Jan 21, 2019 — CANADA (SUN) — Bhagavad Arka Marichi Mala by HDG Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur.
Bhagavad Arka Marichi Mala
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Analysis of Unfavorable Conditions for Bhakti (bhakti pratikulya vicarah)
03.33.08 Devahuti to Kapiladeva
tam tvam aham brahma param pumamsam
pratyak-srotasy atmani samvibhavyam
sva-tejasa dhvasta-guna-pravaham
vande vishnum kapilam veda-garbham
tam—unto Him; tvam—You; aham—I; brahma—Brahman; param—supreme; pumamsam—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; pratyak-srotasi—turned inwards; atmani—in the mind; samvibhavyam—meditated upon, perceived; sva-tejasa—by Your own potency; dhvasta—vanished; guna-pravaham—the influence of the modes of material nature; vande—I offer obeisances; vishnum—unto Lord Vishnu; kapilam—named Kapila; veda-garbham—the repository of the Vedas.
I believe, my Lord, that You are Lord Vishnu Himself under the name of Kapila, and You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Supreme Brahman! The saints and sages, being freed from all the disturbances of the senses and mind, meditate upon You, for by Your mercy only can one become free from the clutches of the three modes of material nature. At the time of dissolution, all the Vedas are sustained in You only.
11.12.14-15 Shri Krishna to Uddhava
tasmat tvam uddhavotshrijya
codanam praticodanam
pravrittim ca nivrittim ca
shrotavyam shrutam eva ca
mam ekam eva sharanam
atmanam sarva-dehinam
yahi sarvatma-bhavena
maya sya hy akuto-bhayah
tasmat—therefore; tvam—you; uddhava—O Uddhava; utshrijya—giving up; codanam—the regulations of the Vedas; praticodanam—the injunctions of supplementary Vedic literatures; pravrittim—injunctions; ca—and; nivrittim—prohibitions; ca—also; shrotavyam—that which is to be heard; shrutam—that which has been heard; eva—indeed; ca—also; mam—to Me; ekam—alone; eva—actually; sharanam—shelter; atmanam—the Supersoul within the heart; sarva-dehinam—of all conditioned souls; yahi—you must go; sarva-atma-bhavena—with exclusive devotion; maya—by My mercy; syah—you should be; hi—certainly; akutah-bhayah—free from fear in all circumstances.
Therefore, My dear Uddhava, abandon the Vedic mantras as well as the procedures of supplementary Vedic literatures, and their positive and negative injunctions. Disregard that which has been heard and that which is to be heard. Simply take shelter of Me alone, for I am the Supreme Personality of Godhead, situated within the heart of all conditioned souls. Take shelter of Me wholeheartedly, and by My grace be free from fear in all circumstances. (14-15)
05.19.23 Sukadeva Gosvami to Maharaja Pariksit
kalpayusham sthanajayat punar-bhavat
kshanayusham bharata-bhujayo varam
kshanena martyena kritam manasvinah
sannyasya samyanty abhayam padam hareh
kalpa-ayusham—of those who have a life duration of many millions of years, like Lord Brahma; sthana jayat—than achievement of the place or planetary systems; punah-bhavat—which is liable to birth, death and old age; kshana-ayusham—of persons who have only one hundred years of life; bharata-bhu jayah—a birth in the land of Bharata-varsa; varam—more valuable; kshanena—for such a short life; martyena—by the body; kritam—the work executed; manasvinah—those actually understanding the value of life; sannyasya—surrendering unto the lotus feet of Krishna; samyanti—they achieve; abhayam—where there is no anxiety; padam—the abode; hareh—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
A short life in the land of Bharata-varsha is preferable to a life achieved in Brahmaloka for millions and billions of years because even if one is elevated to Brahmaloka, he must return to repeated birth and death. Although life in Bharata-varsha, in a lower planetary system, is very short, one who lives there can elevate himself to full Krishna consciousness and achieve the highest perfection, even in this short life, by fully surrendering unto the lotus feet of the Lord. Thus one attains Vaikunthaloka, where there is neither anxiety nor repeated birth in a material body.
05.19.24 listed in Beng., 23 in Eng>
na yatra vaikuntha-katha-sudhapaga
na sadhavo bhagavatas tadashrayah
na yatra yajnesha-makha mahotsavah
suresha-loko 'pi na vai sa sevyatam
na—not; yatra—where; vaikuntha-katha-sudha-apagah—the nectarean rivers of discussions about the Supreme personality of Godhead, who is called Vaikuntha, or one who drives away all anxiety; na—nor; sadhavah—devotees; bhagavatah—always engaged in the service of the Lord; tat-ashrayah—who are sheltered by the Supreme personality of Godhead; na—nor; yatra—where; yajna-isha-makhah—the performance of devotional service to the Lord of sacrifices; maha-utsavah—which are actual festivals; suresha-lokah—a place inhabited by the denizens of heaven; api—although; na—not; vai—certainly; sah—that; sevyatam—be frequented.
An intelligent person does not take interest in a place, even in the topmost planetary system, if the pure Ganges of topics concerning the Supreme Lord's activities does not flow there, if there are not devotees engaged in service on the banks of such a river of piety, or if there are no festivals of sankirtana-yajna to satisfy the Lord [especially since sankirtana-yajna is recommended in this age].
10.10.08-10 Narada Muni to Nalakuvara and Manigriva
shri-narada uvaca
na hy anyo jushato joshyan
buddhi-bhramsho rajo-gunah
shri-madad abhijatyadir
yatra stri dyutam asavah
shri-naradah uvaca—Narada Muni said; na—there is not; hi—indeed; anyah—another material enjoyment; jushatah—of one who is enjoying; joshyan—things very attractive in the material world (different varieties of eating, sleeping, mating and defense); buddhi-bhramshah—such enjoyments attract the intelligence; rajah-gunah—being controlled by the mode of passion; shri-madat—than riches; abhijatya-adih—among the four material principles (attractive personal bodily features, birth in an aristocratic family, being very learned, and being very rich); yatra—wherein; stri—women; dyutam—gambling; asavah—wine (wine, women and gambling are very prominent).
Narada Muni said: Among all the attractions of material enjoyment, the attraction of riches bewilders one's intelligence more than having beautiful bodily features, taking birth in an aristocratic family, and being learned. When one is uneducated but falsely puffed up by wealth, the result is that one engages his wealth in enjoying wine, women and gambling. (8)
hanyante pashavo yatra
nirdayair ajitatmabhih
manyamanair imam deham
ajaramrityu nashvaram
hanyante—are killed in many ways (especially by slaughterhouses); pasavah—four-legged animals (horses, sheep, cows, hogs, etc.); yatra—wherein; nirdayaih—by those merciless persons who are conducted by the mode of passion; ajita-atmabhih—rascals who are unable to control the senses; manyamanaih—are thinking; imam—this; deham—body; ajara—will never become old or diseased; amrityu—death will never come; nashvaram—although the body is destined to be annihilated.
Unable to control their senses, rascals who are falsely proud of their riches or their birth in aristocratic families are so cruel that to maintain their perishable bodies, which they think will never grow old or die, they kill poor animals without mercy. Sometimes they kill animals merely to enjoy an excursion. (9)
deva-samjnitam apy ante
krimi-vid -bhasma-samjnitam
bhuta-dhruk tat-krite svartham
kim veda nirayo yatah
deva-samjnitam—the body now known as a very exalted person, like president, minister or even demigod; api—even if the body is so exalted; ante—after death; krimi—turns into worms; vit—or into stool; bhasma-samjnitam—or into ashes; bhuta-dhruk—a person who does not accept the shastric injunctions and is unnecessarily envious of other living entities; tat-krite—by acting in that way; sva-artham—self-interest; kim—who is there; veda—who knows; nirayah yatah—because from such sinful activities one must suffer hellish conditions.
While living one may be proud of one's body, thinking oneself a very big man, minister, president, or even demigod, but whatever one may be, after death this body will turn either in to worms, into stool or into ashes. If one kills poor animals to satisfy the temporary whims of this body, one does not know that he will suffer in his next birth, for such a sinful miscreant must go to hell and suffer the results of his actions. (10)
10.74.40 Sukadeva Gosvami to Maharaja Pariksit
nindam bhagavatah shrinvams
tat-parasya janasya va
tato napaiti yah so 'pi
yaty adhah sukritac cyutah
nindam—criticism; bhagavatah—of the Supreme Lord; shrinvan—hearing; tat—to Him; parasya—who is dedicated; janasya—of a person; va—or; tatah—from that place; na apaiti—does not go away; yah—who; sah—he; api—indeed; yati—goes; adhah—down; su-kritat—from the good results of his pious works; cyutah—fallen.
Anyone who fails to immediately leave the place where he hears criticism of the Supreme Lord or His faithful devotee will certainly fall down, bereft of his pious credit.
01.01.10-11 Sages of Naimisaranya to Suta Gosvami
prayenalpayushah sabhya
kalav asmin yuge janah
mandah sumanda-matayo
manda-bhagya hy upadrutah
prayena—almost always; alpa—meager; ayushah—duration of life; sabhya—member of a learned society; kalau—in this age of Kali (quarrel); asmin—herein; yuge—age; janah—the public; mandah—lazy; sumanda-matayah—misguided; manda-bhagyah—unlucky; hi—and above all; upadrutah—disturbed.
O learned one, in this iron age of Kali men have but short lives. They are quarrelsome, lazy, misguided, unlucky and, above all, always disturbed. (10)
bhurini bhuri-karmani
shrotavyani vibhagashah
atah sadho 'tra yat saram
samuddhritya manishaya
bruhi bhadraya bhutanam
yenatma suprasidati
bhurini—multifarious; bhuri—many; karmani—duties; shrota-vyani—to be learned; vibhagashah—by divisions of subject matter; atah—therefore; sadho—O sage; atra—herein; yat—whatever; saram—essence; samuddhritya—by selection; manishaya—best to your knowledge; bruhi—please tell us; bhadraya—for the good of; bhutanam—the living beings; yena—by which; atma—the self; suprasidati—becomes fully satisfied.
There are many varieties of scriptures, and in all of them there are many prescribed duties, which can be learned only after many years of study in their various divisions. Therefore, o sage, please select the essence of all these scriptures and explain it for the good of all living beings, that by such instruction their hearts may be fully satisfied. (11)
