Vṛndāvana Dāsa Ṭhākura – Page 3

sarac-candra-bhrāntiṁ sphurad-amala-kāntiṁ gaja-gatiṁ

sarac-candra-bhrāntiṁ sphurad-amala-kāntiṁ gaja-gatiṁ
hari-premonmattaṁ dhṛta-parama-sattvaṁ smita-mukham |
sadā ghūrṇan-netraṁ kara-kalita-vetraṁ kali-bhidaṁ
bhaje nityānandaṁ bhajana-taru-kandaṁ niravadhi ||
(Vṛndāvana Dāsa Ṭhākura’s Nityānandāṣṭakam: 1)

“Revolving like the autumnal moon,
Shining with spotless luster,
His gait resembling an elephant,
Intoxicated with prema for Hari,
Bearing a form of the highest nature,
His face smiling,
His eyes continuously rolling,
Holding a staff in hand,
And cutting Kali asunder,
I forever worship Nityānanda,
The root of the tree of bhajana.”

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prabhu bole—bhakta-vākya kṛṣṇera varṇana

prabhu bole—bhakta-vākya kṛṣṇera varṇana |
ihāte ye doṣa dekhe, se-i ’pāpī’ jana ||
ihāte ye doṣa dekhe, tāhāra se doṣa |
bhaktera varṇana-mātra kṛṣṇera santoṣa ||
(Chaitanya-bhāgavata: 1.11.105, 109)

“Prabhu said, ‘A bhakta’s statements are descriptions of Kṛṣṇa. One who finds fault in these is a sinful person. … The fault [in this case] is [actually] that of the one who finds fault in these [descriptions of Kṛṣṇa made by a bhakta]. Any description of [i.e., made by] a bhakta is satisfying to Kṛṣṇa [regardless of whether it has faults in it].”

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jīvana-maraṇa kṛṣṇa-icchāya se haya

jīvana-maraṇa kṛṣṇa-icchāya se haya |
viṣa vā amṛta bhakṣileo kichu naya ||
(Caitanya-bhāgavata: 3.2.32)

“Life and death occur by Kṛṣṇa’s will. Even if one drinks poison or nectar, that is nothing [i.e., that cannot override Kṛṣṇa’s will].”

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yāvat āchaye prāṇa, dehe āche śakti

yāvat āchaye prāṇa, dehe āche śakti |
tāvat karaha kṛṣṇa-pāda-padme bhakti ||
(Chaitanya-bhāgavat: 2.1.342)

“As long as you live and there is ability in your body, engage in bhakti to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa.”

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mana diyā bujha, deha chāḍiyā calile

mana diyā bujha, deha chāḍiyā calile |
dhana vā pauruṣa saṅge keho nāhi cale ||
eteke mahānta saba sarva parihari |
karena īśvara-sevā dṛḍha-citta kari ||
eteke chāḍiyā vipra, sakala jañjāla |
śrī-kṛṣṇa-caraṇa giyā bhajaha sakāla ||
yāvat maraṇa nāhi upasanna haya |
tāvat sevaha kṛṣṇa kariyā niścaya ||
sei se vidyāra phala jāniha niścaya |
kṛṣṇa-pāda-padme yadi citta-vitta haya ||
mahā-upadeśa ei kahila tomāre |
sabe viṣṇu-bhakti satya ananta-saṁsāre ||
(Caitanya-bhāgavata 1.13.174–179; 9.174–179)

[Śrīman Mahāprabhu to the Digvijayī Paṇḍita:] “Mindfully understand: when leaving the body and departing, no one departs with wealth or prowess [alt., possessions]. Therefore, all the great ones forsake everything and engage in service to Īśvara with firm resolve. Therefore, O brāhmaṇa, leaving all this rubbish, go and worship Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s feet immediately. So long as death has not arrived, serve Kṛṣṇa resolutely. Know for certain that this is the fruit of learning: when your mind and wealth are fixed on Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet. I tell you this great teaching: ‘Amid everything in unending saṁsāra, Viṣṇu-bhakti [alone] is real.’”

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baḍa kīrti haile caitanya nāhi pāi

baḍa kīrti haile caitanya nāhi pāi |
‘bhakti-vaśa sabe prabhu’—cāri-vede gāi ||
(Caitanya-bhāgavata: 2.10.279)

“[Even] If one acquires great renown, one does not attain Caitanya. The four Vedas sing, ‘Prabhu is completely captivated [only] by bhakti.’”

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