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Bhaktachintamani Prakaran 1

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Hasmukh Patadia

Gujarati narration
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Auspicious form, great lord, Shri Sahajanand, embodiment of bliss -- son of Bhakti and Dharma, Shri Hari, I remember you always, incomparable one.

Supremely merciful are you, Shri Krishna, lord of all -- first I bow to you, I bow my head again and again.

In the midst of the very beautiful Goloka there is a place named Akshar -- radiant like millions of suns, moons, and fires, it is a luminous divine abode.

Exceedingly pure, of the nature of existence-consciousness-bliss, the city of Brahman, boundless nectar -- the supreme state, blissful Brahman, called the sky of consciousness, know this for certain.

In such an Aksharadham you dwell, O merciful Krishna -- Purushottam, Vasudev, Narayan, the Supreme Soul, supremely merciful.

Parabrahman, Brahman, Parameshwar, Vishnu, Ishwar -- the Vedas call you by these names too; by these and countless other names, your beautiful dark form is known.

You are beyond the perishable and the imperishable, all-knowing, doer of all, controller, the indweller of all -- the cause of all causes, beyond attributes, self-luminous, lord of all.

Ever independent, ever of the form of Brahman, worshipped together by countless liberated souls -- you bring about the creation, maintenance, and dissolution of countless millions of universes.

Prakruti, Purush, Kal, Pradhan, the great principle (Mahattattva), and many other powers -- you are their prompter, the lord of countless millions of universes.

Such is the youthful form of Shri Krishna, who humbles the pride of millions of gods of love -- by your own will you incarnate age after age, accomplishing the purpose of your people.

First, from Dharma, appeared the perfect, all-fulfilled form -- as Lord Nar-Narayan you dwelt in Badrika-dham.

After that, from Vasudev and Devaki, you appeared in Mathura -- to destroy countless demons and to help your own servants.

Then again in the world, unrighteousness grew without bound -- demons took incarnation to torment devotion and dharma.

To overturn the truth and give false teachings, such sinners appeared, becoming gurus in every household.

Devotion and dharma grew afraid, with no place left to abide -- then you, Ghanshyam, appeared in the land of Kosal.

Taking on the play of a human form, O Lord, you wander this earth -- the ignorant and unfortunate do not understand this mystery at all.

Almighty are you, Shri Hari, supreme above all, the support of all -- in a human body, dense with great knowledge, conqueror of people's minds.

Greatly steadfast, profound, dignified, an ocean of mercy, free of fault -- a treasure of compassion, merciful, gentle, endowed with the virtue of peace.

Generous, exceedingly benevolent to others, the abode of happiness for all -- friend of the humble, merciful to the afflicted, devoted to the highest good, ever fulfilled.

Whoever takes you as their refuge, their threefold afflictions are removed -- freeing them from time, karma, and maya, you grant boundless happiness.

The five senses do not torment one who comes and takes refuge in you -- lust, anger, greed, delusion, and unrighteousness do not remain in their heart.

The voidists, the dry intellectuals, the atheists, and the heretics -- the darkness of their doctrines has been dispelled by your light.

Even Shiva, Brahma, the immortal gods, and yogis cannot conquer their own minds -- but by your glory your own devotees are said to have conquered theirs.

Such an almighty dark one (Shyam) are you, known by many names, of immense strength -- an actor in human drama, delighter of people's minds, incomprehensible to the ignorant.

For the sake of taking human form, O Lord, you served Swami Ramanand -- there you received the great mantra and became the disciple of the true guru.

Sahajanand, root of bliss, whose name is revered by the world -- remembering it destroys sin upon sin, it is the abode of happiness for the saints.

Having received such a name, you, the unfathomable one, wander this earth, giving darshan to people and removing the sins of countless souls.

Such an almighty lord of your own will, Shri Hari, pure of wisdom -- knowing me as your own servant, friend of the humble, merciful one, bestow your grace.

To sing your deeds there remains great eagerness in my heart -- grant me such wisdom that all my words come out fitting.

And to the true saints I bow again and again, touching their feet -- bestow your grace so that in composing this scripture no obstacle arises.

Grant such a blessing that the devotees of Hari become joyfully absorbed -- may joy ever increase in singing and hearing the virtues of Shri Hari.

All of you together, lend your help; keep this resolve firmly in mind -- may every chapter come to me as easily as an atom moves through space.

In Sanskrit and Prakrit words, poets have composed many scriptures, delighting the mind and purifying the intellect, in such manner have they composed.

In prose, verse, and chhappay meter, readily grasped by the intellect on hearing -- knowing this, as I begin with reverence, my mind does not turn back.

Grant me that courage; take my hand now and hold it -- I begin this scripture, taking your glory as my support.

By your glory, the lame climb a mountain. By your glory, the blind find eyes.

By your glory, the mute recite the Vedas with their mouth. By your glory, the pauper becomes a king.

Holding such glory in my heart, I begin this scripture -- may no obstacle befall me as I remember the Almighty.

Now I begin the story of Hari; may the listeners who hear it gain good understanding -- hearing it with the ears brings happiness, and the body's afflictions are removed.

This is an incomparable story, excellent, that removes worldly suffering and bestows happiness -- for devotees who worship the manifest Lord, it is a joy to hear.

Thus ends the first chapter, named 'The Invocation,' in the Bhaktachintamani composed by the disciple Nishkulanand Muni of Shri Sahajanand Swami, propagator of the path of Ekantik Dharma.

Shree Swaminarayan Temple, Bhuj-Kutch / Vadtal Gadi, AI-translated, unverified · Source details