Pyari ji....Gyan, karam, yog and bhakti (part 4)

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In this regard devotees are familiar with the great Self-realized

Jnani from birth, Sri Sukadeva Paramahamsa who had renounced his

Nirvikalpa Samadhi of Brahmaananda to enjoy the bliss of Prema

Bhakti- Divine Love.

 

Many of us must have heard the most famous verse from Srimad

Bhagavatam (3.2.23), which had awakened the liberated Sage, Sri

Sukadeva goswami disturbing his nirvikalpa samadhi and forcibly

attracting him to hear more about the Gracious Lord and His Blissful

exploits from the compiler of Vedas, Sri Vyasadeva.

 

aho bakIyaM stana kAlakUTaM

jighAMsayA 'pAyayadapya sAdhvI

lebhe gatiM dhAtryucitAM tato 'nyaM

kaM vA dayAluM zaraNaM vrajema

 

- Bhagavatam 3.2.23

 

Meaning - " O, Lord! There is no One Who is as loving

and merciful as You, at Whose feet I can take refuge.

You are so causelessly merciful,

that You even gave the wicked demoness, Putana,

the place of a foster-mother in Your abode and

liberated her, even though she came to You

with the murderous intention of suckling You

with her poisoned breasts. "

 

When Lord Krishna was asked to explain His behaviour, He offered the

excuse, " She suckled Me as a mother, so I had to bless her with a

reward befitting a Mother. "

 

The moment these words entered the Paramahamsa sage Sukadeva's ears,

his intense absorption in the formless, attributeless Absolute

Brahman, was broken.

 

Observe, material words do not enter the state of samadhi, but this

verse (about Lord's matchless forgiveness) entered Sukadeva's

samadhi, and it ended abruptly.

His heart longed to hear more transcendental pastimes of Lord

Krishna.

 

AtmA ramazca munayo nirgranthA apyurukrame

kurvanty ahaitukI bhakti mitthaM bhUta guNe hariH

 

harerguNAkSipta matir bhagavAn bAdarAyaNiH

adhyagAn mahad AkhyAnaM nityaM viSNujanapriyaH

 

- Srimad Bhagavatam 1.7.10 and 11

 

Suta replied:

 

" Even the liberated sages who delight in the Self alone

and the knot of whose ignorance has been cut asunder

engage in selfless devotion to Sri Hari!

 

Those who have attained the state of Paramahamsas

become forcibly attracted to Lord Krishna.

 

There is definitely some remarkable specialty.

 

Such are His virtues!

 

This was true all the more of the Divine sage Sukadeva,

son of Veda Vyasa (Baadaraayana) and

the Beloved of Lord Vishnu's Own associates,

who studied this great chronicle (Bhagavatam) every day,

his mind having been captivated by Sri Hari's excellences.

 

Maharajji reminds the devotees reciting a few

glorious verses of the well known Jnanis of Kaliyuga,

who also happened to be great Rasik Saints.

 

Here is my favorite verse by the great Vedantist and advaita jnani,

the author of 'Gudhaartha Dipika' as well as the treatise 'Bhakti

Rasayana', Sri Madhusudana Saraswati:

 

dhyAnAbhyAsa vazIkRtena manasA

tannirguNaM niSkriyaM

jyotiH kiMcana yogino yadi paraM

pazyanti pazyantu te

 

asmAkaM tu tadeva locana

camatkArAya bhUyAcciraM

kAlindI pulineSu yat kimapi

tannIlaM maho dhAvati!

 

-Sri Mudhusudana Sarasvati- 'Gudhaartha Dipika'

 

Meaning:

 

If the yogis with their minds which have been brought under control

through the practice of meditation, see and realize some such

transcendental light that is without Divine form, qualities and

exploits, let them see!!

 

But,

for filling our blessed vision with strange astonishment and

rapture,

let there be forever that indescribable Blue form of Light alone,

Which runs about hither and thither on the sandy beaches of the

KalindiI (Yamuna) River!!!

 

 

vaMzI vibhUSita karAn nava nIradAbhAt

pItAMbarAd aruNabiMba phal AdharoSThAt,

pUrNendu sundara mukhAd aravinda netrAt

kRSNAt paraM kimapi tattvam ahaM na jAne!

 

I do not know any Absolute Reality beyond that of Lord Krishna,

Whose delicate hands are adorned with Divine flute,

Whose blue Bodily luster is that of a fresh rain-cloud,

Whose silken attire is the golden yellow robe,

Whose delicious lips are like the red, ripened fruit,

Whose charming face is beautiful like the cool full moon, and

Whose loving eyes are like the petals of blooming lotus flower!!!

 

 

-Sri Mudhusudana Sarasvati- 'Gudhaartha Dipika'

 

advaita vIdhI pathikair upAsyAH

svArAjya siMhAsana labdha dIkSAH

zaThena kenapi vayaM haThena

dAsIkRtA gopavadhU viTena

 

(Sri Madhusudana Sarasvati)

 

Sri Madhusudana Saraswati, the celebrated author of the

'Advaita- Siddhi' which contains a masterly exposition of

Advaita philosophy, had to fall from his high pedestal of

'Self-sovereignty' (ahaM brahmAsmi), the state of Jivanmukti,

living freedom from worldly bondage, fascinated by the

transcendent glow of the unearthly beauty of Lord Krishna.

 

He declared passionately:

 

" Respected and adored by the followers of the

path of 'Advaita' and having obtained a passport

to ascend the throne of 'Self-sovereignty',

I was made to surrender my all

though much against my will

at the feet of that Urchin Who

constantly follows the footsteps of

the cowherd-maids (of Brindaban). "

 

 

Also listen to what the foremost Vedantist and Advaita acarya

Adi Jagadguru Sri Shankara Bhagavatpada said-

 

When one of his desciples questioned him:

 

" mumukSunNA kiM tvaritaM vidheyam? "

 

" What should the seeker who is desirous to attain Salvation do

immediately?

 

Acarya's reply:

 

" satsangatir nirmamateza bhaktiH "

 

Shakaracarya replied that the bonds of material attachment should be

broken, and the mind attached to God and the aspirants should seek

the Association of Saints.

 

 

In fact Acarya Shankara, the unrivalled propounder of Advaita

Vedanta, advised his own mother practise Devotion to Lord Krishna,

and blessed her with the vision of the Lord.

 

Not only that, listen to his next proclamation -

 

kAmyopAsana yArthayanty anudinaM kincit phalaM svepsitam,

kecit svargam athApavargam apare yogAdi yajnAdibhiH,

asmAkaM yadunandanAMghri yugala dhyAnAvadhAnArthinAm,

kiM lokena damena kiM nRpatinA svargApavargaizca kiM?

 

- 'Prabodha Sudhakara' of Sri Adi Shankara

 

" Those who waste their time for the attainment of celestial

joys or Liberation (mukti- apavarga) are fools!

 

I do not want any of that!

I only desire to remain engrossed in the

sweet remembrance of the lotus feet of Lord Krishna.

What is the need for heaven or Mukti to

Prema Bhaktas of the Lord? "

 

Thus Sri Shankara appears to consider all objects, including final

Liberation as insignificant in comparison to constant loving

meditation of the lotus feet of Lord Krishna.

 

The verses of meditation he used to describe the transcendental

beauty and attraction of Lord Krishna are exquisite and reveal how

great Rasik Bhakta (saintly devotee) he actually was.

 

yamunA nikaTa taTa sthita

vrindAvana kAnane mahAramye

kalpa druma talabhUmau

caraNaM caraNopari sthApya

tishTaMtaM ghana nIlaM

sva tejasA bhAsayanta miha vizvaM

pitAmbara paridhAnaM

candana karpUra lipta sarvAGgam

 

Lord Krishna has taken His seat with one leg crossed

over the other, under the wish-yielding Kalpa tree,

in a most beautiful flowery bower in Vrindavana,

situated near the banks of the river Yamuna.

 

His complexion as a dark rain-ladden cloud,

illuminates the whole world with its Luster.

He is dressed in yellow silk Garments and all

parts of His transcendental body are anointed

with the paste of sandalwood and camphor.

 

AkarNa pUrna netraM

kuNDala yuga maNDita zravaNaM

manda smita mukha kamalaM

sa kaustubho dAra maNi hAraM

valayAGgulIya kAdyA n

ujjvala yantaM svalankArAn

gala vilulita vana mAlaM

sva tejasApAsta kali kAlaM.

 

His large captivating eyes seem to reach almost to

His ears which areadorned with glittering earrings.

A sweet, gentle, enchanting smile blooms from

His lotus face. He is wearing jewelery made of precious

stones, pearls and the celestial jem, Kaustubha.

The radiance of His transcendental Body enhances

the splendour of the golden bracelets, rings

and the other ornaments present on Him.

As the vanamala (garland made of five

heavenly fragrant flowers) around His neck,

is gently swaying to and fro,

His very brilliance and beauty drives away

the sinful effects of the dark age of Kali.

 

gunjAravAli kalitaM

gunjA puGjAnvite zirasi

bhuGjAnaM saha gopaiH

kunjAn tar vartinaM hariM smarata.

 

mandAra puSpa vAsita

mandAnila sevita parAnandaM

mandAkinI yuta padaM namata

mahAnanda daM mahA puruSaM

 

The curly locks of His dark hair surrounded by

the vines and fragrant flowers of the Divine bower,

are attracting the intoxicated, noisy, bumble bees.

Fondly remember and contemplate upon Lord Hari

Who is frolicking in the bower along with His cowherd

playmates and eating His midday meal joyfully.

 

Offering worship and prayers,

meditate upon that Supreme Personality,

Sri Krishna, the Bestower of the highest Bliss!

He is fanned by the gentle breeze, scented with

the fragrance of heavenly 'mandAra' flowers,

and His lotus feet are attended by the

sacred celestial river, Ganges.

 

surabhIkRta digvalayaM

surabhi zatair AvritaH paritaH

surabhIti kSapaNa mahA

sura bhImaM yAdavaM namata

 

His Divine fragrance pervades all around

as He is encircled byhundreds of blessed cows

who are attracted by His captivating beauty and

soul-stirring ethereal music pouring from His Flute.

 

Let us offer our humble obeisance to Beloved Lord,

Sri Krishna, theDescendent of Yadu dynasty,

Who even drives away the fears of heavenly gods

by terrifying and conquering the demoniac forces

with His Supreme Valor.

 

-'Prabodha Sudhakara'- Adi Jagadguru Sri Shankaracarya Bhagavatpada

 

dr. jaya

 

Jaya Sri Radhe!

 

, pyari_h <no_reply wrote:

 

> muktAnAnamapi siddhAnAM nArayaNa parAyaNah

> sudurlabhah prazAmtAtmA kotisv api mahAmune

>

> Bhagavatam 6.14.5

>

> O great sage, among many millions of liberated souls and

> perfected yogis, one may be a pure devotee of Lord Krishna

> Such an elevated, fully peaceful soul is extremely rare.

>

>