CDV 8-4
(1.1.1)
[Let Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, be glorified! By virtue of His expanding attractive features, He subjugated the gopis named Taraka and Pali and absorbed the minds of Syama and Lalita. He is the most attractive lover of Srimati Radharani and is the reservoir of pleasure for devotees in all devotional mellows.]
(1.1.2)
[Although I am the lowest of men and have no knowledge, the inspiration to write transcendental literatures about devotional service has been mercifully bestowed upon me. Therefore I am offering my obeisances at the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has given me the chance to write these books.]
(1.1.3)
(1.1.4)
[Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto all the devotees who are sporting like sharks in the nectar ocean of devotional service. They do not pay any attention to the rivers of impersonal liberation, and they are unafraid of time itself which assumes the forms of aquatics such as birth, death, old age, and disease.]
(1.1.5)
[O Sanatana, may your nectar ocean of devotional service be continuously manifest and may it extinguish the harsh fire of the quarreling mental speculators and jnanis, who are like volcanoes whose eruptions are rendered harmless in the depths of these great waters.]
(1.1.6)
[I have compiled this book on devotional service despite of my ignorance, in order to please my friends and wellwishers and to distribute Krsna's auspicious association all over the world.]
(1.1.7)
[This nectarean milk ocean of devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead will be described in four sections or directions as it were; namely the Eastern, Southern, Western and Northern section.]
(1.1.8)
[In this first section there are four waves, in which the different types of devotional service will be described.]
(1.1.9)
[The first wave describes devotional service in general. The second wave lists the prescriptions for regulated devotional service. In the third wave devotional service in ecstasy is discussed, and in the fourth wave pure love of Godhead will be explained.]
(1.1.10)
[In order to fully describe and classify devotional service, this wave explains the symptoms of first-class devotional service in accordance with the opinions of the learned sadhus, as follows:]
(1.1.11)
[When first-class devotional service develops, one must be devoid of all material desires, knowledge obtained by monistic philosophy, and fruitive action. The devotee must constantly serve Krsna favorably, as Krsna desires.]
As stated in the Narada Pancaratra-
(1.1.12)
[Bhakti, or devotional service, means engaging all our senses in the service of the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of all the senses. When the spirit soul renders service unto the Supreme, there are two side effects. One is freed from all material designations, and, simply by being employed in the service of the Lord, one's senses are purified.]
sri bhagavatasya trtiya skandhe ca
In the Third Canto of the Srimad-Bhagavatam (SB 3.29.12-14), it is also said-
In the Third Canto of the Srimad-Bhagavatam (SB 3.29.12-14), it is also said-
(1.1.13)
[Devotional ecstasy flows uninterrupted by any material condition towards the Supreme Lord.]
(1.1.14)
(1.1.15)
(1.1.16)
[These verses, beginning with the word salokya, are demonstrating the superiority of the pure devotees. The status of pure devotional service is described in the end.]
(1.1.17)
[Pure devotional service brings immediate relief from all kinds of material distress. It is the beginning of all auspiciousness. It minimizes the value of liberation. It is rarely achieved, it automatically puts one in transcendental pleasure and it is the only means to attract Krsna.]
tatrasyah klesa-ghnatvam-
Relief from material distress-
Relief from material distress-
(1.1.18)
[There are three factors, namely suffering, sinful activities, and ignorance, which is the seed of both.]
(1.1.19)
[There are two kinds of sinful reactions. Potential sinful reactions are called aprarabdha and manifest sinful reactions are known as prarabdha.]
tatraprarabdha-haratvam yathaikadase (SB 11.14.19)-
In connection with the destruction of potential sinful reactions, there is the following statement in the Eleventh Canto of the Srimad-Bhagavatam:
In connection with the destruction of potential sinful reactions, there is the following statement in the Eleventh Canto of the Srimad-Bhagavatam:
(1.1.20)
[As all fuel is burned to ashes by a full-fledged fire, all sinful activities are totally erased when one engages in devotional service to Me.]
(1.1.21)
[To say nothing of the spiritual advancement of persons who see the Supreme Person face to face, even a person born in a family of dog-eaters immediately becomes eligible to perform Vedic sacrifices if he once utters the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead or chants about Him, hears about His pastimes, offers Him obeisances or even remembers Him.]
(1.1.22)
(1.1.23)
[There are different stages of dormant reactions to sinful activities to be observed in a sinful life. Sinful reactions may be just waiting to take effect [phalonmukha], reactions may be still further dormant [kuta], or the reactions may be in a seedlike state [bija]. In any case, all types of sinful reactions are vanquished one after another if a person engages in the devotional service of Lord Visnu.]
(1.1.24)
[Although one may neutralize the reactions of sinful life through austerity, charity, vows and other such methods, these pious activities cannot uproot the material desires in one's heart. However, if one serves the lotus feet of the Personality of Godhead, he is immediately freed from all such contaminations.]
[The devotees, who are always engaged in the service of the toes of the lotus feet of the Lord, can very easily overcome hard-knotted desires for fruitive activities. Because this is very difficult, the nondevotees-the jnanis and yogis-although trying to stop the waves of sense gratification, cannot do so. Therefore you are advised to engage in the devotional service of Krsna, the son of Vasudeva.]
(1.1.26)
[Pure devotional service in Krsna consciousness is the highest enlightenment, and when such enlightenment is there, it is just like a blazing forest fire, killing all the inauspicious snakes of desire.]
subhadatvam-
All-auspiciousness-
All-auspiciousness-
(1.1.27)
[Learned sages have described the meaning of auspiciousness as: love for the entire creation, caring affection for all living entities, saintly character, happiness, and other such qualities.]
(1.1.28)
[A person who is engaged in devotional service in full Krsna consciousness is to be understood to be doing the best service to the whole world and to be pleasing everyone in the world. In addition to human society, he is pleasing even the trees and animals, because they also become attracted by such activities.]
sad-gunadi-pradatvam yatha pancame (SB 5.18.12)-
How godly qualities are developed by devotional service is described in the Fifth Canto of the Srimad-Bhagavatam:
How godly qualities are developed by devotional service is described in the Fifth Canto of the Srimad-Bhagavatam:
(1.1.29)
[All the demigods and their exalted qualities, such as religion, knowledge and renunciation, become manifest in the body of one who has developed unalloyed devotion for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vasudeva. On the other hand, a person devoid of devotional service and engaged in material activities has no good qualities. Even if he is adept at the practice of mystic yoga or the honest endeavor of maintaining his family and relatives, he must be driven by his own mental speculations and must engage in the service of the Lord's external energy. How can there be any good qualities in such a man?]
sukha-pradatvam-
Devotional service as giver of happiness -
Devotional service as giver of happiness -
(1.1.30)
(1.1.31)
(1.1.32)
[My dear Lord, I repeatedly pray unto Your lotus feet that I may simply be stronger in devotional service. I simply pray that my Krsna consciousness may be more strong and steady, because happiness derived out of Krsna consciousness and devotional service is so powerful that with it one can have all the other perfections of religiousness, economic development, sense gratification and even the attainment of liberation from material existence.]
(1.1.33)
[When even a little attachment to Krsna arises in a person's heart, then religiosity, economic development, sense gratification and liberation become as insignificant as straw.]
(1.1.34)
sudurlabha-
Devotional service is rarely achieved-
Devotional service is rarely achieved-
(1.1.35)
[Devotional perfection is very difficult to attain for two reasons. First, unless one is attached to Krsna, he cannot attain devotional perfection even if he renders devotional service for a long time. Second, Krsna does not easily deliver perfection in devotional service.]
(1.1.36)
[By cultivating philosophical knowledge one can understand his spiritual position and thus be liberated, and by performing sacrifices and pious activities one can achieve sense gratification in a higher planetary system, but the devotional service of the Lord is so rare that even by executing hundreds and thousands of such sacrifices one cannot obtain it.]
(1.1.37)
[Sukadeva Gosvami continued: My dear King, the Supreme Person, Mukunda, is actually the maintainer of all the members of the Pandava and Yadu dynasties. He is your spiritual master, worshipable Deity, friend, and the director of your activities. To say nothing of this, He sometimes serves your family as a messenger or servant. This means He worked just as ordinary servants do. Those engaged in getting the Lord's favor attain liberation from the Lord very easily, but He does not very easily give the opportunity to render direct service unto Him.]
sandrananda-visesatma yatha-
The happiness of becoming one with the Supreme-
The happiness of becoming one with the Supreme-
(1.1.38)
[If brahmananda, the transcendental bliss derived from understanding impersonal Brahman, were multiplied a million times, such a quantity of brahmananda could not compare with even an atomic portion of the pleasure relished in pure devotional service.]
(1.1.39)
[My dear Lord, O master of the universe, since I have directly seen You, my transcendental bliss has taken the shape of a great ocean. Being situated in that ocean, I now realize all other so-called happiness to be like the water contained in the hoofprint of a calf.]
(1.1.40)
[For those who take pleasure in the transcendental topics of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the four progressive realizations of religiosity, economic development, sense gratification and liberation, all combined together, cannot compare, any more than a straw, to the happiness derived from hearing about the transcendental activities of the Lord.]
(1.1.41)
(1.1.42)
[[The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, said:] 'My dear Uddhava, neither through astaṅga-yoga [the mystic yoga system to control the senses], nor through impersonal monism or an analytical study of the Absolute Truth, nor through study of the Vedas, nor through practice of austerities, nor through charity, nor through acceptance of sannyasa can one satisfy Me as much as one can by developing unalloyed devotional service unto Me.]
(1.1.43)
[Narada Muni continued: My dear Maharaja Yudhisthira, all of you [the Pandavas] are extremely fortunate, for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, lives in your palace just like a human being. Great saintly persons know this very well, and therefore they constantly visit this house.]
(1.1.44)
[At the beginning of this book, the greatness of devotional service, bhakti, has been glorified by describing these six uncommon characteristics listed above. Bhakti can be divided into three categories, with each successive category having two more qualities than the previous one.]
kim ca-
Furthermore-
Furthermore-
(1.1.45)
[If a person has even a little taste for understanding devotional service, the revealed scriptures will bring him nearer to the truth of bhakti. But for one who is only interested in speculating and book knowledge and who does not engage in practical service, understanding will never be conclusive.]
(1.1.46)
[Whatever meaning has been ascertained with great endeavor by expert logicians, it is found to be inconsistent by those who have even greater erudition.]
Thus ends the First Wave in the Eastern Section of the Nectar Ocean of Devotional Service, entitled "A General Description of Devotional Service."
(1.2.1)
(1.2.2)
[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.]
(1.2.3)
(1.2.4)
[Somehow or other we have to attach our minds to Krsna consciousness.]
(1.2.5)
(1.2.6)
(1.2.7)
[O descendant of King Bharata, one who desires to be free from all miseries must hear about, glorify and also remember the Personality of Godhead, who is the Supersoul, the controller and the savior from all miseries.]
(1.2.8)
(1.2.9)
[This prescription is applicable to the entire range of varnasrama followers alike-brahmacaris, grhasthas, vanaprasthas, sannyasis, brahmanas, ksatriyas, vaisyas and sudras. It has been positively concluded that by steadily following this instruction one may attain results similar to those obtained by observing the ekadasi-vrata or other such vows.]
ekadase tu vyaktam evoktam (SB 11.5.2-3)-
In the Eleventh Canto of the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is stated-
In the Eleventh Canto of the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is stated-
(1.2.10)
[From the mouth of Brahma, the brahminical order has come into existence. Similarly, from his arms the ksatriyas have come, from his waist the vaisyas have come, and from his legs the sudras have come. These four orders and their spiritual counterparts [brahmacarya, grhastha, vanaprastha and sannyasa] combine to make human society complete.]
(1.2.11)
[If one simply maintains an official position in the four varnas and asramas but does not worship the Supreme Lord Visnu, he falls down from his puffed-up position into a hellish condition.]
(1.2.12)
[By worshiping Me through the various methods prescribed in the Vedas and tantras, one will gain from Me his desired perfection in both this life and the next.]
(1.2.13)
[Any activities sanctioned in the revealed scriptures and aiming at the satisfaction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are accepted by saintly teachers as the regulative principles of devotional service. If one regularly executes such service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead under the direction of a bona fide spiritual master, then gradually he rises to the platform of serving in pure love of God.]
tatradhikari-
Eligibility of the candidate for accepting devotional service-
Eligibility of the candidate for accepting devotional service-
(1.2.14)
[One who has become purified by association with great devotees engaged in the service of the Lord, who is not overly attached to material enjoyment nor overly renounced or falsely renounced, such a person is a qualified candidate for devotional service.]
(1.2.15)
(1.2.16)
tatrottamah-
About the topmost devotee-
About the topmost devotee-
(1.2.17)
[One who is expert in logic and understanding of revealed scriptures, and who always has firm conviction and deep faith that is not blind, is to be considered a topmost devotee in devotional service.]
madhyamah-
About the second-class devotee-
About the second-class devotee-
(1.2.18)
[He who does not know scriptural argument very well but who has firm faith is called an intermediate or second-class devotee.]
kanisthah-
About the neophyte devotee-
About the neophyte devotee-
(1.2.19)
[One whose faith is not very strong, who is just beginning, should be considered a neophyte devotee.]
(1.2.20)
(1.2.21)
[When the materialistic motivations of a person have been destroyed, he becomes eligible to perform pure devotional service of the highest order. Examples of these four types of persons, [in the same order as listed in the Gita], are-the elephant Gajendra, who was seeking relief from distress; Saunaka Rsi and the sages of Naimisaranya, who were inquisitive; Maharaja Dhruva, who was searching after wealth; and the four Kumaras, who were wise men, seeking for knowledge.]
(1.2.22)
[The material desire to enjoy the material world and the desire to become liberated from material bondage are considered to be two witches, and they haunt one like ghosts. As long as these witches remain within the heart, how can one feel transcendental bliss? As long as these two witches remain in the heart, there is no possibility of enjoying the transcendental bliss of devotional service.]
(1.2.23)
[Amongst the above-mentioned four types of devotees, the one who does not desire liberation is most excellent. Such persons engage in devotional service (beginning with hearing and chanting) with so much love that their minds and senses become completely absorbed and they become oblivious of material existence.]
|
|