Chapter 8. Karpanyam: Surrender in Humility

भगवन्रक्ष रक्षैवमार्त्तभावेन सर्व्वतः।
असमोर्द्ध्वदयासिन्धोर्हरेः कारुण्यवैभवम् ॥१॥
स्मरतांश्च विशेषेण निजातिशोच्यनीचताम्।
भक्तानामार्त्तिभावस्तु कार्पण्यं कथ्यते बुधैः ॥२॥

bhagavan rakṣa rakṣaivam ārta-bhāvena sarvataḥ
asamordhva-dayā-sindhor hareḥ kāruṇya-vaibhavam [1]

smaratāṁś cha viśeṣeṇa nijāti-śochya-nīchatām
bhaktānām ārti-bhāvas tu kārpaṇyaṁ kathyate budhaiḥ [2]

‘O Lord, please protect me, protect me …’

Such an internal sense of heartbreak in the devotees, which causes their remembrance in love, in all circumstances, of the extension of grace from the unequalled and unexcelled ocean of compassion, Sri Hari, and which characteristically causes them to ever remember their feeling of most lamentable destitution, is known by the learned as karpanyam — surrender in humility.

श्रीकृष्णनामस्वरूपस्य परमपावनत्वं जीवस्य दुर्द्दैवञ्च —

नाम्नामकारि बहुधा निजसर्व्वशक्तिस्
तत्रार्पिता नियमितः स्मरणे न कालः।
एतादृशी तव कृपा भगवन्ममापि
दुर्द्दैवमीदृशमिहाजनि नानुरागः ॥३॥
श्रीश्रीभगवतश्चैतन्यचन्द्रस्य

śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāma-svarūpasya parama-pāvanatvaṁ jīvasya durdaivañ cha —

nāmnām-akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktis
tatrārpitā niyamitaḥ smaraṇe na kālaḥ
etādṛṣī tava kṛpā bhagavan mamāpi
durdaivam īdṛśam ihājani nānurāgaḥ [3]

The Holy Name of the Lord is the supreme purifier, yet the soul’s misfortune is to deny it —

O Lord, Your Holy Name alone bestows all the good fortune of the soul, and this is why You have revealed Your many different Names such as ‘Krishna’ and ‘Govinda’. You have offered all Your transcendental potency in Your Holy Name, without initiating any (scriptural or philosophical) hard and fast rules and regulations, concerning time, place, or circumstance, to be observed in chanting it. Dear Lord, in this way You have given Your mercy to the living entity by making Your Name so easily available, and yet, my misfortune in the form of offence (Namaparadh) does not allow love for that merciful Name to be born within my heart.

 — the Supreme Lord Sri Chaitanyachandra

उद्बुद्धस्वरूपे स्वभावकार्पण्यम् —

परमकारुणिको न भवत्परः
परमशोच्यतमो न च मत्परः।
इति विचिन्त्य हरे मयि पामरे
यदुचितं यदुनाथ तदाचर ॥४॥
कस्यचित्

udbuddha-svarūpe svabhāva-kārpaṇyam —

parama-kāruṇiko na bhavat-paraḥ
parama-śochyatamo na cha mat-paraḥ
iti vichintya hare mayi pāmare
yad uchitaṁ yadunātha tadāchara [4]

Humility is the natural symptom of the soul in his awakened state —

O Lord Hari, You are the supreme merciful, second to none, and my condition of life is the most lamentable, second to none. O Lord of the Yadu dynasty, considering this, dispense whatever You deem fit for this sinful wretch.

 — votary

मायावशजीवस्य मायाधीशकृपैकगतित्वम् —

नैतन्मनस्तव कथासु विकुण्ठनाथ
सम्प्रीयते दुरितदुष्टमसाधु तीव्रम्।
कामातुरं हर्षशोकभयैषणार्त्तं
तस्मिन्कथं तव गतिं विमृशामि दीनः ॥५॥
श्रीप्रह्लादस्य

māyā-vaśa-jīvasya māyādhīśa-kṛpaika-gatitvam —

naitan manas tava kathāsu vikuṇṭha-nātha
samprīyate durita-duṣṭam asādhu tīvram
kāmāturaṁ harṣa-śoka-bhayaiṣaṇārtaṁ
tasmin kathaṁ tava gatiṁ vimṛśāmi dīnaḥ [5]

The only hope for the soul enslaved by maya is the mercy of the Master of maya —

 — Sri Prahlad

দুরিত-দূষিত-মন অসাধু মানস ।
কাম-হর্ষ-শোক-ভয-এষণার বশ ॥

তব কথারতি কিসে হইবে আমার ।
কিসে কৃষ্ণ তব লীলা করিব বিচার ॥
(শ্রীল ভক্তিসিদ্ধান্ত সরস্বতী ঠাকুর)

durita-dūṣita-mana asādhu mānasa
kāma-harṣa-śoka-bhaya-eṣaṇāra vaśa

tava kathā-rati kise haibe āmāra
kise kṛṣṇa tava līlā kariba vichāra

Sinful, wicked mind — full of evil thought:
lusting, laughing, crying, fearing — in worldly search is caught.
O Krishna, how will I develop attachment to talks of You?
How will I e’er comprehend Your Pastimes ever-new?

कृष्णोन्मुखचित्ते बद्धभावस्य दुर्व्विलासपरिचयः  —

जिह्वैकतोऽच्युत विकर्षति मावितृप्ता
शिश्नोऽन्यतस्त्वगुदरं श्रवणं कुतश्चित्।
घ्राणोऽन्यतश्चपलदृक्क्व च कर्म्मशक्तिर्
बह्व्यः सपत्न्य इव गेहपतिं लुनन्ति ॥६॥
श्रीप्रह्लादस्य

kṛṣṇonmukha-chitte baddha-bhāvasya durvilāsa-parichayaḥ —

jihvaikato ’chyuta vikarṣati māvitṛptā
śiśno ’nyatas tvag-udaraṁ śravaṇaṁ kutaśchit
ghrāṇo ’nyataś chapala-dṛk kva cha karma-śaktir
bahvyaḥ sapatnya iva geha-patiṁ lunanti [6]

A game of misfortune: an adverse mentality in the heart aspiring to serve Krishna  —

 — Sri Prahlad

জিহ্বা টানে রস প্রতি উপস্থ কদর্থে ।
উদর ভোজনে টানে বিষম অনর্থে ॥

চর্ম্ম টানে শয্যাদিতে, শ্রবণ কথায় ।
ঘ্রাণ টানে সুরভিতে, চক্ষু দৃশ্যে যায ॥

কর্ম্মেন্দ্রিয় কর্ম্মে টানে, বহুপত্নী যথা ।
গৃহপতি আকর্ষয় মোর মন তথা ॥

এমত অবস্থা মোর শ্রীনন্দনন্দন ।
কিরূপে তোমার লীলা করিব স্মরণ ॥
(শ্রীল ভক্তিবিনোদ ঠাকুর)

jihvā ṭāne rasa prati upastha kadarthe
udara bhojane ṭāne viṣama anarthe

charma ṭāne śayyādite, śravaṇa kathāya
ghrāṇa ṭāne surabhite, chakṣu dṛśye yāya

karmendriya karme ṭāne, bahu-patnī yathā
gṛha-pati ākarṣaya mora mana tathā

e mata avasthā mora śrī-nanda-nandana
ki rūpe tomāra līlā kariba smaraṇa

Dragged by tongue towards a taste, by genital to perversion;
needlessly the belly craves lavish food consumption.

The skin demands luxurious comforts, the ear demands sweet talks;
the nose demands sweet fragrance, as the eye for scenery looks.

Like a man with many wives, splayed by their demands —
thus the mind is dragged by the senses’ commands.

O dear son of Nanda, this is my situation;
how will Your sweet Pastimes be my heart’s contemplation?

पुरुषोत्तमसेवाप्रार्थिनो भक्तस्य निजलज्जाकरायोग्यतानिवेदनम  —

मत्तुल्यो नास्ति पापात्मा नापराधी च कश्चन।
परिहारेऽपि लज्जा मे किं ब्रुबे पुरुषोत्तम॥७॥
कस्यचित्

puruṣottama-sevā-prārthino bhaktasya nija-lajjākarāyogyatā-nivedanam —

mat-tulyo nāsti pāpātmā nāparādhī cha kaśchana
parihāre ’pi lajjā me kiṁ bruve puruṣottama [7]

The regretful submission of incompetence by the devotee who aspires for the service of the Supreme Person —

There is no parallel to my sinful, criminal life. Everything that can be conceived of as bad is found in me. O Supreme Lord, I am even ashamed to come before You to petition, «Please forgive my offences.» What more can I say than this?

 — votary

मङ्गलमयभगवन्नामाभासे पापिनामात्मधिक्कारः —

क्व चाहं कितवः पापो ब्रह्मघ्नो निरपत्रपः।
क्व च नारायणेत्येतद्भगवन्नाम मङ्गलम् ॥८॥
अजामिलस्य

maṅgalamaya-bhagavan-nāmābhāse pāpinām ātma-dhikkāraḥ —

kva chāhaṁ kitavaḥ pāpo brahma-ghno nirapatrapaḥ
kva cha nārāyaṇety etad bhagavan-nāma maṅgalam [8]

The sinful revile themselves when they are exposed to a mere facsimile of the all-auspicious Holy Name of the Lord (Namabhas) —

Who am I? A cheater, a sinner, a defiler of my brahminical status, a shameless wretch. What is my position in comparison to this Holy Name of the Lord, ‘Narayan’, the embodiment of all auspiciousness?

 — Ajamil

श्रीभगवत्कृपोदये ब्रह्मबन्धूनां दारिद्र्यमपि न बाधकम् —

क्वाहं दरिद्रः पापीयान्क्व कृष्णः श्रीनिकेतनः।
ब्रह्मबन्धुरिति स्माहं बाहुभ्यां परिरम्भितः ॥९॥
श्रीसुदाम्नः

śrī-bhagavat-kṛpodaye brahma-bandhūnāṁ dāridryam api na bādhakam —

kvāhaṁ daridraḥ pāpīyān kva kṛṣṇaḥ śrī-niketanaḥ
brahma-bandhur iti smāhaṁ bāhubhyāṁ parirambhitaḥ [9]

The Lord’s mercy does not consider the disqualification of even a fallen brahman —

I am the most sinful and destitute, so who am I compared to Krishna, the shelter of the Goddess of fortune? He knew I was the unqualified son of a brahman, but nonetheless He embraced me. Indeed, this is most astonishing.

 — Sri Sudama

विधातुरपि हरिसम्बन्धिपश्वादिजन्मप्रार्थना —

तदस्तु मे नाथ स भूरिभागो
भवेऽत्र वान्यत्र तु वा तिरश्चाम्।
येनाहमेकोऽपि भवज्जनानां
भूत्वा निषेवे तव पादपल्लवम् ॥१०॥
श्रीब्रह्मणः

vidhātur api hari-sambandhi-paśvādi-janma-prārthanā —

tad astu me nātha sa bhūri-bhāgo
bhave ’tra vānyatra tu vā tiraśchām
yenāham eko ’pi bhavaj-janānāṁ
bhūtvā niṣeve tava pāda-pallavam [10]

 — Lord Brahma

Even the universal creator, Brahma, prays to be born as an animal or a bird, if that is conducive to the service of Lord Hari —

এই ব্রহ্ম জন্মেই বা অন্য কোন ভবে ।
পশুপক্ষী হয়ে জন্মি তোমার বিভবে ॥

এইমাত্র আশা তব ভক্তগণ-সঙ্গে ।
থাকি তব পদসেবা করি নানা রঙ্গে ॥
(শ্রীল ভক্তিবিনোদ ঠাকুর)

ei brahma janmei vā anya kona bhave
paśu-pakṣī haye janmi tomāra vibhave
ei mātra āśā tava bhakta-gaṇa-saṅge
thāki tava pada-sevā kari nānā raṅge

In this life as Lord Brahma, or in any other place
if I’m born as beast or bird, that will be Your grace:
my only aspiration is to be with Your servants
and in Your Pastimes serve Your feet, as one of Your attendants.

अनन्यशरणेषु मृगेष्वपि भगवत्कृपा —

किं चित्रमच्युत तवैतदशेषबन्धो
दासेष्वनन्यशरणेषु यदात्मसात्त्वम्।
योऽरोचयत्सह मृगैः स्वयमीश्वराणां
श्रीमत्किरीटतटपीडितपादपीठः ॥११॥
श्रीमदुद्धवस्य

ananya-śaraṇeṣu mṛgeṣv api bhagavat-kṛpā —

kiṁ chitram achyuta tavaitad aśeṣa-bandho
dāseṣv ananya-śaraṇeṣu yad ātma-sāttvam
yo ’rochayat saha mṛgaiḥ svayam īśvarāṇāṁ
śrīmat-kirīṭa-taṭa-pīḍita-pāda-pīṭhaḥ [11]

The Lord is merciful upon even the animals who have exclusively surrendered unto Him —

O Lord Krishna, friend of all, in Your form of Lord Rama, even when the tips of the magnificent crowns of the great gods headed by Lord Brahma were subjugated before Your lotus feet, You simply showed Your affection for the monkeys. Thus it is no wonder that You are seen to be subordinate to Your exclusive servitors such as Nanda Maharaj, the gopis, Bali, and others.

 — Sri Uddhava

भगवत्कृपोपलब्धमाहात्म्यस्य तत्कैङ्कर्य्यप्रार्थनाप्य औद्धत्यवदेव प्रतीयते —

धिगशुचिमविनीतं निर्द्दयं मामलज्जं
परमपुरुष योऽहं योगिवर्य्याग्रगण्यैः।
विधिशिवसनकाद्यैर्ध्यातुमत्यन्तदूरं
तव परिजनभावं कामये कामवृत्तः ॥१२॥
श्रीयामुनाचार्य्यस्य

bhagavat-kṛpopalabdha-māhātmyasya tat kaiṅkarya-prārthanāpy auddhatyavad eva pratīyate —

dhig aśuchim avinītaṁ nirdayaṁ mām alajjaṁ
parama-puruṣa yo ’haṁ yogi-varyāgragaṇyaiḥ
vidhi-śiva-sanakādyair dhyātum atyanta-dūraṁ
tava parijana-bhāvaṁ kāmaye kāma-vṛttah [12]

Even to pray for the Lord’s servitorship is felt as an impertinence, when the glory of the Lord is realised by His mercy —

Fie on me — an impure, impertinent, hard-hearted, and shameless fellow. O Supreme Personality, simply governed by my whims do I dare to aspire for Your servitorship, a position practically inconceivable to great, powerful personalities like Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, and the four Kumaras.

 — Sri Yamun Acharya

उपलब्धस्वदोषसहस्रस्यापि तच्चरणपरिचर्य्यालोभोऽप्यवार्य्यमाणः —

अमर्य्यादः क्षुद्रश्चलमतिरसूयाप्रसवभूः
कृतघ्नो दुर्म्मानी स्मरपरवशो वञ्चनपरः।
नृशंसः पापिष्ठः कथमहमितो दुःखजलधेर्
अपारादुत्तीर्णस्तव परिचरेयं चरणयोः ॥१३॥
श्रीयामुनाचार्य्यस्य

upalabdha-sva-doṣa-sahasrasyāpi tach charaṇa-paricharyā-lobho ’py avāryamāṇaḥ —

amaryādaḥ kṣudraś chalamatir asūyā-prasavabhūḥ
kṛtaghno durmānī smara-paravaśo vañchana-paraḥ
nṛśaṁsaḥ pāpiṣṭhaḥ katham aham ito duḥkha-jaladher
apārād uttīrṇas tava parichareyaṁ charaṇayoḥ [13]

Despite thousands of personal defects, a devotee can never check his desire for the Lord’s service —

Uncultured, mean, fickle-minded, envious, ungrateful, proud, subservient to lust, deceitful, hard-hearted, and sinful am I. O Lord, how will I ever be able to cross this insurmountable ocean of misery and attain to the service of Your lotus feet?

 — Sri Yamun Acharya

प्रपन्नस्य प्रपत्तिसामान्यकृपायामपि निजायोग्यताप्रतीतिः —

ननु प्रयत्नः सकृदेव नाथ
तवाहमस्मीति च याचमानः।
तवानुकम्प्यः स्मरतः प्रतिज्ञां
मदेकवर्ज्जं किमिदं व्रतन्ते ॥१४॥
श्रीयामुनाचार्य्यस्य

prapannasya prapatti-sāmānya-kṛpāyām api nijāyogyatā-pratītiḥ —

nanu prayatnaḥ sakṛd eva nātha
tavāham asmīti cha yāchamānaḥ
tavānukampyaḥ smarataḥ pratijñāṁ
mad-eka-varjaṁ kim idaṁ vratante [14]

Although the Lord is naturally gracious upon the surrendered soul, the surrendered soul considers himself unfit to receive that grace —

O Lord, one who keeps Your pledge in mind and wholly surrenders unto You, declaring, ‘I am Yours alone’, is a fit recipient for Your grace. Is it only I who am not included in Your promise?

 — Sri Yamun Acharya

सुस्पष्टदैन्येनात्मविज्ञप्तिः —

न निन्दितं कर्म्म तदस्ति लोके
सहस्रशो यन्न मया व्यधायि।
सोऽहं विपाकावसरे मुकुन्द
क्रन्दामि सम्प्रत्यगतिस्तवाग्रे ॥१५॥
श्रीयामुनाचार्य्यस्य

suspaṣṭa-dainyenātma-vijñaptiḥ —

na ninditaṁ karma tad asti loke
sahasraśo yan na mayā vyadhāyi
so ’haṁ vipākāvasare mukunda
krandāmi sampraty agatis tavāgre [15]

Heartfelt petition in stark humility —

O Mukunda, there is no offensive activity in this world that I have not performed thousands of times. Now, finally, I have no alternative but to simply weep before You.

 — Sri Yamun Acharya

असीमकृपस्य कृपायाः शेषसीमान्तर्गतमात्मानमनुभवति —

निमज्जतोऽनन्त भवार्णवान्तश्
चिराय मे कूलमिवासि लब्धः ।
त्वयापि लब्धं भगवन्निदानीम्
अनुत्तमं पात्रमिदं दयायाः ॥१६॥
श्रीयामुनाचार्य्यस्य

asīma-kṛpasya kṛpāyāḥ śeṣa-sīmāntargatam ātmānam anubhavati —

nimajjato ’nanta bhavārṇavāntaś
chirāya me kūlam ivāsi labdhaḥ
tvayāpi labdhaṁ bhagavann idānīm
anuttamaṁ pātram idaṁ dayāyāḥ [16]

The realisation of feeling oneself to be situated on the outer limit of the unlimitedly merciful Lord’s mercy —

O Lord, I was drowning in the fathomless, endless ocean of material existence, and now, after immeasurable time, I have reached the shore — Your divine self. And You also have finally obtained the most fit recipient for Your mercy.

 — Sri Yamun Acharya

भगवद्भक्तस्य स्वस्मिन्दीनत्वबुद्धिरेव स्वाभाविकी न तु भक्तत्वबुद्धिः —

दीनबन्धुरिति नाम ते स्मरन्
यादवेन्द्र पतितोऽहमुत्सहे।
भक्तवत्सलतया त्वयि श्रुते
मामकं हृदयमाशु कम्पते ॥१७॥
जगन्नाथस्य

bhagavad-bhaktasya svasmin dīnatva-buddhir eva svābhāvikī na tu bhaktatva-buddhiḥ —

dīnabandhur iti nāma te smaran
yādavendra patito ’ham utsahe
bhakta-vatsalatayā tvayi śrute
māmakaṁ hṛdayam āśu kampate [17]

A devotee of the Lord naturally considers himself to be lowly, and never does he consider himself a devotee —

O Yadavendra, when I think of Your Name ‘Dinabandhu’ — friend of the fallen, I, who am afallen, feel encouraged. But hearing that You are ‘Bhaktavatsala’ — affectionate to the devotees, my heart suddenly trembles.

 — Jagannath

शिवविरिन्च्यादिदेवसेव्य स्वसम्बन्धलेशासम्भावनया नैराश्यम् —

स्तावकास्तव चतुर्म्मुखादयो
भावका हि भगवन्भवादयः।
सेवकाः शतमखादयः सुरा
वासुदेव यदि के तदा वयम् ॥१८॥
धनञ्जयस्य

śiva-virinchy-ādi-deva-sevya svasambandha-leśāsambhāvanayā nairāśyam —

stāvakās tava chaturmukhādayo
bhāvakā hi bhagavan bhavādayaḥ
sevakāḥ śata-makhādayaḥ surā
vāsudeva yadi ke tadā vayam [18]

A devotee feels disappointed in the improbability of his ever having a slight relationship with the Supreme Lord who is worshippable by the great gods headed by Lord Siva and Lord Brahma —

O Lord, the demigods headed by four-headed Lord Brahma are engaged in offering their worshipful prayers unto You; the demigods headed by five-headed Lord Siva are absorbed in meditation upon You; and the demigods headed by Lord Indra, the performer of a hundred sacrifices, are Your order carriers. O Lord Vasudev, who then, are we to You?

 — Dhananjaya

गौरावतारस्यात्युत्कृष्टफलदत्वमत्यौदार्य्यत्वञ्च विलोक्य तत्रातिलोभत्वादात्मन्यतिवञ्चितत्वबोधः —

वञ्चितोऽस्मि वञ्चितोऽस्मि वञ्चितोऽस्मि न संशयः।
विश्वं गौररसे मग्नं स्पर्शोऽपि मम नाभवत् ॥१९॥
श्रीप्रबोधानन्दपादानां

gaurāvatārasyāty-utkṛṣṭa-phala-datvam-aty-audāryatvañ cha vilokya tatrāti-lobhatvād-ātmany-ati-vañchitatva-bodhaḥ —

vañchito ’smi vañchito ’smi vañchito ’smi na saṁśayaḥ
viśvaṁ gaura-rase magnaṁ sparśo ’pi mama nābhavat [19]

Seeing the Lord’s most munificent descent as Sri Gauranga who is the bestower of the paramount gift of love divine, the devotee, feeling insatiable desire for the mercy of this Lord, considers himself to be drastically deceived —

Deceived, deceived, no doubt, deceived am I! The whole universe became flooded with the love of Sri Gauranga, but alas, my fate was not to get even the slightest touch of it.

 — Sri Prabodhananda Saraswati

श्रीगौरसेवारसगृध्नुजनस्य तदप्राप्त्याशङ्कया खेदोक्तिः —

अदर्शनीयानपि नीचजातीन्
संवीक्षते हन्त तथापि नो माम्।
मदेकवर्ज्ज्यं कृपयिष्यतीति
निर्णीय किं सोऽवततार देवः ॥२०॥
श्रीप्रतापरुद्रस्य

śrī-gaura-sevā-rasa-gṛdhnu-janasya tad aprāpty āśaṅkayā khedoktiḥ —

adarśanīyān api nīcha-jātīn
saṁvīkṣate hanta tathāpi no mām
mad-eka-varjaṁ kṛpayiṣyatīti
nirṇīya kiṁ so ’vatatāra devaḥ [20]

The lament of one deeply aspiring for the service of Sri Gaurahari, in the apprehension of not attaining that service —

He casts His merciful glance upon even low-born persons who are unfit to be seen; yet He will not grant me His audience. Has the Lord (Sri Chaitanyadev) made His advent deciding that He will give His grace to all but me?

 — Sri Pratapa Rudra

प्रेममयस्वनाथातिवदान्यतोपलब्धेस्तन्नित्यपार्षदस्य दैन्योक्तिः —

भवाब्धिं दुस्तरं यस्य दयया सुखमुत्तरेत्।
भाराक्रान्तः खरोऽप्येष तं श्रीचैतन्यमाश्रये ॥२१॥
श्रीसनातनपादानां

premamaya-svanāthāti-vadānyatopalabdhes tan nitya-pārṣadasya dainyoktiḥ —

bhavābdhiṁ dustaraṁ yasya dayayā sukham uttaret
bhārākrāntaḥ kharo ’py eṣa taṁ śrī-chaitanyam āśraye [21]

Realising his loving Lord’s extreme magnanimity, deep humility is expressed by the intimate servitor of the Lord —

Even this overburdened ass takes shelter of the lotus feet of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, by whose grace the formidable ocean of material existence can be crossed very easily.

 — Sri Sanatan Goswami

महाप्रेमपीयूषबिन्दुप्रार्थिनः स्वदैन्यानुभूतिः —

प्रसारितमहाप्रेमपीयूषरससागरे।
चैतन्यचन्द्रे प्रकटे यो दीनो दीन एव सः ॥२२॥
श्रीप्रबोधानन्दपादानां

mahā-prema-pīyūṣa-bindu-prārthinaḥ svadainyānubhūtiḥ —

prasārita-mahāprema-pīyūṣa-rasa-sāgare
chaitanya-chandre prakaṭe yo dīno dīna eva saḥ [22]

One who begs for a drop of the nectar of divine love supreme perceives his own destitution —

Now that Sri Chaitanyachandra — the unlimitedly expansive ocean of the joy of divine love supreme — has made His gracious advent, anyone who remains destitute is surely a genuine pauper.

 — Sri Prabodhananda Saraswati

विप्रलम्भरसाश्रितस्य परमसिद्धस्यापि विरहदुःखे हृदयोद्घाटनम् —

अयि दीनदयार्द्रनाथ हे
मथुरानाथ कदावलोक्यसे।
हृदयं त्वदलोककातरं
दयित भ्राम्यति किं करोम्यहम् ॥२३॥
श्रीमाधवेन्द्रपुरीपादानां

vipralambha-rasāśritasya parama-siddhasyāpi viraha-duḥkhe hṛdayodghāṭanam —

ayi dīna-dayārdra-nātha he
mathurā-nātha kadāvalokyase
hṛdayaṁ tvad-aloka-kātaraṁ
dayita bhrāmyati kiṁ karomy aham [23]

The heart’s eruption in the sorrow of separation, even for one who has achieved the ultimate perfection of love in separation —

O gentle-hearted Lord, ever-gracious upon the destitute, O Lord of Mathura, when shall I see You again? In Your absence my broken heart trembles. Beloved! What shall I do now?

 — Sri Madhavendra Puri

श्रीकृष्णविरहेऽसहायवत्स्वनाथकरुणाकर्षणम् —

अमून्यधन्यानि दिनान्तराणि
हरे त्वदालोकनमन्तरेण।
अनाथबन्धो करुणैकसिन्धो
हा हन्त हा हन्त कथं नयामि ॥२४॥
श्रीबिल्वमङ्गलस्य

śrī-kṛṣṇa-virahe ’sahāyavat svanātha-karuṇākarṣaṇam —

amūny adhanyāni dināntarāṇi
hare tvad ālokanam antareṇa
anātha-bandho karuṇaika-sindho
hā hanta hā hanta kathaṁ nayāmi [24]

A devotee in separation of Krishna helplessly draws the grace of the Lord of his life —

O Hari, O guardian of the shelterless, O one and only ocean of mercy, how will I pass my unblest days and nights without a glimpse of You?

 — Sri Bilvamangal Thakur

व्रजेन्द्रनन्दनविरहे तज्जीवितेश्वर्य्याः स्वयंरूपाया अपि दासीवत्कार्पण्यम् —

हा नाथ रमण प्रेष्ठ क्वासि क्वासि महाभुज।
दास्यास्ते कृपणाया मे सखे दर्शय सन्निधिम् ॥२५॥
श्रीराधिकायाः

vrajendra-nandana-virahe taj-jīviteśvaryāḥ svayaṁ-rūpāyā api dāsīvat kārpaṇyam —

hā nātha ramaṇa preṣṭha kvāsi kvāsi mahā-bhuja
dāsyās te kṛpaṇāyā me sakhe darśaya sannidhim [25]

Like a maidservant, even Sri Radhika, the heroine of the son of King Nanda, humbly petitions the Lord in His separation —

O Lord, my loving consort and dearmost hero, where are You? I am Your poor maidservant, please come to Me.

 — Srimati Radharani

विप्रलम्भे श्रीकृष्णवल्लभानामपि गृहासक्तवद्दैन्योक्तिः —

आहुश्च ते नलिननाभ पदारविन्दं
योगेश्वरैर्हृदि विचिन्त्यमगाधबोधैः।
संसारकूपपतितोत्तरणावलम्बं
गेहं जुषामपि मनस्युदियात्सदा नः ॥२६॥
श्रीगोपिकानां

vipralambhe śrī-kṛṣṇa-vallabhānām api gṛhāsaktavad dainyoktiḥ —

āhuś cha te nalina-nābha padāravindaṁ
yogeśvarair hṛdi vichintyam agādha-bodhaiḥ
saṁsāra-kūpa-patitottaraṇāvalambaṁ
gehaṁ juṣām api manasy udiyāt sadā naḥ [26]

Like persons attached to hearth and home, even the gopis, the damsels beloved of Lord Sri Krishna, humbly petition the Lord in His separation —

O lotus-navelled one, Your lotus feet, eternally held as the object of meditation within the hearts of the greatest yogis of profound intellect, are the only resort for delivering those souls fallen into the well of material life. May those holy lotus feet graciously appear within the hearts of we ordinary household ladies.

 — the gopis

विरहकातरो भक्त आत्मानमत्यसहायं मन्यते —

गतो यामो गतौ यामौ गता यामा गतं दिनम्।
हा हन्त किं करिष्यामि न पश्यामि हरेर्मुखम् ॥२७॥
शङ्करस्य

viraha-kātaro bhakta ātmānam aty-asahāyaṁ manyate —

gato yāmo gatau yāmau gatā yāmā gataṁ dinam
hā hanta kiṁ kariṣyāmi na paśyāmi harer mukham [27]

A devotee afflicted in separation feels himself to be drastically helpless —

Three hours have passed, six hours have passed, nine hours have passed, a whole day has passed … alas, alas, what shall I do? I could not catch a glimpse of the lotus face of Sri Hari!

 — Sankar

गोविन्दविरहे सर्व्वशून्यतया अत्यनाथवद्दीर्घदुःखबोधरूपप्रेमचेष्टा —

युगायितं निमेषेण चक्षुषा प्रावृषायितम्।
शून्यायितं जगत्सर्व्वं गोविन्दविरहेण मे ॥२८॥
श्रीश्रीभगवतश्चैतन्यचन्द्रस्य

govinda-virahe sarva-śūnyatayā aty-anāthavad-dīrgha-duḥkha-bodha-rūpa-prema-cheṣṭā —

yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa chakṣuṣā prāvṛṣāyitam
śūnyāyitaṁ jagat sarvaṁ govinda-viraheṇa me [28]

Because everything appears vacant in the separation of Sri Krishna, divine love’s attempt becomes prolonged sorrow in desperate shelterlessness —

O Govinda, my every moment seems to be a great millennium. Tears flow from my eyes like torrents of rain, and the whole world seems empty in the absence of You.

 — the Supreme Lord Sri Chaitanyachandra

श्रीकृष्णैकवल्लभायास्तद्विरहेऽनुभूताखिलप्राणचेष्टाव्यर्थताया देहयात्रानिर्व्वाहस्यापि लज्जाकरशोच्यव्यवहारवत्प्रतीतिः —

श्रीकृष्णरूपादिनिषेवणं विना
व्यर्थानि मेऽहान्यखिलेन्द्रियाण्यलम्।
पाषाणशुष्केन्धनभारकाण्यहो
विभर्म्मि वा तानि कथं हतत्रपः ॥२९॥
केषाञ्चित्

śrī-kṛṣṇaika-vallabhāyās tad virahe ’nubhūtākhila-prāṇa-cheṣṭā-vyarthatāyā deha-yātrā-nirvāhasyāpi lajjākara-śochya-vyavahāravat pratītiḥ —

śrī-kṛṣṇa-rūpādi-niṣevaṇaṁ vinā
vyarthāni me ’hāny akhilendriyāṇy alam
pāṣāṇa-śuṣkendhana bhārakāṇy aho
vibharmi vā tāni kathaṁ hata-trapaḥ [29]

When, in His separation, Krishna’s faithful sweetheart realises Her whole urge for living has been thwarted, even to maintain her body is felt to be a shamefully lamentable task —

My dear companion, without the service of Sri Krishna’s divine form, nature, and Pastimes, all my senses have become senseless. Now, how will I be able to shamelessly bear the burden of these woodlike, stonelike senses?

 — revered votary

अतिविप्रलम्भे जीवितप्रणयिण्या रोदनमपि निजदम्भमात्रत्वेन प्रतीयते —

यास्यामीति समुद्यतस्य वचनं विश्रब्धमाकर्णितं
गच्छन्दूरमुपेक्षितो मुहुरसौ व्यावृत्य पश्यन्नपि।
तच्छून्ये पुनरागतास्मि भवने प्राणास्त एव स्थिताः
सख्यः पश्यत जीवितप्रणयिनी दम्भादहं रोदिमि ॥३०॥
रुद्रस्य

ati-vipralambhe jīvita-praṇayiṇyā rodanam api nija-dambha-mātratvena pratīyate —

yāsyāmīti samudyatasya vachanaṁ viśrabdham ākarṇitaṁ
gachchhan dūram upekṣito muhur asau vyāvṛtya paśyann api
tach chhūnye punar āgatāsmi bhavane prāṇās ta eva sthitāḥ
sakhyaḥ paśyata jīvita-praṇayinī dambhād ahaṁ rodimi [30]

His sweetheart who lives despite intensely feeling His separation thinks that even Her tears are only due to Her pride —

When He was about to leave, He said, «I am going.» I heard His words without a care. As He left, from afar He glanced back again and again, but I paid no attention. Now, upon returning to my house which is bereft of Krishna, I am still living — O my friends! See how I cry out of the pride of being the love of His life …

 — Rudra

लब्धश्रीकृष्णप्रेमपराकाष्ठस्य प्रतिक्षणवर्द्धमानतदास्वादनलोलुपतया तदप्राप्तिवत्प्रतीतिः तत्र श्रीकृष्णप्रेम्णस्तु सर्व्वोच्चसौभाग्यकरपरमसुदुर्ल्लभपुमर्थत्वञ्च सूचितम् —

न प्रेमगन्धोऽस्ति दरापि मे हरौ
क्रन्दामि सौभाग्यभरं प्रकाशितुम्।
वंशीविलास्याननलोकनं विना
विभर्म्मि यत्प्राणपतङ्गकान्वृथा ॥३१॥
श्रीश्रीभगवतश्चैतन्यचन्द्रस्य

labdha-śrī-kṛṣṇa-prema-parākāṣṭhasya pratikṣaṇa-vardhamāna-tad-āsvādana-lolupatayā tad-aprāptivat pratītiḥ tatra śrī-kṛṣṇa-premṇastu sarvochcha-saubhāgyakara-parama-sudurlabha-pumarthatvañ cha sūchitam —

na prema-gandho ’sti darāpi me harau
krandāmi saubhāgya-bharaṁ prakāśitum
vaṁśī-vilāsy-ānana-lokanaṁ vinā
vibharmi yat prāṇa-pataṅgakān vṛthā [31]

A person who has attained to the acme of love for Krishna appears as one bereft of that love, due to the moment by moment growing insatiable desire to taste it; this indicates love for Krishna to be the bestower of the supreme fortune, and the most rarely attained goal of life —

O my companion, I do not have the slightest scent of love for Krishna — and yet, I cry. This is only for the purpose of exhibiting my great fortune. Without seeing the lovely face of Krishna playing His flute, I worthlessly pass my days, like an insignificant insect.

 — the Supreme Lord Sri Chaitanyachandra

इति श्रीप्रपन्नजीवनामृते

श्रीभक्तवचनामृतान्तर्गतं

कार्पण्यं नाम अष्टमोऽध्यायः

iti śrī-prapanna-jīvanāmṛte

śrī-bhakta-vachanāmṛtāntargataṁ

kārpaṇyaṁ nāma aṣṭamo ’dhyāyaḥ

thus ends the eighth chapter

Surrender in Humility

Words of Nectar from the Devotees

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