Ragera Bhajana Patha
BhajanNarottama Dasa Thakura
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BhajanNarottama Dasa Thakura
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A Glimpse Into the Path of Loving Attachment
(1) rāgera bhajana patha, kohi ebe abhimata, loka veda sāra ei vāṇī sakhīra anugā hoiyā, vraje siddha deha pāiyā, ei bhāve juḍābe parāṇi (2) rādhikāra sakhī yoto , tāhā vā kohibo koto, mukhya sakhī koribo gaṇana lalitā viśākhā tathā, citrā campakalatā rańgadevī sudevī kathana (3) tuńgavidyā indurekhā, ei aṣṭa sakhī lekhā, ebe kohi narma sakhīgaṇa rādhikāra sahacarī, priya preṣṭha nāma dhari, prema sevā kore anukṣaṇa (4) sama snehā viṣama snehā, nā koriho dui lehā kohi mātra adhika snehā-gaṇa nirantara thāke sańge, kṛṣṇa kathā līlā rańge narma sakhī ei sab jana (5) śrī rūpa mañjarī sāra, śrī rati mañjarī āra, lavańga mañjarī mañjulālī. śrī rasa mañjarī sańge, kasturikā ādi rańge, prema sevā kore kutūhole (6) e sabhāra anugā hoiyā, prema sevā nibo cāiyā, ińgite bujhibo sab kāja. rūpe guṇe ḍagamagi, sadā hobo anurāgī, vasati koribo sakhīra mājha (7) vṛndāvane dui jana, catur-dike sakhīgaṇa samaya bujhibo rasa sukhe sakhīra ińgite hobe, cāmara ḍhulābo kobe, tāmbūla yogābo cāńda mukhe (8) yugala caraṇa sevi, nirantara ei bhāvi, anurāgī thākibo sadāya. sādhana bhāvibo yāhā, siddha-dehe pābo tāhā rāga pathera ei se upāya (9) sādhane ye dhana cāi, siddha dehe tāhā pāi, pakkāpakka mātra se vicāra apakke sādhana rīti, pākile se prema-bhakti, bhakati lakṣaṇa tattva sāra (10) narottama dāse koy, ei yeno mora hoy, vrajapure anurāge vāsa. sakhīgaṇa gaṇanāte, āmāre likhibe tāte, taba hi pūrabo abhilāṣa (11) sakhīnāḿ sańginī rūpām ātmānāḿ vāsanāmayīm ājñā sevāparāḿ tat tad rūpālańkāra bhūṣitām (12) kṛṣṇaḿ smaran janaḿ cāsya preṣṭhaḿ nija samīhitam tat tat kathā rataś cāsau kuryād vāsaḿ vraje sadā
(1) I shall now describe the path of spontaneous love for Krishna, which is glorified by the exalted devotees and the Vedic literatures. By traversing this path of spontaneous love one becomes a follower of the gopis and attains the perfect spiritual body of a liberated soul. (2)-(3) I shall now describe the most important of Srimati Radharani's gopi-friends. Lalita, Visakha, Sucitra, Campakalata, Rangadevi, Sudevi, Tungavidya, and Indulekha, are the eight most important gopi friends of Srimati Radharani. Her other gopi-friends are divided into groups: the narma-sakhis, priya-sakhis, and prestha-sakhis. All these gopis constantly render loving service to Srimati Radharani. (4) Equal affection for Radha and Krishna or more affection for Krishna than for Sri Radha – do not become attached to that. I will just speak about preference for Sri Radha! They are always inHer company, blissfully telling Her about Krishna. They are all called narma sakhis. (5) Sri Rupa-manjari, Sri Rati-manjari, Lavanga-manjari, Manjunali, Sri Rasa-manjari, Sri Kasturi Manjari, and many more are eagerly and lovingly serving Srimati Radharani, [supplying her musk and various other articles]. (6) I am the follower of all these gopis. I shall serve them with great love. I will completely understand their orders, even when couched in casual hints or gestures. I shall become immersed in wonder at their transcendental virtues and beauty, and I shall dearly love them. I shall always remain in their company. (7) Immersed in the happiness of serving the Divine Couple surrounded by Their gopi-friends in Vrndavana, I will understand the gopis' hints, and, taking up the camara wish I will fan the Divine Couple, and after that I will place betel nuts in Their moonlike mouths. (8) Someday I will constantly serve the lotus feet of the Divine Couple with great love. At present I will follow the rules of sadhana-bhakti until I attain a perfected spiritual body and am able to love the Divine Couple spontaneously. (9) That treasure of pure love of God for which I hanker while I follow the regulative practices of sadhana-bhakti, I will attain when I have the spiritual body of a liberated soul. Actuallysadhana-bhakti and prema-bhakti are the same devotional service. Sadhana-bhakti is the stage where love for Krishna has not fully ripened yet, and prema-bhakti is the same devotion where love for Krishna has reached the mature, ripened stage. That is the description of devotional service. (10) Narottama dasa says: I hope that I may attain the stage of spontaneous love for the Divine Couple in the town of Vraja. I hope that I will be counted among the gopi-friends of the Divine Couple. O Divine Couple, in this way I will be able to serve You and satisfy all Your desires. (11) The stage of prema-bhakti is described in the following statements of Vaisnava literature: (One should meditate on oneself as being the maidservant of the gopis, and in this way one will attain their mercy. (12) The devotee should always think of Krishna within himself, and one should choose a very dear devotee who is a servitor of Krishna in Vrndavana. One should constantly engage in topics about that servitor and his loving relationship to Krishna, and one should live in Vrndavana. However, if one is physically unable to go to Vrndavana, he should mentally live there.