ईश्वरे तदधीनेषु बालिशेषु द्विषत्सु च ।
प्रेममैत्रीकृपोपेक्षा य: करोति स मध्यम: ॥
īśvare tad-adhīneṣu bāliśeṣu dviṣatsu ca |
prema-maitrī-kṛpopekṣā yaḥ karoti sa madhyamaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.2.46; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.25, 10.75; Bhakti Sandarbha: 189; Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.22.73)
“One who fosters prema, friendship, grace, and disregard [respectively] in relation to Īśvara, his dependents, the unwise, and the inimical is an intermediate [bhāgavata].”
Commentary
prema ca maitrī ca kṛpā ca upekṣā ca, tā īśvarādiṣu caturṣu yaḥ karoti sa madhyamo bhāgavataḥ, evam-bhūtasya bhedasya darśanāt |
(Bhāvārtha-dīpikā)
“Prema, friendship, grace, and disregard—one who fosters these in relation to Īśvara and so forth is an intermediate (madhyama) bhāgavata because of the perception of distinction of such nature [i.e., because of such a bhāgavata’s perception of distinction between Īśvara, his bhaktas, the unwise, and the inimical].”
atha mānasa-liṅga-viśeṣaṇenaiva madhyama-bhāgavataṁ lakṣayati—īśvare iti | parameśvare prema karoti | tasmin bhakti-yukto bhavatīty arthaḥ | tathā tad-adhīneṣu bhakteṣu ca maitrīṁ bandhu-bhāvam | bāliśeṣu tad-bhaktim ajānatsu udāsīneṣu kṛpām | yathoktaṁ śrī-prahlādena—‘śoce tato vimukha-cetasa indriyārthā-māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān |’ iti | ātmano dviṣatsu upekṣām | tadīya-dveṣe cittākṣobhenodāsīnyam ity arthaḥ | teṣv api bāliśatvena kṛpāṁśa-sadbhāvāt | yathaiva śrī-prahlādo hiraṇyakaśipau | bhagavato bhāgavatasya vā dviṣatsu tu saty api citta-kṣobhe tatrānabhiniveśa ity arthaḥ | asya bāliśeṣu kṛpāyāḥ sphuraṇaṁ dviṣatsūpekṣāyā eva | na tu prāgvat sarvatra premṇā vā sphuraṇam | tato madhyamatvam | athottamasyāpi tad-adhīna-darśanena tat-sphuraṇānandodayo viśeṣata eva | tataś ca tasminn adhikaiva maitrī yad bhavati, tan na niṣidhyate kintu sarvatra tad-bhāvāvaśyakatā vidhīyate | paramottame’pi tathā dṛṣṭam—‘kṣaṇārdhenāpi tulaye na svargaṁ nāpunar-bhavam | bhagavat-saṅgi-saṅgasya martyānāṁ kim utāśiṣaḥ ||’ ‘atha bhāgavatā yūyaṁ priyāḥ stha bhagavān yathā’ iti ca rudra-gītāt | ‘harer guṇākṣipta-matir bhagavān bādarāyaṇiḥ | adhyagān mahad ākhyānaṁ nityaṁ viṣṇu-jana-priyaḥ ||’ iti sūta-vākyāc ca | evaṁ ‘bhojānāṁ kula-pāṁsanāḥ’ ity ādau tatra bādarāyaṇi-prabhṛtīnāṁ dveṣo’pi dṛśyate | kintu madhyamānāṁ tatrānābhiniveśa eva sphurati | teṣāṁ tu tatrāpi tad-vidha-śāstṛtvena nijābhīṣṭa-deva-parisphūrtir na vyāhanyeta iti viśeṣaḥ | tad-dṛṣṭyaiva ca śrīmad-uddhavādīnām api śrī-duryodhanādau namaskāraḥ | ‘sattvaṁ viśuddhaṁ vasudeva-śabditaṁ yad īyate tatra pumān apāvṛtaḥ |’ ity ādi śrī-śiva-vākyavat |uktaṁ ca lakṣmaṇā-haraṇe—‘so’bhivandyāmbikā-putraṁ’ ity ādau duryodhanaṁ ceti | yatra pakṣe ca svakīya-bhāvasyaiva sarvatra parisphūrteḥ śrī-bhagavad-ādi-dviṣatsv api sā paryavasyati, tatra ca nāyuktatā, yatas te nija-prāṇa-koṭi-nirmañchanīya-tac-caraṇa-paṅkaja-parāga-leśās teṣāṁ durvyavahāra-dṛṣṭyā kṣubhyanti | svīya-bhāvānusāreṇa tv evaṁ manyante—aho īdṛśaś cetano vā kaḥ syād yaḥ punar asmin sarvānanda-kadambake nirupādhi-parama-premāspade sakala-loka-prasādaka-sad-guṇa-maṇi-bhūṣite sarva-hita-paryavasāyi-caryāmṛte śrī-puruṣottame tat-priya-jane vā prītiṁ na kurvīta | tad-dveṣa-kāraṇaṁ tu sutarām evāsmad-buddhi-paddhatim atītam | tasmād brahmādi-sthāvara-paryantā aduṣṭā duṣṭāś ca tasmin bāḍhaṁ rajyanta eveti | tad uktaṁ śrī-śukena—‘govinda-bhuja-guptāyāṁ dvāravatyāṁ kurūdvaha | avātsīn nārado’bhīkṣṇaṁ kṛṣṇopāsana-lālasaḥ || ko nu rājann indriya-vān mukunda-caraṇāmbujam | na bhajet sarvato-mṛtyur upāsyan amarottamaiḥ ||’ iti |
(Krama-sandarbha-ṭīkā; Bhakti Sandarbha: 189)
“Now he [i.e., Śrī Havi Yogendra] defines an intermediate (madhayam) bhāgavata only with a particular mental characteristic: Īśvare … [i.e., he speaks SB 11.2.46]. ‘One fosters prema for the Supreme Īśvara, meaning, one becomes possessed of bhakti to him, [one fosters] friendship (maitrīm) with his dependents, that is, [his] bhaktas, [one fosters] grace towards the unknowing (bāliśeṣu), that is, those unaware of bhakti to him and [thus] indifferent [to him], as described by Śrī Prahlāda [in SB 7.9.43], ‘I lament for the deluded, their minds averse to that [i.e., to the great nectar of singing of your [i.e., Bhagavān’s] prowess], [who are engrossed only in] bearing the burden [of worldly life] for the sake of the illusory pleasure derived from sense objects,’ and [one fosters] disregard towards those inimical towards oneself, meaning, [one fosters] indifference by means of non-disturbance of the mind in regard to their enmity because of the presence [in one’s mind] of a fraction of grace even towards them [i.e., those inimical to oneself] on account of [their] being unwise (bāliśa) just as Śrī Prahlāda did in regard to Hiraṇyakaśipu. When they [i.e., inimical persons] are also inimical towards Bhagavān or bhāgavatas, however, [then] when disturbance of the mind occurs [as a result of their enmity towards Bhagavān or bhāgavatas] one remains non-absorbed in that [i.e., in that disturbance of the mind]. This is the meaning. [Thus,] One has [i.e., experiences] only a manifestation (sphuraṇa) [in the mind] of grace towards the unknowing (bāliśeṣu) and of disregard towards the inimical (dviṣatsu), and not, rather, a manifestation (sphuraṇa) of prema everywhere like the former [i.e., like the advanced (uttama) bhāgavatas aforementioned in SB 11.2.45]. Thus, the intermediacy (madhyamatva) [of the bhāgavata possessed of the mental state described in this verse, viz., SB 11.2.46, is established].
“Now, a manifestation of the bliss produced by a manifestation of him [i.e., Bhagavān, or, alt., of that, meaning, of prema for Bhagavān] certainly occurs in particular for an advanced [bhāgavata] as well on account of seeing his dependents [i.e., bhaktas]. In that case, furthermore, the definitively greater friendship with them [i.e., with bhaktas of Bhagavān] that occurs [on the part of advanced bhāgavata] is not prohibited [i.e., it does not exclude those for whom it occurs from being advanced (uttama) bhāgavatas], yet the necessity of [perception of] his [i.e., Bhagavān’s] presence (bhāva) [alt., the necessity of perception of bhāva (prema) for him] everywhere [i.e., in all living entities] is stipulated [as the defining characteristic of an advanced (uttama) bhāgavata]. Such [i.e., great friendship with bhaktas] is seen even in the highly advanced [bhāgavatas] as per [statements in] the song of Rudra [viz., SB 4.24.57 and 4.24.60], ‘Neither Svarga nor non-repetition of birth [i.e., mokṣa], much less the blessings [i.e., wealth] of mortals, is equal to even an instant of association with those who are devoted to Bhagavān,’ and ‘Thus, all of you bhāgavatas are dear [to me] just like Bhagavān [is],’ and as per the statement of Sūta [in SB 1.7.11], ‘Bhagavān Bādarāyaṇi [i.e., the son of Vyāsadeva, Śrī Śuka], whose mind was captivated by the qualities of Hari and who held the Vaiṣṇavas most dear, studied this great narration [i.e., Śrīmad Bhāgavatam].’ Congruently, in [statements such as] ‘The disgrace of the dynasty of the Bhogas,’ even enmity on the part of Bādarāyaṇi [i.e., Śrī Śuka] and others is observable in that regard [i.e., in regard to those who are inimical to Bhagavān or his bhaktas] yet only non-absorption therein [i.e., in such enmity towards the inimical] manifests for the intermediate [bhāgavatas, and thus they are said foster only disregard, and not enmity, towards the inimical]. For them [i.e., for the advanced bhāgavatas], however, even therein [i.e., even when they are absorbed in enmity towards those inimical to Bhagavān or his bhaktas] the full manifestation of their own Abhīṣṭadeva as the teacher of that type [i.e., of the inimical] shall not become obstructed. This is the distinction [between the advanced and the intermediate]. Only with this vision [i.e., only because of a full perception everywhere of the presence of Bhagavān as one’s Iṣṭadeva and the reformer of the inimical], furthermore, did the obeisances even of Śrīmad Uddhava and so forth occur in relation to Śrī Duryodhana and others, as in the statement of Śrī Śiva [in SB 4.3.21], ‘A completely pure existence (sattva) [i.e., antaḥkaraṇa, loosely, ‘mind’] is called vasudeva since the Puruṣa manifests therein unconcealed, and in that existence [i.e., antaḥkaraṇa], Bhagavān Vāsudeva is worshiped with obeisances since he is transcendent (Adhokṣaja) [i.e., great bhāgavatas such as Uddhava and Śiva would offer obeisance even to those inimical to Bhagavān such as Duryodhana and Dakṣa because Bhagavān is always manifest within their minds and thus felt to be present and worthy of being offered obeisance to when he is perceived by such great bhāgavatas to be present in the hearts of inimical persons like Duryodhana and Dakṣa].’ It is also stated in regard to the abduction of Lakṣmaṇā [in SB 10.68.17], ‘He [i.e., Uddhava] offered obeisance to the son of Ambikā … and Duryodhana ….’
“Wherein alternately, furthermore, because of a full manifestation (parisphūrti) of their very own bhāva [i.e., their prema for Bhagavān] everywhere [i.e., because they see their own bhāva for Bhagavān manifest in everything in their environment], that [bhāva] encompasses [i.e., appears to be present amid] even those who are inimical to Bhagavān and so forth [i.e., his bhaktas], therein [i.e., in this case] there is no unsuitability [i.e., inappropriateness in their vision], since they [i.e., advanced bhāgavatas], for whom [even] the particles of the pollen on his [i.e., Bhagavān’s] lotus feet are worshipable with a crore of their own lives, [do indeed] become disturbed by the sight of their [i.e., the inimical’s] ill behavior [i.e., since Bhagavān is most dear to them, they do feel disturbed by those who are inimical to him, but since they are said to never be disturbed, it must be concluded that they do not ever perceive enmity towards Bhagavān even in those who are inimical, and rather, perceive in the inimical their own prema for Bhagavān]. In accord with their own bhāva, rather [than seeing the inimical to be inimical], they think as follows, ‘Aho! Could there by any such conscious being who would not foster love (prīti) for this Supreme Person (Śrī Puruṣottama) or those dear to him—[this Supreme Person] in whom exists a multitude of sources of all [types of] bliss, [this Supreme Person] who is the unconditional and supreme object of love (prema) [for all living beings], [this Supreme Person] who is adorned with the jewels of virtues that are delightful to all beings, [this Supreme Person] the nectar of whose conduct culminates in the welfare of all? A cause of enmity towards him, rather, is thus entirely beyond the scope of our intellects. Therefore, from Brahmā and so forth down to the immobile, [both] the virtuous and the vile, are all deeply enamored with him.’ Thus, it is stated by Śrī Śuka [in SB 11.2.1–2], ‘O best of the Kurus [i.e. O Parīkṣit], Nārada, eagerly desirous of worshiping Kṛṣṇa, remained continuously in Dvārakā, which was protected by the arms of Govinda. O King! Indeed who possessed of senses and subject to death from every quarter would not worship the lotus feet of Mukunda, which are the object of worship of [even] the foremost of the immortals?’”
īśvare svopāsye bhagavati prema karoti, tasminn āsakto bhavatīty arthaḥ | tad-adhīneṣu sa adhīno yeṣāṁ teṣu bhakteṣu maitrīṁ bandhu-bhāvam | bāliśeṣu tad-bhaktim ajānatsu kṛpām iti bharata-vyāsa-śukādīnām api kṛpāyāḥ sārvatrikatvādarśanāt yeṣu bāliśeṣu kṛpā svayam udeti teṣv iti vyākhyeyam | ‘girayo mumucus toyaṁ kvacin na mumucuḥ śivaṁ’ iti giri-dṛṣṭāntāt | bhagavantaṁ dviṣatsu upekṣāṁ tatra kṛpāyā vaiphalya-darśanād iti bhāvaḥ | ātmānaṁ dviṣatsu tu bāliśatva-mananāt dūrataḥ sthityaiva tac-chubhānudhyāna-mātram iti sadācāraḥ | atra sarva-bhūteṣu bhagavad-darśana-yogyatā yasya kadācid api na dṛṣṭā tasyaivaital-lakṣaṇa-catuṣṭayavattve madhyamatvam | yasya tu sā dṛṣṭā tasya tūttamatvam eveti vivecanīyam | ata eva bhāgavatottameṣu nāradādiṣv api prema-maitrī-kṛpopekṣā dṛśyanta eva ||
(Sārārtha-darśinī-ṭīkā)
“One fosters prema for Īśvara, that is, Bhagavān, one’s object of worship (upāsya), meaning, one becomes attached to him. [One fosters] Friendship (maitrīm) with those bhaktas who are dependent on him. [One fosters] Grace towards the unwise (bāliśeṣu), that is, those who do not understand bhakti to him. Because of non-observance of the universality of the grace even of Bharata, Vyāsa, Śuka, and so forth [i.e., because it can be observed that great bhaktas like Bharata, Vyāsa, and Śuka did not bestow grace everywhere upon every entity they encountered], it should be explained [that a madhyama-bhāgavata fosters grace] towards the unwise towards whom grace arises of its own accord [i.e., they bestowed grace only upon those towards whom the inspiration to bestow their grace so happened to arise within their hearts] on account of the illustration of the mountain [stated in SB 10.20.36], ‘The mountains sometimes released and [sometimes] did not release auspicious water just as the wise at a given time bestow the nectar of knowledge or do not [in some cases bestow it].’ [One fosters] Disregard towards those inimical to Bhagavān because of observance of the fruitlessness of [bestowing] grace there [i.e., because they know that bestowing grace upon the inimical will not result in a positive utilization of the grace or a positive outcome for such persons]. This is the purport. Towards those who are inimical towards oneself, however, remaining steadily afar [from them] and just meditating on their well-being with the thought of [their just] being unwise (bāliśa) is the proper conduct (sadācāra). In this regard [i.e., in regard to the subject of the intermediate (madhyama) bhāgavata], specifically one in whom the capability to see Bhagavān in all entities [as described in SB 11.2.45] has never been seen has intermediacy (madhyamatva) because of [such a bhāgavata’s] being possessed of these four characteristics [mentioned in SB 11.2.46]. One in whom that [i.e., the capability to see Bhagavān in all entities as described in SB 11.2.45] is seen, however, certainly has advanced status (uttamatva). This is to be distinguished [i.e., in this way bhāgavatas of the intermediate and advanced classes are to be differentiated]. Therefore, even among Nārada and other advanced (uttama) bhāgavatas, [the four aforementioned qualities of] prema, friendship, grace, and disregard [in regard to Īśvara, his bhaktas, the unwise, and the inimical] are certainly observable [i.e., it is not that uttama-bhāgavatas never exhibit the four qualities of a madhyama-bhāgavata but rather that they have the distinguishing quality of an uttama-bhāgavata as described in SB 11.2.45 and also exhibit some or all of the qualities of a madhyama-bhāgavata as well].”