Jagat

Ruci-pradhāna and vicāra-pradhāna  discussion from Bhakti Sandarbha. This is mostly excerpted from Bhakti Sandarbha 202 and 204-205 , which were posted before, but there are some extra observations here from the comments section. The all-important six criteria for evaluating the purport of a text are also discussed. A few other verses are quoted also. Facebook memories for June 26.

A mughal period miniature illumination of the Bhagavatam, illustrating King Prithu's court. This section continues as commentary on the two paths or ruci and vic āra-m ārgas . In particular, the equivalents of the  vic āra-m ārga (hearing,reflection and deep meditation) are described as they apply on both these paths. These are the subject of the present pair of  anucchedas . The six verses are taken from King  Pṛthu's speech to his subjects in Canto 4, chapter 21. Anuccheda 204 Proper Deliberation on Śāstra Brings About Śraddhā तत्र रुचिप्रधानानां श्रवणादिकम् (भा. १.५.२६)— तत्रान्वहं कृष्णकथाः प्रगायता- मनुग्रहेणाशृणवं मनोहराः। ताः श्रद्धया मेऽनुपदं विशृण्वतः प्रियश्रवस्यङ्ग ममाभवद्रुचिः॥ इत्याद्युक्तप्रकारम्। From his own experience, Nārada describes the devotional activities—particularly hearing—of those who are guided by taste: There by the grace of those [saintly people] who were engaged in singing the tales of Kṛṣṇa, I listened to the enchanting pasti...

Buddha giving first lecture in "Deer Park." This is at the Raman Reti Udasin Ashram in Gokul where there is a sanctuary for deer, which has been ordered closed . I find myself often refering to Bhakti Sandarbha 202 (as today in VMA 1.6 ). So, for the record, I am extracting the translation of that Anuccheda from Satyaarayana Dasaji's edition, along with his commentary, for the record. This passage is significant because it arises in the context of guru-tattva and firmly indicates that the mantra-guru is determined on the basis of one's ruci . The Anuccheda is a long one and so it has been divided in three parts, but only the second and third parts are given here. 202.2 The paths of taste and discernment तदेवं तेषां बहुभेदेषु सत्सु तेषामेव प्रभावतारतम्येन कृपातारतम्येन भक्तिवासनाभेदतारतम्येन सत्सङ्गात् कालशैघ्र्यस्वरूपवैशिष्ट्याभ्यां भक्तिरुदयते। एवं ज्ञानिसङ्गाच्च ज्ञानं ज्ञेयम्। Thus by associating with devotees among the various types that have...

vedāntāḥ pratipādayanti mukhato no cet tataḥ kiṁ mama manyante bata śāstra-garta-patitā dustarkiṇaḥ kiṁ tataḥ | no ced bhāgavatānubhūti-padavīṁ yātās tataḥ kiṁ mama svātmā vajra-sahasra-viddha iva na spandeta vṛndāvanāt || If the Upanishads do not openly establish Vrindavan’s glories,       then what difference does that make to me? And if the bad faith debaters, fallen into the pit of the scriptures        do not accept them, what is that to me? And even if those who have directly realized Bhagavan Narayan        do not accept those glories, what is that to me? Their words may strike my soul as a thousand thunderbolts,        but I will not move an inch from Vrindavan. (1.6) Commentary O Bhaktas! Just wrap Prabodhananda’s language around you like a protective garment. Slip into it like a comfortable cloak. Listen to him come back to those familiar turns of phrase and poetic tropes, that niṣṭ...

A major insight of Bharata Muni in the Natya Shastra is the statement: “There is no communication of any meaning without rasa.” ( na rasād ṛte kaścid arthaḥ pravartate ) This has been more or less at the bottom of my thinking over the past few days, as I have been doing a prolonged manana on the concept of the vicāra-mārga and the ruci-mārgas that Jiva Goswami talks about throughout the Bhakti-sandarbha [See esp. Anu. 202]. In fact, if anything at all, the bhakti path itself is a consequence of understanding that the sentiments are far more powerful than the intellect. If you can communicate to the sentiments, then the intellect will follow. Barely anyone is so devoted to the truth that they currently possess they will not compromise it for a reward, if it is nice and sweet. But the point of bhakti is that it is a higher taste -- one that uplifts. It is one that has a message that makes one strive to be a better human being, according to the concept of what it is to be a Vaish...

You see, my friends, at some point one has to make a decision in life. Does one want to push through with the gifts one has been given, or is one going to be hampered by doubts to the very end? saṁśayātmā vinaśyati . I figure if you are, like me, a vicāra-pradhāna personality, you can allow yourself until the age of say, 57, to come to some state of equilibrium with the intellect and reason. But when you get to the age of, say 57, then you have to surrender to the limitations of reason. These limitations are hard-wired into the nature of our world and existence. Like Krishna who is lying down and being fanned by Radha, forgetting everything other than the sweetness of her movements, that is a point where one simply surrenders to the mercies one has been given. Call it "a return to ruchi." People were asking me about my attitude to Bhaktivinoda Thakur, etc., after I published those articles. Like I said, most of those questions were answered in the followup articles, bu...