"Of the different processes recommended for disentanglement from material life, the one personally explained and accepted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead should be considered all-perfect. That process is the performance of duties by which love for the Supreme Lord develops."
Purport by Śrīla Prabhupāda: Among the linking processes that elevate one from bondage to material contamination, the one recommended by the Supreme Personality of Godhead should be accepted as the best. That process is clearly explained in Bhagavad-gītā, where the Lord says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (Bg. 18.66): "Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me." This process is the best because the Lord assures, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ: "I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear." There is no need to be worried, for the Lord Himself assures that He will care for His devotee and save him from the reactions of sinful activities. Material bondage is a result of sinful activity. Therefore, since the Lord assures that He will dissipate the results of fruitive material activities, there is no need to be worried. This process of understanding one's position as a spirit soul and then engaging oneself in devotional service is therefore the best. The entire Vedic program is based on this principle, and one can understand it as recommended in the Vedas:
"yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā gurau
tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ prakāśante mahātmanaḥ"
(Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.23)
"Unto those great souls who have implicit faith in both the Lord and the spiritual master, all the imports of Vedic knowledge are automatically revealed." (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.23) One must accept the pure devotee, the representative of God, as one's guru and then offer him all the respects one would offer the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the secret of success. For one who adopts this method, the perfect process is revealed. In this verse, the words yair añjasā ratiḥ indicate that by offering service and surrendering to the spiritual master, one is elevated to devotional service, and by performing devotional service one gradually becomes attached to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Because of this attachment to the Lord, one can understand the Lord. In other words, one can understand what the Lord's position is, what our position is, and what our relationship is. All this can be understood very easily by the simple method of bhakti-yoga. As soon as one is situated on the platform of bhakti-yoga, the root cause of one's suffering and material bondage is destroyed. This is clearly explained in the next verse, which gives the secret of success.
(4.20) Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad-gītā the best way:
"sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja" (Bg. 18.66)
"Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me."
This is the best process. The same thing is said in Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta (madhya-līlā 22.142):
"vidhi-dharma chāḍi’ bhaje kṛṣṇera caraṇa
niṣiddha pāpācāre tāra kabhu nahe mana"
If someone develops love unto the Supreme Lord and thinks of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa...
We have three stages of bhakti. Do you know it? You don't know?
Devotee: kaniṣṭha, madhyama, uttama…
Gour Govinda Swami: No, no, no. They are three types of devotees. Three stages of bhakti: vaidhī-bhakti, bhāva-bhakti, and prema-bhakti. Do you understand? Don't you know it?
Nṛhari: No, I know the word but I don't know the order.
Gour Govinda Swami: You don't know the order? First one is vaidhī. You follow the rules and regulations; it is known as viddhi-bhakti or vaidhī-bhakti. Then the second one, or next to it, is bhāva-bhakti. Then the ultimate one, the highest one, is prema-bhakti.
Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta says:
"vidhi-dharma chāḍi’ bhaje kṛṣṇera caraṇa
niṣiddha pāpācāre tāra kabhu nahe mana"
For the conditioned souls, the first one, vaidhī-bhakti, is stressed. Conditioned souls—those who have forgotten Kṛṣṇa, those who have forgotten their own self. You understand. They are conditioned, captured by māyā—they are conditioned souls, isn't it. They are not adopting any process of devotional service. They are engaged in their own sense gratification, and thereby they are committing all sorts of sinful activities, or sins, isn't it.
What they... this vaidhī-bhakti... is recommended? They should very strictly follow the rules and regulations laid down in śāstra. But above that is bhāva-bhakti, you understand. One who is in that stage, the bhāva stage, is superior to vaidhī-bhakta, isn't it. For him no viddhi is required, do you understand? No need of following these rules and regulations, do you understand.
So, one may think—yes, this is very good, we should be on that stage. Let us jump to that stage—bhāva stage. So, no necessity of observing such rules, strict rules, and regulations. Why? You may see some sahajiyā here in Vaiṣṇava sampradāya. They are known as sahajiyās. That process is propagated by... what is that?
Devotee: Gaurāṅga-nāgarī.
Gour Govinda Swami: Yes, that Rādhā Ramaṇa De, it is propagated by Rādhā Ramaṇa De, the sahajiyā process, you understand. You may do whatever! "We are very elevated personalities. We are not viddhi-mārgīs. We are bhāva, rāga-mārgīs. We are rāga-mārgīs. That means bhāva stage. So, for us, there is no need of following or observing the strict rules and regulations, you understand." They chew pān, drink tea—all these things they also do, and they also do all sorts of nonsense, you understand.
And Gaurāṅga-nāgarī, one group is there. Cuḍādhārī, sakhī-bhekī, gaurāṅga-nāgarī—fifteen or thirteen numbers are there. They are considered apa-sampradāya, do you understand. But they are a degraded sampradāya in Vaiṣṇava sampradāya. So, sahajiyā, ativādī, gaurāṅga-nāgarī… so many are there. Sahajiyā is one of them. They never follow any rules and regulations. They chew pān and drink tea, etc., some smoke also. And also, some of them, the young boys and girls, mix together—"Yes, we have (are) in prema, bhāva stage. So, it is not for us, we are in bhāva stage." You understand. They do all these things. They are known as sahajiyās.
But what Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta says:
"vidhi-dharma chāḍi’ bhaje kṛṣṇera caraṇa
niṣiddha pāpācāre tāra kabhu nahe mana
ajñāne vā haya yadi ‘pāpa’ upasthita
kṛṣṇa tāṅre śuddha kare, nā karāya prāyaścitta"
(Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, madhya-līlā 22.122–123)
Those who are really elevated to that stage, they are not like these sahajiyās. They are not artificially observing all these things. Bhāva is quite a natural thing. Do you understand?
When you are elevated, when you develop love for Kṛṣṇa, the first stage is vaidhī-bhakti. This is required for the conditioned souls. At the first stage, or first day, one must very strictly, under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master, observe these rules. Thereby your heart will be purified. When the heart is purified, then bhāva comes up. Unless the heart is purified, no bhāva will come up. So, at that stage, there is no need of observing all these rules and regulations (vidhi). Do you understand? vidhi-dharma chāḍi’ bhaje kṛṣṇera caraṇa.
So, when one is elevated to that stage, he has developed love for Kṛṣṇa—it is quite natural—he cannot commit any sinful activities: niṣiddha pāpācāre tāra kabhu nahe mana. Even in his mind, it will never enter, do you understand.
"ajñāne vā haya yadi ‘pāpa’ upasthita
kṛṣṇa tāṅre śuddha kare, nā karāya prāyaścitta."
(Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, madhya-līlā 22.122-3)
Unconsciously, if some pāpa or sin enters into him, do you understand—Kṛṣṇa excuses him. Kṛṣṇa knows the heart. Do you understand? Kṛṣṇa knows the heart because He is Paramātmā, residing in the heart. In his heart, there is no desire for committing any sin. Do you understand? He is completely on the bhāva stage. But unconsciously, if some wrong has been done, some sinful activity has been done, Kṛṣṇa knows—unconsciously—so Kṛṣṇa excuses. kṛṣṇa tāṅre śuddha kare, nā karāya prāyaścitta. No need of atonement (prāyaścitta) for him; He excuses him. Do you understand?
We have many such evidences, examples. Do you know? You don’t know? You know?Take the case of Bilvamaṅgala. Do you know Bilvamaṅgala? Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura? He is the best example. Do you understand? At first, he was a very sinful person. He was attached to a prostitute by the name of Cintāmaṇi. Do you understand? Very, very sinful, attached to that prostitute. Do you understand? Then that prostitute taught him a very good lesson—
Once, it was a very bad day, a bad night. It was raining thunderously, and that day happened to be the śrāddha ceremony for his father, who had passed away. Do you understand? But he was so mad, thinking of that prostitute, Cintāmaṇi, that on that dreadful night he left his home and went to her house. Do you understand?
That prostitute taught him a very good lesson: “Why have you come here on such a dreadful night? What is there in my body? If you had been attracted to the all-beautiful Kṛṣṇa, what good would it do? Why are you attracted to this body of mine? It is a nasty thing, filled with all sorts of impurities inside.” That is the lesson she taught Bilvamaṅgala. Do you understand? So, he turned. That very day, that very moment, he turned towards Kṛṣṇa and became a great devotee.
So, he left his home, everything, and from that prostitute’s house, just started for Vṛndāvana. On the way, he saw a beautiful young girl who was taking her bath in a pond. Do you understand? That habit... Isn’t it... as my Guru Mahārāja gives the example, the electric fan is moving, but when you turn off the switch, it doesn’t stop immediately; it slows down gradually and eventually stops, isn’t it? Immediately it doesn’t stop. Similarly, it is a fact—the switch is already off; it is slowing down. So, Bilvamaṅgala’s switch is already off—attachment to material enjoyment—that switch is already off. Now the switch towards Kṛṣṇa is on. But still, he had some habit; it is gradually slowing down.
As that habit was there, he looked at that beautiful maiden and stood there. And that woman, having finished her bath, went to her house. And he followed her. Then she told her husband that a sādhu... at that time, he looked like a sādhu with a beard grown out, isn’t it? So, if someone has a grown beard, people say—a sādhu. General attitude of the people, do you understand? If you grow beards, then all will say—Oh, sādhu mahātmājī! Do you understand, Nrhari?
So, she told her husband that a sādhu has accompanied me. Then her husband said, "Alright, if a sādhu has come, it is in śāstra and we have heard—if you satisfy a sādhu, Kṛṣṇa will be satisfied, isn't it? That is in śāstra. Alright, go to that sādhu and ask him—‘You are a sādhu mahātmā, what do you want from me? I have come for your service. Just tell me.’ Do you understand?"
By the order of her husband, she came to the sādhu. And that is also in the śāstra—that she is considered a chaste lady if a wife, by the order of her husband, goes to another male person. Otherwise, without the order, without the permission of her husband, if she goes, she will be considered unchaste—asātī. Do you understand? So, when her husband orders to go there, she came, paid obeisances, Oh sādhu mahātmā, alright, I have come to you—what do you want from me, what service can I render to you? Please tell me. Do you understand?
As soon as the lady said like that, he came into consciousness—Oh, these eyes, do you understand, put me into such a situation. So, he took up a thorn and thrust it into his eyes and became blind, you see. He was such a great sinner, he was committing so many sinful activities, isn't it? But now he has turned himself and became a sādhu. Then Kṛṣṇa Himself came there and caught hold of his hands—Oh, mahātmājī, you want to go to Vṛndāvana? Alright, I am going, just catch hold of this stick, let us go. You see.
So, he committed this sin, looked at a beautiful woman, followed her, still Kṛṣṇa excused him because the switch is off. He had no intention to commit anymore sin. Only by habit, he had that habit, do you understand? By chance, he looked at that woman. But in his heart, no desire was there. Kṛṣṇa knows the heart, that we say:
"ajñāne vā haya yadi ‘pāpa’ upasthita
Kṛṣṇa tāṅre śuddha kare, nā karāya prāyaścitta."
(Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, madhya-līlā 22.143)
This is bhāva stage. It is not an artificial thing, do you understand? You cannot act like that artificially. It is natural. When that bhāva stage will come up, one can act naturally. Do you understand? Kṛṣṇa knows the heart.
So, one should not imitate that thing. Such a devotee should not imitate such a devotee and artificially pose himself as if he is in bhāva—and chewing pan and doing all this nonsense repeatedly. Kṛṣṇa will never excuse such a person. That is known as sahajiyās. Do you understand? Yes.
We are reading on this side... I have not finished it.
Nrhari: Translate in Oriya.
Gour Govinda Swami: Yes, translate in Oriya.
"sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja"
Śrīman Mahāprabhu Himself came and taught how to practice this devotional service and how to surrender completely to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. He is Kṛṣṇa Himself. He practiced Himself and He was observing vidhi, vaidhī-mārga personally. Though in His antya-līlā He didn’t observe all these things, He was only with His intimate persons. That was Rāmānanda Rāya and Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī, and He was discussing Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa tattva, isn't it? That is prema-bhāva. But in the beginning, while He was preaching, He was strictly following. When He took up sannyāsa, His sannyāsa period, His līlā was twenty-four years, out of that 6 years He observed this vidhi very strictly and preached. Northern India - Southern India. During that period, He was stressing on vidhi-bhakti and very strictly, as an ideal sannyāsī, Himself observing it.
One instance is there, Jagadānanda Paṇḍita, a very great devotee, dear devotee of Lord Caitanya. He himself prepared a pot of candana toila (sandalwood oil), very scented oil. And brought it to Mahāprabhu, to Puri Dhāma. Mahāprabhu's personal assistant was Govinda, so he gave it to Govinda: "Govinda, you please take it, and just take some oil out of it, smear it on the feet of Mahāprabhu. This will give Him some relief. Very nice scented oil, āyurvedic oil, candana toila. Do you understand?" That pot was there in Mahāprabhu's apartment when Mahāprabhu was staying in Kāśī Miśra Dharmā when He visited that place, Gambhīra. It is known as Gambhīra. Then He asked, "O Govinda, what is that?" Govinda said, "Jagadānanda Paṇḍita brought it for You, this is candana toila, that I will smear on Your Feet."
"What?! Jagadānanda wants me to be a daīhi sannyāsī? Do you know daīhi sannyāsī?" Daīhi sannyāsī, daīhi sannyāsī means a hypocrite. One who attracts the other sex. That is daīhi sannyāsa. Do you understand? Thereby, by smearing such scented oil on my head, I will attract the other sex? "Tell Jagadānanda to take it back and give it to Lord Jagannātha. Let it be stored in Jagannātha's storehouse and it will be smeared on Jagannātha's lap." He told like that. Do you understand? He didn’t use it.
How strict He was. That means He was strictly following vidhi. Do you understand? That we say. He has stated that it is required for conditioned souls. One should not jump over. No, that is a very dangerous thing. So all the ācāryas, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī, my Guru Mahārāja, Bhaktivedānta Swami Mahārāja. They are very elevated vaiṣṇavas, they are of that prema-bhakti stage. There they go, but they stepped down to this first step. That is the vaidhī platform. They were very strictly observing and teaching. Do you understand? One who will be a preacher, and preach this thing, one who comes to deliver this material world, to deliver the conditioned souls, by the setting of their own example, they all follow vidhi-bhakti. Although they are of the highest (inaudible). They observe this because, unless they themselves observe, they cannot teach it. It is needed. Therefore, Mahāprabhu was observing. So, what is this? One should not jump over like a sahajiyā and say, "We are very elevated persons." In actuality, those who are very, very elevated persons, devotees, they never say they are elevated. Rather they say, "I'm very low," like stool. I am a worm in the stool.
"Jagāi Mādhāi hoite pāpīṣṭha, āmi kṛṣṇa-nāma lo'ite kṛpā kari'che bhāgya."
That Kavirāja Gosvāmī says, such an elevated paramahaṁsa. He says, "No, no, no, no. I am not at all a vaiṣṇava. I am a very sinful person. A greater sinner than Jagāi and Mādhāi. I am a worm in the stool."
(verse not found) If someone utters my name, he loses his pious activity. Don’t utter my name, such a sinner, Kṛṣṇadāsa says like that. Such a great paramahaṁsa. Elevated devotee. One never blows his own trumpet. "Here I am, such a great Mahābhāgavata." They never say. One who says it is a number one rascal. Do you understand? Nrhari? There are symptoms, from those symptoms, one can understand that he is really a bhāgavata, mahābhāgavata, do you understand, paramahaṁsa, not by mere beating drums, it cannot be accepted. You see, those who are hypocrites, they generally do like that. So we cannot finish the purport in Oṛiyā.
Devotee: Tomorrow.
Gour Govinda Swami: What do you say?
Devotee: Tomorrow.
Gour Govinda Swami: Tomorrow, yes tomorrow is Thursday, Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Then the next day is Rāma-navamī. As I said, we cannot finish. Then comes. After Rāma-navamī, when will it be?
Devotee: Next day, evening.
Gour Govinda Swami: Then we may take it on that day. Thank you.