Śrīla Bhakti Vinod Ṭhākur’s commentary on the eleventh 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 Eleven
kṛṣṇasyochchaiḥ praṇaya-vasatiḥ preyāsibhyo ’pi rādhā
kuṇḍaṁ chāsyā munibhir abhitas tādṛg eva vyadhāyi
yat preṣṭhair apy alam asulabhaṁ kiṁ punar bhakti-bhājāṁ
tat premedaṁ sakṛd api sarāḥ snātur āviṣkaroti [11]
rādhā–Śrī Rādhā [is] uchchaiḥ–a higher vasatiḥ–object kṛṣṇasya–of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s praṇaya–love [than] api–even [Kṛṣṇa’s other] preyāsibhyaḥ–lovers, cha–and asyā–Her kuṇḍam–pond eva–also vyadhāyi–has been established tādṛg–as such abhitaḥ–in all respects munibhiḥ–by all the sages. idam–This sarāḥ–pond āviṣkaroti–bestows snātuḥ–upon one who bathes [in it] api–even sakṛd–once prema–divine love yat tat–that [is] alam–already asulabham–difficult to attain api–even preṣṭhaiḥ–for those who are dear [to Kṛṣṇa], kim–what punaḥ–more bhājām–for practitioners bhakti–of devotion.
Śrī Rādhā is the highest object of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s love, above all His other lovers, and Her pond has also been established as such in all respects by the sages. This pond bestows upon one who bathes within it only once divine love that is extremely difficult even for those who are dear to Kṛṣṇa to attain, let alone for practitioners of devotion.
Bhāṣā
sakala preyasī-śreṣṭhā vṛṣabhānu-sutā
tā̐hāra sarasī nitya śrī-kṛṣṇa-dayitā [1]
The daughter of Vṛṣabhānu is the best of all Kṛṣṇa’s lovers, and Her pond is always dear to Kṛṣṇa.
muṇi-gaṇa śāstre ei-rūpa nirdhārila
vraja-madhye śreṣṭha bali’ kuṇḍe sthira kaila [2]
In the scriptures, the sages have ascertained this and determined that this pond is supreme within Vraja.
sādhana bhaktira kathā ki baliba āra
kṛṣṇa-preṣṭha-gaṇera durlabha prema-sāra [3]
What to speak of practitioners of devotion, the highest divine love is difficult to attain even for those who are dear to Kṛṣṇa.
niṣkapaṭe sei kuṇḍe ye kare majjana
kuṇḍa tā̐re sei prema kare vitaraṇa [4]
Rādhā Kuṇḍa gives such divine love to those who bathe within it sincerely.
Pīyūṣa-varṣiṇī-vṛtti
The eleventh verse has been put forth for the purpose of making the heart of the practitioner firm by describing the natural glory of Śrī Rādhā Kuṇḍa. Śrī Rādhikā is the greatest recipient of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s love and superior to His other lovers in all respects. In the scriptures, the sages have also described the excellence of Śrī Rādhā Kuṇḍa in this way. If one bathes in Rādhā Kuṇḍa with devotion, Rādhā Kuṇḍa easily gives one divine love that is difficult to attain even for Nārad Muni and others who are dear to the Lord, what to speak of practitioners of devotion. Rādhā Kuṇḍa, therefore, is the proper place for all devotees to reside. The supramundane soul in supramundane Vraja attaining the supramundane body of a gopī, residing as a maintained maidservant at Rādhā Kuṇḍa in the grove of their Guru in her form as a sakhī, externally taking full shelter of the Name, and assisting Śrīmatī Rādhikā in the service of Kṛṣṇa throughout the eight periods of the day is perfection in service for those who have taken shelter at the feet of Śrī Chaitanya.
Reference
Read Śrīla Bhakti Vinod Ṭhākur’s commentary on Śrī Upadeśāmṛta: verses one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, and ten.