The Glories of Sadhu-Sanga

The Glories of Sādhu-Saṅga By Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja

Excerpted from Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja’s “Pinnacle of Devotion”

Come along with me to Vṛndāvana. Here, Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī used to write in the solitary atmosphere of the Rādhā-Dāmodara Mandira in Sevā-kuñja. Sevā-kuñja is a place of perfection (siddha-sthalī), because it is here that Kṛṣṇa came to serve Śrīmatī Rādhikā. He played here, and the foot dust of all the gopīs is here. Most importantly, Śrīmatī Rādhikā’s footdust is here. 

Kṛṣṇa also served Śrīmatī Rādhikā at Vaṁśī-vaṭa and Nidhuvana. At these places, Kṛṣṇa, Rādhā, and the gopīs are controlled by prema personified. We do not aspire for Kṛṣṇa, but we aspire for kṛṣṇa-prema. Kaṁsa, Jarāsandha, Śiśupāla, and other demons wanted Kṛṣṇa, but they did not possess prema, or affection, for Him.

kṛṣṇa, guru, bhakta, śakti, avatāra, prakāśa kṛṣṇa ei chaya-rūpe karena vilāsa

Lord Kṛṣṇa enjoys by manifesting Himself as the spiritual masters, the devotees, the diverse energies, the incarnations, and the plenary portions. They are all six in one. [Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 1.32]

Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja is explaining that Kṛṣṇa manifests Himself in this world in six features: Kṛṣṇa Himself, two kinds of guru, bhakta, śakti, avatāra, and prakāśa. I will try to explain it very briefly in order to complete the Third and Fourth chapters of Caitanya-caritāmṛta during my visit in Australia. The Third and Fourth chapters explain the purpose for which Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and the ācāryas in our paramparā have come. But this background information, understanding Kṛṣṇa’s manifestations, is necessary first.

Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja begins by explaining:

mantra-guru āra yata śikṣā-guru-gaṇa tāṅhāra caraṇa āge kariye vandanā

I first offer my respectful obeisances at the lotus feet of my initiating spiritual master and all my instructing spiritual masters. [Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 1.35]

Mantra-guru means dīkṣā-guru. The śikṣā-guru teaches us how to serve Kṛṣṇa, who we are, what is bhakti, what is jīva-tattva, and how a jīva, a conditioned soul, can achieve bhāva-bhakti and then prema-bhakti. Real bhakti is prema-bhakti, pure service to Kṛṣṇa. In Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu [1.1.11] Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī states:

anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-śīlanaṁ bhaktir-uttamā

One should render transcendental loving service to the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa favorably and without desire for material profit or gain through fruitive activities or philosophical speculation. That is called pure devotional service.

The duty of a person wanting to attain bhakti is to remember this śloka, and to repeat it once daily. He should try to enter deeply into its meaning and practice developing it. Such a practice is called sādhana-bhakti¹. When, by practicing with the senses, a spiritual mood manifests, it is called bhāva-bhakti, and this bhāva-bhakti soon blossoms into prema-bhakti.

According to a devotee’s level, he will be eligible to perform sādhana-bhakti, bhāva-bhakti, or prema-bhakti. A person can be called a sādhaka, or one who is performing sādhana-bhakti, only when his practice is aimed at attaining bhāva-bhakti and ultimately prema-bhakti. A guru who is not realized in sādhana-bhakti, bhāva-bhakti, and prema-bhakti cannot give bhakti, although he may appear to do the work of a guru.

This is supported by all śāstras, including Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and the Upaniṣads, and by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Kṛṣṇa Himself. We should understand this principle:

tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam śābde pare ca niṣṇātaṁ brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam

Any person who is seriously desirous of achieving real happiness must seek out a bona fide spiritual master and take shelter of him by initiation. The qualification of a spiritual master is that he must have realized the conclusion of the scriptures by deliberation and arguments and thus be able to convince others of these conclusions. Such great personalities, who have taken complete shelter of the Supreme Godhead, leaving aside all material considerations, are to be understood as bona fide spiritual masters. [Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.3.21]

In order to achieve real bhakti to Kṛṣṇa, have real happiness, and realize who you are and how you can progress in this life, go to a self-realized soul and hear his realizations from him. He will surely help you. There are three symptoms of a bona fide guru. The first is śābde pare ca niṣṇātam. What is the meaning of śābde? He is perfect in his knowledge of Veda, Upaniṣads, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, etc. However, knowledge of śāstra and the ability to argue based on that knowledge is not enough to qualify him as a guru.

If one has no realization of Kṛṣṇa, if he is not absorbed in bhajana², if his bhakti is not very developed, then he is not a guru. The second symptom is that he is detached from worldly desires (upaśamāśrayam). These first and second symptoms are external. The svarūpa, or internal symptom of the bona fide guru is pare ca niṣṇātaṁ brahmaṇi. Who is pare brahman? Kṛṣṇa Himself. He is para-brahman, pūrṇa-brahman, sanātana-brahman. A guru should have some internal realization of this, otherwise he may fall down. If he only knows śāstric arguments, but he is not absorbed in bhajana, it is not sufficient to keep him from falling down.

One may also know all the arguments to support the śāstric viewpoint, and sometimes be outwardly performing some kind of devotional practice. Yet, if he is not detached from material desires and objects, he will fall down. If the guru falls, it causes a big problem for the disciple, disturbing his whole life. Therefore we should be very cautious to approach devotees who will not fall. So Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja has written: mantra-guru āra yata śikṣā-guru-gaṇa. What has Swamiji³ written? You should all hear this very carefully. It is very important.

“Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī in his thesis Bhakti-sandarbha (202) has stated that uncontaminated devotional service is the objective of pure Vaiṣṇavas, and that one has to execute such service in the association of other devotees. By associating with devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa one develops a sense of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and thus becomes inclined towards loving service of the Lord.

This is the process of approaching devotional service, approaching the Supreme Lord by gradual appreciation of devotional service. If one desires unalloyed devotional service one must associate with devotees. […] One should always remember that a person who is reluctant to accept a spiritual master and be initiated, is sure to be baffled in his endeavor to go back to godhead. […]

It is imperative that a serious person accepts a bona fide spiritual master in terms of the śāstric injunction. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī advises that one should not accept a spiritual master in terms of hereditary or customary, social and ecclesiastical convention. One should simply try to find a genuinely qualified spiritual master for actual advancement in spiritual understanding.”

Śrīla Mahārāja: Yes. Mark these words. If you want unalloyed devotional service, you must associate with Vaiṣṇavas. Otherwise you will get asat-saṅga (association with materialists). This will be the result. So try to follow Swamiji’s line of thought. I am following the same line as Swamiji. A person who says that I am not in the same line as Swamiji, is himself not in that line. I will never speak anything different from that which was spoken by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Swamiji.

If you want unalloyed devotional service to Kṛṣṇa you should boldly follow the directions and instructions which we have mentioned. If your preference is for making money, and you see that this will be hampered by associating with high-class Vaiṣṇavas, then you will not be inclined to follow these instructions. If you aspire to be like Prahlāda Mahārāja, then you should associate with the statements in Swamiji’s purports. Read the last line again and continue.

Devotee reads: If one desires unalloyed devotional service, one must associate with devotees of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. For by such association only can a conditioned soul achieve a taste for transcendental love, and thus revive his eternal relationship with God in a specific manifestation and in terms of a specific transcendental mellow or rasa that one has internally inherent in him.

Śrīla Mahārāja: If you follow this instruction to associate with pure devotees, Kṛṣṇa will manage everything for you. Don’t fear. Kṛṣṇa has created you. He is the Supreme Controller, so why should you have any fear? All problems will be solved by following this instruction, and Kṛṣṇa will manage everything. If you want unalloyed service to Kṛṣṇa, have courage in your heart, be bold and make an effort to associate with qualified Vaiṣṇavas. Its importance is stressed not only once, but three times: sādhu-saṅga, again sādhu-saṅga, again sādhu-saṅga.

sādhu-saṅga, sādhu-saṅga — sarva-śāstre kaya lava-mātra sādhu-saṅge sarva-siddhi haya

The verdict of all revealed scriptures is that by even a moment’s association with a pure devotee, one can attain all success. [Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 22.54]

What is the meaning of this verse? It is that unalloyed service to Kṛṣṇa can be attained through sādhu-saṅga, and following this instruction is our first duty. Go on.

Devotee reads: The secret is that one must submissively listen to those who know perfectly the science of God and one must begin the mode of service regulated by the preceptor or teacher. A devotee already attracted by the name, form, qualities, etc. of the Supreme Lord, may be directed to his specific manner of devotional service. He need not waste time by approaching the Lord through logic.

Śrīla Mahārāja: Yes. Don’t try to achieve Kṛṣṇa through the method of logic. Logic itself is insufficient. If it is the type of logic which is presented in śāstras, like Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, and which is predominated by devotion, then it may be accepted, otherwise it should not be.

Devotee reads: The expert spiritual master knows well how to engage his disciples’ energy in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, and thus he engages a devotee in a specific devotional service according to his special tendency.

Śrīla Mahārāja: One symptom of a bona fide śikṣā or dīkṣā-guru is that each of his disciples feels such affection coming from the guru, that he thinks his guru loves him the most. When coming into the guru’s presence, all Vaiṣṇavas, even those who are not disciples, feel that the guru loves them the most. I have seen this quality in my Guru Mahārāja, and also in Swamiji.

I think that so many disciples of Swamiji have also experienced this. We have heard from the disciples of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura [each saying], “I was loved so much by my Guru Mahārāja.” This symptom of a bona fide guru is experienced by the disciples because he does not desire material profit from them. He only wants to reside in their hearts, and inject them with kṛṣṇa-prema.

Unless he is perfect in his own realization of kṛṣṇa-prema, he cannot give it. The guru never takes the heart of the disciple as his own property. Rather he makes it soft, sweet, and fragrant—suitable to be offered to the Divine Couple. The disciple first offers his heart unto the lotus feet of his beloved gurudeva, who will in turn give it to his gurudeva, and so on, until it is placed at the lotus feet of Rūpa-mañjarī. She will give it to Lalitā and Viśākhā who will offer it at the lotus feet of Śrīmatī Rādhikā. Śrīmatī Rādhikā will then engage that person in service to Kṛṣṇa and Herself.

If a guru does not have this symptom, then his disciple may humbly request the guru to allow him to take the association of an elevated soul who does. The guru, without envy, and admitting that he cannot satisfy his disciple, will direct him to take shelter of Vaiṣṇavas who are of the caliber of Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, or Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura. He will not complain that the disciple is taking shelter of a superior Vaiṣṇava. A sad-guru (self-realized guru) never desires worldly gain.

If he does, he is not actually guru. Śyāmānanda Prabhu was instructed by his dīkṣā-guru, Hṛdaya Caitanya of Kuliyā Grāma to journey to Sevā-kuñja, Vṛndāvana and take shelter of the lotus feet of Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī. “He will make you qualified to serve Śrī Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa.” Apparently Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī had no śiṣyas (disciples), but actually he gave his śikṣā (instructions) to all the inhabitants of this world. This is the symptom of a real gurudeva.

Devotee reads: A devotee must have only one initiating spiritual master, because in the scriptures acceptance of more than one is always forbidden. There is no limit, however, to the number of instructing spiritual masters one may accept. Generally a spiritual master who constantly instructs a disciple in spiritual science becomes his initiating spiritual master later on. One should always remember that a person who is reluctant to accept a spiritual master and be initiated, is sure to be baffled in his endeavor to go back to godhead.

One who is not properly initiated may present himself as a great devotee, but in fact he is sure to encounter many stumbling blocks on his path of progress towards spiritual realization with the result that he must continue his term of material existence without relief. Such a helpless person is compared to a ship without a rudder, for such a ship can never reach its destination. It is imperative therefore that one accepts a spiritual master if he at all desires to gain the favor of the Lord.

If there is no chance to serve him directly, a devotee should serve his spiritual master by remembering his instructions. There is no difference between his instructions and he himself. If one thinks that he is above consulting anyone, including his spiritual master, he is at once an offender of the Lord. Such an offender can never go back to Godhead. It is imperative that a serious person accepts a bona fide spiritual master in terms of the śāstric injunction. 

Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī advises that one should not accept a spiritual master in terms of hereditary or customary, social and ecclesiastical convention. One should simply try to find a genuinely qualified spiritual master for actual advancement in spiritual understanding.

Śrīla Mahārāja: It is clear that Swamiji is a follower of Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī. To have such a fully qualified guru is very rare, very rare. If, in this life, due to some spiritual piety (sukṛti) we have accepted even a kaniṣṭha-adhikārī-guru, some impressions of Vaiṣṇavism are made on the heart. Then, in our next birth, we may then have the qualification to choose a bona fide guru. And how do we choose?

We surrender ourselves at the lotus feet of the caitya-guru (Kṛṣṇa in the heart), and pray to Him. Residing in our heart He will hear our plea. He will always hear. If one prays, “O Kṛṣṇa, I sincerely desire to become your servant. Please direct me to the lotus feet of a qualified guru,” Kṛṣṇa will surely arrange this. One who neglects such prayer, and has confidence in his own ability to select and examine his guru, will be disturbed in his spiritual life. Kṛṣṇa says:

sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear. [Bhagavad-gītā 18.66]

Kṛṣṇa will arrange a guru for one who surrenders sincerely, without desire for material gain. So be like that. Then we can easily receive the mercy of that rare guru. Everything depends on Kṛṣṇa. A bona fide guru is rare in this world and śāstra describes that more rare than him is a bona fide disciple who surrenders fully, as Arjuna or Sudāmā Vipra did to Kṛṣṇa. The Vedas, Upaniṣads and Purāṇas cite many examples of the ideal guru and the ideal disciple, but the examples of Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, and his full surrender to the lotus feet of Śrī Rūpa and Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmīs are the most exalted.

Who is the guru of Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī and Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī? Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī had prayed to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in the maṅgalācaraṇa of each of his books. But when did Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu initiate Śrī Rūpa and Śrī Sanātana? Have we heard of a fire sacrifice being performed for their initiation, and mantras being given to them? Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu instilled everything in their heart.

They accepted him as guru within their heart. This is most important—to follow gurudeva internally means he is our guru—regardless of whether or not mantras are given, or whether or not a fire yajña is done. These are external and not as important as the surrendering of one’s heart. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī has given some examples of this in his books.

There are two kinds of disciples, and therefore there are two kinds of dīkṣā, initiation—ānuṣṭhānikī and vidvat-rūḍhi. Ānuṣṭhānikī means the external formality of a fire yajña and the giving of dīkṣā (gāyatrī) mantras. If one thinks, “I have sacrificed so much, my head is shaven, and I have received my mantras; I am now initiated,” this is external. Of course, formal initiation is essential, but it is not complete without vidvat-rūḍhi. 

Vidvat-rūḍhi refers to an internal initiation wherein the disciple gives his heart at his guru’s lotus feet, knowing that the guru will make him qualified to serve Śrī Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. Śrī Guru gives all kinds of knowledge (divya-jñāna) about kṛṣṇa-tattva, guru-tattva, vaiṣṇava-tattva, and prema-tattva.

The guru also teaches what is māyā. He teaches that under the spell of the illusory energy one sees a man or woman as a source of one’s own sense gratification. Such consciousness has created many problems between husband and wife, especially in Western countries. People are sometimes married and divorced several times, and there is no concern for the children. Marriage means that both are together for life, and small problems should not cause divorce.

The guru will teach his followers to be neither attached nor detached, but to perform their duty, and in this way to see themselves, their wives and their children as Kṛṣṇa’s servants. He will teach them their duty in such a way that they develop their Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The guru instructs us how to practice bhakti, and how to develop our honor, affection and service for Kṛṣṇa. This is divya-jñāna. Guru also destroys our sinful reactions: divyaṁ jñānaṁ yato dadyāt, kuryāt pāpasya saṅkṣayam, tasmād dīkṣeti sā proktā, deśikais tattva-kovidaiḥ.

“By dīkṣā one gradually becomes disinterested in material enjoyment and gradually becomes interested in spiritual life.” [Bhakti-sandarbha 283] Kuryāt pāpasya saṅkṣayam. Material life means the problems arising from attachment to worldly affairs. In material life one is full of lust, anger, greed, madness, illusion and envy, and thinks himself to be the enjoyer. Śrī gurudeva destroys the four stages of sin:

• prārabdha—fructified karma—the reactions to previous actions which are presently being suffered and enjoyed.
• kūṭa-bīja—sins which have not yet been performed, but the tendency to perform them is in the heart.
• aprārabdha—those reactions which will fructify in our next body.
• avidyā—ignorance whereby one forgets Kṛṣṇa and thinks himself to be the enjoyer. From this ignorance, all problems arise.

If the guru is showing jealousy or envy that his disciples are associating with a śikṣā-guru, or if he is opposed to Vaiṣṇavas and their teachings, then the disciple should consider giving him up.

śrī-rūpa, sanātana, bhaṭṭa-raghunātha, śrī-jīva, gopāla-bhaṭṭa, dāsa-raghunātha ei chaya guru—śikṣā-guru ye āmāra tāṅ-sabāra pāda-padme koṭi-namaskāra

The instructing spiritual masters are Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī, Śrī Bhaṭṭa Raghunātha, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī, Śrī Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī and Śrī Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī. These six are my instructing spiritual masters, and therefore I offer millions of respectful obeisances unto their lotus feet. [Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 1.36-37]

Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī first prays to his śikṣā-gurus. In this section of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta he has explained so many things about guru. Who are his śikṣā-gurus? Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī, Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, Śrīla Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, Śrīla Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, and Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī. There is one point that we should consider here. Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja has not mentioned the name of his dīkṣā-guru.

He has taken śikṣā directly from both Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī and Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, and at the end of each chapter he offers special praṇāmas to them. Some say his dīkṣā-guru is Śrīla Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, but I have not seen any evidence of this. I have never read in any śāstras about the identity of his dīkṣā-guru. But I have drawn the conclusion that both he and his brother took dīkṣā during their household life, before he finally left his family and went to Vṛndāvana, and at that time he received the name Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja.

Without dīkṣā he would not have received the name Kṛṣṇadāsa. For some reason or other he has not revealed the name of his dīkṣā-guru, but has only named the six Gosvāmī associates of Mahāprabhu as his śikṣā-gurus. In their forms in Vraja-līlā, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī is Rūpa-mañjarī, Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī is Lavaṅga-mañjarī, Śrīla Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa is Rāga-mañjarī, Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī is Vilāsa-mañjarī, Śrīla Gopāla Bhaṭṭa is Guṇa-mañjarī, and Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa is Rati-mañjarī. They each have two eternal forms, one as an associate of Kṛṣṇa and the other as an associate of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

If anyone has direct association with a bona fide śikṣā-guru he will surely become a bona fide disciple. Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja is proud to be a disciple of the six Gosvāmīs. Tāṅ-sabāra pāda-padme koṭi-namaskāra [Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 1.37] He offers innumerable daṇḍavat-praṇāmas at their lotus feet and he then prays to the bhaktas (devotees), like Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita, who in Kṛṣṇa’s līlā is in the form of Nārada Muni.

bhagavānera bhakta yata śrīvāsādi-pradhāna tāṅ-sabāra pāda-padme sahasra praṇāma

There are innumerable devotees of the Lord, of whom Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura is the foremost. I offer my respectful obeisances thousands of times unto their lotus feet. [Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 1.38]

There are two kinds of bhaktas—the realized soul and the sādhaka. In his former life Nārada was a sādhaka-bhakta, and then he became a realized bhakta, a premī-bhakta. Here Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja is referring to all realized bhaktas: Svarūpa Dāmodara, Rāya Rāmānanda, Śikhi Māhitī, Mādhavī-devī, Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, etc. There are six prominent śikṣā-gurus (the six Gosvāmīs), and they are all realized bhaktas as well. They are all direct manifestations of the Supreme Lord. Śrī Advaita Ācārya is the plenary incarnation of Mahāviṣṇu. 

Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu is svarūpa-prakāśa. Gadādhara Paṇḍita (who is Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī) and Jagadānanda Paṇḍita (who is Śrīmatī Satyabhāmā) are śakti. Why was it that Gadādhara Paṇḍita was in such a humble service mood to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu? After all he was Śrī Rādhikā, chief of all the left-wing gopīs who freely express their transcendental anger (māna) towards Kṛṣṇa?

The answer is that in the form of Lord Caitanya, Lord Kṛṣṇa stole Śrīmatī Rādhikā’s mood and color, and Gadādhara Paṇḍita was simply always watching, simply taking the role of a teacher, to see if He was playing the part of Śrīmatī Rādhikā correctly. If Kṛṣṇa, as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu made a mistake, then Gadādhara Paṇḍita would immediately correct Him. For example, when Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu first met Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu in the house of Nandanācārya, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was weeping and He recited this śloka from the Tenth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:

barhāpīḍaṁ naṭa-vara-vapuḥ karṇayoḥ karṇikāraṁ bibhrad vāsaḥ kanaka-kapiśaṁ vaijayantīṁ ca mālām randhrān veṇor adhara-sudhayāpūrayan gopa-vṛndair vṛndāraṇyaṁ sva-pada-ramaṇaṁ prāviśad gīta-kīrtiḥ

The gopīs began to see Śrī Kṛṣṇa within their minds. Accompanied by his cowherd boyfriends, Śrī Kṛṣṇa entered the charming forest of Vṛndāvana. His head was decorated with a peacock feather. He wore yellow karṇikāra flowers over His ears, a golden-yellow garment on His body, and a beautiful, fragrant vaijayantī garland about His neck. 

Śrī Kṛṣṇa exhibited His supremely captivating appearance, just like the best of dancers performing upon a stage. He filled up the holes of his flute with the nectar of His lips. The cowherd boys followed behind Him singing His glories which purify the entire world. In this way, the forest of Vṛndāvana manifested even greater splendor than Vaikuṇṭha, due to being beautified by the marks of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet. [Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.21.5]

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu described the beautiful form of Kṛṣṇa, yet He could not completely respond in the way that Śrī Rādhikā would have, when She recited the same śloka. There was something lacking. Therefore, from behind a curtain, Gadādhara Paṇḍita recited the śloka, playing the role of Śrīmatī Rādhikā marvelously, weeping loudly with tears running down his cheeks, and melting everyone’s heart. He did this in such a manner that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who was playing the role of Śrīmatī Rādhikā, understood that He had not played the part correctly.

Finally, after explaining Kṛṣṇa’s others manifestations, Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja describes Śrī Caitanya as Kṛṣṇa Himself, Svayam Bhagavān:

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu svayaṁ bhagavān tāṅhāra padāravinde ananta praṇāma sava-parikare prabhure kariyā namaskāra ei chaya teṅho yaiche—kariye vicāra

Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the Personality of Godhead Himself, and therefore I offer innumerable prostrations at His lotus feet. Having offered obeisances unto the Lord and all His associates, I shall now try to explain these six diversities in one. [Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 1.42-43]

Thus, Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja has described the six manifestations of Kṛṣṇa:

yadyapi āmāra guru—caitanyera dāsa tathāpi jāniye āmi tāṅhāra prakāśa

Although I know that my spiritual master is a servitor of Śrī Caitanya, I know Him also as a direct manifestation of the Lord. [Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 1.44]

Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstraiḥ. The deep meaning of haritvena is that he possesses the quality of Kṛṣṇa, but he is not viṣaya Kṛṣṇa⁴. He is kṛṣṇa-dāsa. Gurudeva is the embodiment of Kṛṣṇa’s quality of mercy, but it is incorrect to consider gurudeva to be viṣaya Kṛṣṇa. Even the karmīs, jñānīs, and tapasvīs, consider gurudeva to be non-different from Kṛṣṇa, but we should not superimpose our incorrect concept upon guru, supposing him to be God.

This superimposition, in Sanskrit, is called āropa. For instance to present a young mango tree as one that gives sweet fruit is not correct. But if we say that it will give fruit in time, then this is correct. If we suppose the unreal to be real, we are incorrect, and this is called āropa.

In regard to developing our bhakti however, we need to perform āropa. This is essential and it is technically called āropa-siddha-bhakti. The beginner practices it in the following way. The Deity is non-different from Kṛṣṇa. He is Kṛṣṇa Himself. In our conditioned state we see the Deity as a stone statue, and yet we superimpose this correct concept that He is Kṛṣṇa.

We cannot serve Him as if He were Kṛṣṇa Himself, but as our affection for Him increases, we will perceive the Deity in the same way that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu did: sākṣād-vrajendranandana-vigraha (the direct personal form of Vrajendranandana). The Deity will reveal His actual nature to us.

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Footnotes

The living entity is āśraya, always subordinate, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead is viṣaya, the supreme objective, the goal of life. [Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.10.6, Purport]

Sādhana-bhakti is of two kinds—vaidhī and rāgānugā. When uttama-bhakti is accomplished through the medium of the senses of the baddha-jīva (conditioned soul), it is called sādhana-bhakti. That bhakti which is accomplished through the function of the senses, and by which bhāva-bhakti is obtained, is called sādhana-bhakti. In this connection the characteristics of sādhana-bhakti have been described in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.2.2). In this verse, sādhana-bhakti is referred to as sādhya-bhāva. In other words, the sādhana or practice of bhakti by which bhāva-bhakti is attained is called sādhya-bhāva. [Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu-bindu]

Bhajana is a complete internal and external absorption in the spiritual practices of worshipping Kṛṣṇa—such as śravaṇam, kīrtanam, smaraṇam, etc. with a mood of intense affection and attachment.

It is tradition in the Gauḍīya Maṭha that all ācāryas and sannyāsīs refer to one another by their given sannyāsa names. Because Śrīla Prabhupāda’s sannyāsa name is “Swami,” Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja refers to him as such, adding the suffix “ji.” “Ji” denotes great regard, as well as intimacy and affection.

Prior to Śrīla Prabhupāda’s coming to the West, they related with one another in Vṛndāvana as intimate friends. Also, as they have both taken sannyāsa from the same guru, they have a Godbrother relationship as well. Sometimes Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja refers to Śrīla Prabhupāda as Swamiji, and sometimes as Swami Maharaja, sometimes as Prabhupada, and sometimes as Srila Prabhupada.