CODE 15

tal-laksanani vacyante nana-mata-bhedat

SYNONYMS

tat-of it (devotional service); laksanani-the characteristics; vacyante-are
enunciated; nana-various; mata-of theories; bhedat-according to the differences.

TRANSLATION

Now the characteristics of devotional service will be described according to
various authoritative opinions.

PURPORT
 
In the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Seventh Canto, Fifth Chapter, verses twenty-three and
twenty-four, it is very clearly stated what the symptoms of devotional service
are. They are described as follows: 1. To hear about the Supreme Lord. 2. To
glorify the Supreme Lord, Visnu. 3. To remember the Supreme Lord. 4. To act on
behalf of the Supreme Lord. 5. To worship the Supreme Lord. 6. To offer all
the results of one's activities to the Supreme Lord. 7. To be in confidence with
the Supreme Lord. 8. To offer one's own body for the service of the Supreme
Lord. 9. To surrender as much as an animal purchased from the market surrenders
to the master. Such an animal never thinks of his maintenance because he knows
that his master will look after him; a soul surrendered to the Supreme Lord is
similarly never anxious for his maintenance.

CODE 16

pujadisv anuraga iti parasaryah

SYNONYMS

puja-adisu-for worship and so on; anuragah-fondness; iti-so thinks; parasaryah-
Vyasadeva, the son of Parasara.

TRANSLATION

Vyasadeva, the son of Parasara, says that bhakti is fond attachment to
worshiping the Lord and to other exchanges.

PURPORT

In the previous code, Narada promised that he would tell some of the symptoms
of devotional service according to various authoritative opinions. In the
Srimad-Bhagavatam, twelve mahajanas, or Krsna conscious authorities, are cited,
and among them, one mahajana may emphasize a different aspect of bhakti than
another. The Supreme Lord possesses unlimited variety of qualities and pastimes,
and it is natural that devotees favor particular modes of service. All devotees,
however, agree on the siddhanta, or accepted conclusion. Bhakti is not open to
continual speculation, such as that indulged in by Western philosophers when
they contemplate the truth.
The first opinion offered by Narada is that of Vyasa. Vyasadeva is the spiritual
master of Narada and also the compiler of the Vedas, so his opinions are not
contrary to Narada's. The words Vyasa uses to describe bhakti are puja and
anuraga. This refers to worship performed with sincere love and great
attachment. Those who are not pure devotees may perform puja, but thing of it
as external rituals. The Mayavadi, for example, has an offensive concept of
worship. He sees it as "a great aid in fixing one's mind on God." But what
the Mayavadi really has in mind is that puja leads him to see God or Brahman or
Atman or the Self as One. He thinks that by worshiping God he will become God.
The Mayavadis plainly advocate that while one worships the Deity he should first
and foremost meditate on his unity with Brahman. This is a faithless and
duplicitous form of "worship." The Mayavadi may even offer a fruit or flower to
the Deity, but he is more interested in attaining absolute oneness, which he
thinks he can do by stimulating his heart. Krsna declares in Bhagavad-gita, ye
yatha mam prapadyante, tams tathaiva bhajamy aham "As they approach Me I reward
them." And so those who desire to merge in the impersonal effulgence of the
Supreme Person are awarded that nonsentient situation.
Some say that mental worship is superior to external. But Srila Prabhupada did
not make such distinctions. We read in the Nectar of Devotion of the brahmana
in south India who worshiped the Deity within his mind. The brahmana was poor
and could not afford paraphernalia for puja, but in his mental worship he
imagined that he was fetching golden and silver pots, filling them with water,
and performing very opulent Deity worship. An intimate devotee of Lord Caitanya,
Nrsimhananda Brahmacari, also performed mental worship. One time he mentally
decorated a road with flowers and gems in anticipation that Lord Caitanya would
walk there. Although devotees may perform mental worship according to time and
circumstances, they do not avoid offering flaming lamps, incense, and so on, as
prescribed in temple worship. And they always worship the spiritual form of the
Personality of Godhead. The sincere devotee's puja is never merely mechanical
or external but is offered in anuraga, with feelings of strong attachment. True
worship is performed with the mind as well as the senses and all the bodily
limbs. Therefore the meaning of worship is not limited, but includes engagement
of all senses and thoughts in dedication to the Supreme. As Lord Krsna says,
"The wise who perfectly know this engage in My devotional service and worship Me
with all their hearts." (Bg. 10.8) Lord Krsna also describes the mahatmas as,
"great souls [who] perpetually worship Me with devotion." (Bg. 9.14)
Worship may include many activities, but the word puja makes us think
particularly of the worship of the arca-vigraha. Although Lord Caitanya was Sri
Krsna Himself, He worshiped Lord Jagannatha at Jagannatha Puri temple. He went
to see the Deity daily and experienced great transcendental bliss. When Lord
Jagannatha was absent from the temple, during the period when He is refurbished
and prepared for the Ratha-yatra, Lord Caitanya felt the pain of His absence and
went into solitude at Alalanatha. Deity worship is not just for beginners, and
it's not a ritual or an aid for impersonal meditation. In this age, the chanting
of the holy names is the foremost method of worship, but Deity worship is also
necessary. According to Jiva Gosvami, the bhakta must perform worship of
arca-vigraha in order to counteract the tendencies for contamination which are
so likely in Kali-yuga.
We know from reading Vyasadeva's compilation of Srimad-Bhagavatam, that his
"realization of worshiping the Lord," is not confined to temple worship of
the arca-vigraha. In the Seventh Canto of Vyasa's Srimad-Bhagavatam, Prahlada
Maharaja teaches nine processes of devotional service. Srila Vyasadeva and Srila
Prabhupada often stressed the first two items, sravanam-kirtanam, hearing and
chanting the glories of the Lord, as the most important, especially in the
present age. But by any single item of the nine processes of bhakti, one can
achieve fond attachment to worshiping the Lord.

CODE 17

kathadisv iti gargah

SYNONYMS

katha-adisu-for narrations and so on; iti-so; garga-Garga.

TRANSLATION

Garga says that it is fondness for narrations about the Lord, and so on.

PURPORT

As Garga Muni taught, so Srila Prabhupada also stressed krsna-katha. One type
of krsna-katha refers to the words directly spoken from the mouth of the Lord,
as in the Bhagavad-gita: sri-bhagavan uvaca. Lord Caitanya advocated that we
repeat the words spoken by Krsna (krsna-upadesa) to whoever we meet. Another
kind of krsna-katha is words spoken about Krsna, such as Sukadeva's speaking to
Maharaja Pariksit in Srimad-Bhagavatam. Sukadeva speaks throughout all twelve
cantos about the wonderful pastimes of the Lord in His various incarnations.
In the Tenth Canto he describes the original form of the Personality of Godhead,
Lord Krsna in Vrndavana, Mathura and Dvaraka.
It is a characteristic of pure devotees that they speak only on transcendental
subjects. A devotee practices mauna, or silence, by refraining from all mundane
talk, but he is always pleased to speak krsna-katha. As stated in Bhagavad-gita,
"The thoughts of My pure devotees dwell in Me, their lives are fully devoted to
My service, and they derive great satisfaction and bliss from always
enlightening one another and conversing about Me." (Bg.10.9) Before beginning
his Tenth Canto descriptions of Lord Krsna, Sukadeva tells Maharaja Pariksit,
"Descriptions of the Lord are the right medicine for the conditioned soul
undergoing repeated birth and death. Therefore, who will cease hearing such
glorification of the Lord except a butcher or one who is killing his own self?"
(Bhag. 10.1.4)
Narada Muni attributed his own Krsna consciousness to the bhakti-vedantas whom
he served and heard from when Narada was only a five year old boy: "O Vyasadeva,
in that association and by the mercy of those great Vedantists, I could hear
them describe the attractive activities of Lord Krsna. And thus listening
attentively, my taste for hearing of the Personality of Godhead increased at
every step." (Bhag. 1.4.26) And so the opinion of Garga, that bhakti consists
of krsna-katha, is approved and practiced by the mahajanas.

CODE 18

atma-raty-avirodheneti sandilyah

SYNONYMS

atma-in relation with the Supreme Soul; rati-of pleasure; avirodhena-by freedom
from obstruction; iti-so; sandilya-Sandilya.

TRANSLATION

Sandilya says that it is the result of removing all obstructions from one's
taking pleasure in the Self.

PURPORT

Sandilya speaks of atma-rati, the delight of the self. But what is the delight
of the self? According to the science of bhakti, that which delights the self is
devotional service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Srila Prabhupada
comments in the Nectar of Devotion, "The devotees and self-realized persons who
are engaged in preaching the glories of the Lord always maintain an ecstatic
love for the Lord within their hearts. Thus they are benefited by rays of the
ecstatic moon, and they are called saintly persons." (1970 edition, p. 293)
The state of brahma-bhuta, or the joy of discovering one's eternal nature, is
only the beginning of spiritual life. Mukti, or liberation, when conceived of
as impersonal liberation from birth and death, is also not the ultimate goal.
As stated in the Adi Purana, "A person who is constantly engaged in chanting
the holy name and who feels transcendental pleasure, being engaged in devotional
service, is certainly awarded the facilities of devotional service, and never
given just mukti." (Nectar of Devotion (1970), p. 105) There are many statements
in the Vedic scriptures which prove that devotional service surpasses all other
forms of liberation. In the Padma Purana, a devotee prays to Lord Damodara,
"I do not ask You for liberation or any material facility up to the point of
liberation. What I want as Your favor is that I may always think of Your form
as I see You now as Damodara. You are so beautiful and attractive that my mind
does not want anything else besides this wonderful form."
A transcendentalist may seek atma-rati in impersonal realization before he hears
the glories of devotional service from pure devotees. For example, the four
Kumaras and Sukadeva Gosvami were all Brahman-realized, but they were never
offensive to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Once the Kumaras and Sukadeva
were introduced to pure Krsna consciousness, they at once gave up their
impersonal conceptions and became eager to engage in devotional service unto
the Supreme Lord. But stubborn Mayavadis who deride devotional service are in
a different category. Lord Caitanya declared that the Mayavadis are great
offenders to the Lord and one should avoid their association.
A typical example of Mayavadi poison is their interpretation of the words
atma-rati, as they appear in this code of the Bhakti-sutras. The Mayavadi claims
that the worship (puja) and talking of the Lord (krsna-katha) mentioned in the
two previous codes are meant to lead one beyond the Personality of Godhead to
the Atma. This is the impersonalist's timeserving attitude toward bhakti. He
will worship the Lord and hear of His lila, but with a plan to finally deny
the Personality of Godhead. Based on erroneous information, he thinks that by
meditation he can realize that he is the all-pervading Brahman; "I am
everything."
But if, as the Mayavadis claim, the ultimate bliss is to know that "I am God,"
then why has that bliss been missing up until now? If my identity is actually
one in all respects with the all-pervading Godhead, then how did that identity
become covered? What force has overcome the Supreme Atma? The fact is that the
individual atmas are tiny and prone to be covered by Maya. But the Supreme Atma,
the Personality of Godhead, is never covered or separated from His sac-cit-
ananda-vigraha, His spiritual form of eternity, bliss and knowledge. So although
the individual soul can never "become God" - because he never was the Supreme -
he can strive for his constitutional perfection, as the eternal loving servant
of God.
The Mayavadis are consistently defeated by the direct statements of Vedic
scriptures. In the beginning of Bhagavad-gita, Lord Krsna makes it clear that
there are different categories of atmas or eternal selves. Lord Krsna states,
"Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor
in the future shall any of us cease to be." (Bg. 2.12) This doctrine is also
supported by Krsna's statement later in the Bhagavad-gita, (15.7) mamaivamso
jiva-loke jiva-bhutah sanatanah "The living entities in this conditioned world
are my eternal fragmental parts". It is also stated in the Upanisads that the
individual atma and the Paramatma both reside in the heart of the living being,
just as two birds are seated in a tree. By the mercy of the Paramatma or "God in
the heart," the individual atma may come to realize his eternal blissful state
of loving service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Attempts to concoct
a bhakti devoid of eternal service to the Supreme Lord are the works of demoniac
minds. Eternal bhakti must always consist of three: Bhagavan (the Supreme Lord),
bhakta (the eternal, subordinate servitor) and bhakti (the exchanges between
Bhagavan and bhakta).
But the Mayavadis ignore the direct statements of the scriptures as well as
the words of the mahajanas. There is no need to discuss their interpretations
here, except for the fact that the Mayavadis are very attracted to the bhakti-
sastras. Finding their own meditations too dry, they approach books like
Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam and Narada Bhakti Sutras, but with an intention
that is opposed to the aims of bhakti. By preaching that the forms of Lord Visnu
and His incarnations are material, the Mayavadi commits severe vaisnava-
aparadha. As stated by Lord Krsna: "Fools deride Me when I descend in the human
form. They do not know My transcendental nature as the Supreme Lord of all that
be. Those who are thus bewildered are attracted by demoniac and atheistic views.
In that deluded condition, their hopes for liberation, their fruitive
activities, and their culture of knowledge are all defeated." (Bg 9.11-12) True
atma-rati is in relationship to Krsna, who is the reservoir of all pleasure.
Even when we seek happiness with our material senses, we are indirectly seeking
atma-rati. We derive pleasure with the eyes or tongue or ears, only because
the atma is present within the living body. Therefore my bodily pleasure is
dependent on the existence of the atma. Furthermore, the atma's pleasure is
dependent on the Paramatma. And the Paramatma is an expansion of Sri Krsna,
the original form of the Personality of Godhead. So in all circumstances we are
looking for our blissful relationship with Krsna. Self-satisfaction actually
means the satisfaction of serving and loving Krsna, the Supreme Self.

CODE 19

naradas to tad-arpitakhilacarata tad-vismarane parama-vyakulateti

SYNONYMS

naradah-Narada; tu-but; tat-to Him; arpita-offered; akhila-all; acarata-having
one's activities; tat-Him; vismarana-in forgetting; parama-supreme; vyakulata-
distress; iti-so.

TRANSLATION

Narada, however, says that devotional service is the offering of one's every
act to the Supreme and the experience of extreme distress in forgetting Him.

PURPORT

Narada previously gave three definitions of bhakti according to three sages;
1. worship of the Lord, 2. krsna-katha, and 3. service with intense attachment
and bliss (atma-rati). Now Narada gives his own opinion, which is not
a contradiction of the previous ones, but a culmination. Among all the expanded
forms of the Supreme Lord, Sri Krsna is the original, and He is all-attractive.
Similarly, among all the Vaisnavas, the pure devotees of Krsna in Vrndavana are
considered the best. Lord Caitanya declared that there was no better method of
worshiping Krsna than that practiced by the gopis. Now Narada says that a pure
devotee would experience great pain upon forgetting the Lord of a moment-but in
the case of gopis, there was never a question of forgetting Krsna. They were so
much absorbed in thinking of Krsna that they could not even perform their
household duties. In their intense loving dealings, the gopis sometimes accused
Krsna of unfaithfulness, and they expressed a wish that they could forget Him.
But they could not. As stated by Srimati Radharani, the chief of all the gopis:
"We know all about Krsna and how ungrateful He is. But here is the difficulty:
Inspite of His being so cruel and hard-hearted, it is very difficult for us
to give up talking about Him. Not only are we unable to give up His talk, but
great sages and saintly persons also engage in talking about Him. We gopis of
Vrndavana do not want to make anymore friendships with this blackish boy, but
we do not know how we shall be able to give up remembering and talking about
His activities." (Krsna p. 377, "Delivering the Message of Krsna to the
Gopis")
In humility Lord Caitanya once confessed that He did not have even a drop of
love for Krsna. He claimed that if He actually loved Krsna, then how could He
live? The fact that Krsna had disappeared from the earth, and yet Lord Caitanya
still was able to live in His absence, was proof, according to Lord Caitanya,
that He had no love for Krsna. Although it was not possible for Lord Caitanya
or the gopis to forget Lord Krsna, yet they experienced the pain of separation
from Him. "O Govinda, feeling Your separation I am considering a moment as
twelve years or more and tears are flowing from my eyes like torrents of rain.
I am feeling the world all vacant in Your absence." (Siksastaka 7)
The dedication of activities Narada refers to is total and all-encompassing,
unlike what passes for commitment to a cause in the material world. Because Lord
Krsna is the summum bonum of existence, the pure devotee is able to be with Him
in every circumstance. And because the Lord is all-attractive, the devotee
becomes increasingly attached to his beloved. As Krsna declares in the Bhagavad-
gita, "One who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, is never lost, nor
is he ever lost to Me." (Bg. 6.30) To materialists with their splayed interests
in sense gratification, the devotee's love may appear as obsessive madness. But
love for Krsna actually brings one in touch with the total reality, that Krsna
is everything.
One may ask whether the devotees' anguish of parama-vyakulata contradicts code
18, wherein Sandilya defined bhakti as the bliss of the self. There is no
contradiction, because the pain of separation experienced by Lord Caitanya and
other pure devotees is another variety of transcendental bliss. In the realm of
spiritual emotions, sadness and happiness are both absolute. Speculative
philosophers and less advanced devotees cannot know this, but we may hear about
it from the scriptures and in the lives of self-realized saints.
A devotee's self-surrender means that he wants nothing in return for his loving
service. He only wants that Krsna should be pleased. Selflessness does not mean
a complete loss of ego. Total self-annihilation is impossible (despite the
wishes of the impersonalist), but ahankara or false ego is dissolved in
devotional service. The original self-interest of the living being is free of
selfishness. We are all eternal parts and parcels of the Supreme Being, and our
full satisfaction occurs through the pleasure of the whole. Krsne tuste jagat
tustam, "When Krsna is satisfied everyone is satisfied."
The beginner in devotional service can practice selflessness by surrender to
the bona fide spiritual master. A brahmacari living with the guru is advised to
give all he has to the service of his spiritual master, and to always consider
the guru his well-wisher. Although devotees may not perform their service with
a mercantile mentality, yet they eventually receive the greatest reward - the
intimate association of the Supreme Lord. As stated by Lord Krsna, "Always think
of Me, become My devotee, worship Me and offer you homage unto Me. Thus you will
come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My most dear
friend." (Bg. 18.65)

CODE 20

asty evam evam

SYNONYMS

asti-it is; evam evam-like each of these.

TRANSLATION

It is, in fact, as described in each of these ways.

PURPORT

The angles of vision of the authorities just quoted, Vyasa, Garga, Sandilya,
and Narada, are not in conflict. Narada has given us his own opinion, but he
says that the others are also factual descriptions of bhakti. Bhakti is in fact
a universal principle present at least partially, in all theistic religions. One
could in fact find many definitions of "love of God" which would not be
objectionable to the conclusions of Narada Muni and Krsna consciousness.
Narada has defined the highest form of bhakti. But is such a perfect state
possible? The answer is yes. Unless devotees from time to time manifest pure
bhakti, aspirants for the spiritual path would have nothing to guide themselves
by, and one might conclude that parama-bhakti is only an ideal or an imaginary
state. As Lord Caitanya states, "A devotee's behavior establishes the true
purpose of religious principles." (Cc. Madhya 17.185)
One time, Sanatana Gosvami pretended to be devoted to a sannyasi named Mukunda
Sarasvati, rather than to Lord Caitanya. When Lord Caitanya's intimate servant
Jagadananda Pandita saw this behavior of Sanatana, he became very angry and
threatened to beat Sanatana. Sanatana then revealed his purpose and said, "My
dear Jagadananda Pandita, you are a greatly learned saint. No one is dearer to
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu than you. This faith in Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu fits you
quite well. Unless you demonstrate it, how could I learn such faith?" (Cc Antya
13.59)
We have seen the example of complete dedication of activities and self-surrender
to Krsna in the life of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
Srila Prabhupada's sanctity was not a private affair; he was empowered to bring
thousands of persons into Krsna consciousness. Bhaktivinoda Thakura stated that
one can tell the quality of a Vaisnava by how many persons he convinces to
become Vaisnavas. By his personal preaching, by his books, and by the Krsna
consciousness movement he created Srila Prabhupada gave the example of a life
dedicated purely for pleasing Krsna. The potency of his acts continues as
an ongoing legacy, accessible to anyone interested in taking up the path of
bhakti-yoga. We are assured therefore that in past, at present and in the future
"examples do exist of such perfect expressions of bhakti." Narada has stated
that each of the authorities he has quoted have described bhakti in their own
authentic way. But in the next verse, Narada will mention the gopis of Vraja as
exemplars of bhakti. Of the brief definitions given of bhakti-yoga in verses 16
through 19 of the Narada-bhakti-sutras, we find that Narada's own definition
best fits the gopis of Vraja: "Devotional service is the offering of one's every
act to the Supreme and the experience of extreme distress in forgetting Him."

CODE 21

yatha vraja-gopikanam

SYNONYMS

yatha-as; vraja-of Vraja; gopikanam-of the cowherd women.

TRANSLATION

The cowherd women of Vraja are an example.

PURPORT

In code 19, Narada gave the ultimate definition of bhakti. This has led him
inevitably to mention the topmost of all devotees, the gopis of Vraja. Narada
might have mentioned other renowned bhaktas, such as Uddhava, Arjuna, Prahlada
or even Mother Yasoda - but he has given the singular example of the gopis. This
opinion is shared by all realized Vaisnavas, because the gopis will be known for
all time as the best lovers of Lord Krsna. The gopis are most exalted because
they gave everything, and sacrificed everything, for their beloved:
"Social customs, scriptural injunctions, bodily demands, fruitive actions,
shyness, patience, bodily pleasures, self gratification on the path of
varnasrama-dharma, which is difficult to give up - the gopis have forsaken all
these, as well as their own relatives and their scolding, for the sake of
serving Lord Krsna. They render loving service to Him for the sake of His
enjoyment." (Cc. Adi 4.167-169)
The gopis' rasa with Krsna is madhurya, or conjugal love. But even bhaktas who
worship the Lord in other rasas acknowledge the supermost place of the gopis in
the kingdom of bhakti. Narada Muni, for example, usually associates with Lord
Krsna in His opulent features in Vaikuntha, or Dvaraka. In his exchanges with
Lord Krsna. Narada often expresses his appreciation for the Lord's inconceivable
opulence. For example, one time Narada visited Krsna in many of His sixteen
thousand palaces and he was astonished to observe how the Lord had expanded
Himself to be alone with each of His queens. "Your transcendental position is
always inconceivable to everyone," said Narada. "As far as I'm concerned, I can
simply offer my respectful obeisances to You again and again." (Krsna Classics
edition, p. 603, "Lord Krsna's Daily Activities") Since Narada is a learned and
intimate bhakta of the Lord, he is aware that the gopis exemplify the topmost
possible expression of love of Krsna. Similarly, devotees such as Sukadeva,
Bhismadeva, Vyasa and many others express their appreciation for Lord Krsna as
the master of the gopis.
Even the impersonalists are attracted to Krsna's loving affairs with the gopis,
although they are incompetent to understand them. Attempting to praise the gopis
of Vrndavana, one impersonalist Swami said, "Gopi-lila is the acme of the
religion of love, in which individuality vanishes and there is communion." But
it's not a fact that "individuality vanishes," either for the gopis or for any
living entity. Lord Krsna has clearly and repeatedly stated that His
individuality and that of the living entities is eternal. The gopis, however,
completely lost their selfish interest - they became entirely one with the
interest of Lord Krsna. To consider the gopis' rasa dance with Krsna to be
merely a stage leading to "merging" into the impersonal Brahman is a great
insult to gopi-lila, even if delivered in the name of praise. The gopis
certainly did not want to be instructed about "merging" through jnana-yoga, and
neither did they see the rasa dance in that way. Speaking in the mood of Srimati
Radharani, Lord Caitanya once complained to Lord Krsna for His attempt to teach
yoga and meditation to the gopis:
"My dear Krsna, formerly when You were staying at Mathura, You sent Uddhava to
teach Me speculative knowledge and mystic yoga. Now You Yourself are speaking
the same thing, but My mind does not accept it. There is no place in My mind for
jnana-yoga or dhyana-yoga. Although You know Me very well, You are still
instructing Me in dhyana-yoga and jnana-yoga. It is not right for You to do so.
Your instructions for Me to meditate on You are therefore simply ludicrous. It
is not very good for You to think of Me as a candidate for Your instructions."
(Cc. Madhya 13.139-40)

CODE 22

tatrapi na mahatmy-jnana-vismrty-apavadah

SYNONYMS

tatra-in that case; api-even; na-there is not; mahatmya-of greatness; jnana-of
awareness; vismrti-of forgetting; apavadah-criticism.

TRANSLATION

Even in their case there is no opportunity for criticizing that the devotees of
the Lord have forgotten His greatness.

PURPORT

Narada is replying to a criticism. Although all Vaisnavas praise the gopis, and
even the impersonalists join in the chorus, some philosophers think that the
gopis' love is uninformed. Because the gopis were attracted to Krsna as
a beautiful young boy, and since they ran to dance with Him in the moonlight,
foolish critics think this indicates that the gopis did not know Krsna as
the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The charge sounds similar to that made by
the jnanis, that devotional service is for sentimentalists who cannot meditate.
The accusation against the gopis is false, says Narada. The gopis know that Sri
Krsna is the Supreme Person, but in their intimate rasa with Him they put aside
the awe and reverence which is usually offered to the Supreme. By the Lord's
internal potency Yogamaya, loving intimacy overshadows God's majesty. But this
does not mean that the pure devotees are lacking in spiritual advancement.
The gopis have come to their position of rasa only after many lifetimes of
austerities and spiritual cultivation. Regarding the cowherd boys (gopas) who
play with Krsna, Srimad-Bhagavatam states that they attained their position
"only after heaps of pious activities" in many lives. So although it may
sometimes appear that the liberated devotees have forgotten that Lord Krsna is
God, that is actually an arrangement by Yogamaya for increasing the pleasure of
the Lord and his devotees.
For example, when Krsna's father Vasudeva carried baby Krsna across the Yamuna,
the baby fell into the river. Srila Prabhupada writes, "Just to test the intense
love of Vasudeva, Lord Krsna fell down in the waters of the Yamuna while His
father was crossing the river. Vasudeva became mad after his child as he tried
to recover Him in the midst of the rising river." (Bhag. 3.2.18, purport) Lord
Krsna did not want Vasudeva to think, "O, Krsna will save Himself; He's God,"
but He wanted to evoke the paternal rasa in full intensity. In a similar way,
Mother Yasoda sometimes punishes baby Krsna as an expression of her maternal
love. And when His mother comes to punish Him, Krsna reciprocates by running
away in fear. Srila Prabhupada describes this apparent contradiction as follows:
"The pure devotees render service unto the Lord out of unalloyed love only,
and while discharging such devotional service the pure devotee forgets the
position of the Supreme Lord. The Supreme Lord also accepts the loving service
of His devotees more relishably when the service is rendered spontaneously out
of pure affection, without any reverential admiration... If Mother Yasoda had
been conscious of the exalted position of the Lord, she would certainly have
hesitated to punish the Lord. But she was made to forget the situation because
the Lord wanted to make a complete gesture of childishness before the
affectionate Yasoda... Indirectly Mother Yasoda is praised for her unique
position of love, for she could control even the all-powerful Lord as her
beloved child." (Bhag. 1.8.31, purport)
Another prominent example is Arjuna, Krsna's friend, who accepted the infallible
one as his chariot driver.
As for the gopis of Vraja, there are many instances in which they manifest deep
knowledge of Krsna's divinity. But they never diminished their conjugal mood in
order to become scholars or meditators. Krsna wanted to dance with the most
beautiful girls in the universe, and so the gopis, His completely surrendered
servants, happily complied. When Krsna called the gopis to Him in the dead of
night, He first began to lecture to them about morality. The gopis complained
to Him about this attitude, and yet their statements indicate that they knew
very well who He was:
"The gopis said, 'Within these three worlds there is no distinction between men
and women in relation to You because both men and women belong to the marginal
potency or prakrti. No one is actually the enjoyer or male; everyone is meant to
be enjoyed by You. There is no woman within these three worlds who cannot but
deviate from her path of chastity when she is attracted to You because Your
beauty is so sublime that not only men and women, but cows, birds, beasts and
even trees, fruits and flowers - everyone and everything - become enchanted and
what to speak of ourselves?'" (Krsna, Classics edition, p. 252, "The Rasa Dance;
Introduction)
After Lord Krsna left Vrndavana, He sent Uddhava to deliver a message to the
gopis. When Uddhava observed the undying devotion of the gopis for Sri Krsna,
he endorsed their transcendental perfection:
"My dear gopis, the mentality you have developed in relationship to Krsna is
very, very difficult to attain, even for great sages and saintly persons. You
have attained the highest perfectional stage of life. It is a great boon for you
that you have fixed your minds on Krsna and have decided to have Krsna only,
giving up your family, homes, relatives, husbands and children for the sake of
the Supreme Personality. Because you minds are now fully absorbed in Krsna,
the Supreme Soul, universal love has automatically developed in you. I think
myself very fortunate that I have been favored, by your grace, to see you in
this situation." (Krsna, Classics edition, p. 380, "The Delivery of the Message
of Krsna to the Gopis.")
The gopis were always impatient when either Uddhava or Krsna philosophized to
them, because they wanted to be alone with Krsna in the Vrndavana mood. So when
Uddhava praised the gopis they did not find it very pleasing. Sometimes they
even reprimanded the behavior of Krsna, and yet they remained aware of His
supreme and independent position. As one gopi said, "Krsna is the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, the husband of the goddess of fortune, and He is
self-sufficient. He has no business either with us, the girls in Vrndavana
forest, or with the city girls in Mathura. He is the great Supersoul; He has
nothing to do with any of us, either here or there." (Krsna, Classics edition,
p. 386, "Delivery of the Message of Krsna to the Gopis")
It is offensive to judge the gopis according to ordinary human behavior.
The intimacy which Krsna allowed them is inconceivable, and no one can
understand it except those who are completely free of material desires.
The gopis' love is certainly beyond awe and reverence, and yet it is never
mundane.
The impersonalist sometimes attempts to "jump on the bandwagon" of praise for
the gopis. He says that the gopis cannot be understood by people with worldly
lust, but then he himself commits an offense which is even worse. He thinks that
Krsna's affairs with the gopis are "allegories which contain profound spiritual
truths." Behind the Mayavadis' admiration of gopi-bhava is the desire to commit
spiritual annihilation, to "become one." In other words, the impersonalist
thinks that at the last stage of perfection, a gopi will realize that her
beloved is "one's very Self." We have already pointed out the foolishness of
these claims, but we repeat it just to expose the so-called praise of krsna-
lila by those who are impersonalists at heart.
And so Narada Muni's praise of the gopis' devotion to Lord Krsna is upheld by
all sastras and sages.

CODE 23

tad-vihinam jaranam iva

SYNONYMS

tat-of it (awareness of the Lord's greatness); vihinam-devoid; jaranam-of
illicit lovers; iva-like.

TRANSLATION

Shows of devotion without knowledge of God's greatness, on the other hand, are
no better than the affairs of illicit lovers.

PURPORT

The gopis' love for Krsna is not mundane passion. Because lust usually passes
for love in the material world, impure minds mistake Krsna's love for the gopis
as more of the same. Srila Prabhupada was therefore always very cautious in
presenting the rasa-lila of Lord Krsna. Even Lord Caitanya, who was always
merged in gopi-bhava, discussed it only with a few intimate disciples. For
the mass of people, Lord Caitanya distributed love of God by the congregational
chanting of the holy name. Even when He was with elevated Vaisnavas and
scholars, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu spoke on the philosophy, but not on the
rasa-lila itself.
Srila Prabhupada told a story to show how most people mistake Radha-Krsna
affairs as mundane. Once there was a fire in a barn and one of the cows was
almost frightened to death. Ever since then, whenever that cow sees even the
color red, she thinks "there is fire" and is panic-stricken. Similarly, as soon
as an ordinary man or woman sees a picture of Radha and Krsna embracing, they
immediately think that Krsna must be doing what they also do with their
boyfriend, girlfriend, or husband or wife. Unfortunately, professional reciters
of the Bhagavatam do nothing to alleviate this misconception, but jump into
the Tenth Canto pastimes of Lord Krsna in the Srimad-Bhagavatam although neither
they nor their audience are fit to hear it. The authorized approach to
the Bhagavatam is to first carefully read the nine cantos which establish
the greatness of the Supreme Lord, His universal form, His material energy,
creation, His avataras and so on. The first two cantos are like looking upon
the lotus feet of the Lord and as one gradually progresses, one can look upon
the body of the Lord until finally one sees His smiling face in the Tenth Canto
activities with the gopis.
The gopis' love would not have been praised by a pure brahmacari like Narada or
Sukadeva Gosvami or by a liberated sage like Vyasadeva, if it were actually
a lusty affair. The Vedic sages who meditate upon and glorify gopi-lila are
themselves free from all passions, so how could they be interested in
Radha-Krsna if Their love was a worldly sex affair?
When we study Radha-Krsna pastimes in Srimad-Bhagavatam, we learn that all
the gopis had spiritual bodies. This is another proof that the affair is
supramundane. When Krsna played His flute at night, the gopis went to Him in
their spiritual bodies. The gopis are eternal companions of Krsna, and when
the Lord exhibits His transcendental pastimes within the material world they
come with Him. But some of the gopis who joined Krsna's pastimes within this
material world came from the status of ordinary human beings. By meditating on
Krsna they become purified and elevated to the same status as the eternally
liberated gopis. Prabhupada writes, "All the gopis who concentrated their minds
on Krsna in the spirit of paramour love became fully uncontaminated from all
the fruitive reactions of material nature, and some of them immediately gave up
their material bodies developed under the three modes of material nature."
(Krsna, Great Classics Edition, p. 242, "The Rasa Dance, Introduction")
When Sukadeva first recited Krsna's rasa-lila pastimes, Maharaja Pariksit raised
a doubt similar to that addressed in this code of Narada-bhakti-sutras. He
asked, "How by thinking of a paramour could the gopis attain liberation?"
Sukadeva replied that even if one considers that the gopis were motivated by
lust, any association with Krsna will purify one of all material desires.
Because He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, even persons like Sisupala
who thought of Krsna in envy, gained salvation simply by seeing Him.
"The conclusion is that if one somehow or other becomes attached to Krsna or
attracted to Him, either because of His beauty, quality, opulence, fame,
strength, renunciation or knowledge, or even through lust, anger or fear, or
affection or friendship, then one's salvation and freedom from material
contamination are assured." (Krsna, Great Classics edition, p. 245, "The Rasa
Dance, Introduction)
Although the gopis' love is completely pure, there was once a society girl named
Kubja in Mathura, who approached Krsna with mixed, lusty desires. But even
Kubja, "by smelling the fragrance of Krsna's lotus feet, was immediately
relieved of all lusty desires."
The word kama (lust) is used to describe the gopis' feelings towards Krsna, but
in their case it is actually a transcendental emotion. The gopis wanted Krsna
to be their husband, but there was no possibility of His marrying all of them.
Therefore their relationship is known as parakiya-rasa (paramour love). But
whereas in the material world the relationship of unmarried women with
a paramour is considered abominable, in the spiritual world it is present as
the super-excellent relationship of Krsna and the gopis. Of all the rasas,
the parakiya-rasa is considered to be topmost. Just as a tree reflected in
the water appears upside down, so that which is topmost in the spiritual world
becomes abominable, in the form of sexual affairs in the material world. When
people imitate the rasa dance of Krsna with the gopis, they only enjoy
the perverted reflection of the transcendental parakiya-rasa. Prabhupada writes,
"It is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam that one should not imitate this
parakiya-rasa even in dream or imagination. Those who do so drink the most
deadly poison."
Another characteristic of mundane paramour love is that it is unsteady. As soon
as there is disruption in sex pleasure, one seeks out a new partner.
The Srimad-Bhagavatam predicts that in the Age of Kali marriage will become
degraded to a mere convenience for sex pleasure, and will be rejected whenever
sense gratification abates. But bhakti is steady, loyal and everfresh.
The gopis' love for Krsna is within the hladini sakti, or internal pleasure
potency, of Sri Krsna. When Sri Krsna wants to enjoy, He does not associate with
women of the material world, and this is another proof of the gopis' spiritual
position. In the exchanges of Krsna with the gopis through the hladini sakti,
there is unlimited and unending ecstasy, not like the quickly satiated lusts of
sexual affairs, which are followed with entanglements and karmic reactions.
Even after Sukadeva explained the spiritual love of the gopis, Maharaja Pariksit
was in doubt as to why Krsna acted in that way. Sukadeva Gosvami replied that
Lord Krsna is independent of any social or religious principles, and this is
another testimony of His greatness. As the supreme isvara, Lord Krsna may
sometimes violate His own instructions to the living beings, but that is only
possible for the controller Himself, not for the followers. Since no one can act
like Krsna in His all-powerful and miraculous activities, neither should one try
to imitate His rasa dance. To further clear all doubts about Krsna and the
gopis, one may read chapter thirty-two of Krsna, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, the summary study of Srimad-Bhagavatam Tenth Canto, by His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

CODE 24

nasty eva tasmims tat-sukha-sukhitvam

SYNONYMS

na-there is not; eva-indeed; tasmin-in it; tat-His; sukha-in the happiness;
sukhitvam-finding happiness.

TRANSLATION

In such false devotion one does not find pleasure exclusively in the Lord's
pleasure.

PURPORT

As already explained, lust is as different from love as iron is from gold.
Krsnadasa Kaviraja states, "The desire to gratify one's own senses is kama
(lust), but the desire to please the senses of Lord Krsna is prema (love)."
(Cc. Adi 4.165) An expression of pure love is given by Srimati Radharani:
"I do not mind My personal distress. I only wish for the happiness of Krsna,
for His happiness is the goal of My life. However, if He feels great happiness
in giving Me distress, that distress is the best of My happiness." (Cc. Antya
20.52)
Krsnadasa Kaviraja informs us, "The gopis have no inclination for their own
enjoyment, and yet their joy increases. That is indeed a contradiction."
The solution to this contradiction is that "The joy of the gopis lies in the joy
of their beloved Krsna." (Cc Adi 4.189) Although the gopis are the leaders in
this selfless love for the Lord, all Vaisnavas share in this sentiment. When
Lord Nrsimhadeva wanted to offer a benediction to Prahlada Maharaja, who had
undergone so much suffering on the Lord's account, Prahlada Maharaja declined.
Prahlada said he had not performed his devotional service as a merchant seeking
profit in exchange for service. "O my Lord, I am Your unmotivated servant, and
You are my eternal master. There is no need for our being anything other than
master and servant. You are naturally my master, and I am naturally Your
servant. We have no other relationship." (Bhag. 7.10.6)
In a similar mood, Madhavendra Puri underwent difficult austerities in order
to carry a load of sandalwood for the sake of his Sri Gopala Deity. Madhavendra
Puri walked thousands of miles through territory governed by Mohammedans, and
filled with thieves and watchmen. Describing Madhavendra's service, Lord
Caitanya said, "This is the natural result of intense love of Godhead.
The devotee does not consider personal inconveniences or impediments. In all
circumstances he wants to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead." (Cc. Madhya
4.186)
As in the case of the gopis, so all pure devotees feel great happiness, even
while undergoing austerities for Krsna's account. Prabhupada writes, "It is said
that when one sees apparent unhappiness or distress in a perfect Vaisnava, it is
not unhappiness for him; rather it is transcendental bliss." (Cc. Madhya 4.186,
purport)
We may ask why does a devotee approach Lord Krsna with a selfless love seeking
only to please Him? In order to ask or answer this question, one has to
personally experience love. There are glimmers of pure love even in the material
world, as in the love a mother has for her child. Even within the animal kingdom
a mother sometimes risks her life to protect her offspring. But pure love is
only in relation to the all-attractive Personality of Godhead. Pure love cannot
be exactly analyzed in intellectual terms but it can be experienced when one
purifies one's heart.
The secret drive for the bhaktas is in the all-attractive nature of Krsna, and
the fact that He is the Self of all selves. This is explained in the Srimad-
Bhagavatam, when Sukadeva related how Krsna expanded Himself into all the
calves, cows and cowherd boys of Vrndavana. When Krsna expanded Himself in this
way, the mothers and fathers of the boys felt increased love for their
offspring. On hearing this miraculous pastime, Maharaja Pariksit asked, "When
Krsna expanded Himself, why is it that the boys' parents became more loving
toward Him than toward their own sons? Also, why did the cows become so loved
by their own calves? Also, why did the cows become so loving toward the calves
more than toward their own calves?" Sukadeva replied that Krsna is the Supersoul
of everyone and everything. He is the all-attractive center, and so whatever
appears attractive in this world actually expands from the Lord.
By loving Krsna one also realizes his love for all living beings. Universal love
is a part of God consciousness. This is expressed in the two great commandments
of Jesus Christ: "To love the Lord thy God with the whole mind, soul and heart,
and to love thy neighbor as thy self." (Matthew 22:37-39, Mark 12:30-31, Luke
10:27) Prabhupada illustrated this point with a homely example. In India, when
a man marries a woman, he also gains a relationship with her whole family.
Similarly, if one develops love for Krsna, who is the father of all living
beings, one immediately becomes aware of his loving relationship with Krsna's
"joint family." A devotee who even partially realizes his love for Krsna wants
to work for Krsna's mission in this world to help all living beings. When one
does this not for fame as a preacher and not as a professional business but when
he humbly meets all difficulties for spreading Krsna consciousness he becomes
the dearmost servant of the Lord. This is perfection of happiness in spiritual
love, and it is completely unlike lust, the desire for one's own pleasure.

CODE 25

sa tu karma-jnana-yogebhyo 'py adhikatara

SYNONYMS

sa-it; tu-but; karma-than fruitive work; jnana-speculative knowledge; yogebhyah-
and mystic meditation; api-indeed; adhikatara-superior.

TRANSLATION

Pure devotional service, on the other hand, is far superior to fruitive work,
philosophic speculation and mystic meditation.

PURPORT

Having described the gopis of Vraja as the topmost example of para bhakti,
Narada now turns his attention to bhakti-yoga in general. By a comparative
study, Narada asserts that all bhaktas, are categorically superior to other
Vedic practitioners. The analysis of human categories into karmis, jnanis, yogis
and bhaktas, is itself a brilliant gift of Vedic knowledge. It will be
especially advantageous to the treatise on bhakti, if we know that bhakti is
the highest human expression out of a full range of other possible activities.
Karma refers to activity performed within the bounds of Vedic injunctions, but
with the intention of enjoying the results for oneself. Another term, vikarma,
is used for activity which is forbidden by the Vedas. So karma has a religious
stature, although it is still material. The karmi is interested in rewards like
money, sense pleasure and fame in this life, and he also seeks promotion to
higher planets in the next life. The great defect of karma is that it always
results in reactions which force the performer to return to another material
birth in the transmigration of species. Whether conceived as good karma or bad
karma, pious or impious, all karmic activity keeps one bound within the cycle
of birth and death.
Jnana refers to cultivation of knowledge. The jnani sees the shortcomings of
karma and begins to inquire into higher truth. Jnanis are generally philosophers
and meditators. They are not interested merely in material results, but in
knowledge for its own sake. By cultivation of jnana, through study of Vedic
sastras or through meditation, one can come to the brink of spiritual knowledge,
awareness of eternal Brahman. But unless one goes further and understands his
relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, cultivation of knowledge
will suffer the same defeat as karma - it leaves one stranded within the cycle
of birth and death. The jnanis' shortcoming is described in a Srimad-Bhagavatam
prayer by the demigods:
"(Someone may say that aside from devotees who always seek shelter at the Lord's
lotus feet, there are those who are not devotees but who have accepted different
processes for attaining salvation. What happens to them? In answer to this
question, Lord Brahma and the other demigods said:) O lotus-eyed Lord, although
non-devotees who accept severe austerities and penances to achieve the highest
position may think themselves liberated, their intelligence is impure. They fall
down from their position of imagined superiority because they have no regard for
Your lotus feet." (Bhag. 10.2.32)
Lord Krsna describes the yogi as follows: "A yogi is greater than the ascetic,
greater than the empiricist and greater than the fruitive worker. Therefore,
O Arjuna, in all circumstances, be a yogi." (Bg. 6.46)
There are many types of yoga, such as  hatha-yoga, astanga-yoga, raja-yoga,
dhyana-yoga and bhakti-yoga. Yoga has become very popular as a form of exercise
and relaxation, but real yoga as taught by Patanjali in the Yoga-sutras, or in
the sixth chapter of Bhagavad-gita, is an eight-fold system of meditation for
attaining samadhi or meditation on the Supreme. The eight-fold yoga process is
very difficult to perform, and even Arjuna decided it was too difficult for him
to do. Often the yogis become captivated by the siddhis or perfections that one
can gain through mystic yoga, such as being able to walk on water, become
the smallest object, influence other people and so on. The yoga process is
difficult, not recommended in this age, and full of many possible distractions.
It often leads to a non-theistic end.
Activities of karma, jnana and yoga are not condemned by those practicing
devotional service. Rather, when the lesser categories of activities are
dovetailed in the service of the Supreme, they can become favorable methods of
devotional service. For example, when karma or activity is joined with
devotional service, it is karma-yoga or action in Krsna consciousness. This is
recommended by Lord Krsna.

        yat karosi yad asnasi
        yaj juhosi dadasi yat
        yat tapasyasi kaunteya
        tat kurusva mad-arpanam

"Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer or give away, and
whatever austerities you perform - do that, O son of Kunti, as an offering to
Me." (Bg. 9.27)
Those who cultivate knowledge are often very proud and consider themselves
superior to the devotees. But the actual perfection of knowledge, jnana-yoga,
is to realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then jnana can be purified of
its mental speculation.

        bahunam janmanam ante
        jnanavam mam prapadyate
        vasudevah sarvam iti
        sa mahatma su-durlabhah

"After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto
Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul
is very rare." (Bg. 7.19)
So karma, jnana and yoga can become favorable for Krsna consciousness, but
direct para bhakti as taught by Lord Krsna is the conclusion to His teachings
in the Bhagavad-gita:

        man-mana bhava mad bhakto
        mad-yaji mam namaskuru
        mam evaisyasi satyam te
        pratijane priyo 'si me

        sarva-dharman parityajya
        mam ekam saranam vraja
        aham tvam sarva-papebhyo
        moksayisyami ma sucah

"Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me and offer your homage unto
Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are
My very dear friend. Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto
Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear." (Bg. 18.65-66)
Narada's assertion of the supremacy of bhakti is thus confirmed by Lord Krsna
in the Bhagavad-gita.

CODE 26

phala-rupatvat

SYNONYMS

phala-of the fruit; rupatvat-because of being the form.

TRANSLATION

After all, it is the fruit of all endeavor.

PURPORT

Bhakti is more than a process which leads to a result. It is the constitutional
nature of the living being. As stated in Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 20.108),
jivera svarupa haya krsnera nitya-dasa: The eternal form of the living entity
is to be a servant of Krsna. Even in the beginning stages, bhakti is both the
means and the end. To explain this, Srila Prabhupada gave the example of
a mango. In its unripe stage, a mango is a mango, and when it becomes ripe and
relishable, it is still a mango. So even neophyte activities of bhakti are
within the realm of love of God, and are pleasing to Krsna. But activities of
karma and jnana and yoga are not pleasing to Krsna until they are converted by
at least a beginning of bhakti.
When one begins devotional service, the emphasis is on obligatory practices, as
ordered by the spiritual master. But even the practice stage of love of God is
based on the soul's dormant inclinations.
"This practice is not for developing something artificial. For example, a child
learns or practices to walk. This walking is not unnatural, the walking capacity
is there originally in the child, and simply by a little practice he walks very
nicely. Similarly, devotional service to the Supreme Lord is the natural
instinct of every living entity." (Nectar of Devotion, 1970 edition, p. 19, Ch.
2 "First Stages of Devotion")
Narada has defined bhakti as superior to other processes because it is both
the means and the end, whereas other processes must ultimately lead to bhakti.
This is one important reason why bhakti is superior, and now Narada will offer
further evidence.

CODE 27

isvarasyapy abhimani-dvesitvad dainya-priyatvac ca

SYNONYMS

isvarasya-of the Supreme Lord; api-also; abhimani-of those who are proud;
dvesitvat-because of being one who dislikes; dainya-of humility; priyatvat-
because of being fond; ca-and.

TRANSLATION

The Lord, furthermore, dislikes the proud while being pleased by the humble.

PURPORT

The humility which Narada praises is not an ordinary modesty, but is in
relationship to the Supreme Lord. This is the whole point; the bhakta does what
Krsna likes. Lord Caitanya has described six symptoms of a surrendered soul,
and each of them involves humility before the Lord. In the surrendering process
one should: 1.) accept things favorable for discharging devotional service,
2.) reject things unfavorable, 3.) believe firmly in the Lord's protection,
4.) feel exclusively dependent on the mercy of the Lord, 5.) have no interest
separate from the interest of the Lord, and 6.) always feel oneself meek and
humble.
Humility is pleasing to Krsna, and therefore the devotee is humble. If Lord
Krsna said that he preferred pride then the devotee would be proud. In fact,
sometimes the Lord likes reprimands from His intimate friends. Krsna's cowherd
boy friends think of themselves as His equals and sometimes challenge Him. A boy
climbs on His back and says, "What kind of a big man are you?" Similarly, when
Mother Yasoda or Radharani chide Krsna, He likes it. These are examples of proud
behavior in prema-bhakti, but Narada is discussing a more basic instruction -
that pride in one's self and one's activities is not pleasing to the Lord.
Everyone should acknowledge that whatever opulence he has, has been given by
the Supreme. Whatever prowess or wealth, beauty, talent or learning we possess
is nothing to be proud of because it is all "borrowed plumes." Even when we
receive Krsna's favor in devotional service, we should know that it is His mercy
and not our own greatness. Sometimes when a devotee displays pride, Krsna
personally crushes it:
"The gopis, however, soon began to feel very proud, thinking themselves to be
the most fortunate women in the universe by being favored by the company of
Krsna. Lord Krsna, who is known as Kesava, could immediately understand their
pride caused by their fortune of enjoying Him personally, and in order to
show them His causeless mercy and to curb their false pride, he immediately
disappeared from the scene, exhibiting His opulence of renunciation." (Krsna,
Great Classics edition, p. 253, "The Rasa Dance, Introduction")
The more power one possesses, the more he is liable to become puffed up.
Demigods like Lord Brahma and Lord Indra sometimes displayed pride in
forgetfulness of Krsna's supreme position. When Lord Indra was envious of Krsna
he tried to punish the residents of Vrndavana by sending torrential rainfall,
but Krsna protected the Brijbasis by lifting Govardhana Hill. Indra then
approached Krsna and sought forgiveness.
"Indra said: Within this material world there are many fools like myself who
consider themselves to be the Supreme Lord or the all-in-all within the
universe. You are so merciful that without punishing their offenses, You devise
means so that their false prestige is subdued and they can know that You, and
none else, are the Supreme Personality of Godhead." (Krsna, Great Classics
edition, p. 226, "Prayers by Indra, the King of Heaven")
Lord Caitanya considered humility a most important requisite for one aspiring
to chant the holy names of God. "One who thinks himself lower than the grass,
who is more tolerant than a tree, and who does not expect honor but is always
prepared to give all respect to others can very easily chant the holy name of
the Lord." (Cc. Antya 20.21) Vaisnavas offer respect not only to the Supreme
Lord and His direct representatives, but to all living beings. The more one
advances spiritually the more humble he becomes. The greatest devotee, the
maha-bhagavata, sees everyone except himself, as a servant of Lord Krsna.
"Although a Vaisnava is a most exalted person, he is prideless and he gives all
respect to everyone, knowing everyone to be the resting place of Krsna."
(Cc. Antya 20.25) If at any point a devotee becomes proud of becoming
a distinguished Vaisnava, then he has developed an anartha (unwanted thing):
"Wherever there is a relationship of love of Godhead, its natural symptom is
that the devotee does not think himself a devotee. Instead, he always thinks
that he has not even a drop of love for Krsna." (Cc. Antya 20.28)
Although all transcendentalists may aspire to humility, Narada says that bhakti
is the best path for its cultivation. In bhakti one cannot advance without
pleasing Lord Krsna by acts of humility, whereas karma, jnana and yoga do not
absolutely culture humility. In the other processes there is more likelihood
that one will think he is advancing by self-effort. One may think that he has
become a great karmi by endeavor at accumulating wealth, or that he is gaining
knowledge by his own study or that he has become a siddha-yogi by long years of
austerity. The pure bhakta, however, knows that his devotion is simply the mercy
of the Supreme Lord. The devotee is more aware that his well-being depends on
his humility before Krsna. One cannot be puffed up and at the same time be
a devotee.
Lord Krsna is attracted to the humble. He was very pleased by the unpretentious
behavior of Sudama Vipra, and blessed him in many ways. Similarly, Lord Caitanya
showed special mercy to a devotee named Kalidasa, who worshiped all Vaisnavas
with great respect and love. But Lord Caitanya was not pleased by the proud
Vaisnava scholarship of Vallabha Bhatta.
Narada's statement, that the Supreme Lord is pleased with one group (the humble)
and displeased with another (the proud), does not mean that Krsna is partial.
Lord Krsna does not withhold His love, but we remove ourselves from His
presence, because of ignorance. The sun shines for the benefit of all living
beings, but creatures like owls hide themselves from its rays. It is not Krsna's
partiality, but the fault of egoists, that they turn away from Him.
"Unlike an ordinary living entity, my Lord, You do not discriminate between
friends and enemies, the favorable and the unfavorable, because for You there
is no conception of higher and lower. Nonetheless, You offer Your benedictions
according to the level of one's service, exactly as a desire tree delivers
fruits according to one's desires and makes no distinction between lower and
higher." (Bhag. 7.9.27)

CODE 28

tasya jnanam eva sadhanam ity eke

SYNONYMS

tasyah-of it (bhakti); jnanam-knowledge; eva-alone; sadhanam-the means; iti-
thus; eke-some.

TRANSLATION

Some say that knowledge is the means for developing devotion.

PURPORT

Narada now begins a train of thought which will be completed in sutras 28-30.
He is questioning as to the source of bhakti.
Is bhakti based on knowledge? Certainly knowledge gathering is an important part
of Krsna consciousness. Throughout the Bhagavad-gita Lord Krsna gives Arjuna
essential knowledge for liberation in devotional service. Krsna reprimands
Arjuna for "speaking learned words" but acting like one in ignorance. Krsna
therefore becomes the guru of Arjuna and begins by teaching him the immortality
of the soul. Lord Caitanya also acted as a knowledge-giver in His teachings to
Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, Prakasananda Sarasvati and in His meeting with Rupa
and Sanatana Gosvamis.
Krsna conscious knowledge is not jnana in the impersonal sense, but it is
knowledge of the soul, and knowledge of God, with a bhakti conclusion. It is
obvious, therefore, that bhakti cannot be without knowledge. Srila Prabhupada
was sometimes asked, "How can a person without knowledge know if a spiritual
master is bona fide?" Srila Prabhupada replied that in order to know who is
a genuine guru, you first have to gain some idea of what a guru is. He gave
the example that if someone wants to buy gold, he had better learn about gold
and the gold market. Otherwise, he will be easily cheated. Or if one wants to
attend a college, he has to get information on the qualification of various
universities, their entrance requirements and so on. So bhakti is certainly
based on knowledge. Srila Prabhupada wrote his books for the purpose of
distributing knowledge, and he said, "Religion without philosophy is fanaticism,
just as philosophy without religion is dry mental speculation."
But although knowledge is important, it is not an absolute requisite for bhakti.
If Krsna likes, He can immediately bestow enlightenment upon any person,
regardless of his education. The statement that knowledge alone is the source of
devotion is somewhat lopsided. It cannot be accepted as the whole truth on how
to acquire bhakti.

CODE 29

anyonyasrayatvam ity eke

SYNONYMS

anyonya-mutual; asrayatvam-dependency; iti-thus; eke-some.

TRANSLATION

Others consider the two interdependent.

PURPORT

The spiritual harmony of knowledge and devotion is well expressed in the phrase
bhakti-vedanta. Some observers think of bhakti and jnana as separate or in
opposition to one another. The Advaitins claim a monopoly on jnana through
the study of the Vedanta-sutra according to the commentary of Sankara. But
Vedantic study is not in opposition to bhakti-yoga. The author of Vedanta-sutra
is Srila Vyasadeva, who also compiled the Srimad-Bhagavatam, which is
a masterpiece of bhakti as well as the natural commentary on Vedanta-sutra.
The Vaisnava acaryas such as Ramanuja, Madhva, and Baladeva Vidyabhusana have
all written commentaries on Vedanta-sutra and proved Vedanta to be harmonious
with devotional service. When a Vaisnava studies Vedanta-sutra and other Vedic
literatures in order to understand the glories of the Supreme Lord, then we have
bhakti-plus-vedanta.
Knowledge is especially required by the preacher who has to meet opposing
arguments. The Vaisnava acaryas were all highly learned in Sanskrit, philosophy
and logic. But they were never dry speculators like the academic or
impersonalist scholars. They knew the conclusion of the Vedas: vedais ca sarvair
aham eva vedyah. Sri Krsna says, "By all the Vedas, I am to be known. Indeed,
I am the compiler of Vedanta, and I am the knower of the Vedas." (Bg. 15.15)
Knowledge and devotion are harmonious, but to say that they are interdependent,
may be too strong. Love of Krsna sometimes arises without a long development of
jnana. Narada Muni once blessed a sadistic hunter with pure devotion to Krsna.
This type of spontaneous development of bhakti by the good graces of the Lord
and Vaisnavas is known as krpa-siddhi, perfection by mercy.
In the eternal pleasure pastimes of the Lord, Yogamaya sometimes covers
the devotee's knowledge that Krsna is God. This is another example of how
knowledge and bhakti are not always interdependent. Sometimes the eternal
associates of Krsna know that He is the Supreme Lord, an sometimes they forget,
as it suits the mood of the rasa. At the name-giving ceremony of Krsna the sage
Garga Muni said, "This child will grow in power, beauty, opulence - everything -
on the level of Narayana, the Supreme Personality of Godhead." But Mother Yasoda
treated Krsna as her dependent child. One time Yasoda ordered Krsna to open His
mouth so she could see if He had eaten dirt. Krsna obeyed, and when Mother
Yasoda looked in the mouth of her child she saw the universal form, including
all time, space and planets. Mother Yasoda temporarily gained knowledge that
Krsna was the Supreme Person and she prayed, "Let me offer my respectful
obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead under whose energy the bodily
self and bodily possessions are conceived." But then Lord Krsna expanded His
internal energy to bewilder Mother Yasoda with maternal affection. She
immediately forgot her philosophical speculation and again accepted Krsna as her
own child. In cases like these, in the eternal pastimes of the Lord, knowledge
and devotion come and go in a harmonious interplay, but always in the service
of bhakti.

CODE 30

svayam phala-rupeti brahma-kumarah

SYNONYMS

svayam-itself; phala-rupa-manifesting as its fruit; iti-thus; brahma-kumara-
the son of Brahma.

TRANSLATION

The son of Brahma, however, points out that bhakti is its own fruit.

PURPORT

Narada now gives the opinion that bhakti is not dependent on any other source
than itself for its nourishment. In his lecture "On Chanting Hare Krsna," Srila
Prabhupada said that Krsna consciousness is not an artificial imposition on
the mind, but it is the original energy of the living being. The chanting of
Hare Krsna, Srila Prabhupada said, is above the mind, senses and intellect, and
"it springs automatically from the spiritual platform..." (Science of
Self-Realization, Chapter Five - "Practicing Yoga in the Modern Age")
In Lord Caitanya's Siksastaka, He declares that the chanting of the holy name
of Krsna cleans the mirror of the heart. When the mirror of the mind (or heart)
is cleared, then one can see his original spiritual self as well as the Supreme
Lord. The beginning activities of bhakti, therefore, clean away the ignorance
and false ego and reveal the eternal state of devotional service. So bhakti is
not produced by something, but rather the practices of sadhana-bhakti remove
the obstacles to our original loving relationship with the Lord.
Srila Prabhupada would sometimes say that Krsna consciousness is causeless. For
example, "Revival of the dormant affection or love of Godhead does not depend
on the mechanical system of hearing and chanting, but it solely and wholly
depends on the causeless mercy of the Lord." (Bhag. 1.7.6, purport) This means
that bhakti is freely bestowed by the Lord upon the devotee. The Supreme Lord is
not bound to respond to any religious act or austerity performed by a living
entity, as if in mechanical obedience to law. The mechanical or karmic theory is
put forward by the karma-kandiya religionists, but this is rejected in
bhakti-yoga. Krsna is svarat, supremely independent, and so is bhakti. Krsna's
giving of His love is not dependent on the various departments of human
accomplishment, such as karma, jnana or yoga. Srila Prabhupada writes, "Such
mitigation of material affection does not wait for development of transcendental
knowledge. Rather, knowledge is dependent on devotional service for the ultimate
realization of the Supreme Truth." (Bhag. 1.7.6, purport) If a person happens to
be lacking in any department, or even lacking in devotion, Lord Krsna can supply
the requirements as He likes.
In a purport describing the free wandering of Narada Muni, Srila Prabhupada
gives an eloquent expression of the independence of bhakti-yoga:
"There is not reason or obligation for Narada's traveling, and no one can stop
him from his movement. Similarly, the transcendental system of devotional
service is also free. It may or may not develop in a particular person even
after he undergoes all the detailed formulas. Similarly, the association of
the devotee is also free. One may be fortunate to have it, or one may not have
it even after thousands of endeavors. Therefore in all spheres of devotional
service, freedom is the main pivot." (Bhag. 1.6.37)
The Mayavadis sometimes twist a sutra like this one, to assert that
the impersonal atma needs no assistance to reveal itself. They say that
the scriptures and gurus and even God Himself are just finite inventions which
may help us but which are later thrown away, just as one may remove a thorn in
his flesh with another thorn and then throw both away. The misconception here is
that the bhakti-sastras or pure devotees are finite products of the material
world. The fact is that the sastras are eternal manifestations of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. As described in Bhagavad-gita and other scriptures,
the Vedas are the "breathing of Narayana." (Bg. 3.15) The Vedic scriptures are
sometimes manifest, but eternally existing. Similarly, the Supreme Lord and His
eternal associates sometimes appear within the material world, but are always
manifest in the spiritual world where they engage in unlimited varieties of
pastimes. Prabhupada writes:
"Persons with a poor fund of knowledge conclude that a place devoid of material
qualities must be some sort of formless nothingness. In reality, however, there
are qualities in the spiritual world, but they are different from the material
qualities because everything there is eternal, unlimited and pure."
(Cc. Adi 5.22, purport)
Lord Krsna, His expansions and His devotees are not "dispensable." It is, in
fact, the Mayavada doctrine with is a temporary creation, introduced for
a special purpose, but intended to be later thrown away. Krsnadasa Kaviraja
writes:
"Sankara, who was an incarnation of Lord Siva, is faultless because he is the
servant carrying out the orders of the Lord. But those who follow his Mayavada
philosophy are doomed. They will lose all their advancement in spiritual
knowledge. One who considers the transcendental body of Lord Visnu to be made
of material nature is the greatest offender at the lotus feet of the Lord. There
is no greater blasphemy against the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
(Cc. Adi 7.114-15)
The opinion of the brahma-kumara (the son of Lord Brahma) is that bhakti is
eternal and self-manifested, not dependent on any lesser process. When eternal
devotional service is revealed to a sincere devotee, he realizes that it is
sac-cid-ananda-vigraha, full of eternity, bliss and knowledge, in form.

CODE 31

raja-grha-bhojanadisu tathaiva drstatvat

SYNONYMS

raja-of a king; grha-in the residence; bhojana-adisu-in feeding and so on;
tatha eva-just like this; drstatvat-because of it being seen.

TRANSLATION

This is as seen in the distribution of food and other charitable functions in
a royal palace.

PURPORT

By this worldly example, Narada helps us to understand the actual experience of
bhakti. Narada has said that according to some opinions, knowledge is the means
for developing bhakti, whereas others say that knowledge and bhakti are
interdependent. But Narada's conclusion is the bhakti is its own fruit. This
means that bhakti is an intimate exchange between the Lord and His devotees,
which does not depend on any other process except for the mutual exchange of
the loving bhaktas and their Lord. The free exchange of loving service and
between the Lord and the devotees is understood by them only; and only those
with the mentality of pure bhakti can enter into this exchange.
Narada's example is of an official state feeding by the king to his subjects,
as well as other charities which might be conducted from the royal palace. These
are not intimate exchanges, although they may be motivated by a general sense of
generosity. In a similar way, Lord Krsna describes Himself in the Bhagavad-gita
as impartial to all, and yet specially inclined to His pure devotees. Krsna
says, "I'm equal to all, but whoever renders service unto Me in devotion is
friend, is in Me, and I am also a friend to him." (Bg. 9.29) In the purport to
this Bhagavad-gita verse, Prabhupada writes:
"One may question here that if Krsna is equal to everyone and no one is His
special friend, then why does He take a special interest to the devotees who are
always engaged in His transcendental service? But this is not discrimination;
it is natural. Any man in this material world may be very charitably disposed,
yet he has a special interest in his own children. The Lord claims that every
living entity - in whatever form - is His son, and so He provides everyone with
a generous supply of the necessities of life. He's just like a cloud that pours
rain all over, regardless of whether it falls on rocks or land or water. But for
His devotees, He gives specific attention
"No one can know the king except those who are his intimate friends and
dependents. In a similar way, the bhaktas are intimates of the Supreme Lord, and
can participate directly in the life of their beloved King, unlike the karmis,
jnanis, and yogis. The Vedic scriptures inform us that the eternal servants in
Vaikuntha have almost all the same opulences as Lord Visnu, and in Krsnaloka,
the cowherd boys look very similar to Krsna and share constantly in His pleasure
pastimes.
"The king's personal feast may be open only to members of his entourage, but
fortunately, Lord Krsna's food remnants, prasada, may be relished anywhere,
provided one comes in contact with a devotee. But to actually sit wit Sri Krsna
in His personal form and to talk, and share a feast with Him, is a special
privilege attained after thousands of births of pious activities.
Srimad-Bhagavatam describes the blissful scene in Krsnaloka:
"Sitting down on the ground and keeping Krsna in the center, they began to open
their different boxes brought from home. Lord Sri Krsna was seated in the center
of the circle, and all the boys kept their faces toward Him. They ate and
constantly enjoyed seeing the Lord face to face. Krsna appeared to be the whorl
of a lotus flower, and the boys surrounding Him appeared to be its different
petals. The boys collected flowers, leaves of flowers and the bark of trees and
placed them under their different boxes, and thus they began to eat their lunch,
keeping company with Krsna. While taking lunch, each boy began to manifest
different kinds of relations with Krsna, and they enjoyed each other's company
with joking words. While Lord Krsna was thus enjoying lunch with His friends,
His flute was pushed within the belt of His cloth, and His bugle and cane were
pushed in on the left-hand side of His cloth. He was holding a lump of foodstuff
prepared with yoghurt, butter, rice and pieces of fruit salad in His left palm,
which could be seen through His petal-like finger joints. The Supreme
Personality of Godhead, who accepts the results of all great sacrifices, was
laughing and joking, enjoying lunch with His friends in Vrndavana."
(Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead p. 116, "The Stealing of the Boys
and Calves by Brahma")

The example of eating is also a metaphor to help us understand what it is like
to attain Krsna consciousness:
"Devotion, direct experience of the Supreme Lord, and detachment from other
things - these three occur simultaneously for one who has taken shelter of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, in the same way that pleasure, nourishment
and relief from hunger come simultaneously and increasingly with each bite
for a person engaged in eating." (Bhag. 11.2.42)
Srila Prabhupada used to say that no one has to give you a certificate to state
that you are now Krsna conscious. You will know for yourself, and in fact, you
can only know it for yourself. Similarly, if you are hungry and you begin to
appease your hunger by eating, no one else has to tell you, "now you're
satisfied." Even the most vivid analogies cannot enlighten us beyond our
realization. Ultimately, we have to go to the spiritual world to see it for
ourselves. During the 1960's in America, at the time of the Vietnam War, a new
devotee asked Srila Prabhupada, "What is it like in Krsnaloka?" Srila Prabhupada
replied, "You won't be bothered by the draft board." That was a suitable reply
for a person plagued with that particular fear, but there is of course much more
to Krsnaloka than "no draft board." Sometimes when Prabhupada was pressed with
inquiries about the spiritual world he replied, "You will know when you go
there."

CODE 32

na tena raja-paritosah ksuc-chantir va

SYNONYMS

na-not; tena-by that; raja-of the king; paritosah-satisfaction; ksut-of hunger;
santih-pacification; va-or.

TRANSLATION

The king is not really satisfied by his acts of charity, nor is the recipients'
hunger placated.

PURPORT

Here is the difference between jnana (theoretical knowledge) and vijnana
(realized knowledge). It is especially important to hear from a spiritual master
who has vijnana. We will have to experience vijnana for ourselves, but if
the spiritual master is not self realized, then how can he guide us? Only those
who have confidential knowledge can convey it to others. For example, Lord
Brahma, the first enlightened living being, received Vedic knowledge directly
from Lord Krsna. If one hears Brahma's realized knowledge from someone in
disciplic succession who has also realized it, then one is in a position to
receive vijnana.
A great deal depends on the quality of submissive hearing. These very codes of
the Narada Bhakti Sutras dealing with the examples of home, the king and
the feast, give us a remarkable inside look at spiritual life. If we listen with
sensitivity and faith, then even before the stage of full realization, we can
begin to get an inkling of what it is like. We hear that spiritual perfection
will be like going home, and our attraction for this develops. One thinks, "Yes
I too would like to go home, back to Godhead." Faithful hearing can produce
realization. Srila Prabhupada writes, "For topics concerning Uttama-sloka,
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the spiritual master speaks, and the
disciple hears with attention... The spiritual master and disciple do not need
to understand more than Krsna because simply by understanding Krsna and talking
about Krsna, one becomes an perfectly learned person." (Bhag. 10.1.4, purport)
The importance of hearing about Krsna is emphasized throughout Vedic literature.
Srila Prabhupada states, "Whenever offenseless hearing and glorification of God
are undertaken, it is to be understood that Lord Krsna is present there in
the form of transcendental sound, which is as powerful as the Lord personally."
(Bhag. 1.2.17, purport) The force of purification by hearing from a bona fide
spiritual master has to be experienced in order to understand it. "Human reason
fails to understand how by serving the devotee bhagavata or the book bhagavata
one gets gradual promotion on the path of devotion. But actually these are facts
explained by Srila Naradadeva, who happened to be a maidservant's son in his
previous life." (Bhag. 1.2.18, purport)
Effective hearing must be accompanied by surrender to the Lord and the Lord's
devotee. It is not idle armchair talk. One has to be serious about inquiring
into the Absolute Truth, prepared to hear submissively and to serve the learned
spiritual master.
Narada's message in this code is that mere talk about food is not a substitute
for eating. Similarly, bhakti has to be practiced wholeheartedly. The other
processes, karma, jnana and yoga, even if they are well practiced, cannot bring
the taste of krsna-prasadam. They are compared to the nipples on a goat's neck,
which cannot yield milk, no matter how much you try. Another example which
Prabhupada like to give, was to compare academic scholars to a person who licks
the outside of a bottle of honey. Narada and the acaryas are inviting us to get
off the mental platform and to actually participate in bhakti-yoga - if we want
to know what it really is.

CODE 33

asmat saiva grahya mumuksuibhih

SYNONYMS

asmat-therefore; sa-it; eva-only; grahya-should be accepted; mumuksubhih-by
persons desiring liberation.

TRANSLATION

Therefore seekers of liberation should take to devotional service only.

PURPORT

Mukti (liberation) is a by-product of devotional service and yet it is not
attainable by other processes which seek mukti as their main goal. This is
stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.2.32), ye 'nye 'ravindaksa vimukta-maninah.
Those who pursue liberation but do not take shelter of the Supreme Lord in
devotional service may think that they have become liberated and elevated to
the highest position, but eventually they fall down. Because the impersonalist
meditator has failed to develop his loving relationship with the Supreme Person,
he must return from his sojourn in the Brahman and come back into the material
world to fulfill his personal desires. Therefore eternal liberation, freedom
from repeated birth and death, is only achieved in the spiritual world, in
loving service with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In previous sutras
Narada mentioned that devotional service is not performed for any reward -
including the desire for release from birth and death. This was also expressed
by Lord Caitanya: "O Almighty Lord, I have no desire for accumulating wealth,
nor do I have any desire to enjoy beautiful women, and neither do I want many
followers. All I want is that I may have Your causeless devotional service in
my life birth after birth." (Siksastaka verse 4) By "birth after birth" Lord
Caitanya means that He does not seek liberation. He seeks continual service and
remembrance of the Lord, in any sphere of life.
And yet mukti is automatically achieved by the devotee. By Krsna's desire,
the bhakta is promoted to Krsnaloka or to a Vaikuntha planet, according to his
rasa with the Lord. Or like Narada, a pure devotee may continue to travel in
the material world for preaching. Prabhupada used to say that liberation doesn't
mean one has to develop four arms and four heads. One may continue to live in
the world and be fully liberated.

        iha yasya harer dasye
        karmana manasa gira
        nikhilasv apy avasthasu
        jivan-muktah sa ucyate

"One who acts to serve Krsna with his body, mind, intelligence and words is
a liberated person, even within this material world." (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu
1.2.187)