Ananyashraya & Anyashraya

The deity (Swaroop) at the famous Vaishnav temple of Shri Nathadwara in Rajasthan (India) is known as SHRINATHAJI. This Swaroop in reality is that of Lord Shri KRISHNA . SHRINATHAJI represents child Krishna when He was seven years of age.

This Swaroop is not man made. He manifested Himself from the mountain Goverdhan, (also known as Giriraj) some 500 years ago. He is the same Krishna, who had saved the people of Goverdhan area, from the heavy rainfall caused by the anger of Lord Indra. He lifted the whole mountain with His left hand and protected the people of that area from the rain, for seven days. Because of this, He is also known as Shri Goverdhan nathji. The name was then shortened to SHRINATHAJI.

The story of SHRINATHAJI's appearance goes back to the year 1408. A village by the name of Anyor lies at the foothills of mountain Goverdhan, near Mathura in north India. There lived a cowherd Sadu Pande. His cows were going at the top of mount Goverdhan for grazing. One of the cows would go to a particular spot and would discharge her milk there. Upon inquiry, a stone, which resembled a raised hand, was found at the spot. People started worshipping this place and offered milk, fruits, etc. This unknown God fulfilled their wishes.

The worshipping lasted for almost 70 years. Then on the day of the appearance of Jagadguru Shri Vallabhacharya Mahaprabhuji, in the year 1478, the whole figure emerged from this spot by itself. People asked Him who He was and He said, “I am Lord Krishna of Saraswat Kulp. I have reappeared in this Kaliyug. I will be known by the names of Shri Devdaman, Shri Indradaman or Shri Nagdamanas.” Shri Devdaman, eventually became known as SHRINATHAJI.

Shri Vallabhacharyaji traveled the lengths and breaths of India for almost 18 years of his life to propagate Hinduism. On one of such tours at Zarkhand, (in the year 1492) Lord Krishna appeared before him and said,” I have appeared as Lord SHRINATHAJI on the mountain Goverdhan. Go there to meet me. I am eagerly awaiting your arrival.”

Shri Vallabhacharya immediately left for Goverdhan area. He stayed at the house of Sadu Pande. He started climbing mount Goverdhan to meet SHRINATHAJI. Lord Krishna in the form of SHRINATHAJI knew that Shri Vallabhacharya has arrived there and was coming uphill to meet Him. He started descending and met Shri Vallabhacharyaji half way on this mountain. They greeted each other very warmly, meeting was very emotional. The incidence became known as PRATHAM MILAN (First Meeting).

Six years after this historic meeting, Shri Vallabhacharyaji started constructing a temple for SHRI NATHAJI on top of the mountain Goverdhan. He appointed Priests (known as Mukhiajis), Singers, Musicians, Cooks, and Manager etc. to manage the Seva-worshipping- of Lord SHRINATHAJI. The sanctum of Shrinathaji was thrown open eight times a day at fixed intervals for Darshans which enabled devotees to see Him for a few moments. The rituals followed during daily worship were intended to evoke memories of Shri Krishna's childhood lilas (pastimes) at Vraj.

Aurangzeb was a Muslim King and a cruel ruler in the areas of Vraj, Goverdhan etc. He was an anti Hindu and started destroying Hindu temples. SHRINATHAJI temple's safety was at stake and it was decided to relocate the Swaroop at some safer place. In the year 1669, the swaroop was transferred to a decorative chariot and a journey started. After traveling for almost two and half years, a new location was selected to sattledown. The place was in Rajasthan in the village of Sinhad. Actually it was a palace of the King of Udaipur, who was a great disciple of Shri Vallabhacharyaji.

There was another reason behind the selection of this place. When Shri Gusainji Shri Vithalnathaji)- a son of Shri Vallabhacharyaji, traveled to Dwarika from Vraj, he would stop at the palace of the King of Udaipur in Sinhad. Princess Ajabkumvarbai there was a great disciple of Shri Gusainji and was always performing seva of Shrinathaji. Shrinathaji was playing the game of checker with her everyday. He would travel from Vraj to this place. Ajabkumverbai thought that this must be uncomfortable for Him. She requested Shrinathaji, instead, to stay there permanently. He promised her that He would do so in future only. So the migration from Vraj to Sinhad was also to fulfill the promise of Shrinathaji to Ajabkumverbai. Sinhad is now known as Shri Nathadwara.

The present temple of SHRINATHAJI at Shri Nathadwara was built in the year 1728. The swaroop of SHRINATHAJI is four feet high and is black in color. The left hand is raised-inviting disciples to go to Him. Right hand fist rests on the waist. The swaroop has a square Pithika, containing nine objects: Two Cows, A Cobra, A Sheep, A Man(Muni), A Parrot, Two men (Munies), A Snake, A Lion and Two Peacocks.

In Bhakti Marg You Have To Consider Anyasraya

When it is decided that this jiva will follow bhakti marg, it becomes very necessary that he understands this concept Anyasraya. For those who follow Gyana or Karma Marg this subject called Anyasrana has no relativity to them. Hence we do not find any mention about it in these two systems. For example, if a person has not married at all. Where is the question of asraya of a wife. They have considered all women as their sisters or mothers. Since they have this Gyana or understanding that "Para stree Mata re". O! Man! All other women are mothers alone ! hence there can be no leaning on to any one women. Hence in Pusti Margiya Bhakti. The concept anyasraya is stands in the form of detachment.

If you desire to join either police or milatery force and arojoined it becomes compulsary you wear a uniform. This uniform is a part of his service. A sista or we cannot be identified without the uniform. With the work he does. A surgeon is identified with his green robe and the light cap. When his green robe he enters the operation theatre. It is his "sista" or a customary dress. If you are a lawyer or a judge you have to wear a black coat. By the dress you belong to wwaring these uniforms and dresses is a natural outcome of the work he professes to do. Then this does not become above of contentions. It has to be followed in its practice.

In a similar manner if you have decided to adopt the path of sneha in your life. Ananyasraya becomes a part of Bhakti Marga. Now it is no longer a contentious subject matter. It is now a part of your daily behaviour. Hence it is a basic factor under Pusti Marga.

If a young person, with an intension of finding suitable women as his life partner meets several women there can be nothing wrong with it. Even if he keeps the photos in his pocket there can not be any objection. But when he accepts a women as his wife and enters into nupital relationship, then he can keep only the photo of his wife in his pockets. But if he still wants to carry the photo of the other women it is not advisable to do so. He should keep not only the photo but the women also from his life. Otherwise this can hamper the smooth running of a family where "sneha" or love for the married women should be the order. Any involvement would create disturbance. Reduce the love for wife and will result in klesa or sorrows. There can be no good result to this kind of behaviour. The wife will lose faith in him for a man. A wife should stand as a leaning tower (alavambana) without fail. This strong sense of devotion to a single person is known as "ananyasraya".

Pusti Marg is Bhakti Marg

Pusti Marg indicates to the path of attachment of Jivatma for Paramatma. This jivatma has separated from paramatma for years one has forgotten to count. As a consequence he has become a prey to the agony of having to take birth and then death for innumerable times. In this process of birth and deaths he has completely lost track of his paramatma. He has come to believe that he is an independent figure. Slowly he has forgotton that he has some sweet loving relation with HIM. Got himself caught in a wrong direction and went on adding greatness to his own self.

Search of Ananda : Life's Aim

When this jivatma is separated from paramatma he has found an important part called "Ananda" remaining dormant. This aunsa of paramatma disappeared completely from the surface. It is observed that when a person is lacking in something he will make a tremendous effort to find that. Since Ananda disappeared, man began to make effort to find it in all his pursuits. We eat for joy. We drink for joy. We purchase good clothes and jewellery to find some kind of delight in possessing them. In every action there is an indirect quest for joy. It is obvious that we do not do any work with an intention of bringing sorrow on ourselves. Our actions are directed in search of joy and happiness. But in reality we do not find happiness in the form we search for it.

May be the joy you get or the moments of happiness you feel do not last for long. You may pass through a wave of it. You may have a fleeting glimpse of it. We may even dance in those moments of ecstacy (joy). But is this the true anands. Because true ananda when once achieved can never be lost. It is permanent.

We eat a sweet dish. We feel we have enjoyed it greatly. But the moment you begin to feel uneasiness in stomach you will begin to be sorrowful. At the time you get a son you will feel the joy passing through you. But if the son grows a thorn in the side then all the joy begins to evaporate. Sri Mahaprabhuji has coined a word for these kinds of enjoyments : viz., visayananda. It means joy or happiness sensed through the indriyas (sense organs). Where the pleasures are meant to satiate the senses (visaya sukha) and the ananda gained through senses is called "Visayananda". It is a kind of thirst which cannot be satisfied. The more you go for it the more it will demand it.

Hence Sri Mahaprabhuji tells us : "There is no true enjoyment in the world. Hence sensible people should not follow Visayananda. It is like a golden stag". It never existed. If you run after it you will never reach paramatma. The end is only sorrow.

In this connection Sri Mahaprabhuji wants to tell what true ananda is. The true ananda can be found only in Parabrahma. i.e., in our Lord. This ananda is permanent. It is full. It never ends or spends itself. You take as much ananda you want out of it. But it never decreases. Hence Sri Mahaprabhuji expalins : Man pursues ananda. But instead of running after worldly visayananda, he should run after our prabhu's "Swarupananda". Then only he can find true and complete ananda.

Bhakti Marg is the only means through which a person can attain true and compelte ananda of Sri Prabhu. It is also known as sneha marg. Even in worldly practice we do not hesitate to offer everything we have to the person for whom we have great love. in a similar way when a jivatma surrenders everything in true love for Prabhu, the latter also will shower HIS compassion by granting the complete ananda to HIS devotees with great generosity

Ananyata Essential To Gain Complete Ananda

The relationship between a jivatma and paramatma is that of an amsa / aunsa (part) and amsi (the whole of which he is a part). this relationship is akin to that of a dasa (servant) and Swami (Master). Hence the state of dasa remains in elementary form in jiva. He has also another element known as sneha within him. A dasa serves his master with attachment and love. He surrenders everything to master. In return Master grants all the desires of dasa.

If the jivatma fundamentally offers seva with all love, dedicates whatever he has, it is quite certain that his master will come forward and bestow ananda which is permanent and complete and represents the form of sentiment i.e., Rasa Rupa of divine being. This is Bhakti Marg. Since love or affection (prema) are the primary aspects, Bhakti marga is also called Prema Lakshana Bhakti - It is alleged that when a jivatma renders seva with such selfless affection towards paramatma and as he perpetrates the seva without end, then paramatma will some day appear before him. Showing HIs charming compassion, when HE comes forward to bestow the divine ananda on HIS bhakta, it is called "Krupa MArg". It is also called Pusti Marg. In this Pusti Marg we observe that on one side the Bhakta proceeds with all affection and when the paramatma takes a few steps towards HIS bhakta again with love - when both join at a point then jiva will experience this ananda.

To gain all experience of this kind of complete (purna) ananda importance.

Take a vessel full of milk. Put a drop of curd in it. Immediately transformation takes place. The milk turns sour. Becomes dahi. dahi is nothing but a transformed state of milk. When once it converts into dahi it cannot go back to its original state i.e. milk.

In the similar way the changing mood of true love is to go and take the shelter of another known as anyashraya. When you go out and seek the shelter of another celestial the true love you have been exhibiting so far for paramatma vanishes. This jiva will never be able to experience that transdental ananda of divine being. In order to cling to the old form of true love, a follower of bhakti system has to hold on to the shelter of paramatma firmly and keep the tendency towards anyashraya far far away from him.

This is the shista in the life of a bhakta. This is an inevitable conduct of ananyata.

Classification of Anyasraya

It can be done in two ways : 1. Gross (sthula) anyasraya, 2. Subtle (asuksma) anyasraya. In the same way ananyasraya can also be classified as 1. Ananyasraya of the form of Dharma, 2. Ananyasraya of the form of Dharmi. Let us go into their forms now in detail.

Anyasraya is of two kinds, sthula and suksma anyasraya. When anyasraya takes place through the thoughts in subtle anyastrya. Where ans when it is done through speech (vani) and conduct (vyavahara) it is sthulas anyasraya. In order to understand these two kinds of anyasraya you have to go through many anacdotes from the works of eighty four and two hundred fiftytwo vaishnavon ki vartas.