Exploring the Ocean of The Nectar of Devotion
Assignment 6
Read Chapter 4 of The Nectar of Devotion, “Devotional Service Surpasses All Liberation.” This chapter covers verses 30-59 of the second wave (chapter) of the Eastern Division of Bhaktirasamrita-sindhu. The main theme of this chapter is pretty evident, even from the title: devotees should be free of all sorts of material desires and the desire for liberation. Please write down any points that seem important, interesting, puzzling, or in any way significant to you. Also, make notes about any connections you see between what you read in this chapter and what we’ve read and discussed in the previous assignments, as well as any connections with anything else you’ve heard from our acaryas. Write down any questions that arise, as well as any understanding you may gain as you read. If you recognize any verses, look them up and write them down, too. (I’ll distribute a collection of verses I think we should recognize and reflect on as well.)
While reading this chapter, it may be a good idea to pay attention to the evidence given to support the assertion that devotees have no interest in material opulence or liberation, at least sayujya mukti. If you don’t already know them (or have forgotten them), you may also want to review the five kinds of liberation. Some other things to think about are why devotees may accept some forms of liberation. For yourself, think about (write it!) the extent to which you may still be attracted to wealth or liberation. For preaching, it may be well to think about two things. One is whatever stories or verses you may know that may help in preaching against karma and jnana. Another is how this is really relevant in preaching, as well as what examples, stories, verses, etc. may be better suited for speaking with ethnic Hindus, and which may be better suited for less-familiar Westerners.
The five kinds of liberation:
Sayujya - being merged into the existence or body of the Lord (brahmajyoti)
Sarupya - achieve all the bodily features of the Lord and appear to be the same as the Lord
Salokya - having facility to live on the same planet with the Lord
Samipya - being a personal associate of the Lord
Sarsti - having the same opulence as the Lord
Samipya is very interesting, it seems that by rejecting this type of liberation devotee voluntarily accepts mood of separation to nourish emotions at the time of meeting (na vina vipralambhena sambhogah pustim asnute). This also shows that to provide service to the Lord you don’t have to be in His personal presence.
Another very interesting statement I found has to do with sayujya-mukti having only sat feature and that’s why jivas who reach sayujya will eventually fall into material world again because they are missing cit and ananda features. "Brahman realization is realization of the sat portion, Paramatma realization is realization of the cit portion, and Bhagavan realization is the realization of the ananda portion." -- Teachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahuti; Tlk 15 vs 36 purport.
Well, let me see if I can get something started here. I wonder to what extent anyone finds the case for bhakti over moksha useful in sharing Krishna consciousness with others these days. I imagine that it may have some use in dealing with ethnic Hindus, but we don't have many at all here. What about different kinds of New Age types? We have lots of folks here who seem to still be in 1968, but I'm just not sure to what extent anyone is really interested in any kind of moksha. Anyone?
I found one of the verses cited on p. 38 (SB 6.18.74) particularly thought provoking. Here are the verse and purport from the Bhagavatam:
aradhanam bhagavata
ihamana nirasisah
ye tu necchanty api param
te svartha-kusalah smrtah
Although those who are interested only in worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead do not desire anything material from the Lord and do not even want liberation, Lord Krsna fulfills all their desires.
PURPORT
When Dhruva Maharaja saw Lord Visnu, he declined to take any benedictions from Him, for he was fully satisfied by seeing the Lord. Nonetheless, the Lord is so kind that because Dhruva Maharaja, in the beginning, had desired a kingdom greater than his father's, he was promoted to Dhruvaloka, the best planet in the universe. Therefore in the sastra it is said:
akamah sarva-kamo va
moksa-kama udara-dhih
tivrena bhakti-yogena
yajeta purusam param
"A person who has broader intelligence, whether he is full of material desires, free from material desires, or desiring liberation, must by all means worship the supreme whole, the Personality of Godhead." (SB 2.3.10) One should engage in full devotional service. Then, even though he has no desires, whatever desires he previously had can all be fulfilled simply by his worship of the Lord. The actual devotee does not desire even liberation (anyabhilasita-sunyam [Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.1.11]). The Lord, however, fulfills the desire of the devotee by awarding him opulence that will never be destroyed. A karmi's opulence is destroyed, but the opulence of a devotee is never destroyed. A devotee becomes more and more opulent as he increases his devotional service to the Lord.
Srila Prabhupada cites the case of Dhruva, who had left home seeking material opulence unimaginable to us: a kingdom exveeding Lord Brahma's. Because Narada prescribed devotional activities in order that Dhruva might attain Lord Narayana's audience, he did get a face-to-face meeting with the Lord and an even better benediction--a Vaikuntha planet. All the same, he had no desire to enjoy any benediction at all. He compared his situation to that of someone who meets the king and is offered anything he wants, then asks for a handful of rice. Lord Chaitanya quotes Dhruva thus:
sthanabhilasi tapasi sthito ‘ham
tvam praptavan deva-munindra-guhyam
kacam vicinvann api divya-ratnam
svamin krtartho ‘smi varam na yace
"[When he was being blessed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Dhruva Maharaja said:] ‘O my Lord, because I was seeking an opulent material position, I was performing severe types of penance and austerity. Now I have gotten You, who are very difficult for the great demigods, saintly persons and kings to attain. I was searching after a piece of glass, but instead I have found a most valuable jewel. Therefore I am so satisfied that I do not wish to ask any benediction from You."' (Cc. Madhya 22.42)
I was searching after a piece of glass, but instead I have found a most valuable jewel.
This is one of my favourite verses! And svaamin k.rtartho 'sminn vara.m na yaace: Master, I am satisfied and desire no boon. I've heard that Srila Prabhupada's last words were ami kichu cai na, I don't want anything. I've had *two* applications for funding turned down today and it hurts! Having my desires frustrated really makes me appreciate the ideal of desirelessness.
I'm of course also wondering why the Lord didn't fulfill my desire (especially since it was connected with him and the holy dham), but looking over the Bhagavatam-verse again I realised one reason: "those who are interested *only* in worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead". However, in commenting on the verse from the second canto, Srila Prabhupada does write that "a devotee becomes more and more opulent as he increases his devotional service to the Lord", something that does not seem to correspond with much of our experience.
I wonder to what extent anyone finds the case for bhakti over moksha useful in sharing Krishna consciousness with others these days.
I think Guru Maharaja's point of Krishna-lila being more charming and captivating than impersonal moksa is a good one. Personally, I find the idea of impersonal moksa rather scary. I've read about people getting the feeling that they are one with the universe during LSD-trips and that sounded rather cool, but otherwise the idea sounds cold, sterile and, yes, impersonal.
But otherwise, moksa is not very high on most peoples' list of desires. I'm teaching the Yoga-sutras to a group of yoga-teachers, and they have a hard time grasping even such basic things as mental cravings sometimes being bad ("If my mind tells me that I should eat chocolate, it is my body telling me that it needs it!"). They are nice people and all, but mumuksus? No way.
The end of this chapter is also very interesting. The very last verse (BRS 1.2.59) is the famous "siddhaantatas tv abhede 'pi..." -- verse, which is one of the core verses of Gaudiya Vaishnava theology. In connection to this, a similar gradation of devotees is given in brief. I find it intriguing that nistha moves in a kind of crooked way: first we may have faith in an abstract "God", then we learn about Krishna and all his avataras ad expansions and learn to appreciate all -- and then finally learn to focus on only one God. According to siddhanta, all the avataras are one, but according to bhava, they are different.
Now, would this mean that it would be better to focus only on Radha-Krishna or on Sri Caitanya, instead of both? On Gaudiya Matha altars, you'll usually find both Radha-Krishna and Sri Caitanya (and often also silas), but not other forms of the Lord.
But otherwise, moksa is not very high on most peoples' list of desires. I'm teaching the Yoga-sutras to a group of yoga-teachers, and they have a hard time grasping even such basic things as mental cravings sometimes being bad ("If my mind tells me that I should eat chocolate, it is my body telling me that it needs it!"). They are nice people and all, but mumuksus? No way.
Mumuksus are rare indeed. As Maharaja Pariksit is setting up his inquiry about how Vritrasura could possibly be a devotee, he says,
rajobhih sama-sankhyatah
parthivair iha jantavah
tesam ye kecanehante
sreyo vai manujadayah
In this material world there are as many living entities as atoms. Among these living entities, a very few are human beings, and among them, few are interested in following religious principles.
prayo mumuksavas tesam
kecanaiva dvijottama
mumuksunam sahasresu
kascin mucyeta sidhyati
O best of the brahmanas, Sukadeva Gosvami, out of many persons who follow religious principles, only a few desire liberation from the material world. Among many thousands who desire liberation, one may actually achieve liberation, giving up material attachment to society, friendship, love, country, home, wife and children. And among many thousands of such liberated persons, one who can understand the true meaning of liberation is very rare.
Then he says,
muktanam api siddhanam
narayana-parayanah
su-durlabhah prasantatma
kotisv api maha-mune
O great sage, among many millions who are liberated and perfect in knowledge of liberation, one may be a devotee of Lord Narayana, or Krsna. Such devotees, who are fully peaceful, are extremely rare.
muktanam api siddhanam...
Slokamrita! Thank you for giving these verses, Babhru. That is one verse one often hears, but I hadn't remembered the context. There is much nectar in the Vritra-story!