The Pinnacle of Elegant Love

 

~ The Pinnacle of Elegant Love ~​

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यदमितरसशास्त्रे व्याञ्जि वैदग्ध्यवृन्दं

तदणुमपि न वेत्तुं कल्पते कामिलोकः ।

तदखिलमपि यस्य प्रेमसिन्धौ न किञ्चि-

न्मिथुनमजितगोपीरूपमेतद्विभाति ॥मालिनी॥

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[Meter: Mālinī (Sing like govardhana-vāsa-prārthanā-daśakam)]:

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yad amita-rasa-śāstre vyāñji vaidagdhya-vṛndaṁ

tad aṇum api na vettuṁ kalpate kāmi-lokaḥ

tad akhilam api yasya prema-sindhau na kiñcin

mithunam ajita-gopī-rūpam etad vibhāti

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Hindi: अपार रसशास्त्र में कवियों नें जिस चतुराई से रसवैचित्री की विवेचना की है, कामी लोग उसका लेशमात्र भी जानने मे समर्थ नही हैं । अब वह समूचा रसशास्त्र भी जिनके प्रेमसमुद्र के सामने अतिशय छोटा प्रतीत होता है, वह राधा-कृष्ण का युगलस्वरूप अतिशय शोभायमान हो रहा है ।

— (गोपालचम्पूः, पूर्व, २४/१०४)

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English Translation: In the limitless expanse of rasa literature, an enormous variety of romantic expertise has been expressed by the great poets. The typical lusty person cannot grasp even a tiny atom of that vast expertise.

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Now, all that romantic expertise of rasa literature becomes absolutely insignificant in comparison to the ocean of prema of a particular divine couple. That couple having the eternal form of Rādhā-Krishna appears to be the most splendid [in the entirety of creation].

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— (Gopāla-campūḥ, Pūrva, 24.104. Translated by Hari Pārṣada Dāsa)

Why Krishna and Balaram Selected A Śaiva Guru

 

 

According to the Gopāla-campūḥ (Uttara, 8th Pūraṇa), Sāndīpani Muni was a Śaiva (worshipper of Bhagavān Śiva). Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī says that Krishna and Balarāma had the following thought before they selected a guru —

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yaḥ śabde brahmaṇi niṣṇātaṁ śaivaś ca bhavati, sa eva puru-guru-kartavyaḥ

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Translation: [Krishna and Balarāma thought] — "Thus, someone who is expert in śabda-brahma (Vedas) and one who is a Śaiva should be selected as our revered guru" (End of Translation)

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The Gopāla-campūḥ further describes that they did not want to select a vaiṣṇava such as Śrī Vyāsadeva as a guru because a vaiṣṇava would understand the position of Krishna and Balarāma and hence would be unable to act in the position of a guru. Thus, a Śaiva staying in Ujjain (the abode of Śiva), was selected in the form of Sāndīpani Muni.

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— (Hari Pārṣada Dāsa. 16 Sep 2023)

A Beautiful Example of Nāmābhāsa

 

 

 

~ A Beautiful Example of Nāmābhāsa ~

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वने चरामो वसु चाहरामो नदींस्तरामो न भयं स्मरामः ।

इतीरयन्तोऽपि वने किराता मुक्तिं गता रामपदानुषङ्गात् ॥उपजाति॥

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[Meter — upajāti (Sing like gurv-aṣṭakam)]:

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vane carāmo vasu cāharāmo

nadīṁs tarāmo na bhayaṁ smarāmaḥ

itīrayanto'pi vane kirātā

muktiṁ gatā rāma-padānuṣaṅgāt

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Translation: In great fervour, the dacoits in the forest sung raucously :—

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vane carāmaḥ — We roam in the forests.

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vasu cāharāmaḥ — We loot wealth.

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nadīṁs tarāmaḥ — We effortlessly cross rivers.

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na bhayaṁ smarāmaḥ — We know no fear.

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Thus, even the forest-dwelling dacoits attained liberation by their constant contact with the name — "Rāma".

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— (Verse attributed to Rāma-candrāṣṭaka-stotram of Amara-dāsa. Translated by Hari Pārṣada Dāsa.)

The Perfection of All Yugas

 

 

 

 

 

~ The Perfection of All Yugas ~

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विबभूव विना सत्यं ध्यानं त्रेतां विना मखः

विना द्वापरमभ्यर्चा हरेर्नाम कलिं विना

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vibabhūva vinā satyaṁ

dhyānaṁ tretāṁ vinā makhaḥ

vinā dvāparam abhyarcā

harer nāma kaliṁ vinā

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[At that time]:

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— Even though it was not Satya-yuga, everyone meditated perfectly on Krishna.

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— Even though it was not Tretā-yuga, the priests performed fire-sacrifices.

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— Even though it was not Dvāpara-yuga*, the pujārīs worshipped the Viṣṇu-deities perfectly.

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— and even though Kali-yuga had not yet arrived, the holy name of Krishna was resounding everywhere.

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In this way, the simultaneous execution of the supreme perfection processes of the respective four ages was seen after the appearance of Śrī Krishna.

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— (From the Gopāla-campūḥ, Pūrva, 3rd Pūraṇa)

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* — It was not exactly dvāpara-yuga because Dvāpara had almost reached its end and such a time is technically known as Yuga-sandhyā (the period between the two yugas when the former yuga has ended and the new yuga has not yet started).

Greatest of All

 

 

~ The Greatest of All ~

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भूमावस्ति महत्तमो हिमगिरिर्मेरुश्च तस्मान्महान्

ब्रह्माण्डं च बृहत्ततोऽपि तदपि श्रीविष्णुरोम्णि स्थितम् ।

सोऽसौ शक्तिवृतश्च तास्तु सकलाः श्रीराधिकाधःस्थिता

राधा यद्धृदि सा सदास्ति परमः स श्रीलरूपप्रभुः ॥ [शार्दूलविक्रीडितम्]

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[Meter — śārdūla-vikrīḍitam (same as ṣaḍ-gosvāmy-aṣṭakam)]:

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bhūmāv asti mahattamo himagirir meruś ca tasmān mahān

brahmāṇḍaṁ ca bṛhat tato'pi tad api śrī-viṣṇu-romṇi sthitam

so'sau śakti-vṛtaś ca tās tu sakalāḥ śrī-rādhikādhaḥ-sthitā

rādhā yad-dhṛdi sā sadāsti paramaḥ sa śrīla-rūpa-prabhuḥ

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English Translation: On the surface of the earth, the greatest entity is the Himalaya Mountain.

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However, Mount Meru is greater than the Himalayas.

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The universe however, is greater even than the Meru Mountain.

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However, that universe is also a small particle situated in one of the pores of Śrī Viṣṇu (thus, Śrī Viṣṇu is greater than the universe).

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That Viṣṇu however, is surrounded in all directions by his divine potencies (thus, these potencies are greater than him).

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Those potencies however are situated below Śrī Rādhikā (thus, she is greater than all other potencies of Viṣṇu).

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However, that personality in whose heart Śrī Rādhā stays forever — that Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī is the greatest of all.

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Hindi Translation (हिन्दी अनुवाद) : इस पृथ्वी पर सबसे विशाल है हिमालय ; किन्तु उस हिमालय से भी विशाल है मेरु पर्वत । मेरु से भी विशाल है यह ब्रह्माण्ड ; किन्तु ब्रह्माण्ड तो श्रीविष्णु के एक छोटे से रोम में स्थित है (अतः श्रीविष्णु ब्रह्माण्ड से बड़े हैं) । श्रीविष्णु भी अपनी अन्तरंगा शक्तियों से सदा आवृत रहते हैं (अतएव उनकी शक्तियां उनसे श्रेष्ठ हैं), किन्तु वे सभी शक्तियां श्री राधिका के अधीन होकर स्थित हैं (अतएव श्रीराधा उन समस्त शक्तियों से श्रेष्ठ हैं) । अब वह श्रीराधा भी जिनके हृदयक्षेत्र में सदा निवास करती हैं, वे श्री रूप गोस्वामी सर्वश्रेष्ठ हैं ।

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— (Composed and Translated by Hari Pārṣada Dāsa on Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī's disappearance day. 28 August 2023).

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PS: Click the following link to hear an audio recitation of the verse by my dear godbrother Amarendra Prabhu : http://sndup.net/s9fw

An Example of Mixed Languages in the Same Verse

 

 

~ संकीर्णा जाति का उदहारण ~

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~ (An example of mixed languages in the same verse) ~

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यह पद्य शार्दूलविक्रीडितम् छन्द में रचित है । संकीर्णा जाति के पद्यों में एक से अधिक भाषाओँ का मिश्रण होता है । इस पद्य में संस्कृत तथा हिन्दी भाषा का मिश्रण है । प्रत्येक चरण में सर्वप्रथम संस्कृत शब्द हैं, और तत्पश्चात् हिन्दी शब्द । पद्य में किसी साधक को श्रीराधाकृष्ण के प्रथम दर्शन होने के अनुभव का वर्णन किया गया है :—

 

 

घ्रात्वा कस्तुरिकामिह व्रजवने / मैं स्तब्ध सा था खडा

श्रुत्वा वेणुरवं तदन्वतिमुदा / मैं ज़ोर से रो पडा ।

दृष्ट्वा त्वां तदनु श्रिया सह हरिं / निश्चेष्ट मैं हो गया

चित्तव्याध ! कुपाश एव तव मे / सर्वस्व ही खो गया ॥ [शार्दूलविक्रीडितम्]

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हिन्दी भावार्थ :—

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- श्री वृन्दावन में अचानक कस्तूरी की सुगंध को पाकर मैं स्तब्ध सा खड़ा रह गया ।

- तत्पश्चात् वेणु के मधुर नाद को सुनकर अतिशय आनन्दित होकर मैं ज़ोर से रो पड़ा ।

- हे हरि ! तत्पश्चात् आपको श्रीराधा सहित साक्षात् देखकर मैं बेहोश ही हो गया ।

- हे चित्त के व्याध (शिकारी) ! तुम्हारे द्वारा रचित इस भयंकर जाल में मेरा सर्वस्व ही खो गया ।

— (हरिपार्षद दास , १८ अगस्त २०२३)​

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This verse is in the meter śārdūla-vikrīḍitam (Same tune as ṣaḍ-gosvāmy-aṣṭakam). The first part of each line is in Sanskrit and the second part is in Hindi. This verse describes the situation of an individual who is getting a complete darśana of Krishna for the first time:

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ghrātvā kasturikām iha vraja-vane / maiṁ stabdha sā thā khaḍā

śrutvā veṇu-ravaṁ tad-anv ati-mudā / maiṁ zora se ro paḍā

dṛṣṭvā tvāṁ tad-anu śriyā saha hariṁ / niśceṣṭa maiṁ ho gayā

citta-vyādha kupāśa eva tava me / sarvasva hī kho gayā

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English Translation:

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- Upon experiencing the aroma of deer-musk in Vraja, I stood absolutely stunned.

- Thereafter, hearing the sweet sound of the flute, I started crying out in great joy.

- Thereafter, O Hari! Seeing you directly along with Śrī Rādhā, I lost all external consciousness.

- O heartless hunter of the heart! In this dreaded trap laid by you, I ended up losing everything.

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— (Composed and Translated by Hari Pārṣada Dāsa. 18 August 2023)

 

Glorification of Srila Rupa Goswami

 

 

रत्नाकराद् येन सुधाल्पकुम्भ आविष्कृतः सोऽस्तु महान् रमेशः ।

यस्त्वत्र पीयूषरसाब्धिकर्ता स श्रीलरूपोऽस्ति ममेष्टदेवः ॥ [इन्द्रवज्रा]

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[Meter: Indravajrā (Sing like gurvaṣṭakam)]

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ratnākarād yena sudhālpa-kumbha

āviṣkṛtaḥ so'stu mahān rameśaḥ

yas tv atra pīyūṣa-rasābdhi-kartā

sa śrīla-rūpo'sti mameṣṭa-devaḥ

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Translation: The Supreme Lord [Śrī Dhanvantari] — the husband of Lakṣmī who extracted a small jar of nectar from the large ocean, may certainly be great. However, that personality who ended up creating an entire ocean of nectarean rasa (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhuḥ) in this world — that personality named Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, is certainly my most worshipable deity.

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— (Composed and Translated by Hari Pārṣada Dāsa. 02-August-2023).