The Essence Of Ten Maxims


(Sri Dasamula-Niryas)





VERSE 1





Amnayah praha tattvam/harimiha

paramam/sarvasaktim/rasabdhim/

tadbhinnamsamsca jivan/prakriti kavalitan/

tadvimuktamsca bhavat/

bhedabheda-prakasam sakalamapi hareh/

sadhanam suddha bhaktim/

sadhyam yat pritim/evetyupadisati harau

gauracandram bhajetam



Word  Notes:

    The  wisdom  revealed  by Sri Gaura Candra is being described

briefly as follows:

    tam  gauracandra  bhaje  (I worship that Sri Gauracandra) yah

(who)  amnayah  praha  tattvam  (the  ninefold  aspects of wisdom

revealed  as authorised by the Vedic scriptures; such as, (1) Sri

Hari  is  the only source of wisdom; (2) He is omnipotent; (3) He

is  the ocean of universal bliss; (4) the living entities are the

parts  and  parcels  of Sri Hari; (5) some of the living entities

are  conditioned  by  the material nature; (6) some of the living

entities  are liberated from material nature; (7) the universe is

nothing  but the manifestation in oneness and difference with Sri

Hari; (8) uncontaminated devotion is the only means of liberation

for  the  conditioned  souls; (9) love for Supreme Godhead is the

only  goal  of  knowledge  and  wisdom.  Thus,  in the verse, the

requisites  for  wisdom,  as  revealed  by Sri Krsnacaitanya, are

presented.







VERSE 2



svatahsiddho vedo haridayita vedhah prabhrtitah

pramanam satpraptam pramiti-visayan tan navavidhan

tatha pratyaksadi-pramiti-sahitam sadhayati nah

na juktistarkakhya pravisati tatha saktirahita



Word Notes:

    The   transcendental   wisdom  of  the  ten  maxim  is  being

enumerated in ten verses - svatah siddho vedah haridayita-vedyhah

prabhrtitah  (the  Vedic  scriptures  are  the only source of all

authoritative  wisdom according to words mentioned therein, viz.,

'asya  mahato  bhutasya  nisvasitametat'[RkVeda]  etc.  The Vedic

instruction  as  obtained  through disciplic succession by Brahma

etc.  as the closest associates of the Supreme Godhead, according

to  the  words 'brahma devanam prathamah samvabhuva' as stated in

the  Mundaka  Upanisad, must be considered as 'the Vedas' and not

dry  arguments and speculation; and that those are the only Vedic

maxims) pratyaksadi pramiti sahitam (with perceptable proofs) nah

(about  us)  tan  pramiti-visayan (about those propositions) nava

vidhan  (ninefold  propositions)  sadhayati  (performs). [In this

respect  the wise advice expounded by Sri Jiva Prabhu runs thus -

'In  spite  of  highly developed intellect and expertise, all men

are  polluted  with  four  illusory propensities, and so they are

unfit   for   realising  transcendental  spiritual  knowledge  of

inconcievable  nature.  For  this  reason,  the  ten propositions

perceived  by  them  are  also faulty and imperfect. As such, the

intelligence  of  the  living entities is unable to ascertain the

inconcievable  nature  of  transcendental  truth; and accordingly

through  such understanding, no spiritual aspect of wisdom can be

proved;  but  if we are interested in realising the inconcievable

wonderful  aspects  of  the transcendental, omnipresent truth, we

should   accept   the   authoritive   Vedic   scriptures  as  the

fountainhead  of  all  material  and spiritual wisdom perpetuated

through the eternally continuing chain of disciplic succession.



    Why are we so interested in the conviction that the Vedas are

authentic?  Replying  to  such  a question, it has been stated in

Brahmasutra   (2/1/11)  that  human  intelligence  can  never  be

satisfied  through  arguments; and as such no wisdom of spiritual

transcendental  truth could be attained by means of arguments. In

Mahabharat (Bhismaparva, 5/22) it is said that the transcendental

subject  matters  could  never  be considered discernible through

arguments.  Again,  Brahmasutra  (1/1/3) says that the scriptures

are  the  only  source  of  discerning  anything  relating to the

knowledge  of  Godhead, and that (2/1/17) authentic words are the

only  vehicle  for  discerning transcendental subject matters. In

Srimad  Bhagavatam  (11/20/4),  it  is  said  that  - 'Oh Supreme

Personality   of  Godhead,  love  for  You  and  its  refinement,

developing  into  the stage of pure devotion means that the image

and   the  opulences  of  Godhead,  although  unknowable  to  the

forefathers,  the  demigods  and also to human beings in general,

yet their real vision is the revealed words of truth contained in

the Vedas, in other words, the words of the Vedas have become the

true  vision  to  human  beings  in order to experience the Vedic

instructions  and  to  disseminate  these  instructions among the

ignorant people. In these words, the great sage Sri Vyasadeva has

accepted  that  the  writings of the Vedic scriptures revealed as

the  divine  instruction  have  been  accepted  as  authentic and

authoritative.]  Tatha  (like  that) saktirahita tarkakhya yuktih

(arguments  based  on reasoning without substantive force behind)

na pravisati (does not enter, which means that the transcendental

spiritual   subject  matter  can  never  be  ascertained  through

didactic arguments and reasoning).





VERSE 3



Harisvekam tattvam vidhisivasuresa-pranamito

yadevedam brahma prakrti-rahitam tattanumahah

paratma tasyamso jagadanugato visvajanakah

sa vai radhakanto navajaladakantiscidudayah



Word Notes:



    Vidhi-siva-suresa-pranamitah haristvekam tattvam (Sri Hari is

the only source of knowledge worshipped by Brahma-Siva-Indra); sa

tu  navajaldakantiscidudayah radhakanta (His comlextion is like a

newly-formed  cloud.  He  is  the  spiritually  blissful  form of

Syamasundara,    glorified   companion   to   Radha,   known   as

Krsnacandra);  yadbrahma  tattanumahah  (Brahman as stated in the

Upanisads is the bodily effulgence of Radha Kanta), jagadanugatah

visvajanakah paratma (innermost knower of the universe, father of

creation,  supreme  soul); tasya (of Sri Krsna); amsah (the third

incarnation of Godhead as Visnu lying on the transcendental ocean

of milk).





VERSE 4



parakhyayah sakteraprthagapi as sve mahimani

sthito jivakhyam svamacidabhihitam tam tripadikam

svatantrecchah saktim sakalavisaye preranaparo

vikaradyaih sunyah paramapurusoayam vijayate



Word Notes:



    Sah  (Sri  Krsna);  parakhyayah  sakteraprthagapi (even being

non-different  from the supreme power); sve mahimani sthito (even

being  situated  in  His  own  undivided glorified position); tam

tripadikam (the only power in the forms of internal, external and

marginal   potencies   according   to   function);   sakalavisaye

preranaparah   svatantrecchah  (He  Himself  is  independent  and

self-willed   even  after  deputing  different  entities  as  per

internal,  external  and  marginal  relationships); paramapurusah

vijayate (Supreme Personality Sri Hari stays as He is).





VERSE 5



sa vai hladinyasca pranayavikrteh-hladanarata-

statha samviccakati-prakatita-rahobhava-rasitah

tatha sri sandhinya krtavisada-taddhamamcaye

rasambhodhou magno vrajarasavilasi vijayate



Word Notes:

    sah  vai  (Krsna  Himself);  hladinyasca  (of  the  aspect of

amusement          under         constitutional         potency);

pranayvirkrteh-hladanarata  (engaged  in the matters of amusement

under        amorous       ecstasy);       punah       tacchakteh

samircchaktiprakatita-rahobhava-rasitah        (again       that

constitutional   potency   is   phenomenally  manifested  through

material  relationship  of  samvit);  punasca  tacchakteh sandhim

krtavisada   taddhamanicaye   rasambhodhou   magno  (again  being

submerged  in  the ocean of transcendental mellow of relationship

between  the individual and the Supreme Lord through the material

features  known  as  sandhini manifestation of the constitutional

potency);  vraja  rasa  vilasi  vijayate  (the Supreme enjoyer of

Vraja, Sri Krsna remains abounding with all His excellence).





VERSE 6



sphulinga rddhagneriva cidanavo jivanicaya

hareh suryasyaivaprthagapi tu tadbhedavisayah

vase maya yasya prakrti-patirevesvara iha

as jivomukto'api prakrtivasa yogyah svagunatah



Word Notes:

    Clarifying  the  source  of  theism,  the  living entities in

different  categories  are being described - suryasya hareh anava

iva  (like  the  molecules  in the rays of sun); cidanova (living

entities);  te  tu  rddhagneh sphulinga iva (like the sparks of a

fire);  aprthagapi  tu  tadbhedavisaya  (because  of  its  atomic

nature,   it   is   considered  as  a  separate  entity  although

non-different  from  the Supreme Godhead being manifested through

His   marginal   potency);   yasya   vase  maya  sa  eva  isvarah

prakrtipatih (that Hari is the Godhead, the controller of nature,

and illusion is active under His influence.); sah jiva muktah api

(even if that living entity is liberated); svagunatah (by his own

modes   i.e.   desires  for  enjoyment  according  to  individual

cravings);   prakrtivasayogya   (susceptible   to   influence  of

illusion).  [Thus  a difference between Godhead and living entity

is ascertained.]





VERSE 7



svaruparthairhinan nijasukhaparan krsnavimukhan

harermaya dandyan gunanigadhajalaih kalayati

tatha sthulairlingaidvividhavaranaih klesanikarai-

rmmahakarmalanairnayati patitan svarganirayau



Word Notes:



    Those  living  entities have two divisions - one is eternally

God  conscious, and the other is eternally forgetful. One is open

minded  and eager owing to an awareness of real knowledge and the

other  is  deviated  for his lack of knowledge. The God conscious

entity  is  situated  as a servitor to Godhead as a result of his

inclination to Godhead, and the other is living a life of mundane

materialism  being  defeated  by illusion due to his diversion in

the  way  of  spiritual thinking. The symptoms of a living entity

gripped  under  the  influence  of  illusion  are narrated thus -

svaruparthaih  hinan  (awareness of the constitutional potency is

one's  transcendental  source  of  knowledge, and absence of such

awareness  means  the  lack  of  knowledge  about  constitutional

potency);  nija  sukha  paran  (one  who  is  desirous  of  sense

gratification  while disregarding the primary duty of worshipping

Hari);  Krsna vimukhan (running after material enjoyment entirely

forgetting  the  fact  that  only  Krsna  is all in all); dandyan

(living  entities  who  are  subject  to  punishment);  harermaya

(illusion  as the external potency of Sri Hari); guna-nigadajalai

(with the shackles of modes like goodness passion and ignorance);

kalayati   (involves);   sthulairlingairdvlividhavaranaih  (again

encompassed   under   the  gross  material  body  with  genitals,

including   the   covering   of   mind,  intelligence  and  ego);

klesanikaraih (along with the sufferings; sufferings are - sinful

activities,  causes of such sinful activities and the three modes

arising  out  of  nescience);  mahakarmalanaih  (through the vast

material  world  of  fruitive  activities including all unforseen

events   useless   words  and  speeches  have  the  qualities  of

continuous  destruction, creating great obstructions of bondage);

patitan   (those   fallen   and   conditioned  living  entities);

svarganirayou  nayati  (make  the living entities, as a result of

their  own  good  and  bad  types  of fruitive activities, travel

through the heavenly and hellish planets).





VERSE 8





yada bhramam bhramam harirasagalad-vaisnavajanam

kadacit sampasyamstadanugamane syadruciyutah

tada krsna vrttya tyajati sanakairmayaikadasam

svarupam vibhrano vimalarasabhogam sa kurute



Word Notes:



    In  order  to  describe  the  constitutional  position of the

living   entities   free  from  the  bondage  of  nature  through

devotional  services  to  Godhead,  the  process of attaining the

constitutional  position  of  the  conditioned living entities is

thus  narrated - yada (the period of travelling through the forms

of   various   species  according  to  the  results  of  fruitive

activities);  iha (in this land of India); kadacit (any time as a

result  of  accumulated  good effects from devotional services to

Godhead); harirasa galad-vaisnavajanam (any vaisnava person whose

heart  is  absorbed  in  the  devotional  mellow  of  Sri  Hari);

sampasyan   (by  looking  at);  tadanugamane  (following  in  his

footsteps,  his  way of life, devotional services and worshipping

of  Sri  Krsna);  rucih  syat  (interest  is  developed); tada sa

krsnavrttya (during that period the living entity starts chanting

the holy name of Sri Krsna along with other spiritual exercises);

krame  sanakaih (slowly by and by); mayikadasam tyajati (forsakes

his  conditioned  state  under  illusion); svarupam vibhrano (and

attaining  the position of liberation upon his achievement of own

transcendental  constitutional  state of being); vimalarasabhogam

(blissful taste of divine love); kurute (starts having).





VERSE 9



hareh sakteh sarvam cidacidakhilam syat parinatih

vivarttam no satyam srutimiti viruddham kalimalam

harerbhedabhedou srutivihitatattvam suvimalam

tatah premnah siddhirbhavati nitaram nityavisaye



Word Notes:



    This  is thus said that all spiritual and material worlds are

but  manifestations  of  the  omnipotency  of  Sri  Hari - sarvam

cidacit  akilam  (all worlds of spiritual and material creation);

hareh  sakteh  parinatih  (ultimate results of the omnipotency of

Sri  Hari);  syat  (become);  vivarttam  (theory  of evolution as

propounded   by   impersonalist  mayavadis,  explaining  a  thing

wrongly);  sa  na  satyam (that is not true); srutimiti viruddham

(against  the principles of sruti or Vedic scriptures); kalimalam

(accordingly,  knowledge  of  evolution should be despised as the

filthy  covering  of  Kali  yuga,  the age of quarrelling); tatah

nityavisaye   (in  the  eternal  entity  of  Sri  Hari);  premnah

siddhirvhavati (desire for divine love or an urge to satisfy Lord

Sri Krsna is achieved).





VERSE 10



srutih krsnakhyanam smarana-nati-pujavidhiganah

tatha dasyam sakhyam paricaranamapyatmadadanam

navangani sraddha-pavita-hrdayah sadhayati va

vraje sevaluvdho vimalarasabhavam sa labhate



Word Notes:



    After  discussing  so far on the aspect of relationships, now

the  theory  of  exposition  and  requisites are described thus -

sruti krsnakhyanam smarana nati pujavidhiganastathadasyam sakhyam

paricaranamapi   atmadadanam   (hearing,  chanting,  remembering,

offering  obeisances, worshiping, serving the Lord's feet, acting

as  the  Lord's  servant,  making  friends  with  the  Lord,  and

surrendering  oneself  fully  to the Lord); navangani (these nine

processes  of devotional service); sraddha pavita hrdayasadhayati

va  (he  who  performs  these  services with all due respect); as

vraje  sevalubdho  vimalarasa  havam  labhate  (such  a  devotee,

anxious to offer services to Vraja, attains unalloyed ecstacy and

mellow of the sweetest nature).





VERSE 11



prabhuh kah ko jivah kathamidamacidvisvamiti va

vicaryaitanarthan haribhajanakrcchastracaturah

abhedasam dharman sakalamaparadham pariharam

harernamanandam pivati haridaso harijanaih



Word Notes:



    Upon  making  an  assessment  of  the theory of relationship,

exposition  and requisites, the primary duties of a living entity

is  thus  narrated  - jivanam kah prabhu ka jiva idam acit visvam

katham  va  etadarthatrayam  vicarya  (after justifying the three

aspects,  namely,  who  is  the master or controller of and hence

worshipable  by  the  living  entity, who are the living entities

themselves  and  why  is  this  non-spiritual i.e., this material

world created); haribhajana krcchastracatura, (intelligent person

who  is  engaged  in worshiping Sri Hari upon justifying the said

three  aspects  on  the basis of scriptural reasoning); abhedamsa

(justification  of non-difference with Brahma with the conviction

that 'I am Brahma'); dharman (all the religions relating to work,

knowledge   and   yogic  practices);  sakalamaparadham  (all  the

offenses relating to holy name and offering services to Godhead);

pariharan   (avoiding);   haridasah   (Vaisnava  living  entity);

harijanaih harerhamanandah pivati (becomes glorified in relishing

the  holy  name  of  Sri  Hari  together with the devotees of Sri

Hari). 



VERSE 12



samsevya dasamulam vai hitvaavidyamayam janah

bhavapustim tatha tustim labhate sadhusangatah



Word Notes:



    dasamulam  samsevya (through practicing these ten instructive

maxims);   andyamayam   hitva  (by  eradicating  the  disease  of

nescience,   just  like  many  people  destroy  various  feverish

diseases  with the help of taking a potion made from the extracts

of  ten  varieties  of herbal roots, similarly by eradicating the

disease   of   Krsna-adverseness  through  practicing  these  ten

instructive  maxims);  sadhusangatah  bhavapustim  thatha  tustim

labhate  (attain  eternal  bliss and loving ecstasy together with

saintly persons).



(Sri Dasamula-niryas)





Affirmation



    I offer my obeisances unto Goura candra who has imparted this

instruction  to  me. The instruction is that the Vedas constitute

the  only  source of evidence. The said Vedas extended to us nine

aspects of instruction to be established.



    Aspect One:



    Sri  Hari is the only source of all knowledge. Sri Krsna with

newly-formed  cloud complexion, personified eternal, blissful and

full  of  knowledge, may be described with the word Hari. Brahma,

as  described  by  the  propounders  of the Upanisads, is only an

effulgence  of the spiritual planetary systems of Sri Hari. He is

not  a  different  entity  or  aspect  apart  from Sri Krsna. The

Supreme  Soul or Paramatma, as depicted by the yogis, is part and

parcel  of Sri Hari, only under whose visual projection this vast

universe was created by nature. Accordingly, Sri Hari is the only

master and all others including even Brahma are His servants.



Aspect Two:



    That  Sri  Hari  is omnipotent. There exists an inconceivable

subordinate  potency  of  Hari non-different from Hari. He is the

spiritual  power  as  internal  potency,  the  illusory  power as

external  potency,  and  the  living  entity  power  as  marginal

potency.  He has created Vaikuntha and other position through the

spiritual  power,  infinite  universes through the illusory power

and  infinite  living  entities  through the living entity power.

That  subordinate  potency  has  three  aspects  know as sandhini

(material aspects), samvit (aspects of relationship with Godhead)

and hladini (aspect of amusement).



Aspect Three:



    That  Sri Krsna as Hari is the ocean of all sorts of mellows.

Passive  of  neutral  (santa  rasa)  mellow, serving (dasya rasa)

mellow,  friendly  (sakhya rasa) mellow, parental (vatsalya rasa)

mellow  and conjugal (madhura rasa) mellow - are the five tastes.

Of all the tastes of mellows, conjugal mellow is the best one. In

the pastimes of Sri Krsna at Vrajadham it is this conjugal mellow

that  stands  supreme with all its sanctity. Sri Krsna is radiant

with sixty-four qualities, namely:-



(1)	beautiful features  of the entire body (suramyanga)

(2)	marked with all auspicious characteristics (sarvasallaksanayukta)

(3)	extremely pleasing (sundar)

(4)	effulgent (mahateja)

(5)	strong (valavan)

(6)	ever youthful (kisor-vayasa-yukta)

(7)	wonderful linguist (vividha-adbhut-bhasajna)

(8)	truthful (satyavak)

(9)	talks pleasingly (priya-vakya-yukta)

(10)	fluent (vak-patu)

(11)	highly learned (supandit)

(12)	highly intelligent (vuddhiman)

(13)	a genious (pratibhayukta)

(14)	artistic (vidagdha)

(15)	extremely clever (catur)

(16)	expert (daksa)

(17)	grateful (krtajna)

(18)	firmly determined (sudrdha vrata)

(19)	an expert judge of time and circumstances (des-kal-patrajna)

(20)	sees and speaks on the authority of Vedas, or scriptures (sastrajna)

(21)	pure (suci)

(22)	self-controlled (vasi)

(23)	steadfast (sthir)

(24)	forbearing (damanasil)

(25)	forgiving (ksamasil)

(26)	grave (gambhir)

(27)	self-satisfied (dhrtiman)

(28)	possessing equilibrium (samadarsan)

(29)	magnanimous (vadanya)

(30)	religious (dharmik)

(31)	heroic (sura)

(32)	compassionate (karun)

(33)	respectful (manada)

(34)	gentle (daksin)

(35)    liberal (vinayi)

(36)	shy (lajjayukta)

(37)	protector of surrendered souls (saranagata-palaka)

(38)	happy (sukhi)

(39)	the well wisher of devotees (bhakta-vandhu)

(40)	controlled by love (prema-vasya)

(41)	all auspicious (sarva-sukhakari)

(42)	most powerful (pratapi)

(43)	all-famous (kirtiman)

(44)	popular (lokanurakta)

(45)	partial to devotees (sadhudiger samasram)

(46)	very attractive to all women (nari-manohari)

(47)	all worshipable (sarvaradhya)

(48)	all opulent (samrddhiman)

(49)	all honorable (srestha) and

(50)    the supreme controller (aisvarya-yukta)



    Besides  all  of  the  above-mentioned  fifty qualities, Lord

Krsna   possesses   five  more,  which  are  sometimes  partially

manifested  in  the  persons  of  Lord Brahma or Lord Siva. These

transcendental qualities are as follows:



(1)	changeless (sarvada svarupa-samprapta)

(2)	all-cognizant (sarvajna)

(3)	ever fresh (nitya-nutan)

(4)	possessing an eternal blissful body(saccidananda-gharibhuta-svarupa)

(5)	possessing all mystic perfections (akhila-siddhi-vasakari

ataevsarva	siddhi-nisevita).  Krsna  also  possesses  five  other

qualities,  which  are manifest in the body of Narayana, and they

are listed as follows.



(1)	He has inconceivable potency (avicintya-maha saktitva)

(2)	uncountable universes generate from his body (koti-brahmanda	vigrahatva)

(3)	He is the original source of all incarnations (sakala-avatar-vijatva)

(4)	He is the giver of salvation to the enemies whom He kills (hata-satru

sugati-dayakatva)

(5)	He is the attractor of liberated souls (atmaramganer akarsakatva)



    All  these  transcendental qualities are manifest wonderfully

in  the  personal  feature  of  Lord  Krsna.  Besides these sixty

transcendental  qualities,  Krsna  has  four  more, which are not

manifest  even  in the Narayana form of Godhead, what to speak of

the demigods or living entities. They are as follows:



(1)	He is the performer of wonderful varieties of pastimes (especially His 	childhood pastimes)	sarva-loker camatkarini-lilar-kallol-samudra),

(2)	He is surrounded by devotees endowed with wonderful love of Godhead. 	(srngara-raser atulya-prema-sobhavisista prema-mandal).

(3)	He can attract all living entities all over the universes by playing on 	His flute (trijagater cittakarsi murati-gita-gan).

(4)	He has a wonderful excellence of beauty which cannot be rivaled 	anywhere in the creation.



Adding to the list these four exceptional qualities of Krsna, it is to be understood that the aggregate number of qualities of Krsna is sixty-four.





Aspect Four:



    In  the  preceding  three aspects, knowledge about Godhead is

introduced.  In  the  4th,  5th  and 6th aspects, knowledge about

living entities is being narrated. An appraisal of constitutional

position  of  living  entities is contained in the fourth aspect.

The  living  entity  is  manifested  in different forms just like

lighting  up  an  infinite number of small lamps from the supreme

lamp  under  the  influence  of  marginal  potency  of Sri Hari's

subordinate   power  or  energy.  Although  a  living  entity  is

constitutionally   spiritual   and  is  provided  with  spiritual

propensities,  it  is  very,  very infinitesimal and dependent in

nature.   Owing   to  such  dependent  nature,  Krsna-adverseness

develops  leading  to  domination  by  illusion.  The distinction

between  Godhead  and living entity is that although both of them

are  constitutionally  situated on the spiritual platform, but by

nature,  the  one  who  is  the controller and master of illusion

which  is  serving  Him  eternally,  is  the  Godhead. One who is

susceptible  to  domination of illusion, even when in a liberated

position,  and  is  animalcular  in  form, is a living entity. He

remains  free  from  illusion only when surrendered unto Krsna. A

perfect   living  entity  is  characterised  with  the  spiritual

embodiment,  and  the fifty qualities enumerated hereinbefore are

all  in  existence  in  him  in  drops  and  particles. All these

qualities  are  of course spiritual. There should be no existence

of illusory propensities or qualities in a perfect living entity.



Aspect Five:



    The living entity is just like a corpuscle in the rays of the

spiritual  sun  which  is  Krsna. He is subservient and thus in a

state  of being enslaved and subject to mundane earthly enjoyment

because  of  his  infinitesimal form. If subservient to Krsna, he

would  have  no  suffering  and  could enjoy eternally heightened

bliss.  When his desires for sense gratification gradually become

Krsna-averse,  he  becomes  illusioned  and starts suffering from

illusory  pleasure  and  pain in this material world, involved in

irresistible  cycle of fruitive activities created by illusionary

potency.  The  cycle of illusory fruitive activities comprises of

virtue  and  vice,  pleasure  and  pain,  as well as high and low

status.  Through such a mundane cycle of activities sometimes one

may   attain  heavenly  planets  and  may  also  undergo  hellish

condition - thus travelling through eighty-four lakhs of species.



Aspect Six:



    In  spite  of  the  fact  that  the  living entity may become

conditioned   through   the   cycle   of   illusion,  he  is  but

constitutionally  of  spiritual potency and thus capable of being

liberated  from  illusion; he can not of course attain liberation

through any kind of illusory activities.



    Accordingly,  it is not possible to dispel illusory effect by

dint  of  any  acquired  virtue and pious activities. Even if the

conception  is  developed  that  I am a living entity and that my

spiritual corpuscular existence and illusion is simply despicable

for  me  -  will  not  be instrumental in liberating oneself from

illusion  through  such  an  awakening  of  the spirit of gnostic

renunciation.



    As  soon  as  the  spell  of  latent  and  obscure ecstasy of

considering oneself as the servant of Lord Sri Krsna is awakened,

the  effective benefit of liberation will be impending. Only upon

such  an  awakening of one's own disposition that the disposition

of  being  dominated  by  illusion starts dispelling in course of

time.  Who  can  awaken  one's own disposition which is extremely

obsolescent? This can not be done through any efforts of fruitive

activities, pedantic knowledge and gnostic renunciation.



    Accordingly,  one whose own disposition is awakened by virtue

of  some  destiny,  may  use  the benefit of awakening the almost

obsolescent  disposition  of  other  living  entities through the

force of his association.



    In  this  connection,  the instance of two happenings will be

required.   One  who  is  desirous  of  awakening  his  own  true

disposition,  attains  a  little of devotional flavour of seeking

shelter*  by  virtue of the results of his previous activities of

devotional  services  offered  unto  Godhead  -  and this will be

considered  as one of the instances of two happenings required as

mentioned hereinbefore.



    The   second  instance  of  happening  is  that  he  gets  an

association  with the saintly persons by virtue of the results of

such  pious  activities.  He  who has been able to awaken his own

true  disposition fortunately by dint of associating himself with

other saintly persons, can only be considered as a saintly person

or  sadhu. An ecstacy of devotion is developed through practicing

the  chanting  of the holy name of Sri Hari and others, under the

powerful  effect  of association with the saintly persons; by and

by,  an  awakening  of loving and ecstasy is developed. An air of

liberation  starts  blowing  in  proportion  to  the awakening of

loving ecstasy as a concomitant beneficial effect.



    *Additional       Notes       on       'seeking      shelter'

(saranapatti-laksana):-   'anukulyasya   samkalpah   pratikulasya

varjanam,    raksisyatiti   visvaso   goptrtve   varanam   tatha,

atmaniksepakarpanye  sadvidha  saranagatih.'  The purport is this

-when  the  living entity comes to realise it definitely that the

illusory  world  is his prison-house and as such it is despicable

and  that  all fruitive activities, all speculative knowledge and

opulence   or   yogic  processes  relating  to  renunciation  and

emancipation  can  not  firmly  bring his own true disposition to

sense,  then he takes shelter at the lotus feet of Lord Sri Krsna

as  an  insignificant  soul surrendering unto the supreme will of

Sri Krsna, with full confidence in the fact that Sri Krsna is his

only   protection   and   controller,  dispelling  all  sorts  of

distractive  activities  against  the  attainment  of  devotional

services   to  Sri  Krsna.  This  is  the  symptom  of  unalloyed

devotional services to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.



Aspect Seven:



    Knowledge  of  relationship  is awakened upon discoursing the

aspects  mentioned  under  1  to  6  in  association with saintly

persons.  Classification of knowledge of relationship and will be

attempted under this seventh aspect. An inquisitive living entity

usually  wants  to know - (1) Who am I? (2) Whom I belong to? (3)

What  is  my  relationship with the universe? Upon discoursing on

these  three  points  elaborately, one observes that oneself as a

living  entity  is  but  a  corpuscular consciousness and eternal

servant  of  Lord  Sri  Krsna, and that this entire cosmos is the

manifestation  of the phenomenon of oneness and difference of Sri

Krsna. Sri Krsna is the only relation. Any sort of speculation on

the  basis  of the so called theory of evolution is redundant and

non-Vedic  under  the  inconceivable  potency  of  Sri Krsna, all

living entities and the entire cosmos are eternally different and

non-different  from Him. One's position in this material universe

is thus not of eternal existence; it is just a prison house. From

this   understanding   develops  one's  devotion  in  unflinching

surrender  unto  Lord  Sri Krsna which means a deep confidence is

awakened.



Aspect Eight:



    So far, an enlightenment in the understanding of relationship

is thus attained and association with the saintly persons through

singular  devotion  is  elevated  to the level of reverence. Now,

deliberating on the matter of how Lord Krsna can be made pleased,

one  is inclined to approach and ask a bona fide spiritual master

as  to  the  processes  of  satisfying  Lord Krsna. The spiritual

master,  ascertaining  one  to  be  really  surcharged  with  the

qualities  of  reverence,  imparts real devotional instruction to

satisfy  Lord Krsna. The symptoms of such a qualified person with

reverence     are     thus    quoted    -    anyabhilasitansunyam

jnanakarmadya-navrtam   anukulyena   krnanushitan  bhaktiruttama.

Chanting  the  holy  names of Lord Sri Krsna and glorification of

His  beauty,  qualities  and  pastimes  as  an  embodiment of the

constitutional  position  of His eternal, blissful and omniscient

entity,  if  performed  through  favourable disposition, would be

considered  the  best  type  of  devotion  or  the purest form of

devotion.

    The practice of devotional processes should be made favorably

disposed  to  worshiping  the  Lord,  in relation to all sorts of

activities,  relationship  and  mental  state of a living entity.

Accordingly, a favourable disposition towards worshiping the Lord

may  be  considered  to  lead  a  life  which avoids all sorts of

activities, relationship and mental state averse to worshiping.



    In  order to achieve such a disposition, one is to practice a

little  enthusiastic  endeavour.  Worshiping  is  required  to be

performed  with  an  effort  to awaken the realization of his own

constitutional position of a living entity. The objective will be

to  offer  the  worship  in a purified manner. There should be no

other  desire  excepting  a  desire  to  improve upon worshiping.

Accordingly,  any  desire  for sense gratification and liberation

    even is required to be renounced altogether.



    There should of course be enterprises for acquiring knowledge

and earning money through activities for livelihood, but all such

aspects  of  activities  and  knowledge  that may usually conceal

unalloyed   devotional   enterprises  should  be  very  carefully

prevented.  One should be away from indiscriminatory knowledge of

Brahman and from activities devoid of devotional symptoms.



    There  are  nine processes of devotional service expounded as

hearing  the  name  and  glories  of  the  Supreme Personality of

Godhead  (sravana),  chanting  His glories (kirtana), remembering

the   Lord   (smarana),  serving  the  Lord's  feet  (paricarya),

worshiping  the Deity (arcana), offering obeisances unto the Lord

(vandana),  acting  as the Lord's servant (dasya), making friends

with the Lord (sakhya) and surrendering oneself fully to the Lord

(atmanivedana).



    Again it is prescribed that these processes can be subdivided

into   some  sixty-four  auxiliary  processes  on  the  basis  of

principle  components  of  devotional  enterprise. Amongst these,

some are of regulative principles or characteristics and some are

of prohibitive characteristics or principles.



    The  regulative  characteristics  of the auxiliary devotional

processes  mainly  include  five essentials, thus chanting of the

holy  name  of  Hari,  residing  at  the  sacred  place  of Hari,

observing and meditating on the transcendental form and beauty of

Hari,  offering  services  to  persons  engaged in the service of

Hari,  and  cultivating  the  study of the scriptures relating to

devotional service to Hari.



    It  is  extremely  essential  to  abide  by the following ten

prohibitive   principles,   thus   -   abandoning  all  offensive

activities,  carefully  giving  up  all non-Vaisnava association,

restraining from initiation of many disciples in order to enhance

the  vanity  as  a  spiritual  master,  abandoning  the study and

analytic  discourse of a number of books, relinquishing all sorts

of  distressful  and  happy emotions arising out of material loss

and   gain,  declining  to  be  overcome  by  mourning  and  deep

attachment, refusing an audition to any censure of Lord Visnu and

Vaisnava  persons,  rejecting  any  practice  of  vulgarity as an

adverse  disposition,  and  refraining from inflicting worries to

any living entity.



    Offence  are classified in two categories, thus - offenses in

offering  serves  and  offenses  in  chanting  the holy name. The

offenses  in  offering  service  to the deity are to be seriously

considered.  Every  devotee  should  refrain  from  the  offenses

relating  to  chanting of the holy name, thus -

(1)	censuring any saintly person engaged in chanting the holy name

(2)	considering Godhead to be different from His holy name, form, qualities

	and pastimes and assuming the existence of different godheads like Siva 	and others apart from the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

(3)	Despising the holy name, scriptural instruction and the spiritual master.

(4)	Despising the scriptures meant for glorifying the holy name.

(5)	considering the glories of the holy name to be just hymns.

(6)	considering the holy name to be speculative.

(7)	committing sinful activities by virtue of the holy name.

(8)	equating the holy name, which is tantamount to the Supreme Personality

	of Godhead as the highest mellow in consciousness, with other forms of

	materialistic virtue or auspicious performances.

(9)	preaching the holy name to any unqualified disrespectful person.

(10)	chanting the holy name to along with the vanity of egotism and sense of

	attachment.



    These  are  the ten offenses relating to the holy name of the

Lord.  These offenses in holy names are very cruel and merciless,

in  as  much  as these are very difficult to throw off. These can

only  be  eliminated  through the process of constant association

with  the saintly persons. Every disciple must be endeavouring to

remain  unaffected  by  these offenses in chanting the holy name,

right from the initiation in the holy name.



    Chanting  the  holy  name of the Lord along with His form and

beauty,  His  qualities  and pastimes is the highest level of all

devotional   processes.   When   these  devotional  services  are

practiced strictly in accordance with the scriptures, then it may

be considered to be ritualistic devotion (vaidhi bhakti). Through

constant  practicing of such devotional services, an awakening of

devotional ecstasy is attained.



    There  is  another process of devotional performance which is

extraordinary  and  known  as  spontaneous  devotional service in

which  the devotee follows in the footsteps of one of the eternal

associates   of   Krsna   in   Vrndavana  (raganuga-bhakti).  The

spontaneous   devotion   of   the  inhabitants  of  Vrajadham  is

substantial  and  authentic. Some virtuous person may sometime be

inclined  to  imitate  such  devotional  service, simply out of a

strong temptation. His performances in the devotional service may

be  considered  as  spontaneous  devotion. In this consideration,

there   is  no  need  for  any  scriptural  reasoning.  The  only

qualification  in  it  is  the  urge to offer devotional service.

These   two  types  of  devotional  services  may  very  well  be

classified   under  the  appellative  aspect  of  absolute  truth

(abhidheya tattva).



Aspect Nine:



    The  ninth  aspect is the love for Lord Sri Krsna arising out

of  need.  While practicing devotional processes intently through

all  due respect or cultivating faithful replication of the moods

of  the  inhabitants  of  Vrajadham, a gradual awakening of Krsna

consciousness  is quite evident. At that stage, entire effort may

be  rendered  ecstatic  by  way  of  coinciding  the enterprising

practice   of  ritualistic  devotional  services  with  those  of

ecstatic  mood. That ecstatic mood gradually attains the stage of

living  relationship  with  the  Lord  in  various transcendental

mellows or tastes, viz.,in passive or neutral relationship (santa

rasa),  serving  relationship (dasya rasa), friendly relationship

(sakya rasa), parental relationship (vatsalya rasa), and conjugal

relationship (madhura rasa).



    Passive  or  neutral  relationship  (santa  rasa) is spirited

while  the  subject  of  love  is  away from Vrajadham, while the

transcendental  mellow  of  serving  relationship (dasya rasa) is

projected within Vrajadham. Loving attachment is a sort of highly

ecstatic  state of mind, and this is rendered into serving (dasya

rasa)  relationship  with  Lord  Krsna as and when conjoined with

intent attachment with Him. An abounding reverence mixed with awe

and submission is present in the state of serving relationship.



    Whenever  there  is  an air of unrestrained enjoyment without

reverence  or, in other words, a sense of trust and confidence is

awakened, then it is termed as affectionate amorous love (pranay)

and  this  is  considered  under  the  transcendental  mellow  of

friendly relationship (sakhya rasa).



    In  case  this  mellow  is  admixed  enough  with  tenderness

(sneha),  then  it  may  very  well  be  considered  as  parental

relationship  (vatsalya rasa). When all the qualities of parental

relationship  become  highly  coveted,  then this relationship is

turned  into  erotic  sentiment  and this erotic sentiment is the

highest of all the transcendental mellows.



    Enjoyment  and  appreciation  of  this  relationship  can  be

experienced  only  through rendering service to any associates of

Sri Radha-Krsna considering oneself to be submissively protected,

while staying at Vrajadham.



    Lord Sri Krsna is eternally full of knowledge (saccit) in His

constitutional   form,   and   the  knowledge  of  eternal  bliss

non-different  from  Him  is  -  Srimati Radhika. The confidantes

(sakhis)  of all-blissful Radhika pertain to a particular mood of

Herself,  and  accordingly,  they  comprise  of  an embodiment of

array.  In as much as those confidantes are the embodiment of any

array  under the superior energy, they are also the manifestation

of the constitutional form of superior energy.



    When  the  requirement of love for Krsna is fulfilled and the

living  entity is purified, he is then considered to be one among

the  valets  of  those  confidantes  and  starts enjoying eternal

blissful  existence,  remaining  evercharged with the pleasure of

offering  service to Radha Krsna, which state of existence is the

highest  requirement  of  all  living entities. This is really an

amazing mood of the knowledge of eternal absolute truth.



    There  is  no existence of such an amazingly blissful mood in

the  state  of  liberation  consequent  to  the  annihilation  of

indiscriminatory Brahman. As propounded by Sri Rupa Goswami, thus

-  'adau  srddha  tatah sadhusanga'tha bhajanakriya, tato'anartha

nivrttih  syattato  nistha rucistatah; athasaktistato bhabastatah

premabhyndancati;   sadhakanamayam   premnah  pradurbhave  bhavet

kramah   syaddrdheyam   ratih  premnaprodyan  snehah  kramadayam;

syaninanah  pranayo  rago'anurago  bhava ityapi; vijamiksuh sa ca

rasah  sa  gudah  khanda  eva sah; sa sarkara sita sa ca sa yatha

syat sitotpala'.



    In  the  first  stage,  there  should  be  respect,  then  an

association  with  the saintly persons should develop out of that

respect;  then the processes of worshiping will start inspired by

the  association  of  the  saintly  persons;  then  there will be

gradual elimination of various unhappy occurrences (anartha) as a

result of devotional processes of worshiping; when a higher taste

and  inclination  for  leading a spiritual life will develop from

the  elimination of unhappy occurrences, resulting into a mood of

ecstasy,  which  will  ultimately  give  rise to the awakening of

divine  love.  The  other name of divine love is erotic sentiment

which  becomes  crystallised  (rati) gradually and is turned into

parental affection, dignity, amorous love, transcendental mellow,

attraction and a heightened mood in the final stage. This process

of the development of spiritual love may very well be compared to

the  process  of preparing sugarcane into its juice, then turning

it  into  molasses,  then  into slices of candy and to sugar, and

finally  into  alcohol  and  sweetmeats  of various tastes of the

highest degree.



    Ten  maxims  comprise  of  the  valuable instructions Sri Sri

Caitanya  Mahaprabhu  imparted to Rupa, Sanatana and others. This

treatise  is  the essence of those Ten Maxims. Anyone aspiring to

be  a  pure  Vaisnava  upon  accepting the instructions of Sriman

Mahaprabhu, must at first acquire this essence of Ten Maxims. The

spiritual  master  will  show  him  all  the  aspects within this

essence  in  brief.  Out  of  respect and reverence, one may take

shelter at the lotus feet of the spiritual master. From the lotus

feet  of  the  spiritual  master, one is elevated to the level of

instruction  in  worshiping.  By way of worshiping, there will be

elimination  of unhappy occurrences. But one can attain the stage

of ecstatic mood through intent dedication and sincerity only.



    The first aspect of worshiping the Lord is to acquire the Ten

Maxims.  Upon  imbibing  the  disciple  with  the  essence of Ten

Maxims,  the  spiritual  master  will  perform  five  sacramental

purifications on the disciple.



tapah pundram tatha nama

mantro yagasca pancamah

ami-hi panca samskarah

paramaikantihetavah



    The  significance  of this verse may be put forward in brief,

thus  -  Whenever there is a little awakening of reverence in the

heart  of  a  disciple, he approaches a genuine spiritual master.

Before  coming  to  the  lotus  feet of his spiritual master, the

disciple  must  have undergone a lot of suffering and repentance.

'I have been suffering greatly as fallen in the dreadful ocean of

material  existence.  Oh  protector  of  the fallen souls! Please

accept  me  mercifully  at  your  lotus  feet considering me as a

dust-particle,  because  there  is none to protect me'- lamenting

thus  the  disciple  falls prostrate at the feet of his spiritual

master.  No  one  unless  aggrieved  like this is eligible to get

initiated,  and  the  spiritual master makes an assessment of the

prospective  disciple  by  way  of putting him through a spell of

feverish  activities. Sri Caitanyadev, the most merciful, saviour

in  the  age of struggle and turmoil, and embodiment of universal

spiritual   master,  ordered  that  his  disciple's  body  to  be

decorated  with  sandal paste and other things. First of all, the

prospective  repentant devotee should put on symbolic tilak signs

of Hari temples and other auspicious items.



    At  the time of repentance, these ten maxims should very well

be used as a means to perpetuate such repentance in a prospective

devotee,  he  should be advised to practice wearing twelve tilaka

signs.  This  is the occasion when a disciple is said to be newly

born.  Hence,  he  should  very  well  be  given a devotional and

spiritual  name. It is essential to have a clear understanding of

the  self  entity and the constitutional form of the self at this

stage.  Along  with it, he should also be given the mahamantra in

the  name  of  Hare  Krsna  and  His relationship with the living

entity.  Upon  acquainting the disciple with the substance of the

mahamantra,  the  spiritual  master will then fully pronounce his

disciple  with  the  true  significance of relationships with the

Supreme Personality of Godhead.



    The five forms of sacramental purification (samskara) will be

the  rituals through the process of offering service to the black

goede  (salagram)  as  the  symbol of Visnu and to the deities so

that  a living entity, now involved in material relationship, may

very  well  be rendered steadfast in developing true relationship

with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krsna.



    The   process   of   five  sacramental  purification  (pancam

samskara)  is  classified  into  two  categories:  elementary and

final.



    For  a  person  who  is  already  in  the  state  of a loving

relationship  with  the  Godhead, the process of offering service

mentally may be considered tantamount to the act of worshipping.



    Srimanmahaprabhu  delivered  His  conclusive  advice  to  Sri

Raghunath Dasa Goswami saying thus:



'gramya katha na sunive

gramya-varta na kahive

bhalo na khaive ar bhalo na parive

amani manada hanya krsna-nam sada lave

vraje Radha-Krsna seva manase karive.'



    'One  should never listen to any vulgarity, nor converse in a

vulgar  dialect. One should not take any delicious foodstuff, nor

use   any  luxurious  clothings.  Being  respectful  even  to  an

unrespectable  person, one should practice chanting the holy name

of Sri Krsna all the time, and practice offering service to Radha

and Krsna in Vrajadham, mentally even.'



      In the first three lines of the verse stated above, a clear

instruction  is  give  to  a devotee, impregnated with devotional

ecstasy,   on   the  physical  aspect  of  purification.  In  the

concluding  two lines of the said verse, there is the instruction

as  to  the  process  of  worshipping and offering service to the

Godhead.  The manifestation of worshipping is enough in accepting

the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna for

regular chanting with an attitude of respect to the unrespectable

even.



    The  process  of mental worshiping service to Radha and Krsna

in  Vrajadham  is  the  most confidential aspect in this respect.

This service is prescribed for all the eight periods of an entire

day  including  night,  viz., day-break, early morning, forenoon,

afternoon, twilight, evening and night. The spiritual master will

advise  the  disciple  in this matter in accordance with relevant

scriptures.  Because,  unhappy  occurrences  can not be prevented

unless  the  process  of  worshiping is practiced properly, after

acquiring the essence of Ten Maxims.



    The  unhappy  occurrences  are  classified in four varieties,

viz.,   delusion   about   one's   own   constitutional  position

(svarupabhram),  desire  for  inequitous activities (asat-trsna),

offences (aparadh), and dastardliness (hrdaya-dourvalya).



    Forgetting  one's  own  constitutional position, every living

entity  has  become  illusioned  under  the  vanity of some other

position,   and   as   such,   this   delusion  about  one's  own

constitutional position must, at first, be eliminated.



    However, this sort of delusion about one's own constitutional

position  may  not be eliminated in a day, and as such, it should

be  developed  through a gradual process of practicing service to

Lord Krsna. The dignity of realization that 'I am servant of Lord

Sri  Krsna'  is  the  actual attainment of knowledge in one's own

constitutional  position. The practice of offering service to Sri

Krsna  together  with  this  kind  of  dignified  realization  of

servitude  may  very  well be considered to be the truest form of

offering devotional service to Sri Krsna.



    The  realization  of  one's  own  constitutional  position is

awakened under the mercy of the spiritual master. The disciple as

well  should  be  avowedly  enthusiastic  in  realising  his  own

constitutional position. At the initial age, the more the unhappy

occurrences  would  start  disappearing,  the  more there will be

disappearance of all subsequent unhappy occurrences, viz., desire

for ineqitous activities (asat-trsna) etc. along with them.



    The  thirst  for property and riches or for worldly pleasures

and  enjoyments  is  considered  to  be the desire for inequitous

activities  (asat-trsna). Heavenly pleasure, sense gratification,

and  pleasure  from  wealth and one's own people, men and money -

are  all  simply desire for inequitous activities. The more one's

own realization of constitutional position becomes clarified, the

more  evidently  there  must  be  a  detachment from all sorts of

rusticity of sensationalism.



    Along  with it, one must be intently enthusiastic in avoiding

all  offences  relating  to  the  holy  name  (namaparadh). While

chanting  the holy name and avoiding such offences, the wealth of

devotional love is soon attained.



      Any  kind  of activity which involves lethargy, yielding to

rustic  matters,  bewilderment  under  all  sorts  of  dejection,

distraction   from  pure  devotional  service  by  way  of  false

arguments,   niggardliness   in   devoting   entire  vitality  in

practicing  offer of service to Lord Sri Krsna, repudiating one's

own  real  position  of humble wretchedness through illusion of a

puffed-up   vanity   owing  to  nationality,  wealth,  erudition,

manpower,   handsomeness,   and   strength,  steering  under  the

influence   of   sinful   tendency  or  advice,  carelessness  in

purification  of dogmatian and bigotry, reluctance to be merciful

owing  to anger, illusion, envy, and impatience, false vanity and

egotism  of  being  a  vaisnava  while  nurturing  high hopes for

earning fame or reputation through crookedness, and oppression of

other   living   entities  with  a  desire  for  achieving  sense

gratification,  wealth  and  opulence, as well as women - appears

out of dastardliness alone.



    Whoever is contemptuous to these Ten Maxims considering to be

an  inference  only,  will  never be able to attain perfection in

offering devotional service to Lord Sri Krsna.



    Whenever  any  prospective  venerable disciple approaches the

spiritual  master, the disciple should be directed to give intent

perusal  to  this  scripture,  before  he  is  initiated into the

process  of five sacramental purification (panca samskara) within

the  fold  of Sri Sri Caitanya community. If this can be properly

effected  to,  no unqualified person will ever be able to pollute

and  tarnish  the unblemished image of the community sponsored by

Sri Srimanmahaprabhu. Thus ends the treatise.



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[Source: Institute of Philosophy of Russian Academy of Sciences ]


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