Offences towards Bhakti
This is a very dangerous item.
We execute so many limbs of bhakti, such as accepting the diksha-mantra from a bona fide guru, everyday applying tilaka to twelve different parts of the body, performing arcana unto Sri Krsna, observing the vow of Ekadashi, chanting Harinama and remembering Krsna according to one’s ability, visiting the holy places like Vrindavana and so forth.
An Analysis of the Natural Attributes of Bhakti
shuddha-bhakti-svabhavasya prabhavan yat-padashrayat
sadaiva labhate jivastam caitanyam aham bhaje
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Bhakti Removes Distress of Those Who Take Shelter of Shuddha-Bhakti
Kleshaghni — Bhakti-devi completely removes all the klesha or distress of those who take shelter of shuddha-bhakti.
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Bhakti is Auspicious by Nature
Bhakti is auspicious by nature.
Srila Rupa Goswami says (Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu 1.1.27):
shubhani prinanam sarva-jagatam anuraktata
Bhakti is Auspicious by Nature (Part 2)
Srila Rupa Goswami has written that the happiness of the conditioned soul can be divided into three categories: vaishayika-sukha, brahma-sukha and aisvara-sukha.
Moksha-laghutakrita: Bhakti Renders the Conception of Mukti Insignificant
Moksha-laghutakrita: By nature bhakti renders the conception of mukti insignificant.
It is said in the Narada-pancaratra (and Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu 1.1.34):
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Attainment of Hari-Bhakti is Extremely Rare
Attainment of hari-bhakti is extremely rare, sudurlabha.
Srila Rupa Goswami writes about the extreme rarity of bhakti (Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu 1.1.35):
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Bhakti is Very Intense Ananda or Transcendental Pleasure
Sandrananda-visheshatma: By nature bhakti is very intense ananda or transcendental pleasure.
It has already been mentioned that Bhagavan is the complete saccidananda-svarupa and the jiva is anucidananda or an infinitesimal particle of spiritual bliss who is likened to a single particle of light situated within a ray of the unlimited spiritual sun.
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Bhakti is the Only Means to Attract Krsna
Krsnakarshini: Bhakti is the only means to attract Krsna.
As Srila Rupa Goswami writes (Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu 1.1.41):
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An Analysis of the Qualification for Bhakti
karma-jnana viragadi-ceshtam hitva samantatah
shraddhavan bhajate yam sri-caitanyam aham bhaje
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Sravana, Kirtana, and the Resultant Shedding of Tears or Trembling is not True Bhakti for Anyone and Everyone
It should be carefully noted that the performance of devotional activities such as sravana and kirtana and the resultant appearance of symptoms like the shedding of tears and trembling should not be accepted as true bhakti for anyone and everyone.
Rightful Candidates for Shuddha-Bhakti
Srila Jiva Goswami has defined sukriti as “those activities in connection with transcendental personalities which give rise to an intense desire to perform bhakti.” There may be doubts concerning the existence of sukriti in the artas, jijnasus and artharthis, but in relation to the jnanis there are no such doubts.
Rightful Candidates for Shuddha-Bhakti (Part 2)
The purport is that as long as all of them (see the previous page) harboured desires within their hearts either for relief from their distress, to satisfy their inquisitiveness or to obtain wealth, or were attached to an impersonal conception of the Absolute Truth, they were ineligible for shuddha-bhakti.
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“Those Who Have Not Done So Remain Fearful”
While explaining the above verses which describe how a faithful devotee performs bhajana, Srila Jiva Goswami has commented in the Bhakti-sandarbha, “tad-evam-ananya-bhaktyadhikare hetum shraddha-matram uktva sa yatha bhajeta tatha siksayati,” which means that shraddha is the sole cause of the adhikara to perform shuddha-bhakti.
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Shraddha is an Attribute for the Adhikara for Shuddha-Bhakti
In Srimad Bhagavad-gita (18.66), after giving separate explanations of karma, jnana and bhakti, through a most confidential statement Bhagavan has given instruction on sharanapatti:
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Rightful Candidates for Vaidhi-Bhakti, and Their Shraddha
There are three types of adhikaris or rightful candidates for vaidhi-bhakti: uttama, madhyama and kanishtha, as confirmed by Srila Rupa Goswami in Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu (1.2.16), “uttamo madhyamash ca syat kanishthash ceti sa tridha.”
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Even Untouchables Have the Right to Perform Bhakti (If They Have Shraddha)
The conclusion is that every human being has the right to perform bhakti.
Brahmanas, kshatriyas, vaishyas, shudras and antyajas (untouchables), grihastas, brahmacaris, vanaprasthas and sannyasis — all of them can be qualified for bhakti if they have shraddha in the injunctions of the scriptures and the instructions of the sadhu and guru.
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