Bheka-dharana and Siddha-pranali

[An Excerpt from "Acarya Kesari Sri Srimad Bhaktiprajnana Kesava Gosvami - His Life and Teachings"]

1) Bheka-dharana (the system of babaji-vesa)

From when was the custom of bheka-dharana in use? On making an investigation we see that this custom was not current at the time of the Six Gosvamis, Sri Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami, Sri Narottama Dasa Thakura, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti and so on because these personalities were instinctively paramahamsas. Naturally Sri Sanatana Gosvami, taking an old dhoti from Tapana Misra, tore it up and wore it as bahir-vasa and dor-kaupina (loin cloth worn by a paramahamsa). There is no mention at all of giving siddha-pranali in this connection. This dress of a renunciate was adopted simply to indicate a firm dedication to bhajana. Similarly, one should understand the case to be the same in regard to the other Gosvamis.

In one way, this is included in category of the bhiksuka (mendicant) asrama or sannyasa because paramahamsa mahatmas do not have any definite or fixed dress. They are beyond rules, regulations and the distinguishing marks of the asramas such as sannyasa. Since they are always carried away in bhagavat-prema, the regulations and prohibitions of scriptures such as the Vedas are no impetus for such paramahamsas. However those people who are not in the paramahamsa stage accept vaisnava sannyasa according to sattvata vaisnava-smrti such as Satkriyasara-dipika or according to the same regulations they wear a white outer cloth and dor-kaupina. This is for firm dedication to sadhana-bhajana, and is called bheka-dharana. The word ‘bheka’ is a corrupted form of the Sanskrit word ‘bhesa.’ Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has written in his essay entitled ‘Bheka-Dharana (reprinted in Gaudiya Patrika Year 6, No. 2):

“The word ‘bheka’ is properly understood to mean the asrama of bhiksuka (mendicants). The name of the sannyasa asrama is bhiksu-asrama. Sannyasis can never associate with women in this life. They will sustain their lives by the occupation of begging.

“Here a question arises. In which asrama are those Vaisnavas who have accepted bheka situated? Our studies of sastra and the instructions of Mahaprabhu establish that detached Vaisnavas are situated in the bhiksu-asrama. When the association of women is completely forbidden for them then they are situated in the sannyasa asrama. The sign of sannyasa is kaupina (loin cloth). When they have accepted dor-kaupina or bahirvasa (outer-garment) then they are definitely included in the sannyasa asrama.

“Sannyasa is of two kinds, ordinary sannyasa and vaisnava sannyasa. There is a vast difference between these two. In ordinary sannyasa there is peacefulness, self-control, tolerance, renunciation, knowledge of the eternal and the temporary and the ambition to attain Brahman. When these dharmas have arisen in an individual, then sannyasa has been accepted. However, the presence of these qualities does not by itself provide eligibility for vaisnava-sannyasa.

The process for developing rati for Bhagavan begins first of all with faith in subjects related to Bhagavan. After that one proceeds to sadhu-sanga, bhajana-kriya, anartha-nivrtti and so on. At the stage when rati for Bhagavan arises in the heart, a dharma called virakti (detachment) takes shelter of the Vaisnava. At that stage the vaisnava-sadhaka becomes completely detached from the grhastha-asrama. He then wears kaupina to minimize his personal necessities, and maintains his life by begging. This is called vaisnava-bheka. Those who are simple and free from duplicity and who accept bheka for the purpose of doing bhagavat-bhajana are worthy to receive the prayers of the whole world. This type of acceptance of bheka is of two kinds. Some sadhakas, after achieving detachment born of bhava, accept bheka from a worthy guru; and some have put on dor-kaupina and bahirvasa themselves. In the sampradaya of Sriman Mahaprabhu this custom of bheka is extremely pure. Bowing my head with great faith, I repeatedly offer my obeisances to such a tradition.

“However, it is very unfortunate that these days the bheka-asrama is becoming extremely corrupted. The consideration of eligibility has completely disappeared. Some people, who want to wear bheka although they are unqualified, have their heads shaven, put on dor-kaupina and accept bheka whimsically.

“In the present time some perversions have come in the system of sannyasa. What are they?

(1) Some householder Vaisnavas become babajis, having shaven their heads and put on a kaupina. What can be more injurious than this? Their action is opposed to sastra and to the interests of society. If they are actually detached from material life then they may accept bheka in genuine renunciation. Otherwise they will disgrace vaisnava-dharma and in the next life they will also have to taste the fruit of doing so.

2) There is a terrible and disastrous custom among babajis of keeping maidservants in their asramas. In some asramas a babaji may even keep his own wife from his previous asrama in the form of a maidservant. These people associate with women on the pretext of service to God and service to sadhus.

(3) Babajis who are actually renounced completely reject the greed for women, wealth, eatables and so on. Nowadays, common people are losing faith in Vaisnavism, because they see that these defects are spreading among supposedly renounced people. The essence of the matter is that those who accept the symbols of renunciation without having developed the genuine detachment which arises from rati (love of Bhagavan) are a disturbance in society and a disgrace to vaisnava-dharma. Their own downfall and the defamation of vaisnava-dharma are both guaranteed when they accept bheka before they are qualified to do so.”

After Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura and Baladeva Vidyabhusana, a dark age began in Sriman Maha-prabhu’s Gaudiya Sampradaya, during which the current of sri rupanuga-bhakti became somewhat impaired. Various kinds of speculative malpractices and opinions opposed to suddha-bhakti became mixed in with the true conception. At that time the situation was so dire that the educated and cultured section of society began to hate even the name of Gaudiya Vaisnavism, having witnessed the misbehaviour of its followers. In this way the Gaudiya Vaisnava Sampradaya became distanced from the intelligentsia and respected society.

At that time the Seventh Gosvami Saccidananda Bhakti-vinoda Thakura and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati appeared. These two personalities brought about a re-volutionary transformation in the Gaudiya Vaisnava Sampradaya and restored its lost dignity. To these two maha-purusas and their followers goes the entire credit for whatever diffusion of Sriman Mahaprabhu’s nama-sankirtana and suddha-bhakti has taken place among the learned and respectable sector of society, not only in India but also throughout the world. They have established the Gaudiya Matha preaching centres of suddha-bhakti everywhere; they have published the literatures of suddha-bhakti along with magazines and journals in all of the major languages of the world; and thus in a very short time they have revolutionized the Gaudiya Vaisnava society.

After the disappearance of Jagadguru Srila Prabhupada these improper practices began to appear openly in all the prominent places of Sri Vraja-mandala, Gauda-mandala and Ksetra-mandala. These groups of babajis began to make allegations against Srila Prabhupada and the suddha-vaisnavas under his shelter. They said that Vaisnavas of the Gaudiya Matha are simple jnanis who are ignorant of rasa-tattva, and that their acceptance of reddish cloth and sannyasa is not properly established procedure. Paramaradhyatama Srila Gurudeva has refuted these accusations with scriptural evidence and powerful arguments and has preached suddha-bhakti everywhere. For this purpose he had the essays previously written by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and Jagadguru Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada published again in his Sri Gaudiya-Patrika and Bhagavat-Patrika. He published a literature entitled ’Sahajiya-dalana’ (destroying the sahajiya theory) and also argued these points in huge assemblies in many places in Vraja-mandala, Gauda-mandala and Ksetra-mandala. As a result of this the opposition party made a case to prosecute him for loss of reputation in a court of law. However in the end they had to beg forgiveness in the same courtroom.

2) Siddha-pranali

Siddha-pranali is very much misused nowadays in certain places in Vraja-mandala, Gauda-mandala and Ksetra-mandala.  Some people are abused and even driven from their homes when their wives pass away. Although they are bereft of tattva-jnana and unaware of vaidhi-bhakti-sadhana, they have their heads shaved in the middle of the night, put on kaupina and quickly take siddha-pranali. These days siddha-pranali can be obtained very easily by giving half a rupee. Just before giving mantra a financial contract takes place. These people think, “There can be no auspiciousness for sadhakas until they acquire siddha-pranali. There is no necessity for vaidhi-bhakti sadhana, tattva-jnana or anartha-nivrtti. The raganuga-bhakta should obtain siddha-pranali before he goes through anartha-nivrtti. In that way he can avoid getting caught in the inconvenience of vaidhi-bhakti.” These people’s conception is exactly like thinking that a fruit will grow from a leaf before the appearance of a flower.

About fifty-five years ago, we were performing Vraja-mandala parikrama with Paramaradhyatama Srila Gurudeva. Approximately four hundred pilgrims attending the parikrama were staying in a large dharma-sala in Mathura. Gurudeva had made a big feast there, to which all the local sadhus, saints and Vaisnavas had been invited. Babajis who had accepted bheka also assembled there in very large numbers. When they came to meet with Srila Gurudeva, he became very curious and asked them, “What is the aim and object of your Krsna bhajana?” They were taken aback when they heard this question, but after thinking about it they said, “By performing Krsna bhajana we will attain mukti and merge into Krsna.” When Guruji heard their answer, he became very sad. On questioning them further, he found that women were also staying in their asramas as maidservants. From that day on, he vowed to reform these malpractices which had spread in the Gaudiya Vaisnava society. I have indicated this before. In spite of being busy in preaching suddha-bhakti throughout his life, he never forgot this matter. A great deal of credit for the improvement and reform of this situation goes to this maha-purusa. Here I am presenting whatever views I have heard from him on this subject.

Srila Rupa Gosvami has defined the following sequence which we have to follow in order to enter into the realm of bhakti.

adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sanga ‘tha bhajana-kriya tato ‘nartha-nivrttih syat tato nistha rucis tatah athasaktis tato bhavas tatah premabhyudancati sadhakanam ayam premnah pradurbhave bhavet kramah

kona bhagye kona jivera ‘sraddha’ yadi haya
tabe sei jiva ‘saadhu-sanga’ ye karaya
sadhu-sanga haite haya ‘sravana-kirtana’
sadhana-bhaktye haya ‘sarvanartha-nivartana’
anartha-nivrtti haile bhaktye ‘nistha’ haya
nistha haite sravanadye ’ruci’ upajaya
ruci haite bhaktye haya ‘asakti pracura
asakti haite citte janme krsne prity-ankura
sei ’bhava’ gadha haile dhare ‘prema’-nama
sei prema— ’prayojana’ sarvananda-dhama
(Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya 23.9-13)

It is quite impossible for one who transgresses this sequence to enter the realm of bhakti. Thus, those who want to enter this domain while neglecting the limbs of vaidhi sadhana-bhakti are in all respects unrestrained and outside the conclusions of sastra. They have no relation at all with suddha-bhakti.

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has also expressed the same opinion.

vidhi-marga rata jane    svadhinata ratna-dane
raga-marga karana pravesa

sadhya-vastu sadhana vina keha nahi paya
krpa kari kaha raya pabara upaya
(Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya 8.197)

In reply to this Sri Raya Ramananda says,

radha-krsnera lila ei ati gudhatara
dasya-vatsalyadi-bhave na haya gocara
sabe eka sakhi-ganera ihan adhikara
sakhi haite haya ei lilara vistara
sakhi vina ei lila pusta nahi haya
sakhi lila vistariya, sakhi asvadaya
sakhi vina ei lilaya anyera nahi gati
sakhi-bhave ye tanre kare anugati
radha-krsna kunja-seva-sadhya sei paya
sei sadhya paite ara nahika upaya
(Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya 8. 201-205)

ataeva gopi-bhava kari angikara
ratri-dina cinte radha-krsnera vihara
siddha-dehe cinti’ kare tahanni sevana
sakhi-bhave paya radha-krsnera carana
(Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya 8. 228-229)

Essentially the gist of the matter is that the love-laden lila of Radha-Krsna is so confidential and so full of mysteries that it is imperceptible, even for those in moods such as dasya and vatsalya. Only the sakhis are eligible for this. Therefore, no one can attain the service of Srimati Radhika or the kunja-seva of Sri Radha-Krsna Yugala by sadhana without anugatya of the sakhis, that is being under their guidance. Thus the only means of attaining this supreme sadhya is meditation on the lilas of Radha-Krsna throughout the day and night by the internally conceived siddha-deha and in the mood of the sakhis. For this reason, Srila Rupa Gosvami has given this instruction in his Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu in the section on the sadhana of sri raganuga-bhakti:

krsnam smaran janan casya prestham nija samihitam
tat-tat katha ratas casau kuryad vasam vraje sada
seva sadhaka-rupena siddha-rupena catra hi
tad bhava lipsuna karya vraja-lokanusaratah
sravanotkirttanadini vaidhi bhakty uditani tu
yanyangani ca tanyatra vijneyani manisibhih

seva sadhaka-rupena siddha-rupena catra hi
tad bhava lipsuna karya vraja-lokanusaratah

bahya, antara — ihara dui ta’ sadhana
‘bahye’ sadhaka-dehe kare sravana-kirtana
‘mane’ nija-siddha-deha kariya bhavana
ratri-dine kare vraje krsnera sevana
(Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya, 22.156-157)

Thus raganuga-bhakti sadhakas should in all respects practise bhava-sambandhi sadhana such as sravana, kirtana, service to tulasi, wearing tilaka, observing vows beginning with Sri Ekadasi and Janmastami and so on, for all these activities nourish one’s own desired bhava. Simultaneously one must also render service to Radha-Krsna in Vraja, meditating on one’s siddha-deha in the heart. The body of a gopi which is suitable for rendering service to Radha-Govinda is called siddha-deha. When the bhajana is complete, the jiva gives up the inert material body, and attains the body of a gopi corresponding to its eternal intrinsic form. Srila Narottama Thakura has said‚

sadhane bhabiba jaha    siddha-dehe paba taha
raga pathera ei se upaya
(Sri Prema Bhakti-candrika 5.8)

One’s destination at the time of death will exactly correspond to the subject one remembers at that time. Rajarsi Bharata attained the body of a deer at the time of death, so what doubt is there about attaining the body suitable for rendering to the Divine Couple the service on which one constantly reflected in one’s internally conceived siddha-deha?

In relation to the siddha-deha it has been said in the Sanat-Kumara Samhita,

atmanam cintayet tatra tasam madhye manoramam
rupayauvanasampannam kisorim premodaakrtim
radhikanuncari nityam tat sevana parayanam
krsnad apy adhikam prema radhikayam prakurvatim

Now we should note that the descriptions of siddha-deha that sastra and the mahajanas have given are for sadhakas of a particular level. Wherever siddha-deha has been mentioned it has been shown in the context of raganuga-bhakti. Specifically such instructions are intended for those very fortunate sadhakas in whose hearts lobha, a genuine greed to attain ragatmika-bhakti, has already arisen due to samskaras (impressions) from this life and previous lives.

Here is a further matter which is worthy of consideration. It is one thing to understand the excellence of some particular rasa by the discrimination given in sastra. It is another thing altogether to have lobha for that rasa. When someone has lobha in a particular rasa, then the symptoms of lobha will also be evident in that sadhaka. When lobha arises, raganuga-bhakti sadhana begins from the stage of ruci. It will be understood from this that the namaparadha, sevaparadha and various other anarthas of a sadhaka have, for the most part, already gone far away. He has already controlled the six urges mentioned by Srila Rupa Gosvami  in Sri Upadesamrta (Verse 1); he is virtually free from the six faults (Verse 2); he is endowed with the six qualities beginning with utsahan niscayat (enthusiasm and confidence)  (Verse 3); having recognized the three types of Vaisnavas, he is expert in behaving appropriately with them (Verse 5); and he has also become established in the purport of the verse beginning tan nama rupa caritadi (Verse 8). In other words he conducts himself according to this verse.

In this stage the sadhaka goes on performing bhajana, and when he crosses the stage of ruci and enters the stage of asakti then a semblance of the symptoms related by Sri Rupa Gosvami in the verse ksantir-avyartha-kalatvam will be observed in him. In the stage of asakti, a semblance (abhasa) of the rati which arises in the stage of bhava will appear, and in order to make that rati manifest fully, the sadhaka will perform bhajana meditating on his siddha-deha. When this ratyabhasa transforms into rati by the practice of bhajana, then the sadhaka attains factual experience of his own svarupa. This is called meditation on siddha-deha, or the acceptance of vaisnava-bheka. One who is endowed with simplicity and who has lobha for this is worshipful for the whole world.

There are two types of acceptance of bheka. A sadhaka may receive bheka from some suitable guru; alternatively, when genuine vairagya arises as mentioned previously, he may accept bheka from himself. Haridasa Thakura, the Six Gosvamis, Lokanatha Gosvami and others are examples of the practice of accepting bheka from oneself. This is also the way that Srila Bhakti-siddhanta Sarasvati Thakura accepted sannyasa vesa after the disappearance of Srila Gaura Kisora dasa Babaji from whom he had received diksa-mantra. We see from these examples that acceptance of bheka in this way is fully in agreement with sastra. Sri Ramanuja Acarya also accepted tridandi-sannyasa from himself after the disappearance of his guru Srila Yamuna Acarya.

In any case, the meditation on one’s siddha-deha depends on the mercy of one’s guru. The guru or siksa-guru who is established in rasa-vicara and who is a svarupa-siddha will indicate the details of the sadhaka’s perfected form. Otherwise, if the sadhaka changes the order of the sequence described above, he cannot attain perfection. On the contrary, his bhakti may become completely ruined and the conceptions of the sampradaya will also become corrupted. We see this going everywhere nowadays.

Some ignorant people say that there is no siddha-pranali in the Gaudiya Matha. This vicious propaganda is erroneous in all respects. In the authentic literature written by Srila Gopala Bhatta Gosvami entitled Sat-kriya-sara-dipika and Samskara-dipika, which is a supplement to Sri Hari-bhakti-vilasa, there is an account of the tridandi-sannyasa samskara. The original manuscript handwritten by Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami is protected even today in the Royal Library of Jaipur. An old copy of this same literature is also kept to this day by the Gosvamis of Sri Radha-Ramana. Therefore this literature is authoritative evidence. According to Samskara-dipika, tridandi-sannyasa vesa is given among Gaudiy as. In this sannyasa samskara, dor-kaupina, bahir-vasa and the sannyasa-mantra for taking shelter of gopi-bhava are also given. The eka-dasa-bhava (eleven aspects of gopi-bhava), namely sambandha, vayah, nama, rupa, yutha, vesa, ajna, vasa, seva, parakasta-svasa and palya-dasi-bhava, are contained within this gopi-bhava. The identity of the siddha-deha is determined by the instructions of Sri Guru in accordance with the ruci of the sadhaka. One’s own nama, rupa, vayasa, vesa, sambandha, yutha, ajna, vasa, parakasta-svasa and palya-dasi bhava given by guru is called siddha-pranali. As the sadhaka goes on performing this type of sadhana, the perfection of his svarupa takes place along with the attainment of suddha-rati in his heart.

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has described his siddha-svarupa in this way,

varane tadit   vasa taravali kamala manjari nama sade bara varsa    vayasa satata svananda sukhada dhama karpura seva    lalitara gana radha yuthesvari hana mamesvari-natha    sri Nanda-nandana amara parana dhana sri rupa manjari    prabhrtira sama yugala sevaya asa avasya se-rupa    seva paba ami parakastha suvisvasa kabe ba e dasi    samsiddhi labhibe radha-kunde vasa kari’ radha-krsna seva   satata karibe purva smrti parihari

In conclusion, whatever custom of accepting bheka is seen among babajis is not a fifth asrama, rather it is a second form of the fourth asrama, namely the sannyasa asrama.

Srila Narayana
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