Bhakti-Yoga, according to A.S. Raghavan

[Guest guest]

In his book VishiShTaadvaita, Sri A.S. Raghavan lists seven characteristics of

the path of bhakti-yoga. These are (quoted verbatim from p 86):

1) Men born of the first three castes only can take to it, and even among them

only those who have sufficient knowledge and capacity.

2) They should have passed through the stages of Karma-yoga and J~naana-yoga by

constant practice and realized the individual soul.

3) There are innumerable obstacles in the form of sins which will prevent a

person from beginning the Bhakti-yoga. In order to overcome them, he has to

seek the aid of Prapatti or SharaNaagati at the feet of God.

4) Again in the daily practice of Bhakti-yoga there is always the risk of

mistakes creeping in. If mistakes come in, either expiation prescribed in the

Shaastras with reference to such sins must be done or another Prapatti

performed in place of such expiation.

5) Bhakti-Yoga has got to be supplemented by the performance of various

obligatory rites, daily and occasional.

6) Bhakti-yoga is capable of yielding the fruit only after a long time. The

reason for this is that it can destroy all sins excepting those that have begun

to perated and yield fruit (i.e., Praarabdha karma). Before the attainment of

salvation, one must experience all the fruits of Praarabdha-karma, good or bad.

One cannot say how long this period of experience will be when the operating

karma will be exhausted. It may be many years and even many births.

7) Lastly even at the last moment when the yogi sheds his body, the thought of

God must be in his mind which is known as Antimasmriti or final rememberance.

Such is Bhakti-yoga.

8) There is the great merit (in practicing bhakti-yoga) that the very process is

a source of joy and happiness unlike the other means. This is because the object

of meditation is Bhagavaan whose essential nature is Bliss and whose qualities

are auspicious and faultless. A greater merit is that when the Bhakti-yoga is

successfully completed, the Upaasaka is once for all free from the travails of

birth and death and attains the state of Release from which there is no return.

 

These things in mind, it occurs to me that the Sri Vaishnava definition of

"bhakti-yoga" is vastly different from the one I was accustomed to. I would

like to open a discussion here on this list regarding bhakti-yoga, prapatti,

and sharaNaagati and how they are regarded in the Sri Vaishnava sampradaaya.

This is mostly for the purpose of my own enlightenment, so if it seems quite

elementary to most of you, please forgive me.

First of all, if all are in agreement with the description of bhakti-yoga

provided above, I was wondering if anyone could provide examples from the

itihaasa-s or puraaNa-s of individuals who practiced the bhakti-yoga as

described above.

Secondly, I was wondering if someone could provide a succinct definition of

bhakti-yoga as it is understood in the Sri Vaishnava sampradaaya. What

activities does it consist of, what qualifications does it require, and how is

it different from the path of sharaNaagati? Why is there a varna restriction on

who can practice bhakti-yoga? What methods of worship are employed in the

practice of bhakti-yoga (i.e. - shravanam, kiirtanam, etc)? Furthermore, is

there any sort of restriction on the particular Deity of Vishnu that one can

worship in this process?

your servant,

H. Krishna

Susarlasusarla.krishna (AT) tumora (DOT) swmed.eduhttp://www.swmed.edu/home_pages/personal/krishnaUT

Southwestern Class of 1999

(my opinions are my own)

[Guest guest]

hare kR^iShNa !

 

I just wanted to take the time to thank you all for the prompt and informative

responses to my posting. Some of you especially took the time to write to me

personally, and I very much appreciated this. I was especially interested to

see that a number of us have some common interests :-) .

 

I would like to continue this conversation, but for now I am going out of town

and won't be back for a week. Mani and Krishna Kalale gave me some food for

thought, and I especially would like to address their points. In the meantime

however, I would also like to start a discussion on the next logical issue, and

that is the subject of sharaNaagati/prapatti. One devotee implied that they were

synonymous. Is this true? Can someone provide a definition for these terms,

perhaps even quoting verses which help to clarify the nature of each? Are there

examples of devotees in the shaastra-s who are considered to have been

practitioners of sharaNaagati?

 

yours,

 

-- HariKrishna Susarla

vaasudevaparaa vedaa vaasudevaparaa makhaaH |

vaasudevaparaa yogaa vaasudevaparaaH kriyaaH || Bhaa P 1.2.28 ||

vaasudevaparaM j~naanaM vaasudevaparaM tapaH |

vaasudevaparo dharmo vaasudevaparaa gatiH || Bhaa P 1.2.29 ||

In the revealed scriptures, the ultimate object of knowledge is Shrii Krishna,

the Personality of Godhead. The purpose of performing sacrifice is to please

Him. Yoga is for realizing Him. All fruitive activities are ultimately rewarded

by Him only. He is supreme knowledge, and all severe austerities are performed

to know Him. In the revealed scriptures, the ultimate object of knowledge is

Shrii Krishna, the Personality of Godhead. The purpose of performing sacrifice

is to please Him. Yoga is for realizing Him. All fruitive activities are

ultimately rewarded by Him only. He is supreme knowledge, and all severe

austerities are performed to know Him. Religion [dharma] is rendering loving

service unto Him. He is the supreme goal of life. (bhaagavata puraaNa

1.2.28-29)