Definition of shânta-devotee

“Sri Bhagavân has stated with His Holy lips that, the shânta-devotee only knows Sri Krishna’s swarup and is firmly attached to Him.”

– (C.C.Madhya.19.173)

 

“A shânta-devotee does not feel Sri Bhagavân belongs to him. He only has one knowledge – that He is Parabrahman and paramâtmâ. The shânta-devotee is only aware of the original form of Sri Bhagavân.” – (C.C.Madhya.19.177-178)

 

Srimat Jiva Goswâmipâd has written in his Priti-Sandarbha –

 

“The shânta-devotee is on the borderline and his bhakti too is on the margin. This means that a shânta-devotee is not exactly a devotee. His devotion does not fall inside the boundary of bhakti.” – (P.S.84.)

 

Sri Nârad-Pancharâtra describes –

 

“ananya mamatâ vishnou mamatâ premasangatâ,

bhaktirityuchyate bhishmaprahlâdoddhavanâradaih.”

 

Meaning – “Mahâjans such as Bhishma, Prahlâd, Uddhav and Nârad have called it ‘bhakti’ only when we do not feel anything else to be ‘mine’ – we know that Sri Vishnu alone is our sole possession and we love Him dearly.”

Srimat Jiva Goswâmipâd has stated –

 

“The shânta-devotees do not consider Sri Bhagavân as their own. A relation with Sri Bhagavân is not inspired in their heart. Therefore it is logical that they do not feel senses of belonging with respect to Him.” – (P.S.96)

 

The servants and friends have a relation with Sri Bhagavân; hence they feel He belongs to them.

 

The shânta-devotees feel that Sri Bhagavân is âtmârâm and self-satisfied, hence He cannot feel hungry or thirsty. He is absolute in all respects, so how can He require any sevâ? Srila Rupa Goswâmipâd has mentioned in Bhakti-Rasâmrita-Sindhu that the shânta-devotees are close to the dâsya-devotees. In fact the dâsya-devotees are the best friends of the shânta-devotees. He has quoted a shânta-devotee as saying –

 

“The supreme Brahman is a mass of fire while the living entity is its spark. He is intensely conscious effulgence. When will I massage His feet?” – (B.R.S. 4.8.20)

 

Srimat Jiva Goswâmipâd has explained this statement as follows –

 

“Here ‘intense’ implies the form of Sri Bhagavân, otherwise how can he mention ‘feet’? ‘Conscious’ refers to ‘sach-chidânanda’ (eternal, conscious¹ and blissful). Thus we see that the shânta-devotee is firmly established in the supreme Brahman Who is sachchidânanda.

 

Here we see that the shânta-devotee wants to massage Sri Bhagavân’s feet – it is not because he wishes to please the Lord with his sevâ. Rather, he hopes to gratify his own senses by His touch. He wants to become happy by touching the beautiful form of Sri Bhagavân. On the other hand, the devotees who are in the mood of servants wish to serve the Lord to give Him pleasure. Hence they are ‘bhaktas’ in the true sense.”

 

What forms ras in the shânta-devotee?

“When a yogi heard the Pânchajanya², he was so overjoyed that the end of his robe fell to the ground. He shook his head and shed copious tears. He was full of goose flesh. All the vows he had undertaken broke. His regulative principles were lost. When the brilliant dark blue mascara-like Lord appeared in front of him, he was so extremely happy and behaved in such a manner that displayed utter contempt for his own position (as that of a yogi).” – (B.R.S. 3.1.42)

 

Let us examine this case and determine which ingredients have come together to form ras. The vibhâvs (causes) are as follows –

 

• vishayâlamban – the subject of ras – the four-armed form of Parabrahman
• âshrayâlamban – the shelter of ras – the yogi who is in shânta-ras
• uddipan – what excites ras – the resounding Pânchajanya

 

What symptoms (anubhâv) did he show? The end of his cloth rolled on to the ground, he shook his head etc. He also displayed sâtvic-bhâv (not-so-loud) such as tears and goose flesh. His sanchâri-bhâv (passing moods) was joy, great surge of emotion.

 

These vibhâv, anubhâv, sâtvic and sanchâri mingle with the permanent (sthâyi-bhâv) of the yogi³ and create shânta-bhakti-ras. The yogi relishes this ras.

 

What are the symptoms that the shaanta-devotee expresses?

“They glorify the excellences of Sri Bhagavân, chant names such as Parabrahman, Paramâtmâ etc. They know that Brahman-realization is a blissful state; hence they show interest in Him. They concentrate on the tip of their nose; try to become avadhuts, practice mudrâs such as gyân-mudrâ.⁴ They bow and glorify Sri Hari. Their not-so-visible signs are – tears, gooseflesh. What arouses ras in them? The fact that Parabrahman is almighty, calm, impartial and He can assume extraordinary forms. Their passing moods (sanchâri bhâv) are – indifference, patience, joy, understanding, remembrance, sorrow, argumentative etc.” – (P.S.203)

 

“krishna-nishthâ trishnâ-tyâg shânter dui gune”

Meaning – “The shânta-devotee has two qualities – he is steadfast in Sri Krishna and has given up the desire for material pleasures” – (C.C.)

 

We should realize that these two qualities are the basis for the other ras as well. This means, even though we may be situated in some other mood, it is necessary for us to possess these two qualities.

(to be contd……..)

 

 

 

 

 

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