Onwards to Sri Vrindavana Dhama

After a most wonderful and delightful few days of teaching the science of Krishna in Copenhagen, today we are heading for the holiest of all places in the universe, Sri Vrindavana Dhama. We are going to be staying for several weeks in the place where 5,000 years ago Lord Sri Krishna displayed His intimate loving pastimes with the inhabitants of Vrindavana. Where is there a fortune greater than this, to be living in the very place of Lord Sri Krishna's transcendental pastimes? Every particle of dust in Vrindavan is more valuable than the vast wealth in the treasury of Kuvera, the treasurer of the demigods in the heavenly planets.

Sri Vrindavana Dhama--The Holiest Place in the Universe

Answers by Citing the Vedic Version:

Question: Difference Between Raganuga and Prema Bhakti?

Dear Srila Gurudeva

Please accept my humble obeisance. All Glories to you and to Srila Prabhupada.

What is the difference between Raganuga Sadhana Bhakti and Prema Bhakti? My understanding was that the advancing stages can be listed like this:

Vaidhi Sadhana Bhakti
Raganuga Sadhana Bhakti
Bhava Bhakti
Prema Bhakti

Srila Prabhupada writes in his books many times that the Vraja Vasis were Raganuga bhaktas. He also writes that they were Prema bhaktas. So what is the difference between Raganuga Sadhana Bhakti and Prema Bhakti? If there is no difference, then please point out the defect in my understanding of the advancing stages listed above.

Thank you.

Your servant
Madhavananda Das

Answer: Perfection and Following a Perfect Brijabasi

Your question is clearly answered in the Sri Caitanya Caritamrita, Madhya Lila, Chapter 22, Text 154 as follows:

virājantīm abhivyaktāṁ
vraja-vāsi-janādiṣu
rāgātmikām anusṛtā
yā sā rāgānugocyate

“Devotional service in spontaneous love is vividly expressed and manifested by the inhabitants of Vrindavana. Devotional service that accords with their devotional service is called raganuga bhakti, or devotional service following in the wake of spontaneous loving service."

The devotional service manifested by the inhabitants of Vrindavan is called prema bhakti or ragatmika bhakti. And the devotional service that follows in the wake of prema bhakti is called raganuga bhakti. This is also described in the Sri Caitanya Caritamrita, Madhya Lila, Chapter 22, Text 149 as follows:

rāgātmikā-bhakti—‘mukhyā’ vraja-vāsi-jane
tāra anugata bhaktira ‘rāgānugā’-nāme

“The original inhabitants of Vrindavana are attached to Krishna spontaneously in devotional service. Nothing can compare to such spontaneous devotional service, which is called ragatmika bhakti. When a devotee follows in the footsteps of the devotees of Vrindavana, his devotional service is called raganuga bhakti."

The stages of bhakti are described as follows in the Caitanya Caritamrita Madhya 23.14–15:

ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-
saṅgo ‘tha bhajana-kriyā
tato ‘nartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt
tato niṣṭhā rucis tataḥ
athāsaktis tato bhāvas
tataḥ premābhyudañcati
sādhakānām ayaṁ premṇaḥ
prādurbhāve bhavet kramaḥ

"In the beginning there must be faith. Then one becomes interested in associating with pure devotees. Thereafter one is initiated by the spiritual master and executes the regulative principles under his orders. Thus one is freed from all unwanted habits and becomes firmly fixed in devotional service. Thereafter, one develops taste and attachment. This is the way of sadhana-bhakti, the execution of devotional service according to the regulative principles. Gradually emotions intensify, and finally there is an awakening of love. This is the gradual development of love of Godhead for the devotee interested in Krishna consciousness."

Raganuga sadhana bhakti is not for the neophytes. One has to be a pure devotee to practice raganuga sadhana bhakti. It is not that a devotee who is still contaminated by lust, greed, anger, and envy can engage in this type of bhakti. Such neophytes should engage in vaidhi-bhakti by following the orders of the spiritual master so that they can be gradually elevated to the asakti platform, the bhava platform, and ultimately the prema platform.

At the stage of asakti (attachment) one is still within the realm of sadhana. But at this stage he has realized what is his eternal relationship with Krishna. This is confirmed by Srila Prabhupada in his purport to Narada Bhakti Sutra 2 as follows:

"Every living entity is eternally related to the Supreme Lord, and this relationship may be in any one of many transcendental humors. At the stage called asakti, attachment, a person can understand his relationship with the Supreme Lord. When he understands his position, he begins reciprocating with the Lord. By constant reciprocation with the Lord, the devotee is elevated to the highest stage of love of Godhead, prema.”

At this asakti stage the devotee practices raganuga sadhana bhakti which then elevates him to bhava bhakti and from there to prema bhakti, the perfectional stage. Regarding bhava bhakti and prema bhakti, Srila Prabhupada explains in his purport to CC Madhya 23.13 as follows:

"Bhava-bhakti is the first seed of love of Godhead. This emotional stage is there before one attains pure love. When that emotional stage intensifies, it is called prema-bhakti, or transcendental love of Godhead.”

It is not that after reaches the asakti stages and engages in raganuga sadhana bhakti following in the footsteps of an inhabitant of Vrindavan that he abandons serving his spiritual master. He forever remains the completely sold out servant of his initiating spiritual master. This is confirmed as follows by Srila Prabhupada in his description of the guru/disciple relationship:

"He lives forever by his divine instructions and the follower lives with him.”
—from the Srimad Bhagavatam Dedication

Sankarshan Das Adhikari