VERSE 8<\/h2>\n
\u0924\u0928\u094d\u0928\u093e\u092e\u0930\u0942\u092a\u091a\u0930\u093f\u0924\u093e\u0926\u093f\u0938\u0941\u0915\u0940\u0930\u094d\u0924\u0928\u093e\u0928\u0941-
\n\u0938\u094d\u092e\u0943\u0924\u094d\u092f\u094b\u0903 \u0915\u094d\u0930\u092e\u0947\u0923 \u0930\u0938\u0928\u093e\u092e\u0928\u0938\u0940 \u0928\u093f\u092f\u094b\u091c\u094d\u092f \u0964
\n\u0924\u093f\u0937\u094d\u0920\u0928\u094d \u0935\u094d\u0930\u091c\u0947 \u0924\u0926\u0928\u0941\u0930\u093e\u0917\u093f\u091c\u0928\u093e\u0928\u0941\u0917\u093e\u092e\u0940
\n\u0915\u093e\u0932\u0902 \u0928\u092f\u0947\u0926\u0916\u093f\u0932\u092e\u093f\u0924\u094d\u092f\u0941\u092a\u0926\u0947\u0936\u0938\u093e\u0930\u092e \u0965\u096e\u0965<\/p>\n
tan-n\u0101ma-r\u016bpa-carit\u0101di-suk\u012brtan\u0101nu-
\nsm\u1e5btyo\u1e25 krame\u1e47a rasan\u0101-manas\u012b niyojya
\nti\u1e63\u1e6dhan vraje tad-anur\u0101gi-jan\u0101nug\u0101m\u012b
\nk\u0101la\u1e41 nayed akhilam ity upade\u015ba-s\u0101ram<\/em><\/p>\nWord for Word
\n<\/strong>tan \u2013 <\/em>for K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a\u2019s; n\u0101ma \u2013 <\/em>Holy Name; r\u016bpa \u2013 <\/em>form; carita \u2013 <\/em>pastimes; \u0101di \u2013 <\/em>etc; suk\u012brtana \u2013 <\/em>chanting; anu-sm\u1e5btyo\u1e25 \u2013 <\/em>remembering; krame\u1e47a \u2013 <\/em>gradually; rasan\u0101 \u2013 <\/em>the tongue; manas\u012b \u2013 <\/em>mind; niyojya \u2013<\/em> engaging; ti\u1e63\u1e6dhan \u2013 <\/em>residing; vraje \u2013 <\/em>in Vraja; tad \u2013 anur\u0101gi-jana \u2013 <\/em>those eternal residents of Vraja who have attachment for K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a; anug\u0101m\u012b \u2013 <\/em>under the guidance; k\u0101lam \u2013 <\/em>time; nayet \u2013 <\/em>utilise; akhilam \u2013<\/em> all; iti \u2013 <\/em>this; upade\u015ba \u2013 <\/em>instructions; s\u0101ram \u2013 <\/em>essence.<\/p>\nTranslation
\n<\/strong>While residing in Vraja under the guidance of a resident of Vraja-dh\u0101ma, one should gradually spend all his time engaging the mind and tongue in chanting the Holy Name and remembering the Lord\u2019s divine form, qualities and pastimes. This is the essence of all instructions.<\/span><\/p>\nILLUMINATION<\/h2>\n
There are five stages of the s\u0101dhaka<\/em>. First is the hearing stage \u2013 \u015brava\u1e47a-da\u015b\u0101.<\/em> The second stage is vara\u1e47a-da\u015b\u0101<\/em> \u2013 acceptance by the guru and the disciple. Then s\u0101dhana-da\u015b\u0101<\/em> \u2013the attempt for realisation will begin. This stage is full of struggle; up to s\u0101dhana-da\u015b\u0101<\/em> it is a little painful. Then \u0101pana-da\u015b\u0101<\/em> \u2013 the stage of realisation. That is very sweet and one feels peaceful in bh\u0101va-bhakti<\/em>. Whatever pain is seen there is only apparent. Finally there is pr\u0101pana-da\u015b\u0101<\/em> \u2013 attainment, the stage of full self-surrender and distribution to others. One is finally detached from relativity and enters into that divine connection. By analysis these are the five stages of the s\u0101dhaka<\/em>.<\/p>\nSometimes we may be misguided to think that we must not study books and analyse things, \u201cWhy is this knowledge necessary? J\u00f1\u0101na<\/em> is anti-devotional. What is the necessity of knowing what is what? I shall go on chanting the Name and wherever there is any lecture explaining Bh\u0101gavatam<\/em> or Caitanya<\/em>–carit\u0101m\u1e5bta, <\/em>I will avoid that. That is all knowledge \u2013 j\u00f1\u0101ne pray\u0101sam udap\u0101sya namanta eva<\/em>!\u201d We may go on taking the Name, and whenever there is some explanation about devotion we try to avoid it. But this is not good because if we hear from the proper source we will get some sort of knowledge that gives us impetus for going on in our s\u0101dhana<\/em>. When any illumination or revelation is coming through a real agent who is higher than us, we should be very earnest to hear those things. That will consolidate our position and help us to go ahead in our s\u0101dhana<\/em>. That should not be eliminated as mere knowledge. That is siddh\u0101nta<\/em>. Who is K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a, how He is Svaya\u1e41-Bhagav\u0101n, who is N\u0101r\u0101ya\u1e47a, what are the twenty-four layers of misconception, what is Vaiku\u1e47\u1e6dha and Goloka, who is Baladeva, what are the different rasas<\/em> \u2013 if all these things are being explained and I say, \u201cOh no, it is all j\u00f1\u0101na<\/em>, I must dismiss it and take the Name\u201d then this is foolishness. This should be considered as indolence. This knowledge will advance our faith most profoundly and these sort of discussions should be automatically invited.<\/p>\nTwenty-Four Hours Service<\/h3>\n
One western gentleman once told that there are many conceptions of religion in different parts of the world, but we do not find any conception of religion where twenty-four hours a day can be devoted in the service of the Supreme Lord. Not only Sunday, not only twice in the day, not only thrice in the day, but every hour and second devoted in the service of the Supreme Entity and nothing left behind. That is never to be found anywhere but Gau\u1e0d\u012bya Vai\u1e63\u1e47avism. This sort of service is only possible in k\u012brtaniya sad\u0101 hari\u1e25<\/em> and in the a\u1e63\u1e6da-k\u0101l\u012bya-l\u012bl\u0101<\/em> of \u015ar\u012b K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a-candra Himself in the m\u0101dhurya-rasa.<\/em><\/p>\nM\u0101dhurya-rasa<\/em> is the total rasa<\/em>, and the most intense of all rasas<\/em>. It is all accommodating. Twenty-four hours engagement in the service of K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a is only possible in m\u0101dhurya-rasa<\/em>. There is the possibility of tiredness in all other rasas<\/em>, even v\u0101tsalya-rasa<\/em>. Sometimes the father or mother may think, \u201cI am too much tired, I make arrangements a little after.\u201d But in m\u0101dhurya-rasa<\/em>, there is no such reaction. Of course, these things are of a very higher order.<\/p>\nVi\u015bvan\u0101tha Cakravart\u012b \u1e6ch\u0101kura has shown, as Kavir\u0101ja Gosv\u0101m\u012b has in his Govinda-l\u012bl\u0101m\u1e5bta<\/em>, the eight praharas<\/em> \u2013 twenty-four hours service. One prahara<\/em> means a fourth part of a day or night. Twenty-four hours are divided into eight praharas<\/em>, and that is known as a\u1e63\u1e6da-k\u0101l\u012bya.<\/em> Vi\u015bvan\u0101tha Cakravart\u012b has written about this in his \u015ar\u012b K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a-\u200bbh\u0101van\u0101m\u1e5bta<\/em>. There he has given the a\u1e63\u1e6da-k\u0101l\u012bya-l\u012bl\u0101<\/em> in r\u0101dh\u0101-d\u0101syam <\/em>\u2013 how the she-friends and servitors of R\u0101dh\u0101r\u0101\u1e47\u012b have their twenty-four hours duty in the camp of R\u0101dhik\u0101 in Her service. R\u0101dh\u0101r\u0101\u1e47\u012b is already wholly given to K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a, there is no question and Their twenty-four hours program is explained elaborately by Vi\u015bvan\u0101tha Cakravart\u012b \u1e6ch\u0101kura. However, \u015ar\u012b K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a-bh\u0101van\u0101m\u1e5bta<\/em> is for the higher students only.<\/p>\nBhaktivinoda \u1e6ch\u0101kura also gives these things in Jaiva Dharma<\/em> but with much caution. We have gone through Bhaktivinoda \u1e6ch\u0101kura\u2019s writings, but we did not miss his warnings. We must be practical in our attempts for such things are not imaginary. Some westerners think that eastern philosophy is something like imagination so they pass through it very quickly without giving attention to so many steps. This means they are self-deceivers. One who desires real sincere improvement will not omit any steps. \u015araddh\u0101, s\u0101dhu-\u200bsa\u1e45ga, bhajana-\u200bkriy\u0101, anartha-\u200bniv\u1e5btti, ni\u1e63\u1e6dh\u0101, ruci, asakti<\/em> then bh\u0101va<\/em>. They must be true to their own self whether they have followed these steps. R\u0101ga-m\u0101rga<\/em> proper begins at bh\u0101va-bhakti<\/em>. Up to the awakening of real bh\u0101va<\/em> one must follow vaidhi-bhakti<\/em> and anartha-niv\u1e5btti<\/em> in order to be sure that attraction for any charm of this material world has gone altogether. But those who are self-deceivers want it very cheaply. They want to buy very cheap food.<\/p>\nDh\u012bra<\/em> means a master of his own senses. Only such a devotee is qualified to try to enter into this flavour, not those that are not masters of their own senses.<\/p>\nnaitat sam\u0101carej j\u0101tu manas\u0101pi hy an\u012b\u015bvara\u1e25
\nvina\u015byaty \u0101caran mau\u1e0dhy\u0101d yath\u0101\u2019rudro\u2018bdhi-jam vi\u1e63am<\/em><\/p>\nOne who is not a great controller should never imitate the behaviour of ruling personalities, even mentally. If out of foolishness an ordinary person does imitate such behaviour, he will simply destroy himself, just as a person who is not Rudra would destroy himself if he tried to drink an ocean of poison. (\u015ar\u012bmad Bh\u0101gavatam<\/em> 10.33.30)<\/p>\nDue to ignorance, if anyone ventures to enter into this domain even mentally then, vin\u0101\u015byati<\/em> \u2013 he will be doomed. If he is not \u015aiva, if he takes poison, he is sure to die. \u015aiva drank poison but it became an ornament on his throat. But one who is not \u015aiva, if he takes poison, he will die. One who is not dh\u012bra<\/em> and who has no control over their senses, if they venture to enter into this domain, they are sure to die. This warning is given in Bh\u0101gavatam<\/em> by \u015aukadeva Gosv\u0101m\u012b. It is nectar, but still you must come and take it properly. There is a possibility of mistaking it for your awkward enjoyment and then you will be doomed forever.<\/p>\nThe higher literatures for the highly realised souls should not be propagated in a very broad way. They are only meant for a very select few who can come up to that mark and have entrance to discuss, think and work according to that high direction. But the general requirement is \u015braddh\u0101<\/em> for Mah\u0101prabhu and \u015braddh\u0101<\/em> for K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a Consciousness. M\u0101dhurya-rasa<\/em> especially and parak\u012bya<\/em> \u2013 these two planes may be misunderstood by the general people. It is beyond their conception that we can relate with God as a wife or mistress. We may be able to accommodate a wife, but a mistress of God \u2013 is that possible? The conception of Godhead and the conception of His mistress at the same time are impossible to conceive for the ordinary intellect.<\/p>\nWho Will Take Such a Risk?<\/h3>\n
Our Guru Mah\u0101r\u0101ja once told that there was one scholar in Dacca University who used to teach Sanskrit literature to the post-graduate students and there was one girl who was his student in that class. That gentleman was a good scholar and he used to teach from the books written by R\u016bpa Gosv\u0101m\u012b \u2013 Ujjvala-n\u012blama\u1e47i<\/em> etc. Prabhup\u0101da objected to this, \u201cWhat is he teaching? This is not for school students. Only the highest religious preachers have entrance in that domain and he is taking it like this!\u201d Later, it so happened that that gentleman had to marry that girl. When that happened then our Guru Mah\u0101r\u0101ja told that this occurred because that fellow did not understand the dignified position of R\u016bpa Gosv\u0101m\u012b. Such high topics should not be brought very much to the ordinary people. It should only be kept for select people who are at the stage of Uddhava:<\/p>\n\u0101s\u0101m aho cara\u1e47a-re\u1e47u-ju\u1e63\u0101m aha\u1e41 sy\u0101\u1e41
\nv\u1e5bnd\u0101vane kim api gulma-latau\u1e63adh\u012bn\u0101m
\ny\u0101 dustyaja\u1e41 sva-janam \u0101rya-patha\u1e41 ca hitv\u0101
\nbhejur mukunda-padav\u012b\u1e41 \u015brutibhir vim\u1e5bgy\u0101m<\/em><\/p>\nMy desire is to become a blade of grass or a creeper that grows in the forest of Vraja. In that way, it will be possible for me to receive the dust of the feet of those great personalities who have worshiped the lotus feet of the great liberator, Mukunda. The dust of the feet of these great personalities is sought after even by the Vedas<\/em>. Leaving aside the affection of their own kith and kin, which is ordinarily impossible to give up, the gop\u012bs<\/em> of Vraja have sacrificed everything for the satisfaction of \u015ar\u012b K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a. (\u015ar\u012bmad Bh\u0101gavatam <\/em>10.47.61)<\/p>\nSva-janam \u0101rya-patha\u1e41 ca <\/em>\u2013 we must be willing to sacrifice the relationships of those whom we consider to be our own kith and kin, our own intimate friends. \u0100rya-patha<\/em> \u2013 those who are recommended by the stalwarts or the leaders of the gregarious society should also be given up. So much risk! Who will come forward to take such a risk? A bad name and even the least help we can expect from our nearest and dearest. All eliminated! Taking the fullest risk to cast towards one who is an Autocrat\u2013 but beautiful. Such a degree of sacrifice was considered to be the highest even by Uddhava, the greatest of the devotees whom K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a Himself describes in His own words:<\/p>\nna tath\u0101 me priyatama \u0101tmayonir na \u015ba\u1e45kara\u1e25
\nna ca sa\u1e45kar\u1e63a\u1e47o na \u015br\u012br naiv\u0101tm\u0101 ca yath\u0101 bhav\u0101n<\/em><\/p>\nNeither Brahm\u0101, nor \u015aiva, nor Sa\u1e45kar\u1e63a\u1e47a of Vai\u00adku\u1e47\u1e6dha, nor the goddess of fortune, Lak\u1e63m\u012b Dev\u012b, nor even My own self is as dear to Me as you. You are My favourite, Uddhava. (\u015ar\u012bmad Bh\u0101gavatam<\/em> 11.14.15)<\/p>\nUddhava speaks so highly about the gop\u012bs<\/em>. Such things are not to be dragged into the ordinary intellect of the common audience. That is \u015brutibhir vim\u1e5bgy\u0101m<\/em> \u2013 even the Vedas<\/em> are only showing the direction but they cannot fully express. It is the highest point of revelation. They can only point from a distance and show that k\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a-l\u012bl\u0101<\/em> is the highest l\u012bl\u0101<\/em> on this side. \u201cWe can\u2019t express that\u201d \u2013 this is the attitude of the revealed scriptures of the highest order. You should not venture to drag the whole thing into this mundane world. We must keep that on our heads.<\/p>\nP\u016bjala r\u0101ga-patha gaurava-bha\u1e45ge<\/em> \u2013 the very tenor of the preaching of our Guru Mah\u0101r\u0101ja was this. He used to worship the patha<\/em>, the way of r\u0101ga<\/em> \u2013 the highest love. He did not try to bring it down here. Hold this on your head \u2013 the r\u0101ga-patha<\/em>, the way of love to attain Him! Tread all possible stages of learning with a respectable attitude about the Supreme. Always keep the highest form of love affairs above your head. Otherwise, if you think you have got that, you are finished! You are doomed! It is not so cheap! Don\u2019t try to make it very cheap. It is very difficult.<\/p>\nSmara\u1e47a and K\u012brtana<\/h3>\n
Some \u0101c\u0101ryas<\/em> are of the opinion that smara\u1e47a <\/em>is more important than k\u012brtana<\/em>, because smara\u1e47a <\/em>is exclusively connected with consciousness, or is more concerned with the subtle part of our existence. They feel that smara\u1e47a<\/em> is the most effective form of s\u0101dhana<\/em>. But our Guru Mah\u0101r\u0101ja, J\u012bva Gosv\u0101m\u012b, and also Kavir\u0101ja Gosv\u0101m\u012b Prabhu laid stress on k\u012brtana<\/em> \u2013 especially for beginners. Our Guru Mah\u0101r\u0101ja clearly said that smara\u1e47a<\/em>, in a lower position, is injurious. We should take to sa\u1e45k\u012brtana<\/em>.<\/p>\nk\u012brtana-prabhave, smara\u1e47a haibe
\nse k\u0101le bhajana-nirjana sambh\u0101va<\/em><\/p>\nSmara\u1e47a<\/em> can only occur by the power of k\u012brtana<\/em>, and only at that time is solitary bhajana<\/em> possible. (Vai\u1e63\u1e47ava ke? <\/em>Verse 19)<\/p>\nWhen one is exclusively devoted and unconscious of the environment, then one may go on with his smara\u1e47a<\/em> within. But this is not at all possible for the beginners. J\u012bva Gosv\u0101m\u012b Prabhu says, yady\u0101pi anya bhakti\u1e25 kalau kartavya tad\u0101 k\u012brtan\u0101khy-bhakti-samyojanenaiva<\/em> \u2013 all other forms of s\u0101dhana<\/em> must be subservient to k\u012brtana<\/em>. This is the preaching of Mah\u0101prabhu because in Kali-yuga, k\u012brtana<\/em> has its own characteristic. But if any \u0101c\u0101rya<\/em> has stressed smara\u1e47a<\/em> anywhere that only means that k\u012brtana<\/em> is relative to the material environment and smara\u1e47a<\/em> is independent of material consideration. From that point they may have recommended that smara\u1e47a<\/em> is highest. But that is not accepted in a general way.<\/p>\nThe sahajiy\u0101s <\/em>are fond of smara\u1e47a<\/em> rather than k\u012brtana<\/em>. They are followers of the secluded life and in their mind they go on with smara\u1e47a<\/em>. They collect information about their age, their identification as a particular sakh\u012b<\/em>, and her place of attendance in a particular