DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.636#0153
Vaishnavism. Caitanya Sect. 14I
complete submission of the soul to Krishna—was the only
road to heaven. Faith, in fact, superseded all other duties.
' Whatever is accomplished by works, by penance, by divine
knowledge, by suppression of the passions, by abstract me-
ditation, by charity, by virtue, by other excellences,—all
this is effected by faith in me. Paradise, Heaven, supreme
beatitude, union with the godhead,—every wish of the heart
is obtainable by faith in me.' Such are Krishna's own words,
according to the belief of Caitanya and other Vaishnava
teachers. (Bhagavata-purana XI.)
But the devotional feelings of Krishna's votaries are sup-
posed to be susceptible of five phases, or rather, perhaps,
to be exhibited in five different ways, which are thus enu-
merated:—1. Calm contemplation of the godhead (santi);
2. Active servitude (dasya); 3. A feeling of personal friend-
ship (sakhya); 4. A feeling of filial attachment like that of
a child for its parent (vatsalya); 5. A feeling of tender affec-
tion like that of a girl for her lover (madhurya).
The last of these is held to be the highest feeling. Indeed,
Caitanya taught that the great aim of every worshipper of
Krishna ought to be to lose all individuality and self-con-
sciousness in ecstatic union with his god. To bring about
this condition of intense religious fervour various practices
were enjoined—for example, incessant repetition of the deity's
name (nama-klrtana), singing (sanklrtana), music, dancing, or
movements of the body allied to dancing, such as were also
practised by certain Saiva devotees1. Caitanya was himself
in the constant habit of swooning away in paroxysms of ecstatic
1 These correspond to the Zikr and religious dancing of the Muham-
madan dervishes. For even cold Islam has its devotees who aim at
religious ecstasy, resorting to expedients very similar to those of the
(faitanyas. I have been twice present at the weekly services of the
Cairo dervishes. One sect repeat the name of God with violent ejacu-
lations and contortions of the body, while another fraternity whirl
themselves round till they swoon away in the intensity of their religious
fervour.
complete submission of the soul to Krishna—was the only
road to heaven. Faith, in fact, superseded all other duties.
' Whatever is accomplished by works, by penance, by divine
knowledge, by suppression of the passions, by abstract me-
ditation, by charity, by virtue, by other excellences,—all
this is effected by faith in me. Paradise, Heaven, supreme
beatitude, union with the godhead,—every wish of the heart
is obtainable by faith in me.' Such are Krishna's own words,
according to the belief of Caitanya and other Vaishnava
teachers. (Bhagavata-purana XI.)
But the devotional feelings of Krishna's votaries are sup-
posed to be susceptible of five phases, or rather, perhaps,
to be exhibited in five different ways, which are thus enu-
merated:—1. Calm contemplation of the godhead (santi);
2. Active servitude (dasya); 3. A feeling of personal friend-
ship (sakhya); 4. A feeling of filial attachment like that of
a child for its parent (vatsalya); 5. A feeling of tender affec-
tion like that of a girl for her lover (madhurya).
The last of these is held to be the highest feeling. Indeed,
Caitanya taught that the great aim of every worshipper of
Krishna ought to be to lose all individuality and self-con-
sciousness in ecstatic union with his god. To bring about
this condition of intense religious fervour various practices
were enjoined—for example, incessant repetition of the deity's
name (nama-klrtana), singing (sanklrtana), music, dancing, or
movements of the body allied to dancing, such as were also
practised by certain Saiva devotees1. Caitanya was himself
in the constant habit of swooning away in paroxysms of ecstatic
1 These correspond to the Zikr and religious dancing of the Muham-
madan dervishes. For even cold Islam has its devotees who aim at
religious ecstasy, resorting to expedients very similar to those of the
(faitanyas. I have been twice present at the weekly services of the
Cairo dervishes. One sect repeat the name of God with violent ejacu-
lations and contortions of the body, while another fraternity whirl
themselves round till they swoon away in the intensity of their religious
fervour.