Bhakti Sandarbha 335-337 : Krishna's Grace is more important than meditation
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| Somebody got to use their zombie art on this one. |
We are approaching the final anucchedas of the Bhakti Sandarbha here. Remember, these postings are NOT the final draft and were posted as a psychological stratagem for me to get the work finished by giving me the illusion of getting some personal public recognition and glory. Alas, how weak is my spiritual will! But at least it got done. Now we are doing the same thing with the Priti Sandarbha videos. I will only get a small fraction of the spiritual benefit of the work I do. Nevertheless, better it gets done. I only wish, as I reread these translations yet again, how glad I am that someone else is there to clean up after me.
Anuccheda 335
A Pure Devotee Desires Only Service
पुनरेवमेव श्रीमदुद्धवोऽपि प्रार्थितवान् (भा. ११.२९.४०)—
नमोऽस्तु ते महायोगिन् प्रपन्नमनुशाधि माम्।
यथा त्वच्चरणाम्भोजे रतिः स्यादनपायिनी॥
Salutations to You, O Supreme Master of yoga. Please instruct me, who have taken refuge in You, so that incessant love for Your lotus feet may abide in my heart. (SB 11.29.40)
टीका च—एवं यद्यपि त्वया बहु कृतं, तथाप्येतावत् प्रार्थय इत्याह—नमोऽस्त्विति। अनुशाधि अनुशिक्षय। अनुशासनीयत्वमेवाह—यथेति। मुक्तावप्यनपायिनी॥ इत्येषा॥
Śrīdhara Svāmī comments: In this verse Uddhava effectively says to Kṛṣṇa, "Although You have bestowed so much favor upon me, I have one further request." "Please instruct me" (anuśādhi) or teach me. In the second half of the verse Uddhava specifies that the instruction he longs for should be such that it brings about incessant love for Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet. By the word "incessant" (anapāyinī) Uddhava expresses the intention that his love for Bhagavān should continue even after liberation.
॥११.२९॥ श्रीमान् उद्धवः॥३३५॥
Anuccheda 336
A Person Desiring Liberation Should Also Worship Kṛṣṇa
यथा त्वामरविन्दाक्ष यादृशं वा यदात्मकम्।
ध्यायेन्मुमुक्षुरेतन्मे ध्यानं त्वं वक्तुमर्हसि॥
O lotus-eyed Bhagavān, Please instruct me in meditation: How should a seeker of liberation meditate on You, and of what nature and in what form You should be contemplated? (SB 11.14.31)
टीका च—मुमुक्षुस्त्वां यथा ध्यायेत्, तन्मे वक्तुमर्हसि जिज्ञासोः कथनाय मे पुनरेतत् त्वद्दास्यमेव पुरुषार्थः, न तु ध्यानेन कृत्यमस्तीति। तदुक्तम्, "त्वयोपभुक्तस्रग्गन्ध-" (भा. ११.६.४६) इत्यादि॥ इत्येषा॥
Śrīdhara Svāmī comments: “Please instruct me as to how a seeker of liberation should meditate on You." In effect Uddhava is asking, ‘Please describe this for the benefit of someone who may be inquisitive about it. As for me, however, this servitorship to you is the only goal; I have nothing to gain from meditation." As Uddhava said earlier:
We, Your servants, who are adorned with the garlands, sandalwood paste, garments and ornaments used by You, and who eat Your remnants, will surely conquer over Your māyā. (SB 11.6.46)
॥११.१४॥ श्रीमान् उद्धवः॥३३६॥
Commentary by Satyanarayana Dasa Babaji
A devotee has no need to meditate. The heart of bhakti is in performing favorable service to Kṛṣṇa, ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanam. A non-devotee, on the other hand, must engage in bhakti for attaining success in achieving his or her goal.
Anuccheda 337
Kṛṣṇa is Most Gracious
तस्य सर्वावतारावतारिष्वप्रकटितं परमशुभस्वभावत्वं च स्मृत्वाह (भा. ३.२.२३)—
अहो बकी यं स्तनकालकूटं
जिघांसयापाययदप्यसाध्वी।
लेभे गतिं धात्र्युचितां ततोऽन्यं
कं वा दयालुं शरणं व्रजेम॥
धात्र्या या उचिता गतिः, तामेव॥
Remembering the most auspicious nature of Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa, which was never manifest in any other incarnation nor in any other form of Bhagavān who is the source of other incarnations, Uddhava said:
How astonishing it is that Kṛṣṇa awarded the post of a wet-nurse to the sinister Pūtanā, even though she had offered Kṛṣṇa her breast smeared with deadly poison with the intention of killing Him. Who is there more merciful than He, of whom I would now take shelter? (SB 3.2.23)
Kṛṣṇa awarded Pūtanā the destination appropriate for a wet-nurse.
अनेन तत्रापि गोकुललीलात्मकस्य श्रीकृष्णस्य भजनमाहात्म्यातिशयो दर्शितः, तथा पूतना लोकबालघ्नी (भा. १०.६.३५) इत्यादौ च ज्ञेयम्। तथा श्रीकृष्णसन्दर्भे च, येन येनावतारेण (भा. १०.७.१) इत्यादिकं विवृतमस्ति।
By this verse, it is shown that even within service to Kṛṣṇa in general, the glory of service to Śrī Kṛṣṇa as He manifests in the pastimes of Gokula is supreme, as is also understood from verses such as this:
Pūtanā, who was a bloodsucking demon engaged in killing infants, attained the destiny of the devotees by offering her breast to Bhagavān Hari, even though she did so with the intention of killing Him. (SB 10.6.35)
This has also been explained in Śrī Kṛṣṇa Sandarbha (51) in reference to verses such as this:
O exalted one, the Supreme Bhagavān Hari has performed innumerable pastimes in His different incarnations. Among all these pastimes, please describe to us those that especially delight the ear and enchant the mind. (SB 10.7.1)
Commentary by Satyanarayana Dasa Babaji
Uddhava was disciple of Bṛhaspati, the guru of the devas. He was one of the most learned among the Yādavas. Even Śrī Kṛṣṇa used to consult with him. Thus his statement is authoritative and not made out of mere sentiment.
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