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XXXI] Concept of bhakti
355 affection following the practices?. In the Pañcarātra bhakti is defined as affection associated with the majesty of God; but the association of the majesty of God is not a necessary part of bhakti. Purusottama defines bhakti as attachment to God with detachment from all fruits. Purity of mind can be attained both by knowledge and bhakti as produced by pusţi or the grace of God; so the only condition that can be attached to the rise of affection is the grace of God.
It is impossible to say for what reason God is pleased to extend His grace; it cannot be for the relief of suffering, since there are many sufferers to whom God does not do so. It is a special character of God, by which He adapts certain people for manifesting His grace through them.
As regards the fruit of bhakti, there are diverse opinions. Vallabha has said in his Sevāphala-vivrti that as a result of it one may attain a great power of experiencing the nature of God (a-laukika-sāmarthya), or may also have the experience of continual contact with God (sājujya), and also may have a body befitting the service of God (sevopayogi deha). This is his description of the puşti-mārga. He has also described two other mārgas, the pravāha and the maryādā, in his Pusti-pravāha-maryādā. The pravāhamārga consists of the Vedic duties which carry on the processes of birth and rebirth. Those however who do not transgress the Vedic laws are said to belong to the maryādī-mārga. The puști-mārga differs from the other two mārgas in this, that it depends upon the grace of God and not on l'edic deeds?; its fruits are therefore superior to those of other märgas.
Vallabha, in his Bhakti-vardhini, says that the seed of bhakti exists as prema or affection due to the grace of God, and, when it is firm, it increases by renunciation, by listening to the bhakti-śāstra, and by chanting God's name. The seed becomes strong when in
1 mary'üdāyām hi śravaņādibhih păpakşaye premotpattis tato muktih. pustimārgāngikrtes tu atyanugraha-sādhyatrena tatra pāpāder aprati-bandhakatvāc chracanūdirüpă premarüpă ca jugapat paurtāparyena va vaiparityena vā bhavati. Ibid. p. 152.
ato redoktatre'pi teda-tātparya-gocuratre'pi jiva-kytaraidha-sādhaneşvuprateśāt tad-asādhya-sūdhanāt phala-1'ailaksanvāc ca st'a-rūpatah kāryatah phalatas cotkarşāc ca l'edokta-sādhanebliyo'pi bhinnaiva tat tadūkārikā puştirastity'ato hetoh siddham iti mārgu-trayo'tra na sandeha ityarthah.
Commentary on Puşti-pratūha-maryādā-bhedah, p. 8. 3 yeşi sūdhana-dvāră bhaktyabhizyaktih teşusā anudbhūtā bhāva-rūpena manasi tisthati, tatah pajūdişu sādhanes l'anuşthiyamūnesu premādi-rūpeṇa kramad udbhūtā bhutati. Bhakti- ardhini-vivrti (by Puruşottama), sloka s.
