Antahkarana Prabodhah - An Appeal to My Heart
In the antaḥkaraṇa prabodhaḥ (अन्तःकरण प्रबोधः), Shri Vallabhacharya consoles his own heart. Shri Krishna has requested him to leave this world and return to Him, but the bhakti master decides to delay his divine return in order to fulfill his earthly devotional mission to complete his commentary on Shri Krishna's lilas as depicted in the Shrimad Bhagavatam. In this appeal to his own heart, the master brilliantly reflects on his relationship with Lord Krishna.
अन्तःकरण मद्वाक्यं सावधानतया शृणु। कृष्णात्परं नास्ति दैवं वस्तुतो दोषवर्जितम् ।। १ ।।
antaḥkaraṇa madvākyaṃ sāvadhānatayā śṛṇu kṛṣṇātparaṃ nāsti daivaṃ vastuto doṣavarjitam (1)
O my heart, listen to my words with careful attention. Truly, there is no deity superior to Krishna, who is inherently without fault. (1)
चाण्डाली चेद्राजपत्नी जाता राज्ञा च मानिता। कदाचिदपमानेऽपि मूलतः का क्षतिर्भवेत् ।। २ ।।
cāṇḍālī cedrājapatnī jātā rājñā ca mānitā kadācidapamāne'pi mūlataḥ kā kṣatirbhavet (2)
Even if a Chandal woman becomes a queen and is honored by the king, what fundamental harm can come to her if she is occasionally insulted? (2)
समर्पणादहं पूर्वमुत्तमः किं सदा स्थितः । का ममाधमता भाव्या पश्चात्तापो यतो भवेत् ।। ३ ।।
samarpaṇādahaṃ pūrvamuttamaḥ kiṃ sadā sthitaḥ kā mamādhamatā bhāvyā paścāttāpo yato bhavet (3)
Before I surrendered to You, was I always in an exalted state? What lowness could I possibly have now that would warrant repentance? Certainly not! (3)
सत्यसंकल्पतो विष्णुर्नान्यथा तु करिष्यति । आज्ञैव कार्या सततं स्वामिद्रोहोऽन्यथा भवेत् ।। ४ ।।
satyasaṃkalpato viṣṇurnānyathā tu kariṣyati ājñaiva kāryā satataṃ svāmidroho'nyathā bhavet (4)
Vishnu, being of true resolve, will certainly not act otherwise. His command alone should always be followed; otherwise, it would be betrayal of the Lord.
सेवकस्य तु धर्मोऽयं स्वामी स्वस्य करिष्यति । आज्ञा पूर्वं तु या जाता गंगासागरसंगमे ।। ५ ।।
sevakasya tu dharmo'yaṃ svāmī svasya kariṣyati ājñā pūrvaṃ tu yā jātā gaṅgāsāgarasaṅgame (5)
This is indeed the duty of a servant. The Lord Himself will accomplish His own purpose. I did not follow the command given earlier at the confluence of the Ganga and the ocean. (5)
याऽपि पश्चान्मधुवने न कृतं तद्वयं मया। देहदेश परित्यागस्तृतीयो लोकगोचरः ।। ६ ।।
yā'pi paścānmadhuvane na kṛtaṃ taddvayaṃ mayā dehadeśa parityāgastṛtīyo lokagocaraḥ (6)
I did not fulfill those two commands given later at Madhuvan. The third command, the renunciation of this physical body and place, which is visible to the world, I will surely obey. (6)
पश्चात्तापः कथं तत्र सेवकोऽहं न चान्यथा। लौकिकप्रभुवत्कृष्णो न द्रष्टव्यः कदाचन ।। ७ ।।
paścāttāpaḥ kathaṃ tatra sevako'haṃ na cānyathā laukikaprabhuvat kṛṣṇo na draṣṭavyaḥ kadācana (7)
Why should there be repentance? I am His servant and nothing else. Krishna should never be perceived as being like a worldly lord. (7)
सर्वं समर्पितं भक्त्या कृतार्थोऽसि सुखी भव। प्रौढापि दुहिता यद्वत् स्नेहान्न प्रेष्यते वरे ।। ८ ।।
sarvaṃ samarpitaṃ bhaktyā kṛtārtho'si sukhī bhava prauḍhāpi duhitā yadvat snehānna preṣyate vare (8)
Everything has been surrendered with devotion. You have achieved your purpose, be happy. Just as a father, out of affection, does not send his mature daughter to her husband, you should not delay my return to Krishna. (8)
तथा देहे न कर्तव्यं वरस्तुष्यति नान्यथा। लोकवच्चेत् स्थितिर्मे स्यात्किं स्यादिति विचारय ।। ९ ।।
tathā dehe na kartavyaṃ varastuṣyati nānyathā lokavaccet sthitirme syātkim syāditi vicāraya (9)
Similarly, if I do not fulfill my duty to this body and return to my Lord, He will not be pleased. Consider my situation in worldly terms: a bride should go to her husband and nowhere else. If I do not act accordingly with Krishna, tell me, where will I stand? (9)
अशक्ये हरिरेवास्ति मोहं मा गाः कथञ्चन। इति श्रीकृष्णदासस्य वल्लभस्य हितं वचः ।। १० ।।
aśakye harirevāsti mohaṃ mā gāḥ kathañcana iti śrīkṛṣṇadāsasya vallabhasya hitaṃ vacaḥ (10)
In the impossible, Hari alone exists; do not fall into delusion in any way. Thus, these are the beneficial words of Vallabha, the servant of Shri Krishna. (10)
चित्तं प्रति यदाकर्ण्य भक्तो निश्चिन्ततां व्रजेत् ।। ११ ।।
cittaṃ prati yadākarṇya bhakto niścintatāṃ vrajet (11)
By hearing these words directed towards the mind, a devotee attains freedom from worry. (11)
।। इति श्रीवल्लभाचार्यविरचितो अन्तःकरणप्रबोध: सम्पूर्णः ।।
Thus ends the 'Antaḥkaraṇa Prabodhaḥ' composed by Shri Vallabhacharya.
Key Terminology
अन्तःकरण (antaḥkaraṇa) - Inner instrument, heart, mind, consciousness; प्रबोध (prabodha) - Awakening, enlightenment; कृष्ण (kṛṣṇa) - Name of Lord Krishna; दैवं (daivaṃ) - Deity, divine being; दोषवर्जितम् (doṣavarjitam) - Free from faults, without imperfections; चाण्डाली (cāṇḍālī) - A woman from the lowest caste (Chandal); राजपत्नी (rājapatnī) - Queen; मूलतः (mūlataḥ) - Fundamentally, at the root; क्षति (kṣati) - Harm, damage; समर्पण (samarpaṇa) - Surrender, offering; उत्तम (uttama) - Exalted, best; अधमता (adhamatā) - Lowness, inferiority; पश्चात्ताप (paścāttāpa) - Repentance; विष्णु (viṣṇu) - Name of Lord Vishnu; संकल्प (saṃkalpa) - Resolve, determination; आज्ञा (ājñā) - Command, order; स्वामिद्रोह (svāmidroha) - Betrayal of the master/Lord; सेवक (sevaka) - Servant, devotee; धर्म (dharma) - Duty, righteousness; गंगासागरसंगम (gaṅgāsāgarasaṅgama) - Confluence of the Ganga and the ocean; मधुवन (madhuvana) - Name of a forest; देह (deha) - Body; देश (deśa) - Place, location; लोकगोचर (lokagocara) - Visible to the world; लौकिकप्रभु (laukikaprabhu) - Worldly lord, ruler; भक्ति (bhakti) - Devotion; कृतार्थ (kṛtārtha) - Accomplished, fulfilled; प्रौढा (prauḍhā) - Mature (woman); दुहिता (duhitā) - Daughter; स्नेह (sneha) - Affection, love; वर (vara) - Husband, bridegroom; मोह (moha) - Delusion, ignorance; चित्त (citta) - Mind, intellect; निश्चिन्तता (niścintatā) - Freedom from worry, peaceEssence of Antaḥkaraṇa Prabodhaḥ
The verses from Shri Vallabhacharya's "Antahkarana Prabodha" provide a profound insight into the nature of devotion, surrender, and the relationship between the devotee and the divine.
Shri Vallabhacharya, through a heartfelt dialogue with his own heart, reveals his unwavering devotion to Lord Krishna. He emphasizes that there is no deity superior to Krishna and that his connection with Krishna is the ultimate source of his worth. He acknowledges his role as a servant of the Lord and the importance of obeying His commands, recognizing that disobedience is a betrayal of the divine.
The verses also highlight the concept of surrender (samarpaṇa). Shri Vallabhacharya believes that his surrender to Krishna has elevated him and brought him closer to the divine. He trusts that Krishna will fulfill His divine purpose and uses the analogy of a loving father and his daughter to express his desire to return to Krishna.
Furthermore, the verses emphasize the importance of overcoming delusion (moha) and attaining freedom from worry (niścintatā) through devotion and surrender. Shri Vallabhacharya reassures himself and others that in seemingly impossible situations, Hari (Krishna) is always present and capable.
Overall, these teachings emphasize the transformative power of devotion, the importance of surrender and obedience to the divine will, and the ultimate goal of liberation through union with the Lord. They provide a roadmap for spiritual seekers to cultivate a deep and loving relationship with the divine and attain lasting peace and happiness.