Continuing our presentation of the upcoming release Sharanagati, in this song Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur describes joy in the daily life of the surrendered soul.
Sharanagati
Song Thirty-Two
śuddha-bhakata charaṇa-reṇu,
bhajana-anukūla
bhakata-sevā, parama-siddhi,
prema-latikāra mūla [1]
śuddha–pure; bhakata–of devotees; charaṇa–of the feet; reṇu–dust; bhajana–devotion; anukūla–favourable; bhakata–to the devotees; sevā–service; parama–supreme; siddhi–fulfilment; prema–divine love; latikāra–of the creeper; mūla–the root. [1]
(1) The dust of the feet of pure devotees is favourable to devotion. Service to the devotees is the supreme fulfilment and the root of the creeper of prema.
Sri Laghu-chandrika-bhashya
(1) śuddha-bhakata charaṇa-reṇu: “The dust of the feet of pure devotees.” In Srimad Bhagavatam (5.12.12), Jad Bharat advises:
rahūgaṇaitat tapasā na yāti
na chejyayā nirvapaṇād gṛhād vā
na chchhandasā naiva jalāgni-sūryair
vinā mahat-pāda-rajo ’bhiṣekam
“O Maharaj Rahugan, regardless of whether one engages in austerities, performs worship according to scriptural guidelines, takes sannyās, follows the religious principles of household life, studies the Vedas, worships the deities of the natural elements, and so forth, one can never obtain devotion without bathing in the dust of the feet of pure devotees.”
mādhava-tithi, bhakti-jananī,
yatane pālana kari
kṛṣṇa-vasati, vasati bali’,
parama ādare bari [2]
mādhava-tithi–holy days which are especially related to Hari, such as Śrī Hari-vasar (Ekadashi), the appearance day of Kṛṣṇa, and so on; bhakti–of devotion; jananī–the mother; yatane–with care; pālana–observe; kari–I do; kṛṣṇa–of Kṛṣṇa; vasati (śrī dhāma)–holy abode; vasati–my dwelling place; bali’–considering; parama–great; ādare–with adoration; bari (varaṇa kari)–I choose, accept. [2]
(2) I carefully observe the holy days related to Madhava; they are the mother of devotion. With great adoration, I embrace the abode of Krishna as my own.
Additionally, in Sri Chaitanya-charitamṛria (Antya-lila, 16.60), it is explained:
bhakta-pada-dhūli āra bhakta-pada-jala
bhakta-bhukta-śeṣa—ei tina sādhanera bala
“The dust of the devotees’ feet, the water that has washed the devotees’ feet, and the devotees’ food remnants—honouring these gives one strength to engage in devotional practices.”
gaura āmāra, ye saba sthāne,
karala bhramaṇa raṅge
se saba sthāna, heriba āmi,
praṇayi-bhakata-saṅge [3]
gaura–Gaurasundar; āmāra–my; ye–which; saba–all; sthāne–in the places; karala–did; bhramaṇa–tour; raṅge (līlāya)–during Pastimes; se–those; saba–all; sthāna–places; heriba–will behold āmi–I; praṇayi–loving; bhakata–of devotees; saṅge–in the company. [3]
(3) In the company of loving devotees, I behold all the places my Gaurasundar visited during His Pastimes.
mṛdaṅga-vādya, śunite mana,
avasara sadā yāche
gaura-vihita, kīrtana śuni’,
ānande hṛdaya nāche [4]
mṛdaṅga–of the clay drum; vādya–sound; śunite–to hear; mana–heart; avasara (suyoga)–opportunity; sadā–always; yāche–begs; gaura–by Śrī Gaurasundar; vihita (anumata)–prescribed; kīrtana–the musical glorification; śuni’–hearing; ānande–in ecstasy; hṛdaya–heart; nāche–dances. [4]
(4) My heart always begs for the opportunity to hear the sound of the mṛdaṅga. Hearing the kīrtan prescribed by Śrī Gaurasundar, my heart dances in ecstasy.
yugala-mūrti, dekhiyā mora,
parama-ānanda haya
prasāda-sevā karite haya,
sakala prapañcha jaya [5]
yugala–of the Divine Couple; mūrti–Deity form; dekhiyā–beholding; mora–my; parama–great; ānanda–ecstasy; haya–happens; prasāda–of the remnants of food offerings; sevā–service; karite–in doing; haya–happens; sakala–all; prapañcha (pañcha-bhūta nirmita jagat)–the universe made of the five material elements; jaya–conquest. [5]
(5) Beholding the Deity forms of the Divine Couple, I become greatly ecstatic. By honouring prasad, I overcome the entire material creation.
ye dina gṛhe, bhajana dekhi,
gṛhete goloka bhāya
charaṇa-sīdhu, dekhiyā gaṅgā,
sukha nā sīmā pāya [6]
ye–which; dina–days; gṛhe–in house; bhajana–devotional service; dekhi–I see; gṛhete–within house; goloka—the spiritual abode of Kṛṣṇa; bhāya (anubhūta haya)–is experienced; charaṇa-sīdhu (śrī-charaṇāmṛta)–the nectar of the feet of the Lord; dekhiyā–seeing; gaṅgā–river Ganges; sukha–happiness; nā–no; sīmā–limit; pāya–obtains. [6]
(6) On days when I see devotional service going on within my home, I feel that Golok has manifested there. Seeing theGanges, the river of nectar that emanates from the feet of the Lord, my happiness has no limit.
tulasī dekhi’ juḍāya prāṇa,
mādhava-toṣaṇī jāni’
gaura-priya śāka sevane,
jīvana sārthaka māni [7]
tulasī–the dearmost plant of Kṛṣṇa; dekhi’–seeing; juḍāya–relieves; prāṇa–my heart; mādhava-toṣaṇī (Gaurakṛṣṇa-priyā)–pleasing to Mādhava (pleasing to Śrī Gaura Kṛṣṇa); jāni’–knowing; gaura–of Śrī Gaurasundar; priya–dear, favourite; śāka–preparations of leafy greens; sevane–by serving; jīvana–my life; sārthaka (saphala)–successful; māni–I consider. [7]
(7) Seeing Tulasi Devi relieves my heart, for I know she is pleasing to Madhava. By honouring śāk, the favourite of Sri Gaurasundar, I consider my life successful.
(7) gaura-priya śāka: “Shak, the favourite of Sri Gaurasundar.”
āi jāne—prabhura santoṣa baḍa śāke
(Sri Chaitanya-bhagavat: Antya-lila, 4.279)
“Shachi Devi knows the Lord is greatly pleased by shak, preparations of leafy greens.”
bhakati-vinoda, kṛṣṇa-bhajane,
anakūla pāya yāhā
prati-divase, parama-sukhe,
svīkāra karaye tāhā [8]
bhakati-vinoda–Bhakti Vinod; kṛṣṇa–of Kṛṣṇa; bhajane–for the service; anukūla–favourable; pāya–obtains; yāhā–whatever; prati–every; divase–on the day; parama–great; sukhe–with happiness; svīkāra (aṅgīkāra)–acceptance; karaye–does; tāhā–that. [8]
(8) Whatever Bhakti Vinod obtains that is favourable to the service of Kṛṣṇa, he accepts every day with the greatest joy.