Bhakti Sandarbha 187 : The Greatness of a Devotee is Known by the Quality and Quantity of His Love
Anuccheda 187
The Greatness of a Devotee is Known by the Quality and Quantity of His Love
अत्र चैवं विवेचनीयम्। तत्तन्मार्गे सिद्धा महान्तो द्विविधा दर्शिताः। अत्र च ज्ञानसिद्धाः—"देहं च नश्वरमवस्थितमुत्थितं वा सिद्धो न पश्यति यतोऽध्यगमत् स्वरूपम्" (भा. ११.१३.३६) इत्यादौ वर्णिताः।
On this topic of sat-saṅga, the following should be deliberated upon. It has been shown that on these two paths [of jñāna and bhakti], there are respectively two types of perfected beings or mahats. Of these, those who are perfected in non-dual awareness are described in statements such as the following of Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa:
A perfected being, once having realized his authentic self, no longer perceives whether his perishable body is seated or has risen, or whether it has departed from one place or has by chance returned to it again. His condition is like that of a person blinded by intoxication who cannot recognize whether the garment he was wearing still covers his body or has fallen off by chance. (SB 11.13.36)
अत्र भक्तिसिद्धास्त्रिविधाः—प्राप्तभगवत्पार्षददेहाः, निर्धूतकषायाः, मूर्च्छितकषायाश्च। यथा श्रीनारदादयः, श्रीशुकदेवादयः, प्राग्जन्मगतनारदादयश्च—
There are three types of perfect devotees: those who have attained eternal forms as associates of Bhagavān (prāpta-bhagavat-pārṣada-dehāḥ), those whose material desires are completely washed away (nirdhūta-kaṣāyāḥ), and those whose material desires are inactive (mūrcchita-kaṣāyāḥ). Śrī Nārada, Śrī Śukadeva, and Śrī Nārada in his previous life are the respective examples of these three types of perfect devotees.
[The example of Nārada, as one having attained an eternal form as an associate of Bhagavān, is found in this statement:]
प्रयुज्यमाने मयि तां शुद्धां भागवतीं तनुम्।
प्रारब्धकर्मनिर्वाणो न्यपतत् पाञ्चभौतिकः॥ (भा. १.६.२९) इत्यादौ।
When I was awarded a pure transcendental body as an associate of Bhagavān, my material body made of the five elements fell away because the karma that had set it in motion came to an end. (SB 1.6.29)
[The example of Śukadeva, as one cleansed of all desire, is found in this statement:]
स्वसुखनिभृतचेतास्तद्व्युदस्तान्यभावोऽ
प्यजितरुचिरलीलाकृष्टसारः (भा. १२.१२.६९) इत्यादौ।
I offer obeisance unto Śrīla Vyāsadeva’s son, Śrī Śuka, who destroys all sins. Although his consciousness was filled with the bliss of self-awareness, and although he was consequently devoid of any other thought, his heart became enchanted by the beautiful pastimes of Bhagavān Ajita. Out of compassion he narrated this Purāṇa, which illumines reality. (SB 12.12.69)
[The example of Nārada in his previous life, as one still possessing dormant desire, is given in this verse spoken by Bhagavān:]
हन्तास्मिन् जन्मनि भवान् मा मां द्रष्टुमिहार्हति।
अविपक्वकषायाणां दुर्दर्शोऽहं कुयोगिनाम्॥ (भा. १.६.२२) इत्यादौ च प्रसिद्धेः।
Alas! My boy Nārada, in this life you will not be able to see Me again. I am very rarely seen by imperfect yogīs whose material desires are not yet extinguished. (SB 1.6.22)
श्रीनारदस्य पूर्वजन्मनि स्थितकषायस्य प्रेम वर्णितं स्वयमेव—
प्रेमातिभरनिर्भिन्नपुलकाङ्गोऽतिनिर्वृतः।
आनन्दसम्प्लवे लीनो नापश्यमुभयं मुने॥ (भा. १.६.१८) इत्यादौ।
That Śrī Nārada himself had attained divine love in his previous life, when his heart was still tinged with impurity, was described by him:
O sage, at that time due to a superabundance of love for Bhagavān, my hair stood on end and I experienced intense joy. I was so immersed in an ocean of bliss that I lost consciousness of both myself and Bhagavān . (SB 1.6.18)
श्रीभरत एवात्रोदाहरणीयः। तस्य च भूतपिपालयिषारूपः प्रारब्धालम्बनः सात्त्विककषायो निगूढ आसीत्, प्रेमा च वर्णित इति।
The example of Bharata can also be cited in this context. His worldly attachment in the form of a desire to protect living beings, which was rooted in his prārabdha and was of the nature of goodness, was latent in him. His experience of divine love has also been described.
तदेवं समानप्रेम्णि त्रिविधे पूर्वपूर्वाधिक्यं ज्ञेयम्। क्वचित् स्थितेऽपि प्राकृतदेहादित्वे यदि प्रेम्णः परिमाणतः स्वरूपतो वाधिक्यं दृश्यते, तदा प्रेमाधिक्येनैवाधिक्यं ज्ञेयम्। तच्च भजनीयस्य भगवतोंऽशांशित्वभेदेन भजतश्च दास्यसख्यादिभेदेन स्वरूपाधिक्यं, प्रेमाङ्कुरप्रेमादिभेदेन परिमाणाधिक्यं च प्रीतिसन्दर्भे (९८-१०४ परिच्छेदे) विवृत्य दर्शयिष्यामः।
If we consider that these three types of perfect devotees have the same genre of love for Bhagavān, the first type is nonetheless greater than the second, and the second than the third. Even while the devotee is residing in a material body, his love is sometimes found to be greater, either quantitatively or qualitatively. In that case, the devotee’s superiority is measured by the relative magnitude of his love. Qualitative superiority of love is assessed both by the relative greatness of the beloved Bhagavān—whether He is worshiped in His original feature or as one of His partial manifestations—and by the degree of intimacy—whether the devotee's love for Bhagavān manifests in the attitude of a servant, a friend, or so on. Quantitative superiority of love is ascertained according to the degree of development of love through its various stages, known as rati, prema, sneha, and so on. All this will be discussed in detail in Prīti-sandarbha. [Cf. Anu. 98-104]
साक्षात्कारमात्रस्यापि यद्यपि पुरुषप्रयोजनत्वं, तथापि तस्मिन्नपि साक्षात्कारे यावान् यावान् श्रीभगवतः प्रियत्वधर्मानुभवः, तावांस्तावान् उत्कर्षः।
While direct vision of Bhagavān by itself constitutes the fulfillment of human life, the deeper a person’s experience of Bhagavān’s essential nature as the ultimate object of love, the more exquisite is his vision of Bhagavān.
निरुपाधिप्रीत्यास्पदतास्वभावस्य प्रियत्वधर्मानुभवं विना तु साक्षात्कारोऽप्यसाक्षात्कार एव, माधुर्यं विना दुष्टजिह्वया खण्डस्येव।
Without experiencing Bhagavān’s characteristic nature as the beloved whose very essence is to be the object of pure, unmotivated love, even the direct vision of Bhagavān is as good as no vision at all. Such vision is comparable to tasting sugar candy when the tongue is infected with jaundice: its sweetness is not perceived.
अत एवोक्तं श्रीऋषभदेवेन—"प्रीतिर्न यावन् मयि वासुदेवे, न मुच्यते देहयोगेन तावत्" (भा. ५.५.६) इति।
Therefore Bhagavān Rṣabhadeva said:
Unless one develops love for Me, Vāsudeva, he cannot be liberated from his connection to the material body. (SB 5.5.6)
ततः प्रेमतारतम्येनैव भक्तमहत्त्वतारतम्यं मुख्यम्। अत एव "मयीशे कृतसौहृदार्थाः" (भा. ५.५.३) इत्येव तल्लक्षणत्वेनोक्तम्।
Therefore, the greatness of a devotee is known primarily by the degree of intensity of his love. It is for this reason that the definition of a mahat, or a great devotee, was given as “those who consider love for Me as their supreme goal.” [Cited at the beginning of Anuccheda 186 from SB 5.5.3]
यत्र तु प्रेमाधिक्यं, साक्षात्कारः, कषायादिराहित्यादिकमप्यस्ति, स परमो मुख्यः। तत्रैकैकाङ्गवैकल्ये न्यूनन्यून इति ज्ञेयम्। तदेवं, "ये वा मयीशे" (भा. ५.५.३) इत्यादिना ये उक्ताः, ते तु प्राप्तपार्षददेहा न भवन्ति, तथा विषयवैराग्येऽपि गूढं संस्कारवन्तोऽपि सम्भवन्ति।
Among such great devotees, however, the topmost is one whose love is greater, who has had a direct vision of Bhagavān, and is free from material desires. And one lacking or deficient in one or more of these attributes is correspondingly inferior. As a result, the devotees who were described in SB 5.5.3 as “those who consider love for Me as their supreme goal,” do not belong to the category of devotees who have attained eternal forms as associates of Bhagavān. In addition, it is possible that they have some latent material desires, despite having renounced sensual pleasure.
ततस्तद्विवेचनाय प्रकरणान्तरमुत्थाप्यते। यथा राजोवाच (भा. ११.२.४४)—
अथ भागवतं ब्रूत यद्धर्मो यादृशो नृणाम्।
यथाचरति यद्ब्रूते यैर्लिङ्गैर्भगवत्प्रियः॥
Now kindly describe the characteristics of a devotee of Bhagavān. Please disclose the essential nature, disposition, conduct and speech of a devotee that differentiate him from other human beings, as well as the distinctive features which make him dear to Bhagavān. (SB 11.2.44)
अथ अनन्तरं भागवतं ब्रूत। तज्ज्ञानार्थं स च नॄणां मध्ये यद्धर्मो यत्स्वभावस्तं स्वभावं ब्रूत। यथा च स आचरति अनुतिष्ठति, तदनुष्ठानं ब्रूत। यद्ब्रूते तद्वचनं च ब्रूतेति मानसकायिकवाचिकलिङ्गपृच्छा।
The inceptive particle "now" (atha) used in the verse means "next" [and indicates the introduction of a new topic in the king’s discussion with the sage, Śrī Kavi]. He now requests the sage to describe the devotee: What is his essential nature that sets him apart from other human beings? What is his behavior, i.e., what actions does he perform? And what is the manner and content of his speech? In this way, King Nimi inquired about the characteristics of a devotee related to mind, body and speech.
ननु पूर्वं "शृण्वन् सुभद्राणि रथाङ्गपाणेः" (भा. ११.२.३७) इत्यादिना ग्रन्थेन तत्तल्लिङ्गं श्रीकविनैवोक्तम्? सत्यम्। तथापि पुनस्तदनुवादेन तेषु लिङ्गेषु यैर्लिङ्गैर्स भगवत्प्रियो यादृश उत्तममध्यमतादिभेदविविक्तो भवति, तानि लिङ्गानि विविच्य ब्रूतेत्यर्थः॥
A doubt may be raised as to why the king is requesting the sage to speak on this topic when Śrī Kavi had already described the characteristics of a devotee just a few verses earlier, with this statement :
Hearing of the auspicious births and activities of Bhagavān Hari, the wielder of the disc, and singing His names, which are famous throughout the world, denoting His birth and activities, one should move through life free from attachment and inhibition. (SB 11.2.39)
So hadn’t Kavi already discussed these symptoms in statements such as this? True, but by returning to the same discussion, the king hoped to learn of the specific characteristics among those already mentioned that serve to distinguish the devotees in terms of their dearness to Bhagavān, and by which a devotee may be categorized as superlative, intermediate, and so on. This is the significance of his question.
Commentary by Satyanarayana Dasa Babaji
There are various types of saints, sādhus. Every path has its own standards that make a person qualified as a sādhu for that path. Therefore, when the words sādhu or mahat or sat is used, one must know to what kind of sādhu the reference is being made, otherwise some ambiguity remains. The true meaning should known from the context. Thus the word sādhu-saṅga or sat-saṅga, association with a saint, can have varied meanings.
Jīva Gosvāmī’s interest is only in the sādhus, sats or mahats who are bhaktas because it has been established that bhakti is the abhidheya for everyone. Bhakti begins with śraddhā, and the inspiration for bhakti comes by the association or grace of a bhakta, sādhu-saṅga. In passing he gives the symptoms of a sādhu from the jñāna-mārga. The reason he does is so that one who desires bhakti or is already on the path will know what type of sādhu-saṅga to avoid and what type to look for. One also has to know what one does not want lest one mistakes it for the object of one’s desire.
There are seven steps to perfection on the jñāna-mārga called the sapta-bhūmikā: (1) śubhecchā, (2) vicāraṇā, (3) tanu-mānasā, (4) sattvāpatti, (5) asaṁsakti, (6) padārtha-bhāvinī and (7) turyagā. These are described in the Yoga-vāsiṣṭha:
- Enlightenment of the understanding by the study of the scriptures and attendance on holy and wise men is said to be the first stage of yoga by yogīs.
- Discussion and reconsideration of what has been learnt before, is second stage of yoga.
- The third is the reflection of the same in one’s self and is known under the name of self-communion of meditation.
- The fourth is silent meditation in which one loses his desires and darkness in his presence before the light of God.
- The fifth stage is one of pure consciousness and joy, wherein the living liberated devotee remains in his partly waking and partly sleeping state.
- The sixth stage in one’s consciousness of indescribable bliss, in which he is absorbed in a state of samādhi.
- One’s resting in the fourth and succeeding stages, is called his liberation, and then the seventh stage is the state of an even and transparent light, in which the yogī loses his self-consciousness. The state above turīya or the fourth stage, is called nirvāṇa or extinction in God; and the seventh stage of perfection relates to perfected beings only and not to those of conditioned beings.
- The first three stages relate to the waking state of man, and the fourth stage concerns the sleeping state, in which the world appears in the manner of a dream. The fifth stage is the stage of sound sleep, in which the soul is drowned in deep joy; and the unconsciousness of one’s self in the sixth stage, is also called his turīya or fourth state. The seventh stage is still above the turīya state of self-unconsciousness; and which is full of divine effulgence, whose excellence no words can express nor the mind can conceive. In this state the mind being withdrawn from its functions, it is freed from all thoughts of the thinkables, and all its doubts and cares are drowned in the calm composure of its even temperament. (Yoga-vāsiṣṭha, 120.1-7)
The example of the first is Śrī Nārada. He himself relates his history of perfection to Vyāsa in chapters five and six of the First Canto of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. He was born as the son of a maidservant and as a young boy got the opportunity to serve great devotees. By their grace he got bhakti. Then after his mother died from snakebite, he left home and devoted himself to spiritual practices. He meditated and was awarded a vision of Bhagavān. At the end of that life he attained a spiritual body and became known as Nārada.
Śukadeva is an example of the second type of sādhu. He has not attained the spiritual body but he is completely devoid of any passion. This is the significance of the compound word sva-sukha-nibhṛta-cetā, "heart full of its own bliss." Because Śukadeva is fully satisfied within himself no material object can disturb him. This is because he does not have even the saṁskāras of sense pleasures. This is the significance of the word vyudastānya-bhāvaḥ. He was liberated from his very birth.
The example of third type is Nārada in his past life as the son of the maidservant. He had attained prema, the stage of perfection but the saṁskāras from previous material pleasures still existed in the heart although they could not influence him. This is the sense of mūrcchita-kaṣāya. King Bharata is another example of this. As a king, he had strong saṁskāras for giving protection to others. These saṁskāras became activated by seeing the baby deer fallen in the river from the womb of his mother.
When it comes to comparing greatness of devotees there two factors to be considered. One is the intensity of love, parimāṇa. This refers to the eight levels called prema, sneha, māna, praṇaya, rāga, anurāga, bhāva and mahābhāva. Each subsequent stage is more intense than the previous one. The other is the nature or category of love, svarūpa or jāti. This means vaidhī or rāgānugā, the latter being superior to the former. Within each of these there are five further levels called śānta, dāsya, sakhya, vātsalya and mādhurya, each again progressively superior to the previous one. This subject will be discussed in much detail in Prīti Sandarbha, 98-104.
Usually people consider having a vision of Bhagavān to be the highest achievement on the path of bhakti. Śrī Jīva, however, disagrees with that. He says that the important thing is prema. If there is no prema then merely seeing Bhagavān has no meaning. Duryodhana and many others like him who had no love for Kṛṣṇa also saw Him, but their experience was without significance or joy. Śrī Jīva says it like a person who suffers from jaundice and cannot taste sweets. The deeper the prema, the greater the devotee. If such a devotee has a vision of Bhagavān then they are greater than those who have similar prema but has not had a vision of Bhagavān. Yet greater still is the one who along with these two qualities is also devoid of passion, nirdhūta-kaṣāya.
Devotion is not something that can be quantified or measured with an instrument, yet it is very important to ascertain the level of devotion of a sādhu if one wishes to associate with him. Śrī Jīva will continue this analysis in the following anuccheda. This analysis will also be useful for a sādhaka to help him know his own level and to clarify his goals. Thus it is a very practical knowledge.
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"All you need is love."