The Nectar of Instruction

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Content

• Introduction to the text• Bhakti-yoga as a process• Vaidhé-bhakti • Prema-bhakti• Çré Rädhä-kuëòa

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Introduction to the text

• Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé and The Nectar of Instruction (Çré Upadeçämåta)

• The commentary by Swami Prabhupada• Note: all appendices are extracted from Çré

Bhaktyäloka by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura

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Bhakti-yoga as a process1. sadhana-bhakti

1. vaidhi-sadhana – act according to rules & regulations (vidhi means rules, vaidhi means genitive case, belonging to rules, determined by rules, sadhana means practice)

2. raganuga-sadhana – choose one representative bhakta-archetype and serve, meditate, follow instructions & example

2. prema/raga-bhakti – live fully surcharged with divine emotions, no need to ask, follow, no boundaries as in divine love there are no rules: if you love, you love! (only for the select few qualified ones!)

The nine elements of vaidhi sadhana-bhakti

1. sravana - hearing2. kirtana - glorifying3. smarana - remembrance4. vandana - prayers5. pada sevana – simple services6. dasya – serving mode7. pujana - worship8. sakhya - friendship9. atmanivedana – total self surrender

The nine elements of prema-bhakti

1. rati – loving attraction2. prema – sweet love3. sneha – tenderness4. maana – opposing feelings5. pranaya – intimate relationship6. raga – attachment7. anuraaga – secondary attachment8. bhaava – ecstatic love9. mahabhaava – higher type of ecstatic love

Vaidhé-bhakti I

• Regulative principles– Negative (text 1, text 2)– Positive (text 1, text 3)

• Impediments (text 2)• Positive attitudes (text 3)

– Nine processes of Bhakti (text 3)

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Vaidhé-bhakti II

• Mahätmäs (text 2, text 6)– Durätmäs (text 2, 11)

• Associating with the saints and the devotees– Principles of association (text 4)– The three types of devotees (text 5)

• Approaching the Spiritual Master (text 5, text 6)

• Awakening the love for Kåñëa (text 4, text 7)

Prema-bhakti

• Always remembering Kåñëa (text 8)• Living in Våndävana under the guidance of

a pure devotee (text 8)• Development of the devotional service (text 8)

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Çré Rädhä-kuëòa

• Introductory information (text 9)• The gopé mood (text 10)• The most exalted method of devotional

service (text 11)

Summary

• Çréla Narottama däsa Öhäkura has sung: rüpa-raghunätha-pade ha-ibe äkutikabe häma bujhaba se yugala-périti

"When I am eager to understand the literature given by the Gosvämés, then I shall be able to understand the transcendental loving affairs of Rädhä and Kåñëa."

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Discussion

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