sasara-aranya-upama shri-advaita-mahatmyam

The Material World Compared to a Forest,

and the Glories of Shri Advaita

  

 athapara-dine tatradvaitacaryo maha-yashah

 navadvipe samayato / dratu vishvambhareshvaram 1

   atha - then; apara-dine - on the next day; tatra - there; advaita-acaryah; maha-yashah - of high renown; navadvipe - in Navadvipa; samayatah - came; dratum - to see; vishvambhara; ishvaram - the Supreme Lord.

  Then on the next day, the widely renowned personality Shri Advaita _carya came to Navadvipa to see Lord Vishvambhara.

 snana ktvarcayitvesha / sa yavad gacchatishvarah

 dratu tavat sa bhagavan / shrivasasyashrame vasan 2

   snanam - bath; ktva - having done; arcayitva - having worshipped; isham - the Lord; sah - he; yavat - so long; gacchati - he goes; ishvarah - the Supreme Lord; dratum - to see; tavat - that long; sah - he; bhagavan - the Lord; shrivasasya - of Shrivasa; ashrame - in the spiritual shelter; vasan - residing.

  After taking bath and performing worship of His Shalagrama-shila, Shri Advaita went to see Mahaprabhu. And as long as He was in Navadvipa, He resided in Shrivasa hakura's ashrama

 pupaika nyasya dandagre / provaca sa-smitananah

 gada-puja kta hy ea / maya dutasya shasanam 3

 kariyamy anaya nitya / mad-bhakta-dveinah sada

 bhakta eva sada mahya / pranadhiko na sashayah 4

   pupa-ekam - one flower; nyasya - inserting; danda-agre - on the tip of the staff; provaca - He declared; sa-smita-ananah - with a smiling face; gada-puja - worship of the club; kta - performed; hi - certainly; ea - this; maya - by Me; dutasya - of the rogue; shasanam - chastisement; kariyami - I shall; anaya - with this; nityam - always; mat-bhakta-dveinah - of he who is hateful to My devotee; sada - always; bhaktah - devotee; eva - surely; sada - always; mahyam - to Me; prana-adhikah - more than My life; na - no; sashayah - doubt.

  Placing a flower on the end of His staff, the son of Shaci spoke with a smiling face, "Thus I have performed worship of My club. With this club, I shall always chastise the wicked who are hateful to my devotee. Without doubt, My devotee is more dear to Me than My very life.

 eko 'sti duto mad-bhakta-dveina kuta-roginam

 ktva ta punar evaha / paishaca-narakashrayam 5

   ekah - one; asti - there is; dutah - the wicked; mat-bhakta - My devotee; dveinam - enemy; kuta-roginam - a man stricken with leprosy; ktva - having done; tam - him; punah - again; eva - surely; aham - I; paishaca-naraka - infernal hell; ashrayam - entrance.

  "There is presently a man who is inimical to my devotees. I have already afflicted him with leprosy, and in the future I shall force him to enter the hells where the demonic stay.

 kariyamy acira kala / satyam etan mayoditam

 nashayiyami tac chiyan / vidhasye vid-bhujan aham 6

   kariyami - I shall do; aciram - before long; kalam - time; satyam - truly; etat - this; maya - by Me; uditam - spoken; nashayiyami - I shall destroy; tat - that person; shiyan - disciples; vidhasye - I shall place; vid-bhujan - the stool-eaters; aham - I.

   "This I shall do before long. I am speaking the truth. I shall destroy that man and his followers, turning them into swine who eat stool.

 vana prayatum icchami / tad atraiva mahad vanam

 vyaghrasya sadshah kecit / kecit paana-sannibhah 7

   vanam - forest; prayatum - to set forth; icchami - I desire; tat - that; tatra - there; eva - indeed; mahat - great; vanam - forest; vyaghrasya - of the tiger; sadshah - like; kecit - some; kecit - some; paana-sannibhah - like stones.

  "I desired to set forth for the forest, yet this very place is indeed like a great forest. Some men resemble tigers while others are like stones.

 vkana sannibhah kecit / kecit tna-nibha narah

 pashuna sannibhah kecit / teneda su-mahad vanam 8

   vkanam - of the trees; sannibhah - like; kecit - some; kecit - some; tna-nibhah - like grasses; narah - men; pashunam - of animals; sannibhah - like; kecit - some; tena - by this; idam - this; su-mahat - very great; vanam - forest.

  "Some men resemble trees, and others are like grasses. Some resemble animals. By this analogy, the material world can be perceived to be a very great forest.

 shri-kna-caranambhoja-madhu-pana-rata hi ye

 te manuja samakhyatah / sarvva-jivopakarinah 9

   shri-kna - the all-attractive; carana-ambhoja - lotus feet; madhu-pana - rata - attached; hi - certainly; ye - who; te - they; manuja - men; samakhyatah - renowned; sarva-jiva - all living entities; upakarinah - benefactors.

  "But men who are attached to drinking the honey of Shri Krishna's lotus feet are to be celebrated as the benefactors of all these kinds of living beings.

 advaitacaryya-varyo 'tra / samayata iti shrutam

 katha nayati yatraste / tatra gacchamahe vayam 10

   advaitacarya - the incarnation of a devotee; varya - the excellent devotee; atra - here; samayata - arrived; iti - thus; shrutam - heard; katham - how?; na - not; ayati - he is coming; yatra - where; aste - he is staying; tatra - there; gacchamahe - we are going; vayam - we.

  "We have heard that the great devotee Advaita _carya has arrived. But why hasn't He come here? We should go to the place where He is staying."

 etasmin samaye tatracaryya svayam upagata

 upayana samadaya / tat-pada-padma-sannidhau 11

   etasmin - at this; samaye - time; tatra - there; acarya - Shri Advaita; svayam - Himself; upagata - arrived; upayanam - presents; samadaya - giving; tat-pada-padma - the lotus feet of the Lord; sannidhau - near.

 

  At that moment, the _carya Himself arrived there and presented gifts at the lotus feet of the Lord.

 tad dattva dandavad bhumau / nipapata tada prabhuh

 kare ghitva ta praha / tvad-artho 'ham ihagatah 12

   tat - that; dattva - giving; danda-vat - like a stick; bhumau - on the ground; nipapata - throwing down; tada - then; prabhuh - the Master; kare - in the hand; ghitva - taking; tam - Him; praha - declared; tvat-arthah - for Your desire; aham - I; iha - in this world; agatah - came.

  After presenting those gifts, He fell flat to the ground before Gaura Kna. Taking Him by the hand, Prabhu said, "It is on account of Your desire that I have come to this world."

 ity uktva harayitva / tat khataya samupavishat

 ajnaya tasya devasyadvaitacaryo nanartta ha 13

   iti - thus; uktva - saying; harayitva - exulted; tat - that; khatayam - on a cot; samupavishat - sat down; ajnaya - by the order; tasya - His; devasya - of the Lord; advaita-acaryah - the avatara of a devotee; nanarta - danced; ha - indeed.

  After He had thus spoken and given great joy to Shri Advaita, Shri Gauranga sat down on a cot. Then by the order of the Lord, the _carya began to dance.

 tad dtva bhagavan pritas / ta praha tava balakah

 ete ma prarthayanty eva / prema-bhakti su-durlabham 14

   tat - that; dtva - seeing; bhagavan - the illustrious Lord; pritah - pleased; tam - Him; praha - said; tava - Your; balakah - boys; ete - these; mam - Me; prarthayanti - will long for; eva - surely; prema-bhaktim - loving devotion; su-durlabham - very rare.

  Seeing that dancing, the illustrious Lord felt pleased and said to Him, "Your sons are praying to Me for the most rare gift of prema-bhakti.

 dasyami tvat-kte vatsa / tat shrutva hara-samplutah

 acaryyah praha bhagavan / ete te carananugah

 karunyalaya-vatsalyat / tava ki syat su-durlabham 15

   dasyami - I shall give; tvat-kte - for Your sake; vatsa - O dear one; tat - that; shrutva - hearing; hara-samplutah - immersed in joy; acaryah; praha - declared; bhagavan - O blessed Lord; ete - these; te - Your; carana-anugah - followers of the feet; karunya-alaya - the receptacle of mercy; vatsalyat - out of affection; tava - Your; kim - what?; syat - may be; su-durlabham - very difficult to obtain.

  "Dear one, for Your sake I shall bestow that gift on them." Hearing this, the _carya replied in great exultation, "O Bhagavan, these boys shall become servitors of Your feet. If they are recipients of affection from You, the vessel of kindness, then what can be difficult for them to achieve?"

 

 athopavitas te sarvve / parshvatas tasya cakrinah

 jyotsnatatya rajanya ca / punar aha maha-bhujah 16

   atha - then; upavitah - seated; te - they; sarve - all; parshvatah - to the side; tasya - of Him; cakrinah - of the bearer of the cakra; jyotsna-atatyam - in the diffused moonlight; rajanyam - in the night; ca - and; punah - again; aha - He said; maha-bhujah - great-armed.

  Next as everyone became seated in the bright moonlit night near the wielder of the cakra, the mighty-armed Lord spoke further:

 kamalako 'si me 'tiva / bhaktas tvat-kta eva hi

 samagato 'ham tva ntya-gitena su-sukhi bhava 17

   kamala-akah - lotus-eyed one (Advaita's former name); asi - You are; me - My; ativa - exceedingly; bhaktah - devotee; tvat-kte - for Your sake; eva - indeed; hi - surely; samagatah - come; aham - I; tvam - you; ntya-gitena - by dancing and singing; su-sukhi - very happy; bhava - be.

  "O Kamalaksha, lotus-eyed one, You are my supreme devotee. I have descended to earth on Your account. Now be happy by Your dancing and singing."

 tat shrutva bhagavad-vakya / shrimat-shrivasa-panditah

 uvaca madhurair vakyair / vinitas tat-padambuje 18

   tat - that; shrutva - hearing; bhagavat-vakyam - words of the Lord; shrimat-shrivasa-panditah; uvaca - said; madhuraih - sweet; vakyaih - with words; vinitah - humble; tat-pada-ambuje - at His lotus feet.

  Hearing the Lord's words, Shriman Shrivasa Panita humbly submitted in a mild tone at the His lotus feet:

 ki te 'sau bhagavad-bhaktah / karuneya tava prabho

 tat shrutva bhagavan kruddhas / ta nirbhartasyabhyabhaata 19

   kim - what; te - Your; asau - he; bhagavat-bhaktah - the devotee of the Lord; karuna - mercy; iyam - this; tava - Your; prabho - O Master; tat - that; shrutva - hearing; bhagavan - the Lord; kruddha - angry; tam - Him; nirbhartasya - rebuking; abhyabhaata - spoke.

  "How is He Your bhakta? This is only Your mercy, Prabhu." Hearing this, the all-opulent Lord angrily rebuked him, saying:

 kim uddhavas tathakruro / bhakto me 'tiva vatsalah

 acaryo 'ya tato nyunah / ki eva tva prabhaase 20

   kim - what?; uddhavah; tatha - also; akrurah - Krishna's uncle (not cruel); bhaktah - devotee; me - My; ativa - very; vatsalah - affectionate; acaryah - Shri Advaita; ayam - this; tatah - therefore; nyunah - inferior; kim - what?; evam - thus; tvam - you; prabhaase - you are saying.

  "Are Uddhava and Akrura not My very dear bhaktas? Is the _carya therefore inferior to them? Is this what you intend to say?

 ki va bharata-vare 'smin / acaryyasya samo 'parah

 varttate ko 'pi mad-bhakto / yasmad ajno dvijo bhavan 21

   kim va - whether?; bharata-vare - in the land of Bharata; asmin - in this; acaryasya - of the _carya; samah - equal; aparah - greater; vartate - existing; kah api - who indeed?; mat-bhaktah - My devotee; yasmat - than whom; ajnah - fool; dvijah - twice-born; bhavan - your honor.

  "Is there any one else in this land of Bharata equal to or greater than this _carya? O brahmana, you have now become a fool!"

 tat shrutva bhagavad-vakya / bhitya tuni babhuva ha 22

   tat - that; shrutva - hearing; bhagavat-vakyam - the words of the Lord; bhitya - by fear; tunim - silent; babhuva - he became; ha - indeed.

  Upon hearing these words of Bhagavan, Shrivasa became silent out of fear.

 tatah provaca bhagavan / adhyatma na kadacana

 bhavadbhih kutracid vapi / vaktavya yadi rocyate 23

   tatah - then; provaca - declared; bhagavan - the Lord; adhyatmam - the self; na kadacana - never; bhavadbhih - by yourselves; kutracit - anywhere; va api - whether?; vaktavyam - to be spoken; yadi - if; rocyate - it is pleasing.

  Then the Lord said, "Do you never discuss the science of the self amongst your good selves? Do you not find it pleasing?

 tada prema na datavyo / bhavadbhyah satyam eva hi 24

   tada - then; prema - love; na - not; datavyah - should be given; bhavadbhyah - to Your goodselves; satyam - truly; eva - surely; hi - indeed.

  "In that case, it is certainly better not to award prema to you. This is the truth."

 tat shrutva panditah praha / shrivaso jagad-ishvaram

 tatra me vismtir bhuyad / yathaha na vadami tat 25

   tat - that; shrutva - hearing; panditah - the scholar; praha - said; shrivasah - the pure devotee; jagat-ishvaram - to the universal Lord; tatra - there; me - my; vismtih - forgetfulness; bhuyat - it should be; yatha - so; aham - I; na - not; vadami - I say; tat - therefore.

  After hearing this, Shrivasa Panita replied to the jagad-ishvara. This forgetfulness of mine has been Your blessing on me, so that I may never again speak in that way."

 murarih praha bhagavann / adhyatma na vidamy aham

 ta praha devo janasi / kamalakat shruta hi tat 26

   murarih; praha - declared; bhagavan - O Lord; adhyatmam - the science of the self; na - not; vidami - I know; aham - I; tam - to him; praha - He said; devah - the Lord; janasi - you know; kamala-akat - from the lotus-eyed Advaita; shrutam - heard; hi - certainly; tat - that.

  Murari declared, "O Bhagavan, I do not know the science of the self." The Lord answered, "Indeed you do know, for you have heard it from Kamalaksha."

 iti sapadi nishamya deva-vakya / pramudita-manaso babhuvur aryyah

 hari-hara-pada-padma-sidhu-matta / nantur animia ivotsavadhyah 27

   iti - thus; sapadi - at the same instant; nishamya - hearing; deva-vakyam - the words of the Lord; pramudita-manasah - very elated heart; babhuvuh - they became; aryah - the noble persons; hari-hara - Lords Vishnu and Shiva (Vishvambhara and Advaita); pada-padma - lotus feet; sidhu-mattah - who were intoxicated by the nectar; nantu - They danced; animia - ceaselessly; iva - like; utsava - festival; adhyah - abounding.

  Hearing these words of the Lord, the hearts of the noble bhaktas at once became very elated. Becoming intoxicated by the nectar from Shri Shri Hari-Hara's lotus feet, they incessantly sang and danced as if participating in a flourishing festival.

   Thus ends the Sixth Sarga entitled "The Material World Compared to a Forest and the Glories of Shri Advaita," in the Second Prakrama of the great poem Shri Chaitanya Carita.