Ascertainment of Spiritual Welfare

Govindaram · March 25, 2004

<font color="red"> Sreyo-Nirnaya

Ascertainment of Spiritual Welfare</font color>

- Five songs -

Song 1

(1)

krsna-bhakti vina kabhu nahi phalodoy

miche sab dharmadharma jiver upadhimoy

1) There is no profit in a life devoid of devotional service to Krsna. Therefore all the so-called religiosity and irreligiosity of a living being who is bewildered by false worldly designations is simply useless.

(2)

yoga-yaga-tapo-dhyan, sannyasadi brahma-jnan,

nana-kanda-rupe jiver bandhana-karana hoy

2) Mysticism, performance of Vedic sacrifices, severe austerities, meditation, renunciation of the world, and cultivating knowledge of the impersonal Brahman-although appearing in the forms of various spiritual paths-are all causes of the soul's further bondage to this world.

(3)

vinoder vakya dharo, nana kanda tyag koro,

nirupadhi krsna-preme hrdoye deho asroy

3) Please heed this advice of Bhaktivinoda: Give up all these various paths, and just keep pure love of Krsna sheltered within your heart, for this alone is transcendental to all mundane designations.

Song 2

(1)

ar keno maya-jale poditecho, jiva-min

nahi jano baddha ho'ye ro'be tumi ciro-din

1) O fish-like soul, why have you fallen into the entangling nets of Maya? You have not understood that by being bound up by those nets you will have to remain in this material world for a long, long time.

(2)

ati tuccha bhoga-ase, bandi ho'ye maya-pase

rohile vikrta-bhave dandya jatha paradhin

2) After becoming a captive in Maya's snare due to the influence of desires for very insignificant enjoyments, you remain transformed in a spiritually diseased condition, punishable as a disobedient servant or dependent.

(3)

ekhona bhakati-bale, krsna-prema-sindhu-jale

krida kori' anayase thako tumi krsnaadhina

3) Now, on the strength of pure devotion, swim and frolick freely in the ocean of Krsna-prema, and always remain subservient to and dependent on Lord Krsna.

Song 3

(1)

piriti sac-cid-anande rupavati nari

daya-dharma-adi guna alankara sab tahari

1) Love and affection for the nature of eternity, knowledge, and bliss is like a very beautiful woman whose ornaments are all the good qualities headed by mercifulness and religiosity.

(2)

jnana ta'r patta-sati, yoga-gandha-paripati

e sabe sobhita sati kore krsna-mana curi

2) The divine wisdom of pure jnana is her silken sari, and the practice of the yoga of devotional service is her excellent bodily fragrance. Adorned by these qualities, that beautiful and chaste woman steals away the mind of Krsna Himself.

(3)

rupa vina alankare, kiba sobha e-samsare

piriti-vihina gune krsnae na tusite pari

3) lf ornaments are worn by one completely devoid of beauty, then is such a person considered to be beautiful in this world? Similarly, one possessing good qualities like mercifulness and religiosity is unable to satisfy Lord Krsna if devoid of love for Him.

(4)

vanarira alankara, sobha nahi hoy ta'ra

krsna-prem vina tatha gune na adara kori

4) Just as there is no beauty to an ornament worn on the body of a female monkey, in the same way I do not hold in very high esteem qualities such as mercifulness and religiosity if they are devoid of love for Krsna.

Song 4

(1)

`nirakar nirakar', koriya citkar

keno sadhaker santi bhango, bhai, bar bar

1) O brothers, by your screaming out again and again, "The Supreme Lord is formless! The Absolute Truth is a void!", why do you so insist on disturbing the peace of the Vaisnavas?

(2)

tumi ja' bujhecho bhalo, tai lo'ye koto kal,

bhakti vina phalodoy tarke nahi, jano sar

2) Having accepted this impersonal philosophy, which you consider to be very good, you are simply wasting so much time. You should understand this essential truth: Without devotion for the Supreme Lord, no factual gain is brought about by engaging in mere dry arguments.

(3)

samanya tarkera bale, bhakti nahi asvadile,

janama hoilo brtha, na korile suvicar

3) Your birth as a human being is useless, for although you are supposed to be great philosophers, you did not judge rightly in this regard-by the power of mundane logic and argument you have failed to taste the bliss of pure devotion to the Supreme Lord.

(4)

rupasraye krsna bhaji', jadi hari-preme maji,

ta' ho'le alabhya, bhai, ki koribe bolo ar

4) If I worship Krsna under the shelter of srila Rupa Goswami, and thereby deeply immerse myself in divine love for Lord Hari-and you are unable to attain that state, O brothers, then what will you do? What more will you say?

Song 5

(1)

keno ar koro dvesa, videsi-jana-bhajane

bhajanera linga nana, nana dese nana jane

1) Why do you continue to hate the way the Lord is worshiped by people of other lands? There exist a number of authentic ways to worship God, according to the customs of various peoples living in different countries.

(2)

keho mukta-kacche bhaje, keho hatu gadi' puje

keho va nayana mudi' thake brahma-aradhane

2) Some people worship the Lord in an untidy or careless manner; some worship Him by bending down on their knees; still others close their eyes while worshiping His impersonal Brahman aspect.

(3)

keho yogasane puje, keho sankirtane maje

sakale bhajiche sei eka-matra krsna-dhane

3) Some people worship Him by assuming various yoga postures, and some immerse themselves in the congregational chanting of the Lord's holy names; but all of them worship that one and only supreme treasure-Lord sri Krsna.

(4)

ataeva bhratr-bhave, thako sabe su-sadbhave

hari-bhakti sadho sada, e jivane va marane

4) Therefore you should all reflect a mood of brotherhood and live together in transcendental friendship. Always practice devotional service to Lord Hari, whether in situations of life or death.

Prema Pradipa, 4th chapter, as sung by a character named Yogi Babaji.*

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