Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu
by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī | 180,912 words
The English translation of the Sri Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu verse 1.2.237; a medieval era Sanskrit book, written by Rupa Goswami (fl. 15th century) which represents a devotional (bhakti) masterpiece. In this work Goswami describes the nature and different forms of pure love (rasa) as well as various other topics on Vaishnavism and devotion.
Verse 1.2.237
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation:
६४ - अथ श्री-मथुरा-मण्डले स्थितिः, यथा पाद्मे —
अन्येषु पुण्य-तीर्थेषु मुक्तिर् एव महा-फलम् ।
मुक्तैः प्रार्थ्या हरेर् भक्तिर् मथुरायां तु लभ्यते ॥१.२.२३५॥
त्रि-वर्गदा कामिनां या मुमुक्षूणां च मोक्षदा ।
भक्तीच्छोर् भक्तिदा कस् तां मथुरां नाश्रयेद् बुधः ॥१.२.२३६॥
अहो मधु-पुरी धन्या वैकुण्ठाच् च गरीयसी ।
दिनम् एकं निवासेन हरौ भक्तिः प्रजायते ॥१.२.२३७॥64 - atha śrī-mathurā-maṇḍale sthitiḥ, yathā pādme —
anyeṣu puṇya-tīrtheṣu muktir eva mahā-phalam |
muktaiḥ prārthyā harer bhaktir mathurāyāṃ tu labhyate ||1.2.235||
tri-vargadā kāmināṃ yā mumukṣūṇāṃ ca mokṣadā |
bhaktīcchor bhaktidā kas tāṃ mathurāṃ nāśrayed budhaḥ ||1.2.236||
aho madhu-purī dhanyā vaikuṇṭhāc ca garīyasī |
dinam ekaṃ nivāsena harau bhaktiḥ prajāyate ||1.2.237||
English translation
Residing in Mathurā, illustrated in the Padma Purāṇa:
“Liberation is the greatest result that can obtained at other holy places, but devotion to the Lord, which is desired by the liberated souls, can be attained at Mathurā. Mathurā bestows dharma, artha and kāma to those who have material desires. It awards liberation to those desiring liberation. It awards bhakti to those desiring bhakti. What intelligent person will not take shelter of Mathurā? Oh, Mathurā is most auspicious, and greater than Vaikuṇṭha! By staying only one day in Mathurā, bhakti to the Lord appears.”