CD 14 NITI PADA KAMALA

Track 4 - 8:49 Minutes

Purport to Bhajah Re Mana

By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda

Bhajah re mana, r-nanda-nandana-abhaya-cararavinda re. This is a song composed by

Govinda dsa, a great poet and Vaiava. He says, addressing his own mind Because mind is the
center of all elevation. In the Bhagavad-gt it is said that if you have your mind controlled, then
your mind is the best friend. But if your mind is uncontrolled, then he is your greatest enemy. So
we are seeking after friend or enemy. So both of them are sitting with me. If we can utilize the
friendship of the mind, then we are elevated to the highest perfectional stage. But if we create
mind as my enemy, then my path to hell is clear. Therefore Govinda dsa hkura, he is
addressing his mind. The yogis try to control the mind by different gymnastic process. That is
also approved. But it takes a long time, and sometimes there are failures. In most cases they are
failures. Even a big yogi like Vivmitra, he also failed, what to speak of these teeny and
nonsensical yogis.
So Govinda dsa advises that "You just engage your mind in Ka consciousness. Then mind
becomes automatically controlled.'' If the mind has no chance of being engaged in any other
business except Ka consciousness, then he cannot become my enemy. It is automatically my
friend. That is the instruction in the rmad-Bhgavatam: sa vai mana ka-padravindayo
[SB 9.4.18]. Lord, King Ambara, he first of all engaged his mind on the lotus feet of Ka. So
similarly, here also, Govinda dsa hkura, he is asking his mind: "My dear mind, you just engage
yourself to the lotus feet of abhaya-cararavinda.'' Abhaya-cararavinda. That is the name of
the lotus feet of Ka. Abhaya means fearless. If you take shelter of the lotus feet of Ka then
you immediately become fearless. So he advises "My dear mind, you just engage yourself on the
service of the lotus feet of Govinda.'' Bhajah re mana r-nanda-nandana. He does not say
"Govinda.'' He addresses Ka as "the son of Nanda Mahrja.'' "Because that lotus feet is
fearless, you will have no more any fear from the attack of my."
"Oh, I have got to enjoy so many things. How can I fix up my mind on the lotus feet of Ka?''
Then Govinda dsa advises, "No, no.'' Durlabha mnava-janma. "You don't waste your life in that
way. This human form of life is very rare. Out of many, many thousands and millions of births,
you have got this opportunity.'' Durlabha mnava-janama sat-sage. "Therefore don't go
anywhere. You just associate with pure devotees.'' Taraha ei bhava-sindhu re. "Then you shall be
able to cross of the ocean of nescience.'' "Oh, if I engage my mind always in Ka, then how I
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shall enjoy my family, my other paraphernalia?'' So Govinda dsa says, ei dhana yauvana. "You
want to enjoy your wealth and your youthful ages,'' ei dhana yauvana, putra parijana, "and you
want to enjoy the society of friendship, love and family, but I say,'' ithe ki che paratti re, "do you
think that there is transcendental pleasure in these nonsense thing? No, there is none. It is
simply illusion.'' Ei dhana yauvana, putra parijana, ithe ki che paratti re. Durlabha
mnava-janama sat-sage, taraha ei bhava sindhu re.
Then again he says that ta tapa bta bariaa ei dina jmin jgi 're, viphale sevinu kpaa
durajana capala sukha-laba lgi' re. Now Govinda dsa is reminding his mind: "You have
experience of your material happiness. So material happiness means, the ultimate goal of
material happiness is sex life. But don't you remember how long you can enjoy this sex life?"
Capala. "Flickering. Say, for a few minutes or moment. That's all. But for that purpose you are
working so hard?" ta tapa. "Don't care for snowfall. Don't care for scorching heat. Don't care
for torrents of rain. Don't care for keeping night duty. Whole day and night you are working.
And what is the result? Simply for that flickering momentous enjoyment. Are you not ashamed
of this?" So ta tapa, bta bariaa, ei dina jmin jgi re. Dina means day, and jmin means
night. So "Day and night, you are working so hard. Why?" Capala sukha-laba lgi' re. "Simply for
that flickering happiness." Then he says, ei dhana yauvana, putra parijana, ithe ki che paratti re.
"There is no happiness actually, eternal happiness, transcendental happiness, in enjoying this
life, or this youthful age, or family, society. There is no happiness, no transcendental happiness."
Therefore kamala-dala-jala, jvana alamala. "And you do not know how long you shall enjoy
this life. Because it is tottering. You are on the tottering platform. Just like there is water on the
lily leaf. It is tilting. At any moment it will fall down. So our life is tilting. At any moment it may
collapse. We may meet, by chance, any danger, and finished. So don't waste life in that way.''
Bhajah hari-pada nti re. "Be always engaged in Ka consciousness. That is the success of your
life.'' And how to discharge this Ka consciousness? He advises, ravaa krtana, smaraa
vandana, pda-sevana dsya re. You can adopt out of the nine ways of devotional service any one.
If you can adopt all of them, that's very nice. If not, you can adopt eight of them. You can adopt
seven of them, six of them, five of them, four of them. But even if you adopt only one of them,
your life will be successful. What are those nine methods? ravaa krtanam. Hearing from
authoritative sources. And chanting. ravaa krtanam. Smaraam. Memorizing. Vandanam,
prayers. ravaa krtana, smaraa vandana, pda-sevanam. Offering service to His lotus feet
as eternal servant. Pjana sakh-jana. Or just try to love Ka as your friend. tma-nivedana. Or
give up everything for Ka. That is the way of devotional service, and Govinda dsa is aspiring
after that Ka consciousness business.