A common misconception
prevalent for the Bhakti as not being mentioned in the Vedic scriptures
and being only mentioned in Puranic scriptures is merely due to the lack of
insight into the Vedic Sanatan Scriptures. Although there are several
references available in Vedas, Smruti, Puranas, Agamas - a specific reference
in Chhandogya Upanishad (7-23-1 – 7.25.2) is very intriguing and mind-boggling.
Rest of the article will focus on scrutinizing these Shrutis and comprehending
the demonstration of ‘Bhakti’ by them.
The discussion
in this article is based on the excellent comprehensive treatise on bhakti
named “Bhakti Martanda” by Goswami Sri Gopeshvarji (one of the direct descendants of Sri Vallabhacharya).
Sri Gopeshvarji has elucidated on this
particular subject by structuring the treatise into 4 major sections for Bhakti.
The author deals with these subjects by providing a consistent, coherent and
coordinated meaning of scriptural passages proving the end goal of entire
scripture to be as Bhakti in a mode of debate by refuting various
prior-views and presenting with the final concluding views of all the
scriptural passages. In a way, Author seems to be following a Vedic, Ancient,
splendid and hermeneutical methodology called as Adhikarana.
An Adhikarana is defined as “विषयो विशयश्चैव पूर्वपक्षः तथा उत्तरम् संगतिस्च शास्त्रे अधिकरणं स्मृतं” which means it is a structured
and a Well-defined Vedic hermeneutics process that includes 5 major components
–
1. Subject Matter
(विषय)
2. Doubt (संशय)
3. Prima Facie
view and arguments (पूर्वपक्ष)
4. Proposed Doctrine
and (सिद्धान्त पक्ष)
5. Synthesis and
justification of the proposed doctrine - (संगति)
All the sections
are dealt with by Sri Gopeshvarji in the style of Adhikarana as described above.
Below are the
sections:
1. Pramana Prakarana (प्रमाण): Furnishes
numerous scriptural passages describing the intention and sole purpose of all
the scriptures as Bhakti.
2. Prameya Prakarana (प्रमेय): Focuses on the essential nature of
Bhakti and provides distinguishing features characterizing the unique
attributes of Bhakti as compared to Action (Karma), Understanding
(Gyan), Upasana,
Yoga, Pooja, and Sharanagati. Describes
different types of Bhakti mentioned in various scriptures.
3. Sadhana Prakarana (साधन): Means of Achieving Bhakti.
Author expounds the subject of whether Bhakti can be achieved by good deeds,
various actions mentioned in scriptures, or is it totally independent to these
factors? Who is eligible for it? Is Brahman the only subject of Bhakti?
4. Phala Prakarana (फल): The end effects of Bhakti or Bhakti as an outcome.
Author describes 3 major outcomes of it – Total involvement into the Supreme
Being (सर्वात्मभाव), Absolute Unity with the Supreme
Being (सायुज्य), A Divine body in heavenly abodes
of the Supreme Being (सेवोपयोगि देहो वैकुण्ठादिषु)
Trying to break
the water-tight compartment between object and subject, outer and inner, form
and formless, attributes and attribute less, cause and effect, conscious and
matter – Upanishads takes the approach from Outermost to Innermost and from Innermost
to Outermost establishing the relationship of Identity with that Supreme Being
– Brahman (Exactly similar to Neti-Dhauti in Yoga).
Chhandogya
Upanishad takes the similar approach and covers up the journey from Gross forms
to Subtle, from Conscious to insentient and vice versa and finally ending the journey
with the supreme bliss called Bhuma which is
the basis of all forms, names and functions. Chhandogya
Upanishad (7-23-1 – 7.25.2) describes about Bhuma
which is also called Bhuma Vidya - the knowledge of Self-supported, self-sufficient,
self-complete phenomena called as Brahman. Along with it has described
the Bhakti of this Bhuma. The etymological meaning of the word Bhuma as per Paniniya
Sutra (बहोर्लोपो भू च वहोः) is “Existence with Infinitude
(abundance)” which essentially means the Supreme Being known as Brahman in
Vedas.
Upanishad while
defining the essential nature of Absolute Infinite Bliss:
यो वै भूमा तत्सुखं नाल्पे सुखमस्ति भूमैव सुखं भूमा त्वेव विजिज्ञासितव्य इति भूमानं भगवो विजिज्ञास इति
Bhuma is the absolute
and infinite bliss. The finite things do
not contain happiness.
Upanishad further
goes on defining the Bhuma as -
यत्र नान्यत्पश्यति नान्यच्छृणोति नान्यद्विजानाति स भूमाSथ यत्र अन्यत्पश्यति अन्यत्छ्रुनोति अन्यत्द्विजानाति तदल्पं यो वै भूमा तदमृतमथ यदल्पं तन्मर्त्यं...
Bhuma is the one
by seeing which one doesn’t see anything else, by listening to it one doesn’t listen
to anything else, by knowing which one doesn’t need to know anything. Thus, Bhuma is the Totality and Infinitude
Further, In
relation to the quest of how to achieve this Bhuma,
Upanishad answers as below –
स भगवः कस्मिन्प्रतिष्ठितः इति स्वे महिम्ने
What is the
locus of Bhuma? (How to achieve him?) He is located
in his own greatness. As per the commentary of Sri Gopeshvarji,
the meaning of the phrase ‘his own greatness’ refers to the Sarvatmabhava state which is the end result of the Bhakti
which is consistent with several scriptural references related to Bhakti being the
only means in achieving the Purshottama or Brahman. Further, Bhakti is
not achieved by any other means but the grace of Brahman. Having
mentioned the grace as the only means of achieving Brahman, does not
render other means mentioned in the scriptures as useless since other means are
mere various manifestations of this grace as its primordial cause.
Now comes a
very interesting subject of various states of bhakti as mentioned in the
subject.
Upanishad continues
describing the various states of Bhakti as per below -
·
Tada-adesha: The literal meaning of
‘Tad’ in Sanskrit is ‘THAT’. Conceiving Brahman as different then
self and realizing its Greatness. This type of reference to Brahman is
known as ‘tadadesha’. This is same as
saying ‘THAT is Brahman’. This is referred by
स एवाधस्तात्स उपरिष्टात्स पश्चात्स पुरस्तात्स दक्षिणतः स उत्तरतः
·
Ahamkara-Adesha: The literal
meaning of ‘Aham’ is “Ego”. Conceiving
Brahman as Ego. This type of reference to Brahman is known as ‘Ahamkara-adesha’ where the Ego is still retained
to refer Brahman. This is referred by
अहमेवाधस्तादहमुपरिष्टादहं पश्चादहं पुरस्तादहं दक्षिणतोऽहमुत्तरतोऽहमेवेदꣳ सर्वमिति
·
Atma-Adesha:
Conceiving Brahman as Self. This type of reference encompasses and
integrates both the references of ‘THAT’ and ‘I’ and thus, this type of
realization is an exalted and apex state of Bhakti. The Nature of Bhakti
is all encompassing and all-integrating that leads to realization of the
multidimensional and infinite totality by maintaining a fine balance between
the greatness and the love towards that Ultimate reality. Bhakti provides that
framework to let us love that Ultimate reality through the realization of
substantial Identity with it and at the same time let us realize its greatness.
The identity between duality and non-duality, cause and effect, part and the
whole, qualities and the qualified, substance and the substratum. This is
referred by
अथात आत्मादेश एवात्मैवाधस्तादात्मोपरिष्टादात्मा पश्चादात्मा पुरस्तादात्मा दक्षिणत आत्मोत्तरत आत्मैवेद सर्वमिति
The above can
be very well understood with its respective references found in Srimad Bhagavatam.
|
Type of realization |
Reference in the Upanishad |
Reference in Srimad
Bhagavatam |
|
|
|
|
तदादेश(Conceiving
Brahman as HE) |
स एवाधस्तात्स
उपरिष्टात्स
पश्चात्स पुरस्तात्स
दक्षिणतः स उत्तरतः
स एवेदꣳ सर्वमित्यथातोऽहङ्कारादेश
एवाहमेवाधस्तादहमुपरिष्टादहं
पश्चादहं पुरस्तादहं
दक्षिणतोऽहमुत्तरतोऽहमेवेदꣳ
सर्वमिति ॥ — VII-xxv-1,chAndogya up. |
गायन्त्य
उच्चैरमुमेव
संहता विचिकियुरुन्मत्तक्वद्वनाद्वनं
| प्रपच्छुराकाशवदन्तरं
बहिर्भुतेषु
सन्तंपुरुषं
वनस्पतीन् || (१०-२७-४) |
माहात्म्यज्ञान (Greatness, Duality) |
कर्म
मार्ग |
Object |
|
अहन्कारादेश (Conceiving
Brahman as I) |
अहमेवाधस्तादहमुपरिष्टादहं
पश्चादहं पुरस्तादहं
दक्षिणतोऽहमुत्तरतोऽहमेवेदꣳ
सर्वमिति ॥ — VII-xxv-1,chAndogya up. |
कस्यान्श्चित
स्वभुजं न्यस्य
चलन्त्याहापरा
ननु| कृष्णोऽहं
पश्यत गतिं ललितामिति
तन्मनाः|| (१०-२७-१९) |
ब्रह्मज्ञान (Non-Duality) |
ज्ञानमार्ग |
Subject |
|
आत्मादेश Self-Reference ( He and Me are
integrated) |
अथात आत्मादेश
एवात्मैवाधस्तादात्मोपरिष्टादात्मा
पश्चादात्मा
पुरस्तादात्मा
दक्षिणत आत्मोत्तरत
आत्मैवेद सर्वमिति
स वा एष एवं पश्यन्नेवं
मन्वान एवं विजानन्नात्मरतिरात्मक्रीड
आत्ममिथुन आत्मानन्दः
स स्वराड्भवति
तस्य सर्वेषु
लोकेषु कामचारो
भवति ॥
— VII-xxv-2, chAndogya up. |
अपरानिमिषद्रग्भ्यां
जुषाणा तन्मुखाम्भुजं
| आपीतमपि नाSत्रुप्यत्सन्तस्तत्चरणम्
यथा || (१०-२९-७) |
भक्तिज्ञान (Identity, Bhakti) |
भक्तिमार्ग |
Subject and Object are Integrated to Self. |
References of Bhakti:
नायमात्मा
च प्रवचनेन लभ्यो
न मेधया न बहुना
श्रुतेन यमैवेष
वृणुते तेन लभ्यः
तस्यैष आत्मा वृणुते
तनुंस्वां इति
(कठ. उप., मुण्डक उप.)
आत्मरतिरात्मक्रीड
आत्ममिथुन आत्मानन्दः
स स्वराड्भवति
(छान्दोग्य. उप.)
रसं ह्येवायंलब्ध्वानन्दी
भवति (तैत्त. उप.)
यो वेद निहितं
गुहायां परमे व्योमन्
सोश्नुते सर्वान्
कामान् सह ब्रह्मणा
विपश्चिता (तैत्त.
उप.)
न वा अरे सर्वस्य
कामाय सर्वं प्रियं
भवति आत्मनस्तु
कामाय सर्वं प्रियं
भवति (बृ. आ. उप.)
Author:
Dhawal Patel (Student - Vallabha Vedanta)
References:
1.
Tatvarthdeepa Nibandha by Sri Vallabhacharya
2.
Sri Subodhini by Sri Vallabhacharya
3.
Brahmasutra Anubhasyam by Sri Vallabhacharya
4.
Bhasya
Prakash by Goswami Sri Purshottamji
5.
Bhakti Martanda by Goswami Sri Gopeshvarji
6.
Various
Upanishads
7.
Lectures on Brahmavada by Goswami Sri Shyam Manoharji
(Kishangarh-Parla)