Bhajana-Rahasya

by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura Mahasaya | 2010 | 123,965 words

The Bhajana-rahasya Text 2, English translation, including commentary (vritti). The Bhajana-rahasya is a compilation of verses describing the mercy of the eight pairs of names (Yugala-nama) of the Maha-mantra. This is text 2 belonging to the chapter “Pancama-yama-sadhana (Aparahna-kaliya-bhajana–krishna-asakti)” representing from three-and-a-half praharas of the day until dusk: approximately 3.30 p.m.–6.00 p.m.

When one performs kīrtana that is free from offences, bhāva will arise by Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s mercy. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.17–19) states:

शृण्वतां स्व-कथाः कृष्णः पुण्य-श्रवण-कीर्तनः
हृद्य् अन्तः-स्थो ह्य् अभद्राणि विधुनोति सुहृत् सताम्
नष्ट-प्रायेष्व् अभद्रेषु नित्यं भागवत-सेवया
भगवत्य् उत्तम-श्लोके भक्तिर् भवति नैष्ठिकी
तदा रजस्-तमो-भावाः काम-लोभादयश् च ये
चेत एतैर् अनाविद्धं स्थितं सत्त्वे प्रसीदति

śṛṇvatāṃ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ
hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi vidhunoti suhṛt satām
naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu nityaṃ bhāgavata-sevayā
bhagavaty uttama-śloke bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī
tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye
ceta etair anāviddhaṃ sthitaṃ sattve prasīdati

Both hearing and chanting the glories of Śrī Kṛṣṇa are purifying. Because Kṛṣṇa is the eternal friend of saintly persons, He situates Himself in the hearts of those who hear narrations of Him and He destroys their lust and other inauspicious passions. By continuous service to both Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and the mahā-bhāgavata devotee, inauspicious desires are almost completely destroyed, and irrevocable devotional service (naiṣṭhikī-bhakti) is awakened to Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who is praised with transcendental prayers. As soon as this naiṣṭhikī-bhakti is awakened, the qualities of the modes of passion and ignorance, such as lust and anger, become pacified, and one’s heart reaches the stage of purity.

याङ्र कथा श्रवण-कीर्तने पुण्य हय
सेइ कृष्ण हृदये वसिया नाशे भय

yāṅra kathā śravaṇa-kīrtane puṇya haya
sei kṛṣṇa hṛdaye vasiyā nāśe bhaya

साधकेर अभद्र क्रमशः करे नाश
भक्तिर नैष्ठिक भाव करेन प्रकाश

sādhakera abhadra kramaśaḥ kare nāśa
bhaktira naiṣṭhika bhāva karena prakāśa

रजस्-तम-समुद्भूत काम-लोभ-हीन
हैया भक्त-चित्त सत्त्वे हयत प्रवीण

rajas-tama-samudbhūta kāma-lobha-hīna
haiyā bhakta-citta sattve hayata pravīṇa

Commentary: Bhajana-rahasya-vṛtti:

Taste for the topics of Śrī Vāsudeva will manifest only after one has sincerely accepted the shelter of the lotus feet of śrī guru. By the sādhaka’s performance of the activities of sādhana, such as śravaṇa and kīrtana, his inauspiciousness–anarthas and aparādhas–will be removed, and his heart will become pure. The Supreme Lord Himself enters the devotee’s heart through the medium of hari-kathā and destroys all kinds of inauspiciousness and misfortune. In other words, the bad results of the devotee’s prārabdhakarma are destroyed, his hṛd-roga (disease of the heart in the form of lust) is removed, and Śrī Bhagavān comes to dwell in his heart forever.

Bhāgavata-sevā means service to both the book bhāgavata (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam) and the devotee bhāgavata (the pure Vaiṣṇava). As a result of this service, steady bhakti arises in the sādhaka’s heart. Naiṣṭhikī means that through niṣṭhā the mind becomes fixed. Then gradually, by the association of devotees, one’s fruitive activities, false renunciation and so forth are destroyed, and the unhealthy inclination to seek the company of non-devotees, such as impersonalists and those inclined towards enjoyment with the opposite sex, does not awaken. It is impossible to be freed from these tendencies by one’s own endeavour. Naiṣṭhikī-bhakti appears in the heart only through hearing topics of the Supreme Lord described in exalted verses spoken by highly qualified devotees (uttama-bhāgavatas ). By this act of devotion, passion, ignorance, lust, anger and so on are destroyed. Moreover, even if these qualities remain, they are just like fried seeds, unable to produce any fruit. The mode of passion (rajo-guṇa ) and the mode of ignorance (tamo-guṇa) cause sleep, distraction and desires unrelated to serving Śrī Kṛṣṇa to arise within the living entities. The words etair anāviddham in this Text mean that upon the awakening of naiṣṭhikī-bhakti, the heart of the sādhaka is not agitated by the enemies headed by lust. This is because his heart is fixed on the path of bhakti and he no longer has taste for the objects of sense enjoyment.

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