BRS 1.1.11 - Revision IV

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anyAbhilASitA-shUnyaM jñAna-karmAdy-anAvritam |

 

AnukUlyena kriSNAnu-shIlanaM bhaktir-uttamA ||11||

 

 

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

pursuit

of one without ulterior motive.

 

 

Bhakti-rasa is the subject of Bhakti RasAmrita Sindhu. But before describing

the relishable flavor of Bhakti, we must first understand what Bhakti is. Rupa

Goswami therefore defines Bhakti in the first division of his book, beginning

with this essential shloka.

 

 

Uttama Bhakti

 

Uttama means “highest.” This can indicate being above all material qualities

and thus being uncontaminated or “pure” (one could analyze the word uttama to

mean uttara-tamasa – “higher than darkness”). As such, one could translate the

phrase uttama-bhakti as “Pure Devotion.”

 

 

KrSNa-anu-shIlanaM

 

This phrase indicates that Uttama Bhakti consists of endeavor (shIlanaM) that

pleases Krishna. First, we should understand the verb “endeavor.”

 

 

Everything one does is a result of how one feels inside, because action and

emotion

are intrinsically connected. In Sanskrit, and implicitly in all laguages, verbs

 

therefore imply both action and emotion. Further, a verb implies two types of

action: action that invokes an emotion, and action that expresses an emotion.

Emotion exists in the context of two things: one’s basic relationship with the

object of action, and the side effects of the emotional-action.

 

 

For example, the verb “to laugh” most often implies the action of laughter and

the emotion of happiness. Further, one might laugh to invoke happiness, or to

express it. The happiness invoked or expressed by laughter exists in context

of a relationship, most often a friendly one, and amidst side effects – quite

often fatigue, or disregard for others. In summary:

 

To Laugh

 

 

Action = Laughter

 

either -

 

 

 

Laughter that invokes happiness

 

Laughter that expresses happiness

 

 

Emotion = Happiness

 

in context of -

 

 

 

A friendly relationship

 

Emotional side effects like fatigue or disregard for others.

 

 

In this shloka the verb is “kriSNa-anu-shIlanaM” - endeavor that pleases

Krishna.

This verb implies both activity for Krishna, and affection for him. Further,

activity for Krishna might be intended to invoke affection for him, or to

express

it. Affection for Krishna exists in context of a specific type of relationship

with Krishna, and amidst side effects. In

summary:

 

KriSNa-anu-shIlanaM – Endeavor That Pleases Krishna

 

 

Action = Activity for Krishna

 

either -

 

 

 

To invoke affection for him

 

To express affection for him

 

Emotion = Affection for Krishna

 

in context of -

 

 

 

Ones personal relationship with Krishna

 

Emotional side effects associated with an action in that relationship

 

 

As the book progresses Rupa Goswami will explain the names and definitions of

all these categories of kriSNa-anu-shIlanaM. In brief, Uttama-Bhakti includes

all these endeavors:

 

KriSNa-anu-shIlanaM – Endeavor That Pleases Krishna

 

CeSTa-rUpa = Activity for Krishna

 

either

 

 

 

- To invoke affection for him (sAdhana-bhakti)

 

- To express affection for him (anubhAva)

 

BhAva-rUpa = Affection for Krishna

 

in context of -

 

 

 

Ones personal relationship with Krishna

-

 

Just beginning (bhava-bhakti)

 

-

 

Fully developed (prema-bhakti)

 

 

Emotional side effects associated with an action in that relationship

(vyabhicArI-bhAva)

 

 

Activity for Krishna involves the body, mind, and/or voice. Such activities may

 

be either in pursuit of pleasing Krishna, or in avoidance of displeasing him.

For example, in pursuit of pleasing Krishna one might use one’s body to clean

Krishna’s residence. In avoidance of displeasing him, one might avoid causing

injury or pain to others. One might use one’s mind to meditate on or remember

Krishna, or one might avoid using one’s mind to dream up inflated images of

one’s

ego. One might use one’s voice to sing for Krishna, or might avoid using it to

insult Krishna’s devotees. Uttama Bhakti includes all these.

 

 

Krishna

 

Krishna is the object of action and emotion in Uttama Bhakti. However, since

Krishna is the Supreme Being he includes everyone and everything. Therefore

everyone

and everything could be a subsidiary object of action and emotion in Uttama

Bhakti.

 

 

“Krishna” includes Krishna himself as well as his expansions: other forms of

God, all living beings, and the energies that compose the spiritual and

material

worlds. When one of these three expansions of Krishna is the immediate object

of action and emotion, and Krishna remains the ultimate object, one is still

within the purview of Uttama Bhakti.

 

 

AnukUlyena

 

Thus far, Rupa Goswami has defined Bhakti as “endeavor that pleases Krishna.”

This definition is still incomplete because it includes activities that

accidentally

or unwillingly please Krishna. Krishna’s famous evil Uncle Kamsa, for example,

vigilantly tried to kill Krishna, but unwittingly brought him pleasure with

each

attempt by giving him opportunity to protect his friends and family and enjoy

moral combat. Since his attitude towards Krishna was not affectionate, it

should

be explicitly clear that his actions are not Bhakti, even though they wound up

pleasing Krishna.

 

 

Rupa Goswami therefore includes the word anukUlyena in his definition of

Bhakti.

This indicates that Bhakti is always impelled by a favorable attitude towards

Krishna. Thus, bhakti is not simply an endeavor that pleases Krishna; it is an

endeavor intended to please Krishna.

 

 

The intention to please Krishna is more important than the actual result. For

example, Krishna’s mother often had to chastise or discipline Krishna in

various

ways that apparently displeased him. Even though the end result was apparently

displeasing to Krishna, her action is within the purview of Bhakti, because her

 

intention was loving. On the other hand, the end result of Kamsa’s actions was

apparently pleasing to Krishna, but his action is not within the purview of

Bhakti,

because his intention was hateful.

 

 

Thus the intention to please Krishna is the inseperable essence of endeavor in

Uttama Bhakti.

 

 

“Devotion” and “Pure Devotion”

 

Thus far Rupa Goswami has defined bhakti (“devotion”) as, “AnukUlyena

kriSNAnu-shIlanaM”

– endeavor intended to please Krishna. Now, he refines this to become a

definition

of Uttama Bhakti (“pure devotion”) by excluding impurities from it as follows:

 

 

AnyAbhilASitA-shUnyaM

 

This phrase indicates that Uttama Bhakti is free from ulterior motive. Bhakti

is an endeavor intended to please Krishna, but what if one undertakes such an

endeavor with an ulterior motive? What if one offers something to Krishna with

the intention of pleasing him, but with the motive to obtain a reward from

Krishna

as a result of pleasing him – is this Bhakti?

 

 

Yes, it is Bhakti, but it is not Uttama Bhakti – it is a kind of love and

devotion,

but not pure love and devotion. In pure devotion, one pleases one’s beloved

simply

for the sake of pleasing him or her, and not to obtain anything in return.

 

 

The word anyAbhilASitA is made up of “anya” (other), “abhilASin” (one with

desires),

and the suffix “-tA.” It is joined to the word “shUnyaM” (void). The whole

phrase

indicates that Uttama Bhakti belongs to persons who are devoid of other

desires,

devoid of ulterior motives. However, the suffix “-tA,” comprable to the English

 

suffix “-ness,” adds a sense of liberality. Here, it indicates that in Uttama

Bhakti a person must have basic desireless-ness. In other words, if one’s basic

 

motivation is to please Krishna one can be within the purview of Uttama Bhakti

even if extraneous or ulterior desires, especially in trying circumstances,

sometimes

arise and subside again beneath one’s prime motivation – to please Krishna.

 

 

JñAna-karmAdy-anAvritam

 

This phrase indicates that in Uttama Bhakti, one’s endeavor to please Krishna

is one’s main pursuit; it is not obstructed or overshadowed by any other

endeavors.

 

 

What are “other endeavors?” Rupa Goswami mentions cultivation of Knowledge

(“jñAna”),

secular and religious endeavor for personal prosperity (“karma”) and similar

other pursuits (“adi”).

 

 

What kind of knowledge can obstruct or overshadow one’s endeavor to please

Krishna?

Clearly not knowledge about how the pure soul loves God (prayojana-jñAna),

about

how to please God (abhideya-jñAna), or about one’s relationship with God and

his creation (sambandha-jñAna); these do not obscure Bhakti, they nourish it.

Other types of knowedlge can obstruct or overshadow Bhakti, even knowledge

about

the soul and knowledge that produces detachment from the temporary word, when

not understood in terms of their eternal relationship with God.

 

 

What does it mean to “obstruct or overshadow Bhakti?”

 

 

If one thinks one cannot please Krishna without first performing certain

religious

or secular activities, or without first aquiring extraneous varieities of

knowledge,

etc. then these things have “obstructed” or “overshadowed” (anAvritaM) one’s

Bhakti. One with such opinions will give more importance to his or her mundane

religious, secular or educational endeavors – and his endeavor to directly

please

Krishna by hearing about him, glorifying him, remembering him, etc. will

diminish

and weaken in the shadow of one’s other pursuits.

 

 

Knowledge and activities that do not directly endeavor to please Krishna are,

to some extent, an unavoidable counterpart of survival in this ever-changing

world. One must undertake the religious, secular, and educational endeavors

appropriate

for one’s survival and basic prosperity. To do so does not overshadow or

obstruct

Bhakti, as long as one does not consider such pursuits to be more significant

than the pursuit of pleasing Krishna.

 

 

Conclusion

 

“Devotion” or “Bhakti” is an endeavor intended to please Krishna. When this

endeavor

is free from the impurities of ulterior motive and not overshadowed by other

endeavors, it is “Uttama Bhakti” or “Pure Devotion.” The remainder of Bhakti

RasAmrita Sindhu describes Uttama Bhakti and it’s ambrosial flavor.

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For a more readable version, check the translations on the BRS site:

www.the-gita.net/BRS

or go straight to www.the-gita.net/BRS/1-1b.htm#11