SB Introduction: “Many devotees of Lord Caitanya like … Śrī Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura
have prepared voluminous books and literatures on the life and precepts of the Lord.” (Śrīla Prabhupāda)
“The Concise Path of Manjari Bhava Sadhana
In Prema Bhakti Candrika, Narottama dasa Thakura presents five essential practices of raga-bhakti and manjari-bhava sadhana to attain erotic love (Vraja srnghara-prema) in the mood of the Vraja damsels (gopi-bhava). His program incorporates four of the nine limbs of bhakti-sadhana, namely
1) Sravanam,
2) Kirtanam;
3) Smaranam;
4) Vandanam.
He adds a special fifth practice he calls Darshana. This concise sadhana package describes five limbs of bhakti which include a total of nine individual daily practices. If one regularly pursues these nine practices he will quickly obtain the treasure of Radha-Krishna’s eternal prema seva in Sri Dhama Vrndavana in this life.
Now let’s examine Narottama dasa Thakura’s manjari-bhava sadhana program.
I. HEARING (sravanam)
1. Be attached to hearing the acharya’s descriptions of Radha-Krishna’s loving pastimes (rati prema maya parabandhe v 60).
2. Constantly hear devotees chanting Radha-Krishna’s names and qualities (dunhu nama shuni shuni, bhakta-mukhe punee punee v 76).
II. CHANTING (kirtanam)
3. Chant the rasa-filled names of Radha-Krishna (krishna nama radha nama, upasana rasa-dhama v 60).
4. Always sing about the rasa-filled lilas of Yugala Kishora (lila-rasa-sadaa gaana, jugala-kishora v 100) in a loving way (prema bhaave lila katha v 106); which means full of eagerness and yearning.
III. REMEMBERING (smaranam)
5. Seva smaranam — Fix your mind only the seva of Radha-Krishna (radha krishna sevana ekaanta koriyaa mana v 76; both externally in sadhaka-rupa, and mentally serving in your siddha-svarupa, ashta-kaliya-lila smaranam.
6. Kirtana smarana — Singing Radha-Krishna’s Holy Names is the topmost meditation (radha-krishna nama gaana parama dhyaana v 73).
7. Lila smarana — Remember the sweet daily vraja-lilas of Radha Govinda, the essence of all practices and goals (yugala vilasa smarana sadhya sadhana saara v 61).
IV. PRAYERS (vandanam)
8. Always pray that you can hear, read or speak Radha-Krishna prema-katha with a pure heart free from personal motives (praarthanaa kariba sadaa, shuddha-bhaave prema-katha v 75)
V. SEEING (darshanam)
9. Rupa-darshana — Always cry with intense desire to see the splendid golden body of Rai (Radharani) and the enchanting raincloud blue form of Ghanashyama (hema-gaura-tanu rai, ankhee darashana chai, rodana karaye abhilaashe, jaladhara dhaara dhaara, anga atee manohara v 77).
Jai Jai Sri Radhe!” (Mahanidhi Maharaja)
