Vraja-vāsa – Anuśīlana.in

kadācid darśanaṁ vā syād vaikuṇṭhādi-nivāsinām

kadācid darśanaṁ vā syād vaikuṇṭhādi-nivāsinām |
śrī-kṛṣṇa-viraheṇārtān iva paśyāmi tān api ||
kadāpi teṣu vraja-vāsi-loka-
sādṛśya-bhāvānavalokanān me |
jātānutāpena bhavet tato’pi
prema-prakāśāt paramaṁ sukhaṁ tat ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.6.378–379)

“Sometimes sight of the residents of Vaikuṇṭha and elsewhere [e.g., Ayodhyā] can occur. [When it does,] I see even them to be as though distressed by separation from Śrī Kṛṣṇa. As a result of a manifestation of prema [within me] because of the sorrow produced by sometimes not seeing the bhāva similar to the people residing in Vraja in them [i.e., in the residents of Vaikuṇṭha and elsewhere], I feel that paramount joy [which is experienced in the company of Śrī Kṛṣṇa in Goloka and Bhauma Vraja] to be [present] even there [i.e., in those residents of Vaikuṇṭha and elsewhere].”

Read on →

bhaume cāsmin sapadi mathurā-maṇḍale yāna-mātrāt

bhaume cāsmin sapadi mathurā-maṇḍale yāna-mātrāt
sidhyeyus tāḥ sakala-samaye yasya kasyāpi naiva |
kintv etasya priya-jana-kṛpā-pūrataḥ kasyacit syus
tad bho mātaś cinu pada-rajas tat-padaika-priyāṇām ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.7.76)

“Those [various delightful līlās of Madana Gopāla] certainly cannot be attained by anyone at all times just by suddenly going to the district of Mathurā on this earth [i.e., only during the time of the descent of the blessed Lord of Goloka to the district of Mathurā on earth can someone simply arrive there suddenly and perceive his delightful līlās by his grace]. [At all other times,] Rather, those can be had by someone [only] as a result of a flood of grace from a person dear to him [as in the case of Janaśarmā receiving the grace of Sarūpa (Gopa Kumāra)]. Therefore, O Mother, gather dust from the feet of those to whom only his feet are dear [i.e., gather dust from the feet of his bhaktas who hold Kṛṣṇa-bhakti alone and not mokṣa or anything else dear].”

Read on →

saric-chaila-vanoddeśān mukunda-pada-bhūṣitān

saric-chaila-vanoddeśān mukunda-pada-bhūṣitān |
ākrīḍān īkṣyamāṇānāṁ mano yāti tad-ātmatām ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.46.22)

“The mind of those who behold the rivers, hills, forests, spots, and pleasure-grounds decorated by the feet of Mukunda enter a state of absorption in him.”

Read on →

tatraiva sādhanaṁ satyaṁ sādhu sampadyate’cirāt

tatraiva sādhanaṁ satyaṁ sādhu sampadyate’cirāt |
vaikuṇṭhopari vibhrājac chrīmad-goloka-yāpakam ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.5.253)

“[Śrī Nārada to Gopa Kumāra:] Truly, there alone [i.e., only in the land of Vraja within the district of Mathurā], the sādhana that is a cause of attainment of blessed Goloka above Vaikuṇṭha is aptly accomplished without delay.”

Read on →

svasyoddhavasya te’py eṣa kṛtvāhaṁ śapathaṁ bruve

svasyoddhavasya te’py eṣa kṛtvāhaṁ śapathaṁ bruve |
duḥsādhyaṁ tat-padaṁ hy atra tat-sādhanam api druvam ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.5.208)

“Taking this oath before myself, Uddhava, and yourself, I say that here that domain [i.e., Goloka] is difficult to attain, and the means of attaining (sādhana) that certainly is as well.”

Read on →

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.”

Read on →

tāṁ nāradīyām anusṛtya śikṣāṁ

tāṁ nāradīyām anusṛtya śikṣāṁ
śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmāni nija-priyāṇi |
saṅkīrtayan susvaram atra līlās
tasya pragāyann anucintayaṁś ca ||
tādīya-līlā-sthala-jātam etad
vilokayan bhāva-daśe gato ye |
tayoḥ sva-citte karaṇena lajje
kathaṁ parasminn kathayāny ahaṁ te ||
sadā mahārtyā karuṇā-svarai rudan
nayāmi rātrīr divasāṁś ca kātaraḥ |
na vedmi yad yat sucirād anuṣṭhitaṁ
sukhāya vā tat tad utārti-sindhave ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.6.1–3)

“Following that instruction of Nārada, here [in Vraja] melodiously chanting names of Śrī Kṛṣṇa dear to myself, singing aloud of and meditating upon his līlās, and beholding the sites of his līlās, this bhāva and state which arose [in me]—I feel embarrassed [just] by thinking of them in my own heart. [So,] How can I describe them to someone else? Crying continuously in pitiful tones out of great distress (ārti), I spent nights and days disconcerted. I did not know whether all that I had practiced for so long would lead to joy or an ocean of distress.”

Read on →

kair api prema-vaivaśya-bhāgbhir bhāgavatavottamaiḥ

kair api prema-vaivaśya-bhāgbhir bhāgavatavottamaiḥ |
adyāpi dṛśyate kṛṣṇaḥ krīḍan vṛndāvanāntare ||
(Laghu Bhāgavatāmṛta: 1.5.392)

“Even by some highly elevated Bhāgavatas who are overwhelmed by prema, Kṛṣṇa is seen playing in Vṛndāvana still today.”

Read on →

ya etasmin mahābhāgāḥ prītiṁ kurvanti mānavāḥ

ya etasmin mahābhāgāḥ prītiṁ kurvanti mānavāḥ |
nārayo’bhibhavanty etān viṣṇu-pakṣān ivāsurāḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.8.18)

[Gargācārya to Nanda Mahārāja:] “Enemies do not overcome those greatly fortunate human beings who adore him [i.e., Kṛṣṇa], just as the asuras do not overcome those who are on the side of Viṣṇu.”

Read on →

prema-sevā sādhya yei, gāḍha-lobhe mile sei

prema-sevā sādhya yei, gāḍha-lobhe mile sei,
varaja-vāsi-carita tatpara ||
(Yadunandana Ṭhākura’s rendering of Govinda-līlāmṛta: 1.3)

“One devoted to the ways of the residents of Vraja attains prema-sevā, the sādhya [i.e., the goal], [only] with intense hankering.”

Read on →