Chapter 4 Sri Bhakta-vacanamrtam - Words of Nectar from the Devotees

Pratikulya-vivarjjanam - Rejection of the Unfavorable

4.1
        bhagavad-bhaktayor bhakteh, prapatteh pratikulake
        varjjyatve niscayah prati-, kulya-varjjanam ucyate

        The principle to reject everything opposed to the service of the Lord and His devotee, and to similarly abstain from everything opposed to an attitude of surrender, is known as pratikulya-vivarjjanam - Rejection of the Unfavorable.

4.2
pratikulya-varjjana-sankalpadarsah -
        na dhanam na janam na sundarim, kavitam va jagadisa kamaye
        mama janmani janmanisvare, bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki tvayi

Sri Sri Bhagavatas Caitanyacandrasya

The ideal in the resolve to reject the unfavorable -
"O Lord of the universe, I have no desire for wealth or worldly promotion, nor do I desire wife, family, and society, nor do I aspire for Vedic religiosity or mundane scholarship. The only aspiration in my heart is that in my every birth I may have unmotivated devotion for You."

- the Supreme Lord Sri Caitanyacandra

4.3
atrapi tathaiva -
        nastha dharme na vasu-nicaye naiva kamopabhoge
        yad yad bhavyam bhavatu bhagavan purva-karmanurupam
        etat prarthyam mama bahu-matam janma-janmantare 'pi
        tvat padambhoruha-yuga-gata niscala bhaktir astu

Sri Kulasekharasya

A similar expression of the same ideal -
"O Lord, I have no faith in religiosity, economic development, or sense enjoyment. May all these things come to pass as they are ordained, according to my previous karma. But my earnest prayer is that birth after birth I may have unflinching devotion for Your lotus feet."

Sri Kulasekhara

4.4
hari-sambandha-hinam sarvam eva varjjaniyam -
        na yatra vaikuntha-katha sudhapaga
        na sadhavo bhagavatas tad asrayah
        na yatra yajnesa-makha mahotsavah
        suresa-loko 'pi na vai sa sevyatam

Deva-stutau

Everything devoid of a relationship with Lord Hari should be rejected -
"One should not reside wherever the river of nectarean tidings of Krsna does not flow, wherever Krsna's surrendered devotees cannot be found, and wherever the grand festival of chanting Krsna's holy name is not conducted - even if it is heaven."

- prayers by the demigods

4.5
vyavaharika-gurvadayo 'pi pratikulam ced varjjaniya eva -
        gurur na sa syat svajano na sa syat
        pita na sa syaj janani na sa syat
        daivam na tat syan na patis ca sa syan
        na mocayed yah samupeta-mrtyam

Sri Rsabhasya

When the traditional guru and guardians are found to be unfavorable, they too must surely be abandoned -
"One who cannot save other souls from the world of impending death - that is, one who cannot teach the path of devotion - he cannot be a teacher, although he may be called 'guru'; he cannot be a relative - he is not worthy of the designation; he cannot be a father - he is not qualified to beget a son; she cannot be a mother - she should not bear a child; he cannot be a god - the demigods who cannot deliver others from material bondage are not entitled to accept worship from human society; and he cannot be a husband - his hand is not fit to accept in marriage."

Sri Rsabhadeva

4.6
sarvendriyair eva pratikula-varjjane sankalpah -
        ma draksam ksina-punyan ksanam api bhavato bhakti-hinan padabje
        ma srausam sravya-bandham tava caritam-apasyanyad-akhyana-jatam
        ma spraksam madhava! tvam api bhuvana-pate! cetasapahnavanan
        ma bhuvam tvat saparya-parikara-rahito janma-janmantare 'pi

Sri Kulasekharasya

The resolve to reject everything unfavorable, by means of all the senses -
        "O Madhava, let me not see the unvirtuous persons who are devoid of devotion for Your lotus feet, and let me not hear the narratives which do not describe Your divine personality. O Lord of the universe, may I never have any contact with those bereft of faith in You, and moreover, lifetime after lifetime, may I never be without the company of Your associates who are devoted to Your loving service."
        Sri Kulasekhara

4.7
vyavaharikadaraniyany api tucchavat tyajyani -
        tvad-bhaktah saritam patim culukavat khadyotavad bhaskaram
        merum pasyati lostravat kim aparam bhumeh patim bhrtyavat
        cinta-ratnacayam silasakalavat kalpadrumam kasthavat
        samsaram trna-rasivat kim-aparam deham nijam bharavat

Sarvajnasya

One should also be indifferent towards commonly respected objects -
"O Lord, Your devotee sees the ocean to be as insignificant as a palmful of water, the sun as a glow-worm, Mount Sumeru as a pebble, a king as a servant, wish-fulfilling gems as rocks, a desire-yielding tree as wood, worldly aspirations as straw, and he even sees his own body as a trifling weight to carry: he knows all objects unfavorable to devotion as trivia."

Sarvajna

4.8
hari-vimukha-sanga-phalasya anubhuti-svarupam -
varam hutavaha-jvala-, panjarantar-vyavasthitih
na sauri-cinta-vimukha-, jana-samvasa-vaisasam

Katyayanasya

A realization of the result of associating with those who are averse to
the Supreme Lord Hari -
"One should endure the pain of being locked in a cage surrounded by blazing fire, rather than keep the distressing association of persons averse to Krsna consciousness."

Katyayana

4.9
anya-devopasakanam svarupa-paricayah -
alinganam varam manye, vyala~vyaghra-jalaukasam
na sangah salya-yuktanam, nana-devaika-sevinam

kesancit

The actual position of the worshippers of 'other gods' -
"Better to be embraced by a snake, a tiger, or a crocodile, than to suffer the agony of associating with persons who worship the various demigods."

- revered votary

4.10
bhakti-badhaka dosas tyajyah -
aty-aharah prayasas ca, prajalpo niyamagrahah
jana-sangas ca laulyan ca, sadbhir bhaktir vinasyati

							Sri-Rupapadanam
							Sri Rupa Goswami

Personal defects that obstruct devotion must be forsaken -

        atyanta sangrahe yara sada citta dhaya, atyahari bhakti-hina sei samjna paya
        prakrta vastura ase bhoge yara mana, prayasi tahara nama bhakti-hina jana
        krsna-katha chadi' jihva ana katha kahe, prajalpi tahara nama vrtha vakya kahe

bhajanete udasina karmete pravina, bahv-arambhi se niyamagrahi ati dina

krsna-bhakta-sanga vine anya-sange rata, jana-sangi ku-visaya-vilase vivrata

nana-sthane bhrame yei nija svartha-tare, laulya-para bhakti-hina samjna deya nare
ei chaya nahe kabhu bhakti adhikari, bhakti-hina laksya-bhrasta visayi samsari

(Bengali verse by Sri Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakura)

"(1) For over-acquisition, one whose mind does always run:

avaricious non-devotee - he should thus be known

(2) One who hankers to exploit some object mundane:

non-devotee, overendeavorer - as such he is known.

(3) One whose tongue speaks all but holy talks of Krsna:

he is just a gossiper of insignificant banter.

(4) Apathetic to devotion, skilled in exploitation:

so wretched - proud usurper of the higher devotee's position.

(5) Associates with all except Lord Krsna's pure devotees:

a mundane socializer in the mud of fleeting fancies.

(6) Who wanders hither and thither for his own selfish plan:

fickle-minded non-devotee - is known such a man.

In these six ways, never fit to render pure devotion:

		bereft of love divine - fallen, materialistic person."
							(Bengali verse translation)

4.11
yosit-sangasya pratikulyam -
        niskincanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya
        param param jigamisor bhava-sagarasya
        sandarsanam visayinam atha yositan ca
        ha hanta hanta visa-bhaksanato 'py asadhu

Sri Sri Bhagavatas Caitanyacandrasya

The severe adversity of female companionship -
"Alas, for a renunciate who desires to completely cross over the ocean of mundanity and engage in the divine loving service of the Supreme Lord, to ogle a materialist and a woman is more wicked than drinking poison."

- the Supreme Lord Sri Caitanyacandra

4.12
hari-vimukhasya vamsadisv adaro bhakti-pratikulah -
dhig janma nas tri-vrd yat tad, dhig vratam dhig bahu jnatam
dhik kulam dhik kriya-daksyam, vimukha ye tv adhoksaje

yajnika-vipranam

Esteem for elevated birth and culture of a person averse to Lord Hari is unfavorable for devotion -
"Our three births (seminal, investiture with the sacred thread, and sacrificial [saukra, savitrya, and daiksya]) are condemned, our vow of chastity is condemned, our profuse knowledge of the Scriptures is condemned, our lineage is condemned, and our proficiency in prescribed religious rites is condemned - all is lost, because we have become averse to the transcendental Supreme Lord."

- sacrificial brahmanas

4.13
jade cid-buddhir varjjaniya -
        yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke
        sva-dhih kalatradisu bhauma ijyadhih
        yat-tirtha-buddhih salile na karhicij
        janesv abhijnesu sa eva gokharah

Sri Sri Bhagavatah

The mentality of considering mundane objects to be conscious elements is unfavorable -
"One who considers his gross body to be himself, but does not identify himself with a devotee of the Lord; who considers wife, family, and associated paraphernalia to be his possessions, yet does not feel affection or attachment for a devotee of the Lord; who considers a graven image of earth or other substance to be God, yet does not conceive of the worshippable position of a devotee of the Lord; who considers some river or lake to be a holy place of pilgrimage, yet does not perceive a devotee of the Lord to be the abode of divinity incarnate - such a person is an ass among cows: a colossal fool."

- the Supreme Personality of Godhead

4.14
cit-tattve jada-buddhir jadadhina-buddhir va aparadhatvena parivarjjaniya -
        arcye visnau sila-dhir gurusu nara-matir vaisnave jati-buddhir
        visnor va vaisnavanam kali-mala-mathane pada-tirthe 'mbu-buddhih
        sri-visnor-namni-mantre sakala-kalusa-he sabda-samanya-buddhir
        visnau sarvesvarese tad-itara-sama-dhir yasya va naraki sah

Sri Vyasapadanam

The offensive mentality of considering worshippable, conscious divine forms to be mundane or subordinate to mundanity must be totally abandoned -
"Anyone who considers the worshippable Deity to be stone; who considers the Vaisnava Guru to be a mortal man; who considers a Vaisnava to be limited by the confines of caste, lineage, or creed; who considers the holy foot-wash of Lord Visnu or a Vaisnava to be ordinary water; who considers the holy name and mantra of Lord Visnu, which vanquish all sins, to be common sound vibration; and who considers the God of gods, Lord Visnu, to be merely on the level of the demigods - such a person is a diabolical devil."

Sri Vyasadeva

4.15
tapah prabhrtinam pratikulyam -
        rahuganaitat tapasa na yati
        na cejyaya nirvapanad grhad va
        na cchandasa naiva jalagni-suryair
        vine mahat-pada-rajo 'bhisekam

Sri Jadabharatasya

The adversity of all attempts based on austerity, etc. -
"O Rahugana, without one's head being adorned with the dust of the holy feet of a pure devotee, one can never attain devotion for the Supreme Lord by austerity, by Vedic worship and religiosity, by following the vow of monkhood, by following the religious duties of married life, by study and recitation of the Vedas, or by worshipping water, fire, or sun."

Sri Jadabharata

4.16
acyuta-sambandha-hina-jnana-karmader api pratikulyam -
        naiskarmyam apy acyuta-bhava-varjjitam
        na sobhate jnanam alam niranjanam
        kutah punah sasvad abhadram isvare
        na carpitam karma yad apy akaranam

Sri Naradasya

The adversity of pursuits based on knowledge (jnana) and action (karma) devoid of any relationship with the Supreme Lord Hari -
"When unadulterated knowledge that is devoid of action and its reactions is never becoming without a devotional relationship with the Infallible Lord, how then will action, which is ill-fated by nature, ever be exhalted without being offered to the Almighty, even if it is utterly selfless?"

Sri Narada

4.17
yamadi-yoga-sadhanasya varjjaniyata -
yamadibhir yoga-pathaih, kama-lobha-hato muhuh
mukunda-sevaya yadvat, tathaddhatma na samyati

Sri Naradasya

The futility of sense control by yogic practice -
"The agitated mind, repeatedly taken captive by its enemy in the form of depravity rooted in lust and greed, is directly mastered by serving the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Mukunda. It can never be likewise checked or pacified by practicing the eightfold yogic discipline, which is generally based on sensual and mental repression [yama, niyama, etc.]."

Sri Narada

4.18
brahma-sukhagrah pratikula eva -
tvat-saksat karanahlada-, visuddhabdhi-sthitasya me
sukhani gospadayante, brahmany api jagad-guro

Sri Prahladasya

Eagerness to attain to the bliss of Brahman must be known as unfavorable to devotion -
"O Guru of the universe, now that I can directly behold Your divine form, I reside within the ocean of pure ecstasy. And all other pleasures, including the bliss of merging with Brahman, appear as insignificant as the water in a cow's hoofprint."

Sri Prahlada

4.19
mukti-sprhayah pratikulyam -
bhava-bandha-cchide tasmai, sprhayami na muktaye
bhavan prabhur aham dasa, iti yatra vilupyate

Sri Sri Hanumatah

The aspiration for liberation is particularly unfavorable -
"I have no aspiration for that liberation which is meant to sever material bondage, and in which the relationship, 'You are master, and I, servant,' is completely lost."

Sri Sri Hanuman

4.20
sayujya-mukti-sprha auddhatyam eva -
bhaktih seva bhagavato, muktis tat pada-langhanam
ko mudho dasatam prapya, prabhavam padam icchati

Siramaulinam

The aspiration to become one with the Absolute is nothing more than arrogance -
"Bhakti is the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and mukti is the overstepping of that service. Who is the fool that hankers for liberation's throne, rejecting the servitorship of the Lord?"

Siramauli

4.21
atyantika-laya-sprha viveka-hinataiva -
hanta citriyate mitra, smrtva tan mama manasam
vivekino 'pi ye kuryus, trsnam atyantike laye

kesancit

The astonishing indiscrimination in the aspiration for ultimate dissolution -
"Alas, my friend, my heart is simply astonished when I think of all those discriminating persons who aspire for self-extinction in perpetual, indiscriminate absolution."

- revered votary

4.22
mukter-bhakti-dasya-vancha bhaktes ca tat-sangan-malinyasanka -
        ka tvam muktir upagatasmi bhavati kasmad akasmad iha
        sri-krsna-smaranena deva bhavato dasi-padam prapita
        dure tistha manag anagasi katham kuryad anaryam mayi
        tvan-namna nija-nama-candana-rasalepasya lopo bhavet

kayacit

Liberation prays to become devotion's maidservant, and devotion apprehends the impurity of liberation's association -
        'Who are you'?
        'It is I, liberation (mukti).'
        'Why have you suddenly come here?'
        'O lord, because you are always absorbed in thought of Sri Krsna, I have been promoted to the position of your maidservant.'
        'Just keep a little distance from me.'
        'Oh! Why are you so harsh upon an innocent person like me?'
        'By the mere mention of your name, the sandalwood paste or Gopi-candana tilaka that adorns my body, and which represents my reputation as a devotee of the Lord, will vanish altogether.'

-votary

4.23
bahirmmukha-brahma-janmano 'pi pratikulata -
tava dasya-sukhaika-sanginam, bhavanesv astv-api kita-janma me
itarav asathesu ma sma bhud, api janma caturmukhatmana

Sri Yamunacaryasya

The adversity of being born as even Lord Brahma,
but without Krsna consciousness -

veda-vidhi anusare, karma kari' e samsare,

jiva punah punah janma paya

purva-krta karma-phale, tomara va iccha-bale,

janma yadi labhi punaraya

tabe eka katha mama, suna he purusottama,

tava dasa-sangi-jana ghare

kita-janma yadi haya, tahate o dayamaya,

rahibo he santusta antare

tava dasa-sanga-hina, ye grhastha arvacina,

tara grhe caturmukha-bhuti

na cai kakhana hari, kara-dvaya joda kari'

		kare tava kinkara minati
				(Bengali verse by Sri Bhaktivinoda Thakura)

"According to Vedic injunction, who acts out his worldly function,

that soul takes birth again and again;

according to my previous action, or Your divine predilection,

if another birth for me does remain:

then just one thing I have to say, O hear me Lord, if You may:

if within the home of your devotee

I may be born in an insect body, that cannot but be Your mercy,

in my heart I'll be ever happy.

Devoid of Your devotee's company, in an ignorant non-devotee's family,

to be born as even Brahma, the creator:

for that, O Lord, I'll never ask You - with folded hands now before You,

		this is the earnest prayer of Your servitor."
						(Bengali verse translation)

4.24
gaura-bhakti-rasajnasya anyatra cid-rase 'pi pratikulyanubhutih -
        vaso me varam astu ghora-dahana-jvalavali-panjare
        sri-caitanya-padaravinda-vimukhair ma kutracit sangamah
        vaikunthadi-padam svayan ca militam no me mano lipsate
        padambhoja-rajas chata yadi manag gaurasya no rasyate

Sri Prabodhanandapadanam

The pure devotee who knows the paramount, immaculate nectar of devotion for Sri Caitanyadeva distrusts all else, even to the point of considering the culture of other spiritual relationships to be opposition -
"Let me remain within a cage of blazing fire, but never in the association of persons averse to the holy lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. If I never get even the slightest taste of the nectar of a tiny particle of the pollen of the lotus feet of Sri Gauranga, my heart has no aspiration for a position in the great spiritual planets headed by Vaikuntha - even if it is mine for the taking."

Sri Prabodhananda Saraswati

4.25
aikantika-bhaktasya ksayavasista-dosa-darsanagraho varjjaniyah -
        drstaih svabhava-janitair vapusas ca dosair
        na prakrtatvam iha bhakta-janasya pasyet
        gangambhasam na khalu bud-buda-phena-pankair
        brahma-dravatvam apagacchah nira-dharmaih

						Sri Rupapadanam
						Sri Rupa Goswami

The tendency to find the dying remnants of personal defects in an exclusive devotee must be abandoned -

        svabhava janita ara vapu-dose ksane, anadara nahi kara suddha bhakta-jane
        pankadi jaliya dose kabhu ganga-jale, cinmayatva lopa nahe sarva-sastre bale
        aprakrta bhakta-jana papa nahi kare, avasista papa yaya kichu-dina pare

(Bengali verse by Sri Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakura)

"For defects in his nature, or defects in his body,

one should never disrespect Lord Krsna's pure devotee.

If mud, foam, and bubbles appear in Ganges water,

it never loses divinity - so says the Scripture.

The devotee of divinity - he does never sin,

		and if a remnant does remain, soon that too is gone."
						(Bengali verse translation)

4.26
para-dosanusilanam varjjaniyam -
para-svabhava-karmani, yah prasamsati nindati
sa asu bhrasyate svarthad, asatyabhinivesatah

Sri Sri Bhagavatah

The practice of finding faults in others must be abandoned -
"To pointlessly judge others is a defect, and therefore such a practice must be abandoned. O Uddhava, you should neither praise nor abuse the nature and actions of others, because you will become preoccupied with falsehood and your best self-interest will be lost."

- the Supreme Personality of Godhead

4.27
vraja-rasasritanam bhukti-mukti-sprha tatha aisvarya-misra
vaikuntha-pati-sevapi tyajyatvena ganyah -
        asad-varta-vesya visrja mati-sarva-svaharanih
        katha mukti-vyaghrya na srnu kila sarvatma-gilanih
        api tyaktva laksmi-pati-ratim ito vyoma-nayanim
        vraje radha-krsnau sva-rati-manidau tvam bhaja manah

						Sri Raghunathapadanam
						Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswami

For the pure devotees who have taken refuge in the mellow of pure devotion in Vrndavana, even the reverential service of Lord Narayana in Vaikuntha is considered to be as adverse as the aspiration for worldly pleasure or liberation -

krsna-varta vina ana, 'asad-varta' bali' jana,

sei vesya ati bhayankari

sri-krsna-visaya mati, jivera durllabha ati,

		sei vesya mati laya hari
		suna mana, bali he tomaya

mukti-name sarddulini, tara katha yadi suni,

sarvatma-sampatti gili' khaya

tad ubhaya tyaga kara, mukti-katha parihara,

laksmi-pati-rati rakha dure

se rati prabala haÕle, paravyome deya phele,

nahi deya vasa vraja-pure

vraje radha-krsna-rati, amulya dhanada ati,

tai tumi bhaja cira-dina

rupa-raghunatha-paya, sei rati prarthanaya,

		e bhaktivinoda dina-hina
				(Bengali poem by Sri Bhaktivinoda Thakura)

"Anything but Krsna's message, know as falsehood such a passage,

such a harlot is so very dangerous:

devotion to the Lord Sri Krsna, rarely gotten by the jiva -

that harlot steals away this consciousness.

O dear mind, please hear my prayer:
And if you hear the presentation of the tigress liberation,

all the soul's good prospect she'll devour.

Both temptations please abandon, and not to speak of liberation,

curb attraction for the Lord Narayana;

by attraction to that plane, to Vaikuntha you'll be hurled down -

denied the chance to live in Sri Vrndavana.

Love for Radha-Krsna in Vraja, bestows the most precious treasure;

adore Them in your heart eternally;

Rupa-Raghunatha's feet, for such devotion, does entreat

		this Bhaktivinoda, bereft, in all humility."
						(Bengali verse translation)

iti sri-prapanna-jivanamrte sri-bhakta-vacanamrtantargatah
pratikulya-vivarjjanam nama caturtho 'dhyayah

thus ends the fourth chapter
Rejection of the Unfavorable - Words of Nectar from the Devotees
in
Life-Nectar of the Surrendered Souls
Positive and Progressive Immortality

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