Manaḥ Śīkṣā – Verse 2

na dharmaṁ nādharmaṁ śruti-gaṇa-niruktaṁ kila kuru
vraje rādhā-kṛṣṇa-pracura-paricaryām iha tanu
śacī-sūnuṁ nandīśvara-pati-sutatve guru-varaṁ
mukunda-preṣṭhatve smara param ajasraṁ nanu manaḥ

(“O mind, do not perform either dharma or adharma that is mentioned in the śruti. Instead, engage in intense service to Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa here in Vraja. Also, constantly remember the Son of Śacī who is the Son of the lord of Nandīśvara, and remember the guru who is most dear to Mukunda.”)

Bhajana-darpaṇa Bhāṣya

Objection: The first doubt is, what kind of life will a jīva lead by giving up pride and taking refuge in kṛṣṇa-bhakti? How can one lead one’s life without dharma or adharma? The second doubt is, if one accepts the bhajana of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, how is one to regard Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Prabhu? The third doubt is, how should one consider Śrī Gurudeva?

VERSE MEANING:

śruti-gaṇa-nirukta dharma u adharma kichu-I kari-u nā. śruti-gaṇa yāhā sarvopari sarvopādeya baliyā carame siddhānta kariyāchen, sei śrī-śrī-rādhā-kṛṣṇera pracura paricaryā kara. śrī -śacīnandana-ke śrī-nandanandana u śrī-gurudeva-ke mukunda-preṣṭha baliyā sarvadā smaraṇa kara. (2)

“Do not perform either dharma or adharma mentioned in the śruti. The śruti has declared that the ultimate conclusion is that the highest and most excellent object of worship is Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. Remember constantly Śrī Śacī-nandana, who is Śrī Nanda-nandana, and also Śrī Gurudeva, who is most dear to Mukunda.”

1) Śruti-gaṇa-nirukta dharma vā adharma kichu-I kari-u nā (Do not perform either dharma or adharma as described in the śruti):

Whatever human beings do is either called dharma or adharma. If these were prohibited, there would be no life at all. Śrī Dasa Gosvāmī has not forbidden any activities. There are two kinds of jīvas in the world – the wise and the ignorant. Ignorant jīvas can do nothing without regulation. If they do anything independently, it only brings inauspiciousness upon them. For their benefit, the śruti and its accompanying smrti have divided all actions into dharma and adharma. Those who are wise are aware of their own intrinsic position (svarūpa). Statements concerning regulations were not spoken for them. For them, the śrutis have given instructions on ātma-rati, kṛṣṇa-rati or pure service. Those men with śraddhā are classified as wise. Therefore, Gosvāmī Prabhu has instructed them not to observe that which is dharma or adharma, but to exclusively engage in service to the Divine Couple. Whatever activities are necessary in the life of a sādhaka, they should all be done with a mood of full service to the Divine Couple. For those established in varṇāśrama, all activities prescribed in the Vedas should be performed as service to Bhagavān – by performing service at home, all activities such as earning money, raising a family, protecting one’s affairs, building a house is done for the Lord. One should only consider oneself a servant of the Lord. One should not try to enjoy the results of one’s work. Śrī Hari-bhakti-vilāsa states that one should perform śrāddha and other such rituals as service. When one abandons one’s dependence on varṇāśrama, then naturally one instinctively attains residence in Vraja and service to the Divine Couple. Amongst those who reside elsewhere and cannot live in Vraja , they can reside in Vraja in their minds.

2) śrī -śacī-nandana-ke śrī-nanda-nandana baliyā u śrī-gurudeva-ke ‘mukunda-preṣṭha’ baliyā sarvadā smaraṇa karibe (Remember constantly Śrī Śacīnandana, who is Śrī Nandanandana, and also Śrī Gurudeva, who is most dear to Mukunda):

First of all, when worshipping the Divine Couple, one should remember Śrī Guru and Śrī Gaurāṅgadeva first; otherwise one will not attain paramārtha-siddhi (spiritual perfection). If one worships Śrī Śacīnandana separately, then one will not understand how He is non-different from Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

‘Mukunda-preṣṭha’ means one who is the favourite of He who liberates one from saṁsāra. “Śrī Kṛṣṇa has sent Śrī Guru to deliver me!” – one should think like this. Everything becomes perfect when one understands how Śrī Gurudeva is the priya-sakhī (dear friend) of Śrīmatī Rādhikā.