Mana Tore Boli E Barata

Hare Krsna Mantra, Mana Tore Boli E Barata

Bhaktivinod Thakur has written this song “Mana Tore Boli E Barata”. The Official Name for this song is Upadesa:Song 17. This song is taken from the book Kalyana Kalpataru. Bhaktivinoda Thakura describes in this song that we have become so blind that we choose the path just opposite which is recommended. We don’t value the importance of Spiritual Master. We find chanting the names of Hare Krsna Mantra a burden without realizing that this mantra of Krishna is our path for liberation. As we have left the path of spirituality we don’t feel like wearing neck beads, tilaka and taking initation.
 
(1)
mana, tore boli e barata
apakka bayase hay, bancita bancaka-pa'y,
bikaile nija-svatantrata
 
(2)
sampradaye dosa-bhuddhi, jani' tumi atma-suddhi,
koribare hoile sabadhan
na nile tilaka-mala, tyajile diksar jvala
nije koile nabina-bidhan
 
(3)
purva-mate tali diya, nija-mata pracariya,
nije avatar buddhi dhori'
bratacar na maile, purva-patha jale dile,
mahajane bhrama-drsti kori'
 
(4)
phonta, diksa, mala dhori', dhurta kore' su-caturi,
tai tahe tomar biraga
mahajana-pathe dosa, dekhiya tomar rosa,
patha-prati charo anuraga
 
(5)
ekhan dekhaha bhai, svarna chari' loile chai,
ihakal parakal jay
kapata bolila sabe, bhakati ba pele kabe,
dehante ba ki ho'be upay?

 
(1) My dear mind, I have this message to convey to you. Alas, how remorseful it is that you have sold your own individuality and freedom to choose intelligently, due to being cheated by other cheaters who dissuade you away from the path of spiritual life given you by your guru. At your tender immature stage of spiritual realization, you listen to such cheaters, only to be misled from the true path.
 
(2) You now have a new talent for finding faults with the society of devotees and the whole disciplic succession as well. Constantly trying to be aware of these minor faults that you find, you become very careful to try to "purify" yourself. Wearing neck beads no longer, marking your forehead with tilaka no longer, you have now made up your own new set of rules and regulations. You have rejected your initiating spiritual master (diksa-guru), because you now imagine his influence to be a burning sensation in your heart.
 
(3) Dear mind, you artificially, agree with your former opinion, but you really don't accept or follow it, and instead you broadcast your own whimsical philosophy just to establish yourself as some sort of incarnation. Trying to find mistakes in the spiritual process and activities of the great devotees, you completely toss out your previous spiritual path as rubbish, neglecting all of your former vows and practices.
 
(4) You have become most displeased because you think that tilaka, initiation, and neck beads are accepted only by sly, cunning cheaters. You become angry when you find some insignificant fault with the process of the treat souls, and thus you reject all attachment to the path.
 
(5) Now just see here, dear brother, your present life as well as your future life are at stake. You have renounced pure gold simply to take some worthless ashes. Everyone says that you are bogus. If you don't accept the process of bona fide devotional service, then how will you be delivered at the time of your death?