9) Manah-siksa
Teachings to the Mind
(from Prarthana)
1
nitai-pada-kamala, koti-candra-susitala,
je chayay jagata juray
heno nitai bine bhai, radha-krsna paite nai,
drdha kori' dharo nitair pay
2
se sambandha nahi ja'r, brtha janma gelo ta'r,
se pasu boro duracar
nitai na bolilo mukhe, majilo samsara-sukhe,
vidya-kule ki koribe tar
3
ahankare matta hoiya, nitai-pada pasariya,
asatyere satya kori mani
nitaiyer koruna habe, braje radha-krsna pabe,
dharo nitai-carana du'khani
4
nitaiyer carana satya, tahara sevaka nitya,
nitai-pada sada koro asa
narottama boro dukhi, nitai more koro sukhi,
rakho ranga-caranera pasa
PURPORT
by His Divine Grace
A. C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
This is a very nice song sung by Narottama
Dasa Thakura. He advises that nitai-pada, the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda
(kamala means "lotus," and pada means "feet"), are a
shelter where one will get the soothing moonlight not only of one, but of
millions of moons. We can just imagine the aggregate total value of the
soothing shine of millions of moons. In this material world (jagat), which is
progressing toward hell, there is always a blazing fire, and everyone is
struggling hard without finding peace; therefore, if the world wants to have
real peace, it should take shelter under the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda,
which are cooling like the shining of a million moons. Juraya means
"relief." If one actually wants relief from the struggle of existence
and actually wants to extinguish the blazing fire of material pangs, Narottama
Dasa Thakura advises, "Please take shelter of Lord Nityananda."
What will be the result of accepting the shelter of the
lotus feet of Lord Nityananda? He says, heno nitai bine bhai: unless one takes
shelter under the shade of the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda radha-krsna paite
nai--it will be very difficult for him to approach Radha-Krsna. The aim of this
Krsna consciousness movement is to enable us to approach Radha-Krsna and
associate with the Supreme Lord in His sublime pleasure dance. Narottama Dasa
Thakura advises that if one actually wants to enter into the dancing party of
Radha-Krsna, he must accept the shelter of the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda.
Then he says, se sambandha nahi. Sambandha means
"connection" or "contact." Anyone who has not contacted a
relationship with Nityananda is understood to have spoiled his human birth. In
another song also, Narottama Dasa says, hari hari bifale janama gonainu: anyone
who does not approach Radha-Krsna through a relationship with Nityananda has
uselessly spoiled his life. Brtha means "useless," janma means
"life," ta'r means "his~" and sambandha means
"relationship." Anyone who does not make a relationship with
Nityananda is simply spoiling the boon of his human form of life. Why is he
spoiling it? Sei pasu boro duracar. Sei means ;'that," pasu means
"animal," and duracar means "misbehaved" or "the most
misbehaved." Without elevation to Krsna consciousness through the mercy of
Lord Caitanya and Nityananda, life is simply spoiled in the animal propensities
of sense gratification. Narottama Dasa says that ordinary animals can be tamed,
but when a human being is animalistic, having only animal propensities, he is
most horrible, for he cannot be tamed. Ordi- nary cats and dogs or even a tiger
can be tamed, but when a human being goes out of his way and neglects to take
to the human activity of Krsna consciousness, his higher intelligence will
simply be misused for animal propensities, and it is very difficult to tame
him. The enactment of state laws cannot make a thief an honest man--because his
heart is polluted, he cannot be tamed. Every man sees that a person who commits
criminal offenses is punished by the government, and also in scriptural
injunctions punishment in hell is mentioned. But despite hearing from scripture
and seeing the action of the state laws, the demoniac cannot be tamed.
What are they doing? Nitai na bolilo mukhe. Since they do
not know who Nityananda is, they never say the names of Lord Nityananda and
Lord Caitanya. Majilo samsara-sukhe. Majilo means "becomes absorbed."
They become absorbed in so-called material enjoyment. They don't care who Lord
Caitanya and Nityananda are, and therefore they go deep down into material
existence. Vidya-kule ki koribe tar: if one has no connection with Nityananda,
and if he does not come to Krsna consciousness, his vidya, or his so-called
academic education, and kula, birth in a high family or great nation, will not
protect him. Regardless of whether one is born in a very big family or nation
or has a very advanced academic education, at the time of death nature's law
will act, his work will be finished and he will get another body according to
that work.
Why are these human animals acting in this way? Ahankare
matta hoiya, nitai-pada pasariya. They have become maddened by a false concept
of bodily life, and thus they have forgotten their eternal relationship with
Nityananda. Asatyere satya kori mani: such forgetful persons accept the
illusory energy as factual. Asatyere refers to that which is not a fact, or, in
other words, Maya. Maya means that which has no existence but is a temporary
illusion only. Persons who have no contact with Nityananda accept this illusory
body as factual.
Narottama Dasa Thakura then says, nitaiyer koruna habe,
braje radha-krsna pabe: "If you actually want to approach the association
of Radha-Krsna, you must achieve the mercy of Lord Nityananda first. When He is
merciful toward you, then you will be able to approach Radha-Krsna." Dharo
nitai-carana du'khani. Narottama Dasa advises that one firmly catch the lotus
feet of Lord Nityananda.
Then again he says, nitai-carana satya. One should not
misunderstand and think that as he has caught hold of Maya, similarly the lotus
feet of Nityananda may also be something like that Maya, or illusion. Therefore
Narottama Dasa confirms, nitai-carana satya: the lotus feet of Nityananda are
not illusion; they are a fact. Tahara sevaka nitya: and one who engages in the
transcendental loving service of Nityananda is also transcendental. If one
engages in the transcendental loving service of Nityananda in Krsna
consciousness, he immediately achieves his transcendental position on the
spiritual platform, which is eternal and blissful. Therefore he advises,
nitai-pada sada koro asa: always try to catch the lotus feet of Lord
Nityananda.
Narottama boro dukhi. Narottama Dasa Thakura, the acarya, is
taking the position that he is very unhappy. Actually, he is representing
ourselves. He says, "My dear Lord, I am very unhappy." Nitai more
koro sukhi: "Therefore I am praying to Lord Nityananda to make me
happy." Rakho ranga-caranera pasa: "Please keep me in a corner of
Your lotus feet."
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