Shankara-Acharya, Selected Glosses from "Shree Vishnu Sahasranam", Part 03 - "BHAKTI-GROUP", LIST A

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Manasi Puja and the seasons

This is the incredible darshan of Shree Shreemad SwamiNarayan about Manasi-Seva and various seasons. 

It is very practical and I have enhanced my sadhana very much due to the Grace of this darshan. 

"Vachanmrut", Gadhadã III – 23 

Mãnsi Pujã 

23.1 In the Samvat year 1885, on the night of Ãso sud Punam [22nd October 1828], Swãmi Shree Sahajãnandji Mahãrãj was sitting on a decorated bedstead that had been placed in the yard of His residence in Dãdã Khãchar’s darbãr in Gadhadã. 

He was dressed entirely in white clothes. A sabhã of paramhans, as well as haribhaktas from various places, had gathered before Him. 

23.2 Then, Shreeji Mahãrãj, out of compassion, addressed all the bhaktas and said, “A person who is a bhakta of Bhagvãn daily performs the mãnsi pujã of Bhagvãn. 

A person should perform that mãnsi pujã in different ways, depending on the three seasons: summer, winter, and monsoon. 

During the four months of summer.

23.3 “During the four months of summer, a person should perform pujã by first bathing Bhagvãn with cool, fragrant, pure water. He should then offer Him a beautiful, washed, thin, white khes to wear. 

After seating Bhagvãn on a beautiful seat, His whole body should be smeared with fragrant sandalwood from the Malay mountains, which has been collected in a bowl after forming it into a paste. 

Firstly, the sandalwood paste should be smeared on His forehead and closely observed; then the paste should be smeared on His chest, stomach, thighs, calves, and other parts of His body.

Those parts should also be observed. Then, beautiful kum-kum should be applied on His holy feet as well as on the soles of His feet, and they too should then be observed. 

Then, garlands of fragrant flowers, such as mogrã, chameli, champã, and roses, as well as various jewellery, and bãjubandh and berkhã made of flowers should be offered. 

A fine cloth that is not too heavy and is as white as a mogrã flower should be tied around His head; and a beautiful, white cloth which is fine and light, should be wrapped around His body. 

Then, he should embrace Bhagvãn – once, or twice, or according to the degree of his love. 

Then, he should touch Bhagvãn’s holy feet to his own chest and head. During the embrace, the sandalwood paste on Bhagvãn’s body, as well as parts of the garlands of flowers, may stick to his own body; and kum-kum may also stick as a result of touching Bhagvãn’s holy feet to his own chest and head. 

All this should be visualised, and he should feel, ‘Sandalwood paste, kum-kum, and garlands blessed by Bhagvãn have touched my body!’ 

During the four months of winter.

23.4 “During the four months of winter, a person should perform pujã by first bathing Bhagvãn with warm water, and then offering Him a white khes to wear. 

He should then seat Bhagvãn on a decorated bedstead with a velvet mattress that has been covered with a white sheet.

He should offer a survãl, offer a dagli, tie a rich orange reto of golden threads around His head, tie a rich reto around His waist, and place a rich reto over His shoulders. 

Then, he should place various types of jewellery made of diamonds, pearls, gold, and rubies on various parts of His body, and also a pearl necklace. 

After offering these clothes and jewellery, the various parts of Bhagvãn’s body should be closely observed. 

A kum-kum chãndlo should also be applied to Bhagvãn’s forehead. 

During the four months of monsoon

23.5 “During the four months of monsoon, a person should perform pujã imagining that Bhagvãn has returned from some village, and His white clothes have become completely drenched; or that He had gone to bathe with the paramhans in a river and has returned from there completely drenched.  

After removing His wet clothes, He should be offered deep orange garments to wear, and His forehead should be smeared with yellow sandalwood paste mixed with saffron. 

23.6 “During summer, a person should visualise Bhagvãn to be sitting either in an open place or in a flower garden. During winter and monsoon, he should visualise Bhagvãn to be seated in a medi, or inside a house. In particular, when offering Bhagvãn something to eat, only those foods – that are chewed, drunk, licked, or sucked – which he likes to eat should be visualised for offering to Bhagvãn. 

Even if Bhagvãn does not like these foods, when offering items to Him, a person should still visualise only those items that he enjoys himself. Also, incense, oil lamps, flowers, and ãrti should be offered to Bhagvãn as appropriate. 

23.7 “In this way, a bhakta who offers pujã in different ways according to the three different seasons increases his love for Bhagvãn, and his jeev benefits tremendously. 

Therefore, whoever has heard this talk should remember it and daily perform the mãnsi pujã of Bhagvãn in 

the way described. As a matter of fact, I have never talked about this before.” 

23.8 Shreeji Mahãrãj then spoke on another topic. He said, “When Bhagvãn and His bhaktas are pleased on a bhakta, he should feel, ‘It is my great fortune that Bhagvãn and His bhaktas are pleased with me’. 

Also, when they lecture him, for the purpose of teaching a lesson, he should feel, ‘It is my great fortune that they lecture me; after all, it will help in removing my flaws’. In this way, a person should be pleased even if lectured; he should not feel any grief in his mind, nor get upset, nor even regard himself as being very sinful. 

He should always remain pleased. This attitude should always be remembered.” 

"THE BRAHMASUTRA BHASHYA OF MADHVAACHARYA" with glosses of Shree Shreemad JayaTirtha, Shree Shreemad VyasaTirtha and Shree Shreemad RaghavendrAcharya (1911, 1915, 1920)

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In separate files:

Volume 01 - https://copy.com/3oqgELvPxoL7

Volume 02 - https://copy.com/n4jdHpS7DG4C

Volume 03 - https://copy.com/tSXFYQCwZVAY

"THE PROCESS OF CREATION IN DASA SAHITYA", Tirumala Tirupati, 1999

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English annotation by Vishnudut1926: This is very impressive book, but I have read it about 2 years ago, so I can't provide the elaborate description.

Usually I don't like the stories about Sarga at all, but don't be outfoxed by the name of the book, because it is actually not about creation.

A lot of elaborate ideas of Vaishnava-Acharyas are explained in the book.

I have been impressed by the Chapter about Shree Vaikuntha-Dhama from this Book 2 years ago. 

T H I S   S C A N   B E L O N G S   T O   T H E   F A M I L Y   O F   M Y   C O M P A C T  

 V A I S H N A V A   E - L I B R A R I E S ,   T H E Y   C A N   B E   F O U N D   O N :  

Wordpress (a catalogue with pictures and cloud links to PDF-scans) - #Wordpress

Nimbus (this is just a TXT-version without pictures) - #Nimbus
Airborn (the mirror of Wordpress) - #Airborn
GoogleDocs (the mirror of Wordpress) - #GoogleDocs

"Vilapa-Kusumanjali - A Bouquet of Lamentations" by Shree Shreemad Raghunatha dasa Goswami lectures Ananta Dasa Babaji Maharaja

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English annotation by Vishnudut1926: "Vilapa-Kusumanjali" is one of the most significant Prayers for Gaudiya-Sampradaya, because Manjari-Bhava is especially extolled in this Prayer. 

The very similar text is "Sankalpa-Kalpadruma" by Shree Shreemad Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakur. 

There are 2 files in the folder: 

1) The original Prayer

2) The lectures of Shree Shreemad Ananta Das Babaji, based on some verses of the Prayer

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Aspire to become servants of Shree Radhika (Radha-Dasya) only

The very distinctive feature of "Shree Brihad-Bhagavatamrita" is the division of bhakti-yogs into:

1) Gyana-bhaktas 2) Shuddha-bhaktas 3) Premi-bhaktas 4) Prema-Para-bhaktas 5) Prematura-bhaktas (see page 28 and further in the edition of Shree Shreemad Narayana Maharaj). 

Manjari-Bhava is considered to be the highest achievent, that's why Verse 2.1.21-22 is the most heart-capturing Verse for all of us!!!!!!!!

"SHREE BRIHAD-BHAGAVATAMRITA", 2.1.21-22: "These  devotees,  being  indifferent  to  all  other  spiritual  practices and goals, aspire to become servants of Shree Radhika (Radha-Dasya) only. 

To attain this service, they constantly sing Her Holy Names, immersed in divine love. 

If these devotees, like other general devotees, obtain a special place in the same Vaikuntha, our hearts will not be satisfied. 

Alas! I cannot tolerate the idea that Nanda and the other cowherdsmen and Yashoda and the cowherd women would have the same destination as ordinary devotees.". 

DIG-DARSHINI-TIKA (COMMENTARY BY SHREE SHREEMAD SANATANA GOSWAMI):  To  present  the  destination  achieved  by  those exceptional devotees, their distinction is being shown in these verses beginning with "ye". 

Shree Uttara says, “These devotees develop complete detachment towards the happiness derived from the spiritual practices (sadhanas) and goals (sadhyas) of the five types of devotees mentioned earlier  [verse  16].  

Sacrificing  all  other  practices  and  goals  with  a palmful of water – or in other words, renouncing them completely – they  exclusively  strive  for  the  servitorship  of  Shreemati  Radhika,  the Most Beloved of Madana-gopala Shree Krishna. 

Their singular aspiration is,  ‘I  want  to  be  Shree  Radhika’s  maidservant.’  Upon  obtaining  that position, they automatically attain not only all their desires, but the results of desires beyond imagination.” 

Thus with the words beginning with  "sankirtayanti",  Shree  Uttara  emphasizes  how  extraordinary that sadhana is that can grant such an extraordinary result.

“These  devotees  glorify  the  names  of  Rasa-Rasika  Shree  Krishna  – He  who  enjoys  the  rasa  dance  –  by  performing  "sankirtana",  singing in  sweet  voices  with  ecstatic  loving  sentiment.  

The  lovingly performed nama-sankirtana, or chanting of the holy names, is imbued with  overwhelming,  natural  love  for  the  Lord.  

Therefore,  if  their destination is the same as those of all other devotees, then our hearts will be filled with discontent.”

Here  one  may  argue,  “Just  as  Dvaraka  and  other  abodes  are present  in  Vaikuntha,  Shree  Mathura-Mandala  is  also  present  there. 

And  in  Mathura  is  Shree  Gokula.  Let  the  devotees  of  Shree  Rasa-Rasika enjoy pastimes with their beloved Lord as they wish in that Gokula. 

Just  as  the  Yadavas,  commensurate  with  their  sadhana,  experience greater happiness than the Pandavas, similarly let the devotees of Rasa-Rasika Shree Krishna also obtain results befitting their sadhana and reside in the Shree Mathura Gokula of Vaikuntha.”

Here,  the  term  "anyesham  iva",  meaning  ‘like  others,’  implies  ‘like the  Pandavas  and  Yadavas.’  

"Tesham",  meaning  ‘of  them,’  implies  that devotees of Shree Rasa-Vihari Shree Krishna also attain the topmost happiness, commensurate to their sadhana.

Shree Uttara replies, “This, however, does not satisfy my heart. That level of happiness is generally very common.”

Another understanding of Shree Uttara’s words is: 

“This may be the case, but if, by the influence of the great mercy of the lotus feet of Gopinatha  Shree  Krishna,  those  most  affectionate  and  highly  perfected personalities  acheive  the  same  destination,  then  so  be  it.  

However, peerless  personalities  such  as  the  gopas  and  gopis  like  Shree  Nanda, Shree Yashoda, and their followers, the other residents of Vraja, possess paramount,  unbounded  love  for  Shree  Krishna  that  is  Eternal  and  Ever-Fresh. It is absolutely unacceptable that they would obtain a destination similar to others.” 

This is communicated in the word aho, meaning ‘alas.’ She says, “Aho! It is unbearable for me to think that they would also obtain the same ordinary result as all other devotees. It is inappropriate to equate the majestic with the insignificant.”