Gaudiya Vaisnavism vs. Sahajiyaism (Part 2)

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Gaudiya Vaisnavism vs. Sahajiyaism (Part 2)

 

Part II - Sikshashtakam - The Bonafide process of Siddha Pranali'

 

The following is a lecture given by Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja in Holland, the same year, on the Disappearance Day of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and Srila Gadadhara Pandita.'

 

The glories of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura are so great that even Lord Brahma, with his four mouths, cannot completely describe them. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura was a transcendental personality, and we are not transcendental. How then can we even begin to touch his glory? Only a transcendental person can expound the glory of another.'

 

We have heard from our Gurudeva and other Vaishnavas, and we have also read in authentic books, that Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura was given the title 'Seventh Gosvami.' From the time of the Six Gosvamis up to his time no one else was ever designated as such. During his life (1838-1914), however, learned persons and devotees saw his remarkable activities and gave him this upana, title. It was Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura who once again illuminated the true principles of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. If he had not appeared when he did, perhaps all the teachings of pure Gaudiya Vaishnavism would have been forever drowned in an ocean of oblivion. That time was a dark period for Gaudiya Vaishnavism. The sahajiyas used to give what they called siddha-pranali, so-called siddha-deha, to anyone and everyone, without even knowing whether or not their so-called followers were actually devotees. The followers neither knew any Gaudiya Vaishnava philosophy, nor did they have any sadacara, yet they would go to their sahajiya-babaji gurus who pretended to give them their siddha-deha and siddha-pranali. They misunderstood Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu teachings, thinking that Gaudiya Vaishnavism means to travel to Vrindavana, live there, and have children with other's wives. They considered that by doing this they had become gopis. This was their conception of siddha-deha. "Come on, come on," their guru would say to them.'

 

"I'm giving you siddha-deha and siddha-pranali." Of course, he could not have actually given them siddha-deha. To whom did he pretend to give it? Thinking, "I am this body" his disciples did not even know the ABC's of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's teachings. Such persons did not know that they are eternally part and parcel and servants of Krishna. They did not even know how to clean themselves after passing stool and urine, yet they thought they were given siddha-deha and siddha-pranali "you are a goopi." What are 'goopis?' Those who think that they are lovers or beloveds in this world.'

 

They think that they should find a lady, live with her and enjoy sex life.'

 

They think this is Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's philosophy. In the name of Gaudiya Vaishnavism sahajiyas called Vaishnava jati would perform Hare Krishna kirtana, following the dead body during funeral processions, and then take a large payment from the deceased's rich relatives. However, in their kirtanas, the word 'Krishna' did not manifest. It was difficult for the audience to actually find the word "Krishna." The chanters sang, "Hare Kr-sna-a-a-a-a-a-a," in a very fancy melody, and the audience applauded, "O, very good, very good," and paid them some rupees. Although those chanters drank wine and ate meat and fish, they still thought that what they were doing was all right, and were still called Vaishnavas by unintelligent people.

 

Because of such disgraceful displays, learned and educated persons became ashamed and did not want to associate themselves with the words 'Gaudiya Vaishnavism.' Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura was, in his time, the first person to preach the factual philosophy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to this learned society. By his preaching people came to know about true transcendental love-prema-bhakti, and it is for this reason that he was given the title 'Seventh Gosvami.' Just as King Bhagiratha brought the Ganges River to the earth-to India, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura brought the bhakti Ganga (Ganges) to this world. Because of him, so many people became inspired to follow Gaudiya Vaishnavism.

 

If he had not appeared, we would not have joined this mission. If Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja had not come to the West-if he had not gone to Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, and if Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura had not come from Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, then what would have been your fate? Your good fortune, therefore, is coming from Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, who preached the pure doctrines of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Some people say that Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura did not take diksa initiation from Jagannatha dasa Babaji Maharaja, and that he did not take Babaji vesha (the dress of a Babaji from anyone. They say he simply gave Babaji vesha to himself. They also say that because Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura did not take sannyasa from anyone (he gave it to himself), therefore is also not in the bona fide line of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. It is due to lack of intelligence-due to ignorance, that they speak like this. They do not know the meaning of Bhagavata parampara or guru-parampara, and this is why Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura clearly explained the entire process for achieving spiritual perfection in his final literary work, Jaiva-dharma. In that book he clearly elucidated the qualifications for receiving siddha-deha, and explained how the bona fide guru reveals siddha-deha to a qualified disciple. Previously, in his book Bhajana-rahasya, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura clarified many deep siddhantas on the same subject. Those who actually want to enter into the realm of bhakti, therefore, should try to follow Bhajana-rahasya, Jaiva-dharma, and all his other books.'

 

In Bhajana-rahasya Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura wrote that we should begin bhakti by trying to serve and realize the first sloka of Sri Sikshashtakam: ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam. Then we should follow and practice the second sloka: namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-saktis. And then the third: trinad api sunicena taror api sahishnuna. If we factually practice these qualities we may enter the fourth sloka: na dhanamna janamna sundarim. We should be detached from all worldly desires and worldly tastes.'

 

Then, when we become pure, when we are always chanting and remembering Krishna without being disturbed by any obstacle, we can enter the fifth sloka: ayi nanda-tanuja kinkaram.'

 

Entering this fifth sloka is the beginning of siddha-deha, at which time we will realize ourselves as eternal servants of Krishna in a specific relationship. All aspects of our eternal relationship with Krishna are already in our atma, just as the potency of a fully grown tree is present in the seed of that tree. With water, air and light the seed sprouts, and gradually leaves, branches, flowers, manjaris and finally fruits also manifest. The entire tree or creeper is there in its seed, but only when air, water and sunlight touch it, do all its features sprout-otherwise not.'

 

Similarly, the full potency of our pure bhakti is present in our atma. In this fifth sloka, the jiva-svarupa is revealed. The sixth sloka of Sri Sikshashtakam states:'

 

nayanamgalad-asru-dharaya

vadanamgadgada-ruddhaya gira

pulakair nicitamvapuh kada,

tava nama-grahane bhavishyati'

 

"O Prabhu! When will my eyes be filled with a stream of tears? When will my voice choke up? And when will the hairs of my body stand erect in ecstasy as I chant Your holy name." When a devotee realizes his atma and he understands that he is an eternal servant of Krishna, at that time he has no worldly attachments. It is then that the svarupa-sakti, as hladini and samvit, mercifully manifests in his heart. He then begins to weep, and, while chanting the holy name of Krishna, he rolls on the earth and sings, "Agha-damana (Krishna, the killer of the Agha demon), Yasodanandana. O, Nanda-sunoh (O, son of Nanda Maharaja), where are you?" The devotee may sometimes get a glimpse of Krishna and immediately run towards Him. And when Krishna disappears from his vision, he rolls on the ground in separation. If a person does not feel this type of separation from Krishna, his siddha-deha will not manifest. When one actually has feelings of separation, his siddha-deha will manifest, not before.

 

Those who artificially exhibit emotions of separation will go to hell-like the lakhs and lakhs of babajis in Vrindavana and adha-kunda who are simply giving birth to children and engaging in other malpractices. One of the brothers of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura used to think that his father, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, was his physical body. In fact, he thought of himself as the son of Kedarnatha Datta (Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura's civil name), not Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. On the other hand, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura never thought in this way. He considered his father an associate of Sri Krishna, Srimati adharani, and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He didn't consider him his material father, a person made of blood and flesh.'

 

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura actually followed the path of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. Whatever his father spoke, he totally accepted and followed. Our goal is siddha-deha, but what is siddha-deha? What is siddha-pranali? Who started it, in what year did it begin, and from where did it originate? Srila Sanatana Gosvami and Srila Rupa Gosvami are called Gosvamis, not Babajis. No one addresses them as Rupa Babaji, Sanatana Babaji, or Srila Raghunatha Babaji. Who gave siddha-pranali to them? What is siddha-pranali? Siddha-pranali is sikshashtakam. One should first of all know that he is an eternal servant of Sri Krishna and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and he should therefore follow trinad api sunicena. He should become detached from worldly attractions and chant and remember Krishna twenty-four hours a day under the guidance of any very qualified Vaishnava.'

 

tan-nama-rüpa-caritadi-sukirtananu-

smrityoh kramena rasana-manasi niyojya

tishthan vraje tad-anuragi jananugami

kalamnayed akhilam ity upadesa-saram'

 

"The essence of all advice is that one should utilize one's full time-twenty-four hours a day-in nicely chanting and remembering the Lord's divine name, transcendental form, qualities and eternal pastimes, thereby gradually engaging one's tongue and mind. In this way one should reside in Vraja [Goloka Vrindavana dhama] and serve Krishna under the guidance of devotees. One should follow in the footsteps of the Lord's beloved devotees, who are deeply attached to His devotional service." This is real siddha-pranali. Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami has explained this siddha-pranali in his prayer called Manah-siksha. All the slokas of his prayer are pranali,-not artificially imagining that, "Oh, you are a gopi.'

 

You are Lalita-gopi. You are Visakha-gopi." From where and from whom has this artificial siddha-deha come? There is no history. It is not in our culture, nor is it the teaching of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Real siddha-deha and siddha-pranali manifest when we follow the correct nine steps-from sraddha to nishtha etc. It comes by purely adopting the process of sravanam, kirtanam, vishnu-smaranam, pada-sevanam, arcanam, vandanam, dasyam, sakyam, atma-nivedanam. It also comes by: sadhu-sanga, nama-kirtana, bhagavata-sravana mathura-vasa, sri-mürtira sraddhaya sevana'

 

"In the association of devotees one should chant the holy name of the Lord, hear Srimad-Bhagavatam, reside at Mathura and worship the Deity with faith and veneration." (Cc. Madhya 22.128 [bBT]) These are the processes, and we shall have to adopt them. Sri Krishna and Srimati Radhika will then mercifully give us siddha-deha.'

 

How Sri Narada Muni Received Siddha-Deha'

 

In Srimad-Bhagavatam it is stated that Narada Muni received his mantra from Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatana and Sanat-kumara. Later, when his mother died, he left her and went to the dense forest. There he bathed in a river, sat down silently under the shade of a banyan tree, chanted his mantra and meditated upon the Supersoul within his heart. After practicing this for some time Lord Vishnu momentarily manifested in his heart-and then disappeared. Narada wept bitterly in separation from Lord Vishnu, and then a voice from the sky called to him, "Narada, I will not give you darsana again as long as you are in this material body. You should continue chanting My name, remembering Me, and glorifying My pastimes all over the world. At the appropriate time, when death comes, you'll put your feet on the head of death. Following Lord Vishnu's instruction, Narada thus always chanted and remembered the Lord, and while playing on his vina he sang songs and poems glorifying the pastimes of Krishna. Narada bajaya vina radhika ramana namine. After many years death came. At that same moment siddha-deha also manifested, and in that siddha-deha he did not use an airplane or anything-nothing like Dhruva Maharaja. Upon receiving his transcendental body he became so strong that he could travel anywhere in the universe or beyond-without the help of an airplane. The process is not that one artificially thinks, "Give me some dakshina, at least five rupees, and I will be the Gurudeva of so many sishyas." With this temptation such false gurus make many disciples, give so-called siddha-deha, and all go to hell together. We should try to know all of the processes taught by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura: sravana dasa, varana dasa, smarana dasa (smaranavastha), bhavapana dasa (at the stage of bhava or svarupa-siddha), anusmriti and finally prema-sampatti dasa. It is in sampatti dasa that siddha-deha (vasthu-siddha) will manifest. In sravana dasa, one hears from his bona-fide guru about Srimad-Bhagavatam, Sri Caitanya-caritamrita and the entire philosophy of Srila Rupa Gosvami. In sravana dasa there are many things to learn, such as who you are and what your name is-not the name of this material body, but of your transcendental body. The guru knows this.'

 

One who claims to be guru but who does not know all this, and by kalpana, by imagination, gives this type of information, is actually pretentious. The bona fide guru knows everything-your name, your relationship with Sri Krsna and Srimati adhika and the gopis, your place of residence-whether it is at adha-kunda or Jawat or Nandagaon or Varshana-the name of your father and mother, your service, and the nature of your beautiful form. The guru then reveals his sishya's particular service to adha-Krishna conjugal (agya), and his palya-dasi-bhava. There are eleven items in all. In sravana dasa, therefore, you will have to hear and understand about the process for perfection from Jaiva-dharma, ­ Srimad-Bhagavatam, Sri Caitanya-caritamrita and all the books of Srila Rupa Gosvami. The process is not that one in the beginning stage goes to his guru and is told, "Oh, you are a very beautiful gopi, and your name is Lalita."

 

Although this is called siddha-pranali, we do not know who began this type of siddha-pranali. At the time of Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura no one addressed him as Visvanatha Cakravarti Babaji. During his time the process of giving someone this bogus version of gopi-bhava was not practiced. To teach the actual process was the main objective of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura's teachings can be summarized in two lines. Jiva doya krishna nama sarva dharma sara. This is also the sum and substance of all the teachings of all the Vedas, Vedanta, Upanishads, Bhagavata-gita, the Puranas, Srutis, Smritis, Pancaratra, etc. In essence there are two principles-jiva-doya and krishna-nama. The meaning of jiva-doya is 'mercy to conditioned souls,' and Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has elaborately explained this. Successfully helping conditioned souls to turn their worldly mentality towards Krishna's service is the best doya, mercy. It is worth more than opening hundreds of thousands of hospitals and universities, or donating hundreds of thousands of dollars in charity. Jiva-doya is the most special gift, and only a realized soul can give it.'

 

harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam

kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha'

 

"In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy, the only means of deliverance is the chanting of the holy name of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way." Jiva-doya is attained only by chanting Krishna's holy name. Krishna's name is Krishna Himself, but we can chant suddha (pure) nama only in the association of the bona-fide guru and bona-fide Vaishnavas. Without this association we can neither chant the pure name nor engage in pure suddha-bhakti. What is suddha-bhakti? aganuga-bhakti is suddha-bhakti. We may think that vaidhi-bhakti is suddha-bhakti, but it is not, nor will it ever become so. Spontaneous devotion to Krishna is raganuga-bhakti, and when the practice of raganuga-bhakti fully matures, it is then called ragatmika-prema. When we have no ragatmika-prema, cultivation of that pure bhakti with all of our senses is called raganuga. When our hearts accept the same mood Srila Rupa Gosvami possesses in his heart-the mood of a palya-dasi (unpaid maidservant) of Srimati Radhika, it is called rupanuga-bhakti. We conditioned souls are eligible to become palya-dasi. We cannot become like Lalita or Visakha.'

 

Their position is beyond our limit of attainment. We can follow only Srila Rupa Gosvami or Rupa-manjari, Rati-manjari, Lavanga-manjari, and all the other manjaris. The sahajiya-babajis say, "Oh, you are Lalita. I am Lalita," but this is Mayavada philosophy, or monism. We should not be artificial nor should we imitate. Rather we must follow in the process taught by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, as further elaborately explained by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura and his followers. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura foretold that in the near future many hundreds and thousands of Western devotees with sikha and tulasi-mala will meet with Indian devotees, and they will all chant, "Hari bol, hari bol. Gaura premanande, hari hari bol, and Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare." Thus, all over the world, this pure mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu will spread. This idea was started by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. He is the root of all our preaching, and therefore we are truly indebted to him. '