The Catuù-çloké
Çré Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said: “The essence of Çrémad Bhägavatam—our relationship with the Supreme Lord, our activities in that connection and the goal of life—is manifest in the four verses of Çrémad Bhägavatam known as the catuù- çloké. Everything is explained in those verses.” C.C. Madhya 25.104
Çréla Bhaktivinoda Thakura ‘…Classifies the four seed-verses of Çrémad-Bhägavatam as acintya- bhedäbheda-lakñaëam. By this, the Thakura means that the catuh- çloké exhibit qualities—laksanam—that so much surpass cintya (human thoughts and arguments), we are obliged to approach them as inconceivable.’
Çréla Suhotra Swami: (…a small excerpt from his insights on the catuù-çloké…) ‘…Well before the Lord spoke the concluding verse of the catuh-çloké Bhagavata, Brahma was already endowed with the essential qualifications for success in brahma jijïäsä. Moreover, he had practically achieved liberation in the Absolute Truth by his därsana of the Lord in Vaikuëöha. Yet in verse 36 Kåñëa brings up once again matters that concern tattva-jïäna, brahma-jïäna and jévasya-jijïäsä. Why does the Lord go over subjects already so well-covered in earlier Chapters? Read verse 2.9.36: “A person who is searching after the Supreme Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead, most certainly search for it up to this, in all circumstances, in all space and time, and both directly and indirectly.” Is the Lord unveiling “new knowledge” to Brahma? – Information that had been hidden for aeons in some unseen tome of specially selected Bhägavatam çlokas unseen by any sage until Kåñëa spoke Bhag. 2.9.36? No way. Vedagarbha Brahma certainly knew all the çästra. What does take place is that the Lord interprets in the light of even more confidential knowledge the çästra that Brahma already has at hand. No-one need object to the word “interprets,” for the interpretation is done by the Lord Himself. Verse 36 is Kåñëa’s own “hermeneutic circle”, to use a phrase from the modern philosophy of language. In a hermeneutic circle, an interplay is set into motion between the parts of knowledge (“the facts and figures”) and the knower’s evolving realization of the whole of knowledge. The whole of knowledge does not merely mean “all the facts and figures.” Nor does it mean updated and modernized facts and figures; nor even getting more practical use out of them than ever before. Then what is meant by “the whole of knowledge?” It is the Meaning of meaning; the Why behind the hows; the Ontology above epistemology; the Taste of a fruitcake beyond its recipe…[!!!]
Read Çréla Prabhupäda’s purport to verse 36 with great care. You will find the interplay between the implicit and the explicit to be central to its message. For example, Çréla Prabhupäda cites the Garuòa Puräëa: “Even though one may have gone to the other side of all the Vedas, and even though one is well versed in all the revealed scriptures, if one is not a devotee of the Supreme Lord, he must be considered the lowest of mankind.” The explicit parts of knowledge are all the Vedas and the verses of the scriptures. The implicit whole of knowledge is the Supreme Lord. The evolving realization of that whole is experienced in a state of non-difference from Him via devotional service. As Çréla Prabhupäda explains here, the interplay between the parts and the whole is the supreme endeavour of humanity: “Everyone is engaged in various kinds of scriptural inquiries, but the Çrémad-Bhägavatam gives answers to all of the various students of self-realization: this ultimate objective of life is not to be searched out without great labor or perseverance.” Çréla Prabhupäda makes plain that the great labour and perseverance mentioned here manifests not as vain academicism, but as the submissiveness of a disciple to the bona fide source of the whole of knowledge. The Lord is not to be found simply by education or by a good fertile brain, but surely He can be found by the sincere student through the transparent medium of the bona fide spiritual master.
Çréla Prabhupäda then demonstrates that tattva-jïäna is one with and different from abhidheya , direct engagement in pure devotional activity. That is why he states:
“The revealed scriptures give directions directly to this end, but because the bewildered living entities are blinded by the glaring reflection in the darkness, they are unable to find the truth of the revealed scriptures. For example, in the Bhagavad-gétä the whole direction is targeted toward the personality of Godhead Lord Çré Kåñëa, but for want of a bona fide spiritual master in the line of Brahmaji or the direct hearer, Arjuna, there are different distortions of the revealed knowledge by many unauthorized persons who just want to satisfy their own whims.” Çré Kåñëa tells Brahma that the One Truth that unites the different parts of Vedic knowledge—which are as variegated as the forms and features of the viräö-rüpa—is to be known by way of the student’s ceaseless inquiry into that Truth at all times, in all places, and under all circumstances, directly and indirectly. By this method of devotional inquiry the student’s realization of the Absolute Truth evolves into love of Godhead, being confidentially enriched by the Lord Himself from within a heart purified by bona fide hearing. The Absolute Truth as defined by philosophers is Pure Existence distinct from and yet including all that exists; but beyond that, Kåñëa reveals it to be Pure Existence that is ever-fresh, ever-expanding in perfect knowledge, and blissful even beyond the capacity of its own ever-expanding perfect knowledge to comprehend. In other words the Absolute Truth is not dried-up, dull and tasteless. How can truth be dried-up, dull and tasteless when Çré Kåñëa says it must be sought after sarvatra sarvadä: “in all space and time, and in all circumstances.” In plain language the Absolute Truth is personal, not impersonal. He reveals Himself as the pure ecstasy the devotees experience as they engage in the process He gives to find Him everywhere at all times, directly and indirectly. That process, indicated by the Lord in this last verse of the catuh-çloké bhagavata , is inseparable from the Absolute Truth; or conversely, without that process, the Absolute Truth is unknowable. That process, that Absolute Truth, is prema-bhakti. Niveña [extra insight]: Prema-bhakti is aptly defined by Çréla Prabhupäda in Chapter 28 of Teachings of Lord Caitanya as “a relationship with the Supreme Lord”—i.e., sambandha —“manifest in different transcendental flavours”—i.e. the process (abhideya) of its manifestation yields the higher taste of rasa, which is the single, ultimate need (prayojana) of even a soul liberated from the lower taste of maya-sukha. Thus Catuh-çloké 4, of Bhäg. 2.9.36, is a sütra for the whole 10th Canto, in which abhidheya or loving devotional service to Kåñëa is the unquestionable focus.’
…Please keep in mind this conclusion while contemplating these three features of Kåñëa. And so when we speak about these three aspects and try to identify some canto, chapter, or verse as sambandha, abhidheya, or prayojana, we understand and deal with the predominant nature. It has already been established that these Three are inseparable in inconceivable oneness and difference. Now it may be possible to comprehend what Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu has said specifically about Çrémad Bhägavatam…
“This is one’s eternal relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Now please hear about the execution of devotional service. This principle pervades each and every verse of Çrémad Bhägavatam.” C.C. Madhya 25.135
And Çréla Jéva Gosvämé in his introduction to the Sandharbas is emphatically uncompromising:
“I write [the Sandharbas] for those people whose only desire is to render service at the lotus feet of Lord Çré Kåñëa. Please do not show my book to anyone else. I curse the person who studies this book but does not desire to serve Kåñëa.”
This exclusive and all pervading position of Bhakti, devotional service, as rendered by Çréla Prabhupäda, is emphasized by him in unlimited ways…For listing them we will need to quote all of his commentaries. Here though, only one short line from his purport to B.G. 4.11 will suffice:
“In the prema stage there is constant engagement in the transcendental loving service of the Lord.”
The Circle of the Catuù-çloké Churning of the Cream of Love
The 3 moods—sambandha-abhidheya-prayojana are waves which flow incessantly in the circles of the añöa-kälya-lélä of The Divine Couple and in the body of Çrémad-Bhägavatam as well. Here we will see that they not only pervade but also invoke one another. For the sadhaka, if proper sambandha is established, then genuine devotional service, abhidheya, unfolds, and soon, by the mercy of the unalloyed devotees, the greatest gift, pure love of Kåñëa—prayojana is realized. All along the way, Kåñëa nourishes the thirsty soul, bestowing realizations (bhagavat-tattva-vijïänam) and intelligence, (dadämi buddhi-yogaà tam) at every single step so that prayojana can be achieved. When this is realized Kåñëa reciprocates by slightly unveiling His form and some of His qualities – granting understanding of His energy and of the self’s real identity simultaneously. In turn, this deepens the devotee’s intimate relationship with Kåñëa and enlivens him to render more service. Then Kåñëa “lifts the curtain” even more – displaying more of His qualities and pastimes; and this in turn incredibly intensifies the devotee’s heartfelt longing for Him, and multiplies his ecstasy in divine service. Kåñëa may then reveal Himself further…and there is no end to this reciprocal process of love. “Devotees chase after one another in a circle…and all after Kåñëa.” This ever-fresh and never-ending love is encoded in the Catuù-çloki of both the Bhagavad-gétä and Çrémad-Bhägavatam. They not only unfold with the same word, aham, after 333 verses from the beginning of the 2nd chapter in the Bhagavad-gétä, and the 2nd Canto in Çrémad-Bhägavatam, but also convey the essence of all existence – ever-increasing bliss in loving exchange with Kåñëa. After sambandha, abhidheya and prayojana are defined within the first 3 çlokas, the fourth one inevitably turns back and closes the circle, connecting prayojana with the beginning – sambandha. This can be seen in the Catuù-çloki of Çrémad-Bhägavatam, Bhagavad-gétä, and even in the Paramahaàsa-saàhitä. Kåñëa establishes the truth about Himself, the jéva, and mäyä, in the Catuù-çloki’s very beginning: “aham eväsam evägre…”(S.B.2.9.33), “ahaà sarvasya prabhavo…”(B.G.1.08), and within 3 verses He reaches the climax of Prayojana…“praviñöäny apraviñöäni…,” and “….yena mäm upayänti te.”
The 4th verse then speaks again about the absolute necessity for further inquiry and enlightenment in devotional service:
teñäm evänukampärtham aham ajïäna-jaà tamaù näçayämy ätma-bhäva-stho jïäna-dépena bhäsvatä “To show them special mercy, I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance.” (B.G. 10.11) etävad eva jijïäsyaà tattva-jijïäsunätmanaù… “A person who is searching after the Supreme Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead, must certainly search for it up to this.” jijïäsyam—is to be inquired; tattva—the Absolute Truth; jijïäsunä— by the student. (S.B. 2.9.36) bhaktir utpadyate puàsaù çoka-moha-bhayäpahä… – “The feeling for loving devotional service to Lord Kåñëa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, sprouts up at once to extinguish the fire of lamentation, illusion and fearfulness.” (S.B. 1.7.7)
This is how the ultimate blissful reality is impelled in circles in all of the Catuù-çloki… And this is the nature of the ever-expanding dynamic relationship and the meaning of ever-increasing bliss.
…Like churning milk – after each round of churning, the milk becomes sweeter and thicker.
Sharing such an intimate understanding and loving exchange with Kåñëa is…
…as He Himself says, “Special mercy.”
