Posted by mukunda das on December 9, 2015 at 7:33am
I have written quite a few articles based on hearing a devotee make a statement in a class or in an online lecture etc. My writing is always from the point of view of self edification and if the subject is beneficial for any others then I have great hope they may bless me for trying to render a small service.There has for years and more recently been a resurgence of the idea that our Srila Prabhupada did not teach Raganuga Bhakti but emphasized following strictly the regulative principles. This has been even called by Srila Prabhupada following Vaidhi Bhakti , but on close examination and study was Srila Prabhupada really talking about the practice of Vaidhi meaning that practice that leads one to Vaikunta because as stated in CC Adi Lila 3 15/16 :sakala jagate more kare vidhi-bhaktividhi-bhaktye vraja-bhāva pāite nāhi śaktiEverywhere in the world people worship Me according to scriptural injunctions. But simply by following such regulative principles one cannot attain the loving sentiments of the devotees in Vrajabhūmi.aiśvarya-jñānete saba jagat miśritaaiśvarya-śithila-preme nāhi mora"Knowing My opulences, the whole world looks upon Me with awe and veneration. But devotion made feeble by such reverence does not attract Me.Purport:After His appearance, Lord Kṛṣṇa thought that He had not distributed the transcendental personal dealings with His devotees in dāsya, sakhya, vātsalya and mādhurya. One may understand the science of the Supreme Personality of Godhead from the Vedic literatures and thus become a devotee of the Lord and worship Him within the regulative principles described in the scriptures, but one will not know in this way how Kṛṣṇa is served by the residents of Vrajabhūmi. One cannot understand the dealings of the Lord in Vṛndāvana simply by executing the ritualistic regulative principles mentioned in the scriptures. By following scriptural injunctions one may enhance his appreciation for the glories of the Lord, but there is no chance for one to enter into personal dealings with Him. Giving too much attention to understanding the exalted glories of the Lord reduces the chance of one's entering into personal loving affairs with the Lord. To teach the principles of such loving dealings, the Lord decided to appear as Lord Caitanya.So let's take a look at everything in context it is obvious that when Srila Prabhupada spoke about Vaidhi Bhakti he did so from the perspective of following the rules or viddhis of sastra and not the path of Vaidhi Bhakti described in the verses quoted above from CC. Without following the tenets of sastra you cannot follow any type of Bhakti but as sastra says you will cause a disturbance:śruti-smṛti-purāṇādi-pañcarātra-vidhiṁ vināaikāntikī harer bhaktirutpātāyaiva kalpate"Devotional service of the Lord that ignores the authorized Vedic literatures like the Upaniṣads, purāṇas and Nārada-pañcarātra is simply an unnecessary disturbance in society."The technical name of following the rules and regulations or viddhis in pursuance of the path of Raga is called " Raganuga Pravritti " the progressive movement towards the path. It has also been misconstrued by some that on the platform of Raga there is no need to follow rules and regulations this is not true Sravanot Kirtanandini Vaidhi Bhakti udanti tu Yani angany ca tany atra vijnani manisibhiThe angas of bhakti such as Sravan,kirtan sri guru-padäçraya, and others, which have already been described in regard to vaidhé-bhakti, are also useful and necessary in rägänugä-bhakti.The practice of Raganuga begins in Ruci (Though Lobha or Greed may come before that) After being established in Nistha bhajan where there are no vikshep ( distractions in the form of Anarthas) then Ruci in bhajan or taste at which time the following of the practices becomes imbued with spiritual taste as stated in Bhagavad Gita: 9/2 Susukam Kartum Avayayam. and 2/59 rasa-varjaḿ raso ‘py asyaparaḿ dṛṣṭvā nivartate. So there is no scope of not following rules & regulations only the mood of the person following changes. Now having understood Srila aprabhupad's intention in the use of the word Vaidhi Bhakti and his clear statement in the purpor"One cannot understand the dealings of the Lord in Vṛndāvana simply by executing the ritualistic regulative principles mentioned in the scriptures"Now we can start defining Raganuga Bhakti:The DefinitionIn Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu Sri Rupa Gosvami describes two types of raga-bhakti: (a) ragatmika and (b) raganuga. First, he describes ragatmika-bhakti, because raganuga devotion presupposes this and follows in its wake.iste svarasiki ragah paramavistata bhavettanmayi ya bhaved bhaktih satra ragatmikodita"That spontaneous attraction for the ista-devata (the worshipable Deity of one's heart's choice), combined with complete absorption in thoughts of Him, with an intense desire of love is termed ragatmika-bhakti." (Brs. 1.2.272)Next, raganuga-bhakti is described.virajantim abhivyaktam vrajavasi janadisuragatmikam anusrta ya sa raganugocyate"That bhakti which is directed to following the moods and mellows of SriKrsna's eternal ragatmika Vrndavana associates is termed raganuga." (Brs. 1.2.270)At this point the difference between ragatmika and raganuga should be clearly understood. That spontaneous attraction pertaining to the caliber of devotion found in Sri Krsna's eternal Vraja associates is called ragatmika-bhakti. Raganuga-bhakti, however, is described by Sri Rupa Gosvami as a limb of sadhana-bhakti, or bhakti in practice. (It should be noted at this point that if raganuga-bhakti is mistaken for ragat- mika-bhakti, then this form of sadhana becomes completely out of reach for anyone of this world.)So with this preliminary definition of Srila Rupa Goswami we can see where Srila Prabhupadas teachings fit. First Srila Prabhupada himself described his movement as " Rupanugas" or followers of Srila Rupa Goswami/Rupa Manjari as the term Rupanuga indicates both. We also see that one of the first books manifested in Srila Prabhupadas movement was Krishna Book which is filled with the pastimes of Sri Krishna and his associates. In almost every temple he established dieties of Radha and Krishna. The dieties of Gaur Nitai are also the Audarya Lila of Vrindavan. The Dieties of Jaganath represent Dwaraka but the most important part of Sri Jaganath lila is the Ratha Yatra which is Krishna meeting the Vrajavasis at Kurukestra.So almost all of the preaching foundations of Srila Prabhupadas movement are based in the Vraja mood he himself said Radha Damodara in Vrindavan was his home. Overall it is clear that Srila Prabhupada established exactly what all the followers of Sri Chaitanya established Vraja Bhakti , Raganuga Bhakti more clear evidence is given: CC Mahdya 8/8/230gopī-ānugatya vinā aiśvarya-jñānebhajileha nāhi pāya vrajendra-"Unless one follows in the footsteps of the gopīs, he cannot attain the service of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, the son of Nanda Mahārāja. If one is overcome by knowledge of the Lord's opulence, he cannot attain the Lord's lotus feet, even though he is engaged in devotional service.One can worship Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa by the process of vidhi-mārga, worshiping the Lord with regulative principles according to the instructions of the śāstra and the spiritual master. But the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, cannot be directly worshiped by this process. The dealings between Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs are devoid of the opulences of Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa. The process of vidhi-mārga, following the regulative principles, is utilized in the worship of Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa, whereas the process of spontaneous service — following in the footsteps of the gopīs, who are the denizens of Vṛndāvana — is transcendentally more advanced and is the process whereby Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa are worshiped. One cannot attain this elevated position while worshiping the Lord in His opulence. Those attracted by the conjugal love between Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa must follow in the footsteps of the gopīs. Only then is it possible to enter into the Lord's service in Goloka Vṛndāvana and directly associate with Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa.sakala jagate more kare vidhi-bhakti | vidhi-bhaktye vraja-bhava paite nahi sakti || aisvarya-jnanete saba jagat misrita | aisvarya-sithila-preme nahi mora prita || (cc 1.3.15-16)“Everyone in this world worships Me through vidhi-bhakti. Vidhi-bhakti has no power for attaining the feelings of Vraja. The devotion of the world is mixed with knowledge of My divine prowess. I do not delight in love diluted with prowess.”So from all angles it is abundantly clear that Srila Prabhupada wanted and did give Raganuga Bhakti and the cautious but sure means of reaching it.Jaya Srila Prabhupada Ki Jaya Jaya Srila Gurudeva Jaya Our Rupanuga Guruvarga
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