keSAMcit kvacid angAnAM yat kSudraM shrutate phalaM |
bahir-mukha-pravrittyaitat kintu mukhyaM phalaM ratiH || 245 ||
In some places, the practices of SAdhana were said to bestow lesser fruits. They do bestow these to persons with external interests who desire to accumulate, but the direct fruit of these practices is love.
sammataM bhakti-vijñAnAM bhakty angatvaM na karmaNAm || 246 ||
Those who are wise and have deep knowledge of Bhakti do not accept practices of Karma to be practices of SAdhana Bhakti.
Rupa Goswami has completed his description of 64 practices of sAdhana-bhakti. Now he will describe other practices that are not included on the list of such practices. He begins by noting that religious and secular activities aiming at a material fruit are not parts of sAdhana-bhakti.
One may ask, “Offering one’s own Karmic duties was counted as a practice of servitude (dAsyam-karmArpanam). If practices of Karma are not practices of Bhakti, how can this be?”
The answer lies in the definition of Karma and Bhakti. What
makes the two paths different? In Karma the motivation of action is one’s own
enjoyment or purification. In Bhakti the motivation is Krishna’s enjoyment.
When one performs one’s daily karmic duties with the aim to please Krishna in
the mood of servitude, one is engaged in Bhakti, specifically, in karmArpanam-dAsyam
sAdhana-bhakti. The same activities performed for one’s own enjoyment or
purification are practices of Karma, and are not a part of sAdhana-bhakti.
yatha caikAdashe
tAvat karmANi kurvIta na nirvidyeta yAvatA |
mat-kathA-shravaNAdau vA shraddhA yAvan na jAyate || 247 ||
BhAgavatam [11.20.9]: “One should practice Karma as long as one hasn’t developed distaste for such things, or faith in things like hearing about me.”
Practices of karma are appropriate for persons attracted to material things, but are not appropriate for persons attracted to God. As such, they are not included among the practices of sAdhana-bhakti
jñAna vairAgyayor-bhakti-praveshAyopayogitA |
ISat prathamam eveti nAngatvam ucitaM tayoH || 248 ||
Knowledge and detachment have some initial utility in the beginning of Bhakti, but they certainly cannot be said to be practices of SAdhana Bhakti.
Having established that practices of Karma are not practices of Bhakti, Rupa Goswami now begins to state that practices of JñAna – of which knowledge and detachment are foremost – are likewise not practices of Bhakti.
Why are knowledge and detachment useful in the beginning of Bhakti?
Knowledge, i.e. understanding the self to be distinct from the external world and intrinsically related to God, may help interest one in cultivating a loving relationship with God. This is especially true when that knowledge is augmented by detachment, i.e. aversion to exploiting the external world for personal gain.
If knowledge and detachment are beneficial in the beginning of Bhakti, why not count them as practices of SAdhana?
In one sense, Rupa Goswami does include knowledge and detachment as a preliminary practice of SAdhana. The fifth practice incorporates the essence of JñAna - to inquire about the nature of the soul (sad-dharma-pricchA). The sixth and seventh practices incorporate the essence of detachment - to renounce enjoyments for Krishna’s sake (bhogAdi-tyAgAH kriSNasya hetave), and to accept one’s daily needs in moderation (vyAvahAreSu sarveSu yAvad arthAnuvartitA).
However, there is a reason why Rupa Goswami does not explicitly include knowledge and detachment and their subcomponents as parts of SAdhana. The next shloka explains.
yad-ubhe citta-kAThinya-hetu prAyaH satAM mate |
sukumAra-svabhAveyaM bhaktis tad-hetur IritA || 249 ||
These two usually cause a hard heart, whereas Bhakti usually results from a very soft, gentle disposition of the heart. That is the saint’s opinion.
Knowledge that one is not intrinsically related to this world, and detachment from the objects of this world generally causes the heart to become “hard” – callous, stoic and immovable. Since this is diametrically opposed to Bhakti, which springs from a soft and emotional heart, knowledge and detachment can actually be detrimental to the awakening of BhAva Bhakti, and are therefore not practices of SAdhana.
To say that Bhakti results from a very soft, gentle disposition does not transgress the principle that Bhakti is self-causing, because a “soft, gentle disposition of the heart” indicates that the heart is lovingly inclined and not callous towards the beloved.
yathA tatraiva
tasmAn mad-bhakti-yuktasya yogino vai mad-AtmanaH |
na jñAnaM na ca vairAgyaM prAyaH shreyo bhaved iha || 250 ||
BhAgavatam [11.20.31]: “Certainly knowledge and detachment are not usually beneficial to a yogi endowed with love for me and absorbed in me.”
kintu jñAna-virakty Adi-sAdhyaM bhaktyaiva sidhyati || 251 ||
But whatever is gained by knowledge and detachment is certainly perfected by Bhakti.
yathA tatraiva
yat karmabhir yat tapasA jñAna-vairAgya tash ca yat |
yogena dAna dharmeNa shreyobhir itarair api || 252 ||
sarvaM mad-bhakti-yogena mad-bhakto labhate ‘njasA |
svargApavargaM mad-dhAma kathañcid yadi vAñchati || 253 ||
BhAgavatam [11.20.32-33]: “That which comes from karma, from austerity, from knowledge and detachment, from yoga, from charity, from religion, and from other auspicious means, my devotee easily obtains all these from my loving service. Even if he or she somehow desires heaven, liberation, or my abode, he or she gets it.”
This reference substantiates that the fruits of knowledge and detachment come automatically from Bhakti. As such there is no need to specifically practice cultivation of knowledge and detachment.
rucim udva hatas tatra janasya bhajane hareH |
viSayeSu gariSTho ‘pi rAgaH prAyo vilIyate || 254 ||
A person’s attachment to objects, however deep they may be, is usually destroyed when he or she develops taste for worshipping Hari.
When one attains taste for Hari-bhajan, one loses taste for worldly things. Since detachment thus comes naturally in the course of developing love for Krishna, there is no need to endeavor to separately for it. Such endeavors are therefore not practices of SAdhana.
Why does Rupa Goswami say, “usually destroyed?”
Though Ruci dissolves almost all worldly attachments, some will remain. The next stage, Asakti, will dissolve those. The proceeding stage, BhAva, will totally eliminate whatever attachments still remain.
If detachment usually causes the heart to harden, and is therefore not beneficial for Bhakti, why does Bhakti produce detachment as a byproduct? Is that not self-defeating?
Sri Rupa addresses this in the next two shlokas.
anAsaktasya viSayAn yathArham upayuñjataH |
nirbandhaH kriSNa-sambandhe yuktaM-vairAgyam ucyate || 255 ||
“Worthy detachment” is to be without attachment for things yet to utilize those that are worthy in relation to Krishna.
Here Rupa Goswami defines detachment that is worthy of Bhakti – “yukta-vairAgya.“ In the next shloka he will define detachment that is worthless for Bhakti – “phalgu-vairAgya. Worthy Detachment is so named because it does not cause the heart to harden and become unfit for Bhakti.
The first aspect of Worthy Detachment is that one has no addiction to enjoying the objects of the senses (“anAsaktasya viSayAn”).
The next aspect is that without personal attachment to the sense objects (“nirbandha,” “anAsaktasya”), one selects those objects that are worthy and utilizes them (“yatha-arhan-upajuñjitaH”). “Worthy” objects are those that are not objectionable to Krishna (“nirbandha”) and that are related to Krishna (“kriSNa-saMbandhe”). Such objects are thus conducive to being “utilized” for either the expression or cultivation of love for Krishna.
Thus, the detachment that arises naturally from Bhakti involves utilizing objects without personal attachment, for the sake of expressing or cultivating love for Krishna.
prApañcikatayA buddhyA hari-sambandhi-vastunaH |
mumukSubhiH parityAgo vairAgyam phalgu kathyate || 256 ||
“Unworthy detachment” is when one in search of liberation totally renounces objects related to Hari, considering them to be material.
Bhagavad Gita 18.7-8 describes Unworthy Detachment as renunciation in the mode of ignorance and passion, while 18.9 describes Worthy Detachment as renunciation in the mode of goodness.
proktena lakSaNenaiva bhaktir adhikritasya ca |
angatve suniraste ‘pi nityAdy akhila-karmaNAM || 257 ||
jnAna syAd hy Atmikas yApi vairagyasya ca phalgunaH |
spaSTat-ArthaM punar api tad evedaM nirAkritaM || 258 ||
It has already been said in the initial definition of Bhakti that all practices of Karma, etc. are not a part of Uttama Bhakti. Just to make it very clear, I have once again stated that knowledge of the self and Unworthy Detachment are not parts of Uttama Bhakti.
Rupa Goswami already stated that JñAna, Karma and similar pursuits do not occlude the pursuit of Bhakti – JñAna-karmAdy anAvrittaM. The current section is restating the same point, just to make it doubly clear. Texts 246-247 stated that practices of Karma are not practices of Bhakti. Texts 248-256 stated that practices of JñAna are not practices of Bhakti. Texts 259-263 will state that similar practice (“Adi”) are also not practices of Bhakti.
dhana-shiSyAdibhir-dvArair yA bhaktir-upapAdyate |
vidurtvAd uttama tAhAn yA tasyAsh ca nAngatA || 259 ||
Bhakti done through agents like wealth and students has the defect of being too removed and is therefore not a part of SAdhana Bhakti.
Worshipping Krishna by means of one’s wealth, students, employees, family members, etc is certainly auspicious, but is not a very effective means of manifesting BhAva Bhakti as there is too much distance between oneself and Krishna. Therefore such worship is not included as a practice of SAdhana.
visheSaNa tvam evaiSAM saMshrayanty adhikAriNAM |
vivekAdIn yato ‘mishAm api nAngatvam ucyate || 260 ||
The ability of the intelligence to distinguish things like spirit and matter is special because all spiritualists resort to it. But it is still not a counted as a part of SAdhana Bhakti.
Self-realization is attained by accurately distinguishing the self from the non-self. Self-realization is certainly a part of every spiritual path, including SAdhana Bhakti. SAdhana Bhakti automatically destroys self-ignorance with self-knowledge (see 1.1.26). Thus, self-realization is byproduct of SAdhana Bhakti, and there is no need to separately practice or cultivate it.
kriSNanmukhaM svayaM yAnti tamAH shaucAdayas tathA |
ity eSAñca na yuktA syAd bhakty angAntara-pAtitA || 261 ||
Qualities like self-control and cleanliness naturally develop in those who turn towards Krishna, but still, they are not worthy to be included as practices of SAdhana Bhakti.
Since these qualities develop automatically by SAdhana Bhakti (as previously established in 1.1.29) there is no need to separately practice or cultivate them.
yathA skAnde
ete na hy adbhutA vyAdha tavAhiMsAdayo guNAH |
hari-bhaktau pravrittA ye na te syuH paratApinaH || 262 ||
Skanda PurANa: “O Hunter, it is not astonishing that you have good qualities like non-violence, for those who cultivate Hari-bhakti never cause others to suffer.”
Here is an example of how good qualities develop naturally in the course of cultivating Hari-bhakti, even without being separately cultivated.
tatraiva
antaH-shuddhir bahiH-shuddhis tapaH shAnty adayas tathA |
amI guNAH prapadyante hari-sevAbhikAminam || 263 ||
In conclusion: All good qualities like external purity, internal purity, austerity and peacefulness fall at the feet of one who desires to serve Hari.
Vishvanatha Chakravarti notes that if a person devoted to Hari does not posses all of these qualities it does not mean that he or she is not truly devoted to Hari. It simply means that his or her devotion has not yet fully developed.
sA bhaktir eka-mukhy ANgAshritAnaikAngi kAtha vA |
svavAsanAnusAreNa niSThAtaH siddhi-krid bhavet || 264 ||
This SAdhana Bhakti can involve one of the main practices, or many of them. Perfection will manifest if one steadily cultivates the practice one is naturally inclined to.
Each individual has unique inclinations. Some are more inclined to hearing, some to glorifying, some to remembering, some to praying, some to worshipping, etc. One can focus on the type of practice one is inclined to, even at the expense of the other practices. In any case, all the nine practices of SAdhana are interconnected, so practicing any one of them steadily will automatically involve the others.
If one is inclined to all nine types of practice, one may also focus equally on all nine. Both singular focus (“ekAnga”) and plural focus (“anekAnga”) will bear the perfection: BhAva Bhakti.
tatra ekAngA
yathA granthAntare
shrI viSNoH shravaNe parIkSida bhavad vaiyAsakiH kIrtane
prahlAdaH smaraNe tad-anghri bhajane lakSmIH prithuH pUjane |
akrUras tv abhivandane kapi-patir dAsye ‘tha sakhya ‘rjunaH
sarvasvAtma-nivedane balir abhUt kriSNAptir eSAM parA || 265 ||
In another scripture:
By hearing about Vishnu, ParIkSit attained love for Krishna.
By glorifying Vishnu, VaiyAsaki attained love for Krishna.
By remembering Vishnu, PrahlAda attained love for Krishna.
By serving Vishnu’s feet, LakSmI attained love for Krishna.
By worshipping Vishnu, Prithu attained love for Krishna.
By praying to Vishnu, AkrUra attained love for Krishna.
By serving Vishnu, the Monkey King attained love for Krishna.
By friendship with Vishnu, Arjuna attained love for Krishna.
By offering himself entirely to Vishnu, Bali attained love for Krishna.
Vaiyasaki is SHukadeva Goswami. The Monkey King is HanumAn.
anekAngA
yathA navame
sa vai manaH kriSNa-padAravindayor vacAMsi vaikuNTha-guNAnuvarNane |
karau harer-mandira-mArjanAdiSu shrutiM cakArAcyuta-sat-kathodaye || 266 ||
mukunda-lingAlaya darshane drishau tad-bhritya-gAtra-sparshe ‘nga-sangamaM |
ghrANaM ca tat-pAda-saroja-saurabhe shrImat-tulasyA rasanAM tad-arpite || 267
||
pAdau hareH kSetra-padAnusarpaNe shiro hriSIkesha-padAbhivandane |
kAmaM ca dAsye na tu kAma-kAmyayA yathottamaHshloka-janAshraya ratiH || 268 ||
SHrImad BhAgavatam [9.4.18-20]:
His mind on Krishna’s lotus-feet
His words glorifying the Lord of VaikuNTha’s qualities
His hands in cleaning Hari’s home
His ears engaged in discussions of Acyuta
His eyes in seeing the form of MukuNDa in the temple
His body in touching and embracing MukuNDa’s servants
His nose in the fragrant lotus flowers of MukuNDa’s feet
His tongue in tasting the TulasI offered to MukuNDa
His feet in walking to places associated with Hari
…all with a desire for service, not self-indulgence…
He thus developed love for the shelter of all, who is praised in the topmost
poetry.
The person being described here is AmbarISa MahArAja.
shAstroktayA prabalayA tat-tan-maryAda yAnvitA |
vaidhi bhaktir iyaM kaishcan maryAdA-mArga ucyate || 269 ||
Some call Vaidhi-bhakti “the predefined path,” since it is very strongly guided by the governance and directions of the scripture.
A group of Vaishnavas known as Vallabhites use the term MaryAda-MArga, “the predefined path,” for Vaidhi-bhakti. The term maryAda means, “that which clearly defines a boundary or limit.”