The Sambandha Tattva reminds us of our eternal relationship with Sri Sri Radha Govinda through the medium of Shiksha Guru who comes into our life if we are committed to Sadhu Sanga. However unless one enters the water one cannot possibly understand what it means to swim. The waters of devotional life are nectarine and one enters the sweet nectar of devotional practice primarily through 2 basic processes. The first process is through “pranipatena and pariprashnena”. That is by humbly surrendering to the feet of a Siksa Guru (Instructing spiritual master) and submissively enquiring from him the methodologies that will contribute towards growth of faith in the aspect of devotional service. As one starts taking up basic processes of chanting the names of the Lord i.e. Chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, one will develop a taste for spiritual subjects. One will then enquire about how one can render service and present oneself before the Lord and His devotees as part of Vaishnava Sadachar and Vaishnava Shishtachar ( moralistic value system and discipline which dictates ones conduct and behaviour).
The next process will be to undertake “Hari Nama” and “Deeksha” from a Sadhguru (perfected God-realized master) and render two types of services to him namely serving the Guru’s personal needs through “Laxmi” (financial); helping Guru to serve Vaishnavas and the Lord. The next type of service to Guru will be to actually follow all his personal instructions with respect to Bhajana and
Sadhana and the means to purify oneself. Apart from that one may get inspired to serve deities and take up auxiliary services to the Lord which will be secondary limbs of service; the primary being following direct instructions of Sadhguru and Chanting the Holy names.
The above aspects represent the body of the Abhidheya tattva and not the spirit so to say. Abhidheya tattva represents “one’s intention and internal mood of service”. The above activities are carried out primarily to stoke this mood. It is possible that somebody may not have the mood of service ; however when one surrenders to Guru and Vaishnavas ; one may take up the above activities as an “imitation” first since the mood of true service has not yet developed. At the initial stages ; when the devotee accepts services to be rendered with the attitude such as “Oh I really do not know what I shall gain” or “Since the Shastras say so , I think I will anyway serve” or “ Maybe there is some gain in it ; although I cannot see it right now” or “I shall serve Gurudeva because I am bothered about myself ; let the world go hang”; it will be service rendered in “aparadha” or service rendered with mood sufficiency. However this attitude will not cause any disturbance in the bhakti process; if service is painstakingly continued under the auspices of Sadhguru. As time goes by; the above attitude in the heart will disappear and service will be carried out with a mindset of neutrality yet with a yearning to perform more service. Although the service remains the same; the quality of the Seva will be in the mode of “Seva Abhasa” (Semblance of service). Once an internal mood is reached such as “How can I make Gurudeva happy” ; “Oh how unfortunate I am ; I am not able to serve Vaishnavas properly” or “ I am so unsatisfied by such services ; Oh Lord give me more service” or “I wish I can continue to do more and more service ;” I do not care to get Goloka or anything in return but more of such service” , then one will be on the platform of Suddha Seva or pure devotional service. When one is positioned in such an exalted mood; one has transcended material nature. All devotional services are carried out to reach this maturity of service. Sadhguru and Bhagawan are happy to see an aspirant in this mood which is actually the “Abhidheya tattva”, that is the mood of perfect devotional service.
A heart that performs sadhana and bhajana with absolutely no ulterior motive ; with no desire to be in Goloka but burning with a desire to “glow” in service to Guru and Vaishnavas is a heart that has soaked itself in “Abhidheya tattva”. The summum bonum of Abhidheya tattva is to develop a soft heart filled with higher emotions; emotions of surrender and service. Thus the heart leaps towards the “Prayojana tattva” (Ultimate Goal).
Charan Pahari 