Bhakti Sandarbha 180: Bhakti Comes by the Grace of a Devotee



The big question asked in this anuccheda is the role of Krishna himself in giving mercy. Is it primary or secondary to the will or grace of a devotee?


Again, please note that this is not the final version, as other editors will go through this and make further changes. (Jagat)



Anuccheda 180

Bhakti Comes by the Grace of a Devotee

ततः सत्सङ्गस्यैव तत्र निदानत्वं सिद्धम्। तच्च युक्तम्, अनादिसिद्धतज्ज्ञानमयतद्वैमुख्यवतामन्यथा हि तदसम्भवः। तदुक्तम्—

It has thus been established that the association of saints is the determinant cause of devotion, and this is certainly proper. Otherwise, indifference to Bhagavān, caused by beginningless ignorance, is impossible to remedy.

तर्कोऽप्रतिष्ठः श्रुतयो विभिन्ना नासावृषिर्यस्य मतं न भिन्नम्।
धर्मस्य तत्त्वं निहितं गुहायां महाजनो येन गतः स पन्थाः॥ (म.भा. ३.३१३.११७)

For this reason it is said in the Mahābhārata:

Logic has no ultimate foundation. The scriptures express divergent viewpoints. One cannot be known as a seer (ṛṣi) unless he has an original philosophy. The essence of dharma is hidden in the innermost recesses of the hearts of realized beings; one should therefore follow the path traversed by an enlightened soul. (Vana Parva 313.117)

तथैव श्रीप्रह्लादवाक्यम्—"मतिर्न कृष्णे परतः स्वतो वा मिथोऽभिपद्येत गृहव्रतानाम्।" (भा. ७.५.३०) इत्युपक्रम्य—

नैषां मतिस्तावदुरुक्रमाङ्घ्रिं स्पृशत्यनर्थापगमो यदर्थः।
महीयसां पादरजोऽभिषेकं निष्किञ्चनानां न वृणीत यावत्॥ (भा. ७.५.३२)

Prahlāda made a similar statement in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:

The minds of materialistic householders cannot be attracted towards Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa, not by their own efforts, nor by learning from others, and not through discussion with others. (SB 7.5.30)

And further:

Unless one bathes in the dust from the feet of great pure devotees, one's mind will not be attracted to the lotus feet of Bhagavān who performs wonderful deeds. Absorption of the mind in Bhagavān’s feet removes all unwanted desires from the heart. (SB 7.5.32)

तथा तद्विमुखकर्मादिभिस्तत्साम्मुख्यप्रतिपत्तेश्चात्यान्तायोगः, "अन्यत्र धर्मादन्यत्राधर्मादन्यत्रास्मात् कृताकृताद-न्यत्र भूताच्च भव्याच्च" (क.उ. १.२.१४) इति श्रुत्यादेः।

It is completely impossible to attain sämmukhya to Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa by carrying out prescribed duties that are indifferent to Bhagavān, as stated in the śruti:

The Absolute is beyond religion and irreligion, cause and effect, past and future.(Kaṭhopaniṣad 1.2.14)

"तमेतमात्मानं वेदानुवचनेन ब्राह्मणा विविदिषन्ति यज्ञेन दानेन तपसानशकेन" (बृ.आ.उ. ४.४.२) इति श्रुत्यादिकं तु तत्साम्मुख्येनैव प्रयुक्तानि कर्माण्यभिदधाति।

The śruti does, however, speak of prescribed action directed toward the Absolute [as a means to realize Bhagavān]:

The brāhmaṇas wish to realize the Absolute by following the words of the Vedas, through sacrifice, charity, penance, and fasting. (Bṛhad Āraṇyakopaniṣad 4.4.22)

तर्हि तदेव साम्मुख्यं कथं स्यादिति पुनरपि हेतुरेव प्रष्टव्यः स्यात्।

Once again the question may be raised as to what causes one to turn towards God?

अथ भगवत्कृपैव तत्साम्मुख्ये प्राथमिकं कारणमिति च गौणम्। सा हि संसारदुरन्तानन्तसन्तापसन्तप्तेष्वपि तद्विमुखेषु स्वतन्त्रा न प्रवर्तते, तदसम्भवात्।

Is the mercy of Bhagavān by itself the primary cause of this transformation? The answer is that God’s mercy is secondary. It is impossible for Bhagavān’s grace to independently favor those who are averse to Him and who are tormented by endless, insurmountable, worldly miseries.

कृपारूपश्चेतोविकारो हि परदुःखस्य स्वचेतसि स्पर्शे सत्येव जायते। तस्य तु सदा परमानन्दैकरसत्वेनापहत-कल्मषत्वेन च श्रुतौ जीवविलक्षणत्वसाधनात् तेजोमालिनस्तिमिरायोगवत् तच्चेतस्यपि तमोमयदुःखस्पर्शनासम्भवेन तत्र तस्या जन्मासम्भवः। अत एव सर्वदा विराजमाणेऽपि कर्तुमकर्तुमन्यथा कर्तुं समर्थे तस्मिंस्तद्विमुखानां न संसारसन्तापशान्तिः।

Mercy is a change in one's heart that occurs only when another person's suffering has touched it. But Bhagavān has been described in śruti as distinct from the living being in that He is ever relishing supreme bliss and unaffected by any material contamination. Therefore the jiva's suffering arising out of ignorance cannot penetrate His heart, any more than darkness can affect the sun. Consequently, there is no possibility of compassion being aroused in Bhagavān’s heart on seeing the plight of such suffering. Thus, although Bhagavān is ever-present and although action, inaction, and contradictory action are all well within His power, there is still no cessation of worldly anguish for those indifferent to Him.

अतः सत्कृपैकावशिष्यते। सन्तोऽपि तदानीं यद्यपि सांसारिकदुःखैर्न स्पृश्यन्त एव, तथापि लब्धजागराः स्वप्नदुःखवत् ते कदाचित् स्मरेयुरपीत्यतस्तेषां संसारिकेऽपि कृपा भवति, यथा श्रीनारदस्य नलकूवरमणिग्रीवयोः।

Thus, the only remaining alternative is the mercy of devotees. Devotees are also completely untouched by temporal miseries, but even so may sometimes recall their own previous suffering in the same way as a person recalls a nightmare upon waking. They are thus able to bestow their grace on worldly people, just as Śrī Nārada blessed Nalakūvara and Maṇigrīva.

तस्मात् प्रस्तुतेऽपि संसारिकदुःखस्य तद्धेतुत्वाभावात्। परमेश्वरकृपा तु "स एवात्र मम शरणम्" इत्यादिदैन्यात्मिकाभक्तिसम्बन्धेनैव जायते, यथा गजेन्द्रादौ, व्यतिरेके नारक्यादौ।

Therefore, in this example also, material misery itself is not the cause of obtaining Bhagavān’s mercy. Rather, the mercy of Bhagavān manifests only in relation to bhakti characterized by humility, such as when a person declares, “Bhagavān is my only shelter.” An example of this is seen in the case of Gajendra [who expressed such a sentiment in the midst of material calamity and received Bhagavān’s mercy]. The counterexample is the denizens of hell [who neither pray for Bhagavān’s mercy nor receive it].

भक्तिर्हि भक्तकोटिप्रविष्टतदार्द्रीभावयितृतच्छक्तिविशेष इति विवृतं विवरिष्यते च। दैन्यसम्बन्धेन च साधिकमुच्छलिता भवतीति तत्र तदाधिक्यम्। तस्माद्या कृपा तस्य सत्सु वर्तते, सा सत्सङ्गवाहनैव वा सत्कृपावाहनैव वा सती जीवान्तरे सङ्क्रमते, न स्वतन्त्रेति स्थितम्।

Bhakti is a special potency of Bhagavān, which upon entering the hearts of devotees acquires the quality of melting Bhagavān’s heart. This has been explained earlier, and will be explained again further on [in Prīti-sandarbha]. By coming in contact with the [supplicant’s] attitude of humility, this special potency of bhakti surges and becomes all the more enhanced in the devotee. Thus it is established that Bhagavān’s mercy, which is present in His devotees, descends upon another living being either through the medium of saintly association or by the blessings of a devotee, but not independently.

तथैव चाहुः (भा. १०.२.३१)—
स्वयं समुत्तीर्य सुदुस्तरं द्युमन्
भवार्णवं भीममदभ्रसौहृदाः।
भवत्पदाम्भोरुहनावमत्र ते
निधाय याताः सदनुग्रहो भवान्॥

The devas conveyed this idea in a prayer to Bhagavān while present within the womb of Devakī devī:
O effulgent one, because they have plentiful feelings of compassion for all living beings, those who have themselves traversed the impassable and fearful ocean of material existence leave behind the boat of your lotus feet by which they have crossed for others to use. You are manifest in the mercy of the saints (sad-anugrahaḥ). (SB 10.2.31)
हे द्युमन् स्वप्रकाश ! भवत्पदाम्भोरुहलक्षणा या नौर्भवार्णवतरणोपायस्तामत्र भवार्णवपारे निधाय उत्तरोत्तरजनेषु प्रकाश्येत्यर्थः।

"O effulgent one!" (dyuman) is an invocation meaning, “You who are self-revealing.” Bhagavān’s lotus feet are compared to a boat which is the means to cross the ocean of birth and death. Although the great souls have used the boat to cross, they have simultaneously left it here on this side, which signifies that they have revealed the method to cross for future aspirants.

ननु कथं तां न स्वयं प्रकाशयामि ? कथमिव तेषामपेक्षा ? तत्राह—सद्भिरेव द्वारभूतैरन्यान् अनुगृह्णाति यः, स सदनुग्रहो भवान् इति। यद्वा, सन्त एवानुग्रहो यस्य सः। तवानुग्रहो यः प्रापञ्चिके चरति, स तदाकारतयैव चरति, नान्यरूपतयेत्यर्थः।

At this point Bhagavān may well ask: “Why don’t I just reveal it Myself? Indeed, why am I dependent on them?” This question is answered in the verse with the compound word sad-anugrahaḥ which qualifies Bhagavān. The first meaning of sad-anugrahaḥ is that Bhagavān is He whose mercy (anugraha) comes through the gateway of His devotees (sat). It is only through them that He blesses others. The second meaning of this word is that Bhagavān is He whose mercy is the devotees themselves. In either case, the purport is that Bhagavān’s mercy, which pervades the material world, does so only in the form of saintly devotees and not in any other way.

तथोक्तं श्रीरुद्रगीते—

अथानघाङ्घ्रेस्तव कीर्तितीर्थयोरन्तर्बहिःस्नानविधूतपाप्मनाम्।
भूतेष्वनुक्रोशसुसत्त्वशीलिनां स्यात् सङ्गमोऽनुग्रह एष नस्तव॥ (भा. ४.२४.५८) इति।

As is said in the Rudra-gīta:

"O Bhagavān, Your feet remove all sins. Please grant us the association of those who have cleansed all their sins by bathing internally and externally in Your fame and holy places of pilgrimage [like the Gaṅgā], who are compassionate towards all living beings, pure, and endowed with qualities, such as simplicity. This indeed, will be Your mercy upon us." (SB 4.24.58)

सत्स्वनुग्रहो यस्येति व्याख्यानेऽपि तद्विमुखेष्वसत्सु तवानुग्रहो नास्तीति प्राप्तेः सद्द्वारैव तत् प्रकाशनमुचितमित्येवायाति। तदेवं—

Even if the word sad-anugrahaḥ is interpreted as, “He whose mercy is directed towards the devotees,” the implication is that non-devotees do not receive Bhagavān’s favor. This leads to the conclusion that it is appropriate for mercy to be manifested only through the medium of devotees.

जायमानं हि पुरुषं यं पश्येन्मधुसूदनः।
सात्त्विकस्तु स विज्ञेयो भवेन्मोक्षार्थनिश्चितः॥ (म.भा. १२.३३६.६८)

इति मोक्षधर्मवचनमपि सत्सङ्गानन्तरजन्मपरमेव बोद्धव्यम्।

This being the case, the mention of a person being liberated after taking birth by the mercy of Bhagavān’s glance in the following verse from Mokṣa-dharma should be understood as referring to one who received sat-saṅga in a previous life:

"If a person who has taken birth is glanced at by Bhagavān Madhusūdana, he should be understood as pure and his liberation is assured." (Mahābhārata 12.348.73)

॥१०.२॥ देवाः भगवन्तम्॥१८०॥



Commentary by Satyanarayana Dasa Babaji Maharaja

In this anuccheda Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī establishes the reason why bhakti descends in a person only by the grace of a devotee. A conditioned being is ignorant of his true identity and about Bhagavān. This ignorance has no beginning, prāg-abhāva. Prāg-abhāva means that the ignorance may still come to an end someday. Śrī Jīva explains how it does so: there is no other way except the grace of a devotee because no one else has knowledge of Bhagavān.

The verse from Mahābhārata is spoken by King Yudhiṣṭhira, a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. He was asked one hundred questions by Dharma disguised as Yakṣa. One of them was "What is the process to know Reality?” In response the king spoke the well-known verse cited here. He says that Reality cannot be arrived at by logic and arguments. Logic is a product of the mind and thus material. It cannot approach the transempirical. Moreover, any conclusion by mere logic is not certain. It can always be refuted by a more adept debater (BRS 1.1.46). Even great philosophers and thinkers, if they do not follow the conclusion of the Vedas, have differing opinions. They study the world and nature from different angles of vision and come to different realizations. They also use their mind even if they go into a state of samādhi. The only way to know the Reality is by following the mahājanas or great devotees.

Without the grace of a devotee no one can know it even if they study the scriptures. This is the definite opinion of Prahlāda, who speaks from experience.

Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī says that even Bhagavān Himself is not the direct cause behind giving knowledge about Himself. He blesses someone through His devotee and not directly. Being transcendental to anything material, He has no experience of material suffering and thus cannot empathize with someone's suffering. This is the reason that although He is capable of removing everybody’s suffering, people continue to suffer. Such a thing would be possible only if there were no God, or if God were incapable of removing suffering, or if though capable God was not compassionate. None of these options are true. The fact is that God does not directly feel the pain of a suffering living being. Therefore, in Bhagavān says,

"I am equal to all beings. There is no one hateful or dear to Me, but they who worship Me with devotion are in Me and I am also in them." (Gītā 9.29)


He gives His svarūpa-śakti in the form of bhakti to His devotees. He can only reciprocate with His svarūpa-śakti. Thus He reciprocates only with His devotees. With non-devotees He remains neutral, which means that He has set up a system of management for the universe. He has made the laws of nature including the law of karma for non-devotees and appointed various divinities to implement them. He does not personally interfere with the laws or the life of the non-devotees. This is the reason that we often hear people saying that God is an energy. Because of the impersonal character of the natural laws, it is very hard for such people to believe that God is actually a person.

A devotee is the link between Bhagavān and a conditioned living being. The devotee himself or herself has had experience of the material world before attaining bhakti. Although a devotee does not suffer materially, he or she can remember past experiences and can thus empathize with the misery of the conditioned beings. Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī gives the example of an unpleasant dream. After waking up, one is no longer tormented by the dream images and situations, but can still remember how it felt. Thus a devoteee can give the grace that ultimately comes from Bhagavān because a devotee does not act independently .

Thus the conclusion is that the grace of Bhagavān in the form of bhakti comes either through the association or the grace of a devotee. It does not come to a conditioned living being directly from Him. The grace of Bhagavān comes directly only when one surrenders to Him in humility, which is a form of bhakti. Mere suffering cannot inspire Him to be gracious, otherwise He would have delivered all the residents of hell.

A doubt is raised here. In the 348th chapter of Śānti-parva of Mahābhārata sage Vaiśampāyana explained how bhakti was propagated in the past and he explained the greatness of bhakti. He said that the ekānti-bhaktas are very, very rare. Hearing this King Janamejaya asked the reason for this. The sage began answering and one of the verses he spoke is the one cited here. From this verse it appears that Bhagavān also gives His grace directly. Śrī Jīva replies that the person who is mentioned in this verse is the one who has attained the association of a devotee. Only such person becomes the recipient of grace of Bhagavān.



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