Bhajana Rahasya – Chapter 5

Aparāhna-kālīya-bhajana – kṛṣṇa-āsakti

(from three-and-a-half praharas of the day until dusk: approximately 3.30 P.M. – 6.00 P.M.)

Text 1

The constitutional nature of the nāma-sādhaka and his prayer for the eternal servitorship of Śrī Kṛṣṇa are described in Śikṣāṣṭaka (5):

ayi nanda-tanuja kiṅkaraṁ
patitaṁ māṁ viṣame bhavāmbudhau
kṛpayā tava pāda-paṅkajasthita-
dhūli-sadṛśaṁ vicintaya

O Nanda-nandana, as a result of my fruitive activities, I have fallen into this fearful ocean of material existence. Please bestow Your mercy upon this eternal servant of Yours. Consider me to be just like a speck of dust at Your lotus feet and always accept me as Your purchased servant.

tava nitya dāsa muñi, tomā pāsariyā
paḍiyāchi bhavārṇave māyā-baddha haiyā
kṛpā kari’ kara more pada-dhūli-sama
tomāra sevaka, karoṅ tomāra sevana

“O Lord, I am Your eternal servant, but due to my misfortune I have abandoned You. Being bound by māyā, I am drowning in this bottomless ocean of material existence. Please mercifully accept me as a particle of dust at Your lotus feet. I will become Your servant and serve You eternally.”

 

Text 2

When one performs kīrtana that is free from offences, bhāva will arise by Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s mercy. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.17–19) states:

śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ
hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi vidhunoti suhṛt satām
naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā
bhagavaty uttama-śloke bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī
tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye
ceta etair anāviddhaṁ sthitaṁ sattve prasīdati

Both hearing and chanting the glories of Śrī Kṛṣṇa are purifying. Because Kṛṣṇa is the eternal friend of saintly persons, He situates Himself in the hearts of those who hear narrations of Him and He destroys their inauspicious passions, such as lust. By continuous service to both Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and the mahā-bhāgavata devotee, inauspicious desires are almost completely destroyed, and irrevocable devotional service (naiṣṭhikī-bhakti) is awakened to Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who is praised with transcendental prayers. As soon as this naiṣṭhikī-bhakti is awakened, the qualities of the modes of passion and ignorance, such as lust and anger, become pacified, and one’s heart reaches the stage of purity.

yāṅra kathā śravaṇa-kīrtane puṇya haya
sei kṛṣṇa hṛdaye vasiyā nāśe bhaya
sādhakera abhadra kramaśaḥ kare nāśa
bhaktira naiṣṭhika bhāva karena prakāśa
rajas-tama-samudbhuta kāma-lobha-hīna
haiyā bhakta-citta sattve hayata pravīṇa

Text 3

A prayer explaining Bhagavān’s mercy is given in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.14.8):

tat te ’nukampāṁ su-samīkṣamāṇo
bhuñjāna evātma-kṛtaṁ vipākam
hṛd-vāg vapurbhir vidadhan namas te
jīveta yo mukti-pade sa dāya-bhāk

One who accepts as Your mercy the results of his own actions as well as the happiness and distress of his prārabdha-karma, who endures them with an undisturbed mind, and who maintains his life by offering himself unto You by body, mind and words, is eligible to attain Your lotus feet, which are the shelter of liberation.

duḥkha bhoga kari’ nija-kṛta-karma-phale
kāya-mano-vākye tava caraṇa-kamale
bhakti kari’ kāṭe kāla tava kṛpā āśe
mukti-pada, tava pada pāya anāyāse

Text 4

Upon reaching the condition described in the following verse (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.2.43)), one attains supreme spiritual peace (parā-śānti):

ity acyutāṅghriṁ bhajato ’nuvṛttyā
bhaktir viraktir bhagavat-prabodhaḥ
bhavanti vai bhāgavatasya rājaṁs
tataḥ parāṁ śāntim upaiti sākṣāt

O king, whoever devoutly worships the lotus feet of Bhagavān will develop detachment from material existence and devotion for Him that is saturated with prema. All knowledge related to Bhagavān will manifest in his heart and thus he will begin to experience supreme peace.

hena anuvṛtti saha yei kṛṣṇa bhaje
subhakti, virāga, jñāna, tāṅhāra upaje
se tina sundara-rūpe ekatre bāḍhiyā
parā–śānti-prema-dhana deya ta’ āniyā

Text 5

The nine types of bhakti-sādhana are described in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (7.5.23–4):

śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam
arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ|sakhyam ātma-nivedanam
iti puṁsārpitā viṣṇau bhaktiś cen nava-lakṣaṇā
kriyeta bhagavaty addhā tan manye ’dhītam uttamam

A person is said to have perfectly studied the scriptures if he is completely surrendered to Bhagavān Śrī Viṣṇu, if he is free from karma, jñāna, yoga and other obstructions, and if he is engaged in the nine kinds of bhakti: hearing topics related to Bhagavān (śravaṇam); chanting His name (kīrtanam); remembering His name, form, qualities and pastimes (smaraṇam); serving His lotus feet (pāda-sevanam); performing deity worship (arcanam); offering prayers (vandanam); becoming His servant (dāsyam); becoming His friend (sakhyam); and offering one’s very self (ātma-nivedanam). Only such a person’s study of the scriptures is successful.

śravaṇa-kīrtana-ādi-bhaktira prakāra
cid-ghana-ānanda kṛṣṇe sākṣāt yāṅhāra
sarva-śāstra-tattva bujhi’ kriyā-para tini
sarvārtha-siddhite tiṅha vijña-śiromaṇi

Text 6

When one cultivates this kind of devotion, bhāva will gradually arise and dāsya-rati will naturally awaken within him. This is evident in Vṛtrāsura’s prayer in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (6.11.24):

ahaṁ hare tava pādaika-mūla
dāsānudāso bhavitāsmi bhūyaḥ
manaḥ smaretāsu-pater guṇāṁs te
gṛṇīta vāk karma karotu kāyaḥ

The living entity is Your eternal servant, but by the misuse of his free will, he has forgotten his position of eternal servitude. Consequently, he is caught in the snare of māyā and endures many kinds of afflictions in this material existence. Moreover, the desire to become the servant of Your servant can only be fulfilled by the causeless compassion of guru and Vaiṣṇavas. This mood of servitorship can only be obtained by performing bhakti. O Lord, please bestow such mercy upon me, that in my next birth I may obtain the opportunity to exclusively serve the servants who have taken shelter of Your lotus feet. May my mind always remember Your all-auspicious qualities, my speech always chant the glories of these qualities, and my body always remain engaged in Your service.

chinu tava nitya-dāsa, gale bāṅdhi’ māyā-pāśa,
saṁsāre pāinu nānā-kleśa
ebe punaḥ kari āśa, haiyā tava dāsera dāsa,
bhaji’ pāi tava bhakti-leśa
prāneśvara tava guṇa, smaruk mana punaḥ punaḥ,
tava nāma jihvā karuk gāna
kara-dvaya tava karma, kariyā labhuk śarma,
tava pade saṁpinu parāṇa

Text 7

By nature the living entity is the object to be enjoyed (bhogyavastu) and Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the enjoyer (bhoktā). By performing bhajana in the association of rasika-bhaktas, the desire to serve Śrī Rādhā, who is permeated with transcendental bliss, becomes strong, and the loving sentiments of the gopīs (gopī-bhāva) awaken. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.29.38) states:

tan naḥ prasīda vṛjinārdana te ’ṅghri-mūlaṁ
prāptā visṛjya vasatīs tvad-upāsanāśāḥ
tvat-sundara-smita-nirīkṣaṇa-tīvra-kāmataptātmanāṁ
puruṣa-bhūṣaṇa dehi dāsyam

[Attracted by the sound of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s flute, the gopīs approached Him and said:] O You who remove suffering, we have given up our homes, family members and relatives, and we have come to Your lotus feet only because we desire to serve You. O jewel among men, be pleased with us. O best among men, Your sweet smile and attractive glances have set our hearts ablaze with a burning desire for intimate meeting with You. Every pore of our bodies burns with this desire. Please accept us as Your maidservants.

tava dāsya-āśe chāḍiyāchi ghara-dvāra
dayā kari’ deha kṛṣṇa, caraṇa tomāra
tava hāsya-mukha-nirīkṣaṇa-kāmi-jane
tomāra kaiṅkarya deha praphulla-vadane

Text 8

To take shelter of the perfect sentiments of the gopīs (siddhagopī-bhāva) is described in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.29.39):

vīkṣyālakāvṛta-mukhaṁ tava kuṇḍala-śrīgaṇḍa-
sthalādhara-sudhaṁ hasitāvalokam
dattābhayaṁ ca bhuja-daṇḍa-yugaṁ vilokya
vakṣaḥ śriyaika-ramaṇaṁ ca bhavāma dāsyaḥ

[The gopīs said:] Priyatama, after seeing Your beautiful lotus face, decorated with glossy black curling tresses; Your beautiful cheeks, upon which enchanting earrings (kuṇḍalas) radiate Your boundless loveliness; Your sweet lips, whose nectar defeats all other nectar; Your charming glance, which is made radiant by Your slight smile; Your two arms, which liberally give the charity of fearlessness to surrendered souls; and Your chest, beautified by Lakṣmī who resides there as a golden line, we have all become Your maidservants.

o mukha alakāvṛta, o kuṇḍala-śobhā
adhara-amṛta-gaṇḍa-smita-manolobhā
abhaya-da bhuja-yuga, śrī-sevita-vakṣa
dekhiyā halāma dāsī, sevā-kārye dakṣa

Text 9

The superiority of paramour love (parakīya-bhāva) is described in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.29.33):

kurvanti hi tvayi ratiṁ kuśalāḥ sva ātman
nitya-priye pati-sutādibhir ārti-daiḥ kim
tan naḥ prasīda parameśvara mā sma chindyā
āśāṁ dhṛtāṁ tvayi cirād aravinda-netra

[The gopīs said:] O Paramātmā, the great personalities, who are the well-wishers of everyone’s soul, direct their love to You because You are the soul of all souls. What is the use of loving or serving husbands, sons and so forth, who are temporary and sources of misery? Be pleased with us and give us Your mercy. O lotus-eyed one, please do not cut the flourishing creeper of our desire to serve You, which we have nourished for such a long time.

tumi priya ātmā, nitya ratira bhājana
ārti-dātā pati-putre rati akāraṇa
baḍa āśā kari’ āinu tomāra caraṇe
kamala-nayana, hera prasanna-vadane

Text 10

The necessity of taking shelter of the lotus feet of Śrī Rādhā is expressed by Śrī Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī in his Sva-saṅkalpaprakāśa- stotra (1):

anārādhya rādhā-padāmbhoja-reṇum
anāśritya vṛndāṭavīṁ tat-padāṅkām
asambhāṣya-tad-bhāva-gambhīra-cittān
kutaḥ śyāma-sindho rasasyāvagāhaḥ

How can a person become immersed in the ocean of ecstatic mellows of Śyāma (śyāma-rasa-sindhu) if he has never worshipped the dust of Śrī Rādhā’s lotus feet; if he has never taken shelter of Her pastime-place Śrī Vṛndāvana, which is marked with the impressions of Her lotus feet; and if he has never served the devotees whose hearts are already submerged in Her profound sentiments? It will never be possible.

rādhā-padāmbhoja-reṇu nāhi ārādhile
tāṅhāra padāṅka-pūta-vraja nā bhajile
nā sevile rādhikā-gambhīra-bhāva-bhakta
śyāma-sindhu-rase kise habe anurakta?

Text 11

The conception of being a maidservant of Śrī Rādhā is described in the following words of the Gosvāmīs:

abhimānaṁ parityajya prākṛta-vapur-ādiṣu
śrī-kṛṣṇa-kṛpayā gopī-dehe vraje vasāmy aham
rādhikānucarī bhūtvā pārakīya-rase sadā
rādhā-kṛṣṇa-vilāseṣu paricaryāṁ karomy aham

After giving up false identification with this material body, may I obtain the body of a gopī and reside in Vraja by the mercy of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Becoming a maidservant of Śrī Rādhā, may I always serve and attend Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, who enjoy pastimes of paramour love (pārakīya-rasa).

sthūla-dehādite ātma-buddhi parihari’
kṛṣṇa-kṛpa-āśraye nitya-gopī-deha dhari’
kabe āmi pārakīya rase nirantara
rādhā-kṛsna-sevā-sukha labhiba vistara

Text 12

The rejection of all types of dharma, out of the desire to serve Śrī Rādhā’s lotus feet, is described in Śrī Rādhā-rasa-sudhā-nidhi (33):

dūrād apāsya svajanān sukham artha-koṭiṁ
sarveṣu sādhana-vareṣu ciraṁ nirāśaḥ
varṣantam eva sahajādbhuta-saukhya-dhārāṁ
śrī-rādhikā-caraṇa-reṇum ahaṁ smarāmi

The desire for the pleasure received from relationships with family and friends; for the four goals of life, namely dharma, artha, kāma and mokṣa; and for countless wealth and so forth, are the causes of anarthas. Knowing this, I abandoned them all. I worship the foot-dust of Śrī Rādhā, which showers natural, wonderful happiness, and I always hold this foot-dust upon my head.

svajana-sambandha-sukha, catur-varga artha
sakala-sādhana chāḍi’ jāniyā anartha
sahaja-adbhuta-saukhya-dhārā vṛṣṭi kari
rādhā-pada-reṇu bhaji, śire sadā dhari’

Text 13

In this way, the sādhaka worships the dust of Śrīmatī Rādhikā’s lotus feet. In Śrī Rādhā-rasa-sudhā-nidhi (198) Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī prays:

āśāsya dāsyaṁ vṛṣabhānu-jāyās
tīre samadhyāsya ca bhānu-jāyāḥ
kadā nu vṛndāvana-kuñja-vīthiṣv
ahaṁ nu rādhe hy atithir bhaveyam

O Rādhā! O Vṛṣabhānu-nandinī! When will I, with the hope of becoming Your maidservant, reside on the bank of the Yamunā as a guest on the pathways of Vṛndāvana’s kuñjas?

vṛṣabhānu-kumārīra haiba kiṅkarī
kalinda-nandinī tīre ra’ba vāsa kari’
karuṇā kariyā rādhe e dāsīra prati
vṛndāṭavī kuñja-pathe haiba atithi

Text 14

Constantly seeking Kṛṣṇa through saṅkīrtana in the mood of śrīrādhā-dāsya is described in Śrī Rādhā-rasa-sudhā-nidhi (259):

dhyāyantaṁ śikhi-piccha-maulim aniśaṁ tan-nāma saṅkīrtayan
nityaṁ tac-caraṇāmbujaṁ paricaran tan-mantra-varyaṁ japan
śrī-rādhā-pada-dāsyam eva paramābhīṣṭaṁ hṛdā dhārayan
karhi syāṁ tad-anugraheṇa paramādbhutānurāgotsavaḥ

Keeping at my heart my highest aspiration of one day becoming a maidservant of Śrī Rādhā’s lotus feet, I will constantly meditate on Śrī Kṛṣṇa, whose head is decorated with a peacock feather. I will constantly chant His name, eternally serve His lotus feet and always utter His most excellent mantras. May He bestow mercy upon me at any moment so I will attain anurāgotsava, the great festival of attachment to Śrī Rādhā.

nirantara kṛṣṇa-dhyāna, tan-nāma-kīrtana
kṛṣṇa-pāda-padma-sevā, tan-mantra-japana
rādhā-pada-dāsya-mātra abhīṣṭa-cintana
kṛpāya labhiba rādhā-rāgānubhāvana

Text 15

A prayer to attain the service of Śrī Rādhā birth after birth is given in Śrī Rādhā-rasa-sudhā-nidhi (40):

tasyā apāra-rasa-sāra-vilāsa-mūrter
ānanda-kanda-paramādbhuta-saukhya-lakṣmyāḥ
brahmādi-durlabha-gater vṛṣabhānu-jāyāḥ
kaiṅkaryam eva mama janmani janmani syāt

Birth after birth, may I attain the position of being a maidservant of the daughter of King Vṛṣabhānu. She is the vilāsa-mūrti (personification of playful pastimes) of Śyāmasundara, who is Himself the essence of limitless rasa. She is Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s supremely wonderful pleasure-Lakṣmī, and She is most difficult to attain for Brahmā and others.

apāra-rasera sāra, vilāsa-mūrati
parama-adbhuta-saukhya-ānanda nirvṛtti
brahmādira sudurlabha vṛṣabhānu-kanyā
janme janme tāṅra dāsye hai yena dhanyā

Text 16

Searching for Śrī Rādhānātha while engaged in the service of Śrī Rādhā (rādhā-dāsya) is described in Śrī Rādhā-rasa-sudhānidhi (142):

rādhā-nāma sudhā-rasaṁ rasayituṁ jihvās tu me vihvalā
pādau tat-padakāṅkitāsu caratāṁ vṛndāṭavī-vīthiṣu
tat-karmaiva karaḥ karotu hṛdayaṁ tasyāḥ padaṁ dhyāyatāṁ
tad-bhāvotsavataḥ paraṁ bhavatu me tat-prāṇanāthe ratiḥ

May my tongue become constantly overwhelmed by relishing the nectarean rasa of the name Rādhā, may my feet wander on the pathways of that Vṛndāvana where Vṛṣabhānu-nandinī walks, may both my hands be engaged in Svāminī’s service, and may my heart contemplate Her lotus feet. By Śrīmatī’s festival of ecstatic moods (bhāvotsava), may one-pointed attachment manifest within me for Her prāṇanātha, Śrī Śyāmasundara. This is my earnest prayer.

jihvā hauka su-vihvala, rādhā-nāma gāne
vṛndāraṇye cala pada, rādhā anveṣaṇe
rādhā-sevā kara-kara, rādhā smara mane
rādhā-bhāve mati, bhaja rādhā-prāṇa-dhane

Text 17

A prayer to attain Śrī Rādhā’s lotus feet, which are the only goal, is given in Vilāpa-kusumāñjali (8):

devi duḥkha-kula-sāgarodare
dūyamānam ati-durgataṁ janam
tvaṁ kṛpā-prabala-naukayādbhutaṁ
prāpaya svapada-paṅkajālayam

O Devī Śrī Rādhikā, I am in a helpless condition, drowning in the ocean of unhappiness. Please lift me into the strong boat of Your mercy and give me the shelter of Your lotus feet.

duḥkha-sindhu mājhe devi, durgata e jana
kṛpā-pote pāda-padme uṭhāo ekhana

Text 18

The inclination to be solely attached to serving Śrī Rādhā is described in Vilāpa-kusumāñjali (16):

pādābjayos tava vinā vara-dāsyam eva
nānyat kadāpi samaye kila devi yāce
sakhyāya te mama namo ’stu namo ’stu nityaṁ
dāsyāya te mama raso ’stu raso ’stu satyam

O Devī, I have no desire other than for the topmost attainment of servitude to Your lotus feet. I forever offer obeisances to the position of being Your sakhī, but may I remain firmly attached to being Your maidservant. I speak this as a solemn vow.

tava pada-dāsya vinā kichu nāhi māgi
tava sakhye namaskāra, āchi dāsya lāgi’

Text 19

A sincere prayer for attaining śrī-rādhā-dāsya, spoken in a voice choked with emotion, is found in Stava-mālā (Śrī Gāndharvāsamprārthanāṣṭakam (2)):

hā devi! kāku-bhara-gadgadayādya vācā
yāce nipatya bhuvi daṇḍavad-udbhaṭārtiḥ
asya prasādam abudhasya janasya kṛtvā
gāndharvike! nija-gaṇe gaṇanāṁ vidhehi

O Devī Gāndharvikā! Today, in utter desperation, I throw myself on the ground like a stick. Filled with great distress, I implore You with a choked voice to be merciful to this fool and count me as one of Your own.

bhume daṇḍavat-paḍi’ bahu ārti-svare
kāku-bhare gadgada-vacane yoḍa kare
prārthanā kari go devi, e abudha jane
tava gaṇe gaṇi’ kṛpā kara akiñcane

Text 20

A prayer to attain the position of a maidservant of Śrī Rādhā, who attracts the mind of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, is found in Śrī Rādhā-rasa-sudhānidhi (39):

veṇuṁ karān nipatitaṁ skhalitaṁ śikhaṇḍaṁ
bhraṣṭaṁ ca pīta-vasanaṁ vraja-rāja-sūnoḥ
yasyāḥ kaṭākṣa-śara-ghāta-vimūrcchitasya
tāṁ rādhikāṁ paricarāmi kadā rasena

When, with rasa, will I serve Śrī Rādhā, whose arrow-like sidelong glance causes Śrī Nanda-nandana to faint, the flute to fall from His hands, the peacock-feather crown to slip from His head, and His yellow cloth to fall from His body?

yāṅhāra kaṭākṣa-śare śrī-kṛṣṇa mūrcchita
kara haite vaṁśi khase, śikhaṇḍa skhalita
pīta-vastra bhraṣṭa haya, se rādhā-caraṇa
kabe āmi rasa-yoge kariba sevana?

Text 21

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.6.46) describes the mood of a sādhaka who has attained attachment for rādhā-dāsya:

tvayopabhukta-srag-gandhavāso’laṅkāra-carcitāḥ
ucchiṣṭa-bhojino dāsās tava māyāṁ jayema hi

O Prabhu, we decorate ourselves with the garlands, sandalwood paste, cloth and ornaments worn by You. Since we are Your servants who eat Your remnants, we will certainly conquer Your illusory energy (māyā). [Therefore, Prabhu, we are not afraid of Your māyā – we are only afraid of being separated from You.]

tomāra prasāda-mālā-gandha-alaṅkāra
vastrādi pariyā dina yāya ta āmāra
tomāra ucchiṣṭa-bhojī-dāsa-paricaye
tava māyā jaya kari anāsakta ha’ye

Text 22

The late afternoon pastimes (aparāhna-līlā) are described in Govinda-līlāmṛta (19.1):

śrī-rādhāṁ prāpta-gehāṁ nija-ramaṇa-kṛte kÿpta-nānopahārāṁ
susnātāṁ ramya-veśāṁ priya-mukha-kamalāloka-pūrṇa pramodām
śrī-kṛṣṇaṁ cāparāhne vrajam anucalitaṁ dhenu-vṛndair-vayasyaiḥ
śrī-rādhāloka-tṛptaṁ pitṛ-mukha-militaṁ mātṛ-mṛṣṭaṁ smarāmi

In the afternoon, after madhyāhna-līlā, Śrī Rādhā goes to Her home, bathes and gets dressed and decorated. On the affectionate order of Śrī Yaśomatī, She prepares various kinds of preparations, such as karpūra-keli and amṛta-keli, for Her prāṇanātha Śrī Kṛṣṇa. As He returns to Vraja from the forest with the cows and sakhās, She has darśana of His lotus face and becomes filled with delight. Śrī Kṛṣṇa also becomes fully satisfied by receiving Her darśana. After meeting with Śrī Nanda and the other elderly gopas, He is bathed and dressed by the elderly gopīs. I contemplate this Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa.

śrī-rādhikā-gṛhe gelā, kṛṣṇa lāgi’ viracilā,
nānā-vidha-khādya-upahāra
snāta ramya-veśa dhari’, priya-mukhekṣaṇa kari’,
pūrṇānanda pāila apāra
śrī-kṛṣṇāparāhna-kāle, dhenu-mitra laiyā cale,
pathe rādhā-mukha nirakhiyā
nandādi milana kari’, yaśodā-mārjita hari,
smara mana ānandita haiyā

Thus ends the Pañcama-yāma-sādhana, Aparāhna-kālīya-bhajana, of Śrī Bhajana-rahasya.