BY: SUN STAFF
Oct 20, CANADA (SUN) —
Sri Bhakti-sandarbha
by Srila Jiva Goswami
Volume Three
Anuccheda 115 (Part 2)
31 These devotees become the Lord's personal associates. This is described in these words (Srimad Bhagavatam 9.4.67):
"My devotees who are always satisfied to be engaged in My loving service, are not interested even in the four principles of liberation (salokya, sarupya, samipya and sarsti), although these are automatically achieved by their service. What then is to be said of such perishable happiness as elevation to the higher planetary systems?"*
32 They become the Lord's eternal associates. This is described in these words (Srimad Bhagavatam 3.15.22):
"The goddesses of fortune worship the Lord in their own gardens by offering tulasi leaves on the coral-paved banks of transcendental reservoirs of water. While offering worship to the Lord, they can see on the water the reflection of their beautiful faces with raised noses, and it appears that they have become more beautiful because of the Lord's kissing their faces."*
33 In Srimad Bhagavatam and other Vedic literatures it is said that by engaging in devotional service in any continent, planet, or universe, one may attain perfection. In this way it should be understood that in any country one may attain perfection by engaging in devotional service.
34 That devotional service may be performed with all the senses is described in these words:
"Worshipping Lord Hari within their minds, the great souls attain Him, the Lord who is beyond words and the mind."
35 This verse proves that with the mind, words, or external senses, one may worship the Lord.
36 The Lord Himself explains that one may worship Him with anything. He says (Bhagavad-gita 9.26):
"If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it."*
37 All kinds of activities may be employed in devotional service to the Lord, as is explained in these words (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.2.12):
"Pure devotional service rendered to the supreme Lord is spiritually so potent that simply by hearing about such transcendental service, by chanting its glories in response, by meditating on it, by respectfully and faithfully accepting it, or by praising the devotional service of others, even persons who hate the demigods and all other living beings can be immediately purified."***
38 This is also confirmed by the Lord Himself in these words (Srimad Bhagavatam 9.27):
"Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer or give away, and whatever austerities you perform-do that, O son of Kunti as an offering to Me."*
39 In this way, even by engaging in what is only a dim shadow of real devotional service, and even when committing many offenses while engaging in such a dim shadow of real devotional service, one can still attain the real result of devotional service. Ajamila, Musika and many others are examples of this.
40 All kinds of duties may also be employed in devotional service. This is described in the Skanda Purana:
"I offer my obeisances unto Him, the infallible, because simply by either remembering Him or vibrating His holy name one can attain the perfection of all penances, sacrifices or fruitive activities, and this process can be universally followed."*
41 All desires to attain certain results can also be employed in devotional service. Srimad Bhagavatam (2.3.10) explains:
"A person who has broader intelligence, whether he be full of all desires, without any material desire, or desiring liberation, must by all means worship the supreme whole, the Personality of Godhead."*
42 By serving the Supreme Personality of Godhead one automatically satisfies all the demigods. This is confirmed by the following words (Srimad Bhagavatam 4.31.14):
"As pouring water on the root of a tree energises the trunk, branches, twigs and everything else and, as supplying food to the stomach enlivens the senses and limbs of the body, simply worshipping the Supreme Personality of Godhead through devotional service automatically satisfies the demigods, who are parts of that Supreme Personality."*
Also in the Skanda Purana, in a conversation between Brahma and Narada, it is said:
43 "When the Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead, who carries in His hands, a conchshell, wheel, club, and lotus flower, is worshipped, certainly all other demigods are worshipped automatically, because Hari, the Personality of Godhead, is all pervading."*
44 Therefore one who directly engages in devotional service, one who donates cows or various things so they may provide something to offer the Lord, one to whom something is given so that gift may be pleasing to the Lord, one who takes milk and other things from cows or other living entities to offer foods to the Lord, and one in whose country or family devotional service is performed, all attain the perfection of engagement in devotional service. This is seen in the statements of the Puranas. In this way an example has been given for each of the cases employed in Sanskrit grammar. In this way it is proved that devotional service should be performed everywhere and in all circumstances ("sarvatra" as explained in Srimad Bhagavatam 2.9.36):
45 Devotional service is eternally manifest. This is confirmed in Srimad Bhagavatam 2.9.36 in the word "sarvada" (always). Devotional service is manifested at the beginning of the universe's creation. That is confirmed in the following words (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.14.3), where the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself says:
"By the influence of time, the transcendental sound of Vedic knowledge was lost at the time of annihilation. Therefore, when the subsequent creation took place, I spoke the Vedic knowledge to Brahma because I Myself am the religious principles enunciated in the Vedas."*
That devotional service is manifested during the middle period, when the universes are manifested, is confirmed in many passages of the Vedic literatures.
46 Devotional service is present even during and after the four kinds of annihilations of the material universe. This is described in the following question spoken by Vidura, a question that affirms that the Lord is served even after the material universe is annihilated (Srimad Bhagavatam 3.7.37):
"Please describe how many dissolutions there are for the elements of material nature and who survives after the dissolutions to serve the Lord while He is asleep."*
47 That devotional service is present in all four yugas is confirmed in the following words (Srimad Bhagavatam 12.3..52):
"Whatever result was obtained in Satya-yuga by meditating on Visnu, in Treta yuga by performing sacrifices, and in Dvapara yuga by serving the Lord's lotus feet can be obtained in Kali yuga simply by chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra."*
48 What more need be said? The Visnu Purana explains:
"If even for a moment remembrance of Vasudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is missed, that is the greatest loss, that is the greatest illusion, and that is the greatest anomaly."*
49 Devotional service may be performed in any circumstance. Even while in the womb Sri Prahlada engaged in the devotional service of hearing the Lord's glories chanted by Sri Narada. In childhood Sri Dhruva and many other engaged in devotional service. In youth Ambarisa and many others engaged in devotional service. In old age Dhrtarastra and many others engaged in devotional service. At the moment of death Ajamila and many others engaged in devotional service. In both the heavenly and hellish material worlds Citraketu and many others engaged in devotional service.
50 The Nrsimha Purana explains:
"As they began chanting the holy name of Lord Hari, the residents of hell suddenly developed loving devotion for Him. At that moment they were transported to the spiritual world."
51 That chanting the holy name of the Lord delivers one from hell is also described in these words spoken by Durvasa Muni (Srimad Bhagavatam 9.4.62):
"O my Lord, O supreme controller, without knowledge of Your unlimited prowess I have offended Your most dear devotee. Very kindly save me from the reaction of this offense. You can do everything, for even is a person is fit for hell, You can deliver him simply by awakening within his heart the holy name of Your Lordship."*
52 The glories of chanting the Lord's holy name are also described in these words (Srimad Bhagavatam 1.2.11):
"O King, constant chanting of the holy name of the Lord after the ways of the great authorities is the doubtless and fearless way of success for all, including those who are free from all material desires, those who are desirous of all material enjoyment, and also those who are self-satisfied by dint of transcendental knowledge."*
53 "Vyatireka (avoiding what is forbidden) is described in the following passage from both the Brhan-narada Purana and the Padma Purana:
"What is the use of studying the Vedas? What is the use of studying other scriptures? What is the use of going on pilgrimages? What is the use of practicing austerities? What is the use of performing sacrifices? What is the use of these things to they who have no devotion to Lord Visnu?
"What is the use of studying many scriptures? What is the use of performing many sacrifices? What is the use of performing a thousand vajapeya-yajnas? What is the use of these things to a person filled with devotion to Lord Krsna, the saviour from miseries?"
54 That all kinds of spiritual activities are useless without devotional service is also described in these words (Srimad Bhagavatam 2.4.17):
"Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto the all-auspicious Lord Sri Krsna again and again because the great learned sages, the great performers of charity, the great workers of distinction, the great philosophers and mystics, the great chanters of the Vedic hymns and the great followers of Vedic principles cannot achieve any fruitful results without dedication of such great qualities to the service of the Lord."*
55 That is also confirmed by these words (Srimad Bhagavatam 5.19.23):
"An intelligent person does not take interest in a place, even in the topmost planetary system, if the pure Ganges of topics concerning the Supreme Lord's activities does not flow there, if there are not devotees engaged in service on the banks of such a river of piety, or if there are no festivals of sankirtana-yajna to satisfy the Lord (especially since sankirtana yajna is recommended in this age)."*
56 That is again confirmed by these words (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.59.41):
"Even after Indra had bowed down to Lord Acyuta, touched His feet with the tips of his crown and begged the Lord to fulfil his desire, that exalted demigod having achieved his purpose, chose to fight with the Supreme Lord. What ignorance there is among the gods! To hell with their opulence!"***
57 That the devotees are interested only in devotional service is described in these words (Srimad Bhagavatam 7.7.52):
"A pure devotee does not accept any kind of liberation-salokya, sarsti, samipya, sarupya or ekatva-even though they are offered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead."*
58 That the Supreme Personality of Godhead is pleased only by devotional service is described in these words (Srimad Bhagavatam 7.7.52):
"My dear friends, O sons of the demons, you cannot please the Supreme Personality of Godhead by becoming perfect brahmanas, demigods, or great saints or by becoming perfectly good in etiquette or vast learning. None of these qualifications can awaken the pleasure of the Lord. Nor by charity, austerity, sacrifice, cleanliness or vows can one satisfy the Lord. The Lord is pleased only if one has unflinching, unalloyed devotion to Him. Without sincere devotional service, everything is simply a show."*
59 That only devotional service has value is described in these words (Srimad Bhagavatam 1.5.12):
"Knowledge of self-realisation, even though free from all material affinity, does not look well if devoid of a conception of the Infallible (God). What, then, is the use of fruitive activities, which are naturally painful from the very beginning and transient by nature, if they are not utilised for the devotional service of the Lord?"*
60 That the devotees are interested only in devotional service is described in these words (Srimad Bhagavatam 3.15.48):
"Persons who are very expert and most intelligent in understanding things as they are engage in hearing narrations of the auspicious activities and pastimes of the Lord, which are worth chanting and worth hearing. Such persons do not care even for the highest material benediction, namely liberation, to say nothing of other less important benedictions like the material happiness of the heavenly kingdom."*
61 The statement of Srimad Bhagavatam 2.9.36, that one should always (sarvada) and everywhere (sarvatra) engage in devotional service, is confirmed by the following words (Srimad Bhagavatam 2.2.36):
"O King, it is therefore essential that every human being hear about, glorify and remember the Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead, always and everywhere."*
62 The statement of Srimad Bhagavatam 2.9.36, that one should engage in devotional service by performing prescribed activities (anvaya) and avoiding forbidden activities (vyatireka), is further explained by these words from the Padma Purana:
"Krsna is the origin of Lord Visnu. He should always be remembered and never forgotten at any time. All the rules and prohibitions mentioned in the sastras should be the servants of these two principles."*
63 The statement of Srimad Bhagavatam 2.9.36, that one should engage in devotional service always (sarvada) and everywhere (sarvatra) by performing prescribed activities (anvaya) and avoiding forbidden activities (vyatireka), is further explained by these words from Srimad Bhagavatam (2.2.33 and 2.2.36):
"For those who are wandering in the material universe, there is no more auspicious means of deliverance than what is aimed at in the direct devotional service of Lord Krsna."*
64 "O King, it is therefore essential that every human being hear about, glorify and remember the Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead, always and everywhere."*
65 In this verse the word "nrnam" means "of the living entities". The living entities are described in these words (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.87.20):
"The individual living entity, even though he lives within material bodies created by his karma, is actually spiritual and beyond both gross and subtle matter. O Lord, O master of all potencies, the Vedas say he is Your part and parcel. Aware that this is the nature of the living entities, the great sages faithfully worship Your feet, which are worshipped in Vedic yajnas, and which grant liberation."
The living entity attains different destinations as a result of his activities. By engaging in fruitive activities (karma), he attains another material body. By engaging in yoga he attains mystic perfections. By engaging in the study of sankhya philosophy he attains knowledge of the spirit soul. By engaging in jnana-yoga he attains impersonal liberation. In this way, by performing different activities described in the scriptures, he attains different results.
By always (sarvada) and everywhere (sarvatra) engaging in devotional service by performing prescribed activities (anvaya) and avoiding forbidden activities (vyatireka), he attains a glorious secret (rahasya) that is hidden from the perception of they who are engaged in jnana-yoga.
66 That the living entities should engage in devotional service is confirmed by the following words. As Sri Narada was about to explain the science of Srimad Bhagavatam, Sri Brahma gave him the following instruction (Srimad Bhagavatam 2.7.52):
"Please describe the science of Godhead with determination and in a manner by which it will be quite possible for the human being to develop transcendental devotional service unto the Personality of Godhead Hari, the Supersoul of every living being and the summum bonum source of all energies."*
67 Here the word "bhavisyati" means "will inevitably be", "iti" refers to the path of devotional service, and "sankalpya" means "by accepting certain restrictions". This verse was spoken by Sri Brahma to Sri Narada.
Go to Anuccheda One Hundred-sixteen to twenty
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