Prathama Amṛta Vṛṣṭiḥ
The First Shower of Nectar
Describing the Superexcellence of Bhakti-Devi
I. Maṅgalācaraṇa
Auspicious Invocation
hṛd-vapre nava-bhakti-śasya-vitateḥ sañjīvanī svāgamā-
rambhe kāma-tapartudāha-damanī viśvāpagollāsinī |
dūrān me maru-śākhino'pi sarasī-bhāvāya bhūyāt prabhu-
śrī-caitanya-kṛpā-niraṅkuśa-mahā-mādhurya-kādambinī
The mercy of Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (prabhu-śrī-caitanya-kṛpā) is an uncontrollable cloud bank of exquisitely sweet nectar (niraṅkuśa-mahā-mādhurya-kādambinī) whose sudden appearance (svāgama ārambhe) fully rejuvenates (sañjīvanī) the grains of nine-fold bhakti (nava-bhakti-śasya-vitateḥ) in the field of the heart (hṛd-vapre), extinguishes the burning summer heat of lust (kāma-tapartudāha-damanī) and bestows rapture to the universal river of living beings (viśva āpaga ullāsinī).
From far off (dūrān), may those clouds of the Lord's mercy give satisfaction and pleasure (sarasī-bhāvāya bhūyāt) even to this worthless soul, a dried-up tree in the desert (me maru-śākhino api).
bhaktiḥ pūrvaiḥ śritā tāṁ tu
rasaṁ paśyed yad-ātta-dhīḥ |
taṁ naumi satataṁ rūpa-
nāma-priya-janaṁ hareḥ
Though there are others who in the past have taken up the path of devotional service to the Lord (pūrvaiḥ tāṁ bhaktiḥ śritā tu), I pay my continual obeisances (taṁ satataṁ naumi) to Srila Rupa Goswami, who is dearmost to the Lord (rūpa-nāma hareḥ priya-janaṁ).
By his mercy, humanity has received the intelligence (yad-ātta-dhīḥ) to see all rasas (relationships with the Lord) revealed by bhakti (devotion to the Lord) (rasaṁ paśyed).
II. The Highest Understanding of Absolute Truth is Akhila Rasāmṛta Mūrti
Verse 3
The śruti (Taittirīya Upaniṣad), after explaining the different coverings of consciousness (anna-maya etc.), concludes: "brahma puccham pratiṣṭhā" — "Brahman, the shelter or support for everything, is supreme".
This statement would seem to establish Brahman, the shelter of everything, as superior to the ānandamaya puruṣa.
But then the same scripture says: "raso vai saḥ rasaṁ hy evāyaṁ labdhvānandī bhavati" — "The Lord is rasa itself. Attaining that rasa, the jīva becomes blissful."
This statement shows that the Lord in his form as rasa incarnate is supreme.
In the same vein, the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, the cream of Vedānta and emperor amongst all types of evidence, describes the Lord as the embodiment of rasa or pleasure:
mallānām aśanir nṛṇāṁ nara-varaḥ strīṇāṁ smaro mūrtimān
gopānāṁ sva-jano 'satāṁ kṣiti-bhujāṁ śāstā sva-pitroḥ śiśuḥ
mṛtyur bhoja-pater virāḍ aviduṣāṁ tattvaṁ paraṁ yogināṁ
vṛṣṇīnāṁ para-devateti vidito raṅgaṁ gataḥ sāgrajaḥ
The various groups of people in the arena regarded Kṛṣṇa in different ways when He entered it with His elder brother. The wrestlers saw Him as a lightning bolt, the men of Mathurā as the best of males, the women as Cupid in person, the cowherds as their relative, the impious rulers as a chastiser, His parents as their child, the King of the Bhojas as death, the unintelligent as the Supreme Lord’s universal form, the yogīs as the Absolute Truth, and the Vṛṣṇis as their supreme worshipable Deity.
SB 10.43.17
The following correlation shows how different groups perceived Kṛṣṇa according to their specific relationship (rasa):
In the Bhagavad Gītā the Lord himself asserts his identity: "brahmaṇo hi pratiṣṭhāham" — "I am the basis of Brahman."
Therefore the Absolute Truth, that blissful, transcendental Supreme Person, is none other than Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the son of the King of Vraja, who has an unlimited body featuring all-auspicious, transcendental names, forms, qualities, and pastimes.
This blissful Lord descends to human perception of the ear, eye, mind and intellect, not by any material cause, but simply by his own independent will just as, by his own will, He appeared in the material world as Kṛṣṇa in the Yadu dynasty and Rāma in the Raghu dynasty.
III. The Lord and Śuddha Bhakti are Self-manifest and Independent
Just as the Lord is not dependent on any material cause for His appearance, so His non-different energy, devotional service (bhakti), in keeping with its self-manifesting nature, is not dependent on any material cause.
Thus, in the First Canto of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam it is said:
sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje
ahaituky apratihatā yayātmā suprasīdati
The supreme occupation [dharma] for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted to completely satisfy the self.
SB 1.2.6
The word ahaitukī (causeless) in this statement indicates that devotional service makes its appearance without material cause (hetu).
Śrī Kṛṣṇa also says to Uddhava:
yadṛcchayā mat-kathādau jāta-śraddhas tu yaḥ pumān
na nirviṇṇo nāti-sakto bhakti-yogo 'sya siddhi-daḥ
If by fortune a person somehow or other develops faith in hearing and chanting My glories and is not disgusted with material life and at the same time not overly attached to it, such a person should perfect himself through the path of loving devotion to Me.
SB 11.20.8
Śrī Kṛṣṇa again says to Uddhava:
asmil loke vartamānaḥ sva-dharma-stho'naghaḥ śuciḥ
jñānaṁ viśuddhaṁ āpnoti mad-bhaktiṁ vā yadṛcchayā
One who is situated in his prescribed duty, free from all sinful activities and cleansed of material contamination, in this very life obtains transcendental knowledge or, by fortune, devotional service unto Me.
SB 11.20.11
These verses both use the word yadṛcchayā, which requires careful understanding to avoid misinterpretation.
In this text and others like it, yadṛcchayaivopacitā: "If by chance one attains bhakti," the dictionary meaning of the word yadṛcchā means by own will or by itself.
Some people take the word to mean "by luck or chance", but that meaning is not suitable here, for then one would be forced to inquire as to the origin of that good luck: is it perhaps caused by material pious activities (śubha-karma), or something else?
If one assumes that this good luck is generated from pious activities, then bhakti is likewise ultimately generated from śubha-karma, i.e. bhakti is dependent upon material good works.
But this is in contradiction with the scripturally-attested independent, self-manifesting nature of bhakti.
If one argues that this luck is not due to any pious activity, being indescribable by words and unknowable to the intellect, then it would be insubstantial and could not be accepted as a cause.
If one proposes that the cause of bhakti is the Lord's mercy, one must then find a reason for the mercy. Thus this statement, giving rise to further need for explanation, is inconclusive in itself.
If one therefore responds that the cause is the Lord's absolute or causeless mercy, then the Lord seems to show favoritism in bestowing it, since causeless mercy should, but does not, fall upon everyone equally.
The Lord is indeed partial to his devotee, but the partiality that the Lord shows in protecting his devotees from the persecution of evil elements does not bring fault to the Lord's character, but rather becomes an ornament which enhances His character.
This overruling nature of the Lord's affectionate obligation to his devotees, which, like a powerful king, subjugates all contradictory factors, will be discussed in the eighth chapter.
IV. The Lord Bestows His Mercy and Pure Bhakti through the Devotee
In proposing the causeless mercy of the devotee as the cause of devotion, one may also see fault in the devotee's partiality in distributing mercy.
If one considers the nature of the madhyama bhakta, one finds that he does exhibit partiality in his distribution of mercy:
īśvare tad-adhīneṣu
bāliśeṣu dviṣatsu ca
prema-maitrī-kṛpopekṣā
yaḥ karoti sa madhyamaḥ
An intermediate or second-class devotee, called madhyama-adhikārī, offers his love to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is a sincere friend to all the devotees of the Lord, shows mercy to ignorant people who are innocent and disregards those who are envious of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
SB 11.2.46
Here we see how the Lord becomes subservient to His devotee, bestowing his mercy in accordance with the devotee's mercy.
But there is no irregularity in this arrangement, because the reason that mercy appeared in the devotee is because bhakti is in his heart.
Without having bhakti there is no possibility of the devotee manifesting mercy to others.
Thus, in this case, the self-manifesting, independent nature of bhakti is again resolved.
V. The Supreme Lord Is Subservient to His Pure Devotee
Qualification for Vaidhi Sādhana Bhakti
yaḥ kenāpy atibhāgyena
jāta-śraddho 'sya sevane
nātisakto na vairāgya-
bhāg asyām adhikāry asau
The person (yaḥ) who has developed faith (jāta-ш́раддхах̣) in serving the Lord (asya sevane) by impressions arising from previous association with devotees (kenāpy atibhāgyena), who is not too attached to material objects (na ati saktaḥ), and who is not too detached (na vairāgya-bhāg), is qualified for vaidhi-bhakti (asyām adhikāry asau).
BRS 1.2.14
Therefore, in the statement yaḥ kenāpy atibhāgyena jāta śraddho'sya sevane ("the person who has attained faith in the service of the Lord by extreme good fortune"), the words atibhāgyena ("extreme good fortune") should be understood to mean the attainment of the mercy of the devotee, which surpasses (atikrama) the results of material pious activities (śubhakarma).
But one should not conclude that since the devotee is dependent on the will of Lord, the devotee cannot initiate the bestowal of mercy.
For the Lord willingly becomes subservient to His devotee, and gives preeminence to the devotee's position by granting him the power to bestow the Lord's mercy (svakṛpā-śakti).
Though as Paramātmā He simply oversees the affairs of the jīva's external senses, which are the reward of his past activities, the Lord personally shows special mercy to His devotees by giving them His own independent power to bestow mercy to others.
As Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, only by His bestowal of mercy can one attain His eternal spiritual realm. This mercy is manifested in the Lord's bestowal of His own kṛpā-śakti to his devotee, who then gives it to the fallen souls, as previously explained.
VI. Bhakti is not caused by any other processes
Through many scriptural statements (svecchāvatāra caritaiḥ, svecchā māyasya) one can understand that the Lord appears by His own will.
Still, material vision may impel one to say that the need to relieve the burden of evil on the earth is the cause of the Lord's advent.
In the same way, sometimes it is said that prescribed activities (karma) performed without personal motives (niṣkāma) act as the door to bhakti. There is no harm in such statements, if we understand their relative nature.
But yet charity, austerities etc. are clearly denied as causes of bhakti in the Eleventh Canto of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam:
yaṁ na yogena sāṅkhyena
dāna-vrata-tapo-'dhvaraiḥ
vyākhyā-svādhyāya-sannyāsaiḥ
prāpnuyād yatnavān api
The gopīs, the cows, the unmoving creatures, the animals and the snakes — all of them, being completely absorbed in Me, attained the ultimate perfection, which is difficult even for the most learned and powerful personalities to achieve.
SB 11.12.9
Despite charity, austerities, etc. being clearly denied as actual causes of bhakti, in another place Śrīmad Bhāgavatam says:
tapo dānaṁ vrataṁ yajñaṁ
tīrthānuśravanaṁ śrutam
puṇyaṁ ca guṇa-saṅgaś ca
vāsudevaika-niṣṭhatā
Devotional service unto Lord Kṛṣṇa is attained by charity, strict vows, austerities and fire sacrifices, by japa, study of the Vedas, observance of regulative principles and by many other auspicious practices.
SB 10.47.24
The first verse says bhakti cannot be obtained by these methods; but then the second says devotion is accomplished by such methods. This apparent contradiction is resolved when we understand that the second verse refers to sāttvikī-bhakti (bhakti in the mode of goodness), which acts merely as a limb of jñāna, rather than transcendental nirguṇa-prema-bhakti.
Others say charity in this context refers to giving to Viṣṇu; thus these are limbs of sādhana-bhakti. To say bhakti is attained by these aṅgas simply means perfected bhakti (sādhya) is caused by sādhana-bhakti. Thus, the causeless nature of bhakti is concluded.
VII. Rather, it is Bhakti which supports the other processes
Thus, it is seen that a semblance of bhakti (bhakti-ābhāsa), sattvikī-bhakti, appearing as an aṅga of karma or jñāna yoga, is the performer of all activities belonging to karma, jñāna and yoga.
Without at least a semblance of devotion to the Lord, no process can give its fruit.
śreyaḥ-sṛtiṁ bhaktim udasya te vibho...
My dear Lord, devotional service unto You is the best path for self-realization. If someone gives up that path and engages in the cultivation of speculative knowledge, he will simply undergo a troublesome process and will not achieve his desired result. As a person who beats an empty husk of paddy regains nothing but useless labor, one who abandons Your devotional service and simply speculates will never attain perfection.
SB 10.14.4
tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujam harer
bhajann apakvo 'tha patet tato yadi
yatra kva vābhadram abhūd amuṣya kiṁ
ko vārtha āpto 'bhajatāṁ sva-dharmataḥ
One who has forsaken his material occupations to engage in the devotional service of the Lord may sometimes fall down while in an immature stage, yet there is no danger of his being unsuccessful. On the other hand, a nondevotee, though fully engaged in occupational duties, does not gain anything.
SB 1.5.17
pureha bhūman bahavo 'pi yoginas
tvad-arpitehā nija-karma-labdhayā
vibudhya bhaktyaiva kathopanītayā
prapedire 'ñjo 'cyuta te gatiṁ parām
In the past, O Almighty Lord, many yogīs in this world who were unable to achieve Your grace by any other means purified their hearts by offering all their activities unto You and by hearing and chanting about Your glories. Thus they attained to unalloyed devotional service and were able to understand Your reality and go to Your supreme abode.
SB 10.14.5
The accomplishment of results on the paths of jñāna, karma and yoga are completely dependent on bhakti. Whereas, for the accomplishment of its result, prema, the practice of bhakti is never dependent even in the slightest way on karma, jñāna or yoga.
Rather, the Lord declares:
tasmān mad-bhakti-yuktasya
yogino vai mad-ātmanaḥ
na jñānaṁ na ca vairāgyaṁ
prāyaḥ śreyo bhaved iha
For one who is engaged in My devotional service, with mind fixed on Me, the cultivation of knowledge and renunciation is generally not the means of achieving the highest perfection.
SB 11.20.31
ājñāyaiva guṇān doṣān
mayādiṣṭān api svakān
dharmān santyajya yaḥ sarvān
māṁ bhajet sa ca sattamaḥ
An intelligent person, knowing that My devotional service is the goal of life, is willing to abandon all religious duties and accept the shelter of My lotus feet.
SB 11.11.32
The dependency of karma, jñāna and yoga on bhakti must be accepted as a fact. Bhakti is essential in giving the results to the practice of karma, jñāna and yoga, but bhakti itself is not at all even the least contingent on these practices for its results.
It is said:
yat karmabhir yat tapasā jñāna-vairāgyataś ca yat
yogena dāna-dharmeṇa śreyobhir itarair api
sarvaṁ mad-bhakti-yongena mad-bhakto labhate 'ñjasā
svargāpavargaṁ mad-dhāma kathañcid yadi vāñchati
Everything that can be achieved by fruitive activities, penance, knowledge, detachment, mystic yoga, charity, religious duties and all other means of perfecting life is easily achieved by My devotee through loving service unto Me. If My devotee somehow or other desires promotion to heaven, liberation, or residence in My abode, he easily achieves such benedictions.
SB 11.20.32-33
It is also said:
bhagavad-bhakti-hīnasya
jātiḥ śāstraṁ japaḥ tapaḥ
aprāṇasyaiva dehasya
maṇḍanaṁ loka-rañjanam
Without devotion to the Lord (bhagavad-bhakti-hīnasya), good birth, knowledge of scripture, japa and tapas (jātiḥ śāstraṁ japaḥ tapaḥ) are like the decoration of a lifeless body (aprāṇasyaiva dehasya maṇḍanaṁ), performed only for the sake of pleasing the eyes of the people (loka-rañjanam).
Hari Bhakti Sudhodaya 3.12
VIII. Bhakti is not dependent on Purity or Faith
Unlike karma yoga, where specific conditions of purity (śauca), time (kāla), and place (deśa) are essential for performance, bhakti is completely independent of these requirements.
No Dependence on Place/Time
"Devotional service unto Me is not dependent on the considerations of time (na kāla-nirṇayas tathā) and place (na deśa-niyamas tatra), or rules of conduct for purification and such consideration as whether or not one has passed stool, etc (na ucchiṣṭa ādau niṣedhaḥ asti)."
No Dependence on Faith
sakṛd api parigītaṁ
śraddhayā helayā vā
bhṛgu-vara nara-mātraṁ
tārayet kṛṣṇa-nāma
"O best of the Bhṛgus (bhṛgu-vara)! if anyone chants Lord Kṛṣṇa's name even once unreservedly (sakṛd api parigītaṁ), whether in a derisive mood or with proper faith (śraddhayā helayā vā), the holy name will certainly award him liberation (nara-mātraṁ tārayet kṛṣṇa-nāma)."
Padma Purāṇa
Thus whether the name is chanted purely or impurely it will deliver the fallen soul. The same cannot be said of karma yoga, where impurity is a great obstacle to progress.
mantro hīnaḥ svarato varṇato
vā mithyā prayukto na tam artham
āha yathendra śatruḥ svarato'parādhāt
sa vāg vajro yajamānaṁ hinasti
If a mantra is either intoned or pronounced incorrectly, not only will the mantra have no effect, but it may be harmful.
An example of the importance of following such stipulations found in the story of Vṛtrāsura, wherein Tvaṣṭā Ṛṣi performed sacrifice to vanquish Indra. While chanting the mantras the ṛṣi mispronounced the word indra-śatruḥ. Pronounced correctly the word means "enemy of Indra (Vṛtrāsura)", instead it came to mean "Indra, enemy of Vṛtrāsura".
This mistake proved fatal for Vṛtrāsura.
The necessity of internal purity for practice of jñāna yoga is well known. Jñāna yoga is moreover dependent on karma yoga, for one may enter jñāna yoga only with a heart purified of gross desires, and such purity of heart stems from the performance of karma without gross desires.
Because of this dependency, if the practitioner of jñāna yoga commits even a small unworthy act by accident, he is condemned as a vāntāśī, an eater of vomit. (sa vai vāntāśy apatrapaḥ) – The mind is always agitated by the three modes of material nature, but one can control the mind by the process of bhakti-yoga and thus achieve the ultimate goal of life.
Besides, Kaṁsa, Hiraṇyakaśipu and Rāvaṇa were famous practitioners of jñāna, and they are certainly not at all worthy of praise.
On the other hand, one on the path of bhakti, though afflicted by lust, has the qualification to begin the practice, and just by the practice of bhakti, lust and other impurities are destroyed.
vikrīḍitaṁ vraja-vadhūbhir idaṁ ca viṣṇoḥ
śraddhānvito 'nuśṛṇuyād atha varṇayed yaḥ
bhaktiṁ parāṁ bhagavati pratilabhya kāmaṁ
hṛd-rogam āśv apahinoty acireṇa dhīraḥ
Anyone who faithfully hears or describes the Lord’s playful affairs with the young gopīs of Vṛndāvana will attain the Lord’s pure devotional service. Thus he will quickly become sober and conquer lust, the disease of the heart.
SB 10.33.39
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 kāma may sometimes appear in the devotee, the scriptures never condemn that devotee at all:
api cet su-durācāro
bhajate mām ananya-bhāk
sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ
samyag vyavasito hi saḥ
Even if one commits the most abominable action (api cet su-durācāro), if he is engaged in devotional service (bhajate mām ananya-bhāk) he is to be considered saintly (sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ) because he is properly situated in his determination (samyag vyavasito hi saḥ).
BG 9.30
bādhyamāno 'pi mad-bhakto
viṣayair ajitendriyaḥ
prāyaḥ pragalbhayā bhaktyā
viṣayair nābhibhūyate
As a blazing fire turns firewood into ashes, O Uddhava, devotion unto Me completely burns to ashes the sins committed by My devotees.
SB 11.14.18
The servants of Viṣṇu judged Ajāmila as a devotee. Though the chanting of persons like Ajāmila, who uttered the name of the Lord inadvertently out of affection for his son, must be considered nāma-ābhāsa (not pure), still they are universally praised as devotees.
Internal purity and purity of place, materials, etc. are necessary for the accomplishments of the karmīs, jñānīs and yogīs, 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, jñāna and yoga are dependent on bhakti.
Bhakti is Independent
It neither requires any other means for its execution nor is it obstructed by any lack or fault.
IX. Bhakti is not one of the means of attaining Jñāna
Only an ignorant person will say bhakti is but a means of attaining jñāna, for śāstra emphatically declares the supreme excellence of bhakti over even the final goal of jñāna, mokṣa.
muktiṁ dadāti karhicit sma na bhakti-yogam
To those who are very dear to Him, He grants liberation, but He rarely grants them devotional service.
SB 5.6.18
muktānām api siddhānāṁ
nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇaḥ
sudurlabhaḥ praśāntātmā
koṭiṣv api mahā-mune
O great sage (mahā-mune)! Above those who are jīvan-muktas and above those who attain liberation (muktānām api siddhānāṁ), stands the devotee of Lord Nārāyaṇa (nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇaḥ). Such a devotee, situated in śānta or other rasas (praśāntātmā), is extremely rare (su-durlabhaḥ), even among ten million people (koṭiṣv api).
SB 6.14.5
X. Bhakti sometimes plays the role of Jñāna's assistant only to support it
If jñāna 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 (sāttvikī-bhakti) and becomes a limb of jñāna just to give support to jñāna.
This is the understanding of wise men.
XI. Therefore, only an animal would reject Bhakti
The devotees of the Lord, being naturally inclined to service, should constantly speak to one another about the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In this way they should cultivate and enhance their natural attraction for the Lord. This attraction is the seed of pure devotional service. (SB 11.3.31), the fruit of sādhana bhakti is prema bhakti, which itself is the topmost attainment for mankind (puruṣārtha śiromaṇi).
Thus the all-pervading, all-attractive, life-giving, super excellent, supremely independent, and self-manifesting nature of the exalted energy, Bhakti-devī, which arises from the Lord Himself, has been slightly described:
- sarva-vyāpakatvam (All-pervading)
- sarva-vaśīkaratvam (All-attractive)
- sarva-sañjīvakatvam (Life-giving)
- sarvotkarṣa (Super excellent)
- parama-svatantra (Supremely independent)
- sva-prakāśatvam (Self-manifesting)
If one still prefers a process other than bhakti, that person should be considered bereft of all sense of judgement.
What else can be said?
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:
nivṛtta-tarṣair upagīyamānād
bhavauṣadhāc chrotra-mano-'bhirāmāt
ka uttamaśloka-guṇānuvādāt
pumān virajyeta vinā paśughnāt
Glorification of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is performed in the paramparā system; that is, it is conveyed from spiritual master to disciple. Such glorification is relished by those no longer interested in the false, temporary glorification of this cosmic manifestation. Descriptions of the Lord are the right medicine for the conditioned soul undergoing repeated birth and death, and therefore who will cease hearing such glorification of the Lord except a butcher or one who is killing his own self?
SB 10.1.4