Chapter 6

Sri Bhakta-vacanamrtam - Words of Nectar from the Devotees

Goptrtve-varanam - Embracing the Lord's Guardianship

6.1-2
        he krsna! pahi mam natha, krpayatmagatam kuru
        ity evam prarthanam krsnam, praptum svami-svarupatah
        goptrtve varanam jneyam, bhaktair hrdyataram param
        prapatty ekarthakatvena, tad angitvena tat smrtam

        "O Krsna, please protect me! My dear Lord, kindly accept me as Your own."
        Such a prayer, as well as the prayer to obtain Sri Krsna as one's lord and master, is the supreme solace to the hearts of the pure devotees, and is known by them as goptrtve-varanam - Embracing the Lord's Guardianship. Because it expresses one and the same ideal as unconditional surrender, goptrtve-varanam is accepted as the chief of the six limbs of surrender.

6.3
sri-bhagavato bhakta-bhavenasraya-prarthanam -
        ayi nanda-tanuja kinkaram patitam mam visame bhavambudhau
        krpaya tava pada-pankaja-sthita-dhuli-sadrsam vicintaya
          Sri Sri Bhagavatas Caitanyacandrasya

Appearing as His own devotee, the Supreme Lord Himself prays for refuge -
        "O Nandanandana, son of King Nanda, although I am Your eternal servitor, I have fallen into the terrible ocean of material existence due to the fructification of my own deeds (karma). Please graciously consider me to be a particle of dust at Your lotus feet."
    - the Supreme Lord Sri Caitanyacandra

6.4
sarva-sad-guna-vigraha atma-prado harir eva goptrtvena varaniyah -
        kah panditas tvad-aparam saranam samiyad
        bhakta-priyad rta-girah suhrdah krtajnat
        sarvan dadati suhrdo bhajato 'bhikaman
        atmanam apy upacayapacayau na yasya
          Srimad Akrurasya

Only the Self-giving Lord Sri Hari, the Supreme Good, should be petitioned for guardianship -
        "You give Your affection to Your devotees, Your word is truth, You are the ever-grateful friend. Can any intelligent person thus take refuge in anyone but You? You fulfill all the desires of the sincere souls that serve You, giving Your very Self to them; and yet, You are neither augmented nor diminished thereby."
                  Srimad Akrura

6.5
sri-krsna-caranam eva prapannanam santapa-hari-sudha-varsi apapatram -
        tapa-trayenabhihatasya ghore
        santapyamanasya bhavadhvan isa
        pasyami nanyac charanam tavanghri
        dvandvatapatrad amrtabhivarsat
          Srimad Uddhavasya

The lotus feet of Lord Krsna are the umbrella to vanquish the suffering of His surrendered souls, and shower nectar upon them -
        "O Master, for persons afflicted by the triple miseries in this ghastly course of material existence, I see no other shelter but the umbrella of Your holy lotus feet, from which the rain of eternal nectar showers down."
              Srimad Uddhava

6.6
sad-ripu-taditasya santi-hinasya sva-natha-caranasrayam eva abhayasokamrta-pradam -         ciram iha vrjinartas tapyamano 'nutapair
        avitrsa-sad-amitro 'labdha-santih kathancit
        saranada samupetas tvat padabjam paratmann
        abhayam rtam asokam pahi mapannam isa
            Sri Mucukundasya

For the disturbed soul who is flogged by his six enemies, only the shelter of the lotus feet of his natural Master awards him immortality in fearlessness and sorrowlessness-         
        "O Supreme Soul, for time immemorial in this material world I have been tormented with sin, stung with remorse, and constantly harassed by my six insatiable enemies (the five senses and the mind). O gracious awarder of shelter, somehow I have come before Your holy lotus feet, which are the embodiment of fearlessness, sorrowlessness, and positive immortality. My Master, please protect this one distressed."
      Sri Mucukunda

6.7
labdha-svarupa-sandhanasya kamadi-sanga-janya-nija-vairupye
dhikkara-yuktasya saranagatasya sri-hari-dasyam eva asac-cestadito
niskrti karakatvena anubhutam -
        kamadinam kati na katidha palita durnidesas
        tesam jata mayi na karuna na trapa nopasantih
        utsrjyaitan atha yadu-pate sampratam labdha-buddhis
        tvam ayatah saranam abhayam mam niyunksv atma-dasye
                kesancit

A realization of the fact that the surrendered soul who discovers his eternal identity and denounces his perversity caused by the association of lust, anger, greed, madness, delusion, and hatred, is rescued forever from all evil pursuits by the devotional service of Lord Krsna -
        "O Lord, for so long have I obeyed the unending, wicked dictates of lust, anger, greed, madness, delusion, and hatred, but they never took pity upon me, and I have felt neither shame nor the desire to abandon them. O Lord of the Yadus, after all this, I am leaving them behind. At last I have found my genuine sanity: I am surrendered wholly unto Your lotus feet, which are the abode of fearlessness. Please now engage me as Your personal servitor."
              - revered votary

6.8
upalabdha-krsnasrayaika-mangalasya casraya-prapti-vilambane tad         aprapti-sambhavanayam udvega-prakasah -
        krsna! tvadiya pada-pankaja-panjarantam
        adyaiva me visatu manasa-raja-hamsah
        prana-prayana-samaye kapha-vata-pittaih
        kanthavarodhana-vidhau smaranam kutas te
            Sri Kulaseharasya

The expression of anguish in the suspense of delay in achieving the shelter of Lord Krsna, by one who realizes such shelter to be the only good fortune -
        "O Krsna! Please allow my mind to immediately yield to Your lotus flowerlike feet, just as the flamingo enters into the labyrinth of the lotus flowers' stems. When at the moment of my last breath my throat becomes constricted by the action of the bodily humours air, bile, and phlegm, how will I be able to remember You?"
        Sri Kulasekhara

6.9
svarupata eva sri-krsnasyabhibhavakatva-palakatva-darsanena tadasraya-prarthana -
        krsno raksatu no jagat-traya-guruh krsnam namadhvam sada
        krsnenakhila-satravo vinihatah krsnaya tasmai namah
        krsnad eva samutthitam jagad idam krsnasya daso 'smy aham
        krsne tisthati visvam etad akhilam he krsna raksasva mam
                Sri Kulasekharasya

A prayer for the shelter of Lord Sri Krsna, with the vision that He alone is the natural guardian and sustainer of the living being -
        "May Lord Krsna, the Guru of the three worlds, protect us;
    our obeisance unto Lord Krsna at all times.
        Krsna is the vanquisher of all enemies -
    I offer my obeisance unto that Krsna.
        This world emanates from Krsna;
    I am the servant of only Krsna.
        This whole universe is situated within Krsna alone -
    O Krsna! please protect me."
            Sri Kulasekhara

6.10
gopijana-vallabha eva parama-palakah -
        he gopalaka he krpa jalanidhe he sindhu-kanya-pate
        he kamsantaka he gajendra-karunaparina he madhava
        he ramanuja he jagat-traya-guro he pundarikaksa mam
        he gopijana-natha palaya param janami na tvam vina
              Sri Kulasekharasya

The only guardian is Krsna, the beloved Lord of the Gopis -
        "O tender of the cows, ocean of mercy,
    O Lord of the Goddess of Fortune;
        O slayer of Kamsa, merciful deliverer of Gajendra,
    O sweet, artful Krsna;
        O young brother of Balarama, Guru of the three worlds,
    O lotus-eyed Lord;
        O dear Lord of the Gopis, please protect me in every way -
    I know no one but You."
          Sri Kulasekhara

6.11
nitya-parsada api sarvatmana sri-krsnasrayam prarthayante -
        manaso vrttayo nah syuh, krsna-padambujasrayah
        vaco 'bhidhayinir namnam, kayas tat-prahvanadisu
              Sri-Nandasya

Even the eternal associates of the Lord pray whole-heartedly for His shelter -
        "O Uddhava, may our thoughts take refuge in the lotus feet of Sri Krsna, may our words be the chanting of His holy names, and may our bodies be engaged in making obeisance unto Him."
          Sri Nanda

6.12
vraja-lilasya sri-krsnasya palakatvam prabhavamayam -         dadhi-mathana-ninadais-tyakta-nidrah prabhate
        nibhrta-padam agaram ballavinam pravistah
        mukha-kamala-samirair asu nirvapya dipan
        kavalita-navanitah patu mam bala-krsnah
          Sri Sri Bhagavata Caitanyacandrasya

The most powerful protection is afforded by Sri Krsna, the Lord of divine pastimes in Vrndavana -
        "That child Krsna, who, awakening by the sound of butter-churning, stealthily enters the homes of the cowherd ladies, swiftly blows out the lamps with the breeze of His lotus mouth and devours the fresh butter - may He kindly protect me."
        - the Supreme Lord Sri Caitanyacandra

6.13
sarvatha yogyata-hinasyapi prapattav anadhikaro na -
        na dharma-nistho 'smi na catma-vedi
        na bhaktimams tvac caranaravinde
        akincano 'nanya-gatih saranya
        tvat pada-mulam saranam prapadye
          Sri Yamunacaryasya

Even a totally unqualified person is not unfit to surrender -
        "O supreme refuge, I am not religious, I do not know the nature of the soul, nor have I any devotion for Your holy lotus feet; therefore, I am bereft - I am bereft of all good, and I am bereft of any other shelter. Such as I am, I surrender unto the dust of Your lotus feet."
        Sri Yamunacarya

6.14
sri-bhagavatah krpavalokanam evasraya-datrtvam -
        aviveka-ghanandha-dinmukhe, bahudha santata-duhkha-varsini
        bhagavan bhava-durdine patha-, skhalitam mam avalokayacyuta
                Sri Yamunacaryasya

The shelter of the Supreme Lord is awarded by His merciful glance -
        "O Lord, spreading darkness in all directions, the clouds of ignorance are constantly raining multifarious calamities. I have lost my way in this storm of material suffering. O Infallible Lord, kindly cast Your glance upon me."
                  Sri Yamunacarya

6.15
jivasya bhagavat-palyatvam svarupata eva siddham -
    tad aham tvad rte na nathavan, mad rte tvam dayaniyavan na ca
    vidhi-nirmitam etad anvayam, bhagavan palaya ma sma jihaya
                  Sri Yamunacaryasya

It is proven to be perfectly natural for the soul to be sustained by the Lord -
        "O Lord, without You, I cannot have a guardian, and without me, You cannot have a fit recipient for Your mercy. This is our relationship as the creator and the created Therefore, please take my charge, O my Master, and never leave me."
        Sri Yamunacarya

6.16
prapannasya vividha-seva-sambandhah -
        pita tvam mata tvam dayita-tanayas tvam priya-suhrt
        tvam eva tvam mitram gurur api gatis casi jagatam
        tvadiyas tvad bhrtyas tava parijanas tad gatir aham
        prapannas caivam sa tv aham api tavaivasmi hi bharah
              Sri Yamunacaryasya

A surrendered soul's various serving relationships with the Lord -
        "For the entire creation You are father, mother, beloved son, dear well-wisher and friend. You are the Universal Guru, the ultimate refuge. And I also am Yours, sustained by You, a member of Your family. You alone are my shelter, I am Your surrendered soul, and such as I am, Your dependent."
              Sri Yamunacarya

6.17
bhagava tas-caitanyacandrasya patita-palakatvam -
        samsara-duhkha-jaladhau patitasya kama-
        krodhadi-nakra-makaraih kavali-krtasya
        durvasana-nigaditasya nirasrayasya
        caitanyacandra mama dehi padavalambam
          Sri Prabodhanandapadanam

Sri Caitanyacandra's guardianship for the fallen -
        "O Caitanyacandra, I, afallen into the miserable ocean of material existence, am being devoured by the sharks and alligators of lust, anger, greed, madness, delusion, and hatred; chained by wicked desires, I am bereft of any shelter. Please graciously grant me the refuge of Your holy lotus feet."
              Sri Prabodhananda Saraswati

6.18
nirasasyapi asa-pradam gaura-saranam -
        ha hanta hanta paramosara-citta-bhumau
        vyarthi bhavanti mama sadhana-kotayo 'pi
        sarvatmana tad aham adbhuta-bhakti-bijam
        sri-gauracandra-caranam saranam karomi
            Sri Prabodhanandapadanam

The shelter of Sri Gauracandra gives hope to the hopeless -
        "Alas, to cultivate the barren and rocky desertland of my heart, tens of millions of assiduous attempts have proven to be simply futile. Therefore, with all the will at my command, I embrace the shelter of Sri Gauracandra's lotus feet, the source of the miraculous seed of pure devotion."
            Sri Prabodhananda Saraswati

6.19
sri-krsna-caitanya-prapannasya vairagyadi-bhakti-parikara-siddhih -         vairagya-vidya-nija-bhakti-yoga-
        siksartham ekah purusah puranah
        sri-krsna-caitanya-sarira-dhari
        krpambudhir yas tam aham prapadye
          Sri Sarvabhaumapadanam

For the soul surrendered to the lotus feet of Sri Caitanyadeva, the attainment of detachment, knowledge, etc., are proven to be concomitant ornaments of devotion -
        "The endless ocean of mercy, the eternal Supreme Person, one without a second, has appeared as Sri Krsna Caitanya to teach detachment, divine knowledge, and His personal relationship in devotion. I do surrender unto Him."
              Sri Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya

6.20
sri-krsna-caitanya-prapattir eva yuga-dharmah -
        antah krsnam bahir gauram, darsitadgadi-vaibhavam
        kalau sankirtanadyaih sma, krsna-caitanyam asritah
              Sri Jivapadanam

The only pure religion of the age: surrender unto the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu -
        "Accompanied by His divine entourage, the Supreme Lord Sri Krsna Caitanya has appeared in all His pristine glory. In this age of Kali, we now take shelter in Him by means of the characteristic method of devotional service based on sankirtana, congregational chanting of the holy names. Within, He is none other than Krsna Himself and without, He is the Golden Lord Sri Krsna Caitanya."
                  Sri Jiva Goswami

6.21
sri-caitanyasritasya parama-pumartha-praptih -
        yo Õjnana-mattam bhuvanam dayalur
        ullaghayann apy akarot pramattam
        sva-prema-sampat-sudhayadbhute 'ham
        sri-krsna-caitanyam amum prapadye
          Sri Krsnadasapadanam

The soul surrendered to Sri Caitanyadeva attains the supreme perfection of human life -
        "I surrender unto that performer of miraculous deeds, Sri Krsna Caitanya, the merciful Supreme Personality who delivered the insane universe from the disease of ignorance, and then drove the world stark mad with the nectarean treasure of His sweet love divine."
        Sri Krsnadasa Kaviraja Goswami

6.22
sruti-vimrgya sri-hari-nama-samsrayanam eva parama-muktanam bhajanam -         nikhila-sruti-mauli-ratna-mala
        dyuti-nirajita-pada-pankajanta
        ayi mukta-kulair upasyamana!
        paritas tvam hari-nama samsrayami
          Sri Rupapadanam

The pure devotional service rendered by the great liberated souls: complete refuge in the holy name of the Lord, as sought after by all the Vedas -
        "The acme of all the Vedas, the Upanisads, are like a string of transcendental jewels. The tips of the toes of Your lotus feet, O Holy Name, are eternally worshiped by the radiance emanating from those jewels. You are constantly worshiped by the great liberated souls (headed by Narada and Suka, whose hearts are reposed in complete absence of worldly aspirations). Therefore, O Name Divine, I surrender unto You in every time, place, and circumstance."
                Sri Rupa Goswami

iti sri-prapanna-jivanamrte sri-bhakta-vacanamrtantargatam
goptrtve-varanam nama sasto 'dhyayah

thus ends the sixth chapter
Embracing the Lord's Guardianship - Words of Nectar from the Devotees
in
Life-Nectar of the Surrendered Souls
Positive and Progressive Immortality

NEXT CHAPTER

PRAPPANA JIVANAMRTAM TABLE OF CONTENTS



Return to[Bhaktivedanta Memorial Library Logo]