"The Reactions of Beginningless Karma"
(from Gītāvalī)
(1)
anādi' karama-phale, paḍi' bhavārṇara jale,
taribāre nā dekhi upāya
ei viṣaya-halāhale, divā-niśi hiyā jvale,
mana kabhu sukha nāhi pāya
I have fallen into the ocean of material existence as a result of my selfish activities, which are without beginning, and I see no means of deliverance from this great ocean of nescience. Day and night my heart burns from the poison of these worldly activities, and on account of this my mind never finds any satisfaction or happiness.
(2)
āśā-pāśa-śata-śata, kleśa deya avirata,
pravṛtti-ūrmira tāhe khelā
kāma-krodha-ādi chaya, bāṭapāḍe deya bhaya,
avasāna hoilo āsi' belā
Hundreds and thousands of desires, like nooses around my neck, constantly give me misery and trouble. In that great ocean of nescience play the waves of materialistic tendency. In this world there are many thieves and rogues, of whom six are prominent; lust, anger, greed, illusion, and madness. They are causing me great fear, and in this way my life is coming to an end.
(3)
jnāna-karma-ṭhaga dui, more pratārīya loi,
avaśeṣe phele sindhu-jale
e heno samaye, bandhu, tumi kṛṣṇa kṛpā-sindhu,
kṛpā kori' tolo more bale
The two highway robbers, mental speculation and fruitive activity, have cheated me and misled me, and finally they are throwing me into the ocean of misery. At such a time as this, my dear Kṛṣṇa, You are the only friend, and You are the ocean of mercy and compassion. I have no strength to get out of this ocean of nescience, so I pray to Your lotus feet that You will be kind and by Your strength uplift me from this ocean of suffering.
(4)
patita-kiṅkare dhari', pāda-padma-dhuli kari',
deho bhaktivinoda āśraya
āmi tava nitya-dāsa, bhuliyā māyāra pāśa,
baddha ho'ye āchi dayāmaya
Accept this fallen servant and fix me as a particle of dust on Your lotus feet. Kindly give me shelter to this Bhaktivinoda. O most merciful Lord, actually I am Your eternal servant, but having forgotten this I have become bound up in the network of māyā.
Purport
His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Anādi karama-phale paḍi' bhavārṇava-jale taribāre nā dekhi upāya. This is a song sung by Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura depicting the conditioned soul. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura is presenting himself as one of the ordinary human beings, saying "Due to my past fruitive activities, I have now fallen into this ocean of nescience, and I do not find any means of coming out of this great ocean." Ei viṣaya-halāhale: "It is just like an ocean of poison." If one takes some pungent food, it burns the heart. Similarly, although we are trying to be happy by sense enjoyment, actually our situation is becoming just the opposite, and the effort is causing our hearts to burn. And divā-niśi hiyā jvale: "That burning sensation is going on day and night, twenty-four hours a day." Mana kabhu sukha nāhi pāya: "And on account of this my mind is not at all satisfied." Āśā-pāśa-śata-śata kleśa deya avirata: "I am always making hundreds and thousands of plans to become happy, but actually all of these plans give me pain, twenty-four hours a day." Pravṛtti-ūrmira tāhe khela: "My position is exactly like one who is being dashed again and again by the waves of the ocean." Kāma-krodha-ādi chaya, bāṭapāḍe deya bhaya: "Besides that, there are so many thieves and rogues. Especially they are six in number-namely lust, anger, greed, envy, illusion, and madness. They are always present, and I am afraid of them. "Avasāna hoilo āsi' belā: "In this way my life is becoming advanced, or in other words I am coming to the point of the end of my life." Jñāna-karma-ṭhaga dui, more pratārīya loi: "Although this is my position, still, two kinds of activities are cheating me, namely mental speculation and fruitive activities." (Ṭhaga means "cheater.") And avaśeṣe phele sindhu-jale: "After misleading me, they bring me to the seashore and push me down within the sea." E heno samaye bandhu, tumi kṛṣṇa kṛpā-sindhu: "Under the circumstances, my dear Kṛṣṇa, you are my only friend, and You are an ocean of mercy." Kṛpā kori' tolo more bale: "I have no strength to get out of this ocean of nescience, so I pray unto Your lotus feet that by Your strength You kindly pick me up." Patita-kiṅkare dhari' pāda-padma-dhuli kari': "After all, I am Your eternal servant. Somehow or other I have fallen into this ocean, so kindly pick me up and fix me as one of the particles of dust at Your lotus feet." Deho bhaktivinoda āśraya: Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura entreats, "Kindly give me shelter at Your lotus feet." Āmi tava nitya-dāsa: "I am Your eternal servant." Bhuliyā māyāra pāśa: "Somehow or other I forgot You, and I have now fallen into the network of māyā." Baddha ho'ye āchi dayāmaya: "My dear Lord, I have become entangled in this way. Kindly save me."
