Jīva Gosvāmī – Page 11

rahūgaṇaitat tapasā na yāti

rahūgaṇaitat tapasā na yāti
na cejyayā nirvapaṇād gṛhād vā |
na cchandasā naiva jalāgni-sūryair
vinā mahat-pāda-rajo’bhiṣekam ||
yatrottamaḥśloka-guṇānuvādaḥ
prastūyate grāmya-kathā-vighātaḥ |
niṣevyamāṇo’nudinaṁ mumukṣor
matiṁ satīṁ yacchati vāsudeve ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 5.12.12–13)

“[Jaḍa Bhārata:] O Rahūgaṇa, neither by austerity, nor by sacrifice, nor by giving, nor by household life, nor by the Vedas, nor by [worship of] water, fire, and the sun does one attain this without bathing in the foot-dust of the mahats, amongst whom is sung recounting of the qualities of he of highest praise [i.e., Śrī Bhagavān], on account of which termination of village talk occurs, and which upon being honored daily produces a seeker of mokṣa’s genuine inclination towards Vāsudeva.”

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āmnāya-prathitānvayā smṛtimatī bāḍhaṁ ṣaḍ-aṅgojjvalā

āmnāya-prathitānvayā smṛtimatī bāḍhaṁ ṣaḍ-aṅgojjvalā
nyāyenānugatā purāṇa-suhṛdā mīmāṁsayā maṇḍitā |
tvāṁ labdhāvasarā cirād guru-kule prekṣya sva-saṅgārthinaṁ
vidyā nāma vadhūś caturdaśa-guṇā govinda śuśrūṣate ||
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 2.1.77; cited in Sāhitya-kaumudī: 6.3)

“[Siddhas and Cāraṇas praise Śrī Kṛṣṇa:] O Govinda,
The young bride named Knowledge,
Whose lineage is extended by the [four] Vedas,
Who is possessed of the Smṛtis,
Who is exceedingly bright with the six [Veda-] aṅgas,
Who is followed by Nyāya,
Who is decorated by Mīmāṁsā
The friends of which are the Purāṇas,
Who is [thus] possessed of fourteen attributes,
And who upon seeing you seeking her own company
At the house of a guru
Has found an opportunity after a long time,
Desires to serve [you].”

A second translation as per the second intended meaning of the verse:

“[Siddhas and Cāraṇas praise Śrī Kṛṣṇa:] O Govinda,
The young bride named Knowledge,
Whose family is renowned for [its] nobility,
Who is endowed with good memory,
Whose six parts are exceedingly bright,
Who is observant of good conduct,
Who is decorated with discernment
The supporters of which are elders,
Who is present in the home of [her] parents,
Who upon seeing you seeking her own company
Has found an opportunity after a long time,
And is [thus] possessed of fourteen qualities,
Desires to serve [you].”

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tad bhūri-bhāgyam iha janma kim apy aṭavyāṁ

tad bhūri-bhāgyam iha janma kim apy aṭavyāṁ
yad gokule’pi katamāṅghri-rajo-’bhiṣekam |
yaj-jīvitaṁ tu nikhilaṁ bhagavān mukundas
tv adyāpi yat-pada-rajaḥ śruti-mṛgyam eva ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.14.34)

[A translation based on the commentary of Śrī Śrīdhara Svāmīpāda:] “May I have that great fortune in which a birth of any sort here in the forest in Gokula shall occur wherein I may also receive an ablution in the dust of the feet of anyone [there] whose entire life is Bhagavān, Mukunda, [he] whose footdust is verily an object to be sought by the Śrutis even to this very day.”

[A translation based on the commentary of Śrī Viśvanātha Carkavartīpāda:] “May I have that great fortune in which a birth of any sort here in the forest or even in Gokula shall occur wherein I may receive an ablution in the dust of the feet of anyone [there] whose entire life is Bhagavān, Mukunda, and whose footdust is verily an object to be sought by the Śrutis even to this very day.”

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maivaṁ mamādhamasyāpi syād evācyuta-darśanam

maivaṁ mamādhamasyāpi syād evācyuta-darśanam |
hriyamāṇaḥ kāla-nadyā kvacit tarati kaścana ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.38.5; cited in Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.22.44)

“[Akrūra muses:] It is not like that. Although [I am] fallen, I may indeed have darśana of Acyuta. Sometimes someone being carried by the river of time crosses over.”

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namas tubhyaṁ bhagavate brahmaṇe paramātmane

namas tubhyaṁ bhagavate brahmaṇe paramātmane |
na yatra śrūyate māyā loka-sṛṣṭi-vikalpanā ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.28.6; cited in Bhagavat Sandarbha: 28)

“Obeisance unto you, [who are perceived as] Bhagavān, Brahman, [and] Paramātmā, in whom Māyā, she possessed of the ability to arrange the emanation of the universe, is unheard of.”

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tad evaṁ māyāśrayatva-māyā-mohitatvābhyāṁ sthite dvayor bhede

tad evaṁ māyāśrayatva-māyā-mohitatvābhyāṁ sthite dvayor bhede tad-bhajanasyaivābhidheyatvam āyātam |
(Tattva Sandarbha: 44)

“Thus, in this way, given the distinction between the two [i.e., between Śrī Bhagavān and the jīva] existent because of [their respectively] being the shelter of māyā and deluded by māyā, solely worship (bhajana) of him [i.e., of Śrī Bhagavān] being the abhidheya is understood.”

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tasmai namo bhagavate vāsudevāya dhīmahi

tasmai namo bhagavate vāsudevāya dhīmahi |
yan-māyayā durjayayā māṁ vadanti jagad-gurum ||
vilajjamānayā yasya sthātum īkṣā-pathe’muyā |
vimohitā vikatthante mamāham iti durddhiyaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 2.5.12–13; cited in Tattva Sandarbha: 32; Bhagavat Sandarbha: 28, 100; Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.22.32)

“[Brahmādeva:] Obeisance unto him, Bhagavān. We meditate on Vāsudeva, because of whose difficult to surmount māyā people call me the master of the universe, and thoroughly deluded by she [i.e., Māyā] who is ashamed to stand in whose purview, the ignorant boast of ‘I’ and ‘mine.’”

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sarveṣu mantra-vargeṣu śreṣṭhaṁ vaiṣṇavam ucyate

sarveṣu mantra-vargeṣu śreṣṭhaṁ vaiṣṇavam ucyate |
gāṇapatyeṣu śaiveṣu śākta-saureṣv abhīṣṭadam ||
vaiṣṇaveṣv api mantreṣu rāma-mantrāḥ phalādhikāḥ |
gāṇapaty-ādi-mantrebhyaḥ koṭi-koṭi-guṇādhikāḥ ||
vinaiva dīkṣāṁ viprendra puraścaryāṁ vinaiva hi |
vinaiva nyāsa-vidhinā japa-mātreṇa siddhidāḥ ||
(Agastya-saṁhitā; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 1.147–149; Bhakti Sandarbha: 284)

“Among all classes of mantras of Gāṇapatyas [i.e., worshippers of Gaṇeśa], Śaivas [i.e., worshippers of Śiva], Śāktas [i.e., worshippers of Śakti], and Sauras [i.e., worshippers of Sūrya], Vaiṣṇava [mantras] are said to be the best fulfillers of desires. O best of the brāhmaṇas, even among Vaiṣṇava mantras, Rāma-mantras have greater results, crores and crores of times greater, than the mantras of the Gāṇapatyas and others, and verily are bestowers of attainments (siddhis) just by means of chanting (japa) indeed without dīkṣā, indeed without puraścaryā, and indeed without the process of nyāsa.”

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yadyapi śrī-bhāgavata-mate pañcarātrādivad arcana

yadyapi śrī-bhāgavata-mate pañcarātrādivad arcana-mārgasyāvaśyakatvaṁ nāsti tad vināpi śaraṇāpatty-ādīnām ekatareṇāpi puruṣārtha-siddher abhihitatvāt, tathāpi śrī-nāradādi-vartmānusaradbhiḥ śrī-bhagavatā saha sambandha-viśeṣaṁ dīkṣā-vidhānena śrī-guru-caraṇa-sampāditaṁ cikīrṣadbhiḥ kṛtāyāṁ dīkṣāyām arcanam avaśyaṁ kriyetaiva | ‘divyaṁ jñānaṁ yato dadyāt kuryāt pāpasya saṅkṣayam | tasmād dīkṣeti sā proktā deśikais tattva-kovidaiḥ || ato guruṁ praṇamyaivaṁ sarvasvaṁ vinivedya ca | gṛhṇīyād vaiṣṇavaṁ mantraṁ dīkṣā-pūrvaṁ vidhānataḥ ||’ ity āgamāt | divyaṁ jñānaṁ hy atra śrīmati mantre bhagavat-svarūpa-jñānaṁ, tena bhagavatā sambandha-viśeṣa-jñānaṁ ca | yathā pādmottara-khaṇḍādāv aṣṭākṣarādikam adhikṛtya vivṛtam asti |
(Bhakti Sandarbha: 283)

“Although in the view of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam there is no necessity of the path of arcana [i.e., ritual worship] based on the Pañcarātra and other such texts because of attainment of the puruṣārthas even by means of any one [limb of bhakti] among [the limbs of bhakti such as] śaraṇāgati and so forth even without that [i.e., even without performing arcana] being declared [i.e., affirmed to occur], still arcana necessarily should be performed after acceptance of dīkṣa by those following the path of Nārada and others who desire to form a specific relationship with Śrī Bhagavān that is established by the feet of the blessed guru by means of the rite of dīkṣā, as per the [following statements in the] Āgamas, ‘Because it can grant divine knowledge and completely destroy sin, it is called dīkṣā by preceptors learned in the truth. Therefore, offering obeisance in this way to the guru and offering [him] one’s all, one should accept a Vaiṣṇava mantra and the rite of dīkṣā according to rule.’ ‘Divine knowledge’ here refers to knowledge of the identity of Bhagavān in the blessed mantra, and therewith knowledge of a specific relationship with Bhagavān, as is explained in regard to the eighteen-syllable mantra in the Uttara-khaṇḍa of Padma Purāṇa and elsewhere.”

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nanu bhagavan-nāmātmakā eva mantrāḥ

nanu bhagavan-nāmātmakā eva mantrāḥ | tatra viśeṣeṇa namaḥ-śabdādy-alaṅkṛtāḥ śrī-bhagavatā śrīmad-ṛṣibhiś cāhita-śakti-viśeṣāḥ, śrī-bhagavatā samam ātma-sambandha-viśeṣa-pratipādakāś ca | tatra kevalāni śrī-bhagavan-nāmāny api nirapekṣāṇy eva parama-puruṣārtha-phala-paryanta-dāna-samarthāni | tato mantreṣu nāmato’py adhika-sāmarthye labdhe kathaṁ dīkṣādy-apekṣā? ucyate—yadyapi svarūpato nāsti, tathāpi prāyaḥ svabhāvato dehādi-sambandhena kadartha-śīlānāṁ vikṣipta-cittānāṁ janānāṁ tat-tat-saṁkocīkaraṇāya śrīmad-ṛṣi-prabhṛtibhir atrārcana-mārge kvacit kvacit kācit kācin maryādā sthāpitāsti | tatas tad-ullaṅghane śāstraṁ prāyaścittam udbhāvayati | tata ubhayam api nāsamañjasam iti tatra tat-tad-apekṣā nāsti |
(Bhakti Sandarbha: 284)

“[A question is raised:] ‘Well, mantras are certainly comprised of Bhagavān’s names, with the distinction therein [i.e., between mantras and Bhagavān’s names being] that they [i.e., mantras] are ornamented with the word “obeisance” (namaḥ) and so forth, are imbued with special potency (śakti) by Śrī Bhagavān and blessed seers (ṛṣis), and are establishers of a special relationship of the self with Śrī Bhagavān. In this regard, even Śrī Bhagavān’s names alone [i.e., his names not in conjunction with the ornamental words, special potency, and so forth found in mantras] are verily independent and capable of bestowing results including [even] the supreme puruṣārtha. So, why is there a dependence upon dīkṣā and so forth in regard to mantras, which are possessed of greater capability than even the name?’ It is said [in response to this question] that although there is none [i.e., no such dependence of mantras upon dīkṣā and so forth] in relation to [the] essential nature [of mantras], still here on the path of arcana there is in certain respects some type of protocol established by the blessed seers (ṛṣis) and others for persons naturally possessed of aimless [alt., troublesome] behavior and a distracted mind on account of relation with the body and so forth for the sake of curbing these [i.e., such unfavorable physical and mental behavior]. Thus, śāstra prescribes atonement in the case of transgression of this [i.e., of the established protocol in relation to arcana]. Thus, neither is unreasonable [i.e., thus mantras being non-dependent upon dīkṣā by virtue of their essential nature is reasonable, and their requiring dīkṣā for the purpose of efficiently curbing the unfavorable physical and mental behavior of human beings is also reasonable], and in this way therein [i.e., in regard to names of Bhagavān and mantras comprised of names of Bhagavān] there is no dependence [fundamentally] of either of them [upon dīkṣā].”

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