As we were taking darshan of Dwarkadhish (or rather, He was mercifully glancing on us), my eyes could not fail to notice a boy aged around 18-21 years who was standing way above others on the men’s side.
As the arati was increasing its pace, the boy was ecstatically waving one of his hands showcasing his contagious excitement for the arati (Although the women’s line was close by, I sincerely believed he wasn’t doing it for impressing them!). Also, he wasn’t there for no reason. He had a service as well! His service was to push people ahead in the line so that others get the opportunity to have the darshan of Dwarkadhish.
He was not letting his ecstasy of the arati to dimish. Every now and then, he was waving his hands. At the same time, he didn’t let his service get compromised (although mercifully, he allowed us to be at our position for quite a while!).
In our life, sometimes we wish to taste the ecstasy of Krishna Consciousness. But, while serving, the ecstasy seems missing. So, we wish to give up service or postpone it for some time to become peacefully situated and thus relish ecstasy.
Can a devotees’ service and ecstasy both go together?
Let us see the different levels of service (and ecstasy):
Service as burden (Crying Sadhaka)
A sadhaka whose devotional service is not matured sees service as a burden. He or she simply wants to get the work done. It is difficult for such a devotee to put his consciousness in the service.
Can such consciousness give ecstasy? Yes! On completion of service. A crying sadhaka becomes ecstatic after getting rid of his service.
This is not anywhere close to spiritual ecstasy. This is material joy that is felt when we are relieved of something troublesome.
Service as Purification (Advancing Sadhaka)
A devotee who is surging ahead on the path of bhakti takes service to be a purification. This mood impels Krishna to award ecstasy to the devotee. To the degree one becomes purified, to that degree one can taste ecstasy.
Service as Ecstasy (Mature Sadhaka)
A sadhaka who has matured his practice of bhakti takes the service itself as ecstasy. They see the fortune they have received by getting the privilege of service. Their consciousness transforms their effort of service into ecstasy. Prabhupada would say “Work is Samadhi”.
Ecstatic Service (Perfected Sadhaka or Siddha)
A perfected devotee performs ecstatic service. Because such a person’s consciousness is totally imbued in Krishna, he or she is always in ecstasy while rendering service. For them, service and ecstasy is a combined package. Their service brings them ecstasy, and their ecstasy impels them to serve more.
As regards to Madhavendra Puri, it is mentioned,
bahu pariśrame candana remuṇā ānila
ānanda bāḍila mane, duḥkha nā gaṇila
With great trouble and after much labor, Mādhavendra Purī brought the load of sandalwood to Remuṇā. However, he was still very pleased; he discounted all the difficulties. CC Madhya 4.188
Govardhan, the topmost devotee of the Lord as mentioned by Srimati Radharani (haridasa-varya), does ecstatic service. He provides various kinds of caves, fruits, passages, hiding places, minerals for the cowherd boys including Krishna and Balarama, and the touch of Krishna and Balarama on His surface is constantly bringing him ecstasy.
When Service Supersedes Ecstasy (siddha), OR Service is PRIORITY without being concerned about Ecstasy (advanced sadhakas and siddhas)
Pure devotees of Krishna are not concerned with ecstasy and feelings. They feel more for pleasing Krishna than for obtaining ecstasy.
CC Adi 4.200-201 states, “Whenever there is unselfish love, that is its style. The reservoir of love derives pleasure when the lovable object is pleased. When the pleasure of love interferes with the service of Lord Kṛṣṇa, the devotee becomes angry toward such ecstasy.“
Caitanya Caritamrita gives examples of Daruka and Srimati Radharani, both of whom cursed their own ecstasy that was causing hindrance in their service to Krishna.
Radharani’s only joy is to give joy to Krishna. If Krishna is pleased with some other devotee, Radharani begs that devotee and takes her to Krishna while remaining behind. She is ready to be unhappy a million times to give Krishna a moment’s pleasure. That is the glory of Radharani’s love.
In a similar manner, advanced sadhakas don’t consider their discomforts, their personal happiness, their inconveniences and scarcities they face in the course of their service.
Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura states,
tomāra sevāya, duḥkha hoya jata,
se-i to’ parama sukha
“Troubles encountered in Your service is the source of my greatest happiness.”
When a devotee undertakes a great amount of discomfort for comforting Krishna, Krishna awards such a devotee with the highest bliss. He fills the devotee’s heart with divine realizations.
Thus, for a devotee, depending on their consciousness, they can taste varied forms of ecstasy as they are engaged in devotional service.
What about Relishing Ecstasy Alone?
When a devotee desires to give up service to relish ecstasy, Krishna may give ecstasy, but He won’t give Himself. After all, what a devotee desires is pleasure of guru and Krishna. Simply desiring to relish ecstasy is not bad, but it not what has been the mood of our acaryas. Our acaryas painstakingly wrote books, established temples, engaged many people in the service of Krishna with the only desire of fulfilling Krishna’s desire.
When a devotee receives blessings of great Vaishnavas due to their favorable service attitude, those blessings mature into ecstatic feelings in the heart of the devotee. Such an experience cannot be equaled to anything in this world.
We have many acaryas those who had the mood of secluded bhajan. To name a few, Gaurakishoredas Babaji, Jagannath Das Babaji, Svarupa Damodar and Ramananda Raya (they were continuously with Mahaprabhu) etc.
Someone may ask, “Can we not follow them?”
Actually, we never claim to be their followers. We definitely adore them to the topmost degree, but we don’t dare to follow in their footsteps of reclusive bhajan. We are Rupanugas and Prabhupadanugas. We claim to be followers of Mahaprabhu, Rupa Goswami, and other Goswamis, Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura, Srila Prabhupada etc. Followers of Mahaprabhu in the line of Prabhupada are called as Prabhupadanugas and Rupanugas.
Every Gaudiya Vaishnava should aspire to follow in the footsteps of Rupa Goswami and Shrila Prabhupada. And both of them had the mood of doing one’s sadhana very diligently, and, at the same time, trying to distribute the message of Krishna Consciousness for the people in general. This mood has the potential to award us the highest unparalleled ecstasy.
