Verse Three
उत्साहान्निश्छयाद्धैर्यात्तत्तत्कर्म्मप्रवर्त्तनात् ।
सङ्गत्यागात्सतोवृत्तेः षड्भिर्भक्तिः प्रसिध्यति ॥३॥
utsahan nischayad dhairyat tat-tat-karma-pravartanat
sanga-tyagat sato-vrtteh sadbhir bhaktih prasidhyati [3]
bhaktih–Devotion prasidhyati–is nourished sadbhih–by these six: utsahat–enthusiasm, nischayat–conviction, dhairyat–perseverance, pravartanat–engaging [in] tat-tat–favourable karma–activities, tyagat–giving up sanga–[bad] association, [and] vrtteh–following the conduct satah–of the great souls.
Translation:
Enthusiasm,
conviction,
perseverance,
engaging in favourable activities,
giving up bad association,
following the conduct of the great souls —
devotion is nourished by these six qualities.
Bhasa by Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur
আনুকূল্য-সঙ্কল্পের ছয় অঙ্গ সার ।
উৎসাহ বিশ্বাস ধৈর্য্য তত্তৎকর্ম্ম আর ॥১॥
সঙ্গত্যাগ সাধুবৃর্ত্তি করিলে আশ্রয় ।
ভক্তিযোগ সিদ্ধি লভে সর্ব্বশাস্ত্রে কয় ॥২॥
anukulya-sankalpera chhaya anga sara
utsaha visvasa dhairya tat-tat-karma ara [1]
sanga-tyaga sadhu-vrtti karile asraya
bhakti-yoga-siddhi labhe sarva-sastre kaya [2]
sarva–All sastre–the scriptures kaya–say [that] asraya karile–if you take shelter in chhaya–the six sara–most important anga–aspects sankalpera–of accepting anukulya–the favourable — utsaha–enthusiasm, visvasa–conviction, dhairya–perseverance, [engaging in] tat-tat–favourable karma–activities, tyaga–abandoning [bad] sanga–association, ara–and vrtti–following the conduct sadhu–of the sadhus — [then] labhe–you will attain siddhi–perfection yoga–in the practice bhakti–of devotion. [1–2]
Translation:
All the scriptures say that if you take shelter in the six most important aspects of accepting the favourable — enthusiasm, conviction, perseverance, engaging in favourable activities, abandoning bad association, and following the conduct of the sadhus — then you will attain perfection in the practice of devotion.
ভক্তি-অনুষ্ঠানে উৎসাহের প্রয়োজন ।
ভক্তিতে বিশ্বাস দৃঢ় ধৈর্য্যাবলম্বন ॥৩॥
যে কর্ম্ম করিলে হয় ভক্তির উল্লাস ।
যে কর্ম্ম জীবনযাত্রা-নির্ব্বাহে প্রয়াস ॥৪॥
bhakti-anusthane utsahera prayojana
bhaktite visvasa drdha dhairyavalambana [3]
ye karma karile haya bhaktira ullasa
ye karma jivana-yatra nirvahe prayasa [4]
[There is] prayojana–the necessity utsahera–for enthusiasm anusthane–in the practice bhakti–of devotion, drdha–firm visvasa–conviction bhaktite–in devotion, avalambana–recourse to dhairya–perseverance, karma–actions ye–by which, karile–when performed, haya–there is ullasa–development bhaktira–of devotion, [and] prayasa–endeavour karma–in actions ye–by which [there is] yatra nirvahe–maintenance jivana–of [one’s] life. [3–4]
Translation:
Enthusiasm for devotional practice, firm conviction in devotion, perseverance, activities by which devotion develops, and activities by which one’s life is maintained are all necessary.
অসৎসঙ্গ-ত্যাগে হয় সঙ্গ-বিবর্জ্জন ।
সদাচার সাধুবৃত্তি সর্ব্বদা পালন ॥৫॥
asat-sanga tyage haya sanga-vivarjana
sadachara sadhu-vrtti sarvada palana [5]
vivarjana–Avoidance sanga–of association haya–occurs tyage–by giving up asat–bad sanga–association. sarvada–Always palana–follow achara–the practices sad–of the sadhus [and] vrtti–the conduct sadhu–of the sadhus. [5]
Translation:
Give up association by rejecting bad association and always follow the conduct and practices of the sadhus.
ত্যাগী ভিক্ষাযোগে আর গৃহী ধর্ম্মাশ্রয়ে ।
করিবে জীবন-যাত্রা সাবধান হযে ॥৬॥
tyagi bhiksa-yoge ara grhi dharmasraye
karibe jivana yatra savadhana haye [6]
tyagi–Renunciants [should] savadhana haye–carefully yatra karibe–maintain [their] jivana–lives yoge–by the practice bhiksa–of begging, ara–and grhi–householders [should do so] asraye–under the shelter dharma–of the codes for proper conduct. [6]
Translation:
Renunciants should carefully maintain their lives by begging, and householders should do so by following the codes for proper conduct.
Piyusa-varsini-vrtti by Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur
Maintaining one’s life and practising devotion are both necessary for devotees. In the first half of this verse, activities that are favourable to the practice of devotion are prescribed, and in the second half, the way devotees should maintain their lives is prescribed. Devotion is perfected by utsaha, nischaya, dhairya, practices that are nourising to devotion [tat-tat-karma-pravartana], sanga-tyaga, and sadachar or sad-vrtti. Utsaha means eagerness for devotional practice. By indifference, devotion is lost. Practice with adoration is utsaha. Nischaya means firm conviction. Dhairya means not slackening in one’s engagement in the process even after seeing delays in the attainment of the goal. There are two types of activities that are nourishing to devotion: prescribed actions and restrictions on actions. Hearing, chanting, and so on are the prescriptions; giving up one’s own enjoyment or happiness for Krishna’s sake and other such activities are the restrictions. Sanga-tyaga means giving up the association of irreligious persons, women, the condition of being henpecked, men who associate with women, and nondevotees — materialists, illusionists, atheists, and religious hypocrites. Sad-vrtti means the conduct followed by the sadhus and the means by which they maintain their lives. For renunciants, sad-vrtti means begging, and for householders, it means acting according to the rules for their social role and function (varna and asram).
Bhasa by Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur
ভজনে উৎসাহ যার ভিতরে বাহিরে ।
সুদুর্ল্লভ কৃষ্ণভক্তি পাবে ধীরে ধীরে ॥১॥
bhajane utsaha yara bhitare bahire
sudurlabha krsna-bhakti pabe dhire dhire [1]
[Those] yara–who [have] utsaha–enthusiasm bhajane–for service, bhitare–within [and] bahire–without, dhire dhire–gradually pabe–will attain bhakti–devotion krsna–to Krishna [even though it is] sudurlabha–most difficult to attain. [1]
Translation:
Those who have enthusiasm for service, within and without, will gradually attain devotion to Krishna even though it is most difficult to attain.
কৃষ্ণভক্তি প্রতি যার বিশ্বাস নিশ্চয় ।
শ্রদ্ধাবান্ ভক্তিমান্ জন সেই হয় ॥২॥
krsna-bhakti prati yara visvasa nischaya
sraddhavan bhaktiman jana sei haya [2]
sei–Those jana–persons yara–who [have] visvasa–belief [and] nischaya–conviction prati–in bhakti–devotion krsna–to Krishna haya–are sraddhavan–faithful [and] bhaktiman–devoted. [2]
Translation:
Those who have belief and conviction in devotion to Krishna are certainly faithful and devoted.
কৃষ্ণসেবা না পাইয়া ধীরভাবে যেই ।
ভক্তির সাধন করে ভক্তিমান্ সেই ॥৩॥
krsna-seva na paiya dhira-bhave yei
bhaktira sadhana kare bhaktiman sei [3]
sei–Those yei–who kare–engage in sadhana–the practice bhaktira–of devotion dhira-bhave–with perseverance [despite] paiya na–having not attained krsna–Krishna’s seva–service [are truly] bhaktiman–devoted. [3]
Translation:
Those who engage in the practice of devotion with perseverance despite having not attained Krishna’s service are truly devoted.
যাহাতে কৃষ্ণের সেবা কৃষ্ণের সন্তোষ ।
সেই কর্ম্মে ব্রতী সদা না করয়ে রোষ ॥৪॥
yahate krsnera seva krsnera santosa
sei karme vrati sada na karaye rosa [4]
[They are] sada–always vrati–engaged karme–in activities sei yahate–in which [there is] seva–service krsnera–to Krishna [and] santosa–satisfaction krsnera–for Krishna, [and] rosa karaye na–they do not become angry. [4]
Translation:
They always engage in activities by which Krishna is served and satisfied, and they never become angry.
কৃষ্ণের অভক্তজনসঙ্গ পরিহরি’ ।
ভক্তিমান্ ভক্তসঙ্গে সদা ভজে হরি ॥৫॥
krsnera abhakta-jana-sanga parihari’
bhaktiman bhakta-sange sada bhaje hari [5]
bhaktiman–The devoted parihari’–leave sanga–the association jana–of persons [who are] abhakta–non-devotees krsnera–of Krishna [and] sada–always bhaje–serve hari–the Lord sange–in the association bhakta–of the devotees. [5]
Translation:
The devoted leave the association of persons who are not devotees of Krishna and always serve the Lord in the association of the devotees.
কৃষ্ণভক্ত যাহা করে তদনুসরণে ।
ভক্তিমান্ আচরয় জীবনে মরণে ॥৬॥
krsna-bhakta yaha kare tad anusarane
bhaktiman acharaya jivane marane [6]
bhaktiman–The devoted acharaya–act anusarane–in accordance [with] tad–that yaha–which bhakta–the devotees krsna–of Krishna kare–do, jivane–in life [and] marane–in death. [6]
Translation:
The devoted follow what the devotees of Krishna do, in life and in death.
এই ছয় জন হয় ভক্তি-অধিকারী ।
বিশ্বের মঙ্গল করে ভক্তি পরচারি’ ॥৭॥
ei chaya jana haya bhakti-adhikari
visvera mangala kare bhakti parachari’ [7]
ei–These chaya–six [types of] jana–people haya–are adhikari–qualified bhakti–for devotion, [and] mangala kare–they uplift visvera–the world parachari’–by propagating bhakti–devotion. [7]
Translation:
These six types of people are qualified for devotion, and they uplift the world by propagating devotion.
Anuvrtti by Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur
Remaining indifferent to all the practices, principles, and topics of interest that exist related to the pursuits of jnan, karma, and anyabhilas, and engaging exclusively in the practice of devotion is utsaha.
ya nisa sarva-bhutanam tasyam jagarti samyami
yasyam jagrati bhutani sa nisa pasyato muneh
[«Those who have full self-control are awake in that which is night for all beings, and all beings are awake in that which is night for the sages who see.»]
«Devotion to the Lord is the soul’s one and only aim of life.» This is nischaya. «Conviction in any of the three paths of jnan, karma, or anyabhilas cannot produce any good; the soul should follow the path of devotion exclusively.» Such firm conception is nischaya.
«The three paths of jnan, karma, or anyabhilas make the soul restless. The path of devotion is the only steady path for the pure soul.» Such firm conviction is dhairya. «The path of devotion will never cause anyone any harm.» Such conception is dhairya.
ye ’nye ’ravindaksa vimukta-maninas
tvayy asta-bhavad avisuddha-buddhayah
aruhya krchchhrena param padam tatah
patanty adho ’nadrta-yusmad-anghrayah
tatha na te madhava tavakah kvachid
bhrasyanti margat tvayi baddha-sauhrdah
[«O lotus-eyed Lord, those who consider themselves liberated but are devoid of devotion to You have impure intelligence. They ascend to the supreme abode with great difficulty but then fall down from there because they have no regard for Your feet. Your devotees, however, O Lord, who are bound by affection for You, never fall from the path.»]
khanda khanda hai’ deha yaya yadi prana
tabu ami vadane na chhadi hari-nama
[Srila Haridas Thakur: «Even if this body is cut into pieces and I breathe my last, I will never stop chanting the Name of the Lord.»]
Understanding that all the duties prescribed for jnanis and karmis are distinct from service to Krishna, remaining indifferent to them, and engaging in the practices of devotion is tat-tat-karma-pravartana. Performing the activities that are appropriate for one’s own stage amongst the three stages of devotees and not making a show of performing the activities meant for a stage different from the one in which one is situated is tat-tat-karma-pravartana.
Understanding that jnanis, karmis, and anyabhilasis are all materialistic fools and avoiding their association is sanga-tyaga. Only the association of devotees is desirable. Jnanis and other nondevotees do not honour those who associate with devotees. So, let all one’s efforts to obtain honour from seekers of enjoyment [karmis] and seekers of liberation [jnanis] be gone. One should not maintain any connection with such persons whatsoever.
In seekers of liberation, the conditioned ego is predominant, and in their endeavour to overcome their conditioning, they engage in transitory practices. The thirst of seekers of enjoyment is similarly only temporary, and there is no need to even mention the anyabhilasis in this regard. We should avoid these three types of transitory egotists and follow the conduct of the devoted sadhus who always remain in the shelter of the Name. The pursuits of karma, jnan, and anyabhilas are never steps on the path of devotion.
jnana-vairagyadi bhaktira kabhu nahe anga
[«Knowledge and renunciation are never limbs of devotion.»]
These three paths, separate from devotion, are unreal, that is, non-eternal.
yasyasti bhaktir bhagavaty akinchana
sarvair gunais tatra samasate surah
harav abhaktasya kuto mahad-guna
manorathenasati dhavato bahih
[«All the gods and all virtues reside within those who have unconditional devotion to the Lord. Where are the virtues of non-devotees of the Lord who wander desirously in search of temporary external ends?»]
Thus, only the practice of devotion is sadhu-vrtti, and only following the sadhus is the path of devotion.
Enthusiasm for Krishna’s service, conviction in Krishna’s service, steadiness in Krishna’s service, engaging in activities for the purpose of Krishna’s service, avoiding the association of nondevotees of Krishna, and following the devotees of Krishna — devotion develops by engaging in these six practices.
Bhajana-lalasa
hari he!
bhajane utsaha bhaktite visvasa
prema-labhe dhairya-dhana
bhakti-anukula karma-pravartane
asat-sanga-visarjana [1]
bhakti-sadachara ei chhaya guna
nahila amara, natha!
kemane bhajiba tomara charana
chhadiya mayara satha [2]
O Lord! Enthusiasm for devotional practice, conviction in devotion, the wealth of perseverance in attaining divine love, engagement in activities that are favourable to devotion, rejection of bad association, proper devotional behaviour — I have never had these six qualities. O Lord! How shall I serve Your feet and give up connection with Maya?
garhita achare rahilama maji’
na karinu sadhu-sanga
laye sadhu-vesa ane upadesi
e bada mayara ranga [3]
I have remained immersed in condemnable behaviour and never associated with the sadhus. Still, I wear the dress of a sadhu and instruct others. This is a great trick of Maya.
e hena dasaya ahaituki krpa
tomara paiba, hari!
sri-guru-asraye dakiba tomaya
kabe va minati kari’ [4]
In this condition, I will receive only Your unconditional mercy. O Lord! When will I, under the shelter of Sri Guru, humbly call out to You?