Vṛndāvane Bhajana (Worship in Vṛndāvana)

This Bengali poem, ‘Vṛndāvane Bhajana’ which was first published in Śrī Gauḍīya Patrikā, Vol.10, issues 9&10 in 1958 was written by Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedānta Swami Prabhupāda while residing as a vānaprastha at the Vaṁśi-Gopāla Temple in Vṛndāvana. Śrīla Prabhupāda talks about the futility of family life, the ineffectiveness of jñāna, karma and yoga, the position of a true Vaiṣṇava and the importance of preaching over solitary bhajana.

**PART ONE **

(1)

*vṛndāvana-dhāme āmi base āchi ekā

*e bhāvanā madhye madhye deya more dekhā

I am sitting alone in Vṛndāvana-dhāma and in the midst of my thoughts, I am receiving some realisations.

(2)

*āche mora strī-putra kanya-nāti saba

*kintu artha nāi bali’ viphala vaibhava

My wife, sons, daughters, grandsons are all there, but because I have no money, they consider that my true wealth is useless.

(3)

*prakṛtira nagna-rūpa dekhāle śrī-kṛṣṇa

*tava kṛpā-bale āja hayechi vitṛṣṇa

Śrī Kṛṣṇa, You have revealed to me the naked form of material nature, and today, by the power of Your mercy, I have become freed from all desires.

(4)

‘yasyāham-anugṛhṇāmi hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ’

*kṛpāmayera ei kṛpā bujhilām kai?

‘He whom I favour, I gradually take away his wealth’ – how can I understand such mercy from the most merciful One?

*** **Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.88.8

PART TWO

(1)

*artha hīna dekhi more cheḍeche sabaī

kuṭumba ātmīya āra bandhu-jana-bhāī*

Seeing that I am bereft of wealth, everyone has abandoned me – family, relatives and friends who were like brothers to me.

(2)

*duḥkha haya hāsi pāya, ekā basi hāsi

māyāra saṁsāra ei kāke bhālabāsi*

Although it is miserable, I am amused and I sit alone and smile. Who are my dear one’s in this material world of māyā?

(3)

*kothā gela mātā pitā āra snehamaya

kothā gela jyeṣṭha yāṅrā svajanādi haya*

Where have my mother and father, who were so full of affection, gone? Where have my elders and close relatives gone?

(4)

*tādera khabara kebā deve more bala

nāme mātra tādera saṁsāra raye gela*

Tell me, who will bring me news of them? All that remains of that family are their names only.

PART THREE

(1)

*samudrera phenā yena kṣaṇe sṛṣṭi **laya

māyāra saṁsāre khelā sei bhāve haya*

It is like the foam on the ocean which appears and disappears momentarily. Māyā’s material world frolics in this way.

(2)

*keha nahe pitā mātā ātmīya svajana

sabāi phenāra mata thāke alpa-kṣaṇa*

**Nobody is actually a father, mother, relative or close friend – all are like foam, remaining for a brief moment. **

(3)

*samudrera phenā yemana samudre miśaya

pañca-bhūtera deha tathā haye yāya laya*

**Just as foam mixes with the sea, the body comprised of the five gross elements also vanishes. **

(4)

*kata deha ei bhāve dharaye śarīrī

anitya śarīre mātra ātmīyā tāhāri*

How many forms does the embodied soul accept in this way? Such relatives are simply connected to the temporary body.

PART FOUR

(1)

*ātmīya sabāi-bhāi! ātmāra sambandhe

ātmīyatā nāhi haya māyamaya gandhe*

O brothers! All of us are actually relatives in relation to the ātmā, and such relationships have no trace of māyā.

(2)

*sakalera ātmā yini svayaṁ bhagavān

tāṅhāra sambandhe viśve sabāi samān*

Bhagavān Himself is the ātmā of all. In relation to Him, everyone in this world is equal.

(3)

*ātmīya tomāra bhāi! yata jīva koṭi

kṛṣṇera sambandhera tāṅrā haya paripāṭi*

O brothers! Whatever the millions of jīvas are, they are your relatives. In relation to Kṛṣṇa they exist harmoniously.

(4)

*‘kṛṣṇa bhuli sei jīva’ bhoga vañchā kare

māyāra saṁsāra tāi jāpaṭiyā dhare*

Forgetting Kṛṣṇa, the jīva desires to enjoy. Due to that, he is held in the material world of māyā.

PART FIVE

(1)

karma*-phale āse saba nānā veśa dhari

veśete majiyā thāke bhuliyā śrī-hari*

Due to the results of karma, everyone accepts various forms, and remaining absorbed in these forms, they forget Śrī Hari.

(2)

ataeva* māyā tāre deya bahu duḥkha

duḥkhe hābu-ḍubu tabu tāhe māne sukha*

**Thus, māyā gives them many tribulations, and rising and submerging within such miseries, they consider this to be happiness. **

(3)

cīra* rogī duḥkha bhogī śayyāte śuiyā

bhāla āchi āja kahe hāsiyā hāsiyā*

One who is always sick and experiencing distress still lies upon his bed and smilingly says, “I am well today!”

(4)

hāsi* pāya tāra ‘bhālo thākāra’ kathāya

māyā baddha jīvera bhāla ei bhāve haya*

His words, “I am doing well” makes me laugh. This is the sort of ‘well’ of a jīva who is bound by māyā.

PART SIX

(1)

kata* ‘plān’ kare tārā bhāla thākibāre

prakṛti bhāṅgiyā deya saba bāre bāre*

They make so many plans to be ‘well’ and material nature breaks them over and over again.

(2)

*‘daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī’ bhagavānera māyā *

‘bhālo thākāra’ artha bujha bhāla ka’re bhāyā*

The divine energy consisting of the modes of nature is Bhagavān’s māyā. O Brothers! You should carefully understand the meaning of being ‘well.’

*** **Bhagavad-gītā 7.14

(3)

keha* ‘bhāla’ nāi hethā ‘tabu bhāla’ bale

ei bhāve māyā saba baddha-jīve chale*

Nobody here is ‘well’, yet they still say, ‘I am well.’ In this way, māyā deceives all the bound jīvas.

(4)

chalanāya* bhuli jīva sarvadā maśgula

māyā lāgi mare tabu bhāṅge nāko bhula*

The jīva forgets and is always absorbed in that deception. Although he is thrashed by māyā, still his forgetfulness does not stop.

PART SEVEN

(1)

bāra* bāra ‘plān’ kari bāra bāra bhaṅge

kakhana bhumite paḍi kakhana ta’ paṅke*

Again and again they make their plans, and again and again such plans are wrecked. Sometimes they fall upon the ground and sometimes they fall into the mud.

(2)

ei* rūpa brahmāṇḍa bhari (jīva) karaye bhramaṇa

guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-nitya-dhana*

In this way, the jīvas fill the universe and wander throughout it, until by the mercy of guru and Kṛṣṇa they achieve the eternal wealth of bhakti.

(3)

sei* dhana mile yadi āra dhana chāḍe

anāyāse cale yāya saṁsārera pāre*

When they attain that wealth, if they reject any other type of ‘treasure’ then they can easily cross beyond the world of birth and death.

(4)

bhava*-pāre ācche cid-vaicitrya apāra

nitya śānti nitya sukhe karaye vihāra*

Beyond this material world there is infinite transcendental variety where the pastimes are full of eternal tranquillity and happiness.

PART EIGHT

(1)

bātula* kahaye – ‘sethā saba nirākāra

nirviśeṣa tini yena śūnyera prakāra”*

One who is insane claims, “Everything there is formless. He has no qualities and is devoid of any variety.”

(2)

rasera* bhāṇḍārī tini ‘raso vai saḥ’

rasika bhāvuka seve hai tāṅra vaśa*

**He is an emporium of rasa. He is rasa itself. One who is a rasika devotee who is in ecstasy engages in His service submissively. **

(3)

śānta*, dāsya, sakhya, vātsalya, rasa āra

sarva rasa śreṣṭha mādhurya rasa sāra*

The rasas are neutrality, servitude, friendship and parental affection, and then there is the quintessential conjugal rasa which is the best of all rasas.

(4)

*cid-jagate ‘rasa’ saba haya upādeya

māyāte tāra chāyā mātra kintu saba heya*

All these rasas in the spiritual world are delectable. But they are inferior in the realm of māyā because they are merely reflections.

PART NINE

(1)

kṛṣṇa* yei bhaje sei hayata catura

māyā jei bhaje sei hayata ‘phatura’*

Whoever worships Kṛṣṇa becomes wise. Whoever worships māyā becomes bankrupt.

(2)

‘phatura’* haibāra lāgi anitya vilāsa

sambandha-jñāna-hīnera haya karma-bandha phāṅsa*

One becomes impoverished through temporary enjoyment. Devoid of sambandha–jñāna, one is bound by the noose of karma.

(3)

arjuna* karaye yuddha (āra) duryodhana kare

arjuna bhakta-śreṣṭha duryodhana mare*

Arjuna engaged in a war and so did Duryodhana. Arjuna was the best of devotees and Duryodhana was killed.

(4)

eka* yuddha-kṣetre dui priyāpriya haya

buddhimāna loka yei bujhite pāraya*

Both were on the same battlefield – one was dear to Kṛṣṇa and the other was not. Those persons who are intelligent are able to understand this.

PART TEN

(1)

*‘sambandha’ jāniyā yebā jīvana-yuddha kare

sei ta’ vāṅciyā thāke āra saba mare*

Whoever knows of his relationship with Kṛṣṇa and fights for Him in this lifetime will certainly live, while all others will die.

(2)

*‘sambandha’ nā jāni yebā āna pathe dhāya

kṛṣṇa-prīti nāhi mile vṛthā janma yāya*

**Whoever does not know of his relationship with Kṛṣṇa and runs down another path will never attain love for Kṛṣṇa and his birth continues to be useless. **

(3)

kṛṣṇa* se ‘sambandha’ ādi bhāla kare bujha

se sambandha rākhi tumi māyā sāthe yujha*

One should first properly understand his relationship with Kṛṣṇa and by maintaining that relationship, you can fight against māyā.

(4)

tāhā* chāḍi’ haya yebā jñāna-karma-vīra

mokṣa nāhi pāya tārā haya ta’asthira*

Whoever rejects that relationship and tries to become successful in karma or jñāna, never achieves mokṣa but remains unstable.

PART ELEVEN

(1)

name*-mātra mahā-dhīra sakale aśānta

bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kāmīra indriya adānta*

**In name only they are mahā-dhīra (supremely sober), but they are all agitated. Desiring mundane sense-enjoyment, liberation, and yogika perfection, their senses are uncontrolled. **

(2)

adānta* indriya nahe yoga-bale vaśa

kata muni yogī saba hayeche vivaśa*

Uncontrolled senses can never be restrained by the power of yoga. How many munis and yogīs have all become uncontrolled!

(3)

hṛṣīkeśa*-sevā vinā hṛṣīka-damana

karamera phera saba bhuñjāya śamana*

Without service to Hṛṣīkeśa there is no control of the senses. They return to engage in karma and all suffer under Yama.

(4)

yogete* indriya saṁyama kabhu nāhi haya

āgama purāṇe tāhā bhuri bhuri kaya*

There is never sensual restraint through yoga. This is stated in many places in the Āgamas and Puṛāṇas.

PART TWELVE

(1)

yogīra* āsane basechila viśvāmitra

janma dila śakuntalā sundarī pavitra*

Viśvāmitra was sitting on the seat of a yogī, yet he still gave birth to the beautiful and pure girl, Śakuntalā.

(2)

ei* bhāve yoga-bhraṣṭa jñānīra ki kathā

karmī saba mūḍha-jana vyathita sarvathā*

This is the way of the unsuccessful yogī, what to say of the jñānī. And all the karmīs are foolish persons who are always troubled.

(3)

kṛṣṇa* yāre kṛpā kari’ upadeśa dena

tini ta’ arjuna sama bhāgyavān hana*

**Those who Kṛṣṇa gives His mercy by imparting His instructions become like Arjuna and are most fortunate. **

(4)

āpanāra* sukha lāgi yebā yuddha kare

duryodhanera mata se sa-vaṁśete mare*

Whoever fights for the sake of his own pleasure perishes long with his whole dynasty just like Duryodhana.

PART THIRTEEN

(1)

kṛṣṇera* lāgiyā yebā nitya yuddha kare

ṛddhi-siddhi, jñāna tāra muṣṭira bhitare*

Whoever eternally fights for Kṛṣṇa attains prosperity and perfection within his fist.

(2)

gītāra* upadeśa bhāi bujha bhāla kari

pāibe kṛṣṇera sevā bhajibe śrī-hari*

**O brothers! Try to understand the instructions of the Gītā properly. By doing so you will achieve service to Kṛṣṇa and always worship Śrī Hari. **

(3)

sarva*-guṇa susampanna bhakta-jana haya

ahiṁsā akrodha tāṅra kāche kichu naya*

**Devotees perfectly possess all good qualities. They do not possess non-violence and absence of anger. **

(4)

bhakta*-dvāre jīve śikṣā dibena śrī-hari

tāhāra sahāya haila ‘pārtha’ nāma-dhārī*

Through the devotees, Śrī Hari gives instruction to the jīvas. One of His assistants bears the name Pārtha.

PART FOURTEEN

(1)

sājila* arjuna yena māyā baddha nara

mohitera nyāya haila pāṇḍava-sodara*

It was arranged that **Arjuna was a man bound by māyā. Thus, the brother of the Pāṇḍavas seemed to be bewildered. **

(2)

ātmīya* svajana hiṁsā pare rājya bhoga

īthe kibā sukha – pārtha dekhāilā śoka*

Pārtha displayed his distress** – “What happiness will I attain by killing my relatives and friends and then enjoying a kingdom?”

(3)

sei* ta’ ‘dehātma-buddhi’ ātmīya-jñāna ka’re

kṣatriya haiyā snehe yuddha-kṣetre chāḍe*

Despite being a kṣatriya, he considered the body as the self and was engrossed in thinking of his relatives. Due to such affection, he abandoned the battlefield.

(4)

moha* dekhi’ kṛṣṇa tāṅ’ra karila nindana

ataeva arjuna kaila śiṣyatva grahaṇa*

**Seeing his bewilderment, Kṛṣṇa insulted him. Thus, Arjuna accepted the position of a disciple. **

PART FIFTEEN

(1)

śiṣya* haiyā kare yei gitāra śravaṇa

ghucibe ajñāna āra saṁsāra bandhana*

**Becoming a disciple, he listened to the Gītā which dispels ignorance and the bondage of the material world. **

(2)

saṁsāra* ghucila kintu bāhya-nyāsī naya

gitāra tātparye gṛhī e rūpa bujhāya*

His bondage to the mundane world was eliminated, but he did not become a sannyāsī externally. In this way, householders can understand the explanation of the Gītā.

(3)

*‘kariṣye vacanaṁ tava’ sei mantra-siddhi *

ataeva yuddhe tāṅra ha’la yaśo-vṛddhi*

“I will do as You say!”* –*** this is the perfect mantra. Therefore, he fought and his fame expanded. **

*** **Bhagavad-gītā 18.73

(4)

vaiṣṇava* nirīha saba mālā japa kare

e kon vaiṣṇava arjuna saṁsāra bhitare*

Vaiṣṇavas are desireless and they all chant japa on beads. Then how can a Vaiṣṇava such as Arjuna be in the midst of this material world?

PART SIXTEEN

(1)

*‘nirdvandva’ vaiṣṇava śudhu japa kare mālā

balaye ei rūpa yā’rā khāya mana-kalā*

“A Vaiṣṇava is equipoised and only chants japa on his beads.” One who says like this is simply eating bananas in his mind!*

*** ****Translator’s Note: **The Bengali expression mana-kalā (mental bananas) refers to something which is unsatisfying, just as satisfying one’s hunger by thinking of bananas is a useless endeavour. Similarly, one who claims that a Vaiṣṇava only chants japa and is always equipoised, has not come to a satisfactory conclusion.

(2)

vaiṣṇava* nirīha, akṛta-droha, haya ta svabhāve

kintu nahe hīna vīrya yathā loka bhāve*

A Vaiṣṇava is desireless, and is naturally devoid of malice. However, this does not mean that he is devoid of chivalry as many people think.

(3)

bhāratera* dui yuddhe dui mahāśaya

vaiṣṇavera agraṇī tārā karila vijaya*

**In Bhārata there were two wars and two great souls. They were the best of Vaiṣṇavas and were victorious. ***

*** ****Translator’s Note: **The two battles were the war against Rāvaṇa in the Rāmāyaṇa, and the war of Kurukṣetra in the Mahābhārata. The two heroes were Hanumān and Arjuna.

(4)

nijendriya* tṛpti vāñchāya yuddhi nāhi kare

vaiṣṇava baliyā tāi vidita saṁsāre*

**It is clearly known throughout the world that a Vaiṣṇava never fights out of a desire to satisfy his own senses. **

PART SEVENTEEN

(1)

vaiṣṇava* nā dekhiyā bale vaiṣṇava niṣkriya

vaiṣṇava ‘prabhura’ sevāya sadāi sakriya*

One who has not seen a Vaiṣṇava says that a Vaiṣṇava is inactive. A Vaiṣṇava is always active in the service of the Lord.

(2)

prāṇa*-hīna kaniṣṭha sei sevā nāhi kare

pratiṣṭhāra tare thāke nirjanera ghare*

**A kaniṣṭha who is devoid of life does not engage in service and desires fame by residing alone in a room. **

(3)

vaiṣṇava* praṇamya śrīla nityānanda rāya

māra khāya prema deya yathāya tathāya*

Śrīla Nityānanda Rāya is adored by the Vaiṣṇavas. He bestowed prema here and there, even when He was hit.

(4)

cakra*-pāṇi gaurahari sethā karila śāsana

vaiṣṇava vidveṣī tabe haila damana*

**Then Gaurahari held the sudarśana-cakra in His hand and prepared to give punishment to those who were inimical to the Vaiṣṇavas, but then He was pacified. **

PART EIGHTEEN

(1)

āpani* ācari prabhu jīvere śikhāya

āpna vañcaka yei sei nirjane bhajāya*

Setting the example Himself, the Lord instructed the jīvas that those that perform solitary bhajana are cheating themselves.

(2)

jagat* bhariyā gela jagāi-mādhāiye

nityānanda vaṁśa bāḍāya śiṣya-sampradāye*

The world has become full of Jagāis and Mādhāis, and those in the dynasty of Nityānanda simply increase the number of disciples in their lineage.

(3)

khāya* dāya thāke veśa ha’ye cintā hīna

vaiṣṇavera ucita nahe thākā dayā hīna*

**Without a thought, they are eating, sleeping and living comfortably. It is not befitting for a Vaiṣṇava to live like this without showing any mercy. **

(4)

‘mādhurya*-kādambinī’ grantha cakravartī gāya

siddhānta dekhaha tathā kibā tāṅra rāya*

In the book Mādhurya Kādambinī, Cakravartī Ṭhākura has sung about this. Look at the conclusions there and what is his verdict.

PART NINETEEN

(1)

bhakti* ahaitukī haya sva-prakāśita

nitya-siddha vastu kintu āche āvarita*

(Cakravartī Ṭhākura says that) bhakti is causeless and self-manifest, yet it is an eternally perfect substance which is dormant (in the jīva).

(2)

madhyama-adhikārī*-vaiṣṇava kṛpā ta’ kariyā

avaiṣṇave kare kṛpā bhakti jāgāiyā*

The madhyama–adhikārī Vaiṣṇava is merciful. He shows compassion to the non-devotees and awakens their bhakti.

(3)

*vaiṣṇavera vaśa hana svayaṁ bhagavān

vaiṣṇavera kṛpāya mugdha haya jāguyān*

Bhagavān Himself becomes subdued by the Vaiṣṇava. Charmed by the Vaiṣṇava’s mercy, He is drawn to him.

(4)

vaiṣṇava* jāgāte pāre ghumanta jagat

tāṅ’rai kṛpāya haya pāpīrā bhakata*

A Vaiṣṇava can awaken the entire world from its slumber. By his mercy a sinful person can become a devotee.

PART TWENTY

(1)

ataeva* tāṅ’ra nahe nirjana bhajana

kaniṣṭha-adhikāra ei jagat-vañcana*

Thus, he does not engage in solitary bhajana. Such a neophyte stage (kaniṣṭha-adhikāra) deceives this world.

(2)

baḍa* baḍa nāma-jādā vaiṣṇava sajjāya

pādrī sāheb āsi mile saba tāya*

In an assembly where there were some very famous Vaiṣṇavas, a Christian priest came and met with them there.

(3)

puchila* śrī-kṛṣṇa-līlā vṛndāvana mājha

nā bujhālo tāre tattva vaiṣṇava-samāja*

He inquired about Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes in Vṛndāvana, but that assembly of Vaiṣṇavas could not explain it philosophically to him.

(4)

kaniṣṭha*-adhikārī saba śāstra nāhi bujhe

nirjane bhajane śudhu ruṭi-cānā kuṅjhe*

**They were all kaniṣṭha-adhikārīs who did not understand śāstra. They were only concerned with their solitary bhajana and searching for chapattis and chickpeas!

PART TWENTY-ONE

(1)

*gurudeva balechila kaniṣṭha e saba

eta-dine bujhilām tāṅra vāṇī-rava*

My Gurudeva said that they were all kaniṣṭhas. I have understood his clear statement on this day.

(2)

*‘śāstra-yuktye sunipuṇa dṛḍha śraddhā yā’ra

uttama-adhikārī sei tarāya saṁsāra’*

“One who is expert in śāstra and possesses firm faith is an uttama–adhikārī who can cross beyond the material world.”*

*****Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 22.65.

(3)

*patita-pāvana tini jagate-te khyāti

e’ patite uddhāraha tabe ta’sukhyāti*

**He is renowned throughout the world as the saviour of the fallen, but his reputation will increase if he saves this fallen one. **

(4)

*kali-kālera jīva saba patita adhama

dekhiyāo nāhi dekhe ihā ki karama*

**In the age of Kali, all jīvas are fallen and vile. Although they can see, they still cannot actually perceive what is happening here. **

PART TWENTY-TWO

(1)

mahā*-vadānya īśvara śrī-gaurasundara

tāṅhāra amṛta-vāṇī madhura mukhara*

The nectarean instructions of Śrī Gaurasundara, that Lord who is most magnanimous, are sweet and resounding.

(2)

bhārata* bhūmite janma haila yāṅhāra

tāṅhāra vāṇīte kara para-upakāra*

His instruction was that whoever has taken birth in the land of Bhārata should work for the welfare of others.

(3)

nirjane* āsvādana se ta’ prabhura līlā

līlā anukaraṇa nahe vaiṣṇavera khelā*

Indeed, in the Lord’s pastimes He remained in solitude relishing rasa, yet a Vaiṣṇava does not imitate such a pastime.

(4)

sevā* kārya vaiṣṇavera nahe āsvādana

jaḍa dehe āsvādana nahe sambhāvana*

**When a Vaiṣṇava performs service he does not relish rasa. There is no possibility of relishing rasa in this physical body. **

PART TWENTY-THREE

(1)

dehātma*-buddhi yāra sei jaḍa deha

sei dehe āsvādana nāhi kare keha*

Anyone who considers the self to be this material body cannot relish rasa with this form.

(2)

vaiṣṇavete* jāti-buddhi prabala pracura

līlā āsvādane kintu baḍa bāhādura*

Some are extremely vehement in considering a Vaiṣṇava to be of a particular caste, yet they are very bold about relishing līlā.

(3)

ḍāka*-gharera kerāṇī (eka) gosāi ṭhākura

bābājī praṇāma kare tāhāre pracura*

There is one clerk at the post office who is a respected gosvāmī and the bābājīs go there and offer many obeisances to him.

(4)

gosāi* ṭhākura kare jāti-abhimāna

nityānanda prabhu-vare kare khāna khāna*

**That respected gosvāmī is proud of his caste, but the exalted Lord Nityānanda breaks that into pieces. **

PART TWENTY-FOUR

(1)

ei* kārya dekhitechi vṛndāvana mājha

ataeva bujhi hethā āche kichu kāja*

I have seen these activities going on in Vṛndāvana. Thus I understand that there is som work to be done here.

(2)

prākṛta*-sahajiyā saba vyabhicāra kare

para-strī la’ye līlā āsvādana kare*

The prākṛta-sahajiyās are all engaged in depravity, seducing the wives of others and relishing such ‘pastimes’.

(3)

*e nahe vṛndāvana-vāsa bhāva sadā mana

gosvāmīra pāda-padma karaha smaraṇa*

**This is not the mood of one who resides in Vṛndāvana. O mind! Always remember the lotus feet of the Gosvāmīs. **

(4)

chaya* gosāi āsi’ yathā dharma pracārila

mahāprabhu ājñāya saba bhakti vistārila*

As the Six Gosvāmīs came and propagated dharma on the order of Mahāprabhu, bhakti spread everywhere.

PART TWENTY-FIVE

(1)

nitya*-siddha pārṣada saba rādhā-kṛṣṇa smare

tāṅdera smaraṇa jīvera sarva-pāpa hare*

They are all eternally perfected associates who meditate upon Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. Their smaraṇa (remembrance of the Lord and His pastimes) eradicates all the sins of the jīvas.

(2)

anukaraṇa* kari yadi sei bhāva dhare

māyā kavalita haya saṁsāra nā tare*

If one imitates this mood of theirs, one will be devoured by māyā and will never cross beyond the world of birth and death.

(3)

pracāra* karaha sadā jīva ghare ghare

saphala haibe jīvana pracārera dvāre*

Always go door to door and preach to the jīvas. Through such preaching one will achieve success in life.

(4)

śrī* dayita dāsa prabhu dena ei sikṣā

kara ucchaiḥ svare nāma ei tāṅra dīkṣā*

My master, Śrī Dayita Dāsa (Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura) has given this instruction – “Chant the Holy Name loudly!” This was his observance.

PART TWENTY-SIX

(1)

kīrtanera* aṅga śudhu nahe ḍhāka ḍhola

ādhunika dhārāya nahe kīrtanera rola*

The aspect of kīrtana is not only the beating of a drum. The sound of kīrtana is not there in modern transmissions.

(2)

hari*-sevāra anukūla sakalai mādhava

tri-jagatera bhoktā haya ekalā yādava*

Things which are favourable for the service of Hari are all non-different from Mādhava. The only enjoyer in the three worlds is Yādava.

(3)

māyāra* vaibhava yata ‘reḍiora’ śabda

kīrtanera dvārā sadā kara tāhā stabdha*

Māyā’s potency is there in the sound of the radio everywhere. Always curb that through the sound of kīrtana.

(4)

māyāra* kac-kaci saba saṁvādera patra

kīrtana karaha tāhe jagate sarvatra*

Newspapers are all full of the useless babble of māyā. Just engage in kīrtana everywhere throughout the world.

PART TWENTY-SEVEN

(1)

ghare* base’ceṅcāiyā pitta-vṛddhi kari

koṭi janme o santuṣṭa habe nā śrī-hari*

Sitting in a room chanting loudly simply increases your bile. Doing this for millions of births will never satisfy Śrī Hari.

(2)

śrī*-hari nahe kāro bābāra sampatti

‘khoṅyāḍera’ bāhira hao nā kara āpatti*

Śrī Hari is not the property of some bābā! Step outside of your tiny pen and stop making so many objections!

(3)

saba* śrī-harira āra śrī-hari sabāra

kara ucca-svare kīrtana ei śikṣā tāṅra*

**Everyone is Śrī Hari’s, and Śrī Hari is everyone’s. Engage in loud kīrtana – this is the Lord’s instruction.

(4)

kīrtana*-prabhāve ha’be smaraṇa āpani

nirjana-bhajana sei hṛdaye takhani*

By the power of kīrtana, smaraṇa occurs. Then solitary bhajana will manifest within the heart.

Śrī Abhaya Caraṇa Bhaktivedānta

Editor, Back to Godhead

(Translated into English by Swami B.V. Giri)

Related Articles, Songs and Prayers

Rasa Saṅketa (The Indications of Rasa) by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura Śrī Māyāpura Prasaṅgaḥ (Topics Concerning Śrī Māyāpura) by Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja Śrīla Prabhupāda Dvādaśakam by Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja O Keśava! Your World is Very Wonderful! – With Illumination by Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja Śrī Gaura-hari Kusuma Stavāṣṭākam by Śrīla Bhakti Rakṣaka Śrīdhara Deva Gosvāmī Śrī Kusumañjalī (An Offering of Flowers) by Śrīla Bhakti Rakṣaka Śrīdhara Deva Gosvāmī Śrī Nāma Māhātmya (The Glories of the Holy Name) by Śrīla Bhakti Rakṣaka Śrīdhara Deva Gosvāmī Śrī Nityānanda Dvādaśakam by Śrīla Bhakti Rakṣaka Śrīdhara Deva Gosvāmī Śrīmad Bhaktivinoda Viraha Daśakam by Śrīla Bhakti Rakṣaka Śrīdhara Deva Gosvāmī Śrī Śrī Gaurasundara Āvirbhava Vāsare by Śrīla Bhakti Rakṣaka Śrīdhara Deva Gosvāmī ‘The Best of Thieves’ – An Illumination by Śrīla Bhakti Rakṣaka Śrīdhara Deva Gosvāmī Mā Muñca Pañca-daśakam (Fifteen Verses Praying Not to be Abandoned) by Śrīla Śrīdhara Deva Gosvāmī Mahārāja Śrīla Sarasvatī Gosvāmyāṣṭakam by Śrīla Śrīdhara Deva Gosvāmī Mahārāja Vṛndāvane Bhajana (Worship in Vṛndāvana) by Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedānta Swami Prabhupāda Vaiśiṣṭyāṣṭaka (Eight Stanzas of Significance) by Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedānta Swami Prabhupāda Svasti No Gaura-vidhur Dadhātu (May the Moon-like Gaura Bestow Auspiciousness) by Śrīla B.P. Purī Mahārāja A Prayer Composed on the Occasion of the Disappearance of Śrīla Gadādhara Paṇḍita by Śrīla Bhakti Pramoda Purī Gosvāmī Śrī Śrī Gaura Gopāla Praśasti
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Further Reading from the Bhaktivinoda Institute

Gītā-mālā (A Garland of Songs) by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura (Songbook) Kalyāṇa Kalpataru (‘The auspicious Desire Tree’) by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura (Songbook) Śaraṇāgati (Surrendered to the Lord’s Shelter) by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura (Songbook) Gītāvalī (A Collection of Songs) by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura (Songbook) Bāula Saṅgīta by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura (Songbook) Sevā Lālasā (Hankering for Service) by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura (Songbook) Śrī Godruma-candra Bhajanopadeśa by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura Śrī Kṛṣṇacandra by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura Śrī Gīta Govinda Introduction by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura Poems by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura