Chapter 2. Sri Sastra-vachanamrtam: The Nectar of Scriptural Word

श्रुतिस्मृत्यादिशास्त्रेषु प्रपत्तिर्यन्निरूप्यते ।
तदुक्तं द्वितीयाध्याये श्रीशास्त्रवचनामृते ॥१॥

śruti-smṛty-ādi-śāstreṣu prapattir yan nirūpyate
tad uktaṁ dvitīyādhyāye śrī-śāstra-vachanāmṛte [1]

This second chapter, ‘Sri Sastra-vachanamrtam’, ‘The Nectar of Scriptural Word’, describes surrender as corroborated in the revealed scriptures headed by the Vedas (sruti) and the religious codes (smrti).

प्रपत्तिः श्रुतौ —

यो ब्रह्माणं विदधातिपूर्व्वं यो ब्रह्मविद्यां तस्मै गाः पालयति स्म कृष्णः।
तं हि देवमात्मवृत्तिप्रकाशं मुमुक्षुर्वै शरणममुं व्रजेत् ॥२॥
तापन्यां (ब्र: सं, टीका)

prapattiḥ śrutau —

yo brahmāṇaṁ vidadhāti-pūrvaṁ yo brahma-vidyāṁ
tasmai gāḥ pālayati sma kṛṣṇaḥ
taṁ hi devam ātma-vṛtti-prakāśaṁ
mumukṣur vai śaraṇam amuṁ vrajet [2]

Surrender is firmly established by the Vedas —

In the beginning of creation, He who created the universal creator, Brahma, and then imparted to Brahma knowledge of Brahma, the Absolute — He is the selfsame Lord Krishna who tends the cows (or nourishes the Vedas [gah means both ‘cows’ and ‘Vedas’]). Those desirous of liberation should surrender unto that Lord, who reveals the innate function of the soul.

तादात्म्ययाथार्थ्यं स्मृतौ —

अहङ्कृतिर्मकारः स्यान्नकारस्तन्निषेधकः।
तस्मात्तु नमसा क्षेत्रिस्वातन्त्र्यं प्रतिषिध्यते ॥३॥
भगवत्परतन्त्रोऽसौ तदायत्तात्मजीवनः।
तस्मात्स्वसामर्थ्यविधिं त्यजेत्सर्व्वमशेषतः ॥४॥
पाद्म-उत्तरखण्ड

tādātmya-yāthārthyaṁ smṛtau —

ahaṅkṛtir ma-kāraḥ syān na-kāras tan niṣedhakaḥ
tasmāt tu namasā kṣetri-svātantryaṁ pratiṣidhyate [3] bhagavat-paratantro ’sau tad āyattātma-jīvanaḥ
tasmāt sva-sāmarthya-vidhiṁ tyajet sarvam aśeṣataḥ [4]

The cause of the tangible reality of surrender is expounded in the standard codes of religion (smrti) —

The syllable ma means ‘self-asserting ego’ (the misconception of considering oneself to be a ‘doer’), and the syllable na indicates its prevention. Thus, the act of offering obeisances (namah) nullifies the offerer’s independence. The soul is naturally subordinate to the Almighty, his intrinsic nature and innate function being servitude to the Supreme Lord. Therefore, all actions performed thinking, ‘I am the doer,’ should be utterly abandoned.

अहङ्कारादप्रपत्तिः —

अहङ्कारनिवृत्तानां केशवो नहि दूरगः।
अहङ्कारयुतानां हि मध्ये पर्व्वतराशयः॥५॥
ब्र: वै:

ahaṅkārād-aprapattiḥ —

ahaṅkāra-nivṛttānāṁ keśavo nahi dūragaḥ
ahaṅkāra-yutānāṁ hi madhye parvata-rāśayaḥ [5]

The only obstacle to surrender is self-asserting ego —

The Supreme Lord Kesava remains in the company of persons who are free from a mundane conception of life; but there appears to be a great mountain range between the self-asserting egotists and the Lord.

अद्वयज्ञानमनाश्रितानामेव जगद्दर्शनम् —

यावत्पृथक्त्वमिदमात्मन इन्द्रियार्थ
मायाबलं भगवतो जन ईश पश्येत्।
तावन्न संसृतिरसौ प्रतिसङ्क्रमेत
व्यर्थापि दुःखनिवहं वहती क्रियार्था ॥६॥
भा: ३/९/९

advaya-jñānam anāśritānām eva jagad-darśanam —

yāvat pṛthaktvam idam ātmana indriyārtha-
māyā-balaṁ bhagavato jana īśa paśyet
tāvan na saṁsṛtir asau pratisaṅkrameta
vyarthāpi duḥkha-nivahaṁ vahatī kriyārthā [6]

Persons who do not take shelter of the One without a second, the Supreme Lord, simply loiter in the world of birth and death —

O Lord, Soul of all souls, the conditioned soul sees this universe as separate from You, and thinks it is meant for his sense enjoyment. But this is only a creation of Your deluding potency (maya). As long as the living being clings to such an illusory separate interest, he does not give up the miserable world of action and reaction, birth and death, despite its utter meaninglessness.

तन्नित्यत्वंतदभावे आत्मनो वञ्चितत्वात् —

प्राप्यापि दुर्ल्लभतरं मानुष्यं विबुधेप्सितम् ।
यैराश्रितो न गोविन्दस्तैरात्मा वञ्चितश्चिरम् ॥७॥
ब्र: वै:

tan nityatvaṁ tad abhāve ātmano vañchitatvāt —

prāpyāpi durlabhataraṁ mānuṣyaṁ vibudhepsitam
yair āśrito na govindas tair ātmā vañchitaś chiram [7]

The unsurrendered soul is perpetually deceived; thus, the state of surrender is eternal —

A birth in the human species is so valuable that it is aspired for by the demigods. Those who, despite having taken such a birth, do not take shelter of the lotus feet of Govinda — they deceive themselves perpetually.

अप्रपन्नानां जीवनवैफल्याच्च —

अशीतिंश्चतुरश्चैव लक्षांस्तान्जीवजातिषु।
भ्राम्यद्भिः पुरुषैः प्राप्य मानुष्यं जन्मपर्य्ययात् ॥८॥
तदप्यफलतां यातं तेषामात्माभिमानिनाम्।
वराकानामनाश्रित्य गोविन्दचरणद्वयम् ॥९॥
ब्र: वै:

aprapannānāṁ jīvana-vaiphalyāch cha —

aśītiṁś chaturaś chaiva lakṣāṁs tān jīva-jātiṣu
bhrāmyadbhiḥ puruṣaiḥ prāpya mānuṣyaṁ janma-paryayāt [8]
tad apy aphalatāṁ yātaṁ teṣām ātmābhimāninām
varākānām anāśritya govinda-charaṇa-dvayam [9]

The utter futility of life without surrender —

After wandering throughout 8,400,000 species, the soul eventually takes a human birth. But that human birth is rendered worthless by those miserable fellows who are so proud of their bodies that they refuse to take shelter of the lotus feet of Lord Govinda.

सर्व्वाधमेष्वपि मुक्तिदातृत्वम् —

सर्व्वाचारविवर्ज्जिताः शठधियो व्रात्या जगद्वञ्चका
दम्भाहङ्कृतिपानपैशुनपराः पापान्त्यजा निष्ठुराः।
ये चान्ये धनदारपुत्रनिरताः सर्व्वाधमास्तेऽपि हि
श्रीगोविन्दपदारविन्दशरणा मुक्ता भवन्ति द्विज ॥१०॥
नारर्सिंह

sarvādhameṣv api mukti-dātṛtvam —

sarvāchāra-vivarjitāḥ śaṭha-dhiyo vrātyā jagad-vañchakā
dambhāhaṅkṛti-pāna-paiśuna-parāḥ pāpāntyajā niṣṭhurāḥ
ye chānye dhana-dāra-putra-niratāḥ sarvādhamās te ’pi hi
śrī-govinda-padāravinda-śaraṇā muktā bhavanti dvija [10]

Even the lowest of men are liberated by surrender —

O twice-born, persons who are devoid of all virtuous practises, who are outcaste, rogues, deceitful, audacious, egotistic, addicted to intoxicants, hotbeds of sin, malicious, cruel-natured, grossly infatuated with son, wife, wealth, and so on — even such extremely fallen persons are liberated by surrendering unto the lotus feet of Sri Govinda.

तन्निष्ठस्य नाधोगतिः —

परमार्थमशेषस्य जगतामादिकारणम् ।
शरण्यं शरणं यातो गोविन्दं नावसीदति ॥११॥
बृ: ना:

tan niṣṭhasya nādho-gatiḥ —

paramārtham aśeṣasya jagatām ādi kāraṇam
śaraṇyaṁ śaraṇaṁ yāto govindaṁ nāvasīdati [11]

A surrendered soul never falls down —

Sri Govinda is the origin of all the universes, the Supreme Truth, and the shelter of all. One who surrenders unto His lotus feet can never be cast asunder.

दुःखहरत्वं मनोहरत्वञ्च —

स्थितः प्रियहिते नित्यं य एव पुरुषर्षभः ।
राजंस्तव यदुश्रेष्ठो वैकुण्ठः पुरुषोत्तमः ॥१२॥
य एनं संश्रयन्तीह भक्त्या नारायणं हरिम् ।
ते तरन्तीह दुर्गाणि न मेऽत्रास्ति विचारणा ॥१३॥
महाभारत, शान्तिपर्व

duḥkha-haratvaṁ mano-haratvañ cha —

sthitaḥ priya-hite nityaṁ ya eva puruṣarṣabhaḥ
rājaṁs tava yadu-śreṣṭho vaikuṇṭhaḥ puruṣottamaḥ [12]
ya enaṁ saṁśrayantīha bhaktyā nārāyaṇaṁ harim
te tarantīha durgāṇi na me ’trāsti vichāraṇā [13]

Surrender unto the Supreme Lord Hari vanquishes misery and charms the heart with the Lord’s divine sweetness —

O King, what more can I say? The foremost of the Yadu dynasty, the unassailable great personality who is full of goodwill for you and always your dear friend — He is none other than the Supreme Lord Narayan, Sri Hari. Those who devotedly take full refuge in Him cross over this insurmountable ocean of material existence.

अभयामृतदातृत्वञ्च —

ये शङ्खचक्राब्जकरं हि शार्ङ्गिणं
खगेन्द्रकेतुं वरदं श्रियः पतिम् ।
समाश्रयन्ते भवभीतिनाशनं
तेशां भयं नास्ति विमुक्तिभाजाम् ॥१४॥
वामन

abhayāmṛta-dātṛtvañ cha —

ye śaṅkha-chakrābja-karaṁ hi śārṅgiṇaṁ
khagendra-ketuṁ varadaṁ śriyaḥ patim
samāśrayante bhava-bhīti-nāśanaṁ
teśāṁ bhayaṁ nāsti vimukti-bhājām [14]

Completely vanquishing all fear, surrender bestows the life of eternal nectar —

The Lord of the Goddess of fortune bears a conchshell, disc, lotus flower, and bow, He is the master of Garuda, He is the vanquisher of the fear of mundane existence, and He is the bestower of all benedictions. No trace of apprehension remains for those who take refuge in Him, since they qualify for positive immortality.

सर्व्वार्थसाधकत्वम् —

संसारेऽस्मिन्महाघोरे मोहनिद्रासमाकुले ।
ये हरिं शरणं यान्ति ते कृतार्था न संशयः ॥१५॥
बृ: ना:

sarvārtha-sādhakatvam —

saṁsāre ’smin mahā-ghore moha-nidrā-samākule
ye hariṁ śaraṇaṁ yānti te kṛtārthā na saṁśayaḥ [15]

A surrendered soul is successful in all endeavours —

In the dense darkness of this material world which is engulfed in ignorance and sleep, those who surrender unto the holy lotus feet of Lord Hari are successful in all their endeavours. Of this there is no doubt.

अजितेन्द्रियाणामपि शिवदत्वम् —

किं दुरापादनं तेषां पुंसामुद्दामचेतसाम् ।
यैराश्रितस्तीर्थपदश्चरणो व्यसनात्ययः ॥१६॥
भा: ३/२३/४२

ajitendriyāṇām api śiva-datvam —

kiṁ durāpādanaṁ teṣāṁ puṁsām uddāma-chetasām
yair āśritas tīrtha-padaś charaṇo vyasanātyayaḥ [16]

By surrender, even persons of uncontrolled senses attain all good fortune —

The lotus feet of Lord Hari vanquish material existence. By surrendering unto His lotus feet, nothing remains difficult to achieve, even for a person of agitated mind.

संसारक्लेशहारित्वम् —

शारीरा मानसा दिव्या वैयासे ये च मानुषाः ।
भौतिकाश्च कथं क्लेशा बाधेरन्हरिसंश्रयम् ॥१७॥
भा: ३/२२/३७

saṁsāra-kleśa-hāritvam —

śārīrā mānasā divyā vaiyāse ye cha mānuṣāḥ
bhautikāś cha kathaṁ kleśā bādheran hari-saṁśrayam [17]

All worldly suffering is vanquished for the surrendered soul —

O Vidura, how can a person who has taken shelter of the lotus feet of Sri Hari be stricken with bodily and mental tribulation arising from the elements, other persons, or unfavourable astrological circumstances?

शरणागतानामयत्नसिद्धमेव परं पदम् —

समाश्रिता ये पदपल्लवप्लवं
महत्पदं पुण्ययशो मुरारेः ।
भवाम्बुधिर्वत्सपदं परं पदं
पदं पदं यद्विपदां न तेषाम् ॥१८॥
भा: १०/१४/५८

śaraṇāgatānām ayatna-siddham eva paraṁ padam —

samāśritā ye pada-pallava-plavaṁ
mahat-padaṁ puṇya-yaśo murāreḥ
bhavāmbudhir vatsa-padaṁ paraṁ padaṁ
padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām [18]

The supreme abode of Lord Visnu is effortlessly attainable for the surrendered souls —

This ocean of material existence is as insignificant as the water in a cow’s hoofprint to those persons who have taken full refuge in the supreme shelter — the boat of the lotus feet of Lord Sri Krishna, whose glories are universally sung as purity’s own self. Their destination is the Lord’s supreme abode, never this mundane abode of calamities.

सर्व्वात्माश्रितानां विवर्त्तनिवृत्तिः —

येषां स एव भगवान्दययेदनन्तः
सर्व्वात्मनाश्रितपदो यदि निर्व्यलीकम् ।
ते दुस्तरामतितरन्ति च देवमायां
नैषां ममाहमिति धीः श्वशृगालभक्ष्ये ॥१९॥
भा: २/७/४२

sarvātmāśritānāṁ vivarta-nivṛttiḥ —

yeṣāṁ sa eva bhagavān dayayed anantaḥ
sarvātmanāśrita-pado yadi nirvyalīkam
te dustarām atitaranti cha deva-māyāṁ
naiṣāṁ mamāham iti dhīḥ śva-śṛgāla-bhakṣye [19]

The illusion of bodily identification and mundane possessiveness is dispelled for the souls surrendered to the Lord in all respects —

Due to their taking shelter of His lotus feet in all respects, those persons upon whom the infinite Supreme Lord bestows His unreserved grace surpass the insurmountable illusory energy of the Lord. He does not favour those who ascribe the conceptions of ‘I and mine’ to this material body, which is food for jackals and hounds.

तदुपेक्षितानां दुःखप्रतिकारः क्षणिक एव —

बालस्य नेह शरणं पितरौ नृसिंह
नार्त्तस्य चागदमुदन्वति मज्जतो नौः ।
तप्तस्य तत्प्रतिविधिर्य इहाञ्जसेष्टस्
तावद्विभो तनुभृतां त्वदुपेक्षितानाम् ॥२०॥
भा: ७/९/१९

tad upekṣitānāṁ duḥkha-pratikāraḥ kṣaṇika eva —

bālasya neha śaraṇaṁ pitarau nṛsiṁha
nārtasya chāgadam udanvati majjato nauḥ
taptasya tat-pratividhir ya ihāñjaseṣṭas
tāvad vibho tanu-bhṛtāṁ tvad-upekṣitānām [20]

For persons devoid of a relationship with the Supreme Lord Hari, prevention of suffering cannot but be transitory —

O Nrsimha, O almighty Lord, precautions and remedies are only short-lived when attempted by the suffering embodied souls who are not favoured by You. Parents are not the guardians of their child, medicine is not the cure for the diseased, and a boat is not the saviour of a man drowning in the ocean.

अनाश्रितानामसदवग्रहादेव विविधार्त्तिः —

तावद्भयं द्रविणदेहसुहृन्निमित्तं
शोकः स्पृहा परिभवो विपुलश्च लोभः ।
तावन्ममेत्यसदवग्रह आर्त्तिमूलं
यावन्न तेऽङ्घ्रिमभयं प्रवृणीत लोकः ॥२१॥
भा: ३/९/६

anāśritānām asad avagrahād eva vividhārtiḥ —

tāvad bhayaṁ draviṇa-deha-suhṛn-nimittaṁ
śokaḥ spṛhā paribhavo vipulaś cha lobhaḥ
tāvan mamety asad-avagraha ārti-mūlaṁ
yāvan na te ’ṅghrim abhayaṁ pravṛṇīta lokaḥ [21]

The various tribulations of the unsurrendered souls are simply due to their obsession with the unreal —

O Lord, as long as the people of the world do not take the safe and sound shelter of Your lotus feet, they remain full of anxiety about their wealth, their bodies, and their friends; overwhelmed with lamentation, hankering, obsession, and intense greed, they cannot obtain relief from the suffering which is deeply rooted in their imaginary conceptions of ‘I and mine’.

परिपूर्णकामो हरिरेवाश्रयणीयोऽन्यद्धेयम् —

अविस्मितं तं परिपूर्णकामं स्वेनैव लाभेन समं प्रशान्तम् ।
विनोपसर्पत्यपरं हि बालिशः श्वलाङ्गुलेनातितितर्त्ति सिन्धुम् ॥२२॥
भा: ६/९/२२

paripūrṇa-kāmo harir evāśrayaṇīyo ’nyaddheyam —

avismitaṁ taṁ paripūrṇa-kāmaṁ
svenaiva lābhena samaṁ praśāntam
vinopasarpaty aparaṁ hi bāliśaḥ
śva-lāṅgulenātititarti sindhum [22]

One should take refuge in the fully self-satisfied Supreme Lord Hari; the shelter of ‘other gods’ yields a lamentably inferior result —

Lord Krishna is perfectly replete in everything desirable, fully self-sufficient, poised, and tranquil. Nothing can be astonishing for Him. Only a fool disregards Him to take shelter in any demigod whose propitiation may be prescribed for the accomplishment of worldly benefits. Such a person may be compared to one who seizes a dog’s tail in order to cross the ocean.

हरेरेव सर्व्वोद्धारित्वम् —

किरातहूणान्ध्रपुलिन्दपुक्कश
आभीरशुह्मा यवनाः खशादयः ।
येऽन्ये च पापा यदुपाश्रयाश्रयाः
शुध्यन्ति तस्मै प्रभविष्णवे नमः ॥२३॥
भा: २/४/११८

harer eva sarvoddhāritvam —

kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pukkaśa-
ābhīra-śuhmā yavanāḥ khaśādayaḥ
ye ’nye cha pāpā yad-upāśrayāśrayāḥ
śudhyanti tasmai prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ [23]

Only Sri Hari is capable of delivering the living being in all circumstances —

Persons such as those belonging to the races known as Kirata, Huna, Andhra, Pulinda, Pukkasa, Abhira, Suhma (Kanka), Yavana, and Khasa — nay, persons of each and every sinful birth are perfectly purified without a doubt, by taking shelter of the devotees surrendered to Lord Visnu, the Almighty. I do offer my respectful obeisances unto Him.

हरिचरणाश्रिता एव सारग्राहिणोऽन्यथा कर्म्मयोगादिभिरात्मघातित्वम् —

अथात आनन्ददुघं पदाम्बुजं
हंसाः श्रयेरन्नरविन्दलोचन ।
सुखं नु विश्वेश्वर योगकर्म्मभिस्
तन्माययामी विहता न मानिनः ॥२४॥
भा: ११/२९/३

hari-charaṇāśritā eva sāra-grāhiṇo ’nyathā karma-yogādibhir ātma-ghātitvam —

athāta ānanda-dughaṁ padāmbujaṁ
haṁsāḥ śrayerann aravinda-lochana
sukhaṁ nu viśveśvara yoga-karmabhis
tan māyayāmī vihatā na māninaḥ [24]

Only surrendered souls can properly distinguish substance from form; those who disregard Lord Hari to seek happiness on the empirical paths based on yoga and karma are simply on a suicidal course —

O lotus-eyed one, the swans (topmost pure devotees, paramahamsas) take refuge in Your ecstasy-yielding lotus feet. O universal Lord, those who do not accept the joy of the shelter of Your lotus feet and pursue the paths of abstract liberation and mundane acquisition — such persons are devastated by Your deluding potency.

श्रीकृष्णचरणशरणागतेः परमसाध्यत्वम् —

न नाकपृष्ठं न च सार्व्वभौमं
न पारमेष्ठ्य न रसाधिपत्यम् ।
न योगसिद्धीरपुनर्भवं वा
वाञ्छन्ति यत्पादरजः प्रपन्नाः ॥२५॥
भा: १०/१६/३७

śrī-kṛṣṇa-charaṇa-śaraṇāgateḥ parama-sādhyatvam —

na nāka-pṛṣṭhaṁ na cha sārva-bhaumaṁ
na pārameṣṭhyaṁ na rasādhipatyam
na yoga-siddhīr apunar-bhavaṁ vā
vāñchhanti yat pāda-rajaḥ prapannāḥ [25]

Full refuge in the lotus feet of Sri Krishna is the supreme objective —

Those souls who have taken refuge in the dust of Your lotus feet have no desire to attain heaven, universal dominion, the post of Lord Brahma, sovereignty over the earth, yogic perfections, or liberation.

हरिप्रपन्नानामन्यनिस्तारसामर्थ्यमात्मारामाणामपि हरिपदप्रपत्तिश्च —

यत्पादसंश्रयाः सूत मुनयः प्रशमायनाः ।
सद्यः पुनन्त्युपस्पृष्टाः स्वर्धुन्यापोऽनुसेवया ॥२६॥
भा: १/१/१५

hari-prapannānām anya-nistāra-sāmarthyam-ātmārāmāṇām api hari-pada-prapattiś cha —

yat pāda-saṁśrayāḥ sūta munayaḥ praśamāyanāḥ
sadyaḥ punanty upaspṛṣṭāḥ svardhuny-āpo ’nusevayā [26]

Souls surrendered unto the lotus feet of the Lord Hari are competent to deliver others, and the fully self-satisfied souls also surrender to the Lord’s lotus feet —

The slightest association with the supremely tranquil sages who have surrendered unto the lotus feet of the Lord purifies the people of the world; but the River Ganga purifies only those who bathe in it.

श्रीकृष्णैकशरणा नैव विधिकिङ्कराः —

देवर्षिभूताप्तनृणां पितॄणां
न किङ्करो नायमृणी च राजन् ।
सर्व्वात्मना यः शरणं शरण्यं
गतो मुकुन्दं परिहृत्य कर्त्तम् ॥२७॥
भा: ११/५/४१

śrī-kṛṣṇaika-śaraṇā naiva vidhi-kiṅkarāḥ —

devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṝṇāṁ
na kiṅkaro nāyam ṛṇī cha rājan
sarvātmanā yaḥ śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyaṁ
gato mukundaṁ parihṛtya kartam [27]

Those souls who have exclusively surrendered unto Krishna are not subservient to scriptural injunctions and prohibitions —

O King, one who abandons all worldly obligations and wholeheartedly surrenders unto Mukunda, the exclusive shelter of all beings in every respect — such a person is no longer indebted to the demigods, sages, other life-forms, friends and relatives, mankind, and ancestors.

तदनुगृहीता वेदधर्म्मातीता एव —

यदा यस्यानुगृह्णाति भगवानात्मभावितः ।
स जहाति मतिं लोके वेदे च परिनिष्ठिताम् ॥२८॥
भा: ४/२९/४५

tad anugṛhītā veda-dharmātītā eva —

yadā yasyānugṛhṇāti bhagavān ātma-bhāvitaḥ
sa jahāti matiṁ loke vede cha pariniṣṭhitām [28]

The recipients of the Lord’s mercy are transcendental to Vedic religiosity —

Because of the intense love of His surrendered soul, the Supreme Lord bestows His grace upon that devotee by ushering divine inspiration into his heart. Such a devotee then abandons the preoccupation with adhering to worldly obligations and Vedic religiosity.

श्रीकृष्णस्वरूपमेव परमाश्रयपदम् —

दशमे दशमं लक्ष्यमाश्रिताश्रयविग्रहम् ।
श्रीकृष्णाख्यं परं धाम जगद्धाम नमामि तत् ॥२९॥
भावार्थदीपिका, भा: १०/१/१

śrī-kṛṣṇa-svarūpam eva paramāśraya-padam —

daśame daśamaṁ lakṣyam āśritāśraya-vigraham
śrī-kṛṣṇākhyaṁ paraṁ dhāma jagad-dhāma namāmi tat [29]

As the epitome of divine ecstasy (rasa), the Supreme Lord’s original form — Krishna — is the highest refuge —

In the tenth canto of Srimad Bhagavatam, Sri Krishna has been distinguished as the embodiment of shelter for the surrendered souls. I bow down unto that supreme refuge of the universe, who is known as ‘Krishna’.

श्रीमन्महाप्रभोः पदाश्रयमाहात्म्यम् —

ध्येयं सदा परिभवघ्नमभीष्टदोहं
तीर्थास्पदं शिवविरिञ्चिनुतं शरण्यम् ।
भृत्यार्त्तिहं प्रणतपाल भवाब्धिपोतं
वन्दे महापुरुष ते चरणारविन्दम् ॥३०॥
भा: ११/५/३३

śrīman-mahāprabhoḥ padāśraya-māhātmyam —

dhyeyaṁ sadā paribhava-ghnam abhīṣṭa-dohaṁ
tīrthāspadaṁ śiva-viriñchi-nutaṁ śaraṇyam
bhṛtyārti-haṁ praṇata-pāla-bhavābdhi-potaṁ
vande mahā-puruṣa te charaṇāravindam [30]

The matchless, unsurpassable gift of surrender unto the lotus feet of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the golden Avatar who enacts His Pastimes as a great devotee —

O guardian of the surrendered, O great personality (the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, who enacts His divine Pastimes as a pure devotee [mahabhagavat]), You alone are the reality to be constantly meditated upon by the pure souls. You are the destroyer of the soul’s illusion, You are the divine wish-fulfilling tree, the refuge of all devotees. Worshippable by Siva and Virinchi (Sadasiva in the form of Sri Advaita Acharya, and Brahma in the form of Haridas Thakur), You are the shelter of all and everything, and You are the dispeller of Your devotee’s suffering which originates in offences to the Holy Name (Namaparadh). You are the only boat for crossing the ocean of this material world of suffering. I do worship Your holy lotus feet.

श्रीचैतन्यचरणशरणे चिदेकरसविलासलाभः —

संसारसिन्धुतरणे हृदयं यदि स्यात्
सङ्कीर्त्तनामृतरसे रमते मनश्चेत् ।
प्रेमाम्बुधौ विहरणे यदि चित्तवृत्तिश्
चैतन्यचन्द्रचरणे शरणं प्रयातु ॥३१॥
चैतन्यचन्द्रामृत ८/९३

śrī-chaitanya-charaṇa-śaraṇe chid-eka-rasa-vilāsa-lābhaḥ —

saṁsāra-sindhu-taraṇe hṛdayaṁ yadi syāt
saṅkīrtanāmṛta-rase ramate manaś chet
premāmbudhau viharaṇe yadi chitta-vṛttiś
chaitanya-chandra-charaṇe śaraṇaṁ prayātu [31]

The souls surrendered unto the lotus feet of Sri Chaitanyadev bathe in the ocean of divine love —

If you have a desire to cross the ocean of material existence, an aspiration to taste the ecstasy of the nectarean congregational chanting of the Holy Names (sankirtan), and a longing to sport in the ocean of divine love — then please surrender unto the lotus feet of Sri Chaitanyachandra.

षड्विधा शरणागतिः —

आनुकूल्यस्य सङ्कल्पः प्रातिकूल्यविवर्ज्जनम् ।
रक्षिष्यतीति विश्वासो गोप्तृत्वे वरणं तथा ।
आत्मनिक्षेपकार्पण्ये षड्विधा शरणागतिः ॥३२॥
वैष्णवतन्त्र

ṣaḍ-vidhā-śaraṇāgatiḥ —

ānukūlyasya-saṅkalpaḥ prātikūlya-vivarjanam
rakṣiṣyatīti viśvāso goptṛtve varaṇaṁ tathā
ātma-nikṣepa-kārpaṇye ṣaḍ-vidhā śaraṇāgatiḥ [32]

Six divisions of surrender —

Acceptance of the favourable, rejection of the unfavourable, the faith that ‘He will surely protect me’, embracing the Lord’s guardianship, complete dependence on Him, and the perception of one’s utter helplessness without Him — these six are the essential limbs of exclusive surrender to the Lord (saranagati).

सा च कायमनोवाक्यैः साध्या —

तवास्मीति वदन्वाचा तथैव मनसा विदन् ।
तत्स्थानमाश्रितस्तन्वा मोदते शरणागतः ॥३३॥
वैष्णवतन्त्र

sā cha kāya-mano-vākyaiḥ sādhyā —

tavāsmīti vadan vāchā tathaiva manasā vidan
tat sthānam āśritas tanvā modate śaraṇāgataḥ [33]

Saranagati should be practised in thought, word, and deed —

By his power of speech, the surrendered soul declares, ‘I am Yours’; in his thoughts, he knows the same; and in person, he takes refuge in the Lord’s holy abode. In this way the surrendered soul passes his life, his heart filled with joy.

इति श्रीप्रपन्नजीवनामृते

श्रीशास्त्रवचनामृतं

नाम द्वितीयोऽध्यायः ।

iti śrī-prapanna-jīvanāmṛte

śrī-śāstra-vachanāmṛtaṁ

nāma dvitīyo ’dhyāyaḥ

thus ends the second chapter

The Nectar of Scriptural Word

in

Life-Nectar of the Surrendered Souls

Positive and Progressive Immortality