Prakrta-rasa Sata-dusani (One Hundred Condemnations of Material Rasa)

by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura with commentary by Swami B.G. Narasingha

(Bengali verse translation by Swami B.V. Giri)

Prākṛta-rasa Śata-dūṣaṇī written by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswatī Ṭhākura with illuminations by Swami B.G. Narasiṅgha. (A Hundred Warnings Against Mundane Mellows) Clearly illuminates the immature misconceptions of imitative devotees known as Prākṛta-Sahajiyās.

“Our Guru Mahārāja wrote several poems, one of which is Prākṛta-rasa Śata-dūṣaṇī, ‘A Hundred Defects of the Sahajiyā Conception.’ The defects are innumerable, but our Guru Mahārāja put forward a hundred of the defects in their process of advancement. Mainly they take spiritual advancement very cheaply – they are not prepared to pay the real price.

Guru Maharaja preached exclusively this mādhurya-rasa, but with great precaution. He perhaps used ninety percent of his energy to preach that, ‘This is not mādhurya-rasa.’ To clear away the negative side, he had to spare in his words, ‘Gallons of blood’ to teach that this is not mādhurya-rasa.

And whatever he did – pūjala rāgapatha gaurava bhaṅge. His whole life in a nutshell is expressed in this, his own expression. Pūjala rāgapatha –  the very nature of our sampradāya is this.”

– Śrīla B.R. Śrīdhara Mahārāja