Bhaja Hu Re Mana Purport by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

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Purport Author: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

January 7, 1969 Los Angeles, CA, USA

Bhajahu re mana, sri-nanda-nandana-abhaya-caranaravindare. This is a song composed by Govinda dasa, a great poet and Vaisnava. He says, addressing his own mind Because mind is the center of all elevation. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said that if you have your mind controlled, then your mind is the best friend. But if your mind is uncontrolled, then he is your greatest enemy. So we are seeking after friend or enemy. So both of them are sitting with me. If we can utilize the friendship of the mind, then we are elevated to the highest perfectional stage. But if we create mind as my enemy, then my path to hell is clear. Therefore Govinda dasa Thakura, he is addressing his mind. The yogis try to control the mind by different gymnastic process. That is also approved. But it takes a long time, and sometimes there are failures. In most cases they are failures. Even a big yogi like Visvamitra, he also failed, what to speak of these teeny and nonsensical yogis.

So Govinda dasa advises that "You just engage your mind in Krsna consciousness. Then mind becomes automatically controlled.'' If the mind has no chance of being engaged in any other business except Krsna consciousness, then he cannot become my enemy. It is automatically my friend. That is the instruction in the Srimad-Bhagavatam: sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayoh [SB 9.4.18]. Lord, King Ambarisa, he first of all engaged his mind on the lotus feet of Krsna. So similarly, here also, Govinda dasa Thakura, he is asking his mind: "My dear mind, you just engage yourself to the lotus feet of abhaya-caranaravinda.'' Abhaya-caranaravinda. That is the name of the lotus feet of Krsna. Abhaya means fearless. If you take shelter of the lotus feet of Krsna then you immediately become fearless. So he advises "My dear mind, you just engage yourself on the service of the lotus feet of Govinda.'' Bhajahu re mana sri-nanda-nandana. He does not say "Govinda.'' He addresses Krsna as "the son of Nanda Maharaja.'' "Because that lotus feet is fearless, you will have no more any fear from the attack of maya." "Oh, I have got to enjoy so many things. How can I fix up my mind on the lotus feet of Krsna?'' Then Govinda dasa advises, "No, no.'' Durlabha manava-janma. "You don't waste your life in that way. This human form of life is very rare. Out of many, many thousands and millions of births, you have got this opportunity.'' Durlabha manava-janama sat-sange. "Therefore don't go anywhere. You just associate with pure devotees.'' Taraha ei bhava-sindhu re. "Then you shall be able to cross of the ocean of nescience.''

"Oh, if I engage my mind always in Krsna, then how I shall enjoy my family, my other paraphernalia?'' So Govinda dasa says, ei dhana yauvana. "You want to enjoy your wealth and your youthful ages,'' ei dhana yauvana, putra parijana, "and you want to enjoy the society of friendship, love and family, but I say,'' ithe ki ache paratiti re, "do you think that there is transcendental pleasure in these nonsense thing? No, there is none. It is simply illusion.'' Ei dhana yauvana, putra parijana, ithe ki ache paratiti re. Durlabha manava-janama sat-sange, taraha ei bhava sindhu re. Then again he says that sita atapa bata barisana ei dina jamini jagi 're, viphale sevinu krpana durajana capala sukha-laba lagi' re. Now Govinda dasa is reminding his mind: "You have experience of your material happiness. So material happiness means, the ultimate goal of material happiness is sex life. But don't you remember how long you can enjoy this sex life?" Capala. "Flickering. Say, for a few minutes or moment. That's all. But for that purpose you are working so hard?" Sita atapa. "Don't care for snowfall. Don't care for scorching heat. Don't care for torrents of rain. Don't care for keeping night duty. Whole day and night you are working. And what is the result? Simply for that flickering momentous enjoyment. Are you not ashamed of this?" So sita atapa, bata barisana, ei dina jamini jagi re. Dina means day, and jamini means night. So "Day and night, you are working so hard. Why?" Capala sukha-laba lagi' re. "Simply for that flickering happiness." Then he says, ei dhana yauvana, putra parijana, ithe ki ache paratiti re. "There is no happiness actually, eternal happiness, transcendental happiness, in enjoying this life, or this youthful age, or family, society. There is no happiness, no transcendental happiness." Therefore kamala-dala-jala, jivana talamala. "And you do not know how long you shall enjoy this life. Because it is tottering. You are on the tottering platform. Just like there is water on the lily leaf. It is tilting. At any moment it will fall down. So our life is tilting. At any moment it may collapse. We may meet, by chance, any danger, and finished. So don't waste life in that way.'' Bhajahu hari-pada niti re. "Be always engaged in Krsna consciousness. That is the success of your life.''

And how to discharge this Krsna consciousness? He advises, sravana kirtana, smarana vandana, pada-sevana dasya re. You can adopt out of the nine ways of devotional service any one. If you can adopt all of them, that's very nice. If not, you can adopt eight of them. You can adopt seven of them, six of them, five of them, four of them. But even if you adopt only one of them, your life will be successful. What are those nine methods? Sravanam kirtanam. Hearing from authoritative sources. And chanting. Sravanam kirtanam. Smaranam. Memorizing. Vandanam, prayers. Sravana kirtanam, smaranam vandana, pada-sevanam. Offering service to His lotus feet as eternal servant. Pujana sakhi-jana. Or just try to love Krsna as your friend. Atma-nivedana. Or give up everything for Krsna. That is the way of devotional service, and Govinda dasa is aspiring after that Krsna consciousness business.

UPDATED: April 1, 2009