Vaiṣṇava-toṣaṇī 54 страница

Commentary

As antaryā mī of all beings, though I am satisfied by service to them, I am especially satisfied by service to guru. Without that, other actions become useless, since guru is directly my form, by my entering into him, and he is my best devotee. I am not satisfied with household dharma or brā hmaṇ a dharma (ijyā -prajā tibhyā m), by vanaprastha dharma (tapasā ) or sannyā sa-dharma (upaś amena). Or I am not satisfied with worship of me (ijyā ), with dī kṣ a of my mantra (prajā ti), samā dhi on my form (tapasā ) or being completely fixed in me (upaś amena) as much as I am satisfied with service to the guru who inspires these actions. Thus there is a guru for sva-dharma in the first list and a guru for bhagavad-dharma in the second list. The second type of guru is superior.

Texts 35–36

api naḥ smaryate brahman vṛ ttaṁ nivasatā ṁ gurau

guru-dā raiś coditā nā m indhanā nayane kvacit

praviṣ ṭ ā nā ṁ mahā raṇ yam apartau su-mahad dvija

vā ta-varṣ am abhū t tī vraṁ niṣ ṭ hurā ḥ stanayitnavaḥ

Translation

O brā hmaṇ a, do you remember what happened to us while we were living with our spiritual master? Once our guru’s wife sent us to fetch firewood, and after we entered the vast forest, O twice-born one, an unseasonal storm arose, with fierce wind and rain and harsh thunder.

Commentary

Having glorified service to guru, Kṛ ṣ ṇ a now shows how to serve him in order to teach the people. The example shows that by suffering together the two established firm friendship. The dual number was used previously. Now the plural nau is used to indicate Balarā ma, Kṛ ṣ ṇ a, and Sudā mā. He is indicated as being one of them, out of affection. Gurau means “in the house of the guru. ” Kṛ ṣ ṇ a addresses Sudā mā as brā hmaṇ a frequently to destroy his shyness and fear. Calling out to him, making the friendship firm, he makes him raise his head in order to see Kṛ ṣ ṇ a and thus give him joy. When we had entered the forest, an unseasonal storm, belonging to the cold season, occurred. It was painful (tī vram). O brā hmaṇ a! He calls out to Sudā mā on remembering the past events, or with amusement. The thunder was piercing, making loud noises. There was also lightning.

Text 37

sū ryaś cā staṁ gatas tā vat tamasā cā vṛ tā diś aḥ

nimnaṁ kū laṁ jala-mayaṁ na prā jñ ā yata kiñ cana

Translation

Then, as the sun set, the forest was covered by darkness in every direction, and with all the flooding we could not distinguish high land from low.

Commentary

The word ca is repeated to show that the sun set and darkness appeared simultaneously. We could clearly not distinguish low from high land since the place became flooded with water.

Text 38

vayaṁ bhṛ ś am tatra mahā nilā mbubhir

nihanyamā nā mahur ambu-samplave

diś o ’vidanto ’tha parasparaṁ vane

gṛ hī ta-hastā ḥ paribabhrimā turā ḥ

Translation

Constantly besieged by the powerful wind and rain, we lost our way amidst the flooding waters. We simply held each other’s hands and, in great distress, wandered aimlessly about the forest.

We were constantly (ni) afflicted by showers of water. And being helpless (ā turā ḥ ) we got lost.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — -

We wandered all around. Babhrima is used instead of babhramima as poetic license.

Text 39

etad viditvā udite ravau sā ndī panir guruḥ

anveṣ amā ṇ o naḥ ś iṣ yā n ā cā ryo ’paś yad ā turā n

Translation

Our guru, Sā ndī pani, understanding our predicament, set out after sunrise to search for us, his disciples, and found us in distress.

Knowing that we would suffering by staying in the forest because of the great rain, wind and water, he searched for us here and there because he was endowed with the highest conduct (ā cā ryaḥ ).

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Intuiting our distress (etat), the great (guruḥ ) Sā ndī pani searched for us.

Text 40

aho he putrakā yū yam asmad-arthe ’ti-duḥ khitā ḥ

ā tmā vai prā ṇ inā m preṣ ṭ has tam anā dṛ tya mat-parā ḥ

Translation

[Sā ndī pani said: ] O my children, you have suffered so much for my sake! The body is most dear to every living creature, but you are so dedicated to me that you completely disregarded your own comfort.

Aho indicates distress. O sons (putrakā ḥ )! He shows great affection. You have suffered for my and my wife’s sake (asmad), though the body is dear to everyone. Vai indicates it is well known. You were dedicated to me (mat-parā ḥ ).

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All creatures take their own body as the dearest. Without regard for your body, you suffered for me (mat-parā ḥ ). The first line uses the plural asmad-arthe (for us) and the second line uses the singular mat-parā ḥ (dedicated to me). Mat-parā ḥ thus means “you suffered on account of me and those related to me. ”

Text 41

etad eva hi sac-chiṣ yaiḥ kartavyaṁ guru-niṣ kṛ tam

yad vai viś uddha-bhā vena sarvā rthā tmā rpaṇ aṁ gurau

Translation

This is the duty of all true disciples: to repay the debt to their spiritual master by offering him, with pure hearts, their wealth and even their very lives.

You have truly done service to guru. This is definitely (hi) to be done. This alone should be done (vai). Other duties are rejected.

Text 42

tuṣ ṭ o ’haṁ bho dvija-ś reṣ ṭ hā ḥ satyā ḥ santu manorathā ḥ

chandā ṁ sy ayā ta-yā mā ni bhavantv iha paratra ca

Translation

You boys are the best of the second born, and I am satisfied with you. May all your desires be fulfilled, and may the Vedic mantras you have learned never lose their meaning for you, in this world or the next.

Thus I am pleased with you. You can fulfill all desires or are endowed with all good qualities (dvija-ś reṣ ṭ hā ḥ ). Or may the excellent desires among brā hmaṇ as become fulfilled in this life and the next. May the Vedic mantras never lose their efficacy (in this life or the next).

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I am satisfied with you three. May the Vedic mantras not be worn out, not lose their results, and not be forgotten by you (ayā ta-yā mā ni). Yā ta-yā ma means worn out according to Nā nā rtha-varga of Amara-koṣ a.

Text 43

itthaṁ -vidhā ny anekā ni vasatā ṁ guru-veś mani

guror anugraheṇ aiva pumā n pū rṇ aḥ praś ā ntaye

Translation

We had many similar experiences while living in our spiritual master’s home. Simply by the grace of the spiritual master a person can attain the highest happiness and realization of the Lord.

By mercy of guru one becomes full of the greatest happiness (praś ā ṇ taye). Or being full of mercy one becomes happy.

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By the mercy of guru all one’s desires are fulfilled and one attains liberation in the form of the highest happiness and realization of Bhagavā n (prasā ntaye).

Text 44

ś rī -brā hmaṇ a uvā ca

kim asmā bhir anirvṛ ttaṁ deva-deva jagad-guro

bhavatā satya-kā mena yeṣ ā ṁ vā so guror abhū t

Translation

The brā hmaṇ a said: What could I possibly have failed to achieve, O Lord of lords, O universal teacher, since I was able to personally live with you, whose every desire is fulfilled, at the home of our spiritual master?

By doing this we attained everything. O Lord worshipped by the devatā s like Brahmā (devadeva)! It is suitable to reside with the guru because, just by his will, all desires are fulfilled or all desires of the devotee are manifested immediately (jagad-guro). That has happened.

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In two verses Sudā mā answers in brief everything. What could not be achieved by us? Everything you asked and did not ask about me has been achieved since you are the lord of the devatā s and the teacher of the universe and since all your desires are fulfilled (satya-kā mena).

Text 45

yasya cchando-mayaṁ brahma deha ā vapanaṁ vibho

ś reyasā ṁ tasya guruṣ u vā so ’tyanta-viḍ ambanam

Translation

O almighty Lord, your body comprises the Absolute Truth in the form of the Vedas and is thus the source of all auspicious goals of life. That you took up residence at the school of a spiritual master is simply one of your pastimes in which you play the role of a human being.

The reason for the Lord staying with a guru is stated after the explanation. You are full of all powers (vibho). Because of this you are the meaning of the Vedas and its goals. But you lived in many gurus’ houses. Why? You did it to teach the people (viḍ ambanam). Viḍ ambanam stands for vilambanam. You did this not only as Kṛ ṣ ṇ a but as Rā ma as well. Thus the word is in the plural (guruṣ u). Or guru is in the plural out of respect and devotion.

You are the Vedas (brahma) made of verses, giving rise to auspiciousness or you are the one (brahma) form (deha) which gives rise (avā panam) to auspiciousness. Or you are the Vedas which arise from your body (dehe), coming from Brahmā ’s mouth or the puruṣ ā vatā ra’s mouth.

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What was the goal of my studying? You are to be understood by the Vedas (cchando-mayam). Your body is the source of all human goals (ś reyasā m). Thus living in the guru’s house was simply some imitation, some amusement for your pastimes.

Chapter Eighty-one

Texts 1–2

ś rī -ś uka uvā ca

sa itthaṁ dvija-mukhyena saha saṅ kathayan hariḥ

sarva-bhū ta-mano-’bhijñ aḥ smayamā na uvā ca tam

brahmaṇ yo brā hmaṇ aṁ kṛ ṣ ṇ o bhagavā n prahasan priyam

premṇ ā nirī kṣ aṇ enaiva prekṣ an khalu satā ṁ gatiḥ

Translation

Kṛ ṣ ṇ a perfectly knows the hearts of all living beings, and he is especially devoted to the brā hmaṇ as. While the Supreme Lord, the goal of all saintly persons, conversed in this way with the best of the twice-born, he laughed and spoke the following words to that dear friend Sudā mā, all the while smiling and looking upon him with affection.

He who has indescribable glories, revealing his unlimited qualities as bhagavā n (saḥ ), who attracts all beings or Ś rī dā mā, spoke with the best of brā hmaṇ as, since he was the chief, being his dear friend. This suggests that both were in great joy. He smiled at the brā hmaṇ a’s efforts, and spoke to him because he was the benefactor of brā hmaṇ as (brahmaṇ yaḥ ). He laughed because Ś rī dā mā was dear (priyam). He knew the minds of all beings because he was full of all powers (bhagavā n). He was Kṛ ṣ ṇ a.

Or Ś rī dā mā was dear because as a brā hmaṇ a he knew the meaning of the Vedas and moreover the Lord was the benefactor of brā hmaṇ as. He laughed for another reason: he attracts everyone’s heart (kṛ ṣ ṇ aḥ ). Moreover he was full of all qualities (bhagavā n). Thus, he looked at him with glances of love, since he is the goal of the devotees (satā m gatiḥ ).

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He (saḥ ), endowed with previously described qualities of affection for brā hmaṇ as and devotees, since he was attractive to all (hariḥ ), gave joy through talking (saṅ kathanyan) with the best of brā hmaṇ as, the best since he was a great friend. This was because he knew the minds of all beings, since he was Bhagavā n and more particularly, Kṛ ṣ ṇ a. He saw that Sudā mā had brought grains of rice with effort from far away for him, to add to Kṛ ṣ ṇ a’s wealth. He was keeping the grains carefully, even now, not throwing them in water or elsewhere. He was shy to give the grains to Kṛ ṣ ṇ a. In talking to Sudā mā the Lord understood this. He smiled and looked at Sudā mā with prema in a special way (prekṣ an), with joy, pleasure and curiosity, while glancing at the knot in his cloth, indicating “When will he give it to me? ” This was because the Lord was kind to all brā hmaṇ as, what to speak of his friend. Because Sudā mā did not give the rice, the Lord smiled. “Why do not you give what was given to you by your wife as a gift for me? ” He then spoke, since Sudā mā was a friend (priyam) and Kṛ ṣ ṇ a was the ultimate shelter of the devotees (satā ṁ gatiḥ ). Khalu is ornamental.

Text 3

ś rī -bhagavā n uvā ca

kim upā yanam ā nī taṁ brahman me bhavatā gṛ hā t

aṇ v apy upā hṛ taṁ bhaktaiḥ premṇ ā bhury eva me bhavet

bhū ry apy abhaktopahṛ taṁ na me toṣ ā ya kalpate

Translation

The Supreme Lord said: O brā hmaṇ a, what gift have you brought me from home? I regard as great even the smallest gift offered by my devotees in pure love, but even great offerings presented by nondevotees do not please me.

What have you brought? Please tell me, or please give it. O brā hmaṇ a! Since you know the Vedas, it is not proper to keep for yourself what you have brought for me, since brā hmaṇ as are naturally generous. This is his joking intention in addressing Sudā mā as a brā hmaṇ a. I give great regard to what is offered to me by devotees, and with prema. Or what is offered by my devotees becomes filled with prema for me. What is offered by persons without respect or without devotion will not satisfy me. I am not pleased with those persons.

— — — — — — — — -

You have brought it from your house, from your wife. You are not acting like a friend. Though the gift was sent by your devoted wife, you hesitate to give it to me. He then encourages him, giving up joking. I will accept what is given, since I have proper behavior. Even a small gift like rice, if offered out of love (premnā ) by persons endowed with respect (bhaktaiḥ ) and prema, is very satisfying to me. Or that which is offered by the devotees satisfies me because I have prema for the devotees (premnā ). What is offered by persons without respect or without devotion will not satisfy me. I am not pleased with those persons.

Text 4

patraṁ puṣ paṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati

tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛ tam aś nā mi prayatā tmanaḥ

Translation

If one offers me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water, I will accept it.

Commentary

Not having anything, among leaves and flowers, if one can obtain even one leaf or flower or fruit, I accept it if the person offers with prema (bhaktyā ), excellently (pra — yacchati). Why? It is offered with love. The cause of my accepting is simply that they offer it, not using mantras etc. The word bhakti is mentioned twice to express the Lord’s greed for the devotee. Why is it offered with bhakti? That person has a pure heart (prayatā tmanaḥ ), without material desire. Though leaves and flowers cannot be eaten the word “I eat” (asnā mi) is used. The word means “I enjoy, like eating. ” Or if there is nothing to eat, I will even eat the leaf and flower. I will consume the water and fruit if they are offered. Thought water is drunk, not eaten, the word is used to indicate satisfaction.

Text 5

ity ukto ’pi dvijas tasmai vrī ḍ itaḥ pataye ś riyaḥ

pṛ thuka-prasṛ tiṁ rā jan na prā yacchad avā ṅ -mukhaḥ

Translation

[Ś ukadeva Gosvā mī continued: ] Even after being addressed in this way, O King, the brā hmaṇ a felt too embarrassed to offer his palmfuls of flat rice to the husband of the goddess of fortune. He simply kept his head bowed in shame.

Commentary

Sudā mā still did not willingly offer his four handfuls of rice to Kṛ ṣ ṇ a but in embarrassment stood with a downcast face. He was embarrassed because Kṛ ṣ ṇ a was the husband of Lakṣ mī.

Texts 6–7

sarva-bhū tā tma-dṛ k sā kṣ ā t tasyā gamana-kā raṇ am

vijṅ ā yā cintayan nā yaṁ ś rī -kā mo mā bhajat purā

patnyā ḥ pati-vratā yā s tu sakhā priya-cikī rṣ ayā

prā pto mā m asya dā syā mi sampado ’martya-durlabhā ḥ

Translation

Being the direct witness in the hearts of all living beings, Kṛ ṣ ṇ a fully understood why Sudā mā had come to see him. Thus he thought, “In the past my friend has never worshiped me out of a desire for material opulence, but now he comes to me to satisfy his chaste and devoted wife. I will give him riches that even the immortal devatā s cannot obtain. ”

The Lord directly witnesses the hearts of all beings, or as antaryā mī, he manifests himself directly. Knowing well the instigation of his wife to be the cause of seeking wealth, he thought. In his previous birth he did not worship with material desires. He worshipped for friendship alone.

Why then has he come now for wealth? He has come to please his wife, who is devoted to him. One should beg when dharma will be destroyed. She therefore sent him to beg from me, so she could serve him nicely. “Why did he not go to some other generous person? ” He is my friend. It would not be the act of a friend to come here other than out of friendship for me. He has come simply to see me as a friend. I will give to him (asya) or I will give because he (asya) is dependent on me. Or my giving is only to please his wife. Thus my giving is only in relation that. I am giving on account of him (asya). ”

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What did the Lord do? This is explained in four verses. The Lord is directly the witness of all ā tmā s in all beings, the antaryā mī, and not less (sā kṣ at). Viṣ ṭ abhyā ham idaṁ kṛ tsnam ekā ṁ ś ena sthito jagat: by one of my portions I pervade the universe. (BG 10. 47) Amara-koṣ a says sā kṣ ā t means visible and equal. Understanding thoroughly (vijñ ā ya), he thought as follows.

“In previously lives Sudā mā did not worship me with the desire for wealth. He worshipped me for friendship. Why then has he come now for wealth? He has come to please his wife, who is devoted to him. One should beg when dharma will be destroyed. She therefore sent him to beg from me, so she could serve him nicely. “Why did he not go to some other generous person? ” He is my friend. It would not be the act of a friend to come here other than out of friendship for me. He has come simply to see me as a friend. I will give to him (asya) or I will give because he (asya) is dependent on me. Or my giving is only to please his wife. Thus my giving is only in relation that. I am giving on account of him (asya). ”

Text 8

itthaṁ vicintya vasanā c cī ra-baddhā n dvi-janmanaḥ

svayaṁ jahā ra kim idam iti pṛ thuka-taṇ ḍ ulā n

Translation

Thinking like this, the Lord snatched from the brā hmaṇ a’s garment the grains of flat rice tied up in an old piece of cloth and exclaimed, “What is this? ”

Commentary

Thinking thoroughly in this manner, Kṛ ṣ ṇ a took for himself the rice in order to perfect the brā hmaṇ a’s wealth. If he did not do this he could not procure what is not given (adatvam nopatiṣ ṭ hate). Rukmiṇ ī will also express this in verse 11. Thinking of Sudā mā ’s great bhakti, he took the rice by force, saying “What is this? ” He took from the brā hmaṇ a. This suggests that the rice and the cloth of Sudā mā were purifying.

Text 9

nanv etad upanī taṁ me parama-prī ṇ anaṁ sakhe

tarpayanty aṅ ga mā ṁ viś vam ete pṛ thuka-taṇ ḍ ulā ḥ

Translation

“My friend, have you brought this for me? It gives me extreme pleasure. These few grains of flat rice will satisfy not only me but also the entire universe. ”

Commentary

Did you bring this for me? Do not think that this is not a fit gift for me. It is most pleasing to me because you are my friend (sakhe). O friend! You have brought this out of friendship. You should not think that this is meager. Since it satisfies me, the soul of the universe, I can satisfy the whole universe. Or just as watering the root of the tree satisfies all its limbs, by satisfying me the whole universe is satisfied.

Text 10

iti muṣ ṭ iṁ sakṛ j jagdhvā dvitī yā ṁ jagdhum ā dade

tā vac chrī r jagṛ he hastaṁ tat-parā parameṣ ṭ hinaḥ

Translation

After saying this, the Supreme Lord ate one palmful and was about to eat a second when the devoted goddess Rukmiṇ ī took hold of his hand.

Tā vat expresses excess. More should not be taken. Rukmiṇ ī grasped the hand of the Supreme Lord (parameṣ ṭ hinaḥ ) since she was devoted to him (tat-parā ). She was completely dependent on him. Or she grasped the hand of the Lord, who gave all wealth simply by that handful (parameṣ ṭ hinaḥ ). She could not tolerate him accepting the lowly chipped rice because of her love for him. Quickly she grasped his hand.

Text 11

etā vatā laṁ viś vā tman sarva-sampat-samṛ ddhaye

asmin loke ’tha vā muṣ min puṁ sas tvat-toṣ a-kā raṇ am

Translation

[Queen Rukmiṇ ī said: ] This is more than enough, O Soul of the universe, to secure him an abundance of all kinds of wealth in this world and the next. This is a cause for your satisfaction.

Commentary

What did she say when she grasped his hand to reveal her intentions? What is the need of taking the second handful of rice? There is no necessity of taking more. This much will satisfy you so that all living beings can attain increase of wealth of all human goals up to prema in this life and the next. He has attained that simply by his gift of one handful of rice offered with the highest devotion. All wealth is achieved just by the glance of my reflected expansion, Lakṣ mī, who is the deity of material wealth. Why do you, my supreme shelter, endeavor for giving him wealth? His house is full of wealth now. If you desire to give him visible wealth now, that wealth is already accomplished in his house. You have already said that even a little offering made with bhakti and prema would satisfy you greatly. Therefore by eating his offering you have become satisfied, and then the other goal is fulfilled: his wealth will become most abundant. Why is this necessary? O soul of the universe — by satisfying you, everything becomes perfect! All my companions can then take the remainder and divide it up and eat a little with respect.

Ś rī dhara Svā mī explains the previous two verses as follows. Accepting one handful of rice is sufficient (alam), for one attains all wealth in this and the next life by my glance. In this way she is devoted to him (tat-parā ḥ ). Therefore do not make me dependent on him by taking a second handful. Seeing his wealth is the cause of your satisfaction. Karaṇ am acts as an adverb and is thus in the neuter. Alam means “sufficient because of your dedication to dharma” rather than “sufficient in wealth. ”

Text 12

brā hmaṇ as tā ṁ tu rajanī m uṣ itvā cyuta-mandire

bhuktvā pī tvā sukhaṁ mene ā tmā naṁ svar-gataṁ yathā

Translation

The brā hmaṇ a spent that night in Acyuta’s palace after eating and drinking to his full satisfaction. He felt as if he had gone to the spiritual world.

Commentary

After the day passed, he spent one night at the palace of the Lord who was full of complete bliss (acyuta). The palace was like a temple (mandire). He ate and drank happily. He thought he was in heaven. This is an expression for material people. Or svargatim can mean Vaikuṇ ṭ ha since it was already mentioned that he was in the temple of the Lord. Svaḥ can mean Vaikuṇ ṭ ha also for it is said svaś -cū ḍ ā maṇ iṁ subhagayantam ivā tma-dhiṣ ṇ yam: it appeared that the Lord was personally spreading the beauty and good fortune of the spiritual world. (SB 3. 15. 39) It was like (yathā ) the spiritual world because Dvā rakā was the supreme Vaikuṇ ṭ ha, being eternal. Another version has suptvā. He slept with the Lord. The meter in that case would be deficient one syllable. This metrical deficiency was because of the great bliss of the speaker.

Text 13

ś vo-bhū te viś va-bhā vena sva-sukhenā bhivanditaḥ

jagā ma svā layaṁ tā ta pathy anuvrajya nanditaḥ

Translation

The next day, Sudā mā set off for home while being honored by Kṛ ṣ ṇ a, the self-satisfied maintainer of the universe. The brā hmaṇ a felt greatly delighted, my dear King, as he walked along the road.

The Lord was the maintainer of the universe (viś va-bhā vena) because he gives happiness to the devotees (sva-sukhena). Ś rī dā mā was worshipped by Kṛ ṣ ṇ a touching his feet. He did not give him wealth, only respect. Ś ukadeva calls out in great prema for the Lord’s treatment of Ś rī dā mā, or out of great enthusiasm.

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Then what happened? After he got up the next morning, he was honored by Kṛ ṣ ṇ a, the protector of lords of the universe — who could therefore give all happiness to his devotees. This was proper since the Lord was endowed with affection for brā hmaṇ as. Internally Sudā mā thought, “I came here to ask for some wealth and did not do that! ” Without even meeting Balarā ma, he quickly departed for his house. Going to the edge of the city, spoke gentle words with Kṛ ṣ ṇ a, while walking. He circled him, offered respects, folded his hands, gazed at Kṛ ṣ ṇ a’s face, and then left in joy. Ś ukadeva calls out jokingly to Parī kṣ it to indicate that Kṛ ṣ ṇ a did not give Sudā mā anything when he departed.