Sri Sri Raga-Vartma-Chandrika (Sripad Vishvanatha Cakravartipad)

TEXT 2:

srimad bhakti sudhambhodher bindur yah purva darsitah
tatra raganuga bhaktih sankshiptatra vitanyate

“Previously I gave a concise description of raganuga bhakti, devotion following one’s spiritual passion, in my book named ‘Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu Bindu’ (a drop from the ocean of nectarean devotional flavours, a short summary of Srila Rupa Gosvami’s Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu). Now, in this Raga Vartma Candrika, I elaborate on this.”

Kripa-kanika Vyakhya by Radhakunda Mahanta Srila Ananta das Babaji:

Srila Visvanatha Cakravartipada has composed a booklet named Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu Bindu, containing the essence of Srimat Rupa Gosvamipada’s Bhakti Rasamrita 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 raganuga bhakti, the nine signs of the awakening of priti, the signs of prema, rasa, vibhava, anubhava, the eigth sattvika ecstasies, the thirty-three vyabhicari-bhavas, sthayi bhava, explanations of the rasas starting with santa, the statuses of friendship and enmity for these rasas, rasabhasa and other things. The Gaudiya Vaishnavas practise raganuga marga bhajana. Sri Rupa, Sanatana and the other Gaudiya Vaishnava Acaryas are the acaryas of raganuga, not of vidhi marga bhajana. raga marga bhajana is an extremely extensive subject matter, and the Gosvamis like Sri-Sri Rupa-Sanatana have described it elaborately in their books. Therefore Srila Visvanatha Cakravartipada could not be satiated after briefly describing the subject of raga marga in Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu Bindu and has described the method of raganuga marga bhajana more elaborately in this book named Raga Vartma Candrika, just to make it easy to understand for everyone. Thus it is the duty of all the raga-marga sadhakas to attentively study this book. (2)

TEXT 3:

vaidhi bhaktir bhavet sastram bhaktau cet syat pravartakam
raganuga syac ced bhaktau lobha eva pravartakah

“When devotion is prompted by scriptural injunctions, then that is called vaidhi bhakti, but when it is prompted simply by spiritual greed, then it is called raganuga bhakti.”

Kripa-kanika Vyakhya:

We have explained that there are two kinds of sadhana bhakti – ‘vaidhi’ and ‘raganuga’, 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 vaidhi bhakti. In Sri Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu the definition of vaidhi bhakti is given –

yatra raganavaptatvat pravrittir upajayate
sasanenaiva sastrasya sa vaidhi bhaktir ucyate (1.2.6)

“That devotion that knows no attachment or greed, but that is prompted by the orders from the scriptures is named vaidhi bhakti.”

In his commentary on this verse Srila Visvanatha Cakravartipada has written – rago’tra sri murter darsanad dasama skandhiya tat tal lila sravanac ca bhajana lobhah “The word raga 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 Srimad Bhagavata.” When worship is not prompted by such greed, but by the orders of the scriptures, then it is called vaidhi bhakti.

In Srimad Bhagavata (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:

mukha bahuru padebhyah purushasyasramaih saha
catvaro jajnire varna gunair vipradayah prithak
ya esham purusham sakshad atma-prabhavam isvaram
na bhajantyavajananti sthanad bhrashtah patantyadhah

“From the face, arms, thighs and feet of the Purusha (the Universal form) the four social orders like the brahmanas, the gunas like sattva and the four stages of life, like householder life, gradually emanated. Those within the varnasrama system who do not worship their own origin Sri Hari, and therefore disobey and disrespect Him will fall down from their social station.”

cari varnasrami yadi krishna nahi bhaje; sva-dharma koriya-o raurave padi maje
(C.C.)

“Those in the four social orders who do not worship Krishna will fall into hell, even if they perform their occupational duties.”

The devotion or bhajana marga that is thus prompted by scriptural injunctions is called vaidhi marga. And the devotion that is prompted by greed, caused by hearing about the pastimes of Sri Krishna, is called raganuga marga. Srimat Rupa Gosvamipada has given the following definition of raganuga:

virajantim abhivyaktam vrajavasi-janadishu
ragatmikam anusrita ya sa raganugocyate
(Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu 1.2.270)

“The devotion which is clearly present in the eternal associates of Vraja is called ragatmika bhakti, and devotion in the wake of this ragatmika bhakti is called raganuga bhakti.”

ragatmika bhakti mukhya vrajavasi-jane
tara anugata bhakti raganuga name
(C.C.)

“The people of Vraja practise ragatmika bhakti and the devotion that follows in its wake is called raganuga.”

In his Bhakti Sandarbha (310) Srimat Jiva Gosvamipada has written: atra vishayinah svabhaviko vishaya samsargecchatisayamayah prema ragah yatha cakshur adinam saundaryadau; tadrisa evatra bhaktasya sri bhagavatyapi raga ityucyate.

yasya purvokte raga viseshe rucir eva jatasti na tu raga visesha eva svayam tasya tadrisa raga sudhakara karabhasa samullasita hridaya sphatika maneh sastradi srutasu tadrisya ragatmikaya bhakteh paripatishvapi rucir jayate. tatas tadiyam ragam rucyanugacchanti sa raganuga tasyaiva pravartate – “The natural love and desire of a sense enjoyer for his favorite sense objects is called raga. Just as the eyes are attracted to beautiful scenes and 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 raga. When even a semblance of the moonrays of the aforementioned raga (which is situated within the hearts of the eternal associates of Krishna) falls on the crystal-like heart of a devotee who attained a little taste for this aforementioned raga, but did not really developed the real raga 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 ragatmika 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 loving skill in devotional service of the ragatmika bhaktas their taste will awaken. With such ruci they will follow them and thus their raganuga bhakti will commence. Thus it is to be understood. (3)

TEXT 4:

bhaktau pravrittir atra syat taccikirsha suniscaya
sastral lobhat tac cikirshu syatam tad adhikarinau

“Engagement in devotion according to the devotional scriptures means having an exclusive desire to perform devotional practices. The two kinds of candidates for devotional service (vaidhi and raganuga) commence for two different reasons: fear of scriptural injunctions (the vidhi bhakta) and intense sacred greed (the raganuga bhakta) respectively.”

Kripa-kanika Vyakhya:

In the bhakti sadhana marga there is no consideration of individual qualification or distinction between different levels of practitioners, as is the case in the jnana, karma and other sadhana margas. Bhakti is a sadhana path 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 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 events. This desire can arise for two reasons, one is 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. Srimat Rupa Gosvami has given definitions of both these kinds of candidates, for vaidhi and raganuga bhakti. The definition of the vaidhi-marga’s candidate is as follows:

yah kenapyati bhagyena jata sraddho’sya sevane
natisakto na vairagya bhagasyam adhikaryasau
(Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu 1.2.14)

“When, by a stroke of inconceivable luck, a person develops faith and liking for serving Krishna (bhakti marga) due to having associated with great saints, but has not yet attained firm attachment to the Lord and is only slightly averse to bodily attachments – such a person is eligible for sadhana bhakti.”

The candidate for raganuga is described as follows:

ragatmikaika nishtha ye vrajavasi janadayah
(Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu 1.2.291)

“A person who is simply greedy after the unalloyed, ecstatic ragatmika bhakti-love for Krishna of the Vrajavasis, is a candidate for raganuga bhakti.”

The difference between the candidates for vaidhi and raganuga bhakti is that eligibility for vaidhi bhakti is caused by ‘sraddha’ (faith) and eligibility for raganuga bhakti is caused by ‘lobha’ (sacred greed). The candidate for vaidhi bhakti gradually advances in his sadhana by keeping his faith in the purports of the scriptures and some ruci gradually awakens as a result of his reverential attitude towards the Lord, and meets with his sraddha. But this ruci remains a secondary factor, and his bhajana continues mainly on the basis of his sraddha. And the candidates for raganuga bhakti are prompted by greed after the sweet feelings of the nitya siddha Vrajavasis. Their practice of ruci-sadhana gradually develops and meets with deep sraddha; but here sraddha remains the secondary factor and ruci the primary. He remains engaged in bhajana that bears the shape of sraddha, but in which ruci is primary. This is definitely different in kind from the sraddha that prompts vaidhi bhakti and much more powerful also, because the absorption that raganuga bhakti causes within the consciousness is never created on purpose, since ruci is the innate function of the heart. This is the difference between eligibility for vaidhi and raganuga bhakti. However, there is no difference in the course of devotion or bhajana itself. In other words, all the items that are named as the items of vaidhi bhakti, such as hearing and chanting, are also to be practised in raganuga bhakti (the author will clearly describe that himself later). (4)

TEXT 5:

tatra lobho lakshitah svayam sri rupa gosvami caranair eva –
tat tad bhavadi madhurye srute dhir yad apekshate
natra sastram na yuktim ca tal lobhotpatti lakshanam (B.R.S. 1.2.292)

vrajalila parikarastha sringaradi bhava madhurye srute dhir idam mama bhuyat iti lobhotpatti-kale sastra yukty apeksha na syat satyam ca tasyam lobhatvasyaivasiddheh. nahi kenacit sastra drishtya lobhah kriyate napi lobhaniya vastu praptau svasya yogyayogyatva vicarah ko’py udbhavati. kintu lobhaniya vastuni srute drishte va svata eva lobha utpadyate.

“Srila Rupa Gosvami has personally given the following definition of lobha (sacred greed) in Sri Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu:
‘When the heart yearns for the sweetness of the mutual feelings of Krishna and His eternal associates in Vraja, and one is not dependent on scriptural injunctions or logical arguments, then that is the definition of ‘the cause of sacred greed’.

If one thinks: ‘Let me attain such sweet feelings also’, after hearing about feelings such as the transcendental erotic feeling towards Krishna of His associates (the gopis) in Vraja, then one need not wait for favorable sanctions from the revealed scriptures or logical arguments. If such impetuses (scriptures and arguments) are there, then it can not be justly called ‘sacred greed’. This greed never arises in anyone on such bases, nor does the candidate ever consider whether he is qualified for this path of raganuga bhakti or not. Rather, simply after hearing about the desired subject matter, or seeing it, that sacred greed will arise in him.

Kripa-kanika Vyakhya:

Here the blessed author describes the cause of greed for raganuga bhakti, which is rooted in sacred greed, the means to attain that greed and the symptoms of that greed. When one becomes slightly experienced by hearing the sweet stories from Srimad Bhagavata and the lila-granthas of the rasika bhaktas that preach the same conclusion about the feelings, forms and attributes of the Vrajavasis like Sri Nanda and Yasoda that please all the senses of Sri Krishna one becomes independent from scriptural injunctions and logical arguments and develops a certain consciousness, a desire for those sweet feelings – and that is called the root cause of sacred greed. Srimat Jiva Gosvamipada has written in his Gopala Campu-grantha (Purva 1.81):

harir gopa-kshauni-pati mithunam anye ca vividha
na nah kruram cittam mridulayitum isa lavam api
aho! tesham prema vilasati harau yas tu balavan
harer va yas teshu drutayati sa eva pratipadam

“Nor Hari Himself, nor Goparaja Sri Nanda, nor Vrajesvari Yasoda nor any of the other people of Vraja could soften my cruel heart even slightly. But, aho! By constantly meditating on the natural love of the Vrajavasis for Sri Krishna and Sri Krishna’s natural love for the Vrajavasis my heart is awakening and starting to melt!”

This is the definition of the awakening of lobha.

Although attachment to the Lord is basically one and the same, there is a distinction according to the self-identifation of the devotee and the way in which the Lord manifests Himself. Vrajendranandana is the Original Personality of Godhead, the full manifestation of both aisvarya and madhurya and the full object of loving attachment. The devotees also are eligible to taste the sweetness of the Lord according to the amount of love they have for Him, which in turn nourishes their own self-identification in relation with Him.

In Vraja there are four main rasas – dasya, sakhya, vatsalya and madhura. Of them, sakhya is more relishable than dasya, vatsalya more relishable than sakhya and madhura more relishable than vatsalya. Madhura bhava should be known as supreme.
The love of the Lord’s servants is to be known as filled with awe and reverence. Although Krishna’s servants in Vraja, like Raktaka and Patraka, do not consider Him to be the Supreme Lord, they see Him as the son of Vrajesvara Nanda Maharaja, a local prince and in this way they see Sri Krishna as the Lord. Sakhya bhava should be accepted as a greater form of love, because Sri Krishna’s friends like Sridama and Subala consider themselves to be equal to Him and their love is free from awe and reverence. In this carefree loving attitude:

kandhe cade kandhe cadaya kore krida rana; krishne seve krishne koraya apana sevana (C.C.) –  “They mount His shoulders, allow Him to mount their shoulders and playfully fight with Him. Thus they serve Krishna and let Krishna serve them also.”

Thus we can see the special sweetness of Sri Krishna surrounded by the cowherd boyfriends, who are all endowed with sakhya bhava, in Srimad Bhagavata:

syamam hiranya paridhim vanamala barha, dhatu prabala natavesam anuvratamse
vinyasta hastam itarena dhunanam abjam, karnotpalalaka kapola mukhabja hasam
(Bhagavata 10.23.22)

“Sri Syamasundara wore yellow garments, had a garland of forestflowers around His neck, an enchanting crown of peacockfeathers on His head, a dancing dress which was colored by mineral pigments such as rubies around His waist, He kept His left arm on the shoulder of a friend who stood next to Him and He twirled a playlotus around in His right hand. He wore lotus flowers in His ears, His cheeks were flanked by enchanting curly locks and His lotuslike face was beautified by a soft sweet smile.”

From this statement it is understood that Sri Krishna’s manifestation is much more attractive when He is with His devotees who take shelter of a fraternal mood towards Him than when He is with His devotees who take shelter of a mood of servitude.

Then again, Sri Krishna’s manifestation is even sweeter when He is with the devotees who have taken shelter of a parental mood towards Him, like His father and mother, than when He is with His friends. In Srimad Bhagavata Sri Suka Muni describes it thus:

kritagasam tam prarudantam akshini kashantam anjan mashini sva panina
udvikshamanam bhaya vihvalekshanam haste grihitva bhishayantyabagurat
(SB. 10.9.11)

“During the Dama-bandhana lila Krishna, who had been naughty, wept and rubbed His eyes with His hands so that His eyeliner was spilled all over His face. Although Sri Yasoda saw that her son was overwhelmed by fear she held His hand and chastised Him just to frighten Him.”

Because in this pastime Krishna was most absorbed He manifest Himself in an even more attractive way when He was with His devotees that had taken shelter of a parental mood than when He was with His fraternal devotees. He will never display a manifestation of fear in front of His servants or friends, as He did when He was thus absorbed in feelings of fear. According to the progression of absorption in transcendental pastimes one must definitely also accept a progression of sweetness.
Then again, the sweet love of the Vrajasundaris, who are endowed with maha-bhava, is seen as most special, because they have forgotten everything else out of great absorption in their love for the Lord, even more than those in the fraternal or parental moods. Hence the manifestation of the Lord is also truly incomparable when He is in their vicinity. When Sri Krishna sat down next to the gopis on the bank of the Yamuna during the Rasa-night, Sri Suka Muni described the great manifestation of His sweetness as follows:

tatropavishto bhagavan sa isvaro; yogesvarantar hridi kalpitasanah
cakasa gopi parishad gato’rcitas trailokya lakshmyeka padam vapur dadhat
(Bhagavata 10.32.14)

“Sri Krishna, the Original Godhead, for whom the kings of yogis make a seat in their hearts during their meditations, sat down on a seat that the gopis made for Him with their garments. When He was thus honoured and surrounded by the Gopa-sundaris He displayed a form that contained the beauty of all the three worlds.”

Of these mahabhava-endowed Vrajasundaris the love of madanakhya mahabhava-endowed Sri Radharani is again the greatest, and in Her vicinity Sri Krishna manifests Himself in the most beautiful way. The sakhis and manjaris that take shelter of Her are blessed by entering into an ocean of Yugala Madhuri. Sriman Mahaprabhu and the acaryas that have taken shelter of Him have preached the worship of Radha’s service or manjari bhava to the world. When the aspirant attains the grace of a great soul who has taken shelter of this manjari bhava, and he hears about the expertise in Yugala-service of Vraja’s eternal maidservants like Rupa Manjari and Rati Manjari he becomes greedy after this feeling without bothering about scriptural injunctions or logical arguments. This is what prompts the raganuga bhajana of the Gaudiya Vaishnavas. When one does depend on scriptural injunctions or logical arguments one can not really speak of greed, for no one will become greedy through scriptural knowledge. When one sees the desired object or hears about it greed will automatically awaken and there will be no consideration whatsoever of being qualified or not for attaining the desired object.

ragamayi bhaktira hoy ragatmika nama;
taha suni lubdha hoy kon bhagyavan
lobhe vrajavasi-bhave kore anugati;
sastra-yukti nahi mane – raganugara prakriti
(C.C.)

“Devotion full of sacred passion is called ragatmika. If a fortunate soul becomes greedy after that devotion after hearing about it he will eagerly follow the feelings of the people of Vraja without bothering about scriptural injunctions and logical arguments. Such is the nature of raganuga bhakti.” (5)