The abode of pure devotion – the lotus feet of Śrī Guru

śrī guru caraṇa padma, kevala bhakati sadma
bandoṅ mui sābadhāna sane
yāhāra prasāde bhāi, ei bhava tariyā jāy
kṛṣṇa prāpti hoy yāhā hoite

“Carefully I praise the lotus feet of my Śrī Guru, that are the only abodes of pure devotion.
O brother (mind), by his grace you will cross the ocean of material existence and attain Kṛṣṇa.”

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī’s ṭīkā — bhāi — he bhrātaḥ! manaḥ.

Sudhā kaṇikā vyākhyā by Śrī Ananta dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja

— In the beginning of this book Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya glorified the principle of Śrī Guru, who is the root cause of all accomplishment of sādhana. Now again he praises the lotus feet of Śrī Guru in a more specific way. In all scriptures devotion to the Personality of Godhead is said to be the ultimate goal and main purpose of human life, and the scriptures and great saints are similarly of the opinion that devotional practice cannot be commenced without taking shelter at the feet of a bona fide Guru.

In his book Śrī Bhakti Rasāmṛta Sindhu Śrīpāda Rūpa Gosvāmī has described 64 items of devotion, and has added that ten of these items form the gateway into the temple of devotion. The first ones are guru pādāśraya tasmāt kṛṣṇa dīkṣādi śikṣaṇam. viśrambhena guroḥ sevā “Taking shelter at the feet of Śrī Guru, taking initiation from him in Śrī Kṛṣṇa-mantra, receiving instructions in the service of the Lord and faithfully serving Śrī Guru. These three are the first and foremost gateways to the path of devotion. Therefore as one enters the gate of the temple of devotion one must first of all take shelter of the feet of Śrī Guru, for one who is not devoted to the feet of Śrī Guru is deprived of devotion or attaining the Lord’s grace. Just as water turns into ice when it is frozen, and thus increases its quality of coldness, similarly when the grace of the Lord becomes dense it becomes manifest before the devotee in the form of Śrī Guru to cool the heart of the devotee, which is afflicted by the threefold material misery, with a stream of bhajana rasa and bless him with the relish of loving the Lord’s lotus feet.

By first saying the word Śrī Guru Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya indicates the Guru-principle. The word śrī means the treasure of prema — anyone who has this treasure, he is Śrī Guru. Śrīmad Bhāgavata says: tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. śābde pare ca niṣṇātam brahmaṇyupaśamāśrayam (11.3.21) uttamaṁ śreyo jñātumicchuḥ. śābde brahmaṇi vedākhye nyāyato vyākhyānato niṣṇātaṁ anyathā bodha sañcārāyogāt. para brahma niṣṇātatva dyotakamāha upaśamāśrayam iti (Śrīdhara Ṭīkā) “He who desires to learn about the most auspicious devotional principles, should take shelter of the feet of Śrī Guru, who knows the scriptures and who has practical experience of God through his practice of devotion. If Śrī Gurudeva does not know the truth, he cannot erase the student’s doubts about bhajana-matters, and if he is not devoted he cannot infuse bhajana-experiences into his student.” One may ask here: “We can understand whether Śrī Guru knows the truth when we see his scholarship. But devotion is a certain mentality— how can a sādhaka learn whether Śrī Guru has devotion or not?” The answer to this is: upaśamāśrayam — He has fully subdued the six enemies of devotion — lust, anger, greed etc. In this way Śrī Guru will be able to destroy different vices of his surrendered disciple, that are unfavorable to his bhajana, bless him with the gift of prema and bring him near the lotus feet of the Lord.

Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya says: śrī guru caraṇa padma, kevala bhakati sadma. Here the word caraṇa is used in a devotional manner, to worship someone, just like titles as ‘svāmīcaraṇa’ or ‘gosvāmī-caraṇa’. Actually Śrī Guru-caraṇa means Śrī Gurudeva. The word padma indicates that just as the lotus is the abode of honey, Śrī Gurudeva is similarly the supreme shelter of kevala or pure devotion — kevala bhakati sadma. Defining the hallmarks of kevala or pure devotion, Śrīmat Rūpa Gosvāmīpāda has written — anyābhilāṣita śūnya jñāna karmādyanāvṛtam. ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā “The definition of devotion is that it is free from ulterior desires, like reaping the fruits of fruitive activities and nondualistic knowledge, and is solely performed for Kṛṣṇa’s pleasure.” The word anuśīlana is derived from the root verb śīl or śīlana, and there are two kinds of śīlana or practice: pravṛtti (rules) and nivṛtti (prohibitions). The first one consists of physical and verbal activities and a loving mentality. In other words, practical service conducted with the body, glorifications of the Lord’s activities and attributes conducted with the voice, hearing conducted with the ears, meditation on the Lord’s forms, attributes and pastimes conducted with the mind and maintaining a loving attitude is conducted with the heart. The prohibitions are endeavours to avoid offences during formal worship or offences to the holy name. When these endeavours are conducted without desires for enjoyment or liberation and are merely filled with absorption in hearing and chanting for the love of the Lord, then that is called pure devotion. This is also designated with different words like uttamā (paramount), nirguṇā (transcendental), kevalā (pure), mukhyā (main or chief), ananyā (exclusive) and svarūpa siddhā (accomplishment of one’s genuine form).

Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya calls Śrī Gurudeva kevala bhakati sadma, and thus defines the constitution of Śrī Guru, while at the same time glorifying him. Śrī Gurucaraṇa is a wonderful devotional combination of Godhead and devotee, and thus he is the vessel of pure devotion, both of devotion in practice and perfect loving devotion. From the lotus feet of Śrī Guru, that are the abode of pure devotion, the Lord attains the pure devotional nectar of the living beings’ bhajana. By the grace of the devotional lotus feet of Śrī Guru the practitioner erases all his vices and easily accomplishes a loving attainment of the Lord. On the other hand when one has no faith in the lotus feet of Śrī Guru or if one commits the fault of being ungrateful to him, the seed of offence is sown and bhakti or bhajana becomes dry and dead-like. Therefore Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya continues by saying: bandoṅ mui sābadhāna sane .
The practitioner should carefully render service to that Śrī Guru, for by doing so all his spiritual pursuits are easily attained. viśrambhena guroḥ sevā (Śrī Rūpa) “Being aware of the principle of Śrī Guru, it is imperative to engage in his service after establishing unswerving faith in him.” Śrī Kṛṣṇa has defined the Śrī Guru-principle from His own mouth to Śrī Uddhava —
ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyān nāvamānyeta karhicit
na martya buddhyāsūyeta sarva devamayo guruḥ (Bhāg. 11.17.27)

“You should know the ācārya to be Me, never slight or disrespect him or find faults in him, considering him to be an ordinary mortal, for Śrī Gurudeva is the aggregate of all the Gods.”

The practitioner must establish full faith in these principles of Śrī Guru and carefully engage in Śrī Gurudeva’s service, so that no kind of human conception of the Guru can enter. Even after being engaged in Śrī Guru’s service for a long time our minds, bodies and words are still engaged in so many uncontrolled activities, feelings and conduct, causing so many heavy offences to be committed that cause so many obstacles to (reaping) the results of devotional service. The cause of that is that we are not fully aware of the Śrī Guru-principle or the rules and prohibitions concerning the service of Śrī Guru given by the scriptures, so that we cannot engage in Śrī Guru’s service with care. Hence Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya says: ‘bandoṅ mui sābadhāna sane’.
The rules of Guru-service are the following — The practitioner should personally bring water for bathing Śrī Guru and washing his feet, massage his feet, rub his body, bathe him, anoint him with sandalpulp and wash his clothes. When he sees Gurudeva coming he should come before him and offer him prostrated obeisances with eight limbs of the body. He should personally fetch the ingredients of Guru’s daily pūjā, such as Tulasī-leaves and flowers. He should daily offer the Lord’s prasāda of food and drink to Śrī Guru and then eat the remnants. When pronouncing the name of Śrī Gurudeva he should first lower the head, fold the hands and utter the title aṣṭottara śata śrī śrī, then utter the name of Śrī Guru and then end with the titles prabhupāda or viṣṇupāda. With body, words and mind he should satisfy the Guru with sincere and innocent conduct and a pleasant, loving attitude, with his own wealth, body, abode and life-airs. bandoṅ mui sābadhāna sane.

The prohibitions are the following: Do not step over the seat, garments, bed, shoes and other possessions of Śrī Gurudeva. Never imitate the gait, speech, voice or gestures of Śrī Guru. Do not spread the legs, place one leg over the other thigh before Śrī Guru or point the feet him. Do not yawn, laugh loudly, spread out the fingers, sway the body or make hands and feet or any other limb dance in front of the Guru. Do not sit close to the Guru or before him. Do not lie down on a bed in front of Śrī Guru. Do not lord it over others or chastise others in front of Śrī Guru. When staying in the presence of Śrī Guru, never go anywhere without his permission. Never explain the scriptures or give initiation without permission of the Guru. Do not use any language to the Guru that sounds like an order or give him any such indication with the finger or the hand. Never use disrespectful words like “Give me this’ or ‘Take that’. When something is required then pray for it humbly: “Please permit me to do such” and “Please permit me to say so”. Never eat Śrī Guru’s food or take his belongings without permission. Never go to any place where someone slanders Śrī Gurudeva or diminishes his glories. Do not look at the face of the slanderer of the Guru. Tolerate the rebukes and chastisements of Śrī Gurudeva, and never treat him in a hostile manner, even if he treats you in a hostile manner. In short, one should never act in such a way to the Guru that his glories are diminished or that he appears like an ordinary human being. He is Guru and Guru means heavy. He can never become light (in his glories). bandoṅ mui sābadhāna sane.
There is another deep secret in Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya’s use of the words ‘bandoṅ mui sābadhāna sane’ — sādhakasya gurau bhaktiṁ mandīkurvanti devatāḥ; yan no’tītya vrajed viṣṇuṁ śiṣyo bhaktyā gurau dhruvam. Often the demigods confuse the intelligence of the student who is surrendered to his Guru and try to diminish his devotion. The reason is that the demigods are thinking: ‘On the strength of his extraordinary guru bhakti this guru-niṣṭha sādhaka tries to exceed us and will certainly attain the Lord’s supreme abode! Therefore if we can lure him away from his devotion to his Guru he will not be able to exceed us!” Alas! If the demigods are so envious to try to dim a student’s devotion to his Guru, then what doubt can there be that human beings, that are unable to tolerate another person’s excellence, that are wicked natured and blinded by desires for trifle things like profit or fame, will try to do all kinds of things to diminish the student’s devotion to his Guru? Therefore the student who is loyal to his Guru should take special care, and with the aid of the saints and the scriptures engage himself in the devotional worship of Śrī Guru’s lotus feet. In that case neither the demigods, nor human beings will be able to diminish the Guru-bhakti of such a well-supported student.
After this Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya said: yāhāra prasāde bhāi, ei bhava toriyā jāy, kṛṣṇa prāpti hoy yāhā hone. As a result of worshipping the lotus feet of Śrī Gurudeva, who is the incarnation of the Lord’s deep compassion and the abode of pure devotion, the student will attain both devotion in practice and accomplished devotion. When Śrī Guru is pleased, attainment of the Lord and the supreme goal of his loving service are easily accomplished. Therefore the cessation of material suffering disappears for good, as a mere concomitant factor. The devotee need not bother at all about liberation from the material world, for when he takes shelter of the life-buoy of the Lord’s lotus feet the ocean of material existence becomes as insignificant as the water in a cow’s hoofprint. However, the sādhaka should be particularly concerned about personal vices that may injure his devotion. In the opinion of the devotional scriptures the attainment of God through the eradication of all vices has been defined as the supreme goal of human life. By Śrī Guru’s grace these vices are easily destroyed and the practitioner will be blessed with the attainment of the Lord’s greatest ambrosial grace. tat prasādo hi sva sva nānā pratīkāra dustyajyānartha hānau parama bhagavat prasāda siddhau ca mūlam (Bhakti Sandarbhaḥ) “The only cause of the destruction of vices that are hard to conquer by the student’s various own endeavours, and of the Lord’s satisfaction, is the grace of Śrī Guru.” Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartīpāda has written in his Gurvaṣṭaka — yasya prasādāt bhagavat prasādo yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto’pi (“By Guru’s grace the Lord’s grace is attained, but when he is not pleased the supreme goal is never attained.”)

Śrī Śrī Prema-Bhakti-Candrikā