(Synopsis of a talk given by Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj in Rangeeli Mahal, Barsana, India, on September 26, 2009)
Devotion to Radha Krishna has a few conditions. The main condition is selflessness. This means having no desires. Desires are of two kinds: (1) mayic or worldly desires, such as three of the four aims of human existence, namely dharma (observing religious principles), artha (material wealth), kam (sensual desire), and (2) amayic or non-worldly desires, namely the desire for moksha or mukti (absolute liberation from Maya). Dharma relates to the satvik quality of Maya, arth relates to the rajas quality of Maya, kam relates to the tamas quality of Maya and moksh is nirguna or beyond all the qualities of Maya.
In the Bhagwatam (3/29/8) Bhagwan Kapil explained to Devahuti, his mother, that there are four kinds of devotion, and complete surrender of the mind is required for all of them. They are (1) tamas devotion related to tamas desires, (2) rajas devotion related to sensual desires, (3) satvik devotion for the attainment of the celestial abode, and (4) kaivalya devotion for the attainment of moksh or liberation. This includes the nondual realisation of jnanis. (Chandogya Upanishad 8/15/1, Vasudeva Upanishad 1, Vedant 4/4/22)
Moksh or liberation is actually of five kinds. One of these, ekatva mukti relates to absolute liberation. In this realisation, a jnani loses his personal identity and merges into an impersonal state of God forever. This attainment is dangerous in the sense that once the soul merges into absolute divinity, it no longer has a chance to attain divine love.
Out of the five kinds of liberation, four of these (including ekatva mukti) are considered selfish because the practitioner has some desire he wishes to fulfill through that attainment. The one who renounces these desires attains the braj ras or divine love of the Gopis.
The divine love of the Gopis is of three kinds: (1) sadharani rati, (2) samanjasa rati, and, (3) samartha rati.
Sadharani rati is still related to one’s desire to receive happiness from God. Samanjasa rati and samartha rati are the selfless forms of love expressed by the Braj Gopis, who held the highest place in the divine world. The Bhagwatam explains (3/29/8-12) that the selfless Braj Gopis reached the most elevated state of divine love called mahabhava. Because of this, (Bhagwatam, 10/14/30, 32, 34) even Brahma prayed to one day be blessed with receiving these Gopis’ foot dust.
In worldly love, selfishness is always present. Selfishness means we are selfishly searching for our own happiness. Love in the world is always increasing and decreasing depending on the degree to which our self-interest is fulfilled. If our self-interest is satisfied, we feel love. If our self-interest is harmed, we feel hate. In this way the temperature of our love is always changing – either it is running hot or cold – and that, too, could be for the same person.
The definition of selflessness or nishkamata is to be free of all desires related to the qualities or gunas of Maya, and to have no desire for the four selfish forms of liberation. True selflessness means following the example of the highest class of sadharani rati Gopis and only having the desire for Shri Krishna’s happiness in one’s heart.
Karmi, gyani, yogi agya Govinda Radhey
Bhakta niskham hi hai gyani bata dey.
(New kirtan verse written by Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj on October 12, 2009, in Bhakti Dham, Mangarh)
The karmi, the one who performs ritualistic actions with the aim to realise celestial happiness, the jnani, the one who desires to realise nondual liberation and merge into God, and the yogi, the one who practices yoga with a desire to attain siddhis or yogic powers, are all ignorant. Only the selfless bhakt, the one who practices devotion to God with a desire to receive His grace and attain His divine vision and love is truly knowledgeable. (It is only through bhakti that our ultimate aim of true and ever-lasting happiness is fulfilled.)
© Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat and Bhakti Bliss, 2009
Radhey Radhey … thank you