суббота, 31 октября 2015 г.

OM VishnuPad Sanatana Goswami about Nama-Sankirtana burning prarabdha-karma


This is the excerpt from "Shree Brihad-Bhagavatamrita", the crucial Grantha of Shree Gaudiya-Sampradaya. The question about burning prarabdha-karma is rather uncertain one, because some Vaishnava-Acharyas say, that prarabdha can be burnt instantly, in a flash, but some Acharyas say, that
time is needeed to burn prarabdha (as in the case of wheel, that needs some time to stop after spinning).

Shree Chaitanya-Sampradaya is The Sampradaya, which lays profound emphasis on Nama-Sankirtana (please see this post), so OM VishnuPad Sanatana Goswami links the burning of prarabdha-karma with Nama-Sankirtana, actually The Names of Lord Shree Krishna.  

Still, the question is not crucial for us (Shree Ramanuja-Sampradaya), as we believe that only Prapatti can burn prarabdha-karma, however I have scanned the following excerpt in order to make it easy to find in Internet (because the enquiry about prarabdha-karma is one of the most popular ones). 

"SHREE BRIHAD-BHAGAVATAMRITA" 

(link to the Book, pages 607-611):

इच्छावशात् पापमुपासकानां  क्षीयेत भोगोन्मुखमप्यमुष्मात् । 
प्रारब्धमात्रं भवतीतरेषां  कर्मावशिष्टं तदवश्यभोग्यम् । । १६९ । ।

ichChAvashAt pApamupAsakAnAM kShIyeta bhogonmukhamapyamuShmAt | 
prArabdhamAtraM bhavatItareShAM karmAvashiShTaM tadavashyabhogyam | | 169 | |

Translation: "In accordance with the desire of those worshipers who are always attached to serving the names of Bhagavan, their sinful reactions that are imminent are destroyed. However, for non-worshipers who occasionally engage in nama-kirtana, only the sinful reactions from which they are presently suffering (prarabdha-karma) remain, and it is necessary that they experience them".

Dig-Darshini-Tika: Shree Gopa-kumara might doubt, “Despite performing the powerful process of nama-kirtana, why are the devotees still seen to be subject to different forms of distress?” 

In response, the Vaikuntha parishadas speak this verse beginning with iccha. 

They say, “Although all the fructified sinful reactions (prarabdha karma-phala) of those who are devoted to serving the names of Shree Bhagavan may be visible in the form of distress, nevertheless, their sinful reactions are destroyed according to their own desire and only the pious merit (punya) that bestows auspiciousness remains intact. Why? It is up to the person engaging in nama-sankirtana whether he wants to alleviate his prarabdha-karma or not.”

It is mentioned in Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya: "The cycle of karma, which even the demigods and the demons are unable to transcend, is easily surmounted by the devotees due to the influence of bhakti".

“Those who do not worship the names of the Lord must suffer the sinful reactions (prarabdha-karma) that are presently manifesting even if they have somehow, at some time, engaged in nama-sankirtana. However, although their manifest (prarabdha) karma can only be exhausted by undergoing it, that karma which is not yet manifest (aprarabdha), as well as that which is latent (kutastha), and so on are destroyed.”

महाशया ये हरिनाम-सेवकाः सुगोप्यतद्भक्तिमहानिधेः स्वयम् ।
प्रकाशभीत्या व्यवहारभङ्गिभिः स्वदोषदुःखान्यनुदर्शयन्ति ते । । १७० । । 

mahAshayA ye harinAma-sevakAH sugopyatadbhaktimahAnidheH svayam |
prakAshabhItyA vyavahArabha~NgibhiH svadoShaduHkhAnyanudarshayanti te | | 170 | | 

Translation: The great souls, who render service to the name of Hari, are reluctant to reveal their vast, secret treasure of bhakti. Thus, in public they behave as if they are suffering due to their own fault.

Dig-Darshini-Tika: Shree Gopa-kumara might question, “Why were the imminent karmic reactions (bhoga-unmukha karma) of Bharata and other devotees not destroyed?” 

In reply, the Vaikuntha associates speak the verse beginning with maha. 

They say, “The great souls who are attached to the service of harinama have deep and mysterious moods. Externally, they appear to be suffering materially, but this is just to delude others. Actually, their behavior is difficult to understand. 

To alert everyone to the perils encountered in the development of one’s bhakti, Bharata Maharaja made a display of suffering. Looking after a baby deer, he ended up obtaining an unfortunate birth as the result of that lower association. 

What was his intention? Not willing to reveal the vast, confidential treasure of bhakti, such great souls exhibit distress to the public eye in order to conceal the happiness of devotion hidden in their hearts. Thus, they keep hidden their most intimate devotion to Bhagavan.”

तन्नाम-संकीर्तनमात्रतोऽखिला भक्त हरेः स्युर्हतदुःखदूषणा: ।
केचित्तथापि प्रभुवत् कृपाकुला लोकान् सदाचारमिमं प्रशासति । । १७१ । ।

tannAma-saMkIrtanamAtrato.akhilA bhakta hareH syurhataduHkhadUShaNA: |
kechittathApi prabhuvat kRRipAkulA lokAn sadAchAramimaM prashAsati | | 171 | |

Translation: Although merely by performance of sankirtana of the names of Shree Bhagavan, the sufferings and faults of all devotees are destroyed, still, some devotees who are merciful just like the Supreme Lord accept distress or exhibit flaws just to instruct ordinary people about proper conduct. 

Dig-Darshini-Tika: Shree Gopa-kumara might object, “Is it not their duty to manifest that great treasure of nama-sankirtana for the deliverance of the whole world?” 

The Vaikuntha associates reply in this verse beginning with tannama. 

They say, “All the faults and distresses of the devotees of Hari are indeed destroyed by the chanting of the name of the Lord (nama-sankirtana). However, being merciful like Bhagavan, some devotees give instruction on virtuous conduct (sadacara), for instance, in the form of rejecting bad association. If one does not adopt proper behavior, one’s heart will be tainted by sin, and the inclination for devotional service will not arise naturally.”

दुःसङ्गदोषं भरतादयो यथा दुर्द्युतदोषं च युधिष्ठिरादयः ।
ब्रह्मस्वभीतिं च नृगादयोऽमलाः प्रादर्शयन् स्वव्यवहारतो जनान् । । १७२ । ।

duHsa~NgadoShaM bharatAdayo yathA durdyutadoShaM cha yudhiShThirAdayaH |
brahmasvabhItiM cha nRRigAdayo.amalAH prAdarshayan svavyavahArato janAn | | 172 | |

Translation:  For example, even though devotees such as Maharaja Bharata were thoroughly pure at heart, they demonstrated the fault of bad association. Shree Yudhishthira Maharaja, being the embodiment of dharma (Dharmaraja), exhibited the mistake of gambling, and the sinless King Naga and others displayed the sin of stealing from a brahmana, all just to give instruction to the common people.

Dig-Darshini-Tika: In this verse beginning with duhsanga, the Vaikuntha associates give examples of how devotees show the unfavorable results of taking bad association. 

They say, “Although a devotee such as Bharata Maharaja was pure-hearted, just for the purpose of instruction, he personally raised a baby deer, and due to his apparent attachment, took birth in a lower species. In this way, he demonstrated the consequences of wrong association.” 

The word adi, meaning ‘others,’ indicates devotees such as Saubhari Muni. “All of them were pure-hearted and free from defects, but they acted improperly just to instruct the entire world.”

Cited from "SHREE BRIHAD-BHAGAVATAMRITA" by Shree Shreemad Sanatana Goswami, translation by Shree Shreemad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaj (2 TRANSLATIONS) - http://vishnudut1926.blogspot.ru/2013/02/blog-post.html
pages 607-611