The Path of Auspiciousness

Human life is meant for inquiry about the Supreme Absolute Truth. This is stated in Vedānta-sūtra (1.1.1), “athato brahma-jijñāsa–Now is the time to enquire about the Absolut Truth.”

This Supreme Absolute Truth is manifested in three features:

(1) The impersonal Brahman (the effulgence of the Lord’s transcendental body)

(2) The localized Paramātmā (Supersoul)

(3) Svayam Bhagavān (Supreme Personality of Godhead) This is confirmed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.11):

वदन्ति तत् तत्त्व-विदस् तत्त्वं यज् ज्ञानम् अद्वयम्
ब्रह्मेति परमात्मेति भगवान् इति शब्द्यते

vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṃ yaj jñānam advayam
brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate

Great seers who know the nature of the Absolute Truth describe that non-dual reality in three ways: as impersonal Brahman, as localized Paramātmā and as Svayam Bhagavān, the Personality of Godhead.

Of these three features, Svayam Bhagavān is the highest and most complete manifestation of the Supreme Absolute Truth.

हरिस् त्व् एकं तत्त्वं विधि-शिव-सुरेश-प्रणमितः
यद् एवेदं ब्रह्म प्रकृति-रहितं तत् त्व् अनुमहः
परात्मा तस्यांशो जगद्-अणु-गतो विश्व-जनकः
स वै राधा-कान्तो नव-जलद-कान्तिश् चिद्-उदयः

haris tv ekaṃ tattvaṃ vidhi-śiva-sureśa-praṇamitaḥ
yad evedaṃ brahma prakṛti-rahitaṃ tat tv anumahaḥ
parātmā tasyāṃśo jagad-aṇu-gato viśva-janakaḥ
sa vai rādhā-kānto nava-jalada-kāntiś cid-udayaḥ

Dāsa-mūla-tattva (2)

Indeed, Śrī Hari, to whom Brahmā, Śiva, Indra and other demigods continuously offer obeisances, is the one and only Supreme Absolute Truth. The impersonal Brahman (nirviśeṣabrahma), which is devoid of śakti, is Śrī Hari’s bodily effulgence. Mahā-Viṣṇu, who has created the universe and who has entered into it as the indwelling Supersoul (Paramātmā) of all, is simply His partial manifestation. That Śrī Hari alone, the very form of transcendental reality (cit-svarūpa), whose complexion is the colour of a freshly formed thunder cloud, is Śrī rādhā-kānta, the beloved of Śrīmatī rādhārāṇī.

Śrī Bhagavān’s form (vigraha) is the fullest embodiment of eternity (sat), knowledge (cid) and bliss (ānanda). Śrī Bhagavān possesses all six opulences in full, for He has complete beauty, complete fame, complete wealth, complete strength, complete knowledge and complete renunciation. Śrī Bhagavān eternally exists as the supremely potent puruṣa, Vrajendra-nandana Śrī Kṛṣṇa, whose form of eternity, knowedge and bliss (sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha) is adorned with the six opulences to the highest degree.

ईश्वरः परमः कृष्णः सच्-चिद्-आनन्द-विग्रहः
अनादिर् आदिर् गोविन्दः सर्व-कारण-कारणम्

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
anādir ādir govindaḥ sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam

Śrī Brahma-saṃhitā (5.1)

Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Govinda, is the embodiment of eternity, knowledge and bliss. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the controller of all controllers, and the source of all incarnations. He has no beginning or origin, though He is the source of everything and the primary cause of all causes.

All the Vedas, upaniṣads and Purāṇas declare by direct or indirect analysis that Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the only subject to be known. This is revealed in Bhagavad-gītā (15.15): vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyo. Vedānta-sūtra is the essence of the Vedas and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the explanation of Vedānta.

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam declares:

एते चांश-कलाः पुंसः कृष्णस् तु भगवान् स्वयम्

ete cāṃśa-kalāḥ puṃsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.3.28)

All avatāras beginning with Śrī rāma, Śrī Nṛsiṃha and so on, are parts and parts of the parts of the Supreme Person, Śrī Bhagavān. Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the original Personality of Godhead, Svayam Bhagavān.

Śrī Kṛṣṇa confirms in Bhagavad-gītā that there is no truth greater or higher than Him:

मत्तः परतरं नान्यत् किञ्चिद् अस्ति धनञ्जय
मयि सर्वम् इदं प्रोतं सूत्रे मणि-गणा इव

mattaḥ parataraṃ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya
mayi sarvam idaṃ protaṃ sūtre maṇi-gaṇā iva

Bhagavad-gītā (7.7)

O Arjuna, there is nothing superior to Me. everything and everyone is dependent on Me, resting upon Me as pearls are strung on a thread.

To approach and to attain that Śrī Bhagavān, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, there is no other method than the process of devotional service.

भक्त्या माम् अभिजानाति यावान् यश् चास्मि तत्त्वतः

bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ

Bhagavad-gītā (18.55)

It is only through bhakti that one can know the tattva of My glories and svarūpa.

The conclusion of all transcendental knowledge is devotional service to Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

यो माम् एवम् असम्मूढो जानाति पुरुषोत्तमम्
स सर्व-विद् भजति मां सर्व-भावेन भारत

yo mām evam asammūḍho jānāti puruṣottamam
sa sarva-vid bhajati māṃ sarva-bhāvena bhārata

Bhagavad-gītā (15.19)

O Bhārata (Arjuna), one who is not deluded by various opinions, and who knows Me as Puruṣottama, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, actually knows everything and he, therefore, engages wholeheartedly in bhajana to Me.

This Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself came as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to teach us how to perform devotional service. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Himself Vrajendra-nandana Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

यद् अद्वैतं ब्रह्मोपनिषदि तद् अप्य् अस्य तनु-भा
य आत्मान्तर्-यामी पुरुष इति सो’स्यांश-विभवः
षड्-ऐश्वर्यैः पूर्णो य इह भगवान् स स्वयम् अयं
न चैतन्यात् क्र्ष्णाज् जगति पर-तत्त्वं परम् इह

yad advaitaṃ brahmopaniṣadi tad apy asya tanu-bhā
ya ātmāntar-yāmī puruṣa iti so’syāṃśa-vibhavaḥ
ṣaḍ-aiśvaryaiḥ pūrṇo ya iha bhagavān sa svayam ayaṃ
na caitanyāt krṣṇāj jagati para-tattvaṃ param iha

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā (2.5)

What the upaniṣads describe as the impersonal Brahman is but the effulgence of His body, and the Lord known as the Supersoul is but His localized plenary portion. Lord Caitanya is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself, full with six opulences. He is the Supreme Absolute Truth and no other truth is greater than or equal to Him.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's compassion is also complete. In comparison, the mercy of all other avatāras–such as the fish incarnation, Matsyadeva; the tortoise incarnation, Kūrmadeva; the boar incarnation, Varāhadeva; Lord Nṛsiṃhadeva; Lord rāmacandra; and even Svayam Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇacandra–is partial. They bestowed Their compassion only upon those who surrendered to Them and They annihilated those who were antagonistic to them. Mahāprabhu, however, bestowed His compassion even upon offenders such as Chānd Kāzi and the followers of Buddhism in South India who were antagonistic to Him. He is therefore known as the most munificent (mahā-vadanyaya) and His compassion is magnanimous and full of auspiciousness (amanda-udaya-dayā).

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu came to give that which was never given before: nāma-prema. What is nāma-prema? It is prema that manifests through the holy names: Hare, Kṛṣṇa and rāma:

सेइ द्वारे आचण्डाले कीर्तन सञ्चारे नाम-प्रेम-माला गाङ्थि’ पराइल संसारे

sei dvāre ācaṇḍāle kīrtana sañcāre nāma-prema-mālā gāṅthi’ parāila saṃsāre

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā (4.40)

He thus spread kīrtana even among the untouchables and garlanded the entire material world with a wreath of the holy name and prema.

In this age of Kali, the prescribed religious duty (yuga-dharma) establishes hari-nāma and religious principles, but Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu came especially to give nāma-prema. This prema is like a thread and the serving moods of servitude, friendship, parenthood and amorous love towards the Lord (dāsya, sakhya, vātsalya and mādhurya-rasas) are like flowers that are connected by the thread of prema. Prema is the common basis of all these serving moods just as a thread is the basis of a garland. Therefore, Mahāprabhu distributed the holy name with prema. He gave the prema of dāsya, sakhya, vātsalya and mādhurya-rasa; and He especially gave the loving mādhurya-rasa of the gopīs.

अनर्पित-चरीं चिरात् करुणयावतीर्णः कलौ
समर्पयितुम् उन्नतोज्ज्वल-रसां स्व-भक्ति-श्रीयम्
हरिः पुरट-सुन्दर-द्युति-कदम्ब-सन्दीपितः
सदा हृदय-कन्दरे स्फुरतु वः शची-नन्दनः

anarpita-carīṃ cirāt karuṇayāvatīrṇaḥ kalau
samarpayitum unnatojjvala-rasāṃ sva-bhakti-śrīyam
hariḥ puraṭa-sundara-dyuti-kadamba-sandīpitaḥ
sadā hṛdaya-kandare sphuratu vaḥ śacī-nandanaḥ

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā (1.4)

May that Lord, who is known as the son of Śrīmatī Sacīdevī, be transcendentally situated in the innermost chambers of your heart! resplendent with the radiance of molten gold, He has appeared in the age of Kali by His causeless mercy to bestow what has not been given in a very long time: rādhā-pālya-dāsyam, the service of Śrīmatī rādhikā as Her confidential maidservant.

That same Śrī Kṛṣṇa has mercifully appeared in this material world as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, taking the mood and bodily hue of Śrīmatī rādhikā, to spread unnatojjvala-rasa parakīyābhāva, service to Śrī Śrī rādhā-Kṛṣṇa as a maidservant of Śrīmatī rādhikā. However, it is not possible to receive that mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu or Śrī Kṛṣṇa without receiving the mercy of śrī gurudeva. Śrī Kṛṣṇa is śrī gurudeva’s property, so one can never become eligible to render service to Śrī Kṛṣṇa without rendering service to śrī gurudeva. To serve Śrī Kṛṣṇa, one must first become śrī guru’s property. Only in this way, will one attain service to Śrī Kṛṣṇa (kṛṣṇa-sevā). It is not possible to serve Śrī Kṛṣṇa without taking shelter of śrī guru (guru-anugatya) and serving him (guru-sevā).

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda explains that knowledge of our relationship with the Absolute (sambandhajñana) is awakened only by the mercy of śrī guru. When this happens, we come to know that we are the eternal servants of Śrī Kṛṣṇa and that every object throughout the universe is an instrument for serving Śrī Kṛṣṇa (īsāvāsyam idaṃ sarvam). In that self-realized, constitutional state, our only activity is to serve Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s name is truly Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself, so service to śrī nāma is indeed service to Śrī Kṛṣṇa. The devotee sees that he is the servant of śrī nāma, that every living entity within this universe is meant to bring joy to Kṛṣṇa and that each and every object is an instrument to be used in serving Him.

Śrī nāma, Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s holy name, is the ocean of transcendental humours (akhila-rasāmṛta-sindhu) and the condensed form of eternality, cognizance and bliss (sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha). Śrī nāma is directly Śrī Śyāmasundara, Yasoda-nandana. Service to śrī kṛṣṇanāma, who is the ocean of all transcendental mellows is direct service to Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself. Therefore, devotees please śrī guru and Kṛṣṇa by rendering uninterrupted service to Kṛṣṇa through the medium of the congregational chanting of the holy name (śrī nāmasaṅkīrtana).

यस्य प्रसादाद् भगवत्-प्रसादो यस्याप्रसादान् न गतिः कुतोऽपि
ध्यायन् स्तुवंस् तस्य यशस् त्रि-सन्ध्यं वन्दे गुरोः श्री-चरणारविन्दम्

yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto'pi
dhyāyan stuvaṃs tasya yaśas tri-sandhyaṃ vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam

Śrī Gurvāṣṭakam (verse 8)

It is by the mercy of śrī guru that one receives the mercy of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Without his mercy, one cannot attain the goal of spiritual perfection. Therefore I should always remember śrī guru and at least three times a day I offer my respectful obeisances unto his lotus feet.

One cannot establish a loving relationship with Śrī Kṛṣṇa unless one first develops a loving relationship with śrī guru. Thus, the path of supreme auspiciousness begins with śrī guru, develops with śrī guru, and the hole process of bhakti depens on the relationship with him.