Verse 1.12.249-253

Bengali text, Devanagari and Unicode transliteration of verse 1.12.249-253:

হাসিযা শ্রীবাস বোলে,—“কহ দেখি, শুনি? কতি চলিযাছ উদ্ধতের চূডামণি? কৃষ্ণ না ভজিযা কাল কি-কার্যে গোঙাও? রাত্রি-দিন নিরবধি কেনে বা পডাও? পডে কেনে লোক?—কৃষ্ণ-ভক্তি জানিবারে সে যদি নহিল, তবে বিদ্যায কি করে? এতেকে সর্বদা ব্যর্থ না গোঙাও কাল পডিলা ত’, এবে কৃষ্ণ ভজহ সকাল” হাসি’ বোলে মহাপ্রভু,—“শুনহ, পণ্ডিত! তোমার কৃপায সেহ হৈবে নিশ্চিত” ॥ ২৪৯-২৫৩ ॥

हासिया श्रीवास बोले,—“कह देखि, शुनि? कति चलियाछ उद्धतेर चूडामणि? कृष्ण ना भजिया काल कि-कार्ये गोङाओ? रात्रि-दिन निरवधि केने वा पडाओ? पडे केने लोक?—कृष्ण-भक्ति जानिबारे से यदि नहिल, तबे विद्याय कि करे? एतेके सर्वदा व्यर्थ ना गोङाओ काल पडिला त’, एबे कृष्ण भजह सकाल” हासि’ बोले महाप्रभु,—“शुनह, पण्डित! तोमार कृपाय सेह हैबे निश्चित” ॥ २४९-२५३ ॥

hāsiyā śrīvāsa bole,—“kaha dekhi, śuni? kati caliyācha uddhatera cūḍāmaṇi? kṛṣṇa nā bhajiyā kāla ki-kārye goṅāo? rātri-dina niravadhi kene vā paḍāo? paḍe kene loka?—kṛṣṇa-bhakti jānibāre se yadi nahila, tabe vidyāya ki kare? eteke sarvadā vyartha nā goṅāo kāla paḍilā ta’, ebe kṛṣṇa bhajaha sakāla” hāsi’ bole mahāprabhu,—“śunaha, paṇḍita! tomāra kṛpāya seha haibe niścita” || 249-253 ||

hasiya srivasa bole,—“kaha dekhi, suni? kati caliyacha uddhatera cudamani? krsna na bhajiya kala ki-karye gonao? ratri-dina niravadhi kene va padao? pade kene loka?—krsna-bhakti janibare se yadi nahila, tabe vidyaya ki kare? eteke sarvada vyartha na gonao kala padila ta’, ebe krsna bhajaha sakala” hasi’ bole mahaprabhu,—“sunaha, pandita! tomara krpaya seha haibe niscita” (249-253)

English translation:

(249-253) Śrīvāsa smiled and inquired, “O best of the arrogant, where are You going? Why do You uselessly waste Your time by not worshiping Kṛṣṇa? Why do You spend day and night simply teaching mundane knowledge? Why do people study? Education is only for understanding devotional service of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Therefore don’t uselessly waste Your time any longer. You’ve studied enough. Now You should worship Kṛṣṇa.” Nimāi smiled and said, “Listen, Paṇḍita! That will certainly be done by your mercy.”

Commentary: Gauḍīya-bhāṣya by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura:

One day while walking on the road, the Lord met Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita. When the Lord offered him obeisances, Śrīvāsa blessed Him, saying, “May You live long.” Śrīvāsa continued, “O Nimāi, if You give up the worship of Kṛṣṇa and spend Your time in activities not related with Kṛṣṇa, there will be no possibility of Your achieving eternal auspiciousness. The purpose of learning and teaching in this world is achieved only by dovetailing

these activities in the devotional service of Kṛṣṇa. If devotion to Kṛṣṇa is not awakened by the cultivation of knowledge, then such cultivation is meaningless and fruitless. You have already studied many books, therefore do not delay any longer. Immediately engage in the topmost fruit of all studies, the worship of Lord Hari.” In answer to this, the Lord said, “O Paṇḍita, you are a devotee of the Lord. By your blessing I will soon become attached to the lotus feet of the Lord.”