Upadeśa – Song Thirteen

Text 1

mana tumi sannyāsī sājite keno cāo
bāhirera sāja jata antarete phāṅki tata
dambha pūji śarīra nācāo

O my heart, why do you want to dress like a sannyāsī? Outside you may dress like that, but inside you will know very well that you are only a pretender.

Text 2

āmāra bacana dharo antara biśuddha koro
kṛṣṇāmṛta sadā koro pāna
jībana sahaje jāya bhakti-bādhā nāhi pāya
tad-upāya koroho sandhāna

Please try to grasp my words: Be pure within. Always drink the nectar of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Live a natural life. Don’t do anything that will become an obstacle to devotional service. Accept the spiritual practices that lead to devotion.

Text 3

anāyāse jāhā pāo tāhe tuṣṭa hoye jāo
āḍambare nā koro prayāsa
pūrṇa-bastra jadi nāi kaupīna paro he bhāi
śīta-bastra kanthā bahir-bāsa

Happily accept whatever comes easily. Don’t try to make a pompous display of your opulence. If you can’t get many clothes, wear a loincloth. In the winter wear an old quilt.

Text 4

aguru candana nāi mṛttikā-tilaka bhāi
hārera badale dharo mālā
ei rūpe āśā-pāśa sukhādira ku-bilāsa
kharbi chāro soṁsārera jwālā

O my brother, don’t accept fragrances of sandal and aguru. Wear earth-tilaka. Exchange your necklaces for tulasī beads. Turn from material sense pleasures. Cut the ropes of material desires. Escape the flames of birth and death.

Text 5

sannyāsa-bairāgya-bidhi sei āśramera nidhi
tahe kabhu nā koro ādara
se saba ādare bhāi soṁsāre nistāra nāi
dāmbhikera liṅga nirantara

Renunication is the great treasure of the sannyāsa-āśrama. O my brother, please don’t hanker after honor from others. A proud person who seeks honor from others will not delivered from this world of birth and death.

Text 6

tumi to’ caitanya-dāsa hari-bhakti taba āśā
āśramera liṅge kiba phala
pratiṣṭhā koroho dūra bāsa taba śāntipura
sādhu kṛpā tomāra sambala

You are Lord Caitanya’s servant. Your real hankering is to serve Lord Kṛṣṇa. What will you gain by accepting the outward signs of the sannyāsa-āśrama? Throw the desire for fame far away. Make you home in Śāntipura, and make the Vaiṣṇavas’ mercy your true wealth.

Text 7

baiṣṇabera paricoya abaśyaka nāhi hoya
āḍambare kabhu nāhi jāo
binodera nibedana rādhā-kṛṣṇa-guṇa-gāna
phukāri’ phukāri’ sadā gāo

It is not necessary to accept the outward signs of an advanced Vaiṣṇava. Don’t try for an outward show of how great you are. Simply always chant the glories of Śrī Śrī Rādha and Kṛṣṇa.