Q&A: Devotion and renunciation: The role of vairagya in cultivating bhakti

The following are a series of questions and answers I compiled during 2005-2006, originally posted at Vilasa Kunja forums.

Q: What is the relationship between renunciation and bhakti in Gaudiya Vaishnavism? On one hand, it is said that renunciation is not a cause of devotion and that excessive renunciation makes the heart hard, and on the other hand we can read of how the Goswamis of Vraja were very renounced, and how Mahaprabhu was pleased with their renunciation.

A: It is known that renunciation is not a method for developing devotion, bhaktyA saJjAtayA bhaktyA (bhp 11.3.31) – “Devotion is born of devotion.” Regardless, following all the activities that have been prescribed for the path of sadhana calls for substantial sacrifice of comfort and renunciation from the mundane. How is this reconciled, what is the relationship between bhakti and vairagya?

Renunciation involved in devotional cultivation is of a nature different from worldly vairagya: One of the first aspects of devotion one is to embrace is kRSNArthe bhogAdi-tyAga (brs 1.2.104), forsaking enjoyments and the rest for Krishna’s sake. This is the spirit of zaraNAgati, surrender: AnukUlyasya saGkalpaH pratikUlya-vivarjanam (hbv 11.676) – “Firmly embracing the favorable, shunning all that is contrary.” Whenever a decision is called for, one should forsake one’s own interest and act in the interest of Krishna.

What, then, is the advantage of such renunciation? In the words of Sri Kapiladeva:

jJAna-vairAgya-yuktena bhakti-yuktena cAtmanA |
paripazyaty udAsInaM prakRtiM ca hataujasam || bhp 3.25.18

“Equipped with knowledge and renunication, as the atma is connected in devotion, one observes with indifference and the power of prakriti is destroyed.”

Therefore, in the opening verse of Sri Upadesamrita, Srila Rupa Goswami calls for the practicing devotees to become dhIra, self-controlled, rising above the worldly urges that perpetually distract us from bhajana. Radha Ramana Goswami notes that one attains the desired goal by vega-sahanopayogena saMvRddhayA bhaktyA, “Devotion that has been fortified by the means of self-control.”

In discussing the sadhaka’s unavoidable relationship to a world of sense-objects, Srila Rupa Goswami has described two approaches to renunciation (BRS 1.2.255-256):

anAsaktasya viSayAn yathArham upayuJjataH |
nirbandhaH kRSNa-sambandhe yuktaM vairAgyam ucyate ||
prApaJcikatayA buddhyA hari-sambandhi-vastunaH |
mumukSubhiH parityAgo vairAgyaM phalgu kathyate ||

“Detached from sense-objects, applying them according to their due merit, engaging them in connection with Krishna; This is called befitting renunciation.”
“Considering as worldly the items connected with Hari, the one desirous of salvation rejects them; this is called worthless renunciation.”

In this matter, one should proceed with great caution and assess his motivations in employing sense-objects. The fact that something could be employed in connection with Krishna does not necessarily mean that it should be thus employed. One must therefore determine whether such employment would run in the spirit of AnukUlyasya saGkalpaH, accepting the favorable, for this is the spirit of uttama-bhakti: AnukUlyena kRSNAnu-zIlanaM bhaktir uttamA (BRS 1.1.11). Such engagement must be devoid of selfish motivations, anyAbhilASitA-zUnya.

From where does devotional renunciation arise, then? It arises from anurAga, from a deep passion burning within the heart of the sadhaka that calls him to take any and all measures needed for the sake of fulfilling his devotional aspirations. Srila Raghunath Das Goswami, our foremost role-model in this matter, described this mode of practice as vairAgya-yug-bhakti-rasa-prayatna (vk 6), “Efforts enlaced with renunciation and bhakti-rasa.” Describing his ways of devotional practice, Krishnadas Kaviraja writes (CC 1.10.98-102):

anna-jala tyAga kaila anya-kathana |
pala dui-tina mAThA karena bhakSaNa ||
sahasra daNDavat kare, laya lakSa nAma |
dui sahasra vaiSNavere nitya paraNAma ||
rAtri-dine rAdhA-kRSNera mAnasa sevana |
prahareka mahAprabhura caritra-kathana ||
sArdha sapta-prahara kare bhaktira sAdhane |
cAri daNDa nidrA, seha nahe kona-dine ||
tAGhAra sAdhana-rIti zunite camatkAra |
sei rUpa-raghunAtha prabhu ye AmAra ||

“Rejecting eating and drinking, as well as talks on other topics, he took but a few drops of buttermilk. A thousand dandavats he offered, and chanted a lakh of names; Daily, he bowed to two thousand Vaishnavas. Day and night, he served Radha and Krishna in his mind, and discussed Mahaprabhu’s pastimes for one prahar. For seven and half praharas, he engaged in bhakti-sadhana, sleeping for four dandas, and at times not even that. Hearing of the ways of his sadhana, one is astonished; these two, Rupa and Raghunath, are my masters.”

Through such passion for bhajana, and the absolute rejection of the mundane it entails, Sriman Mahaprabhu is pleased:

mahAprabhura bhakta-gaNera vairAgya pradhAna |
yAhA dekhi’ prIta hana gaura-bhagavAn || cc 3.6.220

“Among Mahaprabhu’s devotees, vairagya prevails;
Seeing it, Gaura Bhagavan becomes satisfied.”

Seeing the exemplary renunciation in the character of Raghunath Das, Mahaprabhu’s joy knew no bounds. May all the sadhakas following Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu seek to embrace such a spirit of devotional renunciation!

UP 1: Introduction - The Author, Foundational works of direct inspiration

To establish the motive for studying the text, we need to understand the glory of the author. Thakur Mahashaya praises Srila Rupa Goswamipad with the following words:

zrI-caitanya-mano'bhISTaM sthApitaM yena bhU-tale |
so'yaM rUpaH kadA mahyaM dadAti sva-padAntikam ||

"He, who established Sri Chaitanya's heart's desire in this world,
That Rupa -- when will he give me the shelter of his feet?"

It was with a force no other than Sri Chaitanya's direct inspiration that his works were composed. Krishnadas Kaviraja writes in the introductory shloka of Rupa-siksha (CC 2.19.1):

vRndAvanIyAM rasa-keli-vArtAM
kAlena luptAM nija-zaktim utkaH |
saJcArya rUpe vyatanot punaH sa
prabhur vidhau prAg iva loka-sRSTim ||

"The topics of the rasa-laden pastimes of Vrindavan
were lost in the course of time; eagerly, with his own potency
the Lord empowered Rupa to unearth them once again,
just as he once empowered Brahma at the dawn of creation."

In brief he taught Rupa from without, from within he filled him with astonishing power for compiling bhakti-shastras, unveiling the sadhana (method) and the sadhya (object) for the benefit of one and all.

The works of Sri Rupa, and with him, the other Goswamis of Vrindavan, are the foundation of our sampradaya. They are the foremost of our siksha-gurus. Wholeheartedly embracing and applying their teachings is a wonderful seva indeed, delivering a matchless gift of devotional feeling.

- I know that some of the pastimes were lost. But can anybody list all the pastimes he unearthed? And of course how?

What does it mean, how were the pastimes lost? Knowledge of them was lost.

There are essentially two ways in which the pastimes were "unearthed". The first is, of course, through direct descriptions of the said pastimes. The second is through giving instructions through which the people of this world could come to a point where they can personally witness the nitya-lila within their hearts -- even in this lifetime!

Aside express narrations of lila, his works are filled with buds of pastimes. All the examples of Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu and Ujjvala-nilamani, for example, that demonstrate a particular aspect of bhava are snippets of an unfolding pastime, and the worship and contemplation of such verses will unveil the full beauty of the pastimes.

How were they discovered once again? Through direct perception of the divine reality.

- The Muslim rulers devastated most of the temples in Vraja, right? So the six Goswamis unearthed the pastime-places and built temples there. Inner-guidance via Mahaprabhu.

I believe the devastation of temples primarily took place in the post-Goswami period. With the influence of time, the precious pastime-places had fallen into forgetfulness. The discovery of pastime-places, lupta-tIrtha-uddhArana played an important role in re-establishing the glory and the knowledge of the Vraja-pastimes. As Mahaprabhu called to be done, lupta-tIrtha saba tAhAG kariha pracAraNa - "Make known all the lost sacred places."

How does a Nitya Siddha like Sri Rupa Manjari know how to save the baddha-jivas in a step by step path?

There are two prominent reasons for this.

1. When coming to this world, his knowledge is covered by yoga-maya, allowing him to experience the course of a "regular" sadhaka's life. Therefore, we find the early acharyas writing such heartfelt prayers of longing as found in Thakur Mahashaya's Prarthana.

2. A person in the highest awareness can understand the principles at work on the lower stages through observation even without personal experience.

- This sounds a little to me as if such prarthanas were written under the influence of (yoga)maya. Isn't it possible that our Acharyas also wrote longingly with the intention of setting an example or representing a model of what a Gaudiya aspirant's mood should be?

For a prayer to contain the full potency, one must directly feel what he writes. A mere emulation will not do. Therefore, Bhagavan has arranged in such a way that his nitya-siddha parshadas have also tasted the bhajan-madhuri present at the different stages of bhakti-sadhana. That being said, of course they set an example, a model of what the ideal mood ought to be.

References to Maha-Mantra - Post-Chaitanya Tradition

The following is a slightly contextualized compilation of references on the Hare Krishna maha-mantra from the writings of Sri Chaitanya's followers.

Dhyanacandra Gosvami describes the Hare Krishna maha-mantra in his Gaura Govindarcana-smarana-paddhati (132-136) in the following words, drawing from the Sanat-kumara Samhita:

asyaiva kRSNa-candrasya mantrAH santi trayo ’malAH |
siddhAH kRSNasya sat-prema-bhakti-siddhi-karA matAH ||131||

tatrAdau mantroddhAro yathA sanat-kumAra-saMhitAyAm--

hare-kRSNau dvir AvRttau kRSNa tAdRk tathA hare |

hare rAma tathA rAma tathA tAdRg ghare manuH ||132||

hare kRSNa hare kRSNa kRSNa kRSNa hare hare |

hare rAma hare rAma rAma rAma hare hare ||133||

“There are three Krishna-mantras that are very pure and powerful; they are famous for bestowing prema-bhakti on their chanters.
A reference for the first mantra is from the Sanat-kumara-samhita:
‘The words Hare Krishna are repeated twice, and then Krishna and Hare are both separately twice repeated. In the same way, Hare Rama, Rama and Hare are twice repeated.’
The mantra is thus: ‘Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare’”

asya dhyAnaM yathA tatraiva--

dhyAyed vRndAvane ramye gopa-gobhir alaGkRte |
kadamba-pAdapa-cchAye yamunA-jala-zItale || 134 ||
rAdhayA sahitaM kRSNaM vaMzI-vAdana-tat-param |
tribhaGga-lalitaM devaM bhaktAnugraha-kArakam || 135 ||
vizeSato dazArNo ’yaM japa-mAtreNa siddhi-daH |
paJcAGgAny asya mantrasya vijJeyAni manISibhiH || 136 ||

“The meditation which accompanies this maha-mantra is also found in the Sanat-kumara Samhita: Sri Krishna is sporting in the cooling waters of the Yamuna, or in the shade of a kadamba tree in the beautiful Vrindavana forest. He is ornamented (surrounded) by the cows and gopas, and is accompanied by Sri Radha. He is very skillful at playing the flute as He stands in a charming tribhanga pose, bestowing mercy and kindness upon the bhaktas. Merely with this japa, perfection in this specific vision is attained. The wise know the five limbs of the mantra thus.”

Gopala Guru Gosvami, drawing from the Brahmanda Purana (and adding the second stanza), has presented the following meaning for the maha-mantra:

vijJApya bhagavat-tattvaM cid ghanAnanda vigraham |
haratyavidhaM tatkAryamato haririti smRtaH ||
harati zrI-kRSNa-manaH kRSNAhlAda-svarUpinI |
ato harety anenaiva zrI-rAdhA parikIrtitA ||
AnandaikasukhaH zrImAn zyAmaH kamala locanaH |
gokulAnando nanda-nandanaH kRSNa Iryate ||
vaidagdhI sArAsarvasvaM mUrtalIlA dhidaivatam |
zrI rAdhAM ramayan nityaM rAma ity abhidIyate ||

“The Lord is known as Hari because he takes away the ignorance of his devotees by revealing to them the actual nature of the Supreme Lord and his personal spiritual form.
Because She steals Krishna's mind, because She is the incarnation of Krishna's joy, Radha is also known by the name Hara.
The dark, lotus-eyed lord, the only master of the highest joy, who brings pleasure to Gokula, the son of Nanda, is known as Krishna.
Krishna is also known as Rama because the joys of conjugal life are the essence of his being, because he is the titulary deity of loving sports incarnate, and because he brings pleasure to Srimati Radharani.”

Rupa Gosvami praises the Hare Krishna maha-mantra in his Laghu Bhagavatamritam (1.4):

zrI-caitanya-mukhodgIrNA hare-kRSNeti varNakAH |
majjayanto jagat premNi vijayantAM tad-AhvayAH || 4 ||

“The syllables ‘Hare Krishna’ and so forth emanated from the mouth of Sri Caitanya, drowning the universe in prema. Let these names be glorified!”

He longs to again attain the darsana of Sri Caitanya’s calling out the holy names, as presented in Stavamala, Prathama Caitanyastakam (5):

hare kRSNety uccaiH sphurita-rasano nAma-gaNanA-
kRta-granthi-zreNI-subhaga-kaTi-sUtrojjvala-karaH |
vizAlAkSo dIrghArgala-yugala-khelAJcita-bhujaH
sa caitanyaH kiM me punar api dRzor yAsyati padam || 5 ||

“When will Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu - whose tongue is always dancing by loudly calling out ‘Hare Krishna!’; who counts the names which He is calling out on the splendorous strip of cloth from around His waist which has been tied with knots for chanting; whose eyes are so large that they seem to reach His ears; and whose arms extend down to His knees - again become visible to me?”

Here the word “uccaih”, “loudly”, is used for Mahaprabhu’s chanting of Hare Krishna. Baladeva confirms in his Stava-mala-vibhusana-bhasya that this indeed refers to the thirty-two syllable maha-mantra:

hare kRSNeti mantra-pratIka-grahaNaM. soDaza-nAmAtmanA dvAtrIMza­daksareNa mantreNoccair-uccAritena sphuritA kRta-nRtyA rasanA jihvA yasya saH ||

“The Hare Krishna mantra was resounding in His mouth. The mantra consisting of sixteen names and thirty-two syllables was uttered and dancing on His tongue.”

Raghunatha Das Gosvami states in his Saci-Sunvastakam (5):

nijatve gauDIyAn jagati parigRhya prabhur imAn
hare-kRSNety evaM gaNana-vidhinA kIrtayata bhoH |
itiprAyAM zikSAM janaka iva tebhyaHparidizan
zacI-sUnuH kiM me nayana-zaraNIM yAsyati punaH || 5 ||

“When will that son of Mother Saci – who, taking the residents of Bengal as His own, inspired them to chant Hare Krishna a prescribed number of times daily and who like a father gave them many cherished instructions – again become visible to me?”

This verse uses the word “kirtayata” to describe Mahaprabhu’s chanting, adding that this chanting is “ganana-vidhina”, “counted as prescribed.” Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya states in his Caitanya Satakam (64):

vizaNNa cittAn kali pApa-bhItAn
saMvIkSya gauro hari nAma mantraM |
svayaM dadau bhakta janAn samAdizat
kuruSva saGkIrtana-nRtya vAdyaiH || 64 ||

“Seeing the people of the world afraid of the sins of the age of Kali and dejected at heart, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu personally gave them the hari nama mantra and also ordered them to do loud sankirtana of this maha­mantra while dancing and playing musical instruments.”

Prabodhananda Sarasvati states in his Vrindavana Mahimamrita (17.89):

hare kRSNa kRSNeti mukhyAn
mahAzcarya-nAmAvalI-siddha-mantrAn |
kRpA-mUrti-caitanya-devopagItAn
kadAbhyasya vRndAvane syAn kRtArthaH || 89 ||

“Sri Caitanya Deva, the very form of mercy, sung the perfected mantra, ‘Hare Krishna, Krishna’ and so forth. When will He give His favor to me, causing me to attain Sri Vrindavana?”

Prabodhananda also states in his Caitanya Candramritam (16):

badhnan prema-bhara-prakampita-karo granthIn kaTI-DorakaiH
sankhyAtuM nija-loka-mangala-hare-kRSNeti-nAmnAM japan |
azru-snAta-mukhaH svam eva hi jagannAthaM didRkSur
gatA-yAtair gaura-tanur vilocana-mudaM tanvan hariH pAtu vaH || 16 ||

“Engaged in japa of Hare Krishna and so forth, His own holy names which bring auspiciousness to the world, His hand trembling with love as He touches the knotted string about His waist to count the number of names, His face bathed in tears as He comes and goes, eager to see His own form of Lord Jagannatha, and bringing great delight to the eyes of all – may the golden form of Lord Hari protect you all.”

Kavi Karnapura describes the shaving-ceremony of Sri Caitanya in his Caitanya Carita Mahakavya (11.54):

tataH zrI gaurAGgaH samavadad atIva pramudito hare kRSNety uccair vada muhur iti zrImaya tanuH |tato ’sau tat procya pratibalita romAJca lalito rudaMs tat tat karmArabhata bahu-duHkhair vidalitaH || 54 ||

“When Sri Gauranga accepted sannyasa, the barber took the blade in his hand but was not able to shave any of the Lord’s curly locks out of grief. In great ecstasy Sri Gauranga Deva told him to repeatedly chant Hare Krishna out loud. Then the barber loudly chanted the same and began his job of shaving while he wept and his body was studded with goose pimples.”

Vrindavana Das describes the Lord’s instructions to Tapana Misra in the Caitanya Bhagavata (1.14.143-147) as follows:

sAdhya-sAdhana-tattva ye kichu sakala |
hari-nAma-saGkIrtane milibe sakala || 143 ||
harer nAma harer nAma harer nAmaiva kevalam |
kalau nAsty eva nAsty eva nAsty eva gatir anyathA || 144 ||
hare kRSNa hare kRSNa kRSNa kRSNa hare hare |
hare rAma hare rAma rAma rAma hare hare || 145 ||
ei zloka nAma bali laya mahA-mantra |
zola-nAma batriza-akSara ei tantra || 146 ||
sAdhite sAdhite yabe premAGkura habe |
sAdhya-sAdhana-tattva jAnibA se tabe || 147 ||

“Everything is accomplished by Hari-nama sankirtana, including the goal of life (sadhya) and the means for its attainment (sadhana). In this age of Kali, the only means for deliverance is the chanting of the names of Hari. There is no other way, there is no other way, there is no other way. ‘Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.’ This verse of names is called the maha-mantra. It contains sixteen names of the Lord, consisting of thirty-two syllables. Chanting this mantra again and again will awaken the sprout of prema within the heart, and thus the goal of life and the means for its attainment is understood.”

The following famous instructions of Sri Caitanya are related in the Caitanya Bhagavata (2.23.75-78):

Apane sabAre prabhu kore upadeze |
kRSNa-nAma mahA-mantra zunoho hariSe || 75 ||
hare kRSNa hare kRSNa kRSNa kRSNa hare hare |
hare rAma hare rAma rAma rAma hare hare|| 76 ||
prabhu kohe kohilam ei mahA-mantra |
iha japa giyA sabe koriyA nirbandha|| 77 ||
iha hoite sarva-siddhi hoibe sabAra |
sarva kSaNa bolo ithe vidhi nAhi Ara || 78 ||

“The Lord ordered everyone in great joy: ‘Listen to the Krishna-nama maha­mantra: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.’ The Lord said: ‘I have spoken the maha­mantra. Perform japa of this mantra a prescribed number of times. All perfection will be attained through this. Chant this mantra every moment – there is no other rule.’”

Vrindavan Das describes the meeting of Sri Caitanya and Advaita as follows:

prasanna zrI mukhe hare kRSNa kRSNa bali |

vijaya hailA gauracandra kutUhalI ||

hare kRSNa hare kRSNa bali prema sukhe |

pratyakSa haila Asi advaita-sammukhe ||

“One day when He came to the home of Advaita Acarya, His face filled with pleasure as He chanted the Hare Krishna maha-mantra.”

Then let us turn to the various statements of the Caitanya Caritamrita which appear to be references to the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. In this work, the Hare Krishna maha-mantra is nowhere listed in its entire length. The following excerpts are from the Adi-lila (7.72, 78, 81, 83), describing the exchange between Sri Caitanya and the sannyasis of Benares:

mUrkha tumi, tomAra nAhika vedAntAdhikAra |
kRSNa-mantra japa sadA ei mantra-sAra || 72 ||

“You are a fool, you have no eligibility for Vedanta. Always do japa of the Krishna-mantra, the essence of all mantras.”

dhairya dharite nAri, hailAma unmatta |
hAsi, kAndi, nAci, gAi, yaiche madamatta || 78 ||

“Unable to maintain my patience, I have become maddened. I laugh, cry, dance and sing like a madman.”

kibA mantra dilA, gosAJi, kibA tAra bala |
japite japite mantra karila pAgala || 81 ||

“What kind of mantra you have given, Gosai, and what is its power? By constantly engaging in japa of this mantra, I have become mad!”

kRSNa-nAma-mahA-mantrera ei ta’ svabhAva |
yei jape, tAra kRSNe upajaye bhAva || 83 ||

“It is the nature of Krishna-nama maha-mantra that anyone who does japa of it, in him bhava for Krishna awakens.”

There are numerous references of someone chanting “Hari, Krishna”. Here Mahaprabhu inspires others to chant the holy names (Madhya-lila, 7.97-98):

ei zloka paDi pathe calilA gaurahari |
loka dekhi’ pathe kahe bala hari hari || 97 ||
sei loka prema-matta haJA bale hari kRSNa |
prabhura pAche saGge yAya darzana-satRSNa || 98 ||

“Reciting this verse (Krishna He…), Gaurahari walked along the path. Seeing people on the way, He told them, ‘Say Hari Hari!’ These people became maddened in prema, saying ‘Hari Krishna!’ They would follow behind the Lord, being eager to see Him.”

The Muslim messenger in Madhya-lila (16.168) also chanted “Hari Krishna”:

eta kahi sei cara hari kRSNa gAya |
hAse kAnde nAce gAya bAulera prAya || 168 ||

“Saying this, that messenger sang ‘Hari Krishna!’, laughed, cried, danced and sang like a madman.”

Also in Madhya-lila (17.159) we have an example of two brahmanas chanting “Hari Krishna”:

duGhe preme nRtya kari’ kare kolAkuli |
hari kRSNa kaha duGhe bale bAhu tuli’ || 159 ||

“Both of them danced and embraced in ecstatic love, uttering “Hari Krishna”, thus both of them sang, raising their arms.”

Upon the departure of Haridas, everyone chanted “Hari Krishna!” (Antya, 11.58):

hari kRSNa zabde sabe kare kolAhala |
premAnande mahAprabhu hailA vihvala || 58 ||

“All of them very loudly chanted ‘Hari Krishna!’ in the bliss of ecstatic love, and Mahaprabhu became overwhelmed.”

In Antya-lila (9.55-57), Mahaprabhu inquires about Vaninatha Raya:

ethA prabhu sei manuSyere prazna kaila |
vANInAtha ki kare, yabe bAndhiyA Anila || 55 ||
se kahe vANInAtha nirbhaye laya kRSNa-nAma |
hare kRSNa hare kRSNa kahe avizrAma || 56 ||
saGkhyA lAgi dui-hAte aGgulIte lekhA |
sahasrAdi pUrNa haile aGge kATe rekhA || 57 ||

“Prabhu inquired from him, ‘What was Vaninatha doing when he was arrested?’ He replied, ‘Fearlessly Vaninatha was chanting the name of Krishna, incessantly he chanted “Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna.” He used the fingers of his two hands for counting, and upon completing one thousand, he made a mark on his body.’”

Thus no specific references to sankirtana of Hare Krishna maha-mantra are found in the Caitanya Caritamrita, though sankirtana of Krishna’s names is mentioned, as well as japa of maha-mantra.
The following instance of Sri Caitanya’s chanting the maha-mantra is found in the Caitanya Mangala of Locana Das:

bAhu prasAriyA prabhu brAhmaNe tulilA |
tAra ghare bhakti bhare gAna AraMbhilA ||
brAhmaNera ghara yena haila vRndAvana |
hari-nAma zunibAre Aise sarva-jana ||
hare kRSNa hare kRSNa kRSNa kRSNa hare hare |
hare rAma hare rAma rAma rAma hare hare ||

“Once Mahaprabhu visited the home of a brahmana and embraced him. The kirtana that followed made that home become just like Vrindavana and a multitude of people gathered to hear and chant the holy names: ‘Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare’.”

The 15th chapter of the Caitanya Mangala relates:

“Keeping His hands above His head, He started chanting over and over, ‘Hare Krishna Hare Krishna’.”

Locan Das also states:

hare kRSNa nAma seho bole nirantara |

“He constantly chanted the holy names ‘Hare Krishna’”.

Raganuga - 1.4: The Flavours of Raganuga-bhakti

Sri Krishna, the Original Personality of Godhead, descended to this world along with His associates some five thousand years ago in the land of Vraja, displaying His ever-sweet pastimes to attract the souls of this world to His divine abode.

anugrahAya bhaktAnAM mAnuSaM deham AzritaH |

bhajate tAdRzIH krIDA yAH zrutvA tat-paro bhavet || (bhag. 10.33.36)

"To show favor to His devotees He appears in a human form, enjoying such pastimes upon hearing of which one must become completely devoted to Him."

After Sri Krishna and His associates disappeared from the visible realm of Vraja, various schools of thought and practice, intent on attaining His service, arose. In due course of time, Sri Krishna Himself, eager to taste the sweetness of His own service, descended to this world in the form of a great teacher and devotee named Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu, known as Visvambhara during His earlier life.

prema-rasa-niryAsa karite AsvAdana |

rAga-mArga bhakti loke karite pracAraNa ||

rasika-zekhara kRSNa parama-karuNa |

ei dui hetu haite icchAra udgama || (cc 1.4.15-16)

"Sri Krishna is the crest-jewel of relishers and the most merciful one. His desire [to descend to this world] arose out of two reasons, as he wished to taste the essence of loving rapture and to broadcast devotion on the path of raga to the world."

The unprecedented contribution of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in the realm of raganuga-bhakti has been narrated as follows:

anarpita-carIM cirAt karuNayAvatIrNaH kalau |

samarpayitum unnatojjvala-rasAM sva-bhakti-zriyam ||

hariH puraTa-sundara-dyuti-kadamba-sandIpitaH |

sadA hRdaya-kandare sphuratu vaH zacI-nandanaH || (Vidagdha-madhava 1.2)

"Out of His causeless mercy, He descended in this age of Kali to bestow the matchless treasure of the rapture of amorous love in His own service, which had not been given since a long time. May this son of Saci, Hari radiant with the enchanting complexion of multitude of gold, always be manifest in the core of your heart!"

The concept of amorous love was certainly present in the bhakti-traditions predating Sri Caitanya. What, then, is His unique contribution? It is a unique variety of amorous love in servitude. Amorous love (kama-rupa-bhakti) is divided into two distinct categories.

kAmAnugA bhavet tRSNA kAma-rUpAnugAminI || (brs 1.2.297)

"The following of amorous feelings (kamanuga) appears as a thirst for following in the wake of that which consists of amorous feeling (kama-rupa)."

sambhogecchA-mayI tat-tad-bhAvecchAtmeti sA dvidhA || (brs 1.2.298)

"Its two divisions are (1) filled with desire for union (sambhogecchamayi) and (2) consisting of a desire for Her feelings (tad-bhaveccatma)."

keli-tAtparyavaty eva sambhogecchA-mayI bhavet |

tad-bhAvecchAtmikA tAsAm bhAva-mAdhurya-kAmitA || (brs 1.2.299)

"That which aims for amorous sports is known as sambhogecchamayi, and that which longs for the sweetness of the feelings is known as tad-bhavecchatmika."

The desire for union is understood to consist of four kinds of longing for union.

sandarzana-saMjalpa-saMsparza-samprayoga-lakSaNa-bheda-catuSTaya-bhinnatvaM dRzyate || (Priti-sandarbha 375)

"The four different categories are understood as the various appearances of seeing, discussion, touching and sexual union."

Particularly the last two forms of sambhoga characterize the sambhogecchamayi-devotion. The second division of amorous devotion, which consists solely of the longing to relish the sweetness of the feelings of Sri Radha, devoid of even a scent of desire for bodily enjoyment with Sri Krishna, is known as manjari-bhava; this is the mood of the maidservants of Sri Radha. The eminent glories of the love of Sri Radha, the foremost among the consorts of Sri Krishna, are narrated throughout the scriptures and the poetry of the saints. Indeed, She is the very embodiment of love for the Lord.

hlAdinIra sAra aMza tAra 'prema' nAma |

Ananda-cinmaya-rasa premera AkhyAna || (cc 2.8.159)

"The essential aspect of the pleasure-giving potency (hladini) of Sri Krishna is called ecstatic love (prema), which is understood as joy filled with rapturous mellows."

premera parama-sAra 'mahAbhAva' jAni |

sei mahAbhAva-rUpA rAdhA-ThAkurANI || (cc 2.8.160)

"The supreme pinnacle of prema is known to be maha-bhava, and Sri Radha Thakurani is the embodiment of this maha-bhava."

premera 'svarUpa-deha' prema-vibhAvita |

kRSNera preyasI-zreSThA jagate vidita || (cc 2.8.162)

"Her body is the very embodiment of prema and a transformation of prema. Throughout the world, She is known to be the dearmost among Sri Krishna's beloveds."

sei mahAbhAva haya 'cintAmaNi-sAra' |

kRSNa-vAJchA pUrNa kare ei kArya tAGra || (cc 2.8.164)

"This maha-bhava is the the essence of a divine touch-stone; Her task is to fulfill all the desires of Sri Krishna."

When one's love for the beloved of Sri Krishna exceeds one's love for Him, this condition is known as the jubilant arising of attachment (bhavollasa-rati), the foundational mood of a maidservant of Sri Radha.

saJcArI syAt samAno vA kRSNa-ratyAH suhRd-ratiH |

adhikA puSyamANA ced bhAvollAsa itIryate || (brs 2.5.128)

"When the affection for Sri Krishna and a dear one are equal, the feeling is known as a transitory feeling, but when devotion to a dear one is nourished and becomes dominant, the feeling is known as bhavollasa-rati."

The pinnacle of divine joy which is present in the heart of Sri Radha becomes reflected into the hearts of Her dedicated maidservants, thus causing them to taste love which far exceeds any other form loving relish both in quantity and in quality.

pataty asre sAsrA bhavati pulake jAta-pulakAH |

smite bhAti smerA malimani jAte sumalinAH ||

anAsAdya svAlIr mukuram abhivIkSya sva-vadanaM |

sukhaM vA duHkhaM vA kimapi kathanIyaM mRgadRzaH ||

(krishnahnika-kaumudi 5.128)

"Oh doe-eyed beauties! When your girlfriends are absent, you may have to look at a mirror before you can say whether you are happy or sad. They reflect every mood of yours, they perform all the services of a looking glass! When tears fall from your eyes they also cry; when you are excited, their hairs stand on end; when you laugh they also do so; and when you become depressed, they also look down-hearted."

This manjari-bhava is the unique contribution of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and the cherished treasure of the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition. One who desires to attain the ultimate goal of life should diligently study the writings of the saints on the subject matter of raganuga-bhakti.

Gaudiya.Com: History

  Tombstones at Radha-kunda

The roots of the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition lie several millenia in the past of India. The four Vedas, Rig, Sama, Yajur and Atharva, the Purana-epics illustrating the precepts of the Vedas, and the vast Mahabharata narrating the story of Krishna and the Pandava-brothers, in which the famous Bhagavad-gita is included, form the ancient basis of the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition.

The Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition is a part of a larger section of Hinduism known as Vaishnavism. The Vaishnavas understand Vishnu, the Almighty Supreme, as the preserving and purpose-giving God of existence. Some Vaishnava-traditions focus on God in his divinely magnificent Vishnu-form, while others accept the all-enchanting form of Krishna as the object of their worship. The devotional religions of India are collectively known as the bhakti-tradition.

Old paintings at Vamsi Vata

THE FOUR VAISHNAVA-TRADITIONS

The ancient Vaishnava-tradition felt a breeze of renewal around 1000 CE as four great Vaishnava-teachers presented their commentaries on the essence of Vedanta and taught the same to their numerous followers. They were Vishnusvami (born ca. 700 CE) who founded his own school; Ramanuja (1017-1137 CE), who founded a tradition known as the Sri-sampradaya, basing his views on the teachings of the Alvar-saints of the past and forming a theology called visishta-advaita; Nimbarka (ca. 1100 CE), who founded his own tradition; as well as Madhva (1199-1278 CE), who also offered his own interpretation of Vedanta, establishing his own theology known as dvaita.

THE BHAKTI-MOVEMENTS OF THE 16th CENTURY

The renaissance of Vaishnavism began in the early 1600's as Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486-1534 CE) started his bhakti-movement in West Bengal in the district of Nadia. Despite having been initiated in the Madhva-tradition, Sri Chaitanya practically founded his own tradition, having marked differences with the practices and the theology of the Madhvites as he taught of devotion for Radha and Krishna, the divine couple of Vrindavan. The followers of Chaitanya took him to be the embodiment of Radha and Krishna who had descended to this world to show the path for attaining the devotional service of Radha and Krishna, the ultimate goal of life.

Vallabha (1479-1531 CE) was a contemporary of Chaitanya, who founded one of the most influential traditions of Northern India. The Vallabha-tradition claims a connection with the branch of Vishnusvami. The traditions of Chaitanya and Vallabha seem to have had much in common over their first two generations. During these years many others, such as Hit Harivamsha (1502-1553 CE) and Swami Haridas (1480-1575 CE), founded their own traditions, not particularly claiming for a connection with the older traditions. The famous female saint and poet, Mirabai (1498-1547 CE), was influential during this time.

THE ASSOCIATES OF SRI CHAITANYA

Sri Chaitanya spent the first 24 years of his life in Navadvipa, West Bengal. Most of Chaitanya's followers knew him since his early years. For example Advaita (1454-1550 CE), a leading figure among the Vaishnavas of Navadvipa from before Chaitanya's birth, and Nityananda (1473-1545 CE), a charismatic and eccentric saint, arose to key roles in creating the future of Chaitanya's tradition. Gadadhara Pandit and Vakresvara Pandit, Chaitanya's companions since his childhood, Narahari Cakravartin of Sri Khanda, Nityananda's wife Jahnava, along with many others, contributed their share in initiating the tradition. Disciplic lines descending from the associates of Chaitanya form the majority of the modern Gaudiya Vaishnava - tradition.

Chaitanya spent the remainder of his life, another 24 years, in Jagannath Puri in the company of some of his intimate followers, such as Svarupa Damodara and Ramananda Raya, steeped in deep devotional rapture. During those years, he practically demonstrated the pinnacle of devotional attainment in both his words and his deeds.

SRI CHAITANYA AND THE SIX GOSWAMIS OF VRINDAVAN

Sri Chaitanya is not known to have written anything but a series of verses known as the Siksastaka, the eight verses of instruction. He requested a select few among his followers, who later came to be known as the Six Goswamis of Vrindavan, to systematically present in their writings the theology of bhakti he had taught.

These six saints and theologians were Rupa Goswami, Sanatana Goswami, Gopala Bhatta Goswami, Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami, Raghunatha Das Goswami and Jiva Goswami. In his writings, Rupa focused particularly in explaining the principles of the sacred rapture of devotion, Sanatana along with Gopala Bhatta wrote of the rituals of the tradition, Raghunatha Das focused on the esotera of raganuga-bhajan, and Jiva, the most voluminous author among the six, wrote the elaborate theological thesis known as the Sat-sandarbha among other works.

THE NEXT GENERATION OF THE TRADITION

Narottama Das Thakur, Srinivasa Acarya and Syamananda Pandit were among the stalwarts of the second generation of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Having studied under Jiva, they were instrumental in propagating the teachings of the Goswamis throughout Bengal, Orissa and other regions of Eastern India. Many among their associates, such as Ramacandra Kaviraja and Ganga-narayana Cakravartin, were also eminent teachers in their own right.

The famous festival of Kheturi, presided over by Jahnava Thakurani, the wife of Nityananda, was the first time the leaders of the various branches of Chaitanya's followers assembled together. Through such festivals, members of the loosely organized tradition became acquainted with other branches along with their respective theological and practical nuances. That notwithstanding, the tradition has maintained its plural nature, having no central authority to preside over its matters.

Around these times, the descendants of Nityananda and Advaita, headed by Virabhadra and Krishna Mishra respectively, started their family-lineages (vamsha) to maintain the tradition. The vamsha descending from Nityananda through Virabhadra forms the most prominent branch of the modern Gaudiya tradition, though descendants of Advaita, along with the descendants of many other associates of Chaitanya, maintain their following especially in the rural areas of Bengal.

Gopala Guru Goswami, a young associate of Chaitanya and a follower of Vakreshwar Pandit, founded another branch based in Orissa. The writings of Gopala Guru, along with those of his disciple Dhyanacandra Goswami, have had a substantial influence on the methods of internal worship in the tradition.

17th AND 18th CENTURIES

The period following the earliest generations of the tradition gave rise to many a controversy in its course. Vishwanath Chakravarti, an illustrious teacher whose period of influence began in late 17th century, is credited with resolving major theological conflicts surrounding the practice of raganuga-bhajan and the nature of the amorous relationship between Radha and Krishna. His student, Baladeva Vidyabhushan, hailing from a disciplic line descending from Rasikananda, authored the famous Govinda Bhashya commentary on Vedanta-sutra in defense of the Gaudiya sampradaya in the royal assembly of Jaipur in early 18th century.

Across the 18th century, descendants of the various vamshas of Chaitanya's companions continued their endeavors in furthering Sri Chaitanya's cause in their respective locales around Bengal. During this period, many illustrious saints, among whom perhaps the most influential was Siddha Krishna Das Babaji of Govardhan, guided the community of devotees in Vraja on matters of bhajan — an influence that carries to the present day.

TOWARDS EARLY 20th CENTURY

The 19th century India, now under substantial influence from the West with the establishment of the British rule, reflected on its values and cultural heritage in diverse avenues. Vaishnavism was not unaffected — this was to be an era of new movements and revolutionaries.

The need to influence the colonisers was felt strongly among the Bengali intelligentsia. This spirit touched Kedarnath Datta Bhaktivinoda, a deputy magistrate under the British government, who sent an English biography of Chaitanya's he had authored in 1896 to numerous Western universities. The first missionary to cross the ocean was Baba Premananda Bharati, a follower of Jagatbandhu Sundar's, who arrived in the United States in 1902, establishing a Krishna-temple in Los Angeles and, according to some accounts, raising up to 5000 followers. His disciple, Mahanambrata Brahmachari, was to lecture in dozens of universities across the country in the 1930's. Their Western following is said to have later dwindled under religious persecution in their absence.

Radharaman Charan Das Babaji, also known as Boro Baba, was one of the leading characters of the era, gathering a substantial following of his own. This group, popularized further through the efforts of Ramdas Babaji, is known for their "Nitai Gaura Radhe Shyam" chant. Despite some doctrinal disagreements, Boro Baba's followers have gained acceptance among the tradition.

In 1919, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati founded a monastic movement called Gaudiya Matha. Under his inspiration, Bhaktihridoy Bon and Bhaktipradip Tirtha journeyed to England for missionary work, meeting with only limited success. Over the next two decades to follow, until his departure in 1936, Bhaktisiddhanta propagated his reformist movement across India and vocally expressed his dissatisfaction over the current state of the tradition, and purportedly offered sharp critique of both the householder gurus in the vamsha-traditions and the babaji-renunciates. This spirit, accompanied with some theological revisions, led the majority of the tradition to distance itself from the new movement.

As printing presses grew more popular and became more readily available, the old literature of the tradition, earlier available only as hand-written manuscripts, was widely published in a printed form. Perhaps the greatest among publishers was Haridas Dasji of Haribol Kutir, who spent the entirety of his life searching, editing and translating old manuscripts for publication. Other stalwart publishers were Puri Das, known from his days in Gaudiya Matha as Ananta Vasudeva, and Krishna Das Babaji of Kusuma Sarovara.

THE MODERN DAY

The tradition settled on the Western soil for good with the efforts of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, who reached the United States in 1965. The people of the love-and-flowers decade, filled with curious subcultures and a search for spirituality, were open for the Swami's message, and the movement spread rapidly across the continents. Bhaktivedanta's movement, ISKCON — International Society for Krishna Consciousness — otherwise known as the Hare Krishna movement, has translated and published his literature in dozens of languages over the decades.

Inspired by the success, some other followers of Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati have also established their respective movements in the Western hemisphere. Others have, learning of the Gaudiya tradition and often after meeting representatives of the aforementioned movements, traveled to the sacred places of India, such as Vraja in northern India and Navadwipa in Bengal, in search of the roots of the tradition. The classical alignments of the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition are yet to see organized activity on a larger scale in the West — quite possibly owing to the trend of priorizing individual spiritual growth over dedicated missionary work.

In its motherland, the diverse branches of the classical tradition are largely going on the way they have been for the past century. With the increased availability of communication facilities, knowledge of these original flag-bearers of the heritage is gradually becoming available for the global audience as well.