It is said by Rupa
Gosvami that the attachment exhibited by pure devotees for Krishna
cannot possibly be perfected in the hearts of fruitive workers (karmis)
or mental speculators, because such attachment in pure Krishna
consciousness is very rare and not possible to achieve even for many
liberated persons. As stated in Bhagavad-gita, liberation
from material contamination is the stage at which devotional service
can be achieved. For a person who simply wants to have liberation and
to merge into the impersonal brahmajyoti, attachment to Krishna
is not possible to acquire. This attachment is very confidentially kept
by Krishna and is bestowed only upon pure devotees. Even ordinary
devotees cannot have such pure attachment for Krishna. Therefore, how
is it possible for success to be achieved by persons whose hearts are
contaminated by the actions and reactions of fruitive activities and
who are entangled by various types of mental speculation?
There are many so-called devotees who artificially think of Krishna's
pastimes known as ashta-kaliya-lila. Sometimes one may
artificially imitate these, pretending that Krishnaa is talking with
him in the form of a boy, or else one may pretend that Radharani and
Krishna both have come to him and are talking with him. Such
characteristics are sometimes exhibited by the impersonalist class of
men, and they may captivate some innocent persons who have no knowledge
in the science of devotional service. However, as soon as an
experienced devotee sees all of these caricatures, he can immediately
evaluate such rascaldom. If such a pretender is sometimes seen
possessing imitative attachment to Krishna, that will not be accepted
as real attachment. It may be said, however, that such attachment gives
the pretender hope that he may eventually rise onto the actual platform
of pure devotional service.
This imitative attachment can be divided into two headings—namely,
shadow attachment and para (transcendental) attachment. If
someone, without undergoing the regulative principles of devotional
service or without being guided by a bona fide spiritual master, shows
such imitative attachment, this is called shadow attachment. Sometimes
it is found that a person actually attached to material enjoyment or
salvation has the good fortune to associate with pure devotees while
they are engaged in chanting the holy name of the Lord. By the good
grace of the Lord one may also cooperate and join in the chanting. At
that time, simply by the association of such pure devotees, the
moonlike rays from their hearts reflect on him, and by the influence of
the pure devotees he may show some likeness of attachment caused by
inquisitiveness, but this is very flickering. And if by the
manifestation of such shadow attachment one feels the disappearance of
all material pangs, then it is called para attachment.
Such shadow attachment or para attachment can develop if one
associates with a pure devotee or visits holy places like Vrindavana or
Mathura, and if an ordinary man develops such attachment for Krishna
and fortunately performs devotional activities in the association of
pure devotees, he can also rise to the platform of pure devotional
service. The conclusion is that transcendental attachment is so
powerful that if such attachment is seen manifested even in some common
man, by the association of a pure devotee it can bring one to the
perfectional stage. But such attachment for Krishna cannot be invoked
in a person without his being sufficiently blessed by the association
of pure devotees.
As attachment can be invoked by the association of pure devotees, so
attachment can also be extinguished by offenses committed at the lotus
feet of pure devotees. To be more clear, by the association of pure
devotees attachment for Krishna can be aroused, but if one commits
offenses at the lotus feet of a devotee, one's shadow attachment or para
attachment can be extinguished. This extinguishing is like the waning
of the full moon, which gradually decreases and at last becomes dark.
One should therefore be very careful while associating with pure
devotees to guard against committing an offense at their lotus feet.
Transcendental attachment, either shadow or para, can be
nullified by different degrees of offenses at the lotus feet of pure
devotees. If the offense is very serious, then one's attachment becomes
almost nil, and if the offense is not very serious, one's attachment
can become second class or third class.
If someone becomes attached to the principles of salvation or to
merging into the existence of the brahmajyoti, his ecstasies
gradually diminish into shadow and para attachment or else
transform into the principles of ahangrahopasana. This ahangrahopasana
describes a living entity when he begins spiritual realization by
identifying himself with the Supreme Lord. This state of
self-realization is technically known as monism. The monist thinks
himself one with the Supreme Lord. Thus, because he does not
differentiate between himself and the Supreme Lord, it is his view that
by worshiping himself he is worshiping the supreme whole.
Sometimes it is found that a neophyte is taking part in chanting and
dancing very enthusiastically, but within himself he is under the
impression that he has become one with the supreme whole. This
conception of monism is completely different from pure, transcendental
devotional service. If, however, it is seen that a person has developed
a high standard of devotion without having undergone even the
regulative principles, it is to be understood that his status of
devotional service was achieved in a former life. For some reason or
another it had been temporarily stopped, most probably by an offense
committed at the lotus feet of a devotee. Now, with a good second
chance, it has again begun to develop. The conclusion is that steady
progress in devotional service can be attained only in the association
of pure devotees.
If one can gradually advance his status in devotional service, this is
understood to be due to the causeless mercy of Krishna Himself. If a
person is completely detached from material enjoyment and has developed
pure ecstatic devotion, even if he is sometimes accidentally found not
living up to the standard of devotional service, one should not be
envious of him. It is confirmed also in Bhagavad-gita
that a devotee who has unflinching faith in and devotion to the Lord,
even if sometimes found to be accidentally deviated from pure
devotional characteristics, should still be counted among the pure.
Unflinching faith in devotional service, in Lord Krishna and in the
spiritual master makes one highly elevated in the activities of
devotional service.
In the Nrsimha Purana it is stated, "If a person has
completely engaged his mind, body and activities in the service of the
Supreme Godhead, but externally he is found to be engaged in some
abominable activities, these abominable activities will surely be very
quickly vanquished by the influence of his staunch devotional force."
The example is given that on the full moon there are some spots which
may appear to be pockmarks. Still, the illumination spread by the full
moon cannot be checked. Similarly, a little fault in the midst of
volumes of devotional service is not at all to be counted as a fault.
Attachment for Krishna is transcendental bliss. Amid unlimited volumes
of transcendental bliss, a spot of some material defect cannot act in
any way.
