Sri Padyavali
BY: SUN STAFF
Oct 13, CANADA (SUN) — A serial presentation of 'Sri Padyavali' by Srila Rupa Gosvami.
Bhaktanam mahatmyam
The Glory of the Devotees
Text 52
prahlada-narada-parasara-pundarika-
vyasambarisha-suka-saunaka-bhishma-dalbhyan
rukmangadoddhava-vibhishana-phalgunadin
punyan iman parama-bhagavatan namami
prahlada-Prahlada; narada-Narada; parasara-Parasara; pundarika-Pundarika; vyasa-Vyasa; ambarisa-Ambarisa; suka-Suka; saunaka-Saunaka; bhisma-Bhisma; dalbhyan-Dalbhya; rukmangada-Rukmangada; uddhava-Uddhava; vibhisana-Vibhisana; phalguna-Arjuna; adin-beginning with; punyan-saintly; iman-to these; parama-transcendental; bhagavatan-devotees of the Lord; namami-I offer respectful obeisances.
To the saintly devotees of the Lord, headed by Prahlada, Narada, Parasara, Pundarika, Vyasa, Ambarisha, Suka, Saunaka, Bhishma, Dalbhya, Rukmangada, Uddhava, Vibhishana, and Arjuna, I offer my respectful obeisances.
-Sri Dakshinatya
Text 53
sri-vishnoh sravane parikshid abhavad vaiyasakih kirtane
prahladah smarane tad-anghri-bhajane lakshmih prithuh pujane
akruras tv abhivandane kapi-patir dasye 'tha sakhye 'rjunah
sarvasvatma-nivedane balir abhut krishnaptir esham para
sri-vishnoh-of Lord Sri Vishnu; sravane-in hearing; parikshit-King Parikshit, known also as Vishnurata, or one who is protected by Lord Vishnu; abhavat-was; vaiyasakih-Sukadeva Gosvami; kirtane-in reciting Srimad-Bhagavatam; prahladah-Maharaja Prahlada; smarane-in remembering; tat-anghri-of Lord Vishnu's lotus feet; bhajane-in serving; lakshmih-the goddess of fortune; prithuh-Maharaja Prithu; pujane-in worshiping the Deity of the Lord; akrurah-Akrura; tu-but; abhivandane-in offering prayers; kapi-patih-Hanumanji, or Vajragaji; dasye-in servitude to Lord Ramacandra; atha-moreover; sakhye-in friendship; arjunah-Arjuna; sarvasva-atma-nivedane-in fully dedicating oneself; balih-Maharaja Bali; abhut-was; krishna-aptih-the achievement of lotus feet of Lord Krishna; esham-of all of them; para-transcendental.
Maharaja Parikshit attained the highest perfection, shelter at Lord Krishna's lotus feet, simply by hearing about Lord Vishnu. Sukadeva Gosvami attained perfection simply by reciting Srimad-Bhagavatam. Prahlada Maharaja attained perfection by remembering the Lord. The goddess of fortune attained perfection by massaging the transcendental legs of Maha-Vishnu. Maharaja Prithu attained perfection by worshiping the Deity, and Akrura attained perfection by offering prayers unto the Lord. Vajrangaji [Hanuman] attained perfection by rendering service to Lord Ramacandra, and Arjuna attained perfection simply by being Krishna's friend. Bali Maharaja attained perfection by dedicating everything to the lotus feet of Krishna.*
-author unknown
Text 54
tebhyo namo 'stu bhava-varidhi-jirna-panka-
sammagna-mokshana-vicakshana-padukebhyah
krishneti varna-yugala-sravanena yesham
a nandathur bhavati nartita-roma-vrindah
tebhyah-to them; namah-obeisances; astu-let there be; bhava-of repeated birth and death; varidhi-of the ocean; jirna-in the festering; panka-mud; sammagna-stuck; mokshana-releasing; vicakshana-expert; padukebhyah-with their sandals; krishna-Krishna; iti-thus; varna-of syllables; yugala-the pair; sravanena-by hearing; yesham-of whom; a_nandathuh-in bliss; bhavati-become; nartita-dancing; roma-vrindah-hairs standing up.
I offer my respectful obeisances to the devotees of the Lord. Simply by hearing the two syllables "Krishna", their bodily hairs stand up in ecstasy and they become moved to dance in ecstatic bliss. With their sandals they expertly extricate the fallen souls deeply sunk in the fetid mud of the ocean of repeated birth and death.
-Sri Autkala
Text 55
hari-smrity-ahlada-stimita-manaso yasya kritinah
sa-romancah kayah nayanam api sa_nanda-salilam
tam evacandrarkam vaha purusha-dhaureyam avane
kim anyais tair bharair yama-sadana-gaty agati-paraih
hari-of Lord Krishna; smriti-by the memory; ahlada-by bliss; stimita-overwhelmed; manasah-heart; yasya-whose; kritinah-the devotee; sa-with; romancah-hairs standing up; kayah-body; nayanam-eyes; api-also; sa-with; a_nanda-of joy; salilam-tears; tam-him; eva-certainly; acandra-as long as there is a moon; arkam-and a sun; vaha-please carry; purusha-of men; dhaureyam-the best; avane-O earth; kim-what is the use?; anyaih-of others; taih-them; bharaih-burdens; yama-of Yamaraja; sadana-to the abode; gati-going; agati-coming; paraih-intently.
By remembering Lord Hari, the devotees' hearts become overwhelmed with bliss, their bodily hairs stand erect, and their eyes become filled with tears of joy. O earth, these devotees are the best of men. Please carefully maintain them for long as the sun and the moon shine in the sky. What is the use of your carefully maintaining those other burdensome persons who are simply intent on coming and going to and from the house of Yamaraja?
-Sri Sarvananda
Text 56
tvad-bhaktah saritam patim culukavat khadyotavad bhaskaram
merum pasyati loshtravat kim aparam bhumeh patim bhrityavat
cintaratna-cayam sila-sakala vat kalpa-drumam kashtavat
samsaram trina-rasivat kim aparam deham nijam bharavat
tvat-of You; bhaktah-the devotee; saritam-of rivers; patim-the king; culuka-a handful of water; vat-like; khadyota-a firefly; vat-like; bhaskaram-the sun; merum-Mount Meru; pasyati-sees; loshtra-a clod; vat-like; kim-what?; aparam-further; bhumeh-of the earth; patim-the emperor; bhritya-a servant; vat-like; cintaratna-of precious jewels; cayam-a host; sila-of a rock; sakala-a portion; vat-like; kalpa-drumam-a kalpa-druma tree; kashta-wood; vat-like; samsaram-the world; trina-rasi-straw; vat-like; kim-what?; aparam-further; deham-body; nijam-own; bhara-a burden; vat-like.
O Lord, Your devotee sees the king of rivers as a handful of water, the sun a firefly, Mount Meru a clump of earth, the emperor of the world a servant, a multitude of cintamani jewels simply pebbles, a valuable kalpa-druma tree a mere stick, the entire world a bunch of straw, and his own body a burden only.
-Sri Sarvajna
Text 57
mimamsa-rajasa malimasa-drisam tavan na dhir isvare
garvodarka-ku-karkasha-dhiyam dure 'pi varta hareh
jananto 'pi na janate sruti-mukham sri-rangi-sangad rite
su-svadum parivesayanty api rasam gurvi na darvi spriset
mimamsa-of the karma-mimamsa philosophy; rajasa-by the dust; malimasa-dirtied; drisam-whose eyes; tavat-then; na-not; dhih-the consciousness; isvare-on the Supreme Personality of Godhead; garva-of pride; udarka-the conclusion; ku-bad; tarka-logic; karkasa-hard; dhiyam-whose minds; dure-far away; api-also; varta-the topics; hareh-of Lord Krishna; janantah-understanding; api-although; na-do not; janate-understand; sruti-mukham-the Vedas; sri-rangi-of Lord Krishna, who enjoys pastimes with the goddess of fortune; sangat-of the contact; rite-bereft; su-very; svadum-sweet; parivesayanti-distributing; api-even; rasam-nectar; gurvi-a great ladle; na-not; darvi-their own spoon; spriset-touches.
They whose eyes are blinded by the dust of the Karma-mimamsa philosophy cannot fix their hearts on the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They whose intelligence is atrophied by illogical conclusions dictated by pride stay far away from the topics of Lord Hari. They who understand the Vedas but cannot become devotees of Lord Krishna do not actually understand the Vedas. Distributing the sweetest nectar with a great ladle, these persons will not touch it with their own spoon.
-Sri Madhava Sarasvati
Text 58
jnanavalambakah kecit
kecit karmavalambakah
vayam tu hari-dasanam
pada-tranavalambakah
jnana-of knowledge; avalambakah-taking shelter; kecit-some; kecit-some; karma-of fruitive action; avalambakah-taking shelter; vayam-we; tu-but; hari-of Lord Krishna; dasanam-of the servants; pada-of the feet; trana-the shelter; avalambakah-taking shelter.
Some are inclined to speculative knowledge and other are inclined to fruitive work. We, however, are inclined to take shelter of the lotus feet of Lord Hari's servants.
-Sri Madhava Sarasvati
Text 59
nama_ni pranayena te sukritinam tanvanti tundotsavam
dhama_ni prathayanti hanta jalada-syama_ni netranjanam
sama_ni sruti-sashkulim muralika-jatany alankurvate
kamanivrita-cetasam iha vibho nasa_pi nah sobhate
nama_ni-the names; pranayena-with love; te-of You; sukritinam-of the saintly devotees; tanvanti-manifest; tunda-for the mouth; utsavam-a jubilant festival; dhama_ni- the bodily splendor; prathayanti-manifests; hanta-indeed; jalada-of a raincloud; syama_ni-the dark color; netra-for the eyes; anjanam-ointment; sama_ni-the music; shruti-sashkulim-the ears; muralika-from the flute; jata_ni- produced; alankurvate-decorates; kama-in material sense-gratification; anivrita-not finding happiness; cetasam-in our hearts; iha-here; vibho-O almighty Lord; na-does not; asa-material desire; api-also; nah-to us; sobhate-appear beautiful.
Now that we have become Your devotees, Your holy names have affectionately created a jubilant festival in our mouths. Your bodily splendor, like a dark rain cloud, has become the black ointment of our eyes, and the music of Your flute has become the ornament of our ears. We no longer take pleasure in material desires. O Almighty Lord, material desires no longer appear beautiful to us. -Sri Rupa Gosvami
Text 60
samsarambhasi sambhrita-bhrama-bhare gambhira-tapa-traya-
grahenabhigrihitam ugra-gatina krosantam antar-bhayat
diprenadya sudarsanena vibudha-klanti-cchidakarina
cinta-santatati-ruddham uddhara hare mac-citta-dantisvaram
samsara-of repeated birth and death; ambhasi-in the waters; sambhrita-held; bhrama-of illusions; bhare-in the bewilderment; gambhira-deep; tapa-of miseries; traya-threefold; grahena-by the crocodile; abhigrihitam-grasped; ugra-gatina-ferocious; krosantam-crying; antah-within; bhayat-out of fear; diprena-glowing; adya-now; sudarsanena-with the Sudarsana cakra; vibudha-of the demigods; klanti-the sufferings; chidakarina-cutting; cinta-of anxieties; santatati-by a host; ruddham-overwhelmed; uddhara-please rescue; hare-O Krishna; mat-of me; citta-of the mind; dantisvaram-the elephant.
The elephant of my mind is drowning in the waters of material illusion. Strongly held by the ferocious crocodile of the threefold miseries, it anxiously cries with fear in its heart. O Lord Hari, please rescue it with Your glowing Sudarsana cakra, which cuts the sufferings of the demigods to pieces.
-Sri Rupa Gosvami
Text 61
vivrita-vividha-badhe bhranti-vegad agadhe
balavati bhava-pure majjato me vidure
asarana-gana-bandho ha kripa-kaumudindo
sakrid akrita-vilambam dehi hastavalambam
vivrita-manifested; vividha-various; badhe-sufferings; bhranti-of the whirpool; vegat-by the force; agadhe-fathomless; balavati-powerful; bhava-of repeated birth and death; pure-in the ocean; majjatah-drowning; me-me; vidure-far; asarna-gana-of those who have no shelter; bandho-O friend; ha-O; kripa-of mercy; kaumudi-moonlight; indo-O moon; sakrit-this one; akrita-without; vilambam-delay; dehi--please give; hasta-of Your hand; avalambam-the extension.
I am drowning in the painful, fathomless whirlpool of repeated birth and death. O Lord, O friend of the shelterless, O effulgent moon of mercy, please, this one time, quickly extend Your hand to save me.
-Sri Rupa Gosvami
Go to Text 46-51
