Second period of Devotional Practice (2nd Yama Sadhana)

We have to remember the eight verses of Sikshastaka and along with it eight periods of transcendental pastimes of RadhaKrishna. In the first period of devotional practice we have remembered ‘Sraddha’ firm faith, the first progress of how we can get prema gradually. Gradual procedure has been shown by Bhakti Vinod Thakur here in his book ‘Bhajana Rahasya’ compiled by him.

Morning Worship: sādhu saṅge anartha nivṛtti

First period ‘Sraddha’ firm faith, i.e. by serving Supreme Lord Sri Krishna we serve all. By pouring water to the root of the tree the whole tree is nourished, in that way if we serve Supreme Lord all are served. this sort of firm belief should be there. If there is any kind of doubt in it we cannot have progress. When there is no other way of doing good to me, and also serving others, doing good to others, this is the only way, then why should we spoil our time, we worship Krishna.

After firm belief, you have to associate with bona fide sadhus. The original quality of a sadhu is he should have exclusive devotion to Supreme Lord Sri Krishna. Other qualities are concomitant. Original quality is exclusive devotion to Supreme Lord. And a bona-fide sadhu is equal to a bona-fide Guru. Taking shelter of a bon- fide Guru who has got that sort of qualification, one-pointed devotion to Supreme Lord Sri Krishna, as per his direction you perform bhajan, to do all forms of devotion. And best form is Nama Sankirtan. By that all other ulterior desires are removed. This is the second period. We have to practice it and see whether we have got this progress or not.

nāma grahaner kālākāla-vicāra nāhi
nāma sarvaśakti samanvitā

There is no restriction of doing Harinam, any time, any place, any circumstance you can do. All powers have been given to the Holy Name. In the second verse Caitanya Mahaprabhu has taught us,

nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktis
tatrārpitā niyamitaḥ smaraṇe na kālaḥ
etādṛśi tava kṛpā bhagavan mamāpi
durdaivam īdṛśam ihājani nānurāgaḥ
(2rd Verse of Sri Shikshastaka)

Caitanya Mahaprabhu is teaching, He is submitting His prayer to Supreme Lord: ‘Certainly Your Holy Name can bestow all kinds of eternal welfare. For that reason you have to remember the original names of Supreme Lord. Those names are transcendental names and have got no direct indirect connection with the world, whereas Parabrahma, Paramatma, Vishwanath, all these are connected with the world and these names are not connected, they are transcendental names. By practicing these names, by uttering these names the names will take you to transcendental realm, Krishna, Govinda, Gopinath, Madanmohan, etc. And all powers have been given to the Name. And there is no restriction, no condition is imposed here. Any where, any time, any circumstance, you can remember. In this Kali yuga, in this black age, you are unable to do meditation, you are unable to do oblation, even they are not able to do worship of deities because of several diseases in the body. For that reason Supreme Lord out of grace has given this special opportunity to us. Even the human beings of Satya yuga, even the demi-gods, they want to be born in Kali yuga.for this reason. Although in Kali yuga three-fourth vice and one virtue only, but yet this special qualification is there, by uttering the Holy name you can get everything. For that reason the people of those superior yugas, yuga means epoch, ages, they want to be born in this Kali yuga, Holy age. So we are very much fortunate that we are born in this special Kali yuga. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has appeared in the combined form of Radhakrishna, earlier to this in Dwapara yuga Nandanandana Sri Krishna. In 14 manavantars, in Brahma’s one day, once Nandanandana Krishna appears and He, Nandanandana Krishna appears in the form and mood of worship of Radharani as Gauranga to distribute the prema to all irrespective of any qualification, caste, creed, etc. We have got this sort of facility. We should not lose this opportunity. So much lenience has been given, so easy you can get Krishna by calling Him. Hare Krishna Mahamantra means to call Him, and all powers have been given to the Name. And yet the unfortunate persons of this world they have got no aptitude to do Harinam. For that reason Caitanya Mahaprabhu is expressing His regret, what further can I do.

aneka-lokera vāñchā — aneka-prakāra
kṛpāte karila aneka-nāmera pracāra
khāite śuīte yathā tathā nāma laya

Even at the time of eating, when lying down, you can remember Krishna.

deśa-kāla-niyama nāhi sarvasiddhi haya,
sarvaśakti nāme dila kariyā vibhāga,
āmāra durdaiva nāme nāhi anurāga
(Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita Antya 20.17-19)

ekānta bhaktera mātra kīrtan-smaraṇa,
anya parve ruchi nāhi haya pravartana

By giving evidence of Hari-bhakti-vilasa, Bhakti Vinod Thakur has given these instructions for success in devotional bhajan. One who has got exclusive devotion to Supreme Lord is considered as sadhu. Sadhu dedicates his whole life for all. If you dedicate a portion of your life you are not a sadhu. I am dedicating for my family, their requirements and other things, I am dedicating for a group and depriving other groups, I am dedicating for India then deprive other countries, I am dedicating for the world, then you will go to exploit other planets, if I remain for Krishna then I remain for all. One who has got exclusive devotion to Supreme Lord is considered as sadhu. That is the main qualification, the original qualification. And that sort of suddha bhakta has got desire only for kirtan and smaran, for uttering the Holy Name and remembering. They cannot be forced to do any other form of devotion, they have got liking for only these two. ‘matra’ means only, kirtan-smaran, because by kirtan we remember and in this remembrance all other forms of devotion are included.

bhāvera sahita haya śrīkṛṣṇa-sevana,
svārasikī-bhāva krame haya uddīpana

Service can be done with love, without love there cannot be any service. If there is no liking to do service, if there is no love for Krishna, then how can one serve. Forcibly, with other ulterior desires it will be something else, not service of Krishna. For getting mundane benefit you do something. By serving Krishna you will get all, why we should have other ulterior desires, what is the necessity? But the conditioned souls have got misconception of self, they run after all these non-eternal things.

bhāvera sahita haya śrīkṛṣṇa-sevana,
svārasikī-bhāva krame haya uddīpana

Bhava should be permanent. Bhava means delightful relation, master-servant relation, friendship relation, parent-children relation, husband-wife relation, consort-hood of love, all these actually exist there in transcendental realm Vrndavan Dhama with Sri Krishna. Here it is just maya. Maya means ‘not that’. It seems that all these things are here in this world but are non-eternal and ultimately gives tremendous suffering. All relations are with Supreme Lord. But when neophytes start bhajan sometimes they think I am serving Him as servant, master-servant, sometimes friendship relation, sometime other relation. This is not our bhava. When one relation will be permanent then it is svarasiki-bhava. And by having that, no one needs to pursue him to serve Krishna, he will automatically serve.

ekānta bhakatera kriyā mudrā rāgodita,
tathāpi sei saba nāhi vidhi viparīta

And they can do actual service. Sometimes they serve their object of service Supreme Lord, or Guru, Vaishnav, they say something, internally they intend something but externally they say you do this. Ordinary servants, ordinary servitors they will not be able to understand. But these devotees who have got love for Krishna, Krishna is saying this, but if you do just the reverse and Krishna will be satisfied. Ultimate target is His satisfaction. Ordinary devotees who have started bhajan they cannot do this.

sarva tyāga karile o chārā sukaṭhina,
pratiṣṭhāśātyāge yatna payibe praviṇa

We can give up our attachment to other things, money and sex connection, all this but it is very difficult to give up desire for name and fame. It is the last snare of maya. You should give up this desire otherwise if there is desire for name and fame there is every possibility of committing offense to superiors. It has been condemned very harshly by our Guruvarga, especially Bhakti Siddhantha Saraswati Gosvami Thakur.

prabhate gabhīra rātre madhyāhne sandhyāye,
anartha chāriyā lao nāmera āśraya

We have to do Harinam always, but without ulterior desires.

ei rūpe kīrtana smaraṇa jei kare,
kṛṣṇa-kṛpā haya śigrha, anāyāse tare

There is a procedure for doing. Even in this world also for worldly benefit a regular procedure is there. If procedure is wrong you will not get the objective. Here also the procedure for doing Harinam and remembering is there. Then Krishna will think he is sincere, he wants love for Me, he has got tremendous desire, Krishna will come at the back. Krishna’s own persons they will also come, devotee will come and help. God helps those who are sincere. We have to try then they will come. If you do not try, now you have been admitted in the school to get teachings. Master or the teacher can help you, but if you are unmindful you cannot get that important teaching as a student. But if anybody sincerely try then he will be able to understand the teachings of the teacher. Like that in this also, if we have got sincerity, desire to worship Krishna, Krishna is always ready to help us and His Absolute Counter-part devotees. If that sort of attitude is there, there is no fear.

śraddhā kari’ sādhu sange kṛṣṇa-nāma laye,

Firm faith and in the association of Sadhus we have to do Krishna Nama, not with the professional chanters who do for another objective. There Krishna will not come.

anartha sakala jāye niṣṭhā upajaye,

Sincerely if we do then all desires will be removed and you will have fixation of mind with the Object of worship.

prātaḥakāle nityalīlā karibe cintana,
cintite cintite bhāvera haibe sadhana

While doing Krishna Nama, simultaneously you have to think about the eternal pastimes of RadhaKrishna, those who want progress and prayojana. By thinking, by thinking, you will get. ‘cintite cintite bhavera haibe sadhana’. Your mind is somewhere else then how you can be absorbed in Krishna. Wherever you devote your mind you will go there.

Morning pastimes of Radha-Krishna

rādhāṁ snāta-vibhūṣitāṁ vrajapayāhūtāṁ sakhībhiḥ prage
tad-gehe vihitānna-pāka-racanāṁ kṛṣṇāvaśeṣanām
kṛṣṇaṁ buddham avāpta-ḍhenu-sadanaṁ nirvyūḍha-go-dohanaṁ
susnātaṁ kṛta-bhojanaṁ saha-caraistaṁ cātha tāṁ cāśrye
(Sri Govinda-lilamrta)

Here in the morning what Radharani is doing, always twenty-four hours serving Krishna. She takes bath not for her own self and also wears dresses which are liked by Krishna and also ornaments, everything for the satisfaction of Krishna. And Yashoda Devi herself can cook but she has heard that Radharani has got a boon from Durvasa Rsi, anybody who will eat the cooked food or take the cooked food of Radharani, his span of life will be increased. Yashoda Devi says Oh, it is very beneficial if the span of life of my son increased, so I am to bring Radharani to cook food. For that reason she wants that Radharani should come and cook food for her son. This is affection. But if you go Yashoda Devi (and say) you have got no knowledge of Krishna, Krishna is Supreme Lord and you want to increase the span of life of Krishna, then how you will perform bhajan? You are committing offense, then you shall not have Vraja prema. You cannot get Vraja prema. This is Vraja prema. They never see Krishna as Supreme Lord, they see Him as very beloved son, very beloved friend, like that. This is Vraja dham. And Radharani comes with other gopis. They always want to serve Krishna. When Yashoda Devi wants them to come they will immediately come by taking bath and everything, and whole time they are engaged in cooking food with great love. Whatever is cooked by love that pleases Krishna. If there is no love Krishna is not going to take that prepared food. Krishna, very willingly take the food cooked by Radharani because of love. After Krishna has taken food, the remnant prasad is tasted by Radharani and other gopis. We have to take shelter of such Radha. We have lgot no aptitude to do this. Our highest object of worship are RadhaKrishna. Radharani is engaging Herself for the service and if math-rakshak says you have to cook, we think that here we are in a very awkward position, no I cannot do this, no, do you know from which family I have come and you are ordering me to cook. This way we are deprived because we have no aptitude to serve Krishna. This we have to remember our object of worship, how they are serving, twenty-four hours.

And Krishna also has got love for the devotees. Devotees serve Krishna and Krishna serves devotees and for the satisfaction of the parents Nanda Maharaj and Yashoda Devi, Krishna rises from the bed. He, several times going to sleep and several times rising, only to fulfill the desire of the devotees. After rising up Krishna goes to the cowshed to milk the cows. The cows are waiting, weeping for seeing Krishna. By seeing Krishna they are giving milk automatically. The Rsi Munis have now become ordinary cows. After milking the cows Krishna comes back to take bath. Then Krishna’s friends, bosom friends, they are crying Oh Kannaiah, Oh Kannaiah, come come, we shall take bath together. Such is the love there. Without Krishna they cannot tolerate their separation. This is Vraja bhava. And Krishna and they sit together and Yashoda Devi says, now you have got the time, forenoon you have to go for the pastime of tending the cows, so you should take food now. And they sit and Yashoda Devi feeds all, Krishna and the cowherd boys. We have to take shelter at the Lotus Feet of such Krishna.