Sadhana-Bhakti and Raganuga Bhakti

If one tries to discard the rules and regulations before that platform of pure love, he risks becoming a sahajiya, doing sinful things while imagining to be a Gopi.

The difference between Sadhana-Bhakti (or Vaidhi-Bhakti) and Raganuga Bhakti is a constant source of misunderstandings. It starts from the terms themselves, with many arguing that the correct is to say “Raganuga Sadhana-Bhakti” instead of just “Raganuga Bhakti”. However, since Prabhupada used the term like this, I’m just following his nomenclature.

See for example what he mentions in Nectar of Devotion 15:

“The spontaneous dealings of the residents of Vṛndāvana in relationship with Kṛṣṇa are called rāgānugā. These beings don't have to learn anything about devotional service; they are already perfect in all regulative principles and have achieved the spontaneous loving service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. For example, the cowherd boys who are playing with Kṛṣṇa do not have to learn by austerities or penances or yogic practice how to play with Him. They have passed all tests of regulative principles in their previous lives, and as a result they are now elevated to the position of direct association with Kṛṣṇa as His dear friends. Their spontaneous attitude is called rāgānugā-bhakti.”

We all know that Sadhana-Bhakti is the path of the rules and regulations and disciplined devotional service, while Raganuga Bhakti is the path of spontaneous devotion. We hear that the path of Raganuga Bhakti is higher, so why do we need rules and regulations? Would it not be better to just cultivate our spontaneous devotion to Krsna? It sounds like a good idea, doesn't it?

The point is that the path of Raganuga Bhakti can be practiced only when one has already love for Krsna and is not interested in the phantasmagoric enjoyment of this material world. At this point, it's not really necessary to follow rules and regulations, because a devotee in this stage doesn't have the desire to do anything sinful, and he doesn't see anything as being separated from Krsna. At this stage, one has a natural propensity to serve Krsna with love, and rules and regulations may actually start getting in the way.

A devotee in the stage of pure devotion stage may reject some of the rules connected with standards and rituals, for example (like Goura Kishora Das Babaji chanting japa in the toilet, for example), but they will never do anything sinful. If a devotee starts doing sinful things it means that he is just in the material platform, and there is thus no question of Raganuga. If someone claims to be serving Krsna in a personal relationship but at the same time he is doing sinful things, it means he is just a sahajiya, who is following neither Raganuga Bhakti nor Sadhana-Bhakti.

An additional difficulty is that seeing someone with real love for Krsna is quite rare and, as Krsna explains in the Bhagavad-Gita, even someone who is on this platform still has to follow the rules and regulations to give an example to others and thus avoid creating a bad precedent. Arjuna was certainly in a stage of spontaneous devotion, but still, Krsna instructed him to perform his duties. Similarly, the six goswamis were certainly in a stage of spontaneous devotion, but still, they were practicing all the rules and regulations of the process of Bhakti to give example. What to say about the six goswamis, even Krsna Himself followed the rules to instruct us. As He mentioned: "If I did not perform prescribed duties, all these worlds would be put to ruination. I would be the cause of creating unwanted population, and I would thereby destroy the peace of all living beings." (Bg 3.24)

What about us? When we are starting on the devotional path, we don't have love for Krsna. At this stage we are just struggling with our material desires, trying to control our disturbed minds.

At this stage we are just in the material platform, therefore we need to follow rules and regulations to gradually progress to the mode of goodness and finally to the liberated platform. Then, brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām (One who is thus transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman and becomes fully joyful. He never laments or desires to have anything. He is equally disposed toward every living entity. In that state he attains pure devotional service unto Me.)

When we are firmly established in the liberated platform, real devotional service begins and we gradually develop love for Krsna. At this point, the rules and regulations may be discarded and one may follow in the spontaneous platform.

For example, there are many rules in dealing with one’s boss, because our relationship with him is not very close, and thus has to be conducted in terms of formality, but if we would apply the same with our wife or husband, children, etc. it would hamper the relationship. On the other hand, treating our boss like a husband, wife or child could get us fired.

Similarly, a devotee situated in pure love of Godhead may discard all formality and just deal with Krsna as a dear friend, son, or lover, but someone in a lower stage of devotion has to express his service through the formality of the rules and regulations. Radha and Krsna can be worshipped only by one in the platform of pure love, as long as we are not there, we should worship Laksmi-Narayana with all respect and formality.

If one tries to discard the rules and regulations before that platform of pure love, he just gets stuck into the material platform, without being able to follow either path. One then risks becoming a sahajiya, doing sinful things while imagining to be a Gopi.

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