Hit Dhruva Das : Vrindavana Sata Lila (5.1) The Glories of Taking Shelter oF Vrindavan

Crossposted from Vrindavan Today

Now Hit Dhruvdasji turns to the glories of living in the Dham. This is the lengthiest section of the short book, with 40 verses dedicated to this theme, so we are breaking it up into two postings.

There are many people who believe that “Vrindavan is everywhere.” We hate to break it to you, but it is not. At least, not for those who are not on the highest platform of uttama bhāgavata. The shastras sometimes say like that to encourage those whose fortune is not so good and who are bereft of Brajavas.

The same scriptures, or the writings of devotees like Prabodhananda or Dhruvdas, know that those with better fortune feel separation from Vrindavan.

The most unfortunate are those who prematurely think they have attained Vrindavan when they are far away, not just physically but spiritually. Dhruvdasji would rather you thought yourself unfortunate and pined for the day, in this life or in some other life, when you will be able to lie down every day in the dust of the holy Dham. Without at least pining for residence in the Vrindavan incarnate in this world and in history, there is no hope of seeing the transcendental Vrindavan everywhere.

---

लोक चतुर्दश ठकुरई संपति सकल समेत ।
सब तजि बसि वृन्दाविपिन रसिकन कौ रस खेत ॥४७॥

loka caturdaśa ṭhakuraī saṁpati sakala sameta |
saba taji basi vṛndāvipina rasikana kau rasa kheta ||47||

Giving up lordship over the fourteen worlds with all their riches,/
reside in Vrindavan, which is the playground of the rasik devotees.

सकहि तौ वृन्दाविपिन बसि छिन छिन आयु बिहात ।
ऐसौ समै न पाइये भली बनी है बात ॥४८॥

sakahi tau vṛndāvipina basi china china āyu bihāta |
aisau samai na pāiye bhalī banī hai bāta ||48||

If possible, live in Vrindavan, for your life dwindles moment to moment,
this opportunity may not come again, that is the truth of the matter.

छाँड़ि स्वाद सुख देह के, और जगत की लाज ।
मनहिं मारि तन हारि कै वृन्दावन में गाज ॥४९॥

chāɱḏi svāda sukha deha ke, aura jagata kī lāja |
manahiṁ māri tana hāri kai vṛndāvana meṁ gāja ||49||

Leaving aside the taste for physical pleasure, and worldly cares,
Beat your mind, lose your body, and take delight in Vrindavan.

वृन्दावन के बसत ही अन्तर जो करै आनि ।
तिहि सम सत्रु न और कोउ मन वच कै यह जानि ॥५०॥

vṛndāvana ke basata hī antara jo karai āni |
tihi sama satru na aura kou mana vaca kai yaha jāni ||50||

Anyone who interferes with my living in Vrindavan
is my enemy without any equal. I know this in my mind and I speak it also.

वृन्दावन के वास कौ जिनकैं नाहिं हुलास ।
माता मित्र सुतादि तिय तजि ध्रुव तिनकौ पास ॥५१॥

vṛndāvana ke vāsa kau jinakaiṁ nāhiṁ hulāsa |
mātā mitra sutādi tiya taji dhruva tinakau pāsa ||51||

Anyone who does not become enthusiastic about my dwelling in Vrindavan,
Dhruva says he will not go near them, whether mother, friend, child or wife.

और देश के बसत ही अधिक भजन जो होइ ।
इहि सम नहिं पूजत तऊ वृन्दावन रहै सोइ ॥५२॥

aura deśa ke basata hī adhika bhajana jo hoi |
ihi sama nahiṁ pūjata taū vṛndāvana rahai soi ||52||

One may do a great deal of bhajan in other places;
it is never equal to the worship one does by sleeping in Vrindavan.

वृन्दावन में जो कबहुँ भजन कछु नहिं होइ ।
रज तौ उड़ि लागै तनहिं पीवे जमुना तोइ ॥५३॥

vṛndāvana meṁ jo kabahuɱ bhajana kachu nahiṁ hoi |
raja tau uḏi lāgai tanahiṁ pīve jamunā toi ||53||

In Vrindavan, even if you never do any bhajan at all,
the dust will blow over your body, and you’ll drink Yamuna water.

वृन्दा विपिन प्रभाव सुनि अपनौ ही गुन देत ।
जैसैं बालक मलिन कौं मात गोद भरि लेत ॥५४॥

vṛndā vipina prabhāva suni apanau hī guna deta |
jaisaiṁ bālaka malina kauṁ māta goda bhari leta ||54||

Just by hearing the power of the Dham, it bestows on you its virtues,
just like a mother who takes even her dirty child into her embrace.

और ठौर जो जतन करै, होत भजन त उ नाँहिं ।
ह्याँ फ्रै स्वारथ आपनैं भजन गहैं फिरै बाँहिं ॥५५॥

aura ṭhaura jo jatana karai, hota bhajana ta u nāɱhiṁ |
hyāɱ phrai svāratha āpanaiṁ bhajana gahaiṁ phirai bāɱhiṁ ||55||

In other place you make great efforts but still cannot do bhajan,
but here Vrindavan takes even the selfish actor and engages him in bhajan.

और देस के भजन ही घटत भजन की बात ।
वृन्दावन में स्वारथौ उलटि भजन ह्वै जात ॥५६॥

aura desa ke bhajana hī ghaṭata bhajana kī bāta |
vṛndāvana meṁ svārathau ulaṭi bhajana hvai jāta ||56||

In other places one only talks of doing bhajan,
in Vrindavan even selfish action turns into bhajan.

जद्यपि सब औगुन भर्यौ तदपि करत तुव ईठ ।
हित मय वृन्दाविपिन कौं कैसैं दीजै पीठ ॥५७॥

jadyapi saba auguna bharyau tadapi karata tuva īṭha |
hita maya vṛndāvipina kauṁ kaisaiṁ dījai pīṭha ||57||

Even if you are filled with bad qualities, Vrindavan still fulfills your desires,
Vrindavan is the abode of prema, how can you turn your back on it?

वृन्दावन तें अनत ही जेतिक द्यौस विहात ।
ते दिन लेखे जिन गनौ वृथा अकारथ जात ॥५८॥

vṛndāvana teṁ anata hī jetika dyausa vihāta |
te dina lekhe jina ganau vṛthā akāratha jāta ||58||

Days spent elsewhere outside of Vrindavan
are not counted as a part of life, wasted and without reward.

भजन रसमयी विपिन घर समुझि बसे जो कोइ ।
प्रेम बीज तिहिं खेत तें तब ही अंकुर होइ ॥५९॥

bhajana rasamayī vipina ghara samujhi base jo koi |
prema bīja tihiṁ kheta teṁ taba hī aṁkura hoi ||59||

One who lives in Vrindavan, the land of bliss, and thinks of it as home --
know that the seed of prema has sprouted in the soil of his heart.

जद्यपि धावत विषै कौं भजन गहत बिच पानि ।
ऐसै वृन्दाविपिन की सरन गही ध्रुव आनि ॥६०॥

jadyapi dhāvata viṣai kauṁ bhajana gahata bica pāni |
aisai vṛndāvipina kī sarana gahī dhruva āni ||60||

Where even if you run after sense enjoyment, you get the benefit of bhajan
in such a holy Vrindavan does Dhruvdas come to take shelter.

बसिबौ वृन्दाविपिन कौ जिहिं तिहिं विधि दृढ होइ ।
नहिं चूकै ऐसौ समौ जतन कीजिये सोइ ॥६१॥

basibau vṛndāvipina kau jihiṁ tihiṁ vidhi dṛḍha hoi |
nahiṁ cūkai aisau samau jatana kījiye soi ||61||

Make it your firm rule to always reside, somehow or other, in Vrindavan.
Make this effort now, for you don't know if the chance will ever come again.

कहँ तू कहँ वृन्दाविपिन आनि बन्यौ भल बान ।
यहै बात जिय समुझि कै अपनौं छाँड़ि सयान ॥६२॥

kahaɱ tū kahaɱ vṛndāvipina āni banyau bhala bāna |
yahai bāta jiya samujhi kai apanauṁ chāɱḏi sayāna ||62||

What are you, O fallen soul! And what is the divine Vrindavan,
know the difference and then give up all your so-called cleverness.

छिन भंगुर तन जात है छाँड़हि विषै अलोल ।
कौड़ी बदले लेहि तू अद्भुत रतन अमोल ॥६३॥

china bhaṁgura tana jāta hai chāɱḏahi viṣai alola |
kauḏī badale lehi tū adbhuta ratana amola ||63||

This body will be destroyed in a moment, so be steady and give up sense objects;
exchange these farthings for an amazing priceless jewel.

कोटि कोटि हीरा रतन अरु मनि विविध अनेक ।
मिथ्या लालच छाँड़ि कै गहि वृन्दावन एक ॥६४॥

koṭi koṭi hīrā ratana aru mani vividha aneka |
mithyā lālaca chāɱḏi kai gahi vṛndāvana eka ||64||

You may have millions of diamonds, jewels, and pearls of many various types,
but give up this illusory greed and take the invaluable jewel Vrindavan alone.

नहिं सो माता पिता नहिं मित्र पुत्र कोउ नाहिं ।
इनमें जो अन्तर करै बसत वृन्दावन माहिं ॥६५॥

nahiṁ so mātā pitā nahiṁ mitra putra kou nāhiṁ |
inameṁ jo antara karai basata vṛndāvana māhiṁ ||65||

Not a real mother or father, not a real friend or progeny,
those who impede one's living in the land of Vrindavan.

नाते जेते जगत के ते सब मिथ्या मानि ।
सत्य नित्य आनन्दमय वृन्दावन पहिचानि ॥६६॥

nāte jete jagata ke te saba mithyā māni |
satya nitya ānandamaya vṛndāvana pahicāni ||66||

Know that all relationships in this world are false and temporary,
Recognize that only Vrindavan is true, eternal and blissful.

Vrindavana Sata Lila Links

Hit Dhruva Das's vision of Vrindavan
(1) Introduction/Mangalacarana (Verses 1-10)
(2) A general description of Vrindavan’s beauty (Verses 11-20)
(3) A description of the essential nature of Vrindavan (Verses 21-33)
(4) Vrindavan's opulences (34-46)
(5.1) The glories of taking shelter of Vrindavan Dham (47-66)
(5.2) The glories of living in Vrindavan Dham (67-86)
(6) The mood of one who makes the most of Vrindavan vasa (87-100)
(7) Conclusion: The benefits of reciting these verses (101-116)