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The ten maxims of Sri Krishna Chaitanya (2/2)
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To: alt-hindu@uunet.uu.net
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Subject: The ten maxims of Sri Krishna Chaitanya (2/2)
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From: nparker@crl.com (Nathan Parker)
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Date: 12 Mar 1995 12:13:03 -0800
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From nparker@crl.com Sun Mar 12 15: 02:55 1995
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Newsgroups: alt.hindu
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Organization: CRL Dialup Internet Access (415) 705-6060 [Login: guest]
[ Article crossposted from alt.religion.vaisnava ]
[ Author was Nathan Parker ]
[ Posted on 12 Mar 1995 12:10:47 -0800 ]
This is part two to the post on the 10 maxims of Sri Krishna Caitanya
Mahaprabhu. It is 25k, so download it if you are interested.
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The Essence of Ten Maxims
(Sri Dasamula-niryas)
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Affirmation
I offer my obeisances unto Gouracandra who has imparted this
instruction to me. The instruction is that the Vedas constitute the only
source of evidence. The said Vedas extended to us nine aspects of
instruction to be established.
Aspect One:
Sri Hari is the only source of all knowledge. Sri Krsna with
newly-formed cloud complexion, personified eternal, blissful and full of
knowledge, may be described with the word Hari. Brahma, as described by
the propounders of the Upanisads, is only an e ffulgence of the spiritual
planetary systems of Sri Hari. He is not a different entity or aspect
apart from Sri Krsna. The Supreme Soul or Paramatma, as depicted by the
yogis, is part and parcel of Sri Hari, only under whose visual projection
this vast universe was created by nature. Accordingly, Sri Hari is the
only master and all others including even Brahma are His servants.
Aspect Two:
That Sri Hari is omnipotent. There exists an inconceivable
subordinate potency of Hari non-different from Hari. He is the spiritual
power as internal potency, the illusory power as external potency, and the
living entity power as marginal potency. He has created Vaikuntha and
other position through the spiritual power, infinite universes through the
illusory power and infinite living entities through the living entity
power. That subordinate potency has three aspects know as sandhini
(material aspect s), samvit (aspects of relationship with Godhead) and
hladini (aspect of amusement).
Aspect Three:
That Sri Krsna as Hari is the ocean of all sorts of mellows.
Passive of neutral (santa rasa) mellow, serving (dasya rasa) mellow,
friendly (sakhya rasa) mellow, parental (vatsalya rasa) mellow and
conjugal (madhura rasa) mellow - are the five tastes. O f all the tastes
of mellows, conjugal mellow is the best one. In the pastimes of Sri Krsna
at Vrajadham it is this conjugal mellow that stands supreme with all its
sanctity. Sri Krsna is radiant with sixty-four qualities, namely:
(1) beautiful features of the entire body (suramyanga)
(2) marked with all auspicious characteristics (sarvasallaksanayukta)
(3) extremely pleasing (sundar)
(4) effulgent (mahateja)
(5) strong (valavan)
(6) ever youthful (kisor-vayasa-yukta)
(7) wonderful linguist (vividha-adbhut-bhasajna)
(8) truthful (satyavak)
(9) talks pleasingly (priya-vakya-yukta)
(10) fluent (vak-patu)
(11) highly learned (supandit)
(12) highly intelligent (vuddhiman)
(13) a genious (pratibhayukta)
(14) artistic (vidagdha)
(15) extremely clever (catur)
(16) expert (daksa)
(17) grateful (krtajna)
(18) firmly determined (sudrdha vrata)
(19) an expert judge of time and circumstances (des-kal-patrajna)
(20) sees and speaks on the authority of Vedas, or scriptures (sastrajna)
(21) pure (suci)
(22) self-controlled (vasi)
(23) steadfast (sthir)
(24) forbearing (damanasil)
(25) forgiving (ksamasil)
(26) grave (gambhir)
(27) self-satisfied (dhrtiman)
(28) possessing equilibrium (samadarsan)
(29) magnanimous (vadanya)
(30) religious (dharmik)
(31) heroic (sura)
(32) compassionate (karun)
(33) respectful (manada)
(34) gentle (daksin)
(35) liberal (vinayi)
(36) shy (lajjayukta)
(37) protector of surrendered souls (saranagata-palaka)
(38) happy (sukhi)
(39) the well wisher of devotees (bhakta-vandhu)
(40) controlled by love (prema-vasya)
(41) all auspicious (sarva-sukhakari)
(42) most powerful (pratapi)
(43) all-famous (kirtiman)
(44) popular (lokanurakta)
(45) partial to devotees (sadhudiger samasram)
(46) very attractive to all women (nari-manohari)
(47) all worshipable (sarvaradhya)
(48) all opulent (samrddhiman)
(49) all honorable (srestha)
(50) the supreme controller (aisvarya-yukta)
Besides all of the above-mentioned fifty qualities, Lord Krsna
possesses five more, which are sometimes partially manifested in the
persons of Lord Brahma or Lord Siva. These transcendental qualities are
as follows:
(1) changeless (sarvada svarupa-samprapta)
(2) all-cognizant (sarvajna)
(3) ever fresh (nitya-nutan)
(4) possessing an eternal blissful body (saccidananda-gharibhuta-svarupa)
(5) possessing all mystic perfections (akhila-siddhi-vasakari
ataevsarva-siddhi-nisevita)
Krsna also possesses five other qualities, which are manifest in
the body of Narayana, and they are listed as follows.
(1) He has inconceivable potency (avicintya-maha saktitva)
(2) uncountable universes generate from his body (koti-brahmanda-vigrahatva)
(3) He is the original source of all incarnations (sakala-avatar-vijatva)
(4) He is the giver of salvation to the enemies whom He kills
(hata-satru-sugati-dayakatva)
(5) He is the attractor of liberated souls (atmaramganer akarsakatva)
All these transcendental qualities are manifest wonderfully in the
personal feature of Lord Krsna.
Besides these sixty transcendental qualities, Krsna has four more,
which are not manifest even in the Narayana form of Godhead, what to speak
of the demigods or living entities. They are as follows:
(1) He is the performer of wonderful varieties of pastimes (especially His
childhood pastimes) (sarva-loker camatkarini-lilar-kallol-samudra),
(2) He is surrounded by devotees endowed with wonderful love of Godhead.
(srngara-raser atulya-prema-sobhavisista prema-mandal).
(3) He can attract all living entities all over the universes by playing
on His flute (trijagater cittakarsi murati-gita-gan).
(4) He has a wonderful excellence of beauty which cannot be rivaled
anywhere in the creation.
Adding to the list these four exceptional qualities of Krsna, it
is to be understood that the aggregate number of qualities of Krsna is
sixty-four.
Aspect Four:
In the preceding three aspects, knowledge about Godhead is
introduced. In the 4th, 5th and 6th aspects, knowledge about living
entities is being narrated. An appraisal of constitutional position of
living entities is contained in the fourth aspect. Th e living entity is
manifested in different forms just like lighting up an infinite number of
small lamps from the supreme lamp under the influence of marginal potency
of Sri Haris subordinate power or energy. Although a living entity is
constitutionally spiritual and is provided with spiritual propensities, it
is very, very infinitesimal and dependent in nature. Owing to such
dependent nature, Krsna-adverseness develops leading to domination by
illusion. The distinction between Godhead and living entity is that
although both of them are constitutionally situated on the spiritual
platform, but by nature, the one who is the controller and master of
illusion which is serving Him eternally, is the Godhead. One who is
susceptible to domination of illusion, ev en when in a liberated position,
and is animalcular in form, is a living entity. He remains free from
illusion only when surrendered unto Krsna. A perfect living entity is
characterised with the spiritual embodiment, and the fifty qualities
enumerated he reinbefore are all in existence in him in drops and
particles. All these qualities are of course spiritual. There should be
no existence of illusory propensities or qualities in a perfect living
entity.
Aspect Five:
The living entity is just like a corpuscle in the rays of the
spiritual sun which is Krsna. He is subservient and thus in a state of
being enslaved and subject to mundane earthly enjoyment because of his
infinitesimal form. If subservient to Krsna, he w ould have no suffering
and could enjoy eternally heightened bliss. When his desires for sense
gratification gradually become Krsna-averse, he becomes illusioned and
starts suffering from illusory pleasure and pain in this material world,
involved in irres istible cycle of fruitive activities created by
illusionary potency. The cycle of illusory fruitive activities comprises
of virtue and vice, pleasure and pain, as well as high and low status.
Through such a mundane cycle of activities sometimes one may attain
heavenly planets and may also undergo hellish condition - thus travelling
through eighty-four lakhs of species.
Aspect Six:
In spite of the fact that the living entity may become conditioned
through the cycle of illusion, he is but constitutionally of spiritual
potency and thus capable of being liberated from illusion; he can not of
course attain liberation through any kind o f illusory activities.
Accordingly, it is not possible to dispel illusory effect by dint
of any acquired virtue and pious activities. Even if the conception is
developed that I am a living entity and that my spiritual corpuscular
existence and illusion is simply despicable for me - will not be
instrumental in liberating oneself from illusion through such an awakening
of the spirit of gnostic renunciation.
As soon as the spell of latent and obscure ecstasy of considering
oneself as the servant of Lord Sri Krsna is awakened, the effective
benefit of liberation will be impending. Only upon such an awakening of
ones own disposition that the disposition of b eing dominated by illusion
starts dispelling in course of time. Who can awaken ones own disposition
which is extremely obsolescent? This can not be done through any efforts
of fruitive activities, pedantic knowledge and gnostic renunciation.
Accordingly, one whose own disposition is awakened by virtue of
some destiny, may use the benefit of awakening the almost obsolescent
disposition of other living entities through the force of his association.
In this connection, the instance of two happenings will be
required. One who is desirous of awakening his own true disposition,
attains a little of devotional flavour of seeking shelter* by virtue of
the results of his previous activities of devotional services offered unto
Godhead - and this will be considered as one of the instances of two
happenings required as mentioned hereinbefore.
The second instance of happening is that he gets an association
with the saintly persons by virtue of the results of such pious
activities. He who has been able to awaken his own true disposition
fortunately by dint of associating himself with other sai ntly persons,
can only be considered as a saintly person or sadhu.
An ecstacy of devotion is developed through practicing the
chanting of the holy name of Sri Hari and others, under the powerful
effect of association with the saintly persons; by and by, an awakening of
loving and ecstasy is developed. An air of liberat ion starts blowing in
proportion to the awakening of loving ecstasy as a concomitant beneficial
effect.
* Additional Notes on seeking shelter (saranapatti-laksana):
anukulyasya samkalpah pratikulasya varjanam, raksisyatiti visvaso
goptrtve varanam tatha, atmaniksepakarpanye sadvidha saranagatih. The
purport is this - when the living entity comes to rea lise it definitely
that the illusory world is his prison-house and as such it is despicable
and that all fruitive activities, all speculative knowledge and opulence
or yogic processes relating to renunciation and emancipation can not
firmly bring his own true disposition to sense, then he takes shelter at
the lotus feet of Lord Sri Krsna as an insignificant soul surrendering
unto the supreme will of Sri Krsna, with full confidence in the fact that
Sri Krsna is his only protection and controller, dispellin g all sorts of
distractive activities against the attainment of devotional services to
Sri Krsna. This is the symptom of unalloyed devotional services to the
Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Aspect Seven:
Knowledge of relationship is awakened upon discoursing the aspects
mentioned under 1 to 6 in association with saintly persons. Classification
of knowledge of relationship and will be attempted under this seventh
aspect. An inquisitive living entity usua lly wants to know - (1) Who am
I? (2) Whom I belong to? (3) What is my relationship with the universe?
Upon discoursing on these three points elaborately, one observes that
oneself as a living entity is but a corpuscular consciousness and eternal
serva nt of Lord Sri Krsna, and that this entire cosmos is the
manifestation of the phenomenon of oneness and difference of Sri Krsna.
Sri Krsna is the only relation. Any sort of speculation on the basis of
the so called theory of evolution is redundant and n on-Vedic under the
inconceivable potency of Sri Krsna, all living entities and the entire
cosmos are eternally different and non-different from Him. Ones position
in this material universe is thus not of eternal existence; it is just a
prison house. Fr om this understanding develops ones devotion in
unflinching surrender unto Lord Sri Krsna which means a deep confidence is
awakened.
Aspect Eight:
So far, an enlightenment in the understanding of relationship is
thus attained and association with the saintly persons through singular
devotion is elevated to the level of reverence. Now, deliberating on the
matter of how Lord Krsna can be made pleased , one is inclined to approach
and ask a bona fide spiritual master as to the processes of satisfying
Lord Krsna. The spiritual master, ascertaining one to be really
surcharged with the qualities of reverence, imparts real devotional
instruction to satisf y Lord Krsna. The symptoms of such a qualified
person with reverence are thus quoted - anyabhilasitansunyam
jnanakarmadya-navrtam anukulyena krnanushitan bhaktiruttama.
Chanting the holy names of Lord Sri Krsna and glorification of His
beauty, qualities and pastimes as an embodiment of the constitutional
position of His eternal, blissful and omniscient entity, if performed
through favourable disposition, would be consi dered the best type of
devotion or the purest form of devotion.
The practice of devotional processes should be made favorably
disposed to worshiping the Lord, in relation to all sorts of activities,
relationship and mental state of a living entity. Accordingly, a
favourable disposition towards worshiping the Lord ma y be considered to
lead a life which avoids all sorts of activities, relationship and mental
state averse to worshiping.
In order to achieve such a disposition, one is to practice a
little enthusiastic endeavour. Worshiping is required to be performed
with an effort to awaken the realization of his own constitutional
position of a living entity. The objective will be to o ffer the worship
in a purified manner. There should be no other desire excepting a desire
to improve upon worshiping. Accordingly, any desire for sense
gratification and liberation even is required to be renounced altogether.
There should of course be enterprises for acquiring knowledge and
earning money through activities for livelihood, but all such aspects of
activities and knowledge that may usually conceal unalloyed devotional
enterprises should be very carefully prevent ed. One should be away from
indiscriminatory knowledge of Brahman and from activities devoid of
devotional symptoms.
There are nine processes of devotional service expounded as
hearing the name and glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
(sravana), chanting His glories (kirtana), remembering the Lord (smarana),
serving the Lords feet (paricarya), worshiping the Deity (arcana),
offering obeisances unto the Lord (vandana), acting as the Lords servant
(dasya), making friends with the Lord (sakhya) and surrendering oneself
fully to the Lord (atmanivedana).
Again it is prescribed that these processes can be subdivided into
some sixty-four auxiliary processes on the basis of principle components
of devotional enterprise. Amongst these, some are of regulative
principles or characteristics and some are of pro hibitive characteristics
or principles.
The regulative characteristics of the auxiliary devotional
processes mainly include five essentials, thus chanting of the holy name
of Hari, residing at the sacred place of Hari, observing and meditating on
the transcendental form and beauty of Hari, off ering services to persons
engaged in the service of Hari, and cultivating the study of the
scriptures relating to devotional service to Hari.
It is extremely essential to abide by the following ten
prohibitive principles, thus - abandoning all offensive activities,
carefully giving up all non-Vaisnava association, restraining from
initiation of many disciples in order to enhance the vanity as a spiritual
master, abandoning the study and analytic discourse of a number of books,
relinquishing all sorts of distressful and happy emotions arising out of
material loss and gain, declining to be overcome by mourning and deep
attachment, refusing an au dition to any censure of Lord Visnu and
Vaisnava persons, rejecting any practice of vulgarity as an adverse
disposition, and refraining from inflicting worries to any living entity.
Offence are classified in two categories, thus - offenses in
offering serves and offenses in chanting the holy name. The offenses in
offering service to the deity are to be seriously considered. Every
devotee should refrain from the offenses relating t o chanting of the holy
name, thus -
(1) censuring any saintly person engaged in chanting the holy name
(2) considering Godhead to be different from His holy name, form,
qualities and pastimes and assuming the existence of different godheads
like Siva and others apart from the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
(3) Despising the holy name, scriptural instruction and the spiritual
master.
(4) Despising the scriptures meant for glorifying the holy name.
(5) considering the glories of the holy name to be just hymns.
(6) considering the holy name to be speculative.
(7) committing sinful activities by virtue of the holy name.
(8) equating the holy name, which is tantamount to the Supreme Personality
of Godhead as the highest mellow in consciousness, with other forms of
materialistic virtue or auspicious performances.
(9) preaching the holy name to any unqualified disrespectful person.
(10) chanting the holy name to along with the vanity of egotism and sense
of attachment.
These are the ten offenses relating to the holy name of the Lord.
These offenses in holy names are very cruel and merciless, in as much as
these are very difficult to throw off. These can only be eliminated
through the process of constant association w ith the saintly persons.
Every disciple must be endeavouring to remain unaffected by these offenses
in chanting the holy name, right from the initiation in the holy name.
Chanting the holy name of the Lord along with His form and beauty,
His qualities and pastimes is the highest level of all devotional
processes. When these devotional services are practiced strictly in
accordance with the scriptures, then it may be consi dered to be
ritualistic devotion (vaidhi bhakti). Through constant practicing of such
devotional services, an awakening of devotional ecstasy is attained.
There is another process of devotional performance which is
extraordinary and known as spontaneous devotional service in which the
devotee follows in the footsteps of one of the eternal associates of Krsna
in Vrndavana (raganuga-bhakti). The spontaneous devotion of the
inhabitants of Vrajadham is substantial and authentic. Some virtuous
person may sometime be inclined to imitate such devotional service, simply
out of a strong temptation. His performances in the devotional service
may be considered as spontaneous devotion. In this consideration, there
is no need for any scriptural reasoning. The only qualification in it is
the urge to offer devotional service. These two types of devotional
services may very well be classified under the appellative aspect of
absolute truth (abhidheya-tattva).
Aspect Nine:
The ninth aspect is the love for Lord Sri Krsna arising out of
need. While practicing devotional processes intently through all due
respect or cultivating faithful replication of the moods of the
inhabitants of Vrajadham, a gradual awakening of Krsna co nsciousness is
quite evident. At that stage, entire effort may be rendered ecstatic by
way of coinciding the enterprising practice of ritualistic devotional
services with those of ecstatic mood. That ecstatic mood gradually
attains the stage of living r elationship with the Lord in various
transcendental mellows or tastes, viz.,in passive or neutral relationship
(santa rasa), serving relationship (dasya rasa), friendly relationship
(sakya rasa), parental relationship (vatsalya rasa), and conjugal
relationship (madhura rasa).
Passive or neutral relationship (santa rasa) is spirited while the
subject of love is away from Vrajadham, while the transcendental mellow of
serving relationship (dasya rasa) is projected within Vrajadham. Loving
attachment is a sort of highly ecstatic state of mind, and this is
rendered into serving (dasya rasa) relationship with Lord Krsna as and
when conjoined with intent attachment with Him. An abounding reverence
mixed with awe and submission is present in the state of serving
relationship.
Whenever there is an air of unrestrained enjoyment without
reverence or, in other words, a sense of trust and confidence is awakened,
then it is termed as affectionate amorous love (pranay) and this is
considered under the transcendental mellow of friend ly relationship
(sakhya rasa).
In case this mellow is admixed enough with tenderness (sneha),
then it may very well be considered as parental relationship (vatsalya
rasa). When all the qualities of parental relationship become highly
coveted, then this relationship is turned into ero tic sentiment and this
erotic sentiment is the highest of all the transcendental mellows.
Enjoyment and appreciation of this relationship can be experienced
only through rendering service to any associates of Sri Radha-Krsna
considering oneself to be submissively protected, while staying at
Vrajadham.
Lord Sri Krsna is eternally full of knowledge (saccit) in His
constitutional form, and the knowledge of eternal bliss non-different from
Him is - Srimati Radhika. The confidantes (sakhis) of all-blissful
Radhika pertain to a particular mood of Herself, and accordingly, they
comprise of an embodiment of array. In as much as those confidantes are
the embodiment of any array under the superior energy, they are also the
manifestation of the constitutional form of superior energy.
When the requirement of love for Krsna is fulfilled and the living
entity is purified, he is then considered to be one among the valets of
those confidantes and starts enjoying eternal blissful existence,
remaining ever-charged with the pleasure of offer ing service to Radha
Krsna, which state of existence is the highest requirement of all living
entities. This is really an amazing mood of the knowledge of eternal
absolute truth.
There is no existence of such an amazingly blissful mood in the
state of liberation consequent to the annihilation of indiscriminatory
Brahman.
As propounded by Sri Rupa Goswami, thus - adau srddha tatah
sadhusangatha bhajanakriya, tatoanartha nivrttih syattato nistha
rucistatah; athasaktistato bhabastatah premabhyndancati; sadhakanamayam
premnah pradurbhave bhavet kramah syaddrdheyam ratih p remnaprodyan snehah
kramadayam; syaninanah pranayo ragoanurago bhava ityapi; vijamiksuh sa ca
rasah sa gudah khanda eva sah; sa sarkara sita sa ca sa yatha syat
sitotpala.
In the first stage, there should be respect, then an association
with the saintly persons should develop out of that respect; then the
processes of worshiping will start inspired by the association of the
saintly persons; then there will be gradual elimi nation of various
unhappy occurrences (anartha) as a result of devotional processes of
worshiping; when a higher taste and inclination for leading a spiritual
life will develop from the elimination of unhappy occurrences, resulting
into a mood of ecstasy, which will ultimately give rise to the awakening
of divine love. The other name of divine love is erotic sentiment which
becomes crystallised (rati) gradually and is turned into parental
affection, dignity, amorous love, transcendental mellow, attractio n and a
heightened mood in the final stage. This process of the development of
spiritual love may very well be compared to the process of preparing
sugarcane into its juice, then turning it into molasses, then into slices
of candy and to sugar, and final ly into alcohol and sweetmeats of various
tastes of the highest degree.
Ten maxims comprise of the valuable instructions Sri Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu imparted to Rupa, Sanatana and others. This treatise is the
essence of those Ten Maxims. Anyone aspiring to be a pure Vaisnava upon
accepting the instructions of Sriman Mahapra bhu, must at first acquire
this essence of Ten Maxims. The spiritual master will show him all the
aspects within this essence in brief. Out of respect and reverence, one
may take shelter at the lotus feet of the spiritual master. From the
lotus feet of the spiritual master, one is elevated to the level of
instruction in worshiping. By way of worshiping, there will be
elimination of unhappy occurrences. But one can attain the stage of
ecstatic mood through intent dedication and sincerity only.
The first aspect of worshiping the Lord is to acquire the Ten
Maxims. Upon imbibing the disciple with the essence of Ten Maxims, the
spiritual master will perform five sacramental purifications on the
disciple.
tapah pundram tatha nama
mantro yagasca pancamah
ami-hi panca samskarah
paramaikantihetavah
The significance of this verse may be put forward in brief, thus -
Whenever there is a little awakening of reverence in the heart of a
disciple, he approaches a genuine spiritual master. Before coming to the
lotus feet of his spiritual master, the disci ple must have undergone a
lot of suffering and repentance. I have been suffering greatly as fallen
in the dreadful ocean of material existence. Oh protector of the fallen
souls! Please accept me mercifully at your lotus feet considering me as a
dust-p article, because there is none to protect me- lamenting thus the
disciple falls prostrate at the feet of his spiritual master.
No one unless aggrieved like this is eligible to get initiated,
and the spiritual master makes an assessment of the prospective disciple
by way of putting him through a spell of feverish activities.
Sri Caitanyadev, the most merciful, saviour in the age of struggle and
turmoil, and embodiment of universal spiritual master, ordered that his
disciples body to be decorated with sandal paste and other things. First
of all, the prospective repentant dev otee should put on symbolic tilak
signs of Hari temples and other auspicious items.
At the time of repentance, these ten maxims should very well be used as a
means to perpetuate such repentance in a prospective devotee, he should be
advised to practice wearing twelve tilaka signs. This is the occasion
when a disciple is said to be newly born. Hence, he should very well be
given a devotional and spiritual name. It is essential to have a clear
understanding of the self entity and the constitutional form of the self
at this stage. Along with it, he should also be given the mahamantra in
the name of Hare Krsna and His relationship with the living entity. Upon
acquainting the disciple with the substance of the mahamantra, the
spiritual master will then fully pronounce his disciple with the true
significance of relationships with the Supr eme Personality of Godhead.
The five forms of sacramental purification (samskara) will be the
rituals through the process of offering service to the black goede
(salagram) as the symbol of Visnu and to the deities so that a living
entity, now involved in material relationship, may very well be rendered
steadfast in developing true relationship with the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, Lord Sri Krsna.
The process of five sacramental purification (pancam samskara) is
classified into two categories: elementary and final.
For a person who is already in the state of a loving relationship
with the Godhead, the process of offering service mentally may be
considered tantamount to the act of worshipping.
Srimanmahaprabhu delivered His conclusive advice to Sri Raghunath
Dasa Goswami saying thus:
gramya katha na sunive
gramya-varta na kahive
bhalo na khaive ar bhalo na parive
amani manada hanya krsna-nam sada lave
vraje Radha-Krsna seva manase karive.
One should never listen to any vulgarity, nor converse in a vulgar
dialect. One should not take any delicious foodstuff, nor use any
luxurious clothings. Being respectful even to an unrespectable person,
one should practice chanting the holy name of S ri Krsna all the time, and
practice offering service to Radha and Krsna in Vrajadham, mentally even.
In the first three lines of the verse stated above, a clear
instruction is give to a devotee, impregnated with devotional ecstasy, on
the physical aspect of purification.
In the concluding two lines of the said verse, there is the
instruction as to the process of worshipping and offering service to the
Godhead. The manifestation of worshipping is enough in accepting the holy
name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna for regular chanting
with an attitude of respect to the unrespectable even.
The process of mental worshiping service to Radha and Krsna in
Vrajadham is the most confidential aspect in this respect. This service
is prescribed for all the eight periods of an entire day including night,
viz., day-break, early morning, forenoon, af ternoon, twilight, evening
and night. The spiritual master will advise the disciple in this matter
in accordance with relevant scriptures. Because, unhappy occurrences can
not be prevented unless the process of worshiping is practiced properly,
after ac quiring the essence of Ten Maxims.
The unhappy occurrences are classified in four varieties, viz.,
delusion about ones own constitutional position (svarupabhram), desire
for inequitous activities (asat-trsna), offences (aparadh), and
dastardliness (hrdaya-dourvalya).
Forgetting ones own constitutional position, every living entity
has become illusioned under the vanity of some other position, and as
such, this delusion about ones own constitutional position must, at
first, be eliminated.
However, this sort of delusion about ones own constitutional
position may not be eliminated in a day, and as such, it should be
developed through a gradual process of practicing service to Lord Krsna.
The dignity of realization that I am servant of Lo rd Sri Krsna is the
actual attainment of knowledge in ones own constitutional position. The
practice of offering service to Sri Krsna together with this kind of
dignified realization of servitude may very well be considered to be the
truest form of off ering devotional service to Sri Krsna.
The realization of ones own constitutional position is awakened
under the mercy of the spiritual master. The disciple as well should be
avowedly enthusiastic in realising his own constitutional position. At
the initial age, the more the unhappy occurr ences would start
disappearing, the more there will be disappearance of all subsequent
unhappy occurrences, viz., desire for ineqitous activities (asat-trsna)
etc. along with them.
The thirst for property and riches or for worldly pleasures and
enjoyments is considered to be the desire for inequitous activities
(asat-trsna). Heavenly pleasure, sense gratification, and pleasure from
wealth and ones own people, men and money - are all simply desire for
inequitous activities. The more ones own realization of constitutional
position becomes clarified, the more evidently there must be a detachment
from all sorts of rusticity of sensationalism.
Along with it, one must be intently enthusiastic in avoiding all
offences relating to the holy name (namaparadh). While chanting the holy
name and avoiding such offences, the wealth of devotional love is soon
attained.
Any kind of activity which involves lethargy, yielding to rustic
matters, bewilderment under all sorts of dejection, distraction from pure
devotional service by way of false arguments, niggardliness in devoting
entire vitality in practicing offer of ser vice to Lord Sri Krsna,
repudiating ones own real position of humble wretchedness through
illusion of a puffed-up vanity owing to nationality, wealth, erudition,
manpower, handsomeness, and strength, steering under the influence of
sinful tendency or ad vice, carelessness in purification of dogmatian and
bigotry, reluctance to be merciful owing to anger, illusion, envy, and
impatience, false vanity and egotism of being a vaisnava while nurturing
high hopes for earning fame or reputation through crookedne ss, and
oppression of other living entities with a desire for achieving sense
gratification, wealth and opulence, as well as women - appears out of
dastardliness alone.
Whoever is contemptuous to these Ten Maxims considering to be an
inference only, will never be able to attain perfection in offering
devotional service to Lord Sri Krsna.
Whenever any prospective venerable disciple approaches the
spiritual master, the disciple should be directed to give intent perusal
to this scripture, before he is initiated into the process of five
sacramental purification (panca samskara) within the fo ld of Sri Sri
Caitanya community. If this can be properly effected to, no unqualified
person will ever be able to pollute and tarnish the unblemished image of
the community sponsored by Sri Sriman Mahaprabhu. Thus ends the treatise.
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