Anarthas Unwanted Things That Hinder Steadiness in Devotion

Where I am in Devotional Service and How to Progress

Anarthas—unwanted things that hinder steadiness in devotion General symptoms of severe anarthas, causing unsteadiness, before the stage of nistha: Sleepiness during chanting, hearing, and remembering Distraction—to mundane topics while in spiritual activities Indifference—not taking the opportunity Bad habits Taste for material enjoyment

Source Type Varieties Destroyed Effects at stage Past sins Illusion Identity as body and mind asakti Enemies: God as only impersonal Lust, anger, Material world as pleasurable greed, Religious rituals as the process of spiritual illusion, pride perfection and envy

Weakness Desire for fame of heart Envy Waves: Deceit or fault finding distress, Attachment to things unrelated to Krishna illusion, hunger, thirst, old age, Material Objects death Desires Heavenly comforts Mystic powers Salvation Lack of taste Enemies Lust, anger, greed, illusion, pride and for chanting envy Waves distress, illusion, hunger, thirst, old age, death Previous Religious enjoyment asakti piety Liberation Offenses To the 29 offenses listed in Nectar of Devotion, Prema or Deity chapter 8 Krishna’s To the holy to offend other devotees of the Lord, to association name consider Krishna’s name to be equal to some ordinary being—even a demigod, to disobey the spiritual master’s order, to blaspheme scripture, to interpret the mantra in a mundane way, think its glories are exaggerated, intentionally sin with the idea that the mantra will purify one, consider the chanting to be material piety, to tell the name’s glories to the faithless, chant without attention, or chant without faith and while maintaining material attachments Side Enjoyment of facilities such as fame ruci effects of bhakti

1 From Sraddha to Prema Summary of Madhurya Kadambani

Stages of Description – these stages may Consciousness Progress of Anartha Nivritti – spiritual reflect years or lifetimes of For anarthas from advancement developing spiritual consciousness Serving Serving Past Offenses Wealth, Oneself Krishna activities- worship,e good/bad tc. from bhakti Firm trust in scriptures dealing with sraddha- devotional service. Desire to absolute particle or faith enthusiastically follow spiritual spark ------practices. Beginning of all auspiciousness and relief of material distress. Inquires about proper conduct and sadhu-sanga- practices from guru. Develops devotional relations with devotees and takes absolute trace ------association association from advanced devotees.

Unsteadily engaged in spiritual bhajana-kriya practices. Accepts initiation from a devotional bona-fide spiritual master. full partial almost partially partially activity Progresses through false confidence, complete complete complete sporadic endeavor, indecision, struggle with the senses, inability to uphold vows, and enjoying the facilities of bhakti. The process of clearing the anarthas, unwanted qualities within the heart, such as lust, anger, greed, pride, anartha- etc., is present throughout all of the stages of spiritual advancement, mainly between the stages of bhajana- nivritti kriya and nistha, and is achieved primarily through the hearing and chanting of the Lord’s name in the clearing association of other devotees. Anarthas have 4 sources: from past sins, from past pious activities, from offenses, and from bhakti, such as enjoying wealth or worship. This process relieves the devotee of the 5 forms of ignorance, or material distresses, from which tendencies arise towards sinful or pious activities resulting in fortune or misfortune. These are ignorance or illusion, false ego, attachment, hatred, and fear of death. Steadily engaged in devotional nistha- activities. Characterized by absence steadiness of 5 items: lethargy or excessive sleep, distraction, indifference, bad almost pervasive complete pervasive complete habits, and taste for material full enjoyment. Though still present, modes of passion and ignorance are ineffectual. Intensity and ease for hearing, chanting, and other services. Steady practice becomes propelled ruci- by its own energy. Taste for taste devotional activities vastly greater than attraction for anything else. 2 pervasive almost ------absolute types: depending on quality of full favorable elements and environment; and experiencing great pleasure from any practice of hearing and chanting. Focus and main subject of spiritual 2 asakti- practices is simply Krishna, rather attachment than the devotional activities themselves. Mind automatically partial full absolute ------withdraws from material topics and spontaneously absorbs itself in the Lord without effort. Lord seems almost visible, or very close. Mature attachment and emotion for rati or bhava- the Lord. One is entering into pure emotion goodness. Intense hankering to associate with Krishna. Uproots all shadow complete ------almost ------ignorance. Begin experiencing complete eternal relationship with the Lord. Rarely achieved and derides concept of liberation. Pure love for the Lord. All prema- emotions are bound to His name, love form, qualities, and pastimes. As like a magnet, Krishna is attracted to the devotee and reveals His form, fragrance, voice, touch, and taste, absent absolute ------complete ------thus overwhelming the senses of the devotee. Devotee takes no heed of any obstacles to devotional life. Loses all sense of self. Spends life experiencing presence and separation of the Lord.

Stages of limited pervasive Almost complete complete absolute anartha-nivritti Sraddha Sadhu-sanga Bhajana-kriya Aparadha, past sins from bhakti Anartha nivritti Nistha aparadha Past sins, from bhakti Ruci From bhakti Asakti Past sins Bhava or rati aparadha prema aparadha Krsna’s aparadha association

3 activity symptoms Types?

Sraddha Believes Krsna is God and that spiritual perfection is attainable Sadhu-sanga Spends time with May sometimes experience shadow or reflective devotees assisting ecstasy them with bhakti Bhajana-kriya Regularly does the Relief from all distress Steady and nine processes under a Engaged in real welfare work for the whole world unsteady guru’s guidance; takes Symptoms that we haven’t got steadiness initiation  Sleepiness during chanting, hearing, and remembering  Distraction—to mundane topics while in spiritual activities  Indifference—not taking the opportunity  Bad habits  Taste for material enjoyment

Anartha Gives up sinful life Doesn’t eat meat, have illicit sex, gamble, or take Getting free from nivritti and works at intoxication. anarthas of past removing offenses and sins, past piety, sinful tendencies offenses, and weeds that grow with bhakti Nistha Uses his body, mind, Sinful tendencies and anarthas almost gone Steadiness in and words in Krsna’s bhakti and service constantly steadiness in the qualities of bhakti Ruci Never feels fatigue Happiness deriding liberation Depending on while doing bhakti Difficult attainment/rarity excellent of elements or not depending Asakti Is automatically drawn toward Krsna Bhava or rati Beginning to awaken  Reserved and perseverant. In awe and rasa  Detached from all material attraction. reverence or with  does not long for any material respect a feeling of  certain that Krishna will bestow His mercy equality  eager to serve the Lord attached to the chanting of the holy names  Eager to describe the transcendental qualities of the Lord.  pleased to live in a place where the Lord’s pastimes are performed prema Serves the Lord in his All senses enlivened in love for Krishna eternal rasa Incalculable bliss Attracts Krishna