Srimad Bhagavad Gita AS IT IS

Bhagavad Gita:   Chapter 7 - Knowledge of the Absolute

                                 TEXT 18

                           udarah sarva evaite
                        jnani tv atmaiva me matam
                         asthitah sa hi yuktatma
                          mam evanuttamam gatim

WORD FOR WORD
   udarah--magnanimous; sarve--all; eva--certainly; ete--these; jnani--one who is in knowledge; tu--but; atma eva- just like Myself; me--My; matam--opinion; asthitah--situated; sah--he; hi--certainly; yukta-atma--engaged in devotional service; mam--in Me; eva--certainly; anuttamam--the highest; gatim--destination.

TRANSLATION
   All these devotees are undoubtedly magnanimous souls, but he who is situated in knowledge of Me I consider to be just like My own self. Being engaged in My transcendental service, he is sure to attain Me, the highest and most perfect goal.

PURPORT by His Divine Grace Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad:

   It is not that devotees who are less complete in knowledge are not dear to the Lord. The Lord says that all are magnanimous because anyone who comes to the Lord for any purpose is called a mahatma, or great soul. The devotees who want some benefit out of devotional service are accepted by the Lord because there is an exchange of affection. Out of affection they ask the Lord for some material benefit, and when they get it they become so satisfied that they also advance in devotional service. But the devotee in full knowledge is considered to be very dear to the Lord because his only purpose is to serve the Supreme Lord with love and devotion. Such a devotee cannot live a second without contacting or serving the Supreme Lord. Similarly, the Supreme Lord is very fond of His devotee and cannot be separated from him.

   In the Srimad-Bhagavatam (9.4.68), the Lord says:

                         sadhavo hrdayam mahyam
                        sadhunam hrdayam tv aham
                         mad-anyat te na jananti
                         naham tebhyo manag api

   "The devotees are always in My heart, and I am always in the hearts of the devotees. The devotee does not know anything beyond Me, and I also cannot forget the devotee. There is a very intimate relationship between Me and the pure devotees. Pure devotees in full knowledge are never out of spiritual touch, and therefore they are very much dear to Me."

 - 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...)

Miner story

Tuesday, 13 May 1975

During the walk on City Beach, Srila Prabhupada spoke candidly about the ill-effects of the increase in the world's demonic population. One of the most prominent features of the move towards a more materialistic society, Prabhupada explained, was an increase in an unwholesome taste for sex.

"Their inclination is for illicit sex. Therefore, when we say: 'You shall not have illicit sex', it is revolutionary. They want sex enjoyment to the best capacity -- homosex, this sex, that sex, naked dance -- all sexually inclined. And we say: 'Stop this'. They do not like it because they are asura.

"So-called svamis, they are coming for this so-called yoga practice. But they are themselves victims of sex. This is going on. It is a bluff, and we are speaking against them.

"The whole world is full of asuras, descendants of Hiranyakasipu, and it is very difficult. What is the difficulty: the so-called svamis, priests, Popes, they have illicit sex. They are passing: 'Yes, you can have homosex with man.' They are getting man-to-man marriage. They are performing the marriage ceremony between men in the open church.

"What class of men they are! And they are priest. Just see. Such degraded persons. Drinking -- they have got a hospital for curing their drinking -- five thousand patients in a hospital in America, all drunkards, and they are priests. So, what is the value of this priestly class?"

Due to the degradation of the priestly class, Srila Prabhupada continued, people were being kept in ignorance. He told an amusing story. A Christian clergyman in a coal mining town in Sheffield was preaching to the miners about the consequences of not worshipping Jesus Christ.

"If you don't worship him," the priest said, "then you'll go to hell."

The miners inquired, "What is that hell?"

The priest began to describe it to the best of his abilities. "Well, it's very dark, and hot, and moist ..."

The miners, however, did not think it sounded so bad; and since they worked daily in conditions similar to the priest's descriptions of hell, they therefore did not take his preaching very seriously. Prabhupada thus concluded his story: "People are kept in so much darkness; they do not know what is hell, what is heaven, what is God, and what is misery. They do not mind. They are accustomed to all these things."

As the walk continued, Srila Prabhupada stopped to tell another story in the same connection. The devotees huddled close. His stories made spiritual life pertinent and alive, and they were eager to hear more.

"One man said: 'Oh, you are drinking, you will go to hell', and he explained what is hell -- 'It is a miserable life'.

The drunkard said, 'But my father also drinks'.

The man replied, 'Oh, he will also go to hell'.

'And my mother also drinks.'

'Oh, she will also go.'

In this way the whole family. 'Then where it is hell? Because the family is there, mother is there, brother is there, everyone, we are going ... So where is hell?' People don't mind so much suffering if they can suffer with their friends. They are accustomed to so many sufferings. They say that they do not mind what is suffering -- especially if they can bring their friends. If their friends are there, it is heaven."
 

- From "The Great Transcendental Adventure" by HG Kurma Prabhu

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Please Chant:
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Listen to Srila Prabhupad on-line
....a different lecture, morning walk, conversation or class daily.

"Don't Infect Yourself with the Material Qualities"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.68
Vrndavana, September 4, 1975

Listen to the entire lecture on-line:
http://prabhupadaradio.com/M3U/Bhagavatam/m3u_II/SB535.m3u

Prabhupada:

tata enam danda-paneh
sakasam krta-kilbisam
nesyamo 'krta-nirvesam
yatra dandena suddhyati
 [SB 6.1.68]

So without obeying the instruction of the sastra, he has fallen down. Although he was born in the brahmana family and educated nicely, but on account of bad association he fell down from the standard of human ideal life. Therefore he is punishable. Not only he, every one of us. The human fom of life is specially meant for going back to home, back to Godhead. The animal life... By progressive evolution, they come to the human form of life, and when one is, the living entity is on the platform of human form of life, he has got his responsibility. Therefore sastra says,

nayam deho deha-bhajam nrloke
kastan kaman arhate vid-bhujam ye
tapo divyam putraka yena suddhyet
sattvam yasmad brahma-saukhyam anantam
 [SB 5.5.1]

This is the responsibility of human life. This human life is not meant for working day and night like the dogs and hogs for sense gratification. At the present moment it is going on all over the world. Simply for sense gratification, they are working so hard. From hundred miles they are going to the working place, hanging on the Delhi passenger train. Sometimes there is accident. These things are going on, very hard labor like the asses. So this is also another punishment. The more punishment is awaiting, Yama-danda, at the court of Yamaraja. Not only they are suffering here, but they will be taken to the Yamaraja. And there, according to his work, abominable work, he will be punished. Therefore the Yamadutas said, tata enam danda-paneh sakasam krta-kilbisam nesyamah. "Now it is our duty." Just like police force, they are engaged to arrest the criminals and take him to the court or to the police officer for necessary action, so these Yamadutas, they have given sufficient reason that "This man has committed sinful life; therefore he is punishable."

So, the fact is, this is nature's law. Nature's law is that if the human being does not follow the injunction of the sastra and he acts whimsically, independently, then he becomes punishable, exactly in the state laws, if you violate the laws... You are not independent. If you violate the laws, you'll be punished. Similarly, dharma means the laws of God. Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam [SB 6.3.19]. So if you violate the laws of God, the principles of dharma, then you will be punished. What is that principle of dharma? This Krsna consciousness. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. We have manufactured so many different types of religious faith, but they are man-manufactured. They are not laws. And now it is being supported by many so-called swamis, that "You can manufacture your own religion. It doesn't matter. Whatever nonsense type of religion you follow, you get the same result." This is going on. But that is not the fact. Dharma is that, only one. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. To surrender unto Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is real dharma. And what of others? They are cheating. That is stated in the Srimad Bhagavatam. Dharmah projjhita-kaitavo 'tra [SB 1.1.2]. Kaitava means cheating. Cheating type of religion is rejected.

So we cannot violate the laws of God, or dharma. Then we'll be punished. The punishment is there, awaiting, by the laws of nature. Daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya duratyaya [Bg. 7.14]. The laws of nature is to punish you. So long you are not Krsna conscious, the laws of nature will go on punishing you -- three kinds of miserable conditions: adhyatmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika. This is the law. Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah [Bg. 3.27]. You are thinking independent, but that is not the fact. We are dependent, completely dependent on the laws of nature. And laws of nature means laws of God. What is prakrti? Prakrti is acting under the direction of Krsna. Just like a police constable is working under the direction of magistrate or superior office, similarly, prakrti is giving us various types of miserable condition of life directed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sa-caracaram [Bg. 9.10]. Krsna says, "Under My superintendence the laws of nature is working." And what is the laws of nature? That in the human form of life, if you do not endeavor to understand what is God, what you are, what is your relationship with God, what is your duty -- these things, if you do not learn, then you are punishable immediately.

krsna bhuliya jiva bhoga vavcha kare
pasate mayara tare japatiya dhare

As soon as you forget Krsna and you want to act independently, then immediately you are captured by maya and you are punished.

So when you come to this senses, that "I am punished by maya on account of my forgetting Krsna consciousness; therefore my duty is to come back again to Krsna consciousness and be saved from the punishment of the material nature," that is human duty. You cannot say that "I don't want Krsna consciousness." If you don't want, then you must suffer. If you want to save yourself from suffering, then you must take to Krsna. It is a question of "must." It is not your option. Your option is there. Because you are part and parcel of Krsna, you have got little independence. But if you misuse that independence, then you are punishable. You cannot. Just like everyone has got little independence to violate the laws of the state. You can do that, but that is punishable. So if we take the risk of being punished, then we can violate the laws of nature or laws of God. The laws of God is very simple thing. It is not very difficult. God personally says, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru: [Bg. 18.65] "Just always think of Me." So it is not at all difficult. Krsna is here. You see the Deity of Krsna. Have impression in your heart how Krsna and Balarama is standing, how Radha-Krsna is standing, how Gaura-Nitai is standing. So you can think always. Man-mana. Or you can think of Him by chanting Hare Krsna. Where is the difficulty? Man-mana. You become devotee, come here in the temple, offer your respect. So to become Krsna conscious is not at all difficult. But people will not take to it; therefore they must suffer. This is the law.

So here the same thing is stated, tata enam danda-paneh sakasam krta-kilbisam: "He has acted sinfully; therefore he is punishable, and he must be taken to the Yamaraja." Nesyamo akrta-nirvesam. Nirvesam means... Suppose I have committed some sins. I must be arrested. Sometimes a great criminal voluntarily goes to the police and surrenders because he knows, "I will be arrested, and if I surrender immediately, my punishment may be lesser." So you cannot escape the punishment. So punishment... Suppose you have stolen something. You must be punished for six months' imprisonment. That is the law. If you have killed somebody, then you must be killed. You must be hanged. This is the law. So that is called nirvisesam, to counteract. If I have stolen some property, then I must suffer imprisonment. This is counteracting, prayascitta. If you have infected some disease, then you must suffer for some time from that disease. So akrta-nirvesam: "So he has not neutralized his sinful activities." Yatra dandena suddhyati: "Because he has not nullified his sinful activities by atonement or other measures, then he must be punsihed. Then he will be purified."

So punishment is also purification. Purification. Same law: If you infect some disease, then you must get that disease and you must suffer from that disease. That is your punishment. Therefore you should be very much careful not to infect any disease. Similarly, don't infect the material qualities, rajo-guna and tamo-guna. Remain in sattva-guna and try to elevate yourself from sattva-guna to transcendental stage, brahma-bhutah. Then life is successful. Otherwise we shall be repeatedly punished so long we have got the tendency to enjoy material happiness and get another body, one after another. We shall be punishable by the Ya mache piche. It is the Bengali poetry. It is said, krsna nama koro bhai (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.68 -- Vrndavana, September 4, 1975
 
 

The whole idea is that we must very much sincere in our activities to serve Krishna, and everything will automatically be convenient for prosecuting our Krishna Consciousness. And I hope you are doing very nicely, and Krishna will give you more and more strength.

Letter to Hamsaduta, San Francisco 1968

The last instructions of Srila Bhaktivinoda thakura is found in his Sva niyama dasakam:

Sri Sri Sva-niyama-dasakam
“12 Verses of My Own Self-imposed Regulative Principles”
by Srila Saccidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura

The 1st Verse
(The Objects of Devotion Birth After Birth)

gurau sri-gaurange tad-udita-subhakti-prakara ne
saci-sunor-lila-vikasita-s utirthe nija manau
harer namni presthe hari-tithisu rupanuga-jane
suka-prokte sastre prati-jani mamastam khalu ratih

No matter whenever and wherever I happen to take birth, let my loving affection and attachment remain unshaken throughout each and every lifetime for the following things: for my divine spiritual master, for Sri Gauranga, for the detailed topics of pure devotional service (and the methods of its execution) as personally instructed by Him, for the holy places of pilgrimage such as Sri Navadvipa, Sri Kshetra, Sri Vrndavana, etc. , which are all blooming with divine sanctity due to His performance of wonderful pastimes therein, for the diksa mantra bestowed upon me by the divine grace of my spiritual master, for the holy name of Sri Hari, for the most beloved eternal associates of the Lord, for the sacred days of celebration throughout the year such as Sri Ekadasi, Sri Janmastami, Sri Radhastami, and the appearance/disappearance days of the great Vaisnava acaryas, for the Lord’s dearmost devotees who strictly follow in the sacred footsteps of Srila Rupa Gosvami, and for the holy scriptures narrated by Srila Sukadeva Gosvami such as the Srimad Bhagavatam.

The 2nd Verse
(The Internal Identity of Lord Caitanya, the Eternal Guide)

sada vrndaranye madhura-rasa-dhanye rasa-mayah
param saktim radham parama-rasa-murtim ramayati
sa caivayam krsno nija-bhajana-mudram upadisan
saci-sunur gaude prati-jani mamastam prabhu-varah

The Supreme Lord Sri Krsna is the personified abode of all divinely ecstatic mellow-tastes. And Sri Radhika is the topmost abode of all His divinely potent energies. Indeed, She is the personified form of the highest mellow of love in separation. Within the forest of Vrnda, which is gloriously rich in the all-pervading treasure of the sweetest madhura-rasa, this Lord Sri Krsna is continuously enjoying as He makes Sri Radhika happy by His loving service rendered to Her 24 hours a day. This very same Lord Krsna is exactly identical to the Son of mother Saci Who eternally lives simultaneously yet separately in Gauda-desa as the Instructor of the process for rendering His own service. May this Saci-nanadana become my Supreme Master and Guide, and may He always appear to me just to lead me on the proper devotional path birth after birth after birdh.

The 3rd Verse
(Rejection of Things Unfavorable for Sri Radha-Krishna’s Eternal Service)

na vairagyam grayham bhavati na hi yad bhakti-janitam
tatha jnanam bhanam citi yadi visesam na manute
sprha me nastange hari-bhajana-saukhyam na hi yatas
tato radha-krsna-pracura-parica rya bhavatu me

Let no form of so-called renunciation or asceticism become fit for my acceptance if it does not give rise to the continual expansion of my eternal serving mood of loving devotion. And let no form of so-called knwoledge or intellectual cultivation appeal to me at all if it does not admit the reality of eternal individuality shared by the Lord and His devotees during their everlasting daily pastimes. I have no desire at all for practicing any branch of the eight-fold yoga process, for none of them contain any scope for enjoying the daily plasure of serving Lord Hari such as His confidential worship does. Rather, may I render profuse, uninterrupted confidential service 24 hours a day to Sri Sri Radha-Krsna for all of time to come (such service being the means as well as the end) .

The 4th Verse
(Where to Live, and Where Not to Live)

kutire pi ksudre vraja-bhajana-yogye taru-tale
saci-sunos tirthe bhavatu nitaram me nivasatih
na canyatra ksetre vibudha-gana-sevye pulakito
vasami prasade vipula-dhana-rajyanvita iha

May I continuously reside in a small, lonely cottage at the base of a desire-tree in the most holy abode of Sri Navadvipa-dhama, which is sanctified by the lotus feet of Sri Saci-Nanadana. Such a bhajan-kutir is perfectly suitble for constant remembrance of, and service to the divine daily sports that are always present in Sri Vraja-dhama. Indeed, in contrast to this, I will never live in any other place, even if it is bankered for with great enthusiasm by the most wise sages and demigods of all sorts. As far as all other places in this world are concerned, whether opulent palaces or temples, whether possessing vast riches of enormous wealth or princely kingdoms and property ­­ all such places cannot attract me as much as my modest bhajan-kutir in Sri Navadvipa-dhama does.

The 5th Verse
(The Real Principle of Dharma Which Is Devoid of Designations)

na varne saktir me na khalu mamata hyasrama-vidhau
na dharme nadharme mama ratir ihaste kvacid api
param tat-tad-dharme mama jada-sariram dhrtam idam
ato dharman sarvan subhajana-sahayann abhilase

I have no attachment at all to any of those caste divisions of society such as brahmana, kshatriya, vaishya or sudra. And I certainly do not identify with any order of life such as brahmacharya, grhasta, vanaprasta, or sannyasa. I have no fondness or respect at all for the so-called piety of religiosity or even for the so-called impiety of sinful life in this world­­not even the slightest regard. Instead , I truly desire whathever is practically required just to maintain this material body in order to facilitate my performance of pure devotional service. This is the actual righteousness that I will hope for as long as this material body continues to exist.

The 6th Verse
(Favorable, Authorized Practices and Devotional Qualities)

sudainyam saralyam sakala-sahanam manada-danam
dayam svikrtya sri-hari-carana-seva mama tapah
sadacaro sau me prabhu-pada-parair yah samuditah
prabhos caitanyasyaksaya-carita-pi yusa-krtisu

My austere vow is costant devotion to the lotus feet of Sri Hari. In order to execute that vow, I have accepted the following qualities by my own endeavor:
I practice great humility in my dealings with everyone;
I try to keep simplicity and purity prominent in all of my practical arrangements:
I maintain extreme tolerance in all types of favoreble or unfavorable circumstances:
I offer all respect unto others, regardless of who they are:
I feel genuine compassion for all living entities and act accordingly
There are many transcendental activities which are recommended by the great devotees who are fixed-up in unalloyed devotional service to the lotus feet of Sriman-Mahaprabhu, and these can be found described in the books that are full of the imperishable character and pastimes of Mahaprabhu Sri Krsna Caitanya. Only such transcendentally nectarean activities, being recommended by great devotees and practiced by Lord Caitanya Himself, are indeed my own.

The 7th Verse
(Repulsion from Those Things Which Are Disconnected from Sri Radhika)

na vaikunthe rajye na ca visaya-karye mam ratir
na nirvane mokse mama matir ihaste ksanam api
vrajanandad anyadd hari-vilasitam pavanam api
kathancin mam radhanvaya-virahitam no sukhayati

I have no attraction for living in Vaikuntha, that part of the spiritual sky presided over by Sri Sri Laksmi- Narayana; nor do I desire useless activities of gross sense gratification in this material world. I will never cherish the desire for attaining the divine bliss of impersonalistic liberation, even for a second. Furthermore, there are many transcendental pastimes of Sri Hari that may be very purifying for all conditioned souls ­ yet such pastimes will never ever give me any real happiness at all. This is because such pastimes are quite different from blissful ecstasies of Vraja-consciousness, being complitely devoid of any relationship with Sri-Radhika, Who is the one and and only fountainhead of pure joy.

The 8th Verse
(Renunciation of All Kinds of Bad Association)

na me patni-kanya-tanaya-janani- bandhu-nicaya
harau bhakte bhaktau na khalu yadi tesam sumamata
abhaktanam-anna-grahanam api doso visayinam
katham tesam sangadd hari-bhajana-siddhir bhavati me

I now disown my wife, my daughters, my sons, my mother, and all my friends, If they have no genuine attachment for Lord Hari, for His devotees, or for His devotional service. It is definitely a great sin even to accept foodgrains prepared by such non-devotional, materialistic sense-gratifiers. If I were to remain in the company of such persons, then how will the eternal perfection of my Hari-bhajan ever come about?

The 9th Verse
(Avoidance of So-Called ‘Devotees’ Who Proudly Neglect Sri Radhika)

asat-tarkair-andhan jada-sukha-paran krsna-vimukhan
ku-nirvanasaktam satatam ati-dure pariharan
aradham govindam bhajati nitaram dambhikataya
tad-abhyase kintu ksanam api na yami vratam idam

There are certain persons who appear to very advanced in devotion. Indeed, to increase their service to the Lord, they have long since rejected the evil company of: those who are completely blinded by faulty arguments arising from so-called intellectual logic, those who are madly addicted to the fleeting pleasures of the dull material body, those who are averse to and envious of Lord Sri Krsna, and those who are very fond of the inferior, distasteful concept of liberation as it is cherished by the impersonalists.
They have thus favorably avoided all kinds of bad association; yet it is seen that such persons worship Lord Govinda without Srimati Radarani being present. This just shows that they are actually puffed-up with excessive pride and conceited arrogance directed against Sri Radika, who is Herself the best worshipper of Govinda. Therefore I will never ever go anywhere near such so-called devotees ­­ even for a second. This is my strict vow.

The 10th Verse
(How to Live Simply and Perform Vraja-Bhajana Until Death)

prasadanna-ksirasana-vasan a -patradibhir aham
padarthair nirvahya vyavahrtim asangah ku visaye
vasam isa-ksetre yugala-bhajananandita-mana s
tanum moksye kale yuga-pada-paranam pada-tale

Passing my life in a simple, practical way eating only prasada foodgrains and milk products, the remnants of the Supreme, Lord, His mercy, wearing only prasad cloth that was offered to the Deity, using only the pots and utensils sanctified by the Lord’s exclusive service, I will thus remain completely aloof from material sense-gratification.
Living by the side of Sri Radha-kunda (Her very own abode), worshiping the Divine Couple with a blissful mind, the time will come for my body to die. At the soles of the devotees’s lotus feet, who are themselves serving the lotus feet of the Divine Couple, I will thus give up my body.

The 11th Verse
(How to Worship the Lotus Feet of Sri Radhika’s Pure Devotee)

saci-sunor-ajna-grahana-ca turo yo vraja-vane
pararadhyam radham bhajati nitaram krsna-rasikam
aham tvetat-padamrtam anudinam naisthika-mana
vaheyam vai pitva sirasi ca muda sannati-yutah

There is a class of pure devotee who is completely expert and experienced in following all the instruction of Sri Saci-nandana. Such a devotee incessantly worships Srimati Radharani exlusively, Who is indeed the most worshipable Personality, and who is deeply absorbed every day in relishing the Divine mellows of Sri Krsna’s association. The pure devotee of this calibre definitely performs his confidential worship whole-heartedly and with exclusive surrender unto Sri Radhika. Thus he always lives in Sri Vraja-mandala. I shall take the nectarean water that has washed the lotus feet of such a devotee and carry it on my head. Drinking it with great joy, and with a devout heart, I will then happily offer my full prostration upon the ground in the nicest, most perfect way that I possibly can. This will indeed be my routine each and every day.

The 12th Verse
(Firm Determination to Transcend Maya by Daily Following This Stava)

harer dasyam dharmo mama tu cira-kalam prakrtito
maha-maya-yogad-abhinipati tah duhkha-jaladhu
ito yasyamy urddhvam sva-niyama-suratya prati-dinam
sahayo me matram vitatha-dalani vaisnava-krpa

As a spirit soul, my natural tendency is to be eternally situated in the loving devotional service of Lord Hari; however, due to the strong power and influence of the Lord’s maha-maya, I have somehow plunged deeply into the fathomless ocean of material sorrow and grief. I shall transcend this world of maya and go to the spiritual world only by faithfully following these self imposed vows every day. And the only way I will get the strength to follow these vows is by attaining the mercy of all the Vaisnava devotees of the Lord. May their causeless mercy and softhearted compassion, which wards off all illusion, become my exclusive friend and guide for all of time everlasting.

The 13 Verse
(Phal-Sruti - the Benediction of Eternal Service Gained by Reading This Stava)

krtam kenapyetat sva-bhajana-vidhau svam niyamakam
parthed yo visraddhah priya-yugala-rupe ‘rpita manah
vraje radha-krsnau bhajati kila samprapya nilayam
sva-manjaryah pascad vividha-varivasyam sa kurute

This stava named Sva-niyam Dvadasakam was written by someone to adjust and regulate his own personal mode of performing bhajan. If any other devotee happens to chant this stava with a very special quality of resolute faith, fully offering his mind unto: the supreme beautiful forms of the Divine Couple, Sri Sri Radha-Govinda, his most dear possession, or to the Divine beauty of Their Deity form, or to the beauty or Sri Gaura-Sundara, the combined form of Sri Sri Radha-Govinda, or to Srila Rupa Gosvami, the dearmost beloved devotee of Sri Sri Radha-Govinda and Sri Gaura-Sundara, then that fortunate reader definitely attains his own place of eternal residence in Sri Vraja-dhama. Always following behind his own manjari-guru, in his own spiritual body of a manjari, he finally renders all kinds of variegated eternal services for the exclusive worship of Sri Sri Radha-Krsna.

Thus ends” SVA-NIYAMA DVADASTAKAM”
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, his last writing.