Continuing our presentation of the recent release Sharanagati, in this song Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur describes how a surrendered soul longs for the capacity to serve the Lord.
Sharanagati
Song Thirty-six
hari he!
bhajane utsāha, bhaktite viśvāsa,
prema-lābhe dhairya-dhana
bhakti-anukūla, karma-pravartane,
asat-saṅga-visarjana [1]
bhakti-sadāchāra, ei chhaya guṇa,
nahila āmāra, nātha!
kemane bhajiba, tomāra charaṇa
chhāḍiyā māyāra sātha [2]
hari–Lord; he!–oh!; bhajane (śravaṇa-kīrtanādi bhaktyanuṣṭhāne)–for devotional practice (for the devotional practices of hearing, chanting, and so forth); utsāha–enthusiasm; bhaktite (bhakti-siddhānte)–in devotional service (in the perfect conclusions of pure devotion); viśvāsa (āsthā)–faith (conviction); prema (kṛṣṇa-prīti)–of divine love (desire to lovingly satisfy Kṛṣṇa); lābhe (sādhane)–in the obtainment (in the process of obtaining); dhairya–of perseverance; dhana–the wealth; bhakti–to devotional service; anukūla–favourable; karma–activities; pravartana (pravṛtta haoyā)–engagement in (to be engaged); asat–bad; saṅga–association; visarjana–rejecting; bhakti–of devotional service; sat–proper; āchāra–behaviour; ei–these; chhaya–six; guṇa–qualities; nahila–are not; āmāra–mine; nātha!–O Lord!; kemane–how?; bhajiba–I will serve; tomāra–Your; charaṇa–feet; chhāḍiyā–abandoning; māyāra–of illusion; sātha–association. [1–2]
(1–2) Enthusiasm for devotional practice, conviction in devotion, the wealth of perseverance in striving for prema, engagement in activities favourable to devotion, rejection of bad association, proper devotional behaviour—I have never had these six qualities. O Lord! How shall I serve Your feet and abandon the association of maya?
garhita āchāre, rahilāma maji’,
na karinu sādhu-saṅga
la’ye sādhu-veśa, āne upadeśi,
e baḍa māyāra raṅga [3]
garhita (nindita)–abominable (condemned); āchāre (karme)–in behaviour (activities); rahilāma–I remained; maji’–being immersed; na–not; karinu–I did; sādhu–of saintly devotees; saṅga–association; la’ye–taking; sādhu–of a saintly devotee; veśa–the garb; āne–to others; upadeśi–advise; e–this; baḍa–great; māyāra–of illusion; raṅga (vichitra khelā)–trick (strange play). [3]
(3) I have remained immersed in offensive behaviour and never associated with sadhus. Yet I wear the garb of a sadhu and instruct others. This is a great trick of maya.
e hena daśāya, ahaitukī kṛpā,
tomāra pāiba, hari!
śrī-guru-āśraye, ḍākiba tomāya
kabe vā minati kari’ [4]
e–this; hena–such; daśāya–in a condition; ahaitukī–causeless; kṛpā–mercy; tomāra–Your; pāiba–I will obtain; hari!–O Lord!; śrī-guru–of my spiritual master; āśraye–in the shelter; ḍakiba–I will call; tomāya–to You; kabe–when?; vā–[emphatic particle]; minati–prayer; kari’–doing. [4]
(4) In such a state, I will obtain only Your unconditional mercy, O Lord! When will I prayerfully call out to You under the shelter of Sri Guru?
Sri Laghu-chandrika-bhasya
(1–4) This song is based on the third verse of Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhu’s Sri Upadeshamrita:
utsāhān niśchayād dhairyāt tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt
saṅga-tyāgāt sato vṛtteḥ ṣaḍbhir bhaktiḥ prasidhyati
“Devotion is nourished by these six qualities: (1) enthusiasm; (2) conviction; (3) perseverance; (4) engaging in activities that satisfy the Lord and His devotees; (5) abandoning all bad association and wrong attachment; and (6) following the behaviour prescribed by pure devotees.”