Manaḥ Śīkṣā – Verse 11

samaṁ śrī-rūpeṇa smara-vivaśa-rādhā-giri-bhṛtor
vraje sākṣāt-sevā-labhana-vidhaye tad-guṇa-yujoḥ
tad-ijyākhyā-dhyāna-śravaṇa-nati-pañcāmṛtam idaṁ
dhayan-nītyā govardhanam anudinaṁ tvaṁ bhaja manaḥ

(“O mind, in order to attain the direct service of Rādhā-Giribhṛta who are intoxicated with amorous desire in the association of Their associates in Vraja, you should eternally drink, as prescribed by Śrī Rūpa, pañcāmṛta in the form of worshipping Them, chanting Their Names, meditating upon Them, hearing about Them and offering Them obeisance. You should also perform bhajana of Govardhana daily.”)

Bhajana-darpaṇa Bhāṣya

VERSE MEANING:

he mana! tumi vraje sva-gana-sahita smara-vilāsa-parāyaṇa śrī-śrī-rādhā-kṛṣṇera sākṣāt-sevā labhakaraṇārtha śrīrūpera sahita śrī-nanda-nandananera ijyā, ākhyā, dhyāna, śravaṇa u nati – ei pañca-vidha amṛta yathānīti pāna karate karate śrī-govardhana-ke bhajanā kara (11)

(“O mind! In order to attain direct service to Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, who are absorbed in amorous pastimes, along with their associates in Vraja, according to the prescription of Śrī Rūpa, one should worship, chant, meditate upon, hear about and offere obeisance to Śrī Nanda-nandana – you should gradually and methodically drink these five kinds of nectar, and perform bhajana of Śrī Govardhana.”)

1) Sva-gana-sahita (Along with Their associates):
Śrī Kṛṣna surrounded by Śrīdāma, Subala etc. and Śrī Rādhikā surrounded by Śrī Lalitā, Viśākhā etc.

2) Smara-vilāsa-parāyaṇa (Intoxicated with amorous desire):
He is fonder of the pastimes of śṛṅgāra-rasa than dāsya, sakhya and vātsalya.

3) Vraje sākṣāt-sevā labha (Attaining direct service in Vraja):
Service performed at the time of sādhana is a simulation of direct service. At the time of attaining perfection, one attains service from a distance. Gradually, by taking shelter of a mañjarī and engaging in service from a distance, close service of the sakhīs is obtained; by doing this then direct service to Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Govinda is gradually achieved. There are many services i.e. cleaning the kuñja, preparing the bed, fetching water, preparing tāmbula, giving camphor etc. – service is unlimited. An infinite number of maidservants are engaged in various services. Direct service is possible when the jīva has a transcendental body, or an eternally perfected form (nitya-siddha-deha). At the time of direct service, one experiences profound bhāva and pure bliss stemming from mādhurya-rasa which cannot be eliminated, is eternally new and is never satisfied. However, at every moment an increasing unparalleled joy arises and the heart constantly remains aware of this. Sadness does not touch the heart because there is no other interest except the bliss of service. The sadness experienced when taking shelter of madhura-rasa such as vipralambha (separation) etc. is incidental and a transformation of bliss. It is nothing like that sorrow found in the material body.

4) Śri-rūpera sahita (According to the prescription of Śrī Rūpa):
In books such as Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu and Ujjvala–nīlamaṇi, the ācārya of madhura-rasa, Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī has shown the rules that are meant to be followed. For example:

śraddhā viśeṣataḥ prītiḥ śrī-mūrter-aṅghri-sevane
śrīmad-bhāgavatārthānām āsvādo rasikaiḥ saha

(“With faith and love, one should serve the lotus feet of the Deity. One should relish the meaning of the Bhāgavata with rasikas.”)

sajātīyāśaye snigdhe sādhau saṅgaḥ svato vare
nāma-saṅkīrtanaṁ śrīman-mathurā-maṇḍale sthitiḥ

(“One should associate with sādhus who are possessed of the same mood, who are affectionate, and who are more advanced than oneself. One should perform nāma-saṅkīrtana and reside in Mathurā-maṇḍala.”)

aṅgānāṁ pañcakasyāsya pūrvaṁ vilikhitasya ca
nikhila śraiṣṭhya bodhāya punar apy atra kīrtanam

(“Although these five divisions have already been written about, they are mentioned again in order to establish their superiority amongst the other divisions.”) *

* Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.90-93

Therefore, following the siddhānta of Śrī Rūpa, one should perform bhajana thus.

5) Ijyā (Worship):
Service to the lotus feet of śrī–mūrti is known as arcana. Observing śrī–hari-vāsara (Ekādaśī), wearing tulasī-mālā and tilaka, honouring caraṇāmṛta and prasāda, performing vratas, tulasī-sevā etc. are all included in this division.

6) Ākhyā (Chanting):
This means reading the bhakti-śāstra, hari-kathā in an assembly of devotees, śrī–nāma and kīrtana describing the Lord’s līlā and qualities.

7) Dhyāna (Meditation):
Smaraṇa is specifically an internal function. In this situation, smaraṇa is called dhyāna. In this way Śri Jīva says:

smaraṇaṁ manasānusandhānam. atha pūrvavat krama-sopāna-rītyā sukha-labhyaṁ guṇa-parikara-sevā-līlā smaraṇaṁ cānu-sandheyam. tad idam smaraṇaṁ pañca-vidham – yat kiñcid anusandhānaṁ smaraṇam. sarvataś-cittam ākṛṣya sāmānyākāreṇa manodhāraṇaṁ dhāraṇā. viśeṣato rūpādi cintanaṁ dhyānam. amṛta-dhārāvadanavacchinnaṁ tad dhruvānusmṛtiḥ. dhyeyamātra-sphūraṇaṁ samādhir iti.

(“Examining with the mind is called smaraṇa. Thus, as previously explained, one should practice smaraṇa of the Lord’s qualities, associates, their services and pastimes according to the gradual step by step method to make it easy. This smaraṇam is of five types – thinking of the Lord in some way is smaraṇam. Completely withdrawing the mind from other objects and focusing the mind on the Lord in a general way is dhāraṇā. Specifically thinking about the Lord’s form etc. is dhyānam. When this becomes continuous it is dhruvānusmṛtiḥ. When the Lord manifests through meditation it is samādhi.”)

8) Śravaṇa (Hearing):
Hearing kīrtana of Bhagavān’s nāma, līlā etc from the mouth of sādhus is called śravaṇa. Hearing the purāṇas etc. in the evening is also included in this.

9) Nati (Obeisance):
This refers to offering obeisance to the Deity or to the places which stimulate smaraṇa of Bhagavān’s līlā.

10) Śrī Govardhana-bhajana (Bhajana of Śri Govardhana):
These words of Śrī Dāsa Gosvāmī are meant for himself, and for everyone else also. Śrī Caitanya-deva, who is like the moon that expands within the heart of the devotees, presented His govardhana-śilā to Śrī Dāsa Gosvāmī. Thus he has said:

mahā-sampad-dāvād api patitam uddhṛtya kṛpayā
svarūpe yaḥ svīye kujanam api māṁ nyasya muditaḥ
uro-guñjā-hāraṁ priyam api ca govardhana-śilāṁ
dadau me gaurāṅgo hṛdaya udayan māṁ madayati

(“Although I am fallen, by His mercy, He saved me from the forest fire of great material opulence. Although I am so low, He was pleased with me and delivered me to His personal associate, Svarūpa Dāmodara. Although they were most dear to Him, He gave me a guñja-mālā that He wore around his neck and a govardhana–śilā. May that Gaurāṅga manifest within my heart and make me intoxicated.”)

The govardhana-śilā is a direct manifestation of Bhagavān. Performing bhajana thinking, “Śrī Dāsa Gosvāmī resided at Śrī Govardhana and would never leave that place” – such determination is bhajana of Śrī Govardhana. There are two meanings for general devotees. The first is considering Govardhana as one’s worshippable Deity and performing pūjā to Him according to the prescribed rules previously mentioned. The other meaning is to reside at a līlā-sthāna (place of pastimes) at Śrī Śrī Govardhana, and this indirectly means any place in Vraja-maṇḍala where one can worship Bhagavān with determination. Śrī Rūpa has stated that residing in Mathurā-maṇḍala is amongst the main aṅgas (of bhakti). This is what is being said in this sentence.