NECTAR OF DEVOTION

Part Four

1. 1. Recite Nana sastra vicaranaika ....... Up to this

point Nectar of Devotion has been discussing
Samanya-bhakti — devotional service in general. So what
we've read, the introduction, the definition of pure devotional
service, and in chapter one, the six characteristics of pure
devotional service, they are general descriptions of bhakti.

We can note how Çréla Prabhupäda explains in the first

paragraph how the six characteristics are manifested in the
different levels: “Generally it is understood that in the
category of devotional service in practice there are two
different qualities, devotional service in ecstasy has four
qualities, and devotional service in pure love of Godhead has
six qualities.”

We are studying part one of Nectar of Devotion, up to and

including chapter 19. Chapter 20 is the first chapter of part
two. In the first part, up to chapter 19 there are four sections:

1. Devotional service in general (what we have

covered so far)
2. Sädhana bhakti (chapters 2-16) (with two divisions
— vaidhi and rägänuga)
3. Bhäva bhakti (chapter 17-18)
4. Prema bhakti (chapter 19)

Basically from chapter 20 onwards there is an elaborate

description of devotional service in pure love of God, in so
many features.

2. And now Rupa Goswami will begin the second wave,

which is sadhana-bhakti, devotional service in practice. So
this begins here in chapter two page 20, at the top. "Here is a
general description of devotional service given by Sri Rupa
Goswami in his Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu. Previously, it has
been stated that devotional service can be divided into three
categories — sadhana, bhava and prema. Now Sri Rupa
Gosvami proposes to describe devotional service in practice.
Practice means employing our senses in some particular type
of work."

Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé defines sädhana bhakti in Bhakti-

rasämåta-sindhu as follows:

kåti-sädhyä bhavet sädhya- 

bhävä sä sädhanäbhidhä 
nitya-siddhasya bhävasya
präkaöyaà hådi sädhyatä

“ ‘When transcendental devotional service by which love for

Kåñëa is attained is executed by the senses, it is called
sädhana-bhakti, or the regulative discharge of devotional
service. Such devotion eternally exists within the heart of
every living entity. The awakening of this eternal devotion is
the potentiality of devotional service in practice.’

This is taken from Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya 22.105.

3. The crucial point here is that by sadhana-bhakti,

one attains
sadhya-bhakti. This is explained in Nectar of Devotion in
chapter two from the top of page 20 to the beginning of the
last paragraph on page 21. The basic idea being presented is
as follows:

Sadhana means practice and sadhya means perfection, or the

goal of practice. So that may give rise to the idea that prema
is created by sadhana. But actually Lord Caitanya has said
that prema already exists within the heart in a dormant state
and by sadhana it's not that the prema is created but the
prema is awakened or uncovered. And Çréla Prabhupäda
gives the example that a child has the innate capacity to
walk, but in the beginning he practices. First he practices
crawling, then he practices standing up, then he takes his first
step. He practices walking, but he has the dormant capacity
to walk and when the dormant capacity is invoked he can
walk and he doesn't even think about it; it becomes natural.
He can walk, he can jump, he can dance, without even
thinking about it.

So in the beginning we practice devotional service. But when

the innate capacity for serving Kåñëa and loving Kåñëa is
awakened, then it becomes natural and Çréla Prabhupäda
also gives the example that a student when he first goes to
school he has to practice writing ABC. But once he learns how
to read and write he doesn't have to think about forming the
letters and naturally he wants to study books, he wants to
write and he can become a scholar and an author. So the
practice helps to awaken the innate capacity which is natural,
which is already there within the soul. It doesn't require
anything to be added from outside.

4. Then Nectar of Devotion goes on to explain that

there are two types of sädhana bhakti — vaidhi (according
to rules and regulations) and räganuga (spontaneous). But
they are both types of devotional service in practice.

Read last paragraph on page 21.

Caitanya-caritämåta explains:

räga-héna jana bhaje çästrera äjïäya

‘vaidhé bhakti’ bali’ täre sarva-çästre gäya

“Those who have not attained the platform of spontaneous

attachment in devotional service render devotional service
under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master according
to the regulative principles mentioned in the revealed
scriptures. According to the revealed scriptures, this kind of
devotional service is called vaidhé bhakti.”
(Madhya 22.109) This is a verse from Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu.
Çréla Prabhupäda says in his purport to this verse: “A child is
sent to school by force to receive an education, but when he
gets a little taste of education at an advanced age, he
automatically participates and becomes a learned scholar.
One cannot force a person to become a scholar, but
sometimes force is used in the beginning. A child is forced to
go to school and read and write according to the instructions
of his teachers. Such is the difference between vaidhé bhakti
and spontaneous bhakti.”

Now here there's one interesting story that one newspaper

reporter asked Çréla Prabhupäda, that you are doing
everything for Kåñëa, you're chanting, you're reading, you're
preaching, you're writing, you're developing ISKCON and
expanding ISKCON, all for Kåñëa, but what if in the end there
is no Kåñëa, then what. So Çréla Prabhupäda replied that
even if there were no Kåñëa, I would still do the same things,
they're so nice, even if there was no Kåñëa. Because what am
I doing: I'm just dancing, chanting, taking prasad, discussing
Kåñëa, associating with devotees and it's so nice, even if
there wasn't any Kåñëa, still I wouldn't do anything different; I
would still do the same thing.

Another interesting explanation is given by Çréla Prabhupäda

in a conversation about different standards of chanting Hare
Kåñëa. (See nod04-2.doc)

So this is spontaneous devotional service. It appears then that

it would only really be likely that a person would develop
räganuga bhakti when they reach the level of ruci, as on that
level one has a taste for devotional service, and one is not
just fighting with anarthas. If one is fighting with anarthas
there is not much likelihood that one would be so
spontaneously attracted to devotional service.

One thing is that this description is just of the very beginnings

of räganuga sädhana bhakti. There is actually a lot more to it
than this, and that will be discussed in depth in chapters 15-
16.
5. Now begins a description of vaidhi sädhana bhakti
in depth. It
begins with a definition in Nectar of Devotion page 22, 2nd
paragraph: “When there is no attachment or no spontaneous
loving service to the Lord, and one is engaged in the service
of the Lord simply out of obedience to the order of the
spiritual master or in pursuance of the scriptures, such
obligatory service is called vaidhi-bhakti.”

So the basic characteristics are:

1. No attachment or spontaneous love.
2. One is engaged in devotional service simply out of
obedience to the order of guru.
3. Or one is engaged in pursuance of scripture.

So basically, when the inspiration for sädhana comes from

anything other than a natural attraction to service, it is
vaidhi-bhakti.

To make it clear what is vaidhi bhakti an important example is

given, of Mahäräja Parikñit being told by Çukadeva Goswami
that if he wants to be fearless at death he should chant and
hear about Kåñëa. The whole Çrémad-Bhägavatam is based
on the this statement, and the question of Mahäräja Parikñit
which led to it. This practically the essence of vaidhi bhakti.
The verses are:

“O trustworthy brähmaëas, I now ask you about my

immediate duty. Please, after proper deliberation, tell me of
the unalloyed duty of everyone in all circumstances, and
specifically of those who are just about to die.” (Srimad
Bhagavatam 1.19.24)

And the answer is given in the verse mentioned in Nectar of

Devotion: “O descendant of King Bharata, one who desires to
be free from all miseries must hear about, glorify and also
remember the Personality of Godhead, who is the Supersoul,
the controller and the savior from all miseries.” (Srimad
Bhagavatam 2.1.5)
So in other words, the scriptures tell us that if we want to be
fearless, especially at the time of death, we should chant and
hear about Kåñëa and remember Him. But if someone has
spontaneous attraction, he will want to chant and hear about
Kåñëa without being told any of the benefits of it.

Çréla Prabhupäda says in the last paragraph on page 23: “We

should always try to mold the activities of our lives in such a
way that we will constantly remember Viñëu, or Kåñëa. That
is Kåñëa consciousness.” That is the essence of vaidhi bhakti.
One makes intelligent arrangements so that one can become
or remain Kåñëa conscious. It is not that there is a
spontaneous attraction, but one is very careful to make the
appropriate arrangements.

The rules and regulations of the Vedic scriptures impel the

vaidhi-bhakta — but the Vedas propound countless rules and
regulations, many of which appear contradictory. What is the
essential injunction that the vaidhi-bhakta should follow?
Çréla Prabhupäda refers to this at the bottom of page 23 (it is
from Padma Purana):

smartavyaù satataà viñëur

vismartavyo na jätucit
sarve vidhi-niñedhäù syur
etayor eva kiìkaräù

“Kåñëa is the origin of Lord Viñëu. He should always be

remembered and never forgotten at any time. All the rules
and prohibitions mentioned in the çästras should be the
servants of these two principles.”

In this quotation there are two considerations: (1) vidhi —

'rules' or 'orders'; and (2) niñedha — 'prohibitions,' or
'regulations'. One must follow rules (vidhi) and avoid
prohibited things (niñedha). By following rules one receives
benefit. By avoiding prohibited things one avoids sinful
reactions.

The essence of all Vedic rules (vidhi) is to always remember

Kåñëa. The essence of all Vedic negative regulations
(niñedha) is to never forget Kåñëa. Çréla Prabhupäda says:
“Within this simple order and prohibition, all regulative
principles are found complete.” This injunction applies
universally. Çréla Prabhupäda continues: “This regulative
principle is applicable to all varëas and äçramas, the castes
and occupations of life... The principle of remembering the
Supreme Personality of Godhead constantly and not
forgetting Him at any moment is meant to be followed by
everyone without fail (p. 24).”

Çréla Prabhupäda concludes the chapter by pointing out that

one doesn’t have to be over-attached to one’s position in
varnäçräma. We just have to be fully engaged in devotional
service under the direction of the spiritual master. This is
vaidhi bhakti, and this is basically what is going to be
discussed for the next several chapters.