TEXTS 1820
sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayor
vacamsi vaikuntha-gunanuvarnane
karau harer mandira-marjanadisu
srutim cakaracyuta-sat-kathodaye
mukunda-lingalaya-darsane drsau
tad-bhrtya-gatra-sparse nga-sangamam
ghranam ca tat-pada-saroja-saurabhe
srimat-tulasya rasanam tad-arpite
padau hareh ksetra-padanusarpane
siro hrsikesa-padabhivandane
kamam ca dasye na tu kama-kamyaya
yathottamasloka-janasraya ratih
SYNONYMS
sahhe (Maharaja Ambarisa); vaiindeed; manahhis mind; krsna-pada-aravindayoh(fixed) upon the two lotus feet of Lord Krsna; vacamsihis words; vaikuntha-guna-anuvarnanedescribing the glories of Krsna; karauhis two hands; hareh mandira-marjana-adisuin activities like cleansing the temple of Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; srutimhis ear; cakaraengaged; acyutaof or about Krsna, who never falls down; sat-katha-udayein hearing the transcendental narrations; mukunda-linga-alaya-darsanein seeing the Deity and temples and holy dhamas of Mukunda; drsauhis two eyes; tat-bhrtyaof the servants of Krsna; gatra-sparsein touching the bodies; anga-sangamamcontact of his body; ghranam caand his sense of smell; tat-padaof His lotus feet; sarojaof the lotus flower; saurabhein (smelling) the fragrance; srimat-tulasyahof the tulasi leaves; rasanamhis tongue; tat-arpitein the prasada offered to the Lord; padauhis two legs; harehof the Personality of Godhead; ksetraholy places like the temple or Vrndavana and Dvaraka; pada-anusarpanewalking to those places; sirahthe head; hrsikesaof Krsna, the master of the senses; pada-abhivandanein offering obeisances to the lotus feet; kamam caand his desires; dasyein being engaged as a servant; nanot; tuindeed; kama-kamyayawith a desire for sense gratification; yathaas; uttamasloka-jana-asrayaif one takes shelter of a devotee such as Prahlada; ratihattachment.
TRANSLATION
Maharaja Ambarisa always engaged his mind in meditating upon the lotus feet of Krsna, his words in describing the glories of the Lord, his hands in cleansing the Lords temple, and his ears in hearing the words spoken by Krsna or about Krsna. He engaged his eyes in seeing the Deity of Krsna, Krsnas temples and Krsnas places like Mathura and Vrndavana, he engaged his sense of touch in touching the bodies of the Lords devotees, he engaged his sense of smell in smelling the fragrance of tulasi offered to the Lord, and he engaged his tongue in tasting the Lords prasada. He engaged his legs in walking to the holy places and temples of the Lord, his head in bowing down before the Lord, and all his desires in serving the Lord, twenty-four hours a day. Indeed, Maharaja Ambarisa never desired anything for his own sense gratification. He engaged all his senses in devotional service, in various engagements related to the Lord. This is the way to increase attachment for the Lord and be completely free from all material desires.
PURPORT
In Bhagavad-gita (7.1) the Lord recommends, mayy asakta-manah partha yogam yunjan mad-asrayah. This indicates that one must execute devotional service under the guidance of a devotee or directly under the guidance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is not possible, however, to train oneself without guidance from the spiritual master. Therefore, according to the instructions of Srila Rupa Gosvami, the first business of a devotee is to accept a bona fide spiritual master who can train him to engage his various senses in rendering transcendental service to the Lord. The Lord also says in Bhagavad-gita (7.1), asamsayam samagram mam yatha jnasyasi tac chrnu. In other words, if one wants to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead in completeness, one must follow the prescriptions given by Krsna by following in the footsteps of Maharaja Ambarisa. It is said, hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate: [Cc. Madhya 19.170] bhakti means to engage the senses in the service of the master of the senses, Krsna, who is called Hrsikesa or Acyuta. These words are used in these verses. Acyuta-sat-kathodaye, hrsikesa-padabhivandane. The words Acyuta and Hrsikesa are also used in Bhagavad-gita. Bhagavad-gita is krsna-katha spoken directly by Krsna, and Srimad-Bhagavatam is also krsna-katha because everything described in the Bhagavatam is in relationship with Krsna.

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