Cultivating the Ideal Established by Sri Gaurasundara
The special teachings of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu
The many philosophical conclusions Sriman Mahaprabhu has revealed and preached personally and through Svarupa, the Six Gosvamis, and the Gaudiya guru-varga in regard to determining the object of worship (upasya-tattva) are not subjects that people inimical to bhakti can grasp. He has given the Gaudiyas the instruction to give up unfavorable association in all respects.
If one is attempting to serve Sri Krishna’s lotus feet in a mood of absolute dedication, unfavorable association, especially that of yoshit-sangis, those who are attached to women and material enjoyment, has been forbidden. As most of the sadhakas and sadhikas are prakrita (mundane) or kanishtha-adhikaris, the indulgent customs and conduct of conditioned souls mostly inculcates in them the aptitude to become unrefined and devious. Hence, sadhu, guru, and shastra have instructed that it is the special and exclusive duty of intelligent persons who thirst to perform hari-bhajana to exert great caution and diligence in giving up this sort of association or environment, which is contrary to sadhana-bhajana and corruptive of one’s constitutional nature.
The marvel of worshipping in the mood of unnatojjvala-rasa
It follows that without giving up unfavorable association and serving Sri Krishna’s lotus feet under the guidance of guru and Vaishnavas, the eternal welfare of the immaculate soul can never be obtained. The worship or service of Sri Krishna performed by those who possess moods of shanta, dasya, and gaurava-sakhya (reverential friendship) is only a partial manifestation of Sri Nanda-nandana’s service. The deficiency or ignorance in regard to considerations of transcendental rasa is evident in those who want to propose Sri Krishna’s prakasha-vigraha manifestations as the supreme objects of worship. Those who tread the path of vaidha-bhakti are not qualified to render service to Bhagavan with anuraga, or intense loving attachment. Within the confines of rules and prohibitions, they perform traditional ritual worship of the all-powerful Supreme Lord via vaidha-bhakti, following maryada-marga, the path of etiquette.
As unnatojjvala-rasa, the topmost paramour mellow, and other intricacies do not manifest in such spiritual practice or worship, it is not capable of granting the supreme cherished result. Sriman Mahaprabhu has conveyed to the souls of this world only the most exalted subject matter of Vaishnavism and worship. He has determined that only Sri Vrajendra-nandana, the emporium of all transcendental rasas (akhila-rasamrita-murti), is the object of worship as the kanta, or beloved, in the mood of madhura-rati. Only in this sort of worship is the super-excellence of spiritual practice displayed. In the most literal sense of the word, the Vaishnavas are Karishna, or belonging to Krishna, and they alone are known as Gaudiyas, the earnest followers of the Lord of Gausiyas [Sriman Mahaprabhu]. Their exalted qualification for service is well established by sadhu and shastra.
In the words of the Sri Rupanuga Gaudiya guru-varga, we find the following: “If one can dispel mundane thoughts and mundane nature and gradually strive to develop the nature of transcendence, one will attain birth in Vraja as a gopi. If one cannot become a gopi, one cannot perform bhajana of Krishna.” We have not had even a little bit of time and opportunity to cultivate and discuss Sri Gaurasundara’s never-hitherto-offered grand gift (anarpita-cira maha-dana), the methodology of performing the bhajana of Sri Radha Madhava, which Sri Gaurasundara gave despite it being extremely rare. We are so overcome by the forces of anarthas and materialism that we are unable to cleanse away that multitude of anarthas and cleanse ourselves. How will we realize His grand contribution, the performance of His vipralambha-bhajana exclusively under the shelter of His intimate associates?
Guru and Vaishnavas are bhurida, or supremely compassionate. How will we appreciate that causeless mercy as we become killers of our own souls? Though we are by eternal constitution dependently independent, we have flung the door shut on that which is auspicious for our souls by misusing our independence. In such a sorry state, this statement of Vedanta (4.1.1) is our only hope: “āvṛttir-asakṛd-upadeśāt—repetition [of shravana and kirtana], many times, for that is the teaching.” In the state of separation, or vipralambha, it is imperative to strive with one-pointed focus to cultivate the ideal, teachings, conduct, and preaching of the vishaya and ashraya-vigrahas.
May Bhakti Mahadevi, the great Goddess of Devotion, who blazes in all her radiance with the moods of separation, who effects all auspiciousness, and who is expressed via sri nama-kirtana, illuminate the core of our hearts so that we may be stirred with new inspiration in sri hari-kirtana and sri nama-diksha and become immersed in the ocean of prema for Sri Krishna.
Translated from Srila Bhaktivedanta Vamana Gosvami Maharaja’s Prabandhavali
By the Rays of The Harmonist team