Verse 2.1.16

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.1.16:

ज्ञान-भक्तास् तु तेष्व् एके शुद्ध-भक्ताः परेऽपरे ।
प्रेम-भक्ताः परे प्रेम-पराः प्रेमातुराः परे ॥ १६ ॥

jñāna-bhaktās tu teṣv eke śuddha-bhaktāḥ pare'pare |
prema-bhaktāḥ pare prema-parāḥ premāturāḥ pare || 16 ||

jñāna–in knowledge (of the Lord’s supremacy); bhaktāḥ–devotees; tu–indeed; teṣu–amongst them; eke–some; śuddha-bhaktāḥ–devotees purified (from all material conception); pare–others; apare–still others; prema–aspiring for love; bhaktāḥ–devotees; pare–others; prema-parāḥ–absorbed in love; prema-āturāḥ–overwhelmed by love; pare–others.

Among these devotees, some (jñāna-bhaktas) know the Lord’s supreme position, some (śuddha-bhaktas) are actuated by a pure devotional aptitude, some (premī-bhaktas) are imbued with full loving devotion, some (prema-para bhaktas) are absorbed in pure love, and some (premātura bhaktas) are impelled by overwhelming love.

Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda

(By Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī himself including a deep purport of that commentary)

Devotees of Śrī Bhagavān nurture different spiritual moods and, depending on their moods, they obtain different results. The distinction of each result is explained in four-and-a-half verses, beginning here with jñāna.

(1) Jñāna-bhaktas are devotees such as Śrī Bharata Mahārāja, who possess jñāna-bhakti, or devotion mixed with the pursuit of knowledge and the inclination towards opulence. Here, the word jñāna, meaning ‘knowledge,’ indicates knowledge that encompasses both the insignificance of liberation and the glories of loving devotion to the lotus feet of Śrī Bhagavān. The word bhakti refers to the nine processes of devotional service to the Lord.

(2) Śuddha-bhaktas are pure devotees like Śrī Ambarīṣa, who render and aspire for devotional service to the Supreme Lord that is untainted by desire for fruitive work, empirical knowledge, dry renunciation, etc.

(3) Premī-bhaktas are pure devotees such as Śrī Hanumān, whose bhakti is endowed with prema, pure love of God. These devotees always serve the lotus feet of their beloved Lord with their entire being or ātmā, aspiring only to develop deep affection for His lotus feet. In other words, their singular wish is to meet the Lord and render service to Him.

(4) Prema-para-bhaktas are pure devotees like Śrī Arjuna and the Pāṇḍavas, whose devotion towards the Lord is devoid of awe and reverence. They are bound by the shackles of loving friendship with the Lord, and prema is their only goal in life. Śrī Bhagavān’s unconditional mercy creates in their hearts the acme of purest love, binding them in complete friendship that is suffused with eagerness to see Him and characterized by intimate, jocular affection for Him.

(5) Premātura-bhaktas are devotees like Uddhava and the Yādavas, who are overwhelmed with divine love. They are always overcome by the super-excellent wealth of prema, for that always attracts their hearts in loving relationships with the Supreme Lord.

Entrance into Vaikuṇṭha cannot be obtained without possessing love for Bhagavān. However, based on differences in the spiritual moods, or bhāvas, of the devotees and according to the degree of their love, a hierarchy of devotees must be recognized. Śuddha-bhakti and premabhakti are essentially the same in nature, yet due to the presence of absolute loving attachment (prema-niṣṭhā) in prema-bhakti, the premī-bhakta is considered superior. Although the śuddha-bhakta ultimately reaches the stage of a premī-bhakta, it is imperative to acknowledge the speciality or distinctiveness of the premī-bhakta’s absolute loving attachment that distinguishes him from the śuddha-bhakta. Similarly, it must be recognized that prema-para-bhaktas are more exceptional than premī-bhaktas, and that premātura-bhaktas are more exceptional than prema-para-bhaktas.