रक्षिष्यति हि मां कृष्णो भक्तानां बान्धवश्च सः।
क्षेमं विधास्यतीति यद्विश्वासोऽत्रैव गृह्यते ॥१॥
raksisyati hi mam krsno bhaktanam bandhavas cha sah
ksemam vidhasyatiti yad visvaso ’traiva grhyate [1]
‘Certainly Lord Krishna will protect me, because He is the friend of the devotees. He will definitely bless us with all auspiciousness and success.’
Within this chapter, such faith is sustained.
सर्व्वलोकेषु श्रीकृष्णपादाब्जैकरक्षकत्वम् —
मर्त्त्यो मृत्युव्यालभीतः पलायन्
लोकान्सर्व्वान्निर्भयं नाध्यगच्छत्।
त्वत्पादाब्जं प्राप्य यदृच्छयाद्य
सुस्थः शेते मृत्युरस्मादपैति ॥२॥
श्रीदेवक्याः
sarva-lokesu sri-krsna-padabjaika-raksakatvam —
martyo mrtyu-vyala-bhitah palayan
lokan sarvan nirbhayam nadhyagachchhat
tvat-padabjam prapya yadrchchhayadya
susthah sete mrtyur asmad apaiti [2]
The lotus feet of Lord Sri Krishna: the only protection for all planes of life —
O Supreme Lord, despite fleeing throughout every planet of the universe out of fear of the black snake of death, the mortal being cannot find a place devoid of fear. But when he is blessed with the fortune of coming to the shelter of Your lotus feet, he becomes reposed with a peaceful heart, and death itself flees from his company.
— Srimati Devaki
मायाधीशस्यैव भगवतः क्षेमविधातृत्वम् —
विश्वस्य यः स्थितिलयोद्भवहेतुराद्यो
योगेश्वरैरपि दुरत्यययोगमायः।
क्षेमं विधास्यति स नो भगवांस्त्र्यधीशस्
तत्रास्मदीयविमृशेन कियानिहार्थः ॥३॥
श्रीब्रह्मणः
mayadhisasyaiva bhagavatah ksema-vidhatrtvam —
visvasya yah sthiti-layodbhava-hetur adyo
yogesvarair api duratyaya-yoga-mayah
ksemam vidhasyati sa no bhagavams tryadhisas
tatrasmadiya-vimrsena kiyan iharthah [3]
Only the absolute magician, the Supreme Lord, is capable of bestowing all good fortune —
The Supreme Lord of the three worlds, who is the cause of the universal creation, sustenance, and annihilation, and whose magical potency is insurmountable for even the greatest yogis, will surely bless us with all good fortune. Could we ever doubt this?
— Lord Brahma
आपद्यपि श्रीकृष्णकथैकरक्षणविश्वासः —
तं मोपयातं प्रतियन्तु विप्रा
गङ्गा च देवी धृतचित्तमीशे।
द्विजोपसृष्टः कुहकस्तक्षको वा
दशत्वलं गायत विष्णुगाथाः ॥४॥
श्रीविष्णुरातस्य
apady api sri-krsna-kathaika-raksana-visvasah —
tam mopayatam pratiyantu vipra
ganga cha devi dhrta-chittam ise
dvijopasrstah kuhakas taksako va
dasatv alam gayata visnu-gathah [4]
Faith, even in the face of impending doom, that tidings of Lord Krishna (Sri Hari-katha) is the only protection —
O pure brahmans, may you kindly know me as a surrendered soul, and let Mother Ganges accept me as one whose heart is offered to Lord Krishna. Let the winged serpent Taksaka or whatever magical creation has been incited by the son of the brahman bite me immediately if it so desires; may you all simply go on singing the glories of the Lord.
— Maharaj Pariksit
हरिदासा हरिणा रक्षिता एव —
मा भैर्मन्दमनो विचिन्त्य बहुधा यामीश्चिरं यातना
नैवामी प्रभवन्ति पापरिपवः स्वामी ननु श्रीधरः।
आलस्यं व्यपनीय भक्तिसुलभं ध्यायस्व नारायणं
लोकस्य व्यसनापनोदनकरो दासस्य किं न क्षमः ॥५॥
श्रीकुलशेखरस्य
hari-dasa harina raksita eva —
ma bhair mandamano vichintya bahudha yamis chiram yatana
naivami prabhavanti papa-ripavah svami nanu sridharah
alasyam vyapaniya bhakti-sulabham dhyayasva narayanam
lokasya vyasanapanodanakaro dasasya kim na ksamah [5]
The servants of Lord Hari are always protected by Lord Hari —
O wicked mind, fear not the thought of the multifarious, perpetual tortures that are your due. Your enemies — your sins, have no claim over you because the only actual lord and master is the Supreme Lord, Sridhar. Give up your apathy, and absorb your thoughts in Lord Narayan, who is happily attainable by devotion. Is not He who destroys the calamities of all planets capable of annihilating the defects of His personal servitors?
— Sri Kulasekhar
संसारदुःखक्लिष्टानां श्रीविष्णोः परमं पदमेवैकाश्रयः —
भवजलधिगतानां द्वन्द्ववाताहतानां
सुतदुहितृकलत्रत्राणभारार्द्दितानाम्।
विषमविषयतोये मज्जतामप्लवानां
भवति शरणमेको विष्णुपोतो नराणाम् ॥६॥
श्रीकुलशेखरस्य
samsara-duhkha-klistanam sri-visnoh paramam padam evaikasrayah —
bhava-jaladhi-gatanam dvandva-vatahatanam
suta-duhitr-kalatra-trana-bhararditanam
visama-visaya-toye majjatam aplavanam
bhavati saranam eko visnu-poto naranam [6]
The holy feet of Lord Visnu are the only shelter for persons tormented by the miseries of material existence —
For those persons who, bereft of a vessel, have fallen into the ocean of mundane existence; who are being lashed by the hurricane of duality based on mundane attraction and aversion; who are crushed by the burden of protecting wife, family, and so on; who are drowning in the ghastly whirlpool of sensual pleasures — the only shelter is the lifeboat of the holy lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, Visnu.
— Sri Kulasekhar
श्रीकृष्णभजनमेव मर्त्त्यानाममृतप्रदम् —
इदं शरीरं शतसन्धिजर्ज्जरं
पतत्यवश्यं परिणामपेशलम्।
किमौषधं पृच्छसि मूढ दुर्म्मते
निरामयं कृष्णरसायनं पिब ॥७॥
श्रीकुलशेखरस्य
sri-krsna-bhajanam eva martyanam amrta-pradam —
idam sariram sata-sandhi-jarjaram
pataty avasyam parinama-pesalam
kim ausadham prchchhasi mudha durmate
niramayam krsna-rasayanam piba [7]
— Sri Kulasekhar
Only pure devotion for Lord Krishna awards immortality to the mortal —
শত সন্ধি জর জর, তব এই কলেবর
পতন হইবে একদিন ।
ভস্ম কৃমি বিষ্ঠা হবে, সকলের ঘৃণ্য তবে
ইহাতে মমতা অর্ব্বাচীন ॥
ওরে মন শুন মোর এ সত্য বচন ।
এ রোগের মহৌষধি, কৃষ্ণনাম নিরবধি
নিরাময় কৃষ্ণ রসায়ন ॥
(শ্রীল ভক্তিবিনোদ ঠাকুর)
sata sandhi jara jara tava ei kalevara
patana haibe eka-dina
bhasma krmi vistha habe sakalera ghrnya tabe
ihate mamata arvachina
ore mana suna mora e satya vachana
e rogera mahausadhi krsna-nama niravadhi
niramaya krsna rasayana
A dancing puppet of a hundred joints
your mortal coil in its last moments:
this physical form is doomed to destruction.
Ashes to ashes, worm and dung
what was beautiful once is a horrible thing …
to adore it is the gravest misconception.
My dear mind, hear the truth attentively:
the panacea for this malady —
chant Krishna’s name constantly;
Krishna is the life of immortality.
अत्यधमेष्वपि भगवन्नाम्नोऽभीष्टदातृत्वम् —
सत्यं ब्रवीमि मनुजाः स्वयमूर्द्ध्वबाहु
र्यो यो मुकुन्द नरसिंह जनार्द्दनेति।
जीवो जपत्यनुदिनं मरणे रणे वा
पाषाणकाष्ठसदृषाय ददात्यभीष्टम् ॥८॥
श्रीकुलशेखरस्य
aty-adhamesv api bhagavan-namno ’bhista-datrtvam —
satyam bravimi manujah svayam urdhva-bahur
yo yo mukunda narasimha janardaneti
jivo japaty anudinam marane rane va
pasana-kastha-sadrsaya dadaty abhistam [8]
The Holy Name of the Lord bestows the most cherished objective upon even the most fallen —
O human civilisation, with arms upraised I proclaim this truth! The Holy Name awards all desired success upon even stone- or wooden-hearted persons who, in the struggle for existence, constantly chant the Lord’s names such as Mukunda, Narasimha, and Janardan.
— Sri Kulasekhar
स्वशत्रवेऽपि सद्गतिदायको हरिः —
अहो बकी यं स्तनकालकूटं
जिघांसयापाययदप्यसाध्वी।
लेभे गतिं धात्र्युचितां ततोऽन्यं
कं वा दयालुं शरणं व्रजेम ॥९॥
श्रीमदुद्धवस्य
sva-satrave ’pi sad-gati-dayako harih —
aho baki yam stana-kala-kutam
jighamsayapayayad apy asadhvi
lebhe gatim dhatry-uchitam tato ’nyam
kam va dayalum saranam vrajema [9]
Sri Hari awards a divine destination to even His enemy —
How astonishing! When Putana, the wicked sister of Bakasura, tried to kill child Krishna by offering Him deadly poison on her breast, she reached a position befitting the Lord’s nursemaid. Could I ever have as merciful a shelter as that Lord Krishna?
— Srimad Uddhava
अयोग्यानामप्याशास्थलम् —
दुरन्तस्यानादेरपरिहरणीयस्य महतो
विहीनाचारोऽहं नृपशुरशुभस्यास्पदमपि।
दयासिन्धो बन्धो निरवधिकवात्सल्यजलधेस्
तव स्मारं स्मारं गुणगणमितीच्छामिगतभीः ॥१०॥
श्रीयामुनाचार्य्यस्य
ayogyanam apy asa-sthalam —
durantasyanader apariharaniyasya mahato
vihinacharo ’ham nr-pasur asubhasyaspadam api
daya-sindho bandho niravadhika-vatsalya-jaladhes
tava smaram smaram guna-ganam itichchhami gatabhih [10]
The reservoir of hope for even the unqualified —
O sea of compassion, I am no better than a wicked animal on two feet, the most incorrigible parasite — a beginningless and endless reservoir of the greatest inauspiciousness. Nonetheless, I abide in fearlessness, repeatedly remembering the divine qualities of You — the endless ocean of affection and the supreme friend.
— Sri Yamun Acharya
असकृदपराधिनामपि मोचकः —
रघुवर यदभूस्त्वं तादृशो वायसस्य
प्रणत इति दयालुर्यस्य चैद्यस्य कृष्ण।
प्रतिभवमपराद्धुर्मुग्ध सायुज्यदोऽभूर्
वद किमपदमागस्तस्य तेऽस्ति क्षमायाः ॥११॥
श्रीयामुनाचार्य्यस्य
asakrd-aparadhinam api mochakah —
raghuvara yad abhus tvam tadrso vayasasya
pranata iti dayalur yasya chaidyasya krsna
pratibhavam aparaddhur mugdha sayujyado ’bhur
vada kim apadam agas tasya te ’sti ksamayah [11]
The deliverer of even repeated offenders —
O Lord of the Raghu dynasty, just for bowing his head to You, You were merciful upon that crow (who was so offensive that he clawed at the breast of Sitadevi).
O charming Krishna, You awarded the salvation of merging into Your effulgence (sayujya-mukti) to Sisupal, who was an offender birth after birth.
Now please tell me, is there any offence that cannot be pardoned by You?
— Sri Yamun Acharya
शरणागतहेलनं तस्मिन्नसम्भवम् —
अभूतपूर्व्वं मम भावि किंवा
सर्व्वं सहे मे सहजं हि दुःखम्।
किन्तु त्वदग्रे शरणागतानां
पराभवो नाथ न तेऽनुरूपः ॥१२॥
श्रीयामुनाचार्य्यस्य
saranagata-helanam tasminn asambhavam —
abhuta-purvam mama bhavi kimva
sarvam sahe me sahajam hi duhkham
kintu tvad agre saranagatanam
parabhavo natha na te ’nurupah [12]
It is impossible for Him to neglect His surrendered devotee —
O Lord, after all, what unprecedented trials may befall me now? I can tolerate anything and everything; no doubt, unhappiness is my natural companion. Nonetheless, it will not become You to allow the neglect of Your surrendered soul who now stands before You.
— Sri Yamun Acharya
बहिरन्यथा प्रदर्शयतोऽपि स्वरूपतः पालकत्वम् —
निराशकस्यापि न तावदुत्सहे
महेश हातुं तव पादपङ्कजम्।
रुषा निरस्तोऽपि शिशुः स्तनन्धयो
न जातु मातुश्चरणौ जिहासति ॥१३॥
श्रीयामुनाचार्य्यस्य
bahir anyatha pradarsayato ’pi svarupatah palakatvam —
nirasakasyapi na tavad utsahe
mahesa hatum tava pada-pankajam
rusa nirasto ’pi sisuh stanandhayo
na jatu matus charanau jihasati [13]
He is our natural guardian, even if externally He shows otherwise —
O Almighty Lord, even if You make me hopeless, I can never leave Your lotus feet in any condition. If the mother becomes angry and separates her child from her breast, does the child thereby leave the feet (shelter) of his mother?
— Sri Yamun Acharya
तदितराश्रयाभावात्तस्यैवैकरक्षकत्वम् —
भूमौ स्खलितपादानां भूमिरेवावलम्बनम्।
त्वयि जातापराधानां त्वमेव शरणं प्रभो ॥१४॥
स्कान्दे
tad itarasrayabhavat tasyaivaika-raksakatvam —
bhumau skhalita-padanam bhumir evavalambanam
tvayi jataparadhanam tvam eva saranam prabho [14]
He is proven to be the only shelter since there is actually no shelter but Him —
For those who have stumbled and fallen upon the ground, that very ground is the only support by which they can arise once again. Likewise, for those who have offended You, O Lord, You alone are their only refuge.
निराश्रयाणामेवैकाश्रयः —
विवृतविविधबाधे भ्रान्तिवेगादगाधे
बलवति भवपुरे मज्जतो मे विदूरे।
अशरणगणबन्धो हा कृपाकौमुदीन्दो
सकृदकृतविलम्बं देहि हस्तावलम्बम् ॥१५॥
श्रीरूपपादानां
nirasrayanam evaikasrayah —
vivrta-vividha-badhe bhranti vegad agadhe
balavati bhavapure majjato me vidure
asarana-gana-bandho ha krpa-kaumudindo
sakrd-akrtavilambam dehi hastavalambam [15]
The only shelter for the shelterless —
I am drowning in some remote region of a fathomless, treacherous ocean — the vast sea of frustration, swept by the tide of hallucination. O friend of the shelterless, O benediction moon, please just once now lend me Your helping hand.
— Sri Rupa Goswami
विलम्बासहनस्य भक्तस्य तद्रक्षणविश्रब्धत्वम् —
या द्रौपदीपरित्राणे या गजेन्द्रस्य मोक्षणे।
मय्यार्त्ते करुणामूर्त्ते सा त्वरा क्व गता हरे ॥१६॥
जगन्नाथस्य
vilambasahanasya bhaktasya tad raksana-visrabdhatvam —
ya draupadi paritrane ya gajendrasya moksane
mayy arte karuna-murte sa tvara kva gata hare [16]
The devotee who needs immediate protection has full faith that the Lord will come to his aid —
O compassion incarnate, now I am in danger. O Lord Hari, where is that urgency You showed in delivering Draupadi and liberating Gajendra?
— Jagannath
रक्षिष्यतीतिविश्वासस्य प्रकाशमाधुर्य्यम् —
तमसि रविरिवोद्यन्मज्जतामप्लवानां
प्लव इव तृषितानां स्वादुवर्षीव मेघः।
निधिरिव निधनानां तीव्रदुःखामयानां
भिषगिव कुशलं नो दातुमायाति शौरिः ॥१७॥
श्रीद्रौपद्याः
raksisyatiti-visvasasya prakasa-madhuryam —
tamasi ravir ivodyan majjatam aplavanam
plava iva trsitanam svadu-varsiva meghah
nidhir iva nidhananam tivra-duhkhamayanam
bhisag iva kusalam no datum ayati saurih
The revealed sweetness of confidence in the Lord’s protection —
Like the sun ascending through the darkness
like a boat for the helplessly drowning
like a raincloud of sweet waters for the parched;
like a treasure for the impoverished
like a physician for the deadly afflicted —
the Lord Sri Krishna is now coming to bless us
with all good fortune.
— Srimati Draupadi
तद्रक्षकत्वे तत्कारुण्यमेव कारणम् —
प्राचीनानां भजनमतुलं दुष्करं शृण्वतो मे
नैराश्येन ज्वलति हृदयं भक्तिलेशालसस्य।
विश्वद्रीचीमघहर तवाकर्ण्य कारुण्यवीचीम्
आशाबिन्दूक्षितमिदमुपैत्यन्तरे हन्त शैत्यम् ॥१८॥
श्रीरूपपादानां
tad raksakatve tat karunyam eva karanam —
prachinanam bhajanam atulam duskaram srnvato me
nairasyena jvalati hrdayam bhakti-lesalasasya
visva-drichim aghahara tavakarnya karunya vichim
asa-binduksitam idam upaity antare hanta saityam [18]
The cause of the Lord’s protectiveness is His mercy alone —
O destroyer of sin, my heart is averse to a trace of devotion, and it burns in the fire of hopelessness when I hear about the incomparable, formidable devotional services rendered by the great predecessor devotees. But now that I have heard about the wave of Your mercy which floods the universe, the core of my heart, sprinkled by a drop of hope, is soothed with cooling relief once again.
— Sri Rupa Goswami
भगवतः श्रीचैतन्यरूपस्य परमौदार्य्यम् —
हा हन्त चित्तभुवि मे परमोषरायां
सद्भक्तिकल्पलतिकाङ्कुरिता कथं स्यात्।
हृद्येकमेव परमाश्वसनीयमस्ति
चैतन्यनाम कलयन्न कदापि शोच्यः ॥१९॥
श्रीप्रबोधानन्दपादानां
bhagavatah sri-chaitanya-rupasya param audaryam —
ha hanta chitta-bhuvi me paramosarayam
sad-bhakti-kalpa-latikankurita katham syat
hrdy ekam eva paramasvasaniyam asti
chaitanya-nama kalayan na kadapi sochyah [19]
The supreme magnanimity of the Supreme Lord Sri Chaitanyadev —
Alas, alas! How will the charming wish-fulfilling creeper of pure devotion ever sprout from the desperately barren planes of my consciousness?
Despite my predicament, just one great hope awakens in my heart: by chanting the name of Sri Chaitanyadev, nothing can remain to be lamented for by anyone at any time.
— Sri Prabodhananda Saraswati
श्रीगौरहरेः सर्व्वोपायविहीनेष्वपि रक्षकत्वम् —
ज्ञानादिवर्त्मविरुचिं व्रजनाथभक्ति
रीतिं न वेद्मि न च सद्गुरवो मिलन्ति।
हा हन्त हन्त मम कः शरणं विमूढ
गौरोहरिस्तव न कर्णपथं गतोऽस्ति ॥२०॥
श्रीप्रबोधानन्दपादानां
sri-gaurahareh sarvopaya-vihinesv api raksakatvam —
jnanadi-vartma-viruchim vraja-natha-bhakti-
ritim na vedmi na cha sad-guravo milanti
ha hanta hanta mama kah saranam vimudha
gauro-haris tava na karna-patham gato ’sti [20]
Sri Gaurahari is the saviour of even those bereft of any method of approach —
I know not the way of love in Sri Vrndavan
which breeds disloyalty to wisdom and the world;
nor do I come to meet with saintly teachers —
to whom shall I surrender, where shall I go?
O foolish fellow! You cannot have heard about
the Golden Lord, Sri Gaura Mahaprabhu.
— Sri Prabodhananda Saraswati
इति श्रीप्रपन्नजीवनामृते
श्रीभक्तवचनामृतान्तर्गतो
रक्षिष्यतीति विश्वासो नाम पञ्चमोऽध्यायः।
iti sri-prapanna-jivanamrte
sri-bhakta-vachanamrtantargato
raksisyatiti visvaso nama panchamo ’dhyayah
thus ends the fifth chapter
Confidence in the Lord’s Protection
from
Words of Nectar from the Devotees
in