Selection From Harmonist (Part 1)

ALL GLORY TO THE DIVINE MASTER
AND
THE SUPREME LORD SREE KRISHNA-CHAITANYA

SREE
SAJJANA-TOSHANI
OR
THE HARMONIST

Edited by - Sri Srimad Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Maharaj

Obeisance

I do obeisance to the Divinely beautiful lotus Feet of Sree Gurudeva, to all the revered Gurus and the devotees of Vishnu;

Obeisance to Sree Rupa himself with his elder brother (Sanatan) attended by Raghunath in the company of his associates and followers, and with Jiva (Goswamin).

Obeisance to Krishna-Chaitanyadeva with His own, with Advaita and with the Abadhuta (super-ascetic) Nityananda.

Obeisance to the Feet of Sree Radha and Krishna attended by Lalita and Sree Bishakha with their mates.

Manifold obeisance to Thee who is by Name Krishna-Chaitanya, Whose Beauty is the yellow colour,

Who by Quality is exceedingly merciful, Whose Function is bestowing the Love of Krishna and Who is Krishna Himself.

Obeisance to Thee, Thakur Bhaktivinode, by name Sachchidananda, The greatest of the followers of Sree Rupa, an Embodiment of Gaur’s Love.

Foreword

The name of the Journal, the ‘Harmonist’, stands in need of a little explanation. ‘Sajjana-toshani’ the only Sanskrit name headed the paper when she used to appear in Bengali, and the same spirit and aims of the ‘Sajjana-toshani’ are to be continued though she has now put on the English garb. “Harmonist” is the free English equivalent of the word ‘Sajjana-toshini.’ This point will bear a little elucidation. The title ‘Sajjana-toshani’ was adopted to signify a definite purpose.

The word ‘Sajjana’ is made up of two parts viz. ‘Sat’ and ‘Jana.’ ‘Sat’ is ‘Godhead’ or the ‘Absolute Truth’. This is in accordance with the sruti. ‘Sat’ means the Ever- Existent, the Unchangeable, the One Spirit and Harmony Himself. The ‘Sajjana’ is one who belongs to and serves the ‘Sat’, ‘Toshani’ is in the feminine form and means one who is desirous of pleasing. The journal aims exclusively at pleasing ‘Sajjanas.’

The feminine form of the word is indicative of her attitude of humility in regard to ‘Sajjanas’. The word ‘Sajjana’ is not really narrow in its denotation. To him who possesses the clearest spiritual vision all living beings without exception are ‘Sajjanas’. This is specifically borne out by the passage:-

“Ye Sadhus, bidding farewell to everything from a distance, offer your
hearts’ devotion at the Feet of Chaitanyachandra”.

The ‘Harmonist’ as a preacher of God’s word has to be endowed with the requisite qualities. Her high mission is to please all living beings by conveying to them the Divine Message in the fitting manner. Her object is emphatically not to create rupture but to bring about harmony. This constitutes the vital difference between her and the elevationist or the salvationist. Both of the latter fail to satisfy the hankering of the soul because they only offer or withhold the things of this world. The elevationist attempts to do temporary good to himself or to a few at the expense of others. The object of all good work is at best merely temporary relief and even that is uncertain. All such efforts have moreover, the invariable dark side. This is true of the so-called philanthropic endeavours no less than of our ‘jajnas’ that involve the direct sacrifice of animal life. The Salvationist is a delude, disguised seeker of his purely individual interest.

Both the systems involve ultimate disappointment and confusion for all concerned. The Salvationist perched on the solitary height of his sterile, egotistic isolation is on reaching his goal condemned to a neutralized existence which is death in life. This prospect is not different from that of the Karmis who are equally deluded, and cannot do lasting good to anyone. The remedy that both of these propose for the ills of life is manifestly inadequate and even harmful. Their particularistic methods multiply hostilities and increase confusion. The object of the ‘Sajjana-toshani’ is the radical cure of evil. Her method is entirely different from those of the elevationist or the salvationist. She is absolutely unselfish and impartial. Her method is that of ‘non-evil producing kindness’ of Sree Chaitanyadeva so beautifully described by Damodar Swarup, the second facsimile of the Supreme Lord, in the Sloka :-

‘Thou ocean of kindness, Sree Chaitanya, may that vast non-evil-
producing kindness of thine be aroused towards me that tends to
dissipate all sorrows with ease, to fully reveal everything by reason
of it’s purity, to unfold without reserve the transcendental bliss, to
conclude all the wranglings of the Shastras, to shower rasa (the
quality of harmony), to confer Divinely rapturous intoxication of
of the pure mind, to cause incessantly the natural flow of devotion
to bestow tranquillity of the soul, - and which exhibits the limit of
transcendental sweetness.’

With the above object in view the ‘Sajjana-toshani’ made her first appearance in the year 1879 in the modest form of a Bengali spiritual Monthly edited by Bhaktivinode Thakur. The paper remained under his editorship for seventeen years. She was later made over to the present editor who conducted the paper till she attained her twenty-fourth year of publication. Though the further publication of the ‘Sajjana-toshani’ was not possible for various reasons the object of the paper was subsequently taken up with vigour by the well known Gaudiya, the Bengali religious Weekly, which was started five years ago.

The ‘Sajjana-toshani’ as edited by Thakur Bhaktivinode was mainly in Bengali with occasional separate English numbers. The strat was with articles on current topics congenial to the harmonic school of religionists to which were later added original texts of the four Vaishnava Sampradayas with the object of gradually familiarising the public with the vocabulary and technicalities of the four schools. Thakur Bhaktivinode as the Pioneer-Preacher of ‘Suddha bhakti’ ‘pure devotion’ in Bengal in the present age had to serve a public which was at the time unprepared to receive his true message in its entirety. Although at that period even his supporters failed to grasp the full meaning of his message, his writings made the general public acquainted with the principles of the Vaishnava-religion in the measure of the capacity of each individual.

The professors of Vaishnavism or Harmonic School are by tradition divided into three classes according to the quality of their devotion. Those whose devotion is unalloyed are ‘Suddha bhaktas’. The ‘Misra bhaktas’ , the next class, consist of those whose devotion is alloyed. The third class, that of ‘Biddha bhaktas’, practise a form of devotion which is almost wholly perverted. In the days of Thakur Bhaktivinode the number of devotees professing ‘Suddha bhakti’ in Bengal were very few. His appeals had to be made to the class ‘Misra bhaktas’ and ‘Bhiddha bhaktas’ among whom he found supporters and sympathisers. The ‘Sajjana-toshani’ of that period did not altogether escape the influence of the views of these supporters. Thakur Bhaktivinode himself the Pioneer ‘Suddha bhakta’ found it almost necessary to tolerate more or less this influence of ‘Misra bhaktas’ and ‘Bhiddha bhaktas’ within the movement. By the Will of our Supreme Lord the Sajjana-toshani’ became subsequently strictly the organ of the Suddha bhakti’ movement and it is a proof of the fact that Thaku Bhaktivinode’s object is being carried out that a large number of highly educated and sincere souls have been accepting the principle of ‘Suddha bhakti’.

Thakur Bhaktivinode issued occasional English numbers of the ‘Sajjana-toshani’. His object was to spread the message of ‘Suddha bhakti’ in and outside Bengal. His object in regard to Bengali-knowing community has been taken up by the Gaudiya-Editorial board. The Sajjana-toshani’ thus finds herself in a position to cease her Bengali garb now on the appearance of the Gaudiya and array herself in English to make her appeals to the world at large.

This is in accordance with the desire of Mahaprabhu, as He gave vent to proselytism. He did not limit his message to any narrow sect. On the contrary, His message is for the whole living world including be it remembered the world of animals and plants. For the purpose of spreading His message of the Divine Love He employs an infinite army of followers.

A passage in the Chaitanya Bhagabata (Life of Sree Chaitanyadeva by Thakur Brindabandas)* clearly records the desire of Mahaprabhu :-

‘My Name will be preached everywhere, in all the villages and towns of the whole world’.

The ‘Harmonist’ seeks to carry out the desire of the Lord. For the present she is appearing in English, Sanskrit and Hindi. But she does not by any means desire to confine herself to these languages only. The Lord desires His Word to be preached to all living beings. The ‘Harmonist’ stands for this desire. She cherishes the faith that a day will come when His Word will be preached everywhere all over the world through the medium of all languages including the language of animals and plants when this will be practicable. She believes that Gaursundar will in the fullness of time raise up fit preachers in every part of the world and in numbers amply sufficient for His Purpose. This is the message of the ‘Harmonist’.

In conclusion it may be pointed out that association with ‘Suddha bhaktas’ is absolutely necessary to enter into the spirit of Mahaprabhu’s teachings. The ‘Harmonist’ will serve to bring about the association of the public with the ‘Suddha bhaktas’. The ‘Suddha bhaktas’ expect that they can count upon a patient hearing from ‘Sajjanas’. Such association will be for mutual benefit. It is necessary at the outset to caution the reader against the theory of ‘Vox populi vox Dei’. The ‘Harmonist has nothing to do with ‘Vox populi’. Her only concern is with ‘vox Dei’. It is the voice of God alone that will find utterance in these pages. The kind indulgence of the reader is solicited to overlook shortcomings in expression inseparable from the employment of a foreign language and consider only the spirit irrespective of the defective garb in which she might be clothed.

* The English version of which will appear serially in the ‘Harmonist’. The second edition of the original work with exhaustive notes in Bengali is being published by the Gaudiya Printing Works.

The Gaudiya Math : Its Message and Activities

By the grace of the Lord of the Gaudiyas the message of the Gaudiya Math is today not unknown to anyone in the whole of Gauda Desh - and not in Gauda Desh only, but over Naimisharanya, Ayodhya, Prayag, Kasi, Sree Brindaban, Mathura on one side and also over Dakshinatya and everywhere throughout the tracts of Orissa on the other, has been well proclaimed the message of the Gaudiya Math, the principal branch of the Sree Chaitanya Math which is the root implanted in the soil of the Advent of Sreeman Mahaprabhu, - Sree Mayapur Nabadvipa Dhama. Over Gaudamandala, Kshetramandala and Brajamandala the message of the Gaudiya math has gone forth.

The truth (satya) is propagated in a two-fold way viz. - positively or by the method of direct support and negatively or by the method of opposition. The truth cannot be sufficiently known by the positive method alone. Propaganda by the method of opposition more than the presentation of the positive aspect brings about more brilliantly in this world the appearance and glorification of the truth. In the Satya Yuga, Hiranyakasipu more than Prahlad by the adoption of the method of negative propaganda proclaimed greatly the glory of Nrisinghadeva. In the Treta Yuga, Ravana more than Hanuman proclaimed the greatness of Sree Ramachandra to the world. In Dwapara, more than the Pandava, Yadava and other devotees, Kansa, Jarasandha, Shishupala and the rest as antagonists proclaimed the greatness of Sree Krishna. In the Kali Yuga, - Jagai, Madhai, Chand Kazi, Prakasananda, Saraswati - the professor of Mayavada, Ramachandra Khan - the hater of Vishnu and Vaishnavas, Ramachandra Puri and in after times, the various hypocrite sects, more than the Bhaktas of Gaur have proclaimed the greatness of Gaur and Nityananda to the world by adopting the hostile methods. The truth is in all ages propagated in this way by the positive and negative methods. The true method of the Sree Gaudiya Math has spread and is spreading in the world in this manner.

It may be asked - ‘What does the Gaudiya Math do? Is the Gaudiya Math merely one other association like the thousands of sects that are to be found in this world? Or is the Gaudiya Math one among the other welfare societies of the world? Or is the Gaudiya Math one of the many mischievous organisations that carry on their activities in this world? What work does the Gaudiya Math do for the benefit of the world? Is the Gaudiya Math like a mother, a protector like a father or a helper like a brother? What good does the Gaudiya Math do to the world, what well being of society does it desire, what very inconsiderable service does it render to mankind that the world, the civilized world, or the whole of mankind, should listen to its message?’ - Many such questions may arise in our minds. The Gaudiya Math is not an association like the thousands of sects. The Gaudiya Math is not desirous of the welfare or non-welfare of the world like other benefit-or-mischief-making societies. The Gaudiya Math does not do work that is beneficial or harmful in terms of worldly enjoyments. The Gaudiya Math is neither affectionate nor cruel like a worldly mother, neither protector or destroyer like a worldly father, neither helper nor enemy like a worldly brother. What then is this Gaudiya Math that the world should listen to its words?

There need be no want of harmony between the Gaudiya Math and the whole world, as the only disharmony is caused by one little word. The Gaudiya Math says that harmony between itself and the whole world can be established by means of one word, viz. That the duty of all jivas consists in the exclusive service of the Adhokshaja the transcendent. The majority of the people of this world says that the service of the Akshaja, i.e. The phenomenal, is the duty of everyone of the jivas. Even when this is not actually said by word of mouth, in practice it is this that is always done. The Gaudiya Math says that that which is the object of our activities (sadhya) should itself be the only means (sadhan) for the attainment of the object. In the opinion of the majority of men of the world sadhya and sadhan are different, one from the other. The Gaudiya Math says that words like ‘unity’, ‘universal love’ etc. So long as one continues to be under the influence of the physical and mental dharma are mere sounds like such words akashkusum (aerial flower) etc. Harmony is possible only when one has obtained a firm footing in the dharma (function) of the soul.

This distinction requires to be made perfectly clear. The service of the Adhokshaja means the service of the transcendental Godhead. That which helps or hinders the gratification of the body or the mind is not the service of the Ashokshaja, it is the service of the Akshaja. The body is pleased by the enjoyment of free air, by gazing at the sky. The troublesome mind is gratified if it is allowed to roam at will like an unbridled horse, to revel in the beauties of Nature to gather as it lists honey from the many tinted flowerage of the groves of poesy. The contrary of this the neutralizationist’s point of view is based upon repugnance of all gratification. Neither of these is service of the Adhokshaja - both are service of the Akshaja.

The majority of the people of the world, although they profess to be positivists, fail to see, although it must be quite patent, the greatest of all the phenomena. They at any rate forget it in practice even when they appear to know. The greatest of the positivists like Charvaka, although he could not but have observed this greatest of all phenomena, failed to take notice of it; - that great phenomenon is generally known by the name of - death.

If the memory of this great event is retained in our minds we would assuredly be solicitous for the ‘amrita’ (deathlessness). The sruti says we are all children of the ‘amrita’ - heirs of the ‘amrita’ -

‘Listen ye, all children of the amrita.’

In this world there are found two kinds of endeavour for obtaining this ‘amrita’. Like unto the sons of kings of the epochs recorded in history some try to ascend the throne of their father by treason against the father; on the other hand, loyal sons in seeking to be heirs of a kindhearted and affectionate father look upon constant service as being both the means and the end.

The Gaudiya Math understands the last-named as being the appropriate and eternal method. Why is it appropriate? Because -

‘Sree Krishna, the tidings of Whom whosoever listens to or sings is
sanctified, the Benefactor of all holy persons, appearing
in the hearts of all who listen to the accounts of Himself destroys the
evil propensities of their hearts to the very root’.

This seed of sin or sinful desire or ignorance is the cause of the worldly sojourn of the jiva.

Why is the method eternal? Because -

‘In the beginning the ‘Munis’ ‘sages’ worshipped the ‘Adhokshaja
Bhagabana’ (the transcendental God in His plenitude) in this way.’

That type of kindness which does not give rise to ‘evil’ is termed. As for example if a sick man is allowed to eat tamarind or a drunkard is helped to proceed to a liquor shop kindness is indeed shown, but in the sequel it turns out to be productive of harm to the person who is the recipient of kindness. If the sick man is placed under medical treatment against his will and inclination, if the drunkard is protected from his evil course, ‘non-harm-producing kindness is shown. Preventing floods and famines, nursing the sick, pleasing or displeasing anybody or stultifying the faculty of consciousness of any one - every one of these is an instance of ‘harm-producing kindness’. Man cannot understand it till he realises his true position. By such acts the jiva is not really benefited. Cutting the root of misery is doing real good to others; the treatment that allows the gangrene of sensual desires to remain does no real good to the patient, - neither is it a proof of great wisdom out of spite to the gangrene of sensual desires to hang the sick man holding out the prospect of annihilation as complete and permanent cure.

“Just as the best physician, even if the patient evinces a desire for
unwholesome food, does not allow it; in like manner he who is
himself aware of ‘the highest good’ never advises an ignorant person
to do ‘work’ for his own interest.”

The Sruti says -

“Ignorant persons being themselves in the midst of manifold ‘errors’
think thus, ‘we have gained what we want’. Because they work for their
their own interest they have no experience of the real truth by reason
of their attachment to such work. With extreme solicitude they gain
little as the result of their activities. After a time they fall from that
position’.

The Sruti further says -

‘Those who remaining in the midst of ignorance consider themselves
to be conscientious and enlightened such perverted and ignorant men
come to grief like the blind man led by the blind.’