Sri Krishna Kathamrita

tava kathāmṛtaṁ tapta-jīvanam

Bindu
Fortnightly email mini-magazine from Gopal Jiu Publications

Issue No. 392 Śrī Ṣaṭ-tilā Ekādaśī 23 January 2017 Circulation 8,839

• Speech Control
His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
• Greatest Offense to the Holy Name
Highlights

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada

• Residence near Govardhan, Part 4
Srila Raghunath Das Goswami
• Avoiding Rebirth
Subhāṣitāvalī (3512) of Vallabhadeva
• Accepting Rebirth
Subhāṣitāvalī (3513) of Vallabhadeva

his students if he will agitate their minds. This is penance

as far as talking is concerned. Besides that, one should
not talk nonsense. The process of speaking in spiritual
circles is to say something upheld by the scriptures. One
should at once quote from scriptural authority to back up
what he is saying. At the same time, such talk should be
very pleasurable to the ear. By such discussions one may
derive the highest benefit and elevate human society.
— Purport to Bhagavad-gītā, 17.15

Greatest Offense to the Holy Name

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta
Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada
To consider the spiritual master to be an ordinary
human being is the gravest, most deadly offense one
can commit while chanting the holy name. If we
consider the spiritual master to be a mortal being we
will never profit from our practices. Rather, various
obstacles and problems will surface and drown us in
an ocean of material desire. No one other than the
Speech Control spiritual master is capable of protecting us from bad
His Divine Grace association. Because the living entities consider the
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada spiritual master to be an ordinary human being, they
One should not speak in such a way as to agitate the are unable to surrender to his lotus feet.
minds of others. Of course, when a teacher speaks he — Amṛta Vāṇī, a collection of statements from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta
can speak the truth for the instruction of his students, Saraswati Thakur. Originally compiled in Bengali by Sri Bhakti
Bhagavat Mayukha Maharaja. Translated into English by Bhumipati
but such a teacher should not speak to those who are not Das. Touchstone Media. Mumbai. 2004. Page 165.

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Issue Three Hundred Ninety Two, Page — 2

Drawing by Nitya Tarangini Dasi

Govardhan Hill is the Greatest Servant of Krishna

Residence near Govardhan, Part 4 So if Vrindavan has already been described as

Krishna’s own body, then simply residing at any one
Srila Raghunath Das Goswami’s
place in Vrindavan will ensure due success. Why
Govardhana-vāsa-prārthanā-daśakam then do you call me the greatest and seek permanent
With commentary attributed to residence near me through your prayers?”
Srila Baladev Vidyabhushan [Translator’s Note: Govardhan says that
A Sanskrit recitation of these ten prayers is available at: Vrindavan is already the body of Krishna. Why
https://youtu.be/rhX8HFQOwY4 then does Sri Raghunath Das Goswami glorify
Govardhan as the topmost amongst all places in
Verse 8:
Vrindavan? Is there any pramāṇa in the scriptures
giri-nṛpa hari-dāsa-śreṇi-varyeti-nāmā-
that Govardhan is the topmost in any regard?]
mṛtam idam uditaṁ śrī-rādhikā-vaktra-candrāt
Sri Raghunath Das replies to this question through this
vraja-nava-tilakatve kḷpta-vedaiḥ sphuṭaṁ me
verse [by explaining to Govardhan that he is the topmost
nija-nikaṭa-nivāsaṁ dehi govardhana tvam
amongst mountains, giri-nṛpa, and the topmost amongst
O king of mountains! From Sri Radhika’s moon-like all types of servants of Krishna, hari-dāsa-śreṇi-varya].
face was spoken your nectarean name, hari-dāsa-varya The term giri-nṛpa (king of mountains) has
— “the greatest amongst all devotees of Hari”. The already been explained in the commentary to the
Vedas clearly describe you as a brilliant new tilaka first verse [since the first verse used the similar
decorating the land of Vraja. O Govardhan! Please give adjective atula-pṛthula-śaila-śreṇi-bhūpa].
me permanent residence near you. Sri Raghunath Das Goswami says – “O greatest
Commentary: [Giriraj asks another question:] amongst mountains! The following words came from
“The Purāṇas describe a statement by Lord Krishna the moon-like mouth of Sri Radhika as described in the
glorifying Vrindavan: pañca-yojanam evāsti vanaṁ me Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (10.21.18): hantāyam adrir abalā hari-
deha-rūpakam — “This forest of Vrindavan is five yojanas dāsa-varyaḥ — ‘How amazing it is, dear friend, that this
(40 square miles) in area and is just like my own body.” hill Govardhan is the best amongst the servants of Hari.’
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Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu Issue Three Hundred Ninety Two, Page — 3

The top of Govardhan Hill

Through this verse of the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, your What is the need for any other prayer?” In reply to
nectarean name, hari-dāsa-varya, was spoken by this, Sri Raghunath Das Goswami utters this verse.
her. For this reason, in the Vedas you have been [Before explaining the terms, the commentator
clearly described as a brilliant tilaka on the forehead makes it clear that] the first phrase of the verse,
of the forest named Vraja. Therefore please give me nija-jana-yuta-rādha-kṛṣṇa-maitrī-rasākta, meaning
permanent residence near you.” “imbued with friendly rasa for Radha and Krishna
A Sanskrit proverb says, adhikasyādhikaṁ phalam along with their friends” is a separate term and is
— “Whatever is done thoroughly gives thorough an adjective to the second phrase.
results.” Thus, the mood here is that by a greater [Now, an explanation of the first phrase]: Govardhan
proximity to you (Govardhan, the best of devotees), is imbued with the rasa of friendship of Radha and
the result obtained by me will be greater. Krishna along with their respective friends.
[Translator’s Note: The commentator next gives [Explanation of the second phrase]: That same
some technical grammatical information that has Govardhan is an unparalleled giver of happiness to
been omitted in the interest of simplicity and brevity.] groups of men, animals and birds.
The mood here is that Govardhan is most merciful,
Verse 9:
because simply by a touch of the hands of Krishna,
nija-jana-yuta-rādhā-kṛṣṇa-maitrī-rasākta
it stood up and provided shelter and all happiness
vraja-nara-paśu-pakṣi-vrāta-saukhyaika-dātaḥ
to all residents of Vraja. Why should I (Raghunath
agaṇita-karuṇatvān mām urī-kṛtya tāntaṁ
Das Goswami) give up the shelter of such a merciful
nija-nikaṭa-nivāsaṁ dehi govardhana tvam
personality and seek shelter elsewhere?
O Govardhan, imbued with friendly rasa for Radha [Giriraj may object again:] “Those residents of Vraja
and Krishna along with their friends! You are an who entered my shelter and received protection were
unparalleled giver of happiness to the groups of men, full of pure love for Krishna. Not even a faint trace of
animals and birds [that took shelter of you]. Having that is present within you. How can I give you shelter?”
embraced me [and considering me as one of your Srila Raghunath Das Goswami replies by speaking the
own], please give me permanent residence near you. third line of the verse, saying, “You (Govardhan) have
Commentary: [Giriraj may say:] “Please pray for your such a mood of giving immeasurable mercy. Due to
desired object to any other suitable resident of Vraja. such mercy, please embrace me as your own in a most
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Issue Three Hundred Ninety Two, Page — 4

Photo by Ananta Vrindavan Das

Govardhan between Govinda Kund and Punchari

magnanimous way. Having done so, I am sure that Shri Batu Das. Published by Nityasvarup Brahmachari. Printed at
Devakinandan Press. Vrindavan. Vikram Samwat 1958 (~ 1901 A.D.)
you will definitely endow me with such love [that the
residents of Vraja possess].” [To be continued.] Avoiding Rebirth
— Translated by Hari Parshad Das from Stava-puṣpāñjaliḥ with the
commentary attributed to Srila Baladev Vidyabhushan. Edited by Subhāṣitāvalī (3512) of Vallabhadeva
 naśyati yāvad idaṁ na śarīraṁ
vyādhi-vṛtaṁ parameśvara tāvat
śreyasi darśaya me śubha-mārgaṁ
Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu yena punar na bhaved bhuvi janma

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permission is given to redistribute Bindu in electronic or print form — Above two verses translated by Hari Parshad Das from the
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