Part Three
Verses 29-41
(29)
krsna-name bhakta kabhu jada-buddhi kare na
anartha na gele name rupa dekha deya na
A devotee never entertains materialistic theories about the Holy Name of Krsna. One will never attain a glimpse of the Lord’s form through the Holy Name if anarthas are not eliminated.
(30)
anartha na gele name guna bujha jaya na
anartha na gele name krsna-seva haya na
If anarthas are not removed, then the Holy Name will never produce knowledge of the divine qualities of Krsna. If anarthas are not destroyed by the chanting of the Holy Name, one can never engage in service to Krsna.
ANUVRTTI
In Caitanya-siksamrta and Krsna-samhita of Thakura Bhaktivinoda, the main anarthas to devotional service have been described in relation to their appearance as demons killed by Krsna and sometimes as demigods like Brahma, Varuna and Indra.
Putana represents the pseudo-guru who teaches false conceptions, causing the death of the creeper of devotion.
Sakatasura represents the burden of old habits and the burden of following the rules of sastra simply for formalities sake.
Trnavarta represents the obstacle to worshiping Krsna that manifests in the form of pride of learning, the use of false arguments and dry logic.
The destruction of the Yamala-Arjuna trees represents the removal of the pride stemming from great wealth, which breeds violence, illicit sex and addiction to alcohol, loose speech and shameless brutality to other living beings.
Krsna’s killing of Vatsasura represents vanquishing the obstacle of greed and the sinful activities caused by greed.
Bakasura represents the system of cheating religions. When one foolishly accepts a pseudo-guru and engages in the process of worship that is meant for exalted devotees, he is cheated. Until such cheating propensities are destroyed, spiritual advancement is checked.
Intolerance, violence and cruelty are personified in the demon Aghasura in the form of a giant serpent. The basis of compassion for the living entities and devotion to Krsna are the same. Therefore, Krsna killed the Aghasura demon to save the devotees from this anartha.
Although Lord Brahma was certainly not a demon, he was however put into illusion by Krsna. Brahma’s disregard for the sweetness of Krsna and being overcome by the flowery words of the Vedas represents skepticism and doubt that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Dhenukasura represents ass-like or gross discrimination (caste, color, creed and institutional consciousness). Dhenukasura represents ignorance of one’s own spiritual identity (svarupa), the identity of the Holy Name and the identity of Krsna. In krsna-lila, Dhenukasura cannot eat the sweet fruits from the palm tree, and also opposes the attempts of others to eat them. Similarly, the previous acaryas have written many literatures, which ass-like people cannot comprehend nor wish to allow others to see. These ass-like devotees, who are simply interested in the regulative principles and are under the control of gross discrimination are unable to make spiritual advancment. Without endeavoring to understand the science of attachment to Krsna, one is comparable to an ordinary fruitive worker. Therefore, until this ass-like conception represented by Dhenukasura is killed, one cannot advance in the science of Krsna consciousness.
Pride, deceit, harming others and cruelty are enemies of anyone desiring to advance in Krsna consciousness. Therefore these anarthas must be driven out of one’s heart. The Kaliya serpent being banished from Vrndavana by Krsna is a clear indication that, without eliminating pride, deceit and cruelty from one’s heart, one cannot expect to become a resident of Vraja.
Sectarianism, or thinking one’s society to be the only means of attaining pure devotional service, is the anartha represented by the forest fire. This sectarian thinking keeps one from associating with exalted devotees of Krsna and impedes advancement. Thus extinguishing the fire of sectarian consciousness is most important.
Pralambasura represents lust for women, greed, desire for worship and position. Even if one is a householder, it is necessary to give up lusty desire and even if one is a guru, one should not be desirous of being worshipped or receiving great honors, or being recognized as a rasika-acarya.
The wives of the yajnika-brahmanas were blessed by Krsna, whereas their husbands were not so fortunate. The brahmanas were indifferent to Krsna and Balarama due to identifying with the varnasrama system and attachment to karma-khanda activities. The varnasrama system and karma-khanda have both been rejected by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Therefore His followers should diligently do the same.
Defeating Indra by lifting Govardhana Hill is Krsna’s direct instruction to His devotees that the worship of minor demigods for material gain is unnecessary and an obstacle to bhakti.
Deluded by madness, some devotees may fall victim to intoxication, thinking that alcohol, marijuana, LSD and other such intoxicants are helpful in advancing in Krsna consciousness. However, the happiness in Vraja (known as nanda) cannot be enhanced by any external or material supplement. Therefore, Krsna’s saving Nanda Maharaja from the court of Varuna, who symbolizes intoxication, is to discourage such practices among the devotees.
The snake which attempted to swallow Nanda Maharaja represents a devotee’s inclination in ecstasy to merge with Krsna. As a Vaisnava’s happiness continually increases in the process of worship, one sometimes loses consciousness. At that time the feeling of merging may overcome one. This feeling of merging with the Lord is the snake that swallowed Nanda Maharaja. A practitioner who remains free from this snake will become a qualified Vaisnava.
Sankhacuda symbolizes the desire to acquire fame and women through the practice of bhakti. This abominable activity is quite common among pseudo-devotees, but real Vaisnavas always avoid the association of such despicable persons.
Aristasura, the bull demon, symbolizes disregard for bhakti and attraction for cheating religion. Weak-hearted show-bottle devotees give up the path of vaidhi-bhakti and try to enter the path of raganuga-bhakti, but when they are unable to realize rasa, they behave like Aristasura by cultivating perverted material activities. These unfortunate persons will certainly meet Krsna – not in the form of the affectionate cowherd boy of Vraja, but in the form of death.
The illusion of being a great devotee or a great acarya, is represented by Kesi who appeared in Vraja-bhumi as a horse. Kesi represents the practicing devotee’s mentality of being more expert than others in bhakti, lording it over others and material pride. As a Kesi-like devotee gradually begins proclaiming his own superiority, he develops a mentality of disrespect for the Lord and His devotees and falls down from his position. Therefore, it is important to prevent this mentality from entering the heart. Even if one is expert in devotional service, a Vaisnava will never give up the quality of humility.
The demon Vyomasura represents stealing others property and speaking lies. Both these habits are contrary to the development of pure devotional service and therefore such should be strictly avoided.
Thakura Bhaktivinoda summarizes as follows:
“Here is the secret of vraja-bhajana. Dhenukasura represents the wicked disposition that carries heavy loads. Pralamba represents the inclination to enjoy women, greed, the desire for worship and material prestige. The practitioner must eliminate these anarthas by his own endeavors, with the mercy of Krsna. Ignorance of the knowledge of one’s own spiritual identity (sva-svarupa), the Holy Name (nama-svarupa) and the identity of the Lord (upasya-svarupa) are all represented by Dhenukasura. The practicing devotee must remove these anarthas with great endeavor. The lust for man or woman, covetousness, the endeavor for mundane enjoyment, conceit, desire for worship and fame – these are all represented by Pralamba. One should realize that these are extremely ruinous to nama-bhajana and make great attempts to eliminate them. If one’s humility is sincere, then Krsna will certainly be compassionate. In this way, Baladeva will appear and all other problems will be eradicated in a second. Then gradually, favorable cultivation of one’s bhajana will occur. This process is very secret by nature and should be learned from a genuine guru, who is spotless in character.” (Caitanya-siksamrta 6.6)
Those who desire to serve Krsna purely in the mood of Vraja should destroy the above-mentioned anarthas. Some of these anarthas must be eliminated by a devotee’s own endeavor and purity, and others can be destroyed by the mercy of Krsna. Bhaktivinoda explains that the anarthas represented by Dhenukasura and Pralamba are actually destroyed by Baladeva. If a devotee prays with humility to Krsna to remove all these anarthas in the heart (that are represented by the demons that Krsna killed), then Krsna will certainly do so. Other obstacles (represented by the demons killed by Baladeva) have to be removed by the one’s own endeavors. A living entity is able to personally destroy these obstacles that are found under the shelter of religious duties through savikalpa-samadhi (reasoning and introspection).
It may also be appropriate to point out here that most of the demons killed by Krsna were disposed of before the pastimes of rasa-lila began. This includes the illusion of Brahma and defeat of Indra. Those dealt with before the rasa-lila were Putana, Sakatasura, Trnavarta, the Yamala-Arjuna trees, Vatsasura, Bakasura, Aghasura, the illusion of Brahma, Dhenukasura, Kaliya, the forest fire, Pralambasura, the yajnika-brahmanas, Indra and Varuna. Certainly one should be free from the anarthas represented by the above personalities before one thinks one’s self to be qualified for raganuga-bhakti.
Furthermore, the demons Sankhacuda, the snake that swallowed Nanda Maharaja, Aristasura, Kesi and Vyomasura were dispensed with after Krsna began His rasa-lilas. Therefore it should be understood that even an advanced devotee should be mindful not to allow the anarthas represented by the demons killed after the start of Krsna’s madhurya pastimes to raise their head and enter his heart.
(31)
rupa-guna-lila-sphurti nama chada haya na
rupa-guna-lila haite krsna-nama haya na
The revelation of Krsna’s form, qualities, and pastimes can never appear without the presence of the Holy Name. Krsna’s Holy Name can never be separated from His form, qualities and pastimes.
(32)
rupa haite nama-sphurti, guru kabhu bale na
guna haite nama-sphurti, guru kabhu bale na
The spiritual master never says that nama-sphurti (the revelation of the Holy Name) is separate from the Lord’s form. The spiritual master never says that the revelation of the Lord’s Holy Name is separate from His divine qualities.
(33)
lila haite nama-sphurti, rupanuga bale na
nama-nami dui vastu, rupanuga bale na
A rupanuga (a follower of Srila Rupa Gosvami) never says that the revelation of the Holy Name is separate from His pastimes. The rupanugas never say that the Holy Name and Krsna Himself are two separate entities.
ANUVRTTI
It is the undisputed conclusion of all bona-fide sastras and acaryas that nama (the Holy Name), guna (qualities), rupa (form) and lila (pastimes) of Krsna are non-different from Krsna Himself. That is to say that the Name of Krsna, being non-different from Krsna, is also non-different from Krsna’s form, qualities and pastimes.
Considering that Krsna’s Holy Name is different from His qualities, form and pastimes, the Prakrta-Sahajiyas minimize the chanting of krsna-nama and substitute such with invented novel practices, most notably siddha-pranali or ekadasa-bhava. It should also be noted that the ekadasa-bhava, which is sometimes force-fed to unqualified practitioners by unscrupulous gurus, is not to be confused with the ekadasa-bhava described in Jaiva-dharma, chapter 39, by Thakura Bhaktivinoda.
To further clarify this topic of ekadasa-bhava, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura comments as follows, and one should pay very close attention to what the great acarya has said:
“Those who have achieved the perfection of being fixed in their spiritual identity (svarupa-siddhi or ekadasa-bhava) have attained such a realization through internal revelation and the spiritual master’s only involvement in these matters is to help the further advancement of the disciple. As a practitioner progresses toward spiritual perfection, all these things are revealed naturally within the heart that sincerely seeks service.” (Letter to a disciple, Nov. 17th 1930)
Unfortunately, many pseudo-devotees claim to have advanced to the stage of svarupa-siddhi and to have realized their ekadasa-bhava. Some such persons even claim to have received siddha-pranali (as a manjari or sakhi) in a dream from their spiritual master. Such devotees are indeed eccentric in their behavior and easily dupe innocent newcomers into believing in their dreams. However, the vast majority of these deluded persons, although claiming to have achieved siddha-pranali, do not know the first things about the qualifications necessary to achieve such a high standard of pure devotional service so as to realize their intrinsic spiritual identity. Nor do they properly understand the function of a manjari or sakhi in the pastimes of Radha and Krsna. We consider such persons as sva-kuhaka – self-deceivers.
(34)
rasa age, rati pache, rupanuga bale na
rasa age, sraddha pache, guru kabhu bale na
Rupanugas never say that rasa precedes rati. The spiritual master never says that rasa precedes sraddha.
(35)
rati age, sraddha pache, rupanuga bale na
krama-patha chadi’siddhi, rupanuga bale na
Rupanugas never say that rasa is attained before one develops sraddha. Rupanugas never say that perfection is attained by rejecting the various stages on the spiritual path.
(36)
mahajana-patha chadi’ navya-pathe dhaya na
aparadha-saha nama kakhana-i haya na
Rupanugas never reject the path of the mahajanas, to run and follow a new path. By making offenses one can never realize the Holy Name.
(37)
name prakrtartha-buddhi bhakta kabhu kare na
aparadha-yukta-nama bhakta kabhu laya na
A devotee never gives a mundane interpretation to the Holy Name. A devotee never chants the Holy Name in an offensive way.
(38)
namete prakrta-buddhi rupanuga kare na
krsna-rupe jada-buddhi rupanuga kare na
Rupanugas do not attribute mundane qualities to the Holy Name by means of material intellect. The rupanugas do not possess materialistic mentality, thus they never consider Krsna’s form as material.
(39)
krsna-gune jada-buddhi rupanuga kare na
parikara-vaisistyake prakrta ta’ jane na
Rupanugas do not look upon Krsna’s qualities with mundane intelligence. The rupanugas do not consider the attributes of the Lord’s eternal associates to be material.
(40)
krsna-lila jada-tulya rupanuga bale na
krsnetara bhogya-vastu krsna kabhu haya na
The rupanugas never compare Krsna’s pastimes to mundane activities. Krsna can never become a material object of sense pleasure that is inferior to Himself.
(41)
jadake anartha chada ara kichu mane na
jadasakti-base rase krsna-jnana kare na
Material objects are anarthas that are fit to be rejected – one should never consider them as anything different. Knowledge of Sri Krsna cannot be attained through any mellow that is based upon attachment to matter.
ANUVRTTI
It is easy to call one’s self a rupanuga, a follower of Sri Rupa Gosvami, but without acquiring the qualities of a rupanuga such claims are simply a formal declaration. The aprakrta-svarupa (spiritual form) of Sri Rupa Gosvami is that of Sri Rupa-manjari in Vraja. Being a follower of Sri Rupa Gosvami is synonymous with being a follower of Sri Rupa-manjari, but qualification is necessary. The qualifications of a rupanuga are described by Prabodhananda Sarasvati in his Caitanya-candramrta as follows:
astam vairagya-kotir bhavatu
sama-dama-ksanti-maitry-adi-kotis
tattvanudhyana-kotir bhavatu
va vaisnavi bhakti-kotih
koty-amso ‘py asya na syat tad api
guna-gano yah svatah-siddha aste
srimac-caitanya-candra-priya-carana-
nakha-jyotir amoda-bhajam
“Persons who are attached to the rays of the effulgent nails on the toes of the lotus feet of the beloved and dear devotees of Lord Caitanya are by themselves fully qualified with all transcendental qualities. Even powerful renunciation, equanimity, sense control, fortitude, meditation, and similar other great qualities that are found in the devotees of Visnu do not compare to even one-millionth of a part of their transcendental attributes.” (Caitanya-candramrta 127)
The position of a rupanuga is further described by Srila B.R. Sridhara Maharaja in Sri Guru and His Grace as follows:
“The rupanuga-sampradaya, the followers of the line of Sri Rupa, are those who have the unique taste of service in the camp of Radharani. In that plane, there is no entrance of any mundane exploitation or renunciation, and not even legalized sastrika devotion. The highest kind of devotion is not controlled by any law. It is spontaneous and automatic. Sacrifice to the highest degree is only possible in that camp. The highest kind of divine sentiment is distributed from the camp of Srimati Radharani, and that can never be compared with any attainment hitherto known even in the eternal factor of time and space.
“Then, there is another stage for which we should be prepared. Why should we try to enter into the camp of Radharani? Should we think that there, in that better atmosphere, we shall have Krsna’s presence more confidentially? Should we think, “I will have contact with Krsna very intimately,” should we want to enter into that camp? No – we want to avoid the connection of Krsna, but concentrate on the service of Radharani. Why? What more benefit is possible there in the service of Radharani? If we approach Krsna directly to give service to Him, we shall be losers. Radharani’s service to Krsna is of the highest order in every way. If we devote our energy to help Radharani, our energy will be utilized in Her service. In this way, She will serve Krsna with Her service more enhanced. Then the reciprocation will pass to us through Her as our reward. That will be devotion of the highest type (maha-bhava).
“The general inclination of the sakhis, the confidential maidservants of Radharani, is not to come in direct connection with Krsna. They avoid that. But still, it is the benevolent and generous nature of Radharani to connect them with Krsna on some plea at some time or other. But their innate nature is always to avoid Krsna and concentrate on the service of Radharani.
radhara svarupa-krsna-prema kalpalata
sakhi-gana haya tara pallava-puspa-pata
“By nature, Srimati Radharani is just like a creeper of love of Godhead, and the gopis are the twigs, flowers and leaves of that creeper.” (Cc. Madhya 8. 209)
“Eternally the twigs, flowers and leaves sprout from the creeper of Srimati Radharani. She is the trunk, and they are branches. This is their relationship.
“Yet still, there is another, higher thing. We are known as rupanuga, the followers of Sri Rupa. Why? The service of Srimati Radharani eliminates everything, even Narayana, to go to Krsna. There is the Krsna of Dvaraka, the Krsna of Mathura, and the Krsna of Vrndavana. Then again in Vrndavana, where there is free mixing without hesitation in other camps, Radharani’s camp is the highest. Eliminating all other camps, direct service to Radharani is considered to be the highest. Still, there is another point.
“Who is Rupa? Rupa-manjari. Generally the hierarchy in the spiritual world is eternal. New recruits can occupy a particular rank of manjari, assistant, in madhurya-rasa. And the leader of the manjaris is Sri Rupa-manjari. What is the special feature in the manjari camp that is not found among the sakhis, girlfriends of Krsna?
“First there is Radharani, then the camp of Her right-hand personal attendant, Lalita. Then, under Lalita, there is Sri Rupa-manjari. What is the unique position of the followers of Sri Rupa? The new recruits can attain to that status. Now, the privilege of this manjari class we are to conceive most respectfully and attentively.
“When Radha and Govinda are in secrecy, in a private place, the sakhis, who are well-versed in the art of that kind of play, because they are a little grown-up, do not like to approach there to disturb Their confidential mixing. If the more grown-up sakhis, enter there, both Radha and Govinda will feel shy. So, their presence may create some disturbance. But the younger girls can enter there, and then Radha and Govinda have no hesitation in free mixing.
“In that highest stage of the mixing of Radha-Govinda, the free play of Radha-Govinda, these manjaris, the younger girls, can have admission. But the grown-up sakhis cannot have admission there. New recruits may come up to the manjari class. And the manjaris have that sort of special advantage under the leadership of Sri Rupa-manjari. So, they get the best advantage there, the most sacred type of pure service, which is not open even to the sakhis, is open to the manjaris. That is found in Radharani’s camp.
“The position of the rupanugas, the followers of Sri Rupa, is the most profitable position. That has been given out by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. That has been shown by Him, and that is fixed as the highest limit of our fortune in Krsna’s concern. This is unexpected, undesignable and beyond hope, but our prospect lies there in that subtle camp of Sri Rupa-manjari, Rupa Gosvami.
“The camp, the sampradaya of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is known as the rupanuga-sampradaya. There, our fate and our fortune are located. Now we have to conduct ourselves in such a way that naturally we can connect with that highest, purest spiritual conception, from here. We must not allow ourselves to be satisfied with anything less than this highest ideal. That should be the highest goal of our life. And we must adjust our approach from our present position.”
The most common misunderstanding among neophyte devotees concerning the manjari class of gopis is the thinking that the manjaris also enjoy with Krsna. This type of thinking definitely shows that such persons have not received proper guidance in such matters from their guru and that they are certainly not qualified to engage in or hear about the amorous pastimes of Krsna. To support our statements we quote Thakura Bhaktivinoda below.
“You are a maidservant of Srimati Radharani, and your eternal service is to render devotional service unto Her. Sometimes, due to some necessity, She may send you to be alone with Sri Krsna in a solitary place, and during that time, Krsna may show some desire to enjoy with you. However, you should never agree to His demands. You are a maidservant of Srimati Radharani, and you should never serve Krsna independently for His pleasure without Her permission. You should have equal loving attachment for Radha and Krsna, but still you should maintain greater desire for Her loving service than for Krsna’s. This is the meaning of service to Srimati Radharani. Your service is to care for Radharani’s comfort and pleasure in all the eight-fold pastimes.” (Jaiva-dharma Ch.39)
In this same light, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Svami Prabhupada writes about the mystery of the pastimes of Radha and Krsna in The Search for the Ultimate Goal of Life, page 74, as follows:
“The activities of the sakhis are very wonderful. They do not desire any personal enjoyment with Sri Krsna but become happy only by uniting the Divine Couple. By uniting Srimati Radharani with Sri Krsna, the sakhis enjoy a thousand times more happiness than they would derive by direct contact with Sri Krsna. This is another mystery of the transcendental pastimes of Radha and Krsna.
Srimati Radharani is the desire creeper embracing the desire tree of Sri Krsna, and the sakhis are the leaves, twigs, and flowers of that desire creeper. So naturally when the desire creeper is watered at the root by the nectarean water of the pastimes of Sri Krsna the leaves and twigs and flowers of the desire creeper are automatically nourished. The sakhis therefore do not require any separate arrangement for their enjoyment. On the other hand, the happiness of the flowers and leaves is greater than the original creeper. This is explained in the Govinda-lilamrta, 10.16 as follows:
sakhyah sri-radhikaya vraja-
kumuda-vidhor hladini-nama-sakteh
saramsa-prema-vallyah kisalaya-
dala-puspadi-tulyah sva-tulyah
siktayam krsna-lilamrta-rasa-
nicayair ullasantyam amusyam
jatollasah sva-sekacchata-gunam
adhikam santi yat tan na citram
“There is no utility in watering the leaves and flowers of a tree without watering the root of the tree. The leaves and flowers are automatically nourished by watering the root of the tree. Similarly, without the unity of Srimati Radharani and Sri Krsna, there is no happiness for the sakhis. When Radha and Krsna are united, the happiness of the sakhis is thousands and thousands of times greater than when they are personally associating with Krsna.”
