Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

Sri Vilapa Kusumanjali by Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswamipada is the best bhajana guidebook for raganuga sadhakas pursing manjari bhava. However, this is not really a book.

Rather here in a tangible and approachable form one discovers an ocean of loving outpourings for humble seva from the anguished heart of Srimati Radhika’s manjari maidservant crying in separation:

“Ha Radhe! Ha Radhe! Where are You now? I beg to see You and serve Your lotus feet in every possible way. Ha Radhe! Where are You?”

Each and every verse of Vilapa Kusumanjali is like a fragrant flower (kusuma) sprinkled with the pollen of lamentation (vilapa), and offered with the hands (anjali) of a heart hankering for Srimati’s eternal service.

Sadhakas aware of their siddha-svarupas or spiritual forms should regularly read these verses while deeply meditating on the pastimes described therein; the services being offered; and the moods and feelings being exchanged between Priya Sundari and Her loving maidservant.

With a purified mind and a sensitive, service-oriented heart, a sadhaka can identify with Sri Dasa Goswami in his manjari form as Tulasi-manjari and the sweet confidential sevas she’s doing for Radharani’s pleasure.

With the mercy of Sri Guru, Sri Harinama, and sweet foot dust of Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswamipada, one will gradually see these seva lilas in the mind, and render the same sevas too in one’s individual siddha-svarupa.

To facilitate the sadhana of manjari bhava upasakas, Sri Vilapa Kusumanjali is herein presented. Manjari bhava upasana ki jai! Guru krpa hi kevalam ki jai! Jaya Jaya Sri Radhe!

Sri Vilapa Kusumanjali

Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswami

1 My dear friend Rūpa Mañjari! In the town of Vraja, you are well known for your chastity. You don’t even look at the faces of other men! It is surprising therefore that your lips, that are as beautiful as red Bimba-fruits, have been bitten although your husband is not at home. Perhaps this has been done by the best of parrots?

2 O Sthalakamalini (land-lotus)! It is fitting that you are laughing very proudly through your flower bunches, since the black bee Krishna has left all the fragrant flowers in the forest to search only for you!

O Rati Mañjari! You are the most fortunate cowherd girl in the abode of the king of Vraja! When your mistress Śrī Rādhikā forgets Her beloved sash of bells due to absorption in Her love play, She asks You to fetch it from the cave where She left it!

4 I take shelter of my teacher Yadunandana Ācārya, who is so powerful because he is so dear to Yadunandana Śrī Krishna, and who personally showered me with the nectar of his matchless mercy.

5 I worship Sri Chaitanyachandra, who with the ropes of His mercy suddenly pulled me out of the deep, inescapable, waterless well of household life, which is full of limitless suffering, and gave me shelter at the tips of His feet, that defeat the beauty of lotus flowers, and entrusted me into the care of Śrī Svarūpa Dāmodara.

6 I take shelter of my lord Sanātana Gosvāmī, who was an ocean of compassion and who always felt sorry for the suffering of others. Although I was blinded by ignorance and unwilling to, he diligently made me drink the nectar of devotion laced with renunciation.

7 O Svāmini Radhe! The heart of this maidservant constantly burns in a great fire of separation from You. Being thus afflicted and crying with great love, I lament in the following verses!

8 O Devi Radhe! I’m helpless and afflicted in the middle of an ocean of sorrow! Please take me to the wonderful abode of Your lotus feet in the powerful boat of Your mercy!

9 O Devi! This person has died from the bites of the black snake of separation from You. Please revive me with the medicinal lac that anoints Your lotus feet!

10 O Devi, I am a maidservant of Your lotus-like feet, but my vine-like body burn is burning in the forest fire of separation from You. Please revive me at once with Your nectarean glances!

11 O Sumukhi! When will I, even in a dream, be justified in calling my head the highest limb (uttamāṅga) of my body by beautifying it with the glistening fragrant pollen of Your lotus feet?

12 O Kalyāṇi! When will the jingling of Your anklebells, that resembles an ocean of nectarean rasa, cure my deafness?

13 O Devi! When You go out to meet Krishna in the moonlit night Your eyes fearfully move in all directions, like bumblebees turning the whole forest into blue lotus petal-interiors. Is this person not to be seen by these eyes?

14 O Vrindavaneshvari! Ever since some mañjarī named Rūpa filled my eyes with light in Vrajabhūmi, I have strongly desired to see the red lac on Your lotus feet!

15 O blooming lotus-eyed girl (Rādhe)! When my eyes directly saw Your pond, Rādhākuṇḍa, which is filled with sweet water and lotus flowers surrounded by blissfully humming bees, then I really got the desire to taste the nectar of Your service!

16 O Devi! I shall never pray to You for anything else but the excellent service of Your lotus feet! I offer my constant obeisances to the idea of becoming Your friend, but I really relish the idea of becoming Your maidservant!

17 O You whose golden hue possesses the pride of the color of a turmeric-bulb scratched by a fingernail! When will You, having, out of great satisfaction, marked my arms with Your emblems of good fortune that are anointed with Your very lovely footlac, bestow the service of Your lotus feet on me?

18 O Devi! When may I daily make Your latrine, which is very dear to me, fragrant with nice incense after I joyfully rinse Your drain with sweetly scented water and lovingly sweep it with my loosened hair?

19 O Bhāvini Radhe! When can I diligently bring camphorated clay and a jug of scented water into Your room, wash Your lotus like feet in a basin and dry them with my hair?

20 After washing Your lotus feet and brushing Your teeth with a twig, when may this maidservant seat You in the bathroom and massage You after anointing You with very fragrant oils?

21 O You whose lotus like face defeats the beauty of the moon! When may I expertly bathe You with jugs of pure water scented with camphor and flowers, brought in advance by a sakhi who is beautified by her love for You?

22 O Śaśimukhi! After Your bath, may I gently and carefully wipe the water from Your tender limbs with fine towels as the borders of Your fish-like eyes joyfully move in all directions. After covering Your hips with a red silken petticoat, my body will erupt with thrill bumps of joy. Then may I cover Your entire body from Your head down with an incomparably beautiful blue sari?

23 O Radhe, beloved of the Prince of Vraja! When will this person, after washing Your lotus feet, lovingly braid Your hair with the beautiful fine garlands made by the florist girl Narmada?

24 O Devi, may I then joyfully make a full moon-like tilaka on Your forehead, anoint Your body with fine glistening vermilion and make pictures on Your breasts with perfumes?

25 O Devi! When will I beautify Your tresses by making a stripe of sindūra on Your hair part with a jeweled pencil?

26 O Devi! With a steady hand when can I make red fragrant spots all around Your tilaka that is the best enchanting herb for Krishna?

27 O Varoru! Your excellent earrings are like ropes that the flower archer Cupid has placed to bind the elephant king-like heart of the Prince of Vraja! When can I happily hang these ornaments on Your ears?

28 O Sundari! I did not desire that Śyāma would not see Your breasts when I placed this kañculī (bodice) on them. Actually, O Swamini, I wanted Shyama Himself to become Your blouse by suddenly coming and firmly embracing Your jewellike breasts that are more dear than His very life.

29 O Hemagauri! When You tire of lovemaking You lie down on the pillow of Mukunda’s chest, which is as soft as cotton. When can this maidservant decorate Your nice chest with a charming necklace of gems and big pearls?

30 O Indīvarakṣi! Will I ever get the chance to ornament You with blue bangles inset with jewels? When will I adorn Your hands, that are expert in all arts and very dear to Śrī Hari, with beautiful glistening rings?

31 O Sunetre! When will I worship Your lotus feet by carefully putting jeweled ankle bells on them, and worship the petals of those lotuses with Your dearest toe rings? When will I worship Your waist, Krishna’s matchless loveseat, with a golden sash of jingling bells

32 When can I humbly and joyfully decorate Your arms, that are like very lovely lotus stems that expertly destroy the patience in the swan-like intelligence of Murajayi Krishna, with gem studded armlets or render any other service to You?

33 O Subhage! When will that day come when I worship Your neck, which attained all good fortune from the touch of Gokulachandra during the Rasa Utsava, with a Graiveya-ornament?

34 O Sumukhi! After Krishna killed the proud Śaṅkhacūḍa-demon, He gave the Syamantaka jewel removed from that demon to His brother Balarāma (the enemy of Pralambāsura). With a happy heart Balarāma gave it to Madhumaṅgala who in turn gave it to You. When can I hang this Syamantaka jewel, the friend of Krishna’s Kaustubha-gem, in a locket around Your neck?

35 O Kṛśodari! Your waist is so thin that I’m very much afraid it will break when I bind it with a golden string with tassels at both ends!

36 O Hemagauri (golden girl)! When will I fasten a round nose pearl attached to a golden string on Your nose that defeats the beauty of a sesame flower? The great bee Madhumathana Krishna will be very agitated by the honey suddenly appearing there.

37 O Svarṇagauri! When on Your order will I tie the nava-ratna armlet on Your left arm with a string beautified by a silken tassel?

38 O Cañcalākṣi! Although Muraśatru Krishna agitates all the gopīs, I make Krishna spin like a disc with the chakra-shaped hairpins that I place above Your ears!

39 O Mṛga Śāvākṣi! When can I beautify Your chin that is the abode of Mukunda’s bliss with a drop of musk?

40 O Devi! When will I decorate Your teeth with reddish lines, making them look just like pearls with lines of ruby on them?

41 O Gāṅgeya Gātri! When will I color Your excellent Bimba fruit reddish, nectarlike lips with lipstick of catechu mixed with fresh camphor? Will the Krishna parrot suddenly come then and forcibly bite them?

42 With just a blink from the corners of Your eyes You immediately tightly tie down the king of elephants Krishna. When will I worship Your two eyes that defeat the fickleness of the wagtail bird with eyeliner?

43 Just to soothe Your proud love sulk, the Prince of Vraja holds Your feet on His head to enhance its beauty with the mark of Your footlac! When will I make Your feet most splendid with this nectarean footlac?

44 O Devi, when Muradvisha Krishna touches Your lowered shoulders in the Rāsa dance, He looks like a full moon (Kalānidhi) shining with an abundance of lust. O Kalāvati (artistic girl)! When will this maidservant joyfully place a garland of sweet jasmine flowers, surrounded by wandering humming bees, on Your shoulders?

45 O Mugdhāṅgi! O Sumukhi! When will this maidservant sit next to You, who are surrounded by Your sakhis, and lovingly hand You the paraphernalia to offer formal oblations to the Sungod sitting on an altar made of sunstones?

46 O Varoru! After You very carefully cook a variety of sweets for Madhumathana on the order of the Queen Yaśodā, You hand them to Your girlfriends like me [to bring them to Krishna].

47 O Bhavye! Seeing me bringing Your sweets and knowing me to be Yours, when will the Queen of Vraja hold her forehead on my forehead in loving joy as if she is my mother and inquire about Your wellbeing?

48 O Devi! When will I most affectionately bring and present to You the remnants of Krishna’s lotus like mouth given to me by Dhanishtha.

49 O Kuṅkumāṅgi! When will I carefully serve You the many remnants left by Krishna, that are like an elixir of the quintessence of nectar, mixed with other eatables and drinks, as You sit down, surrounded by Lalitā and other girlfriends?

50 O Taralākṣi! When will the time come when I can offer You sweet drinking water scented with fresh roses and camphor for flushing Your mouth, along with a twig for brushing Your teeth?

51 O Devi! While You are eating, when can I lovingly and attentively fan You, light lots of nicely fragrant incense, or serve You in other appropriate ways at that time?

52 O Madhura Gātri! When will my hair stand erect in ecstasy when I place a betel-leaf packed with camphor, catechu, cloves and guvak into Your lotus like mouth?

53 O Devi! While Lalitā joyfully offers arati to You, and the other sakhīs worship You with auspicious songs and fresh flowers, when can this maidservant, to whom You are dearer than billions of lives, worship You with her hair?

54 O Devi! While You are absorbed in an intimate joking discussion with Your girlfriends, headed by Lalitā, I will make a beautiful play bed for You with my own hands. When will You decorate that bed by dreaming on it?

55 O Manojña Hṛdaye! O Sadaye! When will that beautiful, blessed day come when this maidservant of Yours will massage Your feet as Śrī Rūpa Mañjarī takes care of Your hands?

56 O Sumukhi! When will I, like a vine of devotion, on the strength of great arising fortune, obtain the remnants of food that You spat out along with Your gargling water and the water that has washed Your lotus like feet? With love I shall enjoy it in so many ways along with Your other loving friends!

57 O Devi! When will You, while You are eating, affectionately give me, whose heart is dedicated to You, the nectarean remnants from Your lotus like mouth?

58 O Svāmini! Can I ever obtain Your darshana as You walk to Nandishvara to cook for Mādhava Sri Krishna, with Your gait faltering and Your hair standing on end out of joy?

59 Rūpa Mañjarī will lead You on the path, Lalitā and Viśākhā will be at Your sides, Your friends will be all around You, and I will walk behind You holding Your gracefully slender waist.

60 When You arrive in Nandīśvara, the great abode of Vrajaraja Nanda, which is filled with the bellowing of cows, the shouts of the cowherders and the different songs of the artists and panegyrists, and which shines with love, being dearer to Krishna, the Prince of Vraja, than even Govardhana.

61 Surrounded by Your loving friends, You will arrive in Nandishvara. When will I then see Dhanishtha, after seeing You coming from afar, quickly and lovingly bring You inside the palace right in front of me?

62 O Kuśale! You are an expert cook! After I wash Your lotus like feet, You enter into the kitchen and offer obeisances to the queen of Vraja and other superiors. When will You drown me in an ocean of bliss by doing this?

63 O Devi, when can I see Your lowered blushing face affectionately looking at Mādhava while You collect all His food and drinks and place them in Rohiṇī’s hands?

64 O Madhure! When will You gladden me when I see Mādhava glancing at Your joyful and eager lotus face with lowered eyes as He sits in the dining room with His superiors?

65 When will Krishna, the Prince of Vraja, glance at You with His smiling face as He goes out to wander in the forest with the Surabhī cows in whose care He was initiated, being cuddled by His worried mother?

66 O Hrīmati Sumukhi! When will my heart feel great joy when I see the Queen of Vraja, who is more affectionate than billions of mothers, taking eager oaths to make You sit down to eat with Your friends?

67 O Khañjanākṣi! When will I feel a great festival of joy in my heart when I see You being cuddled by the Queen of Vraja, who embraces You, kisses Your head and lovingly stares at You as if You are Her newly married daughter-in-law?

68 O my dear friend Rūpa Mañjari! When can I walk behind you when you lovingly take wide-eyed goddess Rādhikā, who is moved by waves of desire, to the play grove that is decorated by Śrī Hari, as She holds Her vine-like arm with yours?

69 My dear friend Rūpa Mañjari! When will I be able to see you with my mistress decorating Her dearest One with flower-ornaments in the grove-cottage on the bank of Radha-kunda?

70 O Subhage! Can I joyfully decorate You with fine garments, floral earrings, necklaces and so after hearing from the parrot Vicakṣaṇa that the prince of Vraja has gone out for His excellent noontime meeting with You?

71 O Śaśimukhi! O Devi! When will I make a bed of jasmine-flowers for You in the cottage in Madanānandada-kuñja (Visakha’s grove which gives joy to Cupid) which has beautiful gates and erotic vermilion pictures hanging in it, hung with garlands made of various flowers surrounded by humming bees?

72 O Kanaka Gauri (golden girl)! Can I carefully and happily massage Your lotus feet while Śrī Rūpa Mañjarī massages the lotus feet of Krishna, the Prince of Vraja, on whose arm You have placed Your head?

73 Madhusūdana is the crest jewel of clever pranksters! One day He obstructs Your path on the pretext of collecting tax from You as You are walking near Govardhana Hill! Will I then see Your proud eyes crowned with frowned eyebrows?

74 O Madhura-mukhi! When the wind carries Your excellent bodily fragrance to Candrāvalī’s handmade play bed where Mukunda enjoys with her, Krishna finds a clever excuse to meet You on the shore of Radha-kunda, like a bumblebee leaving an inferior flower. When will I proudly witness this?

75 O Śaśimukhi! When will we witness Your ever-fresh water sports with Pranapati Shyama and Your friends all together in Your own sweet lake, which is filled with many lotus flowers and surrounded by singing birds and humming bees?

76 O Varoru! When will the ocean of my bliss expand when I see You being decorated with flowers by joyful Arishtajayi Krishna in a grove with many blooming flowers and bees on the beautiful bank of Your lake?

77 Will the joy of my eyes increase when I see one maiden swiftly and happily bringing various blooming flowers, big guñjā-beads and peacock feathers? While Hari places these things in Svamini’s hair braid, He shivers and Radha’s whole body blooms up with tiny bumps of bliss!

78 O Sumukhi! When will I secretly smile when I see You proudly and excitedly beating Mādhava with Your play lotus during Your love sports?

79 O Subhaga Mukhi! When will You give me great joy by singing sweet love songs with the Prince of Vraja as You embrace Him with Your very graceful arms, and Shyama holds His strong arm on Your low shoulders?

80 O Devi, when You defeat Hari in a dice game You snatch away His flute. When will You throw it to me, so that I can hide it somewhere?

81 O Sumukhi)! When will I have thrill bumps of ecstasy all over my body as I fan You in a temple that gives bliss to Cupid, where You enjoy ever-so-sweet talks with Your lover, Your cheeks blossoming with a smile as You lie on a play bed made of Mālatī flowers?

82 O Rādhe with a face like a fully blooming lotus flower! When You go out to meet Krishna at night Your swiftly moving feet become afflicted with fatigue. O Devi! When will You, although You are shyness personified, call me by name to massage Your lotus feet? Then I know that You have accepted me as Your own!

83 ‘O Rādhe! O Granddaughter! The time has come for Your worship of the sungod! Where are You?’ Will these angry words of Mukharā sound like nectar to me and make me happy?

84 O Devi! Can I serve Your nectarean words with My ears and Your camphor-scented smile with My eyes?

85 O Suvrate! Will you increase my bliss by falsely and angrily quarreling with Your Prananatha, being supported by Your girlfriends, who are expert in helping You in Your loving tricks while You play the flower picking game?

86 O Sadaye! When will this maiden, whom Mādhava knows to be very dear to You and piteously petitioned in so many unbearable ways, anxiously fall at Lalitā’s feet to plead for Him that You give up Your maan?

87 O Dhīre! When will I see Your great ceremonial bathing as You are crowned the queen of Vṛndāvana by Paurṇamāsī’s personal arrangement? While You are being bathed with many jugs of pure fragrant water, there will be a grand festival of love with dancing, singing of auspicious songs and playing of vīṇās and other instruments!

88 O Mañju-vadane! On the full moon day of Śrāvana (August) named Rakṣa Pūrṇimā, Your brother Śrīdāma comes to Yāvata with ten thousand cows to satisfy the greedy Jaṭilā before affectionately taking You along to Varṣānā, where Your parents lovingly cuddle You in front of me as You melt with weeping from happiness and sorrow.

89 O Sadaye! When will You shyly take me far away from Your girlfriends to a cave of Govardhana Hill to teach me beautiful songs in different tunes?

90 O Devi, when will I shyly lower my head in the assembly as You are requested by Lalitā-devī to lovingly read some beautiful romantic poetry to me?

91 O Devi! When will You teach me how to play the Kacchapī vina in a grove that is filled with humming bees, on the shore of Your lake?

92 O Devi! When will You, being shy before Your girlfriends, order me through a hint to restring Your dear necklace which broke during Your pastimes with Krishna?

93 O Devi! When will You affectionately give me the remnants of Your chewed betel from Your mouth into mine, looking all around (to see if anybody’s looking)?

94 O Śaśimukhi! During intense love-pastimes with Your Prananatha You become bewildered and forget Your dear sweet sash of bells in the kunja. When will You give me a wink to go quickly back and fetch it?

95 O Devi! Although You are generally very grave, You once severely rebuked me and sent me away for committing just the tiniest mistake. When will You cast a slight glance on this pitiful person after Lalitā brings her back to You?

96 I am Yours, I am Yours! I cannot live without You! O Devi! Knowing this, please take me to Your lotus feet!

97 O Lolākṣi! Sri Radha-kunda is always the dwelling place of You and Your Beloved. Here only at Radha-kunda I will live and here alone I will stay!

98 O beautiful Radha-kunda! My Ishvari Radha always plays erotic games in you with Her beloved Krishna. If you are dearer to Them than the dearest, then please show me my Ishvari, who is my very life!

99 O fair-faced Viśākhe! My Queen will not leave your company for even a moment! Because You are of the same age as Radha, you are the realm of Her joking pastimes. Please save my life from the affliction of separation and show me my Ishvari!

100 O Natha, O Gokula-sudhakara! O You who are melting with compassion! O You whose lotus like face smiles sweetly and satisfied! Wherever You go to enjoy loving pastimes with Your beloved, please take me there, so that I can affectionately serve You there!

101 O Ishe Radhe! The goddess of fortune cannot attain even a drop of the beauty of the tips of Your lotus like toenails! If You do not bestow the gift of Your darshana, then what is the use of this life that just burns in a forest fire of sorrow?

102 O Varoru! Thus I somehow spent my time at Radha-kunda aspiring after oceans of nectar. But Radha, if You are not merciful to me, then what is the use of my life—my living in Vraja—and even Krishna to me?

103 O Kṛpāmayi Radha! If You are not kind upon this suffering girl then what was the use of all these lamentations and all my service to Your kunda for such a long time?

104 O Praṇaya-śālini Radha! Thus I am loudly crying, desiring to attain Your mature loving service! Holding Your lotus feet to my heart, which is burning out of intense agony, I’m offering these lamentations to them as a bouquet of flowers. May they be the cause of even the slightest satisfaction to You.

(adapted from translation of Sri Advaita Dasji)

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

The answer is YES!

But it is also true that the specific word manjari or the phrase “manjari bhava” IS NOT FOUND in Chaitanya Caritamrta, Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu, Brhad-bhagavatamrita, or the Srimad Bhagavatam.

Why manjari bhava is not directly mentioned in Chaitanya Caritamrita? Early during his stay at Radha-kunda, Sri Krishna Dasa Kaviraja wrote Govinda-lilamrita in Sanskrit, which is full of manjari names and sevas.

Then at the end of his life at Radha-kunda, he summarized all the Goswami’s books and teachings (all written in Sanskrit) in simple Bengali language so the masses of Gaudiya Vaisnavas, mostly Bengalis at that time, could easily understand the basic tenets of Gaudiya Vaisnava philosophy.

Since manjari bhava is a confidential aspect of Mahaprabhu’s teachings, Sri Krishna Dasa Kaviraja did not deem it fit for mass distribution. Thus he did not directly mention the words manjari or manjari bhava. But he did not avoid or overlook it either. Throughout the Chaitanya Caritamrta, Sri Krishna Dasa Kaviraja mentions terms like “gopi-bhava” “smarana” “siddha-deha” “cinte” (meditate) which are all directly related to manjari and manjari bhava.

Nevertheless, the practice of raganuga bhakti sadhana and gopi-bhava is integral to the teachings of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Thus, the word and phrase MANJARI and MANJARI BHAVA, along with the meaning and the practice of worshiping Radha-Krishna in madhura-rati as a sakhi maidservant, dasi (aka manjari, kinkari) of Sri Radha in manjari-bhava, IS MENTIONED and specifically described in the following important books of our Gaudiya Vaisnava Goswamis and Purvacharyas

Goswami & Gaudiya Vaisnava Acharya Books Describing Manjari Bhava:

1] Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī’s Stavāvalī (especially Vilāpa Kusumānjali)

2] Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī’s Stavamālā (especially Utkalikā Vallari)

3] Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī’s Ujjvala Nīlamaṇi (a few verses)

4] Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura’s Prema Bhakti Candrikā (extensive description)

5] Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura’s Prārthanā (extensive description)

6] Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī’s Saṅkalpa Kalpadruma (extensive description)

7] Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī’s Kṛṣṇa Bhāvanāmṛta (extensive description)

8] Śrīla Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī’s Rādhā Rasa Sudhānidhi (extensive description)

9] Śrīla Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī’s Vṛndāvana Mahimāmṛta (extensive description)

10] Sri Krishna Dasa Kaviraja, Govinda Lilamrita (extensive description)

Sad Goswami’s ki jai! Manjari Bhava Upasana ki jai! Jaya Jaya Sri Radhe!

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

Without any shade of a doubt Vilapa Kusumanjali, “A Flower Bouquet of Lamentations”, is the most important and essential book for any serious sadhaka practicing raganuga-bhakti in manjari-bhava, craving to attain the nitya-seva of Srimati Radhika in the Vraja nikunjas.

Every word, every line and every verse is sheer nectar—full of hope, intimate sevas, tears of lamentation and practical guidance on how to meditate on Bhanunandini’s loving service while being “absorbed in chanting” the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, or while rapt in single-minded contemplation.

I beg those hankering for love divine in Swamini’s seva to daily read and remember, and to think and drink the sweet nectar within all the verses of Srila Raghunatha dasa Goswamipada’s chintamani grantha, Sri Vilapa Kusumanjali.

By this daily practice, flowers of beautiful intimate sevas at Srimati’s sweet lotus feet will blossom on the tree of your hearts! This is the SRI guarantee!!!

Srimati Tulasi Manjari ki jai! Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswami ki jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

These amazingly sweet and charming nectar-filled verses will carry you into the kingdom of service to Srimati Radharani. The original Sanskrit verses of Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi, which are popular with many Vaisnavas, are all incomparably beautiful and worthy of remembrance.

However, since most people cannot memorize Sanskrit verses, we have presented mostly just English translations. These verses give wonderful lila pictures for meditating on Srimati Radhika with or without the chanting of Harinama japa.

2 Madhusudana, who is difficult to attain for even the king of yogis, feels greatly blessed by a mere touch of the playful breeze coming from the edge of Radhika’s cloth. I offer my obeisances to any direction where I can find this Vrishabhanunandini.

8 yat kinkarīshu bahushah, khalu kākuvānī
nityam parasya purushasya, shikhanda mauleh
tasyāh kadā rasa nidher, vrishabhanu jāyā
tat keli kunja bhavan āngana, mārjanī syām

Wearing a crown of peacock feathers, Sri Krishna, the Absolute Person, perpetually pleads with and flatters Radha’s maidservants to grant Him darshana of Radharani. When will I become a broom for sweeping the courtyard of the cottage in the play groves of Vrishabhanunandini—the ocean of rasa?

9 In Vrindavana, there is a divine jewel named Radha who is full of the rapturous nectar of beautiful moods and who liberates the saintly. O mind! Now just leave all great persons and things behind you and run to Vrindavana with love.

14 Radha karāvacita, pallava vallarīke
Radha padānka vilasan, madhura sthalī
Radha yasho mukhara, matta khagāvalīke
Radha vihāra vipine, ramatām mano me

May my mind find pleasure in the play forest of Radha; where the leaf buds and vines are touched by Radha’s hands; where the ground is sweetened by Radha’s footprints and lilas; and where the birds madly sing Radha’s glories.

17 Radhe! After You enjoy blissful pastimes throughout the night with Your rasika lover, I will bathe You and serve You some honey-sweet foods. When will You then fall asleep as I massage Your lotus feet with my hands?

18 vaidagdhya sindhur anurāga, rasaika sindhur
vātsalya sindhur ati sāndra, kṛpaika sindhuh
lāvaṇya sindhur amrita, cchabi rūpa sindhuḥ
sri radhika sphuratau me, hrdi keli sindhuh

Sri Radha embodies seven ocean which include an ocean of cleverness, anurāga rasa, motherly affection, deep compassion, elegance, play, and a nectar-ocean of glistening transcendental forms! When will this Sri Radha appear in my heart?

24 O Sri Radhike! When You go to a lonely place on the bank of the Yamuna, I will massage Your nectarean limbs that are the very life of Ananga, Cupid Sri Krishna, amritam angam ananga jivam. At that time, I will notice that the Youthful King of all paramours is sitting high above us in a kadamba tree immersed in admiring Your exquisite form.

32 saṅketa kunjam anu, pallavam āstarītuṁ
tat tat prasādam abhitaḥ, khalu samvarītum
tvāṁ shyamachandram abhisāra, yituṁ dhrtāshe
sri radhike mayi vidhehi, krpā kaṭāksham

O Sri Radhike! I want to make a bed of fresh sprouts in the trysting bower and arrange Your meeting with Shyamachandra. Cherishing this desire in my heart, I beg for Your sidelong glance of mercy.

38 In separation from Shyama, Radhika passes the day constantly lamenting with anxious eyes while sighing, ‘O most beautiful Shyama! O enchanter of My mind! O wonderful lover, You are as charming as crores of Cupids!’ (shyāmeti sundara vareti, mano hareti kandarpa koṭi, laliteti su nāgareti)

39 veṇuḥ karān nipatitaḥ, skhalitaṁ shikhandam
bhrashtam ca pīta vasanam, vraja raja sūnoḥ
yasyāḥ kaṭāksha shara, ghāta vimūrcchitastya
tāṁ rādhikāṁ paricar, āmi kadā rasena

When will I happily serve that Radhika whose arrow-like glance strikes Vrajendranandana to make His flute fall from His hand; His peacock feather crown slip off; and His yellow dhoti drop down as He faints?

40 Even great devatas like Brahmaji and others cannot attain Radhika, who is the source of the most amazing topmost bliss, and the embodiment of playful pastimes for Krishna who Himself is the essence of endless loving mellows. O Vrishabhanunandini, birth after birth may I be your maidservant?

43 When will I become eager to take Vrishabhanunandini, Who is shy and afraid of Her first meeting with the king of debauchees, by Her lotus-like hand and bring Radha to the play-bed in the trysting-bower which is made of soft fresh sprouts?

44 sad gandha mālya nava, chandra lavaṅga saṅga
tāmbūla sampuṭam adhīsh, vari mām vahantīm
shyāmam tam unmada rasād, abhisaṁ sarantī
sri rādhike karuṇa, yānucariṁ vidhehi

O my Ishvari Radha! When You madly rush out to meet Shyama will You kindly accept me as Your maidservant, and let me carry some quality perfumes, garlands, and a box of fresh betel leaves mixed with fresh camphor and cloves?

48 kunj āntare kim api, jāta rasot savāyāḥ
shrutvā tad ālapita, sinjita mishritāni
sri rādhike tava rahaḥ, paricāri kāhaṁ
dvāra sthitā rasa hrade, patitā kadā syām

O Sri Radhike! When will I be Your confidential maidservant, and fall into a pool of rasa while standing at the kunja gate listening to the sweet jingling of Your ornaments mixing with the sweet sound of Your love prattles with Krishna in the beginning of Your festival of love?

53 When will I see myself in Vrindavana as a very tender adolescent maidservant, wearing Swamini’s prasadi dress and a silken blouse lovingly given to me by Her own hand (prasadam svaminyah svakaratala dattam pranayatah)? I will always stay near Sri Radhika to expertly serve Her in various ways.

54 O Sri Radhe! When will I become an expert maidservant to serve You by separating Your tangled hair with my fingernails, or place a silken blouse on Your lustrous jug-like breasts, or fasten jeweled anklebells on Your graceful ankles?

55 May I always meditate upon Radha’s tender lotus feet as I loudly and very affectionately sing Hari’s name to Her, and offer perfumes and other items to Her while blissfully following behind Radha in Vrindavana?

59 The cheeks of Sri Radhika, the best of ladyloves, and Sri Krishna, the king of loving enjoyers, are moistened with sweat drops of fatigue from Their incomparable dancing during the rasa-lila which is full of wonder, mirth and enchantment. When will I joyfully serve Radha and Krishna by massaging Their feet and nicely fanning Them?

63 When will accompany Radha and on Her order tell Nandanandana, “O king of cheaters! My Ishvari will not go alone into that secluded Kadamba grove because She is afraid of You.” Although Radha is apparently rejecting Krishna’s repeated proposals to meet in a particular kunja, in reality Radha is indicating the same kunja.

76 O Nāgari Radha! When will I remove Krishna’s yellow cloth, mistakenly switched in the kunja, from Your body and give You another garment? When at daybreak will I run back to that love bower to retrieve Your forgotten blouse? When will I tie Your hair-braid, restring Your broken pearl necklace, paint eyeliner around Your eyes, and use colorful substances like musk or vermilion to hide the bruises on Your body caused by Krishna’s amorous sports?

87 labdhva dāsyaṁ tad ati kṛpayā, mohana svāditena
saundarya sri pada kamalayor, lālanaiḥ svāpitāyāḥ
sri Radhayā madhura madhura, occhishta pīyūsha sāraṁ
bhojam bhojam nava nava ras, ānanda magnaḥ kadā syām

When by Sri Radhika’s mercy will I attain Her seva, and become immersed in ever-new ecstasy as I massage Radha’s beautiful lotus feet while She sleeps and relishes Krishna’s enchanting sweetness? When will I become immersed in ever new blissful rasa by repeatedly eating Radha’s sweeter than sweet food remnants, which are the essence of nectar?

96 May the two supremely astonishing, blissful, desiring fulfilling, enchanting, love-filled and tasty syllables “RA DHA”, that are muttered by Sri Hari as He sits in a kunja cottage beside the Yamuna meditating with tear filled loving eyes on the effulgence of Radha’s lotus feet, always appear in my heart!

154 O Radhe! When will You and I have an indescribably wonderful talk, wherein each syllable emanates a matchless ocean of love that showers my cup-like ears with a stream of cool and mild nectar that melts with rasa and gives the highest bliss?

156 lulita nava lavaṇ godāra, karpūra pūraṁ
priyatama mukha candrod, gīrṇa tāmbūla khandaṁ
ghana pulaka kapola, svādayantī mad āsye
arpayatu kimapi dāsī-vatsalā karhi radha

When will indescribable Radha, who is affectionate to Her maidservants and whose cheeks are adorned with thrill bumps of bliss, give me the betel-nut prasadi from Priyatama’s moon-like mouth that is mixed with lovely fresh cloves and lots of camphor, by putting it in my mouth after She relishes it?

159 When can I serve Sri Radhika by fanning Her and giving Her fresh betel-leaves while She blissfully displays original artful dances with Her lover Madhupati and Her sakhis during the Rasa lila which is full of astonishingly tasty pastimes and madly ecstatic love?

166 When can I fan Radha and Krishna, who are covered in perspiration from Their vigorous amorous affairs, in such a way that They blissfully close Their eyes while enjoying the cool breeze as They relax outside the cottage of fresh creepers (nava lata mandira) beside the Yamuna?

191 O Radhe! When will I follow You and Shyama down the road, and totally enchant both Your hearts by pushing Your rasika lover away from You while saying: “O king of cheaters! Why are approaching our prana sakhi Radha, who becomes bewildered just like a young girl when You just touch the side of Her breasts?”

202 When will I drown in a pond of rasa while sweeping Sri Radhika’s enchanting play cottage, sprinkling it with liquid sandalwood paste, and singing about the supremely sweet and abundant nectarean rasa of Madhubhid’s wonderful character and pastimes?

208 O Radhike! When will I hide the signs of You and Your beloved’s amorous affairs from Your cruel superiors by saying: “My sakhi was picking flowers far away from here, and while hurrying back Radha’s breasts were bruised by thorns; the tilaka was washed from Her forehead by perspiration; and Radha’s lips were bruised by the cold wind!”

213 While softly massaging the lotus feet of Radha Madhupati, the personal forms of the most blissful, inebriating and tasty love, when will I somehow fall asleep at the end of Their bower bed?

219 O Pranayini Radhe! Whenever You are angry with Krishna, He falls at my feet with a straw between His teeth. Then Shyama prays to me with many pitiful words while continually following me, and asking me to arrange a meeting with You. O Radhe! When will I become upset with that and submit Shyama’s plea to You?

223 O Sri Radhe! When will I fulfill my desires by lovingly painting leaf-pictures on Your cheeks, eyeliner around Your eyes, lipstick on Your lips, vermilion on Your breasts and red lac on Your toes when You are nervous about Your new meeting with Krishna?

224 O Vrishabhanunandini! When will I tell Your Priyatama: “O Gopendra-kumara! Don’t tell such proud jokes in vain! With great endeavor You may have held one Govardhana Hill on Your hand. But You immediately become afraid just by seeing the golden mountains upon Sri Radha’s body!” ( sri radha tanu hema shaila yugale, drshte pi te syad bhayam)

246 May Sri Radha’s smile protect us when She sees Hari admiring His own reflection in Her shining golden breasts and hears Him say, “I see two beautiful boys on Your breasts whose luster removes the glories of hosts of blue lotus-flowers! I am completely enchanted by them. So please make Me Your girlfriend, so these boys can tightly embrace both of Us young girls!

247 O Radhike! When will I, just after You meet Shyama at the start of Your love festival, hear You sarcastically tell Shyama: “O Knower of morality, stay away from Me!” Then I will watch You push away Krishna’s hand and storm out of the kunja. With tear-filled eyes, You will then angrily lament to Your girlfriends that You just saw some other girl reflected in Krishna’s Kaustubha gem on Your lover’s chest. [although it was actually Radha’s own reflection]

254 sadā gāyaṁ gāyaṁ madhuratara, radha priya yashaḥ
sadā sāndrānanda nava rasada radha, rati kathāḥ
sadā sthāyaṁ sthāyaṁ nava nibhṛta radha, rati vane
sadā dhyāyaṁ dhyāyaṁ vivasha hṛdi radha, pada sudhāḥ

I always sing about the sweeter then sweet glories of Radha’s beloved Shyama. I always speak about the fresh, condensed and blissful rasa-filled talks of Radha’s love. I always dwell in fresh solitary love-forest of Radha. And my heart is always overwhelmed by meditating on the nectar flowing from the feet of Radha.

259 While holding in my heart the desire to attain the supremely cherished service of Sri Radha’s lotus-feet, I always meditate on Krishna wearing a crown of peacock-feathers; and sing Krishna nama in sankirtana; serve Krishna’s lotus-feet (murti) and murmur His best of mantras. When by Krishna’s mercy will Radha-Madhava’s grand festival of divine love arise in my heart?

Manjari bhava upasana ki jai! Radharani ki jai! Jaya Jaya Sri Radhe!

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

Abhimana means the mentality, attitude, thought, self-conception, inner feeling, or the innate sense of knowing who or what I am and what I want. Abhimana can be either material or spiritual.

Possessing the right attitude (abhimana), mentality and heart is the foundation of success in bhakti sadhana. It’s not about numbers, fasts, vratas and big quantities, it’s about QUALITY. Bhakti means being pure-minded, tender-hearted, and doing everything to please Radha and Krishna. Having the right abhimana (mentality, self-esteem) is so important and powerful that just by this one attains spiritual perfection!

Sri Jiva Goswami confirms: “Even without any spiritual practice, by this attitude (abhimana) alone [that I am Krishna’s eternal servant] one attains spiritual perfection, astu tavad bhajana prayasah kevala tadrshatv abhimanenapi siddhir bhavati. (Bhakti S. 304.2) The Upanisads say, “The soul is neither male, female, nor neuter. It attains a body according to its absorption in a particular thought, naiva stri na puman esa, na caivayam napumsakah, yad yac chariram adatte, tena tena sah rakshyate.” (Svetasvatara Upanisad 5.9.10)

A basic spiritual abhimana is having the self-conceit and feeling that I am Krishna’s eternal servant. A more developed sense of abhimana will give one the idea that I am an eternal maidservant of Srimati Radharani.

For example, a genuine devotee with shishya-abhimana, the attitude of a disciple, will think, “In this world, Gurudeva is my only true friend, wisdom guide, companion and ever-well wisher. And for time eternal I will lovingly serve my Gurudeva. Gurudeva is very dear to Sri Sri Radha Govinda and Their sakhis and manjaris. I pray to be eternally engaged in the seva of my Guru’s lotus feet.”

For a raganuga bhakta the best example of spiritual abhimana is Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami who was fully immersed in the abhimana or self-conceit of identifying as Radhika’s manjari.

Wetting the vraja-dhuli with his tears of separation, Dasa Goswami continually lamented in separation from his Swamini while praying, “O Radhika, I have nothing and no one but You. You are my everything and I am Your dasi. Although I am totally insignificant, please know it clearly that I am Yours, I am Yours!”

Here’s a wonderful example of transcendental abhimana in the kingdom of Vrindavana. One day after Krishna left Vraja, a clever sakhi, noticing the blossoming beauty of her younger sister, spoke to her in a private place just to test her: “O sakhi, our Krishna has now left Vrindavana. I see that your youthful beauty and other qualities are now developing. And Vraja is full of handsome dashing young lads. So if you want to marry one, just whisper your preference and I’ll make all arrangements.”

“What are you saying?” said the youthful kishori. “Surely there are millions of talented and qualified young men in this world. But I don’t care! If a young man does not have a mor mukuta, a murali, and mineral powders adorning his form then he is as insignificant as a piece of straw, and I could care less.” This is the abhimana of a kishori gopi.

The bhava and thoughts we cultivate and the sevas we meditate upon during sadhana will be attained at the stage of perfection. A raganuga bhakta should continually meditate on being Radha’s kinkari, loyal loving servant.

The following prayer of Sri Prabodhananda Sarasvati shows the intimacy and sweetness of having sakhi abhimana and being close to Priyaji: “When will I eternally live with Kishori jeu and serve Her in various clever ways while wearing Radha’s cloth and bodice that She lovingly gave me with Her own hands, prasadam svaminyah svakara-tala-dattam pranayatah?” (Radha Rasa Sudha Nidhi 53)

In this regard, Sri Narottama Dasa Thakura gives very clear advice on how to cultivate spiritual abhimana in raganuga bhakti.

One aspiring for manjari bhava on the path of raga should think, feel and hanker like this: “I will follow the manjaris of Radhika, and by their mercy I will blissfully serve Radha-Krishna in the kunjas of Vrindavana. Just by seeing the gestures of my guru sakhi or Tulasi-manjari, I will understand what seva is required for the pleasure of Lila Yugala.

“I will immerse my mind and heart in the beauty, charm and sweetness of Radha Govinda Yugala. I will live amongst Their intimate sakhis and serve Radha and Krishna with all my heart throughout the day and night. No matter what happens to me, I will always meditate upon and serve Radha-Krishna.

“By Their mercy, I will eventually realize and see the siddha deha upon which I was meditating on during my sadhana. It is only a matter of time. For what is now unripe during my sadhana will fully ripen when I attain the stage of prema. This is the way of bhajana for those treading the path of raga. (Prema-bhakti-candrika 53-58)

By the grace of Sri Guru a mature sadhaka will be introduced to his/her eternal identity (nitya-abhimana). Then that fortunate sadhaka will start identifying with that siddha svarupa, one’s eternal, seva-saturated spiritual form.

By regularly contemplating that siddha deha and mentally serving Radha and Krishna in that form, the sadhaka will one day have the crystal clear realization that, “I am nothing but a servant of the servants of the servants of Srimati Radharani, radha dasi dasi anudasi!

What could be more fascinating and wonderful than thinking that someday I will become a most trusted, confidential serving girl of Srimati Radharani? May everyone someday receive this great treasure of possessing the pure abhimana of a being Radha’s eternal servant.

Gopi abhimana ki jai! Sri Radha’s eternal seva ki jai!

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

With the right mood and desire, one can “link” one’s daily murti or Deity puja with the loving flow of Radha Govinda’s eternal daily pastimes in Gokula Vrindavana, the spiritual sky. By remembering the entries below a pujari will be able to link his/her Thakuraji seva with Krishna’s nitya lila. Basically, the pujari will transit between presence and transcendence by linking his body and mind with lila.

1) Pastimes at Night’s End (nishanta-lila) 3.36-6 am

Thakuraji (your murti, Deity) awakens much before sunrise on the pretext of inviting his pujari servants to awaken Him, which They do with the sweetest of songs and the tinkling of bells [mangala-aroti]. In Goloka, Radha-Krishna are resting in the secret bower-house after a night of exotic fun in the forest groves along with Their sakhis. When the pujari offers Thakuraji a pre-dawn snack of sweets and water [balya-bhoga], the sakhis are offering Radha-Madhava a tasty light snack as They lounge lazily upon Their flower bed. The pujari closes curtain after Thakuraji’s arati ceremony so that Radha Govinda Yugala can sneak back to Their respective homes, slide into Their beds and pretend to be sleeping right where Their parents had left them.

2) Morning pastimes (pratah-lila) 6-8.30 am

In Yavat and Nandishvara, Radha and Krishna are awakened by Their respective superiors. Radha-Krishna perform Their morning duties i.e. brush Their teeth, massage, bathe and dress. Then the Playful Pair are greeted by Their eternal associates, who make much celebration of the morning darsana. Similarly, during this time the pujari will bathe, dress, and feed Thakuraji who will then be greeted by the assembled devotees with arati, singing, chanting and dancing [srnghar-arati].

3) Forenoon pastimes (purvahna-lila) 8.36-10.48 am

Krishna Govinda meets His gopa friends and takes the cows out to graze in the Vrindavana pasturelands. Although Thakuraji stays [apparently] in the temple, actually Thakuraji is out frolicking in the meadows of Vraja. Radha watches Her Praneshvara depart for the pastures, and feels very sad in Krishna’s absence. Returning home, Radha plans how to later meet Shyama in the forest. Similarly, the devotees take Thakuraji’s morning darshana and leave for their duties. Though saddened in Thakuraji’s absence, the devotees are planning when they can return for another blissful darshana of Thakuraji Radha Ramana Giridhari.

4) Midday pastimes (madhyahna-lila) 10.46 am—3.36 pm

At noon, out in the forest, Krishna and the boys enjoy a big meal, raja-bhoga, sent to Him by Yashoda Maa. Krishna’s many friends and servants enjoy His remnants, maha-prasada. Thakuraji in the temple is served in the same way. Although Thakuraji eats in private, afterwards He meets the devotees and gives them His remnants.

While Krishna’s friends rest under a shady tree, He slips away to the kunja for a midday tryst and a little nap with Radhaji and the sakhis. Since no one should see this, the pujari closes the curtain so Thakuraji can rest and enjoy His lilas within His private chamber i.e. Deity room.

5) Afternoon pastimes (aparahna-lila) 3.36-6 pm

Before long Krishna wakes up and rejoins His cowherd boyfriends. Collecting the cows, the boys sing and dance while walking back to Vraja. Nanda Baba watches from the goshalla and Yashoda stands anxiously at the door ready with a snack for her Lala. Similarly, the pujari wakes Thakuraji, offers Him fruit and sweets, and opens the Deity door so all the devotees can see their beloved once again.

6) Dusk pastimes (sayana-lila) 6-8.36 pm

In Goloka, Krishna is pampered by Yasoda and attended by His male servants, who prepare Him for His evening pastimes at home. Krishna thoroughly enjoys the evening meal with much joking and laughter, sharing boundless love with the assembled family members who participate.

Similarly, the pujaris excuse Thakuraji once again from the devotee darshana by closing the curtain. Then they personally attend to Thakuraji by washing off the dust of the day, offering fresh comfortable clothes, and letting Him relax for His evening meal.

7) Evening pastimes (pradosh-lila) 8.36-10.48 pm

As Krishna is enjoying majestic shows of talent and skill in the royal theater in Nandishvara, the temple devotees are singing and dancing for Thakuraji’s pleasure. Before Thakuraji takes rest, the priests bring him His evening repast and warm milk just as His mother Yashoda faithfully does in Gokula. For Maa’s happiness, Krishna drifts off to sleep. Similarly, in the mandir, Thakuraji is soothed by the affectionate lullabies his faithful devotees. And just before His eyelids drop, the pujaris close the curtain to take Thakuraji to his resting quarters.

8) Night pastimes (nisha-lila) 10.48 pm—3.36 am

Thakuraji’s temple is closed, the pujari goes home…and unseen by all…Thakuraji i.e. Rasaraja Shyama sneaks out again to join the cowherd girls for a night of rasa dancing, forest rambling and a sweet slumber. As Yashoda, who believes Lalaji is sleeping behind in His room, is completely unaware of what Krishna is really doing all night, Thakuraji’s devotees cannot even imagine what fun and bliss their worshipable Isatdeva is enjoying through the long night “behind closed doors.”

Thus the devotees take rest praying to dream of being with and serving Thakuraji throughout the blissful night until the auspicious time of mangala arati. In this way, one can combine Thakuraji puja with Radha-Krishna’s asta-kaliya-lila in the sweet land of eternal loving play, Gokula Vrindavana.

Radha-Krishna lila ki jai! Jaya Jaya Sri Radhe!

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

From the sweet ocean of Srila Visvanatha Cakravartipada’s tikas on Srimad Bhagavatam, we have collected some of the most rare and incredibly amazing jewels—each one glittering with a uniquely soothing and enlightening effulgence. So now please bask in their beneficial rays and rejuvenate your soul! For easier understanding and reference, the gems are presented by category.

Bhagavat Preachers:

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti said, “For establishing attachment to Sukadeva, (Srimad Bhagavatam 1.2.2) says that Sukadeva entered into the minds of all living entities (sarva-bhüta-hådayam munim) by his yogic power.

‘’ ‘So let Sukadeva also enter my heart and speak the Bhagavatam through my mouth, as he once entered into dull trees and replied as an echo to pacify his father calling him back from the forest. May that Sukadeva also enter my heart and thereby please the intellects of all hearers of the Bhagavatam.’

“Before speaking, all Bhagavat katha vacakas should also meditate [and pray] in the same way.”

Srimad Bhagavatam prema amrita ki jai! Sastra Pramanam Amalam ki jai! Radha Govinda Yugala ki jai!

Mahanidhi Swami

To glorify the Bhagavad Gita, Sri Vishnu said, “O Lakshmi Devi! I Myself have personally manifested in the Form of Bhagavad Gita. It is My murti form! An intelligent person who daily recites one chapter, one sloka, a half or quarter sloka will attain Vaikuntha!” After saying this, Bhagavan Sri Vishnu spoke the glories of Bhagavad Gita’s first six chapters to His dearly beloved Sri Lakshmi Devi.

Then Sri Shivaji narrated the glories of reading, hearing, or chanting chapters six through eighteen to His most beautiful Parvati Devi. In closing his narration, Sri Shivaji gave this shruti phala, verse of blessings:

Sri Shivaji said, “Hearing or studying the Gita Mahatmya quickly destroys all one’s sins. One who faithfully remembers this discourse will attain the benefits of all kinds of yajnas and punya karma. In addition, one will enjoy all worldly pleasures, and then go to Vaikuntha.”

Sri Krishna Dvaipayana Vyasa recorded this great Gita Mahatmya in the Padma Purana. My teacher recommended reciting the Gita Mahatmya after reciting the Bhagavad Gita on Gita Jayanti. Thus we present it here for the benefit of all.

Srimad Bhagavad Gita ki jai!

 

GM:1. The Glories of Bhagavad Gita: Chapter One

Parvati said “My dear husband, You know all the transcendental truths, and by your mercy I have heard the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna. Oh Sri, now I long to hear from You the glories of the Srimad Bhagavad Gita, which was spoken by Sri Krishna, and by hearing which, one’s devotion to Sri Krishna increases”

Sri Siva replied “That person, Whose body is the color of a dark rain cloud, whose carrier is the king of birds, Garuda, and Who is lying on Ananta-Sesa, the thousand headed serpent, that Sri Vishnu, Whose glories have no limit, I am always worshipping.

My dear Parvati once after Sri Vishnu had killed the demon Mura, He was resting peacefully on Ananta-Sesa, when the bestower of all good fortune of the universe, Sri Lakshmi, respectfully inquired from Him.

“Bhagavan, You are the controller and maintainer of the whole universe, but yet You are sleeping unhappily on this ocean of milk. What is the reason?”

Sri Vishnu said, “My dear Lakshmi, I am not sleeping, but I am watching how wonderfully My energy is working. It is by this wonderful energy of Mine, by which I am controlling all things, and yet remain separate. And it is by remembering these divine activities of Mine, that the great devotees and yogis manage to free themselves from the wheel of birth and death, and attain that transcendental nature of Mine, which is eternal and free from all qualities”

Lakshmi said, “O, controller of all things. You are the goal of the meditation of great yogis. Nothing can go on without You. And yet You are separate. You are the cause of creation, maintenance and destruction of all the material universes. Kindly inform me about the workings of Your wonderful energies, which are so attractive, that even You are lying here, meditating upon them”

Sri Vishnu said, “My dear Lakshmi, the workings of My multi-fold energies, and how to become free from the bonds of birth and death, and attain My eternal Nature, can only be understood by one of pure intelligence, who has an inclination to render service unto Me. This transcendental knowledge is fully explained in the Srimad Bhagavad Gita”

Lakshmi inquired, “My dear Sri, if you yourself are amazed, by the workings of Your energies, and are ever trying to fathom their limit, then how is it possible that the Bhagavad Gita can describe those unlimited energies of Yours, and how to cross over them, and attain the transcendental nature?”

Sri Vishnu said, “I Myself have manifested in the Form of Bhagavad Gita. Please understand that the first five chapters are My five heads, the next ten chapters are My ten Arms, and the Sixteenth Chapter is My stomach. The last two chapters are My lotus-feet. In this way you should understand the transcendental Deity of the Bhagavad Gita. This Bhagavad Gita is the destroyer of all sins. And that intelligent man who daily recites one chapter or even one sloka, one half sloka, or at least one quarter sloka, will attain the same position as Susharma had attained.”

Lakshmi inquired, “Who was Susharma? What class did he belong to? And what destination did he attain?”

Sri Vishnu said, “My dear Lakshmi, Susharma was a very wicked and a most sinful man. Although he was born in a brahmana family, his family had no Vedic knowledge. And he only took pleasure from hurting others. He never engaged in the chanting of, My names, in giving charity, or receiving guests. In fact, he never performed any pious activities. For his livelihood he collected leaves, and sold them in the bazaar. He especially enjoyed drinking wine, and eating flesh. In this way he passed his life.

“One day that foolish Susharma had gone to the garden of one sage for collecting leaves, when a snake came and bit him, and he died. After his death he was cast into many hells, where he suffered for a long time. After which he attained the body of a bull. That bull was purchased by a crippled man, who engaged him in his service. For about seven or eight years he was carrying extremely heavy loads. One day that crippled man had piled a very heavy load onto the back of his bull. Very quickly he was forcing that bull along when suddenly the bull fell over and became unconscious. Many persons gathered there, to see what was happening, feeling sorry for that bull. One pious man bestowed upon that bull the results of some of his pious activities. Seeing that, other persons standing there started remembering their pious activities, and offered the results of some of those activities to that bull. In that crowd there was also one prostitute who did not know if she had ever performed any pious activities, but seeing everyone else offering their pious credits to that bull, she also offered the results of any pious activities she might have performed After that, the bull died, and was taken to the abode of Yamaraja, the God of Death.

There, Yamaraja informed him, “You are now free from the reactions of all your previous sinful deeds, due to the pious credits given to you by that prostitute.” Then he took birth in a very high brahmana family. In that birth, he was able to remember his past lives. After many days, he decided to search out that prostitute, who had been the cause of freeing him from his hellish situation.

After he had found and introduced himself to that lady he inquired from her “ What were the pious activities performed by you, the fruits of which freed me from my hellish situation?” The prostitute replied to him, “My dear sir, in that cage is one parrot, which recites something everyday. Hearing that recitation, my heart has become completely pure. The results of hearing that recitation I had given to you.” Thereafter they both inquired from that parrot about that recitation. That parrot. remembering his previous life, started to narrate his history. “Previously, I had been a very learned brahmana. But due to my pride, I used to insult other learned persons. I was also extremely jealous. After I died, I was cast into many hells, and after a long time of suffering, I achieved this body of a parrot. Due to my past sinful activities, my mother and father died while I was a baby. One day, while I was lying on the hot sands, with no protection, some rishis saw me, and took me to their ashram, and put me in a cage. At that same place, the children of those rishis were learning the recitation of the First Chapter of the Srimad Bhagavad Gita, Hearing them repeat those slokas, I also started repeating those slokas along with them.

“Shortly after, one thief stole me from that place and sold me to this pious lady.” Sri Vishnu continued, “By reciting the First Chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, that parrot had become completely pure. And by hearing that recitation, that prostitute also became completely pure. And by receiving some of the pious results of hearing that recitation, Susharma also become completely pure.

After discussing for some time the glories of the first chapter of Bhagavad Gita, Susharma returned to his home, and the three of them individually engaged in reciting the First Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita, and very quickly attained the supreme destination, Vaikuntha.” Anyone who recites, who hears, or studies the First Chapter of Bhagavad Gita, will very easily cross over the ocean of material miseries, and attain the service of the lotus-feet of Sri Krishna.”

 

GM: 2. The Glories of Bhagavad Gita: Chapter Two

Sri Vishnu said, “My dear Lakshmi, you have heard from Me the glories of the First Chapter of Bhagavad Gita. Now please listen carefully, as I tell you the glories of the Second Chapter.

Once in the South in the town of Pandharpur, a very learned brahmana by the name of Devashyama lived. He was able to perform all kinds of fire sacrifices. He also knew the importance of receiving guest. And by his activities he managed to satisfy all the demigods. But he was not happy and peaceful in his heart and mind. He had the desire to attain knowledge of the soul’s relationship with the Supersoul, Paramatma, and towards this end he would invite many yogis and tapasvis, and render all kinds of service to them and inquire from them about the Absolute Truth. In this way he passed many years of his life.

One day, while he was walking, he saw one yogi in front of him, sitting cross-legged with his eyes fixed on the tip of his nose, totally absorbed in meditation. Devashyama could perceive that this yogi was completely peaceful, and without any material desires. Devashyama, with the greatest respect and reverence, fell at the feet of that yogi, and inquired from him, how he could attain complete peace of mind. At that time, that yogi, who had complete knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna, advised Devashyama to go to the village of Sowpur and meet one Mitravan; who was a goat-herder by profession, and take instructions in the science of God-realization from him. After hearing this, Devashyama again and again offered his respectful obeisances at the feet of that yogi and immediately left for Sowpur. When he arrived there he found on the northern side, one beautiful forest where he was informed that Mitravan lived. When he entered that forest, he saw on the bank of a small river, Mitravan seated on top of some rocks.

Mitravan looked very beautiful and totally peaceful. In that forest the wind was blowing very gently and a beautiful aroma was emanating from every direction. The goats were peacefully moving here and there, totally unafraid. Some were seen to be sitting next to tigers and other ferocious animals very peacefully.

When Devashyama saw this scene, his mind became very peaceful, and he respectfully approached Mitravan and sat close to him. Mitravan appeared to be fully absorbed in his meditation. After some time Devashyama inquired from him, how he would be able to attain devotion to Sri Krishna. When Mitravan heard this question, for a moment he was lost in deep thought. Then he replied, “My dear learned Devashyama, once long ago, I was in the forest looking after the goats, when a very ferocious tiger attacked. At that time all the goats ran here and there to save themselves. I also ran off, due to fear of that tiger. From some distance I looked back and saw that that tiger on the bank of this river encountered one of my goats. At that time a strange and wonderful thing happened. That tiger lost all his anger and desire to eat my goat. Thereupon, my goat inquired from that tiger, “You have attained your food, so why are you not eating the meat of my body? You should immediately kill me, and with great relish eat up my flesh. Why are you hesitating?”

That tiger said, “My dear goat, since I have come to this place, all anger has left me, and I have no hunger or thirst”. The goat said, “I also do not know why I am feeling so fearless and peaceful. What can be the reason for this? If you know, then kindly inform me”.

The tiger replied, “I also do not know. Let us inquire from that person” When I saw this change take place in the activities of that tiger and goat, I become very much astonished. At that time they both approached me, and inquired as to the reason. I noticed that a monkey was sitting on the branch of a nearby tree. I went along with the two of them and inquired from that monkey-king. That monkey replied to our question with great respect.

“Listen, I will tell you, it is a very old story. In that forest, just in front of you, there is a very large temple in which Sri Brahma installed a Shivalinga. Long ago, a learned sage of the name Sukama, who had performed many austerities, lived there. Daily he would bring flowers from the forest and water from the river, and worship Sri Shiva.

In this way he was living here for many years, when one day one sage arrived. At that time, Sukama brought fruits and water and fed that sage. After the sage had eaten and rested, Sukama spoke to him. “Oh learned one, only for the reason of obtaining knowledge of Sri Krishna, am I living here, performing austerities and worship. But the results of my austerities have been attained today by coming in contact with you.”

When the sage heard the words of Sukama, which were full of submission, he became greatly pleased. And he wrote on one piece of stone the Second Chapter Srimad Bhagavad Gita. He then instructed Sukama to daily read those verses. “By so doing, you will quickly attain your goal.” After having spoken thus, that sage disappeared from that place while Sukama was looking on. After that, following the instructions of that sage, Sukama recited those verses daily for the rest of his life. Very quickly he attained complete knowledge of Sri Krishna. And from the day he started reciting those verses, he felt no more thirst or hunger.

And due to this austerities and devotion, at this place, any one who visits here does not, feel the pangs of hunger and thirst, and immediately attains complete peace.”

Mitravan said, “My dear Devashyama, after the monkey had finished telling us that wonderful story, I along with the tiger and goat went to that temple. We found there written on a piece of stone the Second Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita. And I started to recite those verses daily. In this way, we were able to attain very quickly devotion to Sri Krishna. My dear brahmana, if you also start reciting the verses of the Second Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita, you will very quickly attain the mercy of Sri Krishna.”

Sri Vishnu said, “My dear Lakshmi, in this way Devashyama attained knowledge from Mitravan and after worshipping that great soul, he returned to Pandharpur and daily recited that Second Chapter. And whoever visited Pandharpur, Devashyama would first recite before him the Second Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita. In this way Devashsyama attained the lotus feet of Sri Krishna.

My dear Lakshmi these are the glories of the Second Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita.”

 

GM: 3. The Glories of Bhagavad Gita: Chapter Three

Sri Vishnu said, “My dear Lakshmi, in the town of Janasthan was a brahmana of the name Jada, who was born in the dynasty of Kaushik. That brahmana gave up the religious activities enjoined in the shastras to be followed by the brahmana class, and took to many irreligious activities. He was very fond of gambling and drinking, hunting, and visiting the prostitutes. In this way, he wasted his wealth. He went to the northern countries on a business trip. While there, he gained much wealth and decided to return to Janasthan. After having traveled a long distance he found himself in a very deserted place. One day, as the sun set, and everywhere became engulfed by darkness, he decided to take rest for the night under a tree. While resting, some robbers came and beat him to death, and stole his wealth. Because Jada had given up all religious activities and led a sinful life, after his death he attained the form of a ghost.

The son of Jada was very religious and learned in the Vedic shastras. When he saw that his father had not returned to Janasthan after a long time, he decided to go and search for him. For many days he traveled here and there, in search of his father, and whatever travelers he would meet, he would inquire from them, about his father. One day, he met one person who knew his father, and informed him of the events that had taken place. When the son of Jada heard the news of his father’s death, he decided to go to Kasi (Banaras) to offer pinda (worship) for the release of his father from his hellish condition. On the ninth day of his journey, he happened to take rest under the same tree under which his father had been killed. At that place, in the evening, he performed his daily worship to Sri Krishna, and he also recited the Third Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad-gita. As he completed his recitation, a loud sound came from the sky. When he looked up, he saw his father there, and in front of his eyes, his father’s form changed into one of the most beautiful beings, who had four hands, and was wearing a yellow dhoti. His body was the color of a dark rain cloud and his bodily effulgence was lightening up all the directions. At that time, his father offered his blessing to him. The son inquired from the father, as to the meaning of these wonderful happenings. The father said, “My dear son, you recited the Third chapter of Srimad Bhagavad-gita, and thus freed me from the ghost form which I had received, due to my sinful activities. Now you should return to your home, because the purpose for which you were travelling to Kasi (Banaras) has been achieved by your reciting the Third Chapter of Bhagavad-gita”.

When the son inquired from the father, if there were any further instructions from him, the father said, “My brother also had led a very sinful life and he is suffering some where in the darkest regions of hell. So if you wish to free him, and our other ancestors, who are suffering here and there, in different species in the material universe, then kindly, recite the Third Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad-gita. And by that recitation they will all attain a form similar to Sri Vishnu’s, and go to Vaikuntha”.

When the son heard the father’s instructions he replied, “If that is the case, then I will recite the Third Chapter until all the souls, who are trapped in the hellish life, are freed” At that time his father blessed him with the words, “Let it be.” Then an airplane arrived from the spiritual world of Vaikuntha and took the father to his destination.

Thereafter, the son returned to Janasthan and sat in front of the Deity of Sri Krishna, and with a desire to free all of the conditioned souls in the hellish condition, started reciting the Third Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad-gita. While his recitation was continuing, day after day, Sri Vishnu sent His messengers, the Vishnudutas, to the kingdom of Yamaraja, who is in charge of administering punishment to the sinful living entities. When the Vishnudutas arrived in front of Yamaraja, they informed him, that they had a message from Sri Vishnu, who is lying on the bed of Ananta-Sesa in the ocean of milk. They told him that Sri Vishnu was inquiring as to his welfare, and also was ordering him to free all of the conditioned souls, who were suffering in hell.

When Yamaraja heard this instruction from Sri Vishnu, he immediately had all of the conditioned souls released from hell and then personally went with those Vishnudutas to the ocean of milk, known as Svetadwipa, to have the darshan of Sri Vishnu. When he arrived there, he saw Sri Vishnu, lying on the bed of Ananta-Sesa. His body had the effulgence of suns, and Lakshmi-Devi, the Goddess of Fortune, was massaging His feet. He was surrounded on all sides by rishis, sages, and demigods, headed by Sri Indra, who were all singing the Praises of Sri Vishnu. Sri Brahma was also present, reciting the Vedas. Yamaraja fell down and offered his respects before Sri Vishnu, and offered the following praise, “My dear Vishnu, You are the well-wisher of all the conditioned souls. There is no Limit of Your glories. From You the Vedas have come, You are time. And in The course of time You will destroy all things. You are the cause and maintainer of the three worlds and You are the Supersoul in every one’s heart, who is directing their activities. You are the Guru of the whole universe, and the goal of all devotees. Oh, lotus-eyed one, please accept my obeisances again and again. Your glories are unlimited.”

In this way Yamaraja with folded hands offered his respects to Sri Vishnu. Yamaraja continued, “As per Your instructions, I have released all the conditioned souls from hell. So kindly instruct me, what work You wish me to perform now” Sri Vishnu replied in a voice as deep as thunder, and as sweet as nectar, “My dear Dharmaraja (Yamaraja), you are equal to every one, and I do not need to instruct you on your duties. Kindly return to your abode with my full blessings, and continue your duty”

At that time, Sri Vishnu disappeared from the vision of Yamaraja, and Yamaraja returned to his own abode. After that brahmana had successfully freed all of his ancestors and the rest of the conditioned souls from hell, the Vishnudutas came, and took him to the abode of Sri Vishnu, where he was able to engage in the service of the lotus-feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead eternally.

 

GM: 4. The Glories of Bhagavad-gita: Chapter Four

Sri Vishnu said, “My dear Lakshmi, now I will describe the glories of the Fourth Chapter of the Srimad Bhagavad Gita.

On the bank of the river Ganges there is a town of the name Kasi, (Banaras), where at the temple of Vishvanath, a great saint of the name Bharata lived. Daily with the greatest devotion, he would recite the fourth Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita. Previously, when Bharat had been travelling on pilgrimage he had gone to the town of Tapodan to take darshan of the Deity of Sri Krishna there. While leaving that town, he saw two Bael fruit trees. Deciding to take rest under the shade of those trees, he lay down, using the root of one of the tree as a pillow. and a root of the other to rest his feet upon.

After some time, when Bharat left from that place, those two trees started to dry up. Within five or six days both trees completely dried up and died. The two souls, who had been living in those trees, took their next birth as the daughters of a very pious Brahmana. Once, when those girls had reached the age of seven years, they had gone on pilgrimage to Kasi (Banaras). While wandering in Kasi, they happened to see the great sage Bharata. When they saw Bharata Maharaja they immediately went and fell at his feet and in sweet words said, “Oh. Maharaja Bharat, due to your mercy we both became freed from the tree form of life.” When Bharata Maharaja heard their statement, he became surprised. He inquired from them, “My dear daughters, where and when did I come in contact with you, and free you from the form of trees? Also kindly inform me, how you attained the form of trees? Because I do not know anything of this matter.” Thereafter, those two girls first informed Bharata Maharaja the reason for their attaining the form of trees.

The two girls said, “Maharaja, on the bank of the river Godavari there is a sacred place of the name Chinnapaap. At that place, there was a rishi of the name, Sachatapa. He was performing very great and difficult austerities. In the hot season he would sit in between many fires, and in the cold season, he would stand in the cold river. In the course of time, he became completely pure, and had complete control of his senses, and slowly he attained the Lotus-Feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna. Sri Brahma started visiting daily to take the darshan of Sachatapa and put questions before him about the devotional service of Sri Krishna. Sri Indra meanwhile, was becoming very worried seeing the elevated position of Sachatapa, thinking that he might one day usurp his own position as king of heaven. At that time, Sri Indra called the two of us, who in that birth were apsaras in the heavenly kingdom, an instructed us, ‘Go and cause the fall down of Sachatapa, before he tries to usurp me from my position.”

After receiving Sri Indra’s instructions, we left from his presence and went to the bank of the Godavari River, where Sachatapa was performing austerities. At that place, we both started to sing and dance very provocatively close to Sachatapa, with the intention of causing that sage to engage in a sexual relationship with us. While dancing, our covering cloth slipped down and our breasts became visible. At that time, taking water in his hand, that sage cursed us in the following words.

“You both go and become Bael trees on the bank of the river Ganga.” upon hearing his curse, we both fell at his feet and begged his forgiveness. “My dear sage, please forgive us, for we are simply the servants of Sri Indra.” Seeing our submissive attitude that sage became pleased and informed us that we would remain as trees until Maharaja Bharata came in contact with us. And he also blessed us, that we would be able to, remember our previous births.

“My dear Maharaja Bharata at the time when you visited Tapodan, you rested beneath us. When we were in the form of Bael trees, you were reciting the Fourth Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita, and by hearing that recitation, we not only became free from that tree form of life and attained birth in a devotee family, also we lost all desire for enjoying in this material world.”

Sri Vishnu said, “My dear Lakshmi, when those two girls recited their history before Bharata Maharaja, he became very happy, and left for his ashram. Those two girls throughout their life carefully recited the Fourth Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita daily and attained devotion to My lotus-feet.”

 

GM: 5. The Glories of Bhagavad Gita: Chapter Five

Sri Vishnu said, “Now I will describe to you the unlimited glories of the Fifth Chapter of Bhagavad Gita. Listen very carefully.

In the state of Madra, there is a town of the name Puru Kutsapur. There lived a brahmana by the name of Pingala. During his childhood he was trained in various brahminical activities and was taught the Vedas. But he had no interest in his studies. When he reached his youth he gave up his brahminical pursuits and started to learn how to play instruments as well as singing and dancing. Slowly he became so famous in this field that the king himself invited him to live in the palace. While he was living there he slowly degraded more and more into sinful life. He started to enjoy with other men’s wives and engage in all kinds of sinful activities and intoxication.

He became so proud of his position as he gained more and more intimacy with the king. He especially enjoyed criticizing others to the king in private. Pingala had a wife whose name was Aruna, who was born in a low-class family. She was very lusty and enjoyed relationships with many other men. When her husband found out about her activities, she decided to kill him. Late one night she chopped off his head and buried his body in the garden. After his death Pingala fell into the deepest regions of hell and after having suffered there for a long time he took birth as a vulture. Aruna, after freely enjoying with many men contacted venereal disease and her youthful body very soon became ugly and unattractive. When she died she went on to hell and after having suffered for a long time, she, attained the body of a female parrot. One day that parrot was searching here and there for food. In the meantime the vulture, who in his previous life had been Pingala, saw the female parrot and remembering his last life and understanding that this parrot had been his wife, he attacked her with his sharp beaks. The parrot fell down into the water contained in a human skull and drowned. Just then a hunter came and shot the vulture with an arrow. The vulture fell and his head dropped into the water of that skull and he drowned.

Then the messengers of Yamaraja came and took them to the abode of death. At that time they became very afraid remembering their past sinful lives.

When they came in front of Yamaraja he told them, “You are now free of all sins and you may go to Vaikuntha”. When Pingala and Aruna heard this they inquired from Yamaraja how two sinful persons such as they had attained the right to go to Vaikuntha.

Yamaraja replied, “On the banks of the river Ganga lived a great devotee; of Sri Vishnu by the name of Vat, he was free from lust and greed. Daily he recited the Fifth Chapter of Bhagavad Gita and when Vat gave up his body he went straight to Vaikuntha. Due to his reciting the Fifth Chapter of Bhagavad Gita daily, his body became completely pure, and because of your coming in contact with the skull of the body of that devotee you both have attained Vaikuntha. This is the glory of the Fifth Chapter of the Bhagavad Gita “

Sri Vishnu said, “My dear Lakshmi, when they both heard the glories of Bhagavad Gita from Yamaraja they became very happy and sat down in the flower airplane which had come to take them to Vaikuntha.”

Anyone who hears the Fifth Chapter of Bhagavad Gita, even the most sinful, will attain Vaikuntha.

 

GM: 6. The Glories of Bhagavad Gita: Chapter Six

Sri Vishnu said, “Now I will tell you the glories of the Sixth Chapter of the Srimad Bhagavad Gita. Whoever hears this description, will be liberated from the material world.

On the bank of the Godavari river, there is a beautiful town of the name Pratishthanpur (Paithan), where I am famous by the name of Pippalesh. In that town there was a king of the name Janshruti, Whom the people loved very much and whose qualities were unlimited. He performed daily fire sacrifices, which were so opulent and large that the smoke from them reached the Heavenly pleasure garden known as Nandanvan, and made the leaves of the Kalpavrksa trees black. Those trees appeared as if they were offering their respects to king Janashruti. Due to the pious activities of that great king, demigods always resided in Pratishthanpur.

When Janshruti would give charity, he would distribute just as the clouds distribute the rain. Due to Janshruti’s pure religious activities, rain always comes at the right time. And the fields were always full of crops, which were not disturbed by the six types of rodents. He was always digging wells and lakes for the welfare of the citizens. The demigods, being very pleased with Janashruti, went to his palace in the form of swans to bless him. They were flying through the sky, one behind the other, talking together. Bhadrashva, along with two or three other swans, flew ahead of the rest. At that time, the other swans addressed Bhadrashva, “Oh, brother, why are you flying ahead? Do you not see in front of you the great king Janashruti, who is so powerful that he can burn up his enemies by his desire.” When Bhadrashva heard the words of the other swans, he started to laugh and said, “Oh brothers, is this king Janashruti as powerful as the great sage Raikva?”

When the king heard the words of the swans, he immediately came down from the roof of his high palace and happily sat on his throne. At that time he called his chariot driver and instructed him to go and find the great sage Raikva. When the chariot driver of the name Maha heard the king’s instructions, he became very happy, and left immediately to search out Raikva. First he traveled to Kashipuri, where Sri Vishvanath resides, for the welfare of all beings. Next, he went to Gaya, where the lotus-eyed Sri Gadadhara who is capable of freeing all beings from the bondage of birth and death, stays. After having traveled to many holy places, he came to Mathura, which is capable of destroying all sins. In this place the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna, resides. All of the great sages, demigods, also the Vedas, and other shastras, in their personal forms, perform austerities, and render service to Sri Krishna. Mathura which is in the shape of a half-moon, and is situated on the bank of the beautiful devotion-giving river Jamuna. In that area is the beautiful Govardhana hill, which adds to the splendor and glory of Mathura-Mandala like a large jewel in a crown. It is surrounded by pure trees and creepers. There are twelve wonderful forests surrounding Mathura in which Sri Krishna enjoys His wonderful pastimes.

After leaving Mathura, Maha traveled to the West, and then to the North. One day, he came to a town known as Kashmir in which he saw a very large and shining white place. At that place all of the people, even the foolish men, looked as beautiful demigods due to the fact that many sacrificial fires were burning continuously. It looked as if a row of clouds always hung over the town. The Deity of Sri Siva, known as Manikeshvara, resided in that town. The king of Kashmir had just returned from defeating many kings, and was engaged in worshipping Sri Siva. Due to his great devotion to Sri Siva, that king was known as Manikeshvar. Just close to the door of the temple, sitting on a small cart, underneath a tree, Maha saw the great sage Raikva. When he recognized Raikva from the description of Janashruti, he immediately fell at his feet and inquired from him. “Oh, great sage, where do you live? And what is your full name? You are such a highly elevated person. Why are you sitting in this place?” When Raikva heard the words of Maha, he thought for some time, and then replied, “I am fully satisfied, I do not require anything.”

When Maha heard this reply, in his heart he could understand everything. He immediately left on the long journey, back to Pratishthanpur. When he reached his destination, he immediately went and offered his respects to the king, and with folded hands informed the king of all the events, which had taken place. After the king had heard everything from Maha he decided to leave at once, to take the darshan of the great sage Raikva. Sitting in a beautiful chariot, and taking with him many valuable gifts, he left for Kashmir. When he reached the place, where the sage Raikva was staying, he fell at his feet and placed the entire valuable silks and jewels, which he had brought with him before Raikva. At that time, the great sage Raikva became very angry. He said, “Oh foolish king, you take all these useless things and put them in your chariot, and leave from this place”. The king immediately with great devotion, fell at the feet of Raikva, and begged his forgiveness, asking him to be merciful upon him. He inquired from Raikva, “Oh, sage, how have you attained such a high state of renunciation and devotion to the Sri?”

Becoming pleased with the king’s submissive attitude, Raikva replied “Daily I recite the Sixth Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita“. After that, king Janashruti heard from Raikva the Sixth Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita. And thereafter, he engaged in daily reciting that Sixth Chapter. And in course of time a flower airplane arrived and took him to Vaikuntha. Meanwhile, that great sage, who was reciting the Sixth Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita daily, went to Vaikuntha, where he engaged in the service of the lotus-feet of the Supreme Sri Vishnu.

Anyone, who recites this Sixth Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita, will very soon attain service to the lotus-feet of Sri Vishnu, of this there is no doubt.

 

GM: 7. The Glories of Bhagavad Gita: Chapter Seven

Sri Siva said, “My dear Parvati, now I will tell you the glories of the Seventh Chapter of the Srimad Bhagavad Gita, hearing which, one feels his ears have been filled with divine nectar.

Pataliputra is the name of one large town, which has many large gates. In that town lived a brahmana of the name Shankukama He had taken to the occupation of a businessman, and had amassed a very large wealth. But he had never performed any type of devotional activities, nor had he performed the necessary ritualistic performances for the sake of his forefathers. He became very rich, so much that even great kings would dine at his house. Shankukarna was also the most miserly of persons, and he kept his wealth buried under the ground.

Once, when that brahmana was going along with his children and other relatives for the purpose of his fourth marriage, they stopped at one place to rest for the night. While he was sleeping, a snake came and bit him. When his sons and relatives realized that a snake had bitten him, they called for the doctors and mantra-chanters. But no one was able to help Shankukarna, and shortly he died. After that he attained the body of a Preta-Sarp, a snake-ghost. The only thing he was able to think about was his wealth, which was buried close to the house where he had lived. He had not even informed his own family of the whereabouts of his wealth. Even in the form of a Preta-Sarp he resided at the place where his wealth was buried, so that no one else could take that wealth. After some time he became tired of being trapped in the form of a Preta-Sarp and he appeared in dreams to his sons and requested them to help him. In the morning, when his lazy sons woke up, they told each other about the dream they had seen. One of his sons took a large digging instrument in his hands and went to the place the father had indicated that he was living. When he reached that place he realized that he was not aware of the exact spot where the wealth was buried. That son was exceptionally greedy, and he searched for a long time, until he came across a snake-hole, which he promptly started to dig out.

Shortly a very large and fearful looking snake came out of that hole and spoke the following, “Oh, fool, who are you? Why have you come here? Who has sent you? And why are you digging at this place? Reply to my questions at once.”

The son replied, “I am your son. My name is Shiva. In a dream last night. I saw that there were hidden treasures buried at this place and I came to take them. When he heard Shiva speaking that way the Preta-Sarp started to laugh and said, “If you are my son, then why are you not performing the necessary rituals to free me from this hellish situation. Due to greed in my last life, I attained this body and now you are heading the same way.”

The son inquired, “My dear father, kindly tell me how you can be freed from this hellish situation?” The Preta-Sarp said, “Not by any kind of charity, tapasya or yajna, only by reciting of the Seventh Chapter of the Bhagavad-gita will I be able to become free from the wheel of birth and death. My dear son kindly perform the shraddha ceremony and on that day, invite a Brahmana, who is in the habit of chanting the Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad Gita and feed him very sumptuously.”

Thereafter, Shiva, along with his other brother fulfilled the instructions of their father and while the Brahmana was chanting the Seventh Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita, Sankukarna gave up that frightful body of a Preta-Sarp and attained a divine four-armed body. At that time he blessed his sons and informed them where his wealth was and then left for Vaikuntha.

Those sons, whose minds had become fixed in devotion to Sri Krishna, used that wealth for building temples, digging wells and kinds, and distributing foodstuffs. They all engaged daily in the recitation of the Seventh Chapter of the Srimad Bhagavad Gita. And very quickly they attained the lotus feet of Sri Krishna.

Sri Siva said, “My dear Parvati, I have told you the wonderful glories of the Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad Gita. Anyone, who hears this description, will be freed from all sinful reactions.”

 

GM: 8. The Glories of Bhagavad Gita: Chapter Eight

Sri Siva said, “My dear Parvati, now please listen to the glories of the Eighth Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita. After listening to this, you will feel great joy.

In the South is an important town of the name Amardhkapur in which one brahmana of the name Bhavasharma lived, who had taken a prostitute as his wife. Bhavasharma enjoyed eating meat, drinking wine, stealing, going with other’s wives; and hunting. One day, that sinful Bhavasharma was invited to a party, where he drank so much alcohol that it started to come out of his mouth. After the party, he became very sick and suffered from chronic dysentery, and after many days of suffering he died and attained the body of a date-palm-tree.

One day, two brahma-rakshasas (ghosts) came and took shelter under that tree. Their previous life-story was as follows:

There was a brahmana by the name of Kushibal, who was very learned in the Vedas and had studied all branches of knowledge. His wife’s name was Kumati, who was very evil-minded. Although that brahmana was very learned, he was also very greedy. Along with his wife, he used to collect lots of charity everyday, but he would never give charity to any other Brahmana. When their time came to die, they both attained the forms of brahma-rakshasas. As brahma-rakshasas, they continuously wandered here and there over the earth suffering from hunger and thirst. One day they rested under that date-palm-tree. At that time, the wife inquired from the husband “How can we get free from this curse of being brahma-rakshasas?” He replied, “By knowledge of Brahma, by knowledge of the Self, by knowledge of fruitive activities. Without such knowledge it is not possible to get free from our sinful reactions.” Upon hearing this, the wife inquired, “Oh, my Sri, what is Brahma, what is the Self? What are fruitive activities? (kim tad brahma kim adhyatmam kim karma purusottama)”Completely by accident, the wife happened to chant half of the first sloka of the Eighth Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita. At that time, having heard that half sloka, Bhavasharma broke free from that form as a tree, and again attained a body of a brahmana, completely free from all sin. Suddenly from the sky came a flower-airplane, which took that husband and wife back home, back to Godhead, Vaikuntha.

Afterwards, that Brahmana, Bhavasharma, with great respect, wrote down that half sloka (kim tad brahma kim adhyatmam-kim karma purusottama) and with the intention of worshipping Sri Krishna, he went to Kashipuri and started performing great austerities, while continuously chanting that half sloka.

Meanwhile in Vaikuntha, Lakshmi seeing Sri Vishnu, had risen suddenly from taking rest, inquired with folded hands “Why have You risen so suddenly from Your sleep?” Sri Vishnu said, “My dear Lakshmi, in Kashipuri, on the bank of the river Ganges, my devotee is performing great austerities continuously chanting half a sloka of the Eighth Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita. For a long time I have been thinking how to award his devotion”. Parvati inquired from Sri Siva, “when Sri Vishnu was so pleased with His devotee, what benediction did He bestow upon him?”

Sri Siva said, “Bhavasharma went to Vaikuntha, to engage in the eternal service of the lotus-feet of Sri Vishnu. Not only that, but all of his ancestors also attained the lotus feet of Sri Vishnu.

My dear Parvati, I have described to you just a little of the glories of the Eighth Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita.”

 

GM: 9. The Glories of Bhagavad Gita: Chapter Nine

Sri Siva said. “My dear Parvati, now I will relate to you the glories of the Ninth Chanter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita.

There was a town of the name Mahismati on the bank of the Narmada River, where one brahmana of the name Madhava lived. That brahmana very strictly followed all the injunctions of the Vedas, and possessed all the good qualities of the brahminical class. Due to his being so learned, he would receive a lot of charity. And with his accumulated wealth, he started to perform a great fire-sacrifice. For offering in sacrifice, one goat was bought, and when they started to cleanse that goat in preparation for the sacrifice, to everyone’s great surprise the goat started to laugh and in a loud voice said; “Oh, brahmana, what is the benefit of performing so many fire-sacrifices that simply bind us up in the wheel of birth and death. Just see my position due to my performing so many fire-sacrifices.”

When everyone gathered there heard the words of the goat, they became curious, and that brahmana inquired with folded hands, “how did you become goat? In your previous life, which caste did you belong to and what activities did you perform?” The goat replied, “Oh, brahmana, in my previous birth I was born in a very pure brahmana family and I very carefully performed all the ritualistic activities enjoined in the Vedas.

One day wife wished to worship Durga, so that our child might he cured of his disease, for this purpose she requested me to bring one goat. When we sacrificed the goat at the temple of Mother Durga; the goat cursed me, “Oh, sinful, lowest of all, you wish to make my children fatherless. For this reason you will also take birth as a goat.” Oh, Madhava, when the time for my death came I attained this body of a goat but by the grace of Sri Govinda I can remember my previous births. If you wish to hear one other interesting story then I will tell you.

In the place known as Kuruksetra which is capable of giving liberation, there once lived a king of the name Chandrasharma, who was in the dynasty of the sun-god. Once, at the time of the solar-eclipse, the king wished to give charity to one brahmana. Included in that charity was a Sudra, whose body was completely black. After going with his priest and taking bath in the sacred lake, putting on clean cloth and applying sandalwood, he returned to his place. With devotion he gave charity to a qualified Brahmana. After he had presented the charity, all of a sudden from that black Sudras’s heart, one very sinful chandala (dog-eater) appeared and after a little while, a female chandala appeared from that black sudras’s body, and together they went close to the brahmana. All of a sudden they entered in to the body of the brahmana. That brahmana remained undisturbed and started to chant the Ninth Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita, while remembering Sri Govinda. The king witnessing all these activities was stunned, unable to say anything. As soon as the words of the Ninth Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita came on the lips of that brahmana, the Vishnudutas appeared there and chased away those two chandalas. At that time the king inquired from the brahmana, “Oh, learned one, who were those two persons and which mantra did you chant? Which deity did you remember?” The brahmana replied, “Taking the form of a chandala, sin personified appeared, along with offense personified in the form of that female chandala. At that time I started chanting the Ninth Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad-gita, which is capable of releasing one from all fearful situations. By reciting the Ninth Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita, I am always able to remember the lotus-feet of Sri Govinda”.

Upon hearing this the king learned the chanting of the Srimad Bhagavad Gita, Ninth Chapter, from the brahmana. Gradually he managed to attain the lotus-feet of Sri Govinda. When Madhava heard this discourse from the goat, he immediately freed the goat and started to engage in reciting the Ninth Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita daily and thus he also gained the lotus-feet of Sri Govinda.

 

GM: 10. The Glories of Bhagavad Gita: Chapter Ten

Sri Siva said, “My dear Parvati, I will now relate to you the glories of the Tenth Chapter of the Srimad Bhagavad Gita, as related by Sri Vishnu to Lakshmi-Devi which in itself is a stairway to the spiritual world.

In Kashipuri, there was a Brahmana of the name Dhirabuddhi, who was as dear to me as Nandi, my carrier. He was always peaceful and all of his senses were fixed in the glorification of Sri Krishna. Wherever he would go, I would follow him with great love, so that I could protect and serve him. Seeing my activities, my eternal servant Bhringiriddhi inquired from me, “What kind of austerities and other pious activities has this great devotee performed, that you are personally rendering service to him?”

Hearing Bringiridhi’s inquiry I replied as follows. “Once, in Kailash parvata, in the garden known as punnaag, I was enjoying sitting in the moonlight, and suddenly there was a great wind, which caused the trees to shake with a very loud noise. Suddenly a shadow was cast all around as if a mountain was moving. Suddenly, in the sky, a very large bird in the color of a rain cloud appeared. Due to the flapping of its wings, it was causing the trees to shake and the dust to swirl around. Suddenly the bird landed on the ground and offered his respects to me and also one beautiful lotus flower. After which, he said, “Oh Mahadeva! All glories to you, the shelter of all. There is no limit to your glories. You are the protector of the devotees, who have control over their senses. And you are the foremost of all the devotees of the Supreme Sri Krishna. Great souls such as Brihaspati are always chanting your glories. But even the thousand-headed Ananta Sesa, is not able to fully describe your glories. So what to speak of a bird like me, with such small intelligence.”

After hearing the bird’s prayer, I inquired, “who are you, and where are you coming from? You look like a swan and your bodily color is that of a crow.” That bird said, “please understand that I am the swancarrier of Sri Brahma. And the reason for my body having attained a black color, I will relate to you.

Just close to Saurashtra (Surat) there is one beautiful lake, from where this wonderful heavenly lotus came from. I had been enjoying there for some time. Just as I was flying off from that pIace, I suddenly fell to the ground and my body took on this black color. At that time I was thinking to my self. How have I fallen down, and how has my body which was white like camphor, turned black? While thinking in this way I heard a voice, coming from the lotuses in the lake “Oh, swan, get up, I will tell you the reason why you fell down, and your body turned black.” At that time I got up and went to the center of the lake, where there were five extraordinary beautiful lotuses out of which came a very beautiful lady. After circumambulating her, I inquired as to the reason of my falling down. She replied; “Oh, black swan, while you were flying, you flew over me, and due to this offense, your body has now become black. When I saw you fall down, I felt sorry for you, thus, I called you here. When I opened my mouth, the scent emanating from it was able to purify at one time seven thousand black bees, who immediately attained admission into the heavenly realm. My dear king of birds, the reason I have such power I will tell you.

Previous to this birth, three births before, I was born in a Brahmana family, and my name was Sarojavadana, my father had always instructed me in the principles of chastity and when I got married I served my husband very faithfully. One day I found a Maina (a black bird), and due to looking after it, my service to my husband became affected, for which he became angry, and cursed me, “Oh, sinful woman, you will become a maina in your next birth.”

In my next birth I became a maina, but due to my following the principles of chastity strictly, I managed to come in contact with some sages, who kept me at their ashram. One of the sage’s daughters used to look after me. While staying there, every morning and evening I would hear the recitation of the tenth chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita, due to which in my next birth I attained the body of an apsara in the heavenly planets of the name Padmavati. One day, I was travelling in a flower airplane when I saw the beautiful lotus flower on this lake. Coming here, I started to enjoy in the water. At that time, Durvasa-Muni arrived and saw me completely naked. Being afraid of him I immediately took on the form of five lotuses. My two arms became two lotuses and my two legs became two lotuses, and the rest of my body became the fifth lotus. From Durvasa Muni’s eyes fire started to emanate: “Oh, sinful one, you will stay in that form for one hundred years”. After cursing me, he immediately disappeared. But fortunately, I was able to remember the Tenth Chapter of the Srimad Bhagavad Gita. And today, I have become free from the curse, due to your crossing over me, you fell to the ground and your body became black. But if you hear from me the Tenth Chapter of the Srimad Bhagavad Gita, you will be able to become free from this situation.”

After Padmavati had completed reciting the Tenth Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita, she left in an airplane for Vaikuntha. After that I came here and offered this beautiful lotus from that lake to you.”

Sri Siva said, “After that black swan completed his story he immediately gave up his body and took birth in a Brahmana family as Dhirabuddhi, who, from his childhood, always chanted the Tenth Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita.

And whoever would hear that chanting from him would attain darshan of Sri Vishnu, who is holding the Shankha and Chakra. Whoever would hear that chanting, whether they are fallen and addicted to intoxication, or even killers of brahmanas, they would attain the darshan of Sri Vishnu, who is holding the Shankha and Chakra. For that reason my dear Bhringiriddhi, I am always serving Dhirabuddhi.”

My dear Parvati, whether one be male or female, sannyasi or grhastha in fact whatever situation one may be in, if he chants the Tenth Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita, he will attain the darshan of Sri Vishnu.

 

GM: 11. The Glories of Bhagavad Gita: Chapter Eleven

Sri Siva said; “My dear Parvati, now I will relate to you the glories of the Eleventh Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita. It is not possible to tell it’s full glories, as there are thousands of stories, I will relate one of them only.

On the banks of the Pranita river is a large town of the name Megankara in which is the famous temple of Jagat Isvara. Jagat lsvara is holding in His hand a bow. In that town of Megankara, there was a pure brahmana of the name Sunand, who remained a brahmachari his whole life.

Sunand would sit in front of Sri Jagat Isvara and recite the Eleventh Chapter of the Srimad Bhagavad Gita and remember the Universal Form of the Sri. By reciting that Eleventh Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita, he gained complete control over his senses and was able to remember Sri Jagat Isvara continuously.

Once that pure brahmana Sunand went on a tour of the holy places on the banks of the Godavari River. He visited all the sacred places, starting with Viraj-Tirtha. In all the holy places he visited, he bathed, and took darshan of the presiding deity. One day he reached the town of Vivaha Mandap. Along with his associates he searched for a place to stay and eventually in the middle of that town they found a dharmashala, where they all took rest for the night. When Sunand woke up in the morning he found that all his associates had left. While searching for them, he met the headman of the town, who immediately fell at his feet and said, “Oh great sage, I cannot say where your associates have gone, but I can tell you that there is no devotee equal to you. I have never seen anyone as pure as you. Oh, my dear brahmana, I am begging you to stay in this town.”

When Sunand heard the humble request of the headman of the town, he decided to stay for some days.

That headman made every arrangement for the comfortable stay of Sunand and engaged in his service day and night. After eight days had passed, one villager came before Sunand, crying very loudly and said, “Oh pure Brahmana, last night one rakshasa ate my son.” Sunand inquired, “Where does that rakshasa stay? And how did he eat your son?”

The villager replied, “In this town one very frightful rakshasa lives, who every day was eating villagers as and when he pleased. One day, we all went to that rakshasa and requested him to protect us, in return for which we would provide him with his daily food. One dharmashala was built, and any travelers who came here were sent there to stay and while they were sleeping the rakshasa would eat them, In this way we have been able to protect ourselves from this rakshasa. You, along with your associates, stayed at that dharmashala, but that rakshasa did not eat you along with everyone else. The reason I will tell you. Last night a friend of my son came but I did not realize that he was a very close and dear friend of my son, so I sent him to stay in dharmashala. Later when my son found out, he went after him to try and bring him back from the dharmashala but when he went there, he was also eaten by that rakshasa. Today, in the morning, I went to that rakshasa and asked him, why he had eaten my son along with the other travelers. I also requested him, if there was any way, I could get back my son. That rakshasa told me, “I did not know that your son had also entered the dharmashala, thus he was eaten with everyone else. As far as getting him back that will be possible when I am freed from this rakshasa body which will be possible by the mercy of a person who recites the Eleventh Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita daily.

Right now, there is one brahmana staying in this town, who had stayed at this dharmashala, but I had not eaten him, because he daily recites the Eleventh Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita. If He daily recites the Eleventh Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita seven times then sprinkles water on me, then I will be able to get free from the curse of this rakshasa body”.

Sunand inquired, from that villager, “What sin did this person perform to attain a rakshasa body?” The villager replied, ‘Long ago there had been a farmer living in this town. One day he was guarding the fields when, just a little distance away from him, one large vulture attacked a person, who was travelling on the road. At that time, one yogi was passing by and when he saw that person being attacked by that vulture he came running to his aid but when he reached him, it was too late. Then that yogi became very angry with the farmer and spoke to him as follows, “One who sees others in danger from thieves, snakes, fire, attack by weapons etc., and even though he is capable of helping them, but does not come to help, is punished by Yamaraja. After suffering in hell for a very long time, he takes birth as a wolf. And one, who helps someone in need of help, certainly pleases Sri Vishnu. One, who attempts to save a cow from the hands of a ferocious animal, a low-class man or a wicked ruler, attains Sri Vishnu. Wicked farmer, you saw that vulture attacking that person but still you made no attempt to save him. Now I curse you to take birth as a rakshasa.” The Farmer said, “I was watching the fields for the whole night and I am very tired, so kindly be merciful to me, oh, gentle sage.” The yogi replied, “When someone, who is daily reciting the Eleventh Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita, sprinkles water on your head, then you will become free from this curse”.

The villager said. “My dear Sunand, with your hand kindly sprinkle water on the head of this rakshasa.” After hearing that history from the villager, Sunand went along with him to the place where that rakshasa was staying and while he was reciting the Eleventh Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita, sprinkled water on his head. That rakshasa immediately attained a four-armed form like that of Sri Vishnu. Not only he, but all the thousands of persons he had eaten also attained a four-armed form like that of Sri Vishnu. Then they all sat down in the flower aeroplane, which had been sent to take them all to Vaikuntha.

Seeing those amazing events, the villager inquired from the rakshasa which one was his son. The rakshasa started to laugh and pointed at one of those thousands of beautiful persons sitting in the transcendental airplane and replied, “That is your son”. The villager requested his son to come home with him. Hearing his father’s request the son smilingly replied, “My dear sir, many times you have been my son and I yours but now by the grace of this great pure devotee Sunand, I have been released from this wheel of birth and death and now I am going to my real home, Vaikuntha. Dear sir, kindly surrender unto the lotus-feet of Sunand and hear from him the Eleventh Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita, and you also will be able to attain the abode of Sri Vishnu (Vaikuntha), of this there is no doubt. From Sri Krishna’s mouth, these nectarian instructions came on the battlefield of Kuruksetra in reply to the questions of His friend Arjuna. And only by hearing and reciting this discourse can one break the tight knot which is binding us to this wheel of birth and death.”

Sri Siva said; “After speaking those words, full of wisdom, to his father, along with all those other fortunate souls, he went to Vaikuntha and his father learned the Eleventh Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita from Sunand and very soon they also went to Vaikuntha.

My dear Parvati, you have heard the glories of the Eleventh Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita, which is capable of destroying all sinful reactions.”

 

GM: 12. The Glories of Bhagavad Gita: Chapter Twelve

Sri Siva said, “I will recite the wonderful glories of the twelfth Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita before you, dear Parvati.”

In the South there is an important holy place by the name of Kolbapur, where the temple of the Sri’s divine consort Maha Lakshmi, is situated. Maha Lakshmi is continuously worshipped by all of the demigods. That place is the fulfiller of all desires. Rudragaya is also situated there. One day, one young prince arrived there. His body was the color of gold. His eyes were very beautiful. His shoulders were very strong and his chest was broad. His arms were long and strong. When he arrived in Kohlapur, he first went to the lake known as Manikanth-tirth, where he took bath and offered worship to his ancestors. And then he went to the temple of Maha Lakshmi, where he offered his obeisances, and then started to pray, “Oh Devi, Whose heart is full of mercy, Who is worshipped throughout the three worlds and is the giver of all fortune and the Mother of Creation. All glories to You, Oh shelter of all living entities. Oh fulfiller of all desires. You are the wonderful energy of Sri Achyuta, Who is maintaining the three worlds. You are the Supreme Goddess. Oh protector of the devotees. All glories to You. Oh Devi, it is You who fulfills the desires of the devotees, and it is You, who engages them in the service of Sri Achyuta. You are eternal and deliverer of all fallen souls. All glories unto You. Oh Devi, for the welfare and protection of the three worlds, You take on many forms such as Ambika, Brahmi, Vaishnavi, Maheshwari, Varahi Maha-Lakshmi, Narasimhi, Indri, Kumari, Chandika, Lakshmi, Savitri, Chandrakala, Rohini, Parameshwari. All glories unto You, whose glories are unlimited. Kindly be merciful upon me.”

When Maha Lakshmi heard those prayers, She became very pleased and said to the prince, “Oh prince, I am very happy with you, please request any benediction according to your heart’s desire from me.”

That prince said, “Oh Mother of the three worlds, my father; King Brahadrathy was performing the famous sacrifice known as Ashwamedha. But before having completed that yajna, he dies due to disease. And before I was able to complete that Ashwamedha yajna, someone stole the horse that had traveled all over the world and had been purified for sacrifice in that Ashwamedha, I sent persons in all directions in search of that horse, but they were unable to find it. Then I took permission from the priest to come and pray for Your help. And, if You are pleased with me, then kindly let me know, how I can get back that horse and complete the fire sacrifice and thus fulfill my father’s desire.”

Maha-Lakshmi said, “Oh noble prince, by the gate of my temple one highly elevated Brahmana lives, who is known by the name of Siddha-Samadhi. He will be able to fulfill your desire.”

When the prince heard these words of Maha-Lakshmi, he went to the place, where Siddha-Samadhi lived and offered obeisances to him. After having offered obeisances, he stood before Siddha-Samadhi silently with fold hands. Siddha Samadhi then said, “You have been sent here by mother Maha Lakshmi, so I will fulfill your desire.”

Then chanting some mantras, Siddha-Samadhi brought all of the demigods before him. The prince at that time saw all of the demigods standing before Siddha Samadhi, awaiting his instructions. Then Siddha-Samadhi said to those demigods, “Oh devas, this prince’s horse, which he had kept ready for his sacrifice, was stolen at night by Sri Indra. Kindly bring that horse back now.”

Immediately those demigods brought that horse before him, after which Siddha-Samadhi dismissed them. When the prince saw all these wonderful happenings, he fell at the feet of Siddha-Samadhi, and inquired from him. “How have you attained such power, which I have not seen or heard of any one else possessing? Oh great sage, kindly hear my request.

My father, king Brahadratha while beginning the Ashwamedha-sacrifice, died unexpectedly. And thus I kept his body in pure boiled oil. Kindly, if you desire, please bring him back to life.”

Hearing this, Siddha-Samadhi gave a little chuckle, and said, “Let us go to that place, where you have kept your father’s body.” When they reached that place, Siddha-Samadhi took some water in his hand and while chanting some mantras, he sprinkled the water onto the head of the dead body of King Brahadratha. As soon as that water touched his head, the King sat up and inquired from Siddha- Samadhi, “Oh, great devotee, who are you?” The prince immediately informed his father of all the events, which had taken place. When the King heard that narration, he again and again offered his obeisances to Siddha-Samadhi, and inquired from him, What austerities he had performed to attain such divine powers. Hearing the King’s inquiry, Siddha-Samadhi replied “My dear king Brahadratha, daily I recite the Twelfth Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita.”

Hearing those words of that great devotee, the king learnt from Siddha-Samadhi the Twelfth Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita. In the course of time, boyh the king and his son attained the lotus-feet of Sri Krishna. Many other persons have achieved the topmost goal, devotion to Sri Krishna’s lotus-feet, by reciting the Twelfth Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita daily.

 

GM: 13. The Glories of Bhagavad Gita: Chapter Thirteen

Sri Siva said, “Oh Parvati, please hear the unlimited glories of the Thirteenth Chapter of the Srimad Bhagavad Gita, by hearing which, you will become very happy.

In the South, there was a very large river of the name Tungabhadra, on the banks of which; there is a very beautiful town of the name Hariharpur. There, the deity of Sri Siva, known by name Harihar, is worshipped. One, who has His darshan, attains auspicious things.

In Hariharpur lived one brahmana by the name of Hari-diksit, who was very learned, and lived a simple, austere life. His wife was called Duracara, by the people. The reason for this was due to her low-class activities. She would always speak to her husband in abusive language, and she had never slept with him. She was always rude to her husband’s friends, and she would keep company with other men, to satisfy her lusty desires. She was also addicted to taking various kinds of intoxicants. Seeing that the town was becoming more and more populated, she constructed a small structure in the forest where she could meet her lovers.

One night, feeling very lusty, and not having been able to find any lover to satisfy her lust, she went out into the forest to her meeting place, to see if any of her lovers were there. Not finding anyone at that place, and burning up with lust, she started to wander in the forest in the hope of finding someone to satisfy her lusty desires. After having wandered for some time, and finding that her body, senses and mind were paining so much, due to not being able to satisfy their lust, she became bewildered and sat down and started to cry.

Hearing the sound of her crying, one hungry tiger, who was sleeping, woke up and reached that place very quickly. Hearing the tiger coming, the lusty woman got up and thinking to herself that surely someone is coming who would satisfy her needs, she all of a sudden saw a tiger arrive in in front of her. He was about to rip her apart with his sharp claws.

At that time, the lusty woman addressed the tiger, “Oh tiger, why have you come here to kill me? First you must tell me this and then you can kill me.” That king of animals refrained from killing Durachara, and laughed. Then he related the following story.

“In the South there is a river of the name Malapaha. On the bank of which is the town of Muniparna. At that place, there is a famous deity of Sri Siva, known as Panchalinga. In that town I had taken birth in a brahmana family. Although I had taken such a high birth, I was still very greedy, and had no control over my senses. I used to sit on the banks of the river and perform sacrifices for those persons, who were not qualified to partake in such performances. I would also eat from the homes of materialistic persons. I would also collect more funds than necessary in the name of performing sacrifices and worship for the deity, and use the same for my own sense gratification. I would also criticize those brahmanas, who were strictly following the regulative principles, and I would never give charity to anyone. Slowly I became old, my hair turned white, my teeth fell out, my eyes became weak, but even still, I did not lose my lust to collect and hoard more funds. One day, by mistake, I went to the house of some brahmanas, who were very cruel and expert at cheating, to beg some food, when they set the dogs on me. One of those dogs bit my leg and I fell over and very quickly died. After that, I attained this tiger’s body, and I am living in this dangerous forest.

Fortunately, I am able to remember my last birth and in this birth I do not attack any devotee, sannyasi or chaste lady. Only those sinful. persons and unchaste woman I take as my food. As you are the most unchaste, and sinful woman, you will definitely become my lunch.”

After the tiger had finished his narration, he devoured that sinful woman. Thereafter, the Yamadutas threw her into the hell known as Duyada, which is a lake full of stool, urine and blood. And she had to stay in that filthy place for ten million kalpas. After that, she was thrown into the hell known as Raurava, where she stayed for one hundred manvataras, after which she again took birth on earth as a female candala. Again she lived in the same sinful way as she had previously. Due to her sinful activities, she got leprosy and also tuberculosis. By chance and good fortune, she once went to the holy place of Hariharpur and close to the temple of Jambakadevi (Parvati). She saw the great saint Vasudeva who was always reciting the Thirteenth Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita. From his mouth she heard that recitation, and becoming attracted, she heard it again and again and by that hearing, she was able to give up that body of a chandala and becoming completely free from the reactions of her past sinful activities. She attained a four-armed form similar to Sri Vishnu, and she was taken to Vaikuntha.

 

GM: 14. The Glories of Bhagavad Gita: Chapter Fourteen

Sri Siva said “Oh, Parvati kindly hear from Me the glories of the Fourteenth Chapter of the Srimad Bhagavad Gita, with the greatest attention.

In Simhaldvip was a king of the name Vikram-Betual. One day, when he was going to the forest for hunting, he took his son and two hunting dogs along with him. When he reached the forest he released one dog to chase a rabbit. When that dog was chasing it, the rabbit looked as if it was flying. Running and running, that rabbit reached a beautiful hermitage, which was very peaceful. The deer were sitting happily under the shade of the trees. And the monkeys were joyfully eating the fruits of those trees. The cubs of the tigers were playing with the baby elephants, and the snakes were crawling over the peacocks. In this forest, the great sage Vatsa lived, who worshipped Sri Krishna by reciting the Fourteenth Chapter of the Srimad Bhagavad Gita ? Near the ashram of Maharaja Vatsa, one of his disciples was washing his feet while chanting the Fourteenth Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita. The earth at that spot became wet. Just then that rabbit came running and slipped in the mud. Immediately that rabbit attained a heavenly body. An airplane came down, picked him up and took him off to the heavenly planets. After a moment, that dog arrived there in search of the rabbit, and he also slipped in the mud; gave up that dog body and attained a heavenly body and was also taken off to the heavenly planets.

Seeing all of this, the disciple of Maharaja Vatsa started to laugh. King Vikram-Betal, having witnessed those amusing events inquired from that Brahmana, “How is it possible that the rabbit and dog went off to heaven in front of our eyes?” That Brahmana said, “in this forest, a great sage of the name Vatsa, who has completely conquered his senses, is always engaged in chanting the Fourteenth Chapter of the Srimad Bhagavad Gita. I am his disciple, and I am also by his grace always engaged in chanting the Fourteenth Chapter of the Srimad Bhagavad Gita. Due to that rabbit and dog slipping in the mud, which had been made wet from the water, which had washed my feet, they both attained the higher planets. Now I will tell you the reason why I was laughing; In Maharastra, there is the town of the name Pratudhak. One Brahmana of the name Keshava had lived there. He was the most cruel of men. His wife’s name was Vilobbana. She was a very loose lady, who always enjoyed the company of other men. For this reason, her husband became very angry and killed her. In her next life she became that dog. And that Brahmana Keshava, due to his sinful activities became that rabbit.”

Sri Siva said, “After hearing the glories of the Fourteenth Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita, King Vikram-Betal also began daily reciting the Fourteenth Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita, when he gave up that body, he went to Vaikuntha where he was able to engage eternally in the service of the lotus-feet of Sri Vishnu.”

 

GM: 15. The Glories of Bhagavad Gita: Chapter Fifteen

Sri Siva said, “My dear Parvati, now I will tell you the glories of the Fifteenth Chapter of the Srimad Bhagavad Gita, kindly listen carefully.

In Gaudadesa, there was a king of the name Narasingha. He was so powerful that he was able to defeat the demigods. The commander of his army was known by the name Sarabhmerund. He was very greedy and along with the prince, he planned to kill the king, and become the ruler of Gaudadesa. But before he was able to carry out his plan, he got cholera and very quickly died. After he took his next birth as a horse in the country known as Sindhu. That horse was very beautiful and was very fast at running. He had all the qualities of a prize horse, one day, the son of a very rich man of Gaudadesa saw that horse and decided to buy him with the intention of selling him to the king of Gaudadesa. After having purchased that horse, he took him to the capital of Gaudadesa, When he reached the city he went straight to the palace of the king and requested the guards to inform the king of his arrival.

When he came before the king, the king inquired from him, “What has brought you here?” That business man replied, “Oh, king, in Sindhu I found a horse of the highest quality and it’s equal cannot be found in the whole universe. I paid very much money for it”. The king ordered, “Bring that horse immediately.” That horse was very quickly brought before the king who became very pleased with the high qualities of the horse. After having examined the horse, the king paid to that businessman whatever amount he had requested without thinking twice.

After some days the king decided to go hunting. Riding that horse, he set off for the forest, where he saw a deer, to which he immediately gave chase. Following behind that deer, he followed in every direction it turned. After some time he left the rest of his party far behind. After chasing for a long time and becoming very tired and thirsty, he stopped to take rest. He tied the horse to the branch of a tree and he himself sat down on a large rock.

After a little while he saw a piece of parchment blowing in the wind and land next to him on the rock. On that piece of parchment was written half a sloka of the Fifteenth Chapter of the Srimad Bhagavad Gita. The king started to read, and as the first sound came out of his mouth, that horse fell down to the ground and gave up that horse-body. He attained a transcendental four-armed form and immediately sat down in a flower-airplane, which had come from Vaikuntha to take him to that transcendental abode Vaikuntha.

The king noticed that close by; there was a beautiful ashram, which was surrounded by fruit-trees. Sitting in that ashram was a brahmana who had complete control over his senses. The king offered respects to that brahmana and with folded hands inquired from him, “How was it possible that my horse was able to attain Vaikuntha?” The brahmana, whose name was Vishnusharma, replied, “Oh, king, previously, you had a commander-in chief of your army, who was known by the name Sarabhmerund. He had planned along with the prince to usurp you from your throne. Before he was able to, he got cholera and died, after which he took birth as that horse. By chance he heard some words from the Fifteenth Chapter of the Srimad Bhagavad Gita and attained Vaikuntha.”

The king offered his respects to that brahmana and returned to his capital and again and again read what was written on that parchment. After a short time he installed his son as the king of Gaudadesa and himself went off to the forest, where he recited regularly the Fifteenth Chapter of the Srimad Bhagavad Gita and very quickly, attained the lotus feet of Sri Vishnu.

 

GM: 16. The Glories of Bhagavad Gita: Chapter Sixteen

Sri Siva said, “My dear Parvati, I will now tell you the glories of the Sixteenth Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita.

In Gujarat, there is a town of the name Sourastra (Surat). King Khadgabahu had his kingdom there, where he lived just like another lndra, king of heaven. He kept a very passionate male elephant of the name Arimardana from whose temples liquid oozed due to his pride. One day that elephant, in a fit of anger, broke loose from his chains and started to destroy the elephant shed, after which he began running here and there, wildly chasing the citizens. Everyone fled as fast as possible. The elephant keepers immediately reported the news to the king and when the king heard, he went along with his son to the place, where the mad elephant was. King Khadgabahu knew the art of controlling wild elephants. When the king reached the spot, where the elephant was running amok, he saw that many persons had been trampled and others were running here and there to avoid that elephant. Just then, as the king was watching that chaotic scene, he saw one brahmana peacefully returning from taking his bath in the lake. That brahmana was silently reciting the first three slokas from the Sixteenth Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita, which start with the word; abhayam (fearlessness). When the people saw that brahmana walking towards the elephant, they tried to tell him not to go near him, but that brahmana did not take any notice of them and walked straight up to that mad elephant and started to stroke him. When the elephant saw the Brahmana approaching, he immediately lost all anger and lay down peacefully.

After that brahmana had patted the elephant for a few moments, he went peacefully on his way. When the king and all the citizens saw these amazing incidents, they were astonished. The king immediately went and fell at the feet of that brahmana and inquired from him, “what austerities and worship have you performed to attain such peacefulness and amazing powers?” The brahmana replied; “Daily I am reciting some slokas from the sixteenth Chapter of the Srimad Bhagavad Gita.”

Sri Siva said; “That king requested the brahmana to come to the palace, where he offered to him in charity, one hundred gold coins and requested that pious brahmana to instruct him in the chanting of those verses from the Sixteenth Chapter of the Srimad Bhagavad Gita.

After King Khadgabahu had been chanting those verses for some time, he one day along with his guards went to the place where that mad elephant was kept and ordered the elephant keepers to release him. At that, the citizens became upset with the king thinking that the elephant would begin to run amok again. The king went before that mad elephant, which immediately lay down and he started to stroke him. After that the king returned to his palace and installed his son on the throne and left for the forest, where he worshipped Sri Krishna by chanting those slokas from the Sixteenth Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita and very quickly he attained the lotus-feet of Sri Krishna.

Anyone who chants the Sixteenth Chapter of the Srimad Bhagavad-gita, however sinful he is, very quickly attains the same goal as King Khadgabahu, the lotus-feet of Sri Krishna.

 

GM: 17. The Glories of Bhagavad Gita: Chapter Seventeen

Sri Siva said, “My dear Parvati, you have heard the unlimited glories of the Sixteenth Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita. Now, kindly hear the nectarian glories of the Seventeenth Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita.

King Khadgabahu’s son had a servant by the name of Dushasan who was very crafty and exceptionally foolish. Dushasan made a bet with the prince that he could ride the elephant, at which time he jumped upon the elephant and after going a few steps, the people there started requesting him, not to ride that dangerous elephant. But foolish Dushasan started to prod that elephant and used strong words to urge him on. Suddenly, that elephant became very angry and started to run wildly here and there. Unable to hold on, Dushasan fell to the ground. The elephant stomped on him and Dushasan died. After that he attained the body of an elephant in Simbaldwip, where he stayed in the king’s palace.

The king of Simbaldwip was a close friend of King Khadgabahu. One day the king of Simhaldwip decided to send that elephant as a present to his friend, King Khadgabahu, who in turn presented that elephant to one poet, who pleased him with his beautiful poetry.

Thereafter, that poet sold that elephant for one hundred gold coins to the king of Malva. After some time, that elephant contracted a terminal disease. When the elephant-keepers saw that the elephant had stopped eating and drinking, they reported the matter to the king. When the king found out, he went to the place of the elephant, along with the best of doctors. At that time, to the surprise of that king, the elephant started to speak, “My dear king you are very pious, and a strict follower of the Vedas. You always worship the lotus feet of Sri Vishnu. So you should know, that at this time, these medicines and doctors will be of no use. Neither any kind of charity of sacrifice will help at the time of death. If you care for me and want to help me, then bring someone, who daily recites the Seventeenth Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita.”

As requested by that elephant, the king brought one great devotee, who regularly recited the Seventeenth Chapter of the Srimad Bhagavad Gita. That devotee, while chanting the Seventeenth Chapter, sprinkled water on the elephant at which time he gave up his elephant body and attained a four-armed form, similar to that of Sri Vishnu. He immediately sat down in a flower airplane, which had been sent to take him to Vaikuntha. While sitting in that airplane, the king inquired from him about his previous birth, and Dushasan, after telling him everything, left for Vaikuntha. After which, that best of men, the king of Malva, started regularly reciting the Seventeenth Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita. After a short time he attained the lotus feet of Sri Krishna.

 

GM: 18. The Glories of Bhagavad Gita: Chapter Eighteen

Parvati said “My dear husband, you have told me the glories of the Seventeenth Chapter of the Srimad Bhagavad Gita, now kindly relate the glories of the Eighteenth Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita.

Sri Siva said; “Oh daughter of the Himalayas (Parvati), please listen to the glories of the Eighteenth Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita, which is higher than the Vedas and the giver of unlimited bliss. When it enters into one’s ears it destroys all material desires. For the pure devotee, it is divine nectar, it is Sri Vishnu’s very life and it is a solace to the hearts of Sri Indra and the demigods as well as the great yogis headed by Sanak and Sananda.

One who recites it sends the messengers of Yamaraja far away. There is no other recitation, which can so quickly destroy all sin and free one from the threefold miseries of this world. Now listen with great devotion.

On the topmost peak of Mount Meru is Amaravati, which was built by Visvakarma. In that heavenly kingdom, Sri Indra along with his wife Saci is served by the demigods. One day while Sri Indra was sitting peacefully, he saw that one very beautiful person had arrived there, whom the servants of Sri Vishnu were serving. When. Sri Indra saw that beautiful young person; he immediately fell from his throne unto the ground. At that time those demigod who had been worshipping Indra picked up the crown that he was wearing and placed it on the head of that new beautiful person. After that, all the demigods and other denizens of the heavenly planets started to perform artik and sing wonderful songs to that new King Indra. The great rishis came there and offered their blessings and chanted Vedic mantras and the Gandharvas and Apsaras started to sing and dance joyfully. In this way, the new Indra, who had not performed the usual one hundred horse sacrifices, started to enjoy hundreds of different types of services rendered by the demigods and other denizens of the heavenly planets. When the old Indra saw this he became very surprised.

He started to think to himself, “This person here has never built wells or dug kunds or planted trees for the welfare of others, and when there were droughts, he did not provide grains in charity. He never performed any fire-sacrifices or great charities in the holy places. So how has he managed to attain my seat?” The old Indra, feeling greatly disturbed in his mind, left to the ocean of milk to pray to Sri Vishnu. When he managed to obtain darshan of Sri Vishnu, he asked Him “My dear Sri Vishnu, in the past I performed many sacrifices and other pious activities, for which I was installed as the Sri of heaven. But at this time another person has come there and taken my place as the king of heaven. This person in his life never performed any great, wonderful pious activities, nor had he performed any great Vedic sacrifices. So, how is it possible that he has managed to obtain my throne?”

At that time Sri Vishnu said, “My dear Indra, That great soul has performed the recitation daily of the Eighteenth Chapter of the Srimad Bhagavad Gita. Everyday during his life, he recited five slokas from this Chapter, and because of that activity he has attained the results of all sorts of pious activities and yajnas and after enjoying for many years as the king of heaven, he will attain My personal abode. If you perform the same activity of reciting the Eighteenth Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita, you can also attain My divine abode.”

After hearing Sri Vishnu’s words, Sri Indra took the form of a brahmana and went to the bank of the Godavari River, where he saw the town of Kalegrani, which is very sacred. At that place, the Supreme Sri in His form known as Kalesva, resides. Close to this town, on the bank of the Godavari river, one very pure brahmana was sitting, who was very merciful and had understood the topmost goal and secret of the Vedic literatures. Daily he would sit at that spot and recite slokas of the Eighteenth Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita. When Sri Indra saw him he became very happy. He immediately fell at his lotus-feet and requested him to teach him the Eighteenth Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita. After Sri Indra had practiced the recitation, of the Eighteenth Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita for sometime he managed to attain the topmost place of Vishnuloka. When he attained that place, he realized that the pleasure he had enjoyed as King Indra, along with the demigods, was nothing in comparison.

My dear Parvati, for this reason, the great sages, especially chant this Eighteenth Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita and by so doing very quickly attain the lotus-feet of Sri Vishnu.

Anyone who hears or studies this Gita Mahatmya very quickly destroys all sins, which he has accumulated. And that person, who remembers this discourse with great faith attains the results of all kinds of pious activities and great sacrifices, and after enjoying all worldly opulences, attains the abode of Sri Vishnu.

Thus ends the glories of the Srimad Bhagavad Gita as spoken by Sri Siva to his wife Parvati Devi.

Mahanidhi Swami

In two tikas, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti describes the essence of Bhagavad-gita.

While describing the first essence, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti gives a beautiful blessing by saying, “These four famous verses (Bg.10.8-11), which are the essence of all topics in the Gita, will remove misery and saturate the jivas with bliss!”

Bhagavan Sri Krishna said, “I am the source of everything and cause everything to function. Realizing this, an intelligent person will worship Me with love. (8)

“Devotees who have absorbed their minds and hearts in Me attain bliss and satisfaction by enlightening one another with Hari-katha. (9)

“To My constantly devoted worshipers, I give the discriminative intelligence to guide them to Me. (9)

“I favor My devotees by sitting within their minds and hearts to destroy the darkness of ignorance with the light of transcendental knowledge.” (10)

Then at the very end of Bhagavad-gita, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti mentions its second essence, which is truly the quintessence of all Gita’s teachings and the essence of all Upanisads.

In his tika to (18.64), Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti writes, “Here Bhagavan Sri Krishna is saying, ‘O My Priya Bandhu Arjuna! Now I will speak the essence of the entire Gita in eight verses.’” (18.64-71)

We have arranged these eight essence verses by topic to provide clear understanding. Please deeply consider the import of the fourth and fifth essences which reveal some surprising and unknown truths regarding Gita propagation.

Misunderstanding these points often leads to committing nama-aparadha to Sri Krishna’s Divine Names, because one innocently or knowingly, “Preaches to the faithless”, which is the ninth offense to Sri Krishna’s Divine Names.

First Essence: THE SUPREME SPIRITUAL SECRET

With His heart melting like butter due to His mercy, Sri Krishna told Arjuna the deepest meaning of the Bhagavad-gita.

Bhagavan Sri Krishna said, “Now hear My most elevated words describing the supreme secret of all secrets. Since you are very dear to Me, I will tell you what is best for you. (18.64)

sarva-guhyatamaṁ bhūyaḥ, śṛṇu me paramaṁ vacaḥ
iṣṭo si me dṛḍham iti, tato vakṣyāmi te hitam

Second Essence: ESSENCE OF BHAKTI SADHANA

Bhagavan Sri Krishna said, “Fix your mind on Me and be My devotee! Worship Me and offer respects to Me. By doing this, you will surely come to Me. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend. (18.65)

man-manā bhava mad-bhakto, mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru
mām evaiṣyasi satyaṁ te, pratijāne priyo ’si me

Third Essence: SURRENDER ALL TO ME!

Bhagavan Sri Krishna said, Give up all religious injunctions and take full shelter in Me. Don’t worry, I will deliver you from all sinful reactions. (18.66)

sarva-dharmān parityajya, mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja
ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo, mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

Fourth Essence: DO NOT PREACH HERE!

Bhagavan Sri Krishna said, “Arjuna, DO NOT SPEAK THE GITA TO ANYONE WHO IS:

  1. Not austere;
  2. Not My devotee;
  3. Does not want to hear it;
  4. Envious of Me.” (18.67)

idaṁ te nātapaskāya, nābhaktāya kadācana
na cāśuśrūṣave vācyaṁ, na ca māṁ yo ’bhyasūyati

Fifth Essence: YES—PREACH HERE!

Bhagavan Sri Krishna said, “One who explains this supreme secret to My devotees attains the highest bhakti. And without a doubt, he will come to Me! (18.68)

ya idaṁ paramaṁ guhyaṁ, mad-bhakteṣv abhidhāsyati
bhaktiṁ mayi parāṁ kṛtvā, mām evaiṣyaty asaṁśayaḥ

Sixth Essence: KRISHNA LOVES PREACHERS

Bhagavan Sri Krishna said, “No one in this world is dearer to Me than one who PREACHES TO DEVOTEES!” (18.69)

na ca tasmān manuṣyeṣu, kaścin me priya-kṛttamaḥ
bhavitā na ca me tasmād, anyaḥ priyataro bhuvi

Seventh Essence: GITA STUDY IS KRISHNA WORSHIP

Bhagavan Sri Krishna said, “I am firmly convinced that whoever studies this sacred dialogue of ours [Bhagavad-gita] worships Me through the sacrifice of knowledge.” (18.70)

adhyeṣyate ca ya imaṁ, dharmyaṁ saṁvādam āvayoḥ,
jñāna-yajñena tenāham, iṣṭaḥ syām iti me matiḥ

Eighth Essence: BENEFIT OF HEARING GITA

Bhagavan Sri Krishna said, “If a non-envious person just faithfully hears the Bhagavad-gita, he/she will become liberated and attain the higher auspicious planets. (18.71)

śraddhāvān anasūyaś ca, śṛṇuyād api yo naraḥ
so pi muktaḥ śubhāl lokān, prāpnuyāt puṇya-karmaṇām

Sri Gita Upanisad ki jai! Jaya Jaya Sri Radhe!

Mahanidhi Swami

Why do raganuga bhaktas especially worship Govardhana shilas?

Sri Krishna Dasa Kaviraja answers in Chaitanya-caritamrita (3.6.294-307):

“One day during His gambhira-lila in Jagannatha Puri, Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu lovingly gave Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswami the Govardhana Shila that He had been personally worshiping for three years. At that most auspicious time, Mahaprabhu said, ‘This Govardhana Shila is directly the transcendental form of Sri Krishna. You should attentively worship Sri Girirajaji with great eagerness.’ ”

prabhu hahe ei shila Krishnera vigraha
inhara seva kara tumi kariya agraha

Mahaprabhu continued, “Worship Sri Girirajaji with purity, then you will quickly attain the wealth of Krishna prema”.

ei shilara kara tumi sattvika pujana
acirat pabe tumi Krishna prema dhana

‘To worship Sri Girirajaji, you need a jug of water and tulasi manjaris. You should serve Sri Girirajaji with all purity and gopi bhava”. sattvika seva ei shuddha bhava kari[gopi-bhava is the purest bhava, shuddha bhava].

“With faith you should offer eight soft tulasi manjaris [four to each lotus foot].”

dui dike dui patra madhye komala manjari
ei mata ashta manjari dibe shraddha kari

“After receiving the Govardhana Shila, Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswami served Sri Girirajaji with great bliss, anande raghunatha seva karite lagila. Svarupa Damodara gave Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswami two cloths, a wooden platform and a water jug for Sri Girirajaji puja”.

“When Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswami worshiped Sri Girirajaji, he saw the shila as directly Vrajendranandana”, puja kale dekhe shila vrajendranandana.” [The carefree, funny, witty lover of the cowherd girls]. In other words, Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswami worshiped Sri Girirajaji in the raganuga mood of worship.

Sri Krishna Dasa Kaviraja continues, “Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswami submerged in Krishna prema whenever he remembered how Mahaprabhu had given him the Govardhana Shila with His own hand”.

prabhura sva hasta data Govardhana Shila
ei chinti raghunatha prema bhashi gela

“Great happiness would arise in his heart when Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswami simply offered water and tulasi to Sri Girirajaji [in the simple Vraja mood of gopi-bhava in raga marga.] Such joy does not arise even if one worships with all the 16 different articles of Thakuraji puja”. [as done in vaidhi-marga]

jala tulasira sevaya tanra yata sukhodaya
shodash opacara ujaya tata sukha naya

“One day Svarupa Damodara said, ‘O Dasa Goswamiji! Now start offering Sri Girirajaji a small amount of khaja [a rich and sweet, crunchy grain sweet] and sandesh [a mild milk sweet]. If you offer these with faith, they will taste just like nectar.’ ”

ashta khaja sandesha kara samarpana,
shraddha kari dile sei amritera sama

“Upon receiving the Govardhana Shila and the garland [mala] of small, shiny red and black dried seeds of the gunja shrub from Mahaprabhu, Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswami thought, ‘By giving me this Govardhana Shila, Mahaprabhu has awarded me a place near Govardhana Hill. And by giving me this gunja mala, Mahaprabhu has offered me the beautiful, sweet lotus feet of Srimati Radhika.’” [Bengali trans. Sri Advaita dasji]

shila diya gosani samarpila govaradhane
gunja mala diya dila RADHIKA CHARANE

Sri Radhika charanashraya ki jai! Sri Giriraja Maharaja ki jai ho! Sri Krishna Dasa Kaviraja ki jai! Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswami ki jai! Jaya Jaya Sri Radhe!