Eternal Religion and Sambandha, Abhidheya and Prayojana (The Discussion of Prayojana Begins) - Part Three
Vijaya-kumara: When this kind of emotion is present can we say without doubt that "Krsna-rati" (pure love for Krsna) is definitely present?
Babaji: No. When the heart is pure, then 'rati' arises within it. The symptoms I have described may appear when other kinds of devotional emotions are manifested. They are not manifested only when there is rati.
Vijaya-kumara: Please be kind and give one or two examples so I may understand.
Babaji: A person thirsty fro impersonal liberation may again and again chant a dim reflection of Lord Hari's holy name (namabhasa). Hearing that the holy name has the power to give liberation, he may weep again and again and may fall down almost unconscious. Still, one should not say that he has attained krsna-rati (love for Krsna) in the stage of bhava (ecstasy). Such a person does not have sincere love for Lord Krsna. Rather, he makes a show of ecstatic symptoms (bhavabhasa) only because he is greedy to attain his own petty desire. A person desiring material sense pleasures may worship Goddess Durga, and after the worship may pray for many things, saying, "Please grant me boons. Please give me wealth." Thinking of how the goddess has the power to fulfil his desires, he may weep and roll on the ground. Still, one cannot say that has attained bhava. Perhaps one can say he has attained a glimpse of bhava (bhavabhasa) or a mocking imitation of bhava (bhava-dauratmya).
Bhava does not appear in a person who is not a pure devotee of Lord Krsna. When a person who desires material sense gratification or impersonal liberation manifests a glimpse of bhava (bhavabhasa), that is not true bhava. Rather it is only a mocking imitation (bhava-dauratmya) of true bhava. As he stands before the Deity of Lord Krsna, such a person may faint and remain unconscious for twenty one hours. Even then, he does not display true bhava. Ah, the eternally liberated souls and the souls free from all material desires diligently search for bhava. Still, bhava remains hidden from them. Even after a person performs many devotional activities, Lord Krsna does not very quickly or easily give him the gift of bhava. How can pure love (rati) for Lord Krsna rise in a heart that does not have pure devotion to the Lord, or in a heart crushed by desires for material sense gratification or impersonal liberation?
Vijaya-kumara: O master, many times it is seen that, when they participate in the chanting of Lord Hari's holy names (hari-nama-sankirtana), persons who thirst for material sense gratification or impersonal liberation may manifest the previously described symptoms of bhava. What shall we call that display?
Babaji: Only fools think that display is wonderful. Persons who know the truth of bhava avoid these persons and say that outward display is only a glimpse of bhava (bhavabhasa).
Vijaya-kumara: What are the different kinds of this glimpse of bhava (bhavabhasa)?
Babaji: It is of two kinds: 1.pratibimba-raty-abhasa (the reflection of ecstatic love), and 2. chaya-raty-abhasa (the dim shadow of ecstatic love).
Babaji: A person who desires impersonal liberation may think he can easily attain that liberation by attaining bhava for Lord Krsna. Thus desiring the happiness of impersonal liberation, he puts on a false show of the symptoms of bhava. This is called 'pratibimba-raty-abhasa. An impersonalist may think, "Attaining knowledge of impersonal Brahman is the only way to attain impersonal liberation. There is no other way. However, the process by which one attains that impersonal knowledge is very difficult and troublesome. If by chanting the holy names of Lord Hari one can easily attain liberation, that must mean that by chanting the holy names one may easily attain knowledge of impersonal Brahman." Hoping to easily get impersonal liberation, such a person may then make an outward display of ecstatic symptoms, such as shedding tears and standing erect of the bodily hairs. All this is only a glimpse (abhasa) of true bhava.
Vijaya-kumara: Why is it called pratibimba (a reflection)?
Babaji: When they engage in chanting the Lord's holy names or in other devotional activities, persons who thirst after material sense gratification or impersonal liberation may by destiny attain the association of true devotees. When the moon of true bhava arises in the hearts of these true devotees, that moon becomes reflected in the hearts of the hedonist or impersonalist pretenders. That is why their bhava is called pratibimba (a reflection). Pure bhava does not appear as long as one thirsts after material sense gratification or impersonal liberation. However, when a person sees pure devotees (suddha-bhakta) of the Lord, the devotees' bhava becomes reflected on him. That is called pratibimba-bhavabhasa (a reflection of true bhava). Pratibimba-bhavabhasa does not bring eternal auspiciousness to the soul. As soon as the pretender attains his goal of sense gratification or liberation, his devotional activities stop. Therefore this pratibimba-bhavabhasa is said to be one of the offenses against the holy name. It is not praiseworthy.
Vijaya-kumara: What is chaya-bhavabhasa (the dim shadow of ecstatic love).
Babaji: An honest neophyte devotee not very learned in the science of spiritual life may come into contact with activities, times, places, or persons that are dear to Lord Hari, and by this contact they may attain a small, pleasant, suffering removing, flickering shadow of true love (rati) for the Lord. That is called "chaya-raty-abhasa". When a person has a small quantity of pure devotion to the Lord, but that devotion is not very strong, then this kind of shadow devotion (raty-abhasa) is manifested. This shadow of devotion may appear in a person because in the past he performed many pious deeds. This shadow of devotion may gradually bring more and more auspiciousness to the person who obtains it. By the mercy of a pure devotee of Lord Hari, this shadow love can be transformed into genuine pure love for the Lord (suddha-bhava). However, if one commits offenses to pure Vaisnavas, this shadow love may gradually diminish, like the waning of the moon in the dark fortnight. This is not said only of the shadow of love. Even pure love (suddha-bhava) for Lord Krsna can be destroyed (abhava) if one commits offenses to Lord Krsna's devotees. Or that pure love may gradually become changed into shadow love, or it may be reduced to a lower level of love.
If one closely associates with impersonalists, then his love for Krsna may also become changed into shadow love, or else one may become an impersonalist himself, and become convinced that he himself is the worshipable Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is because of this bad association that new devotees (navya-bhakta) sometimes have impersonalist ideas and think they have become god as they dance in krsna-kirtana or perform other devotional activities. This is sometimes seen. Unaware of the consequences, new devotees, may sometimes associate with impersonalists. That bad association beings many troubles. Therefore new devotees should carefully avoid the association of impersonalists.
Sometimes bhava may suddenly appear in a person who has not performed any devotional activities (sadhana). this means that the person involved performed many very good devotional activities in his previous births. Because of certain obstacles, the results of those activities were not immediately manifested. Now that the obstacles are removed, the results are suddenly manifested. If the highest kind of love (bhava), which is all powerful and wonderful to everyone, suddenly becomes manifested, it should be said that it was produced by the mercy of Lord Krsna. Even if you see some faults in his activities, you should not become the enemy of a person who has natural love (bhava) for the Lord. Why not? A person who has attained love for the Lord has made his life a complete success.
A devotee will never commit a sin. However, if it is seen that somehow or other a devotee has committed a sin, the one should think of this in two ways: 1. by accident a great soul has somehow committed a sin, but that sin will not stay, 2. This sin is only the reflection of a previous misdeed (purva-papabhasa). The devotee's spiritual love (bhava) will quickly destroy that sin. Very quickly it will be destroyed. In this way in one's heart one should not see the faults of the devotees. To see that devotees have faults is one of the offenses against the holy name. In the Nrsimha-Purana it is written:
"If a person has completely engaged his mind, body, and activities in the service of the Supreme Godhead, but externally he is found to be engaged in some abominable activities, those abominable activities will surely be very quickly vanquished by the influence of his staunch devotional service. On the full moon there are some spots, which may appear to be pockmarks. Still, the illumination spread by the full moon cannot be checked."*
One should not think that this instruction means that the devotees of the Lord are always committing sins. The truth is that when a person has faith in devotional service, he no longer desires to commit sins. However, as long as the material body is present, there may be some accidental slip into a sinful action. Devotional service, however, which is like a blazing fire, at once burns all these sins into ashes, and after than the devotee is cautious not to sin again. When unalloyed devotional service appears in someone, the ignorance that is the root of sin is flung far away from such a devotee. If it is seen that a person commits sins again and again, one should not be under the misunderstanding that he possesses unalloyed devotion to Lord Krsna. Why not? To commit sins with the hope that his devotional activities will nullify his sins is an offense. Devotees do not commit that offense.
