Śaraṇāgati (Surrendered to the Lord’s Shelter)

Sixth Principle of Surrender: Svīkara (Acceptance of Activities Favorable to Pure Devotion) – Song 2

(1)
godruma-dhāme bhajana-anukūle
māthura-śrī-nandīśvara-samatule

1) In the land of Godruma in Navadvīpa, which is very conducive for performing devotional worship of the Supreme Lord, and which is non-different from the sacred place in Vraja called Nandagrām in the holy district of Mathurā…

(2)
tahi māha surabhi-kuñja-kuṭīre
baiṭhobuṅ hāma sura-taṭinī-tīre

2) …There I will settle down in a small cottage within the grove called Surabhi-kuñja on the bank of the celestial Gaṅgā river.*

(3)
gaura-bhakata-priya-veśa dadhānā
tilaka-tulasī-mālā-śobhamānā

3) I will put on the garb that is dear to the devotees of Lord Gaura-sundara, including the twelve Vaiṣṇava tilaka markings on my body and beautiful beads of tulasī wood around my neck.

(4)
campaka, bakula, kadamba, tamāl
ropato niramibo kuñja viśāl

4) Then, by planting flowering trees like campaka, bakula, kadamba, and tamāl, I will cultivate an extensive grove by my cottage.

(5)
mādhavī mālatī uṭhābuṅ tāhe
chāyā-manḍapa korobuṅ taṅhi māhe

5) I will drape mādhavī and mālatī jasmine creepers upon the trees, and in this way make a shady bower in their midst.

(6)
ropobuṅ tatra kusuma-vana-rāji
jūthi, jāti, mallī virājabo sāji’

6) I will plant row upon row of various forest flowers, including different kinds of jasmine like yuthī, jāti, and mallī. All these will be present there, arrayed in a charming fashion.

(7)
mañce basāobuṅ tulasī-mahārāṇī
kīrtana-sajja taṅhi rākhabo āni’

7) I will install the empress tulasī on an elevated platform in this garden, then procure all necessary paraphernalia for having kīrtana, such as mṛdaṅga drums, karatālas, and gongs, and place them there.

(8)
vaiṣṇava-jana-saha gāobuṅ nām
jaya godruma jaya gaura ki dhām

8) Then I will commence singing the holy names of the Lord in the company of the Vaiṣṇavas. We will sing, “All glories to the island of Godruma! All glories to the divine abode of Lord Gauracandra!”

(9)
bhakativinoda bhakti-anukūl
jaya kuñja, muñja, sura-nadī-kūl

9) Bhaktivinoda is favorably disposed to pure devotional service. All glories to Surabhi-kuñja, to its tall reeds, and to the banks of the celestial Gaṅgā!

*The fact that the island of Godruma in Navadvīpa is non-different from Nandйзvara in Vraja is also stated by Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda in his Navadvīpa-Bhāva-Taraṇga, verse 44.

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