Shishir Katote R Does vaidhi bhakti refer to sadhana bhakti and bhava bhakti to raganuga bhakti? I find it more of a preaching strategy that vaidhi bhakti gets converted to raganuga bhakti. Why? Sadhana-bhakti arises from nirguna-sraddha or paramarthiki sastriya sraddha arising out of visuddha-sattva. Brahma-Samhita (5.61) clearly states that the caliber of sadhya-bhakti (the stage of siddhi or perfection) depends on the caliber of sadhana-bhakti (i.e. bhavana). Vide – “…yādṛśī yādṛśī śraddhā siddhir bhavati tādṛśī…”. Hence, the sadhana-bhakti is also part of uttama-bhakti, though not its paramount stage. JG writes in his vaisnava-tosani commentary to SB 10th canto that "sraddha tu raty-ankura-rupa jayate..." or that this paramarthiki sraddha arises as a seed of the actual rati or bhava. If bhava and prema are visuddha-sattvatmika (as explained in BRS 1.3.1 and BRS 1.4.1), then the seed of that bhava and prema will also be visuddha-sattvatmika – making it to be uttama also (but not full-fledged). All this proves that if the flower is vaidhi, than the seed will also be vaidhi. Vaidhi or raganuga is decided from sadhana bhakti itself. Vaidhi raganuga ceti sa dvidha sadhanabhidha- there are two types of sadhana bhakti: vaidhi and raganuga. (BRS 1.2.5) Raga Vartma Candrika does not say that vaidhi bhakti gets converted into raganuga bhakti. It rather says that following the angas or limbs of vaidhi bhakti is "harmful" for developing raganuga bhakti. Refer to where is says that meditating on the Queens of Dwarka it performing madras and nyasa which are the part of vaidhi bhakti are harmful for developing Raga. That is why Vishvanatha categorizes bhakti in 4 general types. 1) aisvarya (Lord Hanuman), 2) Raga Misra aisvarya (Pandava, Rukmini, Subhadra etc), 3) aisvarya misra Raga (gopis of goloka vrindavana), 4) Raganuga (gopis of bhauma vrindavana).
Shishir Katote R The confusion here can be how we define vaidhi. Vaidhi is that involves only vidhi or ritual. Raganuga gives up vidhi very soon. Still, vidhis like fasting on ekadashi is Compulsory regardless of how advanced one is. So raganuga bhakti is more related to emotions and vaidhi is external service. But vidhi is in both places. Raganuga sadhana bhakti which involvea vidhi or rituals becomes advanced bhava bhakti which is independent of vidhi or rituals.
Comments