120 Sri Caitanya-caritamrta [Madhya-lila, Ch. 8

prabhu kahe, “eho bahya, age kaha dra”
raya kahe, —“jfdna-stinya bhakti ——sadhya-sara”

SYNONYMS

prabhu kahe—the Lord said; eho—this; bahya—external; dge—ahead; kaha—
speak; dra—further; raya kahe—Ramananda Raya replied; jfiana-suinya bhakti—
devotional service independent of logic and empiric philosophy; sadhya-séra—
the essence of the perfection of life.

TRANSLATION

After hearing this, the Lord, as usual, rejected it, considering it to be exter-
nal devotional service. He again asked Ramananda Raya to speak further, and
Ramdananda Raya replied, ‘‘Pure devotional service without any touch of
speculative knowledge is the essence of perfection.”

PURPORT

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura in his Anubhasya commentary says that
this stage— devotional service mixed with speculative knowledge—is also exter-
nal and not within the jurisdiction of pure devotional service as practiced in
Vaikunthaloka. As soon as there is some conception of materialistic thought—be
it positive or negative—the service is not spiritual. It may be free from material
contamination, but because there is mental speculation the devotional service is
not pure and freed from the contamination of material life. A living entity who
wants to be completely pure must be above this material conception. The nega-
tion of material existence does not necessarily mean spiritual existence. After ma-
terial existence is negated, spiritual existence—namely sac-cid-dnanda—still may
not be manifest. Until one comes to the stage of actually understanding one’s
eternal relationship with the Supreme Lord, he cannot enter into spiritual life.
Spiritual life means becoming detached from material life and engaging in the lov-
ing service of the Lord. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu therefore asked Ramananda
Raya to explain something transcendental to devotional service mixed with
speculative knowledge. A pure devotee is completely surrendered to the lotus
feet of the Lord, and only by his love does he conquer Krsna, who cannot be con-
quered by anyone. Krsna always stands victorious over everything. No one can
conquer Him. One can attain the stage of pure devotion simply by fully surrender-
ing. This is next corroborated by Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.14.3), wherein Lord
Brahmi, defeated by the potency of Sri Krsna, fully surrendered unto the Lord.

TEXT 67

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