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Freedom and Desire

Continuing our present­a­tion of the upcom­ing release Sharanagati, in this song Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur explains the foundation of all egotism and describes the surrendered souls’ freedom realised through submission to the Lord’s will.

Sharanagati

Song Nineteen

dārā, putra, nija-deha, kuṭumba pālane
sarvadā vyākula āmi chhinu mane mane
[1]

dārā–wife; putra–children; nija–own; deha–body; kuṭumba–relatives; pālane–in the maintenance of; sarvadā–always; vyākula–anxious; āmi–I; chhinu–was; mane–in mind; mane–in mind. [1]

(1) Deep within, I was always anxious about the maintenance of my wife, children, body, and relatives.

kemane arjiba artha yaśa kise pāba
kanyā-putra-vivāha kemane sampādiba
[2]

kemane–how?; arjibaḥ–I will earn; artha–money; yaśa–fame; kise–by what means?; pāba–I will attain; kanyā–of daughters; putra–of sons; vivāha–marriage; kemane–how?; sampādiba–I will arrange. [2]

(2) “How shall I earn money? How shall I attain fame? How will I arrange the marriages of my sons and daughters?”

ebe ātma-samarpaṇe chintā nāhi āra
tumi nirvāhibe prabho! saṁsāra tomāra
[3]

ebe–now; ātma–myself; samarpaṇe–by fully offering; chintā–anxiety; nāhi–not; āra–any more; tumi–You; nirvāhibe–will maintain; prabho!–O Lord!; saṁsāra–household; tomāra–Yours. [3]

(3) Now that I have fully offered myself, I have no more anxiety. You will maintain Your household, O Lord!

tumi ta’ pālibe more nija-dāsa jāni’
tomāra sevāya prabhu! baḍa sukha māni
[4]

tumi–You; ta’–certainly; pālibe–will protect; more–me; nija–Your own; dāsa–servant; jāni’–knowing; tomāra–Your; sevāya–in the service; prabhu!–O Lord!; baḍa–great; sukha–happiness; māni–I find. [4]

(4) You will certainly maintain me, knowing me to be Your servant. O Lord! In Your service I feel the greatest joy.

tomāra ichchhāya prabhu, saba kārya haya
jīva bale—‘kari āmi’, se ta’ satya naya
[5]

tomāra–Your; ichchhāya–by the desire; prabhu–O Lord; saba–all; kārya–activity; haya–happens; jīva–the conditioned souls; bale–consider; kari–do; āmi–I; se–that; ta’–certainly; satya–truth; naya–is not. [5]

(5) All activity happens according to Your will, O Lord, yet jivas think, “I do”. This is not at all true.

Sri Laghu-chandrika-bhashya

(5) jīva bale—‘kari āmi’, se ta’ satya naya: Jivas think, ‘I do’. This is not at all true.” Krishna explains this in Srimad Bhagavad-gita (3.27):

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ
ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate

Actions in the world are effected, in every respect, by the modes of material nature. Yet one deluded by false ego thinks, ‘I am the doer’.”

jīva ki karite pāre, tumi na karile
āśā mātra jīva kare, tava ichchhā phale
[6]

jīva–the soul; ki–what?; karite–to act; pāre–can; tumi–You; na–do not; karile–if act; āśā–desire; mātra–only; jīva–souls; kare–do; tava–Your; ichchhā–will; phale–manifests. [6]

(6) What are the jivas able to do if You do not act? The jivas can only desire. It is Your will alone that comes to pass.

niśchinta ha-iyā āmi seviba tomāya
gṛhe bhāla-manda ha’le nāhi mora dāya
[7]

niśchinta–devoid of anxiety; ha-iyā–being; āmi–I; seviba–will serve; tomāya–unto You; gṛhe–in the house; bhāla–good; manda–bad; ha’le–when happens; nāhi–not be; mora–my; dāya–responsibility. [7]

(7) Free from all anxiety, I will serve You. Whatever happens in Your household, be it good or bad, will not be my responsibility.

bhakati-vinoda nija-svātantrya tyajiyā
tomāra charaṇa seve akiñchana ha-iyā
[8]

bhakati-vinoda–Bhakti Vinod; nija–own; svātantrya–independence; tyajiyā–abandoning; tomāra–Your; charaṇa–feet; seve’–serves; akiñchana–detached; ha-iyā–being. [8]

(8) Completely detached, Bhakti Vinod abandons his indepen­dence and serves Your feet.

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