Chapter 6. The Journey of the Soul
জীব ও কৃষ্ণ
jiva o krsna
The soul and Krsna
চিৎকণ জীব, কৃষ্ণ চিন্ময় ভাস্কর ।
নিত্যকৃষ্ণ দেখি’ কৃষ্ণে করেন আদর ॥১॥
chit-kaṇa jīva, kṛṣṇa chinmaya bhāskara
nitya-kṛṣṇa dekhi’ kṛṣṇe karena ādara [1]
jiva–The soul [is] chit-kana–a spiritual spark, [and] krsna–Krsna [is] chinmaya bhaskara–the spiritual sun. dekhi’–Seeing nitya-krsna–eternal Krsna, adara karena–the soul adores krsne–Krsna. [1]
Translation:
The soul is a spiritual spark, and Krsna is the spiritual sun. Seeing eternal Krsna, the soul adores Him.
মায়াগ্রস্ত জীব
maya-grasta jiva
The soul bound by Maya
কৃষ্ণ-বহির্ম্মুখ হঞা ভোগ বাঞ্ছা করে ।
নিকটস্থ মায়া তারে জাপটিয়া ধরে ॥২॥
kṛṣṇa-bahirmukha hañā bhoga vāñchhā kare
nikaṭastha māyā tāre jāpaṭiyā dhare [2]
[When] hana–souls become krsna-bahirmukha–averse to Krsna [and] vanchha kare–desire bhoga–enjoyment, nikatastha–nearby maya–Maya japatiya dhare–seizes tare–them. [2]
Translation:
When souls become averse to Krsna and desire enjoyment, nearby Maya seizes them.
পিশাচী পাইলে যেন মতিচ্ছন্ন হয় ।
মায়াগ্রস্ত জীবের হয় সে ভাব উদয় ॥৩॥
piśachī pāile yena mati-chchhanna haya
māyā-grasta jīvera haya se bhāva udaya [3]
pisachi paile–When someone is possessed by a ghost, haya–they become mati-chchhanna–bewildered. se bhava–This condition yena–similarly jivera udaya haya–overtakes souls maya-grasta–bound by Maya. [3]
Translation:
When someone is possessed by a ghost, they become bewildered. This condition overtakes souls bound by Maya.
«আমি নিত্য কৃষ্ণদাস» এই কথা ভুলে
মায়ার নফর হঞা চিরদিন বুলে ॥৪॥
«āmi nitya kṛṣṇa-dāsa» ei kathā bhule
māyāra naphara hañā chira-dina bule [4]
«ami–I [am] nitya krsna-dasa»–an eternal servant of Krsna.» bhule–Forgetting ei–this katha–principle, hana–souls become naphara–slaves mayara–of Maya [and] bule–wander chira-dina–indefinitely. [4]
Translation:
Forgetting, «I am an eternal servant of Krsna», souls become slaves of Maya and wander indefinitely.
কভু রাজা কভু প্রজা কভু বিপ্র শূদ্র ।
কভু দুঃখী কভু সুখী কভু কীট ক্ষুদ্র ॥৫॥
kabhu rājā kabhu prajā kabhu vipra śūdra
kabhu duḥkhī kabhu sukhī kabhu kīṭa kṣudra [5]
[They are] kabhu–sometimes raja–kings, [and] kabhu–sometimes praja–subjects; kabhu–sometimes vipra–brahmans, [and] kabhu–sometimes sudra–sudras; kabhu–sometimes duhkhi–sad, kabhu–sometimes sukhi–happy, [and sometimes] kita ksudra–insignificant ants. [5]
Translation:
They are sometimes kings, and sometimes subjects; sometimes brahmans, and sometimes sudras; sometimes sad, sometimes happy, and sometimes insignificant ants.
কভু স্বর্গে, কভু মর্ত্ত্যে, নরকে বা কভু ।
কভু দেব, কভু দৈত্য, কভু দাস প্রভু ॥৬॥
kabhu svarge, kabhu martye, narake vā kabhu
kabhu deva, kabhu daitya, kabhu dāsa prabhu [6]
[They are] kabhu–sometimes svarge–in heaven, kabhu–sometimes martye–on earth, kabhu va–and sometimes narake–in hell; kabhu–sometimes deva–gods, [and] kabhu–sometimes daitya–demons; kabhu–sometimes dasa–servants, [and sometimes] prabhu–masters. [6]
Translation:
They are sometimes in heaven, sometimes on earth, and sometimes in hell; sometimes gods, and sometimes demons; sometimes servants, and sometimes masters.
সাধুসঙ্গে নিস্তার
sadhu-sange nistara
Liberation through the association of the sadhus
এইরূপে সংসার ভ্রমিতে কোন জন ।
সাধুসঙ্গে নিজতত্ত্ব অবগত হন ॥৭॥
ei-rūpe saṁsāra bhramite kona jana
sādhu-saṅge nija-tattva avagata hana [7]
bhramite–While wandering samsara–throughout the world ei-rupe–in this way, kona–some jana–souls hana–become avagata–aware nija-tattva–of their true nature sadhu-sange–through association with the sadhus. [7]
Translation:
While wandering throughout samsara in this way, some souls become aware of their true nature by associating with the sadhus.
নিজতত্ত্ব জানি’ আর সংসার না চায় ।
«কেন বা ভজিনু মায়া» করে হায় হায় ॥৮॥
nija-tattva jāni’ āra saṁsāra nā chāya
«kena vā bhajinu māyā» kare hāya hāya [8]
jani’–Understanding nija-tattva–their true nature, ara chaya na–they no longer desire samsara–the world, [and] haya haya kare–lament,«kena va–«Why bhajinu–have I been serving maya»–Maya?» [8]
Translation:
Understanding their true nature, they no longer desire samsara, and lament, «Why have I been serving Maya?»
কেঁদে বলে, «ওহে কৃষ্ণ আমি তব দাস ।
তোমার চরণ ছাড়ি’ হৈল সর্ব্ব নাশ» ॥৯॥
ke̐de bale, «ohe kṛṣṇa āmi tava dāsa
tomāra charaṇa chhāḍi’ haila sarva-nāśa» [9]
ke̐de–Crying, bale–they say, «ohe–O krsna–Krsna! ami–I [am] tava–Your dasa–servant, [but] chhadi’–I have left tomara–Your charana–feet [and] sarva-nasa haila»–became utterly ruined. [9]
Translation:
Crying, they say, «O Krsna! I am Your servant, but I have left Your feet and become utterly ruined.»
কৃপা করি’ কৃষ্ণ তারে ছাড়ান সংসার ।
কাকুতি করিয়া কৃষ্ণে যদি ডাকে একবার ॥১০॥
kṛpā kari’ kṛṣṇa tāre chhāḍāna saṁsāra
kākuti kariyā kṛṣṇe yadi ḍāke eka-bāra [10]
krsna–Krsna krpa kari’–mercifully tare chhadana–causes them to leave samsara–the world yadi–if kakuti kariya–they earnestly [even] eka-bara–once dake–call out krsne–to Krsna. [10]
Translation:
Krsna mercifully frees souls from samsara if they even once earnestly call out to Him.
মায়াকে পিছনে রাখি’ কৃষ্ণপানে চায় ।
ভজিতে ভজিতে কৃষ্ণপাদপদ্ম পায় ॥১১॥
māyāke pichhane rākhi’ kṛṣṇa-pāne chāya
bhajite bhajite kṛṣṇa-pāda-padma pāya [11]
mayake pichhane rakhi’–Leaving Maya behind, chaya–souls hanker krsna-pane–for Krsna, [and] bhajite bhajite–by continuously serving [Krsna,] paya–they reach krsna-pada-padma–Krsna’s lotus feet. [11]
Translation:
Leaving Maya behind, souls hanker for Krsna, and by continuously serving Krsna, they reach His lotus feet.
কৃষ্ণ তারে দেন নিজ চিচ্ছক্তির বল ।
মায়া আকর্ষণ ছাড়ে হইয়া দুর্ব্বল ॥১২॥
kṛṣṇa tāre dena nija chich-chhaktira bala
māyā ākarṣaṇa chhāḍe ha-iyā durbala [12]
krsna–Krsna dena–gives tare–them nija chich-chhaktira bala–the power of His spiritual energy, [and] maya–Maya, durbala ha-iya–becoming powerless, chhade–stops akarsana–attracting [them]. [12]
Translation:
Krsna gives them His spiritual power, and Maya, becoming powerless, stops attracting them.
সাধুসঙ্গে কৃষ্ণনামে — এই মাত্র চাই ।
সংসার জিনিতে আর কোন বস্তু নাই ॥১৩॥
sādhu-saṅge kṛṣṇa-nāma — ei mātra chāi
saṁsāra jinite āra kona vastu nāi [13]
chai–I want matra–only ei–this: [to chant] krsna-nama–the Name of Krsna sadhu-sange–in the association of the sadhus. ara kona vastu nai–There is no other way jinite–to conquer samsara–the world. [13]
Translation:
I want only to chant the Name of Krsna in the association of the sadhus — there is no other way to conquer samsara.
সকল ভরসা ছাড়ি’ গোরাপদে আশ ।
করিয়া বসিয়া আছে জগাই গোরার দাস ॥১৪॥
sakala bharasā chhāḍi’ gorā-pade āśa
kariyā basiyā āchhe jagāi gorāra dāsa [14]
chhadi’–Giving up sakala–all [other] bharasa–prospects, gorara–Gora’s dasa–servant jagai–Jagai basiya achhe–sits asa kariya–hopefully gora-pade–at Gora’s feet. [14]
Translation:
Giving up all other prospects, Gora’s servant Jagai sits hopefully at Gora’s feet.