Sadhana-bhakti-tattva
Jnana-misra-bhakti:Devotion
Mixed with Knowledge
13.l
brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati na
kanksati
samah sarvesu bhutesu mad-bhaktim
labhate param
One who is situated in Brahman is joyful. He never
laments nor hankers
for anything. He is equally
disposed toward every living being. In that state he
attains pure devotional
service unto
Karma-misra-bhakti:Devotion
Mixed with Karma
13.2
yat karosi yad asnasi yaj juhosi dadasi
yat
yat tapasyasi kaunteya tat kurusva
mad-arpanam
O son of Kunti, whatever you do, whatever you eat,
whatever you offer or
give away, as well as
whatever austerities you perform should be done as an
offering unto
13.3
varnasramacaravata purusena parah puman
visnur-aradhyate pantha nanyas
tat-tosa-karakah
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Visnu, is
worshiped by the
proper execution of
prescribed duties in the system of varnasrama-dharma.
There
is no other way to satisfy
Lord Visnu. One must be situated in the one of the
four varnas and asramas. (Visnu Purana 3.8.9)
13.4
yajnarthat karmano 'nyatra loko 'yam
karma-bandhanah
tad-artham karma kaunteya mukta-sangah
samacara
Work done as a sacnfice for Visnu must be performed,
otherwise work
binds one to the material
world. Therefore, O son of Kunti, perform your pre-
scribed duties for His
satisfaction, and in that way you will always remain free
from bondage. (Bhagavad-gita 3.9)
The Definition of Bhakti
13.5
sa paranuraktirisvare
Transcendental attachment to the Supreme Lord is called
bhakti. (Sandilya-
bhakti-sutra)
13.6
anyabhilasita-sunyam
jnana-karmady-anavrtam
anukulyena krsnanu-silanam
bhaktir-uttama
Pure devotional service is free from all impurities,
beginning with karma
and jnana. In other words, it is devoid of all attempts to attain
fulfillment through
power and knowledge. Suddha-bhakti is the favorable
cultivation of service to
Krsna. In suddha-bhakti a devotee constanly serves
Krsna's desires. (Bhakti-
rasamrta-sindhu, Purva-vibhaga 1.11)
13.7
sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena
nirmalam
hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktirucyate
Devotional service means engaging all our senses in the
service of the Lord
of the senses. By this one is
liberated from all material designations and one's
senses are purified. (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, Purva-vibhaga
1.12)
The Srutis Glorify Bhakti
13.8
bhaktirevainam nayati bhaktirevainam
darsayati
bhaktivasah puruso bhaktireva bhuyasi
Bhakti leads the jiva to the Lord, and enables the soul
to see the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. The
Lord is controlled by bhakti. Bhakti is best of all.
(Madhvacarya's commentary on Vedanta-Sutra 3.3.53)
13.9
om amrtarupa ca
Bhakti has a nectarean form. (Narada-bhakti-sutra 1.3)
13.10
om yal labdha puman siddho
bhavatyamrti-bhavati trpto bhavati
On attaining divine love man attains perfection and
immortality. He be-
comes thoroughly satisfied. (Narada-bhakti-sutra 1.4)
13.11
om yat prapya na kincit vanchati na
socati na dvesti
na ramate notsahi bhavati
Upon attaining love of God one neither hankers nor
laments. He is freed
from attachment and
detachment, and takes no pleasure in material things.
(Narada-bhakti-sutra 1.5)
Two Kinds of Bhakti Vaidhi and Raganuga
13.12
sastroktaya prabalaya
tat-tan-maryadayanvita
vaidhi bhaktiriyam kaiscin-maryadamarga
ucyate
Devotional service governed by the rules and regulations
of the scriptures
is also called maryada-marga, or the reverential path
of devotion, the path of
serving the Lord in opulence,
by different scholars [such as Vallabhacarya].
(Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, Purva-vibhaga 2.269)
13.13
iste svarasiki ragah paramavistata
bhavet
tan-mayi ya baved-bhaktih sa'tra
ragatmikodita
Raga-bhakti is
complete absorbtion in the Deity of one's choice; that ab-
sorbing devotion is here
described as ragatmika-bhakti. In
other words, sponta-
neous attraction for Krsna
while being completely absorbed in thoughts of Him
with an intense desire of
love. (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, Purva-vibhaga 2.272)
Vaidhi-bhakti
13.14
surarse vihita sastre harimuddisya ya
kriya
saiva bhaktiriti prokta taya bhaktih
para bhavet
O sage amongst the demigods, Narada, those activities
prescribed in the
revealed scriptures for
satsifying the Supreme Personlality of Godhead, Lord
Hari, are called the
regulative principles of bhakti,
(sadhana-bhakti), by prac-
ticing which one may attain
the highest bhakti (prema). (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu,
Purva-vibhaga
2.13)
Raga-bhakti
13.15
loka-dharma, veda-dharma, deha-dharma,
karma
lajja, dhairya, deha-sukha,
atma-sukha-marma
dustyaja arya-patha, nija parijana
sva-jane karaye yata tadana-bhartsana
sarva-tyaga kari' kare krsnera bhajana
krsna-sukha-hetu kare prema-sevana
ihake kahiye krsne drdha anuraga
svaccha dhauta-vastre yaiche nahi kona
daga
ataeva kama-preme bahuta antara
ataeva gopi-ganera nahi kama-gandha
krsna-sukha lagi matra, krsna se
sambandha
atma-sukha-duhkhe gopira nahika vicara
krsna-sukha-hetu cesta mano-vyavahara
krsna lagi' ara saba kare parityaga
krsna-sukha-hetu kare suddha anuraga
Social
customs, scriptural injunctions, bodily demands, fruitive action, shy-
ness, patience, bodily
pleasures, self-gratification and the path of varnasrama-
dharma,
which is difficult to give up the gopis
have forsaken all these, as well
as their relatives and their
punishment and scolding, for the sake of serving
Lord Krsna.
They render loving service to Him for the sake of His
enjoyment. That is
called firm attachment to the
Lord. It is spotlessly pure, like a clean cloth that
has no stain. Therefore lust
and love are quite different. Lust is like dense dark-
ness, but love is like the
bright sun. Thus there is not the slightest taint of lust in
the gopis love. Their relationship with Krsna is only for the sake of
His enjoy-
ment. The gopis do not care for their own
pleasures or pains. All their physical
and mental activities are
directed toward offering enjoyment to Krsna. They
renounced everything for
Krsna. They have pure attachment (anuraga)
to giv-
ing Krsna pleasure. (Cc. Adi
4.167-172, 174-175)
The Nine Limbs of Bhakti
13.16
sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam
pada-sevanam
arcanam vandanam dasyam sakhyam
atma-nivedanam
Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name,
form, qualities,
paraphernalia and pastimes of
Lord Visnu, remembering them, serving the lo-
tus feet of the Lord,
offering the Lord respectful worship with sixteen types of
paraphernalia, offering
prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering
the Lord one's best friend,
and surrendering everything unto Him (in other
words, serving Him with the
body, mind and words) these nine processes are
accepted as pure devotional
service. (Bhag. 7.5.23)
13.17
iti pumsarpita visnau bhaktis cen
nava-laksana
kriyeta bhagavaty addha tan manye
'dhitam uttamam
These nine are the processes of pure devotional service.
One who has dedi-
cated his life to the service
of Krsna through these nine methods should be
considered most learned, for
he has acquired full knowledge. (Bhag.
7.5.24)
13.18
sri visnoh sravane
pariksidabhavad-vaiyasakih kirtane
prahladah smarane tad anghribhajane
laksmih prthuh pujane
akruras-tvabhivandane
kapi-patir-dasye'tha sarhye'rjunah
sarvasvatma-nivedane balirabhut
krsnaptiresam param
The following devotees attained Krsna and thus realized
the ultimate goal
of life by following one of
the nine methods of devotional service: Maharaja
Pariksita realized Krsna
through hearing about His glories (sravanam),
Sukadeva
Gosvami realized Krsna
through speaking the Srimad Bhagavatam (kirtanam).
Prahlada realized Him through
devotional remembrance (smaranam).
Laksmidevi attained His mercy
by serving His lotus feet (pada-sevanam).
Maharaja Prthu attained Him
through worship (arcanam). Akrura
attained Him
through prayer (vandanam). Hanuman attained Him through
personal service
(dasyam). Arjuna attained Him through friendship (sakhyam).
attained Him through complete
surrender of body, mind, and words (atma-
nivedanam).
(Padyavali 53)
Sravana
and Smarana are Best
13.l9
tasmat sarvatmana rajan harih sarvatra
sarvada
srotavyah kirtitavayas ca smartavyo
bhagavan nrnam
O King, it is therefore essential that every human being
hear about, glo-
rify, and remember the
Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead always and
everywhere. (Bhag. 2.2.36)
Sravana
13.20
tava kathamrtam tapta-jivanam kavibhir
iditam kalmasapaham
sravana-mangalam srimad atatam bhuvi
grnanti ye bhuri-da janah
O Krsna, just hearing the nectar of Your words and the
narrations of Your
pastimes gives life to us,
who are always suffering in the material world. This
nectar is broadcast all over
the world by great souls. It removes all sinful reac-
tions. It is all-auspicious
and filled with spiritual power. Those who spread this
message of Godhead are certainly
doing the greatest relief work for human
society; they are the most
magnanimous welfare workers. (Bhag.
10.31.9)
13.21
nivrtta-tarsair upagiyamanad
bhavausadhac chrotra-mano-'bhiramat
ka uttamasloka-gunanuvadat
puman virajyeta vina pasughnat
Glorification of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is
performed in the
parampara system; that is, it
is conveyed from spiritual master to disciple. Such
glorification is relished by
those no longer interested in the false, temporary
glorification of this cosmic
manifestation. Descriptions of the Lord are the right
medicine for all the
conditioned souls undergoing repeated birth and death.
Therefore, who will cease
hearing glorification of the Lord except a butcher or
one who is killing his self?
(Bhag. l0.l.4)
The Gradation of What is Obtained by Sravana
13.22
tac-ca nama-rupa-guna-lilamaya-sabdanam
srotasparsah.
prathamam namnah
sravanam-antah-karana-suddhyartham-peksam.
suddhe cantah-karane rupa-sravavena
tad-udaya-yogyata bhavati.
samyagudite ca rupe gunanam sphuranam
sampadyeta, sampanne ca
gunanam sphurane parikara-vaisisthyena
tad-vaisisthyam
sampadyate tatas-tesu
nama-rupa-guna-parikaresu samyak sphuritesu
lilanam sphuranam susthu bhavati.
tatrapi sravane sri bhagavata-sravanastu
parama-srestham.
Hearing of the name, form, qualities, and pastimes of the
Lord and His
devotees is called sravana. The practice of sadhana-bhakti depends on hearing
the holy name. It begins with
sravana, which purifies the heart of
the devotee.
This hearing process purifies
the heart and gives liberation from the filthiness
of sense gratification. In
this way, by hearing transcendental sound about the
form of Krsna, gradually the
complete form of the Lord awakens within the
heart. Then gradually the
qualities of the Lord arise within the heart. As His
qualities fully manifest
themselves, the different specific aspects of His service
and pastimes gradually
awaken. In this way, the holy name gradually reveals
the Lord's form, qualities,
and pastimes in all their splendor and beauty and in
all their different branches.
Of all kinds of hearing, Srimad
Bhagavatam is the
best. (Krama Sandarbha 7.5.18)
The Glories of Sravana
13.23
pibanti ye bhagavata atmanah satam
kathamrtam sravana-putesu sambhrtam
punanti ye visaya-vidusitasayam
vrajanti tac-carana-saroruhantikam
Those who drink through their ears the nectarean topics
of Krsna--who is
dear to His devotees cleanse
themselves of filthy desires for material plea-
sures and attain the shelter
of the Lord's lotus feet. (Bhag. 2.2.37)
13.24
srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah
punya-sravana-kirtanah
hrdy antah stho hy abhadrani vidhunoti
suhrt satam
Sri Krsna, as the Supersoul within everyone's heart and
the friend of the
truthful, cleanses the desire
for material enjoyment from the hearts of those
who have developed the urge
to hear His messages, which are in themselves
virtuous when properly heard
and chanted. (Bhag. 1.2.17)
13.25
srnvatah sraddhaya nityam grnatas ca
sva-cestitam
kalena natidirghena bhagavan visate hrdi
Those who always seriously listen to Srimad-Bhagavatam and who apply
its teachings will soon
realize the Supreme Lord within their heart of hearts.
(Bhag. 2.8.4)
The Meaning of the Word Kirtana
13.26
nama-lila-gunadinam-uccair-bhasa tu
kirtanam
Kirtanam is
defined as loudly giving voice to the glories of the Lord, begin-
ning with the names,
pastimes, and qualities of Krsna.
(Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, Purva-vibhaga 2.145)
The Material Senses Cannot Appreciate
the
Transcendental Nature of Hearing and
Chanting About Krsna
13.27
nijendriyamanah-kayacestarupam na viddhi
tam
nitya-satya-ghana-nandarupa sa hi
gunatiga
You should know that bhakti is not the activity of your
senses, mind and
body. Bhakti is completely
transcendental and full of bliss and certainly be-
yond the modes of nature. (Brhad-bhagavatamrta, Purva-vibhaga
2.3.133)
13.28
atah sri krsna-namadi na bhaved
grahyam-indriyaih
sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva
sphuratyadah
Therefore, [because the name of Krsna is identical with
Himself, and is
beyond the senses] the name;
form, qualities, associates, and pastimes of Krsna
are beyond the senses. When,
however, a devotee engages the senses, begin-
ning with the tongue, in the
service of the Lord, Krsna reveals Himself to the
purified senses of that
devotee. (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu,
Purva-vibhaga 2.234)
Kirtana
13.29
krte yad dhyayato visnum tretayam yajato
makhaih
dvapare paricaryayam kalau tad
dhari-kirtanat
What was attained by meditation in Satya-yuga, by
sacrifice in Treta-yuga,
and by Deity worship in Dvapara-yuga is attained in Kali-yuga by hari-kirtana.
(Bhag. 12.3.52)
The Glories of Krsna-kirtana
13.30
sakrd uccaritam yena
harir-ityaksaradvayam
baddhah parikarastena moksaya gamanam
prati
One who vibrates the two syllables Ha-ri without offense attains liberation
from repeated birth and
death. He never again has to walk the path of material
bondage. (Padma-Purana, Uttara-khanda 80.161)
13.31
dhyayan krte yajan yajnais tretayam
dvapare'rcayan
yad-apnoti tad-apnoti kalau sankirtya
kesavam
What was realized in Satya-yuga
by meditation, in Treta-yuga by
sacrifice,
and in Dvapara-yuga by worship, may be realized in Kali-yuga by Krsna-kirtana.
(Padma-purana, Uttara-khanda 42)
Kirtana Describing
the Lord's Qualities is the Aim of All Knowledge
13.32
idam hi pumsas tapasah srutasya va
svistasya suktasya ca buddhi-dattayoh
avicyuto 'rthah kavibhir nirupito
yad uttamasloka-gunanuvarnanam
One's advancement of knowledge is furthered by
austerities, study of
Vedas, sacrifice, chanting of
hymns, and charity. Those who are wise, however,
have concluded that knowledge
finds its culmination in the transcendental de-
scriptions of the Lord, who
is glorified with selected verses. (Bhag.
1.5.22)
13.33
srutasya pumsam sucira-sramasya nanv
anjasa suribhir idito 'rthah
tat-tad-gunanusravanam
mukunda-padaravindam hrdayesu yesam
O sage! Persons who hear from a spiritual master with
great labor and for
a longtime must hear from the
mouths of pure devotees the glorification of the
character and activities of
pure devotees. Pure devotees always think within
their hearts of the lotus
feet of the Personality of Godhead, who awards libera-
tion to His devotees. (Bhag. 3.13.4)
The Glories of the Qualities of the
Supreme Lord
13.34
atmaramas ca munayo nirgrantha apy
urukrame
kurvanty ahaitukim bhaktim
ittham-bhuta-guno harih
All varieties of atmaramas,
especially those established on the path of
self-realization, though
freed from all kinds of material bondage, desire to ren-
der unalloyed devotional
service to the Personality of Godhead. This means the
Lord has transcendental
qualities and therefore can attract everyone, including
even liberated souls. (Bhag. 1.7.10)
Nama-kirtana is the Best
13.35
param srimat padambhoja-sada-sangaty
apeksaya
nama-sankirtana-prayam visuddham
bhaktimacara
O Gopa Kumara! If you desire to have the eternal
association of the lotus
feet of the Lord then you
should perform pure devotional service which is promi-
nent in chanting of the holy
name. (Brhad-bhagavatamrta 2.3.144)
Nama-kirtana is the Only
Way in Kali-yuga
13.36
harer nama harer nama harer namaiva
kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva
gatir anyatha
The name of Hari, the name of Hari, the name of Hari is
absolutely the
only way, the only way, the
only way in this age of Kali. There is absolutely no
other way. (Cc. Adi 17.21)
The Harinama
Verse Explained
13.37
kali-kale nama-rupe krsna-avatara
nama haite haya sarva-jagat-nistara
dardhya lagi' 'harer nama'-ukti
tina-vara
jada loka bujhaite punah 'eva'-kara
'kevala'-sabde punarapi niscaya-karana
jnana-yoga-tapa-karma-adi nivarana
anyatha ye mane,
nahi, nahi, nahi—e tina 'eva'-kara
In this age of Kali, the holy name of the Lord, the Hare
Krsna maha-man-
tra, is the
incarnation of Krsna. Simply by chanting these names, one associates
with the Lord directly.
Anyone who does this is certainly delivered. This verse
repeats the word eva
(certainly) three times for emphasis. It also repeats three
times the words harer nama just to make common people
understand. The use of
the word kevala (only) prohibits all other processes, such as cultivation of
knowledge, practice of mystic
yoga, and performance of austerities and fruitive
activities. (Cc. Adi 17.22-25)
Smarana
13.38
etavan sankhya-yogabhyam
sva-dharma-parinisthaya
janma-labhah parah pumsam ante
narayana-smrtih
The highest perfection of human life, achieved either by
complete knowl-
edge of matter and spirit, by
practice or mystic powers, or by perfect discharge
of occupational duty, is to
remember the Personality of Godhead at the time of
death. (Bhag. 2.1.6)
The Results of Remembering Material
Subjects
vs. that of Remembering Krsna
13.39
visayan dhyayatas cittam visayesu
visajjate
mam anusmaratas cittam mayy eva
praviliyate
One who meditates on the objects of the senses becomes
attached to those
things. One who remembers Me,
however, becomes absorbed in
The Results of Remembering Krsna
13.40
avismrtih krsna-padaravindayoh
ksinoty abhadrani ca sam tanoti
sattvasya suddhim paramatma-bhaktim
jnanam ca vijnana-viraga-yuktam
For one who remembers the lotus feet of Krsna, all
inauspiciousness soon
disappears, and one's good
fortune expands. In other words, one becomes free
from all material
contamination, one attains liberation from repeated birth and
death and one's real
spiritual life begins. As one's heart becomes gradually
purified, one's devotion for
the Lord within the heart awakens, and one realizes
the Paramatma. Thus one gradually develops knowledge (jnana), realization
(vijnana), and renunciation (vairagya).
(Bhag. 12.12.55)
Kirtana
is Better than Sravana and Smarana
13.41
yadyanya bhaktih kalau kartavya tada
kirtanakhya bhakti-samyoga-naiva
ityuktam. yajnaih sankirtana-prayair
yajanti hi sumedhasa iti. tatra ca
svatantram eva nama
kirtanam-atyanta-prasastam.
Even though in the age of Kali one may perform the above
eight branches
of bhakti, nevertheless, one must perform kirtana as the principle way
of ad-
vancing in sadhana-bhakti. The Srimad Bhagavatam says, yajnaih
sankirtana-
prayair yajanti hi sumedhasah, "Those who are intelligent in this age of Kali
will
worship the Lord through the
performance of sankirtana". On
account of this it
is determined from an
objective point of view, that of all processes of devo-
tional service, nama-sankirtana is the best. (Krama-Sandarbha commentary to
Bhag.
7.5.23-24)
Pada-sevana
13.42
yat-pada-sevabhirucis tapasvinam
asesa-janmopacitam malam dhiyah
sadyah ksinoty anvaham edhati sati
yatha padangustha-vinihsrta sarit
By the inclination to serve the lotus feet of the Lord,
suffering humanity
can immediately cleanse the
dirt accumulated in their minds during innumer-
able births. Like the
such a process immediately
cleanses the mind, and thus Krsna consciousness
gradually increases. (Bhag. 4.21.31)
13.43
dhautatma purusah krsna-pada-mulam na muncati
mukta-sarva-pariklesah panthah
sva-saranam yatha
A pure devotee of the Lord whose heart has once been
cleansed by the
process of devotional service
never relinquishes the lotus feet of the Lord, for
they fully satisfy him, as a
traveler is satisfied at home after a troubled journey.
(Bhag. 2.8.6)
13.44
padasevayam padasabdo bhakyaiva
nirdisthah. tatah sevayah
sadaratvam vidhiyate. asya sri
murti-darsana-sparsana-
parikramanuvrajana-bhagavan-mandira-ganga-purusottama-dvaraka-
mathuradi tadiya tirtha-sthana-gamana-dayo'py
antar-bhavayed
In
this verse, the words, pada-sevanam
indicates through bhakti. On ac-
count of this, there is the
formal or proper fondness of service. Being intensely
attached to thinking of the
Lord's lotus feet is called pada-sevanam.
When one
is particularly adherent to
the process of pada-sevanam, this
gradually includes
other processes, such as
seeing the form of the Lord, touching the form of the
Lord, circumambulating the
Deity or the temple of the Lord, visiting such holy
places as Jagannatha Puri,
Dvaraka, and
bathing in the
tadiya-upasanam,
or worshiping those things in connection with Krsna. This is
also considered to be a
branch of pada-sevanam. (Krama-Sandarbha commen-
tary on Bhag. 7.5.23-24)
Result of Pada-sevana
13.45
etam sa asthaya paratma-nistham
adhyasitam purvatamair maharsibhih
aham tarisyami duranta-param
tamo mukundanghri-nisevayaiva
I shall cross over the ocean of material existence, which
is extremely diffi-
cult to cross by becoming
fixed in serving the lotus feet of Mukunda and by
taking complete shelter of
Him. This is approved by the previous great saints
and sages who were fixed in
devotion to the Supreme Lord. (Bhag.
11.23.57)
Note: Sri Visnuswami considered accepting sannyasa as paratma-nistham, being
fixed
in the service of Paramatma.
13.46
prabhu kahe,—sadhu ei bhiksura vacana
mukunda sevana-vrata kaila nirdharana
paratma-nistha-matra vesa-dharana
mukunda-sevaya haya samsara-tarana
sei vesa kaila, ebe vrndavana giya
krsna-nisevana kari nibhrte vasiya
Lord Caitanya approved the purport of the above verse on
account of the
determination of the
mendicant devotee to engage in the service of Lord
Mukunda. He gave His approval
of this verse, indicating that it was very good.
The real purpose of sannyasa is to dedicate oneself to the
service of the lotus
feet of Mukunda. By serving
Mukunda, one can actually be liberated from the
bondage of material
existence. (Cc. Madhya 3.7-9)
Arcana
13.47
yatha taror mula-nisecanena trpyanti
tat-skandha-bhujopasakhah
pranopaharac ca yathendriyanam tathaiva
sarvarhanam acyutejya
As by pouring water on the root of a tree the leaves and
branches are
satisfied, and as supplying
food to the stomach the entire body is satisfied, sim-
ply by worshiping the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, all worship is auto-
matically performed and the
entire universe is satisfied. (Bhag.
4.31.14)
13.48
vidhina devadevesah sankha cakra dharo
harih
phalam dadati sulabham salilenapi
pujitah
If Lord Hari, the Supreme master of all demigods, who
holds a conch and
disc is worshiped properly
even if by water, He grants
the suitable result. (Sri Krsnamrta-maharnava Madhvacarya)
13.49
ye tu sampattimanto grhasthastesam
tvarcanamarga eva mukhyah
tadakrtva phi niskrincanavat
kevalasmaranadi-nisthattve vittasathya-
pratipattih syat. paradvara sapmadanam
vyavaharanisthatvasyalasatvasya
va pratipadakam.
tato sraddhamayatvaddhinameva tat. tatha
garhastya-dharmasya
devatayagarupasya
sakhapallavadisekasthaniyasya mulasekarupam
tadarcanamityapi tadakarane mahan dosah.
diksitanam ca sarvesam tadakarane
narakapatah sruyate. nanu bhagavan-
namatmaka eva mantrah, tatra visesena
namah sabdadyalankrtah, sri
bhagavata sri mahrsibhis
cahita-sakti-visesah, sri bhagavata
samamtmasambandhavisesa-pratipadakasca,
tatra kevalani tato mantresu
namato 'dhikasamarthye labdhe katham
diksadyapeksa ucyate, yadyapi
svarupato nasti, tathapi prayah dehadi
'sambandhena kadarya-silanam
viksiptacittanam jananam tat
sankoci-karanaya maharsi-
prabhrtibhiratrarcana-marge kvacit
kacin-maryada sthapitasti.
Srila Prabhupada paraphrases
this passage from Srila Jiva Gosvami's
Krama-Sandarbha:
"Especially for grhasthas who
have money, the path
of Deity worship is strongly
recommended. An opulent householder
who does not engage his
hard-earned money in the service of the Lord
is called a miser. One should
not engage paid brahmanas to worship the
Deity. If one does not
personally worship the Deity but engages paid
servants to do so he is
considered lazy. His worship of the Deity is called
artificial and devoid of
faith. An opulent householder can collect luxuri-
ous paraphenalia for Deity
worship, and consequently for householder
devotees the worship of the
Deity is compulsory. [In our Krsna con-
sciousness movement there are
brahmacaris, grhasthas, vanaprasthas,
and sannyasis, but the Deity worship in the temple should be performed
expecially by the householders.
The brahmacaris can go with the
sannyasis to
preach, and the vanaprasthas should
prepare themselves
for the next status of
renounced life, sannyasa] Grhastha devotees, how-
ever, are generally engaged
in material activities, and therefore if they
do not take to Deity worship,
their falling down is positively assured.
Deity worship means following
the rules and regulations precisely. That
will keep one steady in
devotional service. Grhasthas must
adopt the
arcana-viddhi,
or Deity worship according to the suitable arrangements
and directions given by the
spiritual master. Deity worship should be
continued along with hearing
and chanting. Therefore every mantra is
preceded by the word namah. In all the mantras there are specific po-
tencies, of which the grhastha must take advantage. There are
many
mantras preceded
by the word namah, but if one chants
the holy name
of the Lord, he receives the
result of chanting namah many times.
By
chanting the holy name of the
Lord, one can reach the platform of love
of Godhead. One might ask,
then, what is the necessity of being initi-
ated? The answer is that even
though the chanting of the holy name is
sufficient to enable one to
progress in spiritual life to the standard of
love of Godhead, one is
nonetheless susceptible to contamination be-
cause of having a material
body, consequently special stress is given to
arcana-viddhi.
One should therefore regularly take advantage of both
the bhagavata process and the
pancaratriki process.
(Krama Sandarbha commentary Bhag.
7.5.23)
13.50
patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya
prayacchati
tad aham bhakty-upahrtam asnami
prayatatmanah
If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower,
a fruit or some
water, I will accept it with
similar love and devotion. (Bhagavad-gita
9.26)
13.51
ayam svasty-ayanah pantha dvi-jater
grha-medhinah
yac chraddhayapta-vittena suklenejyeta
purusah
The most auspicious course for householders of the
twice-born caste is
that they devoutly worship
the Deity form of the Supreme Person by sacrifices
performed with honestly
earned wealth. (Bhag. 10.84.37)
Vandana
13.52
tat-pada-padma pravanaih
kaya-manasa-bhasitaih
pranamo vasudevasya vandanam kathyate
budhaih
When those who are devoted to Lord Hari's lotus feet
offer respects to
Him with their body, mind, or
words, this is called vandanam by
learned devo-
tees. (Hari-bhakti-kalpa-latika 9.1)
13.53
kim vidyaya parama-yoga-pathais ca
kintai-
rabhyasato'pi sataso janibhir-duruhaih
vande mukundam iha yan-natimatrakena
karmanyapohya paramam padameti lokah
What need is there to perform the different yoga systems,
which are diffi-
cult to perfect even in a
hundred births? What need is there to struggle to attain
transcendental knowledge? I
shall offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Krsna,
for simply by offering
obeisances to Him, one may get free from the bonds of
karma, and attain the supreme
spiritual world. (Hari-bhakti-kalpa-latika
9.2)
The Glories of Vandana
13.54
tat te 'nukampam su-samiksamano
bhunjana evatma-krtam vipakam
hrd-vag-vapurbhir vidadhan namas te
jiveta yo mukti-pade sa daya-bhak
O
Lord, one who seeks Your mercy, while tolerating all kinds of adversi-
ties due to past karma, who always serves You in devotion
with his body, mind,
and words, and who goes on
offering prayers and obeisances to You from within
the core of his heart despite
all hardships, liberation is his rightful inheritance.
(Bhag. 10.14.8)
13.55
naham vande tava
caranayor-dvandvam-advandva-hetoh
kumbhipakam gurumapi hare narakam
napanetum
ramya rama-mrdutanulata-nandane napi
rantum
bhave bhave hrdayabhavane bhavayeyam
bhavantam
O my Lord Hari! I don't pray at Your lotus feet to be
saved from the
duality of existence or to
escape this grim hell of boiling tribulations. Nor do I
pray to enjoy the
soft-skinned beautiful women who reside in the garden of
heaven. I pray to You only to
develop love for You within my heart of hearts,
birth after birth. (Mukunda-mala-stotram 4)
Dasyam
13.56
dehadhindrayavak ceto-dharma-kamartha-karmanam
bhagavatyarpanam pritya
dasyam-ity-abhidhiyate
When the work performed by the body, intelligence,
senses, voice, and
mind, the pious activities,
enjoyment and wealth, are offered with love to the
Supreme Personality of
Godhead, that is called dasyam,
service. (Hari-bhakti-
kalpa-latika
10.1)
13.57
dasye khalu nimajjanti sarva eva hi
bhaktayah
vasudeve jagantiva nabhasiva diso dasa
Just as the universes enter the transcendental body of
Lord Vasudeva, and
just as the ten directions enter
the sky, in the same way, all different forms of
bhakti enter
into service. (Hari-bhakti-kalpa-latika
10.2)
13.58
sravanam kirtanam
dhyana-padasevanamarcanam
vandanam svarpanam sakhyam sarvam dasye
pratisthitam
The devotional processes of hearing about the Lord,
glorifying Him, re-
membering Him, serving His
lotus feet, worshiping Him, offering obeisances to
Him, surrendering everything
to Him, and befriending Him, all rest on service
to Him. (Hari-bhakti-kalpa-latika 10.3)
The Different Branches of Dasya
13.59
adarah paricaryayam sarvangair
abhivandanam
mad-bhakta-pujabhyadhika sarva-bhutesu
man-matih