23.29

na prema sravanadi-bhaktir api va yogo ’thava vaisnavo

hinarthadhika-sadhake tvayi tathapy acchedya-mula sati

SYNONYMS

na—not; prema—love of Godhead; sravana-adi—consisting of chanting, hearing and so on; bhaktih—devotional service; api—also; va—or; yogah—the power of mystic yoga; athava—or; vaisnavah—befitting a devotee; jnanam—knowledge; va—or; subha-karma—pious activities; va—or; kiyat—a little; aho—O my Lord; sat-jatih—birth in a good family; api—even; asti—there is; va—or; hina-artha-adhika-sadhake—who bestows greater benedictions upon one who is fallen and possesses no good qualities; tvayi—unto You; tathapi—still; acchedya-mula—whose root is uncuttable; sati—being; he—O; gopi-jana-vallabha—most dear friend of the gopis; vyathayate—gives pain; ha ha—alas; mat—my; asa—hope; eva—certainly; mam—to me " ’O my Lord, I do not have any love for You, nor am I qualified for discharging devotional service by chanting and hearing.

Nor do I possess the mystic power of a Vaisnava, knowledge or pious activities.

Nor do I belong to a very high-caste family.

On the whole, I do not possess anything.

Still, O beloved of the gopis, because You bestow Your mercy on the most fallen, I have an unbreakable hope that is constantly in my heart.

That hope is always giving me pain.’

PURPORT

This verse is found in the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1.3.35).