Sum and Substance

Part 1      Part 2      Part 3    Part 4
by Jnanadas Adhikary

Part 1

Discovering Srila Prabhupada's Instructions on Spontaneous Devotional  Service

One who has not yet developed interest in Krsna consciousness should give
up all material motives and
train his mind by following the progressive regulative principles, namely
chanting and remembering
Krsna and His name, form, quality, pastimes and so forth. In this way,
after developing a taste for such
things, one should try to live in Vrindavana and pass his time constantly
remembering Krsnas name,
fame, pastimes and qualities under the direction and protection of an
expert devotee. This is the sum and
substance of all instruction regarding the cultivation of devotional
service.
The Nectar of Instruction, Text Eight, purport (emphasis added)

Srila Rupa Gosvami has given many other books, such as
Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, Vidagdha-madhava
and Lalita-madhava, but Upadesamrta [i.e. The Nectar of Instruction,
quoted above] constitutes the first
instructions for neophyte devotees. One must follow these instructions
very strictly.

The Nectar of Instruction, Preface

A challenging presentation
Every so often, something happens that challenges my assumptions about
devotional service. For
example, after I had been in the movement for eight years, my Godbrother
Prana dasa made a presentation
to me. He convinced me, from Srila Prabhupadas instructions, that the
whole purpose of Krsna
consciousness was to think of Krsna twenty-four hours daily. "How can I
have been in the movement for
so long without understanding this?" I wondered, " and why has no one
pointed it out to me before?".
Anyway, I accepted the point he made, and tried to put it into effect. I
failed, but I never forgot his
presentation.
In 1996, I met another challenge. I was ripe for change at that
time. For years I had followed
Srila Prabhupadas devotional programme as faithfully and well as I could.
While I lived in temples, I
had felt proud of being steady and faithful, and of helping to keep the
morning and evening programmes
going. But that had declined sadly when I got married and "moved outside".
Now I found myself living
alone, and I couldnt maintain a full and regular programme. At the same
time, however, I needed a
sense that something spiritual was happening. Following regulations for
the sake of following was no
longer enough. I needed some juice.
Intense distress in my personal life had forced me -- for the first
time -- to try to make a personal
relationship with Krsna. I realised that loving Krsna was essential. I
not only needed to love Him, but I
needed to be sure that He loved me. I lacked a sense of affection and
relationship, and I was sure that if I
couldnt get this sense of affection directly from Krsna, then I was going
to end up trying to find it in a
material relationship, and I was sure that I didnt want to do that. I was
experiencing a lot of emotion in
my japa. Was it actual devotional sentiment, or the release of past
trauma? I didnt know. And I didnt
know whom I could ask, either. Devotees didnt openly discuss crying, or
their emotional link with Krsna
and His associates. It was a risky subject. I felt that I had no one to
turn to, and no one to talk to about it.
I prided myself that I was becoming more humble, and that I was
progressing in my surrender to
Krsna. And I prided myself that after twenty odd years in the movement, I
was "starting over again". I
used to say, "Really, Im just beginning to understand what Krsna
consciousness is about". So I was
exploring and questioning in spiritual life, but I didnt have an idea of
where I was trying to go or how I
was going to get there. I didnt have a specific goal or objective in my
service, and I didnt have a clear
idea of what I was aiming at in my sadhana and inner service. Not only did
I not know where I was
going; I didnt know where I was situated. I didnt have a map, and I didnt
have a guide.
At this point I attended a presentation by a senior Gaudiya
Vaishnava. The presentation was
specifically intended for devotees who wanted to develop their inner
devotional life, as well as their
external service. I was asked -- or challenged -- to look at the aim and
goal of my devotional service.
"Sadhana is the means by which we attain the sadhya, the goal". That made
sense. At that time "Begin
with the end in mind" was a favourite catch phrase. So I liked the idea
that we should have a specific goal
for our devotional service. But I could see that I didnt have a specific
goal. Then what should my goal
be? "In Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.2.2, Srila Rupa Gosvami defines
sadhana-bhakti as that which awakens
bhava-bhakti. So devotional service which is not specifically intended to
awaken bhava is not actual
sadhana-bhakti ".
I suddenly had a completely new perspective on devotional service
in general, and my own
situation in particular. I understood that I had never related to Radha
and Krsna as They are in Their own
kingdom, but rather as I needed Them to be in my life in the physical
world. I had for the most part been
engaging -- more or less compulsively -- in outward activity, instead of
developing an inner sense of
relationship and service to Them. I had been doing what I wanted to do and
proudly offering it to Krsna.
I had paid the price of not having advanced devotee association. To tell
the truth, I had been at a
standstill in devotional life for years.
Now, what was the alternative? It was suggested that I should
examine the speciality of Gaudiya
Vaishnavism: spontaneous devotional service, or raganuga-bhakti. Of
course, I had heard of spontaneous
devotional service, but I wasnt sure what it really was. And it had never
occurred to me that I might
practise it, any more than I had thought of learning to fly. I didnt think
about it, because it wasnt part of
my map of the world at all. I suppose I had thought it was something that
happened to acaryas who were
eternal associates of Krsna, or something that they brought with them from
the spiritual world. Anyway, I
hadnt thought that it was for me.
The presentation sounded right. It seemed in line with Srila
Prabhupadas instructions, and with
my sense of what Krsna consciousness was about. A very deep intuition told
me that this was really
coming from Srila Prabhupada, and that he was behind it in some way that I
didnt understand. At the
same time, I found it very disturbing. To accept the conclusions meant
accepting that I had been in a
shadow land for a long time: namabhasa, bhakti-abhasa. I felt ashamed and
really devastated. Previously
I had been saying that I didnt know what Krsna consciousness was about, and
that I was starting over
again. Now I was facing the cold truth of my boast. I really hadnt known
what Krsna consciousness was
about. I really was going to have to start all over again. I felt as if
everything had been completely razed
to the ground. At the same time, I was so convinced by the presentation
that I was prepared to consider
changing my whole approach to devotional service.
Now I had two choices. The first was to assume that the
presentation was alright and in line with
Srila Prabhupadas instructions, without subjecting it to critical scrutiny.
My second choice was to go
over the main points and sub-points of the presentation and see to what
extent they agreed with Srila
Prabhupadas instructions. If the presentation didnt agree with Srila
Prabhupadas instructions, then I
wouldnt be able to give my whole heart to it. I had to keep my own sense
of integrity as a disciple of
Srila Prabhupada. Apart from that, I knew that I was going to meet strong
challenges from other devotees
who thoroughly mistrusted the presentation.
There was a risk involved in assessing it fully. If the
conclusions were faulty, then I would have
to go back to being totally and utterly lost. But this time I would know
that I was totally and utterly lost,
and it would feel a lot worse. Still, there was no real choice for me. I
knew that I had to analyze the
programme and prove it correct or incorrect.
Straightaway, there was a difficulty: I had practically no idea
what Srila Prabhupada said about
spontaneous devotional service, because I had never considered the issue.
During the presentation I was
told to read The Nectar of Instruction thoroughly. I was also told to read
Adi-lila Chapter 4 and Madhya-
lila Chapter 8 in Caitanya-caritamrta, as well as Mahaprabhus teachings to
Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana
Gosvami. Besides that, I should read the relevant passages in The Nectar
of Devotion.
The first thing I had to find out about spontaneous devotional
service was, "What did Srila
Prabhupada say it is?"

What is spontaneous devotional service?
Srila Prabhupada explains in The Nectar of Devotion that there are two
different types of sadhana-bhakti.
One is vaidhi-bhakti, or "regulated devotional service". This is
devotional service performed without
spontaneous attraction. The second type of sadhana-bhakti is
raganuga-bhakti or "spontaneous devotional
service". This devotional service is performed with spontaneous
attraction.

Now this sadhana-bhakti, or practice of devotional service, may also be
divided into two parts. The first
part is called service according to regulative principles: one has to
follow these different regulative
principles by the order of the spiritual master or on the strength of
authoritative scriptures, and there can
be no question of refusal. That is called vaidhi or regulated. One has to
do it without argument. Another
part of sadhana-bhakti is called raganuga. Raganuga refers to the point at
which by following the
regulative principles, one becomes a little more attached to Krsna and
executes devotional service out of
natural love. For example, a person engaged in devotional service may be
ordered to rise early in the
morning and offer arati, which is a form of Deity worship. In the
beginning, by the order of his spiritual
master, one rises early in the morning and offers arati, but then he
develops real attachment. When he
gets this attachment, he automatically tries to decorate the deity and
prepare different kinds of dresses and
thinks of different plans to execute his devotional service nicely.
Although it is within the category of
practice, this offering devotional service is spontaneous. So the practice
of devotional service, sadhana-
bhakti, can be divided into two parts -- namely regulative and spontaneous.
Rupa Gosvami defines the first part of devotional practice, or
vaidhi-bhakti, as follows: "When
there is no attachment or no spontaneous loving service to the Lord, and he
is engaged in the service of
the Lord simply out of obedience to the order of the spiritual master or in
pursuance of the scriptures, such
obligatory service is called vaidhi-bhakti. [NOD, Chapter 2, 21-22] As to
spontaneous devotional service,
Caitanya Mahaprabhu defined it as follows in His instructions to Sanatana
Gosvami:

The original inhabitants of Vrindavana are attached to Krsna spontaneously
in devotional service.
Nothing can compare to such spontaneous devotional service, which is called
ragatmika bhakti. When a
devotee follows in the footsteps of the devotees of Vrindavana, his
devotional service is called raganuga
bhakti. [C.C. M.l. 22.149]

This verse describes two different modes of devotional service. The first
is ragatmika bhakti. This is the
spontaneous devotional service performed by the Lords eternal associates,
such as Sridama and Subala;
Nanda Maharaja and Mother Yasoda; and Srimati Radharani. These
personalities do not have to practise
sadhana-bhakti to develop their devotional service.

These beings dont have to learn anything about devotional service; they are
already perfect in all
regulative principles and have achieved the spontaneous loving service of
the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. (NOD, Ch 15, p.119)

The second mode of devotional service is that practised by devotees who are
trying to follow in the
footsteps of the Lords eternal associates.

Persons desiring to follow in the footsteps of such eternal devotees of the
Lord as the Vrsnis and the
Vrindavana denizens are called raganuga devotees, which means that they are
trying to attain to the
perfection of those devotees. These raganuga devotees dont follow the
regulative principles of devotional
service very strictly, but by spontaneous nature they become attracted to
some of the eternal devotees such
as Nanda or Yasoda, and they try to follow in their footsteps
spontaneously. There is a gradual
development of the ambition to become like a particular devotee, and this
activity is called raganuga.
(NOD, Ch. 16, p.125)

What is the process of spontaneous devotional service?
It appears that there is a natural progression from regulated devotional
service to spontaneous devotional
service. At first, the devotee engages in regulated devotional service
under the instruction of the spiritual
master. Part of this regulated devotional service is hearing about the
pastimes of the Lord and His
devotees.

One who has not yet developed interest in Krsna consciousness should give
up all material motives and
train his mind by following the progressive regulative principles, namely
chanting and remembering
Krsna and His name, form, quality, pastimes and so forth. In this way,
after developing a taste for such
things, one should try to live in Vrindavana and pass his time constantly
remembering Krsnas name,
fame, pastimes and qualities, under the direction and protection of an
expert devotee. This is the sum and
substance of all instruction regarding the cultivation of devotional
service. [NOI, Text Eight, purport]

It is clear from this purport that hearing is the essential practice.

In the neophyte stage one should always engage in hearing krsna-katha.
This is called sravana-dasa, the
stage of hearing. By constantly hearing the transcendental holy name of
Krsna, and hearing of His
transcendental form, qualities and pastimes, one can attain to the stage of
acceptance called varana-dasa.
When one attains this stage, he becomes attached to the hearing of
krsna-katha. When one is able to
chant in ecstasy, he attains the stage of smaranavastha, the stage of
remembering. [NOI, Text Eight,
purport]

There is a regular sequence here. First one engages in hearing,
chanting and remembering in
regulated devotional service. As a result, one then develops a natural
attachment to Krsna and His
associates.

In this way a neophyte can gradually develop attachment for Krsnas name,
fame, form, qualities and so
forth. When one has developed such attachment, he can spontaneously serve
the lotus feet of Krsna even
without following the regulative principles. This stage is called
raga-bhakti, or devotional service in
spontaneous love. At that stage the devotee can follow in the footsteps of
one of the eternal associates of
Krsna in Vrindavana. This is called raganuga-bhakti. [NOI, Text Eight,
purport]

Gradually, or at some point, the devotee will become attracted to
the service of some particular
eternal associate of the Lord.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura says that a devotee is attracted by
the service of the inhabitants
of Vrindavana -- namely the cowherd men, Maharaja Nanda, mother Yasoda,
Radharani, the gopis, and
the cows and calves. An advanced devotee is attracted by the service
rendered by an eternal servitor of the
Lord. This attraction is called spontaneous attraction. [C.C. M.l. 22.153,
purport]

Once this spontaneous attraction has been awakened, the devotee engages in
meditation on the service of
the devotee to whom he is attracted.
In Text Eleven of The Nectar of Instruction, we are specifically
instructed to "take shelter of the
confidential serving maids of Sri Radha and under their direction engage
constantly in Her service".
[NOI, Text Eleven, purport] In the purport to Text Eight, Srila Prabhupada
has already named two of
these confidential serving maids: Rupa Manjari and Rati Manjari. I noted
that Srila Prabhupada warns us
against imagining ourselves to be gopis.

One has to practise living in Vrindavana by hearing about the talks of the
gopis with Krsna. However,
one should not consider oneself a gopi, for this is offensive. [C.C. M.l.
8.205, purport]

Srila Prabhupada says that two different types of guidance are
necessary in the practice of
spontaneous devotional service. In the first place, the devotee requires
"the direction and protection of an
expert devotee". [NOI, Text Eight] This direction and protection takes
place in the physical world in
which we perform sadhana-bhakti. Secondly, the internal process of
spontaneous devotional service
involves serving Krsna "under the guidance of a particular associate of the
Lord". [NOD, Ch. 16, p. 127]
Here the devotee directly perceives, and can respond to, the eternal
associate. This is obviously a very
advanced stage of devotional service.
Although spontaneous devotional service does not depend on
regulative principles, the devotees
does not give up the regulative principles, or stop engaging in "normal"
activities i.e. the practice of
sadhana-bhakti.

A devotee who is actually advanced in Krsna consciousness, who is
constantly engaged in devotional
service, should not manifest himself, even though he has attained
perfection. The idea is that he should
always continue to act as a neophyte devotee as long as his material body
is there. Activities in devotional
service under regulative principles must be followed even by the pure
devotee. But when he realizes his
eternal relationship with the Lord, he can, along with the discharging of
regulative service, think within
himself of the Lord, under the guidance of a particular associate of the
Lord, and develop his
transcendental sentiments in following that devotee. [NOD, Ch. 16, p. 127]

Srila Prabhupada intended us to attain spontaneous devotional service
I was surprised to find how often Srila Prabhupada wrote and spoke about
spontaneous devotional service.
Moreover, he did not consider it to be out of the question for his Western
disciples and followers -- for me,
in other words. On the contrary, he regarded it as a natural stage in the
development of devotional
service. I had screened out this understanding in my previous reading,
because it was completely outside
my experience in devotional service. Now it was very clear to me,
particularly in The Nectar of
Instruction, the book that I was advised to read first.
It was very evident from the Preface that Srila Prabhupada wanted
me to take this book very
seriously.

As Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu left behind Him the eight verses known as
Siksastaka, Rupa Gosvami gave
us Upadesamrta so that we may become pure Vaisnavas. .... To achieve the
highest success in life by
becoming a gosvami and then a pure devotee of the Lord, one must follow the
instructions known as
Upadesamrta, which have been given by Srila Rupa Gosvami. Srila Rupa
Gosvami has given many other
books, such as Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, Vidagdha-madhava and Lalita-madhava,
but Upadesamrta
constitutes the first instructions for neophyte devotees. One must follow
these instructions very strictly.
Then it will be easier to make ones life successful. Hare Krsna.

In the Purport to Text Seven, Srila Prabhupada outlines the progression
from faith (sraddha) to becoming
cleansed of unwanted things (anartha-nivrtti). In the next paragraph, he
describes the further
development.

When a person is relieved of unwanted things, he becomes fixed in executing
his Krsna activities. [This
refers to the stage of nistha]. Indeed, he becomes attached to such
activities and experiences ecstasy in
executing devotional service. This is called bhava, the preliminary
awakening of dormant love of
Godhead. [NOI, p.71]

When I was a ten- or fifteen-year devotee, this would have sounded quite
removed from my actual
situation. But now it was something that I really wanted for myself. In
fact, I couldnt see any point to
devotional service without the prospect of something like this in the
foreseeable future. I couldnt bear to
think that I would go on chanting and reading indefinitely, without any
tangible internal experience. I
wanted an actual personal relationship with Krsna, and I wanted ecstasy.
I read on.

The essence of all advice is that one should utilize ones full time --
twenty-four hours daily -- in nicely
chanting and remembering the Lords divine name, transcendental form,
qualities and eternal pastimes,
thereby gradually engaging ones tongue and mind. In this way one should
reside in Vraja [Goloka
Vrindavana-dhama] and serve Krsna under the guidance of devotees. One
should follow in the footsteps
of the Lords beloved devotees, who are deeply attached to His devotional
service. [NOI, Text Eight]

Was this only for acaryas, and the exceptional one or two devotees in a
generation? In his purport, Srila
Prabhupada made it clear that he didnt regard it in that way. He wanted me
to take this instruction to
heart.

In the transcendental realm of Vraja [Vraja-dhama] one should serve the
Supreme Lord, Sri Krsna, with a
feeling similar to that of His associates, and one should place himself
under the direct guidance of a
particular associate of Krsna, and should follow in his footsteps. This
method is applicable both in the
stage of sadhana [spiritual practices executed while in the stage of
bondage] and in the stage of sadhya
[God realization], when one is a siddha-purusa, or a spiritually perfect
soul. [NOI, Text Eight, purport]

Well, I was (and am) definitely in the stage of bondage, but Srila
Prabhupada was still encouraging me to
apply this instruction to myself. He then quotes his spiritual masters
commentary on this verse, in which
he instructs us to take up this process. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati
Thakura observes: "This is the
sum and substance of all instruction regarding the cultivation of
devotional service". Did this just apply to
the devotees who had gathered around Srila Prabhupadas spiritual master?
If so, why would Srila
Prabhupada write it for me to read? I thought it must apply to me, too.
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura then describes the
progression through vaidhi-bhakti to
raganuga-bhakti, following in the footsteps of residents of Vrindavana, in
the various serving moods. He
concludes,

... and in the madhurya-rasa, characterized by conjugal love, one can
become like Srimati Radharani or
Her lady friends such as Lalita and Her serving maids (manjaris) like Rupa
and Rati. This is the essence
of all instruction in the matter of devotional service" [NOI, Text Eight,
purport]

"This is the sum and substance of all instruction regarding the cultivation
of devotional service". "This is
the essence of all instruction in the matter of devotional service" Why
was Srila Prabhupada quoting such
emphatic instructions, if he didnt want me to take them to heart?
Text Ten concludes with the Sanskrit: tam nasrayet kah krti. The
literal meaning of this is
"Which fortunate person will not take shelter of Sri Radha-Kunda?" Srila
Prabhupada expands the
translation of these four words very explicitly and elaborately.

"Who, then, will not reside at Radha-kunda and, in a spiritual body
surcharged with ecstatic feelings
[aprakrta-bhava], render loving service to the divine couple Sri-Sri
Radha-Govinda, who perform Their
astakaliya-lila, Their eternal eightfold daily pastimes? Indeed, those who
execute devotional service on
the banks of Radha-kunda are the most fortunate people in the universe".

Aprakrta-bhava is the transcendental ecstasy of being absorbed in Krsnas
eternal, aprakrta pastimes in
the spiritual world. Was this for me? Did Srila Prabhupada really want me
to be one of "the most
fortunate people in the universe?" I could believe that he did.

Therefore everyone interested in Krsna consciousness should ultimately take
shelter of Radha-kunda and
execute devotional service there throughout his life. This is the
conclusion of Rupa Gosvami in the tenth
verse of Upadesamrta. [Text Ten, purport]

That seemed clear enough: "everyone interested in Krsna consciousness". In
his purport to the last sloka,
Srila Prabhupada emphasised this again.

Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura writes in this connection that Sri Radha-kunda
is the most select place for
those interested in advancing their devotional service in the wake of the
lady friends (sakh
is) and
confidential serving maids (manjaris) of Srimati Radharani. Living
entities who are eager to return home
to the transcendental kingdom of God, Goloka Vrindavana, by means of
attaining their spiritual bodies
(siddha-deha) should live at Radha-kunda, taking shelter of the
confidential serving maids of Sri Radha,
and under their direction engage constantly in Her service. This is the
most exalted method for those
engaged in devotional service under the protection of Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu. [Text Eleven, purport]
(emphasis added)

If Srila Prabhupada considered this to be the most exalted method for those
engaged in devotional service,
why shouldnt I aspire to follow it? It must be his desire for me.
I might object to Srila Rupa Gosvamis instruction to live at
Radha-kunda. I had assumed that
Srila Prabhupada wanted everyone to stay where we were and serve the
mission of Lord Caitanya. Yet,
we must "follow these instructions very strictly". [The Nectar of
Instruction, Preface]. So there must be
some way of resolving the apparent contradiction. I found the solution in
The Nectar of Devotion.

If it is possible, one should go and physically be present at Vrajabhumi,
Vrindavana, and be engaged
always in the service of the Lord, following the devotees in Vraja-dhama,
the spiritual realm of Vraja. If
it is not possible, however, to be physically present at Vrindavana, one
can meditate anywhere upon living
in that situation. Wherever he may be, one must always think about life in
Vraja-dhama and about
following in the footsteps of a particular devotee in the service of the
Lord. [NOD, Chapter 16, p. 126]

Srila Prabhupada mentions the same principle in Caitanya Caritamrta:

One has to practise living in Vrindavana by hearing about the talks of the
gopis with Krsna. [C.C. M.l.
8.205, purport]

Actually going to Vrindavana involves taking shelter of the six Gosvamis by
reading Bhakti-rasamrta-
sindhu, Vidagdha-madhava, Lalita-madhava and the other books that they have
given. [CC A.l. 8.31
purport]

Sum and Substance, End of Part 1 of 4.

Part 2

Sum and Substance, Part 2 of 4

by Jnanadas Adhikary

Discovering Srila Prabhupada's Instructions on Spontaneous Devotional Service

Mahaprabhus desire

Srila Prabhupada published Chapter 7 of Caitanya Caritamrta as Lord
Caitanya in Five Features some
time before he published the whole of Caitanya-caritamrta. This chapter
contains the account of how
Caitanya Mahaprabhu defeated the Mayavadi sannyasis of Kasi. It also
starts with a vivid account of
how the Panca-tattva spread love of Krsna by tasting it themselves.

The internal devotees or potencies [devotees in conjugal love] are all
eternal associates in the pastimes
of the Lord. Only with them does the Lord advent to propound the sankirtan
movement, only with
them does the Lord taste the mellow of conjugal love, and only with them
does He distribute this love
of God to people in general. The characteristics of Krsna are understood
to be a storehouse of
transcendental love. Although that storehouse of love came with Krsna when
he was present, it was
sealed. But when Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came with His other associates of
the Panca-tattva, they
broke the seal and plundered the storehouse to taste transcendental love of
Krsna. The more they
tasted it, the more their thirst for it grew. Sri Panca-tattva themselves
danced again and again and
thus made it easier to drink nectarean love of Godhead. They danced,
cried, laughed and chanted like
madmen, and in this way they distributed love of Godhead. [C.C. A.l.
7.18-22]

The verses that follow describe how the flood of love for Krsna spread
everywhere, overwhelming
everyone. In his translations and purports, Srila Prabhupada uses the
phrases "love of Godhead" and
"Krsna consciousness" interchangeably. Obviously, Caitanya Mahaprabhu came
to spread love of
Krsna. And equally obviously, His process was to distribute it by tasting
it Himself. And Srila
Prabhupada intended the present Krsna consciousness movement to spread in
the same way. "The
present Krsna consciousness movement follows the same principle [of
ecstatic dancing and chanting]"
[C.C. A.l. 7.22, purport]. "We strictly follow the principles set down by
the Panca-tattva" [C.C. A.l.
7.23, purport].
When I turned to Adi-lila, Chapter Four, I found more explicit
instructions on spontaneous
devotional service. I learned that it is superior to regulative devotional
service, and that Srila
Prabhupada intended us to aspire for it, and to engage in the spiritual
practices for attaining it.

The Lords desire to appear was born from two reasons: He wanted to taste
the sweet essence of the
mellows of love of God, and He wanted to propagate devotional service in
the world on the platform
of spontaneous attraction. Thus He is known as supremely jubilant and as
the most merciful of all.
[C.C. A.l. 4.15-16]

In his purport to this verse Srila Prabhupada writes,

The real purpose of Lord Krsnas appearance was to stage a dramatic
performance of His
transcendental pastimes at Vrajabhumi, thus exhibiting the highest limit of
transcendental mellow in
the exchanges of reciprocal love between the living entity and the Supreme
Lord. These reciprocal
exchanges are called raga-bhakti, or devotional service to the Lord in
transcendental rapture. Lord
Sri Krsna wants to make it known to all the conditioned souls that He is
more attracted by raga-bhakti
than vidhi-bhakti, or devotional service under scheduled regulations. It
is said in the Vedas, raso vai
sah: the Absolute Truth is the reservoir for all kinds of reciprocal
exchanges of loving sentiments. He
is also causelessly merciful, and He wants to bestow upon us this privilege
of raga-bhakti.

Sri Krsna wants all the conditioned souls to know that raga-bhakti is
superior to vidhi-bhakti. He
descended as Caitanya Mahaprabhu to spread this spontaneous love. And
Srila Prabhupada is gaura-
vani pracarine, spreading Mahaprabhus mission. If Srila Prabhupada is the
topmost devotee and
representative of the Lord, then how can this not be an important part of
his mission?
Again, in the pranams to Srila Prabhupadas spiritual master, we
chant madhuryojjvala-
premadya sri rupanuga-bhaktida. Thus, rupanuga-bhakti is the forerunner of
madhurya-ujjvala-
prema. Then, namaste gaura-vani sri murtaye dina tarine. Srila
Prabhupadas spiritual master is the
very embodiment of the gaura-vani which Srila Prabhupada is distributing.
Srila Prabhupada writes
that ISKCON was formed "to execute the order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and
His Divine Grace
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura". [Caitanya-caritamrta, Concluding
words].
The texts and purports in Chapter Four continue to extol
spontaneous devotional service, and
its superiority to regulative devotional service.

"Then, by hearing about the pure love of the residents of Vraja, devotees
will worship me on the path
of spontaneous love, abandoning all rituals of religiosity and fruitive
activity" [C.C. A.l. 4.33]

Srila Prabhupada comments,

Many realized souls, such as Raghunatha dasa Gosvami and King Kulasekhara,
have recommended
with great emphasis that one develop this spontaneous love of Godhead, even
at the risk of
transgressing all the traditional codes of morality and religiosity. [C.C.
A.l. 4.33, purport]

Now, why would he write that unless he meant us to take it very seriously?
Nowhere does he say that
this is impractical. On the contrary, he says that, when neophytes are
elevated by regulated devotional
service under the expert guidance of the spiritual master, "they too will
be competent to hear of the
love affairs of Radha and Krsna" [C.C. A.l. 4.35, purport].

Remembering Krsna with love
It is clear from Bhagavad-gita that Srila Prabhupada wants us to engage
consciously in devotional
service, with the conscious intention of coming to the platform of being
absorbed in Krsna
consciousness. In Chapter Twelve, Krsna gives a list of alternative
degrees of absorption in His
service. 12.8 tells us:

Just fix your mind upon Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and engage
all your intelligence in
Me. Thus you will live in Me always, without a doubt. [B.G. 12.8]

12.9 instructs Arjuna that if he cannot fix his mind on Krsna without
deviation, then he should follow
the regulative principles of bhakti-yoga. "In this way develop a desire to
attain Me". Srila
Prabhupada comments,

In this verse, two different processes of bhakti-yoga are indicated. The
first applies to one who
actually has an attachment for Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
by transcendental love.
And the other is for one who has not developed an attachment for the
Supreme Person by
transcendental love. For this second class there are different prescribed
rules and regulations one can
follow to be ultimately elevated to the stage of attachment to Krsna.

This stage of attachment, then, is the ideal. Srila Prabhupada
emphasises the importance of
developing love for Krsna.

But for spiritual life, one must be elevated to the pure stage of love.
That stage of love can be
achieved by practice of devotional service, performed with the present
senses. .... Now the heart has
to be purified of the material association, and that dormant, natural love
for Krsna has to be revived.
That is the whole process. [B.G. 12.9, purport] (emphasis added)

I remembered Prana dasas presentation on continual remembrance of
Krsna. Here was a
new perspective on what he had said. He had quoted from the Introduction
of Bhagavad-gita.

Therefore we have to practice remembering the Lord always, twenty-four
hours a day, by chanting His
names and moulding our lifes activities in such a way that we can remember
Him always. .... This is
the art, and this is also the secret of Bhagavad-gita: total absorption in
the thought of Sri Krsna. ....
If one has fifty years of life ahead of him, he should engage that brief
time in cultivating this practice
of remembering the Supreme Personality of Godhead. [pp. 28-30]

This was a very strong instruction. But how was it possible? Srila
Prabhupada explains:

A strong sense of love is required here. If we have a strong sense of love
for the Supreme Lord, then
we can discharge our duty and at the same time remember Him. But we have
to develop that sense of
love. [B.G., p.28]

I didnt understand what Srila Prabhupada meant when I first read this, or
for a long time afterwards.
But now I could understand, at least theoretically: the art and secret of
Bhagavad-gita is to remember
Krsna twenty-four hours daily, and to practise this, we have to develop
love for Krsna on the platform
of spontaneous devotional service.

The importance of spontaneous devotional service
For the first time I began to understand the importance of spontaneous
devotional service in Srila
Prabhupadas mission. In the first place, it is the actual goal of Krsna
consciousness.

The regulative principles are designed to take us gradually to the platform
of spontaneous love of
Krsna, which is the perfection of human life. [SP letter 29.4.1974]

Regulative principles in devotional service are meant for those who have
not invoked their natural
love of Godhead. [C.C. A.l. 4.26, purport]

Vaidhi-bhakti, that is apprenticeship. Real bhakti, para-bhakti is
raganuga-bhakti. This raganuga-
bhakti, we have to come to after surpassing the vaidhi-bhakti. In the
material, if we do not try to
make further and further progress in devotional service, if we are simply
sticking to the sastric
regulation process and we do not try to go beyond that ...
We have to follow the regulative principles strictly. Without
viddhi-bhakti, you cannot reach
to the platform of raga-bhakti, although that is our aim. .... That is
called para-bhakti. That para-
bhakti is required. So this Krsna consciousness movement is gradually
developing up to the stage of
raga-bhakti or para-bhakti. Then life is successful. [Lecture, Vrindavana,
12.11.1972]

Not only is spontaneous devotional service the goal of our
practice, but unless and until we
reach that platform, we are in danger of falling down.

The sastric process is kanistha-adhikara, lowest stage of devotional
service. Such devotee can fall
down at any moment. Because he is on the prakrta stage. And prakrta means
this gunamayi, prakrti.
It is very strong. So any devotee can fall down if he remains
prakrta-bhakta. [Lecture, Vrindavana,
12.11.1972]

Srila Prabhupada explains this in detail in Caitanya-caritamrta. In
Adi-lila, 4.35, he establishes the
"imperative" need to come to the platform of spontaneous devotional
service. He then writes,

One who has not been attracted by the transcendental beauty of rasa will
certainly be dragged down
into material attraction, thus to act in material contamination and
progress to the darkest region of
hellish life. But by understanding the conjugal love of Radha and Krsna,
one is freed from the grip of
attraction to material so-called love between man and woman. ... If one is
not attracted by the
transcendental nature of Krsna, one is sure to be attracted to material
enjoyment, thus to become
implicated in the clinging network of virtuous and sinful activities and
continue material existence by
transmigrating from one material body to another. Only in Krsna
consciousness can one achieve the
highest perfection in life. [C.C., A.l. 4.35, purport]

Spontaneous devotional service attracts Krsna
Why is spontaneous devotional service the goal of Krsna consciousness?
Because it is the only way to
attract Krsna. Specifically, it is the only way of attaining loving
service to Radha and Krsna in Vraja.

Everywhere in the world people worship Me according to scriptural
injunctions. But simply by
following such regulative principles one cannot attain the loving
sentiments of the devotees in
Vrajabhumi. Knowing my opulences, the whole world looks upon Me with awe
and veneration. But
devotion made feeble by such reverence does not attract Me. By performing
such regulated devotional
service in awe and veneration, one may go to Vaikuntha and attain the four
kinds of liberation" [C.C.
A.l. 3.15-17]

I found the same conclusion in the conversation between Caitanya
Mahaprabhu and
Ramananda Raya.

One can attain such perfection only by spontaneous love of God. One cannot
obtain Krsna in Goloka
Vrindavana simply by serving the Lord according to regulative principles.
[C.C. M.l. 8.226]

Unless one follows in the footsteps of the gopis, he cannot attain the
service of the lotus feet of Krsna,
the son of Nanda Maharaja. If one is overcome by knowledge of the Lords
opulence, he cannot attain
the Lords lotus feet, even though he is engaged in devotional service.
[C.C. M.l. 8.230]

This came as a shock. Previously, I had just thought about going
back to Godhead. I had
thought in terms of regulated devotional service, tacitly assuming that
there was nothing else for me.
I had believed that I would go back to Godhead at the end of this lifetime,
if I chanted sixteen rounds,
followed the four regulative principles and engaged in preaching
activities. I had understood that
Srila Prabhupada had promised this, and had assumed that Srila Prabhupada
meant that he would
take me back to Vraja. Hence, when I had read these verses in
Caitanya-caritamrta in the past, my
mind had just glided straight past them. But now it didnt. Sri Krsna
Himself was saying that if I
wanted to get to Vraja, I would have to develop spontaneous devotional
service.
This was evidently the sastric conclusion. Now, was Srila
Prabhupada going to make a
special arrangement for us? Did he specifically promise to take us back to
Vraja on the strength of
our vaidhi-bhakti? As far as I saw, he upheld the sastric conclusion.

One can worship the Laksmi-Narayana by the process of vidhi-marga,
worshipping the Lord with
regulative principles according to the instructions of the sastra and the
spiritual master. However, the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, Radha-Krsna, cannot be directly worshipped
by this process. The
dealings between Radha and Krsna and the gopis are devoid of the opulences
of Laksmi-Narayana.
The process of vidhi-marga, following the regulative principles, is
utilized in the worship of Laksmi-
Narayana, whereas the process of spontaneous service -- following in the
footsteps of the gopis, who
are the denizens of Vrindavana -- is transcendentally more advanced and is
the process whereby
Radha and Krsna are worshipped. One cannot attain this elevated position
while worshipping the
Lord in His opulence. Those attracted by the conjugal love between Radha
and Krsna must follow in
the footsteps of the gopis. Only then is it possible to enter into the
Lords service in Goloka
Vrindavana and directly associate with Radha and Krsna. [C.C. M.l. 8.230,
purport]

Srila Prabhupada had made the same point in an earlier lecture.

When we worship Radha-Krsna in our conditional stage, actually we worship
Laxmi-Narayana. You
have seen that picture. This vidhi-marga and raga-marga. Radha-Krsna
worship is on the platform
of pure love, and Laxmi-Narayana worship is on the regulative principles.
So long as we do not
develop our pure love, we have to worship on the regulative principles.
[Radhastami Lecture,
Montreal, August 30th 1968]

Srila Prabhupada made the same point in The Nectar of Instruction,
the "first instruction for
neophyte devotees".

One should bathe there [Radha-kunda] regularly and give up all material
conceptions, taking shelter
of Sri Radha and Her assistant gopis. If one is thus engaged during his
lifetime, after giving up the
body he will return back to Godhead to serve Sri Radha in the same way as
he contemplated during
his life on the banks of Radha-kunda. [NOI, Text Eleven, purport, p. 91]
(emphasis added)

I later found out that Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura makes the same
point in his Sri Harinam
Cintamani.

It is therefore the goal of devotional service to enrol in Her [Srimati
Radharanis] yutha or group.
Service to Lord Krsna in Vraja is impossible without first taking shelter
of the vraja-gopis. [Sri
Harinam Cintamani, Chapter 15]

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura says the same in Sri
Brahma-samhita, published by BBT.

The devotees who are imbued with all-love, and who walk in the footsteps of
the spiritual maids of
Vraja, alone attain to the realm of Goloka. [BS, p.15]

Here was a strong incentive for me to develop spontaneous
devotional service. Srila
Prabhupada had said that he resides eternally in Radha-Damodara temple in
Vrindavana. He had
written on the Jaladuta that he longed to go back to Vraja.

O dear friend, in Your company I will experience great joy once again. In
the early morning I will
wander about the cowherd pastures and fields. Running and frolicking in
the many forests of Vraja, I
will roll on the ground in spiritual ecstasy. Oh, when will that day be
mine? [Prayer to the Lotus Feet
of Krsna, Vaisnava Song Book, p. 27-28]

If I wanted to be sure of being with Srila Prabhupada eternally, then I
would have to develop the
service mood of the residents of Vraja: spontaneous devotional service.
I couldnt say that Srila Prabhupada wasnt able to make a special
arrangement for me. He
could intercede with Radha and Krsna on my behalf. But he clearly did not
want me to rely on him to
do so. He didnt want me to remain indefinitely in vaidhi-bhakti. Rather,
he wanted me to come to
the platform of spontaneous devotional service.
I remembered reading a book which showed how the early Christians
changed Christs
message. Christ preached love of God. He said that the First Commandment
was to love the Lord thy
God with all thy heart, with thy soul, with thy strength and with all thy
might. But within a single
generation, Paul had changed the message: "Believe in Jesus, and your sins
will be forgiven; you will
be saved". This was a movement away from love of God, and towards
liberation. I wondered if
something similar was taking place in the Krsna consciousness movement.
Srila Prabhupada came to
teach us how to engage in pure devotional love for Krsna on the spontaneous
platform: "Learn to love
Radha and Krsna in this lifetime, and you will be with Them in the next
lifetime". The message
seemed to have changed: "Just follow the principles and preach, and believe
in Srila Prabhupada. He
will take you back to be with Radha and Krsna". "Is the movement moving
away from love of God,
and towards a desire for liberation?" I asked myself.

Krsna consciousness is spontaneous devotional service
The purpose of regulated devotional service is to bring us to the point of
spontaneous devotional
service. And only by performing spontaneous devotional service could I
come to the platform of
serving Radha and Krsna in Vraja. Now I found another reason why Srila
Prabhupada was
recommending spontaneous devotional service. He intended us to take up
Krsna consciousness or
pure devotional service. And Krsna consciousness, or pure devotional
service, actually is spontaneous
devotional service.

And only when affection comes to the platform of spontaneous love is it
counted in the category of
pure devotional service. [NOD, Ch 15, p.120]

The regulative principles help ordinary devotees rise to the platform of
perfect love of Godhead. Pure
love for Krsna is the perfection of pure devotion, and pure devotional
service is identical with
spontaneous devotional service. [C.C. A.l. 4.22, purport]

I was amazed. Granted, I had already noticed that Srila Prabhupada
wrote on at least two
levels. On the one hand, to encourage us, he was very liberal. He told us
that we were becoming
Krsna conscious, and that all of his sincere disciples were pure devotees.
On the other hand, he was
very demanding, and spoke of a pure devotee as someone who was totally
attached to Krsna and
detached from the material world. I had been debating with devotees who
wanted to emphasise the
highest criteria, and ignore the liberal criteria. But I had made a
serious mistake in the opposite
direction. I had ignored the highest criteria. In the final analysis, a
pure devotee is one who is
serving the Lord on the platform of spontaneous devotional service. And
Krsna consciousness itself is
actually identical with pure love for Krsna on the spontaneous platform.
I realized that Srila Prabhupada had already explained this in "the
sum and substance of all
instruction".

One who has not yet developed interest in Krsna consciousness should give
up all material motives
and train his mind by following the progressive regulative principles,
namely chanting and
remembering Krsna and His name, form, quality, pastimes and so forth.
[NOI, Text Eight, purport]

So far I had equated Krsna consciousness with those "progressive regulative
principles". But here
Srila Prabhupada was saying that Krsna consciousness is what would develop
as a result of following
those regulative principles, namely spontaneous devotional service.
The point became still clearer to me when I studied the
conversation between Caitanya
Mahaprabhu and Ramananda Raya. During this conversation, Ramananda Raya
presented different
ideas about the perfection of life, starting with the basic instructions of
Bhagavad-gita. At first,
Mahaprabhu rejected these ideas one after the other as being external.
Finally, He approved of the
process of remaining where we are and hearing from bona fide authorities.
Srimad-Bhagavatam
10.14.3, quoted in C.C. M.l. 8.67, instructs that we "should hear from
self-realized devotees about
Your holy name, form, pastimes and qualities". Srila Prabhupada comments:

One has to practise this principle in order to make further progress. When
further progress is actually
made, one comes to the platform of ecstatic loving service to the Lord.
This first stage is called
sadhana-bhakti or devotional service in practice. The result of
sadhana-bhakti must be ecstatic love,
attachment for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, which is also called
prema-bhakti" [C.C. M.l.
8.68, purport] (emphasis added).

So it is expected and required that we come to this platform of spontaneous
love for Krsna. At this
point, Srila Prabhupada directly equates Krsna consciousness with
spontaneous love for Krsna.
Ramananda Raya quotes a verse from Padyavali.

Pure devotional service in Krsna consciousness cannot be had even by pious
activity in hundreds and
thousands of lives. It can be obtained only by paying one price -- that
is, intense greed to obtain it. If
it is available somewhere, one must purchase it without delay. [C.C. M.l.
8.70]

(This didn't sound like a promise that love for Krsna would appear
spontaneously if I just got on with
my sadhana and duties). Srila Prabhupada comments:

The regulative principles according to the injunctions of the sastras are
necessary insofar as ones
original dormant Krsna consciousness is not spontaneously awakened. An
example of spontaneous
action is the flowing of rivers into the ocean. Nothing can stop this flow
of water. Similarly, when
ones dormant Krsna consciousness is awakened, it spontaneously flows to the
lotus feet of Krsna
without impediment. [C.C. M.l. 8.70, purport]

Here he is saying quite clearly that our real Krsna consciousness appears
at the point at which we
develop spontaneous love for Krsna.
In the purport to M.l. 8.71, Srila Prabhupada is even more
explicit. Krsna consciousness is
not just love for Krsna. Krsna consciousness is love for Krsna in an
established and fixed
relationship, (the first of which is dasya-rasa). Progressing from
ecstatic love for Krsna without a
fixed relationship, Ramananda Raya talks about dasya-rasa. Srila
Prabhupada says:

Spontaneous loving service to the Lord is called devotional service with an
intimate attachment
between the servitor and the served. This intimacy is called mamata.
Between the servitor and the
served there is a feeling of oneness. This mamata begins with dasya-prema,
service rendered to the
master by the servant. Unless there is such a relationship, the loving
affairs between the Lord and the
devotee are not actually fixed. [The word "fixed" refers to sthayi-bhava,
establishing ones
relationship to the Lord in one of the specific mellows]. When the devotee
feels, "The Lord is my
master" and renders service unto Him, Krsna consciousness is awakened.
This fixed consciousness is
on a higher platform than simple cognizance of love of Godhead. [C.C. M.l.
8.71, purport] (emphasis
added)

Later on in Mahaprabhus conversation with Ramananda R
aya, Srila Prabhupada makes the same
point even more clearly.

When one has understood Krsna in truth but is still maintaining some
material connection, he is
known to be situated in his svarupa, his original consciousness. When that
original consciousness is
completely spiritual, it is called Krsna consciousness. One should execute
his spiritual activities in
the svarupa-gata stage of consciousness. [C.C. M.l. 8.139, purport]

Sum and Substance, End of Part 2 of 4

Part 3



Sum and Substance, Part 3 of 4

by Jnanadas Adhikary

Discovering Srila Prabhupada's Instructions on Spontaneous Devotional Service

The importance of association

I had gained some new insights into Srila Prabhupadas instructions. To do
that, I had depended on
association. Now I began to notice more and more how consistently Srila
Prabhupada emphasised the
importance of association. In the Introduction to Bhagavad-gita, he refers
to the process of constant
rememberance of Krsna, and comments.

This is not a very difficult process. However, one must learn it from an
experienced person. Tad
vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet: one must approach a person who is
already in the practice. [B.G.,
Introduction, p. 30]

We can attain spontaneous devotional service only if we are eager for it.
And that eagerness comes from
the association of devotees who already have it.

Simply your eagerness. That is the price. This price you have to pay.
Then you will get Krsna.
Immediately. .... So this eagerness is very important. But it can be
obtained by the association of devotees.
[Lecture 5/8/72]

Without the association of the topmost devotees, we cannot make
advancement.

Therefore, if we do not associate with the advanced devotees,
uttama-adhikari, if we simply want to
remain in the lowest stage of devotional service, then we are not making
progress. [Lecture, Vrindavana,
12.11.1972]

Srila Prabhupada gives the same instruction in the section of The
Nectar of Devotion which deals
with spontaneous devotional service.

Elevation to this stage of ecstasy can be possible in two ways. One way is
by constant association with
pure devotees. The other way is by the special mercy of Krsna or by the
mercy of a pure devotee of Krsna.
Elevation to the ecstatic stage of life is generally obtained through the
association with pure devotees,
while elevation to that stage by the special mercy of Krsna or His devotee
is very rare. .... It is essential,
therefore, that one constantly associate with pure devotees who are engaged
morning and evening in
chanting the Hare Krsna mantra. .... [NOD, Ch. 17, p. 132]

Srila Prabhupada has already defined a pure devotee as someone who is
actually on the platform of
spontaneous devotional service.

And only when affection comes to the platform of spontaneous love is it
counted in the category of pure
devotional service. [NOD, Ch. 15, p.120]

So in Chapter Seventeen of The Nectar of Devotion, he is prescribing
association with devotees who are
actually engaged in spontaneous devotional service. Now he continues to
emphasise the importance of
associating with pure devotees.

When a pure devotee speaks, his words act upon the hearts of the audience.
What is the secret of hearing
and chanting? A professional speaker cannot impress transcendental ecstasy
in the hearts of the listeners.
However, when a realized soul who is engaged in the service of the Lord is
speaking, he has the potency
to inject devotional service within the audience. One should, therefore,
seek the association of such pure,
unalloyed devotees, and by such association and service a neophyte devotee
will certainly develop
attachment, love and devotion for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. [NOD,
Ch. 17, p. 133]

In the same chapter of The Nectar of Devotion we hear how Narada
Muni progressed in
devotional service by association with advanced devotees.

These are practical examples of how one can develop to the stage of
ecstatic love simply by the association
of pure devotees. It is essential, therefore, that one constantly
associate with pure devotees who are
engaged morning and evening in the chanting the Hare Krsna mantra. In this
way one will get the chance
to purify his heart and develop this ecstatic love for Krsna. [NOD, Ch. 17,
p. 132]

This example was poignant for me. In Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.24, we read
how, in his previous life,
Narada Muni was blessed by the great devotees. The actual verse simply
describes them as munis. In the
word-for-word, Srila Prabhupada calls them "the muni followers of the
Vedanta". In the purport to this
verse, he describes how the bhakti-vedantas enlighten the people in
general. This is his own inspiration,
for there is no mention of Vedanta or bhakti-vedanta in the verse. Narada
Munis bhakti-vedantas left
him when he was a small child, just as my Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada left me
when I was an
inexperienced and helpless devotee. But in that purport, Srila Prabhupada
says bhakti-vedantas in the
plural three times. This is a standard device to emphasise the importance
of an instruction. Was he
telling me that there are more Bhaktivedantas?
In The Nectar of Instruction, too, Srila Prabhupada makes it clear
in that we need the association,
direction, shelter and protection of an advanced and expert devotee.

When one makes Vrindavana his residence, he should take shelter of an
advanced devotee there. In this
way one should always think of Krsna and His pastimes. .... [NOI, Text
Eight, p.74]

In this way, after developing a taste for such things, one should try to
live in Vrindavana and pass his time
constantly remembering Krsnas name, fame, pastimes and qualities under the
direction and protection of
an expert devotee. This is the sum and substance of all instruction
regarding the cultivation of devotional
service. [NOI, Text Eight, p.75-76]

In Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Srila Prabhupada
emphasises how conditioned
souls can be purified by hearing about Krsnas pastimes from an advanced
devotee.

Sukadeva Goswami concludes the episode of rasa-lila by pointing out that if
a person hears from the right
source about the pastimes of Krsna, who is Vishnu Himself, and the gopis,
who are expansions of His
energy, then he will be relieved from the most dangerous type of disease,
namely lust. If one actually
hears rasa-lila, he will become completely freed from the lusty desire of
sex life and elevated to the highest
level of spiritual understanding. .... The conditioned soul should hear
the rasa-lila dance from an
authorised spiritual master and be trained by him so that he can understand
the whole situation; thus one
can be elevated to the highest standard of spiritual life. [Krsna Book,
Chapter 33, Description of the Rasa
Dance]

Is spontaneous devotional service for someone like me?
Having read some of Srila Prabhupadas instructions, I had reached a firm
conclusion. He intended that I
should take up spontaneous devotional service -- at some point. That was
the whole purpose of his
engaging me in devotional service in the first place. I did not doubt
that. But when should I focus on this
goal? Is that what I should do now? Was it for someone like me as I was,
right now? Or would I come to
it much later, when I had matured?
I certainly needed something like this programme now. I didnt
think that I could survive much
longer without it. At the same time, the idea of taking it seriously at
this point raised some serious doubts
in my mind. These doubts were born partly of my own upbringing in Krsna
consciousness, and partly
through thinking about what other devotees would say to me. To avoid even
one of these doubts would
mean that I could not commit myself to the programme. I had to go through
them and deal with them one
by one.
The biggest misgiving I had was whether it was appropriate for me
to think about spontaneous
devotional service now. Wasnt it pretentious for me even to want to
develop spontaneous love at this
stage? After all, there are instructions that we should not even aspire
for this until we are liberated and
free from material contamination.

Unless one is liberated, he should not try to hear about the loving affairs
between Radha and Krsna. [C.C.
M.l. 8.255, purport]

We must always remember that such eagerness to follow in the footsteps of
the denizens of Vraja
(Vrindavana) is not possible unless one is freed from material
contamination. [NOD, p.126]

Although I had accepted these instructions, I now found other
instructions which seemed quite
different. For example, in The Nectar of Instruction, he quotes Rupa
Gosvamis Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu
(1.2.295).

In the transcendental realm of Vraja [Vraja-Dhama] one should serve the
Supreme Lord, Sri Krsna, with
a feeling similar to that of His associates, and one should place himself
under the direct guidance of a
particular associate of Krsna and should follow in his footsteps. This
method is applicable both in the
stage of sadhana [spiritual practices executed while in the stage of
bondage] and in the stage of sadhya
[God realization], when one is a siddha-purusa, or a spiritually perfect
soul. [NOI, Text Eight, purport]

I considered that I am obviously still "in bondage". According to this
instruction, though, that is not a
disqualification. I could still practise the process. Other instructions
confirmed that it is alright to hear
about Krsnas pastimes with the gopis before I am completely purified.
Indeed, hearing about these
pastimes was part of the process; I would become purified by hearing about
them.

Another secret of success is that when one is very much sexually agitated,
he should think of Lord Krsnas
pastimes with the gopis and he will forget his sex urge. [SP letter
11.11.1968]

Srila Prabhupada explains this principle at length in Krsna, The Supreme
Personality of Godhead.

In order to show them [conditioned souls] special favour, Krsna exhibited
this rasa-lila dance. It is just to
captivate the conditioned soul. Since they are very much attracted by
sexology, they can enjoy the same
life with Krsna and thus become liberated from the material condition. In
the Second Canto of Srimad-
Bhagavatam, Maharaja Pariksit also explains that the pastimes and
activities of Lord Krsna are medicine
for the conditioned souls. If they simply hear about Krsna they become
relieved from the material disease.
They are addicted to material enjoyment and are accustomed to reading sex
literature, but by hearing these
transcendental pastimes of Krsna with the gopis, they will be relieved from
material contamination.
[Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Chapter 33, Description of the
Rasa Dance]

I saw that there were two sets of instructions which appeared to
contradict each other. On the
one hand, Srila Prabhupada was saying that I could take up this process
while I was still in bondage. On
the other hand, he said that I should not take up the process before being
liberated. But I didn't accept for
a moment that Srila Prabhupada would actually contradict himself. So how
could I resolve the apparent
inconsistency? It seemed to hinge on what he meant by "free from material
contamination" and
"liberated". In the above passage from The Nectar of Devotion, Srila
Prabhupada continues:

We must always remember that such eagerness to follow in the footsteps of
the denizens of Vraja
(Vrindavana) is not possible unless one is freed from material
contamination. In following the regulative
principles of devotional service, there is a stage called anartha-nivrtti,
which means the disappearance of
all material contamination. [NOD, p.126]

Here, Srila Prabhupada equates anartha-nivrtti with "the disappearance of
all material contamination".
However, elsewhere he has explained that this stage of anartha-nivrtti
refers to the disappearance of gross
sinful activities.

By bhajana-kriya one obtains freedom from the contaminations of
materialistic life. He no longer goes to
a restaurant or hotel to taste so-called palatable dishes made with meat
and onions, nor does he care to
smoke or drink tea or coffee. He not only refrains from illicit sex, but
avoids sex life entirely. Nor is he
interested in wasting his time in speculating or gambling. In this way it
is understood that one is
becoming cleansed of unwanted things (anartha-nivrtti). [NOI, Text Seven,
purport]

Anartha-nivrtti does not refer to a stage in which all traces of sinful
desire have disappeared from the
heart. Even at the stage of nistha, which comes after anartha-nivrtti,
Srila Prabhupada says that anarthas
have only partially disappeared.

Bhajana, devotional service, is possible when one is freed from these
anarthas, unwanted things. .... The
first step is that you must associate with devotees and then take to
bhajana -- whether you are free from all
the anarthas, all the unwanted things. If all the unwanted things are
vanquished, then youll have firm
faith. Bhaktir bhavati naisthiki. Not that I am completely free from all
sinful activities, but prayesu, say,
fifty percent, sixty percent is gone. At that time, nasta-prayesu
abhadresu. How does it come to take
place? Nityam bhagavata-sevaya. [SP lecture]

Here "firm faith" and "naisthiki" refer to the stage of nistha.
Srila Prabhupada gives a lenient definition of liberation when
discussing Deity worship in
Srimad-Bhagavatam.

Text: Upon seeing the charming forms of the Lord, smiling and attractive,
and hearing His very pleasing
words, the pure devotee ... attains liberation without separate endeavour.
Purport: There are three divisions of devotees -- first-class, second-class
and third-class. Even the third
class devotees are liberated souls. .... Simply by fixing oneself in Krsna
consciousness, engaging the
senses in the service of the Lord, one is imperceptibly liberated. ....
Even the third-class devotee ...
becomes imperceptibly liberated. .... In other words, it is confirmed
herewith that even a third-class
devotee is in the transcendental position. .... That third-class devotees
can also imperceptibly achieve
liberation is accepted in all Vedic literatures. [S.B. 3.25.36, verse and
purport]

I now turned back to Caitanya-caritamrta.

Unless one is liberated, he should not try to hear of the loving affairs
between Radha and Krsna. [C.C.
M.l. 8.255, purport]

In what sense was Srila Prabhupada using the word "liberated" here? I saw
that he must be using it in a
liberal sense here. He knew that serious devotees were not the only ones
who would read his books. In a
previous purport, he gives a strong warning to material scholars.

Talks between Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Ramananda Raya were meant
for advanced devotees
only. Those who are on the mundane platform and who study these talks in
order to put forward some
thesis for a Ph.D. will not be able to understand them. Instead, these
conversations will have a poisonous
effect. [C.C. M.l. 8.250, purport]

Then, in the purport to 8.255, Srila Prabhupada talks about liberation. In
this purport, he first quotes S.B.
10.33.40.

He who faithfully hears about the dealings between Lord Krsna and the gopis
in the rasa dance and he
who describes these activities attain to the perfectional stage of
devotional service and simultaneously lose
material, lusty desires.

(If the hearer lost material, lusty desires through hearing, he couldnt
have been free from material
contamination previous to hearing). Srila Prabhupada then goes on to say,
"When one is liberated and
hears of Lord Krsnas and Radhas loving affairs, he is not inclined to have
lusty desires". [C.C. M.l.
8.255, purport]
Here Srila Prabhupada is giving the acid test. If on hearing these
pastimes, I was "inclined to
have lusty desires", then I shouldnt hear them. But if I could now happily
hear about the Vraja pastimes
without becoming agitated, then it would be beneficial for me to do so.

Spontaneous devotional service and sahajiya-ism
Although I was afraid of becoming a sahajiya, Srila Prabhupada did not
actually say that anyone who
develops sentiments through chanting is a sahajiya. On the contrary, he
said that spiritual emotions are
the perfection of life. Perhaps the whole movement had been traumatized by
Srila Prabhupadas
demolition of the "gopi-bhava" club. That's how it seemed. But what was a
sahajiya actually?

They want to utilize the love affairs of Krsna and the gopis for their
debauchery. This is sahajiya.
[Morning Walk, Los Angeles, 7.6.1976]

Those who do not strictly follow the principles of revealed scriptures are
generally called sahajiyas -- those
who have imagined everything to be cheap, who have their own concocted
ideas, and who do not follow
the scriptural injunctions. Such persons are simply creating disturbances
in the discharge of devotional
service. [NOD, pp 60-61]

The prakrta-sahajiyas do not consult the Vedic literatures, and they are
debauchees, woman hunters and
smokers of ganja. Sometimes they give a theatrical performance and cry for
the Lord with tears in their
eyes. [C.C. M.l. 1.34, purport]

The regulative principles are designed to take us gradually to the platform
of spontaneous love of Krsna,
which is the perfection of human life. Those who think that they have
already attained such perfection
and give up the regulative principles are called sahajiya, or those who
take things cheaply and simply
imitate. [SP letter, 29.4.1974]

So sahajiyas avoid consulting the Vedic literatures. They imagine that
they have reached perfection,
although they are still full of material desires. They imitate the
pastimes of the Lord and the spiritual
ecstasies of the real devotees, and they engage in illicit activity,
sometimes on the strength of so-called
religion. But would this apply to me if I took proper guidance, consulted
appropriate literatures, and
avoided imitating the activities of Krsna and the gopis? Would I then be a
sahajiya? According to Srila
Prabhupadas definition, I wouldnt.
The deepest fear was that I would be "taking things cheaply" --
"Oooh, look at him! Who does
he think he is? Hes always been in maya, and now he thinks hes on the
perfectional platform. Hed be
better off doing some proper service. Srila Prabhupada said, Work now,
samadhi later".
But I didnt think I was on the perfectional platform. I wouldnt be
imagining that I was a gopi;
I had already read that that was offensive. Suppose I simply heard some
nice Krsna-katha; read some
appropriate books; prayed for a taste for devotional service; and tried to
take up residence in Vrindavana,
at least within the mind. What would be the harm? Srila Prabhupada had
recommended all of these
things, and he said that it was legitimate to do such things while in the
conditioned stage. I thought it was
alright.
A new doubt then arose. "You may think that you are authorised to
take up this process now.
But Srila Prabhupada broke up the gopi-bhava club in 1976. Do you really
think that you are superior to
those devotees?" But when I reread the transcription of Srila Prabhupada's
comments on the gopi-bhava
club, I saw that there was really no connection between that situation and
this one. Srila Prabhupada had
been told that the members were influenced by practising sahajiyas from
Radha-kunda, and that some of
them were engaged in illicit activity.
There was another reason why the members of the "gopi-bhava club"
were not well situated. The descriptions in Srimad-Bhagavatam of Krsnas
dealings with the gopis relate to gopis who desired to serve Krsna in
direct union with Him. However, Srila Prabhupada says in The Nectar of
Instruction that the
perfection of madhurya-rasa is to follow Radharanis serving maids. He also
mentions Rupa Manjari and
Rati Manjari by name. But those devotees had really had no clear
guidelines at all to help them
understand Srila Prabhupada's instructions.

Sum and Substance, End of Part 3 of 4

Part 4

Sum and Substance, Part 4 of 4

by Jnanadas Adhikary

Discovering Srila Prabhupada's Instructions on Spontaneous Devotional Service


Does spontaneous devotional service appear spontaneously?

Now another objection crept in. "Wait a minute! Why should I have to
endeavour so hard to attain
spontaneous devotional service? I dont have to worry about it, or make any
separate endeavour. The
arrangements will be made if I am sincere".
I had heard devotees stating this belief clearly. As an older
devotee, I had probably preached it,
too. But I had never read it anywhere. Where did it come from? It didn't
fit in with the new picture that I
was getting. I remembered a lecture in which Srila Prabhupada explained
the term "Krsna
consciousness". He said that it is a direct translation of the phrase
krsna-bhakti-rasa in Rupa Gosvamis
verse. I found the tape and listened to it again.

Pure devotional service in Krsna consciousness cannot be had even by pious
activity in hundreds and
thousands of lives. It can be attained only by paying one price -- that is
intense greed to obtain it. If it is
available somewhere, one must purchase it without delay. [Padyavali 14,
quoted in C.C. M.l. 8.70]

Srila Prabhupada then went on to talk about eagerness.

"What is the price?" "Price?" "It is such a nice thing. You have to pay
price. Yes, there is price".
"What is that?"

At this point, Srila Prabhupada suddenly shouted.

tatra-laulyam eka mulam!!! Simply your eagerness. That is the price.
This price you have to pay. Then
you will get Krsna. Immediately. .... So this eagerness is very important.
But it can be obtained, by the
association of devotees. Therefore we are giving everyone the chance to
invoke that eagerness. Then you
will see God eye to eye. It is not very difficult. [Lecture, 5/8/72]

Simply hearing Srila Prabhupada shout in this lecture dispelled any belief
I may have had that pure
devotional service was going to happen to me by itself. I could no longer
accept that I should neglect the
development of pure devotional service through concentrating my attention
and endeavour exclusively on
preaching. That didnt make sense any more.
Now someone pointed out the verse in Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu in
which Rupa Gosvami defines
sadhana-bhakti. This verse (BRS 1.2.2) is quoted in Caitanya-caritamrta,
Madhya-lila 22.105.

When transcendental devotional service by which love for Krsna is attained
is executed by the senses, it is
called sadhana-bhakti, or the regulative discharge of devotional service.
Such devotion eternally exists
within the heart of every living entity. The awakening of this eternal
devotion is the potentiality of
devotional service in practice.

kriti sadhya -- which is to be executed by the senses; bhavet -- should be;
sadhya-bhava -- by which love of
God is acquired; sa -- that; sadhana-abhidara -- called sadhana bhakti or
devotional service in practice;
nitya-siddhasya -- which is eternally present; bhavasya -- of love of
Godhead; prakatyam -- the
awakening; hrdi -- in the heart; sadhata -- potentiality
Srila Prabhupada translates sadhya-bhava as that "by which love of
God is acquired". Sadhya
means the purpose or goal, and sadhana is the means by which the goal is
attained. If bhava, or ecstasy, is
the goal of sadhana-bhakti, then how can we say that bhava develops
automatically? We strive actively
and enthusiastically to perform our external service nicely. How, then,
can we be less active and
enthusiastic in developing bhava, which is the actual goal of our sadhana?
Srila Prabhupada has instructed us that the actual goal of
regulated devotional service is to
develop love of Krsna i.e. spontaneous devotional service. If I practise
devotional service with some goal
other than developing love of Krsna (or with no particular goal at all),
that is not pure devotional service.

Adulterated devotional service does not directly aim for love of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead.
[C.C. A.l. 4.22, purport]

In Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1.2.2), Rupa Gosvami defines sadhana-bhakti as
that which has the
development of bhava as its objective (sadhya). So, as long as I do not
have the conscious and deliberate
aim of developing bhava, or ecstatic love of Krsna, then my activities are
outside the practice of sadhana-
bhakti. Srila Prabhupada confirms this conclusion elsewhere.

The first stage is technically called sadhana-bhakti, or devotional service
in practice. The result of
sadhana-bhakti must be ecstatic love, attachment for the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, which is also
called prema-bhakti. [C.C. M.l. 8.68, purport]

Someone objected that spontaneous devotional service develops
"automatically", and that we
dont need to make any separate endeavour for it. But Srila Prabhupada uses
the word "automatically" to
mean something which follows as a natural sequence. "When he gets this
attachment, he automatically
tries to decorate the deity ..." [NOD, Ch. 2, p.21] I concluded that the
attainment of spontaneous
devotional service is automatic, but in a particular sense. It will
develop automatically if I follow the
process of regulated devotional service; and if that includes hearing and
chanting about the pastimes in
Vraja; and if I know that the ultimate goal is to develop spontaneous
devotional service; and if I have good
association. The desire for spontaneous devotional service awakens
naturally through the performance of
regulative devotional service with knowledge and association. If I just
chant and read without knowing
the actual goal, then how can I develop a desire to attain the goal?
I heard the expression "bringing a smile to Srila Prabhupadas
lips", and here was a sure way to
do that: develop spontaneous devotional service for Krsna.

"Chanting the holy name in ecstasy causes one to dance, laugh and cry".
When my spiritual master heard
all this, he smiled and began to speak.
When a disciple very perfectly makes progress in spiritual life, this
gladdens the spiritual master, who
then also smiles in ecstasy, thinking, "How successful my disciple has
become!" He feels so glad that he
smiles as he enjoys the progress of the disciple, just as a smiling parent
enjoys the activities of a child who
is trying to stand up or crawl perfectly. [C.C. A.l. 7.82, verse and
purport]

Everything is in Srila Prabhupadas books
Now I came up against another strong prejudice on my part: "We dont have to
read anything except Srila
Prabhupadas books. Srila Prabhupada himself said so". I had been
convinced of this for many years, and
I had read instructions to this effect.

So there is nothing to be said new. Whatever I have to speak, I have spoken
in my books. Now you try to
understand it and continue your endeavour. [Arrival Conversation:
Vrindavana, May 17, 1977:
770517AR.VRN]

I have already given you full directions in my books. [SPL to Satsvarupa:
70-09-13]

I have instructed everything in my books. [SPL to Dina Dayala das:
76-02-25]

Everything is given in my books for you. [SPL to Gunagrahi Das: 73-10-14]

During the whole of my life in the Krsna consciousness movement, I
had never studied books on
devotional service by anyone other than Srila Prabhupada. Now I was being
challenged. Srila
Prabhupada's books describe the paramount importance of spontaneous
devotional service, and state
clearly that we should take it up. However, I couldnt find the equivalent
of the volumes of "how-to"
instructions that he gave for regulative devotional service. I could find
no answers to obvious questions:
"Which devotee in Vraja should we follow? How do we do that? Who are Rupa
and Rati Manjaris?
When can we start on the path of spontaneous devotional service, and what
does it actually entail? How
do we take shelter of an associate of the Lord?"
If I couldnt go outside Srila Prabhupadas books, then I was in
difficulty. But Srila Prabhupada
said several times in his books that we should read other literatures. He
said this of a few specific books.

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has given us a transcendental
literature entitled Krsna-bhavanamrta,
which is full with Krsnas pastimes. Devotees can remain absorbed in
Krsna-thought by reading such
books. [Krsna, p. 367]

Sri Sanatana Gosvami Prabhu, the teacher of the science of devotional
service, wrote several books, of
which the Brhad-Bhagavatamrta is very famous; anyone who wants to know
about the subject matter of
devotees, devotional service and Krsna must read this book. [C.C. A.L.
5.203 purport]

Srila Prabhupada also recommended Sanatana Gosvamis commentary on the Tenth
Canto of Srimad-
Bhagavatam known as the Dasama-tippani [C.C. A.L. 5.203 purport];
Dig-darsini-tika, which is Sanatana
Gosvamis commentary on Hari-bhakti-vilasa [C.C. M.l. 1.35]; and Sri
Krsna-vijaya by Gunaraja Khan
[C.C. M.l. 15.99 purport].
There are also general instructions to read literatures other than
those that Srila Prabhupada had
presented.

Within the past five hundred years, many erudite scholars and acaryas like
Jiva Gosvami, Sanatana
Gosvami, Visvanatha Cakravarti, Vallabhacarya, and many other distinguished
scholars even after the
time of Lord Caitanya made elaborate commentaries on the Bhagavatam. And
the serious student would
do well to attempt to go through them to better relish the transcendental
messages. [S.B. 1.1.1, purport]

Actually going to Vrindavana involves taking shelter of the six Gosvamis by
reading Bhakti-rasamrita-
sindhu, Vidagdha-madhava, Lalita-madhava and the other books that they have
given. [CC A.l. 8.31
purport]

Indeed, reading these other literatures is not an option; we must read
them.

A sincere devotee must, therefore, be prepared to hear the Vedic literature
like the Upanisads, Vedanta
and other literatures left by previous authorities or Gosvamis for the
benefit of his progress. Without
hearing such literatures, one cannot make actual progress. And without
hearing and following the
instructions, the show of devotional service becomes worthless and
therefore a sort of disturbance in the
path of devotional service. [S.B. 1.2.12, purport]

I concluded that everything is indeed in Srila Prabhupadas books.
And this includes the
instruction that I would have to read and hear other Vaisnava literatures
if I wanted to make solid
progress in devotional service.

Direction and protection
Srila Prabhupada engaged us in regulated devotional service. On the one
hand, the whole aim and
purpose of this regulated devotional service is to take us to the platform
of spontaneous devotional service.
And to practise and perfect this spontaneous devotional service, we need
the "direction and protection of
an expert devotee". However, we do not have Srila Prabhupadas physical
presence. Of course, the vani,
the spiritual masters instruction, is just as important as his vapu, his
physical presence. But Srila
Prabhupada did not appear to leave extensive and detailed instructions on
cultivating spontaneous
devotional service.
Should I think that such instructions are unnecessary? Hardly. It
had been so difficult for me to
practise regulated devotional service. There had been so many difficulties
and misunderstandings. Then
what to speak of spontaneous devotional service, which takes place on such
a subtle platform? The
difficulties and misunderstandings must be much more, not less. Srila
Prabhupada clearly intended me to
come to the platform of spontaneous devotional service, and he wanted me to
have the direction and
protection of an expert devotee. But he himself did not leave recorded
instructions on the physical plane.
What were the possibilities? Is he going to come in visions?
Maybe. Great devotees have
received guidance in this way. But I knew that I am not on their platform.
Besides, a one-off vision
would not be enough for me. I need constant direction and protection. And
being firmly on the physical
platform, I need direction from someone whom I can approach, serve and
question with my present
senses, and from whom I can receive direction and instruction with my
present senses. Is that inconsistent
with the instructions that Srila Prabhupada has left? Not at all. He has
said that I should proceed "under
the direction and protection of an expert devotee".
I didnt need to think that I would be abandoning Srila Prabhupada,
or he me. The spiritual
master acts through other pure devotees, even after his physical departure.
Srila Prabhupada considered
that his guru maharaja acted through his sannyasa guru, Srila Bhakti
Prajnana Kesava Maharaja, to insist
that Srila Prabhupada should take sannyasa.

So he insisted me. Not he insisted me. Practically, my spiritual master
insisted me through him, that
"You accept". Because without accepting the renounced order of life,
nobody can become a preacher. So
he [Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur] wanted me to become a preacher.
So he forced me through
this Godbrother, "You accept". So I unwillingly accepted, and then I
remembered he [Srila
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur] wanted me to go to the Western country.
So I am feeling now very
much obliged to my, this Godbrother, that he carried out the wish of my
spiritual master and enforced me
to accept this sannyasa order. [Lecture, Seattle, October 21st, 1968]

Srila Prabhupada said that I should accept the "direction and
protection of an expert devotee".
Then how should I select this devotee? Obviously it should be someone who
is already advanced in the
practice of spontaneous devotional service. I assumed that there are
devotees who are genuinely
practising under the direction of Srila Rupa Gosvami. But I knew that
there are also sahajiyas and
devotees who are apparently authentic Gaudiya Vaishnavas, but who have
their own ideas and
misconceptions. How was I to distinguish between them?

"Staying in ISKCON"
I could see that I urgently needed to be with an expert devotee who could
offer me direction and
protection. But where would I find such a devotee? The "official ISKCON
position" was that we were not
supposed to associate with Gaudiya Matha devotees. We were supposed to
"stay within ISKCON", or we
would not be "chaste to Srila Prabhupada". Now, the senior Vaisnava who
had made the presentation was
a Gaudiya Matha devotee. But I didnt think that I had been unchaste to
Srila Prabhupada in associating
with him. After all, it was this Vaisnava who had inspired me to
investigate Srila Prabhupadas
instructions. And having investigated them, I found that this Gaudiya
Vaisnavas instructions were quite
consistent with Srila Prabhupadas. It was the official positioon which was
inconsistent.
I could see that I was facing a serious choice, and I didnt want to
make a mistake. I certainly
didnt want to associate with anyone who would actually lead me further
astray. At the same time, if I
avoided the issue, I would lose whatever direction and impetus I had in
devotional service, and sink into
apathy and anarthas. That would also be a serious mistake.
I could see that a lot of the difficulty lay in the conditioning
against "going outside ISKCON".
But how could a devotee who taught the same conclusions as Srila Prabhupada
be "outside ISKCON"? It
seemed that the official delineation between "ISKCON" and "non-ISKCON" must
be seriously at fault.
Still, even accepting that insight, as soon as I even thought of
associating with members of the Gaudiya
Matha, all sorts of alarm bells went off. "Dont speak to Srila Prabhupadas
Godbrothers. He warned us
against having anything to do with them". And so on.
While I was thinking about this issue, I found a summary of Srila
Prabhupadas statements about
the Gaudiya Matha. I looked at the evidence again, and three points became
clear to me. The first was
that Srila Prabhupada specifically asked two members of the Gaudiya Matha
to look after his disciples
after his departure. One was his Godbrother Srila Sridhara Maharaja. The
other was Srila Narayana
Maharaja, who was a disciple of Srila Bhaktiprajnana Kesava Maharaja (Srila
Prabhupadas sannyasa
guru), and who had been Srila Prabhupadas close friend for many years. (It
was Srila Narayana
Maharaja who had made the presentation that I had attended). So there was
no a priori reason not to
associate with any Gaudiya Matha devotees.
The second point which became clear was that Srila Prabhupada dealt
differently with different
Godbrothers. He was definitely favourable to many of them. For instance,
he appreciated and loved his
sannyasa guru, Srila Bhaktiprajnana Kesava Maharaja. He had lived in Srila
Kesava Maharajas Sri
Kesava-ji Gaudiya Matha, and had purchased the Deity of Gauranga Mahaprabhu
which is installed on
the altar there. When Srila Kesava Maharaja passed away, Srila Prabhupada
gave a special lecture, and
sent a condolence letter to the Matha. [Lecture, Seattle, 21.10.1968]
Srila Prabhupada also appreciated Srila Sridhara Maharaja very
highly, saying that he considered
him to be his own siksa guru. On one occasion, Srila Prabhupada took Tamal
Krsna Goswami and 25
other devotees to Visakapatnam, where they lived with Srila Bhaktipramode
Puri Maharaja for about a
week. At another time, he had Japataka Swami and Acyutananda stay at Srila
Madhava Maharajas
institution for a year. He spoke affectionately of Ananda prabhu as "a
sincere Vaishnava". [SPL, 6/5/73]
So it was now perfectly clear to me that Srila Prabhupada did not say
unequivocally and across the board
that his disciples should have nothing to do with any of his Godbrothers,
ever. For me to have thought
that was not only an over-simplification; it was simply inaccurate.
A third point was that Srila Prabhupada made his intention clearer
at the very end of his stay
with us. He formed the Bhaktivedanta Swami Charity Trust, which was
specifically "to bring unity
amongst the Gaudiya Vaisnavas, especially the followers of His Divine Grace
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta
Sarasvati Thakura". "We want cooperation". [Room conversation, Vrindavana,
10.10.1977]
Significantly, Srila Prabhupada requested two of his Godbrothers, namely
Srila Madhava Maharaja and
Srila Madhusudana Maharaja, to be Trustees of the Trust, along with five of
his own disciples.
I could see that I had been heavily prejudiced against any devotees
other than those in what I
considered to be Srila Prabhupadas movement. Now I had to look at this
prejudice. Was it really
consistent with Srila Prabhupadas instructions? I had to admit that it
wasnt. It was like my idea that I
shouldnt read any books that Srila Prabhupada had not written. The
prejudice was based on a superficial
understanding of Srila Prabhupadas instructions. I had maintained it by
failing to consider or investigate
in detail what Srila Prabhupadas actual intention was. As a matter of
fact, in disregarding all literatures
other than Srila Prabhupadas books, I had actually disobeyed (or at least
ignored) his instructions. The
same would be true if I refused to associate with anyone other than Srila
Prabhupadas direct disciples and
followers. Again, I would be ignoring or disobeying his instructions.
I could also see that the official understanding of what
constituted ISKCON was far narrower
than Srila Prabhupada's.

We are a non-sectarian society, and our members include people from
Christian, Jewish and Moslem as
well as Hindu faiths. The aim of ISKCON is not to found a new religious
sect, but to invoke the living
entity's dormant love of God, and thus provide the human society of all
faiths with a common platform of
clear theistic knowledge and practice. Members of ISKCON may retain their
own respective religious
faiths .... [SPL, 68/8/24]

If Srila Prabhupada's concept of ISKCON included different faiths, it would
certainly include Vaisnavas
from different branches of the Gaudiya Matha.
In any case, I needed some guidelines to know who was likely to be
good association. The acid
test would be simple. Would these devotees teach the same as Srila
Prabhupada taught? And would they
encourage me to maintain faith in Srila Prabhupadas instructions and
mission?

Conclusion
I was attracted to the senior Vaisnava who had made the presentation. But
I didnt want to make any
particular personality the issue. The actual issue was Srila Prabhupadas
instructions. It was only
through this senior Vaisnava's presentation and association that I had
found out what Srila Prabhupadas
instructions really are. And Srila Prabhupadas instructions confirmed the
complete validity of the
presentation. My Vaisnava friend and guide had opened my eyes to Srila
Prabhupadas instructions and
intentions. According to Srila Prabhupada, real Krsna consciousness is
spontaneous devotional service.
The actual purpose of his Krsna consciousness movement is to engage us in
regulated devotional service,
so that we can progress to spontaneous devotional service.
Srila Prabhupada had explained what spontaneous devotional service
is, and he gave a summary
of the process for cultivating it. In effect, he had also left a message
for me: "Later on, you will meet an
expert devotee. Use my instructions to verify what he says, and then he
will illuminate my instructions.
When you find that he can give a full and true explanation of my books and
words, accept his direction
and protection. Don't worry. I will always make arrangements for you, and
give you whatever
intelligence you need". I hadnt noticed the message, so I hadnt looked for
direction and protection. But
the direction and protection had come looking for me. I felt that this
senior Vaisnava was like the
personification of Srila Prabhupadas desire for me to love Krsna.
I could see that Srila Prabhupada was still looking after me,
drawing me towards the goal he
desired for me. I could use his instructions as an infallible test. And I
could accept direction and
protection gratefully, as long as they were in line with Srila Prabhupada's
instructions.

Sum and Substance, End of Part 4 of 4


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