Glorifying Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī

 

श्रीरूपस्य पदास्वादः श्रीरूपस्य पदैरिह ।

भवत्येव सदा तस्मात् श्रीरूपस्य पदं श्रये ॥

​

śrī-rūpasya padāsvādaḥ

śrī-rūpasya padair iha

bhavaty eva sadā tasmāt

śrī-rūpasya padaṁ śraye

​

Translation: In this world, the constant sweet experience of śrī-rūpa-pada (the feet of the beautiful looking Krishna) happens certainly through śrī-rūpa-pada (the wonderful poetry of Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī).

​

Therefore, I take shelter of śrī-rūpa-pada (the lotus feet of Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī).

​

— (Composed by Hari Pārṣada Dāsa. 10-March-2023.)

A Composition Glorifying Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī

 

चित्तेरिणं कृतं येन प्रेमवर्षै रसाप्लुतम् ।

तं गौरार्णवसम्पुष्टं वन्दे रूपघनाघनम् ॥

​

​

citteriṇaṁ kṛtaṁ yena

prema-varṣai rasāplutam

taṁ gaurārṇava-sampuṣṭaṁ

vande rūpa-ghanāghanam

​

​

Translation: By manifesting showers of prema, he inundated the barren soil of the heart with rasa. I offer my humble obeisances to that raincloud named Śrī Rūpa, who has been well nourished by an ocean named Gaura.

​

​

— (Composed and Translated by Hari Pārṣada Dāsa, 26 January 2023)

Deity Service and other Sevās during Sūtaka

According to dharma-śāstras, sūtaka refers to the ritual impurity that occurs when someone dies in the family. Traditionally, the entire family that is within the sūtaka period decides to voluntarily quarantine itself for a few days, and thus they stop activities viz. visiting temples, performing sevā of deities etc. Hearing this, vaiṣṇavas too sometimes have queries regarding sūtaka. Here are some answers from our guru-paramparā:

​

-------------------------

Pramāṇa 1:

-------------------------

​

sūtakādau bhagavat-pūjā na kāryety āyātam, kintu yasya vaiṣṇavasya nitya-pūjā-niyamas tena tatrāpi pūjā kartavyā

​

Translation: In sūtaka etc., usually one does not perform deity worship. However, for an initiated vaiṣṇava who has a vow of nitya-vigraha-sevā (daily deity worship), this restriction is not applicable. Such vaiṣṇavas should continue to carry out deity worship even in sūtaka. — (Dig-darśinī Commentary on Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 12.65 - 68)

​

-------------------------

Pramāṇa 2

-------------------------

​

pratiṣṭhitārcā na tyājyā

yāvaj-jīvaṁ samarcayet

varaṁ prāṇasya vā tyāgaḥ

śiraso vāpi karttanam

​

Translation: Service of a deity that has been installed should never be given up (by an initiated vaiṣṇava). One should continue to worship the deity as long as one lives. Rather than giving up such service, one should give up one's life, or cut one's head. — (Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 11.266)

​

-------------------------

Pramāṇa 3

-------------------------

​

viṣṇu-parāyaṇair iti tad-doṣā nirastāḥ — "All faults pertaining to sūtaka are driven away in the case of those who are exclusively dedicated to Lord Viṣṇu." — (Dig-darśinī Commentary on Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 12.65 - 68)

​

-------------------------

​

It is thus clear that the nitya-bhajana-kriyā (daily limbs of devotional service) viz. japa, vigraha-sevā etc. should continue unhindered for initiated vaiṣṇavas even during times of sūtaka, as confirmed by the previous authorities. One may optionally decide not to go to the temple *as a visitor* during such a period, but if one has a fixed sevā of the vigrahas at the temple, then one should go and perform such sevā. Those who are not initiated by a guru however should follow all restrictions, except for japa, kīrtana and one's personal smaraṇa. These activities should never be restricted, even if one is not initiated.

​

— (Compiled and Translated by Hari Pārṣada Dāsa. 06-Jan-2023)

Committing Abominable Acts on the Strength of Bhakti

 

[An Excerpt from Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī's Bhakti-sandarbha, Anuccheda 172]

​

​

nāmno balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhir

na vidyate tasya yamair hi śuddhiḥ

​

iti pādme nāmāparādha-bhañjana-stotrādau hari-bhakti-balenāpi tat-pravṛttāv aparādhāpātāc ca |

​

​

Translation: In the Padma-purāṇa section dealing with offenses against hari-nāma and their remedies, the seventh offense is listed as follows — "A person who commits sinful acts on the strength of hari-nāma cannot be purified even after being disciplined by multiple Yamarājas."

​

​

[Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī]: One should know that this offense applies NOT ONLY when committing sinful acts on the strength of hari-nāma, but ALSO on committing such abominable acts on the strength of ANY LIMB of bhakti.

​

​

api cet sudurācāraḥ [gītā 9.30] iti tu tad-anādara-doṣa-para eva, na tu durācāratā-vidhāna-paraḥ | kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā [gītā 9.31] ity anantara-vākye durācāratāpagamasya śreyastva-nirdeśād iti |

​

​

[Doubt]: But the Bhagavad-gītā (9.30) verse says — api cet sudurācāraḥ — "Even if one commits the most abominable action...."

​

​

[Reply by Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī]: That verse of the Gītā is meant exclusively for highlighting the fault of criticizing a person who has become a 100% sādhu free of all previous sinful tendencies and has become one-pointed in bhajana, having given up everything else. That verse is not meant to encourage or justify the commitment of abominable acts by anyone.

​

​

Just see the immediate next verse of the Gītā (9.31) — kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā śaśvac chāntiṁ nigacchati — "He attains lasting peace only after becoming a dharmātmā — a saintly soul purified of all past abominable tendencies". (End of Translation)

​

​

[Note by HPD: In other words, such a person affected by abominable activities is not expected to attain peace internally as well as externally until he reclaims his position as a dharmātmā-sādhu — a saintly soul completely free from his previous tendencies and engaged one-pointedly in bhajana, free of all other distractions.

​

Only after becoming such a dharmātmā-sādhu will the "api cet sudurācāro" verse of the Bhagavad-gītā (9.30) apply. Who will decide whether he has truly become a dharmātmā? Bhagavān will decide that, and it will show externally in his deep, one-pointed, distraction-free bhajana replete with remorse and humility. Meanwhile, the society in general may judge him for his past (just as the society harshly judged the Avantī-brāhmaṇa for his past misdeeds, as described in the 11th Canto of Śrīmad-bhāgavatam). However, if someone from the society harshly judges a person who has truly become a dharmātmā-sādhu as described above, then such a critic too runs the risk of becoming engulfed in an offense against hari-nāma.]

​

​

— Excerpted from Bhakti-sandarbha, Anuccheda 172. Translation and comments by Hari Pārṣada Dāsa.

​

​

(Image: Rāvaṇa — the great devotee of Bhagavān Śiva who later committed many sinful acts on the strength of such devotion. Harshly judged by the society even today, even though he has gone back to the spiritual world in his original form as Jaya — the gatekeeper of Vaikuṇṭha)

A New Composition for Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī

निर्मथ्य भक्तिपाथोधिमुद्धृतं बहुयत्नतः ।

उपदेशामृतं येन तं श्रीरूपमुपास्महे ॥

​

​

nirmathya bhakti-pāthodhim

uddhṛtaṁ bahu-yatnataḥ

upadeśāmṛtaṁ yena

taṁ śrī-rūpam upāsmahe

​

​

Translation: We offer worship to Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī, by whom the ocean of bhakti was churned and the Nectar of Instruction i.e. Upadeśāmṛtam was extracted with great effort.

​

​

— (Composed and Translated by Hari Pārṣada Dāsa. 14 October 2022)

Binary-Bounded Bhakti

A newly composed verse glorifying Śrī Rādhā. The speciality of this verse is that a restriction has been placed while composing the verse. The restriction is that only two consonants द् ( d ) and न् ( n ) have been used while composing it. All other alphabets are either vowels or nasal sounds. The meter of the verse is 'anuṣṭup' (standard meter employed throughout śāstra).

​

​

An English and Hindi Translation as well as a short Sanskrit explanation of the verse is given below. The verse is as follows:

​

​

नानादादादिदानेन नन्दनन्दननन्दिनी ।

दीनानां नन्ददा नूनं निनुदेन्नो दिने दिने ॥

​

​

nānā-dādādi-dānena

nanda-nandana-nandinī

dīnānāṁ nandadā nūnaṁ

ninuden no dine dine

​

​

Translation [English]: By giving various gifts etc., she (Rādhikā) causes delight to the son of Nanda Mahārāja. May she — the joy-giver of the distressed souls — inspire us each and every day (in our bhakti).

​

​

— Verse Composed and Translated by Hari Pārṣada Dāsa. Śarat-pūrṇimā (09-Oct-2022). Artwork by Lila Shravani Devi.

​

​

हिन्दी भाषान्तर ​ [Hindi Translation] :— नाना उपहारादि दान देकर जो नन्दनन्दन श्रीकृष्ण को आनन्दित करती हैं, तथा जो दीन-हीनों को सुख प्रदान करती हैं — वे श्रीराधिका भक्तिमार्ग में हमें दिन प्रतिदिन प्रेरित करें ।

​

​

— (हरिपार्षद दास द्वारा रचित , शरत्पूर्णिमा , ​ विक्रमाब्द २०७९)

​

​

संस्कृतव्याख्या :— नाना-दादादि-दानेन नाना-उपहारादि-दानेन या नन्द-नन्दनस्य श्रीकृष्णस्य नन्दिनी आनन्दहेतुः श्रीराधिका । तथा च या दीनानां दुःखितानां नन्ददा आनन्दप्रदायिनी सा नूनं निश्चितं दिने दिने नः अस्मान् निनुदेत् प्रेरयतु, भक्तिमार्गे इति शेषः ।

Grammatical Glorification of Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī

A newly composed glorification of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī using all the noun declensions of Sanskrit Grammar. This verse has been composed on similar lines to Mukunda-mālā-stotram (Verse 43 of BBT Edition). A Hindi Translation of the verse is given in the comments.

​

​

श्रीरूपो हरिभक्तिसागरमथो रूपं सुवन्दै सदा

रूपेणामितभक्तितत्त्वमवितं रूपाय शश्वन्नमः ।

रूपात् कोऽपि न गौरहृन्निकटगो रूपस्य रूपं वरं

रूपे प्रीतिरिहास्तु मे दृढतमा श्रीरूप मां पालय ॥ [शार्दूलविक्रीडितम्]

​

​

[Meter: śārdūla-vikrīḍitam]

śrī-rūpo hari-bhakti-sāgara-matho rūpaṁ suvandai sadā

rūpeṇāmita-bhakti-tattvam avitaṁ rūpāya śaśvan namaḥ

rūpāt ko'pi na gaura-hṛn-nikaṭa-go rūpasya rūpaṁ varaṁ

rūpe prītir ihāstu me dṛḍhatamā śrī-rūpa! māṁ pālaya

​

​

Translation:

​

​

1) Nominative/Subject — śrī-rūpo hari-bhakti-sāgara-mathaḥ — Śrī Rūpa is the churner of the ocean of Hari-bhakti.

​

​

2) Accusative/Object — rūpaṁ suvandai sadā — May I always thoroughly glorify Śrī Rūpa.

​

​

3) Instrumental — rūpeṇāmita-bhakti-tattvam avitam — An immensely great number of philosophical truths related to Bhakti were protected by Śrī Rūpa.

​

​

4) Dative — rūpāya śaśvan namaḥ — Constant obeisances to Śrī Rūpa.

​

​

5) Ablative — rūpāt ko'pi na gaura-hṛn-nikaṭa-gaḥ — There is nobody in the world as close to Gaura's heart as Śrī Rūpa.

​

​

6) Genitive — rūpasya rūpaṁ varam — Śrī Rūpa's beauty is excellently superior.

​

​

7) Locative — rūpe prītir ihāstu me dṛḍhatamā — May my affection in Śrī Rūpa be the strongest in this world.

​

​

8 ) Vocative — śrī-rūpa! māṁ pālaya — O Śrī Rūpa! Please take care of me. __/\ò__

​

​

— (Composed and Translated by Hari Pārṣada Dāsa. 30 September 2022).