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

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Purport Author: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Bhajahu re mana sri-nanda-nandana-abhaya caranaravinda re. This is a song sung by Govinda dasa, poet Govinda dasa. He’s addressing his mind, because, after all, we have to work with the cooperation of our mind. If our mind is disturbed, if the mind is dragging us to choose something else, then it is very difficult to concentrate in one sort of business. That is practical. Therefore the yoga system means to control the mind. It is a mechanical process of controlling the mind. Because without controlling the mind, without the mind being not disturbed, nobody can make any spiritual progress. But our Vaisnava system is to engage the mind directly in devotional service so that it may not go outside the scope of devotional service. That is our system. And that is practical. If we concentrate our mind on the lotus feet of Krsna, arcanam—sravanam kirtanam visnoh, smaranam pada-sevanam—pada-sevanam [SB 7.5.23], then automatically mind becomes controlled. The yogis are trying artificially to control the mind, but they are failing. There are many instances big, big yogis fail. So anything done artificially is not possible to be perfectly done. Therefore the system of controlling the mind means you give the mind better engagement, then mind will not be attracted by inferior energy. This is the science or secret of success.

So Govinda dasa is trying to fix up the mind on the lotus feet of Krsna which is known as abhaya-carana. Abhaya means “where there is no fear.’’ Just like we deposit our money in a reliable bank because we think there is no fear of loss. That is called abhaya, “without any fear,’’ and carana means “lotus feet.’’ So Govinda dasa is advising his mind, hu re mana “My dear mind,’’ hu re addressing the mind. Bhaja hu re mana. Bhaja. Bhaja means “be engaged in devotional service.’’ Bhaja hu re mana sri-nanda-nandana, “in the service of Krsna, the son of Nanda.’’ There are many, many Krsnas, but we are concerned with the particular Krsna who appeared as the son of Nanda Maharaja and the son of Vasudeva. Therefore he says particularly just like we identify one person his name, his father’s name, then it is perfectly identified. So, he says sri nanda-nandana; bhajahu re mana sri-nanda-nandana abhaya-caranaravinda re, “His Lotus Feet is secure to take shelter of.’’ There are many slokas in the Bhagavatam about this: samasrita ye pada-pallava-plavam mahat-padam punya-yaso murareh. Mahat-padam, “Under the Lotus Feet of Krsna, the whole material creation is resting.’’ So if such a gigantic creation can rest, so if I am insignificant tiny living being, if I take shelter at the Lotus Feet, which is fearless, of Krsna, then my security is guaranteed. Bhajahu re mana sri-nanda-nandana, abhaya carana-ravinda re, durlabha manava-janama sat-sange, taroho e bhava-sindhu re. Durlabha, “very rarely got this human form of life.’’ Durlabha manava-janama. So in order to fix up our mind on the Lotus Feet of Krsna, it is necessary that we should live in the association of devotees. Durlabha manava-janama sat-sange. Sat-sange means “in the association of devotees.’’ (If we) don’t live in the association of devotees, if we try to fix up our mind on the lotus feet of Krsna independently, it will be not possible. It will be failure. Therefore he says sat-sange, “in the association of devotees.” Taroho e bhava-sindhu re, “the real purpose of life is to cross over the ocean of nescience.’’ So if we fix up our mind on the Lotus Feet of Krsna in the association of devotees, then we can very easily cross over the ocean of nescience, the material existence. Then, what is my present business? Now my present business is: sita atapa bata barisana, e dina jamini jagi re. My material engagement is that “I don’t care for severe cold, I don’t care for scorching heat, I don’t care for sleeping at night; I am working hard day and night.’’ Sita atapa bata barisana, e dina jamini jagi re. And what for? Krpana, bhipale sevinu krpana durajana, “for the service of krpana dura-jana.’’ Krpana durajana means outsiders. The so-called material society, friendship, love, etc., they are actually outsiders. They can not give me actual spiritual advancement of life. But we are engaged in the service of society, friendship, or love, nationalism, socialism, so many. Our engagements are various, but that is biphale. Biphale means “without any result.’’ Result will be that I create a certain type of mentality in order to protect the so-called country, society, family, and at the time of death I will have to accept a body according to my mentality. So people are accepting so many abominable means to carry on this business of society, friendship, and love, so-called. The result is that he is developing a certain type of mentality which is not human, and the result will be next life he’ll be forced to accept a body according to that mentality. Therefore krpana durajana. Krpana means “miser.’’ They’ll not give me any intelligence, any enlightenment of my real need of life, but still we are engaged in the service of such durajana, “outsider.’’ Biphale sevinu krpana durajana, capala sukha-laba lagi’ re, and there is little happiness. Otherwise, how a man can work so hard day and night. The happiness is sex enjoyment, capala, “flickering.’’ Vidyapati sings, tatala saikate vari bindu-sama, “That happiness is just like a drop of water in the desert.’’ Desert requires water but if you take little water and sprinkle over it, “Now take water,’’ so what is the value of that water? Similarly, we are hankering after eternal happiness, what these society, friendship and love will give us? Therefore we are simply wasting our time in the matter of deriving happiness from this so-called materialistic way of life maintaining society, friendship and so forth, simply wasting. Biphale. Biphale means “without any good result.’’ Biphale sevinu krpana durajana, capala sukha-laba lagi’ re. “Never mind, I shall enjoy personally. I’ve got my youthful life, I can earn money, and I don’t care for my family.’’ Actually this is now happening at the present moment. Nobody cares for family, but he is busy only for maintaining himself, to utilize his youthful life, and so many things. Govinda Dasa poet is advising, “My dear mind, I accept that now you have got youthful life, you can enjoy.’’ Therefore, you say e dhana yaubana putra parijana, ithe ki ache paratiti re, “this accumulation of wealth: earning money; and this youthful life: enjoying.’’ E dhana yaubana putra parijana, and by society, friendship and love, is there any actual happiness or transcendental happiness? Ithe ki ache paratiti re, “It is something like the water on the lotus leaf.’’ Kamala-dala-jala, jivana talamala, “It is this existence of water is tiltering, at any moment will fall down.’’ Actually, all of this youthful enjoyment or money-making business, at any moment it can be finished. So actually you can not believe or bring your faith in that sort of happiness. That is not good because it can be finished at any moment. These people are engaged in making skyscraper buildings, and bank balance, and having good motorcars, and so many things they are trying to enjoy, but forgetting that any moment it can be finished. Any moment. So it is just like kamala-dala-jala, “keeping water on the lotus leaf.’’ It does not stand, it is tilted, can fall down, any moment. The example is very nice. Therefore he’s advising, sravana kirtana, he is instructing the mind that, “don’t do this, don’t do this,’’ so many negative things. Then the next question will be then actually, mind may ask Govinda Dasa, “Actually what do you want to do? You are negativating all these material engagements that’s all right, then what is your positive proposal?’’ He says, “Yes, my positive proposal is this: sravana kirtana smarana vandana, pada-sevana dasya re, pujana sakhi-jana atma-nivedana, govinda dasa-abhilasa re.” “My dear mind, my desire is that you kindly help me hearing about this abhaya-caranaravinda, Krsna, sravana. And let me chant about His glories, sravana kirtana. Let me remember, let me serve His Lotus Feet, let me make friendship with Him. Offer, let me offer everything what have I got to Him. These are my desires. If you kindly cooperate with me, and then I can do this.’’ So this is a very instructing song, the summary of the mission of human life, and anyone who will follow this principle will be actually happy transcendentally.

UPDATED: April 1, 2009