Verse Two
अत्याहारः प्रयासश्च प्रजल्पो नियमाग्रहः ।
जनसङ्गश्च लौल्यञ्च षड्भिर्भक्तिर्विनश्यति ॥२॥
atyaharah prayasas cha prajalpo niyamagrahah
jana-sangas cha laulyan cha sadbhir bhaktir vinasyati [2]
bhaktih–Devotion vinasyati–is destroyed sadbhih–by these six: atyaharah–over-accumulation, prayasah–over-endeavour, prajalpah–unnecessary talk, agrahah–negligence niyama–of rules (and agrahah–obsession niyama–about rules), sangah–association jana–with nondevotees, cha–and laulyah–fickle-mindedness.
Translation:
Over-accumulation,
over-endeavour,
unnecessary talk,
misapplication of rules,
association with nondevotees,
and fickle-mindedness —
devotion is destroyed by these six faults.
Bhasa by Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur
অত্যাহার প্রয়াস প্রজল্প জনসঙ্গ ।
লৌল্যাদি নিয়মাগ্রহ হলে ভক্তিভঙ্গ ॥১॥
atyahara prayasa prajalpa jana-sanga
laulyadi niyamagraha hale bhakti-bheda [1]
[When] atyahara–over-accumulation, prayasa–over-endeavour, prajalpa– unnecessary talk, sanga–association jana–with nondevotees, laulya–fickle-mindedness, niyamagraha–misapplication of rules, adi–and so on hale–occur, bhakti–devotion [becomes] bheda–obstructed. [1]
Translation:
When over-accumulation, over-endeavour, unnecessary talk, association with nondevotees, fickle-mindedness, and misapplication of rules occur, devotion becomes obstructed.
গৃহত্যাগি-জনের সঞ্চয় অত্যাহার ।
অধিক সঞ্চয়ী গৃহী বৈষ্ণবের ছার ॥২॥
grha-tyagi janera sanchaya atyahara
adhika sanchari grhi vaisnavera chhara [2]
janera–For persons [who are] tyagi–renunciants grha–of home, [any] sanchaya–accumulation [is] atyahara–atyahara, [and] grhi–for householder vaisnavera–devotees, [being an] adhika–excessive sanchari–accumulation [is] chhara–bad. [2]
Translation:
For renunciants, any accumulation is atyahara, and for householder devotees, excessive accumulation is bad.
ভক্তি-অনুকূল নয় যে সব উদ্যম ।
প্রয়াস-নামেতে তার প্রকাশ বিষম ॥৩॥
bhakti-anukula naya se saba udyama
prayasa namete tara prakasa visama [3]
se saba–All udyama–endeavours [that] naya–are not anukula–favourable bhakti–to devotion namete–in name [are] prayasa–prayasa; prakasa–occurrences tara–of them [are] visama–condemnable. [3]
Translation:
All endeavours that are not favourable to devotion are called prayasa; occurrences of them are condemnable.
গ্রাম্যকথা প্রজল্প-নামেতে পরিচয় ।
মতের চাঞ্চল্য লৌল্য অসত্তৃষ্ণাময় ॥৪॥
gramya-katha prajalpa namete parichaya
matera chanchalya laulya asat-trsnamaya [4]
parichaya–The identity namete–in name [of] gramya–village katha–talk [is] prajalpa–prajalpa. chanchalya–Restlessness matera–of the mind [produced by] asat–material trsnamaya–desire [is] laulya–laulya. [4]
Translation:
Village talk is called prajalpa. Restlessness of the mind produced by material desire is called laulya.
বিষয়ী যোষিৎসঙ্গ তত্তৎসঙ্গী আর ।
মায়াবাদী ধর্ম্মধ্বজী নাস্তিক প্রকার ॥৫॥
সে সব অসৎসঙ্গ ভক্তিহানিকর ।
বিশেষ যতনে সেই সঙ্গ পরিহার ॥৬॥
visayi yosit-sangi tat-tat-sangi ara
mayavadi dharma-dhvaji nastika prakara [5] se saba asat-sanga bhakti-hanikara
visesa yatne sei sanga parihara [6]
visayi–Materialists, sangi–those who associate yosit–with women, sangi–those who associate tat-tat–with them, mayavadi–illusionists, dharma–religious dhvaji–hypocrites, ara–and nastika–atheists — saba–all se–these prakara–types asat–of bad sanga–association [are] hanikara–destructive bhakti–of devotion. [With] visesa–great yatne–care, parihara–avoid sei–such sanga–association. [5–6]
Translation:
Materialists, those who are attached to the opposite sex, their companions, illusionists, religious hypocrites, and atheists — the association of such persons is destructive to devotion. With great care, avoid all such association.
নিয়ম-অগ্রহ, আর নিয়ম-আগ্রহ ।
দ্বি-প্রকার দোষ এই ভক্ত-গলগ্রহ ॥৭॥
niyama agraha ara niyama agraha
dvi-prakara dosa ei bhakta-galagraha [7]
[Being] agraha–negligent niyama–of rules ara–and [being] agraha–obsessive niyama–about rules — ei–these dvi–two prakara–types dosa–of faults [are] galagraha–burdens bhakta–to devotees. [7]
Translation:
The faults of both being negligent of rules and being obsessive about rules are burdens to devotees.
একে স্বাধিকারগত নিয়মে-বর্জ্জন ।
আরে অন্য-অধিকার নিয়ম-গ্রহণ ॥২৮॥
eke svadhikaragata niyama varjana
are anya-adhikara niyama grahana [8]
eke–In one, [there is] varjana–rejection niyama–of the rules gata–meant sva–for one’s adhikara–stage, [and] are–in the other, [there is] grahana–adherence niyama–to rules [meant] for anya–others’ adhikara–stages. [8]
Translation:
In one, there is rejection of the rules meant for one’s stage, and in the other, there is adherence to the rules meant for stages other than one’s own.
Piyusa-varsini-vrtti by Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur
In this second verse also, there is discussion only of rejecting the unfavourable. The six faults of atyahara, prayasa, prajalpa, niyamagraha, jana-sanga, and laulya are detrimental to devotion. Atyahara means excessive accumulation, collection, or stocking. Stocking is forbidden for renunciants; for householder devotees, atyahara means stocking more than is necessary to live. Prayasa: those who aspire for devotion should not, like materialists, engage in activities that are contrary to devotion or materialistic endeavours. Prajalpa means time-wasting, unnecessary village talk. There are two types of niyamagraha: having attachment to rules for a lower stage when one has reached a higher stage and being negligent of rules that are nourishing to devotion. Jana-sanga means the association of persons who are not pure devotees. Laulya means being indecisive, that is, fickle-minded, in the association of persons of various conceptions and being attracted to insignificant matters. Criticism of sadhus, which arises from prajalpa, and considering the gods to be independent [of the Supreme Lord], which arises from laulya, are offences to the Name.
Bhasa by Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur
অত্যন্ত সংগ্রহে যার সদা চিত্ত ধায় ।
‘অত্যাহারী’ ভক্তিহীন সেই সংজ্ঞা পায় ॥১॥
atyanta samgrahe yara sada chitta dhaya
‘atyahari’ bhakti-hina sei samjna paya [1]
sei–Those yara–whose chitta–minds sada–always dhaya–run [after] atyanta–excessive sangrahe–accumulation samjna paya–become known as ‘atyahari’–hoarders hina–devoid bhakti–of devotion. [1]
Translation:
Those whose minds always run after excessive accumulation become known as atyaharis (hoarders) devoid of devotion.
প্রাকৃত বস্তুর আশে ভোগে যার মন ।
‘প্রয়াসী’ তাহার নাম ভক্তিহীন জন ॥২॥
prakrta vastura ase bhoge yara mana
‘prayasi’ tahara nama bhakti-hina jana [2]
‘prayasi’–‘Over-endeavourer’ [is] nama–the name tahara–for those jana–persons hina–devoid bhakti–of devotion yara–whose mana–minds ase–desire bhoge–enjoyment [of] prakrta–material vastura–objects. [2]
Translation:
Those whose minds desire to enjoy material objects are known as prayasis (over-endeavourers) devoid of devotion.
কৃষ্ণকথা ছাড়ি’ জিহ্বা আন কথা কহে ।
‘প্রজল্পী’ তাহার নাম বৃথা বাক্য বহে ॥৩॥
krsna-katha chhadi’ jihva ana katha kahe
‘prajalpi’ tahara nama vrtha vakya vahe [3]
‘prajalpi’–‘Prattler‘ [is] nama–the name tahara–for those [who] chhadi’–avoid katha–discussion krsna–of Krishna [and] kahe–speak [with their] jihva–tongues [about] ana–other katha–subjects; vakya vahe–they speak vrtha–uselessly. [3]
Translation:
Those whose tongues avoid discussing Krishna and speak about other subjects are known as prajalpis (prattlers) who speak gibberish.
ভজনতে উদাসীন কর্ম্মেতে প্রবীণ ।
বহ্বারম্ভী সে ‘নিয়মাগ্রহী’ অতি দীন ॥৪॥
bhajanete udasina karmete pravina
bahvarambhi se ‘niyamagrahi’ ati dina [4]
se bahvarambhi–Exhibitionists [who are] udasina–indifferent bhajanete–to service [and] pravina–expert karmete–in worldly activities [are] ‘niyama-agrahi’–transgressors of the rules [and] ati–extremely dina–low. [4]
Translation:
Exhibitionists who are indifferent to service and expert in material affairs are niyamagrahis (transgressors) of the rules and extremely low.
কৃষ্ণভক্তসঙ্গ বিনা অন্য সঙ্গে রত ।
‘জনসঙ্গী’ কুবিষয়-বিলাসে বিব্রত ॥৫॥
krsna-bhakta-sanga vina anya-sange rata
‘jana-sangi’ kuvisaya-vilase vivrata [5]
[Those who remain] vina–apart [from] sanga–the association krsna–of Krishna’s bhakta–devotees [and are] rata–attached sange–to the association anya–of others [are] ‘jana-sangi’–fraternisers vivrata–intent [upon] kuvisaya–indecent material vilase–enjoyment. [5]
Translation:
Those who avoid the association of Krishna’s devotees and associate with others are jana-sangis (fraternisers) intent upon indecent material enjoyment.
নানাস্থানে ভ্রমে যেই নিজ স্বার্থ তরে ।
‘লৌল্যপর’ ভক্তিহীন সংজ্ঞা দেয় নরে ॥৬॥
nana-sthane bhrame yei nija svartha tare
‘laulya-para’ bhakti-hina samjna deya nare [6]
nare–People samjna deya–designate [those] yei–who bhrame–wander [in] nana–various sthane–places tare–for [their] nija– own svartha–purpose [as] laulya-para–fickle-minded [and] hina–devoid bhakti–of devotion. [6]
Translation:
People designate those who wander here and there for their own purpose as laulya-paras (fickle-minded) and devoid of devotion.
এই ছয় নহে কভু ভক্তি-অধিকারী ।
ভক্তিহীন লক্ষ্যভষ্ট বিষয়ী সংসারী ॥৭॥
ei chhaya nahe kabhu bhakti-adhikari
bhakti-hina laksya-bhrasta visayi samsari [7]
ei–These chhaya–six [types of people are] kabhu nahe–never adhikari–qualified bhakti–for devotion. [They are] samsari–worldly, visayi–materialistic, laksya-bhrasta–misdirected, [and] hina–devoid bhakti–of devotion. [7]
Translation:
These six types of people are never qualified for devotion. They are worldly, materialistic, misdirected, and devoid of devotion.
Anuvrtti
The jnanis’ excessive accumulation of knowledge, the karmis’ accumulation of results, and the anyabhilasis’ excessive accumulation are called atyahara. The jnanis’ regulations, the karmis’ austerities, rites, and so on, and the anyabhilasis’ pursuit of women, children, wealth, and so on are called prayasa. The jnanis’ scholarship for the purpose of wrangling over scripture, the karmis’ fondness for pious activities, and the anyabhilasis’ talk of sense gratification are called prajalpa. Eagerness to follow regulations from the scriptures about jnan meant for the attainment of liberation, attachment to the regulations of the scriptures for rituals meant for the attainment of urine-like enjoyment in this world, and establishing, like utilitarians, adherence to regulations suited to one’s own situation meant for the attainment of temporary happiness are called niyamagraha. Indifference to regulations meant for the attainment of devotion, considering one’s own wayward behaviour to be love for Krishna, and holding one’s own condemnable condition in high regard are also niyamagraha.
sruti-smrti-puranadi-pancharatra-vidhim vina
aikantiki harer bhaktir utpatayaiva kalpate
[«Resolute devotion to the Lord devoid of the guidance given in the Srutis, Smrtis, Puranas, and Pancharatras produces only misfortune.»]
mana tore bali e varata
apakka vayase haya vanchita vanchaka paya
vikaile nija-svatantrata
O mind, I tell you this message: at an unripe age, alas, you were cheated by cheaters, and you sold them your independence.
sampradaye dosa-buddhi jani’ tumi atma-suddhi
karibare ha-ile savadhana
na nile tilaka-mala tyajile diksara jvala
nije kaile navina-vidhana [2]
Considering the system faulty, you have become concerned with purifying yourself. You do not wear tilak or a mala. You have given up the ‘pain’ of initiation and made a new method for yourself.
purva-mate tali diya nija-mata prachariya
nije avatara buddhi dhari’
vratachara na manile purva-patha jale dile
mahajane bhrama drsti kari’ [3]
Applauding your previous ideas, you have preached your own conception and considered yourself an Avatar. You have not observed rites or the codes of conduct. Seeing mistakes in the great souls, you have thrown the previous path in the water.
pho̐ta diksa mala dhari’ dhurta kare suchaturi
tai tahe tomara viraga
mahajana-pathe dosa dekhiya tomara rosa
patha prati chhada anuraga [4]
Because scoundrels accept tilak, initiation, and a mala and behave deceitfully, you have disdain for these things. Seeing faults in the path of the great souls, you have become angry and given up attachment to it.
ekhana dekhaha bhai svarna chhadi’ laile chhai
ihakala parakala yaya
kapata balila sabe bhakati va pele kabe
dehante va ki habe upaya [5]
Now look, brother! If you reject gold and collect ashes, your present and future will be ruined. You say everyone is deceitful, but when will you attain devotion? At death, what will be your means of deliverance?
ki ara baliba tore mana
mukhe bala prema prema vastutah tyajiya hema
sunya-granthi anchale bandhana [1]
O mind, what more shall I say to you? You say aloud, «Prema prema», but in reality you reject gold and tie an empty knot in your cloth (you think and show that you have prema but in fact you do not).
abhyasiya asru-pata lampha jhampha akasmat
murchchha-praya thakaha padiya
e loka vanchite ranga prachariya asat-sanga
kamini-kanchana labha giya [2]
You practise shedding tears, jumping about, and fainting on cue. Performing this act to cheat people, you acquire women, wealth, and bad association.
premera sadhana bhakti tate naila anurakti’
suddha prema kemane milibe?
dasa-aparadha tyaji’ nirantara nama bhaji’
krpa hale suprema paibe [3]
O mind, the means to attain divine love is devotion. If you have no attachment to that, how will you attain pure divine love? When you avoid the ten offences, constantly serve the Name, and receive mercy, then you will attain true divine love.
na manile subhajana sadhu-sange sankirtana
na karile nirjane smarana
na uthiya vrksopari tanatani phala dhari’
dusta-phala karile arjana [4]
If you do not follow the proper practice — engaging in chanting in the association of the sadhus — and do not remember the Lord while in solitude — if you do not climb the tree and pick its fruits — then you will only get rotten fruit.
akaitava krsna-prema yena suvimala hema
ei phala nrloke durlabha
kaitave vanchana matra hao age yogya-patra
tabe prema haibe sulabha [5]
Genuine divine love for Krishna, like pure gold, is very rarely found in human society. By deceiving others, you simply cheat yourself. First become a fit recipient. Then you will easily attain divine love for Krishna.
kame preme dekha bhai laksanete bheda nai
tabu kama prema nahi haya
tumi ta varile kama mithya tahe prema-nama
aropile kise subha haya [6]
Brother, look! There is no difference between the appearances of lust and love, yet lust is never love. If you choose lust and falsely consider it love, how will you attain good fortune?
kena mana kamere nachao prema-praya ?
charma-mamsa-maya kama jada-sukha avirama
jada-visayete sada dhaya [1]
O mind, why does lust make you dance as though you have divine love? Lust — constant desire for material happiness — is based on flesh and blood. Under its influence, you constantly run after material objects.
jivera svarupa dharma chit-svarupe prema-marma
tahara visaya matra hari
kama-avarane haya prema ebe supta-praya
prema jagao kama dura kari’ [2]
The soul’s natural function, in its spiritual form, is in essence divine love, and its sole object is the Lord. Alas! Covered by lust, that love is now nearly asleep. So, awaken that love and drive lust away!
sraddha haite sadhu-sange bhajanera kriya range
nistha-ruchi-asakti udaya
asakti ha-ite bhava tahe prema pradurbhava
ei krame prema upajaya [3]
From faith, association with sadhus, and the practice of devotion, constancy, taste, and attachment develop. From attachment, ecstasy and divine love manifest. Divine love develops in these stages.
ihate yatana yara sei paya prema-sara
krama-tyage prema nahi jage
e krama sadhane bhaya kena kara durasaya
kame prema kabhu nahi lage [4]
Those who adhere to these stages attain true divine love; divine love does not develop by rejecting them. O mind, why do you fear these stages of practice and behave wickedly? Divine love never manifests from lust.
natakabhinaya praya sa-kapata prema bhaya
tahe matra indriya-santosa
indriya-tosana chhara sada kara parihara
chhada bhai aparadha-dosa [5]
Like the make-believe of an actor, your deceitful show of divine love is simply gross sense gratification. Give it up forever! Brother, give up your sins and offences.
The association of impersonalist jnanis who are seekers of liberation, the association of karmis who seek the fruits of their actions, and the association of anyabhilasis who seek immediate sense gratification are called jana-sanga. When we attain the association of souls surrendered to the Lord, the association of these materialists will leave us of its own accord. Desires for liberation and enjoyment, and all inclinations to pursue worldly sense pleasure are called laulya. Atyahara, prayasa, prajalpa, niyamagraha, jana-sanga, and laulya — our propensity for subservience to Krishna is lost because of these six propensities. In the illusory environment, we develop the desire to become a master, and even our ability to understand that devotion to Krishna is supreme is destroyed. When we use these six propensities for Krishna, we develop devotion, but otherwise, when we apply them to things other than Krishna, we fall from the path of devotion.
Bhajana-lalasa
hari he!
arthera sanchaye visaya-prayase
ana-katha-prajalpane
ana-adhikara niyama-agrahe
asat-sanga-samghatane [1]
asthira siddhante rahinu majiya
hari-bhakti raila dure
e hrdaye matra para-himsa mada
pratistha, sathata sphure [2]
O Lord! Accumulating wealth, endeavouring for worldly ends, discussing topics unrelated to You, following rules meant for persons in other stages, associating with non-devotees, and being fickle-minded — I have remained absorbed in these faults, and devotion to You has remained far away from me. Only vengefulness, pride, desire for prestige, and deceit arise in my heart.
e saba agraha chhadite narinu
apana dosete mari
janama viphala ha-ila amara
ekhana ki kari hari [3]
I have not been able to abandon any of these attachments, and I now die because my own faults. My birth has become useless. What should I do now, O Lord?
ami ta’ patita patita-pavana
tomara pavitra nama
se sambandha dhari’ tomara charane
sarana la-inu hama [4]
I am fallen, but Your pure Name is the purifier of the fallen. Embracing this relationship, I have taken shelter at Your feet.