Śrī Sanatkumara-saṃhita | Verses 1-25

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Verse 1

ekadā yamunā-tīre samāsīnaṃ jagad-gurum
nāradaḥ praṇipatyāha deva-devaṃ sadāśivam

ekadā—one day; yamunā-tīre—on the Yamunā's shore; samāsīnam—sitting; jagad-gurum—the master of the universe; nāradaḥ—Nārada; praṇipatya—bowing down; āha—said; deva-devam—to the master of the demigods; sadāśivam—Lord Sadāśiva.

One day, bowing before Lord Sadāśiva, the master of both the demigods and the universe, who sat by the Yamunā's shore, Śrī Nārada said:

Verse 2

śrī-nārada uvāca deva-deva mahā-deva sarva-jña jagad-īśvara
bhagavad-dharma-tattva-jña kṛṣṇa-mantra-vidāṃ vara

śrī-nārada uvāca—Śrī Nārada said; deva-deva—O master of the demigods; mahā-deva—O great Lord; sarva-jña—O all-knowing one; jagad-īśvara—O master of the universe; bhagavad-dharma- tattva-jña—wise in the truth of understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead; kṛṣṇa-mantra—of the mantras of Lord Kṛṣṇa; vidām—of they who know; vara—O best.

Śrī Nārada said: O master of the demigods, O great Lord, O all-knowing one, O master of the universe, O sage wise in the science of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, O best of them who know the mantras glorifying Lord Kṛṣṇa, .

Verse 3

kṛṣṇa-mantrā mayā labdhā saras-toye pituḥ pare
te sarve sādhitā yatnān mantra-rājādyo mayā

kṛṣṇa-mantrāḥ— Kṛṣṇa-mantras; mayā—by me; labdhā—obtained; saras-toye—by the water's edge; pituḥ—of the father; pare—others; te—they; sarve—all; sādhitāḥ—attained; yatnāt—by effort; mantra- rājādyaḥ—beginning with the king of mantras; mayā—by me.

. . . from my father I carefully learned the king of mantras and many other Kṛṣṇa-mantras as we sat by the water.

Verse 4

bahu-varṣa-sahasreṣu śāka-mūla-phalāśinā
śuṣka-parṇāmbu-vāyv-ādi- bhoginā ca nirāśinā

bahu-varṣa-sahasreṣu—in many thousands of years; śāka—vegetables; mūla—roots; phala—fruits; aśinā—eating; śuṣka—dry; parṇa—leaves; ambu—water; vāyu—air; ādi—beginning with; bhoginā—eating; ca—and; nirāśinā—not eating.

At first I ate only wild vegetables, roots, and fruits, then I ate only dry leaves, then I only drank water, then I only breathed air, and finally I neither ate, drank, nor breathed.

Verse 5

strīṇāṃ sandarśanālāpa- varjinā bhūmi-śāyinā
kāmādi-sad-guṇān jitvā bahyendriyān niyamya ca

strīṇām—of women; sandarśana—seeing; ālāpa—and talking; varjinā—without; bhūmi-śāyinā—resting on the ground; kāma—lust; ādi——beginning with; ṣaḍ—six; guṇān—qualities; jitvā—defeating; bahyendriyān—external senses; niyamya—controlling; ca—and.

I neither saw nor spoke to women. I slept on the ground. I conquered the six vices, beginning with lust, and I controlled the external senses.

Verse 6

ananya-manasā nityaṃ kṛṣṇa-dhyāna-pareṇa ca
tri-kāla-snāna-nirataḥ śaucācāra-parāyaṇaḥ

ananya—without anything else; manasā—with the mind; nityam—always; kṛṣṇa-dhyāna-pareṇa—devoted to meditating on Lord Kṛṣṇa; ca—and; tri-kāla—three times; snāna—bathing; nirataḥ—engaged; śaucācāra-parāyaṇaḥ—devoted to cleanliness.

Without thinking of anything else, I always meditated on Lord Kṛṣṇa. I bathed thrice daily. I was pure in all I did.

Verse 7

tri-kālam arcayed devaṃ saṅga-nyāsa-vidhānataḥ
nāmāni kīrtayaṃs tasya tat-kathā-śravaṇotsukaḥ

tri-kālam—three times; arcayet—one should worship; devam—the Lord; saṅga-nyāsa-vidhānataḥ—with nyasas; nāmāni—names; kīrtayan—chanting; tasya—of Him; tat-kathā-śravaṇotsukaḥ—eager to hear about Him.

Performing nyāsas, one should worship the Lord thrice daily. One should chant the Lord's holy names and be eager to hear His glories.

Verse 8

tad-guṇān bhāvayan nityaṃ japan mantram ahar-niśam
mantrasyārthaṃ bhāvayaṃś ca premāśru-pulakāñcitaḥ

tad-guṇān—His qualities; bhāvayan—meditating; nityam—always; japan—chanting; mantram—mantra; ahar-niśam—day and night; mantrasya—of the mantra; artham—the meaning; bhāvayan—meditating; ca—and; prema—love; aśru—tears; pulakāñcitaḥ—hair erect.

Day and night one should meditate on the Lord's qualities and chant mantras glorifying Him. Thinking of the meaning of the Lord's mantras, one should shed tears of love. The hairs of one's body should stand erect in ecstasy.

Verse 9

evam-ādi-guṇir yukto bahu-varṣa-śataṃ tataḥ
saṃsādhya vaiṣṇavān mantrān nirvedaṃ gatavān aham

evam-ādi-guṇiḥ—with qualities like these; yuktaḥ—endowed; bahu-varṣa-śatam—for many hundreds of years; tataḥ—then; saṃsādhya—attained; vaiṣṇavān—of Lord Viṣṇu; mantrān—mantras; nirvedam—renunciation; gatavān—attained; aham—I.

Worshiping the Lord in this way for many hundreds of years, I learned many Viṣṇu-mantras. I gave up all attachment for the material world.

Verse 10

na puraścaraṇaiḥ kaścid vināṣṭādaśabhir manuḥ
kenāpi sādhitaḥ kvāpi mayā dṛṣṭo na bhū-tale

na—not; puraścaraṇaiḥ—with purascarana; kaścit—someone; vinā—without; aṣṭādaśabhiḥ—with 18 syllables; manuḥ—mantra; kenāpi—by someone; sādhitaḥ—attained; kvāpi—somewhere; mayā—by me; dṛṣṭaḥ—seen; na—not; bhū-tale—on the earth.

Someone somewhere may have attained the eighteen-syllable mantra without first performing purścaraṇa, but I have not seen that person anywhere in the world.

Verse 11

jīva-hīno yathā dehaḥ sarva-karmasu na kṣamaḥ
puraścaraṇa-hīno hi tathā mantra-prakīrtitaḥ

jīva—life; hīnaḥ—without; yathā—as; dehaḥ—a body; sarva- karmasu—in all activities; na—not; kṣamaḥ—able; puraścaraṇa—purascarana; hīnaḥ—without; hi—indeed; tathā—so; mantra- prakīrtitaḥ—chanting mantras.

As a lifeless body cannot act, so a person who has not performed puraścaraṇa cannot chant mantras.

Verse 12

vinā nyāsāṃ tathā mantro japtaḥ kalpa-śatair api
na bhavet phaladaḥ pūrvaṃ ity uktaṃ me svayambhuvā

vinā—without; nyāsām—nyasa; tathā—so; mantraḥ—mantra; japtaḥ—chanted; kalpa—kalpas; śataiḥ—hundreds; api—even; na—not; bhavet—may be; phaladaḥ—giving results; pūrvam—before; iti—thus; uktam—said; me—of me; svayambhuvā—by Brahmā.

Lord Brahmā told me that a mantra chanted for hundreds of kalpas will not bring the proper result if not performed with the proper nyāsas.

Verse 13

kalau kila bhaviṣyanti narāḥ pāpa-parāyaṇāḥ
sv-alpāyuṣā ca manda-bhāgyā manda-prajñāḥ ku-medhasaḥ

kalau—in Kali-yugae; kila—indeed; bhaviṣyanti—will be; narāḥ—people; pāpa-parāyaṇāḥ—sinners; sv- alpāyuṣā—with short lives; ca—and; manda-bhāgyā—unfortunate; manda-prajñāḥ—unintelligent; ku-medhasaḥ—fools;.

In Kali-yuga the people will be sinful, short-lived, unfortunate, slow, and unintelligent.

Verse 14

sva-dharma-rahitā nityaṃ hari-bhakti-vivarjitāḥ
aśuddha-hṛdayāḥ kṣudrāḥ kāmādi-vaśa-vartinaḥ

sva-dharma-rahitā—without following their own duties; nityam—always; hari-bhakti-vivarjitāḥ—without devotion to Lord Hari; aśuddha-hṛdayāḥ—with impure hearts; kṣudrāḥ—foolish; kāmādi-vaśa-vartinaḥ—controlled by lust and other vices.

The people will not follow the duties of varṇāśrama. They will have no devotion for Lord Hari. Their hearts will be dirty. They will be foolish. They will be slaves to lust and a host of vices.

Verse 15

putra-dāra-rata nityaṃ hari-bhakti-vivarjitāḥ
īdṛśāś ca kathaṃ sādhyāḥ kṛṣṇa-mantrāḥ su-durlabhāḥ

putra-dāra-ratā—devoted to wife and children; nityam—always; hari-bhakti-vivarjitāḥ—without devotion to Lord Hari; īdṛśāḥ—like this; ca—and; katham—how; sādhyāḥ—attainable; kṛṣṇa-mantrāḥ—Kṛṣṇa-mantras; su-durlabhāḥ—very difficult to attain.

They will care only for their wives and children. They will not care to serve Lord Hari. How can people like this attain Kṛṣṇa-mantras, which are so difficult to attain?

Verse 16

na caiṣāṃ ca harau bhaktiḥ śravaṇādyā bhaviṣyati
kāmādy-ākula-cintānāṃ putra-dāra-ratātmanām

na—not; ca—and; eṣām—of them; ca—and; harau—for Lord hari; bhaktiḥ—devotion; śravaṇādyā—beginning with hearing; bhaviṣyati—will be; kāmādi—beginning with lust; ākula- cintānām—filled with anxieties; putra-dāra-ratātmanām—devoted to wives and children.

They will not be interested in devotion to Lord Hari, which begins with hearing about His glories. They will be overcome by lust and a host of vices. They will care only for their wives and children.

Verse 17

yac cāpi bhagavan-nāma su-labhaṃ syāt kalau yuge
na pūrṇa-phala-daṃ tac ca tasminn evāparādhinām

yat—what; ca—and; api—also; bhagavan-nāma—the holy name of the Lord; su-labham—easy to attain; syāt—may be; kalau yuge—in Kali-yuga; na—not; pūrṇa—full; phala—result; dam—giving; tat—that; ca—and; tasminn—in that; eva—indeed; aparādhinām—of offenders.

In the Kali-yuga the Lord's holy name is easy to attain. Still, the full result of the holy name does not come to them who commit offenses.

Verse 18

aparādha-sahasrāṇi kṛtvā kṛṣṇe nirantaram
nāmāśrayās taranty eva tāni sarvāṇi mānavāḥ

aparādha-sahasrāṇithousands of offenses; kṛtvā—performing; kṛṣṇe—to Lord Kṛṣṇa; nirantaram—again and again; nāmāśrayāḥ—taking shelter of the holy name; taranti—cross; eva—indeed; tāni—them; sarvāṇi—all; mānavāḥ—people.

They who commit thousands of offenses to Lord Kṛṣṇa, but nevertheless take shelter of the Lord's holy name, cross beyond all those offenses.

Verse 19

nāmni kṛtvāparādhāṃs tu yāsyanti narakaṃ dhruvam
itthaṃ su-duṣkarā bhaktiḥ sukarāpi janārdane

nāmni—to the holy name; kṛtvā—performing; aparādhān—offenses; tu—indeed; yāsyanti—go; narakam—top hel; dhruvam—indeed; ittham—thus; su-duṣkarā—difficult to perform; bhaktiḥ—devotion; sukarā—easy to perform; api—even; janārdane—to Lord Kṛṣṇa.

They who commit offenses to the holy name go to hell. It is with the holy name's help that devotion to Lord Hari, which is otherwise so difficult to attain, is attained very easily.

Verse 20

na ca bhaktiṃ vinā kiñcid upāyaṃ vidyate param
yenaivānutiṣṭhenāśu gamiṣyanti hareḥ padaṃ

na—not; ca—and; bhaktim—devotion; vinā—without; ki 24cit—something; upāyam—method; vidyate—is; param—thenm; yena—by which; eva—indeed; anutiṣṭhena—following; aśu—quickly; gamiṣyanti—will go; hareḥ—of Lord Hari; padam—to the abode.

No path but devotional service will quickly bring one to the transcendental abode of Lord Hari.

Verse 21

dravya-deśātmanāṃ nityaṃ aśuddhatvāt kalau yuge
na karma-phala-daṃ kiñcid ity āhuś ca manīṣiṇaḥ

dravya—things; deśa—place; ātmanām—self; nityam—a;ways; aśuddhatvāt—because of impurity; kalau yuge—in Kali-yuga; na—not; karma-phala-dam—giving the results of activities; ki 24cit—something; iti—thus; āhuḥ—said; ca—and; manīṣiṇaḥ—the wise.

Because in Kali-yuga objects, places, and people are all impure, one cannot easily attain the results of performing pious deeds. That is what the wise have said.

Verse 22

jñānaṃ ca duṣkaraṃ puṃsāṃ kali-kāle viśeṣataḥ
bahu-janma-śatair kasyacij jāyate kvacit

jñānam—knowledge; ca—and; duṣkaram—difficult to attain; puṃsām—for people; kali-kāle—in the Kali-yuga; viśeṣataḥ—specifically; bahu-janma-śataiḥ—with many hundreds of births; kasyacit—of someone; jāyate—is manifested; kvacit—somewhere.

In the Kali-yuga transcendental knowledge is especially difficult to attain. After many hundreds of births, someone somewhere will attain it.

Verse 23

na ca tābhyām api jñāna- karmābhyāṃ prāpyate hariḥ
tasmād etad dvayaṃ vyarthaṃ syād ity evaṃ mataṃ mama

na—not; ca—and; tābhyām—by them; api—also; j 24āna—knwoledge; karmābhyām—and pious deeds; prāpyate—is attained; hariḥ—Lord Hari; tasmāt—from that; etat—this; dvayam—both; vyartham—useless; syāt—is; iti—thus; evam—thus; matam—the opinion; mama—of me.

One cannot attain Lord Hari by the cultivation of knowledge (jñāna) or the performance of pious deeds (karma). These two are useless. That is my opinion.

Verse 24

na jñānena karmaṇā vā vairāgyena tapasyayā
śreyobhir itaraiś cāpi dānādyair labhyate hariḥ

na—not; jñānena—by knowledge; karmaṇā—by pious deeds; vā—or; vairāgyena—by renunciation; tapasyayā—by austerities; śreyobhiḥ—by the best; itaraiḥ—by others; ca—also; api—and; dānādyaiḥ—beginning weith charity; labhyate—is attained; hariḥ—Lord Hari.

One cannot attain Lord Hari by knowledge, pious deeds, renunciation, austerities, charity, or other auspicious activities.

Verse 25

labhyate kevalaṃ bhaktyā sā cāpi durlabhā kalau
itthaṃ cintā-kulād eva tvām ahaṃ śaraṇaṃ gataḥ

labhyate—is attained; kevalam—only; bhaktyā—by devotional service; sā—that; ca—and; api—also; durlabhā—rare; kalau—in Kali- yuga; ittham—thus; cintā-kulāt—because of many anxieities; eva—indeed; tvām—of you; aham—I; śaraṇam—shelter; gataḥ—attained.

Lord Hari is attained only by devotional service, service that in Kali-yuga is rare and difficult to attain. That is why I, pushed by a host of worries, now take shelter of you.