Rāgānugā bhakti is primarily for Śrī Kṛṣṇa in Gokula

In a previous article, I examined the definition of rāgānugā bhakti. This rāgānugā bhakti is primarily for Śrī Kṛṣṇa in Gokula. It is not even practiced toward Śrī Kṛṣṇa in Dwaraka or Mathura. Needless to say, it is out of the question for other forms of Bhagavān like Śrī Nārāyaṇa. Here, I examine Śrī Jīva Goswami’s delineation of this point in the Bhakti Sandarbha.

Śrī Jīva Goswami’s method to establish rāgānugā bhakti

In a fascinating discussion that spans several Anuchhedas in the Bhakti Sandarbha, Śrī Jīva Goswami draws out the concept of rāgānugā bhakti through the analysis of several verses of the Bhāgavata, starting from verse 7.1.15 in Anuchheda 312.4. Below, I will try to present his characteristically methodical approach in an abbreviated fashion.

a) absorption by enmity is more powerful than vaidhī bhakti

Verse 7.1.15 in Anuchheda 312.4 is as follows:

aho aty – adbhutaṁ hy etad durlabhaikāntinām api
vāsudeve pare tattve prāptiś caidyasya vidviṣaḥ

How greatly astonishing it is indeed that Śiśupāla, who was so inimical, attained Bhagavān Vāsudeva, the Supreme Absolute, who is rarely attained even by those who are one – pointed.

According to Śrī Jīva Goswami, this verse illustrates the strength of the bhāva-mārga (bhāva-mārga-sāmānyasya balavattvaṁ). Śiśupāla had strong emotions for Śrī Kṛṣṇa- he hated Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Yet, this hatred brought about intense absorption in Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and that absorption was so powerful that he attained Śrī Kṛṣṇa on its strength. This shows that relating to Śrī Kṛṣṇa through feeling or emotion is exceedingly powerful. Śrī Jīva Goswami writes in Anuchheda 317:

tad-ābhāsam api dhyāyatas tad-āveśāt tatra vaireṇāpi dhyāyatas tad-āveśenaiva nindādi-kṛta-pāpasyāpi nāśāt tat-sāyujyādikaṁ yuktam —

..by the absorption that ensues from meditating even on a mere likeness ( ābhāsa ) of Him — even by the absorption resulting from meditating on Him out of enmity ( vaireṇa ) — the sin incurred through criticism ( nindā ) is annulled. For this reason, it was fitting that Śiśupāla attained the state of liberation by merging into Bhagavān’s body.

Hating Śrī Kṛṣṇa is a violation of scriptural injunctions, and therefore is sinful. But that sin is nullified by the accompanying absorption in Śrī Kṛṣṇa. In fact, Śiśupāla’s hatred was more powerful than vaidhī bhakti even, because it brings more absorption in Śrī Kṛṣṇa than vaidhī bhakti which is neutral – neither motivated by positive feelings nor negative feelings for Śrī Kṛṣṇa:

..teṣu bhāva-maya-mārgeṣu ninditenāpi vaireṇa vidhi-mayyā bhakter na sāmyam ity āha—

yathā vairānubandhena martyas tan-mayatām iyāt |

na tathā bhakti-yogena iti me niścitā matiḥ || [bhā.pu. 7.1.27]

.. even enmity — although otherwise condemned — is superior to the type of devotion that is impelled merely by rules ( vidhi – mayā bhaktiḥ ). This is stated by Śrī Nārada in the next verse:

The absorption in Bhagavān that a mortal being can [quickly ( śīghram )] attain [by meditating on Him ( bhagavantaṁ cintayan )] through continuous enmity cannot be attained by bhakti – yoga . This is my definite opinion. ( SB 7.1.26 )

Here, the term ‘bhakti yoga’ refers to vaidhī bhakti.

b) There are five feeling states by which sādhana can be performed to attain Śrī Kṛṣṇa

Śrī Jīva Goswami cites the following verses in Anucchedas 317 and 321 which teach five feeling states by which sādhana can be performed:

tasmād vairānubandhena nirvaireṇa bhayena vā
snehāt kāmena vā yuñjyāt kathañcin nekṣate pṛthak

Therefore, whether by continuous enmity ( vairānubandha ), or by an absence of enmity ( nirvaira ), whether out of fear ( bhaya ), affection ( sneha ), or amorous desire ( kāma ), one should fix [the mind] on Kṛṣṇa, such that nothing will be seen apart from Him. ( SB 7.1.25 )

The five states in the above verse are vairānubandha , nirvaira , bhaya , sneha , and kāma – continuous enmity, absence of enmity, fear, affection and amorous desire. He offers examples in the next verse:

gopyaḥ kāmād bhayāt kaṁso dveṣāc caidyādayo nṛpāḥ
sambandhād vṛṣṇayaḥ snehād yūyaṁ bhaktyā vayaṁ vibho

O powerful King, the gopīs [attained the supreme destination by absorbing their minds in Īśvara] through amorous desire ( kāma ), Kaṁsa did so through fear ( bhaya ), Śiśupāla and other kings through enmity ( dveṣa ), the Vṛṣṇis through relationship ( sambandha ), you Pāṇḍavas through affection ( sneha ), and we [Nārada and other sages] through devotion ( bhakti ). ( SB 7.1.30)

The five states in the above verse are kāma , dveṣa , bhaya , sneha , and bhakti. Comparing the two verses, kāma , sneha , and bhaya are common to both. Vairānubandha is the same as dveṣa , and nirvaira refers to vaidhī – bhakti. Thus, the five bhāvas by which sādhana can be performed are:

kāma (amorous desire) , dveṣa (continuous enmity) , bhaya (fear) , sneha (affection), and vaidhī – bhakti .

Of these, given that even enmity brings about superior absorption that vaidhī bhakti, the other three states obviously are more powerful than vaidhī bhakti. kāma (amorous desire) in verse 7.1.30 above refers to the practice of rāgānugā – bhakti-sādhana of the gopī-sādhakas.

c) Absorption in Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s beautiful form can bring about liberation even out of enmity

We now consider why rāgānugā bhakti is directed primarily toward Śrī Kṛṣṇa. In Anuchheda 29.7 of the Kṛṣṇa Sandarbha, enmity is discussed in some detail. There, Śrī Jīva writes:

sarveṣām api tad-dveṣiṇāṁ tu mukti-pradatvam anyatrāvatāre’vatāriṇi vā na kvacit śrūyate | tasmāt teṣām api mukti-dātṛtvāya śrī-kṛṣṇa evaiśvaryādhikyaṁ yuktam eva varṇāyāmāsa śrī-parāśaraḥ

 It is learned from scripture that, on occasion, those who are inimical to Bhagavān attain mukti through the power of fixation ( smaraṇa ) on Him, but it is never stated anywhere that any other avatāra or avatārī can grant liberation to all those who despise Bhagavān. Hence, Parāśara pointed out that the supreme manifestation of majesty ( aiśvarya ) is present only in Śrī Kṛṣṇa, since He alone is able to award liberation even to those who could not attain it from any other avatāra . Certainly, Śrī Parāśara gave a most fitting reply.

He concludes:

sarveṣāṁ muktidatvaṁ ca tasya kṛṣṇasya nija-prabhāvātiśayena yathā kathañcit smartṛ-cittākarṣaṇātiśaya-svabhāvāt | anyatra tu tathā svabhāvo nāstīti nāsti muktidatvam

Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the bestower of liberation to all [whom He kills] by His supreme prowess, because His nature is such that He overwhelmingly attracts the heart of one who remembers Him by whatsoever means. This type of nature, however, is not found in other [ avatāras ]; hence, they cannot award liberation [to the enemies killed by them]. 

Śrī Kṛṣṇa liberates even those He kills, because they remember Him during their death. He is so exceedingly attractive, that those who hate Him can’t help but remember Him, and therefore they attain liberation. This quality of supreme attractiveness is not present in other avātaras, and so those that are killed by them are not liberated. As a side note, in other places in the Krsna Sandarbha, it is described that Śrī Kṛṣṇa does not personally kill the demons, but rather, Śrī Viṣṇu inside of Him does the killing. This is just to show that Śrī Kṛṣṇa in Gokula has all avatāras subsumed in Him, and they do His bidding when He desires it.

d) Rāgānugā bhakti is a siddha-upadeṣa

Consider the instruction in verse 7.1.31:

katamo ’pi na venaḥ syāt pañcānāṁ puruṣaṁ prati
tasmāt kenāpy upāyena manaḥ kṛṣṇe niveśayet

Veṇa did not have any one of these five feeling states toward the Puruṣa [i.e., Bhagavān]. Therefore, one should absorb the mind in Kṛṣṇa by any means whatsoever.

In this verse, we find a vidhi or injunction: manaḥ kṛṣṇe niveśayet – one should absorb the mind in Kṛṣṇa by any means whatsoever. But the problem with this statement, is that it is not possible to instruct that one have sneha – an emotion of affection – for someone. That cannot not be a vidhi. It is certainly possible to instruct vaidhī bhakti, which is practiced in neutrality. Śrī Jīva Goswami notes this, and responds as follows:

atrāpi pūrvavan niveśayed iti sammati-mātraṁ na vidhiḥ

[It was already pointed out in Anuccheda 317, regarding SB 7.1.25 , that the verb yuñjyāt , “one should absorb [the mind],” is in the optative mood, indicating possibility ( sambhāvanā ) and not an injunction.] In this verse also ( SB 7.1.31 ), as in the prior case [ SB 7.1.25 ], the verb niveśayet , “one should absorb [the mind],” indicates simple approval ( sammati ) and not an injunction.

Thus, the verb ‘niveśayet’ applies to vaidhī bhakti in the sense of injunction, but not to the other four feeling states, of which kāma, indicative of rāgānugā bhakti, is one sub-type. The verb niveśayet in that context should be understood as approval of rāgānugā bhakti, i.e. as a siddha-upadeṣa.

e) Rāgānugā bhakti is primarily for Śrī Kṛṣṇa in Gokula

With the above preliminaries, we are now ready to understand why rāgānugā bhakti is primarily for Śrī Kṛṣṇa in Gokula. Śrī Jīva Goswami writes in Anuccheda 325:

tad evaṁ rāgānugā sādhitā | sā ca śrī-kṛṣṇa eva mukhyā,gopyaḥ kāmāt [bhā.pu. 7.1.29] ity-ādinā tasminn eva darśitatvāt, daityānām api dveṣeṇāpi tasminn evāveśa-lābha-darśanāt, siddhi-prāpteś ca | nānyatra tu kutrāpy aṁśiny aṁśe vā |

In this manner , rāgānugā – bhakti has been established [as the abhidheya ]. This path is directed primarily toward Śrī Kṛṣṇa [in contrast to other forms of Bhagavān], because the verse that serves as the basis of rāgānugā , i.e., “the gopīs attained Him by amorous desire ( kāma )” ( SB 7.1.30 ), has been shown to be exclusively in relation to Him. Furthermore, it was also shown that even the asuras attained absorption ( āveśa ) in Him alone even through enmity ( dveṣa ), and that they also attained perfection ( siddhi ). This phenomenon does not occur with any other manifestation of Bhagavān, whether a complete ( aṁśī ) or a partial ( aṁśa ) manifestation.

As we have already seen above, Śrī Kṛṣṇa is unique because of His beauty which absorbs the minds of even His enemies. This quality is what attracts the gopīs to Him as well, and the principle verse, 7.1.30 which teaches rāgānugā bhakti is in relation to Him alone. Thus, rāgānugā bhakti is primarily for Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Furthermore, it is primarily for Śrī Kṛṣṇa in Gokula:

ata evoktam,tasmāt kenāpy upāyena manaḥ kṛṣṇe niveśayet [bhā.pu. 7.1.31] ity-ādi | atas tādṛśa-jhaṭity-āveśa-hetūpāsanā-lābhād eva svayam ekādaśe vaidhopāsanā svasmin noktā, kintv anyatra caturbhujākāra eva | tatra ca śuddhasya rāgasya śrī-gokula eva darśanāt | tatra tu rāgānugā mukhyatamā, yatra khalu svayaṁ bhagavān api teṣāṁ putrādi-bhāvenaiva vilasati

For this reason, Śrī Nārada said: “Therefore, one should absorb the mind in Kṛṣṇa by any means whatsoever” ( SB 7.1.31 ). So, because it is specifically the adoption of rāgānugā worship that quickly leads to this absorption in Him, Kṛṣṇa has not spoken about vaidhī worship in regard to Himself in the Eleventh Canto; rather, vaidhī is spoken of elsewhere only in relation to His four – armed form. Additionally, it is also shown there [in the Eleventh Canto] that pure rāga for Kṛṣṇa is found only in Śrī Gokula. In particular, rāgānugā is supreme ( mukhyatamā ) there [in Gokula], where even Svayaṁ Bhagavān Himself plays exclusively via the loving disposition ( bhāva ) of a son, a friend, or a beloved of His devotees.

In Gokula, Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s aiśvarya is not manifest. He is controlled by His devotees – His parents, the gopas and the gopis- who are not at all conscious of His aiśvarya in their dealings with Him. Śrī Jīva Goswami launches into a beautiful discussion in Anuchheda 325 of this point, culminating in the following inspiring comment:

ata eva jñānājñānayor anādareṇa kevala-rāgānugāyā evānuṣṭhitiḥ praśastā,jñātvājñātvātha ye vai mām [bhā.pu. 11.11.33] ity-ādinā

Therefore, the best course is to disregard both knowledge ( jñāna ) and ignorance ( ajñāna ) [of Bhagavān’s supremacy] and simply engage in pure rāgānugā devotion, as affirmed in this verse:
Whether aware or unaware of the extent of My being, who I am in reality, and of what nature I am constituted, those who worship Me with exclusive devotion, I consider to be the best of all devotees. ( SB 11.11.33 )

tasmāt śrī-gokula eva rāgātmikāyāḥ śuddhatvāt tad-anugā bhaktir eva mukhyatamā iti sādhv evoktam |tad evam anyatrāsambhavatayā rāgānugā-māhātmya-dṛṣṭyā pūrṇa-bhagavattā-dṛṣṭyā ca śrī-kṛṣṇa-bhajanasya māhātmyaṁ mahad eva siddham | tatrāpi gokula-līlātmakasya |

Thus, because rāgātmikā devotion exists in its pure form only in Śrī Gokula, it was rightly said that only the rāgānugā – bhakti that follows Kṛṣṇa’s rāgātmaka associates in Gokula is supreme ( mukhyatamā ). So from the point of view of the glory ( māhātmyam ) of rāgānugā , which is determined by the impossibility of rāgātmikā devotion existing outside of Gokula, and from the point of view that the “Complete Godhood” ( pūrṇa – bhagavattā ) is manifest only in Śrī Kṛṣṇa, it has been established that the glory of worshiping Śrī Kṛṣṇa is greatest of all. This applies even more so to Kṛṣṇa in the midst of His Gokula līlā .

Summary

Rāgānugā bhakti is primarily for Śrī Kṛṣṇa in Gokula because a) absorption in Him is unsurpassed owing to His supreme attractiveness, and b) Kṛṣṇa performs human pastimes ( nara – līlā ), while keeping His majesty concealed in Gokula.

Therefore in Gokula, His associates feel no inhibition in dealing intimately with Him. The degree of love’s manifestation is proportionate to the degree of intimacy. Love, or rāga, is manifest to the highest degree in Gokula.

The ultimate reason for all of this is that Kṛṣṇa is Svayaṁ Bhagavān, while other manifestations of Bhagavān are not as complete. Other manifestations are bound by limits on their interactions with their devotees, such as social rules and customs.