4. Marco teórico
4.2. Inteligencia colectiva
Worshipping the Deity
Srila Rupa Gosvami composes a beautiful metaphor to illustrate the special efficacy of Deity worship, “My dear friend, if you still have any desire to enjoy the company of your friends within the material world, then don't look upon the form of Krsna, who is standing on the bank of Kesi-Ghata. He is known as Govinda, and His eyes are very enchanting. He is playing upon His flute, and on His head there is a peacock feather.
And His whole body is illuminated by the moonlight in the sky (pg 109).”
This type of poetic metaphor condemns what it seems to praise, and praises what it seems to condemn. Thus it instructs one to see the beautiful Deity of Govinda in Vrndavana and thereby become completely indifferent to the attractions of the material world.
Complete indifference is one of the nine symptoms of bhava-bhakti (namely, virakti).20 Srila Rupa Gosvami thus shows that seeing the Deity, especially the Govinda form, can quickly evoke devotional ecstasy (bhava) even in a neophyte.
Hearing Srimad-Bhagavatam
Srila Rupa Gosvami composes a similar metaphor (pg 109) calling a friend "foolish"
for having heard the Tenth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam and thereby becoming completely indifferent to the "wonderful" activities of dharma, artha, kama, and moksa.21 He thus poetically instructs us to hear Srimad-Bhagavatam, which is so glorious that even the four goals of human life are insignificant in comparison.
Denunciation of even liberation is a characteristic of bhava-bhakti (namely, moksa-laghutakrt).22 Srila Rupa Gosvami thus shows that hearing Srimad-Bhagavatam, especially the Tenth Canto, can quickly evoke devotional ecstasy (bhava) even in a neophyte.
Serving a Devotee
Srila Rupa Gosvami describes the rich devotional sentiments of a devotee in whose heart the Lord has appeared, “It is very astonishing that since I have seen this Personality of Godhead, who is washed by the tears of my eyes, there is shivering of my body, and he has made me a failure in executing my duties. Since seeing Him, I cannot remain silently at home. I wish to go out to Him always (pg 110).”
This text seems to exemplify how one can achieve bhava by seeing the form of the Lord. However, the actual purport is that association with devotees (who are enriched with the devotional symptoms mentioned above) has tremendous potency to inspire one's Krsna consciousness. Thus the verse illustrates the efficacy of serving a devotee.23
Srila Prabhupada comments, “The purport of this statement is that as soon as one is fortunate to contact a pure devotee, one must be anxious immediately to hear
20 Chapter Eighteen will describe the nine symptoms of bhäva (See page of this book).
21 In this verse, Çréla Rüpa Gosväm é refers to dharma, artha, and käma as "glorious" (subhadän); and mokña as "d elightful" ( sukhamaya). This shows how Çrémad-Bhägavatam is so po werful that it can make one indifferent to even the most wonderful and delightful activities in the world.
22 Se e page of this book.
23 B RS 1.2.241
Comment [VKD1]: Page: 36 This is from Mukunda däsa's commentary
about Krsna, to learn about Krsna, or, in other words, to become fully Krsna conscious (pg 110).”
One who associates with advanced devotees will quickly become enriched with symptoms of devotional ecstasy (bhava) such as samutkantha — intense eagerness, and avyartha-kalatvam — executing service without a moment wasted (“Since seeing Him, I cannot remain silently at home. I wish to go out to Him always”).
If simply seeing a devotee can bestow such realizations, certainly one will rapidly achieve genuine ecstatic devotion by actually serving a devotee.
Chanting the Hare Krsna Mantra
“It is said that the saints have been able to hear the vibrating strings of the vina in the hands of Narada, who is always singing the glories of Lord Krsna. Now this same sound vibration has entered my ears, and I am always feeling the presence of the Supreme Personality. Gradually I am becoming bereft of all attachment for material enjoyment (pgs 110 - 111).”
The sound being heard in this verse is Narada's "singing the glories of Lord Krsna" accompanied by "the vibrating strings of the vina." Hearing Narada's kirtana causes one to become "bereft of all attachment for material enjoyment."
This complete detachment is a symptom of bhava (namely, virakti). Srila Rupa Gosvami thus shows that kirtana can immediately evoke devotional ecstasy (bhava), even in a neophyte.
Residing in Mathura
Srila Rupa Gosvami describes the beauty of Sri Vrndavana Dhama, decorated with the Yamuna, kadamba trees, chirping birds, and the beautiful form of Syamasundara.
Simply remembering this beauty evokes bhava. “I remember the Lord standing on the banks of the Yamuna River, so beautiful amid the kadamba trees, where many birds are chirping in the gardens. And these impressions are always giving me transcendental realizations of beauty and bliss (pg 111).”
According to Jiva Gosvami, "transcendental realizations of beauty and bliss"
(manasi kamapi bhavam kanana-sristanoti) indicates mental realization of one's eternal serving mood, svarupa-siddhi — which occurs during the stage of bhava-bhakti. Srila Rupa Gosvami thus shows that simply remembering Vrndavana can quickly evoke devotional ecstasy (bhava), even in a neophyte.
If simply remembering Vrndavana can cause such powerful realizations, certainly one's transcendental feelings will immediately be aroused by actually being there. Srila Prabhupada says, “Such transcendental feelings are aroused immediately and without fail after one arrives in Mathura or Vrndavana (pg 111).”
The Results
Srila Rupa Gosvami explains that the results of these items are not over-estimations.
They are true in certain cases, and are intended to describe the item's potential for evoking bhava-bhakti when executed offencelessly.
Sometimes these 64 activities are said to reward one with various worldly benedictions, but Srila Rupa Gosvami explains that this is simply a way of attracting mundane people to devotional service. The actual result of these 64 activities is bhava-bhakti.