Mahanidhi Madan
Gopal Das
#AttainPrema
#KrishnaConsciousness #BhaktiSadhana #Bhakti #DevotionalService #KrishnaBhakti
One can
experience, perceive and literally see transcendental phenomena i.e. the
spiritual form of Bhagavan Sri Krishna or one’s own siddha svarupa according to
the purity of one’s consciousness. Brahmaji says a sadhaka can directly see
God, Bhagavan Sri Krishna, when the mind and eyes are fully purified and
saturated with Krishna prema.
prem anjana
cchurita, bhakti vilocanena
santah sadaiva
hrda yeshu, viloka yanti (BS. 5.38)
To enter fire one
must become fire. Thus, if one wants to see the transcendental, madhurya prema
svarupa of Vrajendranandan Sri Krishna, one must also have a form, heart, mind
and eyes full of madhurya prema.
As Gaudiya Vaisnavas we are aspiring for the
absolute topmost of all conceivable and attainable goals of spiritual
perfection i.e. Radha-Krishna prema, and the confidential service of Sri Sri
Radha-Krishna in the bowers of Vrindavana as the loyal maidservant manjaris of
Srimati Radharani.
Such a lofty
spiritual perfection will naturally demand the utmost sacrifice, dedication,
determination, patience and enthusiastic endeavor continually sustained for
possibly many life times. Yes, it’s true that spiritual success in Kali-yuga
comes to one and all just by chanting Hare Krishna, dancing and honoring
Krishna prasadam.
Although it may
sound easy, IT IS NOT SO EASY! There are many levels and stages of purification
that one must pass through before attaining the coveted goal of Krishna prema,
wherein one will pass his/her days chanting and dancing with Krishna in
Vrindavana!
When confronted by
disciples disappointed over their slow progress, lack of spiritual advancement,
and complete absence of any direct experiences of Sri Krishna, Srila Prabhupada
repeatedly used the phrase “GRADUAL PROCESS” as seen in the following examples:
“Cleansing the
heart is a gradual process, it doesn’t happen abruptly!”
“Krishna
consciousness is a gradual process of realization and purification.”
This post will
describe the ‘gradual process’ (anukramat) of spiritual advancement in Krishna
consciousness, and the consequent seeing or perceiving of one’s individual
eternal spiritual body (siddha deha/siddha svarupa.)
One starts Krishna
consciousness by hearing and reading to gain knowledge of Krishna, the practice,
and the goal of bhakti sadhana. Transcendental knowledge helps us to perceive
our eternal individual spiritual identity as atomic particles of
consciousness—a soul, jivatma. Gradually purity and knowledge (aka Krishna
consciousness) increases to a point wherein one can meditate on Sri Sri
Radha-Krishna’s beautiful names, forms, qualities and sweet Vraja lilas.
Although moving
from one level to the next may take many years OR EVEN MANY LIFE TIMES, the
fact remains that bhakti sadhana has different stages (anukramat) which one
must reach before attaining spiritual perfection in Krishna consciousness.
There are nine
levels or stages in performing Krishna bhakti sadhana:
culturing faith; sraddha
meeting a
Vaisnava, hearing hari-katha, taking diksha, and serving Sri Hari, Guru and
Vaisnavas; sadhu sanga
performing bhakti
sadhana; bhajana kriya
purification and inner
peace; anartha nivritti
steadiness and
conviction; nishtha
taste, inner joy
and satisfaction; ruchi
loving attachment
and hankering to see Bhagavan Sri Krishna; asakti
ecstatic spiritual
emotions, experiences, and possibly a glimpse of Radha and Krishna; bhava overwhelming spiritual bliss and
continual communion with Radha and Krishna; Krishna prema.
The Srimad
Bhagavatam describes the ‘gradual process’ or the progressive steps to spiritual
perfection as follows:
I. HEARING/READING
ABOUT KRISHNA
(sraddha, sadhu
sanga)
“With an attentive mind one should constantly
hear, chant, remember and worship Bhagavan Sri Krishna who protects devotees.” (SB
1.2.14)
tasmäd ekena
manasä, bhagavän sätvatäà patiù
çrotavyaù
kértitavyaç ca, dhyeyaù püjyaç ca nityadä
mmgd: One may ask,
“The Bhagavata directs one to constantly hear about Krishna. But I have no
interest or attraction for this. Even if I try to read spiritual books, I get
no taste and just fall asleep. So how does one get the desire and a genuine
taste to hear and read about Sri Krishna?”
The Bhagavata (SB
1.2.16) answers:
“By nicely serving
pure-hearted devotees (mahat seva nisevanat) one obtains four priceless
benefits:
a. Taste for Hari
katha (vasudeva katha ruchi);
b. Strong faith;
c. Surrender to
Guru;
d. Genuine desire
to hear more Hari katha.”
çuçrüñoù
çraddadhänasya väsudeva kathä ruciù
syän mahat-sevayä
vipräù puëya tértha-niñevaëät
mmgd: Here the
secret is revealed—it’s mercy. There is a mystic transference from the kind and
compassionate heart of the sadhu bhakta into the mind and heart of the humble
serving soul. You approach a saint and attentively, lovingly and carefully
serve him.
Then the sweet
heart of the sadhu melts, and he invisibly deposits into the vault of your
heart some jewels from the vast treasure of his personal firm faith in
Radha-Govinda Yugala and his deep taste for hearing Hari katha. Your newly strengthened
faith and taste attracts the attention of Bhagavan Sri Krishna, who in turn
comes to purify you and personally help you advance in spiritual life.
II. CHANTING
GLORIES OF SRI KRISHNA (bhajana kriya, anartha nivrtti)
“By the mercy of
the sadhu bhakta, one now hears and chants the beautiful and purifying topics
of Sri Hari katha with taste and faith. Becoming pleased, Krishna as the
Antaryami within (hådi antaù) personally removes all one’s obstacles and
inauspiciousness (abhadrani vidhunoti).” (SB 1.2.17)
çåëvatäà
sva-kathäù kåñëaù, puëya-çravaëa-kértanaù
hådy antaù stho hy
abhadräëi, vidhunoti suhåt satäm
III. NISHTHA
“Daily hearing
from and serving the beautiful Srimad Bhagavatam and Bhagavata devotees
destroys all inauspiciousness to nil and brings steadiness in bhakti bhajana.”
(SB 1.2.18)
nañöa-präyeñv
abhadreñu, nityaà bhägavata-sevayä
bhagavaty
uttama-çloke, bhaktir bhavati naiñöhiké
Srila Visvanatha
Cakravarti: By serving bhaktas and Bhagavata, most of one’s näma äparädhas
(abhadreñu) diminish, and this continues till the stage of bhava bhakti.
Anarthas are mostly destroyed, and one attains the stage of nishtha where one can
easily concentrate on Bhagavan Sri Krishna.
IV. RUCHI &
ASAKTI
“Gradually one
becomes very fixed, steady, pure minded and free from lust, desire, greed,
hankering and other qualities born of ignorance and passion.” (SB 1.2.19)
tadä
rajas-tamo-bhäväù käma-lobhädayaç ca ye
ceta etair
anäviddhaà sthitaà sattve prasédati
Srila Visvanatha
Cakravarti: The mind is not disturbed or transformed (anäviddham) by the
agitations of lust, greed and other qualities such as anger, illusion, and
hatred arising from passion and ignorance, rajas, tamas.
In the stage of
ruchi, one loses his/her taste and interest in material objects because one is
relishing great happiness by hearing, chanting and remembering Radha and
Krishna. After this, the mind becomes fixed (sthitam) in the transcendental
form of Bhagavan Sri Krishna and one attains the stage of asakti, which means
continuous attachment and thinking of Radha and Krishna.
IV. BHAVA
“By the process of
Krishna bhakti bhajana, one’s mind becomes enlivened and satisfied. One obtains
clear, realized knowledge of Bhagavan Sri Krishna and freedom from all bad
association.” (SB 1.2.20)
Second
translation: The mind becomes joyful and satisfied on attaining bhava or rati.
Finally prema manifests along with complete detachment. The devotee then
experiences the transcendental form, qualities, pastimes, powers and sweetness
of Bhagavan Sri Krishna.
evaà
prasanna-manaso, bhagavad-bhakti-yogataù
bhagavat-tattva-vijïänaà,mukta-saìgasya
jäyate
Srila Visvanatha
Cakravarti: As one becomes more and more attached to Sri Krishna and worships
Him at every moment which is the stage of asakti. Afterwards, the stage of
bhava bhakti appears (prasanna-manasaù). Without having bhava bhakti, no one
can be completely detached from the objects of material enjoyment.
And without
constant detachment, one can never find mental satisfaction. Finally the long
awaited Krishna prema appears (bhagavad-bhakti-yogataù). From that arises
realization (vijïänam) of the Sri Krishna’s form, qualities, pastimes, powers
and sweetness.
V. KRISHNA PREMA
“The knots
(ignorance) within the heart are completely cut out, and all doubts and karmic
reactions are destroyed because one now sees his real self and His eternal Supreme
Controller, Bhagavan Sri Krishna.” (SB 1.2.21)
bhidyate
hådaya-granthiç, chidyante sarva-saàçayäù
kñéyante cäsya
karmäëi, dåñöa ev ätman éçvare
Srila Visvanatha
Cakravarti: Ignorance which is the main knot in the heart is cut out,
hådaya-granthiç chidyante. All doubts, i.e. thinking that attaining Krishna
prema is impossible, are destroyed. And all karmas are destroyed because one
directly sees Bhagavan as the Paramatma, (ätmani) in the mind (sphurti), and
also externally with the eyes.”
Srila Visvanatha
Cakravarti summarizes the ‘gradual process’ to spiritual perfection in Krishna
prema in fourteen steps:
1. mercy of
devotees.
2. service to devotees.
3. faith.
4. surrender to
guru.
5. desire to
worship, serve and hear about Bhagavan Sri Krishna.
6. bhakti.
7. clearance of
anarthas.
8. niñöhä.
9. ruci.
10. äsakti.
11. rati.
12. prema.
13. sphurti, seeing
Sri Krishna.
14. madhurya asvadana,
experiencing and relishing the sweetness of Shyamasundara.
Krishna bhakti
bhajana ki jai! Nava vidha bhakti ki jai! Jaya Jaya Sri Radhe!
“Sad Gurudeva ki jai”
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