Ananya-bhakti

Expressions researched:
"ananya-bhakti"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Ananyayā means "without any deviation." Ananyayā. What is that deviation? The deviation is that we are sometimes inclined to become a devotee for some material benefits. So here it is said that ananyayā, ananya-bhakti, without any deviation, without any material profit, you have to become a pure devotee. Then you can attain that spiritual planet.

Lecture on BG 8.22-27 -- New York, November 20, 1966:

So Lord Kṛṣṇa says that if you want to become one of the associates in that spiritual planet, then you have to become a pure devotee. Puruṣaḥ sa paraḥ pārtha bhaktyā labhyaḥ. Bhaktyā labhyaḥ means you can attain that perfection by devotional service. And ananyayā. Ananyayā means "without any deviation." Ananyayā. What is that deviation? The deviation is that we are sometimes inclined to become a devotee for some material benefits. So here it is said that ananyayā, ananya-bhakti, without any deviation, without any material profit, you have to become a pure devotee. Then you can attain that spiritual planet.

Now, what is the nature of God? That is also... Mmmm. Yasyāntaḥsthāni bhūtāni yena sarvam idaṁ tatam. The Supreme Lord, although He's person, just like exactly a person like you and me, still, He's so, I mean to say, great that all this manifestation, spiritual or material, that is within Him. And He is also all-pervading, all-pervading by His different... Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport), by His different energies, He's all-pervading everywhere. You can... If you develop pure Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you can see Kṛṣṇa always before you. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena (Bs. 5.38). These stages are there. So these are explained in the Śrīmad-Bhagavad-gītā. Then again Lord Kṛṣṇa explains. This is for the devotee.

Ananya-yogena means without any deviation. Ananya-yogena bhaktir avyabhicāriṇī. Without any deviation. Avyabhicāriṇī means without any disturbance. Ananya-bhakti. In another place Kṛṣṇa says, api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk.

Lecture on BG 13.8-12 -- Bombay, October 2, 1973:

The central point of process of knowledge is mentioned here, Mayi cānanya-yogena bhaktir avyabhicariṇī. One has to be fixed up on this point. There are eighteen different description of the process of knowledge, but the central point is mayi ca. Mayi ca. Ca means... That is the main point. Without Kṛṣṇa, if you simply try to become elevated in knowledge, that will not stand. That will not stand. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says mayi ca. Mayi cānanya-yogena. Ananya-yogena means without any deviation. Ananya-yogena bhaktir avyabhicāriṇī. Without any deviation. Avyabhicāriṇī means without any disturbance. Ananya-bhakti. In another place Kṛṣṇa says, api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk.

api cet su-durācāro

bhajate mām ananya-bhāk

sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ

samyag vyavasito hi saḥ

(BG 9.30)

The central point is bhagavad-bhakti. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇāḥ. If one is not a devotee of the Lord, Kṛṣṇa harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇāḥ—he cannot possess any great qualities. That is not possible. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇāḥ.

We have seen practically. Just like Rāvaṇa. Rāvaṇa was a great personality, a great devotee of Lord Śiva also, and materially his kingdom was very much advanced. It is said that Lanka was made of gold. Actually there were many palaces. And he was a very big Vedic scholar also. But one thing, that he was against Rāma... And for this disqualification he is still described as asura, rākṣasa. So harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇāḥ mano-rathenāsato dhāvato bahiḥ. If one is not devotee of the Lord, he will simply concoct on the mental platform. So that will not make.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Immediately you can be placed on the transcendental platform as soon as you begin your devotional service. Avyabhicāreṇa, without any deviation. Ananya-bhakti. Bhajate mām ananya-bhāk. That is wanted. What is that ananya-bhāk? Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam: (Brs. 1.1.11) without any material desires. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). That is pure devotion.

Lecture on SB 1.7.11 -- Vrndavana, September 10, 1976:

So prakṛti-stho hi. We are in this material world. What is this material world? Material world means three modes of material nature: sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. So according to the association, kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya. Either sattva-guṇa, or rajo-guṇa or tamo-guṇa. This is going on, and therefore we are getting different types of body. So this is going on. It is called bhavārṇava. So if we want to get release from this entanglement of being polluted by the three modes of material nature, then we have to come to this platform, nirguṇa. Nirguṇa. Nirguṇa means to associate with the Supreme Personality of Godhead or to be engaged in devotional service. That is nirguṇa.

māṁ ca yo 'vyabhicāreṇa

bhakti-yogena sevate

sa guṇān samatītyaitān

brahma-bhūyāya kalpate

(BG 14.26)

Immediately. Immediately you can be placed on the transcendental platform as soon as you begin your devotional service. Avyabhicāreṇa, without any deviation. Ananya-bhakti. Bhajate mām ananya-bhāk. That is wanted. What is that ananya-bhāk? Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam: (Brs. 1.1.11) without any material desires. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). That is pure devotion.

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore recommends that niṣkiñcanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya. Anyone who is aspiring to become advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya... Why bhagavad-bhajana required? Pāraṁ paraṁ jigamiṣor bhava-sāgarasya. For a person who wants to go to the other side of the ocean of nescience, pāraṁ paraṁ jigamiṣoḥ. (break) ...means one who is very rich man. No. Rich man and poor man doesn't matter. If one is interested simply with the four principles of the bodily necessities, āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithuna-eating, sleeping sex and defense, they are called viṣayīs. Viṣayiṇām... Viṣayaḥ khalu sarvataḥ syāt. If viṣayī means rich man, then why the śāstra says viṣayaḥ khalu sarvataḥ syāt: the enjoyment of these four necessities of body, it is available everywhere? The sparrow, he's also enjoying viṣaya. There is a male and female, and they are jumping from one tree to another, from here to there. And as soon as they require, they are enjoying sex and eating something. So eating, sleeping, mating, this is going on. That viṣaya is available... I have seen at night a small insects, they are also enjoying eating, sleeping, mating. A small, very small ant is captured. Jīvo jīvasya jīvanam. One life is meant for being eaten by another life. You can see, very small. He has got all the same tendencies. So viṣayaḥ khalu sarvataḥ syāt. So one has to become free from this viṣaya. Viṣayiṇāṁ sandarśanam atha yoṣitāṁ ca hā hanta hanta viṣa-bhakṣaṇato 'py asādhu (CC Madhya 11.8). That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's... So we should be very careful. Viṣayiṇām, a devotee, if he thinks, "Oh, here is a nice woman. If I could enjoy her," or "Here is a nice man. If I could enjoy him." This is viṣayī. Viṣayiṇāṁ sandarśanam. To see one woman is not dangerous, but to think of enjoying, that is dangerous. Similarly, to see one man is not dangerous—you cannot avoid that; you are on the street here—but to see with the spirit of enjoyment, that is dangerous.

Ananya-viṣayā means ananya-bhakti, without any deviation. Twenty-four hours simply attachment for Kṛṣṇa. That is wanted. Then your renouncement is perfect. If you think that this attachment and that attachment both may be made—no. That cannot go.

Lecture on SB 1.8.42 -- Los Angeles, May 4, 1973:

So here Kuntīdevī first of all desired, "Let my so much affection, love for my two families, my father's families and my father-in-law's family..." In India it is called Bāper bāṛi śvaśura-bāṛi. Bāper bāṛi means father's house, and śvaśura-bāṛi means father-in-law's house. So Kuntī is woman, she has got relationship with two families. A man may have so many relationship, but woman, she has not, she has no facility for making more relations. That is not allowed. But at least she has got two relationships with two families. And that is her attachment. So she prays to Kṛṣṇa, "Please cut off this relationship. Let me be free." Now after becoming free, then what are you going to do? That is the question. Suppose one is employed in a firm. He feels inconvenience: "This service is not very good. Let me resign it." You resign. But if you get a better service, then that resignation is all right. And if by resigning you become unemployed, no engagement, then what is the value of such resignation? What is the value of such resignation? Similarly, those who are frustrated, confused, they don't want this material world. Just like in your country, the hippies, they are frustrated, confused. You don't want... This is don't, but what you want? That is, that they do not know. That point is missing. You say, "I don't want this." But what you want? That you do not know. That want, what you want actually, that is explained by Kuntī. Tvayi me ananya-viṣayā matir madhu-pate asakṛt: "Unto You... Let my, this family relationship affection be nil, but my relationship with You become conformed, be confirmed." Tvayi me ananya-viṣayā. "No more attraction for anything else. Only attraction for You, Kṛṣṇa."

So this is wanted. This is perfection. Tvayi me ananya-viṣayā. Ananya-viṣayā. No more attraction for anything else. Only attraction for You, Kṛṣṇa. So this is wanted. This is perfection. Tvayi me ananya-viṣayā. Ananya-viṣayā means ananya-bhakti, without any deviation. Twenty-four hours simply attachment for Kṛṣṇa. That is wanted. Then your renouncement is perfect. If you think that this attachment and that attachment both may be made—no. That cannot go. That will be nice, not nice. Just like you ignite fire, at the same time pour water on it. Then what will be the result? The fire will not act. Similarly, if you want to renounce... Just like the Māyāvādī sannyāsī says that brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā: "Renounce this world." They take a luṅgi,(?) a loincloth, and preach, "Who is your wife? Who is your children? Who is your country?" So many things, negative way. Bhaja govindaṁ bhaja govindaṁ bhaja govindaṁ mūḍhā mate. This is very good, to preach renouncement of this world. But side by side we must have attachment for something. Otherwise, it will be..., it will not stay. Therefore we see so many sannyāsīs, they say brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. They give up, take sannyāsa, but after taking sannyāsa, after a few days or few years, they come back again to this material world to open hospital, philanthropic work, school. Why? If you have left this world as mithyā, as false, why you are again coming to politics, to philanthropy, sociology and so on? Why you are coming again? That is bound to be. Because we are living entity, we are active. If we simply become inactive out of frustration, then it will be failure. We must engage with activities. That activity is devotional service. This is Brahman activity. The Māyāvādīs, they do not know.

This is the prayer of our Kuntīdevī. So incessantly, without any deviation, ananya-bhakti... This is called ananya-bhakti. Ananya, in the ananya-bhakti... In the Bhagavad-gītā it is stated ananya-bhāva, "without any deviation." Even such person is found to be little misbehaved, still he's to be considered as sādhu.

Lecture on SB 1.8.42 -- Los Angeles, May 4, 1973:

So we should not be very much hasty. We must wait for the mature time. The example is given that generally a woman wants a child. Now she's married, and if she thinks, "Let me have immediately a child," that is not possible. You wait. Now you are married, you have got husband, you must get a child. That's a fact. Similarly, because you have engaged yourself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, avyarthe kalatvaṁ nāma-gāne sadā ruciḥ. This is called firm faith, that "Now, because I am engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness business, so I must be able to face Kṛṣṇa, face to face, see Kṛṣṇa, face to face." That I must have. So don't be disappointed. Go on with your Kṛṣṇa consciousness activities. Time will come when you'll see Kṛṣṇa, just like Kuntī is seeing, face to face. There is no doubt about it.

So here it is said, tvayi me ananya-viṣayā matir madhu-pate. Kṛṣṇa's another name is Madhu-pati. He has got thousands name. Madhu-pati means He killed the demon Madhu. From that, Madhu-pate. What is it there here? Madhu-pate?

Devotee: "O Lord of Madhu."

Prabhupāda: Madhu-pate. "O Lord of Madhu." So madhu-pate ratim, ratim udvahatād addhā. The example is given very nicely. Just like river. Especially... The Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not ordinary river, but it is just like Ganges. Ganges is very pure, directly connected with Kṛṣṇa. So "As the river flows down towards the seas, similarly my attraction will go down incessantly to touch Your lotus feet like the Ganges." This is the prayer of our Kuntīdevī. So incessantly, without any deviation, ananya-bhakti... This is called ananya-bhakti. Ananya, in the ananya-bhakti... In the Bhagavad-gītā it is stated ananya-bhāva, "without any deviation." Even such person is found to be little misbehaved, still he's to be considered as sādhu. That is stated by Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad...

api cet su-durācāro

bhajate mām ananya-bhāk

sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ

samyag vyavasito hi saḥ

(BG 9.30)

Just like sometimes our Indian friends criticize our European, American, "Oh, they are not very," I mean, what is called, "acute in the service of the Deity. There is so much mistakes, so many..." So Kṛṣṇa says, "Never mind. But because his attention is to serve Me, even there is some discrepancies, he's sādhu." Sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ samyag vyavasito hi saḥ (BG 9.30).

So Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice. You try to execute it to your best capacity, that's all. Even there is some mistake... Don't commit mistake intentionally. But due to my habit, past habit, I may commit some mistake. That is excused. If we fix up our mind in serving Kṛṣṇa severely and seriously, then even there is some mistake... Rūpa Gosvāmī also says that yena tena prakāreṇa manaḥ kṛṣṇe... First of all fix up your mind to Kṛṣṇa. And the other rules and regulation... Of course, they are to be followed, but in the beginning we shall try our best how to fix up our mind to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Other things will automatically come corrected.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Basic principle of jñāna is ananya-bhakti-yogena. That is the basic principle of jñāna. Then other things will automatically come.

Morning Walk -- March 30, 1974, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: Bhaktir avyabhicāriṇī vivikta-deśa-sevitvam... (BG 13.11).

Prabhupāda: This is, this is the basic principle. Without this, everything is false. Everything is false.

Dr. Patel: Vivikta-deśa-sevitvam aratir jana-saṁsadi, adhyātma-jñāna-nityatvaṁ tattva artha...

Chandobhai: Tattva-jñānārtha...

Dr. Patel: Tattva-jñānārtha-darśanam.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Artha-darśanam.

Dr. Patel: Tattva-jñānārtha-darśanam. When you have perfect knowledge of the tattva jñāna.

Prabhupāda: Yes. This is tattva-jñāna. This is jñāna. This is jñāna. Basic principle of jñāna is ananya-bhakti-yogena. That is the basic principle of jñāna. Then other things will automatically come.

Dr. Patel: Ajñānaṁ yad ato 'nyathā.

Prabhupāda: Therefore... Therefore in other place in Bhāgavata: harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇāḥ. If one is not pure devotee of the Lord, he has no good qualification. That is not possible. Because here is also same thing. The basic principle is devotion. If that is lacking, then all this show, humbug, it has no meaning.

Dr. Patel: No, that is, we have said about the jñāna... (break) ...paraṁ brahma na sat...

Prabhupāda: Now, who is that paraṁ brahma? That Kṛṣṇa. Because Arjuna says, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma... (BG 10.12).

Dr. Patel: Brahman means Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Dr. Patel: Brahman is jyoti.

Prabhupāda: No, paraṁ brahma. Brahmajyoti, that is not paraṁ brahma. Paraṁ brahma is Kṛṣṇa.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Yes.

Morning Walk -- April 13, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Hari hari bifale, janama goṅāinu. Jaya. "I am free. What can I...? Whatever I like, I can do," without knowing, prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27).

Dr. Patel: Ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā.

Prabhupāda: Ahaṅkāra. "Ah, what is Kṛṣṇa consciousness? I can do without."

Dr. Patel: Once a man is free of ahaṅkāra, then he is...

Prabhupāda: No, ahaṅkāra there will be, but ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā, thinking falsely something, that "I am this body." Therefore he's vimūḍha. They are animal. Ahaṅkāra is there, "I am Brahman, spirit soul." But he is thinking, "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am dog," "I am cat." Vimūḍhātmā. And this first principle of knowledge they cannot understand. Mūḍha. Mūḍho 'yaṁ nābhijānāti loko mām ajam avyayam (BG 7.25). (break) Man-manā. That is the only way.

Dr. Patel: That is ananya-bhakti.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Dr. Patel: Parā-bhakti.

Prabhupāda: Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ: "To become My devotee means you shall think of Me twenty-four hours," man-manā. Then you become a bhakta. Not that meditation—I meditate fifteen minutes and twenty-four hours thinking of something else.

Dr. Patel: Then you never, I mean, even for, it is just like you, even for a moment you slip down, just like a (indistinct). It should be perpetual conscious within yourself.

Prabhupāda: I have seen Gandhi's prayer meeting, and I attended. Utmost, five minutes reading Bhagavad-gītā, then again politics immediately. Immediately politics. I was in Delhi. I attended the meeting when Nawa Khalia (Noakhali?) fast. So this was his prayer. I have seen. And as a result of this, in that prayer meeting he was killed. (Hindi) So nature punishment are there. (Hindi) The last stage of Kali-yuga means you die.

Ananya, that is wanted. When cent percent engaged, that is ananya. Bhajate mām ananya-bhāk. If one takes to that position, ananya-bhāk, then even there is some mistake, even there is some fault, still, sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30)—he becomes sādhu, immediately.

Morning Walk -- April 15, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yes, if your indriyas are engaged in Kṛṣṇa's activities, they are no more pramāthīni; they are controlled. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam, hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanam (CC Madhya 19.170). When your indriyas are purified, then it will be only engaged in hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanam. That is bhakti.

Dr. Patel: Rasa-varjaṁ raso 'py asya paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 9.59).

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Dr. Patel: Unless you have complete, I mean, God consciousness, paraṁ dṛṣṭvā, till then, the rasa does not go, the very sting of your indriyas. So it becomes sort of a vicious circle, sir, and it becomes very difficult to vacate from that.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate (CC Madhya 19.170).

Dr. Patel: By bhakti you can break.

Prabhupāda: Bhakti means when you engage all your senses in the service of Hṛṣīkeśa. That is bhakti. But that we cannot. We say, "Oh, I have got this duty, I have got that duty," not cent percent engaged.

Dr. Patel: Ananya-bhakti.

Prabhupāda: Ananya, that is wanted. When cent percent engaged, that is ananya. Bhajate mām ananya-bhāk. If one takes to that position, ananya-bhāk, then even there is some mistake, even there is some fault, still, sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30)—he becomes sādhu, immediately. (break)

Dr. Patel: ...for God, for Kṛṣṇa, is bhakti.

Prabhupāda: Yes, under the superior direction, not whimsically.

Dr. Patel: No.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Whimsical, you cannot do anything.

Dr. Patel: After complete surrender of the buddhi and mind...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Dr. Patel: ...all the actions that are done in the service of God is bhakti...

Prabhupāda: Yes. When...

Dr. Patel: Without surrendering...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Dr. Patel: ...the actions are not bhakti.

Prabhupāda: That is the example in the Bhagavad-gītā. When Arjuna saw that "Kṛṣṇa wants it positively. Never mind my..."

Dr. Patel: Then the kariṣye vacanam...

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is bhakti. "Never mind, I do not agree with Kṛṣṇa, but I see that He wants it, I must do." This is bhakti. Kṛṣṇa should be given preference. That is bhakti, not my whimsical way. That is not bhakti. And because we cannot understand Kṛṣṇa, therefore Kṛṣṇa is giving direction.

tad viddhi praṇipātena

paripraśnena sevayā

upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ

jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ

(BG 4.34)

Go to the person who has seen actually and take information. Simply by reading you will be misleaded. Even persons like Gandhi or Dr. Radhakrishna, Aurobindo, they were misled because they wanted to manufacture their own meaning. They did not like to act as Kṛṣṇa says.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Ananya-yoga, ananya-bhakti, pure.

Room Conversation -- February 16, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Mayi ca. Simply this qualification will not help. Mayi ca bhaktir avyabhicāriṇī. When it is added with bhakti, then it is perfect. Mayi ca avyabhicāriṇī. That ca. Ca means "Without this, these are useless." Ca. You must add bhakti also, avyabhicāriṇī-bhakti, unflinching faith in devotional service. Mayi ca avyabhicāriṇī-bhakti...

Pradyumna: Mayi ca ananya-yogena bhaktiḥ...

Prabhupāda: Ananya-yoga, ananya-bhakti, pure.

Pradyumna: Ah, vivikta.

Prabhupāda: Vivikta...

Pradyumna: Vivikta-deśa-sevitvam aratir jana-saṁsadi (BG 13.11).

Prabhupāda: Hm. Not to mix with ordinary men, aratir jana, general public. Just like this, our place—only devotion. This is vivikta, aloof from this world. We have no other business except Kṛṣṇa consc..., bhakti. And aratir jana-saṁsadi, no, mean, association with ordinary person, no association. We can go and talk of some..., for our own benefit or Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise we have no business with them. Noncooperation. We go to the public for preaching, not to associate with them. To give them association, so they may be benefited. Either he may be prime minister or this or that, we have no business with them. But for our purpose we go. Big, big karmīs, life member. So we have no personal concern, but for their benefit we go there. Their hard-earned money, if something is spent for this purpose, he'll be benefited. This is our... Otherwise we have no business with them. Aratir jana-saṁsadi.