Śrīla Bhakti Vinod Ṭhākur’s commentary on the ninth verse of Śrī Upadeśāmṛta.
The following is a translation of Śrīla Bhakti Vinod Ṭhākur’s poetic Bengali translation, Bhāṣā, and Bengali prose commentary, Pīyūṣa-varṣiṇī-vṛtti, on Śrīla Rūpa Goswāmī Prabhu’s Śrī Upadeśāmṛta.
These texts were published in Śrī Gauḍīya Darśan, in Volume 2, Issue 11, 10 June 1957, Volume 2, Issue 12, 12 July 1957, and Volume 3, Issue 1, 12 August 1957. In combination with Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Saraswatī Ṭhākur’s Anuvṛtti, they were also published as a book from Śrī Chaitanya Sāraswat Maṭh by Śrīla Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswāmī Mahārāj in 1970.
“The Upadeśāmṛta of Śrīla Rūpa Goswāmī is also extremely good for us; we published Upadeśāmṛta before.”
—Śrīla Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswāmī Mahārāj,
Affectionate Guidance
Śrī Upadeśāmṛta Verse Nine
vaikuṇṭhāj janito varā madhu-purī tatrāpi rāsotsavād-
vṛndāraṇyam udāra-pāṇi-ramaṇāt tatrāpi govardhanaḥ
rādhā-kuṇḍam ihāpi gokula-pateḥ premāmṛtāplāvanāt
kuryād asya virājato giri-taṭe sevāṁ vivekī na kaḥ [9]
madhu-purī–Māthura, [where Kṛṣṇa was] janitaḥ–born, [is] varā–higher vaikuṇṭhāj–than Vaikuṇṭha. tatra api–Therein, vṛndāraṇyam–Vṛndāvan [is higher] rāsotsavāt–because of the Rāsa festival. tatra api–Therein, govardhanaḥ–Govardhan [is higher] ramaṇāt–because of the amorous play [of He who has] udāra–liberal pāṇi–hands. ihā api–Herein, rādhā-kuṇḍam–Rādhā Kuṇḍa [is highest] āplāvanāt–because of the flood amṛta–of the nectar pateḥ–of the Lord gokula–of Goloka’s prema–divine love. kaḥ–What vivekī–wise soul na kuryāt–would not perform sevāṁ–service asya–for it [Rādhā Kuṇḍa], virājataḥ–situated taṭe–at the base giri–Govardhan? [9]
“Mathurā, where Kṛṣṇa takes birth, is higher than Vaikuṇṭha. Within Mathurā, Vṛndāvan is highest because there Kṛṣṇa enjoys the Rāsa Dance. Within Vṛndāvan, Govardhan is highest because there Kṛṣṇa plays amorously, and within Govardhan, Rādhā Kuṇḍa is highest because there Śrī Kṛṣṇa creates a flood of divine love. What wise soul would not serve Rādhā Kuṇḍa at the base of Govardhan Hill?”
Bhāṣā
vaikuṇṭha apekṣā śreṣṭha māthura-maṇḍal
tad apekṣā vṛndāvan yathā rāsa-sthala [1]
Higher than Vaikuṇṭha is Māthura Maṇḍal, and higher than that is Vṛndāvan, the place of the Rāsa Dance.
tad apekṣā govardhan nitya keli-sthāna
rādhā-kuṇḍe tad apekṣā premera vijñāna [2]
Higher than Vṛndāvan is Govardhan, the place of the Lord’s daily Pastimes, and higher than that is Rādhā Kuṇḍa, where there is full realisation of divine love.
Pīyūṣa-varṣiṇī-vṛtti
Amongst places of service, Śrī Rādhā Kuṇḍa is the highest of all. This is shown in the ninth verse. Because of Kṛṣṇa’s birth, Mathurā is higher than the opulent abode of Vaikuṇṭha in the spiritual sky. Because of the Rāsa Dance, Vṛndāvan is highest within the district of Mathurā. Because it is the place of various types of amorous play by liberal-handed Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Śrī Govardhan is highest within Vraja. Śrī Rādhā Kuṇḍa is situated near Śrī Govardhan. Because the nectar of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s divine love overflows there, it is the highest of all. What soul who is expert in divine service would not serve Rādhā Kuṇḍa? Such a soul should always reside there, either in their gross or subtle body, and follow the method of service previously described.
Reference
Read Śrīla Bhakti Vinod Ṭhākur’s commentary on Śrī Upadeśāmṛta: verses one, two, three, four, five, six, seven and eight.