Charana-sharana

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Srimad-Bhagavatam, 1.11.26:

 

"The Lord’s chest is the abode of the goddess of fortune. His moonlike face is

the drinking vessel for eyes which hanker after all that is beautiful. His arms

are the resting places for the administrative demigods. And His lotus feet are

the refuge of pure devotees who never talk or sing of any subject except His

Lordship."

 

PURPORT

 

There are different classes of human beings, all seeking different enjoyments

from different objects. There are persons who are seeking after the favor of

the goddess of fortune, and for them the Vedic literatures give information

that the Lord is always served with all reverence by thousands and thousands of

goddesses of fortune at the cintämaëi-dhäma,* the transcendental abode of the

Lord where the trees are all desire trees and the buildings are made of

touchstone. The Lord Govinda is engaged there in herding the surabhi cows as

His natural occupation. These goddesses of fortune can be seen automatically if

we are attracted by the bodily features of the Lord. The impersonalists cannot

observe such goddesses of fortune because of their dry speculative habit. And

those who are artists, overtaken by the beautiful creation, should better see

to the beautiful face of the Lord for complete satisfaction. The face of the

Lord is the embodiment of beauty. What they call beautiful nature is but His

smile, and what they call the sweet songs of the birds are but specimens of the

whispering voice of the Lord. There are administrative demigods in charge of

departmental service of cosmic management, and there are tiny administrative

gods in the state service. They are always afraid of other competitors, but if

they take shelter of the arms of the Lord, the Lord can protect them always

from the attacks of enemies. A faithful servant of the Lord engaged in the

service of administration is the ideal executive head and can well protect the

interest of the people in general. Other so-called administrators are symbols

of anachronisms leading to the acute distress of the people who are governed by

them. The administrators can remain safely under the protection of the arms of

the Lord. The essence of everything is the Supreme Lord: He is called the

säram. And those who sing and talk about Him are called the säraìgas, or the

pure devotees. The pure devotees are always hankering after the lotus feet of

the Lord. The lotus has a kind of honey which is transcendentally relished by

the devotees. They are like the bees who are always after the honey. Çréla Rüpa

Gosvämé, the great devotee äcärya of the Gauòéya-Vaiñëava-sampradäya, has sung

a song about this lotus honey, comparing himself to the bee: “O my Lord Kåñëa,

I beg to offer my prayers unto You. My mind is like the bee, and it is after

some honey. Kindly, therefore, give my bee-mind a place at Your lotus feet,

which are the resources for all transcendental honey. I know that even big

demigods like Brahmä do not see the rays of the nails of Your lotus feet, even

though they are engaged in deep meditation for years together. Still, O

infallible one, my ambition is such, for You are very merciful to your

surrendered devotees. O Mädhava, I know also that I have no genuine devotion

for the service of Your lotus feet, but because Your Lordship is inconceivably

powerful, You can do what is impossible to be done. Your lotus feet can deride

even the nectar of the heavenly kingdom, and therefore I am very much attracted

by them. O supreme eternal, please, therefore, let my mind be fixed at Your

lotus feet so that eternally I may be able to relish the taste of Your

transcendental service.” The devotees are satisfied with being placed at the

lotus feet of the Lord and have no ambition to see His all-beautiful face or

aspire for the protection of the strong arms of the Lord. They are humble by

nature, and the Lord is always leaning towards such humble devotees.