Part 5 - Definition of Sadhana Bhakti

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Definition of Sadhana Bhakti

Part 5 of “Essence of the Ambrosial Ocean of Devotion”

(bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu-sar)

By Victor D DiCara

(Vraja Kishor das)

 

Uttama Bhakti has three stages: sadhana, bhava, and prema. In all three stages,

 

Uttama Bhakti is activity intended to please Krishna, done as the main pursuit

of one without ulterior motive. In the first stage, sadhana, these actions are

a deliberate practice. In the second stage, bhava, they are a natural

expression

ones heart. In the final stage, prema, they are saturated with fully developed

love.

 

Rupa Goswami will describe each in turn, beginning with sadhana-bhakti, which

he defines as (BRS 1.2.2):

 

kRti-sAdhyA bhavet sAdhya-bhAvA sA sAdhanAbhidhA |

nitya-siddhasya bhAvasya prAkaTyaM hRdi sAdhyatA ||2||

 

“When the senses emulate the goal of bhakti with the intention to internalize

that goal, it is called sadhana. The goal is to manifest eternally-perfect

bhava-bhakti

in the heart.”

 

An initial familiarity with two words is helpful: (1) sAdhya – “the goal,” and

(2) sAdhana – “the means to obtain the goal.”

 

 

Sadhya – The Goal

 

Rupa Goswami says that the goal of sadhana-bhakti is to manifest eternally

perfect

bhava-bhakti in ones heart.

 

Does sadhana create bhava? No, bhava-bhakti eternally exists (“nitya”). Then

does sadhana develop or cultivate bhava from an imperfect state to a perfect

state? No, bhava-bhakti is eternally perfect (“nitya-siddha”).

 

What then does sadhana do? It can cause eternally perfect bhava-bhakti to

manifest

(“prAkaTyaM”) in ones heart (“hRdi”). Initially, bhava-bhakti is unmanifest

(“aprakaTa”)

in the heart – present only in a potential state. Sadhana causes it to

manifest.

 

Shloka 1.3.1 will clarify that shuddha-sattva, not sadhana, is the direct cause

 

of bhava-bhakti manifesting in the heart. Shuddha-sattva enters the heart by

the favor of Krishna. This favor is either causeless or is inspired by one’s

sincere attachment to Krishna (Asakti), cultivated through sadhana.

 

 

Sadhana – The Means to Obtain the Goal

 

The term “kRiti-sAdhya” indicates that the means to obtain the goal is to

emulate

its expression. Love is an emotion expressed by a variety of physical, mental,

and vocal actions. Emotions and their expressions can be co-causal. For

example,

happiness can cause one to smile, and smiling can cause one to feel happy. In

the same way, love may cause one to remember the beloved, and, conversely,

remembering

someone with affection may increase ones love for that person.

 

BhAva-bhakti is expressed through the senses in many ways, including hearing

about, talking about, and remembering Krishna. Conversely, emulating those

expressions

can cause bhAva-bhakti to manifest in the heart. Thus, the means to attain the

goal of bhAva-bhakti is to emulate the expressions of bhAva-bhakti with one’s

physical, mental, and vocal actions.

 

It must be noted that bhakti is both the means and the goal. Bhakti emulated

in the senses (“kRti-sAdhya”) is the means, and bhakti internalized in the

heart

(“sAdhya-bhAva”) is the goal. Thus bhakti has no cause other than itself. It

is not a phenomenon produced by a material cause.

 

The term “sAdhya-bhAva” indicates that one’s emulation of bhAva-bhakti must be

intended to internaly realize bhAva-bhakti if it is to be counted as sAdhana.

Accidental or coincidental emulation of bhAva-bhakti – though pious – is not

sAdhana.

 

Thus, sadhana is an emulation of bhava-bhakti’s expressions, with the intention

 

to internally realize bhava-bhakti. Rupa Goswami refers to Narada Muni to

indicate

that the essential thing one emulates in sadhana-bhakti is the constant

fixation

of the mind on Krishna.