To engage in bhakti, one has to have the proper understanding of one’s relation with Bhagavān. One has to know that one is an integrated part of Bhagavān and not absolutely identical with Brahman, as is understood by the radical nondualists (the Advaita Vedāntīs). Although the living beings and Bhagavān are one in terms of consciousness, a distinction exists between them not only in the phenomenal state but even in the liberated state. The relation between them is thus one of transrational oneness and distinction (acintya-bheda-abheda), which is the inherent nature of the relation between potency (śakti) and potent source (śaktimān). This in brief is the “integral nonduality” propounded in Śrīmad Bhāgavata. Pure bhakti is not possible without this understanding.
With this view in mind, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī composed the earlier Sandarbhas to elaborately explain the relation between the jīva and Bhagavān. These Sandarbhas are meant to be studied in the order given by the author, otherwise the complete understanding of Reality will remain beyond the practitioner’s grasp, which will in turn obscure the practice of śuddhā-bhakti. And if bhakti is thus obstructed or adulterated, it will not directly disclose Bhagavān and prema to the practitioner, which is the whole purpose of undertaking the investigation into Reality in the first place. In Śrī Jīva’s ordered exposition, Bhakti Sandarbha stands out as the pivot or the center of all the Sandarbhas. The first four provide the theoretical underpinnings that lead to it, and the last one elucidates its outcome in the form of divine love (prīti). Bhakti Sandarbha is also the most practically oriented out of the complete set, because it provides the method to be followed in one’s life. As far as a sādhaka is concerned, the other five offer only a theoretical understanding, which is however essential for authentic practice. Thus, although each of the other Sandarbhas have their own specific role and importance, ultimately it is only Bhakti Sandarbha that is the beacon light in one’s day-to-day life. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance for a sincere sādhaka.
For the reasons just stated, anyone who is serious about becoming a pure devotee of Bhagavān, especially of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, must study Bhakti Sandarbha thoroughly. Along with Bhakti Sandarbha, it will also be beneficial to study the Eastern division of Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī’s Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. This will provide an in-depth understanding of pure devotion, which is not an easy subject to comprehend. These two books are complementary and cover most of the theoretical and practical aspects of devotion. Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu deals with the practical as well as with the emotional aspect of bhakti. The Eastern division enumerates the first aspect and the remaining three divisions, namely, Southern, Western, and Northern, deal with the second aspect. Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī, however, deals with these two aspects of bhakti separately in Bhakti Sandarbha and Prīti Sandarbha, respectively. What is described in a very terse form in the Eastern division of Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu has been elaborated in Bhakti Sandarbha. The former, being composed in śloka form, has its limitations, and needs the help of a commentary to understand the subject matter. Bhakti Sandarbha is not subject to the same limitation. Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī makes the subject easier to comprehend.
Bhakti Sandarbha places bhakti on the highest pedestal, which it rightly deserves. Earlier, bhakti was considered only as a means for liberation. Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī, however, on the strength of scriptural authority, establishes that bhakti is the supreme process as well as the ultimate goal. All other processes cease after delivering their respective results, but bhakti continues even beyond videha-mukti, or ultimate liberation. Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī goes on to say that without the grace of bhakti, all other processes are impotent. Bhakti, being the intrinsic potency of Bhagavān, is complete by itself and does not depend upon anything. It was propagated by Bhagavān Himself at the beginning of creation. Whatever a person wishes to attain — material or spiritual — can be attained through bhakti. Everyone is eligible to engage in bhakti irrespective of their status, gender, age, nationality, or education. Only bhakti awards direct realization of Bhagavān. Indeed, Bhagavān becomes controlled by His devotee.
All auspicious qualities become naturally manifest in a devotee. The realization of Brahman is possible only by the grace of bhakti. Even a semblance of bhakti can award liberation. The only obstacles to bhakti are the offenses, and therefore they must be conscientiously avoided. They have been elaborately discussed in Bhakti Sandarbha. Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī also describes the influence of offenses. This is highly practical knowledge for a practitioner. One can examine one’s own mind to see if one is progressing or regressing because of offenses. Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī also offers advice as to how to mitigate the offenses committed in the past or in the present life. Bhakti is the most blissful process both in the stage of practice as well as in the perfected stage.
These characteristics of bhakti highlighted in Bhakti Sandarbha are unique. It is crucial to understand all these points to uproot all doubts about the nature and efficacy of bhakti. Because of the popularity of other paths in the past, a sādhaka may have deeply formed saṁskāras about the importance of other processes and may, thus, knowingly or unknowingly harbor doubts or lack faith in bhakti. Doubts and lack of faith dampen one’s enthusiasm to engage in bhakti wholeheartedly. Worse yet is that one may act in an offensive manner that will completely obstruct one’s progress. It is thus of the utmost importance for a sincere sādhaka to study Bhakti Sandarbha. It is recommended that a serious practitioner should study a part of this book regularly, just as one would commit to other devotional practices, such as chanting the names of Kṛṣṇa. By doing so, one’s understanding of bhakti becomes more and more refined, which results in a corresponding increase in the purity and fixity of one’s practice. This is the whole point of Bhakti Sandarbha.