3. Trtiya-yama Sadhana

Bhajana before noon

niamjjato ‘nanta-bhavarnavantas

ciraya me kulam ivasi labdhah

tvayapi labdham bhagavann idanim

anuttamam patram idam dayayah

Oh Ananta! Oh Hari! I’ve been drowning in this material ocean since time immemorial. I keep swimming, but I don’t find the end of this huge and incomprehensible material ocean. Drowning, I screamed in pain: ‘Help! Someone save me!’. At that moment you came, and the seed of hope appeared in my heart. Oh Hari, you are the most merciful! In me you have certainly found the right person to welcome Your mercy.

bhavantam evanucaran nirantarah

prasanta-nihsesa-mano-rathantarah

kadaham aikantika-nitya-kinkarah

praharsayisyami sanatha-jivitam

By constantly serving Yourself, You get rid of all material desires and become completely peaceful. When will I permanently become Your eternal servant, always feeling happy to have a perfect teacher like You?

Oh Hari, being wicked and seeing no other refuge, I have taken refuge at Your lotus feet. Now I know that You are my Lord. You are the Lord of the universe, and I am Your eternal servant. When will the day come when I will realize myself as Your eternal servant? When will my material desires be completely destroyed so that I can spontaneously serve You for Your satisfaction?

aparadha-sahasra-bhajanam

patitam bhima-bhavarnavodare

agatim saranagatam hare

krpaya kevalam atmasat-kuru

Oh Hari! I’m an offender, so I always deserve punishment. I have only bad qualities and am guilty of committing thousands and thousands of offenses. I am drowning in this terrible and turbulent ocean of material existence. I have lost my way and wish to find the right path. Oh Hari, out of fear I have taken the refuge of Your lotus feet. Please accept me as yours. Oh Lord, Your vow is that You will definitely free anyone who takes refuge in You from material bondage.

na mrsa paramartham eva me

srnu vijnapanam ekam agratah

yadi me na dayisyase tada

dayaniyas tava natha durlabhah

Oh Hari! Let me present you a humble request. Be compassionate and kindly listen to my words. This is not a meaningless request, but it is confidential as it comes from the heart. I am unhappy, and You are the most merciful. For this you are the best person to grant mercy. If it is true that You grant mercy to those who have fallen greatly, I am the suitable candidate to receive it. If You ignore me, then You will find it very, very difficult to find such a suitable candidate as I am.

Humility devoid of the desire for honor is described in the following verse of the Stotra-ratna:

amaryadah ksudras cala matir asuya-prasava-bhuh

krtaghno durmani smara-para-vaso vancana-parah

nrsamsah papisthah katham aham ito duhkha-jaladher

aparad uttirnas tava paricareyam caranayoh

I always transgress the injunctions of the Vedas. I am degraded, mentally unstable, always envious, ungrateful, proud and sinful. I am controlled by lust and always busy deceiving. In this condition, how can I cross the ocean of material suffering and commit myself to the service of Your lotus feet?

Respect for devotees is described in the Stotra-ratna:

tava dasya-sukhaika-sanginam

bhavanesv astv api kita-janma me

itaravasathesu ma sma bhud

api me janma catur-mukhatmana

Living entities that perform activities in accordance with the injunctions of the Vedas are repeatedly reborn in this material world. Due to my past activities, I will also be reborn again. O Purusottama, kindly hear this prayer! If I were to be born again, let it be in the house of Your servant, even in the body of a worm, and it will make my heart satisfied. I do not wish to be born with the opulence of Lord Brahma in the home of someone who is opposed to You. With joined hands I offer you this humble prayer.

Humility as a result of one’s surrender is also described in the Stotra-ratna:

vapur-adisu yo ‘pi ko’ pi va

gunato ‘sani yatha-tatha-vidhah

tad aham tava pada-padmayor

aham adyaiva maya samarpitah

In this world there are bodily distinctions such as those that exist between a man and a woman, and there are four different varna and four asramas divided according to the influences of nature – virtue, passion and ignorance. In this way there is an incalculable variety of bodies. O Lord who are my life! It does not matter in what body I will reside and in what condition, as I now submit to Your lotus feet. From now on there is nothing that I consider mine.