Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda and the Gītā – Part 3

Śrīdhara Svāmīpāda has said in his commentary to the śloka in the Gītā, antavat tu phalaṁ teṣāṁ as follows:

tad evaṁ yadyapi sarvā api devatāḥ sarvātmano mamaiva tanavaḥ. atas tad-ārādhanam api vastuto mad-ārādhanam eva. tatra phala-dātāpi cāham eva. tathāpi sākṣān-mad-bhaktānāṁ teṣāṁ ca phala-vaiṣamyaṁ bhavatīty āha antavad iti. alpa-medhasāṁ paricchanna-dṛṣṭīnāṁ mayā dattam api tat-phalam antavad vināśi bhavati. Tad evāha devān yajantīti deva-yajaḥ. te devān antavato yānti. mad-bhaktās tu mām anādy-anantaṁ paramānandaṁ prāpnuvanti.

Thus, even though all the Devatās are indeed My expansions, because I am the Supreme Ātmā of all, the worship of them is ultimately worship of Me. Moreover, I am the bestower of the results of such worship. Yet, there is a disparity in the results attained by those who worship Me directly and those who worship the Devas. This is explained by the term antavat (limited or perishable). The results obtained by those of meagre intellect, whose vision is limited, are awarded by Me, yet those results are finite and subject to destruction. This is further clarified in the phrase devān yajanti, indicating those who worship the Devas. Such worshipers attain the Devatās, who are themselves temporary. But My devotees who worship Me directly, attain me – the eternal, beginningless, and infinite Supreme Being, full of transcendental bliss.

Thus, the worship of the highest transcendental subject, Śrī Bhagavān, and the worship of the bestowers of insignificant results are not the same. One must find a diamond by picking through stones, or remove a pearl from its shell.

ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs-tathaiva bhajāmy-aham
mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ

In whatever way people surrender unto Me, I reward them accordingly. O Pārtha, all men follow My path. (Bhagavad-gītā 4.11)

There are various differences of opinion seen in the explanation of this śloka. Śrīla Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda has revealed the essential of all these ślokas on the basis of śāstrika reasoning, and in this way has bestowed unending auspiciousness to the jīvas of this world. On the pretext of this śloka, the cid-jaḍa-samanyavādīs (those who equate matter with spirit) want to garner support for sarva-dharma-samanvaya (the philosophy of all religions leading to the same goal). Factually speaking, based on the true process, many cannot understand the expected result because they are under the spell of Duṣṭā Sarasvatī (the goddess of material knowledge). Although Bhagavān possesses equal vision and nobody is hated by Him or dear to Him, still, His relationship with the devotees is known everywhere in all the planetary systems. Śrī Bhagavān states:

samo’haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu na me dveṣyo’sti na priyaḥ
ye bhajanti tu māṁ bhaktyā mayi te teṣu cāpy-aham

I am equal to all living beings. I neither hate nor favour anyone. Yet whoever worships Me with devotion is with Me and I am certainly with them. (Bhagavad-gītā 9.29)

In spite of His being completely impartial, His partiality towards the devotees is inevitable. Based on one’s surrender, one achieves a result according  to that. Again, Bhagavān Himself has said this about the destination of those who are inimical towards Bhagavān or His devotees:

tān ahaṁ dviṣataḥ krurān saṁsāreṣu narādhamān
kṣipāmy-ajasram aśubhān āsurīṣv-eva yoniṣu

āsurīṁ yonim āpannā mūḍhā janmani janmani
mām aprāpyaiva kaunteya tato yānty-adhamāṁ gatim

Such envious and cruel persons are perpetually born among the impious and unrighteous where they suffer in the repeated cycle of birth and death, for they are the lowest of all mankind. O Kaunteya, continually taking birth amongst the impious, such foolish persons never attain Me. Rather, they fall to the most abominable destinations. (Bhagavad-gītā 16.19-20)

Persons of a demonic nature do not surrender to Bhagavān. Only those who surrender unto Him attain the qualification to cross over māyā. Who are the ones who do not surrender? About this, it is said:

na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ
māyayāpahṛta jñānā āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ
(Bhagavad-gītā 7.15)

“The foolish, the lowest amongst men, those whose intelligence has been stolen by māyā, and demonic-minded persons – such miscreants cannot surrender unto Bhagavān.”

catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ janāḥ sukṛtino’rjuna
ārto jijñāsur arthārthī jñānī ca bharatarṣabha
(Bhagavad-gītā 7.16)

This means those who are stricken with distress, the inquisitive, those who desire wealth and the knowledgeable – by the mercy of Bhagavān of His devotees, when these types of people become devoid of the influence of material desires, the subjugation of mundane morality, the hopes of attaining celestial planets after death, and the notion that the Supreme Object is non-eternal – when they become possessed of bhakty-unmukhi-sukṛti (sukṛti from previously engaging in bhakti), then only they attain an inclination towards bhagavat-bhajana. Otherwise, people who are wrongdoers can never achieve bhagavat–sevā. When the jīva has sukṛti, then he gives up the worship of other Devas. Although the influence of ignorance such as bādhitānuvṛtti may be seen,* still, as a result of hearing bhagavat–kathā in association with Bhagavān’s devotees, they can become completely delivered from all such influences and achieve the state of akiñcana (possessing no material desires) or uttama-bhakti (the highest stages of devotion). The wonderful essence which has been collected by Śrīmad Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura in explaining all these ślokas is to be discussed by all truth-seekers.

*Translator’s Note: Bādhitānuvṛtti means a continuance of a small trace of ignorance even after it is sublated.

api cet sudurācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk
sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ samyag vyavasito hi saḥ

kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā śaśvac chāntiṁ nigacchati
kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati

Even if one is impious and has committed abominable acts, if he worships Me with one-pointed devotion, such a person should be considered saintly because his determination is perfect. He quickly becomes virtuous again and attains everlasting peace. O Kaunteya, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes. (Bhagavad-gītā 9.30-31)

We have heard from the holy lips of Śrīla Prabhupāda that Śrīla Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda has given a wonderful explanation  of these two ślokas. In his state of aprākṛta-samādhi (transcendental trance), he went to the assembly of great stalwarts and saw Brahmā and other Devas discussing the verse, api cet sudurācāro. However, in their explanation a doubt arose concerning how one who is sudurācāra (most impious) can also be ananya-bhāk (an exclusive devotee). On this point, much discussion was going on. At that time, the Ṭhākura arrived and they respectfully gave him a seat and expressed a desire to hear the explanation of the words uttered by the divine mouth of Kṛṣṇa directly from Kṛṣṇa’s devotee. It is nothing new that Kṛṣṇa’s devotee is offered such respect, especially the very potency of svabhajana-vibhajana-prayojanāvatārī (the original Supreme Lord whose aim is to distribute His own worship and simultaneously taste His own intrinsic ecstasy). Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda is the potency of Bhagavān Gaurasundara, coming from Audārya Goloka, and Brahmā and the other Devas considered themselves to be supremely fortunate to have his rare darśana. When they all expressed their problem to the Ṭhākura, then he began stating with his natural humility, “No fault can touch an ananya-bhakta. If the vision of the seer is defective, then he sees the sudurācārya (impiety) of the ananya-śaraṇa-bhakta (exclusively surrendered devotee). Only when the seer becomes an ananya-śaraṇa-bhakta, then his consideration of seeing faults ceases. There can be no fault in a devotee who us a surrendered soul.

dīkṣā-kāle bhakta kare ātma-samarpaṇa
sei-kāle kṛṣṇa tāre kare ātma-sama

sei deha kare tāra cid-ānanda-maya
aprākṛta-dehe tāṅra caraṇa bhajaya

When a devotee dedicates himself at the time of dīkṣā, at that time, Kṛṣṇa accepts him as good as Himself. The devotee serves the Lord’s feet with a transcendental form which is comprised of consciousness and bliss. (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 4.192-193)

Seeing the faults of a devotee who is surrendered unto the lotus feet of Śrī Guru, the observer makes an offence. That is why Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmīpāda has especially given caution in his Upadeśāmṛta:

dṛṣṭaiḥ svabhāva-janitair vapuṣaś ca doṣair
na prākṛtatvam iha bhakta-janasya paśyet
gaṅgāmbhasāṁ na khalu budbuda-phena-paṅkair
brahma-dravatvam apagacchati nīra-dharmaiḥ

Devotees in this world should not be seen from a material perspective. Any imperfections found in their natures or their appearance should be overlooked for such faults are like the foam, bubbles and mud in the water of the Ganges. Such things appear due to the nature of water, but the divine nature of the Ganges is never diminished. (Upadeśāmṛta 6)

In this way, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has propagated śuddha-bhakti in unlimited and special ways. By churning the ambrosial ocean of the Gītā, the Ṭhākura has presented the very essence of that. Let the fortunate jīvas of the world, being moistened by the nectar of the mercy of the Ṭhākura, make their life successful by tasting the essence of that nectar under the guidance of his intimate associates. This is our only prayer.

We hope that, on the recent occasion of the completion of the grand centennial of the Ṭhākura’s appearance, we can sacrifice ourselves as humble offerings in the great saṅkīrtana yajña that was invoked by him. That blessing is the subject of our incessant prayer to all the Vaiṣṇavas who are the servants of the servants of Śrī Śrī Vinoda-Sarasvatī.

vāñcā-kalpa-tarubhyaś ca kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca
patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo vaiṣṇavebhyo namo namaḥ

• 📚 Nārada Bhakti Sutra Series
• 📚 Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad Series
• 📚 Kena Upaniṣad Series
• 📚 Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda and the Gītā Series
• Bhakti Siddhānta (Devotional Conclusions) by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura
• Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda and the Gītā – Part 1 by Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja
• The Secret of the Destruction of Devaki’s Six Unborn Children by Śrīla B.P. Purī Mahārāja
• Kṛṣṇa – The Supreme Vedāntist by Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedānta Swami Prabhupāda
• Gītā-Govinda of Jayadeva Gosvāmī by Śrīla Bhakti Gaurava Narasiṅgha Mahārāja
• Gīta Govinda Revisited by Śrīla Bhakti Gaurava Narasiṅgha Mahārāja
• The Literalist by Śrīla Bhakti Gaurava Narasiṅgha Mahārāja
• Advaita Prakāśa Reviewed by Swami B.V. Giri
• The Heart-Pursuit and the Head-Pursuit by Gaura Gopāla Dāsa

• An Assembly to Preserve the Bhakti Śāstra by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura
• Śrī Dayānanda Sarasvatī and the Tantra Śāstra by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura
• The Essence of the Ten Foundational Principles by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura
• Śrīmad Bhāgavatam Daśa Mūla by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura
• Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Daśa Mūla by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura
• Āmnāya Daśa Mūla by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura
• Bhagavad-gītā Daśa Mūla by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura
• The Secret of the Lord’s Appearance According to the Gītā by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura
• The Vedānta Philosophy by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura
• Philosophical Treatise by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura
• The Bhagavat – It’s Philosophy It’s Ethics and It’s Theology by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura
• Preface to Śrī Kṛṣṇa Karṇāmṛta by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura
• Introduction to Śrī Kṛṣṇa Vijaya by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura
• A Question and Answer Concerning Śrī Kṛṣṇa Saṁhitā by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura
• Vedānta Śāstra by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura
• ‘Śrī Muralī Vilāsa’ by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura
• Samālocana (A Critique) by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura