The Nectar of Devotion

Chapter 2 Essay

Essay Question: Explain, in your own words, the process of sadhana-bhakti, devotional
service in practice, with reference to Chapter 2 of Nectar of devotion. In your answer explain
the distinction between vaidhi and raganuga sadhana-bhakti. Give reference to given
analogies, and relevant comments from Chapter 2 of Nectar of devotion.

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga,all glories to
Srila Rupa Goswami and all glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Devotional service in practice is sadhana bhakti. There are 3 categories of devotional

service - Sadhana bhakti, bhava bhakti and prema bhakti. Practice means(definition)
employing our senses in some particular work, therefore devotional service in practice
means utilizing our different sensory organs in service of Krishna with the mind.

Sadhana bhakti is of two types - 1. Vaidhi Sadhana bhakti ( according to rules and
regulations) and 2. Raganuga Sadhana bhakti.

There are some prescribed ways for utilising our different senses and mind by performing
which our dormant consciousness of loving Krishna can be invoked. Accepting and
executing these prescribed ways rather rules and regulations which are given to us by a
spiritual master is why the Sadhna bhakti. It is the duty of the Acharya (spiritual master) to
find ways and means for his disciple to fix his mind on Krishna, one has to fix his mind on
Krishna by any means, this is Sadhna bhakti. Prabhupad has given us an amazing program
of morning sadhana, deity worship, sankirtan, temple programs, Srimad Bhagavatam class
etc to be able to fix our mind and senses in vaidhi sadhana. These activities have so much
strength that they attract one to Krishna, This is the beginning of Sadhana Bhakti.

After performing Vaidhi Sadhana meticulously and with sincerity a sadhaka naturally
becomes more attached to Krishna and then he doesn't perform his devotional activities
because he is supposed to or because it is good for him, instead he starts personally
wanting to do them because he wants to please Krishna who is the object of his love, this
stage is raganuga sadhana. Rupa Goswami explains that the service is done with natural
love, because by performing so much sadhana one has become pure enough to start to
awaken his natural ever existing relationship with Krishna.

For example, a newborn child overtime learns by practice to walk. This walking is not
unnatural. The walking capacity is there originally in the child, and simply by a little practice
he walks very nicely. Similarly, devotional service to the Supreme Lord is the natural instinct
of every living entity. Even uncivilized men like the aborigines offer their respectful
obeisances to something wonderful exhibited by nature's law, and they appreciate that
behind some wonderful exhibition or action there is something supreme. So this
consciousness, though lying dormant in those who are materially contaminated, is found in
every living entity. And, when purified, this is called Krsna consciousness.

The same concept applies with Sadhana bhakti. So it is very important to understand and
perform Sadhana bhakti because with it we will be able to awaken our dormant love for
Krishna and be naturally engaged in His service.

Hare Krishna….