Moonlight on the Path of Raga :Sacred Greed-propelled Manjari-bhava Sadhana

[krsna]

Räga vartma candrikä

— A Moonray on the Path of Rägänugä Bhakti —

 

with the

kåpä-kaëikä vyäkhya commentary of

 

rädhäkuëòa mahänta paëòita

çré ananta däsa bäbäjé mahäräja

 

— first illumination —

 

text 1

 

çré rüpa väk sudhäsvädé cakorebhyo namo namaù

yeñäà kåpä lavair vakñye räga vartmani candrikäm

 

<font color="blue">Again and again I offer my obeisances to the devotees who are like Cakora-birds who relish the nectarine rasa of Çré Rüpa Gosvämé’s words;

depending on a drop of their mercy,

I am presenting this book,

which is like a moonlight on the path of räga. </font color>

 

kåpä-kaëikä vyäkhyä

 

The most revered author, Çréla Viçvanätha Cakravartépäda, has

called this book räga-vartma-candrikä. Just as a traveller

can easily find the way when the moonrays illuminate his inaccessible

path at night and enable him to blissfully arrive at his

destination without having to fall in ditches or be pricked by

thorns, similarly the sädhakas, who tread the difficult path of

rägänugä-bhakti, will become well acquainted with this path by

taking shelter of this book and blissfully attain their destination,

the vicinity of Çré-Çré Rädhä-Mädhava’s lotus feet, with-

out encountering obstacles; of this there is no doubt.

 

It will no

longer be possible for them to fall off the path.

 

There are two kinds of sädhana-bhakti, vidhi-bhakti and rägabhakti.

 

Vidhi-bhakti has its roots in the orders of the scriptures

and räga-bhakti in sacred greed (lobha). The exclusive terrain

for this räga-bhakti, born of lobha, is Çré Vraja-dhäma.

 

The topmost

absorption in the most beloved Çré Kåñëa or the absorbtion

in great loving thirst after Him is called räga, and the devotion

which is filled with such räga is called rägätmikä-bhakti.

This is present in the eternally perfect associates of the Lord in

Vraja. When one hears from the saints about this excellent love

of Çré Kåñëa’s eternal associates, who are fixed in this rägätmikä bhakti,

for Him, and thus starts treading the path of sacred greed

in order to attain a similar feeling, then this is called rägänugäbhakti.

 

Sädhakas can follow in the footsteps of the eternally

perfect people of Vraja; this path is called rägänugä-bhakti.

 

However,

they can never practise rägätmikä-bhakti, for this is the

innate treasure of the eternally perfect associates of the Lord.

 

There are again two kinds of rägätmikä-bhakti, sambandhätmikä-

bhakti and kämätmikä-bhakti. The däsya, sakhya and

vätsalya rasas of Vraja are sambandhätmikä-bhakti and the

sweet love of the girls of Vraja is called kämätmikä-bhakti.

 

Hence rägänugä-bhakti is also twofold – sambandhänugä and

kämänugä. In this particular age of Kali, Çréman Mahäprabhu

has blessed the sädhakas who take shelter of His lotus feet by

giving them the qualification to serve Çré Våñabhänu-nandiné

Çré Rädhäräëé, who is situated at the pinnacle of kämätmikäbhakti,

as a maidservant in the form of greed-propelled maïjarébhäva-

sädhanä.

 

The Räga-vartma-candrikä casts light on this

path and takes the devotees, who have taken shelter of this topmost

path of worship, towards the lotus feet of Çré Çré Rädhä-

Mädhava; of this there is no doubt.

 

By the grace of Çréman Mahäprabhu, His most beloved associate

Çrémat Rüpa Gosvämépäda has established this rägabhajana

which is so dear to Çréman Mahäprabhu. He composed

two books, Çré Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu and Çré Ujjvalanélamaëi,

to make the difficult to comprehend subject of rägamärga

accessible to the sädhakas of the world.

 

Just as Çréla

Viçvanätha Cakravartépäda composed a book called Çré

Mädhurya Kädambiné on the basis of the verses beginning with

“ädau çraddhä” from Çré Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu, and thus

greatly benefited the sädhakas who covet prema, he has similarly

analysed a number of çlokas from Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu

on räga-märga in this book, and has thus greatly benefited the

rägänugéya sädhakas.

 

The path of räga-märga is very rarely attained and hard to

understand, and it is very difficult to enter into without the

mercy of the great saints who are fixed in bhajana. Hence, Çréla

Granthakära (the author) has praised the devotees who are like

Cakora-birds eager for one drop of nectarine mercy from Çréla

Rüpa Gosvämépäda in this maìgaläcaraëa-çloka (auspicious invocation).

 

Thus he depends on their grace while commencing

this book. The sädhakas should also try to understand the secrets

of the path of räga-bhajana while depending on the grace

of such great souls.

[krsna]

text 2

 

çrémad bhakti sudhämbhodher bindur yaù pürva darçitaù

tatra rägänugä-bhaktiù sankñiptätra vitanyate

 

 

<font color="blue"> The previously published Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu-bindu gave a

concise description of rägänugä-bhakti. Now, in this Rägavartma-

candrikä, I will elaborate on this. </font color>

 

 

 

kåpä-kaëikä vyäkhyä

 

Çréla Viçvanätha Cakravartépäda has composed a booklet called

Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu-bindu, containing the essence of Çrémat

Rüpa Gosvämépäda’s Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu,

to make it easily

understandable for everyone.

 

In this book he has shortly described

the characteristics of devotion, the different kinds of

devotion, the sixty-four limbs of bhajana, the thirty-two offenses

to the deities and the ten offenses to the holy name that must

be avoided, the definitions of vaidhi-bhakti and rägänugä-bhakti,

the nine signs of the awakening of préti, the signs of prema,

rasa, vibhäva, anubhäva, the eigth sättvika ecstasies, the thirtythree

vyabhicäré-bhävas, sthäyi-bhäva, explanations of the rasas

starting with çänta, the compatibility and incompatibility of all

rasas, rasäbhäsa, and other topics.

 

The Gauòéya Vaiñëavas practise

rägänugä-märga-bhajana. Çré Rüpa, Sanätana and the other

Gauòéya Vaiñëava Äcäryas are the äcäryas of rägänugä, not of

vidhi-märga-bhajana. Räga-marga-bhajana is an extremely extensive

subject matter, and the Gosvämés like Çré Rüpa and Çré

Sanätana have described it elaborately in their books.

 

Therefore,

Çréla Viçvanätha Cakravartépäda could not be satiated after

briefly describing the subject of räga-märga in Bhaktirasämåta-

sindhu-bindu, and has described the method of

rägänugä-märga-bhajana more elaborately in this book called

Räga-vartma-candrikä, just to make it easy to understand for

everyone. Thus it is the duty of all the räga-märga sädhakas to

attentively study this book.

[krsna]

text 3

 

vaidhi-bhaktir bhavet çästraà bhaktau cet syät pravartakam

rägänugä syac ced bhaktau lobha eva pravartakaù

 

 

When bhakti is caused by scriptural injunctions, it is called

vaidhi-bhakti, but when its cause is spiritual greed alone, it is

called rägänugä-bhakti.

 

kåpä-kaëikä vyäkhyä

 

We have explained that there are two kinds of sädhana-bhakti,

vaidhé and rägänugä, and the author is giving the characteristics

of these two kinds of devotion here. When devotion is

prompted by orders received from the scriptures, which means

that the revealed scriptures describe how those who are averse

to worshipping Lord Hari will have to suffer by wandering

through many miserable species of life as well as through hell,

and one commences bhajana out of fear of this suffering, then

this is called vaidhé-bhakti. In Çré Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu, the

definition of vaidhé-bhakti is given:

 

yatra rägänaväptatvät pravåttir upajäyate

çäsanenaiva çästrasya sä vaidhé-bhaktir ucyate (1.2.6)

 

“That devotion which knows no attachment or greed, but

which is prompted by orders from the scriptures, is called

vaidhé-bhakti.”

 

In his commentary on this verse, Çréla Viçvanätha Cakravartépäda

has written: rägo’tra çré mürter darçanäd daçama skandhéya

tat tal lélä çravaëäc ca bhajana lobhaù – “The word räga can be

used when one’s worship is prompted by sacred greed after seeing

the beautiful deity of the Lord or by hearing about His

pastimes in the tenth canto of Çrémad Bhägavata.” When worship

is not prompted by such greed, but by the orders of the

scriptures, then it is called vaidhé-bhakti. In Çrémad Bhägavata

(11.5.2-3), there is a clear scriptural warning to those who are

averse to worshipping Lord Hari, in the words of the Lord:

6 first illumination

mukha bähüru pädebhyaù puruñasyäçramaiù saha

catväro jajïire varëä guëair viprädayaù påthak

ya eñäà puruñaà säkñäd ätma-prabhävam éçvaram

na bhajantyavajänanti sthänäd bhrañöäù patantyadhaù

“From the face, arms, thighs and feet of the Puruña (the universal

form of the Lord) the four social orders like the

brähmaëas, the guëas like sattva, and the four stages of life like

householder life, gradually emanated. Those within the

varëäçrama system who do not worship their own origin, Çré

Hari, and therefore disobey and disrespect Him, will fall down

from their social status.”

cäri varëäçramé yadi kåñëa nähi bhaje

sva-dharma koriyä-o raurave paòi maje

(Caitanya-caritämåta)

“Those in the four social orders who do not worship Kåñëa will

fall into hell, even if they perform their occupational duties.”

The devotional path or bhajana-märga that is thus prompted

by scriptural injunctions is called vaidhé-märga.

And the devotion that is prompted by greed, caused by hearing

about the pastimes of Çré Kåñëa, is called rägänugä-märga.

Çrémat Rüpa Gosvämépäda has given the following definition

of rägänugä:

viräjantém abhivyaktaà vrajaväsi-janädiñu

rägätmikäm anusåtä yä sä rägänugocyate

(Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu, 1.2.270)

“The devotion which is clearly present in the eternal associates

of Vraja is called rägätmikä-bhakti, and devotion following

in the wake of this rägätmikä-bhakti is called rägänugäbhakti.”

7 text three

rägätmikä-bhakti mukhyä vrajaväsi-jane

tära anugatä bhakti rägänugä name

(Caitanya-caritämåta)

“The people of Vraja are engaged in rägätmikä-bhakti, and the

devotion which follows in its wake is called rägänugä.”

In his Bhakti Sandarbha (310), Çrémat Jéva Gosvämépäda has

written: atra viñayiëaù sväbhäviko viñaya saàsargecchätiçayamayaù

premä rägaù yathä cakñur ädénäà saundaryädau; tädåça evätra

bhaktasya çré bhagavatyapi räga ityucyate. . . . yasya pürvokte räga

viçeñe rucir eva jätästi na tu räga viçeña eva svayaà tasya tädåça

räga sudhäkara karäbhäsa samullasita hådaya sphaöika maëeù çästrädi

çrutäsu tädåçyä rägätmikäyä bhakteù paripäöiñvapi rucir jäyate. tatas

tadéyaà rägaà rucyänugacchanté sä rägänugä tasyaiva pravartate.

“The natural love and desire of a sense enjoyer for his favorite

sense objects is called räga. Just as the eyes are attracted to beautiful

scenes and the other senses are attracted to their favorite

sense objects and need no encouragement in this, similarly when

the heart of a devotee is naturally attracted to the Lord, then this

anxious thirst of love is called räga. . . . When even a semblance

of the moonrays of the aforementioned räga (situated in the hearts

of the nitya-parñadas) falls on the crystal-like heart of a devotee

who has attained a slight taste for this aforementioned räga, but

has not really developed the real räga yet, then the whole heart

rejoices, and when he learns about it from the scriptures he develops

a taste for the expert devotional service of these rägätmikä

devotees.” The purport of this is that when those devotees whose

hearts are clear from lust, anger, greed and envy hear from the

scriptures and the mouths of the saints about the rägätmikä

bhaktas’ loving skill in devotional service, their taste will awaken.

With such ruci, they will follow them and thus their rägänugäbhakti

will commence. Thus it is to be understood.

 

[krsna]

text 4

 

bhaktau pravåttir atra syät taccikérña suniçcayä

çästräl lobhät tac cikérñu syätäà tad adhikäriëau

 

According to devotional scriptures, an exclusive desire to engage

in the practices of bhakti is the cause of engaging in bhakti.

Bhakti of two different natures is born from fear of scriptural

injunctions and from intense sacred greed respectively; accordingly,

there are two kinds of candidates for bhakti-sädhana.

 

kåpä-kaëikä vyäkhyä

 

In the bhakti-sädhana-märga, there is no consideration of individual

qualification or distinction between different levels of

practitioners, as is the case in the jïäna, karma and other

sädhana-märgas. Bhakti is a path of sädhana that can be followed

by anyone. Bhakti is beneficial for all, whether well behaved

or ill behaved, knowledgeable or ignorant, detached or

attached. Since bhakti is the path for everyone, there is no obstacle

for anyone who wants to tread it. Thus the only factor

that causes one to commence the practice of bhakti is simply a

strong desire to take part in its different functions.

 

This desire

can arise for two reasons. One is out of fear of the scriptural

injunctions, which means that the scriptures prescribe that all

living entities should worship the Lord, and one commences

bhakti out of fear that otherwise there will certainly be trouble.

The other one arises when one hears from the scriptures about

the expert love of the Lord’s eternal associates and out of sacred

greed one begins to desire bhajana.

 

In this way, there are

two kinds of candidates for bhakti. Çrémat Rüpa Gosvämé has

given definitions of both the candidates for vaidhé and for

rägänugä-bhakti.

 

The definition of the candidate for vaidhémärga

is as follows:

 

yaù kenäpyati bhägyena jäta çraddho’sya sevane

nätisakto na vairägya bhägasyäm adhikäryasau

(Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu, 1.2.14)

 

“When, by a stroke of inconceivable luck, a person develops

faith and liking for serving Kåñëa (bhakti-märga) due to having

associated with great saints and so forth, but has not yet attained

firm attachment to the Lord and is only slightly averse

to bodily attachments – such a person is eligible for sädhanabhakti.”

 

The candidate for rägänugä is described as follows:

 

rägätmikaika niñöhä ye vrajaväsi janädayaù

teñäà bhäväptaye lubdho bhaved aträdhikäravän

(Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu, 1.2.291)

 

“A person, who is greedy after the unalloyed, ecstatic rägätmikäbhakti

that the Vrajavasis have for Kåñëa, is eligible for

rägänugä-bhakti.”

 

The difference between the candidates for vaidhé and

rägänugä-bhakti is that eligibility for vaidhé-bhakti is caused

by çraddhä (faith) and eligibility for rägänugä-bhakti is caused

by lobha (sacred greed). The candidate for vaidhé-bhakti gradually

advances in his sädhana by keeping his faith in the import

of the scriptures and some ruci gradually awakens as a result of

his reverential attitude towards the Lord, meeting with his

çraddhä. However, this ruci remains a secondary factor, and his

bhajana continues mainly on the basis of his çraddhä.

 

The candidates

for rägänugä-bhakti are prompted by greed after the

sweet feelings of the nitya-siddha Vrajaväsés. Their practice of

ruci-sädhanä gradually develops and meets with deep çraddhä;

however, here çraddhä remains the secondary factor and ruci

the primary. He remains engaged in bhajana that bears the

shape of çraddhä, but in which ruci is primary. This is definitely

different in kind from the çraddhä that prompts vaidhébhakti,

and much more powerful also, because the absorption

that rägänugä-bhakti causes within the consciousness is never

intentionally created, as ruci is the natural function of the heart.

 

This is the difference between eligibility for vaidhé and

rägänugä-bhakti. However, there is no difference in the course

of devotion or bhajana itself. In other words, all the items that

are defined as the items of vaidhé-bhakti, such as hearing and

chanting, are also to be practised in rägänugä-bhakti (the author

will clearly describe that himself later).

[krsna]

dvitéyaù prakäçaù

 

— second illumination —

 

text 1

 

nanu ‘na hänià na glänià na nija gåha-kåtyaà vyasanitäà na ghoraà

nodghürëäà na kila kadanaà vetti kim api. varäìgébhiù sväìgékåta suhåd

anaìgäbhirabhito harir våndäraëye parama niçam uccair viharati’.

ityädibhya eva çré våndavaneçvaryädi prema viläsa mugdhasya çré

vrajendra-sünor na kväpi anyaträvadhäna sambhava ityavaséyate. tathä

sati nänä dig .ça vartibhir ananta rägänugéya bhaktaiù kriyamäëaà

paricaryädikaà kena svékartavyaà vijïapti stava päöhädikaà ca kena

çrotavyam. tad aàçena paramätma naiväàçäàçinor aikyäd iti cet

samädhir ayaà samyag ädhir eva tädåça kåñëänurägi bhaktänäm. tarhi

kä gatiù? säkñät çrémad uddhavoktir eva. sä ca yathä - “mantreñu mäà

vä upahüya yat tvam akuëöhitäkhaëòa sad ätma bodhaù. påccheù prabho

mugdha iväpramattas tan me mano mohayatéva deva.” asyärthaù –

mantreñu jaräsandha-vadha räjasüyädy artha gamana vicärädiñu

prastuteñu mäà vai niçcitam upahüya yat påccheù uddhava tvam atra

kià kartavyaà tad brühi iti påccheù apåcchaù akuëöhitaù kälädinä

akhaëòaù paripürëaù sadä särvadika eva ätmano bodhaù samvicchaktir

yasya sa mugdha iva yathä anyo mugdho janaù påcchati tathety arthaù

tat tava yugapad eva maugdhyaà särvajïyaà ca mohayatéva

mohayatyeva. atra mugdha iva tvaà na tu mugdhaù iti. mohayatéva na

tu mohayati iti vyäkhyäyäà saìgaty abhävät. asaìgatyeñu karmäëyanéhasya

bhavo ‘bhavasyetyädi väkyeñu madhye etad väkyasyopanyäso

vyarthaù syäd ityatas tathä na vyäkhyeyam. tataç ca dvärakä-léläyäà

satyapi särvajïye yathä maugdhyaà tathaiva våndävana-léläyäm api

satyapi maugdhye särvajïyaà tasyäcintya-çakti siddham eva mantavyam.

ataeva varëitaà çré léläçuka caraëaiù “sarvajïatve ca maugdhe ca

särvabhaumam idaà maha” iti.

 

Çré Çyämasundara is always so absorbed in His pastimes with the

beautiful girls of Vraja, who have accepted Cupid as their heart’s

friend, that He is not aware of any loss, exhaustion, household

duties, danger, fear, worry or defeat by His enemies. From all

these statements, we can understand that Çré Vrajendranandana

has no chance to think of anyone else but Våndävaneçvaré and

the others, since He is enchanted by His loving pastimes with

them. Who will then accept the service rendered to Him by the

countless rägänugéya bhaktas, who come to Him from different

directions and from different countries? Who will listen to all

of their various prayers, praises and so forth? One may offer the

solution that Çré Vrajendranandana’s expansion in the form of

the Supersoul, who lives in everyone’s heart, listens, and that

the expansion and the origin are actually one, but that would

very much hurt the devotees who are attached to Kåñëa. What,

then, is the solution? The answer can be found in the words of

Uddhava Mahäçaya himself. He says: “O Master! O Divine

One! When You considered whether or not it was proper to

kill Jaräsandha and to go to the Räjasüya-sacrifice, You called

me to You and asked for my advice, ‘O Uddhava! What should

I do in this situation?’, like a bewildered person. You bewildered

me at that time, acting like an ignorant, yet omniscient

man who needed advice from a counsellor, although You are

not conditioned by time and space and You are full of causeless eternal knowledge that can be never deluded or lost.”

In this

situation, if someone says, “You seemed bewildered, but in truth

You were not, and I seemed bewildered, but in truth I was not,”

it is not appropriate. The idea being, “Your activities are without

endeavour and Your birth is birthless” – amidst all these

unbefitting words, this argument is also worthless; therefore such

words should not be said. We must accept that just as Kåñëa is

sometimes bewildered in His Dvärakä-pastimes, although He

is omniscient there, similarly by His inconceivable potency, He

is sometimes omniscient in His Våndävana-pasti-mes, although

He is bewildered there. We must therefore accept the words of

Çrépäd Léläçuka: “In all His pastimes the effulgent Lord is simultaneously

bewildered and omniscient.”

 

kåpä-kaëikä vyäkhyä

 

In the first illumination of Räga-vartma-candrikä, the blessed

author has described the nature of both vaidhé and rägänugäbhakti

and the varieties of rägänugä-bhakti, and in this second

diffusion he will ascertain the nature of Çré Kåñëa’s prowess

and sweetness. The special feature of rägänugä-bhakti is that

the rägänugä-upäsaka is blessed with the sweet relish of the

form, qualities and pastimes of the embodiment of sweetness,

Çré Vrajendranandana. Mainly, the Lord’s Godhead can be experienced

in prowess (aiçvarya) and sweetness (mädhurya). His

form as the embodiment of supreme bliss and natural, unrivalled

and endless lordship constitute His aiçvarya and the

beauty of His all-enchanting pastimes, qualities and form constitute

His mädhurya. His form as brahman can be experienced

through the practice of jïäna, His prowess can be experienced

through the practice of vaidhi-bhakti, which is endowed with

an awareness of His prowess, while His sweetness can be ex-

perienced through the practice of pure Vraja-bhakti or rägabhakti.

Without practising any of these above three sädhanas,

nothing can be understood of the sweetness and prowess of

the Lord, who is the aggregate of transcendental truths. Before

the Vraja-devotee, the high unsurpassable waves of the

great sweetness of Çré Kåñëa, who is the embodiment of sweetness,

surge up. The great loving devotee forgets about his body

and his home and becomes immersed in this great ocean of

sweetness. This is the supreme culmination of the practice of

Vraja-rasa. This is also the limit of God-experience, since

sweetness is the essence of Godhead.

The truth on mädhurya is hard to enter into and hard to

understand, hence the blessed author has submitted the distinction

between the perfection attained in mädhurya and

aiçvarya here, so that the rägänugéya bhaktas will understand it.

The Lord is controlled by bhakti, which is the essence of His

own innate energy (svarüpa-çakti). This is the constitional nature

of bhakti. Çré Kåñëa is wholly subdued by the pure sweetness

of Vraja-bhakti. Çré Kåñëa, who is the transcendental youthful

Cupid, is especially taken beyond Himself in all respects by the

culmination of mahäbhäva reached by the Vraja-devés, and most

of all by the mädana-räsa of Çré Våndävaneçvaré Çré Rädhäräëé.

Çré Rädhä’s complete love swallows Çré Kåñëa’s heart and mind

in such a way that He forgets everything and becomes absorbed

in His complete playful mellows with Çrématé, day and night.

He does not find time to concentrate on anything or any other

place anymore. If that is so, then who will accept the service

rendered to Him by the rägänugéya bhaktas who worship Him

in different countries of the world, and who will hear their prayers

and praises? It is natural that such a question arises.

When one says to this that Çré Kåñëa accepts all devotional

service and hears all the devotees’ prayers in the form of the

Paramätmä, His partial prowess (aàça-vibhava) who resides in

the hearts of all the innumerable living entities, and that He

can accept and hear everything because there is no difference

between the expansion and its original, then the çré-kåñëänurägé

vraja-rasa-upäsakas will feel great heartache, because each devotee

exclusively yearns to attain the grace of that particular form

or feature of the Lord whom he worships, and the devotion in

his heart awakens a desire in the heart of the worshipped deity

to attain the devotee’s loving service. Particularly the Vraja-devotees

practise the worship of pure sweetness and their hearts cannot

be satisfied by attaining the mercy of anyone else but their

worshipable Çré Vrajendranandana.

 

In Çré Båhad Bhägavatämåta,

it is described that even though Çré Näräyaëa assumed the form

of Çré Kåñëa in Vaikuëöha, Çré Gopakumära, who worshipped

in the fraternal mood of Vraja, could not become happy with it.

When the Lord finally showed Gopakumära his beloved

gocäraëa-lélä (Kåñëa’s pastime of cowherding) in a garden of

Vaikuëöha, Gopakumära could still not feel fulfilled, because

he wanted to see the gocäraëa-lélä in the purely sweet environment

of Çré Våndävana. Therefore, the Vraja-worshippers cannot

even imagine that Vrajendranandana would hear their

prayers in His monitor Paramätmä-feature. Then how is this

problem solved? The blessed author says: The answer lies in a

verse that Çréla Uddhava Mahäçaya spoke to Çré Kåñëa. This

statement runs as follows:

mantreñu mäà vä upahüya yat tvam

akuëöhitäkhaëòa sadätma bodhaù

påccheù prabho mugdha iväpramattas

tan no mano mohayatéva deva (Bhäg. 3.4.17)

“O Lord! Your complete knowledge is never bewildered or decreased,

and You are Yourself always aware, nevertheless You

called me to Yourself to consult me and question me like an

ignorant person. This bewilders my mind.”

The blessed author has explained the meaning of this verse

himself. The kings who were imprisoned by Jaräsandha took

shelter of Çré Kåñëa’s lotus feet and sent a messenger to Him,

and right at the same time Çré Yudhiñöhira Mahäçaya sent

Devarñi Närada to Him to invite Him to attend the Räjasüya

sacrifice. Çré Kåñëa was simultaneously attracted to His attribute

of protecting the surrendered souls and His attribute of affection

towards His devotees. He could not ignore the kings who

had taken shelter of Him, nor could He ignore the invitation of

Yudhiñöhira, who had given his heart to Kåñëa. Having fallen

into this dilemma, He became bewildered about what to do

and thus called for Çré Uddhava Mahäçaya to seek his advice.

When Çré Kåñëa disappeared from this world, Çré Uddhava

Mahäçaya remembered this and said: “O Lord! Although You

are endowed with full, unchecked eternal knowledge, You inquired

from me like a bewildered person, ‘O friend Uddhava!

Tell Me what I should do now!’ Just as an ordinary bewildered

person, who does not know what to do anymore, seeks advice

from a wise counsellor, similarly You bewilder me by simultaneously

appearing bewildered and omniscient.”

In the quoted verse, the words mugdha iva and mohayati iva

are used. If someone thinks the words iva imply that “You were

as if bewildered, but actually You were not bewildered”, and

“You are acting as if you are bewildering Me, but actually I am

not bewildered”, then that explanation cannot be accepted, because,

if the Lord is just acting as if bewildered, although He is

actually omniscient, and if that bewilderment is not real, then

it would not have been possible for a person like Çré Uddhava,

who is the very embodiment of transcendental knowledge, to

become bewildered. Therefore the word iva should be explained

here as “like another bewildered person”.

 

If Çré Uddhava

Mahäçaya was not actually bewildered and just acted as if he

was, then there would have been no reason for him to bring

forward this point in this verse. What actually bewildered Çré

Uddhava Mahäçaya was Çré Kåñëa’s simultaneous bewilderment

and omniscience, His bewilderment despite His omniscience.

He also said in the previous verse:

karmäëyanéhasya bhavo ‘bhavasya te

durgäçrayo ‘thäribhayät paläyanam

kälätmano yat pramadäyutäçramaù

svätman rate khidyati dhér vidäm iha (3.4.16)

“O Lord! Your activities are without activity, and Your birth is

birthless. Although You are time personified, You flee into a

fortress out of fear of Your enemies, and although You are selfsatisfied,

You remain in householdlife with many wives – all these

facts torment the wise and the learned with doubts.” In all these

inconceivable statements it is useless to find a juxtaposition, therefore

it is not proper to explain Uddhava’s words to mean that Çré

Kåñëa was “as if bewildered, but not actually bewildered”.

All these statements will make us accept that Kåñëa was sometimes

bewildered in Dvärakä, though He is usually omniscient

there, and in the same way it is to be accepted that Çré Kåñëa

can also be omniscient in His Våndävana-lélä, although He is

usually bewildered there. These contradictions bring Çré Kåñëa’s

inconceivable potency to perfection. The bewilderment of the

omniscient person, the defeat, fear and fleeing away of the invincible,

the all-worshipable Supreme Truth offering obeisances

unto the feet of Çré Nanda and Yaçomaté, the hunger, thirst,

theft and the adultery of the self-blissful and self-satisfied one

with the housewives of Vraja are all the great sweetnesses and

mellows of Vraja-lélä.

84 second illumination

Çrépäda Léläçuka Bilvamaìgala Öhäkura has also said in his

Çré Kåñëa Karëämåta (83): sarvajïatve ca maugdhe ca särvabhaumam

idaà mahaù – There is no doubt about it that when Çré Kåñëa’s

pastimes all show Him simultaneously omniscient and bewildered,

this is the perfection of His inconceivable potency. That

is because Godhead is the shelter of all contradictions. This

bewilderment is also the very soul of the Lord’s blissful pastimes,

that are the essence of the transcendental potency. It is

not something that exceeds Kåñëa’s constitutional position.