Verse Text
tatra gītādiṣūktānāṁ caturṇām adhikāriṇām |
madhye yasmin bhagavatah kṛpā syāt tat-priyasya vā ||20||
sa kṣīṇa-tat-tad-bhāvaḥ syāc chuddha-bhakty-adhikāravān
yathebhaḥ śaunakādiś ca dhruvaḥ sa ca catuḥsanaḥ ||21||
Translation
Among the four types of persons qualified for bhakti mentioned in the Gītā, when they receive the mercy of the Lord or His devotee and eradicate those tendencies, they become qualified for pure bhakti. Examples of this are Gajendra, Śaunaka and the sages, Dhruva and also the four Kumāras.
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Gajendra, being greedy to attain the sweetness of the Lord, gave up his desire to get relief from suffering and then became a pure devotee. The sages headed by Śaunaka gave up their desire for knowing about Svargaloka and other topics through the association with Sūta and became pure devotees. Dhruva by the mercy of the Lord gave up his desire for a kingdom and became a pure devotee. The Kumāras by the mercy of the Lord gave up the desire for liberation and became pure devotees.
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
This verse states that the four types of persons mentioned in the Gītā are in a condition prior to pure bhakti. The statement applies to all four types. Whoever among the four types receives the mercy of the Lord becomes qualified with pure bhakti. Śaunakādi refers to Śaunaka and the assembled sages, and catuḥsanaḥ refers to Sanaka and the other Kumāras. This is the statement in the Gītā:
catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ janāḥ sukṛtino ’rjuna |
ārto jijṣāsur arthārthī jṣānī ca bharatarṣabha ||
teṣāṁ jṣānī nitya-yukta eka-bhaktir viśiṣyate |
priyo hi jṣānino ’tyartham ahaṁ sa ca mama priyaḥ ||
udārāḥ sarva evaite jṣānī tv ātmaiva me matam |
āsthitaḥ sa hi yuktātmā mām evānuttamāṁ gatim |||
bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jṣānavān māṁ prapadyate |
vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ ||
kāmais tais tair hṛta-jṣānāḥ prapadyante ’nya-devatāḥ ||
Four types of religious persons worship Me, O Arjuna: the sufferer, the inquirer, the enjoyer and the jṣānī. Of these four types, the jṣānī, who is constantly engaged in thinking of Me, who is practicing pure bhakti, is the best. This jṣānī loves only Me, and I love only him. They are all exalted, but the jṣānī is My soul, because he remains firmly fixed in devotion to Me, taking Me as the highest goal. That is My opinion. A person of the other three types, becoming a jṣānī after many births, attains Me through devotee association. He understands that Kṛṣṇa is everything. His mind is attached only to Me. Such a person is very rare. Those who have become foolish because of their many desires worship various devatās, adopting various rules under the control of their individual desires. BG 7.16-20
The jṣānī refers to the knower of ātmā according to the commentator Śrīdhara Svāmī. He also explains the reason why the jṣānī is considered the best: jṣānino dehādy-abhimānābhāvena citta-vikṣepābhāvān nitya-yuktatvam ekānta-bhaktitvaṁ ca sambhavati nānyasya: the jṣānī, devoid of mental distraction because he has no false identification with his body, develops a state of constant meditation on ātmā and absolute devotion to ātmā; this is not so for the others.
However, the following should also be considered in this regard. Hypothetically, let it be accepted that the person has such qualities because of knowledge of ātmā and brahman. Still, it is seen that even the most prominent jṣānīs who have realized oneness after gaining knowledge of ātmā and brahman enter pure bhakti only by the mercy of the Lord. With this in mind the author specifically mentions the Kumāras as examples of jṣānīs. [Note: Jīva Gosvāmī says that the jṣānī mentioned in the Gītā is not an impersonal jṣānī, and therefore, the Kumāras, given as an example of jṣānīs, are not impersonal. They are called jṣānīs because they know about the Lord. However, even they must get the mercy of the Lord to practice pure bhakti. Viśvanātha classifies them as jṣāna-miśra-bhaktas who attained śānta-rasa in his commentary on the Gītā.] Thus it is said in the Third Canto:
tasyāravinda-nayanasya padāravinda-
kiṣjalka-miśra-tulasī-makaranda-vāyuḥ |
antar-gataḥ sva-vivareṇa cakāra teṣāṁ
saṅkṣobham akṣara-juṣām api citta-tanvoḥ ||
When the breeze carrying the aroma of tulasī leaves from the toes of the lotus feet of the Personality of Godhead entered the nostrils of those sages, they experienced a change both in body and in mind, even though they were attached to the impersonal Brahman understanding. SB 3.15.43
The author has mentioned the example of the Kumāras as jṣānīs to show the superiority of pure bhakti over jṣāna. They are included as examples of vaidhi-bhakti because their advancement did not arise from possessing rāga, or from gaining knowledge of rāga, and therefore it did not go beyond the scriptural rules. They should be understood as examples of vaidhi-bhakti, being called jṣānīs only because of some similarities. One should also consider a fifth example, the appearance of pure bhakti from the very beginning stage, such as Nārada in his previous life (who attained knowledge by the mercy of devotees and developed vaidhi-bhakti step by step). This type of vaidhi-bhakti adhikārī (who, having correct knowledge of the Lord, gets mercy and then develops pure bhakti) is also shown in the ninth and other chapters of the Gītā (rāja-vidyā).
In any case, it is shown by Śrīdhara Svāmī that the ātma-jṣānī in the Gītā matures into a pure worshipper according to the statements of the Gītā. The Śrī-vaiṣṇavas however do not agree with his interpretation at all. For them the jṣānī mentioned in the Gītā verse is a bhagavad-jṣānī, a devotee who knows the Lord. [Note: Rāmānuja explains this in his commentary on 7.19.] Previously in 7.2 it was said: jṣānaṁ te ’haṁ sa-vijṣānam idaṁ vakṣyāmy aśeṣataḥ, “I will teach you knowledge and special knowledge.” The Lord then said that this knowledge is rare even for those who have attained ātma-jnāna (siddhānām) in 7.3. The Lord then said that He alone is the highest cause, being the cause of both matter and jīva. He finally stated that He alone is the best among all and the shelter of all. Though he is the shelter of everything, as shown with verses such as puṇyo gandhaḥ (BG 7.9), He is not at all touched by faults. This is indicated by using the word puṇya (pure) which should be applied to all the elements listed, not just pure fragrance of the earth. He then indicates the beauty of His personal qualities by pointing out that all things listed are non-different from Himself, though they are made of utterly inferior guṇas. If these things are impressive but inferior, how much superior and infinite are His own qualities! He says:
ye caiva sāttvikā bhāvā rājasās tāmasāś ca ye |
matta eveti tān viddhi na tv ahaṁ teṣu te mayi ||
Know that all these states of sattva, rajas and tamas come from Me. They are in Me, but I am not in them. BG 7.12
By this verse the Lord shows that He has all qualities but He is not touched by the material guṇas.
Though showing difference between Himself and matter, it appears that again He states non-difference when He says later vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti jṣānavān māṁ prapadyate: He who knows that I am everything surrenders to Me. (BG 7.19) However this is resolved by explaining that He is not different from matter and is still different from it, just as the sun is different from its rays and also one with them. Brahmā speaks similarly:
so ’yaṁ te ’bhihitas tāta bhagavān viśva-bhāvanaḥ |
samāsena harer nānyad anyasmāt sad-asac ca yat ||
My dear son, I have now explained in brief the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is creator of the manifested worlds. There is nothing other than the Lord, among the phenomenal and noumenal existences. SB 2.7.50
Moreover, the Lord Himself has just said ye caiva sāttvikā bhāvā: the guṇas are in Me but I am not in them. Arjuna will also say to the Lord sarvaṁ samāpnoṣi tato ’si sarvaḥ: You are spread everywhere, and therefore You are everything. (BG 11.40) Non-difference and difference must be the meaning, because the verse says that he who possesses this knowledge (jṣānavān) that everything is Vāsudeva surrenders to Him. Surrender or prapatti, a process of bhakti, is stated in that verse. Also, this must be the meaning because by saying “Vāsudeva is everything” He reconfirms that He alone should be worshipped, by pointing out knowledge of Himself (previously explained in the Gītā)—that He alone is ornamented with infinite great qualities, that He alone exists inside and outside everything, but is also beyond the guṇas of prakṛti. (In that sense He is everything.)
Therefore, the meaning of those verses from the Gītā is as follows. The artaḥ is the person desiring destruction of suffering. The arthārthī is the person desiring attainment of happiness. These two persons are of two varieties: those interested in short-term solutions and those interested in long-term solutions. If a person wants a long-term solution, a deeper solace from grief or a deeper type of happiness, he will become a jijṣāsuḥ, inquiring after truth in pursuit of his relief from suffering or attainment of happiness. The order of persons is reversed in the Gītā verse. The jijṣāsuḥ should be placed after the arthaḥ and arthārthī. The jṣānī is the person possessing scriptural knowledge as explained above. There are three types of jṣānīs: those with knowledge of the Lord’s powers, those with knowledge of the Lord’s sweetness, and those with knowledge of both.
The sukṛtiṇaḥ refers to possessing good fortune of gaining faith by association with the great devotees, which causes impressions of bhakti. The first three types of persons may or may not have that sukṛti. If they happen to have sukṛti, then they worship the Lord. In the case of the jṣānī however it is certain he has sukṛti, because he can only become knowledgeable of the Lord from such sukṛti. Thus, he definitely worships the Lord. This is the meaning.
Among those who worship Me, he alone, the jṣānī, knows about Me as described above, and worships Me alone, with no other desires (anyābhilāṣitā) and with indifference to the varṇāśrama-dharma celebrated in the smṛtis and to knowledge in the form of oneness of jīva and Brahman celebrated in other doctrines. Because he is an uttama-bhakta he is very devoted to Me, and I also am very devoted to him. In two verses (BG 17-18) the Lord states the reasons for the jṣānī’s superiority.
The Lord then describes the faith achieved by the first three types after many births, with bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (7.19). Without having the special sukṛti described above (association with devotees), others continue the path of birth and death. This is described in 7.20 with kāmais tais tair hṛta-jṣānāḥ. Thus, the topic here is four types of devotees (not including impersonalists). The meaning of Lord’s statements alone should be ascertained (and then one will come to the correct conclusion).
Purport (Nectar of Devotion)
Further classification of the neophyte devotee is made in the Bhagavad-gītā. It is stated there that four classes of men—namely those who are distressed, those who are in need of money, those who are inquisitive and those who are wise—begin devotional service and come to the Lord for relief in the matter of their respective self-satisfaction. They go into some place of worship and pray to God for mitigation of material distress, or for some economic development, or to satisfy their inquisitiveness. And a wise man who simply realizes the greatness of God is also counted among the neophytes. Such beginners can be elevated to the second-class or first-class platform if they associate with pure devotees.
An example of the neophyte class is Mahārāja Dhruva. He was in need of his father’s kingdom and therefore engaged himself in devotional service to the Lord. Then in the end, when he was completely purified, he declined to accept any material benediction from the Lord. Similarly, Gajendra was distressed and prayed to Kṛṣṇa for protection, after which he became a pure devotee. Similarly Sanaka, Sanātana, Sananda and Sanat-kumāra were all in the category of wise, saintly persons, and they were also attracted by devotional service. A similar thing happened to the assemblage in the Naimiṣāraṇya Forest, headed by the sage Śaunaka. They were inquisitive and were always asking Sūta Gosvāmī about Kṛṣṇa. Thus they achieved the association of a pure devotee and became pure devotees themselves. So that is the way of elevating oneself. In whatever condition one may be, if he is fortunate enough to associate with pure devotees, then very quickly he is elevated to the second-class or first-class platform.
These four types of devotees have been described in the Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā, and they have all been accepted as pious. Without becoming pious, no one can come to devotional service. It is explained in Bhagavad-gītā that only one who has continually executed pious activities and whose sinful reactions in life have completely stopped can take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Others cannot. The neophyte devotees are classified into four groups—the distressed, those in need of money, the inquisitive and the wise—according to their gradations of pious activities. Without pious activities, if a man is in a distressed condition he becomes an agnostic, a communist or something like that. Because he does not firmly believe in God, he thinks that he can adjust his distressed condition by totally disbelieving in Him.
Lord Kṛṣṇa, however, has explained in the Gītā that out of these four types of neophytes, the one who is wise is very dear to Him, because a wise man, if he is attached to Kṛṣṇa, is not seeking an exchange of material benefits. A wise man who becomes attached to Kṛṣṇa does not want any return from Him, either in the form of relieving distress or in gaining money. This means that from the very beginning his basic principle of attachment to Kṛṣṇa is, more or less, love. Furthermore, due to his wisdom and study of śāstras (scriptures), he can understand also that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
It is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā that after many, many births, when one becomes actually wise, he surrenders unto Vāsudeva, knowing perfectly well that Kṛṣṇa (Vāsudeva) is the origin and cause of all causes. Therefore, he sticks to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa and gradually develops love for Him. Although such a wise man is very dear to Kṛṣṇa, the others are also accepted as very magnanimous, because even though they are distressed or in need of money, they have come to Kṛṣṇa for satisfaction. Thus they are accepted as liberal, broad-minded mahātmās.
Without being elevated to the position of a jṣānī, or wise man, one cannot stick to the principle of worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The less intelligent or those whose intelligence has been taken away by the spell of māyā are attached to different demigods on account of the influence of the modes of nature. The wise man is he who has thoroughly understood that he is spirit soul and not simply a body. Because he realizes that he is spirit and Kṛṣṇa is the supreme spirit, he knows that his intimate relationship should be with Kṛṣṇa, not with this body. The distressed and the man in want of money are in the material concept of life, because distress and need of money are both in relationship with this body. One who is inquisitive may be a little above the distressed and the man in need of money, but still he is on the material platform. But a wise man who seeks Kṛṣṇa knows perfectly well that he is spirit soul, or Brahman, and that Kṛṣṇa is the supreme spirit soul, or Para-brahman. He knows that the spirit soul, being subordinate and finite, should always dovetail himself with the infinite and supreme soul, Kṛṣṇa. That is the relationship of the wise man with Kṛṣṇa.
It can be concluded that a person who is freed from the bodily concept of life is an eligible candidate for pure devotional service. It is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā that after Brahman realization, when one is freed from material anxieties and can see every living entity on an equal level, he is eligible to enter into devotional service.