VERSE 1

guru-kṛpā-bale labhi’ sambandha-vijñāna
kṛti-jīva hayena bhajane yatnavān

Attaining realisation of their relationship with the Lord by the mercy of Śrī Guru, fortunate jīvas engage in bhajana.

sei jīve śrī-rūpa-gosvāmī mahodaya
‘upadeśāmṛte’ dhanya karena niścaya

The most merciful Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī has certainly blessed such jīvas with Śrī Upadeśāmṛta.

gṛhī gṛha-tyāgī bhede dvi-prakāra jane
upadeśa bheda vicāribe vijña-gaṇe

There are two types of people, householders and renunciants. Those who are wise conclude that there are different instructions for both.

gṛhi prati ei saba upadeśa haya
gṛha-tyāgī prati ihā parākāṣṭhāmaya

All these instructions are for the householders, and they are of great importance for the renunciants.

vākya-vega mano-vega krodha-vega āra
jihvā-vega udara-upastha-vega chhara
ei chhaya vega sahi kṛṣṇa-nāmāśraye
jagat śāsite pāre parājiyā bhaye

Those who can tolerate the six basic impulses, the urges of speech, the mind, anger, the tongue, the belly, and the genitals, by taking shelter of the Holy Name of Kṛṣṇa can control the world and conquer fear.

kevala śaraṇāgati kṛṣṇa-bhaktimaya
bhakti-pratikula tyāga tāra aṅga haya

Exclusive surrender is comprised of bhakti towards Kṛṣṇa. Abandoning that which is unfavourable to bhakti is one of its divisions.

chhaya vega sahi yukta-vairāgya-āśraye
nāme aparādha-.ūnya haibe nirbhaye

One who tolerates these six impulses by taking shelter of true renunciation will fearlessly become free from the offences to the Holy Name.

VERSE 2

atyahāra prayāsa prajalpa jana-saṅga
laulyādi niyamāgraha hale bhakti-bheda

When there is accumulating more than necessary, over-endeavouring, useless talk, association with non-devotees, mental restlessness, and attachment to rules (or flaunting rules), devotion becomes disturbed.

gṛha-tyāgī janera sañcaya atyāhāra
adhika sañcari gṛhī vaiṣṇavera cāra

For those who are renunciants, atyahāra means accumulation, For the householder Vaiṣṇavas, over-accumulation is harmful.

bhakti-anukula naya se saba udyama
prayāsa nāmete tāra prakāśa viṣama

All those activities that are not favourable to bhakti are known as prayāsa; when they appear they are unfortunate.

grāmya-kathā prajalpa nāmete paricaya
matera cañcalya laulya asat-tṛṣṇāmaya

Village talk is known as prajalpa. Mental restlessness produced by the thirst for material desires is known as laulya.

viṣayī yoṣit-saṅgi tat-tat-saṅgī āra
māyāvādī dharma-dhvajī nāstika prakāra
se saba asat-saṅga bhakti-hānikara
viśeṣa yatne sei saṅga parihāra

The various types of sense-enjoyers, those attached to the opposite sex, their associates, māyāvādīs, religious pretenders and atheists – such bad association with all these people destroys bhakti. With special care, one should avoid such association.

niyama agraha āra niyama āgraha
dvi-prakāra doña ei bhakta-galagraha

The faults of neglecting rules and also following rules unnecessarily are both burdens to the devotees.

eke svādhikāragata niyama varjana
āre anya-adhikāra niyama grahaṇa

With one, there is rejection of those rules meant for one’s particular position. With the second, there is the acceptance of those rules that are meant for others.

VERSE 3

anukulya-saṅkalpera chhaya aṅga sāra
utsāha viśvāsa dhairya tat-tat-karma āra
saṅga-tyāga sādhu-vṛtti karile āśraya
bhakti-yoga-siddhi labhe sarva-śāstre kaya

If one takes shelter in those six essential divisions that are favourable to accept – enthusiasm, confidence, fortitude, performing favourable activities, rejecting bad association and following the example of sādhus – then one can attain perfection in the practice of bhakti-yoga. All the scriptures say this.

bhakti-anuṣṭhane utsāhera prayojana
bhaktite viśvāsa dṛdha dhairyāvalambana
ye karma karile haya bhaktira ullāsa
ye karma jīvana-yatra nirvāhe prayāsa

There is a necessity for enthusiasm in the practice of bhakti, firm confidence in bhakti, fortitude, activities which make bhakti most prominent, and activities that maintain one’s life.

asat-saṅga tyāge haya saṅga-vivarjana
sadācara sādhu-vṛtti sarvadā pālana

Giving up association (asat-saṅga-tyāga) refers to rejecting bad association and always following the example and behaviour of sādhus.

tyāgī bhikṣā-yoge āra gṛhī dharmāśraye
karibe jīvana yatra sāvadhāna haye

Renunciants should live by begging, and householders should follow the codes of dharma. They should carefully maintain their lives in this way.

 

VERSE 4

asat-saṅga tyāji’ sādhu-saṅga kara bhāi
prītira lakṣaṇa chhaya vicāri’ sadāi

O brother, reject bad association, associate with the sādhus, and constantly deliberate upon the six exchanges of love.

dāna-graha sva-sva-guhya jijñāsā varṇana
bhuñjana bhojana-dāna saṅgera lakṣaṇa

Giving and accepting (gifts), inquiring and describing confidential topics, and eating and distributing food are the definitions of such association.

 

VERSE 5

asat lakṣaṇa-hīna gāya kṛṣṇa-nāma
manete ādara tā’te kara aviśrāma

Always mentally honour those who are without materialistic qualities that chant the Holy Name of Kṛṣṇa.

labdha-dīkṣa kṛṣṇa bhaje yei mahājana
praṇāmi ādara tā’re kara sarva-kṣaṇa

At every moment one should offer obeisance to those great souls who have accepted initiation and worship Kṛṣṇa.

bhajana-catura yei tā’ra kara sevā
kṛṣṇamaya sabe dekhe suvaiṣṇava yebā

śatru mitra sad-asat kichu nā vicāre
sarvottama saṅga bali’ sevaha tā’hāre

Offer service to those who are expert in bhajana and those great Vaiṣṇavas, who see Kṛṣṇa in everything. Do not consider enemy and friend, good or bad – consider who is the best association and serve them.

VERSE 6

nira-dharma-gata phena-paṅkādi-saṁyukta
gaṅgā-jala brahmatā haite nahe cyuta

Foam, mud etc. are inherent within water. Nevertheless, the water of the Gaṅgā never loses its spiritual nature.

sei-rūpa śuddha-bhakta jaḍa-deha-gata
svabhāva-vapura doṣe nā haya prākṛta

Similarly, pure devotees should not be considered as mundane simply because of the faults inherent within their forms, for these are natural in the material body.

ataeva dekhiyā bhaktera kadākara
svabhāvaja varṇa kārkasyādi doṣa āra
prākṛta baliyā bhakte kabhu nā nindibe
śuddha-bhakti dekhi’ tā’re sarvadā vandibe

Therefore, upon observing the faults born from a devotee’s inherent nature or class, such as ugliness or harshness etc. one should never consider a devotee to be mundane and criticise them. One should see their pure devotion and always show respect to them.

VERSE 7

avidyā pittera doṣe duṣṭa rasanāya
kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtane ruci nāhi haya hāya

For one whose tongue is spoiled by the jaundice of ignorance, there is no taste for kṛṣṇa–saṅkīrtana. Alas! Alas!

sitapala prāya kṛṣṇa-kathā anudina
ādare sevite ruci dena samīcīna

But like sugar candy, by constantly and lovingly engaging in kṛṣṇa-kathā, true taste develops.

kṛṣṇa-kāmya-vismṛti avidyā-gada-mūla
kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtana-krame haya ta’ nirmūla

The root of the disease of ignorance, forgetfulness that Kṛṣṇa is our true desire, is gradually uprooted by kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtana.

sei krame kṛṣṇa-nāmādite āsvādana
anudina baḍe, ruci haya anukṣana

In this way, gradually, a taste for Kṛṣṇa’s Holy Name etc. increases day by day, and eventually that taste becomes constant.

VERSE 8

nāmādira smṛti āra kīrtana niyame
niyojita kara jihvā citta krame krame

Gradually, the tongue and mind should be engaged in remembrance, kīrtana and chanting of Kṛṣṇa’s Name, etc.

vraje vasi’ anurāgīra sevā-anusāra
sarva-kāla bhaja ei upadeśa sāra

Reside in Vraja and at all times serve and follow the sevā of who have deep attachment to Kṛṣṇa. This is the essence of all instructions.

VERSE 9

vaikuṇṭha apekṣā śreṣṭha mathurā-maṇḍala
tad apekṣā vṛndāvana yathā rāsa-sthala

Greater than Vaikuṇṭha is Mathurā-maṇḍala, and greater than that is Vṛndāvana, the place of the rasa dance.

tad apekṣā govardhana nitya keli-sthāna
rādhā-kuṇḍe tad apekṣā premera vijñāna

Greater than Vṛndāvana is Govardhana, the place of the Lord’s eternal play. Greater than that is Rādhā-kuṇḍa, where there is realisation of prema.

VERSE 10

cid-anveṣī jñānī jaḍa-karmī haite śreṣṭha
jñānī-cara bhakta tad apekṣā kṛṣṇa-preṣṭha

Jñānīs who seek the plane of consciousness are greater than those who are engaged in material pursuits. Those devotees who are free from jñāna are dearer to Kṛṣṇa.

prema-niṣṭha bhakta tad apekṣā śreṣṭha jāni
gopī-gaṇe tad apekṣā śreṣṭha bali’ māni

We know that devotees who are steady in love divine are greater, and we consider the gopīs to be greater than all others.

sarva-gopī śreṣṭhā rādhā kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhā sadā
tā’hāra sarasī nitya kṛṣṇera prītidā

Śrī Rādhikā is the greatest of all the gopīs. She is always Kṛṣṇa’s beloved, and Her lake eternally gives pleasure to Kṛṣṇa.

e hena premera sthāna govardhana-taṭe
āśraya nā kare kebā kṛtī niṣkapaṭe

Which fortunate person would not sincerely take shelter at the base of Govardhana Hill, that place of love divine?

 

VERSE 11

sakala preyasī-śreṣṭhā vṛṣabhānu-sutā
tā’hāra sarasī nitya śrī-kṛṣṇa-dayitā

The daughter of King Vṛṣabhānu is the best of the most beloved of Kṛṣṇa, and Her lake is eternally dear to Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

muni-gaṇa śāstre ei-rūpa nirdhārila
vraja-madhye śreṣṭha bali’ kuṇḍe sthira kaila

This has been concluded by the sages in the śāstra, and they have decided that this lake is the greatest within all of Vraja.

sādhana-bhaktira kathā ki baliba āra
kṛṣṇa-preṣṭha-gaṇera durlabha prema-sāra

What more can I say about sādhana-bhakti? The essence of love divine is difficult to attain even for those who are dear to Kṛṣṇa.

niṣkapaṭe sei kuṇḍe ye kare majjana
kuṇḍa tā’re sei prema kare vitaraṇa

Yet, for those who bathe in that lake with all sincerity, she awards them divine love.