Bhakti · Sanskrit §298 · English §300
Source[२९८] यानि चात्र वैष्णव-चिह्नान निर्माल्य-धारण-चरणामृत-पानादीन्य् अङ्गानि तेषां च पृथक् पृथक् माहात्म्य-वृन्दं शास्त्र-सहस्रेष्व् अनुसन्धेयम् । अथार्चनाधिकारि-निर्णयः । एतद् वै सर्व-वर्णानाम् आश्रमाणां च सम्मतम् । श्रेयसाम् उत्तमं मन्ये स्त्री-शूद्राणां च मान-द ॥ [भ्प् ११.२७.४] (पगे १५५) सर्व-वर्णानां त्रैवर्णिकानाम् । तथा च स्मृत्य्-अर्थ-सारे पाद्मे च वैशाख-माहात्म्ये - आगमोक्तेन मार्गेण स्त्री-शूद्रैर् अपि पूजनम् । कर्तव्यं श्रद्धया विष्णोश् चिन्तयित्वा पतिं हृदि ॥ शूद्राणां चैव भवति नाम्ना वै देवतार्चनम् । सर्वेऽप्य् आगम-मार्गेण कुर्युर् वेदानुकारिणा ॥ स्त्रीणाम् अप्य् अधिकारोऽस्ति विष्णोर् आराधनादिषु । पति-प्रिय-रतानां च श्रुतिर् एषा सनातनी ॥ [पद्मप् ६.८४.४८, ५२-४] इति । विष्णु-धर्मे[*एन्द्नोते #५] - देवतायां च मन्त्रे च तथा मन्त्र-प्रदे गुरौ । भक्तिर् अष्ट-विधा यस्य तस्य कृष्णः प्रसीदति ॥ तद्-भक्त-जन-वात्सल्यं पूजायां चानुमोदनम् । सुमना अर्चयेन् नित्यं तद्-अर्थे दम्भ-वर्जनम् ॥ तत्-कथा-श्रवणे रागस् तद्-अर्थे चाङ्ग-विक्रिया । तद्-अनुस्मरणं नित्यं यस् तन्-नामोपजीवति ॥ भक्तिर् अष्ट-विधा ह्य् एषा यस्मिन् म्लेच्छेऽपि वर्तते । स मुनिः सत्य-वादी च कीर्तिमान् स भवेन् नरः ॥ इति । किं च तत्त्व-सागरे - यथा काञ्चनतां याति कांस्यं रस-विधानतः । तथा दीक्षा-विधानेन द्विजत्वं जायते नॄणाम् ॥ इति । अथ कृते शुक्लश् चतुर्-बाहुः [भ्प् ११.५.१९] इत्य् आदिना युग-भेदे यश् चोपासनायाम् आविर्भाव-भेद उच्यते, स च प्रायिक एव । तेभ्यश् चतुर्भ्योऽन्येषाम् उपासना शास्त्राद् एव । अन्यथेतरोपासनायाः कालासमावेशः स्यात् । श्रूयन्ते च सर्वत्र युगे सर्वोपासकाः । तस्मात् सर्वैर् अपि सर्वदापि यथेच्छं सर्व एवाविर्भावाः पूज्या इति स्थ्तिअम् । अत एतद् वै सर्व-वर्णानां [भ्प् ११.२७.४] इत्य् आदिकं सर्व-सम्मतम् एव ॥ ॥ ११.२७ ॥ उद्धवः श्री-भगवन्तम् ॥ २९८ ॥
[298] yāni cātra vaiṣṇava-cihnāna nirmālya-dhāraṇa-caraṇāmṛta-pānādīny aṅgāni teṣāṃ ca pṛthak pṛthak māhātmya-vṛndaṃ śāstra-sahasreṣv anusandheyam | athārcanādhikāri-nirṇayaḥ | etad vai sarva-varṇānām āśramāṇāṃ ca sammatam | śreyasām uttamaṃ manye strī-śūdrāṇāṃ ca māna-da || [BhP 11.27.4] (page 155) sarva-varṇānāṃ traivarṇikānām | tathā ca smṛty-artha-sāre pādme ca vaiśākha-māhātmye - āgamoktena mārgeṇa strī-śūdrair api pūjanam | kartavyaṃ śraddhayā viṣṇoś cintayitvā patiṃ hṛdi || śūdrāṇāṃ caiva bhavati nāmnā vai devatārcanam | sarve'py āgama-mārgeṇa kuryur vedānukāriṇā || strīṇām apy adhikāro'sti viṣṇor ārādhanādiṣu | pati-priya-ratānāṃ ca śrutir eṣā sanātanī || [PadmaP 6.84.48, 52-4] iti | viṣṇu-dharme[*ENDNOTE #5] - devatāyāṃ ca mantre ca tathā mantra-prade gurau | bhaktir aṣṭa-vidhā yasya tasya kṛṣṇaḥ prasīdati || tad-bhakta-jana-vātsalyaṃ pūjāyāṃ cānumodanam | sumanā arcayen nityaṃ tad-arthe dambha-varjanam || tat-kathā-śravaṇe rāgas tad-arthe cāṅga-vikriyā | tad-anusmaraṇaṃ nityaṃ yas tan-nāmopajīvati || bhaktir aṣṭa-vidhā hy eṣā yasmin mlecche'pi vartate | sa muniḥ satya-vādī ca kīrtimān sa bhaven naraḥ || iti | kiṃ ca tattva-sāgare - yathā kāñcanatāṃ yāti kāṃsyaṃ rasa-vidhānataḥ | tathā dīkṣā-vidhānena dvijatvaṃ jāyate nṝṇām || iti | atha kṛte śuklaś catur-bāhuḥ [BhP 11.5.19] ity ādinā yuga-bhede yaś copāsanāyām āvirbhāva-bheda ucyate, sa ca prāyika eva | tebhyaś caturbhyo'nyeṣām upāsanā śāstrād eva | anyathetaropāsanāyāḥ kālāsamāveśaḥ syāt | śrūyante ca sarvatra yuge sarvopāsakāḥ | tasmāt sarvair api sarvadāpi yathecchaṃ sarva evāvirbhāvāḥ pūjyā iti sthtiam | ata etad vai sarva-varṇānāṃ [BhP 11.27.4] ity ādikaṃ sarva-sammatam eva || || 11.27 || uddhavaḥ śrī-bhagavantam || 298 ||
English translation
English witness · section(s) 300
Anuccheda 300
1 In this way the devotees of the Lord follow these various vows to please their chosen Deity. 2 Thirty two offenses in the path of serving the Lord's feet and serving His Deity form are described in the Agama-sastras, where it is said: "One should not wear shoes or ride on a palanquin when one enters the house of the Lord." In the Varaha Purana it is said: "One should not eat the food known as rajanna." More offenses are described in the passage that begins with the words, "Outside of My scriptures." 3 In the Varaha Purana the Supreme Personality of Godhead says: "O earth goddess, Vaisnavas should carefully avoid committing offenses in their worship of Me." 4 In Srimad Bhagavatam (11.27.17-18) it is said: 5 "One should worship Me in the form of water by offering water itself. Actually, whatever is offered to Me with faith by My devotee, even if only a little water, is most dear to Me. Even very opulence presentations do not satisfy Me if they are offered by non devotees."*** 6 The words "faith" and "devotion" indicate respect for the Supreme Lord. All offenses have disrespect of the Lord as their nature. There is disrespect for the Lord's status as the supreme master, and there is also disrespect born from ignorance. Therefore disrespect, which is the creator of offenses, should be given up. That is the meaning. This verse was spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Bhakti · Sanskrit §299 · English §301
Source[२९९] तद् एतद्-अर्चनं व्याख्यातम् । अस्याङ्गानि चागमादौ ज्ञेयानि । तथा श्री- कृष्ण-जन्माष्टमी-कार्त्तिक-व्रतैकादशी-माघ-स्नानादिकम् अत्रैवान्तर- भाव्यम् । तत्र जन्माष्टमी यथा विष्णु-रहस्ये ब्रह्म-नारद-संवादे - तुष्ट्य्-अर्थं देवकी-सूनोर् जयन्ती-सम्भवं व्रतम् । कर्तव्यं वित्ता-शाठ्येन भक्त्या भक्त-जनैर् अपि । अकुर्वन् याति निरयं यावद् इन्द्राश् चतुर्दश ॥ इति । तथा - कृष्ण-जन्माष्टमीं त्यक्त्वा योऽन्यद् व्रतम् उपासते । नाप्नोति सुकृतं किञ्चिद् दृष्टं श्रुतम् अथापि वा ॥ इति । वित्ता-शाठ्यं चोक्तम् अष्टमे - धर्माय यशसेऽर्थाय कामाय स्व-जनाय च । पञ्चधा विभजन् वित्तम् इहामुत्र च मोदते ॥ [भ्प् ८.१९.३७] इति । अथ कार्त्तिको यथा स्कान्दे एकतः सर्व-तीर्थानि इत्य् आदिकम् उक्त्वा - एकतः कार्त्तिको वत्स सर्वदा केशव-प्रियः । यत् किञ्चित् क्रियते पुण्यं विष्णुम् उद्दिश्य कार्त्तिके । तद्-अक्षयं भवेत् सर्वं सत्योक्तं तव नारद ॥ इति । अव्रतेन क्षिपेद् यस् तु मासं दामोदर-प्रियम् । तिर्यग् योनिम् अवाप्नोति सर्व-धर्म-बहिष्कृतः ॥ इति । अथैकादशी - तत्र तावद् अस्या अवैष्णवेऽपि नित्यत्वम् । तत्र सामान्यतः विष्णु-धर्मे - वैष्णवो वाथ सौरो वा कुर्याद् एकादशी-व्रतम् इति । सौर-पुराणे - वैष्णवो वाथ शैवो वा सौरोऽ (पगे १५६) प्य् एतत् समाचरेत् इति । विशेषतश् च नारद-पञ्चरात्रे दीक्षानन्तरावश्य-कृत्य-कथने समयाश् च प्रवक्ष्यामि इत्य् आदौ । एकादश्यां न भुञ्जीत पक्षयोर् उभयोर् अपि । जागरं निशि कुर्वीत विशेषाच् चार्चयेद् विभुम् ॥ इति । विष्णु-यामलेऽपि तत्-कथने दिग् । बिद्धैकादशी-व्रतम् - शुक्लाकृष्णाविभेदश् चासद्-व्यापारो व्रते तथा । शक्तौ फलादि-भुक्तिश् च श्राद्धं चैकादशी-दिने ॥ द्वादश्यां च दिवा-स्वापस् तुलस्यावचयस् तथा ॥ तत्र विष्णोर् दिवा स्नानम् अपि निषिद्धत्वेनोक्तम् । पाद्मोत्तर-खण्डे च वैष्णव-धर्म-कथने द्वादशी-व्रत-निष्ठता इति । तथा स्कान्दे काशी- खण्डे सौपर्ण-द्वारका-माहात्म्ये चचन्द्र-शर्मणो भगवद्-धर्म- प्रतिज्ञा - अद्य-प्रभृति कर्तव्यं यन् मया कृष्ण तच् छृणु । एकादश्यां न भोक्तव्यं कर्तव्यो जागरः सदा ॥ महा-भक्त्यात्र कर्तव्यं प्रत्यहं पूजनं तव । पलार्धेनापि बिद्धं तु मोक्तव्यं वासरं तव ॥ त्वत्-प्रीत्याष्टौ मया कार्या द्वादश्यां व्रत-संयुताः ॥ इत्य् आदिकाः । अत उक्तम् आग्नेये एकादश्यां न भोक्तव्यं तद् व्रतं वैष्णवं महत् । इति । गौतमीये - वैष्णवो यदि भुञ्जीत एकादश्यां प्रमादतः । विष्ण्व्-अर्चनं वृथा तस्य नरकं घोरम् आप्नुयात् ॥ मत्स्य-भविष्य-पुराणयोः - एकादश्यां निराहारो यो भुङ्क्ते द्वादशी-दिने । शुक्ला वा यदि वा कृष्णा तद् व्रतं वैष्णवं महत् ॥ इति । स्कान्दे - मातृहा पितृहा चैव भ्रातृहा गुरुहा तथा । एकादश्यां तु यो भुङ्क्ते विष्णु-लोक-च्युतो भवेत् ॥ इति । अत्र वैष्णवानां निराहारत्वं नाम महा-प्रसादान्न-परित्याग एव । तेषाम् अन्य-भोजनस्य नित्यम् एव निषिद्धत्वात् । यथोक्तं नारद- पञ्चरात्रे - प्रसादान्नं सदा ग्राह्यम् एकादश्यां न नारद । रमादि-सर्व-भक्तानाम् इतरेषां च का कथा ॥ इति । ब्रह्माण्ड-पुराणे - पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयम् अन्न-पानाद्यम् औषधम् । अनिवेद्य च भुञ्जीत यद् आहाराय कल्पितम् ॥ अनिवेद्यं तु भुञ्जानः प्रायश्चित्ती भवेन् नरः । तस्मात् सर्वं निवेद्यैव विष्णोर् भुञ्जीत सर्वदा ॥ इति । जागरस्यापि नित्यत्वं यथा स्कान्दे उमा-महेश्वर-संवादे - सम्प्राप्ते वासरे विष्णोर् ये न कुर्वन्ति जागरम् । भ्रश्यते सुकृतं तेषां वैष्णवानां च निन्दया ॥ मतिर् न जायते यस्य द्वादश्यां जागरं प्रति । न हि तस्याधिकारोऽस्ति पूजने केशवस्य हि ॥ इति । तद्वत् तस्य विष्णु-प्रीतिदत्वं च श्रूयते पाद्मोत्तर-खण्डे - (पगे १५७) शृणु देवि प्रवक्ष्यामि द्वादश्याश् च विधानकम् । तस्याः स्मरण-मात्रेण सन्तुष्टः स्याज् जनार्दनः ॥ [पद्मप् ६.२३४.३] भविष्ये - एकादशी महा-पुण्या सर्व-पाप-विनाशिनी । भक्तेस् तु दीपनी विष्णोः परमार्थ-गति-प्रदा ॥ इति । अतएव श्रीमद्-अम्बरीषादीनां भक्त्य्-एक-निष्ठानां महा-प्रसाद-भुजां तद्-व्रतं दर्शयता श्री-भागवतेनापि तद्-अन्तरङ्ग-वैष्णव-धर्मत्वेन सम्मतम् इति दिक् । पाद्मे कार्त्तिक-माहात्म्ये च ब्राह्मण-कन्यायाः कार्त्तिक-व्रतैकादशी-व्रत-प्रभावात् श्रीमत्-सत्यभामाख्य-भगवत्- प्रयसी-पद-प्राप्तिर् अपि श्रूयते । किं बहुना । अथ माघः सौपर्णे - दुर्लभो माघ-मासस् तु वैष्णवानाम् अति-प्रियः । देवतानाम् ऋषीणां च मुनीनां सुर-नायक । विशेषेण शचीनाथ माघवस्यातिवल्लभः ॥ इति । स्कान्दे ब्रह्म-नारद-संवादे - सर्व-पाप-विनाशाय कृष्ण-सन्तोषणाय च । माघ-स्नानं सदा कार्यं वर्षे वर्षे च नारद ॥ इति । भविष्योत्तरे - एकविंश-गणैः सार्धं भोगान् त्यक्त्वा यथेप्सितम् । माघ-मास्य् उषसि स्नात्वा विष्णु-लोकं स गच्छति ॥ इति । एवं श्री-राम-नवमी-वैशाख-व्रतादयश् चात्र ज्ञेयाः । एतत् सर्वम् अपि सद्-आचार-कथन-द्वारा विधत्ते - गां पर्यटन् [भ्प् ३.१.१८] इत्य् आदौ व्रतानि चेरे हर-तोषणानि इति ॥ व्रतानि एकादश्यादीनीति । विदुर इति प्रकरण-लब्धम् । ॥ ३.१ ॥ श्री-शुकः ॥ २९९ ॥
[299] tad etad-arcanaṃ vyākhyātam | asyāṅgāni cāgamādau jñeyāni | tathā śrī- kṛṣṇa-janmāṣṭamī-kārttika-vrataikādaśī-māgha-snānādikam atraivāntara- bhāvyam | tatra janmāṣṭamī yathā viṣṇu-rahasye brahma-nārada-saṃvāde - tuṣṭy-arthaṃ devakī-sūnor jayantī-sambhavaṃ vratam | kartavyaṃ vittā-śāṭhyena bhaktyā bhakta-janair api | akurvan yāti nirayaṃ yāvad indrāś caturdaśa || iti | tathā - kṛṣṇa-janmāṣṭamīṃ tyaktvā yo'nyad vratam upāsate | nāpnoti sukṛtaṃ kiñcid dṛṣṭaṃ śrutam athāpi vā || iti | vittā-śāṭhyaṃ coktam aṣṭame - dharmāya yaśase'rthāya kāmāya sva-janāya ca | pañcadhā vibhajan vittam ihāmutra ca modate || [BhP 8.19.37] iti | atha kārttiko yathā skānde ekataḥ sarva-tīrthāni ity ādikam uktvā - ekataḥ kārttiko vatsa sarvadā keśava-priyaḥ | yat kiñcit kriyate puṇyaṃ viṣṇum uddiśya kārttike | tad-akṣayaṃ bhavet sarvaṃ satyoktaṃ tava nārada || iti | avratena kṣiped yas tu māsaṃ dāmodara-priyam | tiryag yonim avāpnoti sarva-dharma-bahiṣkṛtaḥ || iti | athaikādaśī - tatra tāvad asyā avaiṣṇave'pi nityatvam | tatra sāmānyataḥ viṣṇu-dharme - vaiṣṇavo vātha sauro vā kuryād ekādaśī-vratam iti | saura-purāṇe - vaiṣṇavo vātha śaivo vā sauro' (page 156) py etat samācaret iti | viśeṣataś ca nārada-pañcarātre dīkṣānantarāvaśya-kṛtya-kathane samayāś ca pravakṣyāmi ity ādau | ekādaśyāṃ na bhuñjīta pakṣayor ubhayor api | jāgaraṃ niśi kurvīta viśeṣāc cārcayed vibhum || iti | viṣṇu-yāmale'pi tat-kathane dig | biddhaikādaśī-vratam - śuklākṛṣṇāvibhedaś cāsad-vyāpāro vrate tathā | śaktau phalādi-bhuktiś ca śrāddhaṃ caikādaśī-dine || dvādaśyāṃ ca divā-svāpas tulasyāvacayas tathā || tatra viṣṇor divā snānam api niṣiddhatvenoktam | pādmottara-khaṇḍe ca vaiṣṇava-dharma-kathane dvādaśī-vrata-niṣṭhatā iti | tathā skānde kāśī- khaṇḍe sauparṇa-dvārakā-māhātmye cacandra-śarmaṇo bhagavad-dharma- pratijñā - adya-prabhṛti kartavyaṃ yan mayā kṛṣṇa tac chṛṇu | ekādaśyāṃ na bhoktavyaṃ kartavyo jāgaraḥ sadā || mahā-bhaktyātra kartavyaṃ pratyahaṃ pūjanaṃ tava | palārdhenāpi biddhaṃ tu moktavyaṃ vāsaraṃ tava || tvat-prītyāṣṭau mayā kāryā dvādaśyāṃ vrata-saṃyutāḥ || ity ādikāḥ | ata uktam āgneye ekādaśyāṃ na bhoktavyaṃ tad vrataṃ vaiṣṇavaṃ mahat | iti | gautamīye - vaiṣṇavo yadi bhuñjīta ekādaśyāṃ pramādataḥ | viṣṇv-arcanaṃ vṛthā tasya narakaṃ ghoram āpnuyāt || matsya-bhaviṣya-purāṇayoḥ - ekādaśyāṃ nirāhāro yo bhuṅkte dvādaśī-dine | śuklā vā yadi vā kṛṣṇā tad vrataṃ vaiṣṇavaṃ mahat || iti | skānde - mātṛhā pitṛhā caiva bhrātṛhā guruhā tathā | ekādaśyāṃ tu yo bhuṅkte viṣṇu-loka-cyuto bhavet || iti | atra vaiṣṇavānāṃ nirāhāratvaṃ nāma mahā-prasādānna-parityāga eva | teṣām anya-bhojanasya nityam eva niṣiddhatvāt | yathoktaṃ nārada- pañcarātre - prasādānnaṃ sadā grāhyam ekādaśyāṃ na nārada | ramādi-sarva-bhaktānām itareṣāṃ ca kā kathā || iti | brahmāṇḍa-purāṇe - patraṃ puṣpaṃ phalaṃ toyam anna-pānādyam auṣadham | anivedya ca bhuñjīta yad āhārāya kalpitam || anivedyaṃ tu bhuñjānaḥ prāyaścittī bhaven naraḥ | tasmāt sarvaṃ nivedyaiva viṣṇor bhuñjīta sarvadā || iti | jāgarasyāpi nityatvaṃ yathā skānde umā-maheśvara-saṃvāde - samprāpte vāsare viṣṇor ye na kurvanti jāgaram | bhraśyate sukṛtaṃ teṣāṃ vaiṣṇavānāṃ ca nindayā || matir na jāyate yasya dvādaśyāṃ jāgaraṃ prati | na hi tasyādhikāro'sti pūjane keśavasya hi || iti | tadvat tasya viṣṇu-prītidatvaṃ ca śrūyate pādmottara-khaṇḍe - (page 157) śṛṇu devi pravakṣyāmi dvādaśyāś ca vidhānakam | tasyāḥ smaraṇa-mātreṇa santuṣṭaḥ syāj janārdanaḥ || [PadmaP 6.234.3] bhaviṣye - ekādaśī mahā-puṇyā sarva-pāpa-vināśinī | bhaktes tu dīpanī viṣṇoḥ paramārtha-gati-pradā || iti | ataeva śrīmad-ambarīṣādīnāṃ bhakty-eka-niṣṭhānāṃ mahā-prasāda-bhujāṃ tad-vrataṃ darśayatā śrī-bhāgavatenāpi tad-antaraṅga-vaiṣṇava-dharmatvena sammatam iti dik | pādme kārttika-māhātmye ca brāhmaṇa-kanyāyāḥ kārttika-vrataikādaśī-vrata-prabhāvāt śrīmat-satyabhāmākhya-bhagavat- prayasī-pada-prāptir api śrūyate | kiṃ bahunā | atha māghaḥ sauparṇe - durlabho māgha-māsas tu vaiṣṇavānām ati-priyaḥ | devatānām ṛṣīṇāṃ ca munīnāṃ sura-nāyaka | viśeṣeṇa śacīnātha māghavasyātivallabhaḥ || iti | skānde brahma-nārada-saṃvāde - sarva-pāpa-vināśāya kṛṣṇa-santoṣaṇāya ca | māgha-snānaṃ sadā kāryaṃ varṣe varṣe ca nārada || iti | bhaviṣyottare - ekaviṃśa-gaṇaiḥ sārdhaṃ bhogān tyaktvā yathepsitam | māgha-māsy uṣasi snātvā viṣṇu-lokaṃ sa gacchati || iti | evaṃ śrī-rāma-navamī-vaiśākha-vratādayaś cātra jñeyāḥ | etat sarvam api sad-ācāra-kathana-dvārā vidhatte - gāṃ paryaṭan [BhP 3.1.18] ity ādau vratāni cere hara-toṣaṇāni iti || vratāni ekādaśyādīnīti | vidura iti prakaraṇa-labdham | || 3.1 || śrī-śukaḥ || 299 ||
English translation
English witness · section(s) 301
Anuccheda 301
1 Disrespect to great souls destroys everything. This is described in the following words of Srimad Bhagavatam (4.31.21): 2 "The Supreme Personality of Godhead becomes very dear to those devotees who have no material possessions but are fully happy in possessing the devotional service of the Lord. Indeed, the Lord relishes the devotional activities of such devotees. Those who are puffed up with material education, wealth, aristocracy and fruitive activity are very proud of possessing material things, and they often deride the devotees. Even if such people offer the Lord worship, the Lord never accepts them."*** 3 Here the words "adhana" and "atma-dhana" refer to they whose only wealth is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such person are very dear (priya) to the Lord. The Lord (harih) relishes (rasajna) the service of His devotees. What persons are foolish and unintelligent? This question is answered in the words beginning with "sruta". Here the word "papam" means "offense". This verse was spoken by Sri Narada to the Pracetas.
Bhakti · Sanskrit §300 · English §302
Source[३००] एवं तादृश-व्रतेष्व् अपि तत्-तद्-उपासकानां स्व-स्वेष्ट-दैवत-व्रतं सुष्ठ्व् एव विधेयम् इत्य् आगतम् । तथास्मिन् पाद-सेवार्चन-मार्गे यानैर् वा पादुकैर् वापि गमनं भगवद्-गृहे इत्य् आदिना आगमोक्ता ये द्वात्रिंशद्- अपराधास् तथा राजन्न् अभक्षणं चैवम् इत्य् आदिना तद्-उक्ता ये चान्ये बहवस् ते सर्वे - ममार्चनापराधा ये कीर्त्यन्ते वसुधे मया । वैष्णवेन सदा ते तु वर्जनीयाः प्रयत्नतः ॥ इति वाराहानुसारेण । परित्याज्या इत्य् आशयेनाह -- श्रद्धयोपाहृतं प्रेष्ठं भक्तेन मम वार्य् अपि । भूर्य् अप्य् अभक्तोपहृतं न मे तोषाय कल्पते ॥ [भ्प् ११.२७.१८] श्रद्धा-भक्ति-शब्दाभ्याम् अत्रादर एव विधीयते । अपराधास् तु सर्वेऽनादरात्मका एव । प्रभुत्ववमानतश् च आज्ञावमानतश् च । तस्माद् अपराध-निदानम् अत्रानादर एव परित्याज्य इत्य् अर्थः । ॥ ११.२७ ॥ श्री-भगवान् ॥ ३०० ॥
[300] evaṃ tādṛśa-vrateṣv api tat-tad-upāsakānāṃ sva-sveṣṭa-daivata-vrataṃ suṣṭhv eva vidheyam ity āgatam | tathāsmin pāda-sevārcana-mārge yānair vā pādukair vāpi gamanaṃ bhagavad-gṛhe ity ādinā āgamoktā ye dvātriṃśad- aparādhās tathā rājann abhakṣaṇaṃ caivam ity ādinā tad-uktā ye cānye bahavas te sarve - mamārcanāparādhā ye kīrtyante vasudhe mayā | vaiṣṇavena sadā te tu varjanīyāḥ prayatnataḥ || iti vārāhānusāreṇa | parityājyā ity āśayenāha -- śraddhayopāhṛtaṃ preṣṭhaṃ bhaktena mama vāry api | bhūry apy abhaktopahṛtaṃ na me toṣāya kalpate || [BhP 11.27.18] śraddhā-bhakti-śabdābhyām atrādara eva vidhīyate | aparādhās tu sarve'nādarātmakā eva | prabhutvavamānataś ca ājñāvamānataś ca | tasmād aparādha-nidānam atrānādara eva parityājya ity arthaḥ | || 11.27 || śrī-bhagavān || 300 ||
English translation
English witness · section(s) 302
Anuccheda 302
1 It is also said (Srimad Bhagavatam 5.10.25): "O my dear lord, you are the friend of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the friend of all living entities. You are therefore equal to everyone, and you are free from the bodily conception. Although I have committed an offense by insulting you, I know that there is no loss or gain for you due to my insult. You are fixed in your determination, but I have committed an offense. Because of this, even though I may be as strong as Lord Siva, I shall be vanquished without delay due to my offense at the lotus feet of a Vaisnava."* 2 The meaning of this verse is clear. This verse was spoken by King Rahugana to Sri Bharata.
Bhakti · Sanskrit §301 · English §303–304
Source[३०१] महताम् अनादरस् तु सर्व-नाशक इत्य् आह - न भजति कुमनीषिणां स इज्यां हरिर् अधनात्म-धन-प्रियो रस-ज्ञः । श्रुत-धन-कुल-कर्मणां मदैर् ये विदधति पापम् अकिञ्चनेषु सत्सु ॥ [भ्प् ४.३१.२१] (पगे १५८) अधनाश् च ते आत्म-धनाश् च ते प्रिया यस्य सः । रसज्ञो भक्ति-रसिको हरिः । के कुमनीषिण इत्य् अपेक्षायाम् आह - श्रुतेति । पापम् अपराधम् ॥ ॥ ४.३१ ॥ श्री-नारदः प्रचेतसः ॥ ३०१ ॥
[301] mahatām anādaras tu sarva-nāśaka ity āha - na bhajati kumanīṣiṇāṃ sa ijyāṃ harir adhanātma-dhana-priyo rasa-jñaḥ | śruta-dhana-kula-karmaṇāṃ madair ye vidadhati pāpam akiñcaneṣu satsu || [BhP 4.31.21] (page 158) adhanāś ca te ātma-dhanāś ca te priyā yasya saḥ | rasajño bhakti-rasiko hariḥ | ke kumanīṣiṇa ity apekṣāyām āha - śruteti | pāpam aparādham || || 4.31 || śrī-nāradaḥ pracetasaḥ || 301 ||
English translation
English witness · section(s) 303–304
Anuccheda 303
1 If one foolishly offends a devotee, one should try to attain the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. 2 In Skanda Purana, Avanti-khanda, Vyasa explains: "If a human being daily reads Bhagavad-gita, Lord Kesava forgives the thirty two kinds of offenses he commits." 3 In the Skanda Purana, Dvaraka-mahatmya it is said: "One who recites or hears the thousand names of the Lord is not touched by even a thousand offenses." 4 In the Skanda Purana, Reva-khanda, it is said: "If on dvadasi a person keeps an all-night vigil to please Lord Visnu, and then recites prayers glorifying Tulasi-devi, then Lord Kesava forgives the thirty two kinds of offenses he commits." 5 In another passage of the Skanda Purana it is said: "If one plants a Tulasi tree, especially during the month of Sravana (July-August), the Supreme Personality of Godhead forgives thousands of the offenses he commits." 6 In the Skanda Purana, Karttika-mahatmya, it is said: "If one worships Salagrama-sila and Tulasi-devi together, then Lord Kesava forgives the thirty two kinds of offenses he commits." 7 In another passage of the Skanda Purana it is said: "If a person whose body is decorated with the weapons of Lord Krsna engages in the worship of Lord Krsna, the Lord Krsna again and again forgives thousands of his offenses." 8 In the Adi-Varaha Purana, the Supreme Personality of Godhead declares: "A person who in the middle of the year fasts and bathes in the Ganga at My sacred Sukara-tirtha becomes pure in heart. 9 "An offender who thus fasts and bathes at Mathura also becomes pure in heart. A devotee who thus serves both holy places as if they were one becomes free from the offenses committed in thousands of births." 10 Here the word "saukarake" means "the holy place named Sukara-tirtha". A great offender who offers prayers to the Lord or for a long time chants the holy name of the Lord attains the mercy of the Lord. Such a person is forgiven. Without the Lord's mercy one is not forgiven. 11 Daksa tells Lord Siva (Srimad Bhagavatam (4.7.15): "I did not know your full glories. For this reason, I threw arrows of sharp words at you in the open assembly, although you did not take them in account. I was going down to hell because of my disobedience to you, who are the most respectable personality, but you took compassion upon me and saved me by awarding punishment. I request that you be blessed by your own mercy, since I cannot satisfy you by my words."* 12 More will be said of this later in this book. 13 Now offering obeisances will be discussed. Although offering obeisances may be considered a part of Deity worship, it is also separate, in the same way glorifying and remembering the Lord are separate. Thus offering obeisances will be considered separately here. The other activities of devotional service may also be considered in this way. 14 Now will be discussed the truth that offering obeisances may be considered separately from Deity worship. Hearing the glories of the Supreme Lord's limitless transcendental qualities and opulences, some devotees may feel very humble, lowly and unqualified to serve the Lord's feet. Thus they may decide only to offer obeisances to the Lord and not directly engage in Deity worship. In this way offering obeisances is considered separate from Deity worship. 15 In the Nrsimha Purana it is said: "Offering obeisances is the best of all yajnas. By once offering sastanga (dandavat) obeisances one attains Lord Hari." 16 Offering obeisances is described in these words of Srimad Bhagavatam (10.14.8), where Brahma tells Lord Krsna: "One who seeks Your compassion and thus tolerates all kinds of adverse conditions due to the karma of his past deeds, who engages always in Your devotional service with his mind, words and body, and who always offers obeisances unto You is certainly a bona fide candidate for becoming liberated."* 17 The reason why the devotees offer obeisances to the Lord is described in these words (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.14.7): "In time, great scientists may be able to count all the atoms of the universe, all the stars and planets in the sky, and all the particles of snow, but who among them can count the unlimited transcendental qualities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead? He descends on the surface of the globe for the benefit of all living entities."* 18 Here the word "tat" means "therefore", and "namah" means "obeisances". The ninth word "mukti-pade" means "You who are the shelter of liberation". This is confirmed by the tenth word. Or, if it is considered the fifth word according to prose order, the word "mukti" may also mean "spiritual love". The word "pade" then means "the object". "Mukti-pade" then means "You, the original Supreme Personality of Godhead, who are the object of the devotees' love". The word "daya-bhak" means "an inheritor, like a person who inherits something from his brother". The verse then means, "O Lord, You become favourable to such a person in this way". This interpretation (that it does not mean "liberation") of the word "mukti" must be correct, for liberation itself is attained by merely once offering obeisances to the Lord. This is confirmed by the following words of the Visnu-dharma Purana: 19 "When a person once offers obeisances to Lord Krsna, that offering of obeisances becomes a guide to lead him out from the frightening and impassable jungle of repeated birth and death." 20 Srila Sridhara Svami comments: "Here the word 'su-samiksamanah' means 'waiting'." This words thus means that every moment the devotee expects the Lord's causeless, limitless mercy (anukampam). Seeing and meditating in this way in his heart (hrda), the devotee becomes blissful. Also, with his words (vaca) and body (vapusa) the devotee offers obeisances (namo vidadhat). That is the explanation of this verse. 21 One should avoid the various offenses in offering obeisances. These are described in the Visnu-smrti and other scriptures as being: 1. offering obeisances with one hand, 2. offering obeisances when the body is completely covered with cloth, 3. offering obeisances directly facing the Lord, or from behind or from the left side and 4. offering obeisances very close to the Lord within the inner Deity room. The verse discussed here (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.14.8) was spoken by Lord Brahma to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Anuccheda 304
1 Now servitorship will be discussed. A general description of servitorship to Lord Visnu is given in these words of the scriptures: "After a thousand births one comes to understand: 'I am the servant of Lord Vasudeva, the maintainer of all the worlds'." 2 In this way one engages in devotional service. By thinking in this way one attains perfection. More will be said of this later in this book. 3 At the end of the passage beginning with the verse quoted in text 1 are these words: "What then can be said of those persons who control their senses and have given their lives to the service of the Lord?" 4 Sri Prahlada speaks the following prayers (Srimad Bhagavatam 7.9.50): "Therefore, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, the best of all person to whom prayers are offered, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You because without rendering six kinds of devotional service unto You: offering prayers, dedicating all the results of activities, worshipping You, working on Your behalf, always remembering Your lotus feet and hearing about Your glories, who can achieve that which is meant for the paramahamsas?"* In the commentary on this verse it is said that service to the Lord includes offering respectful obeisances, offering prayers, dedicating all the results of activities, worshipping You, working on the Lord's behalf, always remembering the Lord's lotus feet and hearing about the Lord's glories. 5 Sri Uddhava declares (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.6.46): "Simply by decorating ourselves with the garlands, fragrant oils, clothes and ornaments that You have already enjoyed, and by eating the remnants of Your meals, we, Your servants, will indeed conquer Your illusory energy."*** 6 The different activities of service are described in these words of Srimad Bhagavatam (9.4.18-20): "Maharaja Ambarisa always engaged his mind in meditating upon the lotus feet of Krsna, his words in describing the glories of the Lord, his hands in cleansing the Lord's temple, and his ears in hearing the words spoken by Krsna or about Krsna. He engaged his eyes in seeing the deity of Krsna, Krsna's temples and Krsna's places like Mathura and Vrndavana, he engaged his sense of touch in touching the bodies of the Lord's devotees, he engaged his sense of smell in smelling the fragrance of tulasi offered to the Lord, and he engaged his tongue in tasting the Lord's prasada. He engaged his legs in walking to the holy places and temples of the Lord, his had in bowing down before the Lord, and all his desires in serving the Lord, twenty four hours a day. Indeed, Maharaja Ambarisa never desired anything for his own sense gratification. He engaged all his senses in devotional service, in various engagements related to the Lord. This is the way to increase attachment for the Lord and be completely free from all material desires."* 7 This verse means that his desires (kamam) were placed in service (dasye). The word "ca" (and) means that he though, 'I am a servant of Lord Krsna. I will serve Him'. That was his desire. That is the meaning here. He did not desire to enjoy the sense gratification available in Svargaloka or other places (na tu kama-kamyaya). He had no desires other than devotional service. 8 This verse was spoken by Srila Sukadeva Gosvami.
Bhakti · Sanskrit §302 · English §305
Source[३०२] किं च - न विक्रिया विश्व-सुहृत्-सखस्य साम्येन वीताभिमतेस् तवापि । महद्-विमानात् स्व-कृताद् धि मादृङ् नङ्क्ष्यत्य् अदूराद् अपि शूलपाणिः ॥ [भ्प् ५.१०.२५] स्पष्टम् ॥ ५.१० ॥ रहूगनः श्री-भरतम् ॥ ३०२ ॥
[302] kiṃ ca - na vikriyā viśva-suhṛt-sakhasya sāmyena vītābhimates tavāpi | mahad-vimānāt sva-kṛtād dhi mādṛṅ naṅkṣyaty adūrād api śūlapāṇiḥ || [BhP 5.10.25] spaṣṭam || 5.10 || rahūganaḥ śrī-bharatam || 302 ||
English translation
English witness · section(s) 305
Anuccheda 305
1 Worship of the Lord that is performed with the activities of service is the best kind of worship. In Srimad Bhagavatam (9.5.16) it is said: "What is impossible for the servants of the Lord? By the very hearing of His holy name one is purified."* 2 If one somehow or other hears the holy name of the Supreme Lord, then what more need he do to become purified? By hearing the Lord's holy name one thinks, "I am a servant of the Lord". What spiritual activities and what spiritual attainment then remain undone (avasisyate) by him? No spiritual activity is better than what he has done. That is the meaning. This verse was spoken by Durvasa Muni to King Ambarisa.
Bhakti · Sanskrit §303 · English §306
Source[३०३] अथ तथापि प्रामादिके भगवद्-अपराधे पुनर् भगवत्-प्रसादनानि कर्तव्यानि । यथा स्कान्दे अवन्ती-खण्डे श्री-व्यासोक्तौ - अहन्य् अहनि यो मर्त्यो गीताध्यायं पठेत् तु वै । द्वात्रिंशद्-अपराधांस् तु क्षमते तस्य केशवः ॥ इति । तत्रैव द्वारका-माहात्म्ये - सहस्र-नाम-माहात्म्यं यः पठेच् छृणुयाद् अपि । अपराध-सहस्रेण न स लिप्येत् कदाचन ॥ इति । तत्रैव रेवा-खण्डे - द्वादश्यां जागरे विष्णोर् यः पठेत् तुलसी-स्तवम् । द्वात्रिंशद्-अपराधानि क्षमते तस्य केशवः ॥ इति । तत्रैवान्यत्र - तुलस्या रोपणं कार्यं श्रावणेषु विशेषतः । अपराध-सहस्राणि क्षमते पुरुषोत्तमः ॥ इति । तत्र वान्यत्र कार्त्तिक-माहात्म्ये - तुलस्या कुरुते यस् तु शाग्राम-शिलार्चनम् । द्वात्रिंशद्-अपराधांश् च क्षमते तस्य केशवः ॥ इति । अन्यत्र - यः करोति हरेः पूजां कृष्ण-शत्राङ्कितो नरः । अपराध-सहस्राणि नित्यं हरति केशवः ॥ इति । आदि-वाराहे - संवत्सरस्य मध्ये तु तीर्थे शौकरके मम । कृतोपवासः स्नानेन गङ्गायां शुद्धिम् आप्नुयात् ॥ मथुरायां तथाप्य् एवं सापराधः शुचि भवेत् । अनयोस् तीर्थयोर् एकं यः सेवेत सुकृती नरः ॥ सहस्र-जन्म-जनितान् अपराधान् जहाति सः ॥ इति । शौकरके शूकर-क्षेत्राख्ये । महद्-अपराधस् तु चाटुकारादिना वा तत्- प्रीत्य्-अर्थ-कृतेन निरन्तर=दीर्घ-कालीन-भगवन्-नाम-कीर्तनेन वा तं प्रसाद्य क्षमापनीय इत्य् अवोचामैव । तत्-प्रसादं विना तद्-असिद्धेः । अतएवोक्तं श्री-शिवं दक्षेण - योऽसौ मयाविदित-तत्त्व-दृशा सभायां क्षिप्तो दुरुक्ति-विशिखैर् विगणय्य तन् माम् । अर्वाक् पतन्तम् अर्हत्तम-निन्दयापाद् दृष्ट्यार्द्रया स भगवान् स्व-कृतेन तुष्येत् ॥ [भ्प् ४.७.१५] इति । एवम् उत्तरत्रापि ज्ञेयम् । अथ वन्दनम् । तच् च यद्यप्य् अर्चनाङ्गत्वेनापि वर्तते तथापि कीर्तन- स्मरणवत् स्वातन्त्र्येणादीत्य् अभिप्रेत्य पृथग् विधीयते । एवम् अन्यत्रापि ज्ञेयम् । वन्दनस्य पृथग्-विधानं चानन्त-गुणैश्वर्य-श्रवणात् तद्- गुणानुसन्धान-पाद-सेवादौ विधृत-दैन्यानां नमस्कार-मात्रे कृताध्यवसायानाम् अर्थे । स एव नमस्कारस् तस्यार्चनत्वेनाप्य् अतिदिष्टः । यथा नारसिंहे - (पगे १५९) नमस्कारः स्मृतो यज्ञः सर्व-यज्ञेषु चोत्तमः । नमस्कारेण चकेन साष्टाङ्गेन हरिं व्रजेत् ॥ इति । तद् एतद्-वन्दनं यथा - तत् तेऽनुकम्पां सु-समीक्षमाणो भुञ्जान एवात्म-कृतं विपाकम् । हृद्-वाग्-वपुर्भिर् विदधन् नमस् ते जीवेत यो मुक्ति-पदे स दाय-भाक् ॥ [भ्प् १०.१४.८] यस्माद् गुणात्मनस् तेऽपि गुणान् विमातुम् [भ्प् १०.१४.७] इत्य् आदिना तादृशत्वम् उच्यते तत् तस्मात् । नमो नमस्कारम् । मुक्ति-पदे नवम-पदार्थस्य मुक्तेर् अप्य् आश्रये परिपूर्ण-दशम-पदार्थे । यद् वा मुक्तिर् इह पञ्चम- स्थ-गद्यानुसारेण प्रेमैव तत्-पदे तद्-विषये परिपूर्ण-भगवल्-लक्षणे त्वयि दाय-भाग् भवति । भ्रातृ-वण्टन इव त्वं तस्य दायत्वेन वर्तस इत्य् अर्थः । मुक्ति-मात्रं तु सकृन् नमस्कारेणैवासन्नं स्यात् । यथा विष्णु- धर्मे - दुर्ग-संसार-कान्तारम् अपारम् अभिधावताम् । एकः कृष्णे नमस्कारो मुक्ति-तीरस्य देशिकः ॥ इति । तत् ते इत्य् अत्र सुसमीक्षमाणः इति टीका । यद् वा प्रतिक्षणं निरुपाधि- कृपयैव प्रभुणा तथा तथा क्रियमाणाम् अनुकम्पां सुष्ठु-रूपाम् ईक्षमाणस् तत्रानन्दीभवन् तां सम्यक् पश्यन् विभावयन् तथा हृदा यद् वा वाचा यद् वा वपुषा नमो विदधज् जन इत्य् आदि व्याख्या ज्ञेया । नमस्कारेऽप्य् अपराधाश् चैते परिहर्तव्याः विष्णु-स्मृत्य्-आदि-दृष्ट्या । ये खलु एक-हस्त-कृतत्व-वस्त्रावृत-देहत्व-भगवद्-अग्र-पृष्ठ-वाम- भागात्यन्त-निकट-गर्भ-मन्दिर-गतत्वादि-मयाः । ॥ १०.१४ ॥ श्री-ब्रह्मा भगवन्तम् ॥ ३०३ ॥
[303] atha tathāpi prāmādike bhagavad-aparādhe punar bhagavat-prasādanāni kartavyāni | yathā skānde avantī-khaṇḍe śrī-vyāsoktau - ahany ahani yo martyo gītādhyāyaṃ paṭhet tu vai | dvātriṃśad-aparādhāṃs tu kṣamate tasya keśavaḥ || iti | tatraiva dvārakā-māhātmye - sahasra-nāma-māhātmyaṃ yaḥ paṭhec chṛṇuyād api | aparādha-sahasreṇa na sa lipyet kadācana || iti | tatraiva revā-khaṇḍe - dvādaśyāṃ jāgare viṣṇor yaḥ paṭhet tulasī-stavam | dvātriṃśad-aparādhāni kṣamate tasya keśavaḥ || iti | tatraivānyatra - tulasyā ropaṇaṃ kāryaṃ śrāvaṇeṣu viśeṣataḥ | aparādha-sahasrāṇi kṣamate puruṣottamaḥ || iti | tatra vānyatra kārttika-māhātmye - tulasyā kurute yas tu śāgrāma-śilārcanam | dvātriṃśad-aparādhāṃś ca kṣamate tasya keśavaḥ || iti | anyatra - yaḥ karoti hareḥ pūjāṃ kṛṣṇa-śatrāṅkito naraḥ | aparādha-sahasrāṇi nityaṃ harati keśavaḥ || iti | ādi-vārāhe - saṃvatsarasya madhye tu tīrthe śaukarake mama | kṛtopavāsaḥ snānena gaṅgāyāṃ śuddhim āpnuyāt || mathurāyāṃ tathāpy evaṃ sāparādhaḥ śuci bhavet | anayos tīrthayor ekaṃ yaḥ seveta sukṛtī naraḥ || sahasra-janma-janitān aparādhān jahāti saḥ || iti | śaukarake śūkara-kṣetrākhye | mahad-aparādhas tu cāṭukārādinā vā tat- prīty-artha-kṛtena nirantara=dīrgha-kālīna-bhagavan-nāma-kīrtanena vā taṃ prasādya kṣamāpanīya ity avocāmaiva | tat-prasādaṃ vinā tad-asiddheḥ | ataevoktaṃ śrī-śivaṃ dakṣeṇa - yo'sau mayāvidita-tattva-dṛśā sabhāyāṃ kṣipto durukti-viśikhair vigaṇayya tan mām | arvāk patantam arhattama-nindayāpād dṛṣṭyārdrayā sa bhagavān sva-kṛtena tuṣyet || [BhP 4.7.15] iti | evam uttaratrāpi jñeyam | atha vandanam | tac ca yadyapy arcanāṅgatvenāpi vartate tathāpi kīrtana- smaraṇavat svātantryeṇādīty abhipretya pṛthag vidhīyate | evam anyatrāpi jñeyam | vandanasya pṛthag-vidhānaṃ cānanta-guṇaiśvarya-śravaṇāt tad- guṇānusandhāna-pāda-sevādau vidhṛta-dainyānāṃ namaskāra-mātre kṛtādhyavasāyānām arthe | sa eva namaskāras tasyārcanatvenāpy atidiṣṭaḥ | yathā nārasiṃhe - (page 159) namaskāraḥ smṛto yajñaḥ sarva-yajñeṣu cottamaḥ | namaskāreṇa cakena sāṣṭāṅgena hariṃ vrajet || iti | tad etad-vandanaṃ yathā - tat te'nukampāṃ su-samīkṣamāṇo bhuñjāna evātma-kṛtaṃ vipākam | hṛd-vāg-vapurbhir vidadhan namas te jīveta yo mukti-pade sa dāya-bhāk || [BhP 10.14.8] yasmād guṇātmanas te'pi guṇān vimātum [BhP 10.14.7] ity ādinā tādṛśatvam ucyate tat tasmāt | namo namaskāram | mukti-pade navama-padārthasya mukter apy āśraye paripūrṇa-daśama-padārthe | yad vā muktir iha pañcama- stha-gadyānusāreṇa premaiva tat-pade tad-viṣaye paripūrṇa-bhagaval-lakṣaṇe tvayi dāya-bhāg bhavati | bhrātṛ-vaṇṭana iva tvaṃ tasya dāyatvena vartasa ity arthaḥ | mukti-mātraṃ tu sakṛn namaskāreṇaivāsannaṃ syāt | yathā viṣṇu- dharme - durga-saṃsāra-kāntāram apāram abhidhāvatām | ekaḥ kṛṣṇe namaskāro mukti-tīrasya deśikaḥ || iti | tat te ity atra susamīkṣamāṇaḥ iti ṭīkā | yad vā pratikṣaṇaṃ nirupādhi- kṛpayaiva prabhuṇā tathā tathā kriyamāṇām anukampāṃ suṣṭhu-rūpām īkṣamāṇas tatrānandībhavan tāṃ samyak paśyan vibhāvayan tathā hṛdā yad vā vācā yad vā vapuṣā namo vidadhaj jana ity ādi vyākhyā jñeyā | namaskāre'py aparādhāś caite parihartavyāḥ viṣṇu-smṛty-ādi-dṛṣṭyā | ye khalu eka-hasta-kṛtatva-vastrāvṛta-dehatva-bhagavad-agra-pṛṣṭha-vāma- bhāgātyanta-nikaṭa-garbha-mandira-gatatvādi-mayāḥ | || 10.14 || śrī-brahmā bhagavantam || 303 ||
English translation
English witness · section(s) 306
Anuccheda 306
1 Now thinking of the Lord as one's friend will be described. Being a friend of the Lord and desiring His welfare is described in these words of Srimad Bhagavatam (10.14.32): "How greatly fortunate are Nanda Maharaja, the cowherd men and all the inhabitants of Vrajabhumi! There is no limit to their fortune because the Absolute Truth, the source of transcendental bliss, the eternal Supreme Brahman, has become their friend."* Here the word "mitra" indicates friendship with the Lord. 2 In the Ramarcana-dipika it is said: "The Supreme Personality of Godhead now stays in a place as if He were a human being. Many great devotees have come to see Him and to act like His friends and relatives." 3 Intimate love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as His friend or relative, is even better than being a servant of the Lord. Friendship for the Supreme Personality of Godhead is in this way described in the Vedic scriptures. This is not surprising. That one must have a nature like the Lord's to thus approach Him is described in these words of the scriptures: "the Lord cannot be served by one whose nature is not like the Lord's nature." Sometimes it is said that being thus in an equal position with the Lord is an impediment to true devotional service. The pure devotees of the Lord reject this idea. They accept that friendship with the Lord is very favourable for devotional service. 4 Servitorship and friendship are two ways of direct devotional service to the Lord. This is shown in the following Srimad-Bhagavatam verse and its commentary. There Sridama Vipra declares (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.81.36): "Life after life may I have a relationship of love, friendship, sympathy and service toward Him, the supremely compassionate reservoir of all transcendental qualities. And may I cultivate my firm attachment to Him by the precious association of His devotees."*** 5 Srila Sridhara Svami comments: "Seeing Lord Krsna's love for His devotees, Sridama Vipra prays for devotion to the Lord. Here the word "sauhrdam" means :love", "sakhyam" means "being the well-wisher", "maitrim" means "benefiting Him", and "dasyam" means :being His servant and order-carrier". Sridama prays, "Let my (me) relationship with Him be (syat) like this. Let it not be a relationship of awe inspired by His great opulences". 6 Because it is the goal of the nine methods of devotional service, pure love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead is not included among the items discussed here. However, being a friend of the Lord and being His well-wisher are included. Friendship and servitorship are accepted in this way. 7 Offering the results of one's work and attaining faith in devotional service are not mentioned here because these two are not direct devotional service. Offering the results of one's work leads to faith in devotional service and faith in devotional service leads to engagement in devotional service. This has already been explained. The devotee becomes the well-wishing friend of the Lord and the Lord becomes the well-wishing friend of His devotee. They associate with each other eternally. 8 It is not very difficult to worship the Lord as one's friend. Sri Prahlada explains (Srimad Bhagavatam 7.7.38): "O my friends, sons of the asuras, the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His Supersoul feature always exist within the cores of the hearts of all living entities. Indeed, He is the well wisher and friend of all living entities, and there is no difficulty in worshipping the Lord. Why, then should people not engage in His devotional service? Why are they so addicted to unnecessarily producing artificial paraphernalia for sense gratification?"* 9 Here the word "chidravat" means "like the sky, which is never contaminated". The reason why there is no difficulty in worshipping the Lord is given in the following words: 1. In His pure form the Supreme Lord is the Supersoul present in all embodied beings (dehinam sva atma), 2. the Supreme Lord is the friend of everyone, equally and without exception (samanyatah), 3. as the Supersoul in the heart He is the well wisher of all. Therefore at the appropriate times He gives either material things or a wealth of spiritual love for Him (hareh). The conclusion, however, is, "What is the use of temporary material benefits like having a beautiful wife or mastery over others?" This verse was spoken by Sri Prahlada to the sons of the demons.
Bhakti · Sanskrit §304 · English §307
Source[३०४] अथ दास्यम् । तच् च श्री-विष्णोर् दासं-मन्यत्वम् । जन्मान्तर-सहस्रेषु यस्य स्यान् मतिर् ईदृशी । दासोऽहं वासुदेवस्य सर्वान् लोकान् समुद्धरेत् ॥ इत्य् उक्त-लक्षणम् । अस्तु तावद्-भजन-प्रयासः केवल-तादृशत्वाभिमानेनापि सिद्धिर् भवतीत्य् अभिप्रेत्यैवोत्तरत्र निर्देशश् च तस्य । यथोक्तं जन्मान्तर- इत्य् एतत्- पद्यस्यैवान्ते किं पुनस् तद्-गत-प्राणाः पुरुषाः संयतेन्द्रियाः इति । श्री- प्रह्लाद-स्तुतौ तत् तेऽर्हत्तम [भ्प् ७.९.४९] इत्य् आदि-पद्ये तु नम-स्तुति-सर्व- कर्मार्पण-परिचर्या-चरण-स्मृति-कथा-श्रवणात्मकं दास्यं टीकायां सम्मतम् । श्रीमद्-उद्धव-वाक्ये च - त्वयोपभुक्त-स्रग्-गन्ध- वासो-ऽलङ्कार-चर्चिताः । उच्छिष्ट-भोजिनो दासास् तव मायां जयेम हि ॥ [भ्प् ११.६.४६] इति । तत्र तत्र च कार्य-द्वारैव निर्दिष्टम् । उदाहरणं तु - स वै मनः कृष्ण-पदारविन्दयोः [भ्प् ९.४.१५] इत्य् आदौ । कामं च दास्ये न तु काम- काम्यया [भ्प् ९.४.१७] भोगेच्छया तं चकार इति वासनान्तर-व्यवच्छेदः ॥ ॥ ९.४ ॥ श्री-शुकः ॥ ३०४ ॥
[304] atha dāsyam | tac ca śrī-viṣṇor dāsaṃ-manyatvam | janmāntara-sahasreṣu yasya syān matir īdṛśī | dāso'haṃ vāsudevasya sarvān lokān samuddharet || ity ukta-lakṣaṇam | astu tāvad-bhajana-prayāsaḥ kevala-tādṛśatvābhimānenāpi siddhir bhavatīty abhipretyaivottaratra nirdeśaś ca tasya | yathoktaṃ janmāntara- ity etat- padyasyaivānte kiṃ punas tad-gata-prāṇāḥ puruṣāḥ saṃyatendriyāḥ iti | śrī- prahlāda-stutau tat te'rhattama [BhP 7.9.49] ity ādi-padye tu nama-stuti-sarva- karmārpaṇa-paricaryā-caraṇa-smṛti-kathā-śravaṇātmakaṃ dāsyaṃ ṭīkāyāṃ sammatam | śrīmad-uddhava-vākye ca - tvayopabhukta-srag-gandha- vāso-'laṅkāra-carcitāḥ | ucchiṣṭa-bhojino dāsās tava māyāṃ jayema hi || [BhP 11.6.46] iti | tatra tatra ca kārya-dvāraiva nirdiṣṭam | udāharaṇaṃ tu - sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ [BhP 9.4.15] ity ādau | kāmaṃ ca dāsye na tu kāma- kāmyayā [BhP 9.4.17] bhogecchayā taṃ cakāra iti vāsanāntara-vyavacchedaḥ || || 9.4 || śrī-śukaḥ || 304 ||
English translation
English witness · section(s) 307
Anuccheda 307
1 The Supreme Personality of Godhead declares (Srimad Bhagavatam 9.4.66): "As chaste women bring their gentle husbands under control by service, the pure devotees, who are equal to everyone and completely attached to Me in the core of the heart, bring Me under their full control."* 2 The example given in this verse shows the nature of devotional service in friendship with the Lord. This verse is spoken by the Lord of Vaikuntha to Durvasa Muni.
Bhakti · Sanskrit §305 · English §308
Source[३०५] तद् एतद्-दास्य-सम्बन्धेनैव सर्वम् अपि भजनं महत्तरं भवतीत्य् आह - यन्-नाम-श्रुति-मात्रेण पुमान् भवति निर्मलः । तस्य तीर्थ-पदः किं वा दासानाम् अवशिष्यते ॥ [भ्प् ९.५.१६] यस्य भगवतो नाम-श्रवण-मात्रेण यथा कथञ्चित् तच्-छ्रवणेन किं पुनः सम्यक् तत्-तद्-भजनेनेत्य् अर्थः । (पगे १६०) तर्हि दासोऽस्मीत्य् अभिमानेन सम्यग् एव भजतां सर्वत्र साधने साध्ये च किम् अवशिष्यते । तद्-अधिकम् अन्यत् किम् अपि नास्तीत्य् अर्थः ॥ ॥ ९.५ ॥ दुर्वासा श्रीमद्-अम्बरीषम् ॥ ३०५ ॥
[305] tad etad-dāsya-sambandhenaiva sarvam api bhajanaṃ mahattaraṃ bhavatīty āha - yan-nāma-śruti-mātreṇa pumān bhavati nirmalaḥ | tasya tīrtha-padaḥ kiṃ vā dāsānām avaśiṣyate || [BhP 9.5.16] yasya bhagavato nāma-śravaṇa-mātreṇa yathā kathañcit tac-chravaṇena kiṃ punaḥ samyak tat-tad-bhajanenety arthaḥ | (page 160) tarhi dāso'smīty abhimānena samyag eva bhajatāṃ sarvatra sādhane sādhye ca kim avaśiṣyate | tad-adhikam anyat kim api nāstīty arthaḥ || || 9.5 || durvāsā śrīmad-ambarīṣam || 305 ||
English translation
English witness · section(s) 308
Anuccheda 308
1 In Srimad Bhagavatam (4.12.37) it is said: "Persons who are peaceful, equiposed, cleansed and purified, and who know the art of pleasing all other living entities, keep friendship only with devotees of the Lord. They alone can very easily achieve the perfection of going back home, back to Godhead."* 2 Here the word "acyuta-priya-bandhavah" means "they whose friends are the persons dear to the infallible Supreme Personality of Godhead" and the word "acyuta-padam" means "the spiritual world, where the infallible Supreme Personality of Godhead is the master". Thus it is shown that the word "acyuta", appearing two times in this verse, has the same meaning each time. The meanings are not different. This verse was spoken by Maitreya Muni.
Bhakti · Sanskrit §306 · English §309
Source[३०६] अथ सख्यम् । तच् च हिताशंसन-मयं बन्धु-भाव-लक्षणम् । यन्- मित्रं परमानन्दम् [भ्प् १०.१४.३०] इत्य् अत्र तथैव मित्र-पद-न्यासात् । यथा रामार्चन-चन्द्रिकायाम् - परिचर्या-पराः केचित् प्रासादादिषु शेरते । मनुष्यम् इव तं द्रष्टुं व्यवहर्तुं च बन्धुवत् ॥ इति । अस्य चोत्तरत्र पाठः प्रेम-विश्रम्भवद् भावनामयत्वेन दास्याद् अप्य् उत्तमत्वापेक्षया । किं च परमेश्वरेऽपि यत् सख्यं शास्त्रे विधीयते तन् नाश्चर्यम् । न देवो देवम् अर्चयेत् इति तद्-भावस्यापि विधान-श्रवणात् । किन्तु तद्-भावस् तत्-सेवाविरुद्ध इति शुद्ध-भक्तैर् उपेक्ष्यते । सख्यं तु परम-सेवानुकूलम् इत्य् उपादीयत इति । तद् एतत् साक्षाद् भजनात्मकं दास्यं सख्यं च टीकायाम् अपि दर्शितम् अस्ति - तस्यैव मे सौहृद-सख्य-मैत्री- दास्यं पुनर् जन्मनि जन्मनि स्यात् । [भ्प् १०.८१.२९] इत्य् अत्र श्रीदाम-विप्र- वाक्ये । यथा श्री-कृष्णस्य भक्त-वात्सल्यं दृष्ट्वा तद्-भक्तिं प्रार्थयते तस्येति । सौहृदं प्रेम च सख्यं हिताशंसनं च मैत्री उपकारित्वं च दास्यं सेवकत्वं च । तत्-समाहार एक-वचनम् । तस्य सम्बन्धि मे मम स्यात्, न तु विभूतिर् इत्य् एतत् । तत्र नव-विधायां साध्यत्वात् प्रेमा नान्तर्भाव्यते । मैत्री तु सख्य एवान्तर्भाव्येति दास्य-सख्ये द्वे एव गृहीते । अत्र च ताभ्यां कर्मार्पण-विश्वासौ न व्याख्यातौ साक्साद्- भक्तित्वाभावात् । कर्मार्पणस्य फलं भक्तिर् विश्वासश् च भक्त्य्- अभिनिवेश-हेतुर् इतीह पूर्वम् उक्तम् । तच् च भगवद्-विषय-हिताशंसन- मयं सख्यम् । भगवत्-कृत-हिताशंसनस्य नित्यत्वात्, तेन सह तस्य नित्य- सहवासाच् च । भजन-विशेषेणापि विशिष्टं सम्पादयितुं नातिदुष्करं स्याद् इत्य् आह - कोऽति-प्रयासोऽसुर-बालका हरेर् उपासने स्वे हृदि छिद्रवत् सतः । स्वस्यात्मनः सख्युर् अशेष-देहिनां सामान्यतः किं विषयोपपादनैः ॥ [भ्प् ७.७.३८] छिद्रवद् आकाशवद् अलिप्तत्वेन सदा वर्तमानस्य । नातिप्रयासे हेतुः - सर्वेषां देहिनां य आत्मा शुद्धं स्वरूपं तस्य । सामान्यतः सर्वत्र निर्विशेषतयैव सखा । यथावसरं बहिर्-अन्तःकरण-विषयादि-लक्षण- मायिक्या निज-प्रेमादि-लक्षणा-मायिक्याश् च सम्पत्तेर् दानेन हिताशंसी यस् तस्य हरेः । तस्माद् आरोपितानां नश्वराणां विषयाणां जायापत्यादीनाम् उपार्जनैः किम् इति । ॥ ७.७ ॥ श्री-प्रह्लादोऽसुर-बालकान् ॥ ३०६ ॥
[306] atha sakhyam | tac ca hitāśaṃsana-mayaṃ bandhu-bhāva-lakṣaṇam | yan- mitraṃ paramānandam [BhP 10.14.30] ity atra tathaiva mitra-pada-nyāsāt | yathā rāmārcana-candrikāyām - paricaryā-parāḥ kecit prāsādādiṣu śerate | manuṣyam iva taṃ draṣṭuṃ vyavahartuṃ ca bandhuvat || iti | asya cottaratra pāṭhaḥ prema-viśrambhavad bhāvanāmayatvena dāsyād apy uttamatvāpekṣayā | kiṃ ca parameśvare'pi yat sakhyaṃ śāstre vidhīyate tan nāścaryam | na devo devam arcayet iti tad-bhāvasyāpi vidhāna-śravaṇāt | kintu tad-bhāvas tat-sevāviruddha iti śuddha-bhaktair upekṣyate | sakhyaṃ tu parama-sevānukūlam ity upādīyata iti | tad etat sākṣād bhajanātmakaṃ dāsyaṃ sakhyaṃ ca ṭīkāyām api darśitam asti - tasyaiva me sauhṛda-sakhya-maitrī- dāsyaṃ punar janmani janmani syāt | [BhP 10.81.29] ity atra śrīdāma-vipra- vākye | yathā śrī-kṛṣṇasya bhakta-vātsalyaṃ dṛṣṭvā tad-bhaktiṃ prārthayate tasyeti | sauhṛdaṃ prema ca sakhyaṃ hitāśaṃsanaṃ ca maitrī upakāritvaṃ ca dāsyaṃ sevakatvaṃ ca | tat-samāhāra eka-vacanam | tasya sambandhi me mama syāt, na tu vibhūtir ity etat | tatra nava-vidhāyāṃ sādhyatvāt premā nāntarbhāvyate | maitrī tu sakhya evāntarbhāvyeti dāsya-sakhye dve eva gṛhīte | atra ca tābhyāṃ karmārpaṇa-viśvāsau na vyākhyātau sāksād- bhaktitvābhāvāt | karmārpaṇasya phalaṃ bhaktir viśvāsaś ca bhakty- abhiniveśa-hetur itīha pūrvam uktam | tac ca bhagavad-viṣaya-hitāśaṃsana- mayaṃ sakhyam | bhagavat-kṛta-hitāśaṃsanasya nityatvāt, tena saha tasya nitya- sahavāsāc ca | bhajana-viśeṣeṇāpi viśiṣṭaṃ sampādayituṃ nātiduṣkaraṃ syād ity āha - ko'ti-prayāso'sura-bālakā harer upāsane sve hṛdi chidravat sataḥ | svasyātmanaḥ sakhyur aśeṣa-dehināṃ sāmānyataḥ kiṃ viṣayopapādanaiḥ || [BhP 7.7.38] chidravad ākāśavad aliptatvena sadā vartamānasya | nātiprayāse hetuḥ - sarveṣāṃ dehināṃ ya ātmā śuddhaṃ svarūpaṃ tasya | sāmānyataḥ sarvatra nirviśeṣatayaiva sakhā | yathāvasaraṃ bahir-antaḥkaraṇa-viṣayādi-lakṣaṇa- māyikyā nija-premādi-lakṣaṇā-māyikyāś ca sampatter dānena hitāśaṃsī yas tasya hareḥ | tasmād āropitānāṃ naśvarāṇāṃ viṣayāṇāṃ jāyāpatyādīnām upārjanaiḥ kim iti | || 7.7 || śrī-prahlādo'sura-bālakān || 306 ||
English translation
English witness · section(s) 309
Anuccheda 309
1 Now will be discussed surrendering everything to the Lord. That means offering everything, from the external material body to the pure spirit soul, to the Lord. That means that one does nothing for one's own sake, but everything for the sake of the Lord. That means that all one's activities and goals are meant to please Him. When one surrenders to the Lord, one becomes like a cow sold to a buyer. When the cow is sold, the seller no longer works to maintain the cow. The buyer must now work to maintain it. The seller does not again maintain the cow. 2 Surrendering everything to the Lord is described in these words of Sri Rukmini (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.52.39): "Therefore, my dear Lord, I have chosen You as my husband, and I surrender myself to You. Please come swiftly, O almighty one, and make me Your wife. My dear lotus-eyed Lord, let Sisupala never touch the hero's portion like a jackal stealing the property of a lion."*** 3 Some say that surrendering everything means surrendering one's material body to the Lord. This is described in Bhakti-viveka: "When one sells a cow, one no longer worries how to maintain the cow. In the same way, when one surrenders one's body to Lord Hari, one puts an end to the struggle to maintain it." 4 Others say that surrendering everything means surrendering oneself, the pure spirit soul, to the Lord. This is described in the prayers of Sri Yamunacarya (Stotra-ratna 49): "O Lord, whatever I possess in terms of this body and its paraphernalia, and whatever I have from the modes of nature, today I offer at Your feet." 5 Others say that surrendering everything means surrendering to the Lord the deeds that begin with one's right hand. Thus the word that one performs with one's body or other instruments is not performed for one's own benefit. It is offered to the Lord. This is described in the following words of Srimad-Bhagavatam (9.4.18-20): 6-8 "Maharaja Ambarisa always engaged his mind in meditating upon the lotus feet of Krsna, his words in describing the glories of the Lord, his hands in cleansing the Lord's temple, and his ears in hearing the words spoken by Krsna or about Krsna. He engaged his eyes in seeing the Deity of Krsna, Krsna's temples and Krsna's places like Mathura and Vrndavana, he engaged his sense of touch in touching the bodies of the Lord's devotees, he engaged his sense of smell in smelling the fragrance of tulasi offered to the Lord, and he engaged his tongue in tasting the Lord's prasada. He engaged his legs in walking to the holy places and temples of the Lord, his head in bowing down before the Lord, and all his desires in serving the Lord. twenty four hours a day. Indeed, Maharaja Ambarisa never desires anything for his own sense gratification. He engaged all his senses in devotional service, in various engagements related to the Lord. This is the was to increase attachment for the Lord and be completely free from all material desires."* 9 Here the word "cakara" means :"he offered". "Krsna-padaravindayoh" means "in many different ways he served Lord Krsna's lotus feet and the other parts of the Lord's transcendental body". "Lingam" means "the Deity form of the Lord", "alayah" means "the Lord's devotees, the Lord's temple, and the holy places sacred to the Lord", "tat-pada-sarjoa-saurabhe srimat-tulasyah" means "he smelled the fragrance of Sri Tulasi offered to the lotus feet of the Lord", "tad-arpite" means "maha-prasada foods and other things offered to the Lord", and "kamam ca dasye" means "his desires were placed in serving the Lord". What activities did he perform? That is explained in the words "yathottamasloka-janasraya ratih" (he engaged all his senses in devotional service, in various engagements related to the Lord). In these many ways he surrendered to the Lord. Worshipping the Lord by remembering Him and in other ways also, he surrendered to the Lord. 10 The Lord explains (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.19.24): "Firm faith in the blissful narrations of My pastimes, constant chanting of my glories, unwavering attachment to ceremonial worship of Me, praising Me through beautiful hymns, great respect for My devotional service, offering obeisances with the entire body, performing first-class worship of My devotees, consciousness of Me in all living entities, offering of ordinary, bodily activities in My devotional service, use of words to describe My qualities, offering the mind to Me, rejecting of all material desires, giving up wealth for My devotional service, renouncing material sense gratification and happiness, and performing all desirable activities such as charity, sacrifice, chanting, vows and austerities with the purpose of achieving Me, these constitute actual religious principles, by which those human beings who have actually surrendered themselves to Me automatically develop love for Me. What other purpose or goal could remain for My devotee?"*** 11 Remembering the Lord, glorifying Him and serving His feet are all included with devotional service. Although the Agama-sastras sometimes describe Deity worship as something different from devotional service, it is not really different. Bathing and dressing the Deity as well as the other activities of Deity worship are all appropriate activities of devotional service. Also, these activities are not opposed to or different from surrendering everything to the Lord. 12 Surrendering everything is praised in these words of Sri Prahlada (Srimad Bhagavatam 7.6.26): "Religion, economic development and sense gratification, these are described in the Vedas as tri-varga, or three ways to salvation. Within these three categories are education and self-realisation, ritualistic ceremonies performed according to Vedic injunction, logic, the science of law and order, and the various means of earning one's livelihood. These are the external subject matters of study in the Vedas, and therefore I consider them material. However, I consider surrender to the lotus feet of Lord Visnu to be transcendental."* 13 Surrendering everything is also praised in these words of the Supreme Personality of Godhead (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.29.34): "A person who gives up all fruitive activities and offers himself entirely unto Me, eagerly desiring to render service unto Me, achieves liberation from birth and death and is promoted to the status of sharing My own opulences."* 14 Surrendering everything to the Lord is seen to be of two kinds: 1. surrender performed without ecstatic love, and 2. surrender performed with ecstatic love. The verse (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.29.34) quoted in the preceding text is an example of the former. An example of the latter is found in Srimad Bhagavatam (11.11.35) where the Supreme Personality of Godhead declares: "Accepting oneself as My eternal servant, one should give oneself completely to Me."*** 15 Another example of surrender with ecstatic love is seen in these words of Sri Rukmini (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.52.39): "Therefore, my dear Lord, I have chosen You as my husband, and I surrender myself to You. Please come swiftly, O almighty one, and make me Your wife. My dear lotus-eyed Lord, let Sisupala never touch the hero's portion like a jackal stealing the property of a lion."*** 16 The verses (Srimad Bhagavatam 9.4.18-20) quoted in texts 6-8 of this anuccheda were spoken by Srila Sukadeva Gosvami.
Bhakti · Sanskrit §307 · English §310–311
Source[३०७] तद् यथा - मयि निर्बद्ध-हृदयाः साधवः सम-दर्शनाः । वशे कुर्वन्ति मां भक्त्या सत्-स्त्रियः सत्-पतिं यथा ॥ [भ्प् ९.४.६६] अत्र दृष्टान्तेनांशतः सख्यात्मका भक्तिर् लक्ष्यते । ॥ ९.४ ॥ श्री-वैकुण्ठो दुर्वाससम् ॥ ३०७ ॥
[307] tad yathā - mayi nirbaddha-hṛdayāḥ sādhavaḥ sama-darśanāḥ | vaśe kurvanti māṃ bhaktyā sat-striyaḥ sat-patiṃ yathā || [BhP 9.4.66] atra dṛṣṭāntenāṃśataḥ sakhyātmakā bhaktir lakṣyate | || 9.4 || śrī-vaikuṇṭho durvāsasam || 307 ||
English translation
English witness · section(s) 310–311
Anuccheda 310
1 In this way devotional service performed by following the rules and regulations (vaidhi bhakti) has been described. Some features of vaidhi bhakti have been described here, some have not been described here, and some have not been described here, and some have been glorified in other parts of this book. The different kinds of faith and different kinds of glorious features or vaidhi bhakti described here are not at odds with each other. They are meant for different kinds of persons in the same way different kinds of medicines are meant for different kinds of patients. 2 Now spontaneous devotional service (raganuga bhakti) will be described. In raganuga bhakti there is great love and a strong desire to attain the Lord. This is called raga. When the eyes and other senses are attracted to the handsomeness and other transcendental qualities of the Lord, that is called raga, or passionate love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. 3 There are many different kinds of raga. This is seen in the following statement of the Supreme Personality of Godhead (Srimad Bhagavatam 3.25.38): "My dear mother, devotees who receive such transcendental opulences are never bereft of them. Neither weapons nor the change of time can destroy such opulences. Because the devotees accept Me as their friend, their relative, their son, preceptor, benefactor, and Supreme deity, they cannot be deprived of their possession at any time."* 4 The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the beloved (priya) of the dear gopis, the Supreme Brahman (atma) for the sages headed by Sri Sanaka-kumara, the son (suta) of they who are headed by the King of Vraja, the friend (sakha) of they who are headed by Sridama, the preceptor (guru) of they who are headed by Pradyumna, the brother of someone, the cousin of someone, and the father-in-law of someone. He is the friend (suhrah) of many friends headed by Sridama. He is the master (daivam istam) of many servants headed by Daruka. 5 Here it may be said that the demigods Siva fell in love with the Supreme Lord's incarnation of Srimati Mohini-devi, and this should be considered ecstatic love for the Lord. This idea is not accepted, for it is not confirmed by the words of scripture. Lord Siva became bewildered by the Lord's illusory potency (maya) and his love for Mohini was material lust. 6 When one thinks of the Lord in one of these different relationships and engages in the activities of devotional service that begin with hearing about the Lord, glorifying Him, remembering Him, serving His feet, offering obeisances to Him, and surrendering everything to Him, and when one loves the Lord, but one's love is not yet natural or spontaneous, his devotional service is called ragatmika bhakti. 7 When one has already attained passionate love for the Lord, love like a great Ganges river of devotion in which the waves are the various activities of devotional service, and when the activities of devotional service are no longer a means of attaining something that is not already attained, his devotion is called raganuga bhakti. 8 From the passionate love (raga) thus described, attraction (ruci) is born. Attraction (ruci) is not manifested of its own accord. It comes from love (raga). When the faint reflection of the light shining from the nectar moon of this passionate love (raga) shines in the crystal jewel of the heart, then attraction (ruci) is born by the action of passionate love (raga). When attraction (ruci) thus follows (anuga) passionate love (raga), the condition is known as raganuga bhakti. 9 Some call this stage of devotional service avihita bhakti, for it is impelled by attraction alone and is not bound to follow rules and regulations. This explanation should not be accepted. It is not possible for a person completely aloof from all rules and regulations to engage in devotional service. 10 In Srimad Bhagavatam (2.1.7) it is said: "O King Pariksit, mainly the topmost transcendentalists, who are above the regulative principles and restrictions , take pleasure in describing the glories of the Lord."* 11 Vaidhi bhakti. which is dependent on following rules and regulations, is weak, but raganuga bhakti, which is independent of rules and regulations, is powerful. By engaging in raganuga bhakti one comes to dislike anything that has no relation to devotional service. This is explained in the Third Canto, where, describing attraction to the descriptions of the Lord, Sri Vidura says (Srimad Bhagavatam 3.5.13): 12 "For one who is anxious to engage constantly in hearing such topics, krsna-katha gradually increases his indifference towards all other things. Such constant remembrance of the lotus feet of Lord Krsna by the devotee who has achieved transcendental bliss vanquishes all his miseries without delay."* 13 Ruci means when the mind is in the grip of hearing the previous described topics of the Lord. Because raganuga bhakti is not dependent on rules and regulations, the servitorship (dasya) and friendship (sakhya) for the Lord manifested in raganuga bhakti are different from the servitorship and friendship for the Lord manifested in vaidhi bhakti. 14 In Srimad Bhagavatam (7.5.24) it is said: "These nine processes are accepted as pure devotional service. One who has dedicated his life to the service of Krsna through these nine methods should be understood to be the most learned person, for he has acquired complete knowledge."* 15 Great importance is not given to the stages of development manifested in raganuga bhakti. However, importance is given to the stages of development in ragatmika bhakti. In ragatmika bhakti comes the manifestation of ruci. This is described in the following words (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.8.35): 16 "The Supreme Personality of Godhead is absolutely the most dear one for all living beings because He is everyone's well-wisher and Lord. He is the Supreme Soul situated in everyone's heart. Therefore I will now pay the price of complete surrender, and thus purchasing the Lord I will enjoy with Him just like Laksmi-devi."* 17 Thinking of the Supreme Personality of Godhead as her friend and well-wisher, in this verse Pingala desires to attain Him as her husband. That is the meaning here. 18 In the Chandoga-parisista it is said: "Following a vow of chanting caru-mantras, a girl attains oneness with her desired husband." The "oneness" mentioned here is artificial, not real. As a girl may thus purchase an ordinary husband, in the same way, by full self-surrender, one may purchase the Supreme Personality of Godhead as one's husband and enjoy with Him as Laksmi-devi enjoys with her handsome husband. In this way is shown Pingala's attraction (ruci) to the Lord.
Anuccheda 311
1 The activities of raganuga bhakti are described in these words of Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.8.40): "I am now completely satisfied and I have full faith in the Lord's mercy. Therefore I will maintain myself with whatever comes of its own accord. I shall enjoy life with only the Lord, because He is the real source of love and happiness."*** 2 This verse means, "In my mind (atmana) I will enjoy (viharami) with Him (amuna), my affection lover". The mind is mentioned here because the mind is most important in the path of attraction (ruci) to the Lord. Because she did not have the spiritual form of a beloved of the Lord, Pingala engaged her mind in meditating on the Lord in this way. Deity worship tends to remove the boldness (that is a natural part of amorous pastimes). Therefore Deity worship naturally leads to vatsalya rasa, where one is a parent or other guardian of the Lord. This verse was spoken by Sri Pingala.