"Amongst the higher classes of people in society, there are three main paths for
traveling through the kingdom of various beliefs regarding transcendence,
These are known as the paths of karma (performance of materially
furtive activity), jnana (cultivation of transcendental knowledge),
and bhakti (purely surrendered devotional service. First, the path
of karma-marga involves the arrangements for obtaining temporary
worldly benefits, which are enjoyed by souls trapped in the bondage of the
materially conditioned platform of life. Second, the jnana-marga
involves renouncing impermanent material things as well as the impermanent
distractions related to patriotic interests and such; one then searches
after the undifferentiated spiritual reality of impersonal brahma.
And the third path involves positive activity that is transcendental
to karma, jnana and matter altogether - it is the way of
cultivating actions favorable for serving the object most worthy of
service, Sri Krsna. This is called bhakti-marga, the path of pure
devotion.
"It is seen that there are three distinct developmental stages
extending from sadhana (devotional practice) to sadhya ( the
goal of such worship); these are first the sadhana itself, then the
awakening of bhava (estatic emotion) and finally prema-bhakti
(eternal devotional service performed in pure love). While cultivating
the aspects of knowledge relating to the goal of worship, as well as the
varieties of ecstatic emotions and methods of pure loving service,
troubles invariably arise. The process by which these unwanted impediments
are removed is called anartha-nivritti. The conceptions expressed
in the astonishing pastimes of Sri Gauranga-sundara as well as in the
opinions established by the Gosvamis, who are the Lord's eternal
associates in these pastimes."
prakrta cestate bhai kabhu rasa haya na
jadiya
prkrta rasa suddha bhakta gaya na
"O brothers! No material efforts can ever produce the awakening or
rasa, factual transcendental mellows. The pure devotee of the Lord
never sings the glories of any mundane mellows that are born of the dull
material world."
prakrta rasera siksa bhiksa sisye caya na
rati bina jei rasa taha
guru deya na
"The true disciples never desire to ask their spiritual master for
instructions regarding material mellows. the genuine spiritual master
never gives his disciples any such material mellows, which are devoid of
rati, transcendental loving attachment to the Lord."
nama rasa dui vastu bhakta kabhu jane na
nama rase bheda ache,
bhakta kabhu bole na
"The Lord's real devotee never knows any difference between the holy
name of Krishna and transcendental mellows. Therefore the devotee never
says there is a difference between the holy name and the mellows of
devotion."
aham mama bhava sattve nama kabhu hay na
bhoga buddhi na chakile
aprakrta haya na
"The holy name is never revealed to one who is situated in the bodily
concept of life and thinks in terms of "I" and "mine". If one doesn't
reject the enjoying mentality, the transcendental platform will never be
attained."
prakrta jadera bhoge krsna seva haya na
jada vastu kona o kale
aprakrta haya na
"Devotional service unto Lord Krishna can never be performed by
engaging in the mundane enjoyment of material sense-objects. Material
things can never acquire the attributes of the transcendental at any
time."
jada satta vartamane cit kabhu hay na
jada vastu cit haya bhaket
kabhu bole na
"The transcendental consciousness of the spiritual world is never
manifest in the mundane material condition. The deotee of the Lord never
claims that any mundane object in this world is spiritually conscious.
"
jadiya visaya ghoga bhakta kabhu kore na
jada bhoga krsna seva
kabhu sama haya na
"The true devotee never engages in activities of materialistic sense
gratification. Material enjoyment and devotional service to Krsna are
never the same under any circumstances."
nija bhogya kame bhakta prema kabhu bole na
rase dagamaga acho
sisye guru bole na
"Selfish enjoyment of one's own senses in mundane lust is never called
prema (love of Godhead) by the genuine devotee. A bonafide
spiritual master never tells his disciple, 'You are absorbed in the
mellows of divine rasa.'"
"The genuine spiritual master never claims, ' I am absorbed in the
mellows of divine rasa.' The guru never talks idly with his
disciples on subjects of gross worldly mellows."
jada rasa kabhu sreyah keha labhe na
krsnake prakrta boli bhakta
gaya na
"By singing the glories of worldly relationships born of mundane
mellows, no one has ever attained benefit in their spiritual life. The
genuine devotee never proclaims that Lord Krishna's incarnations is
mundane."
namake prakrta boli krsne jada jane na
krsna nama rase bheda
suddha bhakta mane na
"The devotee never says that the holy name of Krishna is material, for
Krishna cannot be known by means of matter. The pure devotee of the Lord
never recognizes any difference between the holy name of Krishna and pure
rasa itself."
name rase bheda ache guru siksa deya na
rasa labha kori sese
sadhana to haya na
"The bonafide spiritual master never teaches that there is a difference
between the holy name of Krishna and rasa. Even after attaining
actual rasa, the regulative principles of devotional service are
never concluded."
drtrima panthaya name rasodaya haya na
rasa hoite krsna nama
vilomete haya na
"By employing pretentious means, no one can ever make transcendental
mellows appear in the holy name. The backwards conception that Krishna's
name comes from rasa can never be true."
rasa hoite rati sraddha kakhana i haya na
sraddha hoite rati
chada bhagavata gaya na
"Rasa, devotional mellow, can never be first present and then
develop into rati, transcendental attachment, or sraddha,
proper faith. The Srimad-Bhagavatam ( or the realized devotee)
never sings any opinion other than - rati develops from
sraddha."
rati yukta chada suddha bhakta bole na
sadhanete tari rasa guru
kabhu bole na
"The pure devotee of Krishna never speaks of anything other than
rasa, transcendental mellows, that is endowed with rati,
loving attachment. The guru never claims that rati and rasa
are present within the practice of preliminary devotion (sadhana
bhakti)."
bhava kale je avastha sadhanagre bole na
vaidhi sraddha sadhanete
raganuga haya na
"The awakening of transcendental emotional ecstasies
(bhava-bhakti) is never said to occur before the practice of
regulated devotional service (sadhana-bhakti). The performance of
regulated devotion with faith limited only to such beginning regulations
(vaidhi-sraddha) can never give rise to spontaneous devotional
service (raganuga-bhakti)."
bhavera ankura ho le vidhi ara thake na
raganuga sraddha matre
jata rati haya na
"When bhava, the ecstatic mood of divine love actually sprouts,
then the need for following scriptural rules (vidhi) does not
remain. Mere faith in spontaneous devotional service, however, does not
produce the actual awakening of transcendental loving attachment
(rati)."
ajata ratite kabhu bhava labdha bole na
raganuga sadhakere jata
bhava bole na
"If transcendental attachment has not yet developed within the heart, a
devotee is never said to have attained the stage of ecstatic bhava. The
followers of spontaneous devotion (raganugas) never say that
neophyte students of devotion (sadhakas) have experienced the
awakening of bhava."
raganuga sadhakera labdha rasa bole na
raganuga sadhya bhava rati
chada haya na
"Genuine devotees on the level of spontaneous devotional service never
say that neophyte students of devotion have attained rasa. The pure
emotions characteristic of the goal of spontaneous devotion are never
attained without first experiencing the correct progressive development of
spiritual attachment (rati)."
bhavankura samagame vaidhi bhakti thake na
rucike ratira saha
kabhu eka jane na
"Only when the seed of intense divine emotion sprouts forth pure
bhava, then there is no longer any need to adhere to scriptural
rules and regulations (vaidhi bhakti). One should never consider
ruci (the taste for devotional service) to be the same as
rati (transcendental loving attachment in devotional service)."
raganuga boile i prapta rasa jane na
vidhi sodhya jane jabhu
raganuga bole na
"Divine rasa can never be factually attained merely by talking
of spontaneous devotion [by claiming " I am a raganuga-bhakta."] A
beginning student who should still be further purified by following the
scriptural injunctions is never said to be on the level of performing
spontaneous loving service unto the Lord."
sadhanera purve keha bhavankura paya na
jade sraddha na chadile
rati kabhu haya na
"No one can ever experience the sprouting of pure ecstatic emotions
without first following the regulated injunctions of the scriptures. One
who does not give up materialistic faith can never attain the stage of
spiritual attachment in devotional service."
jata bhava na hiole rasika to haya na
jada bhava na chakile
rasika to haya na
"If divine ecstatic emotions have not yet awakened, there is no
possibility of one becoming a rasika, a true relisher of devotional
mellows. If materialistic emotions are not entirely rejected, one can
never become a true rasika."
mula dhana rasa labha rati vina na
gache na uthite, kandi crdsa
mule paya na
"Without first developing pure attachment (rati), the attainment of
devotional mellows (the greatest wealth) can never be possible. Without
first climbing the branch of a tree, the fruits can never be reached."
dadhane anartha ache rasodaya haya na
bhava kale nama gane chala
rasa haya na
"If one still has unwanted material impediments ( anarthas) present in
their performance of devotional service (sadhana), then rasa can never
truly awaken. When the holy name of the Lord is chanted from the platform
of pure ecstatic emotions (bhava), then the cheating mood born of
pretentious devotional mellows can never be present."
siddhanta vihina hoile krsne citta lage na
sambandha hinera
kabhyu abhideya haya na
"Without knowledge of transcendental truth (siddhanta), no one's
heart can ever be spiritually attuned with Lord Krishna. If one lacks
knowledge of his relationship with Krishna (sambandha), then proper
execution of devotional service in relationship to Him (abidheya)
is impossible."
sambandha vihina jana prayojana paya na
ku siddhante vyasta jana
krsna seva kore na
"One who lacks knowledge of sambandha, the relationship between
Krishna and the living entities, can never attain prayojana, the
supreme goal of life [namely pure love of Godhead, Krishna prema.]
One who is distracted by bogus philosophical conclusions about devotional
service (ku-siddhanta) is not performing actual devotional service
to Sri Krishna."
siddhanta alasa jana anartha to chade na
jade krsna bhrama kori
krsna seva kore na
"One who is lazy in properly understanding the Vaisnava philosophical
conclusions can never become free from anarthas, the unwanted bad
habits and philosophical misconceptions what impede devotional service.
One who mistakes Krishna as belonging to the material plane can never
render actual service to the Lord."
anartha na gele name guna bujha jaya na
anartha na gele name
drsna seva haya na
"As long as anarthas remain, then the chanting of the holy name
will never produce an understanding of the transcendental qualities of the
Lord. As long as anarthas remain, then the chanting of the holy
name will never factually engage one in Krishna's service."
rupa guna lila sphurti nama chada haya na
rupa guna lila hoite
krsna nama hay na
"Revelations of the Lord's transcendental form, qualities, and pastimes
are never manifest in the absence of His holy name. The holy name of
Krishna is never separated from His transcendental form, qualities or
pastimes."
rupa hoite nama sphurti guru kabhu bole na
guna hoite nama
sphurti guru kabhu bole na
"The genuine spiritual master never asserts that the revelation of the
Lord's holy name is separate from His form. The genuine spiritual master
never claims that the revelation of the Lord's holy name is separate from
His qualities."
lila hoite nama sphurti rupanuga bole na
nama nami dui vastu
rupanuga bole na
"The true followers of Srila Rupa Goswami (rupanugas) never
claim that the revelation of the Lord's holy name is separate from His
pastimes. The rupanugas never teach that the holy name of Krishna
and Krishna Himself are two separate things."
rasa age rati pache rupanuga bole na
rasa age sraddha pache guru
kabhu bole na
"The true followers of Srila Rupa Goswami never say that the stage of
realizing transcendental mellows (rasa) precedes the development of
loving devotional attachment (rati). The bonafide spiritual master
will never profess that the realization of such mellows precedes the
development of pure faith (sraddha)."
rati age sraddha pache rupanuga bole na
krama patha chadi siddhi
rupanuga bole na
"The followers of Srila Rupa Goswami never preach that transcendental
attachment is reached before one develops pure faith. The rupanugas
never teach that the perfection of devotional (siddhi) can be
reached by abandoning the consecutive order of developmental stages on the
path."
mahajana patha chadi navya pathe dhaya na
aparadha saha nama
kakhana i haya na
"The followers of Srila Rupa Goswami never leave they path of the great
devotees (mahajanas) and run to pursue a "new" path. One who
commits offenses can never realize the holy name of Krishna at any
time."
name prakrtartha buddhi bhakta kabhu haya na
aparadha yukta nama
bhakta kabhu laya na
"The Lord's devotee never interprets the holy name with any mundane,
materialistic conception. The devotee never chants the holy name of the
Lord in an offensive manner."
namete prakrta buddhi rupanuga kore na
krsna rupe jada buddhi
rupanuga kore na
"The followers of Srila Rupa Goswami never ascribe material qualities
to the holy name by means of mundane intelligence. The followers of Srila
Rupa Goswami never consider the Lord's transcendental from as material
because they don't possess materialistic mentality."
krsna gune jada buddhi rupanuga kore na
parikara vaisistyake
prakrta to jane na
"The followers of Srila Rupa Goswami never analyze the Supreme Lord's
qualities with material intelligence. The followers of Srila Rupa Goswami
never consider the characteristics of the Lord's associates and
paraphernalia to be mundane."
krsna lila jada tulya rupanuga bole na
drsnetara bhogya vastu
krsna kabhu haya na
"The followers of Srila Rupa Goswami never equate the Lord's
transcendental pastimes with materialistic activities. Lord Krishna never
becomes a mere object of sense gratification that is lower in quality than
Himself."
jadake anartha chada ara kichu mane na
jadasakti base rasa krsna
jnana kore na
"One should never consider other than the following: Everything made of
matter is an anartha and should be rejected. Transcendental
knowledge of Lord Krishna can never be obtained through any mellows that
is controlled by attachment to matter. "
krsna nama krsna rupa kabhu jada bole na
drsna guna krsna lila
kabhu jada bole na
"One should never say that Krishna's holy name or transcendental form
are mundane. One should never say that Krishna's divine qualities or
sublime pastimes are mundane."
jada rupa anarthete krsna bhrama kore na
krsna nama rupa gune
jada buddhi kore na
"One should never become bewildered by the anartha of material
bodies and mistake Lord Krishna's form to also be a material body. One
should never try to analyze the Lord's divine names, forms, and qualities
with materialistic intelligence."
nama rupa guna lila jada boli mane na
jada nama rupa gune krsna
kabhu bole na
"One should never consider any of Krishna's transcendental names,
forms, qualities or pastimes to be mundane. Similarly, one should never
claim that any material names, forms or qualities could be Krishna's."
jada sunya aprakrta nama chada bole na
jada sunya aprakrta rupa
chada dekhe na
"Other than the pure transcendental names of Krishna, which are
completely free from all material contact, nothing else should be spoken.
Other than the pure transcendental forms of Krishna, which are completely
free from all material contact, nothing else should be seen."
jada sunya aprakrta guna chada sune na
jada sunya aprakrta lila
chada seve na
"Other than the pure transcendental qualities of Krishna, which are
completely free from all material contact, nothing else should be heard.
Other than pure transcendental pastimes of Krishna, which are completely
free from all material contact, nothing else should be served."
anartha thakara kale jada rupe maje na
anartha thakara kale jada
gune mise na
"While still contaminated with anarthas, the bad habits and
philosophical misconceptions that impede devotion, one should never become
charmed by mundane forms. As long as these impediments remain, one should
never mix [their devotional service] with the impurity of mundane
qualities."
anartha thakara kale jada lila bhoge na
anartha thakara kale
suddha nama chade na
"While still contaminated with anarthas, one should never try to
enjoy materialistic pastimes. As long as these impediments remain, one
should never give up trying to purely chant the holy name of Krishna."
anartha thakara kale rasa gana kore na
anartha thakara kale
siddhi labdha bole na
"While still contaminated with anarthas, one should never sing
songs about the Lord's confidential pastimes. After these impediments are
purified (anartha-nivritti), one never speaks of the holy name of
Krishna as if it were a mundane sound vibration."
anartha nivritte kale rupe jada dekhe na
anartha nivritte kale
gune jada bujhe na
"After the anarthas are removed, material attributes are no
longer seen in the transcendental forms of Krishna. When such impediments
are removed, material attrubutes are no longer perceived in His pure
qualities."
anartha nivritte kale jada lila seve na
rupanuga guru deva sisya
himsa kore na
"After the unwanted impediments are removed, one never serves mundane
pastimes. The true spiritual masters in the line of Srila Rupa Goswami,
who are known as rupanuga guru-deva, never abuse their own
disciples in any way."
guru tyalji jade asa kabhyu bhakta kore na
mahajana pathe dosa
kabhu guru deya na
"The true disciple never rejects the spiritual master because of their
own desires for material enjoyment. The genuine spiritual master never
finds fault with devotional path shown the great devotees
(mahajanas)."
guru mahajana vakye bheda kabhu haya na
sadhanera pathe kanta sad
guru deya na
"There can never be any difference between the explanations of the
bonafide spiritual master and the teachings of the great devotees
(mahajanas). The pure spiritual master never puts thorn-like
deterrents on the path of one's execution of practical devotional service
(sadhana)."
adikara avicara rupanuga kore na
anartha anvita dase rasa siksa
deya na
"The followers of Srila Rupa Goswami are never neglectful in assessing
any one's spiritual qualifications. The followers of Srila Rupa Goswami
never instruct a servant who is engrossed in material impediments about
the science of intimate devotional mellows."
bhagavata padya bole ku vyakhya to kore na
loka samgragera tare
krama patha chade na
"The true devotees of the Lord never reite the verses of
Srimad-Bhagavatam and offer bogus interpretations. For the sake of
attracting larger numbers of followers, true devotees never abondon the
correct systematic practices of devotional service. "
na uthiya vrksopari phala dhari tane na
rupanuga krama patha
vilopa to kare na
"One should never climb into a tree, grasp the unripe fruits and
forcibly pull them off. Similarly, the followers of Srila Rupa Goswami
never abolish the initial systematic process of devotional service."
anarthake artha boli ku pathete laya na
prakrta sahaja mata
aprakrta bole na
"One should never mistakenly call material obstacles "useful for
devotional service", thereby following the wrong path. One should never
say that the mundane opinions of the prakrta-sahajiyas (cheap
materialistic impostors) are aprakrta (transcendental). "
anartha na gele sisya jata rati bole na
anartha visita sisye rasa
tattva bole na
"The disciple is never said to have developed deep devotional
attachment (rati) as long as impediments (anarthas) are not
removed. The disciple who is still contaminated with these impediments is
never taught the science of intimate devotional mellows
(rasa-tattva)."
asakta komala sraddhe rasa katha bole na
anadhikarire rase
adhikara deya na
"A devotee should never speak on the topics of devotional mellows to
one who has weak, pliable faith. A devotee should never attempt to bestow
the qualification for rasa upon one who is unqualified to receive
it."
vaidha bhakta jane kaabhu raganuga jane na
komala sraddhake kabhu
rasika to jane na
"Devotees who are still on the platform of following regulated
scriptural injunctions (vaidha-bhaktas) cannot yet understand
anything about the exalted stage of the raganugas, practitioners of
spontaneous devotional service. Those who possess weak faith cannot yet
understand the realm of the rasikas, relaters of pure
transcendental mellows."
svalpa sraddha jane kabhu jata rati mane na
svalpa sraddha jane
rasa upadesa kore na
"Those who possess little faith are never recognized as being highly
developed in loving devotional attachment. Those who possess little faith
are never to be instructed in topics concerning transcendental
mellows."
jata rati prauda sraddha sanga tyaga kore na
komala sraddhere
kabhu rasa diya seve na
"When spiritual attachment (rati) is manifest, one never leaves
the company of those endowed with advanced faith. If immature devotees
with pliable faith are presented with a devotional mellow, they will never
be able to properly serve it."
krsnare sevana lagi jada rase mise na
rasodaya kona jive sisya
bhddhi kore na
"One should never mix their activities with the contaminated moods of
materialistic mellows for the purpose of service of Krishna. After
rasa has factually awakened, one never indulges in the mentality of
regarding any other soul as disciple."
rasika bhakata raja kabhu sisya kore na
rasika janera sisya ei
bhava chade na
"The highest devotee, who is like a king among the rasikas
expert in relishing devotional mellows, never thinks that he has
disciples. The student of such a rasika, however, never give up the
mood of being the disciples of this exalted devotee."
saddhana chadile bhava udaya to haya na
raganuga janile i dadhana
to chade na
"If the preliminary practices of devotional service (sadhana)
are neglected, then the awakening of ecstatic emotions (bhava) can
never occur. Even one who has attained realization of spontaneous
devotional service (raganuga-bhakti) should never give up
practicing their regulative principles of devotional service. "
bhava na hoile kabhu rasodaya haya na
age rasodaya pare ratyudaya
haya na
"Without first experiencing bhava, the ecstatic emotions of
divine love, rasa can never arise. The realization of rasa
never occurs before the development of rati, spiritual
attachment."
age ratyudaya pare sraddhodaya haya na
rasabhista labhi pare
sadhana to haya na
"One should never think that rati is awakened first, then
sraddha develops later. Nor should one think that after one attains
the state of being thoroughly soaked with rasa, then the need for
practicing sadhana vanishes."
samafrira amilane sthayi bhava haya na
sthayi bhava vyatireke
rase sthiti haya na
"In the absence of the necessary constituent elements of the bhakti
process (such as anartha-nivritti, nistha, ruci, etc.), one can
never become fixed up in their own eternal sthayi-bhava ( one of
the five principal mellows). In the absence of sthayi bhava and its
necessary elements, one can never become situated in their eternal
rasa."
bhoge nama jade sraddha cit prakasa kore na
name sraddha na hoile
jada bhddhi chade na
"Those whose mends are absorbed in the spirit of enjoyment of matter,
and who possess materialistic faith, can never experience the revelation
of pure spiritual consciousness. Without absolute faith in the Lord's holy
name, one's mundane mentality can never be cast off."
jada buddhi na chakile nama krpa kore na
nama krpa na korile lila
suna jaya na
"One who is reluctant to give up their materialistic mentality will
never receive the mercy of the pure holy name of Lord Krishna. Without
first receiving the mercy of the holy name, one should never listen to
recitations of Krishna's confidential pastimes."
namake janile jada kama dura haya na
rupake mjanile jada kama
dura haya na
"One who thinks that the holy name of Krishna is mundane can never
become free from lust. One who thinks that the transcendental from of
Krishna is mundane can never become free from lust."
gunake bujhile jada kama dura haya na
lilake purile jada kama
dura haya na
"One who thinks that the divine qualities of Krishna are mundane can
never become free from lust. One who thinks that the eternal pastimes of
Krishna are mundane can never become free from lust."
name jada vyavadhane rupodaya haya na
name jada vyavadhane
gunodaya haya na
jada bhoga vyavadhane lilodaya haya na
"If one's consciousness is blocked by material conceptions, then
Krishna's pure transcendental form can never be realized by chanting the
holy name. If one's consciousness is blocked by material conceptions, then
Krishna's pure transcendental qualities can never be realized by chanting
the holy name. If one's consciousness is blocked by the enjoyment of
material objects, then Krishna's pure transcendental pastimes can never be
realized."
araradha vyavadhane rasa labha haya na
aparadha vyavadhane nama
kabhu haya na
"Due to the blockage of offenses (aparadha), one can never
attain the flow of pure transcendental mellows. Due to the blockage of
offenses, one can never experience the pure holy name of the Lord."
vyavahita lila ganekama dura haya na
aparadha vyavadhane siddha
deha paya na
"One who is covered by offenses may sing the pastimes of the Lord, but
this will never do away with the lust burning in his heart. By the
blockage of offenses, one's eternal spiritual body (siddha-deha)
will never be attained."
sevopakarana karne na sunile haya na
jadopakarana dehe lila sona
jaya na
"If one does not hear the proper details of the devotional science
[from the disciple successions], then genuine service to the Lord can
never be performed. One absorbed in the various material ingredients of
the bodily concept of life will never be able to hear of the Lord's
transcendental pastimes. "
sevaya unmukha hale jada katha haya na
natuva cin maya katha
kabhu sruta haya na
"When one is enthusiastic for constantly rendering unalloyed devotional
service, there is never any possibility for becoming detracted by idle
talks related to the mundane world. Otherwise, if one is not enthusiastic,
then confidential topics about the all-conscious spiritual world should
never be heard."
