In a previous article we saw how kleśas are of three types: pāpa, its seed (bīja), and avidyā. I discussed how uttamā bhakti destroys pāpa. Here, I will discuss how uttamā bhakti destroys the seed (bīja), and avidyā.
Śrī Rūpa Goswami writes in kārikā 1.1.24 —
bīja-haratvam, yathā ṣaṣṭhe (6.2.17)—
bhakti destroys the bīja, as described in the sixth canto
tais tāny aghāni pūyante tapo-dāna-vratādibhiḥ |nādharmajaṁ tad-hṛdayaṁ tad apīśāṅghri-sevayā ||
Those sins are destroyed by tapa, charities, observing vratas, etc., but not their heart, which is born from adharma. But even that [heart of the sins] is destroyed by service to His lotus feet.
Śrī Viśvanātha writes:
viśvanāthaḥ : bīja-hetutvaṁ viśeṣato dṛśyate ity āha—bījeti | tais tathā-vidhair api pūyante naśyanti | puñ vināśe | adharmāj jātam aghānāṁ hṛdayaṁ mūlaṁ sūkṣma-rūpaṁ tu na pūyate na naśyati | tad api īśāṅghri-sevayā hari-caraṇayor bhaktyā vāsanā-paryanta-pāpa-kṣayāt tad api śuddhyate ||24||
The author demonstrates specifically that uttamā bhakti eliminates the bīja. [Sins] are destroyed (puyante) by those types of actions [like tapa, charities etc.] also. The verbal root puñ [from which pūyante is formed] here carries the sense of destruction. However, the subtle root (hrdayam) of the sins, which arise from adharma, is not destroyed. That subtle root is also cleansed by bhakti to the feet of Hari, because Hari-bhakti destroys sins including the vāsanās for those sins as well.
Now Śrī Rūpa Goswami establishes how uttamā bhakti destroys avidyā —
avidyā-haratvam, yathā caturthe (4.22.39)—
yat-pāda-paṅkaja-palāśa-vilāsa-bhaktyā karmāśayaṁ grathitam udgrathayanti santaḥ |
tadvan na rikta-matayo yatayo’pi ruddha- sroto-gaṇās tam araṇaṁ bhaja vāsudevam ||Bhakti destroys avidyā as stated in the fourth canto —
O King, the wise slit the knot of the karma-bonded ego by devotion to the splendor of the petal-like toes of Bhagavān’s lotus feet. On the other hand, even the ascetics (yatayaḥ), who have emptied their minds of all objects (rikta-matayaḥ), having restrained the torrent of the senses, are unable to cut the knot of ego-identity so easily. Therefore, you should worship Bhagavān Vāsudeva as your ultimate refuge.
Śrī Jīva comments and offers several more verses as evidence in quick succession —
śrī-jīvaḥ : naiṣṭhikyās tu avidyā-haratvam iti pratipādya dvābhyāṁ darśayati—yad-pāda iti | rikta-matayo bhagavad-dhyānādi-vinābhūta-matayaḥ | araṇaṁ śaraṇam | kramaś cātra śrī-sutena śravaṇopalakṣaṇatayā proktaḥ |
Establishing that naiṣṭhiki bhakti destroys avidyā, he [also] demonstrates it in two verses. The term rikta-matayah, empty-minded, refers to those whose minds are devoid of mediation on Bhagavān. The word araṇa means shelter. The sequence here by which bhakti destroys avidya has been spoken of by Suta Goswami by means of the incidental distinguishing mark of śravaṇa —
śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ |
hṛdy antaḥstho hy abhadrāṇi vidhunoti suhṛt-satām ||
Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who is the benefactor of His devotees, is that entity in regard to whom the acts of hearing and glorification are themselves purifying. Being internally established within the heart of those who hear His narrations, He eradicates all inauspicious predispositions therein. (SB 1.2.17)
naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā |
bhagavaty uttama-śloke bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī ||
When a person’s inauspicious predispositions have been almost completely destroyed by regular attendance to elevated devotees and by continuous hearing of Śrīmad Bhāgavata, then resolute devotion unto Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who is praised in choice poetry, comes into being.
tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye |
ceta etair anāviddhaṁ sthitaṁ sattve prasīdati ||
The heart is then no longer overpowered by the qualitative states (guṇas) of perpetual distractedness (rajas) and indolence (tamas), nor by the vitiated emotions (bhāvāḥ) derived from them, such as lust, greed, and so on. Becoming established in the state of unalloyed being (sattva), consciousness becomes perfectly serene. (SB 1.2.19)
evaṁ prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ |
bhagavat-tattva-vijñānaṁ mukta-saṅgasya jāyate ||
In this manner, to one whose consciousness is established in perfect serenity and who is thus freed of all attachment through the influence of bhakti-yoga to Bhagavān, direct experiential awareness of the “suchness” of Bhagavān is immediately self-disclosed. (SB 1.2.20)
bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiś chidyante sarva-saṁśayāḥ |
kṣīyante cāsya karmāṇi dṛṣṭa evātmanīśvare || [bhā.pu. 1.2.17-21] iti |
Precisely coinciding with the immediate perception of Īśvara within the core of being of such a realized person, the knot of ego in the heart is pierced, all doubts are cut asunder, and the reaction to all karma is nullified. (SB 1.2.21)
naiṣṭhikī niścalā iti ṭīkā-kārāḥ
Sridhar swami writes that naiṣṭhikī means niścalā or unshakeable.
Note that the avidyā is destroyed in the niṣṭhā stage of sādhana-bhakti. Now, Śrī Rūpa provides evidence that makes the point more explicitly.
pādme ca—
kṛtānuyātrā-vidyābhir hari-bhaktir anuttamā | avidyāṁ nirdahaty āśu dāva-jvāleva pannagīm ||
As a blazing fire burns a she-serpent, the pre-eminent Hari-bhakti, by means of the vidyā that follows her, easily burns avidyā.
viśvanāthaḥ : vidyābhiḥ kṛtā anu yātrā yasyāḥ sā | tathā ca bhaktasya vidyā-viṣayakecchābhāve’pi sā vidyā svayam eva bhakteḥ paścād gacchatīty arthaḥ | anuttamā atyutkṛṣṭā | pannagīṁ sarpīm ||26||
kṛtānuyātrā-vidyābhir hari-bhaktir means that [Hari bhakti] which is followed by vidyā. The meaning is that even in the absence of a desire for vidyā in the devotee, that vidyā on her own, follows bhakti on her own. The word anuttamā means pre-eminent. pannagīṁ means she-serpent.
Summary
Bhakti destroys bīja because she destroys the vasanās for bhakti.
Bhakti in the niṣṭhā stage of sādhana-bhakti destroys avidyā
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