zravaNotkIrtanAdIni vaidha bhaktyuditAni tu |
yAnyaGgAni ca tAnyatra vijJeyAni manISibhiH || (brs 1.2.296)
"Hearing, chanting and all the other limbs of vaidhi-bhakti are also to be engaged in. This is what the learned ones have ascertained."
Mere internal practice which neglects the external practices of bhakti, such as hearing, chanting and worshiping, is forbidden. For absorption in remembrance, a peaceful mind is required, and the mind can never be peaceful when the heart is filled with impurities.
zuddhAntaH-karaNaz cet "etan-nirvidhyamAnAnAm icchatAm akutobhayam" ity Ady-uktatvAn nAma-kIrtanAparityAgena smaraNaM kuryAt || (bhakti-sandarbha 265)
"According to the statement 'etan-nirvidhyamAnAnAm icchatAm akutobhayam' (Bhag. 2.1.11), to purify the mind, one should engage in smarana without neglecting kirtana."
Indeed, on the virtue of its power of captivating all the senses and connecting them with the Lord, kirtana has been declared as the emperor among the practices of devotion in the present age of disturbance.
Indeed, one who neglects the practice of hearing and chanting the holy names is to be blamed on account of his disobedience of the scriptures.
zruti-smRti-purANAdi-paJcarAtra-vidhiM vinA |
aikAntikI harer bhaktir utpAtAyaiva kalpate || (brs 1.2.101)
"Exclusive devotion to Hari, which does not follow the rules prescribed by the Srutis, Smritis, Puranas and the Pancaratras, is only a cause of disturbance."
Though the impetus for the practice of raganuga-bhakti is independent from the scriptural commandments, nevertheless one who desires to learn about the path of practice must turn to the scriptures for guidance. Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti illustrates the principle in his Raga-vartma-candrika:
tataz ca tAdRza lobhavato bhaktasya lobhanIya tad bhAva prAptyupAya jijJAsAyAM satyAM zAstra yuktyapekSA syAt | zAstra-vidhinaiva zAstra-pratipAdita yuktyaiva ca tat pradarzanAt nAnyathA | yathA dugdhAdiSu lobhe sati kathaM me dugdhAdikaM bhaved iti tad upAya jijJAsAyAM tad abhijJApta jana kRtopadeza vAkyApekSA syAt | tataz ca gAM krINAtu bhavAn ityAdi tad upadeza vAkyAd eva gavAnayanatad ghAsa pradAna tad dohana prakaraNAdikaM tata eva zikSen na tu svataH || (rvc 1.7)
"Now, when the aforementioned greedy devotees become inquisitive about attaining their desired feelings, we see that they depend on scriptures and logic. The attainment of the desired feelings is taught through scriptural injunctions and scriptural logic, not in any other way. Just as when greed for milk awakens, what is the means for acquiring it? One desires to know the means, and at that time he relies on the instructions of a trusted person on the means for acquiring milk. He will say, 'You should purchase a cow', and so forth, instructing how to bring a cow, how to feed her with grass, and how to milk her. One cannot gain knowledge independently, without being instructed."
Thus one must depend on the scriptures while pursuing the desired goal.
There is no substantial difference between the external practice of vaidhi-bhakti and raganuga-bhakti; the difference lies in motivation. When one engages externally in the various aspects of vaidhi-bhakti with greed for attaining vraja-bhava as his driving force, such practice is called raganuga-bhakti-sadhana.
In his Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu, Sri Rupa Gosvami has delineated the 64 principle aspects of devotion in practice. In the end, he repeats five of them, declaring these five to be eminent among all the practices of devotion.
zraddhA vizeSataH prItiH zrI-mUrter aGghri-sevane ||
zrImad-bhAgavatArthAnAm AsvAdo rasikaiH saha |
sajAtIyAzaye snigdhe sAdhau saGgaH svato vare ||
nAma-saGkIrtanaM zrIman-mathurA-maNDale sthitiH ||
aGgAnAM paJcakasyAsya pUrva-vilikhitasya ca |
nikhila-zraiSThya-bodhAya punar apy atra kIrtanam || (brs 1.2.90-92)
"These aforementioned five limbs are understood as the essence of everything, and therefore they are glorified again."
- Serving the lotus feet of the Deity with faith and particular loving disposition;
- Relishing the taste of the meanings of the Bhagavata with those who are expert in tasting the moods of loving rapture;
- Associating with saints who have similar inclinations, who are soft-hearted and affectionately disposed towards oneself, and who are more advanced than is;
- Engaging in congregational chanting of the holy names, and
- Residing in the area of Mathura-mandala (the land of Vraja).
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