On Attachment to Holy Pilgrimages (Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura)

On attachment to visiting the places of pilgrimages:

Mana Tumi Tirthe Sada Rata
by Srila: Bhaktivinoda Thakura

LYRICS:
(1)
mana, tumi tirthe sada rata
ayodhya, mathura, maya, kasi, kanci, abantiya,
dvarabati, ar ache jata

(2)
tumi caho bhramibare, e sakala bare bare,
mukti-labha koribara tare
se sakala taba bhrama, nirarthaka parisrama,
citta sthira tirthe nahi kore

(3)
tirtha-phal sadhu-sanga, sadhu-sange antaranga,
sri-krsna-bhajana manohar
jatha sadhu, tatha tirtha, sthira kori' nija citta,
sadhu-sanga koro nirantar

(4)
je tirthe baisnaba nai, se tirthe nahi jai,
ki labha hantiya dura-desa
jathay baisnaba-gana, sei stana brndabana,
sei sthane ananda asesa

(5)
krsna-bhakti jei sthane, mukti dasi seikhane,
salila tathay mandakini
giri tatha govardhana, bhumi tatha brndabana,
abirbhuta apani hladini

(6)
binoda kohiche bhai, bhramiya ki phal pai,
baisnaba-sebana mor brata

TRANSLATION
1) My dear mind, you are always attached to all the different places of pilgrimage such as Ayodhya, Mathura, Maya, Kasi (Varanasi), Kancipura, Avantiya, Dvaravati, and so on.

2) You want to travel to all these holy places of pilgrimage again and again simply to the sake of obtaining liberation from the material miseries. But we actually see that your heart is not becoming resolutely fixed up by going to all these places; therefore all of you wanderings are simply useless labor for nothing tangible.

3) The ripened fruit and real benefit of any place of pilgrimage is the company of the pure-hearted devotees of the Lord. Establishing intimate and friendly relations with such devotees, let your mind be captivated by performing the charming worship of Lord Krsna in their association. Actually any place in the entire world becomes a worshipable place of pilgrimage if devotees are living there. Thus you should immediately seek out such a place, wherever you happen to be, and you should become fixed up in Krsna consciousness by constantly remaining in the company of such devotees.

4) Personally, I never bother to visit any so-called place of pilgrimage which is devoid of the presence of unalloyed devotees, for what other worthwhile benefit could possibly be gained by taking the trouble of walking to such faraway places? Only that place which is graced by the presence of the devotees is actually Vrndavana, and only at that place can you come into contact with unlimited spiritual pleasure.

5) Liberation personified is herself the humble maidservant of that place which is surcharged with devotion to Krsna. All the water at that place is the celestial Ganges, every hill there is Giri-govardhana, and the very earth is indeed Vrndavana. Only such a place can manifest the appearance of the eternal spiritual joy which is revealed by the Lord's pleasure-potency.

6) I ask you now, dear brother, what benefit would I get by circumambulating all of the holy places of pilgrimage? Personally, my vow is to serve the Vaisnavas with firm resolution and untiring endeavor.