Vrindavan – A rare early poem
By His Divine Grace Srila Saccidananda Bhakti Vinod Thakur,The Pioneer of Gaudiya Vaiishnava World.
Written on 18 July 1871 in Sri Puri Dham and published in Sri Gaudiya Darsan on 12 August 1957.
nitya-dhama vrndavana yatha mora krsna-dhana
nitya-kala karena vilasa
chidanandamaya lata prema-kisalaya yatha
jnananandamaya kunja-vasa [1]
My wealth, Krishna, performs His eternal Pastimes in the eternal abode of Vrndavan, where there are joyful, spiritual forest cottages and joyful, spiritual creepers replete with sprigs of divine love.
sunirmala upasana kalindite vibhavana
yatha sada bhaktera hrdaye
jivera ye uchcha-bhava govardhana avirbhava
chare jiva gabhi-rupa haye [2]
In Vrndavan, thoughts of pure service beside the Yamuna are always present in the devotees’ hearts. There, the highest mood manifests at Govardhan, and souls graze as cows.
sakhi-bhava bhratr-bhava yatha sada nitya-bhava
ananda yahara matra anga
kama dvesa adi yata nahi yatha kona mata
prema-rupa rasa matra ranga [3]
There, everyone’s disposition is always towards friendship and brotherhood. There, joy is all there is. There, neither lust nor envy nor anything of the sort exist. There, the ecstasy of divine love is the only enjoyment.
dasya sakhya sumadhura vatsalyadi rasa-pura
vraja-dhama premera alaya
janma mrtyu sodha roga nahi tatha kare bhoga
premamrta jivera asraya [4]
The land of Vraja is the abode of the rasas of servitude, friendship, affection, and amorous love. It is the home of divine love. There, souls do not undergo birth, death, healing, or sickness. The nectar of divine love is their sustenance.
abhautika atindriya sei desa krsna-priya
desa-kala atita sarvada
bhutamaya deha laye jadasakta chitta haye
keha na yaite pare tatha [5]
That land is supernatural, imperceptible, and dear to Krishna. It is always beyond time and space. No one with a material body and materially attached consciousness can go there.
sei jiva bhagyavana paiyachhe susandhana
guru-krsna prasannatasraye
manomaya bhutamaya dehe kari’ parajaya
yaya sei ananda nilaye [6]
Souls who have discovered the shelter of Guru and Krishna’s satisfaction are fortunate. They transcend the mental and physical bodies, and reach that abode of joy.
aprakrta deha pai vrajera nikata yai
sakhi-pada kariya asraya
radha-krsna seva-sukha bhunji saba yaya duhkha
mahabhava paryanta udaya [7]
They attain a divine body, enter Vraja, take shelter at the sakhis’ feet, and relish the joy of serving Radha and Krishna. They leave behind all sadness and experience even mahabhava [the ultimate ecstasy].
ataeva bandhu-jana chala yai vrndavana
ati dura nahe sei desa
indriya samyama dhari’ antare pravesa kari’
samadhi labhibe avasesa [8]
So friends! Let us go to Vrndavan! That land is not very far away. Subdue the senses, enter within, and lastly reach samadhi.
bhuta-bhava desa kala viramile kichhu-kala
atmara dahara vikasibe
sei bhumi vrndavana jana ohe sadhu-jana
yatha radha-govinda dekhibe [9]
Material time and space will remain for some time, but the soul’s intimate connection with that land will develop. O noble souls! Know Vrndavan to be where you will behold Radha and Govinda.
tatha keli kutuhale pasibe yamuna jale
sakhi-saha radhika sevaya
radhika jivanesvari krsna-priya sarvesvari
prema-vakya kahibe tomara [10]
There, you will enter the Yamuna’s waters and exuberantly play with the sakhis in service to Radhika. She, Krishna’s dearmost, the Mistress of the soul, the Goddess of all, will speak words of love to you.
sunibe govinda vamsi jivera hrdaya damsi
bhuvana mataya yara rabe
pulaka kadamba-tale tomaya anibe bale
dubaibe premera asabe [11]
You will hear the sound of Govinda’s flute, which pierces the soul’s heart and maddens the world. That sound will forcibly bring you to the base of a blooming kadamba tree and submerge you in the nectar of divine love.
pasile yamuna jale prema-jvala aro jvale
dhadaphadi uthibe takhana
puline agata haye krsna-rupa nirakhiye
eka-bare habe achetana [12]
You will enter the Yamuna’s waters, and the fire of divine love will burn even more. Your heart will palpitate. Coming back onto the bank, you will see Krishna’s form and suddenly faint.
hena vrndavana dhama sarva-jiva abhirama
chhadi yei yaya anya sthana
tara sama murkha nai chinta kari’ dekha bhai
yadi pao premera sandhana [13]
This abode of Vrndavan is the delight of all souls. There is no fool like one who leaves Vrndavan and goes elsewhere. O brother! Consider whether you will find divine love anywhere else.
kaminira saha-vasa galpa adi parihasa
madya kumbha alankara chaya
sakali duhkhera mula sukha bali tava bhula
ei bela bujhaha nischaya [14]
Living with women, jokes, stories, pots of wine, collections of ornaments, and so on, is all a source of misery. Considering it happiness is your mistake. Now understand this clearly.
dehe jvara pravesiya kapaibe tava hiya
kaphe kantha paripurna habe
sunite na pabe kane nasika aksama ghrane
nirasta ha-iya chaksu rare [15]
Fever will enter your body and cause you to tremble. Your throat will become filled with mucus. Your ears will not be able to hear, your nose will not be able to smell, and your eyes will stop functioning.
priya bandhu yare jana se tomara habe ana
angaja karibe avahela
dvare pratihari praya rakhibe tomare haya
balakera habe tumi khela [16]
Those whom you consider your dear friends will become strangers, and your descendants will neglect you. Alas! They will stop you at the door like a gatekeeper, and their children will make fun of you.
purva ye priyasi tava ebe ghrna kare saba
sura sukha nahi deya ara
ye asthi charviya sukha paibe se ebe duhkha
danta-hine ditechhe apara [17]
All of your former lovers will now despise you, and alcohol will no longer give you any pleasure. The bone you chew and enjoy will now cause you unlimited pain, as you will become toothless.
alankara paridhane ara sobha nahi mane
ebe murti markata samana
kotha se darpana-raja kotha se tomaya saja
chinti’ kara vairagya vidhana [18]
You will no longer become more attractive by wearing ornaments. Your body will now look like a monkey. Where is your grand mirror? Where is your outfit? Consider this and become detached.
ataeva ei-ksane chala bhai vrndavane
nitya-sukha paibe tathaya
krsna-prema nitya-sukha kabhu nahi deya duhkha
achyuta padapi yate paya [19]
So, let’s go to Vrndavan now! Brother! You will find eternal happiness there. The eternal happiness of divine love for Krishna never causes sadness. By it, you will become faultless.
tava aprakrta deha vrndavane pabe geha
jada-deha jadete rahibe
panchatva apanna hale deha rabe ei sthale
tumi vraja kabhu na chhadibe [20]
You will attain a divine body and a home in Vrndavan. Your material body will remain in the material world. When you die, your body will remain here, but you will never leave Vraja.
kahe kedara-natha datta ei vrndavana tattva
guru mora chaitanya gosai
tara dasa sanga hale jade chitta nahi chale
chaitanya asraya kara bhai [21]
Kedarnath Datta describes Vrndavan’s glory. My Guru is Sri Chaitanya Gosai. When you attain the association of His servants, your heart will never drift towards matter. O brother! Take shelter of Sri Chaitanya!
