Sri Vaishnav Vandana: Vaisnava Ke? | Sri Gaudiya Gitanjali

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SRI GAUDIYA GITANJALI : SRI VAISHNAV VANDANA

Vaisnava Ke? (‘Who is a Vaishnav?’)

(By Prabhupad Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur)

dusta mana! tumi kisera vaisnava?
pratisthara tare, nirjanera ghare,
tava harinama kevala kaitava [1]

Naughty mind! What kind of Vaishnav do you think you are? You stay alone at home for your own name and fame – your chanting of the Holy Name is nothing but cheating.

jadera pratistha, sukarera vistha,
jana na ki taha mayara vaibhava?
kanaka-kamini, divasa-yamini,
bhariya ki kaja, anitya se saba [2]

Material name and fame are pig’s stool. Do you not know that they are part of illusion? Your days and nights are filled with worries about money and women, but what is the use? It is all temporary.

tomara kanaka, bhogera janaka,
kanakera dvare sevaha madhava
kaminira kama, nahe tava dhama,
tahara malika kevala yadava [3]

Your money breeds enjoyment, but you must use money to serve Lord Madhav. You hanker for women, but they are not meant for you: their only proprietor is Yadav (Lord Krishna).

pratisthasa-taru, jada-maya-maru,
na pele ravana yujhiya raghava
vaisnavi pratistha, tate kara nistha,
taha na bhajile labhibe raurava [4]

Even when Ravan fought against Lord Raghav, he could not get the tree of fame in the desert of material illusory environment. So, establish yourself firmly as a servant – if you do not worship the glory of a servant, you will go to hell.

hari-jana-dvesa, pratisthasa-klesa,
kara kena tabe tahara gaurava
vaisnavera pachhe, pratisthasa achhe,
tata kabhu nahe anitya vaibhava [5]

You harbour enmity towards the Lord’s devotees, suffering from the desire for fame, but what is so glorious about that? Fame runs behind Vaishnavs, and their fame is eternal.

se hari-sambandha, sunya-maya-gandha,
taha kabhu naya jadera kaitava
pratistha-chandali, nirjanata-jali,
ubhaye janiha mayika raurava [6]

There is not a scent of illusion in relationship with the Lord – there cannot be any mundane cheating. Fame (an unscrupulous, low-born woman) and reclusion (a flimsy net) – know that both are maya’s hell.

kirtana chhadiba, pratistha magiba,
ki kaja dhudiya tadrsa gaurava
madhavendra-puri, bhava-ghare churi,
na karila kabhu sadai janaba [7]

Instead of chanting kirtan, you only beg for prestige – what is the use seeking such glory? You must always remember that Madhavendra Puri never put on a show.

tomara pratistha, sukarera vistha,
tara-saha sama kabhu na manaba
matsarata-vase, tumi jada-rase,
ma’jechha chhadiya kirtana-sausthava [8]

Your fame is pig’s stool. Never compare it to the fame of Vaishnavs. Overcome with envy, you immerse yourself into material pleasures, rejecting the beauty of kirtan.

tai dusta mana, nirjana bhajana,
pracharichha chhale kuyogi-vaibhava
prabhu sanatane, parama yatane,
siksa dila yaha, chinta’ sei saba [9]

So, dear naughty mind, only bogus yogis practise in seclusion on pretext of preaching. Mahaprabhu took much care to teach this to Sanatan Goswami – always remember what He taught him.

sei duti katha, bhula’ na sarvatha,
uchchaihsvare kara harinama-rava
phalgu, ara yukta, baddha, ara mukta,
kabhu na bhaviha ‘ekakara’ saba [10]

Never forget these two things and loudly chant the Holy Name of the Lord. False renunciation and proper renunciation, being conditioned and being liberated – never think that everything is one and the same.

kanaka-kamini, pratistha-baghini,
chhadiyachhe yare, sei ta vaisnava
sei anasakta, sei suddha bhakta,
samsara tatha paya parabhava [11]

Those who give up money, women and fame the tigress are true Vaishnavs – they are detached, they are pure devotees, and they can defeat the whole material world.

yatha-yogya bhoga, nahi tatha roga,
anasakta sei, ki ara kahaba
asakti-rahita, sambandha-sahita,
visaya-samuha sakali madhava [12]

Those who take only what is necessary suffer from no disease and are truly detached. What more is there to say? When you are free from material attachment and establish relationship with the Lord, then you will see that everything around you is Lord Madhav Himself.

se yukta-vairagya, taha ta saubhagya,
tahai jadete harira vaibhava
kirtane yahara, pratistha-sambhara,
tahara sampati kevala kaitava [13]

Such proper renunciation is great fortune – it is an extension of the Lord in this material world. If somebody chants kirtan to earn fame, their wealth is mere deceit.

visaya-mumuksa, bhogera bubhuksu,
du’ye tyaja mana, dui avaisnava
krsnera sambandha, aprakrta skandha,
kabhu nahe taha jadera sambhava [14]

Dear mind, give up both liberation from the material world and hankering for enjoyment – both do not befit a Vaishnav. Relationship with Krishna is supramundane; it can never be a product of the material world.

mayavadi jana, krsne-tara mana,
mukta abhimane se ninde vaisnava
vaisnavera dasa, tava bhakti asa,
kena va dakichha nirjana ahava [15]

Mayavadis consider themselves higher than Krishna – proud of their liberation, they criticise Vaishnavs. But you are a servant of Vaishnavs, so your hankering should be for devotion, then why are you inviting war by choosing seclusion?

ye phalgu-vairagi, kahe nije tyagi,
se na pare kabhu haite vaisnava
haripada chhadi’, nirjanata badi’,
labhiya ki phala, phalgu se vaibhava [16]

Those who practise false renunciation and call themselves tyagis can never become Vaishnavs. What do you get by abandoning the holy feet of the Lord and sinking deeper into seclusion? This is a bogus practice.

radha-dasye rahi, chhada bhoga-ahi,
pratisthasa nahe kirtana-gaurava
radha-nitya-jana, taha chhadi’ mana,
kena va nirjana-bhajana-kaitava [17]

Become Radha’s servant and give up the snake of enjoyment – desiring fame does not pertain to the glory of kirtan. O mind, why do you leave Radha’s eternal associates? Solitary practice is mere cheating.

vraja-basi-gana, pracharaka dhana,
pratistha-bhiksuka tara nahe saba
prana achhe tara, se hetu prachara,
pratisthasa-hina-krsna-gatha saba [18]

The residents of Vraja are treasure among preachers – they are not dead bodies coming to beg for fame. They are alive; therefore, they preach. When they glorify Lord Krishna, they do not harbour any desire for fame.

sri-dayita-dasa, kirtanete asa,
kara uchchaihsvare harinama rava
kirtana-prabhave, smarana haibe,
se kale bhajana nirjana sambhava [19]

Praying to be able to chant kirtan, Sri Dayita Das will loudly chant the Holy Name of the Lord. Chanting the Holy Name of the Lord will arouse remembrance of the Lord – this is when it is possible to serve the Lord in seclusion.

SRI GAUDIYA GITANJALI (English)
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