Krsna Vanquishes Our Material Desires
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura explains in his Sri Caitanya Siksamrta: "Sri Krsna's activities are of two distinct types; namely nitya (eternal), and naimittika (occasional). In Goloka Vrndavana, Krsna's nitya-lila or eternal pastimes are conducted throughout eight periods of the day, and they are constantly in motion. But in Bhauma Vrndavana this asta-kaliya-lila is mixed with the naimittika-lila or occasional pastimes. Some occasional pastimes include Krsna's leaving Vrndavana to live in Mathura and Dvaraka, His returning to Vraja, His killing of various demons and so forth. These pastimes are very useful for an aspiring devotee who is bound within the material world. The naimittika-lila or occasional pastimes of leaving Vraja actually exist in Goloka Vrndavana, but only in a conspicuously absent manner; they are truly manifest only in the material world. Practicing devotees (sadhakas) understand these occasional pastimes to be like negatively-tinted reflections of the eternal pastimes. And such sincere devotees hope that by the influence of understanding the purpose of Krsna's performance of different occasional pastimes, their own various anarthas or unwanted material contaminations will be destroyed."
In the above-mentioned book Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has explained how the demons Lord Krsna killed in Vrndavana represent the main obstacles facing the aspiring devotee. If, by the Lord's grace, these demons can be killed in the various ways they may manifest themselves in our lives, then our progress in devotional service is guaranteed. That is the theme of this course.
Srila Rupa Goswami has explained in Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu that there are nine stages devotees pass through as they advance in Krsna consciousness:
adau sraddha tatah sadhu-
sango-'tha bhajana-kriya
tato'nartha nivrttih syat
tato nistha rucis tatah
athasaktis tato bhavas
tatah premabhyudancati
sadhakanam ayam premnah
pradhurbhave bhavet kramah
Srila Prabhupada translates these verses as follows: "In the beginning one must have a preliminary desire for self-realization. This will bring one to the stage of trying to associate with persons who are spiritually elevated. In the next stage one becomes initiated by an elevated spiritual master, and under his instruction the neophyte devotee begins the process of devotional service. By execution of devotional service under the guidance of the spiritual master, one becomes free from all material attachment, attains steadiness in self-realization, and acquires a taste for hearing about the Absolute Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna. This taste leads one further forward to attachment for Krsna consciousness, which is matured in bhava, or the preliminary stage of transcendental love of God. Real love for God is called prema, the highest perfectional stage of life."
The specific stages are:
1. Sraddha — faith
2. Sadhu-sanga — association with devotees
3. Bhajana-kriya — trying to seriously take up the process of devotional service
4. Anartha-nivrtti — becoming free of all unwanted things
5. Nistha — steadiness in Krsna consciousness
6. Ruci — a deep taste for Krsna consciousness
7. asakti — attachment for Krsna
8. Bhava — ecstasy, the first rays of the sun of love for Krsna
9. Prema — pure love for Krsna
To attain Vraja-bhakti, pure devotional service in Sri Vrndavana Dhama is no cheap thing.
In Nectar of Devotion Srila Prabhupada says: "Persons desiring to follow in the footsteps of such eternal devotees of the Lord as the Vrsnis and Vrndavana denizens are called raganuga devotees, which means that they are trying to attain to the perfection of those devotees. These raganuga devotees do not follow the regulative principles of devotional service very strictly, but by spontaneous nature they become attracted to some of the eternal devotees such as Nanda or Yasoda, and they try to follow in their footsteps spontaneously. There is a gradual development of the ambition to become like a particular devotee, and this activity is called raganuga.
"We must always remember, however, that such eagerness to follow in the footsteps of the denizens of Vraja (Vrndavana) 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. Sometimes someone is found imitating such devotional love, but factually he is not freed from anarthas, or unwanted habits. It has been seen that a so-called devotee proclaims himself a follower of Nanda, Yasoda or the gopis, while at the same time his abominable attraction for mundane sex life is visible. Such a manifestation of divine love is mere imitation and has no value. When one is actually spontaneously attracted to the loving principles of the gopis, there will be found no trace of any mundane contamination in his character.
"Therefore, in the beginning, everyone should strictly follow the regulative principles of devotional service, according to the injunctions of the scriptures and the spiritual master. Only after the stage of liberation from material contamination can one actually aspire to follow in the footsteps of the devotees in Vrndavana."
Once one has passed through the stage of anartha-nivrtti one is able to advance more quickly, seeing that one's obstacles are largely overcome. While lecturing on Bhagavad Gita in 1971 Srila Prabhupada explained: "In this way, when anartha-nivrttih is finished, perfect, then he becomes firmly stuck up in Krsna consciousness. Tato nistha tato rucih. Then taste. The taste is so nice that one cannot give up Krsna consciousness. One cannot give up chanting of Hare Krsna. It increases the transcendental taste. And after taste, there is asakti. Krsna is speaking from that stage here. Mayy asakta-manah, asakti, attachment. When there is attachment of Krsna, that is the almost final stage of your perfectional life."
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