The methodology of rāgānugā bhakti

I have already written two recent articles on the concept of rāgānugā bhakti. There, I had mainly cited the Bhakti Sandarbha, following what Śrī Babaji has been teaching and discussing at length over the last few weeks in the Bhakti ratna course at Jiva Institute. Below, I examine the methodology of rāgānugā bhakti as described in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, with an emphasis on the commentaries of Śrī Viśvanātha Cakravarti and Śrī Jīva Goswami.

The methodology of rāgānugā bhakti is described as follows (BRS 1.2.294-296)

kṛṣṇaṁ smaran janaṁ cāsya preṣṭhaṁ nija-samīhitam |
tat-tat-kathā-rataś cāsau kuryād vāsaṁ vraje sadā ||
sevā sādhaka-rūpeṇa siddha-rūpeṇa cātra hi |
tad-bhāva-lipsunā kāryā vraja-lokānusārataḥ ||
śravaṇotkīrtanādīni vaidha-bhakty-uditāni tu |
yāny aṅgāni ca tāny atra vijñeyāni manīṣibhiḥ ||

Before translating the above, I will translate Śrī Jīva’s commentary first:

śrī-jīvaḥ: atha rāgānugāyāḥ paripāṭīm āha kṛṣṇam ity ādinā | sāmarthye sati vraje śrīman-nanda-vrajāvāsa-sthāne śrī-vṛndāvanādau śarīreṇa vāsaṁ kuryāt | tad-abhāve manasāpīty arthaḥ ||294||

Now, the methodology of rāgānugā bhakti is explained. If one has the capacity, one should stay through one’s physical body in Śrī Vṛndāvana, in the place of residence of Śrīman-Nanda in Vraja. The sense is that if one does not have the capacity, one should stay there with the mind even.

Staying in Vṛndāvana is a major limb of rāgānugā bhakti. Babaji makes the point that many people live in Vṛndāvana physically, but their minds are in other places like New York. So physical residence must be accompanied by mental residence. Even during Śrī Jīva’s time, it was not feasible for everyone to move to Vṛndāvana, and so he adds that one can stay there through the mind.

sādhaka-rūpeṇa yathāvasthita-dehena | siddha-rūpeṇa antaś-cintitābhīṣṭa-tat-sevopayogi-dehena | tasya vrajasthasya nijābhīṣṭasya śrī-kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhasya yo bhāvo rati-viśeṣas tat-lipsunā | vraja-lokās tv atra kṛṣṇa-preṣṭha-janās tad-anugatāś ca tad-anusārataḥ ||295|| vaidha-bhakty-uditāni sva-sva-yogyānīti jñeyam ||296||

[The word] sādhaka-rūpeṇa means ‘with one’s current body’. [The word] siddha-rūpeṇa means ‘with the body which is internally meditated upon as usable in the service of one who is dear’. [tad-bhāva-lipsunā is now explained] Desirous (lipsunā) of the special rati or love (bhāva) of the beloved of Śrī Kṛṣṇa situated in Vraja (tat) who is dear to oneself . [vraja-lokānusārataḥ is explained] However, ‘vraja-lokāḥ’ here means those who are beloved of Kṛṣṇa and also their followers, [so vraja-lokānusārataḥ] means ‘following them’.

This completes Śrī Jīva Goswami’s commentary. Note how he has emphasized that the method of rāgānugā bhakti also involves following the followers of the beloveds of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. The term rāgānugā is formed from rāga+anuga; anuga means follower. So while one is desirous of the bhāva of the beloveds of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the method involves also following their followers, or in other words, serving their servants. Śrī Viśvanātha Cakravarti makes this point clearer in his commentary. I will now translate Śrī Viśvanātha Cakravarti’s commentary which builds upon and adds to Śrī Jīva Goswami’s commentary. The commentary is long but very illuminating, so I decided to include it in its entirety here.

viśvanāthaḥ: atha rāgānugāyāḥ paripāṭīm āha kṛṣṇam ity ādinā | preṣṭhaṁ sva-priyatamaṁ kiśoraṁ nanda-nandanaṁ smaran evam asya tādṛśa-kṛṣṇasya bhakta-janam | atha ca svasya samyag-īhitaṁ sva-samāna-vāsanam iti yāvat | tathā ca tādṛśaṁ janaṁ smaran vraje vāsaṁ kuryāt | sāmarthye sati śrīman-nanda-vrajāvāsa-sthāne śrī-vṛndāvanādau śarīreṇa vāsaṁ kuryāt | tad-abhāve manasāpīty arthaḥ ||294||

Now, the methodology of rāgānugā bhakti is explained. Remembering Śrī Kṛṣṇa (kṛṣṇaṁ) who is one’s dearmost youth, the son of Nanda (preṣṭhaṁ), and the devotees (janam) of that Śrī Kṛṣṇa , who have the same mood (samīhitam=samyag-īhitaṁ=sva-samāna-vāsanam) as oneself (nija). And, one should live in Vraja while remembering such devotees. If one has the capacity, one should stay through one’s physical body in Śrī Vṛndāvana, in the place of residence of Śrīman-Nanda in Vraja. The sense is that if one does not have the capacity, one should stay there with the mind even.

So the methodology of rāgānugā bhakti involves smaraṇa (remembrance) of Śrī Kṛṣṇa and His devotees who have the same mood of service that one aspires to attain, while living in Vraja.

sādhaka-rūpeṇa yathāvasthita-dehena | siddha-rūpeṇa antaś-cintitābhīṣṭa-tat-sevopayogi-dehena | tasya vrajasthasya nijābhīṣṭasya śrī-kṛṣṇasya yo bhāvo rati-viśeṣas tal-lipsunā |

[The word] sādhaka-rūpeṇa means ‘with one’s current body’. [The word] siddha-rūpeṇa means ‘with the body which is internally meditated upon as usable in the service of one who is dear’. [tad-bhāva-lipsunā is now explained] Desirous (lipsunā) of the special rati or love (bhāva) of the beloved of Śrī Kṛṣṇa situated in Vraja (tat) who is dear to oneself .

The above paragraph is from Śrī Jīva Goswami’s commentary. Now, he writes in more detail:

vraja-lokās tv atra kṛṣṇa-preṣṭha-janā śrī-rādhā-lalitā-viśākhā-śrī-rūpa-mañjary-ādyās tad-anugatāḥ śrī-rūpa-sanātana-gosvāmi-prabhṛtayaś ca teṣām anusārataḥ | tathā ca, siddha-rūpeṇa mānasī-sevā śrī-rādhā-lalitā-viśākhā-śrī-rūpa-mañjary-ādīnāṁ anusāreṇa kartavyā | sādhaka-rūpeṇa kāyiky-ādi-sevā tu śrī-rūpa-sanātanādi-vraja-vāsi-janānām anusāreṇa kartavyety arthaḥ |

[vraja-lokānusārataḥ, ‘following the residents of Vraja’ is being explained] However, ‘vraja-lokāḥ’ here includes the beloveds of Kṛṣṇa, such as Śrī Rādhā, Śrī Lalitā, Śrī Viśākhā, Śrī Rūpa mañjari and others, and their followers, Śrī Rūpa and Śrī Sanātāna Goswami. [vraja-lokānusārataḥ means] following them. Furthermore, mānasī-sevā or service in the mind, done with the siddha deha, is to be performed following Śrī Rādhā, Śrī Lalitā, Śrī Viśākhā, Śrī Rūpa mañjari and others, and kāyiky-ādi-sevā or service with the body etc., done with the sādhaka-deha, has to be performed following the Vraja-vāsis headed by Śrī Rūpa and Śrī Sanātāna Goswami. This is the sense.

So there are two types of service, and each service is to be done following distinct individuals. Service with the siddha deha involves serving one’s guru-varga who ultimately serve Śrī Rūpa mañjari, who in turn serves Śrī Rādhā, Śrī Lalitā and other sakhis. Service with the physical body involves serving one’s guru, who is a Vraja-vāsi, who in turn belongs to a parampara that serves Śrī Rūpa and Śrī Sanātāna Goswami. Practically speaking, one serves one’s guru.

He now refutes an alternative view- the view of the Suramas, that one should follow Śrī Rādhā even with the sadhaka deha or the physical body. This can lead to questionable practices as seen below.

etena vraja-loka-padena vraja-stha-śrī-rādhā-candrāvaly-ādyā eva grāhyāḥ | tāsām anusāreṇaiva sādhaka-dehena kāyiky-ādi-sevāpi kartavyā | evaṁ sati tābhir guru-pādāśrayaṇaikādaśī-vrata-śālagrāma-tulasī-sevādayo na kṛtāḥ | tad-anugatair asmābhir api na kartavyā ity ādhunika-sauramya-matam api nirastam | ataeva śrī-jīva-gosvāmi-caraṇair apy asya granthasya ṭīkāyāṁ durgama-saṅgamanī-nāmnyāṁ tathaivoktam | tad yathā— vraja-lokās tv atra kṛṣṇa-preṣṭha-janās tad-anugatāś ca tad-anusārataḥ ||295||

[Some have the following opinion:] The word ‘vraja-loka’ refers only to Śrī Rādhā, Śrī Candrāvali and others situated in Vraja. Service with the body with the sādhaka-deha is also to be done following them alone. As such, given that they did not surrender to a guru, did not observe ekādaśī-vrata, did not do any service to tulasī and so on, we who follow them should also not do these things. This opinion of the modern Suramas has been refuted. This is precisely what Śrī Jīva Goswami pāda also wrote in his commentary titled ‘Durgama-saṅgamanī’, “However, ‘vraja-lokāḥ’ here means those who are beloved of Kṛṣṇa and also their followers, [so vraja-lokānusārataḥ] means ‘following them’.”

We finally arrive at the last part of the commentary which is crucially important. The commentary will explain that the practice of rāgānugā bhakti does not involve smaraṇa alone, but also other limbs of bhakti like hearing and singing, and most importantly, taking shelter of a guru (guru-pādāśraya), taking dīkṣā and learning from the guru (kṛṣṇa-dīkṣādi śikṣaṇam), serving the guru and so on (viśrambheṇa guroḥ sevā), which were explained as part of vaidhi bhakti. I have listed these here and here. Śrī Viśvanātha Cakravarti is emphatic as we will see below, that nothing including hearing, chanting etc. can be successful without taking shelter of the guru.

śravaṇotkīrtanādīni | guru-pādāśrayaṇādīni tv ākṣepa-labdhāni | tāni vinā vraja-lokānugatyādikaṁ kim api na siddhyed ity arthaḥ |

In the term śravaṇotkīrtanādīni, [the limbs of bhakti] beginning with guru-pādāśraya, taking shelter of the guru, are understood. The meaning is that without them [i.e. without the limbs of bhakti starting with guru-pādāśraya], following the vraja-vasis etc will be utterly unsuccessful.

Śrī Viśvanātha has highlighted the fact the guru is critical on the path of rāgānugā bhakti, because there is no other way to follow the vraja-vasis! Following the vraja-vāsis means following the guru who is a vraja-vāsi.

He concludes:

manīṣibhir iti manīṣayā vimṛśyaiva svīya-bhāva-samucitāny eva tāni kāryāṇi | na tu tad-viruddhāni | tāni cārcana-bhaktāv ahaṅgrahopāsana-mudrā-nyāsa-dvārakā-dhyāna-rukmiṇy-ādi-pūjanāni āgama-śāstra-vihitāny api naiva kāryāṇi |

bhakti-mārge’smin kiñcit kiñcid aṅga-vaikalye’pi doṣābhāva-śravaṇāt | yad uktam ekādaśe—yān āsthāya naro rājan na pramādyeta karhicit |dhāvan nimīlya vā netre na skhalen na pated iha || [bhā.pu. 11.2.35] na hy aṅgopakrame dhaṁso mad-dharmasya [bhā.pu. 11.29.20] ity ādi ||296||

[The word] manīṣibhir indicates that only after deliberating with the mind should those limbs which are most appropriate for one’s bhāva be performed, and not those that are opposed. So these are never to be performed: as part of arcana bhakti, [limbs such as] ahaṅgrahopāsana, mudrā, nyāsa, meditation on Dvārakā, worship of Rukmiṇi and others, even though they are ordained in the āgama-śāstras. This is because on the bhakti marga, even when certain limbs are missing, the śāstras do not deem it a defect. As it is stated in the eleventh canto of the Bhāgavata-

O King, having taken to the path [of bhāgavata – dharma , or bhakti ], a person is never deviated [by obstacles]. Even if he were to run along with his eyes closed, he would neither slip nor fall from the path. ( SB 11.2.35 ).

My dear Uddhava, once commenced, My dharma [in the form of bhakti ] is certainly not subject even to the slightest deterioration, because it is free from the guṇas , devoid of all desire, and has been rightly established by Me. ( SB 11.29.20 )

Summary

I can now translate BRS 1.2.294-1.2.296 which explains the methodology of rāgānugā bhakti:

kṛṣṇaṁ smaran janaṁ cāsya preṣṭhaṁ nija-samīhitam |
tat-tat-kathā-rataś cāsau kuryād vāsaṁ vraje sadā ||

Remembering (smaran) Śrī Kṛṣṇa (kṛṣṇaṁ) who is one’s dearmost youth, the son of Nanda (preṣṭhaṁ), and the devotees (janam) of that Śrī Kṛṣṇa , who have the same mood (samīhitam=samyag-īhitaṁ=sva-samāna-vāsanam) as oneself (nija), and being absorbed in the kathās [of both], one should always live in Vraja [if possible physically, otherwise mentally].

sevā sādhaka-rūpeṇa siddha-rūpeṇa cātra hi |
tad-bhāva-lipsunā kāryā vraja-lokānusārataḥ ||

One who is desirous (lipsunā) of the special rati or love (bhāva) of the beloved of Śrī Kṛṣṇa situated in Vraja (tat) who is dear to oneself, should perform sevā in Vraja with the siddha deha [which is internally meditated upon as usable in the service of one who is dear] following Śrī Rādhā, Śrī Lalitā, Śrī Viśākhā, Śrī Rūpa mañjari and others, and their followers, Śrī Rūpa and Śrī Sanātāna Goswami, and with the sādhaka deha, one’s current body, following the Vraja-vāsis headed by Śrī Rūpa and Śrī Sanātāna Goswami.

śravaṇotkīrtanādīni vaidha-bhakty-uditāni tu |
yāny aṅgāni ca tāny atra vijñeyāni manīṣibhiḥ ||

But here, those limbs of bhakti which were mentioned under vaidhī-bhakti should be performed only after deliberating on their appropriateness for one’s bhāva, such as [the limbs of vaidhī-bhakti beginning with taking shelter of the guru and involving] hearing, chanting etc. [and not those that are opposed].