Śrī Rūpa-mañjarī-pada
by Śrī Narottama Dāsa Ṭhākura

(1)
śrī-rūpa-mañjarī-pada, sei mora sampada
sei mora bhajana-pūjana
sei mora prāṇa-dhana, sei mora ābharaṇa
sei mora jīvanera jīvana

(2)
sei mora rasa-nidhi, sei mora vāñchā-siddhi
sei mora vedera dharama
sei vrata, sei tapa, sei mora mantra-japa
sei mora dharama-karama

(3)
anukūla ha’be viddhi, se-pade haibe siddhi
nirakhibo e dui nayane
se rūpa-mādhuri-rāśi, prāṇa-kuvalaya-śaśi
praphullita habe niśi-dine

(4)
tuwā adarśana-ahi, garale jāralo dehī
ciro-dina tāpita jīvana
hā hā rūpa koro doyā, deho more pada-chāyā
narottama loilo śaraṇa

COMMENTARY
by Śrīla Bhakti Rakṣaka Śrīdhara Deva Gosvāmī Mahārāja

Śrī-rūpa-mañjarī-pada, sei mora sampada, sei mora bhajana-pūjana  – my everything is Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī’s holy feet. We are to discuss so many classifications and positions of rasa: śānta, dāsya, sakhya, vātsalya, mādhurya. And in mādhurya-rasa Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s camp is special. Then again there are so many gradations of sakhīs. There is also the class of the mañjarīs, the younger girls, and they have more freedom to approach. When Rādhā and Govinda are in union in a private environment, the mañjarīs can still approach; they have such freedom to visit them. If any materials of service are necessary, the sakhīs send the mañjarīs to that place. The sakhīs do not approach there. In that way the mañjarīs enjoy the best confidence. The most secret service of both can be supplied through the mañjarīs. In the highest position they have free entrance, and their leader is Rūpa-mañjarī. She is understood to be the leader of the whole group of younger girls, the mañjarīs. Therefore in mādhuyra-bhajana she is all in all. This has been taught to us by Śrīla Narottama Dāsa Ṭhākura. For us – and the younger batch – she is our highest resort.

Sei mora sampada – my wealth is there in her feet. Sei mora bhajana-pūjana – my worship and service is also in her. Sei mora prāṇa-dhana, sei mora ābharaṇa – the very wealth and gist of my life is there; and the ornaments of my life, if any there may be, are within her grace. Sei mora jīvanera jīvana – indeed, the very life of my life, if there is anything, that is also her. I am for her pleasure.

Sei mora rasa-nidhi – if there is anything, the source of any and all desirable ecstasy is only to be found there. The mine, the source, and fountainhead of all rasa is there at her feet. Sei mora vāñchā-siddhi – and if I am to expect any other fulfillment in life, that is also there at her feet. Sei mora vedera dharama – if any duty is recommended by the Vedas for me, I would like such duty to be at her feet.

Sei vrata, sei tapa – the object of all penance or observance of vows, that is also to be found there. Sei mora mantra-japa – and the continuous repetition of japa all ends there. All things have only one end in my case: they all meet in different phases at the feet of Rūpa-mañjarī. If she is satisfied then the variegated nature of my devotional practices are satisfied. Sei mora dharama-karama – and any of my conceptions of duty or activity of any phases or form all have one end and meet at one point: the holy feet of Rūpa-mañjarī.

Anukūla ha’be viddhi, se-pade haibe siddhi – I only pray to the Controller who is at the root of all these arrangements of affairs in this world, “Please connect me there. O Absolute Manager, may you grant my prayer that all my tendencies may go to attain her favor.” Nirakhibo e dui nayane – and my vision of her will be so very intense and concrete as though I am seeing with these very eyes. It will not be vague, abstract, or imagination, but it will be the most concrete realization by the grace of the Absolute Manager.

Se rūpa-mādhuri-rāśi, prāṇa-kuvalaya-śaśi – what sort of high-class beauty is there in her holy feet! I want to jump. Let my heart be a lotus.

There are two classes of lotus: the white lotus came from the sun and the red from the moon. The kuvalaya is a mixture of the two. The luster of her body will feed me day and night as the life of my life that is compared to a kuvalaya. The kuvalaya is fed and nourished by the luster of the moon, and her holy feet are like the moon. My very vitality is likened to the lotus. May the luster of her beauty maintain and nourish my heart of hearts. Praphullita habe niśi-dine – and the lotus of my heart will grow by that ray, and dance.

Tuwā adarśana-ahi – this is my prayer, but what is my present condition? My present condition is in the negative side, my Mistress. My present position is such that without having a sight of you, Your Grace, my heart will burn into ashes. That is my present position. Garale jāralo dehi – this is just like the poison of a cobra that produces pain within my heart. I have been bitten by a snake, and what is that snake? It is the snake of your separation. I am not getting any direct contact with you, your grace. The serpent’s poison has captured my heart and I am going to die. Ciro-dina tāpita jīvana – and this is not a sudden thing, but from the beginning I have been suffering this sort of pain of separation from such a beautiful and hopeful life of fulfillment.

Hā hā rūpa koro doya, deho more pada-chāyā, narottama loilo śaraṇa – but I have now reached the extreme position and for the last time I am begging for your favor, otherwise I am going to be finished.

This was composed by Narottama Dāsa Ṭhākura in praise of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī. In this way he has given us light of the higher quarter of bhajana life. Our sampradāya is named as the rūpānuga-sampradāya, and our guru-paramparā and all these things are adjusted according to that. He wrote many songs and they are of very substantive firmament, very ecstatic, and of deep faith.

 

Śrīmad Rūpa-pada-rajaḥ Prārthanā Daśakam
(Ten Prayers Aspiring for the Dust of Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī’s Lotus Feet)
by
Śrīla Bhakti Rakṣaka Śrīdhara Deva Gosvāmī Mahārāja

(1)
śrīmac-caitanyapādau cara-kamalayugau netra-bhṛṅgau madhu dyau
gauḍe tau pāyayantau vraja-vipina-gatau vāajayuktau samutkau
bhātau sabhrātṛkasya svajana-gaṇa-pater yasya saubhāgya-bhūmnaḥ
sa śrī-rūpaḥ kadā māṁ nija-pada-rajasā bhūṣitaṁ samvidhatte

“Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī is the mine of the most precious treasure, the leader of the associates of Lord Caitanya (the Divine Succession being known as the rūpānuga sampradāya, ‘the followers of Śrī Rūpa’). In the company of his brothers, he was resplendent in (the province of) Gauḍa, causing the fervent twin bumblebees in the form of the lotus eyes of Śrī Caitanyadeva to drink nectar, as the Lord’s lotus feet moved on the pretext of visiting Vṛndāvana. When will that Śrīmad Rūpa Prabhu grace me with the dust of his holy feet?”

(2)
pīta-śrī-gaura-pādāmbuja-madhu-madironmatta-hṛd-bhṛṅga-rājo
rājyaiśvaryaṁ jahau yo jana-nivaha-hitādatta-citto nijāgryam
vijñāpya svānujena vraja-gamana-rataṁ cānvagāt gauracandraṁ
sa śrī-rūpaḥ kadā māṁ nija-pada-rajasā bhūṣitaṁ samvidhatte

“At Śrī Rāmakeli-dhāma, the king of bees – the heart of Śrī Rūpa – became intoxicated drinking the honey-wine of the lotus feet of Śrī Gauracandra, and sacrificed its life (in hari-kīrtana) for the benefit of all the people of the world, summarily abandoning a life of kingly opulence. After informing his elder brother Śrī Sanātana, Śrī Rūpa and his younger brother Śrī Vallabha followed the footsteps of Śrī Caitanyadeva, whose heart was absorbed in going (from Nīlācala) to Śrī Vṛndāvana. When will that Śrī Rūpa Prabhu grace me with the dust of his holy lotus feet?”

(3)
vṛndāraṇyāt prayāge hari-rasa-naṭanair nāma-saṅkīrtanaiś ca
lebhe yo mādhavāgre jana-gahana-gataṁ prema-mattaṁ janāṁś ca
bhāvaiḥ svair mādayantaṁ hṛta-nidhir iva taṁ kṛṣṇa-caitanyacandraṁ
sa śrī-rūpaḥ kadā māṁ nija-pada-rajasā bhūṣitaṁ samvidhatte

“Śrī Caitanyadeva returned from Vṛndāvana to Prayaga-dhāma and performed nāma-saṅkīrtana, surrounded by crowds of hundreds of thousands. Intoxicated with divine love, dancing, He melted the hearts of hundreds of faithful souls with His astonishing transcendental ecstasies. Śrī Rūpa, as though regaining his most precious treasure, thus found Śrī Caitanyadeva in the direct presence of the Deity Śrī Bindu-Mādhava. When will that Śrī Rūpa Prabhu grace me with the dust of his holy lotus feet?”

(4)
ekantaṁ labdha-pādāmbuja-nija-hṛdaya-preṣṭha-pātro mahārtir
dainyair-duḥkhāśru-pūrṇair daśana-dhṛta-tṛṇaiḥ pūjayāmāsa gauram
svāntaḥ kṛṣṇañ ca gaṅgā-dinamaṇi-tanayā-saṅgame sānujo yaḥ
sa śrī-rūpaḥ kadā māṁ nija-pada-rajasā bhūṣitaṁ samvidhatte

“At the sacred spot on the confluence of the Gaṅgā and the Yamuna, Śrī Rūpa achieved intimate union with the lotus feet of the dear-most Lord of his life – the Lord who is Kṛṣṇa within and Gaura without. In grave humility, with straw in mouth and with tears of sorrow, he along with his younger brother worshiped Śrī Gaura-Kṛṣṇa in intense love. When will that Śrī Rūpa Prabhu grace me with the dust of his holy lotus feet?”

(5)
svasya prema-svarūpam priya-dayita-vilāsānurūpaika-rūpaṁ
dūre bhū-luṇṭhitaṁ yaṁ sahaja-sumadhura-śrīyutaṁ sānujañ ca
dṛṣṭvā devo ‘titūrnaṁ stuti-bahu-mukham āśliṣya gāḍham rarañje
sa sri-rupah kada mam nija-pada-rajasa bhusitam samvidhatte

“Śrī Caitanyadeva saw Śrī Rūpa and his younger brother rolling on the ground some distance away. Seeing His endeared one, His favorite, His love divine personified in natural beauty and charm, His exclusive alter ego in divine pastimes, the Lord swiftly approached Śrī Rūpa, profusely singing his glories, and embraced him in ecstasy. When will that Śrī Rūpa Prabhu grace me with the dust of his holy lotus feet?”

(6)
kaivalya-prema-bhūmāv-akhila-rasa-sudhā-sindhu-sañcāra-dakṣaṁ
jñatvāpy evañ ca rādhā-pada-bhajana-sudhaṁ līlayāpāyayad yam
śaktiṁ sañcārya gauro nija-bhajana-sudhā-dāna-dakṣaṁ cakāra
sa śrī-rūpaḥ kadā māṁ nija-pada-rajasā bhūṣitaṁ samvidhatte

“Śrī Gaurahari knew that (as an eternal associate of the Lord) Śrī Rūpa was already proficient in wandering throughout the ambrosial ocean of all mellows, in the land of unalloyed love (in vraja-rasa). Nonetheless, to expand His own pastimes, the Lord enabled him to drink the sweet ecstasy of servitude unto Śrī Rādhā, and empowered him with the skill to distribute the nectar of His personal devotional service. When will that Śrīmad Rūpa Prabhu grace me with the dust of his lotus feet?”

(7)
gaurādeśāc ca vṛndā-vipinam iha parikramya nīlācalam yo
gatvā kāvyāmṛtaiḥ svair vraja-yuva-yugala-krīḍanārthaiḥ prakāmam
rāmānanda-svarūpadibhir api kavibhis tarpayāmāsa gauraṁ
sa śrī-rūpaḥ kadā māṁ nija-pada-rajasā bhūṣitaṁ samvidhatte

“When on the order of Śrī Gauranga, Śrī Rūpa visited Śrī Puruṣottama-kṣetra after completing the circumambulation of Śrī Vraja-maṇḍala, He highly gratified Śrī Caitanyadeva and the sagacious devotee assembly headed by Śrī Svarūpa Dāmodara and Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya by his ambrosial poetry on the pastimes of the Divine Couple of Vraja. When will that Śrīmad Rūpa Prabhu grace me with the dust of his lotus feet?”

(8)
līlā-saṁgopane śrī-bhagavata iha vai jaṅgame sthāvare ‘pi
saṁmugdhe sāgrajātaḥ prabhu-viraha-hṛta-prāya-jīvendriyāṇām
yaś cāsīd āśrayaika-sthalam iva raghu-gopāla-jīvādi-varge
sa śrī-rūpaḥ kadā māṁ nija-pada-rajasā bhūṣitaṁ samvidhatte

“When the manifest līlā of the Supreme Lord Śrī Caitanyadeva was withdrawn, all beings including the immobile entities were mortified, deeply afflicted in sorrow. Śrī Rūpa and his elder brother were the only shelter for even the intimate devotees of the Lord, headed by Raghunātha, Gopāla Bhaṭṭa, and Śrī Jīva, who had almost lost their lives in the Lord’s separation. When will that Śrīmad Rūpa Prabhu grace me with the dust of his lotus feet?”

(9)
śrī-mūrteḥ sādhu-vṛtteḥ prakaṭanam api tal-lupta-tīrthādikānāṁ
śrī-rādhā-kṛṣṇa-pādāmbuja-bhajanamayaṁ rāga-mārgaṁ viśuddham
granthair yena pradattaṁ nikhilam iha nijābhīṣṭa-devepsitañ ca
sa śrī-rūpaḥ kadā māṁ nija-pada-rajasā bhūṣitaṁ samvidhatte

“By writing many, many books, he gave the world all the most cherished desires of his worshipful Lord Śrī Caitanyadeva, principally – revealing the service of the Deity, establishing the pure code of conduct in devotion, revealing the lost holy places, and revealing the path of spontaneous devotion (rāga-mārga) in transcendental loving service to Śrī Rādhā-Govinda. When will that Śrīmad Rūpa Prabhu grace me with the dust of his holy lotus feet?”

(10)
līlā-saṁgopa-kāle nirupadhi-karuṇā-kāriṇā svāmīnāhaṁ
yat pādābje ‘rpito yat pada-bhajanamayaṁ gāyayitvā tu gītam
yogyāyogyatva-bhāvām mama khalu sakalaṁ duṣṭa-buddher agṛhṇan
sa śrī-rūpaḥ kadā māṁ nija-pada-rajasā bhūṣitaṁ samvidhatte

“Just prior to the withdrawal of his manifest līlā, my causelessly merciful Divine Master, Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, handed me over to the holy feet of that Divine Personality by having me sing the glorious prayer unto his lotus feet (Śrī Rūpa-mañjarī-pāda). Despite my lowliness, when will – disregarding all my various qualifications and disqualifications – Śrīmad Rūpa Prabhu grace me with the dust of his holy lotus feet?”