Śaraṇāgati (Surrendered to the Lord’s Shelter)

Bhajana Lālasā (Hankering for Divine Service) – Song Nine

(1)
hari he!
śrī-rūpa-gosāi, śrī-guru-rūpete,
śikṣā dila mora kāne
“jāno mora kathā, nāmera kāṅgāla!
rati pā’be nāma-gāne

1) O my Lord Hari! Śrī Rūpa Goswāmī, in the form of the spiritual master, spoke these instructions into my ears: “Try to understand my words, O you who beg for the gift of the holy name! You will then develop attraction for singing the holy name.

(2)
kṛṣṇa-nāma-rūpa- guna-sucarita,
parama jatane kori’
rasanā-mānase, koraho niyoga,
krama-vidhi anusari’

2) “Following the scriptural rules and regulations, engage your tongue and your mind in carefully cultivating Lord Kṛṣṇa’s nāma (holy names), rūpa (divine forms), guna (transcendental qualities), and sucarita (wonderful pastimes). This should be done according to the recommended order of ascending progression.*

(3)
braje kori’ bāsa, rāgānugā hoiyā,
smaraṇa kīrtana koro
e nikhila kāla, koraho jāpana,
upadeśa-sāra dharo’ “

3) “Always dwelling in the holy land of Vraja, become a practitioner of rāgānugā-bhakti (spontaneous loving devotion) while engaging in smaraṇa (remembrance) and kīrtana (glorification). Spend every moment of your time in these ways. Just accept this as the essence of all instructions.”

(4)
hā! rūpa-gosāi, doyā kori’ kabe,
dibe dine braja-bāsa
rāgātmika tumi, tava padānuga,
hoite dāsera āśā

4) O Rūpa Goswāmī! When will you, out of your causeless mercy, enable this poor wretched soul to reside in Vraja? You are a rāgātmika devotee-an eternally liberated, intimate associate of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. This humble servant of yours desires to become a loyal follower of your lotus feet.

* This song is based on the eighth verse of Upadeśāmṛta – tan nāma-rūpa-caritādi…

Bhaktivinoda’s phrase krama-vidhi anusari indicates the properly ascending progression of the sādhaka through the levels of śraddhā, sādhu-saṅga, bhajana-kriyā, anartha-nivṛtti, niṣṭhā, ruci, āsakti, bhāva and prema, as described in the Bhakti-Rasāmṛta-Sindhu.

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