NotesOnTheBhāgavataByBhaktivinodaṬhākura

(Ajadas)

PARTI-IntroducingTheSubject:

TheFruitlessReader&TheShallowCritic

1. Mostreadersaremererepositoriesoffactsandstatementsmadebyotherpeople.Butthisisnotstudy.Thestudentistoreadthefactswithaviewtocreate,andnotwiththeobjectoffruitlessretention.

2. Studentslikesatellitesshouldreflectwhateverlighttheytheyreceivefromauthorsandnotimprisonthefactsandthoughts....Thoughtisprogressive.Theauthor'sthoughtmusthaveprogressinthereaderintheshapeofcorrectionordevelopment.Heisthebestcriticwhocanshowthefurtherdevelopmentofanoldthought;butameredenounceristheenemyofprogressandconsequentlyofNature.

3. "Beginanew,"saysthecritic,becausetheoldmasonrydoesnotansweratpresent.Lettheoldauthorbeburiedbecausehistimeisgone.Theseareshallowexpressions.Progressiscertainlythelawofnatureandtheremustbecorrectionsanddevelopmentswiththeprogressoftime.Butprogressmeansgoingfurtherorrisinghigher.

4. Now,ifwearetofollowourfoolishcritic,wearetogobacktoourformerterminusandmakeanewrace,andwhenwehaverunhalftherace,anothercriticofhisstampwillcryout:"Beginanewbecausethewrongroadhasbeentaken.Inthiswayourstupidcriticswillneverallowustogooverthewholeroadandseewhatisintheotherterminus.Thustheshallowcriticandthefruitlessreaderarethetwogreatenemiesofprogress.Wemustshunthem.

TheTrueCritic&TheUsefulReader

1. Thetruecritic,ontheotherhand,advisesustopreservewhatwehavealreadyobtained,andtoadjustourracefromthatpointwherewehavearrivedin

theheatofourprogress.Hewillneveradviseustogobacktothepointwhencewestartedashefullyknowsthatinthatcasetherewillbeafruitlesslossofourvaluabletimeandlabor.Hewilldirecttheadjustmentoftheangleoftheraceatthepointwhereweare.

2. Thisisalsothecharacteristicoftheusefulstudent.Hewillreadanoldauthorandwillfindouthisexactpositionintheprogressofthought.Hewillneverproposetoburnthebookonthegroundthatitcontainsthoughtswhichareuseless.Nothoughtisuseless.Thoughtsaremeansbywhichweattainourobjects.Thereaderwhodenouncesabadthoughtdoesnotknowthatabadroadisevencapableofimprovementandconversionintoagoodone.

3. Thoughtswillnecessarilycontinuetobeanendlessseriesofmeansandobjectsintheprogressofhumanity.Thegreatreformerswillalwaysassertthattheyhavecomeoutnottodestroytheoldlaw,buttofulfillit.Valmiki,Vyāsa,Plato,Jesus,Mohamed,ConfuciusandCaitanyaMahāprabhuassertthefacteitherexpresslyorbytheirconduct.

TheBhāgavataMisunderstood:

1. TheBhāgavatalikeallreligiousworksandphilosophicalperformancesandwritingsofgreatmenhassufferedfromtheimprudentconductofuselessreadersandstupidcritics....Menofbrilliantthoughtshavepassedbytheworkinquestoftruthandphilosophy,buttheprejudicewhichtheyimbibedfromitsuselessreadersandtheirconduct(i.e.,sahajiyas),preventedthemfrommakingacandidinvestigation.

2. [...[T]ruthdoesnotbelongexclusivelytoanyindividualmanortoanynationorparticularrace.ItbelongstoGod,andmanwhetherinthePolesorontheEquator,hasarighttoclaimitasthepropertyofhisFather.]

3. TheBhāgavatahassufferedalikefromshallowcriticsbothIndianandforeign.Thatbookhasbeenaccursedanddenouncedbyagreatnumberofouryoungcountrymenwhohavescarcelyreaditscontentsandponderedoverthephilosophyonwhichitisfounded.Itisowingmostlytotheirimbibingan

unfoundedprejudiceagainstitwhentheywereinschool[undertheBritish].TheBhāgavata,asamatterofcourse,hasbeenheldinderisionbythoseteacherswhoaregenerallyofaninferiormindandintellect....Oh!Whatatroubletogetridofprejudicesgatheredinunripeyears!

5. Asfaraswecanunderstand,noenemyofVaiṣṇavismwillfindanybeautyintheBhāgavat.Thetruecriticisagenerousjudge,devoidofprejudicesandparty-spirit....[T]hecritic,inotherwords,shouldbeofthesamedispositionofmindasthatoftheauthorwhosemeritsheisrequiredtojudge.Thoughtshavedifferentways....BoththeChristianandtheVaiṣṇava[mayforinstance]utterthesamesentiment,buttheywillneverstopfightingwitheachother[simply]becausetheyhavearrivedattheircommonconclusionbydifferentwaysofthought.

6. Subjectsofphilosophyandtheologyarelikethepeaksoflargetoweringandinaccessiblemountainsstandinginthemidstofourplanetinvitingattentionandinvestigation.Thinkersandmenofdeepspeculationtaketheirobservationsthroughtheinstrumentsofreasonandconsciousness.Buttheytakedifferentpointswhentheycarryontheirwork.Thesepointsarepositionschalkedoutbythecircumstancesoftheirsocialandphilosophicallife,differentastheyareindifferentpartsoftheworld.

7. PlatolookedatthepeakofthespiritualquestionfromtheWestandVyāsamadetheobservationfromtheEast;soConfuciusdiditfromfurtherEast,andSchlegel,Spinoza,KantandGoethefromfurtherWest.Theseobservationsweremadeatdifferenttimesandbydifferentmeans,buttheconclusionisallthesameinasmuchastheobjectofobservationwasoneandthesame.TheyallhuntedaftertheGreatSpirit,theunconditionedSouloftheUniverse...,theabsolutereligion....

8. Itrequiresacandid,generous,piousandholyhearttofeelthebeautiesoftheirconclusions.Party-spirit,thatgreatenemyoftruth,willalwaysbaffletheattemptoftheinquirerwhotriestogathertruthfromreligiousworksofothernations,andwillmakehimbelievethatabsolutetruthisnowhereexceptinhisownreligiousbook....Thecritic,therefore,shouldhaveacomprehensive,good,generous,candid,impartialandsympatheticsoul.

WhatIstheBhāgavat?:

1. [ThetravelingcompanionofaEuropeanGentlemannewlyarrivedinIndia]willtellhimwithaserenelook,thattheBhāgavatisabookwhichhisOriyabearerdailyreadsintheeveningtoanumberofhearers.Itcontainsajargonofunintelligibleandsavageliteratureofthosemenwhopainttheirnoseswithsomesortofearthorsandal,andwearbeadsallovertheirbodiesinordertoprocuresalvationforthemselves.

2. Anotherofhiscompanions,whohastravelledalittleintheinterior,wouldimmediatelycontradicthimandsaythattheBhāgavatisaSanskritworkclaimedbyasectofmen,theGosvamis,whogiveMantras,likethePopesofItaly,tothecommonpeopleofBengal,andpardontheirsinsonpaymentofgoldenoughtodefraytheirsocialexpenses.

3. AyoungBengali,chainedupinEnglishthoughtsandideas,andwhollyignorantofthePre-Mohammedanhistoryofhisowncountry,willaddonemoreexplanationbysayingthattheBhāgavatisabookcontaininganaccountofthelifeofKṛṣṇa,whowasanambitiousandimmoralman!Thisisallthathecouldgatherfromhisgrandmotherwhileyethedidnotgotoschool!

4. ThusthegreatBhāgavateverremainsunknowntotheforeignersliketheelephantofthesixblindwhocaughtholdoftheseveralpartsofthebodyofthebeast!Buttruthiseternalandisneverinjuredbutforawhilebyignorance.

TheBhāgavatExplainsItself:

1. Itisthefruitofthetreeofthought(Vedas)mixedwiththenectarofthespeechofŚukadeva.Itisthetempleofspirituallove....[Itis]composedof

18,000Ślokas.ItcontainsthebestpartoftheVedasandVedanta.

2. TheBhāgavataispre-eminently"theBook"inIndia.Onceenterintoit,andyouaretransplanted,asitwere,intothespiritualworldwheregrossmatterhasnoexistence.ThetruefolloweroftheBhāgavatisaspiritualmanwhohasalreadycuthistemporaryconnectionwithphenomenalnature,andhasmadehimselftheinhabitantofthatregionwhereGodeternallyexistsandloves.Thismightyworkisfoundeduponinspirationanditssuperstructureisuponreflection.Tothecommonreaderithasnocharmsandisfullofdifficulty.Weare,therefore,obligedtostudyitdeeplythroughtheassistanceofsuchgreatcommentatorsasŚrīdharaSvāmīandŚrīCaitanyaMahāprabhuandHiscontemporaryfollowers.

3. NowŚrīCaitanyaMahāprabhu,thegreatpreacherofNadia,whohasbeenDeifiedbyHistalentedfollowers,tellsusthattheBhāgavatisfoundeduponthefourverseswhichVyāsareceivedfromNārada,themostlearnedofthecreatedbeings.HetellsusfurtherthatBrahmāpiercedthroughthewholeuniverseofmatterforyearsandyearsinquestofthefinalcauseoftheworld,butwhenhefailedtofinditabroad,helookedintotheconstructionofhisownspiritualnature,andthereheheardtheUniversalSpiritspeakinguntohim:

4. "...Iwasinthebeginningbeforeallspiritualandtemporalthingswerecreated,andaftertheyhavebeencreatedIaminthemallintheshapeoftheirexistenceandtruthfulness,andwhentheywillbeallgoneIshallremainfullasIwasandasIam.Whateverappearstobetruewithoutbeingarealfactitself,andwhateverisnotperceivedthoughitistrueinitselfaresubjectsofmyillusoryenergyofcreation,suchaslightanddarknessinthematerialworld."

5. [LikeBrahmā,Vyāsaalso]fellbackintohisownselfandsearchedhisownspiritualnatureandthenitwasthattheabovetruthwascommunicatedtohimforhisowngoodandthegoodoftheworld.Thesageimmediatelyperceivedthathisformerworksrequiredsupercessioninasmuchastheydidnotcontainthewholetruthandnothingbutthetruth.Inhisnewideaheobtainedthedevelopmentofhisformerideaofreligion.HecommencedtheBhāgavatinpursuanceofthischange.

Sambandha,Abhidheya,Prayojana:

1. Thewholeofthisincomparableworkteachesus,accordingtoourGreatCaitanya,thethreegreattruthswhichcomposetheabsolutereligionofman.OurNadiapreachercallsthemSambandha,AbhidheyaandPrayojana,i.e.,therelationbetweenthecreatorandthecreated,thedutyofmantoGod,andtheprospectsofhumanity.

2. Inthesethreewordsissummedupthewholeoceanofhumanknowledgeasfarasithasbeenexploreduptothiseraofhumanprogress.ThesearethecardinalpointsofreligionandthewholeBhāgavatis,aswearetaughtbyŚrīCaitanya,anexplanation,bothbypreceptsandexamples,ofthesethreegreatpoints.

Sambandha-

1. [Throughout]theBhāgavatteachesusthatthereisonlyoneGodwithoutasecond,WhoisfullinHimselfandisandwillremainthesame.Timeandspace,whichprescribeconditionstocreatedobjectsaremuchbelowHissupremespiritualnature,whichisunconditionedandabsolute....

2. MāyāintervenesbetweenusandGodaslongaswearenotspiritual,andwhenweareabletobreakoffherbonds,we,eveninthismortalframe,learntocommuneinourspiritualnaturewiththeunconditionedandabsolute.No,Māyādoesnotmeanafalsethingonly,butitmeansconcealmentofeternaltruthaswell.

3. ThecreationisnotMāyāitselfbutissubjecttothatprinciple....Thetrueidealistmustbeadualistalso.HemustbelieveallthatheperceivesasnaturecreatedbyGodfullofspiritualessenceandrelations,buthemustnotbelievethattheoutwardappearanceisthetruth.TheBhāgavatteachesthatallthatwehealthilyperceiveistrue,butitsmaterialappearanceistransientandillusory....

4. NatureiseternallyspiritualbuttheinterventionofMāyāmakeshergrossandmaterial.Man,inhisprogress,attemptstoshakeoffthisgrossidea,childishandfoolishinitsnature,andbysubduingtheinterveningprincipleofMāyā,livesincontinualunionwithGodinhisspiritualnature....TheBhāgavatteachesusthisrelationbetweenmanandGod....ThisiscalledSambandha-jñānaoftheBhāgavat,orinotherwords,theknowledgeoftherelationsbetweentheconditionedandtheAbsolute.

Abhidheya-

1. ...[T]hesecondgreatprincipleinculcatedbytheBhāgavat[is]theprincipleofduty.ManmustspirituallyworshiphisGod.TherearethreewaysinwhichtheCreatorisworshipedbythecreated...accordingtotheconstitutionoftheirmind:[Asbrahman,paramātmā,andbhagavān.].

2. ThosewhoworshipGodasinfinitelygreatintheprincipleofadmirationcallHimbythenameofBrahman.Thismodeiscalledjñānaorknowledge.ThosewhoworshipGodastheUniversalSoulintheprincipleofspiritualunionwithhimgiveHimthenameofParamātmā.Thisisyoga.AndthosewhoworshipGodasallinallwithalltheirheart,bodyandstrengthstyleHimasBhagavān.Thislastprincipleisbhakti.ThebookthatprescribestherelationandworshipofBhagavān,procuresforitselfthenameBhāgavatandtheworshiperisalsocalledbythesamename.

3. ThesuperiorityoftheBhāgavatconsistsintheunitingofallsortsoftheisticworshipintooneexcellentprincipleinhumannature,whichpassesbythenameofBhakti.ThiswordhasnoequivalentintheEnglishlanguage.Piety,devotion,resignationandspiritualloveunalloyedwithanysortofpetitionexceptinthewayofrepentance,composethehighestprincipleofBhakti.TheBhāgavattellsustoworshipGodinthatgreatandinvaluableprinciple,whichisinfinitelysuperiortohumanknowledgeandtheprincipleofyoga.

4. ...[T]heprincipleofBhaktipasses[through]fivedistinctstagesinthecourseofitsdevelopmentintoitshighestandpurestform.Thenagainwhenitreachesthelastform,itissusceptibleoffurtherprogressfromthestageofprema

(love)tothatofMahābhāvawhichisinfactacompletetransitionintothespiritualuniversewhereGodaloneisthebride-groomofoursoul.ThevoluminousBhāgavatisnothingmorethanafullillustrationofthisprincipleofcontinualdevelopmentandprogressofthesoulfromgrossmattertotheAll-PerfectUniversalSpiritwhoisdistinguishedaspersonal,eternal,absolutelyfree,allpowerfulandallintelligent.

(MatterAsaDictionaryofSpirit):

5. [IntheBhāgavat]comparisonshavebeenmadewiththematerialworld,whichcannothelpbutconvincetheignorantandtheimpractical.Materialexamplesareabsolutelynecessaryfortheexplanationofspiritualideas.TheBhāgavatbelievesthatthespiritofnatureisthetruthinnatureandistheonlypracticalpartofit.

6. Thephenomenalappearanceofnatureistrulytheoretical,althoughithashadthegreatestclaimuponourbelieffromthedaysofinfancy.Theoutwardappearanceofnatureisnothingmorethanasureindexofitsspiritualface.Comparisonsarethereforenecessary.Nature,asitisbeforeoureyes,mustexplainthespirit,orelsethetruthwilleverremainconcealed,andmanwillneverrisefromhisboyhoodthoughhiswiskersandbeardgrowwhiteasthesnowsoftheHimalayas.

7. Thewholeintellectualandmoralphilosophyisexplainedbymatteritself....Allspiritualideasare...picturesfromthematerialworld,becausematterisadictionaryofspirit,andmaterialpicturesarebuttheshadowsofthespiritualaffairswhichourmaterialeyecarriesbacktoourspiritualperception.

8. GodinHisinfinitegoodnessandkindnesshasestablishedthisunfailingconnectionbetweenthetruthandtheshadowinordertoimpressuponustheeternaltruthwhichhehasreservedforus.Theclockexplainsthetime,thealphabetpointstothegatheredstoreofknowledge,thebeautifulsongofaharmoniumgivestheideaofeternalharmonyinthespiritworld,todayand

tomorrowandthedayaftertomorrow,[andthus]thrust[s]intoustheungraspedideaofeternity....[S]imilarly,materialpicturesimpressuponourspiritualnaturethetrulyspiritualideaofreligion.

9. ItisonthesereasonablegroundsthatVyāsaadoptedthemodeofexplainingourspiritualworshipwithsomesortsofmaterialphenomena,whichcorrespondwiththespiritualtruth.

10. IntheBhāgavatwehavebeenadvisedfirstofall,toconvertourselvesintomostgratefulservantsofGodasregardsourrelationtoourfellowbrethren.Ournaturehasbeendescribedasbearingthreedifferentphases:goodness,passionandignorance.Goodnessisthatpropertyinournaturewhichispurelygoodasfarasitcanbepureinourpresentstate.Passionisneithergoodnorbad.Ignoranceisevil....[I]tisourobjecttotrainup[our]affectionsandtendenciestothestandardofGoodness....

11. ...[W]eare[then]tolooktoalllivingbeingsinthesamelightinwhichwelooktoourselves,i.e.,wemustconvertourselfishnessintoallpossibledisinterestedactivitytowardsallaroundus.Love,charity,gooddeedsanddevotiontoGodwillbeouronlyaim.WethenbecometheservantsofGodbyobeyingHishighandholywishes.HerewebegintobeBhaktas....AllthisiscoveredbythetermAbhidheya,thesecondcardinalpointinthesupremereligion.

Prayojana-

1. Whatistheobjectofourspiritualdevelopment,ourprayer,ourdevotionandourunionwithGod?TheBhāgavattellsusthattheobjectisnotenjoymentorsorrow,butcontinualprogressinspiritualholinessandharmony.

2. Inthecommon-placebooksoftheHindureligion....wehavedescriptionsofalocalheavenandalocalhell;theHeavenasbeautifulasanythingonearthandtheHellaghastlyasanypictureofevil.BesidesthisHeavenwehavemany

moreplaceswheregoodsoulsaresentupinthewayofpromotion!Thereare84divisionsoftheHellitself,somemoredreadfulthantheoneMiltonhasdescribedinhis"ParadiseLost."

(ControversialPassagesConcerningDescriptionsofHell,etc.):

3. Thesearecertainlypoeticalandwereoriginallycreatedbytherulersofthecountryinordertocheckevildeedoftheignorantpeople,whoarenotabletounderstandtheconclusionsofphilosophy.ThereligionoftheBhāgavatisfreefromsuchapoetry.Indeed,insomeofthechapterswemeetwithdescriptionsofthesehellsandheavens,andaccountsofcurioustales,butwehavebeenwarnedsomewhereinthebooknottoacceptthemasrealfacts,butasinventionstooverawethewickedandtoimprovethesimpleandtheignorant.

4. TheBhāgavatcertainlytellsusofastateofrewardandpunishmentinthefutureaccordingtodeeds[performed]inourpresentsituation.Allpoeticinventions,besidesthisspiritualfact,havebeendescribedasstatementsborrowedfromotherworksinthhewayofpreservationofoldtraditionsinthebookwhichsupersededthemandputanendtothenecessityoftheirstorage.

5. IfthewholestockofHinduTheologicalworkswhichprecededtheBhāgavatwereburntliketheAlexandrianLibraryandthesacredBhāgavat[alonewas]preservedasitis,notapartofthephilosophyoftheHindus,exceptthatoftheatheisticsects,wouldbelost.TheBhāgavatthereforemaybestyledbothasareligiousworkand[as]acompendiumofallHinduhistoryandphilosophy.

6. TheBhāgavatdoesnotallowitsfollowerstoaskanythingfromGodexcepteternallovetowardsHim.Thekingdomoftheworld,thebeautiesofthelocalHeavens,andthesovereigntyoverthematerialworldareneverthesubjectsofVaiṣṇavaprayer.

7. TheVaiṣṇavameeklyandhumblysays,"Father,Master,God,FriendandHusbandofmysoul!Hallowedbythyname!IdonotapproachYouforanythingwhichYouhavealreadygivenme.IhavesinnedagainstYouandInowrepentandsolicitYourpardon.Letthyholinesstouchmysoulandmakemefreefromgrossness.LetmyspiritbedevotedmeeklytoYourHolyserviceinabsolutelovetowardsThee."

8. "IhavecalledYoumyGod,andletmysoulbewrappedupinadmirationatYourgreatness!IhaveaddressedYouasmyMasterandletmysoulbestronglydevotedtoYourservice.IhavecalledYoumyFriend,andletmysoulbeinreverentiallovetowardsYouandnotindreadorfear!IhavecalledyoumyHusbandandletmyspiritualnaturebeineternalunionwithYou,foreverlovingandneverdreading,orfeelingdisgust.Father,letmehavestrengthenoughtogouptoYouastheconsortofmysoul,sothatwemaybeoneineternallove!Peacetotheworld."

9. [TheVaiṣṇava]doesnotexpecttobethekingofacertainpartoftheuniverseafterhisdeath,nordoeshedreadalocalfieryandturbulenthell....[Noris]hisideaofsalvation[the]totalannihilationofpersonalexistence....TheVaiṣṇavaisthemeekestofallcreatures,devoidofallambition.HewantstoserveGodspirituallyafterdeath,ashehasservedHimbothinspiritandmatterwhilehere.Hisconstitutionis[spiritual]andhishighestobjectoflifeisdivineandholylove.

10. TheBhāgavat...affirmsthattheVaiṣṇavasoulwhenfreedfromgrossmatterwilldistinctlyexistnotintimeandspacebutspirituallyintheeternalkingdomofGodwhereloveislife,andhopeandcharityandcontinualecstacywithoutchangeareitsvariousmanifestations.

11. [InconsideringtheessenceofGod],twogreaterrorsstarebeforeusandfrightenusbacktoignoranceanditssatisfaction.OneofthemistheideathatGodisaboveallattributesbothmaterialandspiritualandisconsequentlyaboveallconception.Thisisanobleideabutuseless.IfGodisaboveconceptionandwithoutanysympathywiththeworld,how[explain]thiscreation,thisuniversecomposedofproperties,thedistinctionsandphasesofexistence,thedifferencesofvalue,etc.

12. TheothererroristhatGodisallattribute,i.e.,intelligence,truth,goodnessandpower.Thisisalsoaludicriousidea.Scatteredpropertiescannever

constituteaBeing.Itismoreimpossibleinthecaseof[opposing]principlessuchasJusticeandMercyandFulnessandCreativePower.

13. Thetruth,asstatedintheBhāgavat,isthatproperties,thoughmany[maybe]beligerent,areunitedinaSpiritualBeingwheretheyhavefullsympathyandharmony.Certainlythisisbeyondourcomprehension.ItissoowingtoournaturebeingfiniteandGodbeinginfinite....ThisisaglimpseoftruthandwemustregarditasTruthitself.Often,saysEmmerson,aglimpseoftruthisbetterthananarrangedsystemandheisright.

14. TheBhāgavathas,therefore,apersonal,all-intelligent,active,absolutelyfree,holy,good,all-powerful,omnipresent,justandmercifulandsupremelySpiritualDeitywithoutasecond--creating[and]preservingallthatisintheUniverse.ThehighestobjectoftheVaiṣṇavaistoservethatInfiniteBeingforeverspirituallyintheactivityofAbsoluteLove.

CriticismsoftheShallowCriticRegardingtheDeity:

1. Theshallowcriticsummarilyrejects[Vyāsa]asaman-worshiper.Hewouldgosofarastoscandalizehimasateacherofmaterialloveandlustandtheinjuriousprinciplesofexclusiveasceticism.

2. [Sucha]shallowcriticsmindwillundoubtedlybechangedifhebutreflectsupononegreatpoint,i.e.,howisitpossiblethataspiritualistoftheSchoolofVyāsa,teachingthebestprinciplesofTheism[throughout]theBhāgavata,andmakingthefourtextsquotedinthebeginningthefoundationofhismightywork,couldhaveforceduponthebeliefofmen[thenotion]thatthesensualconnectionbetweenamanwithcertainfemalesisthehighestobjectofworship?

3. Thisisimpossibledearcritic!VyāsacouldnothavetaughtthecommonVairāgitosetupaplaceofworshipwithanumberoffemales!Vyāsa,whocouldteachusrepeatedlyinthewholeofBhāgavatathatsensualpleasuresaremomentarylikethepleasuresofrubbingtheitchinghand,andthatman'shighestdutyistohavespirituallovewithGod,couldneverhaveprescribedtheworshipofsensualpleasures.Hisdescriptionsarespiritualandyoumustnotconnect

matterwith[them].

4. Yes[dearcritic],younoblypointtotheimmoraldeedsofthecommonVyragis,whocallthemselvesthefollowersoftheBhāgavataandthegreatCaitanya.YounoblytellusthatVyāsa,unlesspurelyexplained,mayleadthousandsofmenintogreattroubleintimetocome.Butdearcritic!Studythehistoryofagesandcountries!Wherehaveyoufoundthephilosopherandthereformerfullyunderstoodbythepeople?

5. WhetheryougivetheAbsoluteReligioninfigures,orsimpleexpressions,orteachitbymeansofbooksororalspeeches,theignorantandthethoughtlessmustdegradeit...."Truthisgood,"isanelementaltruthwhichiseasilygraspedbythecommonpeople.ButifyoutellacommonpatientthatGodisinfinitelyintelligentandpowerfulinHisspiritualnature,hewillconceiveadifferentideafromwhatyouentertainoftheexpression.Allhighertruths,thoughintuitive,requirepreviouseducationinthesimplerones....

PARTII-TheTeachingofŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam:

TheGreatDivisions:Relationship,Function&Fruit:

1. TheteachingofŚrīmad-Bhāgavatamfallsintothreedistinctpartsaccordingasittreatsof:1)SambandhaorRelationship;2)AbhidheyaortheFunctionorActivitythatpertainstotheRelationship;and,3)PrayojanaortheObjectorFruitofsuchActivity.

2. [InthecompilationofVedanta-sutra],theaphorismsoftheUpaniṣads,whichcontainthehighestteachingoftheVedicliterature,arepresentedintheformofasystematicbodyofknowledgeundertheheadingsofSambandha,AbhidheyaandPrayojana.InhisṢat-sandarbha,ŚrīJīvaGosvāmīhasappliedthesamemethodoftreatmenttothecontentsoftheŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam,whichisadmittedtobetheonlyauthenticbhasyaorexpositionoftheVedanta-sutra.

3. Thefirstofthe"SixSandarbhas,"theTattva-sandarbha,appliesitselftotheelucidationoftheepistemologyoftranscendentalknowledge....Ithasmadepossiblethecomparativestudyofreligionontheonlyadmissibleandscientificbasis.

TranscendentalEpistemology-ASummaryoftheTattva-sandarbha:

LordŚrīKṛṣṇaandHisThreePrincipleEnergies-

1. ŚrīKṛṣṇa,theUltimateReality,isOnewithoutasecond.[He]isdistinctfromHisenergy....ŚrīKṛṣṇaisthepredominatingAbsolute.HisenergyisthepredominatedAbsoluteinthethreepositionsofantaranga[internal],tatastha[marginal],andbahiranga[external]respectively.

2. AntarangaisthatwhichpertainstotheproperEntityoftheAbsolutePerson....Theliteralmeaningofthewordis"thatwhichbelongstotheinnerbody."Andthewordśāktiisrenderedas"power."

3. Tatasthameansliterally,"thatwhichisontheborder-lineasbetweenlandandwater."ThisintermediatepowerdoesnotbelongtoanydefinableregionofthePersonofŚrīKṛṣṇa.Itmanifestsitselfontheborder-linebetweentheinnerandtheouterbodyoftheAbsolute.

4. Thepowerthatmanifestsitselfontheouterbodyisbahiranga-śākti.Asthereisno[difference]betweentheBodyandtheEntityoftheAbsolutePerson,thedistinctionsasbetweentheinner,outerandmarginalpositionsofHisBodyareintermsoftherealizationofthheindividualsoul.

5. AlthoughŚrīKṛṣṇaisOnewithoutasecond,HehasHisownmultipleFormscorrespondingtothedegreeandvarietyofHissubjectivemanifestations.ThesubjectiveentityofŚrīKṛṣṇaisnotliabletoanytransformation.Hisdifferentformsare,therefore,aspectsoftheOneFormmanifestingThemselvestothedifferentaptitudesofHisservitors.

6. ButthepowerofŚrīKṛṣṇaistransformablebythewillofŚrīKṛṣṇa.Thesetransformationsofpowerinthecasesoftheinternalandmarginalenergiesareeternalprocesses.Inthecaseoftheexternalenergythetransformationsofpoweraretemporarymanifestations.

7. ThephenomenalworldistheproductoftheexternalpowerofŚrīKṛṣṇa.TheAbsoluteRealmisthetransformationoftheinnerpower.Individualsoulsarethetransformationsofthemarginalpower.[Thesejīvas]aretheeternalinfinitesimalemanationsofthemarginalpower,capableofsubserviencytotheinnerpower,butalsosusceptibletodissociationfromtheworkingsoftheinnerpower.

MethodsofApproachingtheAbsolute-

8. ŚrīKṛṣṇaisadvaya-jñāna,orabsoluteknowledge.Absoluteknowledgecannotbechallenged.Hecanonlybeapproachedbythemethodofcompleteself-surrender,bythereciprocal,otherwiseineligible,cognitionofindividualsouls.

9. Transcendentalepistemologyisdifferentiatedfromempiricepistemologywithrespecttorelationship(sambandha),function(abhidheya),andobject(prayojana),forthereasonthatitreferstoentitiesthatarelocatedbeyondthe[limited]rangeoftheassertivecognitiveendeavornormallypracticedbythedeludedpeopleofthisworldfortheirtemporarypurposes.

10. Bythepeculiaritiesoftheirinfinitesimality,essentiallyspiritualnature,andmarginalposition,allindividualsoulshavetheconstitutionaloptionofchoicebetweencompletesubservienceandactiveorpassivehostilitytoŚrīKṛṣṇa.Theseopposedaptitudesleadthemtotheadoptionofcorrespondinglydifferentmethodsfortherealizationoftherespectiveends.

TheMethodsofActive&PassiveHostility:

1. ThosemethodsthatareadoptedforthepracticeofactivehostilitytotheAbsolutearetermedpratyakṣa(directindividualsenseperception)andparokṣa(associatedcollectivesenseperceptionbymanypersonspastandpresent)....

2. Theaparokṣamethod(themethodofcessationfromindividualandcollectivesenseperception)leadstothepositionofneutrality.

3. ThepratyakṣaandparokṣamethodsarediametricallyopposedtothemethodsapprovedbytheBhāgavataforthesearchoftheTruth.

4. Theaparokṣamethodalsotendstoanunwholesomeandnegativeresultifitseekstostandonthemererejectionofthepratyakṣaandparokṣamethods

withouttryingtoprogresstowardsthepositivetranscendence.SuchinactivepolicywouldindeedbetantamounttothepracticeofpassivehostilitytotheAbsoluteandassuchisevenmorecondemnablethanopenhostility.

5. NomethodcanberecognizedassuitableforthequestoftheTruththatisactuatedmoreorlessbythepurposeofopposingtheAbsoluteSupremacyofŚrīKṛṣṇa.Inotherwords,individualsoulscannotrealizethesubjectivenatureoftheAbsoluteexceptbytheexerciseoftheirfullestsubserviencetoŚrīKṛṣṇaandHisinnerpower[internalenergy].

6. ThefailureoftheindividualsoulstofindtheTruthisbroughtaboutbytheirowninnateperversity.TheypossessperfectfreedomofchoiceasbetweencompletesubserviencetoŚrīKṛṣṇaandthepracticeofactiveorpassivehostilitytoHim.Thereisnootheralternativeopentothem.IftheychosetorefusetoservetheyhavetopracticehostilityorindifferencetowardstheAbsolute.

7. Theperverseindividualsoulisnotobstructedintheactiveexerciseofhisfreedomofchoice.Heisenabledtoexercisethefunctionsofhostilityandindifferencewithinconsistentdeterringlimits,bythewonderfulcontrivanceofthedeludingpowerofŚrīKṛṣṇa.

8. ThecontinueddeliberateexerciseofsuchhostilityandindifferencetowardstheAbsolutebythheperverseindividualsoulresultsnecessarilyinthesuicidalabdicationofallactivitiesbythedeliberateoffender.

TheMethodsofActive&PassiveSubservience:

1. ThemethodsthatareadoptedforpracticingactiveandcompletesubserviencetotheAbsolutearetermedrespectivelyasadhokṣaja(theexternalorreverentialmethodofservingtheTranscendentalObjectofworship)andaprakṛta(theinternalorconfidentialmethodofserviceoftheAbsolute).

2. Śrīmad-BhāgavataminculcatesanddivulgesthesearchoftheAbsolutebytheadhokṣajaandaprakṛtamethods.Itcondemnsthepratyakṣaandparokṣa

methods,butrecognizestheproperuseoftheaparokṣamethod[styledaspassivesubservience].

TheAscendingandDescendingProcesses:

1. Thepratyakṣa,parokṣaandthe[improper]passiveaparokṣamethodsarecollectivelycalledthearohaorascendingprocess.Theproperaparokṣa,adhokṣajaandaprakṛtimethodsconstitutetheavarohaordescendingprocess.

2. Byadoptionoftheascendingprocesstheperverseindividualsoulstrivestorealizehissuicidalendbythepositiveandnegativeperversemanipulationofmundaneexperiencegainedthroughdirectandindirectsenseperception.

3. BythedescendingprocessthesoulisenabledtostrivefortherealizationoftheunalloyedserviceoftheAbsolutebythehonestexerciseofhisunreservedreceptiveaptitudetotheInitiativeoftheAbsolutewhenHeispleasedtocomedowntotheplaneofhistinyperversecognition.

TheFruitsorObjectivesoftheDifferentMethods:

1. Thefruitsthatarerealizablebythedifferentmethodsofendeavorcorrespondtotheparticularmethodthatisfollowed.

2. Thepratyakṣaandparokṣamethodsaimatdharma(virtue),artha(utility)andkama(sensuousgratification).

3. Thewrongaparokṣamethodaimsatpseudo-mokṣa(annihilation).

4. Therightaparokṣamethodaimsatpositivetranscendence.

5. TheadhokṣajamethodaimsatbhaktiorreverentialtranscendentalserviceoftheAbsolute.

6. TheaprakṛtimethodhasinviewthherealizationofpremaorDivineLove.

TheDawningofPureTheismAsOpposedtoHostility:

1. PureTheismbeginswiththefirstappearanceofthepositivedesirefortheserviceoftheAbsolute,whoislocatedbeyondtherangeofoursensuousactivity.ItinvolvestheclearperceptionofthefactthatallempiricactivityisthedeliberatepracticeofperversehostilityagainsttheAbsolutesupremacyofŚrīKṛṣṇa.

2. ThewordadhokṣajawhichisappliedinŚrīmad-BhāgavatamtotheObjectofworshipreferstothefactthatŚrīKṛṣṇahasreservedtherightofnotbeingexposedtohumansenses.

3. ThetheisticmethodsalonethusapplytotheproperEntityoftheAbsolute.ThosewhoareinrebellionagainstthesupremacyofŚrīKṛṣṇabytheadoptionofsensuousactivityarepreventedfromallaccesstoHispresencebytheoperationof[theLord's]deludingpower[externalenergy].

4. Theindividualsoulisalwayssuseptibletobeingthusdeludedbymāyā,thelimitingormeasuringpotency.TheconditionsforthepracticeofsensuousactivitiesinthisrealmoffiniteexistenceareprovidedbyMāyāforthecorrectionofthesuicidalperversityoftherebellioussouls.

5. ItisinthismannerthatapersonwhoisaversetotheserviceofŚrīKṛṣṇaismadetoproceedalongthetracksofkarmaandjñānabytheascendingprocess,[sothathewillgain]thebitterexperienceofthepracticeofperversehostilitytoŚrīKṛṣṇaand[to]hisownself.

6. Thisworldisinhabitedbypersonswhoaredeliberatelyaddictedtothissuicidalcourse.Theyareunconditionallycommittedtotheascendingprocessforsojourninginthisrealmofnescience.Themethodisfurthercharacterizedbythehypocriticalassumptionofthevalidityofexperiencederivedthroughthesensesforprovidingprogressiveguidanceinthequest[for]astateofperfectfelicity.

7. ThemethodofquestinwhichtheTruthHimselftakestheInitiativeistermedtheavarohaordescendingprocess.TheindividualsoulcanhavenoaccesstotheAbsolutebyreasonofhisinfinitesimality,dissociablemarginalposition,andhisownnatureasanemanationofpower.Hecan,however,haveaviewoftheTruthiftheAbsoluteispleasedtomanifestHisdescenttotheplaneofhistinycognition.

8. RealtheismcannotbegintilltheindividualsoulisenabledbythedescentoftheAbsolutetohavetheopportunityforHisservice.TheAbsolutemanifestsHisdescentintheFormoftheNameortheTranscendentalDivineSoundonthelipsofHispuredevotees.

9. Dikṣa,orthecommunicationoftheknowledgeoftheTranscendentalintheFormoftheSoundtothesubmissivereceptivecognitionoftheindividualsoulbyauthoizedagentsoftheAbsolute,istheVedicmodeofinitiationintoTranscendentalKnowledge.

10. TheNameistheObjectofworshipofallpuresouls.ThetranscendentalserviceoftheName,orbhakti,istheproperfunctionofallsoulsandtheonlymodeofquestoftheTruth.ThepursuitofthisrightmethodofquestleadstoagrowingperfectionofbhaktiandprogressiverealizationofthesubjectivenatureoftheObjectofworship.

Brahman,Paramātmā&Bhagavān:

1. TheUltimateRealityistermed...asbrahman,paramātmāandbhagavān.TheBrahmanconceptionstressesthenecessityofexcludingthedeluded,concrete,limitedexperienceofthefollowersofapparenttruth.TheconceptionofParamātmāseekstoestablishatangibleconnectionbetweenthistemporalworldandtheUltimateReality.Bothoftheseconceptionspresentnotonlyanimperfect,butalsoagrosslymisleadingviewoftheAbsolute.

2. TheconceptionofBhavagānasTranscendentalPersonalitywhois

approachablebyśuddha-bhaktiorunalloyeddevotionofthesoul,correspondstothecompleterealizationoftheAbsolutewhichnecessarilyalsoaccomadatesandsupplementsthherivalconceptsofBrahmanandParamātmā.

3. TheBrahmanconceptionismisunderstoodbyexclusivemonists(kevalādvaitaoftheŚaṅkaraschool)whoquitedisingeniouslyassumethattheconceptiondeniedtheTranscendentalPersonalityandFigureoftheAbsolute.

4. TherootoftheerrorliesinthefearoftheimpersonaliststhatifconcretenessintheAbsoluteisadmitted,suchanadmissionwouldleadtotheimportationoftheundesireablefeaturesofapparenttruth(experiencedbythemethodsofsensuousperception)intothetranscendentalconceptionoftheAbsoluteRealityfavoredbythescriptures.

5. Themethodofśuddha-bhakti,whilerecognizingfullythenecessityofadmittingtheTranscendentalNatureoftheUltimateReality,doesnotdenytheimmanenttranscendentalconnectionoftheAbsolutewithmanifestmundaneexistence(whichideaisfoundintheYogi'sconceptionofParamātmā,butinawrongandoffensiveformulation).

6. TheconceptionofBhagavān,realizedbytheprocessofśuddha-bhakti,harmonizestheserespectiverequirementsassecondaryfeaturesoftheProperTranscendentalPersonalityoftheAbsolute.Theadhokṣajaandaprakṛtamethodsofquest,alonetendtosuchrealization.

Sambandha,Abhidheya,andPrayojanaDefinedInTermsoftheBhāgavata:

1. Sambandha,orrelationship,impliesanumericalreference.TheUltimateRealityisOnewithoutasecond,thoughtheaspectsoftheAbsolutemayprovedifferentindifferenteyes.TheunityoftheUltimateRealitycarriesasimilaritytotheintegerofmathematicalconception,denotingHimselfastheObjectofworship(ŚrīKṛṣṇa),andconnotingHisśaktīinherthreeaspectsandher

transformationsandproducts.

2. Under"relationship,"therefore,comeallthosepartsoftheteachingoftheBhāgavatathatrevealtheknowledgeofthesubjectivenatureofŚrīKṛṣṇa,thesubjectivenatureofHisśaktī,orpower,inallherthreeaspects,andthesubjectivenatureoftheactivitiesofthhedifferentaspectsofpower.

3. Underabhidheya,orfunction,areincludedallthosepartsoftheteachingofŚrīmad-Bhāgavatamwhichrevealthenatureoftranscendentalworshipand,negatively,oftheactivityofaversiontoŚrīKṛṣṇa.

4. Underprayojana,orfruit,areincludedthoseportionsoftheteachingofŚrīmad-Bhāgavatamthatdealwithprema,orspiritualloveand,negatively,withdharma(virtue),artha(materialutility),kāma(lust),andmokṣa(mergingintheAbsolute).

SambandhaorRelationship:

1. TheworshipofŚrīKṛṣṇaistheonlyfull-fledged,unadulteratedfunctionofallsouls--theonlycompletetheisticworship.Allotherformsofworshiprepresenttheinfinityofgradationsofapproachtowardsthiscomplete[formof]worship.

2. Puretheism,involvingtheactivereciprocalrelationshipofthesoulwiththeDivinity,doesnotbeginuntilthereisactualrealizationoftheTranscendentalPersonalityofBhagavānŚrīKṛṣṇa.ThedegreeofthisrealizationcorrespondstothatofthelovingaptitudeofHisworshiper.

(LordŚrīKṛṣṇa,theSupremePersonalityofGodhead):

3. TheProperFigureofŚrīKṛṣṇa(Svayam-rūpa)isidenticalwiththeEntityofKṛṣṇa,andisOnewithoutasecond.ThereisaninfinityofAspectsoftheDivineFigurethatemanatefromtheFigure-in-Himself(Svayam-rūpa).ThesepluralaspectsoftheDivineFigureareofthenatureofIdentities,Manifestations,Expansions,PlenaryParts,PlenaryPartsofParts,DescendingDivinities(avatāras),etc.TheseDivineAspects,WhoarepartandparceloftheDivinityinHisfulness,areworshipedbythecorrespondingaptitudesofloveofTheirrespectiveworshipers.

4. [Justasa]relationshipofservicesubsistsbetweenŚrīKṛṣṇaandHispower(śaktī)inallheraspectsandtransformations,[similarly][t]heinfiniteAspectsoftheDivinePersonalityHimself,emanatingfromtheFigure-in-Himself(Svayam-rūpa),arerelatedtoŚrīKṛṣṇaasServitor-DivinitiesWhoarepossessorsofpower.

5. TheseDivinePersonsshowanorderofclassificationintothecategoriesofSvayam-prakāṣa(Manifestation-in-Himself),Tadekātma-rūpa(EssentiallyIdenticalFigure),andAveṣa-rūpa(TheFigureofDivineSuper-imposition).Ofthese,Svayam-prakāṣais,asitwere,theotherselfofSvayam-rūpa,andisalsoOnewithoutasecond.Tadekātma-rūpaandAveṣa-rūpaaremultifarious.

6. EachoftheseDivinePersonspossessesHisownabsoluterealm(Vaikuṇṭha)whereHeisservedbytheinfinityofHisservitors.TheseVaikuṇṭhastranscendthecountlessworldsoffiniteexistenceconstitutingtherealmofthedeludingpower.

7. ŚrīKṛṣṇaispossessedof64DivineExcellences.ŚrīNārāyaṇa,theSupremeObjectofreverentialworship,possesses60ofthefullperfectionsofDivineExcellence.BrahmāandRudra,whowieldthedelegatedpowersofmundanecreationanddestruction,possess55Excellences,butnotintheirfulldivinemeasure.Individualsouls(jīvas)possess50oftheExcellencesofKṛṣṇainaninfinitesimalmeasure.

8. ThecluetotheSupremeExcellenceofthePersonalityofŚrīKṛṣṇaissuppliedbytheprincipleofRasawhichisdefinedbyŚrīRūpaas"thatecstaticprincipleofconcentrateddeliciousnessthatistastedbyŚrīKṛṣṇaandinsequelreciprocatedbytheservingindividualsoulontheplanethattranscendsmundanethought."ŚrīKṛṣṇaistheFigure-in-HimselfofthewholecompassofthenectarineprincipleofRasa.TheFigureofKṛṣṇaexcelsallHisotherAspectsof

HisDivinePersonalitybybeingtheSupremeRepositoryofalltheRasas.

(ThePrincipleofRādhā-Kṛṣṇa):

9. TheSupremePossessorofpower,ŚrīKṛṣṇa,isinseparablycoupledwithHisantaranga-śaktī,orpowerinheringinHisOwnproperFigure.Śrīmad-Bhāgavatamreferstotheserviceofoneparticulargopī(lit.,onewhoisfullyeligiblefortheserviceofŚrīKṛṣṇa)beingpreferredbyŚrīKṛṣṇaabovealltheothergopīs.

10. Inotherwords,antaranga-śaktīisoneandall-perfect.Sheisthe"predominatedAbsolute."Shehasherownspecificfigure,viz.,thatofŚrīRādhikā.Thetwoaspectsoftheantarangā-orsvarupa-śaktī,namely,tataṣthā-śaktīandmāyā-orbahirangā-śaktī,revealthemselvesintheintermediateandouterregionsoftheDivineFigure.

(TheIndividualJīvaSoul):

11. Jīvasorindividualsoulsaredetachable,infinitesimalemanationsofthetataṣthā-śaktī,sharingtheessenceoftheplenaryspiritualpower.[They]appearontheborder-linebetweentheinnerandouterzonesofdivinepower.Theyhavenolocusstandiintheirnascentortataṣthāstate.Theyareeternallyexposedtotheoppositeattractionsofsvarupa-śaktīandmāyā-śaktīatthetwopoles.

12. Theirproperaffinityiswithsvarupa-śaktī,buttheyaresusceptibletobeoverpoweredbymāyā-śaktī,attheiroption.Iftheychoosetobethesubservientsofmāyā-śaktī,theyaresubjectedtoignoranceoftheirpropernaturewhichresultsinconfirmedaversiontotheserviceofŚrīKṛṣṇa.Inthismannerisbroughtaboutthedeludedconditionofindividualsoulswhosojournintherealmofmāyā.

13. Theconstitutionsofindividualsoulsintheirnascentstate,andtherealmofmāyāarecomparabletotheouterpenumbralandtheshadowyzonesrespectivelyofthesun,whilethepositionofantarangā-śaktīisliketheinnerballoflightwhichistheproperabodeoftheSun-god,whocorrespondstoŚrīKṛṣṇa[inthisanalogy].

14. Individualsoulsaredetachable,infinitesimalemanationsofthemarginalpowerlocatedontheborder-lineandexposedtotheoppositepullsoftheinternalandexternalenergies.Theyaredistinctfromtheplenaryemanations,manifestationsandmultiplesoftheinternalenergyontheonehand,andfromtheproductsoftheexternalenergyontheother.

15. Theindividualsoul,inhisnascentmarginalposition,isconfrontedwiththealternativeofchoicebetweensubserviencetotheplenarypowerontheonehandandapparentdominationoverthedeludingpowerontheother.Whenhechoosesthelatteralternative,heforgetshisrelationshipofsubserviencetotheinnerpowerandhissubserviencetoŚrīKṛṣṇathroughsuchsubservience.

16. ItisneverpossiblefortheconditionedsoultounderstandthenatureoftheserviceofŚrīKṛṣṇathatisrenderedbyHisinnerpower.Thereis,therefore,acategoricaldistinctionbetweenthefunctionofindividualsoulsandthatoftheinnerpower,evenontheplaneofservice.

17. IntheworksofthefollowersofŚrīCaitanyaMahāprabhuwhopropoundedtheschoolofacintya-bhedābheda-tattva(simultaneousonenessanddifference)thesubjectoftheworkingoftheinnerpowerandindividualsoulshasbeentreatedinallitsdetails.ThecluetothecomparativestudyoftheworkingofpoweronthetranscendentalplaneissuppliedbythheaccountoftherāsadanceinŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

18. Whentheindividualsoulchoosesunreservedsubserviencetotheinnerpower,hehasaccesstotheserviceoftheuntamperedPersonalityoftheAbsolute.Thekaivalyastate,mentionedinŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam,isthestateofunalloyeddevotiontotheuntamperedPersonalityoftheAbsolute.

(HowtheMonistsMisunderstandKṛṇṣa-līlā):

19. Exclusivemonistsimaginethatthefigureoftheobjectofworshipexistsonlyinthemundaneworldandthatinthefinalpositionthereisalsonoactivityofworship.Inotherwords,theydenythepossibilityofthelīlā,ortheeternaltranscendentalactivitiesofŚrīKṛṣṇa.

20. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatamflatlydeniesthisgroundlesscontentioninthemostexplicitterms.Thereistotalabsenceofallmundanereferenceinthetranscendentalactivityofśuddha-bhakti.

21. Thewordactivityisnotexpressiveoflīlā.Itcorrespondstokriyāormundaneactivity.Transcendentalactivitiyhasneitherbeginningorend.Thereis,ofcourse,relativityinlīlā,butitisnottheunwholesomerelativityofmundaneactivityorkriyā.Thenotionthatlilācanhaveanendorterminationisduetoignorantconfusionbetweentheconceptionsoflīlāandkriyā.

22. Śuddha-bhaktibelongstothecategoryoflīlā.InVṛndāvanathegopīsserveŚrīKṛṣṇabyunconventionalamorouslove.Thesuper-excellenceofthisservicecannotbeadmittediftheabsolutelywholesomenatureofallunalloyedactivityontheplaneofVrajaisdisbelieved,onprinciple,byone'signorantperversejudgement.

(TheTranscendentalPurposeofVarṇāśrama):

23. Thefunctionofconditionedsoulsisoftwokinds.Thefunctionthatisprovidedbythevarṇāśramasystemforconditionedsoulsisnotopposedtośuddha-bhakti.Śrīmad-Bhāgavatamhastreatedthevarṇāśramasystemfromthepointofviewofunalloyeddevotion.Therebyithasprovidedanintelligentwayofviewingthesituationofconditionedsoulsduringtheirsojourntothemundaneworld.

24. ThespiritualvalueofthevarṇāśramasystemisduetothefactthatitadmitsthepossibilityoftheactivityofconditionedsoulsbeingendowedwithreflectedspiritualqualitybybeingdirectedtowardstheunalloyedserviceoftheAbsolute

onthetranscendentalplane.

25. Itisthepurposeofthevarṇāśramaregulationtoimpartthisdirectiontotheactivityoftheconditionedsouls.ThecrucialnatureofthistheisticpurposeofthevarṇāśramaarrangementisfullytreatedinŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam.Itisnotexplicitlytreatedinanyotherśāstricwork.

AbhidheyaorFunction:

(Unalloyed,VarṇāśramaandIgnorantFunctionsoftheSoul):

1. Śuddha-bhaktiistheonlyproperfunctionofallunalloyedindividualsoulsandislocatedontheplaneoftranscendence.ButallanimatelifeformsarepotentiallyeligibleforthetranscendentalserviceoftheAbsolute.

2. Varṇāśramalifeisnottheunalloyedspirituallifethatisledbyfullyliberatedsouls.Itisthestagepreparatorytosuchlife.Neitherisitonaparwiththelifeofunmixedsensuousnessthatisledbypeopleoutsidethevarṇāśramasociety.

3. EveryformofactivityofconditionedsoulsoutsidethevarṇāśramasystemisinspiredbymeaninglessmalicioushostilitytotheAbsolute.Allsuchactivityisnecessarilyatheistical.ThismundaneworldisthecongenialsphereforthepracticeofthedeludeddominatingactivitythatiscovetedbyconditionedsoulsforpracticingactiveaversiontowardstheAbsolute.Theconditionsforsuchactivityaresuppliedbythedeludingpower.Theyconstitutetherealmofnescience,spiritualignoranceoracit.

4. Butassoonastheactivityofcit,oruneclipsedcognitionisarousedinthespiritualessenceofthemisguidedsoul,itdissipatesbyitsappearancesuchwrongaddictiontotheignorantactivitiesofthisworldandalsothesusceptibilityofbeingtemptedbythedeludingpower.

5. Thereisnocommongroundbetweentheunalloyedspiritualfunctionandtheactivityofconditionedsoulsinthegripofnescience.Theonedoesnotdove-tailintotheother.Itisforthisreasonthattheunalloyedspiritualfunctioncanneverbeunderstoodbytheresourcesofthearchaeologists,historians,allegorists,philosophers,etc.,ofthisworld.

6. SuchempiricspeculationstamperwiththetranscendentalPersonalityoftheAbsolute.TheybelongtotherealmofnescienceandconstitutetheactivedenialoftheEntityoftheAbsolute.Byindulginginsuchspeculationsourspiritualnatureisdeprivedofitsproperfunction.

7. Conductenjoinedbythevarṇāśramasystemiscalculatedtocounteracttheinherentatheisticaltrendofallworldlyactivitieswhichareunavoidableintheconditionedstate.

8. Activitiesthatarepromptedbytheurgeforsensuousenjoymentcreatethediscordantdiversityofthisworld.Onewhoisaddictedtoworldlyenjoymenthasadeludedwayoflookingateverything.WhensuchapersonisestablishedintheproperactivityofhisunalloyedspiritualnaturetowardshisTranscendentalMaster,theonlyRecipientofallwillingserviceintheeternalworld,thetrueviewofeverythingisrevealedtohisservingvision.Therecanbenoignoranceandmiseryiftheworldisviewedaright.

9. Theurgeforsensuousenjoymentexpressesitselfintheinstitutionsoffamilyandsocietyofworldly-mindedpersons.Theyaretrapsofthedeludingenergy.ButtheseverytrapsareusedasinstrumentsofservicetotheABsolutebytheawakenedsoul.

10. ThehymnsoftheBhāgavataalwaysrevealtheeternalserviceoftheAbsoluteonthehighestplane,identicalwiththePersonalityofŚrīGaurasundara,totheenlightenedsoul....ThelanguageofŚrīmad-Bhāgavatamrevealsitstruemeaningonlytotheenlightenedsoul.Thatmeaningisverydifferentfromwhateventhemostrenownedlinguistsmaysupposeittobeintheirblindempiricvanity.

(TheNatureofTranscendentalVraja-līlā):

11. TheBhāgavatagivesthehighestpositiontotheserviceofŚrīKṛṣṇabythegopīsofVṛndāvana.Initsaccountoftherāsadance,itgivesthecluetothedistinctivenatureoftheservicesofŚrīRādhikāandtheothermilkmaids.

12. ŚrīKṛṣṇaisservedbyŚrīRādhikābyherselfandsimultaneouslybyhermultiplebodilyformsintheshapesoftheresidentsofVraja.Theservicesoftheothermilkmaids,ofNandaandYaśodā,ofŚrīdamaandSudama,andofalltheassociatesandservitorsofKṛṣṇainVraja,arepartandparceloftheserviceofŚrīRādhikā.

13. ŚrīGurudevabelongstothisinnergroupofservitors.HeisthedivinemanifestedentityfordisclosingtheformsandactivitiesofalleternalservitorsofŚrīKṛṣṇa.ThefunctionofŚrīGurudevaisafundamentalfactinthelīlāofVrajawhereŚrīKṛṣṇaisservedastheemporiumofalltherāsas.TheservitorsofVrajaministertothegratificationofthesensesofKṛṣṇaineveryway.ŚrīGurudevaisthedivineexcitingagentoftheservingactivityofVraja.

14. [ThenatureofTranscendentalVrajaLīlāisliabletobemisunderstoodbytheempiricstudyoftheBhāgavata.Thelimitofempiricinferenceisreachedbythespeculationsoftheparokṣamethod.Bytheabandonmentofempiricism,representedbytheaparokṣamethod,theBrahmanandParamātmāconceptionsarerealized.Butthesealsoarenotobjectsofworship.]

15. [Wehavealreadyseenthattheactivityofserviceispossibleonlyontheplaneofadhokṣaja,whichyieldstherealizationoftheMajesticPersonalityoftheAbsoluteasŚrīNārāyaṇa.Aprakṛta-vraja-līlā,thecentraltopicoftheBhāgavataisthehighestformofadhokṣajarealization.]

(TranscendentalandMundaneSexuality):

16. ThedalliancesofŚrīKṛṣṇainVrajahaveacloseresemblancetounconventionalmundaneamour.Sexuality,inallitsforms,isanessentiallyrepulsiveaffaironthemundaneplane.Itis,therefore,impossibletounderstand

howthecorrespondingtranscendentalactivitycanbethemostexquisitelywholesomeserviceoftheAbsolute.

17. Itis,however,possibletobereconciled,tosomeextent,tothetruthofthenarrativeoftheBhāgavataifwearepreparedtoadmitthereasonablenessofthedoctrinethatthemundaneworldistheunwholesomereflectionoftherealmoftheAbsolute,andthatthisworldappearsinascaleofvaluesthatisthereverseofthatwhichobtainsintherealityofwhichithappenstobetheshadow.

18. IntheformofthenarrativeoftheBhāgavata,theTranscendentalVraja-līlāmanifestsitsdescenttotheplaneofourmundanevisioninsymbolicshapesresemblingthoseofthecorrespondingmundaneevents.

19. Ifwearedisposed,foranyreason,tounderestimatethetranscendentalsymbolismofthenarrativeoftheBhāgavata,weareunabletoavoidunfavorableandhastyconclusionsregardingthenatureofthehighest,themostperfectandthemostcharmingformofthelovingserviceoftheDivinitytowhichallotherformsofHisserviceareastheavenuesofapproach.

20. Sexualitysymolizesthehighestattractionandtheacmeofdeliciousnessintranscendentalservice.IntheamorousperformancesofVraja,thesecretsoftheeternallifeareexhibitedintheiruncoveredperfectionintheactivityoftheloveofunalloyedsouls.

21. Wemaynotice,inpassing,certainsignificantdifferencesbetweenŚrīKṛṣṇa'samorousdalliancesandmundanesexactivitywhichshouldpreventanyhastyconclusions:1)InVraja-līlā,ŚrīKṛṣṇaisundertheageofelevenyears;and,2)ThespiritualmilkmaidsneverconceiveandbearchildrentoŚrīKṛṣṇa(thechildrenbornofŚrīKṛṣṇabelongtothelessperfectlīlāofDvaraka).

22. TosupposetheDivinelīlātobeaproductofanthropomorphicspeculationisthegreatestoffense.TheBhāgavtadeclaresthattherealizationofthetruenatureoftheVraja-līlā,inpursuanceoftheśrautamethod,istheonlyremedyforallconditionedsoulsafflictedwiththediseaseofmundanesexuality.

23. Theconventionsofcivilizedsocietyfortheregulationofsexualrelationshipsattaintheirethicalperfectioninthevarṇāśramaarrangement.ThusapersonbelongingtothevarṇāśramasocietycanreadilyappreciatethetransparentmoralpurityoflifeontheplaneofVaikuṇṭhaandAyodhya,

althoughhecannotunderstandtheiresotericnature.Inthoserealms,theGodheadposesastheidealmonogamoushusband.

24. TheethicalrestrictionsofsexrelationshipsthatareimposedatAyodhyabytheformofthemonogamousmarriagearerelaxedatDvarakawheretheABsolutemanifestsHisfullerPersonalityandappearsintheguiseofthepolygamoushusband.

25. TheconventionsofmarriageareabrogatedaltogetherinVṛndāvanawherethesanctityofwedlockbecomessecondaryandafoiltotheamorousexploitsofŚrīKṛṣṇainHisfullestmanifestation.

26. Thespiritualfunctioninitsunalloyedformhasarealcorrespondencetomundaneactivity,withthedistinctionthatitsobjective,modeofactivityandinstrumentalareunalloyedspirit.Thismakestheinconceivabledifferencebetweenthespiritualfunctionandmundaneactivity.ItalsosuppliesakindofexplanationforthefactthatthoseactivitiesinVrajawhichcorrespondtothemostwholesomeperformancesonthemundaneplane,arecomparativelyspeakingtheleastpleasinginthesightofŚrīKṛṣṇa.

(ThePlaneofMundaneEnjoymentandthePlaneofSpiritualService):

27. ThesoleobjectofallspiritualactivityisgratificationofthesensesofŚrīKṛṣṇa.WhenŚrīKṛṣṇaispleased,Hisservitorsexperienceunmixedjoy.Thisisthereverseofwhathappensinthisworld.Activitythatyieldsenjoymenttothepersonindulginginthesamealonepossessesattractiononthemundaneplane.Butsuchselfishpleasureisnevercovetedontheplaneofspiritualservice.

28. Theplaneofmundanesensuousenjoymentistherebysharplydifferentiatedfromthatofspiritualservicewithrespecttothequalityandorientationoftheirrespectiveactivities.Desireformundaneenjoymentispotentially,butuncongenially,inherentinthesoul.Anditcanbecultivatedathisoption.Thepracticeofit,however,leadstotheabeyanceofhistrulynaturalserving

function.

29. Moderncivilizationdoesnotsuspectitsowndegradationinseekingexclusivelyformundaneenjoyment.Themindandbodyofmanhaveanaturalaptitudeforsensuousgratification,andallhisordinarymundaneactivitiesarepracticedforitsrealization.[Thus]few...cangrasp[thefactthat]theunalloyedessenceofthesoulhasanaturalaptitudefortheexclusiveserviceoftheAbsolutewhichisutterlyincompatiblewithmundanesensuousliving.

30. InthetranscendentalserviceoftheAbsolutetheaptitude,form,aswellasingredientsareuncoveredabsolutelywholesomelivingreality.Inthiscompleteuncoveringofthepropernatureofapersonbytheperfectionofhisservingfunction,heisenabledtorealizefullytheabidinginterestsofhisrealentity[orself].SuchunconditionalsubmissiveactivitytowardstheAbsoluteisalsonecessarilyidenticalwiththerealizationoftheperfectfreedomofthesoul,whichexpressesitselfinthehighestformsofhisservingactivity.

PrayojanaorFruit:

1. InthepositionofcompleterealizationoftheactivityoftheuncoveredsoulapersonbecomeseligibleforparticipationintheTranscendentalpastimesorlīlāofŚrīKṛṣṇa....Therealizationofthisall-absorbingloveforŚrīKṛṣṇaistheFRUITorprayojanaoftheeternalspiritualactivitiesofallpuresouls.

2. ŚrīKṛṣṇaisdirectlyservedbyHisplenaryinnerpowerasHisonlyconsort.TheresidentsofVraja,theplaneofthisinnerservice,areextensionsofthefigureoftheplenaryDivinepower.Theyarethedivineparticipantsinthedivinepastimes,asallthoseentitiesdisplaythenatureofthefullservitorshipoftheDivinity.

3. Notsothesoulsofmen,allofwhomaresusceptibletothetemptationsofferedbythedeludingfaceoftheplenarypowerforpreventingtheaccessofthenon-residentsofVrajatothearenaoftheDivinepastimes.We,the

sojournersofthismundaneplane,havebeenthuskeptoutoftheplaneofVrajabythedeludingfaceoftheDivinePower.

4. IndividualsoulswhoarenotpartandparceloftheinnerplenarypowerhavenoautomaticaccesstotheplaneofVraja.TheyarealsolackinginspontaneousloveforŚrīKṛṣṇa.ItispossibleforthemtoattaintotheloveofŚrīKṛṣṇaonlyasacceptedsubservientsoftheinhabitantsofVraja.

5. ThefirstappearanceofthespontaneouslovingaptitudeforŚrīKṛṣṇainanindividualsoulelevateshimtotheconditionofthemadhyam-bhagavataasdistinctfromtheconditionofthemahā-bhagavatawhopossessesloveforŚrīKṛṣṇaintheplenarymeasurewhichmakeshimeligibleforparticipatingasasubservientoftheservitorsofVraja,inthelovingactivitiesofthehighestsphereofservice.

6. Inproportionasthehesitant,reverentialservingdispositionofthemadhyam-bhagavataisgraduallydeveloped,bythepracticeofpureservice,intooneofsubserviencytotheinhabitantsofVrajaintheirunconventionalperformancesofthehighestlovingservicesofŚrīKṛṣṇa,suchhesitationanddistancearesupersededbygrowingconfidenceandproximitytotheObjectofone'shighestlove.Therebythespiritualvisionisperfected,inconformitywiththenaturalcapacityofanindividual,andheisenabledtorealizethefullfunctionofhisspecificspiritualself.

7. Goloka-VṛndāvanaisrealizableinthesymbolicVṛndāvanathatisopentoourviewinthisworldbyallpersonswhoselovehasbeenperfectedbythemercyoftheinhabitantsofTranscendentalVraja,andnototherwise.

8. ThegrossestmisunderstandingofthesubjectoftheVraja-līlāofŚrīKṛṣṇaisinevitableiftheseconsiderationsarenotkeptinview.AllpersonsunderthesinisterinfluenceofthedeludingpowerofNesciencearesubjecttosuchmisunderstandinginoneformoranother.Theyarefatedtoseenothingbutamundanetractofcountryintheterrestrial(Bhauma)Vṛndāvana,andthepracticeofthegossestformsofdebaucheryintheVrajapastimesofŚrīKṛṣṇa.

9. Butthetrueesotericvisionofthemahā-bhagavataisverydifferentfromtherealizationofdeludedhumanity.ItisdescribedinŚrīCaitanya-caritāmṛta,Madhya-līlā,17-55:

WhenŚrīKṛṣṇaCaitanyacatchessightofawood,itappearstoHiminthe

likenessofVṛndāvana;andwhenHelooksatahill,HemistakesitforGovardhana."

THEEND.

Civilizedsocietyfortheregulationofsexualrelationshipsattaintheirethicalperfectioninthevarṇāśramaarrangement.Thusapersonbelongingtothevarṇāśramasocietycanreadilyappreciatethetransparentmoralpurityoflifeontheplane...