Dvitīya Amṛta Vṛṣṭiḥ
The Second Shower of Nectar
The development of Bhakti as Śraddhā, Sādhu-Saṅga, and Bhajana-Kriyā, as well as the divisions of Bhajana-Kriyā
I. Introduction
This is not a work on Māyāvāda Refutation
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 Aiśvarya Kādambinī.
II. The Two Types of Bhakti
Rāga and Vaidhi
Pure bhakti, unmixed with karma and jñāna, is like a wish-fulfilling creeper appearing in the field of the senses.
This bhakti is the refuge of those devotees who firmly vow (dhṛta 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 sādhana bhakti, two qualities make their appearance.
kleśaghnī
relief from material distress
śubhadā
beginning of all auspiciousness
Rāga-bhakti
The smooth upper surface of the two leaves is the jurisdiction of the king called rāga (rāga-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.
Vaidhi-bhakti
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.
na karhicin mat-parāḥ śānta-rūpe
naṅkṣyanti no me 'nimiṣo leḍhi hetiḥ
yeṣām ahaṁ priya ātmā sutaś ca
sakhā guruḥ suhṛdo daivam iṣṭam
The Lord continued: My dear mother, devotees who receive such transcendental opulences are never bereft of them; neither weapons nor the change of time can destroy such opulences. Because the devotees accept Me as their friend, their relative, their son, preceptor, benefactor and Supreme Deity, they cannot be deprived of their possessions at any time.
SB 3.25.38
tasmād bhārata sarvātmā
bhagavān īśvaro hariḥ
śrotavyaḥ kīrtitavyaś ca
smartavyaś cecchatābhayam
O descendant of King Bharata, one who desires to be free from all miseries must hear about, glorify and also remember the Personality of Godhead, who is the Supersoul, the controller and the savior from all miseries.
SB 2.1.5
However, both rāga and vaidhi-bhakti equally manifest the symptoms of kleśaghnī (relief from material distress) and śubhadā (beginning of all auspiciousness).
III. Kleśa - Causes of Suffering
Five Types of Kleśa
As both rāga-bhakti and vaidhi-bhakti destroy kleśa, 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 kleśas are the cause of sinful and pious activities which result in material misfortune or good fortune.
1. Avidyā (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.
2. Asmitā (False Ego)
The bodily identification of I and mine; and to accept only direct sense perception as real.
3. Rāga
(Attachment)
The desire for material happiness and those means which will give it.
4. Dveṣa (Hatred)
The repulsion to unhappiness or the causes of unhappiness.
5. Abhiniveśa
(Absorption)
Absorption in the body as the basis for sense gratification and fear of death.
The stages in the development of sin are prārabdha (fructified), aprārabdha (unfructified), kūṭa (pre-seed) and bīja (seed) are also included in kleśa.
aprārabdha-phalaṁ pāpaṁ
kūṭaṁ bījaṁ phalonmukham
krameṇaiva pralīyante
viṣṇu-bhakti-ratātmanā
There are different stages of dormant reactions to sinful activities to be observed in a sinful life. Sinful reactions may be just waiting to take effect [phalonmukha], reactions may be still further dormant [kūṭa], or the reactions may be in a seedlike state [bīja]. In any case, all types of sinful reactions are vanquished one after another if a person engages in the devotional service of Lord Viṣṇu.
Padma Purāṇa
While yogis and philosophers struggle to combat these stages of sin through their own efforts—finding the deep-seated knots of the heart too difficult to untie—only bhakti, through attachment to the lotus feet of the Lord, can truly uproot them. While ordinary methods may only 'cut' the surface, bhakti burns away the very root and seed of all sinful reactions.
IV. Śubha - Divine Qualities
Beginning of All Auspiciousness
When the anarthas are almost destroyed, the devotee, by the power of bhakti and association with devotees, attains qualities such as mercy, tolerance, and non-enviousness toward all living entities (sarva bhūteṣu), which are specific to the devotees.
yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā
sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ
harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā
manorathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ
All the demigods and their exalted qualities, such as religion, knowledge and renunciation, become manifest in the body of one who has developed unalloyed devotion for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva. On the other hand, a person devoid of devotional service and engaged in material activities has no good qualities. Even if he is adept at the practice of mystic yoga or the honest endeavor of maintaining his family and relatives, he must be driven by his own mental speculations and must engage in the service of the Lord's external energy. How can there be any good qualities in such a man?
ШБ 5.18.12
bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir
anyatra caiṣa trika eka-kālaḥ
Devotion, direct experience of the Supreme Lord, and detachment from other things — these three occur simultaneously for one who has taken shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in the same way that pleasure, nourishment and relief from hunger come simultaneously and increasingly, with each bite, for a person engaged in eating.
ШБ 11.2.42
By this, one should understand that the two symptoms (i.e., destruction of suffering and appearance of all good qualities) occur simultaneously.
However, as there is some difference in the rate of unfurling of two leaves, there is a distinction in the pace of the disappearance of the undesirable qualities (aśubha) and the appearance of the auspicious qualities (śubha).
The progress of bhakti will be distinguished in this way.
Though this is very subtle and difficult to note, the intelligent men have ascertained this through scrutiny of the various effects.
V. First Stage - Śraddhā
Development of Faith
First, the prospective devotee develops śraddhā or faith.
Śraddhā means to have firm trust in the import of the scriptures dealing with bhakti.
It also means to have a genuine desire to enthusiastically undertake the activities (sādhana) described in those scriptures.
These two types of faith may be either natural (svābhāvikī) or being convinced by the preaching of another (balotpāditā).
VI. Second Stage - Sādhu-saṅga
Association with Devotees
However it develops, faith leads him to take shelter of the lotus feet of the guru, and enquire from him about proper conduct (sadācāra).
By following his instructions, that person obtains the good fortune of relations with affectionate like-minded devotees and the association of realized devotees (sādhu-saṅga).
VII. Third Stage - Bhajana-kriyā
Practice of Devotional Activities
Next comes bhajana-kriyā, he begins to practice different types of devotional activities.
This also is of two varieties: unsteady (aniṣṭhitā) and steady (niṣṭhitā).
Six Types of Aniṣṭhitā Bhajana (in sequential order):
- Utsāha-mayī — false confidence: puffed-up enthusiasm without depth or stability.
- Ghana-taralā — Sporadic practice: periods of enthusiasm and concentration are followed by a slackening of effort and distraction.
- Vyūḍha-vikalpā — A wandering mind: excessive reasoning, mental constructions, and fruitless speculations.
- Viṣaya-saṅgarā — contact with sense objects: ongoing attachment to material enjoyments despite practice.
- Niyāmakṣamā — inability to maintain regulatory principles: difficulty in consistently following the rules of practice.
- Taraṅga-raṅgiṇī — attraction to secondary fruits of practice: delighting in material facilities and subtle results of devotional service.
VIII. The Six Types of Aniṣṭhitā Bhajana
Detailed Descriptions
1. Utsāha-mayī (False Confidence)
Just like a young brāhmaṇa’s son who, having barely learned to read, begins to consider himself a great scholar worthy of everyone's admiration, a person who has just stepped onto the path of devotional service may imagine that he has already reached perfection. Such childish self-confidence in a beginner is called utsāha-mayī, or the enthusiasm of a dilettante.
2. Ghana-taralā (Sporadic Endeavor)
The same child sometimes shows a genuine interest in study, and at other times, due to an inability to understand the subject and a lack of taste, becomes completely indifferent to it. Similarly, a neophyte devotee sometimes enthusiastically performs devotional service, and sometimes shows complete indifference towards it. Such alternation of diligence and indifference is called ghana-taralā (ebbs and flows).
3. Vyūḍha-vikalpā (Mental Vacillation)
“Shall I live with my family, helping my wife and children, developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness and worshiping the Lord, or would it be better to leave them all, go to Vṛndāvana, and achieve true perfection by dedicating myself to hearing and chanting the Holy Name? Perhaps it makes sense not to rush into renouncing all material pleasures until I truly become disillusioned with them and understand that the material world is simply a blaze of suffering... Or should I renounce everything right now? After all, the scriptures say:
tam īkṣeta ātmano mṛtyuṁ tṛṇaiḥ kūpam ivāvṛtam
One who associates with a woman goes the way of death. Association with the opposite sex is like a deep well hidden under a cover of grass.
SB 3.31.40
yo dustyajān dāra-sutān suhṛd rājyaṁ hṛdi-spṛśaḥ
jahau yuvaiva malavad uttamaśloka-lālasaḥ
Despite having everything one could dream of and which is so difficult to give up—a beautiful wife, obedient sons, loyal friends, a vast empire—Mahārāja Bharata left everything like a man who, without looking back, walks away from a latrine. Despite his youth, he renounced all he had because of his strong love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Uttamaśloka.
SB 5.14.43
Does this mean I should leave family life while young and full of strength? Or is it better to wait until my old parents die and then accept renunciation?
aho me pitarau vṛddhau bhāryā bālātmajātmajāḥ
anāthā māṁ ṛte dīnāḥ kathaṁ jīvanti duḥkhitāḥ
Oh, woe is me! My parents are old and infirm, and my wife is burdened with caring for a newborn son and other children. If I leave, they will be left unprotected and will suffer intolerably. How can I leave them?
SB 11.17.57
Moreover, if a person accepts renunciation without sufficient spiritual preparation, they are constantly disturbed by thoughts of family life.
atṛptas tān anudhyāyan mṛto 'ndhaṁ viśate tamaḥ
A sannyāsī who finds no satisfaction in his renunciation and constantly thinks of his family members, upon leaving the body, goes to the darkest of hells.
SB 11.17.58
These words of the Lord make me admit that I do not yet possess the will and determination necessary for renunciation. Therefore, for the time being, I will simply work, earning my living, and then, when I have achieved the fulfillment of all my desires, I will settle in Vṛndāvana and worship the Lord day and night. After all, the śāstras state quite clearly:
na jñānaṁ na ca vairāgyaṁ prāyaḥ śreyo bhaved iha
Jñāna and vairāgya are merely obstacles to devotional service. Judging by this verse, renunciation only hinders the development of bhakti. However, if this renunciation is born from bhakti itself, then it should be considered not an obstacle but rather a consequence (anubhāva) of bhakti, its natural result. Of course, if one reasons logically (nyāya):
SB 11.20.31
yad yad āśramam agāt sa bhikṣukas tat tad anna paripūrṇam aikṣata
If a person accepts renunciation, they should not worry about their sustenance, because wherever they go, food is donated to them everywhere.
So maybe I should renounce? But on the other hand:
tāvad rāgādayaḥ stenās tāvat kārā-gṛhaṁ gṛham
tāvan moho 'ṅghri-nigado yāvat kṛṣṇa na te janāḥ
“O my Lord Kṛṣṇa, for those who are not Your devotees, material attachments and desires will forever remain thieves, homes prisons, and love and care for family members shackles.”
SB 10.14.36
On the other hand, family life is a prison only for those who are attached to it. If a person becomes a devotee, family life ceases to be a burden for him. Therefore, I better stay at home and chant the holy name, or better listen about the Lord, or maybe... do something for Him? No, the best thing is to follow the example of Ambarīṣa Mahārāja, who, being a householder, performed all types of devotional service. I will do the same as him.”
Thus the devotee's mind constantly vacillates, weighing the advantages of family life and renunciation. “Which is better: chanting, hearing, or doing something practical? Should I engage in performing all types of devotional service, like Ambarīṣa Mahārāja?”
When the devotee's mind is constantly occupied with making all sorts of decisions, it is called vyūḍha-vikalpā, or mental vacillation.
4. Viṣaya-saṅgarā (Contact with Sense Objects)
viṣayāviṣṭa-cittānāṁ viṣṇv-āveśaḥ sudūrataḥ
vāruṇī-dig-gataṁ vastu vrajann aindrīṁ kim āpnuyāt
One whose heart is absorbed in materialism is far from obtaining devotion to Viṣṇu. Can a man by going east obtain something which is in the west?
“One whose heart is enveloped in materialism is very far from devotion to Viṣṇu. Can a man, walking east, find what is in the West?”
Understanding that the thirst for material pleasures forcibly carries away his mind and weakens his determination to serve Kṛṣṇa constantly, the devotee decides once and for all to end his material habits and take shelter in the Holy Name. But often his attempts to renounce end in him becoming even more attached to what he wanted to give up. Such a person is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:
jāta-śraddho mat-kathāsu nirviṇṇaḥ sarva-karmasu
veda duḥkhātmakaṁ kāmān parityāge 'py anīśvaraḥ
tato bhajeta māṁ prītaḥ śraddhālur dṛḍha-niścayaḥ
juṣamāṇaś ca tān kāmān duḥkhodarkāṁś ca garhayan
My devotee, in whom faith in the narrations about Me has awakened, feels disgust for all types of material activity, understanding that sense gratification leads to suffering. But, despite all his efforts, sometimes he still turns out to be unable to cope with lust and does what ultimately brings him suffering. Such a devotee should repent for the mistake committed and continue to worship Me with love and faith.
SB 11.20.27-28
Classic Symptoms of Vaidhi Sādhaka
- jāta-śraddho mat-kathāsu – Has awakened faith in the process of bhakti
- nirviṇṇaḥ sarva-karmasu – Disgusted with all prescribed duties
- veda duḥkhātmakaṁ kāmān – Understands that sense gratification leads to misery
- parityāge 'py anīśvaraḥ – Still unable to give up sense gratification
- juṣamāṇaś ca tān kāmān duḥkhodarkāṁś ca garhayan – Unable to give up sense gratification, he sincerely repents for engaging in such acts
Kṛṣṇa's instructions to such Sādhakas
- tato bhajeta māṁ prītaḥ śraddhālur dṛḍha-niścayaḥ – Remain happy and worship Me with great faith and conviction
This stubborn struggle of the devotee with his deep-rooted tendency for sense gratification, in which he sometimes wins and sometimes suffers defeat, is called viṣaya-saṅgarā, or declaration of war on the senses.
5. Niyāmakṣamā (Inability to follow the rules)
nirbandhaḥ kāma-karmabhir yaḥ kutaḥ śravakādiṣu
nirbandho bhakti-śāstreṣu nīyamīkṣama ucyate
An inability to strictly follow all the rules and regulations prescribed in the scriptures for the development of bhakti is called niyāmakṣamā. A person in this state lacks the determination to follow all the rules of bhakti, but he is very much attached to material activities and the fulfillment of his material desires.
Then the devotee makes a decision: “From today I will chant so many rounds of japa and offer so many obeisances. I will constantly serve the devotees, stop talking about things that have no relation to the Lord and will avoid in every way the society of people engaged in talks on mundane topics.”
But, despite the daily taking of such vows, he does not always find the strength to follow them. This is called niyāmakṣamā, or inability to follow the rules of devotional service.
Unlike viṣaya-saṅgarā, the inability to give up material attachments, niyāmakṣamā manifests in inability to improve one's devotional service.
6. Taraṅga-raṅgiṇī (Delighting in the waves)
bhakti-svabhāva-siddhānām vitthādīnām lapsā-taragaha
tasmin yas tu sukha-svādas taraṅga-raṅgiṇīti sā
The word taraṅga-raṅgiṇī means “to delight in the waves.” When a person begins to practice devotional service, he naturally receives many benefits, such as fame, honor, wealth, and various mystical powers. Although these are just side effects of bhakti, like the waves on the surface of the ocean, the devotee may begin to find pleasure in them, forgetting the main goal of his service.
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 (lābha, pūjā, pratiṣṭhā).
These are weeds around the creeper of bhakti.
Performing activities, or seeking one's pleasure (raṅga) amidst these weed-like facilities, which are but small waves (taraṅga) in the ocean of bhakti, is called taraṅga-raṅgiṇī, delighting in material facilities.