Nine Gems of Pushti Philosophy.

 

He who has offered him/ her self to the Lord should not ever worry about anything. By His very nature, the Lord will not confine you to the earthly / mortal fate. (1)

Remembering the words and meaning of the Brahma Sambandha (mantra that dedicated {nivadanam} you to the Lord) in the company of godly devotees, know that the Lord is omnipotent and omnipresent. The Lord is independent of all universal laws and will hence do as He pleases. (2)

Everyone is related to the Lord, including your friends and relatives. Don't worry if anyone is not as devoted to the Lord as you would expect them to be. Through your surrender to the Lord and His absolute will, they too will turn to the Lord, so don't worry about others' spiritual fate. (3)

He/ she who has knowingly or unknowingly offered themselves to the Lord, and those who have united their soul with the Lord Krshna, must not ever worry. (4)

Also, do not worry about the Lord's acceptance of your dedication to Him. Eternally gracious, the omnipresent Lord will be your saviour, even if your submission to the Lord is imperfect. (5)

Lord will not ease your earthly (terrestrial) or spiritual matters. However, the Lord will ease your journey on the spiritual path. Simply, be a spectator of all that occurs around you and abandon your fate to the will of the Lord. (6)

Worship the Lord as directed by your Guru. However, if through divine inspiration you feel that His will is different from the directions of your Guru, you should act according to the Lord's wish. Once directed by the Lord, do not worry about the Guru's directions. It is best to engross your mind in Lord's worship and live very cheerfully. (7)

Even when your mind feels distressed, feel assured that this is the God's will and is for your ultimate benefit. Hence, you should rid yourself of all worries. (8)

If, after all these assureties, you feel worried, recite (at all times) with devotion "Shri Krshnaha Sharanam maamaa". In my (ie, Shrimad Vallabhacharyaji's) opinion, this is the only way of getting rid of all our worries. (9)

 

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SHREE NAVARATNAM

THE NINE JEWELS

 

Shri Vallabhacharya composed the Nine Jewels for his disciple Govinda Dube in order to remove the anxieties that were obstructing his Blessed Worship. His advice is clear: when you have dedicated yourself to Shri Krishna, there is simply nothing to worry about. Anxiety always obstructs the flow of devotion and recitation of this text puts the bhaktas ’ minds and hearts at ease.

 

Those who have dedicated their very Selves should never worry because the Blessed Lord, Who is established in grace, will never give them a mundane life.

Remember your dedication in the company of other accomplished bhaktas. The Supreme Being, Shri Krishna, the Self of all, will do as He pleases and will fulfill His bhakta’s desires.

Everything is connected to God and nothing can ever remain separate from Him. And so, if you engage in activities or connections that don’t seem to be related to Him, there is no reason to worry, because they actually are.

When those who have dedicated themselves with or without proper understanding should have no concerns, then what to say of those who have established their very life-force with Krishna?

Concerns regarding one’s dedication should be given over to Shri Krishna as well as anxieties regarding any other involvments in life. These worries should be renounced because Hari Himself is totally capable of taking care of His own bhaktas.

Shri Krishna, Who is established in grace, will not allow His bhaktas to feel at peace with themselves in the mundane world nor in the path of the Vedas. Therefore all grace-filled beings should remain mere witnesses to whatever happens.

Perform seva according to the guru’s instructions. If for some reason seva cannot be performed as per the guru’s directions, consider this to be the wish of Hari. One should, however, keep the mind absorbed in the seva and remain happy.

If for some reason Hari creates a situation that makes you anxious, then understand that He does everything according to His own lila. Having understood this, you should relinquish any unrelated concerns immediatly.

Therefore, with total love, feel Krishna everywhere and continually recite, “Shri Krishna is my refuge”. This is my firm conviction.

 

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Navratnam

 

INTRODUCTION TO THE TREATISE Taking pity on the divine creature His Holiness shrimad Vallabhacharya wrote a number of scriptures. Shrimad Vallabhacharya himself has shown the way to all the initiated devotees of the pure path of grace for the riddance of their worries through his holy treatise-NAVARATNAM, which he wrote for one, shree Govind Dubey (One of shree mahaprabhuji’s eighty four devotees in the) to free him from his worries and anxieties. Shree Govind Dubey was badly suffering from ambivalence and could not attend to devotional service. Then Shree Govind Dubey humbly apprised Shrimad Vallabhacharya of his mental tension by writing to him letter. As a result, Shreemad Vallabhacharya composed the holy treatise, NAVARATNAM and sent it to him (shree Dubey) with the holy command that recitation of the scripture would lead to the erasure of his mental conflict. On receipt of the letter shree Govind Dubey delightfully started the regular recitation of the NAVARATNAM. The trough reading of his holy treatise made him carefree and without tension and he become engrossed in divine service.

Only divine initiation vests one with the eligibility of divine service. The significance of divine initiation lies in the dedicated articles and commodities, according to necessity for the success of divine adoration and dedication. The divine (devout) being are deeply anxious about whether or not they should strive to arrange for the objects for further dedication after the already-dedicated wealth has been utilized in the service of the Lord, because in madding effort to manage for suitable objects for the dedication to Lord, the mind gets distracted from God and is entangled in the objects itself. As such the activities of all the sense organs correspond with it and that ultimately leads to his involvement in worldliness. The more one strives for it, the more the interruptions in divine service. Of attempt is not made, then the devotee is pained because of total dearth of an object for divine offering and the divine souls are struck with anxiety.

The dedicated soul need never, in any way, worry because anxiety makes the heart unstable and interrupts divine dedication. If, having been initiated, the dedicated objects are put to otherwise use, the devotee naturally feels perturbed. But the utilization of all the objects is governed by the will of God. Hence the devotees should not feel concerned even at the otherwise use of objects. The anxiety should be abandoned conceiving Acharya shree Vallabh’s utterance NIJECCHATAHKARISYATI, that is, God performs as He wills because Lord is profusely gracious. He never allows the terrestrial way gather better of the devotees. Hence one should clearly understand God’s path of Grace and assuming all to be the sport of Lord Shree Krishna, put all one’s anxieties aside. Total absolution is possible only through the recitation of God’s pious name. One should, therefore, keep constantly saying the eight-lettered sacred formula “SHREE DRISHNA SARANAM MAMA” (I seek refuge in Lord Shree Krishna). In order to drive away the worries and cares the Acharya Shree in the holy treatise NAVARATNA exhorts:

 

(1)

Those who have dedicated their souls, etc. should not be careworn, become the initiated soul are fully settled in the path of divine grace. Hence the gracious God will never let them incline toward the terrestrial ways.

The initiated ones should be assailed neither with worldly cares nor with the anxiety about God’s favour. The individual soul must have the belief that in his being initiated, God Himself will do everything for his (individual’s) benefit, as it is the way of God that He assumes the well-being of one who has been owned by Him. Therefore, for the sale of testing or owing to fatality even if God delays, there is no cause of concem.

QUERY:

If anybody comments that such an assumption will cause unstrained behavior leading to extroversion, at this Shree Madacharya Charan commands (in the following couplet):

 

(2)

The initiated soul should unreservedly keep contemplating the divine initiation in the company of devoted soul (who have identified themselves with Him). (Of the original text contains the word SARVADA, it will mean “always”). In the absence of constant recollection of divine initiation one is charged with demoniac thoughts and feelings. In response to the query-God should be prayed to or not for the purpose of celestial or terrestrial accomplishments, his Holiness Shree Mahaprabhuji exhorts: the dedicated soul should not pray for anything, because the one to whom the dedication has been made is the Supreme Self and the soul of all. He will perform all and everything of His own freewill or He will do in accordance with the will of his dedicated souls totally free from all perversions.

QUERY:

If one is again struck with the anxiety that the physique, etc. once dedicated to the Lord are utilized for one’s wife and progeny, etc. it amounts to clear violation of one’s path.

For the solution of such type of anxiety, Shrimad Vallabhacharya commands:

 

(3)

After initiation all the dedicated objects belong to God. Those who have initiated don’t have any different type of relationship (other then those who have been dedicated.) such is the propriety of acceptance in divine initiation. While dedicating, the one is the chief entity and he surrenders his each and everything alone with him. At the time of dedication the person dedicating occupies-his soul, his physique his vitality, his senses, his conscience, his wife, his progeny and his wealth, etc. Automatically stand initiated. As inanimate objects like wealth, etc. are just mutually utilized, one shouldn’t feel embarrassed. Similarly, what cause of concern is their if animate objects or self are mutually engrossed in various types of duties. One’s wife, etc. stand naturally dedicated on one’s own initiation. Thus one’s relations with all of them are also dedicated. But because the animated objects like the wife, etc. have their independent existence, their separate initiation is also essential. Only then, according to ‘THE SIDDHANTA RAHASYAM’ (THE SECRET OF DOCTRINE), the five categories of defects are absolved. The inanimate objects like the wealth, etc. are under the sole possession of one who dedicates. They, therefore, become immaculate with the initiation of the self.

 

(4)

 ‘To dedicate everything to God id the supreme fruit’, the initiated persons not knowing this fact belonging to their inferior category as also those initiated persons fully knowing this fact falling under the mediocre category need not at all worry. Over and above these two aforementioned categories, how then can the initiated devotees who have dedicated themselves heart and soul to Lord Shree Krishna ever be assailed with any kind of botheration. Of the nine categories of devotion, Sravan, Kirtan, Smaran are under the control of the individual soul.

There are two kinds of Padsevan devotion-one, going on foot to a holy shrine, etc.; this is under the possession on the individual soul. Second, the devotional service of God’s lotus feet; this depends entirely upon the supreme will of the Lord.

Arcan, vandan, dasya are possible even when the face-to-face interaction with God is not possible but camaraderie, and self-dedication, are possible only when the adorable deity becomes interactive with the devotee and when it is acceptable to Him. Now –a-days face-to-face dialoge with God is rare. One naturally worries about whether or not the self-surrender has been admitted by the Lord. To drive away this (ambivalence) the Shreemad Acharya Charan enjoins (in the ensuing couplet).

 

(5)

The initiated souls should give up the anxiousness about the admission of initiation by SHREE PURUSHOTTAMA. ‘Purushottam’ prefixed with ‘SHREE’ here represents the constant association of the devotees with LORD SHREE KRISHNA. All the cowherds of Vraj would one time worship INDRA, the rain god. The Lord Shree Krishna weaned away all of them from him and granted his patronage to them (the Vraj-devotees). Those who have surrendered their all and sundry to God, need never worry. The Lord remains with His devotees and He nourishes them (His devotees) by deigning His own delectable divine sight to them. So one need not nurse any botheration about the admission of one’s dedication by the Lord. Because of terrestrial; disturbances if an individual soul, due to temperamental weakness, makes use of other sources for dispelling them (worldly disturbances). Even then there is no cause of concem. On madding use of other sources due to larches or inadvertence, God shall not forsake him because the Lord never expects any means from His devotee for his redemption or deliverance. The Lord so omnipotent and drives away everybody’s sins and pains.

 

(6)

The trouble-remover Lord, being Gracious, will not allow comfort or peace of mind and ease in the performance of tress trial affairs and vaidic rituals, etc. to his devotees. Despite being well engrossed in terrestrial and vaidic matters-body, word and mind, if, due to disturbances and distractions, how can then one expect the fruit thereof? The Lord is the absorber of pains. Hence He naturally grants all the cherished accomplishments irrespective of terrestrial and vaidic endeavors. After being initiated in The Path of Grace, the Lord does not expect any bond of terrestrial or vaidic proprieties. Divine duty having been attained, the terrestrial and vaidic confines automatically evaporate. The mundane and vaidic obligations should, therefore, be discharged with apathy.

QUERY:

What to do of the disturbances in terrestrial or vaidic matters arise?

SOLUTION:

With regard to such an apprehension Shree Madacharya Charan commands that the devotees should remain distance spectators. What God does in terrestrial and vaidic affairs should be witnessed as an indifferent spectator.

The seventh SKANDH of the Holy Scripture Shreemad Bhagvarta reads under the characteristics of al godly householder. One should support without attachment what one’s parents, progeny, other kin and members of one’s race say. To behave accordingly is the trait of divine adoption.

It has been exhorted that one should sight only the doing of God in the terrestrial and vaidic disturbances. For his, three types of patience 1.Corporal, 2. Sensual and 3. Divine have been suggested as a remedial measure. But initiation is rendered futile in the absence of sincere service of the Lord and it leads to the annihilation of one’s Duty. If such an anxiety springs up, Shreemad Vallabhacharya commands the measures for its riddance in the couplet that follows.

 

(7)

 ‘One must remain highly devoted to one’s spiritual teacher just as one remains dedicated to God’. So states the SVETASVAVATRSRUTI. Hence it is the duty of the initiated persons to serve God acceding as their spiritual preceptor commands. One should nerve God in exactly the same manner in which the spiritual teacher or preceptor directs. Of the Lord gives specific commands in dream or in persons regarding the materials, etc. for divine service, his command must be carried out provided it be for the comfort of the Lord himself and not for the comfort of the individual soul. Divine service is the prime concem of the initiation creatures. Hence they should live cheerfully with a mind solely inclined to divine service. The devotee should remain a mere spectator regarding terrestrial matters but not respecting matters of divine service.

QUERY:

One can remain a spectator in a trivial discomfort but how can one to remain indifferent or a sheer spectator in a state of insufferable distress? As remedy, the Shree Mahaprabhuji exhorts (in the ensuing couplet).

 

(8)

 ‘One should rid oneself of one’s worry thinking that mental perturbation and all else are nothing but divine sports. Whatever the Lord decrees to drive away the fatal sins, etc. of the devotees, may appear auspicious or for that matter inauspicious outwardly, and as such may cause restlessness in the heart but the devotee should take it for granted that whatever the Lord does to destroy the gross sin of the devotees by creating unease in their hearts is nothing but divine sport. The worry causing restlessness to causing by restlessness must be instantly give up because being wrapped up in long anxiety, if devilish feelings override the devotee due to preponderance of time, temperament and Action, this leads to delay or hindrance in the realization of fruit. Hence the worry or anxiety should instantly be given adieu.

(In the couplet given heretofore, Acharya Shree Mahaprabhuji has given the solution to the worry regarding initiation and otherwise use (of the initiated). In the couplet that follows Acharya Shree, dwelling upon the uniformity of means and fruit, graciously gives the solution)

 

(9)

As stated about the individual souls themselves do not have the capacity to do all and everything. Hence one should continuously keep uttering ‘Shree Krishna saranam mama’ with all his being. This is my conviction. To enter into the path of devotion and have interest the rein. Grace of God alone is the soul cause. Even after one has engrossed him self in devotion, it is possible that fatal or temporal disturbances may take place in divine service, which are done away with by God, the sovereign ruler. Hence the refuge of the Lord is the ultimate means. Seeing the helplessness of the individual soul who has resorted to the refuge of the Lord. He endows him (the individual soul) with all the supernal accomplishment. The profound import of this all, therefore is that God will provide all accomplishments to one seeking His refuge with all one’s being. Irrespective of the similar feeing in the innermost heart, constant saying of (Shree Krishna Saranam Mama) is essential. To clarify this constant saying Shrimad Vallabhacharya has thus exhorted:

To keep saying like this leads to the learning of other persons. Too, or constantly uttering eight-letter spiritual formula- (Shree Krishna Saranam Mama) and remaining engrossed in divine service, it also means so.

QUERY:

Whether or not the individual soul can do even these much (At this) Shrimad Vallabhacharya commands: ‘this is my conviction’. In the Tenth SKANDH of the Holy Scripture Shrimad Bhagvat Shree Akrur has humbly implored Lord Shree Krishna “I have sought refuge at lat lotus feet. This is your grace, I assume so.” Hence the individual soul van resort to the refuge of the Lord only when God showers His grave in him. Shrimadacharya commands that those of our devotees who have ultimately dedicated themselves to the refuge of the Lord, they are His (God’s) favorite ones. Thinking so whatever I (Shrimad Vallabhacharya) have uttered, the devotees have to depart themselves accordingly.

 

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navaratnastotram

cintā kāpi na kāryā niveditātmabhi ḥ kadāpīti.
bhagavānapi pu ṣṭ istho na kari ṣ yati laukikī ṃ ca gatim..1..

nivedana ṃ tu smartavya ṃ sarvathā tād ṛ śairjanai ḥ.
sarveśvaraśca sarvātmā nijecchāta ḥ kari ṣ yati..2..

sarve ṣ ā ṃ prabhusambandho na pratyekamiti sthiti ḥ.
ato'nyaviniyoge'pi cintā kā svasya so'pi cet..3..

ajñānādatha vā jñānāt k ṛ tamātmanivedanam.
yai ḥ k ṛṣṇ asātk ṛ taprā ṇ aiste ṣ ā ṃ kā parivedanā..4..

tathā nivedane cintā tyājyā śrīpuru ṣ ottame.
viniyoge'pi sā tyājyā samartho hi hari ḥ svata ḥ..5..

loke svāsthya ṃ tathā vede haristu na kari ṣ yati.
pu ṣṭ imārgasthito yasmātsāk ṣ i ṇ o bhavatā'khilā ḥ..6..

sevāk ṛ tirgurorājñābādhana ṃ vā harīcchayā.
ata ḥ sevāpara ṃ citta ṃ vidhāya sthīyatā ṃ sukham..7..

cittodvega ṃ vidhāyāpi hariryadyatkari ṣ yati.
tathaiva tasya līleti matvā cintā ṃ druta ṃ tyajet..8..

tasmātsarvātmanā nitya ṃ śrīk ṛṣṇ a ḥ śara ṇ a ṃ mama.
vadadbhireva ṃ satata ṃ stheyamityeva me mati ḥ..9..

iti śrīvallabhācāryaviracita ṃ navaratnastotra ṃ samāptam.

 

 

नवरत्नस्तोत्रम्

 

चिन्ता कापि न कार्या निवेदितात्मभिः कदापीति ।
भगवानपि पुष्टिस्थो न करिष्यति लौकिकीं च गतिम् ॥१॥

निवेदनं तु स्मर्तव्यं सर्वथा तादृशैर्जनैः ।
सर्वेश्वरश्च सर्वात्मा निजेच्छातः करिष्यति ॥२॥

सर्वेषां प्रभुसम्बन्धो न प्रत्येकमिति स्थितिः ।
अतोऽन्यविनियोगेऽपि चिन्ता का स्वस्य सोऽपि चेत् ॥३॥

अज्ञानादथ वा ज्ञानात् कृतमात्मनिवेदनम् ।
यैः कृष्णसात्कृतप्राणैस्तेषां का परिवेदना ॥४॥

तथा निवेदने चिन्ता त्याज्या श्रीपुरुषोत्तमे ।
विनियोगेऽपि सा त्याज्या समर्थो हि हरिः स्वतः ॥५॥

लोके स्वास्थ्यं तथा वेदे हरिस्तु न करिष्यति ।
पुष्टिमार्गस्थितो यस्मात्साक्षिणो भवताऽखिलाः ॥६॥

सेवाकृतिर्गुरोराज्ञाबाधनं वा हरीच्छया ।
अतः सेवापरं चित्तं विधाय स्थीयतां सुखम् ॥७॥

चित्तोद्वेगं विधायापि हरिर्यद्यत्करिष्यति ।
तथैव तस्य लीलेति मत्वा चिन्तां द्रुतं त्यजेत् ॥८॥

तस्मात्सर्वात्मना नित्यं श्रीकृष्णः शरणं मम ।
वदद्भिरेवं सततं स्थेयमित्येव मे मतिः ॥९॥

 

इति श्रीवल्लभाचार्यविरचितं नवरत्नस्तोत्रं समाप्तम् ।

 

 

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अन्तःकरणप्रबोध

Antakaran Prabodha

 

अंतःकरण मद्वाक्यं सावधानतया शृणु ।
कृष्णात्परं नास्ति दैवं वस्तुतो दोषवर्जितं ॥१॥

a ṃ ta ḥ kara ṇ a madvākya ṃ sāvadhānatayā ś ṛṇ u.
k ṛṣṇ ātpara ṃ nāsti daiva ṃ vastuto do ṣ avarjita ṃ..1..

O my mental faculties (mind, intelligence, ego and consciousness)! pay attention to what I say. Definitely, there is no greater and flawless god than Lord Krishna. 1

 

चाण्डाली चेद्राजपत्नि जाता राज्ञा च मानिता ।
कदाचिदपमानेsपि मूलतः का क्षतिर्भवेत ॥२॥

cā ṇḍ ālī cedrājapatni jātā rājñā ca mānitā.
kadācidapamānespi mūlata ḥ kā k ṣ atirbhaveta..2..

Let a lower caste woman gets married to a king and is respected by him. Later, even if, she is sometime disrespected by the king, actually, her status is not lost. 2

 

समर्पणादहं पूर्वमुत्तमः किं सदा स्थितः ।
का ममाधमता भाव्या पश्चातापो यतो भवेत ॥३॥

samarpa ṇ ādaha ṃ pūrvamuttama ḥ ki ṃ sadā sthita ḥ.
kā mamādhamatā bhāvyā paścātāpo yato bhaveta..3..

Was I always in good condition, before surrendering to Lord? So there is no point in repenting over my misery. 3

 

सत्यसंकल्पतो विष्णुर्नान्यथा तु करिष्यति ।
आज्ञैव कार्या सततं स्वामिद्रोहोsन्यथा भवेत ॥४॥

satyasa ṃ kalpato vi ṣṇ urnānyathā tu kari ṣ yati.
ājñaiva kāryā satata ṃ svāmidrohosnyathā bhaveta..4..

Surely, infallible Lord Vishnu will not do anything wrong, so constantly obeying him is my duty. I will be disloyal to him if I act against his wishes. 4

 

सेवकस्य तु धर्मोsयं स्वामी स्वस्य करिष्यति ।
आज्ञा पूर्व तु या जाता गंगासागर संगमे ॥५॥

sevakasya tu dharmosya ṃ svāmī svasya kari ṣ yati.
ājñā pūrva tu yā jātā ga ṃ gāsāgara sa ṃ game..5..

This, only is the duty of a devotee. Rest will be taken care by Lord himself. Earlier, at the confluence of the Ganga and the sea, what he has instructed. 5

 

याsपि पश्चानमधुवने न कृतं तद्द्द्वयं मया ।
देहदेश परित्यागस्तृतीयो लोक गोचरः ॥६॥

yāspi paścānamadhuvane na k ṛ ta ṃ tadddvaya ṃ mayā.
dehadeśa parityāgast ṛ tīyo loka gocara ḥ..6..

And later, what he has instructed in Madhuvan, I have not obeyed both of them. Those were - renunciation of Search this site this body, place and the visible world. 6

पश्चातापः कथं तत्र सेवकोहं न चान्यथा ।
लौकिकप्रभुवत्कृष्णो न द्रष्टव्यः कदाचन ॥७॥

paścātāpa ḥ katha ṃ tatra sevakoha ṃ na cānyathā.

laukikaprabhuvatk ṛṣṇ o na dra ṣṭ avya ḥ kadācana..7..

Why to repent over it, I am only his devotee. Lord Krishna should never be looked as a worldly god. 7

 

सर्व समर्पितं भक्त्या कृतार्थोsसि सुखीभव ।
प्रौढापि दुहिता यद्वत्‌ स्नेहान्न प्रेष्यते वरे ॥८॥

लोकवच्चेत्स्थिर्मे स्यात्‌ किंस्यादितिविचाराय ।
अशक्ये हरिरेवास्ति मोहं मागाः कथञ्चन ॥९॥

sarva samarpita ṃ bhaktyā k ṛ tārthossi sukhībhava.
prau ḍ hāpi duhitā yadvat snehānna pre ṣ yate vare..8..

lokavaccetsthirme syāt ki ṃ syāditivicārāya.
aśakye harirevāsti moha ṃ māgā ḥ kathañcana.9..

Surrender everything to Lord Krishna with devotion and become fulfilled and blissful. As daughter is not sent to his husband by parents even after her maturity due to attachment her husband will not be happy over it. We should not act similarly with our body (by not offering it to God). Just think, I was to be evaluated based on this world idea, where would I be. 8-9

 

इतिश्री कृष्णदास्य वल्लभस्य हितं वचः ।
चित्तं प्रति यदाकर्ण्य भक्तो निश्चिंततां व्रजेत ॥१०॥

itiśrī k ṛṣṇ adāsya vallabhasya hita ṃ vaca ḥ.
citta ṃ prati yadākar ṇ ya bhakto niści ṃ tatā ṃ vrajeta..10...

In difficult situations, only Shri Hari is mine and I should not get deluded. Remember these beneficial words of Vallabh, a devotee of Lord in your mind and become carefree. 10

 

 

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Antakaran Prabodha

Exhortation to my Heart

(free translation of the original Sanskrit)

 

O my heart, listen very attentively to what I have to say. There is no deity truly devoid of all faults except Lord Krushna.

If an untouchable woman were to become a queen, and, as the preferred lady of the King, she would be greatly honoured. But at a later time, if she was to fall from his favour, would there be any fundamental loss of status for her?

Did I always stand so high before I offered myself to the Lord? Than what great depths could I plunge to that would cause me to repent?

Since whatever He wills always comes to pass, Lord Vishnu will not act in any other way (with you). His command, and that alone, must be carried out always (by you)! To act in other way would be to betray the Lord. This is the duty of a servant. The Lord will fulfil his duty.

It was where the Ganges joins the sea that the Lord gave me the first command to abandon this body. Later, in Madhuvan (forest near Gokul) came the second command to leave my place. I did not obey these two (commands). The third renunciation (He has commanded) has this world as its scope.

(Or – Of the Lord’s three commands, to abandonment of body and place, the third, has this world as its scope.) What cause is there for repentance in this? I am his servant, and nothing else. And Krushna should never be looked upon as an earthly lord.

You have offered everything with true devotion. You have reached your goal. Be happy!

Just as parents, out of attachment, do not send their daughter to her husband, though she is full-grown (and thus displease her husband). So, you must avoid that in the matter of your body, or your husband (Lord Krushna) will be displeased. Consider this, if my situation were to be judged by worldly standards, where would I be?

In (any) impossible (situation), there is Hari alone, let there be no confusion about that!

This is the good counsel of Lord Krushna’s beloved servant, Vallabh, to his own heart. If he only listens to this, a devotee will become free from (all) worries.

 

 

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anta ḥ kara ṇ aprabodha ḥ

anta ḥ kara ṇ a madvākya ṃ sāvadhānatayā ś ṛṇ u.
k ṛṣṇ ātpara ṃ nāsti daiva ṃ vastuto do ṣ avarjitam..1..

cā ṇḍ ālī cedrājapatnī jātā rājñā ca mānitā.
kadācidapamāne'pi mūlata ḥ kā k ṣ atirbhavet..2..

samarpa ṇ ādaha ṃ pūrvamuttama ḥ ki ṃ sadā sthita ḥ.
kā mamādhamatā bhāvyā paścāttāpo yato bhavet..3..

satyasa ṅ kalpato vi ṣṇ urnānyathā tu kari ṣ yati.
ājñaiva kāryā satata ṃ svāmidroho'nyathā bhavet..4..

sevakasya tu dharmo'ya ṃ svāmī svasya kari ṣ yati.
ājñā pūrva ṃ tu yā jātā ga ṅ gāsāgarasa ṅ game..5..

yāpi paścānmadhuvane na k ṛ ta ṃ taddvaya ṃ mayā.
dehadeśaparityāga ḥ t ṛ tīyo lokagocara ḥ..6..

paścāttāpa ḥ katha ṃ tatra sevako'ha ṃ na cānyathā.
laukikaprabhuvatk ṛṣṇ o na dra ṣṭ avya ḥ kadācana..7..

sarva ṃ samarpita ṃ bhaktyā k ṛ tārtho'si sukhī bhava.
prau ḍ hāpi duhitā yadvatsnehānna pre ṣ yate vare..8..

tathā dehe na kartavya ṃ varastu ṣ yati nānyathā.
lokavaccetsthitirme syātki ṃ syāditi vicāraya..9..

aśakye harirevāsti moha ṃ mā gā ḥ kathañcana.
iti śrīk ṛṣṇ adāsasya vallabhasya hita ṃ vaca ḥ.
citta ṃ prati yadākar ṇ ya bhakto niścintatā ṃ vrajet..10..

iti śrīvallabhācāryaviracito'nta ḥ kara ṇ aprabodha ḥ samāpta ḥ.

 

 

 

अन्तःकरणप्रबोधः

 

अन्तःकरण मद्वाक्यं सावधानतया श‍ृणु ।
कृष्णात्परं नास्ति दैवं वस्तुतो दोषवर्जितम् ॥१॥

चाण्डाली चेद्राजपत्नी जाता राज्ञा च मानिता ।
कदाचिदपमानेऽपि मूलतः का क्षतिर्भवेत् ॥२॥

समर्पणादहं पूर्वमुत्तमः किं सदा स्थितः ।
का ममाधमता भाव्या पश्चात्तापो यतो भवेत् ॥३॥

सत्यसङ्कल्पतो विष्णुर्नान्यथा तु करिष्यति ।
आज्ञैव कार्या सततं स्वामिद्रोहोऽन्यथा भवेत् ॥४॥

सेवकस्य तु धर्मोऽयं स्वामी स्वस्य करिष्यति ।
आज्ञा पूर्वं तु या जाता गङ्गासागरसङ्गमे ॥५॥

यापि पश्चान्मधुवने न कृतं तद्द्वयं मया ।
देहदेशपरित्यागः तृतीयो लोकगोचरः ॥६॥

पश्चात्तापः कथं तत्र सेवकोऽहं न चान्यथा ।
लौकिकप्रभुवत्कृष्णो न द्रष्टव्यः कदाचन ॥७॥

सर्वं समर्पितं भक्त्या कृतार्थोऽसि सुखी भव ।
प्रौढापि दुहिता यद्वत्स्नेहान्न प्रेष्यते वरे ॥८॥

तथा देहे न कर्तव्यं वरस्तुष्यति नान्यथा ।
लोकवच्चेत्स्थितिर्मे स्यात्किं स्यादिति विचारय ॥९॥

अशक्ये हरिरेवास्ति मोहं मा गाः कथञ्चन ।
इति श्रीकृष्णदासस्य वल्लभस्य हितं वचः ।
चित्तं प्रति यदाकर्ण्य भक्तो निश्चिन्ततां व्रजेत् ॥१०॥

 

इति श्रीवल्लभाचार्यविरचितोऽन्तःकरणप्रबोधः समाप्तः ।

 

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विवेकधैर्याश्रय

Vivekadhairyashrayah

 

Having been admitted to the path of Devotion, the followers of the path of Grace tend to render devotional service in attaining the spirit of service to God. Shree Madacharya Charan has enunciated in the Navaratnam treatise about the affirmation of Devotion by Divine service and has abated in a nutshell about The Prudence or The Discrimination, The Patience or Forbearance and The Refuge. But strengthening of devotional service is not possible unless one has distinctive knowledge of the Prudence or Discrimination, etc. hence Shree Acharya Charan has dwelt at length in prudence to Discrimination, Patience or fortitude and refuge in order to infuse strength in the divine service performed by his devotees. ShriMadacharya Charan has not described the prudence to discrimination, the patience or forbearance and the refuge in a general sense in this treatise but has elucidated them in specific definitional or technical sense. VIVEKADHAIRYASHRAYH

 

विवेकधैर्ये सततं रक्षरणीय तथाश्रयः
विवेकस्तु “हरिः” सर्व निजेच्छातः करिष्यति ॥१॥

vivekadhairye satata ṃ rak ṣ ara ṇ īya tathāśraya ḥ
vivekastu “hari ḥ ” sarva nijecchāta ḥ kari ṣ yati..1..

One should always uphold the prudence or discrimination and the patience or forbearance. (For the attainment of these two), the resort, too, likewise is maintainable. The Lord will perform everything of His own accord. That the Lord is Hari. The remover or eradicator of disturbances is the first prudence or prudence or discretion. Hari is the eraser of his devotees sins and discrimination God alone grants both the mundane or terrestrial achievement accomplished with one’s own efforts as also those celestial tasks employed in the devotional service; hence the first and foremost prudence or discrimination is not to strive (for anything) by giving up devotional service. It is this, which has been explained or expressed in the couplet ‘CHINTAKAPI NA KARYA’. That is, nothing to worry about of the NAVARATNAM TREATISE.

QUERY:

How will God provide any accomplishment without offering prayer to him?

SOLUTION

The Lord does not expect anybody’s prayer. He performs everything of his own will or according to the pure will of His devotees. Hence not to offer any prayer (for the fulfillment of an object) is the second prudence or discrimination. It is this, which has been represented in the ‘SARVESVATSCA SARVATMA’ of the NAVARATNAM TREATISE.

(Why should prayer be not offered time and again? For such inquisitiveness it has been exhorted ahead).

 

प्रार्थिते वा ततः किं स्यात्‌ स्वाम्यभिप्रायसंशयात्‌ ।
सर्वत्र तस्य सर्वं हि सर्वसामर्थ्यमेव च ॥२॥

prārthite vā tata ḥ ki ṃ syāt svāmyabhiprāyasa ṃ śayāt.
sarvatra tasya sarva ṃ hi sarvasāmarthyameva ca..2..

Or because of doubt in the intention (of the Lord) what will even prayer result in? It is because all the things at all the places are His (God’s) and he does possess omnipotence.

Because we don’t get at the intention of the supreme Master, hence prayer leads to nowhere. God will perform (everything) of his own accord. If he does not will. He will not do (anything). Why should therefore, offering prayer harm one’s duty? To understand so, is the third prudence or discrimination.

All the things at all the places belong to God and God has the power to bestow every required thing. The thing, which is required, is traditionally given or bestowed by God himself. But the ignorant (individual believes that he has earned it for himself with his own endeavor. The initiated soul should comprehend that whatever he possessed before being initiated, was granted to him buy God alone, since he has now been admitted by God. He (God) alone will grant him (the initiated soul) all the objects without a prayer being offered for. Believing firmly so, only devotion service should be performed but one should make no efforts for them giving up devotional service. This is the Fourth prudence or discretion.

 

अभिमानस्य संत्याज्यः स्वाम्यधीनत्व भावनात्‌ ।
विशेतश्वे दाज्ञा स्यादन्तः करणगोचरा ॥३॥

तदा विशेषगत्यादि भाव्यं भिन्नं तु दैहिकात्‌ ।

abhimānasya sa ṃ tyājya ḥ svāmyadhīnatva bhāvanāt.
viśetaśve dājñā syādanta ḥ kara ṇ agocarā..3..

tadā viśe ṣ agatyādi bhāvya ṃ bhinna ṃ tu daihikāt.4(a)

 

PARAPHRASE Regarding oneself under one’s supreme master one should give up pride born of egotism. Of the conscience experiences the specific command of the Lord regarding celestial service, one should accordingly perform the devotional service. The specific command of the Lord must be obeyed or observed in case to so quite apart from one’s physical relatives (wife and children) including one’s one self. (Otherwise- service should be performed according to the command of Shree Madacharya Charan).

After divine initiation one should be free the pride of self-ownership of one’s physique. Etc. has been dedicated to God; hence all of them are under the control of God. Nursing such a feeling, one always thinks oneself under the control of the Lord and feels all the tasks other than those perfumed for the service of the Lord as sacrilegious and all the tasks performed for the service of God make one feel one’s divine duty. Such a follower of the Path Of Grace performs only divine service and alienates himself from other tasks taking them to be undesirable.

This is the Fifth prudence or discrimination.

This very idea has been expressed by Shrimad Prabhu Charan (Shree Gusanyee jee) in the explanation of this couplet “NIVEDANAM TU SMARTAVYAM”. Just as the self has been owned by for them. This itself is embodied in the exposition of the couplet ‘CHINTA KAPI NA KARYA’ of the treatise NAVARATNAM that is, one should give up terrestrial and metaphysical anxiousness while performing divine service with prudence or discrimination, etc. according to the command of Shree Acharya Mahaprabhu, if the Lord commandment should specifically be implemented or else let Shrimad Vallabhacharyaji’s command regarding service be obeyed.

How to know of Lord’s specific command?

About such an apprehension Shree Vallabhacharya Charan exhorts to remember that the Lord is immanent and intuitive. ‘Feelings thought conscience’ means to be acquainted by Lord in the dream or the devotee himself innately feels because of the heart being the dwelling place of the Lord. If the devotee is given the specific command by the Lord. Regarding his from or divine sports, the devotee should act accordingly otherwise Shrimad Vallabhacharya’s command should prevail. Lord’s specific commands, too, should be obeyed only when it is aside from the devotee’s physical relatives (wife and children) including one’s own self. This has been explicitly stated in the couplet ‘SEVAKRTIRGURO RAJNA BADHANAM VA HARICCHAYA’ of the NAVARATNAM TREATISE. Having surrendered oneself, the devotee keeping in mind his dedication, should, under God’s pleasure, engage himself in only those mundane pursuits, which are indispensable. Special mundane tasks shouldn’t be insistently performed.

This is the Sixth prudence or discrimination.

(The devotional service calls for wealth. In the event of paucity of wealth, whether or not the provisions for divine service be arranged on credit?) In this regard Shrimad Vallabhacharya’s commands (in the next couplet).

 

आपद्‌गत्यादिकार्येषु हठस्त्याज्यश्च सर्वथा ॥४॥

अनाग्रहश्च सर्वत्र धर्माधर्माग्रदर्शनम्‌ ।
विवेकोsयं समाख्यातोधैर्यं तु विनिरूप्यते ॥५॥

āpadgatyādikārye ṣ u ha ṭ hastyājyaśca sarvathā..4..

anāgrahaśca sarvatra dharmādharmāgradarśanam.
vivekosya ṃ samākhyātodhairya ṃ tu vinirūpyate..5..

 

Insistence should be given up in all respects on the tasks in times of hardship. Without insisting on all the tasks one should weight and consider all the tasks of righteousness and unrighteousness, viz., first of all one should ascertain as to which one of the two tasks involves more righteousness and which one has more unrighteousness. Considering this the former should be adored and the latter be forsaken. I (Shrimadacharya Charan) have thus averred about the prudence or discrimination. Hence I now undertake to portray or explain patience or forbearance.

In the times of hardship, insistence on arranging provisions in accordance with the past tradition should totally by given up. One should also quite shun the insistence on performing devotional service according to traditional mode by borrowing (moneyed.). One should feel ratified on offering to God whatever the devotee dedicates to God observing the propriety of the path of Grace, God in person or in manifest form admits all that. When insistence is forbidden in celestial performance, then the question of insisting on mundane matters doesn’t at all arise.

This is the Seventh prudence or discrimination

There should be no insistence on all subjects appertaining to SMRTI and VEDAS. One should not at all insist on conducting oneself according to SMARTTA or SRAUTADIC duties leaving aside command should performed during the time other than the one employed in devotional service. The duties that are apart from the service of God should be looked upon with apathy.

This is the Eighth prudence or discrimination.

QUERY:

How to be apathetic towards vaidic duties?

For the removal of such a doubt Shree Madacharya Charan commands that one should foresee the righteous and the unrighteous. The performance, which might result in unrighteousness, should be forsaken. The duties-SMARTTA, SRAUTA (Vaidic) and divine –are progressively mightier. There is nothing improper of SMARTTA DHARMA is abandoned while performing Vaidic duty. Likewise in the observance of divine duties are given up, there is nothing inappropriate, as divine duty is the mightiest of all.

Considering so, one shouldn’t insistently pursue SMARTTA and Vaidic duties.

This path does not recognize the Lord’s command to act as authoritative.

For the preclusion of such an apprehension the devotees of God should perform actions, etc. In this way prudence or discrimination has been elaborated. Now Shrimadacharya Charan couplets Chittodvegam Vidhayapi of the Navaratnam treatise, patience or fortitude have been portrayed but Shrimadacharya Charan dwells at length upon it. Henceforth the characteristic of patience or forbearance is to stated.

 

त्रिदुःखसहनं धैर्यमामृतेः सर्वतः सदा ।
तक्रवद्भेहवभाव्यं जडवद्‌गोपभार्यवत्‌ ॥६॥

tridu ḥ khasahana ṃ dhairyamām ṛ te ḥ sarvata ḥ sadā.
takravadbhehavabhāvya ṃ ja ḍ avadgopabhāryavat..6..

 

Patience or forbearance implies the perennial bearing of all the three types-the corporal, the sensual and the divine-of sufferings in every respect even if a pain like that of death is felt or till the life exists. Corporal pains should be borne like the loss of buffer milk.

In suffering sensual pain one should behave like jadabharat (a grate Indian saint) and in undergoing divine pains one should deport like the cowherdesses. While suffering all the three type of aforementioned discomforts, if the mind, the physique and the senses get perturbed, the devotional service is far from perfect. Hence for the accomplishment of the service it has been exhorted that all the three types of agonies should be borne.

The example of buffer milk has been cited as to the suffering of corporal pains. After the butter having been chummed out, the worthless buttermilk is spilled; it doesn’t cause any pain, similarly after the shedding of the attachment of blood or bodily relations (sons and wife, etc.) like the loss of buttermilk, the affrint, etc. Caused by them, is not painful. The divine assignment accomplished by physique is like the butter. Thinking so, one should have the feeling like that of butter in divine deeds. The example of jadabharat (a great saint) has been cited consuming the baring sensual sufferings like the lust and anger, etc. because of all the senses being immersed in divine feeling, jadabharat did not feel any pain due to his being insensitive to pain or pleasure.

One, who tends towards divine service, must take it for granted that all the senses are divine service. Lust and angered. Don’t torment one who is charged with divine reminiscence. Because of this understanding, it has been commanded that the feeling of jadabharat be hatched.