spontaneous attachment

[kailasa]

Lord Caitanya teaches us how to execute pure devotional service out of spontaneous love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the Çikñäñöaka, He prays to the Lord: “O Lord, I do not wish to gain from You any wealth, nor do I wish to have a beautiful wife, nor do I wish to have many followers. All I want from You is that in life after life I may remain a pure devotee at Your lotus feet.” There is a similarity between the prayers of Lord Caitanya and the statements of Çrémad-Bhägavatam. Lord Caitanya prays, “in life after life,” indicating that a devotee does not even desire the cessation of birth and death.

 

In the beginning, when a devotee is serious and sincere, the Lord gives him directions from within to approach a bona fide spiritual master. When one is trained by the spiritual master according to the regulative principles of devotional service and is situated on the platform of spontaneous attachment for the Lord (räga-bhakti), the Lord also gives instructions from within. Teñäà satata-yuktänäà bhajatäà préti-pürvakam. This distinct advantage is obtained by a liberated soul. Having attained this stage, King Malayadhvaja was directly in touch with the Supreme Lord and was receiving instructions from Him directly.

 

The son of Çukräcärya, Hiraëyakaçipu’s spiritual master, said: O enemy of King Indra, O King! Whatever your son Prahläda has said was not taught to him by me or anyone else. His spontaneous devotional service has naturally developed in him. Therefore, please give up your anger and do not unnecessarily accuse us. It is not good to insult a brähmaëa in this way.

SB 7.5.29

 

“ ‘Upon seeing the personal form of Lord Çré Rämacandra, the sages who were worshipers of Lord Gopäla immediately became elevated to the mature platform of spontaneous devotion, automatically reaching the stages of firm faith, attraction and attachment. But they had not yet completely freed themselves of all material contamination; therefore Çré Yogamäyä-devi arranged for them to take birth from the wombs of gopés and become cowherd girls.

 

They claim that because such spontaneous devotion is revealed by the Lord Himself, they need not refer to standard scriptures. Similarly, all over the world there are pseudoreligionists who manufacture their own processes and claim they are receiving knowledge from the Lord Himself within their hearts. Therefore it is very important to understand, as stated here, that spontaneous revelation by the Lord within the heart is meant not to alter the eternal process of devotional service to the Lord, but to give a supplementary facility to a sincere devotee who is ignorant of revealed scriptures. In other words, the revealed scriptures describe the eternal process of service to the Lord. Since the Lord is eternal and the living entity is eternal, the process of their loving relationship is also eternal. The Lord never changes His essential nature, nor does the living entity. Therefore there is no need to change the essential process of loving service to the Lord. Special revelation by the Lord is meant to give scriptural knowledge by another means, and not to contradict scriptural knowledge.

 

The real form of religion is spontaneous loving service to Godhead. This relationship of the living being with the Absolute Personality of Godhead in service is eternal. The Personality of Godhead is described as vastu, or the Substance, and the living entities are described as västavas, or the innumerable samples of the Substance in relative existence. The relationship of these substantive portions with the Supreme Substance can never be annihilated, for it is an eternal quality inherent in the living being.

By contact with material nature the living entities exhibit varied symptoms of the disease of material consciousness. To cure this material disease is the supreme object of human life. The process that treats this disease is called bhägavata-dharma, or sanätana-dharma—real religion. This is described in the pages of Çrémad-Bhägavatam. Therefore anyone who, because of his background of pious activities in previous lives, is anxious to hear Çrémad-Bhägavatam immediately realizes the presence of the Supreme Lord within his heart and fulfills the mission of his life.

 

Similarly, one has to follow the rules and regulations of devotional service as they are set down by the spiritual master; then one can come to the point of spontaneous loving service. This love is already there within the heart of everyone (nitya-siddha kåñëa-prema).

 

Spontaneous service is not artificial. One simply has to come to that platform by rendering devotional service according to the regulative principles. Thus one has to practice hearing and chanting and follow the other regulative principles by washing the temple, cleansing oneself, rising early in the morning, attending maìgala-ärati and so on.

 

An advanced devotee situated on the platform of spontaneity is already very expert in çästric instruction, logic and argument. When he comes to the point of eternal love for Kåñëa, no one can deviate him from that position, neither by argument nor by çästric evidence.

 

“ ‘The advanced devotee who is inclined to spontaneous loving service should follow the activities of a particular associate of Kåñëa in Våndävana. He should execute service externally as a regulative devotee as well as internally from his self-realized position. Thus he should perform devotional service both externally and internally.’

PURPORT

This verse is found in the Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu (1.2.295).

 

“If one engages in spontaneous loving service to the Lord, his affection at the lotus feet of Kåñëa gradually increases.

 

“The position of neutrality increases up to the point where one can appreciate love of Godhead. The mellow of servitorship gradually increases to the point of spontaneous love of Godhead.

Madhya 23.55

 

“After the mellow of servitorship, there are the mellows of friendship and paternal love, which increase to subordinate spontaneous love. The greatness of the love found in friends like Subala extends to the standard of ecstatic love of Godhead.

 

“Now hear how the mellows appear and how they are realized by the devotees on different transcendental platforms.

Madhya 23.95-98

 

“ ‘Those who are completely washed of all material contamination by pure devotional service, who are always satisfied and brightly enlightened in the heart, who are always attached to understanding the transcendental meaning of Çrémad-Bhägavatam, who are always eager to associate with advanced devotees, whose happiness in the service of the lotus feet of Govinda is their very life, who always discharge the confidential activities of love–for such advanced devotees, who are by nature situated in bliss, the seed of love [rati] is expanded in the heart by previous and current reformatory processes. Thus the mixture of ecstatic ingredients becomes tasty and, being within the perception of the devotee, reaches the highest platform of wonder and deep bliss.’

These verses are also found in the Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu (2.1.7-10).

 

“By executing spontaneous devotional service in Våndävana, one attains the original Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kåñëa.

Madhya 24.86

 

The two gross meanings refer to regulative devotional service and spontaneous devotional service. There are also thirty-two subtle meanings. Under the heading of regulative devotional service, there are sixteen meanings: (1) a servant of the Lord as His personal associate, (2) a personal friend, (3) personal parents or similar superiors, (4) a personal beloved, (5) a servant elevated by spiritual cultivation, (6) a friend by spiritual cultivation, (7) parents and superior devotees by cultivation of devotional service, (8) a beloved wife or female friend by cultivation of devotional service, (9) a mature devotee as a servant, (10) a mature devotee as a friend, (11) a mature devotee as a parent and superior, (12) a mature devotee as wife and beloved, (13) an immature devotee as servant, (14) an immature devotee as a friend, (15) an immature devotee as father and superior, and (16) an immature devotee as a beloved. Similarly, under the heading of spontaneous devotion there are also sixteen various associates. Therefore the total number of devotees under the headings of regular devotees and spontaneous devotees is thirty-two.

Madhya 24.285

 

“ ‘Pure devotees develop a spiritual body and symptoms of ecstatic love simply by remembering and reminding others of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, who takes away everything inauspicious from the devotee. This position is attained by rendering devotional service according to the regulative principles and then rising to the platform of spontaneous love.’

 

‘When one hears praise from his beloved, he outwardIy remains neutral but feels pain within his heart. When he hears his beloved making accusations about him, he takes them to be jokes and enjoys pleasure. When he finds faults in his beloved, they do not diminish his love, nor do the beloved’s good qualities increase his spontaneous affection. Thus spontaneous love continues under all circumstances. That is how spontaneous love of Godhead acts within the heart.’

 

Srila Haridasa Thakur.

 

“Now that you have become old,” the Lord said, “you may reduce the number of rounds you chant daily. You are already liberated, and therefore you need not follow the regulative principles very strictly.

 

“Your role in this incarnation is to deliver the people in general. You have sufficiently preached the glories of the holy name in this world.”

 

The Lord concluded, “Now, therefore, please reduce the fixed number of times you chant the Hare Kåñëa mahä-mantra.” Haridäsa Öhäkura replied, “Kindly hear my real plea.

Antya 11.27

 

“I was born in an inferior family, and my body is most abominable. I always engage in low work. Therefore, I am the lowest, most condemned of men.

Antya 11.28

 

“I am unseeable and untouchable, but You have accepted me as Your servant. This means that You have delivered me from a hellish condition and raised me to the Vaikuëöha platform.

Antya 11.29

 

“My dear Lord, You are the fully independent Personality of Godhead. You act by Your own free will. You cause the whole world to dance and act as You like.

 

“I have had one desire for a very long time. I think that quite soon, my Lord, You will bring to a close Your pastimes within this material world.

Antya 11.32

 

“I wish that You not show me this closing chapter of Your pastimes. Before that time comes, kindly let my body fall down in Your presence.

Antya 11.33

 

“With my tongue I shall chant Your holy name, ‘Çré Kåñëa Caitanya!’ That is my desire. Kindly let me give up my body in this way.

 

Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu said, “My dear Haridäsa, Kåñëa is so merciful that He must execute whatever you want.

Antya 11.38

 

As He described the transcendental attributes of Haridäsa Öhäkura, Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu seemed to possess five mouths. The more He described, the more His great happiness increased.

Antya 11.52

 

After hearing of the transcendental qualities of Haridäsa Öhäkura, all the devotees present were struck with wonder. They all offered their respectful obeisances to the lotus feet of Haridäsa Öhäkura.

 

While chanting the holy name of Çré Kåñëa Caitanya, he gave up his air of life and left his body.

Antya 11.57

 

***

 

Wherever there is a relationship of love of Godhead, its natural symptom is that the devotee does not think himself a devotee. Instead, he always thinks that he has not even a drop of love for Kåñëa.

PURPORT

Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura comments that persons who are actually very poor because they possess not even a drop of love of Godhead or pure devotional service falsely advertise themselves as great devotees, although they cannot at any time relish the transcendental bliss of devotional service. A class of so-called devotees known as präkåta-sahajiyäs sometimes display devotional symptoms to exhibit their good fortune. They are pretending, however, because these devotional features are only external. The präkåta-sahajiyäs exhibit these symptoms to advertise their so-called advancement in love of Kåñëa, but instead of praising the präkåta-sahajiyäs for their symptoms of transcendental ecstasy, pure devotees do not like to associate with them. It is not advisable to equate the präkåta-sahajiyäs with pure devotees. When one is actually advanced in ecstatic love of Kåñëa, he does not try to advertise himself. Instead, he endeavors more and more to render service to the Lord.

The präkåta-sahajiyäs sometimes criticize pure devotees by calling them philosophers, learned scholars, knowers of the truth, or minute observers, but not devotees. On the other hand, they depict themselves as the most advanced, transcendentally blissful devotees, deeply absorbed in devotional service and mad to taste transcendental mellows. They also describe themselves as the most advanced devotees in spontaneous love, as knowers of transcendental mellows, as the topmost devotees in conjugal love of Kåñëa, and so on. Not actually knowing the transcendental nature of love of God, they accept their material emotions to be indicative of advancement. In this way they pollute the process of devotional service. To try to become writers of Vaiñëava literature, they introduce their material conceptions of life into pure devotional service. Because of their material conceptions, they advertise themselves as knowers of transcendental mellows, but they do not understand the transcendental nature of devotional service.

 

Such spontaneous attraction to the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is most important to pure devotional service. Devotional service is pure when one engages in the service of the Supreme Lord without any motive and without being hampered with material impediments. The pure devotee does not desire to live on the same planet with the Supreme Lord, nor does he desire the same opulence as the Lord, nor does he desire to have the same form as the Lord, nor to live with Him side by side, nor to merge into His existence, etc. Even if the devotee were offered such rewards by the Lord, he would reject them. The point is that a devotee is so much absorbed in the transcendental loving service of the Lord that he has no time to think of any benefit beyond his immediate engagement.