Bhajana Rahasya – Chapter 3

Pūrvāhna-kālīya-bhajana – niṣṭhā-bhajana

(from six daṇḍas until two praharas: approximately 8.30 A.M. – 11.00 A.M.)

Text 1

The third verse of Śikṣāṣṭaka describes the qualification for nāma-saṅkīrtana and the process for chanting the holy name:

tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā
amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ

Thinking oneself to be even lower and more worthless than insignificant grass that has been trampled beneath everyone’s feet, being more tolerant than a tree, being prideless and offering respect to everyone according to their respective positions, one should continuously chant the holy name of Śrī Hari.

ye rūpe laile nāma prema upajaya
tāra lakṣaṇa-śloka śuna, svarūpa-rāmarāya
uttama hañā āpanāke māne tṛṇādhama
dui prakāre sahiṣṇutā kare vṛkṣa sama
vṛkṣa yena kāṭileha kichu nā bolaya
śukāiñā maileha kāre pānī nā māgaya
yei ye māgaye, tāre deya āpana dhana
gharma-vṛṣṭi sahe, ānera karaye rakṣaṇa
uttama hañā vaiṣṇava ha’be nirabhimāna
jīve sammāna dibe jāni ‘kṛṣṇa’-adhiṣṭhāna

Text 2

The features of surrender (śaraṇāgati) are given in the Vaiṣṇava-tantra (Hari-bhakti-vilāsa (11.676)):

ānukūlyasya saṅkalpa prātikūlyasya varjanam
rakṣiṣyatīti viśvāso goptṛtve varaṇaṁ tathā
ātma-nikṣepa-kārpaṇye ṣaḍ-vidhā śaraṇāgatiḥ

The six types of surrender are: (1) to accept that which is favourable to kṛṣṇa-bhakti; (2) to reject that which is unfavourable; (3) to have the strong faith “Bhagavān will protect me”; (4) to have dependence, thinking “Bhagavān will take care of me”; (5) to be fully self-surrendered (ātma-samarpaṇa); and (6) to be humble.

bhakti-anukūla yāhā tāhāi svīkāra
bhakti-pratikūla saba kari parihāra
kṛṣṇa vai rakṣā-kartā āra keha nāi
kṛṣṇa se pālana more karibena bhāi
āmi āmāra yata kichu kṛṣṇe nivedana
niṣkapaṭa dainye kari jīvana-yāpana

Text 3

One must first give up the false identification with this material body (deha-abhimāna). The Mukunda-mālā (37) states:

idaṁ śarīraṁ śata-sandhi-jarjaraṁ
pataty avaśyaṁ pariṇāma-peśalam
kim auṣadhaṁ pṛcchasi mūḍha durmate
nirāmayaṁ kṛṣṇa-rasāyanaṁ piba

This frail body, which is made of five elements and connected by hundreds of joints, is certain to decline. Consequently, the body will be burnt to ashes or will become food for worms and transformed into excrement. O foolish and wicked mind, you have decorated such a disgusting body with a senseless attachment. The elixir of śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāma is the only powerful medicine to cure this disease of material existence. You should constantly drink it by incessantly chanting Kṛṣṇa’s holy name.

śata sandhi-jara-jara, tava ei kalevara,
patana haibe eka-dina
bhasma, kṛmi, viṣṭhā ha’be, sakalera ghṛṇya tabe,
ihāte mamatā arvācīna
ore mana, śuna mora e satya-vacana,
e rogera mahauṣadhi, kṛṣṇa-nāma niravadhi,
nirāmaya kṛṣṇa-rasāyana

Text 4

One should be tolerant like a tree and compassionate to all jīvas. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (3.9.12) Śrī Brahmā says:

nātiprasīdati tathopacitopacārair
ārādhitaḥ sura-gaṇair hṛdi baddha-kāmaiḥ
yat sarva-bhūta-dayayāsad-alabhyayaiko
nānā-janeṣv avahitaḥ suhṛd antar-ātmā

O Bhagavān, You are situated in the hearts of all living entities as the supremely benevolent Supersoul. Because of Your compassionate nature, You always remain pleasing to everyone, but You cannot be attained by the non-devotees.

bahu upacārārpaṇe, pūji’ kāmī deva-gaṇe,
prasannatā nā la’bhe tomāra
sarva-bhūte dayā kari’, bhaje akhilātmā hari,
tāre kṛpā tomāra apāra

Text 5

The glory of the virtue of giving respect to devotees is described in the Mukunda-mālā (35):

śṛṇvan sato bhagavato guṇa-kīrtanāni
dehe na yasya pulakodgama-roma-rājiḥ
notpadyate nayanayor vimalāmbu-mālā
dhik tasya jīvitam aho puruṣādhamasya

If upon hearing the kīrtana of Hari’s name, form, qualities and pastimes from the mouths of guru and Vaiṣṇavas, one’s bodily hairs do not stand erect in ecstasy, his heart does not melt, and tears do not flow from his eyes, alas! the life of such a wretched person is condemned.

sādhu-mukhe yei jana, kṛṣṇa-nāma-guṇa-gaṇa,
śuniyā nā haila pulakita
nayane vimala jala, nā vahila anargala,
se vā kena rahila jīvita

Text 6

Knowledge of Kṛṣṇa’s glories is described in the Mukunda-mālā (43):

kṛṣṇo rakṣati no jagat-traya-guruḥ kṛṣṇo hi viśvambharaḥ
kṛṣṇād eva samutthitaṁ jagad idaṁ kṛṣṇe layaṁ gacchati
kṛṣṇe tiṣṭhati viśvam etad akhilaṁ kṛṣṇasya dāsā vayaṁ
kṛṣṇenākhila sad-gatir-vitaritā kṛṣṇāya tasmai namaḥ

Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the guru of the three worlds, protects us. Viśvambhara Kṛṣṇa maintains the entire universe in all ways. This world is manifested by Kṛṣṇa – that is, by His external potency (bahiraṅgaśakti) – and at the proper time (during pralaya) the entire creation again merges into Him. Kṛṣṇa pervades the entire world; the entire world is situated within Him. Śrī Kṛṣṇa manifests all wealth and opulence. We are all Kṛṣṇa’s eternal servants. I offer my respects unto this Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

jagad-guru kṛṣṇa sabe karena rakṣaṇa
kṛṣṇa viśvambhara viśva karena pālana
kṛṣṇa haite ei viśva hañāche udaya
avaśeṣe ei viśva kṛṣṇe haya laya
kṛṣṇe viśva avasthita, jīva kṛṣṇadāsa
sad-gati-pradātā kṛṣṇe karaha viśvāsa
janama layecha kṛṣṇa-bhakti karibāre
kṛṣṇa-bhakti vinā saba mithyā e saṁsāre

Text 7

Great eagerness in kṛṣṇa-bhajana is described in the Mukundamālā (33):

kṛṣṇa tvadīya-pada-paṅkaja-pañjarāntam
adyaiva me viśatu mānasa-rāja-haṁsaḥ
prāṇa-prayāṇa-samaye kapha-vāta-pittaiḥ
kaṇṭhāvarodhana-vidhau bhajanaṁ kutas te

O Kṛṣṇa, my request is that the swan of my mind be confined in the cage of Your lotus feet and dwell there in the ocean of rasa. At the time of death the throat will be choked up with mucus, air and bile. Under such conditions, how will it be possible to remember Your name?

vṛthā dina yāya more majiyā saṁsāre
e mānasa-rāja-haṁsa bhajuka tomāre
adyai tomāra pāda-paṅkaja-pañjare
baddha ha’ye thākuka haṁsa rasera sāgare
e prāṇa prayāṇa-kāle kapha vāta pitta
karibeka kaṇṭharodha apraphulla citta
takhana jihvāya nā sphuribe tava nāma
samaya chāḍile kise ha’be siddhakāma

Text 8

The following six verses of the Yāmuna-stotra (which comprise Texts 8–13) illustrate the poet Yāmunācārya’s own humility:

na dharma-niṣṭho ’smi na cātma-vedī
na bhaktimāṁs tvac-caraṇāravinde
akiñcano ’nanya-gatiḥ śaraṇya
tvat-pāda-mūlaṁ śaraṇaṁ prapadye

I am not devoted to dharma, nor do I have any knowledge of the soul, and my heart has no devotion for Your lotus feet. O protector, being destitute, I take shelter of You. I have no shelter other than You. You have come as the saviour of the fallen to deliver such a wretched fallen soul as me. I am Your eternal servant and You are my eternal master.

hari he!
dharma-niṣṭhā nāhi mora, ātma-bodha vā sundara,
bhakti nāi tomāra caraṇe
ataeva akiñcana, gati-hīna duṣṭa-jana,
rata sadā āpana-vañcane
patita-pāvana tumi, patita adhama āmi,
tumi mora eka-mātra gati
tava pāda-mūle painu, tomāra śaraṇa lainu,
āmi dāsa tumi nitya-pati

Text 9

na ninditaṁ karma tad asti loke
sahasraśo yan na mayā vyadhāyi
so ’haṁ vipākāvasare mukunda
krandāmi sampraty agatis tavāgre

O Prabhu! O Hari! There is no wicked or sinful activity I have not performed thousands and thousands of times, and I will suffer for them. O Mukunda, I see that besides You there is no other shelter. I am constantly crying, praying before You. If You so desire, punish me; for You are the ruler of this destitute body.

hena duṣṭa karma nāi, yāhā āmi kari nāi,
sahasra-sahasra bāra hari
sei saba karma-phala, peye avasara bala,
āmāya piśiche yantropari
gati nāhi dekhi āra, kāndi hari ānivāra,
tomāra agrete ebe āmi
yā’ tomāra haya mane, daṇḍa deha akiñcane,
tumi mora daṇḍa-dhara svāmī

Text 10

nimajjato ’nanta bhavārṇavāntaś
cirāya me kūlam ivāsi labdhaḥ
tvayāpi labdhaṁ bhagavann idānīm
anuttamaṁ pātram idaṁ dayāyāḥ

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-doṣa-phale, paḍi’ bhavārṇava jale,
hābu ḍubu khāi kata kāla
sāṅtāri sāṅtāri yāi, sindhu anta nāhi pāi,
bhava-sindhu ananta viśāla
nimagna haiyā yabe, ḍākinu kātara rave,
keha more karaha uddhāra
sei kāle āile tumi, tava pada-kūla-bhūmi,
āśā-bīja haila āmāra
tumi hari dayāmaya, pāile more suniścaya,
sarvottama bhājana dayāra

Text 11

bhavantam evānucaran nirantaraḥ
praśānta-niḥśeṣa-mano-rathāntaraḥ
kadāham aikāntika-nitya-kiṅkaraḥ
praharṣayiṣyāmi sanātha-jīvitam

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?

āmi baḍa duṣṭamati, nā dekhiyā anya-gati,
tava pade la’yechi śaraṇa
jāniyāchi ebe nātha, tumi prabhu jagannātha,
āmi tava nitya parijana
sei dina kabe habe, aikāntika-bhāve yabe,
nitya-dāsya-bhāva pāba āmi
manorathāntara yata, niḥśeṣa haibe svataḥ,
sevāya tuṣiba ohe svāmi

Text 12

aparādha-sahasra-bhājanaṁ patitaṁ bhīma-bhavārṇavodare
agatiṁ śaraṇāgataṁ hare kṛpayā kevalam ātmasāt-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.

āmi aparādhī jana, sadā daṇḍya durlakṣaṇa,
sahasra-sahasra doṣe doṣī
bhīma bhavārṇavodare, patita viṣama-ghore,
gati-hīna gati-abhilāṣī
hare tava pada-dvaye, śaraṇa lainu bhaye,
kṛpā kari’ kara ātmasāt
tomāra pratijñā ei, śaraṇa laibe yei,
tumi tāre uddhāribe nātha

Text 13

na mṛṣā paramārtham eva me
śṛṇu vijñāpanam ekam agrataḥ
yadi me na dayiṣyase tato
dayanīyas tava nātha durlabhaḥ

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 Dayāmaya, “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 madhunisūdana,
śuna kṛpā kariyā āmāya
nirarthaka kathā naya, nigūḍhārthamaya haya,
hṛdaya haite bāhirāya
ati apakṛṣṭa āmi, parama dayālu tumi,
more dayā tava adhikāra
ye yata patita haya, tava dayā tata tāya,
tāte āmi supātra dayāra
more yadi upekṣibe, dayā-pātra kothā pā’be,
dayāmaya nāmaṭi tomāra

Text 14

Freedom from pride is described in the Yāmuna-stotra:

amaryādaḥ kṣudraś cala matir asūyā-prasava-bhūḥ
kṛta-ghno durmānī smara-para-vaśo rakṣaṇa-paraḥ
nṛśaṁsaḥ pāpiṣṭhaḥ katham aham ito duḥkha-jaladher
apārād uttīrṇas tava paricareyaṁ caraṇayoḥ

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’ cañcala-mati, amaryāda kṣudra ati,
asūyā prasava sadā mora
pāpiṣṭha kṛta-ghna mānī, nṛśaṁsa vañcane jñānī,
kāma-vaśe thāki sadā ghora
e hena durjana ha’ye, e duḥkha-jaladhi va’ye,
calitechi saṁsāra-sāgare
kemane e bhavāmbudhi, pāra ha’ye niravadhi,
tava pada-sevā mile more

Text 15

Respect for devotees is described in the Yāmuna-stotra:

tava dāsya-sukhaika-saṅgināṁ
bhavaneṣv astv api kīṭa-janma me
itarāvasatheṣu mā sma bhūd
api janma catur-mukhātmanā

O Bhagavān, 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 Brahmā. O Puruṣottama, this is my earnest prayer unto You.

veda-vidhi-anusāre, karma kari’ e saṁsāre,
jīva punaḥ punaḥ janma pāya
pūrva-kṛta karma-phale, tomāra vā icchā-bale,
janma yadi labhi punarāya
tabe eka kathā mama, śuna he puruṣottama,
tava dāsa saṅgi-jana-ghare
kīṭa-janma yadi haya, tāhāte o dayāmaya,
rahiba he santuṣṭa antare
tava dāsa-saṅga-hīna, ye gṛhastha arvācīna,
tā’ra gṛhe caturmukha-bhūti
nā cāi kakhana hari, kara-dvaya yoḍa kari’,
kare tava kiṅkara minati

Text 16

Humility that is full of self-surrender is described in the Yāmunastotra (52):

vapur-ādiṣu yo ’pi ko ’pi vā
guṇato ’sāni yathā-tathā-vidhaḥ
tad ayaṁ tava pāda-padmayor
aham adyaiva mayā samarpitaḥ

O Bhagavān, 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 varṇas and four āśramas. In this way humanity is unlimitedly variegated. O Prāṇeśvara, 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.

strī-puruṣa-deha-gata, varṇa-ādi-dharma yata,
tāte punaḥ deha-gata bheda
sattva-rajas-tamo-guṇa, āśrayete bheda punaḥ,
ei rūpa sahasra prabheda
ye kona śarīre thāki, ye avasthā guṇa rākhi,
se ahaṁtā ebe tava pāya
sampilāma prāṇeśvara, mama bali’ ataḥpara,
āra kichu nā rahila dāya

Text 17

An ideal example of sincere humility is given in Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta (30):

nibaddha-mūrdhāñjalir eṣa yāce
nīrandhra-dainyonnati-mukta-kaṇṭham
dayā-nidhe deva bhavat kaṭākṣaṁ
dākṣiṇya-leśena sakṛn niṣiñca

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 añjali bāndhi’ ei duṣṭa-jana kāndi,
niṣkapaṭa dainya mukta-svare
phūkāri’, phūkāri’ kaya, ohe deva dayāmaya,
dākṣiṇya prakāśi’ antaḥpare
kṛpā-dṛṣṭi ekabāra karaha siñcana
tave e-janera prāṇa haibe rakṣaṇa

Text 18

Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta (29) states:

mayi prasādaṁ madhuraiḥ kaṭākṣair
vaṁśī-ninādānucarair vidhehi
tvayi prasanne kim ihā parair nas
tvayy aprasanne kim ihā parair naḥ

O Kṛṣṇa, 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 kaṭākṣa-vaṁśī-ninādera saha
āmāke prasāda kari’ tava pade laha
prasanna haile tumi anya-prasannatā
prayojana kivā mora, ei mora kathā
tava prasannatā vinā anyera prasāde
ki kārya āmāra bala kahinu avādhe
ei rūpa niṣṭhā saha karile kīrtana
acire haibe ruci, pābe prema-dhana
pūrvāhna-kālera līlā ei rūpa haya
nāmāśrāya-kāle cintā kara mahāśaya

Text 19

The mid-morning pastimes (pūrvāhna-līlā) are described in Govinda-līlāmṛta (5.1):

pūrvāhne dhenu-mitrair vipinam anusṛtaṁ goṣṭha-lokānuyātaṁ
kṛṣṇaṁ rādhāpti-lolaṁ tad abhisṛti-kṛte prāpta-tat-kuṇḍa-tīram
rādhāṁ cālokya kṛṣṇaṁ kṛta-gṛha-gamanām āryayārkārcanāyai
diṣṭāṁ kṛṣṇa-pravṛttyai prahita-nija-sakhī vartma-netrāṁ smarāmi
 


I remember Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who in the forenoon goes to the forest with the cows and His sakhās. Śrī Nanda, Yaśodā and other Vrajavāsīs follow Him for some distance. Restless and hankering to meet with Śrī Rādhā, Kṛṣṇa arrives at the bank of Rādhā-kuṇḍa for Their rendezvous (abhisāra). I remember Śrī Rādhā, who after taking Kṛṣṇa’s darśana at Nanda-bhavana, returns to Her home. Jaṭilā orders Her to worship the Sun-god. Desiring to learn of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s whereabouts, Rādhā sits and looks down the road, waiting for the return of Her sakhī, whom She has sent to gather this information.

dhenu sahacara saṅge, kṛṣṇa vane yāya raṅge,
goṣṭha-jana anuvrata hari
rādhā-saṅga-lobhe punaḥ, rādhā-kuṇḍa-taṭa-vana,
yāya dhenu saṅgī parihari’
kṛṣṇera iṅgīta pāñā, rādhā nija-gṛhe yāñā,
jaṭilājñā laya sūryārcane
gupte kṛṣṇa-patha lakhi’, katakṣaṇe āise sakhī,
vyākulitā rādhā smari mane

Thus ends the Tṛtīya-yāma-sādhana, Pūrvāhna-kālīya-bhajana, of Śrī Bhajana-rahasya.