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EDITORIAL February 3, 1999 VNN2954 Srila Prabhupada's Instructions On Spontaneous Devotional Service BY JNANADAS ADHIKARY EDITORIAL, Feb 3 (VNN) — Sum and Substance, Part 3 of 4 (Part 1, Part 2) Discovering Srila Prabhupada's Instructions on Spontaneous Devotional Service The importance of association I had gained some new insights into Srila Prabhupadas instructions. To do that, I had depended on association. Now I began to notice more and more how consistently Srila Prabhupada emphasised the importance of association. In the Introduction to Bhagavad-gita, he refers to the process of constant rememberance of Krsna, and comments. This is not a very difficult process. However, one must learn it from an experienced person. Tad vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet: one must approach a person who is already in the practice. [B.G., Introduction, p. 30] We can attain spontaneous devotional service only if we are eager for it. And that eagerness comes from the association of devotees who already have it. Simply your eagerness. That is the price. This price you have to pay. Then you will get Krsna. Immediately. .... So this eagerness is very important. But it can be obtained by the association of devotees. [Lecture 5/8/72] Without the association of the topmost devotees, we cannot make advancement. Therefore, if we do not associate with the advanced devotees, uttama-adhikari, if we simply want to remain in the lowest stage of devotional service, then we are not making progress. [Lecture, Vrindavana, 12.11.1972] Srila Prabhupada gives the same instruction in the section of The Nectar of Devotion which deals with spontaneous devotional service. Elevation to this stage of ecstasy can be possible in two ways. One way is by constant association with pure devotees. The other way is by the special mercy of Krsna or by the mercy of a pure devotee of Krsna. Elevation to the ecstatic stage of life is generally obtained through the association with pure devotees, while elevation to that stage by the special mercy of Krsna or His devotee is very rare. .... It is essential, therefore, that one constantly associate with pure devotees who are engaged morning and evening in chanting the Hare Krsna mantra. .... [NOD, Ch. 17, p. 132] Srila Prabhupada has already defined a pure devotee as someone who is actually on the platform of 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] So in Chapter Seventeen of The Nectar of Devotion, he is prescribing association with devotees who are actually engaged in spontaneous devotional service. Now he continues to emphasise the importance of associating with pure devotees. When a pure devotee speaks, his words act upon the hearts of the audience. What is the secret of hearing and chanting? A professional speaker cannot impress transcendental ecstasy in the hearts of the listeners. However, when a realized soul who is engaged in the service of the Lord is speaking, he has the potency to inject devotional service within the audience. One should, therefore, seek the association of such pure, unalloyed devotees, and by such association and service a neophyte devotee will certainly develop attachment, love and devotion for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. [NOD, Ch. 17, p. 133] In the same chapter of The Nectar of Devotion we hear how Narada Muni progressed in devotional service by association with advanced devotees. These are practical examples of how one can develop to the stage of ecstatic love simply by the association of pure devotees. It is essential, therefore, that one constantly associate with pure devotees who are engaged morning and evening in the chanting the Hare Krsna mantra. In this way one will get the chance to purify his heart and develop this ecstatic love for Krsna. [NOD, Ch. 17, p. 132] This example was poignant for me. In Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.24, we read how, in his previous life, Narada Muni was blessed by the great devotees. The actual verse simply describes them as munis. In the word-for-word, Srila Prabhupada calls them "the muni followers of the Vedanta". In the purport to this verse, he describes how the bhakti-vedantas enlighten the people in general. This is his own inspiration, for there is no mention of Vedanta or bhakti-vedanta in the verse. Narada Munis bhakti-vedantas left him when he was a small child, just as my Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada left me when I was an inexperienced and helpless devotee. But in that purport, Srila Prabhupada says bhakti-vedantas in the plural three times. This is a standard device to emphasise the importance of an instruction. Was he telling me that there are more Bhaktivedantas? In The Nectar of Instruction, too, Srila Prabhupada makes it clear in that we need the association, direction, shelter and protection of an advanced and expert devotee. When one makes Vrindavana his residence, he should take shelter of an advanced devotee there. In this way one should always think of Krsna and His pastimes. .... [NOI, Text Eight, p.74] In this way, after developing a taste for such things, one should try to live in Vrindavana and pass his time constantly remembering Krsnas name, fame, pastimes and qualities under the direction and protection of an expert devotee. This is the sum and substance of all instruction regarding the cultivation of devotional service. [NOI, Text Eight, p.75-76] In Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Srila Prabhupada emphasises how conditioned souls can be purified by hearing about Krsnas pastimes from an advanced devotee. Sukadeva Goswami concludes the episode of rasa-lila by pointing out that if a person hears from the right source about the pastimes of Krsna, who is Vishnu Himself, and the gopis, who are expansions of His energy, then he will be relieved from the most dangerous type of disease, namely lust. If one actually hears rasa-lila, he will become completely freed from the lusty desire of sex life and elevated to the highest level of spiritual understanding. .... The conditioned soul should hear the rasa-lila dance from an authorised spiritual master and be trained by him so that he can understand the whole situation; thus one can be elevated to the highest standard of spiritual life. [Krsna Book, Chapter 33, Description of the Rasa Dance] Is spontaneous devotional service for someone like me? Having read some of Srila Prabhupadas instructions, I had reached a firm conclusion. He intended that I should take up spontaneous devotional service -- at some point. That was the whole purpose of his engaging me in devotional service in the first place. I did not doubt that. But when should I focus on this goal? Is that what I should do now? Was it for someone like me as I was, right now? Or would I come to it much later, when I had matured? I certainly needed something like this programme now. I didnt think that I could survive much longer without it. At the same time, the idea of taking it seriously at this point raised some serious doubts in my mind. These doubts were born partly of my own upbringing in Krsna consciousness, and partly through thinking about what other devotees would say to me. To avoid even one of these doubts would mean that I could not commit myself to the programme. I had to go through them and deal with them one by one. The biggest misgiving I had was whether it was appropriate for me to think about spontaneous devotional service now. Wasnt it pretentious for me even to want to develop spontaneous love at this stage? After all, there are instructions that we should not even aspire for this until we are liberated and free from material contamination. Unless one is liberated, he should not try to hear about the loving affairs between Radha and Krsna. [C.C. M.l. 8.255, purport] We must always remember that such eagerness to follow in the footsteps of the denizens of Vraja (Vrindavana) is not possible unless one is freed from material contamination. [NOD, p.126] Although I had accepted these instructions, I now found other instructions which seemed quite different. For example, in The Nectar of Instruction, he quotes Rupa Gosvamis Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1.2.295). In the transcendental realm of Vraja [Vraja-Dhama] one should serve the Supreme Lord, Sri Krsna, with a feeling similar to that of His associates, and one should place himself under the direct guidance of a particular associate of Krsna and should follow in his footsteps. This method is applicable both in the stage of sadhana [spiritual practices executed while in the stage of bondage] and in the stage of sadhya [God realization], when one is a siddha-purusa, or a spiritually perfect soul. [NOI, Text Eight, purport] I considered that I am obviously still "in bondage". According to this instruction, though, that is not a disqualification. I could still practise the process. Other instructions confirmed that it is alright to hear about Krsnas pastimes with the gopis before I am completely purified. Indeed, hearing about these pastimes was part of the process; I would become purified by hearing about them. Another secret of success is that when one is very much sexually agitated, he should think of Lord Krsnas pastimes with the gopis and he will forget his sex urge. [SP letter 11.11.1968] Srila Prabhupada explains this principle at length in Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead. In order to show them [conditioned souls] special favour, Krsna exhibited this rasa-lila dance. It is just to captivate the conditioned soul. Since they are very much attracted by sexology, they can enjoy the same life with Krsna and thus become liberated from the material condition. In the Second Canto of Srimad- Bhagavatam, Maharaja Pariksit also explains that the pastimes and activities of Lord Krsna are medicine for the conditioned souls. If they simply hear about Krsna they become relieved from the material disease. They are addicted to material enjoyment and are accustomed to reading sex literature, but by hearing these transcendental pastimes of Krsna with the gopis, they will be relieved from material contamination. [Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Chapter 33, Description of the Rasa Dance] I saw that there were two sets of instructions which appeared to contradict each other. On the one hand, Srila Prabhupada was saying that I could take up this process while I was still in bondage. On the other hand, he said that I should not take up the process before being liberated. But I didn't accept for a moment that Srila Prabhupada would actually contradict himself. So how could I resolve the apparent inconsistency? It seemed to hinge on what he meant by "free from material contamination" and "liberated". In the above passage from The Nectar of Devotion, Srila Prabhupada continues: We must always remember that such eagerness to follow in the footsteps of the denizens of Vraja (Vrindavana) is not possible unless one is freed from material contamination. In following the regulative principles of devotional service, there is a stage called anartha-nivrtti, which means the disappearance of all material contamination. [NOD, p.126] Here, Srila Prabhupada equates anartha-nivrtti with "the disappearance of all material contamination". However, elsewhere he has explained that this stage of anartha-nivrtti refers to the disappearance of gross sinful activities. By bhajana-kriya one obtains freedom from the contaminations of materialistic life. He no longer goes to a restaurant or hotel to taste so-called palatable dishes made with meat and onions, nor does he care to smoke or drink tea or coffee. He not only refrains from illicit sex, but avoids sex life entirely. Nor is he interested in wasting his time in speculating or gambling. In this way it is understood that one is becoming cleansed of unwanted things (anartha-nivrtti). [NOI, Text Seven, purport] Anartha-nivrtti does not refer to a stage in which all traces of sinful desire have disappeared from the heart. Even at the stage of nistha, which comes after anartha-nivrtti, Srila Prabhupada says that anarthas have only partially disappeared. Bhajana, devotional service, is possible when one is freed from these anarthas, unwanted things. .... The first step is that you must associate with devotees and then take to bhajana -- whether you are free from all the anarthas, all the unwanted things. If all the unwanted things are vanquished, then youll have firm faith. Bhaktir bhavati naisthiki. Not that I am completely free from all sinful activities, but prayesu, say, fifty percent, sixty percent is gone. At that time, nasta-prayesu abhadresu. How does it come to take place? Nityam bhagavata-sevaya. [SP lecture] Here "firm faith" and "naisthiki" refer to the stage of nistha. Srila Prabhupada gives a lenient definition of liberation when discussing Deity worship in Srimad-Bhagavatam. Text: Upon seeing the charming forms of the Lord, smiling and attractive, and hearing His very pleasing words, the pure devotee ... attains liberation without separate endeavour. Purport: There are three divisions of devotees -- first-class, second-class and third-class. Even the third class devotees are liberated souls. .... Simply by fixing oneself in Krsna consciousness, engaging the senses in the service of the Lord, one is imperceptibly liberated. .... Even the third-class devotee ... becomes imperceptibly liberated. .... In other words, it is confirmed herewith that even a third-class devotee is in the transcendental position. .... That third-class devotees can also imperceptibly achieve liberation is accepted in all Vedic literatures. [S.B. 3.25.36, verse and purport] I now turned back to Caitanya-caritamrta. Unless one is liberated, he should not try to hear of the loving affairs between Radha and Krsna. [C.C. M.l. 8.255, purport] In what sense was Srila Prabhupada using the word "liberated" here? I saw that he must be using it in a liberal sense here. He knew that serious devotees were not the only ones who would read his books. In a previous purport, he gives a strong warning to material scholars. Talks between Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Ramananda Raya were meant for advanced devotees only. Those who are on the mundane platform and who study these talks in order to put forward some thesis for a Ph.D. will not be able to understand them. Instead, these conversations will have a poisonous effect. [C.C. M.l. 8.250, purport] Then, in the purport to 8.255, Srila Prabhupada talks about liberation. In this purport, he first quotes S.B. 10.33.40. He who faithfully hears about the dealings between Lord Krsna and the gopis in the rasa dance and he who describes these activities attain to the perfectional stage of devotional service and simultaneously lose material, lusty desires. (If the hearer lost material, lusty desires through hearing, he couldnt have been free from material contamination previous to hearing). Srila Prabhupada then goes on to say, "When one is liberated and hears of Lord Krsnas and Radhas loving affairs, he is not inclined to have lusty desires". [C.C. M.l. 8.255, purport] Here Srila Prabhupada is giving the acid test. If on hearing these pastimes, I was "inclined to have lusty desires", then I shouldnt hear them. But if I could now happily hear about the Vraja pastimes without becoming agitated, then it would be beneficial for me to do so. Spontaneous devotional service and sahajiya-ism Although I was afraid of becoming a sahajiya, Srila Prabhupada did not actually say that anyone who develops sentiments through chanting is a sahajiya. On the contrary, he said that spiritual emotions are the perfection of life. Perhaps the whole movement had been traumatized by Srila Prabhupadas demolition of the "gopi-bhava" club. That's how it seemed. But what was a sahajiya actually? They want to utilize the love affairs of Krsna and the gopis for their debauchery. This is sahajiya. [Morning Walk, Los Angeles, 7.6.1976] Those who do not strictly follow the principles of revealed scriptures are generally called sahajiyas -- those who have imagined everything to be cheap, who have their own concocted ideas, and who do not follow the scriptural injunctions. Such persons are simply creating disturbances in the discharge of devotional service. [NOD, pp 60-61] The prakrta-sahajiyas do not consult the Vedic literatures, and they are debauchees, woman hunters and smokers of ganja. Sometimes they give a theatrical performance and cry for the Lord with tears in their eyes. [C.C. M.l. 1.34, purport] The regulative principles are designed to take us gradually to the platform of spontaneous love of Krsna, which is the perfection of human life. Those who think that they have already attained such perfection and give up the regulative principles are called sahajiya, or those who take things cheaply and simply imitate. [SP letter, 29.4.1974] So sahajiyas avoid consulting the Vedic literatures. They imagine that they have reached perfection, although they are still full of material desires. They imitate the pastimes of the Lord and the spiritual ecstasies of the real devotees, and they engage in illicit activity, sometimes on the strength of so-called religion. But would this apply to me if I took proper guidance, consulted appropriate literatures, and avoided imitating the activities of Krsna and the gopis? Would I then be a sahajiya? According to Srila Prabhupadas definition, I wouldnt. The deepest fear was that I would be "taking things cheaply" -- "Oooh, look at him! Who does he think he is? Hes always been in maya, and now he thinks hes on the perfectional platform. Hed be better off doing some proper service. Srila Prabhupada said, Work now, samadhi later". But I didnt think I was on the perfectional platform. I wouldnt be imagining that I was a gopi; I had already read that that was offensive. Suppose I simply heard some nice Krsna-katha; read some appropriate books; prayed for a taste for devotional service; and tried to take up residence in Vrindavana, at least within the mind. What would be the harm? Srila Prabhupada had recommended all of these things, and he said that it was legitimate to do such things while in the conditioned stage. I thought it was alright. A new doubt then arose. "You may think that you are authorised to take up this process now. But Srila Prabhupada broke up the gopi-bhava club in 1976. Do you really think that you are superior to those devotees?" But when I reread the transcription of Srila Prabhupada's comments on the gopi-bhava club, I saw that there was really no connection between that situation and this one. Srila Prabhupada had been told that the members were influenced by practising sahajiyas from Radha-kunda, and that some of them were engaged in illicit activity. There was another reason why the members of the "gopi-bhava club" were not well situated. The descriptions in Srimad-Bhagavatam of Krsnas dealings with the gopis relate to gopis who desired to serve Krsna in direct union with Him. However, Srila Prabhupada says in The Nectar of Instruction that the perfection of madhurya-rasa is to follow Radharanis serving maids. He also mentions Rupa Manjari and Rati Manjari by name. But those devotees had really had no clear guidelines at all to help them understand Srila Prabhupada's instructions. Sum and Substance, End of Part 3 of 4 Please send any responses to Madan Mohan dasa at: 106650.1421@compuserve.com * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * RADHA KRISHNA PREMA The Online Magazine for the Worldwide Gaudiya Vaishnava Community has now been updated (January 1999) with many new articles by Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Maharaja, following in the footsteps of Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, with much inspiring additional material from some of their most prominent disciples. You can access RADHA KRISHNA PREMA at the Temple of Understanding, or go direct to: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Olympus/2469/RKP.htm Please send any submissions or responses relating to any RADHA KRISHNA PREMA articles to Madan Mohan dasa at: 106650.1421@compuserve.com New update for The Temple of Understanding... Srila Prabhupada in real video and a complete list of Srila Narayana Maharaja's books http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Olympus/2469/ * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Comment on this Story This story URL: http://www.vnn.org/editorials/ET9902/ET03-2954.html
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