(translated from the Publisher's Note of the first Bengali
edition)
The best introduction to the author of this book is
given by the work itself. Pujyapada Parivrajakacarya
Tridandiswami Srimad Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Maharaja is the fit
recipient of the grace bestowed upon him by that great Universal
Guru who shines like the sun among the Gaudiya Acaryas: Om
Visnupada Sri Srimad Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami
Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada, now left this world to join the
eternal divine pastimes, is the Divine Agent to flood the world
with the nectarine universal preaching of the glory of the
Supreme Lord, in the Divine Succession of Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu. Although the devotional community is well-acquainted
with the illustrious personality of His Holiness B.R. Sridhara
Maharaja, I may nonetheless take the opportunity to enumerate
some of his glories herein for my self-purification.
The brilliance of his unprecedented scholarship is
found in the artful compilation and harmony of Sri
Prapanna-jivanamrtam, Life Nectar of the Surrendered
Souls, accurately drawn from the axiomatic teachings of pure
devotion (bhakti-siddhanta-vani) as evolved by the
Vaisnava preceptors in the line of the bona fide Scriptures. We
have already seen the extraordinary competence of His Holiness
in preaching the beautiful, illuminating conceptions of the
kings of transcendental scholars - the Vaisnava Preceptors
headed by Sri Rupa, Sri Sanatana, and Sri Jiva - in various
languages throughout the whole of India. Upon reading the first
Sanskrit poem composed by His Holiness, Sri Bhaktivinoda
Viraha Dasakam, our Divine Master commented that the writing
was of a happy style. Srila Prabhupada profusely praised the
devotional gravity of the presentation, revealing his deep
satisfaction and joyful confidence that in times to come the
message of Sri Caitanyadeva would be befittingly upheld and
preached by the author. Just prior to his entrance into his
eternal pastimes, Srila Prabhupada, in preference to hearing
devotional prayer (kirtana) performed by devotees
recognized for expertise, called for His Holiness' pure
rendering of Sri Rupa-manjari pada, sei mora
sampada, the worshipful prayer of the Gaudiya Vaisnavas'
most cherished ideal.
The theme of Life-Nectar of the Surrendered Souls is
described in the introductory first chapter, Prelude to
Approaching Nectar. In some instances throughout the work, the
Bengali verse interpretation of the venerated pure devotees has
been fittingly given for the translation of the authentic
stanzas quoted. In Words of Nectar from the Devotees,
statements of the Supreme Lord have occasionally been
quoted in conformation with the development of the theme. In his
explanatory aphorisms that precede each stanza, the author
reveals the unique axiomatic truths (siddhanta) of his
Divine Succession. Doubtlessly, the good readers who know the
supereminence of the Gaudiya-siddhanta - the axiomatic
devotional teachings in the line of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu -
will be overjoyed with His Holiness' novel illuminations. In the
epilogue, the author has mentioned his line of Divine Succession
and the time and place of the writing of the book.
It has been vividly illustrated herein that a life
without surrender unto the lotus feet of Sri Krsna is utterly
futile, and the most treasured perfection achieved through
exclusive surrender has been revealed. This will especially
encourage those who are aspiring to enter the land of devotion,
drawing them onward to the lotus feet of Sri Hari. And it will
infuse spiritual joy and exhilaration in the hearts of the
established devotees. This book is the supreme wealth of the
surrendered souls. Devotion for the Supreme Lord, Sri
Hari-bhakti, is the singular quintessence in this world, and
only by exclusive surrender, saranagati, is it happily
attained. May this Life-Nectar of the Surrendered Souls
graciously appear all the world over, distributing the
ever-increasing aspiration to reach the abode of divine ecstasy
- the lotus feet of Sri Hari. Just as the repeated rubbing of
sandalwood produces more and more charming fragrance, we remain
confident that the faithful devotees, whose only pleasure is in
conclusive theological truth (sat-siddhanta), will
experience the ambrosial devotional fragrance of this holy
treatise in their spiritual discussions, and thus relish
transcendental delight. We shall consider ourselves blessed when
this book inevitably comes to be treasured by the august
assembly of the fortunate souls.
a Vaisnava's servant's servant,
Sri Nrsimhananda Brahmacari
on the holy anniversary of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Prabhupada's
departure,
Gaurabda 457 (14th January, 1944) at Sri Dhama Navadvipa
Sri Sri Prapanna-jivanamrtam, The Life-nectar of
the Surrendered Souls, is the crown-jewel of divine literatures
as the eternal elixir of life for the exclusively surrendered
souls, the bestower of the perpetual relish of full-fledged
nectar, and the awakening and sustaining fountainhead of life in
Divine Consorthood. Indeed, who can fittingly portray her holy
glory and renown? In the same way we cannot but feel ever
inadequate when we attempt to sing the glories of the
illustrious author, our most worshipful Divine Master, Om
Visnupada Sri Srila Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Deva Goswami
Maharaja, the dearmost intimate attendant of the great pioneer
pre-eminent among the Gaudiya Acaryas, Sri Gauranga's
transcendental message incarnate - Prabhupada Sri Srila Bhakti
Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakura. Even without world
itineracy, the seat of Universal Guru (Jagad-guru) of the
world's renowned gurus has been gracefully won by Srila
Sridhara Deva Goswami Maharaja while presiding in the grand,
noble distinction of his venerable years of devotional life at
the Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math of Nabadwip, his exclusive,
personal holy place of bhajana.
Since its first printing, which was in Bengali, this
sublime literature has brought heartfelt satisfaction to the
stalwart devotees of the highest order, being hailed by them as
an Essential Scripture to be unfailingly sung and cultivated as
a daily devotional function in spiritual life, as is customarily
practiced with the Holy Scriptures such as the Srimad
Bhagavad-gita. In both the Eastern and Western countries,
its English publication will doubtlessly be similarly worshiped
with the utmost reverence, constantly studied and sung with
devotion by the surrendered souls of fine theistic intellect,
and by the noble souls engaged in their divine search for the
Supreme Lord.
This monumental work was originally composed in the
Sanskrit language. The authentic Bengali translation that was
sanctioned by the author is extremely developed, profoundly
exploring the heart of the book; scholars who know the internal
conclusive scriptural purports can alone realize how difficult
is its translation and publication into English. However, by the
boundless mercy of the most magnanimous Supreme Lord Sri
Caitanyacandra, the fountainhead of all incarnations of Godhead,
and by the causeless grace of His most beloved, our Divine
Master, and the pure devotees whose hearts are absorbed in
divine love - this formidable task has now been fulfilled. Thus,
I again and again worship the holy lotus feet of Them all.
For their tireless efforts to usher in the Advent of
the present edition in its perfectly elegant form, all those
Godbrothers and Godsisters who served in the various facets of
the publication have attained the unending graces of our Divine
Master and the Vaisnavas. They have bound us in eternal
gratitude. For executing the task of the English translation,
proofing, and editing, special mention is due to Tridandiswami
Sripada Bhakti Ananda Sagara Maharaja, assisted by Sriman
Nimaisundara Brahmacari Vidyavinoda. And for their dedicated
effort in securing the necessary funds and assistance for the
printing and publishing of the work in a most dignified
presentation, special mention is due to Sripada Dayadhara
Gauranga Dasa Brahmacari Bhakti Prabhakara Prabhu and all the
good devotees assisting him.
In conclusion, invoking the charming verse of Sri
Gurupadapadma, this humble servant earnestly prays at his
holy lotus feet that this crownjewel of Sacred Writings, Sri
Sri Prapanna-jivanamrtam, may remain with Her merciful
presence in every land, in every home, and in every heart. And
in Her gracious acquiescence, may She acknowledge the glorious
victory of Her goodwill by churning and overflooding the entire
living universe with Her supramundane wave of ecstatic love, to
bless all souls with the supreme good fortune.
sri-srimad-bhagavat-padambuja-madhu-svadotsavaih
sat-padair
niksipta madhu-bindavas ca parito bhrasta mukhat
gunjitaih
yatnaih kincid ihahrtam nija-parasreyo 'rthina tan maya
bhuyobhuya ito rajamsi pada-samlagnani tesam bhaje
"The bees, intoxicated in the festival of drinking the
honey of the Lord's lotus feet, busily humming the glories of
the Lord, drops of honey from their mouths fall and scatter all
around; for my divine prospect, I've carefully collected some of
those drops herein - and thus do I worship the dust of the holy
lotus feet of those saints, again and again."
I beg to remain most humbly,
Tridandi-bhiksu Sri Bhakti Sundara Govinda
16 October, 1987
93rd Holy Appearance Day of
His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Deva Goswami
Maharaja
This Divine Book was prepared and presented to the Lotus Hands
of the Venerable Author by his disciples and aspiring servitors
on the celebrated appearance day of Lord Gauracandra, Sri
Caitanya Mahaprabhu, March 3, 1988
Because the soul is a particle of consciousness, it is
endowed with free will. Eliminating free will, only gross matter
remains. Without independence, the soul could not progress from
bondage to liberation, and his ultimate salvation would have
been impossible. But his spirit of exploitation is a foreign
force, an intoxicant - a miscalculation that surrounds his
independence.
Life's objectives may be scientifically analyzed as
threefold: exploitation, renunciation, and dedication. The most
common tendency is in those engaged in exploiting other persons,
species, or elements, for mundane sense enjoyment. They desire
to materially elevate themselves in the present environment, and
thus they are described as elevationists. A more sober class
discover the severe equal and opposite reactions to worldly
pursuits, and they engage in renunciation of the world, in
search of an equilibrium comparable to a deep, dreamless
slumber. By being unawake to the world, they hope to escape its
concomitant reactions and sufferings. Thus their goal is
liberation, and they are known as salvationists or
liberationists. But through the correct interpretation of the
Revealed Scriptures by learned votaries such as Sri Sanatana
Goswami, Sri Jiva Goswami, and Sri Ramanuja, the devotees of
divinity know the pursuits of both exploitation and renunciation
as not only fruitless, but injurious to real progress.
The normal, wholesome, and happy plane is in the life
of dedication. Without exploiting or borrowing anything from the
environment, and without attempting to artificially renounce it,
one who is sincere to dedicate himself naturally comes into
contact with a higher and more subtle plane of life. By his
readiness to give and serve, he will attain to a higher society
and achieve an appropriate master. The enjoying spirit forces
one to be associated with a lower section to control and enjoy.
And the renouncing spirit allures even the scholars with its
'prestigious' superiority over exploitation. Thus it is more
dangerous, just as a half-truth is more dangerous than
falsehood. As it is difficult to awaken someone from the deepest
possible sleep, the liberationists may remain for incalculable
time within their cell of non-differentiated liberation. But the
higher existence will invite the service of one who desires to
purely dedicate himself without remuneration. Seva - service, dedication, is the summum bonum
of the teachings of the Vaisnava school, the third plane of life
where every unit is a dedicating member in an organic whole. In
such a normal adjustment, everyone mutually assists one another
in their service to the center, the higher recipient, the
highest entity. Everything is existing to satisfy Him, because
He must possess this qualification to be the Absolute. He is the
prime cause of all causes - and everything exists for Him, to
satisfy Him.
A barren conception of mere 'deathlessness' cannot
afford us any knowledge of a positive thing, but only freedom
from the negative side. If immortality means 'no influence of
mortality,' what, then, is its positive conception? What will be
the nature, movement, and progress of that which is immortal?
Without this understanding immortality is only an abstract idea.
Because it does not appear to exhibit the symptoms of death,
stone would be 'more immortal' than human beings, and conscious
entities would be 'mortal,' forever denied immortality! What,
then, is the positive conception of immortality? How are the
immortal 'immortal'? What is the positive reality in
immortality? How can one become immortal? One must search out
his intrinsic location in the universal order. It will not do to
attempt to solve only the negative side of life which is full of
suffering - birth, death, infirmity, and disease. We should know
that there exists a conception of life worth living for. This
positive side has been almost totally neglected in general
religious views.
The 'immortality' professed by the schools of Buddha
and Sankaracarya yields no positive life. Their goals are
maha-nirvana and brahma-sayujya respectively. The
Buddhist theory is that after liberation, nothing remains. They
crave absolute extinction of material existence
(prakrti-nirvana). And the Sankarite monist theory of
liberation is to lose one's individuality by 'becoming one' with
the non-differentiated aspect of the Absolute. That is, they
crave extinction in Brahman (brahma-nirvana). They
postulate that when the triad of seer, seen, and seeing
(drasta-drsya-darsana), or knower, knowable, and
knowledge (jnata-jneya-jnana) culminate at one point, the
triad is destroyed (triputi-vinasa) and nothing
remains.
Material action and reaction ceases in Viraja, the
river of passivity, which is located at the uppermost edge of
this illusory (mayika) world. And above Viraja is the
destination of the Sankarites - the 'abscissa' stage or the
non-differentiated plane of Brahman, called Brahmaloka, which is
located at the lowest edge of the spiritual realm. Both are
vague areas of Ônegative immortality.Õ Brahmaloka
is a marginal or 'buffer' state midway between the material and
spiritual worlds. Composed of innumerable souls, it is an
immortal plane devoid of specific variegatedness
(nirvisesa). It possesses positivity only in the sense
that it is a plane of existence, a background (kastha),
but in itself it lacks positive development of variegated
existence (kala). The nature of the background is
oneness, and development woven over it necessitates plurality or
a differentiated nature (kala-kasthadirupena
parinama-pradayini- Candi, Markandeya
Purana). In the Bhagavad-gita (15.16), mutable
(ksara) and immutable (aksara) existences are
described, representing the personal and the impersonal, the
development and the basis, or differentiated and
non-differentiated conceptions of general existence. The mutable
is represented by the multitude of embodied living beings, while
the immutable aspect is the great expanse of the
all-accommodating Absolute, the Brahman (8.3). In the analysis
of worldly action, the most subtle form of unfructified past
action, prior to the present tendency (the seedling stage) to
sin, has been defined (B.r.s. Purva 1.23) as unknowable,
indistinct, and of untraceable origin (kuta). The
immutable Brahman aspect of the Absolute is similarly defined as
being one-dimensional - undetectable, unspecific, and of no
definite color, sound, or taste; an unknown and unknowable
'un-understandable' stage of existence (kuta). But the
Supreme Lord, Krsna, is above both the mutable and immutable
existences, and thus His glories are sung throughout the
Vedas and in the world as the Purusottama, the Supreme
Personality (Bg. 15.18). Sri Sukadeva Goswami affirms
that in the most remote and distant plane, Lord Krsna is to be
found: everywhere is He - the fountainhead of all conceptions
(vidura-kasthaya, Bha: 2.4.14). He cannot be
eliminated.
Thus, the 'immortality' of the impersonalistic schools
such as Buddhists, Sankarites, etc., offers no positive life.
But in Vaisnavism, immortality is positive, dynamic existence.
Above the non-differentiated Brahman aspect of the Absolute, the
transcendental, variegated existence begins in the first glimpse
of the spiritual sky, the plane known as Paravyoma (C.c.
Madhya 19.153). Situated there in the spiritual plane is the
positive Kingdom of God: firstly Vaikuntha, then Ayodhya,
Dvaraka, Mathura, and finally, above all, Goloka.
Transcending the vague areas of 'negative immortality' that the
impersonalists aspire for, the devotees - the Vaisnavas -
dedicate themselves to the life of eternal devotional service to
the Supreme Lord of the transcendental realm (Bg. 18.54).
Although the soul can maladopt himself to a fallen state of
existence in the planes of exploitation and renunciation, he is
inherently adoptable to the positive life in the Kingdom of God.
And fully blossomed, he reaches the realm of Goloka (svarupe
sabara haya golokete sthiti - Sri Sri Krsnera
Astottara-sata-nama). Sri Prapanna-jivanamrtam: amrta means
'undying,' or 'nectar,' and jivana means 'life.' Positive
immortality is possible only for the surrendered
(prapannanam). All others are necessarily mortal. Only
those who have wholly given themselves to the center are living
in eternality. Surrender is fully established in its excellence
and its constant position. Yet there is variegatedness within
that constancy, in the form of progressive movement, or pastimes
(vilasa). The Supreme Absolute Personality being
infinitely superior to both the mutable "mortals' and the
immutable "immortal' (negative) Brahman, only the
svarupa-siddha souls - those who are perfectly
established in their divine relationship with Him - are
eternally freed from the disease of mutation and mortality
(svarupena-vyavasthitih, Bha: 2. 10.6).
With a broad vision, we must know ourselves as created
of smaller stuff, and thus only with assistance from above can
we improve our situation and achieve a position in the higher
plane. A submissive, serving attitude is necessary in us. If we
submit, the universal dictatorial aspect of the Absolute will
take us upward to a higher prospect. He is the autocrat, the
absolute knowledge, the absolute good - everything about Him is
absolute. Being in a vulnerable position as we experience in
this world, why, then, should we not submit to Him?
The road to the sphere of transcendence
(adhoksaja) is the deductive or descending method
(avaroha-pantha). We can reach the absolute good, the
absolute will, by His consent alone. Only by faith in absolute
surrender is anyone allowed entry into that domain, never by
Ôexploration,Õ by Ôcolonization,Õ or
by attempting to become a ÔmonarchÕ there. No
inductive or ascending method (aroha-pantha) such as
renunciation or yoga, etc., can compel Him to accept us.
Whosoever He chooses can alone reach Him (Svet. 6.23).
Although the highest point of the renunciates is desirelessness
or freedom from possessiveness, the surrendered soul
(saranagata) is naturally desireless (akincana,
C.c.Madhya 22.99). Detachment is only the
negative side of surrender, and above selflessness, the devotee
surrenders himself to the higher substance, and this is to be
awake in another world, another plane of life. Such is the
positive, Vaisnava conception of life - to determine one's real
self beyond the jurisdiction of the world of
misconception.
The nature of the progressive substance is eternal
existence, knowledge, and beauty (sac-cid-ananda). The
one harmonizing organic whole (advaya-jnana-tattva)
contains all similarities and differences, held inconceivably in
the hand of the Absolute (acintya-bhedabheda-tattva). And
there is no anarchy in the absolute power. Nonetheless, mercy is
found to be above justice. Above judiciousness, the supreme
position is held by love, sympathy, and beauty: 'I am the
absolute power, but I am friendly to you all. Knowing this, you
need never fear (Bg. 5.29).' This revelation relieves us
of all apprehension: we are not victims of a chaotic
environment, but it is judicious, considerate - and the ultimate
dispenser is our friend.
Sri Jiva Goswami has stated that of the six symptoms of
surrender, to embrace the guardianship of the Lord (goptrtve
varanam) is central, since total surrender expresses the
same ideal. The remaining five symptoms of accepting the
favorable, rejecting the unfavorable, faith in the Lord's
protection, full self-surrender, and humility, are natural
contributing associate-servitors to the ideal
(angangi-bhedena sad-vidha; tatra 'goptrtve varanam'
evangi, saranagati-sabdenaikarthyat; anyani tv
angani tat parikaratvat - Bhakti-sandarbha, 236).
Surrender is the foundation of the world of devotion.
It is the very life and essence. One cannot enter into that
domain without surrender. It must be present in every form of
service, and to attempt divine service without it will be mere
imitation or a lifeless formality. The entire gist of the Vedic
instruction is to dedicate oneself to the service of the Lord.
In his commentary of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Sri Sridhara
Swamipada has stated that only if the practices of devotion are
initially offered to the Supreme Lord can they be recognized as
devotion. To attempt to execute them and subsequently offer them
cannot be pure devotion (iti nava laksanani yasyah sa,
adhitena ced bhagavati visnau bhaktih kriyate. sa carpitaiva
sati yadi kriyeta, na tu krta sati pascad arpyeta) Without
surrender, the activity will be adulterated with exploitation,
renunciation, artificial meditation (karma, jnana,
yoga), and so on.
By constitution, the soul is the Lord's servant, and
the Lord has the right to make or mar, to do anything according
to His sweet will. If accepting this truth we undertake the
devotional practices such as hearing, chanting, remembering, and
worshipping, only then will our activity be devotional. Only the
activity of the self-dedicated soul can be devotion. Sincere
prayer will help us to seek the help of the Lord, but, again,
prayer in the spirit of surrender can alone reach Him
(Saranagati, 1.5). The path of devotion entails
increasing our negative status to invite the positive to descend
and embrace us: 'I am very low, and You are so high. You can
purify me, take me and utilize me for Your higher purpose. Be
pleased. Otherwise I am helpless, neglected.' It is impossible
to take Him captive in the cage of our knowledge. Only the way
of devotion can help us. In every respect He is high, great, and
infinite - and we are similarly small. His mercy - His sympathy,
love, and grace, are the only medium through which we can come
together. And good faith is autonomous in that sweet land which
is so high that we will earnestly hope and pray for the
association of the higher existence as His slave; and that also
will be our happy prospect for the future.
Krsna is not within our purview, and thus we are always
recommended by Scriptures and saints to approach the bona fide
Divine Master and Vaisnavas. To satisfy the Supreme Lord, the
criterion is to satisfy our Gurudeva: if Gurudeva is
dissatisfied with us, the Lord is surely dissatisfied. An
analogy has been cited in the Scriptures where the Lord is
compared to the sun, the Guru to a pond, and the disciple to a
lotus flower. If the pond withdraws, the very sun will scorch
and dry up the lotus - and the lotus will be cheered by the sun
as long as the water supports and surrounds it. Yasya
prasadad bhagavat prasado, yasyaprasadan na gatih kuto 'pi,
dhyayam stavams tasya yasas tri-sandhyam, vande guroh
sri-caranaravindam (Gurvastakam, 8): 'I bow down to
the lotus feet of Sri Gurudeva. By his grace we achieve the
grace of Krsna; without his grace, we are lost. Therefore, at
daybreak, noon, and evening, we meditate upon and sing the
glories of Sri Gurudeva, and pray for his mercy.'
The Vaisnava Guru's dealings with the disciple are all
grace, and his grace is his will to extend his wealth to the
disciple. His instruction is the medium of asserting his will,
which is service for the satisfaction of the Lord. And by
service, we invite his grace. By an earnest desire to serve, we
draw his sympathy and his willing extension of goodwill to
encourage us in our relationship with the supreme entity.
Firstly, surrender: we must offer him exclusive respect
(pranipata), otherwise we shall not allow ourselves to
approach him. Secondly, we may make our sincere and substantial
inquiry (pariprasna). In a surrendered spirit, we
may hear our Divine Master's messages which he delivers to us
from his venerated seat, the Vyasasana. In that conducive
setting, the proper inspiration and dictation may fortuitously
come down to us. And finally, to render service (sevaya)
enables us to taste the essence (Bg. 4.34).
On the instruction of his Gurudeva Devarsi Narada,
Vyasadeva had to undergo a progressive development (Bha:
1.5). Narada is established in non-calculative devotion
(jnana-sunya-bhakti, or
jnana-vimukta-bhakti-paramah), and above Narada is
Uddhava, who is established in exclusive divine love for Krsna
(premaika-nisthah). Until one reaches Goloka, where there
is full-fledged Krsna conception, all other stages may be
changeable. There is no further change when one is firmly
established in his serving relationship with the Original Lord
(svayam-bhagavan), Krsna. In the narrative of
Brhad-Bhagavatamrtam, Gopakumara passes through
Vaikuntha, Ayodhya, Mathura, Dvaraka, and then he finally
arrives in Vrndavana. There, his particular divine relationship
with the Lord firmly culminates in friendship
(sakhya-rasa). For him, the previous stages were passing,
although for others a permanent relationship may occur in one of
them. They are progressive stages of Ôpositive
immortality.Õ
On the banks of the Godavari river, in progressively
deeper and deeper planes, the entirety of theological
development was expressed in the conversation between Sri
Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Sri Ramananda Raya. A positive hierarchy
of divine relationships with the Lord exists in progressive
stages for the various types of devotees
(karmibhyah...kah krti, Upa. 10), each type
having its characteristic central relationship
(vaikunthaj...viveki na kah, Upa. 9). In
the divine realm, the depth and degree of surrender may also be
measured according to the science of mellows
(rasa-tattva): peacefulness, servitorship, friendship,
parenthood, and consorthood (santa-, dasya-,
sakhya-, vatsalya-, madhura-rasa) are the
natural divisions, each consecutively of a finer layer. And
higher than even the direct consorthood of the Godhead is the
most elevated of the entire compass of devotional services - the
divine service of the Supreme Predominated Moiety (Sri
Radha-dasya).
According to the intensity of surrender - to the point
of no return - the quality of the magnitude of truth encountered
may be measured. The inner sweetness of the truth and its
infinite characteristic attracts the devotees' hearts to the
highest degree, so much that they never feel any satisfaction of
achievement in what is actually the acme of their highest
fortune. In Vaikuntha, only peacefulness and servitorship are
present, with a hint of friendship. If we commit the offense of
giving more attention to law than to love, we will be 'cast
down' from Goloka to Vaikuntha: Goloka is the land of love, and
there the inhabitants know nothing more. And by love is meant
self-sacrifice and self-forgetfulness for the service of Krsna,
without a care for one's good or bad future - total risk in the
extreme.
In his Bhakti-sandarbha, Sri Jiva Goswami
defines 'Bhagavan,' the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
as more than 'Lord Narayana of Vaikuntha, the most powerful in
all phases.' Above that, His existence, appearance, and nature
attracts everyone to serve Him, love Him, and die for Him
(bhajaniya-guna-visista). His qualification is so
beautiful. Thus, the highest conception of the Godhead is the
Krsna conception, and He can be known by the devotees in Krsna
consciousness. Those who serve and worship the Supreme Lord
according to the scriptural regulation and calculation belong to
the category of Vaikuntha worship. In Vaikuntha, in the initial
transcendental conscious conception (adhoksaja), the
Godhead as Lord Narayana accepts reverential service in His
Majestic Dignity. But the devotees of the highest order are
exclusively surrendered to the
service of Lord Krsna with their innermost love and
faith.
The Krsna conception of Goloka Vrndavana is
corroborated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, which is the
greatest interpretation of the Vedic Scriptures. And Sri
Caitanya Mahaprabhu is known to be Krsna Himself, united with
His highest potency, Sri Radha. Mahaprabhu Sri Caitanyadeva has
clearly revealed that the genuine interpretation and purpose of
all the Revealed Scriptures is to faithfully guide us to the
highest goal: the domain of love and unconditional surrender
unto the central power of truth, personified in Lord Krsna as
beauty and affection. Not power, but affection is the highest
force to attract us all. Consciously or unconsciously, the
absolute position is held by love and affection, and love is
superior to all power and knowledge. It is the real fulfillment
of the inner heart. Our inner existence wants only love, beauty,
and affection - neither knowledge nor power. The finite cannot
capture the infinite, but the infinite can make Himself known to
the finite. And when the infinite appears as a member of the
finite land, the highest gain of the finite is achieved. Krsna
carries His father's shoes, and He cries when chastised by His
mother. Through love, the Absolute comes down to the
finite.
The infinite's most intimate approach to the finite is
found in Vrndavana. The infinite comes to embrace the finite in
its fullest capacity (aprakrta), mixing with finite
things so closely that people cannot perceive the Lord's
transcendental Godly character as the Divinity. We, the
infinitesimal souls, can attain our greatest fortune when the
infinite comes to us in His highest approach - as if He were one
of us! His approach is so merciful, so great, so intimate, and
so perfect.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is sweetness and
magnanimity combined, openly announced that we are all natural
slaves of the highest entity (C.c. Madhya 20.108). But
this is slavery to the great force of love and beauty. It is the
greatest fortune to be utilized in any way by the absolute
existence, knowledge, and beauty - to be in harmony with the
highest center. No one is forced or barred but this is the
soul's intrinsic nature.
Faithfully in the Divine Succession from
Nitya-lila-pravista Om Visnupada Paramahamsa Astottara-sata Sri
Srimad Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupada, especially
inspired by the divine message of Srila Thakura Bhaktivinoda's
Saranagati, and attending the authentic Gaudiya Vaisnava
literatures such as Sri Hari-bhakti-vilasa and
Bhakti-sandarbha as well as the writings of other
Authorized Divine Successions such as the Ramanuja
Sampradaya - this Sri Sri Prapanna-jivanamrtam has
been compiled in order to supply the devotees' spiritual
sustenance and nourishment. Surrender is the indispensable
necessity in the life of a devotee, and Life-Nectar of the
Surrendered Souls will sustain and fortify the surrendered souls
as the nectar in their lives of Positive and Progressive
Immortality.
