F: Raga-marga and Vidhi-marga in a Nutshell

The following are some reflections sent to a friend in clarifying the concepts of raga and vidhi.
 

1. There are two distinct paths. One is called vidhi-marga, and the other is called raga-marga. The difference between the two is not in the external practice: it is in the inner impetus for activity. On raga-marga, the impetus is in a great inner yearning called lobha, a burning desire that drives us onward with the aim of attaining emotions and services similar to Krishna's dear companions in Vraja. On vidhi-marga, the impetus for activity is born of a sense of duty or a fear of reprimand, drawing from the mandates of the scriptures. Only raga-marga leads us to Vraja-dhama and to the attainment of manjari-bhava. Vidhi-marga does not lead to attainments beyond relationships that are mixed with knowledge of god's majesty.

2. There are identical practices. Practices such as hearing, chanting, worship and so forth take on an almost identical appearance on the two paths. Then, unless one is sensitive and experienced, it will be hard to assess another's path by the mere observance of the outer form of the activity; the impetus determines the path. Raga-marga, aside the shared practices with vidhi-marga, features a whole unique internal world of practice; the inner cultivation of a specific loving emotion that gives rise to the revelation of the siddha-svarupa, or one's eternal companion-form that is suited for direct service for Radha and Krishna in the land of Vraja. It has been specifically noted (BRS 1.2.296) that "In the opinion of the wise, the practices of vidhi-marga are also to be employed on the raga-marga".

3. There are different stages on the path of raga. The journey is sometimes divided into two basic phases called ajata-ruci and jata-ruci. The first, ajata-ruci, literally "when taste is yet to awaken", is the stage where one has taken a keen interest in topics of raga-marga, but a mature, burning desire is yet to fructify in the core of one's heart. At this stage, one's raganuga-sadhana is practically a blend of raganuga and vaidhi in terms of one's impetus; one is not spontaneously and constantly pushed onward by the power of the mere desire. The second, jata-ruci, literally "when taste has awakened", is the stage we can justly call "actual raganuga", for in that a deep, overwhelming taste for both the practice and the goal has arisen, and in that there is truly following (anuga) of passion (raga).

All things considered, I am then personally shy to say thing such as "I am following raga-marga" or "I practice raganuga-bhakti", for I feel that, with all the mundane still upon my shoulders, it would be but a mockery of this beautiful and pristine path. The best I can say is, "I am trying to practice bhakti." Where are the tears in my eyes, where is the choking of my voice, and where are the bristling of my hair and the tremors of my body? And with that, where is my raganuga? If I had even a scent of divine emotion and a feeling that more lies ahead on the path, surely all of that would be a part of my reality as I reflected on my prospects.

Therefore, with folded hands and a straw between our teeth, we shall have to say, "I am not truly following much any path at all; with the wishes of guru and Vaisnavas, I am chanting a little bit and with their mercy I find some joy in that, hopeful that my heart would be purified in due course with the name's benevolent effect. I remain praying that one day I could also embark on the path of bhakti proper – as all real devotees have done, leaving behind the interests of the worldly world, offering their hearts at the service of their lord's feet."

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: Theology

 Sri Krishna, the Original Person, is the most attractive form of God.

Our section on theology will focus on the Gaudiya Vaishnava school's concept of Divinity in His infinite aspects, culminating on its ultimate object of worship, the Divine Couple, Radha and Krishna.

Some of the descriptions found on this page are kept rather concice in fear of increasing the bulk of the presentation, and will be more elaborately discussed in separate essays found on the resources page.

Sri Radha, the embodiment of Krishna's joy, is His eternal beloved.

THREE ASPECTS OF DIVINITY

Learned men understand the Divine to manifest in three aspects, which are known as His all-pervading formless aspect, His aspect as the Lord of the heart, and his aspect as the Supreme Person.

(1) Brahman (the All-pervading Spirit): The non-differentiated aspect of the Divine is known as Brahman. This all-pervading spiritual substance is known to be the support of all the worlds, and whatever exists is known to be of Brahman only in its various manifestations. Brahman is understood to be the halo of the Supreme Person.

(2) Paramatma (the Supreme Soul): The localized aspect of the Divine is known as Paramatma. Known as the Lord of the heart, this aspect of the Supreme has expanded within the hearts of all living entities, invoking inspiration, knowledge and forgetfulness in them. He is the silent witness in our hearts, the impartial overseer and permitter of everyone's activities, and the one who keeps the world turning in accordance with the deeds of all living entities. He is an expansion of the Supreme Person for the maintenance of the cosmic manifestation.

(3) Bhagavan (the Supreme Person): The ultimate aspect of the Divine is known as Bhagavan. He is simultaneously transcendent and immanent, being situated in His own divine realm and simultaneously pervading everything through His infinite manifestations. This Supreme Person is the ultimate master, friend, father, son and beloved of all living entities. In His kindness, He manifests to everyone in accordance with their desires to serve Him, while remaining at the same time in His supremely attractive form of Sri Krishna, in whom all beauty and love find its pinnacle.

DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THE SUPREME PERSON

An ancient prayer in Brahma Samhita says, "I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, whose non-dual, perfect and eternal forms are unlimited, who is the original ancient person, yet in his blossoming youth, and who is beyond access for the Vedas, but very near to those with a pure, devoted heart."

The original Supreme Person, Krishna, expands into various forms to fulfill various purposes within His creation. He is known as Svayam Bhagavan (the Supreme Person Himself) and Lila Purusottama (the Supreme Enjoyer of Pastimes). To taste the full variety of loving exchanges with His devotees, He manifests various forms in both the material and the spiritual worlds.

Within the spiritual world, the Lord manifests Himself in His original form, in multiple forms with identical characteristics (such as in the rasa-dance and in the palaces of Dvaraka), as well as in multiple forms with different moods and characteristics (such as His brother, Balarama), which include the unlimited four-armed Vishnu forms pervading the vast spiritual sky.

When the Lord manifests Himself in the material world, the form which He displays is called "avatara", or "descent", that which descends from the world beyond. These avataras are classified under several categories in accordance with Their purpose. The general purpose of the descents is told to be threefold, namely (1) to bring joy to His devotees, (2) to destroy wicked elements in the world, and (3) to re-establish the principles of religion. These avataras are classified as follows:

(1) Lila-avatara (pastime descents): These forms of the Lord have very distinct features, and they enact unparalleled activities in this world. Some of them are Ramacandra (the ideal king and ruler), Narasimha (half-man half-lion form who saved His devotee Prahlada), and Matsya (the fish-form who swam in the waters of devastation).

(2) Purusa-avatara (descent for creation): There are three forms of the Lord particularly meant for the maintenance of the cosmic manifestation. They are (1) Karanodakasayi Vishnu who manifests all the universes, (2) Garbhodakasayi Vishnu who presides in each universe, and (3) Ksirodakasayi Vishnu, who presides in the hearts of all living entities, and is also known as the Paramatma.

(3) Guna-avatara (descents for controlling the modes of nature): There are three forms of the Lord meant for controlling each of the three modes of nature, namely goodness, passion and ignorance. (1) Brahma, who is generally an empowered living entity, is in charge of the mode of passion, and takes care of creation. (2) Vishnu is in charge of the mode of goodness, and takes care of maintenance. (3) Shiva, who is a transformed form of the Lord, is in charge of the mode of ignorance, and takes care of destruction.

(4) Saktyavesa-avatara (descents endowed with potency): When the power of the Lord for fulfilling a particular purpose is bestowed to a living entity, he is known as a saktyavesa-avatara. The powers bestowed are the power to teach divine wisdom, the power to instill devotion into others, the power to rule the world, and the power to create, among others. They are further divided into those who are directly empowered by the Lord and those who manifest a reflection of the Lord's potency.

(5) Manvantara-avatara (descents for the era of Manu): There are fourteen Manus who rule the humanity during each cosmic day of Brahma, and during each era there is a form of the Lord who descends to this world. The Lord's fourteen descents are known as Yajna, Vibhu, Satyasena, Hari, Vaikuntha Ajita, Vamana, Sarvabhauma, Risabha, Visvaksena, Dharma, Sudharma, Yogesvara and Brihadbhanu. Additionally, each Manu is a descent of the Lord.

(6) Yuga-avatara (descents for the age): There is a form of the Lord who descends in each of the four ages in the cosmic cycle of time, known as Satya, Treta, Dvapara and Kali-yugas. The Lord descends to teach the method of religion relevant for the particular age.

The following diagram of these manifestations will help you get the complete picture.

VARIETIES OF LOVING EXCHANGE

Considering the various manifestations of the Supreme Person from the point of view of ontological truth, they are nondifferent from each other, being manifestations of the Lord. However, there are definite differences between His various manifestations in terms of the taste experienced in loving exchanges with Him.

Primary loving relationships with the Supreme Person are known to be five-fold, namely:

(1) Santa-rasa (neutrality): When love for the Supreme is experienced upon beholding His glory, without experiencing a particular impetus for engaging in His service, the relationship is known as santa-rasa.

(2) Dasya-rasa (servitude): When love for the Supreme Person is experienced either as the reverence and submission felt by a servant towards his master, or as the respect and esteem that a son feels for his father, the relationship is called dasya-rasa.

(3) Sakhya-rasa (friendship): When love for the Supreme Person is experienced with feelings of intimacy and equality, devoid of the sense of obligation felt by a servant, the relationship is called sakhya-rasa.

(4) Vatsalya-rasa (parental love): When love for the Supreme Person is experienced as His dependence upon the devotee's nourishing, blessing and looking after Him, the relationship is called vatsalya-rasa.

(5) Madhurya-rasa (amorous love): When love for the Supreme Person is experienced as feelings of amorous love, as experienced between the lover and the beloved, or between the husband and the wife, the relationship is called madhurya-rasa.

Each subsequent relationship has more attributes and an increased feeling of intimacy. To facilitate the compatible existence of various relationships with Him, the Lord manifests His different aspects in different regions of the spiritual sky.

GRADATIONS OF PERFECTION

The spiritual sky is understood as having multiple regions wherein the Supreme Person manifests His pastimes in the company of His loving devotees. The progressive supremacy of these spiritual regions is determined in accordance with the degree of intimacy of love.

To comprehend the hieararchy of the various regions, we need to accustom ourselves with two basic concepts: (1) aisvarya (supernatural might and opulence), and (2) madhurya (natural sweetness and intimacy).

(1) Aisvarya: The Lord's exhibition of supernatural might and opulence which causes a feeling of fearful awe and reverence in the heart of the devotee, is known as aisvarya.

(2) Madhurya: The abundant sweetness of human-like relationships with the Lord, which covers any considerations of His Godhood under the veil of loving intimacy, is known as madhurya.

The more intimate and independent of the status of the object of love the love is, the more complete it is understood to be. Therefore gradations of perfection among the Lord's various features are measured on the scale of the presence of madhurya.

The spiritual sky is known as "Vaikuntha". In the shining realm of Vaikuntha, in the midst of innumerable Vaikuntha-planets, there is a divine planet called Goloka, which is the pinnacle of the spiritual sky. Goloka is further divided into three main sections, namely Dvaraka, Mathura and Vraja. Let us examine them:

(1) Vaikuntha: In Vaikuntha, the Lord is present in His four-armed Vishnu-forms, manifesting His supernatural opulences. The devotees in Vaikuntha-region serve the Lord filled with awe and reverence. Here the Lord is known to be complete.

(2) Dvaraka and Mathura: In Dvaraka and Mathura, the mood of devotion is a mixture of alternating reverence and sweetness. Here the Lord is known to be more complete.

(3) Vraja: In Vraja, the mood of devotion is of pure sweetness, and even the Lord's display of unparalleled majesty does not diminish the natural love of His devotees. Here the Lord is known to be most complete.

When Sri Krishna descends to this world, He manifests three ages: (1) childhood, (2) boyhood, and (3) youth. The first period of five years is filled with pastimes of parental love, the second with pastimes of friendly love, and the third with pastimes of amorous love. This enchanting form saturated with carefree blossoming youth is considered to be the perfection of His being, and the most attractive among all of His forms.

Though the various forms of the Lord are analyzed and hierarchically presented, there is certainly no fault in any of them. They are all eternal, filled with knowledge and ecstacy, and perfect in their position of enabling His experience of the full spectrum of loving interaction.

THE DIVINE COUPLE

The divine counterpart of Sri Krishna is known as Sri Radha. Sri Radha is the complete energy, and Sri Krishna is the complete source of energy. They are nondifferent from each other, just as musk and its scent are inseparable, or as fire and its heat are nondifferent.

Just as Krishna expands Himself to Dvaraka and to Vaikuntha, so Radha expands along with Him to assume the forms of the Queens of Dvaraka and the Laksmi-goddesses of Vaikuntha. The cowherd maidens of Vraja are manifest from Her being to expand the relish of amorous adventures.

Radha and Krishna are one, yet They have assumed two separate forms to enjoy loving pastimes. She is Krishna's own divine potency who accompanies Him in His pleasure sports, being thoroughly imbued with and consisting of love for Him. Since Radha is filled with all divine qualities, She alone is able to fulfill all the desires of Krishna.

Poet Krishnadas Kaviraja has described the unparalleled beauty of the Divine Couple:

"May that Sri Krishna, son of the king of the cowherd men — whose effulgent bodily complexion defeats the luster of a fresh monsoon cloud, collyrium and sapphire, whose yellow cloth is more effulgent than kunkuma, the rising sun and a flash of lightning, and whose entire form is anointed with sandalwood paste mixed with camphor and saffron — bestow upon me the service of His lotus feet!

May that Srimati Radhika — whose bodily complexion snatches away the pride of a golden lotus flower tinged with kunkuma, whose bodily fragrance reproaches the fame of a fragrant lotus sprinkled with saffron powder, and who fulfills all the desires of the prince of Vraja, Sri Krishna — always bestow upon me the service of Her lotus feet!

May that Sri Krishna, son of the king of the cowherd men — who pleases Srimati Radhika and the cowherd maidens with the nectar of His pastimes in the forest groves and in the circle-dance, who nourishes them with His jokes and tricks, and who delights the hearts of everyone with His supernatural love, character, playfulness, and fame — bestow upon me the service of His lotus feet!

May that Srimati Radhika — whose softness defeats the fame of delicate budding flowers, whose body's coolness is worshipable for the moon, sandalwood-paste, the lotus, and camphor, and whose touch dispels the heat of Sri Krishna's amorous desires — always bestow upon me the service of Her lotus feet!"

In the wake of these prayers, Gaudiya Vaishnavas aspire to personally serve the Divine Couple in their amorous pastimes in the role of Sri Radha's manjaris (handmaids), assisting Them in various ways in the fulfillment of Their love.