View source for Vidhi-marga is called bhakti-yoga. Vidhi-marga means by following the regulative principles of sastra, orders of the spiritual master, when we engage ourself in devotional service, that is called vidhi-marga

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{{terms|"vidhi-mārga is called bhakti-yoga. Vidhi-mārga means by following the regulative principles of śāstra, orders of the spiritual master, when we engage ourself in devotional service, that is called vidhi-mārga"}}
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[[Category:Vidhi-marga - Devotional Service to God]]
[[Category:Is Called...]]
[[Category:Bhakti-yoga - Devotional Service to God]]
[[Category:Meaning of Sanskrit Words]]
[[Category:Following the Principles]]
[[Category:Regulative Principles]]
[[Category:Principles of Sastra]]
[[Category:Orders of a Spiritual Master]]
[[Category:When]]
[[Category:Engaging in Devotional Service to God]]
[[Category:Ourself]]
[[Category:That Is]]
[[Category:Is Called...]]
[[Category:Pages Needing Audio - SHARMISTHA]]
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<h2>Lectures</h2>
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<h3>General Lectures</h3>
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As we make advance in spontaneous love for God, then these things become automatically revealed. It is . . . simply by theoretical exposition they cannot be understood. Therefore we have to practice. Vidhi-mārga . . . that vidhi-mārga is called bhakti-yoga. Vidhi-mārga means by following the regulative principles of śāstra, orders of the spiritual master, when we engage ourself in devotional service, that is called vidhi-mārga.
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[[Vanisource:690115 - Lecture - Los Angeles|690115 - Lecture - Los Angeles]]
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The spontaneous love . . . the example is given: just like a young man, young girl, without any acquaintance, when they see each other, there is some loving propensity. That is called spontaneous. Not that one has to learn how to love. Simply very sight will invoke some loving propensity. That is called spontaneous. When we are advanced in the matter of loving God, so much so that as soon as you see or remember anything about God, immediately you become ecstatic, that is spontaneous. Just like Lord Caitanya, when He entered the temple of Jagannātha, as soon as He saw Jagannātha, immediately fainted, "Here is My Lord."

So this spontaneous love, those who have developed this spontaneous love, there is a stage. By practice one will come to that stage. Because that spontaneous love is eternal. It is not artificial. We have got, but it is now covered by our material association. So it has to be uncovered. And when you come to that stage, spontaneous, without any paraphernalia.

Here we are trying to love Kṛṣṇa with so many paraphernalia. We must have a nice temple, nice dress, everything very favorable. Then we have some spiritual, ecstatic love. We have to create the groundwork. But spontaneous, there is no necessity of groundwork. Immediately one remembers of Kṛṣṇa, he becomes ecstatic. So that is the highest perfection of love of Godhead: spontaneous, without any external influence.

Now, we are teaching devotional service by the order of spiritual master, "Our spiritual master has said this; we must follow." That is required—routine, practice. Just like in India, formerly, the boys and girls were married at very early age. So I was also married very early age. My wife was only eleven years old. So I have heard my mother-in-law was married, she was seven years old and my father-in-law was eleven years old. So this marriage was performed, but it is not that the husband and wife live together unless they are mature, grown-up.

So there was a system to, in order to . . . because premixing is still not allowed in India, but the husband and wife . . . the wife by the elderly members was asked that, "Just take this foodstuff, tiffin, to your husband." So she comes, offers little foodstuff, pān. In this way they gradually develop their relationship, loving relationship. But actually, when that love is mature, there is no need of introduction. In the beginning it is required.

So devotional service is divided into two portions. Vidhi. Vidhi-mārga, rāga-mārga.

Vidhi means by following the regulative principles according to the sastra, according to the order of the spiritual master. Then, when it is fully developed, then no more vidhi. Automatically one will be anxious to serve Kṛṣṇa, "How I shall make nice dress. How I shall serve Kṛṣṇa. How I shall cleanse the temple." There is no question of ordering. Spontaneous love. By rendering service, he feels transcendental bliss. That is spontaneous.

So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness means we have to increase our attachment for Kṛṣṇa to the perfectional stage, when there is no more order, but automatically. Automatic. That is required. Mayy asakta-manaḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ ([[Vanisource:BG 7.1 (1972)|BG 7.1]])

That yoga system . . . at that time there is no yoga. It is already . . . yoga system means a process which helps uniting with the Supreme. That is called yoga system. But when there is spontaneous love, that is not a yoga system; it is yoga already. United. The Māyāvādī philosophers, they say that united means the individual soul has no more any separate existence, monism. They become one. But Vaiṣṇava philosophy, they say they become one, but at the same time they remain separate.

So these things are to be realized. As we make advance in spontaneous love for God, then these things become automatically revealed. It is . . . simply by theoretical exposition they cannot be understood. Therefore we have to practice. Vidhi-mārga . . . that vidhi-mārga is called bhakti-yoga. Vidhi-mārga means by following the regulative principles of śāstra, orders of the spiritual master, when we engage ourself in devotional service, that is called vidhi-mārga.

So we should not at once try to rise up to the rāga-mārga, or spontaneous. It is not an artificial thing. When one is, I mean to say, raised to the platform of spontaneous love, there is no question of falling back. During rāga-mārga, or regulative principle, there is chance of falling back, because that is not mature. But when it is mature, then there is no falldown. At that time, without Kṛṣṇa, without serving Kṛṣṇa, nobody can live.

Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He said that, "I have no love for Kṛṣṇa." Just try to understand. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that, "I have no love for Kṛṣṇa." Why? Then why You are crying? So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says: "I am crying just to make a show to others that I am a devotee. Actually I am not a devotee. If I would have been actually devotee, how I am living without Kṛṣṇa? I should have died." This is ecstasy. "If I had any love for Kṛṣṇa, how I am living without Kṛṣṇa? That means I do not love Kṛṣṇa."

So these are the highest stage. We should not imitate. We should follow the regulative principle. But some day will come when you'll be feeling the separation of Kṛṣṇa as death, as good as death.
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