BHAKTI (Devotional service)

December 6, 2004

Hare Krishna !

The process of bhakti (Devotional service) is not executed in vacuum. Indeed it is a vibrant, responsive processes that continuously enthuses its practitioner in many ways, both material and spiritual. In the Nectar of Devotion, Srila Rupa Goswami details the six distinctive symptoms that manifest in a person as he makes advancements in the path of devotional service.

1. Kleshagni

The first thing that happens when one takes to bhakti is a reduction in misery. All our suffering is due to the reactions of our past and present sinful activities. These, depending on their level of maturity may exist in one of the following four stages:

i) aprabdha : Unmanifest sinful desires. This is a huge pool of subliminal desires that we carry in our subtle consciousness from past and present lives.ii) kuta : Based on ignorance, there is a slight psychological tendency to indulge in this desire .iii) bija : At this stage there is a strong effort to fulfill these desires.iv) prabdha : The desires now manifest into sinful activities.

This chain of thinking-feeling-willing-doing is cyclical in the sense that the reactions of the prabdha feeds into our stockpile of unmanifest desires (aprabdha) and thus the process continues ad-infinitum and we continue to suffer.Executing prescribed activities in the mode of goodness will tend to retard the progression from aprabdha to prabdha. However the impetus is always there and if one falls into bad association then it is impossible to sustain the force of these pent up desires.

However bhakti, our devotional service, cuts away at the root of this tree of desires. By executing devotional service one experiences a diminishing of aprabhda which will eventually manifest itself in all the higher stages. However, just as the fan continues to rotate for a while even after the power is cut, there is still some material reaction felt by devotees in the earlier stages of bhakti. As one remains consistent and faithful to the process, eventually that will go away also.

2. Subhada

Just as night and day cannot co-exist, the result of Kleshagni is all auspiciousness. This is the second symptom of bhakti. It attracts all auspiciousness, it gives all good qualities and results in superior happiness.The two symptoms described above manifest in the sadhna bhakti stage. The next four symptoms are seen in the bhava bhakti stage. And finally all the six are seen in the prema bhakti stage.3. Moksha-laghutakrt

In this stage the devotee has progressed beyond the material conception of life. He now considers moksha (liberation) or material happiness inconsequential and some times will actually regards it as an impediment to his spiritual life.4. Sudurlabha

Very rarely achieved, since this can only be achieved by the mercy of Krishna. At this stage the devotees get a glimpse of the bhakta-vatsala form of Krishna, wherein Krishna is under the control of his devotee, and desires only to please him.

5. Sandananda visesatma

Incalculable condensed prema. At sadhna the happiness that one experiences is much higher that any material happiness. At the bhava stage one begins to look down upon material happiness. At this stage of prema, one does not even think about it as one is not even capable of recognizing material happiness, the concept becomes alien.6. Sri Krishna

karsani

The devotee at this stage attracts even the all-attractive Sri Krishna. Krishna is completely under the control of His devotees at this stage.

These symptoms begin to manifest from the onset of devotional service. Though they do follow a certain sequence but there is also considerable overlap between consecutive stages, which keeps the devotee enthused.

Importance of discrimination************************

Srila Rupa Goswami spends some time classifying the devotee on the basis of their advancement and realizations. The primary purpose of this is to help one understand the activities of other devotees who are at varying levels of spiritual advancement. For instance a devotee at the bhava or prema stage is completely independent of any scriptural injunction that form the basis of vaidhi bhakti. Sometimes neophytes mistakenly try and copy such activities. This is called 'sahijiya' and unfortunately attracts many newcomers who do not have the conviction of following the rigors of sadhna-bhakti. The results of a neophyte, not yet purified by sadhna, trying to emulate the

symptoms of spontaneous love at the bhava and prema stage, are that the person begins to follow show-bottle spirituality and since he is still full of sinful desires they will eventually manifest and destroy his spiritual life.In the Nectar of Instruction (Verse 5) Srila Rupa Goswami emphasizes that one must try and understand the level of advancement of other devotees and based on this avoid them, associate with them, follow their instruction, emulate them or simply render service to them.

In the beginning a person is considered to be a Kanishta adhikari, with weak knowledge of the scriptures and some faith in Krishna. The faith of such a person is very soft and because of his lack of knowledge he is easily perturbed by apparent contradictions or arguments. At this stage it is very important to seek the guidance of a qualified spiritual master who can answer questions, clarify doubts and guide on a straight and

narrow path.As the person progresses, he becomes a Madhyama adhikari. His faith becomes strong, though his knowledge may still be weak. Such a person is attached to the activities involved in the performance of vaidhi bhakti and is convinced about the process that he has undertaken.

In the final stages, an Uttama adhikari has strong faith and strong knowledge. He is easily able to defend his philosophy and defeat contradictory arguments and is firmly fixed in his sadhna bhakti.

In the Srimad Bhagavatam (11th canto) the devotees are classified on the basis of their levels of realization. A Kanishta bhagavat is one who sees Krishna only in the temple Deity, is only attached to serving his Guru and is unable to

discriminate between the other devotees. A Madhyama bhagavat is one who worships the Lord, preaches to the innocent, avoids the envious and makes friends with the devotees. An Uttama bhagavat sees Krishna every where, in devotees as well as demons, having perfectly realized the love for Krishna.

A Uttama adhikari is considered to be at the stage of sadhna-bhakti while a Uttama-bhagavat is at the stage of prema. It is generally recommended that one who is a Uttama-adhikari and a Madhyama-bhagavat is qualified to become a spiritual master and accept disciples.So we see that the process of bhakti is a wondrous almost mystical process that acts from inside one's consciousness as well as outside in the material realm. It is vibrant and dynamic, capable of carrying its practitioner to dizzying levels of

unimaginable love, and at the same time it is full of pitfalls and traps.

One must not expect to control Krishna just after chanting a few rounds or try and emulate the more advanced devotees without being first freed of all material impediments. A person serious about his spiritual life must understand from the teachings of the scriptures given to us by the Acharyas and then follow the process, patiently, diligently and scrupulously.

Om Namo bhagavathe Vasudevaya !

Krishna’s Dasi, Jayamma.

Note – Above is extract of a Vaishnavite article.

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