TLC – The Teachings of Lord Caitanya—Part 02 VIHE

Giriraj Swami: We have divided the course into eighteen lessons. They are called lessons. And in each class, we will cover so many verses from Caitanya-caritāmṛta, which you should read the night before. And from time to time, I may give some written homework or a pop quiz. You know what a pop quiz is? It means a quiz that is not announced before, just to make sure that you are reading and remembering. There may be more than one subject covered in each class, but the main subject or theme has been mentioned on the paper.

Everyone should note the sentence that’s been written on the board; jīvera ‘svarūpa’ haya—kṛṣṇera ‘nitya-dāsa’ that is the essence of sambandha-jñāna, that I’m the eternal servant of Krishna. And everyone should know what sambandha-jñāna is, what abhidheya is, and what prayojana is. Sambandha means relationship, and in our case, it means our relationship with Krishna. I’m the eternal servant of Krishna. Abhidheya means the process, and the process is bhakti, or sādhana-bhakti. And prayojana means the end, or the goal, which is prema, or prema-bhakti. And today we will discuss in detail about what is bhakti, based on the verse anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ, which is in the first page of the photocopied material. And you should know the Sanskrit and the translation, and you should actually know what each word means, and be able to explain the significance of each word, as for the discussion.

Now, before we begin every day, we’ll recite one mantra from Caitanya-caritāmṛta to offer respects. (jaya jaya śrī-caitanya jaya nityānanda. . .)

So, we’ll return to the verse anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ.

In every definition in Vedic literatures, there are two parts—one is called svarūpa-lakṣaṇa and the other is called taṭastha-lakṣaṇa. svarūpa-lakṣaṇa means, natural characteristic which is intrinsic. And taṭastha-lakṣaṇa means, marginal characteristic, which is manifest under certain conditions but not always manifest. So here, the svarūpa-lakṣaṇa is ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-śīlanaṁ. This is the intrinsic characteristic of uttamā bhakti.

So Krishna here, means what? Krishna means the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, and the expansions of Krishna, and things related to Krishna, the devotees of Krishna. Bhaktivinoda Thakura says that all of the sixty-four items of devotional service also can be rendered to devotees. And ānukūlyena means favorable. And we discussed two criteria of favorability—one is that the performer’s attitude should be favorable to pleasing Krishna. You should not have any hostility towards Krishna. Therefore, demons like Kamsa, Jarasandha, Sisupala, Dantavakara, and eighteen other demons, who tried to kill Krishna, (although Krishna might have been pleased to fight with them, experiencing virya-rasa, or chivalrous relationship), but because they were hostile to Krishna, they were not favorable to Krishna, they are not considered devotees, and their fighting with Krishna is not considered bhakti.

And the other criteria should be that Krishna is actually pleased. If we try to serve Krishna whimsically or independently, not following the scriptures or the spiritual master, even though we think that we want to please Krishna, but actually Krishna may not be pleased.

There was one rich man in Bombay, one of the three richest men in India, and he was known as a great Vaishnava. And when I met him, he was boasting about his Krishna consciousness, and he took from his pocket one beautiful little silver box, and he opened it up and he showed me that it was full of tulasi leaves, and he said “I don’t even take tea without adding tulasi.” So this is not favorable! He is not serving Krishna as Krishna wants to be served. So we have to know how Krishna wants to be served, from the spiritual master and from the Vedic literatures.

Now, coming to ānu-śīlanaṁ; śīlanaṁ means activity, and ānu means continuous. So ānu-śīlanaṁ means continuous activity or cultivation. And Srila Prabhupada and other acharyas have explained that the cultivation can be done positively or negatively. Positively means there are certain things that we must do, and negatively means there are certain things that we must not do. So when we see the first twenty items of devotional service, the first ten are do’s, things that we should do, and the next ten items are don’ts, or things that we should not do. And Srila Prabhupada and the previous acharyas have also explained that such activities will involve the body, the words and the mind. Both categories of do’s and don’ts will engage the body, words, and the mind.

Here, another interesting question comes. We find that Lord Chaitanya had one devotee who was a court physician, and he once saw a peacock feather, and seeing the peacock feather he experienced some sort of transcendental ecstasy and fell down, became unconscious, or externally became unconscious. Now, what happened to him and is it devotional service? Any ideas?

Devotee: [Inaudible 00:14:25]

Giriraj Swami: I’m not talking about the fanning; I’m talking about the fainting.

Devotee: That’s a symptom of ecstasy in love of God instead of service to Krishna.

Giriraj Swami: Yes, correct! Remembrance of Krishna, or meditation on the pastimes of Krishna, and ecstasy that one experiences while meditating on the pastimes of Krishna, are not performed with the body, words, or mind. They exist on another platform altogether, purely spiritual platform. But they are also included in bhakti. Although general definition for sādhakas, sādhakas means devotees practicing devotional service, sadhana. For sādhakas devotional service is  performed with the body, words, and mind. But for siddhas, or perfected souls, they always meditate on the pastimes of Krishna, and meditating on the pastimes of Krishna, they experience transcendental ecstasy which is beyond the body, words, and mind. And that is also included in ānu-śīlanaṁ.

These are advanced stages, and I actually wanted to recommend that you all study two verses that come at the end, because they will help you to understand the discussions throughout the course, and they are theverses beginning ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgo; Texts fourteen and fifteen in Chapter Twenty-Three. Because we should have some sense of the various stages in devotional service, and we should understand what symptoms apply to what stage.

So, when Sanatana Gosvami inquired of Lord Chaitanya, he inquired about sadhana and sādhya. Sādhya means the goal or the end, and sadhana means the means, or the process by which we can attain the goal. So bhāva and prema are considered sādhya. They are the goal. When one comes to bhāva, there is no more sadhana, no more practice, but everything is done by the internal potency. So, later we’ll get to the complete discussion of sādhya bhakti, which includes bhāva and prema. But we should know at least, that that is the goal, and when one reaches the stage of bhāva there is no more sadhana.

And śuddha-sattva-viśeṣātmā, the svarūpa-lakṣaṇa, or the natural characteristic of bhāva-bhakti, is, it is completely transcendental to the material modes. It is on the platform of pure goodness. That means, it’s beyond the material body and mind. But still it is bhakti.

Now, when we come to that part, you’ll have to memorize it for the exam, but now I’m not asking you to know it for the exam, but I’m asking you to know it, so that you can follow the discussions better. You should know what the various stages are from sraddha to prema, because we’ll refer to them throughout the discussions.

Now, we left off with anyābhilāṣitā, and I explained the difference between anyābhilāṣ, which means no other desire, and anyābhilāṣitā, which means that one is not habituated to any other desire. But in some extreme circumstances, if one is threatened with life or death, he may pray to Krishna “Please save me.” But in such extreme cases that are beyond the devotee’s control, if the devotee prays to Krishna for relief or salvation, it does not become an obstacle to uttamā bhakti. He can go on with uttamā bhakti and continue to make progress. But if someone even in ordinary circumstances, wants something material from Krishna, that is against uttamā bhakti, and he will not be able to make good progress.

Now here another question arises, that we are practicing devotional service, sādhana-bhakti, but we have desires, we want to make advancement in Krishna consciousness, we want to attain some higher stage of bhakti. So, is that anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ? In other words, we are practicing bhakti, why? Because we want to attain bhakti. So there is no desire other than bhakti. Bhakti means to please Krishna. So therefore we say that in bhakti the means and the end are the same. The means is bhakti and the end is bhakti. But the means is sādhana-bhakti and the end is sādhya bhakti. So if a sādhaka wants to attain sādhya, there is no fault. In fact, he should want to; otherwise, we may come in niyamāgrahaḥ. Niyamāgrahaḥ means; following the rules and regulations without knowing the purpose. But there is a purpose, and when we come to the definition of sādhana-bhakti, it’s right in the definition of sādhana-bhakti—practices that awaken bhāva-bhakti.

So, if we are engaged in sādhana-bhakti and we don’t reach bhāva-bhakti, then we are not even really practicing sādhana-bhakti, because sādhana-bhakti is supposed to awaken bhāva-bhakti. So if we are just following various practices without knowing the goal, and without wanting to reach the goal, then that is also not complete. It is like niyamāgrahaḥ, just doing for the sake of doing without knowing why.

We should know that there is some goal. We should be able to see where we are in relation to the goal, and we should want to make progress. Of course, we don’t make progress just by our own endeavor. Actually, we make progress by Krishna’s mercy and Vaishnava’s mercy. But we have to make efforts and at the same time pray for mercy. So, we’ll discuss that more later.

Then—jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam. We discussed this also, but we can consider some practical applications. Jnana means knowledge. And empiric knowledge or speculative knowledge are not helpful. But knowledge of Krishna from the scriptures and saints are helpful. They are accepted as bhakti. And karma means activity, so worshipping the Deity is also accepted in the process of devotional service. But there are other activities, fruitive activities, Vedic sacrifices or rituals, which are meant for material elevation, which are not part of bhakti.

Now, every good Hindu son is expected to perform the funeral rites of his father. So in case his father got some low birth, he can be elevated. If his father became a ghost, he can be delivered. So, this comes in the category of Vedic rituals, not bhakti.

Now, suppose my father dies and I’m expected to perform the funeral rites. What should I do? And if I perform the funeral rites, is it bhakti?

Devotee: I think you should perform the rites and not think that bhakti is dependent on that.

Giriraj Swami: Why should I perform?

Devotee: Just for social peace, keep peace in the family.

Giriraj Swami: Very good! If I think that if I don’t perform my father’s funeral rites, that I will commit some sin or some offense and I will suffer—that is against bhakti. Or, if I think that by performing my father’s funeral rites, I will get some good karma and by good karma, I will get bhakti—that is also against bhakti. If I think that I have something to lose if I don’t do it that is wrong. Because bhakti is not, as you said, bhakti is independent. It cannot be obstructed by lack of material karma, and it cannot be furthered by performance of material karma. So, if I think either way, that if I don’t do it, I will lose and if I do do it, I will gain—than that means I haven’t appreciated the independent nature of bhakti, which is expressed as anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam.  ādy means etc. You know etc.? That means; yoga, vairāgya, tapasya. . . so many other processes. Bhakti is not dependent on any of them, but to the contrary, if bhakti is mixed with any of them, bhakti becomes weakened.

If I think, that if I don’t perform my father’s funeral rites, people will criticize, they will think “Oh he is a devotee and look at him, he didn’t even do his father’s funeral rites” Then, taking into consideration popular sentiment, we can do it.

One devotee in Bombay asked Srila Prabhupada; “If a devotee sees a man drowning in the river, should he save him?” And Srila Prabhupada replied that actually “We have no business saving a drowning man, we have no business interfering with the reactions of people’s actions.” In other words—we have no business interfering with material affairs, karma, and the reactions to karma. Then Srila Prabhupada said, “But if we don’t save him, then people will criticize that ‘oh he is a devotee, he could have saved the man but he didn’t save him! What kind of a devotee is he?’” So that is called loka vichar, which means public sentiment, popular sentiment. Sometimes we do things that are not included in devotional service, but in consideration of loka vichar—we can do them.

[Audio break 00:29:50]On the top floor of the burning building. And the devotees were working on the Ratha cart beneath the burning building. So they held out the canopy of the chariot under the window, and they told her she should jump.

Devotee: Five ladies!

Giriraj Swami: Oh, five ladies! So they all jumped and they were saved. Then there were headlines in the newspaper with pictures, how the devotees had saved the ladies from the burning building. And they especially appreciated the fact that we used the sacred canopy to do it. And then Srila Prabhupada told his secretary to send me the clippings from the newspapers and say that I should approach all the big people of Bombay and show them that we are doing the best welfare work spiritually and materially.

So in that way, we can do something which is not really one of the items of devotional service, for the sake of making people favorable, or for the sake of avoiding criticism, so that ultimately we can preach.

Devotee: So then [Inaudible 00:31:20]Prabhupada says that due to the pious activities, that saints and sages took birth as cowherd boys. So what kind of pious activity does that [Inaudible 00:31:33]?

Giriraj Swami: That we will discuss in detail, but in brief, the pious activity mentioned there, is none other than devotional service. Not material pious activity. And specifically it means serving pure devotees, especially it means serving pure devotees.

Devotee: [Inaudible 00:32:00]

Giriraj Swami: He says (the devotee) that Lord Kapila tells His mother Devahuti that devotional service can be performed in the mode of ignorance, in the mode of passion, or in the mode of goodness. How then devotional service is transcendental?

Srila Prabhupada has given the example that a person is riding in a boat, and there is some storm, so the boat may rock this way and that way, but because he is in the boat he is not touched by the water. So by the example, Srila Prabhupada meant to indicate that the devotee who’s in the boat of devotional service cannot be contaminated by the modes. But if he is not expert, he cannot manage the boat in such a way that it doesn’t rock, it still rocks due to material influences, but because he is in the boat of bhakti he is not touched by the water. That means he is not contaminated by it. You understand?

Devotee: Yes thank you.

Devotee: I think also, in the teachings of Kapiladeva, it doesn’t just divide bhakti into those three divisions, but then the next verse describes pure devotional service which is untinged with those three. So did he actually [Inaudible 00:33:49]

Giriraj Swami: But that’s the stage of bhāva, śuddha-sattva-viśeṣātmā. But even before the stage of bhāva, when we are rendering sādhana-bhakti, it’s not that the service that we render is contaminated. We may not be completely free from the influence of the modes, but the service is not contaminated. The service is pure as long as it comes in the definition anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ.

Now, what is the symptom that one’s service is not affected by, or not covered or obscured by karma or jnana?

Rupa Gosvami has explained yukta-vairāgya, as opposed to phalgu-vairāgya. Yukta-vairāgya means that the devotee sees that everything is Krishna’s property, and therefore he sees that it is meant to be used in Krishna’s service. And if it can be used in Krishna’s service he accepts it. And if it cannot be used in Krishna’s service, he does not touch it. Like the Bhagavad-gītā says that the yogi is like a tortoise. He can extend his limbs when there is need; otherwise he withdraws his limbs within. And phalgu-vairāgya means that not knowing the relationship of so-called material things to Krishna—that I reject them.

Phalgu refers to one river in Bihar, which looks like sand, but it only looks like sand. Underneath there is water. So, the impersonalists who artificially renounce, they are like the Phalgu river, in that they look like they are dry, no material desires. But if you poke your finger under the surface, there are so many currents of desire. So yukta-vairāgya means appropriate renunciation. And that is the symptom of uttamā bhakti. And trying to enjoy something for sense gratification, or reject something that could be used in Krishna’s service, are indications of being covered by karma, if we want to enjoy, or jnana if we want to renounce something that can be used in Krishna’s service. So we have to follow bhakti.

Sometimes we don’t know, sometimes we think I need this for my service, but we are not sure “Do I really need it, or do I just want it for my senses?” So there, one can consult with other devotees and see if they think that you really need it for your service, or if you really don’t need it for your service, but your mind is just telling you “You need it,” so that your senses can get some extra gratification.

So, are there any questions?

Devotee: [Inaudible 00:37:36]

Giriraj Swami: jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam. Uttamā bhakti should not be covered or obscured by karma or jnana. So, if one practices yukta-vairāgya, then one can say that there is no covering of karma or jnana. Yukta-vairāgya means anāsaktasya viṣaya, without attachment one uses things in Krishna’s service nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe yukta-vairāgyam ucyate. So, without being attached to it, if I use something in Krishna’s service, then there is no covering of karma by which I would want to enjoy, and no covering of jnana by which I would want to renounce, but only bhakti.

Devotee: You said ānu-śīlanaṁ, one of those words means cultivation. . .

Giriraj Swami: ānu-śīlanaṁ means cultivation. Aṇu means continuous, śīlanaṁ means activity. So, Srila Prabhupada and other acharyas have, well I guess Srila Prabhupada on behalf of other acharyas, has translated ānu-śīlanaṁ as cultivation, involving the body, mind, and words.

Devotee: (Inaudible 00:39:22)

Giriraj Swami: There are several important verses from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam about bhakti. And Rupa Gosvami has derived his definition from such verses. And that’s one of the very important verses.

Devotee: This anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ that Lord Chaitanya has quoted to Sanatana Gosvami from Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, does that mean this verse. . .?

Giriraj Swami: Some verses were current at the time of Lord Chaitanya and Rupa Gosvami, which they quoted and which later were incorporated in the books of Rupa Gosvami. But some devotees have suggested that Caitanya-caritāmṛta does not record the exact words that Lord Chaitanya spoke. We don’t know if he spoke in Bengali couplets. But Krishnadasa Kaviraj Goswami has conveyed the essence of what Lord Chaitanya said. So when Lord Chaitanya gave the definition of uttamā bhakti to Rupa Gosvami, we don’t know if He used the words anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ, but definitely He conveyed the purport, or the meaning. And Krishnadasa Kaviraj Goswami has incorporated many verses from Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu in Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Substance, it’s the same substance.

So, tomorrow’s reading assignment; you can just read up to Text Thirty. One to eight deals a bit with bhakti, which we discussed in class, and it discusses a bit about Krishna’s expansions. We also discussed the fact that Krishna in the definition of bhakti means Krishna and His expansions, and His pure devotees and His paraphernalia. So that’s the relationship, and tomorrow we’ll discuss the superiority of bhakti, which includes the independence of bhakti from other processes which is very important for us to understand.

Devotee: It is said in Nectar of Devotion that sādhana-bhakti is divided in two parts; vaidhī-bhakti and rāgānugā-bhakti. Can you tell me please what is the relationship between sādhana-bhakti, rāgānugā-bhakti, and prema-bhakti?

Giriraj Swami: Yes, one can approach bhāva-bhakti either from vaidhī-sādhana-bhakti or rāgānugā-bhakti. If one is following rāgānugā-bhakti, he will develop bhāva for Krishna in Vrindavan. And if he is following vaidhī-sādhana-bhakti, he will develop bhāva for Lakshmi-Narayana or Sita-Rama, or some other form of Godhead in Vaikuntha. So they are parallel. Of course, the branching into rāgānugā, comes at an advanced stage, definitely after anartha-nivṛtti and higher. But it’s not that everyone who does vaidhī-bhakti will do rāgānugā-bhakti. You understand?

Devotee: [Inaudible 00:44:07]

Giriraj Swami: Rāgānugā can appear at an advanced stage of vaidhī. But not everyone who reaches an advanced stage in vaidhī, develops rāgānugā-bhakti, because what is the qualification for entering rāgānugā-bhakti? Do you know?

Devotee: [Inaudible 00:44:30]

Giriraj Swami: That’s the definition, but what qualifies you to enter rāgānugā-bhakti?

Giriraj Swami: Yes, greed. The scripture doesn’t say that by doing vaidhī-bhakti for one year, or one life, or ten lives, or a million lives, that you will enter rāgānugā-bhakti. Only if you have greed, will you enter rāgānugā-bhakti. And greed cannot be had by performing pious activities for millions and trillions of lives.

Devotee: Can we develop at all by our patience or it has to depend on mercy from above?

Giriraj Swami: It does depend on mercy. But if we hear Krishna’s pastimes, or if we see the beautiful form of the deity in the temple, and we have some spontaneous desire that “I want to serve Krishna in a particular way,” that is lobha. Srila Prabhupada says—transcendental covetousness.

Devotee: How does spontaneity increase?

Giriraj Swami: By association of a rāgānugā Vaishnava. Without the association of a rāgānugā Vaishnava, it won’t come.

Devotee: That means that some effort on our part is necessary?

Giriraj Swami: We may, or we may not. Even if we make efforts we may not get such an association, but if we serve faithfully, Krishna will make the arrangement.

Devotee: Dependence!

Giriraj Swami: Of course! How did we come in contact with our spiritual master? We didn’t make any effort, Kirshna arranged. So Krishna wants us to come back to Him, back to Godhead, and He makes arrangements. But certainly, everything depends on mercy. Even to enter vaidhī-bhakti we need mercy.

Devotee: [Inaudible 00:46:58] there is an element of raga, of spontaneity, even within the vaidhī? Someone may have some spontaneous desire for kirtan, or this or that, is this the raga element within the vaidhī context? [Inaudible 00:47:22]

Giriraj Swami: We should all have some spontaneous liking for some aspect of devotional service. That’s true. Pure vaidhī-bhakti without any taste or any liking cannot exist! There must be some touch, like you said, but that’s not exactly the same as rāgānugā-bhakti. But we have to be patient, and continue the classes on vaidhī-bhakti. And in a very few days, we will come to rāgānugā-bhakti. Maybe, if we do our vaidhī-bhakti studies very well, we can go more quickly to rāgānugā-bhakti, it won’t take so long.