Hit Dhruva Das : Vrindavana Sata Lila (5.2) The Glories of Living in Vrindavan

Hit Dhruvdas Maharaj’s great love of Vrindavan and his understanding of the power of the Holy Dham comes through full strength in these next verses.”The only indestructible abode of intense happiness is Vrindavan.” Dhruvdasji understands Vrindavan as the embodiment of Radha-Krishna’s love, as non separate from Them, and as joy incarnate.

When Dhruvdasji says that Vrindavan is better than liberation, this seems like a paradox because, surely we would have to be at least partly liberated in order to understand the glory of Vrindavan. But, upon reflection, we get a glimpse the depth of his understanding of Vrindavan – Vrindavan is the savior, the one who, “makes even death auspicious”.

Dhruvadasji’s Vrindavan bhakti is so strong that he says that even if his limbs are torn apart by living here, leaving would be a great mistake. We get no sense of any ambition in these verses, even the ambition to become a great devotee worthy of associating with the Supreme Lord is largely absent. What comes through is simply the desire to roll in the Vrindavan dust throughout life and blend with the dust at the time of death.

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बसि कै वृन्दाविपिन में ऐसी मन में राख ।
प्रान तजौं वन ना तजौं कहौ बात कोउ लाख ॥६७॥

basi kai vṛndāvipina meṁ aisī mana meṁ rākha |
prāna tajauṁ vana nā tajauṁ kahau bāta kou lākha ||67||

While residing in Vrindavan, one should keep the following mentality:
I will give up my life but I will not give up the forest, no matter what anyone says.

चलत फिरत सुनियत यहै राधा वल्लभ लाल ।
ऐसे वृन्दाविपिन में बसत रहौ सब काल ॥६८॥

calata phirata suniyata yahai rādhā vallabha lāla |
aise vṛndāvipina meṁ basata rahau saba kāla ||68||

Wherever one goes in Vrindavan, one hears the name of Radha Vallabh,
may such a Vrindavan Dham be my everlasting home.

बसिबौ वृन्दाविपिन कौ यह मन में धरि लेहु ।
कीजै ऐसौ नेम दृढ़ या रज में परै देह ॥६९॥

basibau vṛndāvipina kau yaha mana meṁ dhari lehu |
kījai aisau nema dṛḏha yā raja meṁ parai deha ||69||

Be determined to reside in Vrindavan,
making the solemn resolve that your body will mix with the Vrindavan dust.

खंड खंड ह्वै जाइ तन अंग अंग सत टूक ।
वृन्दावन नहिं छाँढ़ियै छँढ़िबौ है बढ़ी चूक ॥७०॥

khaṁḍa khaṁḍa hvai jāi tana aṁga aṁga sata ṭūka |
vṛndāvana nahiṁ chāɱḏiyai chaɱḏibau hai baḏī cūka ||70||

May my body be cut into pieces, each limb separated,
but I will not leave Vrindavan; to leave would be a great mistake.

पटतर वृन्दाविपिन की कहि धौं दीजै काहि ।
जेहि वन की ध्रुव रैंनु में मरिबौ उ मंगल आहि ॥७१॥

paṭatara vṛndāvipina kī kahi dhauṁ dījai kāhi |
jehi vana kī dhruva raiṁnu meṁ maribau u maṁgala āhi ||71||

To what can we compare Vrindavan’s great expertise?
By dying there in its dust, even death itself becomes auspicious.

वृन्दावन के गुननि सुनि हित सौं रज में लोटि ।
जेहि सुख कौं पूजत नहीं मुक्ति आदि सत कोटि ॥७२॥

vṛndāvana ke gunani suni hita sauṁ raja meṁ loṭi |
jehi sukha kauṁ pūjata nahīṁ mukti ādi sata koṭi ||72||

Hearing the glories of Vrindavan, I roll in its dust with love,
and the pleasure I derive from that is greater than mukti a million times.

सुरपति पसुपति प्रजापति रहे भूलि तिहिं ठौर ।
वृन्दावन वैभव कहौ कौन जानि है और ॥७३॥

surapati pasupati prajāpati rahe bhūli tihiṁ ṭhaura |
vṛndāvana vaibhava kahau kauna jāni hai aura ||73||

Indra, Shiva and Brahma wander in this land, mistaken about its true nature,
So what person is there who can truly describe its opulence?

जद्यपि राजत अवनि पर सब तें ऊँचौ आहि ।
ताकी सम कहिये कहा श्रीपति वंदत ताहि ॥७४॥

jadyapi rājata avani para saba teṁ ūɱcau āhi |
tākī sama kahiye kahā śrīpati vaṁdata tāhi ||74||

Vrindavan may exist on this earth, but it is far above it,
Narayan himself glorifies Vrindavan, so how can anyone find its equal?

वृन्दावन वृन्दाविपिन वृन्दाकानन ऐंन ।
छिन छिन रसना रट्यौ करि वृन्दावन सुख दैंन ॥७५॥

vṛndāvana vṛndāvipina vṛndākānana aiṁna |
china china rasanā raṭyau kari vṛndāvana sukha daiṁna ||75||

Call it Vrindavan, Vrinda Vipina, or Vrinda Kanana, or the Dham,
Make your tongue sing its names at every moment, Vrindavan will bring you joy.

वृन्दावन आनंद घन तो तन नस्वर आहि ।
पसु ज्यौं खोवत विषै रस काहि न चिन्तत ताहि ॥७६॥

vṛndāvana ānaṁda ghana to tana nasvara āhi |
pasu jyauṁ khovata viṣai rasa kāhi na cintata tāhi ||76||

Vrindavan is intensified joy, whereas this body will die soon enough,
Why do you lose your life in seeking sense pleasures like an animal?

वृन्दावन वृन्दा कहत दुरित वृन्द दुरि जाहिं ।
हेन बेलि रस भजन की तब उपजै हिय माहिं ॥७७॥

vṛndāvana vṛndā kahata durita vṛnda duri jāhiṁ |
hena beli rasa bhajana kī taba upajai hiya māhiṁ ||77||

Chant the name of Vrindavan and all your sins will be destroyed;
then the creeper of rasa bhajan will sprout in your heart and flourish.

वृन्दावन स्रवननि सुनहि वृन्दावन कौ गान ।
मन वच कै अति हेत सौं वृन्दावन उर आन ॥७८॥

vṛndāvana sravanani sunahi vṛndāvana kau gāna |
mana vaca kai ati heta sauṁ vṛndāvana ura āna ||78||

Use your ears to hear songs of Vrindavan,
your mind and words to bring Vrindavan into your heart with love.

वृन्दावन कौ नाम रटि वृन्दावन कौं देखि ।
वृन्दावन सौ प्रीति करि वृन्दावन उर लेखि ॥७९॥

vṛndāvana kau nāma raṭi vṛndāvana kauṁ dekhi |
vṛndāvana sau prīti kari vṛndāvana ura lekhi ||79||

Call out to Vrindavan, take darshan of Vrindavan,
fall in love with Vrindavan, write Vrindavan’s name on your chest.

वृन्दाविपिन प्रनाम करि वृन्दावन सुख खानि ।
जो चाहत विश्राम ध्रुव वृन्दावन पहिचानि ॥८०॥

vṛndāvipina pranāma kari vṛndāvana sukha khāni |
jo cāhata viśrāma dhruva vṛndāvana pahicāni ||80||

Bow down to Vrindavan, it is the goldmine of happiness,
Dhruva says, “One who seeks rest should recognize Vrindavan for what it is.”

तजि कैं वृन्दाविपिन कौं और तीर्थ जे जात ।
छाँढ़ि विमल चिन्तामनी कौढ़ी कौं ललचात ॥८१॥

taji kaiṁ vṛndāvipina kauṁ aura tīrtha je jāta |
chāɱḏi vimala cintāmanī kauḏī kauṁ lalacāta ||81||

One who leaves Vrindavan to go to any other holy place
gives up a pure philosopher’s stone out of greed for worthless pebbles.

पाइ रतन चीन्हौं नहीं दीन्हौं कर तैं डार ।
यह माया श्री-कृष्न की मोह्यौ सब संसार ॥८२॥

pāi ratana cīnhauṁ nahīṁ dīnhauṁ kara taiṁ ḍāra |
yaha māyā śrī-kṛṣna kī mohyau saba saṁsāra ||82||

You did not know the priceless jewel in your hand and you threw it away,
this is how Krishna’s Maya bewilders the entire world.

प्रगट जगत में जगमगै वृन्दाविपिन अनूप ।
नैंन अछत दीसत नहीम् यह माया कौ रूप ॥८३॥

pragaṭa jagata meṁ jagamagai vṛndāvipina anūpa |
naiṁna achata dīsata nahīm yaha māyā kau rūpa ||83||

Appearing in this world and shining brilliantly is the incomparable Vrindavan,
though we have eyes we cannot see it, that is the power of Krishna’s Maya.

वृन्दावन कौ जस अमल जिहि पुरान में नाँहिं ।
ताकी बानी परौ जिनि कबहूँ श्रवननि माँहिं ॥८४॥

vṛndāvana kau jasa amala jihi purāna meṁ nāɱhiṁ |
tākī bānī parau jini kabahūɱ śravanani māɱhiṁ ||84||

May those puranas that do not tell of Vrindavan’s spotless fame,
never enter my ears, no matter how noble their teachings.

वृन्दावन कौ जस सुनत जिनकैं नाहिं हुलास ।
तिनकौ परस न कीजिये तजि ध्रुव तिनकौ पास ॥८५॥

vṛndāvana kau jasa sunata jinakaiṁ nāhiṁ hulāsa |
tinakau parasa na kījiye taji dhruva tinakau pāsa ||85||

One who does not feel enthusiasm after hearing Vrindavan’s glory
Dhruva says, “I will not go near him but will always keep my distance.”

भुवन चतुर्दस आदि दै ह्वै है सबकौ नास ।
इक छत वृन्दाविपिन घन सुख कौ सहज निवास ॥८६॥

bhuvana caturdasa ādi dai hvai hai sabakau nāsa |
ika chata vṛndāvipina ghana sukha kau sahaja nivāsa ||86||

The fourteen worlds are all transitory, all come to an end,
the only indestructible abode of intense happiness is Vrindavan.

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)