Madhurya Kadambini Adp

MĀDHURYA KĀDAMBINĪ
By ŚRĪ VIŚVANĀTHA CAKRAVARTĪPĀDA
Commentaries by Śrī Rādhākuṇḍa's Mahānta Paṇḍita Śrī Ananta Dās Bābājī Mahārāja are published from:
Shri Krishna Chaitanya Shastra Mandir, Vrajananda Ghera, 281504 Radhakunda, District Mathura, UP., INDIA
Translated by Advaitadās
First Shower of Nectar
VERSE 1:
hṛd-vapre nava-bhakti-śasya-vitateḥ sañjīvanī svāgamā-

rambhe kāma-taparttu-dāha-damanī viśvāpagollāsinī
dūrān me maru-śākhino ’pi sarasī-bhāvāya bhūyāt prabhu-
śrī-caitanya-kṛpā-niraṅkuśa-mahā-mādhurya-kādambinī
TRANSLATION: The causeless and completely independent mercy of Śrī Caitanya

Mahāprabhu is like a cloud bank of exquisitely sweet nectar that infuses life in the grains of
ninefold bhakti in the devotee’s heart; that from the very beginning of its appearance
extinguishes the scorching summer heat of material desires and gives joy to the universal
river of living beings. May those nectar clouds, even from afar, refresh me, a dried-up tree in
the desert.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation: The most respected Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava ācārya Śrīla Viśvanātha
Cakravartīpāda has expertly analyzed the various stages in practicing bhakti in this book
Mādhurya Kādambinī. In Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī mentions the stages
through which the devotees engaged in sādhana-bhakti will gradually pass to finally attain the
kingdom of prema:
ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgo ’tha bhajana-kriyā

tato ’nartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt-tato niṣṭhā rucis-tataḥ
athāsaktis tato bhāvas tatah premābhyudañcati
sādhakānām ayaṁ premnaḥ prādurbhāve bhavet kramaḥ
“First one attains śraddhā, or firm faith, in the śāstras and teachings of sādhus, then one
gradually passes through the stages of sādhu-saṅga (association of pure devotees), bhajana-
kriyā (practice of bhakti), anartha-nivṛtti (cessation of unwanted elements unfavourable to the
practice of bhakti), niṣṭhā (steadiness), ruci (taste), āsakti (attachment to the Lord), bhāva
(permanent attachment to the Lord), and finally prema (divine love). In this way, prema
gradually manifests in the devotee’s heart.” (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.4.15-16) In this book
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī describes these stages from śraddhā to prema in an easily
understandable manner. He also vividly describes the removal of unwanted elements
(aparādha, anartha, and others) that create obstacles in the gradual development of sādhana-
bhakti. For a devotee sincerely practicing sādhana-bhakti, this book will take him by the hand
and definitely lead him to the kingdom of prema-bhakti. As a thermometer shows the body
Çréla Viçvanätha Cakravartépäda 2
temperature, similarly by thoroughly studying this book, a practicing devotee can easily realize
the level at which he is practicing bhakti. Gradually giving up all anarthas, he can step up
through the higher stages of bhakti. Therefore each sādhaka who wants to attain prema has
the singular duty to study this book to the utmost.
Śrīla Cakravartipāda has named this book Mādhurya Kādambinī, “The Bank of Nectar-
showering Clouds.” Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī writes in Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi (11.19), mādhuryaṁ nāma
ceṣṭānāṁ sarvāvasthāsu cārutā: "The eternal beauty or charm of all the activities and gestures
of the Lord is known as mādhurya." bhagavāṅs tāvad asādhāraṇa svarūpaiśvarya mādhuryas
tattva viśeṣaḥ. tatra svarūpaṁ paramānanda aiśvaryam asamordhvatayā sarva manoharaṁ
svābhāvika rūpa guṇa līlādi sauṣṭhavam (Laghu-toṣaṇī commentary of the Bhāgavata
(10.12.11): "The Absolute Truth having uncommon form (svarūpa), majesty (aiśvarya), and
sweetness (mādhurya) is Bhagavān. Parabrahma is personified (svarūpa) supreme bliss, or
paramānanda, His incomparable, infinite, spontaneous supremacy is His aiśvarya and the
superexcellent nature of His all-enchanting form, pastimes, qualities, and so forth is mādhurya.
mādhurya bhagavattā sāra: “Mādhurya is the quintessence or very life of the Supreme
Absolute Truth.” (Cai-caritāmṛta, Madhya 21.110)
Though all forms of the Supreme Lord are non-different, still the son of Nanda Mahārāja,
Vrajendra-nandana in human-like form, is personified mādhurya, gūḍhaṁ paraṁ brahma
manuṣya-liṅgam. (Ś.B. 7.10.48) The Śruti says, raso vai saḥ: “Bhagavān Himself is personified
rasa or transcendental mellow.” Though the svarūpa of Bhagavān is nectarean (rasamaya), the
rasas differ in different avatāras. There is no other form of Godhead except Vrajendra-nandana
Śrī Kṛṣṇa that displays all rasas at once. Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the personification of all rasas in full, or
akhila-rasāmṛta-mūrti. All the qualities that support or nourish all kinds of rasas are naturally
present within Him. The great sages call all these qualities mādhurya. Though Śrī Kṛṣṇa is an
infinite ocean of form, qualities, and pastimes full of infinite sweetness, the Gosvāmīs have
divided that ocean into four component parts: līlā-mādhurya, sweetness of pastimes, prema-
mādhurya, sweetness of love, veṇu-mādhurya, sweetness of the flute and rūpa-mādhurya,
sweetness of form. These four kinds of sweetness manifest only in Vraja: caturdhā mādhurīs
tasya vraja eva virājate. (Laghu-bhāgavatāmṛta) This book, therefore, is like a bank of clouds
whose falling showers consist of the unique sweetness of Vraja. By thoroughly studying this
book, the sādhaka can undoubtedly become completely showered by the sweet nectar of Vraja.
The reality (tattva) of mādhurya is very difficult to understand and obtain. There is no
way to attain the fortune to relish this sweetness unless one gets the mercy of a devotee who
already relishes this sweetness. In this special age of Kali Vrajendranandana Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself
has manifested in the form of Śrī Gaurāṅga accepting the mood (bhāva) and splendor (kānti) of
Śrī Rādhā. He accepted this form to fulfill His three desires which remained unfulfilled in His
Vraja-līlā: kaichana rādhā prema, kaichana (mora) madhurimā, kaichana bhāve tiho bhora, “To
relish the prema of Śrī Rādhā, to relish the wonderful sweetness that Rādhā relishes in Him, to
relish the bliss that Rādhā attains by realizing His sweetness.” Kṛṣṇa Himself relished the
sweetness of Vraja in His Gaurāṅga form while at the same time plunging all the living beings
of the universe into streams of nectar. In the beginning of this book while glorifying
Mahāprabhu in its auspicious invocation (maṅgalācaraṇa), the author describes His mercy as
niraṅkuśa-mahā-mādhurya-kādambinī. The bank of clouds in the rainy season, spreading all
over the sky, floods the whole universe with heavy rainfall. Similarly, the completely
independent and causeless mercy of Mahāprabhu bestows divine love on the whole world
without any discrimination between the deserving and the undeserving. Śrīla Prabodhānanda
Sarasvatī, the dear associate of Mahāprabhu, writes in Śrī Caitanya-candrāmṛtam (112):
3 Mädhurya Kädambiné
pātrāpātra vicāraṇāṁ na kurute na svaṁ-paraṁ vikṣyate

deyādeya vimarśako na hi na vā kāla pratīkṣaḥ prabhuḥ
sadyo yaḥ śravanekṣaṇa-praṇamana-dhyānādinā durlabhaṁ
datte bhakti-rasaṁ sa eva bhagavān gauraḥ paraṁ me gatiḥ
"The most powerful and magnanimous Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu very quickly and easily
bestowed the mellow of divine love which is very difficult to obtain by such practices as śravaṇa
(hearing), kīrtana (chanting), praṇāma (obeisances), and dhyāna (meditation). He did not
differentiate between who was deserving and who was not, friend or foe, proper or improper
time and did not stop to consider whether or not to give this prema. May such a Supreme Lord,
Śrī Gaurasundara, be my ultimate and only shelter."
As constant rains lead to flooding, so the most merciful Mahāprabhu has flooded the
whole universe with His extremely uncontrollable and causeless cloudbank of exquisitely sweet
nectar. This is written in Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Ādi 7.25-28):
uthaliyā prema-bonyā caudike beḍāya; strī, vṛddha, bālaka, yuvā, sabāre ḍubāya
sajjana, durjana, paṅgu, jaḍa, andha-gaṇa; prema bonyāya ḍubāila jagatera jana
jagat ḍubila, jīvera haila bīja nāśa; tāhā dekhi’ pāñca janera parama ullāsa
yata yata prema-vṛṣṭi kare pañca-jana; tata tata bāḍhe jala, vyāpe tri-bhuvana
“The rising flood of divine love expanded in all directions, drowning everyone, men and
women, young and old, gentle and wicked, the lame, dull-minded, and blind. Mahāprabhu,
Nityānanda Prabhu, Advaita, Gadādhara, and Śrīvāsa felt overjoyed at seeing the entire world
submerged in divine love which destroyed the seed of ignorance in all living beings. The more
the five members of the Pañca-tattva showered divine love, the more the flood swelled,
expanding throughout the universe."
Thus when Mahāprabhu appeared, He pleased the entire world by giving vraja-prema
even to those without the qualifications of sādhana simply because of His causeless mercy. But
now, after His disappearance from this world, the attainment of such love once again depends
on the efforts of sādhana-bhakti. Still, Mahāprabhu’s cloudbank of mercy nourishes the
devotional life of the devotee, soon yielding the fruit of prema-bhakti. Describing the influence
of this cloudbank of mercy, the author says, hṛd-vapre nava-bhakti-śasya-vitateḥ sañjīvanī: "It
infuses life in the grains of ninefold bhakti within the field of the heart.”
The heart is the most appropriate place or receptacle for the manifestation of bhakti.
Śabdasāra says, yato-nirjyāti viṣayo yasminścaiva pralīyate hṛdayaṁ tad-vijānīyāt-manasa
sthitikāraṇam: "The heart is the place where all desires appear and all desires merge. The heart
is the cause of the mind's disposition.” Another name for the heart is citta. Though it is material
in its nature, by the will of the Lord, it becomes worthy for the manifestation of transcendental
pure devotion. It is thus compared to a fertile field for sprouting the grains of bhakti. As a desert
or barren land full of stones is not suitable for cultivation, so the intellect, very rough due to
mental speculations, is not at all suitable for the manifestation of bhakti. Through intelligence
one can attain material knowledge, but spiritual knowledge needs to be approached through
the heart. An unintelligent boy may have deep faith in bhakti due to his previous birth's
saṁskāra (impression of previous activities on the mind), while a very intelligent person may
be an atheist. So the heart is most receptive for the manifestation of bhakti, not the mind or
intellect. Gradually the mind and intellect of the devotee are spiritualised, as a piece of iron is
turned into gold by the touch of a touchstone. This is the deeper meaning of the word hṛd
vapra.
nava-bhakti here refers to ninefold bhakti, śravaṇa, kīrtana, and so on as delineated in

the Bhāgavata (7.5.23): śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam. arcanaṁ
vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ sakhyam ātma-nivedanam "Hearing, chanting, and remembering Śrī Viṣṇu's
names, form and pastimes, serving His lotus feet, worshipping, offering prayers, engaging
oneself as His servant, serving Him in fraternal mood, and complete self-surrender to His lotus
feet are the ninefold processes of bhakti." There are many parts of sādhana-bhakti, but these
ninefold practices are the best paths to attain prema-bhakti. Mahāprabhu Himself said:
bhajanera madhye śreṣṭha nava-vidhā bhakti; kṛṣṇa-prema, kṛṣṇa dite dhare mahā-śakti
tāra madhye sarva-śreṣṭha nāma-saṅkīrtana; niraparādhe nāma laile pāya prema-dhana
"Among all parts of devotion, ninefold bhakti is the best, because it has great potency
to give one Kṛṣṇa and kṛṣṇa-prema. Among the ninefold processes of bhakti, nāma-saṅkīrtana
is supreme. By chanting the holy name without offense one can easily attain the treasure of
divine love." (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya 4.70-71)
Being nourished by heavy showers from the clouds, the crops very soon bear fruits. So
too, the streams of saṅkīrtana-nectar showering from Mahāprabhu’s cloud bank of compassion
inundate the crop of ninefold bhakti in the heart of the devotee, quickly bringing the fruit of
kṛṣṇa-prema. In this age of Kali, the father of saṅkīrtana, Śrīman Mahāprabhu, gave the ability
to attain the fruit of prema through nāma-saṅkīrtana, the yuga-dharma, or religion of this age.
Only through nāma-saṅkīrtana does nine-fold bhakti attains its perfection. In this age of Kali
without nāma-saṅkīrtana none of the other devotional processes can lead to perfection and
give the fruit of prema. This is understood from Mahāprabhu’s own words, nava-vidhā bhakti
pūrṇa nāma-hoite hoy: "The nine fold bhakti reaches perfection through nāma-saṅkīrtana."
(Caitanya-caritāmṛta 2.15.108) Even the other parts of devotion cannot be awakened without
nāma-saṅkīrtana. In the explanation of the first śloka of Śikṣāṣṭaka, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ,
Mahāprabhu says:
saṅkīrṭana haite pāpa-saṁsāra-nāśana; citta-śuddhi sarva-bhakti-sādhana-udgama

kṛṣṇa-premodgama premāmṛta-āsvādana; kṛṣṇa-prāpti sevāmīta-samudre majjana
"nāma-saṅkīrtana destroys all sins and frees one from material bondage. The heart
becomes purified and all processes of sādhana-bhakti awaken within the heart. Gradually
attaining kṛṣṇa-prema, one relishes transcendental mellows. Finally attaining Kṛṣṇa Himself,
one is immersed in the nectar-ocean of His service." (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya 20.13-14)
Mahāprabhu Himself relished the extremely charming sweet nectar of nāma-saṅkīrtana with
His associates to establish the ideal practice of ninefold bhakti for the people of Kali-yuga. This
was never revealed anywhere before His appearance. The author has named Mahāprabhu’s
mercy that infuses life in the crop of ninefold bhakti, mahā-mādhurya kādambinī.
Nourished by the mercy of Mahāprabhu, Rūpa Gosvāmī in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu
explained the ninefold processes of bhakti in sixty-four parts, in a way that is easily
understandable by the devotees. By Śrīman Mahāprabhu's grace, Jīva Gosvāmī expertly
analyzed the various ideas of ninefold bhakti. Both in Bhakti-sandarbha and the elaborate
Krama-sandarbha commentary of the Bhāgavata text 7.5.23, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ, he
explains the various secrets of the performance of sādhana-bhakti by which a sincere sādhaka
can quickly attain prema-bhakti. In this way he has immensely benefited the sincere devotees.
A devotee desiring to quickly attain prema must carefully study these commentaries by Jīva
Gosvāmī as these are also wonderful nectar-showers from the cloud bank of Mahāprabhu’s
mercy.
If the cloud bank of Mahāprabhu’s mercy showers within the heart of a fortunate
devotee practicing pure devotion, then the grains of ninefold bhakti are nourished, quickly
ripening into the fruit of prema. But, one may ask, how can one attain such fortune in Kali-yuga,
where the living entities are totally ignorant, their hearts bound by material desires? In reply
the author describes another influence of the cloudbank of Mahāprabhu’s mercy,
svāgamārambhe kāma-taparttu-dāha-damanī. On the appearance of fresh rain clouds in the
sky, cool breezes blow even before the showers begin. These breezes relieve the scorching heat
of the summer season, cooling and soothing the distressed people both externally and
internally. Similarly Mahāprabhu’s cloudbank of mercy relieves the threefold material miseries
that burn crores of times more than the scorching summer heat from the very beginning, even
before showers. Cooling all living entities both externally and internally, His mercy drives away
all material desires from the heart, even the desire for liberation (mukti). Only desire for Śrī
Kṛṣṇa-bhajana fills their hearts. Śrīla Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī therefore writes:
na yogo na dhyānaṁ na ca japa-tapas-tyāga-niyamā

na vedā nācāraḥ kva nu bata niṣiddhādyuparatiḥ
akasmāc-caitanye’vatarati dayā sāra hṛdaye
pumarthānāṁ mauliṁ param iha mudāluṇṭhati janaḥ
"Those who have never practiced yoga, meditation, chanting, penance, renunciation,
regulative principles, Vedic study, nor followed scriptures, yes even those who have not
refrained from sinful activities, are blissfully relishing prema, the crest-jewel of all human
attainments, due to the sudden appearance of Śrīman Mahāprabhu, the embodiment of
boundless condensed compassion." (Caitanya-candrāmṛta 6)
Now the author describes another influence of Mahāprabhu’s mercy, viśvāpagollāsini.
Swollen with heavy rains, the rivers overflow their banks, roaring swiftly to the ocean. So too,
rivers swollen with the nectarean showers of Mahāprabhu’s mercy and overflowing both banks
with the bliss of roaring nāma-saṅkīrtana sweep away the hearts of all living entities to the
ocean of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Śrīman Mahāprabhu Himself declared, pṛthivīte joto āche deśa grāma;
sarvatra sañcāra hoibe more nāma (Caitanya-bhāgavata) "All the towns and villages of the
earth will resound with My name." Any intelligent person can easily see that Mahāprabhu’s
prediction has been fulfilled. Now throughout the world even animal-like materialists,
drunkards, meat-eaters, and atheists are being swept away by the roaring river of nāma-
saṅkīrtana of Mahāprabhu.
Finally the respected author is praying for Mahāprabhu’s mercy, dūrān me maru-
śākhino’pi sarasi-bhāvāya bhūyāt: "May that causeless and completely independent mercy of
Mahāprabhu’s cloudbank of exquisitely sweet nectar, even from far off, refresh my heart that
is like a dried-up tree in the desert." The clouds of the rainy season come very close to the earth
profusely showering rain, but they do not shower rain in the desert. Rather only from afar do
they sprinkle a little water on the desert. The respected author in his great humility is
considering himself as a dried-up tree in the desert, far away from the cloudbank of
Mahāprabhu’s mercy. He is therefore praying, "May the extremely powerful mercy of
Mahāprabhu refresh my dry, desert-tree like heart with the sweet nectar of Śrī Kṛṣṇa bhakti-
rasa." Śrī Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Mahāśaya is fully blessed with Mahāprabhu’s mercy
and glorified by the whole world. His extraordinary humility is the specific quality of the
devotees of Mahāprabhu. Though highly exalted, they consider themselves as the most fallen.
Śrīpāda Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī writes:
tṛnād api sunīcatā sahaja-saumya mugdhā-kṛtiḥ
sudhā-madhura-bhāṣitā viṣaya-gandha thuthūt-kṛtiḥ
hari-praṇaya vihvalā kim api dhīranālambitā
bhavanti kila sad-guṇā jagati gaura-bhājām-amī
"More humble than the blade of a grass, naturally pleasant and charming, honey-
tongued like nectar, spitting at the smell of sense objects without relation to Mahāprabhu,
overwhelmed by gaura-prema, and completely aloof from worldly attachments, in this world
all these good qualities belong only to the devotees of Mahāprabhu." (Caitanya-Candrāmṛta)
VERSE 2:
bhaktiḥ pūrvaiḥ śrītā tāntu rasam paśyed yad-ātta-dhiḥ

taṁ naumī satataṁ rūpa-nāma-priya-janaṁ hareḥ
TRANSLATION: Though previous mahājanas had taken shelter of Bhakti-devī, now by

the mercy of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, fortunate persons attain the intelligence to realize bhakti
in its rasa form. I constantly pay my obeisances unto Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī, who is very dear to
Hari.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation: The Vedas describe different methods for living beings to
remove misery and attain bliss. These include the paths of karma (fruitive activities), jñāna
(intellectual realisation), yoga, bhakti (devotion) and so forth. The Vedic scriptures on
philosophy are also composed with the purpose of destroying the misery of the conditioned
souls and giving them joy. Although different philosophical scriptures have given the
conditioned souls different instructions for the destruction of their misery and the
accomplishment of their happiness, the purpose is one and the same: the authors wanted to
lift them out of material existence and place them in the kingdom of perpetual bliss. The wise
know that the living entity, though constitutionally an eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, is suffering due
to illusion in the various miserable species of life. It is impossible, however, for the tiny jīva-
śakti by his own efforts to remove this miserable condition and attain eternal bliss; this can only
be achieved by rendering unalloyed devotional service in complete surrender unto the lotus
feet of the Supreme Lord. The hearts of materialists, polluted with fruitive desires, can be
purified, thus bringing them to the kingdom of true peace. Pondering this one can glimpse how
very difficult it is for the insignificant living beings to purify their own hearts merely by the
strength of their personal sādhana. But those who surrender unto the lotus feet of the Supreme
Lord can very easily attain the pure state of heart by the mercy of His eternal potency (cit-śakti).
They then become fortunate enough to relish the sweetness of prema and the Lord. This is why
the wise saints of yore took shelter of devotion.
Śrī Śuka Muni says in the Bhāgavata (1.6.35): yamādibhiḥ yoga-pathaiḥ kāma-lobha
hato muhuḥ mukunda sevayā yadvat tathātmāddhā na śāmyati "By restraining the senses in
the mystic yoga-system, lust and material desires cannot be as completely purified from the
heart as can be done by the service of Mukunda." Only bhakti can fully deliver all auspiciousness
to the living entities. It is also stated in the Bhāgavata (2.2.34): bhagavān brahma kārtsnyena
trir anvīkṣya manīṣayā adhyavasyat kuṭastho ratir ātman yato bhavet "After thoroughly
analyzing the Vedas thrice, Brahmā concluded that bhakti is the ultimate object of the Vedas."
Exalted mahājanas have since asserted that bhakti is the topmost religion, topmost yoga, and
topmost auspiciousness. Another distinct feature of bhakti is that it is a universal path of
practice. Any person, at any place and in any circumstance can perform Hari-bhajana. Bhakti
brings supreme auspiciousness for all, whether they are sinful, following Vedic principles
(sadācārī), intelligent, ignorant, renounced, materially attached, desirous of liberation
(mumukṣu), liberated (mukta), not perfect in devotion, perfect in devotion (siddha), recent or
eternal associate of the Lord (pārṣada). There is no difficulty in following the universal path of
devotion. Everyone should thus accept it without hesitation.
The author is saying that previous mahājanas like Śrī Vyāsa, Śukadeva, Nārada,
Uddhava, Yāmunācārya, Śrīnātha Muni, Godā, and others followed the path of pure devotion.
By their ideal example and powerful preaching they spread the glories of bhakti throughout the
world. But now by the mercy of Śrīmat Rūpa Gosvāmīpāda, the people of the world are gaining
the intelligence to realize bhakti in its rasa form. I constantly pay my obeisances to Rūpa
Gosvāmī, who is supremely dear to Śrī Hari.
Rūpa Gosvāmī is the eternal associate of Śrī Hari in Vraja-līlā known as Śrī Rūpa-mañjarī,
the leader of all maidservants (mañjarīs) of Rādhārāṇī. In gaura-līlā he descended as
Mahāprabhu’s instrument for preaching the supreme nectar of vraja-bhakti filled with an
amorous mood. Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Madhya 19.1) says:
vṛndāvanīyāṁ rasa-keli-vārtāṁ kālena luptaṁ nija-śaktim utkaḥ

sañcārya rūpe vyatanot punaḥ sa prabhur vidhau prāg iva loka-sṛṣṭiṁ
“In the beginning of the creation, the Lord enlightened Brahmā by bestowing on him
the power of creation. So too, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was anxious to revive the sweet
Vīndāvana pastimes full of rasa that were almost lost in the course of time. He thus enlightened
the heart of Rūpa Gosvāmī to again spread the mellow of the Vṛndāvana pastimes." This means
that Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself manifests only once in a day of Brahmā at the end of the Dvāpara-yuga
of the twenty-eighth catur-yuga during the seventh manvantara. In the Kali-yuga immediately
following the Dvāpara-yuga when Kṛṣṇa appeared, Kṛṣṇa Himself again appears in golden form
accepting the mood and splendour of Śrī Rādhā to relish the sweet divine love of Rādhā and
preach vraja-prema. That vraja-prema propagated in the Gaura-līlā of the previous day of
Brahmā was almost lost in the long course of Brahmā’s full day and night of eight thousand
divya-yugas. No other avatāra and no other ācārya propagates the most secret vraja-prema
except Śrī Gaurāṅga-deva. Being very anxious to preach and bestow the secret mellow of Vraja
pastimes, He enlightened the heart of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī: śrī-rūpa-hṛdaye prabhu śakti
sañcārilā; sarva-tattva-nirūpaṇe pravīṇa karilā (C.C. Madhya 19.117) "Mahāprabhu
enlightened the heart of Rūpa Gosvāmī, making him expert in properly defining all truths
(tattva)."
By constantly practicing pure transcendental devotion that yields prema, all unwanted
elements like offenses are driven out from the devotee's heart. Gradually he attains the states
of niṣṭhā, ruci, āsakti, bhāva, and finally prema. In bhakti-rasa, when attachment to Kṛṣṇa
becomes permanent, it is known as sthāyi-bhāva. sthāyi-bhāva combines with ingredients such
as vibhāva (causes that make one relish rati, or permanent attachment) and anubhāva
(symptoms expressing the sentiments of the heart and appearing as bodily transformations) to
attain the astonishing and relishable form of rasa. In the very beginning of Bhakti-rasāmṛta-
sindhu, Rūpa Gosvāmī reveals all the characteristics of pure devotion as described in the śruti,
smīti, and Purāṇas. These characteristics are universally present in vaidhī-bhakti (devotion
governed by scriptural regulations), rāga-bhakti, (spontaneous devotion), sādhana-bhakti, and
prema-bhakti. To understand the essence of the characteristics of pure devotion described by
Śrīmat Rūpa Gosvāmī, one must first know their explanations in the śrutis and smṛtis.
What is bhakti? In reply Gopāla-tāpanī śruti (1.15) says, bhaktir asya bhajanaṁ tad
ihāmutropādhi-nairāsyenāmusmin manaḥ-kalpanam etad eva hi naiṣkarmyam: “Exclusive
absorption of the mind and all the senses in the unmotivated service of the Lord, without any
desire for enjoyment either in this world or the other, is known as bhajana or naiṣkarmya."
Bhajana is mentioned here as naiṣkarmya because when one begins pure devotion, all the fruits
of previous activities (prārabdha, etc.) are destroyed, the mind is freed from the effects of the
three guṇas of māyā and one becomes absorbed in relishing the mellow of the Lord’s service.
The verb bhaj means to serve, bhaj ityeṣa vai dhātuḥ sevāyāṁ parikīrtitaḥ. (Garuḍa
Purāṇa) Similarly in Nārada-pañcarātra the characteristic of bhakti is described as follows:
sarvopādhi vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam
hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate.
“Bhakti means engaging all the senses in the service of the Lord, the master of all senses,
only for His pleasure. The devotee practicing such unalloyed devotion is completely freed from
the desire for sense gratification in this world or the next.” Considering the above two
quotations of śruti and smṛti, Śrīmat Rūpa Gosvāmī writes:
anyābhilāṣitā śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam

ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā.
“uttamā-bhakti, or supreme devotion, means to engage oneself in the favourable

service of the Lord. This bhakti is completely free from all material desires and is without any
touch of jñāna and karma." (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.11) The essence of the commentaries
on the above śloka by Jīva Gosvāmī and Viśvanātha Cakravartī is as follows: The natural
characteristic (svarūpa-lakṣaṇa) of pure devotion is to absorb oneself in the favourable service
of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. This practice, or anuśīlana, has two divisions. The first is pravṛtti-mūlaka, to engage
one’s body, words and mind in the favourable service of the Lord with love. That means serving
Kṛṣṇa with the body, glorifying His names, attributes and pastimes with the voice, engaging the
mind in thinking of His form, attributes and pastimes and always keeping a loving attitude
towards Him within the heart. The second is nivṛtti-mūlaka, to avoid the sevā-, nāma-, and
vaiṣṇava-aparādhas. Whatever vocal, physical and mental activities are pleasing to Śrī Kṛṣṇa is
called bhakti. Generally bhakti is of two different types, nirupādhika and sopādhika. There are
two types of upādhis (designations) in bhakti: One is called anyābhilāṣa (other desires) and the
other anya miśraṇa (other mixtures). If the aforementioned practice is devoid of ulterior
motives like sense enjoyment or liberation and other mixtures like jñāna and karma, and
consists only of sheer absorption in hearing, chanting, and other services, it is called śuddha
bhakti. It is known by different names such as uttamā (first class), nirguṇā (free from the
influences of the three guṇas of māyā), kevalā (meant only for the pleasure of Kṛṣṇa), ananyā
(having no motive other than devotion), akiñcanā (no desire other then to serve Kṛṣṇa), and
svarūpa-siddha (perfect by its own nature).
The adjective ānukūlya modifies the word anuśīlana, or practice, to specifically define
the natural characteristic of bhakti. Simply engaging one’s senses in the Lord may not lead to
pure devotion. Such engagement should definitely be favourable to the Lord and the devotee
should not have a hostile mood, like Kaṁsa, Śiśupāla, Jarāsandha and other demons. This
cannot be accepted as bhakti. If the word anukūla is defined only in relation to Kṛṣṇa’s taste,
irrespective of the favourable or hostile mood of a devotee, then two defects arise in the
definition of bhakti: ativyāpti, surpassing the natural characteristic and avyāpti, not at all
touching the natural characteristic. For instance, Śrī Kṛṣṇa relishes the striking of weapons by
the enemies in yuddha-, or vīra-rasa (chivalry). If this is accepted as bhakti, the defect of
ativyāpti will arise since their mood is completely hostile to the Lord. On the other hand, to stop
the milk from boiling over, mother Yaśodā left aside baby Kṛṣṇa. Although this was not
according to Kṛṣṇa’s taste, mother Yaśodā’s intention was not hostile, so it is seen as bhakti.
By Śrīman Mahāprabhu's mercy, Śrīmat Rūpa Gosvāmīpāda has, in his book Bhakti
Rasāmṛta Sindhu, very systematically analyzed the characteristics of pure devotion, its qualities,
the details of all parts of devotion, the characteristics of vaidhī- and rāga-bhakti, the
qualification for their performance, the characteristics of bhāva-bhakti and prema-bhakti, their
effects, the transformation of sthāyi-bhāva into rasa form by the combination of vibhāva,
anubhāva, sāttvika, and vyabhicārī bhāvas, qualification for relishing rasa, the practice of rasa,
the analytical description of five main rasas—śānta, dāsya, sakhya, vātsalya, and madhura, their
realization, and so on. Full of nectar, this book is a guide for practicing pure devotion. If a
devotee regulates his devotional life according to this book's prescriptions, without doubt he
can easily enter the kingdom of the honey-sweet Vṛndāvana pastimes. How the supermost
spiritual energy of devotion enters into the devotee's consciousness, then gradually develops
and culminates is elaborated upon in this highly astonishing systematic scripture. Śrī Rūpa
Gosvāmī’s expertise in classifying the various subject matters, his lucid poetic style, his deep
philosophical insight, and his excellent expositions on the process of sādhana bhajana, are
evident to anyone who studies this book. Hence it should certainly be studied.
Śrīman Mahāprabhu’s unprecedented merciful gift is the practice of mañjarī-bhāva
(following in the footsteps of the vraja-gopīs), or the dāsya (servitude) of Śrī-Rādhā, the
embodiment of madhura rasa. The leader of the mañjarīs, Śrī Rūpa Mañjarī, has appeared as
Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī and has described the five rasas, like śānta, dāsya, etc. in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-
sindhu. In Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi, the sequel to Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, he has further described the
very confidential state of the parakīya-madhura-rasa (amorous love with a paramour) of the
Vraja-gopīs, the very treasure of the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas. This very systematic book Ujjvala-
nīlamaṇi is really a dazzling blue sapphire rising from the depths of the ocean of rasa, shining
brilliantly with the ecstatic bhāva of the gopīs. Though the prema existing in gopīs, who are very
anxious to attain Kṛṣṇa and who are endowed with mahābhāva, is very difficult to obtain or
express in words, still the writings of Gosvāmīpāda are wonderful storehouses of nectar that is
full of prema. The gopīs' hearts were just like rivers of passion, incessantly streaming towards
the Kṛṣṇa-ocean, that has swollen from profuse monsoon rains, inundating both banks (kula
means bank or family, here the gopīs' own families and their in-laws' families). All this is
reflected in the Ujjvala Nīlamaṇi scripture. Although the loving passion of the gopīs is very rarely
attained and is actually fully unattainable through sentiments or words, still the Gosvāmīs' pens
have produced such a storehouse of nectar that one will undoubtedly be blessed by relishing
only a single drop of this nectar ocean. Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu and Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi are the
grammar of rasa-śāstra. These along with Vidagdha Mādhava, Lalita Mādhava, Stavamāla,
Dānakeli Kaumudī, and many other books compiled by Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī, have enormously
enriched the treasure of the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava-śāstras. Hence Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartīpāda
says that though the previous mahājanas have accepted the path of pure devotion, now by the
mercy of Rūpa Gosvāmī the fortunate devotees attain the intelligence to realize bhakti as rasa.
He further says that Rūpa Gosvāmī is very dear to Śrī Gaurahari. Kavikarṇapūra mentions
this point in Caitanya-candrodaya-nāṭaka (9.43):
priya-svarūpe dayita-svarūpe prema-svarūpe sahajābhirūpe

nijānurūpe prabhur eka-rūpe tatāna rūpe svavilāsa-rūpe.
“Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī is the dear friend of Svarūpa Dāmodara or he is expert in ascertaining
the super excellence of svayaṁ-rūpa, the original form of the Supreme Lord. He is very dear to
the Lord and is non-different from Mahāprabhu. His form is very charming and he is as capable
as Mahāprabhu in preaching divine love. His form resembles that of the Lord and he is highly
competent to describe the super excellent original form of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Mahāprabhu expanded
His mercy to this Rūpa Gosvāmī to preach vraja-prema." In his commentary on this śloka, Śrīla
Cakravartipāda asks why, although many eternal associates of Mahāprabhu such as Svarūpa
Dāmodara, Rāya Rāmānanda, and others were present, Mahāprabhu chose to expand his
mercy for preaching vraja-prema only to Rūpa Gosvāmī? His response is that Paurṇamāsī,
Nāndīmukhī, and Vṛndā are respected personalities for Rādhā, and others like Lalitā and
Viśākha are elder to Rādhā. She hesitates to reveal secrets to them. It is not like this with Her
mañjarīs, like Rūpa-mañjarī. Similarly Advaita, Śrīvāsa, Svarūpa Dāmodara, Rāya Rāmānanda,
and others are senior personalities. Mahāprabhu thus hesitates to reveal the secrets of the
śāstras to them. But there is no such hesitation with Rūpa Gosvāmī, as he is actually Rūpa-
mañjarī. He therefore expanded His mercy unto him.
In Nīlācala when Mahāprabhu introduced Śrī Rūpa to His associates, Śrī Rūpa offered his
respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of them all.
advaita nityānanda prabhu ei dui-jane; prabhu kahe-rūpe kṛpā koro kāya-mane.

tomā-dohāra kṛpāte iṇhāra hoya taiche śakti; yāte vivarite pāre kṛṣṇa-rasa-bhakti
"Mahāprabhu told Advaita and Nityānanda, ‘Both of you wholeheartedly bestow your
mercy on Rūpa Gosvāmī. May Rūpa become so powerful by your mercy that he can explain the
divine mellows of devotional service to Kṛṣṇa." (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya 1.56-57) He told
Svarūpa Dāmodara:
prabhu kahe-iṅho āmāya prayāge milila; yogya-pātra jāni iṅhāya more kṛpā hoilā.
tabe śakti sañcāri āmi kaīluṅ upadeśa; tumiho kohio iṅhāya rasera viśeṣa.
"Rūpa met me at Prayāga. Knowing him to be a worthy person, I bestowed My mercy

upon him. I then empowered him with transcendental power while giving him instructions. You
should also instruct him in the secrets of divine rasa." (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya 1.88-89)
Hearing the nāṭaka (drama) composed by Rūpa, Rāya Rāmānanda was astonished and said to
Mahāprabhu:
eta śuni’ rāya kahe prabhura caraṇe; rūpera kavitva praśaṁsi sahasra vadane
“kavitva nā hoy ei amṛtera dhāra; nāṭaka lakṣaṇa saba siddhāntera sāra
prema-paripāṭī ei adbhuta varṇana; śuni’ citta-karṇera hoy ānanda-ghūrṇana
tomāra śakti vinā jīvera nahe ei vāṇī; tumi śakti diyā kahāo, hena anumāni
prabhu kahe prayāge iṅhāra hoila milana; iṅhāra guṇe iṅhāte āmāra tuṣṭa hoilo mana
madhura prasanna iṅhāra kāvya sālaṅkāra; aiche kavitva vinu nahe rasera pracāra
sabe kṛpā kari iṅhāre deha ei vara; vraja-līlā-prema-rasa yena varṇe nirantara”
“After hearing this, Rāya submitted at the lotus feet of Mahāprabhu and began to praise
the poetic skill of Rūpa as if with a thousand mouths. He said, ‘This is not mere poetry, but a
constant shower of nectar. All the characteristics of drama appear as the essence of rasa
philosophy. His descriptions of the details of divine love are indeed very astonishing. Hearing
them, one’s heart and ears whirl with transcendental bliss. Without your power, an ordinary
being is unable to describe all these secret writings. I can definitely guess that he is empowered
by You.’ Mahāprabhu said, ‘I met him at Prayāga, where I was fully satisfied with his attributes.
His poetry is sweet and pleasing and is embellished with literary ornaments. Without such
poetic skill, propagation of divine flavours is impossible. All of you give him the benediction of
your mercy so that he can constantly describe the Vraja pastimes and the nectar of divine love."
(Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya 1.192-199)
From all these descriptions we can understand how dear Rūpa Gosvāmī was to
Mahāprabhu. In the beginning of this book, the author says, "I constantly pay my obeisances
unto the lotus feet of Rūpa Gosvāmī." The author is praying for the mercy of Rūpa Gosvāmī
since he wishes to analyze and expand upon devotional principles. It is indeed impossible to
understand bhakti philosophy without Śrī Rūpa’s mercy. Through his mercy one can easily
attain the highest perfection on the path of devotion related to the loving service of the lotus
feet of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. Śrīla Narottama Ṭhākura says in Prārthanā:
śuniyāchi sādhu-mukhe bale sarva jana; śrī rūpa kṛpāya mile yugala caraṇa.
śrī rūpera kṛpā yena āmā prati hoy; se pada āśraya yāra sei mahāśaya
“I have heard from the mouth of sādhus and all the people say that by the mercy of Śrī
Rūpa one can attain the lotus feet of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. May Śrī Rūpa bestow his mercy on me. One
who takes his shelter is really a great soul.” (2)
iha khalu paramānandamayād api puruṣād 'brahma-pucchaṁ pratiṣṭhā' iti brahmato'pi

parātparo - raso vai saḥ. rasaṁ hyevāyaṁ labdhānandībhavatīti śrutyā sūcyamāno 'mallānām
aśanir nṛṇāṁ naravaraḥ strīṇāṁ smaro mūrtimān iti sarva vedānta sāreṇa nikhila pramāṇa
cakravartinā śrīmad bhāgavatena rasatvena vivriyamāṇaḥ 'brahmaṇo hi pratiṣṭhāhaṁ' iti śrī
gītopaniṣadā ca evāyam iti saṁmanyamānaḥ śrī vraja-rājanandanaḥ eva śuddhasattvamaya
nija nāma rūpa guṇa līlāḍhyo'nādi vapur eva kam api hetum anaprekṣamāṇa eva svecchayaiva
jana śravaṇa nayana mano buddhyādīndriya vṛttiṣvavatarate. yathaiva yadu raghvādi vaṁśeṣu
svecchayaiva kṛṣṇa rāmādi rūpeṇa.
TRANSLATION: The evidence of Śrutis is the best of scriptural evidence (śabda

pramāṇa). The Taittiriya śruti explains that Brahman is the support, or base, of the
paramānandamaya-puruṣa, the ever-blissful Supreme Person, brahma pucchaṁ pratiṣṭhā. In
other words, the paramānandamaya puruṣa is supporting five coverings, ānandamaya,
vijñānamaya, jñānamaya, prāṇamaya and annamaya and he is supported by Brahman. The
same śruti further explains that Bhagavān is personified rasa and only by attaining Him one
becomes ever-blissful. This verse declares that Bhagavān, the Supreme Absolute Truth, is
superior even to Brahman. Śrīmad Bhāgavata, the supreme emperor of all evidence and the
essence of all Vedānta, describes Śrī Kṛṣṇa as the embodiment of rasa in text (10.43.17) “He
is a lightning bolt for the wrestlers, best of men for ordinary people, personified cupid for the
women.”
In the Bhagavad Gītā (14.27) as well, Kṛṣṇa establishes Himself as the shelter of
Brahman, brahmaṇo hi pratiṣṭhāhaṁ. The śrutis and smṛtis, therefore, assert that the
Original Supreme Lord is Śrī Vrajendra-nandana, the son of the king of Vraja, Nanda
Mahārāja, whose eternal figure possessing name, form, qualities and pastimes is beyond the
three guṇas of māyā (śuddha-sattva-maya, transcendental in nature). Though He is
transcendental to material nature, He manifests to the ear, eye, mind, intellect and others by
His own free will without depending on any other cause. For instance, by His completely
independent will and inconceivable potency, the Lord appears as Śrī Kṛṣṇa and Śrī Rāma in
the Yadu and Raghu dynasties.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation: The author cites evidence from the śrutis to establish that the
Self-manifest transcendental blissful Absolute Truth and the truth of bhakti are completely
beyond material nature. He shows the infallible authenticity of śabda-pramāṇa or śrutis, the
scriptures. Pramāṇa or evidence is the means to determine the authenticity of an object.
pramātā yenārthaṁ pramiṇoti tad eva pramāṇam. Śrīmat Jīva Gosvāmīpāda writes in Sarva-
saṁvādinī: yadyapi pratyakṣānumāna śabdārṣopamāṇārthāpattyabhāva sambhavaitihya
ceṣṭākhyāni daśa pramāṇāni viditāni tathāpi bhrama pramāda vipralipsā karaṇāpāṭava doṣa
rahita vacanātmakaḥ śabda eva mūla pramāṇam, “Generally there are ten types of evidence,
namely pratyakṣa, anumāna, śabda, ārṣa, upamāna, arthāpatti, abhāva, sambhava, aitihya,
and ceṣṭā. śabda, or śruti, however, is accepted as the most authentic evidence because it is
free from the four defects of bhrama (illusion), pramāda (confusion), vipralipsā (cheating) and
karaṇāpāṭava (defect of the senses). We will briefly explain how the other nine types of
evidence are not dependable. Here we will briefly show how the other nine types of pramāṇa
are not fully waterproof.”
Pratyakṣa: The knowledge directly perceived by the five sense organs: the eye, ear,
tongue, nose, and skin and the mind is known as pratyakṣa. The knowledge perceived through
these senses can never be reliable because of the abovementioned four defects of delusion,
imperfect senses, etc. The reality of an object cannot thus be known by pratyakṣa. For example,
a magician makes things that do not exist in reality appear real to the senses. How can
transcendental things then be proven through the material senses?
Anumāna: According to nyāya-śāstras, knowledge inferred from our common
observations is known as anumāna. For example, girir vahnimān dhūmāt, everyone has seen
fire and smoke existing together. Thus when we see smoke coming from behind the mountain
we presume that there is a fire behind the mountain. However, since smoke can also be seen
even after the fire has been extinguished by a rain shower, the above presumption is thus
faulty. anumāna or presumption is thus also defective.
Ārṣa: The sayings of sages (ṛṣis) is known as ārṣa. Due to the difference in the theories
of different sages, ārṣa also cannot be accepted as authentic.
Upamāna: Ascertaining knowledge of an object based on comparison with another
object of similar characteristics is known as upamāna. If one says lotus-like face, one still cannot
have a complete knowledge of the face simply by seeing a lotus. Therefore, upamāna is also
defective.
Arthāpatti: Sometimes a fact is common knowledge and thus cannot be rejected, but as
the cause of the fact is unknown, one speculates on the cause through common sense. This is
known as arthāpatti. For example, if one sees a very healthy person, but never sees him eating
or drinking during the day, which is the healthy way, then one speculates by common sense
that he must be eating or drinking during the night. It may be possible that he is taking some
special medicine or has a benediction from some god that keeps him healthy. arthāpatti is thus
also unreliable evidence.
Abhāva: An object cannot be perceived by the senses if it does not exist near them. For
example, a person standing on one side of a high wall cannot see a pot lying on the other side
of the wall. Incomprehension of the existence of the pot is called abhāva.
Sambhava: One hundred exists in one thousand. When such an understanding appears
in the intellect, it is known as sambhava. abhāva and sambhava can never ascertain the
Absolute Truth since He is completely beyond all material conceptions.
Aitihya: A fact accepted in society as common knowledge, that is being passed on by
tradition; although no one knows who said it or when, is known as aitihya-pramāṇa.
Ceṣṭā: Knowledge of an object or its number that is perceived by raising the fingers or
another bodily gesture is known as ceṣṭā. aitihya and ceṣṭā are also unacceptable as authentic
types of evidence for spiritual matters.
Śabda: śāstras, or śabda, are apauruṣeya, not made by any mundane person. It is also
known as āpta-vākya, or absolutely accurate verbal authority. apauruṣeya means a fact
manifested from the Lord, who is all knowing, all powerful, full of auspiciousness, and full of
compassion. śabda-pramāṇa is thus free from the previously mentioned four defects of
imperfect senses, tendency to cheat, illusion and inattentiveness. Jīva Gosvāmī writes in Sarva-
saṁvādinī: anyeṣāṁ prāya puruṣa bhramādi doṣamayatayānyathā pratīti darśanena
pramāṇaṁ vā tadābhāsaṁ veti puruṣai nirṇetum aśakyatvāt tasya tad abhāvāt. ato rājñā
bhṛtyanām iva tenaivānyeṣāṁ baddha mūlatvāt. tasya tu nairapekṣyāt yathāśakti kvacid eva
tasya taiḥ sācivya karaṇāt svādhīnasya tasya tu tānyupamarddyāpi pravṛtti darśanāt. tena
pratipādite vastuni tair viroddhum aśakyatvāt. teṣāṁ śaktibhir aspṛśye vastuni tasyaiva tu
sādhakatamatvāt "Regarding other types of evidence, the person ascertaining any fact may be
bewildered due to the false perception of his senses and the existence of the four defects. It
therefore becomes impossible to verify the authenticity of such facts. There is no such doubt,
however, about śabda-pramāṇa. As the servants are completely under the control of the king,
so too other types of evidence are dependent on śabda-pramāṇa. In certain cases, other types
of evidence accordingly support śabda-pramāṇa, but śabda-pramāṇa itself is completely
independent. It dominates other types of evidence and is self-evident. No other evidence can
oppose the facts determined by śabda-pramāṇa. śabda-pramāṇa is most effective in cases
where other types of evidence are unable to touch the facts." śabda pramāṇa emanates from
the Supreme Brahman and no opposing evidence is accepted. Vedic śāstras appear from
Bhagavān Himself. evaṁ vā are asya mahato bhūtasya niśvasitam etad yad ṛg vedo yajur vedaḥ
sāmavedo'tharvāṅgirasa itihāsaḥ purāṇam “O Maitreya! Ṛg-veda, Yajur-veda, Sāma-veda,
Atharva-veda, Itihāsa (Mahābhārata and Rāmāyaṇa), and other Purāṇas appear when the all-
pervading Parabrahma exhales. (Maitreyī Upaniṣad)" In other words, from Him all this
knowledge emanates.
If the words of the Lord are the self-evident crest jewel of all evidence, one may ask,
then will the words of Buddha-deva, who is a manifestation of the Lord, be accepted as such
evidence? Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī replies to this question, na ca buddhasyāpīśvaratve sati tad
vākyaṁ ca pramāṇaṁ syād iti vācyam. yena śāstreṇa tasya īśvaratvaṁ manyāmahe tenaiva
tasya daitya mohana śāstrakāritenoktatvāt (Sarva Samvādinī) "Though He is the Lord, His
words cannot be accepted as evidence, since the śāstras that describe Him as Lord say that He
has composed śāstras to bewilder the demon-like atheists, rather than deliver the Absolute
Truth."
In the beginning of this book Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartīpāda thus quotes evidence from
the śrutis. The Śrutis describe the Supreme Lord Śrī Vrajendra-nandana, as the primeval Lord
(svayaṁ-bhagavān) who is the undivided Supreme Absolute Truth, Self-manifest, devoid of
duality and the embodiment of all rasa. The Taittiriya-śruti says, brahma pucchaṁ pratiṣṭhā,
that the paramānanda puruṣa is the original support of all coverings namely, ānandamaya,
covering of pleasure, vijñānamaya, covering of realization, jñānamaya, covering of knowledge,
prāṇamaya, covering of life, and anna-maya, covering of nourishment. Brahman is the support
of the ānanda-maya puruṣa (the spirit soul) and is thus superior to him. The śruti further says,
raso vai saḥ: "Bhagavān is the embodiment of rasa" and rasaṁ hy evāyaṁ labdhvānandī
bhavati: "One can only become blissful by attaining the Lord, the embodiment of rasa.” The
śāstras therefore establish the supremacy of the Lord over Brahman, because the Lord is
personified rasa, and the supreme among all Truths. Because the spirit soul, or jīva, is minute
and the non-personal Brahman is all-pervading, it can be concluded that Brahman is superior
to the jīva. The jīva is a part and parcel of Brahman, while Brahman is the source of all jīvas.
Though all pervading, the non-personal Brahman is the Absolute Truth which does not manifest
any energy. Brahman, being an ordinary manifestation (sāmānya-prakāśa) of the all-powerful
Lord, is thus inferior to the Lord, the embodiment of rasas. The essence of all Vedānta and crest
jewel of all types of evidence, Śrīmad-Bhāgavata (10.43.17) says:
mallānām aśanir nṛṇāṁ nara-varaḥ strīṇāṁ smaro mūrtimān

gopānāṁ sva-jano’satāṁ kṣīti-bhujāṁ śāstā sva-pitroḥ śiśuḥ
mṛtyur bhoja-pater virāḍ aviduṣāṁ tattvaṁ paraṁ yogīnāṁ
vṛṣnīnāṁ para-devatetī vidito raṅgam gataḥ sāgrajaḥ
“Different groups of people saw the Original Supreme Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa differently when
He entered the wrestling arena of Bhojapati Kaṁsa along with His elder brother, Baladeva. To
the wrestlers He appeared as if a lightning bolt, to ordinary men He appeared as the most virile
of all men, to women He was Cupid personified, to the cowherds He was their blood-relative,
to wicked kings He was a fearless chastiser, to His parents He was their child, Kaṁsa, the King
of Bhoja, saw Him as Death, the ignorant saw Him as merely an ordinary child, while yogīs saw
Him to be the Absolute Truth and to the dynasty of Vṛṣṇī He was their supreme worshipable
deity.” This śloka beautifully describes the Original Supreme Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the primeval Lord,
as personified rasa or the support of all rasas. Śrīpāda Śrīdhara Svāmī writes in his commentary
on this śloka: tatra ca śṛṅgārādi sarva rasa kadamba mūrtir bhagavān tat tad
abhiprāyānusāreṇa vabhau na sākalyena sarveṣām ityāha mallānām iti, “The Original Supreme
Lord, the embodiment of rasas, namely śṛṅgāra (amorous), vātsalya (parenthood) and others,
appeared differently to different people. He did not appear the same to all persons." Every
person saw Him according to his own mood. None of them could see His form as the
embodiment of all rasas. Kṛṣṇa is not only personified rasa; He is also Rasarāja. In the
maṅgalācaraṇa (auspicious invocation) of his book Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Rūpa Gosvāmī
describes Śrī Kṛṣṇa as the embodiment of all kinds of rasa, akhila-rasāmṛta-mūrti.
The seers that composed the Upaniṣads described God as rasa, but Kṛṣṇa is not just
rasa— He is the king of rasa! And He is not the king of one rasa — He is the king of all rasas! He
is the embodiment of rasa, especially śṛṅgāra (erotic) rasa, which is the essence of rasa or the
king of rasa. Śrī Līlāśuka Bilvamaṅgala says, śṛṅgāra rasa sāra sarvasvam: “The worshipable
deity of love, the Supreme Lord, is personified madhura-rasa or He Himself is amorous rasa.”
His head is decorated with a peacock feather and His form is curved in three places. Śrīla
Jayadeva has written: śṛṅgāra sakhi mūrtimān- "sakhi! Śyāmasundara is the embodiment of
erotic rasa!" Thus the writers of rasa-śāstras say rasaḥ śṛṅgārānām ayaṁ śyāmalaḥ kṛṣṇa
daivataḥ, that black colour indicates madhura-rasa and Kṛṣṇa is its presiding Godhead.
Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself says to Arjuna, brahmaṇo hi pratiṣṭhāham: "I Myself am the support,
or base, of the non-personal Brahman." Śrīdhara Svāmī explains this part of the śloka:
brahmaṇo'haṁ pratiṣṭhā ghanībhūta brahmaivāhaṁ yathā ghanībhūta prakāśa eva sūrya

maṇḍalaṁ tadvad ityarthaḥ "I Myself am condensed Brahman, as the orb of the sun is
condensed light." In other words, just as the sun is light and at the same time a vessel of light,
Śrī Kṛṣṇa is both brahman and its support— kṛṣṇera aṅgera prabhā parama ujjvala upaniṣat
kahe tāṅre brahma sunirmala (C.C.) “The Upaniṣads say that the spotless non-personal
Brahman is the glowing effulgence of Śrī Kṛṣṇa's body.”
Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the beginningless Original Supreme Lord, is indicated by the Śrutis and Smṛtis
to be eternal and to possess name, form, and activities that are beyond the touch of three
guṇas of material nature, śuddha-sattva-maya. By His uncommon independent free will the
Lord manifests to the senses, ears, eyes, mind, and intelligence of human beings. Devotees thus
realize the Lord by their internal and external senses. There is the famous description in Śrīmad
Bhāgavata of the Lord revealing such mercy to Nārada and others. Quite independently,
through His inconceivable powers, He descends in the Raghu-dynasty as Rāma and in the Yadu-
dynasty as Śrī Kṛṣṇa. During the presence of the Lord on this planet, everyone, including the
devotees, saw Him directly. However, nobody could relish His sweetness except the devotees.
He appeared as an ordinary mundane person to the worldly-minded non devotees and the
demons who wanted to fight Him as His enemy. Such direct vision of the Lord is as good as not
seeing Him at all.
tasya bhagavata iva tad rūpāyā bhakter api svaprakāśatāsiddhyartham eva

hetutvānapekṣatā. tathāhi 'yato bhaktir adhokṣaje ahaitukyapratihatā' ityādau hetuṁ
vinaivāvirbhavatīti tatrārthaḥ. tathaiva 'yadṛcchayā mat kathādau' 'mad bhaktiṁ ca
yadṛcchayā' 'yadṛcchayaivopacitā' ityādāvapi yadṛcchayetyasya svācchandenetyarthaḥ.
yadṛcchā svairitetyabhidhānāt
TRANSLATION: The self-manifesting eternal energy of the Lord, bhakti, being non-
different from the Lord‚ is not dependent on any other cause. Śrīmad-Bhāgavata (1.2.6)
describes the independent appearance of bhakti: “Devotional service to Lord Adhokṣaja, who
is beyond the senses of all human beings, is the best of all religions because such devotion is
causeless and uninterrupted by obstacles.” Similarly, the words of the Lord that say “by
chance if one attains faith in hearing My glories”; “by chance if one attains bhakti;” “by
chance if bhakti manifests” refer to the Lord’s independent will. The word yadṛcchā means
independent will. The dictionary also mentions yadṛcchā as spontaneous or self-will.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation: The Lord appears by His independent will as Kṛṣṇa in the Yadu-
dynasty and as Rāma in the Raghu dynasty. So too does He appear in the external and internal
senses of His devotee. Like the Lord, His self-manifesting internal potency Bhakti-devī is eternal
and by her own independent sweet will she appears to the internal and external senses of the
devotee. Her appearance does not depend on any cause. From the description in Gopāla
Uttara-tāpanī Upaniṣad it can be clearly understood that Bhakti-devī is also eternal like Kṛṣṇa
and is full of knowledge and bliss. vijñāna-ghana ānanda-ghana sac-cid-ānandaika rase bhakti-
yoge tiṣṭhati: "Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the personification of absolute knowledge and condensed bliss can be
attained by the mercy of sac-cid-ānanda-mayī bhakti." This text gives the description of the
svarūpa (form) of the Supreme Lord and the svarūpa of bhakti that makes him subdued by His
devotees. If bhakti were not sac-cid-ānanda-mayī, it could never make the Lord subdued by His
devotees. Bhakti is cid-ānanda-mayī, self-manifesting and completely beyond the material
nature. One may ask, how then can it manifest in the material senses of a devotee? The answer
is that an iron bar put into burning fire attains the same quality as fire, so too bhakti, by its own
potency, destroys the material nature of the senses of a devotee, transforming it into spiritual
nature like her own. Finally she manifests herself in the spiritual senses of a devotee.
Śrīmat Jīva Gosvāmī specifically describes the svarūpa of bhakti in Prīti-sandarbha (65),
bhaktir evainaṁ nayati bhaktir evainaṁ darśayati bhaktivaśaḥ puruṣo bhaktir eva bhūyasī iti
śruyate. tasmād evaṁ vivicyate. yā caivaṁ bhagavantaṁ svānandena mādayati sā kiṁ lakṣaṇā
syāt iti na tāvat sāṅkhyānām iva prākṛta sattvamaya māyika ānanda-rūpā bhagavato
māyānabhibhāvyatva śruteḥ svatas tṛptatvācca. na ca nirviśeṣa-vādinām iva bhagavat
svarūpānandarūpā atiśayānupapatteḥ. ato natarāṁ jīvasya svarūpānanda-rūpā atyanta
kṣudratvāt tasya. tato hlādinī sandhinī samvit tvayyekā sarva saṁsthitau. hlādatāpakarī miśrā
tvayi no guṇa varjjite. iti viṣṇu purāṇānusāreṇa hlādinyākhya tadīya svarūpa śaktyānanda
rūpaivetyavaśiṣyate - yayā khalu bhagavān svarūpānanda viśeṣībhavati yayaiva taṁ tam
ānandam anyānapyanubhāvayatīti. atha tasyā api bhagavati sadaiva vartamāna
tayātiśayānupapattes tvevaṁ vivecanīyaṁ śrutārthānyathānupapattyarthāpatti pramāṇa
siddhatvāt. tasyā hlādinyā eva kāpi sarvānandātiśāyinī vṛttir nityaṁ bhaktavṛndeṣveva
nikṣipyamāṇā bhagavat prītyākhyayā vartate. atas tadanubhavena śrī bhagavān api bhakteṣu
prītyatiśayaṁ bhajata iti- "Śrutis say bhakti brings one near to the Lord, bhakti makes one see
the Lord, bhakti brings the Lord under her control, bhakti is the supreme path for attaining the
Lord." The point to be considered here is, what is the specific quality of bhakti that overwhelms
even the Lord with bliss? One cannot consider bhakti to have material nature and material bliss
as the sāṅkhya philosophers do. According to the śrutis, the self-satisfied Lord cannot be
attracted by any material object nor can one consider bhakti as the svarūpānanda, or the bliss
existing in the eternal form of the Lord, as accepted by the non-personalists. The Lord enjoys
the bliss derived from bhakti (bhaktyānanda) more than the bliss arising from his own svarūpa
(svarūpānanda). Nor can one consider bhakti as the bliss existing in the eternal form of the jīva
since the bliss of jīvānanda is extremely minute and is thus unable to overwhelm the Lord. The
Viṣṇu Purāṇa (1.12.69) says, "The three eternal energies, namely, hlādinī, sandhinī and samvit
exist in the svarūpa of Bhagavān, the possessor of all energies. O Lord! Being completely free
from the three modes of nature, the material modes, namely, happiness (sattvikī), misery
(tāmasi), and the mixture of both (rajasi) do not exist in Your svarūpa." This text clearly suggests
that bhakti is neither svarūpānanda nor jīvānanda. Thus, the only bliss that remains is that
arising from the hlādinī-śakti of the Lord (svarūpa-śaktyānanda). It is this hlādinī-śakti only that
overwhelms the Lord with ecstasy. By this śakti the Lord Himself attains bliss and bestows bliss
on his devotees. One may argue that since the svarūpa-śakti always exists within the svarūpa
of the Lord Himself, then how can the Lord be overwhelmed by His own śakti? To clear this
doubt one can take the help of arthāpatti evidence, inference from the circumstances. A
phenomenon appearing contradictory, though its effects are being observed, can only be
proven by arthāpatti. Although it is impossible for hlādinī to give more bliss to the Lord than
the bliss existing in His own form, still He is getting more bliss from her. This contradiction can
be solved by arthāpatti. For instance, a man named Devadatta does not eat during daytime but
still he is fat. According to arthāpatti one has to accept that he may eat during the night.
Similarly, by arthāpatti one must accept that no one can give bliss to the Lord other than the
hlādinī-śakti, but still He gets bliss that He cannot get from her. According to arthāpatti pramāṇa
she is giving Him bliss in another form, just as must be assumed that Devadatta is eating at
night. The supremely blissful state of hlādinī that eternally exists in the devotees is known as
bhagavat-prīti, or divine prema. The Lord can also experience this within His devotees and thus
the Lord and His devotees become attached to each other.
Bhakti is called the svarūpa-śakti of the Lord. The Lord's svarūpa is sat cit ānanda, so His
cit-śakti has also three features, sandhinī, samvit, and hlādinī. Sandhinī is the energy related to
existence. By this energy the Lord maintains His own existence and that of others. Samvit is the
energy related to knowledge. Through this energy the Lord knows about Himself and causes
others to know Him. Hlādinī is the energy related to bliss. By this energy the Lord Himself
experiences bliss and gives bliss to others.
Existing within the svarūpa of the Lord, eternity (sat), knowledge (cit), and bliss (ānanda)
cannot be separated from each other. Sandhinī, samvit, and hlādinī are similarly inseparable.
In any manifestation of svarūpa-śakti, one of these three states is predominant while the other
two are also present in lesser quantity. As cit-śakti is self-manifested, its three states are also
self-manifesting. They make their appearance by themselves and cause the appearance of
others. By the specific self-manifesting state of cit-śakti consisting of hlādinī, sandhinī, and
samvit, the Lord appears in His original eternal form along with His associates and
transcendental abode. This specific state of svarūpa-śakti is known as viśuddha-sattva. When
sandhinī-śakti predominates in viśuddha-sattva it is known as ādhāra-śakti, the energy holding
all existence. The abode of the Lord and the Lord’s associates appear by this energy. When
samvit-śakti predominates, it is known as ātmavidyā, spiritual knowledge. When hlādinī
predominates, it is known as guhya-vidyā, secret knowledge. By this energy bhakti, or bhagavat-
prīti, love for the Lord, is manifest.
One can thus understand from this description that bhakti is self-manifesting by nature
just like the Lord. There is no other cause for her appearance. Bhakti manifests herself in the
devotee by her own independent will. sādhana bhajana is performed to make the heart suitable
for her appearance. The author gives further evidence from the Bhāgavata to establish the
independent appearance of bhakti. In the beginning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavata (1.2.6) while
establishing the ultimate welfare of the living entities, Śrīpāda Sūta Muni says to the sages
headed by Śaunaka Ṛṣi,
sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje

ahaituky apratihatā yayātmā suprasīdati
"The supreme religion of all living beings is that by which they can attain causeless and
uninterrupted bhakti to the Lord, who is beyond the reach of the material senses." The word
ahaitukī means that bhakti is causeless. This means bhakti is self-blissful; it does not seek any
other fruit except the Lord and His service. This explanation shows the causeless appearance of
bhakti. Śrī Kṛṣṇa also says to Uddhava:
yadṛcchayā mat-kathādau jāta-śraddhas tu yaḥ pumān

na nirviṇṇo nāti-sakto bhakti-yogo ’sya siddhi-daḥ
"If someone, by chance, attains faith in hearing my glories, but is neither completely
detached from nor is too much attached to sense gratification, then he can attain perfection by
practicing bhakti-yoga.” (Śrīmad-Bhāgavata 11.20.8).
Śrī Kṛṣṇa again says to Uddhava:
asmil loke vartamānaḥ sva-dharma-stho’naghaḥ śuciḥ

jñānaṁ viśuddhaṁ āpnoti mad-bhaktiṁ vā yadṛcchayā
"A sinless person with a pure heart performing actions without desiring the fruit can
attain spiritual knowledge and somehow achieve my devotion." (Śrīmad-Bhāgavata 11.20.11)
In this text and others like it, yadṛcchayaivopacitā: "If by chance one attains bhakti,” the
dictionary meaning of the word yadṛcchā means by own will or by itself.
yadṛcchayā kenāpi bhāgyeneti vyākhyāne bhāgyaṁ nāma kiṁ śubha karma janyaṁ tad
ajanyaṁ vā? ādye bhakteḥ karma janya bhāgya janyatve karmapāratantrye sva-
prakāśatāpagamaḥ. dvitīye bhāgyasyānirvācyatvenājñeyatvād asiddheḥ kathaṁ hetutvam.
bhagavat kṛpaiva hetur ityukte tasyā api hetāv anviṣyamāṇe'navasthā. tat kṛpāyā
nirūpādhikāyā hetutve tasyā asārvatrikatvena tasmin bhagavati vaiṣamyaṁ prasajjeta. duṣṭa
nigraheṇa svabhakta pālana rūpas tu vaiṣamyaṁ tatra na dūṣaṇāvahaṁ pratyuta
bhūṣaṇāvaham eva. bhakta vātsalya guṇasya sarva cakravartitvena
sarvopamarddakatvenopariṣṭād aṣṭamyāmṛta vṛṣṭau vyākhyāsyamānatvāt
TRANSLATION: Some describe the word yadṛcchā as ‘by good fortune’. If this is
accepted, then one may ask whether this good fortune arises from pious activities or not? If
we accept pious activities as the cause of such good fortune, then it is dependent on good
deeds and loses its self-manifesting nature. If pious activities are not the cause of good
fortune, then again the cause remains unknown. The cause of fortune being unknown, how
can we accept that it causes bhakti? By logic, a fact that is itself unproven is unable to prove
another fact. If the Lord’s mercy is accepted as the cause of bhakti, one may again ask about
the cause of that mercy. Inquiring more and more about the cause of the Lord’s mercy, one
is unable to come to a conclusion and the fact remains unproven. If, however, one says that
the causeless mercy of the Lord is the cause of the bhakti, then it should be seen equally
bestowed on all. Since this is not seen, it would imply the fault of partiality in the Lord. The
partiality seen in the Lord in punishing the demons and maintaining His devotees is not a
fault, but an ornament. The Lord’s affection for His devotees is supreme, ruling over all His
other qualities like a universal emperor. This will be discussed in detail in the eighth shower
of this book.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation: The author establishes the self-manifesting nature of bhakti
by explaining the word yadṛcchā as by its own will. Śrīdhara Svāmī mentions in his commentary
on the verse yadṛcchayā mat-kathādau that yadṛcchā means yadṛcchayā kenāpyati
bhāgyodayena, “By the arising of some good fortune”. If one accepts fortune arising from either
pious activities or the Lord’s mercy as the cause of bhakti, then the completely independent
and self-manifesting nature of bhakti is lost. The author therefore explains that this fortune
arises from sādhu-saṅga, or the causeless mercy of the sādhus.
When the word yadṛcchā is explained as good fortune then one may ask how this
fortune arises? One may attain fortune after doing some pious activities. If we accept this, then
bhakti becomes dependent on pious activities and all the explanations of the śruti and smīti
become meaningless, since they all describe bhakti as sac-cid-ānanda-mayī like the sac-cid-
ānanda Lord and as a self-manifesting state of svarūpa-śakti.
Secondly, if pious activities are not accepted as the cause of that fortune, then its cause
remains unknown and unproven. Being itself unproven, how can such fortune be the cause of
bhakti?
Thirdly, one may propose that the Lord’s mercy is the cause of that fortune. Then again
the question of the cause of His mercy arises. In this way it is impossible to reach a conclusion
and the fact remains unproven. This is called anāvasthā-doṣa, the defect of being unsettled or
inconclusive.
Fourthly, one may further propose that the causeless mercy of the Lord is the cause of
that fortune. But then all living entities should get the fortune for attaining bhakti. We see,
however, that some get that fortune and some don’t. This implies the fault of partiality in the
Lord. Someone may say that partiality is seen in the Lord when He destroys the enemies of His
devotees, yet protects His devotees. However, this partiality is not a fault, rather it is a beautiful
ornament. The reason is that the Lord’s affection for His devotees (bhakta-vātsalya) is the
quality that rules like a universal emperor over all of His other qualities. Specifically by killing
the demons, the Lord bestows boundless mercy on them. Because of their hatred for the Lord
and His devotees, the spirit soul of the demons will undergo severe suffering in hell forever.
There will be no chance of their attaining bhakti. The Lord shows boundless compassion for
them by killing them and thus giving them liberation, which is even difficult to attain by yogīs.
nirupādhikayās tad bhakta kṛpāyā hetutve vastuto bhaktānām api vaiṣamyānucitatve'pi 'prema
maitrī kṛpopekṣā yaḥ karoti sa madhyamaḥ' (bhāg. 11.3.46) iti madhyama bhakta vaiṣamyasya
vidyamānatvād bhagavataś ca svabhakta vaśyatvena tat kṛpānugāmi kṛpatve na kiñcid
asāmañjasam. yato bhakta kṛpāyā hetur bhaktasyaiva tasya hṛdaya vartinī bhaktir eva. tāṁ
vinā kṛpodaya sambhavābhāvād iti bhakteḥ svaprakāśatvam eva siddham.
TRANSLATION: If the causeless mercy of the devotee is accepted as the cause of

bhakti, then again the question arises of partiality on the part of the devotee. Śrīmad-
Bhāgavata (11.3.46), however, accepts this partiality as the natural characteristic of the
madhyama-bhakta. This verse says that he shows love for the Lord, friendship for the
devotees, mercy to the ignorant and negligence of those who hate the devotees. Partiality
thus exists in the madhyama devotee. Moreover, the Lord is always under the control of His
devotees. His mercy follows the mercy of His devotees. There is no impropriety in this fact.
Bhakti residing in the devotee’s heart is the main cause of his bestowing mercy to others.
Other than bhakti, there is no cause for the appearance of mercy. This shows the self-
manifest status of bhakti.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation: Here the author establishes the fact that the causeless mercy
of a devotee, who is saccidānanda like the Lord Himself, is the cause of bhakti, not the
performance of pious activities nor the causeless mercy of the Lord Himself. With reasonable
evidence he explains that this does not contradict the self-manifesting independent nature of
bhakti. As the Lord’s mercy is causeless, so too is the mercy of His devotees. The qualities of
the Lord accordingly appear in the devotee, as mentioned in Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Madhya
22.75): kṛṣṇa-bhakte kṛṣṇera guṇa sakali sañcāre. If the causeless mercy of a devotee is
accepted as the cause of bhakti, still it is not seen to be equally bestowed upon all. This appears
to be partiality. As partiality would appear to be improper with regard to the Lord’s mercy, it is
not so in the case of the devotee’s mercy. Note the following definition of the devotee of
intermediate attainment (madhyama-bhakta) given in the Bhāgavata (11.2.46):
īśvare tad-adhīneṣu bāliśeṣu dviṣatsu ca

prema-maitrī-kṛpopekṣā yaḥ karoti sa madhyamaḥ
“A madhyama-bhakta has divine love for the Lord, is friendly to the devotees, merciful
to the ignorant, and indifferent to the envious.” This text, spoken by Śrīpāda Havi Yogīndra, one
of the nine Yogendras, clearly mentions the partiality of the madhyama-bhakta regarding his
mercy to the innocent and indifference to the envious. It is easily understandable though, that
this partiality does not hamper his devotion at all. By the mercy of a madhyama-bhakta‚
ordinary human beings can attain bhakti. As the Lord is under the control of His devotees, His
mercy follows that of a devotee. By carefully considering this point, one can understand that
bhakti residing in the heart of a devotee, causing him to bestow mercy to others, is the cause
of the appearance of bhakti in them. The conclusion is, therefore, that bhakti is the cause of
bhakti. Bhakti does not depend on any other cause for its appearance. In this way no doubt
exists about the completely independent and self-manifesting nature of bhakti.
ato 'yaḥ kenāpyatibhāgyena jāta śraddho'sya sevane' ityatra atibhāgyena śubha karma
janya bhāgyam atikrāntena kenāpi bhakta kāruṇyeneti tattvārtho jñeyaḥ. na ca bhaktānāṁ
kṛpāyāḥ prāthamyāsambhavas teṣām apīśvara preryatvād iti vācyam. īśvareṇaiva sva bhakta
vaśyatāṁ svīkurvatā sva kṛpā śakti sampradānīkṛta sva bhaktena tādṛśasya bhaktotkarṣasya
dānāt. antaryāminaś ca īśitavyānāṁ svādṛṣṭopārjita bahir indriya vyāpāreṣu niyamana
mātrākāritve'pi sva bhakteṣu svaprasāda eva dṛśyate. yad uktaṁ śrī gītāṣu 'mat prasādāt
parāṁ śāntiṁ mat saṁsthānam adhigacchati iti. prasādaś ca sva kṛpāśakti dānātmakaḥ
pūrvam ukta eva.
TRANSLATION: In the text, “If one attains faith in the service of the Lord by some
great fortune,” ‘some great fortune’ specifically refers to the mercy of a devotee, which
surpasses the fortune arising from pious activities. One may say that a devotee is also under
the control of the Lord, so then how is the appearance of a devotee’s mercy possible without
the Lord’s will or inspiration? The Lord Himself, by accepting the control of His devotees and
by bestowing His kṛpā-śakti upon them, gives superiority to His devotees. Although the Lord
as Paramātmā oversees the activities of the jīvas' external senses according to their fate, still
the Lord bestows His own mercy on the devotees under His control. The Lord says in the Gītā,
“By My mercy, My devotees attain supreme peace, which exists within My svarūpa.” Here
mercy refers to His kṛpā-śakti that he bestows on His devotees. This was previously explained.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation: Previously the author concluded that by considering the
devotee’s mercy as the cause of bhakti, the self-manifesting nature of bhakti is not
contradicted. This is because bhakti residing within the heart of a devotee is the cause of his
bestowing mercy on other ordinary beings. Thus it is clear that bhakti is the cause of bhakti.
Now the author is establishing this fact by giving śāstric evidence. In Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu
(1.2.14) it is said, yaḥ kenāpyatibhāgyena jātaśraddho'sya sevane "By some great fortune one
attains faith in the Lord’s service." Here ‘great fortune’ refers to the fortune that surpasses the
fortune arising out of pious activities. This fortune can only arise from a devotee’s mercy. With
the Lord’s mercy, the fault of partiality may appear, but this not so with a devotee’s mercy.
Rejecting the fortune arising out of pious activities leaves only the fortune arising out of a
devotee’s mercy. Here this is called atibhāgya. This great fortune causes one’s faith in the
service of the Lord.
The author is defining the self-manifesting quality of bhakti by raising various objections
and clarifying them by śāstric evidence. This is known as sthūṇānikhanana-nyāya . One may
argue that since a devotee is under the control of the Lord, how then is it possible for a devotee
to independently bestow mercy on others without the Lord’s will or inspiration? One thus
proposes that the root cause of the devotee’s mercy is the Lord’s inspiration. If one accepts this
proposal, then how can the self-manifesting nature of bhakti be proven? In reply it is said that
the Lord has put Himself under the control of His devotees. He has also bestowed His kṛpā-śakti
to His devotees. Therefore, the bestowal of mercy to others by His devotees does not depend
on any other cause. They can independently bestow mercy to others. Thus the Lord, by His own
independent will, has given a superior position to His devotees.
The Bhakti-sandarbha (180) says, “If the devotee’s mercy is not independent, then it will
be impossible for the living entities to attain the Lord’s mercy. The main difference between
the Lord and the jīvas is that the Lord is personified condensed bliss, self-satisfied, completely
beyond all kinds of sins and free from the touch of māyā. If there is no possibility of any darkness
in the sun, the great powerful source of light, there is no possibility of realization of any misery
in the Lord, who is supremely blissful. The Śruti says, āditya varṇaṁ tamasaḥ parastāt ‘The sun-
complexioned Supreme Lord is beyond the darkness of māyā.’ He is always absorbed in His own
divine bliss and therefore cannot feel the pain of the conditioned souls. Mercy can only appear
by realizing the misery of other jīvas. As the Lord is the embodiment of condensed bliss, though
all-powerful, His mercy to the bound jīva soul is impossible. The only way the misery bound jīva
soul can thus attain liberation is through the independent will of mahat, or sādhu. The mahats
also exist in the realm of bliss, completely free from the influence of the three modes of
material nature. However, as someone just awakening from a nightmare can still remember
the distress of the dream, so the devotees also remember the miseries of this world from their
previous lives. With a compassionate heart, therefore, they can bestow mercy. “The most
compassionate Lord has thus given full independence to His devotees to bestow mercy on
others. The fully independent mercy of the devotee is the only way to approach the Lord. The
conclusion is that the jīvas can only receive the Lord’s mercy through the channel of a devotee’s
mercy, not directly by the Lord."
One may further argue that the Lord as Paramātmā inspires all jīvas and directs their
external senses according to their fate. In the Gītā (18.61) He Himself says: īśvaraḥ sarva-
bhūtānāṁ hṛddeśe’rjuna tiṣṭhati. bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtānī yantrāruḍhānī māyayā "The Lord
as Paramātmā exists within all jīvas and engages them in various activities, like a man
controlling a machine." Is there no control of the Paramātmā on the activities of a devotee? To
this can be answered: “The internal and external senses of the devotee, as well as their power
to reveal the Lord’s mercy potency, are indeed under the Lord's control according to their fate,
since their life-force comes from the Lord; thus the devotees are not fully independent. Still,
we see that the Lord bestows His mercy upon His own devotees. Though the Lord as Paramātmā
urges His energy to direct the external senses of the conditioned souls to undergo the result of
their past activities, His control of His devotees’ senses is not like this. The devotees consider
their pains and pleasures as due to their past activities, but they are not affected by their
previous karma. Their pains and pleasures occur completely by the free will of the Lord in order
to nourish their bhakti. Though the kṛpā-śakti appearing in the senses of the devotees is
controlled by the Lord Himself, He has given them full independence to bestow mercy on the
ordinary jīvas. In the Gītā the Lord says, “By My mercy, one can attain the supreme peace
existing in My svarūpa.” Here ‘mercy’ refers to the bestowal of His kṛpā-śakti to His devotees.
kiṁ ca svecchāvatāra caritaiḥ iti 'svecchāmayasya' ityādi pramāṇa śatair avagatena

svācchandyenāvatarato'pi tasya bhūbhāra haraṇādeḥ sthūla dṛṣṭyā hetutve iva niṣkāma
karmādeḥ kvāpi dvārattve'pi na kṣatiḥ. kiṁ ca—
yan na yogena sāṁkhyena dāna vrata tapo'dhvaraiḥ

vyākhyā svādhyāya sannyāsaiḥ prāpnuyād yatnavān api.
ityādinā dāna vratādīnāṁ spaṣṭam eva hetu khaṇḍane'pi—
dāna vrata tapo homa japa svādhyāya saṁyamaiḥ
śreyobhir vividhaiś cānyaiḥ kṛṣṇe bhaktir hi sādhyate
iti yad dhetutvaṁ śrūyate tat khalu jñānāṅga bhūtāyāḥ sāttvikyā eva bhakter natu
nirguṇāyāḥ premāṅga bhūtāyāḥ. kecit tu dānaṁ viṣṇu vaiṣṇava sampradānakaṁ
vratānyekādaśyādīni tapas tat prāpti hetuko bhogādi tyāga iti sādhana bhaktyaṅgānyevāhuḥ.
tat sādhyatve bhakteḥ 'bhaktyā sañjātayā bhaktya' itivat nirhetukatvam eva siddham iti
sarvaṁ samañjasam (3)
TRANSLATION: It is known from hundreds of forms of evidence like, “The Lord’s

appearance and activities are completely by His own will,” that the Lord appears in this
universe by His own independent will. Superficially, He appears to relieve the burden of the
earth. Similarly, niṣkāma-karma, activities without the desire for any results can sometimes
be considered as the door to bhakti. There is no harm in such a consideration, but Śrīmad-
Bhāgavata (11.12.9) says: “Although one engages himself with great effort in mystic yoga,
sāṅkhya-yoga, charity, vows, chanting, sacrifices, describing śāstras, studying the Vedas, or
renunciation, still one cannot achieve bhakti.” Here it is clear that charity, vows, and other
pious activities cannot be the cause for attaining bhakti. But in another verse (Ś.B. 10.42.24)
it says: “Bhakti to the Lord is attained by various auspicious activities like charity, vows,
austerities, sacrifices, chanting, study of the Vedas, control of the senses, and so forth.” In
this text, bhakti refers to jñānāṅga-bhūtā-sāttvikī-bhakti, the practice of intellectual spiritual
realization to attain liberation with the help of bhakti in the mode of goodness. In this case,
bhakti is considered a part of intellectual spiritual realization. This bhakti is different from
premāṅga-bhūtā-nirguṇa-bhakti, the practice of pure devotion that is free from the three
modes of material nature in order to attain divine love. Some also explain that the word dāna
in this śloka refers to charity for Viṣṇu and the Vaiṣṇavas, vrata refers to Ekādaśī, Janmāṣṭamī
and others and tapasyā refers to austerities to attain the Lord. Then they are different parts
of sādhana-bhakti. Thus prema-bhakti is attained by devotional practice (sādhana). It is said
in Śrīmad-Bhāgavata (11.3.31) that sādhana-bhakti is the cause of sādhya-bhakti. The
causeless nature of bhakti is thus proven and all arguments are properly clarified.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation: The author is clarifying various texts which appear to
contradict the self-manifesting nature of bhakti. The śāstras sometimes say that niṣkāma-
karma, or karmārpaṇa, offering the fruits of one’s activities to the Lord, is the door to bhakti.
By accepting such statements one may doubt the self-manifesting nature of bhakti. It would
seem that niṣkāma-karma, or karmārpaṇa, is the cause of bhakti. The author clarifies these
points with scriptural references. The Bhāgavata (svecchāvatāra caritaiḥ 4.8.57 and
svecchāmayasya 10.14.2) states that the Lord appears on this planet by His own independent
sweet will. Seemingly it would appear that His appearance is to relieve the earth’s burden. By
reflecting on this, one realises that the Lord can easily eliminate demons just by willing it,
without having to appear on earth. By His powerful will, infinite universes are destroyed during
the universal dissolution. He appears by His own independent will simply to enjoy His eternal
pastimes and give pleasure to His devotees. Similarly, from a gross perspective, niṣkāma-karma
is sometimes considered to be the door to bhakti. There is no harm in such a view. Again, in the
Bhāgavata (11.12.9) it is described —
yaṁ na yogena sāṅkhyena dāna vrata tapo'dhvaraiḥ

vyākhyā svādhyāya sannyāsaiḥ prāpnuyād yatnavān api
"Even those who carefully practice yoga or sankhya, give donations, take vows,
perform penances or sacrifices, explain the scriptures, study the scriptures privately or take
sannyāsa cannot attain bhakti." In this verse it is clearly implied that there is no other way to
attain bhakti than through the grace of a great saint, even yoga and sankhya will not help.
However this is sharply contradicted by another Bhāgavata verse (10.47.24)-
dāna vrata tapo homa japa svādhyāya saṁyamaiḥ
śreyobhir vividhaiś cānyaiḥ kṛṣṇe bhaktir hi sādhyate
"Charity, vows, penance, sacrifices, japa, private studies, sense control and other
auspicious acts can lead to Kṛṣṇa-bhakti." The bhakti referred to in this verse is jñānāṅga-bhūtā-
sāttvikī-bhakti, not premāṅga-bhūtā-nirguṇa-bhakti. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavata (3.29.10) Kapila-
deva explains to His mother Devahūti the characteristics of saguṇa, or sakāma-bhakti, before
describing the characteristics of nirguṇā, or svarūpa-siddhā-bhakti: karma-nirhāram uddiśya
parasmin vā tad-arpaṇam. yajed yañṭavyam iti vā pṛthāg-bhāvaḥ sa sāttvikaḥ “For attaining
liberation, one offers the fruits of his activities to the worshipable Lord or does sacrifices.
Practice of devotion in the mode of goodness to attain liberation, with no desire other than the
Lord, is known as sāttvikī-bhakti.”
Bhakti is a state of the Lord's svarūpa-śakti; thus it can never be a state of the material
mood of goodness. Still it is known as sāttvikī-bhakti, since nirguṇa-bhakti accepts an inferior
position by its own will and becomes a part of intellectual spiritual realization so as to give
liberation to the jñānīs. Those who are merely practicing intellectual spiritual realization are
unable to attain liberation, as it is not possible without the help of bhakti. Therefore, to attain
perfection in jñāna they worship the Lord. In the verse dāna vrata tapo homa and others this
jñānāṅgabhūtā sāttvika bhakti is described, not the pure devotion whose end is prema.
Then again there are others who explain the charity, vows, penance and fire sacrifices
mentioned in the above śloka as different limbs of pure devotion. In his Sārārtha Darśinī-
commentary of this verse (Bhāgavata 10.47.24), the author explains: tatra dānaṁ viṣṇu
vaiṣṇava sampradānakam. vratam ekādaśyādikam. tapaḥ kṛṣṇārtha bhoga tyāgādi. homo
vaiṣṇavaḥ. japo viṣṇu-mantrāṇām. svādhyāyo gopāla tāpanyādi pāṭhaḥ. śreyāṁsyāpi
bhaktāṅgānyapi jñeyāni. anyeṣāṁ dānādīnāṁ bhakti hetutvābhāvasya prāk pratipāditatvāt,
that in this verse ‘charity’ means charity for the Lord and His devotees, ‘vows’ means fasting
for Ekādaśī, Janmāṣṭamī, and other special days, ‘penances’ means ceasing mundane
enjoyments for the pleasure of the Lord, ‘sacrifice’ means offering prasāda to the fire of the
Vaiṣṇavas' digestion, ‘chanting’ means chanting viṣṇu-mantras, Gāyatris, and others, ‘private
studies’ means to the study of Śrutis like Gopāla-tāpanī, and other auspicious activities means
practicing the different limbs of pure devotion. Charity unrelated to the Lord and His devotees
can never be the cause of bhakti. Only bhakti is the cause of bhakti, as previously explained.
Thus, by establishing the causeless nature of bhakti, all other arguments are clearly resolved.
(3)
śreyaḥ sṛtiṁ bhaktim udasya te vibho' 'kovārtha āpto'bhajatāṁ svadharmataḥ iti

'pureva bhūman bahavo'pi yoginaḥ' ityādibhyo 'jñāna karma yogādīnāṁ pratisva phala
siddhyai bhaktim avaśyam apekṣamāṇānām iva bhakteḥ svīya phala prema siddhyai svapne'pi
na tat tat sāpekṣatvam pratyuta 'na jñānaṁ na ca vairāgyaṁ prāyaḥ śreyo bhaved iha' iti
'dharmān saṁtyajya yaḥ sarvān māṁ bhajet sa ca sattamaḥ' ityādibhyas tasyāḥ
sarvathānanyāpekṣitvaṁ kiṁ vaktavyaṁ teṣām eva jñāna karma yogādīnāṁ prātisvekeṣu
phaleṣvapi phaleṣvapi kadācid ātmanā sādhyamāneṣu na tat tad gandhāpekṣatvam api. yad
uktam-yat karmabhir yat tapasā jñāna vairāgyataśca yat. ititāṁ vinā tu teṣām ‘bhagavat bhakti
hīnasya jātiḥ śāstraṁ japas tapaḥ aprāṇasyeva dehasya maṇḍanaṁ loka rañjanam’ ityāder
vaiphalyāyaiva syād iti. tasyāḥ parama mahatyā adhīnatvaṁ teṣāṁ saṁprāṇāyaivāstām. api
tu karma yogasya kāla deśa pātra dravyānuṣṭhāna śuddhyādyapekṣā ca tat tat smṛti
prasiddhaiva anyās tu na tathā-
na deśa niyamas tatra na kāla niyamas tathā nocchiṣṭādau niṣedho'sti harer

nāmāni lubdhaka. ityādeḥ kiṁcāsyāḥ prasiddhasāpekṣatvam api na. sakṛd api parigītaṁ
śraddhayā helayā vā bhṛgu-vara nara-mātraṁ tārayet kṛṣṇa-nāma. ityādeḥ
TRANSLATION: “O all-pervading Lord! Those who have left bhakti-yoga, the path for
attaining all auspiciousness . . .” “What is the use of one’s engagement in dharma without
devotion . . .” “In the past many yogīs finally took shelter of bhakti . . .” From these references
from the Bhāgavata and from many other references, it can be understood that jñānīs,
karmīs, and yogīs completely depend on bhakti for attaining perfection in their respective
paths. Bhakti, however, is never even minutely dependent on them to achieve its perfection,
prema. Rather, the following statements say, “Jñāna (intellectual spiritual realisation) and
vairāgya (detachment from the world) are not generally beneficial for the practice of bhakti.”
(Bhāgavata 11.20.31) “One who only worships Me, giving up all kinds of other activities is the
best among sādhus.” (Bhāgavata 11.11.32) From the above references it can be clearly
understood that bhakti is completely independent. The paths of jñāna, karma, yoga,
however, can give perfection only with the help of bhakti. Bhakti does not depend even
slightly on anything else to give the respective results to the path of karma, jñāna, and yoga.
Thus śāstras say, “All the results attained by performing sacrifices, austerities, intellectual
spiritual realization, and detachment from the world can easily be attained by My devotee
by bhakti-yoga alone.” Indeed, the scriptures say that such results are useless for persons not
engaged in devotion, “Without any devotion to the Lord, birth in a high family, śāstric
knowledge, chanting mantras, and doing austerities, all become as useless as decorating a
dead body with clothes and ornaments.” As the body is maintained by the soul; austerities,
chanting, and so forth are also under the control of the most worshipable Bhakti-devī.
Moreover, the śāstras state that the practice of karma-yoga depends on time, place,
candidate, materials, purity, and so on. This is not the case with bhakti, “O hunter! In doing
nāma-saṅkīrtana there is no dependence on time or place. Even those in a state of impurity
are not restricted from chanting it.” Bhakti is famous for its complete independence, “O best
in the family of Bhṛgu, the name of Kṛṣṇa even chanted once, with either faith or negligence,
can deliver any person.”
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation: Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartīpāda is now describing the

dependence of karma, jñāna, and yoga on bhakti and the complete independence of bhakti.
He says that bhakti infuses life in karma, jñāna, and yoga. While glorifying Kṛṣṇa, Brahmā
explains the dependence of jñāna on bhakti in Śrīmad-Bhāgavata (10.14.4):
śreyaḥ sṛtiṁ bhaktim udasya te vibho kliśyanti ye kevala bodha labdhaye

teṣām asau kleśala eva śiṣyate nānyad yathā sthūla tuṣāvaghātinām
“O Lord! The path of devotion is the only means of attaining all auspiciousness. Persons
who give it up and only practice intellectual spiritual realisation, while undergoing hard
troubles, do not attain perfection in their respective paths. Similarly, a person beating an empty
husk of rice does not get any gain, rather, his only gain is trouble.” In the Sārārtha-varṣiṇī
commentary of Bhagavad-gītā (18.55), the author mentions four kinds of sādhakas practicing
brahma-jñāna. (a) Some practice only jñāna, with the idea that only jñāna can deliver liberation
without the help of bhakti. The result is that they indeed undergo hard troubles with fatigue as
the only result. They are ati nindita, or highly condemned, jñānīs. This śloka refers to such
jñānīs. (b) Another category of jñānīs are those who practice jñāna along with some parts of
devotion. They believe the śāstras that say, sarvāsām eva siddhināṁ mūlaṁ tac-caraṇārcanaṁ:
“The root cause of all kinds of perfection is to worship the lotus feet of the Lord.” They,
however, consider the form of the Lord as material in nature. Though they rise to the higher
stages of yoga through undergoing severe austerities and hardships, still they are deprived of
liberation as they commit offenses unto the lotus feet of the Lord. As a result, they finally fall
down from their path. These jñānīs are known as nindita-jñānīs, condemned speculators. While
glorifying Kṛṣṇa when He was within the womb, the gods like Brahmā say in Śrīmad-Bhāgavata
(10.2.32):
ye ’nye ’ravindākṣa vimukta māninas tvayy asta bhāvād aviśuddha buddhayaḥ

āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho’nādṛta yuṣmad aṅghrayaḥ
"O lotus-eyed One! Those who disrespect Your lotus feet, but consider themselves
liberated, do not possess pure intellect due to lack of devotion unto You. Though by extreme
penance they attain the stage of jīvan-mukta, liberation while the material body still exists, very
soon they again fall down from the path of intellectual spiritual realization."
(c) The third category of jñānīs practice jñāna along with bhakti and realize the form of
the Lord as sac-cid-ānanda. They are praiseworthy since they attain perfect knowledge of the
Absolute Truth, becoming completely free from the effect of material knowledge. Finally they
attain brahma-sāyujya, merging within non-personal Brahman.
(d) The fourth category of jñānīs are most fortunate because while practicing jñāna, they
get the association of a mahā-bhāgavata by his causeless mercy and independent will and give
up the desire for liberation. They relish sweet bhakti-rasa like Śukadeva. They are most
praiseworthy. Karmīs also depend on bhakti as described in the Bhāgavata (1.5.17):
tyaktvā svadharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ harer bhajann apakvo’tha patet tato yadi

yatra kva vābhadram adhūd amuṣya kiṁ ko vārtho āpto’bhajatāṁ svadharmataḥ
It can thus be understood that to attain perfection in jñāna, dependence on bhakti is

essential. Nārada said to Vyāsa, "O sage! If someone gives up the activities of varṇāśrama-
dharma and engages himself in devotion to the Lord’s lotus feet, but suddenly falls down in an
immature stage, then there is no loss. He never attains any inauspiciousness. On the other
hand, one engaged in varṇāśrama-dharma without any devotion does not gain anything." This
text describes how useless practicing karma without devotion is. Karmīs are thus also
dependent on bhakti. Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Madhya 22.26) says: cāri varṇāśramī yadi kṛṣṇa nāhi
bhaje; sva-dharma kariāo raurave paḍi maje “If persons following varṇāśrama-dharma do not
render service to the Lord, they fall into hellish conditions, even though they are following
activities prescribed by the Vedas.” Similarly in the Bhāgavatam (10.14.5) while glorifying Kṛṣṇa,
Brahmā describes how those who practice yoga without bhakti fail and those practicing yoga
with bhakti are successful:
pureha bhūman bahavo ’pi yoginas tvad-arpitehā nija karma labdhayā

vibudhya bhaktyaiva kathopanītayā prapedire ’ñjo ’cyuta te gatiṁ parām
“O almighty Lord! In the past many yogīs did not attain Your knowledge by merely
practicing yoga. Later they became attached to You after hearing Your glories. Finally by the
effect of such devotion, they understood the truth of the soul and Your personality and easily
attained Your lotus feet, the supreme goal of all living entities.” The author states that karmīs,
jñānīs, yogīs cannot avoid the help of bhakti to attain perfection in their respective paths. On
the other hand, bhakti does not depend even in the slightest way on anything else to give its
fruit, prema. What to speak of the complete independence of bhakti, jñāna and karma
contaminate its purity. Śrī Kṛṣṇa says to Uddhava, in the Bhāgavata (11.20.31):
tasmān mad-bhakti yuktasya yogino vai mad-ātmanaḥ

na jñānaṁ na ca vairāgyaṁ prāyaḥ śreyo bhaved iha
“Those who wholeheartedly engage in My devotion generally do not appreciate the

practice of jñāna and vairāgya." Bhakti is beyond the three modes of māyā and is completely
independent, but jñāna and vairāgya, however, are fully dependent on bhakti. Though a
devotee does not desire jñāna and vairāgya, they automatically follow him: jñāna-vairāgyādi
bhaktira kabhu nahe aṅga; ahiṁsa-yama-niyamādi bule kṛṣṇa-bhakta-saṇga “Intellectual
spiritual realization and renunciation are not parts of devotion, yet good qualities like control
of senses, penance, and austerities accompany Kṛṣṇa’s devotees.” (Caitanya-caritāmṛta,
Madhya 22.145) The Bhāgavata (1.2.7) states:
vāsūdeve bhagavati bhaktiyogaḥ prayojitaḥ

janayatyāśu vairāgyaṁ jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam
The author explains in the commentary to this śloka, jñāna vairagyārthaṁ pṛthak
yatno bhaktair na kartavya iti bhāvaḥ "For one engaged in pure devotion, there is no need at
all for the separate efforts of jñāna and vairāgya." Rather, the instructions are to practice
bhakti while completely giving up varṇāśrama-dharma. In the Bhāgavata (11.11.32) Kṛṣṇa
says:
ājñāyaivaṁ guṇān doṣān mayādiṣṭān api svakān

dharmān santajya yaḥ sarvān maṁ bhajeta sa tu sattamaḥ
"O Uddhava! One who worships Me with the firm faith that bhakti can give all perfection
is the best among the sādhus. Though he understands the benefits of practicing dharma as it is
taught in the Vedas, as well as the negative consequences of not practicing dharma; he has
given up all the prescribed duties of varṇāśrama-dharma because he considers them to be
hindrances to meditation on Me." In concluding the Gītā, the Lord says to Arjuna:
sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ
"O Arjuna! Give up all kinds of dharma and take absolute shelter in Me. I will completely
absolve you from all kinds of sins. Do not worry.” Jīva Gosvāmī declares in Prīti-sandarbha that
bhakti cannot tolerate any adulteration not meant for the service of the Lord—tātparyāntam
asahamānā. Bhakti does not take the help of karma and jñāna at all for giving its fruit. Rather
by its slightest touch, it very easily gives perfection in the paths of karma, jñāna, and yoga. Kṛṣṇa
says to Uddhava in the Bhāgavata (11.20.32-33):
yat karmabhir yat tapasā jñāna-vairāgyataś ca yat

yogena dāna-dharmeṇa śreyobhir itarair api
sarvaṁ mad-bhakti-yogena mad-bhakto labhate ’ñjasā
svargāpavargam mad-dhāma kathañcid yadi vāñchati
“All the results that are attained by performing karma, jñāna, renunciation, mystic yoga,
charity, pilgrimage, vows and so forth can be easily attained by My devotee simply by practicing
bhakti-yoga. Although My devotee does not desire anything except Me, if he somehow desires
heavenly enjoyments, liberation, or residence in My abode he can very easily attain them."
Without bhakti, however, karma, austerities, and jñāna become totally useless. Hari-bhakti-
sudhodaya (3.11) says,
bhagavad bhakti hīnasya jātiḥ śāstraṁ japas tapaḥ
aprāṇasyeva dehasya maṇḍanaṁ loka rañjanam
"If a person without devotion to the Lord takes birth in a high caste and family, studies
the Vedas, chants mantras and undergoes austerities, then all these are simply like the
decoration of a dead body to please the common people." Just as it is useless to decorate a
dead body, similarly the high caste, japa, austerities and scriptural knowledge of a non-devotee
are all wasted—it simply serves to please the common people. This statement shows the
uselessness of sādhana that is bereft of devotion. Just as the body is dependent on the presence
of the soul, similarly japa and penances are dependent on the glorious goddess of devotion.
Again, bhakti is not dependent on place, time, individual, substance, ritual, purity and so on like
the practice of karma and jñāna. Anybody can practice hari bhajana anywhere, at any time and
in any condition. It is well known in the Vaiṣṇava smṛti—
na deśa niyamas tasmin na kāla niyamas tathā

nocchiṣṭādau niṣedho'sti śrī harer nāmni lubdhaka
"O greedy one! The holy name of Lord Hari has such an indescribable glory that there
are no restrictions in time, place or purity. It is not forbidden to perform in an impure state!"
Bhakti does not depend on anything for its own perfection, hence it is said: sakṛd api parigītaṁ
śraddhayā helayā vā bhṛguvara naramātraṁ tārayet kṛṣṇa nāma (Prabhāsa khaṇḍa) "O
Bhṛguvara! Whether you chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa with faith or with neglect, it will deliver
any human being with a single utterance!" This reference has been quoted in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa
and Sanātana Gosvāmī explains in the commentary as follows: yathākathañcit sakṛt tat kīrtanād
apyānuṣaṅgikatvena sarvasyāpi mokṣo bhaved evetyāha sakṛd apīti. parītyarddhe avyaktam
asampūrṇam uccāritam apītyarthaḥ - The main fruit of chanting harināma is divine prema.
Chanting Kṛṣṇa’s name even once by any means can give liberation, which is only its secondary
fruit. In the word parigītām the word pari means that even indistinct and incomplete chanting
of the holy name can give liberation.
karma yogasya tathābhūtatve mahānarthakāritvam eva. mantra hīnaḥ svarato varṇato

vā mitho prayukto tad artham āha. yathendra śatruḥ svarato'parādhāt sa vāg vajro yajamānaṁ
hi hinasti' ityādeḥ evaṁ jñānasyāntaḥ karaṇa śuddhyadhīnatvaṁ prasiddham eva. niṣphala
karmayogenāntaḥ karaṇasya śuddhau niṣpāditāyām eva tatra tasya praveśāt karmādhīnatvaṁ
ca. tad adhikṛtasya daivāt durācāratva lave'pi 'sa vai vāntāsyapatrapaḥ. iti nindā. kaṁsa
hiraṇyakaśipu rāvaṇādīnāṁ tat tat prakaraṇa dṛṣṭyā jñānābhyāsavatām api na tattvena

vyapadeśa lavo'pi.
TRANSLATION: There are many rules and prohibitions in karma-yoga, and even a
slightest fault in their performance makes the result very harmful. śāstras say if a mantra is
not chanted or intoned properly in performing sacrifices, the whole process becomes
fruitless. Not only fruitless, but improper chanting sometimes acts as a thunderbolt and gives
completely opposite results to the performer of the sacrifice and may even destroy him.
Tvaṣṭā-Ṛṣi while offering oblations during the sacrifice said, “May the enemy of Indra
appear.” Due to his defective pronunciation, he got the opposite result. Similarly, it is well
known that the practice of jñāna-yoga is dependent on purity of the heart. One can attain
purity of heart by doing karma-yoga without desiring any fruits. One finally attains the
qualification to do jñāna-yoga. Jñāna-yoga is therefore dependent on karma-yoga.
Moreover, if a jñānī accidentally commits even a small unworthy act, then he is defamed as
a shameless vomit eater. As with Kaṁsa, Hiranyakaśipu, and Rāvaṇa, though they were
jñānīs, they are still condemned by everyone because of their conduct. Thus even a slight
unworthy act of a person practicing jñāna-yoga is not appreciated by the sādhus.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation: This powerful bhakti-process, a manifestation of the svarūpa-

śakti of Bhagavān, is free from constraints on time, place or suitability of the candidate. For a
devotee there is no possibility of falling down though he commits some fault in his bhajan. This
is not so with karma and jñāna. In karma yoga one must take care with following and observing
the rules and prohibitions and even the smallest mistake made could get the karmī in the
greatest trouble. In the Sixth Canto of the authoritative Śrīmad Bhāgavata is the story of Tvaṣṭā-
Ṛṣi. Once the guru of the devatās, Bṛhaspati, on seeing the arrogance of Indra, disappeared for
some time to teach him a lesson. After hearing this news, with the help of Śukrācārya, the
demons very easily conquered the gods, who were weak without Bṛhaspati. The gods finally
took shelter of Brahmā, who suggested they accept Viśvarūpa, the son of Tvaṣṭā-Ṛṣi, as their
guru. Viśvarūpa gave the Nārāyaṇa-kavaca to Indra and Indra conquered the demons. Though
Viśvarūpa was the son of Tvaṣṭā-Ṛṣi, he was also the grandson of the demons. Very secretly he
used to give the fruits of sacrifice to the demons as well. Upon observing this, Indra became
blind with anger and killed Viśvarūpa. When Tvaṣṭā-Ṛṣi came to know this, he made a sacrifice
for killing Indra. While offering oblations during the sacrifice, he was chanting the mantra,
indra-śatro vivardhasva: “May (the prowess of) Indra’s enemy increase.” The tone of voice is of
three types: udātta (deep tone), anudātta (low and grave tone), and svarita (medium tone). If
the word Indra is uttered in anudātta and śatro in udātta, then the child born as a result will kill
Indra. Accidentally he uttered Indra in udātta and śatro in anudātta. Uttering the mantra in such
a way changed the meaning of the mantra to, “May there be a child who will be killed by Indra.”
Thus Vṛtrāsura appeared from that sacrifice and Indra killed him. In this way, even a slight
mistake in the tone gave completely opposite results to Tvaṣṭā-Ṛṣi. This is not so with bhakti. In
śāstras it says, mūrkho vadati viṣṇāya dhīro vadati viṣṇave ubhayostu samaṁ puṇyaṁ bhāva-
grāhi janārdanaḥ: “An illiterate person says viṣṇāya, while a learned person says viṣṇave. Both
get the same result, since the Lord appreciates only the sentiments.” mūrkha bole viṣṇāya
viṣṇave bole dhīra; dui vākya parigraha kore kṛṣṇa vīra (Caitanya Bhāgavata) Though a child
speaks with his father in broken language, still the affectionate father relishes this much more
than the correct language of his elder son. So too with devotion, the Lord appreciates only the
sentiments of an illiterate devotee and gets much pleasure even though he improperly utters
the prayers glorifying Him. The fruit of the sacrifice, however, did not accept the feelings of
Tvaṣṭā Ṛṣi and because he made one flaw in pronunciation he got a completely opposite result.
This is the vast difference between karma and bhakti-yoga. Just as the sacrifices of karma yoga
are dependent on faultless implementation, similarly practice of jñāna-yoga is completely
dependent on purity of heart. With an impure heart it is impossible to practice jñāna yoga. It
thus depends on first properly doing karma-yoga to purify the heart. Only then one becomes
qualified for jñāna yoga. The Lord says in the Gītā (3.19):
tasmād asaktaḥ satataṁ kāryaṁ karma samācara

asakto hy ācaran karma param āpnoti puruṣaḥ
"O Arjuna! Always do your duties without desiring the results. By performing such
duties, one’s heart becomes pure and he attains the quality for cultivating jñāna. Finally he
attains liberation." Moreover, if a slight unworthy act is seen in a jñānī, then he is condemned
in śāstras as a shameless eater of the vomit that he had earlier thrown up. If however a devotee
commits an unworthy act due to his saṁskāras (upbringing, habits) of his previous birth, he is
not condemned. Bhakti very quickly purifies his heart, burning his faults to ashes in the fire of
repentance, as a gold coin is purified by fire. A slight unworthy act seen in a person practicing
jñāna is not at all appreciated by the sādhus. Although Kaṁsa, Hiranyakaśipu, and Rāvaṇa were
jñānīs, due to their unworthy acts they were condemned everywhere.
bhaktes tu 'vikrīḍitaṁ vrajavadhūbhiḥ' ityādau—

bhaktiṁ parāṁ bhagavati pratilabhya kāmaṁ hṛd rogam āśvapahinotyacirena dhīraḥ
(bhāg. 10.33.39)
ityatra 'ktvā' pratyayena hṛd rogavatyevādhikāriṇi paramāyā api tasyāḥ prathamam
eva praveśas tatas tayaiva parama svatantrayā kāmādīnām apagamaś ca. teṣāṁ kadācit
sattve'pi 'api cet sudurācāro bhajate mam' iti 'bādhyamāno'pi mad bhakta' ityādibhiś ca
tadvatāṁ na kvāpi śāstreṣu nindā leśo'pi. ajāmilasya bhaktatvaṁ viṣṇudūtair nirūpitam.
'saṅketa bhagavannāma putra snehānuṣaṅgajam ityādi dṛṣṭyā tad abhāsavatām
apyajāmilādīnāṁ bhaktatvaṁ sarvaiḥ saṅgītam eva' tad evaṁ karma yogādinām antaḥ karaṇa
śuddhi dravya deśa śuddhyādayaḥ sādhakās tad vaiguṇyādayo bādhakā bhaktis tu prāṇa
dāyinyeveti. sarvathā pāratantryam eva teṣām. nahi svatantrāḥ kenāpi sādhyante bādhyante
veti.
TRANSLATION: Although lust is also considered a fault on the path of bhakti, one can
still enter the devotional path despite being still afflicted by lust and other material desires.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavata (10.33.39) says: “A person who faithfully hears or describes the Lord’s
pastimes of Rāsa-līlā with the gopīs of Vraja attains supreme devotion of the Lord. He quickly
becomes steady and conquers the senses, giving up lust, the disease of the heart.” In this text
“after attaining supreme devotion” is an unfinished act showing that bhakti can be attained
even though one has lusty desires. This shows the most independent nature and power of
bhakti to destroy lusty desires. Sometimes lusty desires exist even while practicing devotion.
From verses like, “If the most sinful person worships Me exclusively...” and “Though my
devotee is afflicted by lusty desires...” it is clear that though lusty desires may exist in a
devotee, still he is not condemned even slightly. The messengers of Viṣṇu judged Ajāmila as
a devotee. From śāstric evidence it is seen, “Ajāmila uttered the name of the Lord, though he
was calling his son’s name out of affection.” Uttering of the Lord’s name by Ajāmila was just
an ābhāsa (glimpse). He did not chant the Lord’s name, but merely used it to call his own son
named Nārāyaṇa. Still, he is glorified as a devotee by all. With karma-yoga and jñāna-yoga,
perfection depends on purity of heart, materials, place, and so on. Purity of all these factors
assists in attaining the fruits of karma and jñāna. The lack of such factors thus obstructs the
attainment of their respective fruits. Bhakti, however, infuses life in them. Karma, jñāna, and
yoga are always dependent on bhakti, and they are never independent. They are nourished
by certain factors and obstructed by others.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation: Sacrifices performed by karmīs are inhibited even by minor
faults and may give opposite results. As long as lusty desires exist, jñāna and yoga practice is
not possible. By the slightest unworthy acts, jñānīs and yogīs are condemned, and their
eventual falldown from their paths is inevitable. But under the shelter of bhakti, most pure and
autonomous, a devotee is never condemned even though some sinful activities may be
observed in him; bhakti bestows her mercy on him and finally gives him divine prema. The
author is establishing this fact by śāstric evidence. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavata (10.33.39) while
narrating the Rāsa-līlā, the crest jewel of all pastimes, Śukadeva Muni describes the most
powerful glories of devotion—
vikrīḍitaṁ vrajavadhūbhir idaṁ ca viṣṇoḥ śraddhānvito'nuśṛṇuyād atha varṇayed yaḥ

bhaktiṁ paraṁ bhagavati pratilabhya kāmaṁ hṛd rogam āśvapahinotyacireṇa dhīraḥ
"Whoever faithfully hears and narrates the loving pastimes of Śrī Kṛṣṇa with the ladies
of Vraja will attain the topmost devotion for the Lord and will swiftly become grave and give up
the heart's disease of lust." In this verse the saying 'he attains the highest devotion to the Lord'
is an asamāpikā kriyā or unfinished act, whereas the words kāmaṁ hṛd rogam āśvapahinoti, 'he
will swiftly give up the heart’s disease of lust' is a samāpikā kriyā or a completed act. Thus it is
established that even though lust is not yet conquered the symptoms of topmost loving
devotion are already present, and later, by the force of the most powerful and independent
bhakti, the heart's disease of lust will be destroyed. In the Vaiṣṇava-toṣaṇī commentary on this
verse it is explained atra tu hṛd rogāpahānāt pūrvam eva parama bhakti prāptiḥ tasmāt parama
balavad evedaṁ sādhanam iti bhāvaḥ - that the common principle is that first lusty and other
material desires are destroyed, then one attains prema-bhakti. Here, however, the attainment
of prema-bhakti is described, even though lusty desires still exist. This indicates that hearing or
describing the rāsa-līlā is a very powerful process of devotion by which one quickly attains
prema-bhakti. The Gosvāmīs explain here that the word parā-bhakti refers to the most exalted
prema-bhakti that exists in the Vraja gopīs.
What to speak of the existence of lust, even a very sinful person can perform bhakti and
still he is not condemned. Evidence is given in the Gītā (9.30):
api cet sudurācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk

sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ samyag vyavasito hi saḥ
Śrī Kṛṣṇa says, "O Arjuna! If a person with his heart exclusively absorbed in worshipping
Me commits very sinful acts, he is still considered a sādhu, because his efforts in devotion are
commendable." The essence of the Sārārtha Varṣiṇī-commentary of this śloka by Śrī Viśvanātha
Cakravartīpāda is as follows: "Affection of the Lord for His devotees is very natural. The
devotion of a devotee is never destroyed though he commits very sinful acts. Rather, the Lord
elevates him. To express this idea in this verse, the Lord describes the ananya-bhaktas, those
bhaktas who are solely and wholeheartedly engaged in devotion. That means they do not
worship any other gods; take shelter of karma, jñāna or any other path except bhakti and desire
nothing other than Kṛṣṇa. If such a devotee, by the effect of some previous sinful habits,
commits violence, has illicit sex or steals, still he must be considered as sādhu. The word
mantavya in the imperative case means one must consider him as a sādhu. As this is a direct
order of the Lord, non-acceptance of His order is offensive. There is hence no space for doubts
as to whether or how one can be a sādhu and yet commit such sinful acts.
One may ask: "Can a person not be partially considered a sādhu to the extent to which
he is doing bhajana, while his sinful acts make him partially condemned as a sinner?" The words,
sādhur eva, are given here, with eva meaning that he should not be considered partially a
sādhu, but one in all respects. He is rightly situated and sincerely believes that, “I will never give
up the exclusive devotion of the Lord, even though I have to go to hell or take an animal life for
my sinful acts, which are difficult to give up.”
The conclusion here is that this Gītā-verse glorifies ananya-bhakti, not that it condones
sinful acts. Since there is generally no possibility of the existence of evil desires within the heart
of an ananya-bhakta, the word api is used to indicate that 'if somehow or other they would
exist'. If such a devotee accidentally commits sinful acts due to some serious evil saṁskāras of
his previous births or by the effect of evil association, they cannot exist for long because of the
immense power of Bhakti-devī. Bhakti by its presence burns the heart of a devotee in the fire
of repentance and very soon purifies it. Therefore the Lord proclaims in the next verse (9.31):
kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā śaśvac-chāntiṁ nigacchati

kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati
"O Arjuna! Such a devotee, being firmly fixed in devotion, very soon attains eternal
peace and becomes saintly. Therefore declare loudly that My devotee never perishes." Persons
not considering the link between these two verses misunderstand their essence. They
deliberately commit sinful acts on the strength of the verse api cet sudurācāro with no
repentance for their acts. They cannot be considered sādhus at all; rather, they are guilty of the
grave offense of committing sinful activities on the strength of chanting the holy name. One
should know that if one in a state of repentance, giving up all sinful activities, is constantly
engaged in nāma-saṅkīrtana, then gradually the holy name becomes pleased and he again
attains the stage of a sādhu, otherwise not.
In jñāna-yoga, however, if a jñānī commits even a slight unworthy act, he is condemned
and is not considered knowledgeable. The Bhāgavata (11.18.40) says: yas tvasaṁyata ṣaḍ
vargaḥ pracaṇḍendriya-sārathiḥ jñāna vairāgya rahitas tri daṇḍam upajīvati “A sannyāsī
following the path of jñāna with an uncontrolled mind and senses is controlled by the intellect
acting as a chariot driver of the powerful senses. He accepts the staff of renunciation just for
his own livelihood, but he is devoid of jñāna and vairāgya." On the other hand, though a devotee
may commit serious evil acts, neither he nor his devotion is condemned.” The author further
clarifies this fact with another verse from the Bhāgavata (11.14.18):
bādhyamāno’pi mad-bhakto viṣayair ajitendriyaḥ

prāyaḥ pragalbhayā bhaktyā viṣayair nābhibhūyate
"O Uddhava! By his powerful devotion, My devotee who has not fully controlled his
senses is not bewildered by sense objects." To say nothing of the power of full devotion, a sinful
person who has just a glimpse of bhakti (bhaktyābhāsa) is considered to be a devotee. The
messengers of Lord Viṣṇu considered Ajāmila to be a devotee. "Ajāmila accidentally uttered the
Lord’s name, affectionately calling his son named Nārāyaṇa, not the Lord." On the basis of this
scriptural statement it can be concluded that Ajāmila was considered a devotee simply by
accidentally chanting the name of the Lord. Everyone glorifies him as such.
Now it can be concluded that in the practice of karma, jñāna, and yoga, certain factors
help in attaining perfection while others become obstacles. For instance, purity of heart is
necessary for perfection in jñāna and the presence of lust is an obstacle in its practice. The
practice that depends on the help of other factors and that is obstructed by an obstacle cannot
be considered as independent. With most powerful bhakti, purity of heart is not necessary,
since chanting and hearing is possible even in the impure stages of the heart. Moreover, the
existence of lusty desires does not obstruct the practice of bhakti. Therefore, undoubtedly the
path of devotion is quite independent of other paths and practices. Bhakti, being so
independent, is neither nourished nor obstructed by any other process.
kiñca jñānaika sādhana mātratvaṁ bhakter ityajñair evocyate yato jñāna sādhyān
mokṣād api tasyāḥ paramotkarṣa evālocyate, 'muktiṁ dadāti karhicit sma na bhakti-yogam' iti.
'muktānām api siddhānaṁ nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇaḥ sudurlabhaḥ praśāntātmā koṭiṣv api mahā-
muṇe” ityādibhyaḥ.
TRANSLATION: Only the ignorant say that bhakti can attain its perfection only with
the help of jñāna. It has been established by the śāstras that bhakti is infinitely superior to
mukti, the ultimate goal of jñāna. As the Bhāgavata (5.6.18) says, “The Lord may easily give
liberation, but not bhakti.” “O great sage! Among the many millions of liberated jñānīs who
have attained perfection, a fully peaceful devotee of Nārāyaṇa is extremely rare.” (Bhāgavata
6.14.5)
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation: The author has now established that the practices of karma,
yoga and jñāna are contingent upon proper practice and avoidance of error. In contrast bhakti
is fully self-sufficient; nothing can help it or stop it. Some uninformed persons, without
understanding the real essence of the śāstras, say that jñāna nourishes bhakti. The author
rejects this, giving evidence from śāstra ascertaining the complete independence of bhakti.
But those who claim that jñāna nourishes bhakti believe that without prior intellectual
spiritual insight into the nature of the individual soul and the supreme soul, it is not possible to
be engaged in devotion. In fact the reverse is the case. It will become clear from the following
discussion why the author considers these people as ignorant.
Jñāna has three categories: jñāna of tat-padārtha, jñāna of tvam-padārtha, and jñāna
of the relation between the abovementioned two truths.
1. Jñāna of tat-padārtha means knowledge of the Absolute Truth, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. This
knowledge includes the knowledge of His having a form, His quality of being sac-cid-ānanda,
His position of being the Original Supreme Lord, His being the Absolute Truth in human form,
His quality as the embodiment of all rasas, His infinite beauty and sweetness, His form, qualities,
and pastimes. Knowledge of the Absolute Truth also includes knowledge of His compassion,
associates, abode, svarūpa-śakti, and māyā-śakti.
2. Knowledge of tvam-padārtha means knowledge related to the jīva, or spirit soul. This
includes knowledge of the form of the jīva as part and parcel (cit-kaṇa) of the Absolute Truth,
the position of the jīva as taṭastha-śakti, or intermediary energy, jīva as vibhinnāṁśa, or
separate expansion of the Lord, the eternal nature of jīva as Kṛṣṇa's servant and the sub-
independence of the jīva (anu-svātantrya).
3. The relationship between tat- and tvam-padārtha means the Supreme Truth Śrī Kṛṣṇa
is the master and jīva is His eternal servant. Kṛṣṇa is all pervading and the jīva is minute. Kṛṣṇa
is the master of māyā, but the jīva can be controlled by māyā. Forgetting the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa
is the main cause of the jīva’s bondage by māyā and innumerable miseries. One can be free
from all bondage by māyā only by worshipping Kṛṣṇa and in doing so can thus attain supreme
bliss.
Some say jñāna means knowledge of the oneness of Brahman and the jīva. They do not
accept the energies and the form of the Supreme Brahman. According to them, Brahman is
non-personal without any form and there is no difference between Brahman and the jīva.
Merging within Brahman or attaining liberation is the ultimate achievement of the jīva. They
consider the minute jīva soul as Brahman and the form of the Supreme Lord as an expansion of
māyā. They thus commit offense at the feet of Kṛṣṇa. Knowledge of the oneness of jīva and
Brahman is completely opposed to bhakti. Thus, it should always be rejected.
Association with sādhus is one of the most important parts of the practice of bhakti.
True knowledge automatically appears in the heart of a person receiving the causeless mercy
of a most exalted and independent sādhu, through that sādhu‘s association and by hearing hari-
kathā from his mouth. If associating with such sādhus and thus bhakti itself, was impossible,
then it might be seen that bhakti arises with the practice of jnana. It might superficially be said
that jñāna nourishes bhakti in that case. Sometimes such jñāna appears to provide entrance to
bhakti for an aspiring devotee, but still it cannot be considered an essential part of the path of
devotion. Rūpa Gosvāmī writes in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.2.248-249):
jñāna vairāgyayor bhakti praveśāyopayogitā

īṣat prathamam eveti nāṅgatvam ucitaṁ tayoḥ
yad ubhe citta-kāṭhinya hetu prāyaḥ satāṁ mate
sukumāra svabhāveyaṁ bhaktis taddhetur īritā
"Jñāna and vairāgya may be accepted as a door to the devotional path (if the jñāna does
not mean knowledge of the oneness of the soul with Brahman and the renunciation is not dry
or unfavorable to bhakti), if they do not oppose it and are favorable for its performance. Only
then do they have some use in bhakti. They have no use, however, after one has embarked on
the devotional path. They thus cannot be considered as a part of devotion. In the view of the
sādhus, jñāna and vairāgya make the heart very hard. Tender bhakti is thus the cause of bhakti."
Śrīmad-Bhāgavata (10.14.3) therefore describes the glories of hearing hari-kathā from
devotees, giving up all efforts for attaining jñāna:
jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva jīvanti san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām

sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhir ye prāyaśo’jita jito ’py asi tais tri-lokyām
While glorifying Kṛṣṇa, Brahmā says, “O Lord! Though You are unconquerable in the
three worlds by anyone, still You are conquered by those who have completely given up the
efforts for attaining the knowledge of even Your svarūpa (form), aiśvarya (opulence), and
māhātmya (glories) and wholeheartedly hear Your name, form, qualities, pastimes and so on
spontaneously flowing from the mouths of Your devotees." Therefore, only the fool says that
jñāna supports bhakti; wise men do not say this. Different śāstras explain the infinite superiority
of bhakti over mukti, the ultimate goal of jñāna. The author quotes Śrīmad Bhāgavatam
(5.6.18), saying:
rājan patir gurur alaṁ bhavatāṁ yadūnāṁ daivaṁ priyaḥ kulapatiḥ kva ca kiṅkaro vaḥ
astvevam aṅga bhagavān bhajatāṁ mukundo muktiṁ dadāti karhicit sma na bhaktiyogam
Śukadeva says to Parīkṣit "O king! For all of the Pāṇḍavas and the Yadus, Bhagavān
Mukunda is the maintainer, the Guru, worshipable Deity, affectionate friend and master of the
family. Sometimes He even acts as a servant or a messenger of your family. In this way He has
put Himself under the control of His devotees. He may easily give liberation, but not prema-
bhakti." The essence of the Sārārtha Darśinī-commentary on this śloka by Śrī Viśvanātha
Cakravartipāda is as follows: While hearing the Bhāgavata, Parikṣit Mahārāja started lamenting
since he felt upset that Bhagavān did not descend in their Puru dynasty. All-knowing Śukadeva
realized this and to give him comfort and happiness, he spoke this śloka, where he established
the infinite superiority of bhakti over mukti. Śukadeva’s idea is that the dynasty where Bhakti-
devī appears is more praiseworthy than the dynasty where the Lord appears, because He is
controlled by bhakti. Undoubtedly the Lord did not appear in the Puru dynasty, but bhakti
certainly appeared there. The Lord is equally the maintainer of the Pāṇḍu dynasty as well as
the Yadu dynasty. He also is their instructor, worshipable deity, affectionate friend and master.
What's more, sometimes He even served them as a messenger or a servant. Other than bhakti
there is no means of controlling the Lord. Bhakti is very difficult to attain. The Lord may easily
give liberation to His devotees, but not prema-bhakti. >>
The word karhicit, or “ever”, is not used to mean that the Lord never gives prema-bhakti
to anybody (hence His name is Mukunda), but it suggests that He gives it very rarely, in other
words, He does not give prema to those whose hearts are not eagerly desiring it. If within the
heart of a devotee doing bhajana there is even a trace of desire other than Kṛṣṇa, the Lord does
not give him prema. The Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Ādi 8.18) says: kṛṣṇa yadi chuṭe bhakte bhukti
mukti diyā; kabhu prema-bhakti nā dena rākhena lukāiyā “If any type of desire for bhukti or
mukti exists in the heart of a devotee, then Kṛṣṇa does not give him prema-bhakti. He keeps
bhakti hidden." For example, an affectionate mother always keeps the sweets hidden from her
sick child and gives it to him only after he is cured, so it does not mean that Kṛṣṇa has no desire
of giving prema-bhakti to His devotees. As the Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Madhya 22.37) says: anya-
kāmī yadi kare kṛṣṇera bhajana; nā māgiteha kṛṣṇa tāre dena sva-caraṇa "If someone with
desires for bhukti or mukti worships Kṛṣṇa, still He gives them the loving service of His lotus
feet, though they may not ask for it."
Someone may say that since the Lord comes under the control of His devotee by prema-
bhakti, He will give bhukti or mukti just to remain free, but He never gives prema-bhakti. They
think that being under the control of His devotees is painful for Him. A response to this is that
because prema-bhakti is a state of hlādinī-śakti, He enjoys more bliss from it than He enjoys
from His own svarūpa. Since it is an extremely blissful state for Him, He always desires to be
controlled by His own devotees. He does not feel pain from this state of being controlled, so He
does not wish to give it up. This is the philosophy of the bhakti-śāstra.
Since bhakti is so superior to mukti, the ultimate stage of jñāna, how can jñāna ever
nourish bhakti? The author has already defeated the notion that jñāna completes bhakti and
the fact that bhakti is greater than liberation; now he establishes that the devotee of the
Supreme Lord is superior to the liberated soul. In the Bhāgavata (6.14.5) Mahārāja Parīkṣit tells
Śrī Śuka Muni—
muktānām api siddhānāṁ nārāyaṇa parāyaṇaḥ

sudurllabhaḥ praśāntātmā koṭiṣvapi mahāmuneḥ
"O great sage! Even millions of liberated and perfected souls are surpassed by a single
person who is devoted to Lord Nārāyaṇa. Such a peaceful soul is hard to find." In the
commentary on this śloka, Jīva Gosvāmī states: muktānāṁ prākṛta śarīra-sthatve'pi tad
abhimāna śūnyānām. siddhānāṁ prāpta sālokyādīnāṁ ca koṭiṣvapi madhye nārāyaṇa sevā
mātrākāṅkṣī sudurlabhaḥ. praśāntātmā sarvopadrava rahitaḥ. He says here that “liberated” in
this verse refers to jīvan-muktas, persons who still have their material bodies but are
completely free from attachment to them. Though one may attain this stage, he still has to wait
until his prārabdha is completely destroyed to attain brahma-sāyujya (merging in the non-
personal Brahman). Mere knowledge of Brahman is unable to completely destroy prārabdha.
Brahma-jñāna means the ability to discriminate between matter and spirit. This purifies the
heart and one attains knowledge of the oneness of Brahman and the jīva, resulting in the
merging of the jīva into Brahman. The brahmavādīs do not meditate on any specific form or
activities of the Lord while practicing brahma-jñāna. Therefore the spiritual energy of the
Supreme Lord, which can destroy all their prārabdha, will not manifest in their bodies. Though
by brahma-jñāna, heaps of accumulated results of karma in the form of bīja, kūṭa, and
aprārabdha are destroyed, still one has to wait for his prārabdha to be destroyed in order to
attain brahma-sāyujya. Although a mukta puruṣa still inhibits his body, he is not aware of it
anymore.
The word siddhānām in this verse refers to those who have attained mukti. Out of many
millions of jīvan-muktas and siddhas, one may very rarely find a single devotee of Nārāyaṇa
who has no desire other than the Lord’s service and is free from all disturbances [praśāntātmā].
One may ask, what disturbances do jīvan-muktas and siddhas have? śāstras say, "Even the jīvan-
muktas can come back again to the material state due to offenses committed at the lotus feet
of the most powerful and inconceivable Supreme Lord: jīvanmuktā api punar-bandhanaṁ yānti
karmabhiḥ; yadyacintya mahāśaktau bhagavatyaparādhinaḥ Thus Śrīman Mahāprabhu
instructed Rūpa Gosvāmī: kṛṣṇa bhakta—niṣkāma, ataeva śānta; bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kāmī—
sakali aśānta “The devotees of the Lord, being free from desire, are peaceful. All the other
persons desiring material enjoyment, liberation or yogic perfections are not peaceful.”
(Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya 19.149) Persons who have already attained the bliss of non-
personal Brahman give up the path of jñāna by attaining even the slightest taste of bhakti. Thus
they commence hari bhajana— brahmānanda haite pūrṇānanda līlā-rasa; brahma-jñāni
ākarṣiyā kare ātma-vaśa “The transcendental pastimes of Kṛṣṇa are full of bliss and superior to
the bliss of non-personal Brahman. They consequently attract the mind of brahma-jñānīs and
finally captivate them.” (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya 17.137) Only those persons who have
not relished even the slightest taste of bhakti are astonished by the bliss of the non-personal
Brahman. In Lalita Mādhava-nāṭaka (5.6) Rūpa Gosvāmī writes:
ṛddhā siddhi-vraja-vijayitā satya-dharmā samādhir

brahmānando gurur api camatkārayaty eva tāvat
yāvat premnāṁ madhu-ripu-vaśīkāra-siddhauṣadhīnāṁ
gandho’py antaḥ-karaṇa-saraṇī-pānthatāṁ na prayāti
“As long as within the heart there does not exist even the slightest fragrance of Kṛṣṇa-
prema, the most powerful medicinal herb for captivating Kṛṣṇa, the opulences of perfection in
mystic yoga, perfection of righteous qualities (truthfulness, etc.), samādhi and the bliss of
Brahman realization all seem wonderful to him.” bhaktas are thus a million times superior to a
liberated person. While instructing Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrīman Mahāprabhu described the
sequence of superiority of jīvas—
eito brahmāṇḍa bhori ananta jīvagaṇa; caurāśī lakṣa yonīte koroye bhramaṇa
.....
tāra madhye sthāvara jaṅgama dui bheda; jaṅgame tiryak jala sthala cara vibheda
tāra madhye manuṣya jāti ati alpatara; tāra madhye mleccha pulinda bauddha śabara
vedaniṣṭha madhye arddheka vedamukhe māne;
veda niṣiddha pāpa kore dharma nāhi gaṇe
dharmācārigaṇa madhye bahuta karma niṣṭha; koṭi karmaniṣṭha madhye eka jñānī śreṣṭha
koṭi jñāni madhye hoy eka jana mukta; koṭi mukta madhye durlabha eka kṛṣṇa bhakta
"In this universe there are infinite living entities going through 8,400,000 species. These
living entities can be divided into two divisions, movable and immovable. Movable living
entities are birds, aquatics, and animals. The human species are very small in quantity. Amongst
them are also mlecchas, pulindas, Buddhists and śabaras. Among the human beings following
Vedic principles, almost half of them simply give lip service to dharma and commit sins
forbidden in the Vedas. Most people that follow Vedic dharma are attached to fruitive activities.
Among millions of such karmīs, there may be one jñānī who is the best among them. Among
millions of jñānīs, there may be one liberated person, and even among millions of liberated
persons a devotee of Kṛṣṇa is very difficult to find." (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya 19.138/144-
148)
indram eva pradhānīkṛtya svayaṁ guṇībhavatopendreṇa taṁ sarvathā puṣṇatā sva

kṛpālutvam eva yathābhijña janeṣu pratyāyate na tu svāpakarṣas tathaiva jñānaṁ puṣṇantyās
tat tat prakaraṇa vākyeṣu tasyā bhakter anugraha eva sudhībhir anugamyate iti
TRANSLATION: During Vāmana avatāra, the Lord Himself accepted the form of
Upendra, the younger brother of Indra, and protected Indra by all means possible. The wise
have realized it as the Lord's supreme mercy rather than His inferiority. Similarly, śāstras
establishing jñāna as the supreme path describe bhakti as a part of jñāna. The wise, however,
know that Bhakti-devī, who is most independent, nourishes jñāna by mercifully accepting the
sattva-guṇa (mode of goodness) and becoming a part of jñāna.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation: The author has firmly established the independence of bhakti
in an analytical way. One may say that bhakti exists as a part of jñāna for those cultivating jñāna
along with bhakti. They know that jñāna cannot give perfection without the help of bhakti:
bhakti vinā kono sādhana dite nāre phala. In such cases, jñāna predominates over bhakti, or in
other words, bhakti is subordinate, helping the jñāna sādhaka in attaining his coveted
liberation. jñāna is here the main practice and bhakti the secondary. How can bhakti thus be
completely independent? The Bhāgavata defines such bhakti of the jñānīs as sāttvikī-bhakti
(bhakti in the mode of goodness). How can the transcendental nature of bhakti then be
established? The author is resolving these questions by giving an example.
The Bhāgavata describes the pastimes of Vāmanadeva. Although He is the fully
independent Supreme Lord, He appeared as Upendra, the younger brother of Indra. Faithfully
following Indra, He begged three paces of land from Bali Mahārāja. He measured the entire
surface of the earth with his first foot, all the higher planets with his second foot, and sent Bali
to Pātāla-loka with his third. He then gave the reign of the heavenly planets to Indra. He always
gave respect to His elder brother, Indra, and protected him. The wise realize that giving respect
to Indra and maintaining him is nothing but the mercy of Vāmanadeva. This shows His
superiority, not inferiority. The more the conditioned soul elevates himself through his
sādhana, and thus reaches his full capacity, the more the Lord mercifully steps down or accepts
a humble position, making Him realize His own quality of being the Supreme Lord in all its
fullness.
Similarly, the internal energy of the Lord, Bhakti-devī, also has a merciful nature. Only with the
help of bhakti can one attain the realization of the non-personal or personal form of the
Supreme Lord. bhaktyā mām abhijānāti: "I can be only realized by bhakti." bhaktyāham-ekayā-
grāhya: "I am attained only by bhakti." From this evidence of the Gītā and Bhāgavata it is clearly
understood that only bhakti can give realization of any form of the Supreme Lord. Practice of
jñāna without bhakti leads only to troubles and nothing else. Wise jñānīs thus do devotion along
with the practice of the non-personal brahman. Jñānīs attain perfection even by the slightest
casual mercy of bhakti, which is secondarily done by them. In such case, the position of bhakti
is no doubt secondary and it forms a part of jñāna. By His own sweet will, Upendra mercifully
accepted a subordinate position without revealing His independent energy and gave a superior
position to Indra. Similarly, Bhakti-devī mercifully accepts an inferior position without
manifesting Her independent power and nourishes jñāna, thus giving liberation to the jñānīs. It
is comparable to the way in which Upendra cheated Bali and gave Indra the kingdom of heaven.
Though merciful bhakti-devī is completely beyond the three modes of nature, still she accepts
sattva-guṇa by her own sweet will to give liberation to the jñānīs. Such bhakti is called sāttvikī
bhakti.
The Absolute Truth has two manifestations, saviśeṣa, personal (Bhagavān) and nirviśeṣa,
non-personal (Brahman, the effulgence of the Lord). The non-personal manifestation of the
Absolute Truth is also beyond māyā. One may then ask, why does bhakti accept the sattva-
guṇa, which is material in nature, to give the realization of the non-personal Brahman? Can
bhakti not give that realization in its nirguṇa form?
The answer is that bhakti is an eternal energy of the Lord. Energy means the capacity to
do work. The qualification to get a certain work done is called śakti or energy. The Lord’s energy
that reveals the Supreme Lord along with His energies to others is called bhakti. nirguṇa-bhakti
reveals the personal form of the Lord and His energies to niṣkāma (unmotivated), or guṇātīta
(transcendental) devotees. The heart of jñānīs, however, is full of desire for mukti, which means
they are sakāma (motivated) or saguṇa (endowed with mundane qualities). Unless the heart
becomes pure and free from all desires except the Lord, Bhakti-devī cannot manifest her
nirguṇa form. The hearts of the jñānīs are pierced with the yearning for liberation, so they have
personal desires, thus bhakti devī fullfills their desires through the material mode of goodness.
There is no other way for them.
The mode of goodness sheds light, the mode of passion colors and the mode of darkness
covers. Although the mode of goodness can itself not reveal transcendence, it can at least give
some idea. We try to explain with the following example: Three robbers mug and ransack an
innocent traveller on a forest path. One thief says: "We must kill him, otherwise he blows the
whistle on us", the other thief says: "No need to kill him; let's just tie him to this tree and flee!"
and the third thief says: "No, no need to either tie him or kill him. He has lost the way, take him
out of the forest and show him the inhabited world." In this way the modes of goodness,
passion and darkness bind the conditioned souls. The mode of darkness covers the soul with
sinful desires and makes him suffer birth and death in different species of life, the mode of
passion colors the heart of the conditioned soul with desires for fruitive activities and makes
him attached, while the mode of goodness brings light and helps the conditioned souls to seek
the Absolute Truth. Bhakti-devī mercifully has to accept sattva-guṇa for fulfilling the desire of
jñānīs for non-personal realisation. Thus, Bhakti-devī accepts an inferior position to jñāna and
with the help of sattva-guṇa gives the jñānīs non-personal realization of the Absolute Truth.
Blessed is bhakti devī's compassion.
bhaktyā sañjatayā bhaktyā iti bhakteḥ phalaṁ prema rūpā saiveti svayaṁ puruṣārtha
mauli-rūpatvaṁ tasyāḥ. tad evaṁ bhagavata iva svarūpa bhūtāyā mahā-śakteḥ sarva
vyāpakatvaṁ sarva vaśīkāritvaṁ sarva sañjīvakatvaṁ sarvotkarṣa parama svātantryaṁ sva
prakāśatvaṁ ca kiñcid uṭṭaṅkitaṁ tad api tāṁ vinā anyatra pravṛttau prekṣāvattvasyābhāva iti
kiṁ vaktavyam. naratvasyāpi 'ko vai na seveta vinā naretaram' ityādibhir avagamo dṛṣṭaḥ (4)
TRANSLATION: “Bhakti is the cause of bhakti.” This śāstric evidence explains that the
fruit of sādhana-bhakti is prema-bhakti. Bhakti-devī herself is the crest jewel of all human
goals. Thus, the all-pervading, all-enchanting, all-nourishing, superexcellent, most
independent, and self-manifesting nature of Bhakti-devī, the exalted and powerful energy of
the Lord arising from His own svarūpa, has been slightly described. If one practises any path
other than bhakti, then he is definitely blind. He cannot even be considered as a human being
because śāstras say, “Who else except the nonhuman would refuse devotion to the Lord?”
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation: In this first shower of the book the worshipable author has
firmly proven from scriptures like Śrīmad Bhāgavata that bhakti is independent and self-
manifesting, and now he closes off this first shower. Previously it was said that by the mercy of
a fully independent great soul an ordinary being can attain bhakti. The cause of that mercy is
bhakti residing within the heart of that great soul; mercy cannot appear without bhakti, hence
the conclusion is that bhakti is the cause of bhakti. This reveals the most independent and self-
manifesting nature of bhakti. The author clearly proves this from the Bhāgavata (11.3.31):
smarantaḥ smārayantaś ca mitho’ghaugha-haraṁ harim.

bhaktyā sañjātayā bhaktyā bibhraty utpulakāṁ tanum
Prabuddha, one of the nine Yogendras, said to Mahārāja Nimi: "Thus attaining prema-
bhakti arising out of sādhana-bhakti, the devotees remember and remind others that the Lord
is the destroyer of sins. They exist in a state of ecstasy thrilled with joy." In karma, jñāna, and
yoga, sādhana (the means) and sādhya (the goal) are different. Karmīs practise sacrifice and
attain heavenly bliss. Jñānīs practise śama, dama (different types of self control), meditation
and so on, and attain brahma-sāyujya (merging into non-personal Brahman). yogīs practise
yama, niyama (different rules), āsana (sitting postures), prāṇāyāma (breath control) and so on
and attain paramātmā-sāyujya (merging into the Paramātmā). In all these cases as they proceed
towards the stage of perfection, their practices are reduced accordingly. Finally at the stage of
perfection, they stop all practice and become absorbed in relishing the fruits of their respective
paths. Hence we can easily understand that for them there is a difference between the means
and the goal. Sādhana-bhakti, bhāva-bhakti, and prema-bhakti, however, are the immature and
mature stages of bhakti. Preceding stages of bhakti are the cause of consequent stages. Thus
as a devotee proceeds towards prema-bhakti, his devotional practices increase. The bliss that
the devotee enjoys in sādhana-bhakti is thin, while in the stage of bhāva and prema-bhakti it is
very dense. Narottama ṭhākura says, pākile se prema-bhakti, apakke sādhana rīti, bhakti-
lakṣaṇa tattva-sāra: “The characteristics of the essence of pure devotion are that in its
immature stage it is known as sādhana-bhakti, while in its mature state it is known as prema-
bhakti." This is like an unripe mango that is sour, while a ripe one is very sweet and tasty. Prema
gradually increases to its advanced stages namely, affection (sneha), crooked behaviour out of
deep love (māna), deep affection (praṇaya), attachment (rāga), deep attachment (anurāga),
and finally mahābhāva, supreme ecstasy. These are the highly advanced stages of prema, or its
culmination. No one should consider these culminating stages to be like the ones taught by the
sāṅkhyavādīs, who point out that as soon as milk becomes yoghurt it cannot become milk
anymore, and when yoghurt culminates in ghī it cannot turn back into yoghurt anymore. Prema
rather attains these higher stages without leaving its former states, like māna and so. These
higher stages of prema are the condensed states of prema where the realization of sweetness
of the Lord increases more and more. The most exalted state of prema is mahā-bhāva, which
exists only in the Vraja-gopīs. In this special age of Kali, by Mahāprabhu’s mercy, ordinary
people that take shelter of His lotus feet, are fortunate enough to relish that exalted state of
prema by following the footsteps of the gopīs.
The blessed author proclaims that bhakti is the crest jewel of all puruṣārthas, or human
goals. Though desirable objects differ according to different entities, still the main purpose of
every living entity is to get bliss. By bhakti, which arises from the Lord's pleasure potency
hlādinī, one relishes the bliss arising out of the ocean of divine nectar. Even brahmānanda is
negligible in comparison to that nectar, what to speak of the bliss of material heavens.
Bhakti-devī, who is the great and innate energy of the Lord, has an all-pervading nature
similar to the Lord. Any person can do hari bhajana in any place, time, or circumstance. Bhakti
thus universally exists in the infinite mundane universes, the eternal transcendendal Vaikuṇṭha-
universes, and in Goloka-dhāma. Bhakti, like the Lord, has the nature of captivating all. What
to speak of others, even the liberated persons are attracted to bhakti: muktā api līlayā
vigrahaṁ kṛtvā bhagavantāṁ bhajante, “Even liberated souls accept a spiritual body and
perform devotion to the Lord.”
Without the help of bhakti, karma, jñāna, and yoga are unable to give their respective
fruits. This property of bhakti of giving life to karma, jñāna, and yoga has previously been
described. The superexcellence of bhakti with its independent and self-manifesting nature has
also been previously described. The author is saying, "bhakti is an ocean of infinite qualities. I
have only slightly mentioned them." Mahāprabhu says to Rūpa Gosvāmī: pārāvāra-śūnya
gabhīra-rasa-sindhu; tomāya cākhāite tāra kohi eka bindu - "The ocean of nectar of bhakti is
extremely deep and no one can estimate its length and breadth. However, I am just describing
a drop for you to taste it." (Caitanya-caritāmṛta Madhya 19.137) The glories of bhakti are so
wonderful and unparalleled that every living entity should desire to attain only that. Those
whose ultimate goal is not bhakti have not read bona fide scriptures and their intelligence is
not ripe. They are not expert in discrimination and they are definitely blind. Moreover, they
have not developed human feelings, but are animals in the shape of human beings. This is not
just the personal opinion of the author, but he proves it from the śāstras, ko vai na seveta vinā
naretaram "Who else than an animal would not worship the Lord?" The Bhāgavata (2.3.18-19)
repeatedly condemns these persons as dull animals in the following verses:
taravah kiṁ na jīvanti bhastrāḥ kiṁ na śvasanty uta

na khādanti na mehanti kiṁ grāme paśavo ’pare
śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutāh puruṣaḥ paśuḥ
na yat-karṇa-pathopeto jātu nāma gadāgrajaḥ
“Do the trees not live? Do the bellows of the blacksmith not breathe? Do the animals all
around us not eat and discharge semen? Those who never listen to the name of the Lord, the
elder brother of Gada, are like animals and are praised by men who are like hogs, dogs, camels,
and asses." The life of those who do not worship the Lord is useless, though they may possess
a human body. Some may argue that the success of life is that they are surviving, breathing,
eating, mating, and so on. To this one may answer: “do the trees not also survive? One tree can
survive much longer than a human being. If survival only is the success of life, then trees are far
superior to human beings. And they do not even breathe like human beings. Even the bellows
of a blacksmith breathe! They may be considered more successful since they can take a greater
quantity of air in and out than a human being!” One may argue that the bellows of a blacksmith
do not eat or reproduce like human beings. To this the answer is: "Do the cows, buffaloes,
goats, dogs, hogs, camels, asses, and other farm-animals not eat and mate?" On the words
paśavo'pare Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī comments: tam api narākāraṁ paśuṁ matvāha apara iti, the
word apare means those who are averse to hari-bhajana are animals in human shapes.
Again, someone might say that surely the highly educated, the leaders of society, those
who are held in high esteem, should be counted as human beings even if they may not happen
to worship the Lord. But what is the use of being admired by non-devotees who are themselves
like animals, into whose ears the name of the Lord never enters? They are like dogs
unnecessarily quarrelling, hogs eating stool, camels eating thorns, and asses carrying great
loads and being kicked by the hooves of the she-ass. Jīva Gosvāmī gives the following comment
on this śloka: śvādi tulais tat parikarai samyak stuto'pyasau puruṣaḥ paśus teṣām eva madhye
śreṣṭhaś cet tarhi mahāpaśur evetyarthaḥ "Those who are averse to Haribhajana are deeply
attached to sense gratification. Giving up the nectar of hari-kathā, they are absorbed in useless
talks like dogs barking without any purpose and relish the stool of material enjoyments like
pigs. They have given up the sweet mango leaves of bhakti and chew only the thorns of material
desires like camels. Constantly kicked by their wives, they happily carry burdens of material
responsibilities like asses, which are always kicked by she-asses and unnecessarily carry heavy
burdens. They are being praised by like-minded persons; since they are superior among them
may be considered as mahā-paśu, the great among the animals. Any person with human
tendencies, however, will accept the path of devotion. Of this there is no doubt.
Thus ends the Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation of the first shower of nectar of Mādhurya
Kādambinī by Mahāmahopādhyāya Śrīmad Viśvanātha Cakravartī entitled “Superexcellence of
Bhakti.”
Second Shower of Nectar
athātra mādhurya kādambinyāṁ dvaitādvaitavāda vivādayor nāvakāśaḥ labhante iti

kaiścid apekṣaṇīyāś ced aiśvarya kādambinyāṁ dṛśyatāṁ nāma.
TRANSLATION: In this book Mādhurya Kādambinī there is no discussion on dvaitādvaita-vāda.

If, however, someone wants to know about the explanation of simultaneous difference and
nondifference, he can study the book Aiśvarya Kādambinī.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation: In the first shower of this Mādhurya Kādambinī Śrīla
Viśvanātha Cakravartīpāda has established the supremacy of bhakti, and now in this second
shower he is defining the different types of bhakti by saying first of all: "In this book Mādhurya
Kādambinī there is no need to discuss dvaitādvaita-vāda. The name of this book is Mādhurya
Kādambinī, which means the cloud bank showering the sweet nectar of Śrī Kṛṣṇa and His
devotion. While practicing bhakti one should have a clear understanding about the truth of
dvaitādvaita-vāda, the simultaneous difference and nondifference of Brahman between the
jīva and the material manifestation. The author, however, does not see any necessity of
discussing it in this book since here his main idea is to describe the various steps of bhakti.
However, if someone wishes to know about it, he may consult his book Aiśvarya Kādambinī.
From these words of the blessed author it is known that he has written a book named
Aiśvarya Kādambinī in which the dvaitādvaita vāda is discussed, but unfortunately this book is
now out of human sight. From Vaiṣṇava history we learn that Śrīpāda Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa
has accepted a position of a student of Śrī Viśvanātha Cakravartīpāda and has studied Śrīmad
Bhāgavata under him. Śrī Baladeva also wrote a book named Aiśvarya Kādambinī, but it does
not have any text related to dvaitādvaita-vāda. In the seven showers and 134 verses of this
book Śrīpāda Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa gradually describes the Lord's threefold manifestation
(the spiritual world), the Lord's single manifestation (the mundane world), the presiding deities
of these realms, the dynasties of Śrī Vasudeva and Nanda, Śrī Nanda's capital city, the Lord's
birth festival, Śrī Kṛṣṇa's childhood- and other pastimes, His gradual growth and how He finally
returns from Dvārakā to Vraja. Hence there is no doubt about it that this is another book than
the Aiśvarya Kādambinī by Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartīpāda. (1)
idānīṁ karaṇa kedārikāsu prādurbhavantyās tasyā eva bhakter-jñāna karmādy

amiśrītatvena śuddhāyāḥ kalpavallyā api nirastānya-phalābhisandhitayaiva dhṛta vratair-
madhuvratair iva bhavya janair āśriyamāṇāyāḥ sva-viṣayaikānukūlya mūla prāṇāyāḥ sva-
sparśeṇa sparśamaṇir iva karaṇa vṛttīr api prākṛtatva-lohatāṁ śanais-tyājayitvā cinmayatva
śuddha jāmbunadatāṁ prāpayantyāḥ kandalībhāvānte samudgacchantyāḥ sādhanābhikhye
dve patrike vivriyete. tayoḥ prathamā kleśaghnī dvitīyā śubdhadeti. dvayor api tayor antas tu
lobha pravartakatva lakṣaṇa-caikkanyena 'yeṣām ahaṁ priya ātmā sutaś ca.' ityādi śuddha
sambandha snigdhatayā ca prāptotkarṣe deśe rāga nāmno rājña evādhikāraḥ. bahis tu 'tasmād
bhārata sarvātmā' ityādi śāstra pravartakatva lakṣaṇa-pāruṣyābhāsena priyādi śuddha
sambandhābhāvāt svata evāti snigdhatānudayena pūrvataḥ kiñcid apakṛṣṭe deśe vaidha
nāmno’ parasya rājñaḥ. kleśaghnatva-śubhadatvābhyāntu prāyaśuyorṇa ko’pi viśeṣaḥ.
TRANSLATION: Unalloyed devotion unmixed with jñāna, karma and others can be
compared to a wish-fulfilling creeper appearing in the field of the senses. This bhakti is the
shelter of fortunate devotees, who are like bees desiring to taste only nectar and who vowed
to give up all desires except Bhagavān and bhakti. The very life of this creeper is the
favourable loving service of the Lord. Like a touchstone, this creeper of bhakti eventually
transforms the iron-like material nature of the senses into the most pure transcendental gold.
Gradually the sādhana-bhakti creeper sprouts and unfolds two leaves. The first is called
kleśaghni, destroyer of material sufferings, and the second is called śubhadā, giver of all
auspiciousness. The inner surface of the two leaves is the domain of the king called rāga
(spontaneous devotion), and is very smooth, the sign of its being born out of spontaneous
greed. It is superior due to its appearance from the pure affectionate relation with the Lord
as described in the Bhāgavata (3.25.38), “I am their dear one, very life, son,...” The outer
surface of the leaves is ruled by another king known as vaidha (regulative devotion) and
slightly rough in nature, the sign of its being born from the injunctions of the scriptures. It is
somewhat inferior and slightly rough due to the lack of pure affectionate relation with the
Lord. Śrīmad-Bhāgavata (2.1.5) says, “Therefore, persons desiring fearlessness should
worship the Lord, the Paramātmā.” However, both rāga and vaidhī, almost equally manifest
the symptoms of kleśaghni and śubhadā.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation: In the first shower of this book the author has established the
independent and self-manifest nature of bhakti through logical arguments and scriptural
evidence, and now, in the beginning of the second shower of nectar, he describes the
appearance of the bhakti-desire-creeper in the devotee’s heart, its qualities, and nature. Later
he will describe the gradual progress of sādhana-bhakti. Devotion free from all desires other
than Kṛṣṇa and unmixed with karma, jñāna, and so on is known as pure devotion. Pure devotion
is compared here with a wish-fulfilling creeper so that everyone can easily understand its
qualities, performance, and gradual progression. As a wish-fulfilling creeper appears only in
fertile land, similarly the wish-fulfilling bhakti creeper appears in the field of the senses of a
devotee who has no other desires. One may say that a creeper cannot appear at all without
seed, is there any seed from which bhakti creeper appears? Mahāprabhu said while instructing
Rūpa Gosvāmī:
brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva; guru-kṛṣṇa-prasāde pāya bhakti-lata-bīja

māli hoiyā kare sei bīja āropaṇa; śravaṇa-kīrtana-jale koroye secana
“When a living entity while wandering throughout the universe in different species,
attains good fortune by the causeless mercy of guru and Kṛṣṇa, then only he can get the seed
of the wish-fulfilling bhakti creeper. He becomes a gardener who plants the seed and waters it
by hearing and chanting of Kṛṣṇa." (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya 19.151-51) Although Śrīman
Mahāprabhu mentions the seed of the vine of devotion here, He did not specify it. In the Laghu-
toṣaṇī commentary of the Bhāgavata-verse bhavāpavargau bhramato yadā (10.51.35), Śrīmad
Jīva Gosvāmī describes: sat saṅgamena ratyaṅkura rūpaiva matir jāyata iti, by the association
of sādhus the desire to do kṛṣṇa bhajana appears. This is called mati and is the seed of the
bhakti creeper.
Watering that seed with śravaṇa and kīrtana makes the bhakti creeper sprout in the
field of the devotee’s senses. Favourable service to the Lord is the root of that creeper. The
very life-force of bhakti is to give pleasure to Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Śrīmat Jīva Gosvāmī explains the
characteristics of love of God in his Prīti-sandarbha: tathā viṣayānukūlyātmakas
tadānukūlyānugata tat spṛhā tad anubhava hetukollāsamaya jñāna viśeṣaḥ priyatā, that
serving Kṛṣṇa in a favourable mood is the main characteristic and very life of bhagavat-prīti, or
bhakti. The desire to give pleasure to the Lord in a favourable way appears from bhakti;
concomitantly one develops a desire to attain Him. Gradually by realizing the Lord through
favourable service, one attains supremely blissful knowledge. This means there are three
functions of pure devotion giving prema as its fruit. The first, the very life of bhakti, is to give
pleasure favorably to the Lord, who is the subject of bhakti. In other words a devotee desires
nothing except loving service to the Lord. One may ask then: "Do devotees desire to attain
Kṛṣṇa?" In reply to this the second function is described. The desire to attain Kṛṣṇa appears in
the heart of a devotee only to give pleasure to the Lord, not for the pleasure of the devotee.
One may again say if the devotee does not desire bliss, then he will not attain it. Thus bhakti
cannot be called a puruṣārtha, the ultimate goal of human life, which is bliss. In reply to this the
third function is described. Though a devotee does not desire bliss, he attains a spontaneous
incomparable bliss by realizing the sweetness of ever-blissful Kṛṣṇa by serving His lotus feet.
This is known as bhagavat-prīti, or prema-bhakti. As bees always take shelter of a creeper to
relish nectar, so too the devotees, having no desire except kṛṣṇa-sevā, constantly take the
shelter of the bhakti creeper to relish the nectar of prema.
One may ask if bhakti, being a specific state of svarūpa-śakti, is self-manifesting by
nature and completely beyond material existence, then how does it manifest in the material
senses of a devotee? The answer is that as a touchstone converts dirty iron into gold by its mere
touch, so too bhakti by its spiritual touch converts the material senses into transcendental ones.
The wonderful process of bhakti converting the material senses into transcendental ones
begins immediately after taking shelter of a bona fide guru. As a devotee engages himself in
hearing, chanting and other items of bhajana, bhakti, which is transcendental and self-manifest,
like the Lord Himself, appears in the material senses and gradually spiritualises them, just as an
iron bar put into fire attains the quality of fire. At the stage of bhāva, the internal senses, mind,
intelligence, and heart become transcendental. At the stage of prema, even the material body
is completely converted into a spiritual one. Sanātana Gosvāmī describes this in Bṛhad-
bhāgavatāmṛta.
kṛṣṇa-bhakti sudhā pānād-deha daihika vismṛteḥ

teṣāṁ bhautika dehe’pi sac-cid-ānanda rūpatā
"By drinking the nectar of devotion of Kṛṣṇa, the material body of the devotee is
converted into a transcendental one. He completely forgets his body and its affairs." Śrīman
Mahāprabhu says in Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Antya 4/191-93):
prabhu kahe—vaiṣṇava-deha prākṛta kabhu noy; aprākṛta deha bhaktera cidānandamoy

dikṣā-kāle bhakta kare ātma-samarpaṇa; sei-kale kṛṣṇa tare kore ātma-sama
sei deha kare tāra cid-ānanda-maya; aprākṛta-dehe tañra caraṇa bhajaya
"The body of a devotee is never material, but spiritual, full of divine bliss. At the time
of initiation, a devotee fully surrenders unto the lotus feet of the Lord, who makes him equal
to Himself. When the devotee’s body is thus converted into spiritual form, he serves the lotus
feet of the Lord in that body."
Now the author is explaining the appearance of the bhakti creeper with the first two
leaves that sprout. The seed of the wish-yielding vine of devotion that consists of the desire to
worship Śrī Kṛṣṇa is attained by the grace of Śrī Guru and Kṛṣṇa and is planted in the field-like
heart of the aspirant. Then it is sprinkled with the water of hearing and chanting, so that it
swiftly sprouts and yields two leaves of sādhana. The first leaf is called kleśaghni [destroying
misery] and the second one is called śubhadā [bestowing auspiciousness]. As the upper surface
of a leaf is quite smooth and its lower surface is slightly rough, similarly sādhana-bhakti is of
two types. rāga-bhakti, which is very smooth and beautiful since it appears from spontaneous
greed and vaidhī-bhakti. Here it should be known that the names of the two attributes of
sādhana bhakti are kleśaghnī and śubhadā. Here the blessed author gives an example to make
it more easily understandable that there is no difference between the guṇa (quality) and the
guṇī (the qualified), and thus both rāgānugā bhakti and vaidhi bhakti have kleśaghnī and
śubhadā as their inherent qualities.
vidhi bhakti, which has scriptural injunctions as its root cause, is slightly rough. Its inner
core is bereft of softness as it appears from the injunctions of the śāstras. Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmīpāda
has written in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.2.6): yatra rāgānvāptavāt pravṛttir upajāyate;
śāsanenaiva śāstrasya sā vaidhi-bhaktir ucyate “Devotion is prompted either by spontaneous
greed or the injunctions of the śāstras. When it is prompted by the injunctions of the śāstras, it
is known as vaidhī-bhakti.” Jīva Gosvāmī writes in the commentary of this śloka:
rāgo'trānurāgas tad ruciśca- "rāga here means taste for doing bhajana with attachment. When
bhakti is not prompted by rāga, then it is known as vaidhī-bhakti.” Śrīla Viśvanātha has written
in his commentary: rāgo'tra śrī mūrter darśanād daśama skandhīya tal līlā kathā śravaṇācca
bhajana lobhaḥ, that rāga means the greed for doing bhajana that appears either by seeing the
Deities of the Lord or by hearing the sweet nectarean pastimes of the Lord described in the
tenth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavata. Śuka Muni describes about vaidhī-bhakti in the Bhāgavata
(2.1.5): tasmād bhārata sarvātmā bhagavān īśvaro hariḥ; śrotavyaḥ kīrtitavyaś ca smartavyaś
cecchatābhayam “O descendent of King Bharata! The living entities desiring to be freed from
all kinds of hellish sufferings and bodily consciousness, who desire paramount bliss, must hear
the glories of the Lord and remember Him, the Paramātmā, the controller, and the destroyer
of all miseries." Freedom from miseries and attainment of bliss are thus the urges to practise
hearing and chanting in vaidhī-bhakti. It is slightly rough since it does not have the internal
affection for the Lord; hence, it is compared with the lower surface of the two newly sprouted
leaves of the bhakti creeper. They are bereft of inner softness because bhakti means that one
desires to serve the Lord affectionately, knowing Him to be dear. Instead, one serves Him only
because one only wants to destroy one's own suffering and to accomplish one's own happiness.
This is what makes it inferior.
The inner side of the leaves of the vine of devotion is soft, smooth, and good-looking,
hence it is compared to rāga bhakti. This is also known as rāgānugā bhakti. Kṛṣṇa's eternal
associates of Vraja are practising rāgātmikā-bhakti and bhakti following their mood is known as
rāgānugā-bhakti.
iṣṭe svārasikī rāgah paramāviṣṭatā bhavet tanmayī yā bhaved bhaktiḥ sātra ragātmikoditā
virājantīm abhivyaktāṁ vrajavāsi-janādiṣu; rāgātmikām anusṛtā yā sā rāgānugocyate
“Rāga means spontaneous, natural and intense absorption in the Lord. Bhakti enriched
with this kind of rāga is known as rāgātmikā-bhakti. This is manifested and expressed by the
eternal associates of Vraja; bhakti following their footsteps is known as rāgānugā-bhakti."
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.272-73) Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Madhya 22.149) says: rāgātmikā-
bhakti mukhyā vrajavāsi jane; tāra anugatā bhakti rāgānugā nāme; "The leading practitioners
of rāgātmikā bhakti are the residents of Vraja. Those who follow them are called rāgānugās."
As one feels a spontaneous attraction of the senses for the sense objects, like the eyes for a
beautiful object, and needs no encouragement in this, so too, the spontaneous overflowing
thirst of love for the Lord is known as rāga. It is of various kinds, dāsya (servitude), sakhya
(friendship), vātsalya (parenthood), and mādhurya (amorous love). Śrī Kapiladeva tells His
mother Devahūti in ṭhe Bhāgavata (3.25.38) yeṣāṁ ahaṁ priya ātmā sutaś ca sakhā guruḥ
suhṛdo daivam iṣṭam “I am their dear one, very life, son, friend, guru, well-wisher and
worshipable Lord.” In this verse the word priya stands for dear ones like sons and friends. In
Vraja, Rādhā and other beloved gopīs are attached to Kṛṣṇa with amorous love, Nanda and
Yaśodā with parental love, Śrīdāma and others with friendship, Patraka and others with
servitude. They are bound to Kṛṣṇa in Vraja with a loving relationship. The greed to attain the
mood of these rāgātmikā devotees appearing in the heart by hearing the excellence of their
mood is the root cause of rāga-bhakti. This means that when the devotee whose heart is pure
and uncontaminated from lust, anger, envy and all material desires hears from sādhus or
śāstras about the excellence of the mood of the eternal Vraja associates, he develops a taste to
attain that mood. When one follows this relish with passion rāgānugā bhakti takes place
concomitantly. In this special age of Kali, Mahāprabhu and the ācāryas who have taken shelter
of Him have mercifully given the superexcellent process of mañjarī-bhāva, following the mood
of the eternally perfect maidservants of Rādhā like Rūpa-mañjarī, Rati-mañjarī, and others.
Although there is a great difference between the taste one relishes in rāga-bhakti, which is
rooted in sacred greed, and vaidhī-bhakti, which is rooted in scriptural injunctions, still the
manifestation of the two symptoms kleśaghni and śubhadā are not really different.
tatrāvidyāsmitārāga dveṣābhiniveśāḥ pañca kleśāḥ. prārabdhāprārabdha rūḍha bīja

pāpādayas tanmayā eva. śubhāni durviṣaya vaitṛṣṇya bhagavad viṣaya satṛṣṇyānukūlya kṛpā
kṣamā satya sāralya sāmya dhairya gāmbhīrya mānadatvāmānitva sarva subhagatvādayo
guṇāś ca 'sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ' ityādi dṛṣṭyā jñeyāḥ (3)
TRANSLATION: Kleśas are of five types: āvidyā, asmitā, rāga, dveṣa, and abhiniveśa.
The four types of sins, prārabdha, aprārabdha, rūḍha, and bīja are also included in kleśa.
śubha refers to qualities such as disinterest in material affairs, interest in the Lord, serving
the Lord favorably, mercifulness, forgiveness, truthfulness, straightforwardness, evenness of
temper, steadyness, gravity, respectfulness, humility, all good fortune, and so on. The
Bhāgavata (5.18.12) says “All the good qualities of the gods reside within the devotees.”
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation: The author has described the two qualities of sādhana bhakti,
named kleśaghnī and śubhadā and stated that both of them have equal effect on both vaidhi
and rāgānugā bhakti. Now he gives a further definition of kleśa and śubha. In Maharṣi Patañjali's
Yoga-darśana, third sūtra of Sādhana Pāda it is written avidyāsmitā rāga dveṣābhiniveśāḥ pañca
kleśāḥ that there are five types of kleśa: avidyā, asmitā, rāga, dveṣa, and abhiniveśa. These five
are the main causes of ignorance and the tendency towards karma and akarma (performance
or non-performance of Vedic duties). As a result of one’s pious or sinful activities, one receives
pleasure or distress. The effects of these five are described below:
avidyā: ignorance, to mistake the transient to be eternal, impure to be pure, distress to
be pleasure, and the non-self to be the self. This includes thinking the material body, wife,
children, house, wealth, and other sense objects to be eternal though they are all transient.
One thinks that the body made out of blood, flesh, fat, bones, stool, and urine is pure and a
means of one’s sense enjoyment. The insignificant pleasures of the senses bind one to the
terrible distress of going through the cycles of birth and death or getting hellish sufferings.
There is no doubt that this sensual pleasure leads to condensed misery; to think suffering is
happiness is surely ignorance and the symptoms are that one thinks the lifeless body and its
products to be spirit.
asmitā: To think the power of sight and the power of seeing is the same. In the Saṇkhya
philosophy considering the puruṣa and the pradhāna to be one and the same is called asmitā.
The literal meaning of asmitā is the false ego, the bodily identification of I and mine.
rāga: attachment, the desire to attain material pleasure and avoid material sufferings.
It also means that one wishes to always have more of the coveted substance.
dveṣa: hatred, aversion to distress and its causes.
abhiniveśa: Even an intelligent person, due to the result of his previous birth's activities,
is deeply inclined to sense enjoyment and attached to his own body and the means for enjoying
the senses. Thus he fears death. This is known as abhiniveśa.
Then there are the four kinds of sins, prārabdha, aprārabdha, rūḍha and bīja that are
included in kleśa. The definitions of these kinds of sins are listed below.
prārabdha: The fruitive reactions that are ready to give their results, in other words,
the sins that are the cause of the creation of this body, and the effects of sins that a person is
already undergoing.
aprārabdha: The fruitive reactions that have not yet yielded results, or the
accumulated unlimited sins of previous births lying in an inactive state and have not yet
attained the kūṭa form.
rūḍha or kūṭa: The subtle sins. Later they will attain seed form and yield fruits. They
can also be considered as the aggregate of aprārabdha fruit.
bīja: The seed form of the propensity to commit sins. These sins exist in the form of
desires within the heart and eventually mature into prārabdha by the will of the Lord.
Something should be learned about this. Ignorance is the cause of all the material desires of
the conditioned soul. jīva-souls accept the bodies of gods, human beings or animals to enjoy
these desires, that continue like a stream. Among these bodies, the human body is the
complete field for doing all types of karmas, pious or impious. The devatā- and animal bodies,
however, are meant for sense enjoyment only. The enjoying spirit being very strong in these
bodies, the desires arising in them are simultaneously fulfilled along with prārabdha. These
desires thus do not have the chance to get transformed into the seed form. Only the human
form is suitable for accumulation of new seeds of desires. Duly considered one can understand
that a human being is expert in desiring more than he is capable of enjoying.
On the other hand, it is not that all the subtle desires of the human body are
accumulated in a seed form. The desires that arise in circumstances favourable to one’s
prārabdha are fulfilled along with one’s prārabdha and finally diminish. Some desires,
however, arise independently and remain unfulfilled because they arise in circumstances
unfavourable to one’s prārabdha. In other words, those desires cannot be fulfilled
simultaneously with one’s prārabdha. As these desires are not diminished, they cause a very
powerful emotional agitation. These desires lie in seed form within the heart, eventually
maturing into prārabdha. If along with sinful desires, some pious desires also arise in the same
quantity, then they destroy each other. No seed thus appears in the heart. If, however, they
are unable to destroy each other, they remain in a subtle form known as saṁskārābhāsa
(shadow of saṁskāra or subtle conditionings). These are enjoyed during dreams.
In any case, sādhana-bhakti is known as kleśaghni because it destroys the five kinds of
distress, like avidyā, asmita etc. and the four types of sins like prārabdha. The Bhāgavata says
(4.22.39) that sādhana bhakti has the power to destroy ignorance.
yat-pāda-paṅkaja-palāśa-vilāsa-bhaktyā karmāśayaṁ grathitam udgrathayantiḥ santaḥ

tadvan na rikta-matayo yatayo’pi ruddha-sroto-gaṇās tam araṇaṁ bhaja vāsudevam
Śrī Sanat-kumāra told Mahārāja Pṛthu: "O king! The devotees who are engaged in the
service of the toes of the lotus feet of the Lord very easily overcome the hard knots of
ignorance. This devotion is like ever-increasing effulgence shining from the toes of the lotus
feet of the Lord. This means bhakti appears from the lotus feet of the Lord. But the unwise
sannyāsīs, that are inclined towards the non-personal Brahman and try to overcome material
desires and the senses, are unable to do so. Therefore, you should worship Lord Vāsudeva who
is worth taking shelter of.” By the destruction of avidyā, the destruction of the other four kleśas
follows automatically since they are all the results of āvidyā. The Bhāgavata (3.33.6) describes
the destruction of prārabdha sins through sādhana bhakti as well:
yan-nāmadheya-śravaṇānukīrtanād yat-prahvaṇād yat-smaraṇād api kvacit

śvādo’pi sadyaḥ savanāya kalpate kutaḥ punas te bhagavan nu darśanāt
Devahūti says to Kapiladeva, “What to speak of the fortune of a person who sees the
Lord face to face, even a low class person born in a caṇḍāla family of dogeaters, simply by
hearing, chanting, praying, paying obeisances, or remembering the Lord, immediately becomes
qualified to perform Vedic sacrifices or become most honorable.” It is clear from this text that
such a low class person having attained the qualification for performing sacrifices, his
prārabdha sins have already been destroyed. Even the intellectual spiritual realisation of non-
personal Brahman cannot destroy prārabdha. Jñānīs in the state of jīvan-mukti, therefore, have
to wait until all their prārabdhas are destroyed before they achieve liberation. It is hard to get
rid of prārabdha even through brahma jñāna, but this is easily destroyed by sādhana bhakti, so
there should be no doubt about it that aprārabdha, kūṭa and bīja sins are also destroyed by it.
In Śrī Padma Purāṇa it is seen:
aprārabdha phalaṁ pāpaṁ kūṭaṁ bījaṁ phalonmukham

krameṇaiva pralīyate viṣṇu bhaktir atātmanām
"All the sins, namely aprārabdha, kūṭa, bīja and prārabdha get gradually destroyed
when one’s body, mind, and life are engaged in the devotion of the Lord."
The fruit of sādhana bhakti is that avidyā, kleśa, prārabdha and other sins are
destroyed and all good qualities appear in a devotee. This characteristic of bhakti is known as
śubhadā. sarva mahā guṇagaṇa vaiṣṇava śarīre; kṛṣṇa bhakte kṛṣṇera guṇa sakala sañcāre
(C.C.) "All good qualities dwell in the body of a Vaiṣṇava. All the qualities of Kṛṣṇa exist in the
devotee of Kṛṣṇa." The author mentions certain good qualities that appear in a practising
devotee. First of all he mentions disinterest in miserable material affairs, but interest in the
Lord. A devotee who attains even a slight taste in hearing and chanting the Lord’s name, form,
qualities and pastimes automatically becomes disinterested in miserable material form, taste,
smell and so on. What to speak of material enjoyment, even the bliss of Brahman realization
also becomes very insignificant for him: kṛṣṇa pādapadma gandha yei jana pāya; brahmaloka
ādi sukha tāre nāhi bhāya (C.C.). "Anyone who gains even a whiff of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa is
not even interested in the bliss of brahman anymore." All the desires of a devotee are
gradually centered on the lotus feet of the Lord. Then favourable service to the Lord becomes
the very life of a devotee. The thought of giving pleasure to his worshipable Lord always
illuminates the temple of his heart. By the grace of Bhakti devī the heart of the practising
devotee is always filled with thoughts favourable to Kṛṣṇa and creates a wonderful beauty
within the temple of his heart. Then compassion, forgiveness, truthfulness, honesty, equal-
mindedness, patience, gravity, respectfulness, pridelessness and all other fortunate qualities
begin to shine brightly within the heart of the practising devotee and shower it with their own
pleasant nectar-streams. Then truly a wonderful beauty of peace arises in the devotee's
heart. In Śrīmad Bhāgavata (5.18.12) it is seen—
yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcaṇā sarvair guṇais tatra samāste surāḥ

harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā manorathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ
"All the gods with all good qualities reside within the devotee who is serving the Lord
without personal desire. How can there be any good quality in the non-devotees? The chariot
of his mind is always rushing through the external world." A Vaiṣṇava’s heart is thus a
storehouse of all good qualities. Śrīman Mahāprabhu says to Śrīmat Sanātana Gosvāmīpāda—
ei sab guṇa hoy vaiṣṇava lakṣaṇa; sab kohā nā jāy kori dig daraśana
kṛpālu akṛta droha satya sāra sama; nirdoṣa vadānya mṛdu śuci akiñcana
sarvopakāraka śānta kṛṣṇaika śaraṇa; akāma anīha sthira vijita ṣaḍ guṇa
mita bhuk apramatta mānada amānī; gambhīra, karuṇa, maitra kavi dakṣa maunī
"All these transcendental qualities are the characteristics of pure Vaiṣṇavas. They
cannot be fully described, so I am just giving a general view of some important qualities. The
devotees are merciful, not defiant, truthful, equal to all, faultless, magnanimous, soft hearted,
clean, without any material possessions, doing welfare for all, peaceful, exclusively surrendered
to Kṛṣṇa, desireless, indifferent to material acquisitions, steady, completely controlled the six
bad qualities (lust, anger and so forth), eat as much as required, not inebriated, respectful,
modest, grave, compassionate, friendly, poetic, expert, and silent." (Caitanya-caritāmṛta,
Madhya 22.77-80)
'bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra caiṣa trika eka kāla' ityukta prakāreṇa yugapad
api pravṛttayor api tayoḥ patrikayor udgama tāratamyenaiva tat tad aśubha nivṛtti śubha
pravṛttitāratamyādastyeva kramaḥ. sa cātisūkṣmo durlakṣyo'pi tat tat kārya darśanaliṅgena
sudhībhir avasīyate (4)
TRANSLATION: śāstras say, “Devotion, realization of the Lord, and detachment to the
objects other than the Lord—all these three symptoms simultaneously appear in the
devotee.” (Śrīmad-Bhāgavata 11.2.42) This verse confirms the simultaneous appearance of
the two leaves kleśaghni and śubhadā on the vine of devotion, as described previously.
Although the two leaves appear simultaneously, there is a difference in the process of subtle
destruction of distress and appearance of auspiciousness. This difference is due to the
appearance of greater or lesser qualities of the two symptoms. Being very subtle, it is difficult
to see, but learned scholars have ascertained this fact by observing the process of the
appearance of these two qualities.
Pīyūṣa Kaṇā Explanation: It has been said before that both vaidhī and rāgānugā bhakti
are equally destroying ignorance and suffering and thus cause many auspicious attributes to
arise. One may think that it is proper that first distress is destroyed and after that good qualities
appear, but then where is the possibility of the two processes occurring simultaneously? The
Bhāgavata (11.2.42) replies this question:
bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra caiṣa trika eka-kālaḥ

prapadyamānasya yathāśnataḥ syus tuṣtiḥ puṣṭiḥ kṣud-apāyo’nughāsam
"Devotion, realization of the Lord and detachment from all worldly affairs - all these
appear simultaneously in the devotee, as a person while eating simultaneously feels
satisfaction, nourishment and relief from hunger." Though the two leaves of the bhakti creeper,
kleśaghni and śubhadā seem to appear simultaneously, destruction of distress and appearance
of all good qualities depend on the difference of their growth. Thus, there is definitely a
sequence in this process, which is very subtle and difficult to perceive. It is not that satisfaction,
nourishment, and relief from hunger all three partially appear with every mouth full, but in
each grain of rice all three qualities are placed. Since this process is very difficult to perceive, so
is the case with bhakti. Therefore although generally this process is hard to perceive and subtle
the learned devotees can perceive it by scrutinizing the symptoms, how much destruction of
the distress and appearance of the good qualities has occurred by studying the behaviour of
the sādhaka in question. (4)
tatra bhaktyadhikāriṇaḥ prathamaṁ śraddhā. sā ca tat tacchāstrārthe dṛḍha

pratyayamayī. prakramyamāṇa yatnaika nidāna rūpa tad viṣayakatvaika nirvāha rūpa sādara
spṛhā ca. sā ca sā ca svābhāvikī kenāpi balād utpāditā ca.
TRANSLATION: First śraddhā, or faith, appears in a person qualified for bhakti. śraddhā
means to have firm faith in the purport of the scriptures related to bhakti. In other words, the
desire to attentively follow the process of devotion as described in the scriptures with
enthusiasm is known as śraddhā. There are two types of śraddhā, one is spontaneous and the
other arising forcibly.
Pīyūṣa Kaṇikā Explanation: The author has briefly described the true form of bhakti, its
self-manifest nature and its symptoms, and he has commenced describing the different stages
of devotional practice, which is the main topic of this book. śraddhā is the first step to enter
the temple of bhakti. Bhakti can be done universally by any one at any place and time. śrī kṛṣṇa
bhajane hoy sabe adhikārī; kibā vipra kibā śūdra ki puruṣa nārī (C.C.) "Everyone is entitled to
devotion to Kṛṣṇa, whether they are brāhmaṇas, śūdras, men or women." Although bhakti does
not wait for time, place, caste or gender, still, it depends on śraddhā or faith. śraddhāvān jana
hoy bhaktye adhikārī “Only persons with faith are qualified for bhakti." Actually without faith,
one cannot attain perfection in any process, either karma, jñāna, or yoga. Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna
in the Gītā (17.28):
aśraddhayā hutaṁ dattaṁ tapas taptaṁ kṛtañca yat

asad ityucyate pārtha no ca tat pretya no iha
“O Arjuna! Sacrifice, charity, austerities, and other religious activities done without
faith are said to be asat (useless), because they are fruitless either in this world or the next."
Maharṣi Patañjali says, śraddhā cetasaḥ samprasādaḥ sā hi jananīva kalyāṇī yoginaṁ pāti
"Complete satisfaction of the heart is śraddhā." It means firm faith in a particular subject
matter, when the filth of doubt has been driven out of the heart. This is the first seed of a
favourable attitude. Here we can see that faith destroys one's doubts and brings along a
favourable attitude towards that subject. śraddhā, like an auspicious mother, always lovingly
protects a yogī. A faithful person can bring his activities to perfection. The deeper śraddhā
gets, the more a devotee's heart becomes favorably inclined and he proceeds towards
perfection.
Surely karma, yoga and jñāna also rely on faith, but the faith that is required in bhakti
is extremely special. It is nirguṇa, beyond the three modes of nature. It is the first step in
devotional practice, while prema is its final step. Śrīmat Rūpa Gosvāmīpāda has written
(Bhakti Rasāmṛta Sindhuḥ 1.4.15-16)—
ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu saṅgo'tha bhajana kriyā

tato'nartha nivṛttiḥ syāt tato niṣṭhā rucis tataḥ
athāsaktis tato bhāvas tataḥ premābhyudañcati
sādhakānām ayaṁ premnaḥ prādurbhāve bhavet kramaḥ
"First of all there is faith, then one associates with devotees, then one begins to engage
in bhajana, then one gets rid of bad habits, becomes fixed, gets taste, becomes attached (to
Kṛṣṇa), then bhāva awakens and then prema. This is how the gradual growth of prema of the
devotee takes place." The author is describing the characteristics of śraddhā, the first step of
devotion. The author describes here two symptoms of the first step of devotional practice. The
first sign is firm faith in the purport of the scriptures. Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Madhya 22.62) says:
‘śraddhā’-śabde viśvāsa kahe sudṛḍha niścay; kṛṣṇe bhakti kaile sarva-karma kṛta hoy "Firm
faith to render service to the Lord is called śraddhā. A devotee with śraddhā is firmly confident
that by rendering service all other obligations are automatically fulfilled." This means that one
endeavours to gain realisations about the statements in the scriptures and tries to understand
them logically. When there is firm faith in these teachings one understands that without
worshipping God, life is wasted. Alongside this, one hears about Śrī Hari's attributes like
compassion and His pastimes of uplifting the fallen, which makes the heart blossom with hope.
It then also becomes natural to lose taste for sense objects, realising that they are temporary.
A life without bhajan becomes greatly intolerable and surrender to Śrī Hari becomes natural.
In Bhakti-sandarbha (173) Jīva Gosvāmī says śraddhā is the same as śaraṇāgati. śraddhā
śaraṇāpattyor aikārthaṁ labhyate. tacca yuktam. śraddhā hi śāstrārtha viśvāsaḥ. śāstraṁ ca tad
aśaraṇasya bhayaṁ taccaraṇasyābhayaṁ vadati. tatojātāyāḥ śraddhāyās taccharaṇāpattir eva
liṅgam iti - "śraddhā and śaraṇāgati (surrender) are understood to have the same purport.
śraddha means firm faith in the purport of the scriptures. The śāstras explain that persons
surrendered to the Lord are fearless and the non-surrendered are full of fear. Therefore,
śaraṇāgati is the symptom of śraddhā." Unless śaraṇāgati is firmly fixed within the heart of the
sādhaka, one cannot do bhajana of the Lord's lotus feet. The more one surrenders the more
one advances in bhajana. śaraṇāgati is the very life of devotional practice. Only completely
surrendered persons can attain supreme peace, divine bliss, and the eternal abode of the Lord.
Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna in the Gītā (18.62):
tam eva śaranaṁ gaccha sarva-bhāvena bhārata

tat prasādāt parāṁ śāntiṁ sthānaṁ prāpsyasi śaśvatam
The author then mentions that the second quality of śraddhā is the desire to attentively
follow the process of devotion with enthusiasm as prescribed in the scriptures. In other words,
when the first symptom of śraddhā, firm faith in the scriptures, is born, its result, the second
characteristic (following the process of devotion with enthusiasm) will be manifest without a
doubt. The sādhaka then will carefully follow the practices that are prescribed by the scriptures
and will also always desire to perform such scriptural activities.
Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī describes in Bhakti-sandarbha (173) kiṁ ca jātāyāṁ śraddhāyāṁ
siddhāvasiddhyau ca svarṇa siddhi lipsor iva sadā tad anuvṛtti ceṣṭaiva syāt. siddhiś cātrāntaḥ
karaṇa kāmādi doṣa kṣaya kāri paramānanda paramakāṣṭhāgāmi śrī hari sphuraṇa rūpaiva
jñeyā. tasyāṁ svārtha sādhanānupravṛttau ca dambha pratiṣṭhā-lipsādi-maya ceṣṭā leśo'pi na
bhavati na sutarāṁ jñāna pūrvakaṁ mahad avajñādayo'parādhāś cāpatanti virodhād
eva.......yadi vā śraddhāvato'pi prārabdhādivasena viṣaya sambandhābhyāso bhavati tathāpi
tad vādhayā viṣaya sambandha samaye'pi dainyātmikā bhaktir evocchalitā syāt.....śāstrīya
śraddhāyāṁ tu jātāyāṁ sudurācāratvāyogaḥ syāt 'parapatnī paradravya' ityādi viṣṇu toṣaṇa
śāstra virodhāt "As one anxious to find gold continues his attempts whether he finds it or not,
similarly a devotee continuously attempts to achieve perfection, whether he is successful or
not. Perfection means the perception of Śrī Hari, which drives out all faults like lust from the
heart and gives supreme bliss. Even after attaining perfection, devotees continue their
endeavors to get deeper realizations, while those who have not yet attained perfection
endeavour faithfully to do so. Devotees constantly making such attempts are without even the
slightest bit of false ego, desire for fame, and so on. Thus they never intentionally commit
offenses at the feet of great devotees, as this is a grave obstacle for attaining perfection in
devotion. Sometimes a faithful person sees that he still has material attachments due to his
previous saṁskāras. Knowing them to be an obstacle for his attainment of perfection, he feels
himself very fallen and that humility causes his bhakti to increase. Faithful persons never
commit sinful acts, as the śāstra says, parapatnī paradravya parahiṁsāsu ye matim; na karoti
pumān bhūpa tuṣyate tena keśavaḥ (Viṣṇu Purāṇa) "O King! Lord Viṣṇu is satisfied by he who
does not desire to steal another man's wife or money, or commit violence to others." From all
this evidence it is clear that when faith arises the practising devotee can give up all his bad
habits such as offending superior devotees or endeavouring for profit, adoration and
distinction. Thus he can easily climb the steps that lead to the kingdom of prema. Hence the
aspirants must understand this initial step of faith very well. To build a skyscraper, its
foundation must be very strong. If it is not strong the whole building will crash to the ground.
Similarly, to make a beautiful bhakti-palace for Kṛṣṇa's pleasure, one’s śraddhā-foundation
must be very firm. śraddhā is the basis of understanding one’s qualification in bhakti. Caitanya-
caritāmṛta (Madhya 22.64,65,67,69) says:
śraddhāvān jana hoy bhakti-adhikārī;

uttama, madhyama, kaniṣṭhā—śraddhā-anusārī
śāstra-yuktye sunipuṇa, dṛḍha-śraddhā yānra;
uttama-adhikārī seī tāraye saṁsāra
śāstra-yukti nāhi jāne dṛḍha, śraddhāvān;
madhyama-adhikārī sei mahā-bhāgyavān
yāhāra komala śraddhā, se kaniṣṭha jana;
krame krame teṅho bhakta hoibe uttama
“A faithful person is qualified for bhakti. According to their faith devotees are
classified as uttama (first class), madhyama (intermediate), and kaniṣṭha (neophyte). One who
is expert in explaining the scriptures and has firm faith is called uttama-adhikārī. He only can
deliver the whole world. Who has firm faith, but is not expert in explaining the scriptures is
called an intermediate devotee. One whose faith is immature is called a neophyte. Gradually
he will turn into a first class devotee.” Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartīpāda divides these two kinds
of śraddhā again: one is spontaneous, or natural (svābhāvikī) and the other arising forcibly
(balapūrvaka). Śrīmat Jīva Gosvāmī describes two classes of śraddhā in Bhakti-sandarbha:
śāstrīya-śraddhā (scriptural faith) and laukikī-śraddhā (popular faith). The association of
sādhus and their mercy are the causes of śraddhā— sat saṅgājjāyate śraddhā. In the
Bhāgavata (3.25.25) Kapiladeva tells His mother Devahūti:
satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṇa rasāyaṇaḥ kathāḥ

taj-joṣaṇād āśv apavarga-vartmani śraddhā ratir bhaktir anukramiṣyati
“By seriously associating with the devotees, one hears My glories, which give pleasure
to one’s heart and ears. By hearing these glories with affection, one gradually attains śraddhā,
rati, and prema for Me, the bestower of liberation.” This verse shows that śraddhā appears by
the association of sādhus. The faith that arises by the association and the company of saints is
natural and is called scriptural faith. Pure worship which will result in prema is their very
livelihood. Forced faith or popular faith is not the result of such mercy and association of the
saints, but is attained by hearsay, copying from others and is knowledge that comes down in a
succession of popular belief. This is not a qualification for pure worship. When the faithful
aspirant achieves the mercy and the association of the saints he can be blessed with natural
or scriptural faith.
After this Śrīmat Jīva Gosvāmīpāda explains the difference of śraddhā between a ruci-
pradhāna (having natural taste for devotion) person and a vicāra-pradhāna (inclined to logic
and argument) person. This is how the vicāra-pradhāna devotees gradually attain śraddhā —
tatra prathamaṁ tāvat tat tat saṅgajātena tat tacchraddhā tat tat paramparā kathā rucyādinā
jāta bhagavat sāmmukhyasya tat tad anuṣaṅgenaiva tat tad bhajanīye bhagavad āvirbhāva
viśeṣe tad bhajana mārga viśeṣe ca rucir jāyate. tataś ca viśeṣa vubhutsāyāṁ satyāṁ
teṣvekato'nekato vā śrī gurutvenāśritāt śravaṇaṁ kriyate. tac copakramopasaṁhārādibhir
arthāvadhāraṇam. punaś cāsambhāvanā viparīta bhāvanā viśeṣavatā svayaṁ tad vicāra rūpaṁ
mananam api kriyate. tato bhagavataḥ sarvasminn evāvirbhāve tathāvidho'sau sadā sarvatra
virājata ityevaṁ rūpā śraddhā jāyate.........ityevaṁ vicāra pradhānānāṁ mārgo darśitaḥ (Bhakti
Sandarbhaḥ, Paragraph 202) By the association of the sādhus one gets faith in the truth and in
the association of the saints and taste for topics of the Lord received in disciplic succession is
achieved. Thus one turns towards the Lord and concomitantly one attains a taste for a specific
form of the worshipable Lord and His devotion. If there is a wish to know about the specifics
shelter is taken of one or more such sādhus as śravaṇa-guru (from whom one hears the
scriptures). śravaṇa means to learn about the purport of the scriptures with reference to
upakrama (commencement of the text), upasaṁhāra (conclusion) abhyāsa (repetition),
apūrvatā (uncommonness), phala (fruit of hearing), arthavāda (explanation of the precept), and
upapatti (conclusion). These devotees carefully examine the scriptures to get rid of two doubts,
asambhāvanā and viparīta-bhāvanā. asambhāvanā means thinking that what one has heard
from śāstras and sādhus is impossible. viparīta-bhāvanā means to have a reverse understanding
of the purport of the scriptures. After hearing from sādhus, one gets the realization that the
Lord is always mercifully residing everywhere in all His manifestations as the knower and
possessor of all energies. These realisations make one determined to serve Him—that is the
proper scriptural faith. This is the way the vicāra pradhāna devotees attain faith.
ruci-pradhāna devotees follow the following course: ruci pradhānāṁ tu tādṛg
vicārāpekṣā jāyate kintu sādhusaṅga līlākathā śravaṇa ruci śraddhā śravaṇādyāvṛtti rūpa
evāsau mārgaḥ (B.S.) ruci pradhāna devotees do not depend on this process. They simply hear
the Lord's pastimes from the sādhus and attain taste for them. Finally they attain śraddhā.
Thus hearing repeatedly about the Lord, they serve Him with faith.
tataś cāśrita guru-caraṇasya tasya jijñāsyamāṇasya sadācārasya tacchikṣayaiva

sajātīyāśaya snigdha-bhaktyabhijña sādhu-saṅga bhāgyodayaḥ
TRANSLATION: After attaining faith, one takes shelter of a Guru and inquires about
the rules and regulations of the devotional process. By following them, one gets the fortune
of associating with soft-hearted realized sādhus endowed with a similar mood.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation: After śraddhā, the author now explains the stage of sādhu-
saṅga. After attaining śraddhā, one takes the shelter of the guru and gets initiated by him.
Then one starts devotion and takes instructions about its different rules and regulations.
Śrīmad Jīva Gosvāmīpāda says in his commentary of Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.4.15), ādau
prathame sādhu saṅga śāstra śravaṇa dvārā śraddhā tad artha viśvāsaḥ. tataḥ
prathamānantaraṁ dvitīyaḥ sādhu saṅgo bhajana rīti śikṣā nibandhanaḥ “First one attains
faith by the association of sādhus and by hearing scriptures from them. Then realizing
devotion as one’s sole duty, one takes the shelter of a bonafide Guru, getting instructions
about the various devotional practices.” The Bhāgavata (11.3.21) says:
tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam

śābde pare ca niṣṇātaṁ brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam
“Therefore, a person anxious to know the supreme welfare of a living entity will take
the shelter of a guru. The guru should be expert in explaining the Vedic scriptures and the
scriptures revealing the essence of Vedas like the Bhāgavatam and others. He should have
transcendental realization of the Supreme Lord as well, meaning he should be devoted to Him.”
Without being expert in scriptures, he cannot remove the doubts of a disciple. If his faith is
weak and he is not absorbed in the Absolute Truth he cannot infuse the disciple with spiritual
realization. He should be free from lust, anger, and so on and should thus be in a state of
supreme peace. The purport is that whoever gains faith through the grace of a saint and desires
to take shelter of a bonafide Guru, should seek a saint with the following qualifications—
1) He should be fully versed in the Vedas and in scriptures that outline the Vedic purport,
like the devotional scripture Śrīmad Bhāgavata. He should be able to destroy the disciple's
doubts with firm logic.
2) He should have firm faith and be fixed in his worship of the Lord, which has given
him realisations of the Lord.
3) He should have received the mercy-potency of the Lord which has given him
transcendental realisations and he should similarly be able to infuse that power within his
disciples.
4) He should not be overcome by lust, anger and greed.
Any saint who has such qualifications is a bonafide Guru. On the other hand if a person
wants to become a Guru without having the above qualifications, he may have many other
qualifications like a high birth, but he cannot be considered a bonafide Guru. yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-
vetta, sei guru’ hoy, “One can be guru if one is the knower of all truths about Śrī Kṛṣṇa.”
(Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya 8.128) From the holy mouth of Śrīman Mahāprabhu it is thus
learned that the only qualification for a bonafide Guru is that he knows the truth about Kṛṣṇa.
The dīkṣā mantra received by the grace of such a great soul, who knows the Kṛṣṇa-science,
contains the seed of the greatest goal the soul can achieve, the first beginning of the attainment
of the Supreme Lord. The purpose of initiation is that one day the aspirant is blessed with the
great fortune of prema.
Śrīmad Rūpa Gosvāmī says about initiation: guru-pādaśraya tasmāt kṛṣṇa dīkṣādī
śikṣāṇam viśrambhena guroḥ sevā “Taking shelter of the guru, taking initiation from him by
accepting kṛṣṇa-mantra, taking instructions about bhāgavata-dharma and serving the Guru
with confidence—all these are included in guru-pādāśraya." Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja has also
said: guru padāśraya, dīkṣā, gurura sevana (C.C.) This means that before initiation, the disciple
should stay for some time near his guru serving him with body, mind and words for his
satisfaction. This is called gurūpasatti. In this way the guru and disciple both can test each
other's nature. Another valuable result of this is that through such unmotivated service to the
saints, the guru automatically melts with compassion towards the disciple. Satisfied with his
service, the lotus feet of Śrī Guru melt with compassion and as a fruit of this compassion
initiation is attained, the supreme attainment for a disciple. Otherwise, without this process,
there are chances of obstacles in devotion for both the guru and disciple. If the guru is not
endowed with a Vaiṣṇava mentality the disciple has to face obstacles and if the disciple is not
sincerely following a bona fide guru, then the guru has to bear the consequences.
And then dīkṣā. Initiation is a process by which a bona fide guru mercifully offers to
the Lord the spirit of a disciple who has forgotten his own eternal form. By this process the
guru loosens the knot of māyā and gives him the chance to taste the mellows of divine bhakti.
In this way a disciple surrenders himself to the lotus feet of Śrī Hari. The knowledge of his
being an eternal servant of the Lord awakens, making him qualified for service. śāstras say:
divyaṁ jñānaṁ yato dadyāt kuryāt pāpasya saṅkṣayam
tasmād dīkṣeti sā proktā deśikais tattva-kovidaiḥ
"Knowers of the scriptures say that initiation means the process of receiving divine
knowledge by which sins are destroyed." Divine knowledge means the knowledge of the
Supreme Lord. The mantras of initiation reveal that knowledge and one’s specific relation
with the Lord. Śrīman Mahāprabhu personally proclaimed—
dīkṣā kāle bhakta kore ātma samarpaṇa; sei kāle kṛṣṇa tāre koren ātma sama
sei deha koren tār cidānandamoy; aprākṛta dehe tār caraṇa bhajoy
"At the time of initiation the devotee surrenders himself; at that time Kṛṣṇa makes
him equal to Himself. He makes the devotee's body transcendental so that he can serve His
lotus feet in a spiritual body." (C.C.)
After initiation, one learns from the bonafide Guru how to worship the Lord and how
to follow rules of propriety (sadācāra).
After this one starts serving the guru with deep affection and faith. Before receiving
initiation the greatest goal for the aspirant disciple was the attainment of that initiation, which
is the fruit of the Guru's grace, and after initiation the fruit of service becomes to tread the path
of sādhana without any obstacles and to become blessed with the swift attainment of prema
bhakti. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has said viśrambhena guroḥ sevā (serve the Guru with faith). What
is that faith like? Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī has written about Guru-service in his Sārārtha
Darśinī-commentary of the Bhāgavata (4.28.34) sutān hitveti pativratā patyur iva guroḥ
sevāyāṁ pravṛttaḥ śiṣyaḥ śravaṇa kīrtanādīnyapi bhogān tad utthāna premānandān api gṛhān
tad ucita vivikta sthalam api naivāpekṣate. śrī guru sevayaiva sukhena sarva sādhya
siddhyartham ityupadeśa vyañjitaḥ........guru sevāyā eva vedena sarvādhikasyoktatvāt. "A
devoted and chaste wife, while absorbed in the service of her husband, does not care even for
her son. Similarly, a disciple deeply absorbed in the service of the guru does not depend on
hearing and chanting, knowing that by guru-sevā he can easily attain complete perfection in
devotion. Just as a devoted wife does not want any sense enjoyment and home comfort, so
too, a disciple completely absorbed in guru-sevā does not seek even divine bliss arising out of
hearing and chanting nor even seek secluded places suitable to bhajana. That is the instruction
in this verse. In the Vedas also the service of the Guru is proclaimed as supreme." Śrīla
Narottama Ṭhākura has said, śrī guru caraṇe rati, ei se uttamā gati, ye prasāde pūre sarva āśā:
“Attachment to the lotus feet of the guru is the supreme goal for a disciple, who attains all kinds
of perfection by his guru’s mercy.” Śrīmat Jīva Gosvāmī has said in Bhakti-Sandarbha: tatra
yadyapi śaraṇāpattyaiva sarvaṁ sidhyati......tathāpi vaiśiṣṭya lipuḥ śaktaś cet tataḥ bhagavac-
chāstropdeṣṭrṇāṁ bhagavanmantropadeṣṭṛṇāṁ vā śrī guru-caraṇānāṁ nityam eva viśeṣataḥ
sevāṁ kuryāt. tat prasādo hi sva sva nānā pratīkāra-dustyajyānartha hānau parama bhagavat
prasāda siddhau ca mūlam. "One can attain all perfection by śaraṇāgati, but if one is still
desirous of especially relishing the mellow of devotion, then, if able, one should specifically
constantly serve the śikṣā-guru, who teaches the śāstras related to the Lord, and the dīkṣā-guru,
the giver of the mantras of the Lord. Only by the guru’s mercy can one please the Lord and be
freed from anarthas, which are difficult to give up even by all other means. Thus, satisfaction
of the guru is the main cause of attaining divine love and divine service." All these statements
praise the faithful and steady service of the Guru.
After taking shelter of a bonafide guru, one gets instructions about the various rules and
regulations of the devotional process (sadācāra). Finally he gets the fortune to associate with
soft-hearted realized sādhus endowed with a similar mood of devotion. When a sādhaka is thus
blessed with a life full of devotion, he should, after taking shelter of the feet of Śrī Guru,
certainly associate with bonafide mahā bhāgavata Vaiṣṇavas. Their example should be the
framework for one's devotional life. Serving them and associating with them makes the
sādhaka's attachment to bhajana firm. Śrīmat Rūpa Gosvāmī has said svajātīyāśaye snigdhe
sādhau saṅgaḥ svato vare “There are different moods in devotion as aiśvarya, mādhurya, dāsya,
sakhya, and so forth. A devotee should associate with the sādhus having a similar mood as him.
Moreover, that sādhu should be more advanced and realized than oneself and should be always
affectionate due to his soft-hearted merciful nature. The association of such a mahā-bhāgavata
shows great fortune on a sādhaka devotee. A devotee can easily relish the mellow of devotion
by seeing him, touching him, speaking with him, and hearing hari-kathā from him. The Guru
therefore instructs his disciple to associate with such sādhus, so that he can become blessed.
tato bhajana kriyā. sā ca aniṣṭhitā niṣṭhitā ca. tatra prathamam aniṣṭhitā

krameṇotsāhamayī ghanataralā vyūḍha vikalpā viṣaya saṅgarā niyamākṣamā taraṅga raṅgiṇīti
ṣaḍ vidhā bhavantīti svādhāraṁ vilakṣayati (5)
TRANSLATION: The next stage is bhajana-kriyā, or the practice of the different

devotional items. It is of two kinds: aniṣṭhitā (unsteady) and niṣṭhitā (steady). aniṣṭhitā-
bhajana-kriyā gradually appears in six stages: utsāha-mayī, ghana-taralā, vyūḍha-vikalpā,
viṣaya-saṅgarā, niyamākṣamā, and taraṅga-raṅgiṇī. These stages accordingly mark the
devotees with their respective symptoms.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation: After attaining the shelter of a bonafide Guru and the
association of like-minded affectionate devotees, the devotee commences his bhajana.
bhajana-kriyā means the performance of the ninefold bhakti, such as hearing, chanting,
remembering, serving the deity etc., as instructed by the guru. Śrīman Mahāprabhu told Śrīla
Sanātana Gosvāmī,
bhajanera madhye śreṣṭha—nava vidha bhakti;

kṛṣṇa prema kṛṣṇa dite dhare mahāśakti
tāra madhye sarva śreṣṭha— nāma saṅkīrtana;
niraparādha nāma hoite hoy premadhana
“There are many types of devotional parts but ninefold bhakti is the supreme among
them. Ninefold bhakti has immense power to bestow Kṛṣṇa-prema and the Lord’s loving
service. Moreover, of the nine types of bhakti, nāma-saṅkīrtana is superexcellent since nāma,
the holy name, and nāmi, the Lord, are nondifferent. A devotee chanting the holy name
offenselessly can thus become fortunate enough to attain Kṛṣṇa-prema.”
bhajana-kriyā is of two types, aniṣṭhitā (unsteady) and niṣṭhitā (steady). niṣṭhitā means
one cannot fall down or slacken anymore. aniṣṭhitā is due to immature devotion. It gradually
appears in six stages as utsāha-mayī (temporary vigour), ghana-taralā (simultaneous intense

and unsteady practice), vyūḍha-vikalpā (indecision), viṣaya-saṅgarā (struggle with the senses),
niyamākṣamā (inability to hold vows), and taraṅga-raṅgiṇī (delighting in the facilities offered by
bhakti). In the stage of aniṣṭhitā bhajana these six weaknesses gradually appear in the heart of
the devotee. From the symptoms that such an unsteady devotee shows we can clearly see in
what item of unsteady devotion he is presently situated. The blessed author will now give
elaborate examples of these six stages. (5)
tatrotsāhamayī prathamam eva śāstra madhyetumārabhyamāṇasya sarva loka

ślokyamāna pāṇḍityam upapannam iva svasmin manyamānasya baṭor iva utsāhaṁ
svādhikaraṇasya pracurayatītyutsāhamayī (6)
TRANSLATION: Now the stage of initial enthusiasm is described. A new devotee feels
like a young brāhmaṇa boy, beginning his Vedic studies, thinking, “I have become a learned
scholar worthy of everyone’s praise.” He feels a temporary enthusiasm in his studies.
Similarly, a (temporary) enthusiasm is seen in a devotee just beginning bhajana. This stage of
bhajana-kriyā is known as utsāha-mayī because a temporary enthusiasm is seen in a devotee.
Pīyūṣa Kaṇā explanation— The author now explains the first temporary mental phase
of the aspirant who is eager to start, after taking initiation. Just as new students think: "I
understand I have become a scholar who is praiseworthy by all" and thrust themselves into
their studies with novel enthusiasm, and new music students similarly think "I understand I
have become a great player or singer" right at the beginning of their studies, similarly the
aspirant who just starts his bhajana thinks to himself: "I have become a worshipable
bhajanānandī." This is only temporary initial enthusiasm. This stage is called utsāhamayī
aniṣṭhitā bhajana, unstable bhajana full of initial enthusiasm. (6)
atha ghanataralā. prakramyamāṇāni bhaktyaṅgāni kadācin nirvahanti kadācicca na

veti ghanatvaṁ taralatvāṁ cāsyāḥ yathā baṭoḥ śāstrābhyāsaḥ kadācit sāndraḥ kadācit tad
artha praveśāsamarthatayā sārasyānudayena śithilaś ca (7)
TRANSLATION: Now ghana-taralā is being explained. The same student, when he

engages attentively in studies understanding the purports of the scriptures, he feels
overjoyed. But at certain times, he becomes slack, being unable to understand the meaning
of the scriptures and enjoy their taste. Similarly, the devotee sometimes practises different
parts of devotion attentively, but at other times becomes slack. Being sometimes attentive
(thick) and sometimes slack (thin), this stage is known as ghana-taralā.
Pīyūṣa Kaṇā Explanation: The initial enthusiasm of the devotee which was described
before, will not last, because he still has anarthas. The example has been given of the first
studies of a student. In the beginning this student thinks: "I understand I have become a great
scholar'. When he understands the purport of the scriptures, he studies them carefully, but at
certain times he becomes slack in his studies, being unable to enter into the meaning of the
scriptures. And then again, once he again understands the purport of the scriptures he is happy.
In this way his studies are sometimes intense and sometimes weak. Similarly, a devotee
sometimes intensely practises different devotional parts because he attains bliss while doing
them. At other times, he becomes slack in devotion when obstacles arise in his worship. In this
way bhajana is sometimes deep and productive and sometimes weak or slack — hence this
stage is called ghana taralā. (7)
atha vyūḍha vikalpā. kim ahaṁ saparigraha eva putra kalatrādīn vaiṣṇavīkṛtya
bhagavat paricaryāyāṁ niyojya gṛha eva sukhaṁ taṁ bhaje kiṁ vā sarvān eva parityajya
nirvikṣepaḥ śrī vṛndāvanaṁ dhyeya sthānam evāsīnaḥ kīrtana śravaṇādibhiḥ kṛtārthī
bhaveyam. sa ca tyāgaḥ kiṁ bhukta bhogasyāvagata viṣama viṣaya dāvadavathor mama
carama daśāyām eva kiṁ vādhunaiva samucita iti. kiṁ ca tām īkṣed ātmano mṛtyuṁ tṛṇaiḥ
kūpam ivāvṛtam iti dṛṣṭyā āśramasyāsyāviśvāsyatayā yo dustyajān dāra sutān ityatra jahau
yuvaiva malavat ityādi dṛṣṭyā tyakta vilambas tatrāpi aho me pitarau vṛddhau ityatra atṛptas
tān anudhyāyan mṛto'ndhaṁ viśate tamaḥ iti bhagavad vākyena tyāge'labdha balaśca
sampratyeva prāṇa dhāraṇa mātra vṛttir vanaṁ tadaiva praviśyāṣṭāv eva ca
yāmānabhyarthayānīti. na jñānaṁ na ca vairāgyaṁ prāyaḥ śreyo bhaved iha ityatra tu
vairāgyasya bhakti janakatve eva doṣo na tu bhakti janitatve iti tad anubhāva rūpatayā tad
adhīnatvam iti. yad yad āśramagāt sa bhikṣukas tat tan na paripūrṇamaikṣata iti nyāyena
kadācid vairāgyaṁ tāvad rāgādaya stenas tāvat kārāgṛhaṁ gṛham iti kadācid gārhasthyaṁ ca
niścinvan kim ahaṁ kīrtanam eva kiṁ vā kathā śravaṇam api uta sevām eva utāho tāvad
ambarīṣādivad anekāṅgām eva bhaktiṁ karavai ityādi vividhā eva prāptā vikalpā yatra
bhavantīti vyūḍha vikalpā (8)
TRANSLATION: After this vyūḍha vikalpā is described “Shall I serve the Lord while
blissfully residing at home, making my wife and children Vaiṣṇavas, or shall I give everything
up and peacefully reside in the meditation centre Śrī Vṛndāvana, engaging in devotional
practices such as śravaṇa and kīrtana without disturbance? In this way I will become
successful.” Then again he thinks, “If I have to renounce, it would be better first to realize the
miseries of sense enjoyment by enjoying my senses. Then I can renounce at the final stage—
why should I do it now? Then again the scriptures show that 'women are to be seen as blind
wells covered with grass, they are unseen death'. Therefore one should not place one's faith
in household life, one should renounce it at once, like Mahārāja Bharata, who renounced it
like stool although he was still young and although wife and children are hard to give up.
Other scriptural references say: 'My mother and father are both old' or 'When one renounces
household life before being fully satiated one only thinks of it and enters into darkness after
death'. These words were spoken by the Lord Himself and that does not encourage me to
renounce. Now I can somehow maintain myself, later I will duly enter into the forest and
worship Kṛṣṇa around the clock. Besides, the scriptures also say that 'Through knowledge and
renunciation alone one can not arouse devotion to Kṛṣṇa." Actually devotion should not be
caused by renunciation, but renunciation should be caused by devotion, for through such
renunciation devotion is experienced and it is proven how renunciation is subservient to
devotion. There is a popular saying: "In whatever āśrama the mendicant went, he saw there
was plenty to eat", so that again creates the plan to renounce household life. Other scriptural
statements again condone household life by saying: "Only as long as one is not Kṛṣṇa-
conscious attachments will be like thieves and the home will be like a prison." Then again
one may wonder: "Shall I do kīrtana, shall I hear kathā or shall I render some practical service?
Or shall I practise all the items of devotion like King Ambarīṣa?" While doing bhajana such
speculations may take place. They are called vyūḍha vikalpā.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation— In the stage of unsteady practice, the aspirant may speculate
widely about how to practise bhajana, and this is called vyūḍha vikalpā. After receiving initiation
and being instructed in bhajana by Śrī Guru, the aspirant may not be able to decide whether he
will renounce the world or stay at home. Thus he starts speculating: "Shall I make my wife and
children Vaiṣṇavas by making them take initiation and learn devotion, and thus worship Kṛṣṇa
at home with the family?" The next moment he thinks: "When I stay at home I have to work to
maintain them and I will surely get distracted from my worship, so perhaps I should renounce
my wife and children and peacefully live in the meditation center Śrī Vṛndāvana and be blessed
by constantly practising the nine types of devotion, like hearing and chanting." Then again he
will think: "If I renounce the world, I should first fully enjoy the senses and through it realise
how miserable this life is. Then at the end of my life I will renounce. Otherwise I may renounce
only externally but I will internally only think of sense enjoyment and that will obstruct my
bhajana.” He again thinks, "If I remain attached with material pleasures for a long time, then
the desire for giving them up may not arise. Moreover, death may occur anytime, no one knows
when death comes, after all—thus, shall I renounce now?"
As long as the attachment towards devotion is less, there is a necessity of considering
the instructions of the śāstras on Śrī Kṛṣṇa bhajana very carefully. Therefore, the devotee
remembers a Bhāgavata-verse (3.31.40):
yopayāti śanair māyā yoṣid deva-vinirmitā

tām īkṣetātmano mṛtyuṁ tṛṇaiḥ kūpam ivāvṛtam
Śrī Kapiladeva says, "O mother! The woman created by the Lord is a form of māyā. She
slowly and slyly comes towards a devotee, serves him and finally finishes his devotion.
Therefore, a wise sādhaka should know her as a path to death, like a blind well covered with
grass." He then thinks, "It is thus proper to renounce this world now without putting any faith
in householder life." The next moment he thinks, "It is better to renounce in a mature stage,
rather than in youth." While thinking this, he remembers a Bhāgavata-verse (5.14.43):
yo dustyajān dāra-sutān suhṛd rājyaṁ hṛdi-spṛśaḥ

jahau yuvaiva malavad uttamaśloka-lālasaḥ
“Mahārāja Bharata in his youth gave up his wife, son, dear ones and kingdom as if they
were stool, desiring to worship the Lord, Uttama-śloka, whose glories are beyond ignorance.”
Therefore he thinks, “It is better to renounce immediately.” Again he remembers the words of
the Lord in the Bhāgavatam (11.17.57):
aho me pitarau vṛddhau bhāryā bālātmajātmajaḥ

anāthā mām ṛte dīnāḥ kathaṁ jīvanti duḥkhitāḥ
"Oh! My parents are old, and my wife is with a mere infant in her lap and other young
children. Without me they will be totally helpless and suffer miseries. How will they maintain
themselves without me?” “According to this text, it is better to renounce after the death of
my parents. Moreover, the Lord further warns that if one leaves the body without being
satisfied with sense objects one attains a dark destination—
evaṁ gṛhāśayākṣipta-hṛdayo mūḍha-dhīr ayam

atṛptas tān anudhyāyan mṛto’ndhaṁ viśate tamaḥ
‘Ignorant persons desiring to enjoy household life have a distracted heart, because
they are still unsatisfied with sense enjoyments. They die while thinking of their relatives and
dear ones and enter the darkness of the hellish planets after death or take birth in a species in
the mode of ignorance.’ According to this statement of the Lord to Uddhava, my desire to
renounce is not yet strong. For the time being, I will stay at home and just work to maintain
myself. Later, I’ll enter Vṛndāvana and engage myself in devotion to Kṛṣṇa twenty-four hours a
day. It is not proper to accept vairāgya now, because Kṛṣṇa says to Uddhava in the Bhāgavata
(11.20.31):
tasmān-mad-bhakti-yuktasya yogino vai mad-ātmanaḥ

na jñānaṁ na ca vairāgyaṁ prāyaḥ śreyo bhaved iha
‘Jñāna and vairāgya are generally not beneficial for a devotee having his heart
completely absorbed in Me.’ "It appears from this verse that vairāgya cannot lead to bhakti. If
it arises from bhakti itself, then there is no harm in it. Then it is an effect of bhakti and is
controlled by bhakti. vairāgya that nourishes detachment from material enjoyments and
attachment to devotion is known as yukta-vairāgya. This is not dry renunciation. It is
praiseworthy, being favourable for devotion. It is not to be condemned or rejectable.
Therefore, vairāgya is necessary after entering somewhat in bhajana, but not now."
According to the logic yad yad āśramam agāt sa bhikṣukas tat tad anna paripūrṇam
aikṣata: "In whatever āśrama a sannyāsī goes, he gets plenty to eat,” Sometimes the
scriptures preach such renunciation. But he again remembers a verse from the Bhāgavata
(10.14.36):
tāvad rāgādayaḥ stenās tāvat kāra-gṛhaṁ gṛham

tāvan moho’nghri-nigaḍo yāvat kṛṣṇa na te janāḥ
Brahmā says to the Lord, "O Kṛṣṇa! As long as people do not take Your shelter,
material desires remain like thieves stealing their consciousness, their homes remain prisons
being the cause of their material bondage, and their attachments remain foot shackles." "So,
it is better to stay at home."
In the same way he makes different decisions for doing various devotional items like
hearing and chanting. Sometimes he thinks of doing nāma-saṅkīrtana since the śāstras greatly
glorify the fruits of nāma-saṅkīrtana. At other times he thinks of doing śravaṇa-bhakti and
sometimes arcanā-bhakti. Again he thinks of practising many devotional items like Ambarīṣa
Mahārāja. In this way, a series of various deliberations arise in his mind, but he cannot decide
what to do and what not to do. This stage is known as vyūḍha-vikalpā. (8)
atha viṣaya saṅgarā. 'viṣayāviṣṭacittānāṁ viṣṇvāveśaḥ sudūrataḥ. vāruṇī dig gataṁ

vastu vrajannaindrīṁ kim āpnuyāt. iti bhogā eva balāt svasminn abhiniveśya māṁ bhajane
śithilayantīti tad amī tyaktvā nāmagrāhaṁ kāṁścana kāṁścana tyaktavato'pi bhuñjānasya
'juṣamāṇaśca tān kāmān parityāge'pyanīśvara' iti bhagavad vākyasyodāharaṇatvaṁ
prāptavatas tasya pūrvābhyas tair viṣayais tai saha saṅgaro yuddhaṁ kadācit tat parājayaḥ
kadācit sva parājaya iti viṣaya saṅgarā (9)
TRANSLATION: Now viṣaya saṅgarā is discussed. In the śāstras it is said: 'A person
engrossed in sensuality is deprived of Viṣṇu-consciousness, just as a person going to the east
can never reach something situated in the west.' 'According to this text of Viṣṇu Purāṇa,
objects of sense enjoyment opposing attachment towards the Lord are forcibly attracting me
towards them and impairing my absorption in devotion. So I will take the shelter of the holy
name and give them all up.' Although he is indeed giving up some sense objects he
simultaneously enjoys others. The Lord says in the Bhāgavata: "The devotee who is unable to
give up some sense object enjoys it while condemning himself." Thus the devotee fights a
battle or saṅgara with the sense objects, sometimes being defeated by them and sometimes
conquering them. Such a stage of bhajana kriyā is called viṣaya saṅgarā.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation— Now the author discusses another symptom of unstable
bhajana called viṣaya saṅgarā. The mind of an aspirant who commences bhajana still runs after
sense objects, because everyone has a tendency towards sense gratification since beginningless
time. Thus he thinks: "The Viṣṇu Purāṇa says: viṣayāviṣṭa cittānāṁ viṣṇāveśaḥ sudūrataḥ;
vāruṇī dig gataṁ vastu vrajann aindrīṁ kim āpnuyāt "A person engrossed in sensuality is
deprived of Viṣṇu-consciousness, just as a person going to the east can never reach something
situated in the west." In this way the sense objects, that are opposed to any attachment to the
Lord, are forcibly pulling me towards themselves and are minimizing my attachment to bhajana.
Thus I should take exclusive shelter of the holy name and give up sense gratification."
Determining this, the aspirant tries to give up sense pleasures, but due to his bad past he is
unable to do so. Such a devotee has been described in the Bhāgavata by the Lord as He taught
Śrī Uddhava (11.20.27-28):
jāta-śraddho mat-kathāsu nirviṇṇaḥ sarva-karmasu

veda duḥkhātmakān kāmān parityāge ’py anīśvaraḥ
tato bhajeta māṁ prītaḥ śraddhālur dṛḍha-niścayaḥ
juṣamāṇaś ca tan kāmān duḥkhodarkāṁś ca garhayan
“A devotee who faithfully hears My glories and who is finished with fruitive activities is
disgusted with sense enjoyment, knowing that it leads to misery. Though he tries to give it up,
he is sometimes unable to do so. He should engage himself in devotion with deep affection and
firm faith. Though he condemns the material senses knowing that they lead to miseries, he still
sometimes enjoys them." Thus, he is exemplary for the Lord's statement: "He is lovingly
engaged in My worship." He thus continues to fight with the material senses, sometimes getting
victory and sometimes defeat.
The purport of the commentary of these two verses by Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartīpāda
is as follows: These two verses explain the nature of a neophyte devotee. He knows the
association of wife, children, and consequent material affairs to be a cause of miseries, yet is
unable to give them up. Knowing the material senses to be miserable, his mind becomes
agitated with them and he firmly fixes his mind in devotion. “I will never give up devotion,
whether my attachment to my family is destroyed or increased, my devotion is distracted by
millions of obstacles, by offenses I may go to hell, or I have to accept lust for sense enjoyment.
If Brahmā himself comes and tells me to give up bhakti and to accept jñāna and karma, even
then I will never do so." In the beginning of bhajana he is thus firmly determined to be a devotee
and is not similarly determined to enjoy his senses. He condemns sense enjoyments knowing
them to be miserable, sometimes he is unable to give them up and ends up enjoying the very
same thing, saying: "Alas! These material enjoyments are very harmful to me because they are
unfavourable for attaining the lotus feet of the Lord. Though many times I have made vows to
give them up, sometimes I am unable to carry them out." A neophyte devotee thus has to
struggle with the senses. Sometimes he conquers them, and sometimes he is defeated by them.
This state is called viṣaya saṅgarā. (9)
atha niyamākṣamā. adyārabhya iyanti nāmāni gṛhītavyāni etāvatyaśca praṇayataḥ

kāryā ittham eva tad bhaktā api sevanīyā bhagavad asambandhā vāco'pi noccāraṇīyā grāmya
vārtāvatāṁ sannidhis tyaktavyaḥ' ityādi pratidinam api pratijānato'pi samaye tathā na
kṣamatvam iti niyamākṣamā. viṣaya saṅgarāyāṁ viṣaya tyāgākṣamatvam atra tu
bhaktyutkarṣākṣamatvam iti bhedaḥ (10)
TRANSLATION: Now the stage called niyamākṣamā is discussed. In this stage a devotee
decides, “From today I will chant such and such a quota of japa, and will pay so many
obeisances. I will also serve the devotees. I will not talk about anything unrelated with the
Lord and will give up all association of persons engaged in mundane talks.” Though the
devotee makes such vows every day, he is unable to always carry them out. This stage is
known as niyamākṣamā, inability to carry out vows. The difference between viṣaya-saṅgarā
and niyamākṣamā is that viṣaya-saṅgarā is the inability to give up sense enjoyment, while
niyamākṣamā is the inability to carry out vows made for progress in devotion.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation: Due to an increase in faith, a devotee feels the necessity of
regulating his devotional services. Due to the existence of powerful material attachment,
however, he fails to follow them regularly. It goes without saying that the main cause is his
inability to relish the mellow of bhakti. If a devotee gets even the slightest of taste in the name,
qualities, and pastimes of the Lord, he cannot give up the regular practice of devotion, though
he has to do his other daily activities. As a child who realizes the sweetness of sugarcane juice
cannot give up chewing sugarcane, similarly a devotee who realizes the taste of devotion
cannot give up his regulative devotional practices.
Anyway, in this stage of niyamākṣamā the sādhaka vows that he daily takes a hundred
thousand names of the Lord, he will offer so many prostrated obeisances to Viṣṇu and the
Vaiṣṇavas, he will serve the Vaiṣṇavas in such and such a way, either hearing or talking of
subjects not related to Kṛṣṇa will upset his mind, so he will not hear or talk of these things, he
will give up the company of those who slander others or speak nonsense in all respect. Although
he takes such vows every day, but he is found not to be able to keep them in the end, thus this
stage is known as niyamākṣamā, or inability to keep vows.
Although in the stage of viṣaya saṅgarā vows are taken to renounce sense pleasure, the
devotee is unable to do it in due course of time. In the stage of niyamākṣamā an effort is done
to follow the rules in order to advance in bhakti, but in due course of time he is unable to follow
them — this is the difference between viṣaya saṅgarā and niyamākṣamā. (10)
atha taraṅga raṅgiṇī. bhakteḥ svabhāva evāyaṁ yat tadvati sarve'pi janā anurajyantīti
'janānurāga prabhavā hi sampad' iti prācāṁ vāco'pi. bhaktyutthāsu vibhūtiṣu lābha pūjā
pratiṣṭhādiṣu vallī valitāsūpāśākhāsu taraṅgeṣvivācarantyā asyā raṅga iti taraṅga raṅgiṇī.
iti mahā mahopādhyāya śrīmad viśvanātha cakravartī viracitāyāṁ mādhurya
kādambinyāṁ bhakteḥ śraddhādi krama-traya kathana pūrvakaṁ bhajana kriyābheda
kathanaṁ nāma dvitīyāmṛta vṛṣṭiḥ (2)
TRANSLATION: Now the stage called taraṅga raṅgiṇī is discussed. The very nature of
bhakti is that when it exists in a devotee, everyone becomes attracted to him. Even the old
sages have said, “By the attraction of the people one becomes wealthy.” Facilities like profit,
respect, and distinction arising from bhakti are just weeds around the bhakti creeper that are
compared to small waves on the bhakti ocean. In this stage a devotee doing bhajana seeks
pleasure (raṅga) arising out of these waves (taraṅga). Hence this stage is called taraṅga
raṅgiṇī.
* Thus ends the Second Shower of Nectar of Mādhurya Kādambinī by

Mahāmahopādhyāya Śrīmad Viśvanātha Cakravartī describing the three stages of bhakti from
śraddhā to bhajana-kriyā and the different types of bhajana-kriyā.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation: As water by its own nature flows downwards, similarly
everyone is naturally attracted towards a devotee. Whoever is exclusively devoted to Śrī Hari,
who is the soul of every living being, satisfies the whole world with his devotional worship. The
Padma Purāṇa says:
yenārccito haris tena tarpitānī jagantyapi

rajyanti jantavas-tatra jaṅgamāḥ sthāvarā api
"A person who has worshipped the Lord with unflinching devotion has satisfied the
whole world. What to speak of human beings, all living entities, including even non-moving
trees and creepers, are also attracted to him." Hence, all sensual happiness, opulence and non-
personal spiritual bliss automatically comes to the devotee. The Tantra says:
siddhayaḥ paramāścaryā bhuktir muktiśca śāśvatī
nityañca paramānandaṁ bhaved govinda-bhaktitaḥ
"All types of pleasure, material and spiritual, automatically appear before him. Through
devotion to Govinda one gets all types of perfection in mystic yoga, all types of sensual
pleasures, the bliss of liberation, and supreme transcendental bliss." A pure devotee never
desires profit, adoration, distinction, liberation or mystic perfections, only the loving service of
Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Profit, respect, and fame are all counterproductive, like weeds around the bhakti
creeper. They grow themselves by sprinkling the water of devotional practices like śravaṇa,
kīrtana, and so forth and choke the growth of the bhakti creeper. It is necessary to cut them
down. Mahāprabhu taught Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī (C.C. Madhya, 19.158-161):
kintu yadi latāra aṅge uṭhe upaśākhā; bhukti-mukti-vañchā, yata asaṅkhya tāra lekhā
niṣiddhācāra kuṭināṭī jīva-hiṁsana; lābha, pūjā, pratiṣṭhādi yata upaśākhā-gaṇa
seka-jala pāiyā upaśākhā bāḍi yāya; sthabdha hoiyā mūla-śākhā bāḍite nā pāya
prathamei upaśākhāra karibe chedana; tabe mūla-śākhā bāḍi yāya vṛndāvana
“Sometimes unlimited weeds grow around the bhakti creeper. These are desires for
sense enjoyment or liberation, activities forbidden in scriptures, fault-finding, duplicity, animal
killing, desires for profit, adoration and distinction, and so on. Sprinkling of water nourishes the
unwanted weeds, curtailing the growth of the original creeper. One must cut down these weeds
in the very beginning, so that the original creeper may grow and gradually reach Vṛndāvana."
These weeds are compared to small waves on the bhakti ocean. In this stage a devotee seeks
pleasure by material gain, respect, and fame. In other words, he does his devotional practices
playing in these waves on the bhakti ocean. This is a great obstacle in the devotional path, called
taraṅga raṅgiṇī. In the upcoming third nectar-shower there will be elaborate discussions on
unwanted obstacles arising from devotional service. (11)
Thus ends the Pīyūṣa-kaṇā explanation of the Second Shower of Nectar of Mādhurya
Kādambinī.
Third Shower of Nectar
athānarthānāṁ nivṛttih. te cānarthāś caturvidhāḥ duṣkṛtotthā sukṛtotthā aparādhotthā

bhaktyutthāś ceti. tatra duṣkṛtotthā durabhiniveśa dveṣa rāgādyāḥ pūrvoktāḥ kleśā eva.
sukṛtotthā bhogābhiniveśā vividhā eva. te ca kleśāntaḥpātina iti kecit. aparādhotthā ityatra
nāmāparādhā eva gṛhānte. sevāparādhāntu nāmabhis tannivartaka stotra pāṭhaiḥ sevā
sātatyena ca bhavyasya vivekinaḥ prāyaḥ pratidinam evopaśamenāṅkurībhāvānupalabdheḥ.
kintu tat tad upaśama sambhava balena tatra sāvadhānatā śaithilye sevāparādhā api
nāmāparādhā eva syuḥ. tathā hyuktam - nāmno balād yasya hi pāpa buddhir iti. tatra nāma
ityupalakṣaṇaṁ bhakti mātrasyaivopaśamakasya. dharma śāstre'pi prāyaścitta balena
pāpācareṇa na tasya pāpasya kṣayaḥ pratyuta gāḍhataiva.
TRANSLATION: Now anartha-nivṛtti, or cessation of unwanted elements unfavourable

for bhakti, is being explained. anarthas are of four types, duṣkṛtottha, sukṛtottha,
aparādhottha, and bhaktyuttha. duṣkṛtottha-anarthas means anarthas arising from the five
kleśas described in the previous chapter. These are ignorance, material attachment, hatred,
and deep entanglement in sense enjoyment. sukṛtottha-anartha means intense attachment
to various sense enjoyments. Some include this anartha within the five types of kleśa.
aparādhottha-anartha means anarthas arising from nāma-aparādha. Here sevā-aparādhas
have not been considered. For intelligent people usually the effects of sevā-aparādha are
nullified by chanting the holy name, reciting prayers, and by constant engagement in the
service of the Lord. Sevā-aparādhas are thus unable to appear. If one is, however, careless
about sevā-aparādhas, knowing that by chanting and reciting prayers sevā-aparādhas can be
nullified, then all the sevā-aparādhas turn into nāma-aparādha. śāstras thus say, “Committing
sins on the strength of nāma is one of the nāma-aparādhas.” In this verse, nāma also refers
to other devotional practices. Even dharma-śāstras related to the codes of karma-yoga also
say that if one commits sins on the strength of atonement, thinking that it can destroy the
evil effects of sins, then those sins become more intense rather than being destroyed.
Pīyūṣa Kaṇā Explanation— After explaining faith, association with holy men and the
different kinds of unstable worship in the second shower of nectar, now the author is
describing anartha-nivṛtti in this third shower of nectar. That which has no use is called
anartha. Materialistic persons may consider worldly wealth and money as useful, but for the
devotee the only useful or desirable object is Śrī Kṛṣṇa and His loving service. This is the
attainable goal of a jīva as he is an eternal servant of the Lord. anartha, on the other hand,
opposes paramārtha (spiritual attainment) and creates obstacles to its attainment.
bhakti, or bhāgavata-dharma, is such a powerful path that even by the slightest touch
of it a devotee becomes successful. The Bhāgavata (11.2.12) says:
śruto’nupaṭhito dhyāta ādṛto vānumoditaḥ

sadyaḥ punāti sad-dharmo deva-viśva-druho’pi hi
"Even the most malicious man, a traitor of the gods and the universe, is purified by
hearing, studying, meditating, respecting, or just approving Bhāgavata-dharma." The vices that
obstruct this bhakti sādhana will be elaborately described in this shower (chapter). Every
sincere sādhaka should definitely study this chapter with careful attention. As Narottama
Ṭhākura says: antarāya nāhi jāy, ei se parama bhaya: “The greatest fear is that the anarthas are
not going away.” Material desires are the main cause of anarthas of the bondage of the living
entities from beginningless time, and their vices come in four different kinds - duṣkṛtottha,
sukrtottha, aparādhottha, and bhaktyuttha.
1) Duṣkṛtottha-anartha: It arises out of sins committed in one’s previous lives. In the
second shower they are mentioned as five kleśas namely: āvidyā, asmitā, rāga, dveśa, and
abhiniveśa. The living entities who have forgotten Kṛṣṇa from beginningless time are bound by
ignorance and, due to their evil desires, they are attached to the bodily conception of life and
the false ego of I and mine. This is the cause of aversion to the three fold miseries and
attachment to sense enjoyment, which further creates a strong saṁskāra of intense absorption
in the bodily conception of life, always deep seated in the heart of a bound jīva. These
saṁskāras create distraction while doing śravaṇa, kīrtana, and other devotional activities and
are known as duṣkṛtottha-anartha.
2) Sukṛtottha-anartha: The desires for the temporary pleasures of heavenly planets
arising from pious activities done in previous lives are known as sukṛtottha-anarthas. Due to
the saṁskāras of sense enjoyment coming from previous births, these desires for sense
enjoyment arise in the heart during devotional practices. Desire for mukti is also included in
sukṛtottha-anartha. One is unable to relish the mellow of bhakti, as long as the desires for sense
enjoyment or liberation exist in the heart. śāstras (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.22) say: bhukti-
mukti-spṛhā yāvat piśācī hṛdi vartate; tāvad bhakti-sukhasyātra katham abhyudayo bhavet-“As
long as the two witches bhukti and mukti exist in the heart of a person, how can one enjoy the
transcendental bliss of devotional service?” Patañjali Maharṣi includes sukṛtottha-anartha in
pañca-kleśa (the five types of misery listed above).
3) aparādhottha-anartha: These are anarthas arising out of offense. Generally, this
anartha creates many obstacles in the path of devotion. For this reason the author describes
this point analytically. There is a great difference between sin and offense. Even a glimpse of
devotion (bhajanābhāsa) destroys heaps of sins as fire easily burns heaps of cotton. aparādhas
are not destroyed so easily, however, so the best way to get rid of offense is to accept one’s
fault and repent deeply. A sinful person can easily get the fruits of devotion, but this is not
possible for a person committing offenses. Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Ādi-līlā, 8.26-30) says:
eka kṛṣṇa-nāme kare sarva-pāpanāśa; premera kāraṇa bhakti karena prakāśa

premera udaye haya premera vikāra; sveda-kampa-pulakādi gadgadāśrudhāra
anāyāse bhava-kṣaya kṛṣṇera sevana; eka kṛṣṇa-nāmera phala pāi eta dhana
hena kṛṣṇa-nāma yadi laya bahu-bāra; tabu yadi prema nahe, nahe aśrudhāra
tabe jāni, aparādha tāhāte pracura; kṛṣṇa-nāma-bīja tāhe nā hoy aṅkura
“Even chanting the name of Kṛṣṇa once destroys all sins and bestows the appearance of
pure devotion, which is the cause of divine love. After the appearance of divine love, bodily
transformations appear such as perspiration, trembling, hairs standing on the body, faltering
of the voice, and tears in the eyes. One’s material bondage thus gets destroyed and he attains
the loving service of Kṛṣṇa. Attainment of such transcendental wealth is the result of chanting
the name of Kṛṣṇa even once. If one chants such a powerful holy name of Kṛṣṇa again and again,
but still does not get prema and tears do not appear in his eyes, then clearly he is very offensive.
The seed of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa does not sprout in his heart.” It is evident from above a
verse that, in comparison to sin, offense is a heavy obstacle in the path of devotion. If one
analyses sin, then he can understand that the desires for sense enjoyment appear in the heart
as a result of bodily consciousness. This further is the cause of the appearance of sins like theft,
adultery, murder, lying, eating forbidden foodstuffs, and others. The body is material in
constitution. Activities done by the body, words, and mind under the influence of the false ego
of bodily consciousness [considering the body to be the self] for enjoying the material senses
are known as sins. Sins are thus related to the material body, not to the spirit soul. They have
their effects only on the body and mind.
But offense is much graver in comparison to sin. Its effects cover the spirit soul.
Devotional practices like śravaṇa, kīrtana, and others are all transcendental and they are done
for spiritual advancement. Śrī Kṛṣṇa, His devotee, His holy name, and spiritual abode are all
eternal and transcendental. Disrespect or negligence to any of these and considering them
material is known as aparādha. Hideous acts that affect the temporary material body are thus
known as sins, and those that affect the spirit soul are known as aparādha. aparādha to the
āśraya (devotee) is graver than to the viṣaya (Bhagavān). It results either in the disappearance
of bhakti or the drying up of the root of bhakti. Offense to the Lord covers or diminishes
bhakti. Bhakti, however, again appears after one is freed from offense. The results of
offending the Vaiṣṇavas are known to be much more horrendous than offenses to the Lord
Himself.
When we analyse the cause of aparādha we understand that it is odious acts full of
hatred that are completely opposed to love. This adverse mood arises from false ego and
creates a wide breach between the lovable mahāpuruṣas, or exalted devotees, and a sādhaka
devotee practicing devotion for attaining divine prema. One thus thinks himself exalted though
fallen, wise though unwise, and disrespects or neglects the mahats, thinking them to be worldly
men. mahat refers to guru, Vaiṣṇava, and the entities residing in the holy dhāma. All of them
have transcendental bodies. Thinking them to be worldly in nature is known as mahat-
aparādha. Considering them to be mundane, but externally giving them respect is also
disrespect and it deprives one of the satisfaction, affection, and mercy of compassionate
mahat-puruṣas. rādh means satisfaction, and diminishing satisfaction is known as aparādha.
aparādha means acts that dissatisfy Bhagavān, the holy name, the guru, and the Vaiṣṇavas.
bhakti, bhakta, and the Lord’s mercy are the fundamental base for attaining the Lord
and similarly disrespect, faithlessness, negligence, and blasphemy of them are grave obstacles
in the way of attaining the Lord. The best way to overcome offense to bhakti, bhakta and
Bhagavān is to be cautious regarding their disrespect. One should therefore surrender unto
them with full knowledge of their real form (svarūpa) and engage in affectionate devotion with
full respect for them. Thus offenseless bhajana can be practised; all offenses will be destroyed.
The author is saying aparādha here refers to nāma-aparādha, not to sevā-aparādha.
That is because intelligent people constantly chant the holy name, recite prayers and serve the
Lord, which nullify their sevā-aparādhas, if any. If someone is careless about sevā-aparādha
thinking that on the strength of holy name and recitation of prayers sevā-aparādhas can be
nullified, then those sevā-aparādhas turn into nāma-aparādhas. A sādhaka devotee should thus
carefully understand sevā-aparādhas.
The Padma Purāṇa mentions thirty-two kinds of sevā-aparādhas. (1) Entering the
temple on a vehicle (2) Entering the temple with shoes (3) Non-observance of the Lord’s
festivals (4) Not offering obeisances on seeing the Deities (5) Praying to the Lord without
washing the mouth after taking prasāda (6) Praying to the Lord in an unclean state (7) Paying
obeisances with one hand (8) Circumambulation with one’s back towards the Deity (9)
Spreading the legs before the Deity (10) Keeping one’s arms folded in front of the Deity (11)
Lying down in front of the Deity (12) Eating in front of the Deity (13) Speaking lies in front of
the Deity (14) Speaking loudly in front of the Deity (15) Chatting in front of the Deity (16) Crying
in front of the Deity (17) Chastising or favoring others in front of the Deity (18) Speaking harsh
words before the Deity (19) Covering the body with a blanket in front of the Deity (20)
Blaspheming others in front of the Deity (21) Praising others in front of the Deity (22) Filthy
talks in front of the Deity (23) Passing air while doing pūjā. (24) Serving the Lord simply, though
capable of doing opulent pūjā (25) Eating things not offered to the Lord (26) Not offering
seasonal fruits and vegetables (27) Offering the remnants of food or food given before to
anybody else (28) Sitting with one’s back towards the Deity (29) Greeting others in front of the
Deity (30) Keeping silence though the Guru is asking some question (31) Praising oneself in front
of the Deity (32) Blaspheming the devatās.
The Varāha-Purāṇa also describes several sevā-aparādhas. (1) Eating the food of
wealthy persons (2) Touching the Deity in a dark room (3) Approaching the Deities against the
rules (4) Opening the door of the temple without ringing the bell (5) Collecting food for the
deities contaminated by dogs and other animals (6) breaking silence while doing pūjā (7) Going
for passing urine or stool during pūjā (8) Offering incense without offering scents, garlands, etc.
(9) doing worship with forbidden flowers (9) Worshipping the Deity without cleaning the teeth
(10) After sexual intercourse (11) After touching a menstruating woman, a dead body or a lamp
(12) Wearing clothes left by others or wearing torn clothes (13) Wearing red, blue, or unclean
clothes (14) After seeing a dead body (15) While passing air (16) In an angry mood (17) After
coming from a cremation ground (18) Without digesting one's meal (19) Doing Deity worship
after eating the fruits of kusumba (safflower), cooked leaves (śāka), or asafetida, (20)
worshipping the Deity after smearing one’s body with oil.
Besides all the above sevā-aparādhas, there are some other sevā-aparādhas: to
disregard divine scriptures and preach scriptures unrelated to the Lord, chewing betel in front
of the Deity, worshipping the Deity with flowers kept on leaves of a castor oil plant, worshipping
the Deity during forbidden time, doing worship while sitting on a wooden seat or sitting on the
floor without āsana, touching the Deity with the left hand while bathing Him, doing pūjā with
dried flowers or flowers begged from others, spitting while doing pūjā, proclaiming one's own
pride during pūjā, putting tilaka obliquely, offering food cooked by non-Vaiṣṇavas, doing
worship in front of non-Vaiṣṇavas, entering the temple without washing the feet, doing pūjā
without worshipping Ganeśa (the lord who removes all obstacles), doing worship while the
body is sweating, doing worship after seeing a kāpālika, a śivait ascetic who carries a human
skull and uses it as receptacle for his food, bathing the Deity with water touched by finger nails,
stepping over the nirmālya (offered Tulasī, flowers, garlands, and other paraphernalia), and
making vows in the name of the Lord. The wise devotees are careful to avoid all the above sevā-
aparādhas and are not slack about them. If somehow they unknowingly or accidentally commit
sevā-aparādha, those aparādhas are nullified by chanting, reciting prayers, and serving the Lord
constantly. If someone, however, slackens his vigil about sevāparādha and thinks: "My
sevāparādhas can be nullified every day simply by reciting stotras and chanting the holy name,
so there is no harm in committing sevāparādhas", his sevāparādhas turn into grave
nāmāparādhas, for the scriptures say that it is an offense to the chanting of the holy name to
commit sins on the strength of chanting the holy name. A person who sins on the strength of
atonements cannot destroy that sin by any type of atonement, rather it becomes grave like a
thunderbolt. In the verse nāmno balād, the word nāma refers to the other devotional parts as
well. That means if someone commits sevā-aparādhas on the strength of any devotional part
such as hearing, worshipping, and so on, then that sevā-aparādha turns into nāma-aparādha.
sva pratipādakatve sati svetara pratipādakatvam upalakṣaṇatvam, the act of implying

something that has not been expressed. That which, by establishing itself, also establishes
others is known as upalakṣaṇa. For example, if someone says, “Save the yogurt from the crows”,
the idea is to save the yogurt. Crow is used as an upalakṣaṇa to represent that the yogurt should
be saved from other birds and animals, like cats and dogs as well. Similarly, when the holy name
is mentioned it means the holy name itself as well as all the other items of bhajana.
nanvevaṁ - na hyaṅgopakrame dhvaṁso mad dharmasyoddhavāṇvapi' iti 'viśeṣato

daśārṇo'yam japa mātreṇa siddhida' ityādi vākya balena tat tad aṅgānām ananuṣṭhāne
vaikalyādāv api vā jāte nāmāparādha prasajjeta. maivam. nāmno balād yasyetyatra pāpe
buddhiś cikīrṣādi. tad eva hi pāpaṁ yatra sati nindāprāyaścittādi śravaṇam. na ca karma mārga
iva bhakti mārge'pi aṅga vaikalyādau kvāpi nindā śravaṇam iti na tatrāparādha śaṅkā.
TRANSLATION: Śāstras say, “O Uddhava! From the very beginning of this religion (even
if it is not yet completed) there is not even the slightest loss.” “Simply chanting the ten-
syllable mantra gives perfection.” On the strength of these verses someone may ask whether
non-performance or improper performance of devotional parts produces nāma-aparādha or
not? The answer is no. In the verse, “One who commits sins on the strength of the holy name”
the word pāpa-buddhi means the intentional committing of sins. Acts that are condemned
by the scriptures and that require atonement are known as sins. In the path of karma,
imperfect performance of karma is condemned. But on the devotional path, imperfect
performance of any devotional part is neither condemned nor is there the possibility of any
offense.
Pīyūṣa Kaṇā-explanation: It has been explained that aparādha is a powerful obstacle to

devotional worship and that committing sins on strength of chanting the holy name is a terrible
offense to the chanting of the holy name. Doubts about this are now addressed. In the
Bhāgavata (11.29.20) Śrī Kṛṣṇa tells Śrī Uddhava, na hyaṅgopakrame dhvaṁso mad
dharmasyoddhavāṇvapi "bhakti, or bhāgavata-dharma, has such a wonderful effect that if
someone even begins practicing it and is unable to complete it, then also there is not the
slightest loss." On the path of karma, only if a karma is done properly from beginning to end
without obstacles can one attain its fruit. Otherwise it becomes useless. bhakti, or bhāgavata-
dharma, is not like the path of karma. It never becomes fruitless even though improperly done
or left incomplete. bhakti is transcendental, and that cannever be destroyed. For example, a
gold piece lying in a heap of garbage for a long time never decomposes, though in due course
of time the garbage decomposes. The gold is all that remains. Similarly, in due course of time
one will definitely get the fruits of devotion according to one's performance of devotion after
all obstacles are removed, though there may be some delay due to the obstacles of aparādha.
Similarly the śāstras say “Chanting this ten-syllable mantra gives perfection."
Here one may ask, "Is this not a nāma-aparādha on the strength of chanting the
mantra?" When there is a lack of completion or an obstacle in devotional practice, that japa
of the mantra will still grant perfection. Since here the chanting of the holy name is depended
upon for final perfection, isn't it an offense to the chanting of the holy name to just chant and
leave the rest of one's bhajana incomplete?
The answer is no, this is not a nāmāparādha, because nāmno balād yasya hi pāpa-
buddhi means intentionally or knowingly committing sins. If someone knowingly commits
innumerable sins on the strength of the holy name, then those sins turn into nāma-aparādha.
This verse does not refer to such sinful acts, since the chanting of the mantra is done with the
desire to attain the Lord. If a devotee falls sick, is dying, or due to some other obstacles is
unable to complete or perform his devotional chores, then by the influence of bhakti he
attains the fruit. There is no intention of committing sins in this case. Sins are activities that
are condemned in the scriptures, and that have specific atonements. The aforementioned
activities are neither condemned, nor are there any prescribed atonements.
On the path of karma, if there is even the slightest fault in the ingredients, mantra, time
or object (of a sacrifice), then it is all spoiled, and no result is obtained. Sometimes even the
opposite result is achieved. Such fault is never seen in the path of bhakti. bhakti is self-manifest,
all-pervading, and complete. There is thus no possibility of any evil effect from the improper
performance of any devotional part. If somehow someone cannot complete his devotional
practices, then by the mercy of Bhakti they are automatically completed on their own. Bhakti
definitely gives the fruit of even incomplete performance of devotional parts. There is neither
condemnation nor atonements for this to be seen anywhere in the scriptures or in local
tradition. One should, therefore, not raise any doubt of nāma-aparādha in this case.
yad uktam (śrīmad bhāgavate)

ye vai bhagavata proktā upāyā ātma labdhaye; añjaḥ puṁsām aviduṣāṁ viddhi
bhāgavatān hi tān. yānāsthāya naro rājan na pramādyeta karhicit; dhāvan nimīlya vā netre na
skhalen na pated iha. iti.
atra nimīlyeti kartṛ vyāpāra liṅgena vidyamāne eva netre mudrayitvā tatrāpi dhāvan
pāda nyāsa sthalam atikramyāpi vrajan na skhaled iti akṣarārtha labdher bhagavad dharmam
āśritya tad aṅgāni sarvāṇi jñātvāpi ajña iva kānicid ullaṅghyāpi anutiṣṭhan na pratyavāyī syāt
nāpi phalād bhraśyed ityeṣaiva vyākhyā upapadyate. nimīlanaṁ nāmājñānaṁ tasyāpi śruti
smṛti viṣayāvityeṣā tu na saṅgacchate mukhyārtha vādhāyogāt. na ca dhāvan nimīlyetyetad
eva dvātriṁśad aparādhābhāvam api kroḍīkarotviti vācyam. yān bhagavatā
proktānupāyānāśrityetuktatvāt 'yānaivā pādukair vāpi gamanaṁ bhagavad gṛhe' ityādayas tu
tatra niṣiddhā eva. sevāparādhe tu harer apyaparādhān yaḥ kuryād dvipada pāṁśanaḥ ityādiṣu
śruyanta eva nindāḥ. kiṁ ca te nāmāparādhāḥ prācīnā arvācīnā vā yadi samyag anabhijñāta
prakārāḥ syuḥ kintu tat phala liṅgenānumīyamānā eva tadā teṣāṁ nāmabhir evāviśrānta
prayuktair bhakti niṣṭhāyām utpadyamānāyāṁ krameṇopaśamaḥ. yadi te jñāyanta eva tadā
tvasti kvacit kaścid viśeṣaḥ.
TRANSLATION: The Śrīmad-Bhāgavata (11.2.34-35) says, “Even illiterate persons can

easily come to know the Supreme Absolute Truth by adopting the process spoken by the Lord.
This process is known as bhāgavata-dharma, or the path of devotional service. By accepting
this path a person is never bewildered. Even if he closes his eyes and runs, he never stumbles
or falls down.” In this verse the word nimīlana refers to the performer of a specific activity.
Thus nimīlana means that one closes his eyes. dhāvan means he is moving quickly by placing
his feet in an unusual overstepping way. Still he does not stumble or fall. It is understood
from this verse that if a person takes shelter of the devotional path, but he knowingly leaps
over some secondary devotional parts though practicing the main devotional parts such as
śravaṇa, kīrtana, smaraṇa, and so forth, he never fails to get the fruits of bhakti nor is he ever
faulted. nimīlana cannot be explained as ignorant of śruti or smṛti, because it cannot
contradict the real meaning. dhāvan and nimīlana cannot mean neglecting the thirty-two
kinds of sevā-aparādhas, since it is already said, “...by taking the shelter of the process spoken
by the Lord.” Sevā-aparādhas are forbidden by the verses, “It is offensive to enter the temple
of the Lord riding on a vehicle or wearing shoes.” The śāstras condemn persons who
deliberately commit sevā-aparādhas as “...a two legged animal who commits offense at Śrī
Hari's lotus feet.” nāma-aparādhas may have been committed unconsciously long ago or
recently, but they are inferred by their effects. By constant chanting of the holy name, niṣṭhā
appears in devotion and gradually those aparādhas are nullified. If one commits aparādhas
consciously, then he has to adopt specific means for their nullification.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation— The author has described the powerful obstacle to bhakti
named aparādha, and how bhakti bereft of all its different limbs still bestows its fruits. Now
he describes how one swiftly makes progress even while violating the items of bhakti, without
fear of falling off the path or committing an offense, quoting evidence from Śrīmad
Bhāgavata. In Śrīmad Bhāgavata Śrīpāda Kavi Yogīndra told King Nimi—
ye vai bhagavata proktā upāyā hyātma labdhaye;

añjaḥ puṁsām aviduṣāṁ viddhi bhāgavatān hi tān.
yānāsthāya naro rājan na pramādyeta karhicit;
dhāvan nimīlya vā netre na skhalen na pated iha.
"O Mahārāja! All the means for ignorant people to easily attain perfection have been
described by the Lord Himself. This is called bhāgavad dharma. Whoever takes shelter of this
bhāgavad dharma will never be bewildered. Even if he runs over this path with his eyes closed
he cannot trip or fall."
Other religions have been enunciated by different munis and ṛṣis, but bhāgavata-
dharma is directly spoken by the Lord Himself and is non-different from His own svarūpa. The
Lord says to Uddhava in the Bhāgavata (11.14.3):
kālena naṣṭā pralaye vāṇīyaṁ veda-saṁjñītā

mayādau brahmaṇe proktā dharmo yasyāṁ mad-ātmakaḥ
"O Uddhava! The Vedic scriptures describing My devotion, which is non-different from
Me, were lost in the course of time. I instructed all those scriptures to Brahmā in the
beginning of the creation." The fruit of bhāgavata-dharma is to attain divine love and the
direct service of the Lord. Since this process is spoken directly by the Lord Himself and not
others, it is the most reliable and correct. This is one reason the Lord spoke it Himself.
The verse says that bhāgavata-dharma is the process for easily attaining the Lord, even
for ignorant persons. This indicates that all persons are qualified for its performance. That it
easily gives perfection shows it is a much more natural path for giving perfection in comparison
to the difficult paths of jñāna, yoga, and others. Whoever takes shelter of this bhāgavata
dharma does not trip or fall, even if he runs over the path with his eyes closed. If someone runs
very fast towards his destination, then he leaps over some normal steps. He fixes his eyesight
on the destination and, though his eyes are opened, he cannot keep his sight on the path on
which he is moving. Similarly, by taking shelter of bhāgavata-dharma, if someone who knows
all the parts of devotion practises the main parts, but is eager to reach the goal he oversteps
some secondary parts as if ignorant, then for him there is no harm nor is he deprived of the
fruit of devotion.
nimīlana (closed eyes) here does not mean one is ignorant about the injunctions of the
śrutis and smṛti scriptures. For instance it is said gaṅgāyāṁ ghoṣaḥ, milkmen live in the Gaṅgā.
Since it is impossible for milkmen to live in the current of the Gaṅgā, it must surely mean that
'milkmen live on the bank of the Gaṅgā'. Here nimīlana means that though one has eyes, he
closes them. For one who has knowledge of the instructions of sādhu, śāstra, and guru, but due
to powerful eagerness (anurāga) to reach the goal or some reasonable cause, if he oversteps
some secondary devotional parts, it is not harmful. Therefore this does not mean that one is
whimsically violating or slackening the devotional rules.
Someone may say that nimīlana and dhāvan mean that if a sādhaka devotee
unknowingly commits any of the thirty-two sevā-aparādhas by quickly running on the
devotional path with his eyes closed, then it is not harmful. But this meaning is not
acceptable, since in the very beginning it was said, "...by taking the shelter of the process
spoken by the Lord." The Lord can never recommend committing sevā-aparādhas. Therefore
yānair vā pādukair vāpi gamanaṁ bhagavad gṛhe, entering the temple of the Lord with shoes
on or in a vehicle and other sevāparādhas are strictly forbidden. How can the Lord authorise
what is forbidden in the scriptures? In the Purāṇas we can find condemnation of
sevāparādhas—harer apyaparādhān yaḥ kuryād dvipada pāṁśanaḥ: "A person who offends
Lord Hari is a two-legged animal".
Perhaps nāma-aparādhas were unconsciously committed, either long ago or recently,
but their presence is presumed by their symptoms, such as slackness in devotion or
attachment to objects unrelated to Kṛṣṇa. By constantly chanting the holy name, when niṣṭhā
appears, then gradually these aparādhas are nullified. Hari-bhakti-vilāsa (11.525-526) says:
jāte nāmāparādhe’pi pramādena kathañcana

sadā saṅkīrtayan nāma tadeka-śaraṇo bhavet
nāmāparādha yuktānāṁ nāmānyeva harantyagham
aviśrānta prayuktāni tānyevārtha-karāṇi ca
"If someone commits nāma-aparādha due to carelessness, then he should constantly

chant the holy name, taking sole shelter of it. The holy name destroys the offenses of persons
committing nāma-aparādha. Constantly chanting the holy name itself gives all perfection."
The effect of an offense committed unknowingly is not very dangerous. If someone knowingly
commits offense, then the effects are grave and accordingly there are special procedures to
nullify them.
yathā 'satāṁ nindeti' daśasu nāmnaḥ prathamo'parādhaḥ. tatra nindetyanena dveṣa

drohādayo'pyupalakṣyante. tataś ca daivāt tasminn aparādhe jāte 'hanta pāmareṇa mayā
sādhuṣu aparāddham iti' anutapto janaḥ 'kṛśānau śāmyati taptaḥ kṛśānunau evāyam' iti
nyāyena tat padāgra eva nipatya prasādayāmīti viṣaṇṇa cetasā praṇati stuti sammānādibhis
tasyopaśamaḥ kāryaḥ. kadācit kasyacana kair api duṣprasādanīyatve bahu dinam api tan
manobhirocinyanuvṛttiḥ kāryā. aparādhasyāti mahattvāt kathañcit tayāpyanirvattyakopatve
'dhiṅ mām akṣīṇa bhaktāparādhaṁ niraya koṭiṣu patantam iti nirvidya sarvaṁ parityajya
samāśrayaṇīyā nāma saṅkīrtana santatis tayā ca mahāśaktim atyāvaśyam eva kāle tataḥ syād
evoddhavaḥ. kiṁ me muhur muhur eva pāda patanādibhiḥ svāpakarṣa svīkāreṇa
'nāmāparādha yuktānāṁ nāmānyeva harantyagham' ityasyaiva paramopāyaḥ sa eva
samāśrayaṇīya iti bhāvanāyāṁ pūrvad eva punar api nāmāparādhaḥ.
TRANSLATION: Sat- or sādhu-nindā, blaspheming Vaiṣṇavas, is the first of the ten nāma-
aparādhas. nindā also means hatred, enmity, and such. If someone accidentally commits this
offense then he should repent, "Oh! I am so sinful that I have offended the sādhus.” “A person
burnt by fire gets relief by fire.” According to this logic, “I should fall at the feet of those sādhus
I have offended and satisfy them.” Thus to nullify the offense of sādhu-nindā, one should, with
a repentant heart, pay obeisances, glorify, and give respects to the sādhu he has offended. If
one is unable to satisfy the sādhu in this way then he should serve him favorably for many days
to satisfy him. When the offense is so grave that the anger of the Vaiṣṇava is not calmed in any
way, then one should repent, “Shame to me, as the offense committed by me to the devotee
is not nullified by any means. Now I will fall down in millions of hells.” He should then constantly
take sole shelter of nāma-saṅkīrtana, giving up all other activities. By the divine power of nāma-
saṅkīrtana, sometime in the future the person thus repenting will be definitely freed from the
offense. If someone thinks, “śāstras say that persons taking the shelter of the holy name can
be freed from sins by nāma itself, so why should I humble myself by falling at the feet of the
sādhu again and again? I should simply take the shelter of nāma-saṅkīrtana, the best way of
nullifying the offense.” This idea will again make one guilty of nāma-aparādha.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation: The Padma Purāṇa describes ten types of nāma-aparādhas—
1) satāṁ nindā nāmnaḥ paramam aparādhaṁ vitanute yataḥ khyātiṁ yātaṁ katham u
sahate tad-vigarhām 2) śivasya śrī-viṣṇor ya iha guṇa-nāmādi-sakalaṁ dhiyā bhinnaṁ paśyet
sa khalu harināmāhita-karaḥ 3) guror avajñā 4) śruti-śāstra-nindanaṁ, 5) tathārtha-vādo hari-
nāmni kalpanam 6) nāmno balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhir na vidyate tasya yamair hi śuddhiḥ 7)
dharma-vrata-tyāga-hutādi-sarva-śubha-krīyā-śāmyam api pramādaḥ 8) aśraddhadhāne
vimukhe’pyaśṛṇvati yaścopadeśaḥ śiva-nāmāparādaḥ 9) śrute’pi nāma māhātmye yaḥ prīti-
rahito naraḥ 10) ahaṁ-mamādi-paramo nāmni so ’py aparādha-kṛt.
(1) Blaspheming sādhus creates a grave offense to the holy name. How can the holy
name tolerate blaspheming of devotees who are spreading the glories of the holy name
throughout the world? The sādhus who have given up all dharmas and karmas and have solely
taken shelter of the holy name are superior among all devotees; so one should not condemn
such sādhus even slightly. One should rather associate with them and do nāma-saṅkīrtana.
The holy name will then quickly bestow its grace.
(2) The second offense is mentioned in the second half of the first śloka. It has two types
of explanations (a) If one considers the name, qualities, and such of Mahādeva and Viṣṇu as
different, then it is an offense. In other words, if one considers Śiva as an independent Lord
perfected by a specific energy and Viṣṇu as an independent Lord, then the controversy of many
independent Lords arises and hampers the exclusive devotion to Śrī Hari. One should,
therefore, understand that Kṛṣṇa is the Lord of all lords. Śiva is empowered as a Lord by the
energy of Kṛṣṇa, but he has no independent energy. One who chants the holy name with this
understanding commits no offense. (b) Considering the all-auspicious name, form, qualities,
and activities of Lord Viṣṇu as different from His eternal personality (nitya-siddha-vigraha) is an
offense.
‘nāma’ ‘vigraha’ ‘svarūpa’—tina eka-rūpa;

tine ‘bheda’ nahi,—tina ‘cid-ānanda-rūpa’
kṛṣṇa-nāma, kṛṣṇa-guṇa, kṛṣṇa-līlā-vṛnda;
kṛṣṇera svarūpa-sama—saba cid-ānanda
“The Lord’s name, form, and personality—all three are one and same. There is no
difference between them, since all of them are eternal and blissful. Kṛṣṇa’s name, qualities,
and pastimes are all the same as Kṛṣṇa’s personality—all are eternal and blissful." (Caitanya-
caritāmṛta, Madhya 7.131,135)
(3) The third offense is to disrespect the Guru or to consider him an ordinary human
being. The Guru is the embodiment of the condensed compassion of Śrī Bhagavān. A disciple
should therefore not see any natural or nominal fault in the transcendental form of Śrī
Gurudeva. He should, instead, constantly meditate on his transcendental qualities. If

somehow a disciple considers him as an ordinary being, then it is a grave offense. Not
chanting the mantras given by the guru and not practicing devotion according to his
instructions is offensive, since it is neglectful.
The author writes in his Sārārtha Darśinī-commentary of the Bhāgavata (6.2.9-10),
"Some know that the Lord is worshipable and He is only attained by devotion. For such
devotion the guru is the instructor and, in the past, only the devotees following the
instructions of the guru have attained the Lord. Still if they do not feel any necessity of
accepting a guru and think that by nāma-saṅkīrtana they can attain the Lord, then also they
become guilty of disrespecting the guru. Such persons never attain the Lord. When this
offense is nullified, either in this birth or the next, and if they take the shelter of the feet of a
bona fide guru, then they can attain the Lord.
(4) Blaspheming śrutis is the fourth offense. śrutis or Vedic literature is apauruṣeya, not
made by any human being or, in other words, is manifest by the Lord Himself. Sages of the
Vedic age have therefore established the śrutis as the best of all authorities. They consider that
all other śāstras also follow them. vedayatīti vedaḥ, "That which reveals itself is known as
Veda.” Scriptures like Śrīmad-Bhāgavata follow the Vedas. The purport of the Vedas is very clear
in the itihāsa (Mahābhārata and Rāmāyaṇa) and Purāṇas. Criticising all these scriptures is a
nāmāparādha.
(5) The fifth offense is to consider the glories of the holy name to be exaggerated or the
incomparable glories of the holy name described by śāstras to be mere praise. śāstras have
exaggerated the glories of the holy name to encourage ordinary persons to chant the holy
name. It is very a great offense to think like this. The author says in the aforementioned Sārartha
Darśinī ṭīkā that this type of mentality directly impedes Vaiṣṇava behaviour.
(6) The sixth offense is to give some speculative interpretation of the glories of the holy
name. This minimizes the glories of the holy name. This also impedes Vaiṣṇava behaviour.
Māyāvādīs think that the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Lord, has no name, form, qualities, and
so forth. ¬ṣis have merely imagined the names of non-personal Brahman as Kṛṣṇa, Rāma, and
so on to get perfection in sādhana. These Māyāvādīs commit offense and their association is
thus prohibited even from afar.
(7) To commit sins on the strength of the holy name is the seventh offense. To
intentionally commit sins thinking that they can be nullified by chanting the holy name is very
offensive. It is certainly true that chanting the holy name destroys all sins. However, it is a grave
wickedness to engage oneself in detestable activities on the strength of the holy name since
one chants the same holy name to attain divine love, the supreme goal of one’s life. Committing
sins on the strength of the holy name defiles the holy name and those sins turn into terrible
nāma-aparādhas. Even by practicing yama, niyama, and other processes of atonement, one
cannot purify his heart or be freed from this aparādha.
(8) To consider other auspicious activities equal to the chanting of the holy name is the
eighth offense. It is offensive to think that practising (caste-)religion, vows, austerities, and
sacrifices gives the same fruit as the chanting of the holy name. All these activities are
material in nature, while the holy name is transcendental or is the personality of the Lord
Himself. The holy name is upeya (the supreme goal) and at the same time upāya (the process
to attain perfection). It is thus incomparable. This offense also impedes Vaiṣṇava behaviour.
(9) To instruct the holy name to a faithless person is the ninth offense. It is offensive to
instruct the holy name to a person not interested in hearing its glories. The offensive reaction
of the person who is preached to will backfire on the preacher.
(10) Not being attached to the holy name in spite of hearing its glories is the tenth
offense. In this world the living entities are bound and intoxicated by the false conception of
body and bodily objects, "I" and "mine". Repeatedly hearing the glories of the holy name from
the mouth of sādhus may result in a temporary detachment in some. However, they are
unable to develop a permanent attachment to the holy name. This is an offense.
The author himself is analyzing all these offenses. Sādhu-nindā is the first of the ten
nāma-aparādhas. Some think if sādhus commit forbidden acts, it is not offensive to criticise
them, since that is simply stating the actual fact. Śrīdhara Svāmīpāda says in his Śrīmad
Bhāgavata-comment, however: nindanaṁ doṣa-kīrtanam: "Whether it's true or not, narrating
the faults of a sādhu is included in blasphemy." One may say that one must rectify such a
sādhu, if he is really guilty. The answer is that only spiritually powerful personalities like the
guru or guardians of the devotees can rectify them, not a sādhaka devotee. A sādhaka
devotee will only be offensive if he sees fault in another devotee or talks about it to others. It
will not rectify the guilt of the guilty. Caitanya-Bhāgavata (Madhya 9) says:
nindāya nāhika kārya, sabe pāpa-lābha;

eteke nā kare nindā mahā-mahābhāga
aninduka hai je sakṛt kṛṣṇa bale;
satya satya kṛṣṇa tāre, uddhāriba hele
“The only thing obtained by blaspheming is sin. Thus one should not blaspheme
devotees. Great devotees never blaspheme others. Kṛṣṇa very easily delivers those who chant
even once the name of Kṛṣṇa without blaspheming anybody.” Nindā also includes hatred,
enmity, and such. Skanda Purāṇa says: hanti nindanti vai dveṣṭi vaiṣṇavān nābhinandati
krudhyante yāti no harṣaṁ darśane patatāni ṣaṭ “There are six types of vaiṣṇava-aparādha: to
kill a Vaiṣṇava, blaspheme him, hate him, not greet him, be angry with him, and not being glad
to see him." All these are causes of falldown from the devotional path. To hate sādhus, speak
ill of them, distrust them, disrespect them, be envious of their activities, have enmity towards
them, and so on are all included in vaiṣṇava-aparādha. As it is most grave, it comes first among
the ten nāma-aparādhas. This aparādha usually creates a great obstacle in the path of devotion
for a sādhaka devotee. Mahāprabhu instructed Rūpa Gosvāmī:
yadi vaiṣṇava-aparādha uṭhe hatī mātā; upāḍe vā chiṇḍe, tāra śuki’ yāya pātā
tāte māli yatna karī’ kare āvaraṇa; aparādha-hasti jaiche nā haya udgama
"The mad elephant offense of blaspheming a Vaiṣṇava uproots and breaks the bhakti
creeper. The leaves of the creeper thus dry up. The gardener, a sādhaka devotee, should
carefully protect the bhakti creeper by fencing it all around so that the mad elephant offense
does not enter." (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya 19/156-157) These verses show the gravity of
Vaiṣṇava aparādha. A sādhaka devotee should, therefore, be especially careful to protect
himself from this aparādha. If accidentally one commits an offense to a mahat, then he should
deeply repent with self reproach. "I am such a sinful person that I have offended a mahat.”
Repentance is the actual atonement for an offense. Though one may please a sādhu by asking
for forgiveness, he cannot purify his heart unless it is burnt in the fire of repentance. There is a
logic that a person burnt by fire can be cured by fire. In other words, burns are cured by
producing heat. Similarly, if a person with a repentant heart falls at the feet of a mahat he had
offended and pays obeisances, glorifies him, and respects him, then he can nullify his offense.
If one is unable to please the offended saint in this way one should openly and secretly engage
in many activities that may please him and continue to do so for many days. This will surely
please the naturally forgiving and compassionate saint.
If the offense is so grave that the saint is not pleased even after the abovementioned
method is followed and if the anger of the saint cannot be soothed in any way, then one should
lament as follows: "Alas! Alas! A hundred curses on me! I could not make up for the offense to
this saint in any way! Surely I will have to fall in millions of hells for this!" In deep grief one
should thus give up all unrelated activities and constantly and fully take shelter of harināma
saṅkīrtana. The greatly powerful nāma saṅkīrtana will then surely save the repentant soul. And
if that person is overcome with shyness and embarrassment, thinking: "The śāstras say:
'Persons who offend the holy name can find peace only by again chanting the holy name. What
is the use of humiliating myself before that person time and again? Let me just take shelter of
the greatest means, nāma saṅkīrtana" then he is again guilty of the grave nāmāparādha called
'committing sinful activities on strength of chanting the holy name.'
na ca kṛpālur akṛta drohas titikṣuh sarva dehinām ityādi sampūrṇa dharmakā eva
santas teṣām eva nindā aparādha iti vācyam. 'sarvācāra vivarjitāḥ śaṭha dhiyo vrātyā jagad
vañcakāḥ iti tat prakaraṇa vartinā vacanena tādṛśa duścaritānām api bhagavantaṁ bhajatāṁ
kaimuttika nyāyena sacchabda vācyatvena sūcitatvāt.
TRANSLATION— The śāstras say, “Persons having qualities such as compassion, non-
envy, and universal tolerance are described as sādhus since they strictly follow vaiṣṇava-
dharma.” From this statement one should not think that only blaspheming such sādhus is an
offense. Padma Purāṇa says, “Even a sinful person with all bad qualities who lacks proper
behaviour, is wicked, fallen, and deceitful is liberated if he takes the shelter of the lotus feet of
Govinda.” In this verse it is needless to say that if such an ill-behaved person is devoted to the
Lord, he is also known as a sādhu according to kaimuttika-nyāya.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā Explanation: It has been said that blasphemy of the saints is the most
powerful obstacle to bhajana. The Bhāgavata (11.11.29-31) mentions the characteristics of a
sādhu:
kṛpālur akṛtadrohas titikṣuḥ sarva-dehinām;

satyasāro’navadyātmā samaḥ sarvopakārakaḥ
kāmair ahatadhīr dānto mṛduḥ śucir akiñcanaḥ;
anīho mitabhuk śāntaḥ sthiro maccharaṇo muniḥ
apramatto gabhīrātmā dhṛtimāñ jitā-ṣaḍ-guṇaḥ;
amānī mānadaḥ kalyo maitraḥ kāruṇikaḥ kaviḥ
“O Uddhava! He is the best among sādhus who has the following qualities: he is
merciful, not treacherous, tolerant, forgiveness, truthful, free from envy, doing welfare to all,
free from lust, of controlled senses, mild, clean, without material possession, indifferent to
material activities, eating as much as required, peaceful, without inebriation, without any
agitation, patience, in control of the six vices of lust, anger, hunger, thirst and so, humble,
respectful, expert in solacing others, friendly, compassionate, and poetic.” One may say—
"That's a real saint! It's only offensive to blaspheme the sādhus having the above qualities, but
not others. Sādhus who get angry on insignificant causes and hardly get pleased with the
offender do not have the above quality that is obvious! Thus it is not offensive to blaspheme
them." The author, however, is saying this consideration is fully incorrect. In Padma Purāṇa,
Sanat-kumāra says to Nārada while describing nāma-aparādha—
sarvācāra vivarjitāḥ śaṭha dhiyo vrātyā jagad vañcakā

dambhāhaṅkṛti pāna paiśuna parāḥ pāpāntyajā niṣṭhurāḥ
ye cānye dhana dāra putra niratāḥ sarvādhamās te pi hi
śrī govinda padāravinda śaraṇā muktā bhavanti dvija
"O brahmaṇa! Persons lacking proper behaviour, who are fallen, deceitful, full of false
ego, absorbed in the bodily conception, drunkards, cruel, irreligious, lowborn, hard-hearted,
attached to money, children and wife, and fallen in all respects can also be liberated if they
take shelter of the lotus feet of Govinda." It naturally follows in this verse that these evil-
minded persons can also be considered as sādhus if they worship the Lord. The Lord Himself
says to Arjuna (Gītā 9.30)—
api cet sudurācāro bhajate mām ananya bhāk

sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ samyak vyavasito hi saḥ
"A person solely devoted to Me, though he may behave badly, must be considered a
sādhu as his efforts are commendable." The author in his Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī-commentary of this
śloka says, “One who worships no other deity than Kṛṣṇa, performs only bhakti without jñāna,
karma, and so on, has no desire in his heart other than the desire to attain Kṛṣṇa, and has no
desire to attain sovereignty or any other material enjoyment is known as ananya-bhakta,
exclusively devoted. He is a sādhu." With the appearance of ananya-bhakti, one automatically
becomes disinterested in desires other than Kṛṣṇa. If accidentally due to a bad upbringing,
durācāra, bad behaviour, or even sudurācāra, very sinful behaviour like violence, theft and
adultery, is seen in him, still he must be considered a sādhu. All these bad activities do not
contaminate ananya-bhakti. kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā śaśvacchāntiṁ nigacchati; kaunteya
pratijānīhi na me bhakta praṇaśyati (B.G. 9.31) bhakti quickly causes repentance in his heart
and makes him saintly, giving him eternal peace. A person faithful in devotion is thus considered
a sādhu, though very sinful behaviour may be seen in him. If anger, intolerance, and so on are
seen in a person absorbed in devotion, he is undoubtedly a sādhu, and blaspheming him is an
offense. A sādhaka can never find welfare unless he gives up such an offensive attitude.
Mahāprabhu has therefore instructed everyone engaged in bhajana to take the shelter
of the holy name with extreme humility so that one may not blaspheme and envy anyone.
ye-rupe la-ile nāma prema upajāya; tāhār lakṣaṇa śuna, svarūpa-rāma-rāya

tṛnād api sunīcena taror iva sahiṣṇunā; amāninā mānadena kīrtanīya sadā hariḥ
uttama hoiyā āpanāke māne tṛṇādhama; dui-prakāre sahiṣṇutā kare vṛkṣa-sama
vṛkṣa yena kāṭileho kichu nā bolaya; śukāiā maileho kāre pāni nā māgaya
yei ye māgaye, tāre dey āpana-dhana; gharma-vṛṣṭi sahe, ānera karaye rakṣaṇa
uttama hañā vaiṣṇava habe nirābhimāna; jīve sammāna dibe janī’ ‘kṛṣṇa’-adhiṣṭhāna
ei mata hoiyā yei kṛṣṇa-nāma laya; kṛṣṇera caraṇe tāra prema upajaya
“O Svarūpa Dāmodara and Rāmānanda Rāya! Please hear the symptoms of chanting
the holy name so that Kṛṣṇa-prema is awakened. One who thinks himself lower than a blade
of grass, is more tolerant than a tree, does not desire his own fame, but gives respect to all is
qualified to constantly chant the holy name of Śrī Hari. Though exalted, he thinks himself
lower than a blade of grass and tolerates in two ways like a tree. A tree when cut down does
not resist, nor does it ask anyone for water even if it is drying up. A tree gives whatever
possession it has to one who asks for it. It tolerates heat and rain, but still gives shelter to
others. A Vaiṣṇava should be prideless though he is exalted and should give respect to all
living entities knowing that Kṛṣṇa is residing in all of them. One who chants the holy name in
this manner, attains divine prema for the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa.” (Caitanya-caritāmīta, Antya
20/20-27)
What to speak of a sādhaka devotee, even great powerful personalities cannot escape
from vaiṣṇava-aparādha. Caitanya-Bhāgavata says: śūlapāni sama yadi bhakta-nindā kare;
bhāgavat-pramāṇe tathāpi śīghra mare. sarva mahā prāyaścitta ye kṛṣṇera nāma;
vaiṣṇavāparādhe sei nāme laya prāṇa "Even if someone as strong as Śiva, who carries a trident
in his hands, blasphemes a Vaiṣṇava, he is quickly finished. The Bhāgavata is giving evidence for
this. Chanting Kṛṣṇa’s name is the supreme atonement, but the same name finishes the life of
a person offending a Vaiṣṇava." Therefore for attaining success in chanting the holy name, one
should proceed as follows: nā laibe kāro doṣa, nā karibe kāro roṣa, praṇamaha sabāra caraṇa
"One should not see the faults or become angry at others and should offer obeisances to the
feet of all."
kiṁ ca kaścin mahābhāgavatatvāṁ mahāparādhinyapi yadyapi na kupyati tad api

tatrāparādhavatā sva śuddhyarthaṁ praṇatyādibhir anuvartanīyaḥ eva saḥ. serṣaṁ mahā
puruṣa pāda pāṁśubhir nirasta tejaḥsu tad eva śobhanam iti satāṁ vākyena tac caraṇa
reṇunām asahiṣṇutayā tat phala pradatvāvagamāt.
TRANSLATION: Sometimes one commits an offense to a mahā-bhāgavata (exalted

devotee), but due to the mahā-bhāgavata’s quality of forgiveness, he does not become angry
with the offender. Still for his rectification, the offender should ask for forgiveness by paying
obeisances to his lotus feet and serve him for his own pleasure. śāstras say, “The glory of an
offender is diminished by the dust of the lotus feet of a mahā-bhāgavata. This is certainly a
proper reaction for evil minded persons.” One should thus understand from this verse that,
though mahā-bhāgavatas do not generally get angry, the dust of their feet does not forgive an
offender and accordingly gives him the reactions to the offense.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation— Śrīmad-Bhāgavata (11.2.45) describes the characteristics of

a mahā-bhāgavata: sarva-bhūteṣu yaḥ paśyed bhagavad-bhāvam ātmanaḥ bhūtāni
bhagavatyātmanyeṣa bhāgavatottamaḥ Yogīndra Havi said to Mahārāja Nimī, “O king! One who
sees the existence of his worshipable Lord in all living entities, and sees the presence of all living
entities in his worshipable Lord is known as bhāgavatottama, or foremost of devotees." Or,
"When a devotee realizing the Lord in his heart feels that all living entities have the same
realization and the same level of divine love as he has, he is known as foremost of the
devotees." These mahā-bhāgavatas wander in the world completely absorbed in divine love
without consciousness of the outer world and aloof from all worldly activities. If someone
blasphemes or even becomes hostile to them, then also they neither get angry nor take offense.
One may thus think when such mahā-bhāgavatas do not become angry or take the offense at
anyone, then blaspheming them cannot be an offense. The author says that though they do not
take the offense, the heart of a person blaspheming them becomes heavily contaminated.
Accidentally, if someone blasphemes such a mahā-bhāgavata, then the offender for his own
purification should fall down at his feet, glorify him, praise him, ask him for forgiveness, and
serve him favorably.
One may ask here that if the mahābhāgavatas are equal to praise and slander and they
are unable to get angry and there is no possibility of their being satisfied by glorifying or
paying obeisances to them. How can the heart of an offender be purified and an offense be
nullified? It can only be done by glorifying, paying obeisances, and sincerely serving him. The
author cites an example from Śrīmad-Bhāgavata (4.4.13) that describes the anger of Satī-devī
due to the disrespect shown to Śrīman Mahādeva during the sacrifice performed by Dakṣa.
This verse explains though mahā-bhāgavatas do not take any offense, the dust of their feet
cannot tolerate the offense. One must satisfy the dust of their feet by glorifying them and by
paying obeisances at their feet.
nāścaryam etad yad asatsu sarvadā mahad-vinindā kuṇapātma-vādiṣu

serṣyam mahāpuruṣa-pāda-pāṁśubhir nirasta-tejaḥsu tad eva śobhanam
“It is not strange for evil persons who always think the body to be self, to constantly
blaspheme the mahats. Though the mahats can tolerate their blasphemy the dust of their feet
does not. By the dust of their feet the power of these persons is vanquished. It is thus proper
that such evil persons immediately get the effects of such blasphemy.” Through these great
words it is learned that although the mahāpuruṣas do not get angry with the behaviour of an
evil person one must certainly worship them by praising them and offering obeisances unto
them in order to pacify the dust of their feet. Otherwise, no doubt the dust of his feet will
definitely give the reactions to his offense.
kiṁ ca duravagama niṣkāraṇake kvacit kṛpādṛṣṭau prabhaviṣṇau svacchanda carite

kvacin mahābhāgavata maulau tu na kāpi maryādā paryāpnoti. yathā śivikāṁ bāhayati kaṭūkti
viṣa varṣiṇyapi rahūgaṇe śrī jaḍa bharatasya kṛpā. yathā ca pāṣaṇḍa dharmāvalambinī sva
hitārtham upaseduṣi daitya samūhe uparicarasya vasoś cedi rājasya. yathā vā mahāpāpini sva
lalāṭe rudhira pātinyāpi mādhave prabhu varasya nityānandasyeti. evam eva guror avajñā
ityatrāpi jñeyam. śivasya śrī viṣṇor ityatraivaṁ vivecanīyam.
TRANSLATION: Sometimes, due to some unknown reasons or even without any reason,
the all-powerful most independent crest jewels of mahā-bhāgavatas bestow their causeless
mercy. There is no hard and fast rule for their bestowing mercy on others. For example, mahā-
bhāgavata Jaḍa Bharata bestowed mercy on Rahūgaṇa, though he made Jaḍa Bharata carry his
palanquin and rebuked him with a poisonous torrent of sarcastic words. Cedirāja Uparicara
Vasu bestowed his mercy on the atheistic demons that came to kill him. The most
compassionate Nityānanda Prabhu bestowed his mercy on the most sinful Mādhāi who struck
his forehead causing streams of blood to ooze from it. Just as it is an offense to blaspheme the
saints, so it is to disrespect the Guru. After this we will discuss the difference between Śiva and
Śrī Viṣṇu.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation— Mahā-bhāgavatas are so absorbed in ecstasy that they

simply wander around in the world, free from attachment and hatred, indifferent towards
praise or infamy. Hence it is also not possible for them to either bless or curse anybody. Still,
as is described here, it is a terrible offense to blaspheme them. This is not a universal rule,
however. mahābhāgavatas are completely independent and fully capable of bestowing
causeless mercy. Sometimes they shower infinite causeless mercy even on a hostile offender.
Their mercy thus makes the offender successful. The author describes this fact by citing three
examples.
Once King Rahūgaṇa, the ruler of the states of Sindhu and Sauvīra, was going along the
banks of the river Indumatī riding on a palanquin. When the palanquin carriers felt tired, the
chief palanquin carrier, seeing Brahmarṣi Bharata to be strong, forced him to carry the
palanquin. Gentle Bharata started carrying the palanquin. Stepping irregularly to avoid crushing
ants with his feet, he could not keep pace with the other carriers and the palanquin was
shaking. Rahūgaṇa chastised the carriers of the palanquin, who then blamed the new carrier
Bharata. Hearing this the king, who was full of passion, with sarcastic words rebuked Bharata,
who possessed an invisible Brahman effulgence, like a fire covered with ashes. He said in a
taunting way to Bharata “Oh how hard! O my troubled brother! You have carried this palanquin
all alone for a long time and your body is also weak due to your old age. You have become
extremely fatigued.” Though he was being taunted with crooked words, he continued carrying
the palanquin as before without replying anything. How can one be agitated by sarcastic
taunting when their bodily conceptions are totally washed away?
As the palanquin was still shaking, king Rahugaṇa became angry like fire and very
contemptibly said, “Oh! What are you doing? Are you a walking dead man? Disregarding me,
you are not carrying out my orders. As Yamarāja punishes all the people, I will also punish you.
Then you will become conscious." Hearing the king's sarcastic words, Bharata smiled mildly and
delivered wonderful instructions related to spiritual truth. After hearing the instructions, the
king fearfully got down from the palanquin and fell flat on the ground with his head on the feet
of Bharata. He offered prayers asking for forgiveness. He asked about the Absolute Truth and
Bharata Mahārāja then gave him full instructions on transcendental knowledge. Finally the king
gave up his false bodily misconception and attained the prime goal of his life by hearing the
nectarean sermons from the mouth of the most powerful Brahmarṣi Bharata. This is elaborately
described in the fifth canto of Śrīmad Bhāgavata.
Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī quotes the example of Uparicara Vasu from the Viṣṇu Dharmottara
in Bhakti-sandarbha (179). yathā uparicara vasor vṛttaṁ viṣṇudharme sa hi deva sāhāyyāyaiva
daityān hatvā virajya ca bhagavad anudhyānāya pātālaṁ ca praviṣṭavān. taṁ ca nivṛttam api
hantuṁ labdha chidrā daityāḥ samāgatya tat prabhāveṇodyata śastrā evātiṣṭhan tataś ca
vyarthodyamāḥ punaḥ śukropadeśena taṁ prati pāṣaṇḍa mārgam upadiśanto'pi jātayā tat
kṛpayā bhagavad bhakta vabhūvur iti This story from the Viṣṇu dharmottara shows that the
great saints can also bestow their mercy on the great offenders. It is said therein that once
Uparicara Vasu helped the gods in killing the demons. Finally feeling repentance for killing the
demons, he became detached from material affairs. He then entered Pātāla-loka desiring to
constantly meditate on Śrī Hari without distraction. The demons came to know that their old
enemy had refrained from killing and had entered Pātāla-loka without any weapons. Thinking
it a good chance to take revenge, they reached Pātāla-loka to kill Uparicara Vasu. When they
raised their arms to cut off the head of Uparicara Vasu, by the power of his bhakti, their arms
remained frozen in the raised position. Their weapons were thus unable to touch the body of
Uparicara Vasu.
Being unsuccessful the demons came to Śukrācārya and, according to his suggestion,
returned to Pātāla-loka and began preaching atheism. When Śukrācārya heard the whole
incident from the demons, he understood that as long as Uparicara Vasu was meditating on
the Lord, nobody could touch even the edge of his hair. If somehow it were possible to create
disrespect or negligence to the Lord in his mind, then only it would be possible to kill him.
Śukrācārya suggested to loudly preach atheism in all directions of Pātāla-loka loudly saying,
"The Lord does not exist. The Vedas are false." If somehow by preaching atheism full of
mundane logic, you can create doubts regarding the Lord and the scriptures in the mind of
Uparicara Vasu, then his meditation may slacken. When he gradually becomes spiritually
weak, it will be possible to kill him.
Accordingly when the demons started preaching atheism around Uparicara Vasu in
Pātāla-loka, his meditation became disturbed. On hearing atheism and seeing the miserable
condition of the demons, he became full of compassion. He started thinking, “Alas! How
miserable these demons are! Just for killing me, they want to destroy the existence of Śrī
Bhagavān, who is the Lord of lords, cause of all causes, and maintainer of all. O most
compassionate Lord! Kindly be merciful to them by destroying their miserable condition.
Please make them drown in the mellow of bhakti of your lotus feet." By the piteous prayer of
the Lord’s devotee, those demons also became devotees of the Lord.
Finally the author cites the example of the most compassionate Śrī Nitāicānda who
bestowed his mercy on Mādhāi though he was totally hostile to Nityānanda Prabhu. The
liberation of Jagāi and Mādhāi by Gaura Nityānanda is a very famous pastime known by all
and is recounted in Caitanya-Bhagavat. One day Śrīman Mahāprabhu called Nityānanda and
Haridāsa Ṭhākura and said:
śuna śuna nityānanda śuna haridāsa; sarvatra āmāra ājñā karaha pracāra
prati ghare ghare giyā kara ei bhikṣā; bala kṛṣṇa bhaja kṛṣṇa karo kṛṣṇa śikṣā
"Listen, listen Nityānanda! Listen, Haridāsa! Give my order to all. Go everywhere.

Going to every single house, beg them to chant Kṛṣṇa’s name and worship Him. Instruct them
in all the truths related to Kṛṣṇa." Receiving the order of Mahāprabhu, Nityānanda and
Haridāsa, the carriers of His order, came out on the main street for preaching the holy name.
ājñā pāi dui jane bule ghare ghare; balo kṛṣṇa gāo kṛṣṇa bhajaha kṛṣṇere
kṛṣṇa prāṇa kṛṣṇa dhana kṛṣna se jīvana; heno kṛṣṇa bolo bhāi hoiyā ek mon
ei mata nadīyāy prati ghare ghare; boliyā beṛān dui jagat īśvare
doṅhāra sannyāsī veśa jān jār ghare; āthe vyathe āsi bhikṣā nimantraṇa kore
nityānanda haridāsa bole ei bhikṣā; bolo kṛṣṇa bhajo kṛṣṇa koro kṛṣṇa śikṣā
ei bol boli dui jan coli jāy; je hoy sujana sei boṛo sukha pāy
"Getting the order of Mahāprabhu, both of them went door to door in Nadia and
started preaching. ‘Sing the glories of Kṛṣṇa and worship Him. Kṛṣṇa is the very life and wealth
of everybody. Please chant the name of Kṛṣṇa with steady mind." In this way they went from
house to house in Nadīyā, though they were the Lords of the universe. Dressed as sannyāsīs
they went begging from door to door for this alm: 'Speak of Kṛṣṇa, worship Kṛṣṇa and teach
others about Kṛṣṇa.' They were thus wandering around preaching. The virtuous persons were
getting bliss by their preaching. But evil-minded persons started whispering this and that. One
day a terrible incident occurred. While both were preaching the glories of the holy name and
creating a blissful atmosphere on the streets, they suddenly came across two strange persons.
Their appearance was very horrible as they were big dacoits and heavy drunkards. There were
no sinful acts they left uncommitted.
brāhmaṇa haiyā madya gomāṁsa bhakṣaṇa; ḍākā curi paragṛha dāhe anukṣaṇa
"Though they were brāhmaṇas, they used to drink, eat beef, steal and rob, and set fire
to others’ houses." The heart of Śrī Nitāicānda was always fully soaked with streams of nectar
of compassion. He was compassion personified. By hearing the extremely miserable condition
of Jagāi and Mādhāi, the ocean of compassion within His heart overflowed. He started
thinking, "Gaura-avatāra is to deliver the fallen souls, where will my Prabhu get such fallen
souls like them? By delivering such most fallen souls, the whole world can realize the power
of His mercy." The embodiment of compassion Nitāi Himself made a vow to liberate them.
ekhan yeman matta āpanā nā jāne; ei mata hay yadi śrī-kṛṣṇera nāme
mora prabhu bali yadi kānde dui jana; tabe se sārthaka more yata paryaṭan
ye ye jana e duera chāyā paraśīyā; vastrera sahita gaṅgā-snāna kare giyā
sei saba jana jabe e doṅhāre dekhi; gaṅgā-snāna hena māne tabe more lekhi
“My preaching will be successful if by chanting Kṛṣṇa’s name, they can be made mad
and forgetful of the whole world in the same way as they are now so maddened that they don’t
even recognize themselves. Now people who even touch the shadow of these two take bath in
the Gaṅgā with their clothes on. My success will be, when seeing these two, the same people
will feel as if they have just bathed in the Gaṅgā." The beloved readers can easily understand
how kind it is if one bestows one's own great virtues to the greatest sinners. Śrī Nityānanda and
Śrī Haridāsa went to these great sinners to preach the holy name for their deliverance. But the
gentle people, forbidding them to go, started crying, "O Ṭhākura! They are drunkards and
always unconscious from too much drinking. With no discrimination between sādhu and non-
sādhu, they beat whoever comes before them. If you want to save your lives, then do not go
near them." For one solely determined to deliver the fallen, fear of life is insignificant. Fearlessly
going near them, they said:
bala kṛṣṇa bhaja kṛṣṇa, laha kṛṣṇa-nāma; kṛṣṇa mātā, kṛṣṇa pitā, kṛṣṇa dhana prāṇa
toma sabā lāgiyā kṛṣṇera avatāra; hena kṛṣṇa bhajo, saba chāḍa anācāra
"Sing the glories of Kṛṣṇa worship Him and chant His holy name. He is the father,
mother, wealth and very life of all living entities. He has appeared to deliver all of you.
Worship Him, giving up all activities." As soon as they heard Kṛṣṇa’s name from the mouth of
these two saints, in a drunken stupor they ran towards them shouting, "Catch them! Catch
them!" Seeing their angry mood, both Prabhus started fleeing away. Seeing this evil minded
persons started laughing at them. Gentle people fearfully said, "How terrible! O Ṭhākura! We
forbade you in the very beginning. They are more fallen than animals. What do they
understand about the glories of the holy name? Unless you are out of their sight, you cannot
escape.”
Jagāi and Mādhāi were tired and drunk. They were so fat that by only running a short
distance, they were worn out. While roaring threats, they finally stopped and sat down.
Haridāsa and Nityānanda laughed, went to Mahāprabhu and told Him the whole incident.
prabhu bole jāno jāno seī dui beṭā; khaṇda khaṇda karīmu āile more hethā
nityānanda bole khaṇda khaṇda kara tumi; se dui thākite kothā na jāibo āmī
kisera vā eta tumi karaha baḍāīy; āge sei duijane govinda balāī
svabhāvataḥ dharmike balaye kṛṣṇa-nāma; ei dui vikarma boi nāhi jāne ān
ei dui uddhāroṅ yadi diyā bhakti dāna; tabe jāni pātaki pāvana hena nāma
āmāre tāriyā yata tomāra mahimā; tatodhika e duyera uddhārera sīmā
hāsi bale visvaṁbhara haibe uddhāra; yei kṣaṇe daraśana pāila tomāra
viśeṣa cintaha tumi etaka maṅgala; acirāte kṛṣṇa-tāra karibo kuśala
"After hearing the whole incident, Mahāprabhu said, ‘Both of you should know that I
will cut them both to pieces if they come here.’ Nityānanda said: "So cut them into pieces! But
I will not go anywhere, as long as they are around. How can You boastfully order us to preach?
I will know Your glory, if You can make them chant the name of Govinda. Religious people
naturally chant Kṛṣṇa’s name, but both of them know nothing except committing sins. If you
can deliver them by bestowing bhakti, I will then know that your name is Patita-pāvana, the
purifier of the most fallen. Your glory in delivering me will reach its extreme, if you deliver
them.’ Mahāprabhu replied, ‘They will undoubtedly be delivered as they have received your
darśana and you are specifically thinking about their welfare. Very soon Kṛṣṇa will do their
good."
It became clear from Mahāprabhu’s words that the boundless mercy of Nityānanda is
the cause of Jagāi and Mādhāi's liberation. All the Vaiṣṇavas blissfully shouted, “Haribol!
Haribol!" There was no doubt anymore for anyone that Jagāi and Mādhāi's deliverance was
imminent.
The time for the liberation of the two demons in the form of brāhmaṇas came near.
Though able to liberate them simply by His desire, Nityānanda Prabhu followed the path of
great compassion for their salvation. One evening while chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa,
merciful Nityānanda Prabhu was passing alone, all the while chanting Kṛṣṇa's holy name, by
the path where Jagāi and Mādhāi used to haunt.
ke re ke re boli ḍāke jagāi mādhāi; nityānanda bolen—prabhura bāḍi jāi

kupiā madhāi kohe—kībā nāma tora; nityānaṇda kohe—avadhūta nāma more
avadhūta nāma śunī mādhai kupiā; mārila prabhura śire muṭuki tuliā
"When they heard Nitāi chanting, Jagāi and Mādhāi called out, ‘Who are you and where
are you going?’ Nityānanda replied, ‘I am going to Mahāprabhu’s house.’ Mādhāi angrily asked,
‘What’s your name?’ Nitāi replied, ‘My name is Avadhūta.’ Hearing this name, Mādhāi angrily
struck Nitāi's forehead with an earthen pot." The edge of the earthen pot violently thrown by
Mādhāi, pierced the forehead of Nitāi-cānd. Streams of blood flowed down his lotus-like face.
Then Nitāi’s purpose for coming on this path was fulfilled. The streams of fresh blood
completely washed down in a moment the huge heaps of sins Mādhāi accumulated from
several previous yugas. Mādhāi was again about to strike Nitāi, but Jagāi forbade him. Nitāicānd
was standing with His lotus face smeared with a sweet smile. His lotus eyes shone being full of
prema. From His mouth a stream of enchanting nectar speech was flowing. He spoke with a
voice full of affection, "Brother Mādhāi! By striking me, you have done well. At least once chant
Kṛṣṇa’s name. I’ll be pleased on hearing Kṛṣṇa’s name from your mouth. How blissful you’ll
feel." Hearing the horrible news that Mādhāi had struck Nitāi, Mahāprabhu came rapidly along
with His associates. He forgot Himself and, on seeing blood on the head of Nitāi, called the
Sudarśana cakra. As the cakra appeared, merciful Nitāi fell down at the lotus feet of
Mahāprabhu, requesting Him to protect Jagāi Mādhāi and to bestow divine love on them.
kon janme thāke yadi āmāra sukṛta; saba diluṅ mādhāire śunha niścita
more yata aparādha kichu dāya nāi; māyā chāḍa kṛpā kara tomāra mādhāi
"He said, ‘Please listen! If there is any good fortune from my previous life, I am definitely
giving it all to Mādhāi. I am not worried at all that he offended Me. Please don’t play tricks.
Bestow your mercy to Mādhāi. He is Yours." By the mercy of Śrī Śrī Nitāicānd, the two great
dacoits quickly turned into mahā-bhāgavatas and became forever the witnesses of the infinite
mercy of Nitāicānda.
Now the author is explaining the third offense, guror avajñā, disregarding the Guru. As
sādhu-nindā is a great obstacle on the devotional path, disregard to the guru or considering
him an ordinary man is more dangerous. In Bhakti-sandarbha (237) Jīva Gosvāmī quotes one
verse from Vāmana-kalpa that describes the result of satisfaction and dissatisfaction of guru-
tattva:
yo mantraḥ sa guruḥ sākṣāt yo guruḥ sa hariḥ svayaṁ

gurur yasya bhavet tuṣṭas tasya tuṣṭo hariḥ svayaṁ
"The mantra is the guru himself, and the guru is Hari himself. It means there is no
difference between guru, mantra, and Hari. In whom guru is pleased, Hari is also pleased."
The next verse shows the poisonous result of dissatisfying the guru:
harau ruṣṭe gurustrātā gurau ruṣṭe na kaścana

tasmāt sarva prayatnena gurum eva prasādayet
"If Hari is displeased with someone the guru can still save him, but if the Guru is angry,
then nobody can protect him. Therefore by all means one must please the Guru." By citing
these verses, Jīva Gosvāmī establishes that satisfaction of the guru is the cause of satisfaction
of Bhagavān, and reversely dissatisfaction of the guru is the cause of destruction of one’s
spiritual life. Whenever the Guru is pleased then Hari is also pleased, so here the satisfaction of
Hari and the Guru are cause and effect. We can thus understand that Hari cannot be pleased
unless the Guru is pleased. When Hari is angry with someone the Guru can protect him, but if
the Guru is angry Śrī Hari cannot protect him; hence one must protect oneself from Śrī Guru's
dissatisfaction in all respects. Hence the Gosvāmīs have instructed us here to please Śrī Guru
by all means.
When Śrī Gurudeva is disregarded guru-tattva becomes dissatisfied and a sādhaka is
bereft of all the fruits of sādhana-bhakti. If accidentally the offense of disregard to the guru
occurs, then one should sincerely submit to the lotus feet of the guru and with repentance ask
for forgiveness. The most compassionate Gurudeva, who is affectionate to his disciple will
definitely forgive his offense and be pleased with him. After this the blessed author will
elaborately discuss the second offense to the chanting of the holy name, namely seeing
difference between the holy names and attributes etc. of Śrī Śiva and Śrī Viṣṇu. (2)
caitanyaṁ hi dvividhaṁ bhavati svatantram asvantantraṁ ca. tatra prathamaṁ sarva

vyāpakam īśvarākhyaṁ dvitīyaṁ deha mātra vyāpi śaktikaṁ jīvākhyam īśitavyam. īśvara
caitanyaṁ dvividhaṁ māyā sparśa rahitaṁ līlayā svīkṛta māyā sparśaṁ ca. tatra prathamaṁ
nārāyaṇādyabhidham. yad uktam - 'harir hi nirguṇaḥ sākṣāt puruṣaḥ prakṛteh para' iti. dvitīyam
śivādyabhidham. yad uktaṁ - 'śivaḥ śakti yuktaḥ śaśvat triliṅgo guṇa saṁvṛta iti. atra guṇa
saṁvṛta liṅgenāpi tasya jīvatvaṁ nāśaṅkanīyam. kṣīraṁ yathā dadhi viśeṣa yogāt sañjāyate na
tu tataḥ pṛthag asti hetuḥ; yaḥ śambhūtām api tathā samupaiti kāryād govindam ādi puruṣaṁ
tam ahaṁ bhajāmi. iti brahma saṁhitokteḥ.
TRANSLATION: caitanya, or conscious beings, are of two types: independent and

dependent. The first, independent īśvara-caitanya, is the all-pervading Lord. The second is
the dependent jīva-caitanya that pervades only the own body and is a particular energy of
the Lord controlled by Him. īśvara-caitanya is again of two types: free from the touch of māyā,
and accepting the touch of māyā by His own will. īśvara-caitanya free from the touch of māyā
is known by such names as Nārāyaṇa. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.88.5) says, “Śrī Hari exists
beyond the three modes of material nature and is completely transcendental. Therefore, He
himself is the Supreme transcendental personality.” The second īśvara-caitanya accepts the
touch of māyā by His own will and is known as Śiva and so on. śāstras say, “Śiva is always
associated with māyā and is the predominating deity of vaikārika (sāttvika), taijasa (rājasika)
and tāmasa, three types of ego. He is covered by three guṇas, sattva, rajas, and tamas. One
should not think Śiva as a jīva, though he is covered by three guṇas. Because Brahma-saṁhitā
(5.45) says, “As milk is transformed into yoghurt, yet yoghurt is not different from milk, its
cause, I worship the Primeval Lord, Govinda, who similarly accepts the form of Śiva by his
own will for the particular purpose of destruction.”
Pīyūsa Kaṇā Explanation — Now the author is describing the second nāma-aparādha.
To consider the name, qualities and so on of Mahādeva and Viṣṇu to be different is the second
nāma-aparādha. To consider Śiva and Viṣṇu both as independent Lords empowered with
independent energies is also a nāma-aparādha. Since it is very difficult to understand the truth
of Śiva, the author is describing it in detail.
Conscious truth (caitanya-tattva) is of two types: independent īśvara-caitanya and
dependent jīva-caitanya. The transcendental form of the Lord as a human being, though
appearing localized, is all-pervading and supreme by His inconceivable energy. Though the Lord
puts Himself under the control of His devotees, still He is most independent. Dependent
caitanya pervading only in the body is known as jīva-caitanya. It is controlled by paramātmā
and is minute by nature. Śrī Kṛṣṇa says to Śrī Uddhava: sūkṣmāṇām apyahaṁ jīvaḥ "Among
minute objects, I am the jīva." Muṇḍaka Śruti also says: eṣo’ṇurātmā "Spirit is minute."
Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad says, bālāgra śata bhāgasya śatadhā kalpitasya ca bhāgo jīvaḥ sa
vijñeyaḥ "If the tip of a hair is divided into a hundred parts, and then again divided into a
hundred parts, that ten-thousandth part of hair is the size of the jīva." Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī thus
writes in Paramātmā-sandarbha (33): sūkṣmamatā parākāṣṭḥā-prāpto-jīvaḥ, "The jīva is the
ultimate minuteness, there is no object more minute than a jīva." Being conscious in nature, its
consciousness and energy pervade throughout the body. jīva-caitanya is dependent and is
under the control of Parameśvara, the supreme spirit.
Vedānta-sutra says: kartā śāstrārtha vattvāt “Jīva is the doer of karmas." One may ask
if jīva is the doer of karmas, then why does the Lord say in the Gītā (3.27), prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni
guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ; ahaṅkāra vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate "The three modes of
nature perform all activities, but bewildered by his ego, the bound jīva soul considers himself
the doer." Rāmānujācārya replies, "The purport of this verse is that while performing material
activities, the jīva gets inspiration from the three guṇas, sattva, rajaḥ and tamaḥ." This verse
from Vedānta-sutra describes the innate tendency of the jīva as a performer of activities. His
position as a doer is not independent, however, as it is dominated by Parameśvara. śrutis say,
eṣa hyeva sādhu karma kārayati taṁ yamebhyo unnīniṣate eṣa hyevāsādhu karma kārayati taṁ
yam adho ninīṣate “Parameśvara inspires those to do pious activities, whom He desires to
elevate to higher planets and He inspires those to commit sinful acts, whom He desires to take
to lower hellish plants.” One may ask here, "If īśvara inspires one to do sinful or pious activities,
then why is the jīva responsible for them and gets the fruits of such activities? The answer is
that though the jīva is doing karma by īśvara's inspiration, one cannot say that his position as a
doer cannot be considered. Parameśvara is the efficient cause and the jīva is the effective cause
of the karma. Parameśvara only gives the power to do karma, because the jīva is unable to do
it on its own strength. Being assisted by the energy of īśvara, the jīva does karma according to
his own desire. īśvara is not responsible for the fruits of karma, rather the jīva is responsible.
sva-karma phala bhuk pumān, "The jīva must undergo the effects of his karma."
Independent īśvara-caitanya is of two types: without the touch of māyā and accepting
the touch of māyā by His own will. īśvara-caitanya completely free from the touch of māyā is
known by such names as Nārāyaṇa. Nārāyaṇa refers to the vilāsa-mūrti of undivided, nondual
Absolute Truth (advaya-jñāna-tattva), Śrī Kṛṣṇa and other manifestations of the Lord such as
the Lord of Paravyoma, Nārāyaṇa, Rāma, Nṛsiṁha. vilāsa-mūrti means when the primeval form
of the Lord, by His inconceivable energy, manifests another form almost similar to His own
form, but slightly differing in features. All these forms of the Lord being sac-cid-ānanda are
simultaneously localized and all-pervading. Activities related to these two contradictory
qualities are seen in these forms. The simultaneous presence of contradictory qualities is not
possible in material objects. All the forms of God are eternal and all-pervading in all places, at
all times and in all objects. According to the general rule, a material object has a particular form
which means it is limited. The natural character (svarūpa) and mūrti figure are nondifferent in
Bhagavān. All His forms being transcendental they are, therefore, eternal, self manifested, and
beyond the touch of māyā. Beyond the region of māyā lies the causal ocean. Caitanya-
caritāmṛta says: kāraṇa-samudra māyā paraśīte nāre, "material energy cannot touch the causal
ocean. Beyond the causal ocean exists the region of paravyoma, or Vaikuṇṭha-loka. Being far
beyond māyā, nothing material exists there. Infinite transcendental forms eternally exist there
enjoying eternal pastimes with their respective associates. The Bhāgavata (10.88.5) says:
harir hi nirguṇaḥ sākṣāt puruṣaḥ prakṛteḥ paraḥ

sa sarva-dīg upadraṣṭā tāṁ bhajan nirguṇo bhavet
“Śrī Hari Himself is the supreme transcendental Personality, free from three modes of
nature. He is the all-seeing omnipresent witness of everything. Those who worship Him, also
become transcendental.” Unless Śrī Hari is transcendental His worshipper can not also become
transcendental.
The second īśvara-caitanya has accepted the touch of māyā by this own will and is
known by such names as Śiva. By his own will refers to his voluntary desire to do some specific
activity related to the material world. Śrīmad-Bhāgavata (10.88.3) describes:
śīvaḥ śakti-yutaḥ śaśvat trī-liṅgo guṇa-saṁvṛtaḥ
vaikārikas taijasaś ca tāmasaś cetyahaṁ tridhā
“Śiva eternally possesses śakti. He is triliṅga, the predominating deity of three kinds of
ego sāttvika (vaikārika), rājasika (taijasa) and tamas (tāmasika) and is bound by the three
guṇas of nature." guṇa-saṁvīta, covered by the guṇas, does not mean that he is jīva-tattva. The
jīva is attracted by the actions of the three guṇas, but Śiva voluntarily accepts those guṇas.
Śrīmad Sanātana Gosvāmī explains this verse in Bṛhad-vaiṣṇava-toṣaṇī commentary as follows,
śrī śivasya śrī bhagavad guṇāvatāratvena tad abhinnatve'pi sadyo bhakta kāma pūraṇāya
māyā guṇa svīkāreṇa tad bhaktānāṁ yathākāmaṁ vibhūti prāptiḥ śrī hareś ca parama
dayālutayā sva bhaktebhyaḥ kāmibhyo'pi dhanādi doṣa dṛṣṭyā prāyaḥ kāmāpradānam kintu
krameṇa kṣīṇa kāmebhyas tebhyo nija māhātmyānurūpaṁ guṇātīta pada pradānam eveti "Śiva
being a guṇāvatāra of the Lord, is nondifferent from Him. Śiva has voluntarily accepted the
modes of nature to quickly fulfill the desire of sakāma-bhaktas desiring fruits. The devotees of
Śiva thus attain prosperity according to their desires. Śrī Hari is very merciful; even if His
devotees are sakāma, He generally does not give their desirable objects such as opulence,
wealth, and so on, which increase their bondage of māyā. Gradually giving the taste of His
sweetness, He diminishes their material desires and makes them successful by bestowing the
wealth of prema free from modes of nature."
Śuka Muni once said to Mahārāja Parīkṣit, "Śrī Mahādeva himself is free from all
material desires, but his devotees are wealthy, possessing all kinds of sense enjoyment. Śrī Hari
is the master of Lakṣmī, the goddess of fortune, and possesses infinite wealth and opulence,
but His devotees generally lack opulences. One (Śiva) is renounced, but his devotees are
wealthy, and the other (Viṣṇu) is full of opulences, yet His devotees are renounced. What is the
cause of these contradictions? In answering this question, Śukadeva started this chapter citing
verse 10.88.3. So Śrīman Mahādeva has voluntarily accepted the modes of illusion and should
not be seen as a conditioned soul who obeys these three modes. In evidence to this the author
quotes a śloka from Brahma-saṁhitā (5.45) —
kṣīraṁ yathā dadhi vikāra viśeṣa yogāt
sañjāyate na tu tataḥ pṛthag asti hetoḥ
yaḥ śambhutām api tathā samupaiti kāryād
govindam ādipuruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi
“Milk transforms into yogurt by the action of acids, yet yogurt is neither the same nor
different from milk, its cause. I worship the primeval Lord Govinda, who similarly accepts the
form of Śiva for a specific purpose." Here the example of yogurt is given just to explain the
cause and effect, but not the act of transformation. The prime cause, Govinda, is eternal and
never undergoes any transformation. Śrī Jīva describes this verse, "Yogurt is not different from
milk. Similarly Mahādeva is not an independent īśvara from Govinda. Govinda Himself
voluntarily accepts a separate form (Śiva) and accepts the mode of tamoguṇa for a specific
purpose. In this verse the word vikāra-viśeṣa means a special element that is a combination of
the mode of ignorance of māyā, the nature of minuteness of the intermediate energy and the
cognizant nature of svarūpa-śakti mixed with a slight degree of hlādinī-śakti (bliss-energy). The
specific shadow of the Lord’s own personality endowed with this specific element (vikāra-
viśeṣa) is the innate form of triliṅga Mahādeva. He is known as a guṇāvatāra of Hari, not a
separate entity or principle. In the above commentary on Brahma Saṁhitā by Śrīmat Jīva
Gosvāmīpāda the Ṛg Veda is quoted saying: atha nityo deva eko nārāyaṇaḥ brahmā nārāyaṇaḥ
śivaś ca nārāyaṇa ityādi “Nārāyaṇa is the only eternal worshipable Lord or He is Supreme
transcendence. The material body undergoes the stages of childhood, youth, and so on, but
since the Lord is transcendental, no such changes are seen in His innate form. His
transcendental form exists forever, past, present, and future." Mahādeva is non-different from
Him, being neither jīva-tattva nor an independent īśvara-tattva. If the exclusive devotees of Hari
desire to worship Śiva, they worship Śiva as if Hari resides in Him. In Bhakti-sandarbha (106),
Jīva Gosvāmī quotes an incident from Viṣṇu-dharmottara to explain this point. Once a
brāhmaṇa named Viṣvaksena, a devotee of Hari, was roaming freely. One day he was sitting
alone in a forest. Meanwhile, the son of the village chief came and asked who he was. The
brāhmaṇa told him who he was and the boy said to him, “Today I am suffering from headache,
you please worship my worshipable deity Śiva in my place." Hearing his prayer, the brāhmaṇa
replied, "Dear boy! I am an exclusive devotee of Hari. I don’t worship any deity other than Viṣṇu.
Please go away." He was not ready to do Śiva-pūjā. Becoming angry, the boy was about to cut
off the brāhmaṇa’s head. The brāhmaṇa was astonished and started thinking, "I don’t want to
be killed by this boy. What shall I do?” After considering carefully, he finally agreed to do the
pūjā. He started thinking in front of the Śiva-liṅga, “Śiva possesses tamoguṇa and is the cause
of the dissolution. He causes tamoguṇa to increase. Nṛsiṁhadeva destroys the demons who
are full of mode of ignorance. He appears among those demons to destroy their ignorance, just
as the sun destroys dense darkness. This boy is also demonic in nature. I will thus worship
Nṛsiṁhadeva as if residing in the Śiva deity to destroy the demonic nature of such a malicious
devotee of Śiva." With such determination, he chanted the mantra, śrī nṛsiṁhāya namaḥ, and
was about to give puṣpāñjali to Śiva. Hearing this, the boy very angrily lifted his sword to cut off
his head. Suddenly, the Śiva-liṅga cracked open and Nṛsiṁhadeva appeared from it and
destroyed the boy along with all his relatives. The Deity of Nṛsiṁhadeva is still existing in South
India by the famous name Liṅga-sphoṭa Nṛsiṁhadeva. This gives the evidence of nondifference
of Hari and Śiva.
anyatra ca purāṇāgāmādiṣu bahutra īśvaratvena prasiddheśca yat tu 'sattvaṁ rajas

tama iti prakṛter guṇā' ityatra 'sthityādaye hari viriñci harā' ityanena tat sādhāraṇyāt
brahmaṇyapīśvaratvam avagamyate tad īśvarāveśād eveti jñeyam. 'bhāsvān yathāśma
sakaleṣu nijeṣu tejaḥ svīyaṁ kiyat prakaṭayatyapi tadvad atra. brahmā ya eṣa jagad aṇḍa
vidhāna kartā' iti brahma saṁhitokteḥ.
TRANSLATION: Many Purāṇas and other scriptures describe Śiva as īśvara. The
Bhāgavata says, however, “The Lord accepts the form of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śiva for creation,
maintenance, and destruction of the universe.” From this śloka it is generally understood that
Brahmā is also īśvara-tattva. He may be considered as such, in the way that he is empowered
by the Lord’s specific energy for creation. The Brahma-saṁhitā says, “As the sun manifests
some portion of its own light in the stone sūryakānta-maṇi, similarly being empowered by
the Lord’s energy, Brahmā creates this universe.”
Pīyūṣa kaṇā-explanation: In many places, the Purāṇas and other scriptures describe
Śiva as īśvara. However, he should never be considered an independent Lord empowered by
his own energy independent of Viṣṇu. Śrīmad-Bhāgavata (1.2.23) says:
sattvaṁ rajas tama iti prakṛter guṇās tair yuktaḥ paraḥ puruṣa eka ihāsya dhatte
sthityādaye hari-viriñci-hareti saṁjñāḥ śreyaṁsī tatra khalu sattva-tanor nṛṇāṁ syuḥ
"The same Supreme Lord accepts the three modes of māyā, sattva, rajas, and tamas and
accepts three separate forms of Viṣṇu, Brahmā, and Śiva for the maintenance, creation, and
destruction of the universe. The ultimate benefit of the human being, however, can only be
derived from Viṣṇu, the presiding Deity of sattva-guṇa."
The One Supreme Brahman has manifest itself as Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Maheśvara for the
sake of creation, maintenance and destruction of the universe. Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śiva are
known as guṇāvatāras, incarnations of the material modes. Brahmā and Śiva are tinged with
rajoguṇa and tamoguṇa. Unlike Viṣṇu, their transcendental supremacy is lacking. They give
dharma (virtue), artha (wealth), and kāma (sense enjoyment). guṇāvatāra Viṣṇu possesses
sattva-guṇa, therefore He can give liberation. The author is saying that, though from this verse
generally one may consider Brahmā also as an īśvara like Śiva, one should know that he is just
empowered by a specific energy of the Lord. The author clarifies this by citing Brahma-saṁhitā
(5.49)—
bhāsvān yathāśma sakaleṣu nijeṣu tejaḥ svīyaṁ kiyat prakaṭayatyapi tadvad atra.
brahmā ya eṣa jagad aṇḍa vidhāna kartā govindam ādi puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi
"As sun manifests some portion of its own light in the stone sūryakānta-maṇi, similarly
being empowered by the Lord’s energy, Brahmā creates this universe. I worship the Primeval
Lord Govinda." Here the sādhakas should know that upāsanā bhede jāni īśvara mahimā, I
understand the greatness of the Lord because there are so many ways to worship Him."
Devotion to the guṇāvataras is also guṇamayī, tinged with the three modes of māyā.
guṇāvatāras can give dharma, artha, kāma, and mokṣa. The Supreme Truth, Lord Hari, is beyond
material nature and its modes. His devotion is thus also nirguṇa and by its performance one
can be successful in attaining the fifth and supreme goal, prema. Śrīmat Rūpa Gosvāmīpāda
says in Laghu-bhāgavatāmṛta:
santvavatārā bahavaḥ puṣkara-nābhasya sarvato bhadrāḥ

kṛṣṇād anyaḥ ko vā latāṣv api premado bhavati
"There are many manifestations of the lotus-naveled Lord, that are auspicious in all
respects; but who other than Lord Kṛṣṇa can bestow prema to the souls surrendered unto
Him?"
tathā pārthivād dāruṇo dhūmas tasmād agnis trayīmayaḥ. tamasas tu rajas tasmāt
sattvaṁ yad brahma darśanam. ityatra tamasaḥ sakāśāt rajasaḥ śreṣṭhyo'pi vastuto rajasi
dhūma sthānīye śuddha tejaḥ sthānīyasyeśvarasyānupalabdheś ca. sattve saṁjvalanāgnau
śuddha tejasaḥ sākṣād iva pārthive dāru sthānīye tamasyapi tasyāntarhitatayopalabdhir
astyeva. tat kārya suṣuptau nirbheda jñāna sukhānubhava ivetyādi vicārya tattvam avaseyam
TRANSLATION: Śrīmad-Bhāgavata (1.2.23) says: “Smoke is superior to wood, a

transformation of the earth. Fire, the base of sacrifices prescribed in the Vedas, is superior to
smoke. Similarly rajoguṇa is superior to tamoguṇa and sattva-guṇa is superior to rajoguṇa.
One can realize Brahman by sattva-guṇa.” This verse establishes the superiority of rajoguṇa
over tamoguṇa. However, the realization of the Lord, representing pure effulgence, is not
possible in rajoguṇa, which is being compared here to smoke. Representing pure effulgence,
the Lord can be realized by sattva-guṇa, which is like a burning fire. In tamoguṇa, which is
compared to wood, one gets a subtle realization of the Lord. As in the state of suṣupti (sound
sleep), an effect of tamoguṇa, one gets the same bliss as if in the realization of nirbheda-
jñāna, knowledge of the oneness of jīva and non-personal Brahman. One should ascertain
the truth by considering the facts in this way.
Pīyūṣa kaṇa explanation— In the beginning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavata, Suta Muni explains

that Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the original Supreme Lord and the cause of all manifestations (avatāras). He is
an undivided, nondual, cognizant Absolute Truth. As unlimited streams flow from an
imperishable lake, similarly, unlimited manifestations (avatāras) appear from the Primeval
Supreme Absolute Truth. Knowers of the Truth say the effulgence of the Lord is Brahman, His
partial expansion (specific expansion for specific purpose) is Paramātmā and His vilāsa-mūrti is
Nārāyaṇa, the master of Paravyoma or Vaikuṇṭha. In this way the nondual truth and Original
Supreme Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa performs various pastimes within the mundane globe. Being the cause
of all causes He appears as the guṇāvatāras that preside over the modes of goodness, passion
and darkness for the sake of creation, maintenance and destruction of the universe. Viṣṇu is
the presiding deity of the mode of goodness, maintaining the universe, Brahmā is the presiding
deity of mode of passion, creating the universe, and Śiva is the presiding deity of mode of
ignorance, destroying the universe. Though Viṣṇu is the presiding deity of sattva-guṇa, he is
always free from it and uncovered by it. Śiva is covered by tamoguṇa and Brahmā by rajoguṇa.
By difference in effects, rajoguṇa is superior to tamoguṇa, and sattva-guṇa is superior
to rajoguṇa. The Bhāgavata says that smoke is superior to wood, because wood is nonmoving
and smoke is moving. Smoke also has some heat. Fire is superior to smoke because it is
brighter. Sattva-guṇa is superior because it gives Brahman realization. Śrīmad Bhāgavata
(11.25.24) says:
kaivalyaṁ sāttvikaṁ jñānaṁ rajo vaikalpikaṁ ca yat

prākṛtaṁ tāmasaṁ jñānaṁ man-niṣṭhaṁ nirguṇaṁ smṛtam
Śrī Kṛṣṇa says, "O Uddhava! Knowledge of non-personal Brahman is sāttvika, that
concerned with body is rājasika and that concerned with transient matter is tāmasika. But the
knowledge concerned with Me is nirguṇa." Jīva Gosvāmī comments on this verse in his Krama-
sandarbha commentary as follows: kevalasya nirviśeṣasya brahmaṇaḥ śuddha jīvābhedena
jñānaṁ kaivalyam—"kaivalya means the knowledge of oneness of non-personal Brahman and
the pure spirit soul."
Seeing the superiority of rajoguṇa over tamoguṇa, and sattva-guṇa over rajo-guṇa,
Brahmā should be superior to Śiva, and Viṣṇu should be superior to Brahmā. But everywhere
śāstra says Śiva is superior to Brahmā. The author is clearing this doubt by quoting Śrīmad-
Bhāgavata (1.2.23). Fire does not exist in smoke, which is compared to rajo guṇa. It exists in a
hidden form in wood which is compared to tamo guṇa. The fire hidden in wood can make its
appearance by rubbing or honing the wood. Thus the transcendental truth exists in Śiva, the
presiding deity of tamo guṇa. The author gives the example of sound sleep, which is an effect
of tamoguṇa. In that state, one realizes the bliss one gets from the knowledge of oneness of
spirit and non-personal Brahman. One should ascertain the truth of Brahmā and Śiva in this
way.
atheśitavyaṁ caitanyaṁ ca svadaśābhedena dvividham avidyayāvṛtam anāvṛtaṁ ca.

tatrāvṛtaṁ deva manuṣya tiryagādi. anāvṛtaṁ dvividham īśvareṇaiśvarya śaktyānāviṣṭam
āviṣṭaṁ ca. anāviṣṭaṁ sthūlato dvividham jñāna bhakti sādhanavaśāt īśvare līnam alīnaṁca.
prathamaṁ śocyaṁ dvitīyaṁ tan mādhuryāsvādyaśocyam. āviṣṭaṁ ca dvividham cid aṁśa
bhūta jñānādibhi māyāṁśabhūta sṛṣṭyādibhiśceti. prathamaṁ catuḥ sanādi; dvitīyaṁ
brahmādīti.
TRANSLATION: Dependent caitanya or jīva-caitanya is of two types: one is covered by

ignorance and the other is uncovered. Covered jīva-caitanya are gods, human beings,
animals, and so on. Uncovered jīva-caitanya is of two types: not empowered by the aiśvarya-
śakti and empowered by it. jīva-caitanya not empowered by the aiśvarya-śakti is generally of
two types: one merged into īśvara by practicing jñāna, and others not merged in īśvara and
practicing bhakti. The first state is miserable, while those in the second relish the sweetness
of the Lord, and it is thus not miserable. Empowered jīva-caitanya is of two types: one
empowered by spiritual knowledge and the other empowered by the energy related to
material creation. To the former belong those such as the four Kumāras, and to the latter
belong Brahmā and others.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation— To explain the difference between īśvara-koṭi (eminent Lord)
Śiva and jīva-koṭi Brahmā, the author is describing the different categories of jīva-caitanya.
Caitanya is of two types: independent and dependent. The independent caitanya is the Lord
and dependent caitanya is jīva-caitanya, who is controlled by the Lord. It has two divisions:
those covered by ignorance and those not covered by ignorance. The former are bound by
ignorance, asmitā (thinking 'I am this body' and 'this is the property of my body'), rāga
(attachment), dveṣa (repulsion), and abhiniveśa (fear of death due to attachment). They are
gods, human beings, animals, birds, and others. Covered by ignorance, they are going through
different species by their karmas from beginningless time, suffering three fold miseries.
The second type of jīva-caitanya are not covered by ignorance. From beginningless time
they are completely free from ignorance and the false bodily conception of I and mine. They
are also of two types: those empowered by the aiśvarya-śakti of the Lord and those not
empowered by it. The unempowered ones are also of two types. The first practise knowledge
of non-personal Brahman. By meditating on the oneness of the jīva and non-personal Brahman,
they get merged into Him. Some of them merge in saguṇa Brahman that is īśvara. (Here it
should be known that although jñānīs consider themselves Brahman, they can never become
Brahman even though they merge into Brahman. Since they are not independent caitanya, they
still exist separately. They are eternally the separate expansion of the Lord, but not His personal
expansion.) Their position is considered miserable, since they are unable to relish Brahman. In
brahma-sāyujya enjoyable brahman, enjoyer jīva, and enjoyment —all three become one.
Those jñānīs are therefore forever deprived of the bliss of relishing the Lord’s service. Hence,
an intelligent person would rather covet hell than integral merging with brahman: 'naraka
vāñchaye tabu sāyujya nā loy (C.C.). īśvara-sāyujya is again more miserable than brahma-
sāyujya. brahman is non-differentiated without any variety of śakti. Though varieties of infinite
forms, qualities, and pastimes are present in īśvara, the jīvas merged into īśvara are deprived
from their relish. Those who reside in the storehouse of honey but are unable to relish the taste
of the honey are really unfortunate. Who can be more unfortunate than they? It is thus said:
brahma sāyujya hoite īśvara sāyujya dhikkāra (C.C.) "īśvara-sāyujya is more loathsome than
brahma-sāyujya."
The second category of jīva-caitanya not empowered by the Lord’s aiśvarya-śakti do
not merge in the Lord. By practicing pure devotion, they attain the Lord and serve Him in
moods of servitude, friendship, parenthood, or others. They are blessed by relishing the
nectar of the blissful service of the Lord, the embodiment of condensed sac-cid-ānanda. They
are not miserable, but highly praise-worthy.
The jīva-caitanya empowered by the aiśvarya-śakti of the Lord are again of two types.
The first are empowered by the Lord’s eternal energy where the cit potency of spiritual
knowledge predominates. Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanātana and Sanat-kumāra, the four sons of
Brahmā created by his mind, are examples. They are constantly absorbed in Śrī Hari's
transcendental knowledge with no concern whatsoever with material creation.
The second type of jīva-caitanya are empowered by the Lord’s material energy to
create material universes, that are a portion of the Lord's illusory potency. Brahmā is
empowered by the external energy of the Lord, by which he creates material universes. (In his
book Śrī Bhāgavatāmṛta Kaṇā the author has counted the four Kumāras amongst līlāvatāras
and Brahmā amongst the guṇāvatāras.)
evaṁ ca viṣṇu śivayor abheda prasaktaś caitanyaka rūpyāt. niṣkāmair

upāsyatvānupāsyatve tu nirguṇatva saguṇatvābhyām evetyavagantavyam. viṣṇu brahmādyos
tu bheda eva caitanya pārthakyād eva. kvacit tu sūryasya tadāviṣṭa sūryakāntamaṇer abheda
iva viṣṇu brahmaṇor abhedaś ca purāṇa vacaneṣu dṛṣṭaḥ. kiṁ ca kvacin mahā kalpe śivo'pi
brahmeva īśvarāviṣṭo jīva eva bhavet. yad uktam - 'kvacijjīva viśeṣatvaṁ harasyoktaṁ vidher
iveti'. ataeva - 'yas tu nārāyaṇaṁ devaṁ brahma rudrādi daivataiḥ. samatvenaiva manyeta sa
pāṣaṇḍī bhaved dhruvam (haribhakti vilāsa 1.73) iti vacanam api brahma sāhacaryeṇa
saṅgacchate iti.
TRANSLATION: Due to the similarity of caitanya, Viṣṇu and Śiva are non-different.
Devotees desiring nothing other than the Lord must discriminate between Viṣṇu and Śiva as
worshipable or non-worshipable on the basis of nirguṇa and saguṇa character. Due to the
non-similarity of caitanya, Viṣṇu and Brahmā are different. Sometimes Purāṇas describe the
nondifference of Viṣṇu and Brahmā. This nondifference may be considered like that of the
sun and the sūryakānta-maṇi, the stone empowered by the sunlight. In some mahākalpas,
even Śiva, just like Brahmā, may be a jīva who is empowered by the Lord. śāstras say,
“Sometimes a jīva is also empowered as Śiva or Brahmā.” śāstra also says, “One who
considers Lord Nārāyaṇa, the Supreme among devatās, as equal to Brahmā, Rudra, and other
gods is certainly an atheist.” This śāstric evidence will be considered proper when Śiva and
Brahmā are both in the category of eminent jīvas.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation: From the previous descriptions it is known that due to
oneness of caitanya Viṣṇu and Śiva are considered non-different. The all-pervading conscious
Śrī Viṣṇu has voluntarily accepted the tamoguṇa of māyā and has become Śiva. The acceptance
of tamoguṇa should be considered in relation to Rudra Śiva, but not to Sadāśiva. The author
describes in his book Bhāgavatāmṛta-kaṇa: kiñca sadaśivaḥ svayaṁ rūpāṅgo viśeṣa svarūpo
nirguṇaḥ sa śivasyāṁśi, “Sadāśiva is not a guṇāvatāra. He is a specific expansion of the Original
Supreme Lord who is nirguṇa.” Sadāśiva is the origin of Śiva the guṇāvatāra, who resides
beyond the causal ocean at Sadāśiva-loka, or the spiritual planet where Sadāśiva resides.
guṇāvatāra Śiva resides in Kailāsa-dhāma in this material universe. The author establishes the
oneness in caitanya of Viṣṇu and Śiva, but as far as upāsanā is concerned he says: "Desireless
devotees must decide what is nirguṇa and what is saguṇa to define who is their worshipable
deity."
Previously it was said that guṇāvatāra Śiva and Brahmā fulfill the desires of persons
worshipping them with specific motives. Persons desiring wealth, prosperity, and so on are
naturally inclined to worship mundane gods. Persons not desiring wealth or material objects,
but desiring only the Lord and divine love give up the worship of guṇamaya Śiva, Brahmā, and
others. They exclusively worship the transcendental Lord Śrī Hari. The Lord thus bestows
unalloyed devotion on them and they relish the transcendental mellow of the Lord’s name,
form, qualities, and His service. What to speak of material wealth, they do not even except the
four kinds of mukti though offered in their hand. The Bhāgavata (3.29.13) says: sālokya-sārṣṭi-
sārūpya-sāmīpyaikatvam apyuta; dīyamānaṁ na gṛhṇanti vinā mat-sevanaṁ janāḥ Lord
Kapiladeva says to Devahūti, "Devotees exclusively absorbed in My service do not accept
sālokya, residence in my realm, sārṣṭi, similar opulence as Mine, sārūpya, form like Mine,
sāmīpya, residing with Me, or sāyujya, merging within me, even if I offer all these to them."
Greedy and lusty worshippers of devatās get insignificant, perishable and ultimately
miserable mundane boons of wealth and luxury from their worshipped gods and goddesses.
Such motivated worshippers should also remember that just as their gods and goddesses may
be easily pleased and bestow boons of wealth and power, similarly with the slightest
shortcoming they can also curse the worshipper. Sometimes they bestow a boon without due
consideration and become entangled in a mess themselves. For instance, it is seen in Śrīmad
Bhāgavata (Canto 10, chapter 88) that Śrīman Mahādeva bestowed a boon upon the demon
Vṛka that he could kill anyone simply by placing his hand on the victim's head. As soon as the
demon had received the boon he wanted to try it out on Mahādeva Himself. Seeing this,
Mahādeva fearfully fled, being chased all over by the demon. Mahādeva fled all over the earth
and then to heaven, where even the gods were unable to protect Him. Finally Mahādeva arrived
at Vaikuṇṭhaloka, which is beyond māyā, where Śrī Nārāyaṇa was found willing to assume the
shape of a brāhmaṇa boy who called Vṛkāsura and asked him why he had come so far. The
demon explained everything whereupon the disguised Lord Nārāyaṇa said: "The words of that
Śiva, who wanders over the crematoria in the company of ghosts, due to the curse of Dakṣa,
can never be true! O best of the demons! You can see if My words are true or not by placing
your hand on your own head!" Bewitched by Lord Nārāyaṇa's words the demon placed his hand
on his own head and at once fell dead on the ground.
In the same way Brahmā also lacked the proper understanding when he bestowed a
rare boon on Hiraṇyakaśipu, so Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva had to descend to kill Hiraṇyakaśipu while at
the same time keeping Brahmā's boon intact. Then He chastised Brahmā for feeding milk to a
snake by bestowing such a boon on a demon. This is also narrated in Śrī Bhāgavata.
Due to difference of caitanya, Viṣṇu and Brahmā are different. Viṣṇu is independent
caitanya and Brahmā is dependent jīva-caitanya. Some Purāṇas describe Viṣṇu and Brahmā as
non-different, but one should understand this like the example of the sun and the sūryakānta-
maṇi stone invested with the power of the sun. The sun is always different from the sūryakānta-
maṇi. When the sun invests its power in the sūryakānta-maṇi, the heat that appears in it burns
cloth and similar objects. As the sun invests its power in the sūryakānta-maṇi, the sun and the
sūryakānta-maṇi can be considered nondifferent. Similarly, Viṣṇu invests His energy for the
creation of the material universe in Brahmā. Some Purāṇas thus explain the non-difference of
Visṇu and Brahmā, but effectively there is no such non-difference.
And although the independent caitanya Śrī Viṣṇu and Śrī Śiva are sometimes described
as non-different, during certain mahākalpas, the Lord empowers a jīva-caitanya to function as
Śiva. Hence it is seen in the scriptures: kacijjīva viśeṣatvaṁ rahasyoktaṁ vidher iva "Sometimes
Śiva is also called a jīva just like Brahmā." That is why the second nāma-aparādha is that a
person who considers the names and qualities of Viṣṇu and Śiva to be different is an offender.
Elsewhere it is said, yas tu nārāyaṇaṁ devaṁ brahma rudrādi daivataiḥ; samatvenaiva
manyete sa pāṣaṇḍī bhaved dhruvam “One who considers Brahmā and Śiva and other gods as
equal to Nārāyaṇa is certainly an atheist.” First it is said that to see difference between Viṣṇu
and Śiva is an offense and now it is said that to see Śiva as equal to Viṣṇu makes one an atheist.
These two statements appear contradictory. The answer is that the consideration of difference
is forbidden in relation to Śiva who is an eminent Lord. Wherever it is said to be a fault to see
non-difference it should be understood to be in relation to the Śiva who is in the class of jīvas.
Similarly, Brahmā is generally an eminent jīva, but his position as an eminent Lord is also
known from the śāstras. The Bhāgavata (4.24.29) says: sva-dharma-niṣṭhaḥ śata-janmabhiḥ
pumān viriñcatām eti "A jīva can attain the position of Brahmā by steadily practicing
varnāśrama-dharma without motivation for one hundred births.” A jīva thus qualified appears
as Brahmā from the navel-lotus of Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu in the beginning of creation. The Lord
invests power in him for the creation. Such a Brahmā is known as jīva-koṭi, eminent jīva. In some
kalpas, if such a qualified jīva is not available, then the Lord Himself accepts the form of Brahmā
and performs the activities related to creation. Such Brahmā is known as īśvara-koṭi, eminent
Lord.
evam aparyālocayatāṁ visṇur eveśvaro na śivaḥ śiva eveśvaro na viṣṇur vayam ananyā
naiva paśyāmaḥ śivaṁ vayaṁ ca na viṣṇum ityādi vivāda grasta matīnām aparādhe jāte kālena
kadācit tattāt paryālocana vijña sādhujana prabodhitatve teṣām eva śivasya bhagavat
svarūpād abhinnatvena labdha pratītīnāṁ nāmakīrtanenaivāparādha kṣayaḥ
TRANSLATION: Those who have not discussed these truths say, “Viṣṇu is the only Lord,
not Śiva,” “Śiva is the only Lord, not Viṣṇu. We are the sole devotees of Viṣṇu and will not see
Śiva.” “We are the sole devotees of Śiva and will not see Viṣṇu.” Their minds thus absorbed
in arguments, they commit offense. If in time, such offenders get the association of sādhus
expert in discussing all these truths and are enlightened by them, they can also realize the
nondifference of Śiva and the Lord. Then by doing nāma-kīrtana, their aparādha is nullified.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation: How people who think that Śrī Viṣṇu differs from Śrī Śiva and
Śrī Śiva differs from Śrī Viṣṇu in name and attribute are offenders and how they are to be freed
from that offense is now clearly described by Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartīpāda. The main cause
of committing offense to the Lord is lack of knowledge of His natural form (svarūpa). To
consider that which is not the svarūpa of the Lord to be His svarūpa is inevitably an offense.
What is Viṣṇu-tattva, Śiva-tattva, what is the relation between the two? Those who do not
understand all these truths have not associated with the sādhus expert in all these truths on Śrī
Viṣṇu and Śrī Śiva. Thus they do not get the chance of hearing about all these truths and
therefore generally commit this offense.
Those of them who worship Śrī Viṣṇu think: "Śrī Viṣṇu is the Supreme Lord, Śiva is not
the Supreme Lord. We are exclusive devotees of Viṣṇu — we do not look at Śiva." Meanwhile
the devotees of Śiva think: "Śiva is the Supreme Lord, not Viṣṇu, we are Śiva's exclusive
devotees — we do not look at Viṣṇu." Those who argue like that are offenders. As we have
already discussed, displeasing (dis=apa and pleasing=rādha) one’s worshipable object is an
offense (apa-rādha). If the worshipers of Viṣṇu and Śiva argue about the difference between
their respective worshipable Lords, then Viṣṇu and Śiva become dissatisfied. Suppose a servant
serves one limb of his master and cuts another limb or gives him pain. How can the master be
pleased with his servant? Since Mahādeva is a limb of Viṣṇu, considering Him to be different is
an offense.
Now the author is describing the way to nullify this offense. The main cause of this
offense is lack of knowledge of the truths of Viṣṇu and Śiva. There is thus no possibility of
nullifying this offense, unless one attains proper knowledge about Their truths. If somehow
such an offender gets the association of a sādhu expert in the knowledge of such truths, he can
realize their nondifference. Proper knowledge of the natural form (svarūpa) of the Lord is only
possible by the association and mercy of the sādhus. We can see that philosophy also in the
Upaniṣads. The Kaṭhopanīśad speaks a lot of jñāna kathā and concludes by saying that the truth
about Brahman is hard to understand, since it is beyond the words, mind and senses of a
mundane person. Then how can one attain His knowledge? naiva vācā na manasā prāptuṁ
śakyo na cakṣuṣā astīti bruvato'nyatra kathaṁ tad upalabhyate- "brahma cannot be
ascertained through the mind or the eyes or any of the other senses. How then can it be
known?" To this the Śruti (Upaniṣad) replies: "One can know about it from the theistic, faithful
mahāpuruṣas, the exalted devotees." In the Gītā Śrī Kṛṣṇa also tells Śrī Arjuna: upadekṣyanti te
jñānaṁ jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ, “O Arjuna! Jñānīs who have realized the absolute truth can
give you that knowledge.” Though one may be expert in śāstras, or śabda-brahma, unless he
gets the association and mercy of mahāpuruṣas having realization of the Absolute Truth, it is
not possible for him to realize such truths.
It is not that simply by hearing the truth of Viṣṇu and Śiva from the mouth of mahats
and attaining the proper knowledge the offense will be nullified. If one repents for such
offenses and constantly takes the sole shelter of the holy name, the offenses can be nullified.
evaṁ ca naitā bhagavad bhaktiṁ spṛśanti bahirmukhyo vigītā iti jñāna karma
pratipādikāḥ śrutir yenaiva mukhenānindaṁs tenaiva mukhena tās tadanuṣṭhātṛṁśca janān
muhur abhinandya nāmabhir uccaiḥ saṅkīrtaiḥ śruti śāstra nindana rūpāc caturthāparādhān
nistareyuḥ. yatas tāḥ śrutayo bhaktimārgeṣvadhikāriṇaḥ svacchanda vartinaḥ parama
rāgāndhānām api vartma mātra madhyārohayitum udyatāḥ parama kāruṇikā eveti tat
tātparya vijña jana prabodhitā yadi bhāgyavaśād bhaveyus tadaiveti. evam evānyeṣām api
ṣaṇṇām aparādhānām udbhava nivṛtti nidānāni avagantavyāni (3)
TRANSLATION: One may think “These śrutis do not mention anything about bhakti,
and they are glorified only by worldly-minded persons. They are thus mundane and
condemned.” Someone may thus offend the śrutis related to jñāna and karma. If such an
offender repeatedly glorifies these śrutis and their practitioners with the same mouth that
criticized them and does nāma-saṅkīrtana loudly, then he can be rescued from the fourth
nāma-aparādha of blaspheming śruti- and other śāstras. By good fortune if such an offender
is enlightened by the sādhus expert in the knowledge of the śrutis, he can become free from
the offense. He comes to understand that the most merciful śrutis are trying to inspire
persons unrestrained, completely blinded by material enjoyments, and unqualified for
practicing bhakti to follow the scriptural injunction. One should thus understand the cause
and nullification of the other six nāma-aparādhas.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation— Now the author is explaining the fourth name-offense, śruti
śāstra nindanaṁ, blaspheming the śrutis and śāstras, the cause of the offense, and its
nullification. It is not possible for those who have taken shelter of bhakti to condemn śāstras
related to the devotional path, for faith in the scriptures is known as śraddhā. Faith is the first
step of devotion, so it is not possible for a person who treads the devotional path to criticise
the Śruti scriptures, but there may be devotees who condemn the scriptures related to jñāna,
karma, and yoga. Those who have taken shelter of bhakti neglect all material enjoyments and
even liberation. Among them, some get annoyed seeing that scriptures relating to karma,
jñāna, and yoga do not glorify bhakti or any devotional parts like śravaṇa, kīrtana, and others.
They think that, as those scriptures do not describe bhakti at all, they are therefore mundane
and can be condemned. In this way they commit the fourth offense of condemning scriptures.
Actually the scriptures related to jñāna and karma attempt to raise the practitioners of
such paths to the door of bhakti. Those who have gained faith through the association and the
grace of great devotees, are qualified for devotion — śraddhāvān jana hoy bhakti adhikārī (C.C.)
Those who are deprived of that fortune may think highly of merging with brahman or liberation.
Scriptures related to jñāna engage jñānīs in the cultivation of non-personal knowledge and give
them the knowledge of non-variegated bliss of impersonal Brahman. If jñānīs get the
association of devotees, then they also become greedy for attaining the unlimited variegated
bliss of transcendental nectar related to Śrī Bhagavān. Thus the main purpose of the scriptures
related to jñāna is to bring the jñānīs to the devotional path. They make them understand the
insignificance of brahmānanda, the bliss of mukti or non-personal brahman realization, and the
excellence of bhakti and Bhagavān. Scriptures related to karma are meant for those who act
whimsically, being absorbed in sense enjoyment. They are unqualified for bhakti. These
scriptures make the karmīs greedy for apparently sweet pleasures on the heavenly planets and
engage them in fruitive activities as sacrifice, vows, and so on. The real purpose, however, is to
raise the karmīs to the level of bhakti. If the śrutis do not encourage blinded persons engaged
in sense enjoyments to attain heavenly pleasure, then they will always remain averse to the
practice of dharma. The śrutis mercifully tell of the superiority of karma and engage them on
the path of karma. Sometime in the future, karmīs thus engaged in their sacrifices may get a
chance to associate with devotees and may understand the miserable effects of karma. Finally
they may take shelter of devotion by the sādhu’s mercy. It is therefore offensive to blaspheme
the merciful scriptures related to jñāna and karma.
If accidentally a devotee commits this offense and fortunately gets the association of a
sādhu expert in knowledge of the essence of śāstras related to karma and jñāna, then by his
mercy he can also understand the real glories of śrutis. Then he should praise the śrutis and
their practitioners by the same mouth that condemned them. He should also loudly do nāma-
saṅkīrtana to nullify this offense.
The author has now described in detail the first four of the ten nāma-aparādhas,
namely blaspheming the saints, considering the names of Śrī Viṣṇu and Śrī Śiva to be different,
disrespecting the Guru and criticising the Śruti scriptures. For the remaining six he says that
one should similarly understand their cause and nullification. We will discuss the rest of the
nāma-aparādhas in brief, since aparādhas are the most heavy obstacles on the devotional
path.
To think the glories of the holy name are exaggerated is the fifth offense. One may think
that the incomparable glories of the holy name in the śāstras are merely praise. śāstras and
mahājanas say that no matter how much the holy name is glorified, still that is only a drop from
the ocean of glories of the name. The glories of the holy name are unlimited; nobody can glorify
it completely. One may however think that these glories of the name are exaggerated just to
increase people’s taste for it, but actually the holy name is not so glorious. This kind of feeling
is a very grave nāma-aparādha named arthavāda.
The glories of the holy name seen in śāstras and the words of mahājanas are just like a
very insignificant glowworm in front of the sun of the holy name. No one is able to describe the
glories of the holy name, therefore there is no reason to consider whatever the scriptures say
to glorify it to be exaggarated. The only purpose of arthavāda is to instill faith in fruitive workers
(karmīs) in their fruitive activities by praising such activities. The holy name is most independent
and self-manifested. He does not depend on anything to manifest His glories, so there is no
question of any exaggeration in the glorification of the holy name.
Lack of association with sādhus expert in the glories of the holy name can cause this
offense. When one hears the glorification of the holy name from their holy mouths and
remembers how one used to be grasped and polluted by offense by thinking that glorification
to be exaggerated one should constantly meditate on the glories of the holy name. Taking sole
shelter of the holy name, one should chant it with repentance. Thus this offense is gradually
nullified.
To interpret the holy name in one’s own speculative way is the sixth offense. This
includes attempts to diminish the glories of the holy name by misinterpreting the words of
śāstras glorifying it. If one thinks deeply it is not difficult to attain faith in the uncommon glories
and effects of the holy name. In this world we can realize the wonderful power of jewels,
mantras, and different powerful medicines. It is difficult to understand how they are so
powerful. If the power of such material objects is difficult to understand, then how will it be
possible to understand the power of the holy name, which is transcendental in nature? śāstras
thus say, acintya khalu ye bhāvā na tāṁs tarkeṇa yojayet; prakṛtibhyaḥ paraṁ yat tu tad
acintyasya lakṣaṇam- "That which is inconceivable is beyond logic and arguments. Whatever is
beyond material nature is per definition inconceivable." To understand transcendental matters,

faith is absolutely necessary. Without faith all spiritual practice is fruitless. Faithful devotees
generally do not commit this offense. If accidentally or unknowingly someone commits this
offense, due to bad company, he can nullify it just like the fifth aparādha.
Committing sin on the strength of the holy name is the seventh offense. By chanting the
holy name, all obstacles are destroyed. Those who commit sins on the strength of the holy
name commit terrible nāma-aparādha and their obstacles are not destroyed. The holy name is
completely transcendental. Faithfully chanting it destroys weakness of heart. Then the
tendency to sin does not arise. Rather the previous sins, desires to commit sins, and even their
root cause, ignorance, are destroyed. If one accidentally commits sin, due to bad upbringing,
then he has not to undergo atonement, but Hari residing within his heart destroys those sins.
If someone thinks that, “When hari-nāma can destroy all sins, then there is no harm if I commit
sin, as hari-nāma can easily destroy it”, he commits an offense to the holy name. The heart of
an ignorant person committing sins can be purified if one atones by repentance. But one
committing sins on the strength of the name, cannot purify his heart even by adopting yama,
niyama and so on. Such offenses cannot be committed by faithful devotees. Accidentally if due
to the lack of association of sādhus attached to the holy name and by the effect of association
of non-sādhus, somebody commits this offense, then he should repent, "Alas! What a great
offender I am! The holy name can give one divine love and the direct service of the Lord. I am
using the same transcendental most powerful holy name for washing my sins. Alas! I cannot be
relieved even after going through millions of hells.” By thus repenting and deeply lamenting,
one should constantly pray to the Vaiṣṇavas and serve them while constantly chanting the holy
name. One can thus nullify the effects of such nāma-aparādhas.
The eighth aparādha is to consider auspicious activities such as dharma, vows, and
sacrifices equal to the holy name. There is no difference between the holy name and the holy
named, the Lord Himself. Jīva Gosvāmī says, ekam eva saccidānanda rasādi rūpaṁ tattvaṁ
dvidhāvirbhūtam “The same transcendental truth, embodiment of rasa, has appeared in two
forms, nāma and nāmī. The holy name is the word incarnation (śabdāvatāra) of the Lord
Himself. It is thus beyond the material senses and self-manifested. When a fortunate person
begins to chant the holy name, the holy name appears on his tongue automatically. The eighth
offense is to consider the holy name to be on the level of materially auspicious activities like
performing sacrifices, thinking that it yields the same fruits as such sacrifices. Such a gross
offense is also known as pramāda or to diminish the glories of the holy name. This offense is
committed due to the association of karmīs, jñānīs, and tapasvīs devoid of bhakti and due to
lack of association of sādhus expert in the knowledge of the glories of the holy name. One
should thus give up bad company and associate with those sādhus steady in chanting the name.
One should establish faith in the glories of the name, understanding the insignificance of the
fruits of materially auspicious activities. In a state of repentance, one should take shelter of the
holy name, constantly doing nāma-kīrtana. This is the only way to nullify this aparādha.
To instruct the holy name to an unfaithful person is the ninth offense. Only a faithful
person is qualified for chanting the name. Unfaithful persons disregard it. The sole wealth of
the jīva is Śrī Kṛṣṇa's holy name. If that name is preached to an unfaithful person who is similar
to a pig eating the stool of material enjoyments, he will not realize the value of this gem. He
will negligently give it up. By this offense, he himself will perish and the instructor of the holy
name will also become an offender. When a devotee loudly does nāma-saṅkīrtana, then both
the faithful and the unfaithful hear that name. This is not what is meant here; here instructing
the glories of the holy name to some particular person is being considered. It is not proper to
instruct the name to an unfaithful person. If at first the disciple is faithful, but later is deceitful,
then Śrī Gurudeva will do whatever he thinks fit for his rectification. If he is unable to rectify
the disciple he will give him up. Taking shelter of the holy name, chanting it with repentance
can nullify this offense.
If even on hearing the glories of the name repeatedly, one is not attached to it, then this
is the tenth offense. On hearing the glories of the holy name, if one is unable to give up the
false ego of I and mine, remaining absorbed in sense enjoyment, he disrespects the holy name.
Someone may say that attachment to the name cannot be developed just by thinking or by
one’s own desire. If on hearing the glories of the name somebody does not become attached
to the name, then why should he be considered as an offender? It is true, one cannot be
attached to the name just by his own wish, but sādhus mercifully give the qualification to take
shelter of the holy name. By their mercy only, attachment to the holy name is possible. Those
who have not received the mercy of sādhus cannot become attached to the name even on
hearing its glories. Hearing the glories of the name in the association of sādhus and serving
them by chanting hari-nāma, one can become attached to the holy name and be freed from
this offense.
atha bhaktyutthās te ca mūla śākhāta upaśākhā iva bhaktyaiva dhanādi lābha pūjā
pratiṣṭhādyāḥ sva vṛttibhiḥ sādhaka cittam apyuparajya sva vṛddhyā mūla śākhām iva bhaktim
api kuṇṭhayituṁ prabhavantīti.
TRANSLATION: Now anarthas arising out of bhakti are being described. They grow
along with the main bhakti creeper as weeds. Such weeds appear as wealth, gain, fame,
respect, and others received from bhakti and they influence the heart of a devotee. By their
nature, they choke the development of the main bhakti creeper.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation: anarthas arising out of bhakti are of four types duṣkṛtottha,
sukṛtottha, aparādhottha, and bhaktyuttha. Bhaktyuttha-anarthas arise from bhakti or
bhajana. People are automatically attracted to devotees who do Śrī Hari-bhajana. While doing
bhajana, gain, respect, fame, and other comforts naturally follow devotees. These are heavy
obstacles for progress in bhakti and attainment of prema. Devotees desiring to attain prema
should carefully protect themselves from all these material desires and should advance on the
bhakti path with humility and renunciation. If somehow one’s heart is influenced by these
desires for profit adoration and distinction, then even by doing bhajana sādhana, he gets these
anarthas only. These desires are thus compared to weeds surrounding the bhakti creeper.
Weeds growing along with the main creeper nourish themselves from the juice of the creeper
or the sprinkling of water and retard the growth of the main creeper, eventually making it dry.
Similarly, bhaktyuttha anarthas like money and fame color the hearts of the sādhakas and
chokes the roots of their creepers of devotion. Śrīman Mahāprabhu says to Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī
(Caitanya Caritāmṛta Madhya 19.158-159)-
kintu yadi latāra saṅge uṭhe upaśākhā;

bhukti mukti vāñchā yoto—asaṅkhya tāra lekhā
niṣiddhācāra kuṭināṭī jīva hiṁsana;
lābha pratiṣṭhādi yoto upaśākhā gaṇa
seka jala pāiyā upaśākhā bāṛhi jāy;
stabdha hoiyā mūla śākhā bāṛhite nā pāy
prathamei upaśākhāra koribe chedan;
tabe mūla śākhā bāṛhi jāy vṛndāvana
"Sometimes unlimited unwanted weeds arise along with the bhakti creeper as
innumerable desires for material enjoyment, liberation, performance of acts forbidden in
śāstras, deceit, duplicity, faultfinding, violence towards other living beings, material gain,
respect, fame, and so on. When the weeds are sprinkled along with the creeper they also grow
along with the creeper and will suffocate the roots of the creeper, so first these weeds must be
rooted out, so that the original stem can grow up to reach Vṛndāvana." Śrīman Mahāprabhu
teaches here that desires other than for Kṛṣṇa and His devotion, like enjoyment, liberation,
forbidden acts, duplicity, violence, profit, being worshipped and distinction are deceitfulness
on the part of the jīva, who is an eternal servant of the Lord. If one material desire arises in the
heart, it is followed by others contaminating the heart. Finally desires for bhakti disappear from
the heart. To fulfill his desires for enjoyment, profit, being worshipped and distinction, a
sādhaka does forbidden things like lying, using harsh words, committing violence and theft and
so on, while continuing to wear neck beads and tilaka, and performs hearing and chanting and
other devotional items like a machine. He superficially shows humility and conceals his
forbidden acts so that devotees may not condemn him. His heart finally becomes so influenced
with deceitfulness that not even a trace of desire for bhakti remains there. Hence Mahāprabhu
gave instructions to cut down these weeds from the very beginning of their appearance.
Though one may give up bhukti, mukti, and other weeds, the desire for fame is very difficult to
give up. Sanātana Gosvāmī writes in the appendix to Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: sarva tyāge'py
aheyāyāḥ sarvānartha bhuvaś ca te; kuryuḥ pratiṣṭhā viṣṭhāyā yatnam asparśena varam
"Though one may give up everything, desire for fame, the cause of all anarthas, is difficult to
give up. A sādhaka devotee should thus be very careful to not touch the stool of fame." If desire
for fame exists in the heart, its beloved, envy, also follows, since fame and envy are conjugally
related. From the semen of the envy-caṇḍāla in the womb of fame appear two twins, jealousy
and malice. The frantic dance of these four destroys the heart’s good nature. How can desire
for bhakti remain in such a heart? A sādhaka devotee should thus be humble, respect others,
and try to give up the desire for fame.
teṣāṁ caturṇām anarthānāṁ nivṛttir api pañca vidhā. ekadeśa vartinī bahu deśa vartinī
prāyikī pūrṇā ātyantikī ceti. tatra 'grāmo dagdhaḥ paṭo bhagna' iti nyāyenāparādhotthānām
anarthānāṁ nivṛttir bhajana kriyānantaram eka deśa vartinī niṣṭhāyām utpannāyāṁ bahula
deśa vartinī ratāv utpadyamānāyāṁ prāyiki premni pūrṇā śrī bhagavat pada prāptāvātyantikī
TRANSLATION: Cessation of four kinds of anarthas is of five types — eka-deśa-vārttinī

(partial), bahu-deśa-vārttinī (pervasive), prāyikī (almost complete), pūrṇā (complete), and
ātyantikī (absolute). According to the logic "the village burned, the cloth is torn", the
cessation of aparādhottha-anartha is eka-deśa-vārttinī after bhajana-kriyā, bahu-deśa-
vārttinī at the stage of niṣṭhā, prāyikī at the stage of rati, pūrṇā at the stage of prema, and
ātyantikī on attaining the lotus feet of the Lord.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā Explanation — There are different stages between the attainment of faith
and the attainment of prema. Among them there is the stage called 'cessation of bad habits'. It
is not that these four kinds of bad habits flee just like that. The gradual cessation of the four
kinds of anarthas comes in five stages. eka-deśa-vārttinī-nivṛtti means cessation of a minor
portion of anartha, say fifteen percent, bahu-deśa-vārttinī means cessation of a major portion
of anarthas, about seventy-five percent. prāyikī-nivṛtti means cessation of almost all anarthas,
ninety-five percent. pūrṇā means complete cessation or cent per cent. ātyantikī-nivṛtti means
absolute cessation of anarthas. At the stage of pūrṇā-nivṛtti, there is sometimes a minute

possibility of reappearance of anartha, but at the stage of ātyantikī-nivṛtti there is no such
chance.
The logic "the village burned, the cloth is torn" means that when a village starts burning,
the fire starts at a certain place and gradually burns the whole village. A cloth is torn means
that it starts tearing and finally is completely torn. Similarly, cessation of anarthas is first partial
and gradually pervasive. Of the four anarthas aparādhottha-anarthas are most heavy. This
anartha creates a grave obstacle in progress to the higher stages of bhakti. Its presence greatly
delays attaining divine love. As one starts bhajana-kriyā cessation of this anartha is partial, or a
minor portion of it is destroyed. At the appearance of niṣṭhā, it is pervasive, a good portion of
anarthas is destroyed. When rati appears, the cessation is prāyikī, almost all anarthas are
destroyed, leaving an insignificant portion. At prema, it is pūrnā, cessation is complete. On
attaining the lotus feet of Bhagavān, cessation is absolute.
One may ask if there is any possibility of reappearance of aparādha at the stage of rati
or prema? Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.3.54) says:
bhāvo’py abhāvamāyāti kṛṣṇa presthāparādhatah

abhāsatānca śanakair nyūna-jātiyatām api
"If someone who has attained rati commits an offense to the dearest associates of
Kṛṣṇa, then rati gets destroyed if the offense is heavy. When the offense is medium, it turns
into a glimpse of bhāva (bhāvābhāsa). A slight offense turns rati gradually into a rati of inferior
type, sakhya- or vātsalya-rati turns into dāsya-rati." Dvivida monkey was an associate of
Rāmacandra, but he offended Lakṣmaṇa and consequently suffered terrible miseries. At the
end of dvāpara-yuga, Baladeva killed him. This verse explains the seriousness of mahat-
aparādha. Sometimes there is a possibility of offending mahats even at the stage of rati or
prema. When a sādhaka who has attained prema gets the full mercy of the Lord with direct
association and service, then only cessation of aparādhottha-anartha is absolute.
yas tu tatrāpi citraketau kādācitko mahad aparādhaḥ sa prātītika eva na vāstavaḥ.

satyāṁ prema sampattau pārṣadatva vṛtratvayo vaiśiṣṭyābhāva siddhāntāt. jaya vijayos
tvaparādha kāraṇaṁ prema vijṛmbhitā svecchaiva. sā ca he prabhuvara devādideva nārāyaṇa
anyatrālpabalatvāt asmāsu tu prātikūlyābhāvāt yadi tatra bhavato yuyutsā na sampadyate
tadā āvāmeva kenāpi prakāreṇa pratikūlīkṛtya tad yuddha sukham anubhūyatām ityāvayoḥ
svataḥ paripūrṇatāyām aṇumātram api nyūnatvam asahamānayoḥ kiṅkarayoḥ
prārthanāhaṭhaḥ svabhakta vātsalya guṇam api laghukṛtya niṣpādyatām ityākārā kādācitka
prasaṅgabhavā mānasā manasaiva jeyā.
TRANSLATION: The incident of Citraketu committing an offense is only apparently an

offense, not actually an offense. This is evident since there is no difference in the wealth of
prema existing in him either in his position as an associate of the Lord or after getting the
body of the demon Vṛtrāsura. In the case of Jaya and Vijaya, the cause of their so-called
offense is the prema that blossomed in them. They prayed to the Lord, “O Prabhu! O Lord of
lords, Nārāyaṇa! You desire to fight, but we cannot see anyone strong enough to fight with
You. Though we are strong, we are not averse to you. Somehow make us inimical to You and
relish the bliss of fighting. We are unable to bear that Your spontaneous perfection may
diminish even the slightest. Decreasing Your affection for Your devotees, please fulfill the
desire of Your servants.” If somehow based on this incident, the same offensive desire
appears in the mind of a sādhaka, then he should overcome the desire by his intelligence.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation— After attaining the direct service of the Lord, cessation of
aparādhottha-anarthas is absolute. The tendency for committing mahat-aparādha no longer
arises. Citraketu had attained the lotus feet of the Lord; one may ask how the tendency of
committing offense to Mahādeva arose in Citraketu? The author replies that the offense
heard in the case of Citraketu is not real, but apparent. mahat-aparādha either destroys
bhakti or reduces it to a glimpse (ābhāsa) only. Though Citraketu was cursed to get a demon
body, still bhakti was present in an unaltered state. Factually he did not really commit an
offense. There is a logic that a tree can be known by its fruit—phalena phalakāraṇam
anumīyate.
Citraketu’s character is described in the Sixth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavata from the 14th
to the 17th chapter. Citraketu was a king in the province of Śūrasena ruling across the horizon.
In spite of possessing incomparable wealth, he was always distressed because he had no son.
He married ten million wives, but still he did not get any child. Once Maharṣi Angirā chanced to
visit his palace and Citraketu expressed his distress and prayed for a son. On the prayer of the
king, Angirā made a special sacrifice by offering oblations and gave the remnants of the sacrifice
to queen Kṛtadyutī. The muni assured the king that he would get a son who would give him
pleasure and distress. After eating the remnants of the sacrifice, Kṛtadyutī became pregnant.
Consequently she delivered a beautiful child who started growing like the moonlight. On
receiving the son, Citraketu naturally became attached to queen Kṛtadyuti, the mother. Seeing
this, the other queens became envious of Kṛtadyutī. To destroy the fortune of Kṛtadyutī, the
other queens lost their patience and killed her son by poisoning him. On the sudden death of
his son, the king fell into an ocean of distress along with his queen. The queens who killed their
son started falsely crying, even louder than queen Kṛtadyutī. Evil-hearted persons are very
clever in such deceitful acts. While the palace was filled with sounds of lamentation, Maharṣi
Angirā again came along with Nārada Muni. Nārada made the dead son speak and thus gave
knowledge of the Truth to the king. The king was finally convinced and he gave up all
attachment, becoming qualified for bhakti. By the mercy of the two ṛṣis, he quickly attained
perfection in devotion and attained the body of a Gandharva, a celestial musician. He became
successful in getting the direct darśana of Lord Saṅkarṣaṇa.
Once Śrīman Mahādeva was sitting with Gaurī-devī on his left lap while instructing an
assembly of munis. Meanwhile, Citraketu Gandharva came there and remarked, "Aho!
Mahādeva is the teacher of religion for the world. He is a great soul! He is giving instructions
on the Absolute Truth to the munis with his consort, Pārvatī, on his lap.” Hearing his words,
Mahādeva smiled slightly and remained quiet. The munis also remained quiet on seeing the
silence of Mahādeva. Being unable to bear Citraketu’s disregard for Mahādeva, however,
Pārvatī lost her patience and angrily cursed Citraketu to become a demon. The exalted devotee
Citraketu submissively accepted the curse of Devī with pleasure, glorifying and pleasing
Mahādeva and Gaurī as he left. Śiva was unhappy with Devī’s curse to Citraketu. He openly
praised Citraketu’s devotion and patience as an exalted devotee. It is evident from this incident
that the behaviour of Citraketu is only apparently offensive.
As a result of Devī's curse he was born as the demon named Vṛtrāsura. Still an
uninterrupted flow of pure devotion existed in his heart like a stream of the celestial Gaṅgā.
Once Indra, on the instruction of the Lord, made a thunderbolt from the chest bones of
Dadhīci Muni and came in front of Vṛtrāsura to kill him. The words that Citraketu spoke to
Indra and the way he glorified the Lord gives a glimpse of the unalloyed prema existing in
Citraketu’s heart. One can easily understand this from Citraketu’s prayers in the following
verses of Śrīmad-Bhāgavata (6.11.24-27):
ahaṁ hare tava pādaika mūlā dāsānudāso bhavitāsmi bhūyah

manaḥ smaretāsu-pater-guṇāṁs te gṛṇītā vāk karma karetu kāyaḥ
na nākapṛṣṭhaṁ na ca pārameṣṭhyaṁ na sārvabhaumaṁ na rasādhipatyam
na yoga siddhir apunar-bhavaṁ vā samañjasa tvā virahayya kāṅkṣe
ajāta-pakṣā iva mātaraṁ khagāh stanyaṁ yathā vatsatarāh kṣudhārtāḥ
priyaṁ priyeva vyuṣitaṁ visaṇṇā mano'ravindākṣa didṛkṣate tvām
mamottamaśloka-janeṣu sakhyaṁ saṁsāra cakre bhramataḥ sva-karmabhiḥ
tvan-māyayātmātmaja-dāra-geheṣvāsakta-cittasya na nātha bhūyāt
“O Hari! I am the servant of the servants of Your lotus feet and will remain so in future.
O beloved! May my mind remember You, my words glorify You, and my body be engaged in
Your service. O ocean of all good fortune! Other than You, I do not desire heavenly planets,
Brahmā’s position, supreme rule over the earthly or lower planets, perfection in mystic yoga,
liberation, and so on. O lotus-eyed Lord! As baby birds without developed wings look for their
mother to feed them, hungry calves await the milk of their mother, a distressed wife whose
husband is afar desires to see his return, similarly my mind also desires Your darśana. O Prabhu!
I am wandering with in the cycle of birth and death due to my past activities. Please let me
establish friendship with Your devotees so that I may not be again attached to body, children,
wife and house anymore due to Your māyā.” Quoting these four verses in Prīti-sandarbha (72),
Jīva Gosvāmī concludes that tad etacchuddha premodgāramayatvenaiva śrīmad
vṛtravadho'sau vilakṣaṇatvācchrī bhāgavallakṣaṇeṣu purāṇāntareṣu gaṇyate vṛtrāsura
vadhopetaṁ tad bhāgavatam iṣyate iti - when divine love swelled up in Vṛtrāsura’s heart, these
prayers came spontaneously from his mouth. The killing of Vṛtrāsura is thus a special incident
in Śrīmad-Bhāgavata. Other Purāṇas cited this as one of the specific characteristics of Śrīmad-
Bhāgavata. Matsya Purāṇa says that the book describing the killing of Vṛtrāsura is known as
Śrīmad-Bhāgavata.
Similarly the third canto, chapter fifteen of the Bhāgavata describes how the four
Kumāras headed by Sanaka Muni cursed Jaya and Vijaya, the residents of Vaikuṇṭha. With Jaya
and Vijaya, though their behaviour towards the four Kumāras also appears like a mahad-
aparādha, its real cause is their specific desire arising out of prema.
Jaya and Vijaya were Vaikuṇṭha's gatekeepers. They used to think, “Everyone gives
pleasure to the master of Vaikuṇṭha by serving Him, but nobody desires to make Him relish
yuddha-rasa, the mellow of fighting. Being an unlimited ocean of energies, there is nobody
equal to Him who can fight with Him. Though we possess enough strength, we are not inimical
to Him. Thus He cannot relish yuddha-rasa with us. Without being inimical there is no way of
His relishing yuddha-rasa.” Hence they prayed to Nārāyaṇa, “O Prabhu Nārāyaṇa! Our sole
desire is to make You relish yuddha-rasa. We cannot tolerate even the slightest lack in Your
self-perfection. All the devotees serve You in a favourable mood; no one thinks of making You
relish the flavours of combat. Thus we pray that You mercifully give us an inimical mood, relish
yuddha-rasa, and make us successful in this act.” Being the wish-yielding tree of His devotees,
Lord Nārāyaṇa decided to fulfill this desire of Jaya and Vijaya. By His inspiration the four
Kumāras went to Vaikuṇṭha, Jaya and Vijaya obstructed the four Kumāra-munis from entering
Vaikuṇṭha-loka and thus were cursed. Accepting the bodies of demons, they became successful
in making Nārāyaṇa relish yuddha-rasa.
If somehow the tendency of Citraketu or Jaya-Vijaya arises in the heart of a devotee,

then he should overcome this offensive mentality by his own intelligence. In the other words,
the activities of associates beyond this material nature are never to be imitated by a sādhaka
devotee.
tathā duṣkṛtotthānāṁ bhajana kriyānantaram eva prāyikī niṣṭhāyāṁ jātāyāṁ pūrṇā

āsaktāvatyantikī. tathā bhaktyutthānāṁ bhajana kriyānantaram eka deśa vartinī niṣṭhāyāṁ
pūrṇā rucāvātyantikīti anubhavinā bahudṛśvanā samyag vivicyānumantavyam.
TRANSLATION: Cessation of duṣkṛtottha-anarthas is almost complete after bhajana-

kriyā, is complete at the appearance of niṣṭhā, and is absolute at the appearance of āsakti.
Cessation of bhaktyuttha-anarthas is partial in bhajana-kriyā, complete at the stage of niṣṭhā,
and absolute at the stage of ruci. Realized mahājanas have ascertained this principle by
thoroughly deliberating all facts.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation: There are five stages of anartha nivṛtti under discussion, and
after discussion about the cessation of the worst of all anarthas, those that arise from offenses,
we now come to the cessation of the anarthas caused by sinful habits. This means that anarthas
like attachment to sense gratification, repulsion, and fear of death are almost completely
(prāyikī) eradicated after bhajana kriyā. When niṣṭhā awakens these are fully eradicated
(pūrṇā). At the stage of āsakti, the absolute cessation of duṣkṛtottha-anartha means there is no
possibility of the reappearance of this anartha at this stage. The author has not separately
mentioned the cessation of anarthas arising out of pious activities. Being engrossed in the five
types of ignorance is very miserable and these are anarthas arising from sinful habits, while
being engrossed in sensual enjoyment is an anartha arising from pious habits. At the stage of
attachment to Hari, there is no possibility of absorption in sense enjoyment and material
distress. The gradual cessation of sukṛtottha-anartha should also be considered similar to
cessation of duṣkṛtottha-anarthas.
Now the gradual cessation of anarthas arising from devotion, such as desires for profit,
adoration and distinction are discussed. In the stage of bhajana kriyā this is only slightly
overcome, for it is actually arising from bhajana kriyā itself. When niṣṭhā arises the cessation is
pūrṇā (almost full) and when taste arises it is fully destroyed. In other words, after attaining
taste in devotion, the desire for material gain, respect, and fame automatically gets destroyed.
Broad-minded and realised saints have declared accordingly after due consideration.
The meaning of this is that after one starts devotion (bhajana-kriyā) and attains
steadyness in it, then gradually all kinds of anarthas are destroyed. When bhajana slackens the
anarthas become stronger and ultimately swallow the desire to do bhajana. Thus the gradual
cessation of anarthas through bhajana kriyā has been described. Without engagement in
bhajana it is not possible to wipe out anarthas, therefore a sādhaka devotee should make
efforts so that he may do devotion perfectly.
nanu aṁhaḥ saṁharad akhilaṁ sakṛd udayād eveti yannāma sakṛcchravaṇāt

pukkaśo'pi vimucyate saṁsārāt ityādi pramāṇa śatād ajāmilādyupākhyāneṣvekasyaiva
nāmābhāsasyāvidyā paryanta sarvānartha nivṛtti pūrvaka bhagavat prāpakatvānubhavād
bhagavad bhaktānāṁ duritādi nivṛttāvuktaḥ kramo na saṅgacchate. satyam. nāmnā
etāvatyeva śakti nātra sandehaḥ. parantu sāparādhiṣvaprasannena tena yat sva śaktiḥ samyak
na prakāśyate tad eva duṣṭatādīnāṁ jīvātur ityavagantavyam. kintu yamadūtānāṁ
tadākramaṇe na śaktiḥ. 'na te yamaṁ pāśabhṛtaś ca tad bhaṭān svapne'pi paśyantītyādeḥ' 'na
vidyate tasya yamair hi śuddhir ityatra yamair yogāṅgair iti vyākhyeyam.
TRANSLATION: śāstras say, “If the sun of the holy name arises even once, it destroys
heaps of sins as the rising sun destroys oceans of darkness.” “A caṇḍāla can obtain liberation
from material bondage by even once hearing Your name.” From this śāstric evidence and the
incident of Ajāmila, someone may say that even the glimpse (abhāsa) of the name destroys
all anarthas along with ignorance and one attains the Lord directly. With the Lord’s devotee,
therefore, the gradual cessation of anarthas explained previously does not apply. It is true
that the holy name undoubtedly possesses such power. However, if the holy name being
displeased with offenders, does not manifest its power, this suggests the existence of
anarthas and sins. But the yamadūtas, the messengers of Yamarāja, are powerless to attack
even such offenders, for the śāstras say, “Such offenders do not see Yama's noose-bearing
servants even in dream.” In the scriptural statement '(an offender to the holy name) cannot
be saved even by yamas', yama refers to that item of mystic yoga, but not to Yamarāja.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation— Here the author harmonises the five stages of cessation of
anarthas with the glories of the holy name, using different scriptural quotations. In Śrī
Padyāvalī grantha it is said—
aṁhaḥ saṁharad akhilaṁ sakṛd udayād eva sakala lokasya

taraṇir iva timira jaladhiṁ jayati jagan maṅgalaṁ harer nāma
"As the rising sun destroys the ocean of darkness of the entire world, similarly, on the
appearance of hari-nāma, all sins are destroyed. All glories to Śrī hari-nāma, who fosters all
auspiciousness.” Śrīmad-Bhāgavata (6.16.44) describes Citraketu speaking the glories of
Anantadeva:
na hi bhagavann aghaṭitam idaṁ tvad darśanān nṛṇām akhila pāpa kṣayaḥ

yan nāmāsakṛcchravaṇāt pukkaśo'pi vimucyate saṁsārāt
"O Lord! What to speak of Your darśana, even by hearing your name just once, the most
degraded caṇḍāla gets liberation from all sins.” In this way there are hundreds of authoritative
scriptural statements plus the story of Ajāmila in Śrīmad Bhāgavata, affirming that even a
glimpse of the holy name destroys sins along with ignorance, the root cause of all sinful desires.
Gradually all anarthas are destroyed and one attains the lotus feet of the Lord. After Ajāmila
merely uttered the name of Nārāyaṇa, calling his son instead of Lord Nārāyaṇa, the servants of
Viṣṇu came, untied the knots made by the Yamadūtas, and he achieved Vaikuṇṭha. One may
then ask how can the gradual cessation of anarthas (eka deśa vartinī, bahu deśa vartinī, prāyikī.
pūrṇā etc.) applies to faithful devotees who are chanting the holy name, having been initiated
by a bona fide guru according to the scriptural rites. The author replies that the glorifications
of the holy name found in the śāstras are all true. śāstras are only able to limitedly glorify the
infinite power of the holy name. One should thus not doubt those śāstric words. If one does so,
it will make one guilty of the offense of either considering the glories of the holy name
exaggerated or interpreting the meaning of the holy name in a deviant way. These two grave
offenses heavily obstruct a devotee’s devotion and impede Vaiṣṇava behaviour. The author
explains in his Sārārtha Darśinī-commentary of the Bhāgavata (6.2.9-10) niraparādhānāntu
bhagavat prāptau nāsti vilambas teṣāṁ hi bhagavannāma grahaṇaṁ vaikuṇṭhārohaṇaṁ ceti
dve eva bhūmike-yathā ajāmilādinām - that there is no delay for attaining Vaikuṇṭha for the
offenseless devotees. Offenseless persons do not have to go through the stages of śraddhā,
sādhu-saṅga, bhajana-kriyā, and others. They only have to go through two steps: the first is
chanting the holy name and the second is ascending to Vaikuṇṭha. The example is Ajāmila. He
committed many sins, but he was not an offender. Ajāmila was illicitly addicted to a low-born
maidservant and his sons, but he never offended any sādhu. In his offenseless heart there was
no obstruction for the holy name to manifest itself. On the other hand, however, it did not
manifest his power on the offenders due to his displeasure with them. Where the holy name
does not manifest its power, one should not doubt its glories. The failure to manifest its power
shows the presence of sins and offences in a sādhaka devotee.
Though the holy name is displeased with an offender and does not manifest his
power, the messengers of Yama still have no right to attack him. Bhāgavata (6.1.19) says:
sakṛn manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor niveśitaṁ tad-guṇa-rāgi yair iha

na te yamaṁ pāśa-bhṛtaś ca tad-bhaṭān svapne ’pi paśyanti hi cīrṇa-niṣkṛtāḥ
“Persons who have even once absorbed their mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa and have
a slight attachment to His qualities (although not having full realization of Kṛṣṇa: Śrīdhara Svāmī
and Jīva Gosvāmī) have automatically done the real process of atonement of all sins. Thus even
in dreams, they do not see Yamarāja and his messengers carrying ropes to catch sinful persons.”
What to speak of seeing Yama and his servants in dreams, they never even undergo punishment
in hell. In his Sārārtha Darśinī commentary on the Bhāgavata (6.2.9-10) the author writes: kiṁ
ca sāparādhānāṁ madhye yadi kecid bhajanābhyāsābhāvād akṣīṇa prācīna pāpāḥ kriyamāṇa
pāpa nāmāparādhāś ca syus tad api tair deha-tyāgānantaraṁ narakeṣu na gantavyam 'sva
puruṣam abhivīkṣya pāśa hastaṁ vadati yamaḥ kila tasya karṇamūle. parihara madhusūdana
prapannān prabhur aham anya nṛṇāṁ na vaiṣṇavānām iti, that if due to the lack of devotional
practices, evil saṁskāras still exist in an offender causing him to further commit sins, then those
sins turn into nāma-aparādha. Still, such persons do not have to go to hellish planets after
death. Yamarāja personally instructed his rope-carrying messengers, “Give up the persons
surrendered to the lotus feet of Lord Madhusūdana. We have the right to punish only ordinary
human beings, but not the Vaiṣṇavas."
The author is saying that the verse, nāmno balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhir na vidyate tasya
yamair hi śuddhiḥ says that committing sins on the strength of the holy name is offensive and
even Yama cannot purify such offenders. This verse seems to say that the offenders have to
undergo the punishments of Yama. Why then does Bhāgavata (6.1.19) say that the offenders
do not have to undergo such punishments? The author replies that the word yama in the verse,
nāmno balād yasya, means an item of mystic yoga, but not Yamarāja. In other words, even by
following mystic yoga-items like yama or niyama as a process of atonement, the offender
cannot be purified. Offense to the holy name is destroyed only when the name itself becomes
pleased with the offender. This statement does not apply to Yama Mahārāja.
yathā samarthena paramāḍhyenāpi svāminā kṛtāparādhaḥ svajano yadi na pālyate

kintu tatrodāsyate tadaiva duḥkha dāridrya mālinya śokādayah krameṇa labdhāvasarā
bhavanti na tvanyadīyā janāḥ ke'pi kadāpīti jñeyam. tathāca punaḥ sva svāmino
manobhirocinyām anuvṛttau satyāṁ śanais tat prasādād duḥkha dāridryādayaḥ śanair
apayānti. tathā bhagavad bhakta śāstra guru prabhṛtibhir amāyayā muhuḥ sevitaiḥ śanair eva
tasya nāmnaḥ prasāde duritādīnām api śanair eva nāśaḥ iti nāsti vivādaḥ. na ca mama ko'pi
nāsti nāmāparādha iti vaktavyaṁ phalenaiva phalakāraṇasyāparādhasya prācīnasyāvācīnasya
vā anumānāt. phalaṁ ca bahu nāma kīrtane'pi prema liṅgānudaya iti. yad uktam (bhāg. 2.3.24)
tad aśma sāraṁ hṛdayaṁ batedaṁ yad gṛhyamāṇair harināma dheyaiḥ; na vikriyetātha yadā
vikāro netre jalaṁ gātra-ruheṣu harṣaḥ
TRANSLATION: If a wealthy master capable of punishment and grace does not take
proper care of a servant who offends him, but rather neglects that servant, then his servant
has to suffer distress, poverty, and sadness. No one ever takes care of a person unrelated to
him. If an offensive servant again serves his master according to the master’s liking, then by
his master’s mercy distress and poverty gradually go away. Similarly, by sincerely serving the
devotee, śāstra, and guru, by their mercy anarthas or sins are gradually destroyed. There
should thus be no conflict about this statement. If someone says, “I am offenseless. I have
never committed any offense.” Then the answer is, “A tree can be known by its fruits.” If by
repeated chanting, the symptoms of prema do not appear, then one should presume the
existence of offenses committed recently or long before. śāstras say, “Even by repeated
chanting, if tears of prema do not flow from the eyes, the hairs of the body do not stand erect,
and the heart does not melt, then certainly one’s heart is made of iron.”
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation: We have already mentioned that when satisfaction or rādha
is removed (apa) then this is called aparādha. When the holy name is dissatisfied with an
offender, he does not get the result of chanting. The author is describing this point by citing an
example of a most wealthy person who ignores his offensive servants. He is capable of giving
punishment and grace and constantly takes care of those who have taken his shelter. But if one
of his own people offends him, he becomes displeased. He then ignores the offender and does
not maintain him anymore. Then the offender has to go through distress, poverty, and other
miseries. Seeing his miserable condition, one should not think that the master is not capable of
maintaining his servant. Though perfectly capable, the wealthy master does not want to take
care of his servant due to dissatisfaction. Still the servant is maintainable by his master, because
he is related to him. A master does not maintain anybody except his servant. If the servant thus
committing offense understands his offense and tries to please his master by serving him
favourably once again, then automatically the merciful master becomes satisfied with him and
his miseries are destroyed.
Similarly, the all-powerful harināma always maintains the devotees who have taken
shelter of bhakti and bestows divine love on them. This does not mean that the holy name has
no power to bestow divine love to offenders. If someone commits offense to the holy name,
then the holy name becomes displeased with the offender. The holy name does not maintain
the offender and the offender does not get the fruits of devotion. It is not that harināma is not
able to bestow the fruits of bhajana. Though the offender does not get the fruits of devotion,
still the offender is worthy to be maintained by nāma only. The holy name never maintains or
graces nondevotees. If a devotee committing offense comes to know his errors and constantly
serves bhakti, śāstras and guru that he may have offended, with a sincere heart, then nāma
gradually becomes pleased with him. When the holy name is satisfied all anarthas and miseries
are destroyed and a devotee becomes successful in getting divine prema. It is not possible to
differ in opinion on this. As Viśvanātha Cakravartī describes in the commentary of Bhāgavata
(6.2.9-10), sādhu saṅga vaśāt sarva nāmāparādha kṣayetu bhakti devī samyak prasādena
nāmaphala prāptir eva nirvivāda - "On the strength of association with the saints all
nāmāparādhas are destroyed and the full mercy of Bhakti devī is attained. As a result of the
chanting of the holy name prema is attained, no one disagrees with that."
If someone thinks, ‘Since I am offenseless, why am I not getting the fruits of the holy
name?’ Then the answer is that a tree is known by its fruits. Except aparādha, there is no other
obstacle so powerful that it can obstruct receiving the fruits of prema in spite of constant
chanting. When one does not experience the fruit of prema there is no doubt about the
existence of aparādha. Though one may have not intentionally committed any offense, there
must be some unknown aparādha committed in the past by which the nāma has become
displeased with the sādhaka devotee. Here 'a lack of experience of the fruits of chanting the
holy name' means that the signs of prema or the eight sāttvika ecstatic symptoms do not arise,
despite doing a lot of nāma kīrtana. Śrīmad-Bhāgavata says (2.3.24):
tad aśmasāraṁ hṛdayaṁ batedaṁ yad gṛhyamāṇair harināma dheyaiḥ

na vikriyetātha yadā vikāro netre jalaṁ gātraruheṣu harṣaḥ
"If even by chanting the holy name many times, tears do not come in the eyes, hairs do
not stand on end, the heart remains unchanged, and the symptoms of ecstatic emotion do not
appear, then one’s heart is as hard as iron.” The author describes this verse in the Sarārtha-
darśinī commentary: "Even though one may repeatedly chant the holy name, devotional
transformations may not take place within the heart, which means that the heart is then as
hard as iron. In other words, when devotional transformations like tears and goosebumps do
not appear and the heart does not melt despite repeated chanting, it must be a symptom of
nāmāparādha. However, the mere presence of tears and goosebumps is not necessarily a sign
of a molten heart. In the Bhakti Rasāmṛta Sindhu it is written that persons who are naturally
slimy (sentimental) can practise produce tears and goosebumps. Such persons do not even
have sattvābhāsa, a glimpse of ecstatic emotions, though the outer symptoms may be there.
On the other hand, the gravest mahats do not generally reveal the symptoms of ecstasy like
tears and goosebumps, though their hearts melt by chanting the holy name. Therefore this
verse should be explained as follows: When ecstatic symptoms such as tears, hair standing
erect, trembling, and others are seen externally, but the heart does not melt due to the lack of
internal transformation, then such a heart is hard like iron. When the heart melts due to bhakti,
tears appear in the eyes, bodily hairs stand erect, and other ecstatic symptoms appear, then
that is known as the state of sattvika-vikāra, or ecstatic symptoms. The special symptoms of the
transformation of the heart are: forgiveness, constant engagement in bhakti, detachment,
absence of pride, hope, eagerness, constant taste in chanting the holy name, attachment to
describing the qualities of the Lord, and affection for residence in sacred places like Śrī
Vṛndāvana. Offenseless devotees will realize the effect of nāma as soon as they chant it. They
are absorbed in relishing the holy name and as a result of their change of heart the external
symptoms like tears and goosebumps become visible. Those who are offensive and envious
may chant the holy name many times but their hearts will not melt because the holy name is
not pleased with them. Even if ecstatic symptoms like tears and goosebumps are externally
visible with them they are condemned in this verse as having hard hearts. By the association of
sādhus and by the effect of constant chanting, offenders can also gradually get rid of the
hardness of the heart and their hearts start melting.
tathāhi nāmāparādha prasaṅga eva (bh.r.si:) ke te'parādhā viprendra nāmno

bhagavataḥ kṛtāḥ. vinighnanti nṛṇāṁ kṛtyaṁ prākṛtaṁ hyānayanti hi. iti.
tadīya guṇa nāmādīni sadyaḥ prema pradānyapi śrutāni kīrtitāni ca tat tīrthādikaṁ
sadyaḥ siddhidam api cirāt sevitaṁ tanniveditāni ghṛta dugdha tāmbūlādīni sadyaḥ sarvendriya
taraṅga nivartakāni muhur āsvādya upayuktānyeva svataḥ parama cinmayānyapetāni yasmāt
prākṛtānīva bhavanti te'parādhāḥ ke bhagavannāmna iti sotkampa savismayaḥ praśnaḥ.

nanvevaṁ sati nāmāparādhato janasya bhagavad vaimukhyasyaivaucityāt tad uktaṁ
gurupādāśraya bhajana kriyādikam api na sambhavet. satyam. pravartamāne mahājvara iva
odanāder arocakatvād evānupādānām iva nāmāparādhasya gāḍhatve sati tatra puṁsi śravaṇa
kīrtanādi bhajana kriyāyā avakāśa eva na syād ityatra kaḥ sandehaḥ. kintu jvarasya mṛdutve
cirantanatve odanāder api kiñcid rocakatvam iva. bahudinato bhogenāparādhasya
ksīṇavegatve mṛdutve ca bhagavad bhaktau kincin mātra ruciḥ syād iti puṁsaḥ prasajjati
bhaktyadhikāraḥ tataś ca yathā pauṣṭikānyapi dugdhaudanādīni jīrṇa jvaravantaṁ pumāṁsaṁ
na puṣyanti kincit puṣṇanti ca kintu glānikārśena nivartayituṁ śaknuvanti kālenauṣadha
pathyayoḥ sevitayoḥ śaknuvanti ca. tathaiva tādṛśasya bhaktyadhikāriṇaḥ śravaṇa kīrtanādīni
kālenaiva krameṇaiva sakalaṁ prakāśayantīti sādhūktamādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhusango'tha
bhajana kriyā tato'narthanivṛttiḥ syāt tato niṣṭhetyādi.
TRANSLATION: In relation to nāma-aparādha it is said, “O best of the brāhmaṇas! What

are those aparādhas to the holy name that destroy the good fortune of the offender and give
him a misconception of considering transcendental objects material?” The meaning of this
question is that repeated chanting and hearing of the qualities and names of the Lord should
give prema very quickly. Serving the holy dhāma for a long time should give perfection.
Repeatedly relishing the ghī, milk, betel, and other preparations offered to the Lord should
retard the waves of sense enjoyment. What are the grave offenses that diminish the respective
fruits and make all these spiritual items appear material? This astonishing and unnerving
question is being raised. Does it mean an offender becomes averse to the Lord and bhajana-
kriyā, such as taking shelter at the feet of guru and so on, is impossible for him? It is, indeed,
true. In a heavy fever, one cannot accept food. Similarly, by the presence of heavy nāma-
aparādhas, a person loses taste for hearing, chanting, and other devotional practices. But as
the fever becomes lower and its effects lessen, one again gets some taste for food. Similarly,
after going through the effects of nāma-aparādha for a long time, their effects reduce and one
again gets some taste for devotion. Nourishing food such as milk and grains do not nourish the
person completely, though his fever has reduced. They nourish him slowly and gradually. They
are unable to relieve him from the weakness and fatigue due to fever. In time, however, if
medicines and a proper diet are taken properly, then the fever completely goes away. So too,
in a devotee doing devotion, taste for hearing, chanting, and other devotional practices
gradually arises. Then faith, sādhu-saṅga, bhajana-kriyā, anartha-nivṛtti, niṣṭhā, and so on, all
these stages that were described follow in sequence.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation— Previously it was mentioned that there are only two steps
for offenseless persons to attain the Lord—chanting the holy name and ascending to
Vaikuṇṭha. However, offenseless persons are very rare in this world. Generally everyone is
embodied as a result of past offense. Offenses therefore exist in almost everyone, committed
either previously or recently. Therefore it is proper to mention the nine steps general people
must tread to attain prema, from śraddhā upwards. The blessed author will now make it clear
with examples. He quoted one verse from the scriptures that describe nāmāparādhas-
ke te'parādhā viprendra nāmno bhagavataḥ kṛtāḥ.
vinighnanti nṛṇāṁ kṛtyaṁ prākṛtaṁ hyānayanti hi
"O king of brāhmaṇas! When one offends the holy name of the Lord this destroys all the
virtues of a human being and causes one to see spiritual things in a mundane light. What are
these offenses?" The author then personally explains these verses. In the śāstras it is said, "One
quickly attains prema by hearing and chanting the name, qualities, etc., of the Lord." In the
beginning of the Bhāgavata (1.1.2) it is said: sadyo hṛdy avarudhyate’tra kṛtibhiḥ śuśrūbhis tat-
kṣaṇāt, "Hari quickly gets captured in the heart of a pious person desirous of hearing the
Bhāgavata.” No one can capture the Lord in his heart without prema. Therefore simply by
desiring to hear Śrīmad Bhāgavata, which is filled with the descriptions of Śrī Hari's attributes
and holy names, one can see the promise of arising prema. Similarly the Purāṇas describe the
power of Vṛndāvana Dhāma to give divine love. Padma Purāṇa says: aho madhupurī dhanyā
vaikuṇṭhācca garīyasī; dinam ekaṁ nivāsena harau bhaktih prajāyate "O! Mathūrā is very
fortunate, more so even than Vaikuṇṭha. Residing there for one day gives the devotion of the
Lord." Similarly the glories of prasāda offered to the Deities are also very wonderful. Uddhava
says to Kṛṣṇa: tvayopabhukta-srag-gandha-vāso'laṅkāra-carcitāh ucchiṣṭa-bhojino dāsās tava
māyāṁ jayema hi "Being decorated with the garlands, scent, and other ornaments offered to
You, and by taking Your remnants, we, Your servants, can easily overcome Your māyā." (Śrīmad-
Bhāgavata 11.6.46)
Although hearing and chanting the holy names, attributes etc of the Lord, residing in
the holy dhāma for a long time and constantly honouring the Lord's prasāda are most capable
of bestowing prema, if offenses are committed the anarthas only increase, let alone that one
attains prema. As a result one misunderstands these transcendental objects to be material.
These offenses are such big obstacles to bhajana that one shivers of fright and asks in
astonishment: "What are these offenses?" In other words each sādhaka should know these
offenses very well and proceed on the path of bhajana while carefully avoiding them.
Are the effects of such offenses so terrifying that one wonders if the offender will not
become an enemy of the Lord, and cease to take shelter of the lotus feet of Śrī Guru and engage
in bhajana? This is a natural question, the author thinks. Just as one is unable to eat rice when
one has fever, similarly the offender has no opportunity to engage in the process of hearing
and chanting under the shelter of Śrī Guru's lotus feet. But when the fever diminishes one gets
a little appetite for rice again, similarly after one has suffered the results of offenses for a long
time its effects become less intense and some taste for bhajana reemerges and one can engage
in bhajana under the shelter of Śrī Guru.
When the fever goes down one cannot immediately start with eating heavy food, but
one must start with some light food. Similarly when the force of aparādha slows down one
cannot yet fully experience the holy names and attributes of Śrī Kṛṣṇa at once, only slightly so.
Just as a disease ceases by constantly taking a medicine that stops the fever and the body
becomes strong accordingly, similarly the powerful medicine for destroying aparādha is the
sincere service of the holy name, guru, and Vaiṣṇava. Constantly and sincerely serving them
gradually destroys anarthas and thus nourishes one’s devotion and one can relish the
astonishing mellows of bhajana. Although the glories and holy names of the Lord are able to
bestow prema at once, due to the existence of aparādha the different stages of śraddhā, sādhu-
saṅga, bhajana-kriyā, anartha-nivṛtti and niṣṭhā are duly explained.
kaiścit tu nāmakīrtanādivatāṁ bhaktānāṁ prema liṅgādarśanena pāpa pravṛttyā ca na

kevalam aparādhaḥ kalpyate vyavahārika bahu duḥkha darśanena cāpi prārabdha
nāśābhāvaśca. niraparādhatvena nirdhāritasyājāmilasyāpi sva putra nāmakaraṇa prati dina
bahudhātannāmāhvāna samayeṣvapi premābhāva dāsī saṅgādi pāpa pravṛtti darśanāt
prārabdhābhāve'pi yudhiṣṭhirāder vyavahārika bahu duḥkha darśanācca. tasmāt phalannapi
vṛkṣaḥ prāyaśaḥ kāla eva phalati itivat niraparādheṣu prasīdad api nāma sva prasādaṁ kāla
eva prakāśayet. pūrvābhyasāt kriyamāṇā pāpa rāśir api utkhāta daṁṣṭroraga daṁśa ivākincit
karā eva. roga śokādi duḥkham api na prārabdha phalam. yasyāham anugṛhnāmi hariṣye
taddhanaṁ śanaiḥ; tato'dhanaṁ tyajantyasya svajanā duḥkha duḥkhitam. iti. nirdhanatva

mahārogo mad anugraha lakṣaṇam' ityādi vacanāt. sva bhakta hitakāriṇā tadīya
dainyotkaṇṭhādi vardhana catureṇa bhagavataiva duḥkhasya dīyamānatvāt karma
phalatvābhāvena na prārabdhatvam ityāhuḥ (5)
TRANSLATION: By observing the absence of symptoms of prema in devotees chanting

the holy name and the presence of a tendency to sin, some presume the existence of nāma-
aparādha. Moreover, seeing the material distresses in such devotees, they suppose that there
is a lack of destruction of prārabdha (reactions to activities that have not yet fructified) in the
devotee. Ajāmila was offenseless and he did not manifest any symptom of prema, though he
was daily calling the name of his son named Nārāyaṇa many times. Not only that, he was also
inclined to an illicit relation with the maidservant. Various miseries were seen in Yudhiṣṭhira
and others despite the absence of prārabdha. The conclusion is, therefore, that generally a
fruit tree bears fruit only in the proper season. Thus, though the Holy name is pleased with
an offenseless person, He bestows His mercy only in due course of time. Sins committed by
them due to their previous habits are as insignificant as the bite of a snake without poisonous
fangs. Disease or other distress seen in them is not a result of prārabdha. The Lord himself
has said, “To whom I bestow My mercy, I gradually take away all his wealth. His relatives and
family reject him, seeing him penniless and suffering from distresses one after another.” In
another place the Lord has said, “The great disease of poverty is a symptom of My mercy.”
By His own will, the clever Lord, who gives all auspiciousness to His devotees, gives distress
to His devotees to increase their humility and eagerness. Therefore, because reactions to
fruitive activities are absent in them, the distress seen in the devotees is not the result of
their prārabdha.
Thus ends the Third Shower of Nectar of Mādhurya Kādambinī by Śrīla Viśvanātha
Cakravartīpāda entitled Cessation of All Unfavourable Elements.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation — Previously it has been explained that absence of symptoms
of prema even after repeating nāma-kīrtana is the evidence for the existence of aparādha. The
author says this is not a universal rule. Sometimes, absence of symptoms of prema and
tendency to sins can be seen in an offenseless person. For example, it is seen everywhere that
the chanting of Śrī Ajāmila was offenseless. Otherwise, the fruits of nāmābhāsa through the
calling of his son's name, such as the appearance of the messengers of Viṣṇu and attainment of
Vaikuṇṭha-loka, would have been impossible. Though he used to utter the name Nārāyaṇa
every day, referring to his son, no symptoms of prema were seen in him. Moreover, he was
addicted to an illicit connection with a maidservant. Still he was offenseless, he was simply
habitually involved with the maidservant; this is not a symptom of aparādha. This is proven by
the fact that simply by pronouncing the name of his son 'Nārāyaṇa' at the time of death the
Viṣṇudūtas appeared. Fruit trees give fruit only in the proper season. Similarly, though the holy
name is always pleased with offenseless persons, it gives its fruits in the proper time. It is thus
understood that the sins the offenseless Ajāmila habitually committed were insignificant like
the bites of snakes with poisonless teeth.
Again we see devotees going through disease, distress and poverty, and they may
commit sins even though they have no prārabdha. But were the sufferings Yudhiṣṭhira and
other Pāṇḍavas underwent, like their exile in the forest and their tendency for playing dice,
really the result of their prārabdha? They were the Lord’s associates, so naturally they have no
prārabdha. Even sādhana-bhakti destroys prārabdha, as was described previously. The
Mahājanas say that even liberated souls who experience brahma through jñāna practice,
cannot get free from fruitive reactions without first suffering the results—
yad brahma sākṣāt kṛta niṣṭhayāpi vīnāśamāyāti vinā na bhogaiḥ

apaiti nāma sphuraṇena tatte prārabdha karmeti virauti vedaḥ
(Śrī Rūpa Goswāmī's Nāmāṣṭakam — 4)
With devotees, however, they easily destroy prārabdha by practicing any of the
devotional parts like nāma kīrtana. Kṛṣṇa says to Uddhava: bhaktiḥ punāti manniṣṭhā śva-pākān
api sambhavāt, "Devotion fixed on Me can purify even a dog-eater caṇḍāla from the defect of
caste." (Śrīmad-Bhāgavata 11.14.21) The defect of caste is due to prārabdha. Here, destruction
of the defect of caste means destruction of its cause, prārabdha— kāraṇa nāśe kārya nāśa. This
nyāya says: "When the cause is destroyed the symptoms will be destroyed as well." The
symptom is a low birth and the cause is prārabdha. Thus, when prārabdha is destroyed, caste
is also destroyed. The Purāṇas explain the destruction of mental and physical distress due to
prārabdha by nāma-kīrtana—ādhayo vyādhayo yasya smaraṇān nāma kīrtanāt; tadaiva
vilayaṁ yānti tam anantaṁ namāmyaham. "I pray to Lord Anantadeva, whose remembrance
and the chanting of whose name at once destroy all mental and physical distress." Though a
devotee has no prārabdha, the Lord mercifully gives sorrow, sickness, distress, and pains to
increase the devotee’s humility and eagerness. The Bhāgavata describes how Śrī Kunti-devī
prayed for such troubles. It is easily understood that the treasure of prema is hidden within
these calamities.
The Lord has said Himself "I remove the wealth of whomever I bestow My grace upon;
then, when he has lost his wealth, his relatives abandon him, considering him miserable. In this
way such an orphaned person can take shelter of Me in all respects." The Lord also said: "The
great disease of poverty is a symptom of My grace." Thus for the welfare of the devotee, the
Lord gives distress and pain according to His wish. Due to the lack of prārabdha in the devotee,
however, prārabdha is never the cause of this distress.
Thus ends the Pīyūṣa kaṇa-commentary on the third shower of nectar of Śrī
Viśvanātha Cakravartīpāda's Mādhurya Kādambinī.
Fourth Shower of Nectar
atha pūrvaṁ yā aniṣṭhitā niṣṭhiteti dvividhoktā bhajana kriyā tasyāḥ prathamā ṣaḍ
vidhā lakṣitā. tato dvitīyām alakṣayitvevānartha nivṛttiḥ prakrāntā. yad uktam— śṛṇvatāṁ
svakathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya śravaṇa kīrtanaḥ; hṛdyantaḥ stho hyabhadrāṇi vidhunoti suhṛt satām.
naṣṭa prāyeṣvabhadreṣu nityaṁ bhāgavata sevayā; bhagavatyuttamaśloke bhaktir bhavati
naiṣṭhikī iti
tatra śṛṇvatāṁ svakathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya śravaṇa kīrtanaḥ ityādi niṣṭhitaiva bhaktir
avagamyate naiṣṭhikītyagre vakṣyamāṇatvāt. abhadrāṇi vidhunoti iti tayor madhye
evānarthānāṁ nivṛttir uktā. naṣṭaprāyeṣvabhadreṣvityatra teṣāṁ kaścana bhāgo nāpi
nivartata ityapi sūcita iti. ataeva kramaprāptatayā niṣṭhitā bhaktir idānīṁ vivriyate.
TRANSLATION: Previously two kinds of bhajana-kriyā were mentioned, aniṣṭhitā and

niṣṭhitā. aniṣṭhitā-bhajana-kriyā was described in six divisions. Without describing the
characteristics of niṣṭhitā-bhajana-kriyā, cessation of anarthas was described. This is because

Śrīmad-Bhāgavata (1.2.17-18) says "Hearing and chanting of the glories of Kṛṣṇa give all
auspiciousness. Śrī Kṛṣṇa is affectionate to the sādhus and by entering into the heart of those
who hear His glories, He destroys all kinds of inauspiciousness. By constantly serving Śrīmad-
Bhāgavata and the devotees (grantha-bhāgavata and bhakta-bhāgavata), inauspiciousness is
almost destroyed and one attains steadiness in devotion to the Supreme Lord, Uttamaśloka."
The first line of the first verse describes aniṣṭhitā-bhajana-kriyā. After that niṣṭhitā-bhajana-
kriyā is described. In the two ślokas, destruction of inauspiciousness refers to the destruction
of anarthas in the two kinds of bhajana-kriyā. ‘Inauspiciousness is almost destroyed’ means that
some portion of anarthas is still left. According to the sequence of these verses, therefore,
niṣṭhitā-bhakti is now being described.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation— The blessed author has previously described faith, company
with the saints, aniṣṭhitā bhajana kriyā and anartha nivṛtti. Now, in this fourth shower of
nectar, he describes the stage of niṣṭhā. Previously it was said that there are two kinds of
bhajana kriyā— aniṣṭhitā and niṣṭhitā. It is proper to describe these two phases gradually.
However, six conditions like utsāhamayī were described in the stage of aniṣṭhita bhajana
kriyā. niṣṭhitā bhajana kriyā was not described but anartha nivṛtti was described. Some may
think that perhaps the author has broken the sequence of his narration? Hence it is said that
in Śrīmad Bhāgavata (1.2.17-18) niṣṭhā is described after anartha nivṛtti—
śṛṇvatāṁ svakathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya śravaṇa kīrtanaḥ

hṛdyantaḥ stho hyabhadrāṇi vidhunoti suhṛt satām
naṣṭa prāyeṣvabhadreṣu nityaṁ bhāgavata sevayā
bhagavatyuttamaśloke bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī iti
"Hearing and chanting of the glories of Kṛṣṇa give all auspiciousness. Śrī Kṛṣṇa is
affectionate to the sādhus and by entering into the heart of those who hear His glories, He
destroys all kinds of inauspiciousness. By constantly serving Śrīmad-Bhāgavata and the
devotees (grantha-bhāgavata and bhakta-bhāgavata), inauspiciousness is almost destroyed
and one attains steadiness in devotion to the Supreme Lord, Uttamaśloka."
In the beginning of these two verses it is said śṛṇvatāṁ svakathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya śravaṇa
kīrtanaḥ - 'Śrī Kṛṣṇa hears the hearing and chanting of His glories." This indicates aniṣṭhitā
bhajana kriyā, for after this it is said: hṛdyantaḥstho hyabhadrāṇi vidhunoti "It enters the heart
and destroys all inauspiciousness." This describes anartha nivṛtti. This means that after bhajana
kriyā the stage of anartha nivṛtti is attained. In the first half of the second verse naṣṭa
prāyeṣvabhadreṣu nityaṁ bhāgavata sevayā, through constant service of the bhāgavata
devotees and/or book all inauspiciousness or all anarthas are destroyed. From this can be
understood that even after anartha-nivṛtti a strong portion of anartha remains. The description
of the gradual cessation of anarthas in the five stages eka deśa vartinī, bahu deśa vartinī, prāyikī,
pūrṇā and ātyantikī is therefore quite proper. This verse from Śrīmad Bhāgavata hints that
anarthas caused by offenses may remain even up to the point of rati to some extent. The course
of advancement that is described by Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī in his verses ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu
saṅgo'tha bhajana kriyā tato'nartha nivṛttiḥ syāt mentions bhajana-kriyā, which refers to
aniṣṭhitā-bhajana-kriyā. Here also niṣṭhā has been described after anartha nivṛtti. Therefore it
is proper that the stage of niṣṭhitā bhajana kriyā is described after anartha nivṛtti. Now there
will be an elaboration on niṣṭhitā bhajana kriyā.
niṣṭhā naiścalyam utpannā yasyā iti niṣṭhitā. naiścalyaṁ bhakteḥ pratyahaṁ vidhitsitam
apyanartha daśāyāṁ laya vikṣepāpratipatti kasāya rasāsvādānāṁ pañcānām antariyāṇāṁ
durvāratvān na siddham āsīt. anartha nivṛttyanantaraṁ teṣāṁ tadīyānāṁ nivṛtta prāyatvāt
naiścalyaṁ sampadyate iti layādyabhāva eva niṣṭhāliṅgam. tatra layaḥ kīrtana śravaṇa
smaraṇeṣu uttareṣvādhikyena nidrodgamaḥ. vikṣepaḥ teṣu vyavahārika vārtā samparkaḥ.
apratipattiḥ kadācillaya vikṣepayor abhāve kīrtanādyasāmarthyam. kaṣāyaḥ krodha lobha
garvādi saṁskāraḥ. rasāsvādaḥ viṣaya sukhodaya kāle kīrtanādiṣu mano'nabhiniveśa iti. 'bhaktir
bhavati naiṣṭhikī. tadā rajas tamo bhāvāḥ kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye. ceta etair anāviddhaṁ
sthitaṁ sattve prasīdati' ityatra cakārasya samuccayārthatvād rajas tamo bhāvā eva labhyante.
kiṁ ca etair anāviddham ityukte bhāva paryantaṁ teṣāṁ sthitir apyasti bhaktyavādhakatayaiva.
TRANSLATION: niṣṭhā means that which gives rise to steadiness. Due to the presence of
grave obstacles such as laya, vikṣepa, apratipatti, kaṣāya, and rasāsvāda, which are very difficult
to overcome, one cannot attain steadiness in devotion even after daily efforts. After anartha-
nivṛtti, these obstacles are almost destroyed and steadiness appears in bhakti. Thus the lack of
these obstacles is the symptom of niṣṭhā. laya means the increasing tendency to sleep during
chanting, hearing, and remembering. vikṣepa means the touch of material talks while chanting,
hearing, and remembering. apratipatti means the inability to do devotional parts even in the
absence of laya and vikṣepa. kaṣāya means the appearance of old habits like anger, greed and
pride during chanting, hearing, and remembering. rasāsvāda means the non-absorption of
one’s mind in chanting, hearing and so, due to attainment of sensual pleasure. At the
appearance of steadiness in devotion, the heart is not influenced by rajoguṇa and tamoguṇa,
lust and greed, etc. The heart becomes happy and is established in viśuddha-sattva (pure
goodness). In this verse ca refers to the existence of rajoguṇa and tamoguṇa. Though they exist
up to the bhāva stage, they do not create obstacles on the path of devotion, but exist in an
ineffective state.
Pīyūṣa kanā explanation: Here the definition is given of the stage of niṣṭhā. This type of
steadiness is also called niṣṭhitā bhajana kriyā. Even though the sādhaka tries to bring
steadiness to his bhajana, in the stage of anartha he does not succeed, because the five
obstacles laya, vikṣepa, apratipatti, kaṣāya and rasāsvāda are in the heart. This is why
steadiness cannot appear in the heart. These are the five types of obstacles that obstruct
devotion:
(1) laya is the tendency to fall asleep while chanting, hearing, and remembering. One is
more likely to fall asleep while hearing than while chanting and again more while remembering
than while hearing. It arises from tamoguṇa and deprives a sādhaka of relishing the devotional
mellows. Lack of taste for the name, qualities, pastimes, and so on of the Lord is the main cause
of this anartha.
(2) vikṣepa is the touch of material talks while chanting, hearing and remembering.
While chanting the rounds, gossiping with people deviates the naturally flickering mind, which
thus gets absorbed in material talks. The sādhaka aims only at finishing his rounds, not at
relishing the nectar of the holy name. Gossiping at the beginning and end of the Bhāgavata-
class is one symptom of this obstacle. Due to the existence of this anartha, the mind of a
sādhaka deviates also during the remembrance of the Lord’s form, qualities, pastimes, and so
forth. This is an effect of rajoguṇa.
(3) apratipatti means that even in the absence of laya and vikṣepa sometimes a sādhaka
is unable to hear, chant and do other devotional practices. Lack of enthusiasm creates laziness
in him. Enthusiasm is the life of śraddhā. apratipatti arises from tamoguṇa.
(4) kaṣāya means the appearance of old habits such as anger, greed and pride while
hearing, chanting and remembering. Due to the existence of this anartha, anger without
significant cause, greed (for money or eating sweet dishes) and pride (in one's bodily status of
I and mine) arise in the heart.
(5) rasāsvāda means non-absorption of one’s mind in chanting and other devotional
practices while getting pleasure in sense enjoyment. One is unable to absorb one’s mind in
devotion while it is engrossed in sense enjoyment. kaṣāya and rasāsvāda are the effects of
rajoguṇa.
The author writes that even after anartha nivṛtti there is tamoguṇa and rajoguṇa in the
sādhaka, but while in the stage of anartha the five kinds of obstacles which were discussed are
obstructing bhajana, in the stage of niṣṭhā they leave bhajana unobstructed. In the beginning
of this shower of nectar two verses from Śrīmad Bhāgavata were quoted, wherein we can see
— bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī. tadā rajas tamo bhāvo kāmalobhādayaś ca ye ceta etair
anāviddhaṁ sthitaṁ sattve prasīdati "When naiṣṭhikī bhakti arises the mind is no longer pierced
by lust and greed and becomes satisfied within the pure mode of goodness." The meaning of
the word ca is that along with lust and greed there are the modes of passion and darkness, but
at this stage they no longer obstruct bhajana but leave it unobstructed. They cannot form any
obstacle anymore during hearing and chanting due to the awakening of niṣṭhā.
The author has given the following commentary of the word anāviddha in his Sārārtha
Darśiṇī-ṭīkā of Śrīmad-Bhāgavata (1.2.19): tena pūrvadaśāyāṁ kāmalobhādyai tīkṣna śarāyitair
anāviddhaṁ cetaḥ kathaṁ prasīdatu kathaṁ vā kīrtanādeḥ samyag āsvādaṁ labhatāṁ nahi
vyathā jarjaritasyānnādikaṁ samyak rocate iti bhāvaḥ "Before the appearance of niṣṭhā, how
can the heart of a sādhaka pierced with the sharp arrows of lust and greed be satisfied and
attain divine love? How can he also fully relish the taste of chanting and hearing? It is impossible
for a person pierced with arrows and suffering from severe pain to fully relish a nice meal."
Iti mahā mahopādhyāya Śrīmad Viśvanātha Cakravartī viracitāyāṁ Mādhurya

Kādambini rujaṁ niṣyanda bandhūrā nāma caturthy amṛta-vriṣṭiḥ.
sā ca niṣṭhā sākṣād bhaktivartinī tad anukūla vastu vartinīti dvividhā. tatra sākṣād
bhaktir ananta prakārāpi sthūlatayā trividhā kāyikī vācikī mānasī ceti. tatra prathamaṁ
kāyikyās tato vācikyās tata eva mānasyā bhakter niṣṭhā sambhaved iti kecit. bhakteṣu
tāratamyena sthitānām api saha ojo balānāṁ madhye kvacana bhakte vilakṣaṇa tādṛśa
saṁskāravaśāt kasyacid eva bhagavad unmukhatvādhikyaṁ syād iti nāyaṁ krama ityanye. tad
anukūla vastūni amānitva mānadatva maitrī dayādīni. teṣāṁ niṣṭhā ca kutracana śama
prakṛtau bhakte bhakter aniṣṭhitatve dṛśyate kutracana tasminn uddhate bhakte niṣṭhitatve'pi
na dṛśyate yadyapi tad api bhakti niṣṭhaiva sva sattvāsattvābhyāṁ tan niṣṭhā sattvāsattve
sudhiyam avagamayati na tu bāla pratītir eva vāstavīkartuṁ śakyeti. yad uktam - bhaktir
bhavati naiṣṭhikī. tadā rajastamobhāvāḥ kāma lobhādayaś ca ye. ceta etair anāviddhaṁ
sthitaṁ sattve prasīdatīti. śravaṇa kīrtanādiṣu yatnasya śaithilya prābalya eva dustyajye
saṁbhavantī niṣṭhitāniṣṭhite bhakti pradarśayetām iti saṁkṣepato vivekaḥ.
iti mahā mahopādhyāya śrīmad viśvanātha cakravarti viracitāyāṁ mādhurya
kādambinyāṁ niṣyanda bandhurā nāma caturthyamṛta vṛṣṭiḥ
TRANSLATION: niṣṭhitā-bhakti is of two types: sākṣāt-bhakti-vārtinī, directly related

to devotion, and tad-anukūla-vastu-vārtinī, related to the elements favourable to bhakti.
Though sākṣāt-bhakti has unlimited forms, basically it has three divisions: kāyikī (bodily),
vācikī (vocal), and mānasī (mental). In the view of some, the sequence for appearance of
steadiness is bodily, vocal, and mental. Some say there is no such sequence for the
appearance of steadiness. Due to difference in tolerance, strength and vitality in the devotees
according to their different saṁskāras, they are more or less favourable to the Lord. Thus
others say that there is no gradation in them. Humility, respectfulness, friendliness and
compassion are elements favourable to bhakti. These favourable elements are often seen
even in self-controlled devotees who have not even yet attained niṣṭhā in devotion. On the
other hand, such qualities may not be observed in arrogant devotees who have attained
niṣṭhā in devotion. The presence of niṣṭhā based on these qualities and the absence of niṣṭhā
due to the lack of these qualities appears true not only to ignorant persons, but intelligent
persons as well. The Bhāgavata says, “On the appearance of steadiness in devotion, the heart
remains unaffected by rajoguṇa, tamoguṇa, and lust and greed, etc. Then the heart
experiences divine bliss and is established on the viśuddha-sattva platform.” Slackness or
intensity in chanting and hearing are the best criteria for determining aniṣṭhitā and niṣṭhitā-
bhakti. Thus concludes the brief description of steadiness in devotion.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation: The author is explaining that the absence of the five
obstacles of laya, vikṣepa, and so on is the symptom of the appearance of niṣṭhā. Śrī Rudra
while glorifying the Lord says in Śrīmad Bhāgavata (4.24.59)—
na yasya cittaṁ bahir artha vibhramaṁ tamo guhāyañ ca viśuddham āviśat

yad bhakti yogānugṛhītam añjasā munir vicaṣṭe nanu tatra te gatim
“O Prabhu! When a person receives the association of Your devotees and is absorbed in
devotion, then his heart is purified by the mercy attained through devotion. It no more diverts
to material objects and does not enter the dark cave of tamoguṇa. Then such a devotee can
understand Your truth." In this verse tamoguṇa refers to laya and vikṣepa. In other words, a
sādhaka is no more distracted by laya and vikṣepa. niṣṭhā has two divisions: sākṣāt-bhakti-
viṣayinī and tad-anukūla-vastu-viṣayinī.
1) sākṣād bhakti viṣayinī is of three types: bodily, vocal, and mental. Bodily refers to
hearing Śrī Bhagavata-kathā, picking tulasī and flowers, making garlands, worshipping the
Deity, paying obeisances, circumambulation, cleaning the temple, and so on. Vocal refers to
chanting the holy name, qualities, and pastime of the Lord, reciting stotras, offering prayers,
and glorifying the Lord. Mental refers to remembering the name, form, qualities, and pastimes
of the Lord. Steadiness in all these devotional parts is known as sākṣāt-bhakti-viṣayinī. Śrīmad
Jīva Gosvāmīpāda says: niṣṭhā tatrāvikṣepena sātatyam, "Constant devotion without any
distraction is known as niṣṭhā." (Commentary of Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu.)
In the view of some persons, the sequence in appearance of niṣṭhā is bodily, vocal, and
mental. But this sequence is not applicable to all devotees. They say that tolerance, vitality, and
strength vary according to the saṁskāras of an individual devotee. With a high degree of mental
strength in some devotees, first niṣṭhā in mental devotion appears in them, which is not strange
at all. Therefore it is not right to say that there is any fixed sequence.
2) The second type of niṣṭhā, tad-anukūla-vastu-viṣayinī, refers to the qualities
favourable to bhakti such as not desiring respect, respectfulness, friendliness, mercifulness,
forgiveness, gratefulness, patience, and so on. The first two qualities increase humility in a
devotee, thus nourishing his devotion. Being merciful and friendly to all living beings makes
bhakti steady and free from obstacles. It is nothing but deception to ask forgiveness from the
Lord when one cannot forgive others. Gratitude is especially favourable to bhakti. Bhakti-devī
does not appear in the heart of ungrateful persons—even the Lord is full of the quality of
gratefulness! He gives His own self to His devotee who offers water and Tulasī to Him. He even
blessed the wicked witch Pūtanā by giving her a position similar to a mother for merely imitating
the behaviour of an affectionate mother. The greatness of a mahat is that he has the quality of
gratefulness. An insignificant person is ungrateful, showing his pettiness. The more elevated
one is, the more the heart is full of gratefulness. Bhakti-devī does not establish her seat in the
heart of a narrow-minded and ungrateful person.
These attributes are also seen in self controlled devotees who are not yet stable in
devotion. In other words, these attributes are already found in self controlled devotees who
are in the phase of aniṣṭhitā bhakti. Again, even if niṣṭhā has already arisen, if the devotee is
very arrogant these attributes are not found in him. Therefore it is not sure that auspicious
qualities arise in all persons who develop niṣṭhā. Still, when all these attributes arise there is
niṣṭhā in bhakti and when these attributes do not appear it means an absence of niṣṭhā. This
does not only appear so to those who are ignorant of the scriptures, it is also the belief of the
wise and learned. Śrīmad Bhāgavata says: bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī; tadā rajas tamo bhāvāḥ
kāma lobhādayaś ca ye; ceta etair anāviddhaṁ sthitaṁ sattve prasīdati. "When naiṣṭhika bhakti
awakens in the heart one becomes unaffected by the modes of passion and ignorance as well
as lust and greed and one becomes situated in pure goodness and is thus satisfied. Hence,
though the exposition of attributes that are mentioned to be favourable to bhakti niṣṭhā can
not be surely defined as symptoms of niṣṭhāmayī bhakti, the power or weakness in the bhajana
of hearing and chanting are the cause of certifying niṣṭhitā and aniṣṭhitā bhakti. In other words
we must understand that when we see intense effort in hearing and chanting this indicates
niṣṭhitā-bhakti and when we see slackness in devotion this indicates aniṣṭhitā-bhakti.
Thus ends the fourth shower of Mādhurya Kādambinī by Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī
entitled Flowing of pleasure.
Fifth shower of nectar
athābhyāsa kṛṣṇa vartma dīpitāṁ bhakti kāñcana mudrāṁ sva tejasā vahantīṁ
dadhāne bhakta hṛdi tasyāṁ rucir utpadyate. śravaṇa kīrtanādīnām anyato vailakṣaṇyena
rocakatvaṁ ruciḥ. yasyām utpadyamānāyāṁ pūrva daśāyām iva tair muhur apyanuśīlitair na
śramopalabdhi gandho'pi. yā hi teṣu vyasanitvam acirād evotpādayati. (1)
TRANSLATION: The gold coin of bhakti illuminated by the fire of devotional practices,
by its splendour, gives rise to ruci in the heart of a devotee. ruci means a special taste in every
devotional part such as chanting, hearing, and so on. In this stage, a sādhaka never feels the
slightest fatigue even by repeated hearing and chanting. ruci quickly causes a devotee’s
intense absorption in chanting and hearing.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation: In the Fourth Shower of Nectar, niṣṭhā in bhajana was
described. By practicing devotion with niṣṭhā, a sādhaka devotee bears the golden coin of
bhakti, brightly illuminated by the fire of devotional practice. This bright golden coin of bhakti
can be compared with highly luminous gold burnt in blazing fire. One thus gradually develops
ruci in devotion. ruci means a specific taste that one gets by realizing the form, qualities, and
pastimes of the Lord and His associates. Śrī Jīva Gosvāmīpāda has written in his commentary
on Bhakti Rasāmṛta Sindhu 1.4.15): rucir abhilāṣa kintu buddhi-pūrvakam, "ruci means desires
to attain Kṛṣṇa and His service, but such desires appear intentionally." The desire to serve the
Lord favorably is the very life of bhakti. Along with this desire, naturally the desire arises to
attain Kṛṣṇa and establish an affectionate relationship with Him. Thus, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī says
desires are of three kinds: desire to serve Kṛṣṇa favorably, the desire to establish an affectionate
relationship with Him and the desire to attain Him. The desire to make the Lord happy with
one's service, along with the desire to exchange affection with Him and the desire to attain Him
arise spontaneously within the heart. At the ruci-stage, all these desires intentionally appear in
the intellect; in the āsakti stage they appear spontaneously.
ruci is related to bhajana. A special taste in each devotional part such as hearing,
chanting, and so on of the Lord’s name, form, and qualities is known as ruci. When ruci awakens
one never gets even slightly tired of repeated hearing and chanting, like before. This ruci creates
a strong attachment to hearing and chanting within the devotee. In this stage the time the
topics of the Lord are not discussed appear totally useless. The topics of Śrī Kṛṣṇa do not appear
tasteful unless one attains the ruci stage. This is known as mādhurya-anubhava, realization of
sweetness. ruciḥ pāpa bīja nāśād bhaktau mādhuryānubhava "In this stage the seed of sins is
destroyed and one realizes the sweetness of devotion." (Commentary by Mukunda Dāsa on
Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.4.15-17) Śrī Jīva Gosvāmīpāda has written—mādhuryaṁ tu rupa guṇa
līlānāṁ rocakatvam (Commentary on Bhakti Rasāmṛta Sindhu 4.4.15) "Realization of sweetness
means relishing the taste of Kṛṣṇa’s form, qualities, and pastimes." Thus one does not feel
bored during chanting and hearing Śrī Hari-kathā. The Bhāgavata (1.1.19) says:
vayaṁ tu na vitṛpyāma uttama-śloka-vikrame

yacchṛṇvatāṁ rasa-jñānāṁ svādu svādu pade pade
The ṛṣis headed by Śaunaka say, “O Sūta! We never tire of hearing the pastimes of Lord
Uttamaśloka, because they appear sweeter than sweet at every moment to those who have
realized transcendental mellows.” Śrīmat Jīva Gosvāmī describes that taste in hari-kathā is the
primary and best devotional part: kathā ruceḥ sa evatraivād yat vāt śreṣṭhātvātcca (Bhāg. 1.2.8
Krama Sandarbha ṭīkā). (1)
yathā nityaṁ śāstram adhīyānasya baṭoḥ kāle śāstrārtha praveśe sati śāstrasya
rocakatvam utpādyamānam eva tat tatra śramaṁ nopanayatyāsañjayati ca vastutaḥ
siddhānte tu paittika vaiguṇyena dūṣitāyāṁ rasanāyāṁ sitāyā arocakatve'pi sitaiva tad
vaiguṇya nirāsakam auṣadham iti vivekinaḥ tasyā eva yathā muhur upasevane kālena
svādvīyaṁ svādvīyam ābhātīti tasyā eva rocakatvaṁ tathaivāvidyādi vidūṣitasya jīvāntaḥ
karaṇasya śravaṇādi bhaktyā tad doṣa praśame tasyāṁ rucir udbhavatīti (2)
TRANSLATION: A brāhmaṇa boy absorbed in studying the scriptures gradually develops

a taste in his studies as he starts understanding the essence of the śāstras. Then he does not
feel tired while studying. When someone is attacked by a liver disease, then his tongue
becomes unable to relish any taste and the taste of sugar candy appears bitter to him. But the
wise know only sugar candy can cure his disease. Only after repeatedly taking sugar candy, he
is gradually able to taste its sweetness. Similarly, if a jīva too much influenced by ignorance
repeatedly practises chanting, hearing, and other devotional parts, then his heart gradually
becomes free from ignorance and he attains a taste in devotional practices like hearing.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation: In the preliminary stage śāstras appear difficult to a brāhmaṇa
boy who has just started studying them. Their meanings appear difficult to him and thus he
does not attain any taste in studying them. Regularly continuing his studies, he gradually
understands the essence of the śāstras and attains ruci in studying them. Then he does not feel
any more fatigue in his studies. Similarly, slackness is seen in a sādhaka who has just started
chanting, hearing, and other devotional parts because he is unable to relish the taste in them.
Then bhajana slackens and appears hard to carry out. Practice of bhajana gradually purifies the
heart, and one gradually attains taste for the mellow of bhajana.
The author says: Factually those whose tongues are affected by jaundice taste the
natural sweetness of rock candy as being bitter. Doctors say that the best medicine against
jaundice, however, is constant eating of rock candy. As the jaundice gradually makes way as a
result of constant eating of rock candy, one gets a corresponding amount of taste for the
sweetness of rock candy. Similarly those whose hearts are polluted by the faults of ignorance,
self-conceit, attachment and hatred, may even practise hearing and chanting, but they cannot
taste the natural sweetness of Śrī Hari's names, attributes and pastimes. The wise say that the
more one hears and chants the holy names, attributes and pastimes of Śrī Hari, the more the
faults of ignorance etc. subside, the heart gets purified and relish is attained for the process of
hearing and chanting. In this way the sādhaka gains taste for hearing and chanting. In Śrīmad-
Bhāgavata (11.14.26) the Lord says to Uddhava:
yathā yathātmā parimṛtjyate’sau mat-punya-gāthā-śravaṇābhidhānaiḥ

tathā tathā paśyati vastu sūkṣmaṁ cakṣur yathaivāñjana-samprayuktam
“A person who regularly applies balm to the eyes is able to see minute objects more and
more. Similarly, the more the devotee purifies his heart by chanting and hearing My glories, the
more he relishes the sweetness of My form, qualities, and so on.” tattvaṁ mad rūpa līlādi
svarūpaṁ sūkṣmaṁ tan mādhuryānubhava viśeṣam (Viśvanātha) ("This subtle truth is the
particular experience of the sweetness of My svarūpa, or innate status, like My form and
pastimes".)
sā ca rucir dvividhāḥ vastu vaiśiṣṭyāpekṣiṇī tad anapekṣiṇī ca. vastūnāṁ bhagavan

nāmarūpa guṇalīlādīnāṁ vaiśiṣṭyaṁ kīrtanasya sausvaryādimattvaṁ varṇita bhagavaccaritāder
guṇālaṅkāra dhvanyādimattvaṁ paricaryādināṁ tādṛśa svābhīṣṭa deśa pātra dravyādi
sadbhāvavattvaṁ yad apekṣate tad vastu vaiśiṣṭyāpekṣiṇī. kiṁ kiṁ kīdṛśaṁ vyañjanam asti iti
pṛcchatāṁ manda kṣudvatām iva. prathamā seyaṁ yato'ntaḥ karaṇasya yat kiñcid doṣa lava
eva kīrtanādīnāṁ vaiśiṣṭyam apekṣate ato'tyantaḥ karaṇa doṣābhāsā jñeyā. dvitīyā tu yathā
tannāma rūpādyupakrama eva balavatī bhavantī vaiśiṣṭyetvati prauḍhatvamāpadyamāneyaṁ
nāsti mano vaiguṇya gandhā eva jñeyā. (3)
TRANSLATION: ruci is of two types: vastu-vaiśiṣṭyāpekṣinī, which depends on excellence

of details and vastu-vaiśiṣṭyānapekṣinī, which does not. vastu-vaiśiṣṭya refers to excellence of
such details as sweet melodies, proper quality, ornate language, and proper pronunciation
while describing the topics related to the Lord’s name, qualities, and pastimes. While serving
the Lord, ruci depends on place, time, implements, and other paraphernalia befitting one’s
mood of serving. While serving the Lord, if one’s ruci depends on the excellence of such
qualities befitting one’s fancy, then such ruci is known as vastu-vaiśiṣṭyāpekṣinī. If a person
ready to eat food asks about the variety and quality of the preparations, then it suggests a weak
appetite. Thus if ruci depends on excellence of such details as sweet melodies of kīrtana and so
on, then one should also consider this as indicating a trace of impurity in the heart (doṣābhāsa).
A person with the second type of ruci feels great pleasure even from the beginning of chanting
the Lord’s name, qualities, pastimes, and other devotional practices. If excellence of details is
present, such ruci becomes very joyful and ecstatic. Not even the slightest trace of impurity
exists in the heart of a person with this ruci.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation— The definition of ruci was given as gusto for relishing the
Lord's holy names, form, attributes and pastimes or relishing their sweetness. This ruci comes
in two kinds—
1) vastu vaiśiṣṭyāpekṣiṇī; here the word vastu means that for which the sādhaka has
taste, that is Śrī Hari's holy names, form, attributes and pastimes. When that ruci is
dependent on those conditions (vastu) it is called vastu vaiśiṣṭyāpekṣiṇī. In other words, if
taste does not arise for the Lord unless His pastimes are glorified in an inciting manner with
tunes and rhythms, the Lord's pastimes are narrated with nice poetic embellishments with
sweet suggestions, the narrator is very eloquent and expert, the deity worship takes place in a
pure environment that one likes, the time is proper, the person has faith, the paraphernalia
like flowers are lovely etc etc, then this is called dependent taste or vastu vaiśiṣṭyāpekṣiṇī ruci.
For example when a person has little appetite he asks for relishable dishes on his
plate. Unless the most wonderful vegetables are on his plate he won't have gusto. In the same
way vastu vaiśiṣṭyāpekṣiṇī ruci also means poor appetite. It can occur when there is there
even a little fault in the mind. When there is not even the slightest fault in the mind the
naturally delightful holy name, attributes etc. of Śri Hari do not require relishable
embellishments.
2) vastu vaiśiṣṭyānapekṣiṇī; this is not dependent on favourable embellishments or
conditions. Here the effects of the holy names, attributes etc of the Lord are self-empowered.
It is no longer dependent on nice tunes and rhythms in the kīrtana, embellishments in the recital
etc. The more endeavour of hearing and chanting will awaken ruci. And if there is excellence in
conditions like tunes and embellishments, then there will be mature relish. A very hungry
person will eat anything, nice dishes or not. And if there are nice dishes, then he will experience
a greater fascination and relish for food. Therefore that ruci which does not depend on nice
tunes and so is called vastu vaiśiṣṭyānapekṣiṇī ruci. The excellences of the subject are then very
mature and cause great joy. One should know that in such a mind and heart there is not a whiff
of fault anymore.
tataś cāho sakhe kṛṣna nāmāmṛtāni vihāya kim iti duṣparigraha yoga kṣema vārtā
viṣayeṣu nimajjayasi tvāṁ vā kiṁ bravīmi dhiṅ māṁ yad aham api pāmaraḥ śrī guru caraṇa
prasāda labdham apyetad vastu svagranthi nibaddhaṁ mahāratnam ivānupalabhya parito
bhramann etāvantaṁ kālam anya vyāpāra pārāvāra madhye mithyā sukha leśa sphuṭita
kaparddaka mātram anviṣyāyuṁṣi vṛthaivānayam. bhakteḥ kam apyanaṅgīkurvan śakter
abhāvam evādyotayam. hanta sa evāyaṁ saiveyaṁ me rasanā yā hyanṛta kaṭu grāmya
pralāpam amṛtam iva lihyatī bhagavannāma guṇa vārtāsu sālasaivāsīt. hanta hanta tat kathā
śravaṇārambha eva svāpaṁ bhajaṁs tadaiva kadācit prastutāyāṁ grāmya vārtāyām
ūtkarṇatayā labdha jāgaraṁ sādhūnāṁ sada eva tat sakalam akalaṅkayam. asya ca
duṣpurasya jaṭharasya kṛte jaṭharo'pi kāṁskān duṣkṛtodyamānnākaravam. tadahaṁ na jāne
kasmin vā niraye svakṛta phalam upabhuñjānaḥ sthāsyamīti nirvidyamānas tadaiva kvacid aho
raho bhuvi mahopaniṣat kalpavalli phalasāraṁ sāraṅga iva prabhoś caritāmṛtaṁ
svādayannabhivādayan muhur muhur api sādhūnavyādhūta saṁlāpa tiṣṭhann upaviśan
praviśannapi bhagavad dhāmavaddhāmala sevāniṣṭhas tanmanā unmanā ivābhijña lokair
ālakṣyamāṇo bhaktajana bhajanānanda nṛtyādhyāyamadhyetum upakramamāṇa iva rucir
nartakyā pāṇibhyāṁ gṛhītveva tattat śikṣyamāṇa iva kāñcanamudam ananubhūta carīm
upalabhe na jāne kuśīla vācāryābhyāṁ bhāva premābhyāṁ kālena praviśya nartayiṣyamāṇaḥ

kasyāṁ vā nivṛti nīvṛti virājayiṣyatīti (4)
iti mahā mahopādhyāya śrīmad viśvanātha cakravarti viracitāyāṁ mādhurya
kādambinyāṁ upalabdhāsvāda nāma pañcamyamṛta vṛṣṭiḥ
TRANSLATION: A sādhaka having attained ruci says to his friend, “O friend! Giving up
the nectar of Kṛṣṇa’s name, why are you absorbed in acquiring wealth, which is attained after
many efforts and makes one worry for its security? What shall I tell you? Shame on me! I am
such a sinful person that, though I received the most precious jewel of bhakti by the mercy
of gurudeva, I kept it tied in the knot of my cloth. Not knowing its value, with the desire for
a tiny speck of false pleasure, I was searching for a broken cowry shell on the shores of the
ocean of material affairs. Thus I merely wasted my life wandering here and there. Without
practicing any of the devotional parts, I simply showed laziness. Oh! I am such an evil person,
that until now I relished bitter false gossip as if it were sweet nectar, and remained apathetic
to chant the holy names, qualities and pastimes of the Lord. Oh! As soon as hari-kathā starts,
I fall asleep. But if useless idle talk starts, I immediately wake up and my ears prick up. I have
thus many times contaminated the assembly of sādhus. What sinful acts have I not done,
even in my old age, simply to satisfy my insatiable belly? I don’t know for how long or in what
hell I’ll have to suffer for such sinful acts.” In this way the devotee repents.
Sometimes like a bee, he repeatedly relishes the nectar of the fruit of the
Mahopaniṣad-desire creeper. He praises such transcendental topics and sits in the assembly
of the devotees, giving up all material talks. He enters the abode of the Lord and becomes
firmly absorbed in the pure service of the Lord. To the ignorant people he appears like a crazy
man. For teaching the new dance-step of the bliss of bhajana relished by the devotees, the
dancing instructress, ruci, personally takes him by both hands. Thus he experiences an
extreme unprecedented bliss. Who can describe the limitless bliss he will experience when,
in time, the two gurus of dance, bhāva and prema, will make him dance?
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation— The most scholarly author is describing various mental,
vocal, and bodily activities of a sādhaka at the stage of ruci to give an easy explanation of the
symptoms appearing in such a sādhaka. One sādhaka whose ruci has awoken tells a friend: “O
friend! Giving up the nectar of Kṛṣṇa’s name, why are you absorbed in acquiring wealth, which
is attained after many efforts and makes one worry for its security?" The more one attains ruci
in the name, form, and pastimes of Kṛṣṇa, the more he loses his taste for material affairs
unrelated to Kṛṣṇa. Mundane affairs thus appear detestable to him. Hence he is distressed
when he sees his dear friend so eager for acquiring sense objects. The nature of devotion is
such that when it sheds even the slightest light in the heart of the sādhaka he condemns himself
as wholly unqualified and fallen. Such anxiety gradually lifts him up to the higher steps of
sādhana.
Condemning himself, the sādhaka who has ruci says: "O friend! What more can I tell
you? Fie on me! I am so fallen that although I attained the great gem of bhajana by the grace
of Śrī Guru I had no appreciation for it at all and instead I just wandered here and there to fill
up my belly, seeking rubbish things and wasting my life hearing nonsense topics. I could not do
any bhajana. My tongue was constantly licking mundane topics that were not related to Kṛṣṇa,
as if it was nectar and my ears were too lazy to hear about the Lord's attributes and names.
When it is time to hear topics of the Lord I fall asleep and when there were sensual discussions
I at once woke up and my ears pricked up. In how many ways have I not polluted the society of
sādhus in this way?" Some hearers may fall asleep while sitting in a group of sādhus listening
to Śrī Harikathā. This may have a contagious effect on the others, who then also become
drowsy. When a visitor then enters the assembly he thinks: "All these listeners to Śrī Harikathā
are sleeping here!" This criticism will again be contagious and in this way the society of sādhus
will be disgraced. The sādhaka whose ruci has awoken will lament when he thinks of his
previous condition.
The sādhaka who has ruci will again regretfully say: "Although I am already old my belly
is never full, and I am committing so many crimes just to fill it up, as a result of which I will have
go to who knows what hell. Who knows how much and what kind of torment I will suffer there?"
Speaking so remorsefully, the sādhaka whose ruci has awoken will one day take his place in the
society of sādhus, give up all other topics and, like a Cakora-bird, start repeatedly relishing
nectarean topics of Śrī Hari, that are the ripened fruits of the wish-yielding vine of the great
Upaniṣads, that emanate from the mouths of the great saints. Sometimes he will enter the
temple and become absorbed and fixed in the service of the Lord. In this way each devotional
item, such as hearing, chanting and worshipping the deity, becomes most relishable to the
sādhaka whose ruci has awoken. An ignorant person may think he is mad. The expert dancing
girl named ruci takes him by the hand and teaches him how to dance from the dance-manual
called 'the most delightful bhajana of the devotees'. This makes him experience unprecedented
bliss. At times the dancing teachers called bhāva and prema will make him dance. Who can
describe the limit of the bliss he experiences then?
Here the sequence of the maturity of ruci that does not depend on excellence of
details was described. The blessed author says that as this taste increases in due course of
time bhāva and prema gradually come to being. But first the stage preceding bhāva, namely
āsakti, will be described in the sixth shower of nectar.
Thus ends the Fifth Shower of Nectar of Mādhurya Kādambinī by Śrīla Viśvanātha
Cakravartī entitled “Attainment of Taste.”
Sixth Shower of Nectar
atha saiva bhajana viṣayā ruciḥ prathama prauḍhatamā satī yadā bhajanīyaṁ
bhagavantaṁ viṣayīkaroti tadeyam āsaktir ityākhyāyate. yaiva bhakti kalpavallyāḥ
stavakībhāvamāsādayantī bhāva premṇi puṣpaphale acirād eva bhāvinī dyotayati. rucir
bhajana viṣayā āsaktir bhajanīya viṣayeti bhūmnaiva vyāpadeśaḥ. vastutastūbhe apyubhayaṁ
viṣayīkarotyeva. aprauḍhatvaprauḍhatvābhyām eva bhedasya āsaktir evāntaḥ karaṇa
mukuraṁ tathā mārjayati yathā tatra sahasā pratibimbito bhagavān avalokyamāna iva
bhavati. hanta viṣayair ākramyate madīyaṁ cetas tad idaṁ bhagavati nidadhāmīti bhaktasya
vidhitsāstarameva prāyo viṣayebhyo niṣkramya tad rūpa guṇādau yat praveśa śīlaṁ pūrva
daśāyām āsīt tad eva cittam āsaktau jātāyāṁ vidhitsātaḥ pūrvam eva svayam eva tathābhūtaṁ
bhavet. yathā bhagavad rūpa guṇādibhyo niṣkramya vārtāntare cetaḥ kadā praviṣṭam iti
prāpta niṣṭhenāpi bhaktena nānusandhātuṁ śakyate tathaiva vārtāntarato niṣkramya
bhagavad rūpa guṇādiṣu kadā praviṣṭaṁ svaceta ityāsaktir anāsaktena na lakṣyate. āsaktimatā
bhaktena tu tal lakṣyate ||1||
TRANSLATION: When ruci related to devotion attains paramount maturity and the
worshipable Lord becomes one’s object (viṣaya), then it is known as āsakti, or attachment.
This āsakti appears as clusters of buds on the desire creeper of bhakti proclaiming the swift
appearance of bhāva-flowers and prema-fruits. ruci has devotion as its object, and āsakti has
the worshipable Lord as its object. This characteristic is mentioned just to show the
predominance of the respective objects in ruci and āsakti. Indeed, ruci and āsakti both have
devotion and the worshipable Lord as their object. There is a difference in being immature or
mature. Āsakti cleans the mirror of devotee’s heart in such a way the reflection of the Lord
suddenly seems to be almost directly visible there. The devotee vows: “Oh! My mind is
afflicted by material desires. Let me fix it on the Lord.” His mind thus ceases from the material
affairs and becomes fixed on the Lord’s form, qualities, and so on. On the appearance of
āsakti, however, the mind automatically fixes on the Lord before such deliberate efforts. The
devotee in the niṣṭhā stage is unable to detect how and when his mind ceases from chanting,
hearing, and remembering the Lord, and absorbs in mundane topics. One who has not yet
reached āsakti is unable to detect when his mind leaves mundane topics and becomes
spontaneously absorbed in Śrī Hari’s form and attributes. On reaching the stage of āsakti,
however, he is able to observe the movements of the mind".
Pīyūṣa kanā explanation— Now the author describes the symptoms of the stage of
āsakti or attachment to Kṛṣṇa. ruci has bhajana consisting of hearing and chanting as its object
and when this becomes deep, so that the Lord Himself becomes the object then this is called
āsakti. A devotee with ruci has taste for items of bhajana such as hearing and chanting and a
devotee with āsakti has attachment to the Lord as its object. When it is time for a vine to bear
flowers and fruits, we first see sprouts appearing on its stem. When we see these sprouts we
can understand that soon the vine will bear fruits and flowers. Similarly when this āsakti
awakens it makes it known that the flowers of bhāva and the fruits of prema will soon appear
on the wish-yielding vine of the devotee's devotion.
ruci has bhajana as its object and āsakti has the Worshipable One as its object — these
definitions have been given. Such are known to be the predominating characteristics of these
stages. In other words, it is not that the devotee with ruci has gusto but is not attached to the
Lord; rather, his ruci for bhajana is more predominant than his attachment to the Lord. And it
is also not so that the devotee with āsakti has no more ruci for bhajana when he got attached
to the Lord, but his attachment to the Lord is predominant in his stage. Indeed, ruci and āsakti
both have devotion and the worshipable Lord as their object. In other words, ruci in devotion
nourishes attachment to the Lord and attachment to the Lord nourishes ruci in devotion. Thus
there can be no attachment to the Lord without ruci for bhajana and there can be no ruci for
bhajana without attachment to the Lord. ruci in its mature stage thus transforms into āsakti.
This āsakti makes the mirror of the devotee's heart so clean that the Lord is reflected in it as if
for real. Though the jīva is very close to the Lord, the sweetness of Śrī Hari's form does not
reflect on the mirror of his heart, which is covered by the dust of material desires since
beginningless time. āsakti carefully cleanses the mirror of the heart, making it suitable for Śrī
Hari to reflect there, as if almost directly visible.
Another difference between ruci and āsakti is that in the stage of ruci the sādhaka must
purposefully withdraw his heart from the sense objects and engage it in the Lord's service, but
in the stage of āsakti the sādhaka becomes absorbed in the Lord without personal endeavour.
This is a desirable condition of the sādhaka, without any doubt. The devotee in the niṣṭhā stage
is unable to detect how and when his mind ceases from chanting, hearing, and remembering
the Lord, and absorbs in mundane topics. A devotee at the stage of āsakti, however, is unable
to detect when his mind leaves mundane topics and spontaneously absorbs in Śrī Hari's form,
attributes etc. The devotee below this stage is unable to experience this. Only a devotee in
āsakti can experience this. The meditation on the Lord’s form, qualities, and so on is intense in
the stage of ruci, but becomes even more intense in the āsakti stage. rucir abhilaṣaḥ kintu
buddhipūrvikeyaṁ āsaktis tu svārasikī svābhāvikītyarthah (Śrī Jīva's commentary on Bhakti
Rasāmṛta Sindhu 1.4.15-16) "In the stage of ruci the desire to attain the Lord, the desire to be
favourable to Him and the desire for affection towards Him are nourished on purpose, but in
the stage of āsakti these things take place naturally."
tataś ca prātaḥ kutastyo'pi bhoḥ kaṇṭhalambita śrī śālagrāma śilā sundara sampuṭo
laghu laghūccārita śrī kṛṣṇa nāmāmṛtāsvāda pratikṣaṇa lolitarasanaḥ prekṣyamāṇa eva
durbhagaṁ mām ullāsayasi kasmiṁscid arthe. tat kathaya kutra kutra vā tīrthe bhramaṇ
keṣāṁ dṛṣṭyā keṣāṁ vā bhagavad anubhavānām āspadībhavann ātmānam anyaṁ
cākṛtārthayaḥ. ityudbhāvita saṁlāpāmṛta pāna yāpita katipaya kṣaṇaḥ punar anyato gatvā
bhoḥ kakṣa nikṣipta manohara pustaka vilakṣaṇayā śriyā vidvān evānumīyase tad vyācakṣva
daśama skandhīyaṁ padyam ekaṁ jīvaya śruticātakīṁ tad arthāmṛta vṛṣṭyā iti tad vyākhyayā
romāñcita gātraḥ punar anyato gatvā hantādhunaivāhaṁ kṛtārthī bhaviṣyāmi yad iyaṁ
sabhaiva sadya eva mama samasta duṣkṛta dhvaṁsinīti viracita daṇḍavad avani praṇipāta
puraḥ sara praṇati vinatikaḥ tat sabhā mukuṭamaṇinā mahābhāgavata varyeṇa parama viduṣā
sarasam ādriyamāṇaḥ saṅkucita tanus tad antika kṛtopaveśa eva bhos tribhuvana jīva bhavana
mahā bhavaroga bhiṣak śiromaṇe dhṛtvaiva dhamanīm adhamasyāpi me mahādīnasya
nirūpaya rujaṁ samādiśasva pathyauṣadhe kenāpi prayuktena mahā rasāyanena mad
abhīpsitāṁ puṣṭim api sampādayeti sāsraṁ yācamānas tat kṛpāvaloka madhura vāṅmayāmṛta
niṣyanda nanditas taccaraṇa paricaraṇa nīta pañca ṣaḍ vāsaraḥ sarasam aṭann api kadācid
aṭavīṁ yadi mayi vartate kṛṣṇasya kṛpāvalokas tadāyaṁ dūrataḥ puro'valokyamānaḥ
kṛṣṇasāras tri caturāṇi padāni mad abhimukham āyātu na cen māṁ pṛṣṭhīkarotviti naisargikīr
api mṛga paśu pakṣi ceṣṭās tad anugraha nigraha liṅgatayaiva jānan grāmopaśalye'pi khelato
vipra bālakān sanakādīniva kim ahaṁ vrajendra kumāraṁ prāpsāmi iti pṛṣṭvā tad dattam
uttaraṁ meti mugdhākṣaraṁ durbodhārtahayā subodhārthatayā vā parāmṛṣya sva gṛha
madhyamadhyāsyāpi mahādhana gṛdhnuḥ kṛpaṇa vaṇig iva kvāhaṁ yāmi kiṁ karomi kena
vyāpāreṇa me tad abhīṣṭa vastujātaṁ hastagataṁ syād iti parimlāna vadana cintayan svapan
uttiṣṭhan upaviśan parijanaiḥ kāraṇaṁ pṛcchamāno'pi kadācin mūka iva kadācid avahitthām
ālambamānaḥ sāmpratam abhudayaṁ channa buddhir iti bandhubhiḥ svabhāvata evāyaṁ
jaḍa iti prativeśibhir ajñair mūrkha iti mīmāṁsakaiḥ bhrānta iti vedāntibhiḥ bhraṣṭa iti
karmibhir aho mahāsāraṁ vastu samadhigatam iti bhaktair dāmbhika iti tatrāparādhibhiḥ
parāmṛṣyamāṇo mānāpamāna vicāra vidhuro bhagavad āsaktir svardhunī pravāha patita eva
ceṣṭate bhakta iti (2)
iti mahāmahopādhyāya śrīmad viśvanātha cakravarti viracitāyāṁ mādhurya kādambinyāṁ

manohāriṇī nāma ṣaṣṭyamṛta vṛṣṭiḥ
TRANSLATION: Seeing another devotee early in the morning, such an āsaktimān

devotee tells him, “Where are you coming from? A beautiful box of śālagrāma-śilā is hanging
around your neck. As you are softly chanting, your tongue is slightly moving, relishing the
nectar of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s name. I don’t know why you’ve come in front of the vision of such an
unfortunate person, giving me pleasure. What holy places have you visited? What mahātmās
have you had darśana of and how many devotees have you made to relish the Lord, thus
becoming successful and making others successful?” He thus spends some time drinking the
nectar of spiritual talks. Elsewhere he starts conversing with a lecturer, “Seeing the
extraordinary and enchanting beauty of the book under your arm, it appears that you are an
expert scholar of the Bhāgavata Purāṇa. Please recite a verse from the tenth Canto of Śrīmad-
Bhāgavata and bring life to my cātaka-like ears with such a shower of nectar.” Hearing the
nectarean explanation of the verse, his hairs stand erect in ecstasy. Going to another place,
he arrives at an assembly of devotees and says, “Oh! Now I will be successful, because this
assembly of devotees will quickly destroy all my sins.” He pays obeisances to them, falling
like a stick on the ground. Then he is affectionately welcomed by the most exalted mahā-
bhāgavata, the crest jewel of all devotees, and sits beside him in a most humble position.
With tears in his eyes, he humbly begs for his mercy and says, “O crest jewel of physicians!
You can destroy the grave material bondage of all the jīvas in the three worlds. As I am most
fallen and distressed, please take my pulse and diagnose my disease. Prescribe a powerful
medicine so that I can fulfill my desires.” On getting the nectarean instructions of that mahā-
bhāgavata, he feels overjoyed and spends five or six days serving that mahā-bhāgavata‘s
lotus feet.
Sometimes as he wanders through the forests, in ecstasy he presumes the
spontaneous movements of the animals and birds as symptoms of the Lord’s mercy or
aversion. He thinks, “If Kṛṣṇa casts His merciful glance at me, then the Kṛṣṇa-sāra deer who
is looking at me from a distance will come three or four steps towards me. Otherwise, he’ll
turn his back and run away.” When he sees the natural behaviour of the deer, animals and
birds he imagines it to be signs of either the Lord's grace or punishment. Seeing brāhmaṇa
boys playing on the outskirts of the village, he thinks them to be Sanaka and other ṛṣis and
asks, “Will I able to see Vrajendra-nandana?” He thinks about their indistinct answer "No",
whether to take it on face value or seek a deeper meaning. But if someone says, “Yes, you
will see,” then he feels overjoyed. Sometimes like a miserly merchant most greedy for wealth,
he gets anxiously absorbed in the thoughts, “Where shall I go? What shall I do? How will I get
my hands on my desired object?” He is thus absorbed in thought with a worn face. Sometimes
he dreams, sometimes he sleeps, and sometimes he wakes and sits up. When relatives ask
about his strange behaviour, he remains silent as if dumb, concealing his emotions. Thus his
friends conclude, “He has gone out of his mind.” Ignorant neighbours criticize, “He’s dull by
nature.” Followers of mīmāṁsā (the philosophy of Jaiminī related only to matter) say, “He is
a fool.” Followers of Vedānta say, “He is in illusion.” The karmīs say, “He’s strayed from the
right path.” Devotees say, “He has attained the most precious object.” Offenders say, “He is
full of pride.” Such a topmost devotee, unaware of honour and dishonour, falls into the Gaṅgā
streams of attachment to the Lord, and continues behaving in the above manner.
iti mahāmahopādhyāya Śrīmad Viśvanātha Cakravartī racitāyāṁ Mādhurya

Kādambinyām manohāriṇī nāma sastḥyāmṛta-vṛstīḥ ||6||
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation: The author describes the activities of a devotee in the āsakti
stage using various examples. In this stage a devotee becomes ardently eager to attain the
desirable object. He cannot fix himself in one place. He wanders here and there outside of the
house and humbly expresses his sentiments to the exalted devotees. When he sees a sādhu he
considers himself blessed and asks him different questions about bhajana out of great love and
faith.
Sometimes again he sees a lecturer on the Bhāgavata and asks him to recite one verse
from the tenth Canto of Śrīmad Bhāgavata that describes Śrī Kṛṣṇa's sweetness and he gets
goosebumps of topmost ecstasy when he hears its explanation. When ruci becomes deep it
turns into āsakti, so the devotee with āsakti awakens deep relish in topics of Śrī Hari.
Because he is disturbed he goes elsewhere, and when he sees a sādhu there he at once
considers himself blessed and with anxious heart asks the leader of the assembly of saints for
the medicine against the disease of material life, and how he can swiftly attain the fulfillment
of his spiritual aspirations. When he receives his compassionate instructions he considers
himself blessed and spends some days in his service. However, the āsakti in his heart does not
allow him to stay in one place— kāhāṅ karo kāhā jāo kāhā gele kṛṣṇa pāṅ? (Caitanya Caritāmṛta)
"Where shall I go, what shall I do? Where can I find Kṛṣṇa?"
Sometimes he wanders from forest to forest in a disturbed mind and, seeing a deer
before him, he thinks: "This deer is called a kṛṣṇasāra, one who takes Kṛṣṇa as the essence
(sāra); so if he takes three or four steps towards me then I can understand that Kṛṣṇa's mercy
is with me, and if he turns his back on me then I understand that Kṛṣṇa's mercy is not with me!"
In this way he sees the aversion or mercy of the Lord even in the natural activities of the animals
and birds.
Sometimes at the outskirts of a village he sees some brāhmaṇa children playing with
unclear voices and he imagines them to be the four Kumāras, so he asks them: "Will I attain
Kṛṣṇa?" Some of them appear to say unclearly: "No, you won't." Hearing this, he cries of sorrow.
Seeing him weeping, one boy says: "You will get Him", which makes Him dance in ecstasy.
Sometimes he also comes to his own house and thinks restlessly like a miserly and
greedy merchant: "Where shall I go? What can I do? How can I get my aspirations fulfilled?" His
anxious heart and his worries makes his face wilt. All his bodily routines like bathing and eating
are contravened. Sometimes he goes to sleep, sometimes he rises, sometimes he sits and when
his relatives ask him something he does not reply. Sometimes he also conceals his feelings from
them.
His friends think he has gotten a brain disease, ignorant neighbours think he is lazy by
nature or bereft of any brains, mimāṁsakas think he is a fool, Vedāntiks say he is in error,
fruitive workers call him fallen and the offenders of the devotees say he is puffed up. Thus
everyone insults the devotee's inconceivable behaviour according to their misconception. Only
a jeweler can identify a jewel, not an ordinary person. To the ignorant fool the most precious
jewel appears simply as an insignificant piece of stone or glass. The activities of a āsaktimān
bhakta are identified only by the realized devotees as being the essence of things. Other than
the devotee no one can perceive that the āsaktimān bhakta is free from honour or disgrace and
has fallen into the celestial Ganges-current of attachment to the Lord and is gradually flowing
towards the ocean of prema while manifesting various activities. ||2||
Thus ends the Sixth Shower of Nectar of Mādhurya Kādambinī by Śrīla Viśvanātha
Cakravartī pāda entitled “Enchantment of the Heart.”
Seventh Shower of Nectar
atha saivāsaktiḥ paramapariṇāmaṁ prāptavatī ratyapara paryāyo bhāva ityākhyāṁ

labhate. ya eva hi sac-cid-ānanda iti śakti-trikasya svarūpabhūtasya kantalībhāvaṁ bhajate.
yam eva khalu bhakti-kalpa-vallyā utphullaṁ prasūnam ācakṣate. yasya ca bāhyaiva prabhā
sarvaiḥ sudurlabhā ābhyantarī tu mokṣam api laghukaroti. yasya ca paramāṇur eka eva tamaḥ
samastam unmūlayati. yasya parimalaiḥ prasṛmaraiḥ madhusūdanaṁ nimantryānīya tatra
prakaṭīkartuṁ prabhūyate. kiṁ bahunā yair eva vāsitāś cittavṛtti-tilavitatayo
dravībhāvamāsādya sadya eva bhagavad aṅgam akhilam eva snehayituṁ yogyataṁ dadhate.
yaḥ khalvāvirbhavanneva svādhāraṁ śvapacam api brahmāder api namasyatvam āpādayati.
TRANSLATION: āsakti in its extreme state of maturity is known as bhāva. This is the
blossoming stage of three eternal potencies of the Lord sat, cit, and ānanda. bhāva is thus the
blossoming flower of the desire creeper of bhakti. The outer luster of the bhāva flower is
difficult to attain (sudurlabhā) and its inner luster makes liberation appear contemptible
(mokṣa-laghutākṛt). Even a single particle of bhāva completely uproots ignorance. The
fragrance of the bhāva flower profusely spreads in all directions, inviting the bee-like
Madhusūdana, causing Him to appear. What's more, the emotions of the heart melt like the
oil of bunches of sesame seeds scented with the fragrance of bhāva, at once fit to
affectionately anoint the Lord's limbs. If such bhāva appears even in a caṇḍāla, then it makes
him worthy of respect from Brahmā and others.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation: When āsakti ripens it is called bhāva. This is called rati. bhāva
is the budding stage of the Lord's three eternal śaktis namely sat, cit and ānanda or sandhinī,
samvit, and hlādinī. Some consideration is offered on this. Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī describes the
characteristics of bhāva:
śuddha-sattva-viśeṣātmā prema-sūryāṁśu sāmya-bhāk

rucibhiś citta-māsṛṇya-kṛd asau bhāva ucyate
"When during sādhana bhakti, ruci softens the heart of a devotee, then it is called
bhāva-bhakti. This bhāva-bhakti is the first ray of the rising sun of prema-bhakti, which consists
of pure sattva." (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.3.1) This bhāva or rati is the sprout of all kinds of
sthāyi bhāvas (permanent feelings) like prema and its culminations, sneha, māna and praṇaya.
From this bhāva emanate all other conditions, up to the highest one, mahābhāva. For this
reason the intrinsic character of bhāva is called śuddha sattva viśeṣātmā, a specific state of
śuddha-sattva, or the self-manifesting transcendental state of svarūpa-śakti. śuddha-sattva-
viśeṣātmā is the intrinsic characteristic of bhāva (svarūpa-lakṣaṇa). prema-sūryāṁśu śāmya-
bhāk and rucibhiś citta-māsṛṇya-kṛt are the marginal characteristics (taṭastha-lakṣaṇa) of
bhāva.
śuddha-sattva-viśeṣa means a specific state of svarūpa-śakti where the combination of
the essence of hlādinī (bliss potency) and samvit (cognisance potency), two of the Lord's three
items hlādinī, sandhinī and samvit, exists. vṛtti means existence or state. Here the essence of
the entire hlādinī śakti and samvit śakti means the desire of the highest order to favorably serve
Kṛṣṇa that eternally exists in His eternal associates such as Rādhā, Lalitā, Viśākhā, Rūpa-mañjarī,
and others. Favorably serving Kṛṣṇa includes all kinds of loving services such as making garlands
and betel. All such desires for favorably serving Kṛṣṇa exist only in such eternal associates. The
essence of the aggregate of hlādinī and samvit śaktis is the very form of their aspiration; this is
pure sattva. The soul of this pure sattva is called bhāva bhakti. In other words the specific pure
sattva state of svarūpa-śakti is the very life of bhāva. As this śuddha-sattva exists in Kṛṣṇa's
eternal associates, this bhāva is also eternally perfect. nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-prema sādhya kabhu
nay; śravaṇādi-suddha-citte karaye uday (C.C.) "Bhāva is a self manifesting state of svarūpa-
śakti. It cannot be attained by devotional practices, but manifests by itself in the heart purified
by such devotional practices as śravaṇa and kīrtana." (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya 22.207)
When this bhāva arises, it softens the heart through the channel of ruci. In the quoted
verse from Bhakti Rasāmṛta Sindhu the word rucibhiḥ is plural, which indicates that when bhāva
bhakti appears the desire to attain Kṛṣṇa in the heart appears with it, along with the desire to
serve Him favorably and to establish an affectionate relationship with Him. These three desires
soften the heart.
The blessed author says that this bhāva or rati is like the blossoming flower of the wish-
yielding vine of devotion. The outer luster of the blossoming flower of bhāva is sudurlabhā,
rarely attained by anyone. One gets the rare wealth of bhāva only by the mercy of sādhu, guru,
Śrī Hari, and by doing a lot of sādhana. The reddish inner luster of bhāva makes liberation, which
is so ardently strived for by jñānīs and yogīs, appear contemptible. bhāva-bhakti thus has two
characteristics: mokṣa-laghutākṛt and sudurlabhā. mokṣa-laghutākṛt is defined thus:
manāg eva prarūḍhāyāṁ hṛdaye bhagavad-ratau

puruṣārthas tu catvāras tṛṇāyante samantataḥ
"Even the slightest appearance of bhāva in the heart, makes dharma, artha, kāma, and
mokṣa appear as insignificant as a blade of grass." (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.33) Śrī Rūpa
Gosvāmī cites one verse from Śrī Nārada Pañcarātra in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.1.34): hari-
bhakti mahādevyāḥ sarvāh muktādi siddhayah; bhuktayaś cādbhutās tasyāś
cetikāvadānuvratāḥ "All types of liberation, perfections of mystic yoga, wonderful objects of
sense enjoyments follow the supreme goddess of Bhakti with awe and reverence like
maidservants." sudurlabhā is explained thus:
sādhanaughair anāsaṅgair alabhyā sucirād api

hariṇā cāśv adeyeti dvidhā sa syāt sudurlabhā
"One is unable to attain prema-bhakti even by doing devotion without attachment for
a long time. The Lord also does not give prema very easily." (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.35)
Hari-bhakti is thus sudurlabhā. "The Lord does not bestow prema-bhakti on the devotee until
the longing to attain it becomes intense." (yāvat phalabhūte bhaktiyoge gāḍhāsaktir na jāyate
tāvan na dadātītyarthaḥ, Commentary of Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.37 by Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī)
Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī has also written: nāyogye sahasā dātuṁ yogyeti yāvad ayogyatā tāvad
bhagavatā na dīyata eva. yogyatā ca sarvānya svahita nirapekṣatvam eva "The Lord only easily
gives prema to capable persons, not to incapable ones. Capability means understanding that
only hari-bhakti can bestow auspiciousness. Capability also refers to one's attachment only to
bhakti and aloofness from all self-interested desires." (Jīva Gosvāmī's commentary of Bhakti-
rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.222)
Even a single particle of bhāva uproots the darkness of ignorance from the heart. The
scent of the blossoming flower of bhāva extends up to the transcendental abode, inviting
Bhagavān Madhusūdana to drink its nectar. Bees, maddened by the attractive scent of
blossoming flowers, naturally come and drink their nectar with deep absorption. So too, the
Lord is attracted by the blossoming flower of bhāva existing in the devotee's heart. He Himself
manifests in the devotee's heart and becomes maddened by drinking the nectar of that bhāva-
flower. Not only that, through bhāva the heart of the devotee softens in such a way that it is
able to shower the Lord's entire body with affection. This bhāva is such a pure thing that it does
not at all depend on caste and makes even a dog-eater worshipable by Lord Brahmā.
udyotamāne ca asmin śyāmalimānaṁ vraja mahendra nandanasyāṅgānām eva

āruṇyaṁ tadīyādhara netrāntāder eva dhavalimānaṁ tadīya vadana smita candrikāder eva
pītimānaṁ tad ambara bhūṣaṇāder eva leḍhuṁ labdhāsanna samayam iva balitotkaṇṭhaṁ
bhaktasya nayana dvandvam aśrubhir ajasram ātmānam abhisiñcet. gītaṁ tadīyaṁ muralyā
eva śiñjitaṁ tadīya nūpurāder eva sausvaryaṁ tadīya kaṇṭhasyaiva nideśaṁ taccaraṇa
paricaraṇasyaiva tat kṛtaṁ kamapi svasyāvataṁsīkartuṁ mṛgyād iva sthāne sthāne kṣaṇe
kṣaṇe śravaṇa-dvayaṁ niścalībhavan unnamet. evam eva kīdṛśo vā tad ubhaya kara kiśalaya
sparśa iti tadaiva tam anubhavad iva gātraṁ romāñcitaṁ bhavet. tat saurabhyaṁ
labhyamānam iva viduṣyau nāse praphulle kṣaṇe kṣaṇe śvāsaṁ gṛhītvā paricicīṣetām. hanta sā
phenā kiṁ me svādanīyā iti tadaiva tām upalabhamāneva rasanāpyullāsaṁ

dadhānaivoṣṭhādharau lihyāt. kadāpi tadīya sphūrttau taṁ sākṣāt prāptavad iva ceto hṛṣyet
tan mādhuryāsvada sampattyā mādyet tadaiva tat tirobhāve viṣīdet glāyed ityevaṁ
sañcāribhāvair ātmānam alaṅkurvad iva śobheta.
TRANSLATION: As bhāva appears, the devotee longs to relish the sweetness of

Vrajendra-nandana such as the blackness of His limbs, the crimson glow of His lips and eye-
rims, the white brilliance of the mild smile of His moon-like face and the yellow glow of His
clothes and ornaments. His throat chokes up and he bathes himself with endless showers of
tears flowing down from his eyes. He longs for his ears to be decorated with the ornaments of
the song of Kṛṣṇa's flute, the jingling of His ankle bells, and the sweet sound of His voice giving
the order for the direct service of His lotus feet. Longing to relish directly the sweetness of
these sounds, sometimes he runs here and there, and sometimes becomes still with his ears
raised. Then he longs to relish the tender touch of the Lord's lotus-hand, and his hairs stand
erect as if directly realizing it. His nostrils open wide again and again as if, while inhaling, he is
directly relishing the sweet fragrance of the Lord's body. "Oh will I be fortunate enough to relish
the nectar of the Lord's lips?" Thus thinking, he licks his own lips with his tongue, being
overjoyed as if tasting that nectar. Sometimes his heart fills with uncommon pleasure almost
as if directly realizing the Lord and he becomes maddened by relishing the treasure of the Lord's
sweetness. On its disappearance, he feels deep sorrow and plunges into grief. He thus
beautifies himself with the ornaments of different sañcārī-bhāvas, the transitory emotions.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation— A jāta-rati-sādhaka, or a devotee who has attained rati,

becomes decorated with different ornaments of ecstatic symptoms, as if directly realizing the
sweetness of the Lord's form, sound, touch, smell, and taste. Such a devotee experiences the
sweetness of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, such as the blackness of His limbs, the crimson glow of His lips and eye-
rims, the white brilliance of His mild smile and the yellow glow of His clothes and ornaments as
if it is real. His throat chokes up and he bathes himself with endless showers of tears flowing
down from his eyes, knowing that this compels Kṛṣṇa to appear. The jāta rati sādhaka pricks up
his ears to hear the song of Kṛṣṇa's flute, the jingling of His ankle bells, and the sweet sound of
His voice giving orders for His direct service. When he relishes the tender, sweet touch of
Kṛṣṇa's hand his hairs stand erect as if directly realizing it, and he licks his own lips with his
tongue being overjoyed with the desire to taste the nectar of His lips. He feels like: "I
understand I am attaining Him now!"
The state of a jāta-rati-sādhaka is extremely blissful. Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī says in Bhakti-
rasāmṛta-sindhu: ratir ānanda-rūpaiva. When the sādhaka with rati has attained the divine
vision (sphūrti) of Śrī Kṛṣṇa he experiences boundless bliss- he goes mad with the vision of Śrī
Kṛṣṇa, which is a treasure of sweet relish. Then again, when the vision subsides he becomes
very sad and wilts away. In this way he becomes beautiful by ornamenting himself with
different sañcārī bhāvas like joy and sorrow. sañcārī-bhāvas are of thirty-three types:
repentance, grief, humility, shame, fatigue, madness, pride, doubt, fear, excitement, perplexity
of the heart, forgetfulness, disease, enchantment, the state preceding death, indolence,
inactivity, shyness, concealment of emotions, remembrance, deliberation, thought,
intelligence, steadiness, joy, eagerness, cruelty, impatience, envy, fickleness, sleep, dormancy,
and knowledge. These transitory emotions accelerate the movements of bhāva. In Bhakti-
rasāmṛta-sindhu, Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī explains the characteristic of each sañcārī-bhāva with
examples.
In the stage of rati a devotee attains the status of sādhāka. The definition of a sādhaka
bhakta is given as follows— utpanna ratayaḥ samyaṅ nairvighnyam anupāgatā kṛṣṇa sākṣāt
kṛtau yogyāḥ sādhakāḥ parikīrtitāḥ "These devotees who have attained rati but are not
completely free from obstacles are known as sādhakas." (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 2.1.276) The
following example is given (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 2.1.278): "Oh intelligent one! Do not worry
that the blazing forest fire is still in your heart, though the tears arising out of the river of the
Lord's pastimes are pouring down on you. Your body hairs stand erect as if fishes are dancing.
It seems that in the sky of your heart the Kṛṣṇa-cloud will soon appear, adorned with the mercy
shower that even destroys the desire of drinking the sweetest nectar of this mundane world."
In other words, when tears are flowing on hearing the Lord's pastimes, then do not worry about
your material bondage. Very soon you will attain Śrī Kṛṣṇa's mercy." A devotee in the rati stage
relishes hari-kathā as great nectar, while other desires are driven away from the heart. Uddhava
says to Kṛṣṇa in the Bhāgavata (11.6.44):
tava vikṛīḍitaṁ kṛṣṇa nrṇāṁ parama-maṅgalam

karṇa-pīyūṣam āsvādya tyajānty anya-spṛhāṁ janāḥ
"The devotees give up all kinds of material desires by drinking the nectar of your
divine pastimes, which bring supreme auspiciousness to the human being."
buddhir apatantam evārtham avadhārayantī jāgrat svapna suṣuptiṣu tadīya smṛti

vartmanyeva pānthatvam adhyavasyet. ahamtā ca prāpsyamāne sevopayogini siddhadehe
praviśantīva sādhaka śarīraṁ prāyo jahātīva virājeta. mamatā ca taccaraṇāravinda makaranda
eva madhukari bhavitum upakrameteti. sa ca bhaktaḥ prāptaṁ mahāratnaṁ kṛpaṇa iva
janebhyo bhāvaṁ gopayann api kṣānti vairāgyādīnām āspadībhavan lasallalāṭam
evāntardhanaṁ kathayatīti nyāyena tad vijña sādhu goṣṭhyāṁ vidito bhaved anyatra tu
vikṣipta ityunmatta iti sajjata iti durlakṣatāṁ gacchet.
TRANSLATION: His intelligence then unfailingly has this single purpose. The Lord
remains on the path of his memory whether he sleeps, dreams or is awake. Then his self-
conceit (ahantā, "I") enters a perfected body (siddha-deha) suitable for his desired service to
the Lord and is as if almost leaving the present sādhaka body. His sense of possessiveness
(mamatā, "mine") becomes like a bee ready to relish the nectar of the Lord's lotus feet. In
this stage, the devotee tries to conceal his mood (bhāva) like a miserly person hiding a
precious jewel. There is a logic that a bright face tells of hidden wealth. So too, because he
has such qualities as patience and renunciation, he is recognized by the realized devotees.
But the common people are baffled by his activities, and think he just has a disturbed mind.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation— At the stage of bhāva, the devotee constantly remembers
the Lord, attaining the stage of dhruvānusmṛti. Lord Kapiladeva says that dhruvānusmṛti is the
characteristic of nirguṇa-bhakti: mad-guṇa-śruti-mātreṇa mayi sarva-guhāśaye; mano-gatir
avicchinā yathā gaṅgāmbhaso 'mbudhau. lakṣaṇaṁ bhakti-yogasya nirguṇasya hy udāhṛtaṁ
"As soon as one hears My qualities, the movement of one's mind automatically becomes fixed
on Me residing in everyone's heart, just as the water of the Gaṅgā flows spontaneously towards
the ocean. This is the character of nirguṇa-bhakti." (Śrīmad-Bhāgavata 3.29.11-12) A sādhaka
at the rati stage never forgets Kṛṣṇa in wakefulness, dreams, or sound sleep. Generally in the
state of wakefulness, the heart and mind of a common man enjoy such material objects as form
and taste. The mind of a sādhaka in rati, however, is constantly absorbed in the Lord's
remembrance, instead of being absorbed in transient objects, which finally bring distress.
Dreaming is just mental imagination. In the wakeful state, the outer senses such as the ears,
eyes, and others are active and alert, all material objects like flavours and forms as well as all
the mind's wishes appear to be real. During the sleeping state the five outer senses are inactive,
the brain then has a good chance to ponder over the world of thoughts. The mind, also being
free from the outer attraction of gross material objects, wanders in the subtle kingdom. In this
state the mind eagerly and attentively accepts the streams of thoughts coming in its domain.
Dreaming is just a reflected shadow of such streams of thought. In the stage of rati the heart is
freed from anarthas, and Śrī Hari's form, qualities, and so on flow in the stream of thoughts
instead of material topics. Thus it is natural that the jāta rati sādhaka can also see the Lord's
form and attributes.
Sound sleep is the state where the gross senses and the subtle mind, intelligence, heart,
and ego also undergo deep sleep and become inactive. There is thus no chance of any thought.
Merging of all gross and subtle senses into their respective causes is known as suṣupti (sound
sleep). The Māṇḍūkya-Śruti says: yatra supto na kañcana kāryaṁ kāmayate na kañcana
svapnaṁ paśyati tat suṣuptam, "The state wherein a sleeping person does not desire, think, or
even dream is known as suṣupti." Even in this state, the soul of a jāta-rati-sādhaka remembers
the Lord.
When the two states of ego, ahantā and mamatā, exist in relation to the body and bodily
objects, one is materially bound. That is, the soul identifies with the gross material body and
thinks that wife, children, land, wealth and so on belong to him. brahma-jñānīs are known as
muktas (liberated) as they burn these two states in the fire of knowledge of Brahman. During
sādhana-bhakti the pure state of a jīva soul is awakened, or he realizes his position as an eternal
servant of the Lord. This is also known as siddha svarūpa. During initiation, Śrī Gurudeva
introduces one to one's spiritual form, or relationship with the Lord in a specific mood of
service. Identifying himself with his spiritual form, a sādhaka performs bhajan-items like
śravaṇa and kīrtana. In the Gauḍīya-Vaiṣṇava-sampradāya the spiritual form of a sādhaka is the
maidservant (mañjarī) of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. "A sādhaka who has not yet attained rati mentally
establishes self-identification with this siddha svarūpa and mentally serves the Lord (mānasī-
sevā). The sādhaka who has attained rati spontaneously perceives this siddha svarūpa." The
identification of one's spiritual form is so mature in the rati stage, that a sādhaka almost forgets
his present gross body. His sense of possessiveness (mamatā) becomes like a bee absorbed in
relishing the nectar of the lotus feet of Śrī Śrī Rādhā Mādhava.
A jāta-rati-sādhaka devotee, after attaining permanent attachment to the Lord,
constantly conceals his stage of bhāva from the common people like a miserly person who has
a precious jewel. When one sees an elated forehead one can surmise that the person has inner
wealth; similarly the learned saints can recognise the characteristics of the birth of rati and
guess who has it, because the person has rati's specific qualities like tolerance and renunciation.
The characteristics of bhāva are listed in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.3.25-26):
kṣāntir avyartha-kālatvaṁ virakti māna-śūnyatā

āśābandhaḥ samutkaṇṭhā nāma-gāne sadā suciḥ
āsaktis tad-guṇākhyāne prītis tad-vasati-sthale
ity ādayo'nubhāvāḥ syur jāta-bhāvāṅkure jane
"Nine symptoms manifest in devotees where the sprout of bhāva has awakened:
forbearance, not wasting even a moment in anything unrelated to Kṛṣṇa, detachment from
worldly enjoyments, pridelessness, firm hope, eagerness, constant taste for the holy name,
attachment to the descriptions of the Lord's qualities, and affection for the places where the
Lord resides." When one's heart remains unagitated though there are causes for agitation, that
state is known as kṣānti, forbearance. Spending all time absorbed in devotional practices aloof
from material affairs is known as avyartha-kālatva. Natural distaste for sense objects such as
material form, taste, smell, touch and sound is known as virakti. When one is prideless in spite
of one's excellence, that state is called māna-śūnyatā. Firm hope for attaining the Lord is called
āśā-bandha. The ardent desire for attaining one's desired supreme object is known as
samutkaṇṭhā. Thirst arising out of affection for constantly chanting the holy name is known as
nāma-gāne sadā ruci. One's natural attachment to describing the Lord's most sweet qualities,
pastimes and so on is called āsakti tad-gunākhyāne. Desire to reside in the places of the Lord's
pastimes such as Vṛndāvana and others is called tad-vasati-sthale prīti. When the mere sprout
of bhagavad rati has arisen these symptoms can be seen in a sādhaka. Although the other
symptoms of bhāva such as shedding tears, standing of bodily hairs, and so on may be seen in
someone, if these nine special symptoms do not appear, one should presume that such a
person is not at the rati stage.
Softness of heart is the characteristic of rati. Sometimes symptoms of rati such as
shedding tears and standing of bodily hairs apparently appear in karmīs and jñānīs desiring
sense enjoyments and liberation. However, these should not be considered symptoms of rati.
They are simply a reflection (ābhāsa) of rati. The superficial appearance of rati (ratyābhāsa) is
of two kinds: pratibimba, reflected image, and chāyā, shadow. Symptoms such as tears and
standing of hairs seen in persons desiring sense enjoyment or liberation are pratibimba-
ratyābhāsa. Such symptoms seen in ignorant persons by their association with devotees are
chāyā-ratyābhāsa. Sometimes while hearing the Lord's pastimes, symptoms such as tears and
so on are seen in some persons who are naturally slimy (picchila). A pretender sometimes
practises symptoms such as shedding tears and horripilation to cheat ordinary men. Such
symptoms, however, cannot even be considered ratyābhāsa.
On the other hand, external symptoms like goosebumps and tears may not be seen in
some grave-hearted devotees in the rati stage. Therefore the nine symptoms like forbearance
and others are the real characteristics of rati, but when the learned saints observe the
symptoms in the jāta rati sādhaka, they become acquainted with genuine rati. But the common
people are baffled by his activities, and think he is just disturbed in mind.
sa ca bhāvo rāga bhaktyuttho vaidha bhaktyuttha iti dvividhaḥ. ādyo jāti

pramāṇābhyām ādhikyena mahima jñānānādarena bhagavati sāmānyādhikyācca sāndraḥ.
dvitīyaḥ tābhyāṁ prathamataḥ kiñcin nyūnatvena aiśvarya jñāna viddha mamatāvat
tvāccāsāndraḥ. prāyo dvividha evāyaṁ bhāvo dvividhānāṁ bhaktānāṁ dvividha cid vāsanā
sanātheṣu hṛdayesu sphuraṇ dvividhāsvādyatvaṁ bhajate. ghanarasa iva rasāla panasekṣu
drākṣādiṣu praviṣṭah pṛthak pṛthaṅ mādhuryavattvaṁ bhajate. te ca bhaktāḥ śānta dāsa sakhi
pitṛ preyasībhāvavantaḥ pañcavidhāḥ syuḥ. tatra śānteṣu śāntir iti dāseṣu prītir iti sakhiṣu
sakhyam iti pitṛ bhāvavatsu vātsalyam iti preyasībhāvavatsu priyateti nāmatedam api.
TRANSLATION: This bhāva is of two types: arising from spontaneous devotion and
arising from devotion under scriptural injunctions. The first one is very intense due to its higher
quality and quantity. Knowledge of the Lord's power and majesty is absent in devotees having
the first type of bhāva. They think themselves to be equal or superior to the Lord. The second
type of bhāva is not so intense due to its lesser quality and quantity. Devotees having this rati
have affection to the Lord mixed with the knowledge of His power and majesty as the almighty
Lord. These two types of bhāva are relished in two different ways by the two types of devotees
having two different transcendental desires. As the juice of mango, jackfruit, sugarcane, and
grapes differ in density, so the sweetness differs in different bhāvas. The devotees relishing
different moods are of five types: śānta (neutral), dāsya (servants), sakhya (friends) vātsalya
(parents), and mādhurya (amorous lovers). The names of the ratis thus differ in them: śānta-
bhaktas have śānti-rati (neutral mood), dāsya-bhaktas have prīti-rati (affectionately serving
mood), sakhya-bhaktas have sakhya-rati (fraternal love), fathers and mothers have vātsalya-
rati (parental love) and preyasī-bhāva-bhaktas have priyatā-rati (amorous love).
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation— bhāva is of two types: one arising from spontaneous devotion
(rāgānugā bhakti) and arising from devotion under scriptural injunctions (vaidhī bhakti).
Therefore the feelings are also twofold - feelings arising from rāga bhakti and feelings arising
from vidhi bhakti. The feelings arising from rāga bhakti are greater than those arising from vidhi
bhakti, both in quality and quantity, because in vaidhi bhakti the Lord is approached with
feelings of awe and reverence as the Supreme Lord. Thus the relish is not uninterrupted. Their
affection for the Lord is mixed with knowledge of His power and majesty. Those in rāga-bhakti
lack such awe and reverence, or knowledge of Śrī Kṛṣṇa's power and majesty. Their relationship
with the Lord as their son or beloved is spontaneous and they thus uninterruptedly relish His
sweetness. This is called laukika sad bandhu bhāva — mora putra mora sakhā mora prāṇapati
("He is my son, my pal or my lover", CC). In this way each kind of devotee in which such
transcendental feelings have arisen, relishes the Lord's sweetness according to their feelings of
either vidhi bhakti or rāga bhakti.
Again, just as mango, jackfruit, cane sugar and grapes are each sweeter and more
relishable than their predecessor, similarly the five kinds of devotional moods śānta, dāsya,
sakhya, vātsalya, and mādhurya bhāvas are successively relishable. Śrīman Mahāprabhu
taught Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī:
śāntera svabhāva--kṛṣṇe mamatā gandha hīna;

paraṁ brahma paramātmā-jñāna pravīṇa
kevala `svarūpa jñāna' haya śāntā-rase;
'pūrṇaiśvarya-prabhu-jñāna' adhika haya dāsye
īśvara-jñāna sambhrama-gaurava pracura;
`sevā kari' kṛṣṇa sukha dena nirantara
śāntera guṇa dāsye ache, adhika-'sevāna';
ataeva dāsya-rasera ei dui guṇa
śāntera guṇa dāsyera sevana sākhye dui hoy;
dāsyera sambhrama gaurava-sevā sakhye viśvāsamoy
kāndhe caḍe, kāndhe caḍāya, kare kṛīda-raṇa;
kṛṣṇa seve, kṛṣṇa karāya āpana-sevana
viśrambha-pradhāna sakhyagaurava sambhramahīna;
ataeva sakhyarasera tin guṇa cina
mamatā adhika, kṛṣṇe ātmā-sama jñāna;
ataeva sakhya-rasera vaśa bhagavān
vātsalye śāntera guṇa, dāsyera sevāna;
sei sei sevānera ihāṅ nāma-pālana
sakhyera guṇa--`asaṅkoca agaurava' sāra;
mamatādhikaye tāḍana-bhartsana-vyavahāra
āpanāke `pālaka' jñāna, kṛṣṇe 'pālya'-jñāna;
cāri rasera guṇe vātsalya amṛta-samāna
............................
madhura-rase-kṛṣṇa niṣṭhā, sevā atiśaya;
sakhyera asaṇkoca, lālana-mamatādhikya hoy
kānta-bhāve nijāṅga diyā karena sevana;
ataeva mādhura-rasera haya `pañca' guṇa
ākāśādira guṇa yena para para bhūte;
eka-dui-tina-cāri krame pañca pṛthivīte
ei-mata madhure saba bhāva-samāhāra;
ataeva asvādādhikye kare camatkāra
"The nature of śānta-rasa is that not even a trace of affection for Kṛṣṇa exists. Rather,
knowledge of the Lord as the Supreme Brahman and Paramātmā is predominant. In śānta-rasa
one only realizes the Lord's philosophical existence (svarūpa jñāna). One in dāsya-rasa,
however, realizes the Lord's form full of majesty. Knowledge of the Lord's supremacy with awe
and reverence is prominent in this stage. The devotees in dāsya-rasa constantly give pleasure
to Kṛṣṇa by serving Him. In dāsya-rasa, all the characteristics of śānta-rasa are also present, but
the serving mood is added. Thus dāsya-rasa has the characteristics of both śānta and dāsya.
The qualities of śānta and the serving mood of dāsya are both present in sakhya-rasa. In sakhya-
rasa, the serving mood of dāsya-rasa is felt with confidence and affection instead of awe and
reverence. Sometimes during mock fighting, Kṛṣṇa climbs on the shoulders of the cowherd boys
and sometimes Kṛṣṇa carries them on His shoulders. Sometimes they serve Kṛṣṇa and
sometimes they make Kṛṣṇa serve them. In fraternity, awe and reverence is absent and
intimacy is predominant. sakhya-rasa, therefore, has the qualities of śānta, dāsya and sakhya
rasas. In sakhya-rasa, affection for Kṛṣṇa is intense and cowherd friends consider themselves
equal to Him. The Lord is thus under the control of His friends. vātsalya-rasa has the qualities
of śānta-rasa and the serving mood of dāsya-rasa, but the service in this rasa is known as pālana,
maintenance. Due to the intense affection of vātsalya-rasa and its lack of awe and reverence,
the devotees in vātsalya-rasa sometimes chastise and rebuke Kṛṣṇa. Devotees in vātsalya-rasa
consider themselves as Kṛṣṇa's maintainer and Kṛṣṇa as the object of maintenance. vātsalya-
rasa is like nectar because it has the qualities of four rasas: śānta, dāsya, sakhya, and vātsalya.
In mādhurya-rasa, the qualities of steadiness in Kṛṣṇa of śānta-rasa, abundant service of dāsya-
rasa, lack of awe and reverence of sakhya-rasa, maintenance of Kṛṣṇa due to intense affection
of vātsalya-rasa are all present. In addition to all these, the special quality of mādhurya-rasa is
that the devotees serve Kṛṣṇa by intimately offering their bodies in His service. mādhurya-rasa
thus has the qualities of all five rasas. As sound, the quality of sky, is also present in the other
four material elements, air, fire, water, and earth, similarly the qualities increase one after
another successively in each element. Earth thus has all five qualities, sound, touch, form, taste,
and smell. Similarly, mādhurya-rasa is also an accumulation of all five types of rasas. The intense
taste is very astonishing." (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya 19/218-234)
One may say that when taste increases in rasas starting from śānta-rasa, then all
devotees should have intention to relish the amorous rasa which is superior to all other rasas.
Other rasas should appear insignificant to them, because everyone desires the object of
superior quality. Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (2/5/38) thus says:
yathottaramasau svāda-viśeṣollāsamayyapi
ratir vāsanayā svādvī bhāsate kāpi kasyacit
"Taste increases gradually in śānta-rati, dāsya-rati, sakhya-rati, vātsalya-rati, and

madhura-rati. Depending on the previous desires of devotees, taste for a specific rati differs in
them." For instance, due to one's previous habits, one has a taste for any one of the six tastes
such as sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and so on. Similarly, due to previous desires, one attains a
taste for a specific rati out of the five ratis. The taste for ratis, such as dāsya, sakhya, and so
on, also depends on the mood of the mahat (exalted devotee) from whom one is attaining
mercy in this birth.
Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmīpāda writes in the commentary of this śloka, "The ratis starting with
śānta are always more tasty than their predecessors, still each person engages in the rati that
he has taste for. There may be a question now who will ascertain the superiority and inferiority
of these five ratis? Persons having no taste (nirvāsana) or having a single taste (eka-vāsana)
cannot ascertain this since they have no experience of other rasas. One who has a taste for
more than one rati (bahu vāsana) is unable to distinguish the difference of tastes. Only one who
is immersed in a single rasa can detect the difference in ratis. Though he does not have the
taste for other rasas, he can understand the characteristics of another rasa by comparing it with
the rasa for which he has the taste. He thus infers the conclusion by seeing which factors
nourish or pollute that particular rasa. For instance, with Śrī Uddhava, though a mixture of
fraternity is present along with a servitude mood, still he is known as a dāsya-bhakta because
of the predominance of servitude (dāsya) in his rasa. Śrīmad-Bhāgavata explains that he
inferred the superiority of the amorous rasa present in the Vraja gopīs by seeing the most
astonishing overflow of amorous love in them. Though he himself was a dāsya-bhakta, he was
still able to realize the excellence of amorous rasa. He thus prayed for birth as grass or a creeper
in Vṛndāvana, desiring to attain the dust of the feet of gopīs.
In the śānta bhakta there is śānti rati, in the dāsa bhakta there is prīti rati, in the friend
there is sakhya, in the mother and father there is vātsalya and in the madhura bhāva there is
priyatā rati — these are the names under which these ratis are known.
punaś cāyaṁ svaśaktair āvirbhāvitair vibhāvānubhāva vyabhicāribhir ātmeva rājeva vā

prakṛtibhir udbhūtaiśvaryaḥ sthāyīti nāmnā vaiśiṣṭyaṁ gacchan tair militaḥ śānta iti dāsyam iti
sakhyam iti vātsalyam iti ujjvala iti labdha vibhedo raso bhavati. yo hi raso vai saḥ rasaṁ
hyevāyaṁ labdhānandībhavatīti śrutyābhidhīyate ayam anyatrāvatāre'vatāriṇi va
sambhavannapi svayaṁ sampūrtimānaṁ tatra tatrālabhamāno vrajendranandana eva
svakāṣṭhāṁ labhate. nada nadī taḍāgādiṣu sambhavann api yathā samudra eva jalanidhitvam.
yo hi bhāvasya prathama pariṇatāveva utpadyamāna eva premṇi mūrta eva rasaḥ sākṣād eva
tadvatā bhaktenānubhūyata iti.
iti mahāmahopadhyāya śrīmad viśvanātha cakravarti viracitāyāṁ mādhurya
kādambinyāṁ paramānanda niṣyandināmā saptamyamṛta vṛṣṭiḥ (7)
TRANSLATION: Again, these five bhāvas by their own power take vibhāva, anubhāva,
and vyabhicārī as their subjects and become sthāyi-bhāvas, permanent attachments, like
independent kings fully endowed with opulences. When these kings, sthāyi-bhāvas, unite
with all the above subordinates, they transform into śānta, dāsya, sakhya, vātsalya, and
ujjvala rasas. Each rasa has its own excellence. Śrutis say that the Original Supreme Lord is
the embodiment of rasa and the jīva attains spiritual bliss by attaining Him in this capacity.
Though lakes, rivers, and ponds all contain water, only the ocean is known as the ultimate
reservoir of water. So too, though rasa is present in all manifestations of the Lord and the
original avatāra or avatārī, it does not reach its paramount in them. Rasa only attains its
climax in Vrajendra-nandana. When bhāva matures and ripens into prema, then Vrajendra-
nandana is realized as rasa personified by the rasika devotees.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation— Now it is described how śrī kṛṣṇa-rati turns into rasa. The
aforementioned śānti rati, prīti rati, sakhya, vātsalya and priyatā ratis by their own power take
vibhāva, anubhāva, and vyabhicārī as their subjects and become sthāyi-bhāvas, permanent
attachments, like independent kings fully endowed with opulences. When these kings, sthāyi-
bhāvas, unite with all the above subordinates, they transform into śānta, dāsya, sakhya,
vātsalya, and ujjvala rasas. Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (2.5.1-2) says:
aviruddhān viruddhāṇś ca bhāvān yo vaśatāṁ nayan
surājeva virājetā sa sthāyi-bhāva ucyate
sthāyi-bhāvo'tra sa proktaḥ śrī kṛṣṇa viṣayā ratiḥ
"When sthāyi-bhāva exists like a powerful king controlling over the secondary
harmonious and opposing bhāvas, such as laughter and anger respectively, then it is known as
sthāyi-bhāva, permanent attachment. In the devotional scriptures, permanent attachment to
Kṛṣṇa is known as sthāyi-bhāva."
vibhāvarair anubhāvaiś ca sāttvikair vyabhicāribhiḥ

svādyatvaṁ hṛdi bhaktānām ānitā śravaṇādibhiḥ
eṣā kṛṣṇa-ratiḥ sthāyi-bhāvo bhakti-raso bhavet
"The sthāyi-bhāva of śrī kṛṣṇa rati, combined with vibhāva, anubhāva, sāttvika, and
vyabhicārī attains its relishable form known as bhakti-rasa. This is relished by the devotees
within their hearts by hearing and other devotional practices." (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 2.1.5)
Gradually maturing, rati successively attains the names prema, sneha, māna, pranaya, rāga,
anurāga, and mahābhāva. All these stages are also known as the sthāyi-bhāva of śrī kṛṣṇa
bhakti-rasa, the flavours of devotion to Kṛṣṇa. When this sthāyi bhāva meets with rasa
ingredients like vibhāva (cause of an emotion) it reaches an astonishing status of relish and is
called bhakti rasa. Śrīman Mahāprabhu taught Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī:
sādhana-bhakti haite haya ratira udaya; rati gāḍha haile tāra prema nāma kaya
prema vṛddhi-krama nāma-sneha, māna, praṇoy; rāga, anurāga, bhāva, mahābhāva hoy
yaiche bīja, ikṣu, rasa, guḍa khaṇḍa-sāra; śarkarā, sitā, miśrī, uttama-miśri āra
ei saba kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasera sthāyi-bhāva; sthāyi-bhāva mile yadi vibhāva, anubhāva
sāttvika, vyabhicāri, bhāvera milane; kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasa haya amṛta āsvādane
yaiche dadhi, sitā, ghṛta, marica, karpūra; milane rasālā haya amṛta madhura
"By the process of sādhana-bhakti, rati, or permanent attachment, gradually appears.

When rati intensifies it is known by the name prema, or divine love. When prema gradually
matures, it is successively known by the names sneha (affection), māna (anger out of love),
praṇaya (deep love), rāga (attachment), anurāga (intense attachment), bhāva (highest limit of
anurāga), and mahābhāva (extreme state of bhāva). These can be compared with the gradually
increasing sweetness of the seed of the sugarcane, sugarcane, juice, liquid molasses, dry
molasses, candy, rock candy, and excellent candy. All these stages are called sthāyi-bhāva in
kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasa. This sthāyi-bhāva becomes kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasa when vibhāva, anubhāva,
sāttvika and vyabhicārī bhāvas combine with it. It becomes as relishable as the combination of
yogurt, rock candy, ghī, black pepper and camphor known as rasālā, which is a drink as sweet
as nectar." (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya 19.177-182)
The causes that make one relish rati are called vibhāvas. They are two types: ālambana
(basis) and uddīpana (stimulus that awakens permanent attachment). ālambana is of two types:
viṣayālambana (basic object of prema) and āśrayālambana (basic subject of prema). In kṛṣṇa-
bhakti-rasa, Kṛṣṇa is known as viṣayālambana because bhakti is stimulated within the heart of
a devotee making Kṛṣṇa its aim or object. Devotees are āśrayālambana because they are the
support or base of bhakti, since bhakti resides within their hearts. When Kṛṣṇa loves His
devotees, then He Himself becomes āśrayālambana, or basic subject of bhakti rati. He loves His
devotees because of the bhakti residing in their hearts. Then the devotees become
viṣayālambana, the basic object. The flute's call, clouds and peacock feathers are uddīpana-
vibhāva, or stimuli in awakening kṛṣṇa-rati, or sthāyi-bhāva. Dancing, rolling on the ground,
singing, crying loudly, symptoms that indicate the awakening of ecstasy within the heart
appearing externally as bodily transformations are known as anubhāvas. Shedding tears,
standing of bodily hairs, trembling and so on are known as sāttvika-bhāvas. As they are also
included in anubhāvas, the author has not separately referred to sāttvika-bhāvas by name. Still,
the authors of rasa-śāstra have given the separate name sāttvika, because anubhāvas like
dancing and rolling around appear intentionally, unlike tears and goosebumps. When the heart
is struck with bhāva these latter symptoms spontaneously appear from the heart. tataś ca
nṛtyādīnāṁ satyapi sattvotpannatve buddhi pūrvikā pravṛttiḥ stambhādīnām tu svata eva
pravṛttir ityasya lakṣaṇasya nṛtyādiṣu nātivyāptiḥ (ṭīkā Śrīmat Jīva Gosvāmī, Bhakti Rasāmṛta
sindhu, 2.3.2) "The bhāvas that are solely arising from sattva are called sāttvika bhāvas. Hence
although symptoms like dancing arise from sattva they are not performed deliberately; rather
symptoms like paralysis appear spontaneously and are not ativyāpti (surpassing the natural
characteristic) in dancing and so. Joy, distress, and so on are thirty-three types of sañcārī, or
vyabhicārī-bhāvas, transitory emotions. They stir and excite the movement of sthāyi-bhāva, and
are thus known as sañcārī-bhāva. They appear like waves from the ocean of sthāyi-bhāva,
swelling up and again merging within it. These sañcārī-bhāvas are also known as transitory
emotions. When the sthāyibhāva of kṛṣṇa rati meet with all these rasa-ingredients it becomes
rasa.
It does not mean that just after attaining rati, one can relish rasa. The ability to relish
devotional nectar depends on one's previous desires. prāktanyādhūnikī cāsti yasya sadbhakti-
vāsanā; eṣa bhakti rasāsvādas tasyaiva hṛdī jāyate, "One can only relish the divine rasa if one
has had spiritual desire for bhakti in both this and the previous birth." (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu
2.1.6) In his commentary on this verse Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartīpāda has written: prāktani
vāsanā tu ratyāsvāde'vaśyam apekṣitā ataeva ekasminn janmani daivān niraparādhair guru
pādāśrayaṇādibhir janais tasminn eva janmani ratau jātāyām api tasyāḥ āsvādaḥ kintu
janmāntara iti bodhyam "Though the existence of rati clearly indicates the presence of the
desire for bhakti in this life and its maturing into a rasa-form, the ability to relish its rasa form
depends on one's previous desires. If some offenseless person practises bhajana by taking
shelter of gurudeva and attains rati in this life, still he will have to wait for the next life to relish
its rasa form." In Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (2.1.7-10) Śrīmad Rūpa Gosvāmī explains the
procedure for the appearance of rasa, the criteria that help in the appearance of rasa, and the
manner rati transforms into its rasa form.
bhakti-nirdhūta-doṣānāṁ prasannojjvala cetasām

śrī-bhāgavata raktānāṁ rasikāsaṅga raṅgiṇām
jīvanībhūtā govinda-pāda-bhakti-sukha-śriyām
premāntaraṅga bhūtāni kṛtyānyevānutiṣṭhatām

bhaktānāṁ hṛdi rājanti saṁskāra yugalojjvalā
ratir ānandarūpaiva nīyamānā tu rasyatām
kṛṣṇādibhir vibhāvādyair gatair anubhavādhvani
praūḍhānanda camatkāra kāṣṭhāmāpadyate paraṁ
"For persons who have all material contamination washed away by the effect of bhakti,
their hearts thus becoming blissful or suitable for the manifestation of viśuddha-sattva, who
are brightly enlightened, or full of all transcendental knowledge, who are highly attached to the
exalted devotees, who feel overjoyed by the constant association of rasika devotees, who
consider the wealth of bliss of devotion to Govinda's lotus feet as their very life, who are
constantly engaged in the innermost devotional practices like hearing, chanting, recollecting
and so on for attaining prema, and whose hearts are brightened due to the presence of previous
and present desires of devotion, blissful rati combines with vibhāva, anubhāva and other Kṛṣṇa-
conscious experiences, attaining the climax of highly matured bliss and astonishment."
Introducing the transcendental form of the Lord, the śrutis say, raso vai saḥ "He is rasa
personified." prajñānānandaṁ brahma "He is the absolute truth with complete spiritual
knowledge and He is completely blissful." ānando brahmeti vyajanāt "The Absolute truth is
blissful." The śrutis thus declare that His form is rasa itself. Similarly by saying, rasaṁ hyevāyaṁ
labdhānandī bhavati "One can attain bliss by attaining the Lord, personified rasa," the śrutis
also encourage souls who crave for transcendental ecstasy to relish that ecstasy. Though all the
transcendental forms of the Lord are rasamayī, full of rasa, only in Kṛṣṇa, the Original Supreme
Lord, are all rasas simultaneously present. In some avatāras, the partial manifestation of a rasa
is seen, but Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the embodiment of all rasas. All rasas fully manifest or culminate in Him.
The rasika devotees realize Him as the embodiment of rasas. Just as there may be water in
ponds and lakes, but the shelter and vessel of all water is the ocean, similarly all forms of the
Lord may have rasa, but the root vessel of rasa is Śrī Kṛṣṇa. He is the embodiment of rasa. rasika
bhaktas experience Him as the embodiment of rasa. Whatever rasa one may be relishing in
relation to Him, one realizes Him as the embodiment of that rasa. For instance, Śrī Jayadeva, a
devotee in mādhurya-rasa, writes, śṛṅgāra rasa mūrtimān, "O sakhi! See personified amorous
love in the form of Kṛṣṇa." Bilvamaṅgala says, śṛṅgāra rasa sarvasvam "He Himself is whole and
sole amorous love."
Thus ends the Pīyūṣa-kaṇā explanation of the Seventh Shower of Nectar of Mādhurya
Kādambinī by the most respected Śrīmad Viśvanātha Cakravartī.
Eighth Shower of Nectar
atha tasyā eva bhakti kalpavallyāḥ sādhanābhikhye ye pūrvaṁ dve patrike lakṣite idānīṁ
tato'ti cikkaṇāni tādṛśa śravaṇa kīrtanādimayāni bhāva kusuma saṁlagnāni
anubhāvābhidhānāni bahūni patrāṇi sahasaivāvirbhūya kṣaṇe kṣaṇe dyotayanti yānyeva bhāva
kusumaṁ pariṇāmaṁ prāpayya punas tadaiva premābhidhāna phalatvamānayanti. kiṁ ca
āścarya caryyeyaṁ bhakti kalpavallī yasyāḥ patraḥ stavaka puṣpaphalāni prāpta pariṇatīnyapi
sva svarūpam atyajantyeva navanavānyeva sahaiva sarvāṇi vibhrājante. tataś cāsya
bhaktajanasyātmātmīya gṛha vittādiṣu śata sahasraśo bhavatyo yāś citta vṛttayo mamatā
rajjubhis teṣu teṣu nibaddha eva pūrvamāsan tā eva cittavṛttīḥ sarvā eva tatas
tato'vahelayaivonmocya sva śaktyā māyikīr api tā mahārasakūpa spṛśyamāna padārtha
mātrāṇīva sākāra cidānanda jyotirmayīkṛtya tābhir eva mamatābhiḥ sarvābhis tatas tato
vicitābhiḥ svaśaktyaiva tathābhūtīkṛtābhiḥ śrī bhagavad rūpa nāma guṇa mādhuryeṣu yo
nibadhnāti so'yaṁ prema mahākiraṇamālīva udayiṣyamāṇa eva nikhila puruṣārtha
nakṣatramaṇḍalīḥ sahasaiva vilāpayati.
TRANSLATION: The two unfolding leaves called sādhana on the desire creeper of bhakti
were described before. Now as hearing, chanting and other devotional processes become very
smooth, suddenly many shiny petals known as anubhāvas (symptoms of ecstasy) appear at
every moment, clinging to the flower of bhāva. Shining brilliantly, the fully blossoming flower
of bhāva matures and brings forth the fruit of prema. But what is most astonishing about the
creeper of bhakti is that though its leaves, buds, flowers and fruits mature into the succeeding
forms, still their original forms remain. Together they shine splendidly in newer and newer
ways. Though previously the hundreds if not thousands of emotions of the devotee were firmly
bound by ropes of attachment to body, family, house and money, prema now easily severs
these bonds, and, through its own power, takes the same emotions, though illusory, and dips
them into a well of great rasa, whose mere touch completely transforms them into radiant
transcendental feelings. Then it firmly ties these spiritualised emotions to the sweetness of the
Lord's form, name and attributes. Such is prema, the brilliant rising sun that immediately puts
the hosts of star-like human aims to shame!
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation — In this eighth nectar-shower the blessed author elaborately
describes the characteristics and symptoms of prema. That bhāva or rati that greatly softens
the heart through the aforementioned desire to attain the Lord, to act favorably towards Him
and to have affectionate friendship for Him, accelerates the topmost bliss and bestows a deep
feeling of mine-ness towards the beloved deity, is called prema by the learned. It is said (Bhakti
Rasāmṛta Sindhu 1.4.1)—
samyaṅ masṛṇitasvānto mamatvātiśayāṅkitaḥ

bhāvaḥ sa eva sāndrātmā budhaiḥ premā nigadyate
The difference between bhāva and prema is that bhāva softens the heart and prema
does so completely. In bhāva there is an increase of ruci, in prema however it is an excess of
mine-ness. Condensedness is the intrinsic characteristic (svarūpa lakṣaṇa) of prema and the
aforementioned tenderness and mine-ness are the two marginal characteristics (taṭastha
lakṣaṇa) of prema. After this verse Śrīmad Rūpa Gosvāmīpāda quotes a verse from the Nārada
Pañcarātra to prove the point - ananya mamatā viṣṇau mamatā prema saṅgatā; bhaktir
ityucyate bhīṣma prahlādoddhava nāradaiḥ "That which reverts the feeling of mine-ness
towards the body and home into feelings of mine-ness towards Śrī Viṣṇu, has been called prema
by great saints like Bhīṣma, Prahlāda, Uddhava and Nārada."
In the stage of prema the sādhaka becomes known as a siddha. The definition of a
siddha bhakta is: avijñātākhila kleśāḥ sadā kṛṣṇāśrita kriyāḥ; siddhāḥ syuḥ santata prema
saukhyāsvāda parāyaṇāḥ (Bhakti Rasāmṛta Sindhu 2.1.280) "siddha mahātmās are free from
all suffering, eternally surrendered to Kṛṣṇa's pastimes and always relishing the bliss of prema."
In this stage there is deep relish of śrī hari-kathā; it is ever-fresh to him just as a womaniser ever
relishes hearing topics of women. Śrīmad Bhāgavata (10.13.2) says:
satām ayaṁ sārabhṛtāṁ nisargo yad arthavāṇī śruti cetasām api

pratikṣaṇaṁ navavad acyutasya yat striyā viṭānām iva sādhuvārtā
"It is the nature of the great devotees, who accept only the essence of things and
whose hearts, ears and minds are offered to Śrī Kṛṣṇa that they relish topics of Śrī Kṛṣṇa as
ever-fresh, just as womanisers are ever attracted to topics of women."
Previously, in the second nectar-shower, the first two leaves of the wish-yielding vine
called sādhana (that destroy misery and bestow auspiciousness) were discussed. It has been
said that after the stage of anartha nivṛtti (cessation of vices) comes the stage of āsakti
(attachment to the Lord) wherein the vine sprouts, and in the stage of rati it blossoms into the
flowers of bhāva. Here, in the stage of prema, all around the flowers of bhāva suddenly many
very glossy leaves of ecstatic symptoms like tears, goosebumps, laughter, weeping and dancing
sprout, that come forth from the process of hearing and chanting, thus making the wish-
yielding vine of devotion very beautiful. When the flowers of bhāva blossom the fruits of prema
emerge. The purport is that the more the practitioner of jñāna or yoga progresses towards their
goal, the less they practise, because with them there is a difference between the practice and
its subsequent perfection. In bhakti, however, practice and perfection are identical. The only
difference for the devotee is that in the stage of sādhana the relish is feeble and in the stage of
perfection the relish is deep. Therefore the more the practitioner advances towards prema
during his devotional practice, the more his practice of hearing and chanting increases. In the
stage of prema hearing and chanting becomes the very life of the practitioner and that hearing
and chanting becomes beautified by different ecstatic symptoms.
Just as the fruits on a vine are most relishable and sweet, similarly the intoxicating sweet
relish of the fruit of prema, which is the essence of the Lord's pleasure potency, makes the four
human aims seem extremely trivial. This prema is itself relishable, making the loving devotee
relish the wonderful sweetness of Śrī Kṛṣṇa and blessing Him with the relish of His blissful
service. Śrīman Mahāprabhu said:
pañcama puruṣārtha sei prema mahādhana;

kṛṣṇera mādhurya rasa korāy āsvādana
premā hoite kṛṣṇa hoy nija bhakta vaśa;
premā hoite pāi kṛṣṇa sevā sukha rasa (C.C.)
"This great treasure of prema is the fifth and highest human aim which causes the relish
of Kṛṣṇa's sweetness. Through prema Kṛṣṇa is subdued by His own devotees and through prema
the devotee gets the blissful relish of Kṛṣṇa's service."
In the stage of practice the devotee's heart is bound to his family, his money, his house
and his body through hundreds if not thousands of ropes of mine-ness, but through its rasika
transcendental touch prema easily frees the heart of the practitioner from mundane matters
like the body and its relatives, spiritualising all mundane thoughts and desires and binding it to
the sweetness of the Lord's name, form and attributes.
Just as one does not instantly accomplish the merging of sulphur and quicksilver just by
mixing them, but one can accomplish such a merger by constantly rubbing them, similarly even
though the devotional activities of hearing and chanting may enter the sādhaka through the
gate of the senses, the consciousness of the ajāta rati sādhaka will not merge or deeply meet
with bhakti. However, when bhajana is performed repeatedly through the process of hearing
and chanting, it will ultimately merge with bhakti after ascending through the stages of anartha
nivṛtti, niṣṭhā, ruci and āsakti. As long as such a deep merger does not take place, mundane
faults like attachment and revulsion will remain in the consciousness. When the stage of rati is
achieved, the heart's materialism is destroyed and will become spiritualised. Just as the merger
of sulphur and quicksilver is called mercury sulphate, similarly the merger of devotion and the
heart is called prema. In the stage of prema the consciousness of the sādhaka becomes
absorbed in relishing the honey from the lotus of Śrī Hari's forms, attributes and pastimes, just
like a honeybee. Like the sun, self-manifest prema rises in the heart of the sādhaka and from
there suddenly dissipates the stars of all other kinds of human aims. The loving devotee has no
other desire than to serve the Lord, fully excluding desires for enjoyment, liberation and mystic
perfection.
phalabhūtasyāsya yaḥ svādyamāno rasaḥ sa sāndrānanda viśeṣātmā rasasya parama

pauṣṭikī śaktiḥ śrī kṛṣṇākarṣiṇītyucyate. yasminn āsvādayitum ārabhyamāṇa eva vighnān na
gaṇayatīti kiṁ vyaktavyam. mahāśūro bhaṭa iva mahādhana gṛdhnuratyāveśa lupta vicāras
taskara iva svātmānam api nāvekṣate. kiṁ ca rātrindivam eva pratikṣaṇam abhyavahriyamāṇaiś
caturvidhaiḥ parama svādubhir aparimitair annair api durupaśamanīyā yadi kācit kṣudhā
sambhavet tat sadṛśyā utkaṇṭhayā sūrya iva tāpayan tatkāla eva sphūrtair āvirbhāvitāni
bhagavad rūpa guṇa mādhuryāṇya pārāṇyāsvāda viṣayīkārayan koṭi candra iva śiśirayati.
TRANSLATION: The devotee relishes the rasa of the fruit of prema in the form of a
particular condensed bliss. The power that nourishes this rasa to the utmost is called śrī
kṛṣṇākarṣiṇi, she who attracts Śrī Kṛṣṇa. When the devotee commences relishing this rasa it is
needless to say that he cannot encounter any obstacle any more. In this condition he forgets
himself like a powerful warrior or a very greedy thief who loses all sense of discrimination. Such
an eagerness for the Lord is like a hunger that could not be satiated by four kinds of
incomparably relishable rice, even if one eats day and night. This eagerness burns in the
devotee like the sun and cools him off like millions of moons when a vision appears of the Lord's
endlessly sweet forms and attributes.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā-explanation — prema bhakti has two attributes, sāndrānanda viśeṣātmā,

condensed bliss, and śrī kṛṣṇākarṣiṇī, attracting Śrī Kṛṣṇa. In Bhakti Rasāmṛta Sindhu it is said
about sāndrānanda viśeṣātmā: brahmānanda bhaved eṣa cet parārdha guṇīkṛtaḥ; naiti bhakti
sudhāmbhodheḥ paramāṇu tulām api, "If the bliss of brahman is multiplied trillions of times it
could not match even an atom from the nectar-ocean of bhakti", on which Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī
comments: parārdha kāla samādhinā samuditaṁ tat sukham apītyarthaḥ. "Even ages of
samādhi that causes the attainment of the bliss of brahman can not be equal to even a tiny
drop of the ocean of devotional bliss." Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī then quotes the following evidence
from Śrī Haribhakti Sudhodaya - tat sākṣāt karaṇāhlāda viśuddhābdhi sthitasya me; sukhāni
gospadāyante brāhmaṇyapi jagad guroḥ "O Guru of the world! Compared to being merged in
the pure ocean of bliss that is caused by seeing You directly, the bliss of brahman appears not
even equal to a cow's hoofprint."
About śrī kṛṣṇākarṣiṇī he has said: kṛtvā hariṁ premabhājaṁ priyavarga samanvitam;
bhaktir vaśīkarotīti śrī kṛṣṇākarṣiṇī matā (Bhakti Rasāmṛta Sindhu) "bhakti attracts Kṛṣna and
His dear devotees as the object of love, and since she subjugates Him she is called 'she who
attracts Kṛṣṇa." This is proven from Śrīmad Bhāgavata (7.10.48):
yūyaṁ nṛloke bata bhūribhāgā lokaṁ punānā munayo'bhiyanti

yeṣāṁ gṛhānāvasatīti sākṣād gūḍhaṁ paraṁ brahma manuṣya liṅgam
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartīpāda comments as follows on this verse— "Aho how

fortunate is this Prahlāda! He has seen the Lord; we are, however, unfortunate!" Yudhiṣṭhira,
who was sad in this way, thus told Śrī Nārada: "You are more fortunate even than Prahlāda or
his Guru, other devotees, the residents of Yadupura, sages like Vaśiṣṭa, Marīci or Kaśyapa or
even Brahmā and Śiva, because even the sages who purify the three worlds with their darśana
come to your abode to have themselves purified in all respects. That is because the Supreme
Brahman in human form, who is secret (to the Vedas) is always attached to this place (even if
you don't call Him). Even in Prahlāda's abode the Supreme Brahman in human form does not
personally reside, and the sages who desire His darśana also don't go there." The blessed author
calls sāndrānanda viśeṣātmā the relishable rasa of the fruit of prema, and śrī kṛṣṇākarṣiṇī the
most nourishing power of that fruit.
In Śrīmad Bhāgavata (1.2.6) Śrī Sūta Muni mentions two innate attributes to pure
transcendental devotion, namely ahaitukī, having no desire for fruits of one's actions, and
apratihatā, or not impeded by obstacles. Even if obstacles appear while doing bhajana the
devotee will not be impeded by it, rather they will increase his humility and eagerness that will
again elevate him on the path of bhajana. On the stage of prema the devotee is so intoxicated
by relishing the fruits of prema that he cannot be grabbed by obstacles anymore. Just as a
powerful warrior forgets himself in the ecstasy of combat on the battlefield and a very greedy
thief forgets about sin, suffering and even the fear of death, being intoxicated by his thievery,
in the same way a loving devotee forgets what is auspicious or inauspicious and becomes
intoxicated by relishing the mellows of prema.
In this world hunger and food destroy each other. In this regard the ways of the kingdom
of prema are very special. The more the loving devotee relishes Śrī Kṛṣṇa's sweetness either in
visions, dreams or directly, the more his limitless eagerness and his sacred greed to relish this
increases. In this way great thirst is the measuring rod. The devotee's great eager thirst and His
attainment of the relish of Śrī Kṛṣṇa's sweet forms and attributes within visions makes him feel
like he is scorched by the blazing of millions of suns and soothed by millions of moons at the
same time.
yugapad eva svādhāram adbhuto'yaṁ premā uditya ca yasminn īṣad eva vardhamāne
bhagavat sākṣātkāram eva pratikṣaṇam ākāṅkṣato bhaktasya utkaṇṭhāśalyasya mahā-
dāhakasyevāti prābalyodayāt sphūrti prāpta tad rūpa līlā mādhuryair api atṛptasya tasya
bāndhavo'pi nirudakāndhakūpa eva bhavanam api kaṇṭaka vanam eva
yatkiñcanābhyavahāro'pi prahāro mahān eva sajjana kṛta praśaṁsā api sarpa daṁśā eva
prātyahika kṛtya kartavyam api martavyam eva aṅga pratyaṅgāni api mahābhāra eva suhṛd
gaṇa sāntvanam api viṣa dṛṣta eva sadā jāgaro'pi sāgaro'nutāpasyaiva kadācit nidrāpi vidrāviṇī
jīvanasyaiva sva vigraho'pi bhagavan nigraho mūrta eva prāṇā api dhānyāḥ punaḥ punar bhṛṣṭā
eva kiṁ bahunā prāk sadaivābhīṣṭamāsīd yat tacca raho mahopadrava eva bhagavaccintanam
evātma nikṛntanam eva.
TRANSLATION: This wonderful prema simultaneously grants powerful anxiety and relief
from it. When this prema arises in its reservoir, the devotee, and slightly increases, the devotee
is constantly scorched by the fire caused by the arrow of his great eagerness to encounter the
Lord. His eagerness is so powerful that he cannot be satisfied even by having visions of the
Lord's sweet form and pastimes. At that point his relatives are like a blind waterless well to him,
his home is like a thorny forest, any food he may take feels like a great beating, praise offered
by the saints feel like snakebites, his daily duties feel like death, his each and every limb feel
like a big burden, consolations by his friends feel like a poisonous glance, his constant
wakefulness feels like an ocean of repentance, and if sleep accidentally comes to him this again
is like a torment tearing up his life. Maintenance of his body is like the embodiment of the Lord's
punishment and his life airs are like grains roasted over and over again. What's more, that which
was always considered desirable in the past is now looking like a great disaster. Even meditating
on the Lord appears to be like self-deception!
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation— In the stage of rati the devotee experiences bliss when he
relishes the Lord's form and attributes in a vision, but in the state of prema such a steady relish
of sweetness achieved in a vision is no longer possible. At that point great eagerness for the
attainment of Śrī Kṛṣṇa arises in the heart of the loving devotee. prema is a very wonderful
thing— it is only understood through experience and is matchless. It cannot be explained
through words. Unless prema arises within the heart one cannot understand it, even if
descriptions of it are heard from others. Understanding this depends on experience. In prema
there is simultaneously strong eagerness and its sweet pacification by attaining the relish of Śrī
Kṛṣṇa's forms and attributes through visions. This creates an indescribable ecstatic pain within
the loving devotee —
bāhye viṣa jvālā hoy, bhitore ānandamoy,

kṛṣṇapremāra adbhuta carita
ei premera āsvādana, tapta ikṣu carvaṇa,
mukha jvale nā jāy tyajana
sei premā jār mone, tāra vikrama sei jāne
viṣāmṛte ekatra milana
"Love of Kṛṣṇa has an amazing nature—externally it burns, while inwardly it is full of

bliss. The relish of this prema is like chewing hot sugarcane— it burns the mouth, but still it
cannot be given up. Only a person who has such prema in his heart can understand its power,
it resembles a merger of poison and nectar."
pīḍābhir nava kālakūṭa kaṭutā garvasya nirvāsano

niḥsyandena mudāṁ sudhā madhurimāhaṅkāra saṅkocanaḥ
premā sundari nandanandana paro jāgartti yasyāntare
jñāyante sphuṭam asya vakra madhurās tenaiva vikrāntayaḥ
Devi Paurṇamāsī told Nāndīmukhī: "O beautiful girl! Only a person in whose heart love
of Śrī Nandanandana arises can know its crooked yet sweet power. This love gives such pain
that it defies even the pride of fresh poison, and when the stream of this love's bliss begins to
flow it belittles the pride of sweet nectar."
In this way there is a constant clash of ecstasy and agony within the devotee's heart. In
the final end the ecstasy caused by the powerful eagerness to see Śrī Kṛṣṇa directly collides
with the agony of separation, making that also very powerful. Through lovely alliterative poetry
the blessed author describes the mental and physical symptoms of the loving devotee, thus
drawing a clear picture of his eagerness. The author personally narrates how due to this
powerful eagerness all bodily activities including meditation on the Lord, which used to be so
blissful, turn into an intolerable burning agony. Then, bereft of Kṛṣṇa, the devotee feels like jala
vinu yeno mīna, duḥkha pāy āyu-hīna, a fish out of water that suffocates to death. Out of
separation from the Lord the loving devotee feels the whole world is void - śūnyāyitaṁ jagat
sarvaṁ govinda virahena me. (CC)
tataś ca premaiva cumbakībhāvam āpadya kārṣṇāyasībhūtaṁ kṛṣṇam ākṛṣyānīya

kasmiṇścana kṣaṇe bhaktasyāsya nayana gocarīkaroti. tatra ca saundarya saurabhya
sausvarya saukumārya saurasyaudārya kāruṇyānīti svīyāḥ svarūpabhūtāḥ parama kalyāṇa
guṇāḥ bhagavatā svabhaktasya tasya nayanādiṣvindriyeṣu nidhīyante. teṣāṁ ca parama
madhuratve nitya navatve ca bhaktasyāsya ca tadāsvādayituḥ premnaiva pravartamāne
pratikṣaṇa varddhiṣṇau mahotkaṇṭhāyāṁ ca ko'pyānanda mahodadhir āvirbhavan nārhati kavi
sarasvatī lakuṭyā parimeyatām. yathāhi ati niviḍatara viṭapa-dala-kula prabalita mahā
nyagrodha-talasya suradīrghikāhima salila sambhṛta ghaṭa śata balayita taṭasyāti śiśiratve tad
āśrayitur janasya ca taparttu taraṇi kiraṇa tapta maru saraṇi mahāpānthatve ca. tathā
kādambinī ghanāsārasyāpāratva iva tad abhiṣicyamānasya vana-mataṅgajasya cirantana
davadavathu dūnatvena ca tathā sudhā kiraṇasyāti-madhuratve tat pānakartuś ca mahāroga
śatavattve svādalolupatve ca yas tādātmika ānanda sa eva dig darśanārthaṁ
tasyopamānīkriyate (1)
TRANSLATION: After that, this prema assumes the nature of a magnet that attracts
the black iron-like Śrī Kṛṣṇa, making Him appear before the devotee at some time. The Lord
then also shows His own most auspicious innate attributes like beauty, nice fragrance, nice
voice, His tenderness, nice taste, generosity and compassion to the senses, like the eyes, of
His devotee. All these attributes are most sweet and eternally fresh and when the devotee
starts to relish them with love, it increases within his heart at every moment. This causes a
powerful eagerness and finally creates an ocean of ecstasy that no poet could properly
describe. The bliss that a devotee enjoys at that time can only be slightly compared to the
bliss a traveller on a sunstricken desert road feels when he comes to the cooling shade of the
dense foliage provided by a thick Banyan-tree and takes shelter of a shore washed by
hundreds of jugs of cold celestial Ganges water, or a forest elephant, who is constantly
tormented by a forest fire feels when he is showered by an unending stream of water, or a
person who is afflicted by hundreds of ailments and who is very greedy for taste feels when
he suddenly gets sweet nectar to drink.
Pīyūṣa kaṇa explanation — Just as a child is created from the intercourse of husband
and wife, similarly when prema meets with eagerness a direct meeting with the Lord takes
place. There is no other way. When the Lord performed His manifest pastimes on earth even
loveless demons saw Him, but this is not a proper darśana, because seeing the Lord without
relishing His sweetness is like not seeing Him at all. Compare it with a tongue which is polluted
by jaundice - it can not relish anything sweet. Just as a magnet naturally attracts iron, similarly
prema, which is the essence of Śrī Kṛṣṇa's pleasure potency, attracts Śrī Kṛṣṇa and brings Him
before His devotees' eyes. Śrī Kṛṣṇa's relishing the bliss given by His devotees more than the
bliss received from His svarūpa is extremely fascinating! Śrī Viśvanātha Cakravartī comments
on Śrīmad Bhāgavata (9.4.64): mat svarūpabhūtānandād api mad bhakta svarūpānando'ti
spṛhaṇīya iti dvayor api cid rūpatve'pi bhakta vartinyā bhakter anugrahākhya cid vṛtti vipāka
rūpāyāḥ sarva cit-sāra-bhūtatvān mamānandasvarūpasyāpyānandakatvād ākarṣakatvācca;
Śrīman Nārāyaṇa told Śrī Durvāsā: "O brahman! I much more covet the love that dwells in the
heart of My devotees than the bliss I receive from My own innate transcendental potency.
Although both these energies are transcendental, the devotee's loving ecstasy, which arises by
the grace of the great pure devotees, is a transformation of the transcendental energy and the
essence of all things transcendental. This loving ecstasy gives bliss even to Me and attracts Me."
The benign Lord appears before the eyes of His eager loving devotees and, seeing the
great thirst of His loving devotees to relish His sweetness, gives the matchless treasure of His
beauty, His form, fragrance, sound, touch and taste to the respective senses the eyes, nose,
ears, skin and tongue of His devotees, and also makes their minds relish His attributes like
generosity and compassion. These attributes are not only sweeter than sweet, they are also
ever-fresh like a stream of water; in this way they constantly increase the eagerness and great
thirst in the devotee's heart. The more one thirsts, the more one relishes, and the more one
relishes the more one thirsts. As a result of this great thirst the loving devotee is as if swimming
in a great ocean of divine sweetness. This eagerness and this relish is so inconceivable that no
amount of poetry could define it! Still the blessed author gives the example of a traveller who
was travelling for long through the desert and then finally reaches the bank of the very cold
celestial Ganges which is washed by endless streams of water and takes shelter there of the
shade of a Banyan tree, of a forest elephant that is afflicted by a forest fire and who is then
showered by a great stream of water, or a greatly sick person who is very eager for some nice
taste and who gets to drink nectar. With these examples he has simply given a drop of the
ocean of actual ecstasy that takes place. Actually no worldly bliss could be equal to even a drop
of this great ocean of transcendental ecstasy.
tatra prathamaṁ labdhāpāra camatkārasya bhaktasya locanayoḥ svasaundaryaṁ

prakāśyate prabhuṇā. tatas tanmādhuryeṇa sārvendriyāṇāṁ manasaśca locanamayībhāve
pravartite stambha kampa vāṣpādibhiḥ kṛta vighnaśca tasyānanda kṛta mūrcchāyāṁ jātāyāṁ
prabodhayitum iva dvitīyaṁ saurabhyaṁ tadīya ghrāṇendriyeṣu prakāśyate. tenāpi teṣāṁ
ghrāṇamayībhāve dvitīya mūrcchārambhe are mad bhakta tavāham eva sampadyamāno'smi
mā vihvalībhūr nikāmaṁ mām anubhaveti tṛtīyaṁ sausvaryaṁ śravaṇendriya grāhyam
āvirbhāvyate. punas tenāpi teṣāṁ śravaṇamayībhāve tṛtīya mūrcchopakrame kṛpayā
caraṇāravindena pāṇibhyām urasā ca sva sparśaṁ dattvā caturthaṁ sva saukumāryam
asāvanubhāvyate. tatra dāsya bhāvavatas tasya mūrdhni caraṇena sparśaḥ
sakhyabhāvavataḥ pāṇyoḥ pāṇibhyāṁ vātsalyabhāvavataḥ sva karatalenāśru mārjanaṁ
preyasībhāvavatas tu urasi sva vakṣasā bāhubhyām āśleṣaḥ kriyate iti bhedo bodhyaḥ.
TRANSLATION— When this first arises the Lord reveals His own sweetness to the eyes
of the greatly astonished devotee. This sweetness turns all the senses and the mind of the
devotee into eyes. Then obstacles in the form of paralysis, shiverings and tears in the eyes
appear and the devotee may faint of ecstasy. In order to wake that devotee up the Lord fills up
his nostrils with His second sweetness, His fragrance. Then the devotee's senses all turn into
noses and the devotee faints for the second time. The Lord then calls him and says: "O My
devotee! I am now fully subdued by you—don't be upset and just experience My sweetness."
In this way the Lord appears to the devotee's ears with His third sweetness, His beautiful voice.
When this beautiful voice appears all the devotee's senses turn into ears and the devotee faints
in ecstasy as before. Then the Lord gives him the touch of His divine lotus feet, lotus hands,
chest etc. and thus gives him His fourth sweetness, His tender touch. The Lord gives His
devotees that are in the mood of a servant the touch of His feet on their heads, His devotees
that are in the mood of His friends the touch of His lotus hands in their hands, the devotees
that are in the mood of His parents the touch of His hands, that wipe out the tears from their
eyes, and His devotees that have an amorous attitude towards Him the touch of His breast on
their breasts and the touch of His arms that embrace them. In this way He touches His devotees
in different ways.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation — It has been said that the Lord bestows His darśana on His
most eager loving devotee, giving him the relish of His beauty to his eyes, His fragrance to his
nostrils, His beautiful voice to his ears, His tender touch to his skin, and His sweet taste to his
tongue. Thus He pleases all his five senses and additionally He pleases his mind with His divine
attributes such as His compassion and generosity. Here the author describes the cause and the
course of these revelations before the devotee's senses.
First of all, the Lord reveals His endless sweetness to the eyes of His loving devotee, who
is eager to see Him. kṛṣṇa rūpāmṛta sindhu, tāhāra taraṅga bindu, eka bindu jagat ḍubāy (C.C.)
"One drop from the ocean of Kṛṣṇa's nectarean form can drown the whole universe." When
this ocean of nectarean beauty wells up before the eyes, all the senses of the devotee, who is
so eager to see Him, focus on the eyes. Even though all the senses are fixed on the view of the
Lord's form, the loving devotee cannot fill His eyes with this vision, because then ecstatic
sāttvika symptoms like paralysis, shivering and tears in the eyes arise and block his vision. Then
the devotee faints in ecstasy. In order to awaken the devotee the Lord makes the wonderful
fragrance of His body enter into the devotee's nostrils. kasturī lipta nīlotpala, tāra yei parimala,
tāhā jini kṛṣṇa aṅga gandha (C.C.) "Kṛṣṇa's bodily fragrance defeats that of a blue lotus anointed
with musk." When the devotee catches this fascinating sweet fragrance he recovers from his
swoon and all his sense-perceptions focus on his nostrils. The devotee is unable to bear the
weight of this sweetness and faints again. Then Śrī Hari awakens him by injecting his ears with
the sweetness of his nectarean voice — se śrī mukha bhāṣita, amṛta hoite parāmṛta (C.C.) "The
words that emanate from His mouth are sweeter than nectar". When the devotee relishes this
all his sensual perceptions tend towards the ears and the devotee faints in ecstasy for the third
time. Śrī Hari then gives the devotee's skin the sweetness of His divine touch. kṛṣṇa aṅga
suśītala, ki kohibo tāra bala, chaṭāya jine koṭīndu candana (C.C.) "Kṛṣṇa's limbs are cool - what
can I say about their strength? He is cooler than sandalwood paste and millions of moons."
When the loving devotee attains this cool touch he comes back to consciousness. Śrī Hari gives
the sweet touch of His different limbs to different devotees according to their feelings towards
Him, this is clear from the original text of this verse.
punaś ca tenāpi tathā tathaiva caturtha mahāmūrcchārambhe pañcamaṁ svādhara

sambandhi saurasyaṁ tadīya rasanendriya grāhyaṁ preyasībhāvavatyeva tat kāla
prādurbhūta tad abhīṣṭākāra ratibhajana eva prakāśyate nānyatra. tataś ca pūrvavad eva
tathā tathābhāve'pi tadātanyās tvānandamūrcchāyās tvatinaiviḍye jāte tataḥ prabodhayitum
asamarthenaiva bhagavatā ṣaṣṭham audāryaṁ vitanvate. tacca teṣām eva saundaryādīnā -
sarveṣām eva tannayanādi sarvendriyeṣveva yugapad eva balād vitaraṇam. tadaiva bhagavad
iṅgitajñeneva premnāpyativarddhamānena satā tad anurūpa tṛṣnātirekam sambandhyāpi
tatra bhakte svayaṁ candratvam upeyuṣā yugapad evānanda samudra śata laharī
vyatisammarda bhara jarjaritatvam iva tasya antaḥ nirmimāṇena svayam eva sākāra
tanmano'dhi daivatībhavateva tathā sva śaktir vitīryate yathā yaugapadyenaiva te te svādā
nirvivādya eva bhavanti. na caivaṁ manaso'nekāgratvena tat tad āsvādasyāsāndrateti
vācyam. pratyuta saundarya sausvaryādīn prati sarvendriyāṇām eva nayanībhāva
śravaṇībhāvādyā ekadaiva vobhūyamānā alaukikācintyādbhuta camatkāram evātanvantaḥ
svādasyāti sāndratvam eva kurvanti. naivāsti tatra laukikānubhava
tarkadāvadavathoravakāśo'pi. acintyāḥ khalu ye bhāvā na tāṁs tarkeṇa yojayed ityādi (2)
TRANSLATION — Again, at the beginning of the fourth great swoon, the Lord shows
His fifth sweetness; the taste of the nectar of His lips becomes perceivable to the devotee's
tongue. But this He reveals only to those who are in an amorous relation with Him, not to
any other devotee. After that, just like in the previous times, the ecstatic swoon is very deep.
There being no other way to awaken him, the Lord reveals His sixth sweetness, His generosity.
This is the state where all the Lord's attributes like beauty forcefully manifest simultaneously
to the devotee's senses like the eyes. At the time prema gets the hint from the Lord to
increase immensely and this accordingly increases the devotee's sacred thirst. prema thus
becomes like the moon, simultaneously creating hundreds of waves on the ocean of the
devotee's ecstasy and causing friction that is deeply striking. The moon being the presiding
deity of the mind, prema revives the heart of the loving devotee and extends its power over
him in such a way that the devotee can relish all these attributes simultaneously without
hindrance. It is not proper to suggest that it is not possible for the devotee's mind to be so
divided that it can relish many subjects at the same time. Rather on the strength of the Lord's
inconceivable potency He extends an unprecedented wonder so that the devotee's aggregate
of senses turn into eyes, ears etc. at the same time to make this relish very deep and blissful.
Such an inconceivable thing is not perceived through mundane logic; it is to be experienced
only. The scriptures say that one should not falsely argue over inconceivable matters."
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation — At the outset of the devotee's fourth swoon the Lord shows
him His fifth sweetness, the sweet relish of His lips, making it available to the devotee's tongue.
He gives His servant-devotees the relish of His food remnants or betelleaves remnants, and He
gives His amorous devotees the relish of His sweetness as they desire it. When the devotee
becomes over-ecstatic due to relishing this ecstasy that comes forth from this sweetness, he
faints again. The Lord then does not know how to revive His devotee once more and thus
extends His sixth sweetness, His attribute of generosity, by revealing His own beauty, sweet
fragrance, tenderness and sweet taste to His devotee's five senses, the eyes, ears, nose etc.
One may ask here, it may be possible for a devotee to relish one sweetness at the time,
but is it possible for him to relish five kinds of sweetness through one mind and five senses
simultaneously? To this the answer is, attaining the hint from the Lord to do so, the love of the
devotee increases greatly, and along with this his thirst or eagerness also increases greatly.
Thus, just as the moon causes great agitation to the ocean-waves, the ocean of the devotee's
bliss also swells up and makes it possible for him to simultaneously relish the five features of
the Lord's sweetness.
In the same way, if the mind is normally able to fix itself on one subject at a time, one
should not doubt that it can under some circumstances fix itself on five subjects leading in five
different directions. One should not think that the mind would be unable to have deep relish
through the different senses under these circumstances. Actually the Lord, through His own
inconceivable energy, simultaneously turns the devotee's senses into eyes, ears etc. like before
and gives him the power to deeply relish His five-fold sweetness. In other words, on the
strength of the Lord's inconceivable potency there is no obstacle to the devotee simultaneously
relishing His five-fold sweetness through his five senses. All these extraordinary matters are not
subjects for mundane debate.
tataś ca saundaryādīnāṁ yāvanti mādhuryāṇi teṣāṁ sāmantyenanuvubhūṣāvapi asmin

bhakta cātaka cañcu puṭe jalada-bindvāvalīva na mānti tāni vimṛśyāho tarhi mayaitāni
saundaryādīnyetāvanti kim arthaṁ dhṛtānīti teṣāṁ saṁbhojanāyaiva saptamaṁ sarva śakti
kadamba paramādhyakṣāyā agamādāvapi vimalotkarṣiṇyādīnām aṣṭa dig baleṣu
vartamanānāṁ svarūpa śaktināṁ madhya eva karṇikāyāṁ mahārāja cakravartinyā iva
sthitāyā hyanugrahābhidhānatvenoktāyāḥ bhagavato nayanāravinda eva ātmānaṁ
vyañjayantyāḥ kṛpā śakter vilasitaṁ kvacit dāsādau vātsalyam iti kvacit kāruṇyam iti priyādau
cetodrava iti kvacid anukati nāmnābhidhīyamānam udayate. yayaiva kṛpā śaktyā sarva
vyāpinyapi tadīyecchāśaktiḥ sādhuṣu sādhveyaṁ rañjitā paramātmārāmān api mahā camatkṛti

bhūmīr adhyārohayati. yayaiva bhagavato bhakta vātsalyaṁ nāma eka eva guṇaḥ samrāḍ iva
prathama skandhe pṛthivyoktān svarūpa bhūtān satya śaucādīn kalyāṇa guṇān śāsti.
TRANSLATION — After that the devotee becomes like a Cātaka bird eager to relish all
the Lord's sweetness at once, but he fails to catch each raindrop in his beak, so seeing this,
the Lord thinks to Himself: "Aho! Why am I having so much sweetness in Me?", and He
extends His seventh sweetness, His compassion, just to let the devotee relish all of His
sweetness at once. This is the empress of all the Lord's energies in the middle of the lotus on
whose eight surrounding petals are the eight energies, like Vimalā and Utkarṣiṇī that are
mentioned in the Āgama scriptures. This compassion towards the devotee is also called
anugraha and manifests itself in the Lord's lotus-like eyes. Compassion or anugraha is given
different designations, such as protective affection (vātsalya) or kindness (kāruṇya) to those
who have moods like that of servitude. When it appears to devotees in an amorous mood it
is called citta vidrāviṇī ākarṣiṇī śakti (melting Kṛṣṇa's heart and attracting Him). Thus it
appears in different names. By this kṛpā-śakti the Lord's all-pervading willpower delights the
hearts of the sādhus with rāga and greatly astonishes even fully realised self-satisfied souls.
Being subdued by this kṛpā śakti the Lord's attribute named 'affection for His devotees' rules
like an emperor over all His other auspicious attributes, like truthfulness and cleanliness that
are mentioned by mother earth in the first Canto of the Bhāgavata.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation — The thirst or eagerness of the loving devotee is so powerful
that he cherishes the desire to relish all the Lord's sweetness at once. Although the thirsty
Cātaka bird in the scorching summer heat desires to drink all the rain showers at once as soon
as they come, can he ever do this with his small beak? Similarly, when the Lord sees that His
eager loving devotee is thirsty for His full sweetness but is only able to relish a small drop, He
thinks: "If My devotee cannot sufficiently relish all of My sweetness, I have carried all this
sweetness in vain." Thus He extends His seventh sweetness, His compassion, to the loving
devotee. While discussing meditation on the Lord the Vedic Āgama scriptures describe a force
of compassion (anugraha śakti) in the whorl of an eight petalled lotus on whose eight pollen-
tubes the eight energies of the Lord, such as Vimalā reside:
vimalotkarṣiṇī jñānā kriyā yogeti śaktayaḥ

prahvī satyā tatheśānānugrahā navamī smṛtā
(Haribhakti Vilāsa 1.5.140)
"Vimalā, Utkarṣiṇī, Jñānā, Kriyā, Yogā, Prahvī (the energy that causes endless
possibilities and capacities), Satyā and Īśānā - these eight energies stay on the eight petals of
this lotus and in the whorl is the ninth energy called Anugrahā, who rules like a great empress
over these eight energies. This anugraha śakti emanates from the Lord's lotus-eyes. This means
that when the Lord casts His merciful glance the kṛpā-śakti is showered over the devotee. In
the devotees in a servant mood, a fraternal mood and a parental mood it appears as kṛpā śakti
and to His other devotees either as vātsalya or kāruṇya. When it appears to devotees in an
amorous mood it is called citta vidrāviṇī ākarṣiṇī śakti (melting Kṛṣṇa's heart and attracting
Him). Again sometimes it is revealed under the names of affection, love or sweetness.
When the Lord's willpower is piloted by this kṛpā-śakti, even the crownjewels of self-
satisfied sages like Śrī Śuka, Sanaka etc. become greatly astonished at Śrī Hari's attributes and
they give up their (indifferent) self-satisfaction to become devotees. Mother Earth has
described the innate attributes of Śrī Hari like truthfulness and purity—
satyaṁ śaucaṁ dayā kṣāntis tyāgaḥ santoṣa ārjavam
śamo damas tapaḥ sāmyaṁ titikṣoparatiḥ śrutam
jñānaṁ viraktir aiśvaryaṁ śauryaṁ tejo balaṁ smṛtiḥ
svātantryaṁ kauśalaṁ kāntir dhairyaṁ mārdavam eva ca
prāgalbhyaṁ praśrayaḥ śīlaṁ saha ojo balaṁ bhagaḥ
gāmbhiryaṁ sthairyam āstikyaṁ kīrtir māno'nahaṅkṛtiḥ
(Śrīmad Bhāgavata 1.16.27-29)
"Truthfulness, purity, compassion, steadiness, renunciation, satisfaction,

straightforwardness, mental equanimity, sense control, austerity, equality, tolerance,
indifference after gaining profit, scholarship, knowledge, dispassion towards sensuality,
majesty, chivalry, vigour, strength, remembrance, independence, expertise, beauty, patience,
soft-heartedness, boldness, humility, righteousness, skill with the mind, active senses and
knowledge-acquiring senses, enjoyment, gravity, steadiness, faith, fame, honour, absence of
pride — these 39 attributes are present in the Lord to the full. The attribute of Śrī Hari called
compassion is ruling over all these attributes like an emperor.
mohas tandrā bhramo rukṣma rasatā kāma ulbaṇaḥ lolatā mada mātsarye hiṁsā kheda
pariśramau asatyaṁ krodha ākāṅkṣā āśaṅkā viśva vibhramaḥ viṣamatvaṁ parāpekṣā doṣā
aṣṭādaśoditāḥ aṣṭadaśa mahādoṣai rahitā bhagavattanur iti bhagavati sarvathā niṣiddhā
apyete doṣā yad anurodhena rāmakṛṣṇādyavatāreṣu kvacit kvacid vidyamānā eva santo
bhaktair anubhūyamānā mahāguṇāyante. tataś ca sarvāṇyeva tad vitīrṇāni
saundaryādīnyāsvādayituṁ labdhaujasi bhakte āsvādāsvādya ca tāṁ camatkṛti
paramakāṣṭhām adhiruhyādhiruhya cāśrutacaraṁ bhagavato bhakta vātsalyam idam iveti
manasā muhur muhur evānubhūya dravībhāvamāseduṣi.
TRANSLATION — Delusion, drowsiness, mistakes, cruelty, intense lust, restlessness,

intoxication, envy, violence, sorrow, fatigue, untruth, anger, desire, anxiety, universal folly,
partiality and dependence on others - these are the eighteen faults. The scriptures proclaim
that these eighteen faults do not exist in the Lord. Although these faults are completely out of
bounds for the Lord, on the request of the attribute of compassion they can sometimes be
found in avatāras like Rāma and Kṛṣṇa and are experienced as such by Their devotees. Then
they become great virtues instead. They are extended by the Lord for the relish of His devotees.
To completely relish the beauty and other attributes of the Lord the enlivened devotee savours
them over and over again to his supreme astonishment. His heart melts when he repeatedly
contemplates the Lord's unprecedented affection for His devotees.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation — God is the ocean of innumerable attributes, endless and
eternally faultless. Just as it is impossible for darkness to exist within the self-manifest sun,
similarly it is impossible for even the slightest fault to exist within the Lord. Still we can see that
Śrī Rāma was bewildered out of separation from His wife Śrī Sītā devī, and in the pastimes of
the Original Full Supreme Lord all these faults except 'intense lust' and 'cruelty' can be seen.
Śrīpāda Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa has written in his 'Siddhānta Ratna': nanu tato
vatsānadṛṣṭvaitya puline'pi ca vatsapān. ubhāvapi vane kṛṣṇa vicikāya samantata ityatra
mohah. kvacit pallava talpeṣu niyuddha śrama karṣitaḥ. vṛkṣamūlāśrayaḥ śete
gopotsaṅgopbarhaṇa ityatra tandrā kheda pariśramāḥ. tāvaṅghri yugmam ityādau mugdha

prabhītavad upeyaturanti mātror iti bhramaḥ. vatsān muñcan kvacid asamaye krośa sañjāta
hāsaḥ ityādau lolatā. mada vighūrṇita locana īṣan mānadaḥ sva suhṛdāṁ vanamālītyādau
madaḥ lokeśa mānināṁ mauḍhyād dhariṣye śrīmadaṁ tamaḥ ityādau mātsaryam. hiṁsā ca
pūtanādi vadhaḥ. nāhaṁ bhakṣitavān amba sarve mithyābhiśaṁsinaḥ ityatra
jarāsandhacchalādau cāsatyam. krodho'pi tatra tatra prasiddha eva. tāṁ stanyakāma āsādya
mathnantīṁ jananīṁ hariḥ. gṛhītvā dadhimanthānaṁ nyaṣedhat prītimāvahan ityatra ākāṅkṣā.
kvāpyadṛṣṭvāntar vipine vatsān pālāṁś ca viśvavit. sarvaṁ vidhikṛtaṁ kṛṣṇah
sahasāvajagāmaha ityatra āśaṅkā. so'kāmayata bahu syāṁ prajāyeya ityādau jagad āveśa
rūpa viśva vibhramaḥ. samo'haṁ sarva bhūteṣu na me dveṣyo'sti na priyaḥ. ye bhajanti tu māṁ
bhaktyā mayi te teṣu cāpyaham ityādau vaiṣamyam. ahaṁ bhakta parādhīnaḥ ityādau
parāpekṣā cāvagamyate. rukṣma rasatā prema sambandhādṛte rāgaḥ. ulbaṇo duḥkha hetu
kāmaḥ. tāvatau māstām. tataś ca mohādīnāṁ ṣoḍaśānāṁ pramāṇa siddhatvān
nirdoṣatanutvaṁ katham iti cenna bhaktānanda vaicitrya poṣaka līlā vilāsa bhakta saṁrakṣaṇa
bhakta vātsalyādi siddhaye prākṛta gandhāspṛṣtāḥ svarūpa dharmā evaite udayante tān vinā
līlādyāsiddheḥ. tadasiddhau ca pūrṇatvānupapattiḥ. itareṣu sarveṣu guṇeṣu rucyabhāvāt tad
bhaktyanupapattiḥ. "If you say that these faults are found in the Lord, for instance in Śrīmad
Bhāgavata: "After this, when Kṛṣṇa could not find the calves and their herdsboys on the beach
He began to search for them everywhere." Here we can see His bewilderment. "Sometimes
Kṛsṇa was tired of fighting and He reclined on a bed of flowers at the base of a tree, placing His
head on the lap of a cowherd boy." This verse shows the Lord's drowsiness, distress and fatigue.
"Baladeva and Kṛṣṇa crawled towards mother as if They were bewildered and scared." These
words show the Lord's delusion. The gopīs told loving mother Yaśodā: "Sometimes Kṛṣṇa
released the calves too early and when that aroused anger He just smiled.” This shows His
fickleness. "With intoxicated eyes Vanamālī gave a little honour to His heart's friends." This
sentence shows the Lord's intoxication. When Indra wished to commence his torrential
rainshowers Kṛṣṇa said: "I will destroy the pride of these fools who consider themselves rulers
of the universe!" These words show the Lord's envy. We find Him violent when He kills Pūtanā.
Then He performed the pastime of eating clay and said: "Mother! I did not eat clay, they're all
telling lies about Me!" At this instance and also when He killed Jarāsandha He was guilty of
lying. It is also well known that He showed anger in those pastimes. Then again it is said: "Kṛṣṇa
was eager to drink from His mother's breast, so He went to her while she was churning yoghurt
and clasped the churning rod, trying to forbid her to churn." This shows His desire. "In no place
in the forest the universal knower (Kṛṣṇa) could find any calves or herdsboys, so He surmised it
was the work of Brahmā." This shows the Lord's anxiety. He desired "I will become many" in
the words of the Śrutis, and this is universal folly, since Śrī Hari is universally absorbed here. In
Śrīmad Bhagavad Gītā Kṛṣṇa says: "I am equal to all living beings. I hate or love nobody, but I
am still inclined towards My devotees. They dwell in Me and I dwell in them." This shows His
partiality. In Śrīmad Bhāgavata He says: "O brāhmaṇa! I am subdued by the love of My
devotees"; this shows the Lord's dependence on others. rukṣma rasatā means that one can be
attached to someone else without having a loving relationship, and lust which leads to misery
is called ulbaṇa kāma. These two faults do not exist in the Lord, and so He shows 16 of the 18
faults that are mentioned in the scriptures. How is it then that the Lord is devoid of the 18 great
faults?
The answer is that Kṛṣṇa shows faults like delusion to delight His devotees, to enjoy His
play, to protect His devotees and show love for them. The above attributes are innate in Him
and are completely free from wordliness. Without these 'faults' Kṛṣṇa's pastimes cannot reach
perfection, and if these sweet pastimes do not reach perfection He cannot be the Complete
and Original Supreme Lord. Therefore what are great faults in the conditioned souls are great
virtues in the Lord, and when the devotee experiences all these greatly astonishing attributes
his heart melts.
tasminn eva tad bhakta varya bahuni janmāni madarthaṁ dārāgāra-dhanādikaṁ

parityajya mat paricaryānurodhena śīta vāta kṣudhā tṛṣṇā vyathāmayādīn bahūneva kleśān
soḍhavate janāvamānādīnapyavagaṇitavate bhikṣucaryāṁ gṛhītavate bhavate kim api dātum
aśaknuvan ṛṇī kevalam abhuvam. sārvabhaumatva pārameṣṭhya yoga siddhyādikaṁ ca na
bhavad anurūpam iti tat tat kathaṁ vitariṣyāmi. nahi nahi paśubhyo rocamānaṁ ghāṣa
tuṣabuṣādikaṁ kasmaicin manuṣyāya dīyate. tad aham ajito'pi bhavatādhunā jita eva varte
narte bhavat sauśīlyavallīṁ samyag avalambanam iti bhagavato vāṅ mādhurīṁ parama
snigdha varṇāṁ karṇāvataṁsīkṛtya prabho bhagavan kṛpā pārāvāra ghora saṁsāra pravāha
prāpita kleśa cakra nakra vyūha carvamāṇaṁ māṁ vilokya kāruṇyodyota drava ceto
navanīto'khila lokātīta bhagavan śrī guru rūpadhārī madanādyavidyāvidārī svadarśanena
sudarśanenaiva tan nirbhidya tad daṁṣṭrātaṭād evonmocya nija caraṇa kamala yugala dāsī
cikīrṣayā sva mantra varṇa vīthīṁ mat karṇa vīthīṁ praveśya nirvyathīkṛtya muhur muhur api
sva guṇa nāma śravaṇa kīrtana smaraṇādibhir māṁ yad aśūśudhan nija bhaktair api
saṅgamitaiḥ sva sevām apyabūbudhat tad api durmedho'ham adhamatamo divasam ekam api
na prabhūṁ paryacaraṁ kadarya caryas tad ayaṁ jano daṇḍayitum evārhaḥ pratyutaitāvad
darśana mādhurīṁ pāyitaḥ.
TRANSLATION — The Lord then tells His devotee: "O best of devotees! For many births
you have given up wife, children and wealth for My sake and have tolerated many hardships
like cold, wind, hunger, thirst, pain and disease just to worship Me. You have tolerated the
insults by many people and spent your life begging. I cannot repay you in any way and remain
a debtor to you. Lordship over the world or mystic perfections do not suit you, so what can I
give to you? How can a human being be given animal fodder like grass or husk? Hence, although
I am Ajita, the invincible, I am now conquered by you. The vine of your good conduct is now My
only support."
Then the devotee takes these very gentle and sweet words as ear-ornaments and says:
"O Lord! O Master! O ocean of compassion! You see how I have fallen in the dreadful ocean of
material existence and am being torn apart by its resident crocodiles. This has made Your
butter-like soft heart melt, so You now assume the supernatural form of Śrī Guru and give Your
darśana, which is like the Sudarśana disc that tears apart the ignorance of lust and so and thus
releases me from their terrible teeth. Now You make the syllables of Your mantra enter the
path of my ears so that my pain is extinguished and You can engage me as a maidservant at
Your lotus-feet. You repeatedly purify me by allowing me to hear, chant, and remember Your
holy attributes and names. However, although You bestowed the association of Your devotees
on me and taught me how to serve You, I am such a low fool that I cannot serve You for even
one day. But although I am punishable and wicked You still made me drink the sweetness of
Your darśana."
Pīyūṣa Kaṇā Explanation — It was already described before how the experience of the
Lord's attributes like affection for His devotees makes the heart of the loving devotee
incessantly melt. The Lord is completely subjugated by His devotee who has done bhajana and
tolerated unlimited suffering and insults by hundreds of people. In a very sweet and tender
voice the Lord tells His devotee that in exchange for one spoon of water and one Tulasī leaf He
gives Himself to His devotee and considers Himself forever his debtor, unable to repay Him.
Here one may ask: "The Lord is full of all prowesses, so if He wants He can easily give
His devotee lordship over the world, emancipation with brahman, or mystic perfection—why
should He remain His devotee's debtor? The answer to this is that the pure-hearted devotee
only aims at Kṛṣṇa's happiness and worships Him, in exchange for which Kṛṣṇa cannot give Him
anything else spiritual but His own devotional service. He thinks to Himself, "If I give him My
devotional service I am Myself also attained." So there remains nothing left for Him to give.
Although He is Ajita, the invincible, He is fully subdued by His devotee. The devotee's good
nature is His only support. In other words He is only consoled when His devotee is happy in
serving Him.
The root cause of devotion is humility and the nature of devotion is that one is never
satiated with it. The loving devotee thus naturally considers himself always bereft of devotion
and sādhana bhajana. Hence when the devotee drinks the nectar of the Lord's compassion-
laced words, he thinks himself completely bereft of bhajana and remembers the endless mercy
the Lord bestowed upon him in the form of his Guru and the Vaiṣṇavas. This makes him
unsteady and he thinks that although he is so wicked the Lord still blesses him with His darśana
and such mercy of Śrī Hari astonishes him greatly.
kiṁ ca ṛṇī bhavāmīti śrī mukha vāṇyā prabhuvareṇa viḍambito'smīti manye'haṁ tat kiṁ
karomi pañca vā saptāṣṭāthavā lakṣa koṭayo'pi yadyaparādhā bhaveyus tadapi tāṁ samprati
kṣamayituṁ dhārṣṭyam ālambeta mām. parārdhato'pyadhikāṁs tān avadhārayāmi. kiṁ ca te
te'tiprabalāś cirantanā bhukta bhoktavya phalā vartantāṁ nāma. samprati pūrvedyur eva
nīradena nīla nīrajena nīlamaṇinā śrīmad aṅgasya candramasā śrī mukhasya nava pallavena
śrī caraṇasya dyutimupamimānena mayā dagdha sarṣapārddhena kanaka śikhariṇam iva
caṇaka kaṇena cintāmaṇim iva pheruṇā keśariṇam iva maśakena garuttvantam iva
samīkurvatā durbuddhinā spaṣṭam aparāddham evetyadhunaivāvagatam. tadā tu prabhum
ahaṁ staumīti svīyamavidvattvam api kavitvam etad iti janeṣvapi prakhyāpitam. ataḥ parantu
madīkṣaṇena kṣaṇena samīkṣata śrī mūrti rūpeṇa vaibhavena javena tarjjyamānā dhairya
rahitā gauriva me gauḥ śrīmat saundarya kalpavallīm upamāna radanair dūṣayituṁ na
prabhaviṣyatītyevaṁ bahuvidhaṁ śaṁsati tasminn ati prasannena bhagavatā punar api
preyasyādi bhāvavatas tasya yathāsambhavam abhīpsitaṁ tādātmika tat sva vilāsa vilakṣitaṁ
śrī vṛndāvanaṁ kalpa śākhinaṁ mahā yogapīṭhaṁ sva preyasī vṛnda mukhyāṁ śrī
vṛṣabhānunandinīṁ tat sakhīḥ śrī lalitādyās tat kiṅkarīr api sva vayasyān śrī subalādīn sva
pālyamānā naicikīś ca śrī yamunāṁ śrī govardhanaṁ bhāṇḍīraṁ ca nandīśvara giriṁ tatratya
janaka jananī bhrātṛ bandhu dāsādīn sarvān eva vrajaukaso rasotkarṣeṇa darśayitvā tat tad
ānanda mahā mohataraṅgiṇyāṁ taṁ nimagnīkṛtya svayaṁ parikareṇāntar dhīyate.
TRANSLATION — But when I hear that best of Lords say: "I have become a debtor to
you", I become bewildered and think to myself: "What shall I do? Five, seven, eight, no a
hundred million offenses dwell in me, now I consider it arrogant even to beg Your pardon. I
think I have committed even more than a trillion offenses, and each of these offenses was very
grave. Let me suffer the remaining part of the reactions to them, I will not beg for an amnesty.
Now I understand the offenses I committed just the other day by comparing Your limbs with a
fresh raincloud, blue lotus and sapphire, Your face with the moon and Your feet with fresh
sprouts. It is like comparing a golden mountain with half a sesame seed, a Cintāmaṇi-gem with
a chickpea, a lion with a jackal or Garuḍa with a fly. That was so foolish that I committed great
offenses. By offering such worldly praises to the Lord now my foolish 'poetry' is praised by
people at large. Now that I have seen Your divine form with my very eyes for even a fraction of
a second, I understand that my words of comparison are like the teeth of a restless, chased-up
cow that thus tried to pollute the wish-yielding vine of Your beauty, but wasn't able to." In this
way the devotee laments in many ways and the Lord is very pleased with him, and shows him,
as far as possible, and according to the devotee's own mood, like the amorous one, the
superexcellent rasika Śrī Vṛndāvana, the wish-yielding trees, the great Yogapīṭha, the daughter
of Śrī Vṛṣabhānu, His most beloved, Her girlfriends like Śrī Lalitā, Her maidservants, His friends
like Śrī Subala, His cows that are herded by Him, Śrī Yamunā, Śrī Govardhana, the Bhāṇḍīra tree,
Mount Nandīśvara, His mother, father, brother, friends, servants and maidservants that dwell
there and all the other Vrajavāsīs that are so excellent due to His enjoyments. When the
devotee is thus wholly immersed in a river of fascination, the Lord and His associates suddenly
disappear.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation — When the Lord declares that He is indebted to the loving
devotee, the devotee floats in an ocean of humility, and considers it the causeless mercy of the
Lord, who is an ocean of compassion, since he feels himself such an offender, so much so that
he thinks even praying for forgiveness for his offenses is an arrogance. [In Bhakti Rasāmṛta
Sindhu 1.2.154] We can find such humble prayers of the devotees -
mat tulyo nāsti pāpātmā nāparādhī ca kaścana

parihāri'pi lajjā me kiṁ bruve puruṣottamaḥ
"There is no one as offensive and sinful as I am, O Puruṣottama! I am ashamed even to

beg for pardon, what else can I say?" For this reason the loving devotee does not beg the
Lord's pardon for the offenses he humbly imagines he has committed, but just prays for full
punishment.
Apart from this, the devotee has previously described Śrī Kṛṣṇa's limbs by comparing
them with a fresh monsoon cloud, a blue lotus or a blue sapphire, and by comparing His face
with the moon, but now he considers this to be another great offense, because the moon and
the lotus are just transformations of five gross material elements and can never be the objects
of comparison with Śrī Kṛṣṇa's matchless transcendental form. Śrīla Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura told
Śrī Kṛṣṇa (in Śrī Kṛṣṇa Karṇāmṛta, 97)—
tat tvan mukhaṁ katham ivāmbuja tulya kakṣaṁ
vācām avāci nanu parvaṇi parvaṇīndoḥ
tat kiṁ bruve kim aparaṁ bhuvanaika kānta
veṇu tvad ānanam anena samaṁ nu yat syāt
"How can I compare Your face with a lotus? The moon always shrinks in each dark
quarter and is ultimately no longer worth mentioning. Hence they cannot be compared to
Your face. O only master of the world! With what shall I compare Your face, that is playing the
flute?" It is as if Śrī Kṛṣṇa replies to this: "Līlāśuka! Then why are the poets comparing My face
and My smile with the moon and the lotus and so? Why don't you tell Me this?" To this Śrī
Līlāśuka answers—
śuśrūṣase śṛṇu yadi praṇidhāna pūrvaṁ pūrvair apūrva kavibhir na kaṭākṣitaṁ yat
nīrājana kramadhurāṁ bhavad ānanendor nirvyājam arhati cirāya śaśipradīpaḥ (98)
"O Lord! If You want to hear my answer, then listen: The ancient poets have not
attentively seen Your face, hence they have just compared it as poets do with the lotus and the
moon. Actually the moon could be used as a camphor-lamp [candra means both moon and
camphor] to worship Your face and after that it can be thrown far away."
The loving devotee exclaims: "O Lord! Let me not pull You down any more by trying to
find some objects of comparison to You." When Śrī Kṛṣṇa hears all these lamentations by the
loving devotee He blesses the mañjarī bhāva sādhaka by showing him the matchless wealth of
Śrī Vṛndāvana's beauty with Śrī Rādhārāṇī, Lalitā and the sakhīs, Śrī Rūpa and the mañjarīs and
all the other associates in His most rasika pastimes of madhura rasa. Being unable to carry the
weight of this great ecstasy the devotee faints and Śrī Hari vanishes.
tataś ca kiyadbhiḥ kṣaṇair labdha prabodhaḥ punar api prabhuṁ didṛkṣur locana
mudrām unmocya taṁ nāvalokayann ātmānam aśrubhir abhisiñcan kim ayaṁ svapna ālokitaḥ
nahi nahi śayyālasya nayana kāluṣyādyabhāvāt kim iyaṁ kasyacin māyā vā nahi nahi
etādṛśānandasya māyikatvāsambhavāt kiṁ vā cittasyaiva bhramamayī kvāpi vṛttiḥ nahi nahi
laya vikṣepādyananubhavāt kiṁ vā manoratha paripāka prāpto'yaṁ vastu viśeṣaḥ nahi nahi
īdṛśa padārthasya sīmno'pi kadāpi manorathenādhiroḍhum aśakyatvāt sphūrti labdho'yam
bhagavat sākṣātkāro vā nahi nahi samprati smaryamāṇābhyaḥ pūrva pūrvodbhūtābhyaḥ
sphūrtibhyo'syāti vailakṣaṇyāt ityevaṁ vividham eva saṁśayānaḥ śayāna eva dhūli dhoraṇi
dhūsarāyāṁ dharaṇau yathā tathāstu punar api tad darśanaṁ me bhūyād iti muhur āśāsano'pi
tad anupalabhamānaḥ khidyan luṭhan rudan gātrāpi braṇayan mūrcchayan prabudhyamāna
uttiṣṭhann upaviśan abhidravan krośann unmatta iva kṣaṇaṁ tūṣṇīm āsīno manīṣīva kṣaṇaṁ
lupta nitya kriyo bhraṣṭācāra iva kṣaṇam asambandhaṁ pralapan graha grasta iva kṣaṇaṁ
kasmaicid āśvāsakāya nibhṛtaṁ pṛcchate bhakta janāya svabandhave svānubhūtam arthaṁ
bruvāṇaḥ kṣaṇaṁ prakṛtistha iva sakhe bhūribhāga bhagavat sākṣātkāra evāyaṁ tavābhavad
iti tena yuktyā pratoṣyamāṇo hṛsyann eva hanta tarhi katham eṣa punar na bhavatīti tadaiva
viṣīdan hanta kasyacin mahānubhāva cūḍāmaṇer mahābhāgavatasya kāpi kṛpāvitāna pariṇatir
vā durbhagasyāpi me bhagavat paricaryāyā ghūṇākṣara nyāyena vā kasmiṁscid divase
kathañcid utpannāyā niṣkaitavatāyāḥ phalam idaṁ vā kiṁ vā vaiguṇya samudre'pi kṣudre mayi
bhagavad anukampāyā nirupādhitvam eva mūrtaṁ prakaṭīvabhūva hanta hanta kena vā
anirvacanīya bhāgyena svayaṁ hanta prāpto nidhirajani kena vā mahāparādhena tataś cyutam
iti niścetuṁ niścetano'yaṁ na prabhavāmi tadvādhāvādhitadhīḥ kva yāmi kiṁ vā karomi kam
upāyam atra kamuha vā pṛcchāmi mahāśūnyam iva nirātmakam iva niḥśaraṇam iva dāva
pluṣṭam iva māṁ nigilad iva tribhuvanam avaloke. lokebhyo niḥsṛtya tadebhyaḥ kṣaṇaṁ vivikte
praṇidadhāmīti.
atha kurvan hā prabho sundara mukhāravinda mādhurika sudhādhārādhurīṇa bhāvita
vāsita nikhila vipina śrī vigraha vara parimala vanamāla caṭulitājāla punar api kṣaṇam api tatra
bhavantaṁ dṛśyāsaṁ sakṛd eva ca svādita eva svādita tan mādhurīko na punar evam
abhyarthayiṣye iti vilapan luṭhan śvasan mūrcchannūnmādyan pratidiśam eva taṁ paśyan
hṛṣyan śliṣyan hasann aṭan gāyan punar apyanīkṣamāṇo'nutapan rudan alaukika ceṣṭita
evāyuṁsi nayan sva deho'pyasti nāstivā nānusandadhate. tataś ca samaye pañcatāṁ
gacchataṁ svadehaṁ na jānan mayābhyarthitaḥ sa eva karuṇāvaruṇālayas tathaiva
pratyakṣībhūya sākṣāt sevāyāṁ māṁ niyuñjānaḥ svabhavanaṁ nayatīti jānan kṛtakṛtyo bhakto
bhavatīti.
TRANSLATION — A little while later the devotee regains his consciousness and prays
again for the darśana of his Lord; when he opens his eyes and fails to see the Lord he showers
himself with his own tears and thinks to himself: "Have I just witnessed a dream? No, no,
otherwise I could see signs of it on the bed and in my eyes. Then was it someone's magic
spell? No, no. Such ecstasy could never be an illusion! Then was it an error of my
consciousness? That is also not possible; otherwise, I would have experienced obstacles like
laya and vikṣepa (see beginning of this book). Or is this perhaps the fructification of one of
my subtle yearnings? No, no, because none of my secret wishes could ever reach up to such
boundaries! Then is it perhaps a direct vision of the Lord? No, that is also not possible,
because I remember all my previous visions and this one was very special indeed!"
In this way the devotee has various doubts. Since he fell on the ground he has become
grayed by dust. Sometimes he is praying for darśana again and again and rolls on the ground
in great distress as a result, getting injured and fainting. Sometimes he wakes, rises, sits, runs
or loudly cries like a madman. Sometimes he remains still for a while like a grave person,
sometimes he ceases his normal rituals like a fallen person and sometimes he speaks
nonsense like someone grasped by the planets (gone insane). Sometimes when some
devotee-friend comes to console him and inquires from him privately, he will tell him what
has happened to him. Then, when that friend tries makes it clear to him: "O friend! How lucky
you were! You had the direct darśana of the Lord!!" he comes to his senses for a while and
says: "Alas! Will I never behold this form again?" Then again he sadly says: "Alas! By the grace
of the crown jewels of great and deeply realised devotees I have seen this wonderful form. I
am so unfortunate that I was never acquainted with the Lord before even slightly. I suppose
that this has happened as the result of some causeless mercy at some time on such an ocean
of faults as myself. Alas! By some indescribable luck, this jewel came to my hand— has it now,
as the result of some great offense, fallen from my hand again? I am fully ignorant, I cannot
understand these things myself at all, I am stunned with bewilderment in such a calamity.
Where shall I go, what shall I do? Whom can I ask advice? I feel completely empty, bereft of
friends and relatives, like scorched by a forest fire or swallowed by the three worlds! I will
leave society for a while and contemplate on this matter in solitude." But even when he is
alone the devotee says: "O Lord! O You with a beautiful lotus-face and nectar-like lips! All of
Vṛndāvana is filled with Your fragrance! The bees are greedy for the honey that trickles from
the garland of forest flowers that hangs from Your neck and hang restless all around it. How
can I see You ever again for even a moment? I have relished the nectar of Your sweetness
just once! Am I not able to welcome You ever again so that I can relish this wonderful
sweetness of Yours?
In this way the devotee laments, rolls around, breathes out deeply, faints, goes mad
and becomes immersed in ecstasy when He sees the Lord in all directions. Sometimes he
laughs, as if he embraces the Lord, sometimes he dances, sometimes he sings, sometimes he
can again not see the Lord, so he laments and weeps. In this way he spends his days
performing extraordinary activities without having any cognisance whether he is still in his
body or not. In due course of time, he leaves his body without being aware that 'The Lord,
who is an ocean of mercy, is now manifest to me after having been worshipped by me. Now
He will take me to His own abode to engage me in His direct service." Thus he is blessed.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation — When the Lord observes the devotee's eagerness and
anxiety He once gives him the darśana of Himself and His associates. Then it is described that,
when the devotee becomes overwhelmed with ecstasy due to beholding the Lord, the Lord
vanishes. In this paragraph Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartīpāda describes the wonderful feelings of
a loving devotee when he sees the Lord directly and when the Lord disappears. Just to create
these feelings of great anxiety and eagerness in the heart and mind of His loving devotee the
Lord once grants him His darśana and then disappears again. This want for the Lord's direct
audience and its consequent mad thirst is the highest pursuit of human life.
In Śrīmad Bhāgavata it is seen that Śrī Nārada, in his previous birth as the son of a
maidservant, attained prema by the grace of sages, in his childhood. In the deep jungle the Lord
gave His darśana to Nārada, and then vanished from him. When Śrī Nārada prayed for another
darśana of Śrī Hari with great eagerness the Lord told him:
sakṛd yad darśitaṁ rūpam etat kāmāya te'nagha

mat kāmaḥ śanakaiḥ sādhuḥ sarvān muñcati hṛcchayān
"O sinless one! I have shown you this form of Mine once, just to increase your
attachment to Me. When the desire to see Me has become very strong all the sensual desires
of the devotee will cease from the heart."
In the Rāsa-līlā Śrī Kṛṣṇa disappeared from the Vraja-sundarīs and after they greatly
suffered separation from Him He gave them His darśana by reappearing before them. On the
pretext of offering Him a riddle they brought an accusation before their dearmost Kṛṣṇa.
Kṛṣṇa then told them —
nāhaṁ tu sakhyo bhajato'pi jantūn bhajāmyamīṣam anuvṛtti vṛttaye

yathādhano labdha dhane vinaṣṭe taccintayānyan nibhṛto na veda
"O sakhis! When a poor person gets wealth and then loses it again by chance, he will
think of nothing else. Similarly, to make a devotee's meditation on Me uninterrupted I
sometimes do not appear to him, even if he does worship Me." Śrīla Viśvanātha
Cakravartīpāda has drawn such a clear picture of how anxious the devotee feels after losing
the direct vision of the Lord that it becomes clear how endlessly attractive the festival of the
Lord's extraordinary beauty is. At the same time we learn how full of thirst and divine
madness the love of the devotee is. Finally the Lord brings the loving devotee to the kingdom
of His direct participation in His Divine pastimes and blesses him with the gift of His loving
devotional service. Understanding this, the devotee feels himself blessed.
ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu saṅgo'tha bhajana kriyā

tato'nartha nivṛttiś ca tato niṣṭhā rucis tataḥ athāsaktis tato bhāvas tataḥ premābhyudañcati
ityarthaḥ sādhu vivṛtaḥ ato'pi yathottara svādu vaiśiṣṭyabhājita sneha māna praṇaya
rāgānurāga mahābhāvākhyāni bhakti kalpa vallyāḥ ūrdhvordhva pallavagāmīni phalāni santi na
teṣām āsvāda sampad auṣṇa śaitya saṁmarda sahaḥ sādhakasya deho bhaved iti na teṣāṁ
tatra prākaṭya sambhava iti na tānyatra vivṛtāni. kiṁ ceha rucyāsakti bhāva premasu lakṣayitvā
sākṣād anubhava gocaratāṁ prāpiteṣu tatra santyapi bhūrīṇi pramāṇāni nopanyastāni.
pramāṇāpekṣayā hyanubhava vartma pāruṣyāpādakatvāt. kiṁca tānyapekṣāṇi cet 'tasmiṁs
tadā labdha rucer mahāmater iti rucau guṇeṣu śaktaṁ bandhāya rataṁ vā puṁsi muktaye
ityāsaktau priya śravasyaṅga mamābhavad ratir iti ratau premātibhara nirbhinna pulakāṅgoti
nivṛta iti premṇi tā ye pibantyavitṛṣo nṛpa gāḍha karṇais tān na spṛśantyaśana tṛṅ bhaya śoka
moha iti rucyanubhāve gāyan vilajjo vicared asaṅga iti āsaktyanubhāve yathā bhrāmyatyayo
brahman svayam ākarṣa sannidhau. tathā me bhrāmyate cetaś cakrapāṇer yad ṛcchayeti
ratyanubhāve evaṁ vrataḥ ityatra hasatyatho roditi rauti gāyatīti premno'nubhāve āhūta iva
me śīghraṁ darśanaṁ yāti cetasīti tatra sphūrtau paśyanti te me rucirāṇyamba santa iti sākṣād
darśane tair darśanīyāvayavair udāra vilāsa hāsekṣita vāmasūktaiḥ iti labdha darśanasya
svabhāve vāso yathā parivṛtaṁ madirā madāndha iti ceṣṭāyāṁ pramāṇānyanusandhāya
vicārayitavyāni.
TRANSLATION — "First there is faith, then one associates with saints, then one engages
in bhajana, then one becomes free from bad habits, then one becomes fixed in bhajana, then
one attains deep taste, then one becomes attached to the object of worship, then one attains
bhāva and then prema awakens." Thus the scriptures have justly described the course of
devotional progress. Above that there are even more juicy fruits in the wish-yielding vine of
devotion, named sneha, māna, praṇaya, rāga, anurāga and mahābhāva. This material body of
the practitioner is unable to tolerate the heat, cold or collisions of relishing this treasure,
therefore they cannot possibly manifest in this body. For this reason they have not been
described here. But in this treatise the ascertainment of stages like ruci, āsakti, bhāva and
prema and their direct experience have been described. Although there is sufficient evidence
on this they have not been mentioned here. Although dependence on scriptural evidence
makes the path of direct experience harsh, still in case someone may depend or rely on
evidence, it is given below: tasmiṅs tadā labdha rucer mahāmateḥ. This verse from Śrīmad
Bhāgavata describes ruci; guṇeṣu śaktaṁ bandhāya rataṁ vā puṁsi muktaye, this verse
describes āsakti; priya śravasyaṅga mamābhavad ratiḥ, this verse describes rati; premātibhara
nirbhinna pulakāṅgo'ti nirvṛtaḥ, this verse describes prema; tā ye pibantyavitṛṣo nṛpa gāḍha
karṇais tān na spṛśatyaśana tṛṅ bhaya śoka mohāḥ, this verse describes the anubhāva or
symptom of ruci; the verse gāyan vilajjo vicared asaṅgaḥ describes the symptom of āsakti; the
verse yathā bhrāmyatyayo brahman svayam ākarṣa sannidhau; tathā me bhrāmyate cetaś
cakrapāṇer yadṛcchayā describes the symptoms of rati; the words hasatyatho roditi rauti gayatī
in the verse evaṁ vrata sva priya nāma kīrtyā describe symptoms of prema; the verse āhūta iva
me śīghraṁ darśanaṁ yāti cetasi describes sphūrti or transcendental visions at these places;
the verse paśyanti me rucirānyamba santaḥ describes a direct vision of the Lord; the verse tair
darśanīyāvayavair udāra vilāsa hāsekṣita vāma sūktaiḥ describes the devotee's condition when
he has attained this direct vision, and the verse svabhāve vāso yathā parivṛtaṁ madirā
madāndha proves the activities of such a devotee. These verses can be researched for evidence
for the different conditions.
Pīyūṣa kaṇa explanation — The human race is grasped by ignorance and their hearts
are covered by the filth of lust. If they are lucky enough to attain the grace of a saint they can
develop faith and commence bhajana. After taking shelter of a bonafide Guru they will
commence with the process of hearing and chanting, become free from bad habits and
ascend to the kingdom of prema by first developing the conditions of niṣṭhā, ruci, āsakti and
bhāva. For the offenseless practitioners, however, it is not necessary to pass through such a
course to attain prema. Simply by practising harināma sankīrtana they will attain prema. Since
however such offenseless persons are very rare in this world, the above stages of devotional
development have been described for all the people of the world. That is reasonable.
Above prema there are again highly relishable stages of sneha, māna, praṇaya, rāga,
anurāga and mahābhāva. In all these stages the material body of the devotee is unable to
tolerate the transcendentally cold experience of meeting Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the heat of separation from
Him and the collision of different other inner feelings. After attaining prema and the collapse
of the current body (death), the devotee attains a transcendental body of an associate of the
Lord in which he ascends to the Lord's abode and the abovementioned stages become manifest
according to his respective feelings of fraternal, paternal or amorous love towards the Lord.
The highest manifestation of prema in the devotees that have taken shelter of Vraja's amorous
feelings, named mahābhāva, then arises— this is not possible in any other kind of devotee.
In this book the blessed author has described the stages from śraddhā (faith) up to
prema. The Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas that have taken shelter of Śrīman Mahāprabhu's lotus feet
worship Śrī Rādhā in mañjarī bhāva. Śrīman Mahāprabhu's beloved associates Śrī-Śrī Rūpa and
Sanātana Gosvāmī are the teachers of this mañjarī bhāva by example, hence we offer a brief
acquaintance with these stages by quoting Śrīmat Rūpa Gosvāmīpāda's Śrī Ujjvala Nīlamaṇi.
sneha - āruhya paramāṁ kāṣṭhāṁ premā cid dīpa dīpanaḥ

hṛdayaṁ drāvayann eṣa sneha ityabhidhīyate
atrodite bhavejjātu na tṛptir darśanādiṣu
"When prema reaches superexcellence, becoming cid dīpa dīpana, showing the
perception of prema and its object, and melting the heart, then this is called sneha. When this
sneha arises one is never satiated with beholding the beloved."
māna - snehastūtkṛṣṭatā vyāptyā mādhuryāṁ mānayan navam

yo dhārayatyadākṣiṇyaṁ sa māna iti kīrtyate
"When sneha becomes superexcellent and causes a new experience of sweet relish,
becoming crooked and averse, it is called māna."
praṇaya — māno dadhāno viśrambhaṁ praṇayaḥ procyate budhaiḥ
"When māna bears the mark of viśrambha it is called praṇaya." Here the word
viśrambha means trust or absence of awe and reverence. In this mood one considers one's
own heart, mind, intelligence, body and environment to be identical with those of the
beloved.
rāga - duḥkham apyadhikaṁ citte sukhatvenaiva vyajyate

yatas tu praṇayotkarṣāt sa rāga iti kīrtyate
"Due to an excess of praṇaya one is so eager to attain Kṛṣṇa that one considers even
the greatest suffering to be happiness. This is called rāga."
anurāga - sadānubhūtim api yaḥ kuryān nava navaṁ priyam

rāgo bhavan nava navaḥ so'nurāga itīryate
"When one experiences the beloved, who has been experienced all the time, as ever
fresh and ever-dear and thus the passion is ever-fresh, this is called anurāga."
mahābhāva - anurāga svasaṁvedya daśāṁ prāpya prakāśitaḥ

yāvad āśraya vṛttiś ced bhāva ityabhidhīyate
"When yāvad āśraya vṛtti anurāga reveals a state of svasaṁvedya it is called

mahābhāva." rāga is the shelter of anurāga, and when it has arisen as far as it can, it is called
yāvad āśraya vṛtti. When this anurāga has attained the condition of svasaṁvedya it is known
as mahābhāva. And svasaṁvedya means that only those Vrajadevīs who have attained this
yāvad āśraya vṛtti anurāga or mahābhāva can know it. No other type of devotee has
mahābhāva. Indeed, it is very rarely attained even by Rukminī, Satyabhāmā and other queens
of Kṛṣṇa. In it are manifestations of uddīpta and sūddīpta sāttvika bhāvas. There are also
many other astonishing manifestations of mahābhāva as well as varieties like sneha, māna
and praṇaya. For further knowledge please see the Sthāyibhāva Prakaraṇa of Śrī Ujjvala
Nīlamaṇi.
In this Mādhurya Kādambinī scripture the stages of ruci, āsakti and prema have been
described along with their experiences. Although there is ample evidence of it in the
scriptures such reliance on evidence feels gross and harsh to the heart of the sensitive rasika
bhakta, hence the blessed author has so far not quoted any evidence of these stages. If
anyone, however, depends on evidence the blessed author has quoted the crownjewel of
Purāṇas, Śrīmad Bhāgavata, for their convenience. The example of ruci has been given in
Śrīmad Bhāgavata (1.5.27)
tasmiṅs tadā labdha rucer mahāmate priyaśravasyāskhalitā matir mama

yadāham etat sad asat sva māyayā paśye mayi brahmaṇi kalpitaṁ pare
Śrī Nārada Muni told Vedavyāsa: "O high-minded one! When I heard topics concerning
Śrī Hari from the mouths of these sages I got a taste for that and my mind also became fixed in
Govinda. Through such a spotless intelligence I could understand that this gross and subtle body
of mine should only be engaged in the service of Śrī Govinda, the Supreme Brahman. (according
to commentary by Śrī Viśvanātha Cakravartī) From this verse it is learned that the result of
hearing these topics of the Lord from the mouth of a saint is that the contamination of lust
dissipates, taste for bhajana awakens and the heart becomes fixed in Śrī Kṛṣṇa's devotional
service. Śrīmad Bhāgavata (3.25.15) gives this example of āsakti—
cetaḥ khalvasya bandhāya muktaye cātmano matam

guṇeṣu saktaṁ bandhāya rataṁ vā puṁsi muktaye
"The mind is the cause of either bondage or release for the soul. When the mind is
attached to the sense objects it is the cause of bondage, and when it is attached to the
Supreme Lord it is the cause of release." This shows āsakti. The example of rati is:
tatrānvahaṁ kṛṣṇakathāḥ pragāyatām anugraheśāśṛṇavaṁ manoharāḥ

tāḥ śraddhayā me'nupadaṁ viśṛṇvataḥ priyaśravasyaṅga mamābhavad ratiḥ
Śrī Nārada said: "O Vyāsa! By the grace of these sages, who were engaged in glorifying
Lord Hari I could hear the sweet descriptions of Śrī Kṛṣṇa's pastimes, while sitting at their feet.
By constantly and faithfully hearing these topics I got rati for Śrī Govinda, who performs
fascinating sports." (Śrīmad Bhāgavata 1.5.26) The evidence for the arising of prema is—
premātibhara nirbhinna pulakāṅgo'ti nirvṛtaḥ

ānanda saṁplave līno nāpaśyam ubhayaṁ mune
Śrī Nārada said: "O Vyāsa! My hairs stood on end due to an outburst of prema and my
heart experienced a thrill of excessive bliss and peace. Immersed in a flood of ecstasy I lost
awareness of both myself and the Lord." (Śrīmad Bhāgavata 1.6.18) This mentions the
awakening of prema. After this an example is given of the symptoms of prema after ruci. The
symptoms of ruci are described thus in Śrīmad Bhāgavata (4.29.40):
tasmin mahan mukharitā madhubhiccaritra pīyūṣa śeṣa saritaḥ paritaḥ sravanti

tā ye pibantyavitṛṣo nṛpa gāḍha karṇais tān na spṛśantyaśana tṛṅ bhaya śoka mohāḥ
Śrī Nārada told King Prācīnabarhi: "O Rājan! In the company of saints the nectar-river
of discussions on Śrī Madhusūdana's pastimes flows in all four directions! Those saints who
attentively and with thirsty ears drink this nectar cannot be touched by hunger, thirst, fear,
lamentation and delusion." The symptoms of ruci are described here: when taste has awoken
for topics of Śrī Hari one can never be inattentive and one will relish topics of Śrī Hari with
thirsty ears. The symptoms of āsakti are—
śṛṇvan subhadrāṇi rathāṅga pāṇer janmāni karmāṇi ca yāni loke

gītāni nāmāni tad arthakāna gāyan vilajjo vicared asaṅgaḥ
"One should wander around free from material desires and bashfulness, singing of the
auspicious birth and activities of Cakrapāṇi Śrī Kṛṣṇa, that are celebrated in the scriptures and
in local traditions (Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī's opinion) and are spoken in different languages according
to the country (Śrī Viśvanātha's opinion)." (Śrīmad Bhāgavata 11.2.39) The symptoms of āsakti
are that the devotee becomes attached to Śrī Kṛṣṇa and is no longer dependent on or
attached to matters other than Him, such as public opinion. The symptoms of rati are
described as follows.
yathā bhrāmyatyayo brahman svayam ākarṣa sannidhau

tathā me bhidyate cetaś cakrapāṇer yadṛcchayā
Śrī Prahlāda Mahāśaya told his teacher (in Śrīmad Bhāgavata 7.5.14): "O brahman! Just
as iron automatically flies to the magnet when they come close to each other, similarly my
mind acts when it approaches Cakrapāṇi." bhāgavatī rati is an self-manifest activity of the
hlādinī śakti. When it appears within the heart of the sādhaka the Lord makes him greedy
after the relish of His own sweetness, and just as the magnet attracts the iron, it
automatically attracts the heart of the sādhaka. The example of the symptom of prema is—
evaṁ vrataḥ sva priya nāma kīrtyā jātānurāgo druta citta uccaiḥ
hasatyatho roditi rauti gāyatyunmādavan nṛtyati loka bāhyaḥ
"As the devotee thus chants the holy name with full dedication, prema awakens,
which makes his heart melt. Then he sometimes laughs, sometimes weeps, sometimes roars,
sometimes sings and sometimes dances." (Śrīmad Bhāgavata 11.2.40) Śrīmad Bhāgavata
describes the vision of the Lord as follows:
pragāyataḥ sva vīryāṇi tīrthapādaḥ priya śravāḥ

āhūta iva me śīghraṁ darśanaṁ yāti cetasi
"When Śrī Kṛṣṇa, from whose lotus feet all the holy places emanate and who is of
spotless renown, heard His own glories sung from my mouth He very rapidly showed Himself
in my heart, as if He was beckoned." In Śrīmad Bhāgavata (3.25.35) this can be found about
seeing the Lord directly—
paśyanti te me rucirāṇyamba santaḥ prasanna vaktrāruṇa locanāni

rūpāṇi divyāni vara pradāni sākaṁ vācaṁ spṛhanīyāṁ vadanti
Śrī Kapila deva told His mother Devahūti: "O mother! All these devotees see My
satisfied face with its reddish eyes, fascinating transcendental forms which bestow blessings.
Thus they have different types of desirable talks with Me." Śrīmad Bhāgavata describes the
nature of devotees that have already attained the vision of the Lord;
tair darśanīyāvayavair udāra vilāsa hāsekṣita vāma sūktaiḥ

hṛtātmano hṛtaprāṇāṁś ca bhaktir anicchato me gatimanviṁ prayuṅkte
Śrī Kapila deva says: "O mother! Seeing the attractive forms of the Lord that have
generous playful smiles and captivating glances, and that speak enchanting words, their
senses and minds become exclusively attracted. Even if they don't want it, devotion will
bestow the destination of an associate of the Lord upon them." When the devotee directly
experiences Śrī Hari's form and attributes he becomes so enchanted and absorbed that he
ends up desiring nothing from Him. Devotion personified, however, will grant the position of
an associate of the Lord upon him anyway, engaging him in the blissful service of the Lord in
the Supreme Abode. This is the nature of devotion. The activities of a devotee who has
attained the view of the Lord is described as follows in Śrīmad Bhāgavata (11.13.36)—
dehaṁ ca naśvaram avasthitam utthitambā

siddho na paśyati yato'dhyagamat svarūpam
daivād apetam uta daiva vaśād upetaṁ
vāso yathā parikṛtaṁ madirā madāndhaḥ
"Just as drunkards sometimes have no idea if someone takes away the garments they
wear or put them back on again, similarly the siddha puruṣas have no idea if this perishable
body, through which he has attained his siddha svarūpa, has risen (from its seat), or is seated."
The heart and mind of a loving devotee who has attained the vision of the Lord remains
immersed in the ocean of His sweetness without even slightly becoming externally involved.
Śrīmad Bhāgavata, which is the essence of all Vedānta-scriptures, is the spotless authority,
more so than any other scripture, hence the blessed author has quoted all evidence from it.
atredaṁ tattvaṁ - ahaṅkārasya dve vṛttī ahantā mamatā ceti. tayor jñānena layo
mokṣaḥ deha gehādi viṣayatve bandhaḥ. ahaṁ prabhor janaḥ sevako'smi sevyo me prabhur
bhagavān saparikara eva rūpa guṇa mādhurī mahodadhir iti pārṣada rūpa vigraha bhagavad
vigrahādi viṣayatve premā sa hi bandha mokṣābhyāṁ vilakṣaṇa eva puruṣārtha cūḍāmaṇir
ityucyate. tatra kramaḥ. ahantā mamatayor vyavahārikyāmeva vṛttāvati sāndrāyāṁ satyāṁ
saṁsāra eva ahaṁ vaiṣṇavo bhūyāsaṁ prabhu me bhagavān sevyo bhavatviti yādṛcchikyāṁ
śraddhā-kaṇikāyāṁ satyāṁ tad vṛtteḥ pāramārthikatva gandhe bhaktāvadhikāraḥ. tataḥ
sādhu saṅge sati pāramārthikatva gandhasya sāndratvaṁ tato bhajana kriyāyām aniṣṭhitāyāṁ
satyāṁ tayo paramārthe vastunyeka deśa vyāpinī vṛttiḥ vyavahāre pūrṇaiva. tasyāṁ
niṣṭhitāyāṁ paramārthe bahula deśa vyāpinī vyavahāre prāyikyeva. rucāvutpannāyāṁ
paramārtha eva pūrṇā vṛttir vyavahāre tu eka deśa vyāpinī. āsaktau jātāyāṁ paramārthe
ātyantikī vyavahāre tu gandha mātrī. bhāve tu paramārtha evātyantikī vṛttir vyavahāre tu
vādhitānuvṛtti nyāyenābhāsamayī. premṇi tayor ahantā mamatayor vṛtti paramārthe
paramātyantikī vyavahāre tu naikāpīti. evaṁ ca bhajana kriyāyāṁ bhagavad dhyānaṁ
vārtāntara gandhi kṣaṇikam eva. niṣṭhāyāṁ tad dhyāne vārtāntarābhāsaḥ. rucau vārtāntara
rahitam eva tad dhyānaṁ bahula kāla vyāpi. āsaktau tad dhyānam ati sāndram. bhāve dhyāna
mātram eva bhagavataḥ sphūrtiḥ. premṇi sphūrter vailakṣaṇyaṁ tad darśanaṁ ceti.
TRANSLATION— Its principle is as follows: ahaṅkāra has two aspects: ahamtā (self-
identification) and mamatā (possessiveness). They disappear through the development of
spiritual knowledge. Then the conditioned soul attains liberation; if he is situated in a life
centered around his body and house he is conditioned. "I belong to the Lord, I am His servant.
The Lord with His associates, His form and qualities, is an ocean of transcendental sweetness.
The Lord is my worshipable person and the object of my service." In this way he identifies
himself (ahamtā) with the associates of the Lord and he considers the form of the Lord the
object of his possession (mamatā); this is called prema. Actually this prema is far more
wonderful than either bondage or liberation, and hence it was given the title 'crownjewel of
human pursuits'. Its course of development is as follows— when self-identification and
possessiveness in its mundane sense are still very strong, one thinks: "I am in material life, but
let me become a Vaiṣṇava and let the Lord become the object of my service." When by good
luck a drop of such faith is born he becomes eligible for devotion because he now has a whiff
of spirituality. Then, when he starts associating with saints this whiff of spirituality becomes
more substantial, after which unstable engagement in bhajana commences. In this stage both
self-identification and possessiveness are minimal in the spiritual sense and maximal in the
mundane sense. When one becomes fixed in bhajana one's consciousness becomes pervaded
with spirituality and the mundane influence becomes small. When ruci emerges the heart
becomes fully engrossed in spirituality and the mundane influence becomes minimal. When
āsakti is born, spirituality becomes intense and the mundane influence is reduced to a whiff.
Then, when bhāva arises, spirituality is overwhelming and mundane influence is reduced to a
mere shadow, like a dream just dreamt. When prema is born, self-identification and
possessiveness are most overwhelming in the spiritual realm and have fully lost their
relationship with the mundane aspect. When thus bhajana kriyā commences, one meditates
on the Lord while there is only a momentary whiff left over of other topics. When niṣṭhā comes
to being, other topics are only just like a shadow, when ruci awakens this meditation is devoid
of ulterior subjects and lasts for long periods. In the stage of āsakti this meditation is very deep,
in bhāva there is mere meditation and the Lord appears in visions. In prema these visions
become detailed and the true vision of the Lord takes place.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation — karttā śāstrārthavattāṁ (Vedānta Sūtra 2.3.33). In this

sentence from the Vedānta Sūtra we can read that the soul is the doer. The scriptures say that
the individual soul is acting and not the qualities of māyā. The acting spirit soul is simply
receiving prompts from the qualities of māyā. This acting soul also has a dependent aspect, that
is part of its role as a jīva. Because of its basic independence the individual soul can act as it
wishes, and as such it has to suffer reactions to its activities - svakarma phala bhuk pumān.
When the spirit soul acts and enjoys, then it surely has an ahaṅkāra or self esteem. This self
esteem has two aspects - self-identification ("I am") and possessiveness ("I have"). The spirit
soul, who has forgotten its intrinsic position and who is under the influence of a mundane
illusion, establishes its "I am" in the gross material body, which is made by māyā and which it
has attained as a result of its fruitive activities, and its "I have" is fixed on wife, children, wealth
and property. Such is the conditioned state of the spirit soul. Since beginningless time this
individual soul has taken this selfish conditioning along, forgetting its innate position and
wandering through 8,400,000 species of life according to the results of its fruitive actions.
The saints and the scriptures advise that the illusion-bound individual soul gives up its
identification with gross matter through the practice of sādhana and gradually develops a
transcendental self esteem. These two conditions are burned in the fire of spiritual wisdom by
the jñānīs and this results in liberation. The actual innate identity of the individual soul is that
he is an eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. Through this the soul that is liberated from illusion can be
blessed with the service of Śrī Hari. Hence the jñānīs are destroying the individual soul, which
yearns for spiritual bliss. For this reason a person who wants to benefit himself rather covets
hell than liberation - naraka vāñchaye tabu sāyujya nā loy (C.C.)
The devotees gradually destroy the two aspects of false ego and turn towards the
Supreme Lord. When the "I am" has fully turned into "I am Śrī Hari's servant" and the "I have"
has turned into "Śrī Hari is mine", then this is called prema. This prema is the fifth goal of human
life, or the crownjewel of human pursuits. Through the practice of bhajana this self-
identification and possessiveness gradually give up their connection with the mundane and
establish themselves in the spiritual. Accordingly the meditation on the Lord gradually ripens
and culminates when it reaches the state of prema. The blessed author describes this course in
the above paragraph.
mādhurya vāridheḥ kṛṣṇa caitanyād uddhṛtaiḥ rasaiḥ

iyaṁ dhinotu mādhuryamayī kādambinī jagat (3)
iti mahāmahopādhyāya śrīmad viśvanātha cakravarti viracitāyāṁ mādhurya kādambinyāṁ
pūrṇa manoratha nāmāṣṭamyamṛta vṛṣṭiḥ samāptā (8)
TRANSLATION — May this Mādhurya Kādambinī, or cloud bank of sweetness, which is

showered from the ocean of sweetness Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, satisfy the world.
Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation — The Original Supreme Lord Vrajendranandanda Śrī Kṛṣṇa is
the embodiment of all transcendental flavours. In His Vraja-pastimes He was unable to relish
Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī's love in three ways, so in order to fulfill these desires He assumed Śrīmatī
Rādhārāṇī's feelings and complexion and became Gaura. The meeting between this ocean of
rasa and this ocean of prema is the ocean of sweetness, Śrī Gaurasundara!! In Him the high
waves of sweet rasa are ever welling up!! From the ocean of His sweet rasika pastimes all
realisations about the topics described in this Mādhurya Kādambinī have come to perfection.
When this book is studied the devotee will easily become free from all obstacles to bhajana
such as desires for profit, adoration and distinction and all offenses will cease, by Śrīman
Mahāprabhu's grace. Thus he will achieve prema and be ever-blessed by relishing the
sweetness of the Lord. There is no doubt about this whatsoever.
Finally the blessed author offers a blessing to all of mankind — by the grace of Śrīla
Gaurasundara may this whole world, which is constantly scorched by the fire of the threefold
material miseries, be satisfied and soothed by the nectar shower emanating from this
amazing cloud bank of sweetness, which arises from the ocean of Mahāprabhu's pastimes. (3)
Thus ends the Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation to the eighth nectar shower of Mahā
Mahopādhyāya Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartīpāda's Śrī Mādhurya Kādambinī.

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MĀDHURYA KĀDAMBINĪ

By ŚRĪ VIŚVANĀTHA CAKRAVARTĪPĀDA

First Shower of Nectar

hṛd-vapre nava-bhakti-śasya-vitateḥ sañjīvanī svāgamā-

TRANSLATION: The causeless and completely independent mercy of Śrī Caitanya

ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgo ’tha bhajana-kriyā

pātrāpātra vicāraṇāṁ na kurute na svaṁ-paraṁ vikṣyate

nava-bhakti here refers to ninefold bhakti, śravaṇa, kīrtana, and so on as delineated in

saṅkīrṭana haite pāpa-saṁsāra-nāśana; citta-śuddhi sarva-bhakti-sādhana-udgama

na yogo na dhyānaṁ na ca japa-tapas-tyāga-niyamā

bhaktiḥ pūrvaiḥ śrītā tāntu rasam paśyed yad-ātta-dhiḥ

TRANSLATION: Though previous mahājanas had taken shelter of Bhakti-devī, now by

vṛndāvanīyāṁ rasa-keli-vārtāṁ kālena luptaṁ nija-śaktim utkaḥ

anyābhilāṣitā śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam

“uttamā-bhakti, or supreme devotion, means to engage oneself in the favourable

priya-svarūpe dayita-svarūpe prema-svarūpe sahajābhirūpe

advaita nityānanda prabhu ei dui-jane; prabhu kahe-rūpe kṛpā koro kāya-mane.

"Rūpa met me at Prayāga. Knowing him to be a worthy person, I bestowed My mercy

iha khalu paramānandamayād api puruṣād 'brahma-pucchaṁ pratiṣṭhā' iti brahmato'pi

TRANSLATION: The evidence of Śrutis is the best of scriptural evidence (śabda

mallānām aśanir nṛṇāṁ nara-varaḥ strīṇāṁ smaro mūrtimān

brahmaṇo'haṁ pratiṣṭhā ghanībhūta brahmaivāhaṁ yathā ghanībhūta prakāśa eva sūrya

tasya bhagavata iva tad rūpāyā bhakter api svaprakāśatāsiddhyartham eva

sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje

yadṛcchayā mat-kathādau jāta-śraddhas tu yaḥ pumān

asmil loke vartamānaḥ sva-dharma-stho’naghaḥ śuciḥ

TRANSLATION: If the causeless mercy of the devotee is accepted as the cause of

īśvare tad-adhīneṣu bāliśeṣu dviṣatsu ca

kiṁ ca svecchāvatāra caritaiḥ iti 'svecchāmayasya' ityādi pramāṇa śatair avagatena

yan na yogena sāṁkhyena dāna vrata tapo'dhvaraiḥ

TRANSLATION: It is known from hundreds of forms of evidence like, “The Lord’s

yaṁ na yogena sāṅkhyena dāna vrata tapo'dhvaraiḥ

śreyaḥ sṛtiṁ bhaktim udasya te vibho' 'kovārtha āpto'bhajatāṁ svadharmataḥ iti

na deśa niyamas tatra na kāla niyamas tathā nocchiṣṭādau niṣedho'sti harer

Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation: Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartīpāda is now describing the

śreyaḥ sṛtiṁ bhaktim udasya te vibho kliśyanti ye kevala bodha labdhaye

ye ’nye ’ravindākṣa vimukta māninas tvayy asta bhāvād aviśuddha buddhayaḥ

tyaktvā svadharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ harer bhajann apakvo’tha patet tato yadi

It can thus be understood that to attain perfection in jñāna, dependence on bhakti is

pureha bhūman bahavo ’pi yoginas tvad-arpitehā nija karma labdhayā

tasmān mad-bhakti yuktasya yogino vai mad-ātmanaḥ

“Those who wholeheartedly engage in My devotion generally do not appreciate the

vāsūdeve bhagavati bhaktiyogaḥ prayojitaḥ

ājñāyaivaṁ guṇān doṣān mayādiṣṭān api svakān

sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam vraja

yat karmabhir yat tapasā jñāna-vairāgyataś ca yat

na deśa niyamas tasmin na kāla niyamas tathā

karma yogasya tathābhūtatve mahānarthakāritvam eva. mantra hīnaḥ svarato varṇato

hiraṇyakaśipu rāvaṇādīnāṁ tat tat prakaraṇa dṛṣṭyā jñānābhyāsavatām api na tattvena

Pīyūṣa kaṇā explanation: This powerful bhakti-process, a manifestation of the svarūpa-

tasmād asaktaḥ satataṁ kāryaṁ karma samācara

bhaktes tu 'vikrīḍitaṁ vrajavadhūbhiḥ' ityādau—

vikrīḍitaṁ vrajavadhūbhir idaṁ ca viṣṇoḥ śraddhānvito'nuśṛṇuyād atha varṇayed yaḥ

api cet sudurācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk

kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā śaśvac-chāntiṁ nigacchati

bādhyamāno’pi mad-bhakto viṣayair ajitendriyaḥ

jñāna vairāgyayor bhakti praveśāyopayogitā

jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva jīvanti san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām

muktānām api siddhānāṁ nārāyaṇa parāyaṇaḥ