Continuing our presentation of the upcoming release Sharanagati, in this song Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur describes how a surrendered soul turns to the Lord for protection.
hari he!
arthera sañchaye, viṣaya-prayāse
āna-kathā-prajalpane
āna-adhikāra, niyama-āgrahe,
asat-saṅga-saṁghaṭane [1]
asthira siddhānte, rahinu majiyā
hari-bhakti raila dūre
e hṛdaye mātra, para-hiṁsā mada,
pratiṣṭhā, śaṭhatā sphure [2]
hari–Lord; he!–oh!; arthera–of wealth; sañchaye–in accumulating; viṣaya–for mundane ends; prayāse (udyame)–in endeavour; āna (bāje)–other (unnecessary); kathā (kṛṣṇa-kathā vyātīta anya-kathā)–talks (all talks other than those which relate to Kṛṣṇa); prajalpane (vṛthā vākya-vyaye)–in prattle (vain use of words); āna–for other; adhikāra–levels of qualification; niyama–prescriptions and prohibitions; āgrahe (anyera adhikāragata niyama grahaṇa o nijādhikāragata niyama agrahaṇa vā varjana-kārye)–in accepting (in accepting the prescriptions and prohibitions meant for those of other stages of spiritual advancement and rejecting the prescriptions and prohibitions meant for one’s own stage of advancement); asat–of non-devotees; saṅga–association; saṁghaṭane (asādhura saṅga grahaṇe)–in joining with (in accepting the association of non-devotees); asthira–unsteady; siddhānte (laulya, aniśchita vichāra)–within conclusions (fickle-mindedness, indecision); rahinu–I remained; majiyā (magna ha-iyā)–being immersed; hari-bhakti–devotional service of Kṛṣṇa; raila (rahila)–remained; dūre–far away; e–this; hṛdaye–in the heart; mātra–only; para–towards others; hiṁsā–malice; mada (mattatā)–madness (intoxication); pratiṣṭhā (yaśolipsa)–prestige (desiring fame); śaṭhatā (dhūrtatā)–insincerity (mischievousness); sphure (sphurita haya)–appear (are present). [1–2]
(1–2) O Lord! I have remained immersed in the defects of over-accumulating wealth, endeavouring for worldly ends, prattling about topics unrelated to You, acting in accordance with guidelines meant for others and disregarding guidelines meant for myself, associating with non-devotees, and being fickle-minded. Thus devotion to You has remained far away from me. Only malice towards others, pride, desire for worldly prestige, and insincerity flourish within my heart.
(1–2) sat-saṅga-saṁghaṭane: “Associating with non-devotees.” Asat-sanga, bad association, is defined in Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita (Madhya-lila, 22.84):
asat-saṅga-tyāga,—ei vaiṣṇava-āchāra
‘strī-saṅgī’—eka asādhu, ‘kṛṣṇābhakta’ āra
“Proper Vaiṣṇava behaviour is to reject bad association. There are two forms of bad association: the association of persons attached to the opposite sex and the association of persons who are not devotees of Krishna.”
e saba āgraha, chhāḍite nārinu,
āpana doṣete mari
janama biphala, ha-ila āmāra,
ekhana ki kari, hari! [3]
e–these; saba–all; āgraha (ākarṣaṇa)–attachments (attractions); chhāḍite–to abandon; nārinu–I was not able; āpana–own; doṣete–by faults; mari–I die; janama–birth; biphala–fruitless; ha-ila–became; āmāra–my; ekhana–now; ki–what?; kari–I do; hari!–O Lord! [3]
(3) I have not been able to abandon any of these attachments. I now die due to my own defects. My birth has become useless. O Lord! What should I do now?
āmi ta’ patita, patita-pāvana
tomāra pavitra nāma
se sambandha dhari’, tomāra charaṇe,
śaraṇa la-inu hāma [4]
āmi–I; ta’–certainly; patita–of the fallen; pāvana–saviour; tomāra–Your; pavitra–purifying; nāma–Name; se (sad-guru)–that (perfect spiritual master); sambandha–relationship; dhari’ (grahaṇa kariyā)–holding (accepting); tomāra–Your; charaṇe–at the feet; śaraṇa–shelter; la-inu–took; hāma–I. [4]
(4) I am fallen, yet Your purifying Name is the saviour of the fallen. Embracing that relationship (through my relationship with Sri Guru), I have taken shelter at Your feet.
(1–4) This song is based on the second verse of Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhu’s Sri Upadeshamrita:
atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś cha prajalpo niyamāgrahaḥ
jana-saṅgaś cha laulyañcha ṣaḍbhir bhaktir vinaśyati
“Devotion is destroyed by these six defects: (1) over-accumulation; (2) materialistic endeavour; (3) unnecessary talk; (4) rejecting guidelines meant for one’s self and following guidelines meant for others; (5) association with non-devotees; and (6) fickle-mindedness.”