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Post by madanmohandas on Aug 9, 2010 19:57:28 GMT -6
Just experimenting with this text trying to get a literal version at the expence of common usage by mimicking Narottam's tripadi verses.
Salutations to the divine preceptor, who did physic the cataract of dark ignorance, with the surgical implement and salve of wisdom; so that, with eyes wide open, I might see.
When will that Rupa, who in this world fulfilled Sri Caitanya's heart's ambition, grant me by his generous grace at the tips of his holy feet a place?
To Sri guru's lotus-feet, home of singular love, I bow in all solemnity; by whose grace, brother, beyond existance we go, attaining thereby to Krsna.1
Words from Sri guru's lotus-mouth, making one in heart, entertain no other desire; love offered at Sri guru's feet, the best recourse is this, by which all aspirations are fulfilled.2
Who gave me eyes, from birth to birth is master, manifesting divine wisdom in the heart; from whose love and faith, ignorance is destroyed, whose deeds the Vedas sing;3
Sri guru, sea of compassion, friend of the base, life of his people, Lokanath. Ah me! Master, have pity, shade of thy feet give me; may the three worlds with thy fame now resound!4
With vaisnav's foot-dust, adorning the body, springs intuitive realisation; cleansing by worship in good company always, all unwisdom and ignorance is vanquished.5
Hail Sanatan, Rupa!, well springs of love-rapture, embodiments of love for the couple; by whose grace the world overcame all sorrow, having revealed the wish-yealding tree.6
The manners of loving devotion in their books well devised, were written by these two great ones; the hearing of which brings great joy to the mind, reposing in raptures of conjugal love.7
The young couple's love is like gold a thousand times refined, which wealth they have shown. Hail Rupa, Sanatan! confer on me that wealth, which as a jewel I shall adorn my neck.8
The Bhagavat scripture's essesnce is nine-fold devotion, assiduously serve that as duty; to other gods have no recourse, I tell thee, brother, this is the chief principle of worship.9
The words of saint, scripture, teacher, making one in heart, float always on the current of love; from Karmis, jnanis, void of love, keeping well aloof, Narottam sings of cardinal truths.10
Sri Rupa Goswamin has said;
Devoid of all extrenuous desire, not concealed by knowledge or works, the most agreable cultivation of Krsna's love, is devotion's highest discipline.
Giving up extrenuous desire, abandoning knowledge and works, practise worship with body and mind; serve Krsna in good company, worship no gods and goddessess, this is devotion's great cause.11
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Post by madanmohandas on Aug 14, 2010 7:14:03 GMT -6
The path trod by the great ever fondly persue, deliberating the ancient and new, practice recollection of divine exploits, in this be not remiss, employing body and mind's true essence.12
Forsake bad company, abandon other songs and tunes, shun from afar karmis and yogis; keep the society of devotees only, relish love's rapture in recitals of pastoral exploits.13
Yogis, nyasis, karmis, jnanis, worshippers and meditators on other gods, abandon these afar. Virtue, works, grief, sorrow are extrenuous, forsaking them, worship the Mountain-lifter.14
Pilgramage is but excertion in which the mind errs, for at Govinda's feet lie all perfections. Being resolved and true, abandon pride and malice, constantly practice singular worship;15
behold the forms of Krsna-devotees, keep their society, with fond regard listen and sing, worship, recall, meditate, nine-fold devotion's great wisdom, these are love's great causes.16
With senses serve Govinda, worship not gods nor goddessess, this is the theme of singular devotion. All preoccupations else are particulars of arrogance, to see which pains the mind.17
The foes which in the body dwell the senses are, who has power to resist? Ears hear but won't heed, heart knows but cannot concieve, and firm conviction cannot be held.18
Desire, wrath, greed, delusion, pride, malice, and arrogance, each in its place employed. Thus with joyful heart these adversaries subdue, and worship Govinda with ease.19
Desire resign to Krsna, wrath to devotee-haters, greed for Hari's tidings in good company, delusion in want of attainment, pride in singing Krsna's virtues, I thus employ all these faculties.20
Otherwise, extrenuous desire, source of all vice, always the path of love impedes. Yet what harm to the practitioner can desire and wrath do if he with good company is blest!21
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Post by Nitaidas on Aug 14, 2010 13:14:11 GMT -6
Humm. Run into a difficulty there, madanmohanji? I will look it up and see if I can make some sense out of it. Maybe Subrataji and/or Visakha has some input on those lines.
Here is a possible translation:
The ear, even if it hears, does not listen. The heart, even if it knows, does not know. One cannot strengthen one's conviction [resolve?].
In other words even if one hears about the enemies one does not take it seriously. Even if one knows about them one really doesn't know for sure. Thus, one cannot build up one's conviction [because of those enemies.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 15, 2010 6:56:04 GMT -6
I'll give it a try though I might be misreading of course.
sunile na sune kan, janile na jane pran, daraite na pare niscaya
With a little poetic license: "The ear hears, but will not heed; the heart knows, but won't concede. One cannot sustain one's conviction.
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Post by madanmohandas on Aug 16, 2010 6:44:50 GMT -6
Ears hear but wont heed, heart knows yet cannot concieve, and firm conviction cannot be held.
Many thanks for assistance here. Following your translations above I came up with this to insert.
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Post by madanmohandas on Aug 16, 2010 10:30:27 GMT -6
Or don't grow wrathful, always forsake vile wrath, and greed, delusion and the rest; the six foes are always base, with mind aloof from these, recall the moon-like Krsna.22
They involuntarily flee on hearing of the sound 'Govinda!', even as elephants at the lion's roar. All adversity will depart, great joy and bliss gained, by him whose worship is exclusive.23
Do not endevour for mundane gain, adoration, distinction, but always contemplate Govinda's feet; All adversity will depart, great joy and bliss gained, loving faith's supreme cause is this!24
Base company, deception, and worthless expertise, and other gods, love not these. Each to each in his own place to fond affection cleaves, and is diverted from the path of love.25
For the ways of your own worship have constant regard, sing the deeds of your chosen deity; I tell you, my brother, that singular worship is this, a truth by Hanuman confirmed.26
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Post by madanmohandas on Aug 16, 2010 10:45:12 GMT -6
The consort of Sri and Janaki's lord are one indivisable supreme self, Yet still, for me, my all-in-all Is Rama of the lotus eyes.
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Post by madanmohandas on Aug 16, 2010 13:01:55 GMT -6
The gods and the ancestral manes to great felicity attain, constantly exclaiming, 'Well done, well done!' to those who worship the couple, who float in love's joy, the three worlds make adoration.27
This one posed some question. Other translations read it quite differently. I take in this manner that the poet is assuring us that by avoiding worship of various gods there is no transgression because the gods and forfathers, whom all Hindus revere, are more pleased with their creatures when they practise exclusive worship of the chosen deity or istha deva, here Radha and Krsna.
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Post by madanmohandas on Aug 16, 2010 13:29:49 GMT -6
There are very many editions with various readings an translations. I am using the Path Bari book. I heard that a difinative edition was published by Sundarananda Vidyavinoda, but never saw a copy.
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Post by Nitaidas on Aug 16, 2010 14:10:22 GMT -6
The gods and the ancestral manes to great felicity attain, constantly exclaiming, 'Well done, well done!' to those who worship the couple, who float in love's joy, the three worlds make adoration. This one posed some question. Other translations read it quite differently. I take in this manner that the poet is assuring us that by avoiding worship of various gods there is no transgression because the gods and forfathers, whom all Hindus revere, are more pleased with their creatures when they practise exclusive worship of the chosen deity or istha deva, here Radha and Krsna. Not sure about this way of interpreting the verse. I think it is more along the lines of saying that those who go to the worlds of the gods and the forefathers obtain great happiness and think they have done quite well for themselves. But those who worship the loving couple float in the bliss of prema and for them the three worlds are insignificant or even evil.
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Post by Nitaidas on Aug 16, 2010 14:22:21 GMT -6
There are very many editions with various readings an translations. I am using the Path Bari book. I heard that a difinative edition was published by Sundarananda Vidyavinoda, but never saw a copy. I don't know about Sundarananda's edition, but I think the definitive edition was done by Nirodprasad Nath and was published by Kolkata University. It is called Narottama Das O Tanhar Racanavali. It contains all of his works as well as those attributed to him and a long introduction. It is over 800 pages long and has variant readings for each verse. For the Prema-bhakti-candrika he cites three sources: two manuscripts at the Sahitya Parishat library and Sundarananda's printed edition. It is interesting to note that the Sanskrit verse on the oneness of Srinatha, Janakinatha and Paramatman only occurs in Sundarananda's edition. It is not found in the mss. It is a strange addition there. Why suddenly praise Rama in the middle of a work on Radha and Krsna?
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Post by Nitaidas on Aug 16, 2010 14:32:38 GMT -6
Never mind. I see the point. Hanuman is referred to in the previous verse. He is the example of steady devotion to a particular deity.
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Post by madanmohandas on Aug 16, 2010 15:59:51 GMT -6
"Not sure about this way of interpreting the verse. I think it is more along the lines of saying that those who go to the worlds of the gods and the forefathers obtain great happiness and think they have done quite well for themselves. But those who worship the loving couple float in the bliss of prema and for them the three worlds are insignificant or even evil.[/quote]"
That's what others also say and it does make sense, but would you say, Nitaida, that my reading is wrong there? It seems to make more sense to me, but if my interpretation is wrong I'll change it.
I also wondered about the referance to Hanumanji as to why Narottam did not find an example from the Krsna Lila, but as you say the point is well made and Hanuman is a very popular figure. I'm trying to think how the original audience at the time would have understood it, but not to much avail.
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Post by Nitaidas on Aug 16, 2010 17:07:25 GMT -6
I wouldn't say that it is wrong. It seems to me less likely, though. The problem is connecting the line sadhu sadhu bale anuksani with the second part of the stanza beginning with yugala bhajala yara. There is nothing in the grammar that indicates that the denizens of deva-loka are saying sadhu sadhu with respect to the worshipers of the yugala. It seems more like a compare and contrast kind of situation to me. Those who worship the gods and forefathers are more or less happy with the world; those who worship the yugala see the world as worthless, even the heavenly worlds.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2010 0:02:14 GMT -6
"I don't know about Sundarananda's edition, but I think the definitive edition was done by Nirodprasad Nath and was published by Kolkata University. It is called Narottama Das O Tanhar Racanavali. It contains all of his works as well as those attributed to him and a long introduction. It is over 800 pages long and has variant readings for each verse."
Where to begin to try to find a copy of this work? Kolkata U?
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