Chanting with emotions

Gosvāmī, “Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī states in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Purva Vibhāga, 1.2.294-6:

kṛṣṇaṁ smaran janaṁ cāsya preṣṭhaṁ nija-samīhitam
tat-tat-kathā-rataś cāsau kuryād vāsaṁ vraje sadā

“‘One should always think of Kṛṣṇa within oneself and should choose a very dear devotee who is a servitor of Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana. One should constantly engage in topics about that servitor and his or her loving relationship with Kṛṣṇa, and one should live in Vṛndāvana. If one is physically unable to go to Vṛndāvana, he should live there mentally.’

sevā sādhaka-rūpeṇa siddha-rūpeṇa cātra hi
tad-bhāva-lipsunā kārya vraja-lokānusārataḥ

“‘In the transcendental realm of Vraja-dhāma one should serve the Supreme Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, with feelings similar to that of His associates, and one should place himself under the direct guidance of a particular associate of Kṛṣṇa, following in his or her footsteps. This method is applicable both in the stage of sādhana and in the stage of sādhya, when one is a siddha–puruṣa, a spiritually perfected soul.’

śravaṇotkīrtanādīni vaidha-bhakty-uditāni tu
yāny aṅgāni ca tāny atra vijñeyāni manīṣibhiḥ

“‘According to spiritual preceptors, the essential accessories of vaidhī-bhakti such as śravaṇam, loud kīrtanam, and so on, are still most suitable and should be continued for the cultivation of rāgānuga–bhakti.’”

Before Śrīla Gosvāmī could explain the purport of these verses, Vijaya eagerly interjected, asking, “Gurudeva, what is meant here by kuryād vāsaṁ vraje sadā?”

Gosvāmī, “Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī has stated that the devotee should reside physically in Vraja. If he cannot be present there physically, then he should dwell in Vraja within his mind. Residence within the mind and physical residence in Vraja both bestow the attainment of the final goal. The devotee must always meditate upon Kṛṣṇa and the sakhī whose bhāva he is emulating, knowing that he in his internal svarūpa is her assistant kuñja-sevikā for the rendering of service to Śrī Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa in the love groves of Vraja.

“As a sādhaka, the aspirant must continue to perform śravaṇaṁ, kīrtanaṁ, smaraṇaṁ, pāda-sevanam, arcanaṁ, vandanaṁ, dāsyaṁ, sakhyam, and ātmā–nivedanam in his external gross body though they form the limbs of vaidhī–bhakti. However, having acquired the eka-daśa-bhāva of intimate worship, the sādhaka evokes in meditation his spiritual identity as a perfect vraja–gopī and executes his specific duties in the aṣṭa-kālīya-kṛṣṇa-līlā that are allocated to him by his sakhī leader. The sādhaka must maintain and discipline his external life upon earth according to scriptural norms and internally nourish his siddha-deha, spiritual identity, by bhāva. Such an arrangement will ensure a growing distaste for things and subjects not related to vraja-līlā.”

Vijaya, “Gurudeva, I desire to understand this system still more clearly.”

Gosvāmī, “The purport of vraja-vāsa, residence in Vraja, is to live in solitude with a consciousness steeped in transcendence and bhāva. Chanting hari-nāma a designated number of rounds while meditating on practical devotional service in the aṣṭa-kālīya-līlā is essential. Furthermore, one should be always alert that one’s external activities of bodily maintenance and the like do not neutralize or deprecate one’s bhajana. Thus, all external work should be carried out with the consideration that it must be conducive to further development in devotional service.”

Receiving these instructions somewhat gravely, Vijaya said, “Śrīla Gurudeva, I have understood your instructions, but how do I steady the mind in such aṣṭa-kālīya-līlā meditation?”

Gosvāmī, “The mind becomes equipoised automatically as soon as the devotee actually attains rāgānuga-bhakti, because at this level the consciousness naturally flows to vraja-līlā, being spontaneously attached to bhakti. Concomitantly, there is a lack of interest in mundane matters, and thus the sādhaka’s consciousness shies away from materialistic involvement. However, if there are still hindrances and material perturbations upon this path, then one should carefully follow the krama, gradual, course that I have mentioned previously. Then, once the mind and consciousness are fixed and steady by the resultant purification, nothing will be able to unsettle them.”

Vijaya, “Kindly explain the krama course.”

Gosvāmī, “Every day, confining himself to a solitary place and determinedly repelling the attacks of material attraction, the devotee must spend a fixed period sincerely chanting hari-nāma, while maintaining within his heart bhāva. Gradually, this period of chanting should be increased. Eventually, the stage will come when the devotee begins to feel continually engulfed alaukika-cinmaya-bhāva, uncommon transcendental emotion, then any impediments or disturbances will be afraid to approach him.”

Vijaya, “How long should this stage last?”

Gosvāmī, “One should continue until all distractions vanish, and there is not the faintest possibility of the distractions reoccurring.”

Vijaya, “Gurudeva, kindly clarify what you mean by chanting hari–nāma while maintaining within the heart bhāva.”

Gosvāmī, “To begin with, chant hari-nāma with ullāsa, joy, in your heart; then, gradually combine mamatā, possessive attachment, with that ullāsa; next, to this nectarean mixture add viśrambha, loving intimacy based on firm faith and confidence in the Lord. Chanting in this manner will gradually purify one’s consciousness and increasingly strengthen one’s bhāva, until finally śuddha-bhāva will begin to manifest.