Text 6

The method of bhajana and place of residence of one who possesses the mood described in the previous Text is explained in Śrī Upadeśāmṛta (8):

तन्-नाम-रूप-चरितादि-सुकीर्तनानुस्मृत्योः क्रमेण रसना-मनसी नियोज्य
तिष्ठन् व्रजे तद्-अनुरागि-जनानुगामी कालं नयेद् अखिलम् इत्य् उपदेश-सारम्

tan-nāma-rūpa-caritādi-sukīrtanānusmṛtyoḥ krameṇa rasanā-manasī niyojya
tiṣṭhan vraje tad-anurāgi-janānugāmī kālaṃ nayed akhilam ity upadeśa-sāram

While living in Vraja as a follower of those who are attached to Śrī Kṛṣṇa, one should utilise all his time by gradually transferring the absorption of his tongue and mind from matters other than Kṛṣṇa to the chanting and remembering of narrations of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s name, form, qualities and pastimes. This is the essence of all instruction.

कृष्ण-नाम-रूप-गुण-लीला-सुकीर्तन
अनुस्मृति-क्रमे जिह्वा-मनः-संयोजन

kṛṣṇa-nāma-rūpa-guṇa-līlā-sukīrtana
anusmṛti-krame jihvā-manaḥ-saṃyojana

कुञ्जे वास अनुरागि-जन-दासी हैया
अष्ट-काल भजि लीला मजिया मजिया

kuñje vāsa anurāgi-jana-dāsī haiyā
aṣṭa-kāla bhaji līlā majiyā majiyā

Commentary: Bhajana-rahasya-vṛtti:

The essential meaning of this Text is that, in accordance with his own bhāva, the sādhaka should remember his beloved Śrī Kṛṣṇa as well as His devotees who possess the same mood as himself. One should reside in Vraja-maṇḍala while being immersed in chanting the names of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, such as Rādhā-ramaṇa and Rādhā-rāsa-bihārī, that are favourable to his own bhāva, and in hearing narrations of pastimes connected to those names. If it is not possible to reside in Vraja physically, one should reside there mentally.

This Text explains both the process of bhajana and the best place to perform bhajana. No place is superior to Vraja-maṇḍala for performing bhajana of Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. The most exalted devotees, such as Brahmā and Uddhava, therefore, pray to take birth in Vraja as a blade of grass or a plant.