CHAPTER 5
Fifth Shower of Nectar
When the devotee takes in his heart the golden medallion of bhakti, shining
effulgently by the fire of steady practice (nishtha) and propelled by its own energy,
ruci appears in that bhakti.
When a person develops a taste for the activities of bhakti such as hearing and
chanting, vastly greater than attraction for anything else, that is called ruci.
Unlike in the previous stages, at the stage of ruci, constant performance of
devotional activities like hearing and chanting does not result in even the least
fatigue.
Ruci quickly produces an intense addiction to the activities of bhakti. This is similar
to the brahmana boy who, after diligently studying the scriptures daily, in time
grasps the meaning, and then finds no difficulty at all in applying himself to study.
Moreover, he develops a pleasure in the performance his task.
The actual conclusion can be understood by the following example. Due to a defect in
the liver, the ability to taste becomes affected and sugar candy becomes distasteful.
Sugar candy, however, is also the medicine to cure the defect.
Understanding this, an afflicted person will take sugar candy daily though it may be
distasteful and, eventually, as it cures his sickness, he will develop a real taste for it.
In this way, the jiva's heart contaminated by ignorance and the other kleshas
becomes cured by the medicine of hearing, chanting and the other devotional
processes. Eventually, he develops a taste for these activities.
Ruci is of two types:
that which depends on excellence of elements (vastu-vaishishty-apekshini)
that which does not (vastu-vaishishty-anapekshini).
Excellence of elements refers to an excellence of details in relation to the Lord's
name, qualities and form, etc. For instance, a person may only experience pleasure
from kirtana if it is pleasing to the ear and artistically sung.
He may only relish topics of the Lord if they are delivered skillfully with poetic
ornaments and qualities. He may only enjoy deity worship if all the implements, place,
and materials are according to his fancy.
This is similar to a person with a weak appetite asking about the variety and quality of
preparations in a meal. The cause is a slight impurity in the heart of the devotee.
Therefore, if a person depends on the excellency of the material elements of kirtana,
etc, to experience a spiritual taste, one should understand this as taint of impurity in
his heart (doshabhas).
A person with the second type of ruci will experience great pleasure even from the
beginning of any performance of sravanam, kirtana, etc.
If, however, there is excellence of the elements, then he becomes extremely joyful
and ecstatic. It means that he has not the slightest trace of impurity in his heart.
“Oh friend, abandoning the nectar of Krishna's names, why are you engaged in useless
talks of family pursuits of security and enjoyment? What can I say to you? I myself
am so wicked, though I received the precious jewel of bhakti by the mercy of the
spiritual master, I am so unfortunate that I kept it tied in the hem of my cloth.
Not knowing its value, I have been searching out a cracked cowrie, a tiny spot of
false happiness on the shore of the ocean of material engagements. Wandering here
and there, I have passed the years of my life in vain. Not practicing any activity of
bhakti, I have simply displayed lethargy.
Alas! Such am I or my sense of taste that I lick up bitter-tasting deceitful profane
gossip like nectar and remain apathetic to hear the names, qualities and pastimes of
the Lord. How unfortunate I am!
When I start to hear about the Lord, I comfortably fall asleep, and at the
opportunity for vulgar discussion, I prick up my ears and become wide awake. In this
way, I have always contaminated the assembly of all the devotees. What sinful acts
have I not performed, simply for the satisfaction of my insatiable belly even in my
decrepit old age? I do not know for how long and in what type of hell I will have to
suffer for all my activities.”
In this way repenting his previous state of consciousness, some day at some place,
the devotee becomes like a bee tasting the nectar of the fruit of the Madhurya
Kadambini.
Thus ends the Fifth Shower of Nectar of Madhurya Kadambini
By Mahamahopadhyaya Srimat Vishvanath Cakravarti
Discussing when ruci manifests
CHAPTER 6
Sixth Shower of Nectar
After this, when the taste for the activities of bhajana (hearing, chanting, etc)
reaches extreme depth and Krishna becomes the very object of one's devotional
activities, one attains to asakti or attachment.
At the stage of asakti, the desire-creeper of bhakti bears clusters of buds heralding
the swift manifestation of the flowers of bhava and then fruits at the stage of
prema.
The difference between ruci and asakti is this:
ruci has bhajana, devotional practice, as the subject
asakti has the Lord, the object of bhajana, as the subject
The stage can be decided from the amount of each component. Actually, ruci and
asakti have both components, but by the intensity of one or the other, ruci and asakti
become distinguishable from each other.
Asakti polishes the mirror of the heart to such a condition the reflection of the Lord
suddenly seems to be almost visible there.
Oh! My mind is being overwhelmed by material desires, let me fix it on the Lord!
In the stage previous to asakti, the devotee, on realizing his mind has been
overpowered by material objects and desires, by his deliberate effort, almost
withdraws his mind and almost fixes it on the Lord's form, qualities and activities.
At the appearance of asakti, however, absorption of the mind in the Lord is
automatic, without effort. A devotee at the stage of nishtha cannot detect how and
when his mind withdraws from topics of the Lord's qualities, forms, etc, and fixes
itself on material affairs.
To the contrary, a person at the stage of asakti does not perceive how and when his
mind spontaneously withdraws from material topics and spontaneously absorbs itself
in topic of the Lord.
One below the level of asakti can never know this. This spontaneous fixation on the
Lord, however, is the symptom of the stage of asakti.
Early in the morning, seeing another devotee, he will begin talking.
“Where are you coming from? You have, perhaps, a shalagrama shila in the small case
hanging from your neck? Your tongue is quivering every moment from tasting the
nectar of Krishna's name as you chant softly.
I don't know why you are giving your darshan to an unfortunate person like me and
giving me overwhelming joy. Tell me about all the holy places you have visited.
Describe all the saintly souls you have met and what realizations they have blessed
you with. In this way, you are perfecting yourself and others also.”
In this way he will spend some time drinking nectar in intimate conversation.
Elsewhere, seeing another devotee, he will say,
“The enchanting scripture under your arm is making you appear very elegant, thus I
can guess you are very learned and realized. Kindly recite for me one verse of the
tenth canto and bring life to the chataki bird of my ears awaiting the raindrops of
your nectarean explanations.”
Hearing the explanation, his hair stands on end in ecstasy.
Going elsewhere, seeing an assembly of devotees, he will say,
“Oh, today my life will be successful, for the association of devotees will destroy all
my sins.”
Thinking in this way, he will pay repeated obeisances to them falling like a stick on the
earth.
Being welcomed with affection by the most erudite mahabhagavat, the crown jewel of
all devotees, he will sit before him in crouched posture. He humbly begs from him
with tears in his eyes,
“Oh master, you are the crown jewel of physicians able to eradicate the grave
material disease afflicting the living entities in the three worlds. I am the most
fallen and depraved person. Please take my pulse and diagnose my malady and advise
me what medicine and diet to take. By that miracle drug, give my desired
nourishment.”
Overjoyed with the merciful glance of that mahabhagavat and his trickling nectar of
sweet words, he will remain a few days to serve the devotee's lotus feet.
Sometimes wandering in the forest absorbed in emotion, observing the movements of
the animals and birds, he will intuitively interpret them as signs of mercy or
punishment of Krishna upon himself.
“If Krishna is showing His mercy to me, then the antelope in the distance will come
towards me three or four steps. If He is not showing mercy, the antelope will turn
away.”
On the outskirts of a village, seeing a small brahmana boy playing reminding him of
the child saint, Sanaka, he will enquire from him, “Will I see Vrajendra Kumara?”
“No.” Hearing that simple syllable, he will deliberate on whether to take the answer
on face value or seek a deeper meaning.
Remaining in his house, with a worn face like a miserly wealthy merchant greedy for
treasure, he will be absorbed in thought all day, while dreaming, standing, or sitting.
“Where am I going? What am I doing? How will I get my hands on my desired
object?”
When asked by his relatives what is the matter, he will sometimes act like a mute, at
other times he will feign normality. His friends will apologize, “Recently he's become
scatter-brained.” His neighbors will conclude he is an idiot by birth.
The followers of mimamsa (philosophy of Jaimini) will consider him a fool. Those who
study Vedanta will consider him illusioned. The practitioners of pious activities will
say he is misguided.
The devotees will say he has attained the essential truth. The offenders will say he
is a pretender. But that devotee, oblivious of respect and disrespect, having fallen
into the current of the great celestial river of attachment (asakti) to the Lord, will
simply continue in the same manner.
Thus ends the Sixth Shower of Nectar of Madhurya Kadambini
By Mahamahopadhyaya Srimat Vishvanath Cakravarti
Discussing enchantment of the heart
CHAPTER 7
Seventh Shower of Nectar
When asakti achieves extreme maturity it is called rati or bhava. Bhava is the
immature (budding) stage of the three sat-cid-ananda energies of the Lord's
svarupa-shakti:
sandini, samvit and hladini
In other words, bhakti actually begins to manifest from the stage of bhava. It is
thus the blossoming flower of the desire-creeper of bhakti.
Its outer luster is the quality of sudurlabha (rarely achieved), and its inner luster is
moksha laghu krita (derides even the conception of liberation).
Just one atom of bhava uproots ignorance completely. Moreover, the profuse release
of fragrances of the flower of bhava invites Madhusudana and causes Him to appear
there.
What more can I say? Scented by the fragrances of bhava, all the emotions of the
heart become like the oil of liquified bunches of sesame seeds, at once fit to smear
on all the limbs of the Lord. At the appearance of bhava, even a candala becomes
worthy of respect from Lord Brahma and others.
At that time, his eyes fully long to turn towards Vrajendra Nandana to lick the
blackness of His limbs (uhyama lina), the rosy hue of His lips and eye-rims (arunima),
the white brilliance of His moon-like teeth shining in His smiling face (dhavalima), and
the yellow hue of His clothing and ornaments (pitima).
They then begin to bathe his body in profuse streams of tears. Like he is running
here and there, freezing its motion at every moment and raising his ears, he longs for
his ears to be decorated with the earrings of the song of Krishna's flute, the jingling
of His anklets, and the sweet intonation of His voice (sausvarya) almost like a direct
order to serve His lotus feet.
Then, thinking how the longed for touch of the Lord's tender hands (kishalyasparsha)
must be, his body erupts in ecstasy. His nostrils open wide repeatedly and
inhale, anxious to examine the fragrance of the Lord's body (saurabhya).
“Oh, will I ever be able to taste the nectar of the Lord's lips?”
Feeling like he has attained that taste (rasana), his tongue feels great joy and he
licks his lips. Sometimes, feeling like he has obtained direct realization of the Lord in
his heart (sphurti), he feels unlimited happiness in his mind.
Tasting the rare treasure of the sweetness (madhurya) of the Lord, he becomes
delirious. Then, at the disappearance of that feeling, he plunges into grief. In this
way, it is as if he is decorating his body with the thirty three symptoms of sancharibhava.
In the states of wakefulness, sleep and deep sleep, his intelligence becomes
resolutely fixed as the pilgrim on the path of his remembrance of Krishna. His selfconceit
(ahanta, I) almost gives up the material body of the sadhak as nearly lifeless
and practically enters into a siddha-deha (spiritual identity) according to his desire to
serve the Lord in a specific manner.
His sense of possessiveness (mata, mine) becomes like a bee to relish the nectar of
the Lord's lotus feet. Having obtained the most precious jewel of bhava, the devotee
tries to hide it like a miser from the ordinary people.
However, the famous logic says a bright face reveals hidden wealth (the face is the
index of the mind). Thus, advanced devotees will recognize his internal status as he
becomes the residence of such wonderful qualities as renunciation and tolerance
which manifest themselves at the stage of bhava.
Common people, being unable to discern these qualities, will conclude that his mind is
distracted or mad.
This stage of bhava is of two types:
that arising from raga bhakti
that arising from vaidhi bhakti.
Bhava arising from raganuga bhakti, being excessive in quality (jati) and quantity
(praman), is very thick or intense. It is characterized by an absence of awe and
reverence, with a predominance of the feeling that the Lord is on an equal or lower
level.
The second type arising from vaidhi bhakti, being somewhat lesser in quality and
quantity than the first, with a type of affection for the Lord mixed with perception
of the Lord as the all-mighty God, is not so thick.
Those two types of bhava are tasted in two different ways in the two types of hearts
possessed of two types of spiritual desires in two types of devotees.
As there are different degrees of thickness in the juices of mango, jack fruit, sugar
cane or grapes, there are different degrees of sweetness of bhava.
Thus there are five types of devotees according the bhava in which they are acting:
shantas (neutral admirers)
dasas (servants)
sakhas (friends)
pitri (elders)
preyasi (lovers)
That is, the shantas are acting in shanti (peacefulness), the dasas in priti (affection),
the sakas in sakhyam (friendship), the pitri in vatsalyam (parental love), and preyasis
in priyata (conjugal love).
Then again, these five bhavas, by their own energy, obtain vibhava, anubhava, sattviki,
vyabhichari as their subjects along with their opulences, and become the kings known
as sthayi bhavas. These five sthayi bhavas by mixing with these elements, transform
into the five rasas:
shanta, dasya, sakhya, vatsalya and ujjvala
The shruti texts define rasa as the very essence of the Lord: raso vai sah rasam hy
evayam labdhv ananda bhavati, the Lord is rasa itself (rasa-svarupa), and, attaining
that rasa, the jiva becomes blissful.
As water is present in all the streams, rivers and ponds, but is personified in the
ocean, rasa is present in all the avataras of the Lord, but does not reach perfection in
any of them.
Rather, it attains its absolute climax in Vrajendranandana, Krishna, the son of the
King of Vraja. When bhava first matures and begins to transform into prema, that
very Vrajendranandan, Who is the personification of rasa, is directly realized by
qualified devotees.
Thus ends the Seventh Shower of Nectar of MadhuryaKadambini
By Mahamahopadhyaya Srimat Vishvanath Cakravarti
Discussing flowing of eternal bliss
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