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| <div id="facts"> | | <div id="facts"> |
| {{terms|"bhakti process"|"bhakti processes"|"process of bhakti"|"processes of bhakti"}} | | {{terms|"bhakti process"|"bhakti processes"|"process of bhakti"|"processes of bhakti"}} |
| {{notes|}} | | {{notes|Does not include "process of bhakti-yoga". VedaBase query: "bhakti process*" or "process* of bhakti" not "process* of bhakti yoga"}} |
| {{compiler|Labangalatika}} | | {{compiler|Labangalatika}} |
| {{complete|}} | | {{complete|ALL}} |
| {{goal|15}}
| |
| {{first|23Dec10}} | | {{first|23Dec10}} |
| {{last|23Dec10}} | | {{last|23Dec10}} |
| {{totals_by_section|BG=1|SB=7|CC=0|OB=0|Lec=0|Con=0|Let=0}} | | {{totals_by_section|BG=1|SB=9|CC=2|OB=2|Lec=0|Con=0|Let=0}} |
| {{total|8}} | | {{total|14}} |
| {{toc right}} | | {{toc right}} |
| [[Category:Process of Bhakti|1]] | | [[Category:Process of Bhakti|1]] |
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| <div class="heading">After liberation the process of bhakti, or transcendental service, continues. The Vedānta-sūtra confirms this: ā-prāyaṇāt tatrāpi hi dṛṣṭam. | | <div class="heading">After liberation the process of bhakti, or transcendental service, continues. The Vedānta-sūtra confirms this: ā-prāyaṇāt tatrāpi hi dṛṣṭam. |
| </div> | | </div> |
| <span class="link">[[Vanisource:BG 18.55|BG 18.55, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">After attainment of the brahma-bhūta ([[Vanisource:SB 4.30.20|SB 4.30.20]]) stage of freedom from material conceptions, devotional service begins by one's hearing about the Lord. When one hears about the Supreme Lord, automatically the brahma-bhūta stage develops, and material contamination—greediness and lust for sense enjoyment—disappears. As lust and desires disappear from the heart of a devotee, he becomes more attached to the service of the Lord, and by such attachment he becomes free from material contamination. In that state of life he can understand the Supreme Lord. This is the statement of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also. After liberation the process of bhakti, or transcendental service, continues. The Vedānta-sūtra (4.1.12) confirms this: ā-prāyaṇāt tatrāpi hi dṛṣṭam. This means that after liberation the process of devotional service continues. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, real devotional liberation is defined as the reinstatement of the living entity in his own identity, his own constitutional position. The constitutional position is already explained: every living entity is a part-and-parcel fragmental portion of the Supreme Lord. Therefore his constitutional position is to serve. After liberation, this service is never stopped. Actual liberation is getting free from misconceptions of life.</p> | | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:BG 18.55 (1972)|BG 18.55, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">After attainment of the brahma-bhūta ([[Vanisource:SB 4.30.20|SB 4.30.20]]) stage of freedom from material conceptions, devotional service begins by one's hearing about the Lord. When one hears about the Supreme Lord, automatically the brahma-bhūta stage develops, and material contamination—greediness and lust for sense enjoyment—disappears. As lust and desires disappear from the heart of a devotee, he becomes more attached to the service of the Lord, and by such attachment he becomes free from material contamination. In that state of life he can understand the Supreme Lord. This is the statement of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also. After liberation the process of bhakti, or transcendental service, continues. The Vedānta-sūtra (4.1.12) confirms this: ā-prāyaṇāt tatrāpi hi dṛṣṭam. This means that after liberation the process of devotional service continues. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, real devotional liberation is defined as the reinstatement of the living entity in his own identity, his own constitutional position. The constitutional position is already explained: every living entity is a part-and-parcel fragmental portion of the Supreme Lord. Therefore his constitutional position is to serve. After liberation, this service is never stopped. Actual liberation is getting free from misconceptions of life.</p> |
| </div> | | </div> |
| </div> | | </div> |
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| </div> | | </div> |
| </div> | | </div> |
| <div id="SB32533_2" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_3" book="SB" index="1036" link="SB 3.25.33" link_text="SB 3.25.33"> | | <div id="SB32533_1" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_3" book="SB" index="1036" link="SB 3.25.33" link_text="SB 3.25.33"> |
| <div class="heading">For a devotee, liberation is no problem at all. Liberation takes place without separate endeavor. Bhakti, therefore, is far better then mukti or the impersonalist position. The impersonalists undergo severe penances and austerities to attain mukti, but the bhakta, simply by engaging himself in the bhakti process, especially in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, immediately develops control over the tongue by engaging it in chanting, and accepting the remnants of foodstuff offered to the Personality of Godhead. | | <div class="heading">For a devotee, liberation is no problem at all. Liberation takes place without separate endeavor. Bhakti, therefore, is far better then mukti or the impersonalist position. The impersonalists undergo severe penances and austerities to attain mukti, but the bhakta, simply by engaging himself in the bhakti process, especially in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, immediately develops control over the tongue by engaging it in chanting, and accepting the remnants of foodstuff offered to the Personality of Godhead. |
| </div> | | </div> |
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| <div class="heading">Among many thousands of men, one may endeavor for perfection, and even among the siddhas, those who have already become perfect, only one who adopts the process of bhakti, devotional service, can understand Kṛṣṇa. | | <div class="heading">Among many thousands of men, one may endeavor for perfection, and even among the siddhas, those who have already become perfect, only one who adopts the process of bhakti, devotional service, can understand Kṛṣṇa. |
| </div> | | </div> |
| <span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 6.3.14-15|SB 6.3.14-15, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">The men and other living entities within this cosmic manifestation are controlled by the three modes of nature. For the living entities controlled by the base qualities of nature, passion and ignorance, there is no possibility of understanding God. Even those in the mode of goodness, like the many demigods and great ṛṣis described in these verses, cannot understand the activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā, one who is situated in the devotional service of the Lord is transcendental to all the material qualities. Therefore the Lord personally says that no one can understand Him but the bhaktas, who are transcendental to all material qualities (bhaktyā mām abhijānāti ([[Vanisource:BG 18.55|BG 18.55]])). As stated by Bhīṣmadeva to Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.9.16):</p> | | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 6.3.14-15|SB 6.3.14-15, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">The men and other living entities within this cosmic manifestation are controlled by the three modes of nature. For the living entities controlled by the base qualities of nature, passion and ignorance, there is no possibility of understanding God. Even those in the mode of goodness, like the many demigods and great ṛṣis described in these verses, cannot understand the activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā, one who is situated in the devotional service of the Lord is transcendental to all the material qualities. Therefore the Lord personally says that no one can understand Him but the bhaktas, who are transcendental to all material qualities (bhaktyā mām abhijānāti ([[Vanisource:BG 18.55 (1972)|BG 18.55]])). As stated by Bhīṣmadeva to Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.9.16):</p> |
| :na hy asya karhicid rājan | | :na hy asya karhicid rājan |
| :pumān veda vidhitsitam | | :pumān veda vidhitsitam |
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| <div class="heading">If one wants to know the Supreme Personality of Godhead and be directly connected with Him, knowing what He wants to eat and how He is satisfied, one must take to the process of bhakti. | | <div class="heading">If one wants to know the Supreme Personality of Godhead and be directly connected with Him, knowing what He wants to eat and how He is satisfied, one must take to the process of bhakti. |
| </div> | | </div> |
| <span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 8.16.25|SB 8.16.25, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">One should install the Deity of Lord Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa and worship Him nicely by dressing Him, decorating Him with flower garlands, and offering Him all kinds of fruits, flowers and cooked food, nicely prepared with ghee, sugar and grains. One should also offer a flame, incense and so on, while ringing a bell, as prescribed. This is called worship of the Lord. Here it is recommended that one observe the vow of subsisting only by drinking milk. This is called payo-vrata. As we generally perform devotional service on Ekādaśī by not eating grains, it is generally recommended that on Dvādaśī one not consume anything but milk. Payo-vrata and arcana devotional service to the Supreme Lord should be performed with a pure devotional attitude (bhaktyā). Without bhakti, one cannot worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ ([[Vanisource:BG 18.55|BG 18.55]]). If one wants to know the Supreme Personality of Godhead and be directly connected with Him, knowing what He wants to eat and how He is satisfied, one must take to the process of bhakti. As recommended here also, bhaktyā paramayānvitaḥ: one should be surcharged with unalloyed devotional service.</p> | | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 8.16.25|SB 8.16.25, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">One should install the Deity of Lord Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa and worship Him nicely by dressing Him, decorating Him with flower garlands, and offering Him all kinds of fruits, flowers and cooked food, nicely prepared with ghee, sugar and grains. One should also offer a flame, incense and so on, while ringing a bell, as prescribed. This is called worship of the Lord. Here it is recommended that one observe the vow of subsisting only by drinking milk. This is called payo-vrata. As we generally perform devotional service on Ekādaśī by not eating grains, it is generally recommended that on Dvādaśī one not consume anything but milk. Payo-vrata and arcana devotional service to the Supreme Lord should be performed with a pure devotional attitude (bhaktyā). Without bhakti, one cannot worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ ([[Vanisource:BG 18.55 (1972)|BG 18.55]]). If one wants to know the Supreme Personality of Godhead and be directly connected with Him, knowing what He wants to eat and how He is satisfied, one must take to the process of bhakti. As recommended here also, bhaktyā paramayānvitaḥ: one should be surcharged with unalloyed devotional service.</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="SB_Canto_9" class="sub_section" sec_index="9" parent="Srimad-Bhagavatam" text="SB Canto 9"><h3>SB Canto 9</h3> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="SB9912_0" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_9" book="SB" index="313" link="SB 9.9.12" link_text="SB 9.9.12"> |
| | <div class="heading">One must simply take advantage of the bhakti process because by following this process one does not lose anything but one gains the favor of the Supreme Person. |
| | </div> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 9.9.12|SB 9.9.12, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">Mother Ganges is worshiped by the water of the Ganges: a devotee takes a little water from the Ganges and offers it back to the Ganges. When the devotee takes the water, mother Ganges does not lose anything, and when the water is offered back, mother Ganges does not increase, but in this way the worshiper of the Ganges is benefited. Similarly, a devotee of the Lord offers the Lord patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam ([[Vanisource:BG 9.26 (1972)|BG 9.26]])—a leaf, flower, fruit or water—in great devotion, but everything, including the leaf, flower, fruit and water, belongs to the Lord, and therefore there is nothing to renounce or to accept. One must simply take advantage of the bhakti process because by following this process one does not lose anything but one gains the favor of the Supreme Person.</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="SB91929_1" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_9" book="SB" index="682" link="SB 9.19.29" link_text="SB 9.19.29"> |
| | <div class="heading">How Devayānī became self-realized by the grace of her great husband, Mahārāja Yayāti, is described here. Describing such realization is another way of performing the bhakti process. |
| | </div> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 9.19.29|SB 9.19.29, Translation and Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="trans text"><p style="display: inline;">O Lord Vāsudeva, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, You are the creator of the entire cosmic manifestation. You live as the Supersoul in everyone's heart and are smaller than the smallest, yet You are greater than the greatest and are all-pervading. You appear completely silent, having nothing to do, but this is due to Your all-pervading nature and Your fullness in all opulences. I therefore offer my respectful obeisances unto You.</p> |
| | </div> |
| | <div class="purport text"><p>How Devayānī became self-realized by the grace of her great husband, Mahārāja Yayāti, is described here. Describing such realization is another way of performing the bhakti process.</p> |
| | :śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ |
| | :smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam |
| | :arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ |
| | :sakhyam ātma-nivedanam |
| | <p>"Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and pastimes of Lord Viṣṇu, remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship, offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one's best friend, and surrendering everything unto Him-these nine processes are accepted as pure devotional service." ([[Vanisource:SB 7.5.23-24|SB 7.5.23]]) śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam, hearing and chanting, are especially important. By hearing from her husband about the greatness of Lord Vāsudeva, Devayānī certainly became convinced and surrendered herself unto the lotus feet of the Lord (oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya). This is knowledge.</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="Sri_Caitanya-caritamrta" class="section" sec_index="2" parent="compilation" text="Sri Caitanya-caritamrta"><h2>Sri Caitanya-caritamrta</h2> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="CC_Madhya-lila" class="sub_section" sec_index="2" parent="Sri_Caitanya-caritamrta" text="CC Madhya-lila"><h3>CC Madhya-lila</h3> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="CCMadhya8193_0" class="quote" parent="CC_Madhya-lila" book="CC" index="1597" link="CC Madhya 8.193" link_text="CC Madhya 8.193"> |
| | <div class="heading">When we are free from all material designations and our senses are completely purified by the bhakti process, we can understand the sense activities of the Absolute Truth. |
| | </div> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Madhya 8.193|CC Madhya 8.193, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">The topics that are about to be discussed between Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Rāmānanda Rāya cannot be understood by a materialistic poet, nor by intelligence or material perception. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura states that the spiritual mellow can be realized only when one is situated on the transcendental platform beyond the material stage of goodness. That platform is called viśuddha-sattva (sattvaṁ viśuddhaṁ vasudeva-śabditam). Realization of the viśuddha-sattva platform is beyond the pale of the material world and is not perceived by bodily senses or mental speculation. Our identification with the gross body and subtle mind is different from spiritual understanding. Since the intelligence and mind are material, the loving affairs of Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa are beyond their perception. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam: ([[Vanisource:CC Madhya 19.170|CC Madhya 19.170]]) when we are free from all material designations and our senses are completely purified by the bhakti process, we can understand the sense activities of the Absolute Truth (hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate ([[Vanisource:CC Madhya 19.170|CC Madhya 19.170]])).</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="CCMadhya20135_2" class="quote" parent="CC_Madhya-lila" book="CC" index="4624" link="CC Madhya 20.135" link_text="CC Madhya 20.135"> |
| | <div class="heading">Since the Vedas enjoin one to search out Kṛṣṇa and take shelter at His lotus feet, and since no Vedic process but devotional service will enable one to do this, one has to take to devotional service. According to the Bhagavad-gītā, only the bhakti process is said to be definitive. |
| | </div> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Madhya 20.135|CC Madhya 20.135, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">The Vedic literatures, including the Purāṇas, state that according to the position of the conditioned soul, there are different processes—karma-kāṇḍa, jñāna-kāṇḍa, the yogic process and the bhakti-yoga process. Karma-kāṇḍa is compared to wasps and drones that will simply bite if one takes shelter of them. Jñāna-kāṇḍa, the speculative process, is simply like a ghost who creates mental disturbances. Yoga, the mystic process, is compared to a black snake that devours people by the impersonal cultivation of kaivalya. However, if one takes to bhakti-yoga, he becomes quickly successful. In other words, through bhakti-yoga, one's hands touch the hidden treasure without difficulty.</p> |
| | <p>The goal of all the revealed scriptures and Vedic injunctions is Kṛṣṇa, as He Himself says in the Bhagavad-gītā (15.15): vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ. Since the Vedas enjoin one to search out Kṛṣṇa and take shelter at His lotus feet, and since no Vedic process but devotional service will enable one to do this, one has to take to devotional service. According to the Bhagavad-gītā (18.55), only the bhakti process is said to be definitive. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti. This is the conclusive statement of the Vedas, and one has to accept this process if one is serious in searching for Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="Other_Books_by_Srila_Prabhupada" class="section" sec_index="3" parent="compilation" text="Other Books by Srila Prabhupada"><h2>Other Books by Srila Prabhupada</h2> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="Renunciation_Through_Wisdom" class="sub_section" sec_index="5" parent="Other_Books_by_Srila_Prabhupada" text="Renunciation Through Wisdom"><h3>Renunciation Through Wisdom</h3> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="RTW51_0" class="quote" parent="Renunciation_Through_Wisdom" book="OB" index="39" link="RTW 5.1" link_text="Renunciation Through Wisdom 5.1"> |
| | <div class="heading">Abhyāsa-yoga means sincere engagement in the ninefold process of bhakti, beginning with hearing and chanting the holy name, pastimes, and so on, of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Proper execution of abhyāsa-yoga culminates in the awakening of divine consciousness, or superconsciousness. |
| | </div> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:RTW 5.1|Renunciation Through Wisdom 5.1]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Lord Kṛṣṇa tells us how to increase the influence of His spiritual energy upon us:</p> |
| | :mayy eva mana ādhatsva |
| | :mayi buddhiṁ niveśaya |
| | :nivasiṣyasi mayy eva |
| | :ata ūrdhvaṁ na saṁśayaḥ |
| | :atha cittaṁ samādhātuṁ |
| | :na śaknoṣi mayi sthiram |
| | :abhyāsa-yogena tato |
| | :mām icchāptuṁ dhanañjaya |
| | <p>Just fix your mind upon Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and engage all your intelligence in Me. Thus you will live in Me always, without a doubt. My dear Arjuna, O winner of wealth, if you cannot fix your mind upon Me without deviation, then follow the regulative principles of bhakti-yoga. In this way you will develop a desire to attain Me.</p> |
| | <p>When a person fixes his mind on the eternal, exquisite form of Śyāmasundara, the blackish, beautiful Lord Kṛṣṇa, all distress and anguish are vanquished. In the initial stages, the attempt to fix the mind on Kṛṣṇa may be unsuccessful, but with regulated practice (abhyāsa-yoga) it becomes possible. Abhyāsa-yoga means sincere engagement in the ninefold process of bhakti, beginning with hearing and chanting the holy name, pastimes, and so on, of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Proper execution of abhyāsa-yoga culminates in the awakening of divine consciousness, or superconsciousness. This is true success.</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="Narada-bhakti-sutra_sutras_1_to_8_only" class="sub_section" sec_index="10" parent="Other_Books_by_Srila_Prabhupada" text="Narada-bhakti-sutra (sutras 1 to 8 only)"><h3>Narada-bhakti-sutra (sutras 1 to 8 only)</h3> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="NBS1_0" class="quote" parent="Narada-bhakti-sutra_(sutras_1_to_8_only)" book="OB" index="3" link="NBS 1" link_text="Narada Bhakti Sutra 1"> |
| | <div class="heading">Only when a person is perfectly situated in the realization that he is not the body but a spirit soul can he begin the process of bhakti, or devotional service. |
| | </div> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:NBS 1|Narada Bhakti Sutra 1, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">The strict followers of the karma-kāṇḍa portions of the Vedas perform various sacrifices for worship of different demigods in order to achieve particular material results. Out of many millions of such worshipers, some may actually engage in the process of understanding the Supreme, the Absolute Truth. They are called jñānīs. Perfection for a jñānī lies in attaining the stage of brahma-bhūta ([[Vanisource:SB 4.30.20|SB 4.30.20]]), or self-realization. Only after self-realization is attained does the stage of understanding devotional service begin. The conclusion is that one can begin the process of devotional service, or bhakti, when one is actually self-realized. One who is in the bodily concept of existence cannot understand the process of devotional service.</p> |
| | <p>It is for this reason that the Nārada-bhakti-sūtra begins, "Now, therefore, I shall try to explain the process of devotional service." The word "therefore" indicates that this process of devotional service is for the self-realized soul, one who is already liberated. Similarly, the Vedānta-sūtra begins athāto brahma jijñāsā. The word brahma-jijñāsā refers to inquiry into the Supreme Absolute Truth, and it is recommended for those who have been elevated from the lower stage of addiction to the karma-kāṇḍa portion of the Vedas to the position of interest in the jñāna-kāṇḍa portion. Only when a person is perfectly situated in the realization that he is not the body but a spirit soul can he begin the process of bhakti, or devotional service.</p> |
| </div> | | </div> |
| </div> | | </div> |
| </div> | | </div> |