MADHU BINDAVAH

VASITA

Captivation

By Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj

Translated from the original Bengali
published in Sri Gaudiya Darsan,
Volume 1, Issue 2, Thursday 16 September 1955.

শুনইতে ব্যাধ- মুরলী-রব মাধুরী
ধাওত মোহিতা কুরঙ্গিনী ।
দরশন মোহে পতঙ্গা অনল ’পরি
মধু-লোভে ভ্রমরা বন্দিনী ॥১॥

suna-ite vyadha- murali-rava madhuri
dhaota mohita kurangini
darasana mohe patanga anala ’pari
madhu-lobhe bhramara vandini [1]

suna-ite–Hearing dhaota–runs [like] mohita–an enchanted kurangini–deer [after] vyadha–a hunter’s madhuri–sweet murali–flute rava–song. darasana–Sight [flies like] patanga–a moth mohe–in enchantment upari–over anala–a fire. [Taste hovers like] bhramara–a bee vandini–bound lobhe–by greed madhu–for honey. [1]

Hearing runs like an enchanted doe after a hunter’s sweet flute-song. Sight flies like an enchanted moth over a fire. Taste hovers like a bee bound by greed for honey.

বিমোহিত মীন বরশী-রস-সৌরভে
পরশে লুবধ করিরাজ ।
এক হি এক বশে হোয়ই হৃতজ্ঞান
ধাওত শমনক পাশ ॥২॥

vimohita mina varasi-rasa-saurabhe
parase lubadha kari-raja
eka hi eka vase hoya-i hrta-jnana
dhaota samanaka pasa [2]

[Smell is like] vimohita–a bewildered mina–fish varasi–on the spear rasa–of pleasing saurabhe–fragrances. parase–Touch [is like] lubadha–a covetous raja–king kari–of elephants. vase–Captivated, eka–one hi eka–by one, [the senses] hoya-i–are hrta-jnana–deluded [and] dhaota–run [into] samanaka–death’s pasa–trap. [2]

Smell is like a bewildered fish on the spear of pleasing fragrances. Touch is like a covetous king of elephants. Captivated one after the other, the senses are deluded and run into Death’s trap.

পঞ্চেন্দ্রিয় বশে পঞ্চ যো সেবত
কহবুঁ কি তাকর বাত ।
দাস ধরম স্মরি’ ভয়ভীত অনুখণ
যাচয়ে প্রভু-পরসাদ ॥৩॥

panchendriya vase pancha yo sevata
kahabu̐ ki takara bata
dasa dharama smari’ bhaya-bhita anukhana
yachaye prabhu-parasada [3]

ki–What bata–words kahabu̐–shall I speak takara–of those yo–who, vase–captivated panchendriya–by the five senses, sevata–indulge pancha–in the five [objects of the senses]? smari’–Remembering dharama–virtue, [this] dasa–servant [is] anukhana–always bhaya–cautious [and] bhita–afraid, [and] yachaye–prays parasada–for the mercy prabhu–of the Lord. [3]

What shall I say of those who are captivated by the five senses and indulge in the five sense objects? Remembering dharma, this servant is always cautious and afraid, and prays for the mercy of the Lord.