Text 31] The Ecstatic Manifestations of Lord Caitanya 187
barhayite te nayane naranam
lingani visnor na niriksato ye
padau nrnam tau druma-janma-bhajau
ksetrani nanuvrajato harer yau
jivafi-chavo bhagavatanghri-renurh
na jatu martyo ‘bhilabheta yas tu
sri-visnu-padya manu-jas tulasyah
Svasafi-chavo yas tu na veda gandham
tad asma-saram hrdayam batedam
yad grhyamanair hari-nama-dheyaih
na vikriyetatha yada vikaro
netre jalam gatra-ruhesu harsah
“Both by rising and setting, the sun decreases the duration of life of everyone,
except one who utilizes the time by discussing topics of the all-good Per-
sonality of Godhead. Do the trees not live? Do the bellows of the blacksmith
not breathe? All around us, do the beasts not eat and discharge semen? Men
who are like dogs, hogs, camels and asses praise those men who never listen
to the transcendental pastimes of Lord Sri Krsna, the deliverer from evils. One
who has not listened to the messages about the prowess and marvelous acts
of the Personality of Godhead and has not sung or chanted loudly the worthy
songs about the Lord should be considered to possess ears like the holes of
snakes and a tongue like that of a frog. The upper portion of the body, though
crowned with a silk turban, is only a heavy burden if not bowed down before
the Personality of Godhead, who can award mukti [freedom]. And the hands,
though decorated with glittering bangles, are like those of a dead man if not
engaged in the service of the Personality of Godhead Hari. The eyes which do
not look at the symbolic representations of the Personality of Godhead Visnu
[His forms, name, quality, etc.] are like those printed on the plumes of a
peacock, and the legs which do not move to the holy places [where the Lord
is remembered] are considered to be like tree trunks. The person who has not
at any time received upon his head the dust from the feet of a pure devotee
of the Lord is certainly a dead body. And the person who has never ex-
perienced the flavor of the tulasileaves from the lotus feet of the Lord is also
a dead body, although breathing. Certainly that heart is steel-framed which,
in spite of one’s chanting the holy name of the Lord with concentration, does
