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Śrī Manaḥ-śikṣā, Verse 4

January (undated), 2007
śloka class

Śrī Manaḥ-śikṣā, Verse 4

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: From time to time, Kṛṣṇa comes to this world to establish ātmā-dharma, or prema-dharma. He comes when Brahmā and others pray to Him to take away the burden of the Earth.

It is said that this human life is very rare; therefore we must engage this life in śreya, activities which give the most auspiciousness. What is the śloka? [To Acyutānanda dāsa] Do you remember?

Acyutānanda dāsa: I think so.

labdhvā su-durlabham idaṁ bahu-sambhavānte
manuṣyam artha-dam anityam apīha dhīrah
tūrṇaṁ yateta na pated anu-mrtyu yāvan
nihsreyasaya viṣayah khalu sarvataḥ syāt
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.9.29)

 

[This human birth is very rare, because it is only attained after many lifetimes. Although temporary, it can give the highest benefit [the service of Śrīmatī Rādhikā]. After all, sense gratification is available in all species [whereas spiritual perfection is possible only for human beings]. Therefore, an intelligent person should immediately, without wasting a single moment, begin to endeavor [with one-pointed dedication] to achieve the ultimate good fortune, before death comes.]

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: You will have to very quickly learn all these ślokas, as well as one, two, three, or four ślokas from Gauḍīya-kaṇṭhahāra.

Do you remember more verses of Manaḥ-śikṣā?

Acyutānanda dāsa: Yes.

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: Which one?

Acyutānanda dāsa:

asad-vārtā-veśyā visṛja mati-sarvasva-haraṇīḥ
kathā mukti-vyāghryā na śṛṇu kila sarvātma-gilanīḥ
api tyaktvā lakṣmī-pati-ratim ito vyoma-nayanīm
vraje rādhā-kṛṣṇau sva-rati-maṇi-dau tvaṁ bhaja manaḥ
Manaḥ-śikṣā (Verse 4)

 

[O my dear brother mind! Please abandon altogether the prostitute of contemptible mundane talk, which plunders the entire treasure of pure wisdom. You must unequivocally give up hearing all talk of impersonal liberation which, like a tigress, devours your very soul. Furthermore, please abandon even the attachment to Lakṣmīpati Śrī Nārāyaṇa, which leads to Vaikuṇṭha. Rather, you should live in Vraja and worship Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, who bestow upon devotees the precious jewel of love for them.]

[Madhuvrata dāsa begins to recite the verse]

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: I want to hear a flow.

Śrīpāda Mādhava Mahārāja: No break.

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: What is the meaning?

Acyutānanda dāsa: Asad-vārtā-veśyā visṛjam. The first line is saying that…

Śrīpāda Mādhava Mahārāja: Not visṛjam; visṛja.

Acyutānanda dāsa: Visṛja, useless talk is…

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: What is sad-vārtā?

Acyutānanda dāsa: Kṛṣṇa-kathā.

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: What is asad-vārtā?

Acyutānanda dāsa: Asad-vārtā is like… uh…

Śrīpāda Mādhava Mahārāja: Mundane talks.

Acyutānanda dāsa: Mundane talks.

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: Asad-vārtā refers to any kathā (narration) other than that which is related to Kṛṣṇa or His devotees. You can continue.

Acyutānanda dāsa: Mati-sarvasva-haraṇīḥ. Such kathā steals your intelligence.

Kathā mukti-vyāghryā na śṛṇu kila sarvātma-gilanīḥ means that aspiring for mukti (liberation) and engaging in talks involved with mukti eat up your soul like a tiger.

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: What?

Acyutānanda dāsa: Like a tiger. Mukti eats your soul.

Brajanāth dāsa: Tigress.

Acyutānanda dāsa: Tigress. It can…

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: It can eat and swallow you.

Acyutānanda dāsa: Api tyaktvā lakṣmī-pati-ratim ito vyoma-nayanīm. You also have to give up any attachment for Laksmi-Nārāyaṇa, because such talk leads you to Vaikuṇṭha. And, vraje rādhā-kṛṣṇau sva-rati-maṇi-dau. O mind, please worship Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, for They will give you that rati (spiritual attachment).

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: Can you give me the other pages [of Gurudeva’s yet-unpublished Hindi manuscript] today?

Acyutānanda dāsa: Maybe in the afternoon.

Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: Afternoon? You have not done any work on it.

Excerpted from the Gaudiya Vedanta Publication “Walking With a Saint 2007”
[CC-by-ND GVP]

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