ANATOMY

OF

ANARTHAS
 Anartha

Artha = something wanted; something valued;

gain; purpose or meaning; importance
Summary
Review
Of Part 3
Part 3

Results of Aparädha
5 psychological manifestations which show that some sort
of aparädha has been committed by a practitioner.

There are faults such as crookedness, lack of faith, failure to

remain steady in worshipping the Lord, becoming absorbed
in material objects, laxity in performing bhakti and pride in
one’s performance of bhakti. If these faults are hard to
remove even by bhakti in the form of association with
great devotees, this is the result of offenses. There may be
traces of offense from previous lives.

(BS Anuccheda 153)

1. kauöilyam/
kuöilata/
crookedness
 1. Kauöilyam - crookedness

This kutinati / kauöilyam even lets one to develop a

false image about ABOUT ONESELF ~~
TO ONESELF!
BVT’s Model
(nämäbhäsa as a subset of Kauöilyam)
Sämänya: slight offenses.
Chäyä nämäbhäsa: one wants to clear the offenses and thus is
sincerely striving to clear offenses and reach pure bhakti.

Pratibimbha nämäbhäsa

Båhat: Very big offenses.

Example ~ Nämäparädha: this means that one loses the feeling
of presence of the Lord.
2. Açraddhä - lack of faith
Those without faith,
though seeing the Lord
and hearing the glories
of the Lord, have no
faith in the glories of
the Lord, since they
think of the Lord in an
opposite way.

Ex: Duryodhana saw

the universal form, but
did not believe it. In
accepting the glories of
the Lord, Çaunaka and
Prahläda show that
they are not of such a
crooked nature.
(BS
Anucceda 154)
Hiranyakasipu witnessed the power of Bhakti
and the Bhakta (his own son Prahlada), but
still could not understand or fathom the depth
and power of the Bhakti and Bhakta!
 Whether a devotee
demonstrates the glory
and power of devotion
explicitly or
not, one should
observe and see the
glory by the internal
mood of the devotee.

When one has

açraddhä, one is not
capable to distinguish/
see this glory!
If the offense progresses…
3. Bhagavän-niñöä-cyävakas-tv-antarabhiniveçaù –
internal absorption in things which destroy our niñöä
(concentration) in Bhagavän
His heart afflicted by unfulfilled
desire, Bharata fell from his practice
of yoga, from his detachment from
material enjoyment achieved by
bhakti, and even from his worship of
the Lord, by the Lord’s special
arrangement of prärabdha-karma
through the appearance of the young
deer. (SB 5.8.26)

It should be understood that it is not

possible that prärabdha karma could
create obstacles to bhakti since that
karma is weak. Rather it was
offense from a previous life
that caused this obstacle.
In the case of King Indradyumna also, it was offense from a previous
life that caused him to ignore Agastya, thus the obstacle of becoming
Gajendra.
4. bhakti-saithilyam -
laziness, lack of endeavor in sadhana-bhakti
However, the person incapable of
recognizing offense is capable of attaining
perfection by a little bhakti. That person
gains extra mercy of the Lord, who is
merciful to the weak.
 Self-Centered
One’s attitude of bhakti becomes slackened.
One becomes extremely weak in spiritual practices.
One may come to the stage of almost losing taste in devotional services!
 5. Sva-bhakty-adi-kåta-mänitvam - pride of one's achievement in devotional service

It arises from the offense of disrespecting the devotees. Dakña, because

of previously insulting Çiva, was born as a son of the Pracetas. In that
life he also offended Närada.
Remedy for Aparädha
In BS, Jiva Goswami says the
remedy for Aparädha :
“tåëäd api sunécena, taror
api sahiñëunä, amänina
mänadena” – then “Kirtaniya
sada harih” – This is the only
way to restore our mood of
reverential love within
ourselves!

This dénatva (humble mood),

allows one to deeply introspect
and honestly assess oneself’s
fallen position and then
consciously practice
devotional service/sädhana!
 namaù
 

“Ma represents ahaìkära and na represents negation of ahaìkära. Thus

by uttering namaù one negates one’s independent attitude. The jéva is
dependent on the Lord. He lives with dependence. Therefore one
should completely reject the idea of accomplishing by one’s own
capacity. Nothing is left to be accomplished by the ability of the Lord.
Consigning one’s body to the Lord, one should serve Him.”
[Padma Purana]
End
Part 4

Are you Conscious, while doing your sädhana and service?

The only remedy against unknowing offenses is - conscious
practice of what we are doing (sädhana) and doing the things
properly with dénatva: a humble, introspective mood!
 Yoga Sutra 1.14

sa tu dérgha käla-nairantarya-
satkarasevito drdha-bhumih

sah, it [practice]; tu, but; dérgha,

prolonged; käla, period of time;
nairantarya, uninterruptedly;
satkara, reverence; asevitah,
attended to, cultivated, practiced;
drdha, firm; bhumih, ground

Practice becomes firmly

established when it has been
cultivated uninterruptedly and
with devotion over a prolonged
period of time.
Conscious Sädhana! - Antidote for Aparädha!

According to Pataïjali Muni: Sädhana or abhyäsa - certain

practice becomes sädhana and helps one to reach the goal
only if it has three characteristics:

1. Dérgha käla: Practiced for prolonged period of time.

Don’t depend on your own capacity to achieve!

2. Nairantarya: Without a break or cessation, which means

that when we break, it takes much time to build up.

3. Satkara: with some reverential mood and with

faith/sraddhä; without this, it does not become a spiritual
practice!!!
Components of Sädhana
that help to counteract Aparädha!
(SB 3.29.18)

Ädhyätmikänuçravaëäà: To hear çastra’s spiritual topics with the

specific purpose to understand what doñäs and guëas - defects
and virtues - that one has within their “antaùkaraëa” ~ all 3
aspects of their subtle body. The remaining four items will
help a sincere sädhaka to overcome these defects.

Näma saìkértanäà: Chanting of Holy Name!

Ärjavena: with straightforward behavior!

Ärya saìgena: Association with pure, saintly personalities!

Nirahaìkriyayä: Doing the sädhana process without false-ego and

pride!
 ävåtty-adhikaraëam
Repetition of sädhana

Should one repeat hearing and other prescribed processes?

(Pürvapakña) There should be no repetition since one should see

the Lord by once performing hearing etc. just as one attains
Svarga by once performing an agniñtoma sacrifice.
 || ävåttir asakåd upadeçät || Vedanta Sutra 4.1.1
Sädhanas should be repeated since the scriptures teach that one
must engage many times.
Repetition (ävåttiù) is necessary.
Why?

Because scriptures say (upadeçät) that the processes

should be done many times (asakåt).

Çvetaketu was told nine times about the Lord. sa ya eño 'ëimä, aitadätmyam
idaà sarvaà, tat satyaà, sa ätmä, tattvam asi: the Lord is very subtle, and all this
has the Lord as its essence: he is the ätmä, and the you are dependent on him.
(Chändogya Upaniñad 6.8.7) Though it is said that the meaning of scripture is
stated once, such repetition is not a contradiction to this. The injunction to
state something once is related to results which cannot be seen in this life. Since
the result of vidyä (i.e. bhakti), seeing the Lord, is a result that can be seen in
this life, hearing and other processes should be repeated till the result is
attained, just as one repeatedly beats rice till the rice is visibly free of the husk.
 || 4.1.2 ||

|| liìgäc ca ||

Repetition is required because of indications in scripture.

This is proved by the indications of repetition in the

example of Bhågu. tad vijïäya punar eva varunäà
pitaram upasasära: Bhågu again approached his father
Varuëa for understanding about the Lord. (Taittiréya
Upaniñad 3.2) Repetition is required because of the
existence of offenses.
 Bhakti-sandarbha, Anuccheda 153.24
Because most people are inclined to
commit offenses, they should perform
spiritual activities again and again. That
they who offend the Lord's holy name
should chant the holy name again and
again is explained in the following
words of the Namaparadha-bhanjana-
stotra of the Padma Purana:
"The chanting of Hare Krsna is
recommended for persons who commit
offenses, because if they continue chanting
they will gradually chant offenselessly.
Even if in the beginning one chants with
offenses, one will become free from such
offenses by chanting again and again."
What is the specific value of Repetition?
Conditioned nature is sum total of saàskäras and väsanäs,
which cover over one’s spiritual nature! (Saàskäras =
impressions which may be not too deep; Väsanäs =
repeated saàskäras, which form clusters and become very
deep like traits!)

While doing the spiritual process of sädhana, we are trying

to counteract the saàskäras and create new and better
saàskäras. By this, one can transcend the even offensive
saàskäras.

Thereby, by repetition, the new saàskäras

become deeper and become your nature!
 Q: If repetition helps to remove the
tendency for offenses, how to
understand the reference from Cc:
‘Even if one performs many many
lifetimes of sädhana.., one cannot
attain Kåñëa-Prema when one
continues to commit offenses?’

Ans: Spiritual practice becomes

spiritual practice only if it is not
done mechanically! It has to be
done with a reverential, loving
mood! [satkara, reverence]

If we fail to confront our offensive

nature and habitually continue
practicing sädhana with offenses, then
even many many lifetimes cannot
relieve us from offenses!
STAY PROTECTED FROM
COMMITTING OFFENSES!
Staying protected from committing offenses does not mean
we don’t take responsibility in devotional service
activities!

In Taking any responsibility:

The understanding is that the responsibility is for one’s own
purification.
The internal mood is one of respect!
Do not expect to avoid problems! Just avoid offenses!

The most offensive attitude that one can have towards

another devotee is to question and disrespect the other
devotee’s sincerity and devotion!
What to do if we see offensive tendencies in ourselves?

Two essential qualities that are needed to overcome offenses

Simplicity : No pretention.. No hiding your own deficiencies…

Being more straightforward!

Determination: Continuing to consciously practice devotional

service..

(SBVT in an article in Sajjana Tosani)

 Cure: Transitioning from Bhakti-äbhäsa
“We cannot please Kåñëa just by accepting dikñä and executing the
various limbs of bhakti. Only those who have unwavering faith in
exclusive devotion can satisfy Him. Those who have developed such
faith accept the path of çuddha-bhakti with great determination.

Simplicity and determination resulting from an exclusive desire for

bhakti are the natural characteristics of unalloyed devotees.”
 “Saralatä, or simplicity, is the first
qualification of a Vaiñëava, whereas
duplicity or cunning behavior is
a great offense against the
principles of devotional
service.”
A brähmaëa proves his simplicity
by opening his heart and speaking
the truth, even if it hampers
his own self-interest.

Wherever there is a lack of simplicity one

should know that there is no question of
brahminical culture.
We can catch ourself,
while preaching - that we
sometimes want to gain
something from our spiritual
practices, spiritual preaching
and spiritual relationships!

This crookedness is the

first result of improper
application of spiritual
practices / chanting
of the Holy Name.
How are we chanting the Holy Name?
Are we becoming more crooked or more straight-forward?
{kauöilyam (crookedness) vs. saralatä (simplicity)}

Are we becoming sharp in our ability in seeing our problems in

our spiritual practices - or are we actually becoming even more
covered & unable to see deficiencies in our spiritual practices?

Are we developing a more humble mood, working on our

shortcomings ~ or are we becoming more defensive about our
position / rationalizing our activities / etc.?
Calling out to Kåñëa requires conscious sädhana!
Conscious sädhana requires
simplicity and determination!
Kåñëa protects one who tries to protect oneself
from committing offenses…
Kåñëa protects one who tries
to protect oneself
from committing
offenses…
Kåñëa protects one who tries to protect oneself
from committing offenses…