Self-Realization and Para-Bhakti in Sadhu-Sanga

by Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Trivikrama Maharaja

There are two types of perceptions, real and unreal, and their results are opposite. The result of real perception is real, or true, and that of unreal perception is unreal, or false. To accept an entity in a manner that is opposite to its nature is indeed an unreal perception, and this consideration is applicable in every field of life. For example, by accepting a foolish person as a learned scholar, one will deceive oneself. Therefore, when considering, “who am I?” a person can have true perception only when he develops a real understanding of who he is. Claiming that which is mine as mine is genuine truth, but claiming that which is not mine as mine is not. A person may cultivate someone else’s field as his own, but only the owner of the field has the right to the cultivated product. That person’s labor and expense will all go in vain.

Besides human beings, no living entities have the capacity to deliberate on what is real and what is false. It is said that human beings are the topmost of all living entities, but, living entities who strongly identify with non-reality, even if they are humans, are degraded. Living beings other than humans cannot understand the difference between body and soul, and humans who do not understand this difference are considered animals. Those who remain engrossed only in the bodily activities of eating, sleeping, mating and defending are counted in the category of animals, even if they have human bodies.

ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithunan ca
samanyam etat pasubhir naranam
dharmo hi tesham adhiko visesho
dharmena hinah pasubhih samanah

“Human beings are equal to animals in the matters of eating, sleeping, fearing and mating. The quality of religion is unique to human beings, and therefore, without religion, they are no better than animals.” (Hitopadesa 25)

Only the dharma (function) of the atma is real, and that of the body is unreal. This indeed is the doctrine of sanatana-dharma. It is not an exaggeration to say that those nations in which bodily activities are prominent are dependent on non-reality. Their progress in the areas of eating, sleeping and so on should not be considered genuine. Such progress is false, and the people of those countries attain neither para santi, transcendental peace, nor supreme happiness. They attain the opposite.

As it is said in sastra:

sri-prabuddha uvaca
karmany arabhamananam
duhkha-hatyai sukhaya ca
pasyet paka-viparyasam
mithuni-carinam nrinam

“Sri Prabuddha said, ‘Having accepted the roles of male and female in human society, conditioned souls unite in sexual relationships. Thus, they constantly make material endeavors to eliminate their unhappiness and unlimitedly increase their pleasure. But one should see that they inevitably achieve exactly the opposite result. In other words, their happiness inevitably vanishes, and as they grow older their material discomfort increases.’”
(SB 11. 3.18)

Collective efforts by nations for happiness and peace and individual efforts for sex pleasure give instead unhappiness and misery, not happiness and peace. This is because they are related to the body, which is unreal. They are not related to reality—the soul. Skyscrapers, valuable assets, a beloved wife, a son, and so on are all perishable, and one will certainly become disturbed by having affection and attachment towards them. The more something is endowed with worldly beauty and qualities, the more fearful one will be to lose it. This is a fact. The distress one feels upon losing something that is not very valuable is little. However, one becomes greatly distressed upon losing something ‘valuable’. The cause of distress is an attitude of possessiveness or myness, (mamatva buddhi) towards such perishable objects. A person does not get very disturbed at the death of someone else’s son because he does not have that feeling, i.e., mamatva buddhi towards him. However, that same person will surely become greatly distressed upon the death of his own son. Therefore, to have mamatva buddhi for perishable objects is the cause of distress. When a person becomes free from such mamatva, his sufferings are dispelled, and this is also stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (11. 3.19):
nityartidena vittena
durlabhenatma-mrityuna
grihapatyapta-pasubhih
ka pritih sadhitais calaih
Wealth is a perpetual source of distress. It is most difficult to acquire, and it is virtual death for the soul. What satisfaction does one actually gain from his wealth? Similarly, how can a person gain ultimate or permanent happiness from one’s socalled home, children, relatives and domestic animals, which are all maintained by his hard-earned money?” To attain eternal peace, therefore, one must develop attachment for the Real Entity, atma-vastu, and give up attachment for unreal or illusory entities.
sa vai pumsam paro dharmo
yato bhaktir adhokshaje
ahaituky apratihata
yayatma suprasidati

“The supreme occupation [dharma] for all humanity is that by which men can loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional must be unmotivated uninterrupted to completely satisfy the self.” (SB 1. 2.6)

nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam
eko bahunam yo vidadhati kaman

“He is the one supreme eternal being among all eternal beings, and the one supreme conscious being among all conscious beings. He alone is fulfilling the desires of everyone.” (Katho Upanishad 2.13) and (Svetasvatara Upanishad 6.10)

When the jiva gives up endeavors to satisfy his body, and instead endeavors to satisfy his atma, he identifies with the atma. By being absorbed in the eternal entity he can attain real happiness. When the jiva gives up attachment to his body and stops making efforts to please his senses, he develops mamatva buddhi for paramatma-vastu, the Supreme Reality. Then, because he has accepted the shelter of Truth, he is able to attain para santi, transcendental peace.

It is not possible to become attached to atma-vastu, however, by remaining in bad association (dusanga), or by those who are fortunate enough to attain sat-sanga, saintly association, become eligible to develop attachment to the Transcendental Reality.

bhaktis tu bhagavad-bhakta-sangena parijayate
sat-sangah prapyate pumbhih sukritaih purva-sancitaih

“The inclination for bhakti is awakened by association with Bhagavan’s bhaktas. The jiva obtains the association of suddha-bhaktas by the accumulated effect of spiritually pious activities performed over many years.” (Brihan-Naradiya-Purana 4.33)

mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimuktes
tamo-dvaram yoshitam sangi-sangam
mahantas te sama-cittah prasanta
vimanyavah suhridah sadhavo ye

“One can attain the path of liberation from material bondage only by rendering service to highly advanced spiritual personalities, the bhaktas. For those who are not interested in such activities, who associate with people fond of women and sex, the path to hell is wide open. The mahatmas are equipoised. They do not see any difference between one living entity and another. They are very peaceful and are fully engaged in devotional service. They are devoid of anger, and they work for the benefit of everyone. They do not behave in any abominable way. Such people are known as mahatmas.” (SB 5. 5.2)

The jivas’ disposition is influenced by his association. Through asatsanga he becomes attached to unreal objects and through sat-sanga alone he develops an inclination for the Real Entity. If from his birth a lion cub lives with a shepherd and his sheep, he learns to eat grass and ‘baa’ like a sheep. Similarly, The result of associating with a thief is that one becomes a thief, and, similarly, by associating with a sadhu one can become a sadhu. If a person lives with the misconception that the body is the soul, then, Only those who have accumulated sukriti become attracted to sadhus. For example, in a religious assembly, everyone hears the message of the sadhu. Even after hearing, however, those who are devoid of sukriti continue to remain absorbed in their wife, children, etc. No change is seen in them. Only one or two persons, those who have accumulated sukriti, develop an eagerness to become closer to the sadhu and hear more hari-katha—the katha of atma-dharma. Therefore, sukriti alone is the basis of sadhu-sanga. because of living in the association or shelter of non-reality, he deviates from the path of truth. Bewildered by maya, the jiva forgets that he is an eternal entity and puts his faith in the perishable body as his svarupa. He cannot break the spell of this illusion on his own. As an accumulated result of serving Hari, Guru and Vaishnavas over many births, knowingly and unknowingly, he attains sadhu-sanga. And, it is only by sadhu-sanga that he develops mamatva buddhi for the Transcendental Reality.
satam prasangan mama virya-samvido
bhavanti hrit-karna-rasayanah kathah
taj-joshanad asv apavarga-vartmani
sraddha ratir bhaktir anukramishyati

“In the association of pure devotees, discussionof the pastimes and activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead isvery pleasing and satisfying to the ear and the heart. By cultivating such knowledge,one gradually becomes advanced on the path of liberation. Thereafter he isfreed, and his attraction becomes fixed. At that time, real devotion and devotional service begin.” (SB 3. 25.25)

By living in sat-sanga, one develops faith (sraddha), and he gradually attains the stage of prema-bhakti. Baddha jivas (conditioned souls) inclined towards asat-sanga and endeavoring for bodily pleasure, remain uninterested in sadhu-sanga. Only those who have accumulated sukriti become attracted to sadhus. For example, in a religious assembly, everyone hears the message of the sadhu. Even after hearing, however, those who are devoid of sukriti continue to remain absorbed in their wife, children, etc. No change is seen in them. Only one or two persons, those who have accumulated sukriti, develop an eagerness to become closer to the sadhu and hear more hari-katha—the katha of atma-dharma. Therefore, sukriti alone is the basis of sadhu-sanga.

How can one accumulate this sukriti? Knowingly or unknowingly, willingly or unwillingly, if a jiva performs any act of auspiciousness for the atma, that becomes his sukriti. For example, if one fasts on the day of Ekadasi because food is unavailable, it becomes ‘unknowing’ sukriti—and will cause bhakti to appear in him. By donating anything to a sadhu, one attains the result of sukriti performed in knowledge.

Sukriti is also accumulated in living entities other than humans. A cow gives milk and her protector drinks the milk. One day a sadhu comes to his house and he offers that cow’s milk to this sadhu. By this, both the cow and her owner earn sukriti. Only those jivas who have earned a lot of sukriti develop sraddha in sadhus, and this sraddha is the root of premabhakti. When sraddha appears in the heart, one develops firm faith in the words of sastra and sadhu. At that time, a person gives up performing illusory activities and eagerly accepts the shelter of the Absolute Truth. A faith that “I am Krishna dasa” begins to develop, and a desire to serve Krishna under the guidance of sadhus appears in him. At that time he becomes intent upon giving up the service of nonreality or illusion, in the form of wife, son, and so on.

One who is devoid of sukriti cannot give up such attachments. However, one who is endowed with sukriti attains firm faith in statements such as ‘jivera svarupa haya, krishnera nitya-dasa’, the constitutional position of the jiva is that he is an eternal servant of Krishna. “Krishna bhakti karile sarva karma krito haya—by rendering service to Krishna, service to everyone else is performed.”

Impelled by this faith, one attains the strength to give up his obligations to his mother, father, wife, son, daughter and other bodily relations. Thus, by sadhu-sanga alone, the jiva becomes established in reality or truth.

Thus, man develops priti for Bhagavan, the Absolute Reality, by sincerely hearing His topics in the association of sadhus. Only bhagavat-priti or prema is parama-dharma, the supreme occupation of the jiva, and it is his only para santi, supreme peace.


Translated from Sri Bhagavat Patrika, Year 46, Issue 1
by the Rays of The Harmonist team.
Published in English for the first time in Rays of The Harmonist No. 10 Summer 2002


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