Beautiful Truths of Bhagavata 003 “Sadhus and Vaisnavas””

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

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Srimad Bhagavatam is called the “king of all spiritual books” (Grantha Raja) for good reason. Within this triguna-free, immaculate and divine spiritual shastra, the amalapurana, one will find all the sweet, majestic and beautiful truths about the sadhana and sadhya (daily practice and perfection) of Gaudiya Vaisnavism. 

In his most compassionate and wonderful shastra, Sri Chaitanya Caritamrita, Sri Krishna Dasa Kaviraja summarizes all the teachings of the six Goswamis of Vrindavana along with the key Bhagavatam verses which prove and substantiate these beautiful truths, and which the Goswamis themselves quoted in their own shastras. The same Bhagavatam verse is sometimes quoted once or twice or even four times within the Sri Chaitanya Caritamrita to highlight its importance for all devotees of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Radha-Govinda Yugala.

With the grace of Sri Advaita Prabhu, Sri Guru and the Vaisnavas, we will quote some of these important Srimad Bhagavatam verses from the Sri Chaitanya Caritamrita to present the beautiful truths of Gaudiya Vaisnavism regarding Sri Krishna, Sri Radha, Bhakti Sadhana, Sri Harinama, Krishna Prema, Sri Guru and the Vaisnavas.

II. * THE BEAUTIFUL TRUTH OF SADHUS AND VAISNAVAS

1. Rarity of a Krishna Bhakta

muktānāmapisiddhānāṁnārāyaṇa-parāyaṇaḥ

sudurlabhaḥpraśāntātmākoṭiṣvapimahā-mune

SB 6.14.5 (Cc. 2x)

O great sage! Among ten million jīvanmuktas [liberated from all material influences though still embodied] and the brahman liberated, one who is a bhakta of Bhagavan Sri Narayana in śānta or another rasa is very rare.

Tika Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti: Those who become liberated (jivanmukta) do not all become perfect because they can again become bound by karma if they commit offense to Bhagavan Sri Krishna. There are two types of jñāna: pure and mixed with bhakti. Jñāna mixed with bhakti has again two types: with bhakti but disrespects Bhagavan’s form thinking it material; and with bhakti and respect. One with jnana, bhakti and no respect does not attain but thinks he is liberated. If the devotee giving mercy to a jnani has śānta-bhakti, then the recipient obtains śānta, dasya bhakti etc. and attains liberation. Since such bhakti is rarely attained, the word ten million is used.

Srila Prabhupadatika: The difference between the siddhas and nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇas is that direct devotees are called nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇas whereas those who perform various types of mystic yoga are called siddhas.

2. Dire Result of Vaisnava Aparadha

āyuḥśriyaṁyaśodharmaṁlokānāśiṣaeva ca

hantiśreyāṁsisarvāṇipuṁsomahad-atikramaḥ

SB 10.4.46

My dear King, when a person persecutes great souls, all his benedictions of longevity, beauty, fame, religion, blessings and promotion to higher planets are destroyed.

Sri Jiva Goswamipada tika: Attaining Svarga, the objects of one’s desire, and so on are all destroyed by doing violence to great Krishna bhaktas or by disobeying their words.

3. Sri Krishna Protects His Devotees

sva-pāda-mūlambhajataḥpriyasya, tyaktānya-bhāvasyahariḥpareśaḥ

vikarmayaccotpatitaṁkathañcid, dhunotisarvaṁhṛdisanniviṣṭaḥ

SB 11.5.42

One who gives up all other engagements and takes full shelter at the lotus feet Sri Hari is very dear to Bhagavan. Indeed, if such a surrendered soul accidentally commits some sinful activity, Sri Krishna, who is seated within everyone's heart, immediately removes the reaction to such sin.

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti tika: One might object, “But it is seen that masters punish their servants for doing wrong, so Bhagavan should also punish his servants.” However, Krishna’s bhakta will not be punished because he is dear to Bhagavan. That is Hari’s great quality (pareśaḥ).

4. Definition of the Uttama Adhikari Devotee

sarva-bhūteṣuyaḥpaśyedbhagavad-bhāvamātmanaḥ

bhūtānibhagavatyātmanyeṣabhāgavatottamaḥ

SB 11.2.45

Śrī Havir said: The most advanced devotee sees his most worshipable Bhagavan within everything, and sees everything in Bhagavan.

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti tika: When Hiraṇyakaśipu asked, “Where is your Ishvara?” Prahlāda said, “He is everywhere. One can see Bhagavan Sri Krishna even in a pillar.” Similarly, one should see all living beings in Bhagavan Sri Krishna (ātmani), just as Yaśodā saw all beings in the belly of Krishna.

There is another meaning. One should see all beings as having Krishna prema, and being absorbed in Krishna who appears in their minds. This shown by the prema of the Vraja-gopis and Dvarakamahishis.

‘The trees and creepers in the Vrindavana forest respond by becoming so luxuriant with fruits and flowers that they seem to be manifesting Bhagavan Sri Krishna within their hearts.’ SB 10.35.9

 ‘When the rivers hear the flute-song of Krishna, their minds begin to desire him, and with the arms of their waves they embrace Murāri's lotus feet and, present offerings of lotus flowers.’ SB 10.21.15/10.90.15, 22

One should contemplate the mood of Bhagavan Sri Krishna within oneself as being present in all living entities. One should see in this way implies that one must GAIN QUALIFICATION FOR SEEING, RATHER THAN being able to see like this at all times. Great devotees like Nārada, Vyāsa and Śukadeva do not see Bhagavan Sri Krishna everywhere at all times, and this increases their desire for Krishna. When this longing to see Bhagavan Sri Krishna increases further, then the devotees see the whole world as Bhagavan Sri Krishna as in the logic that a lusty man sees desirable women everywhere. In this verse, the verb paśyed (see) means actually “to know”. Thus the best devotee is he who knows Bhagavan Sri Krishna is in everything and everything is in Bhagavan Sri Krishna simply by scripture knowledge.

5. Definition of the Madhyama Adhikari Devotee

īsvare tad-adhīneṣubāliśeṣudviṣatsu ca

prema-maitrī-kṛpopekṣāyaḥkarotisamadhyamaḥ

SB 11.2.46

madhyama-adhikārī, offers his love to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is a sincere friend to all the devotees of the Lord, shows mercy to ignorant people who are innocent and disregards those who are envious of the Supreme Personality of Godhead888 An intermediate or second-class devotee, called madhyama-adhikārī, offers his love to the Supreme Lord, is a sincere friend to all the devotees of the Lord, shows mercy to ignorant people who are innocent, and disregards those who are envious of the Lord.

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti tika:

The madhyama devotee shows prema for his worshipable Bhagavan Sri Krishna. This actually means he has attachment for Bhagavan rather than prema. He befriends bhaktas dependent on Sri Krishna, and shows mercy to those ignorant of bhakti. Since even Bharata, Vyāsa and Śukadeva did not show mercy to all persons they saw, it should be explained that this mercy to the ignorant arises by itself.

This is understood from the example of the mountain SB 10.20.36: ‘During monsoon season, mountains sometimes release their storage of water and sometimes do not, just as realized devotees sometimes give the nectar of divine wisdom and sometimes do not.”

Madhyama bhaktas avoid haters of Bhagavan because they know their mercy will be useless with them. It is proper to stay away from inimical ones understanding they are foolish while simultaneously reflecting upon one’s own good fortune. The madhyama devotee does not have the qualification to see Bhagavan in all beings. But when he attains that quality he then becomes an uttama devotee. Even among uttama devotees like Nārada one will see these four qualities of prema, friendship, mercy and indifference.

6. Definition of the Kanishtha Adhikari Devotee

arcāyāmevaharayepūjāṁyaḥśraddhayehate

na tad-bhakteṣucānyeṣusabhaktaḥprākṛtaḥsmṛtaḥ

SB 11.2.47

A devotee who faithfully engages in Deity worship but does not behave properly with others is called a prākṛta-bhakta, or kaniṣṭha-adhikāri, a materialistic unrefined devotee occupying the lowest position

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti tika: He faithfully engages in deity worship to please Bhagavan (haraye), but he fails to worship Krishna’s devotees or others. This initial, beginning bhakti will gradually become uttama-bhakti.

7. A Maha Bhagavata Devotee

visṛjatihṛdayaṁnayasyasākṣād, dhariravaśābhihito 'pyaghaugha-nāśaḥ

praṇaya-rasanayādhṛtāṅghri-padmaḥ, sabhavatibhāgavata-pradhānauktaḥ

SB 11.2.55

He who binds the lotus feet of Bhagavan by ropes of love, and whose heart Bhagavan, the destroyer of heaps of sin, never leaves even if beckoned accidentally, is called the best of devotees (bhagavatpradhana).

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti tika: There is no problem even with heaps of sins because Bhagavan can easily destroy a multitude of sins simply by being called. Then what to speak of chanting Bhagavannama with a continuous taste of rasa?

This verse answers the question ‘Why doesn’t Bhagavan leave the temple of their hearts?’ Bhagavan can’t leave because the devotee ties his heart to the lotus feet of Bhagavan with the ropes of affection. Just as Yaśodā’sprema bound Krishna to the mortar, the devotee binds Bhagavan with the chains of prema!

Srimad Bhagavatam ki jai! Jaya Jaya Sri Radhe!