Sandarbhas
Sandarbhas

INFLUENCE OF OFFENSES (6)

Anuccheda 159 Offenses slacken Bhakti Similarly, the elephant Gajendra, during his stage of sensual engagement, is an example of a devotee who became absorbed in objects that hindered his devotion because of an offense. Now we will discuss bhakti-śaithilya, the slackening of bhakti, which is the fourth effect of aparādha. Because of this slackening of devotion,

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Sandarbhas

INFLUENCE OF OFFENSES (5)

Anuccheda 157 Offenses Make One Materially Oriented We will now discuss the third effect of aparādha—namely, absorption in other objects that erode one’s faith in Bhagavān (bhagavan-niṣṭhā-cyāvaka-vastv-antarābhiniveśaḥ). This is demonstrated in this statement of Śrī Śuka:  “In this way, his heart was agitated by impossible fantasies [about the deer]. Because of his prārabdha-karma, which came

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General Sandarbhas

INFLUENCE OF OFFENSES (4)

Anuccheda 155 Offense Leads To Faithlessness Now we will discuss aśraddhā, faithlessness, which is the second of the five primary effects of aparādha. After witnessing and hearing about the glories of bhakti, if one still maintains a lack of conviction about those glories due to harboring contrary ideas, this is known as aśraddhā, or absence

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Sandarbhas

INFLUENCE OF OFFENSES (3)

[The explanation of kauṭilya, or crookedness, is continued here.] Similarly, the devotees of Bhagavān also bless those who are simple-hearted yet ignorant, but not those who are crooked and scholarly, as Śrī Camasa told King Nimi:

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Sandarbhas

INFLUENCE OF OFFENSES (2)

Commentary by Satyanarayana Dasa (on Anuccheda 153, see previous post): After showing the purifying power even of a semblance of bhakti, Śrī Jīva goes a step further to say that a semblance of bhakti that is even offensive in nature has the power to free one from sins. This is certainly most amazing. Usually an

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Sandarbhas

INFLUENCE OF OFFENSES (1)

By Satyanarayana Dasa In Bhakti Sandarbha, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī discusses the supreme potency of bhakti. He writes that even a semblance of bhakti, bhaktyābhāsa, has the power to grant liberation (Anuccheda 153). To demonstrate this, he cites some stories from different Purāṇas. Because the stories are difficult to believe for non-devotees, Śrī Jīva Gosvamī first warns

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Articles by Satyanarayana Dasa Sandarbhas

Love Beyond Love – Part 4

If one performs yajña without material motive, the result is subduing of rajas and tamas and predominance of sattva. In turn, this grants clear knowledge of the self, jñāna. Kṛṣṇa confirms this in the (Gīta 4.33), sarva karmākhilaṁ pārtha jñāne parisamāpyate, “O Arjuna all endeavors culminate in jñāna.” Therefore jñāna, too, can be created.

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