Jagat

This section was posted in part some time ago. Bhakti Sandarbha 202: The two devotional proclivities and taking a Guru The anuccheda has five sections, four of which are in the previously published article. This is the remaining section, which summarizes the previous definitions of a devotee. Anuccheda 202 The Necessity of Guru : Different Types of Sadhus Give Different Types of Bhakti 202.1 The Broader Definitions of a Vaiṣṇava त एते हि वैष्णवाः सन्तो महत्त्वेन सन्मात्रत्वेन च विभिद्य निर्दिष्टाः। सन्मात्रभेदतारतम्यं चात्र यदविविक्तं तद्भक्तिभेदनिरूपणे पुरतो विवेचनीयम्। अन्ये तु स्वगोष्ठ्यपेक्षया वैष्णवाः। Up to this point, we have shown the various subdivisions of Vaiṣṇava saints within the broader classifications of mahat , those situated in various degrees of perfection, and those who are simply  sat , exhibiting saintly character. The different levels of saints that have not been elaborated here will be discussed later while enumerating the various class...

This is a long a fairly complex but interesting  anuccheda . It concludes the analysis of the five verse section in BhP 11.11.29-33 which began with Anuccheda 199.  Sri Jiva continues to analyze the devotee who are glorified in the Bhagavatam as relatively superior to others. This is done not to create a sense of superiority in those who accept his doctrine, but to establish the nature and goal of pure, unmixed devotion. Today's verse uses the superlative form of devotee, bhaktatama , whereas the previous verses used sattama . This discussion thus leads up to 202 which is about taking a guru, which is the logical end of establishing what kind of devotee is qualified to be a guru. It goes without saying that everyone is to be encouraged to follow their path with detachment as the Gita says. But when a s ā dhaka arrives at the cusp of two levels, he will be afflicted by doubt and unresolved questions. At that time, the guru should give guidance according to the teachi...

Up until now the definition and division of devotees was done on the basis of their attainment of love. Incidentally, in the previous anuccheda a description was also given on the basis of worship of the deity form of Bhagavān. Now Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī begins a new analysis of devotees on the basis of their spiritual practice. Anuccheda 199 Divisions of Devotees on the Basis of Spiritual Practice तदेवमुपदिष्टा भागवतसत्सु मूर्च्छितकषायादयो महद्भेदाः। भागवतसन्मात्रभेदाश्च तत्सन्मात्रभेदेषु, अर्चायामेव हरये (भा. ११.२.४५) इत्यादिना तत्तद्गुणाविर्भावतारतम्याल् लब्धतारतम्याः कतिचिद्दर्शिताः। Among the various types of devotee saints, we have thus explained the three divisions of great devotees, namely those who have attained eternal forms as associates of Bhagavān, those who are cleansed of all material desire, and those who still have a trace of desire that is no longer active [these were first referred to at the beginning of Anuccheda 187]. And within the general divisions of ...

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 fall...