Understanding Uttama Bhakti - 1

Before we explore what bhakti is in its purest form, there are some definitions I want to clarify. If you are already familiar with these concepts, you may skip this section. Otherwise, it's important to read through it once.

How Is an Object Defined?

"An object is determined by its defining characteristics (lakṣaṇa)"

Lakshana signifies that by which a thing is recognized, and there are mainly two types:

Svarupa lakshana (intrinsic characteristics) - belongs to the essential nature of an object and serves to distinguish the object
Tatastha Lakshana (extrinsic characteristics) - is distinct from the essential nature of an object yet serves to identify the object

There are three doshas (defects) that can be present in a definition:

ati-vyapti (over-applicability) - when a lakshana points to other instances of a different object
avyapti (under-applicability) - when a lakshana applies to only some instances of an object
asambhava (impossibility) - when the lakṣaṇa (definition) does not exist anywhere in the lakṣya (object to be defined)

For example:

"A cow is that animal which has four legs." (over-applicable - applies to many animals)
"Cows are black." (under-applicable - only some cows are black)
"A cow is an animal with one horn." (impossible - cows don't have one horn)

With this basic information in mind, we can begin our study here.

The Definition of Uttama Bhakti

अन्याभिलाषिता-शून्यं ज्ञान-कर्माद्य्-अनावृतम् ।
आनुकूल्येन कृष्णानुशीलनं भक्तिर् उत्तमा ॥१.१.११॥

anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṃ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam |
ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanaṃ bhaktir uttamā ||1.1.11||

A complete definition comprises of two components: Svarupa-Lakshana & Tatastha-Lakshana.

Svarūpa-Lakṣaṇa of Bhakti: Ānukūlyena Kṛṣṇānu-śīlanam

"ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-śīlanam" represents the Svarupa-Lakshana, indicating that wherever there is bhakti, there will be anukulya and Krsna-anu silanam.

There are four key words mentioned here:

ānukūlya + kṛṣṇa + anu + śīlanam

anu = following, conformity, repetition, continuity
śīla / śīlanam = practice, cultivation, habituation

There are actually two roots of śīla:

√śīl (samādhau) → to be fixed, to contemplate, to worship, to meditate (covering internal acts of the mind)
√śīl (upadhāraṇe) → to hold, to practice, to be habituated, to engage in (covering external, physical practice)

Śīla also means "character" because what you repeatedly do, or what your mind repeatedly settles in, becomes your svabhāva (nature). That is why śīla is also used for character or conduct. Examples: "sat-śīla" = good character, "dur-śīla" = bad character.

So character is not a one-time act; it is your constant cultivated tendency — what you hold onto and express in behavior.

By adding -nam (a suffix of action, process), śīlanam means the act of cultivating, practicing, engaging, or meditating.

Śrī Jīva Goswami points out that the meaning of the prefix 'anu' is continuous. Anuśīlanam thus refers to continuous physical and mental activities.

The Comprehensive Nature of Anusilanam

SJG asserts that "anusilanam" encompasses every "dhatu" (verbal root). Furthermore, all dhatus can be categorized into two groups: "pravitti-atmaka" (positive action) and "nivritti-atmaka" (negative action).

For example, taking something represents pravritti, while giving up something represents nivritti. Essentially, each dhatu encompasses these two meanings. Actions can manifest as physical, verbal, or mental activities, and they can be either positive or negative. Additionally, "bhava-rupa" (states of being) is also included, such as emotions like depression, because they don't entail performing any specific action.

anuśīlanam embraces the full scope of human expression—what one does, what one says, what one thinks, and even what one feels. Crucially, these actions must be imbued with "Krsna-anusilanam," meaning they are related to Krishna and performed for His sake.

An Important Distinction

Here's an important thing to notice: "anusilanam" has the same meaning as "kriya" (action); it denotes any action and is not limited to specific activities. Bhakti is not confined to particular actions.

Some individuals may believe that chanting mantras, worshiping, or reciting slokas constitute bhakti, while activities such as working a job or running a shop do not. However, according to this perspective, every action performed with the body, mind, and speech can be considered bhakti. Bhakti encompasses one's entire being; it is not a division of life into spiritual and material activities.

Once one comprehends bhakti and becomes a devotee, bhakti becomes a continuous practice, extending to every moment of one's life.

Therefore: uttama bhakti ≠ navadha bhakti

The Scope of "Kṛṣṇa"

Here, Kṛṣṇa means not only Śrī Kṛṣṇa, but also:

His devotees
His abode
His name, form, qualities, and pastimes
His paraphernalia used in His service
All His avatāras (Narayana, Rama, etc.)

Thus, "Krsna-anusilanam" basically refers to continuous activities that involve either mental deliberation or physical activities in relationship with Krishna.

Why Ānukūlyena?

But then, why ānukūlyena?

It is possible to engage in anuśīlanam of Kṛṣṇa even unfavorably (like Kaṁsa, Śiśupāla, or the wrestlers of Kaṁsa). They constantly thought of Kṛṣṇa or acted toward Him, but with hostility.

To distinguish bhakti from such hostile or neutral engagement, Rūpa Gosvāmī specifies ānukūlyena = favorably, with intent to please Kṛṣṇa. That favorable orientation is the svarūpa-lakṣaṇa of bhakti.

Therefore, if anukulya is absent from the svarupa lakshana, it will lead to ati-vyapti dosha (over-applicability).

thus Anukulya is understood as kṛṣṇasya rocamāna pravṛtti, which means to act in a way for pleasing or giving satisfaction to Krishna.

But here’s a twist — if anukūlya is understood as mentioned above, then both (1) the demons fighting Kṛṣṇa, which gave joy to Him, and (2) Yaśodā’s act of saving the boiling milk by stopping breastfeeding Kṛṣṇa, which made Him angry, would lead to ativyāpti and avyāpti doṣa in the lakṣaṇa.

Therefore, anukūlyena must be understood as pratikūlyena-śūnyatva. Since the Rākṣasas had a pratikūla-bhāva and Yaśodā did not have pratikūla-bhāva, these doṣas are removed.

Svarupa lakshana - ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanaṃ - The continuous enactment (anuśīlana) of favorable service meant exclusively for the pleasure of Śrī Kṛṣṇa

The Tatastha Lakshana (Extrinsic Characteristics)

Now, SRG discusses what is the tatastha lakshana of uttama bhakti ang gives two Visesana (Qualifiers):

anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṃ
jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam

अन्याभिलाषिता शून्यम् ज्ञान कर्माद्यनावृतम्

Here the words are:

anya + abhilasa + sunya

anya — “other, different, separate”
abhilasa — “desire, longing, aspiration, wish”
sunya— “empty, void, bereft of, completely lacking”

What kind of anusilan should be there? The anuśīlana must be such that it is devoid of any other primary desire apart from bhakti itself. Bhakti should be performed solely for the sake of bhakti — nothing more, nothing less.

Thus, anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam means that pure devotion is devoid of all other desires.

Now, this doesn’t mean that a devotee literally has no other desires whatsoever. In ordinary life, when we are hungry, we naturally desire food. Such desires cannot be avoided while living in a body. But those are secondary desires, necessary for maintaining the body so that one can continue practicing bhakti.

The phrase refers specifically to the primary, governing desire (mukhya-abhilāṣa). For a devotee, that central desire is exclusive devotion to Bhagavān. All other desires are accepted only insofar as they support and nourish that primary aim. For example, “I need to eat food” is not an independent desire for sense enjoyment, but a supportive one: “I must eat so that I may live and serve Kṛṣṇa.”

In this way, anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam points to a heart in which bhakti alone is the ultimate purpose, while all secondary needs are harmonized under that single, primary desire.

The Subtlety of Covered Desires

Wanting happiness, freedom from trouble, good health, or a long life—none of these desires are part of uttamā-bhakti unless they are genuinely sought only to support one’s practice of uttamā-bhakti.

The key is honest self-examination. You must search your heart to see whether such desires are truly meant for bhakti, or whether bhakti is being used as a cover for them.

For example, desiring health, long life, or wealth can be sincere if the purpose is to use them in service (seva). At the same time, they can just as easily conceal a real attachment to health, life, or wealth themselves, rather than to bhakti.

It is not wrong to require such things for seva—this is where anuśīlanam applies. A devotee may need a car, a house, money, or even strong teeth simply to maintain the body for effective service. The problem arises when these desires take the primary place, and devotion becomes secondary, merely an excuse. Outwardly it may seem that bhakti is the only desire, but inwardly material desires may be driving the heart.

Therefore, the essence of anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam is that no other desire should be primary. The sole governing desire must be ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanam—the favorable cultivation of devotion to Kṛṣṇa.

Understanding Jñāna-Karma-Ādy-Anāvṛtam

jñāna + karma + ādi + anāvṛtam

jñāna = the jñāna-mārga, aimed at mukti.
karma = ritual duties (nitya, naimittika, niṣiddha)
ādi = “etc.” — referring to other paths such as vairāgya, yoga, and similar practices
anāvṛtam = “not covered, not obstructed”

Again, What kind of anusilan should be there? not covered, obscured, or overshadowed by the paths of jñāna, karma, and related practices.

This part of the definition is very much misunderstood by the masses. Jnana here doesn't mean knowledge (which is its popular meaning), but it actually refers to jnana-marga, to denote the awareness of "oneness with Brahman," which is not conducive to bhakti. Here jnana means aiming for mukti, which is not related to bhakti.

Even Performing bhakti with the goal of attaining mukti is not considered the highest form of bhakti (uttama-bhakti). It is sakāma bhakti (bhakti with desire) rather than niṣkāma bhakti (bhakti without material desire).

A Crucial Clarification

Learning about Krishna, His abode, pastimes, and qualities is NOT considered jñāna in the sense criticized here. People might say not to study too much, labeling it as jñāna, but that is a misunderstanding. If that were the case, then why did our acaryas bother so much to write books? Why bother at all?

Without sambandha-jñāna (knowledge of relationship), abhidheya-jñāna (knowledge of practice), and prayojana-jñāna (knowledge of goal), one cannot properly engage in bhakti.

Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī emphasizes the importance of this knowledge. Understanding who is to be worshiped (Bhājaniya), why Krishna is worshipable, and why others, such as Shiva, are not the primary focus, is crucial. This is the type of jñāna (knowledge) that is essential.

Understanding Karma in Context

Similarly, the term karma in this context refers to specific actions, including:

nitya-karma (daily duties)
naimittika-karma (occasional duties)
niṣiddha-karma (prohibited actions)

These duties are based on one's social status (varṇa and āśrama), such as those of a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, or sannyāsī. While devotees might perform these duties, they do so without attachment to the results, focusing instead on service to Krishna.

A devotee may still perform such actions, but the essential distinction lies in the intention. If one performs them merely as social or ritual obligations, they remain within the domain of karma. But if they are performed without attachment to results and with the sole aim of pleasing Kṛṣṇa, they are absorbed into bhakti and no longer counted as separate karma.

What Does "Adi" Include?

The word adi refers to vairagya (renunciation), yoga, and other practices (Sankhya etc). So Sankhya and yoga are also not independent parts of bhakti. You can practice them if they are good for your health or if they help you, but if you do them independently of Krishna consciousness, then they are not bhakti.

Anything can be used in service - even yoga, massage, or anything else - if it is in service, then it becomes part of bhakti. But if it is independent, that is the meaning of "gyana-karmadi anavrtam." This basically means trying to get something other than bhakti from these practices.

So if you practice astrology because you want something other than bhakti, then that is anyabhilasa (other desires). Therefore, understand the definition: what is your intention in doing it? Whether it is astrology, Ayurveda, yoga, or anything else - what is your intention?

How is Bhakti covered (āvṛta)? For example, if nitya-karma is performed out of fear of the negative results that arise from neglecting the vidhi, then bhakti is said to be covered by karma.

However, if such acts as nitya-karma or pitṛ-karma are performed for loka-saṅgraha — with the thought that others, who are devoid of bhakti, may follow by seeing my conduct, then bhakti is not considered covered by any other desire.

Tatastha Lakshana - anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṃ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam. - that is devoid of all predilection toward ulterior desire, and that is unobscured by strivings for jñāna and karma

Conclusion

“The continuous enactment (anuśīlana) of favorable service meant exclusively for the pleasure of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, that is devoid of all predilection toward ulterior desire, and that is unobscured by strivings for jñāna and karma, is called paramount devotion (uttamā–bhakti).” (BRS 1.1.11)

📖 Read Uttama Bhakti – 02 For

Does Tatastha Lakshana not always need to be present?

Is Ānukūlya the absence of prātikūlya?

If ānukūlya is anyway present, why is anuśīlanam also required? What doṣa (faults) could occur if anuśīlanam is absent?

Why not kṛṣṇa-bhakti-uttamā, but instead bhakti-uttamā?

Why “śūnyam” (empty) is used for anya-abhilāṣa but “anāvṛtam” (not covered) is used for jñāna-karma.

Further insights takes on this Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam.

Does this definition apply to all three levels (sādhana, bhāva, and prema)? Or is it exclusively describing sādhya-bhakti (the perfected stage)?

👉 Next Blog: Exploring Tattva Sandarbha

By A.K.D