Manaḥ ŚikṣāManaḥ Śīkṣā - Verse 6
Manaḥ ŚikṣāManaḥ Śīkṣā - Verse 8

Manaḥ Śikṣā – Verse 7

 

pratiṣṭhāśa dhṛṣṭā śvapaca-ramaṇī me hṛdi naṭet
kathaṁ sādhu premā spṛśati śucir etan nanu manaḥ
sadā tvaṁ sevasva prabhu-dayita-sāmantam atulaṁ
yathā tvāṁ niṣkāśya tvaritam iha taṁ veśayati saḥ

(“O mind! How can the highest and purest prema ever touch my heart while the desire for prestige dances there like a shameless dog-eating outcaste-woman? You must constantly serve those unparalleled generals of the army of the Lord who are most dear to Him. They can quickly expel that woman and allow prema to enter the heart.”)


Bhajana-darpaṇa Bhāṣya

VERSE MEANING:

He mana! nirlajjā śvapaca-ramaṇī pratiṣṭhāśā āmāra hṛdaye nṛta kariteche, takhana nirmala sādhu prema se hṛdayake kena sparśa karibe? Tumi prabhu-dayita atula sāmantake sarvadā sevā kara. Tini ati śīghrai sei chaṇḍālīke dura karata nirmala sādhu premake tomāra hṛdaye sanniveśa karāiben. (7)

“O mind! The desire for prestige is a shameless dog-earing outcaste woman who is dancing in the heart, so how can pure, divine prema ever touch there? You must constantly serve those unparalleled generals of the army of the Lord who are most dear to Him. They will quickly remove that dog-eating woman and establish pure, divine prema in your heart.”

 

1) Nirlajjā śvapaca-ramaṇī pratiṣṭhāśā (The desire for prestige is a shameless dog-eating outcaste-woman):

Pratiṣṭhā means respect for oneself, and the desire for that is called āśā. All other anarthas may be driven far away, but the desire for pratiṣṭhā does not go away so easily. All kinds of hypocrisy are born out of that desire. Although pratiṣṭhāśā is at the root of all anarthas, it refuses to admit its own fault, thus it is shameless. It is referred to as śvapaca-ramaṇī (an outcaste woman who eats dogs) because such a desire is like devouring the dog-flesh of prestige.

Those who are svaniṣṭhas desire the fame of being pious, charitable and moral.

The pariniṣṭhitas think, “I am a devotee of Viṣṇu!” “I understand everything so clearly!” “I am so detached!”  – in this way he desires to broadcast his fame.

The nirapekṣas think, “I am such a pure renunciant! “I have fully understood the śāstra!” “I have perfected bhaktitattva!” – in this way they look for prestige.

Hypocrisy does not go away until we eliminate the desire for fame. If we are not sincere, pure, divine prema will never be attained.


2) Nirmala sādhu-prema (Pure, divine prema): 

Śrī Rūpa says:

samyaṅ masṛṇita-svānto mamatvātiśayāṅkitaḥ
bhāva sa eva sāndrātmā budhaiḥ premā nigadyat
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.4.1)

When the state of bhāva is reached, service to Kṛṣṇa is fully purified and the feeling of possessiveness towards Him intensifies within the heart. This is known as prema. When one overcomes the desire for fame, complete peace of mind is possible, otherwise not.


3)
Prabhu-dayita atula sāmanta (Those unparalleled generals of the army of the Lord who are most dear to Him):

Prabhu-dayita (those who are dear to the Lord) are the pure devotees of Kṛṣṇa. They have no comparison. They are the Lord’s special commanders-in-chief. The rays of the hlādinīśakti are reflected in the hearts of pure Vaiṣṇavas. That śakti is easily transmitted to another heart, where it removes impurities and manifests prema. The embrace of pure Vaiṣṇavas, the dust of their feet, their nectarean food remnants, and their instructions are all transmitters of that śakti.

Śrī Śiva says:

ārādhanānāṁ sarveṣāṁ viṣṇor ārādhanaṁ param
tasmāt parataraṁ devi tadīyānāṁ samarcanam

(“O Goddess, of all types of worship, the worship of Viṣṇu is the best. Higher than this is the worship of those things connected to Viṣṇu.” – Padma Purāṇa)

yat-sevayā bhagavataḥ kūṭa-sthasya madhu-dviṣaḥ
rati-rāso bhavet tīvraḥ pādayor vyasanārdanaḥ

(“By service to the devotees of Madhudviṣa, the Changeless Enemy of the Madhu demon, attachment to a particular rasa with the Lord develops, and all material distress is vanquished.” – Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 3.7.19)

Śrī Rūpa says:

yāvanti bhagavad bhakter aṅgāni kathitānīha
prāyastāvanti tad bhakta bhakter api budhā vidhuḥ

(“All the divisions of bhakti described in relation to Bhagavān are also practised in relation to His devotees. This is recognised by those who are knowledgeable about bhakti.” – Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.219)

dṛgambhobhir dhautaḥ pulaka-paṭalī maṇḍita-tanuḥ
skhalann-antaḥphullo dadhad ati-pṛthuṁ vepathum api
dṛśoḥ kakṣāṁ yāvan mama sa puruṣaḥ ko ’py upayayau
na jāne kiṁ tāvan matir iha gṛhe nābhiramate

(“I don’t know why my mind no longer finds any pleasure in household affairs since that extraordinary personality appeared on the path of my eyes. His body was flooded with his own tears, his hairs stood on end, he stumbled with every step, his heart was overflowing with bliss, and his body trembled.” – Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.241)

Manaḥ ŚikṣāManaḥ Śīkṣā - Verse 6
Manaḥ ŚikṣāManaḥ Śīkṣā - Verse 8

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