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Approaching Bhva

Insights from r Caitanya-ikmta by rla Bhaktivinod hkur


Commentary by David Bruce Hughes (Gaurahari Dsnuds Bbj) Published by

Esoteric Teaching Seminars


esotericteaching.org ISBN 978-0-557-89078-1

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction ...................................................................................1 The Spiritualization of Work ..................................................5 Stages of Bhakti..........................................................................11 Niyamgraha: Spiritual Indolence ...................................17 The Purpose of Vaidh-bhakti.............................................21 Harmonizing Vidhi and Rga .............................................29 A Change of Heart ....................................................................35 Devotion, Taste and Desire .................................................39 Other Books .................................................................................41 David Bruce Hughes ...............................................................44

Introduction
I want to thank our Bhakti Master Class readers and subscribers for coming with us on this adventure into the higher stages of the Esoteric Teaching of bhakti. Its not easy to understand this Esoteric Teaching; so from time to time we like to step back and take a look at the big picture, keeping in mind the practical application of these lessons in spiritual life. Many concepts in Approaching Bhva are drawn from r Caitanyaikmta by Bhaktivinod hkur. Caitanya-ikmta is a wonderful compendium of Bhaktivinods personal experience of teaching and preaching Rpa Gosvms Bhakti-rasmta-sindhu. It is very illuminating and insightful, like a personal memoir of a lifetime of preaching experience, if you read between the lines. rla Bhaktivinod hkur gives invaluable perspective from his experience, addressing certain difficult issues that a spiritual teacher encounters on his pathwhich is very different from the path of a student. A student always has the teacher to fall back on, and has a huge backlog of material that he hasnt had time to study yetthats eternal. Especially in our lineage, theres always more material than we can assimilate because of the huge body of literature left by the previous cryasand I expect thats going to be no different in our case. In the chapter titled The Fourth Rainfall of Nectar, Bhaktivinod eloquently describes how, as consciousness develops, we advance in stages from the platform of ordinary moral and religious life to transcendental devotional service. Our interest in this subject comes from some hard but valuable lessons we learned in our preaching work. The only way to learn some things is by experience. We want to make sure that all our friends and students understand the value we got from our lessons.
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The main lesson we learned is that you cannot just take an arbitrary person, put him in a bhakti-rama environment and expect him to make the transition from the previous level of spiritual life to a new standard. Even in the best conditions, you cant expect a person to automatically change gears from ordinary religionor even Vedic religionto esoteric transcendental pure devotional service. Its not so direct or easy; theres a step-by-step process you have to go through. In r Caitanya-ikmta Bhaktivinod discusses the levels of spiritual progress and how to get from one level to another. These valuable insights come from the eternal nectar of the instructions of Lord Caitanya Mahprabhu. Its a fascinating work, and if you have the time you should purchase it and read it. So lets back up and look at the big picture. Lets think about what we are trying to do as independent preachers of Ka Consciousness. The big picture is that we are trying to take people who are suffering in material consciousness and material existence, and somehow reinstate them in their original spiritual position. Thats the main goal we are trying to reach and a big problem we are trying to solveand preaching bhakti is our method. The issue in preaching is that we can state the goal very easily, but the solution is a lot more complex. Just like if you want to take a long journey by car, you cant just go directly to the destination; you have to go through so many intermediate places. Similarly in spiritual life, you cant just go from material consciousness directly to pure devotional service. There are many stages in between and you have to go through each of them, performing the appropriate process for that stage. You cant artificially jump from one stage to another; that will lead you to fall down.

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This often happens to neophyte devotees, which is exactly why they have to leave the rama and go back to doing their service independently. To continue our metaphor: if we are going to drive 3,000 miles from one coast to the other, its not good enough to just follow the signs on the highway. Its such a long journey that we need a map to chart our progress, or we can get lost. In our path of spiritual life based on pure devotional service, uttama-bhakti, that map is given in r Bhakti-rasmtasindhu. rla Prabhupda often said that rla Rpa Gosvm is the father of this Ka consciousness movement. Rpa Gosvm took the Esoteric Teaching of Lord r Caitanya Mahprabhu and structured it into a stepby-step process. That process is easily performed, and most importantly, easily passed from one generation to the next, from teacher to student. In that way it propagates within this world and gives great spiritual benefit to the people in general. But the key concept here is that different processes or practices are appropriate at different stages of this path. It is critical to our spiritual success to recognize the stage we are at and perform the appropriate process. In the Bhakti Master Class series we are carefully approaching the subject of bhva. Because bhva is a very elevated subject, we must approach it gradually and respectfully. Therefore we are trying to create the context for that discussion here, by discussing the different levels of religious practice in human society.

Approaching Bhva

The Spiritualization of Work


In the broadest view of the Vedic spiritual path, Ka has given us three bona fide methods to advance: karma, jna, and bhakti:
r-bhagavn uvca yogs trayo may prokt n reyo-vidhitsay jna karma ca bhakti ca nopyo 'nyo 'sti kutracit nirvin jna-yogo nysinm iha karmasu tev anirvia-cittn karma-yogas tu kminm yadcchay mat-kathdau jta-raddhas tu ya pumn na nirvio nti-sakto bhakti-yogo 'sya siddhi-da The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Uddhava, because I desire that human beings may achieve perfection, I have presented three paths of advancement: the path of knowledge, the path of work and the path of devotion. Besides these three there is absolutely no other means of elevation. Among these three paths, jna-yoga, the path of philosophical speculation, is recommended for those who are disgusted with material life and are thus detached from ordinary, fruitive activities. Those who are not disgusted with material life, having many desires yet to fulfill, should seek perfection through the path of karma-yoga. If somehow or other by good fortune one develops faith in hearing and chanting My glories, such a person, being neither very disgusted with nor attached to material life, should achieve perfection through the path of loving devotion to Me. [rmadBhgavatam 11.20.6-8]

Approaching Bhva

Here Ka gives the paths in order of their ability to please Him. He presents bhakti as the topmost path. The jns are not very pleasing to Ka because they tend to speculate and reach conclusions like I am one with God, or I am the Supreme Brahman. Of course, thats not very nice. Although they do get some relief from suffering by situation on the brahma-bhta platform, their method is not very pleasing to Ka. Karma-yoga is much more pleasing, because in karma-yoga one follows varrama-dharma. And varrama-dharma, although it does not give pure devotional service, can be a transition from ordinary material life and material consciousness to Vedic religious morality and then to devotional service. Although its mixed devotional service, its still better than the material conception of life. How does this work? Bhaktivinod explains:
Intelligent and pious human beings follow the rules and regulations of external religion, such as the Vedic system of varrama-dharma. The purport of varrama-dharma is to maintain the body, develop the mind, perform good works for society and learn spiritual topics, all with the goal of developing pure bhakti.

Notice that he divides varrama-dharma into:


The body The mind Good works for society and Learning spiritual topics

Its not just working for the Lord or performing sacrifice: karma-yoga also means to maintain the body nicely. If you are not in good health, you cant perform spiritual activities. Some people think, Now Im young, so let me enjoy; then when I get old Ill have time for spiritual life. No, its not going to work like that because when you are old, the body begins to break down; it becomes weak, diseased and very troublesome. In that
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stage one cannot think of spiritual life; theres too much suffering. So one should perform spiritual activities throughout the prime of his life, beginning from youth. One should also develop the mind. Developing the mind means learning especially learning how to learn. One should learn how to hear nicely, duplicate the instructions of the Vedas and the spiritual master, and also learn how to think: how to gather evidence, how to reason, how to reach conclusions, how to test those conclusions, and how to apply knowledge. One should also perform good works for society. In other words, one should perform some service activity. This will purify the heart of selfishness and greed. Actually we find that one can live a better existence simply by offering nice service to others. A very mundane example is a businessman who develops a nice product and sells it to people at a fair price. If he maintains honest business practices and delivers a quality product, he will become very wealthy much more successful than if he was just working at a job to gain his own advantage. If you engage your intelligence, initiative and creativity to develop a new product and start a company to manufacture and sell it, youre going to be much better off than if you just work a job to maintain yourself. But even if you work a job, youre also doing service. So there is no way to escape the fact that to maintain our lives we have to do service to others. But of all the ways and means of service, devotional service is the best because the Supreme Lord is the root of all existence. When we serve the Lord we serve everyone. When we please Him, we actually please all living entities. This is a fact. The rewards of this service are also extremely profound and beneficial.
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Finally, Bhaktivinod says we should learn spiritual topics. That means we should study the Vedic scriptures, and ultimately we should approach a spiritual master, a self-realized soul who can give us the transcendental knowledge that allows us to develop pure bhakti. Heres another nice quote from rmad-Bhgavatam:
etat sascita brahmas tpa-traya-cikitsitam yad vare bhagavati karma brahmai bhvitam mayo ya ca bhtn jyate yena suvrata tad eva hy maya dravya na punti cikitsitam eva n kriy-yog sarve sasti-hetava ta evtma-vinya kalpante kalpit pare yad atra kriyate karma bhagavat-paritoaam jna yat tad adhna hi bhakti-yoga-samanvitam kurv yatra karmi bhagavac-chikaysakt ganti gua-nmni kasynusmaranti ca O brhmaa Vysadeva, it is decided by the learned that the best remedial measure for removing all troubles and miseries is to dedicate ones activities to the service of the Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead. O good soul, does not a thing, applied therapeutically, cure a disease which was caused by that very same thing? Thus, when all a mans activities are dedicated to the
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service of the Lord, those very activities that caused his perpetual bondage become the destroyer of the tree of work. Whatever work is done here in this life for the satisfaction of the mission of the Lord is called bhakti-yoga and what is called knowledge becomes a concomitant factor. While performing duties according to the order of r Ka, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one constantly remembers Him, His names and His qualities. [rmadBhgavatam 1.5.32-36]

This is spoken by Nrada while instructing Vysadeva to write rmadBhgavatam. The key idea here is that the very same substance that causes a problem can also be used to relieve it. Take milk for example: if you drink too much milk youll get a stomach ache. But then you can take another form of milk, such as buttermilk, and apply that therapeutically to relieve the symptoms. So the very thing thats causing the diseased condition can be used to cure it when applied in a therapeutic way. Similarly, in this world we are performing so many material activities: earning a living, raising a family, going here and there, dressing, eating, bathing, all to maintain the body. If we perform those activities simply for material benefit, well create karma that will keep us in material existence. But if we take the very same activities and offer them to Ka, in the beginning its karma-yoga. Its karma-yoga because we dont have a clear idea of the Supreme or our relationship with Him. But as we hear the Holy Name of Ka, remember Him, think about His different attractive qualitiesHis beauty, knowledge, power and kindnesswe gradually develop a devotional feeling for Him.

Approaching Bhva

Stages of Bhakti
Bhaktivinod explains in his Caitanya-ikmta that the spiritual life of a human being takes the form of ascending steps.
Those outside the varrama system are on the lowest step. Outside the varrama system means the aboriginal or tribal peopleanimalistic humans. Atheistic moralists are on the second step. They are involved in politics, democracy versus socialism, material science and welfare workall that kind of nonsense. Theistic moralists are on the third step. A theistic moralist would be, for example, a Christian or a Muslim, or an external varrama follower. Vaidh-bhaktas are on the fourth step. Rgnuga-bhaktas are on the fifth step of progressive spiritual advancement. Finally, the bhva-bhaktas and prema-bhaktas are in the topmost stage of spiritual advancement.

All human beings have a right to practice pure bhakti. In fact, all beings even animalscan practice bhakti. There are many examples in the scriptures, such as Gajendra the elephant (in rmad-Bhgavatam) and Jayu, the vulture (in Rmyaa) who informed Rma of the course of Rvaa. The monkeys and bears all helped in Lord Rmas pastimes; and of course, in Goloka Vndvana there are many cows and other animals. Ka has very wonderful relationships with His animal devotees. Though all beings have a right to practice bhakti, according to Bhaktivinod those who follow the regulations of varrama have a much easier time. A pious, fortunate person begins from a preliminary understanding of religious practice, usually involving some aspects of sectarianism and mundane morality.

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When one first approaches devotional service, he will see it from an external point of view and inquire, What should I do? What you should do, of course, is follow the varrama system. By doing that you will accumulate so many pious activities, and by those pious activities you gradually become qualified for vaidh-bhakti. However, according to Lord r Caitanya Mahprabhu, varrama is actually considered mundane. Those who follow varrama sometimes become attached to it and get stuck there; they dont take to bhakti but remain on the mundane platform. We see many people like that. They go to temples, offer sacrifices and chant mantras; however, they do it for their own material benefit, not to please Ka. Bhaktivinod explains that when a person first comes to devotional service, their background often includes pious activities and materialistic religion. That means they are involved in some spiritual pursuit which is not fully transcendental, but only has a shadow or a patina of actual love of God. People are conditioned in this material world to act for their own benefit. But in bhakti one acts for the benefit or interest of the Lord, ignoring personal considerations. In pure devotional service there is no desire for personal gain. In the beginning we are not capable of pure love. We still have some personal interest. Hence, we usually come through karma-yoga, varrama-dharma, or some mundane religionfor example, many of us Westerners were Christians before becoming devotees. Devotional service is a whole new platform where things work differently. In the material world everything is measured by material qualifications. Strength, wealth, beauty, fame and knowledge are highly sought-after commodities in the material world because of the so-called material
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enjoyment associated with them. Actually theres no nectar in material enjoyment at all. Caitanya-ikmta says:
When the consciousness of those situated in varrama matures into devotional sentiment, they take up the life of a devotee; but as long as they do not, they must be said to be practicing karma.

In other words, religion belongs to the stage of karma-yogavarrama in the Vedic system. As long as someone does not actually develop a taste for pure bhakti and give up his faith in all other processessarva-dharmn parityajya [Bhagavad-gt 18.66]he remains more or less stuck on that stage of karma-yoga, or mixed devotional service at best. We see this repeatedly with devotees. Neophyte devotees consider bhakti some kind of ritualistic religious procedure that can be quantified and explained in a list of rules: Do this, dont do that. They think bhakti requires some external support in the form of karma. They dont understand that bhakti is beyond all that. Bhakti is its own support; it nurtures itself. Reaching this realization may take many yearsit may take a whole lifetime or even longer. If they develop real faith in bhakti they would immediately give up those tendencies toward karma. They would automatically become renounced and detached, because their source of enjoyment is within: the Lord in the heart. Bhaktivinod continues:
It is the nature of the soul to ascend to the next higher step, but the ascension should not be premature or too quick. Only after being firmly established upon one step is it possible to ascend to the next

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step. That is why being qualified with steadiness on each level has been emphasized.

One kind of error is to try to advance artificially to the next step before one has acquired the adhikra, the qualification for that step. Each of the steps given in scripture has its own adhikra; and until one acquires that qualification, he should remain in his current stage. In bhakti the main qualification is desire. As soon as we desire to have a direct relationship with the Lord, we become qualified to enter into bhakti. When we realize that we really want to develop pure love for the Lord, then we become qualified for bhvanot before. Until then we should remain at our present stage. We cannot jump up artificially to the platform of pure devotional service. To purify our attachment to our existing activities we have to dedicate them the Lords service. Its not that we should suddenly give up our present life, fly halfway across the world, join a bhakti-rama and expect that to solve all our problems. Thats not practical; were just going to bring our problems along with us because of our misconceptions of spiritual life. If someone thinks he can become a pure devotee merely by going from one location or situation to another, or just by changing his activities on an external superficial level, he will be disappointed. Its not possible. The real transformation from religion to bhakti is completely internal. As long as ones motivation is tainted by desires for material fame, prestige, honor, power, money and so on, he cannot advance to the stage of pure bhakti. In fact, he cant even understand the stage of pure bhakti. To him the exalted qualities of pure bhakti look like weakness: the softness of heart, the lack of desire for material advancement, the lack of attachment to these external qualitiesthey look like weakness because
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the person on the lower stage cannot appreciate the higher stage until theyre qualified. But once someone actually becomes qualified, love for Ka develops spontaneously in his heart and he automatically becomes detached from all these external things. And we usually find that he will then leave the association of neophyte devotees and either go off on his own; or if hes very fortunate, find other advanced devotees to associate with. In our case, for example, we had to leave ISKCON and start our own society of devotees, and train them up from the very beginning to the stage of bhva. We found that with proper training and instruction directly from r Bhakti-rasmta-sindhu, they could attain bhva in only two or three years. The vaidh-bhakti stage is only preliminary; its transitional. So when we see various devotional organizations stressing only vaidh-bhakti, its apparent that they havent studies r Bhakti-rasmta-sindhu; its apparent that they dont understand that actual bhakti means bhva. Big religious organizations actually have an interest in suppressing knowledge of the complete path of devotional service, because bhva, being an internal state within the devotees heart, cannot be controlled by any external organization. This suppression of knowledge of the complete path of bhakti is the actual cause of the problems in devotional society today. The solution is deep study and practice of the truths of rasa-tattva in r Bhaktirasmta-sindhu.

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Niyamgraha: Spiritual Indolence


Mistaking the neophyte stage of vaidh-bhakti, mixed devotional service, for the whole path occurs when someone is qualified to ascend to the next step, but they remain attached to the old step. Bhaktivinod says:
The tendency to cling to the old stage is called niyamgraha: clinging to outmoded rules. As a result of this clinging, the outcastes have no respect for the atheistic moralists; the atheistic moralists have no respect for the pseudo-theistic moralists; the pseudo-theists have no respect for the theistic moralists; the theistic moralists have no respect for the vaidha-bhaktas; and the vaidha-bhaktas have no respect for the rgtmik-bhaktas. Thus, owing to the clinging habit, the followers of varrama often do not respect the vaidha-bhaktas.

In India we often see people go to temples just to get some material benefit from their religious practices. They think the pure devotees are crazy: Why are you giving up family life with all the enjoyment and all those wonderful attachments? They do not understand that all the needs and desires that one seeks to satisfy in family life are easily satisfied in bhakti; once one realizes this, he easily gives up material attachments. In fact, our emotional needs are better satisfied by bhakti, by the internal relationship with the Lord. Practicing bhakti while still in family life is also a bona fide stage of practice. But we generally see that people on the lower stage dont understand and dont appreciate people on a higher stage of spiritual practice. Why is this? Because they are attached to the particular sets of rules that they find appropriate for themselves. More than that, they remain stuck on those levels even when they know there is a higher level. We see this all the time in our preaching work: someone will approach bhakti, read the bhakti

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scriptures, hear from the devotees and see how happy we areand they still dont give up their nonsense attachments. Their attachment doesnt affect us or hurt us; it doesnt hurt bhakti, and it certainly doesnt hurt the Lordbut its a misfortune for them. They are regarded as unfortunate because they remain attached to a lower step even though they have information on how to elevate themselves to a higher step. This is because they dont have any real interest in their own advancement. This is a fact. If someone has their own real interest at heart, then as soon as some means of elevation becomes available, hes going to jump at the chance; hes going to be very enthusiastic: Oh yes, let me take up this higher stage. Of course then the other possibility comes into play, that if one tries to jump up artificially then he may fall down. But assuming that he does have the required qualifications, he can advance to the next step. If he still doesnt take up these higher methods it is because of attachment, niyamgrahathats the only possible explanation. Bhaktivinod goes on to say:
Those at a higher stage naturally have compassion for those at a lower stage, but until the lower-situated people are fortunate, they cannot give up their stage and develop a taste for the higher stage.

This means that as long as someone doesnt develop a taste for bhakti, they have to remain in the stage of theistic morality: religion. We also see our Godbrothers and many of their followers in ISKCON practicing a little bhakti but remaining attached to material things like fame, money, power, politics, prestige and influence. They want to be viewed as great devotees. But a really great devotee doesnt care whether anybody thinks hes a great devotee or not; he knows, Ka knows and thats enough.
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So when we see the example of our Godbrotherswho have been chanting Hare Ka, taking prasdam, worshiping the Deities, doing krtan for decadeswho still remain attached to this stage of vaidh-bhakti, we have to wonder why they havent advanced. Its because of this niyamgraha: attachment to the rules of the previous stage. Niyamgraha is the principal obstacle to advancement in spiritual life. It has to be given up or overcome by study of the bhakti scriptures such as Bhakti-rasmta-sindhu and by good quality practice. If you practice the rules of vaidh-bhakti perfectly, you will very quickly develop a desire to attain love for the Lordand that is the actual goal of vaidh-bhakti.

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The Purpose of Vaidh-bhakti


Ka consciousness is a process of gradual purification. So many past impressions in the mind have to be overcome, and new ones established according to the Vedic teachings. That takes time because we have been in the material world for millions of years, and collected millions of lifetimes of impressions of material existence. To develop love for the Supreme Lord we have to overcome all that conditioning. In fact, a tremendous inner transformation has to take place to even desire pure transcendental love. Because of the step-by-step advancement of the devotee from ordinary religionvarrama-dharma, external rules and moralityto the stage of bhakti, in the beginning of devotional service he has to go through the transitional phase of vaidh-bhakti. Vaidh-bhakti is based on the external rules of religion. For example, the manual of vaidh-bhakti in our line is Hari-bhakti-vilsa, and if you read it you will be astonished at the number of rules. There are pages and pages of rules extracted from stra: Do this, do that, do this this way, do that that way, with this mantra, with this mudra. There are so many rules and regulations, if you tried to follow all of them you would go crazy! But then, at the end of the section, it says, But if the spiritual master instructs you, do it any way that he likes. For example, after many lokas describing elaborate rules and regulation for determining the proper time for the initiation ceremony, Hari-bhaktivilsa instructs:
grme v yadi vraye ketre v divase nii gachhati gurur daivd yad dk tadajay
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It does not matter whether one is in a village, in a forest or in a nice field, or whether it is day or night; the best time for initiation is the time recommended by the spiritual master. [Hari-bhakti-

vilsa 1.2.32] After following the scriptural rules and regulations to the best of our ability and according to time and circumstance establishes us on the platform of bhakti, we directly experience the independent, self-sustaining, self-nourishing nature of bhakti. Then were in a position to let these external things go and simply depend on the bhakti process, our relationship with the spiritual master and Ka. This is the higher stage of bhakti. This bhva-bhakti will give us all the rewards of all the other processes without any other effort, plus it gives us bhakti itselfand bhakti is the most wonderful thing because it leads to complete satisfaction of the heart. Jna [knowledge], vairgya [renunciation] and external morality may help in the very beginning of bhakti, but real bhakti is bhva. Real bhakti begins once the devotee has attained anartha-nivttithe removal of all gross and subtle material desiresand simply depends on love for the Lord as the whole impetus of life. The point hereand Bhaktivinod explains this very nicely in Caitanyaikmtais that not only karma, but also jna [knowledge] and even vairgya [renunciation] are not integral parts of bhakti because they make the heart hard, which is against the principle of bhakti. Yet, in the preliminary stage before a person takes up pure bhakti, jna and vairgya may sometimes be helpful in their preparatory practice. Once you know real nectar, you lose your taste for material enjoyment because its just a pale imitation; its just a reflection of actual rasa, actual
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enjoyment, actual pleasure. The pale reflection of actual rasa is called rasbhsa, defined as an inharmonious combination of emotional tastes. Rasbhsa can never satisfy Ka; therefore mixed devotional service cannot bestow prema. This conclusion is given in the very first chapter of Bhakti-rasmta-sindhu:
sdhanaughair ansangair alabhy sucird api hari cvadeyeti dvidh s syt sudurlabh tatra dy, yath tntre jnata sulabh muktir bhuktir yajdi-puyata seya sdhana-shasrair hari-bhakti sudurlabh [Pure] bhakti is rarely attained. Bhakti is difficult to attain in two ways: if undertaken in great quantity but without attachment [sakti], bhakti cannot be attained even after a long time; and even if practiced with attachment, Ka does not give bhakti to the practitioner immediately. The first type of rarity is illustrated in one of the Tantras: Liberation is easily attained by jna and material enjoyment is easily attained by puyas such as sacrifice, after attaining dedication to those goals by thousands of attempts. But bhva-bhakti to the Lord cannot be attained if one practices thousands of different sdhanas [because sakti will not appear]. [r Bhakti-rasmta-sindhu 1.1.35-36]

In other words, no amount of mixed devotional service can give the result of pure devotional service. Prema is not bestowed by vaidh-bhakti, but only by sakti [attachment], which is part of bhva-bhakti; and bhva-bhakti is attained only after anartha-nivtti, complete cessation of material desire. Not only that, but the exalted and astonishing benefits of pure bhakti cannot be attained through mixed devotional service. rla Jva Gosvm writes in his commentary on r Bhakti-rasmta-sindhu 1.1.10:

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In the First Wave of the Eastern Division, first the characteristics of uttama-bhakti, pure bhakti will be discussed. The whole of bhakti will not be discussed, to describe clearly the superior position of bhakti. When bhakti is covered by desires for karma and jna, its strength is limited. The extraordinary characteristics of bhakti appear only partially in such impure bhakti. Thus mixed bhakti cannot be used to show the supreme nature of bhakti.

Bhaktivinod goes on to discuss how rasbhsa can be purified and turned into pure rasa; how mixed devotional service is turned into pure devotional service. He gives so many great secrets in Caitanya-ikmta, and one of them is that the beginning devotee cannot help but be attracted to, attached to and addicted to all kinds of subtle and gross material conceptions. In a person of good background, this will manifest as attachment to the mode of goodnessreligion, pious activities, knowledge and renunciation (trying to remain aloof, independent or neutral). These sttvik moods, or bhvas, manifest in the early stages of devotion as symptoms of neutrality, nta-rasa or detachment from the material world and situation in the spiritual energy. So in the beginning our conception of the spiritual is contaminated by material ideas like dharma [religion], artha [economic development], kma [sense gratification], yoga, jna or some ritualistic form of religious observance which is not purely transcendental. Bhaktivinod saysand his insight here is keythat the purpose of vaidhbhakti is purifying the heart of these material attachments. Thats all. And the methods of vaidh-bhaktithe 64 agas of bhaktiare given only for this purpose. They cannot and do not grant pure devotional service, but they purify the heart of the living entity. But then when he forms the desire, Let me develop pure love for Ka like the residents of Vraja, at that moment bhva, rasa and pure devotional service begin.
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Ka calls this vyavasytmik-buddhi, steady intelligence, in Bhagavadgt. Dhra, a sober man, has steady intelligence and fixed determination to attain the goal of pure devotional service. That is sakti, or attachment to Ka. Vyavasytmik-buddhi means fixed intelligence, fixed determination that does not waver from the goal. So we should be very aware of the goaland, of course, the goal is rasa. The goal is pure devotional service, and to reach it we must go beyond vaidh-bhakti. Thus the goal of vaidh-bhakti is bhva-bhakti, which we will be studying in this Bhakti Master Class series. Bhaktivinod describes how this stage of vaidh transforms into the stage of bhva:
In the Hari-bhakti-vilsa, many agas of vaidh-bhakti are discussed. In the Bhakti-sandarbha, all the agas are classified nicely into nine types of bhakti (hearing, chanting and so on). In the Bhakti-rasmta-sindhu, sixty-four agas of vaidh-bhakti are mentioned.

And of course in other scriptures, many more agas are given. The subject of vaidh-bhakti is practically unlimited.
Among those, five agas are considered as chief: attachment to serving the Deity; relishing the meaning of rmad-Bhgavatam with devotees; affection for devotees of the same level and association with those devotees of higher calibre by hearing from and serving their instructions; chanting harinma; and residing in Vraja. Devotees should particularly perform that aga for which they have a stronger taste, but they should be careful that this does not lead to distaste for other agas. The essence of these agas of bhakti is twofold: always remember the Lord and never forget Him.

There are many methods which really boil down to the nine practices given by Prahlda Mahrja such as hearing, chanting, remembering, serving the lotus feet, etc. But the main goal is that one should become
Approaching Bhva 25

detached from the preliminary, external stage of bhakti and advance to the higher stage of bhva, of internal devotional service on the spontaneous platform. Hearing r Bhakti-rasmta-sindhu is the best way to relish the meaning of rmad-Bhgavatam, since it is on the level of the confidential discussions among the Six Gosavms of Vndvana. We discuss this subject in great detail in the Bhakti Master Class series. Devotees should try to remember that the actual goal of all these rules, regulations and different practices is simply to always remember the Lord and never forget Him. Heres a great hint: If youre in love with someone, you automatically remember them; you dont ever forget them. Everything you see, everything you do, everywhere you go, you think of the beloved, and everything reminds you of the beloved. So when youre in love with Ka theres no chance of forgetting Him; its very easy to remember Him. This love is bhva. Bhva means transcendental emotion. So this bhakti path is actually a cultivation of transcendental emotion, and when were successful these ecstatic transcendental emotions manifest spontaneously within the heart and mind. Although these emotions are independent of external practice, the bhvabhaktathe rgnug-bhakta who is spontaneously following the moods of the Vraja devoteesdoesnt think of it that way. He doesnt think I have to do this, I have to do that for Ka. No, he thinks I love Ka! I want to do this service for Him; I want to please Ka. And in that way hes always thinking of the Lord with great affection, automatically remembering Him. Theres no question of forgetting Him in those circumstances.

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The point here is that the stage of vaidh-bhakti is simply the residual attachment to the stage of varrama or external religious morality. Even varrama-dharma is considered external. As this attachment gradually wears off and one becomes situated in actual love of Ka, one begins to discover what bhakti is really all about. This higher internal stage of bhakti is the focus of the Bhakti Master Class series.

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Harmonizing Vidhi and Rga


There are two ways of serving the Lord:
By following vidhi [rules] and By rga [spontaneous attraction].

Thus sdhana-bhakti is divided into vaidh-bhakti and rgnuga-bhakti. It is very important to understand the differences between them. Otherwise due to niyamgraha one may fail to recognize rgnuga-bhakti as a valid form of bhakti-sdhana, leading to offenses toward more advanced devotees and ultimately, losing ones taste and falling down. Vidhi means rules and regulations performed through a sense of duty; thus the system of worshiping the Lord based on a sense of duty is called vaidhbhakti. But higher than vaidh-bhakti is the tendency to adore the object of love through a natural taste, rga. Rga means to be completely and spontaneously absorbed in the object of love.
ie svrasik rga paramviat bhavet tan-may y bhaved bhakti stra rgtmikodit Rga is defined as spontaneous, deep thirst for the object of love. Bhakti that is impelled exclusively by such a thirst is called rgtmik-bhakti. [r Bhakti-rasmta-sindhu 1.2.272]

The object of love pursued by rga is called the desired object. Deliberating upon what should be done or what should not be done is unnecessary in rga, for rga is a natural quality of consciousness. Thus in rgnuga-bhakti the need for the framework of vidhi (scriptural rules and regulations) diminishes. Material rga, the desire for material objects and designations exhibited by the soul in the materially conditioned state, is a perversion caused by false
Approaching Bhva 29

bodily identification; thus the perverted rga of the conditioned soul accepts material things as its objects. Directing this material rga toward flowers, food, drink, intoxicants, clothing, shelter, family, country or a lover, the living entity ends up bewildered in a world of illusion. For this reason, the conditioned souls are far away from pure rga naturally directed toward the Lord. Since bhakti instigated by rga is therefore very rare, in the beginning of devotional service it is necessary to consider carefully what is beneficial and detrimental based on the indications of stra. From this consideration arises the rules and regulations of bhakti, or vidhi. Vidhi is not in opposition to rga; it is a type of vibhva that nourishes the state of rga in the neophyte stage. Vidhi may be called ritual and rga may be called spontaneous attachment. Though they are very different, seemingly opposing conceptions, in the final analysis they are one in purpose. Vidhi in its pure state is an assistant to rga. Pure rga automatically follows vidhi, the will of the Lord. The apparent opposition of rga and vidhi seen in the material world is due to the unhealthy perverted condition of material rga. When rga recuperates by being directed toward the Lord, vidhi retreats, having fulfilled its purpose. Therefore in the spiritually healthy state, rga predominates. As much as rga for material things leads to degradation, so rga for the Lord becomes the highest state of consciousness. The relationship of vidhi to rga is like the relationship of medicine to the body. Rga has many functions, but the function of vidhi is to protect and nourish rga. Once rga is thoroughly nourished, it does not need to depend on vidhi anymore.

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Pure rga for the Lord takes shelter only of pure souls who are liberated from material contamination. That pure rga is called rgtmik-bhakti. Only the purest souls, who desire to participate in the Lords Vraja pastimes, are qualified for rgtmik-bhakti. An example would be the sages of Daakraya who approached Lord Rmacandra for the benediction of serving Him in conjugal love. They later appeared in Gokula in Ka-ll as gops, becoming eternal associates of the Lord. Rgnuga-bhakti develops when neophyte devotees practicing vaidh-bhakti hear scriptural descriptions of the inhabitants of Vrajas ecstatic rgtmikbhakti for Ka, and develop a desire to follow in their footsteps.
tatra adhikr rgtmikika-nih ye vraja-vsi-jandaya te bhvptaye lubdho bhaved atrdhikravn The qualification for rgnuga-bhakti is as follows: That person who is greedy for attaining a bhva similar to that of the inhabitants of Vrajawho are fixed solely in rgtmik-bhaktiis qualified for rgnuga-bhakti. [r Bhakti-rasmta-sindhu 1.2.291]

The inspiration for this level of bhakti is not vidhi, duty or scriptural injunction, but intense greed for its object:
tat-tad-bhvdi-mdhurye rute dhr yad apekate ntra stra na yukti ca tal-lobhotpatti-lakaa The appearance of that greed is indicated when, after realizing to some degree the sweetness of the love of the Vraja-vss through the process of hearing from the scriptures, the intelligence no longer depends on rules of scripture and logic. [r Bhaktirasmta-sindhu 1.2.292]

Vidhi attempts to stimulate the jva to realize his innate love for the Lord. However, when spiritual greed becomes the impetus for following vidhi,
Approaching Bhva 31

the devotional practice is no longer called vaidh-bhakti-sdhana, but rgnuga-bhakti-sdhana. Thus, there are two types of sadhana-bhakti: vaidh and rgnuga. In the loka quoted above, r Bhakti-rasmta-sindhu instructs that a person who becomes greedy to attain the pure love of the rgtmik devotees is qualified for rgnuga-bhakti. Rgnuga-bhakti includes all the same agas as vaidh-bhakti, but the devotee of rgnuga-bhakti performs those activities in a spontaneous mood, rather than by following the firm guidelines of vidhi.
vaidha-bhakty-adhikr tu bhvvirbhavanvadhi atra stra tath tarkam anuklam apekate ka smaran jana csya preha nija-samhitam tat-tat-kath-rata csau kuryd vsa vraje sad sev sdhaka-rpea siddha-rpea ctra hi tad-bhva-lipsun kry vraja-loknusrata ravaotkrtandni vaidha-bhakty-uditni tu yny agni ca tny atra vijeyni manibhi Those qualified for vaidh-bhakti are dependent on the rules of scripture and favorable use of logic until the appearance of bhvabhakti. One should always live in Vraja, remembering the Vndvana form of Ka and His dear associates who have inclinations for service similar to ones own, absorbing oneself in hearing topics related to them. One should perform service in ones physical body and in ones siddha body, with a desire for a particular bhva, following after the inhabitants of Vraja. The discriminating practitioners should accept the agas that were mentioned in vaidh-bhakti, such as hearing and chanting, as agas of rgnuga-bhakti. [r Bhakti-rasmta-sindhu 1.2.293-296]

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The conditioned soul living in the material world must carry out physical, mental and social activities to maintain his body. Those vidhi mentioned in the discussion of vaidh-bhakti serve to keep the devotee on the path of bhakti and prevent him from becoming materially contaminated. They must also be followed by the practitioners of rgnuga-bhakti. If the practice of rgnuga is internal, what external practices should the devotee follow? If devotees do not accept all the necessary agas of vaidhbhakti that make them fit for internal practice, they may reduce their propensity for rga and revert to the external conception of bhakti.
ruti-smti-purdipacartra-vidhi vin aikntik harer bhaktir utptyaiva kalpate Devotional service of the Lord that ignores the authorized Vedic literatures like the Upaniads, Puras and Nrada-pacartra is simply an unnecessary disturbance in society. [r Bhakti-rasmtasindhu 1.2.101]

If the manner of cultivating bhakti given in the stra is not accepted in full, internal practice cannot be maintained or increased. Interest in rgnuga may grow, but the agas of bhakti such as hearing and chanting should not be given up. Nevertheless, just as in vaidh-bhakti the rules of naitika-dharma mature and change shape as the devotee advances, in rgnuga-bhakti-sdhana the rules of vaidh-bhakti change in emotional content and display some independent qualities. In some circumstances the rules change slightly, and in other circumstances they transform entirely. This becomes apparent by observing the conduct of the devotee in rgnuga-bhaktisdhana. These changes do not arise from scripture but according to
Approaching Bhva 33

individual ruci [taste], and thus specific examples are hard to give. One devotee may find entrance to the exalted realm of bhva through chanting, and another through Deity worship. Yet another may attain bhva through intense scriptural study, and someone else simply through remembering the Lord with great affection. Vaidh-bhakti-sdhana is discussed extensively in rla Prabhupdas books, and is well known. It forms the basis of sdhana for the mixed devotees. Rgnuga-bhakti-sdhana is also fully presented in rla Prabhupdas books, but due to a lack of understanding it has been neglected by the devotees. Now in this Bhakti Master Class series we will emphasize rgnuga-bhakti-sdhana, for our purpose is to approach bhva, pure devotional service based on ecstatic love for the Lord. 1

This section is adapted from Bhaktivinod hkurs Caitanya-ikmta, Fourth Shower of Nectar.
1

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A Change of Heart
As soon as the devotee attains bhva, the Lord fully supports him. Ka certainly doesnt neglect the devotees who have attained states of internal love for Him. He gives all required facility for their continued advancement. Not only that, He encourages them from within by reciprocating their love in a most astonishing way. This is something you have to experience for yourself; it cant be explained. Heres a nice quote from Bhakti-rasmta-sindhu:
jna-vairgyayor bhakti-praveyopayogit at prathamam eveti ngatvam ucita tayo yad ubhe citta-khinya-het prya sat mate sukumra-svabhveya bhaktis tad-dhetur rit yath tatraiva (11.20.31) tasmn mad-bhakti-yuktasya yogino vai mad-tmana na jna na ca vairgya prya reyo bhaved iha kintu jna-virakty-di-sdhya bhaktyaiva sidhyati yath tatraiva (11.20.32-33) yat karmabhir yat tapas jna-vairgya ta ca yat yogena dna dharmea reyobhir itarair api sarva mad-bhakti-yogena mad-bhakto labhatenjas svargpavarga mad-dhma kathacid yadi vchati

Jna and vairgya are suitable for entering bhakti, being


somewhat useful in the beginning of bhakti, but they are not considered agas of bhakti. Because jna and vairgya generally make the heart harsh, the authoritative devotees have concluded that bhakti alone, whose nature is very tender, is the cause of entering into bhakti. In the rmad-Bhgavatam [11.20.31], it is also said:
Approaching Bhva 35

Therefore, for a devotee engaged in My loving service,


with mind fixed on Me, the cultivation of knowledge and renunciation is generally not the means of achieving the highest perfection within this world. However, the goals of jna, vairgya and other processes are indeed achieved by bhakti alone. Thus, it is said in the rmadBhgavatam [11.20.32-33]:

Everything that can be achieved by fruitive activities,


penance, knowledge, detachment, mystic yoga, charity, religious duties and all other means of perfecting life is easily achieved by My devotee through loving service unto Me. If somehow or other My devotee desires promotion to heaven, liberation, or residence in My abode, he easily achieves such benedictions. [r Bhaktirasmta-sindhu 1.2.248-253]

Here Ka Himself says, You dont need these religious qualities. What you need is a very soft heart. A soft heart full of love for Ka. Once the heart becomes soft, one can perceive Ka within the heart, and he very easily develops his relationship with the Lord by the spontaneous exchange of love, affection and service. This process of bhakti is independent. The cause of bhakti is bhakti, and the result of bhakti is also bhakti. It doesnt depend on any other process or external condition. In material consciousness we want to be the object of love. But in spiritual life we become the shelter of love, and offer our love to the Supreme Lord. The emotional labor of devotional service is what actually brings us out of material suffering. It is not enough to simply perform some traditional ritual or follow some programmed list of instructions. What is needed is an actual change of heart: a change in our desire from wanting

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to serve ourselves to wanting to serve the Supreme Lord. Bhaktivinod writes:


Just as atheistic moral dharma progresses to merge into the theistic moral life of varrama-dharma, similarly, varrama-dharma transforms itself and becomes devoid of its previous faults in the life of a devotee fully immersed in bhakti. In varrama-dharma, the worship of the Lord is only one among many rules and duties. However, when these rules are incorporated into a devotional life, the rule concerning worship of the Lord becomes primary and all the other varrama rules become subordinate. Although at first sight this change may seem very slight, when faith in bhakti becomes strong the whole practice of the devotee becomes transformed and excellent. Thus, the lives of a varrama follower and a progressing devotee are completely different.

Why? Because the motivation is different; the desire is different. Even in varrama I still have the desire to serve myself, to please myself, to solve my problems, to elevate myself. I, me and mine is the center of all activities. Even though I may go to the temple, worship the Lord, make so many offerings, say so many prayers, chant so many mantras, my focus is still on solving my problem. Thats not love; thats selfishness. But at least its selfishness on the platform of religious morality. If its in the Vedic context, we have varrama-dharma. In other contexts we have different religions; but they all have one thing in common, which is that they are about solving our problems, not about loving Ka. But in pure devotional service we become so satisfied by transcendental bliss that we forget all about our problems. We are so satisfied by Kas dealings, His affectionate nature, His beautiful qualities and His exciting, wonderful pastimes, that this astonishing transcendental bliss becomes so rooted and so established in the heart that we no longer consider material
Approaching Bhva 37

enjoyment significant. And of course, that also applies to material suffering. If you are in an airplane cruising at 30,000 feet and you fly over a city, the good neighborhoods and bad neighborhoods look the same. All you see is some insignificant buildings or lights on the ground. Similarly, when we are advanced in bhakti, when we reach the stage of bhva and prema, material existence becomes so insignificant, so meaningless, so far away that it doesnt really matter. Our enjoyment or suffering according to external calculation is irrelevant because we have a strong, reliable, eternal source of bliss in our personal relationship with the Lord. That bliss is unconditionally accessible at all times through pure devotional service. At this stage we dont care about our material condition of life. Whether we are in the material world, the spiritual world, the heavenly planets or the hellish planets, we just want more and more of this wonderful nectar of love of Godhead. Its so beautiful and gives us so much happiness that we dont care about the external material condition. This is actual liberation from material existence.

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Devotion, Taste and Desire


We dont really live in these senses, in this mind, in this material body. We really live in spiritin the sky of the heart, as described in Vednta-stra 1.3.5. The living entity lives in the sky of the heart, and in that sky the whole material world and the whole spiritual world is present. How is this possible? Because simply by changing our consciousness we can travel to any of the worlds, any of the lokas, material or spiritual. Simply by approaching the Lord with a devotional attitude we can get any benediction, mystic power or devotional position according to our taste. Our disease in the present condition is that we dont have transcendental taste. Instead, we have a taste for pale, bland, superficial, temporary material things and because of that were suffering. So we have to change our taste; we have to change our desire. If we go into an ice cream store, the clerk will ask, What flavor do you want? In other words, what do you desire? And we can have anything: vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, rocky road, whatever we want. Similarly in spiritual life, Ka says: ye yath m prapadyante [Bhagavadgt 4.11] I respond according to the desire of the worshiper. In other words, Ka is giving us our preference. He is saying, What flavor of transcendental love would you like? We can have it simply by desiring. Our disease is that we dont desire that transcendental love. We are confused and dont know how to respond to Ka; we dont know how to pick our favorite flavor of spiritual love. Thats why we have to study Bhakti-rasmta-sindhu; thats why we have to understand rasa-tattva; thats why we have to study bhva, the intricate science of transcendental emotions: so that we understand whats on the menu.
Approaching Bhva 39

In the ice cream store they have a list of all the flavors on the wall, and you can even try a little spoonful of each one. Similarly when we read rmad-Bhgavatam, we find many stories of devotees who successfully approached the Lord in different ways and reached perfection. Which one of those would we like to follow? Which one of those moods are we attracted to? Which one of those flavors of spiritual love would we like to have? Its up to us. We have to choose to advance further in devotional service, so we have to know how to read the menu. rmad-Bhgavatam is the menu of love of Godhead and simply by studying rmad-Bhgavatam, meditating over it, realizing it in our lives, we get the topmost fruit of the Vedic literatures, which is love of Godhead. That is so pleasing and wonderful that we forget all about our material miseries and obtain the actual goal of human existence: pure love of Godhead. But to read and understand rmad-Bhgavatam correctly, we have to master the science of rasa-tattva, which is explained systematically only in r Bhakti-rasmtasindhu. This deep study of r Bhakti-rasmta-sindhu is the purpose of Bhakti Master Class.

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Other Books
by David Bruce Hughes (Gaurahari Dsnuds Bbj)
Published by Esoteric Teaching Seminars

! ere Be Wisdom 108 aphorisms demonstrating how God reciprocates our H sincere prayers, and glorifying His compassion for the enlightenment of all. PDF Paperback Multimedia iBook iOS App coming soon! More

Approaching Bhva

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! earch for the Absolute Truth We all have an urge within us to find the S Absolute Truth. This beautifully illustrated book tells the true story of a courageous boys search. PDF Paperback Multimedia iBook iOS App coming soon! More ! he Book of Gethsemane Most people have heard the story of Jesus and T his disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane. What really happened while the disciples were asleep? PDF Paperback Multimedia iBook iOS App coming soon! More ! ransontology is a new technology of consciousness enhancement based on T the ancient Esoteric Teaching of the Sanskrit Vedas. PDF Paperback Multimedia iBook iOS App coming soon! More ! ecrets of the Soul Everyone has heard about the soul, but they don't have S a deep understanding of it. What and who is the soul? Where is his real home? PDF Paperback Multimedia iBook iOS App coming soon! More ! r opaniad is the first (a) of the 108 Upaniads, is a great place to start your exploration of the authentic Vedic texts. PDF Paperback Multimedia iBook iOS App coming soon! More ! r Viusahasranma The Thousand Holy Names of Lord Viu for devotees who want to chant this powerful prayer as a daily spiritual practice. PDF Paperback Multimedia iBook iOS App coming soon! More ! r Bhagavat-sandarbha (also known as a-sandarbha) is a collection of six works on the exalted philosophy and ontological position of rmad-Bhgavatam. PDF Paperback Multimedia iBook iOS App coming soon! More

( r Vednta-stra is the ultimate knowledge of the Vedas. Culturing


transcendental consciousness is the only source of unconditional happiness. PDF Paperback Multimedia iBook iOS App coming soon! More ! r Bhakti-rasmta-sindhu provides the complete science of pure bhakti, the never-ending, ever-fresh experience of ecstatic spiritual love. PDF Paperback Multimedia iBook iOS App coming soon! More

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Websites
Esoteric Teaching Bhakti Master Class Ocean of Nectar Transontology YouTube Bookstore

Approaching Bhva

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David Bruce Hughes

Bhakti-sarvabhauma r Gaurahari Dsnuds Bbj (aka David Bruce Hughes) is one of the greatest exponents of the Esoteric Teaching, the science of higher consciousness, in the world today. Bbj is a prolific, deeply thoughtful and provocative author, a Vedic astrologer, and an evocative spiritual musician, composer and recording artist, with many books and CDs on themes of devotion and spiritual life. He spent over 30 years at the feet of his exalted guru, studying the esoteric Vedic wisdom in the most sacred places of pilgrimage in India. He is also a profound spiritual Master Teacher and an engaging presenter who has held audiences all over the world spellbound with his fascinating talks. He combines an inclusive, broad-minded analytical approach to
44 Bhakti Master Class

spirituality with the transcendent faith and passionate devotion of the Vedic line. He says, "The direction of my life was set at age three, when I sincerely prayed to the Lord to send me a teacher on the level of Jesus Christ so I could learn how to have a direct personal relationship with Him." Bbj is very sensitive to the quality of consciousness in the people he works with. He says, Faith is prerequisite to spiritual advancement. But to develop faith, people need certainty. Many people have lost faith because sectarian religion cannot answer their natural questions about life, love and how to attain real happiness. Before faith can take root, we need deep clarity on spiritual life. This can only come from understanding of the Esoteric Teaching. This transcendental knowledge gives us the certainty we need to recover our faith and make tangible progress toward spiritual enlightenment. Bbj was born in Florida and grew up near New York City. His family members were dedicated Episcopalians, very active in the local church ministry. He showed a strong attraction to both spiritual life and music at an early age. He began working with electronics and computers in high school, where he taught himself digital logic and won several science fairs with his innovative projects. After he received perfect 800 scores in 3 of his SAT examinations, MIT offered him a scholarship in Nuclear Physics, but Bbj turned it down to pursue his first love: music. A talented and largely self-taught musician, Bbj won First-Chair Flute in the All-American High School Band competition in his senior year, and toured the US and Canada with the group. Bbj went on to earn a BA in Musical Composition from Montclair Conservatory, working his way through school by playing jazz gigs and repairing early computers. While at Montclair, Bbj won the gold medal of the prestigious NYU
Approaching Bhva 45

Young Composers' Contest for three years running. This exposure led to a job with New York's Ames Agency as a television commercial and film composer. At Ames, Bbj wrote and produced the award-winning score for Armstrong Tire's 'Tiger Paws' spots, one of the longest-running advertising campaigns in television history. Not satisfied with commercial success, Bbj moved to New Mexico, where he worked with early digital computers and test systems in research programs at Sandia, Los Alamos National Laboratories and White Sands/ Alamogordo Proving Grounds. With the help and advice of senior Los Alamos scientists, he performed a series of groundbreaking laboratory experiments in the silence of the desert, exploring the effects of music and sound on living beings. The results of this work inspired him to study Vedic music and rasa-tattva (the art of transcendental emotions) with Indian maestro Ali Akbar Khan in San Rafael, California. He quickly became expert in Indian raga composition and improvisation, using voice, flute, esrj, srg, mdga and other exotic instruments. At this time Bbj made a broad survey of Eastern philosophical and spiritual teachings. Besides reading very widely in the Indian spiritual traditions, he met and studied Vedic teachings with many svamis and yogis teaching on the West Coast. By great good fortune he met his spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivednta Svm (rla Prabhupda), a fully self-realized pure devotee and renunciant, prolific author, profound devotional musician and philosopher in the BrahmaMadhva-Gaudiya Vaiava lineage of Bengal, and was inspired to study bhakti-yoga, the profound wisdom path of the Esoteric Teaching of the Vedas, with him. Bbj became a Vedic monk, accepting formal hari-nma initiation as Dsnuds Brahmacr from rla Prabhupda in New Orleans in 1974,
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and ordination as a Vedic brhmaa (priest) in Vrndavana, India in 1977. He lived and studied in traditional Vaiava and Tantric communities in India and various other parts of the world for over 20 years. He learned Sanskrit, deeply studied Bhagavad-gt and rmad-Bhgavatam, performed traditional temple music and dance, and led fire sacrifices and other Vedic ceremonies all over India. As a philosopher, he specialized in Vedic ontology and the epistemology of Vednta-stra, and became a major interpreter of the esoteric devotional scripture Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, assisting his guru by editing the first English translation of the work. He also studied different forms of yoga including haha-yoga, rja-yoga, tantra-yoga, mantra-yoga and many more. Traveling four times around the world on teaching tours, he received many advanced initiations in esoteric philosophy and practices from important Vedic spiritual teachers. After Bbj completed preliminary studies in yoga, Sanskrit, Sankhya philosophy, temple worship, devotional music and dance, and Vedic mantras, his guru formally ordained Bbj as a brhmaa or Vedic priest. Bbj is one of few Westerners ever to be awarded this eminent Vedic distinction. Because of this uncommon initiation, acknowledging his penetrating knowledge of Vedic spiritual wisdomunparalleled qualifications for a Westernerand the personal recommendation of his guru, Bbj was invited to study at a Tantric esoteric school in Nainital, India, in 1979. This school, situated near the source of the Ganges , is not only a fully-functional traditional Tantric community; it also safeguards a comprehensive repository of the Vedic and Tantric literatures. Bbj was thus privileged to study both the complete theory and the esoteric practices of Yoga and Tantra at their source. His attainment in Tantra was

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recognized by formal initiation into Madhyamika, the most esoteric of all Tibetan Tantric mysteries, under the direction of the Dalai Lama in 1983. A powerful presenter, during the 70s and 80s Bbj led classes and workshops on Tantra and the Vaiava way of wisdom in Santa Cruz and Harbin Hot Springs, California; led a week-long Tantra retreat in Waimea, Maui; presented a 3-day workshop on sacred chants in Soho, London; taught Puranic wisdom and Sanskrit in Paris, France; toured and lectured in places as diverse as Alexandria, Greece; Constantinople, Turkey; Hamburg, Germany; Bern, Austria; Belgrade, Yugoslavia; Tehran, Iran and Kabul, Afghanistan; and spoke on bhakti-yoga to substantial audiences all over India, from Mumbai to Kalakata and from Badrinath to Shivarandram. In 1984-5 Bbj hosted a radio show on transcendental music, Sacred Sounds, on the American Radio Network in Los Angeles. From 1985-1988 He was Co-Chairman of the Music Department at the Mypura Chandrodaya Gurukula, a traditional Vedic academy in West Bengal, India. He also presented a 10-day international seminar in sacred Vedic music there in 1988. Over the years he appeared on numerous radio and television programs explaining bhakti-yoga, devotional meditation practices and Vedic spiritual philosophy. In 1985 he wrote Sapta Svarah, his thesis for his Bhakti-vaibhava degree (the Vaiava equivalent of a Doctor of Divinity) on the correspondence between the esoteric Vedic musical system and the mathematical laws of Quantum Mechanics. He was also instrumental in creating the Usenet forum alt.religion.vaisnava, the first international Internet conference for Vedic bhakti-yogis.

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From 1989-1991 Bbj was based on Guam, exploring the roots of traditional South Pacific island cultures such as the Chamorros and Micronesians. He visited traditional native communities in Yap, Palau, Ponape, Majuro and the Solomon Islands, studying these ancient cultures and artifacts to research their forgotten links to the Vedic civilization. In 1988, during prolonged deep meditation in a Himalayan cave, Bbj received a mystical transmission of the Esoteric Teaching, the confidential meta-knowledge behind all genuine spiritual paths. This revelation, recounted in his book Search for the Absolute Truth, completed his education in the transcendental mysteries of spiritual life, opening to him the secret pathway to complete self-realization. Over the next decade, Bbj implemented the secret practices of the Esoteric Teaching, completing the process of self-realization begun by his first initiation in 1971. This resulted in a confidential spiritual experience of the highest attainment on Kauai in January 2002 during a six-month solitary meditation retreat, successfully completing the quest for the highest degree of self-realization that he had begun more than fifty years before. Bbj maintained a keen interest in aviation, science, computers and technology throughout his monastic life, keeping up with new developments and finding unique ways to apply technology in spiritual life. In Mumbai, he used computers to pioneer direct-mail fundraising for food relief for the poor, raising over 16 million rupees in less than a year. One of his direct-mail campaigns netted a 42% response! He uses computer technology extensively in his spiritual teaching work, maintaining contact and relationships with a worldwide network of students.

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Returning to the US Mainland in 1992, Bbj used his technological expertise to establish a career as a senior technical writer and illustrator, writing and publishing books on advanced computer and software technologies for companies like Apple Computer, Digital Research, Westinghouse, and Hughes Technologies. An early adopter of the Internet, he built Web sites for clients such as Weyerhauser, GeorgiaPacific, Solutia, Equifax, First Data Corporation and many more. At this time he also became aware of the exciting spiritual potential of computers and nanotechnology, and helped found the first Internet forum for discussions on advanced Vedic spiritual topics. Since returning to the US, Bbj published several books on traditional Vedic philosophy: r Viusahasranma and r Nsisahasranma. He also wrote and published original works such as Here Be Wisdom: 108 Aphorisms on Advanced Topics in Spiritual Life, and Search for the Absolute Truth. He issued several solo CDs of Vedic music and chanting: Friend of the Heart, Vipralambha, RagaJazz, Hare Ka Kirtan and companion CDs to r Viusahasranma and r Nsisahasranma. Bbj's publishing company, Esoteric Teaching Seminars, publishes and distributes his books and CDs online. Bbj is working on several upcoming book and video projects. He currently lives in a rural retreat center in India with his close disciples.

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