Siddhas

rajobhiḥ sama-saṅkhyātāḥ pārthivair iha jantavaḥ

rajobhiḥ sama-saṅkhyātāḥ pārthivair iha jantavaḥ |
teṣāṁ ye kecanehante śreyo vai manujādayaḥ ||
prāyo mumukṣavas teṣāṁ kecanaiva dvijottama |
mumukṣūṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścin mucyeta sidhyati ||
muktānām api siddhānāṁ nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇaḥ |
sudurlabhaḥ praśāntātmā koṭiṣv api mahāmune ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 6.14.3–5; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.189; Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā on Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.2.186, 2.2.207, 2.5.178; Kṛṣṇa Sandarbha: 106; Bhakti Sandarbha: 134, 186, 273; Prīti Sandarbha: 35, 100; Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.19.151)

“Living beings here [i.e., in the material world] are similar in enumeration to the particles of dust on the earth [i.e., they are innumerable]. Among them, there are certainly some human beings and so forth who strive for virtue (śreyas) [i.e., who follow dharma and take up other means to attain otherworldly happiness]. O best of the twice born, among them, some very few are even seekers of mukti, and among thousands of seekers of mukti, someone may become liberated and [someone among thousands of such liberated persons may] succeed [i.e., attain siddhi]. O great sage, even among crores of even muktas and siddhas, someone of completely peaceful mind whose complete shelter is Nārāyaṇa is extremely rare to find.”

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viṣaya-vairāgye’pi gūḍhaṁ saṁskāravanto’pi sambhavanti

viṣaya-vairāgye’pi gūḍhaṁ saṁskāravanto’pi sambhavanti |
(Bhakti Sandarbha: 187)

“Even in the midst of detachment from the sense objects, also possessing invisible [i.e., latent] saṁskāras [for varieties of sensual experience] is possible [for a mahānta, i.e., one who has attained success on the path of bhakti].”

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viṣaya-vairāgye’pi gūḍhaṁ saṁskāravanto’pi sambhavanti Read on →

sākṣātkāra-mātrasyāpi yadyapi puruṣa-prayojanatvaṁ

sākṣātkāra-mātrasyāpi yadyapi puruṣa-prayojanatvaṁ, tathāpi tasminn api sākṣātkāre yāvān yāvān śrī-bhagavataḥ priyatva-dharmānubhavaḥ, tāvāṁs tāvān utkarṣaḥ | nirupādhi-prīty-āspadatā-svabhāvasya priyatva-dharmānubhavaṁ vinā tu sākṣātkāro’py asākṣātkāra eva, mādhuryaṁ vinā duṣṭa-jihvayā khaṇḍasyeva | … tataḥ prema-tāratamyenaiva bhakta-mahattva-tāratamyaṁ mukhyam | … yatra tu premādhikyaṁ sākṣātkāraḥ, kaṣāyādi-rāhityādikam apy asti, sa paramo mukhyaḥ | tatraikaikāṅga-vaikalye nyūna-nyūna iti jñeyam |
(Bhakti Sandarbha: 187)

“Despite solely direct perception [of Bhagavān] being the goal of human life, even in that respect there is [a gradation of] excellence in that direct perception in so far as there is experience of Śrī Bhagavān’s quality of being dear (priyatva). Without experience of the quality of being dear in [Bhagavān,] he who is by nature the object of unconditional love (prīti) [for all living beings], however, even direct perception (sākṣātkāra) [of him] is verily non-perception (asākṣātkāra), and just like a sugar candy [tasted to be] without sweetness by a diseased tongue [i.e., as someone with jaundice does not experience the sweet taste of sugar candy even after eating the candy, so direct perception of Bhagavān without experience of his quality of being unconditionally lovable (i.e., experiencing him without prema, or at least its initial manifestation in the form of rati), is akin to having had no perception of him at all]. … Therefore, gradation in the greatness of bhaktas based specifically on a gradation in [their] prema is principal [i.e., is the primary means by which the relative stature of bhaktas is to be determined]. … One in whom, however, there is superiority in prema, direct perception [of Bhagavān], and the absence of impurities and so forth, is foremost. When there is deficiency in [these] aspects, one by one, there is [relative] inferiority and [further] inferiority [in the stature of a mahānta]. This is to be understood.”

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yuktāsya sphūrti-mātreṇa nirviśeṣeṇa kenacit

yuktāsya sphūrti-mātreṇa nirviśeṣeṇa kenacit |
hṛn-mīlanāt puro’vasthā nidrā bhakteṣu kathyate ||
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 2.4.176)

“The state, prior to the shutting [down] of the mind (hṛt) [i.e., the state prior to the state of an absence of external functions (bahir-vṛtty-abhāva) in the citta], endowed only with some unspecific manifestation (sphūrti) of him [i.e., Śrī Kṛṣṇa] is called nidrā (sleep) in the case of bhaktas.”

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ity ataḥ kathitā nitya-priyā yādava-vallavāḥ

ity ataḥ kathitā nitya-priyā yādava-vallavāḥ |
eṣāṁ laukikavac ceṣṭā līlā mura-ripor iva ||
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 2.1.296)

“Thus, the Yādavas and Vallavas [i.e., gopas] are said to be eternal dear ones [of Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa]. Their activity, like the līlā of Mura-ripu [i.e., Śrī Kṛṣna] is like that of the world [i.e., although supramundane, it resembles in certain respects activity of the world].”

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bhakti-siddhās trividhāḥ—prāpta-bhagavat-pārṣada-dehāḥ

bhakti-siddhās trividhāḥ—prāpta-bhagavat-pārṣada-dehāḥ, nirdhūta-kaṣāyāḥ, mūrcchita-kaṣāyāś ca | yathā śrī-nāradādayaḥ, śrī-śukadevādayaḥ, prāg-janma-gata-nāradādayaś ca … | … tad evaṁ samāna-premṇi trividhe pūrva-pūrvādhikyaṁ jñeyam | kvacit sthite’pi prākṛta-dehāditve yadi premṇaḥ parimāṇataḥ svarūpato vādhikyaṁ dṛśyate, tadā premādhikyenaivādhikyaṁ jñeyam | tac ca bhajanīyasya bhagavato’ṁśāṁśitva-bhedena bhajataś ca dāsya-sakhyādi-bhedena svarūpādhikyaṁ, premāṅkura-premādi-bhedena parimāṇādhikyaṁ ca prīti-sandarbhe vivṛtya darśayiṣyāmaḥ |
(Krama-sandarbha-ṭīkā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.2.44; Bhakti Sandarbha: 187)

“Siddhas in bhakti [i.e., those who have achieved success on the path of bhakti] are of three types: (1) those who have attained the forms of associates of Bhagavān, (2) those who have been completely purged of impurities, and (3) those whose impurities are ineffective [lit., ‘fainted’], as in the case of (1) Śrī Nārada and others, (2) Śrī Śukadeva and others, and (3) Nārada in his previous life and others. … Thus, in this way, the superiority of the former and the former [thereof] is to be understood in regard to these three types [of siddha-bhaktas] similar with respect to their possessing prema [i.e., the three types of siddha-bhaktas, all endowed with prema for Bhagavān, have been listed in order from greater to lesser]. If sometimes, even while the material body and so forth remain, a superiority in the measure or nature of [a bhakta’s] prema is seen, then superiority [of that bhakta in whom it is seen] based solely on [that] superiority in prema is to be understood. Furthermore, this superiority in nature [i.e., in the nature of prema], based on a distinction in regard to Bhagavān, the object of worship, being [manifest in reciprocation with the prema of a particular bhakta in either] a partial manifestation (aṁśa) or [his] complete manifestation (aṁśī), and based on a distinction in regard to the worshipper’s [particular type of rati, namely,] dāsya, sakhya, and so forth, and [the] superiority in measure [of a bhakta’s prema] based on a distinction between a sprout of prema [i.e., rati], prema, and so forth [i.e., on which stage of prema is manifest in the bhakta, that is, the initial stage of rati, the general stage of prema, or any of the further advanced stages of prema beginning with sneha], will be shown and described in detail in Prīti Sandarbha [Anucchedas 98–104].”

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ātma-koṭi-guṇaṁ kṛṣṇe premāṇaṁ paramaṁ gatāḥ

ātma-koṭi-guṇaṁ kṛṣṇe premāṇaṁ paramaṁ gatāḥ |
nityānanda-guṇāḥ sarve nitya-siddhā mukundavat ||
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 2.1.290)

“All of those whose qualities are eternal and blissful like Mukunda’s and who have paramount prema for Kṛṣṇa which is a crore of times more than their prema for their own self are nitya-siddhas [i.e., eternally realized].”

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atha bhaktābhimāna-viśeṣa-hetavo guṇās tat-kṛtāḥ prīter bhaktānāṁ

atha bhaktābhimāna-viśeṣa-hetavo guṇās tat-kṛtāḥ prīter bhaktānāṁ ca bhedās tāratamyaṁ ca yathā—saiva khalu prītir bhagavat-svabhāva-viśeṣāvirbhāva-yogam upalabhya kañcid anugrāhyatvenābhimānayati kañcid anukampitvena kañcin mitratvena, kañcit priyātvena ca | bhagavat-svabhāva-viśeṣāvirbhāva-hetuś ca yasya bhagavat-priya-viśeṣasya saṅgādinā labdhā prītis tasya prīter eva guṇa-viśeṣo boddhavyaḥ | nitya-parikarāṇāṁ nityam eva tad dvayam |
(Prīti Sandarbha: 84)

“Now, the qualities [of prīti] the causes of which are the particular identities (abhimānas) of bhaktas, and the divisions and gradation of prīti and bhaktas made by them [i.e., by these qualities of prīti which give rise to particular identities], are [explained] as follows: prīti itself alone, upon acquiring connection with the manifestation of a particular nature (svabhāva) [i.e., persona] of Bhagavān [e.g., Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Śrī Rāma, Śrī Viṣṇu, or otherwise], produces the identity (abhimāna) of being an object of favor [i.e., a junior, servant, or child of Bhagavān] in someone, of being a bestower of compassion [i.e., a senior or parent of Bhagavān] in someone, of being a friend [of Bhagavān] in someone, and of being a beloved [of Bhagavān] in someone. The cause of the manifestation of a particular nature (svabhāva) of Bhagavān [in relation to which prīti manifests a particular identity in a bhakta] is furthermore to be understood as a particular quality of the prīti of the particular dear one of Bhagavān by whose association and so forth prīti was attained [i.e., prīti is attained only from a bhakta who has it, and the prīti that will be attained from a particular bhakta will possess the same particular sense of identity related to the same particular nature of Bhagavān that the prīti of the bhakta from whom it was attained possesses]. In the case of eternal associates [of Bhagavān], the two of these [i.e., a bhakta’s particular identity and the particular nature of Bhagavān that it relates to] are eternal [i.e., eternal associates of Bhagavān have beginninglessly had a particular identity related to a particular nature of Bhagavān].”

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atha bhaktābhimāna-viśeṣa-hetavo guṇās tat-kṛtāḥ prīter bhaktānāṁ Read on →

pūjādimaya-bhakter api tādṛśatvaṁ nānumeyam

pūjādimaya-bhakter api tādṛśatvaṁ nānumeyam | apūrvavad bhakter niṣpādyatvābhāvāt | guṇamayaṁ hi niṣpādyaṁ syāt nāguṇamayam | ‘kaivalyaṁ sāttvikaṁ jñānam’ ity ārabhya ekādaśe śrī-bhagavataivāguṇamayatvam aṅgīkṛtam | ataḥ svarūpa-śakti-vṛtti-viśeṣatvena tasyāḥ bhagavat-prasāde sati svayam āvirbhāva eva na janma | sa cāvirbhāvo’nanta eva tadīya-phalānantya-śravaṇāt | tasmāt parmeśvarānāśrayatvaṁ tatropādhir bhaviṣyati | … atra bhakteḥ sādhana-bhūtatve na tādṛśatvaṁ mantavyam | bhagavat-prema-vilāsa-rūpatayā siddhānām api tad-atyāga-śravaṇāt ||
(Prīti Sandarbha: 5)

“Bhakti constituted of [acts of] worship and so forth also being such [i.e., perishable, non-eternal] is not to be inferred because of the non-existence of bhakti’s niṣpādyatva [i.e., quality of being something that needs to be effected] like apūrva [i.e., bhakti does not have niṣpādyatva like the results of performing sacrifice (yajñā), which are called apūrva]. That which is constituted of the [material] guṇas (guṇamaya) shall be niṣpādya [i.e., something that needs to be effected], and [shall] not [be] that which is not constituted of the [material] guṇas (aguṇamaya). Starting from [the statement] kaivalyaṁ sāttvikaṁ jñānam [i.e., SB 11.25.24], [bhakti’s] being not constituted of the [material] guṇas (aguṇamaya) is accepted by Śrī Bhagavān. Therefore, because of [bhakti’s] being a specific function (vṛtti-viśeṣa) of the intrinsic potency (svarūpa-śakti) [of Bhagavān], when Bhagavān is pleased [alt., when Bhagavān’s grace occurs], its [i.e., bhakti’s] appearance (āvirbhāva), and not [its] production (janma), occurs of its own accord [i.e., bhakti manifests in the heart of a living being not as something that was produced there but rather as something that was pre-existent elsewhere which has now appeared there]. That appearance [of bhakti], furthermore, is verily endless [i.e., once bhakti appears there, it remains existent there without end] because of hearing [in śāstra] of the endlessness of its result [i.e., since bhakti gives rises to results that are known to be endless, bhakti‘s presence after manifesting is also to be understood to be endless].Therefore, not being sheltered in Parameśvara shall be the condition (upādhi) in this regard [i.e., if an act that involves perishable objects, such as a yajña, is performed by one who has taken shelter in Parameśvara, then the result shall be imperishable, but if one has not taken shelter in Parameśvara, then the acts performed shall not produce imperishable results]. … In this regard [i.e., in regard to the principle that something which is perishable and a means to another goal cannot itself be the ultimate goal (paramārtha)], bhakti’s being such [i.e., being not the ultimate goal (paramārtha)] because of [its] being existent as a sādhana (means) is not be considered on account of hearing [in śāstra] of non-abandonment of it even on the part of siddhas [i.e., those in whom bhakti is established and thus is no longer a sādhana] because of [bhakti’s] being a form of the play of prema for Bhagavān [i.e., bhakti is indeed the ultimate goal (paramārtha) because it is not perishable or merely a means to attain another goal; this is proven by the fact that even siddhas never give it up, and rather, eternally foster it, in the form of prema, in the midst of the eternal līlā of Śrī Bhagavān].”

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tad-bhāva-baddha-rāgā ye janās te sādhane ratāḥ

atha ayauthikyaḥ—
tad-bhāva-baddha-rāgā ye janās te sādhane ratāḥ |
tad-yogyam anurāgaughaṁ prāpyotkaṇṭhānusārataḥ ||
tā ekaśo’thavā dvi-trāḥ kāle kāle vraje’bhavan |
prācīnāś ca navāś ca syur ayauthikyas tato dvidhā |
nitya-priyābhiḥ sālokyaṁ prācīnāś ciram āgatāḥ |
vraje jātā navās tv etā martyāmartyādi-yonitaḥ ||
(Ujjvala-nīlāmaṇī: 3.49; cited in Rāga-vartma-candrikā: 2.7)

“Those persons possessed of rāga [i.e., strong affinity] for that bhāva [i.e., the gopīs’ paroḍhā-bhāva] who engaged in sādhana and upon attaining in accord with their [level of] eagerness an abundance of anurāga [i.e., ardor] befitting that [i.e., that gopī-bhāva] took birth one by one or in twos and threes from time to time in Vraja are [known as] ayauthikyas [i.e., those who engaged in a sādhana and attained siddhi outside of a fixed group]. Ayauthikyas can be of two types: ancient and new. The ancient attained co-residence with the eternal beloveds [of Śrī Kṛṣṇa in his eternal dhāma] long ago [i.e., during previous kalpas], while the new have taken birth in Vraja after being born as mortals, immortals, and so on [i.e., as human beings, devas, animals, and so forth during the present kalpa].”

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