Rightful Candidates for Shuddha-Bhakti (Part 2)

(From "Bhakti Tattva Viveka" - click to read more from it.
You can also read the previous page: Who is qualified to study Srimad Bhagavatam?)

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.

Therefore, in relation to the adhikara for shuddha-bhakti, Srila Rupa Goswami has written (Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu 1.2.14):

yah kenapy ati-bhagyena jata-shraddho ’sya sevane

natisakto na vairagyabhag asyam adhikary asau

“When one is not too attached to or detached from this material world and by some good fortune develops faith in the service of Krsna’s lotus feet, he is considered to possess the adhikara for shuddha-bhakti.”

The purport is that when worldly people realise the futility of material existence after being afflicted by various types of distress and by suffering in the absence of their desired objects, they begin to lead their lives in a mood of detachment from the material world.

If by some good fortune at such a time they acquire the association of Bhagavan’s devotees, they enquire from them and come to understand that there is no higher destination than the attainment of Bhagavan.

Gradually they develop firm faith in this and engage in bhajana.

At that time it can be said that they have developed shraddha in krsna-bhakti.

This very shraddha is the root cause of the eligibility for shuddha-bhakti, as confirmed by Srila Jiva Goswami’s explanation (found in Bhakti-sandarbha, Anuccheda 172) of these verses from Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.20.27-28):

jata-shraddho mat-kathasu nirvinnah sarva-karmasu

veda duhkhatmakan kaman parityage ’py anisvarah

tato bhajeta mam pritah shraddhalur dridha-nishcayah

jushamanash ca tan kaman duhkhodarkamsh ca garhayan

Sri Krsna says, “My devotees who have developed faith in hearing the narrations of My pastimes remain detached from fruitive activities and try to accept the objects of the senses just enough to maintain their lives, knowing well that sense enjoyment leads to a miserable result.

Still enduring the reactions to their previous karma and endeavouring to become free from the cycle of the pleasant and unpleasant results which arise from such activities, they sincerely regret those fruitive activities and silently condemn them.

They simply tolerate the reactions to those activities while simultaneously remaining engaged in My bhajana with firm faith and resolve.”(from Part 4 – "An Analysis of the Qualification for Bhakti")

Another revelation, Is Srimad Bhagavatam a man-written, modern book?. Check out the previous page too: Who is qualified to study Srimad Bhagavatam?. You will benefit from reading the whole work: Bhakti Tattva Viveka.

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Harih Om Tat Sat.