Sadhana-Bhakti-Tattva: the Practice of Devotion IV

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Saraswati Ṭhakura

শ্রী গৌड़िয-কন্ঠহার

Gaudiya Kanṭhahāra:

13th Jewel

SĀDHANA-BHAKTI-TATTVA

The Practice of Divine Love

The Jeweled Necklace of the Gaudiya Vaishnavas

Being a compendium of quotations from revealed scriptures

concerning the truths about the cult of Chaitanya Mahāprabhu

Compiled under the authority and direction of

His Divine Grace

Bhaktisiddhānta Sāraswāti Goswāmī

Prabhupada

Translated and edited, with original Sanskrit and Bengali and Roman transliteration by

B. V. Mahāyogi, Michael Dolan

१३.७०

सर्वतो मनसो ऽसङ्गम् आदौ सङ्गं च साधुषु 

दयां मैत्रीं प्रश्रयं च भूतेष्व् अद्धा यथोचितम्

13.70

sarvato manaso 'saṅgam ādau saṅgaṁ ca sādhuṣu 

dayāṁ maitrīṁ praśrayaṁ ca bhūteṣv addhā yathocitam

A sincere disciple should shun all material conceptions and associate with

sādhus, by showing kindness to subordinates, friendship to peers, and reverence

to superior devotees. 

(Bhāg. 11.3.23)

१३.७१

शौचं तपस् तितिक्षां च मौनं स्वाध्यायम् आर्जवम्

ब्रह्मचर्यम् अहिंसां च समत्वं द्वन्द्व- संज्ञयोः

13.71

śaucaṁ tapas titikṣāṁ ca maunaṁ svādhyāyam ārjavam

brahmacaryam ahiṁsāṁ ca samatvaṁ dvandva- saṁjñayoḥ

A sincere disciple should shun all material conceptions by remaining clean, austere, tolerant, quiet, studious, simple, celibate, non-violent, and unbewildered by duality. 

(Bhāg. 11.3.24)

१३.७२

सर्वत्रात्मेश्वरान्वीक्षां कैवल्यम् अनिकेतताम् 

विविक्त-चीर-वसनं सन्तोषं येअ केनचित्

13.72

sarvatrātmeśvarānvīkṣāṁ kaivalyam aniketatām 

vivikta-cīra-vasanaṁ santoṣaṁ yea kenacit

One should realize that souls are all-pervading and that the Lord is the Supreme

controller of the universe. In this way, he should live in solitude, free from

attachment to wife, family, home, and society. He should wear ragged cloth or

tree bark and remain contented with whatever he gets without endeavour.

 (Bhāg. 11.3.25)

१३.७३

श्रद्धां भागवते शास्त्रे ऽनिन्दाम् अन्यत्र चापि हि

मनो-वाक्-कर्म-दण्डं च सत्यं शम- दमाव् अपि

13.73

śraddhāṁ bhāgavate śāstre 'nindām anyatra cāpi hi

mano-vāk-karma-daṇḍaṁ ca satyaṁ śama- damāv api

He should have firm faith in scriptures that glorify the Lord, but should not

blaspheme other scriptures. He should control his mind, words, and deeds. He

should always remain truthful and keep his senses controlled. 

(Bhāg. 11.3.26)

१३.७४

श्रवणं कीर्तनं ध्यानं हरेर् अद्भुत- कर्मणः

जन्म-कर्म-गुणानां च तद्-अर्थे ऽखिल- चेष्टितम्

13.74

śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ dhyānaṁ harer adbhuta- karmaṇaḥ

janma-karma-guṇānāṁ ca tad-arthe 'khila- ceṣṭitam

One should listen to, glorify, and meditate upon the wonderful births, pastimes,

and qualities of the Supreme Personality of

Godhead, Śrī Hari. One should also

dedicate all his acts for the pleasure of the Lord. 

(Bhāg. 11.3.27)

१३.७५

इष्टं दत्तं तपो जप्तं वृत्तं यच् चात्मनः प्रियम्

दारान् सुतान् गृहान् प्राणान् यत् परस्मै निवेदनम्

13.75

iṣṭaṁ dattaṁ tapo japtaṁ vṛttaṁ yac cātmanaḥ priyam

dārān sutān gṛhān prāṇān yat parasmai nivedanam

One should perform sacrifice, charity, and penance only for the pleasure of the

Lord. One should also chant mantras and hymns in praise of the Lord. All one's

religious duties should be done for Him. One also should offer to the Lord

whatever gives one pleasure. 

(Bhāg. 11.3.28)

१३.७६

उत्साहान्-निश्चयाद् धैर्यात् तत्-तत्-कर्म- प्रवर्तनात्

सङ्ग-त्यागात् सतो वृत्तेः षड्भिर्-भक्तिः प्रसिध्यति

13.76

utsāhān-niścayād dhairyāt tat-tat-karma- pravartanāt

saṅga-tyāgāt sato vṛtteḥ ṣaḍbhir-bhaktiḥ prasidhyati

Enthusiasm, determination, patience, acting according to the principles of

devotional service, giving up the association of non-devotees and following in

the footsteps of the previous ācāryas these six things are favorable to the

cultivation of devotional service. 

(Upadeśāmṛta 3)

Detachment is Favorable for Bhakti

१३.७७

जात-श्रद्धो मत्-कथासु निर्विण्णः सर्व- कर्मसु

वेद दुःखात्मकान् कामान् परित्यागे ऽप्य् अनीश्वरः

13.77

jāta-śraddho mat-kathāsu nirviṇṇaḥ sarva- karmasu

veda duḥkhātmakān kāmān parityāge 'py anīśvaraḥ

Sometimes a devotee has awakened faith in hearing about Me, but even though

he is disgusted with karmic life and knows the miseries that sensual pleasures

bring, he is unable to give up his attachment to sense gratification. 

(Bhāg. 11.20.27)

13.78

tato bhajeta māṁ prītaḥ śraddhālur dṛḍha- niścayaḥ

juṣamāṇaś ca tān kāmān duḥkhodarkāṁś ca garhayan

Such a devotee should worship Me with affection, faith, determination and conviction, even while engaging in sense gratification, knowing that such sense gratification leads to misery, and all the while hating his attachments to material pleasures. In this way, sincerely lamenting his attachments to material pleasures, he should go on worshiping Me with

affection and conviction. Gradually his material attachments will disappear. 

(Bhāg. 11.20.28)

१३.७९

प्रोक्तेन भक्ति-योगेन भजतो मासकृन् मुनेः 

कामा हृदय्या नश्यन्ति सर्वे मयि हृदि स्थिते

13.79

proktena bhakti-yogena bhajato māsakṛn muneḥ 

kāmā hṛdayyā naśyanti sarve mayi hṛdi sthite

In this way, an intelligent person will constantly worship Me in bhakti-yoga and

will find that gradually all the material desires in his heart disappear, as I

become firmly situated in his heart. 

(Bhāg. 11.20.29)

१३.८०

अनासक्तस्य विषयान् यथार्हम्-उपयुञ्जतः 

निर्बन्धः कृष्ण-सम्बन्धे युक्तं वैराग्यमुच्यते

13.80

anāsaktasya viṣayān yathārham-upayuñjataḥ 

nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe yuktaṁ vairāgyamucyate

That renunciation in which there is no attachment for the objects of the senses,

but in which everything is seen in relationship to Kṛṣṇa and all things are

engagcd in His service is called yukta-vairāgya, or practical renunciation.

(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Pūrva-vibhāga 2.125)

१३.८१

विषया विनिवर्तन्ते निराहारस्य देहिनः

रस-वर्जं रसो ऽप्य् अस्य परं दृष्ट्वा निवर्तते

13.81

viṣayā vinivartante nirāhārasya dehinaḥ

rasa-varjaṁ raso 'py asya paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate 

The embodied soul may be restricted from sense enjoyment, though the taste for

sense objects remain, but ceasing such engagements by experiencing a higher

taste, he is fixed in consciousness. 

(Bhagavad-gītā 2.59)

Gṛhastha Conduct is Favorable for Bhakti

१३.८२

लौकिकी वैदिकी वापि याक्रिया क्रियते मुने

हरि-सेवानुकुलैव सा कार्या भक्तिम्-इच्छाता

13.82

laukikī vaidikī vāpi yākriyā kriyate mune

hari-sevānukulaiva sā kāryā bhaktim-icchātā 

O sage, one who aspires for devotional service should perform all activities,

whether Vedic or mundane, in a way that is favorable for the service of Lord

Hari. 

(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Pūrva-vibhāga 2.200, from Nārada-Pañcarātra)

Fasting on Ekādaśī is Favorable for Bhakti

१३.८३

तुलस्य-श्वथधात्र्यादि-पूजनं धामनिष्ठता

अरुणोदय-विद्धस्तु संत्याज्यो हरिवासरः 

जन्माष्टम्यादिकं सूर्योद-यविद्धं परित्यजेत्

13.83

tulasya-śvathadhātryādi-pūjanaṁ dhāmaniṣṭhatā

aruṇodaya-viddhastu saṁtyājyo harivāsaraḥ 

janmāṣṭamyādikaṁ sūryoda-yaviddhaṁ parityajet

One should worship Tulasī, the banyan and amalā trees, and everything else that is in relation to the Lord. One should be faithful to the Lord's abode. One should fast on Ekādaśī and Janmāṣṭamī, but should avoid fasting on mixed Ekādaśī, such as when part of the Ekādaśī falls on the tenth day of the moon. One should also avoid practicing mixed

Janmāṣṭamī, such as when it partly falls on the seventh day of the moon. 

(Prameya- ratnāvalī 8.9)

१३.८४

बहु-वाक्य-विरोधेन सन्देहो जायते यदा 

उपोष्या द्वादशी तत्र त्रयोदश्यान्तु पारणम्

13.84

bahu-vākya-virodhena sandeho jāyate yadā 

upoṣyā dvādaśī tatra trayodaśyāntu pāraṇam 

When there is a doubt about the correct fasting day for Edādaśī or vrata due to

many opposing scriptural statements, one should fast on dvādaśī and break the

fast on trayodaśī. 

(Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 12.279, from Nāradīya Purāṇa) 

What Destroys Bhakti

१३.८५

अत्याहारः प्रयासश् च प्रजल्पो नियमाग्रहः 

जन-सङ्गश् च लौल्यं च षड्भिर् भक्तिर् विनश्यति

13.85

atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca prajalpo niyamāgrahaḥ 

jana-saṅgaś ca laulyaṁ ca ṣaḍbhir bhaktir vinaśyati

Over-eating or over-collecting, over endeavoring for mundane things, useless idle talk, neglecting scriptural rules or only formally following them, mundane association, and greed these six things destroy devotion to Kṛṣṇa. 

(Upadeśāmṛta 4)

The Dust and Water From a Devotee's Feet, and His Remnants all Have the Power to Bestow Prema

১৩.৮৬

কৃষ্ণের উচ্ছিষ্ট হয় ঽমহা-প্রসাদঽ নাম

ঽভক্ত-শেষঽ হৈলে ঽমহা-মহা-প্রসাদাখ্য়ানঽ 

ভক্ত-পদ-ধূলি আর ভক্ত-পদ-জল

ভক্ত-ভুক্ত-অবশেষ, তিন মহা-বল এই তিন-সেবা হৈতে কৃষ্ণ-প্রেমা হয়

পুনঃ পুনঃ সর্ব-শাস্ত্রে ফুকারিয়া কয় তাতে বার বার অহি, 

শুন ভক্ত-গণ বিশ্বাস করিয়া কর এ-তিন সেমন

13.86

kṛṣṇera ucchiṣṭa haya 'mahā-prasāda' nāma

'bhakta-śeṣa' haile 'mahā-mahā-prasādākhyāna' 

bhakta-pada-dhūli āra bhakta-pada-jala

bhakta-bhukta-avaśeṣa, tina mahā-bala ei tina-sevā haite kṛṣṇa-premā haya

punaḥ punaḥ sarva-śāstre phukāriyā kaya tāte bāra bāra ahi, 

śuna bhakta-gaṇa viśvāsa kariyā kara e-tina semana

The remnants of food offered to Kṛṣṇa is called mahā-prasāda. After this mahāprasāda

is taken by a devotee, the remnants are mahāmahā-prasāda. The dust of

the feet of a devotee, the water that has washed the feet of a devotee, and the

remnants of food left by a devotee are very powerful. By service to these three,

one attains the supreme goal of ecstatic love for

Kṛṣṇa. In all the revealed

scriptures this is declared again and again. Therefore, my dear devotees, please

hear from me, for I insist again and again; please keep faith in these three and

serve to them without hesitation.

 (Cc. Antya 16.59-62)

The Glories of Mahā-prasāda

१३.८७

नैबेद्य़ं जगदीशस्य़ अन्नपानादिकञ् च य़त् 

भक्ष्य़ाभक्ष-बिचारश् च नास्ति तद्-भक्षणे द्बिजाः

13.87

naivedyaṁ jagadīśasya annapānādikañ ca yat 

bhakṣyābhakṣa-vicāraś ca nāsti tad-bhakṣaṇe dvijāḥ

O brāhmaṇas, those foodstuffs and beverages that are offered to Kṛṣṇa for His

pleasure are transcendental and one should never try to distinguish them as

eatables and non-eatables. 

(Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 9.403)

१३.८८-८९

ब्रह्मबन्-निर्बिकारम् हि य़था बिष्णुस् तथैब तत्

बिकारं य़े प्रकुर्बन्ति भक्षणे तद् द्बिजातय़ः 

कुष्ठ-ब्य़ाधि-समाय़ुक्ताः पुत्रदार-बिबर्जिताः 

निरय़ं य़ान्ति ते बिप्रा य़स्मान्-नाबर्तते पुनः

13.88-89

brahmavan-nirvikāram hi yathā viṣṇus tathaiva tat

vikāraṁ ye prakurvanti bhakṣaṇe tad dvijātayaḥ 

kuṣṭha-vyādhi-samāyuktāḥ putradāra-vivarjitāḥ 

nirayaṁ yānti te viprā yasmān-nāvartate punaḥ 

O brāhmaṇas, the offerings to Śrī Hari are transcendental, incorruptible, and

nondifferent from Viṣṇu. Those who have a perverted mentality, and who thinks

them to be material will develop leprosy, be devoid of children, wife, and family,

and go to the deepest darkest regions of hell from which he will never return.

(Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 9.404,405)

१३.९०

कुक्कुरस्य़ मुखाद् भ्रष्टं तद् अन्नं पतते य़दि

ब्राह्मणेना ऽपि भोक्तब्य़ं इतरेषाम् तु का कथा

13.90

kukkurasya mukhād bhraṣṭaṁ tad annaṁ patate yadi

brāhmaṇenā 'pi bhoktavyaṁ itareṣām tu kā kathā

Mahā-prasāda destroys all sins. Even if it has been touched by the lips of a dog

or has fallen on the ground, it will still be relished by brāhmaṇas. Then what to

speak if it is touched by others. 

(Skanda Purāṇa, Puri Māhātmya 2.2.38.17)

१३.९१

अशुचिर्-बाप्य़नाचारो मनसा-पापम्-आचरन्

प्राप्ति मात्रेण भोक्तब्य़ं नात्र कार्य़ा बिचारणा

13.91

aśucir-vāpyanācāro manasā-pāpam-ācaran

prāpti mātreṇa bhoktavyaṁ nātra kāryā vicāraṇā 

Even if one is in unclean state of body or mind, engaged in irreligious acts, he

should eat mahā-prasāda whenever it is available to him. There is no need to

deliberate on this. 

(Skanda Purāṇa, Puri Māhātmya 2.5.3.14)

Attachment to Wife and Home is Antagonistic to Developing Bhakti

१३.९२

मतिर् न कृष्णे परतः स्बतो बा मिथो ऽभिपद्य़ेत गृह-ब्रतानाम् 

अदान्त-गोभिर् बिशतां तमिस्रं पुनः पुनश् चर्बित-चर्बणानाम्

13.92

matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā mitho 'bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām 

adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisraṁ punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām

Because of their uncontrolled senses, persons addicted to materialistic life

progress toward hellish conditions and repeatedly chew the chewed. Their

inclinations toward Kṛṣṇa are never aroused, either by the instruction of others,

by their own efforts or by a combination of both. 

(Bhāg 7.5.30)

१३.९३

न ते बिदुः स्बार्थ-गतिं हि बिष्णुं दुराशय़ा य़े बहिर्-अर्थ-मानिनः 

अन्धा य़थान्धैर् उपनीय़मानास् ते ऽपीश-तन्त्र्य़ाम् उरु-दाम्नि बद्धाः

13.93

na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ 

andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ 

Persons entrapped by the consciousness of enjoying material life, and who have

therefore accepted as their leader or guru a similar blind man attached to

external sense objects, cannot understand that the

goal of life is to return home,

back to Godhead and engage in the service of

Lord Viṣṇu. As blind men guided

by another blind man miss the right path and fall into a ditch, materially

attached men led by another materially attached man are bound by the ropes of

fruitive labor, which are very strong. They continue again and again in

materialistic life, suffering the threefold miseries.

 (Bhāg 7.5.31)

Things Unfavorable to Devotional Service

१३.९४

अर्च्य़े बिष्णौ शिलाधीर्-गुरुषु नरमतिर् बैष्णबे जाति-बुद्धिर्-

बिष्णोर्-बा बैष्णबानां कलिमल-मथने पाद- तीर्थेऽम्बु-बुद्धिः

श्री-बिष्णोर्-नाम्नि मन्त्रे सकल-कलुषहे शब्द- सामान्य़-बुद्धिर्बिष्णौ

सर्बेश्बरेशे तद्-इतर-समधीर्-य़स्य़ बा नारकी सः

13.94

arcye viṣṇau śilādhīr-guruṣu naramatir vaiṣṇave jāti-buddhir-

viṣṇor-vā vaiṣṇavānāṁ kalimala-mathane pāda- tīrthe'mbu-buddhiḥ

śrī-viṣṇor-nāmni mantre sakala-kaluṣahe śabda- sāmānya-buddhirviṣṇau

sarveśvareśe tad-itara-samadhīr-yasya vā nārakī saḥ

Whoever considers the Deity of the Supreme Lord to be dead matter made out of

wood, stone or metal, or the spiritual master, who is an eternal associate of the

Supreme Lord, to be an ordinary man, who is prone to die, or the Vaiṣṇava to be

coming from some caste, or the water that washes the feet of the pure devotee or

the Supreme Personality of Godhead to be ordinary water, although such water

has the potency to destroy all the evils of the age of Kali, or considers the holy

name of the Supreme Lord or mantras dedicated to Him, which are able to

destroy all sin to be ordinary sounds , or thinks the Supreme Lord of all, Lord

Viṣṇu, to be on the same level as demigods, has a hellish mentality. Whoever

thinks in this way is certainly a resident of hell. 

(Padma Purāṇa)

Bad Association Destroys Bhakti

१३.९५

ततो दुःसङ्गम् उत्सृज्य़ सत्सु सज्जेत बुद्धिमान् सन्त एबास्य़ छिन्दन्ति मनो-ब्य़ासङ्गम्

उक्तिभिः

13.95

tato duḥsaṅgam utsṛjya satsu sajjeta buddhimān santa evāsya chindanti mano-vyāsaṅgam

uktibhiḥ

Therefore an intelligent person should dissociate himself from evil company and

associate with saintly persons, for the wise and pious saints sever one's deep

attachment to material existence and one gets liberation by their teachings.

(Bhāg. 11.26.26)

১৩.৯৬

সাধু-সঙ্গ, কৃষ্ণ-কৃপা, ভক্তির স্বভাব এ তিনে সব ছাডায়, করে কৃষ্ণে ঽভাবঽ

13.96

sādhu-saṅga, kṛṣṇa-kṛpā, bhaktira svabhāva e tine saba chāḍāya, kare kṛṣṇe 'bhāva' 

Association with a devotee, the mercy of Kṛṣṇa, and the nature of devotional service all help one to give up undesirable association and gradually attain elevation to the platform of love of Godhead. 

(Cc. Madhya 24.104)

১৩.৯৭

ঽদুঃসঙ্গঽ কহিয়ে-ঽকৈতবঽ, ঽাত্ম-বঞ্চনাঽ কৃষ্ণ, কৃষ্ণ-ভক্তি বিনু অন্য় কামনা

13.97

'duḥsaṅga' kahiye-'kaitava', 'ātma-vañcanā' kṛṣṇa, kṛṣṇa-bhakti vinu anya kāmanā 

Cheating oneself and cheating others is called kaitava. The association of cheaters is called duḥsaṇga, bad association. Those who desire things other than Kṛṣṇa's service are also called duḥsaṇga, bad association.

(Cc. Madhya 24.99)

१३.९८

निष्किञ्चनस्य़ भगबद्-भजनोन्-मुखस्य़ पारं परं जिगमिषोर्-भब-सागरस्य़

सन्दर्शनं बिषय़िणाम्-अथ य़ोषितांश् च हा हन्त हन्त बिष्-भक्षणतो ऽप्य़् असाधु

13.98

niṣkiñcanasya bhagavad-bhajanon-mukhasya pāraṁ paraṁ jigamiṣor-bhava-sāgarasya

 sandarśanaṁ viṣayiṇām-atha yoṣitāṁś ca hā hanta hanta viṣ-bhakṣaṇato 'py asādhu 

For a person seriously desiring to cross the material ocean and engage in the

transcendental loving service of the Lord without material motives, seeing a

materialist engaged in sense gratification and seeing a woman who is similarly

interested in more abominable than drinking poison willingly. 

(Caitanyacandrodaya- naṭaka 8.23)

১৩.৯৯

অসত্-সঙ্গ- ৎয়াগ,-এই বৈষ্ণব-আচার

স্ত্রী-সাঙ্গীঽ-এক অসাধু, ঽকৃষ্ণাভক্তঽ আর

13.99

asat-saṅga- tyāga,-ei vaiṣṇava-ācāra

strī-sāṅgī'-eka asādhu, 'kṛṣṇābhakta' āra

The essential behavior of a Vaiṣṇava is that he gives up unholy association. In

other words, he avoids the company of non- devotees and men who are addicted

to women and devotes himself to Kṛṣṇa. 

(Cc. Madhya 22.87)