Vaidhi Sadhana (unfinished - DO NOT PUBLISH)

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Dear Katha Readers,

 

This article is almost finished, the topic is so vast that I would appreciate

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Vaidhi Sadhana Bhakti

Part 6 – Essence of the Ambrosial Ocean of Devotion

By Victor D DiCara (Vraja Kishor das)

 

Two Types of Sadhana

Sadhana is the attempt to internally realize bhava-bhakti by emulating the

external

expressions of bhava-bhakti.

 

Raganuga-sadhana is when such emulation is inspired by ones emotive attachment

(“raga”) to realizing pure love for Krishna. Vaidhi-sadhana is when such

emulation

is inspired by an intellectual attachment to realizing pure love for Krishna.

One develops such intelligence by understanding the statements of scripture

(“vidhi”).

 

The scripture makes many statements that sometimes appear confusing or

contradictory.

How is one to get the inspiration for practicing pure devotion from such

statements?

To address this dilemma, Rupa Goswami quotes the Padma Purana stating that all

the prescriptions and prohibitions of scripture are subservient to and meant

to support one supreme prescription – “Always remember Vishnu,” and one supreme

 

prohibition – “Never forget Vishnu.”

 

Understanding the scripture in this context can give one the faith required to

become eligible for practicing pure devotion, vaidhi-sadhana.

 

Eligibility for Vaidhi-Sadhana

A person who is neither too renounced nor too attached to worldly life is

eligible

for vaidhi-sadhana if he or she has faith that life’s main pursuit should be

to please Krishna without ulterior motive.

 

A person who is too renounced will not be inclined to use the senses and

emotions

at all. A person who is too attached is quite inclined to use the senses and

emotions, but not for the pleasure of another. Both are therefore disadvantaged

 

and ineligible for vaidhi-sadhana.

 

Faith in uttama-bhakti is the main qualification for vaidhi-sadhana, and this

faith comes from intelligent understanding of scripture. The stronger ones

faith,

the more eligible one is for vaidhi-sadhana. The more deeply and rationally one

 

understands scripture, the stronger ones faith becomes. Rupa Goswami identifies

 

three grades of eligibility: the lowest eligibility (‘kanishtha-adhikar’) is

to simply to have some faith in uttama-bhakti. The middle level of eligibility

(‘madhyama-adhikar’) is to have more firm and steady faith, which comes from

a more thorough understanding of scripture. The highest eligibility

(‘uttama-adhikar’)

is to have unwavering faith in uttama-bhakti, which comes from a very deep and

rational understanding of scripture.

 

One without faith that endeavoring to please Krishna without ulterior motive

should be the main pursuit of life is not qualified for vaidhi-sadhana. Rupa

Goswami cites the Bhagavad Gita, where Krishna identifies four types of pious

persons who approach him with an ulterior motive. Those ulterior motives

disqualify

them from vaidhi-sadhana.

 

Thus the basic qualification for vaidhi-sadhana is faith that bhakti, not

bhukti

(material enjoyment) or mukti (liberation), should be the main goal of life.

Rupa Goswami cites more than two-dozen verses that illustrate pertinent

incidents

in the lives of those who have this basic qualification.

 

Rupa Goswami clarifies that desire for some forms of liberation does not

interfere

with one’s eligibility for vaidhi-sadhana, but points out that the purest of

the pure, the eternal residents of Vrindaban, never desire any form of

liberation

or anything whatsoever, except to please Krishna.

 

Bringing the topic back down to earth, Rupa Goswami states that the

qualification

for vadhi-sadhana – which is to have faith in uttama-bhakti – is not at all a

lofty, unattainable concept. Anyone at all can immediately achieve this

qualification,

if only they desire it.

 

One may also question if those who do not actively pursue bhukti and mukti

might

transgress certain scriptural rules that promote those fruits and thus incur

sin. Rupa Goswami clarifies that each individual has different religious duties

 

based on his or her level of spiritual evolution. One who has evolved to the

platform of being qualified for vaidhi-sadhana needs to follow the duties of

vaidhi-sadhana, but if he or she transgresses the duties enjoined for those of

less mature spiritual evolution, he or she does not suffer the reactions of

such

transgressions.

 

The Practices of Vaidhi Sadhana

There are an infinite number of ways to express love. Since sadhana is an

attempt

to internalize love for God by emulating it’s external expressions, there are

potentially unlimited ways that one may practice sadhana. However, these

unlimited

practices fall into nine categories: (1) shravana – hearing about, (2) kirtana

- glorifying, and (3) smarana - remembering the beloved, (4) pada-sevana -

physically

serving the beloved, (5) arcane - properly worshipping the beloved, and (6)

vandana

- praying to the beloved, (7) dasya - acting in the role of a servant, or (8)

sakhya - friend, and (9) atma-nivedana - completely giving oneself to ones

beloved.

 

Though there are potentially limitless ways to practice sadhana, Rupa Goswami

gives a list of 64 methods, which, like all expressions or emulations of love,

can be seen as belonging to the nine categories mentioned above.

 

The first 20 of these methods he calls “preliminary” (prarambha). These items

help one obtain the maximum efficacy from the main-practices of sadhana. The

first ten are preliminary “dos,” while the next group of ten are preliminary

“don’ts”

 

TEN PRELIMINARY "DO'S"

1) Find a guru who is deeply learned in scripture and transcendence, is

materially

equipoised and firmly fixed in spiritual pursuit.

2) get initiation and instruction about Krishna from him or her.

3) Serve him or her with enthusiasm.

 

These three are “fundamental” preliminary items (“pradhana”).

 

4) Follow the saint's path.

5) Inquire about eternal religious principles.

6) Accept hardship if needed for pleasing Krishna

7) Reside in a sacred place like Dvaraka and the Ganges.

8) Satisfy ones personal needs in moderation.

9) Respect the holy days of Hari.

10) Respect beings associated with Hari.

 

TEN PRELIMINARY "DONT'S"

11) Abandon the company of persons adverse to God.

12) Don’t be attached to having students and disciples.

13) Don’t start huge projects like building big temple.

14) Don’t study or teach mundane things, or with mundane motives

15) Don’t be unkind, even if you are dissatisfied.

16) Don’t be overwhelmed by strong emotions like lamentation.

17) Don’t disobey other gods.

18) Don’t cause anxiety to any being.

19) Carefully avoid offenses in worship and meditation on God's name.

20) Don’t tolerate malice or insult to Krishna or his devotee.

 

Now, having listed the 20 preliminary items, Rupa Goswami begins listing the

main practices of sadhana. I will organize them according to the nine main

categories

of bhakti.

 

PADA-SEVANAM – Service done by the body/legs

21) Mark the body with Vaishnava symbols.

22) Mark the body with the name of Hari.

23) Take and use things that have been purified by contact with the Deity.

24) Dance enthusiastically for Krishna.

25) Offer respects to Krishna.

26) Rising up to greet Krishna.

27) Follow Krishna as he goes along.

28) Going to a holy place or to Krishna’s temple.

29) Circumambulate Krishna.

 

ARCANAM – Proper worship of the beloved

30) Worship with proper ingredients and mantra, after being purified

31) Perform services in connection with worship, like washing the paraphernalia

 

used in worship, etc.

 

KIRTANAM – Glorification of the beloved

32) Sing about Krishna

33) Loudly Glorify Krishna’s names, activities, and qualities (samkirtan)

34) Lightly repeat a Krishna-mantra (japa)

 

VANDANAM – Praying to the beloved

35) Express yourself to Krishna with your own words, by making requests and

confessions,

and stating your devotional desires.

36) Reciting prayers from scripture.

 

Sensory Engagements

The following items involve using all the senses in connection with the Deity

of Krishna. They can be considered expansions of Pada-Sevanam or of Archanam.

 

37) Taste the sanctified food offered to the Deity.

38) Taste the water that washed the Deities feet.

39) Smell the sweet incense, flowers, and other things offered to the Deity.

40) Touch the Deity.

41) See the Deity.

42) See the Deity’s aratrik, festivals etc.

 

SHRAVANAM – Hearing about the beloved

43) Hear Krishna’s names, and about his pastimes and qualities.

44) Look for the mercy one has heard about.

 

SMARANAM – Remembering the beloved

45) Remember Krishna

46) Meditate on Krishna’s beauty, pastime, qualities, and service.

 

DASYAM – Acting in the role of a servant

47) In the mood of a servant, offer your own daily activities and also do

whatever

Krishna wants.

 

SAKHYAM – Acting in the role of a friend

48) Emulate a mood of friendship for Krishna, either out of a firm trust in

him,

or out of natural friendly emotions towards him.

 

ATMA-NIVEDANAM – Giving oneself completely to ones beloved

49) Dedicate your entire self to Krishna.

50) Give Krishna things that are dear to you.

51) Perform all endeavors for Krishna's sake.

52) Taking shelter of Krishna in all respects.

 

MISC. OR ALL CATEGORIES

53) Serve those associated with Krishna, such as Tulasi...

54) scripture,

55) Mathura,

56) devotees, etc.

57) Hold great celebrations in the company of sadhus.

58) Observe the month of Urja.

59) Specially respect the advent day of Krishna.

 

FIVE MOST POTENT PRACTICES

60) Worhsipping the feet of the Deity with great faith and devotion.

61) Tasting the meaning of Srimad Bhagavatam in the company of coinsurers.

62) Keeping company with great saints who are like-minded and affectionate.

63) Congregational glorification of Krishna's name.

64) Residing in Mathura.