3rd Jewel Continued...

শ্রী গৌड़िয-কন্ঠহার

Gauḍiya Kanṭhahāra:

The Jeweled Necklace of the Gaudiya Vaishnavas

THIRD JEWEL: VAIṢṆAVA-TATTVA

...The Third Jewel Continued

Qualities of the Vaishnavas

Vaishnava-Tattva

Further Symptoms of an Uttama-adhikāri

३.११

गृहीत्वापीन्द्रियैर् अर्थान् यो न द्वेष्टि न हृष्यति विष्णोर् मायाम् इदं पश्यन् स वै भागवतोत्तमः

3.11

gṛhītvāpīndriyair arthān yo na dveṣṭi na hṛṣyati viṣṇor māyām idaṁ paśyan sa vai bhāgavatottamaḥ

One who is so absorbed in love of God that he sees everything as the energy of

Lord Kṛṣṇa (even while the senses perceive their objects), and who therefore

feels neither attachment nor hatred towards the things of this world is indeed the

greatest among devotees (bhāgavatottama). (Bhāg. 11.2.48)

३.१२

देहेन्द्रिय प्राण-मनो-धियां यो जन्माप्यय-क्षुद्-भय-तर्ष-कृच्छ्रैः

संसार-धर्मैर् अविमुह्यमानः स्मृत्या हरेर् भागवत-प्रधानः

3.12

dehendriya prāṇa-mano-dhiyāṁ yo janmāpyaya-kṣud-bhaya-tarṣa-kṛcchraiḥ

saṁsāra-dharmair avimuhyamānaḥ smṛtyā harer bhāgavata-pradhānaḥ

Within the material world, one's body, senses, mind, life airs, and intelligence

are always disturbed by birth, death, hunger, fear, and thirst. One who is not

bewildered by these miseries of material existence, who always remembers the

lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is considered bhāgavatapradhānaḥ,

a topmost devotee of the Lord. (Bhāg. 11.2.49)

३.१३

न काम-कर्म-बीजानां यस्य चेतसि सम्भवः वासुदेवैक-निलयः स वै भागवतोत्तमः

3.13

na kāma-karma-bījānāṁ yasya cetasi sambhavaḥ vāsudevaika-nilayaḥ sa vai bhāgavatottamaḥ

One who has taken exclusive shelter of the

Supreme Lord Vāsudeva, whose

heart is freed from the seeds of lust and karma is considered a bhāgavatottama.

(Bhāg. 11.2.50)

३.१४

न यस्य जन्म-कर्मभ्यां न वर्णाश्रम- जातिभिः

सज्जते ऽस्मिन्न् अहं-भावो देहे वै स हरेः प्रियः

3.14

na yasya janma-karmabhyāṁ na varṇāśrama- jātibhiḥ

sajjate 'sminn ahaṁ-bhāvo dehe vai sa hareḥ priyaḥ

One who is free from pride about his good birth, pious activities, exalted

varnāśrama position, and is free from bodily designations, and who serves the

Lord with humility is known as a beloved devotee of the Lord. (Bhāg. 11.2.51)

३.१५

न यस्य स्वः पर इति वित्तेष्व् आत्मनि वा भिदा सर्व-भूत-समः शान्तः स वै भागवतोत्तमः

3.15

na yasya svaḥ para iti vitteṣv ātmani vā bhidā sarva-bhūta-samaḥ śāntaḥ sa vai bhāgavatottamaḥ

A mahā-bhāgavata is one who is free from the conception of "This is mine and

this is for others". He thinks, "Everything is for

Kṛṣṇa". He sees all living

being as equally related to Kṛṣṇa, and he is peaceful, being filled with Kṛṣṇa consciousness. (Bhāg. 11.2.52)

३.१६

त्रि-भुवन-विभव-हेतवे ऽप्य् अकुण्ठस्मृतिर् अजितात्म-सुरादिभिर् विमृग्यात्

न चलति भगवत्-पदारविन्दाल्

लव-निमिषार्धम् अपि यः स वैष्णवाग्र्यः

3.16

tri-bhuvana-vibhava-hetave 'py akuṇṭhasmṛtir ajitātma-surādibhir vimṛgyāt

na calati bhagavat-padāravindāl

lava-nimiṣārdham api yaḥ sa vaiṣṇavāgryaḥ

 The lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, are sought by demigods such as

Brahmā and Śiva, who have accepted Him as their life and soul. A pure devotee

can never forget Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet or give up their shelter for a moment, even in

exchange for the three worlds. Such a devotee is known as a mahā-bhāgavata.

(Bhāg. 11.2.53)

३.१७

भगवत् उरु-विक्रमाङ्घ्रि-शाखानख- मणि-चन्द्रिकया निरस्त-तापे

हृदि कथम् उपसीदतां पुनः स प्रभवति चन्द्र इवोदिते ऽर्क-तापः

3.17

bhagavat uru-vikramāṅghri-śākhānakha- maṇi-candrikayā nirasta-tāpe

hṛdi katham upasīdatāṁ punaḥ sa prabhavati candra ivodite 'rka-tāpaḥ

How can the painful fever of material life befall those who hold the cooling

lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa within their hearts? By the power of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet

all the troubles in the heart of His pure devotee are banished forever, for His

toenails are like gems whose rays soothe the heart

of His devotee and relieve him from all trouble, just like the rays of the moon cool the earth from the heat of the summer sun. (Bhāg. 11.2.54)

३.१८

विसृजति हृदयं न यस्य साक्षाद्

धरिर् अवशाभिहितो ऽप्य् अघौघ-नाशः प्रणय-रसनया धृताङ्घ्रि-पद्मः

स भवति भागवत-प्रधान उक्तः

3.18

visṛjati hṛdayaṁ na yasya sākṣād

dharir avaśābhihito 'py aghaugha-nāśaḥ praṇaya-rasanayā dhṛtāṅghri-padmaḥ

sa bhavati bhāgavata-pradhāna uktaḥ

One who chants the holy name of the Supreme

Lord, Hari, even unconsciously, is freed from all sins. When Lord Hari grants liberation from sin to one who even unconsciously or negligently chants is holy name, the position of one who

never abandons the shelter of His lotus feet must be considered highly exalted.

Such a devotee can never give up the association of the Lord, nor can the Lord

give up his association. Kṛṣṇa Himself dwells eternally within his heart. Such a

great soul is known as a mahā-bhāgavata. (Bhāg.

11.2.55)

The Paramahaṁsa Vaiṣṇava

३.१९

ज्ञान-निष्ठो विरक्तो वा मद्-भक्तो वानपेक्षकः

स लिङ्गान् आश्रमांस् त्यक्त्वा चरेद् अविधि-गोचरः

3.19

jñāna-niṣṭho virakto vā mad-bhakto vānapekṣakaḥ

sa liṅgān āśramāṁs tyaktvā cared avidhi-gocaraḥ 

The paramahaṁsa is fixed in transcendental knowledge. He is free from

attachment to all sense enjoyments and does not long for anything, including

mokṣa. Such a great soul has renounced not only the duties of varnāśrama, but

also its external marks including even the dress of a sannyāsī. Such a great soul

has given up all attachment to previous conceptions of religion and duty,

beginning with dharma, artha, kāma, and mokṣa, and including varnāśramadharma,

for he has already surpassed all Vedic injunctions and prohibitions. He

is no longer ruled by the scriptures for he is spontaneously devoted to the

Supreme Personality of Godhead on the highest

platform of divine love. (Bhāg.

11.18.28)

Description of the Three Kinds of Devotees
From Caitanya-caritāmṛta-

৩.২০

শ্রদ্ধৱান্ জন হয ভক্তি-অধিকারী

উত্তম,ঽ ঽমধ্যম,ঽ ঽকনিষ্ঠ,ঽ শ্রদ্ধা- অনুসারী.

শাস্ত্র-যুক্ত্যে সুনিপুণ, দৃঢ-শ্রদ্ধা-যাঞ্র

ঽুত্তম-অধিকারিঽ সেই তারযে সংসার. শাস্ত্র-যুক্তি নাহি জানে দৃঢ, শ্রদ্ধাৱান্

ঽমধ্যম-অধিকারিঽ সেই মহা-ভাগ্যৱান্. যাহার কোমল শ্রদ্ধা, সে ঽকনিষ্ঠঽ জন ক্রমে ক্রমে তেঙ্হো ভক্ত হৈবে উত্তম.ঽ

3.20

śraddhavān jana haya bhakti-adhikārī

'uttama,' 'madhyama,' 'kaniṣṭha,' śraddhā- anusārī.

śāstra-yuktye sunipuṇa, dṛḍha-śraddhā-yāñra

'uttama-adhikāri' sei tāraye saṁsāra. śāstra-yukti nāhi jāne dṛḍha, śraddhāvān

'madhyama-adhikāri' sei mahā-bhāgyavān. yāhāra komala śraddhā, se 'kaniṣṭha' jana krame krame teṅho bhakta haibe 'uttama.'

A faithful devotee is a truly eligible candidate for the loving service of the Lord.

According to one's faith, one is classified as a topmost devotee, an intermediate

devotee, or an inferior devotee.

One who is expert in logic, argument, and the revealed scriptures and who has

firm faith in Kṛṣṇa is classified as a topmost devotee. He can deliver the whole

world.

One who is not very expert in argument, logic, and the scriptures, but who has

firm faith, is considered a second-class devotee. He also must be considered

most fortunate.

One whose faith is soft and pliable is called a neophyte, but by following the

process gradually he will rise to the platform of a first-class devotee. (Cc.

Madhya 22.64, 65, 67, 69)

Śrī Caitanya Explains the Three Kinds of
Devotees

An Ordinary Vaiṣṇava

৩.২১

প্রভু কহে, "যাঙ্র মুখে শুনি এক-বার কৃষ্ণ-নাম, সেই পূজ্য, শ্রেষ্ঠ সবাকার"

3.21

prabhu kahe, "yāṅra mukhe śuni eka-bāra kṛṣṇa-nāma, sei pūjya, śreṣṭha sabākāra"

The Lord said: Whoever chants the holy name of

Kṛṣṇa just once may be

considered a Vaiṣṇava. Such a person is worshipable, and is the topmost human being. (Cc. Madhya 15.106)

A Superior Vaiṣṇava

৩.২২

"কৃষ্ণ-নাম" নিরন্তর যাঞ্হার ৱদনে সে ৱৈষ্ণৱ-শ্রেষ্ঠ, ভজ তাঙ্হার চরণে

3.22

"kṛṣṇa-nāma" nirantara yāñhāra vadane se vaiṣṇava-śreṣṭha, bhaja tāṅhāra caraṇe

A person who is always chanting the holy name of the Lord is a superior

Vaiṣṇava, and your duty is to serve his lotus feet. (Cc. Madhya 16.72)

The Topmost Vaiṣṇava

৩.২৩

যাঙ্হার দর্শনে মুখে আইসে কৃষ্ণ-নাম তাঙ্হারে জানিহ তুমি ঽৱৈষ্ণৱ-প্রধানঽ

3.23

yāṅhāra darśane mukhe āise kṛṣṇa-nāma tāṅhāre jāniha tumi 'vaiṣṇava-pradhāna'

The topmost Vaiṣṇava is he whose very presence makes others chant the holy

name of Kṛṣṇa. He is superior to all others! (Cc. Madhya 16.74)