Sri Madhurya Kadambini

(translation seems better than the other)

( A Cloudbank of Nectar U n a n ube cargada de ¹ c t a r )

CHAPTER 1
First Shower of Nectar

Mangalacharana

hrd vap-re nava bha-kti sasy-a vitat-eh

sanjivani svagama
rambhe kama tapa-rttu daha -dama-ni
visvapago22asini duran me maru
sakhino 'pi sarasi bhav-aya bhuyat prabhu

sri caita-nya krpa -niran-kusa maha-

madhurya kadam-bini

"The mercy of Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is an uncontrollable

cloud bank of exquisitely sweet nectar whose sudden appearance fully rejuvenates
the grains of nine-fold bhakti in the field of the heart, extinguishes the burning
summer heat of lust and bestows rapture to the universal river of living beings.
From far off, may those clouds of the Lord's mercy give satisfaction and pleasure
even to this worthless soul, a dried-up tree in the desert."

"Though previous mahajans (Prahlad, Dhruva, Kumaras, etc.) have taken

up the path of bhakti, I constantly pay my obeisances to Shrila Rupa Goswami, the
Lord s dear one, by whose mercy one now attains the intelligence to see bhakti in
its complete rasa form."

We will proceed on the basis of shastra or scriptural evidence (shabda

praman), which is the best of all evidences. Thus the Taittiriya Upanishad (shruti),
after discussing the different coverings (annamaya, etc.), emphatically declares that
superior to Brahman, who is the shelter or support of these coverings: brahma
puccham pratistha (2.5.2), is the param anandamaya purusha or paratpara tattva
(most supreme truth) by describing Him as the embodiment of rasa: raso vai sah
rasam hy evayam labdhvanandi bhavati, the Lord is rasa itself and, attaining that
rasa, the jiva becomes blissful (2.7.2). In this vein, the Shrimad Bhagavatam, the
cream of Vedanta and emperor among all types of evidence, describes Lord
Krishna as the full embodiment of rasa or pleasure:
 ma22anam asanir nrnam nara-
varah strinam smaro murtiman
gopanam sva jano 'satam ksiti-
bhujam sasta sva p-itroh sisuh
mrtyur bhoja p-ater virah avidusam tattvam
param yoginam
vrsninam para de-vateti vidito ragam
gatah sagraj ah

The various groups of people in the wrestling arena regarded Krishna in

different ways when He entered it with His elder brother. The wrestlers saw
Krishna as a lightning bolt, the ordinary men as the best of men, the women as
Cupid incarnate, the cowherd men as their relative, the impious rulers as a
chastiser, His parents as their child, the King of Bhoja as death, the unlearned as
the universal form, the yogis as the Absolute Truth, and the Vrishnis as their
supreme worshipable Deity. (SB 10.43.17)

In the Bhagavad-gita (14.27) as well, the Lord Himself asserts His identity
above Brahman: brahmano hi pratisthaham, I am the basis of Brahman. Therefore,
the Absolute Truth is none other than the all-blissful transcendental Vrajraja
Nandana, Shri Krishna the son of the King of Vraja. He is equipped with
transcendental (shuddha sattva) eternal names, forms, qualities, and pastimes.
This blissful Lord does not descend to human perceptions of the ear, eye, mind
and intellect by any material cause, but rather simply by His own independent
will. Just as by His own will, He appeared in the material world as
Krishna, in the Yadu dynasty, and Rama, in the Raghu dynasty.

The Lord is not dependent on any material cause for His appearance.
Similarly, His non-different energy, devotional service (bhakti), in keeping with its
self-manifesting nature, is not dependent on any material cause. Thus it is said:

sa vai pumsam paro dharmo

yato bhaktir adhoksaj e
ahaituky apratihata
y ay atma suprasidati

"The supreme occupation (dharma) for all humanity is that by which men
can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendental Lord. Such service
must be unmotivated and uninterrupted to completely satisfy the self." (SB .2.6)

The word ahaituki, causeless, in this statement, indicates that devotional

service appears without any material cause (hetu). In such statements as
yadrcchaya mat-kathadau, "if somehow or other a person becomes attached to
hearing about Me" (SB 11.20.8), mad bhaktim cayadrcchaya, "somehow he attains
My devotional service" (SB 11.20.11), and yadrccha yaivopacit-a, the word
yadrichaya must mean by its own independent sweet will. The meaning of
yadriccha in the dictionary is also "complete independence." Some people take the
word to mean "by good fortune." That meaning is not suitable here, for then one
must inquire about the origin of the good fortune. Is the cause material pious
activities (shubha karma) or not7 If one assumes good fortune is generated from
pious activities, this would mean bhakti is ultimately generated from material
karma. Bhakti would become dependent on material karma B.ut this is a
contradiction to its independent, self manifesting nature. Again, if one considers
this good fortune is not due to pious activities, it becomes both indescribable by
words and inconceivable. Consequently, an inconceivable entity is insubstantial
and cannot describe the cause of bhakti.

If one proposes that the cause of bhakti is the Lord's mercy, then one must
find a reason for that mercy. Thus, this statement, giving rise to further need for
explanation, is inconclusive in itself. One may further qualify this statement by
saying the cause of bhakti is the Lord s unqualified (nirupadhi) orcauseless mercy.
If this mercy is causeless, then one should observe that the Lord bestows it equally
everywhere. Since it is not observed to fall on everyone, then this would imply the
fault of partiality (vaishamya) on the part of the Lord. Thus, the causeless mercy of
the Lord also cannot be accepted as the cause of bhakti.

Someone may question that the Lord punishes the demonic and protects
His devotees — is this not partiality7 But this type of partiality the Lord shows
towards His devotees does not imply a fault (dushanam) in the Lord, rather, it is
an ornament (bhushanam) which enhances His nature. This affectionate obligation
of the Lord to His devotees is called bhakta vatsaly-a It is th.e all-powerful king
which subjugates of all the Lord's qualities and reconciles all contradictory factors
and will be fully discussed in the eighth chapter.

In proposing the unqualified, causeless mercy of the devotee as the cause of

devotion in another person, one may object that the devotee's mercy, like the
Lord's, can be partial. Considering the case of the madhyama bhakta, one finds he
does exhibit partiality or discretion in his distribution of mercy. For it is said in
the Bhagavatam, prema maitri -krpope-sayah karoti sa madhyamah, he exhibits
prema towards the Lord, friendship to the devotees, mercy to the innocent and
disregard for those hostile to bhakti (SB 11.3.46). In other words, this partiality is
accepted as the natural characteristic of the madhyama bhakta. Since the Lord is
subservient to His devotee, He lets His mercy follow after the mercy of His devotee
and there is no irregularity in this. Now, the cause of that mercy manifesting itself
in the devotee is bhakti itself residing within his heart. Without the devotee having
bhakti, there is no possibility of the devotee manifesting mercy to others. Bhakti
causes the devotee's mercy which causes bhakti in another person. Bhakti causes
bhakti. The self-manifesting, causeless, independent nature of bhakti is thus
concluded.

There is a statement, yah kenapy atibhagyenaj ata sraddho ' sya sevane: a
person attains faith in the service of the Lord by extreme good fortune. The words
atibhagyena, extreme good fortune, should be ultimately understood to mean the
attainment of the mercy of the devotee (bhakta karunya), which surpasses
(atikrama) the fortune that results from material pious activities (shubha karma)
Here, one should not consider that the devotee is dependent on the will of Lord
and therefore cannot initiate the bestowal of mercy. For the Lord accepts
subservience to His devotee (sva b— haktavashyata) and gives preeminence to the
devotee's position by giving him the power to bestow the Lord's own mercy (sva
kripa sh-akti). The Lord as paramatma oversees those matters relating to the jiva's
external senses, the reward from his past activities, however, He shows special
mercy to His devotees (sva pr-asada) In .the Bhagavad gi-ta, mat pr-asadat param
santim... mat-samstham adhigacchati... (BG 18.62 and 6.15). Shri Chakravartipada
cites these slokas almost as if they were one. The actual wording of the first is tat-
prasadat, but here since tat refers to the Lord, mat can also be used. Krishna
Himself speaks of His prasada or mercy as the means to attain transcendental peace
and His supreme eternal realm. This prasada takes the form of the Lord's bestowal
of His own kripa shakti, or power of mercy, to His devotee. In other words, one
can receive the Lord's mecy through the mercy of the devotee who bestows it, as
was previously explained.

There are hundreds of scriptural statements, such as, svecchavatara

caritaih..., sveccha mayasya..., by which it is understood that the Lord appears by
His own will. Still, by external vision one may say relieving the burden of evil on
the earth planet is the cause of the Lord's advent. In the same way, sometimes it is
said prescribed activities (karma) performed without personal motives (nishkama)
act as the door to bhakti. There is no harm in such statements. But it is said in the
Eleventh Canto of Shrimad Bhagavatam:

yam na yogena sankhyena

dana vrata -tapo 'd-hvar-aih
vyakhya svadh-yaya sanny-asaih
prapnuyadyatnavan api

Even though one engages with great endeavor in the mystic yoga system,
philosophical speculation, charity, vows, penances, etc., still one cannot achieve
Me. (SB 11.12.9)

Despite charity, austerities, etc. being clearly denied as actual causes of

bhakti, in another place Srimad Bhagavatam says:

dana vrata tap-o hom-a -

Japa svadhy a-y a samy am-alh

sreyobhir vividhais canyaih
krsne bhaktir hi sadhyate

Devotion to Krishna is accomplished by such methods as charity,

austerities, homa, japa, study, sense control, and other pious activities. (SB
10.47.24)
However, this statement refers to bhakti in the mode of material goodness
(sattviki bhakti) which acts as a limb of the system ofjnana, rather than the
transcendental, fully spiritual bhakti in the category of prema (nirguna prema
bhakti). Of course, some people say charity refers to giving to Vishnu and the
Vaishnavas, vrata or austerity refers to such vratas as ekadasi, tapas refers to
renunciation of personal enjoyment for attainment of the Lord. Thus they are all
angas or limbs of sadhana bhakti. To say bhakti is attained by these
angas is not incorrect, for this simply means sadhya (perfected) bhakti is caused by
sadhanabhakti, bhakty sanjataya bhaktya (SB 11.3.31). Thus, the causeless nature
of bhakti is again concluded. In this way, all contradictory points are settled.

sreyah sr-tim bhaktim udasya te vibho

My Dear Lord, devotional service unto you is the unrivalled path for self-
realization. (SB 10.14.4)

ko 'vartha apto 'bhajatam svadharmatah

The nondevotee, although fully engaged in dharma, does not gain

anything. (SB 1.5.17)
pureha bhuman bahavo 'pi yoginas

In the past many yogis achieved the platform of devotional service by

offering their endeavors to You in devotion. (SB 10.14.5)

By these verses it is seen that the accomplishment of results on the paths of

j nana, karmaand yoga are completely dependent on bhakti. Whereas, for the
accomplishment ofits result, prema, the practice of bhakti is never dependent even
in the slightest way on karma, jnana or yoga. Rather, the Lord declares:

naj nanam na ca vairagyam

prayah sreyo bhavediha

Jnana and vairagya are not beneficial in the practice of bhakti. (SB 11.20.31)

dharman santyajya yah sarvan mam

bhajeta sa tu sattamah

He who gives up all paths and simply worships Me is the best amongst
men. (SB 11.11.32)

The dependency ofkarma, j nanaand yoga on bhakti must be accepted as a

fact. bhakti is essential in giving the results to the practice of karma, j nana and
yoga, but bhakti itself is not at all even the least contingent on these practices for
its results. It is said:

yat karmabhiryat tapasajnana

vairagyatas ca yat
sarvam mad bhakti yo-gena -
 mad bhakto labhate 'njasa ...

What is accomplished by karma, tapas, j nana and vairagya is easily attained

by My devotee through devotional service alone. (SB 11.20.32-33)

It is also said:
bhagavad bhakti hinasyaj atih
sastram j apas tapah
apranasy eva dehasy a
manhanam lokaranj anam

Without devotion to the Lord, good birth, knowledge of scripture, japa,

tapas are like delighting in the decoration of a dead body. (Hari Bhakti Sudhodaya
3.12)

Thus, without bhakti, all these endeavors become fruitless. As the body
depends on the presence of the soul, the very life ofjnana, karma and yoga
depends upon supremely exalted Bhakti-devi. Moreover, the dependence of karma,
jnana and yoga on conditions of purity in place, time, candidate, materials and
performance is famous in the smriti scriptures. This is not true of bhakti:

na desa niya-mas tatra

na kala niya-mas tatha
nocchistadau nisedhas ca
sri harer namni lubdhakah

In chanting the name of the Lord, there is no restrictions concerning place,

time, purity, and so on. (Vishnu Dharma)

In fact, it is famous for being completely independent.

sakrd api parigitam

sraddhaya helaya va
bhrguvara nara matram
tarayet krsna nama

0 Bhriguvara, the name of Krishna chanted even once, either with faith or
without faith, can deliver any man. (Padma Purana, Prabhas Khand)

Bhakti is not even dependent on purity of practice, for whether the name is
chanted purely or impurely, it will deliver the fallen soul. The same cannot be said
of karmayoga, where even the slightest impurity is a great obstacle to progress.

mantro hinah svarato varnato va

mithya prayukto na tam artham aha
yathendra satruh svarato 'paradhat
sa vaga vaj ro yaj amanam hinasti
 If a mantra is either intoned or pronounced incorrectly, not only will the
mantra not have effect, but it may be harmful. As when Tvasta wanted to create the
enemy of Indra and by a slight mispronunciation of the words indra shatru in the
yajna those words worked as a thunderbolt for Vritrasura who was killed by Indra.
(Paniniy a S hi ksha52)

The necessity of internal purity for the practice ofjnanayoga is well

known. Also, it may be seen that jnana yoga is dependent on karma yoga. For one
enters j nana yoga by attaining purity of heart, and purity of heart arises from
performance of karma without personal desire. Because of this dependency, if by
accident one who practices j nana yoga commits even a small unworthy act
(durachar), he is condemned by shastra as a vantasi, an eater of vomit, sa vai
vantasyapatrapah See.n in this light, Kamsa, Hiranyakasipu and Ravana, though
they were jnanis, have not even a speck of fame on this account because of their
conduct. On the other hand, on the path of bhakti, though one may be afflicted by
lust one has the qualification (adhikara) to begin the practice. Just by the practice
of bhakti, lust and other impurities are destroyed

vikrihitam vraja vad-hubhir idam ca visnoh

sraddhanvito 'nusrnuyad atha varnayed yah
bhaktim param bhagavati pratilabhya kamam
hrd roga-m asv apahinoty acirena dhirah

Anyone who faithfully hears or chants about the Lord's playful affairs with
the young gopis of Vrindavana having attained the Lord s pure devotional service,
he will quickly become sober and conquer lust, the disease of the heart. (SB
10.33.3cj)

By the tense of the verb pratilabhya (having attained) in this verse it is very
clear bhakti first manifests in the stage where there are still lusty desires in the
heart and then, after her manifestation, lusty desires are wiped out. This is due to
the fact that bhakti is supremely independent (parama svatantra). Furthermore,
though such impurities as kama may sometimes appear in the devotee, the
scriptures never condemn that devotee at all:

api cet su duraca-ro

bhajate mam

Even if a person engaged in devotional service commits the most

abominable act (sudurachara), he is still considered saintly. (BG c1.30)

badhyamano 'pi mad bhakto

visayair ajitendriyah prayah
pragalbhaya bhaktya
visayair nabhibhuyate
My dear Uddhava, not having fully conquered his senses My devotee may
be harrassed by material desires, but because of unflinching devotion for Me, he
will not be defeated by sense gratification. (SB 11.14.18)
 The servants of Vishnu judged Ajamila as a devotee. Though the chanting
of persons like Ajamila, who uttered the name of the Lord inadvertently out of
affection for his son, must be considered nama a-bhasa(not pure), still they are
universally praised as devotees.

Internal purity and purity of place, materials, etc. Are necessary for the
accomplishments of the karmis, jnanis andyogis, and their deficiency obstructs
progress on those paths. Bhakti, however, is the very giver of life to these paths.
Thus it is seen that in all respects, the paths of karma, jnana and yoga are
dependent on bhakti. Bhakti, however, is independent. It neither requires any
other means for its execution nor is it obstructed by any lack or fault.

Only an ignorant person will say bhakti is but a means of attaining j nana.
For shastra emphatically declares the supreme excellence of bhakti over even the
final goal of
j nana, moksha.

muktim dadati karhicit sma na bhakti-yogam

The Lord easily gives liberation but not bhakti. (SB 5.6.18)

muktanam api siddhanam

narayana paray-anah
sudurlabhah prasantatma
kotisv api maha mune-

Even among many millions of liberatedjnanis and perfected yogis, a

devotee of Lord Narayana is extemely rare. (SB 6.14.5)

Ifjnana sometimes appears to take a superior position to bhakti, it is only

because bhakti is mercifully playing the role of its assistant. Upendra, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead Himself, became subservient to Indra to give him support.
Exalted, realized souls have confirmed that this revealed not His inferior position
but, rather, His unsurpassed mercy. In this manner, bhakti, though transcendental
and supremely independent, being very merciful, accepts the mode of goodness
(sattviki-bhakti) and becomes a limb ofjnana just to give support to jnana. This is
the understanding of wise men.

Bhaktya sanj ataya bhaktya (SB 11.3.31), the fruit of sadhana bhakti is prema
bhakti, which itself is the topmost attainment for mankind (purushartha
shiromani). Thus the all-pervading, all-attractive, life-giving, super ex-cellent,
supremely independent, and self-manifesting nature [sarva- vypapakatvam, sarva
vashikaratvam, sarva sanjivak-atvam, sarvotkarsha, parama svatantra-, sva
prakashatvam] of the exalted energy, Bhakti-devi, which arises from the Lord
Himself, has been slightly described. If one still prefers a process other than bhakti,
that person should be considered bereft of all sense of judgement. What else can
be said7 If one is a human being, but does not take to the process of bhakti, then
he should not be considered a human being at all:
 ko vai na seveta vina naretaram

Only a non-human would refuse to serve the Lord.

Thus ends the First Shower of Nectar of Madhurya

Kadambini by Mahamahopadhyaya Shrimad Vishvanath Chakravarti
describing the superexcellence of Bhakti-devi.

CHAPTER 2
Second Shower of Nectar

In this work one will not find a full dissertation on dualism and monism
but, for those who expect it, they may find it in another work called Aishvarya
Kadambini.

Pure bhakti, unmixed with karma and j nana, is like a wish-fulfilling creeper
appearing in the field of the senses. This bhakti is the refuge of those devotees who
firmly vow (dhrita vrata) never to seek any fruits except bhakti, like bees (madhu
vrata) who are obsessed with the desire to taste only nectar. The very life of this
creeper is a favorable attitude for service for the pleasure of the Lord. Like a
touchstone, the very presence of bhakti makes the heart and senses gradually lose
their iron-like material qualities and acquire pure golden spiritual qualities. As a
sprouting creeper grows upwards and unfurls two leaves, in the process of sadhana
bhakti, two qualities make their appearance. The first is called kleshaghni (relief
from material distress) and the second is called shubhada (beginning of all
auspiciousness).

The smooth upper EShripad Chakravarti uses the words inside and outside.
Newly sprouted leaves pointing upwards, their upper surfaces are facing each
other and thus, inside, etc.] surface of the two leaves, is the jurisdiction of the king
called raga (raga-bhakti). It is in a superior position due to spontaneous greed for
everything pertaining to the Lord, and by genuine affection for the Lord in a
particular relationship, yevam aham priya atma sutas ca..., I am their own dear
son... (SB 3.25.38). The lower surface of the leaves is the domain of another king
called vaidha (vaidhi-bhakti), being in a comparatively lower position. This is
because its character has a tinge of roughness being generated from obedience to
scriptural rules, and spontaneous deep affection for the Lord is lacking due to
absence of an intimate relationship with Him, tasmad bharata sarvatma, 0
Parikshit, thus as the Supersoul, I should be worshipped (SB 2.1.5). However, both
raga and vaidhi-bhakti equally manifest the symptoms of kleshaghni (relief from
material distress) and shubhada (beginning of all auspiciousness).
 As both raga bhakti and vaidhi b-hakti destroy klesha, its five types will now
be described. The literal meaning is suffering or affliction, but here, the meaning
may be taken as the causes of suffering. These kleshas are the cause of sinful and
pious activities which result in material misfortune or good fortune. vidya:
ignorance; to mistake that which is impermanent to be permanent; that which is
full of misery to be blissful; that which is impure to be pure; and what is not the
self to be the self.

Asmita: false ego; the bodily identification of I and mine; and to accept only direct
sense perception as real.

Raga: attachment; the desire for material happiness and those means which will
give it.

Dvesa: hatred; the repulsion to unhappiness or the causes of unhappiness.

Abhinivesa: absorption in the body as the basis for sense gratification and fear of
death.

The stages in the development of sinprarabdha (fructified), aprarabdh a

(unfructified), rudha (pre-seed) and bija (seed)are also included in klesha.

As both types of bhakti eradicate klesha similarly, they bestow shubha or

auspiciousness. Shubha or auspiciousness consists of such qualities as disinterest
in material affairs, interest in the Supreme Lord, favorable attitude towards the
service of the Lord, mercy, forgiveness, truthfulness, simplicity, equanimity,
fortitude, gravity, respectfulness, humility, and being pleasing to all [durvishaya
vaitrishna, bhagavad vishay-a satrish-na, anuku2ya, kripa, kshama, satya, sara2ya,
samya, dhairya, gambhirya, mandatva, amanitva, sarva subhag-atva].

That bhakti bestows these qualities is proven by such verses as the

following:

yasyasti bhaktir bhagavaty akincana

sarvair gunais tatra samasate surah
harav abhaktasya kuto mahad guna -

manorathenasati dhavato bahih

All the demigods and all their exalted qualities manifest in the person of
one who has developed unalloyed devotion for the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. However for one who is not a devotee and thus driven by the temporary
material desires of his mind, how can there be any good qualities in him7 (SB
5.18.12)

bhaktih paresanubhavo viraktir

 anyatra caiva trika eka kalah

Devotion, taste for the Lord, and detachment from all else appear
simultaneously. (SB 1>.2,.42,)

By this, one should understand that the two symptoms (i e .,destruction o f

suffering and appearance o f a22 good qua2ities) occur simu2taneous2y. However,
as there is some difference in the rate of unfur2ing of two 2eaves, there is a
distinction in the pace of the disappearance o f the undesirab2e qua2ities
(ashubha) and the appearance o f the auspicious qua2ities (shubha) T.he
progress of bhakti wi22be distinguished in this way. Though this is very subt2e
and dif ficu2t to note, the inte22igent men have ascertained this through scrutiny
of the various effects

First, the prospective devotee develops shraddha or faith Shr.addha means to

havefirm trust in the import o f the scriptures dea2ing with bhakti. It a2so means
to have a genuine desire to enthusiastica22y undertake the activities (sadhana)
described in those scriptures The.se two types of faith may be either natural
(svabhaviki) or being convinced by the preaching of another (balutpadita)

However it deve2ops,faith 2eads him to take she2ter fothe 2otusfeet of theguru,

and enquirefrom him about proper conduct (sadachara) By fo.llowing his
instructions, that person obtains the good fortune of relations with affectionate
2ike minde-d devotees and the association o f rea2iped devotees (sadhu sanga-)

Next comes bhajana kriya, he begins to practice di fferent types of devotional

activities This a.lso is of two varieties: unsteady (anishthita) and steady
(nishthita). Unsteady performance of devotional activities is o f six types (in
sequentia2 order):fa2se confidence (utsaha mayi), sporadic endeavor (ghana
tara2a), indecision (vyudha vika2pa), strugg2e with the senses (vishaya
sangara), inabi2ity to upho2d vows (niyamakshama), and enjoying thefaci2ities
offered by bhakti (taranga rangini)

Utsaha mayi: A brahmana child, havingjust begun study of the scriptures,

thinks he has immediate2y become a 2earned scho2ar worthy o f everyone's
praise Simi2ar.2y, a person just beginning devotiona2 service may deve2op the
audacity to think that he has mastered everything He is ca.lled utsaha mayi, or
fi22ed (puffed up) with -enthusiasm.

Ghana tara2a: T-he same chi2d sometimes becomes di2igent2y engaged in his
studies and yet, at other times, because of inabi2ity to understand the scriptures
and 2ack of rea2 taste, becomes neg2igent. In the same way, a new devotee wi22
sometimes practice the di fferent activities of devotional service and sometimes
neg2ect them. Being sometimes assiduous and at other times neg2igent, his
endeavor is ca22ed ghana tara2a (co-ndensed di2ute, th-ick thin). -
 Vyudha vika2pa: "Sha22 Ijust spend my 2ife happi2y in fami2y 2ife, making my
wife and children Krishna conscious and worshipping the Lord? Or should I
up and go to Vrindavana and perfect myse2
give them a22 f by engaging fu22 time
in hearing and chanting with no distractions? Sha22 I wait unti2 the 2ast stage,
after enjoying all sorts of pleasures, when I havefinally understood that the
who2e materia2 wor2d is simp2y aforest fire of affliction? Or shou2d I renounce
right now? Consider these
verses:

tam akvetamano mrtyum

trnaih kupam ivavrtam

Association with woman is the way to death, like a blind well covered by
grass. (SB 3.31.4Q)

yo dustyj an dara suta-n

suhrd rajyam hrdi sprs-ah
j ahau yuvaiva malavad
uttamas2oka 2a2asa-h

Those attachments that are very difficult to give up, beautiful wife,
obedient sons, devoted friends, and vast empire, everything the heart desires,
Maharaja Bharata them up even in his youth just as stool due to his attraction for
the Lord. (SB 5.14.43)

Should I thus give up unreliable family life while still young? On the other
hand, it is not proper to renounce immediately. Shouldn t I wait until the death of
my old parents before renouncing?

aho me pitarau vrddhau

bharya balatmaj atmaj ah
anatha mam rte danah
kathamjavanti duhkhitah

A2as! My parents are o2d and my wife is with a mere infant in her arms and
other young chi2dren Withou.t me they wi22 have no protection and wi22 suffer
unbearab2y How w.i22 they 2ive without me? (SB11.17.57)

Moreover, the scripture says:

evam grhasayakvipta hrdayo-

muhha dhar aya-ma trptas
tan anudhyayan mrto
'ndham visate tamah

If one gives upfami2y 2ife in an un surfeited -state, he wi22 think of fami2y 2ife
even after renouncing If such a.foo2 shou2d die in that condition, he wi22 go the
 darkest region of he22 .(SB11.17.58)

By such statements, the Lord depreciates such renunciation. Therefore, for

the time being, I will just work to keep my body alive. Later, after satisfying all my
desires, I will enter Vrindavana and engage in worship of the Lord twenty-four
hours a day. After all, the scriptures points out:

naj nanam na ca vairagyam

prayah sreyo bhavediha

Jnana and vairagya are not genera22y bene

ficia2 for practicing devotiona2
service (S.B 11.20.31)

According to this text, renunciation is a fau2t for the cu2ture of bhakti. If it

arisesfrom bhakti itself, however, that renunciation is not a fault but an effect
(anubhava) of bhakti and subordinate to it Of c.ourse, then there is thefamous
20glc:

yad yad asramam agat

sa bhiksukas tat tad
anna paripurnam aiksat

In whatever ashram the sannyasi stayed, they always gave him more than enough
to eat.

In the life of renunciation there is no worry for maintenance, so maybe I

should renounce. But on the other hand:

tavad ragadayah stenas

tavat kara grham -grham
tavan mono 'nghri nigaho-
yavat krvna na tejamah

My dear Lord Krishna, until people become Your devotee, their material
attachments remain thieves, their homes prisons, and their affectionate feeling for
their family foot shackles. (SB 10.14.36)

Household life is a prison only for those who are attached, for a devotee,
there is no harm in household life. Thus shall I remain at home and engage in
chanting or rather in hearing, or shall I engage in service. Rather, as Ambarisha
Maharaja remained in household life and performed all the angas of bhakti, I shall
do likewise."

In this way, the mind spends time vacillating between household life and
renunciation. When one imagines in this way all types of options, it is called
vyudha vikalpa, or extensive speculation.

Vishaya sangara:
 vivay aviv ta ci t tanam
vivnvavesah suduratah
varuna dig gatam vastu
vraj annaindram kim apnuyat

One whose heart is absorbed in materialism is far from obtaining devotion

to Vishnu. Can a man by going east obtain something which is in the west7

Understanding that material enjoyment is forcibly carrying him away and

impairing his steadiness in serving Krishna, the devotee resolves to renounce his
addictions and take shelter of the Holy Name. But many times, his attempts at
renunciation often end in enjoying what he is trying to renounce. Such a person is
exemplified in the Bhagavatam:

parityago 'py anasvarah ju. .v.amanas ca tan kaman...

Knowing that sense gratification leads to misery, though he tries to give up

his material desires, still he is unable. (SB 11.20.27-28)

This on goin-gbatt2e with his previous2y acquired desiresfor sense p2easure, in

which he sometimes meets with victory and sometimes with defeat is called
vishaya sangara or strugg2e with sense p2easure

Niyamakshama: Then the devotee will resolve, "From today I will chant
such and such number of rounds of japa and will pay so many obeisances. I will
also perform services for the devotees. I will not talk on any subject except the
Lord and I will give up all association with people who talk on material matters."
Though he makes such resolutions every day, he is not always able to execute
them. This is called niyamakshama or inability to follow rules. Vishaya sangara is
the inability to give up material enj oyment, whereas, niyamakshama is the inability
to improve his devotional service.

Taranga rangini: Finally, it is well-known that the very nature of bhakti is to

be attractive, so all types of people become attracted to the devotee, the abode of
bhakti. And, as the old adage goes, "By the attraction of the populace one becomes
wealthy." Bhakti produces much opportunity for material gain, worship and
position (2abha, puja, pratishtha). These are weeds around the creeper of bhakti.
Performing activities, or seeking one s pleasure (ranga) amidst these weed-like
facilities, which are but small waves (taranga) in the ocean of bhakti, is called
taranga rangini, delighting in material facilities.

Thus ends the Second Shower of Nectar of Madhurya Kadambini by

Mahamahopadhyaya Shrimat Vishvanath Chakravarti describing the development
of bhakti as shraddha, sadhu sanga, an-d bhajana kriya, as well as, the divisions of
bhaj ana kriya
 CHAPTER 3
Third Shower of Nectar

After bhaj ana kriya, comes anartha nivritti, or clearing of bad qualities
which obstruct the progress of bhakti. Anarthas may be classified into four types,
according to origin: those arising from previous sinful activity, those arising from
previous pious activity, those arising from offenses and those arising from bhakti.

Anarthas arising from previous sinful activities fall in the category of the
five types of klesha previously men-tioned: ignorance, false ego, attachment, hatred
and fear of death. Anarthas arising from pious activities are the addictions to the
enjoyments which arise from pious action. Some sages include the anarthas arising
from pious activities under the categories of the kleshasmentioned above.

Anarthas which arise from offenses refers to those arising from the nama
aparadhas, not seva aparadhas (such as entering the temple in a palanquin or with
shoes). The acharyas have discerned that seva aparadhas do not usually have effect
being nullified by chanting the Name, by recitation of stotras which have the
power to cancel the effect of any seva aparadha and by constant service. Constant
engagement in these activities practically nips in the bud the slightest effect of seva
aparadha.However, one should not become careless and take advantage ofbeing
protected from all effect of seva aparadha by the above measures. Then his seva
aparadha becomes nama aparadha, an anartha which will obstruct his progress. He
is guilty of the nama aparadha of committing sin on the strength of the Holy
Name, namno balad yasya hi papabuddhi. The wordnama in the phrasenama
aparadha is being used to represent all the angas of bhakti that destroy sin and
aparadha, of which the Holy Name is the primary anga. Even according to dharma
shastra (scriptures dealing with codes of karma), one should not commit sin
knowing that he can be exempted from the effect by prayashchitta (remedial
measures for commission of sin). Then the effect of the sin will not be destroyed
but rather increased.

On the other hand, let us consider the force of these types of scriptural
statements:

na hy angopakrame dhvamso
mad dharma-syod dhavanv
api maya vyavasitah samyan
nirgunatvad anasisah

0 Uddhava, because I have personally established it, the path of devotional

service is transcendental and free from any material motivation. Certainly a
devotee never suffers even the slightest loss by adopting this path. (SB 11.19.20)

dasarno 'yam j apa matrena si-ddhidah

 Simply by only reciting this ten-syllable mantra it will give perfection.

By neglecting or not completing some of the angas of bhakti does it not

produce nama aparadha7 Never! Committing sin on the strength of the Holy Name
refers to the intentional commission of sin thinking that the power of devotional
activities will nullify the bad effects. Sin refers to those actions condemned by the
scriptures requiring remedial measures. Unlike the path of karma, where failure to
perform the rite perfectly is condemned, on the path of bhakti, the shastra never
condemns failure to perform all the angas. On this point there is no fear of an
offense which will deprive one of results.

ye vai bhagavata
prokta upaya hy atma lab-dhaye
anjah pumsam avidusam viddhi bhagavatam hi tan
yan asthaya naro rajan na pramadyetakarhicit
dhavan nima2ya va netre na skha2en na pated iha

Even ignorant persons can very easily come to know the Supreme Lord if
they adopt those means spoken by the Supreme Lord Himself, the process known
as bhagavata dhar-ma or devotional service tothe Supreme Personality of Godhead.
0 King, in the performance of devotional service he will never be hindered on this
path. Even if he intentionally closes his eyes and runs, still he will never stumble
or fall. (SB 11.2.34-35)

Here the word nimilya (closing the eyes) means the person has eyes (he is
not blind) but has closed them. The word dhavan (running) means proceeding
rapidly placing the feet in an overstepping, unconventional manner. These are the
direct meanings. This verse refers to a person who takes shelter of devotional
service and is practicing the primary angas.The meaning is that such a person
suffers no loss of results nor is he deprived of the goal, even if knowing all the
angas of bhakti, he neglects to perform some of the secondary angas as if ignorant.

Closing the eyes does not mean ignorance of scripture (shruti and smriti,
considered as one's two eyes) for that contradicts the direct meaning. One should
carefully consider the meaning of closing the eyes and running (intentionally
neglecting some of the angas of bhakti, and eagerly pursuing the goal). This and
any actions resulting from that mode of progress, does not allow the devotee to
commit the thirty-two seva aparadhas.The verse describes a person who has
sincerely taken shelter of the process of bhakti as outlined by the Lord Himself. (In
that case there is no question of intentional seva aparadha). The thirty-two seva
aparadhas, beginning with entering the temple on a palanquin or while wearing
shoes, etc., should never be intentionally committed. For in the scriptures, a
person who intentionally commits a seva aparadha is condemned as a two-legged
animal: harer apy aparadhan bah kuryad dvipada pamsana-h

If the nama aparadhas either long-standing or recent, have been committed

unconsciously (their presence inferred by the effect, lack of advancement), one
should chant the Name constantly. By that chanting, one can attain steadiness in
bhakti and gradually neutralize the offenses. If committed in full knowl e dge,
however, there are some other procedures for their removal.

Sadhu ninda, or criticism of Vaishnavas,is the first of the ten offenses

against the Holy Name. The word ninda means animosity or malice. If by chance
this offense occurs, the person should repent, "Oh, I am such a low class person, I
have committed an offense to a saintly person!" A person who has been burned by
fire seeks relief in fire. According to this logic, he should nullify the offense by
lamenting, resolving to come before the Vaishnava, falling at his feet, and satisfying
him by offering his obeisances, praises and respects. If the Vaishnava is not
satisfied, the person should render favorable services to him according to his
desires for many days. Sometimes the offense is so grievous that the Vaishnavas
anger does not die.

In extreme remorse, thinking himself most unfortunate and bound for

millions of years in hell for his offense, he should give up everything and take full
shelter of continuous nama sankirtana By .the divine power of nama kirtana,
certainly, in time that person will be delivered from his offense.

However, he should not justify himself by arguing that shastra says,

namaparadhayuktanam namanyeva harantyagham: The Holy Name alone is
sufficient to deliver an offender. So what is the need of humbling himself by
offering repeated respects and service to the Vaishnava that he has offended7 This
type of mentality makes him guilty of further offense. Nor should one be of the
mentality to think that the offense of sadhu ninda discriminates between types of
Vaishnavas. It does not refer only to one who is fully and perfectly qualified with
all the qualities mentioned in scripture, such as mercifulness, never harming
others, and forgiving to all living entities: krpalur akrta droha-s titiksuh sarva
dehinam (SB 11.11.2cj). A person cannot minimize his offense by pointing out
some defect in the devotee. In answer the scriptures say: sarvacara vivarjitah
sathadhiyo bratyajagadvancakah,even a person who is of verybad character a
cheater, devoid of proper behavior, malicious, devoid of samskaras, and full of
worldly desires, if he surrenders to the Lord, must be considered a sadhu. What to
speak of a pure Vaishnava

Sometimes a serious offense has been committed against a Vaishnava, but

the Vaishnava does not become angry because of his exalted nature. Still the
offender should fall at that devotee's feet and seek ways of pleasing him to purify
himself. Though the Vaishnava may forgive offenses, the dust of his feet does not
tolerate the offenses and delivers the fruits of the offense on the guilty person. For
it is said:

sersy am mahapurusa pada pam-subhi -r

nirasta tej ahsu ta-d eva sobhanam

Those who envy exalted saints are certainly diminished by the dust of their
lotus feet. (SB 4.4.13)

Conventional rules cannot be applied, however, to the powerful,

spontaneous, most elevated mah a-bhagavataswho may sometimes bestow
fathomless mercy even to the most undeserv ing or offensive. For instance, though
Jada Bharata wasmade to carry Rahugana's palanquin and the King let loose a
torrent of harsh words on him, Jada Bharata bestowed his mercy. In a similar way,
Chediraja, the Vasu who flew in the sky, showed mercy to the atheist heretic
daityas who had come to do him violence. [In Mahabharata there is a story of how
Chediraja, on taking the side of the demigods who were arguing with some
brahmarishis, was cursed by them to fall from his flying chariot to Patala-loka
where he continued to perform his bhajana. The story mentioned here is not
found in Mahabharata and it is not known where it is from.] In the same way, Shri
Nityananda showed mercy to Madhai, even though the most sinful Madhai had
injured His forehead causing blood to flow.
The offense of guror avajna, or disrespect to guru, the third aparadha, may
be considered in the same way as the first aparadha.

Now we'll consider the second aparadha of misunderstanding the position

of Vishnu, Shiva and demigods. Conscious beings (chaitanya) are of two types:
independent and dependent. The independent being is the all-pervading Lord
(ishvara), and the dependent beings are the particles of consciousness (jivas),
energies of the Lord, who only pervade individual bodies. Ishvara chaitanya is of
two types: one is not touched at all by maya, and the other, for the Lord's
pastimes, accepts the touch of maya. The first type of ishvara is called by such
names as Narayana, Hari, etc.:

harir hi nirgunah saksat purusah prakrteh parah

It is Hari who is directly the non-material Lord transcendental to material

nature. (SB 10.88.5)

The second type of ishvara is called by such names as Shiva.

sivah sakti yutah s-asvat

tri lingo gu-na samvrta-h

Shiva voluntarily accepts the three gunas and appears to be covered by

them. (SB 10.88.3)

Though Shiva appears to be covered by the gunas, one should not think
that he is in the category of jiva for Brahma samhita s-ays:

ksaram yatha dadhi vikara visesa y-ogat -

sanjayate na hi tatah prthag asti hetoh

yah sambhutam api tatha samupaiti karyad
govindam adi purusam -tam aham bhajami
 Shiva is a transformation of the Lord, just as yogurt is a transformation of
milk. (Brahma s-amhita5.45)

In the Puranas and other scriptures as well, Shiva is glorified as Ishvara. In

the Bhagavatam it is said:

sattvam rajas tama iti prakrter gunas tair

yuktah parah purusa eka ihasya dhatte
stity ad-aye hari vir-inci ha-reti samj nah
sreyamsi tatra khalu sattva tan-or nrnam syuh

The transcendental Personality of Godhead is indirectly associated with the

three modes of material nature, namely goodness, passion, and ignorance, and just
for the material world's creation, maintenance and destruction He accepts the
three qualitative forms of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Of these three, all human
beings can derive ultimate benefit from Vishnu. (SB 1.2.23)

In this sloka it is also generally understood that Brahma may also be

considered as ishvara But .Brahma s position as ishvara or lord should be
understood as power invested in a jiva by the Supreme Lord (ishvara aves-ha)

bhasvan yathasma sakale-su nij esu tej ah

svayam kiyat prakatayaty api tadvad atra
brahma ya esa j agad anda -vidha-na karta-
govindam adi purus-am tam aham bhajami

By the bestowal of power by the Supreme Lord, Brahma is able to create the
universe, just as the sun manifests a portion of its own light in effulgent gems like
suryakanta, etc. (Brahma-samhita 5.4cI)

parthivad daruno dhumas

tasmad agnis trayamayah
tamasas tu rajas tasmat
sattvam yad brahma darsan-am

Wood is a transformation of earth, but smoke is better than wood. Fire is

still better, for by it we can perform yajna Similar.ly, passion(rajas) is better than
ignorance (tamas), but goodness (sattva) is best because by it one can come to
realize the Truth. (SB 1.2.24)

Though the mode of passion is superior to ignorance, still as in smoke one

cannot perceive fire, in in smoke-like raja-guna, the fire-like effulgent Lord cannot
be realized. In the fire-like mode of goodness one can perceive the pure effulgence
of the Lord almost like di r ect realization. As fire, though present within wood,
cannot be perceived, so in the mode of ignorance, the Lord though present, is not
directly manifest. Just like even in deep dreamless sleep (susupti), the characteristic
of tama guna, one experiences a happiness almost similar to the happiness of
realization of the Lord in His impersonal aspect (nirbhedajnana sukha).
Considering the tattvas in this way, we can understand the conclusions.

The conscious beings who are dependent on the Lord, jivas, are of two
types: those who are not covered by ignorance and those who are covered, devatas,
men and animals. The uncoveredjivas are of two types: those under the influence
of the Lord's aishvarya shakti, and those uninfluenced by that shakti. Those not
influenced by the Lord's aishvarya shakti are broadly two types: those practicing
jnana who merge into the Lord (a lamentable
condition), and those practicing bhakti who remain differentiated from the Lord
and taste nectarean bliss (a non-lamentable state).

Those who are influenced by the aishvarya shakti are of two types: those
absorbed in jnana belonging to the spiritual sphere (eg. the Four Kumaras), and
those absorbed in the functions of creation, etc. of the material sphere (Brahma,
etc). Thus one may consider that Vishnu and Shiva are non-different, being the
same ishvara chaitanya

A devotee who is without material motivation (nishkama) must discern

who is worthy of worship or not on the basis of nirguna and saguna, that is, with
no material qualities (Vishnu) and with a touch of material qualities (Shiva,
Brahma, etc.). Being different types of chaitanya, Brahma and Vishnu are
completely distinct, Brahma is jiva and Vishnu is ishvara Som.etimes, Brahma and
Vishnu are described as identical in the Puranas. One should, however, understand
this statement by the example of the sun (Vishnu) and the jewel suryakanta
(Brahma) which is invested with the light of the sun. Suryakanta is like a
magnifying glass which takes the rays of the sun and manifests the heat of the sun
by burning paper, etc. In this way only, Brahma is considered non-different. In
some mahaka/pas, even Shiva is ajiva like Brahma invested with power by the
Lord:

kvacij java visesatvam harasyoktam vidher iveti

As in Brahma s case, sometimes a particular jiva takes the role of Shiva.

Thus, Shiva is sometimes classed with Brahma in such statements as:

yas tu narayanam devam

brahma rudradi daivataih
samat venaiva manyeta sa
pasanha bhaved dhruvam

A person who considers Narayana as equivalent to Brahma, Shiva and the

other devatas is a low rascal. (Hari Bhakti Vilasa 1.73)

Those who have not thoroughly researched in the matter say that Vishnu is
the Lord, not Shiva; or that Shiva is the Lord, not Vishnu. That since I am a
devotee of Vishnu, I will not give regard to Shiva, or visa versa. Such people,
deliberately involving themselves in such arguments, also commit nama aparadha
If such offenders can become enlightened by a devotee with thorough knowledge
of the matter, then they can realize in what way Shiva and Vishnu are non-
different. With this realization, and by performing nama kirtana, the person can
nullify his offense.

Shruti shastra ninda is thefourth offense of disrespectfor shruti scriptures

(vedas), considering that they do not mention anything about bhakti and are
thus on2y g2orified by wor2d2y m-inded peop2e.fI one commits this offense, one
obtains relief when one has thefortune to understand the subject properly from
a know2edgeab2e devotee Th.e shrutis very merci fu22y he2pthe most unqua2ified
peop2e, notf o22owing any vedic ru2es or regu2ations and b2inded by materia2
desires to come to the path of bhakti. Commission of the fourth offense is
nu22i
fied by using the same mouth that criticiped the shastra (such as the
shrutis, propounding karma andjnana) On.e should praise the same scriptures,
as we22 asthe practitioners o f those scriptures (eg.performers of karma and
jnana), and perform loud chanting of the Holy Name In .the same way one
shou2d understand the commission and nu22ification of the other six offenses

Next are the anarthas arising from bhakti. As many weeds grow along with
the main plant, along with bhakti there appears acquisition of material wealth and
other facilities, worship and respect by others, a comfortable position and fame
(labha, puja, pratishtha). By their nature, they have the power to influence the
heart of the devotee, expand, and retard the growth of the main plant intended for
cultivation (bhakti).

Stages in Nullification of the Anarthas

Four types of anarthas have been mentioned, namely, those arising from
previous sinful activity, from previous pious activity, from nama aparadha, and
from cultivation of bhakti. They have five grades of anartha nivritti (nullification):
limited to one anartha (ekadeshavartini), affecting many anarthas
(bahudeshavartini), almost complete (prayiki), complete (purna), and absolute
(atyantiki). Thus immediately after starting performance of devotional activities
(bhaj ana kriya), there is nullification but it is limited, according to the famous
logic: The town burned, the cloth is torn. In other words, when we hear that a
town burned, we can imagine that some of it must still be existing, or if a cloth is
torn, the pieces are still existing. By continued practice, with the appearance of
nishtha, the eradication is pervasive (affecting many anarthas) Wi th t h.e
appearance of rati or bhava, the eradication is almost complete. With the
appearance of prema, the eradication is complete. With the attainment of the
Lord s association, the eradication is absolute, with no possibility of their
reappearance. Thus if one thinks that the following occasional episodes demon-
strate anartha arising even after attaining the lotus feet of the Lord, by one's
i ntelligence he should throw out that thought from his mind .

In the case of Chitraketu's who had already attained the lotus feet of the
Lord, his accidental maha aparadha to Shiva was apparent, not real, for there was
no ill effect from his mistake. Both as an associate of the Lord, and assuming the
form of a demon (Vritrasura) his wealth of prema was still evident.

The cause of the apparent offense of Jaya and Vijaya was a manifestation of
their personal desire stimulated by prema. The two desired in this way: "0 Prabhu!
0 Lord of Lords! 0 Narayana! You desire to fight but we do not see a suitable
opponent for You. All those available are too weak. Though we are strong, we are
not inimical to You. Somehow or other, make us inimical to You, and realize Your
desire to fight. We, being Your faithful servants, cannot tolerate to see any lack
whatever in Your perfection. Diminish Your quality of affection for your devotees
and fulfill our prayer."

The eradication of the anarthas arising from previous sin is as follows. With
the performance of bhaj ana kriya, the eradication is almost complete, with the
appearance of nishtha eradication is complete, and with the appearance of asakti it
is absolute.

The eradication of anarthas arising from bhakti is as follows. With the

performance of bhajana kriya, eradication is limited. With the appearance of
nishtha it is complete, and with the appearance of ruchi it is absolute. The wise
self-realized souls have concluded this by thoroughly considering all matters.

One may raise the objection that these stages of extinguishing anarthas do
not apply to devotees, quoting hundreds of verses from shastra such as:

amhah samharad akhilam sakrd

daya deva saka2a 2okasya taranir
iva timiraj arlamdha j ayati
jagat mangalam harer nama

As with the sunrise, all darkness is destroyed, in the same way, with one
utterance of the Holy Name all sins are destroyed. All glories to the Holy Name
who bestows such auspiciousness on the whole universe. (Shri Shridhar Swami)

na hi bhagavann aghatitam idam

tvad darsan-an nrnam akhila papa k-sayah-
yan nama s-akrc chravanat
pukaso 'pi vimucyate samsarat

0 My Lord, simply by seeing You, one is immediately freed from all

material contamination. This is not impossible because, what to speak of seeing
You personally, merely by hearing Your Holy Name once only, even a candala can
obtain liberation from the material world. (SB 6.16.44)

Or citing Ajamila's case, where simply by his uttering the Lord's name once
in nama abhasa, a-ll anarthas, even up to avidya (ignorance, the root cause of
material bondage), were removed and he attained the lotus feet of the Lord.
 This is all true. One should have no doubt that the Holy Name has in all
cases such inestimable power. However, the Holy Name, being unhappy with
offenses committed against it, does not manifest its complete power in the
offender. This is indeed the reason sinful tendencies continue in the offender. Still,
the servants of death have no power to attack such a person (as in Ajamila's case).

sakrn manah krsna pa-daravindayor

nivesitam tad gu-na ra-gi yair iha
na teyamam pasa bh-rtas ca tad bh-atan
vapne 'pi pasyanti hi carna nis-krtah

Although not having fully realized Krishna, persons who have even once
surrendered completely unto His lotus feet being somewhat attracted by His name,
form, qualities, and pastimes have thus performed the true method of atonement.
Even in dreams, such persons do not see Yama or his servants carrying nooses. (SB
6.1. Icj)

Though this is true, they have no means of purification other than

becoming free from nama apar-adha Citi.ng the Padma Purana in the discussion on
the ten offenses the Hari Bhakti Vilasa says:
namno balad yasya hi papa budd-hir
na vidyate tasya yamair hi suddhih

cannot be purified even

Committing sin on the strength o f the Holy Name, one
by practicing theregulations ofyoga, etc for th.ousands ofyears (HBV.11.280)

In this verse the word yama (yamair) refers to the rules and regulations
(yama, niyama, etc.) ofyoga shastra In oth.er words, though the aparadhi is free
from Yama, the lord of death, yama (other means of purification) cannot free him
of anartha

The case of the offender losing the mercy of the Name is similar to a
subordinate who is offensive to his vastly wealthy and capable master (the Holy
Name). He is denied proper care, and is treated indifferently by the master. As a
result that person comes to suffer poverty and distresses of all sorts. It should be
known that a master neglects a servant who is offensive and no one else is capable
of helping him (karma, j nana, yoga, etc.). If the offending servant again puts
himself at the beck and call of his master, the master gradually shows mercy, and
that person's sufferings are step by step eliminated. In the same way, the offending
devotee will at first suffer some miseries. As he performs sincere service to the
devotees, the scriptures, and spiritual master, the Name will again gradually
manifest mercy and gradually eliminate his evil tendencies. Thus one cannot argue
against the gradual elimination of anartha
 Someone may argue that, I have never committed any offenses. One should
not make such statements. Though the offense may not have been done recently, it
may have been done in the past, but one can infer the existence of offenses by their
effect. The effect of offense is that a person will not manifest any symptoms of
prema by performance ofnama kirtana.
tad asma sa-ram hrdayam vatedam
yad grhyamanair hari n-ama dh-eyaih
na vikriyetatha yada vikaro
netre j alam gatra ru-hesu harsah

One's heart is certainly steel-framed if, when chanting the Holy Name,
there is no change in the heart, tears in the eyes or standing of hairs on the body.
(SB 2.3.24)

Seeing the following verse from Bhakti ras-amrita sind-huanother doubt

arises:

ke te 'paradha viprendra
namno bhagavatah krtah
vinighnanti nrnam krtyam
prakrtam hyanayanti hi

Oh foremost of brahmanas, what are the offenses against the Nome ofr the
Lord which cancel the results of all one's performances, and lead to a material
conception even of transcendental topics7 (Bhakti rasam-rita sindh-u)

In other words, repeated2y hearing and chanting the Lord'name shou2d give
prema, serving the sacred tirthas should bestow per fection, tasting repeatedly
the ghee,mi2k and bete2 prasadam shou2d destroy a22desires for sense
enjoyment So wh.at are the grave offenses which cancel these results and cause
a22these spiritua22y potent activities to appear materia2? This very start2ing and
unnerving question is being raised I f this .is, so does itfollow that a person who
commits a nama aparadha becomes averse to the Lord and Thus cannot even
take she2ter of guru or perform devotiona2 activities?

This is true. As during a serious fever, losing all taste for food, a person
finds it impossible to eat, so a person who commits a serious offense loses scope
for hearing, chanting and performing devotional activities. There is no doubt
about this. However, if the fever lessens with time, some taste for food develops.
Even then, nourishing foods like milk and rice cannot give their full power of
nourishment to the person suffering from chronic fever. They bestow some
benefit, but cannot relieve him of his wasted condition. An invalid s diet and
medicine can, however, with time, restore him to his previous healthy condition. A
that time the full potency of normal food can be utilized by the body. In the same
way, after a long period of suffering the effects of aparadha, the intensity reduces
somewhat and the devotee develops a little taste. Again the devotee becomes
qualified for bhakti. Repeated doses ofhearing and chanting the Lords s Name and
performance of other devotional processes, gradually everything is revealed in
progression. The saints have described this progression as follows:
adau sradha tatah sadhusango 'tha bhajana kriya
tato 'nartha n-ivrttih syat tato nistha rucistatah
athasaktis tato bhavas tatah prema bhyudancati
sadhakanamayam premnah pradurbhave bhavet kramah

Starting with faith, followed by association, bhaj ana kriya, anartha nivritti,
nishtha, ruchi, asakti, bhava and prema (B.hakti-rasamrita-sindhu 1.4.15-16)

Some not only suppose the presence nama aparadha due to the absence of
symptoms of prema and traces of sinful activity in devotees who are practicing the
devotional processes such as kirtana. But they also suppose the absence f
destruction of the reactions of previous karma (prarabdha) by observing the
presence of ordinary material distresses. However, Ajamila named his son
Narayana and called that name many times every day in what has been ascertained
to be in an inoffensive manner. Still, he did not manifest the symptoms of prema,
moreover, he was also inclined to sinful relation with a prostitute. Yudhisthira had
achieved the association of the Supreme Lord Himself and was thus certainly free
from past karmic reactions. Still, he had to suffer many apparently ordinary
material miseries. As a tree bears fruit only in the proper season, the Holy Name,
though pleased with an offenseless person, will reveal its mercy to him only in du e
time. For the devotee, accumulated sins committed due to previous bad habits
have no effect like the bite of a serpent without his poison fangs. The sickness,
lamentation and other sufferings undergone by devotees are not the reactions to
sins in previous life (prarabdha) The .Lord Himself has said:
yasyaham anugrhnami
harisye tad dhana-m sanaih
tato 'dhanam tyaj anty asya
svaj ana duhkha duhkh-itam

Gradually, I take away all the wealth of the person whom I favor. Being
penniless and most miserable, he is rejected by his family and relatives. (SB
10.88.8)

nirdhanatva maha rogo mad anugraha laksanam

The person without the severe malady of material possessions is the object of My
mercy.

Thus, the masterful Lord, who always attends to the welfare of His devotee,
with the plan to increase the devotee s humility and longing for the Lord, bestows
on him all sorts of suffering as His mercy. Having no results due from previous
acts, he cannot be said to be suffering the effect of sinful actions from previous
lives.

Thus ends the Third Shower of Nectar of Madhurya Kadambini by

Mahamahopadhyaya Shrimat -Vishvanatha Chakravarti describing the mitigation
of all inauspicious elements.
 CHAPTER 4
Fourth Shower of Nectar

Previously, in the discussion of the two types of bhajana kriya, anishthita

and nishthita, six types of the anishthita bhajana kriya were described. Without
describing nishthita bhajana kriya, anartha nivritti was discussed. Because it says in
Shrimad Bhagavatam:

srnvatam sva-kathah ksrnah

punya sra-vana kir-tanah
hrdy antah stho hy abhadrani
vidhunoti suhrt satam

nasta pray-esv abhadresu

nityam bhagavata sevay-a
bhagavaty uttama-sloke
bhaktir bhavati naisthiki

Lord Krishna, who is affectionate to His devotees and situated in their

hearts, destroys all inauspicious elements of those who hear topics about the Lord.
When the inauspicious elements have been generally destroyed by devotional
service, steady devotion to the Lord appears. (SB:1.2.17-18) The first verse
(srnvatam sva-kathah )r e f e ..r.s to the stage of anishthita or unsteady bhakti, for
naistiki bhakti or nishthita bhakti makes its appearance later in the second verse.
Abhadrani vidhunoti (destruction of inauspicious elements) which appears between
these two stages, refers to the stage of anartha nivritti. The words nasta prayes-v
abhadresu (inauspiciousness is almost destroyed) means at the stage of nishtha,
only a small portion of anarthas remains. Thus, The proper order according to
Shrimad Bhagavatam is bhajana kriya, anartha nivritti, nishtha. Therefore in its
proper place, nishthita bhakti will be discussed now.

Nishtha means to be endowed with the quality of steadiness, or non-

movement (naishchalyam). Though a person tries for steadiness every day, while
the anarthas are still present, he will not attain steadiness. This is due to these five
persistent obstacles: laya (sleep), vikshepa (distraction), apratipatti (indifference or
disinterest in spiritual topics), kashaya (tendency toward bad habits) and
rasasvada (taste for material enjoyment). After the stage of anartha nivritti, when
these obstacles are almost completely destroyed, one achieves steadiness. Thus, the
symptom of nishtha is the absence of the above mentioned obstacles.

Laya refers to the tendency to sleep during kirtana, shravana and smarana
(japa), in order of increasing tendency. Vikshepa refers to distraction toward
mundane topics while performing service (i.e., gossiping while doing japa).
Apratipatti refers to the occasional inability to perform kirtana, etc. in spite of the
absence of laya or vikshepa. Kashaya means the tendency to indulge in anger,
greed, pride, etc due to past bad habit. Rasasvada refers to inability to absorb the
mind in kirtana if one gets the opportunity for material sense pleasure. Nishthita
bhakti appears in the absence of these faults. tada rajas-tamo-bhavah kama-
lobhadayah cayeeta etair anaviddham sthitam sattve pras ..da.ti A.t that time being
completely free from the influences of tama and raja guna, such as lust, greed and
other impurities, the heart is satisfied in a state of goodness. (SB:1.2.1cI) Here the
word ca is used in its collective sense to refer to all of these unwanted qualities.
Thus in the stage of nishtha the modes of ignorance and passion are no longer
present. However, the words etair anaviddham (no longer affected by these)
indicate that these impurities are still present to some slight degree at the stage of
nishtha, but do not act as an obstacle to bhakti. All traces will be removed when
one reaches the stage of bhava.

Nishtha, steadiness, is of two types: concerning bhakti directly (sakshat

bhaktir-vartani) and concerning elements favorable to bhakti (bhakti-anukula
vastur vart-ini) Sak.shat-bhakti has unlimited forms, still, there are three basic
divisions: bodily, vocal and mental (kayiki, vachiki, manasi). According to some
authorities, first one attains steadiness in bodily services, then in vocal activities
(kirtana, etc.), and finally in mental activities (remembering, meditation). Others,
however, disagree saying that eagerness to serve the Lord in a particular manner
develops first according to the individual natures of the devotee, whose bodily,
vocal and mental strength may vary. Their version is that there is no such
progression.

Elements favorable to bhakti refer to humility, giving respect to others,

friendliness, and mercifulness. However, sometimes steadiness in such qualities
may be seen in a self-controlled devotee who has no steadiness in bhakti. While
elsewhere, steadiness in these qualities may not be perceived in an arrogant
devotee who has attained steadiness in bhakti. In spite of this, by the presence or
absence of steadiness in bhakti itself (sakshat bhakti), rather than in the qualities of
bhakti, learned wise men understand the actual presence or absence of nishtha,
steadiness. Inexperienced perception cannot substantiate the truth. This is
confirmed by the cited verses, bhaktir bhavati naistiki, with the appearance of
naishtiki-bhakti, tada r j asa-t mao-bh v ah aet ir aa..n.aviddham,though traces of the
qualities born of raja and tama guna may be present, they no longer affect the
devotee.

In summary, what has been shown is that laxity or intensity of effort and
difficulty or ease in performance of devotional activities, such as hearing and
chanting is the criteria of discriminating the two types of bhakti, namely unsteady
and steady.

Thus ends the Fourth Shower of Nectar of Madhurya Kadambini by

Mahamahopadhyaya Shrimat Vishvanath Chakravarti where the nectar has begun
to flow.
 CHAPTER 5
Fifth Shower of Nectar

When the devotee takes in his heart the golden medallion of bhakti, shining
effulgently by the fire of steady practice (nishtha) and propelled by its own energy,
ruchi appears in that bhakti. When a person develops a taste for the activities of
bhakti such ashearing and chanting, vastly greater than attraction for anything else,
that is called ruchi. Unlike in the previous stages, at the stage of ruchi constant
performance of devotional activities like hearing and chanting does not result in
even the least fatigue. Ruchi quickly produces an intense addiction to the activities
of bhakti. This is similar to the brahmana boy who, after diligently studying the
scriptures daily, in time grasps the meaning, and then finds no difficulty at all in
applying himself to study. Moreover, he develops a pleasure in the performance
his task.

The actual conclusion can be understood by the following example. Due to

a defect in the liver, the ability to taste becomes affected and sugar candy becomes
distasteful. Sugar candy, however, is also the medicine to cure the defect.
Understanding this, an afflicted person will take sugar candy daily though it may
be distasteful and, eventually, as it cures his sickness, he will develop a real taste
for it. In this way, the jiva s heart contaminated by ignorance and the other kleshas
becomes cured by the medicine of hearing, chanting and the other devotional
processes. Eventually, he develops a taste for these activities.

Ruchi is of two types: that which depends on excellence of elements (vastu-

vaishishty-apekshini), and that which does not (vastu-vaishishty-anapekshini).
Excellence of elements refers to an excellence of details in relation to the Lord's
name, qualities and form, etc. For instance, a person may only experience pleasure
from kirtana if it is pleasing to the ear and artistically sung. He may only relish
topics of the Lord if they are delivered skillfully with poetic ornaments and
qualities. He may only enjoy deity worship if all the implements, place, and
materials are according to his fancy. This is similar to a person with a weak
appetite asking about the variety and quality of preparations in a meal. The cause
is a slight impurity in the heart of the devotee. Therefore, if a person depends on
the excellency of the material elements of kirtana, etc. to experience a spiritual
taste, one should understand this as taint of impurity in his heart (doshabhas). A
person with the second type of ruchi will experience great pleasure even from the
beginning of any performance of sravanam, kirtana, etc. If, however, there is
excellence of the elements, then he becomes extremely joyful and ecstatic. It
means that he has not the slightest trace of impurity in his heart.

"Oh friend, abandoning the nectar of Krishna's names, why are you
engaged in useless talks of family pursuits of security and enjoyment7 What can I
say to you7 I myself am so wicked, though I received the precious jewel of bhakti
by the mercy of the spiritual master, I am so unfortunate that I kept it tied in the
hem of my cloth. Not knowing it s value, I have been searching out a cracked
cowrie, a tiny spot of false happiness on the shore of the ocean of material
engagements. Wandering here and there, I have passed the years of my life in vain.
Not practicing any activity of bhakti, I have simply displayed lethargy. Alas. Such
am I or my sense of taste that I lick up bitter-tasting deceitful profane gossip like
nectar and remain apathetic to hear the names, qualities and pastimes of the Lord.
How unfortunate I am! W hen I start to hear about the Lord, I comfortably fall
asleep, and at the opportunity for vulgar discussion, I prick up my ears and
become wide awake. In this way, I have always contaminated the assembly of all
the devotees. What sinful acts have I not performed, simply for the satisfaction of
my insatiable belly even in my decrepit old age7 I do not know for how long and in
what type of hell I will have to suffer for all my activities."

In this way repenting his previous state of consciousness, some day at some
place, the devotee becomes like a bee tasting the nectar of the fruit of the
Madhurya Kadambini.

CHAPTER 6
Sixth Shower of Nectar

After this, when the taste for the activities of bhajana (hearing, chanting,
etc.) reaches extreme depth and Krishnabecomes the very object of one's
devotional activities, oneattains to asakti or attachment. At the stage of asakti, the
desire-creeper of bhakti bears clusters of buds heralding the swift manifestation of
the flowers of bhava and then fruits at the stage of prema. Thedifference between
ruchi and asakti is this: ruchi has bhajana, devotional practice, as the subject and
asakti has the Lord, the object of bhajana, as the subject. The stage can be decide
from the amount of each component. Actually, ruchi and asakti have both
components, but by the intensity of oneor the other, ruchi and asakti become
distinguishable from each other. Asakti polishes the mirror of the heart to such a
condition the reflection of the Lord suddenly seems to be almost visible there.

Oh. My mind is being overwhelmed by material desires, let me fixit on the

Lord. In the stage previous to asakti, the devotee, on realizing his mind has been
overpowered by material objects and desires, by his deliberate effort, almost
withdrawshis mind and almost fixes it on the Lord s form, qualities and activities.
At the appearance of asakti, however, absorption of the mind in the Lord is
automatic, without effort. A devotee at the stage of nishtha cannot detect how and
when his mind withdraws from topics of the Lord s qualities, forms, etc. and fixes
itself on material affairs. To thecontrary, a person at the stage of asakti does not
perceive how and when his mind spontaneously withdraws frommaterial topics
and spontaneously absorbs itself in topic of the Lord. One below the level of asakti
can never know this. This spontaneous fixation on the Lord, however, is the
symptom ofthe stage of asakti.

Early in the morning, seeing another devotee, he will begin talking. "Where
are you coming from7 You have, perhaps, a sha2agrama shi2a in the small case
hanging from your neck7 Your tongue is quivering every moment from tasting the
nectar of Krishna's name as you chant softly. I don't know why you aregiving your
darshan to an unfortunate person like me and giving me overwhelming joy. Tell
me about all the holy places youhave visited. Describe all the saintly souls you
have met andwhat realizations they have blessed you with. In this way, you are
perfecting yourself and others also." In this way he will spend some time drinking
nectar in intimate conversation. Elsewhere, seeing another devotee, he will say,
"The enchanting scripture under your arm is making you appear veryelegant, thus
I can guess you are very learned and realized. Kindly recite for me one verse of the
tenth canto and bring life to the chataki bird of my ears awaiting the raindrops of
your nectarean explanations." Hearing the explanation, hisair stands on end in
ecstasy.

Going elsewhere, seeing an assembly of devotees, he will say, "Oh, today

my life will be successful, for the association of devotees will destroy all my sins."
Thinking in this way, hewill pay repeated obeisances to them falling like a stick on
theearth. Being welcomed with affection by the most eruditemahabhagavat, the
crown jewel of all devotees, he will sit beforehim in crouched posture. He humbly
begs from him with tears in his eyes, "Oh master, you are the crown jewel of
physiciansable to eradicate the grave material disease afflicting theliving entities in
the three worlds. I am the most fallen and depraved person. Please take my pulse
and diagnose my malady andadvise me what medicine and diet to take. By that
miracle drug, give my desired nourishment." Overjoyed with the merciful glance
of that mahabhagavat and his trickling nectar of sweetwords, he will remain a few
days to serve the devotee's lotusfeet.

Sometimes wandering in the forest absorbed in emotion, observingthe

movements of the animals and birds, he will intuitivelyinterpret them as signs of
mercy or punishment of Krishna upon himself. "If Krishna is showing His mercy
to me, then theantelope in the distance will come towards me three or foursteps. If
He is not showing mercy, the antelope will turn away." On the outskirts of a
village, seeing a small brahmanaboy playing reminding him of the child saint,
Sanaka, he willenquire from him, "Will I see Vrajendra Kumara7" "No." Hearing
that simple syllable, he will deliberate onwhether to take the answer on face value
or seek a deepermeaning.

Remaining in his house, with a worn face like a miserly wealthy merchant greedy
for treasure, he will be absorbed in thought all day, while dreaming, standing, or
sitting. "Where am I going7 What am I doing7 How will I get my hands on my
desiredobject7" When asked by his relatives what is the matter, he will sometimes
act like a mute, at other times he will feign normality. His friends will apologize,
"Recently he's becomescatter-brained." His neighbors will conclude he is an idiot
by birth. The followers of mimamsa (philosophy of Jaimini) will consider him a
fool. Those who study Vedanta will considerhim illusioned. The practitioners of
pious activities will say he is misguided. The devotees will say he has attained the
essential truth. The offenders will say he is a pretender. But that devotee, oblivious
of respect and disrespect, having fallen into the current of the great celestial river
of attachment (asakti) to the Lord, will simply continue in the same manner.

Thus ends the Sixth Shower of Nectar of Madhurya Kadambini by

Mahamahopadhyaya Shrimat Vishvanath Chakravarti discussing enchantment of
the heart. Madhurya Kadambini

CHAPTER 7
Seventh Shower of Nectar

When asakti achieves extreme maturity it is called rati or bhava Bha.va is

the immature (budding) stage of the three sat cid a-nan-daenergies ofthe Lord's
svarupa shak-ti: sandini, samvit and hladini. In other words, bhakti actually begins
tomanifest from the stage of bhava. It is thus the blossoming flower of the desire-
creeper of bhakti. Its outerluster is the quality of sudurlabha (rarely achieved), and
its inner luster is moksha laghu krita (derides even the conception of liberation).
Just one atom of bhava uproots ignorance completely. Moreover, the profuse
release of fragrance sof the flower ofbhava invites Madhusudana and causes Him
to appear there. What more can I say7 Scented by the fragrances of bhava, all the
emotions of the heart become like the oil of liquified bunches of sesame seeds, at
once fit to smear on all the limbs of the Lord. At the appearance of bhava, even a
candala becomes worthy of respect from Lord Brahma and others.

At that time, his eyes fully long to turn towards Vrajendra Nandana to lick
the blackness of His limbs (uhyama lina), the rosy hue of His lips and eye-rims
(arunima), the white brilliance of His moon-like teeth shining in His smiling face
(dhavalima), and the yellow hue of His clothing and ornaments (pitima). They
thenbegin to bathe his body in profuse streams of tears. Like he is running here
and there, freezing its motion at every moment and raising his ears, He longs for
his ears to be decorated with the earrings of the song of Krishna's flute, the
jingling of His anklets, and the sweet intonation of His voice (sausvarya) almost
like a direct order to serve His lotus feet. Then thinking how the longed for touch
of the Lord's tender hands (kisha/ya sparsha) -must be, his body erupts in ecstasy.
His nostrils open wide repeatedly and inhale, anxius to examinethe fragrance of
the Lord's body (saurabhya) "O h, wil.l I ever be able to taste the nectar of the
Lord's lips7" Feeling like he has attained that taste (rasana), his tongue feels great
joy and he licks his lips. Sometimes, feeling like he has obtained direct realization
of the Lord in his heart (sphurti, he feels unlimited happiness in his mind. Tasting
the rare treasure of the sweetness (madhurya) of the Lord, he becomes delirious.
Then, at the disappearance of that feeling, he plunges into grief. In this way, it is as
if heis decorating his body with the thirty-three symptoms of sanchari b-hava I.n
the states of wakefulness, sleep and deep sleep, his intelligence becomes resolutely
fixed as the pilgrim on the path his remembrance of Krishna. His self-conceit
(ahamta, I) almost gives up the material body of the sadhak as nearlylifeless and
practically enters into a siddha-deha (spiritual identity) according to his desire to
serve the Lord in a specific manner. His sense of possessiveness (mamata, mine)
becomes like a bee to relish the nectar of the Lord's lotusfeet. Having obtained the
most precious jewel of bhava, the devotee tries to hide it like a miser from the
ordinary people. However, the faomus logic says a bright face reveals hidden
wealth (the face is the index of the mind). Thus, advanceddevotees will recognize
his internal status as he becomes the residence of such wonderful qualities as
renunciation and tolerance which manifest themselves at the stage of bhava.
Common people, being unable to discern these qualities, will conclude that his
mind is distracted or mad.

This stage of bhava is of two types: that arising from raga bhakti and that
arising from vaidhi bhakti. Bhava arisingfrom raganugabhakti,being
excessive inquality (jati) and quantity (praman), is very thickor intense.It is
characteriped by an absence of awe andreverencewith a predominance of the
fee2ing that the Lord is onan equa2or 2ower 2eve2. The second type arising from
vaidhi bhakti, being somewhat lesser in qua2ity andquantity than thefirst, with
a type of affection for the Lord mixed with perception of the Lord as the a22-
mighty God, is not so thick. Those two types of bhava are tasted in twodifferent
ways in the two types of hearts possessed fotwo typesof spiritual desires in two
types of devotees

As there are different degrees of thickness in the juices ofmango, jack fruit,
sugar cane or grapes, there are differentdegrees of sweetness of bhava. Thus there
are five types of devotees according the bhava in which they are acting: shantas
(neutral admirers), dasas (servants), sakhas (friends), pitri (elders), preyasi
(lovers), acting in the five different bhavas That i.s, the shantas are acting in shanti
(peacefulness), the dasasin priti (affection), the sakas in sakhyam (friendship), the
pitri in vatsalyam (parental love), and preyasis in priyata (conjugal love).

Then again, these five bhava, by their own energy, obtain vibhava,
anubhava, sattviki, vyabhichari as their subjects along with their opulencesand
become the kings known as sthayi bhavas. These five sthayi bhavas by mixing with
these elements transform intothe five rasas: shanta, daysa, sakhya, vatsalya and
ujjva2a.

The shruti texts define rasa as the very essence of the Lord: raso vai sah
rasam hy evayam labdhv ananda bhavati, the Lord is rasa itself (rasa svarupa, -and,
attaining that rasa, the jiva becomes blissful. As water is present in all thestreams,
rivers and ponds, but is personified in the ocean, rasa is present in all the avataras
of the Lord, but does not reach perfection in any of them. Rather, it attains its
absolute climax in Vrajendranandana, Krishna, the son of the Kingof Vraja. When
bhava first matures and begins to trnsforminto prema, that very Vrajendranandan,
Who is the personification of rasa, is directly realized by qualified devotees.

Thus ends the Seventh Shower of Nectar of MadhuryaKadambini by

Mahamahopadhyaya Shrimat Vishvanath Chakravartidiscussing flowing of eternal
bliss.

CHAPTER 8
Eighth Shower of Nectar

From the creeper of bhakti, which first sprouted two leaves during sadhana
bhakti, many smooth petals now suddenly appear in the form of anubhavas (the
symptoms of ecstasy) attached to the flower of bhava The.se anubhavas are filled
with the devotional processes, such as hearing and chanting, and shine brilliantly
at every moment. First forming the flower called bhava, they finally bring forth the
fruit called prema But .what is most astonishing about the creeper of bhakti is,
though its leaves, buds, flowers and fruits mature into the succeeding form, they
do not give up their original forms. Together they shine in newer and newer ways.

The devotee's innumerable c i t t a v r i tt i th ou g h t sw er e previously bound

tightly by the ropes of attachment to family, relatives, house and properties.
However when prema appears, it easily frees the thoughts from all those
attachments. By its inherent power, prema transforms those material emotions,
into spiritually blissful elements, as if submerging them all in a deep well of
transforming nectar. Similarly, all the attachments become spiritualized. Then,
with those roes of spiritual attachment, prema binds the spiritualized emotions to
the sweetness of the Lord s name, form and qualities. Prema manifests its brilliance
in this way and immediately puts all material ideals (purushhartha) to shame as the
sun puts to shame all the constellations in the sky. The nectar which comes from
the fruit of prema has the essential quality of concentrated bliss (sandrananda), and
its outstanding nourishing property is its power to attract Krishna
(krishnakarshani. When the devotee begins to taste that nectar, he does not take
heed of any obstacles. Like a miser feverish for treasure, like a thief who has lost
all sense of discretion out of absorption in his job, the devotee loses all sense of
self-consciousness. Sometimes, there is an impatience for obtaining the Lord,
like a hunger which cannot be satisfied even by eating the most tasty foods day
and night. Thedevotee burns like the sun by that anxiety. He is soothed only by
tasting the form, qualities and sweetness of the Lord, which make a momentary
appearance, like the coolness of a thousand moons.

The prema which exists in the devotee, the receptacle of prema, is vey
astonishing in that simultaneously even its slightest increase pierces the devotee
like a shaft in the form of anxiety by which the d ev otee at every moment longs for
the direct darshan of the Lord, and at the same time, by the intense manifestation
of that prema, that shaft is burned by the realization (sphurti) of the form,
pastimes and sweetness of the Lord. Still he remains unsatisfied.

Simultaneously, this prema, arising from its own reservoir, increases

slightly, and the devotee longs for direct contact with th e Lord at every moment.
This hankering burns like a conflagration and tears his body like a sharp arrow. By
the intensity of his longing for the Lord he remains unsatisfied with the
momentary vision of the Lo r d's form, qualities and sweetness.

He considers friends as useless as a dry, overgrown well, and his household

becomes like a thorn-filled forest. (heavy blow) Food beomes totally distasteful.
Praise from other devotees is like the biting of a snake. Daily duties become
difficult to perform like death. All the limbs of his body become like an
unmanageable burden. The consolation of his comrades is like poison. Even
though he remains constantly awake, wakefulness is an ocean of repentance, and
his sleep seems to be simply fleeing (destroying) from life. His body seems the
taret of chastisement for the Lord. His life airs become as lifeless as roasted grains.
What he previously took as his life s goal is abandoned as great calamity. Even
thinking of the Lord tears his body asunder.

Then prema, assuming the form of a magnet, attracts black Krishna and
makes Him appear to the devotee for a moment. At that time, all the senses of the
devotee (eyes, nose, ears, tongue, sense of touch) become the receptacles of all the
auspicious qualities of Krishna. His supreme beauty, fragrance, melody,
youthfulness, tastiness, audarya and karunya. From tasting the extreme sweetness
and ever-freshness of these qualities of the Lord, a greater longing, which at every
momenincreases, is born in the devotee because of his prema. Poetic words are not
adequate to describe the ocean of trancendental bliss which appears at this time.

A traveller on a desert path, burned by the sun's rays during the hot season,
finds shelter in a cool place supplied with a hundred vessels of ice-water from a
divine pool under the shade of a vast banyan tree densely tangled with branches.
An elephant caught in a forest fire without escape is finally bathed by unlimited
water from a bank of rain clouds. A person afflicted by mortal disease and craving
satisfaction, drinks the nectar, tastes its exquisite sweetness, and experiences
unbounded bliss. This cannot be compared...

Then Lord reveals first His beauty (saundarya) to the eyes of the devotee in
this remarkable condition. On account of the sweetness of that beauty, all the
senses and the mind take on the quality of eyes, and obstacles, such as paralysis,
shaking and tears, are generated. From this the devotee swoons in bliss. To
console the devotee, the Lord next reveals His fragrance to the nostrils of the
devotee, and all the devotee's senses take on the quality of the nose to smell.
Again the devotee swoons in bliss. The Lord then reveals His sonorous voice to the
devotee's ears: Oh My devotee, I am under your control. Don't be overwhelmed,
but fully satisfy your desire by relishing Me. All the senses become like ears to hear
and, for the third time, the devotee faints. At the beginning of the swoon, the Lord
then mercifully gives the touch of His lotus feet, His hands and His breast to the
devotee, and reveals His fresh youthfulness (saukaumarya) to the devotee. To
those in the mood of servitude, He bestows His lotus feet on their heads, to those
in the mood of friendship, He grasps their hands with H is. For those in the mood
of parental affection, He wipes away their tears with His own hand. For those in
conjugal mood, He rewards them with His embrace, touching them with His
hands and chest. Then the devotee's senses all take on the sense of touch and the
devotee faints for a fourth time in a deep swoon. At the start of the swoon, the
Lord then restores him by giving the taste (saurasya) from His own lips. This,
however, is revealed only to those in the conjugal mood. The devotee's senses take
on the sense of taste and he faints for a fifth time. This blissful swoon is so deep
that the Lord must revive him by bestowing His audarya (generosity). Audarya
refers to the state in which simultaneously all of the Lord s qualities (His beauty,
fragrance, sound, touch and taste) suddenly manifest themselves to the devotee's
various senses.

At that time, prema, which understands the will of the Lord, increases to
the exreme and there is a corresponding extreme increase in the craving.

That prema presides as a moon over the ocean of bliss and simultaneousy it
increases hundreds and hundreds of waves and it agitates and creates an almost
destructive friction in the devotee s heart. It then becomes the beautiful ruling
deity of his mind in that condition...

This increased prema, which usually controls everything as the moon

presides over the ocean, then seems to withdraw its powers. It creates in the
devotee's heart an almost destructive friction andtearing amongst the simultaneous
tastes, a conflict of a hundred waves in the ocean of bliss. Then again, prema
assumes the role of ruler, the presiding deity, and manifests its specific power
which allows the devotee to experience the different tastes simultaneously and
without conflict. One should not think that the devotee will not be able to
experience with fullness of all the tastes because of their multitude which may
cause dilution of the very tastes. Rather, all the senses attain the inconceivable,
astonishing, extraordinary quality to perform the functions of the other senses to
appreciate the Lord s various qualities. In this way, they can experience more
intensely the taste. In these matters, one cannot use material arguments evolved
from material experiences. The inconceivable conditions of rema are not subject
to mundane logic (acintya.....Even if the devotee wishes to relish all types of
sweetness, of saundarya, etc., all at once, but like a chataka bird wans to drink all
raindrops by his beak which is impossible. The devotee tries to experience the
sweet tastes of the Lord's beauty, fragrance, sound, touch, taste and audarya all at
once like the chataka bird who tries to catch all the rain drops in his beak. Then
the Lord, seeing that all cannot find room in His devotee, considers, "Why am I
holding so many wonderful qualities with My self." To let the devotee also partake
of them all, the Lord manifests is kripa shakti (also called anugraha), the
superintendent of all the shaktis, by which the devotee becomes attractive even to
the Lord. This shakti is situated like an empress the middle of a lotus whose eight
petals are the eight shaktis (vimala, utkarshini, jnana, kriya, yoga, prahvi, satya, and
isani). This anugraha decorates itself in the eyes of the Lord and it appears in
different forms as vatsalya (affection) in relation to His devotees in the mood of
servant, etc. (dasa, sakha, etc.). In some cases it appears as karunya (compassion).
When it appears to in relation to the devotees in conjugal mood itis known as
citta vi-ddravini akarshani shakti (which melts the heart of Krishna and attracts
Him). Sometimes according to the different moods of the different devotees it is
known by other nams also. By this kripa sh-akti, the all-pervading element of the
Lord's free will influences the heart and causes great astonishment even in those
realized souls who are fully self-satisfied atmaramas By .this energy, the one
quality called bhakta vatsalya (affection for His devotees), like an emperor, rules
over all auspicious, spiritual qualities such as satya, shaucha, daya and tapas
mentioned in the First Canto of Shrimad Bhagavatam

The eighteen condemned qualities of illusion, laziness, error, intense lust,

fickleness, arrogance, envy, violence, exertion, lamentation, dishonesty, anger,
longing, fear, partiality, and dependency on others are not present in the body of
the Lord. By the agency of this bhakta vatsalya, however, even these qualities
become present at times in various avataras, such as Rama and Krishna, and are
appreciated by the devotees. But now these faults become excellent qualities.

Attaining the power to taste comp2ete2y the beauty, fragrance, etc of the .Lord,
and tasting each one, the devotee ascends to higher and higher peaks o f
astonishing experience His h.eart me2ts on incessant rea2ipation o f the Lord s
unheard of bhakta vatsalya The Lo.rd, displaying His wonderful nature, says,
"Oh best of devotees, many births you have given up wife, house and wealth for
the sake of My service You e.ndured the miseries of cold, wind, hunger, thirst
and pain, to2erated the contempt o f other men, taking to a 2ife of begging In .

paymentfor a22 your sacrifice, I cannot given you anything. Ihave become your
debtor Since 2.ordship over the who2e earth in the post o f demigod and mystic
powers are unsuitable for you, how can I give them to you? One cannot give
grass and straw, the enjoyment of cows, to a spiritua2 persona2ity such as you
Though I am unconquerab2e, today haveI been conquered by you Iam ta.king
she2ter of the creeper of your gent2eness

Accepting the sweet, affectionate words of the Lord as the ornaments of his
ears, the devotee says, "Oh my Lord, my master, oh ocean of unfathomable mercy!
You glanced upon me while I was being bitten by an array of crocodiles, the
infinite miseries of endless births and deaths amidst the terrifying current of
material existence.Oh Lord, transcendental to all the material planets, Your butter-
like heart melts as it is filled with mercy. In the form of spiritual m a ster, You
destroy ignorance and lust! By manifesting the Sudarsana Chakra of Your
wonderful form, You have pierced those crocodiles and freed me from the
clutches of their teeth. To fulfil my desire to serve Your lotus feet as a maidservat
(dasi, You placed the syllables of Your mantra in my ears. You destroyed my
suffering, You purified me by the process of constant hearing, chanting, and
remembering Your qualities and name. You made me understand how to perform
service to Yourself through the association of Your devotees. I am unintelligent,
the lowest of the low, and even one day have not done You service. Such a miserly
selfish person deserves to be punished. Contrary to this however, showing Your
very self to me, You have made me drink nectar. You have mortified me by saying
that You have become my debtor. Now I am think ing what to do. Would I be
presumptuous to ask You to pardon all my offenses five, seven, eight, a thousand
or a million7 I can definitely say it must be more than a trillion. Just let all the
reactions to my past activities, intense and long-standing, suffered and to be
suffered in the future, remain.

Previously, I compared Your dark limbs to the monsoon cloud, to the blue
water lily and to the sapphire; I compared Your effulgent face to the moon, and
Your tender feet, to newly sprouted leaves. Now these analogies seem like a pile of
burned mustard seeds compared to a golden mountain, or like a chick pea in
comparison to a touchstone, like a jackal in comparison to a lion, or a mosquito
in comparison to Garuda. By my poor intelligence, I have clearly committed
offense to You. Such inapt poetry meant as praise unto Yourself is accepted by the
common people. But after seeing the opulence of the Sri Murti for a while I have
just become shameful and like an impatient cow my voice wordings will not defile
the desire creeper of your beauty with the teeth of comparison. I am like an
unsettled cow threatened by the sudden appearance of Your form. But I cannot
defile the desire tree of Your beauty even with my destructive comparisons."

In this way, the devotee praises the Lord, and the Lord becomes more
pleased with the devotee. Then He reveals all the favorable accoutrements
necessary for the devotee's particular relation to the Lord, imbued with excellent
rasa: Shri Vrindavana, the desire tree, the maha yoga pitha, the most dear daughter
of Vrishabhanu, Her associates such as Lalita and her manjaris, His own friends
such as Subala, the cows maintained by Him, the Yamuna River, Govardhana,
forests such as Bhandira, Nandishvara Hill, all the mothers, fathers, brothers,
friends and servants there, and the other vrajavasis. The Lord submerges the
devotee in the enchanting tidal wave ofbliss and then disappears with His
entourage.

Recovering consciousness after some moments, the devotee, anxious to see

the Lord again, opens his eyes, and not seeing the Lord, he begins crying. "Was I
merely dreaming7 No, no, I was not dreaming, because I have neither drowsiness,
nor any contamination in my eyes from sleep. Was it some hallucination. No, for a
hallucination could never give real bliss. Or was it from some defect in the mind7
No, because all the symptoms of unsteady mind are absent. Was it the fulfillment
of some material desire7 No, no material fancy could ever approach what I have
seen. Was it a momentary meeting with the Lord. No, because it is completely
different from all previous visions of the Lord that I remember." In this way, the
devotee remains in uncertainty. Lying upon the dusty earth, he prays constantly
for the same experience. Not obtaining it, he laments, weeps, rolls on the ground,
wounds his own body, faints, recovers, stands, sits, runs about, and wails like a
madman. Sometimes he remains silent like a sage and sometimes like a social
misfit, he fails to perform his daily obligatory duties. Like a person possessed of
spirits, he talks incoherently. Unto a devotee friend who comes asking privately
what is the matter, he explains what he has experienced. He recovers for a
moment, and the friend explains, "That was, by good fortune, a direct meeting
with the Lord." Satisfied with that explanation, he becomes happy.

Then again he laments, "No longer do I have that association. Was it a

shower of mercy from some great devotee of the Lord upon this unlucky sou17 Or
was it by mere chance, or was it the result of some past honest endeavor7 Or
perhaps it was simply the causeless mercy of the Lord. By some indescribable
fortune I have attained the Lord, but th en, because of a grave offense, I have lost
Him again. Without life, without intelligence, I cannot ascertain the truth. Where
shall I go7 What shall I do and how7 Whom to ask7 I am completely vacant,
without soul, without shelter, scorched by a conflagration. The three worlds seem
to be devouring me. Giving up this worldly association, I will live in solitude for
some time."

Doing this, he laments further. "Oh lotus-faced Lord, You are possessed of
streams of nectar, bedecked with fragrant garlands which scent all the forests,
attracting swarms of vibrating bees! Just for a moment may I serve Your Lordship
again. Having once tasted Your sweetness, I cannot aspire for anything else."

He begins to roll on the ground, breathe heavily, faint, and lose his mind.
Suddenly seeing the Lord everywhere, he rejoices, embraces, laughs, dances and
sings, and when the Lord disappears again, he becomes illed with remorse, and
weeps. Behaving in this way, he withdraws his very life symptoms and he loses
awareness of whether he has a ody or not. Then, not aware that his material body
has passed to the elements, he understands only that his desired Lord, the ocean
of mercy, has manifested Himself. Engaging him in service, He is leading him to
His own house. Thus the devotee reaches the final goal.

adau sraddha tatah sadhu sango'tha

b hajana kriya tato' n artha n i v r t tih
sya tato nistha rucis tatah athasaktis
tato bhavas tatah premabhyudacati

First appearsfaith, then association with devotees, devotiona2 activities, c2earing

of obstacles, steadiness, taste, attachment, bhava and finally prema

The stages of devotion mentioned in this verse have been described as they
are.Sneha, mana pranaya, raga, anuraga, and mahabhava, successively specialized
tastes, are progressively higher fruits on the creeper of bhakti. Because the material
body of the devotee cannot tolerate the friction of extremes of all those tastes, they
are not manifested in his body. Thus these tastes have not been described here.
Ruchi, asakti, bhava and prema, which can be experienced, have already been
described. The scriptural quotations have not been supplied, however, as this
would create an obstacle in comprehension of those states. They are upplied now.
ruchi:
tasmins tada labdha rucer mahamune
priy asravasy askhali ta mati r mama

"0 great sage, as soon as I got a taste of the Supreme Personality of

Godhead, my attention to hear of the Lord was unflinching." (SB 1 . 5 .27)

asakti:
gunesu saktam bandhaya
ratam va pumsi muktaye

"The state in which the consciousness of the living entity is attracted by the
three modes of material nature is called life. But when that same consciousness is
attached to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one is situated in the
consciousness of liberation." (SB 3.25.15)

bhava:
priya sravasy anga mama bhavad ratih

"Thus listening attentively, my taste for hearing of the Personality of

Godhead increased at every step." (SB 1.5.26)

prema:
prematibhara nirbhinna
pulakango'ti nirvrtah
ananda samp2ave 2ano
napasyam ubhayam mune

"0 Vyasadeva, at that time, being exceeding2y overpowered byfee2ings of

happiness, every part of my body became separately enlivened Being.absorbed
in an ocean of ecstasy, I cou2d not perceive either myse2
f or the Lord "(SB.
1.6.1 7)

symptoms of ruchi:
ta ye pibanty avitrso
nrpa gahha karnais
tan na sprsanty asana
trh ubhaya soka mohah

"They drink with attentive ears, without being satis-fied, 0 King, and they
are not touched by fear, lamentation and illusion." (SB 4.2c1.40)

symptoms of asakti:
srnvan subhadrani rathanga paner
j anmani karmani ca yani loke
gatani namani tad arthakani
gayan vilajjo vicaredasangah
 "An intelligent person who has controlled his mind and conquered fear
should give up all attachment to material objects such as wife, family and nation.
He should wander freely without embarrassment, hearing and chanting the holy
names of the Lord, the bearer of the chariot wheel." (SB 11.2.39)

symptoms of bhava:
yatha bhramyaty ayo brahman
svayam akarsasannidhau
tatha me bhramyate cetas
cakrapaner yadrcchaya

"0 brahmanas, as iron attracted by a magnetic stone moves automatically

toward the magnet, my consciousness, having been changed by His will, is
attracted by Lord Visnu, who carries a disc in His hand. Thus I have no
independence." (SB 7.5.14)

symptoms of prema:
evam vratah sva priya nama kartya
jatanurago druta citta uccaih
hasaty atho roditi rauti gayaty
unmadavan nrtyati 2oka bahyah

"When a person is actually advanced and takes pleasure in chanting the

holy name of the Lord, who is very dear to him, he is agitated and loudly chants
the holy name. He also laughs, cries, becomes agitated and chants just like a
madman, not caring for outsiders." (SB 11.2.40)

momentary vision of the Lord:

pragayatah sva varyani
tartha padah priya sravah
ahuta iva me saghram
darsanam yati cetas

"The Supreme Lord Krishna, whose glories and activities are pleasing to
hear, at once appears on the seat of my heart, as if called for, as soon as I begin to
chant His holy activities." (SB 1.6.33)

association of the Lord:

pasyanti te me rucirany amba santah
prasanna vaktraruna 2ocanani
rupani divyani vara pradani
sakam vacam sprhanayam vadanti

"0 My Mother, My devotees a2ways see the smi2ingface of My form, with eyes
2ike the rising morning sun. They 2ike to see My various transcendental forms,
 which are a22 benevo2ent, and they a2so ta2kfavorab2y with Me " .(SB 3.25.35)

The devotee's reaction to associating with the Lord:

tair darsanayavayavair udara

vi2asa haseksita vama suktaih
hrtatmano hrta pranams ca bhaktir
anicchato me gatim anva prayunkte

"Upon seeing the charming forms of the Lord, smiling and attractive, and
hearing His very pleasing words, the pure devotee almost loses all other
consciousness. His senses are freed from all other engagements, and he becomes
absorbed in devotional service. Thus in spite of his unwillingness, he attains
liberation without separate endeavor." (SB 3.25.36)
vaso yatha parikrtam madiramadandhah (SB 11.13.36)

These verses taken from Bhagavatam should be considered.

The substance of this is as follows Ahan.kara is of two types: ahanta

(consciousness of I) and mamata (consciousness of mine). Byjnana these two are
destroyed and liberation is attained. By directing these two towards body (I am this
body), house (this is my house), etc. bondage results.

I am the follower of the Lord. I am the servant of the Lord. The Lord with
His associates, an ocean of sweetness with His form, qualities and pastimes is to
be served by me. If one thinks in this way, identifying oneself as the Lord s servant
and making the Lord along with His associates are the object of one s possession, it
is called prema Prema .is in this way distinct from both bondage and liberation,
and is properly called the crown jewel of all human goals. There is a sequence in
this.

When the materialistic aspect of ahanta and mamata is extremely deep, one
remains fixed in the cycle of birth and death. When a particle of faith, by good
fortune is born and one thinks of becoming a Vaishnava and serving the Lord, the
materialistic aspect becomes slightly spiritualized (gandha) and thejiva becomes
qualified for devotional service. At the stage of sadhu sanga, the spiritualization
becomes more condensed and his material attachments are atyantiki. At the stage
of anishthita bhaj ana kriya, the spiritualization of I and mine is specific, localized
in one place, whereas the material aspect is still in full force (purna).

At the stage of nistha, spiritualization becomes detectable in many places,

and the materialistic influence is still prominent (prayiki). At the stage of ruchi,
spiritualization of I and mine becomes dominant, nearing completion (prayiki)
and the materialistic concept of I and mine becomes localized in certain issues. At
the stage of asakti, the spiritual aspect of I and mine becomes complete (purna)
and the material aspect becomes a trace (gandha). At the stage of bhava, the
spiritual aspect becomes thorough (atyantiki) and the material aspect becomes like
an empty shadow. At the stage of prema, the spiritual aspect becomes extremely
intense (paramatyantiki) and the material aspect is completely absent.

At the stage of bhajana kriya, meditation on the Lord is momentary with a

tinge of material topics. At the stage of nistha meditation, there is a trace (abhas)
of other topics. At the stage of ruchi, other topics are absent and the meditation is
long lasting. At the stage of asakti, meditation becomes very deep. During bhava,
meditation is marked with the Lord. At the stage of prema, in contrast to simply
seeing the Lord, there is direct association with the Lord.
madhurya varidheh krsna
caitanya duddhatai rasaih
iyam dhinotu madhury
maya kadambana j agat

The cloud bank has lifted the rasa from the ocean of sweetness personified,
Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.May the sweet bank of clouds satisfy the thirsty world
by distributing that rasa.

Remaining constantly with devotees, he sits with them conversing about

the nectarean pastimes of the Lord relishing and glorifying them again and again,
to the exclusion of all other topics. He enters the sacred dham and becomes fixed
in the pure unalloyed service of the Lord (seva-nishtha). Ignorant people think he
is going crazy.

He attempts to learn the new dance step of the devotees' joyful process of
meditating on and serving the Lord, and ruchi, the dance instructress, takes him
by the two hands to personally teach him. Thus, he begins to experience
extraordinary, unimaginable bliss. Who can describe in what realm of bliss will he
reside when, in time, he is made to dance by the two head mistresses of dance,
bhava and prema7

Thus ends the Eighth Shower of Nectar of Madhurya Kadambini

by Mahamahopadhyaya Shrimat Vishvanath Chakravarti discussing the
attainment of taste for devotional service.