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Post by malati on Jun 8, 2011 1:07:42 GMT -6
Jai Sri Krishna
Sorry I have not posted here for a few days as I was down with the flu and my son had to use the laptop I normally use because his computer died and he had to review for his university final exams for this semester (In Australia, college generally means high school).
Below is the next verse for our meditation.
37. O Narayan, O Pundarikanayana, O Rama, O Sitapati, O Govinda, O Acyuta, O Nandanandana, O Mukunda, O Ananda, O Damodar, O Vishnu, O Raghava, O Vasudeva, O Nrhari!
O crest-jewel among the principal gods!
O steersman who pilots the boat to cross over the ocean of worldly existence!
O Hari! O Krishna!
My salutations to thee.
Madanmohandasji
As I said I was just quoting from G. Raina's translation and I know nothing about translations of shastras. As a result your comment didnt register much with me. Anyway, I'm sure those who know will get something from it. Thanks.
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Post by madanmohandas on Jun 8, 2011 3:21:21 GMT -6
Never mind Malati if my comments were irrelevant to you; they were minor observations. I thought it might be interesting or as they say 'jnAtavya' worth knowing, ie, that although the text attributes the ' he gopAlaka..............etc. sloka to 'Sri Vaisnava' it is worth knowing that the sloka is by Kulasekhara. Many would already know it but don't mind reminding.
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Post by malati on Jun 13, 2011 1:17:26 GMT -6
Thank Krishna, after the flu that forced me to get some break from the internet, I live another day to post this meditation on your attributes.
38. O deity of the fig tree of Govardhana, who is adorned with peacock feathers
O most excellent one, whose limbs are anointed with sandalwood paste
O proprietor of the forest of Vrindavan, who exudes the dark hue of blooming blue lotuses
O beloved of the Yamuna river, who is the dear child of Nanda!
O lotus-eyed one, who is the nature of the supreme bliss of the spirit
O Govinda, O Mukunda. O embodiment of beauty!
Pray grant divine bliss to my fallen self!
. Sri Gopal Bhatta
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Post by madanmohandas on Jun 13, 2011 12:59:47 GMT -6
Welcome back Malati. The 'Fig tree of Govardhan' is the Bhandira-vata. The European fig tree is quite a different affair. There is an informative passage in Milton's Paradise Lost, Canto 9.
So counselled he, and both together went
Into the thickest wood; there soon they chose
The Fig-tree; not that kind for fruit renowned,
But such as at this day, to Indians known,
In Malabar or Deccan spreads her arms
Branching so broad and long, that in the ground
The bended twigs take root, and daughters grow
About the mother tree, a pillared shade
High overarched, and echoing walks between.
Such I suppose was (is) the Bhandira tree where Krsna plays as ruling prince and hence he is called Bhandiresa.
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Post by madanmohandas on Jun 13, 2011 13:45:59 GMT -6
The above verse (38) concludes the section on Nama Sankirtana and differs from the preceeding verses in that it addresses compound epithets exclusivey related to Vrndavana Lila. The last phrase of the verse goes, ' mAM dInamAnandaya' which is beautiful in its simplicity of expression meaning, ' I am wretched, make me happy.' A bit like Narottam's line, ' narottama bara duhkhi, nitAi more kara sukhi........Narottam is very sad, Nitai make him happy, glad.   Here is the sloka; bhANDIreza zikhaNDamaNDana vara zrIkhaNDaliptAnga he
vrndAraNyapurandara sphuradamandendIvarazyAmala/
kAlindIpriya nandanandana parAnadAravindeksaNa
zrIgovinda mukunda sundaratano mAM dInamAnandaya//38 |
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Post by malati on Jun 15, 2011 1:11:45 GMT -6
Haribol!
Madanmohandasji
Yes, I would suppose the Govardhan Fig tree, Bhandira tree, would be a different specie from the European fig tree, but nonetheless from the same family. It's like the Malati (jasmine, in english). The Indian Malati flower is slightly different from the jasmine I have in my backyard but both are from the same botanical family. Thanks for the info.
The glory of narrating the sportive exploits of the Lord
39. Upanisadic discourses (on Nirguna Brahman) that I have heard, are far removed from the ambrosial narrations of the glories of Lord Hari.
Philosophical discussions of the Upanisads cannot melt our hearts nor make us tremble with joy.
They cannot elicit tears of ecstasy nor enable our hair to stand on end,
And nor can they bless us with any other experience (of devotional rapture).
. Lord Vyasa
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Post by malati on Jun 17, 2011 0:36:59 GMT -6
I was about to post verse 40 but realized that The Padyavali is composed of 388 verses. That means I have posted 10% of the book , which over that would mean I would be breaching copyright. If anyone has another translation of the work then he/she can post 10% of it onwards from where I left off. Or someone can do some service by posting his/her own translation one verse at a time at his/her leisure.
Jai Sri Krishna
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Post by madanmohandas on Jun 17, 2011 12:34:51 GMT -6
Well it just so happens that I have done the next one.
Illustrating the surpassing excellence of hearing and reciting Hari's wondrous deeds over the attainment of celestial pleasure and release from existence, the poet Kaviratna prays,
naiva divyasukhabhogamarthaye
nApavargamapi nAtha kAmaye/
yAntu karNavivaraM dine dine
kRSNakelicaritAmrtAni me//40
I do not, lord, for felicities of heaven aspire,
Nor do I release from birth and death desire,
But let my ears drink deep from day to day,
Sweet narratives of Sri Krsna's play. 40
Sri Kaviratna
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Post by madanmohandas on Jun 17, 2011 13:39:04 GMT -6
Expressing his wonder, Kaviratna again says,
aho ahobhirna kalervidUyate
sudhAsudhArAmadhuraM pade pade/
dine dine candancandrazItalaM
yazo yazodAtanayasya gIyate//41
O how wondrous passing wondrous it is
To sing the praises of Yasoda's son!
Every word, foot and phrase of which
Is as a lovely stream of ambrosia sweet;
As day by day sandel paste and moonbeams cool,
It alleviates the ills of this contentious age. 41
Sri Kaviratna
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Post by madanmohandas on Jun 17, 2011 16:37:50 GMT -6
Showing a distaste for the concept of liberation in contrast to the joyful taste of Hari katha, the poet Yadavendra Puri exclaims,
nandanandanakaizoralIlAmrtamahAmbudhau/
nimagnAnAM kimasmAkaM nirvANalavaNAmbhasA//42
We are sunk in that great nectar-ocean,
The adolescent deeds of Nanda's son;
Now wherefore should we steep
In liberation's briney deep? 42
Sri Yadavendra Puri
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Post by madanmohandas on Jun 19, 2011 2:39:00 GMT -6
In a similar strain Sridhara Swami, addressing lord Krsna, writes;
tvatkathAmrtapAthodhau
viharanto mahAmudah/
kurvanti krtinah kecic-
caturvragaM trNopamam// 43
Some fortunate persons who play with great delight
In the ocean of your ambrosial tidings,
Deem life's four-fold persuits as trifling and worthless
As a piece of straw or grass.
Sridhara Swami
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Post by madanmohandas on Jun 19, 2011 8:55:42 GMT -6
Exhalting the sanctity of hearing and reciting Hari katha an unknown poet says;
tatraiva gangA yamunA ca tatra
godAvarI tatra sarasvatI ca/
sarvANi tIrthAni vasanti tatra
yatrAcyutodArakathAprasangah// 44
Where discourses on Acyuta's noble deeds are held
All sacred shrines are wont to go,
There indeed the holy rivers Ganga and Yamuna
And Godavari and Sarasvati flow. 44
Anonymous
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Post by madanmohandas on Jun 19, 2011 11:26:56 GMT -6
Concluding this section on the excellence of hearing and reciting, Rupa quotes a verse by Sankara.
yA bhuktilaksmIrbhuvi kAmukAnAM
yA muktilaksmIrhrdi yogabhAjAm/
yAnandalaksmI rasikendramauleh
sA kApi lIlAvatu mAdhavasya// 45
May Madhava's exploits guard you all! the which are
The pleasure-goddess whom lasivious men hold dear,
The liberty-goddess whom yogins in their hearts revere,
The ecstacy-goddess in whom great connoiseurs take delight.
Sri Sankara
The sense of this sloka implied in Ananda Gopal's Bengali translation is that participation in hearing and reciting Hari katha wordly people are gratified with their cherished enjoyment, yogins find the wealth of liberation and sensative devotees taste the relish of ecstatic bliss. (?)
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Post by madanmohandas on Jun 19, 2011 13:04:01 GMT -6
Atha Dhyanam. Next is a section of verses for inward contemplation and visualisation. The first is often quoted in meditation manuals and is usually included in auspicious invocations.
phullendIvarakAntiminduvadanaM barhAvataMsapryiaM
zrIvatsAnkamudArakaustubhadharaM pItAmbaraM sundaram/
gopInAM nayanotpalArcitatanuM gogopasanghAvrtaM
govindaM kalaveNuvAdanaparaM divyAngabhUSaM bhaje// 46
I contemplate Sri Govinda whose lustrous limbs
are adorned with ornaments, who loves to play the flute;
whose moon-face as a blooming blue lotus shines;
who fondly wears a peacock feather head dress;
upon whose Sri-marked bosom rests the Kaustubha;
whose handsome form is clad in raiment yellow;
whose image is adored with lotuses of milk-maid's eyes;
and who stands surrounded by the cows and cowherds.
Sri Saradakara
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Post by madanmohandas on Jun 19, 2011 13:23:42 GMT -6
Just to remind the readers of what the Padyavali is let me post how I did Rupa's own introductory verse. So this is verse 1 again.
padyAvalI viracitA rasikairmukunda-
sambandhabandhurapadA pramadormisindhuh/
ramyA samastatamasAM damanI krameNa
saMgrhyate krtikadambakakautukAya// 1 vasantatilakam
This Anthology of sweetest verse,
Which Mukunda's fame and deeds rehearse,
Composed by bards and poets wise,
Makes billows on joy's ocean rise,
Charms with delight the listening ear,
Quells ignorance and attendent fear,
Has been compiled in sequence due,
To bring delight to all of you.1
Sri Rupa
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