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Bhaktachintamani Prakaran 42

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Hasmukh Patadia

Gujarati narration
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"Salutations - in the city of Bhuj dwells the king of kings, where every auspicious splendor abides, where you yourself reside, Maharaj.

You wear, as it were, a garland strung with the gems of every virtue; among the assembly of devotees, merciful one, you shine gloriously.

Whoever comes to you for refuge, you grant them the gift of fearlessness. Having made devotion to Krishna manifest, you are, in this age, the Lord God himself.

You are the guru of all gurus, being Uddhav yourself today. Such is Swami Ramanandji - may you prevail victoriously, Maharaj.

You are Uddhav directly manifest, come forth to save souls from worldly existence. For the protection of dharma, Maharaj, you have taken this birth.

In the city of Ayodhya, in the womb of Sumati, wife of the brahmin Ajay, you took birth. Such are you, Uddhav, now Ramanand, the very source of happiness for seeking souls.

To you I offer salutation, touching the earth, a thousand times over. Writing thus, I make my petition; please listen, O wise one.

Nilkanth Varni is my name; without your refuge, I have no place to dwell. Thus have I come to your refuge, Swami; grant us your aid.

Leaving my kin in the Kosal region, I took to the forest path to meet Krishna. Then I wandered to every sacred place, for the sake of meeting Krishna manifest.

Thus I came here to Loj, and remain now among your sadhus. For the sake of meeting Krishna directly, I persist in this longing, which I now tell you, Maharaj.

I perform severe austerity, and do not let myself grow weak in resolve. Throughout the four months of the rainy season, I observe fasting and partial fasting in due order.

Year after year, in the month of Kartik, I observe a complete fast throughout. And in that month, at certain times, I also perform the krichchhra vow.

Then, in the month of Magh, I perform the parak-krichchhra vow, as it is called. Taking up the Chandrayana vow on Ekadashi, I observe all these vows faithfully.

For the sake of pleasing Krishna, I feel no hardship in this at all, Maharaj. Withdrawing my mind from the five sense-objects, I perform this severe and heavy austerity,

by which the blood and flesh of my body have withered away. Only in one manner does my life-breath remain - I have given no thought at all to my own preservation.

Only the hope of Krishna's darshan, know this, has kept this life-breath sustained; otherwise, without food, this body, and this breath that continues in it, would not have lasted.

I have not considered any other support for its continuance in my mind. In this age of Kali, life-breath is said to depend upon food - this is known to all, wise and ignorant alike.

But my own life-breath is not so; all know it to be as though of the Satya Yuga instead. And further, through the eightfold yoga (Ashtanga Yoga), a certain power has arisen in me,

by which the physical practices, austerities, and fasts I perform do not feel difficult at all - this is entirely due to your grace, Lord.

Knowing me to be such a devotee of Krishna, come and meet me, showing grace upon me. I hold no other mother, father, or brother; I consider Krishna alone as friend, master, and guru.

My love is fixed upon Krishna alone; my mind, life, and body are bound to him. Whoever holds affection for anyone other than him, I regard as a devotee of Shri Krishna only if their love ultimately serves him;

but if any person or kin who offers the five sense-pleasures does not hold love for Krishna, then I abandon them as I would an enemy.

If you find fault with me for this, I say to you, Swami: great ones before me have abandoned such ties, and it never proved wrong for them.

Consider: Vibhishan abandoned his own brother; Bharat abandoned his mother. Vidura abandoned the customs of his own lineage; Draupadi abandoned her own kin.

The gopis abandoned the company of their husbands; King Anga abandoned his son Ven. Prahlad abandoned his own father; and King Bali abandoned his own guru.

None of them earned ill repute for this; rather, the scriptures speak their praise. So this principle is indeed ancient and true - I have set aside those averse to Krishna.

So devotees of Krishna are dear to me; all others seem worthless to me by comparison. Whoever holds love for your own devotees has truly attained the human form;

all other souls are like animals, whose knowledge extends only to sense-objects. Between them and animals I see no difference - so I reflect in my own mind.

Even the gods desire the human form, for whoever attains it without serving Hari is like an animal without horns or a tail, however learned or accomplished they may otherwise be.

Good lineage, fame, fine qualities, and beauty, however excellent and unparalleled - these shine greatly in the world, like the fruit of the Indravaruni plant (bitter within despite outward beauty).

All virtues shine truly only when a person performs devotion to Krishna. Virtues without devotion to Krishna are like a dish prepared without salt.

One devoid of devotion may reach even Brahmaloka, yet is not freed from Time (death and rebirth). Those averse to Hari never attain the inner joy of God.

So devotion to Krishna is the greatest thing, by which millions upon millions have found happiness. Shiva, Brahma, Indra, and Shukadev all perform devotion, setting aside their own pride.

As all other souls perform devotion, so too do Brahma and Shiva. Radha and the countless other divine powers serve him like maidservants at his door.

Even a lowly soul, if it performs devotion to Krishna, crosses beyond the fear of Time and karma. Even Brahma, if devoid of devotion, remains subject to being devoured by Time.

Such is the greatness of Shri Krishna that I have heard extensively from scripture and from the sadhus. So, setting aside all laziness in my body, I perform severe austerity with eagerness,

all for the sake of pleasing Krishna, so that he may meet me directly - this is my resolve. My mind shall find peace only when Krishna appears to me manifestly.

So, bound by the words of the sadhus, I remain among your sadhus, awaiting you; in this great separation, I remain in deep anguish.

Without the glory of Krishna's name, even songs of praise feel to me like a trident's thrust. Even a beautiful woman appears to me like a hungry demoness.

Even a fragrant garland of flowers feels like a serpent about my neck. Sandalwood paste, saffron, and vermilion feel to me like mud smeared upon the skin.

My mind remains fixed upon Krishna; dwelling in a palace feels to me like dwelling in a forest. Fine and delicate garments feel to me like serpents.

Various kinds of food taste to me like poison. Whatever things bring pleasure to others have all turned bitter to me.

Without the darshan of Krishna I remain as one possessed; Swami, please send word soon. When your darshan comes to pass, then all my sorrows shall be gone.

So, out of grace, grant me your darshan; take hold of my arm, sinking as I am in the ocean of separation." As his own heart truly felt, so did the ascetic write these words.

Whatever was his own true account, in writing it there is no end; he wrote only its essence, briefly, for it could not all be written as it truly was.

This is instruction for seekers of liberation, and the secret truth of a true devotee of Krishna has been told. But know that there is no Krishna other than this - understand that it is Shri Purushottam himself.

Thus the letter was written and completed, and given into Muktanandji's hands. Then Muktanand took the letter, and placed it together with his own letter.

Sealing both together, he wrote the address, and then called for the priest Mayaram, saying, "Take this letter quickly,

and deliver it to Swamiji. Tell him all the news by mouth, and see that he comes quickly - attend to this." Then Mayaram touched his feet,

and set out for the city of Bhuj. Within seven days he reached the city of Bhuj, where Swami was staying at the house of Gangaram.

Beholding him, the brahmin was filled with joy - how gloriously he shone! His eyes were like lotus petals, his face like the full moon.

His body was fair, his arms reaching to his knees, and he wore fine white garments. His eyebrows arched gracefully, and he smiled gently, his radiant face full of delight.

His two feet were like lotuses, and his devotees remained gazing toward them. Giving joy to his own people, such was the happiness-giving Swami Ramanand.

Beholding the Lord thus, Mayaram placed both letters into Swami's hands.

Thus in the Bhaktachintamani, composed by Nishkulanand Muni, disciple of Shri Sahajanand Swami, the establisher of the exclusive path of devotion, ends the forty-second chapter, named "Nilkanth Varni Writes a Letter."

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