Bhajana-rahasya 5.6: The service attitude becomes natural in bhava

Bhajana-rahasya 5.6: With the manifestation of bhava, a fixed service attitude is natural

Vritrasura spoke the following prayer—

ahaṁ hare tava pādaika-mūla-
dāsānudāso bhavitāsmi bhūyaḥ
manaḥ smaretāsu-pater guṇāṁs te
gṛṇīta vāk karma karotu kāyaḥ
O Lord, when shall I once again become the most humble servant of the servants of Your lotus feet? My mind will remember Your virtues, O master of my life, my power of speech will be used to glorify You, and my body will always be engaged in doing Your work. (Srimad Bhagavatam 6.11.24)
Expanded translation: When Vritrasura saw that Indra was not throwing his thunderbolt at him, he thought, why should I speak to this Indra whom I see externally. Why should I not surrender myself to my Lord? The Lord then appeared to him in his meditation and Vritrasura began to speak this prayer: “When shall I once again become the most obedient servant of those who have taken exclusive shelter of Your lotus feet? Tell me please, how long will it take before this happens? I am burning up with anxiety.

"If you say, ‘I am coming soon to make you Mine, choose any benediction.’ then I shall tell You what I desire: May my mind always remember You, O Lord of my life! And may my words glorify Your qualities, and my hands be engaged in massaging Your feet, fanning You and furnishing betel nut. In this way I will serve You constantly in body, mind and words." (Vishwanath)

Bhaktivinode Thakur—

chinu tava nitya-dāsa gale bāṅdhi māyā-pāśa
saṁsāre pāinu nānā-kleśa
ebe punaḥ kari āśa hañā tava dāsera dāsa
bhaji pāi tava bhakti-leśa
prāṇeśvara tava guṇa smaruk mana punaḥ punaḥ
tava nāma jihvā karuk gāna
kara-dvaya tava karma kariyā labhuk śarma
tava pade saṅpinu parāṇa

I was once Your eternal servant, but Maya tied a noose around my neck and ever since I have been suffering repeated birth and death in this world. Now once again I have begun to hope that I may become the servant of Your servant and attain a drop of devotion for You.

O Lord of my life, may my mind remember Your virtues again and again; may my tongue always sing Your holy names; may my hands find joy in doing Your work. I have surrendered my life to Your lotus feet.

Note that the language seems to indicate a perfect state that was forgotten, contrary to the siddhanta of the acharyas. Have no fear, it is a kind of hyperbole.

Something that is intrinsic to me is missing. It feels like I should have something, but it is not there. My natural state is to be one with God. I feel it instinctively. Why is it not manifest? Surely something has been forgotten.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E81bDQ62JoU

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