Manjari Sadhana Sutras ...... by Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

#RagaBhakti #ManjariSadhana #GopiBhava #Smarana #Gopis #Radha-Krishna

In Prema Bhakti Candrika, Narottama dasa Thakura describes the five essential practices of manjari-bhava sadhana.

By performing sadhana according these sutras, the raganuga sadhaka will to attain madhurya-prema in the mood of Shyama’s sweethearts, the sakhis.

Thakura Mahashaya’s sutras include four of the nine limbs of bhakti-sadhana:

1) Sravanam; 2) Kirtanam; 3) Smaranam; and 4) Vandanam.

He added a special fifth practice which he calls Darshana.

This concise sadhana package describes five limbs of bhakti covering nine individual daily practices. If one regularly follows this, one will quickly obtain the coveted treasure of Radha-Krishna’s eternal prema seva in his/her manjari svarupa i.e. siddha deha.

The Manjari-bhava Sadhana Sutras

I. HEARING (sravanam)

1. Become emotionally attached to reading and hearing about the amorous affairs of Radha Govinda Yugala: rati prema maya parabandhe. (v. 60)

2. Constantly hear devotees chanting the names and attributes of Radha-Krishna: donhaara nama guna shuni, bhakta mukhe puni puni. ( v. 76)

II. CHANTING (kirtanam)

3. Cultivate the rasa-filled names of Radha-Krishna: krishna nama radha nama upaya rasa dhaama. ( v. 60)

III. REMEMBERING (smaranam)

4. Seva smaranam—fix your mind only the seva of Radha-Krishna: radha krishna sevana ekaanta koriyaa mana. (v. 76)

5. Kirtana smarana—singing Radha-Krishna nama [e.g Hare Krishna Maha-mantra] is the topmost meditation: Radha-Krishna nama gaana parama dhyaana. (v. 73)

6. Lila smarana—remembering the sweet daily vraja-lilas of Radha Govinda Yugala is the practice and the goal—there is nothing more than this:  yugala vilasa smrti sara sadhya sadhana ei, iha boi ara nai. (v. 61)

IV. PRAYERS (vandanam)

7. Pray with a pure, selfless heart that you can always hear [or read] the prema-filled topics of Radha and Krishna: prarthana sada shuddha bhava prema katha. (v. 75)

V. SEEING (darshanam)

8. Rupa-darshana— Always cry while desiring to see with your eyes, the beautiful golden form of Rai (Radharani) hema gauri tanu rai, ankhi darashana chai, rodana koribo abhilasha. (v. 76)

9. Lila-darshana—cultivate surging eagerness to see Radha-Krishna’s rasa dance in Vrndavana: maha lila darshana lobha. ( v. 67)

Manjari bhava sadhana ki jai!   Thakura Mahashaya ki jai!    Jai Jai Sri Radhe!