Mukunda-Mala Stotram
SÜTRA 22
TEXT
madana parihara sthitià
madéye
manasi mukunda-padäravinda-dhämni
hara-nayana-kåçänunä
kåço ’si
smarasi na cakra-paräkramaà
muräreù
SYNONYMS
madana—O Cupid; parihara—give up;
sthitim—your residence; madéye—my; manasi—in the mind; mukunda—of
Lord Mukunda; pada-aravinda—of the lotus feet; dhämni—which is the
abode; hara—of Lord Çiva; nayana—from the eye; kåçänunä—by
the fire; kåçaù—decimated; asi—you have become; smarasi
na—you do not remember; cakra—of the disc weapon; paräkramam—the powerful
capability; mura-areù—of the enemy of Mura.
TRANSLATION
O Cupid, abandon your residence
in my mind, which is now the home of Lord Mukunda’s lotus feet. You have
already been incinerated by Lord Çiva’s fiery glance, so why have
you forgotten the power of Lord Muräri’s disc?
PURPORT
This is a bold challenge to Cupid,
who can usually subdue everyone, including aspiring transcendentalists.
As Lord Kapila says to His mother, “Just try to understand the mighty strength
of My mäyä in the shape of a woman, who by the mere movement
of her eyebrows can keep even the greatest conquerors of the world under
her grip” (Bhäg. 3.31.38).
A devotee can challenge Kämadeva
(Cupid) in such a feisty way because devotees constantly meditate on Lord
Kåñëa, who destroys Cupid’s influence. Here King Kulaçekhara
is giving fair warning to Kämadeva to leave the king’s mind or risk
destruction for a second time. The reference here is to an incident in
which Kämadeva tried to shoot his arrows at Lord Çiva to arouse
lust in him. Lord Çiva retaliated by burning Kämadeva to ashes
with his glance. Kämadeva should have learned his lesson from that
incident. If not, King Kulaçekhara warns that Lord Kåñëa
will have no trouble destroying Kämadeva with His disc and freeing
His devotee’s mind of lust.
Kämadeva is also called Madana,
a name that means “one who attracts.” But Lord Kåñëa
is known as Madana-mohana, “the bewilderer of Cupid.” In other words, Kåñëa
is so transcendentally attractive that anyone who absorbs his mind in Him
will not be troubled by sex desire. Furthermore, Lord Kåñëa’s
consort, Çrématé Rädhäräëé,
is called Madana-mohana-mohiné because She alone can captivate even
Kåñëa.
In all the world’s religions, ascetics
have practiced renunciation, and Kämadeva always tests them and gives
them trouble. Often, despite one’s best attempts at purification, one thinks
of the opposite sex at the time of death. Then one has to come back in
the cycle of birth and death, to be again attracted and again suffer the
miseries of material life. Even the powerful mystic Viçvämitra
became a victim of the beauty of Menakä, united with her, and begot
Çakuntalä.
But the bhaktas have discovered
an infallible shelter from Cupid—absorption in the beauty of Kåñëa.
One who is captivated by the beauty of Kåñëa is not victimized
by lust. As Çré Yämunäcärya sings,
yad-avadhi mama cetaù
kåñëa-pädäravinde
nava-nava-rasa-dhämany udyataà
rantum äsét
tad-avadhi bata näré-saìgame
smaryamäne
bhavati mukha-vikäraù
suñöhu niñöhévanaà ca
“Since my mind has been engaged
in the service of the lotus feet of Lord Kåñëa and I
have been enjoying ever-new transcendental pleasure in that service, whenever
I think of sex with a woman my face at once turns from it, and I spit at
the thought.”
.
SÜTRA 23
TEXT
näthe dhätari
bhogi-bhoga-çayane näräyaëe mädhave
deve devaki-nandane sura-vare
cakräyudhe çärìgiëi
léläçeña-jagat-prapaïca-jaöhare
viçveçvare çrédhare
govinde kuru citta-våttim
acaläm anyais tu kià vartanaiù
SYNONYMS
näthe—on your master; dhätari—and
sustainer; bhogi—of the serpent (Ananta Çeña); bhoga—on the
body; çayane—who lies down; näräyaëe mädhave—known
as Näräyaëa and Mädhava; deve—the Supreme Lord; devaki-nandane—the
darling son of Devaké; sura-vare—the hero of the demigods; cakra-äyudhe—the
holder of the disc; çärì-giëi—the possessor of
the bow Çärìga; lélä—as a pastime; açeça—endless;
jagat—universes; prapaïca—manifestation; jaöhare—in the stomach;
viçva—of the universes; éçvare—the controller; çrédhare—the
Lord of Çré; govinde—on Lord Govinda; kuru—place; citta—of
your mind; våttim—the workings; acaläm—without deviation; anyaiù—other;
tu—conversely; kim—what is the use; vartanaiù—with engagements.
TRANSLATION
Think only of your master and
sustainer, the Supreme Lord, who is known as Näräyaëa and
Mädhava and who lies on the body of the serpent Ananta. He is the
darling son of Devaké, the hero of the demigods, and the Lord of
the cows, and He holds a conchshell and the bow Çärìga.
He is the husband of the goddess of fortune and the controller of all the
universes, which He manifests from His abdomen as a pastime. What will
you gain by thinking of anything else?
PURPORT
In previous verses King Kulaçekhara
has instructed his own mind to be fixed at the lotus feet of Kåñëa,
and now he instructs his readers to fix their minds on Him as well. He
gives some of the Lord’s innumerable names, which describe His qualities
and pastimes. Devotees are attracted to serving a specific aspect of the
Supreme Lord according to their specific rasa, or loving relationship with
Him. One may meditate on and serve any bona fide form of the Lord and derive
the same benefit of going back to Godhead. While passing away from the
world, Grandfather Bhéñma, who was in a chivalrous relationship
with Kåñëa, chanted prayers recalling that aspect of
the Lord. Praying that his mind would go unto Kåñëa,
he reviewed the Lord’s chivalrous pastimes in his mind: “May He, Lord Çré
Kåñëa, the Personality of Godhead, who awards salvation,
be my ultimate destination. On the battlefield He charged me, as if angry
because of the wounds dealt by my sharp arrows. His shield was scattered,
and His body was smeared with blood due to the wounds” (Bhäg. 1.9.38).
In this verse King Kulaçekhara
instructs us to attain samädhi, or ecstatic concentration on the Supreme.
Yogés try to achieve samädhi by perfecting the eightfold yoga
process, but this is very difficult. When Kåñëa recommended
this practice to Arjuna, he replied, “O Madhusüdana, the system of
yoga You have summarized appears impractical and unbearable to me, for
the mind is restless and unsteady.... [Controlling the mind] is more difficult
than controlling the wind” (Bg. 6.33–34).
By contrast, bhakti-yoga is so easy
that anyone can successfully practice it. A sincere soul who chants and
hears the holy names of Kåñëa, and also hears His pastimes
and qualities narrated by self-realized devotees, can progress to the highest
stages of concentration with an ease unknown to the followers of other
yoga processes.
Why does King Kulaçekhara
deem as worthless all activities except fixing the mind on Kåñëa?
Because all other acts and thoughts are temporary and thus lead to unending
entanglement in material misery. As Çréla Prabhupäda
writes in his Bhagavad-gétä commentary, “If one is not in Kåñëa
consciousness, there cannot be a final goal for the mind.” By the tricks
of fate and the inexorable workings of karma, what appears auspicious and
happy one moment may turn into tragedy the next. Like the Supreme Lord,
the soul is sac-cid-änanda-vigraha (eternal and full of bliss and
knowledge), and as such he can be fully satisfied only when he unites in
bhakti with the Lord. We should join with Bhéñmadeva in praying,
“May His lotus feet always remain the objects of my attraction.”
MM 24
SÜTRA 24
TEXT
mä dräkñaà
kñéëa-puëyän kñaëam api bhavato
bhakti-hénän padäbje
mä çrauñaà
çrävya-bandhaà tava caritam apäsyänyad äkhyäna-jätam
mä smärñaà
mädhava tväm api bhuvana-pate cetasäpahnuvänän
mä bhüvaà tvat-saparyä-vyatikara-rahito
janma-janmäntare ’pi
SYNONYMS
mä dräkñam—may
I not look at; kñéëa—depleted; puëyän—whose
credit of piety; kñaëam—a moment; api—even; bhavataù—Your;
bhakti—devotion; hénän—devoid of; pada-abje—for the lotus feet;
mä çrauñam—may I not hear; çrävya—worth
hearing; bandham—compositions about which; tava—Your; caritam—pastimes;
apäsya—putting aside; anyat—other; äkhyäna—of narrations;
jätam—topics; mä çmärñam—may I not remember;
mädhava—O Mädhava; tväm—Your; api—indeed; bhuvana—of the
world; pate—O master; cetasä—mentally; apahnuvänän—those
who avoid; mä bhüvam—may I not become; tvat—Your; saparyä—for
the personal service; vyatikara—the opportunity; rahitaù—devoid
of; janma-janma-antare—in repeated rebirths; api—even.
TRANSLATION
O Mädhava, please do not
let me even glance at those whose pious credits are so depleted that they
have no devotion for Your lotus feet. Please do not let me be distracted
from listening to the worthy narrations of Your pastimes and become interested
in other topics. Please, O Lord of the universe, let me pay no attention
to those who avoid thinking of You. And let me never be unable to serve
You in some menial way, birth after birth.
PURPORT
Like other Vaiñëavas’
prayers, King Kulaçekhara’s are characterized by single-minded intensity.
A critic might say his attitude doesn’t embody the “golden mean” praised
in Greek wisdom. The critic might ask, “What’s wrong with sometimes serving
Kåñëa and sometimes enjoying yourself in sense gratification?
Why be so fanatical as to avoid even glancing at impious persons? And why
focus exclusively on the Deity of Lord Viñëu?” These questions
are not to be answered by reason alone. The devotee’s exclusive intensity
is dictated by love. It is unreasonable to ask someone in love to be interested
in something other than his beloved.
But kåñëa-bhakti
is not an ordinary lover’s madness. Çré Kåñëa
is the Absolute Truth, the source of supreme wisdom, and, as such, in the
Bhagavad-gétä He teaches single-minded devotion to Himself:
bhaktyä tv ananyayä çakya
aham evaà-vidho ’rjuna
jïätuà drañöuà
ca tattvena praveñöuà ca parantapa
“My dear Arjuna, only by undivided
devotional service can I be understood as I am, standing before you, and
can thus be seen directly. Only in this way can you enter into the mysteries
of My understanding” (Bg. 11.54). Furthermore, unlike ordinary, materialistic
“love,” one-pointed devotion to Kåñëa does not produce
indifference to everyone else besides one’s beloved. While in this verse
King Kulaçekhara expresses his valid wish to avoid the association
of nondevotees, out of compassion a pure devotee will “glance at” and “pay
attention to” nondevotees for the sake of preaching. When a devotee actually
becomes fully absorbed in Kåñëa, he sees the whole world
as the Lord’s creation and everything as part and parcel of His energies.
Through his exclusive devotion to the Lord, the devotee becomes a mahätmä,
a high-souled person who works for the benefit of all living beings by
reminding them of their connection with Kåñëa.
The stage of Kåñëa
consciousness King Kulaçekhara desires is not artificial but is
the original state of the living being. He is therefore calling out to
the Lord to invoke His mercy so that he can return to his original, undistracted,
blissful state of samädhi. In the conditioned state, souls are bewildered
by innumerable distractions in the name of necessities, sufferings, and
enjoyments, and so a devotee prays for the removal of these distractions.
The language of devotion may seem extreme to the distracted materialist,
but it is actually a prayer for a return to sanity and balance, a return
to eternal servitude by the eternal servant of the supreme master.
MM 25
SÜTRA 25
TEXT
maj-janmanaù phalam idaà
madhu-kaiöabhäre
mat-prärthanéya-mad-anugraha
eña eva
tvad-bhåtya-bhåtya-paricäraka-bhåtya-bhåtya-
bhåtyasya bhåtya
iti mäà smara loka-nätha
SYNONYMS
mat—my; janmanaù—of the birth;
phalam—the fruit; idam—this; madhu-kaiöabha-are—O enemy of Madhu and
Kaiöabha; mat—by me; prärthanéya—prayed for; mat—to me;
anugrahaù—mercy; eñaù—this; eva—certainly; tvat—Your;
bhåtya-bhåtya—of the servant’s servant; paricäraka—of
the servant; bhåtya-bhåtya-bhåtyasya—of the servant of
the servant of the servant; bhåtyaù—the servant; iti—so; mäm—me;
smara—think of; loka—of the world; nätha—O master.
TRANSLATION
O enemy of Madhu and Kaiöabha,
O Lord of the universe, the perfection of my life and the most cherished
mercy You could show me would be for You to consider me the servant of
the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant
of Your servant.
PURPORT
This verse is startling for its
repetition of the word “servant” seven times. One can almost picture all
the servants of the Lord whom Kulaçekhara wishes to serve. Direct
servants of Lord Kåñëa are Çrématé
Rädhäräëé or Lord Balaräma and other gopés
and cowherd boys. Some of the gopés and cowherd boys are assistants
to the direct servants. Among these assistants are the maïjarés,
who help Rädhäräëé serve Kåñëa
and who, according to Her, experience a happiness even greater than Hers.
The Vaiñëava spiritual masters, especially those in the mädhurya-rasa,
serve the gopés, and each spiritual master is being served by his
disciples. In the modern age Lord Kåñëa appeared as Lord
Caitanya, who was served directly by the six Gosvämés of Våndävana,
and these Gosvämés also took disciples, such as Kåñëadäsa
Kaviräja, who in turn accepted disciples—and His Divine Grace A. C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda is in the eleventh spiritual generation
of that Caitanya-sampradäya. So the phrase tvad-bhåtya-bhåtya-paricäraka-bhåtya-bhåtya-bhåtyasya
bhåtyaù is not only pleasing poetry, but it is an accurate
description of the paramparä: each devotee is serving a previous servant
of the Lord.
To consider oneself a servant of
all the Vaiñëavas and to put their foot-dust on one’s head
is not demeaning; it is the best way to please the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, Lord Kåñëa. Prahläda Mahäräja
told his father that unless one humbly serves the Vaiñëavas
and “bathes” in the dust of their lotus feet, one can never attain devotional
service to Kåñëa.
King Kulaçekhara says that
if the Lord grants this prayer it will be the display of His most cherished
mercy. But why does he ask to be so many times removed from direct service?
Why not ask simply to be the servant of the Lord? One reason is that the
Supreme Lord does not accept direct service without service to His servants.
As Kåñëa states in the Ädi Puräëa,
ye me bhakta-janäù pärtha
na me bhaktäç ca te janäù
mad bhaktänäà ca
ye bhaktäs te me bhaktatamäù matäù
“My dear Pärtha, those who
say they are My devotees are not My devotees, but those who claim to be
devotees of My devotees are actually My devotees.”
The pure devotee’s chief aim is
to please his worshipable Lord, and a wise Vaiñëava knows what
will please Him best—becoming the servant, many times removed, of the Lord’s
bona fide servants. It is because the servants of God are so dear to the
Lord that one can please Him best by pleasing them. Çréla
Prabhupäda compared the process to an ordinary person’s attempt to
please a very great man. Normally an ordinary man cannot even approach
the great man, but if by good fortune he is able to please the great man’s
pet dog, then he can quickly achieve the favor of the celebrated person.
Another reason a devotee wishes
to serve through other devotees is that he is naturally humble. He wants
to take that place below, rather than push himself forward. He wants to
serve all the devotees, or even worship the place where they have walked.
The genuine devotee does not rashly presume that he is a member of the
inner circle of the Lord’s most dear ones. Lord Caitanya has advised us
that if we really wish to chant the holy name constantly, we should consider
ourselves “lower that the straw in the street, devoid of all sense of false
prestige, and ready to offer all respects to others.” We should serve not
only recognized devotees but all living entities, by giving them Kåñëa
consciousness.
.
SÜTRA 26
TEXT
tattvaà bruväëäni
paraà parastän
madhu kñarantéva
mudävahäni
prävartaya präïjalir
asmi jihve
nämäni näräyaëa-gocaräëi
SYNONYMS
tattvam—the truth; bruväëäni—which
speak; param—supreme; parastät—beyond everything superior; madhu—honey;
kñaranti—dripping; iva—as if; mudä—joy; avahäni—bringing;
prävartaya—please recite; präïjaliù—with joined palms;
asmi—I am; jihve—O tongue; nämäni—the names; näräyaëa-gocaräëi—which
refer to Lord Näräyaëa.
TRANSLATION
My dear tongue, I stand before
you with joined palms and beg you to recite the names of Lord Näräyaëa.
These names describing the Supreme Absolute Truth bring great pleasure,
as if exuding honey.
PURPORT
At first our tongues may be unwilling
to chant the Lord’s names. Describing the neophyte chanter, Çréla
Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura states, “Some bear only the burden; others
appreciate the true worth of things.” Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé
also recognizes the plight of the beginner and encourages him to pursue
his chanting even though it seems dry and unpleasant: “The holy name, character,
pastimes, and activities of Kåñëa are all transcendentally
sweet like sugar candy. Although the tongue of one afflicted by the jaundice
of avidyä, ignorance, cannot taste anything sweet, it is wonderful
that if a person simply chants these sweet names carefully every day, a
natural relish awakens within his tongue, and his disease is gradually
destroyed at the root” (Nectar of Instruction 7).
We may also take heart in the example
of Nämäcärya Haridäsa Öhäkura. Although born
in a Muslim family, he received the mercy of the holy name and began to
chant Hare Kåñëa constantly. In this way he achieved
the highest perfection of love of Godhead. Indeed, he was such an exalted
devotee that Lord Caitanya Himself praised him “as if speaking with five
mouths.” We cannot imitate Haridäsa Öhäkura, but it is encouraging
to know that although one may be lowborn, one can overcome all obstacles
by the mercy of the holy name. Moreover, Haridäsa Öhäkura
always remained very humble and wanted to remain aware of his material
disqualifications. He therefore did not want to associate too intimately
with Lord Caitanya, and he did not attempt to enter the temple at Jagannätha
Puré. Cultivating humility in the mood of Haridäsa Öhäkura
is an absolute requirement for one who wishes to taste the nectar of the
holy name and to chant constantly.
The honey within the holy name is
remembrance of Kåñëa. That is why chanting the name brings
ecstasy. As Çréla Prabhupäda writes, “The more one chants
the names of Kåñëa, the more one becomes attached. Thus
service by çravaëa and kértana, hearing and chanting
about Kåñëa, is the beginning. The next process is smaraëa—always
remembering Kåñëa. When one is perfect in hearing and
chanting, he will always remember Kåñëa. In this third
stage he becomes the greatest yogé” (The Matchless Gift, p. 89).
Whether we are still at the beginning stage of bhakti, afflicted with avidyä,
or whether we are starting to appreciate “the true worth of things,” let
us all go on chanting the holy names of the Lord. And let us relish verses
from the authorized devotees who tell us of the honey in the holy name,
such as this one by Çréla Sanätana Gosvämé:
jayati jayati nämänanda-rüpaà
murärer
viramita-nija-dharma-dhyäna-püjädi-yatnam
katham api sakåd ättaà
mukti-daà präëinäà yat
paramam amåtam ekaà
jévanaà bhüñaëaà me
“All glories, all glories to
the all-blissful holy name of Çré Kåñëa,
which causes the devotee to give up all conventional religious duties,
meditation, and worship. When somehow or other uttered even once by a living
entity, the holy name awards him liberation. The holy name of Kåñëa
is the highest nectar. It is my very life and my only treasure” (Båhad-bhägavatämåta
1.9).
MM 27
SÜTRA 27
TEXT
namämi näräyaëa-päda-paìkajaà
karomi näräyaëa-püjanaà
sadä
vadämi näräyaëa-näma
nirmalaà
smarämi näräyaëa-tattvam
avyayam
SYNONYMS
namämi—I offer obeisances;
näräyaëa—of Lord Näräyaëa; päda-paìkajam—to
the lotus feet; karomi—I do; näräyaëa—of Lord Näräyaëa;
püjanam—worship; sadä—always; vadämi—I speak; näräyaëa—of
Lord Näräyaëa; näma—the name; nirmalam—free from contamination;
smarämi—I remember; näräyaëa—of Näräyaëa;
tattvam—truth; avyayam—infallible.
TRANSLATION
At every moment I bow down to
the lotus feet of Näräyaëa, I perform worship to Näräyaëa,
I recite the pure name of Näräyaëa, and I reflect on the
infallible truth of Näräyaëa.
PURPORT
One may wonder, Is this an exaggeration
or perhaps an expression of wishful thinking? The answer is no, this verse
describes the practical experience of King Kulaçekhara, a pure devotee.
Moreover, such absorption in various services to the Lord is possible not
only for King Kulaçekhara but for all sincere devotees. Such twenty-four-hour
engagement in the Lord’s service is rarely possible at once, but we can
take encouragement from Lord Kåñëa’s words in the Bhagavad-gétä
(12.9): “If you cannot fix your mind upon Me without deviation, then follow
the regulative principles of bhakti-yoga. In this way develop the desire
to attain to Me.”
King Kulaçekhara first states,
namämi: “I offer obeisances.” This refers to bowing down to the Lord
physically and mentally, thus praying to Him with one’s whole being to
be placed, as Lord Caitanya said, as “an atom at [His] lotus feet.” We
offer obeisances because we recognize the inconceivable greatness of the
Supreme Lord, and we beg for awareness of our own tinyness and dependence
on Him. In addition to following the regulative principles of devotional
service, we should take time regularly to go beyond the mechanical activity
of religious duties, beyond all the relative roles we may play with our
family and in our religious institution, and to try to recall that we are
actually eternal servants of the Supreme Lord and of all living beings.
The preacher of Kåñëa
consciousness should offer mental obeisances to the recipients of his message.
Lord Caitanya advised His followers, yäre dekha täre kaha kåñëa-upadeça:
“Impart Kåñëa’s teachings to whomever you meet” (Cc.
Madhya 7.128). By carrying out this order we offer humble obeisances to
the Lord within all living entities.
King Kulaçekhara says that
he recites the name of Näräyaëa at every moment. Çréla
Prabhupäda advised his followers to do the same: “In our Kåñëa
consciousness movement we are teaching our followers to chant the Hare
Kåñëa mantra continuously on beads. Even those who are
not accustomed to this practice are advised to chant at least sixteen rounds
on beads so they may be trained.... Sadä means ‘always.’ Haridäsa
Öhäkura says nirantara näma lao: ‘Chant the Hare Kåñëa
mantra without stopping’ ” (Cc. Antya 3.139, purport).
To chant all the time one has to
follow Lord Caitanya’s advice—to think oneself lower than the straw in
the street and offer all respects to others. In this way one combines reciting
the Lord’s names and offering obeisances. A person who does not offer respects
to God and all God’s creatures, who is proud of his material acquisitions,
cannot call upon the Lord sincerely. Even if he does occasionally chant
the Lord’s name, he does so with complacency. A devotee who realizes his
actual situation of dependence on Kåñëa calls on the
name of the Lord the way a child calls upon his mother. And as stated in
previous verses, such a chanter tastes unprecedented nectar in the holy
name.
King Kulaçekhara also reflects
on the infallible truth of Näräyaëa. The conclusion (siddhänta)
concerning the science of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is received
from the scriptures, from the guru, and from authorized sädhus. One
should regularly read and hear the Çrémad-Bhägavatam,
the Bhagavad-gétä, the Caitanya-caritämåta, and
similar Vaiñëava works, and one should also hear realized devotees
explain them. One who does so will eventually be able to see all events
in a Kåñëa conscious way. This is known as çästra-cakñur,
seeing the world with the vision gained through scriptural knowledge.
And so King Kulaçekhara has
offered four activities that should consume all our time without distraction:
offering obeisances to the Lord, worshiping Him, chanting His holy names,
and thinking of the conclusive truths concerning Him. These practices are
included in the ninefold process of devotional service Prahläda Mahäräja
describes in the Seventh Canto of the Çrémad-Bhägavatam
(7.5.23). So whether one performs the activities King Kulaçekhara
mentions here or adds the ones Prahläda Mahäräja recommends—praying,
worshiping the Deity, becoming the Lord’s friend, and so on—one can move
from one activity to another, from one thought to another, and yet stay
within the internal, spiritual energy of Lord Näräyaëa.
Such a fully Kåñëa conscious devotee will transfer at
the time of death to the spiritual world, where he will render further
services in the blissful company of the Lord and His intimate associates.
MM 28-29
SÜTRAS 28–29
TEXT
çré-nätha
näräyaëa väsudeva
çré-kåñëa
bhakta-priya cakra-päëe
çré-padmanäbhäcyuta
kaiöabhäre
çré-räma padmäkña
hare muräre
ananta vaikuëöha mukunda
kåñëa
govinda dämodara mädhaveti
vaktuà samartho ’pi na
vakti kaçcid
aho janänäà
vyasanäbhimukhyam
SYNONYMS
çré-nätha—O Lord
of the goddess of fortune; näräyaëa—O resort of all living
entities; väsudeva—O supreme proprietor; çré-kåñëa—O
Kåñëa, son of Devaké; bhakta—toward Your devotees;
priya—O You who are favorably disposed; cakra—the disc weapon; päëe—O
You who hold in Your hand; çré—divine; padma-näbha—O
You from whose navel grows a lotus; acyuta—O infallible Lord; kaiöabha-are—O
enemy of Kaiöabha, çré-räma—O blessed Räma;
padma-akña—O lotus-eyed one; hare—O remover of misfortune; mura-are—O
enemy of Mura; ananta—O limitless one; vaikuëöha—O Lord of the
spiritual kingdom; mukunda—O bestower of liberation; kåñëa—O
Kåñëa; govinda—O master of the cows; dämodara—O
You who were tied up as punishment by Your mother; mädhava—O Lord
of the supreme goddess; iti—thus; vaktum—to speak; samarthaù—able;
api—although; na vakti—one does not say; kaçcit—anything; aho—ah;
janänäm—of people; vyasana—toward a danger; äbhimukhyam—the
inclination.
TRANSLATION
O Çrénätha,
Näräyaëa, Väsudeva, divine Kåñëa,
O kind friend of Your devotees! O Cakrapäëi, Padmanäbha,
Acyuta, Kaiöabhäri, Räma, Padmäkña, Hari, Muräri!
O Ananta, Vaikuëöha, Mukunda, Kåñëa, Govinda,
Dämodara, Mädhava! Although all people can address You, still
they remain silent. Just see how eager they are for their own peril!
PURPORT
The Supreme Personality of Godhead
manifests innumerable inconceivable qualities, and to remember and glorify
these qualities His devotees address Him by innumerable names. The names
themselves are fully invested with the power of the Lord. As Lord Caitanya
states in His Çikñäñöaka (2), nämnäm
akäri bahudhä nija-sarva-çaktis taträrpitä niyamitaù
smaraëe na kälaù: “O my Lord, O Supreme Personality of
Godhead, in Your holy name there is all good fortune for the living entity,
and therefore You have many names, such as Kåñëa and
Govinda, by which You expand Yourself. You have invested all Your potencies
in those names, and there are no hard and fast rules for chanting them.”
Çré Yämunäcärya,
who appeared in the same sampradäya as King Kulaçekhara, composed
a verse lamenting that although the Lord is fully accessible by His many
names and qualities, the nondevotees do not approach Him, and thus they
bring about their own destruction. In Bhagavad-gétä (7.15),
Lord Kåñëa summarizes the types of persons who do not
surrender to Him:
na mäà duñkåtino
müòhäù prapadyante narädhamäù
mäyayäpahåta-jïänä
äsuraà bhävam äçritäù
“Those miscreants who are grossly
foolish, who are the lowest among mankind, whose knowledge is stolen by
illusion, and who partake of the atheistic nature of demons do not surrender
to Me.”
As His Divine Grace Çréla
Prabhupäda traveled worldwide spreading the Kåñëa
consciousness movement, he noted that most people could not understand
the simplest rudiments of transcendental knowledge. The first lesson of
spiritual knowledge is that the self is not the body but rather the soul,
and that therefore the soul is the truly important thing. But in Western
countries, even among the scholarly elite, people do not understand the
nature of the soul, and therefore they fail to understand the real mission
of human life—understanding God. One who cannot understand the soul cannot
understand God, for the soul is a minute particle of God, and failing to
understand the particle, one fails to understand the whole. Instead of
even trying to understand the spirit soul, most people ignore it or, even
worse, deny its existence entirely. And godless scientists encourage the
people in their ignorance by propounding the theory that life arises from
matter. Çréla Prabhupäda decried this atheistic theory
and exposed the fact that it could not be proved. Thus he said that civilized
countries, especially in the West, were living in a fool’s paradise.
King Kulaçekhara notes that
we ignore God and His many names and activities at our peril. This peril
is not only individual but collective. Materialists try to live in a technological
paradise, but the paradise is lost when war breaks out or other calamities
strike. Although Çréla Prabhupäda noted that fools become
angry when called fools, he never hesitated to boldly criticize the foolish
materialists in his books and lectures. But he didn’t simply criticize:
he offered the teachings and the example that can bring relief to the whole
world. He taught the members of his International Society for Krishna Consciousness
to live in a way that leaves ample time for spiritual advancement. The
Society is meant to be an example for the whole world, a community whose
members have reduced their problems and are simply interested living a
God-centered life.
Though the four kinds of unsurrendered
persons Kåñëa mentions in the Bhagavad-gétä
are not interested in surrendering to Him, the devotees continue their
efforts, satisfied to set the example their spiritual master has requested
and to help conditioned souls wherever possible.
MM 30
SÜTRA 30
TEXT
bhaktäpäya-bhujäìga-gäruòa-maëis
trailokya-rakñä-maëir
gopé-locana-cätakämbuda-maëiù
saundarya-mudrä-maëiù
yaù käntä-maëi-rukmiëé-ghana-kuca-dvandvaika-bhüñä-maëiù
çreyo deva-çikhä-maëir
diçatu no gopäla-cüòä-maëiù
SYNONYMS
bhakta—His devotees; apäya—who
takes away; bhuja-aìga—whose arms; gäruòa—riding on
the great bird Garuòa; maëiù—the jewel; trai-lokya—of
the three worlds; rakñä—for protection; maëiù—the
jewel; gopé—of the cowherd girls; locana—of the eyes; cätaka—for
the cätaka birds; ambuda—of clouds; maëiù—the jewel; saundarya—displaying
beauty; mudrä—of gestures; maëiù—the jewel; yaù—who;
käntä—of consorts; maëi—who is the jewel; rukmiëé—of
Rukmiëé; ghana—full; kuca-dvandva—of the two breasts; eka—the
one; bhüñä—decorative; maëiù—jewel; çreyaù—ultimate
benefit; deva—of the demigods; çikhä-maëiù—the
crown jewel; diçatu—may He grant; naù—to us; gopäla—of
cowherds; cüòä-maëiù—the crest jewel.
TRANSLATION
He is the jewel riding on the
back of Garuòa, who carries away the Lord’s devotees on his wings.
He is the magic jewel protecting the three worlds, the jewellike cloud
attracting the cätaka-bird eyes of the gopés, and the jewel
among all who gesture gracefully. He is the only jeweled ornament on the
ample breasts of Queen Rukmiëé, who is herself the jewel of
beloved consorts. May that crown jewel of all gods, the best of the cowherds,
grant us the supreme benediction.
PURPORT
In this verse King Kulaçekhara
gives us glimpses of Lord Kåñëa in some of His various
léläs. In each example, the Lord is described as maëi,
a jewel. Like a jewel, He is self-effulgent, very beautiful, and highly
valuable.
Without a jewel, a ring-setting
looks empty, and so without Kåñëa, Garuòa would
have no extraordinary importance, although he is a large and powerful bird.
Without Kåñëa, the gopés’ eyes would have no place
to rest and nothing to see, just as a cätaka bird remains restless
until it sees a rain-bearing and life-giving cloud. As Lord Caitanya says
in the mood of a gopé, “The whole world appears vacant without You.”
In the absence of Kåñëa, the gods would be without their
crest jewel, and their own value would fall away. Thus Lord Kåñëa
is the absolutely essential figure in His own lélä in the spiritual
world, as well as in all the operations of the material worlds. As He states
in the Bhagavad-gétä (7.7), “Everything rests upon Me, as pearls
are strung on a thread.”
When a soul misuses his free will,
he tries to become the center of existence and thinks he can do without
Kåñëa. This mistake is illustrated in the story of Saträjit,
who once possessed a wondrous jewel called Syamantaka, which he wore in
a locket around his neck. When Saträjit entered Dvärakä,
Kåñëa asked him to deliver the jewel to the king, Ugrasena.
But instead Saträjit installed the jewel in a temple, worshiped it,
and gained 170 pounds of gold daily. Because of his claim that the jewel
did not belong to Kåñëa, King Saträjit and his family
suffered in many ways. The king found peace only when he realized that
the Syamantaka should be given to the supreme jewel, Lord Kåñëa.
And so he gave both the jewel and his daughter, Satyabhämä, to
the Lord.
MM 31
SÜTRA 31
TEXT
çatru-cchedaika-mantraà
sakalam upaniñad-väkya-sampüjya-mantraà
saàsäroccheda-mantraà
samucita-tamasaù saìgha-niryäëa-mantram
sarvaiçvaryaika-mantraà
vyasana-bhujaga-sandañöa-santräëa-mantraà
jihve çré-kåñëa-mantraà
japa japa satataà janma-säphalya-mantram
SYNONYMS
çatru—enemies; cheda—for
destroying; eka—the only; mantram—mystic chant; sakalam—entire; upaniñat—of
the Upaniñads; väkya—by the words; sampüjya—worshiped;
mantram—the mystic chant; saàsära—the cycle of birth and death;
uccheda—which uproots; mantram—the mystic chant; samucita—accumulated;
tamasaù—of darkness; saìgha—the mass; niryäëa—for
driving away; mantram—the mystic chant; sarva—all; aiçvarya—for
opulence; eka—the only; mantram—mystic chant; vyasana—of material distress;
bhujaga—by the snake; sandañöa—for those who have been bitten;
santräëa—saving; mantram—the mystic chant; jihve—O my tongue;
çré-kåñëa—of Çré Kåñëa;
mantram—the mystic chant; japa japa—please repeatedly chant; satatam—always;
janma—of one’s birth; säphalya—for the success; mantram—the mystic
chant.
TRANSLATION
O tongue, please constantly chant
the mantra composed of Çré Kåñëa’s names.
This is the only mantra for destroying all enemies, the mantra worshiped
by every word of the Upaniñads, the mantra that uproots saàsära,
the mantra that drives away all the darkness of ignorance, the mantra for
attaining infinite opulence, the mantra for curing those bitten by the
poisonous snake of worldly distress, and the mantra for making one’s birth
in this world successful.
PURPORT
A mantra is a sound vibration that
delivers the mind from illusion. When a person chants a mantra consisting
of the Lord’s names, his mind is freed of distress and he comes to the
state of transcendental peace in God consciousness. Of all such mantras,
however, the one King Kulaçekhara recommends is a kåñëa-mantra—in
other words, one composed of Kåñëa’s names. One of these
is the Hare Kåñëa mahä-mantra, which Lord Caitanya
chanted and which the Upaniñads proclaim the best mantra for Kali-yuga:
hare kåñëa hare
kåñëa kåñëa kåñëa
hare hare
hare räma hare räma räma
räma hare hare
iti ñoòaçakaà
nämnäà kali-kalmaña-näçanam
nätaù parataropäyaù
sarva-vedeñu dåçyate
“Hare Kåñëa, Hare
Kåñëa, Kåñëa Kåñëa,
Hare Hare/ Hare Räma, Hare Räma, Räma Räma, Hare Hare.
These sixteen names composed of thirty-two syllables are the only means
of counteracting the evil effects of the Kali-yuga. After searching through
all the Vedic literature, one cannot find a method of religion for this
age so sublime as the chanting of the Hare Kåñëa mantra”
(Kali-santaraëa Upaniñad).
King Kulaçekhara declares
that the kåñëa-mantra destroys one’s enemies. We find
one confirmation of this in the story of Ajämila, who chanted the
name Näräyaëa and was protected from the agents of death.
Elsewhere the Çrémad-Bhägavatam states,
äpannaù saàsåtià
ghoräà yan-näma vivaço gåëan
tataù sadyo vimucyeta yad
bibheti svayaà bhayam
“Living beings who are entangled
in the complicated meshes of birth and death can be freed immediately by
even unconsciously chanting the holy name of Kåñëa, which
is feared by fear personified” (Bhäg. 1.1.14). Also, chanting the
holy name of Kåñëa destroys the six mental enemies: lust,
anger, greed, illusion, madness, and envy.
Next Kulaçekhara says that
the kåñëa-mantra is worshiped throughout the Upaniñads.
For the most part, the Upaniñads describe the personal form of the
Lord indirectly, yet they always point toward Kåñëa.
Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé reveals this inner meaning
of the Upaniñads in his Nämäñöaka (1):
nikhila-çruti-mauli-ratna-mäla-
dyuti-néräjita-päda-paìkajänta
ayi mukta-kulair upäsyamänäà
paritas tväà hari-näma
saàçrayämi
“O Hari-näma! The tips
of the toes of Your lotus feet are constantly being worshiped by the glowing
radiance emanating from the string of gems known as the Upaniñads,
the crown jewels of all the Vedas. You are eternally adored by liberated
souls such as Närada and Çukadeva. O Hari-näma! I take
complete shelter of You.”
The kåñëa-mantra
also uproots saàsära. Lord Caitanya confirms this in His Çikñäñöaka
(1), where He states, bhava-mahä-dävägni-nirväpanam:
“The congregational chanting of the Hare Kåñëa mantra
extinguishes the blazing fire of repeated birth and death.” The kåñëa-mantra
is also most effective for driving away the darkness of ignorance. As Lord
Caitanya says in the same verse, vidyä-vadhü-jévanam:
“Chanting Hare Kåñëa is the life and soul of transcendental
knowledge.” Also, the second verse of the Caitanya-caritämåta
compares Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityänanda, the foremost propagators
of the chanting of Kåñëa’s names, to the sun and moon:
“They have arisen simultaneously on the horizon of Gauòa [Bengal]
to dissipate the darkness of ignorance and thus wonderfully bestow benediction
upon all.” Elaborating on this point, Çréla Kåñëadäsa
Kaviräja informs us that the material sun and moon are able to dissipate
the darkness of the external world, “but these two brothers [Lord Caitanya
and Lord Nityänanda] dissipate the darkness of the inner core of the
heart and thus help one to meet the two kinds of bhägavatas [persons
or things related to the Supreme Personality of Godhead]” (Cc. Ädi
1.98).
King Kulaçekhara glorifies
the kåñëa-mantra as the bestower of infinite opulence.
The most valuable thing, even more valuable than the cintämaëi
stone of this world, is love of Godhead. “Simply chanting the Hare Kåñëa
mahä-mantra without offenses vanquishes all sinful activity. Thus
pure devotional service, which is the cause of love of Godhead, becomes
manifest” (Cc. Ädi 8.26).
King Kulaçekhara also praises
the kåñëa-mantra as a type of medicine that relieves
the suffering of those who have been bitten by the snake of material distress.
In Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura’s song Aruëodaya-kértana,
Lord Caitanya says to the people of the world, “I have brought the medicine
for destroying the illusion of Mäyä. Now pray for this hari-näma
mahä-mantra and take it.”
MM 32
Of the many hundreds of poetic Sanskrit stotras—songs
of glorification offered to the Supreme Lord, His devotees, and the holy
places of His pastimes—King Kulaçekhara’s Mukunda-mälä-stotra
is one of the most perennially famous. Some say that its author conceived
it as a garland (mälä) of verses offered for Lord Kåñëa’s
pleasure. It has long been dear to Vaiñëavas of all schools,
and our own spiritual master, Çréla A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Prabhupäda, frequently enjoyed citing certain favorite stanzas from
it.
King Kulaçekhara was part of the Çré-sampradäya,
the Vaiñëava school founded by Lord Viñëu’s divine
consort, Çré (Laxmidevi). This school’s most prominent representative,
Rämänuja Äcärya (eleventh century), built on the work
of his predecessors Nätha Muni and Yämuna Äcärya and
established the systematic philosophy of Çré Vaiñëavism.
But these äcäryas came in an already old tradition, that of the
ecstatic mystic poets called Älvärs. The twelve Älvärs
appeared at various times in South India, in the area roughly corresponding
to present-day Tamil Nadu. According to the tradition of the Çré
Vaiñëavas, the earliest Älvärs lived more than five
thousand years ago, at the start of the present age, Kali-yuga, while the
most recent lived in the first millennium A.D.
The Älvärs’ Tamil poetry was collected
in the Tiruväymoli, revered by Çré Vaiñëavas
as their own vernacular Veda. On the strength of the Tiruväymoli’s
devotional authority, the Çré Vaiñëavas claim
to follow Ubhaya-vedänta, the dual Vedänta philosophy founded
on both Sanskrit and Tamil scripture. Some Älvärs were atypical
renunciants: the third, Äëòäl, was a woman, and three
were involved in governing. Among these was the tenth Älvär,
Kulaçekhara Perumäl, who was a ruling king in the Cera dynasty
of Malainäòu, in what is now Kerala. Modern scholars say he
may have lived during the ninth century A.D.
A traditional history of King Kulaçekhara
states that once, as he slept in his palace quarters, he had a brilliant
and distinct vision of Lord Kåñëa. Upon awaking he fell
into a devotional trance and failed to notice dawn breaking. The royal
musicians and ministers came as usual to his door to wake him, but after
waiting some time without hearing him respond, they reluctantly took the
liberty of entering his room. The king came out of his trance and described
his vision to them, and from that day on he no longer took much interest
in ruling. He delegated most of his responsibilities to his ministers and
dedicated himself to rendering devotional service to the Lord. After some
years he abdicated the throne and went to Çré Raìgam,
where he remained in the association of the Kåñëa Deity
of Raìganätha and His many exalted devotees. At Çré
Raìgam Kulaçekhara is said to have composed his two great
works: the Mukunda-mälä-stotra, in Sanskrit; and 105 Tamil hymns,
which were later incorporated into the Tiruväymoli under the title
Perumäl-tirumoli.
As the other Älvärs do in their mystic
expressions, in his Perumäl-tirumoli King Kulaçekhara emulates
the roles of some of Lord Rämacandra’s and Lord Kåñëa’s
intimate devotees: King Daçaratha; two of the Lord’s mothers, Kauçalyä
and Devaké; and some of the young cowherd women of Våndävana.
But Mahäräja Kulaçekhara expresses no pride in realizing
such confidential devotional moods. On the contrary, with deep humility
he repeatedly begs simply to be allowed to take his next births as a bird,
fish, or flower in the place where Lord Kåñëa enacts
His pastimes, and in this way to enjoy the association of His devotees.
The Mukunda-mälä-stotra, although composed
in elegant Sanskrit, is a simple expression of King Kulaçekhara’s
devotion to Kåñëa and his eagerness to share his good
fortune with everyone else. Being thus a very public work, it does not
delve into intimate personal revelations or abstruse philosophical conundrums.
Like most other works of the stotra genre, it aims less at presenting a
plot than at vividly and honestly expressing the true feelings of a lover
of God. With this much we the readers should be completely satisfied, because
it is a rare opportunity for us when a devotee of King Kulaçekhara’s
stature opens his heart so freely—and in a way just appropriate for us,
with all our imperfections, to appreciate.
About the Present Edition
Using a Sanskrit edition published by Çréla
Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura in 1895, Çréla Prabhupäda
began translating the Mukunda-mälä-stotra in the late 1950’s.
But after completing six verses with commentary, he suspended it to work
on the Çrémad-Bhägavatam. He never resumed it. Yet he
clearly intended that the Mukunda-mälä be published, since he
included it in the list of his other English books at the beginning of
each of the three volumes of the Bhägavatam’s First Canto.
In 1989, the Governing Body Commission of
the International Society for Krishna Consciousness requested Satsvarüpa
däsa Goswami to complete the Mukunda-mälä-stotra. One of
Çréla Prabhupäda’s earliest disciples, Satsvarüpa
Goswami had distinguished himself over the years as one of his most learned
and literary followers. He had served as editor of Back to Godhead magazine—the
Society’s monthly journal—for most of the twenty-three years it had been
published in the West, and had written many books already, most notably
a six-volume biography of Çréla Prabhupäda.
Satsvarüpa Goswami accepted the assignment
and enlisted the help of Gopéparäëadhana däsa, the
Bhaktivedanta Book Trust’s Sanskrit editor, to translate the remaining
forty-seven verses. Then he carefully prepared the purports, often quoting
from Çréla Prabhupäda’s Bhagavad-gétä, Çrémad-Bhägavatam,
and other works. The result is a book that we trust will be informative
and enlivening to devotees, scholars, and laymen alike.