Is Swarupa and Rasa of Jiva inherent?

According to many devotees it is the most controversial topic in Vaishnava philosophy  . Is it ? let us see with some reference to our acharyas . Rasa and swarupa is directly related as one gets a body suitable to his rasa. There might be instances where a particular reference appears to be contradictory . In such case the entire contents of the grantha is to be analysed and then only one can come into a conclusion. Just like in Bhagavat Gita if one argues that Krishna has recommended that process of Astanga yoga so it is not necessary to abandon all religion and surrender unto him is a vague comment. If one analyses the entire Bhagavat Gita then only one can come to a definite conclusion.  Again Jiva Goswami states that it is the rule of logic that if two statement appears contradictory then the statement which appears later is to be accepted as it comes after the previous one with a continuation of the previous one and with a stronger logic.

Srila Jiva Goswami states in the Sandarbhas : Mimânsâ Shastra has one formula –
Pourvaparye purva-dourbalyam prakritivat
Meaning – Sometimes, if there is a contradiction between previous and later statements in the scriptures, the later statements are stronger and will express the true meaning of the previous statements.
Nyây Shâstra (logic) also states
purvâparayor- madhye para-vidhi balavân
Meaning – The later instruction is stronger than the previous one.”

It is said that the verse , “jivera ‘svarupa’ haya – krishnera ‘nitya-dasa’ krishnera ‘tatastha sakti’ ‘bhedabheda-prakasa’”, means that everything is already THERE in the svarupa of the jiva.

However this verse does not at all say that “everything” is there in the svarupa of the jiva, neither the rasa, nor the form, nor bhakti… It only means that the jiva is an energy (sakti) of the Lord and that the jiva is in the function of servanthood to the controller and owner of the energy (saktiman, Sri Krishna). This relationship of servant and the One to be served is eternal. By the way, the analogy of the “seed-like” form or “stage” is only used in sastra to describe the bhakti-lata-bija and it nicely explains the progress of bhakti. It is never used in the context of the svarupa of the jiva. To say that the jiva already has a blueprint in its form of his eternal relationship to Krishna is not correct. It is necessary to understand that in order to have a relationship with Krishna, we must engage in loving devotion, bhakti. Without bhakti, there can be no relationship with Krishna. First we engage in bhakti, THEN we establish our relationship (RASA) with Krishna.

Let us proceed with references from acharyas.

BRS 2.5.7 states:
“The rati takes on a specific type (one of the five, ie: santa, dasya, etc) according to the individual nature of the devotee. Just as the sun takes on various forms when reflected through crystals and other items, the rati takes on various forms when manifesting in different individuals. “(HH Bhanu Swami translation)
Jiva Gosvami’s commentary:
The example of the reflection of the sun in crystal and other items is used to illustrate the variety that rati assumes in different individuals, and not to illustrate that those who receive rati have only some reflection, and not genuine rati . Because of particular differences, five distinct conditions appear which are given five different names .
Observation: This verse translation states that rati takes a specific type according to individual nature of jiva.  Here it looks like it refers to inherent rasa the jiva has with krishna but it is not directly referred .  We all are different individual having different nature . Agreed .  But we develop  this nature based on samskaras  in this material world .  So the individual nature or particular difference mentioned here not necessarily means it refers to inbuilt nature.  It can also mean the nature gained through association or samskaras. This is a logic and can be said both ways.Actually, the word patra is usually used to mean a worthy recipient, like adhikari, or a student who is worthy of receiving the gifts of the guru. We can´t find here the words individual nature of the devotee (INHERENT ) as the meaning of PATRA. This would lead to the conclusion that the “ Inherent individual nature of a devotee” would determine the specific rati.

So how we confirm ?

Let us now look into the verse which appears after the previous verse in the same chapter of BRS 2.5.13 :

Translation:  When a devotee’s rati, like a clear crystal, becomes similar in form to that of the devotee to whom he is attached, it is called svaccha-rati .
Jiva Gosvami’s Commentary:
This verse shows how devotee association acts as the seed of rati .Through association with various types of devotees, various types of sadhana which are like watering the seed will be performed. This will produce various bhavas in the practicing devotee. The type of suddha-rati previously mentioned, which produces such variety in a devotee is called swaccha.  The cause of variety is explained in verse 13. The devotee’s rati, like a crystal, takes on a form similar to that of another devotee to whom he is attached. The example of the crystal is used because of its quality of taking on a variety of conditions, but not to indicate that this rati is only a reflection (not the real thing), since it is included in the topic of suddha-rati. which is included in the topic of forms of genuine rati. However. this svaccha-rati is included in Suddha rati because the particular tastes it manifests are temporary (rather than permanent as in priti or other forms of rati). This also agrees with the later statement in verse 21. which describes suddha-rali (which includes swaccha rati as being devoid of distinctive taste. )Suddha -rati has no mixture of the tastes found in the other types of rati such as priti-rati.

Observation:  Points mentioned here by Srila Jiva Goswami:
a.  Clearly states that devotee association acts as a seed of rati. Vital point negating the inherent rasa theory.
b. Various types of sadhana in association with devotees is compared to watering .
c. The above two produces bhava in devotee.
d. Devotee’s rati acts like a crystal. devotee’s rati is compared with crystal as it can take variety of form .
e. This crystal(devotee’s rati) takes form similar to that of another devotee to whom he is attached. Here we can further    progress from the verse 2.5.7 which clears the  stand that association is the factor of difference not the by inherent  nature of jiva which appeared contradicting though not in the verse 2.5.7.
f.  Taking of different form does not indicate that this is  only a reflection(not real thing). This is a vital point.
g. Why it is not a reflection ?  since it is included in the topic of suddha-rati. which is included in the topic of forms  of genuine rati .

Now we move forward towards a latter verse. BRS, 2.5.38 STATES  which clears this position directly .
These five types of rati [i.e., the rati or bhāva associated with each of the five rasas] progressively become more blissful by increasing tastes. The particular taste arises in a devotee according to his previous experiences.

Jīva Gosvāmī’s Commentary:

After the five types of rati ‘have been described, a doubt arises.  Should all these types be considered equal or successively superior? If they are equal, then all the ratis should have the same inclinations. If they are successively superior, what is the cause for differing inclinations in people for different ratis? This verse answers. Increasing from first to last (yathorraram), from suddharati to priyata-rari, they become progressively filled with taste or delight.

But what determines who takes up which type of rati? Is it decided by having no impressions of a particular rati from previous lives, by having an impression of one type of rati from previous lives, or by having impressions of many types of rati?
In the first option – absence of impressions – rati cannot occur at all, because no taste could arise. In the case of persons having impressions of many types of rati, a particular rati could not manifest prominently because conflicting tastes would result in the improper manifestation of rasa (rasābhāsa). Therefore, impressions of only one type carried from previous lives produce the specific taste. Though not being in a position to perceive the depth of that rasa, one can confirm its identity by comparing scriptural descriptions of rasas with one’s own inclinations, and by inference through seeing how rasas, different from one’s own rasa, either nourish or fail to nourish the total ingredients .
Viśvanātha Cakravartī’s  commentary:
Among the various tastes such as sweet, sour and bitter, a particular person has a particular liking because of previous impressions. Because of impressions from a past life of a particular rasa, such as dāsya, in this life also, the person has that taste alone and not others, by the mercy of a great devotee with a similar taste. This is the case for the two types of dāsya and the other three higher rasas.

Observation:
a. Jiva Goswami himself asks and then answers “what is the cause for differing inclinations in people for different ratis? This verse answers.”
b. “what determines who takes up which type of rati?”. This looks like more direct indication over what  are the prerequisite for a rati for a   particular individual. clearly in sync with verse 2.5.7 and 2.5.13.
c. In the first option – absence of impressions – rati cannot occur at all, because no taste could arise . This clearly indicates that absence of association  cannot lead to rati . Also indicates absence of inherent rasa in jiva. Why association is needed ? Is it to fuel out something which is already present ?  There is no direct evidence to that . If it was so then it would not be in sync with the above two verses.
d. Therefore, impressions of only one type carried from previous lives produce the specific taste.  Here Jiva Goswami answers to the question he raised in the beginning   of the commentary “what is the cause for differing inclinations in people for different ratis?”
e. Vishvanath Chakravarty Thakura furthur comments in the commentary of jiva Goswami “Because of impressions from a past life of a particular rasa, such as dāsya, in this life also, the person has that taste alone and not others, by the mercy of a great devotee with a similar taste. This is the case for the two types of dāsya and the other three higher rasas.”. Making a definite conclusion.

Analysing the above 3 back to back statements of BRS it becomes clear that individual nature of the devotee as mentioned in BRS 2.5.7 refers to the nature which one has attained through samskaras which is not inbuild in jiva .

RATI IS THE MANIFESTATION OF HLADINI SHAKTI.

BRS 2.5.92: The ancient authorities have given the following statement from mahabharata as an example to show that rati, which is the manifestation of hladini sakti, which is beyond the conceivable- deriding even liberation and giving joy to the Lord himself– should not be created by material logic.

Observation:  Here in this verse rati is the manifestation of hladini sakti which we all agree. If it the manifestation of hladini Shakti or inner potency  then how come it is in the inbuilt feature of jiva which is tathasta by nature which lacks hladini shakti ?

The above verse also  does not contradicts the below  statement:
“Action of the senses, which produces the stage of bhava is called sadhana-bhakti. This attained state of bhava-bhakti is an eternal sthayi-bhava which is not created, but simply manifests within the soul by the spiritual energy of the Lord. BRS, 1.2.2“.
One may say that a jiva has an inherent spiritual form from the very beginning. They may quote the below reference:
In his commentary to verse 2.2.208 of Brhadbhagavatamrtam, Srila Sanatan Goswami says:
Even the liberated souls who have merged into the formless divine light of Brahman retain their spiritual bodies, complete with spiritual mind and senses. Nothing, not even liberation, can ever deprive a jiva of these assets. When a liberated soul gains the favour of the Supreme Lord’s personal energy, his spiritual body and senses are reawakened for hearing and chanting the glories of Lord Hari and acting in other ways for the Lord’s pleasure.(not sure about the translation’s authenticity).

However we see  Vedanta Sutra 4.4.12 furthermore says that a liberated soul may have a body or be formless – whatever they are willing they can have.
From here we can analyse that the above statement is not a mandatory condition. But how come Srila Sanatana Goswami be wrong in his analysis ? Certainly not. He clears this up later quite efficiently.

later  Srila Sanatana Goswami comments in the same verse as:
A non devotee may ask, “Because devotional service is a type of activity and all activities are driven by ego, how can devotional service develop after ego has been left aside?” This question comes from a misunderstanding of the Supreme Lord’s personal energies. Just as one of His special energies provides liberated Vaisnavas with spiritual bodies, another gives them a transcendental ego, with the attitude that “I am His servant.” With this spiritual ego, pure devotional service is easily obtained. BB, 2.2.208 commentary.

Here he specifically states  one of His special energies provides liberated Vaisnavas with spiritual bodies. It doesn’t say that supreme lord woke him up or showed him his original form that was dormant.

What looks like a contradiction in 2.2.28 is removed later by Srila Sanatana Goswami in the same book Brhad Bhagavatamrtam 2.7.42 :-

Lord Krsna, that crest jewel of munificent persons, was distressed because He could not find anything better than Himself to offer as a gift. So He removed the ornaments from His own body and decorated the brahmana with them, making him look like Sarupa. BB, 2.7.42

Sanatana Gosvami’s commentary:

“This learned brahmana has offered Me his very self,” Krsna thought, “but in return I must give him something more valuable than My self; otherwise I won’t be showing any more generosity than I normally do. But I can’t find anything more precious than My self. What can I give him?” Thinking like this made Krsna anxious.

He then decided to give Janasarma something He had never before given to anyone – His own ornaments. But Krsna had to consider seriously before He made that decision, because to give such a gift would verify that He considers His devotees more important than Himself. Along with His ornaments, Krsna also gave Janasarma a cowherd’s form similar to Sarupa’s.
In this way Krsna bestowed on Janasarma a supreme mercy that only He could give. And Janasarma felt completely fulfilled. BB, 2.7.43

Again Srila Sanatana Gosvami comments:

By converting the dry brahmana Janasarma into a young cowherd fit to join the assembly of intimate cowherd friends, Krsna proved that in giving mercy He is unsurpassed. And Janasarma, having attained a form like his own guru’s, was fully satisfied.

Analysis : Here it is proved that Krishna awarded a spiritual body to the brahman. There is no question of giving or awarding if it is already there.

Here is one more vivid example from Visvanatha Cakravarti’s commentary in Ujjvala-nilamani. He begins by posing a question:

“If those present day persons practicing raganuga attain prema in some birth by going through the states of nistha, ruci, and asakti, they become qualified for service to the Lord. At the time of leaving the body, will they attain the positions of associates beyond the material world, or participate when the Lord descends as an avatara?” Because it is impossible for the transformations of prema such as sneha, mana, pranaya to appear in the body of a sadhaka, by the power of associating in gopi bodies with nitya-siddha gopis having mahabhava, and by seeing, hearing, remembering and chanting about the qualities of the Lord, they will certainly attain such a position. Because these methods are very powerful, without them one cannot attain perfection as a gopi. He (Krsna) gives a spiritual gopi body endowed with proper bhavas, as he gave a spiritual body to Narada. Then, when Krsna and his associates appear in a manifest Vrndavana, that body is born in the womb of a gopi by the arrangement of yogamaya in order to perfect sneha and other varieties of prema. UN, 3.49-51 Commentary

Krsna “gives a spiritual gopi body,” … “as He gave a spiritual body to Narada.” Why does Krsna have to give a spiritual body if we already had one that was simply asleep? Krsna “gave” Narada a spiritual body – it doesn’t say that Krsna woke him up or showed him his original form that was dormant. Where are the verses which say that Krsna wakes up the devotee so they can see their original spiritual form? There are none.
Someone may argue what about the animal or plants in spiritual world ? How can a sadhaka  get that form if it is not inherent ? Srila Sanatan Goswami answers to that in Brhad Bhagavatamrtam 2.4.141

They have assumed forms with colors and shapes similar to those of the Lord they have worshiped as most dear. BB, 2.4.141

Sanatana Goswami’s commentary:

“This verse indicates that Vaikuntha devotees who appear in nonhuman forms, such as those of some animal or plant, have worshiped similar forms of Lord Narayana, who by His expansion appeared in those same species. These devotees, each in his own way, have realized the perfection of sarupya, having attained forms that look just like those of the Supreme Lord.” BB, 2.4.141 commentry.
Analysis : Here it is clearly mentioned that a jiva attained the form of Animal or Plant because he worshiped similar form of Lord narayan. It is not stated that jiva had an inherent swarupa of animal.
Liberation is also described in these words of Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.6.28

“Having been awarded a transcendental body befitting an associate of the Personality of Godhead, I quit the body made of five material elements, and thus all acquired fruitive results of work (karma) stopped.”.

Observation:  Here it is clearly stated that the swarupa of jiva is awarded. If it is already there then how can it be awarded?
Jiva Goswami states in Priti sandarbha : Anuccheda 12
The body of a liberated soul is also described in these words of Srimad-Bhagavatam (8.3.19): “After worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead, those who are interested in the four principles of religion, economic development, sense gratification and liberation obtain from Him what they desire. What, then, is be said of other benedictions? Indeed, sometimes the Lord gives a spiritual body to such ambitious worshipers.”
Srila Sridhara Svami comments: “In this way the Supreme Lord gives the devotee an eternal spiritual body.”

Observation: Here also we see the lord is giving/awarding a spiritual body.
Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.12.11) states:-

“Lord Krsna, who awards the impersonal brahman realization by His bodily effulgence, also gives pleasure to the devotees as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Those who are under the spell of external energy, maya, take Him only as a beautiful child. Yet He gave full transcendental pleasure to the cowherd boys who played with Him. Only after accumulating heaps of pious activities, those boys were promoted to personally associate with the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”

Observation:
a. Lord Krishna AWARDS impersonal brahman realization to an individual.
b. The same Lord promotes the devotee as cowhard boys due to accumulation of heaps of pious activities. There accumulation of pious activities is the decisive matter not the inherent form or rasa.

vraja-lokera kona bhava lana yei bhaje |
bhava-yogya deha pana krishna paya vraje ||
CaiCa 2.8.122

“Whoever accepts the bhava of the residents of Vraja, engaging in bhajana appropriate for that bhava,
will receive a body suitable for it, attaining Sri Krishna in Vraja.”

yugala carana sevi, nirantara ei bhavi, anuragi thakibo sadaya |
sadhane bhavibe yaha, siddha dehe pabe taha raga marge ei sei upaya ||
PBC 55

“With attachment, I will always serve the feet of Sri Yugala, remaining attached to them forever.
Whatever I think of during sadhana I will attain in siddha-deha; such is the means on the path of raga.”
vaikuṇṭhasya bhagavato jyotir-aṁśa-bhūtā vaikuṇṭha-loka-śobha-rūpā yā anantā mūrtayas tatra vartante tāsām ekayā saha muktasyaikasya mūrtir bhagavatā kriyata iti vaikuṇṭasya mūrtir iva mūrtir yeṣām ity uktam (Prīti Sandarbha (10)

“In the  spiritual world, the Supreme Lord has unlimited spiritual forms, all are expansions of himself illuminating that  world.  With  each  one  of  those  forms,  the  Lord  enjoys  pastimes  with  a  single individual liberated soul.”

These liberated souls therefore have spiritual bodies like that of the Lord.

( From Manjari Svarupa Nirupana, Sri Srimat Kunja Bihari Das Babaji Maharaj):- In  the  Lord’s  abode,  there  are  an  unlimited  number  of  forms,  all  suitable  for  rendering service to him. Every one of those forms is non-different from him, being expanded from his effulgence; each one is eternal, full of consciousness and bliss. They are the crowning, central jewels of the spiritual world—its very life. These unlimited spiritual bodies are the perfected forms of the liberated souls which are awarded to an individual, according to his taste,  when  he  reaches  the  state  of  absolute  liberation.  This  state  is  called  attainment  of the  spiritual  body.  All  these  spiritual  bodies  are  eternal  for  they  exist  even  before  the liberated souls enter them and will continue to exist ever afterward. However, prior to the entry of the liberated soul they are in an from OUR PERSPECTIVE –  inactive state.
As  all  of  the  unlimited  souls  are  servants  of  the  Lord,  each  one  of  them  has  a  spiritual body  in  the  Lord’s  abode  just  suitable  for  rendering  service  to  the  Lord.  When  an individual becomes qualified for direct service to the Lord by the grace of the Goddess of Devotion, then the Supreme Lord awards him that spiritual body.

Srila Ananta Das Babaji Maharaj writes about this:-

The siddha-deha of the sadhaka is a beautiful treasure of the eternal divine abode and it is permanent. All the siddha-dehas are conscious, blissful and is in the mode of especially pure goodness.
We see in Srimad-Bhagavatam –
“vasanti yatra purushah sarve vaikuntha-murtayah.”

Meaning –
“Innumerable bodies are present in the divine Vaikuntha. They are parts of Sri Bhagavan’s effulgence and are the precious and beautiful treasure of the Holy Abode.”

Sri Gurudeva is Sri Bhagavan’s intense compassion personified. He knows our siddha-deha by the power of his meditation. Then he reveals to us our siddha-deha. We should meditate on this divine body and think “I am this divine body”.  Such meditation is called “meditating on siddha-deha”. So we should note that our sadhana does not create the siddha-deha. It is already there. When we accomplish success in bhakti and we become worthy of serving Sri Bhagavan in reality, we become blessed and get the opportunity to serve the Divine Couple in our siddha-deha. Hence it is imperative that we follow the Siddha-pranali received in the Guru-parampara and perform sadhana accordingly. We should meditate on that siddha-deha which we receive in Sri Guruparampara and that which Sri Gurudeva has given us.

In another place Srila Ananta Das Babaji Maharaj says to a devotee:-

He told me that the form is already there. The guru(besthi guru) contacts in deep meditation  Krishna´s form as the all-knowing Samasthi Guru and the Lord tells Sri Guru what form would be compatible with the feelings of the sadhaka. Then Sri Gurudeva reveals that form to the sadhaka and instructs him in bhajana. It is actually our seva-consciousness that “activates” that form.
The form is like a nice cloth which Krishna is giving to the liberated soul. A cloth “made of topmost spiritual bhava”…
But by practicing raganuga-bhakti in manjari-bhava-sadhana, the form which the sadhaka will be assigned actually comes from Srimati Radhika.

 

 

Sri Tarun Govinda Das has further explained

Now we are forced to ask:

1) How can there be spiritual bodies for us before we enter?
2) How can they be there and  be inactive ?
3) Now we are here, they are there…what are they doing in the meantime?

but we have to understand one thing : These questions originate in a material conditioned mind. We are forced to think and feel and experience in a time-space-continuum. But we are talking here about the spiritual world…the innermost portion of Sri Krishna´s “creation”…the topmost realm of Divine Love…Vaikuntha … Our questions are bound to fail.
We can only understand these “matters” when our consciousness is fully purified (suddha-sattva).When our hearts are filled with the Lord´s inner potency (svarupa-sakti ), we can comprehend and realize these things.

How can we even try to understand the siddha-deha? It is a body made of “bhava” (spiritual emotions). Even the clothes we wear are symptoms of our bhava… Right now, we cannot even imagine a body made of fire…what to speak of Lord Brahma´s body which is made of intelligence…
But this does not mean that we can forget it all…we can anyway never understand it. So is the meditation on the siddha-deha useless ?  Is it  only my head-cinema producing a movie with me in a manjari-form ? No. This is not what the mahajanas teach us. All depends on our practice, on our consciousness and on our stage in bhakti.

Srila Narottam das Thakur sings:

sadhane ye dhana cai, siddha dehe taha pai,
pakkapakka matra se vicara
apakke sadhana riti, pakile se prema-bhakti,
bhakati lakshana tattva sara (56)

“The treasure I desire as a practitioner I will get when I attain my spiritual body; it’s just a question of being ripe or unripe. The ripe stage is the stage of pure loving devotion and the unripe stage is the stage of practice. That is the essential truth about devotional principles.”

So, we keep on practicing.

To think that “we as perfected jiva-souls” enter the spiritual world is also not a correct thinking pattern. It is not like we leave here and go there…and suddenly we appear in Goloka Vrindavana… The spiritual world is eternal. There exists only eternal present . It is not that 10 minutes ago, this liberated jiva was here in this world and then it entered the spiritual world.This is a seperate topic altogether. The spiritual world is not  bound on time and space. It is a world of pure spiritual consciousness of existence.
And to think that these spiritual forms are already there and man, what are they doing in the “meantime”…the mind bites its own tail… There is no meantime . There, in Goloka Vrindavana, is only now.

Right now we need metaphors like the forms “being inactive”. We “activate” them by our spiritual bhava. The true alchemy takes place when we fully identify with our Krishna-given form and when we do our seva to the Divine Couple in our siddha-deha. Glimpses of our siddha-deha can be experienced at the stage of asakti.

———————————————————————————————-
My heartful thanks to Tarun Govinda Das.

References and further study

1 https://flowingnectarstream.wordpress.com/2014/10/28/from-foundational-loving-emotions-sthayi-bhavas-to-experiences-of-abundant-amazement-rasa/

2. https://flowingnectarstream.wordpress.com/2014/10/20/understanding-jiva-tattva-2-0/?relatedposts_hit=1&relatedposts_origin=1652&relatedposts_position=1

 

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