Prayers by Queen Kunti- verses

SB 1.8.18

kunty uvaca

namasye purusam tvadyam isvaram prakrteh param
alaksyam sarva-bhutanam antar bahir avasthitam

Translation: 

Srimati Kunti said: O Krsna, I offer my obeisances unto You because You are the original personality and are unaffected by the qualities of the material world. You are existing both within and without everything, yet You are invisible to all.

SB 1.8.19

maya-javanikacchannam ajñadhoksajam avyayam
na laksyase mudha-drsa nato natyadharo yatha

Translation: 

Being beyond the range of limited sense perception, You are the eternally irreproachable factor covered by the curtain of deluding energy. You are invisible to the foolish observer, exactly as an actor dressed as a player is not recognized.

SB 1.8.20

tatha paramahamsanam muninam amalatmanam
bhakti-yoga-vidhanartham katham pasyema hi striyah

Translation: 

You Yourself descend to propagate the transcendental science of devotional service unto the hearts of the advanced transcendentalists and mental speculators, who are purified by being able to discriminate between matter and spirit. How then can we women know You perfectly?

SB 1.8.21

krsnaya vasudevaya devaki-nandanaya ca
nanda-gopa-kumaraya govindaya namo namah

Translation: 

Let me therefore offer my respectful obeisances unto the Lord, who has become the son of Vasudeva, the pleasure of Devaki, the boy of Nanda and the other cowherd men of Vrndavana, and the enlivener of the cows and the senses.

SB 1.8.22

namah pankaja-nabhaya namah pankaja-maline
namah pankaja-netraya namas te pankajanghraye

Translation: 

My respectful obeisances are unto You, O Lord, whose abdomen is marked with a depression like a lotus flower, who are always decorated with garlands of lotus flowers, whose glance is as cool as the lotus and whose feet are engraved with lotuses.

SB 1.8.23

yatha hrsikesa khalena devaki
 kamsena ruddhaticiram sucarpita
vimocitaham ca sahatmaja vibho
 tvayaiva nathena muhur vipad-ganat

Translation: 

O Hrsikesa, master of the senses and Lord of lords, You have released Your mother, Devaki, who was long imprisoned and distressed by the envious King Kamsa, and me and my children from a series of constant dangers.

SB 1.8.24

visan mahagneh purusada-darsanad
 asat-sabhaya vana-vasa-krcchratah
mrdhe mrdhe ’neka-maharathastrato
 drauny-astratas casma hare ’bhiraksitah

Translation: 

My dear Krsna, Your Lordship has protected us from a poisoned cake, from a great fire, from cannibals, from the vicious assembly, from sufferings during our exile in the forest and from the battle where great generals fought. And now You have saved us from the weapon of Asvatthama.

SB 1.8.25

vipadah santu tah sasvat tatra tatra jagad-guro
bhavato darsanam yat syad apunar bhava-darsanam

Translation: 

I wish that all those calamities would happen again and again so that we could see You again and again, for seeing You means that we will no longer see repeated births and deaths.

SB 1.8.26

janmaisvarya-sruta-sribhir edhamana-madah puman
naivarhaty abhidhatum vai tvam akiñcana-gocaram

Translation: 

My Lord, Your Lordship can easily be approached, but only by those who are materially exhausted. One who is on the path of [material] progress, trying to improve himself with respectable parentage, great opulence, high education and bodily beauty, cannot approach You with sincere feeling.

SB 1.8.27

namo ’kiñcana-vittaya nivrtta-guna-vrttaye
atmaramaya santaya kaivalya-pataye namah

Translation: 

My obeisances are unto You, who are the property of the materially impoverished. You have nothing to do with the actions and reactions of the material modes of nature. You are self-satisfied, and therefore You are the most gentle and are master of the monists.

SB 1.8.28

manye tvam kalam isanam anadi-nidhanam vibhum
samam carantam sarvatra bhutanam yan mithah kalih

Translation: 

My Lord, I consider Your Lordship to be eternal time, the supreme controller, without beginning and end, the all-pervasive one. In distributing Your mercy, You are equal to everyone. The dissensions between living beings are due to social intercourse.

SB 1.8.29

na veda kascid bhagavams cikirsitam
 tavehamanasya nrnam vidambanam
na yasya kascid dayito ’sti karhicid
 dvesyas ca yasmin visama matir nrnam

Translation: 

O Lord, no one can understand Your transcendental pastimes, which appear to be human and so are misleading. You have no specific object of favor, nor do You have any object of envy. People only imagine that You are partial.

SB 1.8.30

janma karma ca visvatmann ajasyakartur atmanah
tiryan-nrsisu yadahsu tad atyanta-vidambanam

Translation: 

Of course it is bewildering, O soul of the universe, that You work, though You are inactive, and that You take birth, though You are the vital force and the unborn. You Yourself descend amongst animals, men, sages and aquatics. Verily, this is bewildering.

SB 1.8.31

gopy adade tvayi krtagasi dama tavad
 ya te dasasru-kalilañjana-sambhramaksam
vaktram niniya bhaya-bhavanaya sthitasya
 sa mam vimohayati bhir api yad bibheti

Translation: 

My dear Krsna, Yasoda took up a rope to bind You when You committed an offense, and Your perturbed eyes overflooded with tears, which washed the mascara from Your eyes. And You were afraid, though fear personified is afraid of You. This sight is bewildering to me.

SB 1.8.32

kecid ahur ajam jatam punya-slokasya kirtaye
yadoh priyasyanvavaye malayasyeva candanam

Translation: 

Some say that the Unborn is born for the glorification of pious kings, and others say that He is born to please King Yadu, one of Your dearest devotees. You appear in his family as sandalwood appears in the Malaya hills.

SB 1.8.33

apare vasudevasya devakyam yacito ’bhyagat
ajas tvam asya ksemaya vadhaya ca sura-dvisam

Translation: 

Others say that since both Vasudeva and Devaki prayed for You, You have taken Your birth as their son. Undoubtedly You are unborn, yet You take Your birth for their welfare and to kill those who are envious of the demigods.

SB 1.8.34

bharavataranayanye bhuvo nava ivodadhau
sidantya bhuri-bharena jato hy atma-bhuvarthitah

Translation: 

Others say that the world, being overburdened like a boat at sea, is much aggrieved, and that Brahma, who is Your son, prayed for You, and so You have appeared to diminish the trouble.

SB 1.8.35

bhave ’smin klisyamananam avidya-kama-karmabhih
sravana-smaranarhani karisyann iti kecana

Translation: 

And yet others say that You appeared for the sake of rejuvenating the devotional service of hearing, remembering, worshiping and so on in order that the conditioned souls suffering from material pangs might take advantage and gain liberation.

SB 1.8.36

srnvanti gayanti grnanty abhiksnasah
 smaranti nandanti tavehitam janah
ta eva pasyanty acirena tavakam
 bhava-pravahoparamam padambujam

Translation: 

O Krsna, those who continuously hear, chant and repeat Your transcendental activities, or take pleasure in others’ doing so, certainly see Your lotus feet, which alone can stop the repetition of birth and death.

SB 1.8.37

apy adya nas tvam sva-krtehita prabho
 jihasasi svit suhrdo ’nujivinah
yesam na canyad bhavatah padambujat
 parayanam rajasu yojitamhasam

Translation: 

O my Lord, You have executed all duties Yourself. Are you leaving us today, though we are completely dependent on Your mercy and have no one else to protect us, now when all kings are at enmity with us?

SB 1.8.38

ke vayam nama-rupabhyam  yadubhih saha pandavah
bhavato ’darsanam yarhi  hrsikanam ivesituh

Translation: 

As the name and fame of a particular body is finished with the disappearance of the living spirit, similarly if You do not look upon us, all our fame and activities, along with the Pandavas and Yadus, will end at once.

SB 1.8.39

neyam sobhisyate tatra yathedanim gadadhara
tvat-padair ankita bhati sva-laksana-vilaksitaih

Translation: 

O Gadadhara [Krsna], our kingdom is now being marked by the impressions of Your feet, and therefore it appears beautiful. But when You leave, it will no longer be so.

SB 1.8.40

ime jana-padah svrddhah supakvausadhi-virudhah
vanadri-nady-udanvanto hy edhante tava viksitaih

Translation: 

All these cities and villages are flourishing in all respects because the herbs and grains are in abundance, the trees are full of fruits, the rivers are flowing, the hills are full of minerals and the oceans full of wealth. And this is all due to Your glancing over them.

SB 1.8.41

atha visvesa visvatman visva-murte svakesu me
sneha-pasam imam chindhi drdham pandusu vrsnisu

Translation: 

O Lord of the universe, soul of the universe, O personality of the form of the universe, please, therefore, sever my tie of affection for my kinsmen, the Pandavas and the Vrsnis.

SB 1.8.42

tvayi me ’nanya-visaya matir madhu-pate ’sakrt
ratim udvahatad addha gangevaugham udanvati

Translation: 

O Lord of Madhu, as the Ganges forever flows to the sea without hindrance, let my attraction be constantly drawn unto You without being diverted to anyone else.

SB 1.8.43

sri-krsna krsna-sakha vrsny-rsabhavani-dhrug-
 rajanya-vamsa-dahananapavarga-virya
govinda go-dvija-surarti-haravatara
 yogesvarakhila-guro bhagavan namas te

Translation: 

O Krsna, O friend of Arjuna, O chief amongst the descendants of Vrsni, You are the destroyer of those political parties which are disturbing elements on this earth. Your prowess never deteriorates. You are the proprietor of the transcendental abode, and You descend to relieve the distresses of the cows, the brahmanas and the devotees. You possess all mystic powers, and You are the preceptor of the entire universe. You are the almighty God, and I offer You my respectful obeisances.

SB 1.8.44

suta uvaca

prthayettham kala-padaih parinutakhilodayah
mandam jahasa vaikuntho mohayann iva mayaya

Translation: 

Suta Gosvami said: The Lord, thus hearing the prayers of Kuntidevi, composed in choice words for His glorification, mildly smiled. That smile was as enchanting as His mystic power.

Prayers by Queen Kunti- verse

Prayers by Queen Kunti- verses 37-43

• 37
• Separation is like a thunderbolt
• Just like the Pandavas we are also in a condition of enmity and the best way of living is to completely dependent upon the will of the Lord and overcome the difficulties of material existence
• 
  
• 38
• Expressions of complete dependence
• everything possible only because of the Lord's presence - where is the Lord present?
• where the devotees are chanting his names
• cooperation
• endeavoring to serve the Lord with sincere devotion together
• 
  

Prayers by Queen Kunti- verse

Prayers by Queen Kunti- verse

Prayers by Queen Kunti- verse

Prayers by Queen Kunti- verse

Prayers by Queen Kunti verse 1.8.26 -27 - False Shelters Are Obstacles

janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrībhir
 edhamāna-madaḥ pumān
naivārhaty abhidhātuṁ vai
 tvām akiñcana-gocaram

Translation:
My Lord, Your Lordship can easily be approached, but only by those who are materially exhausted. One who is on the path of [material] progress, trying to improve himself with respectable parentage, great opulence, high education and bodily beauty, cannot approach You with sincere feeling.

What is the meaning of akincana?
 e.g Ramananda Raya, Gaura Kisora Dasa Babaji

Why are these an impediment to our devotional life?

What do we consider a shelter for ourselves when we are in difficulty?

What would your instant reaction be if after this conference call you lost everyone?
e.g Mayapur Floods, Srila Prabhupada's story

How would you then proceed in your devotional service?


References: BG 2.44- bhog aisvarya prasaktanam Quote by HH Radhanath Swami(from his facebook page on Dec 25th, 2012)
"To the degree we think that we are great, we are intelligent, we are beautiful, we are spiritually advanced, we are coming from a high family – to that degree whatever we do is useless in the eyes of God."

Another quote from HH Radhanath Swami on this point:
“It is not success or beauty, knowledge or wealth in themselves that are disqualifications for approaching God, but rather it is the tendencies of greed, egoism and selfishness, which so often come with these things, that are the greatest disqualifications. The culture of wealth should be a culture of gratitude and humility"

H.H.Radhanath Swami Maharaj

Prayers by Queen kunti- Verses 23- 25 Bridging the Gap

Bridging the gap between our consciousness and Queen Kunti's consciousness is a tall order.We are very far removed from the spiritual realm to understand her mood and consciousness. However a sincere attempt however insignificant will be pleasing to the Lord and therefore we try even if we know we may fail.

Below we will examine some of Queen Kunti's qualities that set her apart from us. We will also try to examine our own consciousness and based on the teachings of the parampara see how we can bridge the gap:

• The spiritual conception - identification as a spirit soul who is the servant of the Lord
• We have a strong identification with our material identity. This identification bewilders us in difficult situations as all that we identify with seems to be at stake. We become fearful and anxious about losing those gross and subtle "things" that define our material identity. We get further lost in trying to protect ourselves. Its a huge stab on our false ego because we realize we are powerless and are not able to do anything to protect ourselves.
• Kunti Maharani on the other hand maintains her poise because she was firmly situated in the spiritual conception
  
• She had full understanding of the Lord's position, she had full connection with her identity as a spirit soul - an eternal servant of the Lord and she was fully situated in her relationship as the Lord's servant and part and parcel. Service to the Lord and the Lord's association were the only things of value for her- nothing else mattered.
• She did not care if she lost "anything"  because she did not identify with anyone save and except the Lord and His service.
• Cultivating Gratitude:
• I read a quote by HH Radhanath Swami(on his facebook page) on gratitude "Of all disgraceful behavior, there is nothing worse than ingratitude."Kunti Maharani had gratitude for the Lord that He was present with them in times of difficulty- she was very thankful for the protection that He awarded on them- she was not complaining that why was there calamity in the first place if You were there with us- because of her spiritual conception she did not care for anything save and except the association of the Lord.
• We on the other hand because of our strong identification with matter feel incomplete in our lives constantly. Because we define our lives based on matter- anything missing makes us feel incomplete compared to others and hence we are constantly complaining.
• As we try to situate ourselves more and more in the spiritual identity we must mindfully  cultivate gratitude for all that Lord Krishna has given to us.What would our lives have been without all the opportunities for service, without the Holy Name, Srila Prabhupada's books, association of devotees, and prasad. We would not be able to get closer to Krishna at all.
• Mindfully reminding ourselves of our good fortune is a good exercise for us to brace ourselves in times of difficulty.
• We must also remember that each part of Krishna is a Complete Whole- we being parts and parcels of Krishna are Complete to the extent to which we identify ourselves as a soul is who is an eternal servant of Krishna. Our identification with matter makes us feel incomplete even if matter seems to be equipped to fulfill our desires- our identification with it makes us feel incomplete.
• Understand why this is happening to me:
• In HG Narayani Mataji's seminar on Prayers of Kunti Maharani she says that only if we understand properly why the difficult times are upon us can we respond in a proper way when the times way. What is that proper way- to respond as a servant of Krishna would.
• Why is this happening to me?
1. Past desire
2. Past prayer
3. Test us- we should not complain
4. Make us more dependent
5. To shake us from our complacency
6. To make us aware of our real identity- we are not controllers but servants
7. To show us how miserable this place is
8. Our own Karma
9. Krishna's plan
10. By giving difficulty Krishna takes away the bad thing

How should we respond to Difficulties?

1. Take shelter of the Vaishnavas
2. Depend on Him more - through chanting, hearing, reading, serving
3. Correcting our mistakes- Becoming free from my body
   From Bhurijana Prabhu's notes in "Unveiling His Lotus Feet"
   Understand what Krishna wants me to understand from this
   Bhurijana Prabhu says : Life's real challenge is to transform difficulties into sources of freedom- sever material attachment and seek Krishna's shelter. Hold on more tightly to Krishna
4. Krishna is minimizing my karma - like Kunti Devi
5. Prayer 
6. Engage in service- Prahlada Maharaja says 7.19.17 - only remedy is to engage in your service
   "Although there are many remedies by which to get out of miserable life, any such remedies in the material world are more miserable than the miseries themselves. Therefore I think that the only remedy is to engage in Your service. Kindly instruct me in such service."
   Attempts to mitigate the miseries of material existence by material methods will never be successful. One must take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness to become really happy;
   "My Lord Nṛsiḿhadeva, O Supreme, because of a bodily conception of life, embodied souls neglected and not cared for by You cannot do anything for their betterment. Whatever remedies they accept, although perhaps temporarily beneficial, are certainly impermanent. For example, a father and mother cannot protect their child, a physician and medicine cannot relieve a suffering patient, and a boat on the ocean cannot protect a drowning man"
7. Change your attitude towards service 
8. Gratefully search for Krishna's love in that difficulty like Kunti Maharani did
9. Chance to remember Krishna
10. Somehow or other contact Krishna when in danger- if you have DS then you can use any of the 9 processes to contact Krishna
11. A servant does not complain - but accepts
12. even great exalted pure devotees go through difficulties- then what is my position and audacity to not expect difficulties
13. This is just a token - I deserve worse

How to care for yourself /others who are going through calamity?

1. Do not deny your/their feelings - it is natural to be affected emotionally
2. Give compassion to yourself/others for your situation
3. Resolve your feelings
4. Help yourself/others maintain your integrity as a devotee by not responding to difficulties in a non- Krishna Conscious way
5. .....
6. ......

Prayers by Queen Kunti - verse 1.8.25 Attraction to the Lord

vipadaḥ santu tāḥ śaśvat
 tatra tatra jagad-guro
bhavato darśanaṁ yat syād
 apunar bhava-darśanam

SB 1.8.25 — I wish that all those calamities would happen again and again so that we could see You again and again, for seeing You means that we will no longer see repeated births and deaths.

In Texts 23 and 24 she expresses gratitude to the Lord for always being there with them. In this text she further reveals her ecstasy and wishes that those difficult calamities happen again and again because in all the difficulties the Lord was personally present with them to help them.

Kunti Devi had single minded attraction towards the Lord. Because of her exalted status as a devotee and being fully situated in love for the Lord she was oblivious to the external very difficult material situations she went through- in fact she was happy that those difficult situations came because of which Kunti and the Pandavas got association of Their object of devotion- the all merciful all loving Lord Sri Krishna. 

She is feeling immense separation from the Lord as the Lord is about to depart for Dwarka and they would miss the darshan of the Lord. Thus she prays " I wish the calamities happen again and again so that the Lord is always with us"

This is the greatness of a devotee of the Lord- The devotee is ready to go through any situation as long as they get the association and darshan of the Lord and the devotees. 

How do we bridge the gap?
Hearing Kunti Devi's prayers is an eye opener. Her prayers reveal the mood of a devotee who is very dear to the Lord.
One of the reasons that reading Srimad Bhagavatam is encouraged  is so that we can go deeper in the mood of these devotees of the Lord and try to follow in their footsteps.
Considering we are so fallen, covered, ignorant, attracted to matter and so far away removed from the goal how can we possibly try to emulate Kunti Maharani's poise in difficulties and her attraction to Krishna?

We will examine that and more in the next post:
Prayers by Queen Kunti- Verses 23- 25 Bridging the Gap
 

 

Prayers by Queen Kunti- Verses 1.8.23-24 - Gratitude

Verses 23-25 are especially instructive for us - through these verse we see how Kunti viewed the various dangerous events of her life . How she was full of gratitude for the Lord for helping them and saving them from various dangerous situations and how because he personally came in each of those situations to save them, she wished that those difficult situations would repeat themselves.
In this post we will take inspiration from the mood of gratitude that she expresses in the verses 23 and 24 and see how we can practically apply this in our lives

1.8.23
yathā hṛṣīkeśa khalena devakī
 kaṁsena ruddhāticiraṁ śucārpitā
vimocitāhaṁ ca sahātmajā vibho
 tvayaiva nāthena muhur vipad-gaṇāt

SB 1.8.23 — O Hṛṣīkeśa, master of the senses and Lord of lords, You have released Your mother, Devakī, who was long imprisoned and distressed by the envious King Kaṁsa, and me and my children from a series of constant dangers.

1.8.24

viṣān mahāgneḥ puruṣāda-darśanād
 asat-sabhāyā vana-vāsa-kṛcchrataḥ
mṛdhe mṛdhe ’neka-mahārathāstrato
 drauṇy-astrataś cāsma hare ’bhirakṣitāḥ

SB 1.8.24 — My dear Kṛṣṇa, Your Lordship has protected us from a poisoned cake, from a great fire, from cannibals, from the vicious assembly, from sufferings during our exile in the forest and from the battle where great generals fought. And now You have saved us from the weapon of Aśvatthāmā.

No Bitterness and No Complains

One can get very bitter in ones outlook of life and of people if one has gone through a very difficult life.Usually such people also lose faith in God. Reading Kunti Dev's prayers we see that she has absolute no bitterness about any of the trials and tribulations she had to face that in spite of being a very elevated devotee of the Lord. She did not think why did the Lord put us through so much when we are such nice devotees of the Lord? Why should we have to face any difficulty if the Lord is always by our side?

Instead Kunti devi offers her gratitude "thank you Lord for being there with us in all the difficult situations and protecting us and giving us strength. We are fortunate that there were so many difficulties - because of which you always came to protect us and we got to see You."

Gratitude:

Queen Kunti is thankful to the Lord for His presence and protection in all the difficult situations she and her family went through. Through these verses she has expressed that the Lord was constantly with them in every situation of their life and she is extremely grateful for that.

• In spite of losing her husband at a very young age and raising five children alone she considers herself more fortunate than Devaki. Devaki lost 6 of her children and she also did not get to live with her sons Lord Krishna and Lord Balarama. However Kunti Devi had all her five sons with her inspite of all the dangerous situations
  
•  Also Devaki did not get association of her own Son- Lord Krishna  but Lord Krishna was always present with Kunti Devi and her sons in all their good times and bad times.