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Çré Papamocani Ekadäsé Issue no:108 1st April 2019 The Three Fundamental Instructions

The Saints Narada And Angira Should We Make Disciples? Instruct King Chitraketu Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Thakura Srila Sukadeva Goswami

Instructions On Association For Why Did Srila Only Give Maharaja Chitraketu Brief Instructions In His Upadesamrita? His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Three Fundamental Instructions From -rasämåta-sindhu Circulaton 28, 676 Srila Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura Issue no 108, Page — 2 nityaà bhägavata-sevayä The Saints Narada And Angira certainly not interested in the temporary Instruct King Chitraketu cosmic manifestation. Nonetheless, just Srila Sukadeva Goswami as a boy at the beach creates something of sand which he is not truly interested Sri Sukadeva Goswami said: While in, the Lord, keeps everything under His King Chitraketu, overcome by lamentation, control, and causes creation, maintenance lay like a dead body at the side of the and annihilation. He creates by engaging dead body of his son, the two great sages a father to beget a son, He maintains by Narada and Angira instructed him about engaging a government or king to see to spiritual consciousness as follows. the public’s welfare, and He annihilates O King what relationship does the dead through agents for killing, such as snakes. body for which you lament have with The agents for creation, maintenance you, and what relationship do you have and annihilation have no independent with him? You may say that you are now potency, but because of the spell of the related as father and son, but do you think illusory energy, one thinks himself the this relationship existed before? Does creator, maintainer or annihilator. it truly exist now? Will it continue in the As from one seed another seed is future? generated, O King, so from one body [the O King, as small particles of sand body of the father], through another body sometimes come together and are [the body of the mother], a third body sometimes separated due to the force of is generated [the body of a son]. As the the waves, the living entities who have elements of the material body are eternal, accepted material bodies sometimes come the living entity who appears through these together and are sometimes separated by material elements is also eternal. Divisions the force of time. When seeds are sown of generalization and specification, such in the ground, they sometimes grow into as nationality and individuality, are the plants and sometimes do not. Sometimes imagined notions of persons who are not the ground is not fertile, and the sowing advanced in knowledge. of seeds is unproductive. Similarly, Thus enlightened by the instructions sometimes a prospective father, being of Narada and Angira, King Chitraketu impelled by the potency of the Supreme became hopeful with knowledge. Wiping Lord, can beget a child, but sometimes his shriveled face with his hand, the King conception does not take place. Therefore began to speak. one should not lament over the artificial King Chitraketu said: You have both relationship of imagined parenthood, come here dressed like avadhütas, which is ultimately controlled by the liberated persons, just to cover your Supreme Lord. identities, but I see that of all people, you O King, both you and ourselves, your are the most elevated in awareness. You advisers, wives and ministers, as well know everything as it is. Therefore you as everything moving and not moving are the greatest of all great personalities. throughout the entire cosmos, are in a Brähmaëas who are elevated to the temporary situation. Before our birth position of Vaisnavas (the dearest servants this situation did not exist, and after our of ) sometimes dress like madmen. death it will no longer exist. Therefore our Just to bring benefit to materialists like current situation is temporary, although it us, who are always attached to sense is not false. gratification, and just to dissipate our The Supreme Personality of Godhead, ignorance, these Vaisnavas wander the the master and proprietor of everything, is Earth according to their desire. O great

Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya www.ibmedu.org nityaà bhägavata-sevayä Issue no 108, Page—3 souls, I have heard that among the great same in that they are certainly temporary. and perfect persons wandering the surface One’s kingdom, military power, treasury, of the earth to instruct knowledge to people servants, ministers, friends and relatives are covered by ignorance are Sanat-kumara, all causes of fear, illusion, lamentation and Narada, Rbhu, Angira, Devala, Asita, distress. They are like a castle in the sky, Apantaratama [Vyasadeva], Markandeya, a non-existent palace that one imagines to Gautama, Vasistha, Bhagavan Parasurama, exist. Because they are impermanent, they , Sukadeva, Durvasa, , are no better than illusions, dreams and Jatukarna and . Others are Romasa, mental concoctions. These visible objects Cyavana, , Asuri, Patanjali, like wife, children and property are like the great sage Dhaumya who is like the dreams and mental concoctions. Actually head of the , the sage Pancasikha, what we see has no permanent existence. Hiranyanabha, Kausalya, Srutadeva and It is sometimes seen and sometimes not. Rtadhvaja. You must certainly be among Only because of our past actions do we them. create such mental concoctions, and Because you are great personalities, because of these concoctions, we perform you can give me real knowledge. I am as further activities. The living entity in the foolish as a village animal like a pig or dog bodily conception of life is absorbed in because I am merged in the darkness of the body, which is a combination of the ignorance. Therefore, please ignite the physical elements, the five senses for torch of knowledge to save me. gathering knowledge, and the five senses Angira said: My dear King, when you of action, and the mind. Through the desired to have a son, I approached you. mind the living entity suffers three kinds Indeed, I am the same Angira Åñi who of tribulations known as ädhyätmika, gave you this son. As for this Åñi, he is adhibautika, adhidaivika. Thus this body the great sage Narada, the direct son is naturally a source of miseries. of Lord . My dear King, you are Therefore, O King Chitraketu, carefully an advanced devotee of the Supreme consider the position of the ätma. In other Personality of Godhead. To be absorbed words, try to understand who you are; in lamentation for the loss of something body, mind or soul. Consider where you material is unsuitable for a person like you. Therefore we have both come to relieve have come from, where you are going you from this false lamentation, which is after giving up this body, and why you are due to your being merged in the darkness under the control of material lamentation. of ignorance. For those who are advanced Try to understand your real position in this in spiritual knowledge to be affected by way, and then you will be able to give up material loss and gain most undesirable. your unnecessary attachment. You will When I first came to your home, I could also be able to give up the belief that this have given you the supreme transcendental material world, or anything not directly in knowledge, but when I saw that your mind touch with service to the Supreme Lord was absorbed in material things, I gave Krishna, is eternal. Thus you will obtain you only a son, who caused you jubilation true peace. and lamentation. My dear King, now you The great sage Narada continued: are actually experiencing the misery of a My dear King, attentively receive from me person who has sons and daughters. a , which is most auspicious. By O King, owner of the state of Shurasena, chanting it with rapt attention, in seven one’s wife, his house, the opulence of his nights you will be able to see the Lord kingdom, and his various other plenitudes face to face. My dear King, in former days and objects of sense perception are all the Lord Siva and other demigods in this way took shelter of the lotus feet of Sankarsana. www.ibmedu.org Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya Issue no 108, Page — 4 Top left 4 nityaà bhägavata-sevayä devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. To be absorbed in lamentation for the loss of something material is unsuitable for a person like you. Therefore we have come to relieve you from this false lamentation, which is due to your being merged in the darkness of ignorance. For those who are advanced in spiritual knowledge to be affected by material loss and gain is not at all desirable. Several words in this verse are very important. The word mahä-puruña refers to advanced devotees and also to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Mahä means "the supreme," and puruña means "person." One who always serves the Supreme Lord with complete purity is called mahä-pauruñika. Thus Sukadeva Goswami and Maharaja Pariksit are sometimes addressed as mahä-pauruñika. A devotee should always aspire to engage themself in the service of advanced Thus they immediately got free from the devotees. illusion of duality and achieved unequaled Srila Narottama dasa Thakura has sung: and unsurpassed glories in spiritual life. You will very soon attain that very same täìdera caraëa sevi bhakta-sane väsa position. janame janame haya, ei abhiläña — Çrémad-Bhägavatam » Canto 6: Prescribed Duties for Mankind » Chapter 15. » Verses 1-28. A devotee should aspire to constantly live in the association of advanced devotees Instructions On Association For and always engage in the service of the Maharaja Chitraketu Lord through the paramparä (disciplic His Divine Grace succession ) system. One should serve A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada the mission of Sri through the instructions of the great Angira Åñi said: Goswamis of Vrindavan. This is called täìdera caraëa sevi. While serving the lotus feet of the Goswamis, one should itthaà tväà putra-çokena live in the association of devotees (bhakta- magnaà tamasi dustare sane väsa). This is the primary activity of atad-arham anusmåtya a devotee. A devotee should not hanker mahäpuruña-gocaram for material profit or lament for material loss. anugrahäya bhavataù When Angira Åñi and Narada saw präptäv äväm iha prabho that Maharaja Chitraketu, an advanced brahmaëyo bhagavad-bhakto devotee, had fallen in the darkness of näväsäditum arhasi ignorance and was lamenting for the material body of his son, by their causeless My dear King, you are an advanced Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya www.ibmedu.org nityaà bhägavata-sevayä Issue no 108, Page—5 mercy they came to advise him so that he could be saved from this ignorance. Why Did Srila Rupa Goswami Only Give Another significant word is brahmaëya. Brief Instructions In His Upadeçämåta? The Supreme Personality of Godhead Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura is sometimes addressed by the prayer namo brahmaëya-deväya, which offers O sädhakas, one must accept proximity obeisance unto the Lord because He is with both bad and good people as one served by the devotees. Therefore this passes his life. This equally applies to verse states, brahmaëyo bhagavad-bhakto householders and renunciates. Proximity näväsäditum arhasi. This is the symptom must be there, nevertheless one should of an advanced devotee. Brahma-bhütaù not engage in bad association as this is prasannätmä [Géta 18.54]. For a devotee— forbidden by the scriptures. Giving in an advanced, self-realized soul—there charity, accepting charity, revealing one's is no cause for material jubilation or mind, hearing another's mind, accepting lamentation. He is always transcendental foods, and giving foods - if done with to conditional life. love, these are called saìga, association. — Çrémad-Bhägavatam » Canto 6: Prescribed Duties for Giving some foodstuffs to a hungry person Mankind » Chapter 15 » Verses 18-19, Purport. and accepting some charity from a pious man is done out of duty, not out of love. Should We Make Disciples? Even if they are materialists, this type of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura engagement is not considered association. But if they are pure devotees, then such

Unless we are pure devotees and activities are to be performed with love. liberated souls, we should not make When acts are performed with love, then disciples. Instead, we should first become it is association. Therefore giving charity disciples ourselves by taking shelter of a to pure Vaisnavas and accepting items or bona fide spiritual master. We should then wealth from them becomes sat-saìga, holy hear -kathä from such a mouth association. Giving charity to a materialist and practically apply his instructions or accepting charity from one, if done with humility. While glorifying those with love, becomes asat-saìga, unholy instructions, we then become gurus. Trying association. to remain forever insignificant on some When a materialist approaches you, pretext amounts to self-deceit. To become whatever is required to be done should means to become a devotee of be done only out of duty. One should not Krishna and to remain constantly engaged speak confidentially with a materialist. in the Lord’s service with all our senses. Generally there is some love involved There are no hard and fast rules that in confidential speaking, therefore it tell us we must make disciples, but if the constitutes association. While meeting a Lord desires it, then a pure devotee will materialistic friend, one should speak only give instructions for others’ benefit. Such what is extremely necessary. At that time it pure devotees are not selfishly motivated. is better not to exhibit heartfelt love. But if Rather, their main purpose is to make the that friend is a genuine Vaisnava, then one insignificant great, to make the godless should accept his association by speaking inclined toward the Lord. They wish to to him with love. This type of behaviour make each and every person a devotee of with relatives and friends creates no Krishna. hostility. —Amåta Väëé: Nectar of Instructions of Immoratality » His There is no association in ordinary talking. Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura Prabhupäda » One should behave with ordinary people as Adapted and Published by Éçvara däsa Touchstone Media, one externally behaves with an unknown www.ibmedu.org Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya Issue no 108, Page — 6 nityaà bhägavata-sevayä whatever alms he receives by mädhukaré, (begging), at the house of a honest householder with the above mentioned consideration. He should always remember the difference between gross begging and mädhukaré. A conscientious householder Vaisnava should accept prasäda – offered foodstufs - in the house of another gåhastha who has pure character. One should always be cautious about taking prasäda in the house of a non-devotee or one with bad character. There is no need to speak further about this as it is self explanatory. Due to their pious activities, those who have developed faith in devotional service have a little intelligence by the mercy of Krishna. Applying that intelligence they can easily understand the essence of the äcäryas' instructions. Therefore only a few words are needed to instruct them. Those who have not accumuated pious credit naturally have no faith. Even if they are given volumes of instruction, they will not understand anything. Therefore Srila Rupa Goswami has given only a few words of instruction in Çré Upadeçämåta. merchant while buying something in the market. The same dealings with a pure —Çré Bhaktyäloka - The Six Faults and Qualities of Bhakti, devotee of the Lord however, should Translated by Sarvabhavana Das. be done out of love. If one is obliged to feed hungry people, needy people, and teachers, he should do so as a host dutifully Three Fundamental Instructions From cares for his guest; there is however,no Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu need to exhibit love. One should care for Srila Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura them, but not out of love. Conversely, one should feed pure The Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu gives three Vaisnavas with love, and when required, fundamental instructions on the cultivation accept the remnants given by them of bhakti. The first is that the devotee with love. If one can behave in this must immerse himself in remembering way while giving in charity, accepting (smaraëa) and discussing topics of Lord charity, speaking confidentially, hearing Krishna and those intimate associates of confidentially, feeding others, and the Lord whom the devotee finds attractive accepting food with one's wife, children, and wishes to emulate. The devotee must servants, maidservants, strangers, and also reside in the holy place known as whoever else one meets, then there will Våndävana-dhäma. If a devotee cannot be no unholy association, only good holy be there in body, then he should be there association. There is no hope of achieving in spirit. devotion to Krishna until one gives up The second instruction states that a unholy association in this way. practicing devotee (sädhaka) must serve A renunciate Vaisnava should accept Lord Krishna, particularly in His Vraja Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya www.ibmedu.org nityaà bhägavata-sevayä Issue no 108, Page—7 pastimes. Since the sädhaka has not yet devotee's personal spiritual sentiments. attained perfection (siddhi) on the path of The word janancasya describes the Lord's spontaneously generated rägänugä bhakti, eternally, surrendered associates. In order should do this in his current condition and to remove any doubt regarding who they circumstances. He should serve Krishna are, the word nijasamihitam (very dear under the guidance of a pure devotee who persons) has been used. Specifically this is steeped in the mood of those intimate refers to devotees such as the Queen associates of the Lord who complement of Vrindavan, Srimati Radhika, Lalita- the sädhakas own spiritual, feelings. The devi, Visakha-devi, and Sri Rupa Manjari. -bhakta, being a perfect devotee, Although Lord Krishna is the worshippable internally serves Lord Krishna in Vraja, and object for those pure devotees who posses becomes absorbed in deep by the precious jewel of bhava, it is the mentally accepting his perfected spiritual Lord's intimate associates, Srimati Radhika form which is perfectly suitable for his and the Vraja gopis who possess bhava service. Intensely yearning for the same (loving sentiments ) to the highest degree. devotional mood that Krishna's beloved Therefore, the pure devotees situated in associates possess, such a devotee always bhava want to serve and worship such follows in their footsteps. intimate associates of the Lord. The third instruction explains that The next instruction ''to reside in in vaidhé-bhakti all directives for the Vrindavan" should be understood to mean different processes of devotion, beginning that if it is physically impossible to do so, with hearing and chanting, are listed then the devotee must be present there in systematically according to different grades spirit. (The subject of residing in Vrindavan of spiritual development. The acaryas have as a sädhaka will be automatically covered applied in principle the same devotional when we expand upon the second procedures in raganuga-bhakti. instruction.) These three instructions analyze the In the second instruction, the terms different stages of raganuga-bhakti in sädhaka devotee and siddha devotee, general, and now these stages will be with their different devotional attitudes explained in terms of kamanuga-bhakti. and statuses, are explained. The Ragatmika-bhakti has two branches: sädhaka serves according to his level -rüpa (relationship based of advancement, and the siddha serves affection) and -rüpa (unsupported in his revealed spiritual form according attraction). Devotees such as Nanda to his eternal spiritual relationship with Maharaja and Yasoda mayi are in the Krishna. Tad-bhava-lipsuna means to category of sambandha-rupa, while the take shelter of one’s most dear form of gopis of Vraja are in the kama-rüpa Krishna, His associates and paraphernalia. category. It also means to intensely emulate the The first basic instruction that the Bhakti- deep devotional mood of Srimati Radhika rasämåta-sindhu gives- “ always remember and the other confidential associates of Lord Krishna" - advocates that in the Lord Krishna. The devotee should serve raganuga-bhakti process the devotional the Lord using appropriate ingredients aspect of remembering is of prime collected, either mentally for meditative importance because raga ( attachment ) is service or physically for practical service. a state of mental activity, or consciousness. As for the quality of service, the term. In the for this instructicin, the vrajalokanusaratah aptly describes it as word prestham (dearly beloved) refers following in the footsteps of the residents to Lord Krishna, the Lord of Vrindavan, of Vraja. A sädhaka devotee must serve whose pastimes specifically nourish each the residents of Vraja (Vrajabasis) such as

www.ibmedu.org Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya Issue no 108, Page — 8 nityaà bhägavata-sevayä devotee sincerely performs çravaëaà and kértanaà, he deeply laments his own inadequacy. Through this humility, the devotee finds secure shelter in his guru and in the other devotional activities. According to the authoritative preceptors the point is that without diligently practising processes such as çravaëaà and kértanaà, one cannot obtain the protection and guidance of a vrajabasi who is the key to a further realm of spiritual enlightenment. We can conclude that an intelligent sädhaka (of madhyam adhikära), with his personal realizations and purified consciousness assisting him, analyses and assesses his spiritual inclinations. According to such a sädhakas conclusions, he then practises specific disciplines, carefully avoiding any activities contrary to his devotional predilection because they he is well aware that they impede his advancement on the path of devotion founded on loving sentiments (bhäva-bhakti). —Ragavartma-Candrika - Çréla Viçvanätha Cakravarté Öhäkura Translated by Sarvabhävana däsa.

Rupa Manjari, following their devotional mood. A siddha devotee, in his siddha- deha (eternal spiritual form) must serve the Vrajabasis like Sri Rupa Manjari, under !! Sri Sri Gaurchandra Jayati !! the guidance of such Vaisnavas as Rupa ISKCON Goswami. Bhagavata Mahavidyalaya is a branch of The Vrajabasis, whom the sädhaka International Society for Krishna Consciousness devotee follows, have a permanent Founder-Äcärya: His Divine Grace A.C. BhaktiVedanta Swami Prabhupāda relationship with Lord Krishna in Vrindavan. Devotees such as Candrakanti Editor and the sakhés (girlfriends), the munis of Brajsunder Das Dandakaranya mentioned in the Vamana Copy Editor Isha Prakash Das Puräëa, and the personified Çrutis are in this category. They are good examples Sanskrit Editor, of Vrajabasis because of their devotional Vrajsevika Devi Dasi behaviour. Assistance The first two instructions dealt with Rasa Manjari Devi Dasi Quotations from the books, letters, and lectures of smarana and vrajabasya (residing His Divine Grace A.C. BhaktiVedanta Swami Prabhupada in Vraja), The third instruction deals ©Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. with hearing about the Lord, chanting ©All the paintings are copyrights of their respective artists. His glories, and the other devotional processes - sravanot-kirtandini. As the

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