Text 16

The six urges unfavourable to bhakti and the anarthas related to them (i.e. hṛdaya-daurbalya, asat-tṛṣṇā and aparādha) are explained in the first verse of Śrī Upadeśāmṛta:

वाचो वेगं मनसः क्रोध-वेगं जिह्वा-वेगम् उदरोपस्थ-वेगम्
एतान् वेगान् यो विषहेत धीरः सर्वाम् अपीमां पृथिवीं स शिष्यात्

vāco vegaṃ manasaḥ krodha-vegaṃ jihvā-vegam udaropastha-vegam
etān vegān yo viṣaheta dhīraḥ sarvām apīmāṃ pṛthivīṃ sa śiṣyāt

A wise and self-composed person who can tolerate the impetus to speak, the agitation of the mind, the onset of anger, the vehemence of the tongue, the urge of the belly and the agitation of the genitals can instruct the whole world. In other words, all persons may become disciples of such a self-controlled person.

वाक्य-वेग मनो-वेग क्रोध-जिह्वा-वेग
उदर उपस्थ-वेग भजन उद्वेग

vākya-vega mano-vega krodha-jihvā-vega
udara upastha-vega bhajana udvega

बहु-यत्ने नित्य सब करिबे दमन
निर्जने करिबे राधा-कृष्णेर भजन

bahu-yatne nitya saba karibe damana
nirjane karibe rādhā-kṛṣṇera bhajana

Commentary: Bhajana-rahasya-vṛtti:

In this Text, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has given the instruction to reject that which is unfavourable to bhakti. The acceptance of that which is favourable and rejection of that which is unfavourable are not direct limbs of pure bhakti. Rather, they are aspects of śraddhā that are characterised by surrender (śaraṇāgati) and that bestow the eligibility for bhakti. A person who is capable of tolerating the six urges mentioned in this verse can instruct the entire world.

The purport of this Text is that lust (kāma), anger (krodha), greed (lobha), delusion (moha), pride (mada) and envy (matsaratā) always appear in the mind and agitate the living entity. These six enemies dwell there due to living entity’s weakness of heart, hṛdaya-daurbalya.

Three kinds of urges (vegas) are seen in the living entity attached to enjoyment of material objects in this worldly existence: the impetus to speak, agitation of the mind and agitation of the body. It is very difficult for a person who has fallen into the strong current of these three urges to be rescued.

The impetus to speak (vākya-vega ) refers to talks that are unfavourable to bhakti, and to the use of words that cause distress to others. However, one should not consider talk that is useful in the service of the Supreme Lord to be vākya-vega. Rather, one should consider such talk to be the result of disciplining the impetus to speak. Agitat ion of the mind is born from the various desires of the heart. If these desires are not fulfilled, anger arises. The three mental urges of speech, the mind and anger will be pacified by remembering Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes.

The bodily urges are also of three types: the vehemence of the tongue, the urge of the belly and the agitation of the genitals. Vehemence of the tongue appears when the desire to enjoy any of the six distinct tastes impels one to eat prohibited foods and to take intoxicants. A bhakti-sādhaka must never indulge in these things. One should carefully keep the urge of the tongue at bay by taking the remnants of the Supreme Lord and the devotees. The urge of the belly will also be pacified by taking bhagavat-prasāda as needed, by regularly observing Ekādaśī and by serving Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

It is possible to fall into varieties of bad behaviour and bad associat ion just to satisfy the desires of the tongue. Śrī Caitanyacaritāmṛta (Antya-līlā 6.227) states: “jīhvāra lālase yei iti-uti dhāya, śiśnodara-parāyaṇa kṛṣṇa nāhi pāya–one who runs here and there trying to satisfy his tongue and who is always devoted to the desires of the genitals and belly cannot attain Śrī Kṛṣṇa.” Also (Antya-līlā 6.236): “bhāla nā khāibe āra bhāla nā paribe–do not eat delicious food and do not dress opulently.” Many troubles come from overeating. A person who eats too much becomes a servant of his agitated genitals. In other words, he becomes devoid of character. The agitation of the genitals, or the desire to meet with the opposite sex, drags the mind towards material sense objects and therefore renders one incapable of cultivating pure bhakti.

Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī composed this verse to make the heart of a person who is endeavouring to perform bhajana inclined towards the path of bhakti. It is not that the endeavour to escape these six urges is itself the practice of bhakti ; rather, this endeavour is the path to attain the qualification to enter the realm of bhakti. When bhakti appears, these six urges automatically become pacified of their own accord. This is because bhakti is a self-manifesting function of the Supreme Lord’s svarūpa-śakti.