Dāsya-bhāva

tava vikrīḍitaṁ kṛṣṇa nṛnāṁ parama-maṅgalam

tava vikrīḍitaṁ kṛṣṇa nṛnāṁ parama-maṅgalam |
karṇa-pīyūṣam āsādya tyajanty anya-spṛhāṁ janāḥ ||
śayyāsanāṭana-sthāna-snāna-krīḍāśanādiṣu |
kathaṁ tvāṁ priyam ātmānaṁ vayaṁ bhaktās tyajema hi ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.6.44–45; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha: 164; Prīti Sandarbha: 111)

“O Kṛṣṇa, having attained [i.e., heard about] your superb play, which is the highest auspiciousness for human beings and nectar for the ears, people relinquish [their] desire for all else. [So,] How could we, your bhaktas while lying down, sitting, walking, standing, bathing, playing, eating, and so on, relinquish you, our Beloved, our very Self?”

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na vayaṁ kavayo na tārkikā

na vayaṁ kavayo na tārkikā
na ca vedānta-nitānta-pāragāḥ |
na ca vādi-nivārakāḥ paraṁ
kapaṭābhīra-kiśora-kiṅkarāḥ ||
(Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya; cited in Padyāvalī: 72)

“We are neither poets, nor logicians, nor great adepts in Vedānta, nor refuters of disputants. Rather, we are servants of a crafty cowherd boy.”

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mārabi rākhabi yo iccha tohārā

mārabi rākhabi yo iccha tohārā |
nitya-dāse prati tuyā adhikārā ||
(Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura’s Śaraṇāgati: 11.3)

“You may kill me or protect me as you wish. You have [full] authority over your eternal servant.”

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tvayopabhukta-srag-gandha-vāso’laṅkāra-carcitāḥ

tvayopabhukta-srag-gandha-vāso’laṅkāra-carcitāḥ |
ucchiṣṭa-bhojino dāsās tava māyāṁ jayema hi ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.6.46; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 9.355 and Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.2.125)

[Uddhava to Kṛṣṇa:] “Adorned with garlands, fragrances, garments, and ornaments enjoyed by you, and partaking of your remnants, your servants can certainly conquer your māyā.”

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nānyathā te’khila-guro ghaṭeta karuṇātmanaḥ

nānyathā te’khila-guro ghaṭeta karuṇātmanaḥ |
yas ta āśiṣa āśāste na sa bhṛtyaḥ sa vai vaṇik ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 7.10.4)

[Prahlāda Mahārāja to Nṛsiṁhadeva:] “Otherwise, this [i.e., your presently prompting me in this way] would not happen, since you are compassionate, O Guru of all! One who desires benedictions from you is not a servant. He is just a merchant!”

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atha śrīmad-bhṛtyeṣu rāga-paryantāpi sambhāvyate teṣāṁ

atha śrīmad-bhṛtyeṣu rāga-paryantāpi sambhāvyate teṣāṁ mamatādhikyena santata-tat-sevā-lampaṭatvena tad-eka-jīvanatvāt | lālyeṣu sākṣāc-chrī-vigraha-sambandhena tato’pi mamatā-viśeṣorjitatvāt rāgātiśayo mantavyaḥ |
(Prīti Sandarbha: 92)

“Then, in blessed servants (bhṛtyas) [of Śrī Bhagavān], [prīti] even up to [the stage of] rāga is possible because of their having him alone as [their] life as a result of [their] being constantly covetous of his service on account of the exceedance of [their] my-ness (mamatā) [in relation to him]. A profusion of rāga is to be recognized in those to be cherished (lālyas) because of [their] having special my-ness (mamatā) [in relation to him] stronger than even that [of the servants (bhṛtyas)] because of [the lālya’s] direct relationship with [his] divine body.”

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na dharmaṁ kāmam arthaṁ vā

na dharmaṁ kāmam arthaṁ vā mokṣaṁ vā varadeśvara |
prārthaye tava pādābje dāsyam evābhikāmaye ||
(Hayaśīrṣa-pañcarātra; cited in Rādhā Kṛṣṇa Dāsa Gosvāmī’s Daśa-śloki-bhāṣya)

“I do not pray for dharma, kāma, artha, or mokṣa, O Varadeśvara [i.e., O Lord, granter of boons]. I desire only servitude to your lotus feet.”

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atha dāsyam, tac ca śrī-viṣṇor dāsam-manyatvam

atha dāsyam | tac ca śrī-viṣṇor dāsam-manyatvam—janmāntara-sahasreṣu yasya syān matir īdṛśī | dāso’haṁ vāsudevasya sarvān lokān samuddharet || ity ukta-lakṣaṇam | astu tāvat tad-bhajana-prayāsaḥ kevala-tādṛśatvābhimānenāpi siddhir bhavatīty abhipretyaivottaratra nirdeśaś ca tasya | yathoktaṁ ‘janmāntara’ ity etat-padyasyaivānte ‘kiṁ punas tad-gata-prāṇāḥ puruṣāḥ saṁyatendriyāḥ’ iti | … tad etad-dāsya-sambandhenaiva sarvam api bhajanaṁ mahattaraṁ bhavati … | … dāso’smīty abhimānena samyag eva bhajatāṁ sarvatra sādhane sādhye ca kim avaśiṣyate? tad-adhikam anyat kim api nāsti … |
(Bhakti Sandarbha: 304–305)

“That [i.e., dāsya], furthermore, is the state of considering [oneself] a servant of Śrī Viṣṇu as per the characteristic stated here [in __Itihāsa-samuccaya__, 31.121]: ‘One who after thousands of births shall have such attitude [i.e., sense of identity], ‘I am a servant of Vāsudeva’ can deliver all planes [throughout the universe].’ Let alone the exertion of service to him [i.e., actually performing service to Bhagavān], perfection (siddhi) is attained even through just [having] the attitude of being such [i.e., just by fostering the attitude of being a servant of Bhagavān]. With this intention specifically, its [i.e,, dāsya’s] description is later on [i.e., after the limbs of bhakti that involve specific forms of exertion, e.g., hearing, praising, and so forth]. At the end of this aforementioned verse [beginning] __janmāntara__ …, [the following is stated,] ‘What’s more of persons whose prāṇas are given over to him and whose senses are controlled [i.e., they most certainly can deliver all planes throughout the universe, since even those who are not such but simply foster the attitude of being Bhagavān’s servant do so].’ … Therefore, just by a relationship with this dāsya [i.e., this attitude of being a servant of Bhagavān], even all [other forms of] bhajana becomes greater [i.e., more pleasing to Bhagavān]. … [Furthermore,] For those who engage fully in bhajana with the attitude, ‘I am a servant [of Bhagavān],’ what remains [to be done or achieved] in all aspects of the practice (sādhana) and the goal (sādhya)? There is nothing else greater than that [i.e., than the attitude of identifying oneself as a servant of Bhagavān and according engaging in service for his satisfaction; this is the purport].”

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nāhaṁ vipro na ca nara-patir nāpi vaiśyo na śūdro

nāhaṁ vipro na ca nara-patir nāpi vaiśyo na śūdro
nāhaṁ varṇī na ca gṛha-patir no vanastho yatir vā |
kintu prodyan nikhila-paramānanda-pūrnāmṛtābdher
gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ ||
(Padyāvalī: 74; cited in Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.13.80)

“I am neither a brāhmaṇa, nor a kṣatriya, nor a vaiśya, nor a śūdra. I am neither a brahmacārī, nor a gṛhastha, nor a vānaprastha, nor a sannyāsī. Rather, I am an assisting servant of the servant of the servant of the lotus feet of the gopīs’ Lord—the brimming ocean of nectar filled with complete, paramount bliss.”

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tatrāsakti-kṛd anyatra

tatrāsakti-kṛd anyatra prīti-saṁhāriṇī hy asau |
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 2.5.28)

“It [i.e., the sthāyi-bhāva known as prīti, that is, dāsya-bhāva] produces attachment to him [i.e., Bhagavān] and completely destroys affection for all else.”

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