Humility and Sādhanā
By Swāmī Śrī Bhaktivedānta Tripurāri, excerpted from Śikṣāṣṭakam of Śrī Caitanya.
While nāma-saṅkīrtana is the universal panacea, to experience deep attachment for Kṛṣṇa nāma, one must approach it with the humility that Mahāprabhu expresses in the second and third verses of Śikṣāṣṭakam. Such humility implies a systematic approach under the guidance of Śrī Guru, for humility before Kṛṣṇa nāma involves humbling oneself before its bearer, through whom Kṛṣṇa nāma agrees to come into our lives. If anyone should doubt nāma-saṅkīrtana’s efficacy, not having experienced its effects even after engaging in it, such doubt should be set aside with the understanding that although Kṛṣṇa nāma can be chanted under any circumstances, to experience all of its glory one must approach Nāma Prabhu with the blessing of the guru and engage in nāma-saṅkīrtana under his or her guidance. In this way, gradually that which is impeding one from fully embracing Kṛṣṇa nāma will be removed, clearing one’s path to spiritual progress. Thus nāma-saṅkīrtana comes to the world through the guru-paramparā, and Kṛṣṇa nāma chooses to reveal himself to those who honor this fact with all of its ramifications.
At this point one may justifiably question how a spiritual practice that is said to be unencumbered by restrictions of time, place, and so on—one that is relatively rule free—must be performed under the guidance of another, and all that this entails, for it to be effective. The answer to this doubt is that while nāma-saṅkīrtana transcends regulations governing other spiritual practices, there are nonetheless a number of things that help to create the conducive environment in which Kṛṣṇa nāma chooses to manifest its full glory. Śrī Kṛṣṇa himself corroborates this in Bhagavad-gītā. When describing the principal characteristics of mahātmās, he says that they are always engaged in kīrtana but then qualifies their participation in kīrtana with the words yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ: “striving with determination in their observance of vows.”1 This unflinching observance of vows refers to following the guidance of Śrī Guru, śāstra, and sādhu in an effort to clear impediments and create a favorable environment for chanting.
What is it that impedes one’s ability to take advantage of the glory of nāma-saṅkīrtana? It is misfortune (durdaivam) in the form of anarthas. Anarthas are literally “false values.” They are those activities and thought patterns that get in the way of one’s ability to understand that which is actually valuable. Under their influence one is distracted even while chanting Kṛṣṇa nāma, and on account of this one cannot take full advantage of the chanting.
Anarthas are varied and numerous. They arise from pious as well as impious acts within the realm of karma. They also arise from within the culture of Kṛṣṇa bhakti, for when as a result of Kṛṣṇa bhakti one develops good qualities, fame and fortune may also come. If one then mistakes these things for being worthy of cultivation, one tends to the weed as opposed to the bhakti creeper itself. Finally, anarthas also arise from offenses. Such sins of the soul are most detrimental. The root of all anarthas, however, lies in false pride, pratiṣṭhā. In this regard, Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda cites the following verse from Haribhakti-vilāsa in his Bhajana-rahasya:
After renouncing all anarthas,
pride, their root, may still remain.
One should avoid this pratiṣṭhā,
as if it were sewage in one’s drain.2
When sādhakas take to the path of nāma-dharma in humility with the blessing of Śrī Guru, they learn the method of nāma-bhajana. They learn what is favorable and unfavorable to the chanting. They show gratitude to the preceptor and, in doing so, become fit for spiritual practice, fortified by the wisdom, example, and grace of an experienced devotee. Adherence to the instructions of Śrī Guru thus equips sādhakas to progress despite anarthas in such a way as to gradually uproot them. Submission to the guru requires humility. Such humility fosters bhakti, and bhakti in turn fosters further humility.
Gaurahari speaks in this verse with lamentation as well as humility. He is lamenting his unfortunate condition and thus his heart swells up with dainya, humility. Sādhakas should feel like this. Such sincere humility attracts the grace and sympathy of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, thus terminating once and for all one’s sorrowful sojourn of saṁsāra. Therefore Śrī Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī comments that although Mahāprabhu expresses lamentation in the second verse of Śikṣāṣṭakam, on hearing its significance all sorrow is silenced.3
Regardless of how fallen one may be, sincere acknowledgment of one’s condition and subsequent humility attracts sympathy and thus power beyond oneself. Śrīman Mahāprabhu, the great master, teaches us this lesson here. One’s unfortunate condition (durdaivam), when sincerely acknowledged and understood, begets a natural humility that attracts the sympathy of Kṛṣṇa nāma and thus a solution to the problem posed here in verse two that despite the glories of nāma-saṅkīrtana, one has no attraction for it. Humility and the desire to overcome anarthas do not cause all anarthas to immediately disappear, but because they attract the sympathy of Kṛṣṇa nāma, he stays with one despite one’s background of offenses, and thus one is gradually purified by his grace and one’s nāma-bhajana becomes steady.
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