Soundarya Lahari of Shri Shankara (Study)

by Seetha N. | 1985 | 67,146 words

The essay studies in English the Soundarya Lahari of Shri Shankara, focusing on its philosophical and devotional aspects. The Saundaryalahari represents an epitome of Shaktism (worship of the divine Goddess) by expounding the ultimate goal of liberation (moksha) through the non-dual knowledge of Nirguna Brahman, as taught by the Advaita philosophy....

Bhakti (Devotion) as a sentiment

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Sri Rupagoswamin who was a follower of Caitanya had made a good contribution to Bhakti cult. His two works Bhaktirasamrtasindhu and Ujjvalanilamani treat Bhakti as a sentiment in all aspects. Active service on Lord Krsna, with t real liking, pleasing to Lord Krsna without any motive like worldly pleasures, without any adulteration like jnana or karma 29 is called Uttamabhakti. This Bhaktirasa has, alambanavibhava (supporting excitant) as Lord Krsna, Uddipanavibhava (stimulating excitants) as songs, dance, etc., in praise of Lord Krsna and sthayibhava (dominant feeling) as Bhagavadrati i.e., liking towards God. Bhakti or Madhurya is described as the supreme or Ujjvala sentiment. Along with these, are Santa, Sakhya, Vatsalya etc., the chief aspects in Bhaktirasa. Love for God is installed as sthayibhava (dominant feeling) which, through its vibhavas (appropriate excitants), as well as anubhavas (ensuants) and vyabhi caribhavas (auxillary feelings), raised to supreme relishable condition (in His susceptible condition) as Bhaktirasa. can be 29. "Anyabhilasitasunyan jnanakarmadyanavrtan anukulyena Krsnanusilanan bhaktiruttama" Bhaktirasamritasindhu, 11

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: 11 : The quintessence of devotional sentiment is Ujjvala or Madhurarasa by which is meant the rngara or erotic sentiment with Lord Krsna as the ideal here. The essence of Bhakti is Anukulya (natural propensity) which is repeatedly expressed in Cesta (physical activity) and in bhava (internal feeling) which are directed to the pleasure of Lord Krsna. Anukulya (natural propensity) is free from any other desire. It is not vitiated by the metaphysics of Brahman 30 or restricted by Karma. Sri Madhusudanasaraswaty's Bhaktirasayana is another Bhakti is the only rasa; work treating Bhakti as a sentiment. since, it is here, that one attains bliss, not tainted by even an iota of sorrow. Srigara and other rasas cannot bring about this bliss, for, they are inferior ones. Devotion is a form of mind corresponding to Bhagavaddharma which means incessant 31 flow arising in a mind that obtains liquification. compared to lac. Just as lac melts when in contact with fire, mind too, by stimuli like anger, love, fear, affection and so on gets liquified. Mind is These stimuli are called Tapakas. In a concrete mind, devotion cannot arise. Concreteness of mind should be acquainted with worldly pleasures, and liquification, with God. Only in such a mind Sattvika traits like Stambha (numbness), Sveda (sweat), Romanca 30. Bhaktirasamritasindhu, 11 31. "Drutasya bhagavad dharmat dharavahikatam gata sarvese manaso vrttir bhaktirityabhidhiyate" Bh-Ra., 3.

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: 12 : But (horripilation), Svarabhanga (breaking of sound) etc., occur. Premabhakti, the climax of divine love, is purely a Rasa. Bhagavadrati is its Sthayibhava (dominant feeling). there are variations in this process of melting and the quality of Bhakti also differs accordingly, and therefore the number of the Sthayibhava (dominant feeling) also varies according to the types of melted minds. There are eighteen Tapakas according to Madhusudanasaraswathy and eighteen Sthayibhavas (dominant feelings) ensuing from them. (Three more are caused by a combination of Harsa (pleasure) and Daya (mercy). These twentyone Sthayibhavas have seventeen Rasas classified into Samkirna) Misrita and Suddha. Here alambanavibhava (supporting excitant) is God. Uddipanavibhava (stimulating excitant) is the offerings like tulasi leaves, sandal paste, etc., anubhavas (ensuants) are tears and prattlings overcome with devotion and vyabhi caribhava (auxiliary feeling) is nirveda (indifference). Sri Ramakrsnap aramahamsa was a great devotee of Goddess Kali, possessing super-natural powers. He could devote his whole time and attention to Goddess Kali. The process of surrendering himself to Her as his only resort and guide, was a serious matter to him. He pursued his path with single-mindedness. Whatever he felt, thought or did was by Her injunction, at Her command and as Her instrument.

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: 13: Even after attaining the highest ecstacy Nirvikalpa-samadhi (unwavering trance), he had to function at the behest of Kali. Swami Vivekananda, the great Advaita teacher in the modern world, was also following the path of Sri Ramakrsnaparamahamsa, the great teacher. The inclusion of the praise of various deities in the Vedas led to the consistency of prayers in the works of later poets. Adityahrdaya section in Valmikiramayana 32 Visnusahasranama in Mahabharata and Lalitasahasranama 34 33 in Brahmandapurana may seem like independent treatises, though they are mere extracts. These sections might have impressed later poets to develop individual treatises on devotion, thus helping them to contribute towards devotional works which in course of time came to be known as a separate branch i.e., Stotrakavyas. kavyas, we have Buddhist and Jain Stotrakavyas in Sanskrit.

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