Sree Bhajana Rahasya
ÇRÉ BHAJANA-RAHASYA
nimajjato ’nanta bhavärëaväntaç
ciräya me külam iväsi labdhaù
tvayäpi labdhaà bhagavann idäném
anuttamaà pätram idaà dayäyäù
O Ananta, since time immemorial I have
been drowning in this
unlimited ocean of material existence.
The hope of one day
attaining Your lotus feet is the shore
of this ocean. Immersed in
this material existence, I am tearfully
praying to You with a
distressed voice to please appear as guru
and deliver me.
nija-karma-doña-phale, paòi’ bhavärëava
jale,
häbu òubu khäi kata käla
säìtäri säìtäri yäi, sindhu anta nähi
päi,
bhava-sindhu ananta viçäla
nimagna haiyä yabe, òäkinu kätara rave,
keha more karaha uddhära
sei käle äile tumi, tava pada-küla-bhümi,
äçä-béja haila ämära
tumi hari dayämaya, päile more
suniçcaya,
sarvottama bhäjana dayära
Bhajana-rahasya-våtti
“O Lord, as a result of my previous
activities I am submerged in
the ocean of material existence, where
many kinds of reactions
are rising as huge waves, tormenting me
with happiness and distress.
This path of karma has no
beginning and no end. I do not
know how to swim in this vast ocean,
and the crocodiles of lust,
anger and so forth are eating my body.
O Lord, please rescue me!
You are my only hope. I now relinquish
dependence on my own
strength, and instead am taking shelter
of Your lotus feet. I have
heard from the mahäjanas that
You give mercy according to the
1 3 9
3 / TÅTÉYA-YÄMA-SÄDHANA
extent of a person’s fallen condition.
As You protected the elephant
Gajendra with Your disc, please save me
from this crocodilelike
ocean of material existence. Prabhu, I
have also heard that
You are the pinnacle of compassion.
Please understand that I
am fallen and wretched. Even if someone
searches the entire
universe, he will not find any better
object for this compassion
than I.
Knowing this, kindly bestow Your mercy upon me.”
Text 11
bhavantam evänucaran nirantaraù
praçänta-niùçeña-mano-rathäntaraù
kadäham aikäntika-nitya-kiìkaraù
praharñayiñyämi sanätha-jévitam
All mental creations and desires are
alleviated and the mind pacified
by uninterrupted service to You. When
will I be designated
as Your eternal servant? When will I be
radiant with joy, having
obtained such a competent master as
You?
ämi baòa duñöamati, nä dekhiyä
anya-gati,
tava pade la’yechi çaraëa
jäniyächi ebe nätha, tumi prabhu
jagannätha,
ämi tava nitya parijana
sei dina kabe habe, aikäntika-bhäve
yabe,
nitya-däsya-bhäva päba ämi
manorathäntara yata, niùçeña haibe
svataù,
seväya tuñiba ohe svämi
Bhajana-rahasya-våtti
While chanting, the sädhaka prays
as follows: “O Prabhu, You
are the Lord of the universe and I am
Your servant, but because
of being opposed to serving You, I have
gone far away from You.
Now I am tormented by the three kinds
of afflictions of Your
1 4 0
ÇRÉ BHAJANA-RAHASYA
mäyä. Please bestow the mercy of Your lotus feet upon this
unfortunate person. Prabhu, when will
that auspicious day come
when illusory desires leave my heart
and I become Your unalloyed
servant? At that time I will please You
by fulfilling Your inner
desire (manobhéñöa-sevä).”
Text 12
aparädha-sahasra-bhäjanaà
patitaà bhéma-bhavärëavodare
agatià çaraëägataà hare
kåpayä kevalam ätmasät-kuru
O Hari, I am an offender, guilty of
thousands of offences and
therefore punishable. I am drowning in
this fearsome ocean of
material existence. Lost, I take
shelter of Your lotus feet; please
make me Your own. You have promised
that You will definitely
deliver anyone who has taken shelter of
You. Please therefore
deliver me also.
ämi aparädhé jana, sadä daëòya
durlakñaëa,
sahasra-sahasra doñe doñé
bhéma bhavärëavodare, patita
viñama-ghore,
gati-héna gati-abhiläñé
hare tava pada-dvaye, çaraëa lainu
bhaye,
kåpä kari’ kara ätmasät
tomära pratijïä ei, çaraëa laibe yei,
tumi täre uddhäribe nätha
Bhajana-rahasya-våtti
“O Lord, I am suffering punishment for
my thousands and thousands
of offences. As a fallen soul amidst
the towering waves of
the fearful ocean of material
existence, I am without shelter.
Sometimes the waves in this ocean
submerge me, and sometimes
1 4 1
3 / TÅTÉYA-YÄMA-SÄDHANA
they lift me up and knock me down
again. In this
condition, You who deliver persons from
the ocean of material
existence are my only friend. Please be
merciful to me and make
me Your own. I have heard from the
mouths of sädhus that You
certainly deliver those who have
surrendered unto You. This is
Your promise. Therefore, O Lord, I am
situated at Your lotus feet
with the hope and faith that You will
surely deliver me.”
Text 13
na måñä paramärtham eva me
çåëu vijïäpanam ekam agrataù
yadi me na dayiñyase tato
dayanéyas tava nätha durlabhaù
O Hari, I am submitting at Your lotus
feet a petition in which
there is not the slightest untruth. You
may or may not be merciful
to me, but my complete prayer, which is
full of meaning, is
that if You are not merciful to me,
then it will be impossible for
You to find a more suitable candidate
for Your mercy in this
entire material existence. Your name is
Dayämaya, “one who is
full of mercy”. Therefore, if You do
not make me the object of
Your merciful sidelong glance, Your
name will be disgraced.
agre eka nivedana, kari madhunisüdana,
çuna kåpä kariyä ämäya
nirarthaka kathä naya, nigüòhärthamaya
haya,
hådaya haite bähiräya
ati apakåñöa ämi, parama dayälu tumi,
more dayä tava adhikära
ye yata patita haya, tava dayä tata
täya,
täte ämi supätra dayära
more yadi upekñibe, dayä-pätra kothä
pä’be,
dayämaya nämaöi tomära
1 4 2
ÇRÉ BHAJANA-RAHASYA
Bhajana-rahasya-våtti
“O merciful Madhusüdana, I have a
prayer to present before
Your lotus feet that comes from the
core of my heart. Do not
neglect my prayer, thinking it
meaningless, because in this whole
material existence You will not find a
more wretched person than
I. If You neglect me, whom will You
accept as a fit candidate for
Your mercy? Make Your compassionate
name successful by
bestowing Your mercy upon me.”
Text 14
Freedom from pride is described in the Yämuna-stotra:
amaryädaù kñudraç cala matir
asüyä-prasava-bhüù
kåta-ghno durmäné smara-para-vaço
rakñaëa-paraù
nåçaàsaù päpiñöhaù katham aham ito
duùkha-jaladher
apäräd uttérëas tava paricareyaà
caraëayoù
I am disrespectful, vile,
fickle-minded, full of envy, ungrateful,
dependent on others, cruel and most
sinful. In this condition,
how can I cross this impassable ocean
of material existence and
attain the service of Your lotus feet?
ami ta’ caïcala-mati, amaryäda kñudra
ati,
asüyä prasava sadä mora
päpiñöha kåta-ghna mäné, nåçaàsa
vaïcane jïäné,
käma-vaçe thäki sadä ghora
e hena durjana ha’ye, e duùkha-jaladhi
va’ye,
calitechi saàsära-sägare
kemane e bhavämbudhi, pära ha’ye
niravadhi,
tava pada-sevä mile more
Bhajana-rahasya-våtti
“O Lord, I am a disrespectful, vile jéva
wandering in this material
existence. I am fickle-minded, full of
envy, ungrateful and
1 4 3
3 / TÅTÉYA-YÄMA-SÄDHANA
dependent on others. Please save this
wretched person from this
condition! Without Your mercy there is
no other means of rescue
from this ocean that is so difficult to
cross. I offer millions and
millions of obeisances at Your feet. Please
save me and engage
me in service to Your lotus feet.”
Text 15
Respect for devotees is described in
the Yämuna-stotra:
tava däsya-sukhaika-saìginäà
bhavaneñv astv api kéöa-janma me
itarävasatheñu mä sma bhüd
api janma catur-mukhätmanä
O Bhagavän, if I take birth again due
to my past activities, or by
Your desire, please let it be in the
home of a devotee, even if that
birth is in the body of an insect. I
have no desire to take birth in
a household devoid of devotion to You,
even if it has the opulence
of Brahmä. O Puruñottama, this is my
earnest prayer unto You.
veda-vidhi-anusäre, karma kari’ e
saàsäre,
jéva punaù punaù janma päya
pürva-kåta karma-phale, tomära vä
icchä-bale,
janma yadi labhi punaräya
tabe eka kathä mama, çuna he
puruñottama,
tava däsa saìgi-jana-ghare
kéöa-janma yadi haya, tähäte o
dayämaya,
rahiba he santuñöa antare
tava däsa-saìga-héna, ye gåhastha
arväcéna,
tä’ra gåhe caturmukha-bhüti
nä cäi kakhana hari, kara-dvaya yoòa
kari’,
kare tava kiìkara minati
1 4 4
ÇRÉ BHAJANA-RAHASYA
Bhajana-rahasya-våtti
“O Lord, I have heard from guru and
Vaiñëavas that the living
entity is wandering in the cycle of
birth and death according to
his past activities. Prabhu, even if
according to my auspicious
and inauspicious karma I take
birth in this material world, there
is no cause for grief. However, my
earnest petition at Your lotus
feet is that even if I have to take the
low birth of an insect or dog
as a result of my karma, please
let it be in the home of a devotee
so that I will have the association of
the saintly Vaiñëavas. I
have no desire to take birth in a very
rich family that is opposed
to You, even though its wealth may be
compared to that of
Brahmä. I have heard from the
scriptures that bhakti is born of
sädhu-saìga:
kåñëa-bhakti-janma-müla haya
‘sädhu-saìga’
kåñëa-prema janme, teìho punaù mukhya
aìga
Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya-lélä 22.83)
The root cause of kåñëa-bhakti is
sädhu-saìga. Even when one’s
dormant kåñëa-prema awakens, sädhu-saìga
is still most essential.
“O Merciful One, whether I live in
heaven, hell or anywhere
else, I will hear about Your lotus
feet, sing their glories and meditate
upon them.”
Text 16
Humility that is full of self-surrender
is described in the Yämunastotra
(52):
vapur-ädiñu yo ’pi ko ’pi vä
guëato ’säni yathä-tathä-vidhaù
tad ayaà tava päda-padmayor
aham adyaiva mayä samarpitaù
1 4 5
3 / TÅTÉYA-YÄMA-SÄDHANA
O Bhagavän, in this material existence
there are the bodily
distinctions of male and female, and
according to the three
modes of material nature (sattva,
rajas and tamas) there are the
divisions of the four varëas and
four äçramas. In this way
humanity is unlimitedly variegated. O
Präëeçvara, let me take
birth in any kind of body or in any
condition; it does not matter,
because now I am completely surrendered
unto Your lotus feet
and there is nothing I consider mine.
stré-puruña-deha-gata, varëa-ädi-dharma
yata,
täte punaù deha-gata bheda
sattva-rajas-tamo-guëa, äçrayete bheda
punaù,
ei rüpa sahasra prabheda
ye kona çarére thäki, ye avasthä guëa
räkhi,
se ahaàtä ebe tava päya
sampiläma präëeçvara, mama bali’
ataùpara,
ära kichu nä rahila däya
Bhajana-rahasya-våtti
Here humility that is full of
self-surrender is expressed. While
chanting the holy name, the sädhaka,
in a mood of distress,
submits a humble petition at the lotus
feet of Bhagavän: “O
Bhagavän, giving up this false
identification with the material
male or female body, with social
classification and so on, I
surrender this body at Your lotus feet.
Präëeçvara, You only are
my life.”
As long as the jéva falsely
identifies with the gross and subtle
body, he cannot enter pure bhajana.
When the living entity is
established in the mood of the verse
taught by Çréman
Mahäprabhu – nähaà vipro na ca
nara-patir näpi1 – or in other
words, when he has become free from all
material designations,
the door to the realm of bhajana opens.
1
This verse, from Rüpa Gosvämé’s Padyävalé
(74), is found on p. 248.
1 4 6
ÇRÉ BHAJANA-RAHASYA
Text 17
An ideal example of sincere humility is
given in Kåñëakarëämåta
(30):
nibaddha-mürdhäïjalir eña yäce
nérandhra-dainyonnati-mukta-kaëöham
dayä-nidhe deva bhavat kaöäkñaà
däkñiëya-leçena sakån niñiïca
O Deva! O Ocean of Mercy!
With folded hands raised to my head,
I humbly offer this prayer to You:
please, just once, shower me
with Your merciful sidelong glance.
mastake aïjali bändhi’ ei duñöa-jana
kändi,
niñkapaöa dainya mukta-svare
phükäri’, phükäri’ kaya, ohe deva
dayämaya,
däkñiëya prakäçi’ antaùpare
kåpä-dåñöi ekabära karaha siïcana
tave e-janera präëa haibe rakñaëa
Bhajana-rahasya-våtti
In this verse Léläçuka Bilvamaìgala
Öhäkura prays in a distressed
voice, induced by the humility caused
by the feelings of separation
(viraha) felt by Çré Rädhä. When
Çré Kåñëa left for Mathurä,
He was separated from Rädhä and lived
far away (sudürapraväsa).
Çrématé Rädhikä, agitated by extreme
separation, spoke
with great humility to a bumblebee (Çrémad-Bhägavatam
(10.47.21)): “smarati sa pitå-gehän –
O bumblebee, does äryaputra
(the son of a noble person) remember
us?” She also asked,
“Upon happily returning from Ujjain, will He come to
Våndävana?” When Kåñëa disappeared from
the räsa dance, She
cried out (Çrémad-Bhägvatam (10.30.40)):
“däsyäste kåpaëäyä
me sakhe darçaya sannidhim – O Lord! I am Your maidservant.
Please show Yourself and make Me satisfied.”
1 4 7
3 / TÅTÉYA-YÄMA-SÄDHANA
Desirous of this kind of humility, Çré
Léläçuka is saying, “O
Kåñëa, make me a traveller on the
pathway of Your eyes. Please
give me service to You. Only by Your
mercy can I serve in Your
intimate, secret nikuïja-léläs.
Upon attaining this service, the jéva
becomes forever successful. If I am
unqualified for this service,
then let me worship You, immersed in
these sentiments. I am an
offender; nonetheless, You are an ocean
of mercy. I beg You,
therefore, do not pay attention to my
faults, and please make the
creeper of my desire bear fruit. This
is my prayer unto You.”
Text 18
Kåñëa-karëämåta (29) states:
mayi prasädaà madhuraiù kaöäkñair
vaàçé-ninädänucarair vidhehi
tvayi prasanne kim ihä parair nas
tvayy aprasanne kim ihä parair naù
O Kåñëa, kindly bestow Your mercy upon
me through Your
sweet sidelong glances, which are
accompanied by the sound of
Your flute. When You are pleased with
me, there is no harm if
others are not. But if You become
displeased, even if others are
pleased, what is the use?
madhura kaöäkña-vaàçé-ninädera saha
ämäke prasäda kari’ tava pade laha
prasanna haile tumi anya-prasannatä
prayojana kivä mora, ei mora kathä
tava prasannatä vinä anyera prasäde
ki kärya ämära bala kahinu avädhe
ei rüpa niñöhä saha karile kértana
acire haibe ruci, päbe prema-dhana
pürvähna-kälera lélä ei rüpa haya
nämäçräya-käle cintä kara mahäçaya
1 4 8
ÇRÉ BHAJANA-RAHASYA
Bhajana-rahasya-våtti
Remembering Her previous amorous sports
(viläsa) with Çré
Kåñëa in the kuïjas, Çré Rädhikä
becomes restless in separation
from Him (Çrémad-Bhägavatam (10.47.21)):
“kvacid api sa
kathä naù kiìkaréëäà gåëéte bhujam
aguru-sugandhaà
mürdhny adhäsyat kadä nu – will Kåñëa again place His cooling
hand, which is more fragrant than aguru,
on our heads?” In this
viraha-praläpa (incoherent talk filled with
lamentation, which is
caused by separation from Kåñëa),
Rädhikä says, “O Präëanätha,
please enter the kuïja, casting
the same sidelong glance as You
did before.” What is the nature of this
glance? As Kåñëa plays on
His flute, His sidelong glance
indicates to Rädhä to enter the
kuïja. For this reason, the flute is a giver of bliss. Someone
may
question: “At the time of räsa-lélä,
if Muralévadana’s sidelong
glance signals to Çré Rädhä alone, what
about the other gopés?”
The answer is that by the inconceivable
potency (acintya-çakti)
contained within His flute and sidelong
glance, Kåñëa signals Çré
Rädhä directly and the other gopés indirectly.
Rädhikä says, “I am only concerned with
Your happiness. If all
of us gopés become unhappy but
You are happy, then that is My
cherished desire. If it pleases You to
not appear before Me, then
even the gopés’ endeavours to
find You cannot please Me.”
By resolutely performing bhajana with
the sentiments
described in this third chapter, the
stage of ruci will arise and
gradually the sädhaka will
attain prema.
Text 19
The mid-morning pastimes (pürvähna-lélä)
are described in
Govinda-lélämåta (5.1):
1 4 9
3 / TÅTÉYA-YÄMA-SÄDHANA
I remember Çré Kåñëa, who in the
forenoon goes to the forest
with the cows and His sakhäs.
Çré Nanda, Yaçodä and other
Vrajaväsés follow Him for some
distance. Restless and hankering
to meet with Çré Rädhä, Kåñëa arrives
at the bank of Rädhä-kuëòa
for Their rendezvous (abhisära).
I remember Çré Rädhä, who
after taking Kåñëa’s darçana at
Nanda-bhavana, returns to Her
home. Jaöilä orders Her to worship the
Sun-god. Desiring to learn
of Çré Kåñëa’s whereabouts, Rädhä sits
and looks down the road,
waiting for the return of Her sakhé,
whom She has sent to gather
this information.
dhenu sahacara saìge, kåñëa vane yäya
raìge,
goñöha-jana anuvrata hari
rädhä-saìga-lobhe punaù,
rädhä-kuëòa-taöa-vana,
yäya dhenu saìgé parihari’
kåñëera iìgéta päïä, rädhä nija-gåhe
yäïä,
jaöiläjïä laya süryärcane
gupte kåñëa-patha lakhi’, katakñaëe
äise sakhé,
vyäkulitä rädhä smari mane
Bhajana-rahasya våtti
In pürvähna-lélä, after Çré
Kåñëa has eaten, He prepares to go to
the forest, wearing the attire of a
cowherd boy; and Çré
Våñabhänu-nandiné, decorated with cloth
and ornaments given
by Çré Yaçodä, returns to Jävaöa. They
meet halfway. Upon seeing
Çré Rädhä, Kåñëa’s peacock feather
falls from His head and the
flute slips from His hand. This pastime
is described in the following
verse from Çré
Rädhä-rasa-sudhä-nidhi (39):
pürvähne dhenu-mitrair vipinam anusåtaà
goñöha-lokänuyätaà
kåñëaà rädhäpti-lolaà tad abhisåti-kåte
präpta-tat-kuëòa-téram
rädhäà cälokya kåñëaà kåta-gåha-gamanäm
äryayärkärcanäyai
diñöäà kåñëa-pravåttyai
prahita-nija-sakhé vartma-neträà smarämi
1 5 0
ÇRÉ BHAJANA-RAHASYA
veëuù karän nipatitaù skhalitaà
çikhaëòaà
bhrañöaà ca péta-vasanaà
vrajaräja-sünoù
Kåñëa arrives at the bank of
Rädhä-kuëòa for another meeting
with Çrématé Rädhikä. Not finding Her
there, He becomes
extremely eager, full of desire and
restless. In Jävaöa, meanwhile,
Jaöilä encourages Rädhikä to go and
worship the Sun-god (süryapüjä).
The way in which Rädhikä performs püjä
to Kåñëa at the
place where sürya-püjä is
performed is the wealth that is
attained by the performance of bhajana.
Thus ends the Tåtéya-yäma-sädhana,
Pürvähna-käléya-bhajana, of Çré Bhajana-rahasya.
1 5 1
Text 1
A näma-sädhaka has no desire
other than unadulterated devotional
service to Kåñëa (ahaituké-kåñëa-bhakti).
The fourth verse
of Çikñäñöaka states:
na dhanaà na janaà na sundaréà
kavitäà vä jagadéça kämaye
mama janmani janmanéçvare
bhavatäd bhaktir ahaituké tvayi
O Jagadéça, I do not desire wealth, nor
followers, nor do I desire
beautiful poetry (here meaning
“knowledge”). O Präëeçvara, my
only desire is to have unalloyed devotion
unto Your lotus feet
birth after birth.
gåha-dravya-çiñya-paçu-dhänya-ädi dhana
stré-putra däsa-däsé kuöumbädi jana
kävya-alaìkära-ädi sundaré kavitä
pärthiva-viñaya madhye e saba väratä
Caturtha-yäma-sädhana
4
Madhyähna-käléya-bhajana – ruci-bhajana
(from the second prahara until
three-and-a-half praharas:
approximately 11.00 A.M. – 3.30 P.M.)
1 5 2
ÇRÉ BHAJANA-RAHASYA
ei saba päivära äçä nähi kari
çuddha-bhakti deha more, kåñëa kåpä
kari’
premera svabhäva, yähä premera
sambandha
sei mäne kåñëa mora nähi bhakti-gandha
Bhajana-rahasya-våtti
Bhakti only appears in the heart when one
performs harinämakértana
with firm faith (çraddhä). But
the sädhaka’s perfected
body (çuddha-svarüpa) will not
arise unless he gives up all
connection with sensual happiness in
this material world. This
renunciation of sensual happiness takes
place in two ways: positive
(anvaya) and negative (vyatireka).
Here anvaya refers to
the prominent characteristic of
devotion, which is the cultivation
of activities favourable to Kåñëa (änukülya-maya-kåñëänuçélana).
Vyatireka refers to the two secondary
characteristics of devotion,
which are: (1) the absence of desire
for anything other than the
pleasure of Kåñëa (anyäbhiläñitä-çünya)
and (2) the absence of
the coverings of karma and jïäna
(jïäna-karmädy-anävåta).
The words na dhanaà na janam in
this Text clearly explain
the symptoms of vyatireka. The
word dhana refers to wealth and
articles collected for enjoyment and
entertainment, and jana
indicates women, children, servants,
maidservants, subjects,
friends and relatives. Sundaré-kavitä
means ordinary knowledge
expressed in mundane poetry and
literature.
“O Kåñëa, Lord of my life, I am not
praying to You for all these
things. My only prayer is that I may
have unalloyed devotion
unto Your lotus feet birth after
birth.”
Text 2
Misusing material wealth and so forth
is opposed to bhakti.
Çrémad-Bhägavatam (3.9.6) states:
1 5 3
4 / CATURTHA-YÄMA-SÄDHANA
tävad bhayaà
draviëa-deha-suhån-nimittaà
çokaù spåhä paribhavo vipulaç ca lobhaù
tävan mamety asad-avagraha ärti-mülaà
yävan na te ’ìghrim abhayaà pravåëéta
lokaù
As long as a person does not take
shelter of Your lotus feet,
which remove all kinds of fear, he will
be tormented by anxiety,
sorrow, hankering, wretchedness,
extreme greed and so forth
caused by wealth, home, friends and
relatives. He will maintain
the misconception of “I” and “mine”,
which is the sole cause of
unhappiness.
dravya-deha-suhån-nimitta çoka bhaya
spåhä paräbhava ära lobha atiçaya
ämi mama ärti-müla asat-äçaya
yata dina nahe tava päda-padmäçraya
Bhajana-rahasya-våtti
Persons who have never heard hari-kathä
are not inclined to
serve Hari. They use their time, wealth
and strength in mundane
activities and they maintain the
misconception that “I am the
enjoyer”. They will suffer due to their
inclination to enjoy. In
other words, although they are in
distress, they still endeavour to
obtain that which is unrelated to
Kåñëa. The sole cause of this is
illusion. Forgetting that Kåñëa is
their only near and dear friend,
they establish friendship with persons
averse to Kåñëa and
remain fearful of the devotees. It is
only by the merciful disposition
of Hari, Guru and Vaiñëavas that the
living entity can be
delivered from these sufferings and the
desire to serve Bhagavän
can arise in his heart. In other words
the inclination to serve
Bhagavän (bhagavat-sevä-våtti)
will manifest in his heart. The
living entity then realises his own
intrinsic nature, as well as the
instrinsic natures of Bhagavän and the
illusory energy, and
1 5 4
ÇRÉ BHAJANA-RAHASYA
engages all his senses in serving Hari,
Guru and Vaiñëavas. Çréla
Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura sings in Çaraëägati
(Ätma-nivedana,
song 8):
ätma nivedana, tuyä pade kari,
hainu parama sukhé
duùkha düre gela, cintä nä rahila,
caudike änanda dekhé
By surrendering myself to Your lotus
feet I have become
supremely happy. All suffering has gone
far away and I have no
more worries. Now I see happiness in
all directions.
Text 3
Çré Kåñëa is the supreme Lord of all
lords, and by worshipping
Him, all others are worshipped. Çrémad-Bhägavatam
(4.31.14)
states:
yathä taror müla-niñecanena
tåpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopaçäkhäù
präëopahäräc ca yathendriyäëäà
tathaiva sarvärhaëam acyutejyä
By watering the root of a tree, all its
parts, such as the trunk,
branches and sub-branches, are
nourished, and by satisfying the
life-airs through eating, all of the
senses are nourished. Similarly,
only by worshipping Çré Kåñëa are the
demigods, forefathers and
so forth worshipped.
taru-müle dile jala,
bhuja-çäkhä-skandha
tåpta haya anäyäse, sahaja nirbandha
präëera tarpaëe yathä indriya sabala
kåñëärcane tathä sarva-devatä çétala
1 5 5
4 / CATURTHA-YÄMA-SÄDHANA
Bhajana-rahasya våtti
By watering the root of a tree, all of
its parts, such as the trunk,
branches, leaves and fruits, obtain
nourishment. By putting food
in the stomach all the different bodily
limbs are satisfied and
nourished. Similarly, by performing
exclusive worship of Acyuta,
all the demigods and goddesses are also
worshipped. This is
because Acyuta is the root cause of all
consciousness, and all
conscious and unconscious matter is
dependent on Him. Svayam
Bhagavän is the only one who is
infallible (acyuta), and He can
never become fallible (cyuta).
Here someone may ask, “What
harm is there in worshipping both
Bhagavän and the demigods
and goddesses at the same time?” The
answer is that such worship
signifies a lack of firm faith in
Bhagavän. The demigods and
goddesses are ruled by material
qualities, while the process of
serving Bhagavän is transcendental. It
is improper to disrespect
the demigods and goddesses, but it is
also incorrect to elevate
them to the same level as Kåñëa. The
scriptures state that one
who gives up çré-kåñëa-bhajana to
worship the demigods and
goddesses is like one who gives up his
mother to worship an outcaste
woman, or like one who gives up nectar
to drink poison.
Text 4
Unalloyed devotees have no other duty
than serving Kåñëa. The
Padma Puräëa states:
harir eva sadärädhyaù
sarva-deveçvareçvaraù
itare brahma-rudrädyä
nävajïeyäù kadäcana
The Lord of all demigods, Çré Hari, is
always the only worshipful
object, but it is improper to
disrespect Brahmä, Rudra and other
demigods.
1 5 6
ÇRÉ BHAJANA-RAHASYA
ädau sarveçvara-jïäna kåñëete haibe
anya deve kabhu nähi avajïä karibe
Text 5
One should not increase the number of
his unqualified disciples
on the pretext of spreading bhakti.
Çrémad-Bhägavatam (7.13.8)
states:
na çiñyän anubadhnéta
granthän naiväbhyased bahün
na vyäkhyäm upayuïjéta
närambhän ärabhet kvacit
One should not make many disciples for
material gain, nor study
many books, nor give discourses on çästra
to earn one’s livelihood.
One should also give up large
undertakings.
bahu-çiñya-lobhete ayogya çiñya kare
bhakti-çünya çästräbhyäse tarka kari’
mare
vyäkhyäväda-bahvärambhe våthä käla yäya
näme yära ruci sei e saba nä cäya
Bhajana-rahasya-våtti
While explaining the duty of a sannyäsé,
Devarñi Närada said to
Yudhiñöhira Mahäräja, “A sannyäsé should
roam about, be
devoted to Näräyaëa and be the
well-wisher of all living entities.
He should not engage in any occupation
to maintain his life, nor
should he engage in discussions only
for the sake of debate. He
should only accept objects that come
through begging (bhikñä).
He should not be attached to literature
that discusses temporary,
material subject matters, nor should
he, for material benefit, give
mantras to unqualified persons to increase his
number of disciples.
He should not show his scholarly
talent, but rather he
should study literature on bhakti and
put these teachings into
1 5 7
4 / CATURTHA-YÄMA-SÄDHANA
practice. It is unfavourable to pure
devotion, and also a waste of
time, to establish and maintain large
temples to make a show of
opulence. Many kinds of unqualified
persons will take shelter of
such temples, and their devious
activities will defame the society
of sädhus. Saintly persons
should perform bhajana under the
guidance of their superiors, following
the path designated by the
disciplic succession (paramparä).
Only a sädhaka on the
platform of bhäva is qualified
to make disciples, and he does so
only for the welfare of society and the
protection of the
sampradäya. The scriptures forbid unqualified
persons from
making many disciples.”
Text 6
Exclusive and unmotivated devotional
service, known as aikäntikéahaituké-
bhakti, is described in Çrémad-Bhägavatam (1.2.14):
tasmäd ekena manasä
bhagavän sätvatäà patiù
çrotavyaù kértitavyaç ca
dhyeyaù püjyaç ca nityadä
With an attentive mind, one should
constantly hear about, glorify,
meditate upon and worship Bhagavän, who
is loving towards His
devotees (bhakta-vatsala). All
the while, one should endeavour
to remove his anarthas. Then his
creeper of devotion will very
quickly bestow its fruit in the form of
prema.
ananya-bhävete kara çravaëa-kértana
näma-rüpa-guëa-dhyäna-kåñëa-ärädhana
saìge saìge anartha-näçera yatna kara
bhakti-latä phala-däna karibe satvara
ÇRÉ BHAJANA-RAHASYA
1 5 8
Bhajana-rahasya-våtti
All religious duties are observed for
the pleasure of Çré Hari.
Therefore the living entity’s only duty
is to single-mindedly
engage in kåñëa-bhajana while
giving up the desire for karma
and jïäna. For the pleasure of
Çré Hari, he should reside in the
dhäma with a resolute mind and hear
narrations about Hari from
çré guru and Vaiñëavas. The method of
cultivating pure bhajana
is that after hearing hari-kathä,
one should perform kértana and
smaraëa of those narrations. By this method anarthas
are nullified
and pure bhajana arises. This is
the essence of all instruction for
sädhakas.
Text 7
One should not be disturbed by the loss
of acquired assets. In
this regard Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu (1.2.114)
quotes the Padma
Puräëa:
alabdhe vä vinañöe vä
bhakñyäcchädana-sädhane
aviklava-matir bhütvä
harim eva dhiyä smaret
One who is devoted to hari-bhakti should
remain undisturbed
and continue remembering Hari, even if
he is unsuccessful in
obtaining food and clothing, or if what
he has obtained is lost.
bhakñya-äcchädana yadi sahaje nä päya
athavä päiyä kona gatike häräya
nämäçrita bhakta aviklava-mati haiyä
govinda çaraëa laya äsakti chäòiyä
Bhajana-rahasya-våtti
When the living entity attains taste (ruci)
for çré-bhagavat-kathä
and harinäma, he no longer has
an attachment to worldly
1 5 9
4 / CATURTHA-YÄMA-SÄDHANA
things. He is satisfied with only the
cloth and food necessary to
protect and sustain the body. If he
gains or loses anything, his
mind remains steady. His mood is that
whatever is obtained or
lost is the Lord’s desire. He knows
that gain, loss and so forth
come according to one’s previous karma.
Detached from
worldly matters, he remembers Çré
Bhagavän’s name with a
steady mind.
Text 8
Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu (1.2.113), quoting from the Padma
Puräëa, mentions the necessity of giving up
distress:
çokämarñädibhir bhävair
äkräntaà yasya mänasam
kathaà tatra mukundasya
sphürtiù sambhävanä bhavet
How can Mukunda manifest in the heart
of a person who is filled
with lamentation, anger and so forth?
putra kalatrera çoka, krodha, abhimäna
ye hådaye tähe kåñëa sphürti nähi päna
Bhajana-rahasya-våtti
Mukunda never manifests in a heart that
becomes agitated by
pleasure upon obtaining something
temporary or distressed upon
losing it. In this way the living
entity remains oblivious to
Bhagavän. One should follow the
character of Çréman
Mahäprabhu’s devotees and, guided by
their mood, remain
peaceful and steady in every situation.
In this regard one should
follow the example of Çréväsa Paëòita.
Once Çréman Mahäprabhu
and His devotees were performing kértana
in Çréväsa Paëòita’s
home when, inside the house, Çréväsa’s
son left his body. Çréväsa
remained calm and strictly forbade the
ladies and other persons in
1 6 0
ÇRÉ BHAJANA-RAHASYA
the house to cry, to ensure that
Mahäprabhu’s kértana would not
be disturbed. He did not even relate
the news of his son’s death
to Mahäprabhu. With such a fixed and
peaceful mind one should
remember and meditate upon Bhagavän.
This is the purport of
çästra.
Text 9
One should accept only as much wealth
as is necessary to maintain
his life. The Näradéya Puräëa states:
yävatä syät sva-nirvähaù
svékuryät tävad arthavit
ädhikye nyünatäyäà ca
cyavate paramärthataù
A sädhaka who needs to maintain
himself will collect only as
much wealth and other material
necessities as are required to
maintain his bhakti; to accept
too much or too little will surely
make him deviate from his goal.
sahaje jévana-yäträ-nirvähopayogé
dravyädi svékära kare bhakta nahe bhogé
Bhajana-rahasya-våtti
A person qualified for vaidhé-bhakti
should earn money to maintain
his life through prescribed virtuous
means; that is, according
to varëäçrama-dharma. It is
auspicious to accept assets only
according to one’s needs. Craving to
accept more than necessary
creates attachment, which will
gradually destroy one’s bhajana.
Accepting less than necessary is also
harmful, as this will create
an insufficiency, which in turn will
weaken one’s bhajana.
Therefore as long as a person is not
indifferent to material things,
he should cultivate pure bhakti and
accept only those assets that
are required to maintain his life.
1 6 1
4 / CATURTHA-YÄMA-SÄDHANA
Text 10
The symptoms of advancement in unmotivated
devotional service
are given in Çrémad-Bhägavatam (11.2.42):
bhaktiù pareçänubhavo viraktir
anyatra caiña trika eka-kälaù
prapadyamänasya yathäçnataù syus
tuñöiù puñöiù kñud-apäyo ’nu-ghäsam
With each morsel of food that a hungry
person eats, he simultaneously
experiences satisfaction, nourishment
and relief from
hunger. Similarly a surrendered
devotee, who is engaged in the
performance of bhakti,
simultaneously realises his worshipful
deity, strengthens his relationship
with that deity and becomes
detached from this temporary world and
material relationships.
bhakta-jane samamäne yugapad udaya
bhakti, jïäna, virakti, tina jänaha
niçcaya
cid-acid-éçvara sambandha-jïäne jïäna
kåñëetare anäsakti virakti-pramäëa
ye rüpa bhajane tuñöi puñöi pratigräse
kñudhära nivåtti ei tina anäyäse
Bhajana-rahasya-våtti
The symptoms observed in a sädhaka who
has directly experienced
the sweetness of Bhagavän are described
in this Text. In
such devotees, three symptoms are
simultaneously visible:
attainment of service to the Lord,
realisation of all knowledge
related to bhakti and detachment
from matters unrelated to
Kåñëa. The sädhaka develops
detachment from those items of
enjoyment that are not useful in the
service of Çré Kåñëa, but he
does not develop detachment from that
which can be used in His
service. Because he does not consider
using such objects for his
own pleasure, there is no need for him
to renounce them.
1 6 2
ÇRÉ BHAJANA-RAHASYA
When, due to humility, Çréla Sanätana
Gosvämé resolved to
give up his life by throwing his body
under the wheel of Lord
Jagannätha’s chariot, Çré Gaurasundara,
who resides in everyone’s
heart as the Supersoul, told him that a
person cannot attain
Kåñëa merely by giving up his body.
Kåñëa is only attained
through bhajana; that is, through
fulfilling the inner desire of
one’s guru (manobhéñöa-sevä).
When the sädhaka surrenders to çré
guru’s lotus feet, the guru
becomes the owner of the sädhaka’s body.
Therefore, when one
acknowledges his body to be his guru’s
property, it is necessary
to take care of it. In the same mood,
the vraja-devés decorate
their bodies with clothes, ornaments,
cosmetics and so forth –
only for service to Çré Kåñëa.
Indifference to material objects
develops according to the
extent of one’s realisation of Bhagavän.
This indifference gives
one the qualification to attain the
direct service of Bhagavän.
Çréla Raghunätha däsa Gosvämé states in
Viläpa-kusumäïjali (6):
vairägya-yug bhakti-rasaà prayatnair
apäyayan mäm anabhépsum andham
kåpämbudhir yaù para-duùkha-duùkhé
sanätanaà taà prabhum äçrayämi
I surrender to the lotus feet of my
master, Çré Sanätana Gosvämé,
who is the bestower of sambandha-jïäna.
He is an ocean of
mercy and his heart always becomes
distressed upon seeing the
suffering of others. Although due to the
darkness of ignorance I
had no desire to taste bhakti-rasa imbued
with renunciation, he
forced me to taste it and thereby gave
me knowledge of my relationship
with Kåñëa.
Ignorant people honour artificial
renunciation and praise
those who accumulate dry knowledge.
Such knowledge and
renunciation, being devoid of the
inclination to serve, simply
1 6 3
4 / CATURTHA-YÄMA-SÄDHANA
result in mundane talk and deception of
the public. There is no
pure bhakti in them.
Text 11
The following verse is a petition made
at the stage of humility
described in the previous Texts.
Prahläda Mahäräja (Çrémad-
Bhägavatam (7.9.39)) prays:
naitan manas tava kathäsu
vikuëöha-nätha
sampréyate durita-duñöam asädhu tévram
kämäturaà harña-çoka-bhayaiñaëärtaà
tasmin kathaà tava gatià vimåçämi dénaù
O Vaikuëöhanätha, my mind is polluted
by the desire to sin. How
can I explain to You the suffering of
my mind, which is constantly
afflicted by desires? My mind, strongly
attached to these
desires, is sometimes overpowered by
happiness and sometimes
by distress and fear. It is always
engaged in collecting wealth and
material assets, and it finds no taste
in the narrations of Your
pastimes. How, then, can I remember and
meditate upon You?
durita-düñita mana asädhu mänasa
käma-harña-çoka-bhaya eñaëära vaça
tava kathä-rati kise haibe ämära?
kise kåñëa tava lélä kariba vicära?
Bhajana-rahasya-våtti
When steady devotion arises in the
heart of a sädhaka, a mood
of natural humility manifests. Out of
greed to constantly relish
the sweetness of Bhagavän he repents,
“Alas, alas, I have not performed
any sädhana-bhajana. My heart is
sinful and my mind is
wicked, and therefore I left the
merciful Lord and am drowning
in the ditch of material enjoyment. How
will I be able to relish
1 6 4
ÇRÉ BHAJANA-RAHASYA
the nectar of Sväminé’s lotus feet? O
Lord, how can I develop
affection for Your form, qualities and
pastimes? How can I obtain
a taste for bhajana? Firmly
bound by many kinds of illicit desires,
I am drowning in the ocean of material
existence. Oh, how can I
protect myself from all this? O
Bhagavän, I have become a servant
of the six enemies. How can I, who am
unintelligent and devoted
to material desires, understand the
boundless, eternal and deep
truth about You?” This kind of humility
arises when bhakti is fully
ripe. In reality, fully mature prema
is humility. Considering himself
to be extremely fallen and wretched,
the sädhaka always
offers Bhagavän various humble and
grief-stricken prayers.
Text 12
Çrémad-Bhägavatam (7.9.40) explains how life is completely
destroyed by attraction to the form,
taste and so on of material
objects:
jihvaikato ’cyuta vikarñati mävitåptä
çiçno ’nyatas tvag-udaraà çravaëaà
kutaçcit
ghräëo ’nyataç capala-dåk kva ca
karma-çaktir
bahvyaù sapatnya iva geha-patià lunanti
O Acyuta, my tongue is pulling me
towards very relishable
flavours, my genitals towards beautiful
women, my stomach
towards foodstuffs that are harmful, my
ears towards sweet songs
and useless talk, my nose towards
pleasant fragrances, my eyes
towards beauty and my sense of touch
towards soft things. In this
way all my sense organs are pulling me
towards their respective
sense objects. O Nanda-nandana, my
situation is like that of a
man with many wives, each dragging him
towards her own bedroom.
In such a condition how can I remember
You and Your
form, qualities and pastimes?
1 6 5
4 / CATURTHA-YÄMA-SÄDHANA
jihvä öäne rasa prati, upastha kadarthe
udara bhojane öäne viñama anarthe
carma öäne çayyädite, çravaëa kathäya
ghräëa öäne surabhite, cakñu dåçye yäya
karmendriya karme öäne, bahu-patné
yathä
gåhapati äkarñaya, mora mana tathä
emata avasthä mora çré-nanda-nandana
ki rüpe tomära lélä kariba smaraëa?
Bhajana-rahasya-våtti
The sädhaka is praying to
Bhagavän with great humility, “O
Lord, let my mind always be completely
attached to Your lotus
feet and engaged in glorifying You.
But, O Acyuta, although I am
trying to control my senses by
innumerable endeavours, I have
not been successful. Alas, alas, what
shall I do? My unsatisfied
tongue, genitals, belly, ears, nose,
restless eyes and sense of
touch are drawing me in the direction
of their respective sense
objects – sound, form, taste, smell and
touch – and are thus
destroying me. O Prabhu, although I
have tried my best to
subdue them, I have not succeeded. My
condition is like that of
a man who, controlled by lust, has
married several wives. Now
all these wives are dragging him in
their own direction, each
wanting her lustful desires fulfilled.
He is not able to pacify the
fire of their lust nor do they leave
him alone. The more this lusty
man tries in various ways to satisfy
the desires of these ladies, the
less successful he is. Similarly, I
endeavoured in many ways, but
all in vain. O protector of the
helpless, now You are my only
shelter. I have faith in You alone. By
the power of Your mercy,
please deliver me from the entanglement
of this material existence
and thus make Your name, Patita-pävana,
meaningful.”
1 6 6
ÇRÉ BHAJANA-RAHASYA
Text 13
A prayer for obtaining the association
of vraja-bhaktas is spoken
by Lord Brahmä in Çrémad-Bhägavatam (10.14.30):
tad astu me nätha sa bhüri-bhägo
bhave ’tra vänyatra tu vä tiraçcäm
yenäham eko ’pi bhavaj-janänäà
bhütvä niñeve tava päda-pallavam
O Bhagavän, may I be so fortunate as to
attain the association of
Your devotees and, under their
guidance, obtain service to Your
lotus feet; be it in this or any other
human birth, or in a birth such
as an animal, bird, worm or moth.
ei brahma janmei vä anya kona bhave
paçu-pakñé ha’ye janmi tomära vibhave
ei mätra äçä tava bhakta-gaëa-saìge
thäki’ tava pada-sevä kari nänä-raìge
Bhajana-rahasya-våtti
Lord Brahmä became perplexed when he
saw Çré Kåñëa playing
with the other cowherd boys. So, in
order to see more of Çré
Kåñëa’s pastimes, he stole the cowherd
boys and calves. Çré
Kåñëa, however, assumed the forms of as
many cows and
cowherd boys as Brahmä stole, and for
one year He continued
His pastimes as before. Finally, He
showed Brahmä His fourarmed
form. Upon seeing Bhagavän’s opulence,
Brahmä deeply
regretted his actions. He praised Çré
Kåñëa in various ways and
begged forgiveness for his offence: “O
Lord, I have directly
received Your mercy. O fulfiller of all
kinds of desires, my fortune
is not in having obtained this post as
Brahmä. Rather, if I take
birth in Vraja from the womb of an
animal, bird, worm, moth or
any other sub-human species, I will
consider myself most fortunate.
Even the mercy available to the deer in
Vraja is not easily
1 6 7
4 / CATURTHA-YÄMA-SÄDHANA
obtained in this birth as Brahmä. The
deer cleanse the dust from
Your limbs with their tongues, and You
caress them with Your
hands. I want to take birth in any
species, high or low, where I
can serve Your lotus feet under the
guidance of Your devotees.
This is my earnest desire and will be
my good fortune.”
Text 14
It is useless to be anxious about
attaining the four goals of life.
Çré Uddhava explains in Çrémad-Bhägavatam
(3.4.15):
ko nv éça te päda-saroja-bhäjäà
sudurlabho ’rtheñu caturñv apéha
tathäpi nähaà pravåëomi bhüman
bhavat-padämbhoja-niñevaëotsukaù
O Lord, it is not difficult for one who
has taken shelter of Your
lotus feet to achieve the four goals of
life (religiosity, economic
development, sense gratification and
liberation); nevertheless,
such a person does not desire them. O
Great One, he is not concerned
with anything other than rendering
service to Your lotus
feet.
kåñëa! tava päda-padme bhakti äche
yäìra
catur-varga-madhye kivä apräpya täìhära
tathäpi tomära pada-sevä mätra cäi
anya kona arthe mora prayojana näi
Bhajana-rahasya-våtti
The inherent dharma of the
living entity is the tendency to serve
(sevä-våtti). The devotee
therefore desires the fifth goal of human
life, païcama-puruñärtha, which
is prema-sevä. He does not
accept the threefold designations of
religiosity (dharma), economic
development (artha) and sense
gratification (käma), nor
does he accept liberation (mokña),
which is free from material
1 6 8
ÇRÉ BHAJANA-RAHASYA
designations. The impersonalists strive
for säyujya-mukti, which
the devotee always completely rejects.
The Närada-païcarätra
(1.1.34) states:
hari-bhakti-mahädevyäù
sarvä muktädi-siddhayaù
bhaktaç cädbhutäs tasyäç
ceöikävad anuvratäù
All kinds of liberation are
automatically accomplished by devotees
who perform pure devotional service to
Hari. Not only are they
accomplished, but they follow the
devotees like maidservants,
always ready to serve them.
Devotees reject the five kinds of mukti:
säyujya, särüpya,
sämépya, sälokya and särñöi.
Excluding säyujya, however, the
other four are not entirely opposed to bhakti.
They are of two
kinds: sukhaiçvaryottarä (liberation
tainted with the desire to
enjoy the Lord’s opulence) and prema-sevottarä
(liberation in
which the dominant desire is to serve
the Lord for His pleasure).
Because there is some desire for
personal happiness in both of
these, those who are devoted to
unalloyed service to Bhagavän
consider them opposed to loving service
and do not accept
them.
Text 15
One should endeavour to attain pure
unalloyed devotion
(çuddha-ahaituké-bhakti). Çrémad-Bhägavatam
(1.5.18) states:
tasyaiva hetoù prayateta kovido
na labhyate yad bhramatäm uparyadhaù
tal labhyate duùkhavad-anyataù sukhaà
kälena sarvatra gabhéra-raàhasä
1 6 9
4 / CATURTHA-YÄMA-SÄDHANA
[Çré Närada said:] In the course of
time I have been wandering
from the seven higher planets to the
seven lower, such as
Sutalaloka, but I have not attained
eternal, transcendental happiness,
which wise persons endeavour to taste.
Just as misery
comes without endeavour, by the
influence of grave, quicklymoving
time, happiness also comes without any
endeavour.
What, therefore, is the use of
endeavouring for worldly happiness?
vinä yatne duùkhera ghaöanä yena haya
sei rüpe käla-krame sukhera udaya
ataeva caudda-loke durlabha ye dhana
sei bhakti-janya yatna kare budha-gaëa
Bhajana-rahasya-våtti
A devotee understands that any pleasure
within the material universe
is insignificant compared to even the
slightest experience
of the nectar and fragrance of
Bhagavän’s lotus feet. One who
has only tasted molasses will give it
up when he tastes fragrant
sugar candy. Similarly, before actually
cultivating devotion to
Bhagavän in the association of pure
devotees, the living entity
who is allured by the flowery words of
the Vedas desires to enjoy
nectar, nectarean food and the other
heavenly pleasures of
Svarga. Alternatively, by the influence
of association with jïänés,
the living entity desires liberation.
Pure devotees do not accept
either of these – they only desire the
happiness of loving service
to Bhagavän through bhakti. This
Text tells us that those who are
genuinely wise search only for that
constant, eternal, transcendental
happiness that is only obtained in
Hari-dhäma
(Vaikuëöha). This transcendental
happiness is not available to the
jéva who wanders throughout the fourteen worlds searching for
mundane enjoyment.
Material happiness is even obtained in
the body of a hog.
According to his karma the
living entity sometimes tastes sorrow
1 7 0
ÇRÉ BHAJANA-RAHASYA
and difficulties, and sometimes he
effortlessly tastes happiness.
Therefore the scriptures unanimously
instruct that one should
not endeavour to obtain that which is
temporary and material.
The jéva’s goal is neither to
prevent his material suffering nor to
be successful in endeavours for
happiness. Such attempts are
simply childish fickleness. The wise
give up searching for these
temporary things and endeavour to
attain service to Çré Hari,
which is the soul’s eternal dharma.
Text 16
The desire for liberation is made
insignificant by ahaituké-bhakti.
Çrémad-Bhägavatam (4.9.10) states:
yä nirvåtis tanu-bhåtäà tava
päda-padmadhyänäd
bhavaj-jana-kathä-çravaëena vä syät
sä brahmaëi sva-mahimany api nätha mä
bhüt
kià tv antakäsi-lulität patatäà vimänät
O Lord, a drop of the bliss received
from meditating on Your
lotus feet, from hearing about Your
pastimes – which flow from
the mouths of Your devotees who are
expert in relishing vrajarasa
– and from hearing descriptions of Your devotees’ pastimes,
is not available in the bliss of
merging into Brahman. What to
speak of being available to others, it
is not even available to the
demigods of the heavenly planets, who
fall down again, being
cut by the sword of time.
tava pada-dhyäne bhakta-mukha tava
kathä
çravaëe ye sukha tähä mägiye sarvathä
brahma-sukha nähi bhäla läge mora mane
ki chära anitya loka-sukha-saìghaöane
1 7 1
4 / CATURTHA-YÄMA-SÄDHANA
Bhajana-rahasya-våtti
In this prayer Dhruva Mahäräja
describes the happiness he
experienced after receiving darçana of
Bhagavän: “O Master, the
happiness found in hearing narrations
of Your pastimes in the
association of Your devotees is not
available anywhere else. In
the presence of the devotees’ sun-like premänanda,
the pleasure
of the impersonalists’ brahmänanda is
like a firefly. The
demigods’ heavenly enjoyment (svargänanda)
is insignificant
and also temporary, subject to being
ultimately cut by the sword
of time. The living entity can enjoy
this pleasure only as long as
the accumulated credit of his pious
activities is not exhausted.”
This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gétä (9.21):
te taà bhuktvä svarga-lokaà viçälaà
kñéëe puëye martya-lokaà viçanti
evaà trayé-dharmam anuprapannä
gatägataà käma-kämä labhante
Having enjoyed immense celestial
pleasures, they again return to
the mortal world when their pious merit
is exhausted. In this way,
those who perform fruitive activities
as described in the three
Vedas repeatedly come and go from this
world.
Therefore only devotion to Bhagavän,
which is devoid of the
attraction to hear about the enjoyment
available on Svarga and
other higher planets, is supremely
beneficial for the jéva. The
wise spend their lives hearing and
speaking hari-kathä in the
company of pure devotees.
1 7 2
ÇRÉ BHAJANA-RAHASYA
Text 17
The glory of hearing the holy name from
the mouth of a sädhu is
described in Çrémad-Bhägavatam (4.20.24):
na kämaye nätha tad apy ahaà kvacin
na yatra yuñmac-caraëämbujäsavaù
mahattamäntar-hådayän mukha-cyuto
vidhatsva karëäyutam eña me varaù
O Lord, I do not want liberation. I
receive no pleasure in hearing
any topic other than the glorious
narrations of the nectar of Your
lotus feet. This nectar emanates from
the mouths of saintly persons
from deep within their hearts. I beg
only for the boon that
You will give me ten thousand ears with
which I can always hear
the sweetness of Your pastimes.
yähäte tomära pada-sevä-sukha näi
sei rüpa vara ämi nätha kabhu nähi cäi
bhaktera hådaya haite tava guëa-gäna
çunite ayuta karëa karaha vidhäna
Bhajana-rahasya-våtti
Påthu Mahäräja prays to the lotus feet
of Bhagavän to be able to
hear and glorify the auspicious
narrations of His pastimes only in
the association of devotees. He says,
“I offer my obeisances from
far away to the topics of liberation
and any other kind of talk that
does not proclaim the glories of the
nectar of Your lotus feet. My
only treasured wish is to drink the
nectar of Your lélä-kathä,
which is filled with prema and
which flows from the mouths of
devotees. I do not even desire to hear
about Your sweet pastimes
from the mouths of non-devotees. Even
fragrant water mixed
with honey should be abandoned if it is
salty.
“O Lord, I pray to You to please give
me tens of thousands of
ears to hear the sweet narrations of
Your pastimes from the lotus
1 7 3
4 / CATURTHA-YÄMA-SÄDHANA
mouths of devotees who are adept at
relishing vraja-rasa. In
other words, I pray that I may hear
descriptions of Your pastimes
with intense eagerness, and that the
desire for impersonal liberation
never arises in my heart. Drops of
nectar from Your lotus
feet in the form of pollen are carried
by the breeze emanating
from the mouths of great personalities,
thus transmitting the
potency of bhakti to us and
making our lives successful. I am
always ready to do anything to hear
this kathä. May a spark of
the mood of such personalities enter my
heart and submerge me
in an ocean of prema.”
Text 18
Residence in the heavenly planets,
residence in Brahmaloka,
sovereignty over the Earth and lower
planetary systems, the perfections
of yoga and the eighteen mystic
perfections are all
insignificant from the perspective of a
devotee. This is confirmed
in Çrémad-Bhägavatam (6.11.25):
na näka-påñöhaà na ca pärameñöhyaà
na särva-bhaumaà na rasädhipatyam
na yoga-siddhér apunar-bhavaà vä
samaïjasa tvä virahayya käìkñe
O source of all good fortune, I have no
desire to have a position
of great sovereignty like that of
Dhruva or Brahmä, or rulership
over the Earth; nor do I desire aëimä
or any other mystic perfection.
I do not even want liberation, if
attaining it means I
would have to give You up.
svarga parameñöhé-sthäna,
sarvabhauma-pada
rasätala-ädhipatya, yogera sampada
nirväëa ityädi yata chäòi’ sevä tava
nähi mägi, e mora pratijïä akaitava
1 7 4
ÇRÉ BHAJANA-RAHASYA
Bhajana-rahasya-våtti
Bhagavän prevents His devotees from
endeavouring for
dharma, artha, käma and mokña,
and this infers His mercy.
While His mercy is easily attained by
the akiïcana-bhaktas, it is
extremely difficult to attain for
living entities who are absorbed
in sense enjoyment.
This Text is a prayer by Våträsura.
While fighting with Indra,
Våträsura considered it better to
choose death over either victory
or defeat, so that he could quickly cut
his bodily bondage. He
would then be able to directly serve
Bhagavän.
Directly perceiving Bhagavän, Våträsura
expressed the moods
of his heart. “O source of all good
fortune, I do not want a position
in Dhruvaloka or Brahmaloka, nor do I
want sole rulership
of the Earth. I have no desire for
mystic perfections or even liberation
– which is the goal of impersonalists,
who perform severe
practices to attain it – if I have to
give You up. My life is leaving
my body in the fire of separation from
You. O Prabhu, how can
I ever attain eternal service to Your
lotus feet?”
Devotees long to attain the eternal
service of Bhagavän. Only
one who has factually realised the
bliss of serving (sevänanda)
knows the significance of this. By obtaining
dharma, artha and
käma, the living entity does not stop his transmigration, and
by
säyujya-mukti, the living entity simply remains like
an inert
object in the effulgent Brahman.
However, devotees relish the
sweetness of service in newer and newer
ways in the eternal
abode of Bhagavän. This is the unique
characteristic of the
bhakta and bhakti. Bhakti-devé
disappears from the heart of that
person who eagerly desires liberation,
and this is confirmed in
Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Ädi-lélä 1.92):
tära madhye mokña-väïchä
kaitava-pradhäna
yähä haite kåñëa-bhakti haya antardhäna
1 7 5
4 / CATURTHA-YÄMA-SÄDHANA
The foremost process of cheating is the
desire for liberation, for
this causes the disappearance of kåñëa-bhakti.
Text 19
The symptom of attachment (äsakti)
that is developed by taking
shelter of the holy name is described
in Çrémad-Bhägavatam
(10.29.34):
cittaà sukhena bhavatäpahåtaà gåheñu
yan nirviçaty uta karäv api gåhya-kåtye
pädau padaà na calatas tava päda-müläd
yämaù kathaà vrajamatho karaväma kià vä
[The gopés said to Kåñëa:] O
stealer of minds (cittacora), by playing
on Your vaàçé, You have stolen
our minds, which were
absorbed in household affairs. This was
not difficult for You.
However, having lost our minds, our
working senses are not
functioning, and our movements and
intelligence have therefore
become abnormal. Our feet do not want
to leave You to go anywhere
else. Please tell us then, how can we
possibly return to our
homes?
gåhasukhe citta chila, gåhakärye kara
hariyä layecha tumi präëera éçvara
tava pädamüla chäòi’ pada nähi yäya
yäba kothä ki kariba balaha upäya
Bhajana-rahasya-våtti
With the sweet sound of His flute, Çré
Kåñëacandra, the crown
jewel of experts in amorous pastimes (vidagdha-çiromaëi),
called to the vraja-gopés, who were
abundantly endowed with
paramour love. Forgetting everything,
the gopés assembled on
the bank of the Yamunä at Vaàçivaöa,
which was beautifully
decorated by bright moonlight. Then Çré
Kåñëacandra, concealing
1 7 6
ÇRÉ BHAJANA-RAHASYA
His real motive (avahitthä-bhäva),
joked with them by instructing
them to return to their respective
homes. His intention, however,
was as follows: during His previous
pastime of stealing the gopés’
clothes, Çré Kåñëacandra, the great
connoisseur of the räsa-lélä,
saw the vraja-devés’ entire
bodies, but on this day He wanted to
see the inner moods of their hearts.
This is one unique attribute
of the ocean of prema-rasa.
The rasika-äcäryas of the
amorous mellow of Vraja ascertain
that when the lover (näyaka)
assumes a submissive mood
(däkñiëya-bhäva), the beloved (näyikä)
exhibits a contrary
mood (vämya-bhäva). And when the
lover assumes a contrary
mood, the beloved exhibits a submissive
mood. The gopés who
assembled at the räsa-maëòala displayed
various waves of sentiments.
Some of them were pragalbhä (bold
and outspoken),
some mådvé (sweet and gentle)
and some madhyä (with qualities
halfway between pragalbhä and mådvé).
In this way, through the
combination of such different
sentiments, the ocean of rasa was
adorned with unprecedented sweetness.
Çré Kåñëa said, “A virtuous woman’s
only duty is to serve her
husband. It is improper for her to
stay, even for a moment, with
a brahmacäré in a lonely forest
at night. Therefore you should all
quickly return home.”
Hearing these instructions, the gopés,
who possessed great
anuräga, responded with words saturated with rasa:
“O
emperor of thieves! We did not come
here to reside in an uninhabited
place, nor did we come to ask anything
from You. Our
minds were happily absorbed in
household affairs, when You
stole them away with Your flute. The
wealth of our hearts is
already looted, so how can we return
home? O You who are
expert in rendering a person powerless
by means of great
mantras! Please return the faculty of our
minds. In their absence
the activities of all our senses are
disabled and also our feet will
1 7 7
4 / CATURTHA-YÄMA-SÄDHANA
not move; so return them and we will
happily go back to our
homes.”
One vraja-devé began to speak
sarcastically: “O Mohana, do
You think that we have come to this
place because we were
attracted by the sound of Your flute?
No, no, this is not the case!
Our minds are deeply absorbed in our
happy household life; You
could not steal away even the smallest
part of them. Do not think
that we will rest here, even for a
moment. Indeed, what would
we do here in this desolate place? If
You ask why we have come
to this lonely forest, O Çyämasundara,
it is because You were so
eager to have our darçana. That
is the only reason we have
come. Now that You have seen us, we are
going.”
Text 20
As described in the following verse,
all virtue and peacefulness
appear in the devotee. Prahläda
Mahäräja explains in Çrémad-
Bhägavatam (5.18.12):
yasyästi bhaktir bhagavaty akiïcanä
sarvair guëais tatra samäsate suräù
haräv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guëä
manorathenäsati dhävato bahiù
All the demigods and their exalted
qualities, such as religiosity
and knowledge, always dwell in the
heart of a person who
possesses selfless devotion to Bhagavän
(niñkäma-bhakti). But
how can a person who is not a devotee
of Bhagavän possess
these qualities of great personalities?
He constantly runs after
insignificant and superfluous things,
even after taking many
different vows to renounce them.
akiïcanä bhakti yäìra täìhära çarére
sarva-guëa saha sarva-devatä vihare
Om Tat Sat
(Continued...)
(My
humble salutations to the lotus feet of Swami jis great Devotees , Philosophic
Scholars, Purebhakti dot com for
the collection)
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