Vaiṣṇava-toṣaṇī 71 страница

Text 42

sa tarkayā m ā sa kuto mamā nv abhū t

gṛ hā ndha-kupe patitasya saṅ gamaḥ

yaḥ sarva-tī rthā spada-pā da-reṇ ubhiḥ

kṛ ṣ ṇ ena cā syā tma-niketa-bhū suraiḥ

Translation

He wondered: How is it that I, fallen into the blind well of family life, have been able to meet Lord Kṛ ṣ ṇ a? And how have I also been allowed to meet these great brā hmaṇ as, who always carry the Lord within their hearts? The dust of their feet is the shelter of all holy places.

He did not become proud, but rather his humility increased, with great devotion. He began to think, out of humility, not thinking from the beginning that this had happened because he was a devotee. I am in the blind well of household life. The dust of the sages’ feet is the shelter of all tī rthas. How have I met Kṛ ṣ ṇ a and these brā hmaṇ as within whose minds the form of Kṛ ṣ ṇ a (asya ā tma) always appears? Or the sages live in the Lord’s place, Dvā raka (ā tma-niketa). They are closely related with the Lord. They are most worthy of worship on this earth (bhū suraiḥ ).

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I should not become proud that the Lord has come to my house with his devotees. With that realization as a cause, he speaks with a lowly attitude on realizing the mercy of the Lord upon him. How have I met Kṛ ṣ ṇ a and these brā hmaṇ as within whose minds the form of Kṛ ṣ ṇ a (asya ā tma) always appears?

Text 43

sū paviṣ ṭ ā n kṛ tā tithyā n ś rutadeva upasthitaḥ

sa-bhā rya-svajanā patya uvā cā ṅ ghry-abhimarś anaḥ

Translation

When his guests were seated comfortably, having each received a proper welcome, Ś rutadeva approached them and sat down nearby with his wife, children and other dependents. Then, while massaging the lord’s feet, he addressed Kṛ ṣ ṇ a and the sages.

He seated the Lord comfortably and again worshipped him or offered fragrances for the mouth This indicates that the Lord was pleased, or that Ś rutadeva was confused by prema. He gently massaged his feet.

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He approached his guests and spoke, mainly to Kṛ ṣ ṇ a. He massaged the feet of the sages.

Text 44

ś rutadeva uvā ca

nā dya no darś anaṁ prā ptaḥ paraṁ parama-pū ruṣ aḥ

yarhī daṁ ś aktibhiḥ sṛ ṣ ṭ vā praviṣ ṭ o hy ā tma-sattayā

Translation

Ś rutadeva said: I have attained the audience of the Supreme Person only today, for we have never seen him ever since he created this universe with his energies and then entered it as Paramā tmā.

Pleased at suddenly seeing the Lord, he praises him. Having created the universe, you enter as antaryā mī (ā tmanaḥ sattayā ), existing everywhere. This is because you are Paramā tma (parama-puruṣ a). Or today we have attained you because you’re the great Lord (parama-puruṣ a), revealing unlimited qualities as bhagavā n.

Or we have not just seen you today, but have received special mercy. Or having seen the Lord I am blissful on attaining the unobtainable. It was previously very rare. When you entered the universe you could not been seen since as antaryā mī you are invisible. But today suddenly I see you. I am most fortunate.

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Pleased at suddenly seeing the Lord he praises him. I have been able to see you only today, when you have made your appearance on earth. Beginning from the time when you created the universe and entered it as Paramā tmā (ā tma-sattayā ), I have not seen you. Seeing you suddenly is your great mercy. It is understood from this that the brā hmaṇ a never went to Dvā rakā. He says this out of feeling lowly. He conjectures about the position of Kṛ ṣ ṇ a.

Text 45

yathā ś ayā naḥ puruṣ o manasaivā tma-mā yayā

sṛ ṣ ṭ vā lokaṁ paraṁ svā pnam anuviś yā vabhā sate

Translation

The Lord is like a sleeping person who creates a separate world in his imagination and then enters his own dream and appears within it.

The sleeping person in his dream creates a body (lokam), different from the sleeping body (param) because, entering that body immediately after it is created, he appears in different circumstance (ava-bhā sate). He experiences a dream.

Or even without seeing you, by your mercy we live by meditating on you. Your sleeping devotee while dreaming, by your mercy (ā tma-mā yayā ) creates an excellent (param) body (lokam) or a world different from this world, suitable for his service, enters it and lives, serving you (avabhā sate).

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Just as a sleeping person, because of your mā yā , by the mind, creates another world in a dream, imagines himself and others related to him, and enters into that world and appears in it, so you create this universe and appear in it.

Text 46

ś ṛ ṇ vatā ṁ gadatā ṁ ś aś vad arcatā ṁ tvā bhivandatā m

ṇ ṛ ṇ ā ṁ saṁ vadatā m antar hṛ di bhā sy amalā tmanā m

Translation

You reveal yourself within the hearts of those persons of pure consciousness who constantly hear about you, chant about you, worship you, glorify you and converse with one another about you.

The word ś ā ś vat (constantly) should be applied to all the verbs. You appear in the hearts of pure-hearted persons who constantly hear, glorify, worship, offer respects by lying on the ground, and speak to each other about you. Or purifying the heart by proper actions, one can then hearing, glorify etc. He appears privately (antaḥ ) in the heart or he appears in the hearts of those who chant (antaḥ ).

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“But I have appeared in your heart previously. ” That is not possible in my case. He speaks out of humility. You appear in the minds favorable to you, in minds of persons who are pure, in the minds of persons like me. These pure persons constantly hear, constantly chant, constantly worship, constantly glorify and constantly converse about you.

Text 47

hṛ di-stho ’py ati-dū ra-sthaḥ karma-vikṣ ipta-cetasā m

ā tma-ś aktibhir agrā hyo ’py anty upeta-guṇ ā tmanā m

Translation

But although you reside within the heart, you are very far away from those whose minds are disturbed by their entanglement in material work. No one can grasp you by his material powers, for you reveal yourself only in the hearts of those who have learned to appreciate your qualities.

Though you are situated in the heart as antaryā mī, you are situated far from those whose hearts are agitated by karma. You are not revealed to them. “Since I am in everyone’s heart as antaryā mī, why say that I appear to those who are hearing or chanting? ” You are not revealed to persons involved in karmas. “Since one becomes purified by proper actions, I should appear to these people. ” You appear by mercy and nothing else. You cannot be seen by the power of a pure mind generated by sat-karmas (ā tma-ś aktibhiḥ ), belonging to persons who are affected by sat-karmas attained independently (anti upeta). Because of many sat-karmas there are many ś aktis. Or the plural is used out of respect.

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“As antaryā mī I reside in their hearts. Why do you say that I appear to those who are dedicated to hearing and other processes? ” You are in everyone’s heart but are also far away. “By doing good works the mind becomes pure. Then I can reside in them. ” You cannot be attained by an individual’s power. “If that is so, how do I then appear? ” As was said in verse 45, it is possible for those who hear and chant about your qualities.

Text 48

namo ’stu te ’dhyā tma-vidā ṁ parā tmane

anā tmane svā tma-vibhakta-mṛ tyave

sa-kā raṇ ā kā raṇ a-liṅ gam ī yuṣ e

sva-mā yayā saṁ vṛ ta-ruddha-dṛ ṣ ṭ aye

Translation

Let me offer my obeisances unto you. You are realized as the Supreme Soul by those who know the Absolute Truth, whereas in your form of time you impose death upon the forgetful souls. You appear both in your causeless spiritual form and in the created form of this universe, thus simultaneously uncovering the eyes of your devotees and obstructing the vision of the nondevotees.

Let there always be (astu) respects to you. Saṁ sā ra is dependent on you. Liṅ gam means the upā dhis on the jī va. Appearing as Paramā tmā the Lord gives liberation. Not appearing as Paramā tmā the Lord gives death. Or you are death allotted to those with faults in their hearts (svā tma-vibhakta-mṛ tyave). Or the cause of Paramā tmā is explained. You are devoid of promoting death or liberation (anā tmane) since you give unlimited results by your will alone. You are death for persons devoid of bhakti (vibhakta) — who are separate from the Lord or his heart (svā tma).

Or you are not attainable by personal endeavors, since all jī vas are dependent on you. After stating this in the last verse, he offers respects in order to make a request. I offer respects to the Lord who promotes endeavors as antaryā mī (paramā tmane) for the knowers of ā tmā. Jñ ā nī s are dependent on you. You are also independent (anā tmane) in these actions. You give death to the materialists: the non-devotees are dependent on you. The devotees are naturally dependent on you: by your mercy to the devotees (sva-mā yayā ), you manifest (iyuṣ e) the human body (liṅ gam) to promote bhakti, and without a reason (akā raṇ a), by your will, since you are not dependent on karma like the jī va. O Lord who manifests powers (saṁ vṛ ta)! You control the eyes of people by your beauty (ruddha-dṛ ṣ ṭ aye).

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Since I did not accomplish these acts of bhakti, the cause of my meeting you is only your mercy. He offers respects in bliss, describing the Lord’s mercy. Using the form namas astu indicates excellence. You appear as the root form of everything (paramā tmane) for those who know the truth about you, since there exists no other ā tmā than the human parabrahman (anā tmane).

You are death for the demons who reject your spiritual (sva) form (ā tma). Having stated the glory of the Lord’s svarū pa, he speaks of his manifested power as objects (vaibhava). The Lord eternally possesses vaibhavas in the form of the temporary universe (sa-kā raṇ am) and the permanent spiritual world (akā raṇ am). Ś ruti says utā mrtatvasyeś ā naḥ : the Lord has an eternal abode. “Then why am I difficult for you to attain? ” You do not cover the vision of those in the spiritual world but you cover the vision of those in the material world. Thus my seeing you is only your mercy.

Text 49

sa tvaṁ ś ā dhi sva-bhṛ tyā n naḥ kiṁ deva karavā ma he

etad-anto nṛ ṇ ā ṁ kleś o yad bhavā n akṣ i-gocaraḥ

Translation

O Lord, you are that Supreme Soul. Instruct us since we are your servants. How shall we serve you? My Lord, simply seeing you puts an end to all the troubles of human life.

Instruct me since I am your servant. Not only that, I also want to please you. What can I do to please you (te)? The reason is given: you are my object of worship (deva)! It is necessary for the servants to please the deity they worship. “What is the purpose of this worship? ” Seeing you puts an end to the suffering of not attaining you, the suffering of separation from you.

Instead of sa tvam, the words can be taken as satvam, meaning sā dhutvam, bhakti to you. Please teach bhakti. “But you already have bhakti. ” We are servants of our relatives (sva-bhṛ tyā n). We are not your devotees. Or we are busy with our dependents (sva-bhrtyā n). Since bhakti’s purpose is to see the Lord, seeing him is glorified. Seeing you destroys unlimited suffering in saṁ sā ra. Or now that our suffering is destroyed, teach bhakti to attain the bliss of prema. He does not directly request the Lord to stay in house as the king did, since that should be accomplished by understanding the meaning of his words. Or out of humility he considers himself unworthy.

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Instruct me since I am your servant. Not only that, I also want to please you. What can I do to please you (te)? The reason is given: you are my object of worship (deva)! It is necessary for the servants to please the deity they worship. “How can people suffering in this world follow my orders? ” My suffering disappeared on seeing you. Now I follow your orders. That is my only goal.

Text 50

ś rī -ś uka uvā ca

tad-uktam ity upā karṇ ya bhagavā n praṇ atā rti-hā

gṛ hī tvā pā ṇ inā pā ṇ iṁ prahasaṁ s tam uvā ca ha

Translation

Ś rī Ś ukadeva Gosvā mī said: After hearing Ś rutadeva speak these words, the Supreme Lord, who relieves his surrendered devotees’ distress, took Ś rutadeva’s hand in his own and, smiling, spoke to him as follows.

Hearing his words with great attention (upa — karṇ ya), the Lord smiled in joy (pra — hasan) and spoke, since he takes away all suffering of his devotees or all jī vas (praṇ ā tā rti-hā ), or those who only offered respects once, because he is directly the supreme Lord (bhagavā n). Or he was Kṛ ṣ ṇ a, who manifests unlimited powers. He took Ś rutadeva’s hand in his. This shows his special affection for him.

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Hearing his words with great attention (upa — karṇ ya), the Lord smiled in joy (pra — hasan) and spoke, since he takes away all suffering of his devotees (praṇ ā tā rti-hā ), even if they only offered respects once. Therefore he took Ś rutadeva’s hand. The word ha indicates joy.

Text 51

ś rī -bhagavā n uvā ca

brahmaṁ s te ’nugrahā rthā ya samprā ptā n viddhy amū n munī n

sañ caranti mayā lokā n punantaḥ pā da-reṇ ubhiḥ

Translation

The Supreme Lord said: My dear brā hmaṇ a, you should know that these great sages have come here just to bless you. They travel throughout the worlds with me, purifying them with the dust of their feet.

Embarrassed by being praised, since the Lord is the crest jewel among the well-mannered, with great affection for his devotees, Kṛ ṣ ṇ a gave respect to thebhakti of his devotees and taught the method by which Ś rutadeva could attain his desires. O brā hmaṇ a, you are the form of the Vedas. You should know this. Know that the sages have come on their own (sam — prā ptā n), along with me, just to give mercy to you. “Are the sages not ā tā mā rā mas? What use are they? ” They wander with me in the worlds, purifying them. Or they wander with my deity form, to relieve the pain of separation. They are the best devotees, not ā tmā rā mas.

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Embarrassed by being praised, since the Lord is the crest jewel among the well-mannered, with great affection for his devotees, Kṛ ṣ ṇ a gave respect to the bhakti of his devotees and taught the method by which Ś rutadeva could attain his desires. O brā hmaṇ a, you are the form of the Vedas. You should know this. Know that the sages have come on their own (sam — prā ptā n), along with me, just to give mercy to you. “You have personally come. The sages’ coming is more than necessary. ” They wander about with me in their hearts, and sometimes along with me (mayā ). The meaning is as if the word saha were present. Saha yoge ‘pradhā ne (Pā ṇ ini 2. 3. 19) I am dependent on them.

Text 52

devā ḥ kṣ etrā ṇ i tī rthā ni darś ana-sparś anā rcanaiḥ

ś anaiḥ punanti kā lena tad apy arhattamekṣ ayā

Translation

Seeing, touching and worshiping temple deities, places of pilgrimage and holy rivers, purify slowly by receiving the glance of exalted sages.

The excellence of the great devotees is described in two verses. Devā ḥ refers to forms made of clay or stone, or direct worship of Indra and others in the sunlight. Ksetras refers to sacred places made of earth and tī rthas to those with water. Arhattama means the best among those who worship — the very greatest devotees. By them or by their glance alone, the tī rthas etc. purify gradually.

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He explains the greater power of the devotees. The deity forms of the devatā s or their direct appearance, and holy land (kṣ etrā ṇ i) or water (tī rthā ni) gradually purify, and over a long time.

But by the glance of those who wander about (mentioned in the previous verse) — the devotees who are more worthy of worship (arhattama) than the deity forms or tī rthas — one becomes purified at once. This is the main cause of purification. And thus even I am dependent on you.

Text 53

brā hmaṇ o janmanā ś reyā n sarveṣ ā m prā ṇ inā m iha

tapasā vidyayā tuṣ ṭ yā kim u mat-kalayā yutaḥ

Translation

By his very birth, a brā hmaṇ a is the best of all living beings in this world, and he becomes even more exalted when he is endowed with austerity, learning and self-satisfaction, what to speak of devotion to me.

By his very birth, a brā hmaṇ a is the best of all living beings in this world, or in the three worlds. But he is better with svadharma (tapasā ), study of scriptures (vidyayā ) and being satisfied or being peaceful without attaining objects. But the person who has bhakti is the best (mat-kalayā ). A person endowed with all of these elements is the best mahā -bhā gavata. This mahā -bhā gavata is described in Padma Purā ṇ a:

tā pā di-pañ ca-saṁ skā ro navejyā -karma-kā rakaḥ

artha-pañ caka-vid vipro mahā -bhā gavataḥ smṛ taḥ

The mahā -bhā gavata is a person who has undergone the five saṁ skā ras such as branding, performing the rituals like navejyā and knows the artha-pañ caka. Padma Purā ṇ a 6. 253. 27

The meaning is in Bhā gavatā mṛ ta.

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He establishes their qualities using kaimutya. The brā hmaṇ a is the best simply by his birth caste. He is better by following his dharma (tapas). But he who has realized my sphū rti (kalayā ) is the best. What more can be said? Better than following his dharma (tapasā ) is to have knowledge of scripture (vidyayā ). Better than that is to be an ā tmā rā ma (tuṣ ṭ yā ). Better than that is to realize my sphū rti (kalayā ). The sequence is in order of increasing excellence.

Text 54

na brā hmaṇ ā n me dayitaṁ rū pam etac catur-bhujam

sarva-veda-mayo vipraḥ sarva-deva-mayo hy aham

Translation

Even my own four-armed form is no dearer to me than a brā hmaṇ a. Within himself a learned brā hmaṇ a comprises all the Vedas, just as within myself I comprise all the devatā s.

Worshiping the devotees is superior to worshipping me. To reinforce the greatness of the best mahā -bhā gavatas the Lord speaks three verses. Ś rutadeva and others saw the four armed form as Arjuna did. However the two armed form is dearer to the Lord than the brā hmaṇ as are, since he holds the people of Vraja to be dearest.

These devotees are dear because (hi) the brā hmaṇ as comprise all the Vedas. Though (api) I am worshipped by the brā hmaṇ as as the sum of all devatā s, and worshippable by brā hmaṇ as, the brā hmaṇ as who are my devotees are as dear as my four armed form since the four armed form is the sum of the devatā s. That form becomes dear if it is dear to the devotees.

nā ham ā tmā nam ā ś ā se mad-bhaktaiḥ sā dhubhir vinā

ś riyaṁ cā tyantikī ṁ brahman yeṣ ā ṁ gatir ahaṁ parā

O brā hmaṇ a! Without the devotees, who take shelter of only me, I do not desire to enjoy my own bliss by my six great qualities. SB 9. 4. 64

The Lord explains to Uddhava:

na tathā me priyatama ā tma-yonir na ś aṅ karaḥ

na ca saṅ karṣ aṇ o na ś rī r naivā tmā ca yathā bhavā n

Neither Brahmā, Ś iva, Saṅ karṣ aṇ a, the goddess of fortune nor even my own self are as dear to me as you are. SB 11. 14. 15

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Even my four armed form that you see (etat) is not as dear as the brā hmaṇ a described. The reason is given. Just as the brā hmaṇ a possesses all knowledge of the Vedas, so I possess the form most worthy of worship (sarva-deva-mayaḥ ) which is taught in the Vedas. He makes the brā hmaṇ as the object of comparison and himself the subject of comparison. Without the object of comparison the subject does not show excellence. He thus shows the excellence of the brā hmaṇ a by this comparison. A similar example is found in the Ninth Canto:

nā ham ā tmā nam ā ś ā se mad-bhaktaiḥ sā dhubhir vinā

ś riyaṁ cā tyantikī ṁ brahman yeṣ ā ṁ gatir ahaṁ parā

O best of the brā hmaṇ as, without saintly persons for whom I am the only destination, I do not desire to enjoy my transcendental bliss and my supreme opulences. SB 9. 4. 64

Text 55

duṣ prajñ ā aviditvaivam avajā nanty asū yavaḥ

guruṁ mā ṁ vipram ā tmā nam arcā dā v ijya-dṛ ṣ ṭ ayaḥ

Translation

Ignorant of this truth, foolish people neglect and enviously offend a learned brā hmaṇ a, who, being nondifferent from me, is their spiritual master and very self. They consider worshipable only such obvious manifestations of divinity as my deity form.

The foolish disrespect the devotee brā hmaṇ a because they are envious, since they are ignorant (duṣ prajñ ā ḥ ). This is because they think the deity and its garland (ā dau) are worshippable, but not the devotee. Or being thus ignorant, thinking only the deity is worshippable, they disrespect the devotees, because they are ignorant and thus envious. They are gurus because it is said varṇ ā nā ṁ brā hmaṇ o guru: the brā hmaṇ a is the guru of the four varṇ as. They are me because I reside in them. And they are dearest to me (ā tmā nam) since they are devotees. By offending the brā hmaṇ a, one commits offense against me — the guru, and my devotees. The terms gurum, mā m, vipram and ā tmā nam are successively more excellent. The devotee (ā tmā nam) is the best of all. Offense to the devotee is the greatest offense.

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Not knowing the brā hmaṇ a is worthy of worship, thinking that the deity form alone should be worshipped, they offend him, though he is a guru, the instructor of all beings, since he is a great devotee. They thus offend me since he is non-different from me, since he is my favorite abode, and they thus offend Paramā tmā (ā tmā nam). This is because they are unintelligent, and cannot tolerate them, seeing all humans as equal (asū yavaḥ ).

Text 56

carā caram idaṁ viś vaṁ bhā vā ye cā sya hetavaḥ

mad-rū pā ṇ ī ti cetasy ā dhatte vipro mad-ī kṣ ayā

Translation

Because he has realized me, a brā hmaṇ a is firmly fixed in the knowledge that I am the basis of everything moving and nonmoving in the universe, and also the primary elements of its creation because of my glance.

He shows how the best mahā -bhā gavata is his very self. The brā hmaṇ a holds firmly in his heart the idea that the universe, its transformations and its causes are situated in me (mad-rū pā ni), because of my glance. Without that glance, the universe does not exist.

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Having showed how they are great devotees, he shows the cause of seeing them as non-different from himself. Rū pa means “that within which things manifest. ” Thus rū pā ni here means resting places. The brā hmaṇ a realizes fully (ā -dhatte) in his heart that I am the basis of the material universe since it arises from one of my manifestations (mad-ī kṣ ayā ).

sarva-bhū teṣ u yaḥ paś yed bhagavad-bhā vam ā tmanaḥ

bhū tā ni bhagavaty ā tmany eṣ a bhā gavatottamaḥ

The most advanced devotee sees Supreme Lord, one’s object of worship, within everything, and sees everything in the Supreme Lord. SB 11. 2. 45

mā ṁ hi pā rtha vyapā ś ritya ye ’pi syuḥ pā pa-yonayaḥ

striyo vaiś yā s tathā ś ū drā s te ’pi yā nti parā ṁ gatim

O son of Pṛ thā, those who take shelter in me, though they be of lower birth — women, vaiś yas and ś ū dras — can attain the supreme destination. BG 9. 32

Text 57

tasmā d brahma-ṛ ṣ ī n etā n brahman mac-chraddhayā rcaya

evaṁ ced arcito ’smy addhā nā nyathā bhū ri-bhū tibhiḥ

Translation

Therefore you should worship these brā hmaṇ a sages, O brā hmaṇ a, with the same faith you have in me. If you do so, you will worship me directly, which you cannot do otherwise, even with offerings of vast riches.