Sadhu Sanga Na Hoilo Hay

Sadhu Sanga Na Hoilo Hay ,srila bhaktivinoda thakura

Bhaktivinod Thakur has written this song “Sadhu Sanga Na Hoilo Hay”. The Official Name for this song is Upalabdhi: Anutapa-laksana-upalabdhi Song 2. This song is taken from the book Kalyana Kalpataru. Bhaktivinoda Thakura says that we get so goofed up with material knowledge that we turn a deaf ear towards spiritual knowledge. When people are in material bondage they make fun of Vaishnava , the way they dress up and about the tilaka observed on their forehead. We are so engrossed in making money that we don’t value the association of Vaishnava’s. We are puppets of maya devi and like to see what maya shows us and hence we should pray for the vaishnav’s mercy to attain the services of Hari Govinda.
 
(1)
sadhu-sanga na hoilo hay!
gelo dina akarana, kori'artha uparjana,
paramartha rohilo kothay?
 
(2)
suvarna koriya tyaga, tuccha lostre anuraga.
durbhagar ei to' laksana
krsnetar sanga kori', sadhu-jane prihari',
mada-garve katanu jibana
 
(3)
bhakti-mudra-darasane, hasya koritam mane,
batulata boliya tahay
je sabhyata sresta gani', harainu cintamani,
sese taha rohilo kothay?
 
(4)
jnaner garima bale, bhakti-rupa susambale,
upeksinu svartha pasariya
dusta jadasrita jnana, ebe ho'lo antardhana,
karma-bhoge amake rakhiya
 
(5)
ebe jadi sadhu-jane, krpa kori' e durjane,
dena bhakti-samudrer bindhu
ta' hoile anayase, mukta ho'ye bhava-pase,
par hoi e samsar sindhu
 
 
(1) Alas! Now I realize that all of my days had passed uselessly, for I never had the great fortune of associating with the devotees of the Lord. Therefore instead of hearing from them about the process of attaining the topmost goal of human life, I have wasted my time simply working hard to earn money.
 
(2) This is such an unfortunate calamity, for I now consider that I have rejected pure gold simply to become attached and devoted to a small clod of dirt. In other words, I have abandoned the bright-faced golden devotees of the Lord to associate with filthy dirty persons who are averse to Krsna. Thus in their company I have passed my entire life dazed in madly intoxicated vanity.
 
(3) Whenever I saw someone decorated with the signs of a Vaisnava like tilaka, neck beads and sikha, etc., I would laugh at them within my mind, considering them to be completely insane. Regarding this attitude of mine to be the most highly cultured behavior, I have thereby robbed myself of the transcendental association of those touch stone-like devotees. So now in the end I am wondering . . . where has all this nonsense led me to?
 
(4) On the strength of my material education, I became puffed up and completely overlooked the most auspicious form of spiritual life, which is available only by devotional service. Thus I have completely steered clear of the ultimate goal of life. But now in my old age, all of this polluted material knowledge I worked so hard for is dwindling, for my memory is gradually fading away. Just see how I am captured and tormented in enjoying the fruits of my previous material activities!
 
(5) Now I have just one last hope. If only the devotees would be merciful to this sinful rogue by sprinkling me with one drop from the bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, the nectarine ocean of pure devotion, then I will be satisfied. By the sweet influence of that single drop, I will instantly and effortlessly become liberated from the strong grip of this material world, and thus I will finally be able to cross over the ocean of nescience.