The subject of today’s discourse is vaedhii bhakti (formal devotion) and shuddhá bhakti (pure devotion). The word bhakti is derived from the root verb bhaj + suffix ktin. While pursuing knowledge some people cultivate devotion for Parama Puruśa. The devotion which is aroused when one feels one should cultivate devotion is called vaedhii bhakti. Regarding knowledge, action and devotion I once gave a simple formula for determining devotion: action minus knowledge equals devotion. Thus, if action is 100 and knowledge is 20, then devotion is 80. Suppose a person has no knowledge and only performs good deeds. In that case the devotion will be 100 – 0 = 100. Now, if a person is highly learned, in that case in order to attain devotion he or she will have to perform action to the degree of 100 + 20 = 120. People who are puffed up with the vanity of knowledge will have to perform more actions if they wish to cultivate devotion. It is not easy for them to express devotion to Parama Puruśa. But those who do not have the vanity of knowledge attain devotion easily. To acquire devotion one requires the good saḿskáras of many lives. What is vaedhii bhakti? I have already said that Parama Puruśa is the nucleus of this universe. Each and every object of this universe is attracted to this nucleus and orbits around it. Attraction, not repulsion, is the natural law. Each microcosm, characterized by its acquired saḿskáras constantly moves around this nucleus. When an object moves around a nucleus two forces operate: the centrifugal force (which takes the object away from the nucleus) and the centripetal force (which pulls the object towards the nucleus). If the centrifugal force is greater than the centripetal, the object drifts away from its nucleus. Conversely, if the centripetal force is stronger, the object finally merges in its nucleus. In the scriptures this centripetal force is called vidyámáyá. Vidyámáyá leads the microcosms towards Puruśottama, the nucleus of the universe. The force which takes the microcosms away from Parama Puruśa is called avidyámáyá. In vidyámáyá lies the hope of liberation, the seed of immortality. In avidyámáyá lies the seed of sorrow and death. The accumulative effect of both forces has caused the universe to come into being.

What sort of influence does the force of avidyá have on human life? Avidyá shakti exerts its influence in two ways: through vikśepii shakti and ávarańii shakti.

Vikśepii Shakti

Vikśepii shakti is the force that strongly repels an object from its nucleus. When human beings become excessively attached to crude physicality they move away from Parama Puruśa. They become so infatuated with matter that they totally forget the Supreme. Similarly, a person who is involved in a court case thinks constantly about his or her opponent. A person who quarrels thinks constantly about his adversary for many days even at the time of meditation. “I should have spoken my mind,” he thinks to himself, “why didn’t I rebuke him more?”

The funny thing is that one always thinks about the faults of one’s opponent and never one’s own faults. One never cares to analyse whether or not one has any faults. In this process one’s opponent becomes one’s object of meditation. One becomes so preoccupied with one’s opponent’s defects that one begins to acquire his or her defects oneself. Suppose a person is quarrelling with an opium addict. If he thinks about the addict’s defect constantly over a long period of time he will develop a desire to try opium. That is, he acquires the defect of his adversary. In the same way if one ideates on Parama Puruśa one will acquire His qualities. People ultimately become as they think: Yádrshii bhávaná yasya siddhirbhavati tádrshii. Vikśepii shakti causes a person to move away from Átman, the self, and become attracted to matter. The innate characteristic of human beings is to acquire infinite happiness. In this pursuit lies the seed of human excellence. To remain engrossed in the thought of crude matter is contrary to human existence if this ever occurs it should be understood that the concerned person has degenerated. In the Bhagavad Giitá Lord Krśńa warns people, Svadharme nidhanaḿ shreya, paradharmah bhayávahah: “It is better to die while following one’s own dharma than to pursue the dharma of others.” Under no circumstances should one forsake one’s own dharma. Here svadharma, or “own dharma”, does not refer to any particular religion, but to one’s own innate characteristic.

Ávarańii Shakti

Suppose a person commits a wrong by accepting a bribe. While receiving the bribe he or she thinks that no one is watching, but that is impossible. A third entity is watching everything. No one can do anything secretly in this universe. But the bribe-taker thinks the opposite because avidyá shakti has placed a veil between him or her and the Supreme Being. This is a very dangerous situation. It is just like a hare being chased by a hunter: the hare sits down and covers its eyes with its ears and, thinks, “I cannot see anything, so the hunter cannot see anything either. Hence he won’t be able to kill me.” This is a deadly mistake! Wherever one commits a wrong, be it in the depths of the ocean or in a high mountain cave, one cannot escape the consequences: one will certainly be detected one day or another.

In the psychic world Parama Puruśa has infinite power. All longings and thoughts are reflected on His mental mirror. Any action one performs, any thought one is trying to materialize, is immediately reflected on the vast mental mirror. One cannot keep anything secret from Him. If a small piece of stone is thrown into the vast ocean it creates tiny ripples on its smooth surface. This event, although trivial, does not remain unknown to the ocean. Even the least vibration created within the unit mind is immediately known to the Macrocosmic Mind, for the unit mind is within the vast Macrocosmic Mind.

Vidyámáyá also exerts her influence on the human mind in two ways: through samvit shakti and hládinii shakti.

Samvit Shakti

Suppose a certain person who has been doing wrong deeds for a long time suddenly changes for the better. After hearing some wise words, by reading a good book, or by receiving a shock or, injury, a thought dawns in his or her mind: “I have unnecessarily wasted so many years in futile pursuits. Now I have only a limited time at my disposal.” From the very moment of birth human beings move slowly and steadily towards the grave. With each passing second the distance between the person and the burial ground gradually decreases. Hence human beings should utilize every moment of their valuable time in worthwhile pursuits. A person may realize one day, “How unfortunate it is that I have not fully utilized the capacity that God has provided. I have committed a grave error in not doing what I should have done.” What is the force that awakens this psychic outlook? It is the samvit shakti of vidyámáyá. In colloquial Bengali, samvit shakti is called huṋsh (sudden awareness). When people suddenly return to their senses or repent, this is the first type of influence of vidyámáyá on the human mind.

Hládinii Shakti

Hládinii shakti is the second type of influence of vidyámáyá on the human mind. When people realize that they have wasted their precious time, they express the sincere desire to utilize their time more benevolently. They think, “From today I will utilize all my energy and capacity in worthwhile pursuits.” This sincere desire gradually takes them towards Parama Puruśa. And this movement towards the Supreme occurs due to the influence of hládinii shakti. Hládinii shakti is the force which helps the microcosms to meditate on Parama Puruśa. In the Caetanya Charitámrta it has been said,

Jap tap vedajiṋána vidhi bhakti japadhyán ihá haite mádhurya durlabh
Keval ye rágamárge bhaje Krśńa anuráge táhe Krśńa mádhurya sulabh.

[Those who repeat their ista mantra mechanically, or undergo severe penance, or endlessly study the scriptures, or express a show of devotion, or practise meditation in a ritualistic way, can never feel the charm, the joy, of spiritual realization. That sweet discovery is only possible for those who worship Lord Krśńa out of deep devotion to Him.]

With the help of vaedhii bhakti (formal mechanical devotion) a person can approach Parama Puruśa but cannot become one with Him. Vaedhii bhakti does not have that power. To attain oneness with Parama Puruśa a sádhaka requires rágánugá bhakti or rágátmiká bhakti. Unless a sádhaka develops ardent devotion for Parama Puruśa, it is not possible to become one with Him. To think, “Parama Puruśa is so vast, so beautiful! How can I possibly attain Him?” is to create an impediment on the path of one’s spiritual progress.

There are three types of devotion which are well known to all: támasikii bhakti or devotion of static nature, rájasikii bhakti or devotion of mutative nature, and sáttvikii bhakti or devotion of sentient nature.

Támasikii Bhakti

A person who has an inimical relation with someone might pray to Parama Puruśa, “Oh Parama Puruśa, please harm my enemy. Eliminate him/her for my sake.” Obviously, such a person has no devotion for the Lord but simply wants to gratify his/her selfish desire.

When a devotee moves towards Parama Puruśa with intense yearning for Him, it is called rádhábháva. When a devotee finally reaches Parama Puruśa by virtue of this intense rádhábháva it is called the union between Rádhá and Krśńá in the Vaeshńava scriptures.

Who is Krśńa? Here Krśńa is none other than Parama Puruśa. You might have seen some pictures depicting Rádhá and Krśńa. These all are false. Krśńa and Rádha are subtle spiritual concepts. A devotee will have to move towards Puruśottama, the Supreme Nucleus, with the help of rádhiká shakti or hládinii shakti. There is no path of Supreme Welfare other than rádhiká shakti.

I have already said that action minus knowledge equals devotion. Thus when a sádhaka performs action, devotion awakens. This is the beginning of vaedhii bhakti. For example, some people pray, “Oh Parama Puruśa, my neighbour’s child has passed the school examination, but my child has failed. The teacher has made my child fail intentionally. Let that teacher be destroyed.” This is támasikii bhakti. Parama Puruśa may or may not grant your prayers – it depends on His will. But as you expressed támasikii bhakti to Parama Puruśa you will attain neither liberation nor salvation because you did not want either one.

Rájasikii Bhakti

In this category of devotion one does not think of harming anyone, but asks for a mundane favour for oneself. For example, one may pray to the Lord, “Oh Lord, please bless me so that I can score high marks in my exams and thereby procure a good job.” To ask for worldly favours as a result of one’s crude devotion to the Lord is not at all desirable. The Lord may or may not fulfill your desires, but one thing is certain: you will never attain liberation or salvation because you did not desire it.

Sáttvikii Bhakti:

A devotee of this category may think: “Now I am an old man. I have committed so many wrongs in my life. It would be wise for me to take initiation from a preceptor and count beads. Otherwise what will people say about me? They will say I’m spending my old age eating and sleeping and doing nothing worthwhile. At least I should do some religious deeds to show everyone that I love God.” This is the inner motivation behind sentient devotion. Such devotees do not think of harming others, but they do not want Parama Puruśa either. Even if such devotees attain liberation or salvation, they certainly do not get Parama Puruśa because they did not want Him. Hence such devotion has no real value.

All of this comes within the scope of vaedhii bhakti. There is a lack of genuine love for Parama Puruśa in all these types of vaedhii bhakti.

Shuddá Bhakti or pure devotion is pará bhakti, the highest devotion for the Lord. It has two stages: rágánugá and rágátmiká.

Rágátmikáḿ anusarati yá sá rágánugá.

Rágánugá Bhakti

The first stage of shuddhá bhakti is rágánugá bhakti. Now the devotee says, “I love Parama Puruśa. This is nothing to hide, nor is it anything to brag and boast about. I love Him because it makes me happy”. This is rágánugá bhakti. “I don’t ask for anything, not even liberation or salvation. I love Him because that brings me joy.”

Rágátmiká Bhakti

This is the highest stage of pure devotion. In this type of devotion the ideation is, “I love Parama Puruśa because it makes Him happy. I meditate on Him thinking that my meditation will bring joy to Him. This is my sole intention.” This is rágátmiká bhakti. Regarding rágátmika bhakti, Maháprabhu Caetanya has said,

Paripúrńa Krśńa prápti sei prem haite
Se preme báṋdhá Krśńá kahe bhágavate.

[One attains Krśńa through rágátmiká bhakti because Krśńa is bound by that love.]

Lord Krśńa also said in the Giitá,

Api cet sudurácáro bhajate mámananyabhák
So’pi pápavinirmukto mucyate bhavabandhanát.

“Even if the worst of the sinners meditates on me with unwavering devotion, he or she will be liberated from all worldly bondages and freed from all reactive momenta (saḿskáras) and will become one with the Supreme Entity”.

Is worshipping the Lord with unwavering devotion vaedhii bhakti or rágátmiká bhakti? This entire universe is nothing but an ocean of unending bliss. Numerous waves are emerging from this ocean. Puruśottama is the nucleus of all these waves. All waves originate from Him and finally merge in Him. The poet Vidyápati wrote,

Kata caturánana mari marijáota na tu ádi avasáná
Tohe janama punah tohe samáota Ságaralaharii samáná

[Innumerable living beings emerge from the Supreme Entity, who has neither beginning nor end. Just like the waves of the ocean, they emanate from Him and dissolve finally in Him.]

Innumerable waves are constantly emerging from the ocean only to merge back into the ocean itself. This universe is like an ocean of waves of bliss. Parama Puruśa is the nucleus of all these countless rhythmic waves. Innumerable microcosms are constantly rotating around this nucleus, and will continue their orbits until they finally become one with Him.

Every movement has a rhythm, and every rhythm has a sound. The countless waves of this vast universe also have their respective sounds. The devotees say that Parama Puruśa is an embodiment of love. They say that out of His infinite love for the microcosms He eternally plays His sweet flute, vibrating this vast universe with its divine sound. When spiritual aspirants attain a certain degree of spiritual progress, they are able to hear that divine sound. This divine sound is called oṋḿkára. All the sound waves of this universe have their source in Him. They emanate from the point of beginninglessness to the point of endlessness, and will continue to emanate eternally.

The kulakuńd́alinii shakti (serpentine power) rises upwards in accordance with the divine sound. As it rises through successively higher stages one hears the sound of crickets, ankle bells and the melodious sound of the flute. This is called the sweet sound of Krśńa’s flute. It is neither a dream nor a fantasy. All of you will hear it one day. A mystic poet said,

Chut́e ye jan bánshiir t́áne
Se ki tákáy pather páne

“For those who listen to that melodious flute sound, nothing is an obstacle. They will move irresistibly towards the Supreme.”

This is pure devotion (shuddhá bhakti) and not vaedhii bhakti. If one does not move towards Him with one’s entire being, one cannot develop exclusive devotion for Him.

Api cet sudurácáro. Who is a durácárii? A person in whose contact one degenerates is called a durácárii. Lord Krśńa said that whoever will meditate on Him with undivided attention will attain liberation from all accumulated saḿskáras. Devotees who run towards Parama Puruśa with all the strength of their soul need not be afraid of anything.

What is pápa? Paropakárah puńyáya pápáya parapiiŕańam. Any action that leads to one’s physical, psychic and spiritual well-being is called punya or a virtuous deed; and any action which leads to one’s physical, psychic and spiritual degeneration is called pápa or sin. There are two types of pápa or sin: pápa, which occurs when one does something one should not do, and pratyávaya, which occurs when one does not do something which should be done. For example, one should nurse a sick person. If one does not do that one is committing pratyáváya. Pratyáváya is more harmful than pápa. Pápa and pratyáváya are both of three types: pátaka, atipátaka and mahápátaka. If one compensates for the loss caused by the performance of an improper action or by the non-performance of a proper action it is called pátaka. Suppose someone has stolen five rupees from a person. If the thief repays the amount in full it is said that she or he has atoned. This is a case of pátaka.

Atipátaka refers to a sinful action for which there can be no atonement. Suppose someone chops off a hand of an innocent person. This is atipátaka. But if in a fight someone chops off the hand of their enemy, a wrongdoer, it cannot be called a sin. In the Bhagavad Giitá Lord Krśńá advises people that their dharma is to fight against adharma. A chopped-off hand cannot be put back on the wrist easily.

What is mahápátaka? Mahápátaka is a sinful action for which there can be no atonement and which has a recurring effect. Once I told you a story from the Rámáyańa. Ráma and Rávańa were engaged in a bitter combat. When Ráma began to get the upper hand Rávana entreated Shiva to save his life. On hearing Rávańa’s desperate pleas, Parvatii’s heart melted, and she requested Shiva to save Rávana’s life. Shiva said unambiguously, “I cannot save him. He is a mahápátaka, a sinner of the worst type”. Shiva explained that if Rávańa had abducted Siitá in his original form he would not be a mahápátaka; but he chose to abduct Siita in the guise of a sádhu (saint). As a result, in the future people will never fully trust sádhus again. Whenever they will see a sadhu they will immediately question his intention. So Shiva refused to help Rávańa because he was a mahápátaka.

Lord Krśńa said that whoever meditates on Him with exclusive, unwavering devotion will be liberated from all sins. When microcosms ideate on the Supreme Entity they feel joy, and the Supreme Entity also feels joy. Everyone wants joy; the devotees also want joy. Devotees worship Parama Puruśa with the sole intention of giving Him joy. A mother derives more pleasure from seeing her own child eat than by eating her own food. Similarly, those who are the greatest devotees rush towards Him to give Him joy. They feel much more joy than their Lord feels. Maháprabhu Caetanya said,

Gopii darshane Krśńer ye ánanda hay;
Tadapekśá kot́iguńa gopii ásváday.

[The devotees are a million times more pleased when they see Krśńa than Krśńa is upon seeing them.]

You are following the path of sádhaná. Always remember that you must establish yourself in pure devotion and not formal devotion. And to become established in pure devotion you must perform virtuous deeds, practise spiritual sádhaná regularly, render selfless service to the world, and wage a relentless fight against wrongs and injustice. There is no room for cowardice. May you be victorious.