Nishtita-bhakti – The First Major Turning Point for the Sadhaka

By: Babhru Dasa

For sadhakas, nishtita-bhakti is very important to understand. Why? Because Prema-bhakti is almost always impossible for a person to attain unless their practices in sadhana are completely nishtita (steady and enthusiastic). I say “almost always impossible” because in some exceedingly rare cases, a person may attain siddhi (perfection) just by mercy alone. That is not our goal though, it is simply a special circumstance that may come about by Bhagavans (or a sadhus) causeless mercy. Keeping that in mind, it should be understood that everything in bhakti is actually achieved through mercy of Krsna and sadhus, and not by ones personal effort alone. 

So for the vast majority of sadhakas, prema-siddhi (the perfection of divine love) will come about by elevating oneself progressively through the eight stages of bhakti (From shraddha to prema). Of these, nisthita-bhajana-kriya (fixed devotional service) is considered the first major achievement. It is truly a turning point for the sadhaka. Ones faith, spiritual practices, and deep taste are all categorically different in quality and quantity than they were before in anisthita-bhajana-kriya.

The primary characteristics of a sadhaka’s heart at this stage is the very powerful enthusiasm for performing bhajan regardless of all internal and external circumstances, and also extremely powerful shraddha in bhajan and bhagavan. In other words, ones bhajan is not negatively affected by anarthas and material conditionings. In this way, nothing can stop the sadhaka from trying to quench their insatiable thirst for bhajan-rasa.  

It should also be noted that at this point of the sadhakas journey, it is indeed true that a very high form of ananda always accompanies them and their efforts in bhajan. If a sadhaka was not truly tasting the blissful effects of meditating on Krsna’s names, forms, qualities, and pastimes, why would their efforts be naturally unwavering? The simple conclusion is that taste/bliss must be there. This point is corroborated in the Srimad Bhagavatam 1.2.18-19: 

“Upon awakening of unflinching determination in bhakti, the moods that arise due to the material modes of passion and ignorance – lust, greed, and so on no longer contaminate the heart of the sadhaka. Thus his heart, being situated in suddha-sattva (pure transcendence), obtains complete happiness.”

At this point, some may ask, “But I feel happiness when I perform devotional service, does that mean I am a nishta-sadhaka?” To which the answer is, not necessarily. The reason being that the standard of bliss that a nishta-sadhaka experiences while performing bhajana is far superior to the happiness that is derived from an unfixed devotee’s bhajan. In the former, blissful devotion never fades and it naturally keeps all negative influences far away.  While in the latter it is exceedingly transitory, thus giving way for the five characteristic enemies of bhajana entrance into their mind and heart. This will be described in further detail below.

So what really seperates a sadhaka that is in the stage of anishtita-bhajana-kriya from one who is situated nishtita-bhajana-kriya?

Simply put there are five negative influences that a devotee’s attempts at bhajan will be greatly affected by prior to reaching the stage of nishta, they are as follows;  laya (drowsiness) , viksepa (distraction), apratipatti (incompetence), kasaya (bitterness), and rasasvada (taste for mundane pleasure).  If a sadhaka’s efforts in bhajan are affected by these five things, they can be certain they are not a nishta-sadhaka. Not that they are fixed one week, and then not the next. Fixed devotion means never diminishing in quality and quantity. It is a very natural thing. Truly an outpouring of intense eagerness to attain Krsna.

These negative qualities often lead to a sadhaka performing bhajan happily one day, but then unhappily the next. One day laya and viksepa may be overcome but still the sadhaka struggles so hard to perform nama-bhajan. They just cant do it. That is apratipatti.  Then maybe another day the sadhaka feels as if its impossible to attain krsna’s grace and they admit defeat to their mind and think, “what is the point of all this hard work anyway?” Having a bitter mentality, that is kasaya. Then maybe another day they are just drawn towards engaging with some sense object in preference to hari-bhajan, this is rasasvada. All of these things are conquered by the nishtita-sadhaka. 

The reason why all of this is so important is because nishtita-bhakti is really the first time that a sadhaka is able to perceive the goal of prema. They have a genuine understanding of the goal and what it takes to get there. They see extremely clearly where they are in their development and give very careful attention to performing bhajana free of aparadha. A nishtita-sadhaka sees nama-aparadha as an all engulfing forest fire and will do everything possible to avoid it. They basically always know what is favorable and what is unfavorable. On a daily basis they can easily perceive what is helping their taste develop and what is not. 

On the other hand it is difficult for a devotee at the stage of anishtita–bhajana-kriya to understand these things due to their general lack of taste and absorption in their bhajana. In other words, it is difficult for them to perceive weather they have committed some aparadha or not. What actions are favorable to their bhajana, and what acts are unfavorable. These sadhaka’s are focused more on performing the act of bhajan (quantitatively) itself than the perception of taste (or lack thereof.) Simply put, they do not have enough knowledge and direct experience of Krsna-ananda to understand what was done properly or improperly. If by good fortune, they experience bhajan-rasa, it is a very high accomplishment, and for good reason!

At the stage of fixed bhajan, nothing can shake the sadhakas resolve. Maybe they become plagued by a disease, maybe they are put into a difficult external or internal situation. In any case, they will never give up their bhajana. Why? Because Sri Krsna is their all in all. When it comes down to it, they have truly realized they have nothing but Him. Furthermore, their bhajan is like their own life force, they simply cannot live without it. Every time they engage in bhajan they taste the nectar of immortality more and more. 

Such a sadhaka is so dear to Sri Krsna because they never take their vision off of Him. Day and night they are excited and in a rapturous mood contemplating how to perform more and more bhajana. By all these deep convicted practices, Krsna happily awards them more and more realization of His eternal nature. Entering into that experience every single day, the devotee quickly comes to next stage of progression called ruci (taste). 

So seeing the great importance of understanding this topic, we should certainly ask, how to attain nishtita-bhakti? In truth, it is a very elevated stage of bhakti. Yet, anyone can certainly get there. One practice that is very helpful in this regard is to associate with saintly persons who are at this stage or higher. This will surely nourish ones own inspiration and faith in the bhakti-sadhana process. 

If it is not possible by physical proximity, then we should at least associate with all the siddha-bhakta’s via their biographies and life teachings. We will gain many valuable samskaras from such association. We should pray deeply to all the acharyas and elevated devotees for their blessings in our bhajana. Every single day we should pour out our heart to them. Similarly, we should try to cultivate a genuine connection with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Sri Nityananda Prabhu.

We should make the conviction in our mind to practice vidhi-bhakti very intensely. To force ourselves to take the medicinal treatment of sadhana, even though we may seriously lack in our faith and determination to do so. It’s a famous thing, that the person with jaundice is forced to eat sweet things and it will cure him, even if it tastes bitter at first. Gradually the bitterness goes away and great bliss comes to that person.

Furthermore, we should not become complacent in our attempts at hari-bhajan. We should take it seriously every single day! Hearing, chanting, remembering, serving etc. We should always re-double our efforts and always strive for genuine spiritual experience.

 Is it wrong to want to experience Sri Krsna as He is? Absolutely not! If we do not cultivate this desire to see Krsna face to face, then He will simply stay away from us. We should be willing to die for even the slightest revelation of love divine and its connection with Sri Krsna. Then surely Sri Caitanya-dev will award us His blessing. It’s a fact that Sri Krsna’s heart will melt by our heartfelt hankerings. As Srila Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar-dev Goswami always said, “Die to Live.”

In fact, attaining such a revelatory experience is often times the cause of great unswerving nishtita-bhakti. This was the case many times in the past, if not all the times in the past. Just remember the stories of Sri Druva Maharaja and Sri Narada Muni. When one has a genuine spiritual experience of Krsna, how could their faith be anything but solid as a rock? So we should be a true sadhaka, a seeker for love filled revelation. This is the highest mysticism. And without this attitude, it will be very difficult to attain prema in this lifetime.