Srimad Bhagavad Gita AS IT IS

Bhagavad Gita:   Chapter 6 - Dhyana-yoga

TEXTS 20-23

                          yatroparamate cittam
                          niruddham yoga-sevaya
                         yatra caivatmanatmanam
                         pasyann atmani tusyati

                        sukham atyantikam yat tad
                        buddhi-grahyam atindriyam
                         vetti yatra na caivayam
                        sthitas calati tattvatah

                       yam labdhva caparam labham
                         manyate nadhikam tatah
                        yasmin sthito na duhkhena
                           gurunapi vicalyate

                       tam vidyad duhkha-samyoga-
                         viyogam yoga-samjnitam

   WORD FOR WORD
   yatra--in that state of affairs where; uparamate--cease (because one feels transcendental happiness); cittam--mental activities; niruddham--being restrained from matter; yoga-sevaya--by performance of yoga; yatra--in which; ca--also; eva--certainly; atmana--by the pure mind; atmanam--the self; pasyan--realizing the position of; atmani--in the self; tusyati--one becomes satisfied; sukham--happiness; atyantikam--supreme; yat--which; tat--that; buddhi--by intelligence; grahyam--accessible; atindriyam--transcendental; vetti--one knows; yatra--wherein; na--never; ca--also; eva--certainly; ayam--he; sthitah--situated; calati--moves; tattvatah--from the truth; yam--that which; labdhva--by attainment; ca--also; aparam--any other; labham--gain; manyate--considers; na--never; adhikam--more; tatah--than that; yasmin--in which; sthitah--being situated; na--never; duhkhena--by miseries; guruna api--even though very difficult; vicalyate--becomes shaken; tam--that; vidyat--you must know; duhkha-samyoga--of the miseries of material contact; viyogam--extermination; yoga-samjnitam--called trance in yoga.

   TRANSLATION
   In the stage of perfection called trance, or samadhi, one's mind is completely restrained from material mental activities by practice of yoga. This perfection is characterized by one's ability to see the self by the pure mind and to relish and rejoice in the self. In that joyous state, one is situated in boundless transcendental happiness, realized through transcendental senses. Established thus, one never departs from the truth, and upon gaining this he thinks there is no greater gain. Being situated in such a position, one is never shaken, even in the midst of greatest difficulty. This indeed is actual freedom from all miseries arising from material contact.
 
PURPORT by HDG Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad:

   By practice of yoga one becomes gradually detached from material concepts. This is the primary characteristic of the yoga principle. And after this, one becomes situated in trance, or samadhi, which means that the yogi realizes the Supersoul through transcendental mind and intelligence, without any of the misgivings of identifying the self with the Superself. Yoga practice is more or less based on the principles of the Patanjali system. Some unauthorized commentators try to identify the individual soul with the Supersoul, and the monists think this to be liberation, but they do not understand the real purpose of the Patanjali system of yoga. There is an acceptance of transcendental pleasure in the Patanjali system, but the monists do not accept this transcendental pleasure, out of fear of jeopardizing the theory of oneness. The duality of knowledge and knower is not accepted by the nondualist, but in this verse transcendental pleasure--realized through transcendental senses--is accepted. And this is corroborated by Patanjali Muni, the famous exponent of the yoga system. The great sage declares in his Yoga-sutras (3.34): purusartha-sunyanam gunanam pratiprasavah kaivalyam svarupa-pratistha va citi-saktir iti.

   This citi-sakti, or internal potency, is transcendental. Purusartha means material religiosity, economic development, sense gratification and, at the end, the attempt to become one with the Supreme. This "oneness with the Supreme" is called kaivalyam by the monist. But according to Patanjali, this kaivalyam is an internal, or transcendental, potency by which the living entity becomes aware of his constitutional position. In the words of Lord Caitanya, this state of affairs is called ceto-darpana-marjanam, or clearance of the impure mirror of the mind. This "clearance" is actually liberation, or bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam. The theory of nirvana--also preliminary--corresponds with this principle. In the Bhagavatam (2.10.6) this is called svarupena vyavasthitih. The Bhagavad-gita also confirms this situation in this verse.

   After nirvana, or material cessation, there is the manifestation of spiritual activities, or devotional service to the Lord, known as Krsna consciousness. In the words of the Bhagavatam, svarupena vyavasthitih: this is the "real life of the living entity." Maya, or illusion, is the condition of spiritual life contaminated by material infection. Liberation from this material infection does not mean destruction of the original eternal position of the living entity. Patanjali also accepts this by his words kaivalyam svarupa-pratistha va citi-saktir iti. This citi-sakti, or transcendental pleasure, is real life. This is confirmed in the Vedanta-sutra (1.1.12) as ananda-mayo 'bhyasat. This natural transcendental pleasure is the ultimate goal of yoga and is easily achieved by execution of devotional service, or bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga will be vividly described in the Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gita.

   In the yoga system, as described in this chapter, there are two kinds of samadhi, called samprajnata-samadhi and asamprajnata-samadhi. When one becomes situated in the transcendental position by various philosophical researches, he is said to have achieved samprajnata-samadhi. In the asamprajnata-samadhi there is no longer any connection with mundane pleasure, for one is then transcendental to all sorts of happiness derived from the senses. When the yogi is once situated in that transcendental position, he is never shaken from it. Unless the yogi is able to reach this position, he is unsuccessful. Today's so-called yoga practice, which involves various sense pleasures, is contradictory. A yogi indulging in sex and intoxication is a mockery. Even those yogis who are attracted by the siddhis (perfections) in the process of yoga are not perfectly situated. If yogis are attracted by the by-products of yoga, then they cannot attain the stage of perfection, as is stated in this verse. Persons, therefore, indulging in the make-show practice of gymnastic feats or siddhis should know that the aim of yoga is lost in that way.

   The best practice of yoga in this age is Krsna consciousness, which is not baffling. A Krsna conscious person is so happy in his occupation that he does not aspire after any other happiness. There are many impediments, especially in this age of hypocrisy, to practicing hatha-yoga, dhyana-yoga and jnana-yoga, but there is no such problem in executing karma-yoga or bhakti-yoga.

   As long as the material body exists, one has to meet the demands of the body, namely eating, sleeping, defending and mating. But a person who is in pure bhakti-yoga, or in Krsna consciousness, does not arouse the senses while meeting the demands of the body.

Rather, he accepts the bare necessities of life, making the best use of a bad bargain, and enjoys transcendental happiness in Krsna consciousness. He is callous toward incidental occurrences--such as accidents, disease, scarcity and even the death of a most dear relative--but he is always alert to execute his duties in Krsna consciousness, or bhakti-yoga. Accidents never deviate him from his duty. As stated in the Bhagavad-gita (2.14), agamapayino 'nityas tams titiksasva bharata. He endures all such incidental occurrences because he knows that they come and go and do not affect his duties. In this way he achieves the highest perfection in yoga practice.

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Copyright 1983 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. Used with permission.

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Prabhupada Uvacha:
(here's some nectar, sometimes it comes in the form of Srutakirti prabhu's diary, other times from Govinda dasi's diary, Hari Sauri prabhu's Transcendental Diary, Bhurijan prabhu's book, or sometimes from a letter, or other related source, but still nectar...)

We have got very simple test in Krsna consciousness movement

June 4th, 1976

In class Prabhupada strongly persued the same point. The verse stated that the Visnudutas returned the challenge of the Yamadutas by asking them that if they were the genuine representatives of Yamaraja they should describe what is real religion, dharma. Srila Prabhupada told us the test of a devotee is whether or not he has actual knowledge. A show will not do. "Krsna described what is the meaning of dharma. Here the question is, 'If you are servant of Dharmaraja, then explain what is dharma and adharma. Dharma means religiosity, and adharma means nonreligiosity. Everything in this world is duality. If there is black, there is white. If there is good, there is bad. If there is father, there is son. Otherwise, there is no meaning of father. 'I am father, bachelor daddy.' No. If you are father, you must have a son. If you are a son, then you must have a father. If the son says, 'I dropped from the sky,' how it is possible? These rascals say it, that there is no creator. First of all, prove that you have no creator. Your father has created. How you can say there is no creator? Silent. The rascal is silent. You are talking of 'There is no creator,' but you, yourself, you were created by your father. So these rascals are talking foolishly and other foolish persons are accepting them. But we are not so intelligent. Our answer is that you say, 'There is no creator. How you are created?' It may be we are rascals also, but this is our simple questions.

"This morning I was asking that why there is Sunday first and Monday second? Who can answer? Is there anyone in this meeting who can answer my, this simple question? Why, all over the world, everyone accepts Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Somavara, Mangalavara, Guruvara, the same thing? There may be different language. And Saturday is last. Why this arrangement? Who can answer? Is there anyone? I've asked this simple question to so many. Even Svarupa Damodara, our doctor Ph.D., he has not yet answered. And I've asked this question to Dr. Wolf also. He's not present here?"

One of the devotees attempted to answer. "Because Sunday is God's day. Sunday is Krsna's day."

"That is your sentiment. Speak scientifically. Nowadays, the scientific days, you have to speak scientifically," Prabhupada said, still looking for the answer.

"The order of the planets," another devotee called out.

"Yes, that is the answer. Anyway, he has got the right to ask that 'You are representing Dharmaraja. First of all, explain what is dharma. Then we shall understand that you are the representative, or the order-carrier, or the servant of Dharmaraja."

He went on to elaborate this principle of duality, and then really moved into high gear in his criticism of the scientists. "We have got two tests. One test is sufficient. If one is not devotee, if one is not Krsna conscious, he's a demon, bas, finished our conclusion. We simply ask whether you are Krsna conscious, whether you know Krsna. I think our Syamasundara's daughter, she used to preach. She used to go to any elderly person when she was four years old. 'Do you know Krsna?' she said. So he says, 'No, I don't know.' 'Oh, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.' This is preaching. Finish, preaching. A child can preach. A child can understand. 'Do you know God?' 'No.' 'You are a demon!'"

Prabhupada said the word "demon" with such aplomb everyone burst out laughing. And he keep them going with a parody of a devotee approaching a scientist. "Finished. Where is the difficulty? As soon as you say, 'I do not know God,' you are a demon. Bas! First-class demon. 'I am scientist.' 'You are rascal.' 'No, I have studied, I have got my degrees.' 'Mayayapahrta-jnana! Rascal, you have studied so long, simply waste of time. Your real knowledge is taken away. Because you do not know God.' That is described. We have got very simple test in Krsna consciousness movement how to distinguish between an intelligent man a rascal. As soon as we understand that he's not Krsna conscious, he's a rascal. Bas. There is no need of testing. Even though he's M.A., Ph.D. D.H.C. and so on, so on, still we shall call him a rascal. This is open challenge; it is not secret."

He added weight to this seemingly radical conviction with a quote from the great brahmana Canakya Pandita. "He very nicely says that rascals and fools -- must give up their company. Tyaja durjana-samsargam. 'No, I have got many friends, they are university educated.' But he says, vidyayalankrto 'pi san. Even they are with degrees of M.A., Ph.D., even he is educated, so-called educated, he's not educated. Anyone who does not know God, he's not educated, he's a rascal. This is our conclusion. Not our conclusions, this is sastra's conclusion. So 'he has got so many degrees and he's rascal and he's durjana, a bad man?' 'Yes.' 'Why?' Now manina bhusitah sarpah kim asau na bhayankarah. Suppose a serpent, he has got a gem on his head. Is it not fearful? Very good example. Suppose a snake comes here and he, it has a jewel on the head, so you'll be all safe? No. He's dangerous. So that is going on. So-called educated scientist, degrees, what they're doing? Atom bomb, kill men. This is their scientific discovery. That you can kill a man with a knife, one man or two men. Now we have got scientific discovery, millions of men in a moment, come on, discovery. So 'Why don't you discover something that millions of hospitals, diseased men can be brought into life again?' 'That we cannot do.' Kill, killing, killing is going on. What you have discovered? So this is their scientific... Discover something and declare that 'There is no more death. Here is medicine.' Then that is scientific discovery. What is this nonsense? People are dying, and you have discovered something to facilitate death? Is that discovery? Therefore they are this snake with jewel. That's all. They're not gentlemen even. A gentlemen thinks that 'I shall kill so many persons by dropping one atom bomb. I have discovered such nonsense thing?' And they are going on as scientist. So be careful. They are like snakes with jewel on the head. That's all."

- From the "A Transcendental Diary Vol 2" by HG Hari Sauri dasa

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66/12/08 New York, Bhagavad-gita 9.22-23

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Prabhupada:

ananyas cintayanto mam
ye janah paryupasate
tesam nityabhiyuktanam
yoga-ksemam vahamy aham
 [Bg. 9.22]

Now Lord Krsna is speaking about His own devotees. So far He has spoken about the elevationists, materialist elevationists. Evam trayi-dharmam anuprapanna gatagatam kama-kama labhante. Repeating, repeating the same process, sometimes going up, sometimes coming down -- this is the material process. Today I am the richest man, and tomorrow I may be a poverty-stricken man in the street. This is going on. As we find in this earth, so also by our pious activities we can be promoted in better planets. Then ksine punye martya-lokam visanti [Bg. 9.21]. And when the resultant actions of pious activities is finished, then again we are driven to this earth or down than this earth. So this is going on. Lord Caitanya said that ei rupe brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva [Cc. Madhya 19.151], that "This way, this cycle of different species of life, they are going on. So traveling in this way, somebody who is very fortunate, by association of devotees, he gets the seed of devotional service." Ei rupe brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva [Cc. Madhya 19.151]. To achieve the seed of devotional service is a fortunate achievement. It is not very easy because it ceases the cycle of different transmigration of the soul. By ignorance we take this spot life as permanent settlement and we think that "We shall live here permanently and make arrangement to live here permanently and make assets for my children, for my nation." But we do not know that the cycle of transmigration is not fixed up.

I do not know what next life is mine. I do not know where is the..., who is coming as my son, who is coming, who is going out of the scene as my son. These laws we do not know. But we are chewing the chewed. Evam gatagatam kama-kama labhante. Under the spell of this illusory energy, we are captivated by this temporary sense gratification and we have forgotten our real life. So those who are in the sense of his real constitutional, of their real constitutional position, as Bhagavad-gita started from the very beginning... This very conception, that "I am this body," beginning from, from beginning of the Bhagavad-gita this is discredited, that "You are not this body." So you have to mold your life in your identification of spiritual existence. So so far the materialist is concerned, they are chewing the chewed. Punah punas carvita-carvananam [SB 7.5.30]. The example, which I gave you the last day, that as sugar cane, one has extracted all the juice by chewing, and it is again thrown into the, on the earth and somebody is chewing, so there is no juice. So we are simply repeating the same thing. We do not question whether this process of life can at all give us happiness. But we are trying and trying, trying the same thing.

The ultimate purpose of sense gratification and the highest, topmost sense gratification is sex life. So we are trying, chewing, eschewing, you see, extracting. But that is not the process of happiness. The happiness is different. Sukham atyantikam yat tad atindriya-grahyam. Real happiness is transcendental. And that transcendental means that I must understand what is my position and what is my process of life. In this way this Krsna consciousness will teach you. So those who are Krsna conscious, about them the Lord is saying, ananyas cintayanto mam. Ananyas cintayantah means always, twenty-four hours, without any deviation, always thinking of Krsna. Naturally, if you are engaged in the business of Krsna, then you will always think of Krsna. Anyone who is absorbed in certain particular business, he's always thinking of that thing. So anyone who is engaged in Krsna consciousness, his business is to think of Krsna always. Just like you are reading, hearing on this Bhagavad-gita. It is spoken by Krsna. And if you think at home that "This sort of speeches was given by Lord Krsna. This is the essence," so that is Krsna cintayantah. To think of Bhagavad-gita is also Krsna thinking because Bhagavad-gita is not different from Krsna, absolute. It is from the absolute one. There is no duality.

In the absolute sense there is no duality. If I speak something, because I am not speaking in the absolute, therefore my speaking and my self, different. But here I am speaking the words of Lord Krsna. Therefore the words of Lord Krsna is not different from Krsna. So if we think of Bhagavad-gita, the instructions which we receive from Bhagavad-gita, that is also thinking of Krsna. So ananyas cintayanto mam: "Always who are thinking about Me..." Ye janah paryupasate. And why one should think of Krsna unless he has fully surrendered to Krsna? Unless one has taken the business of Krsna, he cannot think of Krsna. He cannot think of Krsna. Therefore it is said that ananyas cintayanto mam ye janah paryupasate. Paryupasate means constantly worshiping in that way. Tesam nityabhiyuktanam. Abhiyukta: he is always engaged in Krsna consciousness. Therefore, yoga-ksemam vahamy aham [Bg. 9.22]. Not that only the materialistic people will remain happy. Krsna assures that one who is always engaged in Krsna consciousness, his happiness will be not divorced. "He will be also happy because I will make him, I will supply him whatever he requires."

continued.......................

The Flowering Vine of Devotion to Lord Hari

Table of Contents

First Cluster of Flowers     2
Second Cluster of Flowers     7
Third Cluster of Flowers     13
Fourth Cluster of Flowers     15
Fifth Cluster of Flowers     17
Sixth Cluster of Flowers     19
Seventh Cluster of Flowers     23
Eighth Cluster of Flowers     26
Ninth Cluster of Flowers     29
Tenth Cluster of Flowers     30
Eleventh Cluster of Flowers     32
Twelfth Cluster of Flowers     33
Thirteenth Cluster of Flowers    34
Fourteenth Cluster of Flowers    36
 

Preface

 Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura found the unsigned manuscript of Sri Hari-bhakti-kalpa-latika, was impressed by it, and printed it in his magazine Sajjana-tosani.  His son, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, printed it as a book and kept it in print, reprinting it again and again.
 - Kusakratha dasa
 

First Cluster of Flowers

1 Blinded by His illusory potency, (maya), the entire world cannot understand that Lord Krsna is the all-pervading Supersoul, the father and controller of all the worlds, the eternal resting-place of the entire universe, and as sweet as nectar.  When the learned devotees understand Hum, they become conscious of supreme spiritual bliss.  He is the dear friend of the devotees and the giver of shelter.  I offer my respectful obeisances to Him, Lord Krsna, the enemy of the Mura demon.
2 Perhaps it is because, although He is independently full of supreme transcendental bliss, He is nevertheless also full of love for the Vraja-gopis, or perhaps it is in order to show mercy to the devotees, on the pretext of killing the demons, that Lord Krsna, desiring to enjoy pastimes, has descended to the land of Vrajabhumi in this world.  I offer my respectful obeisances to that Lord Krsna, the all-blissful Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose complexion is like the colour of a multitude of dark monsoon-clouds.
3 Lord Krsna's devotional service transforms this illusory material world into the real spiritual world.  Let us worship that blissful Lord Krsna, Who delights the hearts of the gopis.
4 The celebrated desire-vine of Lord Hari's pure devotional service grows form the ocean of pious deeds, and it destroys all ignorance.  It's excellent roots are the association of devotees, and it's new sprouts are faith in Lord Hari.  It's budding flowers are renunciation of the world, and it's splendid fully blossomed flowers are pure love of God.  Supreme transcendental knowledge is that vine's fruit, which is full of the nectarean sweetness of intense spiritual bliss.  May that celebrated vine delight the saintly devotees.
5 What is the comparison between me, a slow witted fool who has never properly studied the Vedic scriptures, and the devotion which the pure-hearted souls, expert at understanding spiritual truths, bear for Lord Krsna, the controller of the universe.  Although I am unworthy to describe this pure devotional service, because I wish to understand it, and because I also wish to cleanse my heart, I am recklessly writing this poem.  I beg the great pure devotees please to forgive me.
6 Describing the glories of the transcendentally blissful Lord Vasudeva, who is supremely worshipable because of His eternal existence, truthfulness, purity, supreme mercy, and because He is the origin of everything, the author says: O Lord, although Lord Brahma, Lord Siva and other great devotees enjoy pastimes in the ocean of transcendental bliss and knowledge which is Yourself, they remain unable to actually understand Your glories.  Nevertheless, I, who am unintelligent, ineloquent, and unable to perceive the fragrance of even a tiny drop of the honey of Your lotus feet, am trying to describe Your glories.  Am I not very reckless and foolhardy in this attempt?
7 From the pores of the Supreme Lord's transcendental body, unlimited millions of universes, replete with fourteen divisions of planetary systems, continually emanate.  That Supreme Person is full of intense transcendental bliss, without change, unlimited, eternally manifest, untouched by the three modes of material nature, and unapproachable even by the Vedas.  Within this material world, who has even been able to understand Him?
8 Lord Siva, Lord Brahma, Surya and other demigods who control universal affairs and grant benedictions are all the potencies of that Supreme Person, who is nevertheless Nanda Maharaja's smiling lotus-faced son.  May that Supreme Lord, who independently enjoys pastimes with the gopis in the forest of Vrndavana, grant to me transcendental bliss.
9 That Supreme Person is glorified throughout the Vedas and Upanisads, and the creation, maintenance and destruction of the material universes are only a small fraction of His unlimited pastimes.  All glories to that Supreme Lord, who is an ocean of perfect transcendental bliss, and who, within the forest of Vrndavana, is the Lord and hero of the gopis.
10 That Supreme Person is the origin even of the demigods, the abode of unlimited auspicious pastimes, the ocean of all perfections, the only residence of happiness, the controller of all mystic powers, the treasury of all opulences, and the highest in all the three worlds.  I worship that Supreme Lord, Who is dearly loved by the devotees.
11 That Supreme Lord is the controller of the three worlds, beyond the three modes of material nature, knowable by the Vedanta, and the ultimate fruit of Vedic study.  That Lord is indirectly manifest as the imperishable Brahman effulgence, meditated upon by Brahma, Siva and others, and He is directly manifest in Vrndavana, where He enjoys pastimes in the company of the gopis.
12 That transcendentally pure and bliss Supreme Lord, whom the saintly persons see within their hearts, whom the Vedantists designate as the undifferentiated Brahman, and whose unlimited glories are unknowable by Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, and others, jubilantly enjoys pastimes in His original human-like form in the land of Vrajabhumi.
13 That perfect and complete Supreme Person, who has no equal, and whose form is eternal, full of knowledge and bliss, enjoys pastimes according to His own desire.
14 Born from the weight of the touch of the Supreme Lord's lotus feet, and carried on Lord Siva's head, the Ganges River has purified the three worlds.  How is it possible to describe the glories of that Supreme Lord?
15 O gentle reader, you may think: "Lord Siva, Narada Muni, and many others are the personal servants of the Supreme Lord.  What am I but a small misbehaved child in their midst?"  O gentle reader, do not become discouraged.  Do not give up Lord Mukunda's devotional service as something you cannot do.  Although the Supreme Lord is the controller of everything, and although He is very difficult to approach, He is like an ocean of mercy and He is the dear friend of the devotees.  He becomes controlled by devotion and shows mercy to His devotee, even if the devotee was born in a family of outcastes.
16 That Supreme Person, who is greater than the greatest, and after whom the yogis search, cannot be attained by studying the Vedas and Agamas, or by performing yoga, austerities, or fruitive activities.  He is attained only by devotional service.
17 Although Dhruva Maharaja had never studied the Vedas and Agamas, and although he had never performed materially pious actions, he attained the supreme destination simply by performing devotional service to the Lord.
18 A father who sees his son eat clay, snatches it away and gives him a candy instead.  In the same way, the Lord, who is very affectionate to His devotees, removes the material desires from those who, unaware of their actual spiritual nature, worship Him with material motives.  The Lord gives them His intensely delightful lotus feet.
19 If even misbehaved persons, intent on their own happiness, attain Lord Hari's lotus feet by occasionally worshipping Him, who can describe the good fortune of the saintly devotees, who worship the Lord in pure love?
20 Even if served by those with personal motives, in a troublesome and annoying way, or with hypocrisy, the Lord liberates His devotees.  Who is more merciful than He?
21 If a person who has never attained any materially pious activities, worships Lord Hari's lotus feet by offering some water and tulasi leaves, the Lord, Who is the friend of the devotees, and unapproachable by the materially pious, gives in return His own lotus feet.
22 The Lord becomes controlled by His devotees, although He does not show His mercy to the non-devotees, even if they are very pious, great yogis, or very rich and opulent.  Why does the whole world not worship such a merciful Lord?
23 One who gives up all materially pious duties and with undeviating concentration continually worships the lotus feet of Lord Hari, will easily and happily climb to the Lord's transcendental abode, stepping on the heads of the materially pious non-devotees.
24-5 Brightly blazing with the oil of love, the lamp of devotional service to the Lord completely destroys the darkness of past karma.  Lord Hari is like an ocean of mercy for the distressed conditioned souls, or like an ocean of the nectar of transcendental bliss.  Except for Him, who is able to rescue those burning in the forest fire of material existence?
26 Sober and discriminating persons who aspire to serve the lotus feet of Lord Hari easily conquer the unconquerable, inimical material senses.  They who try to subdue the senses by practicing astanga yoga or following varnasrama-dharma, remain unsuccessful and do not become happy.
27 They who travel on the path of devotional service to the lotus feet of Lord Hari should abandon all activities prescribed by the varnasrama system for material improvement and sense-gratification.  Day by day they should cultivate renunciation, until the Lord is personally manifest before them.
28 Somehow or other the author has not yet been able to describe the glories of the persons intent on chanting the glories of Lord Krsna.  In this regard he says: One who has taken shelter of Lord Hari's devotional service is an actual hero, an actual knower of the Vedas, and is actually fortunate and pious.  Laksmi-devi, the goddess of fortune personally searches him out.  He is the best of all.
29 Perception of spiritual truth takes shelter of him, the three-fold material miseries do not torment him, and the goals of human life (religion, sense gratification, economic-development, and liberation) beg to serve he who always finds pleasure in the Lord's devotional service.
30 He who respectfully takes shelter of Lord Acyuta's devotional service purifies the universe, makes the earth prosperous and auspicious, and easily crosses the ocean of repeated birth and death.
31 Lust and other enemies do not trouble him, the demigods and demons bow before him, and even liberation yearns to meet he who finds pleasure in the sweetness of service to Lord Hari.
32 All fears fear him.  From him religion is born.  From him all darkness flees.  He shines with the sweetness of devotional service.
33 His touch kills sin.  His strength cuts repeated birth and death.  His glory purifies the world.  He is filled with devotion to the Lord.
34 In a heart where the Lord's devotional service shines, the Ganges, Yamuna and other sacred rivers flow, all holy places of pilgrimage live, and all principles of religion play.
35 One devoted to Lord Madhusudana delights the demigods.  Transcendental virtues always dwell within him and spiritual knowledge always shines in his heart.
36 If this is the eternal glory of Lord Krsna's mercy to the devotees, then why do not all people worship Him?  The author replies: By day eager only to fill their bellies, at night absorbed only in sleeping or sex, their hearts tossed by limitless insatiable desires and their intelligence bewildered by illusions, how will the worshippers of the material world worship Lord Krsna, who cannot be approached by even the kings of the sages?
37 For they whose hearts are filled with greed, who serve the many demigods, whose every moment is engaged in material activities, pious deeds, austerities, and mantras, who practice yoga to attain mystic powers, and whose intelligence is bewildered by illusion, pure devotional service is very far away.
38 Not playing in the nectar ocean of bliss that is the handsome fresh monsoon cloud of eternal Lord Krsna, whose glories have no limit, and who stands not far away, the bewildered man searching for happiness runs deep into the mirage of repeated birth and death which becomes only suffering for him.
39 The body is the real home.  Saintliness is the real beautiful wife.  Voluntary devotional service to Lord Hari is the real wealth.  Satisfaction is the only friend.  These bring eternal happiness.  Still, a person yearning for false happiness foolishly will leave this home.
40 How can those drowning in the impassable ocean of repeated birth and death, which is filled with thousands of snakes of false-hope, fearful seaweed jungles of false-ego and possessiveness, sharks and crocodiles of lust, anger, and other vices, great waves of suffering and waters of deep illusion, attain pure devotion for Lord Govinda?
41 If this is so, how can there ever be devotional service?  The author says: In the beginning is respect for saintly persons, and from that the mind becomes pure.  Then one associates with devotees and by their mercy develops faith in the Lord's words.  Then one develops devotional service, and then renunciation.  From renunciation, spiritual awareness, which is full of great and intense bliss, is manifest.
42 The vine of devotional service grows in an auspicious, pious heart.  Planted as a seed by the association of devotees, and daily sprinkled by the waters of faith, it grows.  When renunciation appears, the vine expands and climbs the trunk and branches of the tree of awareness of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.  Then the vine blossoms with flowers of pure love of God and fruits filled with the nectar of intense spiritual bliss.
43 Although devotional service to Lord Krsna, the master of Gokula, cannot exist unless lust and other vices are conquered, these great enemies are not conquered without the weapon of devotional service.  For this reason intelligent persons accept the path of association with devotees and daily serve the Lord.  In this way they become able to defeat lust and his associates.
44 The ocean of material existence is filled with the waters of great suffering and crowded with the crocodiles of lust and other vices.  Although drowning in that ocean, if one takes shelter on the boat of Lord Hari's lotus feet, he will easily cross over that ocean which was impassable for others.
45 They who become intoxicated by drinking the honey of Lord Krsna's lotus feet do not remember the objects of the material senses, the Vedic prescriptions for material advancement (karma-kanda), the four goals of human pursuit (religion, sense-gratification, economic development and liberation), their children, wife, home or even their own material bodies.
46 Save for the pure, painless, dispassionate, transcendental path of service to Your lotus feet, I have no other path.  I will not try for splendid Svargaloka, which will be cut by Your wheel of time.  I will not try for the fearful liberation that jumps over Your feet.
47 Devotional service to Lord Hari is the best fruit of the desire tree, the splendid jewel from the ocean of three Vedas, the root of the tree of transcendental knowledge, the swiftly moving current of the ocean of spiritual bliss, the bridge crossing the ocean of birth and death, and the staircase climbing to nectar.  Who in this world will not desire the rare treasure of devotion to Lord Hari?

Second Cluster of Flowers

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