Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Saraswatī Ṭhākur’s definitive treatise.
Prākṛta-rasa-śata-dūṣaṇī
One Hundred Refutations of Mundane Rasa
Part Three
জড়কে অনর্থ ছাড়া আর কিছু মানে না
জড়াসক্তি-বশে রসে কৃষ্ণজ্ঞান করে না ॥৪১॥
jaḍake anartha chhāḍā āra kichhu māne nā
jaḍāsakti-vaśe rase kṛṣṇa-jñāna kare nā [41]
māne nā–Do not consider [that] jaḍake–matter [is] āra kichhu–anything chhāḍā–other than anartha–an anartha. jñāna kare nā–Do not think kṛṣṇa–Kṛṣṇa [is present] rase–in rasa [that is] vaśe–under the sway āsakti–of attachment jaḍa–to matter. [41]
Do not consider that matter is anything other than an anartha. Do not think Kṛṣṇa is present in rasa that is under the sway of material attachment.
কৃষ্ণনাম কৃষ্ণরূপ কভু জড় বলে না
কৃষ্ণগুণ কৃষ্ণলীলা কভু জড় বলে না ॥৪২॥
kṛṣṇa-nāma kṛṣṇa-rūpa kabhu jaḍa bale nā
kṛṣṇa-guṇa kṛṣṇa-līlā kabhu jaḍa bale nā [42]
kabhu nā–Never bale–say [that] kṛṣṇa–Kṛṣṇa’s nāma–Name [or] kṛṣṇa–Kṛṣṇa’s rūpa–form [are] jaḍa–material. kabhu nā–Never bale–say [that] kṛṣṇa–Kṛṣṇa’s guṇa–qualities [or] kṛṣṇa–Kṛṣṇa’s līlā–Pastimes [are] jaḍa–material.[42]
Never say that Kṛṣṇa’s Name or Kṛṣṇa’s form are material. Never say that Kṛṣṇa’s qualities or Kṛṣṇa’s Pastimes are material.
জড়রূপ অনর্থেতে কৃষ্ণ ভ্রম করে না
কৃষ্ণনামরূপগুণে জড়বুদ্ধি করে না ॥৪৩॥
jaḍa-rūpa anarthete kṛṣṇa bhrama kare nā
kṛṣṇa-nāma-rūpa-guṇe jaḍa-buddhi kare nā [43]
bhrama kare nā–Do not confuse kṛṣṇa–Kṛṣṇa anarthete–with an anartha rūpa–in the form jaḍa–of matter. buddhi kare nā–Do not think kṛṣṇa–Kṛṣṇa’s nāma–Name, rūpa–form, [or] guṇe–qualities [are] jaḍa–matter. [43]
Do not confuse Kṛṣṇa with an anartha in the form of matter. Do not think Kṛṣṇa’s Name, form, or qualities are material.
নামরূপগুণলীলা জড় বলি’ মানে না
জড়নামরূপগুণে কৃষ্ণ কভু বলে না ॥৪৪॥
nāma-rūpa-guṇa-līlā jaḍa bali’ māne nā
jaḍa-nāma-rūpa-guṇe kṛṣṇa kabhu bale nā [44]
bali’ māne nā–Do not consider [Kṛṣṇa’s] nāma–Name, rūpa–form, guṇa–qualities, [or] līlā–Pastimes [to be] jaḍa–matter. kabhu nā–Never bale–say [that] nāma–names, rūpa–forms, [or] guṇe–qualties jaḍa–of matter [are] kṛṣṇa–Kṛṣṇa. [44]
Do not consider Kṛṣṇa’s Name, Form, Qualities, or Pastimes material. Never say material names, forms, or qualities are Kṛṣṇa.
জড়শূন্য অপ্রাকৃত নাম ছাড়া বলে না
জড়শূন্য অপ্রাকৃত রূপ ছাড়া দেখে না ॥৪৫॥
jaḍa-śūnya aprākṛta nāma chhāḍā bale nā
jaḍa-śūnya aprākṛta rūpa chhāḍā dekhe nā [45]
bale nā–Do not chant [anything] chhāḍā–other than aprākṛta–the supramundane nāma–Name, śūnya–free jaḍa–from matter. dekhe nā–Do not see [anything] chhāḍā–other than aprākṛta–the supramundane rūpa–form [of Kṛṣṇa,] śūnya–free jaḍa–from matter. [45]
Do not chant anything other than the supramundane Name, free from matter. Do not see anything other than the supramundane form of Kṛṣṇa, free from matter.
জড়শূন্য অপ্রাকৃত গুণ ছাড়া শুনে না
জড়শূন্য অপ্রাকৃত লীলা ছাড়া সেবে না ॥৪৬॥
jaḍa-śūnya aprākṛta guṇa chhāḍā śune nā
jaḍa-śūnya aprākṛta līlā chhāḍā seve nā [46]
śune nā–Do not hear about [anything] chhāḍā–other than aprākṛta–the supramundane guṇa–qualities [of Kṛṣṇa,] śūnya–free jaḍa–from matter. seva nā–Do not serve [anything] chhāḍā–other than aprākṛta–the supramundane līlā–Pastimes [of Kṛṣṇa,] śūnya–free jaḍa–from matter. [46]
Do not hear about anything other than the supramundane qualities of Kṛṣṇa, free from matter. Do not serve anything other than the supramundane Pastimes of Kṛṣṇa, free from matter.
অনর্থ থাকার কালে জড়রূপে মজে না
অনর্থ থাকার কালে জড়গুণে মিশে না ॥৪৭॥
anartha thākāra kāle jaḍa-rūpe maje nā
anartha thākāra kāle jaḍa-guṇe miśe nā [47]
kāle–At the time [of] anartha–anarthas thākāra–remaining, maje nā–do not take pleasure jaḍa–in material rūpe–forms. kāle–At the time [of] anartha–anarthas thākāra–remaining, miśe nā–do not associate jaḍa–with material guṇe–qualities. [47]
While anarthas remain, do not take pleasure in material forms. While anarthas remain, do not associate with material qualities.
অনর্থ থাকার কালে জড়লীলা ভোগে না
অনর্থ থাকার কালে শুদ্ধনাম ছাড়ে না ॥৪৮॥
anartha thākāra kāle jaḍa-līlā bhoge nā
anartha thākāra kāle śuddha-nāma chhāḍe nā [48]
kāle–At the time [of] anartha–anarthas thākāra–remaining, bhoge nā–do not enjoy jaḍa–material līlā–pastimes. kāle–At the time [of] anartha–anarthas thākāra–remaining, chhāḍe nā–do not give up śuddha–the pure nāma–Name. [48]
While anarthas remain, do not enjoy material pastimes. While anarthas remain, do not give up the pure Name.
অনর্থ থাকার কালে রসগান করে না
অনর্থ থাকার কালে সিদ্ধিলব্ধ বলে না ॥৪৯॥
anartha thākāra kāle rasa-gāna kare nā
anartha thākāra kāle siddhi-labdha bale nā [49]
kāle–At the time [of] anartha–anarthas thākāra–remaining, gāna kare nā–do not sing rasa–about rasa. kāle–At the time [of] anartha–anarthas thākāra–remaining, bale nā–do not say [you have] labdha–attained siddhi–perfection. [49]
While anarthas remain, do not sing about rasa. While anarthas remain, do not say that you have attained perfection.
অনর্থ থাকার কালে লীলাগান করে না
অনর্থনিবৃত্তিকালে নামে জড় বলে না ॥৫০॥
anartha thākāra kāle līlā-gāna kare nā
anartha-nivṛtti-kāle nāme jaḍa bale nā [50]
kāle–At the time [of] anartha–anarthas thākāra–remaining, gāna kare nā–do not sing līlā–about [the Lord’s] Pastimes. kāle–At the time nivṛtti–of the cessation anartha–of anarthas, bale nā–one does not say nāme–the Name [is] jaḍa–material. [50]
While anarthas remain, do not sing about the Lord’s Pastimes. Once anarthas have ceased, one does not say the Name is material.
অনর্থনিবৃত্তিকালে রূপে জড় দেখে না
অনর্থনিবৃত্তিকালে গুণে জড় বুঝে না ॥৫১॥
anartha-nivṛtti-kāle rūpe jaḍa dekhe nā
anartha-nivṛtti-kāle guṇe jaḍa bujhe nā [51]
kāle–At the time nivṛtti–of the cessation anartha–of anarthas, dekhe nā–one does not see [the Lord’s] rūpe–form [to be] jaḍa–material. kāle–At the time nivṛtti–of the cessation anartha–of anarthas, bujhe nā–one does not understand [the Lord’s] guṇe–qualities [to be] jaḍa–material. [51]
Once anarthas have ceased, one does not see the Lord’s form to be material. Once anarthas have ceased, one does not understand the Lord’s qualities to be material.
অনর্থনিবৃত্তিকালে জড় লীলা সেবে না
রূপানুগ গুরুদেব শিষ্যহিংসা করে না ॥৫২॥
anartha-nivṛtti-kāle jaḍa līlā seve nā
rūpānuga gurudeva śiṣya-hiṁsā kare nā [52]
kāle–At the time nivṛtti–of the cessation anartha–of anarthas, seve nā–one does not participate in jaḍa–mundane līlā–pastimes. gurudeva–A Guru [who is] rūpānuga–a follower of Śrī Rūpa hiṁsā kare nā–does not abuse [their] śiṣya–discipes. [52]
Once anarthas have ceased, one does not participate in mundane pastimes. A Guru following Śrī Rūpa does not abuse their disciples.
গুরু ত্যজি’ জড়ে আশা কভু ভক্ত করে না
মহাজন-পথে দোষ কভু গুরু দেয় না ॥৫৩॥
guru tyaji’ jaḍe āśā kabhu bhakta kare nā
mahājana-pathe doṣa kabhu guru deya nā [53]
bhakta–A devotee kabhu nā–never tyaji’–rejects [their] guru–Guru [and] āśā kare–desires jaḍe–the mundane. guru–A Guru kabhu nā–never doṣa deya nā–criticises pathe–to the path mahājana–of the great souls. [53]
A devotee never rejects their Guru and desires the mundane. A Guru never criticises the path of the great souls.
গুরু-মহাজন‑বাক্যে ভেদ কভু হয় না
সাধনের পথে কা̐টা সদ্গুরু দেয় না ॥৫৪॥
guru-mahājana-vākye bheda kabhu haya nā
sādhanera pathe kā̐ṭā sad-guru deya nā [54]
bheda–Differences kabhu nā–never haya–arise vākye–between the statements guru–of a Guru [and] mahājana–the great souls. sad-guru–A true Guru deya nā–does not put kā̐ṭā–thorns pathe–on the path sādhanera–of practice. [54]
There are never any differences between the statements of a Guru and the great souls. A true Guru does not put thorns on the path of sādhana.
অধিকার অবিচার রূপানুগ করে না
অনর্থ‑অন্বিত দাসে রসশিক্ষা দেয় না ॥৫৫॥
adhikāra avichāra rūpānuga kare nā
anartha-anvita dāse rasa-śikṣā deya nā [55]
rūpānuga–A follower of Śrī Rūpa avichāra kare nā–does not neglect to consider adhikāra–the qualifications [of others and] deya nā–does not give śikṣā–instructions rasa–about rasa dāse–to servants [who are] anvita–ridden anartha–with vices. [55]
A follower of Śrī Rūpa does not neglect to consider the qualification of others and does not give instructions about rasa to servants who are ridden with anarthas.
ভাগবত পদ্য বলি’ কুব্যাখ্যা ত করে না
লোকসংগ্রহে তরে ক্রম-পথ ছাড়ে না ॥৫৬॥
bhāgavata padya bali’ kuvyākhyā ta kare nā
loka-saṅgrahera tare krama-patha chhāḍe nā [56]
[A follower of Śrī Rūpa] bali’ nā–does not recite padya–verses bhāgavata–of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam [and then] ta–indeed kuvyākhyā kare–misinterpret [them]. [A follower of Śrī Rūpa] chhāḍe nā–does not reject krama–the gradual patha–path tare–to saṅgrahera–amass loka–followers. [56]
A follower of Śrī Rūpa does not recite verses of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam and then misinterpret them. A follower of Śrī Rūpa does not reject the gradual path to amass followers.
না উঠিয়া বৃক্ষোপরি ফল ধরি’ টানে না
রূপানুগ ক্রম-পথ বিলোপ ত করে না ॥৫৭॥
nā uṭhiyā vṛkṣopari phala dhari’ ṭāne nā
rūpānuga krama-patha vilopa ta kare nā [57]
[A follower of Śrī Rūpa] uṭhiyā nā–does not climb upari–up vṛkṣa–the tree [and] dhari’ ṭāne–forcibly grab phala–the fruit. rūpānuga–A follower of Śrī Rūpa ta–indeed vilopa kare nā–does not abolish krama–the gradual patha–path. [57]
A follower of Śrī Rūpa does not climb up the tree and forcibly grab the fruit. A follower of Śrī Rūpa does not abolish the gradual path.
অনর্থকে অর্থ বলি’ কুপথেতে লয় না
প্রাকৃত‑সহজ-মত অপ্রাকৃত বলে না ॥৫৮॥
anarthake artha bali’ kupathete laya nā
prākṛta-sahaja-mata aprākṛta bale nā [58]
[A follower of Śrī Rūpa] bali’ nā–does not consider anarthake–vices [to be their] artha–desired end [and] laya–take to kupathete–the wrong path. [A follower of Śrī Rūpa] bale nā–does not consider prākṛta-sahaja-mata–mundane imitationism [to be] aprākṛta–supramundane. [58]
A follower of Śrī Rūpa does not consider anarthas to be one’s desired end. A follower of Śrī Rūpa does not consider mundane imitationism (prākṛta sahajiyāism) to be supramundane.
অনর্থ না গেলে শিষ্যে জাতরতি বলে না
অনর্থবিশিষ্ট শিষ্যে রসতত্ত্ব বলে না ॥৫৯॥
anartha nā gele śiṣye jāta-rati bale nā
anartha-viśiṣṭa śiṣye rasa-tattva bale nā [59]
[If their] anartha–anarthas gele nā–have not gone away, [a follower of Śrī Rūpa] bale nā–does not say śiṣye–a disciple [has] jāta–developed rati–rati. [A follower of Śrī Rūpa] bale nā–does not speak tattva–about the science rasa–of rasa śiṣye–with a disciple viśiṣṭa–ridden anartha–with anarthas. [59]
If their anarthas have not gone away, a follower of Śrī Rūpa does not say a disciple has developed rati. A follower of Śrī Rūpa does not speak about the science of rasa with a disciple ridden with anarthas.
অশক্ত কোমলশ্রদ্ধে রসকথা বলে না
অনধিকারীরে রসে অধিকার দেয় না ॥৬০॥
aśakta komala-śraddhe rasa-kathā bale nā
anadhikārīre rase adhikāra deya nā [60]
[A follower of Śrī Rūpa] kathā bale nā–does not discuss rasa–rasa [with someone who is] aśakta–incapable [and] komala–of soft śraddhe–faith. [A follower of Śrī Rūpa] deya nā–does not try to give adhikāra–the qualification rase–for rasa anadhikārīre–to those who are unqualified. [60]
A follower of Śrī Rūpa does not discuss rasa with someone who is incapable and of soft faith. A follower of Śrī Rūpa does not try to give the qualification for rasa to those who are unqualified.
[To be continued …]
Glossary
abhidheya: the means to the end; the practice of devotion, and mainly, the stage of sādhana-bhakti.
anarthas: misconceptions, desires for the mundane, offences, and weaknesses of heart.
anartha-nivṛtti: the gradual cessation of anarthas and development of niṣṭhā.
aprākṛta: lit. ‘not mundane’; supramundane, divine, spiritual; something part of, or related to, the highest plane of spiritual existence, the land of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s Pastimes, which at times resembles the mundane world but is nevertheless ‘not mundane’.
aparādha: offence; an action that is contrary to the rules, principles, or mood of devotion to the Lord; an action that displeases the Lord; substandard worship.
āsakti: attachment; natural ruchi for the Lord and His service.
bhajana-kriyā: engaging in practices of devotion, such as hearing, chanting, and serving, according to the instructions of Śrī Guru and the sādhus.
bhakti: service to the Supreme Lord rendered solelym unconditionally, and constantly for His pleasure.
bhāva (bhāva-bhakti): devotion composed of the Lord’s spiritual energy (the samvit- and hlādinī-śaktis) that resembles a ray of the sun of prema-bhakti and melts the heart with ruchi; the second of the three stages of bhakti, following sādhana-bhakti and preceding prema-bhakti.
guru: lit. ‘heavy’; master, teacher; one who dispels darkness; the form the Supreme Lord assumes to distribute divine knowledge.
krama-patha: the gradual path; the path given by Śrīla Rūpa Goswāmī in Śrī Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (Pūrva-vibhāga, 4.15–6) for the development of prema-bhakti which contains nine general stages: śraddhā, sādhu-saṅga, bhajana-kriyā, anartha-nivṛtti, niṣṭhā, ruchi, āsakti, bhāva, and finally prema. Krama-patha also in some cases refers to the gradual process by which the Lord reveals Himself sequentially as His nāma, rūpa, guṇa, and then līlā—His Name, then His form, then His qualities, and finally His Pastimes.
nāma: lit. ‘name’; the Name of the Supreme Lord; the personal form of the Lord as His Name, nondifferent from the Lord Himself.
niṣṭhā: constant engagement in the service of the Lord free from anarthas.
prakṛti: material energy.
prākṛta: material, made of or based on material energy.
prayojan: the goal; the highest attainment: Śrī Kṛṣṇa-prema.
prema (prema-bhakti): divine love; extremely intense bhāva that completely melts the heart and produces intense feelings of loving possessiveness for the Lord.
rāga: intense natural immersion in the object of one’s desire, one’s worshippable master.
rāgānuga: a practitioner of rāgānugā-bhakti.
rāgānugā (rāgānugā-bhakti): devotion that follows the devotion of the residents of Vraja, whose devotion is based purely on rāga.
rasa: the inconceivable, wonderful taste within service to the Lord found in the hearts of pure devotees; rati (sthāyī-bhāva) brought into the heart by hearing, chanting, and other practices of devotion and nourished by vibhāvas, anubhāvas, sāttvika-bhāvas, and vyabhichārī-bhāvas.
rasika: a devotee in the stage of bhāva-bhakti or prema-bhakti who has genuine experience of rasa.
rati: a synonym for bhāva and sthāyī-bhāva.
ruchi: genuine taste for the Lord and His service that arises on the basis of niṣṭhā.
Rūpa (Śrī): Śrīla Rūpa Goswāmī, the author Śrī Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu and the foremost authority on the science of rasa.
sādhaka: practitioner, esp. one engaged in the practice of sādhana-bhakti.
sādhana (sādhana-bhakti): engagement of the senses in devotional practices aimed at uncovering the eternal nature of the soul; the first of the three stages of bhakti, followed by bhāva-bhakti and prema-bhakti. (Brs: 1.2.2)
sādhu: one who is adherent to truth, that is, devoted to the Lord and His service.
sādhu-saṅga: association with and service to sādhus; taking shelter at the feet of Śrī Guru and being initiated and trained by Śrī Guru in service to the Lord and all that is dear to Him.
sahajiyāism: imitationism; imitating the behaviour of those who have rati and taste rasa and/or wrongly believing that one has rati and tastes rasa when in fact one does not.
sambandha-jñān: knowledge of the Supreme Lord, His energies, and their relationships; the foundation of the practice of devotion.
siddhānta: proper conclusions and conceptions; the essence of the teachings of the sādhus and scriptures.
śiṣya: a disciple, one who accepts discipline.
śraddhā: faith in revealed truth produced by association with sādhus; faith that by serving Kṛṣṇa all duties and desires are fulfilled.
sthāyī-bhāva: foundational rati for Kṛṣṇa, which has any one of five primary forms: śānta, dāsya, sakhya, vātsalya, and madhura [adoration, servitude, friendship, affectionate guardianship, and paramour love].
vaidhī: based on the regulations of the scriptures.
vaidhī-bhakti: sādhana-bhakti based on the regulations of the scriptures (rather than on rāga).