I think I remember hearing Guru Maharaja associate the principle of visrambha guru seva with pranaya.
I think there is a reference from Bhakti Sandarbha where Jiva Goswami defines visrambha as "confidential trust" which is what pranaya also implies. I think pranaya is also connected with a feeling of friendship.
I'd greatly appreciate any references or insight anyone may have on this topic.
Actually, I have the wrong book for JG. I think it is actually his commentary on BRS.
Here's a note from Jagat on these works, written as he worked on Madhurya-kadambini:
Some tough words to translate as I go through Madhurya-kadambini.
First of all: Ananta Dasji sometimes surprises with his translations. In connection to the famous verse from Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu 1.2.74: guru-pAdAzrayas tasmAt kRSNa-dIkSAdi-zikSANam vizrambhena guroH sevA, he says: “Guru-pAdAzraya is complete in three steps: (1) taking shelter of the guru, (2) being initiated in the Krishna mantra and taking instructions from him about bhAgavata-dharma, and (3) serving him with trust.” I had never seen this interpretation before.
As far as visrambha or vizrambha ("trust") is concerned, I have been trying to find a good single word English equivalent, particularly in relation to the guru, but haven't been able to do so. The Apte dictionary gives: "Trust, confidence, familiar confidence, perfect intimacy or familiarity." His example, taken from Uttara-rama-charita (1.49), is visrambhAd urasi nipatya labdha-nidrAM "In perfect familiarity, she fell asleep on his chest."
Sridhara defines as "praNaya" (BhP 3.20.33), which begs the question exactly what did he mean by pranaya? In Ujjvala-nilamani, as we will see below, however, the word visrambha is an important aspect of the sthAyi-bhAva of pranaya, which follows mAna. Indeed, in the Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu, the word is used as the principal element in the definition of sakhya, the friendly mood.
Vishwanath uses the word that way in his commentary to BhP. 3.12.29, but specifying that it is the kind of intimate friendship that results out of a familial relationship, which is an interesting addition. vizrambhAt janya-janaka-sambandhottha-sakhyAt.
Visrambha is given as one of the essential aspects of the sakhA. "Krishna's friends (vayasya) dress like him and are equal to him in beauty. They act completely free from his control (samyag-ayantritAH), as they are filled with a sense of familiar confidence in him." (BRS 3.3.8) The point about freedom from control is here specifically used to demarcate Krishna's friends from his servants.
The word visrambha is actually defined in BRS 3.3.106: vizrambho gADha-vizvAsa-vizeSo yantraNojjhitaH--"A particular kind of deep faith [in the friend] that is free from control." Here Jiva says: vimukta-sambhramA gADha-vizvAsa-vizeSo’tra parasparaM sarvathA svAbheda-pratItiH | ata eva yantraNojjhitaz ca, "Visrambha means freedom from fear or excessive reverence (sambhrama). It is a particular kind of deep faith in the other, meaning that friends have a sense of being in no way different from each other."
In the Ujjvala-nilamani, the word visrambha is associated with pranaya, which is the sthayi bhava that follows mana, a kind of intimate state of renewed trust that follows arguments, apologies and forgiveness. Pranaya has two aspects: sakhya and maitri.
mAno dadhAno vizrambhaM
praNayaH procyate budhaiH
"When mAna gives way to trust, then that state is called pranaya by the learned." (14.108)
Here again Jiva says: visrambhaM priya-janena saha svayAbheda-mananam "Visrambha means thinking oneself to be one with the beloved." VCT: visrambho vizvAsaH sambhrama-rAhityaM, tac ca sva-prANa-mano-buddhi-deha-paricchadAdibhiH kAnta-prANa-mano-buddhy-Ader aikya-bhAvana-janyaM tatra saty api roSAdikaM tu rasa-svAbhAvyAd eva nAnupapannaM jJeyam | "Visrambha is faith without fear, awe or reverence. This feeling results from a sense that one's own life, mind, intelligence, body, clothes and everything else are one with those of the beloved. In this state, due to the quality of the mood, anger cannot arise.
svarUpaM praNayasyAsya
vizrambhaH kathito budhaiH |
vizrambho’pi dvidhA maitraM
sakhyaM ceti nigadyate ||
The wise say that the essence of this pranaya is confidential trust. Such trust is of two kinds: maitram and sakhyam. (14.110)
bhAvajJaiH procyate maitraM
vizrambho vinayAnvitaH ||
visrambhaH sAdhvasonmuktaH
sakhyaM sva-vazatA-mayaH ||
A familiar trust that is accompanied by humility is called maitram. While the same kind of familiar trust that is completely free from any kind of caution and brings the beloved under one's control is called sakhya. (14.111, 114)
So, on the whole, when the term is used in the phrase "visrambheNa guroH sevA," what was Rupa Goswami getting at? It would seem to me to be not the kind of belief or faith that is usually spoken of in relation to the spiritual master, but a sense of trust, of oneness, in the sense that the disciple believes the spiritual master has his best interests in mind. As Ananta Das says, "Another valuable result of this is that through such sincere service to a saint, the guru principle itself automatically melts with compassion towards the disciple." In other words, one serves the guru principle in the confidence that the channel between disciple and guru tattva flows through this human being that one calls "guru."
However, to expand on this point, one needs to look at the words zraddhA and vizvAsa in greater detail, which expands the discussion considerably. For instance, where sakhyam is considered one of the angas of sadhana bhakti (BRS 1.2.188), it is subdivided into two, vizvAsa and mitra-vRtti. BRS 1.2.191 distinguishes zraddhA from vizvAsa, as a "before and after" sort of thing. Sraddha is what gives one the qualification to engage in bhakti, vizvAsa is a bhakti-anga.
Thanks Babhru. I have seen this already. Still not sure from this how pranaya may be associated with visrambha guru seva.
It didn't help me see the relationship any better than it did you. Sorry.
I'm not exactly sure what you are asking here, but GM associating these two terms seems quite appropriate to me. I see these kind of relationships with GM wherein a person becomes confidential to such a degree that the relationship is not diminished by anger or argument or disagreement. There is a "confidential trust" there where one can serve guru as a confidential friend, eternally subordinate, yet trusted, and guru reveals more to such a person. It is a more personal relationship, if I may suggest a raganuga-esque relationship, beyond restrictions that reverence naturally imposes.
The two aspects of pranaya also seem quite appropriate accompaniments to a visrambha guroh seva relationship:
If the disciple has earned the guru's confidential trust, guru can also be controlled (briefly) by the disciples love (ex. enthusiasm for a service opportunity) because the guru thinks himself in a sense on a peer level with the student and the student continues to humbly consider him/herself subordinate. The two are relishing the same seva to Bhagavan and guru-parampara. The sense of control that is present in a servant relationship becomes more fluid because it does not have to be verified any longer.A familiar trust that is accompanied by humility is called maitram. While the same kind of familiar trust that is completely free from any kind of caution and brings the beloved under one's control is called sakhya.
I don't particularly relate to this explanation of Jagat:
but a sense of trust, of oneness, in the sense that the disciple believes the spiritual master has his best interests in mind.
I feel like visrambhena guroh seva goes beyond this and a pranaya relation to this confidence means that the guru has let the disciple into a confidential trust, wherein the guru gives him/herself, comfortably without having to calculate what the disciple is "ready for", how to deal with how the disciple's mindset will understand aspects of gurudeva's personality, etc. All these considerations are gone and the guru is free! Guru, when guru is truly himself! This is an uncommon, rare, relationship to be aspired for, which is born out of very deep faith. Jagat's explanation seems to me to be still on the platform of distinction, placing the guru and disciple in their natural roles as master and servant - visrambha guroh seva goes way beyond. The easiest way to get the distinction is to compare Krsna's relationship with say Daruka in Dvaraka, with Krsna's relationship with the sakhas. The disciple can serve the guru by performing menial tasks and being very expert in following orders, "service", but another disciple can live in the guru's mindset, be an extension of the guru's will and be serving in the capacity of a confidant; maybe even wrestle with or share gurudeva's food!
Very insightful answer Madan! Sadhu, sadhu!
I'm not exactly sure what you are asking here, but GM associating these two terms seems quite appropriate to me. I see these kind of relationships with GM wherein a person becomes confidential to such a degree that the relationship is not diminished by anger or argument or disagreement. There is a "confidential trust" there where one can serve guru as a confidential friend, eternally subordinate, yet trusted, and guru reveals more to such a person. It is a more personal relationship, if I may suggest a raganuga-esque relationship, beyond restrictions that reverence naturally imposes.The two aspects of pranaya also seem quite appropriate accompaniments to a visrambha guroh seva relationship:
If the disciple has earned the guru's confidential trust, guru can also be controlled (briefly) by the disciples love (ex. enthusiasm for a service opportunity) because the guru thinks himself in a sense on a peer level with the student and the student continues to humbly consider him/herself subordinate. The two are relishing the same seva to Bhagavan and guru-parampara. The sense of control that is present in a servant relationship becomes more fluid because it does not have to be verified any longer.
I don't particularly relate to this explanation of Jagat:
I feel like visrambhena guroh seva goes beyond this and a pranaya relation to this confidence means that the guru has let the disciple into a confidential trust, wherein the guru gives him/herself, comfortably without having to calculate what the disciple is "ready for", how to deal with how the disciple's mindset will understand aspects of gurudeva's personality, etc. All these considerations are gone and the guru is free! Guru, when guru is truly himself! This is an uncommon, rare, relationship to be aspired for, which is born out of very deep faith. Jagat's explanation seems to me to be still on the platform of distinction, placing the guru and disciple in their natural roles as master and servant - visrambha guroh seva goes way beyond. The easiest way to get the distinction is to compare Krsna's relationship with say Daruka in Dvaraka, with Krsna's relationship with the sakhas. The disciple can serve the guru by performing menial tasks and being very expert in following orders, "service", but another disciple can live in the guru's mindset, be an extension of the guru's will and be serving in the capacity of a confidant; maybe even wrestle with or share gurudeva's food!
Thanks Madan. I appreciate your reply. Yes, this is what I was asking. I wanted to get more insight or some references about this point which I have been contemplating.
I enthusiastically echo Prema and Cittahari's appreciation for Madan's response here. Thanks.