SB 1.2 Divinity and Divine Service,Section D- Verses 16- 22

-Section D- verse 16- 22 explains how bhakti progresses for a devotee

Verse	Theme	Level in Bhakti by VCT
1.2.16 - śuśrūṣoḥ śraddadhānasya vāsudeva-kathā-ruciḥ syān mahat- sevayā viprah puṇya-tīrtha-niṣevaṇāt	1.2.16 How to get affinity for hearing the Lord's message?  By serving pure devotees	satam krpa - the "mercy of devotees". Opportunity to serve arises from their causeless mercy- mercy is the first step mahat seva - "service to devotees" is second stage sraddha- faith. sraddhadhanasya- VCT explains this as a "for a man in whom faith has developed by serving devotees" gurupadasrayah- seeking shelter at the feet of Guru. VCT - punya tirtha nisevanat - tirtha means guru. a man in whom faith has developed must seek shelter at the feet of Guru. bhajanesu sprha - eagerness to worship. susrusoh means that a person who becomes eager to hear by taking shelter at the feet of Guru will eventually develop taste
1.2.17- śṛṇvatāḿ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ hṛdy antaḥ stho hy abhadrāṇi vidhunoti suhṛt satām	1.2.17 The Lord personally cleanses the desire for material enjoyment...... from the heart of that truthful devotee who has developed an urge to hear His messages	He removes abhadrani - anarthas-which cause unsteadiness.The six anarthas that initially cause unsteadiness are detailed here. This contains one stage -Bhajanesu sprha. From the desire to hear follows the practice of hearing, chanting and then remembering. So much therefore depends on our eagerness to hear and chant.
1.2.18 naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu nityaḿ bhāgavata-sevayā bhagavaty uttama-śloke bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī	1.2.18 The Two Bhagavats that help a devotee overcome that which is troublesome	What occurs after we become eager to hear, which begins the clearing of material desires from our heart.3 stages:  Bhaktih-The phrase bhakti bhavati naishthiki contains the word bhakti- devotional service. Srila VCT makes no comment on this verse.   anarthapagamam - disappearance of obstacles. The phrase nasta prayesu abhadresu means that inauspicious things, including the namaparadhas are almost completely destroyed tatha nistha- then steadiness is achieved. Srila VCT explains that contained in the phrase bhaktir bhavati naishthiki is the word naishthiki which means nistha.
1.2.19 tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye ceta etair anāviddhaḿ sthitaḿ sattve prasīdat	From Unveiling His Lotus Feet:Text 19 states that when (tada) the effects of passion and ignorance(rajas tamo bhava) - lust , greeed and so on(kama lobhadayas ca ye ) no longer affect us(ceta etair anaviddham), we will become situated in goodness(sthitam sattve) and feel fully happy(prasidati) From the purport: "The soul's activity becomes adulterated in contact with matter, and as such the diseased activities are expressed in the form of lust, desire, hankering, inact[pivity, foolishness and sleep. The effect of devotional service becomes manifest by complete elimination of these effects of passion and ignorance. The devotee is fixed at once in the mode of goodness, and he makes further progress to rise to the position of Vāsudeva, or the state of unmixed sattva, or śuddha-sattva. Only in this śuddha-sattva state can one always see Kṛṣṇa eye to eye by dint of pure affection for the Lord."	What occurs after a devotee reaches nistha, steadiness? Text 19 indicates that it is difficult to advance under the grip of passion and ignorance. From passion comes distraction(viksepa), and from ignorance - sleepiness- laya. Adayah means "and more" negative qualities, such as anger, greed, envy and illusion. Srila VCT notes that Text 19 indicates two stages in the progression of bhakti- ruci and asakti. ruci- taste- He defines "the heart is not pierced by sense objects", by saying that one develops distaste(arucya) for sense objects. Thus one arrives at actual spiritual taste- ruci. although the word ruci was also mentioned in 1.2.16- vasudevah katha rucih, Srila VCT treated it only as a remote result of gurupadasrayah(taking shelter of Guru) and bhajanesu sprha(eagerness to worship) atha asakti - then firm attachment. Srila VCT explains that in "sthitam sattve prasidati"- sthitam means "fixed" means asaktam or firmly attached. Even in the stage of ruci- one's mind may wander. However we can drag it back under our control by the strength of our intelligence . The next stage , asakti(attachment) is different. If the mind does wander the stregth of our attraction to Krishna pulls it back.
1.2.20 evaḿ prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ bhagavat-tattva-vijñānaḿ mukta-sańgasya jāyate	From the purport:"Perfection of human life is attained when one can understand that he is not the product of matter but is in fact spirit. And as soon as one understands that he has nothing to do with matter, he at once ceases his material hankerings and becomes enlivened as a spiritual being. This attainment of success is possible when one is above the modes of passion and ignorance, or, in other words, when one is actually a brāhmaṇa by qualification."
1.2.21 bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiś chidyante sarva-saḿśayāḥ kṣīyante cāsya karmāṇi dṛṣṭa evātmanīśvare	From the purport:" This enlightenment perfectly enables the devotee to distinguish spirit from matter because the knot of spirit and matter is untied by the Lord. This knot is called ahańkāra, and it falsely obliges a living being to become identified with matter. As soon as this knot is loosened, therefore, all the clouds of doubt are at once cleared off. One sees his master and fully engages himself in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, making a full termination of the chain of fruitive action. ."

1.2.18 The Two Bhagavats that help a devotee overcome that which is troublesome

What occurs after we become eager to hear, which begins the clearing of material desires from the heart?

naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu

nityaḿ bhāgavata-sevayā

bhagavaty uttama-śloke

bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī

By regular attendance in classes on the Bhāgavatam and by rendering of service to the pure devotee, all that is troublesome to the heart is almost completely destroyed, and loving service unto the Personality of Godhead, who is praised with transcendental songs, is established as an irrevocable fact.

Important Points

A fixed mind can focus

1. In 1.2.17 the anarthas that cause unsteadiness start getting cleared by the Lord's mercy owing to the devotee's increased urge to hear. In 1.2.18 the anarthas that cause unsteadiness are almost completely destroyed . Thus the mind is fixed and can focus. This is the stage of Nistha - almost anartha nivritti. 
2. Main Point: The impediments to bhakti can be removed by service to devotees(person Bhagavata) and Bhagavatam. Thus by hearing and doing service. 
1. The messages of the book Bhagavata have to be received from the devotee Bhagavata, and the combination of these two Bhagavatas will help the neophyte devotee to make progress on and on . (From Unveiling His Lotus Feet - Page 58)
3. Importance of Relationships with devotees(mentioned by Hg Radha Krishna Prabhu while explaining this verse)
1. We avoid association of devotees because we do not want to give up material nature
1. It is impossible to do pure devotional service in association of material nature(therefore do yukta vairagya)
2. Association is important because we hear from the devotees and thus unwanted things leave our heart. Also Krishna is present in their heart.
3. On our own it is hard to grow therefore we must help each other.
4. Good relationships encourages us in service
4. From anartha nivritti you must come to nishtha else something is wrong with your execution.- Hg Radha Krishna Prabhu

1.2.17 The Lord personally cleanses the desire for material enjoyment......

Krishna Himself cleanses the anarthas

śṛṇvatāḿ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ

puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ

hṛdy antaḥ stho hy abhadrāṇi

vidhunoti suhṛt satām

SB 1.2.17: Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Paramātmā [Supersoul] in everyone's heart and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who has developed the urge to hear His messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted.

The process of hearing itself develops piety. In SB 1.2.16 we read that after serving devotees we get a desire to hear about Krishna. This verse explains what happens next.

Srila Prabhupada mentions in the purport:
But if one is engaged in hearing the glories of the Lord, gradually he realizes his real position. By the grace of God such a devotee gets sufficient strength to defend himself from the state of disturbances, and gradually all disturbing elements are eliminated from his mind.

Specific Anarthas cause unsteady devotional service. Those are listed in the second shower of the Madhurya Kadambini and are also detailed here:

Sravanam-From the Ear to the(cleansing of the) Heart

1. utsaha mayi - enthusiasm indicating pride thinkin that they unlike others have already mastered everything
2. ghana-tarala: moving unsteadily between diligence and negligence
3. vyudh- vikalpa: flickering determination
4. visaya - sangara: an ongoing struggle with sense pleasure
5. niyamaksama : inability to improve devotional practices
6. taranga rangini: delighting in material facilities that bhakti produces

But Krishna is so kind that if a devotee takes to the process of hearing and develops a strong urge to hear His message, He himself cleanses the desire for material enjoyment.

This gives me great hope as even after some years in devotional service I have not been able to overcome any of my anarthas. When I read this verse I feel very hopeful that if I just hear sincerely Krishna will remove all the abhadrani's from my heart and help me fully express my dormant love towards Him through pure devotional service.

HG RadhaKrishna Prabhu mentioned in class that the first quality of a devotee is the desire to hear about Krishna.When eagerness to hear about Krishna is very strong remembrance is very strong. Then the false ego can be cut to pieces- the material mind can be dissolved

1.2.16 How to get affinity for hearing the Lord's message?

śuśrūṣoḥ śraddadhānasya

vāsudeva-kathā-ruciḥ

syān mahat-sevayā viprāḥ

puṇya-tīrtha-niṣevaṇāt

SB 1.2.16: O twice-born sages, by serving those devotees who are completely freed from all vice, great service is done. By such service, one gains affinity for hearing the messages of Vāsudeva.

Some important points from Srila Prabhupada's purport

1.  The servants of God come to propagate God consciousness, and intelligent people should cooperate with them in every respect.
2. By serving the servant of God, one can please God more than by directly serving the Lord. The Lord is more pleased when He sees that His servants are properly respected because such servants risk everything for the service of the Lord and so are very dear to the Lord.
3. By serving the servants of the Lord, one gradually gets the quality of such servants, and thus one becomes qualified to hear the glories of God. The eagerness to hear about God is the first qualification of a devotee eligible for entering the kingdom of God. 

HG Radha Krishna Prabhu also mentioned in his class that we not only get affinity to hear the messages of Vasudeva but we also get the strength to act on what we have heard.

From Sivarama Swami's book "Suddha Bhakti Cintamani" Chapter entitled Eligibility for Devotion One", Pg 85:

"Rendering service to liberated devotees gives neopyhtes the strength to resist their lower conditioned nature and to stick to the higher, pure ideal of pleasing the Lord. Devotees who neglcet to keep the company with superior Vaishnavas , however, are unable to control their lower nature, and their impure faith leads them away from the path of pure devotion to the path of semblance of devotion. In this regard Caitanya Mahaprabhu quotes the following verse to Sanatana Goswami:

SB 5.12.12: My dear King Rahūgaṇa, unless one has the opportunity to smear his entire body with the dust of the lotus feet of great devotees, one cannot realize the Absolute Truth. One cannot realize the Absolute Truth simply by observing celibacy [brahmacarya], strictly following the rules and regulations of householder life, leaving home as a vānaprastha, accepting sannyāsa, or undergoing severe penances in winter by keeping oneself submerged in water or surrounding oneself in summer by fire and the scorching heat of the sun. There are many other processes to understand the Absolute Truth, but the Absolute Truth is only revealed to one who has attained the mercy of a great devotee.

SB 1.2.13 Hear submissively to make advancement

Important points from the purport to the verse:

tac chraddadhānā munayo jñāna-vairāgya-yuktayā

paśyanty ātmani cātmānaḿ bhaktyā śruta-gṛhītayā

The seriously inquisitive student or sage, well equipped with knowledge and detachment, realizes that Absolute Truth by rendering devotional service in terms of what he has heard from the Vedānta-śruti.

Points from Srila Prabhupada's purport

Book Bhagavat and person Bhagavat

1. A third class devotee is one who has knowledge - engages in so called devotional service is not detached from material association
2.  Therefore he has to receive instructions from authoritative sources of Bhagavata - the personality of a devotee and the Book Bhagavatam
3. A sincere devotee must, therefore, be prepared to hear the Vedic literature like the Upaniṣads, Vedānta and other literatures left by the previous authorities or Gosvāmīs, for the benefit of his progress. Without hearing such literatures, one cannot make actual progress. And without hearing and following the instructions, the show of devotional service becomes worthless and therefore a sort of disturbance in the path of devotional service. Unless, therefore, devotional service is established on the principles of śruti, smṛti, purāṇa or pañcarātra authorities, the make-show of devotional service should at once be rejected. An unauthorized devotee should never be recognized as a pure devotee. By assimilation of such messages from the Vedic literatures, one can see the all-pervading localized aspect of the Personality of Godhead within his own self constantly. This is called samādhi.

The Supreme Occupation

One of the verses that attracted me to Krishna Consciousness was the verse that explained the Supreme Occupation of all humanity:

SB 1.2.6:The supreme occupation [dharma] for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted to completely satisfy the self.

Some very powerful lines from Srila Prabhupada's purport:

"One should, therefore, accept the superior quality of occupation in the form of the devotional service of the Lord without any tinge of unnecessary desire, fruitive action and philosophical speculation. This alone can lead one to perpetual solace in His service."

"We have purposely denoted dharma as occupation because the root meaning of the word dharma is "that which sustains one's existence." A living being's sustenance of existence is to coordinate his activities with his eternal relation with the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa."

"The relation is one of the servant and the served. It is transcendental and is completely distinct from our experience in material existence. This relation of servant and the served is the most congenial form of intimacy. One can realize it as devotional service progresses. Everyone should engage himself in that transcendental loving service of the Lord, even in the present conditional state of material existence. That will gradually give one the clue to actual life and please him to complete satisfaction. "

Any dissatisfaction in the heart is only because of not being situated in our eternal identity of a servant of Lord Krishna. Matter can only leave us hankering and dissatisfied.If I am feeling dissatisfied in a relationship, in a conversation, in a service, in my life, etc it is because in those areas I am looking for satisfaction from matter, I am not acting from the position of my eternal identity- of a spirit soul who is a servant of Krishna. Anxiety, sadness and fear are material emotions- when I am feeling them I must remember those occur because of my identification with matter, the body. As an eternal soul - I am also sacidananda. Those emotions are not me , just like matter is not me- I must learn to not identify with those emotions and not act on them.

As a spirit soul part and parcel of Krishna I am also full of knowledge , eternity and bliss - I can experience that by following the devotional process and explicitly not identofying with matter.

Introspection Exercise

Concept	What I am doing well	Growth Areas for me
.Unmotivated
Uninterrupted
Completely satisfy the self