Mukunda-mala-stotra (37) says that identification with the material body should be renounced:
idam sariram sata-sandhi-jarjaram
pataty avasyam parinam-apesalam
kim ausadham prcchasi mudha durmate
niramayam krishna-rasayanam piba
A person should free himself from false identification with the material body, which is made up of five material elements and hundreds of joints that will wear out. One day this body will fall lifeless, and the result will be that it will turn into ash or insect droppings. At that point everyone will think that the body is despicable, and therefore it is foolish to be attached to it. O mind, hear my truthful words! The powerful medicine for curing this material disease is to continually drink the nectar of Krishna’s name.
One must become tolerant like a tree and compassionate towards all living entities. Thus, it is established by Lord Brahma in Srimad-Bhagavatam (3.9.12):
natiprasidati tathopacitopacarair
aradhitah sura-ganair hrdi baddha-kamaih
yat sarva-bhuta-dayayasad-alabhyayaiko
nana-janesv avahitah suhrd antar-atma
My Lord, the worship that the demigods offer You does not satisfy you very much. They strive to make you a lavish cult with numerous objects, while harboring many material desires. You are present in the heart of every being as a Supreme Soul for the sole purpose of spreading Your unconditional mercy on everyone. You are the eternal benefactor but remain inaccessible to the non-devotee.
Respecting devotees is glorified in these words from the Mukunda-mala-stotra (35):
srnvam sato bhagavato guna-kirtanani
dehe na yasya pulakodgama-roma-rajih
notpadyate nayanayor vimalambu-mala
dhik tasya jivitam aho purusadhamasya
If one hears the glorification of Krishna’s name, His form and His qualities from the lips of a devotee and yet the hair does not stand up and tears of ecstasy come out of one’s eyes, what is the use of staying alive?
Knowledge of Krishna’s glories is further described in Mukunda-mala-stotra (43):
krsno raksati no jagat-traya-guruh krsno hi visvambharah
krishnad eva samutthitam jagad idam krsne layamgacchati
krsne tisthati visvam etad akhilam krishnasya dasa vayam
krsnenakhila sad-gatir-vitarita krishnaya tasmai namah
May Sri Krishna, the spiritual master of the three worlds, protect us all. Krishna is also known by the name of Visvambhara because after manifesting it, He Himself maintains this world and, in the course of time, will destroy it. All creation is in Krishna, so we are all His servants. He distributes the wealth of the world. With full faith we offer our obeisances to Lord Krishna, who grants the individual the ultimate goal.
You were born to perform devotional service to Krishna. In fact, in this world, everything except devotional service is false.
The desire for Krishna consciousness is also described in Mukunda-mala-stotra (33):
krishna tvadiya-pada-pankaja-panjarantam
adyaiva visatu me manasa-raja-hamsah
prana-prayana-samaye kapha-vata-pittaih
kanthavarodhana-vidhau smaranam kutas te
My Lord, Krishna, I pray that the swan of my mind will immediately immerse itself in the coats of arms of the lotus feet of Your Grace and be trapped in their intertwining; otherwise at the moment of my final breath, when my throat will choke from the cough, how will it be possible to think of you?
In such a condition, Your holy name will not manifest itself on my tongue. If I leave my body without remembering You, how will I reach You?
The practice of humility as described in the following verses from the Stotra-ratna is important:
na dharma-nistho ‘smi na catma-see
na bhaktimams tvac-caranaravinde
akincano ‘nanya-gatih saranya
tvat-pada-mulam saranam prapadye
O Hari! I have no faith in religious principles, and I have no knowledge of the soul. Also, I have no devotion to Your lotus feet. I am totally miserable, a scoundrel with no idea what the purpose of life is. In this way I always cheat myself. You are the deliverer of fallen souls and I am an insignificant fallen soul. Therefore, You are the only purpose of my life. Having reached Your lotus feet, I take refuge in You, for You are My eternal Lord and I Your servant.
na ninditam karma tad asti loke
sahasraso yan na maya vyadhayi
so ‘ham vipakavasare mukunda
krandami sampraty agatis tavagre
There is no sin in the world that has not been committed thousands and thousands of times. Now the results of such sinful activities begin to bear fruit and toss me in this material ocean. O Mukunda! Seeing no other way, I cry again and again in front of You. Punish me as you think I deserve, since it is You who sanction the punishments, You, my Lord.
This is a section of the book “Bhajana Rahasya”, by Bhaktivinode Thakura.
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