Adhikāra or eligibility for bhakti, karma and jñāna

One of the questions that occupies Śrī Rūpa Goswami in the Bhakti rasāmṛta sindhu is whether someone on the bhakti path must also perform the obligatory duties of varṇāśrama. As we will see in this article, his answer is ‘no’. Also there is the question of whether a bhakta, who accidentally has performed a forbidden karma, must perform prāyaścitta or atonement for it. His answer to this question is also ‘no’.

Śrī Rūpa Goswami’s replies to these questions revolve around the concept of adhikāra, or eligibility. A person who is qualified for karma or jñāna, lacks the qualification for bhakti and vice versa. Below I translate the relevant section in the Bhakti rasāmṛta sindhu along with the commentaries of Śrī Jīva Goswami and Śrī Viśvanātha Cakravartī.

There are three types of adhikāras

In His teachings to Uddhava in the Bhāgavata, Śrī Kṛṣṇa declares that for the well-being of humanity, He has propounded three types of yoga, namely, karma, jñāna, and bhakti. He also adds that apart from these three, there are no other means of attaining freedom from material bondage (SB 11.20.6). Śrī Jīva Goswami cites verse 11.20.8 from that section in his commentary on BRS kārika 1.2.14-15. Verse 11.20.7 and 11.20.8 together state that there are three distinct adhikāras or eligibilities:

nirviṇṇānāṁ jñāna-yogo nyāsinām iha karmasu teṣv anirviṇṇa-cittānāṁ karma-yogas tu kāminām
yadṛcchayā mat-kathādau jāta-śraddhas tu yaḥ pumān na nirviṇṇo nātisakto bhakti-yogo’sya siddhi-daḥ

Out of these three methods, jñāna-yoga grants success to those who are disinterested in fruitive actions and who have thus abandoned them, whereas karma-yoga grants success to those who are not disinterested in fruitive actions and who still desire the fruits of such actions. However, for a person who, by great fortune, has acquired faith in hearing My narrations and other similar devotional acts, and who is neither completely indifferent to sense objects nor overly attached to them, bhakti-yoga grants success. (SB 11.20.7–8)1 (SB 11.20.7–8)

I took this translation from Babaji’s Bhakti Sandarbha Anu 171. I also reproduce his translation of Śrī Jīva Goswami’s commentary here from the Bhakti Sandarbha for completeness:

The word iha, lit., “here,” means “out of these three methods.” The word nirviṇṇānām, “for those who are disinterested” [in fruitive actions (karmasu)], refers to those whose minds have become disinclined toward the pleasures that are derived from sense objects (viṣaya) and prestige (pratiṣṭhā) related to this world and the next. As a consequence [of such indifference], they have become renunciants (nyāsinām), which means that they have given up the social and Vedic responsibilities that are the means to obtain the above-said pleasures. These two words — nirviṇṇānām and nyāsinām — are indicative of those in whom a staunch desire for liberation has sprouted (mumukṣuṇām). For them, jñāna-yoga grants success (siddhi-da). The word siddhi-da, appearing in the second of these two verses, is to be applied to the compound jñāna-yoga [as well as to karma-yoga, as shown below].

The word kāminām, lit., “for those with desire,” refers to those who are attached to the pleasures of this world or the next. Consequently, they are anirviṇṇa-cittānām, or those whose minds are not disinterested in the fruitive actions (karmasu) that are the means (sādhana-bhūteṣu) to obtain those pleasures and who are thus unable to give them up. For them, karma-yoga grants success (siddhi-da), meaning that it bestows the fruits that correspond to their initial intent (saṅkalpa).

Śrī Jīva Goswami ends his commentary by stating clearly what the adhikāra is for bhakti —

śraddhā-mātraṁ hetur ity āha—yadṛcchayā iti | yadṛcchayā kenāpi parama-svatantra-bhagavad-bhakta-saṅga-tat-kṛpā-jāta-maṅgalodayena | yad uktaṁ,śuśrūṣoḥ śraddadhānasya [bhā.pu. 1.2.16] ity-ādi ||

The sole cause of eligibility [for bhakti] is śraddhā, or “implicit faith,” as stated by Bhagavān [in the second verse under examination, SB 11.20.8]. The word yadṛcchayā, “by great fortune,” means “by the auspicious fortune born of the grace issuing from the association of Bhagavān’s devotees, who are supremely independent (parama-svatantra)” [in the matter of bestowing such grace]. This is spoken of by Śaunaka:

O learned brāhmaṇas, by visiting or dwelling in a holy place and by service to highly realized devotees, attraction for the narrations of Bhagavān Vāsudeva comes about for a person endowed with firm faith, who is eager to hear. (SB 1.2.16)

Everyone has adhikāra for bhakti

Now somewhat contradictorily, BRS kārikā 1.2.60 states that everyone has adhikāra for bhakti. But there is no real contradiction here. The idea is that everyone is capable of being endowed with śraddhā in bhakti; birth and other attributes have no role to play here.

kim ca—

śāstrataḥ śrūyate bhaktau nṛ-mātrasyādhikāritā | sarvādhikāritāṁ māgha-snānasya bruvatā yataḥ |

dṛṣtāntitā vaśiṣṭhena hari-bhaktir nṛpaṁ prati || 1.2.60||

Furthermore, it is heard from śāstra that the adhikāri for bhakti is anyone who is a human being. [That the adhikāra for bhakti is in everyone] is evident in the example given of Hari-bhakti by Vaśiṣṭha while speaking to the king about the fact that everyone has the adhikāra for bathing in the month of māgha.

Śrī Jīva Goswami comments —

nanv evaṁ bhukti-mukti-spṛhā-rahitāḥ śraddhālavaḥ śuddha-bhakty-adhikāriṇa ity āyātam | tatra te traivarṇikā eva, kiṁ vā sarve ? tatrāha—kiṁ ceti ||60||

In this way, it has been established [in the preceding kārikās] that the adhikāris for śuddha-bhakti are those who have śraddhā in bhakti, and are devoid of the desire for material enjoyment and liberation. Are these only traivarṇikās, i.e. belonging to the three varṇas [brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya] or can they be anyone? This kārikā is the reply.

Here we see that śuddha-bhakti is not reserved for those born in the upper three varṇas, but rather, anyone can take up this path. The adhikāra for śuddha-bhakti is exclusive śraddhā in it. This śraddhā, of course, comes from another devotee as has been explained in the preceding section, and it can develop in anyone irrespective of their birth.

Śrī Rūpa Goswami cites the evidence:

yathā pādme—

sarve’dhikāriṇo hy atra hari-bhaktau yathā nṛpa ||

kāśī-khaṇḍe ca tathā—

antyajā api tad-rāṣṭre śaṅkha-cakrāṅka-dhāriṇaḥ | samprāpya vaiṣṇavīṁ dīkṣāṁ dīkṣitā iva sambabhuḥ ||1.2.61-62||

As in the Padma purāṇa — “Everyone is an adhikāri for bathing in the month of māgha, just as everyone is an adhikāri for Hari-bhakti, O king”, and in the Kāśī-khaṇḍa — “Even those who were not born in the varṇāśrama system, by obtaining the vaiṣṇavī dīkṣā, and being marked with the symbols of the conch and the cakra, shone like those who take dīkṣā to perform yājñas in that king’s lands.”

Śrī Viśvanātha adds here that the verb sambabhur means dīptiṁ cakruḥ, which I took to mean ‘shone’.

Non-performance of karma is not a fault for someone who has adhikāra for bhakti

Now comes the question about the fault of neglecting varṇāśrama duties —

api ca—

ananuṣṭhānato doṣo bhakty-aṅgānāṁ prajāyate | na karmaṇām akaraṇād eṣa bhakty-adhikāriṇām ||1.2.63||

Also —
The bhakti-adhikāris get the fault of not properly executing the limbs of bhakti, but not the fault of not performing varṇāśrama dharma.

Śrī Jīva Goswami comments —

tad evam anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyatvam iti sthāpitam | tat-prasaṅga-saṅgatyā sarveṣām apy adhikāritvaṁ darśitam |

In this way, [that bhakti is characterized by the quality of] anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam, meaning an absence of a tendency to desire something other than bhakti, has been established. In accordance with this context, that everyone has an adhikāra for bhakti, has been shown.

tatra śaṅkate—nanu, bhavantu sarva evādhikāriṇaḥ, kintu sva-sva-dharma-yuktā eveti yujyate | taṁ vinā pratyavāya-śravaṇāt | tathā sarveṣāṁ prāyo niṣiddha-karma āpataty eva | sati ca tena duṣṭatve kathaṁ śuddhatvaṁ syāt ? kṛte ca prāyaścitte karmāvṛtatvam āpadyate ? tatrāha—api ceti | bhakty-aṅgānāṁ nityānāṁ iti jñeyam ||63||

Here, the following objection is raised. Let everyone have the adhikāra for bhakti, but [the word ‘everyone’ here means] only those who are properly situated in their own [varṇāśrama] dharma. Without one’s dharma, the scriptures state that one will accrue sin. Furthermore, that karma which is forbidden [niṣiddha-karma] could become applicable to practically everyone. Becoming polluted by sin owing to this, how can [bhakti] be śuddha. Now, if one performs atonement [for neglecting karma and performing niṣiddha-karma], then one’s bhakti becomes covered by karma. This verse replies [that there is no fault in not performing karma]. Here, the word ‘nityanam’, or ‘obligatory’ should be understood as qualifying the word bhakty-aṅgānāṁ, limbs of bhakti.

Neglecting varṇāśrama dharma can have profound consequences, and therefore the objection is a serious one. Kārikā 1.2.63 above addresses the first objection – that ignoring one’s dharma will accrue sin. The point is that bhaktas do not have the adhikāra for karma. As such, the non-performance of karma brings no consequences for them.

I offer an analogy to understand this better. Suppose someone on the street falls down unconscious. There are two witnesses- a doctor and an ordinary person. The ordinary person lacks the eligibility to revive the unconscious person, while the doctor has the training and the knowhow to do something about the situation. Suppose neither person tries to review the unconscious person. Who should be held accountable? The ordinary person or the doctor? It is the doctor who is to blame for not intervening, and not the ordinary person.

Śrī Viśvanātha notes:

bhakty-adhikārāṇāṁ janānāṁ bhakty-aṅgānām ekādaśī-vrata-janmāṣṭamy-ādi-nityāṅgānāṁ akaraṇe doṣaḥ | na karmaṇām akaraṇāt |

There is fault in not observing the obligatory limbs of bhakti such as ekādaśī-vrata, janmāṣṭami and others for those persons who are bhakti-adhikāris. But there is no fault in not performing their varṇāśrama dharma.

Kārikā 1.2.64 addresses the question of prāyaścitta or atonement —

niṣiddhācārato daivāt prāyaścittaṁ tu nocitam | iti vaiṣṇava-śāstrāṇāṁ rahasyaṁ tad-vidāṁ matam ||1.2.64||

If being compelled by an ancient offense to a Vaiṣṇava, one performs a forbidden act, atonement for it is not appropriate. This is the secret of the Vaiṣṇava scriptures, and also the opinion of those knowledgeable in them.

Śrī Viśvanātha glosses the word daivāt as prācīna-vaiṣṇavāparādha-doṣa-vaśāt, which is why I translated it that way. Śrī Jīva Goswami writes:

daivād iti | yasya bhaktau tādṛśī ruciḥ śraddhā vā jātā, tasya tu vikarmaṇi svataḥ pravṛttir na sambhavaty eveti bhāvaḥ | prāyaścittaṁ tu nocitam iti bhakti-prabhāva eva tat-prāyaścittāya kalpata iti bhāvaḥ ||64||

The sense here is that there is no possibility of an inclination for forbidden karma in whom that type of ruci or śraddhā has been born. The reason prāyaścitta or atonement is not appropriate for such a person, is that the influence of bhakti is sufficient to atone for that [forbidden karma].

Bhakti-adhikaris must only perform bhakti

The idea that one’s dharma need not be performed seems outrageous. Perhaps this is why Śrī Rūpa Goswami hastens to clarify the topic by citing verses from the Bhāgavata. Indeed, Śrī Mukunda Goswami comments that the next five statements starting with this one (1.2.65) are provided as pramāṇa for the assertion that bhakti-adhikaris must only perform bhakti-angas, and not their varṇāśrama dharmas (tatra bhakty-adhikāriṇāṁ bhakty-aṅgānuṣṭhāna-karmākaraṇaṁ cāha sve sva ity ādi pañcabhiḥ).

 yathā ekādaśe (11.21.2)—

sve sve’dhikāre yā niṣṭhā sa guṇaḥ parikīrtitaḥ | viparyayas tu doṣaḥ syād ubhayor eṣa niścayaḥ ||

Before translating this verse, I first will translate Śrī Jīva Goswami’s commentary:

tad etad eva sva-pāda-mūlaṁ bhajataḥ priyasya [bhā.pu. 11.5.42, bha.ra.si. 1.2.71] ity antena granthena āha sve sve iti | sve sve adhikāra iti pūrvokta-kevala-karma-jñāna-bhakti-viṣayatayā pṛthak pṛthak nirdiṣṭa ity arthaḥ | ubhayor guṇa-doṣayoḥ | tatra śuddha-bhakty-adhikāriṇa itara-dvaya-karaṇe doṣa eva |

This is also stated in the Bhāgavata verse 11.5.42, which is quoted in this book in kārikā 1.2.71:

Hari, the Supreme Lord, who is situated in the heart, cleans all the vikarma which may have arisen somehow, from [the heart of him who] serves His feet, who is very dear to Him, and who has discarded worship of other devas.

In the verse Bhāgavata 11.21.2, the words sve sve’dhikāre mean “in the separate adhikaras pertaining to karma alone, jñāna alone, and bhakti alone, which were instructed in prior verses”. The word ubhayoh means ‘of the guṇa and doṣa’. So for the adhikāri for pure bhakti, performance of jñāna or karma is a fault.

Thus, an uttama bhakta should not be performing the activities of jñāna or karma. Śrī Jīva Goswami supports this by citing verses from the Bhāgavata —

na jñānaṁ na ca vairāgyaṁ prāyaḥ śreyo bhaved iha [bhā.pu. 11.20.31] iti tatraivokteḥ | tāvat karmāṇi kurvīta [bhā.pu. 11.20.9] ity ādeś ca |

This is seen in the following Bhāgavata statement in 11.20.31: “neither jñāna nor vairāgya are of use on this path”, and in this verse, “one should perform karma only till śraddhā in bhakti has not arisen”.

Śrī Rūpa Goswami has pointed out that everyone has an adhikāra for bhakti. What about karma yogis and jñāna yogis? The reply is as follows:

karma-jñānādhikāriṇos tu tādṛśa-śraddhā-rahitayoḥ saṅgādi-vaśāt tādṛśa-śuddha-bhaktau pravṛttayor api anādara-doṣeṇa jhaṭiti asiddheḥ doṣa-prāya eveti jñeyam | viparyayaḥ svādhikārāniṣṭhā tad itara-niṣṭhā ca ||65||

In contrast, those who are adhikāris for karma or jñāna, being devoid of that kind of śraddhā in bhakti, may engage in śuddha-bhakti compelled by association [of devotees]. However, despite this, because of the fault of disrespect to bhakti, they quickly fail. As a result, [doing such bhakti] is generally a fault. The word ‘viparyaya’ in the verse means a lack of fixity in one’s own adhikāra, and fixity in that which is not one’s adhikāra.

The reply is that being devoid of śraddhā, the adhikāris for karma or jñāna will rapidly fail in bhakti. As such, bhakti is not for them. Thus, the current efforts of preaching to people on the street, forcing them to hear kirtana, or trying to sell them books, is misguided. When people lack the eligibility for bhakti, they may temporarily take to it, but then fall away badly. This way, they offend bhakti and also hurt themselves. Unfortunately, such scenarios are all too common these days.

I can now translate the verse 11.21.2 as follows:

sve sve’dhikāre yā niṣṭhā sa guṇaḥ parikīrtitaḥ | viparyayas tu doṣaḥ syād ubhayor eṣa niścayaḥ ||

Fixity in one’s own adhikāra is considered proper, while the opposite [a lack of fixity in one’s own adhikāra and fixity in that which is not one’s adhikāra] is a fault. This is the conclusive understanding of these two.

Summary

There are three types of adhikāra: adhikāra for bhakti, for karma and for jñāna.

Adhikāra for a path disqualifies one for other paths.

The adhikāra for bhakti is śraddhā in bhakti

Bhakti-adhikāris should perform the limbs of bhakti, but not the limbs of karma or jñāna

Lack of performance of varṇāśrama-dharma does not accrue sin for bhakti-adhikāris