Table of Contents
First Cluster of Flowers2
Second Cluster of Flowers7
Third Cluster of Flowers13
Fourth Cluster of Flowers15
Fifth Cluster of Flowers17
Sixth Cluster of Flowers19
Seventh Cluster of Flowers23
Eighth Cluster of Flowers26
Ninth Cluster of Flowers29
Tenth Cluster of Flowers30
Eleventh Cluster of Flowers32
Twelfth Cluster of Flowers33
Thirteenth Cluster of Flowers34
Fourteenth Cluster of Flowers36
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura found the unsigned manuscript of Sri Hari-bhakti-kalpa-latika, was impressed by it, and printed it in his magazine Sajjana-tosani. His son, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, printed it as a book and kept it in print, reprinting it again and again.
- Kusakratha dasa
First Cluster of Flowers
1Blinded by His illusory potency, (maya), the entire world cannot understand that Lord Krsna is the all-pervading Supersoul, the father and controller of all the worlds, the eternal resting-place of the entire universe, and as sweet as nectar. When the learned devotees understand Hum, they become conscious of supreme spiritual bliss. He is the dear friend of the devotees and the giver of shelter. I offer my respectful obeisances to Him, Lord Krsna, the enemy of the Mura demon.
2Perhaps it is because, although He is independently full of supreme transcendental bliss, He is nevertheless also full of love for the Vraja-gopis, or perhaps it is in order to show mercy to the devotees, on the pretext of killing the demons, that Lord Krsna, desiring to enjoy pastimes, has descended to the land of Vrajabhumi in this world. I offer my respectful obeisances to that Lord Krsna, the all-blissful Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose complexion is like the colour of a multitude of dark monsoon-clouds.
3Lord Krsna’s devotional service transforms this illusory material world into the real spiritual world. Let us worship that blissful Lord Krsna, Who delights the hearts of the gopis.
4The celebrated desire-vine of Lord Hari’s pure devotional service grows form the ocean of pious deeds, and it destroys all ignorance. It’s excellent roots are the association of devotees, and it’s new sprouts are faith in Lord Hari. It’s budding flowers are renunciation of the world, and it’s splendid fully blossomed flowers are pure love of God. Supreme transcendental knowledge is that vine’s fruit, which is full of the nectarean sweetness of intense spiritual bliss. May that celebrated vine delight the saintly devotees.
5What is the comparison between me, a slow witted fool who has never properly studied the Vedic scriptures, and the devotion which the pure-hearted souls, expert at understanding spiritual truths, bear for Lord Krsna, the controller of the universe. Although I am unworthy to describe this pure devotional service, because I wish to understand it, and because I also wish to cleanse my heart, I am recklessly writing this poem. I beg the great pure devotees please to forgive me.
6Describing the glories of the transcendentally blissful Lord Vasudeva, who is supremely worshipable because of His eternal existence, truthfulness, purity, supreme mercy, and because He is the origin of everything, the author says: O Lord, although Lord Brahma, Lord Siva and other great devotees enjoy pastimes in the ocean of transcendental bliss and knowledge which is Yourself, they remain unable to actually understand Your glories. Nevertheless, I, who am unintelligent, ineloquent, and unable to perceive the fragrance of even a tiny drop of the honey of Your lotus feet, am trying to describe Your glories. Am I not very reckless and foolhardy in this attempt?
7From the pores of the Supreme Lord’s transcendental body, unlimited millions of universes, replete with fourteen divisions of planetary systems, continually emanate. That Supreme Person is full of intense transcendental bliss, without change, unlimited, eternally manifest, untouched by the three modes of material nature, and unapproachable even by the Vedas. Within this material world, who has even been able to understand Him?
8Lord Siva, Lord Brahma, Surya and other demigods who control universal affairs and grant benedictions are all the potencies of that Supreme Person, who is nevertheless Nanda Maharaja’s smiling lotus-faced son. May that Supreme Lord, who independently enjoys pastimes with the gopis in the forest of Vrndavana, grant to me transcendental bliss.
9That Supreme Person is glorified throughout the Vedas and Upanisads, and the creation, maintenance and destruction of the material universes are only a small fraction of His unlimited pastimes. All glories to that Supreme Lord, who is an ocean of perfect transcendental bliss, and who, within the forest of Vrndavana, is the Lord and hero of the gopis.
10That Supreme Person is the origin even of the demigods, the abode of unlimited auspicious pastimes, the ocean of all perfections, the only residence of happiness, the controller of all mystic powers, the treasury of all opulences, and the highest in all the three worlds. I worship that Supreme Lord, Who is dearly loved by the devotees.
11That Supreme Lord is the controller of the three worlds, beyond the three modes of material nature, knowable by the Vedanta, and the ultimate fruit of Vedic study. That Lord is indirectly manifest as the imperishable Brahman effulgence, meditated upon by Brahma, Siva and others, and He is directly manifest in Vrndavana, where He enjoys pastimes in the company of the gopis.
12That transcendentally pure and bliss Supreme Lord, whom the saintly persons see within their hearts, whom the Vedantists designate as the undifferentiated Brahman, and whose unlimited glories are unknowable by Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, and others, jubilantly enjoys pastimes in His original human-like form in the land of Vrajabhumi.
13That perfect and complete Supreme Person, who has no equal, and whose form is eternal, full of knowledge and bliss, enjoys pastimes according to His own desire.
14Born from the weight of the touch of the Supreme Lord’s lotus feet, and carried on Lord Siva’s head, the Ganges River has purified the three worlds. How is it possible to describe the glories of that Supreme Lord?
15O gentle reader, you may think: “Lord Siva, Narada Muni, and many others are the personal servants of the Supreme Lord. What am I but a small misbehaved child in their midst?” O gentle reader, do not become discouraged. Do not give up Lord Mukunda’s devotional service as something you cannot do. Although the Supreme Lord is the controller of everything, and although He is very difficult to approach, He is like an ocean of mercy and He is the dear friend of the devotees. He becomes controlled by devotion and shows mercy to His devotee, even if the devotee was born in a family of outcastes.
16That Supreme Person, who is greater than the greatest, and after whom the yogis search, cannot be attained by studying the Vedas and Agamas, or by performing yoga, austerities, or fruitive activities. He is attained only by devotional service.
17Although Dhruva Maharaja had never studied the Vedas and Agamas, and although he had never performed materially pious actions, he attained the supreme destination simply by performing devotional service to the Lord.
18A father who sees his son eat clay, snatches it away and gives him a candy instead. In the same way, the Lord, who is very affectionate to His devotees, removes the material desires from those who, unaware of their actual spiritual nature, worship Him with material motives. The Lord gives them His intensely delightful lotus feet.
19If even misbehaved persons, intent on their own happiness, attain Lord Hari’s lotus feet by occasionally worshipping Him, who can describe the good fortune of the saintly devotees, who worship the Lord in pure love?
20Even if served by those with personal motives, in a troublesome and annoying way, or with hypocrisy, the Lord liberates His devotees. Who is more merciful than He?
21If a person who has never attained any materially pious activities, worships Lord Hari’s lotus feet by offering some water and tulasi leaves, the Lord, Who is the friend of the devotees, and unapproachable by the materially pious, gives in return His own lotus feet.
22The Lord becomes controlled by His devotees, although He does not show His mercy to the non-devotees, even if they are very pious, great yogis, or very rich and opulent. Why does the whole world not worship such a merciful Lord?
23One who gives up all materially pious duties and with undeviating concentration continually worships the lotus feet of Lord Hari, will easily and happily climb to the Lord’s transcendental abode, stepping on the heads of the materially pious non-devotees.
24-5Brightly blazing with the oil of love, the lamp of devotional service to the Lord completely destroys the darkness of past karma. Lord Hari is like an ocean of mercy for the distressed conditioned souls, or like an ocean of the nectar of transcendental bliss. Except for Him, who is able to rescue those burning in the forest fire of material existence?
26Sober and discriminating persons who aspire to serve the lotus feet of Lord Hari easily conquer the unconquerable, inimical material senses. They who try to subdue the senses by practicing astanga yoga or following varnasrama-dharma, remain unsuccessful and do not become happy.
27They who travel on the path of devotional service to the lotus feet of Lord Hari should abandon all activities prescribed by the varnasrama system for material improvement and sense-gratification. Day by day they should cultivate renunciation, until the Lord is personally manifest before them.
28Somehow or other the author has not yet been able to describe the glories of the persons intent on chanting the glories of Lord Krsna. In this regard he says: One who has taken shelter of Lord Hari’s devotional service is an actual hero, an actual knower of the Vedas, and is actually fortunate and pious. Laksmi-devi, the goddess of fortune personally searches him out. He is the best of all.
29Perception of spiritual truth takes shelter of him, the three-fold material miseries do not torment him, and the goals of human life (religion, sense gratification, economic-development, and liberation) beg to serve he who always finds pleasure in the Lord’s devotional service.
30He who respectfully takes shelter of Lord Acyuta’s devotional service purifies the universe, makes the earth prosperous and auspicious, and easily crosses the ocean of repeated birth and death.
31Lust and other enemies do not trouble him, the demigods and demons bow before him, and even liberation yearns to meet he who finds pleasure in the sweetness of service to Lord Hari.
32All fears fear him. From him religion is born. From him all darkness flees. He shines with the sweetness of devotional service.
33His touch kills sin. His strength cuts repeated birth and death. His glory purifies the world. He is filled with devotion to the Lord.
34In a heart where the Lord’s devotional service shines, the Ganges, Yamuna and other sacred rivers flow, all holy places of pilgrimage live, and all principles of religion play.
35One devoted to Lord Madhusudana delights the demigods. Transcendental virtues always dwell within him and spiritual knowledge always shines in his heart.
36If this is the eternal glory of Lord Krsna’s mercy to the devotees, then why do not all people worship Him? The author replies: By day eager only to fill their bellies, at night absorbed only in sleeping or sex, their hearts tossed by limitless insatiable desires and their intelligence bewildered by illusions, how will the worshippers of the material world worship Lord Krsna, who cannot be approached by even the kings of the sages?
37For they whose hearts are filled with greed, who serve the many demigods, whose every moment is engaged in material activities, pious deeds, austerities, and mantras, who practice yoga to attain mystic powers, and whose intelligence is bewildered by illusion, pure devotional service is very far away.
38Not playing in the nectar ocean of bliss that is the handsome fresh monsoon cloud of eternal Lord Krsna, whose glories have no limit, and who stands not far away, the bewildered man searching for happiness runs deep into the mirage of repeated birth and death which becomes only suffering for him.
39The body is the real home. Saintliness is the real beautiful wife. Voluntary devotional service to Lord Hari is the real wealth. Satisfaction is the only friend. These bring eternal happiness. Still, a person yearning for false happiness foolishly will leave this home.
40How can those drowning in the impassable ocean of repeated birth and death, which is filled with thousands of snakes of false-hope, fearful seaweed jungles of false-ego and possessiveness, sharks and crocodiles of lust, anger, and other vices, great waves of suffering and waters of deep illusion, attain pure devotion for Lord Govinda?
41If this is so, how can there ever be devotional service? The author says: In the beginning is respect for saintly persons, and from that the mind becomes pure. Then one associates with devotees and by their mercy develops faith in the Lord’s words. Then one develops devotional service, and then renunciation. From renunciation, spiritual awareness, which is full of great and intense bliss, is manifest.
42The vine of devotional service grows in an auspicious, pious heart. Planted as a seed by the association of devotees, and daily sprinkled by the waters of faith, it grows. When renunciation appears, the vine expands and climbs the trunk and branches of the tree of awareness of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then the vine blossoms with flowers of pure love of God and fruits filled with the nectar of intense spiritual bliss.
43Although devotional service to Lord Krsna, the master of Gokula, cannot exist unless lust and other vices are conquered, these great enemies are not conquered without the weapon of devotional service. For this reason intelligent persons accept the path of association with devotees and daily serve the Lord. In this way they become able to defeat lust and his associates.
44The ocean of material existence is filled with the waters of great suffering and crowded with the crocodiles of lust and other vices. Although drowning in that ocean, if one takes shelter on the boat of Lord Hari’s lotus feet, he will easily cross over that ocean which was impassable for others.
45They who become intoxicated by drinking the honey of Lord Krsna’s lotus feet do not remember the objects of the material senses, the Vedic prescriptions for material advancement (karma-kanda), the four goals of human pursuit (religion, sense-gratification, economic development and liberation), their children, wife, home or even their own material bodies.
46Save for the pure, painless, dispassionate, transcendental path of service to Your lotus feet, I have no other path. I will not try for splendid Svargaloka, which will be cut by Your wheel of time. I will not try for the fearful liberation that jumps over Your feet.
47Devotional service to Lord Hari is the best fruit of the desire tree, the splendid jewel from the ocean of three Vedas, the root of the tree of transcendental knowledge, the swiftly moving current of the ocean of spiritual bliss, the bridge crossing the ocean of birth and death, and the staircase climbing to nectar. Who in this world will not desire the rare treasure of devotion to Lord Hari?
Second Cluster of Flowers
1Because the devotional service of the Lord is attainable only by their mercy, the author praises the devotees in the following verses: I worship the devotees, who are empowered by the Lord, who do good to the world, and who taste the nectar at the Lord’s lotus feet and do not yearn for impersonal liberation. The Supreme Lord, who is the master of all universes and the enemy of the demon Kaitabha, leaves His own abode and stays by their side as a submissive servant.
2Unapproachable for the yogis, and the best thing in the three worlds, Lord Krsna’s nectarean lotus feet are carefully concealed by Mahamaya, although they may also be easily attained by her genuine favour. Offered obeisances by Lord Brahma and the other devotees, she is the Lord’s first potency, and the mother of all living entities. I offer my respectful obeisances to that goddess Mahamaya, who bewilders the entire universe.
3Saturated with the honey of Lord Hari’s lotus feet, and appearing like a garland of white jasmine flowers on the top of Lord Siva’s head, the blissful Ganges shines as splendidly as Krsna-bhakti herself. I offer my respectful obeisances to her.
4I offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Siva, Lord Brahma, Narada Muni, Sukadeva Gosvami, Srila Vyasadeva, Uddhava, Akrura, Prahlada, Arjuna, Garuda, Hanuman, and all others who are dear to Lord Vasudeva. Just like the celestial Ganges, their glory purifies the three worlds. Just like the hood of Lord Vasuki, it maintains the universe and just like nectar, it removes this world’s distress.
5I offer my respectful obeisances to Sri Radha and the other beautiful Vraja girls dear to Lord Mukunda, who in their desire for Him rejected Vedic convention, respectability, household duties, children, husbands and homes. What they felt, drowning in love and their hearts remembering Krsna at every moment, is known as pure and spontaneous love free from material taint.
6The hairs of their bodies erect in their ecstasy, the gopis eagerly chanted and heard the names and pastimes of Lord Mukunda. Their hearts drowning in the thought of His handsomeness and pastimes, they always remembered Him. Although they were busy with household duties, they gave their love to Lord Hari.
7Playing flutes, vinas, mrdangas, dancing, sweetly singing, decorating His sitting place with flowers and fresh buds, offering the nectar of their kisses, and decorating Him with gunja necklaces, mineral pigments, peacock feathers and flowers, the gopis lovingly served Lord Krsna in Vrndavana.
8With perspiring hands the gopis washed the Lord’s feet. Again and again they offered Him arghya with their tears, a sitting place with the edge of their saris, and acamana with the nectar of their kisses. In this way the gopis constantly served Lord Krsna in pure love.
9Although newer and newer desires for amorous pastimes arouse within the gopis’ hearts, the Lord’s skill at performing these pastimes was always beyond what the gopis could imagine. Tasting the transcendental bliss of festival conjugal pastimes far beyond their desires, the gopis jubilantly offered respectful obeisances to Lord Krsna in Vrndavana.
10Respectfully rising to greet Him, offering Him a comfortable sitting-place, washing and massaging His lotus feet, arranging and decorating His hair, smearing His body with scented ointments, marking it with tilaka and nicely decorating each limb, offering palatable foodstuffs made with milk and other ingredients, placing betelnuts in His mouth, garlanding and fanning Him, playing musical instruments, and singing and dancing for His pleasure, the gopis served Lord Krsna.
11By joking, love-play, friendliness, and resting by His side, the girls of Vrajapura gave love and friendship to Lord Hari. The gopas’ sons also naturally gave love and friendship to Him.
12Pierced by the cupid’s arrow of His beauty, the gopis surrendered to Krsna and offered Him their minds and bodies.
13Natural, causeless, beyond the three modes of material nature, enriched with wonderful spiritual attributes, and full of great love and attachment, the gopis’ devotion to Lord Krsna cannot be described.
14Even when separated from Him, the gopis tasted the mellows of love for Krsna. They did not forget Him for a moment.
15Thinking their homes, which were opulent with the wealth of husband and children and which even yogis could not leave, insignificant as a blade of straw, the girls of Vraja suddenly left and worshipped Lord Krsna.
16Even Brahma, Narada, and Sukadeva Gosvami cannot describe the glories of the gopis’ devotional service to Lord Krsna. What are we, whose intelligence is very stunted, in comparison to them?
17Neither Laksmi-devi, Lord Ananta, nor the devotees headed by Brahma and Siva, are as dear to Lord Govinda, the friend of the universe as the gopis.
18The devotees are like moons risen from the ocean of piety. These devotee-moons enjoy pastimes in the limitless sky of Lord Krsna, and they dispel the suffering and ignorant darkness of this world. I offer my respectful obeisances to them.
19The author here describes the Lord’s devotees: The devotees hear the holy names and pastimes of Lord Mukunda and delight in chanting. They always remember Him, continually serve His lotus feet, worship, offer obeisances, serve by friendship, completely surrender, and offer the fruits of their work to Him.
20Many devotees have renounced everything to attain Krsna. Krsna is their wealth, friend, family member, and son.
21Those devotees offer to Krsna their wealth, home, wife, children, friends, relatives, and all their possessions. They never claim any property as their own.
22Turning away from external objects, the devotees see Lord Hari’s handsome form, hear about His glorious transcendental qualities, taste the foodstuffs offered to Him, and smell the flower garlands that were His decorations. In this way, the devotees always engage their senses in the perception of Krsna.
23Without personal desire, the devotees offer to Krsna their mind, intelligence, body, life, and the actions of the senses. In this way they conquer the waves of material desire.
24Although the devotees are generally poor, because their minds are satisfied by Lord Krsna, who remains within their hearts, they enjoy happiness greater even than a king.
25The devotees do not envy or fear anyone. They are not agitated by material distress, and they do not take pleasure in the external happiness of this world.
26Although the devotees do not fear any sinful reactions or any living entity, they constantly fear the state of forgetting Krsna.
27The devotees do not see others’ faults and lack of virtues, but their own.
28Although equal to all, the devotee makes friendship with other devotees, is merciful to the innocent conditioned souls, is delighted to meet an elevated pure soul, and ignores the sinful demons.
29Unattracted to Vedic mantras, every day the devotees chant Lord Hari’s holy names a fixed number of times.
30Aloof from the so-called happiness of this material world, not aspiring to attain the Svarga and other celestial planets, and not intoxicated by false ego and a false sense of possessiveness, the devotees constantly remember Krsna.
31The devotees do not become dejected when they are criticised, nor elated when praised. They do not criticise or praise anyone.
32Those cleansed from all ignorance by the association of saintly devotees are not bound by the reactions of their previous sinful or pious deeds, just as elephants cannot be confined by a rope fashioned with blades of grass.
33Joyful because of the touch of the nectarean moonbeams of spiritual knowledge, the devotees are not made unhappy by the sufferings of this world, occasioned by one’s own body and mind, other living entities, or the demigods.
34Seeing her co-wife bhakti (devotional service) always present, karma (fruitive activity) becomes unhappy and angry, and will not approach.
35Unattached to the fruits of their actions, the devotees diligently perform their prescribed duties as far as they are able. They do not praise or criticise others, and they avoid forbidden things.
36Even for a fraction of a second the devotees will not abandon Lord Hari’s lotus feet, although by doing that they may attain a kingdom of the three worlds or liberation from the world.
37Rejecting materially pious and impious deeds, the devotees serve the celestial Ganges river of honey flowing from Lord Mukunda’s lotus feet.
38Non-violence, truthfulness, honesty, purity, good-conduct, self-control, forgiveness, peacefulness, satisfaction, and steadfastness are some of the devotees’ many natural virtues.
39Nevertheless, the devotees are violent to the sinful demons, impatient to control the senses, willing to lie for another’s protection and free from soberness and gravity in the chanting of Lord Krsna’s holy names.
40The devotees do not misidentify the self as the material body or things related to the body, and they see the material world as temporary and false. They are attracted to hear the topics of Lord Hari, and averse to material sense-gratification.
41-2Free from envy, pride, malice, hypocrisy, rudeness, deceitfulness, and all other vices, and without false-ego, the peaceful devotees see everyone and everything with equal vision. They do not see the three material planetary systems as something separate from the perfect, complete, unlimited, all-knowing, blissful, and all pervading Supersoul, Lord Vasudeva.
43Keenly intelligent, the devotees do not see any good-fortune superior to pure devotional service, or any catastrophe greater than forgetfulness of Krsna.
44Free from all distress, their minds pacified, the friends of all living entities, the exalted devotees do not distinguish between themselves and others.
45The devotees do not speak to humiliate others and they always tell the truth. They are compassionate towards the fallen conditioned souls, and they shower them with the nectarean rain of their mercy.
46Although all-tolerant, the devotees cannot tolerate the blasphemy of other devotees. Always desiring Lord Krsna’s service, they do not desire anything else.
47Strong within, the great devotees are not moved by anger, lust, or other elements, just as great mountains are not shaken by the wind.
48Those who constantly aspire to taste the nectar of Lord Hari’s lotus feet do not even desire liberation. How can they wish for trivial benedictions like the post of Brahma?
49Taking shelter of Lord Krsna, the devotees are profound, clear, and full of auspicious qualities, as the ocean is. Even at the time of devastation they do not cross beyond the shoreline of their own nature and reject the Lord’s shelter.
50Although the devotees are constantly engaged in Lord Hari’s devotional service in nine ways, the glorification of the Lord is especially their life and soul.
51The devotees whose minds and intelligence become immersed in the Lord’s glorification (sankirtana), are able to taste the happiness of the sweet mellows of devotional service.
52The devotees only live to attain devotional service. They accept pure foodstuffs, offered to Lord Kesava, and attained without great endeavour, only to maintain the body for this purpose.
53“What is the nature of devotional service?” The author replies: Attached to devotional service, saintly persons do not desire the post of Brahma or Indra, mystic powers, or even the liberation that has submissively alighted upon their open palms. By service, these devotees are able to bring even Lord Hari, the master of the universe, under their control. Let me take shelter of pure devotional service, which brings the splendid nectar of transcendental bliss.
54The devotional service of Lord Krsna, which consists of hearing about the Lord, glorifying Him, remembering Him, serving His lotus feet, thinking of Him as a friend, and surrendering everything to Him, gives ever-new happiness just as a lover, removes sins just as the Ganges, and fulfils all desires just as the desire-vine. That service is constantly served by the devotees.
55-6Great sages have said that Lord Krsna’s incomparable devotional service consists of the following nine features: 1. Hearing about the Lord, 2. Chanting His glories, 3. Remembering Him, 4. Serving His lotus feet, 5. Worshipping Him, 6. Offering obeisances to His lotus feet, 7. Carrying out His orders, 8. Becoming His friend, and 9. Surrendering everything to Him. One who regularly performs these devotional activities in this world easily attains the Lord’s lotus feet.
57There are five kinds of devotional service: 1. Devotional service in the mode of ignorance, 2. Devotional service in the mode of passion, 3 devotional service in the mode of goodness, 4. Devotional service characterised by love of God, and 5. Devotional service beyond the modes of material nature.
58These five kinds of devotional service grant one the lotus feet of Lord Hari. Each one, however is better than the preceding one, using better methods, and striving for better goals.
59One by one, the different kinds of devotional service are described. That devotional service where the mind is the refuge of concealed malice, and where one harms others and acts with hypocrisy and ostentation, is known as devotional service in the mode of ignorance, or cheating devotional service.
60When performed with a desire for sense gratification in the form of wealth or fame, devotional service is known to be in the mode of passion.
61When without false-ego the activities prescribed for one’s own nature are followed, and past karmic reactions are destroyed, devotional service is known to be in the mode of goodness.
62When faith and love are directed to Lord Krsna, and when spiritual happiness is found in Him, devotional service becomes situated on the platform of suddha-sattva (pure goodness), beyond the three modes of material nature. At that time the living entities attain love of Krsna.
63-4For example: When, simply by hearing about Lord Hari’s transcendental qualities, the mind becomes filled with spiritual love, and when, enriched with the nectar of transcendental mellows, all the hairs of the body stand erect with ecstasy and there is a shower of tears of spiritual bliss, the state of causeless love of God, free from any material designation, is known to be spontaneously manifest.
65Maddened by the sentiment of love of God, the devotees laugh at the wrong time, continually weep, jubilantly sing and dance, talk nonsense, and cause their material bodies to collapse by neglecting them.
66The bumble-bee of those devotees’ minds tastes the intensely fragrant splendid flower of pure love of God, which is full of the honey of great transcendental bliss, and which grows on the vine of devotional service.
67The lotus flower of Lord Krsna’s feet is full of spiritual bliss, and it is sought by the kings of the yogis. Some swanlike devotees taste the nectar of pure love of God there.
68Their minds submerged in the waves of pure love of God in the ocean of nectar of transcendental bliss, these devotees forget about this world and the next. They cannot be counted among the servants of the regulations of sadhana-bhakti.
69Indifferent to the material body and things related to it, these devotees constantly serve the Supreme Person, Lord Hari, with their life, intelligence and senses.
70Attaining this stage of devotional service in pure love for the Supreme Lord Hari, the devotees become filled with transcendental bliss, and they consider the four goals of human endeavour (religiosity, sense gratification, economic development, and liberation) to be as insignificant as a blade of grass.
71When devotional service in love of God becomes free from all external material features, and completely devoid of actions for the benefit of the external material body, that confidential state is known as nirguna-bhakti (devotional service beyond the modes of material nature).
72-3In nirguna-bhakti, simply by hearing the Lord’s transcendental qualities one becomes full of love. One’s mind becomes irresistibly and uncheckably drawn to the Supersoul of all living entities, just as the waters of the Ganges uncheckably flow to the ocean. Nirguna-bhakti consists of unreserved love for the Lord, and unlimited eternal bliss.
74Free from false-identification with the external material body, those situated in nirguna-bhakti are very sober and see everyone with an equal mind. Immersed in the ocean of transcendental bliss, they forget the existence of the material body.
75For one situated in nirguna-bhakti there is no material world, no spiritual world, no sense gratification, no renunciation, no false-ego, no false sense of possessiveness, no rules, no restrictions, no prescribed duties and no inaction. For him there is only the supremely blissful Lord Hari manifest everywhere.
76May this state of confidential pure love of God, which brings with it great transcendental happiness and frees one from all material sufferings, which is worshipped by the saintly devotees, and which is full of nectar, rise, by a fragment of the devotees’ mercy, as the most dear thing within my heart.
Third Cluster of Flowers
1Praying for the nine activities of devotional service, the author briefly describes them: O ears, please always hear songs about Lord Visnu. O tongue, please always chant His glories. O mind, please remember His Deity form. O limbs, please serve His lotus feet. O hands, please worship Him and carry out His order. O head, please bow down to offer respects to Him. O self, please become His friend. O body, please always be His property.
2The author explains in more detail: I have not performed pious deeds, prescribed duties or austerities, and I have no purity, renunciation, good fortune, or beneficial knowledge. However, now that by the devotees’ mercy I have drunk with my ears the nectar of Lord Hari’s names and pastimes, I will cross the darkness of ignorance.
3When, loudly singing the devotees’ songs of Krsna’s names and glories, my chest anointed with tears, my heart melted, and my body covered with a network of hairs standing erect will I roll about on that ground, mad with love?
4If, because of my sins, I take birth in hell, I will not be unhappy if Lord Hari stays in my thoughts. However, if I attain a kingdom on earth or heaven, but cannot think of Lord Hari, there will be no happiness, but only anguish in my mind.
5The author confirms his previous explanations: O heart, how long have you enjoyed the dirty, tasteless pleasures of this world of duality pungent with the fire of time? Please search again and again for Krsna’s lotus feet, which are a kingdom of the nectar of bliss.
6Great sages strive for liberation by worshipping the Lord, who is eternally worshipped by Brahma and others. However, we who are drowning in the ocean of repeated birth and death will worship the Lord’s two lotus feet birth after birth.
7Attached to sense happiness, I had reached the ultimate limit of the pleasures offered by lust. But now, prompted by intelligence created in a flood of piety, at Lord Hari’s feet I have found honey that extinguishes the fire of repeated birth and death.
8I do not understand the lessons spoken in the Vedic mantras. I have no paraphernalia to perform Vedic sacrifices. Still, staying in this world and remaining in this condition, I will easily worship Lord Hari by offering water, tulasi and flowers.
9I bow down before Nanda’s son, who is the personification of bliss, whose form is dark as a new monsoon cloud, and who cannot be known even by the greatest demigods. The devotees, yearning to understand Him, meditate on Him as the blissful Supreme Brahman, who is present in the moving and the unmoving, who is the master of all, and who is the greatest person in all the universes.
10I do not pray for a kingdom, the post of Indra or Brahma, knowledge, mystic powers, or a place in the Brahman effulgence. O Lord, O master and friend of the poor, I fall down at the shelter of Your feet and pray: please give me pure and unwavering service to You.
11I am attached to this house, busy in maintaining my family, not free from sense gratification, addicted to the six vices, impious and a servant of wicked masters. Still, I shamelessly desire to serve You. O Lord eternally worshipped by the devotees, O master of all, my only shelter is Your mercy.
12O Lord Murari, when there is unwavering service to Your feet, then home and sense pleasures lose their power to bind, and the six enemies (lust, greed, anger, pride, illusion, and envy) become like friends granting benedictions. This is the kindness of You who are an ocean of mercy.
13“How can a householder’s home and paraphernalia be auspicious?” Explaining that they are auspicious when engaged in the Lord’s service, the author says: O Lord Madhusudana, if our son, wife, servant, relatives, friends, associates and wealth are always engaged in Your service, and if our entire household is offered to Your lotus feet, then You are always conquered by our services, even though we may be householders.
14If our eyes are placed in Your deity form, our ears in Your holy name and glories, our nose in the fragrances offered to You, the surface of our bodies in embracing Your devotees, and our tongue in tasting the food offered to You, then, O Lord Krsna, You are conquered by us, even though we are engaged in pleasing our senses.
15O Lord, if we become lusty to attain Your devotional service, angry at those who blaspheme You, greedy to accept food, flowers and other things offered to You, enchanted by You, proud to identify as Your devotee, and intoxicated by drinking the honey of Your lotus feet, then we may easily defeat the lust, anger, greed, enchantment, pride and intoxication that are our enemies.
16O Lord, because the demons meditated on You as their enemy, You pacified them by liberating them, although You did not give them the nectar of Your lotus feet. O Lord, may I have friendly feelings towards You birth after birth, so I may always relish that nectar.
17Shall I be able to take shelter of Lord Krsna, who is the master of the universe, the shelter of the goddess of fortune, and very compassionate to the fallen conditioned souls? Every day I anxiously think in this way and try to offer myself to Him, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Fourth Cluster of Flowers
1The author now describes the devotional processes of hearing and chanting the Lord’s glories: Whether spoken by oneself or others, when Lord Hari’s holy names and pastimes are jubilantly accepted by the consciousness through the agency of the ears, that is called sravananam (hearing).
2When Lord Hari’s holy names and transcendental qualities are sung or recited, that is called kirtanam (glorification). When this process of kirtanam is performed with the spiritual joy of love of God, it is called sankirtanam (great glorification).
3He who drinks with his ears the nectar of Lord Hari’s holy names and pastimes becomes satisfied at heart. Neither a false explanation of the Vedas, incomplete or perfect knowledge, the path of impersonal liberation, nor anything else, will be able to lead him astray.
4What is the use of impersonal speculation? What is the use of vows and restraints? What is the use of peacefulness? What is the use of controlling the mind? What is the use of austerities? What is the use of mystic yoga? What is the use of mantra-chanting? What is the use of Vedic sacrifices? What is the use of these if the nectar of krsna-sankirtana, the essence churned from the Vedas and the goal of all human endeavour, is always brilliantly manifest?
5Those scorched by the blazing fire of material sufferings, those afraid of taking birth in hell, and those wishing to atone for hundreds of sins, should all chant Lord Krsna’s holy names, and thus enter the nectar ocean of love of God.
6They who desire the lotus flower of Lord Hari’s feet should go to the lake of His glories. When the sun of His holy name rises they will see the lotus feet that had been covered by the blinding darkness of maya.
7Krsna enters the listening ear and goes to the heart. Flooding the lake of the heart, He leaves through the mouth as a swiftly coursing stream of His transcendental qualities, names and forms.
8In a heart made fickle and impure by the nature of this age the great yogis’ meditation can never be perfected. He who desires Lord Hari should abandon yoga and instead hear and chant the Lord’s names and pastimes.
9When the nectar moons of His holy names and qualities destroy the dense darkness of illusion, the devotees suddenly see Lord Hari’s splendid form in the temple of the heart.
10The Lord becomes a submissive servant to they who lovingly chant and hear His transcendental glories and names. Very satisfied with them, and seeing nothing else sufficiently valuable to give, He gives them His own devotional service, which is difficult even for the demigods to attain.
11Immersed in the nectar ocean of Lord Krsna’s holy names and pastimes, the devotees remain always untouched by the fire of material existence, unseen by lust and other enemies, free from the mud of sinful reaction and always happy.
12They whose hearts are washed of mud by the nectar of the infallible Lord’s names and qualities, and who remember Him, worship Him, and serve His lotus feet, attain their every wish.
13They who are bumble-bees drinking the honey of Lord Govinda’s lotus feet, they who are expert at relishing transcendental mellows, they who desire to cross the ocean of material existence, they who desire liberation, and they who, their hearts free from envy, desire unwavering devotional service to His lotus feet, should always happily chant the Lord’s holy names, which are nectar for the ears.
14From Lord Hari liberation, transcendental knowledge, and purity of heart become manifest. Wonderful nectar to be drunk by the ears flows from Him. Exalted souls feet great devotion for Him. Who will not hear and chant His glories?
15They who in distress, or even in contempt, once chant one holy name of Lord Hari, cross an insurmountable ocean of sins. How, then, can we describe the fortune of they who always chant the Lord’s names with faith?
16Lord Hari, the enemy of the demons, has unlimited auspicious pastimes and names. Although the tongue is under the speaker’s control and the ears are always active, alas, alas, the fools still enter the darkness of ignorance.
17.Overcome with love of God and their forms splendid with transcendental bliss, some great souls loudly chant the Lord’s holy names, some softly chant the holy names, and some hear the sweet glories of the Lord.
18When such a great soul hears or chants the holy name, he becomes overwhelmed with happiness. His voice become choked with tears, the hairs of his body stand erect, and he becomes unaware of external events.
19When a great devotee relishes hearing the glories of the Lord sung by another, his mind becomes intoxicated with spiritual bliss. Impelled by love of God, he dances, loudly sings, talks nonsense, and laughs, without any shame, and just like a madman.
20Day and night plunged in the waves of intense love of God, their material duties abandoned because of spiritual knowledge, dancing, and their voices choked with joy by chanting Lord Hari’s names, these great souls make the universe successful and happy.
21If Lord Hari’s pastimes, names and glories are happily sung or heard, then the singers and hearers have already bathed in the celestial Ganges and other great holy places, performed many austerities and sacrifices, and already easily crossed the ocean of repeated birth and death.
22The supremely auspicious, palatable, splendid, pure, eternal, full of knowledge, full of bliss, delightful to the heart, supremely sweet nectar of the holy names and pastimes of Lord Hari is the transcendental fruit of the vine of devotional service. They who jubilantly drink this nectar become liberated even while residing in this world. They will not again enter the ocean of birth and death.
Fifth Cluster of Flowers
1The author how describes the Lord’s holy names and pastimes, which are worthy to be heard and chanted: Desiring to kill the demons, who were enemies of the three worlds and a great burden for the earth, Lord Krsna appeared as a jewel in the ocean of Devaki’s womb. A little later, eager to taste the honey of the gopi’s lips, He travelled to Vrajabhumi, and enjoyed pastimes as the son of Maharaja Nanda.
2The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who merely by His glance creates the illusory potency mahamaya, the material universe, complete with mahat-tattva, false-ego, ether, sky and all material elements, the incarnations of Godhead, and the demigods headed by Hari, Brahma, and Siva appeared in His perfect, complete, original form in Vrndavana-dhama, the village of the gopis.
3Although Putana smeared her breasts with poison to kill Krsna, she attained the transcendental post of being His nurse. How then can we describe the good fortune of they who always remember Krsna and with love offer Him palatable sweet milk, nectarlike fruits, or candies?
4Krsna enjoyed many wonderful pastimes. He killed Trnavarta and many demons. Taking a nap in His father’s courtyard, speaking sweet words, and playing, He pleased His parents. With His friends He protected the cows and calves. He pleased the gopis with blissful pastimes.
5Breaking a cart with a playful kick of His lotus feet, Lord Hari troubled His dutiful mother’s heart, delighted the boys eager to steal yoghurt, butter and milk, and placed wonder and fear in the hearts of the demon kings.
6While Krsna was drinking the milk of her breasts, Mother Yasoda pushed Him down onto her lap, and constantly gazed at His lotuslike face. Blinded with love and joy, she sweetly kissed Him. May the glory of Mother Yasoda’s good fortune protect the three worlds.
7One day, when He had stolen butter, His mother became angry and bound with a rope Lord Hari, whom the great sages cannot even measure. He said, “I’ll not do it again”, as He fearfully glanced at her from the corners of His eyes and cried.
8With love meditating on Him in their hearts, the great sages become free from the bonds of repeated birth and death. Because of her love His mother personally bound Lord Hari with a rope. Love has the power to bring even the Lord under its control.
9It is not surprising that by always worshipping the spiritual Supreme Lord in the heart, the great sages become liberated from their material bodies. The two sons of Kuvera also became liberated simply by approaching for a moment the Supreme Lord when He Himself was bound by a rope.
10Abandoning their calves, the young cows joyfully worshipped Krsna with abundant nectarean milk. With great love Krsna always protected them. In this way Lord Krsna, who always protects everyone, became eternally famous as “Gopala” (protector of the cows).
11Decorated with peacock feathers, gunja, and many kinds of flowers and sprouts, with a happy heart He played in the forest with Balarama and other cowherd friends, whose qualities, age, garments, and handsome features were like His.
12Sometimes singing and dancing to the sweet sounds of the flute and buffalo-horn bugle, sometimes playfully fighting, throwing fruits and flower petals at each other with their arms, sometimes stealing each other’s lunch-basket, sometimes sitting down to take lunch together, and sometimes imitating the birds and beasts in the forest, the boys played with Krsna.
13One day, on the pretext of bowing to the demands of His friends hungry and tired from playing, Lord Hari, showing mercy to the brahmanas’ devotees-wives, earnestly begged food from brahmanas performing sacrifices even though He can make nectar appear by His wish.
14Non-devotional religious rituals, pious activities and austerities are impediments to the service of Lord Hari’s lotus feet, but the regulations of devotional service are not. Expert in non-devotional piety, these brahmana’s had lost their intelligence and would not worship the Lord, although their wives, without such so-called pious credits, served the Lord’s lotus feet by offering food to Him.
15Curious to see Lord Hari’s childhood pastimes, Lord Brahma stole all the calves and boys of Vrajabhumi. Returning later, and seeing Krsna playing with the boys and calves as before, Brahma became struck with fear and devotedly surrendered to Lord Krsna’s louts feet, which grant all fearlessness to the devotees.
16Thinking ‘because of this wretched snake, the Yamuna is no longer a suitable place for Me to enjoy pastimes’, angry Krsna approached Kaliya to kill him. Later, when Kaliya, the king of snakes was about to leave his home in the Yamuna Krsna showed mercy to him by jubilantly placing His two lotus feet on the serpent’s bowed head.
17When Indra, the king of the demigods, saw that the sacrifice for him was stopped, he became intoxicated and blinded with pride of his own supremacy. He approached the village of Vrndavana to destroy it, along with its Krsna, by showering devastating rains. When Indra could understand that Krsna actually was the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he surrendered to Him. Because Indra was defeated in this way, arrogant and stubborn people may know how limited is their own strength.
18Lord Krsna placed Govardhana Hill again upon the earth. To become purified of his offense, Indra, the king of the demigods, bathed Lord Krsna with songs of praise. The surabhi cow also bathed splendid Lord Krsna with white milk as sweet as nectar.
19Hearing the gopis coming to sell milk products, Krsna calmly ate some of the palatable fresh butter, threw the remainder about and broke the pots.
20Going to each gopi’s house, Krsna appropriated the treasury of fresh butter and ate it. When discovered, He playfully, gently, charmingly, and disdainfully laughed at His captors.
21The beautiful gopis performed great austerities to attain the touch of Lord Krsna’s lotus feet. Wishing to fulfil their desire, Krsna went to the bank of the Yamuna and, eager to hear their clever and eloquent prayers, stole their garments. When He was pleased by them, He returned their garments and gave them His lotus feet.
Sixth Cluster of Flowers
1The author here describes smaranam (remembering the Lord).
Continual remembrance, under all circumstances, of the handsome form of the perfect and complete Supreme Lord Visnu, who is like an ocean of transcendental bliss, is called smaranam.
2The learned have described smaranam as remembering Lord Hari’s transcendental forms and names and also remembering the mantras that help one to attain Him.
3They who jubilantly accept Lord Krsna, the son of Maharaja Nanda, within the residence of their minds, become purified without practicing astanga-yoga or cultivating transcendental knowledge. The sinful thoughts within their minds become crippled, and their senses never loiter on the path of materialism.
4His form like a delightful dark monsoon cloud, Lord Hari is like an ocean of transcendental bliss that enjoys pastimes in Vrndavana forest. They whose minds become immersed in that ocean of Lord Hari never become scorched by the great blazing fires of material suffering, and they cannot be harmed by the malevolent black snake of the Kali-yuga.
5They who constantly meditate on Lord Govinda’s feet, and do not consider anything else to be valuable, never again flounder in the ocean of material existence, so full of suffering. For them, the rising moon of knowledge of the Supreme Lord dissipates all the darkness of ignorance. They drink the real, imperishable and eternal nectar of transcendental bliss.
6Vrndavana is decorated with madly dancing peacocks, blossoming flowers full of humming bees, and many different trees with budding twigs. In the middle of it is a desire tree with pearl flowers, emerald leaves, and many kinds of jewel fruits. May the reader meditate on that tree.
7Beneath that desire tree is a great and beautiful golden temple, with a hundred columns fashioned from great jewels, walls made of rubies, and many roofs decorated with flags moving in the breeze. Within that temple is a great throne made of rubies, and on that throne is an eight-petalled red lotus flower. Let the reader meditate in this way.
8Seated on that throne is Lord Krsna, who is never unhappy, whose handsome form is a dark monsoon cloud, whose face is a full moon, who gracefully bends in three places, whose limbs are splendid with ornaments, and who is served by gentle breezes reddened with flower pollen from the Yamuna’s blossoming lotus forest, breezes that move the garments of the beautiful-eyed gopis.
9Adorned with anklets, His blossoming red lotus feet are marked with a flag, barleycorn, elephant-goad, lotus, and other auspicious signs. His graceful toes are splendid with toenail-moons.
10His broad knees are handsome. His thighs are like plantain trees. His hips are splendid with an exquisite belt. His garments are yellow silk. His playfully tilted waist is charming with three folds of skin. His navel lake has a blossoming lotus entered by a bumble bee vine of the hair on His torso.
11In the sky of His sandal and kunkuma-anointed chest a Kaustubha sun and pearl necklace star shines. With tendril hands and reddish bud fingernails, the vines of His broad arms are decorated with jewel armlets and bracelets.
12He wears a splendidly fragrant garland colourful with kadamba, lotus, pravala, tulasi, mandara and santanaka flowers and visited by humming bees, that embraces His neck, rests upon His chest and devotedly reaches down to His feet.
13On His neck, which mocks the conchshell, and which is always splendid with a garland of stars around the full moon of His face, a gunja necklace rests. On the pretext of the nectar of restless smiles flowing from His reddish lips, day and night He emits a great flood of bliss from His mouth splendid as millions of moons.
14His cheeks are splendid with swinging earrings of gold and jewels. His large, smiling lotus eyes are graceful with tilting eyebrows. His handsome raised nose is decorated with a glistening pearl. His forehead is marked with a tilaka drawn in gorocana and musk.
15His head is decorated with a glittering jewelled crown and a peacock feather. Glistening curling hair, dark as anjana, graces His forehead. Slightly tilting His neck, and moving the blossoming twigs of His fingers, He fills the flute with the nectar of His lips.
16He is artistic and youthful. His handsomeness defeats Kamadeva. He is a palace of charming pastimes, an ocean of bliss, an ocean of playfulness, and an ocean of sublime intelligence. He is the only abode of mercy. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the happiness of the three worlds.
17The cakora birds of their hearts intoxicated by tasting the nectar flute-sounds flowing from the moon of His mouth, their lotus faces smiling, their eyes filled with sidelong glances, their forms decorated with various jewels, their colourful saris moving about their broad hips, and their hands holding many presentations, the girls of Vraja eternally serve Him.
18The black bumblebees of the gopis’ eyes lick the lotus flower of His face. Tasting the sweet nectar of His lips, the gopis happily worship Him. They serenade Him with flutes and vinas. He is surrounded by cowherd friends, His equals in age, handsomeness, decorated, transcendental qualities, speech and form.
19When He played His flute, the great oxen and white cows, their mouths still full of grass, picked up their heads and gazed at the Lord, attentively listening to His music. Their calves still drinking milk from their udders, the cows slowly approached Him and surrounded Him on all sides.
20Beyond them the demigods headed by Brahma offer obeisances and prayers before Him. Sanaka and other great yogis who aspire for liberation are behind Him. The sages who try to amass pious credits recite the Vedas at His right side. The Gandharvas and Vidyadharas sing, dance and play musical instruments at His left side.
21Ardently devoted to the Lord’s lotus feet, his hair matter, his form golden as the moon and the hairs of his body erect, Brahma’s son Devamuni Narada, plays the vina and sings prayers from the sky to Lord Krsna, who enchants the entire universe, and who is the abode of all spiritual happiness. One should meditate on the Lord in this way.
22The author further explains: I meditate on Lord Krsna, who is splendid as a dark monsoon-cloud, whose large eyes are red lotus petals, whose waist is tied with a belt, whose little teeth are beginning to appear, who is sweeter than nectar, and who, called by His mother, crawls to Her on His hands and knees in His home in Vraja.
23I meditate on Lord Krsna, who is splendid as a blossoming blue lotus flower, whose eyes are red lotuses, who wears a peacock-feather crown, who holds a pat of fresh butter in His hand, whose anklets tinkle, who is surrounded by His calves, who smiles, who is sweeter than nectar, and who has begun to dance.
24I gaze on the cowherd boy Krsna, who is now exhausted from artistic, enthusiastic, playful dancing, whose cheeks glisten with earrings, who follows the cows, who is surrounded by dancing cowherd boys, who wears a yellow cloth about His waist, who holds a flute in one hand and a staff in the other, and who ties His hair with a rope meant to tie the calves.
25The cows are in front. The boys, all dressed alike, follow. In the middle are Krsna and Balarama, walking as two intoxicated elephants and playfully moving Their limbs. They wear peacock feather crowns and carry a flute, bugle and stick. Eager to enjoy pastimes in Vraja, They smile. I meditate on Them.
26When they hear the sound of the flute placed to His lips, the calves prick up their ears and let the milk trickle from their mouths. Lord Gopala is very eager to enjoy pastimes with the cowherd boys, His equals in qualities, age, dress, and playfulness. O friend, please meditate on Lord Gopala, whose form is splendid as a monsoon cloud, and who is decorated with a garland of forest flowers.
27His form gracefully bending in three places and His lotus feet playfully moving, Lord Krsna dances in the midst of the doe-eyed gopis, who also dance and clap their hands. As He dances Krsna smiles, and His earrings move. Holding His flute in one hand, He takes the fresh blossom of Srimati Radharani’s hand in the other. In this way one should meditate on Lord Krsna, who is dark as a monsoon cloud.
28One hand resting on the shoulder of a gopi and the other holding a lotus flower, His eyes expanded, His peacock feather crown moving, and His kadamba garland shaking away humming bees, Krsna dances with the gracefulness of an intoxicated elephant. My heart yearns to drink the dark nectar of Lord Krsna.
29His chest marked with the kunkuma powder from the gopi’s breasts, His lips marked with their black eye-cosmetics, His cheeks reddened by the betel-nuts they chewed, and His forehead coloured with the reddish powder anointing the part in their hair, Krsna quickly left the cottage in the grove of Vrndavana forest and arrived at His own house at sunrise. When the gopis saw Him, they made jokes about the tell-tale marks on His person, and Krsna blushed with embarrassment. One should meditate on that Lord Krsna, the transcendental son of Yasoda-devi.
30Lord Vasudeva holds a club, conch, cakra and lotus in His four broad, handsome arms, and He is decorated with exquisite belts, earrings, necklaces, and bracelets. He wears yellow garments, and bears the mart of srivatsa. He is served by His associates, and surrounded Sri (beauty), Kirti (fame) and His other personified opulences. One should meditate on that Lord Vasudeva, who is splendid as a sapphire.
31Holding a bow in His broad, handsome arms, His form decorated with anklets, bracelets, necklaces, and earrings and constantly served by Laksmana and Hanuman, and His face gazed at by Sita-devi from the corners of Her large eyes, Lord Ramacandra, who is dark as durva grass, is full of intense transcendental bliss. One should always meditate on Him.
32In this way an intelligent person should meditate on Lord Vasudeva, who resides in the hearts of all creatures and is equal to all.
33He who plunges his mind day and night in the nectar of the Supreme Lord’s form and who drinks the nectar of His names, qualities and pastimes, is always filled with bliss. He is never burned by the great fires of suffering.
34They who thus remember Lord Hari become free from all sufferings. In their hearts they love the Lord. They control the senses. They trust the Lord. They are intoxicated with spiritual bliss. They are qualified to worship Lord Krsna’s lotus feet.
Seventh Cluster of flowers
1Now the author describes pada-sevanam (service of the lotus feet): Service to Lord Krsna, performed in a way suitable for a king, by devotees whose hearts are attached to the Lord’s service, is called pada-sevanam (service to the lotus feet).
2He who meditates on Lord Krsna and always attentively services His lotus feet, crosses the ocean of ignorance that blinds the entire world. He attains the supreme auspiciousness the sages cannot attain.
3They who meditate on Lord Krsna and serve His lotus feet conquer the three-fold and five-fold material miseries. Their minds never again drown in the ocean of materialism. The truth of the Supreme Lord becomes manifest to them.
4He who is patient, determined, grave, tolerant to everyone and everything, and does not misidentify himself as the material body, is qualified to constantly serve Lord Krsna’s lotus feet.
5Seeing the Lord’s deity form, which an artist has fashioned from stone, wood, metal, or some other element, the devotees bow down to offer respects and take shelter of the Lord. Free from the illusion of thinking the deity different from the Lord, they think: “This is certainly the Supreme Personality of Godhead”. In this way they serve the Lord’s lotus feet, which are the object of the meditation of Siva and Brahma.
6These devotees establish the deity of the Lord on a splendid and beautiful throne in a wonderful and colourful temple. Day and night performing newer and newer services, in a style befitting a king they happily worship the unrivalled Supreme Lord. In this way they serve the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, which are the object of the meditation of Siva and Brahma.
7These devotees awaken the comfortably sleeping deity early in the morning by slowly singing melodious songs and playing musical instruments. They perform various early-morning services for the Lord, offering to Him all the grand opulence appropriate for a king. In this way, they serve the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of godhead, which are the object of the meditation of Siva and Brahma.
8These devotees offer various jewel ornaments, exquisite garments, sublimely aromatic ointments, various decorations, delightful incense and lamps, and other excellent things, at the prescribed times, and according to the rules of worship. In this way with pure minds, they serve Lord Murari’s lotus feet.
9Cleansing the temple and other places, performing the abhiseka bathing ceremony, washing the deity’s lotus feet, offering to Him a throne, garlands, exquisite garments, ornaments, palatable foodstuffs and beverages, various ceremonies of worship, and a couch to take rest, fanning Him, dancing, singing, playing musical instruments, and performing many other activities to please Him, these devotees worship the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, which are the object of the meditation of Siva and Brahma.
10Thinking only of the Lord, the devotees continually serve Him by offering nice gardens, palaces, cottages, lakes, thrones, palanquins, awnings, white umbrellas, and various other things, as far as they are able.
11For Lord Hari’s pleasure, the devotees stage various festive processions,, and celebrate jubilant festivals on certain auspicious days, as well as every day. They continuously perform sankirtana, glorifying the Lord.
12In the summer, the devotees take the deity on water-excursions, and to places where there are cooling breezes. They anoint Him with sandalwood paste, again and again fan Him, decorate Him with jewel necklaces, feed Him very palatable foods, and bring Him into the pleasantly cooling moonlight. In this way they serve the Lord, as far as their abilities and finances enable.
13During the rainy season, they take the deity to a well-protected place in the temple, bathe Him with clear, slightly warm water, and offer Him puris, condiments, and various confections. In this way they serve the Lord, as far as their abilities and finances enable.
14In the autumn, the devotees serve the deity as in the summer. In the winter, however, they build fires to warm Him, arrange for the newly risen sun to shine on Him, and dress Him in winter clothes with cotton insulation. They bathe Him with heated water, and offer Him incense and various elegant garments. In this way they serve the Lord, as far as their abilities and finance enable.
15In the spring, the devotees take the deity on excursions to forest groves full of blossoming flowers. They offer Him honey and other palatable substances, and garland Him with many beautiful springtime flowers. In this way they serve the Lord, as far as their finances and abilities enable.
16Without the slightest neglect or disrespect, his mind full of love, devotion, great reverence and attentiveness, the devotee humbly, ardently, and continually serves Lord Hari’s lotus feet, just as a young wife serves her husband.
17The pure-minded devotees continually serve the supremely opulent Personality of Godhead with great jubilation, attentiveness, love, reverence, and devotion, just as if He were their own self, or their son, friend, wife, husband, or spiritual master.
18If Lord Hari perceives that a devotee thinks: “Let my mind never become intoxicated by the objects of sense gratification, and thus stray from the pure devotional service of the Lord’s lotus feet”, then the Lord removes material opulence from that devotee, because He is always the devotee’s friend.
19If this were to happen to me, and all my possession were taken away, I would not lament or feel any pain. I would simply associate with the devotees, and worship the Lord even with fruits, blossoming twigs, flowers, water, and other things gathered by me in the forest.
20I am a bumblebee who has gone to the forest to drink the honey of Lord Krsna’s lotus feet. I am not burned by the fire of criticism ignited by my relatives, and, although poor and hungry, I do not serve or flatter the wealthy mammonites.
21Abandoned by my wife, sons, friends and relatives, and no longer possessing a house and wealth, I shall give up the material desires in relation to my home and remain in the association of the saintly devotees. I shall live in the forest eating only the vegetables, fruits and roots growing there, without having to beg for food. There I shall continually serve the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
22Lord Madhusudana cannot be conquered by offering Him precious gold, jewels, aromatic incense, excellent flower garlands, palatable food and drink, beautiful clothing, or by fanning Him with a camara whisk. He is only conquered by pure, loving devotion.
23For this reason, either in the forest, or in a great mansion, either with easily available fruits, flowers and water, or with the previously described opulent arrangements, I shall serve Lord Murari’s lotus feet, which are my only shelter.
24The great devotees of Lord Krsna are never intoxicated by material opulence. They do not distinguish between their benefit and that of others. They are extensions of the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. For these reasons, I serve their lotus feet.
25Unintelligent fools worship with sacrifices the demigods in the higher planets. They who are intelligent serve the merciful devotees, who are directly empowered incarnations of Lord Krsna, the master of all the demigods.
26Whether one is full of devotion for Lord Hari, or not, he should serve the devotees. That service grants the result of serving the Supreme Lord.
27The service of the lotus feet of the great devotees purifies the mind and heart, completely uproots the touch of the illusory material nature, and enables one to taste the mellows of pure devotional service to Lord Hari.
28All glories to the particles of dust on the lotus feet of the great devotees. Those dust particles are the causes of pure devotion for Lord Hari. They are like fires that consume all sins, and like bridges that lead to the far shore of the ocean of birth and death.
29 In this way the great souls, whose hearts have become peaceful and pure by serving Lord Hari’s lotus feet, teach us by their words and deeds to worship His lotus feet, which the devotees serve with love.
Eighth Cluster of Flowers
1Now the author describes arcanam (worship): Properly worshipping Lord Krsna with sixteen kinds of service is called arcanam (worship).
2They who are actually intelligent abandon all Vedic sacrifices to the demigods and happily worship Lord Hari, the master of all living entities. Although they do not worship the demigods, sages, forefathers, bhutas, and human beings, all these entities are pleased with them. The entire three worlds become completely satisfied with them.
3When Lord Madhusudana, the original cause of everything, is worshipped, the three worlds become satisfied. Is this wonderful? The wonders present in His face are also eternally present in His reflection.
4Lord Govinda is a nectar ocean of bliss. Lord Govinda is worshipped by Brahma and Siva. He who worships Lord Govinda is himself worshipped by the three worlds. Even the goddess of fortune, who is worshipped by the great demigods, worships him.
5Faithful persons who worship Lord Hari’s lotus feet, which are sought by the greatest of yogis, become free from the karmic bonds of millions of births. They attain the ocean of nectar beyond the ocean of repeated birth and death.
6They who in their hearts say, “Let us worship Lord Mukunda”, are considered to be pious, fortunate, and successful.
7When one pronounces Lord Krsna’s holy name, he becomes immediately free from material bondage. When Lord Krsna is worshipped, what remains to be done?
8Whether free from material desires, full of material desires, or desiring liberation, intelligent persons devotedly and exclusively worship Lord Hari, who is like a desire tree that fulfils the desires of the devotees.
9All members of the four varnas and asramas may accept a tantric initiation and worship Lord Janardana according to the tantric regulations.
10The author here describes the worship of the Lord: Properly bathed, wearing very clean garments, his feet washed with water, decorated with splendid tilaka, performing arcamana, sitting in the kamalasana posture and respectfully folding his hands, one should offer obeisances to His guru and the exalted Vaisnavas, who are the best of living entities.
11One should place cups of water for washing the mouth and feet on his left and offerings of flowers and food on his right.
12Performing the bhuta-suddhi ceremony with a purified body, performing nyasa (gestures) with the hands and limbs, and controlling the breath, free from doubts, everyone should worship Lord Hari according to the prescribed regulations.
13They whose minds are contaminated by doubts and desires cannot become purified by practicing pranayama (breath control) hundreds of times.
14There are two kinds of worship: external worship and worship performed in the mind. External worship is performed in the presence of the deity or in other ways. The intelligence performs internal worship within the mind.
15Meditating, with fixed mind and unwavering intelligence, on Lord Krsna as He is described in the scriptures, one may begin worship within his mind.
16With purified intelligence one should withdraw the mind from external sense-objects and control the senses. Freed from all desires, one may meditate on Lord Krsna, the Supersoul of all living entities, who is an ocean of transcendental bliss. Meditating on that transcendental son of Nanda Maharaja within his heart, the pure soul may worship Him by offering water to wash His feet and by performing many other services.
17One may meditate on the heart as a blossoming eight-petalled lotus flower splendid as the moon. One may meditate on Lord Hari, who is an ocean of intense transcendental bliss and whose handsome form has previously been described, as standing on that lotus flower.
18Mentally performing the previously described services, one may worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Krsna, within his mind, according to the prescribed regulations.
19Then one may open his eyes and worship Lord Hari, the eternal Supreme Personality of Godhead standing before him, by personally offering various services without offense.
20The author now describes the external type of deity worship: Full of faith that the deity is directly the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one should lovingly worship the Lord by bathing Him, offering Him a throne, and performing many other services.
21A description of the activities of external worship follows: Following the regulations of worship, one may place water for arghya in a conchshell and other receptacles. One may then take a handful of flowers and meditate on Lord Krsna as He has previously been described.
22Following the regulations of worship one should worship the deity’s throne, which is fashioned in the form of an eight-petal lotus flower. One should then place the deity of Lord Krsna on the throne and offer suitable prayers.
23Having welcomed Lord Hari, one may worship Him by jubilantly offering water for washing the feet and many other articles to Him, one after another, and by performing various gestures (nyasa) according to the regulations of worship.
24One should offer padya to Lord Hari’s lotus feet, and the previously described water for arghya should be offered to His head. One should offer acamaniya and madhuparka to the Lord’s mouth.
25One should again offer water to rinse the Lord’s mouth, and he should offer water for the Lord’s bath. One should then give the Lord perfumed, clean yellow garments.
26As far as one is able, he should present golden necklaces, earrings, armlets, tinkling bells, crowns, and various other golden ornaments to the Lord.
27One should offer to the Lord camphor, aguru, musk, sandalwood, kunkuma, and other pleasing aromatic substances, which are neither too liquid nor too thick.
28Then one should offer to the deity tulasi leaves, and beautiful, aromatic malati, jati, karavira, lotus and other excellent flowers anointed with sandalwood paste.
29One should place the tulasi leaves at the Lord’s lotus feet, lotus flowers on His head, a garland of forest flowers around His neck, and handfuls of flowers on each of His limbs.
30One should offer very aromatic guggula and aguru incense, as well as a splendid ghee lamp, to the deity seated on His throne.
31Then one should offer to the deity the four kinds of foods prepared with fresh ghee, curds, milk, and sugar, and placed on a golden dish.
Note: the four kinds of foodstuffs are those which are chewed, sucked, licked and drunk.
32Then one should offer to the deity pure, clear, cool, fragrant, delicious water from a golden pitcher, and then one should offer water for the Lord to rinse His mouth.
33Then one should offer to the Lord nicely prepared pure betelnuts, made aromatic by adding camphor and other fragrant substances and placed in a golden case.
34Then one should offer a camara fan, umbrella, bed, palanquin, throne, and various other gifts to the Lord.
35Then one should worship the flute at the Lord’s mouth, the garland of forest-flowers on His chest, goddess Laksmi-devi, the kaustubha jewel, and the mark of srivatsa, one after the next.
36Then one should offer handfuls of flowers five times to the lotus feet of the deity, and after that one should worship the Lord’s associates, headed by Sridama, who are seated on the Lord’s lotus-shaped throne.
37Then, repeating prayers as far as he is able and satisfying the deity with eight kinds of offerings, one should take the remaining flowers and other articles of worship and worship Lord Visvaksena, who resides in the Northeast.
38Then the intelligent devotee should worship the Lord with aromatic unbroken flowers and cause the excellent conchshell and the sweet-sounding bell to resound.
39Then one should offer eloquent prayers to Lord Krsna, perform arati and other similar ceremonies, and offer obeisances, falling on the ground like a rod.
40-41Then one should fall at Lord Krsna’s lotus feet and repeatedly beg for His mercy, saying: “O Lord of the universes, please be merciful to me. O friend of the distressed. O ocean of mercy, I am drowning in the ocean of repeated birth and death, and the black snake of time has grasped me in its jaws. I have now completely taken shelter of You. Please protect me.”
42After begging for the Lord’s mercy and offering respectful obeisances to Him again and again, one should perform various mudras and offer Him a flute, forest-flower garland, lotus flowers and other things.
43When this worship of Lord Krsna is completed, one should place the Lord on a splendid, pure and comfortable bed.
44Then one should jubilantly smell the delightful flowers offered to Lord Krsna and place those flowers on his own head. He should drink the nectarean water that had washed the Lord’s lotus feet and also place that water upon his own head.
45Then one should distribute among the devotees the remnants of the Lord’s meal, which are difficult for even the great sages to attain and which are as palatable as nectar. Then, full of bliss because of having seen the Lord, one should also relish the remnants left by the Lord.
46In this way the deity may be worshipped by performing various services and offering various opulent gifts to the Lord. However, a poor person, without any means, may become perfect in spiritual life by worshipping the Lord with a tulasi leaf as his only offering.
47One who is keenly intelligent, free from pride, lust and other faults, and worships the Lord’s lotus feet, becomes at once qualified to offer respects to the perfect and complete Supreme Lord, Krsna, who is like an unlimited ocean of transcendental happiness.
Ninth Cluster of Flowers
1The author now describes vandanam (offering obeisances to the Lord): When they who are devoted to Lord Vasudeva’s lotus feet offer respects to Him with their body, mind or words, this is called vandanam (offering obeisances) by the learned devotees.
2What is the use of following the yoga paths, which are difficult to perfect even in hundreds of births? What is the use of the impersonalists’ so-called knowledge? I shall simply bow down before Lord Mukunda, for in this way the entire world becomes free from the bonds of karma and attains the supreme spiritual world.
3Bowing down before Lord Krsna destroys the flood of good and bad karma. Is this surprising? There is a jewel that will change iron into gold.
4I will not be troubled by a host of sufferings, I will be purified without bathing in sacred waters, I will not tremble in fear of Yama’s sceptre, and I will not called by a host of material deeds if I bow down before Lord Krsna.
5Greedy after the fragrance of the honey of His lotus feet, the wise bow down with body, heart, and words, before Lord Krsna, who loves His devotees, who is a limitless ocean of bliss, who is equal to all, and who is the lord and master of the entire world.
6The wise bow down with body and words to Lord Krsna’s all-pervading lotus feet, which are filled with the thick honey of transcendental bliss, and are eternally manifested in the devotees’ thoughts.
7The author describes how to offer obeisances to Lord Krsna: Let me take shelter of Lord Krsna’s lotus feet, which are delicate as a newly budding twig, decorated with tinkling golden ankle-bells, red as the middle of a lotus, and splendid with toenail-moons.
8Let me take shelter of Lord Hari’s eternal lotus feet, which are splendid as rubies and lotuses, delicate as sirisa flowers and fresh butter, and marked with a flag, lotus, barleycorn, and elephant-rod.
9I bow down before lotus-eyed Krsna’s lotus feet, which are splendid with jewel anklets, a thunderbolt, flag, lotus, and elephant-rod, and a red lustre doubled by the splendour of toenail-moons.
10For incomparable transcendental bliss let us bow down before Lord Govinda’s lotus feet, which are now fatigued by enthusiastic, graceful, playful dancing, which eternally stay in Vrndavana forest, which follow the surabhi cows, which are the abode of all sweetness, which are delightfully reddish, which are a jewel-mine of intense transcendental bliss, and which are worshipped by the girls of Vraja.
11Meditating and offering prayers in this way, and repeatedly falling down to the ground, one should offer obeisances to Lord Krsna, who is like a ocean of spiritual bliss.
12Shunning, as if it were an enemy, the intoxicating pride of knowledge, austerity, noble birth, wealth and good-fortune, the wise fall down to the ground like sticks to bow before everyone in the world, including outcastes, hogs, insects, and blades of grass.
13A wise man bows down before all moving and non-moving entities from Brahma down to the insects, for he considers them all pure devotees who have surrendered to Lord Krsna with their life and soul.
14In this way, all their material impurity washed away by repeatedly bowing down before the Lord, and their senses flooded with the nectar of the Lord’s lotus feet, loving serve Lord Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead and master of all moving and non-moving living entities.
Tenth Cluster of Flowers
1The author now describes dasyam (service): When the work performed by the body, intelligence, senses, voice, and mind, as well as pious activities, enjoyment and wealth are offered as gifts to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that is called dasyam (service).
2Just as the universes enter the transcendental body of Lord Vasudeva and just as the ten directions enter the sky, in the same way, all different forms of bhakti (devotion to Krsna) enter into service.
3The devotional processes of hearing about the Lord, glorifying Him, remembering Him, serving His lotus feet, worshipping Him, offering obeisances to Him, surrendering everything to Him, and befriending Him, all rest on service to Him.
4They who joyfully hear and chant the holy names and pastimes of their master, Lord Hari, and who, being equipoised in all circumstances, remember Him, constantly serve His lotus feet, offer obeisances to Him, lovingly worship Him, befriend Him, surrender everything to Him, and give the results of their activities to Him, are known as the servants of Lord Hari.
5They who engage in Lord Krsna’s service, which is difficult even for Lord Brahma and the demigods and sages to attain, are not ordinary human beings. They are like the Supreme Lord Himself, and they are worthy to receive the worship of the demigods and sages.
6For he who is indifferent to Lord Hari’s service, peacefulness, other good qualities, and also the post of Brahma are not within the realm of desire.
7They who are free from material desires, who see everyone and everything with equal vision and are free from false possessiveness and egotism, are qualified to engage in Lord Hari’s service.
8There is nothing more auspicious than Lord Hari’s service. There is no situation better than Lord Hari’s service. There is nothing to be gained better than Lord Hari’s service. There is no happiness higher than Lord Hari’s service.
9Proclaiming, “Let us abandon the bewildering sense-gratification of this world and find eternal happiness in the Supreme Personality of Godhead”, the intelligent devotees offer their body, intelligence, senses, mind and words to Lord Hari and continually worship Him with great love.
10The devotees engage their bodies in serving the Lord, worshipping Him, offering obeisances to Him, and other similar activities. They engage their minds in thinking of His lotus feet, their voices in glorifying His transcendental qualities and names, their intelligence in understanding Him, their eyes in seeing His deity form, their ears in hearing His glories, their tongues in tasting food offered to Him, and their sense of smell in relishing the fragrance of flowers offered to Him.
11Lord Krsna’s servants please Him by offering in His service their saintly deeds, wealth, desires, wife, home, friends, and relatives.
12One should perform pious activities to please Lord Hari, and one should spend money on His account. One should engage his desires in desiring to attain the Lord’s lotus feet, and one should worship the Lord’s lotus feet, engaging His wife, family, and friends also in that worship.
13Whatever the devotees do, either with body, words, mind, or senses, done of their own accord, or prescribed by others, they offer to Lord Vasudeva.
14The author describes the activities of the devotees: Without performing sinful deeds, the devotees engage their bodies in performing Lord Hari’s work. They meditate on His all-pervading presence with their minds, chant and hear the glories of His holy names and pastimes with their voices and ears, and see His deity form with their eyes.
15As far as he is able, a devotee performs all regular and occasional activities for the pleasure of the Lord. The devotee never harbours an ulterior motive.
16He who offers to Lord Krsna all he does, daily remembers with his mind the all-pervading presence of the perfect and complete Lord Krsna, performs Lord Krsna’s works without attachment (not claiming the fruits for himself, but offering them to Lord Krsna), and follows Lord Krsna’s orders becomes free from the bonds of karma.
17Lord Hari’s servants always remember their Lord. They are equal to all. Although engaged in different pure activities for the Lord’s service, they are never bound by the laws of karma.
18With body, mind, intelligence, senses and words, with pure minds and constant love, offering their pious activities and wealth to the Lord, and engaging in pure actions that cut the bonds of repeated birth and death, the most elevated persons always engage in the completely delightful service of Lord Visnu, who is an ocean of transcendental bliss.
19Great devotees whose hearts are cleansed of all dirt by the great waves of service to Lord Nrsimha, become friends of Lord Hari, who is like an ocean of spiritual happiness.
Eleventh Cluster of Flowers
1The author describes sakhyam (friendship): A very faithful devotee’s great love for Lord Vasudeva in the mood of friendship is called sakhyam.
2A devotee crosses the ocean of birth and death and on the other shore becomes the friend of supremely blissful Lord Hari.
3The author explains: Happy and desireless, Lord Vasudeva’s friends always bear great and pure love for Him.
4They please the Lord not with their humbleness, good works, saintly qualities, gifts, or performance of duty, but only with their loving friendship. They eternally play with the Lord, who is an ocean of transcendental bliss. Constantly gazing at him, they become filled with bliss.
5Plunged in the ocean of the happiness of friendship, their hearts are overwhelmed with love. They earnestly offer themselves to the Supreme Lord, who is a great ocean of bliss.
Twelfth Cluster of Flowers
1The author now describes atma-nivedanam (surrendering everything): Free from false-ego and a false sense of possessiveness, a pure devotee surrenders his body to the Lord. The natural inclination of such a devotee’s mind is called atma-nivedanam (surrendering everything).
2Nirguna-bhakti (devotional service beyond the modes of material nature) cannot be attained by the masters of yoga. It cannot be attained by any method other than atma-nivedanam. Nirguna-bhakti is said to bring liberation into the material world.
3Atma-nivedana is not attained merely by studying the Vedic scriptures or by listening to the instructions of the spiritual master. When one experiences the bliss of pure spiritual existence, the state of atma-nivedana becomes spontaneously manifest.
4The author explains: A fully surrendered soul does not consider, plan, or act for his own personal benefit. He completely surrenders to Lord Hari. He thus attains spiritual perfection and happily plays in the nectar ocean of spiritual bliss.
5For they who have dived into the unlimited nectar ocean of transcendental bliss that is Lord Hari, the ocean of material existence produced by the three modes of nature suddenly shrinks into non-existence. For them scriptural injunctions and prohibitions, as well as the happiness of the impersonal brahman effulgence, cease to exist. For those devotees the only thing that exists is the completely blissful Lord Krsna, who is manifested everywhere.
6Such a person may voluntarily or by accident remain in one place or wander in different directions. Filled with perfect transcendental bliss because he directly perceives the Supersoul in his heart, he remains uninterested in anything other than the Lord. Silently wandering without a companion, he appears like a dumb fool or a madman.
7These great souls constantly chant the holy names and pastimes of Lord Hari. All their spiritual objectives are attained. They are perfect, successful, and full of bliss. I think that on the pretext of smiling and laughing they are actually spitting out a small stream from the completely full ocean of causeless bliss within their hearts, and, on the pretext of the hairs on their bodies standing up, they are perspiring in ecstasy.
Thirteenth Cluster of Flowers
1Beginning his summary of the description of devotional service, the author explains that knowledge is subordinate to and dependent upon bhakti (devotional service). They who with jubilant hearts engage in the ever-fresh process of devotional service by hearing about the Lord, chanting His glories, remembering Him, serving His lotus feet, worshipping Him, offering obeisances to Him, serving Him, befriending Him, and surrendering everything to Him, bring Lord Krsna under their submission without chanting any mystic charm or administering any magic potion.
2Transcendental knowledge personally manifests itself to the pure-hearted, non-envious persons who travel on this path of pure devotional service. Just as one may understand the proper nature of a rope that only appears to be a snake in the darkness, such persons understand the falsity of the three planetary systems, which are filled with moving and non-moving beings. These enlightened persons are able to understand the supreme truth, the perfect and complete Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose form is eternal and spiritual.
3When that transcendental knowledge becomes manifest, the varieties of material energy are no longer visible, and the paths of sense-gratification and renunciation are both destroyed. At that time the one, eternal, perfect, pure, blissful, and omniscient Supreme Personality of Godhead, as well as His spiritual parts and parcels, the living entities whose nature is similar to His, become eternally manifest.
4That one eternal, unlimited, immutable Supreme Person is the foundation of the three material planetary systems filled with ignorant souls asleep to spiritual knowledge. When one understands that the Supreme Lord is the basis of everything, there are no material elements, such as earth, water, fire, air and ether, and there are no human beings, demigods, material activities, or time. For such a person only the perfect and complete Supreme Lord and His parts and parcels exist.
5Just as sky fills a house, pitcher or ditch, the spiritual soul enters different bodies constructed of earth, water, fire and sky in the form of the demigod Brahma or the form of a tiny insect.
6The Supreme Personality of Godhead is one without a second, and He is free from any contamination. Using His illusory potency, maya, He manifests this material world by means of the mahat-tattva, false-ego and other material transformations. Everything is created by and non different from Him, just as golden earrings, bracelets, and armlets are non different from the gold that is their original ingredient, and pots and bricks are not different from earth. He is everything, and maya means ignorance of that fact.
7Just as the sun may appear to have attained many different forms when reflected in different pots containing water, clarified butter or similar substances, in the same way, Lord Vasudeva, although one, is reflected within the different qualities of His illusory potency maya and appears to have assumed many forms that pervade every corner of her realm. When free from the illusion of thinking that the one Lord Vasudeva is far from this world, what person will not become enlightened with spiritual truth?
8The Supreme Person, whose form is eternal, full of knowledge and bliss, is the eternal truth. It is upon Him that the illusory potency maya rests. It is because of ignorance that one accepts that maya as truth.
9In truth neither the illusory potency maya, nor the material worlds manifested by that maya, exist. One in knowledge understands that only the supremely pure Vasudeva and His parts and parcels exist.
10The beginningless ignorance of material consciousness is not actually real, and the three material planetary systems are even less real. These things are not real just as the fragrance of a flower imagined to float in the sky and the refreshing coolness of an oasis seen in a mirage are unreal.
11Is that Supreme Person, appearing like an ocean of transcendental knowledge, not manifest everywhere? Nothing exists that is separate from the Supreme Lord, whose form is full of knowledge and bliss. Because of ignorance of this fact, the material world, which is like a dream or a magic trick conjured up by maya, becomes manifest. When the actual spiritual truth is again perceived, the material world fades into non-existence.
12Some persons see everywhere the perfect and complete unlimited Supreme Person, whose form is full of transcendental knowledge and eternity, and who cannot be understood by the material mind or described by material words. Such persons become free from all material bondage and full of transcendental bliss. They will never again enter the dark well of a mother’s womb.
13Using the Mandara mountain of pure devotional service, the devotees churn the ocean of material existence and quickly produce the nectar of transcendental knowledge. Drinking this nectar they become free from hunger, thirst, cold, heat, poverty, fear, lamentation, sleep, and all the manifold illusions of material existence. In this way they become able to jubilantly enjoy pastimes with the perfect, complete, blissful Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose form is filled with eternity and transcendental knowledge.
Fourteenth Cluster of Flowers
1Praying to be excused for his offenses, the author concludes his book: O Lord, although I am an unqualified fool, sullied with the mud of false-ego and false-possessiveness, I have tried to describe Your pure devotional service, which is confidential even for the Vedas. In the creative expressions of my thoughts and words, I consider that I have certainly committed offenses to You. O Lord, O ocean of mercy, I am certainly very wretched and worthy to be punished. Please forgive me.
2O Lord, O unlimited ocean of mercy, I have committed many sins, disrespected great souls, served those who hate Your lotus feet, and arrogantly jumped over Your instructions. I have not attained even a small drop of devotion for You. These are my offenses. O Lord, only by Your mercy may I be purified of them.
3O Lord, I do not gaze at Your deity form, and neither do I hear Your glories, worship Your lotus feet, or meditate on Your eternal form. My words jump over the injunctions and prohibitions spoken by You in the Vedas, I am shameless. Please forgive me when I say: “O Krsna, please be merciful”.
4O Lord, pretending to serve Your lotus feet with my body, mind and words, I simply engage in the unceasing service of my senses. In this way I cheat everyone. I am an ignorant rascal who thinks himself very learned. I am always in anxiety by unlawfully taking the property of others, and my activities are only attempts to nicely fill my bell. O Lord, O ocean of mercy, please protect me.
5O Lord, O remover of the sufferings of the distressed, I am a great fool, and You are the protector, father, and maintainer of the three worlds. You are a great ocean of transcendental bliss. I am not able to serve You at any time or in any way. I always experience the distressing bondage of material existence, which is the fruit of my past misdeeds. I am bewildered, agitated, and disheartened, and my intelligence is stunted. O Lord, please protect me.
6O Lord, during the daytime I worry how I will fill my belly, and at night I am engaged in sleeping and sex. My mind is tossed to and fro by unending difficult-to-fulfil desires. Although I have been averse to You, I am now praying to be engaged in Your service. O Ocean of mercy, please be kind to this shameless person and forgive his offenses.
7O Lord, within this universe there are fourteen planetary systems, and in the middle of them is this earth planet. Even in one place on this earth there are many kings, accompanied by counsellors, ministers, and others who serve them. I am not qualified to serve You, who are the master of millions of universes. I am a great fool. Please forgive my offense.
8O Lord Narahari, You are the well-wishing father, mother, creator, and master of every living entity. It behoves You to forgive the offenses committed by Your offspring. A tiny child may kick his mother’s chest or perform so much mischief, but the mother never becomes angry with him.
9O non dual, changeless, perfect, complete, eternal Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is a nectar ocean of transcendental bliss and eternal knowledge, I am Your part-and-parcel, situated within You. I am now harshly burned by the blazing fires of material existence, and I am on the verge of death. O ocean of mercy, please rescue me, who am bewildered by the magic tricks of Your illusory potency maya.
10O Lord, what am I but a tiny child in comparison to Your devotees, such as Siva and Narada? What is the faint power of my intelligence in comparison to Your pure devotional service, which even the great yogis cannot understand? Although I am conscious of these facts, I am not strong enough to divert the bumblebee of my mind, which is always very greedy to attain Your lotus feet.
11O Govinda, for a long time the bumblebee of my mind has been enchanted by the beautiful, glistening, blossoming lotus flower of Your smiling face. That bumblebee has now become delighted by the aroma of the nectar of Your lotus feet, which is carried by the sudden breeze of the association of Your devotees.
12O Lord Hari, O ocean of mercy, although I am a bewildered person who has committed many offenses and displeased You, I have nevertheless approached Your lotus feet with a desire to serve You. You are the kind Supreme Personality of Godhead, who forgives an enemy who begs for shelter.
13O Lord, they who give up the activities of this world and loving embrace the nectarean devotional service of Your lotus feet in the same way one embraces his most dear lover, becomes free from all offenses committed in this life and attain You, who are like a nectar ocean of bliss.
14O Lord, if a person who had formerly committed hundreds of grievous sins takes up a saintly way of life and engages in the nectarean devotional service of Your lotus feet, it is as if he had never done any sinful deed. On the other hand, if a person is decorated with all good qualities but does not engage in Your service, he becomes a proud hypocrite, and all his pious deeds becomes sins.
15Proud persons who are eager to enjoy the flickering happiness of this world and who do not take shelter of eternal, blissful, naturally pure devotional service to Lord Hari, which grants all desires and perfections, have wasted their life. All their days, their knowledge, host of good qualities, pious deeds, austerities, good character and eloquent words are all useless.
16Pure devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead does not depend on an appropriate time, hearing the message of the Vedic scriptures, an auspicious station in life, austerities, knowledge, performance of Vedic sacrifices, strength, courage, good qualities, or noble birth. They who are free from enmity to others therefore renounce everything and constantly engage in that devotional service with their entire heart, mind and soul.
17Full of enchanting qualities, granting knowledge and direct perception of the faultless Supreme Personality of Godhead, bringing eternal love for Him, granting great spiritual happiness, and destroying the distress of this world, the transcendental desire-vine of Lord Hari’s devotional service, even if not decorated with many ornaments, is very dear and delightful to the great souls.
18Although Srila Vyasadeva’s Srimad-Bhagvatam, the direct incarnation of the unlimited Supreme Personality of Godhead, is present, the learned devotees, who are eager to accept the good qualities of things, will also accept my little book. Why is this so? What person will reject a splendid valuable jewel found in a humble well, because the great ocean is full of such jewels?
19They who are not envious of the Lord’s devotees, and who hear, read, or praise this book, which is filled with the nectarean knowledge of pure devotional service, become able to completely cast off the darkness of repeated birth and death. Enlightened with the knowledge of devotional service, they attain the intensely blissful, deathless and nectar like abode of Lord Visnu.