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Read on →: atha parikarāṇām api bhāveṣu tāratamyaṁ vivecanīyaṁ
atha parikarāṇām api bhāveṣu tāratamyaṁ vivecanīyaṁ, yeṣāṁ bhagavattaivopajīvyā | tatra bhagavattā tāvat sāmānyato dvividhaiva—paramaiśvarya-rūpā parama-mādhurya-rūpā ceti | aiśvaryaṁ prabhutā | mādhuryaṁ nāma ca śīla-guṇa-rūpa-vayo-līlānāṁ sambandha-viśeṣāṇāṁ ca manoharatvaṁ, paramatvaṁ ca cāsamordhvatvam | atha bhaktādi-catur-vidhāḥ parikarāpi dvividhāḥ | paramaiśvaryānubhava-pradhānāḥ parama-mādhuryānubhava-pradhānāś ca | tatraiśvarya-mātrasya sādhvasa-sambhrama-gaurava-buddhi-janakatvaṁ mādhurya-mātrasya prīti-janakatvam iti sarvānubhava-siddham eva | tatas tatraiśvarya-mādhuryayoḥ paramatvam iti tābhyāṁ yathāsaṅkhyaṁ sādhvasādīnāṁ prīteś ca paramatvam eva syāt |
(Excerpt from Prīti Sandarbha: 97)“Now, the gradation among the bhāvas of even the parikaras (associates) [of Śrī Bhagavān], whose sole sustenance is Bhagavattā [i.e., the Bhagavān aspect of Bhagavān—the myriad of characteristics what constitute the essential nature of Bhagavān, as opposed to the Brahman aspect (Brahmatva) of Bhagavān], is to be deliberated upon. In that regard, Bhagavattā is in general only of two types: that the form of which is paramount aiśvarya (paramaiśvarya) and that the form of which is paramount mādhurya (parama-mādhurya). Aiśvarya refers to powerfulness (prabhutā), and mādhurya refers to charmingness [lit., ‘being captivating to the mind’] of disposition, qualities, figure, age, and līlā, as well as of specific relations [i.e., of forms of relationship]. [The aforementioned] ‘Paramountness’ (paramatva) [of the aiśvarya and the mādhurya of Bhagavān’s Bhagavattā], furthermore, refers to [their] being unequaled and unsurpassed (asamordhvatva) [by any other feature of Śrī Bhagavān, much less by any feature of any other entity subordinate to him].
“Now, parikaras too, who are of four types beginning with bhaktas [i.e., those whose principal rati is dāsya and so forth], are also of two [general] types: those in whom experience of paramount aiśvarya is predominant (paramaiśvaryānubhava-pradhāna) and those in whom experience of paramount mādhurya is predominant (mādhuryānubhava-pradhāna). In this regard, only aiśvarya’s being productive of alarm (sādhavasa), reverential excitement (sambhrama), and a sense of superiority (gaurava-buddhi), and only mādhurya’s being productive of prīti, is certainly established by the experience of everyone. Thus, there is the paramountness (paramatva) of the aiśvarya and the mādhurya [of Śrī Bhagavān’s Bhagavattā] in this regard [i.e., such paramountness is also to be considered present in the nature of Śrī Bhagavān], and the definitive paramountness of alarm and so forth and of prīti [that bhaktas experience in response to Śrī Bhagavān’s Bhagavattā] shall come about respectively because of these two [i.e., because of the paramount aiśvarya and the paramount mādhurya in Śrī Bhagavān’s Bhagavattā].”
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Read on →: vidagdhānāṁ ca yathā vanitānurāgāsvādane vāñchā na tathā tat-sparśādāv api
vidagdhānāṁ ca yathā vanitānurāgāsvādane vāñchā na tathā tat-sparśādāv api |
(Prīti Sandarbha: 376)“The cultured [i.e., rasikas], furthermore, do not have desire even for the touch and so forth of the beloved woman (vanitā) as they do for relishment of her love (anurāga).”
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Read on →: tad evaṁ trividhāpi sā punar akaitavā sakaitavā ceti dvividhā jñeyā
tad evaṁ trividhāpi sā punar akaitavā sakaitavā ceti dvividhā jñeyā | tatrāropa-saṅga-siddhayor yasyā bhakteḥ sambandhena bhakti-pada-prāptyāṁ sāmarthyaṁ tan-mātrāpekṣatvaṁ ced akaitavatvaṁ, svīyānyadīya-phalāpekṣatvaṁ cet sakaitavatvam | svarūpa-siddhāyāś ca yasya bhagavataḥ sambandhena tādṛśaṁ māhātmyaṁ tan-mātrāpekṣa-parikaratvaṁ ced akaitavatvaṁ, prayojanāntarāpekṣayā karma-jñāna-parikaratvaṁ cet sakaitavatvam | iyam evākaitavā akiñcanākhyatvena pūrvam uktā | ‘dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo’tra paramaḥ’ ity atra cāsya tad-ubhaya-vidhatve pramāṇaṁ jñeyam | tathoktaṁ—‘prīyate’malayā bhaktyā harir anyad viḍambanam’ iti |
(Bhakti Sandarbha: 217)“Thus, in this way, although of three types [i.e., (1) āropa-siddhā, accomplished (siddhā) by means of attribution (āropa); (2) saṅga-siddhā, accomplished (siddhā) by means of association (saṅga); and (3) svarūpa-siddhā, accomplished (siddhā) by means of its own nature (svarūpa)], that [i.e., bhakti] further is to be known to be of two types: akaitavā (non-deceitful) and sakaitavā (deceitful) [i.e., each of the three aforementioned types of bhakti can be of two types, that is, either akaitavā (non-deceitful) or sakaitavā (deceitful)]. Therein, if āropa- and saṅga-siddhā [-bhakti] are possessed of intent only upon that bhakti by connection with which they have the ability to attain the status of [being] bhakti [i.e., if they are possessed of intent only upon bhakti wherein there is desire for bhakti alone, then] they are possessed of akaitavatva (non-deceitfulness), but if they are possessed of intent upon a result relating to one’s self or relating to another [i.e., relating to anyone other than Bhagavān, then] they are possessed of sakaitavatva (deceitfulness). If svarūpa-siddhā [-bhakti] is possessed of being an assistant to intent only upon that bhakti [wherein there is desire for bhakti alone by connection with which it [i.e., that svarūpa-siddhā-bhakti] has such greatness [i.e., has the quality of being the very essence of all the śāstras as discussed in BKS 169, has the quality of being the highest bliss (paramānanda) as discussed in BKS 3, and so on, then] it is possessed of akaitavatva (non-deceitfulness), but if it is possessed of being an assistant to karma or jñāna on account of intent upon another aim (prayojana) [i.e., an aim other than bhakti wherein there is desire for bhakti alone, then] it is possessed of sakaitavatva (deceitfulness). This exact non-deceitful (akaitavā) [bhakti] was described earlier [in BKS 165, 170, 178 179, and 202 with reference to SB 5.18.12] as being called ‘unconditional’ (akiñcanā). Also, evidence in regard to its [i.e., bhakti’s] being of both types [i.e., potentially being either non-deceitful or deceitful] is to be understood here in [SB 1.1.2], ‘Here [i.e., in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam] is the highest dharma completely free from deceit (kaitava)’ (dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo’tra paramaḥ). Similarly, it is stated [in SB 7.7.52], ‘Hari is pleased [only] by taintless bhakti. All else is a sham [i.e., deceitful].’”
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Read on →: bhaktis trividhā—āropa-siddhā saṅga-siddhā svarūpa-siddhā ca
bhaktis trividhā—āropa-siddhā, saṅga-siddhā, svarūpa-siddhā ca | tatrāropa-siddhā svato bhaktitvābhāve’pi bhagavad-arpaṇādinā bhaktitvaṁ prāptā karmādi-rūpā | saṅga-siddhā svato bhaktitvābhāve’pi tat-parikaratayā saṁsthāpanena … labdha-tad-antaḥpātā jñāna-karma-tad-aṅga-rūpā | svarūpa-siddhā cājñānādināpi tat-prādurbhāve bhaktitvāvyabhicāriṇī sākṣāt-tad-anugaty-ātmā tadīya-śravaṇa-kīrtanādi-rūpā | ‘śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ’ ity-ādau viṣṇoḥ śravaṇaṁ viṣṇoḥ kīrtanam iti viśiṣṭasyaiva vivakṣitatvāt teṣām api nāropa-siddhatvaṁ, pratyuta mūḍha-pronmattādiṣu tad-anukartṛṣv api kathañcit sambandhena phala-prāpakatvāt svarūpa-siddhatvaṁ |
(Bhakti Sandarbha: 217)“Bhakti is of three types: (1) āropa-siddhā [i.e., that accomplished (siddhā) by means of attribution (āropa)], (2) saṅga-siddhā [i.e., that accomplished (siddhā) by means of association (saṅga)], and (3) svarūpa-siddhā [i.e., that accomplished (siddhā) by means of its own essential nature (svarūpa)]. Therein, āropa-siddhā [-bhakti] is that the form of which is karma or otherwise [e.g., jñāna] which, even in the absence of the quality of being bhakti (bhaktitva) within itself, has attained the quality of being bhakti (bhaktitva) by means of an offering [of itself] to Bhagavān and so on [i.e., or an offering of its result to Bhagavān]. Saṅga-siddhā [-bhakti] is that the form of which is jñāna, karma, or a limb thereof which, even in the absence of the quality of being bhakti (bhaktitva) within itself, has attained inclusion in [being] that [i.e., bhakti] by means of establishment [of it] as being an assistant to that [i.e., bhakti, e.g., as the non-attachment of the mind to worldly objects described in SB 11.3.23 is not bhakti in and of itself but becomes a form of bhakti, i.e., saṅga-siddhā-bhakti, because of its functioning as an assistant to forms of svarūpa-siddhā-bhakti]. Svarūpa-siddhā [-bhakti] is that the form of which is hearing, praising, and so forth of him [i.e., Bhagavān] the nature of which is direct attendant service (anugati) to him [i.e., Bhagavān] and which is unwavering in the quality of being bhakti when its manifestation occurs even unknowingly or otherwise [i.e., even without one intentionally performing the action as an act of bhakti to Bhagavān]. On account of specified hearing of Viṣṇu, [specified] praising of Viṣṇu, and so on being intended in [the statement of Prahlāda Mahārāja in SB 7.5.23 listing the nine principal forms of bhakti], ‘Hearing of Viṣṇu, praising [of him] …’ (śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ Viṣṇoḥ …), their also not being āropa-siddha, and rather, [their being] svarūpa-siddha on account of being causes of attainment of the result [i.e., causes of the result of performing an act of bhakti to Bhagavān] by contact of any sort [i.e., their being performed in any manner at all] even in the case of the ignorant, the completely intoxicated, and so on [who happen to engage in such acts for any reason whatsoever], and [even] in the case of imitators of them [i.e., those who engage in these acts only with the aim of imitating others they have seen performing them], as in the case of Śrī Prahlāda’s fasting on Śrī Nṛsiṁha Caturdaśī in his previous birth, and as in the case of the circumambulation of a temple of Bhagavān by a raptor caught in the mouth of a dog, is to be understood, as also similarly is an obeisance performed by an ignorant person on account of a different vision or otherwise [e.g., as is a person’s lying down in a temple in front of Bhagavān for the purpose of taking rest or cooling off in the shade rather than for the purpose of bowing down before Bhagavān as an offering of honor to him].”
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Read on →: kṛṣṇaiśvaryādy-avijñānaṁ kṛtaṁ naiṣām avidyayā
kṛṣṇaiśvaryādy-avijñānaṁ kṛtaṁ naiṣām avidyayā |
kintu premottara-rasa-viśeṣeṇaiva tat kṛtam ||
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 4.4.15)“Their [i.e., bhaktas’] absence of awareness of Kṛṣṇa’s aiśvarya and so forth is not caused by ignorance (avidyā). Rather, it is caused solely by a particular rasa overlaid with prema.”
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Read on →: aiśvaryaṁ tu nara-līlātvasyānapekṣitatve sati īśvaratvāviṣkāraḥ
aiśvaryaṁ tu nara-līlātvasyānapekṣitatve sati īśvaratvāviṣkāraḥ | yathā mātā-pitarau prati aiśvaryaṁ darśayitvā—‘etad vāṁ darśitaṁ rūpaṁ prāg-janma-smaraṇāya me | nānyathā mad-bhavaṁ jñānaṁ martya-liṅgena jāyate’ ity uktam | yathārjunaṁ prati—‘paśya me yogam aiśvaram’ ity uktvā aiśvaryaṁ darśitam | vraje’pi brahmāṇaṁ prati mañju-mahimā-darśane paraḥ-sahasra-caturbhujatvādikam apīti ||
(Rāga-vartma-candrikā: 2.4)“Manifestation [lit., ‘the uncovering’] of Īśvara-ness [i.e., the powerfulness inherent in Īśvara] while the nature of human līlā is being disregarded is [called] aiśvarya, as in the case when aiśvarya was shown to [Kṛṣṇa’s] mother and father [by him] and then it was stated [by him in SB 10.3.44], ‘This form [of mine] has been shown to you two for the sake of [your] remembrance of [my] previous births; otherwise, because of the mortal [i.e., human] figure [of this form in which I have now appeared], [your] awareness of my being [i.e., my identity] would not arise,’ as in the case when aiśvarya was shown [by Kṛṣṇa to Arjuna] after [his] saying to Arjuna, ‘See my Īśvaric yoga [i.e., see my extraordinary power to accomplish the impossible],’ and also even in Vraja [his showing] thousands of four-armed forms and so forth to Brahmā in the midst of the sight of his charming greatness [i.e., his mādhurya].”