Mana Shiksha is part of Bayalees Leela where the instructions are given to the Rasopasana aspirant, written by Shri Hita Dhruvdas. Mana Shiksha means instructions specific to mind.
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Our beloved Lalji (Sri Krishn) vows that He is forever captivated by pure love alone. However, He does not even glance at those who, despite performing millions of rituals or virtuous acts, are devoid of love.
O mind! Until now, I have followed whatever you said. Now, please obey my request and continuously meditate on and behold the lotus feet of Shri Shyama-Shyam.
There are many types of devotees of the Lord, and there are also many distinctions in their bhāvas—such as dāsya, sakhya, and so forth. Therefore, a sādhaka who associates with others without understanding these gradations among devotees must first, with careful discernment, choose an association that is compatible with his own bhakti-bhāva; otherwise, in the end, he will only meet with regret.
O elephant-like mind! Abandon the path of worldly pleasures and now follow the nectar-filled path of rasa upāsanā of the divine couple. Apart from Śrī Rādhāvallabha Lāl, you have no true friend or refuge in this world.
O mind! If you truly wish to withdraw from all distractions and become firmly established in one place, then take shelter in the dense groves of beautiful Śrī Vṛndāvana, where the crest-jewel of rasikas, Śrī Śyāmā-Śyāma, eternally delights in Their eternal love-plays of vihara.
The mind is the most restless of all things. How can this restlessness be subdued? There are only two effective means: constant devotion to Śrī Hari, or taking shelter in the association of saints.
One should honor only the sanctified remnants of those rasika devotees who are deeply imbued with the divine love of the divine couple, Śyāmā-Śyāma. Carelessly eating and drinking according to one’s own whims, wherever and with whomever one pleases, gradually weakens the potency of one’s devotional practice.
A practitioner of rasopāsanā should partake of food only within the company of fellow rasika devotees. It is not considered appropriate to eat with those who follow other modes of worship.
In this world, one may encounter many devotees devoted to many different paths, yet it is not advisable to associate closely with them. In truth, the genuine worshippers of one’s own spiritual tradition are those exclusive rasika devotees who are completely absorbed in the divine love-rasa of Śrī Yugal Śyāmā-Śyāma.
Censuring and fault-finding in any devotee is the worst of all offenses, and one should never commit it, even by mistake. By doing so, the merits accumulated over many lifetimes are destroyed in a single moment.
One should seek only the association of those rasikas who constantly, day and night, discuss the Yugala-Vihāra of the divine couple, and should abandon all other paths.
Meditate on that form of crest-jewel of Rasikas, i.e., Śrī Rādhā Kṛṣṇa, who have large, beautiful eyes and are walking in Śrī Vṛndāvan Dhām while putting their arms around each other.
One should repeatedly place upon one’s head the dust of the lotus feet of those rasikas who remain deeply absorbed in contemplating and meditating upon the wondrous yugala-vihāra of Śrī Śyāmā-Śyāma.
One should seek the association of only those rasika devotees whose very sight is enough to cause horripilation and thrill in one's body, and upon merely hearing whose sweet words, the eyes overflow with tears.
O seeker of Śrī Śyāma Śyāma, trust me—there is no benefit in censuring or fault-finding. O great fool, you vainly bear a mountain of sin upon yourself!
For those whose minds remain attached solely to their wife, son, daughter, grandchildren, and the like, Śrī Rādhāvallabha Lāḷa never enters their hearts even in the slightest.
Śrī Dhūvads says the real association is that through which one forgets worldly matters and naturally drowns in the nectar of the extraordinary sight of the Divine Couple. One must do the association of those Rāsik devotees.
It is the natural vow of Śrī Rādhārānī that She never abandons anyone who surrenders to her, even once.
Śrī Dhruvadāsa, describing the supremely compassionate nature of Śrī Rādhā Mahārāṇī, says that even though a soul may possess countless faults like the vast ocean, Śrī Rādhā, regarding that soul as Her own, does not take notice of them. On the contrary, even the smallest act of devotion — as tiny as a mustard seed — She magnifies as though it were as great as Mount Sumeru. Such a nature of boundless grace belongs to none other than Śrī Rādhā alone.
Shri Dhruvdas, Braj Rasik of Vrindavan, gives some advice to a devotee, He says the Braj Ras Marg which is the path of devotion is very subtle, deep and very special. You should not talk about this to anyone unless he is really interested in it, more over your real family and friends are only those who follow this path of divine love consciousness.
