Vaidhi Bhakti Required to Attain Raga Bhakti

In the beginning one engages in vaidhi bhakti, devotional service according to rules and regulations, under the direction of his initiating spiritual master. In this way he gradually becomes purified and eventually realizes his svarupa, his eternal identity in the spiritual world. Then after realizing his svarupa, he engages in raga bhakti, devotional service in spontaneous love. If one tries to jump to his svarupa without fully undergoing the purifying process of vaidhi bhakti, as elaborately described by Srila Rupa Goswami, he will fall down from the path of pure bhakti and become a sense gratifier.

In this regard, recently we saw the example of a sannyasi who was teaching raga bhakti without vaidhi bhakti. After being sentenced to 14 years in prison for sexually molesting two girls he went into hiding to avoid his prison sentence. Therefore, while it is important to aspire for raga bhakti, one should always remember to faithfully serve the orders of his initiating spiritual master so that he will not become degraded and so that he will become genuinely qualified to enter the perfectional stage of raga bhakti. It is imperative that until realizing his svarupa he must faithfully execute vaidhi bhakti. And after realizing his svarupa he will dutifully act externally as a vaidhi bhakta to show the proper example for the neophytes.

Revealing the Sublime Bhakti Science
Greater Noida, India--12 November 2011

Answers by Citing the Vedic Version

Question: Significance of the Marginal Energy

Hare Krishna Guru Maharaja,

Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

I'd like to put most humbly the following question:

Could you please explain why Krishna creates the marginal energy from which we the living entities baddha jivas come into existence. Under this energy only there is a chance of misusing the free will, the cause of all sorts of material suffering. The nitya siddha living entities, those who are part of the internal energy of Krishna, never misuse their free will and never fall down. For enjoying loving exchanges and pastimes the internal energy would have been sufficient for Krishna. Then what is the significance of the existence of the marginal energy?

Your servant,
Supartha

Answer: Marginal Energy is a Symptom of God's Love

You have not understood correctly the Lord's energies. Every living being comes into existence from Krishna because He is the source of everything. All living beings are Krishna's internal energy, but they are also called marginal energy because they are endowed with the free will to love Krishna or leave Krishna. Those who choose to love Him are known as nitya siddhas, eternally liberated souls. And those who foolishly choose to leave Him are known as baddha jivas or conditioned souls. Who is liberated and who is conditioned is not God's choice. This is the independent choice of each and every individual living entity, whether he wants to serve God or try to be God. Because Krishna wants our love and because love cannot be forced, Krishna gives us the free choice to love Him or leave Him. This is why we, the living entities, although constitutionally internal energy are also endowed with a marginal nature. Without the marginal nature, the ability for the living entity to love Krishna or not, there is no question of loving exchanges with the Lord because one cannot be forced to love someone. Love must be voluntary.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari