Jnana-Sunya Bhakti

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Nrisingha Palli, 3 February 2021, part 6
Translated from Bengali

As I was saying, you do not become a disciple just by taking the mantra. Initiation means getting enrolled into a school, but after getting enrolled you must practise.

First, it is necessary to have faith (adau sraddha).

'শ্রদ্ধা' শব্দে—বিস্বাস কহে সুদৃঢ় নিশ্চয় ।
কৃষ্ণে ভক্তি কৈলে সর্ব্বকর্ম্ম কৃত হয় ॥

'sraddha'-sabde—visvasa kahe sudrdha nischaya
krsne bhakti kaile sarva-karma krta haya

"Sraddha is firm, determined faith that by service to Krishna all actions are accomplished."

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Madhya-lila, 22.62)

It is necessary to have faith; there are different kinds of faith: kamala-sraddha, taranga-sraddha, drdha-sraddha, sudrdha-sraddha (soft lotus-like faith, wave-like faith, strong faith and the strongest faith). "Sraddha-anusari bhakti-adhikari (শ্রদ্ধা-অনুসারী ভক্তি-অধিকারী): the quality of devotion depends upon the quality of one's faith." (Cc, 2.22.64) Everyone's devotion is not the same. Why? Because everybody's faith is not the same. Some have karma-misra bhakti (devotion mixed with pursuit of material gain), some have jnana-misra bhakti (devotion mixed with pursuit of knowledge), and some have jnana-sunya bhakti (general devotion free from any desire for knowledge). Karma-misra bhakti means you serve the Lord, thinking, "I will get something in return." Even if you think, "If I serve the Lord, I will go to Goloka," that is also a desire. It is not good to be like that. Gurudev told to chant the Holy Name with faith, that is sufficient—what I will get or not get, he will take care of that. Such mood is jnana-sunya bhakti. This is the rule. What I will get or not get, what result I will get, that is not my business. This is jnana-sunya bhakti. Gurudev told me to chant the Holy Name and do service, and that is what I am doing, and what will happened to me—whether I will go to Goloka, heaven, or hell—Gurudev knows it. I will do what Gurudev told. Remember this.

Karma-misra bhakti also means:

কৃষ্ণ কহে,—আমা ভজে, মাগে বিষয়-সুখ ।
অমৃত ছাড়ি’ বিষ মাগে,—এই বড় মূর্খ ॥
আমি-বিজ্ঞ, এই মূর্খে ‘বিষয়’ কেনে দিব ?
স্ব-চরণামৃত দিয়া ‘বিষয়’ ভুলাইব ॥

krsna kahe,—ama bhaje, mage visaya-sukha
amrta chhadi' visa mage,—ei bada murkha
ami—vijna, ei murkhe 'visaya' kene diba?
sva-charanamrta diya 'visaya' bhulaiba

"Krishna says, 'They worship Me, desiring material happiness—leaving aside nectar, they ask for poison. They are great fools. I am very intelligent though. Why will I give these fools material things? Instead, I will give them the nectar of My lotus feet and make them forget the material world."

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Madhya-lila, 22.38-39)

The Lord says, "They worship Me praying for some material happiness. They want something from Me." Such people turn the Lord into a bribe-taker or a menial servant. "God, give me this," "God, make so that my daughter marries well," "God, make so that my son gets a good job," "God, make so that I get a good harvest," "God make so that my business runs well." There are so many people who want such things. This is karma-misra-bhakti. Krishna says, "I am not a fool. I know better than them. Why will I give them material happiness? I will give them My feet and they will forget all about the material world." At the same time, in another place, in Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Krishna says,

কৃষ্ণ যদি ছুটে ভক্তে ভুক্তি মুক্তি দিয়া ।
কভু ভক্তি না দেন রাখেন লুকাইয়া ॥

krsna yadi chhute bhakte bhukti mukti diya
kabhu bhakti na dena rakhena lukaiya

"If devotees want enjoyment, liberation, etc., Krishna grants them retirement by hiding the existence of pure devotion (suddha-bhakti-tattva) and giving them enjoyment, liberation, etc."

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Adi-lila, 8.18)

"When someone comes to Me and wants enjoyment, liberation, etc. (some want money, some want a car, a house) instead of devotion, I give them all that and take devotion away from them. I will not give them devotion."

Mahaprabhu's teaching (Siksastakam) is also like that. If you read it, you can understand it. We chant those kirtans during the month of Kartik. It is said there,

ন ধনং ন জনং ন সুন্দরীং কবিতাং বা জগদীশ কাময়ে ।
মম জন্মনি জন্মনীশ্বরে ভবতাদ্ভক্তিরহৈতুকী ত্বয়ি ॥

na dhanam na janam na sundarim kavitam va jagadisa kamaye
mama janmani janmanisvare bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki tvayi

"I do not want wealth, I do not want followers, I do not want beautiful women, I do not want to be a poet. I only want causeless devotion to Your lotus feet. Give me that kind of devotion to Your lotus feet so that I could do Your service life after life."

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Antya-lila, 20.29)

Outside people say, "Give me wealth, give me knowledge, make me beautiful, give me a good wife, make me a poet, etc." And Mahaprabhu says, "I do not want wealth, I do not want followers, I do not want a beautiful wife, I do not want to be a poet. I only want causeless devotion to Your lotus feet. Give me that kind of devotion to Your lotus feet so that I could do Your service life after life." I do not want followers/companions, I do not want any wealth. I only want to have devotion to Your holy lotus feet.

নাহি মাগি দেহসুখ বিদ্যা ধন জন ॥
নাহি মাগি স্বর্গ আর মোক্ষ নাহি মাগি ।
না করি প্রার্থনা কোন বিভূতির লাগি ॥

nahi magi deha-sukha, vidya, dhana, jana
nahi magi svarga ara moksa nahi magi
na kari prarthana kona vibhutira lagi

"I do not pray for bodily pleasure, learning, wealth, or followers. I do not pray for heaven, I do not pray for liberation, and I do not pray for any supernatural powers."

(Sri Siksastakam, 4.1-2, Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur)

I do not pray for any supernatural perfections...

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