akhila-rasämåta-mürtiùakhila-rasämåta-mürtiù

Raganuga BhaktiRaganuga Bhakti

spontaneous devotional serviceChapter 15

Srila Prabhupada introduced the topic of Rägänuga in chapter two

• Another part of sädhana-bhakti is called rägänugä. Rägänugä refers to the point at which, by following the regulative principles, one becomes a little more attached to Kåñëa and executes devotional service out of natural love. For example, a person engaged in devotional service may be ordered to rise early in the morning and offer ärati, which is a form of Deity worship. In the beginning, by the order of his spiritual master, one rises early in the morning and offers ärati, but then he develops real attachment. When he gets this attachment, he automatically tries to decorate the Deity and prepare different kinds of dresses and thinks of different plans to execute his devotional service nicely. Although it is within the category of practice, this offering of loving service is spontaneous. So the practice of devotional service, sädhana-bhakti, can be divided into two parts—namely, regulative and spontaneous. NOD Ch2

Definitions of Rägätmika-/Rägänuga Bhakti

viräjantém abhivyaktäà vraja-väsi-janädiñu

rägätmikäm anusåtä yä sä rägänugocyate

Raganuga bhakti is defined as that bhakti which follows after the rägätmika-bhakti found disctinctively in the inhabitants of Vraja. BRS 1.2.270

Before discussing Rägänuga

rägänuga vivekärtham ädau rägätmikocyate

• In order to define rägänuga bhakti first rägätmika bhakti should be discussed. BRS 1.2.271

Definition of Rägätmika bhakti

iñöe svärasiké rägaù paramäviñöatä bhavet

tan-mayé yä bhaved bhaktiù sätra rägätmikoditä

Rägä is defined as spontaneous, deep thirst for the object of love. Bhakti that is impelled exclusively by such a thirst is called rägätmika bhakti. BRS1.2.272

Two catagories in Rägätmika bhakti

1. Kämarüpä consists of devotees with intense desire to satisfy the Lord in conjugal love.

2. Sambandharüpä consists of devotees with intense desire to satisfy the Lord as His parent, friend, or intimate servant.

• (Although conjugal love (käma) is also a type of relationship (sambandha), Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé gives it a separate category to emphasize its preeminent position.)

SB 7.1. 31 quoted in BRS • gopyaù kämäd bhayät kaàso• dveñäc caidyädayo nåpäù• sambandhäd våñëayaù snehäd• yüyaà bhaktyä vayaà vibho• SYNONYMS• gopyaù—the gopés; kämät—out of lusty desires; bhayät—out of fear;

kaàsaù—King Kaàsa; dveñät—out of envy; caidya-ädayaù—Çiçupäla and others; nåpäù—kings; sambandhät—out of kinship; våñëayaù—the Våñëis or the Yädavas; snehät—out of affection; yüyam—you (the Päëòavas); bhaktyä—by devotional service; vayam—we; vibho—O great King.

• TRANSLATION• My dear King Yudhiñöhira, the gopés by their lusty

desires, Kaàsa by his fear, Çiçupäla and other kings by envy, the Yadus by their familial relationship with Kåñëa, you Päëòavas by your great affection for Kåñëa, and we, the general devotees, by our devotional service, have obtained the mercy of Kåñëa.

Kubjä

• On the other hand, the lusty desire of Kubjä is described by learned scholars as being "almost lusty desire." Kubjä was a hunchbacked woman who also wanted Kåñëa with a great ecstatic love. But her desire for Kåñëa was almost mundane, and so her love cannot be compared to the love of the gopés. Her loving affection for Kåñëa is called käma-präyä, or almost like the gopés' love for Kåñëa. NOD 15,pg.124

Spontaneous devotion further Spontaneous devotion further describeddescribed

Chapter 16Chapter 16

Sambandharüpä

• In the attitude of the denizens of Våndävana, such as Nanda Mahäräja and mother Yaçodä, is to be found the ideal transcendental concept of being the father and mother of Kåñëa, the original Personality of Godhead. Factually, no one can become the father or mother of Kåñëa, but a devotee's possession of such transcendental feelings is called love of Kåñëa in a parental relationship. NOD Ch.16.pg.125

Not strict about regulative principles

• These rägänugä devotees do not follow the regulative principles of devotional service very strictly,

• but by spontaneous nature they become attracted to some of the eternal devotees such as Nanda or Yaçodä, and they try to follow in their footsteps spontaneously. There is a gradual development of the ambition to become like a particular devotee, and this activity is called rägänugä.

• NOD Ch.16, pg.125

nitäi-pada-kamala• nitäi-pada-kamala, koöi-candra-suçétala• je chäyäy jagata juräy• heno nitäi bine bhäi, rädhä-kåñëa päite näi• dåòha kori' dharo nitäir päi

• nitäi-pada-kamala–the lotus feet of Lord Nityänanda; koöi-candra–ten million moons; suçétala–very soothing; ye chäyäy–by which moonbeams; jagata juòäy–the universe is relieved; heno nitäi–such a Nitäi; bine–without; bhäi–O brothers!; rädhä-kåñëa–Rädhä and Kåñëa; päite näi–it is not possible to attain; dådha kori'–becoming fixed up; dharo–hold onto; nitäir päy–the feet of Nitai

• The lotus feet of Lord Nityänanda are a shelter where one will get the soothing moonlight not only of one, but of millions of moons. If the world wants to have real peace, it should take shelter of Lord Nityänanda. Unless one takes shelter under the shade of the lotus feet of Lord Nityänanda, it will be very difficult for him to approach Rädhä-Kåñëa. If one actually wants to enter into the dancing party of Rädhä-Kåñëa, he must firmly catch hold of the lotus feet of Lord Nityänanda.

Srila Prabhupada warns conditioned souls to be reserved

• vikréòitaà vraja-vadhübhir idaà ca viñëoù• çraddhänvito ’nuçåëuyäd atha varëayed yaù• bhaktià paräà bhagavati pratilabhya kämaà• håd-rogam äçv apahinoty acireëa dhéraù• “He who faithfully hears about the dealings between Lord

Kåñëa and the gopés in the räsa dance and he who describes these activities attain to the perfectional stage of devotional service and simultaneously lose material, lusty desires.”

• Purport:A liberated person who hears about the loving affairs of Rädhä and Kåñëa is not inclined to have lusty desires. One mundane rogue once said that when the Vaiñëavas chant the name “Rädhä, Rädhä,” he simply remembers a barber’s wife named Rädhä. This is a practical example. Unless one is liberated, he should not try to hear about the loving affairs between Rädhä and Kåñëa. If one is not liberated and listens to a relation of the räsa dance, he may remember his own mundane activities and illicit connections with some woman whose name may also be Rädhä. In the conditioned stage one should not even try to remember such things. By practicing the regulative principles, one should rise to the platform of spontaneous attraction for Kåñëa. Then and only then should one hear about rädhä-kåñëa-lélä. CC Mad 8.255 (verse from SB10.33.39)

Our spiritual identity is re-awakened

• nitya-siddha kåñëa-prema ‘sädhya’ kabhu naya• çravaëädi-çuddha-citte karaye udaya• SYNONYMS• nitya-siddha—eternally established; kåñëa-prema—

love of Kåñëa; sädhya—to be gained; kabhu—at any time; naya—not; çravaëa-ädi—by hearing, etc.; çuddha—purified; citte—in the heart; karaye udaya—awakens.

• TRANSLATION• “Pure love for Kåñëa is eternally established in the

hearts of the living entities. It is not something to be gained from another source. When the heart is purified by hearing and chanting, this love naturally awakens.

• Madhya 22.107

Discussion

• To what extent should ISKCON devotees practice a raganuga sadhana?

• Is ISKCON a movement focussed on vaidhi bhakti?

• Is our siddha deha already there or does it develop through a particular raganuga sadhana?

• If the qualification is eagerness then should we be eager to start practising raganuga bhakti as soon as possible?