I continue translating Śrī Viśvanātha’s fascinating commentary on the Bhāgavata verses 6.2.9 and 6.2.10 which teaches fundamental principles of nāma-aparādha, or offense to Bhagavān’s name. The first three parts in this series are here and here and here. I want to thank Śrī Ananta Kṛṣṇa dāsa ji, Babaji’s student, for requesting me to translate these profound and critically important writings from one of the great teachers of the Gaudiya tradition.

Guru is a must for success in bhakti

In prior articles, we saw how Śrī Viśvanātha explains the role of offenses in occluding the results of bhakti. Here, he takes up the question of whether there is a need for the guru, given the power of the name in destroying sins and enabling the attainment of Bhagavān. He writes:

anye nāmāparādhās tu santata-nāma-kīrtanādibhir eva śāmyantīti | ye ca nāmāparādhinaḥ karma-jñānādi-rahitāḥ śravaṇa-kīrtanādi-bhaktimantaḥ kintv anāśrita-guru-caraṇatvād adīkṣitās te’pi vaiṣṇava-śabdenaivlabhidhīyante | tathā hi vaiṣṇava iti sāsya devatā iti sūtre nānā-bhaktir iti sūtre nānā ca siddhyaty ato ye dīkṣayā devatīkṛta-viṣṇavo, ye ca bhajanena bhajanīīkṛta-viṣṇavas te ubhe api vyapadeśāntara-rāhityād vaiṣṇavā eveti teṣām api na syān naraka-pātādi pūrvavad iti kecid āhuḥ | naitat susaṅgataṁ—yato nṛ-deham ādyam ity ādau guru-karṇadhāraṁ [bhā.pu. 11.20.17] ity-ukter guruṁ vinā na bhagavantaṁ sukhena prāpnuvanti, atas teṣāṁ bhajana-prabhāvenaiva janmāntare prāpta-guru-caraṇāśrayaṇānām eva satāṁ bhaktyā bhagavat-prāptir nānyathety ācakṣate |

The other nāmāparādhas can only be pacified by continuous kīrtana of the name and similar practices. Those nāmāparādhis, who are devoid of [faith in] karma, jñāna, and other such paths, and yet engage in devotional acts such as śravaṇa and kīrtana, but remain without dīkṣā because they have not taken shelter of the feet of a guru, are, still referred to by the term ‘Vaiṣṇava’. Some say that both types—those who have made Viṣṇu their devatā through dīkṣā, and those who have made Viṣṇu the object of their worship through bhajana — are considered Vaiṣṇavas as there no other designation for them. This is based on sūtras such as “This devatā is his”, and “Various types of bhakti”, which establish [the designations of these] various [persons as ‘Vaiṣṇavas’]. Therefore, there is no fall into hell for them as the others previously mentioned. However, this view is not well-founded, because it is stated:

nṛ-deham ādyaṁ su-labhaṁ su-durlabhaṁ, plavaṁ su-kalpaṁ guru-karṇadhāram
mayānukūlena nabhasvateritaṁ, pumān bhavābdhiṁ na taret sa ātma-hā

“The human form is the source of great and rare fortune. It is like a boat, guru is the captain, and I am the favorable wind. Only a suicidal person would not ride this boat across the ocean of existence,”

Bhagavān cannot be easily attained without a guru. Therefore, it is said that only when these devotees attain the shelter of a guru’s feet in a future birth—through the influence of their bhajana—will they attain Bhagavān through bhakti, and not by any other means.

Here, by “other nāmāparādhas”, he means the remaining five nāmāparādhas. He discussed five nāmāparādhas and their impact in the prior commentary which is discussed here. The full list of nāmāparādhas is here.

Above, we can see that Śrī Viśvanātha is categorical – only those who accept a guru can attain Bhagavān and not by any other means.

A vaiṣṇava is one for whom Viṣṇu is the devata

A few notes for my translation above. The sūtra sāsya devatā comes in the taddhita-prakaraṇam of Hari-nāmāmṛta-vyākaraṇa. I reproduce it along with the relevant vṛtti below:

2382. sāsya devatā — she is his devatā

viṣṇur devatāsya vaiṣṇavaḥ puruṣaḥ, vaiṣṇavaṁ haviḥ, vaiṣṇavī ṛk.

The word Vaiṣṇava means he whose devatā is Viṣṇu . The oblation is Vaiṣṇavam [if it is offered to Viṣṇu]. The ṛg-veda mantra is Vaiṣṇavi [if it is for Viṣṇu].

As an aside, this sūtra is from Aṣṭādhyāyī 4.2.24. Note that the feminine pronoun sā is used for devatā because this is a feminine noun!

The word Vaiṣṇava is derived from the Viṣṇu by applying the keśava ṇa pratyaya (aṇ in Aṣṭādhyāyī ):

viṣṇu + keśava ṇa

Now, any pratyaya with the letter ṇ is:

ṇin nṛsiṁhaḥ

A suffix in which the varṇa ṇ is to be dropped is a nṛsimha.

Noting this, and considering the sūtra 2045,

2045. ādi-sarveśvarasya vṛṣṇīndro nṛsiṁhe

The first vowel must undergo vṛṣṇīndra when a nṛsiṁha pratyaya follows,

and from the definition of vṛṣṇīndra:

a-dvayasya ā, i-dvayasya ai, u-dvayasya au, ṛ-dvayasya ār, ḷ-dvayasya āl vṛṣṇīndra-saṁjñaḥ, e-o-sthāne ai au ca

vṣṇīndra is the replacement of a or ā with ā, i or ī with ai, u or ū with au, ṛ or ṝ with ār, ḷ or ḷ‾with āl, e with ai, and o with au.

we get

viṣṇu + keśava ṇa = vaiṣṇu + keśava ṇa

Now by the sūtra

2095. u-dvayasya govindaḥ na tu dhātor na ca strī-pratyaye

u-dvaya takes govinda provided u-dvaya does not come at the end of a verb, and the pratyaya is not a strī-pratyaya

and the definition of govinda,

i-dvayasya e, u-dvayasya o, ṛ-dvayasya ar, lṛ-dvayasya al govinda-saṁjñaḥ

Govinda is the replacement of i or ī with e, u or ū with o, ṛ or ṝ with ar, ḷ or ḷ‾with al

and

eka-varṇa-vidhir ante pravartate
A vidhi for a single varṇa applies to the last (varṇa)

we get

vaiṣṇu+ṇa = vaiṣṇo+ṇa = vaiṣṇo+a= vaiṣṇava [by the sandhi rule of o av]

So all this is to state that a person can be called a Vaiṣṇava if Viṣṇu is their devata. This occurs when one takes dīkṣā. On the other hand, if one has Viṣṇu as the object of one’s bhajana, but has not taken dīkṣā, one may still be called a Vaiṣṇava. This is possible by the sūtra nānā-bhaktiḥ – although I am not sure what this sūtra is or where it appears.

Objections to the thesis that guru is required for attainment of bhakti’s result

Śrī Viśvanātha considers an objection to his thesis.

atha cānāśrita-guror apy ajāmilasya sukhenaiva bhagavat-prāptir dṛśyata eva tasmād iyam atra vyavasthā—ye go-gardabhādaya iva viṣayeṣv evendriyāṇi sadā cārayanti, ko bhagavān, kā bhaktiḥ, ko gurur iti svapne’pi na jānanti, teṣām eva nāmābhāsādi-rītyā gṛhīta-hari-nāmnām ajāmilādīnām iva niraparādhānāṁ guruṁ vināpi bhavaty evoddhāraḥ |

Now, Ajāmila did not take shelter of a guru, yet, he is seen to have easily attained Bhagavān. The principle here is as follows: Those who, like cows and donkeys, always engage their senses in sense objects and, even in their dreams, have no knowledge of Bhagavān, bhakti or guru—such people can still be uplifted through nāmābhāsa (a mere semblance of the name). This elevation can occur even without a guru for those who utter the name of Hari, like Ajāmila, and who are free from aparādhas.

Śrī Viśvanātha agrees that, provided one is free from aparādhas, one can attain Bhagavān purely by uttering his name and without accepting a guru. However, there is a catch – what about those who know that a guru must be accepted on the path of bhakti and yet cite Ajāmila’s example? The answer is that they become implicated in aparādha to Bhagavān’s name. He writes:

harir bhajanīya eva bhajanaṁ tat-prāpakam eva | tad-upadeṣṭā gurur eva | gurūpadiṣṭā bhaktā eva pūrve hariṁ prāpur iti viveka-viśeṣavattve’pi—

no dīkṣāṁ na ca sat-kriyāṁ na ca puraścaryāṁ manāg īkṣate mantro’yaṁ rasanā-spṛg eva phalati śrī-kṛṣṇanāmātmakaḥ || [padyā. 29]

iti pramāṇa-dṛṣṭyā ajāmilādi-dṛṣṭāntena ca kiṁ me guru-karaṇa-śrameṇa nāma-kīrtanādibhir eva me bhagavat-prāptir bhāvinīti manyamānas tu gurv-avajña-lakṣaṇa-mahāparādhād eva bhagavantaṁ na prāpnoti, kintu tasminn eva janmani janmāntare vā tad-aparādha-kṣaye sati śrī-guru-caraṇāśrita eva prāpnotīti |

One may possess discernment as follows: Hari alone is worshipable. Bhajana brings about the attainment of Him alone. Only the guru can instruct on bhajana. Devotees in the past who were instructed by guru alone attained Hari. Yet, considering statements such as

“This mantra, composed of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s name, gives its fruit simply by touching the tongue. It does not regard dīkṣā, nor pious ritual, nor preparatory rites [as necessary]”,

and reflecting on the example of Ajamila, [one might question:] Why should I labor to accept a guru? By nāma-kīrtana alone, I will attain Bhagavān. However, someone who thinks in this way does not attain Bhagavān due to committing the great aparādha of disrespecting the guru (guru-avajñā). Only when this aparādha is destroyed—whether in that same birth or in a future birth—does such a person take shelter of Śrī Guru [and thus become qualified to attain Bhagavān].

There are no short-cuts in bhakti! Now Śrī Viśvanātha examines the fate of those who are devotees of other devas, and those who are asuras. He cites different opinions, but does not offer a definitive answer:

devatāntara-bhaktānāṁ pāpāparādhayoḥ karmiṇām iva vyavasthety eke | bhakti-devyā āśrayaṇa-sāmānya-bhāvāt tato’pi te nyūna-kakṣāyāṁ niviṣṭā ity apare | yad uktaṁ—

Some say that the system of sins and aparādha for devotees of other devas is the same as for karmis. Others say that because [the karmis] take shelter of Bhakti-devi in a general or indirect manner, the [worshippers of the devas] are situated in an even lower category than the karmis. As it is stated —

ye’py anya-devatā-bhaktā yajante śraddhayānvitāḥ | te’pi mām eva kaunteya yajanty avidhi-pūrvakam ||

O son of Kuntī, even those devotees of other devas who worship them, being endowed with faith, actually worship Me alone, although in an improper manner.

ahaṁ hi sarva-yajñānāṁ bhoktā ca prabhur eva ca | na tu mām abhijānanti tattvenātaś cyavanti te ||

Indeed, I alone am the one for whom all yajñas are intended and the one who bestows their results. But they do not know Me in truth and, therefore, they fall down.

yānti deva-vratā devān pitṝn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ | bhūtāni yānti bhūtejyā yānti mad-yājino’pi mām || [gītā 9.23-25] iti |

The worshipers of the devas go to the devas, the worshipers of the forefathers go to the forefathers, the worshipers of spirit entities go to the spirits, while My worshipers attain even to Me.

Now those who are exclusively aparādhis, meaning they have no relation with Bhagavān whatsoever, but are ill-disposed to others, have no scope for liberation. He writes:

ye tu kevalam aparādhina eva teṣāṁ naivoddhāraḥ | yad uktaṁ— tān ahaṁ dviṣataḥ krūrān saṁsāreṣu narādhamān |kṣipāmy ajasram aśubhān āsurīṣv eva yoniṣu || āsurīṁ yonim āpannā mūḍhā janmani janmani | mām aprāpyaiva kaunteya tato yānty adhamāṁ gatim || [gītā 16.19-20] iti |

Those who are exclusively aparādhis have no scope for elevation. As is stated —

I perpetually hurl these vicious, cruel, inauspicious, and most degraded among men into demonic species only, to revolve in the cycle of birth and death.

O son of Kuntī, attaining repeated birth in demonic species, such fools certainly do not attain Me and sink down instead to still lower birth.

There are some exceptions, however. For example, Kaṁsa did get liberated, but that is due to the power of his absorption in Bhagavān. Śrī Viśvanātha writes:

ye tu teṣām api madhye kaṁsādayas teṣām | kāmād dveṣād bhayāt snehād yathā bhaktyeśvare manaḥ | āveśya tad-aghaṁ hitvā bahavas tad-gatiṁ gatāḥ || [bhā.pu. 7.1.29]ity ādi-vacana-balāt bhagavad-āveśenaiva nāmāparādha-kṣayān muktir iti kecit | nāmāny eva haranty agham ity upalakṣaṇaṁ dhyānādīnām apy ato dhyāna-paunaḥpunyam evāveśa ity anye | kṛṣṇāvatāratve tad-anaikāntikaṁ yataḥ kecid āveśa-rahitā api naraka-bāṇādi-kauravādi-sainya-gatās tad-dhasta-maraṇa-prabhāvāt kecid darśana-mātrasyāpi prabhāvāt taṁ prāpur iti pūrvatraivoktam ity apare ||9-10||

Some say that among these [exclusive aparādhis], those like Kaṁsa attain liberation owing to the destruction of nāmāparādhas simply by absorption in Bhagavān, based on the statement:

Many people, having absorbed their minds in Īśvara through amorous desire (kāma), enmity (dveṣa), fear (bhaya), or affection (sneha), became free from their sins (agha) and attained the supreme destination, just as one does by bhakti. (sb 7.1.29).

Others say that repeated meditation itself is absorption, because the following verse also applies to meditation:

Only the names of Bhagavān can cleanse the sins of those who commit offenses against the name. For such people, only ceaseless repetition of the names can bring forth the intended result. (Padma Purāṇa, Brahma-khaṇḍa 25.23)

Still others hold that it has been already stated earlier that during Kṛṣṇa’s avatāra, this principle does not undeviatingly apply, because some like Narakāsura, Bāṇa, the Kauravas and their armies attained Him by the power of dying at His hands, and others attained Him by the power of merely seeing Him.

Summary

Because Bhagavān cannot be easily attained without accepting a guru, it is said that only those who accept a guru can attain Bhagavān, and that there is no other means.

Those who wish to attain Bhagavān by uttering His name and not accepting a guru, must meet two criteria:
a) they must be free from nāma-aparādha
b) they must be unaware of the scriptural principle that accepting a guru is a must on the path of bhakti

Those who ignore the scriptural prescription for accepting a guru on the plea that the name alone is sufficient, commit the great aparādha of guru-avajñā or disrespecting the guru.

Only when the aparādha of guru-avajñā is nullified by accepting a guru in their current or future birth will they be able to attain Bhagavān.