Bhakti-rasayana by Madhusudana Sarasvati
(Study and translation of first chapter)
by Lance Edward Nelson | 2021 | 139,165 words
This is a study and English translation of the Bhakti-rasayana by Madhusudana Sarasvati (16th century)—one of the greatest and most vigorous exponents of Advaita after Shankara-Acharya who was also a great devotee of Krishna. The Bhaktirasayana attempts to merge non-dualist metaphysics with the ecstatic devotion of the Bhagavata Purana, by assertin...
Part 1 - Opening Prayer and Introduction to Stanza One
1 I bow to that wondrous Being 2 in the home of Nanda, 3 before whom even Girisa prostrates in worship, assuming eleven-foldedness, as it were, with [ten] forms reflected in the nails of His feet. 5 In order to overcome possible obstacles at the commencement of his work, the author, foremost among the learned, 6 begins with 7 an auspicious verse in the form of a meditation upon the Blessed Lord. 8 He then proceeds to explain the topic and the purpose of the text, and the relation of the text to the topic, 9 because these things must be made known before any discriminating person will take interest: 1. 12 THEY SAY THAT THE YOGA OF DEVOTION 10 TO MUKUNDA, 11 EITHER MIXED WITH THE NINE SENTIMENTS OR PURE, IS THE HIGHEST GOAL OF LIFE 13 14 IN THIS WORLD. THIS DEVOTION, WHICH IS THE EXPERIENCE OF INCOMPARABLE BLISS 15 UNTOUCHED BY ANY SUFFERING, I SHALL EXPLAIN IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TEACHINGS OF THE SCRIPTURES IN ORDER TO BRING CONTENTMENT TO EVERYONE. 238