Sri Bhakti Ratnavali. Strand One, 65-82

(Brahma to Krishna)

O Lord, those who your blessed love forego,

And seek the indeterminate to know,

As those who grind the empty husk of grain,

Their only reward is labour and pain. 65

(10.14.4)

O illustrious and Almighty Lord,

From ancient days by great yogis adored,

Who did their acts dedicate and consign

By listening to narratives divine;

And by devotion came to comprehend,

That thou art the Supreme and final end. 66

(10.14.5)

(Uddhava to Nanda and Yashoda)

But ye have both the Supreme self achieved,

And the grace of Narayana received;

Who is the final cause of existence,

Born as a mortal under some pretence.

Great love for him is engendered in you,

O great ones! What remains for you to do? 67

(10.46.33)

(Uddhava to the gopis)

By vows and sacrifice and charity,

By chanting, study and austerity,

And other good deeds piously maintained,

The love of Lord Krishna can be attained. 68

(10.47.24)

(Uddhava's panegyric)

Where are these dames that roam the forest round,

Of loose morals, and where such love profound,

For Krishna in such sentiment extreme,

Who is the divine Lord and Soul Supreme?

Certes, for one who worships constantly,

The Lord shows grace, though ignorant he be,

As medicine to the patient bestows

A cure, though of its virtue little knows! 69

(10.47.59)

Nor Sri, his consort, who dwells on his chest,

Nor lotus scented nymphs of heaven blest,

And what of others, how may they compare

In their fortunes with this attainment rare?

These while in festive Rasa dancing paced,

By his serpentine arms they were embraced;

These lovesome damsels of Vraja have won

Perfection, and the rarest benison! 70

(10.47.60)

They have forsaken home and family,

Transgressed the principles of chastity,

Which is attended with hardship and pain,

The shelter of Mukunda's feet to gain.

Which the scriptures themselves who others teach,

Still find the object far beyond their reach;

Let me be born a bush, a vine or shrub,

And on my head the dust off their feet rub! 71

(10.47.61)

(Yudhisthira to Krishna)

Thou art, dear Lord, Brahman the supreme whole,

Because thou art the soul of every soul;

Sans differential outlook, nor remiss,

Thou art immersed in thine inherent bliss.

Thou art impartial like the wishing tree,

In so far as for grace they approach thee,

Thou dost their fond desires thus bestow;

For those who approach not, it is not so. 72

(10.72.6)

(Krishna to the gopis at Kuruksetra)

By their devotion directed to me,

Creatures attain to immortality;

'Tis fortunate love for me you maintained,

For by this means you have to me attained. 73

(10.82.44)

(Kavi yogendra to Nimi raja)

This teaching whereby the Lord is attained,

By the Illustrious himself proclaimed,

Is Bhagavat Dharma, of high renown,

Which can e'en by the ignorant be known. 74

(11.2.34)

A man adopting this, O my dear king,

Is not distracted even while running;

With both his eyes closed and careless of all,

He doth not stumble, trip, nor take a fall. 75

(11.2.35)

The body, speech, the intellect and mind,

The natural tendencies all consigned,

All that is done, thought or cogitated,

Be to Narayana dedicated. 76

(11.2.36)

Whatever worship, gifts, austerity,

Muttering of mantras and piety,

The wife beloved, sons, home and life-breath,

To the Supreme consecrate and bequeath. 77

(11.3.28)

Fear rises from a differential view,

Whence memory's inversion doth ensue;

The mind is from the Supreme Lord aversed,

And is in sensible objects immersed.

To remedy this vain deluded state,

The wise exclusive worship cultivate,

And see the self, the preceptor and Lord,

In unity with the object adored. 78

(11.2.37)

(Kamadeva to Nara Narayana )

On those who in your service are intent,

The gods place many an impediment,

In apprehension, jealousy and fear,

That they might surpass the celestial sphere.

But those who to the gods due portions bring,

Are free from obstacles and suffering.

Still, one in your care and dedicated,

O'ercomes and tramples down upon their head. 79

(11.3.10)

(Chamasa yogendra to Nimi)

From the Purusha's face, arms, feet and thighs,

The four-fold status of mankind arise;

Led by vipra's; graded society,

Distinguished by their innate quality. 80

(11.5.2)

Thus beings from the Lord direct derive

Their existence whereby they breath and live;

Who worship him not, but slight and disgrace,

Dislodged, descend into a lower place. 81

(11.5.3)

In this epoch of Kali, fraught with fear,

To duty and righteousness none adhere,

But Vasudeva's humble devotee

Attains perfect fulfilment doubtlessly. 82

(Not found in Srimad Bhagavatam)