotional feeling or bhva is a
manifestation of 'rishna/s internal -otency and thus eternally -erfect or nitya-
siddha. Cevotion is the eternal natural mood of the living being, and through the
-ractice of devotional service, it is revealed in the heart of the devotee. ,his is ho&
one should understand the ob)ect of the -ractice. 'rishnad(sa 'avir()a *osv(m+
e3-lains this verse as follo&sF
ravadi-"riy tra svarpa-la"aa
ta(astha-la"ae upajya prema-dhana
nitya-siddha "a-prema sdhya "abhu naya
ravadi-uddha-citte "araye udaya
,he activities of hearing, chanting, remembering and so forth make u- the
essential characteristic (svarpa-la"aa$ of devotional service. Its marginal
characteristic (ta(astha-la"aa$ is that it a&akens -ure love for 'rishna. It is
never -ossible to create -ure love for 'rishnaJ rather, it a--ears in the heart
&hich has been -urified by devotional -ractices like hearing and chanting.
(Chaitanya Charitmta !.!!."D#E$
In his 4mta-pravha-bhya, Bhaktivinoda Oh(kura elaborates on these verses as
follo&sF ,he essential characteristic of devotional service consists of activities like
hearing and chanting about 'rishna &ith the a--ro-riate attitude. ,his
characteristic results in the treasure of prema manifesting &hen the -ractitioner
gives u- all other desires and cuts off all relation to fruitive activities and the
search for liberation. Love for 'rishna is nitya-siddha (eternally self#manifest$. It
cannot be attained by any means other than -ure devotional service. It &ells u- in
the mind &hich has been -urified by the -rocess of devotional service in -ractice.
,herefore, activities such as -ure chanting and hearing are the essential elements
of devotional service in -ractice.
"aidhi Bhati
Cevotional service in -ractice is of t&o ty-esF vaidh& bha"ti (devotion based on
regulative -rinci-les$ and rgnug bha"ti (devotion &hich follo&s in the &ake of
s-ontaneous love$0 ,hese have also been e3-lained in the Chaitanya CharitmtaF
rga-h&na jana bhaje strera jya
vaidh& bha"ti bali tre sarva-stre gya
<ne &ho has no s-ontaneous attachment for the Lord &orshi-s 0im because it
is ordained in the scri-tures. =ll scri-tures call such devotional service vaidh&
bha"ti0 (Chaitanya Charitmta !.!!."G$
,he &ord rga means a natural desire for the ?u-reme ?oul, a natural attachment
or affection. If such a natural affection has not arisen in one/s heart, but he has
develo-ed faith in the scri-tural in)unctions after hearing from the saintly -ersons,
he may -erform devotional service beginning &ith acce-ting a guru. ?uch
devotional service is called vaidh& bha"ti. ,here are si3ty#four different activities
and -rohibitions &hich make u- this ty-e of regulated devotion. ,he three main
regulations are taking shelter of a s-iritual master, being initiated by him and
serving him. =mong the other si3ty#one activities, five are considered to be the
most im-ortantF associating &ith devotees, singing the 0oly Aames, hearing the
'hgavatam, residing in 4athur( (i.e., the holy dhma$, and &orshi-ing the deity
&ith faith. <nly a small amount of effort in these activities &ill result in the
-ractitioner develo-ing love for 'rishna. ,he great authorities or mahjanas say
that &hether you -ractice only one of these five activities or all of them, unless you
-ractice &ith constancy or ni(h@, you &ill not be &ashed by the &aves of prema.
Ai(h has been defined by B+va *osv(m+ as avi"epea statyam, or steadfastness
&ithout distraction. ,he idea is that one should be fi3ed in a -articular -ractice
&ith unshakable faith.
e"a aga sdhe "eha sdhe bahu aga
ni(h haile upajaya premera taraga
%hether a -erson e3ecutes only one or many of the -rocesses of devotional
service, the &aves of love of *odhead &ill arise if he or she -ractices &ith fi3ed
determination or ni(h0 (Chaitanya Charitmta !.!!.D"$
Mlse&here, 4ah(-rabhu says that the nine ty-es of devotion named by :rahl(da
are the best amongst the si3ty#four devotional -ractices. <f these nine, the first
three (hearing, chanting and remembering$ are considered su-erior. <f these
three, "&rtana is the best. .&rtana itself is subdivided into several categoriesF
glorification of 'rishna/s names, 0is form, 0is attributes and 0is activities. <f
these, -ride of -lace is given to the chanting of 0is names. =nyone &ho takes u-
the chanting of the 0oly Aames &ith constancy is sure to obtain the mercy of the
Aame and he &ill quickly relish the taste of love of *od.
#aganuga Bhati
,he great authorities or mahjanas say that the -ractice of devotion -urely on the
strength of the scri-tural in)unctions leads to the Lord/s ma)estic feature in the
abode of Vaiku29ha, not to that as-ect of the Lord &hich resides in Vra)a. ,o attain
Vra)a, one must take u- the -ractice of rgnug bha"ti. ,his is stated in the
Chaitanya Charitmta (.D.N$F
sa"ala jagate mre "are vidhi-bha"ti
vidhi-bha"tye vraja-bhva pite nhi a"ti
Mveryone throughout the &orld &orshi-s 4e according to scri-tural in)unctionsJ
but by this -rocess of vaidh& bha"ti one cannot attain the loving moods of Vra)a.
,he -receding verses certainly tell us that only &orshi- on the rga -ath can result
in obtaining the service of 'rishna in Vra)a. 0o&ever, &hat &e must try to
understand here is the follo&ingF if one thinks on that basis that the various
regulative -rinci-les of the vidhi-mrga can be dis-ensed &ith before acquiring a
readiness for the manifestation of rgnug bha"ti, such a -erson &ill become a
religious hy-ocrite, a -retender and a pr"ta-sahajiy. .or this reason,
Bhaktivinoda Oh(kura has &ritten in his song .a-nma /hare .ata 'alBF
vidhi-mrga-rata jane svdh&nat ratna dne
rga-mrge "arn pravea
rga-vaavart& haiy pra"&ya bhvraye
labhe j&va "a-premvea
,o the -erson fi3ed in the regulative -rinci-les, the 0oly Aame gives the )e&el
of inde-endence, -lacing him on the -ath of s-ontaneous devotion. ,hat
-erson, overcome by s-ontaneous attachment to the Lord, takes shelter of the
para"&y mood and goes on to become absorbed in love for 'rishna.
<ne &ho aims for the ultimate goal of -ure love for 'rishna should start by taking
shelter of a s-iritual master according to the scri-tural in)unctions and follo&ing
the vidhi-mrga by continuously chanting the 0oly Aames of the Lord. 0e &ill thus
very quickly obtain the qualifications necessary for the manifestation of
s-ontaneous affection. =s the undesirable elements of one/s character (anarthas$
are destroyed, s-ontaneous affection automatically a&akens. <n the other hand, if
one does not rid himself of these undesirable elements, the discussion of sub)ects
for &hich he is not qualified &ill in all likelihood have disastrous consequences.
It is -remature to think that as soon as one has taken shelter of his s-iritual master
he has the right to relish books like the 'hgavata#s Csa-pacdhyya, *p&g&t,
1ddhavsa)vda, or *vinda-l&lmta and .a-bhavanmta, the songs of
Ka2;+d(sa and VidyY-ati, Daganntha-vallabha-n(a"a, .a-"armta, *&t-
gvinda, and other books of this ty-e. ,he inevitable consequence of such
-recocious entry into the sub)ects of 'rishna/s con)ugal -astimes is that one falls
into illicit se3ual activity.
Faith is the Seed of the De$otiona% Creeper
.aith is the seed of the devotional cree-er. ,he seed of the cree-er of vaidh& bha"ti
is faith in the regulative -rinci-les given in the scri-tureJ the seed of the cree-er of
rgnug bha"ti is faith based on intense desire for the s-ontaneous love of the
residents of Vra)a. <ne &ho has faith is eligible for the -ractice of devotion
(raddhvn jana haya bha"ti-adhi"r&+ (Chaitanya Charitmta !.!!.GE$0 If one does
not have this faith based in the intense desire (lbha-ml raddh$, then various
-itfalls are inevitable in the -ractice of rgnug bha"ti. <n the other hand, if he has
acquired such faith, he &ill be able to constantly listen to the nectarean -astimes
of Vra)endranandana, such as the rsa-l&l, and the su-reme devotion &hich arises
of such attachment &ill cleanse his heart of the disease of material desire. %ith
the dissolution of mundane desire, an intense urge arises to serve the senses of
4adana#mohana, the transcendental Ku-id &ho enchants the mundane Ku-id &ith
0is beauty. It is only at this -oint in one/s s-iritual develo-ment that one &ill be
able to -ro-erly engage in the -ractices of rgnug bha"ti such as hearing,
chanting and meditating on the a(a-"l&ya l&ls. =s long as material desires are
-resent in the heart, it is very -ossible that a concerted effort to enter into erotic
sub)ect matter such as those described in Bayadeva/s *&t-gvinda &ill have
inaus-icious results.
<ne must thus be careful to follo& the direction of the guru closelyJ there are
many dangers in trying to follo& the vraja-bhva on one/s o&n. <ne should follo&
the -rocess as given by a bonafide guru, carefully engaging in the devotional
activities as -rescribed by him. =s the disci-le does so, he &ill gradually clear his
heart of all un&anted elements and then &ith good fortune, -rogress through the
stages described by 1@-a *osv(m+>ni(h, ruci, sa"ti, then bhva and prema0
<ne should -ay careful attention not to fall into the dangerous tra- of thinking
himself to be an advanced devotee. ?ince 4ah(-rabhu has assured us that nma-
bhajana is the best of all devotional -ractices and the source of all -erfection, &e
should lay to rest any doubts that nma-bhajana is ina--ro-riate for any stage of
devotional life, &hether one is a beginner, a -ractitioner or a -erfected soul.
H
sad nma laibe yath-lbhete santa
ei ta cra "are bha"ti-dharma-pa
<ne should al&ays chant the 0oly Aame and be satisfied &ith &hatever comes
to him as his lot. ?uch behavior is -ro-itious for the develo-ment of devotion.
(Chaitanya Charitmta .H.D"$
?ince chanting the 0oly Aame is the only -ractice, and since the 0oly Aame alone
is the only ob)ect of -ractice, one should endeavor &ith great determination to
take shelter of the 0oly Aame in all times and circumstances. If &e are able to do
this, the 0oly Aame &ill besto& 0is mercy on us and destroy all the anarthas in our
hearts and cause all aus-iciousness to manifest there. %hen a -urified feeling of
love for 'rishna/s name arises, then the same kind of -urified love for the Aamed
also arises. =t this -oint the -urified feelings of rga become -ossible.
&at vi"ai puna! de"hya nija-rpa-gua
citta hari laya "a pa
pra vi"aita ha vraje mre jya la
de"hya nija svarpa vilsa
%hen the Aame is even slightly revealed, it sho&s me my o&n s-iritual form
and characteristics. It steals my mind and takes it to 'rishna/s side. %hen the
Aame is fully revealed, it takes me directly to Vra)a, &here it sho&s me my
-ersonal role in the eternal -astimes. (%aragati$
,he conclusion, then, is that the &orshi- of the 0oly Aame is the best means of
develo-ing one/s devotional attitude and is thus the means through &hich one/s
Vra)a mood is revealed. ,o take u- the chanting of the 0oly Aame is thus to
embark on the &ay to the -erfection of &orshi-.
Chapter II
The Purifying Po&er of Ser$ice
In the 'hagavad-g&t, the Lord states,
daiv& hy e guamay&
mama my duratyay
mm eva ye prapadyante
mym et) taranti te
,he e3ternal energy consisting of the three qualities is divinely em-o&ered
and thus im-ossible to overcome. %hoever surrenders to 4e, ho&ever, can
cross over this maya. ('hagavad-*&t H.E$
ViRvan(tha Kakravart+ notes that this verse -rom-ts the question, In vie& of the
great benefits &hich come from surrendering to the Lord, &hy then aren/t there
more intelligent -eo-le &ho do soP ,he succinct ans&er given by ViRvan(tha is
that those -eo-le may think themselves to be intelligent, but in fact they are not.
,he truly intelligent, the truly learned, &ill indeed surrender to the Lord. ,hose &ho
lack such -iety go on to be "upa8itas rather than supa8itas>-eo-le &hose
learning has been used for -ersonal gain and self#aggrandiIement rather than for
the satisfaction of the Lord. ,o clarify this, 'rishna goes on to sayF
na m) du"tin m8h!
prapadyante nardham!
myaypahta-jn
sura) bhvam rit!
,he &icked do not surrender to 4e. ,hey are foolish and the lo&est of
mankindJ their intelligence has been robbed of them by illusion and they have
taken refuge in a demoniac mentality. (*&t H.N $
5r+la ViRvan(tha Kakravart+ Oh(kura comments on this verse that there are four
kinds of &icked -eo-le (du"tin$ &ho do not surrender to the LordF ($ the foolish
(m8h!$, (!$ the lo&est of humankind (nardham!$, (D$ those &hose kno&ledge
has been robbed by illusion (myaypahta-jn!$ and (E$ those &ho are of a
demonic mentality (sura) bhvam rit!$. 0e goes on to analyIe the
characteristics of each of these ty-esF
($ ,he foolish. E"e m8h! pau-tuly! "armia!. ,hese are the fruitive &orkers
&ho are on a -ar &ith the animals. ,hey have no regard for the eternal delights of
'rishna conscious -hiloso-hy but seek rather the fleeting -leasures of sense
gratification in this &orld and later in heaven.
(!$ ,he lo&est of humankind (nardham!$. ,hese -eo-le have acce-ted the
-rinci-les of devotion for a short time at some -oint in their lives and thus can be
considered to have achieved the status of human beings. 0o&ever, before
achieving the goal of devotional -ractice they give it u-, thinking it not &orth the
effort. ?uch a voluntary re)ection of bhakti is the sym-tom of their being the lo&est
of humankind.
(D$ ,he ne3t class are those &ho, des-ite having studied and even taught the
scri-tures, have lost their -o&ers of discrimination due to the influence of the
Lord/s e3ternal energy. ,hese -eo-le think that the divine form of A(r(ya2a in
Vaiku29ha alone is &orthy of our eternal -raise and devotion, but they take 1(ma
and 'rishna not to be similarly &orthy, thinking them to be ordinary human beings.
It is for such -ersons that the Lord s-oke the verse, avajnanti m) m8h!
mnu&) tanum ritam (X.$F .ools have no res-ect for 4e &hen I take a human
form. ,hough these -eo-le may give the a--earance of being surrendered
devotees, this is not the case.
(E$ ,he demons are those &ho have become the enemies of the Lord. ,hey are like
Bar(sandha &ho sa& the form of the Lord but shot arro&s at it. ?uch -ersons argue
falsely that because 'rishna/s form can be seen, it is therefore the same as other
forms visible in the material &orld. ,hey -ro)ect this belief even onto A(r(ya2a in
Vaiku29ha and try to cut u- 0is body of eternity, consciousness and bliss. =s a
result, they never surrender to 0im.
Those Who Come to De$otiona% Ser$ice
In the *&t/s ne3t verse, Lord 'rishna goes on to describe four sorts of -eo-le &ho
do surrender to 0imF
catur-vidh bhajante m)
jan! su"tin# rjuna
rt jijsur arthrth&
jn& ca bharatarabha
.our kinds of -ious -ersons &orshi- 4e, < =r)una. ,hese are the afflicted,
those &ho seek &isdom, those &ho seek gain, and the &ise. (*&t H.G$
,he afflicted (rta$ are those suffering from disease or some other hardshi- &ho
seek freedom from these sufferings. ,he one &ho seeks &isdom (jijsu$ may be
either someone looking for kno&ledge of the self, or a student &ith interests in
some other field of learning like grammar. ,hose seeking gain (arthrth&$ &ish to
en)oy sense ob)ects like land, beautiful &omen and money. ,he &ise (jn&$ are
those &ho are internally -urified and renounced. ViRvan(tha states that the -ious
(su"tia!$ are those &ho are religiously engaged in follo&ing the -rescribed duties
of the varrama#dharma.
,he first three of these -ious ty-es are householders &ho still have mundane
desires &hereas the last is a desireless renunciate, a sannyasi. =ll four, ho&ever,
are -erformers of mi3ed devotionF the first three engage in devotion mi3ed &ith
karma ("arma-mir bha"ti$, &hile the last engages in devotion mi3ed &ith
kno&ledge (jna-mir bha"ti$, or the yga-mir bha"ti &hich is described in the
*&t/s eighth cha-ter (see also L.!$. %hen devotion is not mi3ed &ith any of
these other elements, it is called "eval, or e3clusive devotionJ this is kno&n as
-ure bhakti and is described in a number of verses in the *&tF
mayy sa"ta-man! prtha
yga) yujan mad-raya!
asa)aya) samagra) m)
yath jsyasi tac chu
Ao& hear, < son of :Zth(, ho& by engaging in yoga &hile taking shelter of 4e
and &ith your mind attached to 4e, you can kno& 4e fully, free from doubt.
(*&t H.$
ananya-cet! satata)
y m) smarati nityaa!
tasyha) sulabha! prtha
nitya-yu"tasya ygina!
.or the yogi &ho is al&ays disci-lined and unceasingly remembers 4e &ithout
deviation, I am easy to obtain, < son of :Zth(. (*&t L.E$

mahtmnas tu m) prtha
daiv&) pra"tim rit!
bhajanty ananya-manas
jtv bhtdim avyayam
satata) "&rtayant m)
yatanta ca d8ha-vrat!
namasyanta ca m) bha"ty
nitya-yu"t upsate
< son of :Zth(, the great souls &ho take shelter of the divine nature &orshi-
4e &ith undivided attention because they kno& 4y unlimited o-ulences. ,hey
are constantly chanting 4y glories, endeavoring fully &hile kee-ing firm in their
vo&s, bo&ing do&n to 4e &ith devotion and &orshi-ing 4e, -ermanently
united &ith 4e. (*&t X.D#E$
anany cintayant m)
ye jan! paryupsate
te) nitybhiyu"tn)
yga-"ema) vahmy aham
I -ersonally assume res-onsibility for -rotecting and acquiring all the
necessities of life for 4y fully de-endent devotees &ho are al&ays absorbed in
thought of 4e alone and &ho &orshi- 4e e3clusively in all res-ects.
(*&t X.!!$
In 0is very last instruction in the 'hagavad-g&t (sarva-dharmn parityjya mm e"a)
araa) vraja$, Lord 'rishna states that one should abandon all duties -reviously
-rescribed in the Vedic scri-tures, including the varrama-dharma, or other
regulations governing the bodily activities or thought. .urther, one should
concentrate on the most confidential teaching of the scri-ture>the -ersonal
nature of the ?u-reme Lord>and surrender e3clusively to 0im. ,hus the kind of
-iety (su"ti$ needed to attain this -ure or e3clusive devotion is that &hich is
directed to &orshi-ing the ?u-reme Lord (bha"ty-unmu"h&$.
The Transition From Impiety to Surrender
5r+la ?accid(nanda Bhaktivinoda Oh(kura gives an e3-anded discussion of these
verses in his translation of the 'hagavad-g&t, e3-laining ho& one goes from
reluctance to engaging in the Lord/s service to enthusiasm. 0e -ara-hrases the
'hagavad-g&t verses as follo&sF ,he Lord says, TIt is almost im-ossible for those
&ho are im-ious to engage in 4y devotional service because they are not on the
-ath of -rogressive develo-ment. Mven so, there are occasionally some
unregulated or im-ious individuals &ho are e3ce-tions to this rule and take
suddenly to the -ath of devotion.
=mong the -ious &ho follo& a regulated lifestyle, there are four ty-es &ho
engage in 4y service. =nyone &ho seeks the fulfilment of material desires suffers
&hen his or her ho-es are frustrated. In the midst of such suffering, such -eo-le
remember 4e. I call these -eo-le rta, Tthe distressed./ Im-ious -eo-le &ho do not
follo& a regulated lifestyle, ho&ever, never think of 4e even &hen distressed.
,he -reviously mentioned foolish -ersons (m8has$, the godless em-iricists and
logicians, come around to remembering 4e &hen they begin to feel a need for the
conce-t of a su-reme being in their researches. ,hese are the jijsus.
,hose &hom I have described as Tthe lo&est of mankind/ (nardhama$ acce-t the
-rinci-le of deity as a necessity for ethics, but not that ethics are founded in the
-rinci-le of the deity. %hen these -eo-le become dissatisfied &ith their
inadequate conce-t of *od and realiIe that the deity stands above ethics, they
become devotees on the -ath of vaidh& bha"ti, seeking some return for their
devotional -ractice as arthrth&s0
,hose &hom I have called myaypahta-jn! &orshi- ?hiva or Brahm( but do
not have accurate kno&ledge of sambandha>they do not recogniIe that the
?u-reme Lord eternally -ossesses -otencies, that the j&va is an eternally individual
s-ark of consciousness, and that the j&va/s relation to the unconscious material
energy is tem-orary. 4ost of all they don/t recogniIe that their relationshi- of
service to the ?u-reme Lord is their eternal constitutional -osition. =s a result,
even though they study the Vedanta and other -hiloso-hical &orks, their
kno&ledge is covered. %hen a j&va &hose intelligence has been stolen by the
illusory energy recogniIes that the Brahman and :aram(tman conce-tions of the
?u-reme ,ruth are incom-lete and takes shelter of the -ersonal conce-tion of the
deity, Bhagav(n, the Lord 0imself removes the covering over his intelligence. ,he
j&va then recogniIes that he is the eternal servant of the Lord and takes u- the
si3fold -ath of surrender (prapatti$.
L
,hus, &hen the distressed -erson/s covering of desire is removed, &hen the
seeker of kno&ledge (jijsu$ gives u- the covering &hich restricts him to ethically#
based kno&ledge, the seeker of -rofit (arthrth&$ gives u- the trivial desire for
sensual ha--iness in the hereafter, and the -hiloso-hers (jn&$ give u- their
attachment to merging into the im-ersonal as-ect of the truth and their belief that
the -ersonal as-ect is a tem-orary manifestation, then these four kinds of -ersons
can also become eligible for devotional service. =s long as these im-urities remain,
they &ill at best engage in mi3ed devotional service. <nly &hen the im-urities are
removed can someone engage in "eval, a"ican, or uttam bha"ti.
,he &ord used by Bhaktivinoda Oh(kura for im-urity is "aya0 =ll im-urities have
at their base the desire for the satisfaction of one/s o&n senses. %hen the
distressed, the curious, the materially motivated and the learned give u- their
sensually based desires and begin thinking of ho& they can -lease the Lord, their
devotion becomes free of im-urities>this is -ure devotional service.
The 'ord (o%ds the Pure De$otee )ost Dear
Lord 'rishna continues 0is discussion in the *&t/s seventh cha-ter by s-ecifying
that, of the four ty-es of -eo-le &ho take u- devotional service, the jn& is
su-remeF
te) jn& nitya-yu"ta
e"a-bha"tir viiyate
priy hi jnin ,tyartham
aha) sa ca mama priya!
<f these four ty-es of &orshi-ers, the -hiloso-her situated in kno&ledge of 4e
&ho is -ermanently engaged in single#minded devotion stands out. I, in 4y
form as 5y(masundara, am most dear to such a -hiloso-her and he is most
dear to 4e. (*&t H.H$

udr! sarva evaite
jn& tv tmaiva me matam
sthita! sa hi yu"ttm
mm evnuttam) gatim
=ll these devotees are undoubtedly magnanimous souls, but the -hiloso-her
is 4y very soul. Being ever in union &ith 4e, he is convinced that I am the
une3celled goal of life. (*&t H.L$
%e cannot say that the Lord has no affection &hatsoever for the distressed -erson,
the seeker of &ealth and the curious -erson &ho have taken u- 0is devotional
service. ,he Lord is like a desire tree and to some e3tent 0e a&ards all of 0is
&orshi-ers the ob)ects of their desires. =nd of course, these devotees gladly
acce-t them. ,he truly kno&ledgeable -hiloso-her, ho&ever, does not ask
anything of the Lord, &hether it be life in heaven or salvation from all material
involvement. ,his is &hy he is so dear to the Lord. 0e has realiIed that more than
the formless as-ect of Brahman, the Lord/s form as the beautiful blackish boy is
the une3celled goal of life. ,he Lord holds this desireless -hiloso-her to be so dear
that 0e considers him to be equal to 0imself.
,he Lord considers the e3clusive, -ure devotee to be even dearer than 0imself. 0e
therefore says to SddhavaF
na tath me priyatama
tma-ynir na a"ara!
na ca sa"ara na r&r
naivtm ca yath bhavn
Ao one is as dear to 4e as you, < Sddhava, not 4y son Brahm(, not ?hiva
&ho &as born out of 4y very body, not 4y brother ?a6kar8a2a, not Lak8m+, 4y
consort &ho d&ells on 4y chest, not even 4y o&n body.
(%r&mad 'hgavatam .E.N$
Mlse&here in the 'hgavatam, the Lord says,
nham tmnam se
mad-bha"tai! sdhubhir vin
riya) ctyanti"&) brahman
ye) gatir aha) par
< brahmin, I have no desire to en)oy 4y transcendental bliss and 4y su-reme
o-ulences &ithout the saintly devotees for &hom I am the only goal in life.
(%r&mad 'hgavatam X.E.GE$
The Association of De$otees is the Purifying Force
In 5r+la ViRvan(tha Kakravart+/s o-inion, the three ty-es of devotees>the rta,
jijsu and arthrth&-all have desires, &hereas the jn& is desireless. 'rishnad(sa
'avir()a *osv(m+, ho&ever, differs some&hat. 0e &rites that the rta and
arthrth& have material desires, &hile the jijsu and jn& are desirous of attaining
liberation. If they develo- the kind of -iety &hich leads to devotion (bha"ty-
unmu"h& su"ti$, then they can give u- their desires and begin &orshi-ing the Lord.
rta arthrth& dui sa"ma-bhitare gai
jijsu jn& dui m"a-"ma mni
ei cri su"ti haya mah-bhgyavn
tat-tat-"mdi chi haya uddha-bha"timn
I consider the distressed -erson and the seeker of &ealth to be materialistic
devotees, &hile I take the curious -erson and the -hiloso-her to be desirous of
liberation. =ll four of these ty-es of -ious individuals are to be considered
greatly fortunate for they gradually give u- the desires &hich rule them and
become -ure devotees. (Chaitanya Charitmta
!.!E.XN#XG$
Se%f*deception and Cheating+the Desires for Bhuti and )uti
,he s-otless authority for s-iritual kno&ledge is the %r&mad 'hgavatam. Its
-ur-ose is to describe a religious system that is free from all self#dece-tion. ,his is
stated in the introductory verses of the 'hgavatamF dharma! prjjhita-"aitav ,tra
param nirmatsar) sat) (%r&mad 'hgavatam ..!$. =lthough all the four
ob)ects of human life are considered to be "aitava, or self#dece-tion arising out of
ignorance, the desire for liberation is the dee-est darkness of all because it can
com-letely eradicate any gains one makes on the -ath of devotion.
5r+dhara ?v(m+, named by Vaishnavas as the -rime -reserver of devotion for his
commentary on the %r&mad 'hgavatam, e3-lains the &ords prjjhita-"aitava in the
follo&ing &ayF ,he -refi3 pra indicates that the desire for liberation is com-letely
re)ected. :pra-abdena m"bhisandhir api nirasta iti-Chaitanya Charitmta
..XD$
<n this basis, the -urity of devotion is measured by the e3tent to &hich it is free of
desire for sense gratification and liberation, or the four goals of life>religiosity,
material achievements, sense en)oyment and salvation. Mlse&here 'rishnad(sa
'avir()a *osv(m+ s-eaks of all aus-icious or inaus-icious actions (ubhubha-
"arma$ as being the darkness of ignorance &hich interferes &ith the attainment of
bhakti (Chaitanya Charitmta ..XE$. ,hus the &ords of this introductory
'hgavata verse lead one to the definition of -ure devotion given by 1@-a
*osv(m+>that it is free from any other desire (anybhilit-nyam$ other than
the -leasure of the Lord.
,he causeless mercy of *aura#Ait(i results in the destruction of this ignorant self#
dece-tion and -ermits the kno&ledge of -ure devotion to rise like the sun in the
darkness.
1@-a *osv(m+ also com-ares the desires for sense gratification and liberation to a
&itchF
bhu"ti-mu"ti-sph yvat
pic& hdi vartate
tvad bha"ti-su"hmbdhe!
"atham abhyuday bhavet
0o& is it -ossible for the ocean of devotional ha--iness to a--ear in the heart
as long as the &itches of desire for sense en)oyment and liberation remain
-resent thereP ('ha"ti-rasmta-sindhu .!.!!, Chaitanya Charitmta
!.X.HG$
But )ust as such desires interfere &ith the develo-ment of -ure devotion,
devotional service is the only means by &hich they can be destroyed. ,he basis of
all sinful desire is ignorance or the re)ection of 'rishna. ,he seed of all sin, i.e., the
tendency to sin, is -resent in this ignorance. .rom there sinful activity is inevitable.
,he &ord "lea is used to refer to ignorance, sin and the seed of sin ("leas tu ppa)
tad-b&jam avidy ceti te tridh+. <nly the -rocess of devotional service consisting of
hearing and chanting as given by the s-iritual master can destroy these "leas.
"leaghn& ubhad m"a-
laghut-"t sudurlabh
sndrnanda-vietm
r&-""ari& ca s
,he si3 characteristics of bhakti are ($ it destroys all "leas, (!$ it besto&s all
aus-iciousness, (D$ it renders liberation insignificant, (E$ it is very rare, (N$ it
contains at its core an es-ecially intense blissfulness, (G$ it is ca-able of
attracting 'rishna. ('ha"ti-rasmta-sindhu
..L$
De$otiona% Ser$ice Purifies Desires
,he king of ele-hants, *a)endra, &ho gave u- all ho-e of saving his life and sim-ly
-rayed for the Lord/s mercy in his affliction, is considered to be an e3am-le of
someone &ho came to devotion out of his distress (rta$. 5aunaka and the rishis
are taken as the e3am-le of those &ho gave u- an ordinary desire for kno&ledge
to become devotees (jijsu$. =t a certain -oint Chruva 4ah(r()a realiIed that his
desire for becoming a great king &as a &aste of time and that the real value
(artha$ in life is the paramrtha of s-iritual life. 0e then became a devotee. =nd
finally, the four 'um(ras, 5ukadeva, and the Aava 7og+ndra all gave u- follo&ing
the -hiloso-hical -ath to seek e3clusive devotion to the Lord. In each of these
cases the -iety leading to devotion (bha"ty-unmu"h& su"ti$ brought them this good
fortune.
Bad association has the effect of gradually a&akening desires for liberation, sense
gratification, or mystic -o&ers in a -erson. ,he association of devotees, ho&ever,
has the o--osite effect. ,hrough their com-any, the individual develo-s s-iritual
intelligence and faith in -ure devotional service. =s a result, one realiIes the
insignificance of liberation, sense gratification and mystic -o&er and takes u- the
-ractice of Bhakti yoga &ith great intensity.
,his &as stated by 5ukadeva &hen he said that in all circumstances of life,
regardless of motivation, the only duty of every living being is to engage in -ure
and causeless devotional serviceF
a"ma! sarva-"m v
m"a-"ma udra-dh&!
t&vrea bha"ti-ygena
yajeta purua) param
,he -erson of e3-ansive intelligence should &orshi- the ?u-reme :erson by
the -rocess of intense Bhakti yoga, &hether he is a -ure devotee &ithout any
-ersonal desire, or someone filled &ith all kinds of desires, or one &ho seeks
liberation. (%r&mad 'hgavatam !.D."$
In his discussion of this verse, 'rishnad(sa 'avir()a *osv(m+ analyses the &ord
udra-dh&! (of e3-ansive intelligence$ as follo&sF
buddhimn-arthe yadi vicra-ja haya
nija-"ma lgiha tabe "ere bhajaya
bha"ti binu "na sdhana dite nre phala
saba phala deya bha"ti svatantra prabala
aj-gala-stana-nyya anya sdhana
ataeva hari bhaje buddhimn jana
udra mahat& jra sarvttam buddhi
nn "me bhaje tabu pya bha"ti-siddhi
bha"ti-prabhva sei "ma ch
"a-pade bha"ti "arya gue "ariy
,he meaning of the &ord Tintelligent/ is to have good )udgment. It is a sign of
good )udgment to engage in devotional service, even if one has desires for
sense gratification or liberation. ,his is because no other -rocess can yield its
-romised results unless su--lemented by bhakti. Bhakti, ho&ever, is so strong
and inde-endent that it can give all results on its o&n. ,hese other -ractices
are unable to yield their results. 'no&ing this, an intelligent -erson &orshi-s
'rishna e3clusively. <ne &ho has this kind of broad, dee- and su-erior
intelligence serves the Lord even if he has some motive, &ith the result that he
eventually attains the -erfection of devotion. ,he -o&er of devotion is such
that it makes one give u- all material desires and, by attracting one to the
transcendental qualities of the Lord, besto&s devotion at 'rishna/s feet.
(Chaitanya Charitmta !.!E.X#XN$
ViRvan(tha Kakravart+ inter-rets the &ord t&vrea (intensely$ as meaning the
devotee should engage in transcendental loving service &ithout any mi3ture of
"arma or jna -ractices. (?ee also the commentary on %r&mad 'hgavatam
N.X.!G.$
,he -o&er of even basic devotional acts is such that one can be liberated by
them.
"a tmra haa jadi bale e"a-bra
my-bandha haite "a tre "are pra
If someone says )ust once, T'rishna, I am 7ours,/ then 'rishna delivers him
from bondage in the illusory energy. (Chaitanya Charitmta !.!!.DD$
Lord 1(macandra 0imself made this assurance &hen telling ?ugr+va about 0is
meeting &ith Vibh+8a2aF
sa"d eva prapann yas
tavsm&ti ca ycate
abhaya) sarvad tasmai
dadmy etad vrata) mama
It is 4y -romise that if someone truly surrenders to 4e and says )ust once, TI
am 7ours,/ asking for freedom from fear, then I grant him fearlessness for all
eternity.
Bhakti transforms the devotee, even if the motivation of one/s service is based on
other kinds of desires, as the e3ternal acts of devotion attract 'rishna/s mercy.
,he Lord is so merciful that 0e quickly cleanses the heart of such a &orshi-er,
ridding it of the desires for sense gratification and liberation. 0e even goes so far
as to give one love of *od, even if this &as not the original ob)ect of one/s
-erformance of devotional -ractice. 5r+la 'rishnad(sa 'avir()a *osv(m+ has also
&rittenF
bhu"ti-mu"ti-siddhi-"m& subuddhi jadi haya
g8ha-bha"ti-yge tabe "ere bhajaya
anya-"m& jadi "are "era bhajana
n mgiteha "a tre dena sva-caraa
"a "ahe m bhaje mge viaya-su"ha
amta chi via mge ei baa mr"ha
mi vija ei mr"he viaya "ene diba
sva-caramta diy viaya bhuliba
"ma lgi "e bhaje pya "a-rase
"ma chi dsa haite haya abhile
Cue to bad association, the living entity desires material ha--iness, liberation
(merging into the im-ersonal as-ect of the Lord$, or engages in mystic yoga for
material -o&er. If such a -erson actually becomes intelligent, he takes to
'rishna consciousness by engaging himself in intense devotional service to
Lord 5r+ 'rishna. If someone engages in devotional service &hile harboring
selfish desires, the Lord still gives him shelter at 0is lotus feet, even though 0e
&as not asked for it. ,he Lord says to 0imself, T,his foolish -erson is &orshi-ing
4e and at the same time is looking for material sense gratification. 0e is
discarding divine nectar in order to drink -oison. I am &ise enough to not give
the -oison of sense gratification to this fool. Instead, I &ill give him the
ambrosia of 4y lotus feet and make him forget such inferior sensual -leasures./
,hose &ho &orshi- 'rishna &ith some other ob)ective still get a taste of the
)oys of devotional service. ,hey thus give u- their desires and begin to crave
only to become 0is servant. (Chaitanya
Charitmta !.!!.DH#E$
,he above series of verses from the Chaitanya Charitmta have been commented
on by 5r+la Bhaktivinoda Oh(kura in his 4mta-pravha-bhya as follo&sF =s a
result of bad character and bad association, a living entity develo-s desires for
sense en)oyment, liberation, or mystic -o&ers. If by some chance one comes into
contact &ith -ure devotees it is still -ossible to develo- the clear intelligence to
abandon all desire for such things. ,hose &ho desire sensual -leasures, salvation
or mystic -ro&ess are bereft of any desire for -ure devotion. Aevertheless, if out of
some good fortune they come to engage in the -ractices of -ure devotion, then
'rishna is so merciful to them that he &ill besto& prema u-on them, even if that
&as not their ob)ective.
'rishna says to 0imself, T,his -erson &as seeking something else but still has
engaged in 4y service, ho&ever a lo&er nature continues infecting their heart.
,hey have given u- the nectarean cu- of prema and &ant to drink from a -oison
chalice, &hich demonstrates ho& foolish they are. ,his inability to -ray for the
nectar of immortality is a sign of ignorance. Mven so, I am both &ise and
e3-eriencedJ I kno& &hat is needed for the -erfection of life, so I &ill give a taste
of the nectar of 4y lotus feet. ,he ecstasy causes one to forget forever the bitter
taste of material -leasures./
,he demigods thus sing the follo&ing verse in the 'hgavatam about the nature of
the Lord/s mercyF
satya) diaty arthitam arthit n)
naivrthad yat punar arthit yata!
svaya) vidhatte bhajatm anicchatm
icch-pidhna) nija-pda-pallavam
It is true that Lord 'rishna fulfills one/s desire &henever someone -etitions
0im to do so. 0o&ever, 0e does not a&ard anything &hich, once having been
received, &ill be asked for again and again. Mven if these &orshi-ers sho& no
desire for 0is lotus feet, the Lord -ersonally besto&s this benediction on them
&hereby they forget all their transitory material desires. (%r&mad
'hgavatam N.X.!H$
"ma lgi "e bhaje pya "a-rase
"ma chi dsa haite haya abhile
?omeone &ho engages in Lord 'rishna/s devotional service out of egotistical
motivation instead acquires a taste to serve 'rishna. =s a result one gives u-
their material desires and longs to become the Lord/s eternal servant.
(Chaitanya Charitmta !.!!.N$
=ccording to Bhaktivinoda Oh(kura, If someone has the good fortune to come into
the association of the devotees and take u- devotional service to 'rishna as a
means to achieving some selfish mundane -ur-ose, these ob)ectives are soon
revealed to be of little value as a result of the higher taste obtained from bhakti.
'rishna &orshi- is so -ure and holy a thing that anyone &ho comes into contact
&ith it soon re)ects their other desires and seeks to become a servant of the Lord.
(4mta-pravha-bhya$
,his -o&er of bhakti to make one forget material desires &as demonstrated by the
great child devotee Chruva &ho refused the boon &hich the ?u-reme Lord offered
him sayingF
sthnbhil& tapasi sthit#ha)
tv) prptavn deva-mun&ndra-guhyam
"ca) vicinvann api divya-ratna)
svmin "trth smi vara) na yce
< my Lord, I took u- the -ractice of -enance and austerities out of a &ish to
become a great ruler. Ao& that I have attained 7ou, &ho remain hidden to even
great demigods, saintly -ersons and kings, I feel like someone &ho had been
searching for fragments of glass but has found instead a most valuable )e&el. I
am no& so fulfilled that there is no benediction left for me to ask of 7ou.
(7ari-bha"ti-sudhdaya, H.!LJ quoted at Chaitanya Charitmta !.!!.E! and
!.!E.!X$
:rabhu-(da Bhaktisiddh(nta ?arasvat+ Oh(kura comments in 4nubhya, ,he
association of -ure devotees, 'rishna/s mercy and devotion to 'rishna share this
common characteristicF they rid one of all taste for associating &ith non#devotees,
or for any good fortune arising from the illusory energy, as &ell as any tendency to
take u- the -aths of "arma, jna and yga. (Chaitanya
Charitmta !.!E."E$
The Transformation of the Desires for ,no&%edge and 'iberation
5r+la ViRvan(tha Kakravart+ Oh(kura &rites in his commentary on %r&mad
'hgavatam ..E that the seers led by 5aunaka &ere originally contaminated by
attachment to &orks based in desire (sa"ma-"arma$. =s a result of hearing the
:uranic literature from 1omahar8a2a and reflecting on its contents, they came to
the stage of desiring kno&ledge (jijsu$. Later, as a result of the association of the
saintly SgraRrav(, they came to as-ire for the taste of devotion. ,he idea that they
&ere originally engaged in fruitive activity is evidenced by their &ords to ?@ta
*osv(m+F
"armay asminn anvse
dhma-dhmrtman) bhavn
pyayati gvinda-
pda-padmsava) madhu
%e &ere engaged in the -erformance of this sacrifice, the fruits of &hich are
uncertain due to the many im-erfections in the ritual, until our bodies &ere
blackened by smoke. But you came and revived us by giving the honey nectar
from *ovinda/s lotus feet to drink. (%r&mad 'hgavatam
.L.!$
=fter they entered the devotional -ath, the curiosity of the sages became a less
dominant motivation and their sacrificial -erformance &as carried out for the
-ur-ose of going to the abode of 0ari, Vaiku29ha.
,he s-eaker of the 'hgavatam, 5ukadeva *osv(m+, also told 4ah(r()a :ar+k8it
that he had been firmly fi3ed in oneness &ith the undifferentiated Brahman &hen
the nectar of 'rishna "ath attracted his mind.
parini(hit ,pi nairguya
uttama-l"a-l&lay
gh&ta-cet rjare
"hyna) yad adh&tavn
< saintly 'ing, even though I &as certainly situated in -erfect transcendence,
my mind &as forcibly attracted by the delineation of the -astimes of the Lord,
&ho is described by enlightened verses. =nd so I took u- its study.
(%r&mad 'hgavatam !..X$
Mlse&here, the same &as stated by ?@ta *osv(m+F
harer gu"ipta-matir
bhagavn bdaryai!
adhyagn mahad "hyna)
nitya) viu-jana-priya!
,he greatly -o&erful 5ukadeva *osv(m+, son of Vy(sadeva, &as overcome
&ith attraction to the qualities of 0ari. 0e thus under&ent the study of this
great narration of the %r&mad 'hgavatam and became eternally dear to the
devotees of Vishnu. (%r&mad 'hgavatam
.H.$
,he follo&ing account is found in the 'rahma-vaivarta >urana0 %hile his son
5ukadeva &as absorbed in samdhi in the midst of the )ungle, Vy(sadeva found a
&ay to make 5uka hear some verses he had &ritten glorifying the Lord. ,hese
verses &ere so -o&erful that 5ukadeva/s samdhi &as disru-ted &hen he heard
them. ,heir s&eetness so attracted 5uka that he began to regret the time he had
lost in his Brahman meditation and sho&ed his dis-leasure by saying Tdhi"0# Being
omniscient, he kne& that the verses &ere from the 'hgavatam and that their
author &as his o&n father. =s a result, he immediately &ent to Vy(sa and asked to
be instructed in the 'hgavatam. In this &ay, the goddess of devotion conquered
the father and son, both of &hom had direct e3-erience of Brahman, and thus
brought the entire universe under her control.
,he four 'um(ras &ere sages &ho after having direct realiIation of Brahman
became attracted to devotional service.
tasyravinda-nayanasya padravinda-
"ijal"a-mira-tulas&-ma"aranda-vyu!
antar-gata! sva-vivarea ca"ra te)
sa"bham a"ara-jum api citta-tanv!
%hen the breeIe carrying the aroma of tulas& leaves from the toes of the lotus
feet of the lotus#eyed Lord entered the nostrils of those sages, their bodies and
minds &ere disturbed, even though they &ere fi3ed in consciousness of the
im-erishable Brahman. (%r&mad 'hgavatam D.N.ED$

,he nine great yogis, the Aava 7og+ndras, &ere also kno&ers of Brahman &ho
&ere attracted by Lord 'rishna/s qualities and then took u- 0is devotional service.
,he scri-tural evidence is found in the 'ha"ti-rasmta-sindhuF
a"le) "amala-bhuva! praviya g(h&)
"urvanta! ruti-iras) ruti) rutaj!
uttuga) yadu-pura-sagamya raga)
yg&ndr! pula"a-bht navpy avpu!
,hough those nine great masters of yoga &ere already free from distress and
conversant in Vedic kno&ledge, they came to Lord Brahm(/s assembly and
heard the *pla-tpan& 1panishad, the to-most -ortion of the Veda. %hen
they thus learned about the su-remacy of 'rishna, they &ere covered &ith
ecstatic sym-toms and develo-ed a great enthusiasm for visiting Lord
'rishna/s city of Cv(rak(. ('ha"ti-rasmta-sindhu D..!", Chaitanya
Charitmta !.!!.E"$
'rishnad(sa 'avir()a *osv(m+ summariIes the above descri-tions of these
Brahma jn&s &ho &ere later attracted by devotion to 'rishna as suchF
janma haite u"a-sana"di brahma-maya
"a-gu"(a ha "ere bhajaya
sana"dyera "a-"pya saurabhe hare mana
gu"(a ha "are nirmala bhajana
vysa-"pya u"adevera l&ldi-smaraa
"a-gu"(a ha "arena bhajana
nava-yg&vara janma haite sdha"a jn&
vidhi-iva-nrada-mu"he "a-gua uni
=lthough 5ukadeva *osv(m+ and the four 'um(ras &ere al&ays absorbed in
the thought of im-ersonal Brahman, and thus considered Brahmav(d+s, they
&ere nonetheless attracted by the transcendental -astimes and qualities of
'rishna and started to &orshi- 0im. By 'rishna/s mercy, the minds of the four
'um(ras &ere attracted by 0is aroma. =ttracted by 0is qualities, they took u-
0is -ure devotional service. By Vy(sa/s mercy, 5ukadeva started to remember
Lord 'rishna/s -astimes. ,hus attracted by 'rishna/s transcendental qualities,
he also became a devotee and engaged in 0is service. ,he nine great mystics
&ere -ractitioners on the -ath of kno&ledge from their very births. 0o&ever,
they &ere transformed by hearing Lord 'rishna/s qualities from Lord Brahm(,
Lord ?hiva, and the great sage A(rada. (Chaitanya Charitmta !.!E.N#
L$
bha"tira svabhva brahma haite "are "araa
divya deha diy "arya "era bhajana
bha"ta-deha pile haya guera smaraa
gu"(a ha "are nirmala bhajana
,he nature of devotion is such that it attracts the mind a&ay from the )oys of
Brahman realiIation. It gives the devotee a transcendental body so he can
engage in Lord 'rishna/s service. <nce he has such a body, the devotee
meditates on 'rishna/s transcendental qualities. =fter being attracted to these
qualities, he engages in -ure devotional service.
(Chaitanya Charitmta !.!E."#$
=ll these e3am-les of liberated souls being attracted by the qualities of the Lord
give &eight to the claim of ?@ta *osv(m+, &ho told the sages at Aaimi8(ra2yaF
tmrm ca munay
nirgranth apy uru"rame
"urvanty ahaitu"&) bha"tim
ittham-bhta-gu hari!
,hough freed from all material ties, all the different ty-es of tmrmas &ho
take -leasure in the self engage in causeless devotional service unto the Lord
of glorious feats. ,ruly, the Lord -ossesses transcendental qualities and
therefore can attract everyone, including liberated souls. (%r&mad
'hgavatam .H.$
Mven 5a6kar(c(rya &rites in his commentary on the Asi)ha-tpan& 1panishad that
liberated souls &illingly take a body so that they can &orshi- the Lord (mu"t api
l&lay vigraha) "tv bhagavanta) bhajante$. ,his characteristic of devotional service
is called m"a-laghut-"t, meaning that it diminishes the attraction of liberation.
De$otion )ust -%timate%y Be ./c%usi$e
In vie& of the -receding discussion, the conclusion is clearF
ata eva my-mha chi buddhimn
nitya-tattva "a-bha"ti "arena sandhna
,herefore an intelligent -erson gives u- his enchantment &ith this illusory
material &orld and searches out the eternal truth of devotion to 'rishna.
,he -o&er of devotion to destroy desire is a--licable to any of the five -rinci-al
devotional activities.
sat-saga "a-sev bhgavata nma
vraje vsa ei paca sdhana pradhna
ei-paca-madhye e"a svalpa yadi haya
subuddhi janera haya "a-premdaya
udra mahat& jra sarvttam buddhi
nn "me bhaje tabu pya bha"ti-siddhi
bha"ti-prabhva sei "ma ch
"a-pade bha"ti "arya gue "ariy
,he five most -o&erful as-ects of devotional service are association &ith
devotees, serving Lord 'rishna/s deity form, hearing the %r&mad 'hgavatam,
chanting the 0oly Aames, and residing in Vra)a dhma. If intelligent -ersons
come into even minimal contact &ith any one of these five ty-es of devotional
-ractice, their dormant love for 'rishna is a&akened. ,hose &ho have this kind
of broad, dee-, and su-erior intelligence serve the Lord even if they have some
motive, &ith the result that they eventually attain the -erfection of devotion.
,he -o&er of devotion is such that it makes one give u- all material desires
and besto&s devotion to 'rishna/s feet by attracting one to the transcendental
qualities of the Lord one.
(Chaitanya Charitmta !.!E.LH#LL, X",X!$
5r+la 'rishnad(sa 'avir()a *osv(m+ also named these five -rinci-le devotional
activities in the t&enty#second cha-ter of the Chaitanya Charitmta#s $adhya-l&l0
But there he mentions that &ithout determined and faithful adherence to these
-ractices, one cannot e3-ect the fruit of love of *odhead to manifest. 0ere also,
the sym-toms of su-erior intelligence are givenF 0aving given u- both gross and
subtle sense gratification, one &ho dedicates oneself to the satisfaction of
'rishna/s senses is truly intelligent. ,rue love for 'rishna has absolutely no
element of self#directed sensual desire. If one has come to this understanding,
then such a -erson deserves the title udra-dh&, as mentioned in the 'hgavatam
verse quoted above (%r&mad 'hgavatam !.D."$F %hether -ersons desire
everything or nothing, or they desire to merge into the e3istence of the Lord, such
individuals are intelligent only if they &orshi- Lord 'rishna, the ?u-reme
:ersonality of *odhead, by intensely rendering transcendental loving service.
%ithout this kind of -ers-icacity, one &ill confuse -ure devotion &ith other kinds of
devotion that are mi3ed or dominated by -hiloso-hical s-eculation or other
-ur-oses. <ne &ill take such kinds of ignorance as &isdom, sectarianism as
liberality, and &ill ultimately be misled. In the material &orld, -eo-le think that any
single s-iritual -ath is )ust as good as another>Tjata mata tata patha0# In fact, there
is only one &ay to reach the abode of 'rishna, *oloka Vrindavan. ,hat -ath is the
disci-line of Bhakti yoga. ,his is made clear both in the 'hagavad-g&t and the
6r&mad 'hgavatam.
,his kind of e3clusiveness is also described in the glorification of the 'hagavad-g&t,
*&t-mhtmyaF
e"a) stra) deva"&-putra-g&tam
e" dev deva"&-putra eva
e" mantras tasya nmni yni
"armpy e"a) tasya devasya sev
,here is only one scri-ture>that &hich &as sung by the ?on of Cevak+.
,here is only *od>0e &ho is kno&n as the ?on of Cevak+.
,here is only one hymn to be sung>the names of the ?on of Cevak+.
,here is only one duty>the service of this one su-reme *od.
,he ne3t cha-ter e3-lores ho& one attains the great fortune of coming to
devotional service and the manner in &hich it is cultivated.
Chapter III
The Beginnings of Ser$ice
It is said that only after &andering for many lifetimes throughout the fourteen
&orlds
X
does a fortunate living soul meet the Vaishnava guru through the mercy of
'rishna. ,hrough the guru, one gets the seed of the devotional cree-er.
bhramite bhramite jadi sdhu-vaidya pya
tra upadea-mantre pic& palya
"a-bha"ti pya tabe "a ni"a(e jya000
tte "a bhaje "are gurura sevana
my-jla chu(e pya tabe "era caraa
=fter &andering through the universe in this be&ildered condition, if the j&va
can someho& find a saintly -erson to act as an e3orcist, then through such a
-erson/s instructions, &hich act as a -o&erful s-ell, the &itch of 4aya/s
mastery is overcome and she is forced to run for her life. ,he fortunate
individual then finds -ure devotion to 'rishna and a -lace by 0is side. ,here,
one &orshi-s 'rishna &hile continuing to serve the guru/s lotus feet. =s a result
one is freed from the illusory entanglements of material life and attains
'rishna/s lotus feet. (Chaitanya Charitmta
!.!!.E#N, !N$
"na bhgye "r sa)sra "aynmu"ha haya
sdhu-sage tabe "e rati upajaya
%hen by some good fortune, it is time for one/s material entanglement to
come to an end, then an attraction to 'rishna develo-s &ithin them in the
association of devotees. (Chaitanya
Charitmta !.!!.EN$
'ing 4ucukunda stated this idea in the -rayers he s-oke to Lord 'rishna after
being delivered by 0imF
bhavpavarg bhramat yad bhavej
janasya tarhy acyuta sat-samgama!
sat-sagam yarhi tadaiva sad-gatau
parvaree tvayi jyate rati!
< infallible Lord[ %hen the time has come for those &andering throughout the
universes to be finished &ith their material e3istence, they come into contact
&ith devotees. <nly as a result of such association &ith devotees can one
develo- an attraction for 7ou, the destination of the saintly, the Lord of the
universe. (%r&mad 'hgavatam
".N.ND$
%ithout the association of devotees, no one can take u- the -ractice of devotional
service. %ithout such -ractice, no one can be rid of sinful tendencies &ith the
result that no one can reach the goal of love for 'rishna. 0o&ever, no one gets the
association of devotees &ithout first having the kind of -iety that leads to
devotional service (bha"ty-unmu"h& su"ti$. ,herefore, 'rishnad(sa 'avir()a
*osv(m+ saysF
"a jadi "p "are "na bhgyavne
guru-antarymi-rpe i"hya pane
sdhu-sage "a-bha"tye raddh jadi haya
bha"ti-phala prema haya sa)sra jya "aya
mahat-"p vin "na "arme bha"ti naya
"a-bha"ti dre rahu sa)sra nahe "aya
%hen 'rishna decides to be kind to some fortunate soul, 0e then -ersonally
directs that -erson from &ithin as the ?u-ersoul and from &ithout as the
s-iritual master. If one/s faith in devotional service to 'rishna is a&akened
through the association of devotees, then one develo-s dormant love for
'rishna by &hich material, conditional e3istence comes to an end. Snless one
is favored by a great devotee, no activity can be considered to take on the
characteristics of devotional service. <ne cannot even be relieved from the
bondage of material e3istence, &hat to s-eak of attaining 'rishna bhakti.
(Chaitanya Charitmta !.!!.EH,EX,N$
The Piety Which 'eads to De$otion
In the te3ts quoted above, the &ord fortune is a reference to the kind of -revious
-ious activity that ultimately leads to bhakti. ,his kind of -redis-osition to s-iritual
life causes the a&akening of a desire for association &ith -eo-le advanced in
s-iritual matters. ,hrough this kind of association, a taste for devotional service is
develo-ed.
bha"tis tu bhagavad-bha"ta-
sagena parijyate
sat-saga! prpyate pumbhi!
su"tai! prva-sacitai!
Cevotion is born out of the association &ith devotees of the Lord. Kontact &ith
such saintly -ersons is given to those &ho have accumulated -ious merit in
-revious lifetimes. ('han-nrad&ya >urana, 7ari-bha"ti-vilsa
".!HX$
5r+la Bhaktivinoda Oh(kura e3-lains this develo-ment in his 4mta-pravha-bhya
(!.!!.EN$F ,he devotional scri-tures call the results of one/s -ast -iety Tgood
fortune./ :ast -iety is of three ty-es de-ending on &hether it leads to devotion,
sense gratification or to liberation. =ll acts in this &orld that give rise to -ure
devotion are called bha"ty-unmu"h& su"ti, &hile those that lead to sense
gratification bring bhgnmu"h& su"ti and those &hich lead to liberation give
m"nmu"h& su"ti. ,he -ious activities that a&aken the j&va/s constitutional
activity of devotional service to the Lord bring entanglement in material nature to
an end.
,he conclusion is that the association of devotees comes about as a result of -ious
activities connected to devotional service, or bha"ty-unmu"h& su"ti0 ,his ty-e of
-iety originates in accidental service to Vishnu or the Vaishnavas. <ne need not
have s-ent a great amount of time in the com-any of devotees. = lava is equal to
E\ENths of a second, the time that it takes to blink. It is said that even as little as a
lava/s time of association &ith advanced devotees &ill result in the attainment of
all -erfections. ,his is the e3tent of the transcendental -otency of such
associationF
sdhu saga sdhu saga sarva stra "aya
lava-mtra sdhu sage sarva siddhi haya
=ll the scri-tures again and again glorify the association of devotees. Bust a
moment/s association &ith devotees results in all -erfection.
(Chaitanya Charitmta !.!!.NE$
tulayma lavenpi
na svarga) npunar-bhavam
bhagavat-sagi-sagasya
martyn) "im utia!
%e cannot com-are heaven or liberation to even the briefest moment of
association &ith the com-anions of the Lord. If this is so, then ho& can the
miserable benedictions of the &orldly be considered their equalP
(%r&mad 'hgavatam .L.D, Chaitanya Charitmta !.!!.NN$
Faith
,he -iety that comes from contact &ith a saintly -erson results in a gro&ing
detachment from this &orld &ith its fleeting -leasures and frustrations. ,his in turn
leads to a desire to associate &ith -eo-le &ho are cultivating the eternal truth.
S-on hearing the 'rishna conscious discourses from the li-s of a saintly -erson,
the fortunate soul develo-s faith, or the certain belief that by engaging in devotion
to 'rishna, all his other obligations &ill be fulfilled.
%hen one hears the e3-lanation of the 'hagavad-g&t from a devotee, he learns
that although 'rishna at first seems to give value to various s-iritual -aths, such
as Vedic sacrifice, "arma-yga, and jna-yga, in the final analysis, these -aths are
relegated to a secondary status and Bhakti yoga is given -recedence. 'rishna/s
final order -rescribes devotional service as the to-most -rocess of s-iritual
realiIation. ,he general rule is given that &here there are conflicting instructions,
the last instruction should be given -recedence>prva-parayr para-vidhir balavn.
,hus *&t verses such as man-man bhava mad-bha"t mad-yj& m) namas"uru and
sarva-dharmn parityjya mm e"a) araa) vraja are to be taken as 'rishna/s final
&ord. ,he living being &ho has faith in this final instruction &ill become a devotee,
renounce all other activities, and engage in 'rishna bha)ana.
In an im-ortant verse in the 'hgavatam, Lord 'a-iladeva instructs his mother
Cevah@t+ about the develo-ment of faith beginning &ith the association of
devotees and the hearing of 'rishna conscious to-ics from them. ?uch faith im-lies
the taking u- of disci-lined devotional activity. <nce one begins such -ractice,
one/s inner life develo-s through rati or bhva, the stage of devotional feeling, and
from there to devotion in its -ure state, prema.
sat) prasagn mama v&rya-sa)vid
bhavanti ht-"ara-rasyan! "ath!
taj-jad v apavarga-vartmani
raddh ratir bha"tir anu"ramiyati
4y heroic -astimes are very -leasing to the ear and satisfying to the heart
&hen heard in the association of -ure devotees. =s a result of )oyfully relishing
these -astimes in such association, one quickly advances on the -ath of
liberation, -assing through the stages of faith (raddh$, the revelation of one/s
divine relationshi- &ith 'rishna (rati$, and true love for 0im (bhakti$.
(%r&mad 'hgavatam D.!N.!N$
'rishnad(sa 'avir()a *osv(m+ has defined faith (raddh$ in the follo&ing &ayF
raddh-abde "ahe vivsa sud8ha nicaya
"a-bha"ti "aile sarva-"arma "ta haya
,he &ord raddh refers to a firm and confident belief that by engaging in
devotion to 'rishna alone, all of one/s duties &ill be fulfilled.
(Chaitanya Charitmta !.!!.G!$
?uch faith is based in an understanding of 'rishna/s factual -osition as the very
root of all e3istenceF
yath tarr mla-niecanena
tpyanti tat-s"andha-bhujpa"h!
prpahrc ca yathendriy)
tathaiva sarvrhaam acyutejy
=s a tree/s trunk, branches, t&igs, and leaves are nourished by &atering its
roots, and as all the senses are satisfied by giving food to the stomach, so
similarly, all living beings are served by &orshi-ing the infallible ?u-reme
:erson. (%r&mad 'hgavatam E.D.E$
,his means that by &orshi-ing the ?u-reme Lord, all other gods and ob)ects of
&orshi- are automatically served. If the Lord is -leased, the entire universe is
-leased>tasmi)s tu(e jagat tu(am pr&&te pr&ita) jagat0 = -erson &ho has this
kind of faith is eligible to engage in devotional service.
=s stated in the 'hgavatam (.!".X$, until one/s faith has been a&akened by
listening to discussions of devotional sub)ects, one &ill continue to have a taste for
&orks and kno&ledge. ,his -reliminary kind of faith is called scri-tural or doctrinal
faith. Bhaktivinoda Oh(kura &rites the follo&ing in his Fmnya 6utraF
raddh tv anypya-varja)
bha"ty-unmu"h&-citta-vtti-viea!
s ca arapatti-la"a
%raddh, faith, is a -articular mental attitude directed to&ard devotion that
re)ects all other means of s-iritual achievement. It is characteriIed by the
-rocess of surrender (arapatti$.
Sntil one has this kind of faith, there is no chance that one &ill get a taste for
listening to the 'hgavatam and other scri-tures of its ty-e. ?o this faith is the seed
of the cree-er of devotion. =fter &andering throughout the universes, the
fortunate j&va &ho has accumulated a stock of the a--ro-riate merit gets the seed
of devotion, faith, by the mercy of 'rishna and the s-iritual master.
P%anting the Seed
,he seed of faith is -lanted in the soil of the heart. Cevotional activities such as
hearing the to-ics of 'rishna from sadhus and then re-eating them are the &ater
that irrigates this seed, &hich soon s-routs in the form of the cree-er of devotion.
,he cree-er then gro&s and gro&s until it crosses the Vira)( 1iver, -ierces through
the Brahmaloka to the s-iritual sky, and then goes on to *oloka Vrindavan &here it
gives forth the divine, delightful fruits of prema.
ml& ha "are sei b&ja rpaa
ravaa-"&rtana-jale "araye secana
upajiy be lat brahm8a bhedi jya
viraj brahma-l"a bhedi para-vyma pya
tabe jya tad-upari gl"a-vndvana
"a-caraa-"alpa-v"e "are rhaa
,he j&va then takes the role of a gardener, -lants the seed of faith in the heart
and &aters it &ith the acts of hearing and chanting. ,he cree-er s-routs and
starts to gro& until it -enetrates the coverings of the universe, crosses the
Vira)( 1iver, -asses through the Brahmaloka until it reaches the s-iritual sky.
.rom there, it continues to gro& until it reaches *oloka Vrindavan &here it
&inds around the desire tree of 'rishna/s lotus feet. (Chaitanya
Charitmta !.X.N!#NE$
'rishnad(sa 'avir()a *osv(m+, foremost of 5r+ 1@-a *osv(m+/s follo&ers, has
also taken u- 5r+ 1@-a/s descri-tion of the gradual -rocess that leads to prema-
bha"ti, devotion in -ure loveF
"na bhgye "na j&vera raddh jadi haya
tabe sei j&va sdhu-saga je "araya
sdhu-saga haite haya ravaa-"&rtana
sdhana-bha"tye haya sarvnartha-nivartana
anartha-nivtti haile bha"tye ni(h haya
ni(h haite ravadye ruci upajaya
ruci haite bha"tye haya sa"ti pracura
sa"ti haite citte janme "e pr&ty-a"ura
sei bhva g8ha haile dhare prema-nma
sei prem prayjana sarvnanda-dhma
If by some great good fortune one develo-s faith in 'rishna, that j&va begins
to associate &ith devotees. =s a result of associating &ith devotees, one takes
u- -ractical devotional service beginning &ith hearing and chanting. ?uch
-ractical devotional service frees one from all un&anted material
contamination and that leads to constancy. %hen one has ni(h, or firmness
in one/s -ractice, then a real taste develo-s for hearing and chanting and the
other devotional -ractices. ,he ne3t ste- is the a&akening of a dee-
attachment and from that attachment the first manifestations of love finally
a--ear in the heart like the s-routing tree. ,hese first ecstatic manifestations
are called bhva, &hich intensify to become love of *odhead or prema, the
ultimate goal of life and the reservoir of all -leasure.
(Chaitanya Charitmta !.!D.X#D$
,he fruits of devotion are nectarean, that is, su-remely delightful in their essence.
<nce one has tasted that fruit, one feels fully satisfied. =ll sadness, be&ilderment,
fear and longing are removed forever from the one/s heart and a strong distaste
for all desires for sense gratification, liberation or mystic -o&ers is a&akened.
0atred, )ealousy, enviousness, and the tendency to criticiIe others no longer find a
-lace &ithin the heart. ,hen one is not tem-ted by the satisfactions of se3, riches
or -o&er and remains constantly fi3ed in the culture of 'rishna consciousness
through hearing, chanting, and remembering. <ne has no other duty but activities
e3ecuted for the -leasure of the Lord. <ther than the kno&ledge related to
develo-ing 'rishna consciousness>sambandha, abhidheya and prayjana-tattvas-
one has no interest in accumulating any other kno&ledge. ?uch a -erson never
thinks that any yogic -ractice has -recedence over Bhakti yoga.
= living being can become eligible for this treasure of devotion only through the
grace of 'rishna/s internal, )oy#besto&ing energy. <ne &ho has been lucky enough
to associate &ith a devotee blessed by the hldin&-a"ti inherits this treasure. ,his
is &hy association &ith 'rishna/s devotees is said to be the root cause of devotion
to 'rishna. Bust like a -erson &ho &ishes to make money must come into the
association of rich -eo-le, a -erson seeking the &ealth of devotion must enter into
the association of -eo-le &ho are rich in devotion. ,hen one must acce-t
instruction and strictly follo&ing such guidance they enter a life of devotion.
Chapter I"
Ser$e the 'ord0s De$otees
%hen in :rayaga, Lord Khaitanya 4ah(-rabhu met 1@-a *osv(m+ and instructed
him in the -rocess of devotional service. In the course of their conversations, &hich
are recorded in the Chaitanya Charitmta, 4ah(-rabhu told 1@-a *osv(m+ )ust
ho& rare a -ure devotee is. ,he Lord said that the unlimited living entities can be
divided into t&o categories, the eternally liberated and the eternally conditioned.
,he conditioned entities are further divided into those that can move and those
that cannot. ,hose &hose consciousness is more covered, such as trees, are the
non#moving creatures, &hile the moving beings include birds, aquatics and land
animals, all of &hich have more develo-ed consciousness.
<f all the land creatures, only a small -ro-ortion are humans. =mong them, the
4lecchas, :ulindas, and 5abaras are outside the -ale of civiliIed society, &hich
includes only those &ho follo& the Vedic -rinci-les. 0alf of those &ho follo& the
Vedas sim-ly give li- service to the scri-tures &hile in fact they live irreligious and
sinful lives. .urther, of those &ho follo& the Vedic -rinci-les, most are engaged in
fruitive ritual activity. <ne out of many such fruitive &orkers may become a
-hiloso-her. =mong the many millions of such -hiloso-hers, one may actually
achieve liberationJ but it is very difficult to find a -ure devotee of Lord 'rishna
even amongst many millions of liberated -ersons.
S- to and including the liberated -erson, everyone is bound by desire, either gross
or subtle. ,hose &ho are engaged in fruitive activity are bound by a desire for
material en)oyment (bhu"ti$, &hether here in this life or after death in heaven.
,hose &ho are attached to the quest for kno&ledge are bound by a desire for
liberation, &hile the yogis are bound by the desire for s-iritual -o&ers. =s long as
there are desires for sensual en)oyment, salvation or s-iritual -erfections in the
heart, one &ill be disturbed. <ne &ho is engaged in devotional service to 'rishna
sto-s desiring the satisfaction of his o&n senses and seeks only the -leasure of his
Lord. .or this reason, the devotee alone truly kno&s -eace.
"a-bha"ta ni"ma ataeva nta
bhu"ti-mu"ti-siddhi-"m& sa"ali anta
Because a devotee of Lord 'rishna is desireless, he is -eaceful. .ruitive
&orkers desire material en)oyment, jn&s desire liberation, and yogis desire
material o-ulenceJ therefore they are all lusty and cannot be -eaceful.
(Chaitanya Charitmta
!.X.EX$
mu"tnm api siddhn)
nryaa-paryaa!
sudurlabha! pranttm
"(iv api mah-mune
<f all liberated and -erfected beings, < great sage, one &ho is devoted to
A(r(ya2a is most rare. 0e alone amongst countless millions has found divine
-eace. (%r&mad 'hgavatam G.E.N$

Tad1ya+2Those Connected To the 'ord3
,hose s-ecial beings &ho have come into intimate contact &ith the Lord are kno&n
as tad&ya, 0is o&n. Vrindavan C(sa Oh(kura has &ritten in his Chaitanya
'hgavataF
bhgavata tulas& gagya bha"ta-jane
caturdh vigraha "a ei cri sane
j&va-nysa "arile r&-mrti pj haya
janma-mtra e cri &vara vede "aya
,he ?u-reme Lord is al&ays associated &ith the four follo&ing thingsF the
book 'hgavata, tulas&, the *anges, and the devotees. ,he deity form of the
Lord becomes &orshi-able after it has been consecrated ritually and the Lord/s
-resence has been invoked. ?cri-ture says that these four things, ho&ever, are
innately divine. (Chaitanya 'hgavata !.!.L#L!$
,he book 'hgavata, the -erson 'hgavata, tulas&, and the *anges are all
considered to be manifestations of the Lord 0imself because of their intimate
connection &ith 0im. ,hey are called 0is pra"a-vigraha0 ,he deity form is not
considered &orshi-able until the pra-prati(h ritual has been -erformed. ,hese
four pra"a-vigrahas, ho&ever, are considered to be naturally &orshi-ableJ there is
no need for any kind of ritual in order to elevate them to that status. ,hey are all
s-iritual and due to their natural connection to the Lord, are considered to be in a
relationshi- to us as masters to servants. ,hey are al&ays to be considered distinct
from the material nature and never looked u-on as -otential ob)ects of sense
en)oyment.
'rishnad(sa 'avir()a *osv(m+ e3-resses the same idea in Chaitanya CharitmtaF
tad&ya tulas& vaiava mathur bhgavata
ei crira sev haya "era abhimata
,he &ord tad&ya refers to those things or -ersons &hich are connected to the
LordF tulas&, 'rishna/s devotees, the land of 4athur(, and the %r&mad
'hgavatam. 'rishna is -leased &hen one renders service to any of these four
things. (Chaitanya Charitmta !.!!.!$
,his last cou-let is found in the Chaitanya Charitmta in the conte3t of an
enumeration of GE elements of devotional service in -ractice. <f these si3ty#four
devotional -ractices, five are considered to be most im-ortant.
sdhu-saga nma-"&rtana bhgavata-ravaa
mathur-vsa r&-mrtira raddhya sevana
<ne should associate &ith devotees, chant the 0oly Aame of the Lord, hear
%r&mad 'hgavatam, reside at 4athur(, and &orshi- the deity &ith faith and
veneration. (Chaitanya Charitmta !.!!.!E$
,hese five limbs of devotional service are considered to be the best of all because
even a slight -erformance of them a&akens love for 'rishna. %hether a -erson
e3ecutes only one or many of these -rocesses of devotional service, love for
'rishna can quickly manifest. (Chaitanya Charitmta !.!!.!E$ Klearly, there is a
close relationshi- bet&een these five most -otent devotional activities and the
conce-t of tad&ya, or things related to the Lord.
%hat needs to be -articularly em-hasiIed is that service to the Vaishnavas cannot
be se-arated from any as-ect of devotional service. ,hus 5r+la Aarottama d(sa
Oh(kura sings, chiy vaiava-sev nistra pyeche "eb-%ho has ever attained
su-reme beatitude &ithout serving the VaishnavasP (>rema-bha"ti-candri"$
%ithout the association and service of a -erfected devotee of the Lord, the -erson
'hgavata, no as-ect of devotional service can be e3ercised -ro-erly.
.urthermore, as 5r+ Khaitanya 4ah(-rabhu taught ?an(tana *osv(m+,
association &ith devotees is im-ortant at all stages of one/s devotional life.
"a-bha"ti-janma-mla haya sdhu-saga
"a-prema janme teh puna! mu"hya aga
,he root cause of devotional service to 'rishna is association &ith advanced
devotees. =nd &hen one/s love for 'rishna a&akens, the association &ith
devotees becomes the chief element in one/s devotional service.
(Chaitanya Charitmta !.!!.LD$
Cevotion to 'rishna is the fruit of associating &ith devotees. %hen that devotion
attains its most mature state and is transformed into -ure love for the Lord, then
associating &ith devotees continues to be the essential e3-ression of such love.
The Specia% Status of the "aishna$as
In t&o verses from >dmttara-"ha8a, 4ah(deva em-hasiIed the glory of
&orshi-ing tad&yas to :(rvat+F
rdhann) sarve)
vir rdhana) param
tasmt paratara) devi
tad&yn) samarcanam
<f all ty-es of &orshi-, &orshi- of Lord Vishnu is best. Mven better than the
&orshi- of Lord Vishnu is the &orshi- of those things &hich are connected to
0im. ('ha"ti-rasmta-sindhu .!.!E, 7ari-bha"ti-vilsa ".DG$

arcayitv tu gvinda)
tad&yn nrcayet tu ya!
na sa bhgavat jeya!
"evala) dmbhi"a! smta!
<ne &ho &orshi-s *ovinda &ithout &orshi-ing those &ho are connected to
0im cannot be considered a true devotee. In fact, he is nothing more than a
hy-ocrite. (7ari-bha"ti-vilsa ".DG!$

,he Lord does not acce-t the service of one &ho has no affection for ,ulas+ and
the other things described as tad&ya, and &ho sim-ly tries to sho& affection for
0im alone. ,he devotees are so dear to Lord *ovinda that 0e subordinates 0imself
to them. 0e is therefore easily &on over by anyone &ho sho&s love and res-ect for
them. Indeed, 0e says that anyone &ho claims to be a devotee is not truly 0is
devotee. It is only the -erson &ho acts as a devotee of 0is devotees &ho can make
such a claimF
ye me bha"ta-jan! prtha
na me bha"t ca te jan!
mad-bha"tn) ca ye bha"ts
te me bha"tatam mat!
< =r)una, those &ho claim to be 4y devotees are actually not 4y devotees. I
consider only those &ho are the servants of 4y devotees to factually be 4y
devotees.
(Fdi >urana, quoted in 'ha"ti-rasmta-sindhu .!.!L, 7ari-bha"ti-vilsa
".DD, and Chaitanya Charitmta !..!L$
Sddhava is one of the foremost devotees of the Lord. %hen Sddhava a--roached
'rishna in order to learn about the disci-line of yoga, the Lord delivered the
instructions kno&n as the 1ddhava-g&ta, &hich have been -reserved in the eleventh
canto of the 'hgavatam. =mongst the characteristics of a -ure devotee given
there, the Lord said,
dara! paricaryy)
sarvgair abhivandanam
mad-bha"ta-pjbhyadhi"
sarva-bhteu man-mati!
mad-arthev aga-ce( ca
vacas mad-gueraam
mayy arpaa) ca manasa!
sarva-"ma-vivarjanam
4y devotees take great care in rendering service to 4e, offering obeisances to
4e through the use of all their bodily limbs and faculties. ,hey consider the
&orshi- of other devotees to be even more im-ortant than 4y &orshi-J they
see 4y -resence in all living beings. ,hey engage their bodies in &orking for
4eJ they use the -o&er of s-eech for glorifying 4y qualities. ,hey offer u- the
activity of their mind to 4e and they give u- all material desires.
(%r&mad 'hgavatam .X.!#!!$
Vrindavan C(sa Oh(kura confirms the third line of the first verse,
mad-bha"ta-pjbhyadhi", as follo&sF
mra bha"tera pj m haite baa
sei prabhu vede bhgavate "aila daha
,he Lord has forcefully declared in the Vedas and the 'hgavatamF T%orshi-ing
or serving 4y devotee is even greater than &orshi-ing 4e./
(Chaitanya 'hgavata ..L$
The Three 'e$e%s of De$otees
1(m(nanda Basu and his father ?atyar()a 'h(n &ere the e3em-lary householders
from the village of 'ul+nagr(ma amongst 4ah(-rabhu/s dearest follo&ers. <nce,
they came to see the Lord in :ur+ and asked 0im about a householder devotee/s
duties. 4ah(-rabhu ans&ered them in detail, advising all householders
every&here that they have three -rinci-al dutiesF serving the deity form of
'rishna, chanting the 0oly Aames and serving the Vaishnavas.
<n hearing this, ?atyar()a 'h(n began to think as follo&sF ?ervice to the deity and
chanting the 0oly Aames are both fairly straightfor&ard and can be easily
e3ecuted according to the s-iritual master/s instructions. If one is unable to
recogniIe a Vaishnava, ho&ever, the instruction to serve them &ill not be easily
carried out. 0e thus asked the Lord ho& to recogniIe a Vaishnava>&ho is a real
Vaishnava and &hat are his characteristicsP
<ver the ne3t three years, 4ah(-rabhu ans&ered this question by first of all
describing the lo&er category of Vaishnava, the "ani(ha, then the madhyama and
finally, the highest class of devotee, the uttama-adhi"r&. ,he first year, he said,
prabhu "ahe jra mu"he uni e"a-bra
"a-nma sei pjya re(ha sab"ra
e"a "a-nme "are sarva-ppa "aya
nava-vidh bha"ti pra nma haite haya
d&"-puracary-vidhi ape" n "are
jihv-spare -ca8la sabre uddhre
anuaga-phale "are sa)srera "aya
citta "ariy "arya "e premdaya
If I hear someone chant 'rishna/s 0oly Aame )ust once, I consider him to be
&orshi-able and the best of all humans. = single re-etition of 'rishna/s holy
name destroys all the consequences of a sinful life. =ll the nine -rocesses of
devotional service are com-leted sim-ly by chanting the 0oly Aame. %ith the
0oly Aame, one does not have to undergo initiation or the puracary
observances as &ith other mantras. ,he Aame delivers even a -erson in the
lo&est ranks of human society as soon as one chants it. ?econdarily, the 0oly
Aame dissolves one/s entanglement in material activitiesJ it attracts the mind
and a&akens one/s love for 'rishna. (Chaitanya Charitmta !.N."G#
"X$
ataeva jra mu"he e"a "a-nma
sei ta vaiava "ariha thra sammna
5r+ Khaitanya 4ah(-rabhu then concluded, ,herefore one &ho chants the
name of 'rishna should be recogniIed as a Vaishnava and you should offer all
res-ects to him. (Chaitanya Charitmta !.N.$
Bhaktivinoda Oh(kura has -rovided some clarification of this broad instruction
given by 4ah(-rabhuF ,here are many -eo-le &ho have taken initiation in the
Vaishnava mantra but &ho continue to be under the s&ay of the 4(y(v(da
-hiloso-hy due to their ignorance of Vaishnava doctrine. = devotee &ho chants the
0oly Aame &ithout offenses &ill not be contaminated by such faults. = -erson &ho
has sim-ly been initiated is called a 9aiava-prya, or Talmost a Vaishnava./ <ne
&ho has chanted the 0oly Aame even once &ithout offenses is a -ure devotee,
even though one is on the lo&est -latform. = householder should serve devotees
&ho are at least of this caliber. (4mta-pravha-bhya, !.N.$
The Characteristics of the )ore Ad$anced De$otees
= year later, the 'ul+nagr(ma residents returned to :ur+ and asked the same
questions of the Lord. ,his time 0e saidF
prabhu "ahe vaiava-sev nma-sa"&rtana
dui "ara &ghra pbe r&-"a-caraa
7ou should both serve the Vaishnavas and chant the holy name of 'rishna. If
you do these t&o things, you &ill quickly attain the shelter of 'rishna/s lotus
feet. (Chaitanya Charitmta !.G.H"$
?atyar()a 'h(n once again asked ho& to recogniIe a Vaishnava. ,his time,
4ah(-rabhu told him about the devotee at the middle stage of -rogress, the
madhyama adhi"r&.
"a-nma nirantara jhra vadane
sei vaiava-re(ha bhaja thra carae
= -erson &ho is al&ays chanting the holy name of the Lord is to be considered
a first#class Vaishnava. %orshi- his lotus feet.
(Chaitanya Charitmta !.G.H!$
,he third year, again, ?atyar()a once again asked the same question and this time,
4ah(-rabhu res-onded by describing the characteristics of the most advanced
Vaishnava, the uttama-adhi"r&, or mah-bhgavataF
jhra darane mu"he ise "a-nma
thre jniha tumi vaiava-pradhna
<ne &hose very sight brings the name of 'rishna to your li-s should be
recogniIed as the best of all Vaishnavas. (Chaitanya Charitmta
!.G.HE$
,hese three degrees of Vaishnava are also sometimes called -rogressively
vaiava, vaiavatara, and vaiavatamaF basic, su-erior, and su-erlative ty-es of
devotee. 4ah(-rabhu thus stressed the householder devotee/s duty to res-ect and
serve these three ty-es of Vaishnava. Bhaktivinoda Oh(kura elaborates by saying,
<ne has no need of serving a Vaishnava &ho may have undergone formal
initiation but &ho has never once chanted the 0oly Aame offenselessly. <ne
should still act as their &ell#&isher and offer them kindness as a guest, ho&ever.
(4mta-pravha-bhya, !.G.H$
The 4ua%ities of a De$otee
,here are many descri-tions of the qualities of a devotee in the 'hgavata and
other Vaishnava scri-tures. In fact, the devotee is the reservoir of all virtue. 5r+
5ukadeva said to 4ah(r()a :ar+k8itF
yasysti bha"tir bhagavaty a"ican
sarvair guais tatra samsate sur!
harv abha"tasya "ut mahad-gu
man-rathensati dhvat bahi!
.or those &ho have devotion for the ?u-reme Lord &ithout any desire for any
-ersonal goal, all the demigods come and invest them &ith their qualities. =s
for the nondevotees, &here are their virtuesP Led by -ersonal desires, they are
al&ays su-erficially running about in the im-ermanent e3istence. ,herefore it is
im-ossible for them to be truly virtuous. (%r&mad 'hgavatam N.L.!$
*ad(dhara :undit *osv(m+/s disci-le, =nanta ]c(rya, &as such an infinitely
virtuous devotee. 0is dear disci-le &as 0arid(sa :undit, &ho directed the service
of *ovinda)+ at the 7oga-+9ha in Vrindavan. 'rishnad(sa 'avir()a *osv(m+
described the qualities of this 0arid(sa in the Chaitanya CharitmtaF
sevra adhya"a r&-pa8ita haridsa
tra yaa!-gua sarva-jagate pra"a
su&la sahiu nta vadnya gambh&ra
madhura-vacana madhura-ce( mah-dh&ra
sabra sammna-"art "arena sabra hita
"au(ilya-mtsarya-hi)s n jne tra cita
"era ye sdhraa sad-gua paca
se saba guera tra ar&re nivsa
,he chief pjr& at the *ovinda)+ tem-le &as 0arid(sa :undit. 0is re-utation
as a virtuous man s-read throughout the &orld. 0e &as -olite, tolerant,
-eaceful, generous, grave, s&eet in his &ords and endeavors, as &ell as sober.
0e &as res-ectful to everyone and acted for the &elfare of all. 0is heart &as
free from du-licity, envy, and malice. ,he fifty ordinary qualities of Lord 'rishna
had all taken residence in his body.
(Chaitanya Charitmta .L.!E#!H$
Mlse&here, 4ah(-rabhu 0imself gave the follo&ing discourse on the sub)ect of the
devotee/s qualities to ?an(tana *osv(m+F
sarva mah-gua-gaa vaiava-ar&re
"a-bha"te "era gua sa"ali sacre
sei saba gua haya vaiava-la"aa
saba "ah n jya "ari dig-daraana
"plu a"ta-drha satya-sra sama
nida vadnya mdu uci a"icana
sarvpa"ra"a nta "ai"a-araa
a"ma an&ha sthira vijita-a8-gua
mita-bhu" apramatta mnada amn&
gambh&ra "arua maitra "avi da"a maun&
=ll the great virtues manifest in a Vaishnava/s body, for it is said that all of
'rishna/s virtues are transferred to 0is devotee. ,hese transcendental qualities
are the characteristics of -ure Vaishnavas, and though they cannot be
described fully, I shall try to give some indication of them. Cevotees are
com-assionateJ they never deliberately creates enmityJ they are truthful in
&ords and deeds and &ithout -re)udiceJ they are blameless, magnanimous,
mild, clean, and uninterested in material -ossessions or ambition. Mngaged in
&elfare &ork for everyone, they are -eacefulJ they have taken com-lete shelter
of 'rishna and are uninfluenced by lust. they are harmless, steady, and have
overcome the si3 cardinal sins>lust, anger, greed, envy, illusion, and )ealousy.
,hey eat only as much as required, and are not inebriated. Cevotees are
res-ectful, and &ithout false -restigeJ ,hey are grave, com-assionate, friendly,
-oetic, e3-ert, and silent. (Chaitanya Charitmta
!.!!.HN, HH#L"$
,he qualities described in the above verses are the sym-toms or distinguishing
characteristics of the -ure, saintly devotee. <f them, the essential characteristic is
"ai"a-araaF he has taken com-lete shelter of 'rishna. ,he other t&enty#five
qualities are contingent on the first.
.ssentia% and Secondary "irtues
In the 'hgavatam, 'a-iladeva recounted to his mother Cevah@ti, the sym-tomatic
virtues of a devoteeF
titi"ava! "rui"!
suhda! sarva-dehinm
ajta-atrava! nt!
sdhava! sdhu-bha!
?aintly -ersons &ho are tolerant, merciful and friendly to all creatures, &ho do
not make enemies and are -eaceful, are )e&els amongst the -ious.
(%r&mad 'hgavatam D.!N.!$
,he qualities listed in this verse are characteristics of the devoteeJ such
qualities are contingent on the essential virtue of being com-letely surrendered
to 'rishna. ,hey are kno&n as the ta(astha-la"aa0 In the ne3t t&o verses
'a-iladeva goes on to describe the essential characteristics, or svarpa-la"aa,
of the devotee0
mayy ananyena bhvena
bha"ti) "urvanti ye d8hm
mat-"te tya"ta-"armas
tya"ta-svajana-bndhav!
%ith their emotions fi3ed e3clusively in 4e, these sadhus engage in staunch
devotional service to 4e. .or 4y sake they have renounced all activities as &ell
as their family relationshi-s and friendshi-s. (%r&mad 'hgavatam D.!N.!!$
mad-ray! "ath m(!
vanti "athayanti ca
tapanti vividhs tp
naitn mad-gata-cetasa!
,aking shelter of 4e, they engage in constantly hearing and chanting about
4e. ,he various kinds of material miseries do not affect them because they are
al&ays filled &ith thoughts of 4y -astimes and activities.
(%r&mad 'hgavatam D.!N.!D$
ta ete sdhava! sdhvi
sarva-saga-vivarjit!
sagas tev atha te prrthya!
saga-da-har hi te
< virtuous lady[ ?adhus such as these are free from all attachment. 7ou
should -ray for the association of such saintly -ersons, for that &ill counteract
the -ernicious effects of contact &ith unholy -ersons. (%r&mad 'hgavatam
D.!N.!E$
In a relationshi- of increasing affection, as one listens to 'rishna "ath from the
mouths of the saintly devotees and the s-iritual master, one is enriched by their
grace and goes on to free themself from the gri-s of illusion and attain -ure
devotion to 'rishna.
)ore Characteristics of the De$otee
,he follo&ing verses &hich give the qualifications of the holy -erson are found in
the 'hgavata, &herein the Lord e3-lains to Sddhava the story of 'ing =ila and his
attachment to the =-sar( SrvaR+F
sant#nape" mac-citt!
prant! sama-darina!
nirmam niraha"r
nirdvandv niparigraha!
,he holy are desireless and -eacefulJ they treat everyone equally. ,hey claim
nothing as their o&nJ they are &ithout ego. ,hey are unaffected by dualities
like hot and cold, and are uninterested in others/ -ossessions. =bove all, their
minds are al&ays fi3ed on 4e. (%r&mad 'hgavatam
.!G.!H$
teu nitya) mahbhga
mahbhgeu mat-"ath!
sambhavanti hi t n2)
juat) prapunanty agham
< most fortunate one[ Like you, these fortunate saintly -ersons are constantly
engaged in discussing 4e. =ny -erson &ho listens to &hat they say is -urified
of his or her sins. (%r&mad 'hgavatam .!G.!L$
t ye vanti gyanti
hy anumdanti cdt!
mat-par! raddadhn ca
bha"ti) vindanti te mayi
,hose &ho listen to, sing, or sim-ly a--reciate or honor such to-ics, become
devoted to 4e and develo- faith and devotion to 4e.
(%r&mad 'hgavatam .!G.!X$
.actually s-eaking, )ust as a boat is the salvation of a -erson dro&ning in the sea,
so the saintly devotees are the salvation of the -oor souls &ho are sinking in the
ocean of material e3istence. 'rishna says,
anna) hi prin) pra
rtn) araa) tv aham
dharm vitta) n2) pretya
sant#rvg bibhyat#raam
.ood is life for all beingsJ I am the refuge of the distressedJ a -erson/s
religious acts are the only &ealth he can take &ith him after dyingJ and the
saintly -ersons are the salvation of anyone &ho fears material e3istence.
(%r&mad 'hgavatam .!G.DD$
sant dianti ca")i
bahir ar"a! samutthita!
devat bndhav! santa!
santa tmham eva ca
,he saintly besto& inner vision on humanity in the &ay that the sun lights u-
the e3ternal universe u-on rising. ,hey are verily gods, they are the truest
friendsJ they are one/s very self, indeed, they are 4y very self.
(%r&mad 'hgavatam .!G.DE$
<ur &orshi-able s-iritual master, 5r+la :rabhu-(da Bhaktisiddh(nta ?arasvat+
Oh(kura, has elaborated on this last verse in his 'hgavata-vivtiF ,he saintly are
com-arable to the sun. ,heir &ords are like the light &hich gives the -o&er of sight
to the conditioned soul/s inner eye of kno&ledge, thus destroying the darkness of
ignorance into &hich he has fallen. ,he truly holy are those &ho have taken to the
-ath of devotion. Aon#devotees can neither be considered saintly nor one/s truest
friends. ,hose &ho see the &orld either as a source of en)oyment to be e3-loited
or as something fearful &hich must be re)ected, as &ell as those &ho have desires
other than for the -leasure of the Lord, are all situated at a great distance from
0im. <nly those fully committed to the -ath of devotion have the e3-ertise to
overcome dualities and distinctions.
The Benefits of Associating &ith the Saint%y
%hat are the benefits of associating &ith the saintlyP ,he com-assion of the
saintly>the guru and the -ure devotees>results -rinci-ally in the dissi-ation of
one/s bad habits and the develo-ment of -ure bhakti.
"a-bha"ti-janma-mla haya sdhu-saga
"a-prema janme teh puna! mu"hya aga
,he root cause of devotional service to Lord 'rishna is association &ith
advanced devotees. Mven after one/s dormant love for 'rishna has a&akened,
association &ith such devotees remains one/s -rimary devotional activity.
(Chaitanya Charitmta !.!!.L"$
mahat-"p vin "na "arme bha"ti naya
"a-bha"ti dre rahu, sa)sra nahe "aya
%ithout the favor of a great devotee, no activity qualifies as devotion. Aot
only is one unable to attain -ure devotion to 'rishna, but one cannot even be
freed from the bondage of material e3istence. (Chaitanya Charitmta
!.!!.N$
,here are numerous verses in the 'hgavatam &hich similarly glorify the
association of devoteesF
rahgaaitat tapas na yti
na cejyay nirvapad ghd v
na cchandas naiva jalgni-sryair
vin mahat-pda-raj-bhie"am
< 1ah@ga2a, one cannot realiIe the =bsolute ,ruth unless one smears one/s
entire body &ith the dust of the lotus feet of great devotees. ?uch realiIation
cannot come from -enances and austerities, -erforming sacrifice, renunciation
of family life, or undergoing severe -enances such as kee-ing oneself
submerged in &ater in &inter or surrounding oneself by fire and the scorching
heat of the sun in summer. (%r&mad 'hgavatam
N.!.!$
nai) matis tvad uru"ramghri)
spaty anarthpagam yad-artha!
mah&yas) pda-raj-bhie"a)
ni"icann) na v&ta yvat
Snless they smear u-on their bodies the dust of the lotus feet of a Vaishnava
&ho is com-letely freed from material contamination, -ersons &ho are very
inclined to&ard materialistic life can never -urify themselves and a--roach the
feet of the glorious Lord. (%r&mad 'hgavatam
H.N.D!$
:ious -eo-le, or sadhus on the "arma and jna -aths, are not to be defined as
tad&ya, G-eo-le or things related to the Lord. ,hus, those &ho are attem-ting to
advance in the disci-line of bhakti must be es-ecially careful about the ty-e of
-erson to &hom they render service. <ther&ise, one &ill not master the disci-line
and attain its goal--erfection in -ure devotion and love for 'rishna.
A$oiding 5ffenses to the "aishna$as
,he 7ari-bha"ti-vilsa quotes the 4gni >urana about the results of sho&ing disdain
to a devotee decorated &ith the symbols of Vishnu. ,he verse is s-oken by a
brahmin lamenting the death of his son by the arro& of Lord 1(macandra/s father,
'ing CaRarathaF
il-buddhi! "t "i) v
pratimy) harer may
"i) may pathi d(asya
viu-bha"tasya "arhicit
tan-mudr"ita-dehasya
cetas ndara! "ta!
yena "arma-vip"ena
putra-" mameda!
Cid I once think the deity form of the Lord to be nothing more than a -iece of
stoneP Cid I once see a devotee of Vishnu on the road and feel disres-ect for
him because his body &as covered &ith the Lord/s symbolsP Is it as a reaction
to these sins that I am no& lamenting the death of my sonP
(7ari-bha"ti-vilsa N.E$
,his incident is described in the Cmyaa. Lord 1(macandra/s father 'ing
CaRaratha &as an archer of great talent &ho &as able to -ierce an animal target
)ust by hearing the sound it made, &ithout having to see it. <n one occasion, he
&ent to the forest to hunt. In the same forest, a brahmin boy named 5rava2a had
gone to the river to fetch &ater for his -arents, both of &hom &ere blind. %hile
5rava2a &as dra&ing &ater, CaRaratha heard the sound and, thinking that it &as
an ele-hant drinking, shot an arro& in that direction. 0is aim &as true and the
unfortunate child &as mortally &ounded. =s the boy &as in his final throes, he
-ainfully managed to tell CaRaratha about his thirsty -arents and asked him to
bring them the &ater that he had been unable to -rovide.
,he 'ing took the &ater-ot and stood silently in front of 5rava2a/s father and
mother. ,he blind father said, 4y child, &hy has it taken you so long to fetch
&ater todayP %hy are you saying nothingP CaRaratha heard the fear and an3iety
in the blind brahmin/s voice and told him &hat had ha--ened in great sorro&. <
sage, my name is CaRaratha. I mistook your son for an animal and killed him.
=s soon as the blind sage heard the tragic ne&s, he fainted. =fter some time, &hen
he had regained consciousness, he began to lament his loss. It &as at this moment
that he began to s-eculate on -ossible reasons for his son/s death.
,he >adma >urana also &arns against seeing the Vaishnava as an ordinary human
beingF
<ne &ho thinks the guru is an ordinary man, &ho disres-ects a Vaishnava of the
infallible Lord/s o&n entourage, thinking that he belongs to a certain caste or
creed, or &ho thinks of the Lord/s or the devotee/s caramta, &hich -urifies all
the faults of the =ge of 'ali, to be ordinary &ater is taken to be a resident of hell.
It is further &ritten in the 6"anda >urana,
nind) "urvanti ye m8h
vaiavn) mahtmanm
patanti pitbhi! srdha)
mah-raurava-sa)jite
hanti nindati vai dve(i
vaiavn nbhinandati
"rudhyate yti n hara)
darane patanni a(
,hose fools &ho criticiIe the great souls &ho are devotees of Vishnu fall do&n
into the hell kno&n as 4ah(raurava, along &ith their ancestors. ?i3 ty-es of
behavior result in falldo&nF killing a Vaishnava, blas-heming one, feeling
inimical to&ard one, not follo&ing the etiquette by standing u- to greet one, or
getting angry &ith one. It is even a source of falldo&n to not take -leasure in
seeing a Vaishnava. (7ari-bha"ti-vilsa ".D#!$
It is said that to even hear the criticism of Vaishnavas results in falldo&n.
nind) bhagavata! van
tat-parasya janasya v
tat npaiti ya! s#pi
yty adha! su"t cyuta!
=nyone &ho u-on hearing blas-hemy of the Lord or those &ho have dedicated
their lives to 0im, does not leave the scene immediately, falls do&n and loses
all the merit he had -reviously earned.
(%r&mad 'hgavatam ".HE.E"J 7ari-bha"ti-vilsa ".DG$
The De$otee is the Channe% of the 'ord0s )ercy
%hen 5r+ Khaitanya 4ah(-rabhu observed the affection and esteem in &hich 'ing
:rat(-arudra held his associate 1(m(nanda 1(ya, 0e gave an indication of his
intention to be merciful to the king by saying,
prabhu "ahe tumi "a-bha"ata-pradhna
tm"e je pr&ti "are sei bhgyavn
tmte je eta pr&ti ha-ila rjra
ei gue "a tre "aribe ag&"ra
4y dear 1(m(nanda 1(ya, you are the foremost of all the devotees of
'rishnaJ therefore &hoever loves you is certainly a very fortunate -erson.
Because the 'ing has sho&n so much love for you, Lord 'rishna &ill certainly
acce-t him. (Chaitanya Charitmta
!..!G$
5r+la ?accid(nanda Bhaktivinoda Oh(kura taught ho& a devotee should -ray for
the association of advanced Vaishnavas, ho& &e should fall at their feet and,
crying, tell them of our miseries of being burned in the fire of material life as a
result of our disinterest in the service of the Lord. ,he devotees are oceans of
mercy and their only distress is to see the suffering of the conditioned souls. %hen
they are a&are of our suffering and intercede on our behalf to the ?u-reme Lord,
0e &ill act mercifully to&ards us, kno&ing us to be under the care of those in 0is
o&n entourage. ,he mercy of the ?u-reme Lord is received through the medium of
0is devotees.
,he ?u-reme Lord/s -otency of com-assion manifests in the great Vaishnava or in
the body of the s-iritual master devotee of 'rishna. Because the devotees hold
'rishna in their hearts, they can besto& 0im on anyone &ho takes shelter of them
&ithout du-licity. ,here is no alternative method to finding 'rishna other than fully
acce-ting the shelter of a devotee &ho has com-letely given himself to the
?u-reme Lord. ,his is &hy 'rishnad(sa 'avir()a *osv(m+ described 1aghun(tha
d(sa/s uncle '(lid(sa/s fervent dedication to the remnants of Vaishnavas/
foodstuffs &ith such a--roval.
vaiavera ea-bha"aera ete"a mahim
"lidse pyila prabhura "p-s&m
tte vaiavera jhu( "h chi gh-lja
jh haite pib nija vchita saba "ja
"era ucchi(a haya mah-prasda nma
bha"ta-ea haile mah-mah-prasd"hyna
bha"ta-pada-dhli ra bha"ta-pada-jala
bha"ta-bhu"ta-avaea tina mah-bala
ei tina-sev haite "a-prem haya
puna! puna! sarva-stre phu"riy "aya
tte bra bra "ahi una bha"ta-gaa
vivsa "ariy "ara e-tina sevana
tina haite "a-nma-premera ullsa
"era prasda tte s"& "lidsa
,his is the e3tent of the glories of the remnants of the devotees/ foodstuffsF
through dedication to them, '(lid(sa &as able to attain 5r+ Khaitanya
4ah(-rabhu/s lotus feet. ,herefore, set aside your shame and disgust and eat
the Vaishnavas/ remnants, for by so doing you &ill be able to fulfill all your
desires. ,he remnants of 'rishna/s food are called mah-prasda, but the
remnants of the devotees are given the name mah-mah-prasda. ,he dust of
the devotees/ feet, the &ater that has &ashed their feet, and the remnants of
their food are three very -o&erful aids to s-iritual -ractice. =ll revealed
scri-tures loudly declare again and again that one can attain the su-reme goal
of ecstatic love for 'rishna through the use of these three substances. ?o, my
dear devotees, -lease listen to me, for I insist on this -ointF kee- faith in these
three substances and render service to them &ith com-lete faith. ,hrough
these three substances you &ill taste the )oy of sacred love, &hich is found in
the holy name of 'rishna, and you &ill &in 'rishna/s -leasure. ,his has been
-roved by the e3-erience of '(lid(sa. (Chaitanya Charitmta
D.G.NL#GD$
Bhaktivinoda Oh(kura also sangF
"abe r&-caitanya mre "aribena day
"abe mi piba vaiavera pada-chy
gala-vastra "tjali vaiava-ni"a(e
dante ta dhari diba ni"apa(e
"diy "diy jniba du!"ha grma
sa)sra anala hate mgiba virma
uniy mra "ath vaiava (h"ura
m lgi "e vedibena pracura
vaiavera vedane "a daymaya
m-hena pmara prati habena sadaya
%hen &ill 5r+ Khaitanya 4ah(-rabhu be merciful to meP %hen &ill I find
shelter in the shade of a Vaishnava/s lotus feetP I &ill a--roach the saint &ith a
cloth around my neck in humility, my hands folded and &ith stra& bet&een my
teeth. In this &ay I &ill stand before him and bare my soul to him. Krying, I &ill
tell him of my suffering and beg him to release me from the fire of materialistic
life. %hen he hears my story, the most merciful Vaishnava &ill intercede on my
behalf to the ?u-reme Lord 'rishna. 'rishna &ill be com-assionate to&ards me
&hen 0e hears the Vaishnava/s -rayers on my behalf even though I am most
un&orthy and insignificant. (.alya-"alpataru$
vaiava (h"ura dayra sgara e-dse "aru "ari
diy pada-chy dhaha mre tmra caraa dhari
"a se tmra "a dite pra tmra a"ati che
mi ta "g@la "a "a bali dhi tava pche pche
< venerable Vaishnava, ocean of com-assion, be merciful to me, your servant.
I beg of you to give me shelter at your feet and -urify me. ?ince 'rishna is
yours, it is &ithin your -o&er to give 0im to others. I am hel-less and so,
calling out the names of 'rishna, I follo& you &herever you go.
(%aragati$
%ithout the mercy of the s-iritual master one cannot receive the mercy of the
Vaishnavas. =nd &ithout the mercy of both the s-iritual master and the
Vaishnavas, there is no ho-e of receiving the ?u-reme Lord/s mercy. ,he s-iritual
master gives us the -o&er to recogniIe the real devotees and se-arate them from
those &ho sim-ly -retend to be devotees. %ithout this discrimination it is easy to
fall under the thrall of bad association and be misled from the -ath of -ure
devotion. Ao one &ill be able to -oint us in the direction of genuine devotional
association other than a genuine s-iritual master -ossessing all the qualifications
described in scri-tureF he must be fully conversant in the scri-tural truths and
enriched by direct realiIation of the ?u-reme ,ruth, on the highest levels of the
-ath of Bhakti yoga and free from the -ushing and -ulling of the material modes.
,he guidance necessary to achieve -erfection is certainly not &ithin the ca-acity of
so#called gurus &ho have no real kno&ledge of Vaishnava doctrine, &ho are
indifferent to the -ath of chanting the 0oly Aame instituted by 4ah(-rabhu
0imself, &ho commit offenses to the 0oly Aame, or &ho are contaminated by the
unholy association of non#devotees or those engaged in illicit se3ual relations.
,he blackness of coal cannot be changed by all the &ater contained in the lakes
and oceans of the &orldJ it can only be transformed by fire. In the same &ay, it is
only by the blaIing fire of divine instructions from the sad-guru that one can be
-urified of material contamination. <nly then can one be freed from the clutches of
the &itch of material illusion.
Chapter "
A$oiding Bad Association
=s &e have seen from the e3tensive descri-tions above, all aus-iciousness comes
to one &ho has the good fortune of encountering and relishing the com-any of the
saintly. By the same token, the com-letely o--osite effect can take -lace if one
has contact &ith those &ho are im-ious or unholy. ,herefore, the conduct of a
Vaishnava is based -rimarily on these t&o -rinci-lesF the acce-tance of saintly
com-any and the re)ection of the com-any of the unholy.
,he association of devotees is a -ositive, direct e3-ression of Vaishnava conduct.
?imilarly, an indirect or negative e3-ression of Vaishnava conduct is the avoidance
of non#devotional association. 4uch em-hasis has been given in the scri-tures to
this -rohibition, and an as-iring devotee should give it s-ecial attention.
asat-saga-tyga ei vaiava cra
str&-sag& e"a asdhu "bha"ta ra
,he re)ection of unholy com-any is the essence of Vaishnava behavior. ,he
unholy are divided into those &ho are attached to se3 life and those &ho are
against the -rinci-les of devotion to 'rishna.
(Chaitanya Charitmta !.!!.LH$
,he same -rinci-le is stated in the 'hgavatamF
tat du!sagam utsjya
satsu sajjeta buddhimn
santa evsya chindanti
man-vysagam u"tibhi!
=n intelligent -erson should therefore abandon all bad association and stay in
the com-any of devotees. <nly such holy -ersons can cut through one/s
unhealthy mental attachments through the use of their -o&erful &ords.
(%r&mad 'hgavatam .!G.!G$
,hus one must be e3tremely careful in the selection of the com-any he kee-s. In
the 'ha"ti-rasmta-sindhu, &hile discussing the need to seek out like#minded
association, 1@-a *osv(m+ quotes the follo&ing verse from 7ari-bha"ti-sudhdaya
(L.N$. In this verse, 0ira2yakaRi-u tells :rahl(daF
yasya yat-sagati! pu)s
maivat syt sa tad-gua!
sva-"ula-rddhyai tat dh&mn
sva-ythn eva sa)rayet
Like a mirror, a -erson takes on the qualities of those &ith &hom he comes in
contact. <ne &ho is intelligent should therefore seek the com-any of those &ho
have the same ideals in order to develo- their good qualities in himself.
('ha"ti-rasmta-sindhu .!.!!X$
,he great authorities have thus al&ays &arned us to avoid bad com-any.
Phi%osophers6 Yogis and Fruiti$e Worers
,he .tyyana-sa)hit sho&s the e3tent to &hich a devotee abhors the association
of non#devoteesF
vara) huta-vaha-jvl-
pajarntar-vyavasthiti!
na auri-cint-vimu"ha-
jana-sa)vsa-vaiasam
Better to be locked in a cage surrounded by burning flames than to suffer in
the association of those &ho dislike thinking of 'rishna.
(7ari-bha"ti-vilsa ".!XN, Chaitanya Charitmta !.!!.X$
,he -oint is that if you must suffer great hardshi- from -hysical -ain or
im-risonment, you should acce-t it rather than -lace your s-iritual life in danger
by associating &ith non#devotees.
,he most &orshi-able *osv(m+s have also statedF
mdr"&! "&a-puyn "vacid api
bhagavad-bha"ti-h&nn manuyn
Aever look u-on those men &ho are bereft of devotion to the Lord and &hose
merit has thus d&indled to nothingness. (Chaitanya Charitmta !.!!.X!$

,here are several kinds of non#devotee, but -rimarily the &ord abha"ta refers to ($
the fruitive &orker &ho seeks sense gratification, (!$ the -hiloso-her &ho seeks
liberation, and (D$ the yogi &ho seeks mystic -o&ers. Aarottama d(sa Oh(kura has
summariIed the vie&-oint of the devotee in his >rema-bha"ti-candri"F
"arm& jn& mich-bha"ta n habe tya anura"ta
uddha-bhajanete "ara mana
vraja-janera jei mata the habe anugata
ei se parama-tattva dhana
Con/t be attached to the fruitive &orker, the -hiloso-her, and the hy-ocritical
devotee, but fi3 your mind in -ure bhajana. .ollo& the understanding of the
residents of Vra)a, for this is the invaluable su-reme truth.
durlabha janama hena nhi bhaja hari "ena
"i lgiy mara bhava-bandhe
cha anya "riy-"arma nhi de"ha veda-dharma
bha"ti "ara "a-pada-dvandve
,his human life is a rare attainment, so &hy don/t you use it to &orshi- Lord
0ariP %hy are you )ust &aiting to die in bondageP :ut aside all other tasks and
forget about the Vedic religion. Bust engage in devotion to 'rishna/s lotus feet.
"arma-"8a jna-"8a "evala biera bh8a
amta baliy jeb "hya
nn yni sad phire "adarya bha"aa "are
tra janma adha!pte jya
,he sections of the Veda dealing &ith fruitive activities and s-iritual
kno&ledge are reservoirs of -oison. =nyone &ho drinks from them, thinking
they contain the nectar of the gods, is doomed to re-eated births in various
s-ecies, &here they &ill eat the uns-eakable. ?uch a -erson/s life is one of
degradation.
jna "arma "are l"a nhi jne bha"ti-yga
nn mate haiy ajna
tra "ath nhi uni paramrtha tattva jni
prema-bha"ti bha"ta-gaa-pra
:eo-le -ractice -hiloso-hical s-eculation and the fruitive activities of the
scri-tures, but they do not kno& the -rocess of bhakti for linking &ith the
?u-reme Lord. ,hey subscribe to many different -hiloso-hical schools, but are
fundamentally ignorant of the truth. I do not listen to them &hen they s-eak for
I kno& the ultimate truthF the life of the devotee is loving devotion to the Lord.
T&o ,inds of -nho%y Persons7 the Womani8er and the Impersona%ist
,he unholy are classed in t&o fundamental categoriesF the sensualist or
&omaniIer, and the non#devotee, atheist, or im-ersonalist. ,hus 4ah(-rabhu said,
ni"icanaya bhagavad-bhajannmu"hasya
pra) para) jigamir bhava-sgarasya
sandarana) viayim atha yit) ca
h hanta hanta via-bha"aat#py asdhu
=las, for one &ho is renounced and has turned his face to&ards the &orshi- of
the ?u-reme Lord, desiring to cross over the ocean of material suffering, the
sight of materialistic -ersons or &omen is even more harmful than drinking
-oison. (Chaitanya-candrdaya A(a"a L.!D, Chaitanya Charitmta
!..L$

<ur most &orshi-able 5r+la :rabhu-(da has discussed this -rici-le in general
terms in his 4nubhyaF ,he unique -rinci-le of conduct for the Vaishnava is the
re)ection of non#Vaishnava association. ,he non#Vaishnava refers to t&o ty-es of
-ersonsF one is the licentious -erson and the other is the nondevotee. ,he
licentious are of t&o ty-esF legally married individuals &ho are overly attached to
the com-any of their s-ouses or those attached to illicit se3ual activity. ,he first of
these is legitimate according to the arrangements of the varrama#dharma
system, &hile the other is engaged in illegitimate se3ual activity &hich is
disru-tive to the varrama system, and results in sinful reactions and hellish
births. =nyone engaged in sinful activities &ithin the material &orld is absolutely
un&orthy of the Vaishnava name. ,he three goals of human life, dharma, artha, and
"ma, are all tied u- &ith the non#Vaishnava behavior centered on se3ual
en)oyment.
,he fourth goal of life, m"a, has no basis in se3ual en)oyment, but because
those seeking liberation are 4(y(v(d+s>those &ho deny a -ersonal conce-tion of
*od>they are even &orse than those addicted to se3ual -leasures and are thus
considered non#Vaishnavas. ,hey are to be avoided. ,he com-any of both the
4(y(v(d+ &ho re)ects everything as illusion (including the ?u-reme :erson/s
name, form and activities$ and the my-vils& &ho takes -leasure in the illusory
&orld, has a negative effect on one/s develo-ment of Vaishnava qualities and
attainment of -ure devotional service. ,he 4(y(v(d+ seeker of liberation re)ects
material en)oyments in order to en)oy salvation and to make a sho& of his -ersonal
su-eriority. ,he &omaniIer is re-resentative of all hedonists. %hat they have in
common is their self#centered effort to seek the satisfaction of their o&n senses.
*oals other than 'rishna dominate their actions. ,heir lives are full of self#
dece-tion and thus they cannot be acce-ted as servants of 'rishna. (4nubhya
to Chaitanya Charitmta !.!!.LH$
In the third canto of the 'hgavatam, 'a-iladeva describes in more detail to his
mother, Cevah@ti, the negative effects of associating &ith the licentiousF
satya) auca) day mauna)
buddhir hr&! r&r yaa! "am
am dam bhaga ceti
yat-sagd yti sa"ayam
tev anteu m8heu
"ha8ittmasv asdhuu
saga) na "uryc chcyeu
yit-"r&8-mgeu ca
na tathsya bhaven mh
bandha cnya-prasagata!
yit-sagd yath pu)s
yath tat-sagi-sagata!
=t all costs, one should avoid association &ith those lamentable creatures &ho
have become the -laythings of the o--osite se3. ,hey are lacking in -eace, are
constantly be&ildered, and their conce-t of self is fragmented. Indeed there is
no enchantment more -o&erful, no bondage for one more sure than that &hich
comes through the association of the o--osite se3 and through the association
of the sensualist. By kee-ing such com-any, one loses the qualities of
truthfulness, cleanliness, mercy, gravity, intelligence, modesty, beauty,
re-utation, forgiveness, control of the mind and senses, and good fortune.
(%r&mad 'hgavatam D.D.DD#DN$
'a-iladeva goes on &ith his criticism of the sensualist and concludes by saying,
ypayti anair my
yid deva-vinirmit
tm &"ettman mtyu)
tai! "pam ivvtam
4aya, in the form of &oman created by the Lord, slo&ly a--roaches a man in
the guise of offering him service, but he must see her as the death of the soul,
as dangerous as a blind &ell covered &ith grass. (%r&mad 'hgavatam
D.D.E"$

The )9y9$9d1
,he ?u-reme Lord 5r+ 'rishna 0imself took on the mood of a devotee and
a--eared in this &orld as 5r+ *aur(6ga 4ah(-rabhu. Curing 0is life on this earth,
4ah(-rabhu set the standard for the conduct of a saintly s-iritual master. <ne
thing that is -articularly noticeable in 4ah(-rabhu/s teachings is 0is disa--roval of
the 4(y(v(da, or monistic -hiloso-hy.
%hen 4ah(-rabhu &as traveling through northern India, 0e sto--ed for a fe& days
in Benares. ,here 0e heard about the great 4(y(v(d+ sannyasi :rak(R(nanda
?arasvat+ from a 4aharashtrian brahmin. ,he Lord made the follo&ing commentsF
prabhu "ahe myvd& "e apardh&
brahma tm caitanya "ahe niravadhi
ataeva tra mu"he n ise "a-nma
"a-nma "a-svarpa duita samna
nma vigraha svarpa tina e"a-rpa
tine bheda nhi tina cid-nanda-rpa
deha-deh&ra, nma-nm&ra "e nhi bheda
j&vera dharma nma-deha-svarpe vibheda
4(y(v(d+ im-ersonalists are offenders to 'rishna. ,hey consantly re-eat
&ords like Brahman, atman, and caitanya. =s a result, they are unable to utter
'rishna/s holy name. 'rishna/s name and 0is essence are the same. 'rishna/s
name, 0is form and 0is essential being are all one. ,hey are s-iritual and there
is no distinction to be made bet&een them. In 'rishna, there is no difference
bet&een body and soul, nor bet&een the signified and signifier as is the case
&ith the j&va, in &hom all these distinctions are -resent.
(Chaitanya Charitmta !.H.!X#D!$
<ther verses in the Chaitanya Charitmta confirm that because the 4(y(v(d+s are
inimical to the conce-t of eternal service to 'rishna, they are inca-able of chanting
the -ure name of the Lord.
ataeva "a-nma n ise tra mu"he
myvdi-gaa jte mah bahir-mu"he
,he holy name of 'rishna does not come from the mouths of the 4(y(v(d+s,
for they are com-letely o--osed to the Lord. (Chaitanya Charitmta
!.H.ED$
4ah(-rabhu a--eared in five forms as the :aWca#tattva, in order to inundate the
&orld &ith love of *od. <nly the 4(y(v(d+ -hiloso-hers &ere able to someho&
esca-e and avoid being affected.
myvd& "arma-ni(ha "utr"i"a-gaa
ninda"a pa8& jata pau? adhama
sei saba mahda"a dh palila
sei vany t-sabre chuite nrila
,he 4(y(v(d+s, fruitive &orkers, the argumentative, blas-hemers, atheists,
and inferior students &ere very e3-ert in avoiding the flood of prema. ,hey ran
a&ay and so it could not touch them. (Chaitanya Charitmta
.H.!X#D"$
The Danger of (earing )9y9$9da Commentaries
,he 9edanta 6utras &ere &ritten by Vy(sadeva in order to e3-lain the -hiloso-hy
of -ure devotional service, but in the 4(y(v(d+ inter-retation of the sutras, the
Lord/s eternal transcendental form is denied. .urthermore, this inter-retation
eliminates the eternal distinction bet&een the individual and the su-reme souls,
effectively negating the e3istence of an eternal relationshi- of service bet&een the
infinitesimal individual soul and the ?u-reme Lord. ?ervice to the Lord is in fact the
eternal constitutional activity of the soul, so anyone &ho hears the 4(y(v(da
-hiloso-hy com-romises his true self understanding. Losing the sense of devotion
to the Lord, he becomes lost to himself and, in effect, ruined. ,herefore, it is said,
j&vera nistra lgi stra "aila vysa
myvdi-bhya unile haya sarva-na
Vy(sadeva &rote the 9edanta 6utras for the salvation of the living entities, but
if they hear the inter-retation of the 4(y(v(d+s, they &ill go to ruin.
(Chaitanya Charitmta !.G.GX$
?var@-a C(modara *osv(m+/s good friend, Bhagav(n ]c(rya, had a younger
brother, *o-(la Bha99(c(rya, &ho had studied Vedanta in Benares. %hen *o-(la
came to visit him in :ur+, Bhagav(n ]c(rya re-eatedly asked ?var@-a C(modara
to hear his brother e3-lain the 9edanta 6utras. ?var@-a C(modara &as not eager
to do so and e3-lained his ob)ections by sayingF
buddhi-bhra(a haila tmra gplera sage
myvda unibre upajila rage
vaiava ha jeb r&ra"a-bhya une
sevya-seva"a-bhva chi panre &vara mne
mah-bhgavata jei "a pra-dhana jra
myvda-ravae citta avaya phire tra
7ou have lost your intelligence by kee-ing *o-(la/s com-any, so no& you
have develo-ed a fancy to hear 4(y(v(da -hiloso-hy. %hen a Vaishnava
listens to 5a6kara/s %r&ra"a-bhya (the 4(y(v(da commentary u-on 9edanta
6utra$, he gives u- making a distinction bet&een master and servant and
considers himself the ?u-reme Lord. 0earing the 4(y(v(da -hiloso-hy &ill
unfailingly change the consciousness of even a mah-bhgavata devotee &hose
life and soul is 'rishna.
In s-ite of ?var@-a C(modara/s -rotest, Bhagav(n ]c(rya continued to defend his
desire. 0e said, %e have given our life and soul to 'rishna/s lotus feet. 5a6kara/s
commentary &ill not be able to change our minds.
svarpa "ahe tathpi myvda ravae
cit brahma my mithy ei mtra une
j&v jna-"alpita &vare sa"ala-i ajna
yhra ravae bha"tera ph(e mana-pra
?var@-a C(modara re-lied, Mven so, in the 4(y(v(da -hiloso-hy, &e only
hear about ho& Brahman is -ure consciousness and that the universe of maya
is false. %e also hear that the inde-endent consciousness of the individual j&va
is )ust imagination and that all is ignorance even in the ?u-reme Lord. %hen a
devotee hears such things, his heart bursts &ith -ain.
Bhagav(n ]c(rya felt greatly ashamed and fearful. 0e said nothing, but the ne3t
day, he asked *o-(la Bha99(c(rya to return home to Bengal. (Chaitanya
Charitmta D.!.XE#""$
The 'ord0s Form and Potencies are .terna%
Vrindavan d(sa Oh(kura also &rites in the Chaitanya 'hgavata that 4ah(-rabhu
made the follo&ing criticism of the 4(y(v(da -hiloso-hy to 4ur(ri *u-taF
hasta-pada-mu"ha mra nhi"a lcana
ei mata vede mre "are vi8ambana
"&te paya be( pra"nanda
sei be( mra aga "are "ha8a "ha8a
b"hnaye veda mra vigraha n mne
sarva aga haila "u(ha tabu nhi jne
sarva-yaja-maya mra je aga pavitra
aja-bhava-di gya jhra caritra
puya pavitrat pya je aga parae
th mithy bale be( "emana shase
unaha murri gupta "ahi mata sra
veda guhya "ahi ei tmra gcara
mi yaja-varha sa"ala veda-sra
mi se "arinu prve pthiv& uddhra
sa"&rtana rambhe mhra avatra
bha"ta jana lgi du(a "arimu sa)hra
seva"era drha mui sahite n pr
putra jadi haya mra tathpi sa)hr
,he Vedic scri-tures describe 4e as being &ithout hands or feet, &ith no face
or eyes. In this &ay they make a mockery of 4e. In '(R+, there is a fool named
:rak(R(nanda &ho is teaching this doctrine. 0e too cuts 4y body into little
-ieces. 0e teaches the Vedic scri-tures, but he does not acce-t the truth of 4y
eternal form. =s a result of his offences, his body has been covered &ith
le-rosy, but still he refuses to understand. 4y body is eternally -ure and the
embodiment of all the Vedic sacrificesJ Brahm( and ?hiva glorify 4y activities.
%hoever touches 4y body gains s-iritual merit and becomes -urified of sin, but
this insolent fool thinks that it is illusory. Listen, 4ur(ri, and I &ill tell you the
confidential essence of the Vedic teaching. I am the incarnation 7a)Wa#var(ha,
the cream of the Vedic literature &ho -reviously lifted u- the &orld. Ao& I have
come in this form to -reach the sa"&rtana movement. .or the sake of the
devotees, I &ill destroy the &icked. I am unable to tolerate those &ho act as
the enemies of 4y devoteesJ even if 0e is 4y o&n son, I &ill destroy him.
(Chaitanya 'hgavata !.D.DG#EE$
,he Vedic scri-tures have used &ords like nir"ra (formless$ and nirviea
(undifferentiated, &ithout attributes$ in order to negate the -resence of material
form, activities, and attributes in the ?u-reme Lord. But in turn, they go on to
reveal the truth of the Lord/s eternal form and attributes, 0is a--earance and
-astimes in this &orld. In fact, because the Lord is omni-otent, no one can deny
0is eternal form. ,he same scri-tures &hich negate the form and qualities of the
?u-reme on the one hand go on to later a--rove the Lord/s form and attributes.
,herefore, if one e3amines the scri-tures in detail one &ill become convinced that
the doctrine of the Lord/s transcendental form and attributes takes -recedence.
&varera r&-vigraha sac-cid-nand"ra
se-vigrahe "aha sattva-guera vi"ra
r&-vigraha je n mne sei ta pa8&
adya aspya sei haya yama-da8&
,he transcendental form of the ?u-reme Lord is com-lete in eternity,
cogniIance and bliss. 7ou, ho&ever, say that this form is a -roduct of the
material quality of goodness. %hoever denies the Lord/s transcendental form is
certainly an atheist. <ne should neither see nor touch such a -erson, &ho &ill
be -unished by the lord of death. (Chaitanya Charitmta
!.G.GG#GH$
sarvaivarya-paripra svaya) bhagavn
tre nir"ra "ari "araha vy"hyna
nirviea tre "ahe yei ruti-gaa
pr"ta niedhi "are apr"ta sthpana
,he ?u-reme Lord 0imself is com-lete in all divine ma)esty, but you describe
him as formless. ,hose scri-tures &hich say that 0e is im-ersonal are sim-ly
condemning a material understanding of 0is form and attributes and go on to
say that 0is form and attributes are transcendental and free of mundane
characteristics. (Chaitanya Charitmta !.G.E"#E$

'rishnad(sa 'avir()a quotes a verse from the 7ya&ra-pacartra &hich
substantially says the same thingF
y y rutir jalpati nirviea)
s sbhidhatte sa-vieam eva
vicra-yge sati hanta ts)
pry bal&ya! sa-vieam eva
,hose 1panishads &hich describe the =bsolute ,ruth as formless and
im-ersonal go on to -rove in the end that 0e is a -erson. S-on close analysis,
it can be seen that though both the -ersonal and im-ersonal descri-tions of the
?u-reme are valid, the -ersonal conce-tion ultimately -redominates in these
scri-tures. (Chaitanya-candrdaya-n(a"a, G.GH$

,he 3aittir&ya 1panishad (D.$ uses the ablative, instrumental and locative cases to
indicate three kinds of attributes -resent in the ?u-reme :erson.
yat v imni bhtni jyante
yena jtni j&vanti yat prayanty
abhisa)vianti tad brahma tad vijijsasva
Brahman is that from &hich all these living entities are born, by Brahman they
live, and after death, they enter into Brahman. ,hat is &hat you must kno&.
(3aittir&ya 1panishad D.$
,he &ords bahu sym (I become many$ &hich are found in both the Chndgya
1panishad (G.!.D$ and the 3aittir&ya 1panishads indicate that the ?u-reme Lord had
the desire to e3-and 0is energies in creation. ,he &ords sa ai"ata (0e glanced
over creation$ found in the 4itareya 1panishad indicate that the ?u-reme Lord had
a desire to create and that 0e e3tended 0is -o&ers over the material nature. =s
such, 0is e3istence -rior to creation is clearly being em-hasiIed.
,he &ord TBrahman/ is re-eatedly mentioned throughout the 1panishads. ,he
%r&mad 'hgavatam is said to be the essence of the Vedanta (sarva-vednta-sra) hi
-%r&mad 'hgavatam !.D.!$. ,here, 'rishna is named as the com-lete
manifestation of BrahmanF
ah bhgyam ah bhgya)
nanda-gpa-vrajau"asm
yan-mitra) paramnanda)
pra) brahma santanam
0o& fortunate[ 0o& fortunate are the residents of Aanda/s co&herd
community[ ,hey have made the eternal, su-reme and com-lete form of bliss,
the com-lete Brahman, their friend and relative. (%r&mad 'hgavatam
".E.D!$
= number of verses in the 1panishads state that the ?u-reme ,ruth has no material
hands or feetJ in the ne3t breath, ho&ever, they affirm that 0e moves every&here.
0ere is an e3am-le of such a verse from the %vetvatara 1panishad F
api-pd javan grah&t
payaty aca"u! sa ty a"ara!
sa vetti vedya) na ca tasysti vett
tam hur agrya) purua) mahntam
0e has no hands and no feet, yet 0e runs and takes hold of all things. ,hough
0e has no eyes, 0e sees. 0e has no ears, but 0e hears. 0e kno&s everything
that is to be kno&n, but no one kno&s 0im. 0e is called the original great
-erson. (%vetvatara 1panishad D.X$
,he 4(y(v(d+s re)ect the direct meaning of such %ruti te3ts and establish that the
?u-reme ,ruth is im-ersonal on the basis of an indirect inter-retation. ,his does
not change the actual -ersonal meaning of these te3ts. ,he factual understanding
of Brahman is the ?u-reme Lord Bhagav(n, full of si3 o-ulences and -ossessing a
form of s-iritual bliss. ?cri-tures &hich say that 0e is formless are sim-ly stating
that 0e has no material form. ,he 4(y(v(d+s further say that 0e is inactive even
though 0e is al&ays engaged in delightful, transcendental -astimes.
na tasya "rya) "araa) ca vidyate
na tat-sama cbhyadhi"a) ca dyate
parsya a"tir vividhaiva ryate
svbhvi"& jna-bala-"riy ca
0e has neither activities nor senses. Ao one is equal or su-erior to 0im can be
found. 0e -ossesses a natural su-erior energy &hich manifests variously as
kno&ledge, strength and action. (%vetvatara 1panishad G.L$
,he -ur-ort of this verse is that the ?u-reme Lord has no material activities. ,his is
because 0e has no material form consisting of hands, feet or other &orking senses.
Ces-ite not having material senses, 0e is engaged in the &ork of 0is divine
diversions. ,hough situated in 0is divine abode beyond the material an3ieties, 0e
is all#-ervading. Ao one is the Lord/s equal, &hat to s-eak of being su-erior to him.
0e is asamrdhva0 ,he ?u-reme Lord/s transcendental -otencies are natural to 0im.
,hese natural -otencies are of three kindsF jna-a"ti, or the -o&er of kno&ledgeJ
bala-a"ti, or the -o&er of strengthJ and "riy-a"ti, the -o&er of action. ,hese
-otencies are par or -rimary. ,hese energies are also kno&n by the follo&ing
namesF ($ cit-a"ti, or sa)vit-a"ti, (!$ sat-a"ti, or sandhin&-a"ti, and (D$ nanda-
a"ti, or hldin&-a"ti.
,he 4(y(v(d+s, ho&ever, take a lot of trouble to -rove that 'rishna has no
-otencies even though this verse clearly states that 0e naturally -ossesses them
intrinsically. ,he ?u-reme Lord/s energies are further subdivided into threeF 0is
internal or s-iritual -otency, 0is e3ternal -otency of maya, and the marginal
energy consisting of the living entities. ,he essence of the combined ecstatic and
conscious elements of the s-iritual -otency is bhakti. %hen this is given to the
living entity and if he &holeheartedly ado-ts it, he can break free of the coverings
of the material or e3ternal energy and enter into the divine ecstatic consciousness
of -ure love for 'rishna. ,his great achievement is the consequence of association
&ith -ure devoteesF he then becomes fi3ed in the conduct standardiIed by such
saintly -ersons.
:h9ura Bhati$inoda0s Prayer
,he eternally liberated associate of 5r+ Khaitanya 4ah(-rabhu 5r+ 5r+la
Bhaktivinoda Oh(kura has &ritten the follo&ing song in his %aragatiF
viaya-vim8ha ra myvd& jana
bha"ti-nya duhe pra dhare a"raa
ei dui saga ntha n haya mra
prrthan "ariye mi carae tmra
se du?era madhye viay& tabe bhla
myvd&-saga nhi mgi "na "la
viay&-hdaya jabe sdhu-saga pya
anyse labhe bha"ti bha"tera "pya
myvda da jra hdaya paila
"utar"e hdaya tra vajra-sama bhela
bha"tira svarpa ra viaya raya
myvd& anitya bliy saba "aya
dhi" tra "a-sev ravaa-"&rtana
"a age vajra hne thra stavana
myvda sama bha"ti prati"la ni
ataeva myvda saga nhi ci
bha"ativinda myvda dra "ari
vaiava-sagete baise nmraya dhari
Both those &ho are be&ildered by the -romise of sense en)oyment and
4(y(v(d+ im-ersonalists are devoid of devotion. ,heir lives have no -ur-ose. I
-ray, < Lord, that I never be sub)ected to their association. <f the t&o,
ho&ever, I &ould rather be &ith a sensualist than &ith a 4(y(v(d+, to &hose
com-any I ho-e I &ill never be sub)ected. = sensualist may be transformed by
the association of a devotee &hose mercy can easily turn him to a life of
devotion. <n the other hand, once the im-ersonalist contamination has
touched someone/s heart, it becomes as hard as stone &ith all manner of false
argument. ,he 4(y(v(d+ considers devotion itself, the devotee and the ob)ect
of devotion all to be tem-orary manifestations of the material &orld. I curse his
so#called service to 'rishna, his hearing of the 'hgavatam and chanting of the
0oly Aames. 0is -rayers to 'rishna are like thunderbolts on the Lord/s body.
,here is nothing more harmful to devotion than 4(y(v(da, therefore I do not
&ish to ever be &ith -eo-le &ho subscribe to that -hiloso-hy. Bhaktivinoda
hereby re)ects the 4(y(v(da -hiloso-hy and takes shelter of the 0oly Aames in
the association of devotees.
(%aragati, !H$
#emain A%&ays in the Association of De$otees
,he result of bad association is that one does not get free of material desire. %hen
one/s mind is overcome &ith the elation and disa--ointment resulting from
attachment to the sense ob)ects, ho& can something as -ure as 'rishna prema find
a -lace thereP <r, as 'rishnad(sa 'avir()a *osv(m+ &ritesF
bhu"ti-mu"ti-di vch jadi mane haya
sdhana "arile prema utpanna n haya
If desires for sense en)oyment and liberation find a -lace in a devotee/s heart,
all his -ractice of devotional activities &ill not result in love for 'rishna.
(Chaitanya Charitmta !.X.HN$
=mongst the various -ractices of devotional service, the chanting of the 0oly
Aames has -ride of -lace. ,hose &ho have other desires and are tra--ed in the
com-any of non#devotees, ho&ever, may chant for thousands of lifetimes &ithout
ever attaining the goal of love for 'rishna. ,herefore, Bagad(nanda :undit &rote,
asdhu-sagete bhi nma nhi haya
nm"ara bhirya ba(e nma "abhu naya
"abhu nmbhsa sad haya nma apardha
e saba jnibe bhi "a-bha"tir bdha
jadi "aribe "a-nma sdhu-saga "ara
bhu"ti-mu"ti-siddhi-vch dre parihara
< brother[ 7ou cannot chant the 0oly Aame in the association of non#
devotees. ,he sounds of the 0oly Aame may come out of your mouth, but it
&ill not really be the Aame. It &ill sometimes be the Aame/s reflection
(nmbhsa$ and sometimes offensive chanting (nmpardha$, but brother, you
should kno& that in either case, this kind of chanting interferes &ith the
attainment of -ure devotion to 'rishna. If you &ant to chant the 0oly Aames,
then associate &ith devotees and kee- desires for sense en)oyment, liberation,
and yogic -o&ers at a distance.
(>rema-vivarta, H$
daa-apardha tyaja mna-apamna
ansa"tye viaya bhuja ra laha "a-nma
"a-bha"tira anu"la saba "araha sv&"ra
"a-bha"tira prati"la saba "ara parihra
jna-yga-ce( cha ra "arma-saga
mar"a(a-vairgya tyaja jte deha-raga
"a mra ple r"he jna sarva-"la
tma-nivedana dainye ghuc jajla
sdhu p? "a(a baa j&vera jniy
sdhu-bha"ta rpe "a ila nad&y
grpada raya "araha buddhimn
gr bai sdhu-guru che "eb na
*ive u- the ten offenses to the 0oly Aame as &ell as &orrying about receiving
res-ect or criticism. Konsume &hat you need &ithout attachment and al&ays
chant the 0oly Aame. =cce-t everything &hich favors devotion to 'rishna and
re)ect everything &hich interferes &ith its -ractice. =bandon any efforts for
liberation or mystic -o&er as &ell as devotion mi3ed &ith karma. =bove all,
give u- the false renunciation of the monkeys, in &hich bodily consciousness
and attachment to sense gratification d&ell. 1emain strong in the kno&ledge
that 'rishna is al&ays taking care of you. <ffer yourself to 'rishna com-letely
and, in humility, become free from all entanglements. It is very difficult for an
ordinary -erson to find the association of genuine saintly -ersons. 'rishna
0imself kno&s this and so 0e kindly came to Aadiy( in the form of a saintly
devotee. =n intelligent -erson takes shelter of 4ah(-rabhu/s lotus feet, for
such a -erson kno&s that other than 4ah(-rabhu, there is no true saint or
s-iritual master.
,he only &ay to be free of bad association is thus by re-lacing it &ith the goodF
sdhu saga "p "i) v "era "pya
"mdi-du!saga chi uddha-bha"ti pya
Mither through the benediction of devotional association or through the mercy
of 'rishna 0imself, one becomes free of the bad association resulting from lust,
anger, and greed, and attains -ure devotional service.
(Chaitanya Charitmta !.!E.XH$
sat-sagn mu"ta-du!sag
htu) ntsahate budha!
"&rtyamna) ya yasya
sa"d "arya rcanam
<nce freed from bad association by kee-ing the com-any of the saintly, an
intelligent -erson becomes reluctant to give u- listening to the glories of the
Lord, &hich are so -leasing, even if only heard once.
(%r&mad 'hgavatam .".$
,hus the 'hgavatam advisesF
tat du!sagam utsjya
satsu sajjeta buddhimn
santa evsya chindanti
man-vysagam u"tibhi!
=n intelligent -erson should therefore abandon all bad association and hold
fast to the com-any of devotees. ?uch saints are the only ones &ho, through
their instructions, can cut through our unhealthy mental attachments.
(%r&mad 'hgavatam .!G.!G$
<ne has to be attentive in avoiding the association of o--osite se3 and non#
devotees. But if one remains in good com-any, the dangers of the &orld disa--ear.
,hus, Aarottama d(sa sings in his >rema-bha"ti-candri"F %hat can lust, anger and
greed do to the -ractitioner &ho has the association of saintly -ersonsP
Chapter "I
Taing She%ter of ,rishna
<ut of com-assion for the living beings, 5r+ Khaitanya 4ah(-rabhu a--eared in
the holy city of Aabad&i- in the land of *au;a, or Bengal. =ccom-anied by 0is
associates, 0e came to distribute the very rare ecstatic love of *od as e3-erienced
by the residents of Vra)a. In order to do so 0e first taught the -rocess of surrender,
for it is only through taking shelter of 'rishna, also kno&n as aragati, that one
can attain this ecstatic love. ,he ?u-reme Lord makes the devotee &ho has taken
shelter of 0im the inheritor of this treasure of love.
In his hymns to the ?u-reme Lord, the ele-hant *a)endra sang the follo&ing
stanIaF
e"ntin yasya na "acanrtha)
vchanti ye vai bhagavat-prapann!
aty-adbhuta) tac-carita) sumagala)
gyanta nanda-samudra-magn!
Snalloyed devotees, &ho have fully surrendered to the Lord, have no desire for
anything other than to serve 0im. 4erged into an ocean of transcendental bliss,
they are al&ays singing the glories of 0is most &onderful -ersonality and
activities. (%r&mad 'hgavatam
L.D.!"$
,he devotees &ho have surrendered to the Lord are fully self#satisfied by the great
&ealth &hich comes to them through this surrender. ,he ha--iness they feel is
higher than the )oy felt by any other -erson. ,heir hearts are never disturbed by
any sense of insufficiency.
%hen &e are deficient in this -rocess of self#surrender, &e turn to sense
en)oyment, liberation, or mystic success for satisfaction. In search of such
tem-orary a--easements, &e end u- &andering from -lace to -lace, from birth to
birth, sim-ly accumulating calamity and misfortune.
The Si/ Aspects of ;ara<9gati
,he first song in Bhaktivinoda Oh(kura/s %aragati is the follo&ingF
r& "a caitanya prabhu j&ve day "ari
sva-parada sv&ya dhma saha avatari
atyanta durlabha prema "aribre dna
i"hya aragati bha"atera pra
dainya, tma-nivedana, gpttve varaa
avaya ra"ibe "a vivsa plana
bha"ti-anu"la mtra "ryera sv&"ra
bha"ti-prati"la-bhva varjang&"ra
a8-aga aragati haibe jhra
thra prrthan une r&-nanda-"umra
rpa santana pade dante ta "ari
bha"ativinda pae dui pada dhari
"diy "diy bale mi ta adhama
i"hye aragati "arahe uttama
<ut of com-assion for the fallen j&vas, 5r+ 'rishna Khaitanya a--eared in this
&orld &ith all of 0is eternal associates and 0is eternal abode. %ishing to
besto& on them that most rare gift of love for 0imself, 0e taught aragati, the
-rocess that is the life of the devotees>taking shelter of the Lord. 0umilityJ
self#surrenderJ acce-ting 'rishna as your -rotectorJ belief that 'rishna &ill save
you in all circumstancesJ undertaking only activities conducive to develo-ing
love for 'rishna, and re)ecting everything &hich is detrimental to that endF
these are the si3 elements of taking shelter. 'rishna, the son of Aanda, listens
to the -rayers of anyone &ho takes shelter of him in this &ay. I fall do&n at the
feet of 1@-a and ?an(tana and take hold of them in all humility. Krying, I call
out, saying, TI am most fallen. :lease teach me ho& to take shelter of 'rishna
so that I can -erfect my human life./
Bhaktivinoda Oh(kura/s song is based on a verse from the 9aiava-tantra, &hich
B+va *osv(m+ quotes in his 'ha"ti-sandarbha (!DG$. ,he si3 elements of taking
shelter are described there as follo&sF
nu"lyasya sa"alpa!
prti"lyasya varjanam
ra"iyat&ti vivs
gpttve varaa) tath
tma-ni"epa-"rpaye
a8-vidh aragati!
=cce-ting that &hich is favorable, re)ecting the unfavorable, believing that
'rishna &ill save me, acce-ting 'rishna as one/s maintainer, self#surrender and
humility are the si3 ty-es of aragati. (Chaitanya Charitmta !.!!.XH$
5r+la Bhaktivinoda Oh(kura has elaborated on these -rocesses in his 4mta-
pravha-bhyaF ($ T=cce-ting that &hich is favorable/ means that &hich is
favorable to develo-ing one/s devotion to 'rishna. (!$ T1e)ecting the unfavorable/
means one must vo&, TI renounce any activity &hich does not lead to 'rishna./ (D$
TBelieving that 'rishna &ill save me/ means believing that 'rishna alone is my
savior. In other &ords, one should think, TI do not believe kno&ledge of Brahman
&ill save me from death. But 'rishna &ill definitely be merciful and deliver me./ (E$
T=cce-ting 'rishna as one/s maintainer/ means one thinksF TI do not believe that
the deities -residing over the different sacrifices or religious -erformances deliver
the results of these acts, nor do they maintain me. It is rather 'rishna alone &ho
takes care of me and not any other man or god./ (N$ T?elf#surrender/ means to
think, T4y &ishes are not inde-endent. I am com-letely subordinate to the &ill of
'rishna./ (G$ T0umility/ means to think of oneself as very lo&ly.
,he ?u-reme Lord loves those devotees &ho have taken shelter of 0im. 0e listens
to their -rayers and a&ards them the gift of vraja-prema.
Taing She%ter in Body6 )ind6 and Words
,he follo&ing verse from the 7ari-bha"ti-vilsa (.GHH$ further elaborated on the
si3fold -rocess of taking shelter in body, mind, and &ords. B+va *osv(m+ also
quotes this verse in 'ha"ti-sandarbhaF
tavsm&ti vadan vc
tathaiva manas vidan
tat-sthnam ritas tanv
mdate aragata!
%ith one/s body, one &ho has taken shelter of the Lord resides in the holy
-lace &here 'rishna -erformed 0is -astimes. %ith &ords, one says, < Lord, I
am 7ours, &hile &ith the mind, devotees kno& themselves to belong to the
Lord. In this &ay, they en)oys s-iritual bliss.
(=lso quoted in Chaitanya Charitmta !.!!.XL$
,he devotee &ho takes shelter by com-letely surrendering to 'rishna is considered
by the Lord to be equal to 0imself, that is, most dear.
araa la "are "e tma-samarpaa
"a tre "are tat-"le tma-sama
=s soon as a devotee has taken shelter of 'rishna and surrendered to 0im,
'rishna makes him equal to 0imself. (Chaitanya Charitmta !.!!.XX$
,his is corroborated by a statement made by 'rishna 0imself to 0is dear associate
and disci-le, SddhavaF
marty yad tya"ta-samasta-"arm
nivedittm vici"&rit me
tadmtatva) pratipadyamn
maytma-bhyya ca "alpate vai
%hen the living entity &ho is sub)ected to birth and death gives u- all his
&orks and com-letely surrenders himself to 4e, engaging in activities
according to 4y desire, then he attains immortality by 4y grace, becoming
equal to 4yself in s-iritual quality and thus able to en)oy the divine ra-ture of
life in the s-iritual &orld in 4y association.
(%r&mad 'hgavatam .!X.D!, Chaitanya Charitmta D.E.XD$
5r+la :rabhu-(da Bhaktisiddh(nta ?arasvat+ Oh(kura has elaborated on this verse
as follo&sF ,he kno&ledge of the living entity &ho is sub)ect to death is limited to
that &hich is -erceived by the senses. %hen he gives u- fruitive activities and
mental s-eculation to sim-ly surrender himself to the Lord, then he no longer
kno&s any insufficiency because he attains the Lord. Cue to serving the Lord of
Vaiku29ha, he himself takes on the qualities of Vaiku29ha. ,his means that the
"u(ha nature, that is, the illusory material nature, no longer has any hold over
him.
In the above verse, the &ords tma-bhyya "alpate can also be inter-reted to mean
that such a -erson obtains o-ulences equal to those of the Lord 0imself. But
ho&ever one inter-rets these &ords, they should never be taken to mean oneness
in the monistic sense. ,he devotee &ho has taken refuge in the Lord is so dear to
0im that 0e considers 0im to be as close as 0is o&n body.
Mvery time a devotee -ays his obeisances to the Lord, he engages in an act of self#
surrender. ,he ?anskrit &ord nama!, &hich a--ears in namas"ra and in many
mantras, has been e3-lained in the >adma >urana, 1ttara-"ha8a.
aha"tir ma"ra! syn
na"ras tan-niedha"a!
tasmt tu namas "etri-
svtantrya) pratiidhyate
bhagavat-paratantr#sau
tadyatttma-j&vana!
tasmt sva-smarthya-vidhi)
tyajet sarvam aeata!
&varasya tu smarthyt
nlabhya) tasya vidyate
tasmin nyasta-bhara! ete
tat-"armaiva samcaret
.alse ego is re-resented by the syllable maJ the &ord na negates it. ,he &ord
Tnama!# therefore indicates that the embodied being has no inde-endent
e3istence. 0e is al&ays de-endent on the ?u-reme Lord and his life is in every
&ay confined &ithin 0im. 0e therefore should com-letely give u- any illusion
he has of his o&n inde-endent ca-acity to do anything. ,hrough the Lord/s
-o&er, there is nothing that he cannot achieve. 'no&ing this, he surrenders
res-onsibility for his o&n e3istence to the Lord and sim-ly engages in 0is
service. ('ha"ti-sandarbha
!DG$
The 'ord is the 5n%y #efuge
%hen Cevak+ sa& that 'rishna had taken birth as her o&n son, she glorified 0im
as follo&sF
marty mtyu-vyla-bh&ta! palyan
l"n sarvn nirbhaya) ndhyagacchat
tvat-pdbja) prpya yadcchaydya
sustha! ete mtyur asmd apaiti
%e living beings are sub)ect to death and are thus constantly afraid of being
s&allo&ed u- by the great ser-ent of death. %e flee &herever &e can &ithin
this &orld, but no&here can &e find freedom from danger. < Lord, through
some great fortune &e have come to 7our lotus feet. Ao& &e can &e finally
rest in -eace and ha--iness, for Ceath himself flees in fear of 7ou.
(%r&mad 'hgavatam ".D.!H$
In fact, there is no reliable refuge any&here in the universe for the living beings
other than the lotus feet of the Lord, for they are fearless, free from all
lamentation, and full of the nectar of immortality. ,he Lord 0imself re-eatedly
states that 0e delivers 0is devotees from all distress &hen they take shelter of
0im. 0e alone is the j&va/s -rotector and maintainer. ,hus the Lord/s follo&ing
utterance, taken from the 'rahma >uranaF
tv) prapann#smi araa)
deva-deva) janrdanam
iti ya! araa) prptas
ta) "led uddharmy aham
I deliver anyone &ho takes refuge in 4e &ith these &ordsF T< Lord of lords, <
Ban(rdana[ I surrender to 7ou, my only shelter./
(7ari-bha"ti-vilsa .GNE, 'ha"ti-sandarbha !DG$
5r+la Bhaktivinoda Oh(kura has &ritten many songs demonstrating the -rinci-les
of taking shelter, not only in his collection titled %aragati, but also in .alya-
"alpa-taru, *&tval&, and *&t-ml. ,hese and the songs of Aarottama d(sa
recorded in >rrthan and >rema-bha"ti-candri" should be memoriIed by the
devotees. =nyone &ho enters into the s-irit of these songs &ill make quick
-rogress on the -ath of bhakti.
2I (a$e Surrendered )yse%f to Your 'otus Feet3
tma-nivedana tu? pade "ari
hainu parama su"h&
du!"ha dre gela cint n rahila
caudi"e nanda de"hi
a"a abhaya amta dhra
tmra caraa-dvaya
thte e"hana virma labhiy
chinu bhavera bhaya
I have surrendered myself to 7our lotus feet
and have become su-remely )oyful.
=ll my miseries have left me
and I have no more &orries.
=ll I see is )oy in every direction.
7our lotus feet are free from lamentation,
and there is no fear, no deathJ
they are the reservoir of ambrosia.
Ao& that I have found re-ose there,
I have no more fear of material e3istence.
(%aragati, G$
2I (a$e Fina%%y -nderstood6 5 'ord3
e"hana bujhinu prabh tmra caraa
a"a-abhaymta pra sarva-"aa
sa"ala chiy tu? caraa-"amale
paiychi mi ntha tava pada-tale
tava pda padma ntha ra"ibe mre
ra ra"-"art nhi e bhava-sa)sre
mi tava nitya-dsa jninu e-bra
mra plana-bhra e"hana tmra
baa du!"ha piychi svatantra j&vane
saba du!"ha dre gela pada varae
I have finally understood, < Lord, that 7our feet are full of the ambrosia of
immortality, )oy, and fearlessness. I have no& given u- everything to fall do&n
and take shelter of 7our lotus feet, my Lord. 7our lotus feet, < Lord, &ill -rotect
me. Aothing else in this &orld can give me the same -rotection. Ao& I kno&
myself to be 7our eternal servant, so the res-onsibility for my maintenance is
7ours. 4y life of so#called inde-endence gave me so much misery, but no& that
I have taken shelter of 7our feet, all these miseries have disa--eared.
(%aragati, !$
2I am Your Dog and You are )y )aster3
sarvasva tmra caraa sa)piy
paechi tmra ghare
tumi ta (h"ura tmra "u"ura
baliy jnaha mre
bdhiy ni"a(e mre plibe
rahiba tmra dvre
prat&pa janere site n diba
r"hiba gaera pre
tava nija-jana prasda seviy
ucchi(a r"hibe jh
mra bhjana parama nande
prati dine habe th
basiy uiy tmra caraa
cintiba satata mi
ncite ncite ni"a(e jiba
ja"hana 8"ibe tumi
nijere paa "abhu n bhviba
rahiba bhvera bhare
bha"ativinda tmre pla"a
baliy varaa "are
I have surrendered everything to 7our lotus feet and have thro&n myself do&n
at 7our door. I ask 7ou to recogniIe that I am 7our dog and you are my master.
7ou &ill tie me u- nearby and take care of me. I &ill remain near your door&ay
and chase a&ay thieves and other dangerous -eo-le, kee-ing them on the
other side of the moat.
Mvery day, I &ill )oyfully eat only the leftovers of the devotees &ho have eaten
7our prasda0
%hether sitting or lying do&n, I &ill only think of 7our lotus feet. %henever
7ou call, I &ill go dancing to&ard 7ou.
I &ill never think of my o&n needs or maintenance, but &ill remain blissfully in
the )oy of my feelings for 7ou. Bhaktivinoda officially acce-ts you as his
-rotector. (%aragati, X$

=nyone &ho &ishes to make -rogress on this -ath should study the sub)ect of
aragati. <ne &ho has not taken shelter of 'rishna, but takes u- the rga-mrga
only out of a desire for -rofit, adoration and -restige is a shameless -retender. It is
not long before he is attacked by all kinds of anarthas. It is true that the -ath of
vidhi-bha"ti cannot give vraja-prema, but &e must follo& the -ath sho&n by the
s-iritual masters in the disci-lic succession. ,hey have made it abundantly clear
that it is through devotion to the chanting of the 0oly Aame that our ca-acity to
-ractice rgnug-bha"ti is develo-ed. ,he -rocess of chanting the 0oly Aame is
like the ceremony &hich gives life to the deity form of the Lord. ,he life of the
devotee is the -rocess of taking shelter. ,his life is besto&ed on the devotee by
the 0oly Aame.
Chapter "II
The =uru and Initiation
.rom the -revious cha-ters, it is clear that it is of -aramount im-ortance to come
into contact &ith the Vaishnavas and, in -articular, &ith a -ure devotee s-iritual
master &ho can instruct one on the -ath of s-iritual life.
%e have also seen that one must have accumulated many lifetimes of -ious acts
before he can get the good fortune of associating &ith a -ure devotee. %hen
Vidura/s doubts had been erased by listening to 4aitreya 4uni/s e3-lanations of
the ?u-reme Lord, he said in gratitudeF
durp hy alpa-tapasa!
sev vai"u(ha-vartmasu
yatrpag&yate nitya)
deva-dev janrdana!
?omeone &ho has made fe& sacrifices and accumulated little merit can never
&in service to the great souls travelling the -ath to the Lord/s abode of
Vaiku29ha. ,he travellers on that -ath are constantly engaged in glorifying 0im
&ho is the *od of gods and controller of all living entities.
(%r&mad 'hgavatam D.H.!"$
%ithout such merit, one cannot have faith in the manifestation of the guru, nor can
one even recogniIe him.
mah-prasde gvinde
nma-brahmai vaiave
svalpa-puyavat) rjan
vivs naiva jyate
,hose &ho have little merit, < king, never develo- faith in the Lord/s mah-
prasda, *ovinda 0imself, the 0oly Aame (nma-brahma$, and the Vaishnavas.
(6"anda >urana$
B+va *osv(m+ confirms this, at the beginning of his 'ha"ti-sandarbha, &ith a quote
from the 'rahma-vaivarta >uranaF
yvat ppais tu malina)
hdaya) tvad eva hi
na stre satya-buddhi! syt
sad-buddhi! sad-gurau tath
=s long as one/s heart is contaminated by sin, one &ill not see the truth given
in the scri-tures. In other &ords, one &ill not develo- faith in the theistic
conclusions of the scri-ture, nor &ill one recogniIe the divine authority of the
s-iritual master. <ne &ill take gifts to a misleader, a guru &hose instructions
&ill lead one along the road that takes one a&ay from *oloka#Vaiku29ha, and
surrender to him.
Surrendering to the =uru
'rishna states in the 'hagavad-g&t<
tad viddhi praiptena
paripranena sevay
upade"yanti te jna)
jninas tattva-darina!
Learn the truth through surrender, submissive inquiry, and service. ,he self#
realised soul, &ho has seen the truth, &ill enlighten you. (*&t E.DE$

In the $u8a"a 1panishad, there is a famous verse &hich states the im-ortance of
surrendering to a s-iritual master.
tad-vijnrtha) sa gurum evbhigacchet
samit-pi! rtriya) brahma-ni(ham
In order to realiIe the truth, one should take gifts in hand and a--roach a
s-iritual master &ho is learned and fi3ed in Brahman.
,he &ord samidh (gifts$ used here literally means &ood for the sacrificial fire, but
it is taken to have an e3tended meaning &hich includes all three elements of
surrender mentioned in the *&tF obeisances, submissive inquiry, and service. ,he
disci-le a--roaches the s-iritual master &ith these three kinds of gifts. ,he
s-iritual master, for his -art, must have the requisite kno&ledge and determined
faith in the ?u-reme ,ruth to be able to remove all of the disci-le/s doubts. ,he
essential characteristic of the s-iritual master, then, is that he -ossesses
kno&ledge of the three categoriesF sambandha, abhidheya, and prayjana. ,his is
&hy the Chaitanya Charitmta saysF <ne &ho kno&s the truth about 'rishna is
qualified to be guru (jei "a-tattva-vett sei guru haya$.
,hus one should fall at the feet of the s-iritual master in the same &ay as
?an(tana *osv(m+ fell at Lord Khaitanya/s feet and asked 0im questions &hich, in
the *&t verse E.DE, are called paripranaF
"e mi "ene mya jre tpa-traya
ih nhi jni mi "emane hita haya
%ho am IP =nd &hy do the threefold miseries of material life continually cause
me sufferingP I do not kno& the ans&ers to these questions, nor do I kno& &hat
is ultimately beneficial for me. (Chaitanya Charitmta !.!"."!$

,he disci-le should then serve the guru in such a &ay that the guru &ill be
-leased. %hen such a submissive and service#minded devotee asks questions
about s-iritual life, the s-iritual master &ill reveal to him the truths &hich he
himself has realiIed.
,here are many other e3am-les in the scri-ture of surrender, submissive inquiry
and service. <nce, the king of Videha, Aimi, fortuitously came u-on the nine great
devotees kno&n as the 7og+ndras &ho had gathered in his sacrificial arena.
<ver)oyed to see them, he offered them the &orshi- a--ro-riate to their station
and said,
durlabh mnu deh
dehin) "aa-bhagura!
tatrpi durlabha) manye
vai"u(ha-priya-daranam
ata tyanti"a) "ema)
pcchm bhavat#nagh!
sa)sre#smin "ardh#pi
sat-saga! evadhir n2m
Birth in a human body is a very rare achievement for the embodied soul, but I
hold that for one having such a short#lived human body, it is even rarer fortune
to see a devotee &ho is dear to the Lord of Vaiku29ha. In this &orld, even a
moment/s association &ith saintly -ersons like yourselves is the greatest
treasure in human life. ,herefore, I take this o--ortunity to ask you sinless
souls, &hat is the ultimate goodP (%r&mad 'hgavatam
.!.!X#D"$

<nly sinless, highly realiIed devotees like the Aava 7og+ndra are ca-able of
ans&ering 'ing Aimi/s submissive inquiry about the ultimate good (tyanti"a-
"ema$. ,hey had delved into the scri-tures and e3tracted their essential
teachingsJ &ith great faith and belief, a--lied these teachings in their o&n lives
and no& dedicated their lives to the instruction of others. ,hese are the
characteristics of a genuine crya according to the definition given in the 9yu
>uranaF
cinti ya! strrtham
cre sthpayaty api
svayam carate yasmd
cryas tena "&rtita!
,he crya is thus called because he has studied and understood the meaning
of the scri-ture, he establishes this meaning in the behavior of others, and
himself -ractices &hat he -reaches. ($anu 6a)hit$
=s 'rishnad(sa says of 4ah(-rabhuF pani cari j&vere i"hya>0e taught the
&orld by behaving like an e3em-lary devotee 0imself.
(o& to Pay 5beisances to the =uru
,he &ay to -ay obeisances to the guru has been described in the 7ari-bha"ti-vilsaF
drbhy) pdbhy) ca jnubhym
uras iras d
manas vacas ceti
pram#(ga &rita!
jnubhym caiva bhubhy)
iras vacas dhiy
pacga"a! prama! syt
pjsu pravarv imau
,he a(gaga-prama, or -rostrated obeisance, is -erformed &ith the
follo&ing eight -arts of the bodyF the arms, legs, knees, chest, and head, as
&ell as the eyes, mind, and s-eech. <ne should -erform the pacga-prama,
or the five#-art obeisance &ith the knees, the arms, head, &ords and
intelligence. ,hus these are the t&o kinds of obeisances &hich are -erformed in
the course of one/s -u)a. (7ari-bha"ti-vilsa L.G!#GD$
?an(tana *osv(m+ e3-lains these verses in his commentaryF <beisances are
-erformed &ith eyes slightly closed, &ith arms touching the Lord/s feet, &ith head
lo&ered, and mind meditating on -aying obeisances to the Lord. <ne should -ray
&ith &ords like, TLord, be -leased &ith me./ Indeed, the meaning of -aying one/s
obeisances to the guru, the Vaishnavas, and the ?u-reme Lord, is to say to them, TI
am surrendering my body to you./
If one does not -ray to become &orthy to give one/s body, mind and soul to the
s-iritual master &hen -aying obeisances then it becomes no more than a -hysical
e3ercise like -ushu-s. ?urely this is not the real -ur-ose of -erforming
-rostrations, or da8avats, to the guru.
The >ecessity of Taing Initiation
,here are t&o kinds of s-iritual masterF the instructing s-iritual master or i"-
guru and the initiating s-iritual master. Initiation is necessary for anyone &ho
&ants to take u- the disci-line of devotional sdhan>es-ecially deity &orshi-.
'eRava ]c(rya &rote a great deal about d&" in his .rama-d&pi". ,he Vaishnava
smti, 7ari-bha"ti-vilsa, e3-lains initiation in accordance &ith his descri-tions.
,here it is said, %ithout being initiated, no one has the right to engage in deity
&orshi-.
(7ari-bha"ti-vilsa !.!$
vin d&") hi pjy)
ndhi"r#sti "arhicit
.or this reason, the various Fgamas, or scri-tures in the >cartra tradition, state
that initiation is a necessary (nitya$ element of the devotional -athF
dvijnm anupetn)
sva"armdhyayandiu
yathdhi"r nst&ha
syc cpanayand anu
tathtrd&"itn) tu
mantra-devrcandiu
ndhi"r ,sty ata! "uryd
tmna) iva-sa)stutam
Bust as one born in a brahmin family &ho has not received the sacred thread is
ineligible for the -erformance of Vedic rituals or the study of the Vedic
literature, a -erson &ho has not received Vaishnava initiation has no authority
to chant the mantra or to &orshi- the deity form of the Lord. ,herefore one
should take initiation, by &hich he &ill become -raised by even Lord ?hiva.
(7ari-bha"ti-vilsa !.D#E, 'ha"ti-sandarbha !LD$
In the conversation bet&een A(rada and Brahm( described in the .rtti"a-
mhtmya of the 6"anda >urana, the follo&ing te3t is foundF
te nar! paav l"e
"i) te) j&vane phalam
yair na labdh harer d&"
nrcit v janrdana!
,hose human beings &ho have not been initiated into the service of Lord 0ari
and have never &orshi-ed 0im are com-arable to animals. %hat is the value of
their livesP (7ari-bha"ti-vilsa !.N$
,he follo&ing verse, found both in the same 6"anda >urana, in the conversation
bet&een 1ukm(6gada and 4ohin+, as &ell as in the 9ishnu-ymala, confirms the
necessity of taking initiationF
ad&"itasya vmru
"ta) sarva) nirartha"am
pau-ynim avpnti
d&"-virahit jana!
Mverything done by an uninitiated -erson is meaningless. <ne &ho is not
-ro-erly initiated &ill be reborn as an animal. (7ari-bha"ti-vilsa !.G$

In his commentary to these verses in the 7ari-bha"ti-vilsa, ?an(tana *osv(m+
&rites the follo&ingF ,he &ords iva-sa)stuta) refer to initiation, indicating that
anyone &ho takes initiation becomes a Vaishnava and an ob)ect of -raise to the
best of all Vaishnavas, ?hiva himself. ,his is a result of the su-remacy of the
&orshi- of Vishnu over even that of ?hiva. ,here is a verse &hich statesF T=nyone
&ho eats &ithout having first offered his food to the 5(lagr(ma#Ril( &ill for aeons
be re-eatedly born as a &orm in the stool of outcastes and other lo&er human
beings./ Verses such as this indicate that &orshi- of the deity is absolutely
necessary, and since one cannot engage in such deity &orshi- &ithout having first
been initiated, they also establish the absolute necessity of initiation. ?ince
&orshi- of the 5(lagr(ma#Ril( is given the most -rominent -lace amongst the
various ty-es of service -erformed to the Lord, all other ty-es of devotional
activities are being indicated by e3tension. In other &ords, initiation is necessary to
become eligible for all devotional -ractices. ,he necessity of initiation is further
su--orted by Brahm(/s statement, T,hose human beings &ho have not been
initiated into the service of Lord 0ari and have never &orshi-ed 0im are
com-arable to animals./ ,his verse indicates that &ithout first being initiated, one
cannot -ossibly engage in &orshi- of the deity.
"
It may be asked that since there are descri-tions in the scri-tures of the great
benefits to be derived from even the negligent &orshi- of deities such as
5(lagr(ma#Ril(, then &hat need is there of taking shelter of a s-iritual master and
being initiated by himP But the fact is that one &ill not derive full benefit from his
-u)a if he ignores the established etiquette of &orshi-ing the guru before
&orshi-ing the deity.
at guru) praamyaiva)
sarvasva) vinivedya ca
gh&yd vaiava) mantra)
d&"-prva) vidhnata!
,herefore, everyone should surrender to a bonafide s-iritual master and, after
offering him everything^body, mind and -ro-erty^should take the Vishnu
mantra from him according to the a--ro-riate rites of initiation.
(7ari-bha"ti-vilsa !."$
The Transformation of the Discip%e by Initiation
In the Chaitanya Charitmta, 'rishnad(sa 'avir()a *osv(m+ has e3-lained the
transformative effects of initiationF
d&"-"le bha"ta "are tma-samarpaa
sei-"le "a tre "are tma-sama
sei deha "are tra cid-nanda-maya
apr"ta-dehe tra caraa bhajaya
=t the time of initiation, &hen a devotee surrenders to the s-iritual master,
'rishna makes him equal to 0imself. 0e transforms the devotee/s body into
s-iritual substanceJ the devotee then &orshi-s the Lord in that s-iritualiIed
body. (Chaitanya Charitmta D.E.X!#D$
%hen the living being &ho has taken to the devotional -ath first surrenders
himself to the lotus feet of his s-iritual master, then 'rishna acce-ts him as
one of 0is very o&n. 0e frees him from the bondage of bodily identity and
gives him an e3-erience of his eternal s-iritual nature. %ith this divine
kno&ledge, the devotee takes a s-iritual body a--ro-riate for the
transcendental service of the Lord. ,his is the inner mystery of initiation.
,o the e3tent that one is able to gras- the conce-t of surrender to the s-iritual
master, one &ill have clear realiIation of the s-iritual truth. By 'rishna/s mercy,
one &ill become fully conscious of their divine relationshi- &ith the Lord and as
one realiIes one/s o&n transcendental identity, by this great good fortune, they
become eligible for the Lord/s direct service. ,hrough the grace of 'rishna, a
devotee &ho has received initiation -ossesses a divine body and is thus able to
engage in the Lord/s service. Snfortunately, materialistic -ersons are not able to
recogniIe this transformation and consider the devotee/s activities to be on the
same level as any other bodily activity. ,his conce-tion of the guru or Vaishnava/s
body as material is a great offense. 4ah(-rabhu 0imself stated thisF
prabhu "ahe vaiava-deha pr"ta "abhu naya
apr"ta deha bha"tera cid-nanda-maya
,he body of a devotee is never material. It is transcendental, full of s-iritual
bliss. (Chaitanya Charitmta D.E.X$
,he 3attva-sgara also gives further details about this transformative -o&er of the
initiation -rocessF
yath "canat) yti
")sya) rasa-vidhnata!
tath d&"-vidhnena
dvijatva) jyate nm
Bust as bell metal turns into gold &hen touched by mercuryJ a -erson becomes
t&ice#born through the -rocess of initiation.
(7ari-bha"ti-vilsa !.!$
?an(tana comments that the &ord nm here refers to every human being of any
race or caste and that being t&ice#born (dvijatva$ means viprat or brahminhood.
=lchemists &ere said to kno& a -rocess by &hich they could -roduce gold by
mi3ing mercury &ith bell metal (an alloy of co--er and tin$. =nybody might go
around calling himself an alchemist, deceiving some ignorant -eo-le and cheating
them of their money, but that does not make one any less ignorant of this -rocess
and inca-able of e3ecuting it. %e may say the same of initiationF though the above
verse indicates that through d&" an ordinary -erson gains the qualities of a
brahmin, &hen a so#called guru makes a mere sho& of initiating &ithout the
a--ro-riate kno&ledge or e3-ertise, no good can be e3-ected to come of it. If one
has not oneself come to -ossess the advanced s-iritual understanding, that is, if
one has not come to be a kno&er of 'rishna as the su-reme truth ("a-tattva-
vett$ and has not become free of sinful activity as a consequence of that
kno&ledge, and still takes the res-onsibility of giving out initiation, then the result
is the same as that of a blind -erson leading other blind -ersons into a ditch.
The 4ua%ifications of the Discip%e and the Spiritua% )aster
In vie& of the great im-ortance and the res-onsibility involved in giving and taking
initiation, it is regrettable that in most circumstances both disci-le and guru are
unqualified for their role and the value of the sacrament is lost. ?ome -ersons call
themselves guru &hen they do not have the gravity necessary for the task. ,hey
merely -lay the role of a bonafide s-iritual master out of insolence. ?imilarly, a
disci-le in name only &ill -retend to have the humility of a s-iritual seeker. ,hese
t&o ty-es of -ersons find each other out and use each other for material
gratifications such as &ealth, fame, and -restige. ,he reci-rocation bet&een them
is restricted to these fleeting gains, rather than anything of true value. ,hey may
dress the -artJ they may even engage in the &orshi- of the deity and in the study
of the scri-tures, but all of these activities are su-erficial and lack internal
substance. ,herefore, Bhaktisiddh(nta ?arasvat+ :rabhu-(da has &ritten in his
-oem, %ho is a VaishnavaP :9aiava "eB+>
r& dayita-dsa "&rtanete a
"ara uccai!svare harinma rava
pra che jra, sei hetu pracra
pra-h&na jata "a-gth ava
< mind[ ,his humble servant of 1adha and 'rishna, V(r8abh(nav+#dayita
d(sa, -lacing his ho-es in "&rtana, loudly sings the names of Lord 0ari[ ,hose
&ho have s-iritual life in abundance -reach the Lord/s message. %hatever is
s-oken about 'rishna &ithout the life of realiIation resembles nothing more
than a cadaver.

Bhaktivinoda Oh(kura also states in his book of songs, %aragati, that the life of a
devotee is the -rocess of surrender that &as taught by 5r+ Khaitanya 4ah(-rabhuF
i"hn aragati bha"atera pra. ,his surrender consists of si3 different attitudes,
all of &hich must be e3ecuted &ith com-lete sincerity. If -ersons are not revived
by the -rocess of surrender, then in &hatever -reaching activity they engage in,
they &ill be )ust like actors -laying a role on the stage. If the -reaching of religious
-rinci-les is carried out in this &ay, is it not to be e3-ected that their -reachers &ill
become a laughing stockP .or this reason, one &ho has not the &eight of s-iritual
realiIation should not blacken the glorious seat intended for the su-remely
munificent guru.
= -erson &hose heart is full of the desires for materialistic sense gratification
ahould not make a -retense of being a genuine seeker of s-iritual truth sim-ly as a
&ay of e3tracting some ulterior benefit from the s-iritual -ath. If such falsehood
-ermeates both the s-iritual master and the disci-le, then it cannot be e3-ected
that either of them attain anything a--ro3imating the ultimate good.
<ur most &orshi-able 5r+la :rabhu-(da &roteF
"ana"a-"amini prati(h-bghin&
chiyache jre sei t vaiava
sei ansa"ta sei uddha-bha"ta
sa)sr tath py parbhava
<ne &ho has been abandoned by the tigress of money, beautiful &omen, and
fame is truly a Vaishnava. ?uch a soul alone is truly detachedJ such a soul is a
-ure devotee. ,he illusory creation of re-eated birth and death is defeated
before him. (.rom 9aiava "eB$
'rishna 0imself says that it takes great effort to come to the -oint of being able to
&orshi- 0im -ro-erly, in other &ords, to come to the -osition of being able to
initiate others in the act of &orshi-ing 0imF
ye) tv anta-gata) ppa)
jann) puya-"armam
te dvandva-mha-nirmu"t
bhajante m) d8ha-vrat!
But those -ersons of virtuous deeds, in &hom sinfulness has been eradicated,
&orshi- 4e &ith great steadfastness in their vo&s, free from the be&ilderment
of sensual life. (*&t H.!L$
,he sum and substance is that one &ho is blinded by ignorance may -lay the role
of a guru but &ill not be able to remove the blindness of ignorance of another. ,he
6"anda >urana gives the follo&ing etymology of the &ord guruF
gu-abdas tv andha"rasya
ru-abdas tan-nivra"a!
andha"ra-nirdhitvd
gurur ity abhidh&yate
,he syllable Tgu# refers to the darkness of ignoranceJ the syllable Tru# means
that &hich im-edes it. ,hus the guru is so named because he eradicates the
darkness of ignorance in others.
0o& then can one &ho is covered by ignorance give divine, transcendental,
s-iritual kno&ledge consisting of meta-hysical kno&ledge of *od and creation, the
-rocess of devotional service, and the goal of love of *odP 1ather, unqualified
-ersons &ho falsely -resent themselves as s-iritual masters are engaged in
bringing about ruin on themselves and the &orld. ,he relation bet&een a s-iritual
master and his disci-le is something of great significance. It is a great
res-onsibility>indeed, it is a matter of life and death. 7et, out of their greed for
gain, -restige, and adoration, there are still irres-onsible -eo-le &ho treat it as
lightly as a child/s game.
The Di$ine Character of the =uru
I should see my guru as a great -ersonality, the only helmsman &ho can navigate
across the immeasurable ocean of material suffering and take me to the other
side. It is he &ho -lants the seed of devotion in my heart, and then s-rinkles it &ith
the &ater of the divine sounds of 'rishna/s name and scri-tural kno&ledge so that
the seed germinates and gro&s until finally it traverses the Vira)( 1iver &hich
forms the border bet&een this &orld and the ne3t. %hen my devotional cree-er
crosses the s-iritual &orlds to enter the divine abodes of 'rishna>Cv(rak(,
4athur(, and finally the most beautiful dhma, Vrindavan>my guru &inds it around
the desire tree of 'rishna/s lotus feet, giving me the chance to taste the delicious
fruits of love of *od &hich ri-en on it. ,he guru is my only true friend in this &orld
and the ne3t. 0e is thus my only &orshi-able divinity and if I foolishly think of him
as an ordinary human being, it is certain that all my chanting of mantras, my
&orshi- of the deity, indeed, all my s-iritual activities &ill be fruitless like oblations
of clarified butter on the ashes of the sacrificial fire.
Lord 5r+ 'rishna 0imself said to 0is dear associate SddhavaF
crya) m) vijn&yn
nvamanyeta "arhicit
na martya-buddhysyeta
sarva-deva-may guru!
= disci-le should consider the teacher to be 4y very self and never disres-ect
him in any &ay. <ne should not envy him, thinking him to be an ordinary man,
for he is the sum total of all the demigods. (%r&mad 'hgavatam .H.!H$

<ne should not think of the mantra, the mantra-devat, and the guru as being
distinct from each other. ,he most sinful -eo-le think that the s-iritual master is
an ordinary human being like them. If someone commits offenses and angers the
?u-reme Lord, the s-iritual master can intercede &ith the Lord on behalf of his
disci-le. <n the other hand, if the s-iritual master becomes angry &ith his disci-le,
'rishna &ill not even turn around to look at the offender. Aor should one think that
other gods and deities can offer res-ite to such an offender. ,herefore one should
take great care to satisfy the s-iritual master.
%hatever &ords are uttered by the s-iritual master should be considered equal to
the Vedic revelation. =nyone &ho disbelieves his &ords or derides his directions
has no -ossibility of achieving any kind of aus-iciousness.
Kom-ared to the act of surrendering to the s-iritual master, -erforming
-ilgrimage, austerities, muttering -rayers and mantras, meditation and
concentration, follo&ing of rules and regulations and kee-ing vo&s, taking bath
and giving in charity are all ineffective for self#-urification. <n the other hand,
service to the guru/s lotus feet, in other &ords, the effort to -lease him, is the
essence of a disci-le/s s-iritual -ractice. Mven if one/s life is at risk, they should not
abandon the s-iritual master/s directives. <ne should be &illing to give u- his life
in the service of the s-iritual master.
,hough one should certainly make an effort to understand the -rece-tor/s &ords, a
disci-le should never criticiIe them nor try to demonstrate an absence of logic in
them. <ne &ho kno&s the secret of satisfying 'rishna and is constantly engaged in
the life of devotion should not be considered less of a guru if he lacks kno&ledge of
grammar or logic. In this regard, a disci-le has no authority to )udge the guru/s
actions.
<n the other hand, if the disci-les have any question about their o&n service,
there is no fault if they &ere to humbly submit it to the guru/s )udgement &ith the
intention of acce-ting his verdict. If one tries to -rove that he is more intelligent
than the s-iritual master, his do&nfall is inevitable. ,here is a Bengali sayingF Tati
buddhi galy dai/><ne &ho is too smart for his o&n good ends u- &ith a noose
around his neck._
Cisci-les should be ready to sacrifice their inde-endence to carry out the guru/s
orders, -roviding -ersonal service &holeheartedly even &hen the guru does not
ask for it. ,he disci-les -rove their devotion to the s-iritual master by giving him
&ater, food or bath&ater. ,hey should be -re-ared to render service to the guru at
every minuteJ and &hen engaged in such service, they should never give quarter
to service offenses like laIiness or inattention. 1ather, they should fi3 their mind
on the satisfaction of the guru/s senses. ,or-or, distraction, indifference and
negligence are equally considered to be offenses to the 0oly Aame.
<ne must al&ays recall the instructions of 'rishnad(sa 'avir()a *osv(m+ as heard
from the li-s of the s-iritual master.
guru vaiava bhagavn tinera smaraa
tinera smarae haya vighna-vinana
anyse haya nija vchita praa
I meditate on the guru, the Vaishnavas, and the Lord. By remembering them,
all obstacles are destroyed and one quickly attains the fulfillment of his
desires.
(Chaitanya Charitmta ..!"#!$
,his is the instruction of the great authorities.
The =uru0s )ercy
If an as-irant for -ure devotion meditates on the guru, is conscious of him and is
fi3ed in his service, then &hether he or she is -hysically near to the s-iritual
master or far a&ay, there is no chance of being troubled by the enemies of lust
and anger. =nd if they do come near, then all the sdha"a has to do is call out
loudly to the s-iritual master for hel- and he &ill certainly -rotect him or her.
<ne &ho has received the guru/s mercy &ill automatically find good association. =
serious as-irant for s-iritual -erfection should not &aste any time in useless
activities. .or one &ho is a beginner in devotional life, ho&ever, a life of &orshi- in
a secluded -lace is not recommended as it is fraught &ith danger. =t this stage, he
should remain constantly in the -resence of the s-iritual master or in the com-any
of those &ho have received the s-iritual master/s mercy and take u- the s-iritual
master/s service under their direction. <ther&ise, lust and anger &ill see devotees
sitting alone and un-rotected and &ill attack him or her &ithout their even
realiIing it. <ne should al&ays remember the follo&ing &ords of a mahjanaF
myre "ariy jaya chn n jya
sdhu "p bin ra nhi"a upya
<n one/s o&n, it is im-ossible to conquer 4aya and leave her behind. ,here is no
means to do it other than through the grace of the saints.
%ithout the -ermission and blessings of the s-iritual master, no disci-le should go
to visit the homes of -ast friends or even one/s o&n family members or engage in
conversation &ith them. <ne must at all costs avoid the association of &omen, the
association of those &ho are attached to &omen, or the association of non#
devotees &ho think that fruitive activities or learning are the highest ob)ective in
life. ,he disci-le should al&ays seek that &hich is hel-ful to one/s s-iritual life and
re)ect that &hich is detrimental to it. In all matters, large or small, one should take
the s-iritual master/s advice. <ne should not take u- any &ork &ithout his
a--roval.
,he Lord/s e3ternal energy takes many forms in order to deceive us, constantly
lurking about &aiting for the o--ortunity to mislead us. ?he &eakens the minds of
even very learned, intelligent and -o&erful -eo-le, making them disinterested in
service to the Lord. ,he s-iritual master has taken u- 5r+ Khaitanya 4ah(-rabhu/s
mission and is begging all of us to chant 'rishna/s name, to &orshi- 'rishna, and
to learn about 'rishna. 0e tells us to kee- our goal fi3ed in our sights and to chant
"",""" names daily &ithout fail. %e must bo& do&n and humbly acce-t his
directions, giving our lives to carry them out.
,he s-iritual master is -reaching Lord Khaitanya/s message every&here. 0e saysF
jre de"ha tre "aha "a-upadea
mra jya guru ha tra ei dea
,each everyone you see this message of devotion to 'rishna. <n 4y
command, become a guru and deliver this land. (Chaitanya
Charitmta !.H.!L$
,he essence of this instruction is that one should -ractice the -rinci-les taught by
the guru and to -reach them in the mentality of service to him, and not that one
-uts on airs and -retends to be a s-iritual master.
The Discip%e0s Attitude
Mvery intelligent disci-le should think that the entire universe/s &ell#being de-ends
on their character and strict adherence to s-iritual life. ,hey should take the
&elfare of the entire &orld as their o&n -ersonal res-onsibility. ,herefore, before
criticiIing the activities of others, one makes sure that one/s o&n e3am-le of
devotional -ractice is maintained &ithout any blemish. If one does so, then not
only does that disci-le benefit, but truly everyone throughout the &orld &ill also
-rofit.
,he disci-le thinks as follo&sF I have taken shelter of the guru and been initiated
by him. I have no& embarked on the road to -ure devotion. If my behavior is
faulty, then -eo-le &ill not sto- at criticiIing only me, but &ill also find fault &ith
my s-iritual master, my &orshi-able deity, the devotional -ath, the entire
Vaishnava sampradya, the -revious cryas, even religion itself. ,hey &ill
dis-arage the scri-tures, the great authorities &ho &rote them, and everyone &ho
follo&s their in)unctions. In the end, they &ill criticiIe belief in *od itself and all
doctrines leading to a higher, transcendental goal in life. ,hey &ill even condemn
my father and mother and their families. =s a result, I &ill have become
blame&orthy before all these -eo-le and end u- in a hellish e3istence for many
births &ith nothing to say in my defense.
If a true devotee takes birth in any family, &hatever its social status, then that
entire family is -urified by his -resence. 0is mother/s life is successful. 0is home
and the land of his birth is glorious. 0is ancestors in heaven dance in )oy that a
devotee has taken birth amongst their descendants and out of the e3-ectation
that they &ill receive oblations of mah-prasda and the Lord/s caramta to bring
them good fortune. If I fall from the standard of behavior e3-ected of a saintly
-erson and Vaishnava, then immediately all the generations of my family &ill fall
into hell. Kan I fall do&n in this &ay and become the shame and misfortune of my
entire familyP Bust as a dro- of ink on a &hite cloth is clearly visible, the
misbehavior of a -erson &ho has taken to the religious life stands out and attracts
the criticisms of all.
Mven so, one should not stick to the s-iritual life sim-ly out of fear of being
criticiIed. Cevotion to the Lord is the natural activity of the soul. If one takes u-
the -ath of such devotion according to the scri-tural in)unctions, not only is one/s
-ersonal &elfare assured, but that of everyone in the &orld.
Initiation is the Transmission of Di$ine ,no&%edge
5r+la ?an(tana *osv(m+ further e3-lains d&" as the transmission of divine
kno&ledge. ,he follo&ing verse is from the 9ishnu-ymalaF
divya) jna) yat dadyt
"uryt ppasya sa"ayam
tasmd d&"eti s pr"t
dei"ais tattva-"vidai!
,hose &ho are e3-ert in the study of the revealed scri-tures consider d&" to
be the -rocess &hich gives one transcendental kno&ledge and causes the
destruction of all sinful reactions. (7ari-bha"ti-vilsa !.X$

,he s-iritual master gives his disci-le kno&ledge of " basic tenets of s-iritual
kno&ledge, the daa-mla, consisting of the authoritative source of kno&ledge
(prama$>the Vedic scri-tures and the cryas in the disci-lic succession>and
the nine prameyas, the nine elements &hich are -roved by this authority. ,hese
include seven as-ects of relationshi-s (sambandha$, namely 'rishna 0imselfJ
'rishna/s energiesJ 'rishna/s divine mood (rasa$J the soul, its bondage and its
liberationJ the inconceivable oneness and difference of the Lord and the individual
soulJ the abhidheya, bhakti, and the prayjana, love of *od. ,he one &ho besto&s
the divine grace of this kno&ledge on his disci-le is the su-reme benefactor-the
s-iritual master.
Because the s-iritual master recogniIes the ca-acity of the disci-le to take u-
either the vaidh& or rgnug devotional -aths, he is a kno&er of the science of
'rishna. ,his is the defining characteristic of the divine -rece-tor.
"ib vipra "ib nys& dra "ene naya
jei "a tattva vett sei guru haya
%hether one belongs to the brahmin, dra or any other caste, or to the
sannysa or any other rama, if he kno&s the science of 'rishna, he is qualified
to be a guru. (Chaitanya Charitmta !.L.!L$
,he disci-le a--roaches such a -rece-tor &ith humility, honest inquiry, and a s-irit
of service and learns the divine kno&ledge of sambandha, abhidheya, and prayjana.
,hen the disci-le takes u- the -ath of &orshi-, for one &ho &orshi-s is e3alted,
&hereas a nondevotee is lo&ly and insignificant>jei bhaje sei baa, abha"ta h&na
chra (Chaitanya Charitmta D.E.GH$. Bust learning a fe& im-ressive and
kno&ledgeable#sounding verses by heart and becoming a -latform lecturer and
giving s-eeches is not adequate for obtaining the Lord/s mercy. ,he -roof of one/s
realiIation or s-iritual e3-erience is his bhajana. It is not enough to be able to
e3-lain the offenses to the 0oly Aame (nmpardha$, its reflection (nmbhsa$,
and the full manifestation of its gloriesJ one has to give u- offenses and chant the
0oly Aames in a -ure devotional attitude and taste their s&eetness for oneself.
,hen only &ill the Lord in the form of 0is o&n name be -leased and destroy all
obstacles to the -ractitioner/s s-iritual life and, ultimately, besto& love of *od on
him.
,he Bh(gavata religion (bhgavata-dharma$ consists of all the instructions the Lord
0imself gave to 0is o&n students such as =r)una and Sddhava. ,his religion is the
-rocess by &hich even the most ignorant and unlearned -erson can easily attain
direct contact &ith the Lord. <ne should consider the s-iritual master to be one/s
&orshi-able deity and take instruction from him in the Bh(gavata Charma0 ,hen
one should engage in a life of devotion, cultivating consciousness of the Lord
according to the guru/s direction.
guru-mu"ha-padma-v"ya cittete "ariy ai"ya
ra n "ariha mane
r& guru carae rati, ei se uttama gati
je prasde pre sarva
.i3 your mind on the &ords emanating from the lotus mouth of the s-iritual
master. :lace your ho-es in nothing else. =ffection for the guru/s lotus feet is
the ultimate goal, for by his mercy all of one/s as-irations are realiIed.
(Aarottama d(sa, >rema-bha"ti-candri"$
,he blessings of the guru result in liberation from all obstacles arising out of one/s
o&n im-urities and the ho-e for the intimate service of ,heir Lordshi-s 1adha and
4(dhava comes to fruition and one/s life becomes successful. <nce the disci-les
have received the D!#syllable $ah-mantra and >cartri"a initiation in the L#
syllable mantra, they still have many things to learn from the s-iritual master. ,he
various as-ects of devotional -ractice &hich must be learned from the guru are
e3-lained in more detail in the ne3t cha-ter.
If one has no devotion for the s-iritual master, &ho is a form of the Lord>0is
pra"a-vigraha>or for the -ure devotees &ho are fi3ed u- in divine attachment for
the Lord, then there is no &ay that he can fathom the vast ocean of the scri-tures
and discover their essential teachings. ,his is stated in the %vetvatara 1panishad
(G.!D$F
yasya deve par bha"tir
yath deve tath gurau
tasyaite "athit hy arth!
pra"ante mahtmana!
<nly unto those great souls &ho have im-licit faith in both the Lord and the
s-iritual master, &ho is 0is manifestation and non#different from 0im, are all
the im-orts of Vedic kno&ledge automatically revealed.
Chapter "III
Duties of an Initiated Discip%e
=nyone &ho has taken shelter of and initiation from a genuine Vaishnava guru
automatically garners the right to serve the Lord/s deity form. Indeed, the
>acartra scri-tures (also kno&n as Fgamas$ say that if one does not do so, he
incurs faultF
labdhv mantra) tu y nitya)
nrcayen mantra-devatm
sarva-"arma-phala) tasy-
ni(a) yacchati devat
If one has been initiated and does not regularly &orshi- his mantra/s deity,
then the deity sees to it that all his -ro)ects fail. (7ari-bha"ti-vilsa
D.D$
It must be remembered, ho&ever, that &ithout the a--ro-riate conduct, or sad-
cra, one cannot engage in the &orshi- of the deity0 ,herefore the moral conduct
a--ro-riate to a Vaishnava is absolutely necessary to one/s s-iritual advancement.
,he definition of sad-cra is found in the 9ishnu >urana (D..D$F
sdhava! "&a-ds tu
sac-chabda! sdhu-vca"a!
tem caraa) yat tu
sad-cra! sa ucyate
,he sadhu is one &hose faults have been eliminated. ,he &ord sat refers to
the sadhu. ,he behavior of the sadhus is therefore kno&n as sad-cra.
(7ari-bha"ti-vilsa D.L$
It is further stated in the 'haviyttara >urana,
cra-prabhav dharma!
santa ccra-la"a!
sdhn) ca yath vtta)
sa sad-cra iyate
cra eva dharmasya
mla) rjan "ulasya ca
crd vicyut jantur
na "ul&n na dhrmi"a!
/harma (religion$ is based in conduct. ?aintly -ersons are also recogniIed by
their conduct. ,hus the activities of the saintly are given the name sad-cra0
Cuty and nobility are rooted in conduct, < king[ 0e &ho does not maintain
standards of conduct is neither noble nor righteous.
(7ari-bha"ti-vilsa D.N#G$
6ad-cra com-rises all as-ects of an initiated devotee/s behavior, from broad
matters of the regulative -rinci-les to one/s daily routine, from rising in the
brahma-muhrta -eriod until he takes rest at night. ,hey also include various
regular duties related to s-ecific days such as Mk(daR+s and feast days. =ll of
these things have been described in such religious la&books as the 7ari-bha"ti-
vilsa.
0ari#bhakti#vil(sa, ho&ever, gives far more regulation than is -ossible for anyone
to follo&. ,he disci-le should therefore seek s-ecific instruction from the s-iritual
master about &hat e3actly he must or must not do. ,he essence of all instructions,
ho&ever, should be ke-t in mind. ,hat essence is to al&ays remember the s-iritual
master, the Vaishnavas, and the ?u-reme Lord, and the essence of all -rohibitions
is to never forget them. %hatever in)unctions and -rohibitions are found in the
scri-ture are merely variations on this theme.
Instructions of the Spiritua% )aster
,< ,0M ?,SCMA, :1M:=1IA* ,< ,='M IAI,I=,I<A
,he second cha-ter of the 7ari-bha"ti-vilsa discusses the -rocess of initiation.
S-on being initiated, the disci-le should immediately chant the mantra "L times.
<ne should chant one/s mantra understanding that there is no distinction bet&een
the initiating s-iritual master, the mantra given by the guru, and the deity of that
mantra. =fter doing so, the disci-le should take instruction from the s-iritual
master in the various activities &hich go &ith kno&ledge of the mantra, such as
the nysas, dhynas, and other as-ects of devotional ritual.
,he general duties of the initiated disci-le are called samaya in ?anskrit, or
agreement. ,he 7ari-bha"ti-vilsa gives t&o lists of samayas. ,he first (&hich
contains nine rules$ comes from the >acartra literature, and the second contains
"E -rescri-tions and -rohibitions from the 9ishnu-ymala0 0ere I &ill comment on
some items of devotional service. <thers have been e3-lained else&here in this
book in greater detail.
,eeping the )antra Secret
($ ,he Arada-pacartra list begins &ith the follo&ing instructionF
sva-mantr npade(avy
va"tavya ca na sa)sadi
gpan&ya) tath stra)
ra"a&ya) ar&ravat
,he guru tells the disci-le not to instruct anyone in the mantra -ublicly, nor
reveal his mantra in a -ublic assembly. <ne should al&ays kee- the mantra
and the scri-tures containing confidential material like the %r&mad 'hgavatam
and details about -u)a secret>-rotecting them as he &ould his o&n body.
(7ari-bha"ti-vilsa !.DG$
Mlse&here in 7ari-bha"ti-vilsa (!.EG$, another verse is quoted from the
6ammhana-tantra &hich also says that one should kee- his i(a-devat, his guru
and his mantra secret. It also says that he should also kee- his )a-a#mala hidden
&hich is &hy *au;+ya Vaishnavas al&ays kee- their )a-a beads hidden from vie&
in a cloth bag.
gpayed devatm i()
gpayed gurum tmana!
gpayec ca nija) mantra)
gpayen nija-mli"m
0o&ever, some -eo-le incorrectly inter-ret the &ords sva-mantr npade(avya! to
mean that the guru should not initiate any disci-le in the same mantra that he has
received from his guru. If this is the case, then &hat does the guru do at the time
of giving mantra to his disci-le>make one to measure by cutting a &ord here and
adding another there according to his &himsP %ould this not disru-t the mantra,
interfering &ith its already -erfect formP ,here are so many mantras, each &ith a
fi3ed number of syllables, such as the four#, si3#, eight#, "#, !#, L#, or D!#syllable
mantras. Cid the guru receive them from his -redecessor gurus in a transformed
stateP =nd even if he did, does he have the right to transform it again before
&his-ering it into his disci-le/s earP If so, the original, genuine article &ould soon
get lost forever amidst all the transformed and disfigured mantras[
,he mantra is said to be the :ara` Brahman/s sound incarnation. If that is the
case, then &ho has the authority or -o&er to change it or reduce it in siIeP %ill not
any guru &ho gives or a disci-le &ho acce-ts such a disfigured mantra have to
suffer the consequences of his offensive action by entering a hellish state after
deathP
Is this actually the rule &hich is a--lied at initiationP I have -ersonally seen a
hand&ritten mantra given by a so#called guru from a *osv(m+ family to his
disci-les, in &hich he deliberately made s-elling mistakes and left out entire
&ords. %hen I sa& it, I realiIed that the guru had likely been trying to follo& this
misconceived understanding of the above verse and at the same time trying to
kee- his disci-le under his influence by giving him an incom-lete mantra.
=nother incorrect inter-retation of the above verse is given as follo&sF ?ome say
that if you have received the L#syllable mantra from your s-iritual master, that is
your o&n mantra, or sva-mantra0 7ou are, in this understanding, not to instruct your
disci-le in this mantra, but to give him another, such as the "#syllable mantra. 4y
question is, ho& is the -rinci-le of disci-lic succession maintained in this caseP
?hould a s-iritual master not initiate his disci-le in the same mantra that he has
received from his guruP If he has himself been initiated in the L#syllable mantra,
&hat gives him the right to innovate by giving the "#syllable mantra to his o&n
disci-leP 0o& then has he maintained the -rinci-le of adherence to the -ath of
s-iritual life set out by the -revious teachers in the disci-lic successionP ,he very
-rinci-le of the parampar &ill lose its integrity if this distorted conce-t of initiation
is follo&ed.
%e have to look more closely at the grammar of the verse sva-mantr
npade(avy va"tavya ca na sa)sadi. ?ince the negative -article na a--ears t&ice
in this line, some -eo-le divide it into t&o se-arate -arts, sva-mantr npade(avy
and ca sa)sadi na va"tavya!. ,he first -art then means one should not instruct his
disci-le in his o&n mantra, i.e., the mantra &hich he himself has received from his
guru. In fact, &e should take the &ord sa)sadi, in the assembly, or, in -ublic,
to be read &ith both verbs in the verse. ,hus, &e arrive at the idea that one
should not instruct his disci-le in his mantra in -ublic, nor should he s-eak it aloud
in -ublic. ,he intelligent reader can )udge &hether this inter-retation of the verse
is more logical or closer to the original intention of the author than that of the
caste *osv(m+s.
,here is another school of thought according to &hich dras should be given a
different mantra than u--er#caste Vaishnavas. 1ather than giving them a mantra
&ith praava ()$ and the &ord svh, the gurus of this school give a mantra &ith
another seed syllable and the &ord nama!. ?ometimes they give a mantra &ithout
any seed syllable at all, sim-ly attaching the &ord nama!. %e &onder &hether
these kinds of gurus are trying to free themselves from any -ossibility of
contamination &hich may come from taking disci-les from the lo&er caste. But
does anyone have the right to disfigure or transform the mantra according to his or
her &himP Is there not something offensive about taking something &hich is a
com-lete &hole and cutting it u- into bitsP
?ince ?an(tana *osv(m+ :rabhu has not commented on this -articular verse, &e
have e3-lained it according to the teachings and e3am-le of our o&n revered
s-iritual master.
5ther Instructions from the >9rada*pa?car9tra
,o return to the other samayasF
:H+
vaiavn) par bha"tir
cry) vieata!
pjana) ca yath-a"ti
tn pann) ca playet
,he disci-le should be devoted to all the Vaishnavas, but in -articular to the
cryas. 0e should -erform -u)a to them according to his ability, and -rotect
them if they are ever in danger. In other &ords, the disci-le should make all
efforts to serve the Vaishnavas, using his life energy, &ealth, intelligence, and
&ords. (7ari-bha"ti-vilsa !.DH$
(D$ %hen taking the flo&ers and other &aste materials from the tem-le, the
disci-le should carry them on his head. ,hey should be dis-osed of into running
&ater and never be allo&ed to touch the ground. <ne should al&ays be careful not
to sho& any disres-ect for these things as they have been sanctified by use in the
tem-le and are considered prasda0
(E$ ,he disci-le should consider his &orshi-able deity, Vishnu, to be -resent in the
moon and the sun, in the co&, in the =Rvattha tree, and in fire, as &ell as &ithin
the body of the guru and the brahmins.
(N$ ,he disci-le should never remain in a -lace &here he kno&s that his s-iritual
master has been blas-hemed. 0e should immediately fi3 his mind on the ?u-reme
Lord and leave the scene. It is very dangerous to listen to the criticism of one/s
o&n guru. ?cri-ture saysF < A(rada[ Aever listen to someone &ho has
blas-hemed the s-iritual master, the ?u-reme Lord, or the scri-tures. Aever live in
the same -lace &ith such a -erson, nor indulge in conversation &ith him.
(G$ ,he disci-le should remember his i(a-mantra es-ecially &hen &alking,
about to leave on a tri-, giving in charity, early in the morning, and &henever
a&ay from home.
(H$ If the disci-le has a &ondrous divine vision, either in dreams or in a &aking
state, he should not reveal it to anyone other than the guru.
In another >acartra te3t, it is said that (L$ the disci-le should not eat fish or
meatJ (X$ he should not eat from a -late made of bell metal, or leaves of the holy
fig treeJ ("$ he should not s-it or blo& his nose in the tem-le roomJ ($ he should
not enter the inner sanctum of the deities &ith any kind of foot&ear on.
,eeping the .9da@1 "o&
In the same te3t it is said that the disci-le (!$ should not eat on Mk(daR+, or in the
&a3ing or &aning -hases of the moon. 0e should -erform a s-ecial -u)a on
Mk(daR+ and should kee- vigil on that night. ,his is stated in 7ari-bha"ti-vilsa
(!.EH$>jgara) nii "urv&ta viec crcayed vibhum. In this verse, the &ord
viet has been e3-lained in ?an(tana/s commentary as follo&sF vied iti anya-
tithibhy vieea e"day) tatrpi vieat jgarae#rcayed ity artha!0 ,hat is, <n
Mk(daR+ one should kee- vigil in a &ay that is not done on other nights. %hile
maintaining this vigil, one should -erform s-ecial &orshi- of the deity.
,here are, in fact in)unctions for the vigil to the effect that in each of the three#
hour -eriods or prahras of the night, one should engage in s-ecial &orshi-
activities such as -u)a, making food offerings, -erforming rtri"a, reading loudly
from scri-tures, and chanting the 0oly Aames and other hymns congregationally.
Injunctions from the "ishnu*y9ma%a
In another >acartra Fgama named the 9ishnu-ymala, it is said that even before
receiving the mantra from the guru, the disci-le must agree to follo& "E rules. It
is stated that the s-iritual master must attentively e3amine a -ros-ective disci-le
for at least a year and e3-lain these "E rules and regulations to him. <f these,
there are N! in)unctions, given as follo&sF
($ to rise during the brahma-muhrtaJ
(!$ to &ake the deity of 4ah(vi82uJ
(D$ to -erform the light ceremony, magalrtri"a, to the deity &ith musical
instrumentsJ
(E$ to take a morning bath according to the rulesJ
(N$ to -ut on a -air of -ure and ne& garments, i.e., an u--er and lo&er garmentJ
H
U<ne may &onder ho& someone &ho is engaged in daily &orshi- of the deity can
-ossibly -rocure ne& clothes every single day. :erha-s some very rich -ersons can
afford to do so, but this is not -ossible for everyone. ?o this in)unction should be
understood to mean that one/s garments should daily be &ashed in -ure &ater.VJ
(G$ to &orshi- one/s -ersonal deity U?an(tana *osv(m+ says that this means
offering &ater &hile one is taking one/s bath, and does not refer to the tem-le
deity &orshi-, &hich is en)oined se-arately.VJ
(H$ to make the tilak markings on the forehead &ith gp&candana or some other
-ure clay or earth, such as that from 1adha 'und or the base of a tulas& -lantJ
(L$ using gp&candana to daily decorate the body &ith the five &ea-ons of Lord
Vishnu, namely the conch, discus, mace, s&ord, and bo&J Uthis custom is not
follo&ed by the *au;+ya Vaishnavas &ho sim-ly mark t&elve -arts of the body
&ith tilakVJ
(X$ to take caramta, the &ater &hich has &ashed the deityJ
("$ to &ear necklaces made of tulas& and -recious metals or )e&elsJ U*au;+ya
Vaishnavas sim-ly &ear a fe& strands of tulas& beads around the neckVJ
($ to remove the leftover flo&ers from the deity of Vishnu and 0is altarJ
(!$ to smear the deity/s used sandal&ood on the body as prasdaJ
(D$ to &orshi- one/s -ersonal deity in the 5(lagr(ma#Ril( or the imageJ
(E$ to eat Lord Vishnu/s tulas& remnants or to -lace them on the head as a
decorationJ
(N$ to -ick tulas& leaves according to the regulationsJ
(G$ to -erform the >cartri"& meditation on the mantra three times a day
according to the regulationsJ
(H$ to tie one/s Rikh( at the beginning of &orshi- or the -erformance of sandhy(J
(L$ to make one/s offerings (tarpaa$ to the forefathers &ith Lord Vishnu/s
caramtaJ
(X$ to serve the deity (if one has the ability$, in a manner befitting a kingJ
(!"$ to -erform the regular (nitya-"riy$ and occasional (naimitti"a-"riy$ rites only
&hen they do not go against the -rinci-les of devotion to Vishnu. UAitya-"riy are
rites such as bathing and chanting one/s mantras, etc., &hile the naimitti"a-"riy
are rites of -assage, such as making offerings to the ancestors (rddha, tarpaa$,
etc.V
(!$ to -erform before sandhy and -u)a, the bhta-uddhi (self#-urification$ and
nysasJ
L
(!!$ to offer fresh seasonal fruits and flo&ers to the Lord.
The 5fferings of the De$otee and >on*de$otee
Cevotees consider -ure love of *od to be the ultimate goal of life. .ruitive &orkers
consider the ability to e3ecute their -rescribed duties, &ealth, and sense
gratification to be the goals of life, or pururthas0 ,hese are the grosser -ur-oses
&hich motivate their actions. <n a more subtle level, -hiloso-hers are interested in
the goal of liberation. Cevotees, ho&ever, consider that in all these cases, there is
either a gross or subtle desire for satisfying the -ersonal senses. ,hus they remain
as far a&ay as -ossible from the association of those &ho have these four ty-es of
selfish desire. ?uch -ersons may make a -retense of &orshi-ing the deity of
A(r(ya2a des-ite their selfish motivations, but &hen they come &ith prasda, the
devotees are reluctant to acce-t it from them as they are afraid it &ill have
negative effects on their -ure attitude of devotion. ,he Lord 0imself is eager to
acce-t the offerings of a -ure devotee, but is com-letely indifferent to the
offerings of a su-erficial devotee &ho has no interest other than his o&n sense
gratification. ,here is a verse from Chaitanya Charitmta &hich su--orts this ideaF
bha"tera dravya prabhu "i "i "hya
abha"tera dravya prabhu ula(i n cya
,he Lord snatches the food from a devotee and eats itJ 0e does not even turn
to look at the food of a nondevotee.
,he Lord took great -leasure in such ordinary food offerings such as the broken
rice of the great devotee, Vidura/s &ife, the four handfuls of flat rice brought by
?ud(m( Vi-ra, the devotee 5r+dhara/s banana flo&ers and banana tree cores, and
the coconut &ater of 1(ghava :undit. <n the other hand, the high#-riced
confections of the non#devotees such as Curyodhana held no attraction for 0im.
,hen again, though the Lord has no interest in the offerings of non#devotees, 0e
has a merciful attitude to the sim-le or those ignorant of s-iritual truths. ,hough
0e does not immediately acce-t their &orshi-, 0e guides them into the association
of devotees. ,hrough the association of -ure devotees, these innocent -ersons
(blia$ soon become conscious of Vaishnava theology. ,hen they become
fortunate enough to take shelter of a s-iritual master and learn the secrets of
&orshi-ing the ?u-reme Lord. 'rishna 0imself states in the 'hagavad-g&tF
patra) pupa) phala) tya)
y me bha"ty prayacchati
tad aha) bha"ty-upahtam
anmi prayattmana!
If someone &ith a -ure heart offers 4e a leaf, a fruit, a flo&er or some &ater
&ith devotion, I gladly acce-t his gift of love. (*&t X.!G$
,he &orshi-ers of other demigods go to great -ains to make offerings to 4e
made u- of &onderful ingredients, but since their faith is momentary, I do not
acce-t them. ,he reason is that they feel under some com-ulsion to make
these offerings and are not truly sincere.
,he Lord in 0is deity form not only acce-ts the affectionate offerings of 0is
e3clusive devotees, 0e sometimes goes so far as to actually eat them. =ccording
to the commentators, the &ords prayattmana! in the above verse is inter-reted to
mean one &hose body and mind are -ure. ,hey go on to -ara-hrase the Lord/s
&ords as follo&s, I therefore do not acce-t the offerings of someone &hose body
is im-ure, in other &ords, &omen &ho are having their monthly -eriod and others
are not to make such offerings (apavitra-ar&ratve sati nnm&ti rajasvalday
vyvtt!$.
(!D$ to regularly &orshi- the tulas& -lantJ
(!E$ to regularly &orshi- the %r&mad 'hgavatamJ
(!N$ to &orshi- Vishnu three times a day>in the morning, at midday, and in the
eveningJ
(!G$ to daily hear the %r&mad 'hgavatam and other scri-tures such as the >uranasJ
(!H$ to &ear the clothes &hich have been &orn by the deityJ
(!L$ to acce-t -ious &orks as the order of the Lord 0imself and to -erform them in
a s-irit of service, thinking, I am being engaged according to 7our &ill (yath
niyu"t#smi tath "armi$J
(!X$ to acce-t the orders of the s-iritual masterJ
(D"$ to believe in the &ords of the s-iritual masterJ
(D$ to decorate oneself &ith one/s o&n mudras (sva-mudr-racanam$.
The "aishna$a Symbo%s
?an(tana *osv(m+ e3-lains in his commentary that one/s o&n means those
&hich are related to one/s -ersonal ob)ect of &orshi- as designated by the mantra.
But he does not e3-lain the &ord mudra, &hich has several different meanings. In
the Berham-ore edition of the 7ari-bha"ti-vilsa, this &ord is e3-lained as the
tilak, etc., &hich -ertain to one/s o&n sampradya. %orshi-ers of Lak8m+#
A(r(ya2a and other devotees of the Lord/s ma)estic features not only mark their
bodies &ith the &ea-ons of the Lord (as in number L above$, but also -lace other
markings re-resenting the .ish incarnation, the ,ortoise incarnation, etc. ,hese
markings, &hich are often stam-ed on the body, are also called mudra0 ?ometimes
tapta-mudr or -ermanent markings of this sort are branded on the body by
Vaishnavas of the 4adhva or 1(m(nu)a schools. ,his is a custom that is not
follo&ed by the *au;+ya Vaishnavas.
=n e3tended descri-tion of these markings is given in the fifteenth cha-ter of the
7ari-bha"ti-vilsa0 ,here it is saidF
<n the t&elfth day of the &a3ing moon in the month of ]8(;ha (Bune#Buly$, &hen
Lord 0ari is about to go to slee-, an initiated Vaishnava should break his Mk(daR+
fast and then brand the symbols (tapta-mudr$ of Vishnu on his body.(7ari-bha"ti-
vilsa N.!E$
,his marking of the body is com-ared to a faithful &ife/s &earing the signs of
marriage such as conchshell bracelets. ,he verse mentions that Lord 0ari is about
to take rest. In fact, the -receding day is the 5ayana Mk(daR+ &hich marks the
beginning of the K(turm(sya -eriod during &hich Lord Vishnu is said to be
slee-ing. Cv(daRi is sometimes said to be an e3tension of Mk(daR+, thus this kind
of statement is -ermissible. In some circumstances, one may have the tapta-mudr
done on the Mk(daR+ day itself. ,he same in)unction is also given for :(rRva
Mk(daR+ (&hich marks the half&ay -oint in the K(turm(sya &hen Vishnu is said to
turn over in 0is slee-$ and Stth(na Mk(daR+ (at the end of the four month -eriod,
&hen Vishnu rises$.
7ari-bha"ti-vilsa (N.N!$ goes on to describe the symbols, &hich are also called
Vishnu/s five &ea-ons (pacyudha$ and &here on the body they should be
branded. Vishnu/s club named 'aumudak+ goes on the foreheadJ on the head,
Vishnu/s bo& and quiverJ over the heart goes Vishnu/s s&ord named AandakaJ
brahmins should -lace 0is discus ?udarRana on the right arm, 0is conch on the
left.
,hough these three days are set aside for the marking of the symbols of Vishnu
&ith a red#hot iron, on all other occasions Vaishnavas use gp&candana clay to
make such marks. ,hus it is said, ,he intelligent -erson daily marks himself &ith
the symbols such as the discus &ith gp&candana. <n 5ayana Mk(daR+ and other
s-ecific dates, one brands these symbols on the body. (7ari-bha"ti-vilsa E.G$
In this same cha-ter of the 7ari-bha"ti-vilsa, a section of the *autam&ya-tantra is
quoted, giving the regulations for the use of gp&candana for marking the body &ith
Vishnu/s symbolsF <ne should -lace the discus on the right arm, the conchshell on
both the left and the rightJ the mace on the left, and belo& the mace, another
discus. =bove the conchshell on both arms one should stam- the lotus. ,he s&ord
goes on the chest and the bo& along &ith the quiver go on the head. Mvery
Vaishnava should first &ear the five &ea-ons of VishnuJ then he should stam- the
symbol of the .ish incarnation on the right hand and the ,ortoise on the left. It is
also said, = brahmin should -lace ?udarRana#cakra, the .ish and lotus on his right
arm, the conch, lotus, and mace on the left arm. (7ari-bha"ti-vilsa E."#D$
?an(tana &rites in his commentary to verse that, in fact, one can -lace any of
the mudras on any -art of the body as he &ishes. ,his is further confirmed by the
7ari-bha"ti-vilsa &hich statesF =lternatively, follo&ing the traditions of his o&n
sampradya/s cryas, one can -lace the conch, discus, and other markings on any
-art of the body he likes, adding out of devotion the s-ecific markings &hich
signify his -ersonal deity. (7ari-bha"ti-vilsa E.E$
?cri-ture says that the -erson &hose body is decorated &ith markings
re-resenting the Lord/s conch, etc., can never be invaded by sin. ,hese symbols
act as a shield, or "avaca, for the Vaishnava.
.or those in our disci-lic succession (?an(tana s-ecifies in his commentary$ these
symbols are the flute, etc., &hich recall 5r+ 'rishna. In the ne3t verse (7ari-bha"ti-
vilsa E.N$, it is said that some -eo-le -lace the discus and the conchshell
together (ca"ra-a"hau ca dhryete sa)mirv eva "aicana$. ?an(tana e3-lainsF
,here can be no fault in &earing the sign of 'rishna/s conch, for it is the Lord/s
eternal associate and one of the foremost of 0is devotees. It is said that on one
occasion the &ife of a brahmin miscarried on hearing its sound. ,he brahmin &as
angry and cursed the conch to take birth as a demon. It &as during this -articular
birth as the son of the demon :aWca)anya that it received the name :(Wca)anya.
Because of this demonic connection, certain Vaishnavas -lace the sign of the
conch se-arately.
,he 7ari-bha"ti-vilsa (E.H$ states that alternatively one should stam- the body,
either &ith the names of the Lord or &ith the entire mantras such as that of eight
syllables () nryaya nama!$ or that of five syllables ("l&) "ya svh$J
(mudr v bhagavan-nmn"it v("ardibhi!$.
In our disci-lic succession, some Vaishnavas &ho &orshi- in the madhura-rasa
stam- the names of *aura, the 0are 'rishna mantra, or the Lord/s foot-rints on
their chest, arms or else&here. ,he -ur-ose of such a custom is to hel- one to
remember the Lord. ,his is also the fundamental intention behind -lacing the tilak
on t&elve -arts of the body and -lacing tulas& beads around the neck. =ll
Vaishnavas in the *au;+ya school are obliged to follo& at least this custom.
,he 7ari-bha"ti-vilsa continues &ith a quote from the Arad&ya >uranaF
Vaishnavas can be recogniIed by the tulas& or lotus#seed necklace they &ear, the
vertical marks of gp&candana or sandal&ood on their foreheads, and the signs of
the conchshell and discus on their shoulders. ?uch Vaishnavas quickly -urify the
&orld. (7ari-bha"ti-vilsa E.!D$
,he subsequent verse is similar in s-iritF I am the servant of one &hose arms are
marked &ith the symbols of Vishnu, &hose -o&er of s-eech is constantly used in
glorifying the names of the ?u-reme :erson, &ho &ears the vertical tilak lines on
his forehead, and a necklace of lotus seeds. (7ari-bha"ti-vilsa E.!E$
%e should recogniIe that it has been said -reviously that even though someone
may &ear the symbols &hich are reminders of the ?u-reme Lord, if he acts in &ays
&hich go against the -rinci-les of devotion as outlined in the scri-tures, even
-artici-ating in sinful activities, then one should not consider him &orthy of
association. 0e should, ho&ever, be offered res-ect due to his having the e3ternal
signs of a Vaishnava.
In the 'rahma >urana it is said, =nyone &ho does not offer res-ect to someone
&ho is marked &ith the symbols of 'rishna &ill lose the accumulated merit of !
years of -ious acts. (7ari-bha"ti-vilsa E.XL$
In the >adma >urana, the follo&ing statement is made about branding the symbols
on the bodyF <ne should -urify himself by looking at the sun if he should ever see
the face of an inferior human being &ho blas-hemes a devotee tattooed &ith the
symbols of Vishnu, such as the discus. (7ari-bha"ti-vilsa N.E"$
,he hand signs made at certain times in the course of &orshi-, &hich are also
kno&n as mudras, are not being indicated here in this in)unction. ,hese mudras
have names such as vhan& (used &hen calling the deity$, sthpin& (&hen seating
him$, sannidhpan& (-lacing him closer$, dhenu (the co&$, matsya (the fish$,
"rma (the tortoise$, a"ha (the conch$, ca"ra (the discus$, gad (the
mace$, padma (the lotus$, etc. In -articular, there are si3teen such hand
movements &hich are used at each stage of &orshi- &ith si3teen elements
(8apacra$.
)ore De$otiona% Princip%es
(D!$ to sing devotional songsJ
(DD$ to dance for the deityJ
X
(DE$ to make aus-icious sounds by blo&ing a conch to remind one of the LordJ
(DN$ to -ut on dramatic -erformances of the Lord/s -astimesJ
(DG$ to -erform fire sacrifices according to the scri-tural regulationsJ
(DH$ to make food offerings to the deityJ
(DL$ to invite saintly -ersons and devotees into one/s o&n homeJ
(DX$ to -erform -u)aJ
(E"$ to take the remnants of food offered to the deities and to the VaishnavasJ
(E$ to take the remnants of pn offered to the deityJ U*au;+ya Vaishnavas have
taken on the mood of 1(dh(r(2+ in 0er se-aration from 'rishna after 0e has left
for 4athur(. In this s-irit of se-aration, they are constantly seeking their Lord,
-raying, %here is the lord of my life, the -layer of the fluteP In this mood of
vipralambha, &hich &as the e3am-le set by 5r+ Khaitanya 4ah(-rabhu 0imself,
*au;+ya Vaishnavas do not -ut pn into their mouths or s&allo& it, even though it
is offered to 1adha and *ovinda as an element of their -astimes of union. 1ather
they -lace it on their heads in res-ect. <ne may offer tmbla to 5r+ Khaitanya
4ah(-rabhu in the a&areness that 0e is the combined incarnation of both 1adha
and 'rishna, but should not take and eat it after&ards, only offering it res-ect and
&orshi- as the remnants of the deity. ,he reason for this is that tmbla is
considered to be an a-hrodisiac. 5r+mat+ 1(dh(r(2+, the daughter of 'ing
VZ8abh(nu, is the incarnation of the highest as-ect of divine emotion or
mahbhva. ?he is the beloved of 'rishna, the foremost of 0is lovers, and totally
absorbed in 0imJ ?he enchants 0im &ho be&ilders even Ku-id himself. ?he offers
pn to 'rishna in order to -lease 0im by increasing 0is transcendental desire for
love. 0er only motivation in this is to -lease 0is senses. 0o&ever, if someone
-retends to acce-t prasd& pn &ithout this kind of -ure motivation, sim-ly in order
to increase one/s ca-acity to -lease his o&n senses, this cannot be a--roved by
those &ho seek to achieve -ure devotional service. Beginners on the -ath of
devotional -ractice are filled &ith contaminations and should not enter areas &hich
lie outside their realm of com-etence. ,hey may -retend to be honoring prasdaJ
but the result, ho&ever, &ill be that their hidden desires for sense en)oyment &ill
be a&akened and they &ill become sensualists. .or this reason, *au;+ya
Vaishnavas do not eat prasd& pn, but venerate it by holding it to their heads. <f
course, other kinds of prasd& foodstuffs can be eaten. But even there, 5r+la
'rishnad(sa 'avir()a *osv(m+ has &arned thatF
jihvra llase jeb iti uti dhya
indara-paryaa "a nhi pya
?omeone &ho runs back and forth out of a desire to -lease his tongue
becomes attached to his belly and genitals and does not attain 'rishna.
(Chaitanya Charitmta D.G.!!H$V
(E!$ to associate &ith Vaishnavas U,here are many scri-tural quotes &hich
illustrate the im-ortance of such association, and these have been discussed in an
earlier cha-terVJ
(ED$ to inquire into -articular as-ects of duty, i.e., religious duties connected &ith
devotional serviceJ
(EE$ to follo& the -articular fasting rules governing the three days from CaRam+ to
Cv(daR+ U=ccording to 7ari-bha"ti-vilsa, on CaRam+ and Cv(daRi, one should eat
only once at midday, taking haviynna, a gruel &ithout salt or s-ices. <n Mk(daR+,
one should fast &ithout taking even &ater. =lternatively one can take anu"alpa, a
token amount of non#grain prasda. <ne should be fi3ed in faithfully kee-ing one/s
vo&s on these three days, as long as one is in good health.V
!"
J
(EN$ to observe the Vaishnava feasts and holy days and go on -ilgrimages
U?an(tana *osv(m+ comments that feasts and holy days include Banm(89am+,
etc., &hile -ilgrimage refers to visiting tem-les, etc. By e3tension, this in)unction
refers to making tulas& and flo&er gardens, etc.VJ
(EG$ to observe the eight s-ecial days U,he eight s-ecial days (vsar(a"am$ are
the eight great Cv(daRis>Snm+lan+, VyaW)ul+, ,ris-ZR(, :ak8avardhin+, Bay(,
Vi)ay(, Bayant+, :(-an(Rin+VJ
(EH$ to make the a--ro-riate offerings of foodstuffs and service to the deity
according to each season, if -ossible, in the royal style U?an(tana gives the
e3am-le of the s&ing festival in the s-ring as a ty-e of service a--ro-riate to that
seasonVJ
(EL$ to follo& all the s-ecial Vaishnava observancesJ
(EX$ to think of the s-iritual master as *odJ U,here are many verses &hich should
be studied in connection &ith this idea. ?ome of them areF
s"d-dharitvena samasta-strair
u"tas tath bhvyata eva sadbhi!
"intu prabhr ya! priya eva tasya
vande gur! r&-cararavindam
I &orshi- the lotus feet of my s-iritual master, &ho is said by all scri-tures to
be Lord 0ari 0imself, and is indeed thought of that &ay by all the saints. But
this identity is due to his being very dear to the Lord.
(ViRvan(tha Kakravart+/s *urva(a"am, H$
mu"unda-pre(hatve smara param ajasra) nanu mana!
< mind[ ,hink of the guru as the one &ho is most dear to 4ukunda.
(1aghun(tha d(sa/s $ana!i", !$
crya) m) vijn&yn
nvamanyeta "arhicit
na martya-buddhysyeta
sarva-deva-may guru!
'no& the guru to be 4y very self and never disdain him. Aever think of him as
an ordinary man, for the guru is the sum total of all the demigods.
(%r&mad 'hgavatam .H.!H$VJ
(N"$ to take care of the tulas& -lant and daily collect her leavesJ
(N$ to serve the deity and guru by -utting them to rest &ith foot massages and a
-ro-er bed to slee- on, etc.J
(N!$ at the time of going to bed to remember 1(ma and 0is entourage, for it is
said,
rma) s"anda) hanumanta)
vainateya) v"daram
ayane ya! smaren nitya)
du!svapnas tasya nayati
<ne &ho remembers 1(ma, ?kanda, 0anum(n, *aru;a or Bh+ma before
going to bed &ill never have nightmares. (7ari-bha"ti-vilsa
.NN$J
The Prohibitions from the "ishnu*y9ma%a
,hese are the fifty#t&o rules &hich an initiated disci-le is e3-ected to follo&. ,here
are also fifty#t&o -rohibitions listed in the same 9ishnu-ymala. =n initiated disci-le
is forbiddenF
(ND$ to slee- at dusk or da&nJ
(NE$ to go to the toilet &ithout cleansing himself after&ard &ith earthJ
(NN$ to -erform camana &hile standingJ
(NG$ to sit on the guru/s seatJ
(NH$ to sit before the s-iritual master &ith his legs s-read outJ
(NL$ to ste- across the s-iritual master/s shado&J
(NX$ to miss his morning bath as long as he is in good health>if ill, he should take
bath mentally and then -ut on clean clothesJ
(G"$ to miss -erforming his daily &orshi- of the deity>unless he is inca-ableJ
(G$ to forget to a&aken the deity and the s-iritual master and to greet them in
the morningJ
(G!$ to make a dis-lay of his learning before the s-iritual masterJ
(GD$ to sit on his hams before the s-iritual masterJ
!
(GE$ to -ut tilak on &ithout uttering the -ro-er formulaJ
(GN$ to do camana &ithout uttering the -ro-er formulaJ
(GG$ to &ear a blue clothJ
(GH$ to make friendshi- &ith non#devotees U=s Aarottama &rites in >rema-bha"ti-
candri"F "arm& jn& mich bha"ta n habe the anura"ta>Co not -lace your
affections in fruitive &orkers, im-ersonal -hiloso-hers, and false devoteesVJ
(GL$ to read te3ts &hich do not teach devotional serviceJ
(GX$ to be attached to trivial matters and -leasuresJ
(H"$ to eat meat or drink alcoholic beveragesJ
(H$ to take other into3icating substancesJ
(H!$ to eat red lentils (masura$ and other foods in the mode of ignorance such as
burnt rice, etc.J
(HD$ to eat "a, tumb&, or "alaja, etc.J U%"a here refers to certain kinds of leaves
&hich adversely affect the eyesight, or bodily strength, in short any kind of
vegetable that is bad for the health. <f course there are many other kinds of
leaves such as pa(la-"a, vst"a or beth "a, nalit (s-inach -re-ared from the
leaves of the hem- -lant$ and other kinds of s-inach &hich are allo&ed. 9st"a
s-inach &as -articularly dear to 5r+ Khaitanya 4ah(-rabhu. %e follo&
Bhaktivinoda Oh(kura in daily singingF
gaura priya "a sevane j&vana srtha"a mni
I consider my life -erfect &hen I eat the s-inach &hich &as so dear to *aura.
u"t "di bhji nlit "um8a
7aRod( serves u"t, various kinds of s-inach, dee- fried vegetables, )ute
s-inach, and -um-kin.
3umb& is also called almbu and is commonly kno&n in Bengali as lu, in Mnglish,
bottle#gourd. %hat is being forbidden here are certain kinds of gourds such as
the round tumba, the &hite lu, and the bitter gourd, and not every kind of -um-kin
or squash. 4ah(-rabhu &as -articularly fond of a -re-aration made from lu and
milk. <n the evening before taking sannysa, he ate the lu brought by 0is devotee
5r+dhara, &hich &as cooked &ith milk by 0is mother, 5ac+.
,he definition of "alaja is found in the ?anskrit dictionary %abda-"alpa-druma as
follo&sF vistra-hata-mga-pa"iau>an animal or bird struck &ith a -oison
&ea-on, or the flesh of such a creature.
!!
It is also described as being dried
meat. ,he &ords na "alaja) bha"ayet (do not eat "alaja$ are also found in the
1panishads. <ther scri-tures also state that eating dried meat, having se3ual
relations &ith a &oman older than oneself, the rays of the early morning sun, curds
made &ith milk )ust given by the co&, se3ual activity, and slee-ing after sunrise
are all said to vitiate the life energy. In the ,ret( and Cv(-ar( 7ugas, "atriyas
&ere -ermitted to eat the meat of animals &hich they had hunted themselves. In
the 'ali 7uga, ho&ever, there are several ty-es of behavior kno&n as the "ali-
varjya &hich are not -ermitted. ,hese are five in numberF the -erformance of the
horse sacrifice (avamedha-yaja$, the co&#sacrifice (g-medha yaja$, the
renunciation of &orks ("arma-sannysa$, making offerings of meat to the
forefathers, and the custom of having one/s younger brother sire offs-ring to
maintain the family lineage (Chaitanya Charitmta .L.GE$.
avamedha) gavlambha)
sannysa) palapait"am
devarea suttpatti)
"alau paca vivarjayet
,he &ord etc. in the original verse describing this rule is said by ?an(tana
*osv(m& to mean egg-lant. In the eighth cha-ter of 7ari-bha"ti-vilsa, verses GE#
GN, there is a list of forbidden foods &hich includes things such as onions and
garlicF
(HE$ to take foodstuff offered by a nondevoteeJ
(HN$ to follo& any s-ecial observances related to gods other than VishnuJ
(HG$ to chant any formula other than mantras of VishnuJ
(HH$ to engage in any kind of black magic rites such as mraa (meant to kill
someone$, ucc(ana (meant to cause someone distress$, or va&"araa (to bring
someone under one/s thrall$J
(HL$ to &orshi- the deity &ith inferior ingredients &hen he is ca-able of doing
betterJ
(HX$ to allo& himself to be overcome by emotions such as griefJ
(L"$ to observe Mk(daR+ &hen it overla-s &ith CaRam+J
(L$ to differentiate bet&een the Mk(daR+ of the &a3ing fortnight and that of the
&aning fortnightJ Uin other &ords, fast on either Mk(daR+ should be observed
&ithout making any distinction.V
(L!$ to engage in illegal business -ractices or to gambleJ
(LD$ to eat fruits and such on a fast day if he is ca-able of fasting com-letelyJ
(LE$ to -erform the rddha ceremony on Mk(daR+J
(LN$ to slee- during the day on Cv(daRiJ
(LG$ to -ick tulas& leaves on Cv(daRiJ
(LH$ to avoid bathing Vishnu on Cv(daRiJ
(LL$ to -erform the rddha ceremony &ith something other than Vishnu/s prasdaJ
(LX$ to -erform vddhi-rddha (an offering to the -rogenitors on any -ros-erous
occasion such as the birth of a son, etc.$ &ithout tulas& leavesJ
(X"$ to -erform a rddha ceremony &ith a non#Vaishnava -riest Uto &hich
?an(tana adds, &here there are no Vaishnavas -resent, or &here something
other than Vishnu/s prasda is used to make the oblationsVJ
(X$ to use other &ater to -urify himself &ith camana after having drunk
caramtaJ
(X!$ to &orshi- the Lord &hile sitting on a &ooden seat U<ne may do so as long as
he is not sitting directly on the &ood, i.e., on a -iece of cloth s-read over the
&ood.VJ
(XD$ to engage in useless conversation &hile -erforming the deity/s &orshi- or
-u)aJ
(XE$ to &orshi- &ith the oleander
!D
and other -oisonous flo&ers like the milk&eed
(caltrpis gigantea$J
(XN$ to use iron im-lements in &orshi-J
(XG$ to &ear horiIontal tilak like the 5aivitesJ
(XH$ to use any im-ure or un&ashed item in &orshi-ing the deity, or to &orshi-
&ith an unattentive mindJ
(XL$ to -ay obeisances &ith only one hand or to circumambulate only one timeJ
(XX$ to offer the deity leftover foodstuffs or foodstuffs &hich have been
contaminated by the touch of leftoversJ
(""$ to chant the mantra &ithout counting the number of times one does so U,he
mantra being referred to here is the one &hich has a seed syllable and contains
the &ord svh or nama! and has been given by the s-iritual master. ,he
regulation is that one should al&ays chant the mantra a fi3ed number of times
daily. ,his does not a--ly to the $ah-mantra (0are 'rishna$ &hich can either be
chanted on beads according to a fi3ed number or aloud &ithout counting.VJ
("$ to reveal his mantra to anyoneJ
("!$ due to engaging in some sinful act, to miss the -rinci-al occasions for the
-erformance of devotional acts, or
("D$ to engage in the -erformance of religious acts at times other than
-rescribedJ
("E$ to sho& reluctance to take Vishnu prasda.
The Initiation Ceremony
=ll Vaishnavas should be careful to avoid engaging in any of these -rohibited acts.
Before giving initiation, the guru should instruct a -ros-ective disci-le in these
fifty#t&o -rescri-tions and fifty#t&o -rohibitions. ,he disci-le should acce-t each
one of these in)unctions by saying b8ham, or I acce-t. %hen the disci-le has
agreed to do everything, the guru should make him -erform the ceremony of the
lights and then &orshi- the deity. %hen he has done so, the guru can &his-er the
mantra into his right ear.
ag&"re "te b8ha)
tan-n&rjana-prva"am
deva-pj) "rayitv
da"a-"are mantra) japet
=fter being so initiated, the disci-le, no& com-letely fulfilled, should rise and
then -rostrate himself before the s-iritual master, -lacing his head on the
guru/s feet for as long as he is -ermitted. ,hen asking him for his blessings, the
disci-le should give the guru gifts to the limit of his ca-acity.
(7ari-bha"ti-vilsa !.HX$
=fter &orshi-ing his s-iritual master, he should go on to &orshi- the other
Vaishnavas according to his ca-acity and then feed them all. =fter receiving the
blessings of the guru and the Vaishnavas, he should take their -ermission and then
sit do&n himself and eat along &ith his family and friends. ,he fortunate -erson
&ho follo&s this scri-tural -rocedure for initiation &ill certainly live a long and
blessed life, fulfilling all his dreams.
=ll the -ara-hernalia, such as a &ater-ot &hich has been used in -erforming the
initiation rituals, should be res-ectfully offered to the s-iritual master as gifts
(da"i$, even if he does not request they be given him. ,he guru &ill likely ask for
nothing more of his student than that he honor his teachings. Aevertheless, the
disci-le should not demonstrate miserliness, but rather -resent the guru &ith
a--ro-riate gifts of land, co&s, clothing, gold, or &hatever is &ithin his -o&er. 0e
should also seek to satisfy the guru/s &ife and children &ith -resents such as gold
ornaments. 0o&ever, if a -oor disci-le can do nothing more than offer himself &ith
heartfelt sincerity, the s-iritual master &ill be content.
?cholars of the scri-tures have given the name d&" to the -rocess by &hich a
living entity gains divine kno&ledge and, abandoning the ha--iness that comes
from the -ushing and -ulling of tem-oral sense ob)ects, enters into the search for
eternal devotion to Lord 'rishna. ,he secondary result of this -rocess is that all his
tendencies to sin are com-letely eliminated. ,he s-iritual master/s real satisfaction
comes from seeing the disci-le/s sincere effort to engage in devotional service
&ithout any as-iration to &orldly en)oyments, liberation or yogic -o&ers. ,his
attitude is called the jna-sandea-da"i, or the gift of the sincere search for
kno&ledge. .alse teachers seek service, fame, &ealth, and other gains from their
disci-les, &hile a real guru is ha--y sim-ly to see his disci-le/s increasing desire
for &orshi-ing the Lord.
=fter giving the mantra to his disci-le, the s-iritual master should himself chant it
,""L times in order to -reserve his o&n ability to e3-erience the mantra/s -o&er
(s(a) sahasra) tan-mantra) sva-a"ty-a"ataye japet-7ari-bha"ti-vilsa !.L$.
Chapter IA
Disa )antra and the (o%y >ame
<n ?unday, the third of Cecember, XGH, an intriguing ne&s item a--eared in the
4nanda 'aIar >atri"a, an im-ortant Kalcutta ne&s-a-er. ,he headline read,
4iracles ?till 0a--ening ,oday. ,he story had been sent in on the -revious day
by a staff re-orter from =li-ore C&ar, &ho &roteF
,he youngest son of 'ulu- Khandra Cas of the Khekmari area of 4adari 0at &as
bitten by a snake. 4any ayurvedic doctors and e3orcists &ere called in to no avail.
.inally an allo-athic doctor came and declared the -oisoned child to be dead. Mven
so, his -arents &anted to see if there &as some last chance at saving their son.
,hey had heard of a small community of e3orcists, or jhs, &ho lived near the
village of Bogribari 0at, located bet&een :halakata and Batesh&ar, and &ho
a--arently kne& ho& to cure snakebites.
<ne of these jhs came to Khekmari and, after chanting a s-ell over three small
shells, sent them off to find the snake that had bitten the child. Snder the effects
of the s-ell, the snake came out of its hiding -lace and slithered into 'ulu- Cas/
home. ,he three shells that the jh had recited his incantation over &ere stuck to
the snake/s head, back and tail.
.or an entire day and night, the snake sucked the -oison out of the body of 'ulu-
Cas/s son from the same s-ot &here it had bitten him. ,hen suddenly, the child/s
body rose from the dead. ,housands of -eo-le &itnessed this event.
,he re-orter did not mention &hen all this took -lace, but this is not the only
incident of its kind. ,he amaIing -o&er of such mantras or s-ells can still be seen
today &orking in various different areas of life. In my home village of
*angananda-ur in Bessore district, there &as a leather &orker named 0ari-ada
4uchi &ho &as a very good jh &ho also kne& ho& to cure snakebites by
incantations of this sort. 0e once told me, Snless one has com-lete faith in the
guru and the mantra he has given, he &ill never directly e3-erience its -otency.
,here are numerous s-ells that &ork against ghostly -ossession or snakebite. Mven
though these s-ells may be in a vulgar dialect and call on the -o&er of some lo&er
god, they are still seen to be remarkably effective. If such mantras are seen to
-roduce results, then &e should inquire into the reason &hy the -o&erful mantras
of si3, eight, ", !, L, or D! syllables, sanctified by the -resence of the seed
syllable and the &ords of surrender (svh or nama!$ do not reveal their innate
-otencies, even &hen they have come do&n in a -ure disci-lic succession. :erha-s
&e should consider the leather &orker from *angananda-ur/s insight, for he has
clearly divined the reason for our failure.
The Potency of "ishnu*mantras
,he ?u-reme Lord/s a"tyvea avatar Vedavy(sa hinted at the same thing many
centuries ago in his >adma >uranaF
arcye viau il-dh&r guruu nara-matir
vaiave jti-buddhir
vir v vaiavn) "ali-mala-mathane
pda-t&rthe #mbu-buddhi!
r&-vir nmni mantre sa"ala-"alua-he
abda-smnya-buddhir
viau sarvevaree tad-itara-sama-dh&r
yasya v nra"& sa!
<ne &ho thinks the deity in the tem-le to be made of &ood or stoneJ &ho
thinks of the s-iritual master in the disci-lic succession as an ordinary manJ
&ho thinks a Vaishnava of the infallible Lord/s o&n clan belongs to a certain
caste or creedJ &ho thinks of caramta or *anges &ater as ordinary &aterJ
&ho considers the mantra com-osed of the names of the Lord, &hich destroys
all sins, to be a set of ordinary &ordsJ or &ho considers the ?u-reme Lord of all
lords, Vishnu, to be equal to an ordinary human being>is taken to be a
resident of hell.
=ny mantra &hich reveals the s&eetness of the ?u-reme Lord as manifest in
Vrindavan is to be considered su-erior because this form is su-erior to all other
forms of the Lord, such as the one 0e reveals in Cv(rak(. ,he L#syllable mantra
named sammhana is -recisely such a mantraJ indeed, it is considered to be the
king of all mantras. ,he 7ari-bha"ti-vilsa has cited many scri-tures, including the
*pla-tpin& 1panishad, the 3rail"ya-sammhana-tantra, and the 6anat-"umra-
"alpa, all of &hich attest to the su-ere3cellence of this mantra.
,he 'hgavata states that all the different -ortions and -lenary -ortions of the Lord
emanate from 'rishna, &ho is the ?u-reme Lord 0imself. ,herefore, )ust as 'rishna
is clearly the ?u-reme :erson above all the other manifestations of the *odhead,
so too is 0is mantra su-reme above all other mantras. ?ince 'rishna/s l&l in
Vrindavan, &ith its qualities of s&eetness and munificence, is su-erior to the Lord/s
other -astimes, the mantra that contains that l&l and reveals it, namely the L#
syllable mantra, is su-reme among them all.
In the 3rail"ya-sammhana-tantra, 4ah(deva himself glorifies this mantra to his
consort Bhagavat+ Cev+F
yath cintmai! re(h yath gau ca yath sat&
yath dvij yath gag tathsau mantra uttama!
yathvad a"hila-re(ha) yath stra) tu vaiavam
yath susa)s"t v& tathsau mantra uttama!
at may sureni pratyaha) japyate manu!
naitena sada! "acid jagaty asmin caracare
Bust as the -hiloso-her/s stone is the best of all )e&els, )ust as the co& is the
best of all beasts, )ust as ?at+ is the best among &omen, )ust as the brahmin is
the best of human beings, and )ust as the *anges is the best among rivers, so
too is this mantra the best of all mantras. Bust as the Vaishnava scri-tures are
the best among all s-iritual teachings, and )ust as ?anskrit is su-reme among
languages, so too is this the best of all mantras. ,herefore, < queen of the
goddesses, I daily chant this mantra. ,here is nothing like it in the entire
universe. (7ari-bha"ti-vilsa .LN#
G$
,he 7ari-bha"ti-vilsa also quotes the 6anat-"umra-"alpa, &hich says, By the
grace of this mantra, Indra easily attained his -osition as king of the demigods.
Cue to his bad luck, Indra &as cursed by Curv(s(, but again, through the -o&er of
this mantra, he &as reinstated to his -osition. (7ari-bha"ti-vilsa .X"#$
It is so -o&erful that it does not de-end on puracaraa or any other kind of
customary ritual -erformance to enhance it. ?im-ly by reciting the mantra, one
can attain the desired result.
bahun "im ih"tena puracaraa-sdhanai!
vinpi japa-mtrea labhate sarvam &psitam
%hat is the use of all these instructionsP ?im-ly by chanting this mantra, even
&ithout the strict restrictions of the puracaraa vrata, one can obtain
everything one &ishes.
(6anat-"umra-"alpa, quoted in 7ari-bha"ti-vilsa .X!$
Pura@cara<a
<rdinarily, there are various -urifying -rocedures (sa)s"ras$ that are -rescribed
before an initiation in order to -urify the mantra and fully invest it &ith -o&er.
=ccording to 7ari-bha"ti-vilsa, these are ten in numberF janana, j&vana, t8ana,
rdhana, abhie"a, vimal&"araa, pyyana, tarpaa, d&pana and gpana0

0o&ever,
'rishna mantras in general are so -o&erful that there is no necessity for these
sa)s"rasF balitvt "a-mantr) sa)s"rpe"aa) na hi (7ari-bha"ti-vilsa .!DN$0
Mven though such sa)s"ras are deemed unnecessary, the 7ari-bha"ti-vilsa does
give an e3tensive descri-tion of the puracaraa observance in its seventeenth
cha-ter, or vilsa. >uracaraa is defined as follo&s in the 4gastya-sa)hit<
pj trai"li"& nitya)
japas tarpaam eva ca
hma brhmaa-bhu"ti ca
puracaraam ucyate
,here are five as-ects to the puracaraa observanceF -u)a three times a day,
constant chanting of )a-a, oblations of &ater, daily fire sacrifice and feeding the
brahmins. (7ari-bha"ti-vilsa H.$
=ccording to these directions, one should surrender to the guru, to *aur(6ga, and
to 1adha#'rishna, -erforming a -u)a &ith the G ingredients. ,hen, taking the
-ermission of the s-iritual master, at the aus-icious moment, one should start
reciting the mantra. ,here is a s-ecific mantra that the devotee should utter as a
commitment to com-leting the vo&F
ady(da"ara-sa)mhana-mantrasya siddhi-"ma iyat-s"hya-japa-tad-
da)mu"adravya"a-hma-tad-da))mu"a-tarpaa-tad-da)a-brhmaa-
bhjantma"a-puracaraa) "ariye0
!
?tarting today, I &ill -erform a -uraRcara2a for the sake of achieving -erfection in
the L#syllabled ?ammohana#mantra. Mach day, I &ill chant a s-ecified number of
mantras. I &ill offer one tenth that many oblations of (ob)ect to be s-ecified$ into
the fire sacrifice. I &ill -erform one tenth that many oblations of holy &ater and &ill
feed one tenth that number of brahmins.
In other &ords, if one decides to chant the mantra !",""" times, !,""" oblations
into the sacrificial fire must be offered, !"" oblations of &ater made and !"
brahmins fed. ,o -erform such an elaborate ceremony in full consciousness is not
easily accom-lished by -eo-le in this day and age, &hose minds are flickering. In
vie& of this, the 0ari#bhakti#vil(sa has -rovided a shorter version of the
-uraRcara2a based on the faithful service to the guru. ,his section of the 0ari#
bhakti#vil(sa is re-roduced here for the s-ecial attention of the s(dhaka.
The Shorter "ersion of Pura@cara<a
tat mantra-prasiddhy-artha)
guru) sampjya tayet
eva) ca mantra-siddhi! syt
devat ca pras&dati
In order to achieve the -erfection of the mantra one should satisfy the guru
&ith a--ro-riate acts of &orshi-. By so doing, not only &ill one achieve the goal
of -erfecting the mantra, but the deity &ill also be -leased &ith him.
(7ari-bha"ti-vilsa H.!DL$
athav devat-rpa)
guru) dhytv pratayet
tasya cchynusr& syd
bha"ti-yu"tena cetas
guru-mlam ida) sarva)
tasmn nitya) guru) bhajet
puracaraa-h&n#pi
mantr& siddhyen na sa)aya!
=lternatively, one should satisfy the guru by meditating on him as the form of
the deity. <ne should think of oneself as devotedly follo&ing the guru like a
shado&. <ne should constantly &orshi- the guru, &ho is the basis of all of
one/s s-iritual activities. Mven if one does not -erform the puracaraa one can
attain -erfection in chanting the mantra through service to the guru. <f this
there can be no doubt.
yath siddha-rasa-spart
tmra) bhavati "canam
sannidhnd gurr eva
iy viumay bhavet
.or as it is said, Bust as co--er becomes gold through the touch of s-ecially
treated mercury, so the disci-le takes on the qualities of Vishnu through the
association of his guru. (7ari-bha"ti-vilsa H.!E#!ED$
In his commentary on 7ari-bha"ti-vilsa H.!E, ?an(tana *osv(m+ further states,
?im-ly through the grace of the s-iritual master, the -erfection of puracaraa can
be achieved. ("evala-r&-guru-prasdenaiva puracaraa-siddhi! syt$.
=ccording to the 7ari-bha"ti-vilsa, one should chant the mantra after &orshi-ing
the deity &ith -u)a three times a day. .ailing that, one should do it t&ice a day, or
at least once. If the sdha"a lives in the same village as the guru he should go daily
to -ay homage to him. <ne should al&ays associate &ith devotees, etc.
yasya deve ca mantre ca
gurau triv api nical
na vyavacchidyate buddhis
tasya siddhir adrata!
mantrtm devat jey
devat guru-rpi&
te) bhed na "artavy
yad&cched i(am tmana!
<ne is not far from -erfection if his intelligence is fi3ed un&averingly in the
deity, the mantra and the guru. ,he soul of the mantra is the deity. ,he deity is
manifest in the form of the guru. <ne should not make a distinction bet&een
these three if he &ishes to obtain the heart/s desire.
(7ari-bha"ti-vilsa H.GN#GG$
In the seventh canto of the %r&mad 'hgavatam it is similarly stated that one
obtains the grace of the Lord through faithful and devoted service to the guru.
'rishna said the same thing to 0is friend ?ud(m( Vi-raF
nham ijy-prajtibhy)
tapaspaamena ca
tuyeya) sarva-bhttm
guru-uray yath
I, the soul of all beings, am not as -leased by the -erformance of the
-rescribed duties of the four ramas, (i.e., sacrifices, service to the family,
austerities and renunciation$, as I am by service to the guru.
(%r&mad 'hgavatam ".L".DE$
Mven though &e have obtained such a -o&erful mantra from 5r+ *urudeva, due to
our lack of steadfastness and mercy from the s-iritual master, &e are not able to
-erceive the great -otency that lies dormant &ithin the mantra. %e sa& from the
ne&s-a-er story earlier in this cha-ter that even a non#brahmin &ho did not follo&
the fundamental regulative -rinci-les of s-iritual life &as still able to recite a
mantra &ith such -otency that the three shells attacked the snake/s body and
brought it out of a dense )ungle, forcing it to return to the house &here it had
bitten the child and then made it counteract its o&n bite. ?hould then those &ho
have received the mantra in a -ure disci-lic succession be unable to -erceive the
-o&er &hich lies &ithin itP <f course not.
Cevotion has the -o&er to attract 5r+ 'rishna 0imself. By the grace of 'rishna/s
internal -otency, 5r+mat+ 1(dh(r(2+, one can e3-ect to receive the grace of the
goddess of devotion. ,hrough the grace of the guru, &ho is non#different from
5r+mat+ 1(dh(r(2+, one can directly e3-erience the Lord/s statementF Tthrough
devotion alone one can kno& 4e/ (bha"tyham e"ay grhya!, bha"ty mm
abhijnti$.
The Distinction bet&een the )antra and the (o%y >ame
In 0is instructions to :rak(R(nanda ?arasvat+, 4ah(-rabhu made the follo&ing
distinction bet&een the mantra (the initiation mantra$ and the 0oly Aame (also
called the $ah-mantra$F
"a-mantra haite habe sa)sra-mcana
"a-nma haite pbe "era caraa
By chanting the 'rishna mantra one &ill be liberated from material e3istence.
=nd by chanting 'rishna/s name, one &ill attain 0is lotus feet.
(Chaitanya Charitmta .H.HD$

,his &orld is based on the -rinci-le of acce-ting and re)ecting sense ob)ects. <ne
&ho fi3es his mind on the mantra is liberated from such entanglement. ,hen, by
chanting the 0oly Aames in sa"&rtana, one obtains direct service to the Lord/s
lotus feet.
"a-nma-mah-mantrera ei ta svabhva
je jape tra "e upajaya bhva
,he nature of the $ah-mantra of 'rishna/s names is such that &hoever
chants it develo-s feeling for 'rishna. (Chaitanya Charitmta
.H.LD$
"a-nmera phala prem sarva-stre "aya
=ll scri-tures say that the fruit of chanting the 0oly Aames is to develo- love
for 'rishna. (Chaitanya Charitmta .H.LG$
,he Lord 0imself stated that all -erfections &ill come by the grace of the 0oly
Aame (ih haite sarva siddhi haibe sabra$. But most im-ortantly, the fifth and
ultimate goal of human life, love for 'rishna, arises from the chanting of the Lord/s
namesF
"a-viaya"a prema parama pururtha
jra ge ta-tulya cri pururtha
pacama pururtha premnandmta-sindhu
m"di nanda jra nahe e"a bindu
Love for 'rishna is the su-reme goal of human life, or pururtha. ,he other
four goals of life are insignificant in com-arison to it. ,his fifth goal of life,
prema, is like an ocean of ecstatic nectar. In com-arison, the )oys derived from
dharma, artha, "ma, and m"a are nothing more than a dro- of &ater.
(Chaitanya Charitmta .H.LE#N$
=ll these quotations from the scri-tures sho& that the ultimate achievement of the
devotee &ho takes shelter of the 0oly Aame is love for 'rishna, or prema. In their
heart of hearts, saintly -ersons constantly behold the inconceivably beautiful
blackish form of the son of 7aRod(, 'rishna, and 0is inconceivable innumerable
attributes, &ith the eye of devotion tinged &ith the salve of love.
D

The Pa?car9tra and Bh9ga$ata Approaches to De$otiona% Ser$ice
,he ?u-reme Lord, the son of the king of Vra)a, is influenced only by the love of a
devotee, &hose sole desire is to bring -leasure to 0is transcendental senses.
0o&ever, due to the very fact that -eo-le -ossess material bodies, they are
generally engaged in sinful activities and their minds are disturbed. In the
>acartri"a school, im-ortance has been given to deity &orshi-, -receded by
initiation in the mantra, in order to diminish these characteristics. 0o&ever, the
ultimate goal of -ure devotion is described in the same fashion both in the
>cartra literature and the 'hgavatam. ,hus, on the one hand, in the 'ha"ti-
rasmta-sindhu, the essence of the 'hgavatam is summariIed in the follo&ing &ay
by 1@-a *osv(m+F
anybhilit-nya)
jna-"armdy-anvtam
nu"lyena "nu-
&lana) bha"tir uttam
,he highest category of devotion, bhakti, is defined as the culture of a
favorable attitude to&ard 'rishna, devoid of all material desires and &ithout
any adulteration by monistic -hiloso-hy or fruitive action.
('ha"ti-rasmta-sindhu .., Chaitanya Charitmta !.X.GH$
,his is translated by 'rishnad(sa 'avir()a *osv(m+ as follo&sF
anya-vch anya-pj chi jna "arma
nu"lye sarvendriye "nu&lana
= devotee must engage all the senses in the cultivation of favorable 'rishna
consciousness. 0e must give u- all other desires, the &orshi- of other gods,
the cultivation of monistic kno&ledge and fruitive activities.
(Chaitanya Charitmta !.X.GL$
But 1@-a goes on to su--ort this definition of bhakti &ith a verse from the Arada-
pacartraF
sarvpdhi-vinirmu"ta)
tat-paratvena nirmalam
h&"ea h&"ea-
sevana) bha"tir ucyate
Bhakti is defined as the engagement of the senses in the service of the
-ro-rietor of the senses. ,he highest category of devotion, bhakti, is defined as
culturing a favorable attitude to&ard 'rishna that is devoid of all material
desires and &ithout any adulteration by monistic -hiloso-hy or fruitive action.
('ha"ti-rasmta-sindhu ..!J Chaitanya Charitmta !.X.H"$
0ere the -rimary characteristic of devotion is the engagement of the senses in the
service of the Lord of the senses. ,his devotion has t&o characteristics that are
considered secondary, that is, de-endent on its -ro-er e3ecution. ,he first is that
it should be free from any updhi, or identification &ith selfish bodily interests. ,he
second is that it &ill be -urified due to being absolutely fi3ed on 0im alone. ,hus
the t&o definitions are -arallel to one another. .rom this -ractice of the abhidheya
of bhakti, one arrives at the ultimate goal>the prayjana>of prema0
ei uddha-bha"ti ih haite prem haya
pacartre bhgavate ei la"aa "aya
,hese activities are called uddha-bha"ti, -ure devotional service. In the
rendering of such -ure devotional service, one/s original love for 'rishna
develo-s in due course of time. Its characteristics have been described in the
>acartras and %r&mad 'hgavatam. (Chaitanya Charitmta
!.X.GX$
,hus, though the characteristics of -ure devotional service are identical according
to both those on the >acartra and 'hgavata -aths, each -ath e3hibits some
differences in its most -rominent -ractices. ,he chanting of the mantra and deity
&orshi- are associated &ith the >cartri"a system and the Cv(-ar( 7uga, &hile
the chanting of the 0oly Aames is an ecstatic -ractice associated &ith the
'hgavatas and is -articularly a--ro-riate in the age of 'ali. ,his is confirmed by
4adhv(c(rya in the follo&ing verse found in his commentary on the $a8"ya
1panishadF
dvpar&yair janair viu!
pacartrai ca "evalam
"alau tu nma-mtrea
pjyate bhagavn hari!
,he ?u-reme Lord Vishnu &as &orshi-ed according to the >cartri"a method
alone in the Cv(-ar(J in the age of 'ali, 0e is &orshi-ed e3clusively by the 0oly
Aame.
The Importance of Chanting the (o%y >ames
,here are many verses in the 'hgavatam that attest to the -reeminence of the
three -rinci-al devotional activities of hearing, chanting, and rememberingF
tasmd e"ena manas
bhagavn stvat) pati!
rtavya! "&rtitavya ca
dhyeya! pjya ca nityad
,herefore, one should constantly hear about, glorify, meditate on, and
&orshi- the ?u-reme Lord, the -rotector of the devotees, &ith single#
minded concentration.
(.!.E$
tasmt sarvtman rjan
hari! sarvatra sarvad
rtavya! "&rtitavya ca
smartavy bhagavn nm
,herefore, < 'ing, &herever one may be, the ?u-reme Lord 0ari should
al&ays be s-oken about, glorified and remembered &ith full concentration.
(!.!.DG$
tasmd bhrata sarvtm
bhagavn &var hari!
rtavya! "&rtitavya ca
smartavya cecchatbhayam
< scion of the Bharata dynasty[ <ne &ho desires fearlessness should hear
about, glorify and also remember the ?u-reme Lord 0ari, the soul of all beings
and su-reme controller, for 0e alone steals a&ay all one/s miseries. (!..N$
0o&ever, in the final analysis, des-ite this em-hasis on three ty-es of devotional
activity, "&rtana, glorifying the Lord or chanting 0is names, is singled out as
su-reme by the 'hgavatamF
etan nirvidyamnnm
icchatm a"ut-bhayam
ygin) npa nir&ta)
harer nmnu"&rtanam
< 'ing, it has been ascertained that for those yogis &ho are indifferent to
material -leasures and &ho desire com-lete fearlessness, the best -ath is
constant chanting of the holy name of the Lord. (!.!.DG$

nma-sa"&rtana) yasya
sarva-ppa-praana)
pram du!"ha-amanas
ta) nammi hari) param
I bo& do&n to the ?u-reme Lord 0ari, the chanting of &hose name results in
the destruction of all sin, and by -aying homage to &hom, all miseries are
quieted. (!.D.!D$
5r+ Khaitanya 4ah(-rabhu also confirmed these statements from the 'hgavatam
in 0is o&n &ordsF
bhajanera madhye re(ha nava-vidh bha"ti
"a-prema, "a dite dhare mah-a"ti
tra madhye sarva-re(ha nma-sa"&rtana
nirapardhe laile nma pya prema-dhana
<f the many &ays of e3ecuting devotional service, there are nine varieties
that are considered to be the best, for they -ossess a great ca-acity to deliver
love for 'rishna and thus 'rishna 0imself. <f these nine -rocesses of
devotional service, the most im-ortant is the chanting of the Lord/s holy name,
for in chanting offenselessly, one &ill obtain the treasure of love for the Lord.
(Chaitanya Charitmta D.E.H"#$
e"a "a-nme "are sarva-ppa "aya
nava-vidh bha"ti pra nma haite haya
?im-ly by chanting the holy name of 'rishna, one is relieved from all the
reactions of a sinful life. <ne can com-lete the nine -rocesses of devotional
service sim-ly by chanting the 0oly Aame. (Chaitanya Charitmta
!.N."H$
In the t&elfth cha-ter of the 'hagavad-g&t, it is said that remembering,
contem-lating and meditating on the Lord are de-endent on inner -urification and
therefore not easily -erfected by ordinary -eo-le. <n the other hand, since
sa"&rtana is an activity e3ecuted by the e3ternal senses, it is &ithin the gras- of
anyone, even the disturbed human beings of this age of 'ali.
,he si3th canto of the %r&mad 'hgavatam, states that this bhakti, or devotional
service, is -rimarily e3ecuted in the form of sa"&rtanaF
etvn eva l"e ,smin
pu)s) dharma! parah smta!
bha"ti-yg bhagavati
tan-nma-grahadibhi!
,herefore, the su-reme religious activity for -eo-le in this &orld is devotional
service to the Lord, -erformed by such acts as re-eating 0is divine names.
(G.D.!!$
,he definition of "&rtana has been given in the 'ha"ti-rasmta-sindhu (.!.EN$ as
the audible glorification of the Lord/s names, attributes, and activities, etc.
(nma-l&l-gud&nm uccair bhaa) tu "&rtanam$. Mven so, the best ty-e of
"&rtana, also s-oken of in the 'hgavatam and taught by the *osv(m+s like 5r+
?an(tana, 5r+ 1@-a, and 5r+ B+va, is the chanting of the 0oly Aame. ,his is the
religious -rinci-le of the age of 'ali as -romulgated by the incarnation of 'rishna,
5r+ Khaitanya 4ah(-rabhu.
The Chanting of the (o%y >ames is the #e%igious Process for This Age
4ah(-rabhu and all 0is associates clearly stated that among all the devotional
-ractices, the chanting of the 0oly Aames is the most im-ortant. 7arinma-
sa"&rtana has nothing other than love for 'rishna as its goal, or intended result.
1eligiosity, material -ros-erity, sense en)oyment and liberation are not to be
sought through the chanting of the 0oly Aame. In the age of 'ali, the 0oly Aame is
the essence of all religious activity and the essence of all mantras. ,here are many
statements in the scri-tures that su--ort this ideaF
nma vin "ali-"le nhi ra dharma
sarva-mantra-sra nma ei stra marma
In the age of 'ali, there is no religious activity other than the chanting of the
0oly Aames. ,he 0oly Aame is the essence of all mantras.
(Chaitanya Charitmta .H.HE$
= number of verses from the last book of the %r&mad 'hgavatam also em-hasiIe
the chanting of the 0oly Aames in the age of 'ali.
"aler da-nidhe rjann
asti hy e" mahn gua!
"&rtand eva "asya
mu"ta-saga! para) vrajet
< king[ ,he age of 'ali is an ocean of faults, but it contains one great virtueF
sim-ly by chanting the names of 'rishna one becomes liberated and goes to
the su-reme abode. (%r&mad 'hgavatam !.D.N$

"te yad dhyyat viu)
trety) yajat ma"hai!
dvpare paricaryy)
"alau tadd hari-"&rtant
,hat &hich is achieved in the ?atya 7uga by meditation on Vishnu, in the
,ret(#yuga by -erforming fire sacrifices, and in Cv(-ar( 7uga by deity &orshi-,
is attained in 'ali 7uga by chanting the name and glories of 0ari. (?B
!.D.N!$
A(rada 4uni, the seer of the gods, clearly stated that, in the age of 'ali, there is no
other means of attaining -erfectionF
harer nma harer nma
harer nmaiva "evalam
"alau nsty eva nsty eva
nsty eva gatir anyath
In this age of quarrel and hy-ocrisy the only means of deliverance is the
chanting of the 0oly Aames of the Lord. ,here is no other &ay, there is no
other &ay, there is no other &ay. ('han-nrad&ya >urana, Chaitanya
Charitmta .H.HG$
4ah(-rabhu 0imself e3-lained this verse to :rak(R(nanda ?arasvat+F
"ali-"le nma-rpe "a-avatra
nma haite haya sarva-jagat-nistra
dr8hya lgi harer nma-u"ti tina-vra
ja8a l"a bujhite puna! eva-"ra
"evala-abde punarapi nicaya-"araa
jna-yga-tapa-"arma-di nivraa
anyath je mne tra nhi"a nistra
nhi nhi nhi e tina eva-"ra
In this =ge of 'ali, 'rishna has incarnated in the form of 0is 0oly Aame, the
0are 'rishna $ah-mantra. ,he &hole &orld &ill be delivered through the grace
of the 0oly Aame. In order to vigorously affirm this, A(rada/s verse re-eats the
&ords harer nma three times. ,hen, )ust to make it clear for the really dull, it
stresses those &ords &ith the &ord eva UTcertainly/V. ,his assertion is further
strengthened by the use of the &ord "evala UTalone/V &hich -rohibits all other
-rocesses, such as cultivation of kno&ledge, -ractice of mystic yoga, and
-erformance of austerities and fruitive activities. ,hen, to make sure it is clear
that one &ho disregards this teaching &ill not achieve salvation, the &ords
Tthere is no other &ay/ are re-eated thrice.
(Chaitanya Charitmta .H.!!#N$
,he im-ortance of the $ah-mantra for the age of 'ali has also been em-hasiIed
in the .ali-santarana 1panishadF
hare "rishna hare "rishna
"rishna "rishna hare hare
hare rma hare rma
rma rma hare hare
iti 8aa"a) nmn)
"ali-"almaa-nanam
nta! paratarpya!
sarva-vedeu dyate
,he G names of the $ah-mantra destroy the -ollution of this age of 'ali.
,hroughout the entire body of Vedic literature one cannot find a more sublime
means of s-iritual religion.
)ahaprabhu Appeared to Preach the Chanting of the (o%y >ames
avatari caitanya "aila dharma-pracraa
"ali-"le dharma "a-nma-sa"&rtana
sa"&rtana-yaje tre "are rdhana
sei ta sumedh ra "ali-hata-jana
5r+ Khaitanya 4ah(-rabhu descended to -reach religious -rinci-les. In the
age of 'ali, the only religious -rinci-le is the chanting of the holy names of Lord
'rishna. =nyone &ho &orshi-s the Lord by the sacrifice of the 0oly Aame is
most intelligent. =s for the rest, they have been defeated by the s-irit of the
age of quarrel.
(Chaitanya Charitmta !..XL#X$
,he significance of 4ah(-rabhu/s a--earance to teach the 0oly Aames is
furthermore underlined by the %r&mad 'hgavatamF
"a-vara) tvi"a)
sgpgstra-pradam
yajai! sa"&rtana-pryair
yajanti hi su-medhasa!
In the =ge of 'ali, the golden Lord, u-on &hose li-s the name of 'rishna
al&ays remains, a--ears in the com-any of 0is e3-ansions, -ortions, &ea-ons
and associates. ,hose &ho are very intelligent &ill &orshi- him through the
sacrifice of congregational glorification :sa"&rtana-yaja+.
(%r&mad 'hgavatam .N.D!$
4ah(-rabhu had the further -ur-ose of besto&ing the most elevated and effulgent
kind of s-iritual e3-erience to all the &orld. <ne day, as 0e &as thinking ho& the
living beings of the &orld could be made eligible to enter this e3-erience, 0e -ut
0is arms around ?var@-a C(modara and 1(m(nanda 1(ya, 0is closest
com-anions, and said in great )ubilationF
hare prabhu "ahena una svarpa-rma-rya
nma-sa"&rtana "alau parama upya
sa"&rtana-yaje "alau "a-rdhana
sei ta sumedh pya "era caraa
nma-sa"&rtana haite sarvnartha-na
sarva-ubhdaya, "a-premera ullsa
4y dear ?var@-a C(modara and 1(m(nanda 1(ya, kno& from 4e that
chanting of the 0oly Aames is the most feasible means of salvation in this age
of 'ali. In this age, the -rocess of &orshi-ing 'rishna is to -erform sacrifice by
chanting the holy name of the Lord. <ne &ho does so is certainly very
intelligent, attaining shelter at the lotus feet of 'rishna. ?im-ly by chanting the
holy name of Lord 'rishna, one can be freed from all undesirable habits. ,his is
the means of a&akening all good fortune and initiating the flo& of &aves of
love for 'rishna. (Chaitanya Charitmta D.!".L#X,$
.rom this statement &e can easily understand that the Lord invested some s-ecial
-o&ers in the chanting of 0is holy names in this fortunate age of 'ali. ,his s-ecial
-o&er is its ca-acity to a&aken affectionate attachment, or rga, for the Lord.
,herefore, this is the best -rocess by &hich one can develo- rga-bha"ti, or
devotional service in s-ontaneous affection.
Ways of Chanting
,he scri-tures ordinarily describe three styles of chanting mantrasF the vci"a, or
vocal chantingJ the up)u, chanting in a &his-er such that it can only be heard by
oneselfJ the mnasa, in &hich one chants mentally. Mach of these is said to be
su-erior to the one &hich -recedes it. Aevertheless, a mantra is japya, uttered or
recited silently, only &hen one tries to fulfill the obligation of chanting it a certain
number of times. *enerally, &e don/t encounter scri-tural in)unctions that direct us
to chant a mantra &hile kee-ing track of the number of times it is chanted. In the
case of the $ah-mantra, this -articular distinction is not made either. <ne can
chant both &ithin the constraints of a vo& to chant a certain daily amount or
outside of such constraints. ,here are no restrictions in this matter, )ust as there
are none concerning the a--ro-riate times of day to chant, or the state of one/s
-urification. 4ah(-rabhu 0imself says as much in 0is %i"(a"aF niyamita!
smarae na "la!0
"i bhjane "i ayane "ib jgarae
aharnia cinta "a balaha vadane
,hink of 'rishna and utter 0is names both day and night, &hether you are
eating, lying do&n or engaged in &aking activities.
sarva "aa bala ithe vidhi nhi ra
,he only rule is to chant the 0oly Aame al&ays. ,here is no other
requirement.
Mlse&here it is said,
na dea-niyamas tatra na "la-niyamas tath
ncchi(dau nime#sti r&-harer nmni lubdha"a
< hunter[ ,here are no rules governing the time or -lace &here one may
chant the holy name of the Lord. Aor is it necessary for one to be in a state of
ritual -urity. <ne can chant even if one/s hands or mouth are un&ashed after
eating, slee-ing, or going to the toilet.
%e must remember the G names and D! syllables of the 0are 'rishna mantra are
called the $ah-mantra and they are es-ecially -o&erful.
"a-nma mah-mantrera ei ta svabhva
jei jape tra "e upajaye bhva
,his is the nature of the $ah-mantra consisting of 'rishna/s names. %hoever
recites it develo-s ecstatic feeling for 'rishna. (Chaitanya Charitmta .H.LD$
In the 4nubhya to this verse, 5r+la :rabhu-(da Bhaktisiddh(nta ?arasvat+
Oh(kura has &ritten the follo&ingF
?ome foolish -eo-le do not understand that the formula consisting of G names
and D! syllables is the $ah-mantra. ,aking it to be another ordinary mantra that
should be uttered silently or mentally, they artificially claim it should not be
chanted aloud or sung. ,hose &ho have attained love for 'rishna engage in loud
chanting of these names in the com-any of other devotees. ,hrough such singing
of the $ah-mantra, everyone in the &orld is initiated in the 0oly Aame. =nyone
&ho sings the Aames aloud &ill simultaneously hear and remember the Aame.
Because 'rishna and 0is name are not different from each other, a tendency to
serve the Lord &ill a&aken in anyone &ho recites 0is names in japa. ?omeone &ho
has attained the stage of bhva is no longer -olluted by the contaminations
resulting from bondage in ignorance. ,heir -ersonal relationshi- &ith the Lord has
been a&akened &ithin them and therefore they relish the combination of
ingredients that go into the com-osition of divine mello&s, or rasa. =s this stage of
ecstatic feeling, or bhva, intensifies, it becomes prema. ,he G names and D!#
syllable formula consisting of 'rishna/s names is the most -otentJ all the other
mantras listed in the >acartra literature are considered to be less effective. ,he
holy names of the Lord are kno&n as the $ah-mantra.
d&" puracary vidhi ape" n "are
jihv spare ca8le sabre uddhre
=ll -erfections come from the 0oly Aame. It does not require initiation or the
observance of puracaraa. =s soon as it touches the tongue of even the lo&est
class of humankind, it immediately delivers them.
(Chaitanya Charitmta !.N."L$
=ll these statements sho& that the $ah-mantra of the 0oly Aames is more
-o&erful than any other mantra, including the L#syllable *o-(la mantra. <ne &ho
has initiation in the mantra is given the right to -ractice the vidhi-mrga, &hereas
someone &ho chants the $ah-mantra, &hether initiated or not, is given the
qualifications for all situations in life. In -articular, a -ractitioner of the rgnug
-ath quickly attains his desired goal in Vra)a by taking shelter of the &orshi- of the
0oly Aame. .or one on the vidhi-mrga or arcan-mrga, the ecstatic mood of Vra)a
is vague and distant. ?-iritual -ractices on the vidhi-mrga have no -o&er to
besto& this mood. 9idhi-mrge vraja-bhva pite nhi a"ti0
If the >ame is So Po&erfu%6 Then Why do We >eed Initiation!
B+va *osv(m+ res-onds to the question of &hy the mantra and initiation are
necessary if the 0oly Aame has such -urificatory -o&er. ,he follo&ing -aragra-h is
found in his 'ha"ti-sandarbha (!LN$F
Ao& you may say, T,he mantra itself consists of names of the Lord. =dded to that
are &ords indicating submission, such as nama! or svh, etc., through &hich
A(rada and other seers have endo&ed the mantra &ith some s-ecial -otency by
the desire of the Lord. .urthermore they are ca-able of a&akening a s-ecific
-ersonal relationshi- &ith the Lord. U<f all these constituentsV of the mantra, the
names of the Lord alone are ca-able of inde-endently giving its reciter the
su-reme goal of life Ui.e., premaV. ,hus &e find that in the mantra there is an even
greater -o&er than can be found in the Aame. In vie& of all these considerations,
&hy then is there any necessity for initiationP/
,he ans&er is as follo&sF there is no fundamental necessity for initiation.
Aevertheless, because -eo-le are generally by nature caught u- in bad habits and
are unable to concentrate due to bodily associations, etc., the great seers such as
A(rada and others have on occasion established some fundamental regulations
here and there calling for the -erformance of &orshi- of the deity (arcana-mrga$
in order to reduce such bad habits and lack of concentration. .or this reason, the
scri-tures call for the -erformance of -enances as an atonement for the
non#-erformance of such deity &orshi-. %here neither of these faults (bodily and
mental aberrations$ are -rominent, there is no need for initiation.
E
5r+la :rabhu-(da further clarifies this distinction by &riting the follo&ingF ,he
conditioned soul absolutely must achieve -erfection in the mantra in order to rid
himself of his material ego and his tendency for sense gratification. ,he &ord
nama! is inter-reted as follo&sF ma means aha"raJ na negates this egoism.
,hrough -erfecting the chanting of the mantra (mantra-siddhi$ one gains direct
e3-erience of the transcendent reality. ,hus 5r+ 1@-a *osv(m+ sings in his
Am(a"am, addressing the 0oly Aame as follo&sF ayi mu"ta-"ulair upsyamnam
-< 0oly Aame[ 7ou are &orshi-ed by the liberated souls./ (4nubhya .H.H!#E$
The )antra brings Purification+the (o%y >ame brings .cstatic 'o$e
%e have already seen that 4ah(-rabhu gave instructions about the 0oly Aame
and the mantra to the 4(y(v(d+ sannys&, :rak(R(nanda ?arasvat+, &hen in '(R+.
:rak(R(nanda criticiIed the Lord, saying that chanting the 0oly Aame &as not a
suitable activity for a -erson in the renounced order of life. In res-onse, the Lord
saidF
prabhu "ahe una r&pda ihra "raa
guru mre mr"ha de"hi "arila sana
mr"ha tumi, tmra nhi"a vedntdhi"ra
"a-mantra japa sad ei mantra-sra
"a-mantra haite habe sa)sra-mcana
"a-nma haite pbe "era caraa
nma vinu "ali-"le nhi ra dharma
sarva-mantra-sra nma ei stra-marma
Venerable sir, -lease hear from me the reason &hy I chant. 4y s-iritual
master considered me a fool and therefore chastised me. T7ou are a fool,/ he
said, Tand have no qualification to study Vedanta -hiloso-hy. *o and chant the
'rishna mantra constantly, for it is the essence of all mantras. By chanting the
'rishna mantra one &ill be liberated from material e3istence. =nd by chanting
'rishna/s name, one &ill attain 0is lotus feet. In the age of 'ali, there is no
religious activity other than the chanting of the 0oly Aames. ,he 0oly Aame is
the essence of all mantras./ (Chaitanya Charitmta
.H.H#HE$
,he sum and substance of these statements is the follo&ingF %hen a submissive
disci-le a--roaches the s-iritual master &ith questions and a service mentality,
the guru a&ards initiation into the mantra &hich contains &ithin it the divine
kno&ledge of a s-ecific relationshi- &ith 'rishna. .rom that moment, having
received the divine mercy of the guru, the disci-le starts to cast off all absor-tion
in anything that distracts one from devotional life. ,he disci-le engages in
'rishna/s service and as affection for the Lord develo-s, becomes inclined to call
out 0is names. ,hrough this -ractice he reaches fulfillment in -ure love for the
Lord/s lotus feet. <ur most &orshi-able 5r+la :rabhu-(da Bhaktisiddh(nta
?arasvat+ Oh(kura has summariIed this -rocess in his 4nubhya to Chaitanya
Charitmta .H.HD as follo&sF
,hrough chanting the 'rishna mantra, the j&va begins to have e3-erience of the
su-ramundane realm. <ne begins to give less -recedence to e3ternal sense
-erce-tion and material attachment. ,hen taking shelter in one of the five
relationshi-s, the as-irant begins to relish the divine mello&s through the
combination of all the ingredients that go into their com-ositionF the vibhvas,
anubhvas, vyabhicri-bhvas, and sttvi"as. ,he heart, &hich has been -urified
through the influence of divine e3ultation, becomes illuminated in -ure goodness.
In such a state, the living being can e3-erience the ob)ect of &orshi-. ,his -rocess
is com-letely distinct from the en)oyments of the j&va/s gross or subtle coverings.
,he Aame and the <ne &ho is Aamed are not distinct entities. ,his is the divine
kno&ledge (divya-jna$ that is achieved through initiation. <ne &ho is actually
situated in the regular -ractice of s-iritual life, &ith the intention of having this
realiIation, attains direct service to 'rishna. In this state, one loses interest in the
grammatical formalism of the mantra, &ith its b&ja mantra :), "l&), etc.$, dative
case endings (#ya, -ave, yai, -bhy), -ebhya!, etc.$ and &ords indicating
relationshi-s (svh, nama!, etc.$. 1ather, one favors a direct e3-ression of this
relationshi- &ith the Lord by calling out to 0im in the vocative case. ,his takes
-lace naturally in the heart that has been illuminated by the mode of -ure
goodness.
N
In this state, the devotee gains the ability to unrestrictedly serve the
0oly Aame in the vocative form. =ll scri-tures and all mantras &hich contain divya-
jna liberate the j&va com-letely and then engage that soul directly in the service
of the Lord.
In his comments on the subsequent verse, ?arasvat+ Oh(kura continuesF
,he Aame and the Aamed are not different from one another. ,herefore, )ust as
Lord 'rishna is the absolute reality, liberated, the embodiment of -ure
consciousness, a transcendental -hiloso-her/s stone, so too is 0is name. <nly
through the &orshi- of the 0oly Aame (nma-bhajana$ can both one/s gross and
subtle misidentifications both be destroyed. ,he Vaiku29ha name alone can save
the living being from absor-tion in thoughts of material sense gratification.
Because it is -o&erful enough to do this, it is called the mantra-sra, the essence of
all mantras. Mvery material thing has its name, form, attributes, characteristics,
and functions, all of &hich are sub)ect to arguments and e3-erimental kno&ledge.
,he same is not true for the Vaiku29ha nameJ the name, form, attributes and
associates of the Lord are all situated in nonduality.
The =%ories of the (o%y >ames
,he chanting of the 0oly Aames, harinma-sa"&rtana, is designated as the religious
-rinci-le of the age of 'ali in the Vedas () sya jnant nma cid viva"tan mahas te
vi sumati) bhajmahe$, the 1panishads (.ali-santarana+, the 6mtis ('hagavad-
g&t+, the %r&mad 'hgavatam and other lesser >uranas, as &ell as in histories such
as $ahbhrata. Mven so, 5r+ Khaitanya 4ah(-rabhu descended in this age to
sho& by 0is o&n e3am-le that the loud chanting and singing of this great mantra
stands above all other religious activities. .urthermore, in 0is %i"(a"a, 0e
announced the glorious victory of harinma-sa"&rtana in a booming voice. 0e also
taught the same through 0is Amcrya, 5r+la 0arid(sa Oh(kura, &ho unfailingly
chanted D"",""" names out loud every single day. =fter being flogged in !!
market -laces on the order of the governor of =mbik( 'alna, 0arid(sa sho&ed his
allegiance to the 0oly Aame &hen he saidF
"ha8a "ha8a deha mra jya yadi pra
tathpiha vadane n chi harinma
,hough my body may be torn to bits and my life may leave it, even then I &ill
never give u- chanting the 0oly Aames. (Chaitanya 'hgavata .E.DN$
4ah(-rabhu/s other dear associates sho&ed similar allegiance to the 0oly Aame.
%hen &e consider the &ay in &hich the Lord and 0is devotees have revealed the
-o&er of the $ah-mantra, &e must be thrilled &ith )oy and astonishment.
,hen &hy are &e so unfortunateP %hy do &e not immediately receive the fruits of
chantingP ,he reason is clearF &e are offenders to the 0oly Aame.
nmai"a) yasya vci smaraa-patha-gata)
rtra-mla) gata) v
uddha) vuddha-vara) vyavahita-rahita)
trayaty eva satyam
tac ced deha-dravia-janat-
lbha-pa8a-madhye
ni"ipta) syn na phala-jana"a)
&ghram evtra vipra
?hould someone utter the holy name of the Lord even once, or should he
merely remember it or hear it in -assing, it &ill certainly deliver him from
material bondage, &hether it is correctly or incorrectly -ronounced, -ro-erly
)oined, or vibrated in se-arate -arts. < brahmin, if one uses the 0oly Aame for
the benefit of the material body, for material &ealth and follo&ers, or under the
influence of greed or atheism>in other &ords, if one utters the name &ith
offenses>such chanting &ill not -roduce the desired result &ith the same
ra-idity.
(>adma >urana, 7ari-bha"ti-vilsa .N!H, Chaitanya Charitmta D.D.G"$
Mven so, if &e continue to chant diligently, in as much as our offensiveness is
eliminated, &e &ill be able to e3-erience its benefits, love for 'rishna. By chanting
the mantra received in initiation one &ill minimiIe his material attachments and
the taste for chanting the 0oly Aames &ill increase. By chanting the 0oly Aame>
by its grace>one &ill e3-erience the a&akening of love for 'rishna.
Bhaktivinoda Oh(kura has &ritten in his song, .a-nma dhare "ata balaP
(%aragati$
&at vi"ai puna! de"hya nija-rpa-gua
citta hari laya "a pa
pra vi"aita ha vraje mre jya la
de"hya nija svarpa vilsa
%hen the Aame is even slightly revealed, it sho&s me my o&n s-iritual form
and characteristics. It steals my mind and takes it to 'rishna/s side. %hen the
Aame is fully revealed, it takes me directly to Vra)a, &here it sho&s me my
-ersonal role in the eternal -astimes.
By the grace of the 0oly Aame, &e too &ill come to a state &here &e &ill say &ith
Khaitanya 4ah(-rabhuF
"ib mantra dile gsi "ib tra bala
japite japite mantra "arila pgala
%hat mantra have you given me, < gurudeva[ %hat -o&ers does it -ossessP
=s I chant this mantra, I feel that it is turning me into a madman.
(Chaitanya Charitmta .H.L$
%hen &e come to this -oint, &e &ill begin to understand the -o&er of the 0oly
Aame.
Chapter A
./pertise in Bhajana
5r+la 1@-a *osv(m+ has described devotion as very rare (durlabh$. %ith the
follo&ing verse he illustrates )ust ho& difficult it is to attain -ure bhakti.
sdhanaughair ansagair
alabhy sucird api
hari cv adeyeti
dvidh s syt sudurlabh
Bhakti is very difficult to attain for t&o reasons. .irst, &ithout genuine
attachment to 'rishna one cannot attain devotional -erfection even if he
-erforms large amounts of devotional activities. ,he other reason is that
'rishna does not easily give it to the as-irant. ('ha"ti-
rasmta-sindhu ..DN$

=n im-ortant &ord in this verse is ansaga, &ithout attachment. ,he &ord saga
is e3-lained by B+va *osv(m+ as e3-ertise in devotional -ractice, characteriIed
by direct engagement. ,he devotional activities referred to in this verse include
all the -ractices, es-ecially the five most -otentF associating &ith com-assionate
devotees in the same mood and &ho are more advanced than oneselfJ chanting
the 0oly Aame, listening to the 'hgavatamJ living in 4athur( or the holy dhmaJ
and serving the deity form of the Lord &ith faith. Mven if one engages in these
-o&erful devotional activities, if he is &ithout the necessary e3-ertise, he &ill not
attain their true fruit, prema. =nd even if one should -erform devotional service
&ith the required e3-ertise, 'rishna does not give prema until that devotee has
become e3tremely attached to the goal of the -ractice (yvat phala-bhte bha"ti-
yge g8hsa"tir na jyate tvan na dadt&ty artha!$.
B+va *osv(m+/s definition of saga as e3-ertise in devotional -ractice
characteriIed by direct engagement is significant. If someone is engaged in
devotional service &hile seeking goals such as heavenly sense en)oyment, he
cannot be considered e3-ert. .ruitive &ork, -hiloso-hical s-eculation or yoga are
of no hel- in realiIing the goal of love for 'rishna either. .or this reason, 1@-a
*osv(m+ has given a com-rehensive definition of bhakti as the cultivation of
'rishna consciousness cou-led &ith an effort to -lease 0im. ,his culture must not
be mi3ed &ith the abovementioned -ractices, or motivated by any other
ob)ectives.
Choosing the #ight ,ind of Practice
?ince the first characteristic of e3-ertise in bhajana is direct engagement in
a--ro-riate devotional activities (s"t tad-bhajane pravtti!$, it is necessary to
)udge &hich are the most effective. ,here are a large number of verses in the
'hgavatam

that s-ecifically mention a variety of devotional -ractices>hearing,

chanting, and remembering>but in the final analysis, the chanting of the 0oly
Aames is considered to be the most -o&erful. ,his is su--orted by the follo&ing
te3t from the 'hgavatamF
etan nirvidyamnnm
icchatm a"ut-bhayam
ygin) npa nir&ta)
harer nmnu"&rtanam
< 'ing, it has been ascertained that for those yogis &ho are indifferent to
material -leasures and &ho desire com-lete fearlessness, the best -ath is
constant chanting of the 0oly Aame of the Lord. (%r&mad
'hgavatam !..$
In the 6rrtha-darin&, ViRvan(tha gives the follo&ing e3tensive commentaryF
5ukadeva recites this verse in res-onse to the follo&ing antici-ated questionF TIt is
clear throughout the 'hgavatam that devotion is the only -rocess for attaining the
?u-reme. But does it s-ecify any devotional -ractice &hich stands out above all
others in the &ay that an em-eror stands above his vassalsP/
=ccording to the verse tasmd bhrata U%r&mad 'hgavatam !..NV hearing,
chanting, and remembering are the three -rimary as-ects of devotional -ractice.
Ao& this verse makes it clear that, of these three, chanting or "&rtana, is foremost.
.&rtana is defined as the audible recitation of 'rishna/s name, -astimes, attributes,
etc. <f these, nma-"&rtanam, chanting of the 0oly Aames, is su-reme.
In this verse, the &ord anu-"&rtanam is used. ,his can be inter-reted in t&o &aysF
either as chanting those names of the Lord &hich corres-ond to one/s o&n
devotional mood, or sim-ly as uninterru-ted chanting of the Aames. By saying Tit
has been ascertained,/ (nir&tam$ 5ukadeva is not claiming -ersonal authority, but
that of the -revious cryas. ,hus there is no need to cite any other -roofs.
5ukadeva goes on to further describe the nature of the chanting of the 0oly Aame
by saying a"ut-bhayam (Tcom-lete fearlessness/$0 Aot only is there no fear of
considerations of -urity of time and -lace, but no ob)ection from the infidels
(mlecchas$ &ho normally ob)ect to deity &orshi- and certain other as-ects of
devotional service.
!
Ae3t, 5uka uses the &ord nirvidyamnnm (Tindifferent/+ to indicate that there is
no more beneficial activity for either those in the beginning stages of devotional
service or those on the -erfected stage. Airvidyamnnm refers to those &ho are
indifferent to all desires u- to and including the desire for liberation. <n the other
hand, icchatm (Tthose &ho desire/$ indicates that all desires are fulfilled by
chanting the 0oly Aame. =s the saying goes, T*o to the hub/J anyone &ho goes to
the center can easily go in any directionJ so too, the chanting of the 0oly Aame is
like the root activity &hich leads to the fulfillment of all desires.
=nother understanding of this verse is that the chanting of the 0oly Aames is
suitable for anyoneJ nirvidyamnnm refers to the e3clusive devoteesJ icchat)
refers to all those &ho desire heavenly -leasures or liberationJ &hile yginm refers
to the self#satisfied tmrmas. Ao matter &ho they are, the chanting of the 0oly
Aame besto&s on each of them the results they seek.
D
./pertise is Desire%ess De$otion
,his idea that e3-ertise in devotion is measured by one/s freedom from desire is
su--orted by the 'hgavatam, &here it is saidJ
a"ma! sarva-"m v
m"a-"ma udra-dh&!
t&vrea bha"ti-ygena
yajeta purua) param
=ll -eo-le of e3-ansive intelligence should &orshi- the ?u-reme :erson by the
-rocess of intense Bhakti yoga, &hether they are -ure devotees &ithout any
-ersonal desire, or &hether they are filled &ith all kinds of desires, or seek
liberation. (%r&mad 'hgavatam
!.D."$

In his commentary to this verse, ViRvan(tha elaborates on some of the &ords used
in it. ,he &ords udra-dh& mean Ttruly intelligent./ In other &ords, the sign of true
intelligence is to make the ?u-reme Lord the ob)ect of one/s devotion, &hether he
has all kinds of material desires or no desires at all. ,he absence of such devotion
is a sign of lo& intelligence. ,he &ord t&vrea (Tintense/$ means unmi3ed by other
activities such as jna or "arma. Bhakti &hen unmi3ed in this &ay is intense in the
&ay sunlight is in a cloudless sky.
,hose &ho do not -ossess e3-ansive intelligence, the narro&#minded, are not able
to take u- intense devotional service. 0o&ever, because of the -urifying nature of
devotional service, it is also a sign of good intelligence to take u- bhakti even if
one isn/t -ure.
buddhimn-arthe yadi vicra-ja haya
nija-"ma lgiha tabe "ere bhajaya
bha"ti binu "na sdhana dite nre phala
saba phala deya bha"ti svatantra prabala
aj-gala-stana-nyya anya sdhana
ataeva hari bhaje buddhimn jana
,he meaning of Tintelligent/ is to have good )udgement. It is a sign of good
)udgement to engage in devotional service, even if one has desires for sense
gratification or liberation. ,his is because no other -rocesses can yield its
-romised results unless su--lemented by bhakti. Bhakti, ho&ever, is so strong
and inde-endent that it can give all results on its o&n. <ther -ractices are
unable to inde-endently yield their results any more than the ni--les on the
neck of a she#goat can give milk. 'no&ing this, an intelligent -erson &orshi-s
'rishna e3clusively. (Chaitanya Charitmta !.!E.X#XD$
2You )ust be a 'aBe@$ara6 a )i%%ionaireC3
,he ne3t as-ect of devotional e3-ertise in chanting is in the amount that one
chants. %henever invited to dine, 4ah(-rabhu took the o--ortunity of revealing
0is desire to have 0is devotees chant the 0oly Aames. S-on being asked, 0e
&ould laugh and say, .irst become a la"a-pati or millionaire. I only eat at the
houses of millionaires. %hen they heard this, the brahmins &ho had tendered the
invitation became -uIIled and &orried. ,hey made some remarks of -raise and
then one of them made this submission to the LordF ?ir, none of us even has a
thousand ru-ees to his name, &hat to s-eak of a lakh (hundred thousand$ ru-ees.
But if you don/t acce-t my invitation, then my &hole e3istence as a householder
has been a &aste and is better off going u- in flames.
,he Lord ans&ered, Co you kno& &hat I mean by a la"a-patiP I mean someone &ho
chants a hundred thousand names of the Lord every single day. ,o 4e, such a -erson
is a true millionaire. I only take meals at the house of such a -erson and I never eat
any&here else.
%hen the brahmins heard the Lord/s statement, they no longer &orried. Indeed they
became )oyful. ,hey said, ,hank you, Lord. %e &ill chant a hundred thousand names
every day. :lease come and eat at our house. %e are so fortunate that you teach us in
this &ay.
?o from that day on, all the brahmins chanted a lakh of names in the ho-e that the
Lord &ould acce-t their invitation. ,he Lord of Vaiku29ha engaged -eo-le in the
-erformance of Bhakti yoga &hile 0imself relishing the ocean of devotion. Lord 5r+
'rishna Khaitanya descended to this earth to -reach Bhakti yogaJ thus 0e never
greeted anyone &ithout inquiring about their s-iritual -rogress. (Chaitanya
'hgavata D.X.G#!H$
0ere &e see )ust ho& 4ah(-rabhu both -racticed and taught the -rocess of Bhakti
yoga, chiefly as e3-ressed through the chanting of the 0oly Aames. 4ah(-rabhu/s
avatar had this -ur-ose. <ther than devotion, 0e had no sub)ect of inquiry>bha"ti
vin jijs n "are prabhu ra.
prabhu bale je janera "a-bah"ti che
"uala magala tra nitya th"e pche
,he Lord said, %hoever has devotion for 'rishna is follo&ed every&here by
good fortune and ha--iness. (Chaitanya 'hgavata D.X.!L$
<ne &ho is engaged in the -ractice of devotion has all good fortune. %ithout such
devotion, even an em-eror is unfortunate. Cevotion is life/s real treasure. =nyone
&ho -ossesses these riches is treated &ith res-ect in the society of devotees, even
if he is materially -oor.
<ur most &orshi-able s-iritual master, 5r+la Bhaktisiddh(nta ?arasvat+
:rabhu-(da, commented on the above verses as follo&sF Lord *aurasundara
says that the ?u-reme Lord Uin 0is deity formV is truly served in a home &here
someone chants "",""" names every single day. ,he Lord acce-ts the food
offerings made to 0im by such a devotee. 0o&ever, the Lord does not bless a
disci-le by acce-ting his offerings if he does not chant a lakh of Aames a day.
Mvery single devotee must daily chant a lakh of namesJ if he does not, then he &ill
soon become attached to various sense ob)ects and become inca-able of serving
the Lord. .or this reason, everyone &ho has taken u- residence at the Khaitanya
4ath makes it a rule to chant a lakh of 0oly Aames every day. If not, the deity of
*aurasundara &ill not acce-t the offerings made to 0im. (*au8&ya-bhya,
D.X.!$
0e further &ritesF Khaitanya 4ah(-rabhu/s follo&ers do not converse &ith non#
devotees. <ne should not make friendshi- &ith those &ho are engaged in talking
about fruitive activities, -hiloso-hy, or other desires. .allen conditioned souls,
those &ho do not daily chant a lakh of 7arinma, are affected by gro&ing material
desires. ,he -resence of such desires results in an inca-acity to serve Lord
*aurasundara. ,he standard in the *au;+ya school of devotion is la"evara0 ,he
fallen, unable to acce-t this standard, engage in other kinds of -ractices in the
name of bhajana. ?uch activities are all dece-tion and of no real benefit to the
-ractitioner.(*au8&ya-bhya, D.X.!H$
In the book 6arasvat&-jaya-r&,
E
the follo&ing account is given of the e3am-le set
by 5r+la :rabhu-(da himselfF %hile living at 4aya-ura, 5r+la :rabhu-(da took a
vo& to observe the strictest rules of austerity and to chant three lakh of 7arinma
every single day. <` Vishnu-(da 5r+la Bhaktivinoda Oh(kura had -reviously
observed a vo& of chanting a billion 0oly Aames (three com-lete years of chanting
three lakh a day$ and had given 5r+la :rabhu-(da the )a-a#mala &ith &hich he
had -erformed this feat. 5r+la :rabhu-(da used this mala to fulfill his o&n vo& of
chanting a billion names. S- to the -resent day, 5r+la :rabhu-(da still uses this
same )a-a#mala. 5r+la :rabhu-(da did not a--rove of those &ho &himsically
changed their )a-a beads.
<ur &orshi-able 5r+la :rabhu-(da set the e3am-le of concentrated devotional
service in the same &ay that 4ah(-rabhu did, kno&ing that &ithout teaching by
e3am-le s-reading these doctrines is im-ossible. %e, &ho claim to be the servant
of 0is servants, -ray to Lord *aurasundara and to all the s-iritual masters &ho
re-resent him (beginning &ith 5r+ ?var@-a C(modara and 1@-a *osv(m+$, for
nothing more than the ability to follo& this e3am-le so that &e too can become
e3-ert in the matter of &orshi-J that is, chanting the 0oly Aame &ithout offenses.
./pertise in Bhajana )eans 5ffense%ess Chanting
4ah(-rabhu stated that the nine -rocesses of devotional service have great -o&er
to besto& u-on one love for 'rishna. <f these nine, the chanting of the 0oly Aame
is most -o&erful of all>but it must be chanted &ithout offenses. 5r+la
Bhaktivinoda Oh(kura therefore states in his 7arinma-cintmai that e3-ertise in
bhajana means chanting the 0oly Aame &ithout offensesF
apardha nhi chi nma jadi laya
sahasra-sdhane tra bha"ti nhi haya
jne mu"ti "arme bhu"ti jn& "arm& jane
sudurlabh "a bha"ti nirmala sdhane
bhu"ti-mu"ti u"ti-sama bha"ti mu"t-phala
j&vera mahim bha"ti-prpti sunirmala
sdhane naipuya-yge atyalpa sdhane
bha"ti-lat prema-phala dena bha"ta-jane
daa apardha chi nmera grahaa
ihi naipuya haya sdhane bhajana
If someone chants the 0oly Aame &ithout giving u- offenses, then he may
-erform outstanding feats of devotion &ithout develo-ing love for 'rishna. ,he
fruitive &orkers and monist -hiloso-hers seek sense gratification and
liberation. Cevotion to 'rishna is only attainable through engagement in -ure
devotional -ractices and is thus very rare. ?ense gratification and liberation are
like the mother of -earl &hich is &orthless, &hile bhakti is a -earl, a )e&el of
great value.
,he glory of the living entity comes from the attainment of -ure devotion. If
one/s -ractice is done e3-ertly, there is no necessity in engaging in great
amounts of -ractice. ,he cree-er of devotional service &ill gro& and give the
fruits of love to the devotee. ?o give u- the ten offenses and chant the 0oly
Aame. ,his is the e3-ertise &hich gives -o&er to your devotional -ractice.
(7ari-nma-cintmai, D$
'rishnad(sa 'avir()a *osv(m+ also states in the Chaitanya Charitmta that, if one
commits offenses, one may chant the 0oly Aame or listen to 'rishna "ath for
many lifetimes &ithout obtaining the result of -ure devotional service.
bahu janma "are jadi ravaa "&rtana
tabu ta n pya "a-pade prema-dhana
5r+la Bhaktivinoda Oh(kura comments on this verse in the follo&ing &ayF =
-erson &ho commits the ten ty-es of offenses to the 0oly Aame may hear and
chant for many lifetimes &ithout attaining love for 'rishna.(4mta-pravha-bhya
.L.G$
5r+la :rabhu-(da elaboratesF <ne &ho engages in hearing and chanting &ithout
taking shelter of Lord *aurasundara 4ah(-rabhu may do so for many lifetimes
&ithout achieving the treasure of love for 'rishna. ,hose &ho follo& 4ah(-rabhu/s
instruction to chant &hile thinking themselves lo&er than the stra& in the street,
as tolerant as a tree, &ith a res-ectful and modest attitude to&ards others, quickly
become free of the ten offenses and attain their re&ard of ecstatic love.
"a-nma "are apardhera vicra
"a balile apardh&ra n haya vi"ra
<ne must take offenses into consideration &hen chanting the holy name of
'rishna. ,herefore one &ho commits offenses does not e3-erience ecstatic
transformations even &hile chanting. (Chaitanya Charitmta .L.!E$
The Ten 5ffenses to the (o%y >ame
In his 4nubhya to the above verse, 5r+la :rabhu-(da quotes the follo&ing verses
from the >adma >urana, summariIing the ten offenses to the 0oly Aame.
sat) nind nmna! paramam
apardha) vitanute
yata! "hyti) yta) "atham u
sahate tad-vigarhm
($ ,he first and greatest offense is to blas-heme devotees &ho, through their
attachment to the 0oly Aame, s-read its glories throughout the &orld. 0o& &ill
the Lord &ho is manifest in the 0oly Aame ever tolerate such blas-hemous
activitiesP
ivasya r&-vir ya iha
gua-nmdi-sa"ala)
dhiy bhinna) payet sa "halu
hari-nmhita-"ara!
(!$ =nyone &ho considers the all#aus-icious name, form, qualities, and
-astimes of Lord Vishnu to to be distinct from 0is -erson in the &ay that
material signifiers are different from the signified ob)ect, is acting in a &ay
dis-leasing to the 0oly Aame.
=nyone &ho considers demigods such as Lord ?hiva to be inde-endent, or
nondifferent from Lord Vishnu, thinking such demigods/ names, qualities, forms
or -astimes to be equal to Vishnu/s, is committing the second offense to the
0oly Aame.
gurr avaj ruti-stra-nindanam
tathrtha-vd hari-nmni "alpanam
(D$ ,he third offense, called gurr avaj, is to consider the s-iritual master, &ho
kno&s the truth of the 0oly Aame, to be an ordinary man of the &orld and so to
be envious of him.
(E$ ,he fourth offense (ruti-stra-nind$ is to blas-heme the scri-tures such
as the Vedas and the Vaishnava :ura2as.
(N$ ,he fifth offense (artha-vda$ is to consider the glory of the 0oly Aame an
e3aggeration.
(G$ ,he si3th offense is to consider the glories of the holy name of the Lord to
be imaginary.
nmn bald yasya hi ppa-buddhir
na vidyate tasya yamair hi uddhi!
(H$ <ne &ho thinks that he may commit sins on the strength of the 0are
'rishna mantra/s -o&er to overcome all sinful reactions is such a great
offender that he cannot be -urified by any amount of regulative activities,
meditation, &ithdra&al of the senses from their ob)ects, concentration, or any
other yoga -ractice.
dharma-vrata-tyga-hutdi-sarva-
ubha-"riy-smyam api pramda!
(L$ ,he eighth offense is to erroneously think that chanting the 0oly Aame is in
any &ay equal to any other kind of religious activity, vo& of renunciation,
sacrificial ritual or aus-icious mundane -erformance.
araddadhne vimu"he #py avati
ya cpadea! iva-nmpardha!
(X$ ,he ninth offense is to -reach the glories of the most aus-icious 0oly Aame
to someone &ho has no faith, &ho is uninterested, or &ho is not listening.
rute #pi nma-mhtmye
ya! pr&ti-rahit nara!
aha)-mamdi-param
nmni s #py apardha-"t

("$ <ne &ho has heard the glories of the Lord/s holy name but develo-s no
a--reciation for it and continues to be absorbed in thinking of himself and his
-ossessions is also an offender to the 0oly Aame.
The )ercifu% >ames of =aura*>it9i
In chanting the holy name of 'rishna, there is therefore, a consideration of
offenses. =n offender may chant lakhs and lakhs of Aames &ithout ever achieving
the fruit of the chanting, the &ealth of ecstatic love. Cifferent rules a--ly, ho&ever,
to the chanting of the names of *aura#Ait(iF
caitanya-nitynande nhi e-saba vicra
nma laite prema dena bahe arudhra

But all these considerations do not e3ist in the chanting of the names of Lord
Khaitanya and Aity(nanda. =s soon as anyone chants their names, he is
a&arded the ecstasies of love, and tears flo& from his eyes.
(Chaitanya Charitmta .L.D$
,he >r"ta#sahajiy school of ,(ntrikas inter-ret this verse in an unauthoriIed
&ay. ,hey think that they can commit offenses on the strength of this statement
&ithout any attem-t at restraint. ,he fact is that the founders of the sa"&rtana
movement, Lord Khaitanya and Aity(nanda, &ould never tolerate any offensive
behavior. ,hey -ossess unlimited qualities, foremost among &hich are their
generosity and munificence. = living being, even if still in a state of contamination,
&ill be -urified by taking shelter of them. By their mercy, one &ill understand the
nature of their divine form and their e3-ansions. *radually, they mercifully teach
e3-ertise in chanting by freeing one from the offenses to the 0oly Aame. ,his
leads to one/s e3-erience of love of *od.
5r+la :rabhu-(da e3-lains further, 'rishna/s name and *aura/s name are both
identical &ith the -erson they signify. If after reading the above discussion one
thinks the name of 'rishna less -o&erful or limited, then one should be recogniIed
as suffering the effects of ignorance. Aevertheless, in terms of attaining the
ultimate goal of life, the names of *aura#Ait(i have a greater benefit for the
conditioned soul. *aura#Aity(nanda are magnanimous, and &ithin this
magnanimity s&eetness can be found. 'rishna/s magnanimity is felt only by the
liberated, the -erfected, and surrendered souls. By contrast, the flood of *aura#
Aity(nanda/s com-assion flo&s even over those &ho are contaminated by
materialistic desires and offenses, delivering them from these contaminants. ?uch
-ersons can then attain to 'rishna/s lotus feet.
,his does not mean, ho&ever, that one abandons the &orshi- of 1adha and
'rishna to e3clusively &orshi- 4ah(-rabhu. ?uch is not the meaning of &orshi-ing
4ah(-rabhu. ,o &orshi- 4ah(-rabhu, the combined form of 1adha and 'rishna,
means to acce-t his leadershi- and that of 0is intimate associates like ?var@-a
C(modara, the *osv(m+s (1@-a, 1aghun(tha$ and others. 1(m(nanda 1(ya
revealed 4ah(-rabhu/s desireF
re(ha upsya yugala rdh-"a nma
,he best of all ob)ects of &orshi- is the Civine Kou-le named 1adha and
'rishna. (Chaitanya Charitmta !.L.!NG$
1ead other&ise, this can be understood to mean, ,he best of all ob)ects of
&orshi- are the names of the Civine Kou-le, 1adha and 'rishna, in other
&ords, the 0are 'rishna $ah-mantra. ,o chant this $ah-mantra &ithout
offenses demonstrates real e3-ertise in the &orshi- of the Lord.
Chapter AI
'istening to the Bhaga$ata
,he &ord Tma(ha# includes the ideas of a student hostel, an educational
establishment, and a tem-le, or -lace of &orshi-. ,he ?anskrit verb root Tma(h#
means to d&ell, to reside. ,hus, the &ord is defined in the follo&ing &ayF
ma(hanti vasanti yatra paramrtha-i"rthina!>= ma(ha is a -lace &here those
desiring to learn about the ultimate s-iritual truth reside. ,hough the -resence of
a deity and tem-le is also im-lied in the term, the ma(ha/s -rimary -ur-ose is the
dissemination of kno&ledge of the categories of sambandha, abhidheya and
prayjana to those &ho serve that deity. ,here is furthermore an im-lied obligation
to distribute this kno&ledge to those living outside the ma(ha/s confines, for their
&elfare.
,hrough contact &ith the tiny s-iritual s-ark, the mind and intelligence maintain a
semblance of consciousness. ,he eternal function of this s-iritual s-ark or soul is
to be attracted to the all#attractive, infinite consciousness of the ?u-reme ?oul. <n
the other hand, the eternal function of the all#attractive ?u-reme ?oul is to -ull all
the infinitesimal individual souls to&ards 0im and to give them a -lace at 0is feet
&here they can get a taste of everlasting, infinite, su-reme )oy. ,hough the j&va,
the s-iritual s-ark, is eternal, until it comes into contact &ith the eternal, infinite
and su-remely )oyful substance it &ill never find satisfaction in the -assing
-leasures derived from limited and tem-orary substances.
,he &ord T"i# refers to the all#attractive state of being, &hile Ta/ means the
su-reme bliss. %hen these t&o are combined, one gets the name of the ?u-reme
Brahman, 'rishna. <ut of 0is affection for 0is lost eternal servants, 'rishna calls
out to them an3iously like a co& &ho has lost her calf. 0e cries out, mm e"a)
araa) vraja>,ake shelter of 4e alone. Snfortunately, ho&ever, the living
beings are so enthralled by the Lord/s e3ternal energy that they -ay 0im no notice.
,hey do not kno& that there is no other &ay of overcoming the -o&erful
enchantments of maya other than by surrendering to 0im. =s 'rishna 0imself says
in the *&t (H.E$F
daiv& hy e guamay&
mama my duratyay
mm eva ye prapadyante
mym et) taranti te
,he e3ternal energy consisting of the three qualities is divinely em-o&ered
and thus im-ossible to conquer. %hoever surrenders to 4e, ho&ever, can cross
over this maya.
,he eternal constitutional -osition of the s-irit soul is service to the Lord. Because
he has forgotten this service, he no& has to be buffeted by all kinds of distresses
and evils in this &orld of matter. = life bereft of service offers no ho-e for true
satisfaction Ces-ite the great treasure of love for 'rishna, the j&va &hose vision is
obscured by ignorance -ursues so many inferior, meaningless, &orthless affairs, all
of &hich are tem-orary and lifeless. 1ather than discovering friendshi- &ith other
living beings, he becomes entangled in com-etitive and envious relationshi-s &ith
them.
0aving fallen into the blind &ell of ignorance, the j&vas fail to recogniIe that their
only real &elfare lies &ith the ?u-reme Lord. In com-etition for the ob)ects &hich
they falsely think are beneficial to them, they create terrible tragedies such as
&ars &hich threaten to engulf the entire &orld like great blaIing fires. ,he fire
&hich leads to the universal destruction, Cur)ayali6ga, results from 1udra/s anger
u-on seeing the general indifference of humanity to the service of the Lord.
,he meaning of ignorance is lack of kno&ledge about that entity from &hom &e
have come, by &hose mercy our e3istence is maintained, and in &hom &e &ill
have our final and su-reme resting -lace after the destruction of this body. ,his
ignorance (ajna, or avidy$ is the source of all our troubles. It is by the higher
kno&ledge of devotion to 'rishna that such ignorance is to be overcome. ,he
'hgavatam saysF s vidy tan-matir yay, ,hat alone is kno&ledge by &hich one/s
mind becomes fi3ed on 0im. ,herefore, &e must ackno&ledge the great and
unavoidable necessity for ma(has &here those &ho have taken u- an e3em-lary
lifestyle devoted to the ?u-reme Lord can live, associate, and study the divine
kno&ledge of devotional service.
The Authority of the Bh9ga$atam
?ince the mind and body are com-osed of dull and tem-orary matter, their nature,
or essential activities, are similarly tem-orary. By contrast, the soul is eternal and
s-iritual and its nature, or essential activities, are similarly eternal. ,he essential
activity, or dharma, of the soul has been established by the ?u-reme Lord 0imself.
Aone of the gods, seers, siddhas, demons, humans, 7ak8as, 1(k8asas, *andharvas,
'innaras, Vidy(dharas, or K(ra2as kno& the inner secret of this natural function of
the soul. It is a mystery &hich has been mercifully revealed by the Lord only to
Brahm(, A(rada, 5ambhu, the four 'um(ras, Lord 'a-iladeva, ?v(yambhuva
4anu, :rahl(da, Banaka, Bh+8ma, Bali, 5ukadeva, and 7amar()a. ,hese t&elve
mahjanas, or great authorities, thus kno& the most secret, -ure, and inscrutable
'hgavata#dharma. Ces-ite the inaccessibility of this divine kno&ledge, one can get
a taste of it through the mercy of these devotees and the Lord 0imself. ,o be able
to relish this divine nectar is certainly a matter of great fortune.
,he natural activity of the soul, or 'hgavata-dharma, is identical &ith the yoga of
devotion, &hich consists -rimarily of harinma-sa"&rtana. ,his activity has been
identified in all the scri-tures as the su-reme religion of for all beings. <ne should
look -articularly at the story of =)(mila in the si3th canto of the 'hgavatam, &here
this has been described in full.
,he ?u-reme Lord lies beyond the -urvie& of the material senses. 0e is thus
kno&n as =dhok8a)a. ,he su-reme religion is causeless devotion to 0im. ?uch
devotion should be free from any ulterior motive such as -ersonal sense
en)oyment, liberation or mystical -erfections, and uninterru-ted by other ty-es of
activities such as "arma and jna. ,his is also stated in the first canto, second
cha-ter of the %r&mad 'hgavatam.
%hen Charmar()a disguised himself as a heron and asked questions of
7udhi89hira, one of the questions &as about the truth of religion. ,he eldest
:(2;ava res-ondedF
dharmasya tattva) nihita) guhy)
mah-jan yena gata! sa panth!
It is very difficult to understand the secret of religion, but one &ho follo&s in
the footste-s of the great authorities, or mah()anas, &ill be successful.
($ahbhrata, 9ana-parva DD.H$
,he mahjanas are great devotees in &hom the 'hgavatam/s teachings are
incarnate. ,hus anyone &ho &ishes to understand the doctrines of the 'hgavata
religion must absolutely follo& in the footste-s of those great authorities like 5uka
and Vy(sa. ,he father of the creation, Brahm(, received the essential 'hgavata
doctrines in a condensed form of four essential verses directly from the Lord
0imself. ,he seer of the gods, A(rada, subsequently heard it from him. Vy(sadeva
then heard the 'hgavata from A(rada 4uni. 5ukadeva received the teachings
from Vy(sa and :ar+k8it from 5uka. SgraRrav( ?@ta listened to the 'hgavatam as
it &as s-oken by 5uka to :ar+k8it and then &ent on to recount the entire >urana to
the sages at Aaimi8(ra2ya led by 5aunaka. .rom this history &e can note the
dissemination of the 'hgavatam/s teachings.
In our age, the golden avatar and -urifier of the 'ali 7uga, *aura 0ari, and 0is
associates acce-ted the 'hgavatam as the king of all literature, the best of all
scri-tures, and the genuine commentary on the Vedanta. 4ah(-rabhu thus called
the 'hgavatam the most authoritative source of kno&ledge about the ?u-reme
Brahman. In vie& of this, it is evidently the duty of those &ho live in the ma(ha to
study and teach this great scri-ture.
(earing the Bh9ga$atam is a De$otiona% Acti$ity
,he 'hgavatam discards all false or incom-lete understandings of religion.
,herefore, the 'hgavata itself statesF
r&mad-bhgavata) puram amala)
yad vaiavn) priya)
yasmin pramaha)syam e"am amala)
jna) para) g&yate
tatra jna-virga-bha"ti-sahita)
nai"armyam vi"ta)
tac chvan supa(han vicraa-par
bha"ty vimucyen nara!
,he beautiful 'hgavatam is the s-otless :urana, the scri-ture most dear to
the Vaishnavas. ,he su-reme kno&ledge &hich is the unique &ealth of the
-aramaha`sas is glorified therein. <ne &ho reads it &ill discover the liberation
&hich comes from kno&ledge, renunciation, and devotion. = human being &ho
hears and studies the 'hgavatam and then discusses and meditates on &hat
he has heard and studied &ill, by this devotional act alone, be liberated.
(%r&mad 'hgavatam
!.D.L$
<f course, it should be understood that the 'hgavatam reveals more than )ust the
means for attaining liberationJ it also sho&s ho& to attain the ultimate liberated
-latform of prema-bha"ti.
The Bh9ga$atam+Commentary on =ayatri and "edanta
%hen discussing the devotional act of hearing, B+va *osv(m+ indicates that its
to-most manifestation comes from listening to the %r&mad 'hgavatam as s-oken
by 5uka, and realiIed by Vy(sa in the highest reaches of his trance, and as
transmitted by 5aunaka to the G",""" seers at Aaimi8(ra2ya. In his 3attva-
sandarbha, B+va quotes the *aru8a >urana, &hich calls the 'hgavata the meaning
of the 9edanta 6utra, the e3-lanation of the -ur-ose of the $ahbhrata, a
commentary on the *ayatri 4antra, and an elaboration of the Vedas themselves.
arth#ya) brahma-str)
bhratrtha-viniraya!
gyatr&-bhya-rp#sau
vedrtha-parib)hita!
In the t&enty#fifth cha-ter of the 4adhya#l+l( in the Khaitanya Kharit(mZta,
:rak(R(nanda ?arasvat+ asked to hear the -rimary -ur-ort of the Vedanta from
the Lord. 4ah(-rabhu elaborated on the glories of the Bh(gavatam, reiterating
that the Bh(gavatam is the natural commentary on the Vedanta ?utras.
,he seed of the desire tree of the Vedic literature is the syllable om, also kno&n as
-ra2ava. ,his seed germinates and becomes a seedling, the *ayatri 4antra, &hich
is called the 4other of the Veda and is said to e3-lain the -ra2ava. ,he fruit of the
Vedic desire tree is the Bh(gavatam in its com-act form of four verses>the
KatuaRlok+ Bh(gavatam. ,his essential Bh(gavatam &as taught to Brahm( by the
?u-reme Lord 0imself. Brahm( then e3-anded on these fe& verses and taught it
to his son A(rada. A(rada again re-eated the same teaching to Vy(sa, &ho u-on
hearing it, realiIedF
ei artha mra strera vy"hynurpa
bhgavata "ariba strera bhya-svarpa
,his teaching is an e3-lanation of the sutras &hich I have &ritten. I shall no&
&rite the 'hgavatam on the basis of this teaching and that &ill be my o&n full
commentary on the 'rahma 6utra. (Chaitanya Charitmta !.!N.XN$
=ccording to this statement, it is clear that the 'hgavata is the cro&ning glory of
the Vedic literature. 'rishna Cvai-(yana Vy(sa churned all the 1panishads to
e3tract the cream of its kno&ledge and then com-osed the %r&mad 'hgavatam as
the only commentary &hich is true to the &ord of the 9edanta 6utras. ,his means
that the kno&ledge of sambandha, abhidheya and prayjana &hich are found
throughout the Vedic literature is summariIed in essence in the four verses of the
Catu!l"& 'hgavatam and e3-anded on in greater detail throughout the L,"""
verses of the %r&mad 'hgavatam.
,here are -rinci-al 1panishads< Ja, .ena, .a(ha, >rana, $u8a"a, $8"ya,
4ittareya, 3aittar&ya, Chndgya, 'hadraya"a and %vetvatara. Vy(sa based the
9edanta 6utras on the essential teachings found in these te3ts. 4any of the verses
of the 1panishads are directly e3-lained in the 'hgavatam, such as the Jpaniad
verse (&vsyam ida) sarvam$, &hich is elaborated on at %r&mad 'hgavatam
L..". ,he very first verse of the %r&mad 'hgavatam e3-lains the first sutra of the
Vedanta, janmdy asya yata!0 ,hat same verse also includes an e3-lanation of the
*ayatri 4antra. ,hus 4ah(-rabhu statesF
gyatr&ra arthe ei grantha-rambhana
satya) para) sambandha dh&mahi sdhana-prayjana
,he first verse of this book gives an e3-lanation of the *ayatri 4antra. ,he
sambandha-tattva is hinted at in the &ords satya) para) (Tthe su-reme truth/$
and the &ord dh&mahi (T&e meditate u-on/$ indicates the abhidheya of
devotional -ractice and the prayjana, love for 'rishna.
(Chaitanya Charitmta !.!N.E"$
In his 4nubhya to this verse, our most &orshi-able s-iritual master :rabhu-(da
Bhaktisiddh(nta ?arasvat+ Oh(kura elucidates as follo&sF ,he very first verse of
the 'hgavatam is an e3-lanation of the *ayatri 4antra. ,he su-reme truth refers
to the sambandha0 ,he effort to meditate is an indication of the -ractice of
devotional service, &hich is the abhidheya0 ,hat &hich is achieved by the -ractice of
devotional service, the prayjana, is -erfected meditation, or prema-bha"ti.
'rishnad(sa 'avir()a *osv(m+ also confirms that the $ahbhrata and its
e3-lanation, the %r&mad 'hgavatam are the t&o -rimary scri-tures in this age.
,hese t&o scri-tures state that the Lord a--ears as an avatar in the =ge of 'ali.
,his is his conclusionF
bhgavata-bhrata dui strera pradhna
sei dui "ahe "alite s"t-avatra
%r&mad 'hgavatam and the $ahbhrata are the t&o most im-ortant Vedic
scri-tures, and both reveal that the Lord a--ears 0imself as an incarnation in
the =ge of 'ali. (Chaitanya Charitmta !.G.XH#L$
)ah9prabhu0s Teachings about the Bh9ga$atam
'rishnad(sa 'avir()a *osv(m+ summariIes the -ersonal teachings of 5r+
Khaitanya 4ah(-rabhu as follo&sF
"a-tattva bha"ti-tattva prema-tattva sra
bhva-tattva rasa-tattva l&l-tattva ra
r&-bhgavata-tattva-rasa "aril pracre
"a-tulya bhgavata jnil sa)sre
5r+ Khaitanya 4ah(-rabhu -ersonally -reached 'rishna/s doctrines,
devotional service, love of *odhead, emotional ecstasy, sacred ra-ture, and
the Lord/s -astimes. =ll these nectarean doctrines are found in the %r&mad
'hgavatam. ,hus 4ah(-rabhu taught the entire &orld that the %r&mad
'hgavatam and the ?u-reme Lord 5r+ 'rishna are identical. (Chaitanya
Charitmta !.!N.!NL#X$
,he Lord also mentions the 'hgavatam &hen 0e lists the GE kinds of devotional
service in -ractice. ,here, the idea of serving things &hich are related to the Lord
(tad&ya$ is e3-lained as follo&sF
tad&ya tulas& vaiava mathur bhgavata
ei crira sev haya "era abhimata
T,hings related to the Lord/ include the tulas& -lant, 'rishna/s devotees, 0is
abode in 4athur(, and the %r&mad 'hgavatam. 'rishna is very eager to see
everyone render the a--ro-riate service to these four.
(Chaitanya Charitmta !.!!.!$
0earing the %r&mad 'hgavatam is also included among the five -rinci-al acts of
devotional service.
sdhu-saga nma-"&rtana bhgavata-ravaa
mathur-vsa r&-mrtira raddhya sevana
sa"ala-sdhana-re(ha ei paca aga
"a-prema janmya ei pcera alpa saga
e"a aga sdhe "eha sdhe bahu aga
ni(h haile upajaya premera taraga
<ne should associate &ith devotees, chant the holy name of the Lord, hear
%r&mad 'hgavatam, reside at 4athur(, and &orshi- the deity &ith faith and
veneration. ,hese five limbs of devotional service are the best of all. Mven a
slight -erformance of these five a&akens love for 'rishna. %hether a -erson
e3ecutes only one or many of these -rocesses of devotional service, the &aves
of love of *odhead &ill &ell u- as a result of his fi3ed determination, or ni(h.
(Chaitanya Charitmta !.!!.!E#N, !X$
=fter hearing 5r+ Khaitanya e3-lain the tmrma verse from the 'hgavatam in G
different &ays, ?an(tana &as so amaIed that he fell at the Lord/s feet and began
to -raise 0im as follo&sF
s"t &vara tumi vrajendra-nandana
tmra nivse sarva-veda-pravartana
tumi va"t bhgavatera tumi jna artha
tm vin anya jnite nhi"a samartha
4y dear Lord, 7ou are the ?u-reme Lord 'rishna 0imself, the son of 4ah(r()a
Aanda. =ll the Vedic literatures are manifested &ith 7our e3halation. 7ou are
the original s-eaker of the %r&mad 'hgavatam and 7ou alone kno& its true
meaning. <ther than 7ou, no one can gras- it com-letely.
(Chaitanya Charitmta !.!E.D"X#D"$
,o this, 4ah(-rabhu ans&ered,
prabhu "ahe "ene "ara mra stavana
bhgavatera svarpa "ene n "ara vicraa
"a-tulya bhgavata vibhu sarvraya
prati-l"e prati-a"are nn artha "aya
pranttare bhgavate "ariyche nirdhra
jhra ravae l"e lge camat"ra
%hy are you glorifying 4eP %hy do you not try to understand the
transcendental -osition of the %r&mad 'hgavatamP Like 'rishna, %r&mad
'hgavatam is the infinite shelter of everything. ,here are multi-le meanings in
each and every verse, in each and every syllable of this scri-ture. ,he %r&mad
'hgavatam establishes its conclusions in the form of questions and ans&ers
and those &ho hear them are amaIed. (Chaitanya
Charitmta !.!E.D#DD$
)ah9prabhu0s De$otees0 'o$e for the Bh9ga$atam
4ah(-rabhu/s associates also sho&ed great affection for the 'hgavatam. Mven
before leaving his -osition in ?h(h 0ussain/s court to )oin 4ah(-rabhu, 5r+la
?an(tana *osv(m+ stayed at home and took u- the study of the 'hgavatam in the
com-any of !" or D" scholars.
lbh& "yastha-gaa rja-"rya "are
pane sva-ghe "are strera vicre
bha((crya pa8ita bia tria la
bhgavata vicra "arena sabhte vasiy
%hile he himself remained at home and discussed revealed scri-tures,
?an(tana/s ambitious clerical and secretarial staff -erformed all of his
government duties. In the meantime, he called together an assembly of !" or
D" learned brahmin scholars and discussed the 'hgavatam &ith them.
(Chaitanya Charitmta !.X.G#H$
4ah(-rabhu/s dear associate, 1aghun(tha Bha99a, had a great re-utation as a
s-eaker on the 'hgavatam. %hen in :ur+, the Lord told himF
mra jya raghuntha jha vndvane
th j raha rpa-santana-sthne
bhgavata paa sad laha "a-nma
acire "aribena "p "a bhagavn;
4y dear 1aghun(tha, follo& 4y instructions and go to Vrindavan. <nce there,
-lace yourself under the care of 1@-a and ?an(tana *osv(m+s. 7ou must study
the %r&mad 'hgavatam and constantly chant 'rishna/s names. If you do so,
Lord 'rishna &ill very soon besto& 0is mercy u-on you.
(Chaitanya Charitmta !.E.!"#$
prabhura (hi j la gel vndvane
raya "aril si rpa-santane
rpa-gsira sabhya "arena bhgavata-pa(hana
bhgavata paite preme ulya tra mana
1aghun(tha Bha99a then took -ermission from 5r+ Khaitanya 4ah(-rabhu
and de-arted for Vrindavan. %hen he arrived there, he took shelter of 1@-a
and ?an(tana *osv(m+s. %henever 1aghun(tha Bha99a recited %r&mad
'hgavatam and gave discourses on it in 1@-a and ?an(tana/s assembly, he
&ould be over&helmed &ith ecstatic love for 'rishna.
(Chaitanya Charitmta !.E.!N#G$
(ear the Bh9ga$atam in the Association of De$otees
1@-a *osv(m+ also &rites in his 'ha"ti-rasmta-sindhu that one should relish the
to-ics of the %r&mad 'hgavatam in the association of rasi"as>r&mad-
bhgavatrthnm svd rasi"ai! saha ('ha"ti-rasmta-sindhu .!.X$. By this, 1@-a
means that one should seek the com-any of devotees &ho kno& the
transcendental meaning of the 'hgavatamJ &ho understand -ure devotional
mello&s and &ho are e3-ert in the art of rendering devotional service. ,hey should
have the same kinds of as-irations as oneself and should -referably be more
advanced than oneself. It is in the association of such -eo-le that one can relish
the %r&mad 'hgavatam.
<n the other hand, the dee-er meaning of the 'hgavatam &ill not be understood if
one studies it in the com-any of &ell#educated -ersons &ho have no interest in the
devotional -ath, even though they may be e3-ert in grammar or etymology, or
connoisseurs of mundane -oetry and literature. If they are attached to the
com-any of &omen or absorbed in their mundane household affairs, so much the
&orse. <ther ty-es of -ersons from &hom one should not hear the 'hgavatam are
im-ersonalists &ho re)ect the eternal character of service to the Lord and 0is
devoteesJ offenders to the 0oly AameJ -eo-le &ho use the tra--ings of the
renounced life to make a livingJ or those &ho are -rofessional distributors of
mantra initiation. <ne cannot learn the inner meaning of the scri-ture meant for
paramaha)sas on the highest -latform of s-iritual realiIation by a--roaching those
&ho make a living by reciting the 'hgavatam &hile seeking the gratification of
their material senses and remaining attached to mundane sense ob)ects.
Aone of the above#mentioned -ersons has any qualification to com-rehend the
-ur-ort of that great scri-ture. ,he %rutis and %mtis have given their verdict on
ho& this com-rehension can be achievedF
yasya deve par bha"tir
yath deve tath gurau
tasyaite "athit hy arth!
pra"ante mahtmana!
<nly unto those great souls &ho have im-licit faith in both the Lord and the
s-iritual master, &ho is the Lord/s manifestation and not different from him, are
all the im-orts of Vedic kno&ledge automatically revealed.
(%vetvatara 1panishad G.!D$
In other &ords, only such a -erson be revealed a dee-er understanding of the
scri-tures such as the %r&mad 'hgavatam.
bha"ty bhgavata) grhya)
na buddhy na ca (&"ay0
= -erson can understand the %r&mad 'hgavatam through devotionJ not sim-ly
by e3ercising his intelligence, or sim-ly through studying the commentaries.
(Chaitanya Charitmta !.!E.DE$
Vrindavan d(sa Oh(kura has also &rittenF
bhgavata bujhi hena jra che jna
se n jne "abhu bhgavatera prama
=nyone &ho thinks that he has understood the meaning of the %r&mad
'hgavatam &ill never truly be able to kno& its significance.
(Chaitanya 'hgavata !.!.!E$
%ithout single#minded commitment to the -leasure of the ?u-reme Lord 'rishna
and 0is devotees, it is indeed im-ossible to understand the meaning of the
'hgavatam through mundane scholarshi- or sim-ly by mental gymnastics. =nd
even if one should understand something, to bring this understanding to fruition
&ould be im-ossible &ithout faithful and determined chanting of the 0oly Aames,
-urely and &ithout offenses, follo&ing in the footste-s of the s-iritual master and
other e3em-lary devotees. %hen one develo-s a taste for the 0oly Aame, his
study of the 'hgavatam bears fruit. =nyone &ho studies the 'hgavatam &ith a
vie& to sho&ing off his brilliance and learning, or to make a comfortable living, or
to gain &ealth, fame or status, is sim-ly &asting his valuable time.
,hus ?var@-a C(modara *osv(m+ advised the brahmin from Mast BengalF
jha bhgavata paa vaiavera sthne
e"nta raya "ara caitanya-carae
caitanyera bha"ta-gaera nitya "ara saga
tabe ta jnib siddhnta-samudra-taraga
*o and study the 'hgavatam &ith a Vaishnava. ,ake e3clusive shelter of
Khaitanya 4ah(-rabhu/s lotus feet. =l&ays associate &ith Khaitanya
4ah(-rabhu/s devotees. If you do all these things, you &ill be able to -lunge
into the ocean of 0is divine teachings. (Chaitanya Charitmta D.N.D#D!$
The Importance of Siddh9nta
?omeone may ob)ect that there is no need of studying scri-tures in order to
establish the correct s-iritual doctrine, that sim-ly engaging in devotional service
itself is sufficient to attain -erfection. 'rishnad(sa 'avir()a *osv(m+ res-onds to
this -ossible ob)ection by saying that through a correct understanding of doctrine
one/s taste for rendering service increasesF
siddhnta baliy citte n "ara alasa
ih ha-ite "e lge sud8ha mnasa
caitanya-mahim jni e saba siddhnte
citta d8ha ha lge mahim-jna haite
Co not be laIy and avoid discussing these doctrines, for such discussions
strengthen the mind/s attachment to 5r+ 'rishna. I kno& 5r+ Khaitanya/s
glories through my study of all these teachings and have become strong and
fi3ed in attachment to 0im through the kno&ledge of 0is greatness.
(Chaitanya Charitmta .!.H#L$
?var@-a C(modara also saidF
rasbhsa haya jadi siddhnta-virdha
sahite n pre prabhu mane haya "rdha
If any statement contains -erverted reflections of the transcendental aesthetic
or goes against the doctrines of the 'hgavatam, 4ah(-rabhu finds it
intolerable and becomes angry.
(Chaitanya Charitmta D.N.XH$

jadb-tadb "avira v"ye haya rasbhsa
siddhnta-viruddha unite n haya ullsa
rasa rasbhsa jra nhi"a vicra
bha"ti-siddhnta-sindhu nhi pya pra
?ome -oets think they can &rite anything that -leases them. In their &ritings
there is usually an incorrect -resentation of the divine loving relationshi-s.
,here is no -leasure in hearing &ords &hich are contrary to the scri-tural
conclusions. =nyone &ho cannot distinguish bet&een the genuine sacred
aesthetic and its reflection &ill never be able to cross the ocean of scri-tural
conclusions &hich lead to devotional service. (Chaitanya Charitmta
D.N."!#D$
5n%y 'istening to the Bh9ga$atam &ith Fu%% Attention Wi%% Produce #esu%ts
Mven after an as-irant to s-iritual life has attained the com-any of devotees and
hears the 'hgavatam in their association, he must still be careful to hear it in the
-ro-er manner. <ther&ise he &ill not get the full result of this -o&erful devotional
activity.
,he instructive tale of *okar2a is found in the section of >adma >urana kno&n as
,he *lories of the %r&mad 'hgavatam ('hgavata-mhtmya$. *okar2a &as the
ado-ted son of the brahmin ]tmadeva and his &ife Chundhul+. Chundhul+ and her
husband also raised her sister/s child Chundhuk(r+, &ho unfortunately &as very
&icked. Because of his sinful life, &hen Chundhuk(r+ died he became a ghost and
haunted his family/s village. <ut of com-assion for his ste-brother, *okar2a
recited the entire ! cantos of the 'hgavatam over a -eriod of seven days and,
&hen it &as over, Chundhuk(r+ &as liberated from his ghostly body. %here he had
-reviously been invisible, he suddenly a--eared before the entire assembly of
devotees in a &onderful form, described in the 'hgavata-mhtmya as follo&sF
divya-rpa-dhar jtas tulas&-dma-ma8ita!
p&tavs ghana-ym mu"u(& "u8alnvita!
Chundhuk(r+ manifested before them in a marvellous, beautiful dee- blue#
colored form, garlanded &ith tulas& leaves and &earing a yello& cloth, a
)e&elled cro&n, and earrings. ('hgavata-mhtmya
N.N$
Chundhuk(r+ -rostrated himself before his ste-brother and thanked him sincerely
for having recited the entire 'hgavatam for his benefit. =s he &as himself
energetically glorifying the seven#day recital of the 'hgavatam, a marvellous
celestial carriage, attended by residents of the Vaiku29ha &orld, descended into
the midst of the assembly, brightening the surroundings &ith their effulgence.
Before the eyes of the amaIed s-ectators, Chundhuk(r+ boarded the lustrous
carriage. Before leaving, ho&ever, *okar2a asked the deniIens of Vaiku29ha the
follo&ing im-ortant questionF
atraiva bahava! santi
rtr mama nirmal!
n&tni vimnni
na te) yugapat "uta!
ravaa) samabhgena
sarvem iha dyate
phala-bheda! "ut jta!
prabruvantu hari-priy!
,here &ere many -eo-le in the audience &ho &ere -urified by listening to
the 'hgavatam recital. %hy then &ere celestial carriages not brought for all
of themP I observed them all -artici-ating equally in the act of hearing.
:lease e3-lain, < beloved of 0ari, &hy there is a difference in the results
they have gottenP ('hgavata-mhtmya N.GX#H"$
,he associates of the Lord ans&ered by s-eaking the follo&ing versesF
ravaasya vibhedena
phala-bhed#tra sa)sthita!
ravaa) tu "ta) sarvair
na tath manana) "tam
phala-bhedas tat jt
bhajand api mnada
,he difference in results comes of the differences in the quality of their
hearing. Mveryone -resent, it is true, listened to the 'hgavatam, but not
everyone reflected on &hat they had heard. ,he difference in results came
from this, as &ell as from the quality of their &orshi-, < res-ectful one.
('hgavata-mhtmya
N.H$
sapta-rtram upasyaiva
pretena ravaa) "tam
manandi tath tena
sthira-citte "ta) bham
ad8ha) ca hata) jna)
pramdena hata) rutam
sandigdh hi hat mantr
vyagra-citt hat japa!
avaiav hat de
hata) rddham aptra"am
hatam artriye dnam
ancra) hata) "ulam
vivs guru-v"yeu
svasmin d&natve-bhvan
man-da-jaya caiva
"athy) nical mati!
evam di "ta) cet syt
tad vai ravae phalam
puna! ravnte sarve)
vai"u(he vasatir dhruvam
g"ara tava gvind
gl"a) dsyati svayam
,he ghost listened for seven days, but each night he &orshi-ed the Lord,
during &hich time he reflected &ith concentration on &hat he had heard.
'no&ledge &hich is unstable is lost, as is the learning of someone &ho has
been inattentive. Ba-a done &ithout concentration or hearing advice &ich
comes from a doubtful source are both &asted. = land &ithout Vaishnavas is
&orthless, as is the offering of oblations by a -erson &ithout qualifications,
charity given to an unlearned -erson, and a family &hich has no ethical
-rinci-les. In order to obtain the fruits of hearing the 'hgavatam, one should
have faith in the &ords of the s-iritual master and an attitude of humility about
his o&n &orthJ he should be victorious over the fla&s of the mind and have
uns&erving concentration on the to-ics he is hearing.
%hen all these -eo-le hear the 'hgavatam a second time, they too &ill gain
eternal residence in Vaiku29ha, of this there is no doubt. =s for you, *okar2a,
*ovinda &ill -ersonally take you to *oloka, the abode of the co&s
('hgavata-mhtmya N.H!#HH$
=fter thus s-eaking to *okar2a, the associates of Lord 0ari began to loudly sing
the Lord/s names, ascending to Vaiku29ha &ith the transformed Chundhuk(r+.
In the follo&ing month of 5r(va2a, *okar2a undertook a second 'hgavata-saptha.
,he same audience &as again -resent, but this time they listened more carefully
than they had -reviously. =t the end of the &eek, there &as the most &onderful
e-i-hany. 5r+ 0ari 0imself descended into the assembly, surrounded by
innumerable associates in innumerable celestial carriages. ,he sounds of -rayer
and glorification resounded in every direction. Mven Lord 0ari 0imself added to the
aus-icious caco-hony by blo&ing the conch :(Wca)anya, &hich 0e al&ays holds in
0is hand. ,he Lord then embraced *okar2a tightly, transforming the devotee, &ho
took the dark form of a Vaiku29ha resident &ith four arms, yello& silk dress, and
)e&elled cro&n and earrings. Instantly, everyone in the assembly &as similarly
transformed. Mven other creatures, and lo&er#caste residents of the village &ere
also transformed into divine beings and, as a result of *okar2a/s mercy, &ere
given -laces in the celestial carriages and taken to the transcendental abode
sought after by the great yogis. ,he Lord of the co&s, *o-(la, took *okar2a, 0is
dearmost devotee, &ith 0im to 0is o&n abode of *oloka.
<ne may -erform -enances for many lifetimes and not obtain residence in *oloka#
Vaiku29ha>the fruit of listening to the 'hgavatam for a single &eek. Bust as all the
citiIens of =yodhy( &ere taken by 1(macandra to ?(keta in Vaiku29ha, by the
Lord/s mercy, anyone &ho listens to the 'hgavatam &ill be taken to 0is
transcendental abode, for the mercy of 5r+ 'rishna is -resent in the account of 0is
-astimes found therein. <ne &ho recites the 'hgavatam as &ell as those &ho
listen to it &ill have the great fortune of obtaining this divine re&ard.
The Importance of #ef%ection
,he second verse of the %r&mad 'hgavatam/s magalcaraa (aus-icious
invocation$ serves as the vastu-nirdea, or indication of the book/s sub)ect matter.
,here it is said, &vara! sady hdy avarudhyate#tra "tibhi! uruubhis tat-"atF
,he Lord described in the 'hgavatam a--ears in the -ure heart of the -ious
listener and remains there from the moment he starts to listen to its recital. <n
the other hand, as the commentator e3-lains, a"tibhis tu bahu-vilambane>the
im-ious may listen to the 'hgavatam for a long time &ithout ever obtaining the
same result.
'rishna states in the 'hagavad-g&tF
mayy eva mana dhatsva
mayi buddhi) niveaya
nivasiyasi mayy eva
ata rdhva) na sa)aya!
Bust fi3 your mind u-on 4e aloneJ engage all your intelligence in 4e. ,hus,
&ithout a doubt you &ill reside in 4e forever, even after death. (*&t !.L$
In this inter-retation of this verse, ViRvan(tha Kakravart+ &ritesF Bust fi3 your
mind by al&ays remembering and meditating on 4e, the black and beautiful
co&herd boy dressed in yello& silks and garlanded &ith forest flo&ers. Mngage
your intelligence, your -o&er of discrimination, in 4eJ in other &ords, reflect on
4e. By reflection (manana$, I mean, study the various &ords of the scri-ture
&hich encourage and induce you to meditate on 4e. ,hen you &ill reside in 4e,
by &hich I mean that you &ill d&ell &ith 4e in 4y abode.

,he &ord manana means to reflect on the sub)ects &hich one has heard or read
about, along &ith their meaning. %ithout this kind of reflection, hearing alone is
incom-lete and ineffective.
yad-anudhysin yu"t!
"arma-granthi-nibandhanam
chindanti "vids tasya
" na "uryt "ath-ratim
,hose &ho are e3-ert cut through the binding knots of reactionary &ork &ith
the s&ord of constant meditation on the Lord. %ho then &ill not adore the
discussion of 0is to-icsP (%r&mad 'hgavatam .!.N$
,he above verse from the 'hgavatam com-ares the constant meditation on the
Lord to a s&ord &ith &hich one can cut through the entanglement of activities
arising out of false ego, and their results. ,his means that such constant
remembrance destroys one/s tendency to egocentric sense en)oyment. Konstant
remembrance (anudhyna$ means reflecting on the to-ics after (anu$ one has heard
them from the mouths of the guru and the Vaishnavas. ,his again confirms that
sim-ly hearing or studying scri-tures &ithout reflecting on &hat one has read
cannot -ossibly bring the desired results.
De$otion is >eeded to -nderstand the Bh9ga$atam
,he %r&mad 'hgavatam is the essence of all scri-tures and the em-eror of all
literature. ,he 'ha"ti-rasmta-sindhu, Chaitanya Charitmta, Ka(-sandarbha,
'had-bhgavatmta, 'had-vaiava-ta&, Laghu-vaiava-ta&, 'hvrtha-
d&pi", 6rrtha-darin&, and other &orks are e3-lanations of the 'hgavatam. <ne
should study this literature through the disci-lic succession by humbly submitting
to a s-iritual master, asking a--ro-riate questions and maintaining a service
attitude. Insight into the -ractice of devotional service, by &hich one makes real
-rogress in &orshi-ing the Lord, cannot result &ithout such an a--roach.
=s stated before, the 'hgavatam can be understood only by devotion and not by
the e3ercise of intelligence or by the study of many commentaries (bha"ty
bhgavata) grhya) na buddhy na ca (&"ay$. Ao amount of mundane s-eculation or
scholarshi- can hel- one understand the divine mood of the 'hgavatam. <ne has
to take shelter of the -rocess of devotional service as taught by the -ure devotees
of the LordJ this is the only &ay one &ill be able to enter into its mysteries. <ne
should study the 'hgavatam constantly, a--roaching it &ith single#minded
devotion. =s one does so, the Lord 0imself becomes im-risoned in one/s heart.
,he devotee/s heart is filled &ith the -ure desire to bring -leasure to 'rishna/s
senses aloneJ thus, it is the Lord/s favored resting -lace. ,hus Aarottama d(sa
Oh(kura has sungF
bha"tera hdaye gvindera satata virma
gvinda "ahena mama bha"ta se para
*ovinda constantly remains in the heart of 0is devotee. 0e says, T4y devotee
is 4y life./ (>rrthan$
,he conclusion is a serious as-irant of -ure devotion needs to take shelter of a
ma(ha &here he can cultivate kno&ledge of the devotional scri-tures in the
association of -ure devotees.
Chapter AII
Contro%%ing the )ind
In the 9edanta-sra

it is &ritten that the inner self (anta!"araa$ is com-osed of

mind, intelligence, ego, and citta (man buddhir aha)"ra citta) "raam antaram$.
Intellect (buddhi$ is the as-ect of the internal self (anta!"araa$ that establishes
certainty, &hile the mind (manas$ is the as-ect of the internal self &hose function is
to acce-t and re)ect.
,he &ord citta is the -ast -assive -artici-le of the verb root cit, &hich means to
kno&, or to be conscious. ,hus, citta is that as-ect of the internal organ by
&hich one becomes conscious of oneself, or that by &hich a&areness develo-s. It
is thus synonymous &ith mind, as stated by ?(yana in his commentary to Mgveda
(.GD.$F 7our citta is like the gliding &ind, (tava citta) vta iva dhraj&mna!$.
In ?anskrit, there are numerous &ords used as synonyms for mind (manas$,
including citta, cetas, ht, hdaya (heart$, svnta (inner self$, anaga"a
(limbless$, and sometimes, aga (limb$.
,he &ord manas is defined as follo&s< ,he mind is that by &hich things are
-erceived or recogniIed (manute budhyate#neneti mana!+0 It is one of the elements
of the subtle body, or liga-ar&ra0 ,his subtle body has H different elementsF the
five kno&ledge#gathering senses, the five &orking senses, the five airs, mind, and
intelligence.
,he 9edanta-sra also gives the follo&ing definition of the mind (manas$F
man nma sa"alpa-vi"alptmi"#nta!"araa-vtti!
manas tu jnedriyai! sahita) sat man-maya-" bhavati
,he mind is the function of the internal self dealing &ith decision (sa"alpa$ and
indecision (vi"alpa$. =long &ith the kno&ledge#gathering senses ()nendriya$, it
forms the sheath of mind (man-maya-"a$. (9edanta-sra G!,GL$
,he mind is considered to be one of the &orking senses, and one of the
kno&ledge#gathering senses. Because it de-ends on the eyes and other
kno&ledge#gathering senses (sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell$, it is
considered to be one of them. <n the other hand, because it is the director of the
other &orking senses (s-eech, hands, feet, re-roductive organs, and e3cretory
organs$, it can be also listed among these.
,he senses of kno&ledge (such as sight$ -ick u- general im-ressions of e3ternal
ob)ects, and the mind then su--lies -articulars. ,hus the mind is called sa"alptma"a,
&hich means the act of choosing or deciding (vivecan$. In other &ords, the mind is
constantly sifting through the data it receives through the senses, acce-ting or
re)ecting &hat it gathers.
<ne of the many transformations of the mode of goodness (sattva-gua$ is the
mind. Aature/s first transformation or manifestation is the 4ahat#tattva. In the
6"hya-"ri" it is stated that mind arises out of the 4ahat#tattva (mahad-"hya)
dya) "rya) tan-mana! $(.H$.
The )ind According to 'ord ,api%ade$a
In the third canto of the %r&mad 'hgavatam, Lord 'a-iladeva instructs his mother
Cevah@ti in the theistic ?(6khya -hiloso-hy. ?ome of 0is teachings about the mind
are in many res-ects similar to the descri-tion given in the 6"hya-"ri". 'a-ila
teaches that the mind is one of the four functions of the inner self, or anta!"araa0
,hese four functions are kno&n as citta (contaminated consciousness$, aha"ra
(ego$, buddhi (intelligence$, and manas (mind$. =ccording to Lord 'a-ila, the 4ahat#
tattva manifests &ithin the body as the four#fold inner organ, first as the
contaminated consciousness, then as the ego, then intelligence, and finally as the
mind (%r&mad 'hgavatam D.!G.E$.
.or the sake of -urifying these elements, the four deities of the Katurvy@ha acce-t
the -osition of -residing over them. V(sudeva is thus the adhi(ht-devat, or
-residing deity of citta, ?a6kar8a2a of aha"ra, :radyumna of buddhi, and
=niruddha of manas. <n the material level, the follo&ing deities -reside over the
same subtle elementsF Vishnu, 1udra, Brahm(, and Kandra. (?ee also 6r&mad
'hgavatam D.!G.!, commentary of ViRvan(tha Kakravart+ ,h(kura$.
=ccording to the ?(6khya system, there are five great elements (mah-bhta$F air,
earth, &ater, fire, and ether, &hich evolve into the five sense ob)ectsF odor, flavor,
sight, touch, and sound. ,hese are follo&ed by five corres-onding senses of
kno&ledge namely, smell, taste, vision, feeling, and hearing, and the five &orking
sensesF s-eech, hands, feet, e3cretory organs, and re-roductive organs.
,he sum of the four subtle senses of the internal self (ego, mind, intelligence, and
consciousness$ is !E elements, or tattvas. ,o these, time ("la+ is sometimes added,
bringing the total to !N. = further calculation then adds the individual living entity,
the j&va, nature itself (pra"ti$, and the ?u-ersoul (the purua$, as further elements,
their total amounting to !L.
,he t&enty#fifth element, time, indicates the ?u-reme :erson/s action that sets
material nature (as yet undifferentiated by the actions of the three modes$ into
motion. ,he &ord "la itself is derived from the verb root "al, &hich means to
im-el, or to incite. It is said that time is the might of *od. ,he same as-ect of
the ?u-reme Lord that, out of 0is o&n -otency, acts as the ?u-ersoul, d&elling in
the heart of every sentient creature, is fully -resent e3ternally, ruling over the !E
elements of the material creation in the form of time.
<utside the -erce-tion of the individual souls &ith their minute a&areness, the
?u-reme Lord/s -ro&ess, in the form of time, sets the three modes of material
nature in action. =t that moment, 0e -laces the individual souls into material
nature. ,his -rocess is e3-lained by the Lord 0imself in the 'hagavad-g&t &here
0e statesF
mama ynir mahad brahma
tasmin garbha) dadmy aham
sambhava! sarva-bhtn)
tat bhavati bhrata
,he total material nature, also kno&n as Brahman, is im-regnated by 4e, &ith
the living beingsJ thus I make their embodied e3istence -ossible. (*&t E.D$
=fter being im-regnated by the Lord, the material energy brings forth the 4ahat#
tattva in an effulgent golden form. ,his 4ahat#tattva then undergoes various
transformations caused by the effects of the three modes of nature namely, -urity
(sattva$, -assion (rajas$, and darkness (tamas$, and as a result of these
transformations, three corres-onding ty-es of ego endo&ed &ith acting ca-acity
come into being. 4ind is a by#-roduct of ego in the mode of goodness, the ten
senses are the by#-roducts of ego in the mode of -assion, the five sense ob)ects
and the five gross elements are the -roducts of the ego in the mode of darkness.
,he second of the :uru8as, ?a6kar8a2a, &ho is also kno&n as =nantadeva, is said
by scholars to be the cause of the mind, the senses, and the five -rimary
elements. (?ee also 6r&mad 'hgavatam D.!G.!D#!N$
,he mind is the by#-roduct of the action of ego in the mode of goodness on the
4ahat#tattva. ,he mind/s function is to acce-t and re)ect. ,he o-eration of this
function results in desire. Intelligence (buddhi$ is a by#-roduct of the rjasi"a egoJ in
its elemental form, intelligence is the recognition of things (dravya-sphuraa-
vijnam$ and as such it acts as an aid to the senses (indriym anugraha!$.
%hen the as-ect of material ego in the mode of darkness is set into motion by the
Lord/s -ro&ess in the form of time, the five sense ob)ects (odor, flavor, sight,
touch, and sound$ come into being. .rom these, the five great elements devolve.
,he universe, in its entire microcosmic and macrocosmic manifestations, is the
result of the interactions of all these elements. 0o&ever, if the ?u-reme ?oul &as
not -resent &ithin everything at creation, nothing &ould be created and nothing
maintained.
,he material body is kno&n as the field, and the living entity &ho d&ells &ithin the
body is called the kno&er of the field. ,he ?u-reme Lord, ho&ever, is omniscient
and omni-otent, the kno&er of all fields in every one of the infinity of universes.
,hus, if one does not establish a relationshi- &ith 0im, there is no -ossibility of any
true self#-urification taking -lace.
The )ind6 the Se%f6 and the Supreme Se%f
,he mind should not be mistaken for the self. ,he s-iritual being, or soul, should
not be misidentified &ith the mind. %hile the soul is a s-ark of the conscious
s-iritual energy , the mind merely reflects this consciousness. ,he mind de-ends
on the -resence of the j&va soul in order to functionJ it has no inde-endent
e3istence. %e can s-eak about my mind, but &e never hear anyone saying, I
am the mind. ,he self is the observer and the mind is the observed. ,herefore the
self should be understood as categorically different from the mind.
,he soul is com-osed of consciousness, the mind of unconscious matter.
Konsciousness is self#illuminating, &hile matter has no -o&er to illuminate. ,he
logicians say, ,he soul becomes connected to the mind, the mind to the senses,
the senses to the sense ob)ect. ,herefore, it is through this -rocess that kno&ledge
is acquired (tm manas yujte mana indriyea, indriya) viayea, tasmd
adhya"a ity-u"ta-di jna) jyate-Ayya-darana+0
%ithout consciousness as their su--ort, the senses cannot acquire kno&ledge of
any sense ob)ect. ,herefore, the soul itself acts as the director, first coming into
contact &ith the mind, &hich then acts through the senses to contact the sense
ob)ects. ,hus, through the mind, the self not only gains kno&ledge but also
e3-eriences material ha--iness and distress. %ithout the mind, the self &ould be
una&are of sensual ha--iness or distress. ,hus, the Ayya-vrtti statesF ,he mind
is the sense &hich is ca-able of com-rehending ha--iness and distress (su"hdy-
upalabdhi-sdhana) indriya) mana!+0
By contrast, in the 'hagavad-g&ta (!.!E$ 'rishna says that the j&va soul is
everlasting, ca-able of migrating in all s-ecies, fi3ed, immovable, and
beginningless (nitya! sarvagata! sthnur acal#ya) santana!$. ,he soul is unborn,
forever changeless, free from decay, and free from the si3fold transformations of
matterJ it is not killed &hen the body is killed (*&t !.!"F aj nitya! vat#ya)
pur na hanyate hanyamne ar&re$.
,his individual self or soul is also eternally related &ith the ?u-reme ?oul, the
:aram(tm(. ,here are many, many verses in the 'hagavad-g&t that distinguish the
individual soul from his eternal master, the ?u-reme Lord. ,he Lord 0imself saysF
I am the -rimeval origin of all the celestial beings and great sages. (*&t ".!>
aham dir hi devn) mahar&) ca sarvaa!J 0e &ho kno&s 4e to be birthless,
the origin of everything, and the ?u-reme Lord of all beings... (y mm ajam
andi) ca vetti l"a-mahevaram-*&t ".D$N I am the root cause of all things and
everything comes from 4e. (aha) sarvasya prabhav matta! sarva) pravartate>
*&t ".L$J I alone am the cause of generation of the &hole &orld, and the cause
of its dissolution as &ell (aha) "tsnasya jagata! prabhava) pralayas tath>*&t
H.G$J I am the father of this universe, the mother, the besto&er of the fruits of all
actions, the forefather, and the ob)ect of all kno&ledge (pitham asya jagat mt
dht pitmaha!>*&t X.H$.
matta! paratara) nnyat
"icid asti dhanajaya
mayi sarvam ida) prta)
stre mai-ga iva
< =r)una[ ,here is nothing su-erior to 4e. Like gems strung on a thread, this
entire creation de-ends on 4e. (*&t H.H$
gatir bhart prabhu! s"&
nivsa! araa) suht
prabhava! pralaya! sthna)
nidhna) b&jam avyayam
=nd certainly I am everyone/s goal, maintainer, controller, &itness, refuge,
guardian, and unconditional &ell#&isher. I am creation, dissolution, and
sustenance. I am the reservoir and the seed, the eternal ?u-reme :erson.
(*&t X.L$
=r)una also res-onded by confirming the statements of the LordF
para) brahma para) dhma
pavitra) parama) bhavn
purua) vata) divyam
didevam aja) vibhum
hus tvm aya! sarve
devarir nrada tath
asit deval vysa!
svaya) caiva brav&i me
< Lord, 7ou are the ?u-reme =bsolute ,ruth, the su-reme shelter, and the
su-reme savior. =ll the -rominent sages such as Cevar8i A(rada, =sita, Cevala
and Vy(sa have described 7ou as the self#illuminating, self#manifest eternal
?u-reme :erson, the foundation of almighty ma)esty, and the origin from
&hose divine -lay everything emanates>and no& 7ou are -ersonally declaring
this to me. (*&t ".!#D$
svayam evtmantmna)
vettha tva) puruttama
bhta-bhvana bhtea
devadeva jagatpate
< ?u-reme :erson, < universal father, < Lord of all beings, Lord of all gods,
Lord of the universe[ 7ou alone can truly kno& 7ourself through 7our o&n
divine cogniIant -otency. (*&t ".N$

.ollo&ing the conclusions of the 1panishads the 'hagavad-g&t further states<
nity nityn) cetana cetannm
e" bahn) vidadhti "mn
ye tmastham anupayanti dh&rs
te) nti! vat& netarem
,here is a single ?u-reme Mternal Being among all eternal beingsJ a single
su-remely conscious entity among all conscious entities. 0e is the one &ho
fulfills the desires of the many. ?ages &ho constantly meditate u-on 0im,
seated on 0is throne, shall attain everlasting -erfectionJ others shall not.
(.a(ha H0H0OP and %vet G.D$
,he distinction bet&een the ?u-reme and individual souls is further clarified in the
t&o follo&ing verses from the $u8a"a (D..#!$ and %vetvatara 1panishads (E.G#
H$F
dv supar sayuj sa"hy
samna) v"a) pariasvajte
tayr anya! pippala) svdv atty
ananann any ,bhic"a&ti
samne v"e puru nimagn
,n&ay cati muhyamna!
ju(a) yad payaty anyam &am
asya mahimnam eti v&ta-"a!
,&o fair#-lumed friends sit in the same tree. <ne eats the tree/s s&eet berries
&hile the other only observes. In the same &ay, in the tree of the body, the
individual soul sits be&ildered, constantly and hel-lessly grieving. %hen he
&isely turns to his friend (&ho is al&ays served by the devotees$, looking u-on
0im as his Lord, he gives u- his suffering and realiIes his glorious birthright.
,he loving relationshi- bet&een the ?u-reme ?oul and the individual soul is also
eternal. ,hus 'rishna, the su-reme kno&er of the Veda, the ultimate ob)ect of
Vedic kno&ledge, and the original author of the Vedanta, lovingly s-oke 0is most
confidential teachings and the essence of all religion to 0is dear friend =r)una as
follo&sF
man-man bhava mad-bha"t
mad-yj& m) namas"uru
mm evaiyasi satya) te
pratijne priy#si me
=l&ays think of 4e, &orshi- 4e by engaging in the devotional services of
hearing and chanting, serve 4e in 4y deity form, offer your very being unto
4e, and you &ill surely reach 4e. ,his is 4y sincere -romise to you because
you are 4y dear friend. (*&t L.GN$
sarva-dharmn parityjya
mm e"a) araa) vraja
aha) tv) sarva-ppebhy
m"ayiymi m uca!
=bandoning all religious observances related to the varrama system, giving
u- the &orshi- of all demigods related to those religious activities, surrender
e3clusively unto 4e. 7ou need have no fear of any ill effects resulting from not
-erforming the -ermanent and -eriodical duties en)oined in the Vedic
literature, even though these &ere ultimately dictated by 4e. I &ill liberate you
from any sins or im-ediments resulting from such neglectJ do not des-air. I
hereby -romise that anyone &ho surrenders to 4e is freed from sin, is liberated
from the cycle of re-eated birth and death, and receives all that is needed to
attain 4e.
(*&t L.GG$
Mlse&here in the *&t, 'rishna makes a similar -romiseF
anany cintayant m)
ye jan! paryupsate
te) nitybhiyu"tn)
yga-"ema) vahmy aham
I -ersonally assume the &hole res-onsibility of acquiring and -rotecting the
necessities of 4y fully de-endent devotees. ,hey are al&ays absorbed in
thought of 4e alone and &orshi- 4e e3clusivelyJ they &ant nothing but to be
united &ith 4e forever. (X.!!$
,he Lord is so affectionate to 0is e3clusive devotees that 0e voluntarily takes
res-onsibility for their bodily maintenance, taking care of their families as &ell.
0e also -rotects the devotee/s bhajana as &ell by eliminating all obstacles to its
-ractice. ,hen 0e grants the devotees the -erfection of that bhajana (&hich is
the treasure of love for 0imself$ and -rotects that love. ?uch is the true e3tent
of the Lord/s statement, yga-"ema) vahmy aham.
The )ind as Friend and as .nemy of the Se%f
In the first -art of the Lord/s above#mentioned instruction, 0e says, man-man
bhavaF =bsorb your mind in 4e. 0o&ever, in the -rocess of attaining the treasure
of love, the mind acts not only as friend but also as enemy. ,he 'hgavata clearly
states that unless one controls one/s mind, -erfection is im-ossible.
dna) svadharm niyam yama ca
ruta) ca "armi ca sad-vratni
sarve man-nigraha-la"ant!
par hi yg manasa! samdhi!
=ll religious activities such as charity, e3ecution of one/s duties, observance of
rules and regulations, study of scri-ture, sacrifices, and -enances, all have the
control of the mind as their aim, for concentration of the mind is the su-reme
goal of yoga. (6r&mad 'hgavatam .!D.EN$
<ne must begin the conquest of the mind by -racticing that &hich 'rishna calls
the austerity of the mind. In the 'hagavad-g&t (H.G$ this -ractice is e3-lained
by 'rishna as follo&sF
mana!-prasda! saumyatva)
maunam tma-vinigraha!
bhva-sa)uddhir ity etat
tap mnasam ucyate
=usterity of the mind com-rises serenity, sim-licity, moderation in s-eech,
self#control by &ithdra&ing from the sense ob)ects, and -urity of being through
renunciation of dece-tive behavior.
<f these, self#control through &ithdra&al from the sense ob)ects is of great
significance. Indeed, 'rishna states that no one becomes a yogi &ithout giving u-
desire for sense gratification. (*&t G.!F na hy asannyasta-sa"alp yg& bhavati
"acana$. Snless one has u-rooted gross as &ell as subtle desires, and
renunciations of all kinds, including the desires for sense en)oyment, heavenly
-leasures, liberation and mystic -o&ers, one cannot be considered a yogi.
<nly one &ho has given u- all incentive of desire can be said to have ascended to
yoga (*&t G.EF sarva-sa"alpa-sa)nys& ygr8has tadcyate$. In other &ords, &hen
a -ure#hearted j&va gives u- the desire and abhorrence of sense en)oyments,
kee-ing only the desire to serve 'rishna for the satisfaction of 0is senses, can he
be elevated to the to-most rung of the yoga ladder.
.or this reason, the Lord saysF
uddhared tmantmna)
ntmnam avasdayet
tmaiva hy tman bandhur
tmaiva ripur tmana!
bandhur tmtmanas tasya
yenaivtman jita!
antmanas tu atrutve
vartettmaiva atruvat
,he as-iring yogi should lift himself from the blind &ell of material life by
freeing the mind from attachment to the sense ob)ects. 0e should not debase it
by attachments to the material &orld. =ccording to different circumstances, the
mind is either the friend of the self, or its enemy. ,hat j&va &ho has conquered
the mind can consider his mind a friend. But the mind is the enemy of one &ho
has not conquered it. (*&t G.N#G$
%ith the follo&ing &ords Lord 'a-iladeva instructs his mother Cevah@tiF
ceta! "halv asya bandhya
mu"taye ctman matam
gueu sa"ta) bandhya
rata) v pu)si mu"taye
4y dear mother, the mind alone is the cause of the j&va#s bondage as &ell as
the j&va#s liberation. %hen the mind is attached to the senses (sight, hearing,
smell, taste and touch$ and the sense ob)ects (form, sound, odor, flavor, and
feeling$, the living entity enters into bondage. %hen the same mind is attached
to the ?u-reme :erson, he is liberated. (6r&mad 'hgavatam
D.!N.N$
'rishna e3-lains the same thing more directly to SddhavaF

viayn dhyyata citta)
viayev anuajjate
mm anusmarata citta)
mayy eva pravil&yate
,he mind &hich d&ells on sense ob)ects becomes attached to sense ob)ects.
,he mind &hich constantly remembers 4e becomes absorbed in 4e.
(?r+mad 'hgavatam .E.!H$
It is thus evident that as soon as the mind is absorbed in devotion to the Lord, it
becomes truly -ure and holy and a true friend to the.
Fi$e Stages of )ind Contro% According to Yoga Sutras
,he great sage :ataW)ali, the author of the Qga 6utra, has &ritten that the meaning
of yoga is to sto- the activities of the mind (yga citta-vtti-nirdha!, .!+. It is
im-ossible to achieve yoga unless one first controls the activities of the mind. 7oga
-sychology describes five basic states of mind>"ipta (disturbed$, m8ha
(be&ildered$, vi"ipta (distracted$, e"gra (concentrated$, and niruddha
(controlled$0
($ %hen the mind is unsteady and flickering, it is said to be disturbed ("ipta$.
%hen one desires things other than 'rishna, the mind finds it im-ossible to remain
fi3ed e3clusively on 0im. 1ather, it flitters from one sub)ect to another, &ishing
first for some sense ob)ect and then for another. In this &ay it remains unsteady.
(!$ ,he mind may be confused about &hat to do or not to do, and as a result one is
overcome &ith desire, anger or other manifestations of the mode of -assionJ or
slee-, dro&siness and laIiness or other manifestations of the mode of ignorance.
,his is called the be&ildered state of the mind.
(D$ ,he state of being disturbed ("iptvasth$ described above, and the distracted
state (vi"ipta$ are quite similar in many res-ects. 0o&ever, a difference bet&een
them is that from time to time, in the vi"ipta state, there are occasional moments
of calm and steadiness even &ithin the general overall -icture of inability to
concentrate.
(E$ %hen the mind becomes fi3ed on some e3ternal or internal ob)ect, and thus
becomes as steady as a flame in a &indless roomJ &hen it has overcome the
modes of ignorance and -assion and is situated in goodness, it develo-s the -o&er
of single#minded concentration, &hich is called e"grat.
(N$ In the stage of concentration, e"grat, the mind is still de-endent on
something e3ternal to itself, but in the fully controlled state (niruddha$, there is no
longer de-endency. ,he mind regains its causal nature and remains inactive as
though it had achieved its -ur-ose and had no need of further action. Like a burnt
thread, it sho&s the lines of its -revious characteristics, but is not negatively
affected by them. In this controlled state, the self is fi3ed in its true nature. =t
other times, the self identifies &ith the activities of the mind and thus takes on
various identities.
Cevotional scri-tures tell us that the j&va/s eternal nature (as 'rishna/s marginal
energy$ is to be the servant of the Lord. =s one of 0is energies the j&vas are
simultaneously one and different from 0im (j&vera svarpa haya nitya "a-dsa
"a-ta(astha a"ti bhedbheda-pra"a$. %hen situated in this natural
constitutional -osition, the mind has no function other than to seek out 'rishna.
,he living entity is then constantly engaged in the culture of 'rishna consciousness
and the mind then acts as his friend.
The Actua% Purpose of the )enta% Function
In his teachings to 4aitrey+, 7a)Wavalkya describes four -ractices &hich lead to
control of the mindF ,he atman is to be seen, to be listened to, to be reflected on,
and to be contem-lated (tm v are dra(avya! rtavy mantavy
nididhysitavya!>'had-raya"a 1panishad, E.N.G$.
.rom this statement it is understood that the first duty of the mind is to seek out
the ?u-reme ?elf. <ne should therefore use the mind to seek out V(sudeva, the
mind/s o&n titulary deity, and never other sense ob)ects. =s instructed to 4aitrey+,
one should look at and listen to things related to 'rishna, then reflect on and
contem-late those things, as &ell as 'rishna 0imself. Aot follo&ing these
instructions &ill cause one to miss the actual -ur-ose of mental functions. In such
an instance, the mind becomes the -rinci-al enemy of the soul.
If one &ishes to kno& the ?u-reme ,ruth, it is absolutely essential that one take
shelter of a s-iritual master and hear from him. ,he s-iritual master is non#
different from the ?u-reme ,ruthJ a manifest e3-ansion, or pra"a-vigraha, of that
,ruth. ,hus he can sho& the truth>Lord 'rishna/s lotus feet>to his surrendered
disci-le. 0e sho&s the disci-le the means by &hich the vision of the Lord can be
attained. ,herefore one should first -rostrate himself before the guru and then
submissively ask him about the nature of the self, the nature of *od, the goal of
life and the means of attaining it, and the nature of maya, or the forces &hich
o--ose the attaining of s-iritual understanding.
,he disci-le should a--roach the s-iritual master in a s-irit of service. It is
im-erative that the disci-le listen submissively to the directions given by the
s-iritual master, then, by reflection, follo& u- such hearing. ,he &ord manana
means reflection, or assiduous meditation on the sub)ect matter that has been
heard from the s-iritual master. It also means determination, i.e., the -o&er to
determine the nature of things. Vi)W(na Bhik8u &rites in his &orks on ?(6khya
-hiloso-hy that the self should be heard in accordance &ith the &ords of the
revealed literature, and should be reflected on according to their -roofs and
arguments (rtavya! ruti-v"yebhy mantavya cpapattibhi!$. By this -rocess, one
comes to determine the true meaning of the &ords registered in the scri-tures.
,he *yatr&-tantra (.E$ statesF
manant ppatas trti manant svargam anute
manant m"am pnti caturvargamay bhavet
<ne is delivered from sin through reflection. <ne en)oys heaven through
reflection. <ne attains liberation and all the goals of human life through
reflection.
= -ure devotee &ill naturally engage in the kind of reflection that results in -ure
devotional service. ,he im-ortance of reflecting on &hat one has heard is
s-ecifically connected &ith the im-ortance of listening to the 'hgavata. %e sa& in
a -revious cha-terho& Chundhul+ &as taken by a grou- of divine beings to the
Vaiku29ha -lanets after hearing *okar2a recite the entire 'hgavatam for over a
seven#day -eriod. <ther -eo-le in the audience &ere not similarly re&arded
because they had not reflected dee-ly on &hat they heard. ,he ghost Chundhul+
fasted each day for the entire &eek and listened to *okar2a &ith great
concentration and faith. Bust as im-ortantly, throughout the night he contem-lated
the sub)ect matter of the day/s recital. ,hus he &as re&arded &ith the attainment
of the full results of listening to the 'hgavata. =ccordingly, the 'hgavatam states,
sady hdy avarudhyate#tra "tibhi! urubhis tat-"at (6r&mad 'hgavatam
..!$F ,he Lord becomes bound u- in the heart of the -ious devotees the very
moment they desire to hear about 0im.
,herefore the first ste- in controlling the mind is to listen to the 'hgavatam &ith
strong faith in the guru, attentiveness and care, concentration and -atience. If
there is inattention and carelessness, the true fruit of hearing &ill not be achieved.
Abhy9sa*yoga
,he fourth function of the mind described by 7a)Wavalkya to 4aitrey+ is
nididhysana, or -rofound and re-eated meditation. In his commentaries on
'hagavad-g&t#s t&elfth cha-ter, ViRvan(tha Kakravart+ &rites that bhakti is of t&o
ty-esJ it is -erformed $ by dedicating the inner senses to the Lord, and !$ by
dedicating the e3ternal senses to 0im, i.e., by engaging in unlimited devotional
activities like hearing and chanting about the Lord/s attributes, -astimes, name,
and form as &ell as -raying to 0imJ glorifying 0imJ and engaging in such -ractices
as &orshi-ing 0is deity form, cleaning the tem-le, and -icking flo&ers for 0is
service, this last -ractice being accessible to everyone.
Bhakti -erformed by the internal senses is of three kindsF remembering the Lord
(smaraa$, reflecting on 0im (manana$ and>for those &ho are attached to the Lord
but unable to remember 0im uninterru-tedly>-racticing control of the mind
(abhysa$. =ll three of these mental disci-lines of the devotional -ath are more
difficult for one lacking -ure &ill, than for those &ho are intelligent and free from
an offensive mentality. 1eflection is better than e3ternal -racticesJ but constant
and direct remembrance is su-erior to reflection. <ne engaged in e3ternal
devotional -ractices should still make added efforts to meditate on the Lord, for
e3ternal -ractices are meant to remind one of the Lord and from there lead to
reflection, &hich once achieved, allo&s for one/s easy engagement in constant
meditation.
In the follo&ing instructions given in the 'hagavad-g&t, 'rishna em-hasiIes the
im-ortance of the mental as-ect of devotional serviceF
mayy eva mana dhatsva
mayi buddhi) niveaya
nivasiyasi mayy eva
ata rdhva) na sa)aya!
Cedicate your mind e3clusively to 4e, < =r)una. .i3 your intelligence in 4e, and
as a result, you &ill definitely reside &ith 4e after death. <f this there is no doubt.
(*&t !.L$
In his 6rrtha-darin& commentary to this verse, ViRvan(tha &ritesF %hen
'rishna says mayy eva, the em-hatic -artici-le eva -rohibits us from meditating on
the im-ersonal as-ect of the Lord. %hen 0e says Tu-on 4e/ (mayi$, 0e refers to 0is
beautiful blackish form dressed in yello& silk and garlanded &ith forest flo&ers.
,he &ords mana dhatsva, Tdedicate your mind,/ an instruction to constantly
remember 0im. ,o fi3 one/s intelligence in 0im means to use one/s -o&ers of
discrimination in understanding 0im, in other &ords, to reflect (manana$ on 0im.
?uch reflection means to study the &ords of scri-ture that hel- a&aken the
tendency to meditate on 0im (tac ca manana) dhyna-pratipda"a-stra-
v"ynu&lana)$. In follo&ing these instructions one comes to live &ith the Lord in
0is abodeJ of this there can be no doubt.
In the follo&ing verse, the Lord statesF
atha citta) samdhtu)
na a"ni mayi sthiram
abhysa-ygena tat
mm icchptu) dhanajaya
< ChanaW)aya, if you cannot establish your mind in 4e &ith firm faith,
alternatively try to reach 4e by the -ractice (abhysa-ygena$ of re-eated
meditation on 4e. (*&t
!.X$
In regard to the &ords abhysa-ygena, ViRvan(tha makes the follo&ing commentsF
1e-eatedly bringing the mind back from &herever it &anders and fi3ing it on the
form of the Lord is called -racticeJ and that alone is the yogic disci-line
(anyatrnyatra-gatam api mana! puna! puna! pratyhtya mad-rpa eva sthpanam
abhysa! sa eva yga!$.
In the *&t#s si3th cha-ter 'rishna e3-lains the -ractice of yoga meditation to
=r)una. ?till be&ildered, =r)una submitted the follo&ing questionF Lord, 7ou tell 4e
to control my mind &ith the hel- of the -o&ers of discrimination, or intelligence,
but I find that the mind is so -o&erful that it confuses even my -o&ers of
intelligence. I think it easier to ca-ture the &ind than to control the mind>it is too
difficult for me. In ans&er, 'rishna assured =r)una that, through re-eated -ractice
(abhysena$ and renunciation (vairgyena$ it is -ossible to conquer the restless
mind.
ViRvan(tha comments on this verse as follo&sF =lthough fickle and e3ceedingly
difficult to control, the mind should be engaged in the constant disci-line of
cultivation of consciousness of the ?u-reme Lord (sad-gurpadi(a-pra"rea
paramevara-dhyna-ygasya muhur anu&lanena$, and renunciation and detachment
from the sense ob)ects (viayev ansagena$ by the means and -ractices given by
the s-iritual master. ,his has been confirmed by no less an authority than
:ata6)al+, &ho states in his Qga 6utras (.!$F :ractice and detachment are the
means by &hich to still the mind (abhysa-vairgybhy) tan-nirdha!$.
ConDuering the )ind &ith (igher Inte%%igence
,he -rocess of degradation of the mind is described in the 'hagavad-g&t (!.G!#GD$
as follo&sF .irst the mind comes in contact &ith the sense ob)ects and begins to
intensely desire to en)oy them. ,his desire for en)oyment is called lust, from &hich
anger arises. =nger leads to be&ildermentJ loss of ability to discriminate bet&een
-ro-er and im-ro-er action. ,his be&ilderment leads to forgetfulness of one/s true
good as described in scri-ture. ?uch forgetfulness leads to the destruction of one/s
resolute intelligence (vyavasytmi" buddhi$. .inally, the j&va falls into the blind
&ell of material e3istence.
In the *&t (G.!$, 'rishna names lust, anger, and greed as the three doors leading
to hell, and advises the j&vas to be -articularly on guard against them. In the *ita#s
third cha-ter, 'rishna instructs =r)una on ho& to overcome lust and anger. ,here,
=r)una asks 'rishna, By &hat is one im-elled to sinful acts, even un&illingly, as if
engaged by forceP
,he Lord ans&ersF Lust, &hich is born of the mind and develo-s out of the mode
of -assion, causes the living being to engage in sinful activity. Lust is the
overriding im-ulse to engage in sense activitiesJ it causes one to engage in sinful
acts and then turns into angerF &hen one/s desires for sense gratification are
unsatisfied, lust takes on the characteristics of the mode of ignorance and
becomes anger.
Lust and anger together are the savage and all#devouring foes of the living being.
If one is unable to deal &ith these fearsome enemies, there is no question of one
engaging in devotional service to the Lord, or even being &orthy to be called a
Thuman being./ ?uch a -erson is inevitably destined to go to the lo&er, hellish
destinations.
Lust takes u- residence in the mind, intelligence, and the senses. ,herefore, <
=r)una, in order to overcome this sinful enemy &hich destroys kno&ledge and
understanding, your first duty is to control your senses. ,he learned say the senses
are su-erior to the sense ob)ectsJ mind is stronger than the sensesJ intelligence is
still stronger than the mindJ and the soul is even more -o&erful than the
intelligence. ,hus the j&vtm can conquer over lust by controlling the senses.
Snderstanding himself to be transcendental to even the intelligence, the j&vtm
must realiIe his -osition beyond matter, his s-iritual nature. %ith this kno&ledge,
the j&vtma steadies the mind and finally destroys his other&ise unconquerable
enemy, lust. (*&t D.DH#ED$
In his e3tended translation of the last of the verses in this section of the *&t,
Bhaktivinoda Oh(kura &rites,In this &ay, being fully a&are of your o&n
transcendental s-iritual nature, sto- thinking of yourself in terms of the material
nature, &hether &ith or &ithout attributes. ,hus in full kno&ledge of your o&n
su-eriority as a -ure servant of the Lord, still the unconquerable mind by the
-o&er of the s-iritual energy and gradually &in it over.
Aarottama d(sa holds that the association of devotees is essential for one &ho
&ants to conquer lust, anger, and greed. 0e sings, %hat can lust and anger do to
the -ractitioner &ho takes shelter of saintly associationP ("ib se "arite pra "ma-
"rdha sdha"ere, jadi haya sdhu-janra saga$. Bagad(nanda :undit similarly &rites
in his >rema-vivarta, =ll I &ant is to chant the 0oly Aame in the com-any of
devotees. I need nothing else to conquer over the cycle of re-eated births and
deaths (sdhu-sage "a-nma ei mtra ci, sa)sra jinite ra "n vastu ni$.
0aving attained this invaluable human form of life, &e must not become the
servants of lust and anger and be beaten by the brooms and sticks of my. %e
must do everything &ithin our -o&er to save ourselves from lust and anger. %e
should have faith that, on seeing our genuine efforts to become good and holy
-ersons, to have unflagging determination in offering heartfelt -rayers at the feet
of the s-iritual master, the Vaishnavas, and the Lord, surely the Lord &ill come to
our aid. <n the other hand, if &e allo& ourselves to float along the stream of
sensual desire, ignoring the instructions of the scri-tures, the s-iritual master, and
the saintly, ho& then can &e e3-ect our lives to amount to anythingP
In the *&t (!.E$, 'rishna states that the resolute intellect (vyavasytmi" buddhi$
is directed to a single goal, &hile those &hose intelligence is irresolute are led by
their desires and imagination along unlimited -aths leading in different directions.
<n the devotional -ath, the intelligence is resolute and has only one -ur-ose.
ViRvan(tha has -ara-hrased the &ords of a devotee -ossessed of such resolute
-ur-ose, 4y guru has instructed me to &orshi- the Lord by chanting about 0im,
by remembering 0im and serving 0is lotus feet. ,his is my s-iritual -racticeJ the
goal I must achieve, and my life/s nourishment. %hether I reach -erfection or
remain im-erfect, this is the one thing I can never give u-. It is my dutyJ the ob)ect
of my desire, for even in my dreams I &ish for nothing else. %hether it brings me
ha--iness or distress, &hether it brings ruin u-on me and my family, I do not
care.
ViRvan(tha cites this e3am-le as the kind of resolute determination only -ossible
&hen one is engaged in devotion beyond all self#dece-tion. ?uch single#minded
determination is not -ossible in any -ath of s-iritual life other than bhakti, &hether
it be "arma-yga, jna-yga, or any other. Instructing Sddhava to have this kind of
strong faith and &ill -o&er in the e3ecution of devotional service, the Lord says,
Be faithful and &orshi- 4e &ith firm conviction (6r&mad 'hgavatam ".!".!L$.
A Combination of Di$ine =race and .ffort
In the *&t (H.E$, the Lord tells us that other than by surrendering to 0im, there is
no alternative &ay of overcoming 0is divine energy made of the three qualities of
goodness, -assion, and ignorance. ,he mind is easily distracted and flickering, but
the Lord is the controlling deity of the mind and 0e 0imself attracts all minds.
"ir bh-vca"a! abd a ca nirvti-vca"a!
tayr ai"ya) para) brahma "a ity abhidh&yate
,he verb root " refers to the action of attracting, &hile the suffi3 a means
Tsu-reme )oy/ ,he ?u-reme Brahman has been given the name 'rishna
because 0e embodies the combination of these t&o meanings.
0o& then can any of us find a -lace at the Lord/s lotus feet if 0e 0imself does not
drag us thereP
4other 7aRod( once became angry &ith baby 'rishna and decided to -unish 0im
by tying 0im to a mortar. ,o her chagrin, she found that the ro-e &as al&ays t&o
inches too short. =fter making re-eated efforts and failing each time, 'rishna
finally became merciful to her and allo&ed 0imself to be tied u-. ViRvan(tha
Kakravart+ e3-lains the symbolism of 'rishna bound by a ro-e as follo&s< ,&o
things are necessary before the Lord can be bound by a devoteeF $ the devotee
must -ut great effort into his &orshi-J and !$ there must be mercy on the -art of
the Lord u-on seeing such efforts (bha"ta-ni(h bhajantth rntis tad-darantth
sva-ni(h "p ceti dvbhym eva bhagavn baddha!$. ,his mercy of the Lord is the
most -o&erful of 0is energies (6rrtha-darin&, ".X.L$. %ithout the
combination of the devotee/s effort and the Lord/s mercy, the ro-e that binds 0im
&ill al&ays be t&o inches short.
,he Lord again s-eaks of the effort (yatna$ required to attain 0im in verse X.E of
the *&t (yatanta ca d8ha-vrat!$. In his 6rrtha-vari& commentary, ViRvan(tha
elaborates on the nature of this effort as follo&sF Bust as -overty stricken
householders go to rich men/s doors to obtain money for their families/
maintainence, 4y devotees go to the assembly of surrendered devotees &ith the
sole intention of collecting treasures of devotional service (such as chanting$ from
them. <n acquiring the science of bhakti they begin to re-eatedly -ractice the
tenets of Bhakti yoga, )ust like a student trying to learn by rote. (yath "u(umba-
planrtha) d&n ghasth dhani"a-dvrdau dhanrtha) yatante, tathaiva mad-bha"t!
"&rtandi-bha"ti-prpty-artha) bha"ta-sabhdau yatante0 >rpya ca bha"tim
adh&yamnam stram pa(hata iva puna! punar abhyasyanti ca0$
ViRvan(tha further e3-lains the nature of the devotee/s resolution (d8ha-vrat!$ to
-ractice devotional serviceF I resolve to daily chant a fi3ed number of rounds of
the 0oly Aame on my beads and to offer a fi3ed number of -rostrated obeisances
to the Lord and the Vaishnavas. I resolve to regularly do such and such a service. I
&ill maintain my unfailing determination to kee- the Mk(daR+ fast and other vo&s.
I &ill -ay s-ecial attention to controlling my senses. (etvanti nma-grahani,
etvatya! praataya!, etvatya! paricary cvaya-"artavy ity eva) d8hni vratni
niyam ye) te0 yad v, d8hny apatitny e"day-di-vratni niyam ye) te.+
,he Lord hel-s those &ho hel- themselves. %hen a devotee makes a vo&, the Lord
hel-s him maintain his vo&. ,he bha"ti-ygi must -ut aside -ride in his o&n &ill
-o&er and understand all his efforts to be totally de-endent on the mercy of the
guru, the Vaishnavas, and the Lord. ?uch a -erson &ill soon achieve success.
#Epa =os$9m10s -pade@9mFta
In his 1pademta 1@-a *osv(m+ e3-lains that there are si3 im-ulses to be
controlled by the -ractitioner. ,hey are the im-ulses of s-eech, thought, anger,
taste, the belly, and the genitals. %hen these im-ulses are strong, the unfortunate
j&va finds himself flailing in the ocean of material suffering.
In connection &ith the urges of the belly and the tongue, it is noticeable that the
food &e eat influences our mental -rocesses. ,he 6"hya-"ri" (D.N$ reminds us
that according to the %ruti, the mind is affected by the food one consumes (tad
annamayatva) rute ca$, or, as it is -o-ularly said, you are &hat you eat. .or this
reason, yogis and other sdha"as &ho try to control the mind -ay s-ecial attention
to the ty-es of food they consume.
=lthough a devotee kno&s himself to be -ure s-irit, he does not eat everything
indiscriminately. Aor do other yoga -ractitioners eat &ithout discrimination. =nd
&hy notP Because if they eat everything &ithout discrimination their -erformance
of yoga &ill be adversely affected by the food they take. 7ogis of all ty-es engage
in their -ractices &ith a transcendental ob)ective and if they eat the food of
sensual, materialistic -ersons, these -erson/s tendencies &ill encroach u-on their
minds. .or e3am-le, if one eats the food offered by a se3ually -romiscuous -erson,
then that defect &ill have an effect on his thought -rocesses. ,o avoid this
-roblem, devotees only take mahprasda, food first offered to 'rishna.
1@-a *osv(m+ lists si3 kinds of activities that adversely affect the mind, robbing it
of its -eace, and interfere &ith the achievement of devotional -erfectionF
atyhra! praysa ca
prajalp niyamgraha!
jana-saga laulya) ca
a8bhir bha"ir vinayati
,he follo&ing activities cause one/s devotion to be destroyedF overeating,
overe3ertion, gossi-, overenthusiasm for or neglect of regulations,
indiscriminate associating, and greed. (1pademta !$
= devotee/s do&nfall is caused by making vo&s that are beyond his ca-acity to
maintainJ overconsum-tionJ struggle for increased sense gratificationJ attachment
to the discussion of mundane to-icsJ re)ection of scri-tural in)unctionsJ and over#
attachment to scri-tural rules &ithout consideration of their main -ur-ose,
remembrance of 'rishna. In this &ay, sim-ly making a sho&, the devotee )um-s
from the frying -an into the fire (it nastas tat bhrastah$. Aot only does he fail in
his attem-ts at devotional service, but his efforts at material ha--iness are
defeated as &ell.
1@-a *osv(m+, an ocean of com-assion, is distressed by the suffering of others. In
his 1pademta, he mercifully sho&s ho& a devotee can increase his devotional
&ealth.
utshn nicayd dhairyt
tat-tat-"arma-pravartant
saga-tygt sat vtte!
a8bhir bha"ti! prasidhyati
?i3 attitudes are necessary on the -art of the -ractitioner if bhakti is to reach
its -erfection. 0e must have enthusiasm for devotional -ractice, faith that he
&ill achieve 'rishna, -atience in the attainment of the goal of premaJ he must
-erform devotional activities as they have been given by the -revious
authorities, avoid bad com-any, and acce-t the -rinci-les of a saintly life.
(1pademta D$
%hen the j&va acce-ts these -ositive qualities and re)ects the si3 im-ulses and si3
-rinci-les unfavorable to bhakti, then he &ill lead a life of 'rishna consciousness.
,he mind contaminated by bad association and -olluted through constant contact
&ith the sense ob)ects is the source of our troubles. .or this reason &e must take
all care to remain in the association of advanced sadhus, struggling to kee-
ourselves in the cultivation of 'rishna consciousness. <ther&ise, &e &ill be
engaged in sinfulness and that is like suicide.
The (igher Taste
=ccording to the 'hagavad-g&t, by e3-eriencing the higher taste of s-iritual
-leasure one naturally discards the tem-orary and insignificant -leasures of this
&orld. If the mind is engaged in the culture of 'rishna consciousness, it
automatically becomes indifferent to other engagements. In the 'hgavatam the
Lord says to SddhavaF
viayn dhyyata citta)
viayeu viajjate
mm anusmarata citta)
mayy eva pravil&yate
,he mind &hich meditates on sense ob)ects becomes attatched to sense
ob)ects. ,he mind &hich constantly remembers 4e becomes absorbed in 4e.
(6r&mad 'hgavatam .E.!H$
Indeed, there is no more -o&erful an agent for self#-urification than devotion to
'rishna. By -roviding a higher taste of s-iritual ecstasies, -ure devotion eliminates
all material desires from the heart. ?uch is the secret to self#-urification and
control of the mind.
,he Lord su--lies the conditioned souls &ith human bodies so they can cross over
the ocean of material e3istence. 0e then -ersonally comes in the form of the guru
to act as the ca-tain of the vessel for crossing over this ocean of material
suffering. ,he &inds of 'rishna/s grace blo& abundantly. If, ho&ever, des-ite all
the favorable conditions the j&vas do not make sufficient efforts to traverse the
&aters of my, then they should consider themselves to be the most unfortunate
and the least intelligent -ersons in the &orld. ,herefore, in 6rimad 'hgavatam
5ukadeva says to 4ah(r()a :ar+k8itF
sa)sra-sindhum atidustaram uttit&rr
nnya! plav bhagavata! puruttamasya
l&l-"ath-rasa-nievanam antarea
pu)s bhaved vividha-du!"ha-davrditasya
< king[ = -erson &ho, suffering the various kinds of miseries in this &orld,
desires to cross over the unlimited ocean of material e3istence, has no
alternative but to take a boat in the form of relishing the )oys of hearing
'rishna/s -astimes. (6r&mad
'hgavatam !.E.E"$
Vy(sa begins the 'hgavatam &ith the follo&ing verseF
nigama-"alpa-tarr galita) phala)
u"a-mu"hd amta-drava-sa)yutam
pibata bhgavata) rasam laya)
muhur ah rasi" bhuvi bhvu"!
< devotees[ < you &ho kno& the transcendental )oys of love for the Lord[ <
you &ho have attained the &isdom that comes from meditating on your
-articular relation &ith the Lord[ Mven though you are already fully liberated,
drink re-eatedly the 'hgavata, the ri-ened fruit of the desire tree of the VedasJ
no -art of it is to be re)ected like the skin or seed of a mango. Its )uice is -ure
transcendental blissJ it has come do&n to us from 5ukadeva &ho first s-oke it
in its -resent form. It &as then re-eated by his disci-les and grand#disci-les in
the disci-lic succession. ,he great liberated souls re)ect the -leasures of
heaven but do not re)ect the -leasures of the fruit of the 'hgavata, constantly
relishing its flavor. (6r&mad 'hgavatam
..D$
<nce the demigods came to Cv(rak( &here they beheld the Lord and offered 0im
e3tensive -rayers and -raise. ,hose -rayers confirm the e3ce-tional -o&er of
devotion to -urify the heart.
uddhir n) na tu tathe8ya durayn)
vidy-rutdhyayana-dna-tapa!-"riybhi!
sattvtmanm abha te yaasi pravddha-
sac-chraddhay ravaa-sambhtay yath syt
< %orshi-able <ne[ < ?u-reme :erson[ Cevotees engaged in hearing 7our
glories &ith a -ure and mature faith are more quickly -urified than those &ho
harbor -ersonal desires even &hile &orshi-ing, hearing e3-lanations of the
Vedic learning, studying the scri-tures, giving in charity, -erforming -enances
or engaging in other ritual -rocesses of -urification.
(6r&mad 'hgavatam .G.X$
%ith the follo&ing &ords 5r+la :rabhu-(da Bhaktisiddh(nta ?arasvat+ em-hasiIes
the contrast bet&een dry learning and the faithful study of devotional te3tsF
0earing the glories of the Lord fills the devotees &ith ever#increasing faith. It is
through such faith that the heart is genuinely -urified. 4aterial kno&ledge and
learning sim-ly fill the heart &ith -ride.
0o&ever the devotee achieves constant remembrance of 'rishna, that
remembrance is the true secret of achieving self#-urification.
avismti! "a-padravinday!
"&ty abhadri ca a) tanti
sattvasya uddhi) paramtma-bha"ti)
jna) ca vijna-virga-yu"tam
,he ?u-reme Lord/s lotus feet are the greatest source of aus-iciousness. By
never forgetting them, all inaus-iciousness is destroyed and -eace finally
settles on the mind. <ne/s being is genuinely -urified, devotion to the Lord is
a&akened, and one attains kno&ledge combined &ith realiIation and
renunciation. (6r&mad 'hgavatam
!.!.NN$
!
In the follo&ing verses, 'rishna e3-lains to 0is dear devotee Sddhava im-ortant
as-ects of the -rocess of -urificationF
dharma! satydaypet
vidy v tapasnvit
mad-bha"typetam tmna)
na ca samya" punti hi
1eligious life ruled by truthfulness and other -rinci-les, and learning
accom-anied by self#disci-line cannot com-letely -urify one &hose heart is
devoid of devotion to Lord 0ari. (6r&mad 'hgavatam
.E.!!$
"atha) vin rmahara)
dravat cetas vin
vinnandru-"alay
uddhyed bha"ty vinaya!
0o& can a -erson/s heart be -urified &ithout the ecstatic devotion that causes
his hair to stand on end, his mind melting &ith love, and tears flo&ing from his
eyesP (6r&mad 'hgavatam .E.!D$
yathgnin hema-mala) jahti
smta) puna! sva) bhajate ca rpam
tm ca "armnuaya) vidhya
mad-bha"ti-ygena bhajaty ath mm
Bust as heated gold is freed of its im-urities and retrieves its natural
brightness, so does the soul become -urified of its accumulated karmic
reactions through Bhakti yoga. %hen one is thus -urified and regains his
natural identity, he &orshi-s 4e. (6r&mad
'hgavatam .E.!N$
yath yathtm parimjyate#sau
mat-puya-gth-ravabhidhnai!
tath tath payati vastu s"ma)
ca"ur yathaivjana-samprayu"tam
=s the s-irit soul is cleansed of all sin by hearing about 4y holy -astimes, he
is able to clearly see the most subtle truths, )ust as an eye &hich has been
treated &ith collyrium can see -hysical ob)ects more clearly.
(6r&mad 'hgavatam .E.!G$
,here are hundreds of such statements in the devotional scri-tures sho&ing that
the only true -rocess of self#-urification takes -lace through the -erformance of
devotional service.
,he mind/s -residing and &orshi-able deity is Lord V(sudeva. ?ince the -rinci-al
function of the mind is to search (anveatmi"$, and since the self is the ob)ect of
all research (sa tm anve(avya!$, the mind remains -ure as long as it searches
out the ?u-reme ?elf, V(sudeva. <n the other hand, if the mind, led by desire to
search for other fruits, fluctuates from V(sudeva to any other ob)ect of attention, it
is considered to be contaminated. In other &ords, the mind cannot be considered
-ure if it chases after liberation, sense gratification, mystic -erfection or material
gain.
,he mind is quickly -urified by the influence of -ure bhakti. If one engages in the
culture of 'rishna consciousness, voiding oneself of all other ob)ectives but
devotion itself, not mi3ing it &ith other su-erfluous disci-lines like jna and "arma,
then one e3-eriences such -urification.
<ut of 0is mercy for the e3tremely foolish conditioned souls, the Lord instructed
=r)una and Sddhava in the 'hgavata religion. 0is &ords and teachings are to be
al&ays remembered by everyoneF
man-man bhava mad-bha"ta!>=l&ays think of 4e and become 4y devotee. (*&t
L.GN$
mm e"a) araa) vraja>,ake shelter of 4e alone. (*&t
L.GG$
mayy eva mana dhatsva>.i3 your mind e3clusively on 4e. (*&t
!.L$
mayi buddhi) niveaya>Sse your intelligence to understand 4e.
(*&t !.L$
bha"ty mm abhijnti><ne can kno& 4e as I am through devotion. (*&t
L.NN$
bha"tyham e"ay grhya!>I can be attained only through devotion.
(6r&mad 'hgavatam .E.!$
<ne should recogniIe the s-iritual master as one/s only true friend and &ell#
&isherJ the most &orshi-able manifestation of the Lord in one/s life. In order to
learn the 'hgavata-dharma, the -rocess by &hich Lord 0ari can be -leased, one
should surrender to the s-iritual master, asking submissively from him about
one/s duty, and serve him.
,he follo&ing are some of the teachings one should hear from the s-iritual masterF
characteristics of devotion (6r&mad 'hgavatam ..DE#E$J -rinci-al -ractices of
devotion (6r&mad 'hgavatam .X.!"#!E$J and the nature of one &ho qualifies for
the -ractice of devotion (6r&mad 'hgavatam .!".!H#DE$. =ll these teachings
&ere delineated by the Lord to Sddhava.
Aarottama d(sa -rays for the devotees/ mercy to cross over the ocean of the
illusory energy.
"i rpe piba sev mui durcra
r&-guru-vaiave rati n haila mra
aea myte mana magana haila
vaiavete lea-mtra rati n janmila
viaye bhuliy andha hainu div-nii
gale phsa dite phire my se pic&
myre "ariy jaya chn n jya
sdhu "p vin ra nhi"a upya
ada-darai prabh patita uddhra
ei bra narttame "araha nistra
0o& can a &icked soul like myself attain service to the LordP I have no
affection for the service of the s-iritual master and the Vaishnavas. 4y mind
remains merged in an unlimited &orld of illusion and has not develo-ed even a
dro- of attachment for the association of the Vaishnavas. I have forgotten
myself in sense gratification and have become blindJ in the meantime, that
&itch 4aya follo&s me around, looking for a chance to -lace a noose around
my neck. ,here seems to be no &ay I can be freed of her. <ther than the mercy
of the saintly, there is nothing to hel- me conquer maya. < Lord, you see no
fault in anyone, you deliver even the most fallen. :lease, < Lord, it is no& time
to save Aarottama d(sa.
%hile living in :ur+, 4ah(-rabhu set an e3am-le by going to *ad(dhara :undit to
hear the stories of Chruva and :rahl(da from the 'hgavatam. .ollo&ing
4ah(-rabhu/s e3am-le &e must hear the stories of the ideal devotees from the
mouths of the saintly and the s-iritual masters.
bha"ta-pada-dhuli bha"ta-pada-jala
bha"ta-bhu"ta-ea tina sdhanera bala
ei tina sdhana haite "a prem haya
puna! puna! sarva-stre phu"riy "aya
,hree things give strength to one/s s-iritual -racticesF the dust of the
devotees/ lotus feet, the &ater &hich has &ashed their feet, and the remnants
of their food. =ll the scri-tures loudly -roclaim that love for 'rishna comes from
these three things. (Chaitanya Charitmta D.G.G"#G$
If one follo&s these instructions of the great authorities and engages one/s senses
in the service of the s-iritual master and the Vaishnavas, the e3ternal#looking,
su-erficial vision of the &orld disa--ears and an in&ard#looking, intros-ective
vision of things arises.
5r+ 1aghun(tha d(sa *osv(m+, Bhaktivinoda Oh(kura, and other great authorities
set the e3am-le of &riting, ,eachings to the 4ind ($ana!-i"$. ,hese &orks
should be regularly studied and follo&ed. ,hrough them, control of the mind &ill be
-ossible and one &ill then make ra-id s-iritual advancement. <ther s-iritual
-ractices>"arma, jna, or yga>are de-endent on bhakti. Inde-endently they
cannot besto& any fruits on the -ractitioner. Bhakti on the other hand, is fully
inde-endent. ,hrough the devotional -ath, all the -artial and inadequate results of
"arma, jna, and yga are incidentally achieved. But the devotee treats
everything other than -ure devotional service of the Lord as &orthless. Mven if the
Lord gives to the devotee sense gratification, liberation, or yogic -o&ers he refuses
them, thinking them obstacles to his devotional service. =ll the goals of human life,
&hether religiosity, material success or sense en)oyments, and even liberation
itself, fold their hands and -ray for service to the Lord/s devotee.
4ah(-rabhu unequivocally states that of all the devotional activities, the chanting
of the 0oly Aames is to-most. In 0is %i"(a"a, the Lord describes seven different
aus-icious results of chanting the Aames. <ne of the secondary consequences of
chanting the 0oly Aames is the cleansing of the mind and of the heart>cet-
darpaa-mrjanam0 ,he reflected manifestation of the 0oly Aame/s mercy brings
about control of the mind. ,hrough hearing and discussing the names, form,
qualities, and activities of the Lord &ith a service attitude to the devotees, the
mercy of the 0oly Aame manifests like a rising sun, destroying the darkness of
ignorance. =s the mode of ignorance recedes, control of the mind is easily
attained. ,he mind cannot be com-letely controlled through any -ath of s-iritual
advancement other than bhakti.
Chapter AIII
Practice and Preaching
nam mah-vadnyya
"a-prema-pradya te
"ya "a-caitanya-
nmne gaura-tvie nama!
I offer my res-ectful obeisances unto Lord 5r+ 'rishna &ho comes &ith a
golden effulgence and carries the name of 'rishna Khaitanya. In this form, 0e
is more magnanimous than any other avatar, even 'rishna 0imself, because 0e
freely distributes &hat no one has ever given before>-ure love of 'rishna.
(Chaitanya Charitmta !.X.ND$
%ith this verse 5r+la 1@-a *osv(m+ summariIes the mood of Khaitanya
4ah(-rabhu, -aying homage to Lord Khaitanya/s identity, name, form, qualities,
and -astimes. 1u-a identifies 4ah(-rabhu as 'rishna 0imself in the most -erfect
form as the lover of the Vra)a gp&s, and e3-lains that 4ah(-rabhu is kno&n by the
name 'rishna Khaitanya. ?imilarly, 'rishnad(sa 'avir()a *osv(m+ &roteF
ea-l&lya dhare nma r&-"a-caitanya
r&-"a jnye saba viva "aila dhanya
In the latter -art of 0is life 0e &as kno&n as 5r+ 'rishna Khaitanya. ,he
-ur-ort of 0is name is that 0e blesses the &hole &orld by giving it
consciousness (caitanya$ of 'rishna. (Chaitanya Charitmta
.D.DE$
4ah(-rabhu/s form is described by the &ords gaura-tvie, to 0im &hose body is of
a golden hue.
?var@-a C(modara describes the Lord as rdh-bhva-dyuti-suvalita--ossessing
the color of molten gold like that of 5r+mat+ 1(dh(r(2+. 4ah(-rabhu/s -rinci-al
qualities of com-assion and munificence are revealed &ith the &ords mah-
vadanyya, and 0is -astime of distributing love of *od, the prema &hich is not
-ossessed even by gods like Brahm( and ?hiva, is described by the &ords .rishna-
prema-pradya.
The Purpose of )ah9prabhu0s Incarnation
=fter com-leting 0is magnanimous -astimes full of s&eetness, the ?u-reme
:erson, Vra)endranandana 5r+ 'rishna, left the earth along &ith 0is eternal
associates the co&s, co&herders, and co&herd girls. <n returning to 0is eternal
abode, *oloka, 0e began to think as follo&sF =ll this time I have not besto&ed
-ure love of 4yself on the &orld. By studiously reading the scri-tures, the j&va
souls may come to understand their true identity and engage in 4y service by
follo&ing the vidhi-mrga. But by follo&ing only this method of devotional service,
no one can ever reach the su-reme level of devotion as found in the residents of
Vra)a. <n the vidhi -ath, the devotee is constantly a&are of 4y ma)esty and thus
his love does not reach the -innacles of intensity that are common in Vra)a.
Cevotion diluted by consciousness of 4y divine ma)esty is not so -leasing to 4e.
sa"ala jagate mre "are vidhi-bha"ti
vidhi-bha"tye vraja-bhva pite nhi a"ti
aivarya-jnete saba jagat mirita
aivarya-ithila-preme nhi mra pr&ta
aivarya-jne vidhi-bhajana "ariy
vai"u(ha"e jya catur-vidha mu"ti p
Mveryone throughout the &orld &orshi-s 4e according to scri-tural
in)unctionsJ but by this -rocess of vidhi bha"ti one cannot attain the loving
moods of Vra)a. ,he &hole &orld looks u-on 4e &ith a&e and veneration, but
devotion diluted by such consciousness of 4y ma)esty is not -referred by 4e.
<ne &ho &orshi-s according to the scri-tural in)unctions in a mood of a&e and
veneration attains the four kinds of liberation and goes to Vaiku29ha.
(Chaitanya Charitmta .D.N#H$
= devotee &ho follo&s the vidhi -ath &ill no doubt attain one of the four kinds of
liberation in Vaiku29ha, sr(i (-ossessing riches identical to 4ine$, sm&pya
(residing close to 4e$, sl"ya (residing on the same -lanet as I$ or srpya (having
a form like 4ine$. But even Vaishnavas on the vidhi-mrga have no desire for
syujy mu"ti, for it means merging into 4y im-ersonal as-ect and losing their
identity as 4y servants.
syujy unite bha"tera hay gh lajj bhaya
nara"a vchaya tabu syujya n laya
%hen a devotee hears of syujy mu"ti, he feels disgust, shame, and fear. 0e
&ould rather go to hell than merge into the formless Brahman.
(Chaitanya Charitmta !.G.!GL$
4y e3clusive devotees desire nothing but the )oy of serving 4e and do not think
anything else can bring ha--iness. It is 4y desire to -reach throughout the &orld a
-ath of -ure love &hich transcends the vidhi-mrga. I &ill -reach the fundamental
religious activity of the 'ali 7uga, the chanting of 4y 0oly Aames, and by mi3ing
the Aame &ith the different relational moods of servitorshi-, friendshi-,
-rotectiveness, and erotic love, I &ill make the &orld dance in ecstasy. I too &ill
take on the mood of a devotee and, by e3-eriencing this loving ecstasy 4yself, &ill
teach the -ath of -ure love to the &orld. <ne &ho does not -ut a -articular
religious teaching into -ractice cannot e3-ect to -reach it effectively.
yuga-dharma pravartmu nma-sa"&rtana
cri bhva-bha"ti diy ncmu bhuvana
pani "arimu bha"ta-bhva ag&"re
pani cari bha"ti i"himu sabre
pane n "aile dharma i"hna n yya
ei ta siddhnta g&t-bhgavate gya
I shall -ersonally inaugurate the religion of the age, nma-sa"&rtana, the
congregational chanting of the 0oly Aame. By giving ecstatic love of *od to the
&orld, I &ill make it dance. I shall take the -art of a devotee, and I shall teach
devotional service to all by -racticing it 4yself. Ao one can teach religious
activities to others &ithout -utting them into -ractice himself. ,he *&t and
'hgavatam both confirm this truth. (Chaitanya Charitmta .D.X#!$
yuga-dharma-pravartana haya a)a haite
m vin anye nre vraja-prema dite
I establish the religious -rinci-les for each age through 4y -lenary -ortions. I
alone, ho&ever, can besto& the kind of loving service found in Vra)a.
(Chaitanya Charitmta .D.!G$
,he -reaching of the religious -rinci-les of an age can be -ro-agated by any of
4y unlimited e3-ansions, -artial or -lenary -ortions. 0o&ever, the su-reme gift of
vraja-prema cannot be given by anyone other than 4e, Vra)endranandana.
Konsequently, I &ill descend to the surface of the earth &ith 4y closest associates
and, engaging in various delightful -astimes &ith them, I &ill distribute the
chanting of the 0oly Aames and vraja-prema.(4nubhya .D.D#!L$
=fter so deciding, the com-lete, -otent Lord took on the golden color and the s-irit
of 0is beloved 1adha, 0is com-lete -otency, and a--eared in Aabad&i-#4(y(-ura
as the son of Bagann(tha 4iRra and 5ac+ Cev+. ,his event took -lace at the da&n
of 'ali 7uga.
,he da&n or first -art of the age of 'ali ("ali-"le prathama sandhyya$ is e3-lained
by our &orshi-able 5r+la :rabhu-(da in his 4nubhya as follo&sF ,he &ord
sandhy refers to the si3th -art of the age at its beginning and end. ,he
prathama-sandhy is thus the beginning of the age and is one#t&elfth of its entire
-eriod. ,he ea-sandhy is the same length of time at the end of the age. ?ince
the 'ali 7uga lasts ED!,""" solar years, its prathama-sandhy continues for DG,"""
years. Lord Khaitanya a--eared in Aabad&i- 4(y(-ura after E,NLG solar years of
'ali 7uga had -assed.
In the first -art of 0is life, 4ah(-rabhu &ent by the name ViRvambhara, 0e &ho
maintains the &orld. 0e lived u- to this name by distributing love of *od.
?imilarly, in the latter -art of 0is life 0e &as kno&n as 'rishna Khaitanya, 'rishna
consciousness. By making the -eo-le of the &orld conscious of 'rishna 0e
brought good fortune to all.
prathama l&lya tra vivambhara nma
bha"ti-rase bharila dharila bhta-grma
8ubh dhtura artha paa dhraa
puila dharila prema diy tri-bhuvana
ea-l&lya dhare nma r&-"a-caitanya
r&-"a jnye saba viva "aila dhanya
In 0is early -astimes, Lord Khaitanya &as kno&n by the name ViRvambhara
because 0e inundated (bhara$ the &orld (viva$ &ith the nectar of devotion and
thus saved all living beings. ,he verb root 8ubh U&hich is the root of the &ord
bharaV indicates nourishing and maintaining. ?o this name indicates that
4ah(-rabhu nourishes and maintains the three &orlds by distributing love of
*od. In 0is later -astimes, 0e &as kno&n as 5r+ 'rishna Khaitanya. 0e blessed
the &hole &orld by teaching about Lord 5r+ 'rishna.
(Chaitanya Charitmta .D.D!#DE$
5r+ Khaitanya 4ah(-rabhu acce-ted the mood of a devotee in order to -reach the
great treasure of elevated and effulgent love for 'rishna through 0is o&n acts of
relishing it. ,his great e3am-le is indeed the standard &e should follo&.
)ah9prabhu6 the =ardener in the 5rchard of 'o$e
'rishna/s Vra)a -astime is one of munificence (audrya$ in &hich s&eetness
(mdhurya$ -redominates, &hile 0is Aabad&i- -astime as *aura is one of
s&eetness in &hich munificence -redominates. In this s-irit of munificence, the
com-assionate Lord *aur(6ga -layed the role of a gardener &ho -lanted an
orchard of love#fruit trees in Aabad&i-. 4ah(-rabhu is sometimes said to be the
tree of ecstatic love for 'rishna, but by a divine t&ist, 0e is also the one &ho
en)oys the fruits of this tree and distributes them. %hile the Lord relished the taste
of these fruits, 0e also gave them a&ay &ith such enthusiasm that 0e used both
hands. =s 0e did so, 0e said,
e"al ml"ra mi "h "h jba
e"al v "ata phala piy bilba
e"al u(h dite haya parirama
"eha pya "eha n pya rahe mane bhrama
ataeva mi j dilu sab"re
jh th prema-phala deha jre tre
=s I am the only gardener, to ho& many different -laces can I goP =nd since I
am all alone, ho& many fruits can I -ick and give a&ayP It is e3tremely tiring to
gather u- the fruits and distribute them aloneJ it disturbs 4e to kno& that some
-eo-le &ill receive 4y fruit and others &ill not. ,herefore I order everyone to
distribute these fruits of love to everyone they see, &herever they go.
(Chaitanya Charitmta .X.DE#G$
In this &ay, 4ah(-rabhu asked those &ho received 0is mercy to hel- 0im. In this
&ay they can render service to 0im.
tma-icchmte v"a sici nirantara
thte asa"hya phala v"era upara
ataeva saba phala deha jre tre
"hiy hau" l"a ajara amare
I constantly &ater the tree &ith the nectar of 4y -ersonal desire. =s a result,
there are countless fruits of love u-on it. ,herefore, I ask all of you to distribute
these fruits to everyone every&here so that by eating them, all can become
free from old age and death.
(Chaitanya Charitmta .X.DL#X$
4ah(-rabhu further s-ecifies that it is the s-ecial duty of those &ho are born in
India to take u- this serviceF
bhrata-bhmite haila manuya janma jra
janma srtha"a "ari "ara para-upa"ra
%hoever has taken a human birth in the land of Bh(rata should make his life
successful and engage in &elfare &ork for others.
(Chaitanya Charitmta .X.E$
Lord Khaitanya 4ah(-rabhu thus so com-assionately distributed the fruits of love
of *od in this effort to make the &orld fortunate. But &e are so &retched that &e
are indifferent to this matchless gift and refuse to acce-t it>&hat to s-eak of
-artici-ating in the service of -reaching.
)ah9prabhu0s Instructions to ,Erma "ipra
%hen Lord 5r+ Khaitanya 4ah(-rabhu &ent on -ilgrimage to southern India, 0e
distributed 'rishna/s name and 'rishna prema to the inhabitants, making them into
Vaishnavas. <ne of the first holy -laces 0e visited in ?outh India &as the abode of
'@rma, a deity form of the Lord/s turtle incarnation. <ur &orshi-able s-iritual
master 5r+la Bhaktisidd(nta ?arasvat+ Oh(kura gave the follo&ing information
about this -lace, kno&n as '@rma#sth(na, in his 4nubhya commentary on the
Chaitanya CharitmtaF <n the BA1 railroad line there is a station named
Khikakola 1oad in the district of *an)am. Might miles east of this station is a -lace
kno&n as '@rm(cala ('@rma/s mountain$, or 5r+ '@rmam. ,his is the most -o-ular
-ilgrimage site for those &ho s-eak the ,elugu language. %hen 1(m(nu)a &as
flung there by Lord Bagann(tha in the th century of the 5aka era, he thought
that the '@rma deity &as a ?hiva#li6ga and so started a fast. Later, &hen he
learned that it &as in fact an image of the tortoise avatar of Vishnu, he arranged
for it to be &orshi-ed.

In that to&n lived a Vedic brahmin named '@rma Vi-ra. %hen '@rma sa&
4ah(-rabhu, he &as very im-ressed by 0is s-iritual effulgence and invited 0im to
his house for meals. 0e and his entire family served 4ah(-rabhu devotedly,
charming the Lord &ith their humility and faith. '@rma became so enchanted &ith
the Lord that &hen it &as time for 0im to leave, he felt unable to bear 0is
se-aration. 0e fell do&n at the Lord/s feet and begged to be allo&ed to accom-any
0im &herever 0e &ent. ,he Lord &as e3tremely -leased &ith '@rma/s attitude, but
nevertheless ans&ered him &ith the follo&ing &ordsF
prabhu "ahe aiche bta "abhu n "ahib
ghe rahi "a-nma nirantara laib
jre de"ha tre "aha "a upadea
mra jya guru ha tra ei dea
"abhu n bdhibe tmya viaya taraga
punar api ei (hi pbe mra saga
Aever make such a suggestion again. 7ou should rather remain at home and
constantly chant the holy name of 'rishna. Instruct &homever you see in the
religion of 'rishna. Become a s-iritual master on 4y order and deliver everyone
in this land. Co this and you &ill never again be entangled in the &aves of
materialistic life. Indeed, one day you &ill have 4y com-any again, here in this
very -lace. (Chaitanya Charitmta, H0H.!H#X$
,his &as the &ay that the Lord s-read 'rishna consciousness on 0is travels from
:uri to ?etubandha at the southern ti- of the subcontinent, -urifying the &ay &ith
the touch of 0is lotus feet. 0e &ould mercifully sto- at the houses of brahmins like
'@rma and sho&er them &ith grace by instructing them to chant the 0oly Aames
and to instruct others in the chanting.
)ah9prabhu0s Instruction to "9sude$a "ipra
<n that night, the Lord stayed in '@rma/s home and the ne3t morning, after
bathing, -re-ared to continue on 0is &ay. '@rma Vi-ra follo&ed 0im -art of the
&ay until the Lord told him to go back home. In the meantime, a le-er named
V(sudeva &as also on his &ay to '@rma/s house. 0e had heard that 4ah(-rabhu
&as there and &as ho-ing to get a glance of the Lord. %hen V(sudeva learned
from '@rma that the Lord had already de-arted, he &as so disa--ointed that he
fell do&n on the ground and fainted, lamenting his misfortune.
,he Lord, as the omniscient ind&eller of all beings, &as fully a&are of V(sudeva/s
distress. Mven though 0e had already &alked a great distance from '@rma/s house,
0e returned to grant the le-er the o--ortunity to see him. Aot only did 0e allo&
V(sudeva to see 0im, but even embraced him affectionately. 4ah(-rabhu is the
friend of the distressed and 0is miraculous touch immediately cured V(sudeva of
his le-rosy and turned him into a healthy and handsome young man.
V(sudeva Vi-ra &as amaIed to see the limitless mercy of the ?u-reme Lord and
&ith tears in his eyes he glorified the Lord &ith a verse s-oken by ?ud(m( Vi-ra
from the 'hgavatamF
"vha) daridra! pp&yn
"va "a! r&-ni"etana!
brahma-bandhur iti smha)
bhubhy) parirambhita!
Bust see the difference bet&een a miserable sinner like myself and the abode
of the *oddess of .ortune, 5r+ 'rishna[ =lthough I am a most unqualified
brahmin, 0e has mercifully embraced me in 0is arms.
(%r&mad 'hgavatam ".LX.G$
%hen V(sudeva had become a beautiful young man as a result of 4ah(-rabhu/s
miraculous touch, he realiIed that 5r+ Khaitanya &as none other than the ocean of
all virtue and master of the most fallen, the ?u-reme :erson 0ari 0imself. 0e said,
Mven the lo&est classes of society &ere disgusted at seeing the o-en sores of my
le-rous body. ,hey &ould run a&ay &henever they sa& me coming. ,he only
-erson &ho could -ossibly be so merciful as to touch me is the su-remely
inde-endent Lord, &hose only distress is to see the distress of others. < most
merciful Lord[ I think, ho&ever, that I &as better off as an untouchable le-er. Ao&
that you have made me handsome, I &ill no doubt become into3icated &ith vanity
and unable to remember your lotus feet.
4ah(-rabhu considered V(sudeva Vi-ra to be most qualified due to his humility,
and &ith a choking voice, ecstatically instructed him to act as an crya, )ust as 0e
had ordered '@rmaF
prabhu "ahe "abhu tmya n habe abhimna
nirantara "aha tumi "a "a nma
"a upadei "ara j&vera nistra
acirte "a tm "aribena pra
7ou &ill never become vain if you constantly chant 'rishna/s name. Celiver
the fallen souls by instructing them about 'rishna, and 'rishna &ill very quickly
deliver you from the material &orld. (Chaitanya Charitmta !.H.EH#L$
=fter giving these assurances to V(sudeva, the su-remely merciful 4ah(-rabhu
left the -ilgrimage to&n of '@rmak8etra. '@rma Vi-ra and V(sudeva embraced
each other and sang 4ah(-rabhu/s glories, their eyes filled &ith tears of sadness
at 0is de-arture. 'rishnad(sa 'avir()a *osv(m+ has described this story as the
deliverance of V(sudeva, and named 4ah(-rabhu, 9sudevmtaprada, the giver
of ambrosia to V(sudeva.
Preaching Does >ot #eDuire #enouncing (ome
5r+la :rabhu-(da Bhaktisiddh(nta ?arasvat+ Oh(kura has commented on
4ah(-rabhu/s instructions to '@rma Vi-ra &ith the follo&ing &ordsF .or those &ho
are determined to abandon everything to take shelter of 0im and serve 0im
e3clusively, the ?u-reme Lord 5r+ Khaitanya 4ah(-rabhu here gives the
instruction to remain in the home, i.e., to give u- the -ride of being a heroic
-erformer of bhajana and to ado-t a regular -ractice of chanting the holy name of
'rishna and, &ith the humility characteristic of those &ho remain in the
householder station, instruct others in chanting the 0oly Aames. If one takes u-
the duties of a s-iritual master in this &ay, he &ill never become entangled in the
T&aves of materialistic life/ in the form of the desire for self#aggrandiIement.
4any foolish -eo-le think that -reaching through the &riting of books as done by
1@-a *osv(m+, ?an(tana *osv(m+, B+va *osv(m+ or 1aghun(tha C(sa *osv(m+,
or taking on large numbers of disci-les like 4adhv(c(rya, 1(m(nu)(c(rya or
Aarottama C(sa Oh(kura, is an im-ediment to s-iritual -ractice. Indeed, these less
intelligent -ersons even claim that such activities are materially entangling. By
adhering to such erroneous ideas, they become offenders to the many unalloyed
devotees &ho have nothing to do &ith the material &orld and yet -reach. ,his
teaching of the Lord Uto '@rma and V(sudevaV is intended for such -eo-le. If they
analyIe these teachings carefully, they &ill give u- their -ride in a false sho& of
humility and advance the cause of genuine bhajana by instructing rather than
sho&ing disdain for those &ho are &ithout devotion to the Lord.
(4nubhya !.H.D"$
5r+la :rabhu-(da continuesF 5r+ 'rishna Khaitanya besto&ed consciousness on
the unconscious living beings. =fter 0e had done so, 0e instructed those &ho had
been brought to consciousness and attracted to the service of the Lord to take on
the role of teachers or cryas and do for others &hat 0e had done for them.
,hrough this -astime of -reaching the scri-tural -ath and bringing more souls into
the fold of the Lord/s infallible family, *aurasundara fully revealed the glories of
0is incarnation. (4nubhya !.H.N!$
?ome -eo-le have difficulty understanding the meaning of the instruction of the
Lord to take u- the -ractice of chanting the 0oly Aames and to simultaneously
-reach it. If such -ersons go on to dress u- as gurus, they take on demoniac
qualities like -ride, egotism, and arrogance, and &alk through the gates of hell. .or
this reason, a devotee should take the vo& of engaging in -ersonal devotional
-ractice headed by chanting and -reaching activities in the s-irit of humble service
to the servants of the Lord. By so doing, one &ill be free from any &orries about
the influence of demoniac qualities. 4ah(-rabhu 0imself taught that the real
identity of the individual is not related to the bodily conce-t of lifeJ I am the
servant of the servant of the servant of the Lord of the gp&s. <ne &ho kee-s this
consciousness alive &hile seeking his o&n &elfare and that of others is free from
any fear of falldo&n. <ther&ise, one may &ell succumb to the tem-tation of -ride.
Bhaktivinoda Oh(kura has sung about the danger of -ride for someone &ho is
other&ise engaged in -reaching activityF
mi ta vaiava ei buddhi haile
amn& n haba mi
prati(h si hdaya duibe
haib niraya-gm&
nije re(ha mni ucchi(di-dne
abhimna habe bhra
ti iya tava th"iba sarvad
n laiba pj "ra
If I think that I have become a Vaishnava then I &ill never be -rideless. ,he
desire for -restige &ill descend on my heart and contaminate it and I &ill go to
hell. ,hinking myself to be su-erior to others, I &ill leave them the remnants of
my food and this &ill fill me &ith arrogance. ,herefore, < Vaishnava Oh(kura, I
-romise to al&ays remain your disci-le and to never acce-t &orshi- from
anyone. (.alya-"alpa-taru$
If &e disregards this instruction of the great authority Bhaktivinoda Oh(kura,
then &e &ill be affected by our offensive behavior. <ne may easily deceive
innocent -eo-le by mouthing the teachings of devotional service &hile
internally thinking I am a s-iritual master or I am a Vaishnava, but no one
can fool the Lord &ho d&ells &ithin the heart and kno&s every thought. 0o&
can &e e3-ect to deceive 0imP By ignoring 0im, &e commits offenses that &ill
result in our degradation to lo&er s-ecies of life and hellish suffering.
San9tana0s Praise of (arid9sa :h9ura
4ah(-rabhu/s most beloved associate ?an(tana *osv(m+ -raised 0arid(sa
Oh(kura, the great teacher of the 0oly Aame, as the ideal e3am-le of the ability to
harmoniIe the -ractices of chanting the 0oly Aame educating -eo-le about
chanting.
santana "ahe tm-sama "eb che na
mahprabhura gae tumi mah-bhgyavn
avatra-"rya prabhura nma-pracre
sei nija-"rya prabhu "arena tmra dvre
pratyaha "ara tina-la"a nma-sa"&rtana
sabra ge "ara nmera mahim "athana
pane care "eha n "are pracra
pracra "arena "eha, n "arena cra
cra pracra nmera "araha dui "rya
tumi sarva-guru tumi jagatera rya
?an(tana *osv(m+ asked, 0arid(sa Oh(kura, is anyone your equalP 7ou are
the most blessed of the associates of 5r+ Khaitanya 4ah(-rabhu. ,he -ur-ose
of the Lord/s incarnation is to s-read the chanting of 0is holy names, but 0e is
doing this &ork through you. 7ou daily chant D"",""" 0oly Aames and you tell
everyone of the glories of chanting. ?ome carry out the in)unctions of s-iritual
life but do nothing to s-read these teachings, &hereas others -reach but do not
follo& the -rinci-les themselves. 7ou, ho&ever, do both things and therefore
you are the s-iritual master of all, a truly religious -erson in this &orld.
(Chaitanya Charitmta D.E.XX#"D$
<ur most &orshi-able 5r+la :rabhu-(da, in his 4nubhya, made the follo&ing
comments on these versesF 0arid(sa Oh(kura is the s-iritual master of the entire
universe and the ob)ect of veneration for everyone. =s a brahmin, through the
-rocess of initiation, he chanted the -ure Aame, and is thus qualified to be an
crya, or one &ho -resents the ideal standard of -ractice. .urthermore, through
loudly chanting these names and their glories, he initiated all the living beings in
the &orld in the sacrifice of the 0oly Aame. By so doing, he qualified as a pracra"a
or -reacher. In this &ay 0arid(sa engaged in the -ractice and in the dissemination
of the teaching.(4nubhya D.E."D$
AcDuiring the Authority to Preach
%e have seen that 4ah(-rabhu 0imself gave notice that 0arid(sa ke-t to this
standard in -reaching the 0oly Aames. ,he im-ortance of authority in teaching is
further e3-lained by 'rishna in 0is instructions to =r)una in the 'hagavad-g&tF
yad yad carati re(has
tat tad evetar jana!
sa yat prama) "urute
l"as tad anuvartate
,he behavior of su-erior -eo-le is imitated by the ordinaryJ that &hich they
acce-t as authoritative is follo&ed by the rest of society. (*&t D.!$
,he &ords su-erior -eo-le (re(ha$ mean those &ho are genuine authorities, or
mahjanasJ maintaining the highest standards of morality. ,heir -ath is the one &e
must follo&, as &as stated by 7udhi89hira in ans&er to the questions of 7amar()aF
mahjan yena gata! sa panth-,he -ath of the mahjanas is the one everyone
should follo&.
$ahjanas, or great authorities, are free from the four defectsF ($ bhrama (error$,
or the tendency to take the real for the unreal or the unreal for the real, such as a
ro-e for a snake, etc.J (!$ pramda, mistakes arising from carelessness or
inattentionJ (D$ "arapa(ava, limitations on the senses &hich result in erroneous
-erce-tionsJ and (E$ vipralips, the desire to deceive. %hen one has the desire to
deceive, then even though he kno&s his kno&ledge is inadequate he makes a
-retense of kno&ing, or even though in the -ossession of the truth, he hides it
from others. =nyone free from these defects should be considered authoritative.
<ne should learn from a -erson &ho is learned in the scri-tures and &ho is
disci-lined by saintly behavioral standardsJ &ho is e3-erienced in the -ractices of
devotional service and is free from anger, enviousness, and hatred. <ne may be
ca-able of citing hundreds of verses from scri-ture and make glorious and
eloquent s-eeches, but if he has not ado-ted the standards of behavior set by 5r+
Khaitanya 4ah(-rabhu, his rhetoric alone &ill have no effect. :reaching &ithout
-ractice is futile.
,he 'hgavatam tells the story of ho& 4ah(r()a :ar+k8it
!
came u-on the
-ersonified form of 'ali 7uga, &ho at the beginning of the age of 'ali, &as
&reaking havoc on earth. :ar+k8it &ished to banish 'ali com-letely from the earth,
but 'ali -rayed to be given a -lace of his o&n. :ar+k8it then gave him five -laces
&here he could live, and these are kno&n as the abodes of irreligion. ,hey areF ($
the gambling den, or any&here betting takes -laceJ (!$ the -laces of into3ication>
taverns, o-ium dens, or any -lace &here drugs (including tobacco$ are consumedJ
(D$ any&here illicit se3 is -racticed, i.e., &herever there are se3ual relations
outside of marriage or even e3cessive attachment to one/s la&ful &edded -artnerJ
(E$ &herever violence to animals is -racticed, i.e., slaughterhouses and all -laces
&here meat is consumed by humans as foodJ and (N$ &herever large amounts of
gold are accumulated. =ny -lace &here money is s-ent for -ur-oses other than the
service of the Lord, it is being misused and results in undesirable entanglement.
:rabhu-(da Bhaktisiddh(nta ?arasvat+ states that gambling destroys truthfulnessJ
into3ication results in the destruction of austerityJ illicit se3 destroys inner and
outer -urityJ and meat#eating destroys mercy. =voidance of these sinful activities
is the -illar of religiosity, and tolerance of them means the establishment of
irreligion. ,he -ossession of great &ealth lays the &ay to a sinful life. ,herefore,
&herever there is a large accumulation of riches, untruth, arrogance, lust, and
violence are found.
athaitni na seveta
bubhu! purua! "vacit
vieat dharma-&l
rj l"a-patir guru!
,hus, one &ho desires his o&n &ell#being should refrain from engaging in the
above#mentioned sinful activities. ,he -ious, kings, leaders, and teachers
should es-ecially be careful to avoid them. (%r&mad 'hgavatam .H.E$
<ne &ho d&ells in any of the five abodes of 'ali &ill not be able to maintain the
a--ro-riate standards of conduct, or ever e3-ect to see his -reaching fructify.
.or this reason 4ah(-rabhu re-eatedly &arned devotees against the association of
non#devotees and sensualists. ,he conclusion is that a non#Vaishnava, des-ite his
learning, his intelligence, or his eloquence as a s-eaker, can never e3-ect to be an
effective -reacher if he is a debauchee, even if he makes claims of loyalty to
4ah(-rabhu. 4ah(-rabhu/s associate Bagad(nanda :undit said,
grra mi grra mi mu"he balile n cale
grra cra grra pracra laile phala phale
It is not enough to sim-ly advertise re-eatedly that one is a devotee of
4ah(-rabhu, saying, TI am *aura/s, I am *aura/s./ ,hose &ho takes u- the
-ractices taught by 4ah(-rabhu as &ell as 0is -reaching mission get the
results of being the Lord/s follo&er. (>rema-vivarta$
Aarottama d(sa Oh(kura, in his >rema-bha"ti-candri", also criticiIes the
association of non#devotees0 Aarottama d(sa/s -rayers and hymns are collected in
>rrthan and >rema-bha"ti-candri", &hile those of Bhaktivinoda Oh(kura/s are
found in %aragati, .alya-"alpa-taru, *&tval& and *&t-ml. ,he songs of these
cryas contain the essence of all the devotional scri-tures. ,aking shelter of a
genuine s-iritual master and acce-ting the -rinci-les of Vaishnava behavior from
himJ one should study these books. =s one goes on to become a genuine, -ure
devotee, he may greatly benefit the conditioned souls by -reaching the message
e3tracted from these te3ts.
Taing She%ter of the 'ord7 the 'ife of the De$otee
,he first song in Bhaktivinoda Oh(kura/s %aragati is as follo&sF
r& "a caitanya prabhu j&ve day "ari
sva-parada sv&ya dhma saha avatari
atyanta durlabha prema "aribre dna
i"hya aragati bha"atera pra
dainya, tma-nivedana, gpttve varaa
avaya ra"ibe "a vivsa plana
bha"ti-anu"la mtra "ryera sv&"ra
bha"ti-prati"la-bhva varjang&"ra
a8-aga aragati haibe jhra
thra prrthan une r&-nanda-"umra
rpa santana pade dante ta "ari
bha"ativinda pae dui pada dhari
"diy "diy bale mi ta adhama
i"hye aragati "arahe uttama
<ut of com-assion for the fallen j&vas, 5r+ 'rishna Khaitanya a--eared in this
&orld &ith all of 0is eternal associates and 0is eternal abode. %ishing to
besto& on them the most rare love for 0imself, 0e taught the -rocess of taking
shelter of the Lord &hich is so im-ortant for the devotees. 0umility, self#
surrender, acce-ting 'rishna as your -rotector, belief that 'rishna &ill save you
in all circumstances, undertaking only activities conducive to develo-ment of
love for 'rishna, and re)ecting everything that is detrimental to itJ these are the
si3 elements of taking shelter. ,he son of Aanda, 'rishna, listens to the -rayers
of anyone &ho takes shelter of 0im in this &ay. I fall do&n and take hold of the
feet of 1@-a and ?an(tana in all humility. Krying, TI am most fallen./ I beg,
T:lease teach me ho& to take shelter of 'rishna so that I can -erfect my human
life./
%ithout taking shelter in this &ay, one cannot -erfect his human life and become
free of the darkness of material conditioning. But if doing so, &e &ill be able to
-ro-erly -reach about 'rishna/s name, form, qualities, and -astimes.
=s 5r+la :rabhu-(da &rote, pra che tra se-hetu pracra><ne &ho has life,
-reaches. (9aiava .eB$ ,herefore, even before -reaching, the devotee/s first
duty is to take u- this -rocess of surrender, &hich is the life of the devotee. <nly
then &ill one receive 'rishna/s blessings and be &orthy of -reaching the message
&hich &as given by 4ah(-rabhu 0imself. <ther&ise, one &ill be nothing more than
a cadaver, and one/s -reaching &ill benefit neither oneself nor others. %e may be
able to -rofit and gain fame from mundane -eo-le in this &orld, but that &ill hold
no value on the transcendental -latform. 5r+la :rabhu-(da further &rote in his
-oem 9aiava .eB
r& dayita-dsa "&rtanete a
"ara uccai!svare hari-nma-rava
7our only ho-e is in the -erformance of harinma-sa"&rtana, so chant the 0oly
Aames as loudly as you can.
It is clear that 5r+la :rabhu-(da, &ith these &ords, is asking us to chant the 0oly
Aames loudly. If &e chant &ithout life, &ould that not be a source of
disa--ointment to himP
,here are many offenses &hich are committed by as-irants to s-iritual -erfection.
,hinking of the guru as an ordinary mortal is the gravest offense. <ne &ho thinks
this &ay can never successfully -reach the Lord/s message. Kan anyone &ho
makes a -retense of -reaching &ithout -utting the message into -ractice be truly
-leasing to 4ah(-rabhu, &ho 0imself stated, I 4yself -ut the religious -rinci-les
into -ractice and then -reach themP
%e -ray to the s-iritual master that he give us the strength and intelligence to
become truly fi3ed in the -ractice of devotional service and then distribute
4ah(-rabhu/s message every&here. 4ay 0e give us the nectar of prema to drink.
<nce into3icated &ith this prema, &e &ill be able to truly sing 0is glories.
=s far as devotees on the rgnug -ath are concerned, they may as-ire to serve
'rishna in a relationshi- of servitude, friendshi-, -rotectiveness or con)ugal love,
but their as-iration must not be counterfeit. It must follo& the directions of the
s-iritual master and only then &ill it result in the great fortune of service to the
Lord. 1ather than sim-ly making a -retense of -ossessing transcendental greed,
an initiated devotee should consider chanting &ithout offenses as the -rinci-al
internal, or confidential devotional -ractice. ,hen, by the grace of his guru, this
transcendental greed a&akens. ,his is the -rinci-al activity of the devout bha"ta
and this is the teaching that one should try to s-read. .rom such -ractice and such
-reaching, one/s o&n ultimate good &ill be achieved as &ell as the ultimate good
of everyone in the &orld. ,his is absolutely certain.
Chapter AI"
The Path of Passionate 'o$e
It is clear from the -revious cha-ter that the -ur-ose of 4ah(-rabhu/s a--earance
on this Marth &as to distribute the love of the residents of Vrindavan, es-ecially the
mood of the gp&s, to the entire &orld. =nd 0e -reached this love through close
associates such as 1(m(nanda 1(ya.
gaurgera madhura-l&l jra "are praveil
hdaya nirmala bhela tra
:urified is the heart of one &ho has heard the delightful -astimes of Lord
*aur(6ga.
Lord *aur(6ga/s name, form, qualities, and activities are all delightful and s&eet.
madhura) madhura) vapur asya vibhr
madhura) madhura) vadana) madhuram
madhu-gandhi mdu-smitam etad ah
madhura) madhura) madhura) madhuram
%hat a delight is this transcendental body of the ma)estic Lord, &hat a
delight[
%hat a delight is 0is beautiful face[ %hat a delight[ %hat a delight[
0is gentle smile is as s&eet as honey,
0o& s&eet, ho& s&eet, ho& s&eet[ (Chaitanya Charitmta !.!.DG$
=ll of 4ah(-rabhu/s -astimes are transcendentally delightful. 0is -astime of
meeting the &orld/s foremost scholar and logician, ?(rvabhauma Bha99(c(rya, is
an e3am-le of such transcendental delight. .or an entire &eek the Lord heard in
silence the e3-lanations of Vedanta given by ?(rvabhauma Bha99(c(rya, and in
the end enlightened ?(rvabhauma by giving the correct inter-retation of the
Vedanta as &ell as com-osing L different verses e3-laining the tmrma verse of
the 'hgavata. =t first ?(rvabhauma &as deflated and disa--ointed in himself
&itnessing the Lord/s un-arallelled scholarshi-, but taking shelter of the Lord/s
lotus feet, he glorified the Lord, &ho com-assionately granted him a vision of 0is
si3#armed form.
Celightful, too, &as 4ah(-rabhu/s reci-rocation &ith 'ing :rat(-arudra,
culminating in 0is hearing the *p&-g&ta verses from from the 'ing, embracing him
and glorifying him as bhrida-most charitable>and then granting the king a
vision of 0is si3#armed form.
tava "athmta) tapta-j&vana)
"avibhir &8ita) "almapaham
ravaa-magala) r&mad-tata)
bhuvi ganti ye bhrid jan!
4y Lord, the nectar of 7our &ords and the descri-tions of 7our activities are
like nectar for those &ho are -arched in this dry material &orld. ,ransmitted by
e3alted -ersonalities, these narrations eradicate all sinful reactions. %hoever
hears them attains all good fortune. ,hose in this &orld &ho broadcast these
delightful to-ics are certainly the most munificent altruists.
(6r&mad 'hgavatam ".D.X, Chaitanya Charitmta !.E.E$
4ah(-rabhu/s -astime of teaching the theology of sambandha, abhidheya, and
prayjana to 1@-a *osv(m+ at :ray(ga and to ?an(tana *osv(m+ at the
CaR(Rvamedha *h(9 in Benares is another source of nectar. But -erha-s the most
delightful of all 0is -astimes is that of 0is hearing from 1(m(nanda 1(ya about the
ultimate goal of s-iritual life and the -rocess for attaining it.
)ah9prabhu0s Con$ersation &ith #9m9nanda
In 0is first meeting &ith 1(m(nanda 1(ya, 4ah(-rabhu feigned ignorance and
asked 1(m(nanda about various s-iritual -ractices and their goals. In ans&er,
1(m(nanda 1(ya gradually e3-lained the different levels of -hiloso-hical
understanding until he finally came to the highest understanding of s-iritual life,
the ecstatic loving interchanges bet&een 1adha and 'rishna.
,he s-iritual methods 4ah(-rabhu -rogressively heard from 1(m(nanda 1(ya
&ereF ($ -ractice of one/s -rescribed duty according to the varrama#dharmaJ (!$
giving u- the results of one/s activities by offering them to the Lord, or devotional
service mi3ed &ith other disinterested activityJ (D$ renunciation of one/s
varrama duties, or "arma-sannysaJ and (E$ devotional service mi3ed &ith the
search for kno&ledge (jna-mir bha"ti$. =s 1(m(nanda -ro-osed each of these
-ractices and their results, 4ah(-rabhu re)ected them, saying, ,his is su-erficial.
*o more dee-ly and reveal something more substantial. 1(m(nanda -roceeded
to describe jna-ny bha"ti, i.e., devotional service &ith no desire for liberation.
=t this 4ah(-rabhu e3-ressed a--roval but asked 1(m(nanda to go still dee-er.
=s 4ah(-rabhu -layed the role of a curious seeker, 1(m(nanda, out of a desire to
serve and ans&er the Lord, -layed the role of a teacher. 0e then described
devotional service in the mood of -assiveness as the goal of s-iritual life.
4ah(-rabhu a--roved, but nonetheless, he again asked 1amananda to go dee-er.
1(m(nanda then described devotion in the s-irit of service, then in the moods of
friendshi- and -rotectiveness, &hereu-on 4ah(-rabhu gre& more and more
enthusiastic saying, ,his is e3cellent, but -lease go dee-er. .inally, 1(m(nanda
s-oke of the love of 'rishna/s mistresses as the su-reme goal of s-iritual life, at
&hich the Lord a--roved ecstatically. 0e said, 7es[ ,his is the limit of s-iritual
achievement, there can be no doubt. But, if there is anything more than this,
-lease tell 4e.
1(m(nanda 1(ya then began to describe the love of 1adha for 'rishna as the
cro&ning e3-erience of divine love. ,he Lord/s )oy then increased beyond bounds
and 0e ke-t asking 1(m(nanda to go on s-eaking. 1(m(nanda no& began to
describe the modalities of 1adha and 'rishna/s loving e3changes, quoting verses
from the *&t-gvinda and other te3ts &hich describe the unequalled character of
1adha/s most com-etent love for the Lord. =t this, 4ah(-rabhu said to 1(m(nanda
in great satisfactionF
ebe se jnilu sdhya-sdhana-niraya
ge ra che "ichu unite mana haya
Ao& I have &hat I came to learn from youJ the goal of life and the -rocess of
achieving it. Aevertheless, I think that there is still something more and I desire
greatly to hear it. (Chaitanya Charitmta !.L.L$
Prema*$i%9sa*$i$arta
=s 4ah(-rabhu s-ecifically asked to hear more about 1adha and 'rishna, and
,heir relations and -astimes, 1(m(nanda continued to recount all he kne& on the
sub)ect. ?till 4ah(-rabhu continued to -lead &ith him to go on, further and further.
.inally, 1(m(nanda gave a descri-tion of a most delightful state of ecstatic love
called -rema#vil(sa#vivarta. In this -articular transformation of the loving mood, he
e3-lained, 1adha is overcome by her most elevated ecstatic feelings and, even
though se-arated from 'rishna, thinks 0e is in fact -resent.
1adha and 'rishna/s divine love affairs are conducted in t&o modesF that of
se-aration and that of union. ?e-aration, or vi-ralambha, is a -articular
transformation of 1adha and 'rishna/s -astimes &hich serves to increase the
-leasure of union. In the -rema#vil(sa#vivarta, ho&ever, due to the intensity of 0er
adhir@;ha#mah(bh(va, 1adha e3-eriences hallucinations of union even in the
state of se-aration. ,he ecstatic beauty of 1adha in this condition is indescribable.
.or 4ah(-rabhu/s -leasure, 1(m(nanda 1(ya sang a song of his o&n com-osition
describing this situation. 4ah(-rabhu &as so overcome by emotion on hearing
1amananda/s song that 0e covered 1(m(nanda/s mouth &ith 0is hand. ,he song
-ortrayed 1(dh(r(2+/s &ords &hen in this e3alted mood of loveF
pahilehi rga nayana-bhage bhela
anudina b8hala, avadhi n gela
n s ramaa, n hma rama&
duhu-mana manbhava peala jni#
e sa"h&, se-saba prema-"hin&
"nu-(hme "ahabi vichurala jni#
n "hjalu dt&, n "hjalu n
duhu"eri milane madhya ta pca-ba
ab shi virga, tuhu bheli dt&
su-puru"ha-prema"i aichana r&ti
< sa"h&[ In the very beginning, <ur eyes met and <ur love took birth. Cay by
day it gre&, never finding a limit. 0e is not 4y husband and I am not 0is &ifeJ it
is as though Ku-id himself ground our minds into -o&der and mi3ed them
together. < sa"h&, no& that %e are se-arated, if 'rishna has forgotten all these
things, then remind 0im of thisF %hen %e first met, %e didn/t have to seek out
a go#bet&een or anyone else. ,he only one &ho brought Ss together &as Ku-id
&ith his five arro&s, no one else. Ao& that %e are a-art, that love has gone
and 0e has had to engage you as a messenger. ,hat is the &ay of love &ith
good#looking men like 'rishna.
(Chaitanya Charitmta !.L.XE, ?ee also Chaitanya Charitmta ! D.EG$
<ur most &orshi-able -redecessor crya 5r+la Oh(kura Bhaktivinoda -ara-hrases
this song as follo&sF :rior to our first meeting, during the -eriod kno&n as prva-
rga or inci-ient affection, through the mutual e3change of glances, something
called rga or love suddenly came into e3istence. ,his rga &as born of both our
natures and it ke-t on gro&ing and gro&ing &ithout reaching any limit. 'rishna is
the lover or ramaa, but in this case 0e &as not the cause of the rgaJ neither &as
I, the beloved or rama&, its cause0 ,he love that arose &hen %e first looked at
each other &as created by Ku-id, &ho is kno&n as 4anobhava, or Tmind#born./ 0e
a--eared and ground our minds into a -o&der. If you think, < sa"h&, that 'rishna
has forgotten all this love no& that %e are se-arated from each other, then tell
0im the follo&ingF :reviously, %e sought out no messenger at the time of union-
%e asked no one to intercede. ,he only mediator %e had &as Ku-id himself &ith
his five arro&s. Ao& that %e are se-arated, the rga has become virga. 9irga
means vii(a-rga, or Ta s-ecial kind of love,/ or viccheda-gata raga, Tlove in
se-aration./ In this case it has become adhir8ha mah-bhva, or the most elevated
stage of divine love. Ao& you are acting as the dt&, or messenger. 7ou &ill see
that handsome men al&ays behave in this &ay.
5r+la Oh(kura Bhaktivinoda continuesF ,he -ur-ort of this song is as follo&sF
during the time of union, the love (rga$ takes the form of desire and acts itself as
the messenger. =t the time of se-aration, the love becomes a dt& in the form of
adhir8ha-mahbhva. ,his highest -latform of divine love is the messenger of
prema-vilsa-vivarta, in &hich there is an e3-erience of union even during
se-aration. ,hus 1(dh(r(2+ addresses this love as a messenger. ,his indicates
that loving affairs are as relishable during se-aration as they are during
en)oyment. >rema-vilsa-vivarta is like a hallucination, similar to one/s taking a
-iece of ro-e to be a snake, such as &hen 1adha takes a tam(la tree to be
'rishna. In this state of confusion born of the adhir8ha mahbhva, ?he
e3-eriences a ty-e of union. (4mta-pravha-bhya to Chaitanya
Charitmta !.L.XD$
In his 4nubhya, our most &orshi-able *urudeva, :rabhu-(da Bhaktisiddh(nta
?arasvat+ Oh(kura, gives the follo&ing comments to 1(m(nanda/s songF %ith the
&ords na s ramaa n ham rama& (T0e is not 4y lover and I am not 0is beloved./$
4ah(-rabhu has revealed the acintya-bhedbheda-tattva. It is on this basis that B+va
*osv(m+ gave this name to his -hiloso-hical doctrine in the 6arva-sa)vdin&. In
this song, there is sub)ective confusion bet&een the identities of the lovers.
<rdinary conditioned souls should be &arned not to ado-t the -rocess of &orshi-
kno&n as aha)grahpsan, identifying themselves &ith one of the eternal
associates of the Lord or the Lord 0imself. ,he -hiloso-hy of aha)grahpsan is a
-roduct of the foolishness of those &ho believe that all is only one s-iritual energy.
It is the inverse of the s-iritual -astimes of the Civine Kou-le. 4ah(-rabhu
descended from that -art of *oloka &here 0is eternal -astimes are going on in
order to demonstrate the error of those &ho think that nondual su-reme truth does
not e3-erience the sub)ective (raya$ as-ect of divine love.
(4nubhya to Chaitanya Charitmta
!.L.X$
The S9dhana for Achie$ing the (ighest =oa%
4ah(-rabhu acce-ted that there &as no higher achievement than prema-vilasa-
vivarta in s-iritual life, and 0e then asked 1(m(nanda &hat &as the sdhana, or
-rocess for achieving it. 1(m(nanda began his ans&er by first denying he &as the
true s-eaker.
mra mu"he va"t tumi tumi ha rt
atyanta rahasya una sdhanera "ath
7ou are s-eaking through me and at the same time 7ou are listening. Ao&
hear the e3tremely confidential e3-lanation of ho& this goal can be attained.
(Chaitanya Charitmta !.L.!""$
1(m(nanda then e3-lained ho& 1adha and 'rishna/s transcendental -astimes are
de-endent on 1adha/s girlfriends for their develo-ment. <nly these sa"h&s have
the right of entry into 1adha#'rishna/s confidential -astimes, and they are the ones
&ho e3-and these l&ls. %ithout them, the l&ls &ould be limited. ,he sa"h&s not
only -artici-ate in these -astimes, but they also are the first to relish them.
%ithout their leadershi-, no one can enter these confidential -astimes. ,hus they
must be acce-ted before the acce-tance of 1adha and 'rishna.
sa"h& vin ei l&lya anyera nhi gati
sa"h&-bhve je tre "are anugati
rdh-"a-"uja-sev sdhya sei pya
sei sdhya pite ra nhi"a upya
Indeed, other than the go-+s no one can enter 1adha and 'rishna/s
confidential -astimes. <nly those &ho follo& in the gp&s/ footste-s, &orshi-ing
the Lord in their mood, can realiIe the ultimate goal of service to 5r+ 5r+
1adha#'rishna in the forest bo&ers of Vrindavan. ,here is no other -rocedure
for achieving this goal. (Chaitanya
Charitmta !.L.!"E#N$
= notable feature of 1(dh(r(2+/s girlfriends is that they have no -ersonal desire to
en)oy intimately &ith 'rishna. ,heir -leasure is derived entirely from seeing the
Civine Kou-le united, and hel-ing ,hem to e3-erience the )oy of union.
sahaja gp&ra prema nahe pr"ta "ma
"ma-"r&8-smye tra "ahi "ma-nma
,he natural love of the gp&s for 'rishna is not mundane sensuality.
Aonetheless, because their transcendental love for 'rishna resembles the
atraction bet&een male and female in this &orld, it is sometimes given the
name "ma, or lust. (Chaitanya Charitmta !.L.!E$
,he 3antra and 1@-a *osv(m+ in his 'ha"ti-rasmta-sindhu similarly state<
premaiva gpa-rm)
"ma ity agamat prathm
ity uddhavday #py eta)
vchanti bhagavat-priy!
,he divine love of the co&herd &omen came to be kno&n as lust. Mven so,
Sddhava and other great beloved devotees of the Lord desire to attain it.
(Chaitanya Charitmta .E.GDJ 'ha"ti-rasmta-sindhu .!.!LN#G$
,he follo&ing t&o 'hgavatam verses e3em-lify Sddhava/s a--reciation for the
gp&s/ love for 'rishna.
vande nanda-vraja-str&)
pda-reum abh&"aa!
ys) hari-"athdg&ra)
punti bhuvana-trayam
I constantly glorify the dust of the feet of the &omen of Aanda/s co&herd
-astures. ,heir chanting of the activities of Lord 'rishna -urify the entire
universe. (6r&mad 'hgavatam
".EH.GD$

sm ah caraa-reu-jum aha) sym
vndvane "im api gulma-latauadh&nm
y dustyaja) sva-janam rya-patha) ca hitv
bhejur mu"unda-padav&) rutibhir vimgym
=h[ Let me become one of Vrindavan/s herbs and -lants and be regularly
s-rinkled &ith the dust of the gp&s/ feet, for the gp&s abandoned their families
and their religious -rinci-les, both e3tremely difficult to give u-, in order to
&orshi- 4ukunda, the ultimate ob)ective of all the Vedic literatures.
(6r&mad 'hgavatam ".EH.G$
'ub)( and other devotees &ho did not have the same degree of intense desire for
'rishna/s -leasure as the gp&s but similarly manifested erotic feelings for 'rishna,
are said to -ossess "ma-pry rati>a love &hich only resembles that of the gp&s.
,his conclusion is due to 'ub)(/s (and other devotees in similar mood$ high degree
of desire for her o&n -leasure. ,he -resence of such desire for -ersonal en)oyment
&hen near 'rishna indicates that the love is less -ure. .or this reason it has been
qualified as "ma-pry (?ee also 'ha"ti-rasmta-sindhu .!.!LH$. Mlse&here,
'ub)(/s love for 'rishna is said to be mundane (sdhra& rati$, a far cry from the
selfless love demonstrated by 1adha and the gp&s.
1adha is meta-horically s-oken of as the cree-er of divine love for 'rishnaJ the
sa"h&s her t&igs, branches, leaves, and fruits. Bust as the flo&er blossoms by
receiving &ater through the roots of the bush, similarly, the sa"h&s and majar&s
feel )oy through the -leasure of 5r+mat+ 1(dh(ra2+ and not inde-endently from
0er. ,here is a Bengali a-horism that says, mlete sicile jala, "h pallavera bala,
ire vri nhi "rya"r&- If one s-rinkles &ater on the root, the branches and
leaves gain strength. :ouring &ater on the to- of the -lant is ineffective. ,he
sa"h&s thus gain greater -leasure from 1adha and 'rishna/s meeting than they
&ould from -ersonally en)oying a tryst &ith 'rishna. 1adha, on the other hand,
though kno&ing this indifference of her girlfriends, still sends them to 'rishna so
that they can e3-erience the bliss of union &ith 0im. ,his gives 0er millions of
times more -leasure than 0er o&n -ersonal ha--iness. ?uch is the nature of the
divine -astimes of the gp&s and 'rishna and the reason it is said that their love
cannot be vie&ed as material lust.
nijendriya-su"ha-hetu "mera ttparya
"a-su"ha-ttparya gp&-bhva-varya
nijendriya-su"ha-vch nhi gp&"ra
"e su"ha dite "are sagama-vihra
Lust is to be understood as a desire for one/s o&n sensual -leasure. In
contrast, the su-erior mood of the gp&s is a desire to satisfy 'rishna/s senses.
,he gp&s have not a -inch of desire for their o&n sensual -leasure and only
engage in intimate relations &ith 'rishna to give 0im ha--iness.
(Chaitanya Charitmta !.L.!G#H$
Fo%%o&ing in the =op1s0 Footsteps
0aving established the su-reme -urity of the gp&s/ love, 1(m(nanda -roceeds to
stress the necessity of follo&ing in their footste-sF
sei gp&-bhvmte jra lbha haya
veda-dharma-l"a tyaji se "e bhajaya
rgnuga-mrge tre bhaje jei jana
sei-jana pya vraje vrajendra-nandana
vraja-l"era "na bhva la yei bhaje
bhva-ygya deha p "a pya vraje
thte d(nta upaniad ruti-gaa
rga-mrge bhaji pila vrajendra-nandana
<ne &ho has a strong desire to taste the nectar of the gp&s/ loving mood
abandons all consideration of adhering e3clusively to the religious -rinci-les of
the Vedas, caring not for -ublic o-inion, but sim-ly &orshi-ing 'rishna.
%hoever &orshi-s the Lord on the rgnuga -ath soon attains the son of Aanda
4ah(r()a in the land of Vra)a. %hoever &orshi-s 'rishna in any of the moods of
the residents of Vra)a attains a suitable s-iritual body to serve 0im there. ,he
e3am-les of this are the -ersonifications of the holy 1panishadsJ by &orshi-ing
the Lord on the -ath of s-ontaneous love, they attained the lotus feet of
Vra)endranandana. (Chaitanya Charitmta !.L.!X#!!$
vidhi-mrge n pile vraje "acandra
ataeva gp&-bhva "ari ag&"ra
rtri-dina cinte rdh-"era vihra
siddha-dehe cinti "are thi sevana
sa"h&-bhve pya rdh-"era caraa
<ne cannot obtain 'rishna in *oloka Vrindavan sim-ly by serving 0im
according to regulative -rinci-les. ,herefore one should acce-t the mood of the
go-+s and meditate night and day on the -astimes of 5r+ 1adha and 'rishna.
<ne should meditate on one/s eternal s-iritual body and use it to serve 1adha
and 'rishnaJ by so doing one attains the direct association of ,heir lotus feet.
(Chaitanya Charitmta !.L.!!H#L$
,here is no ho-e of attaining prema &ithout acce-ting the leadershi- of the gp&s,
for it is inaccessible to one &ho looks u-on 'rishna as an ob)ect of a&e and
veneration. Lak8m+ is an e3am-le of such a -ersonJ ?he &orshi-s the Lord but
cannot attain 0im in Vra)a due to 0er -erce-tion of 0im as being the Lord of
Vaiku29ha.
gp&-nugatya vin aivarya-jne
bhajileha nhi pya vrajendra-nandane
thte d(nta la"m& "arila bhajana
tathpi n pila vraje vrajendra-nandana
If one does not follo& in the footste-s of the gp&s and remains absorbed in
the consciousness of the Lord/s ma)esty, one cannot attain the service of the
lotus feet of the son of Aanda 4ah(r()a, even though one may be engaged in
devotional service. =n e3am-le of this is the goddess of fortune &ho
&orshi--ed Lord 'rishna in order to attain 0is -astimes in Vrindavan, but
failed. (Chaitanya Charitmta
!.L.!!X#D"$
In confirmation, the 'hgavatam statesF
nya) riy#ga u nitnta-rate! prasda!
svar-yit) nalina-gandha-ruc) "ut #ny!
rstsave #sya bhuja-da8a-gh&ta-"a(ha-
labdhi) ya udagd vraja-sundar&m
In the rsa dance, the Lord sho&ed 0is favor to the beauties of Vra)a by
-lacing 0is -o&erful arms on their shoulders and dancing &ith each of them
individually. ,his benediction of e3treme love &as never e3-erienced by even
Lak8m+dev+, &hat to s-eak of the goddesses in the heavenly -lanets>though
the delightful fragrance of lotus flo&ers emanates from their bodies.
(6r&mad 'hgavatam ".EH.G"$
#9g9nug9 bhati
Cevotion that follo&s in the footste-s of the residents of Vra)a is called rgnug
bha"ti0 ,his kind of devotion alone is truly -leasing to 'rishna, &hereas vaidh&
bha"ti leads not to Vra)a but to Vaiku29ha. %hat then is the means for attaining
rga-bha"tiP <ne &ho has e3-erienced the a&akening of unblemished faith is
eligible to take u- the GE different -ractices of the vidhi-mrga. 0o&ever, greed is
the only currency that can -urchase consciousness drenched in the various flavors
of 'rishna bhakti. By continuously hearing about the natural, im-etuous affection
of the residents of Vra)a for the Lord, one &ho develo-s such a desire, free from
trickery, becomes eligible to attain the nectarean mood of the gp&s. ?uch a -erson
is qualified to &orshi- on the rgnuga -ath.
In Vrindavan, 'rishna has countless servants like 1aktaka, :atraka, Kitraka,
Bakula, BhZ6g(ra, Bha6gura, Bambula, 1as(la. 0is friends include 5r+d(ma,
?ud(m(, Vasud(ma, ?tokakZ82a, and ?ubala. 0is -arents are Aanda and 7aRod(
assisted by other elderly go-as and gp&s. Mach of these -ersons &orshi-s 'rishna
according to his or her -articular desire. ,he devotional mood fully demonstrated
by these residents of Vra)a is called rgtmi" bha"ti0 ,he devotion &hich follo&s in
this mood is called rgnug0
Cevotees on the rgnug -ath engage in unalloyed devotion to 'rishna in the
moods of servitorshi-, friendshi-, -arenthood, or con)ugal love. 1@-a *osv(m+
quotes the follo&ing verse from the Aryaa-vyha-stavaF
pati-putra-suhd-bhrt-
pitv an mitravad dharim
ye dhyyanti saddyu"ts
tebhy#p&ha nam nama!
I -ay my re-eated obeisances to all those devotees &ho meditate &ith great
eagerness on the Lord as their husband, son, com-anion, brother, father, or
friend. ('ha"ti-rasmta-sindhu .!.D"L, Chaitanya Charitmta !.!.GD$
In the course of &orshi-ing 'rishna in Vra)a, the rgnuga-bha"ta intensely desires
to attain the mood of one of these devotees. In consequence he attains a s-iritual
body a--ro-riate to his selected service and finally, u-on attaining -erfection,
gains the -ersonal association of 'rishna. ,he e3am-le is given of the %rutis &ho
acce-ted the gp&s as their guides and thus attained 'rishna by follo&ing the rga-
mrga.
i(e svrasi"& rga!
paramvi(at bhavet
tanmay& y bhaved bha"ti!
stra rgtmi"dit
,he intense and s-ontaneous absor-tion in the ob)ect of one/s adoration (i(a$
is called rga. Cevotion characteriIed by such rga is called rgtmi" bha"ti.
('ha"ti-rasmta-sindhu .!.!H!$
In his /urgama-sagamin& commentary B+va *osv(m+ e3-lains that the cause of
intense and s-ontaneous absor-tion is prema-may& t, or divine loving desire.
%hen one/s devotion is dominated by such strong desire, it is called rgtmi"
bha"ti. ,his rgtmi" bha"ti is further subdivided into t&o categories, "ma-rup
(erotic$ and sambandha-rp (relational$. %hen the rga, or intense and
s-ontaneous absor-tion, is given sha-e by erotic desire, it is called "ma-rpJ
&hen it is the result of another ty-e of relation, it is called sambandha-rp0
=lthough "ma-rp bha"ti im-lies a relation, it is the only relation dominated by
erotic desire>an e3clusive desire to -lease all the Lord/s senses. .or this reason,
although it has the e3ternal a--earance of ordinary lust, it is com-letely -ure,
other&ise, &hy &ould great devotees like Sddhava -ray to e3-erience it, as sho&n
in the verses quoted aboveP
1elational love (sambandha-rp$ is that &hich is e3-erienced by those &ho -ride
themselves in being 'rishna/s -arents or having other relationshi-s &ith 0im, such
as a friend or servant. =ll these eternal associates are indicated by the 'hgavata
verse (6r&mad 'hgavatam H..D"$ &here it is said that the VZ82is attained
-erfection sim-ly through being related to 'rishna. Because of their lack of
a&areness of 'rishna/s divine -o&er, the love of the co&herders of Vra)a is even
greater than that of the VZ82is or 'rishna/s other relations in 4athur( and
Cv(rak(J they are thus even more e3alted.
'obha6 or Intense Desire6 )aes one .%igib%e for #9g9nug9 Bhati
Like rgtmi" bha"ti, rgnug bha"ti has t&o subdivisions. ,hose &ho intensely
desire (lbha$ to achieve the gp&s/ love for 'rishna are qualified to -ractice
rgnug bha"ti.
"a-bha"ti-rasa-bhvit mati!
"r&yat) yadi "ut ,pi labhyate
tatra laulyam api mlyam e"ala)
janma-"(i-su"tair na labhyate
?ince 'rishna consciousness soaked &ith devotion cannot be achieved even
after the -ractice of hundreds of thousands of -ious acts, one must -ay the
only -rice by &hich it can be boughtF intense greed to have it. ?hould one come
across this greed, one should grab it eagerly.
(>adyval& E, Chaitanya Charitmta !.L.H"$
,he &ord laulya (greed$, mentioned in the verse above, is a synonym for lbha, a
&ord used by 1@-a *osv(m+ to e3-lain the required qualification for entrance into
the -ath of rgnug-bha"ti. =nother synonym for laulya is llas, also used to
e3-ress this qualification. %e must try to understand the meaning of this term.
%hen one/s faith is firmly based on a submissive attitude to&ard scri-tural
in)unctions, one takes u- the various activities of devotional service on the vidhi-
mrga0 *radually then one -rogresses through the stages described by 1@-a
*osv(m+ namely, faith, association &ith devotees, devotional activities, freedom
from deficiencies of character, strong determination, taste, attachment, and
finally, ecstatic sym-toms and love. ,he beginning of the ecstatic state comes
after one attains the stage of attachment (sa"ti$. ,his is then follo&ed by the
attainment of -ure love or prema.
Cevotional service on the -ath of rgnug bha"ti is based on faith that has intense
desire (lbha+. ?uch greed or intense desire is e3tremely rareJ 1@-a *osv(m+
e3-lains that &hen a devotee hears the divinely ins-ired scri-tures like %r&mad
'hgavatam and >adma >urana from the li-s of a realiIed guru, or other
descri-tions of the s&eet -astimes of the Lord &ith 0is Vrindavan devotees in the
five relations, he becomes affected by the delightful moods e3-ressed by these
eternally -erfected associates of the Lord. Aot only that, he is also delighted by the
beauty of the Lord/s form and 0is attributesJ &hen he sees the Lord/s deity form,
he is enchanted by 0is beauty as &ell. Mven the slightest amount of such
e3-erience causes him to become more and more indifferent to the scri-tural
in)unctions and other theological arguments that encourage service to *od. 0is
desire to continue e3-eriencing the s&eetness of the Lord and 0is devotees
becomes s-ontaneous and natural. ,hese are said to be the sym-toms of &hat
1@-a terms the outbreak of greed (lbhtpatti$.
1@-a says that those &ho are on the -ath of regulative -rinci-les continue to
de-end on scri-tural in)unctions and logical arguments u- to the -oint of
establishing a solid sense of relationshi-, i.e, rati0 .rom this stage, &hich is
equivalent to the da&ning of ecstasies called bhva, they no longer require any
e3ternal im-etus. ,he -ractice of the rgnug devotee, ho&ever, is based on an
internal motivation, called intense desire or greed, from its very ince-tion. 0e has
no need of arguments and ordinances to feel motivated. Aevertheless, it should be
-ointed out that -recisely because he feels such an intense desire, he continues to
seek out information from various sources in order to facilitate his attaining the
ob)ect of his desire. Indeed, he &ill consider this a duty.
'rishnad(sa 'avir()a *osv(m+ summariIes this as follo&sF
i(e g8ha-t rgera svarpa-la"aa
i(e vi(at ei ta(astha-la"aa
rgamay&-bha"tira haya rgtmi" nma
th uni lubdha haya "na bhgyavn
lbhe vraja-vs&ra bhve "are anugati
stra-yu"ti nhi mne rgnugra pra"ti
,he essential characteristic of rga, or dee- attachment, is a strong thirst for
the ?u-reme Lord. Kom-lete absor-tion in 0im is its marginal characteristic.
Cevotional service -ervaded by such rga is called rgtmi" bha"ti,
s-ontaneous loving service. <ne is most fortunate if, after hearing about it, one
covets such as-iration. If, out of such transcendental desire, one follo&s in the
footste-s of the inhabitants of Vrindavan, one does not care for the in)unctions
or reasonings of stra. ?uch is the nature of the -ath &hich seeks s-ontaneous
love. (Chaitanya Charitmta
!.!!.N#D$
.ollo&ing in the footste-s should not be taken for imitation. ,he follo&ing verses
from 1@-a *osv(m+/s 'ha"ti-rasmta-sindhu defining rgnug bha"ti clearly
endorse this notionF
virjant&m abhivya"t)
vraja-vsi-jandiu
rgtmi"m anust
y s rgnugcyate
Cgtmi" bha"ti, or devotional service in s-ontaneous love, is vividly
e3-ressed and manifested by the inhabitants of Vrindavan. Cevotional
-ractices that follo& in the &ake of this s-ontaneous loving attitude are called
rgnug bha"ti. ('ha"ti-rasmta-sindhu .!.!H"J
Chaitanya Charitmta !.!!.NE$

tat-tad-bhvdi-mdhurye
rute dh&r yad ape"ate
ntra stra) na yu"ti) ca
tal lbhtpatti-la"aam
<n hearing about the s&eet moods and activities of 'rishna and 0is devotees
in Vra)a, one &hose mind becomes attracted in such a &ay that he no longer
de-ends on the instruction of revealed scri-ture, logic or argument, -ossesses
the sym-tom indicative of the outbreak of greed.
('ha"ti-rasmta-sindhu .!.!X!, Chaitanya Charitmta !.!!.NN$
sev sdha"a-rpea
siddha-rpea ctra hi
tad-bhva-lipsun "ry
vraja-l"nusrata!
,he devotee &ho intensely desires to attain the rgtmi" mood of the
Vra)av(s+ associates of 'rishna, should engage in the -ractices of devotional
service in his e3ternal body as a -ractitioner, and internally in his s-iritual
body, al&ays follo&ing in the footste-s of the residents of Vra)a.
('ha"ti-rasmta-sindhu .!.!XNJ Chaitanya Charitmta !.!!.NL$
"a) smaran jana) csya
pre(ha) nija-sam&hitam
tat-tat-"ath-rata csau
"uryd vsa) vraje sad
1emembering 'rishna and one of 0is dearest and closest devotees, one
should constantly remain absorbed in hearing about their loving relations. In
this &ay, one should make one/s -ermanent residence in Vra)a.
('ha"ti-rasmta-sindhu .!.!XE, Chaitanya Charitmta !.!!.G"$
'rishnad(sa 'avir()a *osv(m+/s rendition of these verses is as follo&sF
bhya antara ihra dui ta sdhana
bhye sdha"a-dehe "are ravaa-"&rtana
mane nija-siddha-deha "ariy bhvana
rtri-dine "are vraje "era sevana
nijbh&(a "a-pre(ha pcheta lgiy
nirantara sev "are antarman ha
Cgnug bha"ti is -racticed both e3ternally and internally. In the e3ternal
body, the -ractitioner engages in hearing and chantingJ in his mind, ho&ever,
he meditates on his s-iritual body and serves 'rishna in Vrindavan, day and
night. In his mind, he constantly serves 'rishna follo&ing closely in the mood of
his favorite devotee in Vra)a, one &ho is most dear to the Lord.
(Chaitanya Charitmta !.!!.NG#H, NX$
,he sdha"a-rpa is the body of the -ractitioner, or the body one occu-ies &hile
e3ternally -racticing devotional service. ,he siddha-rpa is the s-iritual bodyJ the
desired form suitable for e3ecuting the service to 'rishna &hich is dear to one/s
heart. In both of these bodies one must follo& the -articular devotee beloved of
the Lord &hose mood one has great eagerness to achieve, such as 5r+mat+
1(dh(r(2+, Lalit(, ViR(kh( or 5r+ 1@-a 4aW)ar+ on one level, and on another, 5r+
1@-a and ?an(tana *osv(m+s and their entourage. <ne should follo& these
-ersonalities, and serve the Lord on both those levels. In the e3ternal body one
should engage in the ty-es of service e3ecuted by 1@-a and ?an(tana. In the
meditation body, or siddha-deha, one should serve in the &ay sho&n by 1adha,
Lalit(, ViR(kh(, and 1@-a 4aW)ar+. Aever is a -ractitioner to imitate these
devotees, on either level.
,he daughter of 5r+niv(sa ]c(rya, 5r+mat+ 0emalat( Oh(kur(2+, had a disci-le
&hom she later e3communicated for his unorthodo3 vie&s>&hich he taught in
=ssam/s ?urma Valley area. ,his deviant disci-le, 1@-a 'avir()a, taught that since
the gp&s did not take shelter of a guru, observe the Mk(daR+ fast, or &orshi- the
5(lagr(ma and ,ulas+ Cev+, it &asn/t necessary for their follo&ers to do so either.
ViRvan(tha Kakravart+ strongly refuted this doctrine (&hich he named the
6auramya-mata, after the region &here it &as -o-ular$. ,his doctrine inter-rets the
&ords vraja-l"a in 1@-a *osv(m+/s verse to mean 'rishna/s mistresses in Vra)a
like 1(dha and Kandr(val+. ,his school of though still has its re-resentatives in
Vrindavan today at *ho6t(r 'uW). Like the =tib(Z+ school, its ade-ts &ear only one
strand of tulas& neck beads and are also kno&n as V(m(kau-in+s. Because they
are mere imitators of the eternal associates of 'rishna, they are e3cluded from
-ure Vaishnava society.

*enuine rgnuga-bha"tas remain devotedly engaged in the ty-e of service they

desire according to the direction of the guru. ,hus, their love for 'rishna quickly
develo-s and they attain the stage of ecstasies and -ure love. ,he first stage of
love/s manifestation is called bhva-bha"tiJ later intensified, it becomes the full
manifestation of love called prema-bha"ti0

ei mata "are jeb rgnug-bha"ti
"era carae tra upajaya pr&ti
<ne &ho engages in rgnug bha"ti in this &ay develo-s love for the lotus feet
of 'rishna. (Chaitanya Charitmta !.!!.GE$
?rila :rabhu-(da Bhaktisiddh(nta ?arasvat+ Oh(kura, my most revered s-iritual
master, &rote in his 4nubhya commentary to these verses, <ne must serve in
one/s devotee form by re-eating the hari-"ath heard from his s-iritual masters,
and mentally serve 1adha and 'rishna directly in Vra)a in a s-iritual body
a--ro-riate to that service and one/s o&n mood. <ne &ho serves in this &ay is no
longer on the vaidh& bha"ti -ath, and is no longer motivated e3clusively by the
&ords of the guru and the scri-ture. 1ather, on the strength of his naturally
a&akened taste (ruci$ for devotional service, he is travelling on the -ath of
rgnug bha"ti and soon reaches the destination of intense love for 'rishna. %hen
one comes to the level of ecstatic moods (bhva$ on the rgnug -ath, one quickly
brings 'rishna under his influence and at this -oint attains 'rishna/s loving
service.
(arin9ma7 the )eans to A&aening 'obha
It is generally believed that rga-mrga condones licentiousness, that it is
antinomian. Aaturally, such belief is incorrect. <ne cannot follo& the rgnug -ath
&ithout first attaining the required qualification of intense eagerness. %hen such
intense eagerness arises, then love alone gives the -ractitioner direction. =t this
-oint, the underlying -ur-ose of all activities of the vidhi-mrga becomes clear to
the -ractitioner, so even if he becomes less consistent in some of his -ractices, his
heart and soul are constantly, indefatigably engaged in the culture of 'rishna
consciousness. =lthough he may become some&hat slackened in other areas of
devotional life, he never diminishes his interest in hearing and chanting the 0oly
Aames.
,he a&akening of the lbha &hich qualifies one for rgnug bha"ti is not to be
taken chea-ly, as if easy to attain. Coes this mean the j&va has no chance of
e3-eriencing itP In ans&er, Bhaktivinoda Oh(kura &rote as follo&sF
vidhi-mrga-rata jane svdh&nat ratna dne
rga-mrge "arn pravea
rga-vaa-vart& haye pra"&ya rasraye
labhe j&va "a premvea
,o the -erson fi3ed in the regulative -rinci-les, the 0oly Aame gives the )e&el
of inde-endence and -laces him on the -ath of s-ontaneous devotion. ,hat
-erson, overcome by s-ontaneous attachment to the Lord, takes shelter of the
para"&y mood and thus attains absor-tion in love for 'rishna.
4ah(-rabhu invested all 0is energies into 0is holy name. ,he five rasas-
neutrality, servitude, friendshi-, -arenthood, and consorthood, are -resent in full
s-lendor in the Aame of 0im &ho embodies all the unlimited moods of loving
e3change. ,hus Bhaktivinoda also sings, a"hila-rasera "hani "a nma cintmai
-G'rishna/s name is a -hiloso-her/s stone. It is a gold mine filled &ith the
unlimited moods of loving e3change.
If one &ishes to &in the treasure of love of *od, one must acce-t the leadershi- of
Khaitanya 4ah(-rabhu in every &ay. <ne must take initiation and ins-iration in
0is line of teachings, chiefly taking to the chanting of the 0oly Aames>the G
names and D! syllables of the 0are 'rishna $ah-mantra.
In the 'hgavatam, the ninth 7og+ndra, 'arabh()ana, states that 4ah(-rabhu is the
full incarnation of the Lord.
"a-vara) tvi"a)
sgpgstra-pradam
yajai! sa"&rtana-pryair
yajanti hi su-medhasa!
In the =ge of 'ali, the golden Lord, u-on &hose li-s the name of 'rishna
al&ays remains, a--ears in the com-any of 0is e3-ansions, -ortions, &ea-ons
and associates. ,hose &ho are very intelligent &ill &orshi- 0im through the
sacrifice of congregational glorification (sa"&rtana-yaja$.
(.N.D!$
,his -rediction contains much information about 4ah(-rabhu/s avatarF the &ords
"a-vara) indicate that the t&o syllables (vara$, "-a, are constantly being
glorified by the Lord. ,hat is, through "&rtana, 0e is al&ays instructing the &orld in
'rishna consciousness. It also means that in 0is devotional mood, 0e is constantly
seeking 'rishna by calling 0is Aame. ,he &ords sgpgstra-pradam refer to
the Lord/s associates. 0is agas, or bodies, are Aity(nanda :rabhu and =dvaita
:rabhu, &ho are different forms of the Lord. 0is upgas, or minor limbs, are the
Lord/s devotees like 5r+v(sa :undit &ho have taken shelter of 0im. 0is astra, or
&ea-on, is the 0oly AameJ and 0is pradas, associates, are 0is energies such
as *ad(dhara, ?var@-a C(modara, 1(m(nanda, ?an(tana, and 1@-a. ,he Lord/s
bodily color is a"a, or not black, &hich in combination &ith other statements
in the 'hgavatam indicates that 0e is golden in hue. ,hus, although internally
black ('rishna$, e3ternally 0e is golden (*aura$. ,he meaning of gold in this verse
is that Lord *aur(6ga has taken the color of 5r+mat+ 1(dh(r(2+ as &ell as 0er
internal mood. In the =ge of 'ali, the most intelligent -eo-le &ill &orshi- Lord
'rishna in this form through the chanting of the 0oly Aames.
%hen 4ah(-rabhu &ra--ed 0is arms around 0is intimate associates 1(m(nanda
and ?var@-a C(modara and ecstatically told them that the 0oly Aames are the
only means for entering into an understanding of bha"ti-rasa, 0e most clearly
indicated that 0is teaching is centered on the chanting of the 0oly Aames. 0e saidF
4y dear ?var@-a C(modara and 1(m(nanda 1(ya, kno& from 4e that chanting
of the 0oly Aames is the most feasible means of salvation in this age of 'ali. In this
age, the -rocess of &orshi-ing 'rishna is to -erform sacrifice by chanting the 0oly
Aame. <ne &ho does so is certainly very intelligent, and attains shelter at the lotus
feet of 'rishna. ?im-ly by chanting the holy name of Lord 'rishna, one is freed
from all undesirable habits. ,his is the means of a&akening all good fortune and
bringing about the flo& of &aves of love for 'rishna.
(Chaitanya Charitmta D.!".L#X,$
4ah(-rabhu e3-lained to ?varu-a Camodara and 1amananda 1aya the attitude
one should have &hile chantingF
td api sun&cena
tarr iva sahiun
amnin mnadena
"&rtan&ya! sad hari!
<ne should chant the holy name of the Lord &hile thinking oneself to be lo&er
than stra& in the street. 0e should be more tolerant than the tree, e3-ect no
res-ect for oneself and give all res-ect to others.
(Chaitanya Charitmta D.!".!$
If one can chant the 0oly Aame in this s-irit, the aus-icious a&akening of intense
desire for love of 'rishna in the mood of the Vra)av(s+s &ill soon develo- in one/s
heart. = -erson &ho is de-rived of this &ealth is truly -oor and &retched. ,he
devotee therefore -raysF
prema-dhana vin vyartha daridra j&vana
dsa "ari betana mre deha prema-dhana
%ithout love for 'rishna, my life is -overty#stricken and meaningless.
,herefore I -ray that 7ou make me your servant and for my salary -ay me &ith
ecstatic love of *od. (Chaitanya Charitmta D.!".DH$
,he chanting of the 0oly Aames is the best and most -o&erful of all s-iritual
-ractices. =lone, it not only destroys all the contaminations that sully the
consciousness of the -ractitioner, but can besto& u-on him the most valuable
-ossession, love for *od. <ne &ho -ossesses this love for the Civine Kou-le, 1adha
and 'rishna, is the &ealthiest. If one/s ambition is to achieve these riches, then he
should &holeheartedly glorify the chanting of the 0oly Aame as above everything.
=ll of 4ah(-rabhu/s associates set this e3am-le by their o&n behavior.
<ur most &orshi-able s-iritual master 5r+la :rabhu-(da often quoted B+va
*osv(m+ from the 'ha"ti-sandarbhaF .irst it is e3-ected that one should hear the
Lord/s names in order to -urify the inner self (prathama) nmna! ravaam
anta!"araa-uddhy-artham ape"yam$.
:rabhu-(da e3-lains that only after one/s mind and intelligence are -urified by the
chanting of the 0oly Aames can one hear about 'rishna/s form, qualities,
associates, and finally, -astimes. <ne &ho has not yet reached the stage of ruci, or
taste for devotional service, may -rematurely go to a -retender guru to take
initiation and instruction in rgnug bha"ti &ithout first making an effort to chant
the 0oly Aame &ithout committing offenses. ?uch a -erson may then make a
-retense of relishing 'rishna/s l&l &hile still affected by materialistic
contamination, but such an attem-t &ill not succeed in bringing him love for the
Civine Kou-le and service for ,hem in the s-iritual abode.
,he sdhya-sdhana-tattva is fully e3-lained in the teachings of 1(m(nanda 1(ya,
but it is clear from the &ords of 5r+la :rabhu-(da mentioned above that the
-ractices that lead to the su-reme goal of service to the Civine Kou-le, are only
-ossible through the -urificatory -rocess of chanting the 0oly Aame. ,he Lord
0imself confirmed this statement &hen 0e said ih haite sarva-siddhi haibe sabraF
.rom the chanting of the 0oly Aame, all -erfections &ill come to everyone. =ll
-erfections refers to the -erfections of s-iritual life. Mven though the love of the
inhabitants of Vra)a described by 1(m(nanda 1(ya is the most secret treasure of
the Vedic storehouse of kno&ledge, the im-ossible feat of &inning this great -riIe
can be accom-lished by the mercy of the 0oly AameJ it can achieve miracles.
4ah(-rabhu stated to ,a-ana 4iRra, 1aghun(tha Bha99a *osv(m+/s grandfatherF
,he ob)ect of life and the means to attain it are found through the chanting of the
0oly Aames, and =s you re-eatedly -ractice the chanting of the 0oly Aame, the
seedling of love &ill s-rout and you &ill then kno& both the goal of life and the
means to attain it.
!
,o ?an(tana *osv(m+, 4ah(-rabhu said that although the nine -rocesses of
devotional service are ca-able of besto&ing 'rishna prema, the chanting of the
0oly Aames is still the to-most -rocess (Chaitanya Charitmta D.E.H"#$. ,his
statement clearly confirms that the ultimate goal of life and all -erfection are
attained through the 0oly Aame. ,hus, &orshi-ing the 0oly Aame should be given
-riority over all other devotional activities, and should be recogniIed as the
su-reme means of attaining -erfection.
,he Aames of the Civine Kou-le -ossess unequaled characteristics. Both are the
means and the goal of s-iritual life. ,o reveal this truth, the Lord 0imself
descended onto this earth in the form of the 0oly Aame, and as 4ah(-rabhu,
sho&ed that the chanting of the 0oly Aame is the su-reme form of &orshi-.
nma cintmai! "a
caitanya-rasa-vigraha!
pra! uddh nitya-mu"t
,bhinnatvn nma-nmin!
,he 0oly Aame is a transcendental -hiloso-her/s stone, for it is the
embodiment of all conscious delight. It is com-lete, -ure, and eternally
liberated, being nondifferent from 'rishna 0imself. It is not a material name
therefore there is no difference bet&een the Aame and the <ne &ho is
named.
(>adma >urana, 'ha"ti-rasmta-sindhu .!.!DDJ Chaitanya Charitmta H.DD$
,he 'rahma-sa)hit states, ,hat &hich you meditate on in your life of sdhana &ill
be achieved in the -erfectional stage (yd& bhvan yasya siddhir bhavati td&$.
In his >rema-bha"ti-candri", Aarottama d(sa says, sdhane bhbibe jh, siddha
dehe pbe th. <ne should, therefore, continuously reveal to the 0oly Aame one/s
desire for vraja-prema &hile chanting under the direction of 5r+ *uru, 1@-a and
?var@-a C(modara, &ithout offenses. =s one chants in this &ay, the 0oly Aame
&ill be merciful and grant one the -erfection of vraja-prema, for the Lord 0imself
has stated that all -erfections come to one by the grace of the 0oly Aame (ih
haite sarva siddhi haibe sabra$.
*reat authorities teach that one should remember the -astimes of the Lord
according to the eight times of day in relation to the eight verses of the
%i"(a"a. In his 'ha"ti-sandarbha B+va *osv(m+ states that in 'ali 7uga any ty-e
of devotional service must be done in con)unction &ith the chanting of the 0oly
Aame (yadyapi any bha"ti! "alau "artavy tad "&rtan"hya-bha"ti-sa)yjanenaiva+0
<ne should not give u- "&rtana in order to engage in smaraa. ,he essence of
4ah(-rabhu/s teachings in relation to sambandha, abhidheya, and prayjana are all
contained &ithin 0is %i"(a"a, the essence of all scri-tures.
The >ecessity of =aura*>it9i0s )ercy
In his Am(a"am (verse H$, 1@-a *osv(m+ indicates that the Aame is even more
merciful than the AamedF
vcy vca"am ity udeti bhavat nma svarpa-dvaya)
prvasmt param eva hanta "aru tatrpi jn&mahe
yas tasmin vihitpardha-nivaha! pr& samantd bhaved
syenedam upsya s#pi hi sadnandmbudhau majjati
< Lord[ 7ou manifest in t&o different forms, as 0e &ho is Aamed and as the
Aame. <f the t&o, I consider the second to be more merciful than the first.
Mven if one has committed countless offenses to the Aamed, one can still be
immersed in an ocean of ambrosia by &orshi-ing the Aame.
0o&ever, in the >adma >urana, clear distinctions are dra&n bet&een three
categories of chantingF the -ure Aame (uddha-nma$, the reflection of the Aame
(nmbhsa$, and offensive chanting (nmpardha$. ,he follo&ing verses s-oken by
Khaitanya 4ah(-rabhu clearly indicate that only one &ho chants &ithout offenses
is qualified to receive the riches of love for 'rishna.
bhajanera madhye re(ha nava-vidh bha"ti
"a-prema, "a dite dhare mah-a"ti
tra madhye sarva-re(ha nma-sa"&rtana
nirapardhe laile nma pya prema-dhana
<f the many &ays of e3ecuting devotional service, there are nine varieties
&hich are considered to be the best, for they -ossess a great ca-acity to
deliver love for 'rishna and thus 'rishna 0imself. <f these nine -rocesses of
devotional service, the most im-ortant is the chanting of the Lord/s holy name,
for if one chants &ithout committing offenses one obtains the treasure of love
for the Lord. (Chaitanya Charitmta D.E.H"#$
<ne should e3ercise all caution not to incur any offense to the 0oly Aame. In
taking shelter of the most merciful and munificent *aura#Ait(i, &ithin a very short
time one &ill have one/s heart -urified and &ill be eligible then to attain 1adha#
'rishna prema.
gaurga-bhajana sahaja ati
sahaja tra phala vitati
gaurga baliy "randana "are
suvimala prema anveaya tre
,he &orshi- of *aur(6ga is not difficult>it is easy to gather all its fruits. >rema
comes looking for one &ho cries &hile calling out the name of *aur(6ga.
4ah(-rabhu and Ait(i :rabhu are the most benevolent. ,hat ,hey saved the
brothers Bag(i and 4(dh(i is not considered a very great thing> it &ould only take
one of ,heir merciful glances to save the brothers even though they &ere
offenders. ,he most merciful *aurahari, through various tricks, delivered even
Cev(nanda :undit, &ho committed a serious offense to the Vaishnava 5r+v(sa
:undit.
1emembering ,heir mercy, one &ho &ishes to advance in the -ath of rgnug
bha"ti should constantly -ray humbly to Lord Khaitanya and Lord Aity(nanda as
Aarottama d(sa Oh(kura -rays in his >rrthanF
ra "abe niti cdera "aru haibe
sa)sra-vsan mra "abe tuccha habe
viaya chiy "abe uddha habe mana
"abe hma heraba se r&-vndvana
rpa-raghuntha pade haibe "uti
"abe hma bujhaba se yugala p&riti
%hen &ill Ait(i K(6da be merciful to meP %hen &ill my desires for material
en)oyments and family life become insignificantP %hen &ill I give u- the sense
ob)ects and have a -ure mindP %hen &ill I see the land of VrindavanP %hen &ill
I have eagerness to beg the mercy of 1@-a and 1aghun(thaP =nd &hen &ill I
be able to understand the love of the Civine Kou-leP
Cistressed at ho&, des-ite the Lord/s mercy, &e still deceive ourselves and remain
bereft of the great gifts 0e came to give, Aarottama -rays to *aur(6ga as follo&sF
gr pahu n bhajiy mainu
prema-ratana-dhana helya hrinu
adhane jatana "ari dhana teyginu
pana "arama de pani 8ubinu
sat-saga chi "ainu asate vilsa
te "rae lgala "arma-bandha phsa
viama viaya bia satata "hinu
gaurga "&rtana rasa magana n hainu
"ena v chaye pra "i su"ha lgiy
narttama dsa "ena n gela mariy
I did not &orshi- Lord *aur(6ga and so I succumbed. I have carelessly cast
a&ay the treasure of love for 'rishna. ,hus I have lost the most valuable
treasure and only made efforts to gain &hat is valueless. Cue to this fault of
mine, I have sunk to the lo&est level. Cisregarding the association of the holy, I
have amused myself in the com-any of the &icked. Is it any &onder that the
noose of karmic reaction is dangling around my neckP I have eaten the horrible
-oison of material sense gratification and have not become absorbed in the
taste of sa"&rtana taught by *aur(6ga 4ah(-rabhu. %hat -leasure still kee-s
me alive todayP Aarottama d(sa &onders, T%hy have I not died from this
miseryP/
Bhati$inoda0s Prayer to >FsiGhade$a
<ne &ho becomes greedy for the mood e3-erienced by the residents of Vra)a
s-ontaneously takes to the -ractice of rgnug bha"ti. = very rare -henomenon, it
only comes about through the mercy of an advanced devotee. ?uch good fortune
is achieved only &hen one takes shelter of a devotee &ho is e3clusively committed
to chanting the Lord/s holy names. <ne &ho makes a -retense of qualification is a
self#deceiver, forever de-rived of the mercy of Aity(nanda#Balar(ma, and loses the
valuable o--ortunity of ever attaining the )e&el of love for 1adha and 'rishna.
nitiera "aru habe vraje rdh-"a pbe
dhara nitira caraa du#"hni
%hen Ait(i sho&s one 0is mercy, then one attains 1adha and 'rishna in Vra)a.
?o hold on tightly to Ait(i/s lotus feet. (>rrthan$
If desirous of entering the -ath of advanced &orshi-, a devotee must first strive to
eliminate his fla&s in the form of lust, anger, and greed. Aarottama d(sa Oh(kura
instructs us that if &e have the association of advanced devotees &e &ill be
-rotected from the influence of lust, anger, and greed. But association of devotees
&ho are e3-ert in the -rocess of devotional service, kno&ledgeable in the art of
sacred ra-ture, attached to 'rishna, and free from material contamination, is rare.
,herefore, the most merciful s-iritual authority, 5r+la Bhaktivinoda Oh(kura, in the
Aabadv&pa-bhva-taraga, -rays to AZsi`hadeva>&ho -uts an end to all obstacles
on the s-iritual -ath. In his -rayer Bhaktivinoda Ohakura addresses Lord
AZsi`hadeva as the only ho-e for a fallen, conditioned soul like myself.
AZsi`hadeva eliminates all obstacles in s-iritual life and, as a bonus, besto&s
devotional association on the as-iring devotee. ,he -rayer is a descri-tion of the
AZsi`ha tem-le situated in Ceva-all+, a village on the island of *odruma, in
Aabad&i- dhma.
%hen &ill I see the beauty of the village kno&n as Ceva-all+ and roll in the dust
of the tem-le of AZsi`hadeva in ecstatic loveP I &ill sincerely beg AZsi`ha to give
me love for 'rishna and -ray to him to clean my heart of the si3 enemies, starting
&ith lust, dishonesty, ho-e for -restige, and corru-tion. I &ill fall at AZsi`ha/s feet
crying and -raying for desire to serve 'rishna. I &ill ask to engage in the &orshi- of
Aabad&i-/s Civine Kou-le &ithout any obstacle. .ear itself is afraid of Lord
AZsi`ha. %hen &ill 0e be -leased and merciful to meP Mven though AZsi`ha/s form
is fearsome to the &icked, 0e is e3tremely gentle to :rahl(da and other devotees
of 'rishna.
%hen &ill 0e be kind to me and s-eak com-assionately, -romising to -rotect me
from all dangers even though I am a fool and &ithout any &orthP 0e &ill say to me,
T*o and freely reside in the land of 5r+ *aur(6ga. 7ou shall have affection for the
0oly Aame and you shall engage in yugala-bhajana, the service of the Civine
Kou-le. By the grace of 4y devotees, all obstacles shall be removed. Ao& go and
e3-erience the ecstasy of &orshi-ing 1adha and 'rishna &ith a -ure mind./
%hen &ill Lord AZsi`ha, having said &ords such as these, -lace 0is lotus feet
u-on my headP ,here, at the gates of AZsi`ha/s tem-le, I &ill roll in the dust in the
ecstasy of love for the Civine Kou-le &hich &ill suddenly descend u-on me by 0is
mercy.
%hen, out of 0is kindness, AZsi`hadeva mercifully eliminates the obstacles of
devotional life, fearlessly and unobstructed one advances on the s-iritual -ath
designated by the guru. %hen the s-iritual master is merciful, one obtains the
fortune of attaining love for 1adha and 'rishna.
,he ?u-reme Lord 'rishna felt so intensely indebted to 1adha/s love that 0e took
on 0er mood and bodily hue and descended to Bagann(tha :ur+ &here 0e called
outF
"h "a prantha mural&vadana
"h j "h p vrajendranandana
%here is my beloved 'rishnaP %here is the flute#-layerP %here can I find the
son of AandaP (Chaitanya Charitmta !.!.N$
Kalling out for 'rishna in this &ay, and crying so intensely that 0is tears &ashed
over 0is chest, 4ah(-rabhu embraced 0is close associates, 1(m(nanda 1(ya and
?var@-a C(modara, and revealed to them the most intimate as-ects of
1(dh(r(2+/s mood in se-aration from 0er Lord. ?uch is the secret essence of
bhajana. If the Lord 0imself had not taken on the mood of 0is -ersonal -otency,
5r+mat+ 1(dh(r(2+, and demonstrated to the -eo-le of the &orld ho& ?he
&orshi-s 0im, such truth &ouldn/t be kno&n. ,herefore, no other gift can com-are
&ith the gift from 5r+ Khaitanya 4ah(-rabhu. Mven by a brief glim-se into the
nature of 0is gift, the greatest benefit to the conditioned living entities of this
&orld is brought about.
*aurahari is the deity of love. <ne &ho attains the good fortune of discussing 0is
-astimes of distributing the fruits of love of *odhead attains the goal of life.
0istorians &ill look in time and see that even during the times &hen 0indus and
4uslims &ere engaged in conflicts, the -reaching of 4ah(-rabhu/s teachings of
love of *od &ent on &ith great force. Aothing sto--ed it or even slo&ed it do&n.
,he entire land of Bharatavar8a &as inundated &ith the flood of premaJ the sounds
of the 0oly Aame &ere every&here and even many non#0indus like the 4uslims
&ere initiated into 0is religion of love. ,hus it is -roved that, to the e3tent that
-eo-le engage in discussing 4ah(-rabhu/s munificent -astimes of distributing love
to even the lo&est members of human society, things like hatred, )ealousy and
violence &ill be driven a&ay. :eo-le &ill become more generous, and develo- a
sense of universal fraternity, embracing everyone in the understanding that the
entire &orld is a single family>vasudhaiva "u(umba"am. ,hus, the understanding of
the conditioned souls/ eternal identity &ill be a&akened and everyone &ill then
engage in the &orshi- of the ?u-reme Lord 5r+ 'rishna. In a &orld formed by this
consciousness, the true ideal of communism &ill be easily achieved and su-reme
-eace &ill reign.
If &ealthy &ith the love of the Civine Kou-le, one is eternally freed from the
distress of any kind of -overty.
Chapter A"
The Discip%es )enta%ity
,he &ord d&" refers to the -rocess of surrendering to a s-iritual master. ,he
genuine s-iritual master is one &ho is most dear to the ?u-reme Lord, one &ho is
0is intimate associate. = -erson &ho takes shelter of such a s-iritual master is
recogniIed by 'rishna as one of 0is o&n. ,he Lord immediately besto&s a
transcendental body on such a surrendered soul and, in this body, the disci-le has
the good fortune to serve the divine form of the Lord.
,he -rimary characteristic of a disci-le &ho has received initiation and direction in
the -ractice of &orshi- from his s-iritual master is virambha, an honest desire for
faithful and loving service to the s-iritual master, the Vaishnavas and the ?u-reme
Lord. ,he secondary characteristic is that he seeks to destroy all his sinful
activities.
,he divya-jna, the transcendental kno&ledge of sambandha, abhidheya, and
prayjana, is received by the disci-le as -art of initiation. ,he self#revealed
scri-tures, the Vedas, are the su-reme authority (prama$ on s-iritual sub)ect
matters0 ,he scri-ture and the nine prameya (teachings$ based on scri-ture are
collectively called daa-mla, the ten basic elements of s-iritual kno&ledge. ,he
nine prameya consist of the seven as-ects of relationshi-s (sambandha$>'rishna
0imself, 'rishna/s energies, 'rishna/s divine mood (rasa$, the soul, its bondage and
its liberation, and the inconceivable oneness and difference of the Lord and the
individual soul. ,o these seven are added abhidheya, bhakti, and prayjana, love of
*od.
=long &ith all of this kno&ledge comes an im-ortant side effectF the destruction of
one/s sinful reactions. ,hus the direct result of initiation is love for 'rishna.
4ah(-rabhu confirms this in the follo&ing statement to to 0is o&n s-iritual masterF
"ib mantra dile gsi "ib tra bala
japite japite mantra "arila pgala
%hat mantra have you given me, < gurudeva[ %hat -o&ers does it -ossessP
=s I chant this mantra, I feel that it is turning me into a madman.
(Chaitanya Charitmta .H.L$
If one does not develo- love for 'rishna nor feels any attachment to the chanting
of the 0oly Aames after being initiated, but remains inclined to sinful activities,
falling do&n from time to time, it is then clear that either kno&ingly or
unkno&ingly, that -erson has committed terrible offenses to the Lord, the guru or
the Vaishnavas. <ne should then thinkF I have only made a -retense of
surrendering myself. I have used my initiation sim-ly as an e3cuse to engage in
sense gratificatory activities.
Ignorance )eans #ejecting the 'ord
= lack of interest in the ?u-reme Lord 5r+ 'rishna is the conditioned soul/s chief
defect. ,he basis of all sin is ignorance, &hose sym-tom is the re)ection of 'rishna.
,he seed of all sin, i.e., the tendency to sin, is -resent in the fla& of ignorance.
.rom there, sinful activity is inevitable.
'rishnad(sa 'avir()a *osv(m+ com-ares this deficiency in the conditioned j&vas to
coming under the influence of a &itch/s s-ell.
sei de my pic& da8a "are tre
dhytmi"di tpa-traya tre jri mre
"ma "rdhera dsa ha tra lthi "hya
bhramite bhramite jadi sdhu-vaidya pya
tra upadea-mantre pic& palya
"a-bha"ti pya tabe "a ni"a(e jya
.or re)ecting 'rishna, the &itch of illusion -unishes the j&va, causing him to
suffer the three kinds of misery>dhytmi"a, dhibhauti"a, and adhidaivi"a. ,he
unfortunate conditioned soul then becomes the slave of his desires and his
frustrations, suffering their kicks and abuse. =fter &andering through the
universe in this condition, if he someho& finds a saintly -erson to act as an
e3orcist, then through his -o&erful instructions, the &itch/s mastery is
overcome and she runs for her life. ,he fortunate individual then finds -ure
devotion to 'rishna and goes to 0im.
(Chaitanya Charitmta !.!!.D#N$
,he devotee then turns to 'rishna and -rays as follo&sF
"md&n) "ati na "atidh
plit durnides
te) jt mayi na "aru
na trap npanti!
utsjyaitn atha yadupate
smprata) labdha-buddhis
tvm yta! araam abhaya)
m) niyu"ytma-dsye
I carried out so many evil orders of my &icked masters>lust, anger, greed,
be&ilderment, into3ication, and envy>that I have lost count. 7et, des-ite my
faithful service, these masters have never taken -ity on me. I am so shameless
that the faintest desire for devotional service has never once manifested in my
heart. < Lord of the 7adus, today I have finally come to my senses and I thro&
off my shackles to take shelter of 7our fearless lotus feetJ -lease engage me in
7our -ersonal service.
('ha"ti-rasmta-sindhu D.!.!N, Chaitanya Charitmta !.!!.G$
Purity0s Characteristics
:ar+k8it 4ah(r()a made the follo&ing significant statement about ho& one can
recogniIe -urity in a devotee/s characterF ,he -erson &hose self has been
&ashed clean never abandons 'rishna/s lotus feet (dhauttm purua! "a-pda-
mla) na mucati-6r&mad 'hgavatam !.L.G$.
ViRvan(tha further clarifiesF ,he sign of a -ure heart is the inability to abandon
the service to 'rishna/s lotus feet (mat-pda-sev-tygsamrthyam eva uddha-
cittatva-cihnam$. If someho& or other one sees that such a devotee is affected by
lust or anger, such incidental characteristics should be considered like the bite of a
snake &ith broken teethJ an insignificant setback &hich does not have long#term
effects on the devotee/s devotional life (ata! "vacit "ma-"rdhdi-sattve#pi ut"hta-
da)(rraga-da)anavat tasy"i)cit"ratva) jeyam$. ,here is no -oison in a snake/s
broken fangs, so its bite is not considered a significant -roblem, even though it
a--ears very dangerous to the uninformed observer. ?imilarly, lust, anger and
greed may cause some disturbance in a devotee/s mind, but do not result in his
mind being -ermanently contaminated.
,he Lord acce-ts the offerings of those devotees of -urified mind. <ther than the
association of such -ure devotees, the j&va has no other ho-e of attaining any
value of significance in life.
<ne should not think, ho&ever, that all one has to do is to sit and listen to the
s-iritual master/s instructions. <ne has to act according to those instructions. If a
disci-le does not take u- the devotional -ractices or sadhana recommended by the
guru then ho& can he e3-ect to achieve s-iritual -erfectionP
In the Chaitanya Charitmta, the Lord says that, on receiving initiation from the
s-iritual master, one should &orshi- 'rishna and serve the guru. ,hen one
becomes free from the control of maya and attains 'rishna/s lotus feet. (Chaitanya
Charitmta !.!!.!N$
tte "a bhaje "are gurura sevana
my-jla chu(e pya "era carana
In his commentary to the above#mentioned verse, 5r+la :rabhu-(da
Bhaktisiddh(nta ?arasvat+ Oh(kura &ritesF It is through a combination of bhajana
and service to the s-iritual master that one becomes free of maya#s net and
attains 'rishna/s lotus feet.
5r+la :rabhu-(da also says, <ur eternal s-iritual identity is to be the dust of the
lotus feet of 1@-a and 1aghun(tha. ,herefore, &e have no other duty in life than
to follo& their e3am-le. 0e has further affirmed, %ithout the -erformance of
harinma-sa"&rtana, no other -ractices of Bhakti yoga such as residence in
4athur( or association &ith devotees are com-lete. 0o&ever, even if I only engage
in harinma-sa"&rtana, I &ill &in all the fruits of residence in 4athur(, associating
&ith devotees, serving the deity in loving faith, and listening to the 'hgavatam.
?im-ly through harinma-sa"&rtana, all -erfections come to the j&va.
<ur s-iritual master instructed us to chant "",""" Aames daily &ithout offense,
kee-ing our ob)ectives clear. If &e cannot follo& this instruction, ho& can &e
e3-ect to become free of all the contamination in our heartsP =s stated by 5r+
Khaitanya 4ah(-rabhu, the -erformance of harinma-sa"&rtana is glorious in
seven &ays. It cleans the mirror of the heart (cet-darpaa-marjana)$J it
e3tinguishes the conflagration of material life (bhava-mah-davgni-nirvpaam$J it
distributes the cooling moon rays of aus-iciousness (reya!-"airava-candri"-
vitaraam$J it is the life of transcendental kno&ledge, &hich is like its consort
(vidy-vadh-j&vanam$, it increases the ocean of divine bliss (nandmbudhi-
vardhanam$J at every ste-, it gives a taste of the full ambrosia for &hich &e have
al&ays been an3ious (pratipada) prmtsvdanam$J and it bathes the entire self
in divine ecstasy (sarvtma-snapanam$. 4ah(-rabhu 0imself re-eatedly stated that
there &as no &orshi- su-erior to the &orshi- of the 0oly Aames. =ll &ill attain
-erfection through the chanting of the 0oly Aames. Khant these Aames constantlyJ
I give you no other rules. (Chaitanya 'hgavata !.!D.HL$
Co &e have any ho-e of attaining the su-reme good if &e ignore these instructions
of the Lord and the s-iritual masterP
The Ser$ant0s "o& of Ser$ice
,he devotee &ho desires to reach the level of ni(h should make the follo&ing
vo&F
=ccording to the instruction of my s-iritual master, I must absolutely com-lete
chanting a fi3ed number of Aames on my )a-a beads daily, as &ell as daily offer a
fi3ed number of obeisances to the devotees and to the deity form of the Lord. I
absolutely must -erform my -rescribed service at certain fi3ed times of the day. I
must observe the fortnightly Mk(daR+ fast. S-on rising in the brahma-muhrta
-eriod, before da&n, I shall remember 'rishna and 0is devotees/ lotus feet in a
-articular &ay, then bathe. =fter this, I &ill sit do&n and meditate on the mantra
into &hich my guru has initiated me. ,hen I &ill -erform -u)a to the deity, study
the devotional scri-tures, and sing the hymns &ritten by the great authorities. =ll
these things I shall do every day &ithout fail.
I shall never &elcome any thoughts other than thoughts of 'rishnaJ I shall
absolutely give u- all useless controversy and gossi-. Mvery day, I shall unfailingly
hear the s-iritual instructions of my guru and advanced devotees and then discuss
those to-ics &ith my godbrothers, rather than &asting time in fruitless
conversations. I &ill not allo& any of the valuable time given to me in this human
form of life to be &asted by giving &ay to sloth and laIiness. I &ill therefore not
lose a moment to slee- that is not absolutely necessary for maintaining my body,
but &ill em-loy every moment in a &ay that is s-iritually -rofitable.
I &ill be very careful to avoid the association of anyone &ho is overly attached to
material en)oyments, or of the &ives of other men, or of &omaniIing men. Indeed,
I shall avoid the com-any of anyone &ho is not a devotee of 'rishna, for it is saidF
asat-saga tyga ei vaiava cra
str& sag& e"a asdhu "bha"ta ra
T,he essence of Vaishnava behavior is to give u- the association of the
unsaintly. By unsaintly it is meant those &ho are attached to the o--osite se3
and those &ho are non#devotees./ (Chaitanya Charitmta
!.!.XN$
Mvery day &ithout fail I &ill com-lete chanting the $ah-mantra consisting of G
names and D! syllables a fi3ed number of times. Mven &hen not chanting on my
beads, I &ill constantly re-eat these names &ithout counting. %ithout com-leting
my )a-a and chanting my i(a-mantra, I &ill not even touch &ater, &hat to s-eak of
taking food. 4y s-iritual master &ho has initiated me &ith the i(a-mantra is my
only true friend in both this &orld and the ne3t. If I cannot &in his -leasure, then all
my s-iritual -ractices are for nought. ,hrough his mercy I can &in the mercy of the
?u-reme Lord. If I dis-lease him I have no other recourse. If 'rishna is dis-leased
&ith me, my s-iritual master can intervene on my behalf, but if the s-iritual master
is angry or dissatisfied &ith my actions, then all my s-iritual -ractices are as
&orthless as oblations of clarified butter -oured on the remains of a fire sacrifice.
,he service of my s-iritual master/s lotus feet is the real treasure of my s-iritual
life. =ny s-iritual -ractice -erformed inde-endently of him is &ithout value.
%hatever hearing or chanting I engage in should be done for the -leasure of my
s-iritual master alone. I should al&ays meditate on these &ords sung by
Aarottama d(saF
sei vrata, sei tapa sei mra mantra japa
sei mra dharama "arama
T,he feet of 5r+ 1@-a 4aW)ar+ are my real &ealth. ,hey are the ob)ect of my
vo&s. ,hey are the goal of my austerities and -enances, they are the goal of
my mantra and my )a-a. ,hey are the -ur-ose of my religious observances, my
every activity./ (>rrthan L$
If my guru rebukes or criticiIes me, I should take it as a great fortune. I should
remember that &hatever s-iritual -ractice I engage in, all is being done for his
-leasure. I should give this consideration -ride of -lace in my consciousness,
remembering ?(rvabhauma/s &ords to 4ah(-rabhuF j gur) hy avicra&yF
T,he orders of our gurus are never to be debated./ (Chaitanya Charitmta
!.".EN$
I -ray that my intelligence never becomes so contaminated that I criticiIe the
&ords of my s-iritual master. 4ay such a &icked mentality never manifest in my
heart, not even in my dreams. =ny arrangement he makes for me is for my
ultimate good. I -ray that I never consider him to be an ordinary mortal by
entertaining negative )udgements of his &ords or actions. I &ill al&ays remain on
my guard against such a disaster.
Because the guru is affectionate to&ards his disci-les, if I a--roach him &ith my
doubts, he &ill lay those doubts to rest &ith his ans&ers. 4ay I never forget for
even a moment that my s-iritual master is the source of all aus-iciousness. ,he
?u-reme Lord has taken the form of my guru in order to give me the mercy of
initiation and s-iritual teaching. 4ay I never forget at any time this manifestation
of com-assion of the Lord/s revealed form as the guru. ,he duty of the disci-le is
to al&ays seek the -leasure of his s-iritual master, &hose only -ur-ose is to carry
out the orders of the ?u-reme Lord 5r+ Khaitanya 4ah(-rabhu on this earth. I
should al&ays consider the servants of my guru to be &orthy of my res-ect.
%hoever is dear to my guru is dear to me.
If I can kee- on doing my devotional service &ith this attitude of uns&erving,
constant faith in my s-iritual master, then through his satisfaction I &ill quickly
become qualified for all -erfections. 4y s-iritual master has assured me that
through the 0oly Aame I can attain all -erfection, therefore, I &ill faithfully chant
the 0oly Aames &ithout committing offenses, &hile al&ays making a determined
effort to strictly follo& his orders. <n the strength of the 0oly Aames in &hich my
guru has instructed me, I &ill become eligible for the treasure of rgnug bha"ti
and for the great fortune to taste the s&eet flavors of the most elevated s-iritual
relations, never given -rior to the a--earance of 5r+ Khaitanya 4ah(-rabhu.
The De$otee0s Prayer
5r+ *uru/s mercy is everything>guru-"p hi "evalam0 ,herefore one should -ray
as follo&sF
I am most fallen and useless, < Lord. 4ay my s-iritual master be -leased &ith
me. 4ay he give me the s-iritual strength to follo& his directions. 4ay all the
obstacles in my &orshi- of the Lord be removed so that at the end of my so)ourn in
this &orld, I may sit alone far from the hustle and bustle of the material &orld, and
&ith a steady mind, chant the 0oly Aames &ith feeling. 4ay the Lord be merciful
and allo& me to give u- my last breath in this &ay. 'no&ingly or unkno&ingly I
have committed so many offenses to 0is lotus feet, and even no& I continue to
commit such offenses. < Lord, -lease forgive all such offenses and give me a -lace
at 7our lotus feet. 4ake my life com-lete by allo&ing me to associate &ith those
&ho are dear to 7ou.
.or so long I have sim-ly made a -retense of being initiated. In fact, I have not
done that &hich a surrendered soul should doJ I have not strictly follo&ed my
s-iritual master/s instructions, thus I have not made even a little advancement in
s-iritual life. =ll the contaminations in my heart -rior to initiation are still there
today, so ho& is there any ho-e of my attaining the divine realiIation &hich is said
to be the real sign of initiationP Like a lum- of iron my heart is &ithout feelings.
Mven though I chant the 0oly Aames, it does not melt. ,hus I am thinking,
apardha phale mama citta bhela vajra-sama
tu? nme n labhe vi"ra
Cue to offenses, my heart has become as hard as a thunderbolt. ,herefore no
ecstatic transformations take -lace &hen I chant your name.
(Bhaktivinoda Oh(kura$
tabe jni the apardha chaye pracura
"a-nma b&ja the n haya a"ura
,hus I kno& I have committed so many offenses to the 0oly AameJ for though
I have -lanted the seed of the Aame, no cree-er of love has s-routed.
(Chaitanya Charitmta .L.!X$
< gurudeva[ Ao& in the evening of my life, I have become so forlorn and
ho-eless. < Lord[ < 7ou &ho see no fault in anyone[ Be generous to me and give
me your mercy. 0el- me to be free of all offenses so I develo- a taste for the 0oly
Aames &hich you have instructed me to chant. =llo& me to earn the right to be
called the genuine servant of your servants. %ith your divine vision, you see me
-erfectly, e3ternally and internally. 7ou kno& everything I doJ therefore I -ray that
everything I do>my behavior, my devotional service>be a source of -leasure to
you.
< Lord, forgive all my offenses, &hether I have committed them &illingly or
un&illingly. .orever give me a -lace among all your servants, at your lotus feet,
&here there is no more lamentation, no more fear, no more death. 7our feet are
the only shelter for one like me &ho has found no refuge any&here in this &orld.
7our feet are the source of ultimate good for one like me &ho has found no value
any&here else in this &orld.
bhmau s"halita-pdn)
bhmir evvalambanam
tvayi jtpardhn)
tvam eva araa) prabh
,hose &ho tri- and fall have only the ground as an aid to again get u-. < Lord,
those &ho commit offenses to 7ou, have no one but 7ou as a recourse.
?o, my dear devotees, tread carefully the -ath of devotion. =l&ays -ray for the
mercy of 'rishna, the guru, and the vaishnavas. 1emember that -rogress in
devotion de-ends on -rogress in humility>that is the art of sadhana.
.pi%ogue
saiveya) bhuvi dhanya-gau8a-nagar& velpi saivmbudhe!
s ,ya) r&-puruttam madhu-pates tny eva nmni ca
n "utrpi nir&"yate hari hari premtsavas td
h caitanya "p-nidhna tava "i) v&"ye punar vaibhavam
,his is the same city of *au;a, blessed on earth,
this too the very same ocean beach,
this, the to&n of :uru8ottama (:ur+$
and these, the very same 0oly Aames, 0are 'rishnaJ
but, alas[ Ao&here can I see the same festival of love.
<h, Khaitanya, source of all com-assion,
&ill I ever again see 7our gloriesP
(:rabodh(nanda ?arasvat+/s Chaitanya-candrmta, E"$
grra mi mu"he balile n cale
grra cra grra pracra laile phala phale
It is not enough to sim-ly advertise re-eatedly that one is a devotee of
4ah(-rabhu saying, TI am *aur(/s, I am *aur(/s./ ,he results of being the Lord/s
follo&er come to one &ho takes u- 4ah(-rabhu/s -reaching mission as &ell as the
-ractices taught by 0im. (>rema-vivarta$
?ome of us affirm, &ith conviction, that &e follo& 5r+ Khaitanya 4ah(-rabhu, have
faith in 0im, and are devoted to 0im. %hen &e interact &ith Vaishnavas from other
traditions that do not have the same regard for 4ah(-rabhu that &e do, &e
strongly rebuke themJ and criticiIe them in articles and s-eeches.
,here is indeed a general notion among ordinary -eo-le today that 4ah(-rabhu is
acce-ted throughout the &orld and that no one truly re)ects 0im. 0o&ever, if &e
look dee-ly &e find that very fe& of us truly follo& 4ah(-rabhu. In fact, fearing to
be called atheists for not offering res-ect to the Vedic scri-tures and the ?u-reme
Lord or of being vilified by the -ublic in general, &e claim to honor 4ah(-rabhu,
but all &e are really interested in is our o&n -restigeb
,here is, these days, a class of -eo-le &ho, leading a reckless -rivate life and
follo&ing the -artial disci-line of the smrtas, act -ermissively and &himsically, and
still dare to -ublicly criticiIe the true follo&ers of 4ah(-rabhu. Cismissing
4ah(-rabhu/s teachings as sectarian, they neglect the standards of Vaishnava
conduct and yet -rofess to kno& the Lord better than 0is devotees do. ,hus they
criticiIe in their -ublications the great -ersonalities &ho have dedicated their lives
to 4ah(-rabhu/s service, making 0im the ultimate goal of their lives.
0o&ever, the honest inquirer finds that these -eo-le are affected by the disease of
self#dece-tion, of &eakness of character, of dishonesty. ,he arrogance of these
-eo-le has nothing to do &ith true acce-tance of 4ah(-rabhu and 0is message,
but is only -roof of sickening attachment to -ersonal -restige and sense
gratification.

If &e ask ourselves, =re &e truly follo&ing 4ah(-rabhuP and then honestly seek
the ans&er, &e must first e3amine not only 4ah(-rabhu/s o&n teachings and
conduct, but those of 0is -ersonal associates, through &hom the Lord s-read 0is
message. %e must then ask ourselves ho& closely &e follo& those teachings,
es-ecially in times of -ersonal difficulty or social disa--roval.
?adly, some -eo-le acce-t as 4ah(-rabhu/s teachings only those -ortions that are
convenient to their life styles or frame of mind. ?uch -eo-le believe that 5r+ 1@-a,
5r+ ?an(tana, 5r+ B+va, 'rishnad(sa 'avir()a *osv(m+, Vrindavan d(sa Oh(kura,
and other intimate associates of the Lord -rofess doctrines that in reality are
different from 4ah(-rabhu/s. ,hey even go so far as to claim that 4ah(-rabhu/s
follo&ers are narro&#minded sectarians &ho have made many e3aggerated claims
about the Lord/s -erson and teachings. ,hus they refuse to acce-t the statements
of 4ah(-rabhu/s associates as authoritative. But &hen genuine teachers of the
doctrines of Vaishnavism e3-ose these -eo-le/s mock follo&ing of 4ah(-rabhu,
sho&ing that, for all intents and -ur-oses, it is actually o--osition to the Lord, they
become angry and verbally attack the devotees.
,he foolish attitude of these -eo-le is com-arable to the logic of half a hen>
4ah(-rabhu cannot be se-arated from 0is entourage. <ne cannot cut off the
Lord/s hands and feet and then -ay res-ects to 0is head. %hen devotees quote
the voices of authority from the disci-lic succession, these self#styled follo&ers of
4ah(-rabhu call it the Vaishnava sect/s fanaticism and narro&#mindedness. =s an
e3am-le they quote the Chaitanya 'hgavata verse in &hich Vrindavan d(sa
Oh(kura condemns Aity(nanda :rabhu/s criticsF
eta parihre je pp& nind "are
tabe lthi mr tra irera upare
I &ill take a stick and beat on the head those sinners &ho, ignoring everything
I have said, continue to blas-heme Aity(nanda :rabhu.
(Chaitanya 'hgavata .X.!!NJ H.NLJ !..GDJ !.L.!!DJ !.!D.N!!$
,he self#styled follo&ers of 4ah(-rabhu call these utterances of Vrindavan C(sa
Oh(kura violent and intem-erate, and -roof of the fanaticism of Vaishnavas in
general. ,heir imaginary a--roval of 4ah(-rabhu is based on a re)ection of the
Lord/s associates &hich is dee- rooted in malice and malevolence. ,hey, convinced
that devotion is nothing but sentimentalism and unfounded enthusiasm, consider
4ah(-rabhu/s devotees inca-able of understanding the Lord/s true nature. But
they believe themselves, as inde-endent third -arties, ca-able of such
understanding. ,he e3tent of the arrogance manifest by such a claim is beyond
even their o&n com-rehension. ?uch is the ty-e of -erson &hich, -rominently
today, -ro-agate its ideas on the editorial -ages of ne&s-a-ers and on the
-odiums of various -ublic assemblies.
Illegitimate modern#day follo&ers of 4ah(-rabhu also are those &ho make a sho&
of acce-ting 4ah(-rabhu and 0is associates, but actually -rofess all manners of
heterodo3 vie&s. Like &olves in shee-/s clothing, these -seudo#Vaishnavas -ose
as orthodo3 thinkers, making a hy-ocritical dis-lay of devotion &hile actually
infected by caste consciousness, monism, or the so#called -hiloso-hy of synthesis
(samanvaya-vda$. ,hese characters make a sho& of acce-ting 4ah(-rabhu and
0is close associates, but -rotest either o-enly or anonymously &hen 4ah(-rabhu/s
surrendered devotees fearlessly -reach the Lord/s message as it is.
,hese du-licitous frauds tolerate the bro&#beating of the im-ersonalists or the
caste brahmins, but &hen a bonafide crya s-eaks out they are unable to tolerate
it. Cue to e3cessive sentimentalism and lust, these sahajiys have become so
inflated in their egotism that &hen told that 4ah(-rabhu/s teaching and e3am-le
direct one to give u- bad association, they ob)ect, un&illing to give u- their
sensuous &ays.
In the Chaitanya Charitmta the story of Khota 0arid(sa is told as a lesson for
-otentially deviant follo&ers. Kertain as-ects of Khota 0arid(sa/s conduct &ere
dis-leasing to 4ah(-rabhu and are to be avoided.
%hen 'rishnad(sa Vi-ra &as tem-ted a&ay from 4ah(-rabhu/s association by the
Bha99ath(ri &omen, he too, &as not acting as a branch of the Khaitanya desire
tree of divine love. *iving u- the direct service of the Lord to consort &ith these
&omen, he &as not kee-ing &ith &hat is e3-ected of an eternal associate of the
Lord.
%hen in Vra)a, the Lord/s com-anion, Balabhadra Bha99(c(rya, &anted to leave
the service of 4ah(-rabhu>'rishna 0imself>to see the su--osed reincarnation of
'rishna in '(l+ya lake, his behavior &as not in accordance &ith the true standard
of an eternal com-anion of the Lord.
?(rvabhauma Bha99(c(rya su--orted the smrta and 4(y(v(da -hiloso-hies and
even refused to acce-t 4ah(-rabhu as an incarnation of Lord 'rishna. 0is is
another e3am-le of conduct uncharacteristic of the branches of the Khaitanya tree
of divine love. 4any such e3am-les are found throughout the accounts of Lord
Khaitanya/s l&l. ,here is the instance of Bag(i and 4(dh(i/s sinful e3istence and
their violent behavior to&ards Aity(nanda :rabhu and 0arid(sa Oh(kura, and their
o--osition to the chanting of the 0oly Aame. ,here is *o-+n(tha :a99an(yaka,
&ho stole from the royal treasury. 'amal(k(nta ViRv(sa, =dvaita :rabhu/s disci-le,
-erceived =dvaita to be in debt. Brahm(nanda Bh(rat+, one of the roots of the
desire tree of divine love, &ore a deerskin, the dress of a 4(y(v(d+ sannys&, and
4ah(-rabhu did not a--rove of this and corrected him. Vallabh(c(rya, &ho is
identified in the *aura-gaddea-d&pi" as an incarnation of 5ukadeva, -roclaimed
his o&n commentary on the 'hgavatam to be su-erior to that of 5r+dhara ?v(m+
>this kind of arrogance is not characteristic of a 5ukadeva.
Cev(nanda :undit, also counted among the branches of the Khaitanya tree,
tolerated offenses to 4ah(-rabhu/s dear associate, ?r+v(sa :unditJ contem-lated
liberationJ and inter-reted the %r&mad 'hgavatam in &ays that o--osed its true
-ur-ort of devotion to 'rishna. ,his is certainly not befitting an eternal com-anion
of the Lord.

?entimentalist pr"ta-sahajiys find it -ainful to hear such criticism of conduct,
disa--roved of by 4ah(-rabhu 0imself. But )ust as a good doctor does not hide his
diagnosis in order to -lease the -atient, the devotees of the Lord do not hide the
fact that -rogress in s-iritual life is de-endent on giving u- attachment to bad
com-any, sense gratification, and immediate -leasures. ,he devotee does not
&ithhold good advice out of a desire to deceive and flatter. If the straightfor&ard,
direct and honest devotee says that engaging in illicit se3ual activity is detrimental
to s-iritual life and advises one to give it u-J if he tells someone overly attached to
&ife and children to give u- that attachment, these are beneficial instructions.
%hen s-oken, the truth may cause -ain, but out of kindness, the devotee &ould
rather s-eak the truth than add more fuel on the fire of -eo-le/s material
attachments.
%e may be very vocal about follo&ing 4ah(-rabhu, but &hen 0e declares that the
essence of Vaishnava conduct is to give u- bad association (such as the com-any
of &omaniIers and non#devotees$ &ill &e call 0im cruel and unkindP 4ah(-rabhu
called Kho9a 0arid(sa a monkey renunciate, one &ho has given u- the
a--earance of interest in sensual life but goes on to flirt &ith &omen and do other
things contrary to the Vaishnava rules of conduct. 4ah(-rabhu said about Kho9a
0arid(sa that the only atonement for this grievous deviation &as to dro&n himself.
?hall &e then call 4ah(-rabhu cruel and unkindP ?hall &e deny that 0e ever said
such a thingP ?hall &e rather try to establish that 4ah(-rabhu a--roves of our o&n
loose standards of &orldly behaviorP If &e go about giving s-eeches in -ublic
assemblies to this end, is it not sim-ly -roof of our o&n dishonestyP
%e may say, I acce-t and follo& 4ah(-rabhu, but des-ite -oint#by#-oint
evidence in 4ah(-rabhu/s teachings, &e do not acce-t that the only &ay of
attaining *od is devotion characteriIed by chanting the 0oly Aames. Aor do &e
acce-t that "arma, jna and yga are indirect and troublesome -aths full of
hornets, ghosts, and -oisonous snakes. 4ah(-rabhu and 0is follo&ers sometimes
called other s-iritual -aths -oison chalices, or &orse than hell, but &e insist
that these statements are not to be taken literally and that 4ah(-rabhu &as
making e3aggerated claims in order to -romote 0is doctrine. Is this acce-ting
4ah(-rabhu as 0e isP %e &ant to fit 4ah(-rabhu/s doctrines into the mold of our
o&n sub)ectivity. =re &e then not giving more &eight to our o&n fancies or to
current -ublic o-inion than to 4ah(-rabhuP %hen &e -ut bhakti on the same
-latform &ith jna or "arma, are &e not in effect re)ecting bhaktiP
4ah(-rabhu used the &ord sat&tva, or T&ifely chastity,/ to describe the attitude of a
devotee &ho does not mi3 his devotional service &ith jna or "arma, or obscure his
devotion &ith desires for sense en)oyment or gratification, all of &hich 0e
com-ares to marital infidelity. %hen &e say that bhakti is )ust one of many
different &ays of attaining the ?u-reme, &e are saying, in effect, that a &ife &ho
cheats on her husband and one &ho is chaste and faithful are equal. Ao doubt
those sects that -romote illicit se3ual activities &ill be glad to hear such tidings, for
this liberal attitude gives their transgressions legitimacy. But normally, a
res-ectable -erson ob)ects to the idea that his chaste mother is on the same level
as a -rostitute. <f course, a &icked individual or a -rostitute has no -roblem &ith a
righteous man or a chaste &oman being derided in this manner[ ,hey sim-ly think,
%elcome to the club[
:rivately and -ublicly, the &orld has introduced infidelity as -art of Khaitanya
4ah(-rabhu/s -ure doctrines. ,hus, quite naturally, many misled -ersons try to
-ut their infidelity on the same level as the behavior of the chaste -ure devotees
of the Lord. ,his they call the doctrine of synthesis. Like an infectious disease,
this -hiloso-hy has s-read from a fe& individuals to the society at large. Is it any
sur-rise that 4(y(v(da is ra-idly -roliferating in the &orldP
?o this is ho& &e honor 4ah(-rabhu. %e call our o--osition to 4ah(-rabhu/s
doctrines honoring 0im in order to kee- u- our -ublic image.
?ome of us actually believe that by making a -ublic sho& of acce-ting 4ah(-rabhu
&e are doing 7im a service rather than ourselves oneF I am a brahmin and I honor
4ah(-rabhu. I have studied so much and I acce-t 4ah(-rabhu. I have a big,
im-ortant )ob and I follo& 4ah(-rabhu. I am a rich man and I acce-t 4ah(-rabhu.
?o 4ah(-rabhu is beholden to me.
<thers say that they &ill boycott 4ah(-rabhu if 0e o--oses their imaginary
conce-t of &hat is true religion, truth, service, or &elfare &ork, even if 0is
devotees can sho& from scri-ture that 4ah(-rabhu/s -osition is orthodo3. 0o& can
anyone claim this so#called acce-tance of 4ah(-rabhu as authenticP =ren/t &e
rather acce-ting our o&n &hims and -references as our authorityP ,he teachings
of 4ah(-rabhu cannot be changed to suit our o&n &himsical ideas.
In the Chaitanya Charitmta 4ah(-rabhu saysF
harer nma harer nma
harer nmaiva "evalam
"alau nsty eva nsty eva
nsty eva gatir anyath
In this age of quarrel and hy-ocrisy the only means of deliverance is the
chanting of the holy names of the Lord. ,here is no other &ayJ there is no other
&ayJ there is no other &ay. ('han-nrad&ya >urana, Chaitanya Charitmta
.H.HG$
Sm9rtas and Pa?cop9saas
In another verse of Chaitanya Charitmta 4ah(-rabhu saysF

e"ale &vara "a ra saba bhtya
jre jaiche ncya se taiche "are ntya
Lord 'rishna alone is the su-reme controller, all others are 0is servants. =s 0e
makes -eo-le dance, so do they dance. (Chaitanya Charitmta
.N.E!$
=nd 4ah(-rabhu addsF ,he goddesses *a6g( and Curg( are 4y servants. ?hiva is
4y servant. ,his is stated in the most authoritative te3t, the 'rahma-sa)hitF
s(i-sthiti-pralaya-sdhana-a"tir e"
chyeva yasya bhuvanni bibharti durg
icchnurpam api yasya ca ce(ate s
gvindam di-purua) tam aha) bhajmi
,he e3ternal -otency 4aya, &ho is of the nature of the shado& of the cit
-otency, is &orshi-ed by all -eo-le as Curg(, the creating, -reserving and
destroying agency of this mundane &orld. I adore the -rimeval Lord *ovinda in
accordance &ith &hose &ill Curg( conducts herself.
('rahma-sa)hit N.EE$
"&ra) yath dadhi vi"ra-viea-ygt
sajyate na hi tata! pthag asti het!
ya! ambhutm api tath samupaiti "ryd
gvindam di-purua) tam aha) bhajmi
Bust as, by the action of acids, milk is transformed into curd but yet the effect
curd is neither the same as, nor different from its cause, viI., milk, so I adore
the -rimeval Lord *ovinda of &hom the state of 5ambhu (?hiva$ is a
transformation for the -erformance of the &ork of destruction.
('rahma-sa)hit N.EN$
yat-pda-pallava-yuga) vinidhya "umbha-
dvandve prama-samaye sa gadhirja!
vighnn vihantum alam asya jagat-trayasya
gvindam di-purua) tam aha) bhajmi
I adore the -rimeval Lord *ovinda, &hose lotus feet are al&ays held by
*anesh u-on the tusks of his ele-hant head in order to obtain -o&er for his
function>destroying obstacles on the -ath of -rogress of the three &orlds.
('rahma-sa)hit N.N"$
yac-ca"ur ea savit sa"ala-grah)
rj samasta-sura-mrtir aea-tej!
yasyjay bhramati sambhta-"la-ca"r
gvindam di-purua) tam aha) bhajmi
,he sun, king of all the -lanets, full of infinite effulgence, the image of the
good soul, is as the eye of this &orld. I adore the -rimeval Lord *ovinda in
-ursuance of &hose order the sun -erforms his )ourney mounting the &heel of
time. ('rahma-sa)hit N.N!$
In all these verses &e find endorsement of 4ah(-rabhu/s re)ection of the smrta
doctrine of :aWco-(sakas, or &orshi- of the five deities>?hiva, Curg(, *anesh,
?urya, and Vishnu. But des-ite the clear evidence from 'rahma-sa)hit quoted in
4ah(-rabhu/s teachings, :aWco-(sakas cling to their doctrine, arguing that the
Vedas themselves authoriIe this -rocess of -olytheistic &orshi-. ,hey affirm that
4ah(-rabhu 0imself visited the tem-les and holy -laces connected to these
deities, -rayed to them, and danced before them. ,hey further argue that if
4ah(-rabhu did not acce-t a ty-e of &orshi- that is authoriIed in the Vedas, then
the Vaishnava religion must be considered out of line &ith the Vedic literature.
Indeed, some foolish deviants declare that 4ah(-rabhu/s religion is not Vedic.
Influenced by -ublic o-inion, &e toss all these heterodo3 ideas about in our heads.
,here are indeed many names of gods in the Vedic literature, but only Vishnu is
referred to as the su-reme deity above all others, and inde-endent of them. ,he
most ancient of the Vedas, the Mgveda-sa)hit, clearly states that Vishnu is su-erior
to all gods.
agnir vai devnm adhama!
viu! parama!
tad-antar hy anya-devat!
=gni is the least of the godsJ Vishnu is su-reme. =ll other gods are some&here
in bet&een these t&o.
,he 'hagavad-g&t and other Vedic scri-tures clearly state that the &orshi- of any
god other than the ?u-reme Lord is incorrect and goes against the Vedic
-rinci-les. *aurasundara may have visited numerous tem-les dedicated to gods
and goddesses, and sho&n them res-ect, but 0e never considered them to be
inde-endent or su-reme. 1ather, 0e considered all the gods and goddesses to be
servants of Vishnu, and therefore devotees, or Vaishnavas. In this sense only 0e
considered them &orshi-able. <ther&ise, according to the >acpsan
understanding, the five gods are &orshi-ed -urely functionally and &ithin the
tem-oral &orld. ,he goal of the >acpsan is to go beyond these deities/ various
forms and merge into the im-ersonal Brahman. =t the end of the -u)a, the five
deity forms are ultimately abandoned in the visarjana ceremony.
4ah(-rabhu acce-ted that Vishnu and the Vaishnavas have transcendental forms
of eternity, bliss, and kno&ledge. ?hiva, Curg(, *anesh, and ?@rya &orshi--ed by
4ah(-rabhu are the order#carriers of the ?u-reme Lord Vishnu in 0is abode of
*oloka#Vaiku29ha. ,here these deities are 0is eternal associates, and thus never
-urely functional and to ever be discarded. %ho then are the true follo&ers of the
Veda, the Vaishnavas or the 4(y(v(d+s and :aWco-(sakasP =nd &ho truly sho&s
greater res-ect to the gods, the Vaishnavas or the 4(y(v(d+s and :aWco-(sakas
&ho sim-ly consider these forms imaginary and as convenient ob)ects of &orshi-
to ultimately be discardedP %ho sho&ed greater res-ect to ?hiva, 1(va2a or the
:racetasP ,herefore the questionF =re &e truly follo&ing 4ah(-rabhuP <r are &e
follo&ing 0im according to our o&n convenience, our o&n tastes and imaginationP