Q. 249. HOW DOES ONE ACHIEVE BHAKTI ?
A. BY SRILA PRABHUPADA.
tat tu viṣaya-tyāgāt sańga-tyāgāc caSYNONYMStat — that; tu — and; viṣaya — of sense gratification; tyāgāt — by rejection; sańga — of (material) association; tyāgāt — by rejection; ca — and.TRANSLATIONOne achieves bhakti by giving up sense gratification and mundane association. (Narada Bhakti Sutra).PURPORTViṣaya refers to the objects of sense enjoyment, and one who indulges in sense enjoyment is called a viṣayī. A viṣayī cannot succeed in devotional service.The ācāryas therefore set down regulations for eating, mating, and so on. Nārada states that one should not only give up gross practices of sense indulgence but should even stop thinking of sense gratification.The word sańga-tyāga indicates that one should refrain from associating with sense objects even within the mind and heart. The ācāryas of all religions so consistently recommend such renunciation of sense pleasure that the need for it may seem a truism.But to practice it is not easy. And yet if we want to advance in bhakti-yoga, practice it we must. As Lord Kṛṣṇa says:-yaḿ sannyāsam iti prāhuryogaḿ taḿ viddhi pāṇḍavana hy asannyasta-sańkalpoyogī bhavati kaścanaSYNONYMSyam — what; sannyāsam — renunciation; iti — thus; prāhuḥ — they say; yogam — linking with the Supreme; tam — that; viddhi — you must know; pāṇḍava— O son of Pāṇḍu; na — never; hi — certainly; asannyasta — without giving up; sańkalpaḥ — desire for self-satisfaction; yogī — a mystic transcendentalist;bhavati — becomes; kaścana — anyone.TRANSLATIONWhat is called renunciation you should know to be the same as yoga, or linking oneself with the Supreme, O son of Pāṇḍu, for one can never become ayogī unless he renounces the desire for sense gratification. (Bhagavad-Gita As It Is).The Kṛṣṇa conscious method of renunciation is to engage the mind and senses in devotional service. As Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī says in his Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu:-anāsaktasya viṣayān yathārham upayuñjataḥnirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe yuktaḿ vairāgyam ucyate" The vairagya of that person who employs objects suitable for devotional development, while remaining detached from them, is said to be suitable for bhakti. The objects should be persistently related to Krsna."An active devotee is more complete in his renunciation than one who rejects material things without knowledge of their relationship to Kṛṣṇa. This method of yukta-vairāgya gives one great freedom, but it must be done rightly.Śrīla Prabhupāda writes, "One should, however, note that after doing something whimsically he should not offer the results to the Supreme Lord. That sort of duty is not in the devotional service of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One should act according to the order of Kṛṣṇa, [which] comes through disciplic succession from the bona fide spiritual master" (Bg. purport).In short, sinful activity cannot be brought under the purview of "offering everything to Kṛṣṇa." Indeed, Śrīla Prabhupāda would not accept disciples unless they agreed to follow the four regulative principles — no illicit sex, no intoxication, no gambling, and no meat-eating.Renunciation is possible because of the higher pleasure attainable in spiritual life. As Kṛṣṇa states in the Bhagavad-gītā:-viṣayā vinivartantenirāhārasya dehinaḥrasa-varjaḿ raso 'py asyaparaḿ dṛṣṭvā nivartateSYNONYMSviṣayāḥ — objects for sense enjoyment; vinivartante — are practiced to be refrained from; nirāhārasya — by negative restrictions; dehinaḥ — for the embodied; rasa-varjam — giving up the taste; rasaḥ — sense of enjoyment; api — although there is; asya — his; param — far superior things; dṛṣṭvā — by experiencing; nivartate — he ceases from.TRANSLATIONThe embodied soul may be restricted from sense enjoyment, though the taste for sense objects remains. But, ceasing such engagements by experiencing a higher taste, he is fixed in consciousness.In his purport to this verse, Śrīla Prabhupāda compares the restriction from sense enjoyment mystic yogīs observe to the restrictions a doctor places upon a patient that forbid him from taking certain types of food. In neither instance is the taste for the forbidden pleasures lost."But," Śrīla Prabhupāda writes, "one who has tasted the beauty of the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, in the course of his advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness no longer has a taste for dead, material things.Therefore, restrictions are there for the less intelligent neophytes in the spiritual advancement of life, but such restrictions are good only until one actually has a taste for Kṛṣṇa consciousness."Previously Nārada has stated that it is not sufficient merely to hear about spiritual life or to tell others about it without actually practicing it and realizing its fruits oneself. And so the sādhana-bhakta actually practices — he avoids lusty attachments on the strength of his vows, and Kṛṣṇa helps him from within.Eventually he relishes a higher taste and loses the desire for sense gratification. Bhakti-yoga, being a transcendental science, yields the expected results when carefully followed.The phrase sańga-tyāgāt, which Nārada uses here, also appears in Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī's Upadeśāmṛta (3). According to Rūpa Gosvāmī, sańga-tyāga, by which he means "abandoning the association of nondevotees," is one of the most important requirements for the execution of pure devotional service.When Lord Caitanya was asked to define a Vaiṣṇava, He replied:-asat-sańga-tyāga, — ei vaiṣṇava-ācāra'strī-sańgī' — eka asādhu, 'kṛṣṇābhakta' āraSYNONYMSasat-sańga-tyāga — rejection of the association of nondevotees; ei — this; vaiṣṇava-ācāra — the behavior of a Vaiṣṇava; strī-sańgī — who associates with women for sense gratification; eka — one; asādhu — unsaintly person; kṛṣṇa-abhakta — one who is not a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa; āra — another.TRANSLATION"A Vaiṣṇava should always avoid the association of ordinary people. Common people are very much materially attached, especially to women. Vaiṣṇavas should also avoid the company of those who are not devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa. (Sri Caitanya caritamrta).Just as asat-sańga increases our material attachment and impedes our devotional service, so sādhu-sańga furthers our devotional service by helping us become attached to Lord Kṛṣṇa and detached from the practices of nondevotees.In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Lord Kapila advises His mother, Devahūti:-prasańgam ajaraḿ pāśamātmanaḥ kavayo viduḥsa eva sādhuṣu kṛtomokṣa-dvāram apāvṛtamSYNONYMSprasańgam — attachment; ajaram — strong; pāśam — entanglement; ātmanaḥ — of the soul; kavayaḥ — learned men; viduḥ — know; saḥ eva — that same;sādhuṣu — to the devotees; kṛtaḥ — applied; mokṣa-dvāram — the door of liberation; apāvṛtam — opened.TRANSLATIONEvery learned man knows very well that attachment for the material is the greatest entanglement of the spirit soul. But that same attachment, when applied to the self-realized devotees, opens the door of liberation.In his purport, Śrīla Prabhupāda writes, "This indicates that the propensity for attachment cannot be stopped; it must be utilized for the best purpose. Our attachment for material things perpetuates our conditioned state, but the same attachment, when transferred to the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His devotee, is the source of liberation."This sūtra contains a stern order for the aspiring devotee: "If you want to progress in bhakti, you must give up sense gratification and material association." In his Bhagavad-gītā purports, Śrīla Prabhupāda tells us how we should approach such orders: "The Lord instructs that one has to become fully Kṛṣṇa conscious to discharge duties, as if in military discipline.Such an injunction may make things a little difficult; still, duties must be carried out, with dependence on Kṛṣṇa, because that is the constitutional position of the living entity" (Bg. purport). Lethargy in the face of these orders should be thrown off. The alternative is great unhappiness, more than we can imagine, as the soul falls down into lower species of life, birth after birth.avyāvṛtta-bhajanātSYNONYMSavyāvṛtta — uninterrupted; bhajanāt — by worship.TRANSLATIONOne achieves bhakti by worshiping the Lord ceaselessly.(Narada Bhakti sutra).PURPORTNārada has given a negative order — to restrain the mind and senses; he now gives the positive method for engaging the mind and senses in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.Śrīla Prabhupāda compared Kṛṣṇa conscious activity to placing an iron rod in fire. As the rod stays steadily within the flames, it becomes hotter and hotter, until eventually it becomes fiery. In the same way, the devotee who steadily engages in Kṛṣṇa consciousness gradually becomes transformed, until eventually he becomes fully Kṛṣṇa conscious.If one is completely absorbed in Kṛṣṇa's service, there is no scope for the activities of māyā.The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also recommends uninterrupted devotional service:-sa vai puḿsāḿ paro dharmoyato bhaktir adhokṣajeahaituky apratihatāyayātmā suprasīdatiSYNONYMSsaḥ — that; vai — certainly; puḿsām — for mankind; paraḥ — sublime; dharmaḥ — occupation; yataḥ — by which; bhaktiḥ — devotional service; adhokṣaje— unto the Transcendence; ahaitukī — causeless; apratihatā — unbroken; yayā — by which; ātmā — the self; suprasīdati — completely satisfied.TRANSLATIONThe supreme occupation [dharma] for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted to completely satisfy the self.In this sūtra Nārada uses the word bhajana, which also appears, in a slightly different form, in the Bhagavad-gītā:-yoginām api sarveṣāḿmad-gatenāntar-ātmanāśraddhāvān bhajate yo māḿsa me yuktatamo mataḥSYNONYMSyoginām — of yogīs; api — also; sarveṣām — all types of; mat-gatena — abiding in Me, always thinking of Me; antaḥ-ātmanā — within himself; śraddhā-vān —in full faith; bhajate — renders transcendental loving service; yaḥ — one who; mām — to Me (the Supreme Lord); saḥ — he; me — by Me; yukta-tamaḥ — the greatest yogī; mataḥ — is considered.TRANSLATIONAnd of all yogīs, the one with great faith who always abides in Me, thinks of Me within himself, and renders transcendental loving service to Me — he is the most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all. That is My opinion.Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the word bhaj means "service":Service with love and faith is especially meant for the Supreme Personality of Godhead.One can avoid worshiping a respectable man or demigod and may be called discourteous, but one cannot avoid serving the Supreme Lord without being thoroughly condemned. [Bg. purport]This passage indicates that bhakti is not a spiritual recreation for a few people but is intended for all, and it cannot be avoided without dire consequences.Nārada says bhakti is attained by uninterrupted loving service. But does he mean that one must be flawless, that one must never slip? No, Lord Kṛṣṇa allows for mistakes, provided one is determined to serve Him. He says in the Ninth Chapter of the Bhagavad- Gītā:-api cet su-durācārobhajate mām ananya-bhāksādhur eva sa mantavyaḥsamyag vyavasito hi saḥSYNONYMSapi — even; cet — if; su-durācāraḥ — one committing the most abominable actions; bhajate — is engaged in devotional service; mām — unto Me;ananya-bhāk — without deviation; sādhuḥ — a saint; eva — certainly; saḥ — he; mantavyaḥ — is to be considered; samyak — completely; vyavasitaḥ — situated in determination; hi — certainly; saḥ — he.TRANSLATIONEven if one commits the most abominable action, if he is engaged in devotional service he is to be considered saintly because he is properly situated in his determination.Śrīla Prabhupāda warns us, however, not to take advantage of this statement and think we can intentionally violate the rules of devotional life and still be a devotee.The blessing from the Lord expressed here is that if we go on serving the spiritual master and Kṛṣṇa with determination — especially by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare — then Lord Kṛṣṇa will accept us as His devotee, despite our imperfections.But exactly what does one do to always keep busy in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and avoid becoming bored or restless? Prahlāda Mahārāja taught a ninefold process of bhakti for maintaining full engagement in the Lord's service:(1) hearing about the Lord,(2) chanting His name and glories,(3) remembering Him,(4) serving His lotus feet,(5) worshiping the Deity,(6) offering prayers to the Lord,(7) becoming His servant,(8) becoming His friend, and(9) offering Him everything. While the first two of these processes are extremely important, any one of them is sufficient for achieving perfection.It is stated in the Narada Bhakti Sutra:-loke 'pi bhagavad-guṇa-śravaṇa-kīrtanātSYNONYMSloke — in the world; api — even; bhagavat — of the Supreme Lord; guṇa — about the qualities; śravaṇa — by hearing; kīrtanāt — and chanting.TRANSLATIONOne achieves bhakti by hearing and chanting about the Supreme Lord's special qualities, even while engaged in the ordinary activities of life in this world.PURPORTSomeone might say that Nārada is being unreasonable in advocating "uninterrupted loving service." How can those who are busy with duties in the world maintain constant bhajana?But Nārada, like all ācāryas, is well aware of the worldly situation and the jīva's predicament. Thus he recommends śravaṇaḿkīrtanam, hearing and chanting about the Lord, for all persons at all times.An outstanding example of a Kṛṣṇa conscious devotee who was busy in the world is Arjuna, Kṛṣṇa's friend. And it was Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself who insisted that Arjuna not renounce the battlefield in favour of meditation. The Bhagavad-Gita states:-tasmāt sarveṣu kāleṣumām anusmara yudhya camayy arpita-mano-buddhirmām evaiṣyasy asaḿśayaḥSYNONYMStasmāt — therefore; sarveṣu — at all; kāleṣu — times; mām — Me; anusmara — go on remembering; yudhya — fight; ca — also; mayi — unto Me; arpita — surrendering; manaḥ — mind; buddhiḥ — intellect; mām — unto Me; eva — surely; eṣyasi — you will attain; asaḿśayaḥ — beyond a doubt.TRANSLATIONTherefore, Arjuna, you should always think of Me in the form of Kṛṣṇa and at the same time carry out your prescribed duty of fighting. With your activities dedicated to Me and your mind and intelligence fixed on Me, you will attain Me without doubt.PURPORTThis instruction to Arjuna is very important for all men engaged in material activities. The Lord does not say that one should give up his prescribed duties or engagements.One can continue them and at the same time think of Kṛṣṇa by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. This will free one from material contamination and engage the mind and intelligence in Kṛṣṇa. By chanting Kṛṣṇa's names, one will be transferred to the supreme planet, Kṛṣṇaloka, without a doubt.Śrīla Prabhupāda writes, "The Lord never suggests anything impractical.... If he [Arjuna] doesn't practice remembering Kṛṣṇa while he is struggling for existence, then it will not be possible for him to remember Kṛṣṇa at the time of death" (Bg. Introduction). Lord Caitanya also advises, kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ: [Cc. adi 17.31] "One should always chant the names of the Lord."Still the question remains, How can an active person perform double duty — work and chant at the same time? But it is possible, through love.Prabhupāda gave the example of a man who goes to work in an office while his young son is very ill at home. Out of natural affection, the father is always thinking, "How is the boy?"Another example, given by the ācāryas, concerns a married woman's attachment for her paramour. The wife always thinks of her lover, even while doing her household chores. In fact, she does her housework even more carefully so that her husband will not suspect her.In the same way, we should always remember the supreme lover, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, even while meticulously discharging our material duties. If we say, "But I lack strong love for Kṛṣṇa," the only remedy is vaidhi-bhakti. The very purpose of this training stage of bhakti is to bring out our original love for God, just as striking a match brings out a flame.And among all the devotional practices, the foremost are śravaṇaḿ kīrtanaḿ viṣṇoḥ hearing and chanting the glories of the Lord.No one can honestly say he has absolutely no time to devote to śravaṇaḿ kīrtanam.Even the busiest people find time daily to go through newspapers or magazines, and almost everyone finds some time for television, as well as for idle talk. Much of this time could be spared for bhakti-yoga.And even when we are working at the office or factory, if we are donating a portion of our earnings to Kṛṣṇa we may think, "Kṛṣṇa has assigned me this particular duty."If despite his best efforts a devotee finds his social and occupational duties overwhelming, he should consider living in a different way. One should avoid ugra-karma, work that completely saps one of all higher energy and pious inclination.In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Nārada Muni advised Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira that one should work "to earn his livelihood as much as necessary to maintain body and soul together.Śrīla Prabhupāda, who worked for many years as a Kṛṣṇa conscious businessman, addressed the problem realistically. He said that there was no question of stopping all activities, just as there is no question of wiping out one's temperature altogether when trying to recover from a fever. If one has a fever of 105°F, one should carefully decrease it to the normal temperature, 98.6°, and maintain it there.Śrīla Prabhupāda writes, "The great sages and saints of India wanted to maintain the normal temperature by a balanced program of material and spiritual knowledge. They never allowed the misuse of human intelligence for diseased sense gratification" (Īśopaniṣad purport).Most people give the highest priority to economic development and sense gratification, relegating religion to a support activity. But actual religion, self-realization should come first.Economic development is required only to maintain the body in a sound, healthy condition.Understanding the awkward position of people in the Kali-yuga, the Supreme Lord has given us the chanting of the holy names as the yuga-dharma, the religion of the age. In the Sri Caitanya Caritamrta, it is stated:-harer nāma harer nāmaharer nāmaiva kevalamkalau nāsty eva nāsty evanāsty eva gatir anyathāSYNONYMShareḥ nāma — the holy name of the Lord; hareḥ nāma — the holy name of the Lord; hareḥ nāma — the holy name of the Lord; eva — certainly; kevalam — only; kalau — in the Age of Kali; na asti — there is none; eva — certainly; na asti — there is none; eva — certainly; na asti — there is none; eva — certainly;gatiḥ — destination; anyathā — otherwise.TRANSLATIONIn this Age of Kali there is no other means, no other means, no other means for self-realization than chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name of Lord Hari.
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3. SHRI GURVASTAKAM. (eight prayers to the Spiritual Master).
4. TWO PRAYERS FROM SHRI VRINDAVANA MAHIMAMRTA.
5. TWO PRAYERS FROM MUKUNDA MALA STOTRA.
6. SIX PRAYERS FROM SHRI BRAHMA SAMHITA.
7. THE EIGHT YUGALASHTAKAM PRAYERS.
Everyday read them.
1. Select a question and answer.
2. Read it. Re-read it.
3. Little by little, memorize the verses and translations.
4. Learn also the word-for-word meaning.
5. When you have done this with one question and answer,
do the same with the others. Take your time.
6. As you engage in this spiritual study daily,
Lord Krishna showers blessings upon you.
I wish you success in your studies.
With love and best wishes.
Take care. Bye.