Raga Vartma Candrika - English

With the Sri Candrika Cakora Vrtti commentary by Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja

"By the unlimited mercy and inspiration of my supremely worshipable spiritual master, nitya-lila-pravista om visnupada astottara-sata Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, I am infinitely pleased today to see that this Hindi edition of Raga-vartma-candrika is now being published. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, the crown prince of illustrious teachers among Gaudiya Vaisnava acaryas, is the author of this book. Although in size this treatise is very small, from the perspective of its exalted subject matter, it is very great.In his Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu-bindu, Sripada Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has briefly explained the path of raganugabhakti (spontaneous loving devotion). He has given a more detailed description of the same subject matter in this book, presented in two illuminations. In the First Illumination, he ascertains the paths of vaidhi- and raganuga-bhakti. Vaidhi is performed under scriptural regulations, and raganuga is inspired by spiritual greed. The path of  spontaneous devotion (raga-marga) still relies upon scriptural direction, in spite of the rise of such spiritual greed. In other words, when one follows the path of regulative devotion (vidhi-marga), being inspired by feelings of  spiritual greed, it is categorized as ragamarga, and when one follows vidhi-marga, being disciplined by rules and regulations, it is indeed service in vidhi-marga. Devotional service that disregards rules and regulations creates turmoil.

There are five limbs of raganuga-bhajana: (1) svabhistabhavamaya, meaning saturated with one’s cherished devotional Raga-vartma-candrika mood, for example servitude or fraternity, (2) bhava-sambandhi, activities that are related to one’s cherished mood, such as hearing, chanting, and remembering the Lord’s names, form, qualities and pastimes, observing vows on holy days such as Ekadasi and Janmastami, and hearing discourses on SrimadBhagavatam, (3) bhava-anukula, activities that are favorable to one’s cherished mood, such as wearing neck beads made from the holy tulasi plant, wearing the Vaisnava markings of tilaka, and decorating oneself with stamps of the holy name and the Lord’s lotus feet, (4) bhava-aviruddha, activities that are not opposed to one’s cherished mood, such as servingcows, banyan and myrobalan trees, brahmanas, and especially Vaisnavas [of other sampradayas], (5) bhava-viruddha, activities that are detrimental to one’s cherished mood, such as ahaṅgrahopasana (considering oneself to be non-different from one’s object of worship), nyasa (various elaborate practices for chanting mantras and performing arcana), mudras (different procedures of intertwining the fingers during arcana), and dvaraka- and mahisi-dhyana (meditation upon Dvaraka and the service rendered to the Lord by His queens, who reside there). 

The Second Illumination presents concepts in relation to Sri Krsna’s aspects of supreme opulence (aisvarya) and consummate sweetness (madhurya). Whether the Lord exhibits His great opulences or not, if He maintains the sweet mood of His human-like pastimes (nara-lila), it is known as madhurya; if He exhibits only His divine opulences, transgressing the unassuming mood of nara-lila, then it is known as aisvarya. Some devotees are steadfast in their awareness of Krsna’s supreme majesty, whereas devotees solely intent on the Lord’s sweetness, even when confronted with His majesty, will experience no fear and will remain firmly fixed in their own mood. Also described are the principles of Krsna’s sarvajnata (omniscience) and mugdhata (quality of being charmingly oblivious and captivated), the concepts of svakiya (marital love) and parakiya (paramour love), the types of cherished eternal forms attained by raganuga devotees upon ascending to the realm of perfected divine love (prema), the authority of the Yogamaya potency, and so on." - TRIDANDIBHIKSU SRI BHAKTIVEDANTA NARAYANA (translated from the Hindi edition)

CONTENTS: Preface, Part one: First illumination (Texts 1 to 14 ), Part one: Second illumination (Texts 1 to 8), Part two: In Connection With Svakiya-Parakiya -The Conceptions of Srila Jiva Gosvami, The Line of Thought of Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, Opinions of Other Vaisnavas, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura on Svakiya and Parakiya, Endnotes, Glossary.

TITLE: Raga Vartma Chandrika
AUTHOR: Srila Visvhanatha Chakravarti Thakur
EDITOR: Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Goswami Maharaja
PUBLISHER: Gaudiya Vedanta Publications
ISBNs: 9781935428947 978-1-935428-94-7 1-935428-94-2 1935428942
Library of Congress Catalogue Card Number: 2015900449
EDITION: Second, 2015
PAGES: 150
SHIPPING WEIGHT: 300 grams