Shastra Quiz 36

Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī says that śraddhā is not part of bhakti but a qualification of bhakti. Thus, sometimes even ignorant people who are devoid of śraddhā can execute acts of devotion incidentally. Otherwise, people would not be able to execute bhakti prior to the appearance of śraddhā, but such is not the case.

Moreover, if śraddhā were a limb of bhakti, then śraddhā alone would yield perfection, without the necessity to engage in any other act of devotion. However, this is not supported by any scriptural statement or by anyone’s experience.

Therefore, śraddhā is understood to be only an attribute (viśeṣaṇa) of the eligible practitioner, and it is śraddhā that impels one to take to bhakti in an exclusive manner.

Learn more: Two Types of Śraddhā – Laukīkī and Śāstrīya

The word nirguṇā means that śāstrīya-śraddhā is not a product of the guṇas but independent of them. As there are broadly three types of śaktis in existence— māyā, the jīvas, and svarūpa śakti of Bhagavān Himself, it follows that śāstrīya-śraddhā is a transformation of Bhagavān’s svarūpa śakti. This is only appropriate, given that bhakti itself is Bhagavān’s svarūpa śakti, as explained in Anuchheda 139 of the Bhakti Sandarbha.

As such, śāstrīya-śraddhā can only come from a genuine guru who has it. It is this śraddhā which is called the bhakti-latā bīja or seed of the devotional creeper in the scriptures.

In the Bhakti Sandarbha anuchheda 171, Śrī Jīva examines the following verse:

nirviṇṇānāṃ jñāna-yogo nyāsinām iha karmasu |
teṣv anirviṇṇa-cittānāṃ karma-yogas tu kāminām ||
yadṛcchayā mat-kathādau jāta-śraddhas tu yaḥ pumān |
na nirviṇṇo nāti-sakto bhakti-yogo’sya siddhi-daḥ ||

Out of these three methods, jñāna-yoga grants success to those who are disinterested in fruitive actions and who have thus abandoned them, whereas karma-yoga grants success to those who are not disinterested in fruitive actions and who still desire the fruits of such actions. However, for a person who, by great fortune, has acquired śraddhā in hearing My narrations and other similar devotional acts, and who is neither completely indifferent to sense objects nor overly attached to them, bhakti-yoga grants success. (SB 11.20.7-8)

Here, Śrī Jīva Goswami notes that the sole cause for eligibility in bhakti is śraddhā (śraddhā-mātraṃ hetu), and this is indicated in the verse by the word yadṛchhayā (by great fortune). Śrī Jīva glosses yadṛchhayā as

kenāpi parama-svatantra-bhagavad-bhakta-saṅga-tat-kṛpā-jāta-maṅgalodayena – by the auspicious fortune born of the grace issuing from the association of a devotee of Bhagavān, who is supremely independent (parama-svatantra) [in the matter of bestowing such grace]

The main point is that the śraddhā in bhakti does not arise because of one’s past activities, such as karma yoga which increases one’s level of sattva. In fact, people who have spent a long time performing such activities resist the greatness of bhakti which seems very simple to them. Likewise, there are those who have a fixed notion of what bhakti is, and find it difficult to change their ideas about it. In contrast, those who have not taken up another spiritual discipline in the Vedas, or have not been exposed to aśāstric concepts, find it easier to accept bhakti’s greatness and uniqueness. The word yadṛchhayā indicates that the śraddhā in bhakti is not dependent upon any qualification of the recipient, but arises only through the completely independent mercy of Bhagavān, who makes available the association of His devotee to the recipient.

To prove the point that the arising of bhakti does not depend on one’s background, Śrī Jīva reminds the reader of the fact that Vṛtrāsura, who was tamasic, was a great devotee, while bhakti does not manifest in the devas, despite their having a high level of sattva (Anuccheda 134).

Sri Rupa Gosvami says bhakti develops from sadhana to bhava by passing through eight steps (BRS 1.4.15-16). The first step, sraddha, leads to the second, sadhu-sanga: association with a sadhu, a Vaishnava saint. Commenting on these verses, Sri Jiva Gosvami writes that prior to attaining sraddha, a person has association with a sadhu by whose grace one acquires sraddha. This is how he interprets the word adau (which literally means, “in the beginning”).

The first association of a sadhu instills trust in the statements of scripture. This trust is called sraddha. Because it comes without the conscious effort of the recipient, it is described as the “causeless grace” of a devotee.

Often scriptures use the word yadrcchayā for this phenomena which is usually translated as “by chance” or “independent,” and has the connotation of being causeless (e.g. SB 11.20.8, 11).

Learn more Atha Sadhu-sanga

One must be free from Nama-aparadha to get the blessings of the Name. One of the aparadhas is guroravajna – disrespect to guru. Now, to do that, one must have a guru. Otherwise, the term aparadha makes no sense. This is the implied meaning of the aparadha (vyanjana vritti).

The other aparadha is sruti-sastra-nindanam – criticizing sruti and scriptures based on sruti. Not following the scripture knowingly is as good as criticizing it. The very sastra which gives so many details and glorification of the Name also instructs about the need to take a guru. Accepting one part and rejecting the other is called ardha-kukkuti-nyaya –– the half-hen principle, i.e., that I accept what is convenient and leave what is troublesome. This does not work.

Moreover, there are descriptive and injunctive statements. They must be distinguished. All the glorificatory statements are descriptive, but diksha is an injunction. It cannot be avoided. All this is explained in the booklet Nama Tattva.

Learn more: Necessity of Diksha and Chanting

In Śrīmad Bhagavata Purāṇa, Śrī Kṛṣṇa mentions only two types of dīkṣā, namely Vedic and Pāñcarātrikī

vaidikī tāntrikī dikṣā madīya-vrata-dhāraṇam (SB 11.11.37).

Learn more: Guru-tattva: Different Kinds of Dīkṣā

Wherever there is mention of getting sādhusaṅga or bhakti, the most common word used is yadṛcchayā (see SB 11.20.8, 11.20.11, 11.2.24, 6.14,14). According to the context, this word is translated in different ways such as “somehow or other,” “by the will of God,” “by the will of providence,” etc. But nobody translates it as “according to inherent taste.” This word is also used in Gītā 2.32 in the sense of “by its own accord.”

Learn more: Are Bhakti and Rasa Inherent in the Jiva?

The word anartha means anything that is not artha- or that which is not the goal. Anything which is undesirable for bhakti to Kṛṣṇa is anartha, even though it may fall under dharma, artha, kāma or mokṣa.

Bhakti is the path where no separate endeavor is needed for removing anarthas. It's only on other paths, like jñāna and yoga, that you have to do pratyāhāra, practice to control your senses, or make endeavors for removing anarthas.