bhaktivinode thakura on pitfalls mundane knowledge devoid of Bhakti

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Camp: Iskcon Pretoria, South Africa

 

DaNDavats Dear devotees. Jaya Krishna-BalarAma!

 

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Sreela PrabhupAda.

 

from Bhaktivinode Thakura's kalyana Kalpataru

 

Song 10

Text 1

 

mana re, keno koro bidy€ra gauraba

smti-€stra by€karaŠa n€n€-bh€€-€locana

bddhi kore' jaera saurabha

 

mana-heart; re-O; kenaƒ-why?; koraƒ-you do; bidy€ra-of knowledge;

gauraba-respect; smti-€stra-the smrti-sastras; by€karaŠa-grammar;

n€n€-various; bh€€-languages; €locana-study; bddhi-increase; kore'-does;

jaera-of fame; saurabha-the fragrance.

 

O my heart, why do you worship material knowledge? Your learning in

smti-€stra, Sanskrit grammar, and various languages expands the sweet

fragrance of your fame.

 

Text 2

 

kintu dekho cinta kori' jadi n€ bhajile hori

bidy€ taba kebala rauraba

kŠa prati aurakti sei b…je janme bhakti

bidy€ ho'te t€h€ asambhaba

 

kintu-however; dekhaƒ-look; cinta-thinking; kori'-doing; jadi-if;

n€-not; bhajile-worship; hori-KŠa; bidy€-knowledge; taba-your;

kebala-only; rauraba-hell; kŠa-KŠa; prati-to; aurakti-love; sei-this;

b…je-the seed; janme-birth; bhakti-devotion; bidy€-knowledge; ho'te-is;

t€h€-that; asambhaba-not possible.

 

Look, please think about this: If you do not worship Lord KŠa, then

mere knowledge will turn your life into hell. Attraction to KŠa is the

seed that grows into devotional service. Mere knowledge cannot grow in that

way.

 

Text 3

 

bidy€ra m€rjana t€'ra kabhu kabhu apak€ra

jagatete kori anubhaba

je bidy€ra €locane kŠa-rati sphure mane

t€h€ri €dara j€no' saba

 

bidy€ra-of knwoledge; m€rjana--purification; t€'ra-of that; kabhu-when;

kabhu-when; apak€ra-harm; jagatete-to the world; kori-does;

anubhaba-attraction; je-which; bidy€ra-of knowledge; €locane-in the

consideration; kŠa-rati-love for KŠa; sphure-manifest; mane-in the

heart; t€h€ri-to him; €dara-respect; j€no'-know; saba-all.

 

I have seen how hair-splitting academic knowledge harms the world. But

knowledge that makes one attracted to KŠa delights everyone.

 

Text 4

 

bhakti b€dh€ j€h€ ho'te se bidy€ra mastakete

pad€gh€ta koro' akaitaba

saraswat… kŠa-priy€ kŠa-bhakti t€'ra hiy€

binodera sei se baibhaba

 

bhakti-devotional service; b€dh€-obstacles; j€h€-which; ho'te-are;

se-that; bidy€ra-of knowledge; mastakete-at the head; pad€gh€ta-kicking;

koro'-do; akaitaba-sincerely; saraswat…-Goddess Sarasvat…; kŠa-priy€-dear

to Lord KŠa; kŠa-bhakti-devotional service to Lord KŠa; t€'ra-of that;

hiy€-heart; binodera-of Bhaktivinoda; sei-that; se-this; baibhaba-glory.

 

Please earnestly kick the head of material knowledge, which is only an

obstacle to devotional service. Goddess Sarasvat… is herself very dear to

Lord KŠa. Devotion to Lord KŠa always stays in her heart. Devotion to

Lord KŠa is the glory of Bhaktivinoda.

 

from Saranagati

 

bidyara bilase katainu kala,

parama sahase ami

tomara carana, na bhojinu kobhu,

ekhona sarana tumi

 

Confidently, I spent my time in the pleasures of mundane learning and never

worshiped Your Lotus feet, O Lord. Now You are my only shelter.

 

2. porite porite, bharasa barilo

jnane gati habe mani

se asa bifala, se jnana durbala

se jnana ajnana jani

 

Reading on and on, my hopes grew, for I considered material knowledge to be

life's true path. How fruitless was that hope, and how feeble that knowledge

proved to be. I know now that all such knowledge is ignorance.

 

3. jada-bidya jato, mayara vaibhava,

tomara bhajane badha

moha janamiya, anitya somsare,

jibake karaye gadha

 

Knowledge of this world is knowledge born of Your illusory energy (maya). It

impedes devotional service and makes an ass of the eternal soul by

encouraging his infatuation with this temporary world.

 

4. sei gadha ho'ye, somsarera 'bojha,

bhavinu aneka kala

bardhakye ekhona, sakti na abhave,

kichu nahi lage bhalo

 

Here is one such ass who for so long has carried on his back the burden of

material existence. Now in my old age, for want of the power to enjoy,

nothing pleases me.

 

5. jibana jatana, hoilo ekhona,

se bidya abidya bhelo

abidyara jwala, ghatilo bisama,

se bidya hoilo selo

 

Life has become agony now, my knowledge has proven itself worthless, and

ignorance has penetrated my heart with the intolerable, burning pain of a

pointed shaft.

 

6. tomara carana, bina kichu dhana,

somsare na ache ara

bhakativinoda, jada-bidya chari

tuwa pada kare sara

 

O Lord, I seek no other treasure in this world than Your lotus feet.

Bhaktivinoda abandons everything to make them the sum and substance of his

life.