SADHU SANGA

SADHU SANGA

Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami – Submitted by Tungavidya Dasi, Vrndavan

Throughout our Guruji’s pravachans, darshans, and casual conversations, he lays so much stress on sadhu sanga. But what actually is sadhu sanga ?

Here in India there are so many kinds of sadhus; Mayavadis, Adwaitavadis, Shaktas, Shiva bhaktas, Ram bhaktas, Hanuman bhaktas, Vishnu bhaktas, Krishna bhaktas, etc. But for a Gaudiya Vaisnava sadhak, who is a sadhu? Gurudeva saysthe Braj rasa-rasika, siddhanta-vit, Vaisnava is the real sadhu.

What is the meaning of “rasika”? In very general terms rasika means “juicy”.Here in Braj especially there are so many sweet, sweet juicy lilas told about Radha-Krsna, by just about everyone and their mother. Are those lila-tellars rasika? In an ordinary sense perhaps. But are they Siddhanta-vit? What is the meaning of siddhanta-vit? When one knows all tattva; Bhagavat-tattva, sakti-tattva, maya-tattva, jiva-tattva, bhakti-tattva, and the very secret essence of shastra- those conclusions which are otherwise very hard to ascertain – when one knows this, he can be called siddhanta- vit.

But is being siddhanta-vit enough to qualify one as a sadhu? One may be siddhanta- vit but no rasika. On the other hand one may be rasika yet not siddhanta-vit. But combine the two and you get “sadhu” = that person in who’s heart all of Radha- Krsna’s Braj lilas are spontaneously and consecutively playing (like a cinema reel), and who can convey those lilas and the otherwise difficult to ascertain truths behind them to aspiring sadhaks – that is sadhu and that is the sanga we should search out.

But there is one more thing to consider; what if we meet that sadhu but he showsno particular interest in us, or he is so absorbed in his own bhajan that the world around him practically doesn’t exist? For this reason Gurudeva has stated that we should do “swajatiya snigdha vaisnava asraya”. Swajatiya =similar bhava (mood) to one’s own, snigdha = affection, asraya = shelter.

In other words, we should take shelter of that rasika, siddhanta-vit Vaisnava who has the bhava we want (in a greater extent than ourselves) and who has so much affection for us (like a mother to a child). That snigdha means Gurudeva’s heart melts upon seeing us. And what is the sign that this heart is melting?

He begins to tell Hari Katha. To ordinary persons he will give his ashirbad (blessings) but when he sees anyone coming with a desire for bhajan , his heart melts and he begins to tell them Hari Katha. A sadhu may even be an Uttama Adhikari, but if he has no special interest in us PERSONALLY then we cannot gain much from his sanga. Therefore this snigdha is essential.

Taking shelter of that swajatiya snighda vaisnava what can we gain? All those bhavas and siddhantas which are perpetually manifesting in his heart – they will gradually appear in ours. On this point Gurudeva told me personally that the disciple need not to make any separate endeavour on her part to achieve bhakti.

Rather all she has to do is become “tadatmika” with Gurudeva ( tadatmika means to become one, like two hearts melted into one)¨ and all the bhavas feels in his heart when chanting Harinama will automatically trickle into hers! This is the descending process in contrast to the ascending process and it is this caliber Vaisnava whose dust we should roll in. But can we forcibly take that dust?

NO ! Only if he gives it we can get it. And what is that dust? Hari Katha. This dust is vani and it is received through the ear.

How to get him to give it to us? In the Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu, Srila Rupa Goswami lists 64 angas of bhakti, the first three being;

1. Sri. Guru-padasraya (taking shelter of a sat-guru’s lotus feet).

2. Sri Krsna diksa-siksadi (taking diksa from him and receiving instructions)

3. Pritipurvaka-guru-seva (serving Gurudeva with love, or “vishrambha seva”, serving with intimacy.)

What is that intimacy? That, “Oh Gurudeva, I don’t know Radha, I don’t know Krsna, I don’t even know Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. But I know YOU Gurudeva. I’ve been wandering in this maya jagat for 84 lakh births and Krsna has not come to save me but YOU’VE come to save me Gurudeva.

Therefore you are my pran-bandhu (hearts, nearest and dearest friend, life of life) and I give my body, words, mind, heart, soul, EVERTHING to your lotus feet”. Our Gurudeva has said that for one who does like so, Guruji takes her FULL CHARGE. So out of the 64 bhakti angas, one who performs this third kind is sure of quick success. Why?

Guruji thinks, “OH! You are serving me so intimately? All right, let me tell you something.” And what will he tell? He will tell you to drink the panchamrita (five nectars) of Rupa Goswami; 1. Sadhu sanga 2. Nama kirtan 3. Bhagavat shravan 4. Mathura vas 5. Sri murti shraddhaya seva. But still Guruji is not satisfied so he says, “My dear sisya, listen closely. We have no direct sambandha with Krsna.

Radhika is our Aradhya Devi ( worshippable Goddess), Lalita is Her most priya sakhi and Vishakha Her guru.” Even having said this, Guruji still not feeling satisfied will say, “Moreover my dear sisya you should take more shelter of Krsna’s parikaras than of Krsna himself. “Why? If we take shelter of Krishna then his bhava will come in us. But we don’t want his bhava.

Rather we want the bhavas of those who serve him; Nanda Baba, Yashoda Ma, Sridham, Subal, and especially the gopis. Still, believe it or not, Guruji will not fell satisfied giving only this. He wants to give more. “What more could there be?” you may ask. To this he will reply, “Rupa Goswami is our master. In his Braj Swarupa he is Rupa Manjari. We have to follow him/her both ex- ternally and internally respectively.”

Seva sadhaka rupena siddha rupena catra ni tad-bhava lipsuna karya vraja lokanusaratah

“In Braj one should serve Sri Krsna with a bhava similar to that of His parikaras. One should place himself under the direct guidance of a particular parikara and follow in his/her footsteps. This advice is applicable both in the stage of sadhana and in the stage of sadhya.”

Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu 1.2.295

This is the kind of katha Sri Gurudeva will tell his antaranga sisya. Hearing this katha and applying it practically in our lives, then we can make steady progress in Harinama sadhan. Otherwise, hearing and hearing but no doing, this is not bhajan. On the other hand, one may chant Harinama for hear correct bhakti-tattva from him, they will never get prem. Therefore Guruji says performing sadhan without Guru is like trying to impregnate a barren woman.

If however a strong seed (mantra) has been planted by an expert gardener (Guru) an fertile ground ( the sincere sadhak’s heart), then very quickly the sweet succulent fruits of nishta, ruci, asakti, and bhava will sprout.

But! The potency of the mantra depends on the potency of the Guru. Therefore rasika, siddhanta-vit Vaisnavas sanga is so necessary and for this reason Guruji says, “bhajan you may leave, but never leave sadhu sanga.” Does this mean we should cease our sadhah-bhaja.? NEVER! But it does show the utmost importance of genuine sadhu sanga. That sanga will forcibly drag us to heights unimagined.

Vairagya yug-bhakti rasam prayatnair apayayan mam anabhipsum andham kripambhudhir yah para duhkah dukhi

sanatans tam prabhum asrayami

“I was unwilling to drink the nectar of bhakti possessed of renunciation, but Sanatana Goswami, being an ocean of mercy who cannot tolerate the suffering of others, made me drink it. Therefore I take shelter of him as my master.”

Raghunatha das Goswami, Vilap Kushmanjali

Therefore let us offer our koti koti dandavat pranams at the kamala charan of our Sat Gurudeva and desire to serve him in visrambha bhava; because in his own word as, “Guru kripa is life force in bhajan”!

Choti Tungavidya dasi Vrindavan

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