Obstacles Bhakti - Kunjeshwari Home

1 Religious text
So we see that ‘Bhajan’ is equal to ‘naishkarma’. In fact, when we start
performing pure devotional practice all our karmas are destroyed, our hearts
are purified and we are absorbed in relishing the seva-ras of Sri Bhagavân.
Shandilya-bhakti-sutra says – “sa bhaktih para-anu-rakti-ishware”
Meaning – “Bhakti means great and deep love for Sri Bhagavân.”
Sripad Swapneshwaracharya has explained this verse in the following
manner.
“‘anu’ means ‘followed by’ and ‘rakti’ means ‘deep attachment’. So first of all
we must learn about Sri Bhagavân’s glory and then we must develop deep
attachment for Him.”
So we see that it is best to hear about the glory of Sri Bhagavân, Bhakti, the
goal of life and how to achieve it from the Vedic Scriptures, Gurudev and
pure devotees and then perform pure devotion with deep attachment. This is
Bhakti.
But often we find that in spite of hearing from the Scriptures, Gurudev and
pure devotees and in spite of discussing so much about the goal of life and
how to achieve it, we are unable to perform pure Bhakti. Somehow, our
material desires are not quenched, rather the desire for sense gratification
becomes increasing day by day and we are engulfed by the pitch darkness of
passion and envy. We continue to hear and chant externally like a machine,
but our dangerous mind wanders in the garden of sensual pleasures most
happily.
If we do some soul-searching, we shall surely find some very minute matters
arising from various aparâdhs. If we are inattentive to these minute matters
then later on they gain huge proportions and stop our progress in the path of
Bhakti. Binod dasji is the blessed disciple of the Most worshiped Prabhupad
108 Srila Tinkodi (Kishori-Kishorananda) Goswami. He is sheltered in
Vrajadham and is dearer to me than my life. He has gained the mercy of
great souls and has progressed in self-sacrifice, material detachment and
devotional practice within a very short time. Many questions have arisen in
his heart regarding the obstacles in the progress of Bhakti. So he decided to
share his realizations in this book. Although this book is small, it is a bright
torch in the path of pure Bhajan. He showed me the manuscript of this text
some days back. I thought it is a most essential grantha 1 and encouraged
him to publish it. Any devotee who is serious in performing Bhajan must read
it and it will surely help him – I have no doubt in this regard.
Begging for the mercy of Sri Guru and Vaishnavs –
Sri Krishna Chaitanya Shâstra Mandir,
Brajananda Ghera,
P.O. –Radhakund,
Dist. – Mathura,
U.P.
12.6.87.
2
Most fallen servant
Ananta das.