SRI GAUDIYA GITANJALI : SPECIAL POETRY

Srimad-Rupa-Gosvami-Prabhur Sochaka
(Lament for Srimad Rupa Goswami Prabhu)

(1)

o mora jivana-gati, sri-rupa gosai ati,
gunera samudra dayamaya
yanhara karuna haile, chaitanya charana mile,
vraje radha-krsna-prapti haya [1]

O shelter and goal of my life, O Sri Rupa Gosani! You are extremely merciful, an ocean of great qualities. Whoever gets your mercy can come to Sri Chaitanya’s feet and attain Sri Radha-Krishna in Vraja Dham.

parama vairagya yanra, charitrera nahi para,
asima aisvarya parihari’
chaitanyera agamana, suni’ harasita mana,
prayage chalila tvara kari’ [2]

There is no one who can compare with his extreme renunciation for he had given up unlimited opulence. As soon as he heard about Sri Chaitanya’s arrival in Prayag, he became excited and hurried there.

anuja vallabha-sane, sighra gela sei sthane,
mahaprabhu yathaya vasiya
chaitanyera sri-charana, darsane ananda mana,
bhume donhe pade lotaiya [3]

Taking his younger brother, Vallabha, with him, he quickly went to the place where Mahaprabhu was staying. At the sight of Sri Chaitanya’s holy feet, both brothers became overwhelmed with joy and began to roll on the ground.

punah punah dui-jane, nirakhiya prabhu-pane,
prema-jale bharila nayana
dante trna guchchha dhare, vidhi-mate stava kare,
sunile vyakula haya mana [4]

Again and again they cast their glances in the direction of the Lord, their eyes brimming with tears of divine love. Holding bunches of straw between their teeth, they began to glorify the Lord following the proper etiquette and rules. Whoever heard it was stunned.

sri-rupere nirakhiye, prabhu preme matta ha’ye,
priya-vakya aneka kahila
aja, bhava, deva-gana, aradhaye ye charana,
se charana mastake dharila [5]

Seeing Sri Rupa and overflowing with love, the Lord spoke to him very affectionately and at length. Sri Rupa kept on his head the feet that are worshipped by Brahma, Siva and so many other gods.

preme vasa gaura-raya, utha utha bali’ taya,
maha-sukhe kaila alingana
sri-rupa judiye kara, stuti kare bahutara,
taha kichhu na haya varnana [6]

Overcome with love, Gaura Ray urged him, ‘Get up, get up!’ and embraced him very happily. Sri Rupa then recited with folded palms many verses in His glorification. They are beyond description.

tabe prabhu rupe laiye, nikatete vasaiye,
sanatanera puchhe samachara
sri-rupa kahila saba, suniya chaitanya-deva,
kahe kichhu chinta nahi ara [7]

But the Lord made Sri Rupa sit next to Him, and Sri Rupa told Him everything about Sri Sanatan Goswami, who had stayed behind. Sri Chaitanyadev listened to the news and assured him, ‘Do not worry about anything.’

sri-rupe prasanna haiya, kichhu-dina kachhe thuya,
radha-krsna tattva janaila
parama ananda mana, rupe kari’ alingana,
vrndavana yaite ajna dila [8]

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was very pleased with Sri Rupa. He kept Him by His side for a few days and taught him about Radha-Krishna. After that, the Lord happily embraced Sri Rupa and ordered him to go to Vrindavan.

katare sri-rupa kaya, sange thaki ajna haya,
suni’ prabhu maha-harsa-chitte
kahena madhura vani, sada sange achha tumi,
punascha asibe vraja haite [9]

Feeling distressed, Sri Rupa asked, ‘Please order me to stay with You.’ Hearing it, the Lord was very happy at heart. He said to him very sweetly, ‘You are always with Me. You will come again from Vraja.’

ei mata kahe yata, tabe prabhu sachi-suta,
kasi chale naukaya chadiya
prabhura sri-chandra-mukha, nayane heriye rupa,
bhume pade murchhita haiya [10]

Saying this, the Lord, the son of Sachi Devi, got into a boat and left for Kasi. When Sri Rupa lost the sight of the Lord’s moon-like face, he fell on the ground, senseless.

se samaye bhela yaha, kahite na pari taha,
kata-ksane kichhu sambarila
mahaprabhura sri-charana, tahe samarpiya mana,
vrndavana gamana karila [11]

Nobody knows how much time had passed before he somehow managed to compose himself. Fixing his mind at the holy feet of Mahaprabhu, Sri Rupa then left for Vrindavan.

atyanta ananda chitte sighra aila mathurate,
subuddhi-rayera dekha paila
raya anandita haiya, dui-jane sange laiya,
dvadasa kanana dekhaila [12]

With a jubilant heart, he very soon arrived in Mathura and met there with Subuddhi Ray, who was very happy to see him. They both stayed together for some time – during this time, Subuddhi Ray showed him the twelve forests of Vrindavan.

vistarite nari ara, gamanagamana tanra,
kata-dina pare vrndavane
sri-rupa sri-sanatana, haila donhe sumilana,
donhe preme apta nahi jane [13]

I am not able to give a detailed description of their walks. After a while, Sri Rupa finally came to Vrindavan – there, he met Sri Sanatan. Both lost themselves in divine love.

alingana kari donhe, chaitanyera guna kahe,
yaha suni’ pasana milaya
ananda haila chitte, nahi pare sambarite,
kandi donhe dharani lotaya [14]

Embracing each other, the two brothers spoke about Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s glories – hearing their talks, even stones merged one into another. They became so overwhelmed with joy that they could not check themselves – both cried and rolled on the ground.

ati anuraga mane, sri-rupa sri-vrndavane,
rahe sada premera ullase
phala-mula madhukari, vipra-grhe bhiksa kari,
bhunje kabhu thake upavase [15]

Sri Rupa stayed in Sri Vrindavan in a deeply fixed and loving mood. He was always elated and filled with divine love. Sometimes he collected some fruit or roots as madhukari, sometimes he came to some brahman’s house to beg – if he got something, he took it; otherwise, he fasted.

chhinda kantha bahir-vasa, ei-matra bahe pasa,
taru-tale karena sayana
diva-nisi avisrama, japaye madhura nama,
bhava-bhare karaye nartana [16]

He wore only a torn quilt and slept under a tree. Day and night, without any rest, he chanted the Holy Name of the Lord on his beads and danced, overwhelmed with divine love.

ksane kare sankirtana, antarmana anuksana,
ki kaba bhajana-riti tanra
prabhura ajnaya kata, varnila amrta-grantha,
prema-sama aksara yanhara [17]

He was always engaged in sankirtan and incessantly served his Lord within his mind. Who can possibly describe the way he practised? On the Lord’s order, he wrote many nectarean scriptures – every word of his writing is like divine love itself.

maha-dhira atyudara, ke bujhe hrdaya tanra,
kabhu yamunara tate yana
‘ha sachi-nandana’ bali’, kandaye du-hata tuli,
dake radha-krsna-nama lana [18]

He is extremely calm and benevolent. Who can possibly understand his heart? He would come to the bank of the Yamuna and cry, ‘O Sachi-nandan!’ Throwing his arms up, he cried and called out Sri Radha-Krishna’s Names.

ati su-komala deha, sada preme nache seha,
ara ki balila eka mukhe
adhama pamara-gana, patita duhkhita jana,
nija-gune krpa karena take [19]

His body was extremely soft and gentle. Overflowing with love for the Lord, he always danced. How much more is it possible to say with one mouth? His nature was such that he gave mercy to the worst, most sinful, fallen and miserable souls.

narahari durachara, kara more angikara,
tapete haila sada bhora
tuya pada-padme mana, rahe yena sarva-ksana,
ei nivedana suna mora [20]

This wretch Narahari is always suffering in anguish. Please accept me! May I always, at every moment, remember your lotus feet – please hear this prayer of mine!

(2)

are mora sri-rupa gosani
gauranga-chandera bhava, prachara kariya saba,
janaite hena ara nai [1]

O my Sri Rupa Gosani! Everybody preaches about Sri Gauranga’s divine mood, but nobody can describe it like he does.

vrndavana nitya-dhama, sarvopari anupama,
sarva-avatari nanda-suta
tanra kanta-ganadhika, sarvaradhya sri-radhika,
tanra sakhi-gana-sanga-yutha [2]
raga-marge taha paite, yanhara karuna haite,
bujhila paila ye te jana
emana dayalu bhai, kothao dekhiye nai,
tanra pada karaha bhavana [3]

Vrindavan, the highest, incomparable eternal abode; Nanda Maharaj’s Son, the origin of all incarnations; and the greatest of all His beloved mistresses, Sri Radhika, who is worshipped by everyone in the world and is surrounded by Her girlfriends – all this is attained on the path of spontaneous loving devotion by his mercy. Those who understand it can enter there. Brother, you will not find anybody as merciful as he, so always meditate on his holy feet.

sri-chaitanya-ajna pana, bhagavata vichariya,
yata bhakti-siddhantera khani
taha uthaiya kata, nija grantha kari yata,
jive dila prema-chintamani [4]

On Sri Chaitanya’s order, he extracted devotional conclusions from the quarry of Bhagavatam precepts and presented them in holy books, giving the transcendental wish-fulfilling gem of divine love to all souls.

radha-krsna-rasa-keli, natya-gita padavali,
suddha parakiya mata kari’
chaitanyera manovrtti, sthapana karila ksiti,
asvadiya tahara madhuri [5]

Harmonising the pure paramour mood expressed in the songs and poems glorifying Sri Radha-Krishna’s amorous pastimes, he prepared the ground for Lord Chaitanya’s mood, relishing its sweetness.

chaitanya-virahe sesa, pai atisaya klesa,
tahe yata pralapa vilapa
se saba kahite bhai, dehe prana rahe nai,
e radha-vallabha hiye tapa [6]

In the end, feeling deep anguish in separation from Sri Chaitanya, he lamented bitterly as if in delirium. Brother, if this Radha Vallabha were to tell you about all this, he would not be able to keep his soul and body together – it scourges his heart.

(3)

yana kali rupa sarira na dharata
tan vraja-prema, maha-nidhi kutharika,
kon kapata ughadata [1]

If Rupa had not assumed a human body in Kali-yuga, who would have opened a door into the chamber of the great ocean of divine love of Vraja?

nira-ksira-hamsana, pana-vidhayana,
kon prthak kari payata
ko saba tyaji’, bhaji’ vrndavana,
ko saba grantha virachita [2]

Who else but a swan can drink milk separating it from water? Who else but he can leave everything and worship Vrindavan, composing all these scriptures?

yaba pitu vana-phula, phalata nana-vidha,
manoraji aravinda
so madhukara binu, pana kon janata,
vidyamana kari bandha [3]

Who but this honeybee would drink and collect the nectar seeping from charming lotuses and flowers blossoming in the forest?

ko janata, mathura vrndavana,
ko janata vraja-nita
ko janata, radha-madhava-rati,
ko janata soi prita [4]

Who would have known Mathura and Vrindavan? Who would have known the highest ideal of Vraja? Who would have known about loving attachment to Radha-Madhav? Who would have known such love?

yakara charana, prasade sakala jana,
gai gaoyai sukha paota
charana kamale, saranagata madho,
tava mahima ura lagata [5]

By the mercy of his holy feet, everyone is so happy that they sing themselves and make each other sing for joy. Your glories pierce the heart of this Madhav, who is surrendered to your holy lotus feet.

(4)

jaya jaya rupa maharasa-sagara
darasana parasana, vachana rasayana,
ananda-huke gagara [1]

Glory to Sri Rupa, an ocean of great ecstasy! Seeing him, coming in touch with him, hearing his ambrosial words fills one with happiness.

ati gambhira, dhira karunamaya,
prema-bhaktike agara
ujjvala prema, maha-mani prakatita,
desa gauda vairagara [2]

Very serious, self-controlled and merciful, he is an abode of supreme loving devotion, who has revealed the great jewel of paramour love from the jewel mine of Gauda-desh.

sad-gunu-mandita, pandita-ranjana,
vrndavana nija nagara
kirita bimala yasa, suna tanhi madho,
satata rahala hiye jagara [3]

Adorned by all good qualities, learned and joyful, he takes his permanent residence in Vrindavan. Once Madhav heard of his sublime, spotless fame, it has remained in his heart, always exciting it ever since.

— : • : —

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