gaurāṅga karuṇā-sindhu-avatāra
By Śrī Govinda Dāsa Kavirāja
গৌরাঙ্গ করুণা-সিন্ধু-অবতার ।
নিজগুণে গাঁথিয়া নাম চিন্তামণি
জগতে পরায়লি হার ॥১॥
gaurāṅga karuṇā-sindhu-avatāra |
nija-guṇe gā̐thiyā nāma-cintāmaṇi
jagate parāyali hāra ||1||
Gaurāṅga is a manifestation
Of an ocean of compassion.
By his own virtue,
He has strung together the thought-jewels of his names
And festooned the world.
Commentary
When Bhagavān Śrī Viṣnu arranged for the churning of the ocean of milk at the request of the devas and personally assisted with the churning process, one of the products that emerged was the Kaustubha jewel (see SB 8.8.6). Bhagavān Śrī Viṣṇu kept this jewel for himself. Bhagavān Śrī Gaurāṅga, however, as a manifest ocean of compassion, has brought forth through the churning of his own divine nature the thought-jewels (cintāmaṇis) of his own names, strung them into necklaces, and, rather than keeping them only for himself, has placed them around the necks of all the people of the world, meaning, he has given them the opportunity, teaching, and inspiration to constantly chant his names, which have the capability of fulfilling all of their desires.
কলি-তিমিাকুল অখিল লোক দেখি
বদন-চন্দ্র পরকাশ ।
লোচন প্রেম সুধারস বরিখণে
জগজন তাপ বিনাশ ॥২॥
kali-timirākula akhila loka dekhi
vadana-candra parakāśa |
locana-prema-sudhā-rasa-variṣaṇe
jaga-jana-tāpa-vināśa ||2||
Seeing all the people distraught
In Kali’s darkness,
He has manifested the moon of his face.
With the shower of the rasa
Of the nectar of prema from his eyes,
He has dispelled the miseries [lit., burning]
Of the people of the world.
Commentary
As the moon is said to arise from the ocean and dispel darkness, so from the the manifest ocean of compassion that is Bhagavān Śrī Gaurāṅga, the moon of his face, which is neither spotted nor subject to waxing and waning like the visible moon, has arisen and dispelled the darkness of the distress in which the people of the Age of Kali live. As the moon is known to shower rasa and produce coolness, so the rasa showered from the moon of Śrī Gaurāṅga’s face in the form of the nectar of the tears of prema from his eyes has rained down upon the people of the world and dispelled the heat of their suffering in saṁsāra. When Bhagavān Śrī Viṣṇu brought forth nectar (amṛta) by churning of the ocean, he gave the nectar only to the devas and denied it to the asuras. Bhagavān Śrī Gaurāṅga, however, has showered the nectar of his prema upon all the people of the world, including even those of asuric mentality who are neither reverent nor inclined to take shelter in him as the devas are. In this way he has delivered everyone from the three miseries of material existence and granted them immortality.
ভকত-কলপতরু অন্তরে অন্তরু
রোপলি ঠামহি ঠাম ।
যছু পদতলে অবলম্বনে পন্থিক,
পূরল নিজ নিজ কাম ॥৩॥
bhakata-kalapa-taru antare antaru
ropali ṭhāmahi ṭhāma |
yachu pada-tala- avalambane panthika
pūrala nija nija kāma || 3||
From place to place
Here and there,
He has planted the desire-trees of his bhaktas,
In the shelter of the soles of whose feet
Travelers [on the path of saṁsāra] have fulfilled
Their own respective desires.
Commentary
Bhagavān Śrī Viṣṇu produced a desire-tree during the churning of the ocean but only allowed the tree to be planted in Amarāvatī, Indra’s royal garden in Svarga. Bhagavān Śrī Gaurāṅga, however, has manifested many, many desire-trees on the earth itself in the form of his eternal associates whom he brought with him during his avatāra. Furthermore, these desire-trees are replete with the branches of the paramparās of Vaiṣṇavas following these eternal associates and have remained on the earth since their appearance. As a traveller seeks rest and replenishment during a journey and finds this in the shade of a fruit-tree, so jīvas wandering on the path of saṁsāra can take shelter in the desire-trees of these bhaktas and have all of their desires fulfilled.
ভাব-গজেন্দ্রে চঢ়ায়ল অকিঞ্চন
ঐছে পহুক বিলাস ।
সংসার-কালকূট-বিষে দগধল,
একলি গোবিন্দদাস ॥৪॥
bhāva-gajendre caḍāyala akiñcana
aichana pahuka vilāsa |
saṁsāra-kālakūṭa-viṣe dagadhala
ekali govinda-dāsa ||4||
He has mounted the destitute
On the king-elephant of bhāva.
Such is the sport of our Master!
Only Govinda Dāsa has been burned
By the deadly (kālakūṭa) poison of saṁsāra.
Commentary
During the churning of the ocean, Bhagavān Śrī Viṣṇu produced the great elephant Airavāta and gave it to Indra, but Bhagavān Śrī Gaurāṅga has manifested the king-elephant of bhāva and mounted atop it even the countless jīvas on the earth who are devoid of any wealth of spiritual merit or fortune. Such is the līlā—the compassion—of Bhagavān Śrī Gaurāṅga! The deadly poison known as kālakūṭa or hālahala was also produced during the churning of the ocean but was drunk by Bhagavān Śiva to protect all living beings throughout the world. The author, Govinda Dāsa, however, laments by saying he feels as though he alone has suffered the fate of drinking this poison while everyone else, by the grace of Bhagavān Śrī Gaurāṅga, has been saved from it and bathed in the nectar of prema. Moreover, they have been mounted atop the king-elephant of bhāva and become far more blessed than even Indra and the other devas were by Bhagavān Śrī Viṣṇu.
This commentary is based loosely on the Sanskrit commentary on this song by Śrī Rādhā Mohana Ṭhākura.
In Śrī Rāma Dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja’s Śrī Śrī Nāma-saṅkīrtana-mahimā-kīrtana (1) within the collection of his kīrtanas entitled Śrī Guru-kṛpāra dāna (Volume 1), the following ākharas can be found related to the final verse of this song which vividly express the humble heartache (ārti) of a Vaiṣṇava whose heart is filled with longing (utkaṇṭhā) for the object of his aspiration (abhīṣṭa):
কি বল্ব করুণার কথা
যে,—বিষয়-বিষ পীতে ছিল
তারে,—নাম-অমিয়া পিয়াইল
ki balba karuṇāra kathā
ye,—viṣaya-viṣa pīte chila
tāre,—nāma-amiyā piyāila
How can I relate an account of his [i.e., Gaura‘s] compassion?
He caused to drink the nectar of the name
Someone who was bound to drink the poison of mundanity (viṣaya).
যে,—বিষয়-বিষ পীতে ছিল—তারে,—নাম-অমিয়া পিয়াইল
বিষয়-বিষভাণ্ড কেড়ে লয়ে—তারে,—নাম-অমিয়া পিয়াইল
‘বিষয়-বিষভাণ্ড কেড়ে লয়ে’—
আয় বলে,—বাহু পসারিয়ে হিয়ায় ধরে—বিষয়-বিষভাণ্ড কেড়ে লয়ে
তারে,—নিজ-সেবায় লুব্ধ কৈল
যে,—রিপু-সেবায় মত্ত ছিল-তারে,—নিজ-সেবায় লুব্ধ কৈল
তারে—দিল নিজ-সেবা-অধিকার
মায়ার,—লাথি খাওয়া স্বভাব যার—তারে—দিল নিজ-সেবা-অধিকার
ye,—viṣaya-viṣa pīte chila—tāre,—nāma-amiyā piyāila
viṣaya-viṣa-bhāṇḍa keḍe laye—tāre,—nāma-amiyā piyāila
‘viṣaya-viṣa-bhāṇḍa keḍe laye’—
āya bale,—bāhu pasāriye hiyāya dhare—viṣaya-viṣa-bhāṇḍa keḍe laye
nija-sevāya lubdha kaila
ye,—ripu-sevāya matta chila—tāre,—nija-sevāya lubdha kaila
tāre—dila nija-sevā-adhikāra
māyāra,—lāthi khāoyā svabhāva yāra—tāre—dila nija-sevā-adhikāra
He caused to drink the nectar of the name
Someone who was bound to drink the poison of mundanity (viṣaya).
Snatching away the pot of the poison of mundanity,
He caused one to drink the nectar of the name.
Snatching away the pot of the poison of mundanity,
He said, “Come!”
Raising his arms,
Holding one to his heart.
Snatching away the pot of the poison of mundanity,
He made one desirous of his own service.
Someone who was maddened to serve the enemies [i.e., lust, anger, greed, etc.]
He made desirous of his own service.
He gave one eligibility for his own service.
Someone whose nature was suffering the kicks of māyā
He gave the eligibility for his own service.
তারে কৈল ব্রজ-গোপী
যে,—মায়াকূপে ছিল ডুবি—তারে কৈল ব্রজ-গোপী
সে,—বলে আমি রাধাদাসী
যার,—গলায় ছিল মায়ার ফাঁসি—সে,—বলে আমি রাধাদাসী
tāre kaila vraja-gopī
ye,—māyā-kūpe chila ḍubi—tāre kaila vraja-gopī
se,—bale āmi rādhā-dāsī
yāra,—galāya chila māyāra phā̐si—se,—bale āmi rādhā-dāsī
He made one a Vraja-gopī.
Someone who was submerged in the well of māyā
He made a Vraja-gopī.
He [i.e., the person, now] says, “I am a maidservant of Rādhā.”
Someone on whose neck was the snare of māyā
[Now] Says, “I am a maidservant of Rādhā.”
‘‘ঐছন পহুঁক বিলাস।’’ রে !
এই তো গৌর-করুণার কথা
“‘aichana pahuka vilāsa |’’ re !
ei to gaura-karuṇāra kathā
“Oh! Such is the sport of our Master!”
This, indeed, is a narration of Gaura’s compassion.
আমার,—দুর্দ্দৈবের কথা শুন ভাই
গোবিন্দদাস কেঁদে বল্ছেন—আমার,—দুর্দ্দৈবের কথা শুন ভাই
এ-ত’,—গোবিন্দদাসের কথা নয় ভাই
গৌর-প্রিয়-পরিকর—এ-ত’,—গোবিন্দদাসের কথা নয় ভাই
āmāra,—durdaivera kathā śuna bhāi
govinda-dāsa ke̐de balchena—āmāra,—durdaivera kathā śuna bhāi
e-ta’,—govinda-dāsera kathā naya bhāi
gaura-priya-parikara—e-ta’,—govinda-dāsera kathā naya bhāi
Please hear [too, however,] a narration of my misfortune, O brother!
Govinda Dāsa, weeping, is saying,
“Please heart a narration of my misfortune, O brother!”
This, indeed, [however,] is not [actually] a statement of Govinda Dāsa, O brother!
He is a dear associate of Gaura.
[Thus,] This, indeed, is not [actually] a statement of Govinda Dāsa, O brother!
আমাদের দশায় দাঁড়ায়ে বল্ছেন
আমাদের,—অভাব-অনুভব করাবার লাগি—আমাদের দশায় দাঁড়ায়ে বল্ছেন
āmādera daśāya dā̐ḍāye balchena
āmādera,—abhāva-anubhava karābāra lāgi—āmādera daśāya dā̐ḍāye balchena
Standing in our [i.e., the bound jīvas’] condition he is speaking.
For the sake of our perceiving our own lack,
Standing in our condition he is speaking.
‘‘সংসার-কালকূট- বিষে তনু দগধল,
একলি গোবিন্দদাস ॥’’ রে !!
‘‘saṁsāra-kālakūṭa- viṣe tanu dagadhala,
ekali govinda-dāsa ||” re!!
“Only Govinda Dāsa has been burned
By the deadly (kālakūṭa) poison of saṁsāra.” Oh!
আমি কেবল জ্বলে মলাম্
সংসার-কালকূট-বিষ-পানে—আমি কেবল জ্বলে মলাম্
āmi kevala jvale malām
saṁsāra-kālakūṭa-viṣa-pāne—āmi kevala jvale malām
I alone burned to death.
By drinking the deadly (kālakūṭa) poison of saṁsāra,
I alone burned to death.
একবিন্দু পরশ হল না রে
জগৎ ভাস্ ল প্রেমের বন্যায়—আমায়,—একবিন্দু পরশ হল না রে
আমি,—অভিমান-মঞ্চে বসে রইলাম—আমায়,—একবিন্দু পরশ হল না রে
‘আমি,—অভিমান-মঞ্চে বসে রইলাম’—
ধনী, মানী, কুলীন, পণ্ডিত—এই,—অভিমান-মঞ্চে বসে রইলাম
একবিন্দু পরশ হল না রে
eka-bindu paraśa hala nā re
jagat bhāsla premera vanyāya—āmāya,—eka-bindu paraśa hala nā re
āmi,—abhimāna-mañce vase ra-ilāma—āmāya,—eka-bindu paraśa hala nā re
‘āmi,—abhimāna-mañce vase ra-ilāma’—
dhanī, mānī, kulīna, paṇḍita—ei,—abhimāna-mañce vase ra-ilāma
eka-bindu paraśa hala nā re
The touch of one drop
Did not betide, oh!
He [i.e., Gorā] has set the world afloat
In a flood of prema,
But the touch of one drop
Did not betide me, oh!
I remained sitting
On the platform of pride,
And the touch of one drop
Did not betide me, oh!
I remained sitting
On the platform of pride.
“I am wealthy, honorable, noble, and learned”—
I remained sitting
On this platform of pride,
And the touch of one drop
Did not betide, oh!
আমি—প্রেমধনে বঞ্চিত হলাম্
জগৎ ভাস্ল প্রেমের বন্যায়—আমি,—প্রেমধনে বঞ্চিত হলাম্
আমি,—প্রেমধনে বঞ্চিত হলাম্
গোরা পহুঁ না ভজিলাম—আমি,—প্রেমধনে বঞ্চিত হলাম্ [মাতন]
‘গোরা পহুঁ না ভজিলাম’—
ভক্তপদ-ধূলি ভূষণ করে—গোরা পহুঁ না ভজিলাম [মাতন]
āmi—prema-dhane vañcita halām
jagat bhāsla premera vanyāya—āmi,—premadhane vañcita halām
āmi,—premadhane vañcita halām
gorā pahu̐ nā bhajilāma—āmi,—premadhane vañcita halām [mātana]
‘gorā pahu̐ nā bhajilāma’—
bhakta-pada-dhūli bhūṣaṇa kare—gorā pahu̐ nā bhajilāma [mātana]
I have been deprived
Of the wealth of prema.
He has set the world afloat
In a flood of prema,
But I have been deprived
Of the wealth of prema.
I have been deprived
Of the wealth of prema.
I have not worshipped Gorā Pahu̐ [i.e., Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu],
And I have been deprived
Of the wealth of prema.
I have not worshipped Gorā Pahu̐.
Adorning myself with the dust of the feet of bhaktas,
I have not worshipped Gorā Pahu̐.
আমি,—প্রেম পেতে রইলাম বাকী
শ্রীগুরু-বৈষ্ণবে দিয়ে ফাঁকি—আমি,—প্রেম পেতে রইলাম বাকী [মাতন]
āmi,—prema pete ra-ilāma vākī
śrī-guru-vaiṣṇave diye phā̐ki—āmi,—prema pete ra-ilāma vākī [mātana]
I have remained outstanding to receive [that] prema.
Deceiving śrī guru and the Vaiṣṇavas,
I have remained outstanding to receive [that] prema.
বল বল ভাই গৌর বল
আর কিছু লাগে না ভাল—বল বল ভাই গৌর বল
bala bala bhāi gaura bala
āra kichu lāge nā bhāla—bala bala bhāi gaura bala
Chant, chant, brother, chant, “Gaura!”
Nothing else appeals.
Chant, chant, brother, chant, “Gaura!”
Sources
Govinda Dāsera Padāvalī o Tā̐hāra Yuga by Śrī Vimāna-vihārī Majumadāra, Govinda Dāsa Kṛta Padāvali by Śrī Akṣayacandra Sarakāra, and Śrī Guru-kṛpāra Dāna (Volume One) by Śrī Rāma Dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja.