Sri Caitanya-caritamrta: Madhya-lila
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Chapter 9

Madhya9.245

TEXT 245

madhvacarya-sthane aila yanha ’tattvavadi’

udupite ’krsna’ dekhi, tahan haila premonmadi

SYNONYMS

madhva-acarya-sthane—at the place of Madhvacarya; aila—arrived; yanha—where; tattva-vadi—philosophers known as Tattvavadis; udupite—at the place known as Udupi; krsna—the Deity of Lord Krsna; dekhi—seeing; tahan—there; haila—became; prema-unmadi—mad in ecstasy.

TRANSLATION

Caitanya Mahaprabhu next arrived at Udupi, the place of Madhvacarya, where the philosophers known as Tattvavadis resided. There He saw the Deity of Lord Krsna and became mad with ecstasy.

PURPORT

Sripada Madhvacarya took his birth at Udupi, which is situated in the South Kanarada district of South India, just west of Sahyadri. This is the chief city of the South Kanarada province and is near the city of Mangalore, which is situated to the south of Udupi. In the city of Udupi is a place called Pajaka-ksetra, where Madhvacarya took his birth in a Sivalli-brahmana dynasty as the son of Madhyageha Bhatta, in the year 1040 Sakabda (A.D. 1119). According to some, he was born in the year 1160 Sakabda (A.D. 1239).

In his childhood Madhvacarya was known as Vasudeva, and there are some wonderful stories surrounding him. It is said that once when his father had piled up many debts, Madhvacarya converted tamarind seeds into actual coins to pay them off. When he was five years old, he was offered the sacred thread. A demon named Maniman lived near his abode in the form of a snake, and at the age of five Madhvacarya killed that snake with the toe of his left foot. When his mother was very much disturbed, he would appear before her in one jump. He was a great scholar even in childhood, and although his father did not agree, he accepted sannyasa at the age of twelve. Upon receiving sannyasa from Acyuta Preksa, he received the name Purnaprajna Tirtha. After traveling all over India, he finally discussed scriptures with Vidyasankara, the exalted leader of Srngeri-matha. Vidyasankara was actually diminished in the presence of Madhvacarya. Accompanied by Satya Tirtha, Madhvacarya went to Badarikasrama. It was there that he met Vyasadeva and explained his commentary on the Bhagavad-gita before him. Thus he became a great scholar by studying before Vyasadeva.

By the time he came to the Ananda-matha from Badarikasrama, Madhvacarya had finished his commentary on the Bhagavad-gita. His companion Satya Tirtha wrote down the entire commentary. When Madhvacarya returned from Badarikasrama, he went to Ganjama, which is on the bank of the river Godavari. There he met with two learned scholars named Sobhana Bhatta and Svami Sastri. Later these scholars became known in the disciplic succession of Madhvacarya as Padmanabha Tirtha and Narahari Tirtha. When he returned to Udupi, he would sometimes bathe in the ocean. On such an occasion he composed a prayer in five chapters. Once, while sitting beside the sea engrossed in meditation upon Lord Sri Krsna, he saw that a large boat containing goods for Dvaraka was in danger. He gave some signs by which the boat could approach the shore, and it was saved. The owners of the boat wanted to give him a present, and at the time Madhvacarya agreed to take some gopi-candana. He received a big lump of gopi-candana, and as it was being brought to him, it broke apart and revealed a large Deity of Lord Krsna. The Deity had a stick in one hand and a lump of food in the other. As soon as Madhvacarya received the Deity of Krsna in this way, he composed a prayer. The Deity was so heavy that not even thirty people could lift it. Madhvacarya personally brought this Deity to Udupi. Madhvacarya had eight disciples, all of whom took sannyasa from him and became directors of his eight monasteries. Worship of the Lord Krsna Deity is still going on at Udupi according to the plans Madhvacarya established.

Madhvacarya then for the second time visited Badarikasrama. While he was passing through Maharashtra, the local king was digging a big lake for the public benefit. As Madhvacarya passed through that area with his disciples, he was also obliged to help in the excavation. After some time, when Madhvacarya visited the king, he engaged the king in that work and departed with his disciples.

Often in the province of Ganga-pradesa there were fights between Hindus and Muslims. The Hindus were on one bank of the river, and the Muslims on the other. Due to the community tension, no boat was available for crossing the river. The Muslim soldiers were always stopping passengers on the other side, but Madhvacarya did not care for these soldiers. He crossed the river anyway, and when he met the soldiers on the other side, he was brought before the king. The Muslim king was so pleased with him that he wanted to give him a kingdom and some money, but Madhvacarya refused. While walking on the road, he was attacked by some dacoits, but by his bodily strength he killed them all. When his companion Satya Tirtha was attacked by a tiger, Madhvacarya separated them by virtue of his great strength. When he met Vyasadeva, he received from him the salagrama-sila known as Astamurti. After this, he summarized the Mahabharata.

Madhvacarya’s devotion to the Lord and his erudite scholarship became known throughout India. Consequently the owners of the Srngeri-matha, established by Sankaracarya, became a little perturbed. At that time the followers of Sankaracarya were afraid of Madhvacarya’s rising power, and they began to tease Madhvacarya’s disciples in many ways. There was even an attempt to prove that the disciplic succession of Madhvacarya was not in line with Vedic principles. A person named Pundarika Puri, a follower of the Mayavada philosophy of Sankaracarya, came before Madhvacarya to discuss the sastras. It is said that all of Madhvacarya’s books were taken away, but later they were found with the help of King Jayasimha, ruler of Kumla. In discussion, Pundarika Puri was defeated by Madhvacarya. A great personality named Trivikramacarya, who was a resident of Visnumangala, became Madhvacarya’s disciple, and his son later became Narayanacarya, the composer of Sri Madhva-vijaya. After the death of Trivikramacarya, the younger brother of Narayanacarya took sannyasa and later became known as Visnu Tirtha.

It was reputed that there was no limit to the bodily strength of Purnaprajna, Madhvacarya. There was a person named Kadanjari who was famed for possessing the strength of thirty men. Madhvacarya placed the big toe of his foot upon the ground and asked the man to separate it from the ground, but the great strong man could not do so even after great effort. Srila Madhvacarya passed from this material world at the age of eighty while writing a commentary on the Aitareya Upanisad. For further information about Madhvacarya, one should read Madhva-vijaya, by Narayanacarya.

The acaryas of the Madhva-sampradaya established Udupi as the chief center, and the monastery there was known as Uttararadhi-matha.  A list of the different centers of the Madhvacarya-sampradaya can be found at Udupi, and their matha commanders are (1) Visnu Tirtha (Soda-matha), (2) Janardana Tirtha (Krsnapura-matha), (3) Vamana Tirtha (Kanura-matha), (4) Narasimha Tirtha (Adamara-matha), (5) Upendra Tirtha (Puttugi-matha), (6) Rama Tirtha (Sirura-matha), (7) Hrsikesa Tirtha (Palimara-matha), and (8) Aksobhya Tirtha (Pejavara-matha). The disciplic succession of the Madhvacarya-sampradaya is as follows (the dates are those of birth): (1) Hamsa Paramatma; (2) Caturmukha Brahma; (3) Sanakadi; (4) Durvasa; (5) Jnananidhi; (6) Garuda-vahana; (7) Kaivalya Tirtha; (8) Jnanesa Tirtha; (9) Para Tirtha; (10) Satyaprajna Tirtha; (11) Prajna Tirtha; (12) Acyuta Preksacarya Tirtha; (13) Sri Madhvacarya, 1040 Saka; (14) Padmanabha, 1120; Narahari, 1127; Madhava, 1136; and Aksobhya 1159; (15) Jaya Tirtha, 1167; (16) Vidyadhiraja, 1190; (17) Kavindra, 1255; (18) Vagisa, 1261; (19) Ramacandra, 1269; (20) Vidyanidhi, 1298; (21) Sri Raghunatha, 1366; (22) Rayuvarya (who spoke with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu), 1424; (23) Raghuttama, 1471; (24) Vedavyasa, 1517; (25) Vidyadhisa, 1541; (26) Vedanidhi, 1553; (27) Satyavrata, 1557; (28) Satyanidhi, 1560; (29) Satyanatha, 1582; (30) Satyabhinava, 1595; (31) Satyapurna, 1628; (32) Satyavijaya, 1648; (33) Satyapriya, 1659; (34) Satyabodha, 1666; (35) Satyasandha, 1705; (36) Satyavara, 1716; (37) Satyadharma, 1719; (38) Satyasankalpa, 1752; (39) Satyasantusta, 1763; (40) Satyaparayana, 1763; (41) Satyakama, 1785; (42) Satyesta, 1793; (43) Satyaparakrama, 1794; (44) Satyadhira, 1801; (45) Satyadhira Tirtha, 1808. (For approximate Christian era dates, add seventy-nine years.)

After the sixteenth acarya (Vidyadhiraja Tirtha), there was another disciplic succession, including Rajendra Tirtha, 1254; Vijayadhvaja; Purusottama; Subrahmanya; and Vyasa Raya, 1470-1520. The nineteenth acarya, Ramacandra Tirtha, had another disciplic succession, including Vibudhendra, 1218; Jitamitra, 1348; Raghunandana; Surendra; Vijendra; Sudhindra; and Raghavendra Tirtha, 1545.

To date, in the Udupi monastery there are another fourteen Madhva-tirtha sannyasis.  As stated, Udupi is situated beside the sea in South Kanarada, about thirty-six miles north of Mangalore.

Most of the information in this purport is available from the South Kanada Manual and the Bombay Gazette.

Madhya9.246

TEXT 246

nartaka gopala dekhe parama-mohane

madhvacarye svapna diya aila tanra sthane

SYNONYMS

nartaka gopala—dancing Gopala; dekhe—saw; parama-mohane—most beautiful; madhva-acarye—unto Madhvacarya; svapna diya—appearing in a dream; aila—came; tanra—his; sthane—to the place.

TRANSLATION

While at the Udupi monastery, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu saw “dancing Gopala,” a most beautiful Deity. This Deity appeared to Madhvacarya in a dream.

Madhya9.247

TEXT 247

gopi-candana-tale achila dingate

madhvacarya sei krsna paila kona-mate

SYNONYMS

gopi-candana-tale—under heaps of gopi-candana (yellowish clay used for tilaka); achila—came; dingate—in a boat; madhva-acarya—Madhvacarya; sei krsna—that Krsna Deity; paila—got; kona-mate—somehow or other.

TRANSLATION

Madhvacarya had somehow or other acquired the Deity of Krsna from a heap of gopi-candana that had been transported in a boat.

Madhya9.248

TEXT 248

madhvacarya ani’ tanre karila sthapana

adyavadhi seva kare tattvavadi-gana

SYNONYMS

madhva-acarya—Madhvacarya; ani’-bringing; tanre—Him; karila sthapana—installed; adya-avadhi—to date; seva kare—worship; tattvavadi-gana—the Tattvavadis.

TRANSLATION

Madhvacarya brought this dancing Gopala Deity to Udupi and installed Him in the temple. To date, the followers of Madhvacarya, known as Tattvavadis, worship this Deity.

Madhya9.249

TEXT 249

krsna-murti dekhi’ prabhu maha-sukha paila

premavese bahu-ksana nrtya-gita kaila

SYNONYMS

krsna-murti dekhi’-seeing the Deity of Lord Krsna; prabhu—Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; maha-sukha—great happiness; paila—got; prema-avese—in ecstatic love; bahu-ksana—for a long time; nrtya-gita—dancing and singing; kaila—performed.

TRANSLATION

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu received great pleasure in seeing this beautiful form of Gopala. For a long time He danced and chanted in ecstatic love.

Madhya9.250

TEXT 250

tattvavadi-gana prabhuke ’mayavadi’ jnane

prathama darsane prabhuke na kaila sambhasane

SYNONYMS

tattvavadi-gana—the Tattvavadis; prabhuke—Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; mayavadi jnane—considering as a Mayavadi sannyasi; prathama darsane—in the first meeting; prabhuke—Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; na—did not; kaila—do; sambhasane—addressing.

TRANSLATION

When they first saw Him, the Tattvavadi Vaisnavas considered Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu a Mayavadi sannyasi. Therefore they did not talk to Him.

Madhya9.251

TEXT 251

pache premavesa dekhi’ haila camatkara

vaisnava-jnane bahuta karila satkara

SYNONYMS

pache—later; prema-avesa—ecstatic love; dekhi’-seeing; haila camatkara—became struck with wonder; vaisnava-jnane—understanding as a Vaisnava; bahuta—much; karila—did; satkara—reception.

TRANSLATION

Later, after seeing Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in ecstatic love, they were struck with wonder. Then, considering Him a Vaisnava, they gave Him a nice reception.

Madhya9.252

TEXT 252

’vaisnavata’ sabara antare garva jani’

isat hasiya kichu kahe gauramani

SYNONYMS

vaisnavata—Vaisnavism; sabara—of all of them; antare—within the mind; garva—pride; jani’-knowing; isat—mildly; hasiya—smiling; kichu—something; kahe—says; gaura-mani—Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

TRANSLATION

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu could understand that the Tattvavadis were very proud of their Vaisnavism. He therefore smiled and began to speak to them.

Madhya9.253

TEXT 253

tan-sabara antare garva jani gauracandra

tan-saba-sange gosthi karila arambha

SYNONYMS

tan-sabara—of all of them; antare—within the mind; garva—pride; jani—knowing; gaura-candra—Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; tan-saba-sange—with them; gosthi—discussion; karila—made; arambha—beginning.

TRANSLATION

Considering them very proud, Caitanya Mahaprabhu began His discussion.

Madhya9.254

TEXT 254

tattvavadi acarya--saba sastrete pravina

tanre prasna kaila prabhu hana yena dina

SYNONYMS

tattvavadi acarya—the chief preacher of the Tattvavada community; saba—all; sastrete—in revealed scriptures; pravina—experienced; tanre—unto him; prasna—question; kaila—did; prabhu—Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; hana—becoming; yena—as if; dina—very humble.

TRANSLATION

The chief acarya of the Tattvavada community was very learned in the revealed scriptures. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu humbly questioned him.

Madhya9.255

TEXT 255

sadhya-sadhana ami na jani bhala-mate

sadhya-sadhana-srestha janaha amate

SYNONYMS

sadhya-sadhana—the aim of life and how to achieve it; ami—I; na—not; jani—know; bhala-mate—very well; sadhya-sadhana—the aim of life and how to achieve it; srestha—the best; janaha—kindly explain; amate—unto Me.

TRANSLATION

Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, “I do not know very well the aim of life and how to achieve it. Please tell Me of the best ideal for humanity and how to attain it.”

Madhya9.256

TEXT 256

acarya kahe,--’varnasrama-dharma, krsne samarpana’

ei haya krsna-bhaktera srestha ’sadhana’

SYNONYMS

acarya kahe—the acarya said; varna-asrama-dharma—the institution of four castes and four asramas; krsne—unto Krsna; samarpana—to dedicate; ei haya—this is; krsna-bhaktera—of the devotee of Krsna; srestha sadhana—the best means of achievement.

TRANSLATION

The acarya replied, "When the activities of the four castes and the four asramas are dedicated to Krsna, they constitute the best means whereby one can attain the highest goal of life.

Madhya9.257

TEXT 257

’panca-vidha mukti’ pana vaikunthe gamana

’sadhya-srestha’ haya,--ei sastra-nirupana

SYNONYMS

panca-vidha mukti—five kinds of liberation; pana—getting; vaikunthe—to the spiritual world; gamana—transference; sadhya-srestha haya—is the highest achievement of the goal of life; ei—this; sastra-nirupana—the verdict of all revealed scriptures.

TRANSLATION

“When one dedicates the duties of varnasrama-dharma to Krsna, he is eligible for five kinds of liberation. Thus he is transferred to the spiritual world in Vaikuntha. This is the highest goal of life and the verdict of all revealed scriptures.”

Madhya9.258

TEXT 258

prabhu kahe,--sastre kahe sravana-kirtana

krsna-prema-seva-phalera ’parama-sadhana’

SYNONYMS

prabhu kahe—Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said; sastre kahe—in the sastra it is said; sravana-kirtana—the process of chanting and hearing; krsna-prema-seva—of loving service to Lord Krsna; phalera—of the result; parama-sadhana—best process of achievement.

TRANSLATION

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "According to the verdict of the sastras, the process of hearing and chanting is the best means to attain loving service to Krsna.

PURPORT

According to the Tattvavadis, the best process for achieving the highest goal of life is to execute the duties of the four varnas and asramas. In the material world, unless one is situated in one of the varnas (brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya or sudra) one cannot manage social affairs properly to attain the ultimate goal. One also has to follow the principles of the asramas (brahmacarya, grhastha, vanaprastha and sannyasa), for these principles are considered essential for the attainment of the highest goal. In this way the Tattvavadis establish that the execution of the principles of varna and asrama for the sake of Krsna is the best way to attain the topmost goal. The Tattvavadis thus established their principles in terms of human society. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, however, differed when He said that the best process is hearing and chanting about Lord Visnu. According to the Tattvavadis, the highest goal is returning home, back to Godhead, but in Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s opinion the highest goal is attaining love of Godhead, either in the material world or in the spiritual world. In the material world this is practiced according to sastric injunction, and in the spiritual world the real achievement is already there.

Madhya9.259-260

TEXTS 259-260

sravanam kirtanam visnoh

smaranam pada-sevanam

arcanam vandanam dasyam

sakhyam atma-nivedanam

iti pumsarpita visnau

bhaktis cen nava-laksana

kriyeta bhagavaty addha

tan manye ’dhitam uttamam

SYNONYMS

sravanam—hearing of the holy name, form, qualities, entourage and pastimes, all of which must pertain to Lord Visnu; kirtanam—vibrating transcendental sounds pertaining to the holy name, form, qualities and entourage, and inquiring about them (these also should be only in relationship to Visnu); visnoh—of Lord Visnu; smaranam—remembering the holy name, form and entourage, and inquiring about them, also only for Visnu; pada-sevanam—executing devotional service according to time, circumstances and situation, only in relationship with Visnu; arcanam—worshiping the Deity of Lord Krsna, Lord Ramacandra, Laksmi-Narayana or the other forms of Visnu; vandanam—offering prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead; dasyam—always thinking oneself an eternal servant of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; sakhyam—making friends with the Supreme Personality of Godhead; atma-nivedanam—dedicating everything (body, mind and soul) for the service of the Lord; iti—thus; pumsa—by the human being; arpita—dedicated; visnau—unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu; bhaktih—devotional service; cet—if; nava-laksana—possessing nine different systems, as above mentioned; kriyeta—one should execute; bhagavati—unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; addha—directly (not indirectly through karma, jnana or yoga); tat—that; manye—I understand; adhitam—studied; uttamam—first class.

TRANSLATION

" ’This process entails hearing, chanting and remembering the holy name, form, pastimes, qualities and entourage of the Lord, offering service according to the time, place and performer, worshiping the Deity, offering prayers, always considering oneself the eternal servant of Krsna, making friends with Him and dedicating everything unto Him. These nine items of devotional service, when directly offered to Krsna, constitute the highest attainment of life. This is the verdict of the revealed scriptures.’

PURPORT

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu quoted these verses from Srimad-Bhagavatam (7.5.23-24).

Madhya9.261

TEXT 261

sravana-kirtana ha-ite krsne haya ’prema’

sei pancama purusartha--purusarthera sima

SYNONYMS

sravana-kirtana—hearing and chanting; ha-ite—from; krsne—unto Lord Krsna; haya—there is; prema—transcendental love; sei—that; pancama purusa-artha—the fifth platform of perfection of life; purusa-arthera sima—the limit of goals of life.

TRANSLATION

"When one comes to the platform of loving service to Lord Krsna by executing these nine processes beginning with hearing and chanting, he has attained the fifth platform of success and the limit of life’s goals.

PURPORT

Everyone is after success in religion, economic development, sense gratification and ultimately merging into the existence of Brahman. These are the general practices of the common man, but according to the strict principles of the Vedas, the highest attainment is to rise to the platform of sravanam kirtanam, hearing and chanting about the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.1.2):

dharmah projjhita-kaitavo ’tra paramo nirmatsaranam satam
vedyam vastavam atra vastu siva-dam tapa-trayonmulanam
srimad-bhagavate maha-muni-krte kim va parair isvarah
sadyo hrdy avarudhyate ’tra krtibhih susrusubhis tat-ksanat

“Completely rejecting all religious activities which are materially motivated, this Bhagavata Purana propounds the highest truth, which is understandable by those devotees who are fully pure in heart. The highest truth is reality distinguished from illusion for the welfare of all. Such truth uproots the threefold miseries. This beautiful Bhagavatam, compiled by the great sage Sri Vyasadeva, is sufficient in itself for God realization. What is the need of any other scripture? As soon as one attentively and submissively hears the message of Bhagavatam, by this culture of knowledge the Supreme Lord is established within his heart.” This verse of Srimad-Bhagavatam rejects as cheating processes all religious activities that aim at achieving materialistic goals, including dharma, artha, kama and even moksa, or liberation.

According to Sridhara Svami, the material conception of success (moksa, or liberation) is desired by those in material existence. Devotees, however, not being situated in material existence, have no desire for liberation.

A devotee is always liberated in all stages of life because he is always engaged in the nine items of devotional service (sravanam, kirtanam, etc.). Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s philosophy holds that devotional service to Krsna always exists in everyone’s heart. It simply has to be awakened by the process of sravanam kirtanam visnoh. Sravanadi suddha-citte karaye udaya (Cc. Madhya 22.107). When a person is actually engaged in devotional service, his eternal relationship with the Lord, the servant-master relationship, is awakened.

Madhya9.262

TEXT 262

evam-vratah sva-priya-nama-kirtya

jatanurago druta-citta uccaih

hasaty atho roditi rauti gayaty

unmada-van nrtyati loka-bahyah

SYNONYMS

evam-vratah—when one thus engages in a vow to chant and dance; sva—own; priya—very dear; nama—holy name; kirtya—by chanting; jata—in this way develops; anuragah—attachment; druta-cittah—very eagerly; uccaih—loudly; hasati—laughs; atho—also; roditi—cries; rauti—becomes agitated; gayati—chants; unmada-vat—like a madman; nrtyati—dances; loka-bahyah—without caring for outsiders.

TRANSLATION

" ’When a person is actually advanced and takes pleasure in chanting the holy name of the Lord, who is very dear to him, he is agitated and loudly chants the holy name. He also laughs, cries, becomes agitated and chants just like a madman, not caring for outsiders.’

PURPORT

This verse is a quotation from Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.2.40).

Madhya9.263

TEXT 263

karma-ninda, karma-tyaga, sarva-sastre kahe

karma haite prema-bhakti krsne kabhu nahe

SYNONYMS

karma-ninda—condemnation of fruitive activities; karma-tyaga—renunciation of fruitive activities; sarva-sastre kahe—is announced in every revealed scripture; karma haite—from fruitive activities; prema-bhakti—devotional service in ecstatic love; krsne—for Krsna; kabhu nahe—can never be achieved.

TRANSLATION

"In every revealed scripture there is condemnation of fruitive activities. It is advised everywhere to give up engagement in fruitive activities, for by executing them no one can attain the highest goal of life, love of Godhead.

PURPORT

In the Vedas there are three kandas, or divisions: karma-kanda, jnana-kanda and upasana-kanda. The karma-kanda portion stresses the execution of fruitive activities, although ultimately it is advised that one abandon both karma-kanda and jnana-kanda (speculative knowledge) and accept only upasana-kanda, or bhakti-kanda. One cannot attain love of Godhead by executing karma-kanda or jnana-kanda. But by dedicating one’s karma, or fruitive activities, to the Supreme Lord, one may be relieved from the polluted mind, and becoming free from mental pollution helps elevate one to the spiritual platform. Then, however, one needs the association of a pure devotee, for only by a pure devotee’s association can one become a pure devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna. When one comes to the stage of pure devotional service, the process of sravanam kirtanam is very essential. By executing the nine items of devotional service, beginning with sravanam kirtanam, one is completely purified. Anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady-anavrtam (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.1.12). Only then is one able to execute Krsna’s orders in the Bhagavad-gita (18.65-66):

man-mana bhava mad-bhakto
mad-yaji mam namaskuru
mam evaisyasi satyam te
pratijane priyo ’si me

sarva-dharman parityajya
mam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo
moksayisyami ma sucah

“Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend. Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.” In this way one develops his original constitutional position of rendering loving service to the Lord.

One cannot be elevated to the highest platform of devotional service by karma-kanda or jnana-kanda. Pure devotional service can be understood and attained only through the association of pure devotees. In this regard, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura states that there are two types of karma-kanda activities-pious and impious. Pious activities are certainly better than impious activities, but even pious activities cannot help one achieve ecstatic love of God, Krsna. Pious and impious activities bring about material happiness and distress, but there is no possibility of one’s becoming a pure devotee simply by acting piously or impiously. Bhakti, devotional service, means satisfying Krsna. In every revealed scripture, whether stressing jnana-kanda or karma-kanda, the principle of renunciation is always praised. The ripened fruit of Vedic knowledge, Srimad-Bhagavatam, is the supreme Vedic evidence. In Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.5.12) it is said:

naiskarmyam apy acyuta-bhava-varjitam
na sobhate jnanam alam niranjanam
kutah punah sasvad abhadram isvare
na carpitam karma yad apy akaranam

“Knowledge of self-realization, even though free from all material affinity, does not look well if devoid of a conception of the Infallible [God]. What, then, is the use of fruitive activities, which are naturally painful from the very beginning and transient by nature, if they are not utilized for the devotional service of the Lord?” This means that even knowledge, which is superior to fruitive activity, is not successful if it is devoid of devotional service. Therefore in Srimad-Bhagavatam-in the beginning, middle and end-karma-kanda and jnana-kanda are condemned. For example, in Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.1.2 it is said: dharmah projjhita-kaitavo ’tra.

This is explained in the following verses taken from Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.11.32) and the Bhagavad-gita (18.66).

Madhya9.264

TEXT 264

ajnayaivam gunan dosan

mayadistan api svakan

dharman santyajya yah sarvan

mam bhajet sa ca sattamah

SYNONYMS

ajnaya—knowing perfectly; evam—thus; gunan—qualities; dosan—faults; maya—by Me; adistan—instructed; api—although; svakan—own; dharman—occupational duties; santyajya—giving up; yah—anyone who; sarvan—all; mam—unto Me; bhajet—may render service; sah—he; ca—and; sat-tamah—first-class person.

TRANSLATION

" ’Occupational duties are described in the religious scriptures. If one analyzes them, he can fully understand their qualities and faults and then give them up completely to render service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. A person who does so is considered a first-class man.’

Madhya9.265

TEXT 265

sarva-dharman parityajya

mam ekam saranam vraja

aham tvam sarva-papebhyo

moksayisyami ma sucah

SYNONYMS

sarva-dharman—all kinds of occupational duties; parityajya—giving up; mam ekam—unto Me only; saranam—as shelter; vraja—go; aham—I; tvam—unto you; sarva-papebhyah—from all the reactions of sinful life; moksayisyami—will give liberation; ma—do not; sucah—worry.

TRANSLATION

" ’Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.’

Madhya9.266

TEXT 266

tavat karmani kurvita

na nirvidyeta yavata

mat-katha-sravanadau va

sraddha yavan na jayate

SYNONYMS

tavat—up to that time; karmani—fruitive activities; kurvita—one should execute; na nirvidyeta—is not satiated; yavata—as long as; mat-katha—of discourses about Me; sravana-adau—in the matter of sravanam, kirtanam, and so on; va—or; sraddha—faith; yavat—as long as; na—not; jayate—is awakened.

TRANSLATION

" ’As long as one is not satiated by fruitive activity and has not awakened his taste for devotional service by sravanam kirtanam visnoh, one has to act according to the regulative principles of the Vedic injunctions.’

PURPORT

This is a quotation from Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.20.9).

Madhya9.267

TEXT 267

panca-vidha mukti tyaga kare bhakta-gana

phalgu kari’ ’mukti’ dekhe narakera sama

SYNONYMS

panca-vidha—five kinds of; mukti—liberation; tyaga kare—give up; bhakta-gana—devotees; phalgu—insignificant; kari’-considering; mukti—liberation; dekhe—see; narakera—to hell; sama—equal.

TRANSLATION

"Pure devotees reject the five kinds of liberation; indeed, for them liberation is very insignificant because they see it as hellish.

Next verse (Madhya9.268)