Chaitanya Charitamrta | Madhya Lila | Chapter 19 | Section 130

When the personal associates of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu would hear of the activities of Rūpa and Sanātana Gosvāmīs, they would say, “What is wonderful for a person who has been granted the Lord’s mercy?” (132) Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has personally spoken about the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in his auspicious introduction to his book Bhakti- rasāmṛta- sindhu [1.1.2]. (133) “Although I am the lowest of men and have no knowledge, the inspiration to write transcendental literatures about devotional service has been mercifully bestowed upon me. Therefore I am offering my obeisances at the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has given me the chance to write these books.” (134)

For ten days Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu stayed at Prayāga and instructed Rūpa Gosvāmī, empowering him with the necessary potency. (135) Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “My dear Rūpa, please listen to Me. It is not possible to describe devotional service completely; therefore I am just trying to give you a synopsis of the symptoms of devotional service. (136) “The ocean of the transcendental mellows of devotional service is so big that no one can estimate its length and breadth. However, just to help you taste it, I am describing but one drop. (137) “In this universe there are limitless living entities in 8,400,000 species, and all are wandering within this universe. (138) “The length and breadth of the living entity is described as one ten- thousandth part of the tip of a hair. This is the original subtle nature of the living entity. (139) “‘If we divide the tip of a hair into a hundred parts and then take one of these parts and divide it again into a hundred parts, that very fine division is the size of but one of the numberless living entities. They are all cit- kaṇa, particles of spirit, not matter.’ (140)

“‘If we divide the tip of a hair into one hundred parts and then take one part and divide this into another one hundred parts, that ten- thousandth part is the dimension of the living entity. This is the verdict of the chief Vedic mantras.’ (141) “[Lord Kṛṣṇa says:] ‘Among minute particles, I am the living entity.’ (142) “‘O Lord, although the living entities who have accepted material bodies are spiritual and unlimited in number, if they were all- pervading there would be no question of their being under Your control. If they are accepted, however, as particles of the eternally existing spiritual entity—as part of You, who are the supreme spirit whole—we must conclude that they are always under Your control. If the living entities are simply satisfied with being identical with You as spiritual particles, then they will be happy being controllers of so many things. The conclusion that the living entities and the Supreme Personality of Godhead are one and the same is a faulty conclusion. It is not a fact.’ (143)

“The unlimited living entities can be divided into two divisions—those that can move and those that cannot move. Among living entities that can move, there are birds, aquatics and animals. (144) “Although the living entities known as human beings are very small in quantity, that division may be still further subdivided, for there are many uncultured human beings like mlecchas, pulindas, bauddhas and śabaras. (145) “Among human beings, those who are followers of the Vedic principles are considered civilized. Among these, almost half simply give lip service while committing all kinds of sinful activities against these principles. Such people do not care for the regulative principles. (146) “Among the followers of Vedic knowledge, most are following the process of fruitive activity and distinguishing between good and bad work. Out of many such sincere fruitive actors, there may be one who is actually wise. (147)

“Out of many millions of such wise men, one may actually become liberated [mukta], and out of many millions of such liberated persons, a pure devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa is very difficult to find. (148) “Because a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa is desireless, he is peaceful. Fruitive workers desire material enjoyment, jñānīs desire liberation, and yogīs desire material opulence; therefore they are all lusty and cannot be peaceful. (149) “‘O great sage, out of many millions of materially liberated people who are free from ignorance, and out of many millions of siddhas who have nearly attained perfection, there is hardly one pure devotee of Nārāyaṇa. Only such a devotee is actually completely satisfied and peaceful.’ (150) “According to their karma, all living entities are wandering throughout the entire universe. Some of them are being elevated to the upper planetary systems, and some are going down into the lower planetary systems. Out of many millions of wandering living entities, one who is very fortunate gets an opportunity to associate with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Kṛṣṇa. By the mercy of both Kṛṣṇa and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service. (151)

“When a person receives the seed of devotional service, he should take care of it by becoming a gardener and sowing the seed in his heart. If he waters the seed gradually by the process of śravaṇa and kīrtana [hearing and chanting], the seed will begin to sprout. (152) “As one waters the bhakti- latā- bīja, the seed sprouts, and the creeper gradually grows to the point where it penetrates the walls of this universe and goes beyond the Virajā River, lying between the spiritual world and the material world. It attains brahma- loka, the Brahman effulgence, and penetrating through that stratum, it reaches the spiritual sky and the spiritual planet Goloka Vṛndāvana. (153) “Being situated in one’s heart and being watered by śravaṇa- kīrtana, the bhakti creeper grows more and more. In this way it attains the shelter of the desire tree of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, who is eternally situated in the planet known as Goloka Vṛndāvana, in the topmost region of the spiritual sky. (154)

“The creeper greatly expands in the Goloka Vṛndāvana planet, and there it produces the fruit of love for Kṛṣṇa. Although remaining in the material world, the gardener regularly sprinkles the creeper with the water of hearing and chanting. (155) “If the devotee commits an offense at the feet of a Vaiṣṇava while cultivating the creeper of devotional service in the material world, his offense is compared to a mad elephant that uproots the creeper and breaks it. In this way the leaves of the creeper are dried up. (156) “The gardener must defend the creeper by fencing it all around so that the powerful elephant of offenses may not enter. (157) “Sometimes unwanted creepers, such as the creepers of desires for material enjoyment and liberation from the material world, grow along with the creeper of devotional service. The varieties of such unwanted creepers are unlimited. (158) “Some unnecessary creepers growing with the bhakti creeper are the creepers of behavior unacceptable for those trying to attain perfection, diplomatic behavior, animal- killing, mundane profiteering, mundane adoration and mundane importance. All these are unwanted creepers. (159)

“If one does not distinguish between the bhakti creeper and the other creepers, the sprinkling of water is misused because the other creepers are nourished while the bhakti creeper is curtailed. (160) “As soon as an intelligent devotee sees an unwanted creeper growing beside the original creeper, he must cut it down instantly. Then the real creeper, the bhakti- latā, grows nicely, returns home, back to Godhead, and seeks shelter under the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. (161) “When the fruit of devotional service becomes ripe and falls down, the gardener tastes the fruit and thus takes advantage of the creeper and reaches the desire tree of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa in Goloka Vṛndāvana. (162) “There the devotee serves the lotus feet of the Lord, which are compared to a wish- fulfilling tree. With great bliss he tastes the juice of the fruit of love and becomes eternally happy. (163)

“To taste the fruit of devotional service in Goloka Vṛndāvana is the highest perfection of life, and in the presence of such perfection, the four material perfections—religion, economic development, sense gratification and liberation—are very insignificant achievements. (164) “‘As long as there is not the slightest fragrance of pure love of Kṛṣṇa, which is the perfect medicinal herb for controlling Lord Kṛṣṇa within the heart, the opulences of the material perfections known as the siddhis, the brahminical perfections [satya, śama, titikṣā and so on], the trance of the yogīs and the monistic bliss of Brahman all seem wonderful for men.’ (165) “When one is situated in pure devotional service, he develops love of Godhead; therefore let me describe some of the symptoms of pure devotional service. (166)

“‘When first- class devotional service develops, one must be devoid of all material desires, knowledge obtained by monistic philosophy, and fruitive action. The devotee must constantly serve Kṛṣṇa favorably, as Kṛṣṇa desires.’ (167) “A pure devotee must not cherish any desire other than to serve Kṛṣṇa. He should not offer worship to the demigods or to mundane personalities. He should not cultivate artificial knowledge, which is devoid of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and he should not engage himself in anything other than Kṛṣṇa conscious activities. One must engage all one’s purified senses in the service of the Lord. This is the favorable execution of Kṛṣṇa conscious activities. (168) “These activities are called śuddha- bhakti, pure devotional service. If one renders such pure devotional service, he develops his original love for Kṛṣṇa in due course of time. In Vedic literatures like the Pañcarātras and Śrīmad- Bhāgavatam, these symptoms are described. (169)

“‘Bhakti, or devotional service, means engaging all our senses in the service of the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of all the senses. When the spirit soul renders service unto the Supreme, there are two side effects. One is freed from all material designations, and one’s senses are purified simply by being employed in the service of the Lord.’ (170) “‘Just as the celestial waters of the Ganges flow unobstructed into the ocean, so when My devotees simply hear of Me, their minds come to Me. I reside in the hearts of all. (171) “‘These are the characteristics of transcendental loving service to Puruṣottama, the Supreme Personality of Godhead: it is causeless, and it cannot be obstructed in any way. (172) “‘My devotees do not accept sālokya, sārṣṭi, sārūpya, sāmīpya or oneness with Me—even if I offer these liberations—in preference to serving Me. (173)

“‘Bhakti- yoga, as described above, is the ultimate goal of life. By rendering devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one transcends the modes of material nature and attains the spiritual position on the platform of direct devotional service.’ (174) “If one is infected with the desire for material enjoyment or material liberation, he cannot rise to the platform of pure loving service unto the Lord, even though he may superficially render devotional service according to the routine regulative principles. (175) “‘The material desire to enjoy the material world and the desire to become liberated from material bondage are considered to be two witches, and they haunt one like ghosts. As long as these witches remain within the heart, how can one feel transcendental bliss? As long as these two witches remain in the heart, there is no possibility of enjoying the transcendental bliss of devotional service.’ (176)

“By regularly rendering devotional service, one gradually becomes attached to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When that attachment is intensified, it becomes love of Godhead. (177) “The basic aspects of prema, when gradually increasing to different states, are affection, abhorrence, love, attachment, further attachment, ecstasy and great ecstasy. (178) “The gradual development of prema may be compared to different states of sugar. First there is the seed of the sugarcane, then sugarcane and then the juice extracted from the cane. When this juice is boiled, it forms liquid molasses, then solid molasses, then sugar, candy, rock candy and finally lozenges. (179) “All these stages combined are called sthāyibhāva, or continuous love of Godhead in devotional service. In addition to these stages, there are vibhāva and anubhāva. (180) “When the higher standard of ecstatic love is mixed with the symptoms of sāttvika and vyabhicārī, the devotee relishes the transcendental bliss of loving Kṛṣṇa in a variety of nectarean tastes. (181)

“These tastes are like a combination of yogurt, sugar candy, ghee [clarified butter], black pepper and camphor and are as palatable as sweet nectar. (182) “According to the devotee, attachment falls within the five categories of śānta- rati, dāsya- rati, sakhya- rati, vātsalya- rati and madhura- rati. These five categories arise from devotees’ different attachments to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The transcendental mellows derived from devotional service are also of five varieties. (183-184) “The chief transcendental mellows experienced with the Supreme Personality of Godhead are five—śānta, dāsya, sakhya, vātsalya and madhura. (185) “‘Besides the five direct mellows, there are seven indirect mellows, known as laughter, wonder, chivalry, compassion, anger, disaster and fear.’ (186) “In addition to the five direct mellows, there are seven indirect mellows, known as laughter, wonder, chivalry, compassion, anger, disaster and fear. (187)

“The five direct transcendental mellows of devotional service are permanently situated in the heart of the devotee, whereas the seven indirect emotions appear suddenly under certain conditions and appear more powerful. (188) “Examples of śānta- bhaktas are the nine Yogendras and the four Kumāras. Examples of devotees in dāsya- bhakti are innumerable, for such devotees exist everywhere. (189) “In Vṛndāvana, examples of devotees in fraternity are Śrīdāmā and Sudāmā; in Dvārakā the Lord’s friends are Bhīma and Arjuna; in Vṛndāvana the devotees in parental love are mother Yaśodā and father Nanda Mahārāja, and in Dvārakā the Lord’s parents are Vasudeva and Devakī. There are also other superior persons who are devotees in parental love. (190) “The chief devotees in conjugal love are the gopīs in Vṛndāvana, the queens in Dvārakā and the goddesses of fortune in Vaikuṇṭha. These devotees are innumerable. (191)

“Attachment for Kṛṣṇa is divided into two categories. One is attachment with awe and reverence, and the other is pure attachment without reverence. (192) “Pure attachment without reverence is found in Gokula Vṛndāvana. Attachment in which awe and reverence are prominent is found in the two cities Mathurā and Dvārakā and in Vaikuṇṭha. (193) “When opulence is very prominent, love of Godhead is somewhat crippled. According to kevalā devotion, however, even though the devotee sees the unlimited potency of Kṛṣṇa, he considers himself equal to Him. (194) “On the transcendental platform of neutrality and service, sometimes the opulence of the Lord is prominent. But in the transcendental mellows of fraternal, parental and conjugal love, the opulence is minimized. (195) “When Kṛṣṇa offered prayers at the lotus feet of His mother and father, Vasudeva and Devakī, they both felt awe, reverence and fear due to knowledge of His opulences. (196)

“‘When Devakī and Vasudeva understood that their two sons Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, who had paid obeisances to them, were the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they became fearful and did not embrace Them.’ (197) “When Kṛṣṇa manifested His universal form, Arjuna became reverent and fearful, and he begged forgiveness for his past impudence toward Kṛṣṇa as a friend. (198) “‘Thinking of You as my friend, I have rashly addressed You “O Kṛṣṇa,” “O Yādava,” “O my friend,” not knowing Your glories. Please forgive whatever I may have done in madness or in love. I have dishonored You many times, jesting as we relaxed, lay on the same bed, or sat or ate together, sometimes alone and sometimes in front of many friends. O infallible one, please excuse me for all those offenses.’ (199-200) “Although Kṛṣṇa was joking with Queen Rukmiṇī, she was thinking that He was going to give up her company, and she was therefore shocked. (201)

“‘While Kṛṣṇa was joking with Rukmiṇī in Dvārakā, she was full of distress, fear and lamentation. She had also lost her intelligence. She dropped her hand bangles and the fan she was using to fan the Lord. Her hair became disarrayed, and she fainted and fell suddenly, appearing like a banana tree knocked down by high winds.’ (202) “In the stage of kevalā [unalloyed devotion] a devotee does not consider the unlimited opulence of Kṛṣṇa, even though he experiences it. He takes seriously only his own relationship with Kṛṣṇa. (203) “‘When mother Yaśodā saw all the universes within Kṛṣṇa’s mouth, she was astonished for the time being. The Lord is worshiped like Indra and other demigods by the followers of the three Vedas, who offer Him sacrifices. He is worshiped as impersonal Brahman by saintly persons who understand His greatness through studying the Upaniṣads, as the Puruṣa by great philosophers who analytically study the universe, as the all- pervading Supersoul by great yogīs, and as the Supreme Personality of Godhead by devotees. Nevertheless, mother Yaśodā considered the Lord her own son.’ (204)

“‘Although Kṛṣṇa is beyond sense perception and is unmanifest to human beings, he takes up the guise of a human being with a material body. Thus mother Yaśodā thought Him to be her son, and she bound Lord Kṛṣṇa with rope to a wooden mortar, as if He were an ordinary child.’ (205) “‘When Kṛṣṇa was defeated by Śrīdāmā, He had to carry him on His shoulders. Similarly, Bhadrasena carried Vṛṣabha, and Pralamba carried Balarāma, the son of Rohiṇī.’ (206) “‘“My dearmost Kṛṣṇa, You are worshiping Me and giving up the company of all the other gopīs, who wanted to enjoy themselves with You.” Thinking like this, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī considered Herself Kṛṣṇa’s most beloved gopī. She had become proud and had left the rāsa- līlā with Kṛṣṇa. In the deep forest She said, “My dear Kṛṣṇa, I cannot walk any more. You can take Me wherever You like.” When Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī petitioned Kṛṣṇa in this way, Kṛṣṇa said, “Just get up on My shoulders.” As soon as Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī began to do so, He disappeared. Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī then began to grieve over Her request and Kṛṣṇa’s disappearance.’ (207-209)

“‘Dear Kṛṣṇa, we gopīs have neglected the order of our husbands, sons, family, brothers and friends and have left their company to come to You. You know everything about our desires. We have come only because we are attracted by the supreme music of Your flute. But You are a great cheater, for who else would give up the company of young girls like us in the dead of night?’ (210) “When one is fully attached to Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet, one attains the śamatā stage. The word ‘śamatā’ is derived from the word ‘śama’; therefore śānta- rasa, the position of neutrality, means being fully attached to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. This is the verdict from the mouth of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. This state is called self- realization. (211) “‘These are the words of the Supreme Personality of Godhead: “When one’s intelligence is fully attached to My lotus feet but one does not render practical service, one has attained the stage called śānta- rati, or śama.” Without śānta- rati, attachment to Kṛṣṇa is very difficult to achieve.’ (212)

“‘The word “śama” or “śānta- rasa” indicates that one is attached to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. “Dama” means controlling the senses and not being deviated from the Lord’s service. Endurance of unhappiness is “titikṣā,” and “dhṛti” means controlling the tongue and the genitals.’ (213) “Giving up all desires not connected with Kṛṣṇa is the business of one who is in śānta- rasa. Only a devotee of Kṛṣṇa can be situated on that platform. He is thus called a śānta- rasa- bhakta. (214) “When a devotee is situated on the platform of śānta- rasa, he desires neither elevation to the heavenly planets nor liberation. These are the results of karma and jñāna, and the devotee considers them no better than hell. A person situated on the śānta- rasa platform manifests the two transcendental qualities of detachment from all material desires and full attachment to Kṛṣṇa. (215) “‘A person who is devoted to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa, is not afraid of anything. Elevation to the heavenly kingdom, condemnation to hell and liberation from material bondage all appear the same to a devotee.’ (216)

“These two qualities of the śānta stage spread through the lives of all devotees. They are like the quality of sound in the sky. Sound vibration is found in all material elements. (217) “It is the nature of śānta- rasa that not even the smallest intimacy exists. Rather, knowledge of impersonal Brahman and localized Paramātmā is prominent. (218) “On the platform of śānta- rasa, one realizes only his constitutional position. But when one is raised to the platform of dāsya- rasa, he better understands the full opulence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. (219) “On the dāsya- rasa platform, knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is revealed with awe and veneration. By rendering service unto Lord Kṛṣṇa, the devotee in dāsya- rasa gives constant happiness to the Lord. (220) “The qualities of śānta- rasa are also present in dāsya- rasa, but service is added. Thus the dāsya- rasa platform contains the qualities of both śānta- rasa and dāsya- rasa. (221) “The qualities of śānta- rasa and the service of dāsya- rasa are both present on the platform of sakhya- rasa. On the platform of fraternity, the qualities of dāsya- rasa are mixed with the confidence of fraternity instead of awe and veneration. (222)