Anxiety

 Chapter 12 verse 15 

roast is an event, almost exclusively in the United States, in which an individual is subjected to a public presentation of comedic insults, praise, outlandish true and untrue stories, and heartwarming tributes, the implication being that the roastee is able to take the jokes in good humor and not as serious criticism or insult, and therefore, show their good nature. It is seen by some as a great honour to be roasted, as the individual is surrounded by friends, fans, and well-wishers, who can receive some of the same treatment as well during the course of the evening. The party and presentation itself are both referred to as a roast.
 
In our life, when we are dealing with other people, it is inevitable that we will experience a whole host of emotional reactions to what those people say to us. Four common reactions are excitement on hearing something pleasant, irritation on hearing something unpleasant, fear on hearing something worrisome, and agitation when meeting someone that has the upper hand in the conversation. But in a “roast”, the individual happily accepts all sorts of abuses and insults, because he knows that they are coming from his friends and well-wishers, people that he knows as his own, not separate from him. At the end of the roast, the individual in turn insults and abuses the people that insulted him earlier, and no one feels any ill-will towards him for the same reasons.
 
Similarly, the devotee who considers everyone and everything as the play of Ishvara, including himself, has no reason to take anything personally. His sense of self is not the small ego that most of us consider as our “I”. He has identified with Ishvara who runs multitudes of universes. Any sort of insult, agitation or fear dissipates instantly because he views the insult, the insulter and the recipient of the insult as Ishvara. He thinks of it as a play where his friends are the actors and directors. Shri Krishna says that such a person who is free from agitations, and who does not agitate any one else, is dear to him.

9

Practice.

 Laksmicaranarajivalaksitavakshase.

Prasvinnapayodharasphuranmurttim.

Pratarambujavidamilocanam.

Sitaramyakarunavalokanaih

Ksirambhodhisutapayodharapayah

Grnantyavalambyayam.

Ahinagunssobhitairamrtasadhanotkanthibhih.

Kudrstisarpagarudastrsyyantavidyaguruh.

To be continued.

eye of the needle.

 A story of Narada Muni, who was once asked by a brahmana: “Oh, you are going to meet the Lord? Will you please ask Him when I’m going to get my salvation?”

“All right,” Narada agreed. “I shall ask Him.”
As Narada proceeded, he met a cobbler who was sitting under a tree mending shoes, and the cobbler similarly asked Narada, “Oh, you are going to see God? Will you please inquire of Him when my salvation will come?”
When Narada Muni went to the Vaikuntha planets, he fulfilled their request and asked Narayana (God) about the salvation of the brahmana and the cobbler, and Narayana replied, “After leaving this body, the cobbler shall come here to me.”
“What about the brahmana?” Narada asked.
“He will have to remain there for a number of births. I do not know when he is coming.”
Narada Muni was astonished, and he finally said, “I can’t understand the mystery of this.”
“That you will see,” Narayana said. “When they ask you what I am doing in My abode, tell them that I am threading the eye of a needle with an elephant.”
When Narada returned to earth and approached the brahmana, the brahmana said, “Oh, you have seen the Lord? What was He doing?”
“He was threading an elephant through the eye of a needle,” Narada answered.
“I don’t believe such nonsense,” the brahmana replied. Narada could immediately understand that the man had no faith and that he was simply a reader of books.
Narada then left and went on to the cobbler, who asked him, “Oh, you have seen the Lord? Tell me, what was He doing?”
“He was threading an elephant through the eye of a needle,” Narada replied.
The cobbler began to weep, “Oh, my Lord is so wonderful, He can do anything.”
“Do you really believe that the Lord can push an elephant through the hole of a needle?” Narada asked.
“Why not?” the cobbler said, “Of course I believe it.”
“How is that?”
“You can see that I am sitting under this banyan tree,” the cobbler answered, “and you can see that so many fruits are falling daily, and in each seed there is a banyan tree like this one. If, within a small seed there can be a big tree like this, is it difficult to accept that the Lord is pushing an elephant through the eye of a needle?”

spiders web.

A young soldier found himself in a terrible and hopeless battle.

The enemy was soundly defeating this young man’s army.

He and his comrades found themselves hastily retreating from the battle field in defeat, running away in fear for their very lives. The enemy gave chase.

This young man ran hard and fast, full of fear and desperation, but soon found himself cut off from his comrades in arms.

He eventually came upon a rocky ledge containing a cave.

Knowing the enemy was close behind, and that he was exhausted from the chase, he chose to hide there.

After he crawled into the cave, he fell to his face in the darkness, desperately crying to God to save him and protect him from his enemies.

He also made a bargain with God, one which I (and perhaps you too?) have made before. He promised that if God saved him, he would serve Him for the remainder of his days.

When he looked up from his despairing plea for help, he saw a spider beginning to weave its web at the entrance of the cave.

As he watched the delicate threads being slowly drawn across the mouth of the cave, the young soldier pondered its irony.

He thought, “I asked God for protection and deliverance, and he sent me a spider instead. How can a spider save me?”

Soon he did hear the sound of his enemies. One soldier with a gun slowly walked up to the cave’s entrance.

As the enemy cautiously moved forward to enter the cave, he came upon the spider’s web, which by now was completely strung across the opening.

He backed away and called out to a comrade, “There can’t be anyone in here. They would have had to break this spider’s web to enter the cave. Let’s move on.”

Years later, this young man, who made good his promise by becoming a preacher and evangelist, wrote about that ordeal.

What he observed has stood by me in times of trouble, especially during those times when everything seemed impossible.

He wrote: “Where God is, a spider’s web is as a stone wall. Where God is not, a stone wall is as a spider’s web.”

Moral of the story:

May we remember this at all times and always take shelter of Supreme Lord and serve Him sincerely.

In Srimad Bhagavatam Kunti Maharani prays to Lord Krishna by describing how He saved the Pandavas on the Battlefield of Kurukshetra.

vishaan mahaagneh purushaada-darshanaad
asat-sabhaayaa vana-vaasa-krcchratah
mrdhe mrdhe ‘neka-mahaarathaastrato
drauny-astratas chaasma hare ‘bhirakshitaah

“My dear Krishna, Your Lordship has protected us from a poisoned cake, from a great fire, from cannibals, from the vicious assembly, from sufferings during our exile in the forest and from the battle where great generals fought. And now You have saved us from the weapon of Ashvatthama.”

In his book “Teachings of Queen Kunti”, “All the commanders on the Battlefield of Kurukshetra were maha-rathas. Many of them are mentioned in Bhagavad-Gita.

Bhisma, Karna, and Dronacharya were especially great commanders. They were such powerful fighters that although Arjuna was also a maha-ratha, before them he was nothing.

But by the grace of Krishna he was able to kill Karna, Bhishma, Dronacharya, and the others and come out victorious.

While speaking with Sukadeva Gosvami, Maharaja Parikshit also referred to this. “The Battlefield of Kurukshetra,” he said, “was just like an ocean, and the warriors were like many ferocious aquatic animals.

But by the grace of Krishna, my grandfather Arjuna crossed over this ocean very easily.” This is very significant.

We may have many enemies who may be very powerful fighters, but if we remain under the protection of Krishna, no one can do us any harm.

Rakhe Krishna maare ke maare Krishna rakhe ke. He whom Krishna protects, no one can kill, but if Krishna wants to kill someone, no one can give him protection.”

 

R Sd/-

In the year Vikram 1631 (1575 CE), Tulsidas started composing the Ramcharitmanas in Ayodhya on Tuesday, Ramnavami day (ninth day of the bright half of the Chaitra month, which is the birthday of Rama). Tulsidas himself attests this date in the Ramcharitmanas. He composed the epic over two years, seven months and twenty-six days, and completed the work in Vikram 1633 (1577 CE) on the Vivaha Panchami day (fifth day of the bright half of the Margashirsha month, which commenrates the wedding of Rama and his wife Sita).

Tulsidas came to Varanasi and recited the Ramcharitmanas to Shiva (Vishwanath) and Parvati (Annapurna) at the Kashi Vishwanath Temple. A popular legend goes that the Brahmins of Varanasi, who were critical of Tulsidas for having rendered the Sanskrit Ramayana in the vernacular, decided to test the worth of the work. A manuscript of the Ramcharitmanas was kept at the bottom of pile of Sanskrit scriptures in the sanctum sanctorum of the Vishvanath temple in the night, and the doors of the sanctum sanctorum were locked. In the morning when the doors were opened, the Ramcharitmanas was found at the top of the pile. The words Satyam Shivam Sundaram  literally truth, auspiciousness, beauty were inscribed on the manuscript with the signature of Shiva. The words were also heard by the people present.

Per traditional accounts, some Brahmins of Varanasi were still not satisfied, and sent two thieves to steal the manuscript. The thieves tried to break into the Ashram of Tulsidas, but were confronted by two guards with bows and arrows, of dark and fair complexion. The thieves had a change of heart and came to Tulsidas in the morning to ask who the two guards were. Believing that the two guards could be none other than Rama and Lakshmana, Tulsidas was aggrieved to know that they were guarding his home at night. He sent the manuscript of Ramcahritmanas to his friend Rai Todar Mal, the finance minister of Akbar, and donated all his money. The thieves were reformed and became devotees of Rama.

Around Vikram 1664 (1607 CE), Tulsidas was afflicted by acute pain all over his body, especially in his arms. He then composed the Hanuman Bahuk, where he describes his bodily pain and suffering in several stanzas. He was relieved of his pain after this composition.

The Vinaypatrika is considered as the last compositions of Tulsidas, believed to be written when Kali Yuga started troubling him. In this work of 279 stanzas, he beseeches Rama to give him Bhakti (devotion), and to accept his petition. Tulsidas attests in the last stanza of Vinaypatrika that Rama himself signed the manuscript of the work. The 45th stanza of the Vinaypatrika is sung as the evening Aarti by many Hindus.

Tulsidas claims to have received the story through his guru, Narharidas.Tulsidas was a naive (Acheta) child and the story was stored in his mind (Mānasa) for long before he wrote it down as Ramcharitmanas. Some understand this passage of the Ramcharitmanas to mean that Tulsidas at first could not grasp the story fully as he was a naïve young boy. His guru graciously repeated it again and again so that he could understand and remember it. Then he narrated the story and named it Ramcharitmanas as Shiva himself called it.

Ramcharitmanas consists of seven Kand (literally “books” or “episodes”, cognate with cantos). Tulsidas compared the seven Kāndas of the epic to seven steps leading into the holy waters of Lake Manasarovar “which purifies the body and the soul at once”.

1. Bal Kand – Childhood Episode

Shlokas: 7
Dohas: 341
Sortas: 25
Chhand: 39
Chaupai: 358

2. Ayodhya Kand – Ayodhya Episode

Shlokas: 1
Dohas: 314
Sortas: 13
Chhand: 13
Chaupai: 326

3. Aranya Kand – Forest Episode

Shlokas: 1
Dohas: 41
Sortas: 6
Chhand: 9
Chaupai: 44

4. Kiskindha Kand – Kishkindha Episode

Shlokas: 1
Dohas: 30
Sortas: 1
Chhand: 2
Chaupai: 30

5. Sundar Kand – Pleasant Episode

Shlokas: 1
Dohas: 59
Sortas: 1
Chhand: 3
Chaupai: 60

6. Lanka Kand – Lanka Episode

Shlokas: 1
Dohas: 118
Sortas: 4
Chhand: 38
Chaupai: 117

7. Uttar Kand – Later Episode

Shlokas: 4
Dohas: 126
Sortas: 5
Chhand: 14
Chaupai: 125

Every chapter of the Ramcharitmanas begins with an invocation or Mangalcharan. It is customary of the Indian tradition of writing that the author begins a new book with invocation to the Gods to ensure that the sankalpa is finished unhindered.

Chopai and Prasang in Shri Ramcharitmanas

Ramcharitmanas is structured around three separate conversations. The conversations happen between Shiva and Parvati, Sages Bharadwaj and Yajnavalkya and finally Kakbhushundi and the king of birds, Garuda. Although Lord Shiva then told it to Mata Parvati, but it was Kakbhushundi ji who received it through the proper Guru-Shishya (teacher-disciple) parampara. Kakbhushundi ji then passed it on to sage Yagyavalkya ji, who in turn sang it to sage Bhardwaj ji. Sage Sanakadi ji, after recieving it from Bhardwaj ji, incarnated as Swami Narharidas ji in this Kaliyuga and taught it to Goswami Tulsidas ji. Thus, the parampara (tradition) of Manas is as follows:

There are a total of 10,902 verses in Manas. The number of metres (वृत्त) used is 18, namely- Chaupai (चौपाई), Anushtoop Shloka (अनुष्टुप्), Shaardoolvikreedita Shloka (शार्दूलविक्रीडित), Vasantatilikaa Shloka (वसन्ततिलका), Vanshastha Shloka (वंशस्थ), Upajaati Shloka (उपजाति), Pramaanikaa Shloka (प्रमाणिका), Maalini Shloka (मालिनी), Srgdharaa Shloka (स्रग्धरा), Rathoddhataa Shloka (रथोद्धता), Bhujangaprayaata Shloka (भुजङ्गप्रयात), Totaka Shloka (तोटक), Harigeetika Chhand (हरिगीतिका) , Chaupaiyya Chhand (चौपैया), Tribhangi Chhand (त्रिभङ्गी), Tomar Chhand (तोमर) , Soratha (सोरठा), Doha (दोहा).

There are total of 84 “Prasang” in Ramcharitmanas. The narrative of Manas involves 84 “Prasang” (प्रसंग) or Topics. The following table shows the topics covered in each Kand or Chapter: Balkanda (बालकाण्ड) – 8, Ayodhyakand (अयोध्याकाण्ड) – 18, Aranyakanda (अरण्यकाण्ड) – 20, Kishkindhakand (किष्किन्धाकाण्ड) – 12, Sundarkand (सुन्दरकाण्ड) – 11, Yuddhakand (युद्धकाण्ड) – 12, Uttarkand (उत्तरकाण्ड) – 3.

Kshama

  

Kshama is a Sanskrit word with various layers of meaning. It relates to releasing time and living in the present, and can be thought of as a kind of extreme patience. Kshama also means forbearance and forgiveness, and can refer to the capacity to forgive others and forget the past.

Kshama is a concept commonly found in Yogic or Hindu scriptures, such as the Shandilya and Varaha Upanishads and the Hatha Yoga Pradipika by Gorakshanatha.

Kshama forms one of the 10 yamas (restraints), which make up the code of proper conduct as prescribed by the Upanishads, an ancient Vedic text. The 10 yamas are:

1. Ahimsa or Non-injury
2. Satya or Truthfulness
3. Asteya or Nonstealing
4. Brahmacharya 
5. Kshama or Patience
6. Dhriti or Steadfastness
7. Daya or Compassion
8. Arjava or Honesty
9. Mitahara or Moderate Diet
10. Saucha or Purity

someone for some action that may have offended us. At times, this forgiveness may have been imposed on us due to various factors. The general understanding of forgiveness is that one gives up any grudges that he/she holds against another person. And even this may not always be the case.

A person may not truly give up grudges against another, even after he or she might have rendered forgiveness. Often, the grudges and the frustrations stay as bitter memories in the subconscious mind.

As a result, many people are prone to anger, insecurity, hatred, and other such negative emotions. This in turn prevents them practice compassion towards everyone. Therefore, it becomes crucial to understand what forgiveness means and how to practice it. Shandilya Upanishad (1.1) says:

kshamA nAma priyApriyEshu sarvEshu tADanapUjayEShu sahanam!

and the bad, the sorrow and the happiness in a patient and self-restrained manner.

The human nature is such that, people love getting praised. They always look forward to get appreciated by others. It may be a student looking for the teacher’s appreciation, or an employee expecting good words from his boss.

On the other hand, people cannot tolerate even mild criticism. People’s anger will burst out if anybody criticizes them openly. An insult or verbal abuse may lead to a physical fight as well.

The fact of the matter is, people find it hard to control their own thoughts and emotions. A famous quote attributed to Buddha says it is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand wars. And the key to conquer one’s own mind is in practicing Kshama.

The happy memories linger in the mind for a shorter duration compared to bitter memories that can linger for years and years. Kshama means removing those bitter memories from their very roots.

This uprooting of grudges even from the sub-conscious level is truly possible, when one realizes that the happiness or sorrow, the praise or the insult one faces in life are nothing but fruits of one’s own past actions- actions that were committed over many lives.

Therefore, there is no meaning in blaming other’s for one’s own fall and suffering. Hence, one should forgive the other person for his faults. One should forgive even those who try to harm us.

Kshama is the key to unburden the mind from the burdens like frustration, hate, anger, and enmity. Let Kshama not be misunderstood as a sign of weakness, instead it is a sign of strength.

Once, a person realizes that he or she is the master of his/her own destiny, the person will stop getting affected by what others say or do. The praise or criticism will cease to be a burden on the mind. Instead, such a person will take criticism constructively and act upon it if he finds any merit in it.

Further, forgiving someone does not mean turning a blind eye towards his actions or pacifism. Instead, only a person endowed with Kshama can truly act in a righteous and dharmic manner. Therefore, the practice of Kshama is very vital for practicing dharma and the key to this practice is development of equal-sightedness- perceiving every person and their actions on the basis of merit and not prejudice; and not letting any of those affect the mind or the decisions.

P J

 कदाचित् कालिन्दी तट विपिन सङ्गीत तरलो

मुदाभीरी नारी वदन कमला स्वाद मधुपः
रमा शम्भु ब्रह्मामरपति गणेशार्चित पदो
जगन्नाथः स्वामी नयन पथ गामी भवतु मे ॥१॥

kadācit kālindī-taṭa-vipina-saṅgīta ta ralo
mudābhīrī-nārī-vadana-kamalāśvāda-madhupaḥ
ramā-śambhu-brahmāmara-pati-gaṇeśārcita-pado
jagannāthaḥ svāmī nayana-patha-gāmī bhavatu me (1)

Sometimes in great happiness Lord Jagannatha, with His flute, makes a loud concert in the groves on the banks of the Yamuna. He is like a bumblebee who tastes the beautiful lotus-like faces of the cowherd damsels of Vraja, and His lotus feet are worshiped by great personalities such as Lakshmi, Siva, Brahma, Indra and Ganesa. May that Jagannatha Swami be the object of my vision.

भुजे सव्ये वेणुं शिरसि शिखिपिच्छं कटितटे
दुकूलं नेत्रान्ते सहचर-कटाक्षं विदधते ।
सदा श्रीमद्‍-वृन्दावन-वसति-लीला-परिचयो
जगन्नाथः स्वामी नयन-पथ-गामी भवतु मे ॥२॥

bhuje savye veṇuṁ śirasi śikhi-picchaṁ kaṭitaṭe
dukūlaṁ netrānte sahacara-kaṭākṣaṁ ca vidadhat
sadā śrīmad-vṛndāvana-vasati-līlā-paricayo
jagannāthaḥ svāmī nayana-patha-gāmī bhavatu me (2)

In His left hand Lord Jagannatha holds a flute. On His head He wears the feathers of peacocks and on His hips He wears fine yellow silken cloth. Out of the corners of His eyes He bestows sidelong glances upon His loving devotees and He always reveals Himself through His pastimes in His divine abode of Vrindavana. May that Jagannatha Swami be the object of my vision.

महाम्भोधेस्तीरे कनक रुचिरे नील शिखरे
वसन् प्रासादान्तः सहज बलभद्रेण बलिना ।
सुभद्रा मध्यस्थः सकलसुर सेवावसरदो
जगन्नाथः स्वामी नयन-पथ-गामी भवतु मे ॥३॥

mahāmbhodhes tīre kanaka-rucire nīla-śikhare
vasan prāsādāntaḥ sahaja-balabhadreṇa balinā
subhadrā-madhya-sthaḥ sakala-sura-sevāvasara-do
jagannāthaḥ svāmī nayana-patha-gāmī bhavatu me (3)

Residing on the shore of the great ocean, within a large palace situated upon the crest of the brilliant, golden Nilacala Hill, along with His powerful brother Bala-bhadra, and in the middle of Them His sister Subhadra, Lord Jagannatha bestows the opportunity for devotional service upon all godly souls. May that Jagannatha Swami be the object of my vision.

कृपा पारावारः सजल जलद श्रेणिरुचिरो
रमा वाणी रामः स्फुरद् अमल पङ्केरुहमुखः ।
सुरेन्द्रैर् आराध्यः श्रुतिगण शिखा गीत चरितो
जगन्नाथः स्वामी नयन पथ गामी भवतु मे ॥४॥

kṛpā-pārāvāraḥ sajala-jalada-śreṇi-ruciro
ramā-vāṇī-rāmaḥ sphurad-amala-paṅkeruha-mukhaḥ
surendrair ārādhyaḥ śruti-gaṇa-śikhā-gīta-carito
jagannāthaḥ svāmī nayana-patha-gāmī bhavatu me (4)

Lord Jagannatha is an ocean of mercy and He is beautiful like a row of blackish rain clouds. He is the storehouse of bliss for Lakshmi and Saraswati, and His face is like a spotless full-blown lotus. He is worshiped by the best of demigods and sages, and His glories are sung by the Upanishads. May that Jagannatha Swami be the object of my vision.

रथारूढो गच्छन् पथि मिलित भूदेव पटलैः
स्तुति प्रादुर्भावम् प्रतिपदमुपाकर्ण्य सदयः ।
दया सिन्धुर्बन्धुः सकल जगतां सिन्धु सुतया
जगन्नाथः स्वामी नयन पथ गामी भवतु मे ॥५॥

rathārūḍho gacchan pathi milita-bhūdeva-paṭalaiḥ
stuti-prādurbhāvam prati-padam upākarṇya sadayaḥ
dayā-sindhur bandhuḥ sakala jagatāṁ sindhu-sutayā
jagannāthah svāmī nayana-patha-gāmī bhavatu me (5)

When Lord Jagannatha is on His Ratha-yatra cart and is moving along the road, at every step there is a loud presentation of prayers and songs chanted by large assemblies of brahmanas. Hearing their hymns Lord Jagannatha is very favorably disposed towards them. He is the ocean of mercy and the true friend of all the worlds. May that Jagannatha Swami, along with His consort Lakshmi, who was born from the ocean of nectar, be the object of my vision.

परंब्रह्मापीड़ः कुवलय-दलोत्‍फुल्ल-नयनो
निवासी नीलाद्रौ निहित-चरणोऽनन्त-शिरसि ।
रसानन्दी राधा-सरस-वपुरालिङ्गन-सुखो
जगन्नाथः स्वामी नयन-पथगामी भवतु मे ॥६॥

paraṁ-brahmāpīḍaḥ kuvalaya-dalotphulla-nayano
nivāsī nīlādrau nihita-caraṇo 'nanta-śirasi
rasānandī rādhā-sarasa-vapur-āliṅgana-sukho
jagannāthaḥ svāmī nayana-patha-gāmī bhavatu me (6)

He is the ornament of the head of Lord Brahma and His eyes are like the full-blown petals of the lotus. He resides on the Nilacala Hill, and His lotus feet are placed on the heads of Ananta Deva. Lord Jagannatha is overwhelmed by the mellow of love and He becomes joyful in the embracing of the body of Sri Radharani, which is like a cool pond. May that Jagannatha Swami be the object of my vision.

न वै याचे राज्यं न च कनक माणिक्य विभवं
न याचेऽहं रम्यां सकल जन काम्यां वरवधूम् ।
सदा काले काले प्रमथ पतिना गीतचरितो
जगन्नाथः स्वामी नयन पथ गामी भवतु मे ॥७॥

na vai yāce rājyaṁ na ca kanaka-māṇikya-vibhavaṁ
na yāce 'haṁ ramyāṁ sakala jana-kāmyāṁ vara-vadhūm
sadā kāle kāle pramatha-patinā gīta-carito
jagannāthaḥ svāmī nayana-patha-gāmī bhavatu me (7)

I do not pray for a kingdom, nor for gold, rubies, and wealth. I do not ask for an excellent and beautiful wife as desired by all men. I simply pray that Jagannatha Swami, whose glories are always sung by Lord Siva, be the constant object of my vision.

हर त्वं संसारं द्रुततरम् असारं सुरपते
हर त्वं पापानां विततिम् अपरां यादवपते ।
अहो दीनेऽनाथे निहित चरणो निश्चितमिदं
जगन्नाथः स्वामी नयन पथ गामी भवतु मे ॥८॥

hara tvaṁ saṁsāraṁ druta-taram asāraṁ sura-pate
hara tvaṁ pāpānāṁ vitatiṁ aparāṁ yādava-pate
aho dīne 'nāthe nihita-caraṇo niścitam idaṁ
jagannāthaḥ svāmī nayana-patha-gāmī bhavatu me (8)

O Lord of the demigods, please quickly remove this useless material existence I am undergoing. O Lord of the Yadus, please destroy this vast ocean of sins which has no shore. Alas, this is certain that Lord Jagannatha’s lotus feet are bestowed upon those who feel themselves fallen and have no shelter in this world but Him. May that Jagannatha Swami be the object of my vision.

जगन्नाथाष्टकं पुन्यं यः पठेत् प्रयतः शुचिः ।
सर्वपाप विशुद्धात्मा विष्णुलोकं स गच्छति ॥९॥

jagannāthāṣṭakaṁ punyaṁ yaḥ paṭhet prayataḥ śuciḥ
sarva-pāpa-viśuddhātmā viṣṇu-lokaṁ sa gacchati

The self-retrained, virtuous soul who recites these eight verses glorifying Lord Jagannatha becomes cleansed of all sins and duly proceeds to Lord Visnu's abode.

iti śrimat śaṅkaracārya viracitaṁ jagannāthāṣṭakam saṁpūrṇam