Mar 24, 2023 — CANADA (SUN) — A Songbook of 62 Bengali Songs by Srila Saccidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Published in 1880. Translation by Dasaratha-suta dasa. Published to commemorate the 500th Appearance Anniversary of Lord Caitanya.
SECOND BRANCH: 'UPALABDHI' (Attainment of realization of the previous series of advices (Upadesa)
--- 19 songs ---
SONG THREE --- TIME WASTED IN KARMA
(1)
Oh my dear mind! What shall I say to you now? All my time has been spent inside the deep pit of fruitive activities. With high hopes of future happiness in the heavenly planets, I have fallen into the trap of fruitive actions and reaction, which is exactly like the entangling web of a spider.
(2)
upavasa-brata dhori', nana kaya-klesa kori',
bhasme ghrta daliya apar
marilam nija dose, jara-maraner phanse,
hoibare narinu uddhar
Observing many different types of austere vows and fasting to achieve some future heavenly goal, I thus performed such useless physical labor for no real tangible result. This was just like pouring oblations of ghee onto dry ashes only. Now I am being strangled within the noose of karma, being destroyed by my own foolish nonsense. And the only result is that I have not been able to deliver myself from this predicament.
(3)
barnasrama-dharma yaji', nana deba-debi bhaji',
mada-garve katainu jibana
sthira na hoilo mana, na labhinu santi-dhana,
na bhyajinu sri-krsna-carana
I conducted many sacrifices in honor of may different demigods and goddesses, as is recommended for householders in the varnasrama-dharma system. But by doing this I only became so puffed up that I wasted my whole life in such delirious pride. I never got any peace of mind by doing all this, for I completely missed out on the golden treasure of spiritual satisfaction. So much trouble I underwent because I never worshiped ;the beautiful lotus feet of Sri Krsna!
(4)
dhik mor e jibane, dhik mor dhana-jane,
dhik mor barna-abhimana
dhik mor kula-mane, dhik sastra adhyayane,
hari-bhakti na pailo sthana
Therefore to hell with my whole life! To hell with all my wealth and followers! To hell with my caste-pride! To hell with all my so-called dignity of family prestige! To hell with my studies of the karma-khanda scriptures, for I have not become fixed up in pure devotion to Lord Hari!
SONG FOUR --- POISONOUS MAYAVADA PHILOSOPHY
(1)
ore mana, ki bipada hoilo amar!
mayar duratmya-jvare, bikar jibere dhore,
taha hoite paite nistar
Oh my dear mind, just see what calamity has befallen me now! My soul is captured in a perverted delirium due to maya's cruel tyrannical treatment, which burns me with material miseries just like fire. An with a hope of becoming freed from all this. . .
(2)
sadhinu advaita mata, jahe maya hoy hata,
bisa sebi' bikar katilo
kintu e durbhagya mor, bikar katilo ghora,
biser jvalay prana gelo
. . . I took to the path of non-dual monistic mayavada philosophy, which finishes all of maya's troubles when one merges with the "oneness"d. Thus drinking poison, I have successfully become rid of the disturbing delirium of maya. But just see what an unfortunate mishap has arisen now! Although the difficulties caused by the material world have been eradicated, my life is now being vanquished by the burning poison of theat deadly mayavada philosophy.
(3)
"ami brahma ekamatra", e jvalay dahe gatra,
ihar upay kiba bhai?
bikar je chilo bhalo, ausadha janjal ho'lo,
ausadha-ausadha kotha pay?
By thinking "I am only spirit", one certainly burns up any attachment to the material body. But is that the real final remedy, oh mind, my dear brother? Certainly it is good that the disturbance of material tribulations has been relieved, but the so-called "medicine" of the mayavada philosophy has now become an unwanted burden, another trouble all over again. So now tell me where you will get the medicine which will cure this "medicine"?
(4)
maya-datta ku-bikar, mayavada bisa-bhar,
e dui apada nibarana
hari-namamrta pana, sadhu baidya-subidhana,
sri-krsna-caitanya sri-carana
These two dangers: 1) nasty troubles given by maya, and 2) the poisonous burden of mayavada philosophy, can be prevented and curbed completely by taking the nice prescription medicine recommended by the devotee-physicians. And that ecstatic prescription is to drink with gusto the immortal nectar of harinama at the divine lotus feet of Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
SONG FIVE --- REMEDY FOR MAYAVADA AND MISERY
(1)
ore mana, klesa-tapad dekhi je asesa
avidya, asmita ar, abhinivesa durbar,
raga, dvesa --- ei panca klesa
My dear mind, all I can see is unlimited material miseries and difficulties on all sides. Especially there are these five specific troubles: 1) ignorance, 2) distraction, 3) mis-concentration, 4) mis-directed love, and 5) impurity.
(2)
avidyatma-bismarana, asmityanya-bhibhavana,
abhinivesanye gadamati
anye priti ragandhata, vidvesatma bisuddhata,
panca klesa sadai durgati
(According to Patanjali's Yoga-sutra, Sadhana-pada, third sutra:)
The affliction of these five miseries results in continuous degradation in the following ways:
1) AVIDYA: ignorance makes me completely forgetful of my nature as pure spirit soul
2) ASMITA: conceited egoistic pride causes me to be distracted from the real essence of life.
3) ABHINIVESA: I have become deeply absorbed in trivial pursuits;
4) RAGA: I've developed love and attachment to things which are averse to pure God-consciousness; and
5) DVESA: my soul has become filthy and polluted by nasty qualities.
(3)
bhuliya baikuntha-tattva, maya-bhoge su-pramatta,
'ami' 'ami' koriya bedai
'e amar, se amar', e bhavana anibar,
byasta kore' mor citta bhai
Due to all these distracting troubles, I am forgetting my real home in the spiritual world, the eternal land of no anxiety. And I have become completely mad by frantically trying to enjoy all the so-called enjoyments offered by maya's illusions. Thus I surround myself with so many misconceptions of "me, me, me". Oh mind, my dear brother, just see how my heart has become full of so much anxiety due to constant worries about "this is mine, that is mine".
(4)
e roga-samanopay, anvesiya hay hay,
mile baidya sadya yamopama
ami brahma maya-bhrama' ei ausadher krama,
dheki' cinta hoilo bisama
I am searching for the remedy to cure this material disease of being tortured by Yamaraja, but oh no! I've met a doctor who is no better than Yamaraja at all. This 'doctor' has given me the prescription "I am Brahman, maya is false", but now when I see the result of this so-called medicine, I feel an unbearable anxiety in my conscience.
(5)
eke to' roger kasta, yamopama baidya bhrasta,
e jantrana kise jay mor?
sri caitanya doyamoy, koro' jadi samasroy,
par habe e bipada ghor
On one side I feel great difficult and grief from these five material miseries, and on the other side stands the corrupted doctor (the Mayavadi who is just like another Yamaraja). How will I ever be able to get freed from being sandwiched in between this tormenting agony? There is only one remedy, that is: if I would simply take complete shelter of Lord Caitanya, Who is know to be the Most Merciful, then only I will easily cross over this ghastly calamity.
