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Santa-bhakta

Bhagavad-gita As It Is

BG Chapters 7 - 12

Śānta-bhakta, engaged in devotional service in neutrality.
BG 8.14, Purport:

As indicated by the words satatam and nityaśaḥ, which mean "always," "regularly," or "every day," a pure devotee constantly remembers Kṛṣṇa and meditates upon Him. These are qualifications of the pure devotee for whom the Lord is most easily attainable. Bhakti-yoga is the system that the Gītā recommends above all others. Generally, the bhakti-yogīs are engaged in five different ways: (1) śānta-bhakta, engaged in devotional service in neutrality; (2) dāsya-bhakta, engaged in devotional service as servant; (3) sakhya-bhakta, engaged as friend; (4) vātsalya-bhakta, engaged as parent; and (5) mādhurya-bhakta, engaged as conjugal lover of the Supreme Lord. In any of these ways, the pure devotee is always constantly engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Supreme Lord and cannot forget the Supreme Lord, and so for him the Lord is easily attained. A pure devotee cannot forget the Supreme Lord for a moment, and similarly the Supreme Lord cannot forget His pure devotee for a moment. This is the great blessing of the Kṛṣṇa conscious process of chanting the mahā-mantra—Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13

Although they may sometimes be called śānta-bhaktas, real bhakti begins with dāsya-rasa.
SB 10.9.21, Purport:

Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the son of mother Yaśodā, is very easily available to devotees, but not to tapasvīs, yogīs, jñānīs and others who have a bodily concept of life. Although they may sometimes be called śānta-bhaktas, real bhakti begins with dāsya-rasa. Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad-gītā (4.11):

ye yathā māṁ prapadyante
tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham
mama vartmānuvartante
manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ

"As living entities surrender unto Me, I reward them accordingly. Everyone follows My path in all respects, O son of Pṛthā." Everyone is seeking Kṛṣṇa, for He is the Supersoul of all individual souls. Everyone loves his body and wants to protect it because he is within the body as the soul, and everyone loves the soul because the soul is part and parcel of the Supersoul.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta

CC Madhya-lila

Examples of śānta-bhaktas are the nine Yogendras and the four Kumāras. Examples of devotees in dāsya-bhakti are innumerable, for such devotees exist everywhere.
CC Madhya 19.189, Translation and Purport:

“Examples of śānta-bhaktas are the nine Yogendras and the four Kumāras. Examples of devotees in dāsya-bhakti are innumerable, for such devotees exist everywhere.

The nine Yogendras are Kavi, Havi, Antarīkṣa, Prabuddha, Pippalāyana, Āvirhotra, Draviḍa (Drumila), Camasa and Karabhājana. The four Kumāras are Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanat-kumāra and Sanātana. The servant devotees in Gokula are Raktaka, Citraka, Patraka and so on. In Dvārakā there are servants like Dāruka, and in the Lord's pastimes in the material world there are servants like Hanumān.

CC Madhya 24.164, Translation:

These thirteen types of yogīs and munis are called śānta-bhaktas, for they render transcendental loving service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the neutral stage.

Other Books by Srila Prabhupada

Teachings of Lord Caitanya

Examples of śānta-bhaktas, or devotees in the neutral stage, are the Nine Yogendras, namely Kavi, Havi, Antarīkṣa, Prabuddha, Pippalāyana, Avirhotra, Draviḍa (Drumila), Camasa and Karabhājana.
Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 1:

Examples of śānta-bhaktas, or devotees in the neutral stage, are the Nine Yogendras, namely Kavi, Havi, Antarīkṣa, Prabuddha, Pippalāyana, Avirhotra, Draviḍa (Drumila), Camasa and Karabhājana. The Four Kumāras (Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanat-kumāra and Sanātana) are also examples of this stage. Examples of devotees in the second stage, servitorship, are Raktaka, Citraka and Patraka. These are all servants of Kṛṣṇa in Gokula. In Dvārakā there is Dāruka, and in the Vaikuṇṭha planets there are Hanumān and others. Devotees in the third stage, friendship, include Śrīdāmā in Vṛndāvana and Bhīma and Arjuna in Dvārakāor on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra. As for those relating to Kṛṣṇa in parental love, they include His mother, father, uncle and similar relatives. In conjugal love there are the damsels of Vraja (Vṛndāvana), the queens in Dvārakā, and the goddesses of fortune in Vaikuṇṭha. No one can count the vast number of devotees in this rasa.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

śānta-bhakta means the bhakta who appreciates the greatness of the Supreme, but does not take Kṛṣṇa as very intimate. That is śānta-bhakta.
Morning Walk -- February 17, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: In Delhi there is a lawyer. He told me. Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma eva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21).

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It would be really wonderful if Sumatiben would decide to support our temple because the entire Gujarati community of Bombay follows her direction. They really do, especially in these matters. And she is known to be the chairman of... (break)

Prabhupāda: (to Patel) You are śānta-bhakta.

Dr. Patel: Am I?

Prabhupāda: Śānta, dāsya, sākhya, vātsalya, and mādhurya.

Dr. Patel: Mādhurya-bhakta is the best. Like gopīs. But that is very difficult to be.

Prabhupāda: No, best, it is just one's conception, you see? Otherwise, all are best. All are best. But śānta-bhaktas do not take Kṛṣṇa very intimately.

Dr. Patel: (laughs) You are... You take me below the belt.

Prabhupāda: Yes, śānta-bhakta means the bhakta who appreciates the greatness of the Supreme, but does not take Kṛṣṇa as very intimate. That is śānta-bhakta.

Dr. Patel: How can, ah, can you imagine God without taking Him very intimately? These are two, I mean...

Prabhupāda: No, no. Just like... Intimately... Just like I can give this example, that you have got a great regard for me, but not as intimately as my other disciples.

Dr. Patel: Ah, that is possible. Because I am, I have not put on the order clothes.

Prabhupāda: This example is, I think, proper.

Dr. Patel: (laughs)

Prabhupāda: They have sacrificed their life for me.

Dr. Patel: That's right.

Prabhupāda: But you have got regard for me, but you cannot sacrifice your life for me.

Dr. Patel: You are trying to tempt me, sir, but I don't think it will be for that. I will not be turned away. I've got my duty to do toward my family. (laughing)

Prabhupāda: No, no. This is, this is the stage of śānta-bhakta. I am explaining śānta-bhakta.

Dr. Patel: I can understand you. You... (laughs)

Prabhupāda: No, no, it is according to śāstra, śānta. There are the different types of mellows, variety mellows. (aside:) Hare Kṛṣṇa. śānta, dāsya, sākhya... I do not say that you become my disciple. I don't say that.

I am speaking on the principle of śāstra. śānta-bhakta, dāsya-bhakta, sākhya-bhakta, vātsalya-bhakta, mādhurya-bhakta.
Morning Walk -- February 17, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No, no, it is according to śāstra, śānta. There are the different types of mellows, variety mellows. (aside:) Hare Kṛṣṇa. śānta, dāsya, sākhya... I do not say that you become my disciple. I don't say that.

Dr. Patel: I am your disciple in all respects. I should not put on your, these clothes and come and do all the...

Prabhupāda: No, no, no. That is not our program. That is not our program. We do not ask anyone to change his cloth, never. I never ask them to change his cloth, or change his position. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's philosophy.

Dr. Patel: That's right. We, we always... We always consider a guru in the form of God. God comes to you in the form of a guru.

Prabhupāda: That is... That we also accept.

Dr. Patel: And that is the way I was... I mean, I love you, treat you as such and worship you.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Dr. Patel: And if you think it is any other form, I have no objection, whatever bhāva you may call it. What is the matter?

Prabhupāda: No, I am speaking on the principle of śāstra. śānta-bhakta, dāsya-bhakta, sākhya-bhakta, vātsalya-bhakta, mādhurya-bhakta.

Dr. Patel: You see, I can...

Prabhupāda: It is not that mādhurya-bhakta is greater than the dāsya-bhakta. The example has been given: just like sound. Sound is generated from the ether, sky. You are scientific man. You will understand.

Dr. Patel: Yes, yes.

Prabhupāda: But that sound is existing in all other five elements, four elements.

Dr. Patel: Right.

Prabhupāda: The sound is not only in the ether, but sound is on the air. The sound is in the fire, the sound is also in the water, and sound is also on the land. So the basic principle of śānta-rasa is there.

Dr. Patel: In all of them.

Prabhupāda: All of them. But according to the position, it is more developed.

Dr. Patel: Yes.

Prabhupāda: You see? In the earth, this sound is very... Just like you take any earthly object, metal. The sound is very strong there. Is it not?

Dr. Patel: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Just like water. There is sound. But that sound and metallic sound are different. Sound is there, but the sound of the water and sound of the metal—in the metal the sound is more prominent than in the water. But the sound is there. Similarly...

Page Title:Santa-bhakta
Compiler:Visnu Murti
Created:20 of Jan, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=1, SB=1, CC=2, OB=1, Lec=0, Con=2, Let=0
No. of Quotes:7