Sree Bhajana Rahasya
Bhajana-rahasya-våtti
In a voice filled with extreme
distress, the poet is praying to
attain the position of a maidservant of
Çré Rädhä. This prayer can
never be fulfilled in this gross body.
The sädhaka attains his
eternal identity by continuously
reciting the mantra and näma
given by his spiritual master. Upon
attaining his svarüpa, deep
attachment for Sväminé, Çré Rädhä,
arises in his heart and he
receives an internal vision (sphürti)
of Her sweetness and
beauty. Çrématé Rädhikä is the
personification of Çyämasundara’s
playful pastimes (viläsa). In
other words, Her intrinsic nature as
concentrated rasa manifests in
the kuïjas, where it is tasted by
Çré Çyämasundara, the emporium of all rasa.
Rädhikä, the
essence of all rasa, is the
personification of viläsa. She is the
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essence of unlimited mädhurya-rasa.
The joy of meeting is
hidden within the mind of Çré Govinda,
who is the embodiment
of condensed happiness. Çré Rädhä’s mädanäkhya-prema
causes
this joy to blossom, thus making Him
restless and beside Himself
to meet with His beloved by any means
possible. Therefore, in
His eagerness to meet Her, He sometimes
dresses Himself as a
woman, and sometimes He bows down at
the feet of the sakhés.
The bliss of meeting (sambhoga-rasänanda)
that Çré Sväminé
provides is indescribable, even more so
than Govinda Himself
can imagine.
rätri-dina kuïje kriòä kare rädhä-saìge
kaiçora-vayasa saphala kaila
kréòä-raìge
Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya-lélä 8.189)
Day and night Çré Kåñëa enjoys the
company of Çré Rädhä in the
kuïjas of Våndävana. Thus His early youth was
made successful
through His sports with Her.
Çré Rädhä is the hlädiné-svarüpa-çakti
of Vrajacandra, who is
änanda-kanda, the source of transcendental bliss.
She is a
dhérädhérä-näyikä, a heroine who with tearful eyes
speaks
crooked words to her beloved, and for
this reason Çré Nandanandana
is completely controlled by Her. As
stated in Çré Rädhäkåpä-
kaöäkña-stavaräja (3): “nirantaraà vaçé-kåta-pratéti
nandanandane
– She always brings Nanda-nandana into
submission.”
Çré Kåñëa is the source of
transcendental bliss and Çrématé is His
supremely wonderful saumya-lakñmé,
gentle goddess of fortune.
Lakñmé-devé, who always enjoys pastimes
on the chest of
Näräyaëa, is restless and proud of her
opulence, but the premalakñmé
of Vraja, Çré Rädhä, is very sweet and
endowed with a
gentle, steady nature. She is kåñëa-mayé
in prema, which means
She sees Kåñëa everywhere, internally and
externally; She is
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ÇRÉ BHAJANA-RAHASYA
gauräìgé in rasa, which means She is so
expert, so beautiful,
dances so well and sings so sweetly
that She becomes gauräìgé
(golden-limbed), and Kåñëa becomes so
attracted by Her that He
becomes rädhä-mayé and gauräìga;
She is sarva-lakñmé-mayé
in aiçvarya, which means She
manifests everywhere, and Kåñëa
sees Her everywhere; and She is the
prominent gopikä in
mädhurya.
Service to Våñabhänu-nandiné Çrématé
Rädhikä is very difficult
to attain for Brahmä and others.
Brahmä, being endowed with an
awareness of Bhagavän’s majesty (aiçvarya-jïäna),
is unable to
comprehend the mädhurya-rasa of
Vraja. He could not even
understand Çyämasundara’s early boyhood
pastimes (paugaëòalélä),
and he became an offender by stealing
the calves and
cowherd boys. How, then, can he
possibly understand the
profound secrets of the highly
confidential adolescent pastimes
(kaiçora-lélä)? Only the vraja-gopés
have the qualification to
serve in these most confidential
pastimes that take place in the
secluded bowers. Without following in
the footsteps of the
sakhés, it is impossible to attain this sevä.
sakhé vinä ei léläya anyera nähi gati
sakhé-bhäve ye täìre kare anugati
rädhä-kåñëa kuïja-sevä-sädhya sei päya
sei sädhya päite ära nähika upäya
Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya-lélä 8.204–5)
Without the guidance of the sakhés,
one cannot enter these
pastimes. One who worships Kåñëa in the
mood of the sakhés,
following in their footsteps, can
attain the service of Rädhä-Kåñëa
in the kuïjas of Våndävana.
There is no other means to achieve
this goal.
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Çré Kiçoré’s maidservants (kiìkarés)
are always devoted to Her
service. The word kaiìkarya expresses
a mood of being ardent
to serve and it means kià karomi,
“What may I do? What service
can I do?” – this mood is expressed in
pure rädhä-däsya, or
maïjaré-bhäva. May I attain this kaiìkarya of
Çré Våñabhänunandiné
birth after birth.
To serve exclusively under the guidance
of the vraja-devés is
called tat-tad-bhäva-icchämayé kämänugä-bhakti.
This is the
deep meaning of this Text.
Text 16
Searching for Çré Rädhänätha while
engaged in the service of Çré
Rädhä (rädhä-däsya) is described
in Çré Rädhä-rasa-sudhänidhi
(142):
rädhä-näma sudhä-rasaà rasayituà jihväs
tu me vihvalä
pädau tat-padakäìkitäsu caratäà
våndäöavé-véthiñu
tat-karmaiva karaù karotu hådayaà
tasyäù padaà dhyäyatäà
tad-bhävotsavataù paraà bhavatu me
tat-präëanäthe ratiù
May my tongue become constantly
overwhelmed by relishing
the nectarean rasa of the name
Rädhä, may my feet wander on
the pathways of that Våndävana where
Våñabhänu-nandiné
walks, may both my hands be engaged in
Sväminé’s service, and
may my heart contemplate Her lotus
feet. By Çrématé’s festival of
ecstatic moods (bhävotsava), may
one-pointed attachment manifest
within me for Her präëanätha,
Çré Çyämasundara. This is my
earnest prayer.
jihvä hauka su-vihvala, rädhä-näma gäne
våndäraëye cala pada, rädhä anveñaëe
rädhä-sevä kara-kara, rädhä smara mane
rädhä-bhäve mati, bhaja
rädhä-präëa-dhane
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ÇRÉ BHAJANA-RAHASYA
Bhajana-rahasya-våtti
Çréla Gosvämipäda is humbly praying to
attain attachment to the
lotus feet of Çré Rädhä’s präëanätha
through Her festival of
ecstatic moods (bhävotsava), by
engaging all his senses in
rädhä-bhajana. When will my tongue become
overwhelmed by
tasting the nectarean rasa of
Çré Rädhä’s name? There is no equal
to the happiness experienced by the
tongue that, with heartfelt
prema, tastes the nectar of Çrématé’s name. Happiness comes
when one has achieved the desired
perfection by performing
näma-saìkértana of one’s object of worship. The name
appears
primarily upon the tongue, and both the
chanter and the hearer
derive bliss.
näma-saìkértanaà proktaà
kåñëasya prema-sampadi
baliñöhaà sädhanaà çreñöhaà
paramäkarña-mantravat
tad eva manyate bhakteù
phalaà tad-rasikair janaiù
bhagavat-prema-sampattau
sadaivävyabhicärataù
Båhad-bhägavatämåta (2.3.164–5)
It is said that to obtain the wealth of
prema for Çré Kåñëa, nämasaìkértana
is the best and most powerful sädhana.
This
supremely attractive mantra draws
Çré Kåñëa towards the
sädhaka. Therefore rasika devotees of
Bhagavän conclude that
saìkértana is the result of bhakti. It is
unfailing in bestowing the
wealth of bhagavat-prema.
Relish of the very rasa of
Bhagavän, who is Himself an
embodiment of concentrated rasa,
is definitely contained within
His name. Although there is such taste
in His name, that same
nämé, Çré Çyämasundara, becomes overwhelmed when He tastes
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the name of Çré Rädhä. It is the nature
of prema that the lover will
have affection for the name of the
beloved.
Once, due to the vigilance of Jaöilä,
Çré Kiçoré could not meet
Çyämasundara, who fainted in separation
from Her. Madhumaìgala
went to Kiçoré, but since She was under
guard, She was unable
to leave the house. To pacify Kåñëa’s
fire of separation, She wrote
the two syllables rä and dhä on
a leaf and sent it to Him. When
He received it, Kåñëa returned to His
senses and He said to
Madhumaìgala, “Friend, I am completely
satisfied with what you
have given Me.”
In the second line of this Text,
Çrépäda is praying: “pädau tatpadakäìkitäsu
caratäà våndäöavé-véthiñu – may my feet traverse
the paths of Våndävana-dhäma, which is
marked with the footprints
of Çré Rädhä. While wandering there,
may this sentiment
be in my heart: My Sväminé is
travelling on these paths to meet
with Her präëanätha. Every
infinitesimal particle of Vraja is
mixed with the dust from Her lotus feet
and is thus perceived as
prema-makaranda, the nectar of love. May my Éçvaré’s viläsa-lélä
be painted on the canvas of my heart.
May the dust particles that
have touched Her lotus feet be the
ornaments of my limbs.”
Çré Kåñëa’s dear associate Uddhava also
desired to attain a particle
of this dust by taking birth in Vraja
as a blade of grass or a
shrub. Such a heart’s longing will only
be fulfilled by remembering
Çré Kiçoré’s foot-dust which lies upon
the pathways of Vraja.
Çréla Gosvämipäda continues: “tat-karmaiva
karaù karotu –
may both my hands be engaged in
stringing various kinds of
flowers into garlands, ornaments and so
forth for Çré Sväminé.
When Sväméné is fatigued from Her viläsa,
please allow me to
attain the good fortune of massaging
Her lotus feet.
“Tad-bhävotsavataù paraà bhavatu me
tat-präëanäthe ratiù
– Çré Rädhä’s bhävotsava,
festival of ecstatic moods, is Her
pastimes with Çré Govinda. Sometimes,
when Çrématé becomes
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ÇRÉ BHAJANA-RAHASYA
mäniné, sulky, Govinda will pray to me with
clever words, ‘O
beautiful one! O merciful one! Please
satisfy Çré Rädhä and
thereby pacify My fire of separation.’
Upon hearing His petition,
I will catch hold of His hand and lead
Him to Sväminé. May it be
my goal and all-good fortune to arrange
for my Sväminé to meet
with Her präëa-priyatama.
Govinda will certainly give me
mercy, knowing that I have taken
shelter of Çré Rädhä’s lotus
feet.”
Text 17
A prayer to attain Çré Rädhä’s lotus
feet, which are the only goal,
is given in Viläpa-kusumäïjali (8):
devi duùkha-kula-sägarodare
düyamänam ati-durgataà janam
tvaà kåpä-prabala-naukayädbhutaà
präpaya svapada-paìkajälayam
O Devé Çré Rädhikä, I am in a helpless
condition, drowning in the
ocean of unhappiness. Please lift me
into the strong boat of Your
mercy and give me the shelter of Your
lotus feet.
duùkha-sindhu mäjhe devi, durgata e
jana
kåpä-pote päda-padme uöhäo ekhana
Bhajana-rahasya-våtti
Feeling himself to be bereft of
service, Çré Raghunätha däsa
Gosvämé is extremely agitated by
separation from Çré Rädhä. He
feels himself to be without shelter and
is drowning in the deep
ocean of unhappiness. Remembering this çloka,
he begins to
glorify Çré Sväminé in every way by
using the word devé. The root
of devé is div, which
means “playful” or “sportive”. In other
words, She enjoys pastimes of divine
love sports with Çré Kåñëa.
Remembering this, Däsa Gosvämé uses the
word devé. In
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Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Ädi-lélä 4.84) it is said: “‘devé’
kahi
dyotamänä, paramä sundaré – devé means
‘resplendent and
most beautiful’.”
“O Çrématé Rädhikä, deprived of service
to Your lotus feet, I am
drowning in this ocean of material
existence, which is difficult to
cross. Please shelter me within the
boat of Your mercy and bestow
upon me the qualification to serve Your
lotus feet, for apart from
this service, there is no other remedy
to remove the exhaustion
caused by pangs of separation from You.
Everything in the material
world causes misery; only service to
You is fully blissful.”
The maïjarés are firmly and
resolutely fixed in the mood of
being Çré Rädhä’s maidservants. The
only thing on their minds is
service to Çré Rädhä’s lotus feet. A
desire to enjoy bodily association
with Çré Hari does not arise even in
their dreams. If Çré Kåñëa
forcefully catches hold of them and
begins to speak to them, they
say stiffly, “O Nanda-nandana! Do not
dare touch this body!”
The bhäva that Çré Rädhä’s
maidservants have towards Her is
pure and completely free from the
desire for self-enjoyment.
They do not even have a tinge of any
desire other than to serve
Her.
Text 18
The inclination to be solely attached
to serving Çré Rädhä is
described in Viläpa-kusumäïjali (16):
pädäbjayos tava vinä vara-däsyam eva
nänyat kadäpi samaye kila devi yäce
sakhyäya te mama namo ’stu namo ’stu
nityaà
däsyäya te mama raso ’stu raso ’stu
satyam
O Devé, I have no desire other than for
the topmost attainment of
servitude to Your lotus feet. I forever
offer obeisances to the position
of being Your sakhé, but may I
remain firmly attached to
being Your maidservant. I speak this as
a solemn vow.
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ÇRÉ BHAJANA-RAHASYA
tava pada-däsya vinä kichu nähi mägi
tava sakhye namaskära, ächi däsya lägi’
Bhajana-rahasya-våtti
In this Text, Çréla Raghunätha däsa
Gosvämé, absorbed in his
internal maïjaré form, is
praying in great distress to the lotus feet
of his Sväminé. “O Sväminé, please make
me Your maidservant by
bestowing upon me the great fortune of
service to Your lotus
feet.” This servitorship (däsya)
is topmost (vara) because Çré
Rädhä’s maidservants are free from
reverence and fear. Their service
is devoid of hesitation and is supremely
tasty and relishable.
The desire for this däsya is the
compassionate gift of Çréman
Mahäprabhu, and its attainment is the
heartfelt aim of Gauòéya
Vaiñëavas.
As maidservants, the maïjarés are
also receptacles of
mädhurya-rasa. They can, without fear or shyness,
enter the
solitary nikuïja where amorous
pastimes are taking place, and
very gracefully and cleverly perform
their service. They also
thoroughly know the requirements of the
youthful Divine
Couple, as well as when and how to
fulfil them. The speciality of
these maïjarés is performing
their service while knowing the
innermost feelings of the Divine
Couple’s hearts. Seeing the
enchanting skill of the maïjarés’ service,
a desire for such service
is aroused in the mind of Çyämasundara
Himself, the crest jewel
of all those who relish rasa.
As svädhéna-bhartåkä, a heroine
who controls her lover, Çré
Rädhä orders Him, “Fix My dishevelled
clothes and ornaments,
or the other sakhés will see
them and tease Me.” Understanding
Sväminé’s mood, the kiìkarés bring
clothes and cosmetics. Çrématé
orders Çyämasundara to apply footlac (altä),
and upon seeing
the beauty of Her lotus feet, He
becomes overwhelmed with
prema. Ecstatic transformations (sättvika-vikäras) make
all His
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5 / PAÏCAMA-YÄMA-SÄDHANA
limbs horripilate and tremble (pulakita
and kampita), and as a
result He is unable to hold the brush.
Observing His condition,
Çrématé softly and sweetly smiles and
orders Rati Maïjaré to apply
the altä. The maïjarés taste
various types of sweet pastimes like
this in a completely unobstructed way.
Çyämasundara has to take shelter of the
maïjarés in order
to get the opportunity to meet with
Çrématé or to pacify Her
mäna. While eating at the house of Nanda in the evening,
Çyämasundara becomes restless to know
if He will be able to
meet with Rädhikä that night or not.
Through subtle gestures He
inquires from Çrématé’s maidservants
about the possibility of this
meeting. A maidservant indicates, “Yes,
it will take place.”
Whatever these maïjarés have is
for the pleasure of the Divine
Couple – they have nothing of their
own. In rank, the priyanarma-
sakhés are superior, but from the perspective
of having
the most fortunate service, the maïjarés
are superior.
The kämätmikä-bhakti of Vraja,
which is exclusive to
mädhurya-rasa, is of two kinds: sambhoga-icchämayé
and tattad-
bhäva-icchämayé. The mädhurya-rasa that Vraja’s
yütheçvarés
(group leaders) such as Rädhä,
Candrävalé and Çyämalä have
towards Çré Kåñëa is called sambhoga-icchämayé.
Serving the
Divine Couple in the mood of maïjarés
like Çré Rüpa and Çré Rati,
whose inclination is towards Çrématé
Rädhikä (rädhä-snehädhikä),
is called tat-tad-bhäva-icchämayé or
sakhé-bhäva (that is, nityaand
präëa-sakhé-bhäva).
The sakhés are of three kinds:
(1) rädhä-snehädhikä – those
more inclined towards Çré Rädhä, (2) kåñëa-snehädhikä
– those
more inclined towards Çré Kåñëa, and
(3) ubhaya-snehädhikä –
those equally disposed to both. The sakhés
are also of five kinds:
(1) sakhé, (2) nitya-sakhé,
(3) präëa-sakhé, (4) priya-sakhé and
(5) priya-narma-sakhé. Both the nitya-sakhés
and präëa-sakhés
are rädhä-snehädhikä and are
called maïjarés. The maïjarés
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ÇRÉ BHAJANA-RAHASYA
are absorbed in the mood of service,
even though they feel
friendship (sakhya) for Çré
Rädhä. They remain exclusively intent
on Çré Rädhä’s lotus feet and do not
desire bodily contact with Çré
Kåñëa, even in their dreams. This is
confirmed in Våndävanamahimämåta
(16.94):
ananya-çré-rädhä-pada-kamala-däsyaika-rasadhér
hareù saìge raìga-svapana-samaye näpi
dadhaté
Single-pointed service to the lotus
feet of Çré Rädhä is an ocean of
transcendental rasa. One who
wishes to enter that ocean will
never desire enjoyment with Çré Hari,
even in dreams.
The object (viñayälambana) of
the maïjarés’ love and affection
is Çré Yugala-kiçora. The maïjarés experience
all kinds of
rati by beholding the Divine Couple embracing, by hearing
Them conversing, by tasting Their
chewed tämbüla remnants, by
smelling the matchlessly beautiful
fragrance arising from Their
amorous pastimes, by touching Their
lotus feet as they massage
them, and so forth. They also taste the
ecstasy of Rädhä and
Kåñëa’s most intimate union (samprayoga).
In this regard, Çréla
Kåñëadäsa Kaviräja says in Çré
Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya-lélä
8.209–10):
rädhära svarüpa –
kåñëa-prema-kalpa-latä
sakhé-gaëa haya tära pallava-puñpa pätä
kåñëa-lélämåta yadi latäke siïcaya
nija-sukha haite pallavädyera
koöi-sukha haya
By nature Çré Rädhä is like a creeper
of kåñëa-prema and the
sakhés are the leaves, flowers and twigs of
that creeper. When the
nectar of Kåñëa’s pastimes is sprinkled
on that creeper, the leaves,
flowers and twigs experience a
happiness millions of times greater
than if they were to be directly
sprinkled with this nectar.
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In Govinda-lélämåta one also
finds this type of description:
when Kåñëa touches Çré Rädhä, sättvika-bhävas
also arise on the
bodies of Her maïjarés. And when
Kåñëa drinks the nectar of
Rädhä’s lips, the resultant bhäva is
also reflected in the nityasakhés
and präëa-sakhés, who become as
if intoxicated. This is
described in the first verse of Viläpa-kusumäïjali:
tvaà rüpa-maïjari sakhi! prathitä pure
’smin
puàsaù parasya vadanaà na hi paçyaséti
bimbädhare kñatam anägata-bhartåkäyä
yat te vyadhäyi kim u tac chuka-puìgavena
My dear sakhé Rüpa Maïjaré, you
are well known in Vraja for not
even looking at the face of any man
other than your husband.
Therefore it is surprising that your
lips, red like bimba fruits, have
been bitten, even though your husband
is not at home. Has this
been done by the best of parrots?
Like Çré Rädhä, Her maïjarés also
have samartha-rati2. This
rati is causelessly present in them in a transcendental,
incomprehensible
and inconceivable way. Çré
Caitanya-caritämåta
(Madhya-lélä 18.225) says: “sunileo
bhägya-hénera nä haya
pratéti – even though hearing of this, those
devoid of good fortune
cannot perceive it.”
In this Text 18, Däsa Gosvämé prays to
attain pälyadäsé-bhäva.
Using the words raso ’stu, he
expresses an ever-fresh heightening
of prema and prays to Çré
Sväminé not to cheat him, either with
clever words or by giving him other
blessings.
2
The word samartha means
“capable, suitable, complete”; therefore samartharati
means “capable of controlling Kåñëa”.
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ÇRÉ BHAJANA-RAHASYA
Text 19
A sincere prayer for attaining çré-rädhä-däsya,
spoken in a voice
choked with emotion, is found in Stava-mälä
(Çré Gändharväsamprärthanäñöakam
(2)):
hä devi! käku-bhara-gadgadayädya väcä
yäce nipatya bhuvi daëòavad-udbhaöärtiù
asya prasädam abudhasya janasya kåtvä
gändharvike! nija-gaëe gaëanäà vidhehi
O Devé Gändharvikä! Today, in utter
desperation, I throw myself
on the ground like a stick. Filled with
great distress, I implore
You with a choked voice to be merciful
to this fool and count me
as one of Your own.
bhume daëòavat-paòi’ bahu ärti-svare
käku-bhare gadgada-vacane yoòa kare
prärthanä kari go devi, e abudha jane
tava gaëe gaëi’ kåpä kara akiïcane
Bhajana-rahasya-våtti
Here Çré Rüpa Gosvämé is offering an
extremely grief-filled
prayer at the lotus feet of Çré
Sväminé: “Please also count me
amongst Your intimate maidservants.”
Even though he is one of
Çréman Mahäprabhu’s eternal associates,
he considers himself an
ajäta-rati-sädhaka. There is not a great difference
between
humility and prema. Båhad-bhägavatämåta
(2.5.224–5) states,
“In the fully mature stage of the
highest type of prema, natural
humility arises. Similarly, when
humility matures, incessant
prema develops. Therefore, in humility and prema
a relationship
of mutual ‘cause and effect’ or
‘producer and product’ is clearly
seen.”
The phrase käku-bhara-gadgadayädya
väcä indicates melting
of the heart, which is the external
symptom of prema. The
word hä expresses longing (utkaëöhä),
and the word gadgada,
2 2 7
5 / PAÏCAMA-YÄMA-SÄDHANA
which means “with a choked voice”,
indicates that his prayer is
beseeching and filled with humility.
Because their longing is so intense,
the vraja-devés are able to
reject their family members and the
rules and regulations of
society. Due to abundant possessiveness
(mamatä), they are
also able to cross over all obstacles
and impediments. Çré Kåñëa,
who is controlled by this mamatä,
which is filled with longing,
considers Himself ever-indebted to the gopés.
The words devi gändharvike express
the glories of Çré Rädhä’s
good fortune. They refer to She who is
a mine of sweetness and
beauty and who, by Her captivating
dancing, singing, playing on
musical instruments and performance of
other charming arts,
completely enchants the mind of Kåñëa.
Attachment (rati) filled with
longing and humility is the wealth
of räga-märga-sädhakas. Çréla
Sanätana Gosvämé defines humility
as follows: “If in spite of possessing
all good qualities, one
considers oneself wretched, abhorrent
and incompetent, this is
dainya, humility.” It is only humility that
attracts the mercy of
Bhagavän and makes a person a worthy
recipient of Kåñëa’s
mercy. Pretentious humility is inimical
to bhakti and is always
to be abandoned. In fact, real humility
is not mere external
behaviour; it manifests from the heart.
Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura sings in Vimala-vaiñëava
(from
Kalyäëa-kalpa-taru):
antara bähire, sama vyavahära, amäné
mänada ha’ba
kåñëa-saìkértane, çré kåñëa-smaraëe,
satata majiyä ra’ba
With a heart free from duplicity, my
outer behaviour will
correspond to my inner thoughts and
feelings. Seeing myself as
completely insignificant, I will give
respect to others, seeking no
honour in return. Always singing the
holy names and dancing, I
will remain constantly absorbed in
remembering Çré Kåñëa’s
pastimes.
2 2 8
ÇRÉ BHAJANA-RAHASYA
Text 20
A prayer to attain the position of a
maidservant of Çré Rädhä, who
attracts the mind of Çré Kåñëa, is
found in Çré Rädhä-rasa-sudhänidhi
(39):
veëuà karän nipatitaà skhalitaà
çikhaëòaà
bhrañöaà ca péta-vasanaà
vraja-räja-sünoù
yasyäù
kaöäkña-çara-ghäta-vimürcchitasya
täà rädhikäà paricarämi kadä rasena
When, with rasa, will I serve
Çré Rädhä, whose arrow-like sidelong
glance causes Çré Nanda-nandana to
faint, the flute to fall
from His hands, the peacock-feather
crown to slip from His head,
and His yellow cloth to fall from His
body?
yäìhära kaöäkña-çare çré-kåñëa
mürcchita
kara haite vaàçi khase, çikhaëòa
skhalita
péta-vastra bhrañöa haya, se
rädhä-caraëa
kabe ämi rasa-yoge kariba sevana?
Bhajana-rahasya-våtti
Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu (1.2.291) states: “teñäà bhäväptaye
lubdho bhaved aträdhikäravän – the anuräga from which
everfresh
greed is born and which is displayed in
a variegated way,
manifests in an astonishing,
unparalleled manner and reaches
the stage of mahäbhäva. Only a
person who craves to attain this
kind of bhäva is eligible to
enter räga-märga.”
Taste, or ruci, is the most
important aspect of bhäva-bhakti.
When a person has ruci for rägänuga-bhajana
in the mood of
mädhurya-rasa, he relishes Çré Rädhä-Mädhava’s
names, forms,
qualities and pastimes in his hearing
and chanting. By this kind
of bhajana, one can perceive the
method of service of the nityasiddha-
maïjarés.
2 2 9
5 / PAÏCAMA-YÄMA-SÄDHANA
In this Text, Çré Sarasvatépäda is
praying for the rasa-filled
loving service of Çré Rädhä, who
enchants the mind of Känu, or
Kåñëa. Concealed within this verse is
the influence of
mädanäkhya-mahäbhäva on the heart of Çré Kåñëa, who is the
emporium of all nectarean mellows, akhila-rasämåta-mürti.
Padmä and other sakhés somehow
allured Çré Kåñëa to
Candrävalé’s kuïja, leaving
Çrématé distressed in a state of
extreme separation. The clever kiìkarés,
however, skilfully
brought Him from there and submitted
Him to Çrématé. Rädhä’s
mood of contrariness was then set in
motion. First She forbade
Kåñëa to touch Her; then She exhibited
feigned anger and cast a
crooked sidelong glance at Him.
Çré Rädhä is the embodiment of mahäbhäva,
and the only
function of mahäbhäva is to
incite happiness in Çré Kåñëa’s heart.
Here, mädanäkhya-mahäbhäva incited
countless indescribable,
transcendental sentiments in the heart
of akhila-rasämåta-mürti
Çré Kåñëa, thus silencing His
boastfulness. Çré Kåñëa became
submerged in a swoon of bliss, pierced
by the arrow of Çrématé’s
crooked sidelong glance. On a battlefield
a hero faints when
struck by an arrow, and his bow,
arrows, crown, clothes,
ornaments – everything – become
scattered. Similarly, in this
battle of Cupid, the strike of one
arrow-like glance makes the
flute fall from the hand, the
peacock-feather crown fall from the
head and the yellow cloth fall from the
body of the transcendental
young Cupid – and He faints. That
person whose crooked
sidelong glances strike the vraja-sundarés
like Cupid’s arrows
has now fallen to the ground. Only by
Çré Rädhä’s sidelong
glance does He who bewilders Cupid fall
unconscious. That flute
by whose very sweet sound hundreds and
hundreds of vrajasundarés
become stricken with restlessness, like
deer struck by
arrows, now falls to the ground from a
trembling hand.
Mädhava’s peacock feather crown, which
is an emblem of the
2 3 0
ÇRÉ BHAJANA-RAHASYA
pastimes of Vraja and which enamours
the minds of the goparamaëés,
now rolls in the dust as a result of
Çré Rädhä’s crooked
sidelong glance. That yellow cloth (pétämbara)
which like a
lightning bolt from a fresh
thundercloud emanates splendorous
beauty and upon seeing which the vraja-ramaëés
gave up the
honour of their lineage, has now also
fallen down. This condition
of the dhéra-lalita-näyaka is
all due to the crooked sidelong
glance of Çré Rädhä.
The embodiment of änanda-rasa has
fainted by the arrow of
Çré Rädhä’s sidelong glance. Although
Çrématé makes many
attempts to break this swoon of bliss (änanda),
it cannot be
broken. Now the service starts for the rasa-kiìkarés.
With a
sweet voice, a maidservant sings a madana-räga
(a melody of
Cupid), which she learnt from Çré
Sväminé. The kiìkaré breaks
the swoon of the hero (näyaka)
who has fainted in prema, and
thus facilitates Çré Sväminé’s meeting
with Her beloved. This is the
maidservant’s rasa-paricaryä,
her service that enhances rasa: to
arrange for the sweet pastime of the
Divine Couple to begin.
Then, at the end of Their pastime, the
maidservants desire to
attain the good fortune of serving Them
by offering cool water,
betelnuts, garlands, a fan and so
forth.
Text 21
Çrémad-Bhägavatam (11.6.46) describes the mood of a sädhaka
who has attained attachment for rädhä-däsya:
tvayopabhukta-srag-gandhaväso-’
laìkära-carcitäù
ucchiñöa-bhojino däsäs
tava mäyäà jayema hi
O Prabhu, we decorate ourselves with
the garlands, sandalwood
paste, cloth and ornaments worn by You.
Since we are Your
2 3 1
5 / PAÏCAMA-YÄMA-SÄDHANA
servants who eat Your remnants, we will
certainly conquer Your
illusory energy (mäyä).
[Therefore, Prabhu, we are not afraid of
Your mäyä – we are only afraid
of being separated from You.]
tomära prasäda-mälä-gandha-alaìkära
vasträdi pariyä dina yäya ta ämära
tomära ucchiñöa-bhojé-däsa-paricaye
tava mäyä jaya kari anäsakta ha’ye
Bhajana-rahasya-våtti
Persons who are not inclined to serve
Kåñëa are intent on their
own sense enjoyment, and thus they
perform various activities,
such as sleeping, sitting, travelling
about, staying in one place
and sporting. However, if the same
activities are connected to
Bhagavän, the jéva becomes eternally
blessed. If the jéva is eager
for the service of honouring the
remnants enjoyed by Çré Kåñëa,
such as garlands, fragrant oils,
clothes and ornaments, he will not
be ensnared by the bondage of material
existence. Here
Uddhava is saying to Çré Bhagavän, “By
obtaining Your prasäda,
the living entity becomes freed from
the slavery of mäyä.”
Hari-bhakti-viläsa states that a person who doubts the
potency of items offered to Viñëu will
reside in hell for eternity.
One should not disrespect mahä-prasäda.
Even mahä-prasäda
that has fallen into the mouth of a dog
is supremely pure and
acceptable even for a brähmaëa.
The prasäda offered to ancient
deities or deities established by mahäpuruñas
is extremely pure
and worthy of acceptance. But it is not
proper to distribute the
prasäda of deities who have been established
here and there by
persons who indulge in sense enjoyment.
This is confirmed in
the Närada-païcarätra:
2 3 2
ÇRÉ BHAJANA-RAHASYA
çruti-småti-puräëädipaïcarätra-
vidhià vinä
aikäntiké harer bhaktir
utpätäyaiva kalpate
Even one who practises one-pointed
devotion to Hari will only
create a disturbance if he abandons the
rules of Çruti, Småti, the
Puräëas and the Närada-païcarätra.
The remnants of Çré Kåñëa are called mahä-prasäda.
When a
pure devotee honours this mahä-prasäda,
his remnants are
called mahä-mahä-prasäda. Çré
Kåñëadäsa Kaviräja Gosvämé
says in Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya-lélä
16.60):
bhakta-pada-dhüli ära bhakta-pada-jala
bhakta-bhukta-avaçeña – ei tina
mahäbala
The foot-dust of a devotee, the water
that has washed his feet and
the remnants of food left by him are
three very powerful items.
By serving these three items, kåñëa-prema-bhakti
will appear.
They are extremely powerful.
It is improper for a sädhaka-bhakta to
imitate the behaviour of
pure devotees. Once, my gurudeva,
then Çré Vinoda-bihäré
Brahmacäré, and his godbrother Çré
Narahari Prabhu went to Çré
Vaàçédäsa Bäbäjé’s bhajana-kuöé to
take his darçana. Bäbäjé had
offered tea and was distributing it.
Vinoda-bihäré and Narahari
Prabhu also received some tea prasäda.
Vinoda-bihäré paid his
respects to it, put it aside and did
not take it. When Narahari
Prabhu asked him why, Çré Vinoda-bihäré
answered philosophically,
“An object which is taken by a mahä-bhägavata
can still be
unsuitable for us. Mahädeva drank a
deadly poison. He is capable
of doing that, but if an ordinary
person drinks poison, he is
sure to die. For a sädhaka it is
only proper to follow the rules of
the bhakti-çästras.”
2 3 3
5 / PAÏCAMA-YÄMA-SÄDHANA
Text 22
The late afternoon pastimes (aparähna-lélä)
are described in
Govinda-lélämåta (19.1):
çré-rädhäà präpta-gehäà
nija-ramaëa-kåte kÿpta-nänopahäräà
susnätäà ramya-veçäà
priya-mukha-kamaläloka-pürëa pramodäm
çré-kåñëaà cäparähne vrajam anucalitaà
dhenu-våndair-vayasyaiù
çré-rädhäloka-tåptaà pitå-mukha-militaà
mätå-måñöaà smarämi
In the afternoon, after madhyähna-lélä,
Çré Rädhä goes to Her
home, bathes and gets dressed and
decorated. On the affectionate
order of Çré Yaçomaté, She prepares
various kinds of preparations,
such as karpüra-keli and amåta-keli,
for Her präëanätha
Çré Kåñëa. As He returns to Vraja from
the forest with the cows
and sakhäs, She has darçana of
His lotus face and becomes filled
with delight. Çré Kåñëa also becomes
fully satisfied by receiving
Her darçana. After meeting with
Çré Nanda and the other elderly
gopas, He is bathed and dressed by the elderly gopés. I
contemplate
this Çré Rädhä-Kåñëa.
çré-rädhikä-gåhe gelä, kåñëa lägi’
viracilä,
nänä-vidha-khädya-upahära
snäta ramya-veça dhari’, priya-mukhekñaëa
kari’,
pürëänanda päila apära
çré-kåñëäparähna-käle, dhenu-mitra
laiyä cale,
pathe rädhä-mukha nirakhiyä
nandädi milana kari’, yaçodä-märjita
hari,
smara mana änandita haiyä
Bhajana-rahasya-våtti
The various pastimes of Çré Rädhä-Kåñëa
during madhyähna-lélä,
such as water sports (jala-kréòä),
playing dice (päçä-khelä),
swinging (dola-lélä), and
laughing and joking (häsa-parihäsa2
3 4
ÇRÉ BHAJANA-RAHASYA
léläs), are now completed. In the house of Nanda, Çré Sväminé
is
not able to feed Her priyatama with
Her own hands, but at
midday, Her desire to serve in this way
is fulfilled. Kåñëa goes to
the forest with His sakhäs to
herd the cows, and on the pretext
of beholding the beauty of the forest,
He separates Himself from
His sakhäs to go to Sväminé.
Text 20 described Kåñëa’s condition
when He sees Sväminé’s charmingly
attractive lotus face. After
madhyähna-lélä, Çré Rädhä and Her sakhés return
to Her home in
Jävaöa, and Çyämasundara, along with
His cows, calves and
sakhäs, also returns from the forest.
In Her home, Çré Sväminé busily
performs various activities
with a restless mind, eagerly desiring
to meet with Her priyatama.
At the time of Çré Kåñëa’s return, the sakhäs
accompanying Him
play their horns and other instruments,
making a tumultuous
sound. The Vrajaväsés become extremely
blissful when they see
the dust flying from the cows’ hooves.
The arrival of Çré Kåñëa is
like the arrival of the rainy season.
The sky is filled with clouds
of dust raised by the cows, the song of
the flute is like a shower
of nectar raining from the sky, and the
cows’ mooing is like the
rumbling of clouds. Like extremely
thirsty cätaka birds (who
only drink rainwater as it falls), the
Vrajaväsés come forward.
When the cowherd boys leave to go
cowherding, Kåñëa walks in
the front, and when they return,
Baladeva Prabhu is at the front.
When Çré Kåñëa passes through
Jävaöa-gräma, Çré Rädhä has
darçana of Him through the openings in the
small latticed
windows of Her house. Çré Kåñëa also
craves the darçana of His
beloved, and sometimes receives it
directly when He begs something
from Her. Before Priyäjé can give Him
anything, though, He
steals Her heart like a snatching
thief. But my Sväminé is no less.
She also steals the heart of Her priyatama.
Now each acts with
the heart and mind of the other. Jéva
Gosvämipäda, in his Çré
Yugaläñöakam (6), prays:
2 3 5
5 / PAÏCAMA-YÄMA-SÄDHANA
kåñëa-citta-sthitä rädhä,
rädhä-citta-sthito hariù,
jévane maraëe nityaà rädhä-kåñëau gatir
mama
Rädhä is always firmly situated within
the mind of Kåñëa and
Kåñëa is always firmly situated within
the mind of Rädhä. May
Rädhä and Kåñëa be my shelter in life
or death.
My desired object is the service of
this Divine Couple.
Çré Kåñëa arrives at His home, the
house of Nanda. With the
end of her säré, Yaçodä cleans
her lälä’s face, which is covered
with dust from the cows, performs ärati
and then, placing Him
on her lap, breast-feeds Him. After
some time, Kåñëa goes to milk
the cows. Upon His return, Yaçodä
bathes Him and very lovingly
feeds Him the sweets sent by Çré Rädhä.
Çré Rädhä’s kiìkarés have
darçana of all these pastimes and, returning to
their Sväminé,
who is restless and agitated, relate
all these events to Her.
He who chants harinäma while
contemplating these pastimes
will, by Çré Sväminé’s grace, become
eligible to one day serve
these pastimes.
Thus ends the Païcama-yäma-sädhana,
Aparähna-käléya-bhajana, of Çré Bhajana-rahasya.
2 3 7
Text 1
The sixth verse of Çikñäñöaka describes
the visible manifestations
of perfection:
nayanaà galad-açru-dhärayä
vadanaà gadgada-ruddhayä girä
pulakair nicitaà vapuù kadä
tava näma-grahaëe bhaviñyati
O Lord, when will tears flow from my
eyes, my voice falter and all
the hairs on my body stand erect as I
chant Your holy names?
prema dhana vinä vyartha daridra jévana
‘däsa’ kari’ vetana more deha
prema-dhana
“Without the wealth of prema, my
wretched life is useless. O
Lord, please accept me as Your paid
servant and grant me the
wealth of prema as wages.”
Ñañöha-yäma-sädhana
6
Säyaà-käléya-bhajana – bhäva
(six daëòas after dusk:
approximately 6.00 P.M. – 8.30 P.M.)
2 3 8
ÇRÉ BHAJANA-RAHASYA
Text 2
The intrinsic nature of bhäva is
described in Bhakti-rasämåtasindhu
(1.3.2):
premnas tu prathamävasthä
bhäva ity abhidhéyate
sättvikäù svalpa-mäträ syur
aträçru-pulakädayaù
The first stage of prema is
known as bhäva. In this stage sättvikabhävas,
such as hairs standing on end (pulaka),
tears (açru) and
shivering (kampa), are slightly
manifest.
premera prathamävasthä bhäva näma tära
pulakäçru svalpa haya sättvika vikära
Bhajana-rahasya-våtti
Bhäva, also known as rati, is considered to be the
sprout of
prema, which is the fully blossomed state of bhakti. Bhäva,
a
special manifestation of çuddha-sattva,
is compared to a ray of the
sun of prema and it softens the
heart by various tastes (ruci). In
other words bhäva is the
condition in which the heart melts as a
result of cultivating activities
favourable to Kåñëa (kåñëänuçélana).
Bhäva is also described in the following
verse from Bhaktirasämåta-
sindhu (1.3.1):
çuddha-sattva-viçeñätmä
prema-süryäàçu-sämyabhäk
rucibhiç citta-mäsåëyakåd
asau bhäva ucyate
Bhäva-bhakti is a special manifestation of çuddha-sattva.
In other
words the constitutional characteristic
of bhäva-bhakti is that it is a
phenomenon entirely constituted of çuddha-sattva.
It is like a ray
of the sun of prema and it
softens the heart by various tastes (ruci).
2 3 9
6 / ÑAÑÖHA-YÄMA-SÄDHANA
In his commentary to this verse Çréla
Viçvanätha Cakravarté
Öhäkura writes, “When sädhana-bhakti
succeeds in softening
the heart by various tastes (ruci),
it is called bhäva-bhakti. The
word ruci here refers to: (1)
the desire to attain Bhagavän
(bhagavat-präpti-abhiläña), (2)
the desire to do what is
favourable for Bhagavän (änukülya-abhiläña)
and (3) the desire
to serve Bhagavän with affection (sauhärda-abhiläña).
The
constitutional nature of bhäva-bhakti
is çuddha-sattvaviñeçätmä,
which means it is fully comprised of çuddha-sattva.
Çuddha-sattva refers to the self-manifest cognitive
function of
Bhagavän’s svarüpa-çakti known
as samvid-våtti, the function of
divine cognisance. When the word viçeña
is added to çuddhasattva,
it indicates hlädiné, another
great potency of svarüpaçakti.
One should understand from this that mahäbhäva,
which
is the highest state of hlädiné,
is included within çuddha-sattvaviçeña.
Hence çuddha-sattva-viñeçätmä is
that supreme function
of svarüpa-çakti which is
possessed of desire favourable to
Bhagavän, which is the essence of the
combined samvit- and
hlädiné-çaktis, and which is situated in the hearts
of Bhagavän’s
eternal associates. It is one with the
mood of their hearts
(tädätmya-bhäva). In simple
words, the eternally perfect moods
situated within the eternal associates
of Çré Kåñëa are called
çuddha-sattva-viçeñätmä. The constitutional nature of bhävabhakti
is çuddha-sattva-viçeñätmä and,
because it is likened to
the first ray of the sun of prema-bhakti,
it is also called the sprout
of prema.
The natural function of bhäva is
to manifest Kåñëa’s inherent
nature (svarüpa) and the
inherent nature of His pastimes. Bhäva
can arise in two ways: (1) by
absorption in one’s spiritual practice
(sädhana-abhiniveça-ja) and (2)
by the mercy of Çré Kåñëa
or His devotees (çré-kåñëa-prasäda-ja
or çré-kåñëa-bhaktaprasäda-
ja).
2 4 0
ÇRÉ BHAJANA-RAHASYA
By the influence of associating with
great personalities, one
engages in the sädhana of bhagavad-bhakti.
Gradually a taste
(ruci) for bhakti arises
within him, he develops attachment
(äsakti) for Bhagavän, and
finally he attains bhäva. Bhäva
received in this way is called sädhana-abhiniveça-ja.
Bhäva that suddenly arises, without any sädhana,
is called çrékåñëa-
prasäda-ja-bhäva or çré-kåñëa-bhakta-prasäda-ja-bhäva.
Prasäda-ja-bhäva is rare; generally the living entity
attains
sädhana-abhiniveça-ja-bhäva.
Çré-kåñëa-prasäda-ja-bhäva is received by Kåñëa’s benediction,
His darçana, or by a revelation
(sphürti) within the heart.
Çréla Çukadeva Gosvämé received bhäva
as a result of mercy
manifesting in his heart. Numerous
examples of these three kinds
of prasäda-ja-bhävas were seen
during the advent of Çréman
Mahäprabhu. Bhäva arose in the
hearts of countless people just
by receiving Mahäprabhu’s darçana.
Jagäi and Mädhäi received
bhäva as a result of a benediction, and Çré
Jéva Gosvämé’s bhäva
manifested as a sphürti within
his heart.
Dhruva and Prahläda are examples of
personalities who
attained çré-kåñëa-bhakta-prasäda-ja-bhäva,
as they received
bhagavad-bhäva by the mercy of Çré Närada Muni. Bhäva
was
also awakened in the hearts of
countless people by the mercy of
Çré Rüpa, Çré Sanätana and other
associates of Mahäprabhu.
Text 3
The characteristics of sthäyibhäva are
described in Bhaktirasämåta-
sindhu (1.3.25–6):
kñäntir avyartha-kälatvaà
viraktir mäna-çünyatä
äçä-bandhaù samutkaëöhä
näma-gäne sadä ruciù
2 4 1
6 / ÑAÑÖHA-YÄMA-SÄDHANA
äsaktis tad-guëäkhyäne
prétis tad-vasati-sthale
ity ädayo ’nubhäväù
syur jäta-bhäväìkure jane
When bhäva arises, the following
nine symptoms are observed
in the sädhaka: forbearance,
effective use of one’s time, detachment,
absence of pride, steadfast hope that
Kåñëa will bestow His
mercy, intense longing to obtain one’s
goal, constant taste for
chanting the holy name, attachment to
hearing about Kåñëa’s
qualities and affection for Kåñëa’s
pastime-places.
kñobhera käraëa sattve kñobha nähi haya
sadä kåñëa bhaje, nähi kare käla-kñaya
kåñëetara-viñaye virakti sadä raya
mäna thakileo abhimäné nähi haya
avaçya päiba kåñëa-kåpä äçä kare
kåñëa bhaje ahar ahaù vyäkula antare
hare-kåñëa-näma-gäne ruci nirantara
çré-kåñëera guëäkhyäne äsakti vistara
préti kare sadä kåñëa-vasatira sthäne
ei anubhäva bhäväìkura vidyamäne
Bhajana-rahasya-våtti
(1) Kñänti – When one remains
calm and composed although
there is reason to be angry or
restless, it is called kñänti, forbearance.
A sädhaka naturally displays
forbearance, as seen in the
example of Parékñit Mahäräja. Even
after he received the curse of
imminent death by Çåìgé, the son of a muni,
he did not become
disturbed, but with a steady mind
proceeded to hear hari-kathä.
(2) Avyartha-kälatva – This
means not wasting time, and always
being absorbed in hari-bhajana.
(3) Virakti – A natural distaste
for material sense enjoyment is
called virakti, detachment.
2 4 2
ÇRÉ BHAJANA-RAHASYA
(4) Mäna-çünyatä – Pride arises
from one’s high birth, social
class, stage of life, wealth, beauty,
high position and so on.
Mäna-çünyatä is the condition in which the heart
remains free
from pride even though one may have all
these qualifications.
(5) Äçä-bandha – To apply one’s
mind very diligently to bhajana
with the firm faith that “Çré Kåñëa
will surely bestow His mercy
upon me” is called äçä-bandha,
steadfast hope.
Çréla Raghunätha däsa Gosvämé has
expressed his hope (äçä)
in Viläpa-kusumäïjali (102):
äçä bharair amåta-sindhu-mayaiù
kathaïcit
kälo mayätigamitaù kila sämprataà hi
tvaà cet kåpäà mayi vidhäsyasi naiva
kià me
präëair vrajena ca varoru bakäriëäpi
O Varoru Rädhä, it is as rare to fulfil
my hope as it is to attain an
ocean of nectar, but I pass my days,
greatly longing to fulfil it. Now
You must give mercy to this poor,
unhappy person. What to speak
of my life, everything – my residing in
Vraja and even my service
to Kåñëa – is useless without Your
mercy.
(6) Samutkaëöhä – Intense
longing to attain one’s desired object
is called samutkaëöhä. This kind
of eagerness is shown in the
prayer of Våträsura (Çrémad-Bhägavatam
(6.11.26)):
ajäta-pakñä iva mätaraà khagäù
stanyaà yathä vatsataräù kñudhärtäù
priyaà priyeva vyuñitaà viñaëëä
mano ’ravindäkña didåkñate tväm
O lotus-eyed one, as baby birds that
have not yet developed their
wings always look for their mother to
return and feed them, as
small calves tied with ropes anxiously
await the time of milking
when they will be allowed to drink the
milk of their mothers, or as
a morose wife whose husband is away
from home always longs
2 4 3
6 / ÑAÑÖHA-YÄMA-SÄDHANA
for him to return and satisfy her in
all respects, I always yearn for
the opportunity to render direct
service unto You.
(7) Näma-gäne sadä ruci – To
constantly chant the name of Hari
with the faith that çré-näma-bhajana
is the topmost form of
bhajana, is called näma-gäne sadä ruci,
taste in chanting the
holy name. To have a taste for the holy
name is the key to obtaining
the ultimate auspiciousness.
Kåñëa-näma is both the practice (sädhana)
and the goal
(sädhya). The topmost name, as
taught by Çré Gaurasundara, is
the Hare Kåñëa mahä-mantra.
Nowadays, non-devotees write
lyrics that are imaginary and full of rasa-äbhäsa,
overlapping of
transcendental mellows. Many people
understand these lyrics to
be näma-mantras, but such mantras
are not mentioned in the
scriptures and it is improper to chant
them. Çréman Mahäprabhu
(Çré Caitanya-bhägavata (Madhya-khaëòa
13.10)) has given the
order: “ihä vai ära nä bolibä
boläibä – ask them to chant only
Hare Kåñëa, nothing else.”
(8) Äsaktis tad-guëäkhyäne – The
thirst of a bhäva-bhakta to
describe and hear the sweet pastimes of
Çré Kåñëa, which are
filled with all auspicious qualities,
is never satiated. The more he
hears, the more his attachment
increases.
(9) Tad-vasati-sthale-préti –
The desire to reside in Çré Våndävana,
Çré Navadvépa or other abodes of
Bhagavän is called tad-vasatisthale-
préti, affection for the transcendental residences of
Bhagavän. Living in the dhäma is
only beneficial when one has
the association of pure devotees.
Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura sings in his
song Çuddha-bhakata:
gaura ämära ye saba sthäne karalo
bhramaëa raìge
se saba sthäna heriba ämi
praëayi-bhakata-saìge
In the association of loving devotees,
I will go to all the places that
Gaura joyfully visited.
ÇRÉ BHAJANA-RAHASYA
2 4 4
And in the song Kabe gaura-vane,
he sings: “dhäma-väsé-jane
praëati kariyä mägiba kåpära leça – when will I offer obeisances
to all the residents of the dhäma,
begging one drop of
mercy from them?”
If it is not possible to physically
live in the dhäma, then one
should live there mentally, and, in the
company of pure devotees,
one should hear and recite Çrémad-Bhägavatam
and other
scriptures. This is the same as
living in the dhäma.
If some of the symptoms of bhäva are
observed in karmés,
who desire sense enjoyment, or in jïänés,
who aspire for liberation,
one should understand that such
symptoms are nothing but
a reflection (pratibimba) of bhäva
or a semblance of rati (ratyäbhäsa).
When ignorant persons exhibit these
symptoms of
bhäva by virtue of their association with
devotees, it can be
called a shadow of bhakti (chäyä-rüpa-bhakty-äbhäsa).
Text 4
The anubhävas that arise in a
devotee when he reaches a developed
stage of bhäva are listed in Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu
(2.2.2):
nåtyaà viluöhitaà gétaà
kroçanaà tanu-moöanam
huìkäro jåmbhaëaà çväsabhümä
lokänapekñitä
läläsrävo ’ööa-häsaç ca
ghürëä-hikkädayo ’pi ca
The external transformations that
reveal the heart’s emotions
(bhävas) are called anubhävas.
They are dancing (nåtya), rolling
on the ground (viluöhita),
singing (géta), loud crying (kroçana),
writhing of the body (tanu-moöana),
roaring (huìkära), yawning
(jåmbhaëa), breathing heavily (çväsa-bhümä),
neglecting others
2 4 5
6 / ÑAÑÖHA-YÄMA-SÄDHANA
(lokänapekñitä), drooling (läläsräva),
loud laughter (aööa-häsa),
staggering about (ghürëä) and
hiccups (hikkä).
nåtya, gaòägaòi, géta, cétkära, huìkära
tanu-phole, häìé uöhe, çväsa bära bära
lokäpekñä chäòe, läläsräva, aööa-häsa
hikkä ghürëä bähya anubhäva suprakäça
Bhajana-rahasya-våtti
With the development of the sädhaka’s
transcendental emotions,
the above-mentioned anubhävas manifest.
Not caring for public
opinion, the sädhaka chants and
dances. It is impossible for
worldly-minded persons to understand
such activities of the
devotees. The behaviour of the
devotees who can taste bhäva
(bhävuka-bhaktas) is completely
different from that of mundane
persons. Sometimes, hypocrites, who
desire material gain,
worship or fame, imitate the activities
of pure devotees. Once,
while watching a snake dance, näma-äcärya
Çréla Haridäsa
Öhäkura remembered Çré Kåñëa’s pastime
of subduing Käliyanäga
(käliya-damana-lélä) and started
to dance. Other devotees
took his foot-dust and smeared it on
their heads, considering
themselves very fortunate. An envious brähmaëa
began to imitate
Haridäsa Öhäkura, but no devotee was
attracted to him, and
instead he was scolded by the
snake-charmer.
Text 5
Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu (2.3.16) describes the añöa-sättvikabhävas
as follows:
te stambha-sveda-romäïcäù
svara-bhedo ’tha vepathuù
vaivarëyam açru pralaya
ity añöau sättvikäù småtäù
2 4 6
ÇRÉ BHAJANA-RAHASYA
The añöa-sättvika transformations
of bhäva are: (1) becoming
stunned (stambha), (2)
perspiration (sveda), (3) standing of the
hairs on end (romäïca), (4)
faltering of the voice (svara-bheda),
(5) trembling (kampa), (6) loss
of colour (vaivarëya), (7) tears
(açru) and (8) loss of
consciousness or fainting (pralaya).
stambha, sveda, romäïca o kampa
svara-bheda
vaivarëya, pralaya, açru
vikära-prabheda
Bhajana-rahasya-våtti
In the pure consciousness (çuddha-sattva)
of the living entity,
when the action of the heart (citta)
becomes stimulated it precipitates
further action. At that time a natural
wonderfulness
arises, which makes the heart blossom
in various ways. This
externally manifests as udbhäsvaras,
anubhävas that manifest as
external actions. These
transformations, such as dancing and so
forth, are of many varieties. When the anubhävas,
which nourish
vibhäva, arise in the heart, they pervade the
body as udbhäsvaras.
The word sattva refers to the heart
that is directly stimulated
by transcendental sentiments. The bhävas,
or emotions, that arise
from this sattva are called sättvika-bhävas.
Becoming stunned
(stambha), trembling (kampa)
and so forth are symptoms of
sättvika transformations. When the sädhaka’s heart
attains oneness
with sättvika-bhävas, it submits
itself to the life-air (präëa).
Then, when the präëa is excited,
it is transformed, causing
excessive agitation to the body. At
that time, stambha (becoming
stunned) and other transformations arise.
In anubhävas such as dancing (nåtya),
the bhäva that is manifested
by sattva does not directly
perform the activity. Rather, the
activity is performed as a result of
the intelligence being stimulated.
In the sättvika-bhävas such as stambha,
however, the
intelligence is not needed, as the sättvika-bhäva
itself directly
performs the activity. For this reason,
anubhävas and sättvikabhävas
are considered to be different.
Om Tat Sat
(Continued...)
(My
humble salutations to the lotus feet of Swami jis great Devotees , Philosophic
Scholars, Purebhakti dot com for
the collection)
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