20240816 Śrī Caitanya Śikṣāmṛta 1.7. The Ultimate Goal of Life

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
paramānanda-mādhavam śrī caitanya īśvaram
Harihi oṁ tat sat

First Shower — Seventh Stream

The Ultimate Goal of Life

Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanyacandra says to Sanātana. (Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya 23.3-4):—

ebe śuna bhakti-phala ‘prema’-prayojana
yāhāra śravaṇe haya bhakti-rasa-jñāna

kṛṣṇe rati gāḍha haile ‘prema’-abhidhāna
kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasera ei ‘sthāyi-bhāva’-nāma

“Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu continued, “Now hear, O Sanātana, about the result of devotional service, which is love of Godhead, life’s ultimate goal. One who hears this description will be enlightened in the transcendental mellows of devotional service. When affection for Kṛṣṇa becomes deeper, one attains love of Godhead in devotional service. Such a position is called sthāyi-bhāva, permanent enjoyment of the mellows of devotional service to Kṛṣṇa.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the idea behind following the regulative principles is that eventually awakens love of Kṛṣṇa. And as one goes deeper in this relationship, the love expands.

Types of sādhana-bhakti

The purport of the Lord’s words is that bhakti is first called bhakti in the state of sādhana, then when the fruit of sādhana arises, that bhakti attains the state of bhāva and bhakti itself finally arises as prema. Sādhana-bhakti is till the stage of bhāva, rati or prītyaṅkura (seed of love for Kṛṣṇa).*

Jayapatākā Swami: Bhāva means ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa. And that further deepens to become prema. So, the devotee follows the sādhana-bhakti and goes up step by step. First is hearing and association with devotees, then practice of devotion, and that becomes anartha-nivṛtti, getting rid of all the bad habits and becomes niṣṭhā, very steady in devotional service. Then from niṣṭhā it becomes ruci. Ruci is a taste for devotional service. From ruci it become āsakti, attachment to devotional service. And from āsakti it reaches bhāva. And from bhāva, prema. So, one in the stage of bhāva manifests the eight sāttvika bhāva. When love becomes deeper it becomes prema.

Note:

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.3.30-31

parasparānukathanaṁ
pāvanaṁ bhagavad-yaśaḥ
mitho ratir mithas tuṣṭir
nivṛttir mitha ātmanaḥ

smarantaḥ smārayantaś ca
mitho ’ghaugha-haraṁ harim
bhaktyā sañjātayā bhaktyā
bibhraty utpulakāṁ tanum

“One should learn how to associate with the devotees of the Lord by gathering with them to chant the glories of the Lord. This process is most purifying. As devotees thus develop their loving friendship, they feel mutual happiness and satisfaction. And by thus encouraging one another they are able to give up material sense gratification, which is the cause of all suffering. The devotees of the Lord constantly discuss the glories of the Personality of Godhead among themselves. Thus they constantly remember the Lord and remind one another of His qualities and pastimes. In this way, by their devotion to the principles of bhakti-yoga, the devotees please the Personality of Godhead, who takes away from them everything inauspicious. Being purified of all impediments, the devotees awaken to pure love of Godhead, and thus, even within this world, their spiritualized bodies exhibit symptoms of transcendental ecstasy, such as standing of the bodily hairs on end.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, devotees focusing on Kṛṣṇa, they feel ecstasy. You have these fault finders. You know this devotee is so bad - instead of discussing about Kṛṣṇa, they like to gossip about each other. Actually, to be discussing Kṛṣṇa is the real ecstasy! So they would be able to discuss about Kṛṣṇa and avoid fault finding.

TEXT: The difference between vaidhi and rāgānuga-sādhana is that vaidhi attains the stage of bhāva with some delay. With a little of rāgānuga-bhakti, the stage of bhāva is attained.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, if you have rāgānuga, maybe you achieve bhāva very quick. If you are following the rules and regulations, and you have not reached the stage of rāgānuga, then it may be delayed when you get bhāva.

TEXT: Śraddhā, in the heart of rāgānuga devotees, keeping niṣṭhā on the lap emerges as ruci (taste). So, there is no delay in attaining bhāva.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, if one is in the stage of rāgānuga then he can achieve bhāva very quickly. And if someone is in rāgānuga, means he is always thinking how to serve Kṛṣṇa better.

Note:

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.12.8–9

kevalena hi bhāvena
gopyo gāvo nagā mṛgāḥ
ye 'nye mūḍha-dhiyo nāgāḥ
siddhā mām īyur añjasā

yaṁ na yogena sāṅkhyena
dāna-vrata-tapo-'dhvaraiḥ
vyākhyā-svādhyāya-sannyāsaiḥ
prāpnuyād yatnavān api

The inhabitants of Vṛndāvana, including the gopīs, cows, unmoving creatures such as the twin arjuna trees, animals, living entities with stunted consciousness such as bushes and thickets, and snakes such as Kāliya, all achieved the perfection of life by unalloyed love for Me and thus very easily achieved Me. Even though one engages with great endeavor in the mystic yoga system, philosophical speculation, charity, vows, penances, ritualistic sacrifices, teaching of Vedic mantras to others, personal study of the Vedas, or the renounced order of life, still one cannot achieve Me.

Jayapatākā Swami: So different austerities and practices are mentioned here. But by these alone, one is not able to attain Kṛṣṇa. So, other processes, other than devotional service, are not very useful.

I will give darśana from 9.15 to 9.30 am after Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam class tomorrow. Only devotees from Australasia and other Far Eastern countries only can join. So tomorrow morning is class and also initiation. But I don’t know what the program is in the evening. But I will be giving class. If I am able, I will go to the Jhulana-yātrā.

Koṭi, koṭi blessings!