Bhakti Ratnavali, Strand One, 10-30

Observations on the general character of bhakti

sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo

yato bhaktir adhokṣaje

ahaituky apratihatā

yayātmā suprasīdati

Indeed, mans' highest duty is to be,

Devoted to Adhoksaja Hari;

Sans motive and without impediment,

Whereby the soul achieves supreme content. 1.10

(1.2.6)

vāsudeve bhagavati

bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ

janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ

jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam

The yoga of devotion when applied,

To Lord Vasudeva, the lotus-eyed,

Engenders dispassion without delay,

And transcendental wisdom doth convey. 11

(1.2.7)

sattvaṁ rajas tama iti prakṛter guṇās tair

yuktaḥ paraḥ puruṣa eka ihāsya dhatte

sthity-ādaye hari-viriñci-hareti saṁjñāḥ

śreyāṁsi tatra khalu sattva-tanor nṛṇāṁ syuḥ

Sattva, Rajas, Tamas, the gunas three,

Are assumed by the Supreme Deity,

And thus the one into three parts divides,

And each over each quality presides.

Hari resorting to Sattva upholds,

From Virinchi the creation unfolds,

And when the form of Hara he assumes,

With his power the universe consumes.

Among these the form of Sattva sublime,

Affords mankind beatitude divine. 12

(1.2.23)

ato vai kavayo nityaṁ

bhaktiṁ paramayā mudā

vāsudeve bhagavati

kurvanty ātma-prasādanīm

Thus poets and devotees take delight

The deeds of the Almighty to recite;

Since worship of Vasudeva the Lord,

Doth to the self beatitude afford. 13

(1.2.22)

mumukṣavo ghora-rūpān

hitvā bhūta-patīn atha

nārāyaṇa-kalāḥ śāntā

bhajanti hy anasūyavaḥ

The seekers of salvation shun the hosts

Of Bhuta-pati's elemental ghosts;

But worship the emanations sublime,

Sans envy, of Narayana divine. 14

(1.2.26)

akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā

mokṣa-kāma udāra-dhīḥ

tīvreṇa bhakti-yogena

yajeta puruṣaṁ param

Desireless, with all desires possessed,

Or seeking to be with salvation bless'd,

The discerning, with intense devotion,

Will worship the Supreme Primeval One. 15

(2.3.10)

vāsudeva-parā vedā

vāsudeva-parā makhāḥ

vāsudeva-parā yogā

vāsudeva-parāḥ kriyāḥ

vāsudeva-paraṁ jñānaṁ

vāsudeva-paraṁ tapaḥ

vāsudeva-paro dharmo

vāsudeva-parā gatiḥ

Vasudeva in the Vedas is shown;

Vasudeva as the pure rite is known;

Vasudeva is the yoga supreme;

Vasudeva as pure duty is seen;

Vasudeva is high wisdoms' decrees;

Vasudeva is strict austerities;

Vasudeva is righteousness sublime;

Vasudeva is final goal divine. 16/17

(1.2.28/29)

yamādibhir yoga-pathaiḥ

kāma-lobha-hato muhuḥ

mukunda-sevayā yadvat

tathātmāddhā na śāmyati

By yoga practices strictly maintained,

Lust and greed are not easily restrained,

As by satisfaction derived complete,

In service to Mukunda's holy feet. 18

(1.6.35)

bhakti-yogena manasi

samyak praṇihite ’male

apaśyat puruṣaṁ pūrṇaṁ

māyāṁ ca tad-apāśrayām

In loving communion he fixed his mind,

In contemplation, taintless and refined,

He then beheld the Perfect Being Great,

And saw Maya in her dependent state. 19

(1.7.4)

devānāṁ guṇa-liṅgānām

ānuśravika-karmaṇām

sattva evaika-manaso

vṛttiḥ svābhāvikī tu yā

animittā bhāgavatī

bhaktiḥ siddher garīyasī

When faculties of sense perception tend,

And acts are done as scripture doth commend,

Intent on one singular objective,

Spontaneously and without motive,

With love directed to the Supreme Lord,

Surpasseth even salvation's reward. 20

(3.25.32)

jarayaty āśu yā kośaṁ

nigīrṇam analo yathā

The subtle body is consumed entire,

As food digested is by gastric fire. 21

(3.25.33)

naikātmatāṁ me spṛhayanti kecin

mat-pāda-sevābhiratā mad-īhāḥ

ye ’nyonyato bhāgavatāḥ prasajya

sabhājayante mama pauruṣāṇi

But there are some who longingly aspire

To me, and service of my feet desire;

These Bhagavats foregather to prolong

My deeds heroic and virtues in song.

They relish in my service such delight,

And would not in oneness with me unite. 22

(3.25.34)

paśyanti te me rucirāṇy amba santaḥ

prasanna-vaktrāruṇa-locanāni

rūpāṇi divyāni vara-pradāni

sākaṁ vācaṁ spṛhaṇīyāṁ vadanti

O mother, they behold my charming face

With dawn-red eyes, beaming with smiles of grace;

Those devotees to see me always pine,

And I display my gentle forms divine;

They converse with familiarity,

And with their pleasant speech they talk to me. 23

(3.25.35)

tair darśanīyāvayavair udāra-

vilāsa-hāsekṣita-vāma-sūktaiḥ

hṛtātmano hṛta-prāṇāṁś ca bhaktir

anicchato me gatim aṇvīṁ prayuṅkte

These forms when they behold with vast delight,

Playful, noble, with smiling glances bright,

Their hearts, minds and senses engrossed in me,

They relish pure devotions' ecstasy;

Though salvation they do not seek to gain,

They yet the highest salvation attain. 24

(3.25.36)

atho vibhūtiṁ mama māyāvinas tām

aiśvaryam aṣṭāṅgam anupravṛttam

śriyaṁ bhāgavatīṁ vāspṛhayanti bhadrāṁ

parasya me te ’śnuvate tu loke

And thus they do not seek my splendid state,

Nor wealth, nor the yoga perfections eight;

They do not hope my supreme realm to gain,

But that and more in this world they obtain. 25

(3.25.37)

na karhicin mat-parāḥ śānta-rūpe

naṅkṣyanti no me ’nimiṣo leḍhi hetiḥ

yeṣām ahaṁ priya ātmā sutaś ca

sakhā guruḥ suhṛdo daivam iṣṭam

Never at any time, O mother dear,

Need my devotees be subject to fear;

They are not dislodged from their cherished aim,

Neither from time nor sword an hurt sustain;

Because they have for me friendship sincere,

And I as the beloved self am dear,

They view me as preceptor, friend and son,

Well wishing Deity and chosen One. 26

(3.25.38)

imaṁ lokaṁ tathaivāmum

ātmānam ubhayāyinam

ātmānam anu ye ceha

ye rāyaḥ paśavo gṛhāḥ

visṛjya sarvān anyāṁś ca

mām evaṁ viśvato-mukham

bhajanty ananyayā bhaktyā

tān mṛtyor atipāraye

They are not into fond attachment hurled,

Nor in this world nor in the other world;

For the body and those things related,

Cattle and wealth, good sons and the homestead;

But worship me as Universal Lord,

And beyond death I take them for reward. 27/28

(3.25.39/40)

nānyatra mad bhagavataḥ

pradhāna-puruṣeśvarāt

ātmanaḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ

bhayaṁ tīvraṁ nivartate

Otherwise there is none aside from me,

Of the soul and nature the Deity;

Whom beings can resort to and revere,

And cast away the dread of mortal fear. 29

(3.25.41)

tasmāt tvaṁ sarva-bhāvena

bhajasva parameṣṭhinam

tad-guṇāśrayayā bhaktyā

bhajanīya-padāmbujam

Therefore you should in every way adore

The Lord Almighty, and his grace implore;

Resort to him, with all virtues replete;

Most worshipable are his lotus-feet. 30

(3.32.22)