Bhakti Shatak
Bhakti Philosophy - Verses 1 to 10
Bhakti Shatak (or 100 verse on devotion) written by Jagadguru Shri Kripalu ji Maharaj,
is a clear and concise description of the complete philosophy of the devotional path
for the seeker of divine love.
Apart from its priceless philosophy, it's simple poetic form can easily be sung and remembered.
Verses 1 to 10 are below. You will also be able to hear a verse being sung if the "Listen" link
is next to it.
Advitiya ik tatva hai, Radha tatva pradhan.
Yako dujo roop hai, svayam Krishna Bhagavan.
The absolute supreme Divinity is Shri Radha, Who is the absolute essence of Divine love.
Her other form is Krishna, Who descended on this earth 5,000 years ago, at the end of
the age of dwapar.
Joi Radha soi Krishna hain, in men bhed na man.
Ik hain hladini shakti aru, shaktiman ik jan.
Whatever is Radha, the same is Krishna. Do not differentiate between them.
Radha is the supreme ahaladini shakti or Divine love power, Krishna is shaktiman,
the base in which the power resides.
Shaktiman ki shaktiyan, aganit yadapi bakhan.
Tin mahan 'maya', 'jeev' aru, 'para', trishakti pradhan.
Supreme God, Shri Krishna, who is shaktiman has uncountable powers.
Out of these, His three main powers are: maya, the souls, and para shakti,
His own personal power.
Jeev tatastha shakti par, maya kar adhikar.
Vastutastu yah das hai, Swami Nandkumar.
The soul energy or jeev shakti belongs to tatastha shakti
(Krishna's neutral power), but since eternity all the souls are under the
control of maya. However the soul's true identity is that he is an eternal servant of Krishna.
Krishna bahirmukh jeev kahan, maya karati adhin.
Tate bhoolyo apu kahan, banyo vishay ras meen.
Since eternity the soul has been facing away from his true Lord, Krishna,
and because of this he has come under maya's influence. Thus, forgetting
his true Divine nature, he identifies himself with the material body and
has become deeply attached to worldly pleasures.
Antarang hai para jo, sarva samarth kahay.
Ati vichitra gati para ki, maya-patihun nachay.
This para shakti, supreme personal power of Krishna, is capable of accomplishing anything and everything. It can turn any impossibility into possibility. Although it resides in Krishna, sometimes it overpowers even all-powerful Krishn (as seen in the loving leelas or pastimes of Braj).
Maya hai jad shakti pai, gyanihun par na paya.
Yako karan svayam Hari, yako prerak aya.
In reality, maya is lifeless, but even the greatest self-realized gyanis can't overcome it on their own. The main reason is that maya is a power of Krishna and it functions only with His inspiration.
Karma, yoga, aru gyana, sab, sadhana yadapi bakahan.
Pai binu-bhakti sabai janu, mritak deh binu pran.
Although the scriptures describe the paths of karma, yoga and gyan, if these are without devotion,
these paths are like a dead body with no soul.
Pratham sadhana bhakti karu, tab man nirmal hoya.
Milai vishuddha bhakti tab, Guru anukampa toya.
A devotee has to practice devotion wholeheartedly to purify his heart.
Then, with the grace of his Guru, he will receive divine bhakti (divine love).
Sab sadhan janu deh sam, roop dhyan janu pran.
Khat geedh aru svan janu, kamadik shav man.
All spiritual practices for attaining Shri Krishna such as gyan, karma, yoga, austerities,
and rituals are like a dead body without a soul if they are done without roop dhyan -
the loving remembrance of Krishna's form.
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