PURE BHAKTI. part 4. AND IMPORTANT NOTES.

yathā vāta-ratho ghrāṇam
āvṛńkte gandha āśayāt
evaḿ yoga-rataḿ ceta
ātmānam avikāri yat

As the chariot of air carries an aroma from its source and immediately catches the sense of smell, similarly, one who constantly engages in devotional service, in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, can catch the Supreme Soul, who is equally present everywhere. (S.B.3:29:20).

vinirdhutāśeṣa-mano-malaḥ pumān
asańga-vijñāna-viśeṣa-vīryavān
yad-ańghri-mūle kṛta-ketanaḥ punar
na saḿsṛtiḿ kleśa-vahāḿ prapadyate

When a devotee takes shelter at the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he is completely cleansed of all misunderstanding or mental speculation, and he manifests renunciation. This is possible only when one is strengthened by practicing bhakti-yoga. Once having taken shelter at the root of the lotus feet of the Lord, a devotee never comes back to this material existence, which is full of the threefold miseries.
(S.B.4:21:32).

sā śraddhayā bhagavad-dharma-caryayā
jijñāsayādhyātmika-yoga-niṣṭhayā
yogeśvaropāsanayā ca nityaḿ
puṇya-śravaḥ-kathayā puṇyayā ca

Attachment for the Supreme can be increased by practicing devotional service, inquiring about the Supreme Personality of Godhead, applying bhakti-yoga in life, worshiping the Yogeśvara, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and by hearing and chanting about the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. These actions are pious in themselves. (S.B.4:22:22).

athātmano 'rtha-bhūtasya
yato 'nartha-paramparā
saḿsṛtis tad-vyavacchedo
bhaktyā paramayā gurau
vāsudeve bhagavati
bhakti-yogaḥ samāhitaḥ
sadhrīcīnena vairāgyaḿ
jñānaḿ ca janayiṣyati

The real interest of the living entity is to get out of the nescience that causes him to endure repeated birth and death. The only remedy is to surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead through His representative. Unless one renders devotional service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva, one cannot possibly become completely detached from this material world, nor can he possibly manifest real knowledge.
(S.B.4:29:36-37).

sa vai priyatamaś cātmā
yato na bhayam aṇv api
iti veda sa vai vidvān
yo vidvān sa gurur hariḥ

One who is engaged in devotional service has not the least fear in material existence. This is because the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the Supersoul and friend of everyone. One who knows this secret is actually educated, and one thus educated can become the spiritual master of the world. One who is an actually bona fide spiritual master, representative of Kṛṣṇa, is not different from Kṛṣṇa. (S.B.4:29:51).

gṛheṣv āviśatāḿ cāpi
puḿsāḿ kuśala-karmaṇām
mad-vārtā-yāta-yāmānāḿ
na bandhāya gṛhā matāḥ

Those who are engaged in auspicious activities in devotional service certainly understand that the ultimate enjoyer or beneficiary of all activities is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus when one acts, he offers the results to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and passes life always engaged in the topics of the Lord. Even though such a person may be participating in family life, he is not affected by the results of his actions.
(S.B.4:30:19).

śrutena tapasā vā kiḿ
vacobhiś citta-vṛttibhiḥ
buddhyā vā kiḿ nipuṇayā
balenendriya-rādhasā

Without devotional service, what is the meaning of severe austerities, the process of hearing, the power of speech, the power of mental speculation, elevated intelligence, strength, and the power of the senses? (S.B.4:31:11).

yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena
tṛpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopaśākhāḥ
prāṇopahārāc ca yathendriyāṇāḿ
tathaiva sarvārhaṇam acyutejyā

As pouring water on the root of a tree energizes the trunk, branches, twigs and everything else, and as supplying food to the stomach enlivens the senses and limbs of the body, simply worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead through devotional service automatically satisfies the demigods, who are parts of that Supreme Personality. (S.B.4:31:14).

na bhajati kumanīṣiṇāḿ sa ijyāḿ
harir adhanātma-dhana-priyo rasa-jñaḥ
śruta-dhana-kula-karmaṇāḿ madair ye
vidadhati pāpam akiñcaneṣu satsu

The Supreme Personality of Godhead becomes very dear to those devotees who have no material possessions but are fully happy in possessing the devotional service of the Lord. Indeed, the Lord relishes the devotional activities of such devotees. Those who are puffed up with material education, wealth, aristocracy and fruitive activity are very proud of possessing material things, and they often deride the devotees. Even if such people offer the Lord worship, the Lord never accepts them. (S.B.4:31:21).

tasmān naro 'sańga-susańga-jāta-
jñānāsinehaiva vivṛkṇa-mohaḥ
hariḿ tad-īhā-kathana-śrutābhyāḿ
labdha-smṛtir yāty atipāram adhvanaḥ

Simply by associating with exalted devotees, anyone can attain perfection of knowledge and with the sword of knowledge can cut to pieces the illusory associations within this material world. Through the association of devotees, one can engage in the service of the Lord by hearing and chanting (śravaṇaḿ kīrtanam). Thus one can revive his dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness and, sticking to the cultivation of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, return home, back to Godhead, even in this life. (S.B.5:12:16).

Transcendental devotional service has five stages of reciprocation:

The self-realization stage just after liberation from material bondage is called the santa, or neutral stage.

After that, when there is development of transcendental knowledge of the Lord's internal opulences, the devotee engages himself in the dasya stage.

By further development of the dasya stage, a respectful fraternity with the Lord develops, and above that a feeling of friendship on equal terms becomes manifest. Both these stages are called sakhya stage, or devotional service in friendship.

Above this is the stage of paternal affection toward the Lord, and this is called the vatsalya stage.

And above this is the stage of conjugal love, and this stage is called the highest stage of love of God, although there is no difference in quality in any of the above stages. The last stage of conjugal love of God is called the madhurya stage.

Thus He instructed Rupa Gosvami in devotional science and deputed him to Vrndavana to excavate the lost sites of the transcendental pastimes of the Lord. After this, the Lord returned to Varanasi and delivered the sannyasis and instructed the elder brother of Rupa Gosvami. We have already discussed this.

Replies

Volunteer

padmavati mataji February 15, 2011 at 11:17pm

Transcendental devotional service has five stages of reciprocation:

The self-realization stage just after liberation from material bondage is called the santa, or neutral stage.

After that, when there is development of transcendental knowledge of the Lord's internal opulences, the devotee engages himself in the dasya stage.

By further development of the dasya stage, a respectful fraternity with the Lord develops, and above that a feeling of friendship on equal terms becomes manifest. Both these stages are called sakhya stage, or devotional service in friendship.

Above this is the stage of paternal affection toward the Lord, and this is called the vatsalya stage.

And above this is the stage of conjugal love, and this stage is called the highest stage of love of God, although there is no difference in quality in any of the above stages. The last stage of conjugal love of God is called the madhurya stage.

Thus He instructed Rupa Gosvami in devotional science and deputed him to Vrndavana to excavate the lost sites of the transcendental pastimes of the Lord. After this, the Lord returned to Varanasi and delivered the sannyasis and instructed the elder brother of Rupa Gosvami. We have already discussed this.
Volunteer

padmavati mataji February 15, 2011 at 11:14pm

As long as there is the desire to enjoy sensually or to become one with the Supreme or to possess the mystic powers, there is no question of attaining the stage of pure devotional service.

Devotional service is conducted under two categories, namely primary practice and spontaneous emotion. When one can rise to the platform of spontaneous emotion, he can make further progress by spiritual attachment, feeling, love, and many higher stages of devotional life for which there are no English words. We have tried to explain the science of devotional service in our book The Nectar of Devotion, based on the authority of Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu by Srila Rupa Gosvami.
Volunteer

padmavati mataji February 15, 2011 at 11:14pm

Pure devotional service must be freed from all desires for sense gratification, fruitive aspirations and culture of monistic knowledge. One must be freed from all kinds of designations, and when one is thus converted to transcendental purity, one can then serve the Lord by purified senses.
Volunteer

padmavati mataji February 15, 2011 at 11:14pm

The Lord taught the Gosvami about devotional service, comparing it to a creeper, and advised him to protect the bhakti creeper most carefully against the mad elephant offense against the pure devotees. In addition, the creeper has to be protected from the desires of sense enjoyment, monistic liberation and perfection of the hatha-yoga system. They are all detrimental on the path of devotional service. Similarly, violence against living beings, and desire for worldly gain, worldly reception and worldly fame are all detrimental to the progress of bhakti, or Bhagavata-dharma.
Volunteer

padmavati mataji February 15, 2011 at 11:13pm

Srila Rupa Gosvami was the younger brother of Sanatana Gosvami, and when he retired from service he brought with him two boatfuls of gold coins. This means that he brought with him some hundreds of thousands of rupees accumulated by the labor of his service. And before leaving home for Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he divided the wealth as follows: fifty percent for the service of the Lord and His devotees, twenty-five percent for relatives and twenty-five percent for his personal needs in case of emergency. In that way he set an example for all householders.
Volunteer

padmavati mataji February 15, 2011 at 11:13pm

On the bank of the Dasasvamedha-ghata at Prayaga for ten days continually the Lord instructed Rupa Gosvami in the science of devotional service to the Lord. He taught the Gosvami the divisions of the living creatures in the 8,400,000 species of life. Then He taught him about the human species. Out of them He discussed the followers of the Vedic principles, out of them the fruitive workers, out of them the empiric philosophers, and out of them the liberated souls. He said that there are only a few who are actually pure devotees of Lord Sri Krsna.
Volunteer

padmavati mataji February 15, 2011 at 11:13pm

When He returned to Prayaga, Srila Rupa Gosvami and his youngest brother met Him near Bindu-madhava temple. This time the Lord was welcomed by the people of Prayaga more respectfully. Vallabha Bhatta, who resided on the other bank of Prayaga in the village of Adaila, was to receive Him at his place. but while going there the Lord jumped in the River Yamuna. With great difficulty He was picked up in an unconscious state. Finally He visited the headquarters of Vallabha Bhatta. This Vallabha Bhatta was one of His chief admirers, but later on he inaugurated his own party, the Vallabha-sampradaya.
Volunteer

padmavati mataji February 15, 2011 at 11:12pm

From Vrndavana His personal servitor Krsnadasa Vipra induced Him to go back to Prayaga to take bath during the Magha-mela. The Lord acceded to this proposal, and they started for Prayaga. On the way they met with some Pathans, amongst whom there was a learned Moulana. The Lord had some talks with the Moulana and his companions, and the Lord convinced the Moulana that in the Koran also there are descriptions of Bhagavata-dharma and Krsna. All the Pathans were converted to His cult of devotional service.
Volunteer

padmavati mataji February 15, 2011 at 11:12pm

Some of the important places that were visited by the Lord in Vrndavana were Kamyavana, Adisvara, Pavana-sarovara, Khadiravana, Sesasayi, Khela-tirtha, Bhandiravana, Bhadravana, Srivana, Lauhavana, Mahavana, Gokula, Kaliya-hrada, Dvadasaditya, Kesi-tirtha, etc. When He saw the place where the rasa dance took place, He at once fell down in trance. As long as He remained at Vrndavana, He made His headquarters at Akrura-ghata.
Volunteer

padmavati mataji February 15, 2011 at 11:11pm

At Vrndavana the Lord took bath in twenty-four important bathing places and ghatas. He traveled to all the twelve important vanas (forests). In these forests all the cows and birds welcomed Him, as if He were their very old friend. The Lord also began to embrace all the trees of those forests, and by doing so He felt the symptoms of transcendental ecstasy. Sometimes He fell unconscious, but He was made to regain consciousness by the chanting of the holy name of Krsna. The transcendental symptoms that were visible on the body of the Lord during His travel within the forest of Vrndavana were all unique and inexplicable, and we have just given a synopsis only.

of 16

This reply was deleted.

Krishna Consciousness.

Replies