Bhakti · Sanskrit §153 · English §143
Source[१५३] अस्तु तावत् शुद्ध-भक्त्य्-आभासस्य वार्ता । अपराधत्वेन दृश्यमानोऽप्य् असौ महा-प्रभावो दृश्यते । यथा विष्णु-धर्मे भगवन्-मन्त्रेण कृत- निज-रक्षं विप्रं प्रति राक्षस-वाक्यं - त्वाम् अत्तुम् आगतः क्षिप्तौ रक्षया कृतया त्वया । तत्-संस्पर्शाच् च मे ब्रह्मन् साध्व् एतन् मनसि स्थितम् ॥ का सा रक्षा न तां वेद्मि वेद्मि नास्याः परायणम् । किन्त्व् अस्याः सङ्गमासाद्य निर्वेदं प्रापितः परम् ॥ इति । यथा वा विष्णु-धर्माद्य्-उदाहृतायाः श्री-भगवद्-गृह-दीप-तैलं पिबन्त्याः कस्याश्चिन् मूषिकाया दैवतो मुखोद्धृत-वर्तौ दीपे समुज्ज्वलिते सति मुख-दाहेन मरणात् राजीत्वं प्राप्य दीप-दानादि-लक्षण-भक्ति- निष्ठा-प्राप्तिर् अन्ते परम-पद-प्राप्तिश् च । यथा ब्रह्माण्ड-पुराणे जन्माष्टमी-माहात्म्ये कृत-जन्माष्टमीकाया दास्या दुःसङ्गेनापि कस्यचित् तत्-फल-प्राप्तिः । तथा च बृहन्-नारदीये तादृश-दुष्टकार्यार्थम् अपि भगवन्-मन्दिरं मार्जयित्वा कश्चिद् उत्तमां गतिम् अवाप । न त्व् ईदृशत्वं ब्रह्म-ज्ञानस्यापि । यथोक्तं ब्रह्म-वैवर्ते - दृष्टः पश्येद् अहरहः संश्रितः प्रतिसंश्रयेत् । अर्चितश् चार्चयेन् नित्यं स देवो द्विज-पुङ्गव ॥ इति । यथा च श्री-विष्णु-धर्मे श्री-नारद-वाक्यम् - तुलसी-दल-मात्रेण जलस्य चुलुकेन च । विक्रीणीते स्वम् आत्मानं भक्तेभ्यो भक्त-वत्सलः ॥ इति । तद् ईदृशं माहात्म्य-वृन्दं न प्रशंसा-मात्रम् अजामिलादौ प्रसिद्धत्वात् । दर्शिताश् च न्यायाः श्री-भगवन्-नाम-कौमुद्य्-आदौ । तथैव नाम्न्य् अर्थवाद-कल्पनायां दोषोऽपि श्रूयते तथार्थ-वादो हरि- नाम्नि [ह्ब्व् ११.२८४] इति नामापराध-गणने । अर्थ-वादं हरेर् नाम्नि सम्भावयति यो नरः । स पापिष्ठो मनुष्याणां निरये पतति स्फुटम् ॥ इति कात्यायन-संहितायाम् । (पगे ७१) मन्-नाम-कीर्तन-फलं विविधं निशम्य न श्रद्दधाति मनुते यद् उतार्थ-वादम् । यो मानुषस् तम् इह दुःख-चये क्षिपामि संसार-घोर-विविधार्ति-निपीडिताङ्गम् ॥ इति ब्रह्म-संहितायां बोधायनं प्रति श्री-परमेश्वरोक्तौ । ततोऽन्तर्भूत- नामानुसन्धानेष्व् अन्येषु तद्-भजनेषु च सुतराम् एवार्थ-वादे दोषोऽवगम्यते तद् एवं यथार्थ एव तन्-माहात्म्ये सत्य् अपि यत्र सम्प्रति तद्-भजने फलोदयो न दृश्यते। कुत्रचिच् छास्त्रे च पुरातनानाम् अप्य् अन्यथा श्रूयते तत्र नामार्थ-वाद-कल्पना वैष्णवानादरादयो दुरन्ता अपराधा एव प्रतिबन्ध-कारणं वक्तव्यम् । अतएवोक्तं श्री-शौनकेन -- तद् अश्म-सारं हृदयं बतेदं यद् गृह्यमाणैर् हरि-नाम-धेयैः । न विक्रियेताथ यदा विकारो नेत्रे जलं गात्र-रुहेषु हर्षः ॥ [भ्प् २.३.२४] इति । यथा प्रायेणाधुनिकानाम् - ब्रह्मण्यस्य वदान्यस्य तव दासस्य केशव । स्मृतिर् नाद्यापि विध्वस्ता भवत्-सन्दर्शनार्थिनः ॥ [भ्प् १०.६४.२५] तद्-उक्त-रीत्याध्यवसित-भक्तेर् अपि नृगस्य जिह्वा न वक्ति [भ्प् ६.३.२९] इत्य् आदि-यम-वाक्य-विरुद्धं यम-लोक-गमनं प्राप्तवतो विना चार्थवाद- कल्पनामयं भावं श्रुत-शास्त्रस्यापि तस्य सत्यां तादृश-माहात्म्यायां भक्तौ श्रीमद्-अम्बरीषादिवत् सेवाग्रहं परित्यज्य दान-कर्माग्रहो न स्यात् । तादृशापराधे भक्ति-स्तम्भश् च श्रूयते । यथा पाद्मे नामापराध-भञ्जन-स्तोत्रे - नामैकं यस्य वाचि स्मरण-पथ-गतं श्रोत्र-मूलं गतं वा शुद्धं वाशुद्ध-वर्णं व्यवहित-रहितं तारयत्य् एव सत्यम् । तच् चेद् देह-द्रविण-जनता-लोभ-पाषण्ड-मध्ये निक्षिप्तं स्यान् न फल-जनकं शीघ्रम् एवात्र विप्र ॥ देहादि-लोभार्थं ये पाषण्डा गुर्व्-अवज्ञादि-दशापराध-युक्तास् तन्- मध्य इत्य् अर्थः । स्कान्दे प्रह्लाद-संहितायां द्वारका-माहात्म्ये - पूजितो भगवान् विष्णुर् जन्मान्तर-शतैर् अपि । प्रसीदति न विश्वात्मा हरिस् तस्य पूजां द्वादश-वर्षिकीम् ॥ दृष्ट्वा भागवतं विप्रं नमस्कारेण नार्चयेत् । देहिनस् तस्य पापस्य न च वै क्षमते हरिः ॥ इति । एवं बहून्य् एवापराधान्तराण्य् अपि दृश्यते । एवम् एव श्री-विष्णु-पुराणे शत-धनुर् नाम्नो राज्ञो भगवद्-आराधन- तत्परस्यापि वेद-वैष्णव-निन्दकाल्प-सम्भाषयैव कुक्कुरादि-योनि- प्राप्तिर् उक्ता । अतः शुश्रूषोः श्रद्दधानस्य [भ्प् १.२.१६] इत्य् आदौ आवृत्तिर् असकृद्-उपदेशात् [व्स् ४.१.१] इत्य् आदौ च पुरुषाणां प्रायः सापराधत्वाभि- (पगे ७२) प्रायेणैवावृति-विधानम् । सापराधानाम् आवृत्त्य्-अपेक्षा चोक्ता पाद्मे नामापराध-भञ्जन-स्तोत्रे नामोपलक्ष्य - नामापराध-युक्तानां नामान्य् एव हरन्त्य् अघम् । अविश्रान्ति-प्रयुक्तानि तान्य् एवार्थ-कराणि च ॥ इति । एतद्-अपेक्षयैव त्रैलोक्य-सम्मोहन-तन्त्रादाव् अष्टादशाक्षरादेर् आवृत्ति- विधानम् । यथा - इदानीं शृणु देवि त्वं केवलस्य मनोर् विधिम् । दश-कृत्वो जपेन् मन्त्रम् आपत्-कल्पेन मुच्यते ॥ सहस्र-जप्तेन यथा मुच्यते महतैनसा । अयुतस्य जपेनैव महा-पातक-नाशनम् ॥ इत्य् आदि । तथा ब्रह्म-वैवर्ते नामोपलक्ष्य - हनन् ब्राह्मणम् अत्यन्तं कामतो वा सुरां पिबन् । कृष्ण कृष्णेत्य् अहोरात्रं सङ्कीर्त्य शुचिताम् इयात् ॥ इत्य् आदि । अत्रापराधालम्बनत्वेनैव वर्तमानानां पाप-वासनानां सहैवापराधेन नाश इति तात्पर्यम् । एतादृश-प्रतिबन्धोपेक्षयैवोक्तं विष्णु-धर्मे - रागादि-दूषितं चित्तं नास्पदं मधुसूदने । बध्नाति न रतिं हंसः कदाचित् कर्दमाम्बुनि ॥ न योग्या केशवं स्तोतुं वाग् दुष्टा चानृतादिना । तमसो नाशनायालं नेन्दोर् लेखा घनावृता ॥ इति । सिद्धानाम् आवृत्तिस् तु प्रतिपदम् एव सुख-विशेषोदयार्था । असिद्धानाम् आवृत्ति-नियमः फल-पर्यापित्-पर्यन्तः । तद्-अन्तरायेऽपराधावस्थिति- वितर्कात् । यतः कौटिल्यम् अश्रद्धा भगवन्-निष्ठा-च्यावकस् त्व् अन्तराभिनिवेशो भक्ति-शैथिल्यं स्व-भक्त्य्-आदि-कृत-मानित्वम् इत्य् एवम् आदीनि महत्-सङ्गादि-लक्षाण-भक्त्यापि निवर्तयितुं दुष्कराणि चेत् तर्हि तस्यापराधस्यैव कार्याणि । तान्य् एव च प्राचीनस्य तस्य लिङ्गानि । अतएव कुटिलात्मनाम् उत्तमम् अपि नानोपचारादिकं नाङ्गीकरोति भगवान् यथा दूत्य-गतो दुर्योधनस्य । आधुनिकानां च श्रुत-शास्त्राणाम् अपराध- दोषेन भगवति श्री-गुरौ तद्-भक्तादिषु चान्तरानादरादाव् अपि सति बहिस् तद्-अर्चनाद्य्-आरम्भः कौटिल्यम् । अतएवाकुटिल-मूढानां भजनाभासादिनापि कृतार्थत्वम् उक्तम् । कुटिलानां तु भक्त्य्-अनुवृत्तिर् अपि न सम्भवतीति । स्कान्दे श्री-पराशर-वाक्ये दृश्यते - अपुण्यवतां लोके मूढानां कुटिलात्मनाम् । भक्तिर् भवति गोविन्दे कीर्तनं स्मरणं तथा ॥ इति । तद् अपेक्षयैवोक्तं विष्णु-धर्मे - सत्यं शतेन विघ्नानां सहस्रेण तथा तपः । विघ्नायुतेन गोविन्दे नॄणां भक्तिर् निवार्यते ॥ इति । अतएवाह - तं सुखाराध्यम् ऋजुभिर् अनन्य-शरणैर् नृभिः । कृतज्ञः को न सेवेत दुराराध्यम् असाधुभिः ॥ [भ्प् ३.१९.३६] (पगे ७३) स्पष्टम् ॥ ३.११ । श्री-सूतः ॥ १५३ ॥
[153] astu tāvat śuddha-bhakty-ābhāsasya vārtā | aparādhatvena dṛśyamāno'py asau mahā-prabhāvo dṛśyate | yathā viṣṇu-dharme bhagavan-mantreṇa kṛta- nija-rakṣaṃ vipraṃ prati rākṣasa-vākyaṃ - tvām attum āgataḥ kṣiptau rakṣayā kṛtayā tvayā | tat-saṃsparśāc ca me brahman sādhv etan manasi sthitam || kā sā rakṣā na tāṃ vedmi vedmi nāsyāḥ parāyaṇam | kintv asyāḥ saṅgamāsādya nirvedaṃ prāpitaḥ param || iti | yathā vā viṣṇu-dharmādy-udāhṛtāyāḥ śrī-bhagavad-gṛha-dīpa-tailaṃ pibantyāḥ kasyāścin mūṣikāyā daivato mukhoddhṛta-vartau dīpe samujjvalite sati mukha-dāhena maraṇāt rājītvaṃ prāpya dīpa-dānādi-lakṣaṇa-bhakti- niṣṭhā-prāptir ante parama-pada-prāptiś ca | yathā brahmāṇḍa-purāṇe janmāṣṭamī-māhātmye kṛta-janmāṣṭamīkāyā dāsyā duḥsaṅgenāpi kasyacit tat-phala-prāptiḥ | tathā ca bṛhan-nāradīye tādṛśa-duṣṭakāryārtham api bhagavan-mandiraṃ mārjayitvā kaścid uttamāṃ gatim avāpa | na tv īdṛśatvaṃ brahma-jñānasyāpi | yathoktaṃ brahma-vaivarte - dṛṣṭaḥ paśyed aharahaḥ saṃśritaḥ pratisaṃśrayet | arcitaś cārcayen nityaṃ sa devo dvija-puṅgava || iti | yathā ca śrī-viṣṇu-dharme śrī-nārada-vākyam - tulasī-dala-mātreṇa jalasya culukena ca | vikrīṇīte svam ātmānaṃ bhaktebhyo bhakta-vatsalaḥ || iti | tad īdṛśaṃ māhātmya-vṛndaṃ na praśaṃsā-mātram ajāmilādau prasiddhatvāt | darśitāś ca nyāyāḥ śrī-bhagavan-nāma-kaumudy-ādau | tathaiva nāmny arthavāda-kalpanāyāṃ doṣo'pi śrūyate tathārtha-vādo hari- nāmni [HBV 11.284] iti nāmāparādha-gaṇane | artha-vādaṃ harer nāmni sambhāvayati yo naraḥ | sa pāpiṣṭho manuṣyāṇāṃ niraye patati sphuṭam || iti kātyāyana-saṃhitāyām | (page 71) man-nāma-kīrtana-phalaṃ vividhaṃ niśamya na śraddadhāti manute yad utārtha-vādam | yo mānuṣas tam iha duḥkha-caye kṣipāmi saṃsāra-ghora-vividhārti-nipīḍitāṅgam || iti brahma-saṃhitāyāṃ bodhāyanaṃ prati śrī-parameśvaroktau | tato'ntarbhūta- nāmānusandhāneṣv anyeṣu tad-bhajaneṣu ca sutarām evārtha-vāde doṣo'vagamyate tad evaṃ yathārtha eva tan-māhātmye saty api yatra samprati tad-bhajane phalodayo na dṛśyate| kutracic chāstre ca purātanānām apy anyathā śrūyate tatra nāmārtha-vāda-kalpanā vaiṣṇavānādarādayo durantā aparādhā eva pratibandha-kāraṇaṃ vaktavyam | ataevoktaṃ śrī-śaunakena -- tad aśma-sāraṃ hṛdayaṃ batedaṃ yad gṛhyamāṇair hari-nāma-dheyaiḥ | na vikriyetātha yadā vikāro netre jalaṃ gātra-ruheṣu harṣaḥ || [BhP 2.3.24] iti | yathā prāyeṇādhunikānām - brahmaṇyasya vadānyasya tava dāsasya keśava | smṛtir nādyāpi vidhvastā bhavat-sandarśanārthinaḥ || [BhP 10.64.25] tad-ukta-rītyādhyavasita-bhakter api nṛgasya jihvā na vakti [BhP 6.3.29] ity ādi-yama-vākya-viruddhaṃ yama-loka-gamanaṃ prāptavato vinā cārthavāda- kalpanāmayaṃ bhāvaṃ śruta-śāstrasyāpi tasya satyāṃ tādṛśa-māhātmyāyāṃ bhaktau śrīmad-ambarīṣādivat sevāgrahaṃ parityajya dāna-karmāgraho na syāt | tādṛśāparādhe bhakti-stambhaś ca śrūyate | yathā pādme nāmāparādha-bhañjana-stotre - nāmaikaṃ yasya vāci smaraṇa-patha-gataṃ śrotra-mūlaṃ gataṃ vā śuddhaṃ vāśuddha-varṇaṃ vyavahita-rahitaṃ tārayaty eva satyam | tac ced deha-draviṇa-janatā-lobha-pāṣaṇḍa-madhye nikṣiptaṃ syān na phala-janakaṃ śīghram evātra vipra || dehādi-lobhārthaṃ ye pāṣaṇḍā gurv-avajñādi-daśāparādha-yuktās tan- madhya ity arthaḥ | skānde prahlāda-saṃhitāyāṃ dvārakā-māhātmye - pūjito bhagavān viṣṇur janmāntara-śatair api | prasīdati na viśvātmā haris tasya pūjāṃ dvādaśa-varṣikīm || dṛṣṭvā bhāgavataṃ vipraṃ namaskāreṇa nārcayet | dehinas tasya pāpasya na ca vai kṣamate hariḥ || iti | evaṃ bahūny evāparādhāntarāṇy api dṛśyate | evam eva śrī-viṣṇu-purāṇe śata-dhanur nāmno rājño bhagavad-ārādhana- tatparasyāpi veda-vaiṣṇava-nindakālpa-sambhāṣayaiva kukkurādi-yoni- prāptir uktā | ataḥ śuśrūṣoḥ śraddadhānasya [BhP 1.2.16] ity ādau āvṛttir asakṛd-upadeśāt [Vs 4.1.1] ity ādau ca puruṣāṇāṃ prāyaḥ sāparādhatvābhi- (page 72) prāyeṇaivāvṛti-vidhānam | sāparādhānām āvṛtty-apekṣā coktā pādme nāmāparādha-bhañjana-stotre nāmopalakṣya - nāmāparādha-yuktānāṃ nāmāny eva haranty agham | aviśrānti-prayuktāni tāny evārtha-karāṇi ca || iti | etad-apekṣayaiva trailokya-sammohana-tantrādāv aṣṭādaśākṣarāder āvṛtti- vidhānam | yathā - idānīṃ śṛṇu devi tvaṃ kevalasya manor vidhim | daśa-kṛtvo japen mantram āpat-kalpena mucyate || sahasra-japtena yathā mucyate mahatainasā | ayutasya japenaiva mahā-pātaka-nāśanam || ity ādi | tathā brahma-vaivarte nāmopalakṣya - hanan brāhmaṇam atyantaṃ kāmato vā surāṃ piban | kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇety ahorātraṃ saṅkīrtya śucitām iyāt || ity ādi | atrāparādhālambanatvenaiva vartamānānāṃ pāpa-vāsanānāṃ sahaivāparādhena nāśa iti tātparyam | etādṛśa-pratibandhopekṣayaivoktaṃ viṣṇu-dharme - rāgādi-dūṣitaṃ cittaṃ nāspadaṃ madhusūdane | badhnāti na ratiṃ haṃsaḥ kadācit kardamāmbuni || na yogyā keśavaṃ stotuṃ vāg duṣṭā cānṛtādinā | tamaso nāśanāyālaṃ nendor lekhā ghanāvṛtā || iti | siddhānām āvṛttis tu pratipadam eva sukha-viśeṣodayārthā | asiddhānām āvṛtti-niyamaḥ phala-paryāpit-paryantaḥ | tad-antarāye'parādhāvasthiti- vitarkāt | yataḥ kauṭilyam aśraddhā bhagavan-niṣṭhā-cyāvakas tv antarābhiniveśo bhakti-śaithilyaṃ sva-bhakty-ādi-kṛta-mānitvam ity evam ādīni mahat-saṅgādi-lakṣāṇa-bhaktyāpi nivartayituṃ duṣkarāṇi cet tarhi tasyāparādhasyaiva kāryāṇi | tāny eva ca prācīnasya tasya liṅgāni | ataeva kuṭilātmanām uttamam api nānopacārādikaṃ nāṅgīkaroti bhagavān yathā dūtya-gato duryodhanasya | ādhunikānāṃ ca śruta-śāstrāṇām aparādha- doṣena bhagavati śrī-gurau tad-bhaktādiṣu cāntarānādarādāv api sati bahis tad-arcanādy-ārambhaḥ kauṭilyam | ataevākuṭila-mūḍhānāṃ bhajanābhāsādināpi kṛtārthatvam uktam | kuṭilānāṃ tu bhakty-anuvṛttir api na sambhavatīti | skānde śrī-parāśara-vākye dṛśyate - apuṇyavatāṃ loke mūḍhānāṃ kuṭilātmanām | bhaktir bhavati govinde kīrtanaṃ smaraṇaṃ tathā || iti | tad apekṣayaivoktaṃ viṣṇu-dharme - satyaṃ śatena vighnānāṃ sahasreṇa tathā tapaḥ | vighnāyutena govinde nṝṇāṃ bhaktir nivāryate || iti | ataevāha - taṃ sukhārādhyam ṛjubhir ananya-śaraṇair nṛbhiḥ | kṛtajñaḥ ko na seveta durārādhyam asādhubhiḥ || [BhP 3.19.36] (page 73) spaṣṭam || 3.11 | śrī-sūtaḥ || 153 ||
English translation
English witness · section(s) 143
Anuccheda 143
1 Because the Supreme Personality of Godhead is thus always happy in Himself and because His desires are always fulfilled, He is pleased by even the smallest offering. The following example is given in Srimad Bhagavatam (1.11.4-5): 2 "The citizens arrived before the Lord with their respective presentations, offering them to the fully satisfied and self-sufficient one, who, by, by His own potency, incessantly supplies others. These presentations were like the offering of a lamp to the sun. Yet the citizens began to speak in ecstatic language to receive the Lord, just as wards welcome their guardian and father."* 3 In this verse the word "tatra" means "in Dvaraka", and the phrase "raver dipam" means "the offering of a lamp to the sun." The people worshipped (adrtah) the Lord in that way. That is the meaning. The phrase beginning with the word "priti" explains how the people were able to please the Lord with their prayers and various offerings. Here is given the example of children (arbhakah) approaching their father (pitaram). The word "priti" here means "extraordinary happiness and love." The Lord is here described as "sarva-suhrdam" (the friend and well wisher of all). Because He is everyone's friend, He is also everyone's protector (avitaram). 4 Although He is always satisfied and happy in Himself, and although His desires are always fulfilled, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is nevertheless pleased by His devotees as a proud and loving father is pleased by His children. That is the meaning. He is merciful to His devotees and He fulfils their desires as if He were a kalpa-vrksa tree. He naturally loves His devotees, they naturally worship Him and offer prayers to Him, and He reciprocates by giving them appropriate gifts in return. In this way, even though He is naturally filled with all bliss, the Supreme Personality of Godhead still finds happiness in the devotional service offered by His devotees. This verse was spoken by Srila Suta Gosvami.
Bhakti · Sanskrit §154 · English §144
Source[१५४] यथैव भगवद्-भक्ता अप्य् अकुटिलात्मनोऽज्ञाननुगृह्णन्ति न तु कुटिलात्मनो विज्ञान् इति दृश्यते । यथा - दूरे हरि-कथाः केचिद् दूरे चाच्युत-कीर्तनाः स्त्रियः शूद्रादयश् चैव तेऽनुकम्प्या भवादृशाम् । विप्रो राजन्य-वैश्यौ वा हरेः प्राप्ताः पदान्तिकम् श्रौतेन जन्मनाथापि मुह्यन्त्य् आम्नाय-वादिनः ॥ [भ्प् ११.५.५] टीका च - तत्र येऽज्ञास् ते भवद्-विधानाम् अनुग्राह्या इत्य् आह दूर इति । ज्ञान-बल-दुर्विदग्धास् त्व् अचिकित्स्यत्वाद् उपेक्ष्या इत्य् आशयेत्नाह विप्र इति । इत्य् एषा । ॥ ११.५ ॥ चमसो निमिम् ॥ १५४ ॥
[154] yathaiva bhagavad-bhaktā apy akuṭilātmano'jñānanugṛhṇanti na tu kuṭilātmano vijñān iti dṛśyate | yathā - dūre hari-kathāḥ kecid dūre cācyuta-kīrtanāḥ striyaḥ śūdrādayaś caiva te'nukampyā bhavādṛśām | vipro rājanya-vaiśyau vā hareḥ prāptāḥ padāntikam śrautena janmanāthāpi muhyanty āmnāya-vādinaḥ || [BhP 11.5.5] ṭīkā ca - tatra ye'jñās te bhavad-vidhānām anugrāhyā ity āha dūra iti | jñāna-bala-durvidagdhās tv acikitsyatvād upekṣyā ity āśayetnāha vipra iti | ity eṣā | || 11.5 || camaso nimim || 154 ||
English translation
English witness · section(s) 144
Anuccheda 144
1 The devotion that the devotees feel for the Lord is actually a potency of the Lord Himself. The Lord himself is the original cause of that devotion. The Lord Himself is thus present in the activities of devotional service performed by the devotee's limbs and senses. The devotee's activities of devotional service are thus a reflection of the Lord's potency of devotional service. In this way the power of the Lord's mercy is the actual cause of the devotee's love for the Lord. That the Lord Himself is the cause of the activities of devotional service performed by the limbs and senses is confirmed by the following words (Srimad Bhagavatam 12.8.40): 2 "O Almighty Lord, how can I possibly describe You? You awaken the vital air, which then impels the minds, senses and power of speech to act. This is true for all ordinary conditioned souls and even for great demigods like Brahma and Siva. So it is certainly true for me. Nevertheless, You become the intimate friend of those who worship You."*** 3 In this verse the words "O Almighty Lord, how can I possibly describe You?" mean "How can I possibly describe even a small portion of Your mercy?" This is so because You (tvaya) awaken (udiritah) the vital air (asuh) and when it is set in motion (samspandate), power of speech (vak) and the mind and senses follow (tam anu)." The word "vai" (certainly) indicates that the Lord is both the direct and indirect cause of the senses' actions. This is confirmed by the following words (Sri Brhad aranyaka Upanisad 4.4.18): "The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the breathing power of the breath. He is the seeing power of the eyes. He is the hearing power of the ears. He is the thinking power of the mind." This is true not only for ordinary living entities, but even for the great demigods Brahma and Siva (aja-sarvayoh). Therefore the speaker of this verse (Markandeya Muni) says, "It is certainly also true for me (svasya)." Although no one is ever really independent, the devotees voluntarily allow the Lord to control their speech and other limbs and senses, and thus they become like puppets in His hands. The verse there says, "O Lord, because they love (bhava) You with a love that is Your own gift to them, You become (asi) the devotees' intimate friend (bandhuh)." This verse was spoken by Markandeya Muni to Sri Nara-Narayana Rsis.
Bhakti · Sanskrit §155 · English §145
Source[१५५] अथाश्रद्धा दृष्टे श्रुतेऽपि तन्-महिमादौ विपरीत-भावनादिना विश्वासाभावः । यथा दुर्योधनस्यैव विश्वरूप-दर्शनादाव् अपि । अतएव यथा -- आपन्नः संसृतिं घोरां यन्-नाम विवशो गृणन् [भ्प् १.१.१४] इत्यादि शौनकस्य, दन्ता गजानां कुलिशाग्र-निष्ठुराः [विप् १.१७.४४] इति श्री- प्रह्लादस्यानुभव-सिद्धं न तथा सर्वेषाम् । ईदृशम् आनुषङ्गिकं फलं तु शुद्ध-भक्तैर् भगवन्-महिम-ख्यापनेच्छा यदि स्यात् तदैवेष्यते न तु स्व-रक्षणाय स्व-महिम-दर्शनाय वा । यथैवोक्तं -- दन्ता गजानां कुलिशाग्र-निष्ठुराः शीर्णा यद् एते न बलं ममैतत् । महा-विपत्-पात-विनाशनोऽयं जनार्दनानुस्मरणानुभावः ॥ [विप् १.१७.४४] श्री-परीक्षित्-प्रभृतिभिस् तु तद् अपि नेष्टं, यथा - द्विजोपसृष्टः कुहकस् तक्षको वा दशत्व् अलं गायत विष्णु-गाथाः ॥ [भ्प् १.१९.१५] ॥ स्पष्टम् । १.१९ ॥ राजा ॥ १५५ ॥
[155] athāśraddhā dṛṣṭe śrute'pi tan-mahimādau viparīta-bhāvanādinā viśvāsābhāvaḥ | yathā duryodhanasyaiva viśvarūpa-darśanādāv api | ataeva yathā -- āpannaḥ saṃsṛtiṃ ghorāṃ yan-nāma vivaśo gṛṇan [BhP 1.1.14] ityādi śaunakasya, dantā gajānāṃ kuliśāgra-niṣṭhurāḥ [ViP 1.17.44] iti śrī- prahlādasyānubhava-siddhaṃ na tathā sarveṣām | īdṛśam ānuṣaṅgikaṃ phalaṃ tu śuddha-bhaktair bhagavan-mahima-khyāpanecchā yadi syāt tadaiveṣyate na tu sva-rakṣaṇāya sva-mahima-darśanāya vā | yathaivoktaṃ -- dantā gajānāṃ kuliśāgra-niṣṭhurāḥ śīrṇā yad ete na balaṃ mamaitat | mahā-vipat-pāta-vināśano'yaṃ janārdanānusmaraṇānubhāvaḥ || [ViP 1.17.44] śrī-parīkṣit-prabhṛtibhis tu tad api neṣṭaṃ, yathā - dvijopasṛṣṭaḥ kuhakas takṣako vā daśatv alaṃ gāyata viṣṇu-gāthāḥ || [BhP 1.19.15] || spaṣṭam | 1.19 || rājā || 155 ||
English translation
English witness · section(s) 145
Anuccheda 145
1 That devotional service, and nothing else, enables one to directly see the Supreme Personality of Godhead is explained in the following words (Srimad Bhagavatam 1.8.36): 2 "O Krsna, those who continuously hear, chant and repeat Your transcendental activities, or take pleasure in others' doing so, certainly see Your lotus feet, which alone can stop the repetition of birth and death."* 3 The meaning of this verse is clear. It was spoken by Sri Kunti-devi to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Bhakti · Sanskrit §156 · English §146–147
Source[१५६] अतएवाधुनिकेषु महानुभाव-लक्षणवत्सु तद्-अदर्शनेऽपि नाविश्वासः कर्तव्यः । कुत्रचिद् भगवद्-उपासना-विशेषेणैव तादृशम् आनुषङ्गिकं फलम् उदयते । यथा - यदैक-पादेन स पार्थिवार्भकस् तस्थौ तद्-अङ्गुष्ठ-निपीडिता मही । ननाम तत्रार्धम् इभेन्द्र-धिष्ठिता तरीव सव्येतरतः पदे पदे ॥ [भ्प् ४.८.७९] अत्र सर्वात्मकतयैव विष्णु-समाव्धिना तादृक् फलम् उदितम् । एतादृश्य् उपासना चास्य भावि-ज्योतिर्-मण्डलात्मक-विश्व-चालन-पदोपयोगितयोदितेति ज्ञेयम् ॥ ॥। ४.९ ॥ श्री-मैत्रेयः ॥ १५६ ॥
[156] ataevādhunikeṣu mahānubhāva-lakṣaṇavatsu tad-adarśane'pi nāviśvāsaḥ kartavyaḥ | kutracid bhagavad-upāsanā-viśeṣeṇaiva tādṛśam ānuṣaṅgikaṃ phalam udayate | yathā - yadaika-pādena sa pārthivārbhakas tasthau tad-aṅguṣṭha-nipīḍitā mahī | nanāma tatrārdham ibhendra-dhiṣṭhitā tarīva savyetarataḥ pade pade || [BhP 4.8.79] atra sarvātmakatayaiva viṣṇu-samāvdhinā tādṛk phalam uditam | etādṛśy upāsanā cāsya bhāvi-jyotir-maṇḍalātmaka-viśva-cālana-padopayogitayoditeti jñeyam || ||| 4.9 || śrī-maitreyaḥ || 156 ||
English translation
English witness · section(s) 146–147
Anuccheda 146
1 That by engaging in devotional service one attains the Lord's association is explained in these words (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.18.45): "My dear Uddhava, I am the Supreme Lord of all worlds, and I create and destroy this universe, being its ultimate cause. I am thus the Absolute Truth, and one who worships Me with unfailing devotional service comes to Me."*** 2 Srila Sridhara Svami comments: "That Sri Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead is confirmed by the words 'sarvotpatty-apyayam', which means 'the creator and destroyer of all the material worlds'. 'Ma' means 'Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the cause of everything, who has a spiritual form and who resides in Vaikuntha', 'brahma-karanam' means 'the author of the Vedas', and 'upayati' means 'comes near'." 3 That by engaging in devotional service one attains the Lord's association is also explained in these words (Sri Bhagavad-gita 8.22): "The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is greater than all, is attainable by unalloyed devotion. Although He is present in His abode, He is all-pervading, and everything is situated within Him."*
Anuccheda 147
1 Devotional service is rewarded with a gift far beyond the power of the devotee's mind to understand. Dhruva Maharaja, was given his own spiritual planet Dhruvaloka as a reward for his service, is the proof of this. By engaging in devotional service, the devotee turns the Lord into a submissive servant. The Lord Himself explains (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.14.20): "My dear Uddhava, neither through astanga-yoga (the mystic yoga system to control the senses), nor through impersonal monism or an analytical study of the Absolute Truth, nor through study of the Vedas, nor through practice of austerities, nor through charity, nor through acceptance of sannyasa can one satisfy Me as much as one can by developing unalloyed devotional service unto Me."* 2 After speaking that verse, the Lord explains (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.14.21): "Being very dear to the devotees and sadhus, I am attained through unflinching faith and devotional service. This bhakti-yoga system, which gradually increases attachment for Me, purifies even a human being born among dogeaters. That is to say, everyone can be elevated to the spiritual platform by the process of bhakti-yoga."* 3 Although these verses from Srimad Bhagavatam Canto Eleven Chapter Fourteen do not clearly single out either sadhana-bhakti (the beginning stage of devotional service) or sadhya-bhakti (the advanced stage of devotional service), it is clear that the beginning stage is not the best or final feature of devotional service. Still, because the beginning stage of devotional service gradually leads one to the advanced stage, it is also glorified in these verses. This is explained in the following question and an answer (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.14.1): "My dear Krsna, the learned sages who explain Vedic literature recommend various processes for protecting one's life. Considering these varieties of viewpoint, my Lord, please tell me whether all these processes are equally important. or whether one of them is supreme."* The Lord answers (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.14.26): "When a diseased eye is treated with medicinal ointment it gradually recovers its power to see. Similarly, as a conscious living entity cleanses himself of material contamination by hearing and chanting the pious narrations of My glories, he regains his ability to see Me, the Absolute Truth, in My subtle spiritual form."* 4 The beginning stage of devotional service is clearly glorified in these words (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.14.18-22): "My dear Uddhava, If My devotee has not fully conquered his sense, he may be harassed by material desires, but because of his unflinching devotion for Me, he will not be defeated by sense gratification."*** "My dear Uddhava, just as a blazing fire turns firewood into ashes, similarly, devotion unto Me completely burns to ashes sins committed by My devotees.*** "My dear Uddhava, neither through astanga-yoga (the mystic yoga system to control the senses), nor through impersonal monism or an analytical study of the Absolute Truth, nor through study of the Vedas, nor through practice of austerities, nor through charity, nor through acceptance of sannyasa can one satisfy Me as much as one can by developing unalloyed devotional service unto Me."* "Being very dear to the devotees and sadhus, I am attained through unflinching faith and devotional service. This Bhakti-yoga system, which gradually increases attachment to Me, purifies even a human being born among dogeaters. That is to say, everyone can be elevated to the spiritual platform by the process of bhakti-yoga."* "Neither religious activities endowed with honesty and mercy nor knowledge obtained with great penance can completely purify one's consciousness if they are bereft of loving service to Me."*** Srimad Bhagavatam 11.14.18 especially describes the beginning stage of devotional service because in the advanced stage a devotee is not agitated by material desires. The advanced stage is described in these words (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.87.35): "Sages free from false pride live on this earth by resorting to sacred places of pilgrimage and those districts in which the Supreme Lord has manifested His pastimes. Because such devotees keep You lotus feet within their hearts, the water that washes their feet destroys all sins. Everyone who even once turns his mind toward You, the eternally blissful Soul of all existence, ceases from worshipping family life at home, in which a man is simply robbed of his good qualities."*** 4 In these words the Visnu Purana glorifies the advanced stage of devotional service: "When Lord Visnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead enters the heart, everything else becomes insignificant. What will one attain by running east and west to get this and that?" 6 The advanced stage of devotional service is again described in these words (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.14.23): "If one's hairs do not stand on end, how can the heart melt? And if the heart does not melt, how can tears of love flow from the eyes? If one does not cry in spiritual happiness, how can one render loving service to the Lord? And without such service, how can the consciousness be purified?"*** 7 The advanced stage of devotional service is again described in these words (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.14.24): "A devotee whose speech is sometimes choked up, whose heart melts, who cries continually and sometimes laughs, who feels ashamed and cries out loudly and then dances - a devotee thus fixed in loving service to M purifies the entire universe."*** Even the beginning stage of devotional service is purifying. How much more purifying is the advanced stage described here? The stage of devotional service described here is far beyond the stage described in Srimad Bhagavatam 11.14.18 (quoted in Text 4). 8 That the activities of devotional service, which begin with the dim reflection of the Lord's holy name, destroy all sins is proved by the following words spoken by the Supreme Lord Himself (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.14.19): "As all fuel is burned to ashes by a full-fledged fire, all sinful activities are totally erased when one engages in devotional service to Me."* 9 Devotional service and astanga-yoga are very different spiritual paths. They are opposites and bring opposite results, as the Lord explains in these words (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.14.20): "My dear Uddhava, neither through astanga-yoga (the mystic yoga system to control the senses), nor through impersonal monism or an analytical study of the Absolute Truth, nor through study of the Vedas, nor through practice of austerities, nor through charity, nor through acceptance of sannyasa can one satisfy Me as much as one can by developing unalloyed devotional service unto Me."* "Being very dear to the devotees and sadhus, I am attained through unflinching faith and devotional service."* This statement also affirms that it is faith in devotional service that enables one to attain the Supreme Lord. 10 The result of acting in the beginning stage of devotional service is that the devotee attains certain spiritual advantages. The result of advanced devotional service is that one turns the Supreme Personality of Godhead into one's submissive servant. 11 Srimad Bhagavatam (5.6.18) explains: "My dear King, the Supreme Person, Mukunda, is actually the maintainer of all the members of the Pandava and Yadu dynasties. He is your spiritual master, worshipable Deity, friend, and the director of your activities. To say nothing of this, He sometimes serves your family as a messenger or servant. This means He worked just as ordinary servants do. Those engaged in getting the Lord's favour attain liberation from the Lord very easily, but He does not very easily give the opportunity to render direct service unto Him."* This verse means that unless the Supreme Personality of Godhead has become like a submissive servant, completely under the devotee's dominion, He will not give the gift of pure love for Him. 12 Srimad Bhagavatam (11.14.22) explains: "Neither religious activities endowed with honesty and mercy nor knowledge obtained with great penance can completely purify one's consciousness if they are bereft of loving service to Me."*** This verse explains that devotional service is very different from ordinary religious activities. Indeed, devotional service brings a much better result than ordinary religious activities do. By engaging in devotional service one becomes very pure and attains the advanced stage of devotional service, as described in Srimad Bhagavatam 11.14.23: "If one's hairs do not stand on end, how can the heart melt? And if the heart does not melt, how can tears of love flow from the eyes? If one does not cry in spiritual happiness, how can one render loving service to the Lord? And without such service, how can the consciousness be purified?"*** In this way the passage beginning with Srimad Bhagavatam 11.14.18 and ending with 11.14.24 is explained. The verse quote in the beginning of this anuccheda was spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Bhakti · Sanskrit §157 · English §148
Source[१५७] अथ भगवन्-निष्ठा-च्यावक-वस्त्व्-अन्तराभिनिवेशो यथा - एवम् अघटमान-मनोरथाकुल-हृदयो मृग-दारकाभासेन स्वारब्ध- कर्मणा योगारम्भणतो विभ्रंशितः स योग-तापसो भगवद्-आराधन- लक्षणाच् च । [भ्प् ५.८.२६] इति । (पगे ७४) स श्री-भरतः । अत्रैवं चिन्त्यं भगवद्-भक्त्य्-अन्तरायकं सामान्यम् आरब्ध-कर्म न भवितुम् अर्हति दुर्बलत्वात् । ततः ^राचीनापराधात्मकम् एव तल् लभ्यत इन्द्रद्युम्नादीनाम् इवेति ॥ ॥ ५.८ ॥ श्री-शुकः ॥ १५७ ॥
[157] atha bhagavan-niṣṭhā-cyāvaka-vastv-antarābhiniveśo yathā - evam aghaṭamāna-manorathākula-hṛdayo mṛga-dārakābhāsena svārabdha- karmaṇā yogārambhaṇato vibhraṃśitaḥ sa yoga-tāpaso bhagavad-ārādhana- lakṣaṇāc ca | [BhP 5.8.26] iti | (page 74) sa śrī-bharataḥ | atraivaṃ cintyaṃ bhagavad-bhakty-antarāyakaṃ sāmānyam ārabdha-karma na bhavitum arhati durbalatvāt | tataḥ ^rācīnāparādhātmakam eva tal labhyata indradyumnādīnām iveti || || 5.8 || śrī-śukaḥ || 157 ||
English translation
English witness · section(s) 148
Anuccheda 148
1 Direct devotional service, where one gives gifts to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is better than ordinary work in this world. Devotional service is thus the actual process of religion. The Lord explains this in the following words (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.19.21): "O Uddhava, greatest of saints, in a dangerous situation an ordinary person cries, becomes fearful and laments, although such useless emotions do not change the situation. But activities offered to Me without personal motivation, even if they are externally useless, amount to the actual process of religion."*** 2 Simply by hearing about devotional service one can become purified of all past sins. This is explained in the following words (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.2.12): "Pure devotional service rendered to the Supreme Lord is spiritually so potent that simply by hearing about such transcendental service, by chanting its glories in response, by meditating on it, by respectfully and faithfully accepting it, or by praising the devotional service of others, even person who hate the demigods and all other living beings can be immediately purified."* 3 In the Padma Purana, Magha-mahatmya, the Yamadutas say: "Then Yamaraja said to us: Be respectful to the devotees of Lord Visnu. Do not approach anyone that worships Lord Visnu. 4 "Do not approach a person in whose home a devotee of Lord Visnu eats. Do not approach a person who associates with devotees of Lord Visnu. Such a person is already free from all sins." 5 In the Brhan-naradiya Purana, at the end of the story of Yajnamali, it is said: "Even great sinners that associate with the devotees of Lord Hari are automatically freed from all their sins." 6 Yamaraja confirms this in the following words (Srimad Bhagavatam 6.3.29): "My dear servants, please bring to me only those sinful persons who do not use their tongues to chant the holy name and qualities of Krsna, whose hearts do not remember the lotus feet of Krsna even once, and whose heads do not bow down even once before Lord Krsna. Send me those who do not perform their duties toward Visnu, which are the only duties in human life. Please bring me all such fools and rascals."* 7 In the previous verse Yamaraja said (Srimad Bhagavatam 6.3.28): "Paramahamsas are exalted persons who have no taste for material enjoyment and who drink the honey of the Lord's lotus feet. My dear servants, bring to me for punishment only persons who are averse to the taste of that honey, who do not associate with paramahamsas and who are attached to family life and worldly enjoyment, which form the path to hell."* In this verse Yamaraja says, "Bring to me for punishment only persons who are averse to the taste of the honey of Lord Krsna's lotus feet." 8 In the verse before that (Srimad Bhagavatam 6.3.27) Yamaraja explains: "My dear servants, please do not approach such devotees, for they have fully surrendered to the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They are equal to everyone, and their narrations are sung by the demigods and the inhabitants of Siddhaloka. Please do not even go near them. They are always protected by the club of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore Lord Brahma and I and even the time factor are not competent to chastise them."* In this verse Yamaraja forbids his messengers to approach the Lord's devotees, who see everyone with equal vision and whose pure glories are sung by the demigods and the inhabitants of Siddhaloka. 9 Srimad Bhagavatam 6.3.29 (quoted in text 6), says, "Please bring to me only those persons who do not use their tongues (jihva) to chant the holy name (namadheya) and qualities (guna) of Krsna (bhagavat), whose hearts (cetah) do not remember (smarati) the lotus feet of Krsna (tac-caranaravindam) even once (ekada) and whose heads (sirah) do not bow down (namati) even once before Lord Krsna (krsnaya)."* 10 The Skanda Purana describes the glories of bowing down before the Lord in these words: "A person who even only pretends to bow down before Lord Krsna is at once freed from the sins accumulated in a hundred births." Because bowing down before the Lord is so glorious, Yamaraja says (in Srimad Bhagavatam 6.3.29 quoted in text 6), "Do not bring to me anyone who bows down before Lord Krsna. Please bring me only fools and rascals (asatah)." The reason they are fools and rascals is given in these words: "They do not perform their duties toward Visnu (akrta-visnu-krtyan). 11 The relationship between religious duties and devotional service to Lord Visnu is explained in the Skanda Purana, Reva-khanda, where Lord Brahma says: "O Lord Kesava, a person who performs all his religious duties must be Your devotee. O Lord Kesava, a person who performs only sins cannot be Your devotee. 12 O Lord Hari, when someone who is not Your devotee performs pious deeds, all his pious deeds become sins. O Lord Hari, even if he has performed all pious deeds, a person who is not Your devotee stays always in hell. On the other hand, if Your devotee commits sins, even up to killing a brahmana, he is at once freed from the offense." 13 In the Padma Purana the Supreme Personality of Godhead says: "If someone commits a sin for My sake, his sin counts as a pious deed. If someone performs pious deeds without worshipping Me, then by My power, his pious deeds count as sins." 14 Srimad Bhagavatam (7.11.11) lists some of the activities of devotional service in these word: "These are the general instructions to be followed by all human beings: hearing about the activities and instructions given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead (who is the shelter of the saintly persons), chanting about those activities and instructions, always remembering these activities and instructions, trying to render service, performing worship, offering obeisances, becoming a servant, becoming a friend, and surrendering one's whole self."* 15 They who do not worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead will fall down from their puffed up positions. This is explained in these words (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.5.2-3): "From the mouth of Brahma the brahmanical order has come into existence. Similarly, from his arms the ksatriyas have come, from his waist the vaisyas have come, and from his legs the sudras have come. These four orders and their spiritual counterparts (brahmacarya, grhastha, vanaprastha and sannyasa) combine to make human society complete.* "If one simply maintains an official position in the four varnas and asramas but does not worship the Supreme Lord Visnu, he falls down from his puffed up position into a hellish condition."* 16 That everyone should engage in devotional service is confirmed by the Lord Himself in these words (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.18.43): "Everyone should engage in devotional service to Me." 17 That one should always engage in devotional service is explained in the following words of the Padma Purana: "Krsna is the origin of Lord Visnu. He should always be remembered and never forgotten at any time. All the rules and prohibitions mentioned in the sastras should be the servants of these two principles."* 18 In Srimad Bhagavatam 6.3.29, quoted in text 6, the word "akrta-visnu-krtyan means "they who do not glorify, remember, or bow down before the Lord, or serve Him in other ways." Although these persons have tongues with which to glorify the Lord and other senses with which they may serve Him in many ways, they do not wish to glorify or serve Him. 19 Here Yamaraja, the teacher of the science of devotional service, mentions "remembering the lotus feet of the Lord". The remembrance here, is not limited to the Lord's lotus feet, however, but includes all the features of the Lord. Here Yamaraja says, "Bring to me only the non devotees. Do not bring the devotees." The Sruti-sastra explains: "Yamaraja punishes the conditioned souls." 20 That Yamaraja does not punish the devotees is also described in these words (Srimad Bhagavatam 6.1.190:) "Although not having fully realise Krsna, persons who have even once surrendered completely unto His lotus feet and who have become attracted to His name, form, qualities and pastimes are completely freed of all sinful reactions, for they have thus accepted the true method of atonement. Even in dreams, such surrendered souls do not see Yamaraja or his order carriers, who are equipped with ropes to bind the sinful."* 21 This verse explains that they who remember Lord Krsna's lotus feet do not even see Yamaraja's carriers, who are equipped with topes to bind the sinful. 22 This is also explained in the Nrsimha Purana where Yamaraja says: "I am Yamaraja. The creator Brahma has deputed me to punish and reward the conditioned souls. I punish they who turn from their spiritual master and from Lord Hari. I bow down to offer my respects to they who bow down before Lord Hari's feet. 23 In the Amrta-saroddhara portion of the Skanda Purana, Yamaraja says: "Neither Brahma, Siva, Agni, Indra, nor the other demigods, nor I myself have the power to punish the great souls that have become servants of Lord Visnu." 24 The verse quoted in the beginning of this anuccheda was spoken by Sri Yamaraja to his messengers.
Bhakti · Sanskrit §158–159 · English §149
Source[१५८] केचित् तु साधारणस्यैव प्रारब्धस्य तादृशेषु भक्तेषु प्राबल्यं तद्- उत्कण्ठा-वर्धनार्थं स्वयं भगवतैव क्रियत इति मन्यन्ते । सा च वर्णिता मृग-देहं प्राप्तस्य तस्य । तथैव श्री-नारदस्य पूर्व-जन्मनि जात-रतेर् अपि कषाय-रक्षणम् आह - हन्तास्मिन् जन्मनि भवान् मा मां द्रष्टुम् इहार्हति । अविपक्व-कषायाणां दुर्दर्शोऽहं कुयोगिनाम् ॥ [भ्प् १.६.२२] स्पष्टम् ॥ १.६ ॥ श्री-भगवान् ॥ १५८ ॥
[158] kecit tu sādhāraṇasyaiva prārabdhasya tādṛśeṣu bhakteṣu prābalyaṃ tad- utkaṇṭhā-vardhanārthaṃ svayaṃ bhagavataiva kriyata iti manyante | sā ca varṇitā mṛga-dehaṃ prāptasya tasya | tathaiva śrī-nāradasya pūrva-janmani jāta-rater api kaṣāya-rakṣaṇam āha - hantāsmin janmani bhavān mā māṃ draṣṭum ihārhati | avipakva-kaṣāyāṇāṃ durdarśo'haṃ kuyoginām || [BhP 1.6.22] spaṣṭam || 1.6 || śrī-bhagavān || 158 ||
English translation
English witness · section(s) 149
Anuccheda 149
1 Even a single moment of devotional service will make one's life a great success. This is explained by Sri Saunaka Rsi in these words (Srimad Bhagavatam 2.3.17): "Both by rising and by setting the sun decreases the duration of life of everyone, except one who utilises the time by discussing topics of the all-good Personality of Godhead."* 2 In the description of the stories of Ajamila and many other devotees it is seen that sins are destroyed by even the dim reflection of devotional service. That even the slightest effort expended in devotional service destroys all past karmic reactions and brings one to the supreme goal of life is also described in the following statement of Sri Laghu-Bhagavata: 3 "All sins committed in the past, present and future are at once burned to ashes by the fire of glorifying Lord Krsna." 4 That devotional service always has this effect, no matter the circumstances of how one comes to perform it, is seen in the following statement of Sri Brahma-vaivarta Purana: "O brahmanas, as fire always burns whatever it touches and never stops to consider whether one wishes to be burned or not, so the Supreme Personality of Godhead grants liberation to every person that engages in His devotional service." 5 That devotional service grants liberation is also confirmed in the following conversation between Lord Siva and Goddess Uma in the Skanda Purana: "They who are only initiated into the worship of Lord Krsna attain liberation. What can be said, then, of they who with devotion always worship the infallible Supreme Personality of Godhead?" 6 That devotional service grants liberation is again confirmed in the following words of the Narada Purana: "They who even once selflessly worship Lord Visnu do not stay in the world of birth and death." 7 That devotional service grants liberation is again confirmed in the following words of Devadyuti's prayers in the Padma Purana: "A person who once attentively speaks the word Narayana becomes pure in heart and attains liberation." 8 That devotional service grants liberation is again confirmed in the following words of the Padma Purana: "A person who, by associating with devotees, or even by accident, comes to worship Lord Krsna, becomes free of all sins and enters the supreme transcendental abode." 9 That devotional service grants liberation is again confirmed in the following words of the Itihasa-samuccaya: "They who in spite of being cruel, wicked, and addicted to sinful acts, take shelter of Lord Narayana's feet, attain the supreme and transcendental abode." 10 "The devotees of Lord Visnu are always pure. They are never touched by sin. Splendid as the rising sun, they purify all the worlds. 11 "After thousands of births one understands, 'I am a servant of Lord Vasudeva.' One who understands this delivers all the worlds." 12 "Such a person goes to the realm of Lord Visnu. Of this there is no doubt. What, then, can be said of a person who controls his senses and dedicates his life to the Lord's service?" 13 In the Ramayana Lord Ramacandra explains: "It is My vow that if one only once seriously surrenders unto Me, saying, 'My dear Lord, from this day I am Yours', and prays to Me for courage, I shall immediately award courage to that person and he will always remain safe from that time on."* 14 The Garuda Purana also explains: "It is Lord Hari's vow that if one only once seriously surrenders unto Him, saying, 'My dear Lord, from this day I am Yours', and prays to Him for courage, the Lord will immediately award courage to that person, and he will always remain safe from that time on." 15 Srimad Bhagavatam (1.1.14) also explains: "Living beings who are entangled in the complicated meshes of death can be freed immediately by even unconsciously chanting the holy name of Krsna, which is feared by fear personified."* 16 The meaning of this verse is clear. This verse was spoken by Sri Saunaka Rsi.
Bhakti · Sanskrit §160 · English §150
Source[१६०] तद् एवम् अपराध-हेतुक-तद्-अभिनिवेशोदाहरणं गजेन्द्रादीनां विषयावस्थायां कार्यम् । अथ भक्ति-शैथिल्यं येनाध्यात्मिकादि-सुख- दुःख-निष्ठैवोल्लसति । भक्ति-तत्-पराणां तु तत्रानादरो भवति । यथा सहस्र-नाम-स्तोत्रे - न वासुदेव-भक्तानाम् अशुभं विद्यते क्वचित् । जन्म-मृत्यु-जरा-व्याधि-भयं चाप्य् उपजायते ॥ इति । या तु सत्-साधकस्य मनुष्य-देह-रिरक्षिषा जायते साप्य् उपासना-वृद्धि- लोभेन न तु देह-मात्र-रिरक्षिषयेति । न तया च भक्ति-तात्पर्य-हानिः । तद् एवं विवेक-सामर्थ्य-युक्तस्यापि भक्ति-तात्पर्य-व्यतिरेक-गम्यं तच्- छैथिल्यं मध्ये मध्ये रुच्यमानया भक्त्या यद् दूरीक्रियते तद्- अपराधालम्बनमे एवेति गम्यते । अतएवापराधानुमानाप्रवृत्तेर् मूढे चासमर्थे चाल्पेन सिद्धिः समर्थेव । तत्र दीन-दयालोः श्री-भगवतः कृपा चाधिका प्रवर्तते । किं च विवेक-सामर्थ्य-युक्ते स्मप्रत्य् अपि योऽपराधापातो भवति सोऽत्यन्त- दौरात्म्याद् एव तद्-विपरीते तु नातिदौरात्म्याद् इति विदुषः समर्थस्य शतधनुपोऽन्तरायोऽनन्त-रवि-हित-भगवद्-उपासनस्यापि युक्त एव । मूढानां तु मूषिकादीनाम् अपराधेऽपि सिद्धिस् तथैव युक्ता । दौरात्म्याभावेन भजन-स्वरूप-प्रभावस्यापराधम् अतिक्रम्योदयात् । अथ भक्त्यादि-कृताभिमानत्वं चापराध-कृतम् एव वैष्णवावमानादि- लक्सणापराधान्तर-जनकत्वात् । यथा दक्षस्य प्राक्तन-श्री- शिवापराधेन प्राचेतसत्वावस्थायां श्री-नारदापराध-जन्मापि दृश्यते । तद् एवं यः सकृद् भजनादिनैव फलोदय उक्तस् तद् यथावद् एव, यदि प्राचीनोऽर्वाचीनो वापराधो न स्यात् । मरणे तु सर्वथा सकृद् एव यथा कथञ्चिद् अपि भजनम् अपेक्षते, तत्र हि तस्यैव सकृद् अपि भगवन्-नाम- ग्रहणादिकं जायते, यस्य पूर्वत्र वात्र वा जन्मनि सिद्धेन भगवद्- आराधनादिना तदानीं स्वीय-प्रभावं प्रकटयतानन्तरम् एव भगवत्- साक्षात्कारो गम्यते । यं यं वापि स्मरन् भावं त्यजन्त्य् अन्ते कलेवरम् । तं तम् एवैति कौन्तेय सदा तद्-भाव-भावितः ॥ [गीता ८.६] (पगे ७५) इति श्री-गीतोपनिषद्भ्यः । ततोऽपराधाभावा तत्-क्षयार्थं न तत्रावृत्त्य्-अपेक्षया । यथाजामिलस्य न तथा कृत-तन्-नाम-श्रवणादीनाम् अपि यम-दूतानाम् । यथाह -- अथापि मे दुर्भगस्य विबुधोत्तम-दर्शने । भवितव्यं मङ्गलेन येनात्मा मे प्रसीदति ॥ [भ्प् ६.२.३२] पूर्वेण मङ्गलेन महता पुण्येनेति टीका च । [१६०] व्यतिरेकेणाह -- अन्यथा म्रियमाणस्य नाशुचेर् वृषली-पतेः । वैकुण्ठ-नाम-ग्रहणं जिह्वा वक्तुम् इहार्हति ॥ [भ्प् ६.२.३३] स्पष्टम् ॥ ६.२ ॥ श्रीमान् अजामिलः ॥ १५९-१६० ॥
[160] tad evam aparādha-hetuka-tad-abhiniveśodāharaṇaṃ gajendrādīnāṃ viṣayāvasthāyāṃ kāryam | atha bhakti-śaithilyaṃ yenādhyātmikādi-sukha- duḥkha-niṣṭhaivollasati | bhakti-tat-parāṇāṃ tu tatrānādaro bhavati | yathā sahasra-nāma-stotre - na vāsudeva-bhaktānām aśubhaṃ vidyate kvacit | janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-bhayaṃ cāpy upajāyate || iti | yā tu sat-sādhakasya manuṣya-deha-rirakṣiṣā jāyate sāpy upāsanā-vṛddhi- lobhena na tu deha-mātra-rirakṣiṣayeti | na tayā ca bhakti-tātparya-hāniḥ | tad evaṃ viveka-sāmarthya-yuktasyāpi bhakti-tātparya-vyatireka-gamyaṃ tac- chaithilyaṃ madhye madhye rucyamānayā bhaktyā yad dūrīkriyate tad- aparādhālambaname eveti gamyate | ataevāparādhānumānāpravṛtter mūḍhe cāsamarthe cālpena siddhiḥ samartheva | tatra dīna-dayāloḥ śrī-bhagavataḥ kṛpā cādhikā pravartate | kiṃ ca viveka-sāmarthya-yukte smapraty api yo'parādhāpāto bhavati so'tyanta- daurātmyād eva tad-viparīte tu nātidaurātmyād iti viduṣaḥ samarthasya śatadhanupo'ntarāyo'nanta-ravi-hita-bhagavad-upāsanasyāpi yukta eva | mūḍhānāṃ tu mūṣikādīnām aparādhe'pi siddhis tathaiva yuktā | daurātmyābhāvena bhajana-svarūpa-prabhāvasyāparādham atikramyodayāt | atha bhaktyādi-kṛtābhimānatvaṃ cāparādha-kṛtam eva vaiṣṇavāvamānādi- laksaṇāparādhāntara-janakatvāt | yathā dakṣasya prāktana-śrī- śivāparādhena prācetasatvāvasthāyāṃ śrī-nāradāparādha-janmāpi dṛśyate | tad evaṃ yaḥ sakṛd bhajanādinaiva phalodaya uktas tad yathāvad eva, yadi prācīno'rvācīno vāparādho na syāt | maraṇe tu sarvathā sakṛd eva yathā kathañcid api bhajanam apekṣate, tatra hi tasyaiva sakṛd api bhagavan-nāma- grahaṇādikaṃ jāyate, yasya pūrvatra vātra vā janmani siddhena bhagavad- ārādhanādinā tadānīṃ svīya-prabhāvaṃ prakaṭayatānantaram eva bhagavat- sākṣātkāro gamyate | yaṃ yaṃ vāpi smaran bhāvaṃ tyajanty ante kalevaram | taṃ tam evaiti kaunteya sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ || [Gītā 8.6] (page 75) iti śrī-gītopaniṣadbhyaḥ | tato'parādhābhāvā tat-kṣayārthaṃ na tatrāvṛtty-apekṣayā | yathājāmilasya na tathā kṛta-tan-nāma-śravaṇādīnām api yama-dūtānām | yathāha -- athāpi me durbhagasya vibudhottama-darśane | bhavitavyaṃ maṅgalena yenātmā me prasīdati || [BhP 6.2.32] pūrveṇa maṅgalena mahatā puṇyeneti ṭīkā ca | [160] vyatirekeṇāha -- anyathā mriyamāṇasya nāśucer vṛṣalī-pateḥ | vaikuṇṭha-nāma-grahaṇaṃ jihvā vaktum ihārhati || [BhP 6.2.33] spaṣṭam || 6.2 || śrīmān ajāmilaḥ || 159-160 ||
English translation
English witness · section(s) 150
Anuccheda 150
1 That one becomes liberated by hearing the Lord's holy name is explained in these words (Srimad Bhagavatam 6.16.44): "My Lord, it is not impossible for one to be immediately freed from all material contamination by seeing You. Not to speak of seeing You personally, merely by hearing the holy name of Your Lordship only once, even candalas, men of the lowest class, are freed from all material contamination. Under the circumstances, who will not be freed from material contamination simply by seeing You?"* 2 The meaning of this verse is clear. This verse was spoken by King Citraketu to Lord Sankarsana.
Bhakti · Sanskrit §161 · English §151
Source[१६१] यत् तु श्री-भरतस्य मृग-शरीरं त्यजतो नामानि गृहीत्वापि शरीरान्तर- प्राप्तिस् तत्रापि साक्षाद्-भाव-प्राप्तिर् एव तादृशानां हृदि सदाविर्भावात् । एवम् अजामिलस्य पूर्व-शरीर-स्थिताव् अपि ज्ञेयम् । ततो मरण-समये सकृद्- भजनस्यानन्तरम् एव कृतार्थत्व-प्रापणे व्यभिचारो न स्यात् । अतएवाह - एतावान् साङ्ख्य-योगाभ्यां स्व-धर्म-परिनिष्ठया । भगवत्य् अचलो भावो यद् भागवत-सङ्गतः ॥ [भ्प् २.३.११] टीका च - एतावान् एव जन्मनो लाभः फलम् । तम् आह नारायण-स्मृतिर् इति । साङ्ख्यादिभिः साध्य इति तेषां स्वातन्त्र्येण लाभत्वं वारयति । अन्ते च स्मृतिः परो लाभो न तन्-महिमा वक्तुं शक्यते इत्य् एषा । नाम-कौमुदी-कारैश् चान्तिम-प्रत्ययोऽभ्यर्हित इत्य् उक्तम् ॥ ॥ २.१ ॥ श्री-शुकः ॥ १६१ ॥
[161] yat tu śrī-bharatasya mṛga-śarīraṃ tyajato nāmāni gṛhītvāpi śarīrāntara- prāptis tatrāpi sākṣād-bhāva-prāptir eva tādṛśānāṃ hṛdi sadāvirbhāvāt | evam ajāmilasya pūrva-śarīra-sthitāv api jñeyam | tato maraṇa-samaye sakṛd- bhajanasyānantaram eva kṛtārthatva-prāpaṇe vyabhicāro na syāt | ataevāha - etāvān sāṅkhya-yogābhyāṃ sva-dharma-pariniṣṭhayā | bhagavaty acalo bhāvo yad bhāgavata-saṅgataḥ || [BhP 2.3.11] ṭīkā ca - etāvān eva janmano lābhaḥ phalam | tam āha nārāyaṇa-smṛtir iti | sāṅkhyādibhiḥ sādhya iti teṣāṃ svātantryeṇa lābhatvaṃ vārayati | ante ca smṛtiḥ paro lābho na tan-mahimā vaktuṃ śakyate ity eṣā | nāma-kaumudī-kāraiś cāntima-pratyayo'bhyarhita ity uktam || || 2.1 || śrī-śukaḥ || 161 ||
English translation
English witness · section(s) 151
Anuccheda 151
1 The Visnu-dharma Purana, Uttara-khanda explains: "I prefer to live as a devotee of Lord Visnu, even if I live for only five days. That is better living for a thousand kalpas as a non devotee." 2 In Srimad Bhagavatam 3.31.12-21 the unborn child in the womb offers prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There the living entity's life in the material world is described. Only in one birth does the fortunate living entity offer prayers in this way to the Lord, for soon he becomes liberated from the world of birth and death. Such a living entity is rare. Almost all other living entities are not aware of the nature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. 3 The Nirukti-sastra (13.19) explains: "In the ninth month the body of the embryo is completely formed. Then the living entity there thinks, 'I died and now I am born again. I am born, but soon I will die again... 4 ...Unable to speak a word of complaint, the conditioned soul in the womb is tormented by the worms about him. First he studies the sankhya-yoga explanation of the 24 material elements, and then, in the tenth month, he is born. 5 In the phrase "purusam va" the word "va (or) indicates that this description applies only to certain rare living entities that have knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. 6 This shows that devotional service can be practiced in any kind of situation. Although living entities of many different kinds experience life in the womb, this explanation describes one kind of living entity and generalises, calling him "the living entity in the womb". This kind of generalisation is also seen in other places in the scriptures. 7 An example of two different events described as if they were one is given in the commentary on Srimad Bhagavatam's description of the birth of the four Kumaras during the creation of the Padma-kalpa. There, in his commentary on Srimad Bhagavatam 3.11.35, Srila Sridhara Svami explains that in this circumstance two different events are described as if they were a single event. This is like the appearance of Lord Varaha. lord Varaha appeared in the first manvantara, when the earth was plunged in the water. At that time Lord Varaha, born from the demigod Brahma's nostril, rescued the earth and fought with Hiranyaksa. That is one description. Then also Lord Varaha appeared in the sixth manvantara. At that time He was born from Diti, the daughter of Pracetasa Daksa. Because in both appearances Lord Varaha rescued the earth plunged in the water, the two appearances were described in a single narration. The same is true for this description of the unborn living entity. The unborn living entity that offers prayers to the Supreme Lord is one kind of living entity. There are others, however, who are attached to the world of birth and death and do not offer such prayers. 8 That devotional service brings one's relatives to the Lord's supreme abode is seen in the following words of Sri Narada Purana, Dvajaropana-mahatmya: "Even if they are sinners, the relatives of the renounced devotees of Lord Visnu go to the Lord's supreme abode." 9 This is also explained in the Visnu-dharma Purana in these words: "They who worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead carry with them a hundred of their relatives to the Lord's transcendental abode. 10 "They who install a Deity of Lord Hari bring to the Lord's abode all their relatives yet to be born and all their relatives born in the past, going back to the beginning of the kalpa." 11 In Vaisnava literature Yamaraja orders his messengers: "Do not punish the 90 000 relatives of one who devotedly worships Lord Vasudeva." 12 The Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself says (Srimad Bhagavatam 7.10.18): "My dear Prahlada, O most pure, O great saintly person, your father has been purified, along with twenty-one forefathers in your family. Because you were born in this family, the entire dynasty has been purified."* 13 Here the word "tri-saptabhih" (twenty one) refers to twenty one forefathers in each birth going back to the beginning of the kalpa. In this birth some of the forefathers liberated in this way are Hiranyakasipu, Kasyapa Muni, Marici, and Brahma. This verse was spoken by Lord Nrsimhadeva to Prahlada Maharaja.
Bhakti · Sanskrit §162 · English §152
Source[१६२] अतएवाजामिलस्यान्यदापि पुत्रोपचारितं नारायण-नाम गृह्णतः - प्रयाणे चाप्रयाणे च यन् नाम स्मरतां नॄणाम् । सद्यो नश्यति पापौघो नमस् तस्मै चिद्-आत्मने ॥ इति पाद्म-देव-द्युति-स्तोत्रानुसारेण जरा-मरण-दशायाम् अपि सकल- कश्मल-निरसनानि तव गुण-कृत-नाम-धेयानि [भ्प् ५.३.१४] इति पञ्चमोक्त- स्थितापि-शब्देन च प्रथम-नाम-ग्रहणाद् एव क्षीण-सर्व-पापस्यापि मरणे यन्-नाम-ग्रहणं तत्-प्रशंसैव श्रूयते । तत्राप्य् आवृत्त्या - अथैनं मापनयत कृताशेषाघ-निष्कृतम् । यद् असौ भगवन्-नाम म्रियमाणः समग्रहीत् ॥ [भ्प् ६.२.१३] इत्य् आदि । अशेष-शब्दोऽत्र वासना-पर्यन्तः । अघ-शब्दश् चापराध-पर्यन्त इति । अत्र मरणे सर्वेषां दैन्यादयोऽपि श्री-भगवत्-कृपातिशय-द्वारम् इति द्रष्टव्यम् । ॥ ६.१ ॥ श्री-विष्णु-दूताः यम-दूतान् ॥ १६२ ॥
[162] ataevājāmilasyānyadāpi putropacāritaṃ nārāyaṇa-nāma gṛhṇataḥ - prayāṇe cāprayāṇe ca yan nāma smaratāṃ nṝṇām | sadyo naśyati pāpaugho namas tasmai cid-ātmane || iti pādma-deva-dyuti-stotrānusāreṇa jarā-maraṇa-daśāyām api sakala- kaśmala-nirasanāni tava guṇa-kṛta-nāma-dheyāni [BhP 5.3.14] iti pañcamokta- sthitāpi-śabdena ca prathama-nāma-grahaṇād eva kṣīṇa-sarva-pāpasyāpi maraṇe yan-nāma-grahaṇaṃ tat-praśaṃsaiva śrūyate | tatrāpy āvṛttyā - athainaṃ māpanayata kṛtāśeṣāgha-niṣkṛtam | yad asau bhagavan-nāma mriyamāṇaḥ samagrahīt || [BhP 6.2.13] ity ādi | aśeṣa-śabdo'tra vāsanā-paryantaḥ | agha-śabdaś cāparādha-paryanta iti | atra maraṇe sarveṣāṃ dainyādayo'pi śrī-bhagavat-kṛpātiśaya-dvāram iti draṣṭavyam | || 6.1 || śrī-viṣṇu-dūtāḥ yama-dūtān || 162 ||
English translation
English witness · section(s) 152
Anuccheda 152
1 Even the dim reflection of devotional service destroys all sins and brings one to the abode of Lord Visnu. The Narada Purana explains that two intoxicated drunkards proud as cuckoos once waved a stick tied to a rag as they danced in an old abandoned temple of the Lord. These drunkards attained the result of raising a flag in the Lord's temple and in this way they returned to the Lord's transcendental abode. In the same way a bird that had been killed by a hunter and then taken up shelter in the mouth of a dog, when the dog ran around a temple the bird attained the result of circumambulating the Lord's temple and in this way it returned to the Lord's transcendental abode. In the same way one becomes a great devotee of the Lord. In the Nrsimha Purana it is said that in his previous birth Prahlada Maharaja had an argument with a prostitute on the holy day of Nrsimha-caturdasi. Arguing with her all day and night, he neither ate nor slept, and because in this way he fasted and kept an all-night vigil on that holy day he became a great devotee of the Lord. 2 That devotional service brings one to the Lord's transcendental abode is again explained in these words (Srimad Bhagavatam 3.9.15): "Let me take shelter of the lotus feet of Him whose incarnations, qualities and activities are mysterious imitations of worlds affairs. One who invokes His transcendental names, even unconsciously, at the time he quits this life, is certainly washed immediately of the sins of many, many births and attains Him without fail."* 3 In this verse the word "asu-vigame" means "even though at the time of death one may not be able to speak the Lord's holy name very clearly or distinctly", and the word "vivasah" means "even without desiring it". In this way, impelled by some cause other than one's own desire, one chants the Lord holy name. The word "vi" means "without" and the word "vasa" means "desire". The Amara-kosa dictionary explains, "The word 'vasa' means 'desire'." 4 The reason the Lord's holy name has such great power is explained in this verse. The Lord's name is one of His incarnations. That is the reason. The word "avatara-vidambanani" here refers to Lord Nrsimhadeva and the many other incarnations of the Lord, the word "guna-vidambanani" refers to the Lord's transcendental qualities, such as His love for the devotees, and the word karma-vidambanani" refers to His pastimes, such as His lifting of Govardhana Hill. This verse was spoken by the demigod Brahma to Lord Garbhodakasayi Visnu.
Bhakti · Sanskrit §163 · English §153–154
Source[१६३] तद् एवम् अधिकारि-विशेषं प्राप्यैव तत्-तत्-फलोदयो द्रष्टव्यः । यथैव पूर्वम् उदाहृतम् । यथा च जात-रुचिं प्राप्य -- (पगे ७६) तव विक्रीडितं कृष्ण नृणां परम-मङ्गलम् । कर्ण-पीयूषम् आसाद्य त्यजन्त्य् अन्य-स्पृहां जनाः ॥ [भ्प् ११.६.४४] अतएवोक्तम् - न क्रोधो न च मात्सर्यं न लोभो न शुभा मतिः । भवन्ति कृत-पुण्यानां भक्तानां पुरुषोत्तम ॥ इति ॥ ॥ ११.६ ॥ श्रीमद्-उद्धवः ॥ १६३ ॥
[163] tad evam adhikāri-viśeṣaṃ prāpyaiva tat-tat-phalodayo draṣṭavyaḥ | yathaiva pūrvam udāhṛtam | yathā ca jāta-ruciṃ prāpya -- (page 76) tava vikrīḍitaṃ kṛṣṇa nṛṇāṃ parama-maṅgalam | karṇa-pīyūṣam āsādya tyajanty anya-spṛhāṃ janāḥ || [BhP 11.6.44] ataevoktam - na krodho na ca mātsaryaṃ na lobho na śubhā matiḥ | bhavanti kṛta-puṇyānāṃ bhaktānāṃ puruṣottama || iti || || 11.6 || śrīmad-uddhavaḥ || 163 ||
English translation
English witness · section(s) 153–154
Anuccheda 153
1 This is the description of pure devotional service. Even if mixed with offenses, devotional service is still very powerful. This is seen in the following verses of the Visnu-dharma Purana, spoken by a raksasa to a brahmana who protected himself by chanting a mantra invoking the Supreme Personality of Godhead: 2 "I ran to eat you, but somehow you protected yourself with a mantra. O brahmana, by touching this mantra I have suddenly become pure in heart. 3 "What mantra did you chant to protect yourself? I do not understand it. I do not understand it's power. By touching it I have become free of all material desires. 4 The following story is found in the Visnu-dharma Purana. As it was drinking the ghee in a lamp in the Lord's temple, a certain mouse, by its own destiny, was burned by the flaming wick and died. In its next life the mouse became a queen that had great faith in devotional service and gave lamps and other gifts to the Deity of the Lord. In this way she became liberated and attained the Lord's supreme abode. Another story is told in the Janmastami-mahatmya of the Brahmanda Purana. A certain prostitute did not meet any of her customers on Janmastami day. By thus observing Janmastami, she became liberated. Another story is told in the Narada Purana. So that he could use it as a suitable place for his sinful deeds, a sinner once cleaned a temple of the Lord. For this service he became liberated and attained the supreme abode of the Lord. On the other hand, knowledge of impersonal Brahman has nothing to do with real liberation. This is explained in the following statement of the Brahma-vaivarta Purana: 5 "A sinner attached to sense-pleasures who declares, 'I am Brahman', is tortured by having to be born again and again in thousands of wombs.' 6 That even the slightest and briefest effort to serve Him makes the Lord one's submissive servant is seen in the following statement of Lord Siva in the Brahma Purana: 7 "O best of brahmanas, the Supreme Personality of Godhead places His eyes on one who looks at Him day after day. The Supreme Personality of Godhead takes shelter of one who takes shelter of Him. The Supreme Personality of Godhead worships one who always worships Him." 8 This is also described in the Visnu-dharma Purana in these words: "The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who dearly loves His devotees, sell Himself to them for the price of a tulasi leaf and a handful of water." 9 That the glories of devotional service and chanting the Lord's holy name are not merely empty flattery but are the real truth is proved by the story of Ajamila and many other stories also. This is also seen in the Sri Bhagavan-nama-kaumudi and many other scriptures. To consider the glories of chanting Hare Krsna to be imagination and to give some imaginary interpretation on the holy names of the Lord are counted among the offenses to the holy name as described in the Padma Purana. 10 This is also described in the Katyayana-samhita in these words: "One who makes up an imaginary interpretation of the meaning of Lord Hari's holy name is the most sinful of persons. He falls into a terrible hell." 11 In the Brahma-samhita the Supreme Personality of Godhead explains to Baudhayana: "A person who, after hearing the many spiritual benefits obtained by chanting My holy names, does not believe them, but thinks them only the creations of someone's imagination, is tortured with a host of horrible sufferings in this world of birth and death. I personally throw him into that world of sufferings." 11 To think the glories of chanting the Lord's holy names are imaginary is a great offense. A person who commits this offense will not be able to experience the rue benefits of devotional service. This is described in many ancient scriptures. To create imaginary interpretations on the meaning of the holy name are also great offenses to the Lord. These offenses create obstacles to one's advancement in devotional service. 12 The obstacles created by these offenses are described by Sri Saunaka Rsi in these words (Srimad Bhagavatam 2.3.24): "Certainly that heart is steel framed which, in spite of one's chanting the holy name of the Lord with concentration, does not change when ecstasy takes place, tears fill the eyes and the hairs stand on end."* 14 The benefits of having performed devotional service in the past are also seen in the present. This is explained in the following words (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.64.25): "O Kesava, as Your servant I was devoted to the brahmanas and generous to them, and I always hankered for Your audience. Therefore even till now I have never forgotten (my past life)."* 15 These words of King Nrga, explaining how he engaged in devotional service, did not commit the offense of thinking the glories of the holy name to be imaginary, and still had to go to Yamaloka, seem to contradict the following words of Yamaraja (Srimad Bhagavatam 6.3.29): "My dear servants, please bring to me only those sinful person who do not use their tongues to chant the holy name and qualities of Krsna, whose hearts do not remember the lotus feet of Krsna even once, and whose heads do not bow down even once before Lord Krsna. Send me those who do not perform their duties toward Visnu, which are the only duties in human life. Please bring me all such fools and rascals."* The answer is that King Nrga had rejected the activities of direct devotional service, which are glorified in the scriptures and which are performed by great devotees like King Ambarisa. Instead of performing direct devotional service, King Nrga performed ordinary pious activities of giving charity. It was this that created the impediment to his advancement in devotional service and brought him to ruin. 16 This is also described in the following words of the Padma Purana, Namaparadha-bhanjana-stotra: "O brahmana, when, pronounced properly or not, it appears on the voice, walks on the path of the memory, or enters the ears, if it is not stopped by offenses a single utterance of the holy name of the Lord carries one beyond the world of birth and death. However, if the chanter commits offenses, or if he chants to attain wealth, followers, or the happiness of this material body, he will be thrown into the world of birth and death, and his chanting will not quickly bring the desired result." 17 In order to attain material things such as the happiness of the material body, these persons commit the ten offenses that begin with disrespecting the spiritual master. 18 In the Skanda Purana, Prahlada-samhita, Dvaraka-mahatmya, it is said: "The Supreme Personality of Godhead Visnu is not pleased with a person, even if he has performed devotional service in hundreds of births, if he offends a devotee." 19 In another passage of the Skanda Purana, in the conversation of Markandeya and Bhagiratha it is said: "Lord Hari does not accept twelve years of devotional service performed by one who, seeing a devotee from afar, does not go to greet him. 20 "Lord Hari will not forgive the sins of one who, seeing a devotee, does not offer obeisances and worship." 21 Many other offenses are also seen. In Sri Visnu Purana is the description of a kind named Satadhanu, who was very devoted to the Supreme Lord, but who also blasphemed the Vedas and the devotees. For this he was reborn many times as a dog and many other lowly creatures. 22 The importance of serving the devotees is stressed in the following words (Srimad Bhagavatam 1.2.16): "O twice-born sages, by serving those devotees who are completely freed from all vice, great service is done. By such service, one gains affinity for hearing the messages of Vasudeva."* 23 The Vedanta-sutra (4.1.1.) explains: "The scriptures teach that spiritual activities should be performed again and again." 24 Because most people are inclined to commit offenses, they should perform spiritual activities again and again. That they who offend the Lord's holy name should chant the holy name again and again is explained in the following words of the Namaparadha-bhanjana-stotra of the Padma Purana: 24 "The chanting of Hare Krsna is recommended for persons who commit offenses, because if they continue chanting they will gradually chant offenselessly. Even if in the beginning one chants with offenses, one will become free from such offenses by chanting again and again."* 25 In the Trailokya-sammohana Tantra and other scriptures it is said that one should again and again chant the eighteen syllable mantra and other similar mantras. There it is said: 26 "O goddess, please hear what Manu has taught. One should chant this mantra ten times. In this way one will become freed from a host of calamities. 27 "One who chants this mantra a thousand times becomes freed from the greatest sins. Even if one chants with offenses, the greatest sins are destroyed." 28 In the Brahma-vaivarta Purana the following is said about the holy name: "Even a person who has killed an exalted brahmana, or who has voluntarily drunk liquor, will become purified if day and night he chants 'Krsna! Krsna!'." 29 Offenses create the desire to sin. However, by chanting the holy name, offenses and sinful desires are both destroyed. That is the meaning here. 30 However, offenses and sins are definitely impediments to advancement in devotional service. This is explained by the following words of Sri Visnu dharma-Purana: 'As a swan does not like to stay in muddy water, so Lord Krsna does not like to stay in a heart dirty with sinful desires. 31 "As a crescent moon covered by clouds cannot destroy the darkness, so a voice polluted with lies and other sins cannot properly offer prayers to Lord Krsna." 32 They who have attained perfection in devotional service experience at every moment the highest happiness. They who have not yet attained perfection in devotional service should follow the rules of sadhana-bhakti until they attain the stage of perfection. From offenses the following obstacles to pure devotional service arise: 1. crookedness, 2. faithlessness, 3. attachment to things that destroy faith in the Lord, 4. slackness in devotional service, and 5. pride in being advanced in devotional service. If by associating with great souls one is not able to overcome these obstacles then, although originally manifested in the past, these faults will remain in the present. The Supreme Personality of Godhead does not accept the devotional service offered by they who are crooked, as, when he appeared as a messenger, He did not accept the service offered by Duryodhana. Crookedness here means to engage in devotional service while committing offenses to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Vedas, the spiritual master, or the devotees. They who are foolish but not crooked will attain success by performing even the dim reflection of devotional service. However, they who are crooked do not attain that success in devotional service. This is seen in the following statement of Parasara Muni in the Skanda Purana: 33 "Foolish and crooked hearted sinners do not attain success in devotional service to Lord Krsna. They cannot properly glorify and remember the Lord." 34 This is also explained in the Visnu-dharma Purana: "Their attempt to be truthful is stopped by a hundred impediments. Their attempt to perform austerities is stooped by a thousand impediments. Their attempt to love and serve Lord Krsna is stopped by ten thousand impediments." 35 Srimad Bhagavatam (3.19.36) also explains: "What grateful soul is there who would not render his loving service to such a great master as the Personality of Godhead? The Lord can be easily pleased by spotless devotees who resort exclusively to Him for protection, though the unrighteous man finds it difficult to propitiate Him."* 36 The meaning of this verse is clear. This verse was spoken by Sri Suta Gosvami.
Anuccheda 154
1 The devotees of the Lord are not crooked-hearted and are always kind to the foolish. The crooked-hearted non devotees, however, are not kind even to the wise. The kindness of the devotees is seen in the following words (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.5.4-5): 2 "There are many persons who have little opportunity to take part in discussions about the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, and thus it is difficult for them to chant His infallible glories. Persons such as women, sudras and other fallen classes always deserve the mercy of great personalities like yourself."*** 3 "On the other hand, brahmanas, members of the royal order and vaisyas, even after being allowed to approach the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, Hari, by receiving the second birth of Vedic initiation, can become bewildered and adopt various materialistic philosophies."*** 4 Srila Sridhara Svami comments: "The first verse says, 'Persons like yourself should be merciful to these foolish people'. The second verse says, 'These people are incurably foolish'." This verse was spoken by Camasa Muni to King Nimi.