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EDITORIAL February 2, 1999 VNN2952 Srila Prabhupada's Instructions On Spontaneous Devotional Service BY JNANADAS ADHIKARY EDITORIAL, Feb 2 (VNN) — Sum and Substance, Part 2 of 4 (Part 1) Discovering Srila Prabhupada's Instructions on Spontaneous Devotional Service Mahaprabhu's desire Srila Prabhupada published Chapter 7 of Caitanya Caritamrta as Lord Caitanya in Five Features some time before he published the whole of Caitanya-caritamrta. This chapter contains the account of how Caitanya Mahaprabhu defeated the Mayavadi sannyasis of Kasi. It also starts with a vivid account of how the Panca-tattva spread love of Krsna by tasting it themselves. The internal devotees or potencies [devotees in conjugal love] are all eternal associates in the pastimes of the Lord. Only with them does the Lord advent to propound the sankirtan movement, only with them does the Lord taste the mellow of conjugal love, and only with them does He distribute this love of God to people in general. The characteristics of Krsna are understood to be a storehouse of transcendental love. Although that storehouse of love came with Krsna when he was present, it was sealed. But when Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came with His other associates of the Panca-tattva, they broke the seal and plundered the storehouse to taste transcendental love of Krsna. The more they tasted it, the more their thirst for it grew. Sri Panca-tattva themselves danced again and again and thus made it easier to drink nectarean love of Godhead. They danced, cried, laughed and chanted like madmen, and in this way they distributed love of Godhead. [C.C. A.l. 7.18-22] The verses that follow describe how the flood of love for Krsna spread everywhere, overwhelming everyone. In his translations and purports, Srila Prabhupada uses the phrases "love of Godhead" and "Krsna consciousness" interchangeably. Obviously, Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to spread love of Krsna. And equally obviously, His process was to distribute it by tasting it Himself. And Srila Prabhupada intended the present Krsna consciousness movement to spread in the same way. "The present Krsna consciousness movement follows the same principle [of ecstatic dancing and chanting]" [C.C. A.l. 7.22, purport]. "We strictly follow the principles set down by the Panca-tattva" [C.C. A.l. 7.23, purport]. When I turned to Adi-lila, Chapter Four, I found more explicit instructions on spontaneous devotional service. I learned that it is superior to regulative devotional service, and that Srila Prabhupada intended us to aspire for it, and to engage in the spiritual practices for attaining it. The Lords desire to appear was born from two reasons: He wanted to taste the sweet essence of the mellows of love of God, and He wanted to propagate devotional service in the world on the platform of spontaneous attraction. Thus He is known as supremely jubilant and as the most merciful of all. [C.C. A.l. 4.15-16] In his purport to this verse Srila Prabhupada writes, The real purpose of Lord Krsnas appearance was to stage a dramatic performance of His transcendental pastimes at Vrajabhumi, thus exhibiting the highest limit of transcendental mellow in the exchanges of reciprocal love between the living entity and the Supreme Lord. These reciprocal exchanges are called raga-bhakti, or devotional service to the Lord in transcendental rapture. Lord Sri Krsna wants to make it known to all the conditioned souls that He is more attracted by raga-bhakti than vidhi-bhakti, or devotional service under scheduled regulations. It is said in the Vedas, raso vai sah: the Absolute Truth is the reservoir for all kinds of reciprocal exchanges of loving sentiments. He is also causelessly merciful, and He wants to bestow upon us this privilege of raga-bhakti. Sri Krsna wants all the conditioned souls to know that raga-bhakti is superior to vidhi-bhakti. He descended as Caitanya Mahaprabhu to spread this spontaneous love. And Srila Prabhupada is gaura- vani pracarine, spreading Mahaprabhus mission. If Srila Prabhupada is the topmost devotee and representative of the Lord, then how can this not be an important part of his mission? Again, in the pranams to Srila Prabhupadas spiritual master, we chant madhuryojjvala- premadya sri rupanuga-bhaktida. Thus, rupanuga-bhakti is the forerunner of madhurya-ujjvala- prema. Then, namaste gaura-vani sri murtaye dina tarine. Srila Prabhupadas spiritual master is the very embodiment of the gaura-vani which Srila Prabhupada is distributing. Srila Prabhupada writes that ISKCON was formed "to execute the order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura". [Caitanya-caritamrta, Concluding words]. The texts and purports in Chapter Four continue to extol spontaneous devotional service, and its superiority to regulative devotional service. "Then, by hearing about the pure love of the residents of Vraja, devotees will worship me on the path of spontaneous love, abandoning all rituals of religiosity and fruitive activity" [C.C. A.l. 4.33] Srila Prabhupada comments, Many realized souls, such as Raghunatha dasa Gosvami and King Kulasekhara, have recommended with great emphasis that one develop this spontaneous love of Godhead, even at the risk of transgressing all the traditional codes of morality and religiosity. [C.C. A.l. 4.33, purport] Now, why would he write that unless he meant us to take it very seriously? Nowhere does he say that this is impractical. On the contrary, he says that, when neophytes are elevated by regulated devotional service under the expert guidance of the spiritual master, "they too will be competent to hear of the love affairs of Radha and Krsna" [C.C. A.l. 4.35, purport]. Remembering Krsna with love It is clear from Bhagavad-gita that Srila Prabhupada wants us to engage consciously in devotional service, with the conscious intention of coming to the platform of being absorbed in Krsna consciousness. In Chapter Twelve, Krsna gives a list of alternative degrees of absorption in His service. 12.8 tells us: Just fix your mind upon Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and engage all your intelligence in Me. Thus you will live in Me always, without a doubt. [B.G. 12.8] 12.9 instructs Arjuna that if he cannot fix his mind on Krsna without deviation, then he should follow the regulative principles of bhakti-yoga. "In this way develop a desire to attain Me". Srila Prabhupada comments, In this verse, two different processes of bhakti-yoga are indicated. The first applies to one who actually has an attachment for Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by transcendental love. And the other is for one who has not developed an attachment for the Supreme Person by transcendental love. For this second class there are different prescribed rules and regulations one can follow to be ultimately elevated to the stage of attachment to Krsna. This stage of attachment, then, is the ideal. Srila Prabhupada emphasises the importance of developing love for Krsna. But for spiritual life, one must be elevated to the pure stage of love. That stage of love can be achieved by practice of devotional service, performed with the present senses. .... Now the heart has to be purified of the material association, and that dormant, natural love for Krsna has to be revived. That is the whole process. [B.G. 12.9, purport] (emphasis added) I remembered Prana dasas presentation on continual remembrance of Krsna. Here was a new perspective on what he had said. He had quoted from the Introduction of Bhagavad-gita. Therefore we have to practice remembering the Lord always, twenty-four hours a day, by chanting His names and moulding our lifes activities in such a way that we can remember Him always. .... This is the art, and this is also the secret of Bhagavad-gita: total absorption in the thought of Sri Krsna. .... If one has fifty years of life ahead of him, he should engage that brief time in cultivating this practice of remembering the Supreme Personality of Godhead. [pp. 28-30] This was a very strong instruction. But how was it possible? Srila Prabhupada explains: A strong sense of love is required here. If we have a strong sense of love for the Supreme Lord, then we can discharge our duty and at the same time remember Him. But we have to develop that sense of love. [B.G., p.28] I didnt understand what Srila Prabhupada meant when I first read this, or for a long time afterwards. But now I could understand, at least theoretically: the art and secret of Bhagavad-gita is to remember Krsna twenty-four hours daily, and to practise this, we have to develop love for Krsna on the platform of spontaneous devotional service. The importance of spontaneous devotional service For the first time I began to understand the importance of spontaneous devotional service in Srila Prabhupadas mission. In the first place, it is the actual goal of Krsna consciousness. The regulative principles are designed to take us gradually to the platform of spontaneous love of Krsna, which is the perfection of human life. [SP letter 29.4.1974] Regulative principles in devotional service are meant for those who have not invoked their natural love of Godhead. [C.C. A.l. 4.26, purport] Vaidhi-bhakti, that is apprenticeship. Real bhakti, para-bhakti is raganuga-bhakti. This raganuga- bhakti, we have to come to after surpassing the vaidhi-bhakti. In the material, if we do not try to make further and further progress in devotional service, if we are simply sticking to the sastric regulation process and we do not try to go beyond that ... We have to follow the regulative principles strictly. Without viddhi-bhakti, you cannot reach to the platform of raga-bhakti, although that is our aim. .... That is called para-bhakti. That para- bhakti is required. So this Krsna consciousness movement is gradually developing up to the stage of raga-bhakti or para-bhakti. Then life is successful. [Lecture, Vrindavana, 12.11.1972] Not only is spontaneous devotional service the goal of our practice, but unless and until we reach that platform, we are in danger of falling down. The sastric process is kanistha-adhikara, lowest stage of devotional service. Such devotee can fall down at any moment. Because he is on the prakrta stage. And prakrta means this gunamayi, prakrti. It is very strong. So any devotee can fall down if he remains prakrta-bhakta. [Lecture, Vrindavana, 12.11.1972] Srila Prabhupada explains this in detail in Caitanya-caritamrta. In Adi-lila, 4.35, he establishes the "imperative" need to come to the platform of spontaneous devotional service. He then writes, One who has not been attracted by the transcendental beauty of rasa will certainly be dragged down into material attraction, thus to act in material contamination and progress to the darkest region of hellish life. But by understanding the conjugal love of Radha and Krsna, one is freed from the grip of attraction to material so-called love between man and woman. ... If one is not attracted by the transcendental nature of Krsna, one is sure to be attracted to material enjoyment, thus to become implicated in the clinging network of virtuous and sinful activities and continue material existence by transmigrating from one material body to another. Only in Krsna consciousness can one achieve the highest perfection in life. [C.C., A.l. 4.35, purport] Spontaneous devotional service attracts Krsna Why is spontaneous devotional service the goal of Krsna consciousness? Because it is the only way to attract Krsna. Specifically, it is the only way of attaining loving service to Radha and Krsna in Vraja. Everywhere in the world people worship Me according to scriptural injunctions. But simply by following such regulative principles one cannot attain the loving sentiments of the devotees in Vrajabhumi. Knowing my opulences, the whole world looks upon Me with awe and veneration. But devotion made feeble by such reverence does not attract Me. By performing such regulated devotional service in awe and veneration, one may go to Vaikuntha and attain the four kinds of liberation" [C.C. A.l. 3.15-17] I found the same conclusion in the conversation between Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Ramananda Raya. One can attain such perfection only by spontaneous love of God. One cannot obtain Krsna in Goloka Vrindavana simply by serving the Lord according to regulative principles. [C.C. M.l. 8.226] Unless one follows in the footsteps of the gopis, he cannot attain the service of the lotus feet of Krsna, the son of Nanda Maharaja. If one is overcome by knowledge of the Lords opulence, he cannot attain the Lords lotus feet, even though he is engaged in devotional service. [C.C. M.l. 8.230] This came as a shock. Previously, I had just thought about going back to Godhead. I had thought in terms of regulated devotional service, tacitly assuming that there was nothing else for me. I had believed that I would go back to Godhead at the end of this lifetime, if I chanted sixteen rounds, followed the four regulative principles and engaged in preaching activities. I had understood that Srila Prabhupada had promised this, and had assumed that Srila Prabhupada meant that he would take me back to Vraja. Hence, when I had read these verses in Caitanya-caritamrta in the past, my mind had just glided straight past them. But now it didnt. Sri Krsna Himself was saying that if I wanted to get to Vraja, I would have to develop spontaneous devotional service. This was evidently the sastric conclusion. Now, was Srila Prabhupada going to make a special arrangement for us? Did he specifically promise to take us back to Vraja on the strength of our vaidhi-bhakti? As far as I saw, he upheld the sastric conclusion. One can worship the Laksmi-Narayana by the process of vidhi-marga, worshipping the Lord with regulative principles according to the instructions of the sastra and the spiritual master. However, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Radha-Krsna, cannot be directly worshipped by this process. The dealings between Radha and Krsna and the gopis are devoid of the opulences of Laksmi-Narayana. The process of vidhi-marga, following the regulative principles, is utilized in the worship of Laksmi- Narayana, whereas the process of spontaneous service -- following in the footsteps of the gopis, who are the denizens of Vrindavana -- is transcendentally more advanced and is the process whereby Radha and Krsna are worshipped. One cannot attain this elevated position while worshipping the Lord in His opulence. Those attracted by the conjugal love between Radha and Krsna must follow in the footsteps of the gopis. Only then is it possible to enter into the Lords service in Goloka Vrindavana and directly associate with Radha and Krsna. [C.C. M.l. 8.230, purport] Srila Prabhupada had made the same point in an earlier lecture. When we worship Radha-Krsna in our conditional stage, actually we worship Laxmi-Narayana. You have seen that picture. This vidhi-marga and raga-marga. Radha-Krsna worship is on the platform of pure love, and Laxmi-Narayana worship is on the regulative principles. So long as we do not develop our pure love, we have to worship on the regulative principles. [Radhastami Lecture, Montreal, August 30th 1968] Srila Prabhupada made the same point in The Nectar of Instruction, the "first instruction for neophyte devotees". One should bathe there [Radha-kunda] regularly and give up all material conceptions, taking shelter of Sri Radha and Her assistant gopis. If one is thus engaged during his lifetime, after giving up the body he will return back to Godhead to serve Sri Radha in the same way as he contemplated during his life on the banks of Radha-kunda. [NOI, Text Eleven, purport, p. 91] (emphasis added) I later found out that Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura makes the same point in his Sri Harinam Cintamani. It is therefore the goal of devotional service to enrol in Her [Srimati Radharanis] yutha or group. Service to Lord Krsna in Vraja is impossible without first taking shelter of the vraja-gopis. [Sri Harinam Cintamani, Chapter 15] Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura says the same in Sri Brahma-samhita, published by BBT. The devotees who are imbued with all-love, and who walk in the footsteps of the spiritual maids of Vraja, alone attain to the realm of Goloka. [BS, p.15] Here was a strong incentive for me to develop spontaneous devotional service. Srila Prabhupada had said that he resides eternally in Radha-Damodara temple in Vrindavana. He had written on the Jaladuta that he longed to go back to Vraja. O dear friend, in Your company I will experience great joy once again. In the early morning I will wander about the cowherd pastures and fields. Running and frolicking in the many forests of Vraja, I will roll on the ground in spiritual ecstasy. Oh, when will that day be mine? [Prayer to the Lotus Feet of Krsna, Vaisnava Song Book, p. 27-28] If I wanted to be sure of being with Srila Prabhupada eternally, then I would have to develop the service mood of the residents of Vraja: spontaneous devotional service. I couldnt say that Srila Prabhupada wasnt able to make a special arrangement for me. He could intercede with Radha and Krsna on my behalf. But he clearly did not want me to rely on him to do so. He didnt want me to remain indefinitely in vaidhi-bhakti. Rather, he wanted me to come to the platform of spontaneous devotional service. I remembered reading a book which showed how the early Christians changed Christs message. Christ preached love of God. He said that the First Commandment was to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with thy soul, with thy strength and with all thy might. But within a single generation, Paul had changed the message: "Believe in Jesus, and your sins will be forgiven; you will be saved". This was a movement away from love of God, and towards liberation. I wondered if something similar was taking place in the Krsna consciousness movement. Srila Prabhupada came to teach us how to engage in pure devotional love for Krsna on the spontaneous platform: "Learn to love Radha and Krsna in this lifetime, and you will be with Them in the next lifetime". The message seemed to have changed: "Just follow the principles and preach, and believe in Srila Prabhupada. He will take you back to be with Radha and Krsna". "Is the movement moving away from love of God, and towards a desire for liberation?" I asked myself. Krsna consciousness is spontaneous devotional service The purpose of regulated devotional service is to bring us to the point of spontaneous devotional service. And only by performing spontaneous devotional service could I come to the platform of serving Radha and Krsna in Vraja. Now I found another reason why Srila Prabhupada was recommending spontaneous devotional service. He intended us to take up Krsna consciousness or pure devotional service. And Krsna consciousness, or pure devotional service, actually is spontaneous devotional service. And only when affection comes to the platform of spontaneous love is it counted in the category of pure devotional service. [NOD, Ch 15, p.120] The regulative principles help ordinary devotees rise to the platform of perfect love of Godhead. Pure love for Krsna is the perfection of pure devotion, and pure devotional service is identical with spontaneous devotional service. [C.C. A.l. 4.22, purport] I was amazed. Granted, I had already noticed that Srila Prabhupada wrote on at least two levels. On the one hand, to encourage us, he was very liberal. He told us that we were becoming Krsna conscious, and that all of his sincere disciples were pure devotees. On the other hand, he was very demanding, and spoke of a pure devotee as someone who was totally attached to Krsna and detached from the material world. I had been debating with devotees who wanted to emphasise the highest criteria, and ignore the liberal criteria. But I had made a serious mistake in the opposite direction. I had ignored the highest criteria. In the final analysis, a pure devotee is one who is serving the Lord on the platform of spontaneous devotional service. And Krsna consciousness itself is actually identical with pure love for Krsna on the spontaneous platform. I realized that Srila Prabhupada had already explained this in "the sum and substance of all instruction". One who has not yet developed interest in Krsna consciousness should give up all material motives and train his mind by following the progressive regulative principles, namely chanting and remembering Krsna and His name, form, quality, pastimes and so forth. [NOI, Text Eight, purport] So far I had equated Krsna consciousness with those "progressive regulative principles". But here Srila Prabhupada was saying that Krsna consciousness is what would develop as a result of following those regulative principles, namely spontaneous devotional service. The point became still clearer to me when I studied the conversation between Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Ramananda Raya. During this conversation, Ramananda Raya presented different ideas about the perfection of life, starting with the basic instructions of Bhagavad-gita. At first, Mahaprabhu rejected these ideas one after the other as being external. Finally, He approved of the process of remaining where we are and hearing from bona fide authorities. Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.14.3, quoted in C.C. M.l. 8.67, instructs that we "should hear from self-realized devotees about Your holy name, form, pastimes and qualities". Srila Prabhupada comments: One has to practise this principle in order to make further progress. When further progress is actually made, one comes to the platform of ecstatic loving service to the Lord. This first stage is called sadhana-bhakti or devotional service in practice. The result of sadhana-bhakti must be ecstatic love, attachment for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, which is also called prema-bhakti" [C.C. M.l. 8.68, purport] (emphasis added). So it is expected and required that we come to this platform of spontaneous love for Krsna. At this point, Srila Prabhupada directly equates Krsna consciousness with spontaneous love for Krsna. Ramananda Raya quotes a verse from Padyavali. Pure devotional service in Krsna consciousness cannot be had even by pious activity in hundreds and thousands of lives. It can be obtained only by paying one price -- that is, intense greed to obtain it. If it is available somewhere, one must purchase it without delay. [C.C. M.l. 8.70] (This didn't sound like a promise that love for Krsna would appear spontaneously if I just got on with my sadhana and duties). Srila Prabhupada comments: The regulative principles according to the injunctions of the sastras are necessary insofar as ones original dormant Krsna consciousness is not spontaneously awakened. An example of spontaneous action is the flowing of rivers into the ocean. Nothing can stop this flow of water. Similarly, when ones dormant Krsna consciousness is awakened, it spontaneously flows to the lotus feet of Krsna without impediment. [C.C. M.l. 8.70, purport] Here he is saying quite clearly that our real Krsna consciousness appears at the point at which we develop spontaneous love for Krsna. In the purport to M.l. 8.71, Srila Prabhupada is even more explicit. Krsna consciousness is not just love for Krsna. Krsna consciousness is love for Krsna in an established and fixed relationship, (the first of which is dasya-rasa). Progressing from ecstatic love for Krsna without a fixed relationship, Ramananda Raya talks about dasya-rasa. Srila Prabhupada says: Spontaneous loving service to the Lord is called devotional service with an intimate attachment between the servitor and the served. This intimacy is called mamata. Between the servitor and the served there is a feeling of oneness. This mamata begins with dasya-prema, service rendered to the master by the servant. Unless there is such a relationship, the loving affairs between the Lord and the devotee are not actually fixed. [The word "fixed" refers to sthayi-bhava, establishing ones relationship to the Lord in one of the specific mellows]. When the devotee feels, "The Lord is my master" and renders service unto Him, Krsna consciousness is awakened. This fixed consciousness is on a higher platform than simple cognizance of love of Godhead. [C.C. M.l. 8.71, purport] (emphasis added) Later on in Mahaprabhus conversation with Ramananda Raya , Srila Prabhupada makes the same point even more clearly. When one has understood Krsna in truth but is still maintaining some material connection, he is known to be situated in his svarupa, his original consciousness. When that original consciousness is completely spiritual, it is called Krsna consciousness. One should execute his spiritual activities in the svarupa-gata stage of consciousness. [C.C. M.l. 8.139, purport] Sum and Substance, End of Part 2 of 4 See Part 1 Please send any responses to Madan Mohan dasa at: 106650.1421@compuserve.com Comment on this Story This story URL: http://www.vnn.org/editorials/ET9902/ET02-2952.html
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