Bhagavad Arka Marichi Mala, Part 39
BY: SUN STAFF
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur
Jun 30, 2011 — CANADA (SUN) — Bhagavad Arka Marichi Mala by HDG Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur.
Bhagavad Arka Marichi Mala
CHAPTER NINE
Characteristics of the Fortunate Soul (bhagyavaj-jiva lakshanam)
02.02.33-34 Shukadeva Gosvami to Maharaja Parikshit
na hy ato 'nyah shivah pantha
vishatah samshritav iha
vasudeve bhagavati
bhakti-yogo yato bhavet
na—never; hi—certainly; atah—beyond this; anyah—any other; shivah—auspicious; panthah—means; vishatah—wandering; samshritau—in the material world; iha—in this life; vasudeve—unto Lord Vasudeva, Krishna; bhagavati—the Personality of Godhead; bhakti-yogah—direct devotional service; yatah—wherein; bhavet—may result in.
For those who are wandering in the material universe, there is no more auspicious means of deliverance than what is aimed at in the direct devotional service of Lord Krishna. (33)
bhagavan brahma kartsnyena
trir anvikshya manishaya
tad adhyavasyat kuta-stho
ratir atman yato bhavet
bhagavan—the great personality Brahma; brahma—the Vedas; kartsnyena—by summarization; trih—three times; anvikshya—scrutinizingly examined; manishaya—with scholarly attention; tat—that; adhyavasyat—ascertained it; kuta-sthah—with concentration of the mind; ratih—attraction; atman (atmani)—unto the Supreme personality of Godhead Shri Krishna; yatah—by which; bhavet—it so happens.
The great personality Brahma, with great attention and concentration of the mind, studied the Vedas three times, and after scrutinizingly examining them, he ascertained that attraction for the Supreme Personality of Godhead Shri Krishna is the highest perfection of religion. (34)
02.02.37 Shukadeva Gosvami to Maharaja Parikshit
pibanti ye bhagavata atmanah satam
kathamritam shravana-puteshu sambhritam
punanti te vishaya-vidushitashayam
vrajanti tac-carana-saroruhantikam
pibanti—who drink; ye—those; bhagavatah—of the Personality of Godhead; atmanah—of the most dear; satam—of devotees; katha-amritam—the nectar of the messages; shravana-puteshu—within the earholes; sambhritam—fully filled; punanti—purify; te—their; vishaya—material enjoyment; vidushita-ashayam—polluted aim of life; vrajanti—do go back; tat—the Lord's; carana—feet; saroruha-antikam—near the lotus.
Those who drink through aural reception, fully filled with the nectarean message of Lord Krishna, the beloved of the devotees, purify the polluted aim of life known as material enjoyment and thus go back to Godhead, to the lotus feet of Him [the Personality of Godhead].
10.87.33 The Personified Vedas to Maha-Vishnu
vijita-hrishika-vayubhir adanta-manas tura-gam
ya iha yatanti yantum ati-lolam upaya-khidah
vyasana-shatanvitam samavahaya gurosh caranam
vanija ivaja santy akrita-karna-dhara jaladhau
vijita—conquered; hrishika—with senses; vayubhih—and vital air; adanta—not brought under control; manah—the mind; tura-gam—(which is like) a horse; ye—those who; iha—in this world; yatanti—endeavor; yantum—to regulate; ati—very; lolam—unsteady; upaya—by their various methods of cultivation; khidah—distressed; vyasana—disturbances; shata—by hundreds; anvitah—joined; samavahaya—abandoning; guroh—of the spiritual master; caranam—the feet; vanijah—merchants; iva—as if; aja—O unborn one; santi—they are; akrita—having not taken; karna-dharah—a helmsman; jala-dhau—on the ocean.
The mind is like an impetuous horse that even persons who have regulated their senses and breath cannot control. Those in this world who try to tame the uncontrolled mind, but who abandon the feet of their spiritual master, encounter hundreds of obstacles in their cultivation of various distressful practices. O unborn Lord, they are like merchants on a boat in the ocean who have failed to employ a helmsman.
03.25.33 Kapiladeva to Devahuti
jarayaty ashu ya kosham
nigirnam analo yatha
jarayati—dissolves; ashu—quickly; ya—which; kosham—the subtle body; nigirnam—things eaten; analah—fire; yatha—as.
Bhakti, devotional service, dissolves the subtle body of the living entity without separate effort, just as fire in the stomach digests all that we eat.
03.25.44 Kapiladeva to Devahuti
etavan eva loke 'smin
pumsam nihshreyasodayah
tivrena bhakti-yogena
mano mayy arpitam sthiram
etavan eva—only so far; loke asmin—in this world; pumsam—of men; nihshreyasa—final perfection of life; udayah—the attainment of; tivrena—intense; bhakti-yogena—by practice of devotional service; manah—mind; mayi—in Me; arpitam—fixed; sthiram—steady.
Therefore persons whose minds are fixed on the Lord engage in the intensive practice of devotional service. That is the only means for attainment of the final perfection of life.
01.02.23-29 Suta Gosvami to Shaunaka Rishi
sattvam rajas tama iti prakriter gunas tair
yuktah parah purusha eka ihasya dhatte
sthity-adaye hari-virinci-hareti samjnah
shreyamsi tatra khalu sattva-tanor nrinam syuh
sattvam—goodness; rajah—passion; tamah—the darkness of ignorance; iti—thus; prakriteh—of the material nature; gunah—qualities; taih—by them; yuktah—associated with; parah—transcendental; purushah—the personality; ekah—one; iha asya—of this material world; dhatte—accepts; sthiti-adaye—for the matter of creation, maintenance and destruction, etc.; hari—Vishnu, the Personality of Godhead; virinci—Brahma; hara—Lord Shiva; iti—thus; samjnah—different features; shreyamsi—ultimate benefit; tatra—therein; khalu—of course; sattva—goodness; tanoh—form; nrinam—of the human being; syuh—derived.
The transcendental Personality of Godhead is indirectly associated with the three modes of material nature, namely passion, goodness and ignorance, and just for the material world's creation, maintenance and destruction He accepts the three qualitative forms of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Of these three, all human beings can derive ultimate benefit from Vishnu, the form of the quality of goodness. (23)
parthivad daruno dhumas
tasmad agnis trayimayah
tamasas tu rajas tasmat
sattvam yad brahma-darshanam
parthivat—from earth; darunah—firewood; dhumah—smoke; tasmat—from that; agnih—fire; trayi—Vedic sacrifices; mayah—made of; tamasah—in the mode of ignorance; tu—but; rajah—the mode of passion; tasmat—from that; sattvam—the mode of goodness; yat—which; brahma—the Absolute Truth; darshanam—realization.
Firewood is a transformation of earth, but smoke is better than raw wood. And fire is still better, for by fire we can derive the benefits of superior knowledge [through Vedic sacrifices]. Similarly, passion [rajas] is better than ignorance [tamas], but goodness [sattva] is best because by goodness one can come to realize the Absolute Truth. (24)
bhejire munayo 'thagre
bhagavantam adhokshajam
sattvam vishuddham kshemaya
kalpante ye 'nu tan iha
bhejire—rendered service unto; munayah—the sages; atha—thus; agre—previously; bhagavantam—unto the Personality of Godhead; adhokshajam—the Transcendence; sattvam—existence; vishuddham—above the three modes of nature; kshemaya—to derive the ultimate benefit; kalpante—deserve; ye—those; anu—follow; tan—those; iha—in this material world.
Previously all the great sages rendered service unto the Personality of Godhead due to His existence above the three modes of material nature. They worshiped Him to become free from material conditions and thus derive the ultimate benefit. Whoever follows such great authorities is also eligible for liberation from the material world. (25)
mumukshavo ghora-rupan
hitva bhuta-patin atha
narayana-kalah shanta
bhajanti hy anasuyavah
mumukshavah—persons desiring liberation; ghora—horrible, ghastly; rupan—forms like that; hitva—rejecting; bhuta-patin—demigods; atha—for this reason; narayana—the Personality of Godhead; kalah—plenary portions; shantah—all-blissful; bhajanti—do worship; hi—certainly; anasuyavah—nonenvious.
Those who are serious about liberation are certainly nonenvious, and they respect all. Yet they reject the horrible and ghastly forms of the demigods and worship only the all-blissful forms of Lord Vishnu and His plenary portions. (26)
rajas-tamah-prakritayah
sama-shila bhajanti vai
pitri-bhuta-prajeshadin
shriyaishvarya-prajepsavah
rajah—the mode of passion; tamah—the mode of ignorance; prakritayah—of that mentality; sama-shilah—of the same categories; bhajanti—do worship; vai—actually; pitri—the forefathers; bhuta—other living beings; prajesha-adin—controllers of cosmic administration; shriya—enrichment; aishvarya—wealth and power; praja—progeny; ipsavah—so desiring.
Those who are in the modes of passion and ignorance worship the forefathers, other living beings and the demigods who are in charge of cosmic activities, for they are urged by a desire to be materially benefited with women, wealth, power and progeny. (27)
vasudeva-para veda
vasudeva-para makhah
vasudeva-para yoga
vasudeva-parah kriyah
vasudeva-param jnanam
vasudeva-param tapah
vasudeva-paro dharmo
vasudeva-para gatih
vasudeva—the Personality of Godhead; parah—the ultimate goal; vedah—revealed scriptures; vasudeva—the Personality of Godhead; parah—for worshiping; makhah—sacrifices; vasudeva—the Personality of Godhead; parah—the means of attaining; yogah—mystic paraphernalia; vasudeva—the Personality of Godhead; parah—under His control; kriyah—fruitive activities; vasudeva—the Personality of Godhead; param—the supreme; jnanam—knowledge; vasudeva—the Personality of Godhead; param—best; tapah—austerity; vasudeva—the Personality of Godhead; parah—superior quality; dharmah—religion; vasudeva—the Personality of Godhead; parah—ultimate; gatih—goal of life.
In the revealed scriptures, the ultimate object of knowledge is Shri Krishna, the Personality of Godhead. The purpose of performing sacrifice is to please Him. Yoga is for realizing Him. All fruitive activities are ultimately rewarded by Him only. (28)
He is the supreme knowledge, and all severe austerities are performed to know Him. Religion [dharma] is rendering loving service unto Him. He is the supreme goal of life. (29)
04.24.28 Shiva to Pracetas
yah param ramhasah sakshat
tri-gunaj jiva-samjnitat
bhagavantam vasudevam
prapannah sa priyo hi me
yah—anyone; param—transcendental; ramhasah—of the controller; sakshat—directly; tri-gunat—from the three modes of material nature; jiva-samjnitat—living entities called by the name jivas; bhagavantam—unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; vasudevam—unto Krishna; prapannah—surrendered; sah—he; priyah—very dear; hi—undoubtedly; me—of me.
Any person who is surrendered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, the controller of everything - material nature as well as the living entity - is actually very dear to me.
10.16.43-44 Naga-patnis to Shri Krishna
namo 'nantaya sukshmaya
guda-sthaya vipashcite
nana-vadanurodhaya
vacya-vacaka-shaktaye
namah—obeisances; anantaya—to the unlimited Lord; sukshmaya—to the supremely subtle; guda-sthaya—who is fixed in the center; vipashcite—to the omniscient one; nana—various; vada—philosophies; anurodhaya—who sanctions; vacya—of expressed ideas; vacaka—and expressing words; shaktaye—who possesses the potencies.
We offer our obeisances unto You, the unlimited Supreme Lord, the supremely subtle one, the omniscient Personality of Godhead, who are always fixed in unchanging transcendence, who sanction the opposing views of different philosophies, who are the power upholding expressed ideas and the words that express them. (43)
namah pramana-mulaya
kavaye shastra-yonaye
pravrittaya nivrittaya
nigamaya namo namah
namah—obeisances; pramana—of authoritative evidence; mulaya—to the basis; kavaye—to the author; shastra—of the revealed scripture; yonaye—to the source; pravrittaya—which encourages sense gratification; nivrittaya—which encourages renunciation; nigamaya—to Him who is the origin of both kinds of scripture; namah namah—repeated obeisances.
We offer our obeisances again and again to You, who are the basis of all authoritative evidence, who are the author and ultimate source of the revealed scriptures, and who have manifested Yourself in those Vedic literatures encouraging sense gratification as well as in those encouraging renunciation of the material world. (44)
