Weekly Sanga

athāpi sahajāvyāja-

karuṇā-komalātmani

avakra-bhāva-prakṛtāv

ārya-dharma-pradarśake

sadā vinaya-vṛddhayā

lajjayāvanata-śrīmad-

vadane ’dho-vilokane

’yodhyā-pura-purandare

mahā-rājādhirāje śrī-

sītā-lakṣmaṇa-sevite

sugrīve vānareśvare

vibhīṣaṇāśrite cāpa-

pāṇau daśarathātmaje

raghunātha-svarūpiṇi

svasminn ātyantikī prītir

mama tenaiva vardhitā

Even so, I simply feel more attracted to the Supreme Lord in His eternal identity as Śrī Raghunātha, the son of Daśaratha and joy of Mother Kauśalyā. His heart always tender with natural, unaffected compassion, He is spontaneously attracted to loving exchanges with His devotees, exchanges free from any tinge of duplicity. He demonstrates how to follow properly the religious duties of a civilized people, and He upholds the strict vow of having only one wife. In the shyness of innate humility, His face always looks downward, His eyes fixed on the ground. His exalted character is pleasing to all. He stands with bow in hand, the king of kings, the hero of the city Ayodhyā, served by Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa, and with Bharata as His older brother. He rules the race of monkeys as the dear friend of Sugrīva and gives shelter to Vibhīṣaṇa. By my hearing of the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa, the unlimited loving attraction I feel toward my own master has increased.

śrī-parīkṣid uvāca

atha kṣaṇaṁ niśaśvāsa

hanūmān dhairya-sāgaraḥ

jagāda nāradaṁ natvā

kṣaṇaṁ hṛdi vimṛśya saḥ

Śrī Parīkṣit said: Hanumān, the ocean of sobriety, then sighed for a moment, and after a brief time in thought he bowed down to Nārada and spoke.

svasṛ-dānādi-sakhyena

yaḥ samyag anukampitaḥ

tena tasyārjunasyāpi

priyo mad-rūpavān dhvajaḥ

Lord Kṛṣṇa, by acts of friendship like giving His sister in marriage to the Pāṇḍava Arjuna, showed Arjuna full mercy. And that Arjuna bears my image on the treasured flag of his chariot.

ity uktvā hanūmān mātaḥ

pāṇḍaveya-yaśasvini

utplutyotplutya muninā

muhur nṛtyati vakti ca

[Parīkṣit Mahārāja said:] O mother, O celebrated wife of the son of the Pāṇḍavas, after Hanumān said this he repeatedly jumped up into the air, higher and higher, joining the sage Nārada in dancing. He then continued to speak.

śrī-hanūmān uvāca

teṣām āpad-gaṇā eva

sattamāḥ syuḥ su-sevitāḥ

ye vidhāya prabhuṁ vyagraṁ

sadyaḥ saṅgamayanti taiḥ

Śrī Hanumān said: All the calamities that befell the Pāṇḍavas were most auspicious and desirable because those calamities made the Personality of Godhead anxious to join the Pāṇḍavas quickly.

śrī-parīkṣid uvāca

śṛṇvann idaṁ kṛṣṇa-padābja-lālaso

dvāravatī-santata-vāsa-lampaṭaḥ

utthāya cotthāya mudāntarāntarā

śrī-nārado ’nṛtyad alaṁ sa-hūṅkṛtam

Śrī Parīkṣit said: Upon hearing these words, Śrī Nārada became uncontrollably eager to see the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. He simply wanted to go to Dvārakā and live there forever. He stood up, sat down, and stood up again. He danced enthusiastically, filled with inner joy, and made loud cries.

sa yeṣāṁ bālyatas tat-tad-

viṣādy-āpad-gaṇeraṇāt

dhairyaṁ dharmaṁ yaśo jñānaṁ

bhaktiṁ premāpy adarśayat

By sending poison and many other calamities, one after another, to trouble the Pāṇḍavas from their childhood, the Lord deliberately showed their determination, religion, fame, wisdom, devotion, and ecstatic love.

sevā-saubhāgya-hetoś ca

mahā-prabhu-kṛto mahān

anugraho mayi snigdhair

bhavadbhir anumīyate

You are very kind to me. Because I have had the good fortune to engage in His service, you conclude that the Lord has given me His favor.

bhava-bandha-cchide tasyai

spṛhayāmi na muktaye

bhavān prabhur ahaṁ dāsa

iti yatra vilupyate

“Even though liberation destroys the bondage of material existence, I have no desire for liberation, in which I would forget that You are the master and I am Your servant.”

śrī-nārada uvāca

satyam eva bhagavat-kṛpā-bhara-

syāspadaṁ nirupamaṁ bhavān param

yo hi nityam ahaho mahā-prabhoś

citra-citra-bhajanāmṛtārṇavaḥ

Śrī Nārada said: Yes, you are the greatest recipient of the mercy of the Supreme Lord. No one can compare to you. Ah! You are always immersed in an ocean of ecstatic worship of the Lord, enjoying it as newer and newer at every moment.