MADHU BINDAVAH
SRI GURU PRASASTI
Praise for Sri Guru
on the 66th anniversary of the appearance day of
Om Astottara-sata-sri Paramahamsa Parivrajacharya-varya
Sri Srimad Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Visnupad
By Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj
Published in the pen name of Sri Krsnamayi Devi
in Sri Gaudiya Darsan, Volume 6, Issue 3,
on Thursday 13 October 1960.
বেদ-তন্ত্র-পুরাণাদি-শাস্ত্র মহাজন ।
যেই অবিচিন্ত্যরস করে অন্বেষণ ॥
সেই রস মূর্ত্তিমান গোবিন্দ-সুন্দর ।
গীতা ভাগবতাদিতে ব্যক্ত চরাচর ॥১॥
veda-tantra-puranadi-sastra mahajana
yei avichintya-rasa kare anvesana
sei rasa murtimana govinda-sundara
gita-bhagavatadite vyakta charachara [1]
Sri Govindasundar, the embodiment of the inconceivable rasa searched for by the great souls and the scriptures—the Vedas, Tantras, Puranas, and so on—has been revealed in the world by Sri Gita, Srimad Bhagavatam, and other texts.
সেই রসরাজ মূর্ত্তি আত্ম-বিতরণে ।
নিজ নিত্যশক্তি দ্বারে ব্যক্ত আস্বাদনে ॥
শ্রীরাধা-গোবিন্দরূপে তাহাতে প্রকাশ ।
প্রেমভক্তি দ্বারে লভ্য অপূর্ব্ব বিলাস ॥২॥
sei rasa-raja murti atma-vitarane
nija nitya-sakti dvare vyakta asvadane
sri-radha-govinda-rupe tahate prakasa
prema-bhakti dvare labhya apurva vilasa [2]
With His eternal Energy, this embodiment of the highest rasa manifests to distribute and taste Himself. When manifest as Sri Sri Radha-Govinda, Their unprecendented Pastimes are attainable by loving devotion.
সেই অবিচিন্ত্য বেদ-গোপ্য মহারস ।
আপনারে লুটাইতে করিয়া মানস ॥
শ্রীরাধা-গোবিন্দ দুঁহে একমূর্ত্তি ধরি’ ।
শ্রীগৌরসুন্দর-রূপে অপূর্ব্ব মাধুরী ॥৩॥
sei avichintya veda-gopya maharasa
apanare lutaite kariya manasa
sri-radha-govinda du̐he eka-murti dhari’
sri-gaura-sundara-rupe apurva madhuri [3]
When They desire to personally distribute this inconceivable supreme rasa which is hidden in the Vedas, Sri Sri Radha-Govinda assume one form and appear unprecedentedly beautiful as Sri Gaurasundar.
এই নবদ্বীপ জ্ঞানপীঠ মহাধাম ।
জ্ঞান-শিরোভাগে শোভে কৃষ্ণপ্রেম-নাম ॥
আনন্দে উন্মাদ কর কৃষ্ণ-সঙ্কীর্ত্তন ।
এই সব সঙ্গে মহাপ্রভুর আগমন ॥৪॥
ei navadvipa jnana-pitha mahadhama
jnana-sirobhage sobhe krsna-prema-nama
anande unmada kara krsna-sankirtana
ei saba sange mahaprabhura agamana [4]
With this appearance of Sriman Mahaprabhu, the supreme abode of Nabadwip, the seat of knowledge, manifests, love for Krsna and the Name of Krsna shine atop the head of knowledge, and glorification of Krsna is performed with ecstatic joy.
আপন পরম প্রেম-সুধার ভাণ্ডার ।
উজারিয়া আস্বাদয় করিয়া হুঙ্কার ॥
হাঁসে কাঁদে নাচে গায় উন্মাদ প্রায় ।
বিলাইয়া প্রেম-ধন চারিদিকে ধায় ॥৫॥
apana parama prema-sudhara bhandara
ujariya asvadaya kariya hunkara
hase kade nache gaya unmada praya
vilaiya prema-dhana charidike dhaya [5]
Sriman Mahaprabhu empties the storehouse of the nectar of His own supreme divine love, tastes it, and roars. As though mad, He laughs, cries, dances, sings, and runs in all directions distributing this wealth of divine love.
আচাণ্ডালে দিলা দান দেবের দুর্ল্লভ ।
পশুপক্ষী তৃণ গুল্মে সে প্রেম-সুলভ ॥
অভাগা বঞ্চিত হল হেন অবতারে ।
অহেতুক দয়াসিন্ধু সহিবারে নারে ॥৬॥
achandale dila dana devera durlabha
pasu-paksi trna gulme se prema-sulabha
abhaga vanchita hala hena avatare
ahetuka daya-sindhu sahibare nare [6]
He gives outcasts a gift that is difficult for the gods to attain. He makes divine love easily attainable to even animals, birds, grass, and shrubs. The unfortunate remained deprived during His descent, but because He is an ocean of unconditional mercy, He cannot tolerate this.
দিকে দিকে কালে কালে আপন বৈভব ।
বিস্তারিয়া বিতরিচে কৃষ্ণ-প্রেমাসব ॥
অদ্যাপিও সেই লীলা করে গোরারায় ।
ভাগ্যবান জন লুটে সে পদ-ধুলায় ॥৭॥
dike dike kale kale apana vaibhava
vistariya vitarichhe krsna-premasava
adyapio sei lila kare gora-raya
bhagyavana jana lute se pada-dhulaya [7]
So, from place to place and time to time, He sends His personal expansions and distributes the liquer of love for Krsna. Still today, Sri Gora Raya performs such Pastimes, and fortunate souls roll in the dust of His feet.
গুরুরূপে গৌরকৃষ্ণ শ্রদ্ধাঞ্জন-মাখা ।
হৃদ্য়-নয়নে মায়া ভেদি’ দেন দেখা ॥
নিত্য লীলাময়-মূর্ত্তি রসের বিলাস ।
শুদ্ধসত্ত্বে প্রেমময় চেতনে প্রকাশ ॥৮॥
guru-rupe gaura-krsna sraddhanjana-makha
hrdaya-nayane maya bhedi’ dena dekha
nitya lilamaya-murti rasera vilasa
suddha-sattve premamaya chetane prakasa [8]
In the form of Sri Guru, Gaura Krsna pierces through the illusory environment and reveals Himself to eyes and hearts that are anointed with the collyrium of faith. His eternal, playful form and His Pastimes of tasting rasa manifest within pure hearts—within consciousness enriched with divine love.
“যথা দেবে তথা গুরৌ”, “গুরুদেবতাত্মা” ।
“গুর্ব্বাত্মদৈবত” শাস্ত্র, অন্যে “নায়মাত্মা” ॥
কৃষ্ণ গুরু এ বিজ্ঞানে অবমতি হলে ।
দিব্যে মর্ত্ত্যবুদ্ধি নীচ-অসুয়ার ফলে ॥৯॥
“yatha deve tatha gurau”, “guru-devatatma”
“gurv-atma-daivata” sastra, anye “nayam atma”
krsna guru e vijnane avamati hale
divye martya-buddhi nicha-asuyara phale [9]
The scriptures say: “As you serve the Lord, so you should serve Sri Guru (Su: 6.23)”, “Sri Guru is your Lord and beloved (SB: 11.2.37)”, “Sri Guru is your beloved and Lord (SB: 11.3.22)”, and “The Supreme Soul is not attained by reasoning, intelligence, or extensive learning; He is attained by those whom He chooses, and He reveals His form only to them (Ku: 1.2.23)”. If we disregard this conception of Krsna and Guru, then we project mortality onto the divine (Sri Guru) as a result of pettiness and envy.
“গুরু কৃষ্ণরূপ হন শাস্ত্রের প্রমাণে ।
গুরু-রপে কৃষ্ণ কৃপা করে ভক্তজনে” ॥
সদ্গুরু লক্ষণে যেই তত্ত্ব বিভূষিত ।
তত্ত্বাভিন্ন সেই দেহ কৃষ্ণ-বিক্রীড়িত ॥১০॥
“guru krsna-rupa hana sastrera pramane
guru-rupe krsna krpa kare bhakta-jane”
sad-guru laksane yei tattva vibhusita
tattvabhinna sei deha krsna-vikridita [10]
“The scriptures confirm that Guru is a form of Krsna. In the form of Guru, Krsna bestows mercy upon the devotees (Cc: Adi, 1.45).” One who is in truth decorated with the characteristics of a genuine Guru is nondifferent from the Truth, and Krsna performs Pastimes in their form.
বাহ্য দৃষ্ট্যে সদ্গুরুর বিষয় গ্রহণ ।
কৃষ্ণার্থে চেষ্টিত চিত্তে কৃষ্ণে নিবেদন ॥
গোলোক ভূলোক গুরু সেতুর স্বরূপ ।
নীচজনে উত্তোলন-মূর্ত্তি অপরূপ ॥১১॥
bahya drstye sad-gurura visaya grahana
krsnarthe chestita chitte krsne nivedana
goloka bhuloka guru setura svarupa
nicha-jane uttolana-murti aparupa [11]
According to external vision, a genuine Guru interacts with matter, but Sri Guru acts only for Krsna’s sake and at heart offers everything to Krsna. Sri Guru is the bridge from the earth to Goloka. He is the miraculous embodiment of deliverance for the fallen souls.
ব্রহ্মাণ্ড ভ্রমিতে কোন সুকৃতি সম্পদে ।
আমা আনি’ দিল কোন গৌরজন-পদে ॥
গৌর-কৃষ্ণ-গাথা শুনি’ জুড়াইল প্রাণ ।
সে গাথা-তাৎপর্য্যে চিত্ত হল আগুযান ॥১২॥
brahmanda bhramite kona sukrti sampade
ama ani’ dila kona gaura-jana-pade
gaura-krsna-gatha suni’ judaila prana
se gatha-tatparye chitta hala aguyana [12]
While wandering throughout the universe, some good fortune—sukrti—brought me to the feet of a devotee of Sri Gaura. Hearing the glories of Gaura and Krsna from him soothed my heart, and my mind was moved by their purport.
রোগে ভোগে শোকে তাপে জড়জড় মন ।
অচিন্ত্য শ্রীকৃষ্ণ-লীলায় পেল আস্বাদন ॥
গুরু-কৃপা-বলে আগুসরি ধীরে ধীরে ।
বহু বাধা মায়াদেবী হানে মোর শিরে ॥১৩॥
roge bhoge soke tape jada-jada mana
achintya sri-krsna-lilaya pela asvadana
guru-krpa-bale agusari dhire dhire
bahu badha mayadevi hane mora sire [13]
Although it was worn and torn by disease, suffering, lamentation, and misery, my heart got a taste of Sri Krsna’s inconceivable Pastimes. Now by Sri Guru’s mercy, I progress gradually, but Maya Devi hurls scores of obstacles at my head.
আপাত দর্শনে তাহা বড়ই দুঃসহ ।
প্রসারিত দৃষ্ট্যে কিন্তু মঙ্গল বিগ্রহ ॥
মায়ার বন্ধন সব ক্রমশঃ টুটিল ।
একান্ত শ্রীকৃষ্ণ-সেবার সুযোগ করিল ॥১৪॥
apata darsane taha bada-i duhsaha
prasarita drstye kintu mangala vigraha
mayara bandhana saba kramasah tutila
ekanta sri-krsna-sevara suyoga karila [14]
At first sight, these obstacles are extremely difficult to bear, but from an expanded angle of vision, they are forms of good fortune. All of Maya’s snares gradually break apart and give me opportunities to sincerely serve Sri Krsna.
যে গুরু-কৃপায় নব জীবন সন্ধন ।
স্বতঃসিদ্ধ আত্ম-জ্ঞানে প্রফুল্লিত প্রাণ ॥
পতিত-পাবন-পদ-গৌরাঙ্গ-ভরসা ।
শ্রীরাধা-গোবিন্দ-লীলা-সুধা-লাভ-আশা ॥১৫॥
যে গুরু-কৃপায় অতি কাঙ্গাল অধম ।
ব্রহ্মাদি দুর্ল্লভ লভে কৃষ্ণপ্রেম-ধন ॥
সে গুরু-চরণ-স্পর্শ পাইল অবনী ।
কার্তিকী নবমী দিনে সাধু-মুখে শুনি ॥১৬॥
ye guru-krpaya nava jivana sandhana
svatah-siddha atma-jnane praphullita prana
patita-pavana-pada-gauranga-bharasa
sri-radha-govinda-lila-sudha-labha-asa [15]
ye guru-krpaya ati kangala adhama
brahmadi durlabha labhe krsna-prema-dhana
se guru-charana-sparsa paila avani
kartiki navami dine sadhu-mukhe suni [16]
The Guru by whose mercy new life is attained, by whose mercy the heart blooms with self-evident knowledge of the self, by whose mercy faith in the feet of the saviour of the fallen Sri Gauranga is attained, by whose mercy the hope of tasting the nectar of Sri Sri Radha-Govinda’s Pastimes is attained, by whose mercy very poor and fallen souls attain the wealth of divine love for Krsna, which is difficult to attain even for Brahma and the other gods—I hear from the mouths of the sadhus that the earth received the touch of this Guru’s feet on the ninth day of the month of Kartik.
অষ্টদশ-শত সপ্ত-দশ শকাব্দাতে ।
সৌরাশ্বিনে শনি-বার ষড়্বিংশ দিনেতে ॥
গৌণচান্দ্র দামোদর কৃষ্ণ-নবমীতে ।
পুষ্যাযোগে মধ্যরাত্রে উদয় মহীতে ॥১৭॥
asta-dasa-sata sapta-dasa sakabdate
saurasvine sani-bara sad-vimsa dinete
gaunachandra damodara krsna-navamite
pusya-yoge madhya-ratre udaya mahite [17]
In 1817 of the Saka era, on Saturday the 26th day of the solar month of Ashvin, the ninth day of the dark fortnight in the lunar month of Damodar calculated from the first day of the waning moon, in the middle of the night during conjunction with the Pusya star (on 12 October 1895), he appeared on the earth.
সেই শুভবর্ষ মাস পক্ষ তিথি বার ।
রজনী নক্ষত্র ক্ষণ বন্দি বার বার ॥
আজি এই শুভদিনে মহাজন-মতে ।
সেইক্ষণ অবতীর্ণ হল অবনীতে ॥১৮॥
sei subha-varsa masa paksa tithi bara
rajani naksatra ksana vandi bara bara
aji ei subha-dine mahajana-mate
sei-ksana avatirna hala avanite [18]
I offer my obeisance to this auspicious year, month, fortnight, lunar day, solar day, night, star, and moment again and again. According to the calculation of the experts, this moment occurred on the earth today, on this auspicious day.
বহু ভাগ্যবান মিলি’ এই শুভক্ষণে ।
পূজিছে পবিত্র চিত্তে শ্রীগুরু-চরণে ॥
তাঁদের পশ্চাতে থাকি’ পূজি ঐ পদ ।
জীবনে মরণে হোক এ মোর সম্পদ ॥১৯॥
bahu bhagyavana mili’ ei subha-ksane
pujichhe pavitra chitte sri-guru-charane
tadera paschate thaki’ puji ai pada
jivane marane hoka e mora sampada [19]
Gathering at this auspicious moment, many fortunate souls are worshipping the feet of Sri Guru with pure hearts. Remaining behind them, I also worship his feet. In life and in death, may his feet be my wealth.
ঐ দিব্য দীর্ঘ দেহ দিব্য অবয়ব ।
দিব্য-জ্ঞান-দীপ্ত-নেত্র দিব্য অনুভব ॥
দিব্য ভাষা দিব্যভাব দিব্য-জ্যোতির্ম্ময় ।
দিব্য-দয়াময়-মূর্ত্তি চিত্তে নিত্য রয় ॥২০॥
ai divya dirgha deha divya avayava
divya-jnana-dipta-netra divya anubhava
divya bhasa divya-bhava divya-jyotirmaya
divya-dayamaya-murti chitte nitya raya [20]
His lofty divine form, his divine limbs, his eyes illumined with divine knowledge, his divine perception, his divine language, his divine mood, his divine lustre, and his merciful divine figure remain in my heart forever.
গম্ভীর প্রতিভাময় সরল উদার ।
জড়জ্ঞান-গিরিবজ্র দিব্য দীক্ষাধার ॥
স্বজনে সুশীল স্নিগ্ধ, দুর্জনে দুর্জ্জয় ।
গুরুগৌরানুগ মূর্ত্তি সদা চিত্তে রয় ॥২১॥
gambhira pratibhamaya sarala udara
jada-jnana-giri-vajra divya diksadhara
svajane susila snigdha, durjane durjaya
guru-gauranuga murti sada chitte raya 21]
Sober, brilliant, sincere, and magnanimous, a thunderbolt atop the mountain of mundane knowledge, a conduit of divine revelation, cordial and affectionate to the good and unassailable by the bad, Sri Guru’s form as of follower of Sri Gaura always remains in my heart.
গৌড়ীয়-আচার্য্য-গোষ্ঠী-গৌরব-ভাজন ।
গৌড়ীয়-সিদ্ধান্ত-মণি কণ্ঠ-বিভূষণ ॥
সর্ব্ব দরশন-তত্ত্ব যাঁহার বিচারে ।
অবিচিন্ত্য-ভেদাভেদ সামঞ্জস্য ধরে ॥২২॥
gaudiya-acharya-gosthi-gaurava-bhajana
gaudiya-siddhanta-mani kantha-vibhusana
sarva darasana-tattva yahara vichare
avichintya-bhedabheda samanjasya dhare [22]
He is revered in the assembly of Gaudiya Acharyas, and the jewel-like precepts of the Gaudiya sampradaya are the bright ornaments around his neck. In his conception are the truths within all worldviews, and he harmonises everything with the axiom of inconceivable difference and nondifference.
গৌর-সরস্বতী-স্ফূর্ত্ত সিদ্ধান্তের খনি ।
আবিষ্কৃত যাঁর বাক্যে অর্থ চিন্তামণি ॥
এক-তত্ত্ব বর্ণনেতে নিত্য নব ভাব ।
সুসঙ্গতি সামঞ্জস্য এ সব প্রভাব ॥২৩॥
gaura-sarasvati-sphurta siddhantera khani
aviskrta yara vakye artha chintamani
eka-tattva varnanete nitya nava bhava
susangati samanjasya e saba prabhava [23]
He is a mine of the precepts revealed by Sri Gaura, and the wish-fulfilling jewels of the meanings of these precepts are discovered by his words. He has ever-new feeling in describing the Absolute, and adjustment and harmony are his strengths.
সকল সতীর্থ-বর্গ সবে এক-মতে ।
শ্রীগুরু-সিদ্ধান্ত-ধারা দেখেন যাঁহাতে ॥
তুলসী-মালিকা হস্তে শ্রীনাম-গ্রহণ ।
দেখি’ যাঁর তাঁহাদের ‘প্রভু’ উদ্দীপন ॥২৪॥
sakala satirtha-varga sabe eka-mate
sri-guru-siddhanta-dhara dekhena yahate
tulasi-malika haste sri-nama-grahana
dekhi’ yara tahadera ‘prabhu’ uddipana [24]
Unanimously, all his godbrothers see within him the current of the truths revealed by their Guru, and seeing him chant the Holy Name with tulasi beads in his hand, they are reminded of Srila Prabhupad (Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur).
“শ্রীনাথ জানকীনাথ যদ্যপি অভেদ ।
তথাপি সর্ব্বস্ব মোর রামচন্দ্র-পদ” ॥
এই হনুমৎ বাক্য মস্তকেতে ধরি’ ।
জীবনে মরণে চাই ঐ পদ-তরি ॥২৫॥
“sri-natha janaki-natha yadyapi abheda
tathapi sarvasva mora ramachandra-pada”
ei hanumat vakya mastakete dhari’
jivane marane chai ai pada-tari [25]
“Although Ramachandra is nondifferent from Narayan, the feet of Ramachandra are everything to me.” Holding this statement of Hanuman on my head, in life and in death, I desire the shelter of his feet.
“রাধা-ভজনে যদি মতি নাহি ভেল ।
কৃষ্ণ-ভজনে তব অকারণে গেল” ॥
মহাজন-শিক্ষা শিরে করিয়া ধারণ ।
শ্রীগুরুচরণ-সেবা-রত রহু মন ॥২৬॥
“radha-bhajane yadi mati nahi bhela
krsna-bhajane tava akarane gela”
mahajana-siksa sire kariya dharana
sri-guru-charana-seva-rata rahu mana [26]
“If you do not aspire to serve Radha, then your service to Krsna goes for nothing.” Holding this teaching of the great souls on my head, I pray, “May my heart always remain engaged in the service of the feet of Sri Guru.”
References
yasya deve para bhaktir yatha deve tatha gurau
tasyaite kathita hy arthah prakasante mahatmanah
(Svetasvatara-upanisad: 6.23)
“The meaning of the scriptures is revealed to the great soul who has pure devotion to the Lord, and so also to Sri Guru.”
bhayam dvitiyabhinivesatah syad
isad apetasya viparyayo ’smrtih
tan-mayayato budha abhajet tam
bhaktyaikayesam guru-devatatma
(Srimad Bhagavatam: 11.2.37)
“Those who turn away from the Lord, forget their true self, consider themself to be the opposite of their true self by the influence of the Lord’s illusion, and become intent upon selfish enjoyment become stricken with fear. The wise should serve the Lord with unalloyed devotion, considering Sri Guru to be one’s Lord and beloved.”
tatra bhagavatan dharman siksed gurv-atma-daivatah
amayayanuvrttya yais tusyed atmatma-do harih
(Srimad Bhagavatam: 11.3.22)
“Considering Sri Guru to be one’s beloved and Lord, one should sincerely and submissively learn from him the dharma by which Sri Hari, He who gives Himself (to His devotee), is satisfied.”
nayam atma pravachanena labhyo
na medhaya na bahuna srutena
yam evaisa vrnute tena labhyah
tasyaisa atma vivrnute tanum svam
(Katha-upanisad: 1.2.23)
“The Supreme Soul is not attained by reasoning, intelligence, or extensive learning. He is attained by those whom He chooses. He reveals His form to them.”
tat te ’nukampam susamiksamano
bhunjana evatma-krtam vipakam
hrd-vag-vapurbhir vidadhan namas te
jiveta yo mukti-pade sa daya-bhak
(Srimad Bhagavatam: 10.14.8)
“One who sees Your mercy perfectly, endures the reactions to one’s past actions, and lives in submission to You with one’s mind, body, and world is an heir to liberation—Your eternal service.”
srinathe janakinathe chabhedah paramatmani
tathapi mama sarvasvam ramah kamala-lochanah
(Prema-bhakti-chandrika: 29)
“Narayan, Ramachandra, and the Paramatma are all nondifferent. Still, lotus-eyed Rama is everything to me.”
radha-bhajane yadi mati nahi bhela
krsna-bhajane tava akarane gela
(Gitavali: Radhastakam, 8.1)
“If you do not aspire to serve Radha, then your service to Krishna goes for nothing.”