Bhakti · Sanskrit §188 · English §178
Source[१८८] ननु पूर्वं शृण्वन् सुभद्राणि रथाङ्ग-पाणेः [भ्प् ११.२.३७] इत्य् आदिना (पगे ९५) ग्रन्थेन तत्-तल्-लिङ्गं श्री-कविर् नैवोक्तम् । सत्यम् । तथापि पुनस् तद्-अनुवादेन तेषु लिङ्गेषु यैर् लिङ्गैर् भगवत्-प्रियो यादृश उत्तम- मध्यमतादि-भेद-विविक्तो भवति तानि लिङ्गानि विविच्य ब्रूतेत्य् अर्थः । तत्रोत्तरं श्री-हरिर् उवाच - सर्व-भूतेषु यः पश्येद् भगवद्-भावम् आत्मनः । भूतानि भगवत्य् आत्मन्य् एष भागवतोत्तमः ॥ [भ्प् ११.२.४५] तत्र तत्-तद्-अनुभव-द्वारावगम्येन मानस-लिङ्गेन महा-भागवतं लक्षयति सर्व-भूतेष्व् इत्य् आदि । एवंव्रतिः स्व-प्रिय-नाम-कीर्त्या जातानुरागो द्रुत-चित्त उच्चैः [भ्प् ११.२.३८] इति श्री-कवि-वाक्योक्त-रीत्या यश् चित्त-द्रव- हास-रोदनाद्य्-अनुभावकानुराग-वशत्वात् खं वायुम् अग्निम् [भ्प् ११.२.३९] इत्य् आदि-तद्-उक्त-प्रकारेणैव चेतना-चेतनेषु सर्व-भूतेषु आत्मनो भगवद्-भावम् आत्माभीष्टो यो भगवद्-आद्य्-अनुभवस् तम् एवेत्य् अर्थः पश्येद् अनुभवति । अतस् तानि च भूतानि आत्मनि स्व-चित्ते तथा स्फुरति यो भगवान् तस्मिन्न् एव तद्-आश्रितत्वेनैव अनुभवति । एष भागवतोत्तमो भवति । इदम् एव श्री-व्रजदेवीभिर् उक्तम् - वन-लतास् तरव आत्मनि विष्णुं व्यञ्जयन्त्य इव पुष्प-फलाढ्याः [भ्प् १०.३५.५] यद् वा आत्मनो यो भगवति भावः प्रेमा, तम् एव चेतनाचेतनेषु भूतेषु पश्यति । शेषं पूर्ववत् । अतएव भक्त-रूपाधिष्ठान-बुद्धि-जात-भक्त्या तानि नमस्करोतीति खं वायुम् इत्य् आदौ पूर्वम् उक्तम् इति भावः । तथैव चोक्तं ताभिर् एव - नद्यस् तदा तद् उपधार्य मुकुन्द-गीतम् आवर्त-लक्षित-मनो-भव-भग्न-वेगाः ॥ [भ्प् १०.२१.१५] इत्य् आदि । श्री-पट्ट-महिषीभिर् अपि कुररि विलपसि त्वम् [भ्प् १०.९०.७] इत्य् आदि । अत्र न ब्रह्म-ज्ञानान्य् अभिधीयन्ते भागवतैस् तज्-ज्ञानस्य तत्-फलस्य च हेयत्वेन जीव-भगवद्-विभागाभावेन च भागवत्व-विरोधात् । अहैतुक्य् अव्यवहिता [भ्प् ३.२९.१०] इत्य् आदौ ह्य् ऐकान्तिक-भक्ति-लक्षणानुसारेण सुतराम् उत्तमत्व-विरोधाच् च । न च निराकारेश्वर-ज्ञानं प्रणय- रशनया धृताङ्घ्रि-पद्मः [भ्प् ११.२.५३] इत्य् उपसंहार-गत-लक्षण- परम-काष्ठा-विरोधाद् एवेति विवेचनीयम् ।
[188] nanu pūrvaṃ śṛṇvan subhadrāṇi rathāṅga-pāṇeḥ [BhP 11.2.37] ity ādinā (page 95) granthena tat-tal-liṅgaṃ śrī-kavir naivoktam | satyam | tathāpi punas tad-anuvādena teṣu liṅgeṣu yair liṅgair bhagavat-priyo yādṛśa uttama- madhyamatādi-bheda-vivikto bhavati tāni liṅgāni vivicya brūtety arthaḥ | tatrottaraṃ śrī-harir uvāca - sarva-bhūteṣu yaḥ paśyed bhagavad-bhāvam ātmanaḥ | bhūtāni bhagavaty ātmany eṣa bhāgavatottamaḥ || [BhP 11.2.45] tatra tat-tad-anubhava-dvārāvagamyena mānasa-liṅgena mahā-bhāgavataṃ lakṣayati sarva-bhūteṣv ity ādi | evaṃvratiḥ sva-priya-nāma-kīrtyā jātānurāgo druta-citta uccaiḥ [BhP 11.2.38] iti śrī-kavi-vākyokta-rītyā yaś citta-drava- hāsa-rodanādy-anubhāvakānurāga-vaśatvāt khaṃ vāyum agnim [BhP 11.2.39] ity ādi-tad-ukta-prakāreṇaiva cetanā-cetaneṣu sarva-bhūteṣu ātmano bhagavad-bhāvam ātmābhīṣṭo yo bhagavad-ādy-anubhavas tam evety arthaḥ paśyed anubhavati | atas tāni ca bhūtāni ātmani sva-citte tathā sphurati yo bhagavān tasminn eva tad-āśritatvenaiva anubhavati | eṣa bhāgavatottamo bhavati | idam eva śrī-vrajadevībhir uktam - vana-latās tarava ātmani viṣṇuṃ vyañjayantya iva puṣpa-phalāḍhyāḥ [BhP 10.35.5] yad vā ātmano yo bhagavati bhāvaḥ premā, tam eva cetanācetaneṣu bhūteṣu paśyati | śeṣaṃ pūrvavat | ataeva bhakta-rūpādhiṣṭhāna-buddhi-jāta-bhaktyā tāni namaskarotīti khaṃ vāyum ity ādau pūrvam uktam iti bhāvaḥ | tathaiva coktaṃ tābhir eva - nadyas tadā tad upadhārya mukunda-gītam āvarta-lakṣita-mano-bhava-bhagna-vegāḥ || [BhP 10.21.15] ity ādi | śrī-paṭṭa-mahiṣībhir api kurari vilapasi tvam [BhP 10.90.7] ity ādi | atra na brahma-jñānāny abhidhīyante bhāgavatais taj-jñānasya tat-phalasya ca heyatvena jīva-bhagavad-vibhāgābhāvena ca bhāgavatva-virodhāt | ahaituky avyavahitā [BhP 3.29.10] ity ādau hy aikāntika-bhakti-lakṣaṇānusāreṇa sutarām uttamatva-virodhāc ca | na ca nirākāreśvara-jñānaṃ praṇaya- raśanayā dhṛtāṅghri-padmaḥ [BhP 11.2.53] ity upasaṃhāra-gata-lakṣaṇa- parama-kāṣṭhā-virodhād eveti vivecanīyam |
English translation
English witness · section(s) 178
Anuccheda 178
1 Engagement in pure devotional service is the natural position of all living entities. This is described in Svetasvatara Upanisad (6.9) in these words: "No one is the master of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. No one controls Him. He does not have a material body. He is the cause of all causes. He is the master of all masters of the senses. No one is His father. No one is His king." Thus the individual spirit souls are part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They are His potencies. They naturally take shelter of Him. He is like the sun and they are like the rays of light emanating from the sun. 2 In the Padma Purana, Uttara-khanda, in the description of the sacred syllable Om, it is said: "The letters a, u and m combine to make the sacred syllable Om, which is the heart of the three Vedas. 3 The letter a is said to be Lord Visnu. The letter u is said to be the goddess of fortune. The letter m is said to be Their servant, the individual spirit soul who is the twenty-fifth element in the material world." 4 At the end of that passage it is also said: "The letter m is said to be all-knowing Lord Sesa." 5 It is also said: "Some say that the letter u is the goddess of fortune, for she always stays by her husband's side, and her husband here is the letter a. He is like the sun and she is like the sunlight. She is His constant companion." 6 For this reason the Vaisnavas declared that the sacred syllable Om is the maha-vakya, the most important statement in the Vedas. 7 The eight-syllable mantra (Om namo narayanaya) is described in the following words: "In all times, places, and situations I render every kind of service to the goddess of fortune's husband, glorious Lord Visnu. 8 "In this way it is affirmed that the individual spirit soul's original nature is to be a servant of the Supreme Lord. One who thus understands the true meaning of this mantra should then engage in the Lord's service. 9 "Thus every moving and unmoving living entity in the universe is the servant of the Supreme Lord. Lord Narayana is the supreme controller of all the universes. He is the master. He is the Lord." 10 This is also described in the following prayer spoken by the Personified Vedas to the Supreme Personality of Godhead (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.87.20): "The individual living entity, while living within these material bodies he has created for himself by his karma, remains actually uncovered by both gross and subtle matter. He is described by the Vedas to be the expanded part and parcel of You, the proprietor of all potencies. Ascertaining the status of the living entity in this manner, learned sages become imbued with faith and take to the worship of Your feet, which are the field into which all the sacrifices of the Vedas are sown and are also the source of liberation."*** 11 Here "svena" means "by You", "krtesu puresu" means "residing in different bodies", and "tava purusam vadanti" means "they say the individual spirit soul's eternal nature is to be Your part and parcel." "Akhila-sakti-dhrtas tava" means "You are the master of all potencies. Your marginal potency, known as the individual souls (jivas) as Your part and parcel. However Your internal potency is not Your part and parcel, for it is fully identical with You. You are the root and shelter of all Your potencies. You are like the sun and they are like the individual rays of sunlight." That is the meaning here. 12 Now the reason the spirit souls are part and parcel of the Supreme Lord will be considered. Here the verse says, "abahir-antara-samvaranam", which means "There is no covering either within or without". However there is covering by various designations. That is the meaning. "Nr" here means "of the individual spirit soul", and "gatim" means "that the individual soul takes shelter of the Supreme Lord and depends on Him for maintaining his life. "Vivicya" means "understanding this truth", "kavayah" means "the learned sages", and "visvasitah" means "faithful". These faithful sages "worship Your feet" (bhavata anghrim upasate). 13 Now faith will be considered, the word "nigamavapanam" means "the seed from which all the Vedas have sprouted". This means that the Supreme Lord is the birthplace of the Vedas. When the spirit souls, who are by nature always dependent on the Supreme Lord for their maintenance, become averse to the Lord, they find themselves suffering the miseries of life in the material world or repeated birth and death. They who become favourable to the Lord and love the Lord, however, are able to escape the world of birth and death. This is described in the word "abhavam", which means, "where there is no material world of birth and death". Or, this word can also be interpreted to establish the truth that devotional service and the Supreme Lord worshipped by devotional service are both eternal. Together the words "abhavam anghrim" means "the feet that are free from birth and death". In this way it is established that pure devotional service is the best of all spiritual paths. The verse quoted in the beginning of this anuccheda was spoken by the Personified Vedas to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Bhakti · Sanskrit §189 · English §179
Source[१८९] अथ मानस-लिङ्ग-विशेषणेनैव मध्यम-भागवतं लक्षयति -- ईश्वरे तद्-अधीनेषु बालिशेषु द्विषत्सु च । प्रेम-मैत्री-कृपोपेक्षा यः करोति स मध्यमः ॥ [भ्प् ११.२.४६] परमेश्वरे प्रेम करोति । तस्मिन् भक्ति-युक्तो भवतीत्य् अर्थः । तथा तद्- अधीनेषु भक्तेषु च मैत्रीं बन्धु-भावम् । बालिशेषु तद्-भक्तिम् अजानत्सु उदासीनेषु कृपाम् । यथोक्तं श्री-प्रह्लादेन - शोचे ततो विमुख-चेतस इन्द्रियार्था माया-सुखाय भरम् उद्वहतो विमूढान् । [भ्प् ७.९.४२] इति । आत्मनो द्विषत्सु उपेक्षाम् । तदीय-द्वेषे चित्ताक्षोभेनोदासीन्यम् इत्य् अर्थः । तेष्व् अपि बालिशत्वेन कृपांश-सद्-भावात् । यथैव श्री-प्रह्लादो हिरण्यकशिपौ । भगवतो भागवतस्य वा द्विषत्सु तु सत्य् अपि चित्त-क्षोभे तत्रानभिनिवेश इत्य् अर्थः । अस्य बालिशेषु कृपायाः स्फुरणं द्विषत्सूपेक्षाया एव । न तु प्राग्वत् सर्वत्र प्रेम्णा वा स्फुरणम् । ततो मध्यमत्वम् । अथोत्तमस्यापि (पगे ९६) तद्-अधीन-दर्शनेन तत्- स्फुरणानन्दोदयो विशेषत एव । ततश् च तस्मिन्न् अधिकैव मत्री यद् भवति तन् न निषिध्यते किन्तु सर्वत्र तद्-भावावश्यकता विधीयते । परमोत्तमेऽपि तथा दृष्टम् -- क्षणार्धेनापि तुलये न स्वर्गं नापुनर्-भवम् । भगवत्-सङ्गि-सङ्गस्य मर्त्यानां किम् उताशिषः ॥ [भ्प् ४.२४.५७] अथ भागवता यूयं प्रियाः स्थ भगवान् यथा [भ्प् ४.२५.३०] इति च रुद्र- गीतात् । हरेर् गुणाक्षिप्त-मतिर् भगवान् बादरायणिः । अध्यगान् महद् आख्यानं नित्यं विष्णु-जन-प्रियः ॥ [भ्प् १.७.११] इति सूत-वाक्याच् च । एवं भोजानां कुलपांसनाः [भ्प् १०.१.२४] इत्य् आदौ तत्र बादरायणि- प्रभृतीनां द्वेषोऽपि दृश्यते । किन्तु मध्यमानां तत्रानाभिनिवेश एव स्फुरति । तेषां तु तत्रापि तद्-विध-शास्तृत्वेन निजाभीष्ट-देव-परिस्फूर्तिर् न व्याहन्येत इति विशेषः । तद्-दृष्ट्यैव च श्रीमद्-उद्धवादीनाम् अपि श्री- दुर्योधनादौ नमस्कारः । सत्त्वं विशुद्धं वसुदेव-शब्दितं यद् ईयते तत्र पुमान् अपावृतः । [भ्प् ४.३.२१] इत्य् आदि श्री-शिव-वाक्यवत् । उक्तं च लक्ष्मणा-हरणे - सोऽभिवन्द्याम्बिका-पुत्रम् [भ्प् १०.६८.१७] इत्य् आदौ दुर्योधनश् चेति । यत्र पक्षे च स्वकीय-भावस्यैव सर्वत्र परिस्फूर्तेः श्री-भगवद्-आदि-द्विषत्स्व् अपि सा पर्यवस्यति, तत्र च नायुक्तता, यतस् ते निज-प्राण-कोटि-निर्मञ्छनीय-तच्-चरण-पङ्कज- पराग-लेशास् तेषां दुर्व्यवहार-दृष्ट्या क्षुभ्यन्ति । स्वीय-भावानुसारेण त्व् एवं मन्यन्ते - अहो ईदृशश् चेतनो वा कः स्याद् यः पुनर् अस्मिन् सर्वानन्द-कदम्बके निरुपाधि-परम-प्रेमास्पदे सकल-लोक-प्रसादक- सद्-गुण-मणि-भूषिते सर्व-हित-पर्यवसायि-चर्यामृते श्री-पुरुषोत्तमे तत्- प्रिय-जने वा प्रीतिं न कुर्वीत । तद्-द्वेष-कारणं तु सुतराम् एवास्मद्- बुद्धि-पद्धतिम् अतीतम् । तस्माद् ब्रह्मादि-स्थावर-पर्यन्ता अदुष्टा दुष्टाश् च तस्मिन् बाढं रज्यन्त एवेति । तद् उक्तं श्री-शुकेन -- गोविन्द-भुज-गुप्तायां द्वारवत्यां कुरूद्वह । अवात्सीन् नारदोऽभीक्ष्णंकृष्णोपासन-लालसः ॥ को नु राजन्न् इन्द्रिय-वान् मुकुन्द-चरणाम्बुजम् । न भजेत् सर्वतो-मृत्युर् उपास्यन् अमरोत्तमैः ॥ [भ्प् ११.२.१-२] इति ।
[189] atha mānasa-liṅga-viśeṣaṇenaiva madhyama-bhāgavataṃ lakṣayati -- īśvare tad-adhīneṣu bāliśeṣu dviṣatsu ca | prema-maitrī-kṛpopekṣā yaḥ karoti sa madhyamaḥ || [BhP 11.2.46] parameśvare prema karoti | tasmin bhakti-yukto bhavatīty arthaḥ | tathā tad- adhīneṣu bhakteṣu ca maitrīṃ bandhu-bhāvam | bāliśeṣu tad-bhaktim ajānatsu udāsīneṣu kṛpām | yathoktaṃ śrī-prahlādena - śoce tato vimukha-cetasa indriyārthā māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān | [BhP 7.9.42] iti | ātmano dviṣatsu upekṣām | tadīya-dveṣe cittākṣobhenodāsīnyam ity arthaḥ | teṣv api bāliśatvena kṛpāṃśa-sad-bhāvāt | yathaiva śrī-prahlādo hiraṇyakaśipau | bhagavato bhāgavatasya vā dviṣatsu tu saty api citta-kṣobhe tatrānabhiniveśa ity arthaḥ | asya bāliśeṣu kṛpāyāḥ sphuraṇaṃ dviṣatsūpekṣāyā eva | na tu prāgvat sarvatra premṇā vā sphuraṇam | tato madhyamatvam | athottamasyāpi (page 96) tad-adhīna-darśanena tat- sphuraṇānandodayo viśeṣata eva | tataś ca tasminn adhikaiva matrī yad bhavati tan na niṣidhyate kintu sarvatra tad-bhāvāvaśyakatā vidhīyate | paramottame'pi tathā dṛṣṭam -- kṣaṇārdhenāpi tulaye na svargaṃ nāpunar-bhavam | bhagavat-saṅgi-saṅgasya martyānāṃ kim utāśiṣaḥ || [BhP 4.24.57] atha bhāgavatā yūyaṃ priyāḥ stha bhagavān yathā [BhP 4.25.30] iti ca rudra- gītāt | harer guṇākṣipta-matir bhagavān bādarāyaṇiḥ | adhyagān mahad ākhyānaṃ nityaṃ viṣṇu-jana-priyaḥ || [BhP 1.7.11] iti sūta-vākyāc ca | evaṃ bhojānāṃ kulapāṃsanāḥ [BhP 10.1.24] ity ādau tatra bādarāyaṇi- prabhṛtīnāṃ dveṣo'pi dṛśyate | kintu madhyamānāṃ tatrānābhiniveśa eva sphurati | teṣāṃ tu tatrāpi tad-vidha-śāstṛtvena nijābhīṣṭa-deva-parisphūrtir na vyāhanyeta iti viśeṣaḥ | tad-dṛṣṭyaiva ca śrīmad-uddhavādīnām api śrī- duryodhanādau namaskāraḥ | sattvaṃ viśuddhaṃ vasudeva-śabditaṃ yad īyate tatra pumān apāvṛtaḥ | [BhP 4.3.21] ity ādi śrī-śiva-vākyavat | uktaṃ ca lakṣmaṇā-haraṇe - so'bhivandyāmbikā-putram [BhP 10.68.17] ity ādau duryodhanaś ceti | yatra pakṣe ca svakīya-bhāvasyaiva sarvatra parisphūrteḥ śrī-bhagavad-ādi-dviṣatsv api sā paryavasyati, tatra ca nāyuktatā, yatas te nija-prāṇa-koṭi-nirmañchanīya-tac-caraṇa-paṅkaja- parāga-leśās teṣāṃ durvyavahāra-dṛṣṭyā kṣubhyanti | svīya-bhāvānusāreṇa tv evaṃ manyante - aho īdṛśaś cetano vā kaḥ syād yaḥ punar asmin sarvānanda-kadambake nirupādhi-parama-premāspade sakala-loka-prasādaka- sad-guṇa-maṇi-bhūṣite sarva-hita-paryavasāyi-caryāmṛte śrī-puruṣottame tat- priya-jane vā prītiṃ na kurvīta | tad-dveṣa-kāraṇaṃ tu sutarām evāsmad- buddhi-paddhatim atītam | tasmād brahmādi-sthāvara-paryantā aduṣṭā duṣṭāś ca tasmin bāḍhaṃ rajyanta eveti | tad uktaṃ śrī-śukena -- govinda-bhuja-guptāyāṃ dvāravatyāṃ kurūdvaha | avātsīn nārado'bhīkṣṇaṃkṛṣṇopāsana-lālasaḥ || ko nu rājann indriya-vān mukunda-caraṇāmbujam | na bhajet sarvato-mṛtyur upāsyan amarottamaiḥ || [BhP 11.2.1-2] iti |
English translation
English witness · section(s) 179
Anuccheda 179
1 Now in another section another aspect of devotional service will be considered. How does one attain pure devotional service, which is very rare and difficult to attain and which brings a result that is also rare and difficult to attain and which brings a result that is also rare and difficult to attain? Now we will consider the cause that brings devotional service into existence. 2 In Srimad Bhagavatam (10.51.53) it is said: "O my Lord! O infallible Supreme Person! When a person wandering throughout the universes becomes eligible for liberation from material existence, he gets an opportunity to associate with devotees. When he associates with devotees, his attraction for You is awakened. You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the highest goal of the supreme devotees and the Lord of the universe."* 3 This verse means. "When a person wandering throughout the universes becomes eligible for liberation from material existence, that is to say when his time for attaining liberation has come, he gets an opportunity to associate with devotees. When he associates with devotees, he attains liberation from material existence." This means that association with devotees is the swift and unstoppable way to attain liberation. This statement is an example of the fourth variety of the namalankara (literary ornament) called atisayokti (hyperbole), a variety that is described in the following words: 4 "When something is said to very quickly bring a certain result, that is the fourth kind of hyperbole, which is called purvokti." 5 An example of this kind of purvokti hyperbole is seen in the following words spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead to Nalakuvara and Manigriva (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.10.41): 6 "When one is face to face with the sun, there is no longer darkness for one's eyes. Similarly, when one is face to face with a sadhu, a devotee, who is fully determined and surrendered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one will no longer be subject to material bondage."* 7 The reason for this is given in Srimad Bhagavatam 10.51.53, (which was quoted in the beginning of this anuccheda): "O Lord, when a person associates with devotees, his attraction for You is awakened."* When there is no longer any reason for the continued existence of the misconceptions that make one averse to the Lord, these misconceptions come to an end, and then the actual truth, which makes one fall in love with the Lord, is manifested. This is described by Sri Vidura in the following words (Srimad Bhagavatam 3.5.3): 8 "O my Lord, great philanthropic souls travel on the earth on behalf of the Supreme Personality of Godhead to show compassion to the fallen souls who are averse to the sense of subordination to the Lord."* 9 Here the word "daivat" means "because of the destiny created by previous karma", and the word "adharma-silasya" means "of one who is averse to the sense of subordination to the Lord". In Srimad Bhagavatam 10.51.53 (quoted in the beginning of this anuccheda) the use of the words "yarhi" (when) and "tada eva" (then) indicate that in this sequence of events there is not a long interval of time. The words "ca eva" (also certainly), also indicate that this event does not happen far in the future. That is the meaning. The word "sad-gatau" means "any place where the devotees (sat) assemble together (gatau). O Lord, to that place You personally come." This is described in the following words of the Itihasa-samuccaya: 10 "O king, Lord Krsna personally comes to the places where His devotes, who are free material passion and other vices, congregate. Of this there is no doubt." 11 The word "sad-gatau" thus refers to association with devotees. As has already been explained, in this way ordinary people can attain devotion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Pingala glorifies association with devotees in these words (Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.8.34): 12 "Certainly in this city of Videha I alone am completely foolish. I neglected the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who awards us everything, even our original spiritual form, and instead I desired to enjoy sense gratification with many men."*** 13 Srila Sridhara Svami comments: "Here Pingala says: Even though I had the association of the saintly devotees of Videha, still I remained a complete fool! 14 If a person is seen to be eager to serve the Lord, but it is not seen that he had association with devotees, it should be understood that at some time in this life or a previous life he did have association with a saintly devotee in the disciplic succession. It may be said that just as Nalakuvara and others had the opportunity to see Narada Muni, so the great demigods also had the opportunity to see him, but still they did not attain the same result that Nalakuvara attained. This happens because of offenses to a great devotee. When one thinks a great devotee is merely an ordinary pious person, one commits an offense. To become free from that offense, one should understand the exalted status of that devotee and then one should sincerely honour and serve him. The demigods explain all this in the following words (Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.5.45): 15 "O great Supreme Lord, offensive persons whose internal vision has been affected by external materialistic activities cannot see Your lotus feet, but they are seen by Your pure devotees, whose one and only aim is to transcendentally enjoy Your activities."* 16 Here the word "te" means "Your". The word "padanyasa-vilasa-laksmyah" refers to the devotees that have a relationship with the Lord. The verse then explains that many persons do not see the Lord's lotus feet. Who are these persons? The verse says they are "offensive persons whose internal vision has been too affected by external materialistic activities". In this way the verse is explained. 17 The word "asad-vrtti" here does not refer to ordinary materialistic activities, for the great devotees are merciful to ordinary materialists, as was described in Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.5.3 (quoted in text 8 of this anuccheda). The great souls give their mercy to they who do not commit offenses. simply by the association of these great souls, these materialistic persons also become saintly devotees. The great souls, because they are independent in their activities, may also give their mercy to offenders and transform them also into devotees, but this does not occur without the great soul's mercy. Nalakuvara and the ordinary demigods are examples of all this. 18 Examples of this are seen in the mercy of Sri Bharata to King Rahugana and in the activities of Uparicara Vasu as described in the Visnu-dharma Purana. After killing many demons to help the demigods, Uparicara vasu renounced the world and went to Patalaloka in order to meditate on the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then the demons approached the renounced Vasu and tried to kill him with their weapons, but their weapons all suddenly became completely useless and ineffective. By the instructions of Sukracarya the demons could understand that they has committed a great offense. Then, by Uparicara Vasu's mercy, they all became great devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. 19 In the Visnu-dharma Purana it is said: "After many birth in the material world they could not destroy the great multitude of their sins. However, the moment they attained love for Lord Govinda, their sins at once ceased to exist." 20 In Srimad Bhagavatam (7.9.44), Sri Prahlada tells Lord Nrsimhadeva: "I do not wish to be liberated alone, leaving aside all these poor fools and rascals. I know that without Krsna consciousness, without taking shelter of Your lotus feet, one cannot be happy. There I wish to bring them back to shelter at Your lotus feet."* In this way it is seen that Sri Prahlada has given his mercy to every single conditioned soul. How is it, then, that they have not all attained liberation? 21 To this question I reply: Because the individual spirit souls are unlimited in number, they cannot all be understood by the mind and heart. As many as were seen or heard by Prahlada, or as many as could be understood within his mind, all attained liberation by his mercy. That is the meaning of this verse. Other persons may hear and remember the glories of Sri Prahlada. In this way Lord Nrsimhadeva Himself will be merciful to them. 22 Lord Nrsimhadeva Himself affirms this in these words spoken to Prahlada (Srimad Bhagavatam 7.10.14): "One who always remembers your activities and My activities also, and who chants the prayers you have offered, becomes free, in due course of time, from the reactions of material activities."* 23 Here Lord Nrsimhadeva means "They who chant your glories will become liberated. Certainly, then, will they whom you remember and feel compassion for, will also become liberated." This is the sentiment of the devotees, a sentiment described in Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.51.53 (quoted in text 2 of this anuccheda).
Bhakti · Sanskrit §190 · English §180
Source[१९०] अथ भगवद्-धर्माचरण-रूपेण कायिकेन किञ्चिन् मानसेन च लिङ्गेन कनिष्ठं लक्षयति - अर्चायाम् एव हरये पूजां यः श्रद्धयेहते । न तद्-भक्तेषु चान्येषु स भक्तः प्राकृतः स्मृतः ॥ [भ्प् ११.२.४७] अर्चायां प्रतिमायाम् एव तद्-भक्तेषु अन्येषु च सुतरां न भगवत्- प्रेमाभावद् भक्त-माहात्म्य-ज्ञानाभावात् सर्वादर-लक्षण-भक्त- गुणानुदयाच् च । स प्राकृतः प्रकृति-प्रारब्धोऽधुनैव प्रारब्ध-भक्तिर् इत्य् अर्थः । इयं च श्रद्धा न शास्त्रार्थावधारण-जाता । यस्यात्म-बुद्धिः कुणपे त्रि-धातुके स्व-धीः कलत्रादिषु भौम इज्य-धीः । यत्-तीर्थ-बुद्धिः सलिले न कर्हिचिज् [भ्प् १०.८४.१३] (पगे ९७) इत्य् आदि शास्त्र- ज्ञानात् । तस्माल् लोक-परम्परा-प्राप्तैवेति पूर्ववत् । अतश् चाजात-प्रेमाशास्त्रीय- श्रद्धा-युक्तः साधकस् तु मुख्यो कनिष्ठो ज्ञेयः ।
[190] atha bhagavad-dharmācaraṇa-rūpeṇa kāyikena kiñcin mānasena ca liṅgena kaniṣṭhaṃ lakṣayati - arcāyām eva haraye pūjāṃ yaḥ śraddhayehate | na tad-bhakteṣu cānyeṣu sa bhaktaḥ prākṛtaḥ smṛtaḥ || [BhP 11.2.47] arcāyāṃ pratimāyām eva tad-bhakteṣu anyeṣu ca sutarāṃ na bhagavat- premābhāvad bhakta-māhātmya-jñānābhāvāt sarvādara-lakṣaṇa-bhakta- guṇānudayāc ca | sa prākṛtaḥ prakṛti-prārabdho'dhunaiva prārabdha-bhaktir ity arthaḥ | iyaṃ ca śraddhā na śāstrārthāvadhāraṇa-jātā | yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ | yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicij [BhP 10.84.13] (page 97) ity ādi śāstra- jñānāt | tasmāl loka-paramparā-prāptaiveti pūrvavat | ataś cājāta-premāśāstrīya- śraddhā-yuktaḥ sādhakas tu mukhyo kaniṣṭho jñeyaḥ |
English translation
English witness · section(s) 180
Anuccheda 180
1 In this way it is proved that association with devotees is the cause of liberation. The living entities' aversion to the Lord is based on beginningless ignorance of Him. Otherwise their aversion is not possible. 2 The importance of association with great devotees is explained in the following words (Sri Mahabharata, Vana Parva, 313.117): "Dry arguments are inconclusive. A great personality whose opinion does not differ from others is not considered a great sage. Simply by studying the Vedas, which are variegated, one cannot come to the right path, by which religious principles are understood. The solid truth of religious principles is hidden in the heart of an unadulterated self-realised person. Consequently, as the sastras confirm, one should accept whatever progressive path the mahajanas advocate."* 3 This is also confirmed by Prahlada Maharaja in the following words (Srimad Bhagavatam 7.5.30-32): "Because of their uncontrolled senses, persons too addicted to materialistic life make progress toward hellish conditions and repeatedly chew that which has already been chewed. Their inclinations toward Krsna are never aroused, either by the instructions of others, by their own efforts, or by a combination of both.* "Persons who are strongly entrapped by the consciousness of enjoying material life, and who have therefore accepted as their leader or guru a similar blind man attached to external sense objects, cannot understand that the goal of life is to return home, back to Godhead, and engage in the service of Lord Visnu. As blind men guided by another blind man miss the right path and fall into a ditch, materially attached men led by another materially attached man are bound by the ropes of fruitive labour, which are made of very strong cords, and they continue again and again in materialistic life, suffering the threefold miseries.* 4 "Unless they smear upon their bodies the dust of the lotus feet of a Vaisnava completely freed from material contamination, persons very much inclined toward materialistic life cannot be attached to the lotus feet of the Lord, who is glorified for His uncommon activities. Only by becoming Krsna conscious and taking shelter at the lotus feet of the Lord in this way can one be freed from material contamination."* 5 It is not possible to attain love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead by engaging in material activities that turn one away from Him. This is described in the Katha Upanisad (1.2.14): "The Supreme is beyond piety and impiety, beyond cause and effect, beyond what was and what will be." 6 In the Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad (4.4.22) it is said: "The brahmanas try to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead by studying the Vedas, performing yajnas, giving charity, fasting and performing austerities." In this way some of the activities pleasing to the Supreme Lord are described. 7 How does one attain love and devotion for the Supreme Lord? The primary cause of that devotion is the Lord's mercy. That mercy is the secondary cause as well. 8 The Lord gives His mercy to whomever He wishes. He does not give His mercy to they who are averse to Him and are therefore suffering the unbearable and endless torments of life in the material world. That He does not do. The touch of His mercy changes the heart of the suffering soul. His mercy brings eternal transcendental bliss and destroys sins. The Sruti-sastra declares that the Supreme Personality of Godhead and individual spirit soul are different. The Lord cannot be touched by the darkness of material illusion. Therefore the recipient of His mercy cannot be touched by material darkness. Such a person does not take birth again. The Lord has all powers. He can do what is impossible. He change anything into anything else. However, He does not give to they who are averse to Him freedom from the sufferings of material life. For such persons the mercy of the Lord's devotees is the only recourse. 9 The devotees of the Lord are not touched by the many sufferings of material life. They remain awake during the nightmare that is the material world. In this condition they feel compassion for the souls suffering in the material world. An example of this is Narada Muni's compassion on Nalakuvara and Manigriva. In this way the conditioned souls suffering in the material world attain the mercy of the Supreme Lord, then the conditioned souls become humble devotees of the Lord and in their hearts they think, "The Supreme Lord is my only shelter". An example of such a humble devotee is the elephant Gajendra. Examples of conditioned souls who have not become devotees can be found in the hellish worlds of Narakaloka. 10 Devotional service empowers millions of devotees with the Lord's mercy. In that way the Lord will manifest His mercy. This mercy is either the devotees' mercy or the mercy of association with the devotees. This mercy is not independent. It is actually the Lord's mercy. This is explained in the following words (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.2.31): 11 "O Lord, who resemble the shining sun, You are always ready to fulfil the desire of Your devotee, and therefore You are known as a desire tree (vancha-kalpataru). When acaryas completely take shelter under Your lotus feet in order to cross the fierce ocean of nescience, they leave behind on earth the method by which they cross, and because You are very merciful to Your other devotees, You accept this method to help them."* 12 This verse means, "O self-manifested Lord (dyuman), the boat (nauh) that is Your lotus feet (bhavat-padambhoruha), and which is the way to cross the ocean of nescience, is placed (nidhaya) on the shore of the ocean of nescience for the sake of the people." Here the Lord may ask, "Why do I not personally arrange for this boat? Why is the arrangement made by My devotees instead of by Me? Here the demigods reply, "You are merciful to Your devotees (sad-anugraho bhavan) and that is why You arrange that Your devotees distribute Your mercy to the others." Or, these words may also be interpreted to mean, "Your devotees are themselves Your mercy. They are the way You manifest Your mercy in the material world. They are the personifications of Your mercy. It is not otherwise." This is also described in the following words of the song sung by Lord Siva (Srimad Bhagavatam 4.24.58): 13 "My dear Lord, Your lotus feet are the cause of all auspicious things and the destroyer of all the contamination of sin. I therefore beg Your Lordship to bless me by the association of Your devotees, who are completely purified by worshipping Your lotus feet and who are so merciful upon the conditioned souls. I think that Your real benediction will be to allow me to associate with such devotees."* 14 This verse means, "O Lord, Your mercy is manifested through Your devotees. You do not directly give Your mercy to the impious conditioned souls who are averse to You. You arrange that Your devotees give Your mercy to them." 15 This is described in the following words of the Moksa-dharma: "When Lord Krsna glances at someone at the moment of his birth, that person should be understood to be very exalted. That person is meant for liberation." 16 This verse means that by associating with the Lord's devotees one becomes free from taking another birth in this material world. The verse quoted in the beginning of this anuccheda was spoken by the demigods to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Bhakti · Sanskrit §191 · English §181–182
Source[१९१] अथ टीका - पुनर् अष्टभिः श्लोकैर् अभ्यर्हितत्वाद् उत्तमस्यैव लक्षणान्य् आह गृहीत्वा इत्य् एषा । तथा हि - गृहीत्वापीन्द्रियैर् अर्थान् यो न द्वेष्टि न हृष्यति । विष्णोर् मायाम् इदं पश्यन् स वै भागवतोत्तमः ॥ [भ्प् ११.२.४८] पूर्वोक्त-प्रकारेण तदाविष्ट-चित्तो न गृह्णाति तावद्-इन्द्रियैर् अर्थान् गृहीत्वापीत्य् अपि-शब्दार्थः । इदं विश्वं मायां बहिरङ्ग-शक्ति-विलासत्वाद् धेयम् इत्य् अर्थः । अत्रापि कायिक-मानसयोः साङ्कर्यम् ।
[191] atha ṭīkā - punar aṣṭabhiḥ ślokair abhyarhitatvād uttamasyaiva lakṣaṇāny āha gṛhītvā ity eṣā | tathā hi - gṛhītvāpīndriyair arthān yo na dveṣṭi na hṛṣyati | viṣṇor māyām idaṃ paśyan sa vai bhāgavatottamaḥ || [BhP 11.2.48] pūrvokta-prakāreṇa tadāviṣṭa-citto na gṛhṇāti tāvad-indriyair arthān gṛhītvāpīty api-śabdārthaḥ | idaṃ viśvaṃ māyāṃ bahiraṅga-śakti-vilāsatvād dheyam ity arthaḥ | atrāpi kāyika-mānasayoḥ sāṅkaryam |
English translation
English witness · section(s) 181–182
Anuccheda 181
1 Now will be discussed the cause of attaining association with devotees. The great devotees are independent and act as they like. It is not otherwise. In Srimad Bhagavatam (11.2.24) it is said: "Once in Ajanabha (the former name of the earth), they came upon the sacrificial performance of the great soul Maharaja Nimi, which was being carried out under the direction of elevated sages."*** 2 In this verse "te" means "the Nava-yogendras", and "yadrcchaya" means "independently". "Independently" means "for no reason other than one's own wish". This is confirmed by the Amara-kosa Dictionary, which explains, "The word yadrccha means independence." The Supreme Lord acts to fulfil His devotees' desires. This is confirmed by the following words (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.14.2): "My dear Lord, neither I nor anyone else can estimate the potency of this transcendental body of Yours, which has shown such mercy to me and which appears just to fulfil the desires of Your pure devotees. Although my mind is completely withdrawn from material affairs, I cannot understand Your personal form. How, then, could I possibly understand the happiness You experience within Yourself?"*** The Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself declares (Srimad Bhagavatam 9.4.63): "I am completely under the control of My devotees. Indeed, I am not at all independent. Because My devotees are completely devoid of material desires, I sit only within the cores of their hearts. What to speak of My devotee, even those who are devotees of My devotee are very dear to Me."* The verse quoted in the beginning of this anuccheda was spoken by Sri Narada.
Anuccheda 182
1 The independence of the great devotees is also seen in the following verse (Srimad Bhagavatam 6.14.14): "Once upon a time, when the powerful sage named Angira was travelling all over the universe without engagement, by his sweet will he came to the palace of King Citraketu."* 2 Here the word "tasya" (of him) refers to King Citraketu. In this way he developed devotional sentiments toward the Lord. At a later time the Lord directly appeared before him. When Citraketu was lamenting Angira Muni told him (Srimad Bhagavatam 6.15.19): "My dear king, you are an advanced devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. To be absorbed in lamentation for the loss of something material is unsuitable for a person like you. Therefore we have both come to relieve you from this false lamentation."* The verse quoted in the beginning of this anuccheda was spoken by Srila Sukadeva Gosvami.
Bhakti · Sanskrit §192 · English §183
Source[१९२] अथ केवल-मानस-लिङ्गेनाह यावत् प्रकरणम् - देहेन्द्रिय-प्राण-मनो-धियां यो जन्माप्यय-क्षुद्-भय-तर्ष-कृच्छ्रैः । संसार-धर्मैर् अविमुह्यमानः स्मृत्या हरेर् भागवत-प्रधानः ॥ [भ्प् ११.२.४९] यो हरेः स्मृत्या देहादीनां संसार-धर्मैर् जन्माप्ययादिभिर् अविमुह्यमानो भवति स भागवत-प्रधानः उक्तं च श्री-गीतासु - येषां त्व् अन्त-गतं पापं जनानां पुण्य-कर्मणाम् । ते द्वन्द्व-मोह-निर्मुक्ता भजन्ते मां दृढ-व्रताः ॥ [गीता ७.२८]
[192] atha kevala-mānasa-liṅgenāha yāvat prakaraṇam - dehendriya-prāṇa-mano-dhiyāṃ yo janmāpyaya-kṣud-bhaya-tarṣa-kṛcchraiḥ | saṃsāra-dharmair avimuhyamānaḥ smṛtyā harer bhāgavata-pradhānaḥ || [BhP 11.2.49] yo hareḥ smṛtyā dehādīnāṃ saṃsāra-dharmair janmāpyayādibhir avimuhyamāno bhavati sa bhāgavata-pradhānaḥ uktaṃ ca śrī-gītāsu - yeṣāṃ tv anta-gataṃ pāpaṃ janānāṃ puṇya-karmaṇām | te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā bhajante māṃ dṛḍha-vratāḥ || [Gītā 7.28]
English translation
English witness · section(s) 183
Anuccheda 183
1 The devotees become compassionate when they see the unfortunate situation of the conditioned souls. This compassion has nothing to-do with whether the conditioned souls honour that devotee or not. An example of this is Narada Muni's compassion to Nalakuvara and Manigriva. The mercy of the devotees is also described in these words (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.2.6): 2 "Those who worship the demigods receive reciprocation from the demigods in a way just corresponding to the offering. The demigods are attendants of karma, like a person's shadow, but sadhus are actually merciful to the fallen."* 3 The meaning of this verse is clear. This verse was spoken by Srimad Vasudeva Maharaja.
Bhakti · Sanskrit §193 · English §184
Source[१९३] तथा - न काम-कर्म-बीजानां यस्य चेतसि सम्भवः । वासुदेवैक-निलयः स वै भागवतोत्तमः ॥ [भ्प् ११.२.५०] बीजानि वासनाः । वासुदेवम् अत्राश्रयः ।
[193] tathā - na kāma-karma-bījānāṃ yasya cetasi sambhavaḥ | vāsudevaika-nilayaḥ sa vai bhāgavatottamaḥ || [BhP 11.2.50] bījāni vāsanāḥ | vāsudevam atrāśrayaḥ |
English translation
English witness · section(s) 184
Anuccheda 184
1 Association with a great devotee is the best method of purification. Other methods of purification do not compare with it. This is explained in the following words (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.84.11): 2 "Mere bodies of water are not real sacred places of pilgrimage, nor are mere images of earth and stone the true worshipable Deities. These purify one only after a long time, but saintly sages purify one immediately upon being seen."*** 3 Why are the holy places and the Deities not honoured here? Because they are secondary sources of purification. Therefore the Lord says, "They purify only after a long time." This verse is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead to the assembled sages.
Bhakti · Sanskrit §194 · English §185
Source[१९४] तथा - न यस्य जन्म-कर्मभ्यां न वर्णाश्रम-जातिभिः । सज्जतेऽस्मिन्न् अहम्-भावो देहे वै स हरेः प्रियः ॥ [भ्प् ११.२.५१] जन्म सत्-कुलम् । कर्म तप-आदि । जातयः अनुलोमजा मूर्धाभिषिक्तादयः । एताभिर् यस्यास्मिन् देह अहम्भावो न सज्जते किन्तु भगवत्-सेवौपयिक- साध्य-देह एव सज्जत इत्य् अर्थः स हरेः प्रियो भागवतोत्तम इति पूर्वेणान्वयः । प्रकरणार्थत्वाद् धरेः प्रिय इति भागवत-मात्र-वाचि- भागवतत्वाद् एव ।
[194] tathā - na yasya janma-karmabhyāṃ na varṇāśrama-jātibhiḥ | sajjate'sminn aham-bhāvo dehe vai sa hareḥ priyaḥ || [BhP 11.2.51] janma sat-kulam | karma tapa-ādi | jātayaḥ anulomajā mūrdhābhiṣiktādayaḥ | etābhir yasyāsmin deha ahambhāvo na sajjate kintu bhagavat-sevaupayika- sādhya-deha eva sajjata ity arthaḥ sa hareḥ priyo bhāgavatottama iti pūrveṇānvayaḥ | prakaraṇārthatvād dhareḥ priya iti bhāgavata-mātra-vāci- bhāgavatatvād eva |
English translation
English witness · section(s) 185
Anuccheda 185
1 Association with the devotees is the cause of attaining devotion for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is described indirectly (vyatireka) in the following words (Srimad Bhagavatam 5.12.11-12): 2 "What, then, is the ultimate truth? The answer is that non dual knowledge is the ultimate truth. It is devoid of the contamination of material qualities. It gives us liberation. It is the one without a second, all-pervading and beyond imagination. The first realisation of that knowledge is Brahman. Then Paramatma, the Supersoul is realised by the yogis who try to see Him without grievance. This is the second stage of realisation. Finally, full realisation of the same supreme knowledge in the Supreme Person. All learned scholars describe the Supreme Person as Vasudeva, the cause of Brahman, Paramatma and others.* 3 "My dear King Rahugana, unless one has the opportunity to smear his entire body with the dust of the lotus feet of great devotees, one cannot realise the Absolute Truth. One cannot realise the Absolute Truth simply by observing celibacy (brahmacarya), strictly following the rules and regulations of householder life, leaving home as a vanaprastha, accepting sannyasa, or undergoing severe penances in winter by keeping oneself submerged in water or surrounding oneself in summer by fire and the scorching heat of the sun. There are many other processes to understand the Absolute Truth, but the Absolute Truth is only revealed to one who has attained the mercy of a great devotee."* 4 Srila Sridhara Svami comments: "What is the truth? The answer is that non dual knowledge (jnanam) is the ultimate truth (satyam). Here ordinary material activities are rejected and the ultimate goal of life (paramartham) is described. Here six words are used to describe the Supreme Truth. He is: 1. devoid of the contamination of material qualities (visuddham), 2. one without a second (ekam), 3. all-pervading, or He who has neither inside nor outside (anantaram abahih), 4. the perfect and complete Supreme Brahman (brahma), 5. within everything, or the form of what is perceived (pratyak), and 6. peaceful because He is free from material transformation (prasantam). In these words the ultimate truth (jnanam satyam) is described. "What is the nature of the ultimate truth? Because He has six opulences, beginning with all wealth, He is called Bhagavan (Bhagavan-chabdah samjna). All learned sages describe (vadanti) the (yac ca) ultimate truth as Vasudeva (vasudevam). "It is not possible to attain this ultimate truth without first serving the great devotees. This is described in the next verse, which begins with the words, "My dear King Rahugana". One cannot attain (na yati) this ultimate truth (jnanam) by austerities (tapasa), by Vedic karmas (ijyaya), by becoming a sannyasi who begs for food (nirvapanat), by studying the Vedic literature (chandasa), by becoming a householder who helps others (grhad va), or by performing austerities in the water or the fire (jalagni)." 5 In these words the idea that the individual spirit soul is identical with the Supreme is clearly refuted. These verses were spoken by a brahmana to King Rahugana.
Bhakti · Sanskrit §195 · English §186
Source[१९५] तथा - न यस्य स्वः पर इति वित्तेष्व् आत्मनि वा भिदा । सर्व-भूत-समः शान्तः स वै भागवतोत्तमः ॥ [भ्प् ११.२.५२] वित्तेषु ममतास्पद-मात्रेषु स्वीयं परकीयम् इति आत्मनि स्वः पर इति । अत्र वित्तवद् आत्मनि च स्व-पक्षपात-मात्रं निषिध्यते न व्यक्ति-भेदः । तथोक्तं स्कान्दे मार्कण्डेय-भगीरथ-संवादे - पर-दुःखेनात्म-दुःखं मन्यन्ते ये नृपोत्तम । भगवद्-धर्म-निरतास् ते नरा वैष्णवोत्तमाः ॥
[195] tathā - na yasya svaḥ para iti vitteṣv ātmani vā bhidā | sarva-bhūta-samaḥ śāntaḥ sa vai bhāgavatottamaḥ || [BhP 11.2.52] vitteṣu mamatāspada-mātreṣu svīyaṃ parakīyam iti ātmani svaḥ para iti | atra vittavad ātmani ca sva-pakṣapāta-mātraṃ niṣidhyate na vyakti-bhedaḥ | tathoktaṃ skānde mārkaṇḍeya-bhagīratha-saṃvāde - para-duḥkhenātma-duḥkhaṃ manyante ye nṛpottama | bhagavad-dharma-niratās te narā vaiṣṇavottamāḥ ||
English translation
English witness · section(s) 186
Anuccheda 186
1 By honouring the Lord one is able to associate with His devotees. The devotees are interested in serving the Supreme Lord. They are not interested in performing Vedic rituals and duties. That would not be appropriate for them. By associating with devotees who are like this one attains devotion to the Supreme Lord. The transcendentalists may be divided into two groups, as described in the following one and a half verses (Srimad Bhagavatam 5.5.2-3): 2 "One can attain the path of liberation from material bondage only by rendering service to highly advanced spiritual personalities. These personalities are impersonalists and devotees. Whether one wants to merge into the Lord's existence or wants to associate with the Personality of Godhead, one should render service to the mahatmas. For those who are not interested in such activities, who associate with people fond of women and sex, the path to hell is wide open. The mahatmas are equipoised. They do not see any difference between one living entity and another. They are very peaceful and are fully engaged in devotional service. They are devoid of anger, and they work for the benefit of everyone. They do not behave in any abominable way. Such people are known as mahatmas."* 3 "Those who are interested in reviving Krsna consciousness and increasing their love of Godhead do not like to do anything that is not related to Krsna. They are not interested in mingling with people who are busy maintaining their bodies, eating, sleeping, mating and defending. They are not attached to their homes, although they may be householders. Nor are they attached to wives, children, friends or wealth. At the same time, they are not indifferent to the execution of their duties. Such people are interested in collecting only enough money to keep the body and soul together."* 4 Here the phrase "mahantas te sama-cittah" refers to the impersonalists, who have faith in the qualityless Brahman. Their various qualities are described in the passage beginning with the word "prasanta". A different group of transcendentalists is described in the passage beginning with the words "ye va". The word "va" (or) introduces the second group. This second group to the first group, the Lord says the transcendentalists in this second group, "have love (krtam sauhrdam) for Me (mayi). That love is the great goal (artha) of their lives. Therefore they are great souls (mahantah). Because they have made love for Me the great goal of their lives (mayi sauhrdarthah) they are not (na) interested (priti-yuktah) in mingling with people (janesu) who are busy maintaining their bodies (deha-bhara-vartikesu). They are not attached (na priti-yuktah) to their homes (gehesu), although they may be householders. Nor are they attached to wives and children, (jayatmaja). They are interested in these only so far (yavad-arthah) and they are necessary or favourable for devotional service to the Supreme Lord. In the same way they collect money only as much as is useful for the Lord's service. In this way there are two kinds of transcendentalists: the impersonalists and the devotees. They are not at all the same. The devotees are described in the following words of Srimad Bhagavatam (6.14.5): "O great sage, among many millions who are liberated and perfect in knowledge of liberation, one may be a devotee of Lord Narayana, or Krsna. Such devotees, who are fully peaceful are extremely rare."* By following the path of impersonalism one realises the impersonal Brahman, and by following the path of devotional service one attains love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. However, because the impersonalists and devotees do share some qualities, they are both referred to by the word "mahatma" in this verse. These verses were spoken by Sri Rsabhadeva to His sons.
Bhakti · Sanskrit §196 · English §187
Source[१९६] किं च - त्रि-भुवन-विभव-हेतवेऽप्य् अकुण्ठ- स्मृतिर् अजितात्म-सुरादिभिर् विमृग्यात् । न चलति भगवत्-पदारविन्दाल् लव-निमिषार्धम् अपि यः स वैष्णवाग्र्यः ॥ [भ्प् ११.२.५३] अचलेन हेतुस् त्रिभुवनेति । तत्र हेतुर् अजिते हराव् एव आत्मा येषां तैर् ब्रह्मेश-प्रभृतिभिः सुरादिभिर् अपि विमृग्याद् दुर्लभाद् इत्य् अर्थः । (पगे ९८)
[196] kiṃ ca - tri-bhuvana-vibhava-hetave'py akuṇṭha- smṛtir ajitātma-surādibhir vimṛgyāt | na calati bhagavat-padāravindāl lava-nimiṣārdham api yaḥ sa vaiṣṇavāgryaḥ || [BhP 11.2.53] acalena hetus tribhuvaneti | tatra hetur ajite harāv eva ātmā yeṣāṃ tair brahmeśa-prabhṛtibhiḥ surādibhir api vimṛgyād durlabhād ity arthaḥ | (page 98)
English translation
English witness · section(s) 187
Anuccheda 187
1 Now we will consider the natures of the two classes of transcendentalists described before. The impersonalists are described in the following words (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.13.36): "Just as a drunken man does not notice if he is wearing his coat or shirt, similarly, one who is perfect in self-realisation and who has thus achieved his eternal identity does not notice whether the temporary body is sitting or standing. Indeed, if by God's will the body is finished or if by God's will he obtains a new body, the self-realised souls does not take notice, just as a drunken man does not notice the situation of his outward dress."*** 2 The devotees of the Lord are of three kinds: 1. They who have attained the forms of eternal associates of the Lord, 2. they who have shaken away all material attachments, and 3. they who are still bewildered by material attachments. Sri Narada and others are examples of the first kind of devotee, Sri Sukadeva and others are examples of the second kind of devotees, and Sri Narada in his previous birth, as well as other devotees are examples of third kind of devotee. 3 The first kind of devotee is described in Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.6.28) where Sri Narada explains: "Having been awarded a transcendental body befitting an associate of the Personality of Godhead, I quit the body made of five material elements, and thus all acquired fruitive results of work (karma) stopped."* 4 The second kind of devotee is described in the following words (Srimad Bhagavatam 12.12.68): "I offer my respectful obeisances unto Srila Sukadeva Gosvami, the son of Vyasadeva. He is the destroyer of all sinful reactions and is full in self realisation and bliss. Because of this, he has no other desire. Still, he was attracted by the transcendental pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and out of compassion for the people he described the transcendental historical literature called Srimad Bhagavatam. This is compared to the light of the Absolute Truth."* 5 The third kind of devotee is described in these words of Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.6.21), where the Supreme Personality of Godhead tells Sri Narada in his previous birth: "O Narada, I regret that during this lifetime you will not be able to see Me anymore. Those who are incomplete in service and who are not completely free from all material taints can hardly see Me."* 6 Even in his previous birth when he was still bewildered by material attachments, Sri Narada still felt love for the Lord. Narada personally described this in the following words (Srimad Bhagavatam 1.6.17): 7 "O Vyasadeva, at that time being exceedingly overpowered by feelings of happiness, every part of my body became separately enlivened. Being absorbed in an ocean of ecstasy, I could not see both myself and the Lord."* 8 King Bharata may also be mentioned as an example here. Although he wished to renounce the world, because of his past karmic reactions material desires remained concealed in his heart. Now love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead will be described. Love for the Lord is divided into three kinds, according to the three kinds of devotees already described, each kind of love more intense than the previous kind. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the object of worship and the master of His parts and parcels, is different from the individual spirit soul, who is the worshipper and who is part and parcel of the Lord. The budding sprout of love the individual souls feel for the Supreme Lord may also be considered according to the different rasa, beginning with servitorship and friendship. We will describe this in the Priti-sandarbha. To directly see the Lord is the great goal of life. However, if it is not possible to see the Lord unless one attains love for Him. The more one loves the Lord the more one became advanced in spiritual life. Without pure love for the Lord, one will not directly see Him. Without love for the Lord, one becomes like a person stricken with jaundice, a person whose tongue cannot taste the sweetness of sugar-candy. 9 This is described by Sri Rsabhadeva in the following words (Srimad Bhagavatam 5.5.6): "When the living entity is covered by the mode of ignorance, he does not understand the individual living being and the supreme living being, and his mind is subjugated to fruitive activity. Therefore, until one has love for Lord Vasudeva, who is none other than Myself, he is certainly not delivered from having to accept a material body again and again."* 10 From this it is seen that the different grades of devotees are determined by the different levels of love they feel for the Supreme Lord. This is described in Srimad Bhagavatam 5.5.3.. When one has great love for the Lord, one becomes free from material desires and the Lord directly appears before him. When one has only a small amount of love for the Lord, these benefits are obtained in a lesser degree. This is also described in Srimad Bhagavatam 5.5.3. In the condition of lesser love one does not attain the body of a personal associate of the Lord. In the same way also one does not attain renunciation or become pure at heart. This will be further discussed in another passage. 11 King Nimi asked the following question (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.2.44): "Now please tell me in greater detail about the devotees of the Supreme Lord. What are the natural symptoms by which I can distinguish between the most advanced devotees, those on the middle level and those who are neophytes? What are the typical religious activities of a Vaisnava, and how does he speak? Specifically, please describe those symptoms and characteristics by which Vaisnavas become dear to the Supreme Personality of Godhead."*** 12 This verse begins, "Now (atha) please tell (bruta) about the devotees of the Lord (bhagavatam)." This question is asked in order to attain knowledge of the devotees of the Lord. He says, "Please tell about the nature (yad-dharmah) of the devotees among human beings (nrnam). Please tell (bruta) how (yatha) a devotee behaves (acarati). Please tell (bruta) how a devotee speaks (yad brute). In this way he asks questions about the signs manifested from a devotee's body, mind and words. Here someone may ask: Were not these symptoms already described by Sri Kavi in the following words (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.2.39)?: "An intelligent person who has controlled his mind and conquered fear should give up all attachment to material objects such as wife, family and nation and should wander freely without embarrassment, hearing and chanting the holy names of the Lord, the bearer of the chariot wheel. The holy names of Krsna are all-auspicious because they describe His transcendental birth and activities, which He performs within this world for the salvation of the conditioned souls. Thus the holy names of the Lord are sung throughout the world."*** To this question the following reply is given: That is true. Still, those symptoms of the devotees who are dear to the Lord are described again in this verse also (yair lingair bhagavat-priyah). In this verse the actual question asked is: "Please tell (bruta) the symptoms of the devotees according to their levels of advancement, that is according to the devotees' status as uttama (advanced), madhyama (intermediate) or kanistha (neophyte) devotees." That is the meaning here.
Bhakti · Sanskrit §197 · English §188–189
Source[१९७] अपि च विषयाभिसन्धिना चलनं कामेनातिसन्तापे सति भवेत् । स तु भगवत्-सेवा-निर्वृतौ न सम्भवतीत्य् आह - भगवत उरु-विक्रमाङ्घ्रि-शाखा- नख-मणि-चन्द्रिकया निरस्त-तापे । हृदि कथम् उपसीदतां पुनः स प्रभवति चन्द्र इवोदितेऽर्क-तापः ॥ [भ्प् ११.२.५४] उरु-विक्रमौ च ताव् अङ्घ्री । तयोः शाखा अङ्ग लयः । चन्द्रिका ताप-हारिणी दीप्तिः । तापः कामादि-सन्तापः ।
[197] api ca viṣayābhisandhinā calanaṃ kāmenātisantāpe sati bhavet | sa tu bhagavat-sevā-nirvṛtau na sambhavatīty āha - bhagavata uru-vikramāṅghri-śākhā- nakha-maṇi-candrikayā nirasta-tāpe | hṛdi katham upasīdatāṃ punaḥ sa prabhavati candra ivodite'rka-tāpaḥ || [BhP 11.2.54] uru-vikramau ca tāv aṅghrī | tayoḥ śākhā aṅga layaḥ | candrikā tāpa-hāriṇī dīptiḥ | tāpaḥ kāmādi-santāpaḥ |
English translation
English witness · section(s) 188–189
Anuccheda 188
1 Sri Havi gave the following reply to that question (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.2.45): "A person advanced in devotional service sees within everything the soul of all souls, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna. Consequently he always sees the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the causes of all causes and understands that all things are situated in Him."* 2 By describing the symptoms of the devotees' heart and mind, how the devotees sees others, this verse describes the nature of a great devotee of the Lord. 3 The symptoms of a great devotee of the Lord are also described in the following words (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.2.40): "When a person is actually advanced and takes pleasure in chanting the holy name of the Lord, who is very dear to him, he is agitated and loudly chants the holy name. He also laughs, cries, becomes agitated, and chants just like a madman, not caring for outsiders."* In these words of Sri Kavi Muni explains that an advanced devotee becomes overwhelmed with love for the Lord. In that condition the devotee's heart melts with love and he manifests various ecstatic symptoms such as laughing and crying. 4 The nature of an advanced devotee is also described in these words (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.2.41): "A devotee should not see anything as being separate from the Supreme Lord, Krsna. Ether, fire, air, water, earth, the sun and other luminaries, all living beings, the directions, trees and other plants, the rivers and oceans, whatever a devotee experiences he should consider to be an expansion of Krsna. Thus seeing everything that exists within creation as the body of the Supreme Lord, Hari, the devotee should offer his sincere respects to the entire expansion of the Lord's body."* 5 This kind of devotee sees that all conscious and unconscious living entities (sarva-bhutesu) are expansions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead (atmano bhagavad-bhavam). This devotee sees (pasyati) all living entities (bhutani) as present in the Supreme Lord's heart (atmani). In the sameway the Lord is also present in the living entities. A person who sees in this way is the best of devotees (bhagavatottamah). 6 The nature of the advanced devotees of the Lord is also described by the goddess of Vraja in the following words (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.35.9): "Krsna moves about the forest in the company of His friends, who vividly chant the glories of His magnificent deeds. He thus appears just like the Supreme Personality of Godhead exhibiting His inexhaustible opulences. When the cows wander onto the mountains sides and Krsna calls out to them with the sound of His flute, the trees and creepers in the forest respond by becoming so luxuriant with fruits and flowers that they seem to be manifesting Lord Visnu within their hearts. As their branches bend low with the weight, the filaments on their trunks and vines stand erect out of the ecstasy of love of God, and both the trees and the creepers pour down a rain of sweet sap. Maddened by the divine, honeylike aroma of the tulasi flowers on the garland Krsna wears, swarms of bees sin loudly for Him and the most beautiful of all persons thankfully acknowledges and acclaims their song by taking His flute to His lips and playing it. The charming flute son then steals away the minds of the cranes, swans and other lake-dwelling birds. Indeed, they approach Krsna, close their eyes and, maintaining strict silence, worship Him by fixing their consciousness upon Him in deep meditation."*** 7 This verse means that this kind of devotees sees love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead (bhagavati) as being present in the hearts of all conscious and unconscious living entities. The remainder of this verse is like the previous quote. Thus aware that all living entities are devotees of the Lord, such an advanced devotee bows down to offer respect to them all. This was also described Srimad Bhagavatam 11.2.41. That is the meaning here. 8 The goddess of Vraja also say (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.21.15): "When the rivers hear the flute-song of Krsna, their minds begin to desire Him and thus the flow of their currents is broken and their waters are agitated, moving around in whirlpools. Then with the arms of their waves the rivers embrace Murari's lotus feet and, holding on to them, present offerings of lotus flowers."*** 9 The Lord's queens speak the following words (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.90.15): "Kurari, you are lamenting. The inscrutable Supreme Lord is now asleep in the world's night but you are wide awake, finding it impossible to fall asleep. Is it that, like us, you have had your heart pierced to the core by the lotus eye lord's munificent, smiling pastime glances?"*** 10 What is described here is not the world-view of the impersonalist. Because it ultimately denies the existence of both the Lord and the devotees, the devotees of the Lord consider the impersonalists; idea that the individual spirit souls are identical with the Supreme Personality of Godhead a grave error and a great offense. 11 In Srimad Bhagavatam (3.29.12) it is said: "The manifestation of unadulterated devotional service is exhibited when one's mind is at once attracted to hearing the transcendental name and qualities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is residing in everyone's heart. Just as the water of the Ganges flows naturally down towards the ocean, such devotional ecstasy, uninterrupted by any material condition, flows toward the Supreme Lord."* These words describe the advanced devotees of the Lord. They do not describe the impersonalists, who think the Supreme has no form. 12 In Srimad Bhagavatam (11.2.55) it is said: "The Supreme Personality of Godhead is so kind to the conditioned souls that if they call upon Him by speaking His holy name, even unintentionally or unwillingly, the Lord is inclined to destroy innumerable sinful reactions in their hearts. Therefore, when a devotee who has taken shelter of the Lord's lotus feet chants the holy name of Krsna with genuine love, the Supreme Personality of Godhead can never give up the heart of such a devotee. One who has thus captured the Supreme Lord within his heart is to be known as bhagavata-pradhana, the most exalted devotee of the Lord."*** This verse must describe the advanced devotees of the Lord for any other interpretation would contradict the description here of their most exalted qualities.
Anuccheda 189
1 The intermediate devotee is described by the symptoms of his mind and heart. He is described in the following words (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.2.46): "An intermediate, second class devotee shows love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is friendly to all devotees, and is very merciful to neophytes and ignorant people. The intermediate devotee neglects those who are envious of devotional service."* 2 This verse means that the intermediate devotee gives his love (prema) to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, makes friendship (maitrim) with the other devotees (tad-adhinesu), and shows mercy (krpam) to the people who are innocent and ignorant (balisesu) of devotional service. 3 The intermediate stage of devotional service is shown in the following statement of Sri Prahlada (Srimad Bhagavatam 7.9.43): "O best of the great personalities, I am not at all afraid of material existence, for wherever I stay I am fully absorbed in thoughts of Your glories and activities. My concern is only for the fools and rascals who are making elaborate plans for material happiness and maintaining their families, societies and countries. I am simply concerned with love for them."* 4 The meaning here is that the intermediate devotee is not agitated at heart for the condition of they who hate the Lord and His devotees. This means that the devotee is neutral and aloof from such persons. However, the devotee does feel compassion for the people in general, who are childlike and foolish. However, Prahlada did feel compassion for Hiranyakasipu. This means that the devotee may feel compassion in his heart even for they who hate the Lord and His devotees. Therefore of course he also feels compassion for the innocent and childish people in general. Because he feels pure love for the Lord, the devotee also loves every other being. This is not like the intermediate devotee described in the previous quote (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.2.46): 5 By seeing a great devotee of the Lord one attains the same bliss as if he had seen the Lord Himself. Therefore, making friendship with the Lord's devotees is very important. It is not to be abandoned, even for the most advanced devotee. However, it is inevitable that the most advanced devotee does feel love for every living being. 6 The most advanced devotees are described in the following words (Srimad Bhagavatam 4.24.57): "If one by chance associates with a devotee, even for a fraction of a moment, he no longer is subject to attraction by the results of karma or jnana. What interest then can he have in the benedictions of the demigods, who are subject to the laws of birth and death?"* 7 The most advanced devotees are also described in the song sung by Lord Siva (Srimad Bhagavatam 4.24.30) where Lord Siva tells the Pracetas: "You are all devotees of the Lord, and as such I appreciate that you are as respectable as the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. I know in this way that the devotees also respect me and that I am dear to them. Thus no one can be as dear to the devotees as I am."* 8 Srila Suta Gosvami also describes the most advanced devotees in these words (Srimad Bhagavatam 1.7.11): "Srila Sukadeva Gosvami, son of Srila Vyasadeva, was not only transcendentally powerful. He was also very dear to the devotees of the Lord. Thus he underwent the study of this great narration (Srimad Bhagavatam)."* 9 An example of the demons, who hate Vyasadeva and the other devotees is seen in the following words (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.1.35): "Kamsa was a condemned personality in the Bhoja dynasty because he is envious and sinful. Therefore, upon hearing this omen from the sky, he caught hold of his sister's hair with his left hand and took up his sword with his right hand to sever her head from her body."* 10 Even the intermediate devotees love the demons. However the advanced devotees do not decline to preach to the demons the glories of the Supreme Lord. That is the specific quality of the advanced devotees. It is with this aim in view that Uddhava and other devotees offered obeisances to Duryodhana and other demons. 11 Lord Siva further describes the advanced devotees in these words (Srimad Bhagavatam 4.3.23): "I am always engaged in offering obeisances to Lord Vasudeva in pure Krsna consciousness. Krsna consciousness is always pure consciousness, in which the Supreme Personality of Godhead, known as Vasudeva is revealed without any covering."* 12 Another example of this is found in the description of Laksmana's kidnapping (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.68.17) where Uddhava's showing respect to Duryodhana is mentioned in these words: "After he had offered proper respects to the son of Ambika (Dhrtarastra) and to Bhisma, Drona, Bahlika, and Duryodhana, Uddhava informed them that Lord Balarama had arrived." 13 This may be also considered in a different way. An advanced devotee considers all living entities to be pure devotees. He even considers pure devotees the demons who hate the Lord and His devotees. There is nothing improper in this. The great devotees who with millions of their life-breaths worship even a single particle of dust from the Lord's lotus feet become very unhappy with the idea that anyone could act badly. The consider that the demons are devotees, just as they are devotees. The think: "Ah! How is it possible to have a heart that does not love the Lord and His devotees? How it is possible that someone could not love the Supreme Lord and His devotees, who are the causes of all bliss, the abodes of limitless love, the purifiers of all the worlds, decorated with the jewels of the six great virtues, and always working for the welfare of all living beings?" How one could hate the Lord and His devotees is beyond the power of their intelligence to understand. Therefore they see all living beings from Brahma down to the unmoving plants, as pure devotees, filled with love for the Lord. 14 That the advanced devotees cannot imagine any living beings not being a pure devotee of the Lord is seen in the following words of Srila Sukadeva Gosvami (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.2.1-2): "Eager to engage in the worship of Lord Krsna, O best of the Kurus, Narada Muni stayed for some time in Dvaraka, which was always protected by the arms of Govinda.*** 15 "My dear King, in the material world the conditioned souls are confronted by death at every step of life. Therefore, who among the conditioned souls would not render service to the lotus feet of Lord Mukunda, who is worshipable even for the greatest of liberated souls?"***
Srila Jiva Gosvami's Sri Bhakti-sandardha An Essay on Devotional Service Volume Six
Table of Contents
The Neophyte Devotees, Anuccheda 190 page 2 The Most Advanced Devotees, Anucchedas 191-199 page 2 The Intermediate Devotees, Anuccheda 200 page 8 The Devotees Lord the Lord, Anuccheda 201 page 10 The Devotees, Devotional Service, and the Spiritual Master, Anucchedas 202-203 page 12 The Lord is the Supreme Controller, Anuccheda 204 page 15 Taking Shelter of the Lord, Anuccheda 205 page 17 The Spiritual Master, Anucchedas 206-209 page 17