Sri Sri Upadeshamritam & Sri Damodarashtakam

Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhu. the great instructor of Bhakti School has written many illustrious treatises. He was most profoundly conversant with the Scriptures and was dexterous in their cogent arguments. and was like the maddening bee for drinking the nectar of blissfulness of the loving services of Sri Sri Radhakrishna. He lived in Vrindavan where cuckoos, swans. herons. peacocks and other chirping birds raise sweet music and where the flower trees are charmingly decorated with manifold gems. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu used to ask in Puri some one returned from Vrindavan, "Tell me. how do Rupa and Sanatana fare there. what food they take and what sort of abstinence they practice, and what amount of devotional practices they perform day and night". The answer came they both lie under trees every night. Some days. they take meal at some houses. mostly they live on handful of rice got as clms from houses.They have given the dainties the go-by in favour of chewing dry coarse bread and gram. Their belongings amount only to a water pot in the hand, a cover of torn old pieces of cloth and thread-bare loin cloth each. They are ever jolly over chanting the Name of Krishna. They spend day and night in such bhajan or service of God leaving only about an hour and a half for sleep and even on some days without that. sometime they utilize in writing treatises on devotion, listening to accounts of Sri Chaitanya's life and meditating over Him.

Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhu teaches us in his 'Upadeshamrtta' about the evils that destroy pure devotion. After reading this book the readers will be able to understand the qualities favourable to pure-devotion besides the six fold virtuous deeds of doing sadhu sanga, the depth of devotion of a paramhansa Vaishnava.

The method of getting relish in chanting the Lord's Name and the essence of all transcendental teachings have been emphasised: in the last sloka we find the Super-excellence of Radhakund in respect of 'Bhajan' or devotional worship.

Saranagati or unconditional self-surrender to the Lotus Feet of Sri Krishna is the only means of attaining devotion. 'It is sixfold in character, viz. (I) firm determination to adopt what is favourable to Krishna Bhakti. (2) Strict avoidance of what is unfavourable to Krishna-Bhakti, (3) firm conviction that Sri Krishna will protect him under all circumstances and at all times, (4) firm conviction that Sri Krishna and none else is the only preserver and Saviour, the soul of Saranagati, (5) Self-resignation with a conviction that Krishna's will is predominant over all will and (6) constant expression of repentance with a sincere humility of heart.

It is quite natural in this world that whenever any auspicious work is undertaken one has to come across innumerable ostacles. According to Srila Provodhananda Saraswati the Path of devotion is beset with crores of thorns. An aspirant can walk over such a tedious path only by the causeless grace of the Supreme Lord, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

I beg the blessings of revered Vaishnavas who imparted to me necessary inspiration, teachings and encouragement. The causeless mercy of my Divine Master Sri Srimad Bhakti Vilas Tirtha Goswami Maharaj alone has enabled this ignorant self to get this book published in English and I hope this may be helpful to the readers to understand the cultivation of Bhakti. at the highest level.