Hita Dhruva Das : Vrindavana Sata Lila (6): The mood of one who makes the most of Vrindavan vasa

Although Hit Dhruva Das is already giving the example of how to reside in Vrindavan, as we saw in the previous installment of Vrindavana-sata-lila, here he specifically takes the voice of the teacher and advises those who have been attracted by the glories of the Dham on how they need to behave, in other words, he tells us about the nature of Vraja-vāsa sādhanā.

He describes an amazing spiritual practice that seems contrary to logic: The material vision is to see Vrindavan as a part of this material world. But, in fact, it is the bridge to the spiritual world of Divine Love.

It is impossible to convey this to someone who has not experienced the bliss of chanting the Holy Names, who has not experienced the joys of singing the glories of the Divine Couple. Such acts of devotion open the doors to grace, and bestow upon one such powers of perception that when the devotee lies flat in sāṣṭāṅga-daṇḍavat praṇāma in Vrindavan’s dust, s/he can feel the power of unlimited millions of devotees’ love for the Lord penetrating every atom of the body.

How can one explain this to the uninitiated, whose minds and hearts are filled with desires for the fleeting pleasures of this world?

And how to explain to the materialistic that only by giving up the pleasures of this world can one’s mind become capable of entering that mystical paradise that exists just beyond the eyes and mind of flesh?

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वृन्दावन इह विधि बसै तजि कैं सब अभिमान ।
तृन तैं नीचौ आपकौं जानै सोई जान ॥८७॥

vṛndāvana iha vidhi basai taji kaiṁ saba abhimāna |
tṛna taiṁ nīcau āpakauṁ jānai soī jāna ||87||

The rule for residing in Vrindavan is to give up all false ego;
Think of yourself as lower than grass, for that is true knowledge.

कोमल चित सब सौं मिलै कबहुँ कठोर न होइ ।
निस्प्रेही निर्वैरता ताकौ सत्रु न कोइ ॥८८॥

komala cita saba sauṁ milai kabahuɱ kaṭhora na hoi |
nisprehī nirvairatā tākau satru na koi ||88||

Deal with everyone gently, don’t ever be hard-hearted,
give up material expectations and hostility, so that you make no enemies.

दूजै तीजै जो जुरै साक पत्र कछु आइ ।
ताही सौं सन्तोष करि रहै अधिक सुख पाइ ॥८९॥

dūjai tījai jo jurai sāka patra kachu āi |
tāhī sauṁ santoṣa kari rahai adhika sukha pāi ||89||

Whatever leaves or grains come
to you every two or three days,
be satisfied with that, you will find
greater happiness living in that way.

देह स्वाद छुटि जाइँ सब कछु होइ छीन सरीर ।
प्रेम रंग उर में बढ़ै बिहरै जमुना तीर ॥९०॥

deha svāda chuṭi jāiɱ saba kachu hoi chīna sarīra |
prema raṁga ura meṁ baḏhai biharai jamunā tīra ||90||

Give up attachment to the sense of taste,
and even if you become emaciated,
increase the joy in your heart
by wandering on the banks of the Yamuna.

जुगल रूप की झलक उर नैंननि रहै झलकाइ ।
ऐसे सुख के रंग में राखै मनहि रँगाइ ॥९१॥

jugala rūpa kī jhalaka ura naiṁnani rahai jhalakāi |
aise sukha ke raṁga meṁ rākhai manahi raɱgāi ||91||

The form of the Divine Couple will appear
suddenly to your eyes like a flash,
keep your mind colored
with the colors of joy from that vision.

आवै छबि की झलक उर झलकै नैंननि वारि ।
चिन्तत स्यामल गौर तन सकहि न तनै सँभारि ॥९२॥

āvai chabi kī jhalaka ura jhalakai naiṁnani vāri |
cintata syāmala gaura tana sakahi na tanai saɱbhāri ||92||

May the image of the Divine Couple appear
in your heart, tears in your eyes,
May you think constantly of the Dark and Fair forms
and forget your connection to the body.

जीरन पट अति दीन लट हियैं सरस अनुराग ।
विवस सघन वन में फिरै गावत जुगल सुहाग ॥९३॥

jīrana paṭa ati dīna laṭa hiyaiṁ sarasa anurāga |
vivasa saghana vana meṁ phirai gāvata jugala suhāga ||93||

Wear old rags, thought you appear like a beggar,
in your heart love’s elixir will brim,
Wander in the forest, carefree,
singing songs of the Divine Couple’s love.

रसमय देखत फिरै वन नैंननि वन रहै आइ ।
कहुँ कहुँ आनँद रंग भरि परै धरनि थहराइ ॥९४॥

rasamaya dekhata phirai vana naiṁnani vana rahai āi |
kahuɱ kahuɱ ānaɱda raṁga bhari parai dharani thaharāi ||94||

Your eyes should look at the nectar-filled forest
until it remains printed on your vision; 
You will sometimes be so overwhelmed with joyous flow
you will fall to the ground in ecstasy.

ऐसी गति ह्वै है कबहुँ मुख निसरत नहिं बैंन ।
देखि देखि वृन्दाविपिन भरि भरि ढारै नैंन ॥९५॥

aisī gati hvai hai kabahuɱ mukha nisarata nahiṁ baiṁna |
dekhi dekhi vṛndāvipina bhari bhari ḍhārai naiṁna ||95||

Will that destiny ever be mine, when no words come from my mouth,
when just looking at Vrindavan Dham, my eyes will fill with a rush of tears?

वृन्दावन तरु तरु तरै ढरै नैंन सुख नीर ।
चिन्तत फिरै आवेस बस स्यामल गौर सरीर ॥९६॥

vṛndāvana taru taru tarai ḍharai naiṁna sukha nīra |
cintata phirai āvesa basa syāmala gaura sarīra ||96||

When I will take shelter of the trees,
tears of joy flowing from my eyes,
and I wander under the control of absorption
in the beauty of the Dark and Fair Couple.

परम सच्चिदानन्दघन वृन्दाविपिन सुदेस ।
जामें कबहूँ होत नहिं माया काल प्रवेस ॥९७॥

parama saccidānanda ghana vṛndāvipina sudesa |
jāmeṁ kabahūɱ hota nahiṁ māyā kāla pravesa ||97||

This lovely land of Vrindavan is the
supreme manifestation of existence, consciousness and bliss,
where the illusory power and Time
can never find entrance.

सारद जो सत कोटि मिलि कलपन करैं विचार ।
वृन्दावन सुख रंग कौ कबहुँ न पावैं पार ॥९८॥

sārada jo sata koṭi mili kalapana karaiṁ vicāra |
vṛndāvana sukha raṁga kau kabahuɱ na pāvaiṁ pāra ||98||

If I were to live for ten million years,
using the best of my imagination,
still I would never be able to find the limits
of the blissful world of Vrindavan Dham.

वृन्दावन आनंद घन सब तें उत्तम आहि ।
मो तें नीच न और कोऊ कैसे पैहौं ताहि ॥९९॥

vṛndāvana ānaṁda ghana saba teṁ uttama āhi |
mo teṁ nīca na aura koū kaise paihauṁ tāhi ||99||

Vrindavan is the place of intense bliss,
greater than any other,
No one is a more lowly creature than myself,
so how can I ever attain it?

इत बौना आकास फल चाहत है मन माहिं ।
ताकौ एक कृपा बिना और जतन कछु नाहिं ॥१००॥

ita baunā ākāsa phala cāhata hai mana māhiṁ |
tākau eka kṛpā binā aura jatana kachu nāhiṁ ||100||

Such aspirations are like imaginary fruits
that are desired in a hungry man’s mind;
only Radha’s grace will bestow it on me,
efforts themselves are as nothing.

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)