What is siddha-pranali? part 2
A continuation of the previous post exploring the topic of siddha-pranali and raganuga-bhakti and how they relate to our modern Krsna Conscious society.
This is a continuation of the previous post exploring the topic of siddha-pranali and raganuga-bhakti and how they relate to our modern Krsna Conscious society. Why is siddha-pranali not practiced in our current Krsna Conscious society, despite being described in the works of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura?
To understand well this topic we need to keep in mind the reforms to our Vaishnava community introduced by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura.
An acarya is capable of understanding the time, place, and circumstance, being qualified thus to make adjustments, putting the path of Krsna consciousness back on track. He is like a physician who is capable of prescribing different treatments to different patients, according to their condition, since what is good for one may be fatal to another.
Understanding that this cheap imitation of raganuga-bhakti was the root cause of the sahajiyism that was destroying the Vaishnava community at the time, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura advised against the process of solitary meditation and instead taught a process for gosthanandis, emphasizing regulated practice and missionary activities. He defended strongly the idea that siddha-deha is for liberated souls, free of any tinge of material desires, and that neophytes that try to jump prematurely into it will just become contaminated. In other words, one should first become a siddha before talking about siddha-deha, otherwise, it will be poisonous to him.
Even being a Paramahansa himself, he accepted the position of a sannyasi (that is part of the varnasrama system), instead of accepting the position of a babaji (that is above the four ashramas). By putting himself in a position lower than previous acaryas, he gave us the example: to work inside the daiva-varnasrama system, executing the process of vaidi sadhana-bhakti and working to spread Krsna consciousness, instead of trying to imitate the position of previous acaryas, who are above us. Following his example, Srila Prabhupada also accepted sannyasi, maintained this position until the end of his life, and instructed his disciples to do similarly.
Some misunderstood, thinking that Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura was limiting his disciples to the path of vaidi-bhakti (the path based on scriptural injunctions), instead of giving them raganuga-bhakti (the path of spontaneous love). This is naturally an incorrect assumption since he just gave a safer process to attain the same goal. According to him, we can achieve perfection by practicing regulated devotional service and doing nama-sankirtana, without the need for any separate process. As he explains:
"Sri-nama-sankirtan is the best sadhana. If other sadhanas help us in krsna-sankirtana, then they deserve to be called sadhana: otherwise, there are simply impediments to sadhana. Sri Krsna nama sankirtana is the emperor of sadhanas. It is the only infallible sadhana capable of bringing us to siddhi. Sriman Mahaprabhu did not speak of teaching arcana, but in siksastaka, he taught nama-bhajana. Although in Kali-yuga other limbs of bhakti should be performed, they should be accompanied by bhakti denoted by kirtana. Krsna and krsna-nama are not two entities. Krsna is His holy name, and the holy name is Krsna. Krsna-nama is the son of Nanda, Syamasundara. Our only devotional service and duty is sri-krsna-nama-sankirtana. This understanding is auspicious." (Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Vaibhava)
In a letter entitled “The True Nature of the Holy Name”, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura describes in more detail the process of attaining perfection through the chanting of the holy name:
“I am overjoyed to hear that your enthusiasm for chanting is increasing. All our contaminations are removed by chanting, the Lord’s form, qualities and pastimes will be revealed to us in the holy name. There is no point in making a separate effort to artificially remember the Lord’s form, qualities and pastimes. The Lord and His name are one and the same. This will be understood clearly when the coverings in your heart are removed. By chanting without offenses you will personally realize that all perfections come from the holy name. Through chanting, the distinction that exists between the self, and the gross subtle bodies, is gradually effaced and one realizes one’s own spiritual form. Once aware of the spiritual body as one continues to chant, one sees the transcendental nature of the Lord’s form. Only the holy name reveals the spiritual form of the living being and then causes him to be attracted to Krsna’s form. Only the holy name reveals the spiritual qualities of the living being and then causes him to be attracted to Krsna’s qualities. Only the holy name reveals the spiritual activities of the living being and then causes him to be attracted to Krsna’s pastimes. By service to the holy name we do not mean only the chanting of the holy name; it also includes the other duties of the chanter. If we serve the holy name with the body, mind, and soul, then the direction of that service spontaneously manifests like the sun in the clear sky of the chanter’s heart. What is the nature of the holy name? Eventually all these understandings spontaneously appear in the heart of one who chants the holy name. The true nature of hari-nama is revealed by listening to, reading, and studying the scriptures. It is unnecessary to write anything further on this subject. All these things will be revealed to you through chanting.” (Srila Prabhupadera Patravali, Volume 1)
When one chants purely, he personally associates with Krsna, therefore nothing else is left to be achieved. To come to the stage of pure chanting, we need to follow the process of regulated devotional service, cleaning our hearts and thus gradually ascending to the stage of inoffensive chanting.
This point that the holy name alone is sufficient to achieve all perfection is repeatedly corroborated in many passages of the scriptures, including the Caitanya Caritamrta, Srimad Bhagavatam, and Brhad Bhagavatamrta:
”Simply by chanting the holy name of Krsna one can obtain freedom from material existence. Indeed, simply by chanting the Hare Krsna mantra one will be able to see the lotus feet of the Lord.” (CC Adi 7.73)
“Of the nine processes of devotional service, the most important is to always chant the holy name of the Lord. If one does so, avoiding the ten kinds of offenses, one very easily obtains the most valuable love of Godhead.” (CC Antya 4.71)
“O King, constant chanting of the holy name of the Lord after the ways of the great authorities is the doubtless and fearless way of success for all, including those who are free from all material desires, those who are desirous of all material enjoyment, and also those who are self-satisfied by dint of transcendental knowledge.” (SB 2.1.11)
“Dear mother, you as well should always worship this young cowherd boy. He is the ocean that yields the nectar of the rasa dance, in which divine gopis fully surround Him, entranced by pure love. You should cherish the desire to be a servant of these gopis, you should constantly worship Him in pure love as they did, and you should dedicate yourself to the sankirtana of His names.” (Brhad Bhagavatamrta, 1.7.154-155)
As corroborated in many passages, nama-sankirtana is the main component of raganuga-bhakti, and when practiced under the supervision of a bonafide spiritual master, is sufficient for achieving perfection. In fact, the chanting of the holy names is the essence of the practice of raganuga-bhakti itself. In other words, we advance by following the process of bhakti and helping others in their path, and not by trying to jump stages. For us, raganuga-bhakti is achieved by sincerely chanting, fully surrendering, and being engaged in service.
In his Tattva-sutra (verse 34) Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura speaks about paranusilana and pratyahara, the two limbs of upaya-bhakti (or sadhana-bhakti). This describes how sadhana-bhakti has an internal and an external aspect. Raganuga-bhakti is the sweet inner pulp, and vaidi-bhakti is the protective outer skin that protects it. As in any fruit, the outer skin must be developed first, and from there the fruit can be filled with the sweet pulp. Even when the fruit is fully formed, the outer skin remains the only visible part. The pulp continues to be carefully hidden inside.
One who is not envious can easily see how many devotees in our society are indeed executing their services on the platform of spontaneous loving service. Externally, they may look just like ordinary Vaishnavas, following the rules and regulations of vaidi sadhana-bhakti, but internally their activities are done with ecstatic love. If one can get the association of such pure devotees and execute devotional service under their supervision, he can achieve all perfection. The priority for us is to get rid of our envy, the poison that takes away our vision and prevents us from recognizing such pure devotees.
Just like many criticized Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura and the Gaudiya Math at the time, accusing its members of being just neophytes, without access to higher realms of devotional service, many similarly accuse our movement and even Srila Prabhupada himself. As in the past, such criticism comes from misunderstanding or, at times, is due to malice and enviousness.
Srila Prabhupada gave us the goal and also the process to attain it. As much as we practice the process, to that degree we come closer to the ultimate goal. To get so-called siddha-pranali from an imitator will not help.
Instead of trying to find Krsna in a bush in Vrindavana, or imitating esoteric practices we can’t properly understand, we can find true perfection by simply following the process of devotional service and chanting the holy names attentively. Our siddha-mantra is “trinad api sunicena taror api sahishnuna amanina manadena kirtaniyah sada harih” and our svarupa is “jivera ‘svarupa' haya -- krsnera ‘nitya-dasa”.
Real siddha-deha manifests when we follow the correct process, it comes by sincerely following the process of Krsna consciousness. We can study that in the story of the previous birth of Narada Muni, in SB 1.6. After chanting and remembering the Lord’s pastimes throughout his life, he attained a transcendental body at the time of death.
Another example is mentioned in the book “The Glorious Life of Srila Narottama Dasa Thakura” by HG Sitala dasi. Srila Narottama Dasa Thakura had his eternal spiritual identity revealed to him by Srimati Radharani Herself after practicing for years in Vrindavana. Similarly, our spiritual form will be revealed to us when we are mature enough. As Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati used to say, “First deserve, and then desire”.
Although in a neophyte platform, we depend on physical association with the spiritual master to get instructions from him, on a higher platform such a barrier ceases to exist. By definition, siddha-deha can only be obtained when one is already in a transcendental platform, a stage when he can receive instructions from the guru without the barrier of the physical body. In other words, when one is ready to receive instructions regarding his eternal nature, his guru can appear to him in a transcendental form. As Srila Prabhupada explained in 1974, in a talk with Sri Hrishikesananda das: "Guru will give. There is no material consideration about whether one’s Guru is here or there. When you reach that level, guru will give".
Srila Prabhupada teaches us that one should not even begin meditating extensively on the confidential conjugal pastimes of Radha and Krsna until one is completely free from sexual desire, which is in accordance with what Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati was teaching. Both had deep confidence in the power of sankirtana and had an immense eagerness to spread Krsna consciousness and to save fallen souls. By the result of their preaching, we can see how both were correct.
It is said that the qualification to enter Krsna's confidential pastimes is greed, or lobha, but the greed we see in them is the greed to bring the fallen souls back to Godhead. It is also said that the activities of the Gopis are the most confidential service, but in his books, Srila Prabhupada describes the most confidential service as saving others from material existence. In his purport to SB 1.1.15, for example, he writes:
"Anyone, therefore, who takes shelter of the lotus feet of a pure devotee by accepting the pure devotee as his spiritual master can be at once purified. Such devotees of the Lord are honored equally with the Lord because they are engaged in the most confidential service of the Lord, for they deliver out of the material world the fallen souls whom the Lord wants to return home, back to Godhead."
He even said that "The book distributors are in the mood of the gopis because they are trying to bring others back to Krsna". The essence of raga-bhakti is the propensity for selfless service. To propagate Krsna consciousness, one is forced to develop an all-consuming dedication to his service and a spirit of self-sacrifice, which works as a powerful, and at the same time safe way to purify the mind and to awaken spontaneous devotion.
Due to our lazy nature, we conditioned souls have a tendency to try to cheat in spiritual life, finding shortcuts or adopting a cheaper, easier process. When we misuse our minute independence to try to cheat the devotional process, we end up being cheated by imitators. Our own cheating tendency is used against us.
—
As an addendum there is the story of the “Gopi-bhava club” I mentioned in the first part, and how Srila Prabhupada dealt with the issue. After understanding the points we tried to explain in the previous posts, it become easy to understand the reason Srila Prabhupada took it as such a serious issue. This story is described in the second volume of “A Transcendental Diary” by HG Hari-Sauri Prabhu.
The “The Gopi Bhava Club” is considered the first sahajiya movement within our society. Srila Prabhupada saw it as a great danger to our movement and dealt very swiftly and strongly with all those involved. This episode serves as an example of how subtle the sahajiya influence can be, and how dangerous it is, not only to ourselves but to our movement as a whole.
“Prabhupada had just sat down in the middle room for breakfast when Pradyumna came in, obviously quite disturbed. Prabhupada allowed him to come up to his small table, already set out with his silver thali of cut fruits, puffed rice and fried cashews. Pradyumna began to complain about the study group Radhaballabha mentioned yesterday. He told Prabhupada one devotee was reported to have said that the Gita was too bodily conscious and "external" and that he became inspired only by reading about Krsna's confidential, internal dealings, especially those of the gopis in the Sri Caitanya-caritamrta.
Srila Prabhupada was so disturbed by this news that the piece of fruit he held in his hand never made it into his mouth. Abandoning breakfast, he went back into his darsana room and called for all GBC men and sannyasis, as well as for several members of the study group. He demanded to know who was involved”...
“By this time the men were in his room and for almost three quarters of an hour he strongly rebuked the group, angrily refuting its reasoning. He compared their exclusive focus on the gopis to "jumping like monkeys."
Puranjana said their intention was to simply scrutinize the activities of the gopis and develop the same aspirations because this was recommended by Lord Caitanya.
Prabhupada got even angrier. He was in no mood for being mollified. "You want to scrutinizingly study Caitanya Mahaprabhu's instructions, but why just the parts about the gopis? Why don't you scrutinizingly study where Caitanya Mahaprabhu says guru more murkha dekhi' karila sasana, that His guru found Him to be a fool and told Him he was not fit for anything but chanting Hare Krsna? Why don't you scrutinize that part? First become a fool like Caitanya Mahaprabhu before jumping over like monkey!"
Puranjana tried to reassure him that they were not attempting to imitate the gopis' love of Krsna; they were simply studying the descriptions so that they could develop such desires.
Prabhupada flushed, his top lip quivering. "First deserve, then desire! There is no question of desire unless one is actually liberated. Until that point you simply do whatever service you are given. So long as there is any pinch of material desire there is no question of desiring on the spiritual platform!"
He said the intimate gopi-lilas were discussed by Lord Caitanya only among His three most confidential associates—Svarupa Damodara, Ramananda Raya, and Sikhi Mahiti. Siddha-deha is for liberated souls—no one else.
Sulocana said that they had thought it was all right because it was in Prabhupada's books, and they were only reading his books. Prabhupada told them that just because a drug store has every type of drug it does not mean that one can get them without prescription. The doctor prescribes according to the disease. He said that from the beginning stages of devotional service up to the highest rasas, everything is there in his books, but they are not all to be immediately studied.
He ordered them not to hold any more meetings and to disband the "club." He directly linked this sahajiya tendency to devotees meeting with the babajis in Vrndavana, and he strongly criticized Jagannatha dasa (although he is not one of the study group) for even leaving his ears unblocked while the man spoke to him about so-called siddha-deha.
After sending them out duly chastened, Prabhupada explained to us that this sahajiya philosophy means the preaching will be finished. "So try to save them," he advised the GBC men. "In Vrndavana many sahajiyas would ask, 'Oh Svamiji, why are you bothering to preach? Why not just be content to stay in Vrndavana and do your bhajana?'”. (A Transcendental Diary, vol. 2. Hari Sauri Prabhu)
On the next day, Srila Prabhupada continued discussing the issue during his morning walk:
"Going out in the car for his morning walk Prabhupada gave further warnings to Tamal Krsna and Ramesvara Maharajas on the dangers of the sahajiya tendency spreading in ISKCON. Tamal Krsna is returning to New York a little early because he is concerned that it might be spreading there also. Pradyumna prabhu's ongoing investigation has discovered that the gopi-bhava group have been transmitting their ideas to other temple communities by some sort of unofficial newsletter.
Tamal Krsna told Prabhupada that one of the symptoms he has noticed about these people is that they don't go out on sankirtana.
As soon as he said that Srila Prabhupada cut in. "Then everything will be finished. Preaching will be finished. In this sahajiya party, then preaching will be finished." Declaring the siddha-pranali process as nonsense, Prabhupada told us where the whole thing was coming from. "They have learned it from these Radha-kunda babajis."
"From Radha-kunda babajis?" Tamal Krsna asked.
"Babajis, yes," Prabhupada reasserted. "After all, they're fool, rascals, so whatever they say..."
Ramesvara said he felt that the danger lay in their use of Prabhupada's own books for authority. But Prabhupada told him it was all right that they are taking some authority, the problem is that they are not taking all the instructions in his books. "That I've already explained. Why these rascals do not take the lessons of Caitanya Mahaprabhu that we are all rascals, fools? No. That they will not take. They'll take the Radharani's bhava. What Caitanya Mahaprabhu is teaching by His practical life, that we have to take."
Ramesvara repeated one of the statements from their newsletter. "Regarding service in a reverential mood; so they have found some quote, that reverential devotional service is an impediment toward developing pure love."
Tamal Krsna added another. "They quote that regulative principles are a hindrance on the path. There's a statement somewhere in one of your books that when one attains the highest platform..."
"Then where is that highest platform?" Prabhupada interrupted.
"One must go through stages," Ramesvara said. "You gave the example of trying to get an M.A. degree."
"Yes," Prabhupada agreed. "One has to come to that highest stage. It is not forbidden. That may be ideal, but not for the neophytes. One who does not know ABCD, what he will know about M.A. degrees? That they do not know. They think that they have already passed M.A. degree. That is their fault."
Tamal Krsna Maharaja brought up another item from the newsletter. "There's another statement, I saw them, where it says, it's a quote, that you can treat Krsna as your lover and Krsna will reciprocate."
"And they underlined the two words 'you can' treat Krsna as your lover," I added. "In this way they're taking your quotes out of context."
"This is one of the main ideas in their philosophy, that the living entity can desire to have any relationship he wants with Krsna," Ramesvara said.
"That's all right," Prabhupada told us, "he can desire. I already explained: first deserve, then desire. You are rascal, how you can desire? You have no qualification, you desire to be High Court judge. What is this nonsense?"
Ramesvara was keen to get Srila Prabhupada's response to every possible argument. "But then they have an answer."
Prabhupada obliged him. "What is that answer?"
"Let me just try it anyway, to keep my mind thinking..."
"How you can try it?" Prabhupada challenged. "First of all, be qualified, a big lawyer, then you become High Court judge. Where is that qualification? You are after illicit sex and bidi, and you want to be associated with the gopis."
"They say that 'In ISKCON, we do not...'"
"Let them say all nonsense," Prabhupada replied. "They are disqualified. Sahajiya babajis, that's all." (A Transcendental Diary, vol. 2. Hari Sauri Prabhu)
Later, it was revealed that some members of the group were not properly following the four principles. There were cases of unmarried ladies getting pregnant and even one case of abortion. To this, Srila Prabhupada answered: "That is their fault. They want to utilize the love affairs of Krsna and gopis for their debauchery. That is a support for their debauchery. That is sahajiya."
Similar views are also expressed in a letter to Visvambhara (14 December 1972):
"So far your question about the gopis, in the beginning there is no such question. In the beginning we have to follow the principles of devotional service rigidly, like chanting 16 rounds, regularly following the instructions of the Spiritual Master, which includes study, temple worship, sankirtan, like that.”
“Going to girls and making them pregnant, then talking of gopis, that is going on, that is nonsense. Without coming to the perfectional stage, if anyone tries to understand the gopis he becomes a sahajiya."
Apart from breaking the principles, one more symptom of the members that was described was a lack of interest in preaching activities. This is another symptom of a sensual mentality, since material consciousness leads to selfishness. At the time, Srila Prabhupada warned that if these ideas would spread inside ISKCON, our preaching would be finished. As Srila Prabhupada warns us: “Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, he said that ‘When our men will be sahajiya, oh, they'll be more dangerous.’” (Room Conversation, 24 January 1977)
In his purport in SB 4.24.45-46, Srila Prabhupada further elaborates, making the point that without following the principles of pancaratrika-vidhi, it’s not possible for a neophyte to make advancement. It’s true that, due to intimacy, on a pure platform there is no question of offense in service, but to get there we need to first treat our disease of material lust and enviousness of Krsna, which is done by serving Him according to the rules and regulations:
“Without serving Krsna according to the vidhi-marga regulative principles of the pancaratrika-vidhi, unscrupulous persons want to jump immediately to the raga-marga principles. Such persons are called sahajiya. There are also demons who enjoy depicting Krsna and His pastimes with the gopis, taking advantage of Krsna by their licentious character. These demons who print books and write lyrics on the raga-marga principles are surely on the way to hell. Unfortunately, they lead others down with them. Devotees in Krsna consciousness should be very careful to avoid such demons. One should strictly follow the vidhi-marga regulative principles in the worship of Laksmi-Narayana, although the Lord is present in the temple as Radha-Krsna. Radha-Krsna includes Laksmi-Narayana; therefore when one worships the Lord according to the regulative principles, the Lord accepts the service in the role of Laksmi-Narayana. In The Nectar of Devotion full instructions are given about the vidhi-marga worship of Radha-Krsna, or Laksmi-Narayana. Although there are sixty-four kinds of offenses one can commit in vidhi-marga worship, in raga-marga worship there is no consideration of such offenses because the devotees on that platform are very much elevated, and there is no question of offense. But if we do not follow the regulative principles on the vidhi-marga platform and keep our eyes trained to spot offenses, we will not make progress.” (SB 4.24.45-46 purport)