Manaḥ Śīkṣā – Verse 12

manaḥ-śikṣā-daikādaśaka-varam etan madhurayā
girā gāyaty uccaiḥ samadhigata-sarvārthayati yaḥ
sa-yūthaḥ śrī-rūpānuga iha bhavan gokula-vane
jano rādhā-kṛṣṇātula-bhajana-ratnaṁ sa labhate

(“Anyone in the group under Śrī Rūpa, who loudly sings these eleven excellent instructions to the mind in the forest of Gokula, in a sweet voice with proper understanding, will certainly attain the incomparable jewel of worshipping Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa.”)

Bhajana-darpaṇa Bhāṣya

VERSE MEANING:

yini sa-yūtha śrī-rūpera anuga haiyā gokul-vane ati-śreṣṭha ei ‘manaḥ-śikṣād’-nāmaka ekādaśa śloka madhura vākya, ucchaiḥsvare, artha-samūhera samyag, jñāna-sahakāre gāna karena, tini śrī-rādhā-kṛṣṇera atula bhajana-ratna lābha karena (12)

(“One who sings the eleventh verses of this most excellent ‘Manaḥ-śikṣā’ in the forest of Gokula with a loud and melodious voice, with full knowledge of the meaning, attains the incomparable jewel-like bhajana of Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa.”)

1) Sa-yūtha (The group):

This means that association of Vaiṣṇavas who are of the same mood, affectionate and more advanced than onself. Although Lalitā is the leader of her group of sakhīs, she remains a śrī-rādhānuga (a follower of Śrī Radhā). Similarly, many elevated Vaiṣṇavas, who are the gurus of many disciples, are followers of Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī.

yūthādhipātve ’py aucityaṁ dadhānā lalitādayaḥ
sveṣṭa-rādhādi-bhāvasya lobhāt sakhya-ruciṁ dadhuḥ

(“Although group leaders such as Lalitā are most competent, because of their mood of pleasing others such as Rādhā, they have achieved a taste to be their friends.”)

2) Śrī-rūpānuga (The followers of Śrī Rūpa):

The rasa-tattva taught by Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī on the order of Śrīman Mahāprabhu, and the bhajana performed by him accordingly, can be called śrī-rūpānuga bhajana.

3) Gokula-vane (In the forests of Gokula):

This means any secluded place in Śrī Mathurā-maṇḍala. In Śrīman Mathurā-māhātmya, Śrī Rūpa has said:

(1)
mukter govinda-bhakter vitaraṇa-caturaṁ sac-cid-ānanda-rūpaṁ
yasyāṁ vidyoti vidyā-yugalam-udayate tārakaṁ pārakaṁ ca
kṛṣṇasyotpatti-līlā-khanir akhila-jagan-mauli-ratnasya sā te
vaikuṇṭhād yā pratiṣṭhā prathayatu mathurā maṅgalānāṁ kalāpam

(“May Mathurā, which is capable of awarding liberation and bhakti unto Govinda, whose form is made up of sat, cit and ānanda, which manifests two kinds of effulgent knowledge – tāraka, or the knowledge of liberation, and pāraka, or the knowledge of bliss – which is the crest-jewel of the universe due to its being the abode where Kṛṣṇa performed His pastimes, which holds a greater position than that of Vaikuṇṭha, manifest great auspiciousness unto you.”)

(2)
koṭīndu-spaṣṭa-kāntī rabhasa-yuta-bhava-kleśa-yodhair ayodhyā
māyā-vitrāsivāsā muni-hṛdayam uṣo divya-līlāḥ sravantī
sāśīḥ kāśīśa-mukhyāmara-patibhir alaṁ prārthita-dvārakāryā
vaikuṇṭhodgīta-kīrtir diśatu madhupurī prema-bhakti-śriyaṁ vaḥ

(“May Madhu Purī, which is more effulgent than millions of moons, which cannot be assailed by the powerful soldiers of the miseries of the material world, where māyā is afraid to reside, which charms the hearts of those munis who glorify the Lord’s divine līlā, whose gates Śiva, the Lord of Kāśī, and Brahmā, the foremost of the Devas, desire to guard, and whose glories are sung by the Lord of Vaikuṇṭha, award the great wealth of prema-bhakti to you.”)

(3)
bījaṁ mukti-taror anartha-paṭalī-nistārakaṁ tārakaṁ
dhāma-prema-rasasya vāñchita-dhurāsaṁpārakaṁ pārakam
etad yatra nivāsinām udayate cic-chakti-vṛtti-dvayaṁ
mathmātu vyasanāni māthurapurī sā vaḥ śriyaṁ ca kriyāt

(“May Mathurā Purī, which is the seed of the tree of liberation, which removes a multitude of anarthas, the abode of prema–rasa, which fulfills all desires, where the two functions of the cit-śakti manifest within the residents, which destroys all vices, bestow all spiritual wealth unto you.”)

(4)
adyāvanti patad-grahaṁ kuru kare māye śanair-vījaya
cchatraṁ kañci gṛhāṇa kāśi purataḥ pādū-yugaṁ dhāraya
nāyodhye bhaja sambhramaṁ stuti-kathāṁ nodgāraya dvārake
devīyaṁ bhavatīṣu hanta mathurā dṛṣṭi-prasādaṁ dadhe

(“Now Avantī, hold this plate for used betel-nut! Māyāpurī, you should fan slowly! Kāñcī, hold this umbrella! Kāśī, carry this pair of sandals! Ayodhyā, do not be afraid! Dvārakā, don’t recite prayers now! Goddess Mathurā has already put her merciful glance upon all of you.”)*

* The Mathurāṣṭaka from Stavamālā.

In the Śrī Vṛndāvanāṣṭaka:

(1)
mukunda-muralī-rava-śravaṇa-phulla-hṛd-ballavī-
kadambaka-karambita-prati-kadamba-kuñjāntarā
kalinda-giri-nandinī-kamala-kandalāndolinā
sugandhir anilena me śaraṇam astu vṛndāṭavī

(“Fragrant with a soft breeze that makes the many lotuses in the Yamunā move to and fro, where there are kuñjas of kadamba trees where there are many gopīs whose hearts blossom with delight upon hearing the sound of Mukunda’s flute. May that forest of Vṛndā be my shelter.”)

(2)
vikuṇṭha-pura-saṁśrayād vipinato ’pi niḥśreyasāt
sahasra-guṇitāṁ śriyaṁ praduhatī rasa-śreyasīm
catur-mukha-mukhair api spṛhita-tārṇa-dehodbhavā
jagad-gurubhir-agrimaiḥ śaraṇam astu vṛndāṭavī

(“Residence in this forest is thousands of times greater than liberation in the abode of Vaikuṇṭhapura. It bestows the opulence of the most splendid rasa. Even four-headed Brahmā and other universal gurus, pray to attain a birth there even in the form of a blade of grass. May that forest of Vṛndā be my shelter.”)

(3)
anārata-vikasvara-vratati-puñja-puṣpāvalī-
visāri-vara-saurabhodgama-ramā-camatkāriṇī
amanda-makaranda-bhṛd-viṭapi-vṛnda-vandī-kṛta-
dvirepha-kula-vanditā śaraṇam astu vṛndāṭavī

(“A beautiful pervading fragrance from hosts of eternally blossoming flower vines brings astonishment even to Goddess Ramā. Swarms of Honeybees offer prayers as they hover around trees that shower an abundance of honey. May that forest of Vṛndā be my shelter.”)

(4)
kṣaṇadyuti-ghana-śriyor vraja-navīna-yūnoḥ padaiḥ
suvalghubhir alaṅkṛtā lalita-lakṣma-lakṣmī-bharaiḥ
tayor nakhara-maṇḍalī-śikhara-keli-caryocitair
vṛtā-kiśalayāṅkuraiḥ śaraṇam astu vṛndāṭavī

(“Vraja is decorated with beautiful signs that have been made by the feet of the Youthful Couple, who resemble a flash of lightning and a fresh rain cloud. That land is filled with fresh buds that imitate the splendour of Their toenails. May that forest of Vṛndā be my shelter.”)

(5)
vrajendra-sakha-nandinī śubhatarādhikāra-kriyā-
prabhāvaja-sukhotsava-sphurita-jaṅgama-sthāvarā
pralamba-damanānuja-dhvanita-vaṁśīkā-kākalī-
rasajña-mṛga-maṇḍalā śaraṇaṁ astu vṛndāṭavī

(“On the auspicious instruction of the Daughter of Vṛṣabhānu, the friend of the king of Vraja, Vṛndāvana produces such splendour that both the moving and non-moving creatures become enlivened in a festival of joy. There, the herds of deer are expert in tasting the rasa produced by the music from the flute played by Kṛṣṇa, the younger brother of Baladeva who killed Pralamba. May that forest of Vṛndā be my shelter.”)

(6)
amanda-mudirārbudābhyadhika-mādhurī-medura-
vrajendra-suta-vīkṣaṇonnaṭita-nīla-kaṇṭhotkarā
dineśa-suhṛd-ātmajā-kṛta-nijābhimānollasal-
latā-khaga-mṛgāṅganā śaraṇam astu vṛndāṭavī

(“There, a multitude of peacocks jump up upon seeing the Son of the king of Vraja, who is sweeter and softer than a host of new rain clouds. The vines, birds and does become overjoyed when Rādhikā, the Daughter of the sun-god’s friend Vṛṣabhānu, proudly declares that this forest belongs to Her. May that forest of Vṛndā be my shelter.”)

(7)
agaṇya-guṇa-nāgarī-gaṇa-gariṣṭha-gāndharvikā
manoja-raṇa-cāturī-piśuna-kuñja-puñjojjvalā
jagat-traya-kalā-guror lalita-lāsya-valgat-pada-
prayoga-vidhi-sākṣiṇī śaraṇam astu vṛndāṭavī

(“The various beautiful kuñjas are witness to how expert Gāndharvikā is in amorous quarrels. She is the best of all heroines who possesses unlimited qualities. They also witness the charming dancing feet of Kṛṣṇa, the guru of fine arts for the three worlds. May that forest of Vṛndā be my shelter.”)

(8)
variṣṭha-hari-dāsatā-pada-samṛddha-govardhanā
madhūdvaha-vadhū-camatkṛti-nivāsa rāsa-sthalā
agūḍha-gahana-śriyo madhurima-vrajenojjvalā
vrajasya sahajena me śaraṇam astu vṛndāṭavī

(“Govardhana, who is fortunate to have the position of being the best servants of Hari, is where the rasa arena is situated, which fills the sweet gopīs with astonishment. That Vraja naturally manifests a variety of sweet and beautiful forests. May that forest of Vṛndā be my shelter.”)*

* Vṛndāvanāṣṭaka from Stavamālā.

4) Manaḥ-śikṣād (Instructions to the mind):

These instructions to the mind are given for those persons who desire to perform bhajana.

5) Ati-śreṣṭha (Most excellent):

These verses which are most excellent and filled with confidential teachings were given (to Śrī Dāsa Gosvāmī) by Śrī Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī, by the mercy of Śriman Mahāprabhu.

6) Madhura-vākya–ucchaiḥsvare (Sung in a sweet and loud voice):
This should be sung in the proper metre, with others or alone and with intense feeling.

7) Artha-samūhera samyag jñāna (Having full knowledge of the meaning): These eleven ślokas should be recited with full understanding of its confidential meaning.

yeṣāṁ sarāga-bhajane vraja-rāja-sūnoḥ
śrī-rūpa śikṣita matānugamanānurāgaḥ
yatnena te bhajana-darpaṇa nāma bhāṣyaḥ
śikṣāda-śloka sahitaṁ prapaṭhantu bhaktyā

(“Those who are attached to perform bhajana of the Son of the king of Vraja, with great attachment, following the teachings of Śrī Rūpa, should carefully study this commentary known as Bhajana-darpaṇa along with the ślokas of Manaḥ-śikṣā with extreme devotion.”)

iti śrī-bhaktivinoda virācitaṁ manaḥ-śikṣādākhya-ślokānāṁ
‘bhajana-darpaṇaṁ’ nāma miśra-bhāṣyaṁ sampūrṇam

(“Thus ends the commentary composed by Śrī Bhaktivinoda known as the Bhajana–darpaṇa along with the verses of Manaḥ-śikṣā.”)

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanyārpanam’astu
(May this be an offering to Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya)