Bhagavad Arka Marichi Mala, Part 52
BY: SUN STAFF
Srila Bhaktivinoda, Vrindavan Scene
Jan 05, 2019 — CANADA (SUN) — Bhagavad Arka Marichi Mala by HDG Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur.
Bhagavad Arka Marichi Mala
CHAPTER TWELVE
Devotional Service in Practice (sadhana-bhakti)
10.81.19 Sudama Brahmana Thought
svargapavargayoh pumsam
rasayam bhuvi sampadam
sarvasam api siddhinam
mulam tac-caranarcanam
svarga—of heaven; apavargayoh—and of ultimate liberation; pumsam—for all men; rasayam—in the subterranean regions; bhuvi—and on the earth; sampadam—of opulences; sarvasam—all; api—also; siddhinam—of mystic perfections; mulam—the root cause; tat—His; carana—of the feet; arcanam—the worship.
Devotional service to His lotus feet is the root cause of all the perfections a person can find in heaven, in liberation, in the subterranean regions and on earth.
10.84.37 The Sages at Kuruksetra to Vasudeva
ayam svasty-ayanah pantha
dvi-jater griha-medhinam
yac chraddhayapta-vittena
shuklenejyeta purusham
ayam—this; svasti—auspiciousness; ayanah—bringing; pantha—the path; dvi-jateh—for one who is twice-born (being a member of one of the three higher social orders); griha—at home; medhinam—who performs sacrifices; yat—that; shraddhaya—selflessly; apta—obtained by just means; vittena—with his possessions; shuklena—untainted; ijyeta—one should worship; purushah—the Personality of Godhead.
This is the most auspicious path for a religious householder of the twice-born orders - to selflessly worship the Personality of Godhead with wealth honestly obtained.
11.11.34-36 Shri Krishna to Uddhava
mal-linga-mad-bhakta-jana-
darshana-sparshanarcanam
paricarya stutih prahva-
guna-karmanukirtanam
mat-katha-shravane shraddha
mad-anudhyanam uddhava
sarva-labhopaharanam
dasyenatma-nivedanam
maj-janma-karma-kathanam
mama parvanumodanam
gita-tandava-vaditra-
goshthibhir mad-grihotsavah
mat-linga—My appearance in this world as the Deity, etc.; mat-bhakta jana—My devotees; darshana—seeing; sparshana—touching; arcanam—and worshiping; paricarya—rendering personal service; stutih—offering prayers of glorification; prahva—obeisances; guna—My qualities; karma—and activities; anukirtanam—constantly glorifying; mat-katha—topics about Me; shravane—in hearing; shraddha—faith due to love; mat-anudhyanam—always meditating on Me; uddhava—O Uddhava; sarva-labha—all that one acquires; upaharanam—offering; dasyena—by accepting oneself as My servant; atma-nivedanam—self-surrender; mat-janma-karma-kathanam—glorifying My birth and activities; mama—My; parva—in festivals such as Janmashtami; anumodanam—taking great pleasure; gita—by songs; tandava—dancing; vaditra—musical instruments; goshthibhih—and discussions among devotees; mat-griha—in My temple; utsavah—festivals;
My dear Uddhava, one can give up false pride and prestige by engaging in the following devotional activities. One may purify oneself by seeing, touching, worshiping, serving and offering prayers of glorification and obeisances to My form as the Deity and to My pure devotees. One should also glorify My transcendental qualities and activities, hear with love and faith the narrations of My glories and constantly meditate on Me. One should offer to Me whatever one acquires, and accepting oneself as My eternal servant, one should give oneself completely to Me. One should always discuss My birth and activities and enjoy life by participating in festivals, such as Janmastami, which glorify My pastimes. In My temple, one should also participate in festivals and ceremonies by singing, dancing, playing musical instruments and discussing Me with other Vaishnavas. (34-36)
11.27.16-17 Shri Krishna to Uddhava
snanalankaranam preshtham
arcayam eva tuddhava
sthandile tattva-vinyaso
vahnav ajya-plutam havih
surye cabhyarhanam preshtham
salile saliladibhih
shraddhayopahritam preshtham
bhaktena mama vary api
snana—bathing; alankaranam—and decorating with clothing and ornaments; preshtham—is most appreciated; arcayam—for the Deity form; eva—certainly; tu—and; uddhava—O Uddhava; sthandile—for the Deity drawn upon the ground; tattva-vinyasah—establishing the expansions and potencies of the Lord within the various limbs of the Deity by chanting the respective mantras; vahnau—for the sacrificial fire; ajya—in ghee; plutam—drenched; havih—the oblations of sesame, barley and so on; surye—for the sun; ca—and; abhyarhanam—the yoga meditation of twelve asanas and offerings of arghya; preshtham—most dear; salile—for the water; salila-adibhih—by offerings of water and so on; shraddhaya—with faith; upahritam—presented; preshtham—most dear; bhaktena—by the devotee; mama—My; vari—water; api—even.
In worshiping the temple Deity, my dear Uddhava, bathing and decoration are the most pleasing offerings. For the Deity traced on sacred ground, the process of tattva-vinyasa is most dear. Oblations of sesame and barley soaked in ghee are the preferred offering to the sacrificial fire, whereas worship consisting of upasthana and arghya is preferred for the sun. One should worship Me in the form of water by offering water itself. Actually, whatever is offered to Me in faith by My devotee - even if only a little water - is most dear to Me. (16-17)
11.27.18 Shri Krishna to Uddhava
bhury apy abhaktopahritam
na me toshaya kalpate
gandho dhupah sumanaso
dipo 'nnadyam ca kim punah
bhuri—opulent; api—even; abhakta—by a nondevotee; upahritam—offered; na—does not; me—My; toshaya—satisfaction; kalpate—create; gandhah—fragrance; dhupah—incense; sumanasah—flowers; dipah—lamps; anna-adyam—foodstuffs; ca—and; kim punah—what to speak of.
Even very opulent presentations do not satisfy Me if they are offered by nondevotees. But I am pleased by any insignificant offering made by My loving devotees, and I am certainly most pleased when nice presentations of fragrant oil, incense, flowers and palatable foods are offered with love.
11.27.33 Shri Krishna to Uddhava
padyam acamaniyam ca
gandham sumanaso 'kshatan
dhupa-dipopaharyani
dadyan me shraddhayarcakah
padyam—water for washing the feet; acamaniyam—water for washing the mouth; ca—and; gandham—fragrances; sumanasah—flowers; akshatan—unbroken grains; dhupa—incense; dipa—lamps; upaharyani—such items of paraphernalia; dadyat—he should present; me—to Me; shraddhaya—with faith; arcakah—the worshiper.
The worshiper should faithfully present Me with water for washing My feet and mouth, fragrant oils, flowers and unbroken grains, along with incense, lamps and other offerings.
11.27.45-46 Shri Krishna to Uddhava
stavair uccavacaih stotraih
pauranaih prakritair api
stutva prasida bhagavann
iti vandeta danda-vat
stavaih—with prayers from the scriptures; ucca-avacaih—of greater and lesser varieties; stotraih—and with prayers written by human authors; pauranaih—from the Puranas; prakritaih—from ordinary sources; api—also; stutva—thus praying to the Lord; prasida—please show Your mercy; bhagavan—O Lord; iti—thus saying; vandeta—one should pay homage; danda-vat—falling down on the ground like a rod.
The devotee should offer homage to the Lord with all kinds of hymns and prayers, both from the puranas and from other ancient scriptures, and also from ordinary traditions. Praying "O Lord, please be merciful to me!" he should fall down flat like a rod to offer his obeisances. (45)
shiro mat-padayoh kritva
bahubhyam ca parasparam
prapannam pahi mam isha
bhitam mrityu-graharnavat
shirah—his head; mat-padayoh—at My two feet; kritva—placing; bahubhyam—with the hands; ca—and; parasparam—together (grasping the feet of the Deity); prapannam—who am surrendered; pahi—please protect; mam—me; isha—O Lord; bhitam—afraid; mrityu—of death; graha—the mouth; arnavat—of this material ocean.
Placing his head at the feet of the Deity, he should then stand with folded hands before the Lord and pray, "O my Lord, please protect me, who am surrendered unto You. I am most fearful of this ocean of material existence, standing as I am in the mouth of death." (46)
11.06.46 Uddhava to Shri Krishna
tvayopabhukta-srag-gandha-
vaso-'lankara-carcitah
ucchishta-bhojino dasas
tava mayam jayema hi
tvaya—by You; upabhukta—already enjoyed; srak—with the garlands; gandha—fragrances; vasah—garments; alankara—and ornaments; carcitah—adorned; ucchishta—the remnants of Your food; bhojinah—eating; dasah—Your servants; tava—Your; mayam—illusory energy; jayema—we will conquer; hi—indeed.
Simply by decorating ourselves with the garlands, fragrant oils, clothes and ornaments that You have already enjoyed, and by eating the remnants of Your meals, we, Your servants, will indeed conquer Your illusory energy.
11.11.05 Shri Krishna to Uddhava
atha baddhasya muktasya
vailakshanyam vadami te
viruddha-dharminos tata
sthitayor eka-dharmini
atha—thus; baddhasya—of the conditioned soul; muktasya—of the liberated Personality of Godhead; vailakshanyam—different characteristics; vadami—I will now speak; te—unto you; viruddha—opposing; dharminoh—whose two natures; tata—My dear Uddhava; sthitayoh—of the two who are situated; eka-dharmini—in the one body which manifests their different characteristics.
Thus, My dear Uddhava, in the same material body we find opposing characteristics, such as great happiness and misery. That is because both the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is eternally liberated, as well as the conditioned soul are within the body. I shall now speak to you about their different characteristics.
11.11.39 Shri Krishna to Uddhava
sammarjanopalepabhyam
seka-mandala-vartanaih
griha-shushrushanam mahyam
dasa-vad yad amayaya
sammarjana—by thoroughly sweeping and dusting; upalepabhyam—then by smearing water and cow dung; seka—by sprinkling scented water; mandala-vartanaih—by construction of mandalas; griha—of the temple, which is My home; shushrushanam—service; mahyam—for My sake; dasa-vat—being like a servant; yat—which; amayaya—without duplicity;
One should consider oneself to be My humble servant, without duplicity, and thus should help to clean the temple, which is My home. First one should sweep and dust thoroughly, and then one should further cleanse with water and cow dung. Having dried the temple, one should sprinkle scented water and decorate the temple with mandalas. One should thus act just like My servant.
11.11.40-41 Shri Krishna to Uddhava
amanitvam adambhitvam
kritasyaparikirtanam
api dipavalokam me
nopayunjyan niveditam
amanitvam—being without false prestige; adambhitvam—being prideless; kritasya—one's devotional activities; aparikirtanam—not advertising; api—moreover; dipa—of lamps; avalokam—the light; me—which belong to Me; na—not; upayunjyat—one should engage; niveditam—things already offered to others;
A devotee should never advertise his devotional activities; therefore his service will not be the cause of false pride. One should never use lamps that are offered to Me for other purposes simply because there is need of illumination, and similarly, one should never offer to Me anything that has been offered to or used by others. (40)
yad yad ishtatamam loke
yac cati-priyam atmanah
tat tan nivedayen mahyam
tad anantyaya kalpate
yat yat—anything; ishta-tamam—most desired; loke—in the material world; yat ca—and anything; ati-priyam—most dear; atmanah—of oneself; tat tat—that very thing; nivedayet—one should offer; mahyam—unto Me; tat—that offering; anantyaya—for immortality; kalpate—qualifies one.
Whatever is most desired by one within this material world, and whatever is most dear to oneself - one should offer that very thing to Me. Such an offering qualifies one for eternal life. (41)
