Sri Sri Shikshashtaka
by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu
Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu did not do
much writing, but was widely renowned as a scholar in His youth. Nonetheless, He
did leave these eight verses known as Sikshashtaka. These explain the essence of
His mission and the philosophy of devotional service to Lord Krishna. See the
article on Lord Caitanya to learn more about Him.
Two more songs/prayers follow that elaborate on the sacredness of the Lord's
holy names.
(1)
cheto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam
shreyah-kairava-chandrika-vitaranam vidya-vadhu-jivanam
anandambhdhi-vardhanam prati-padam purnamritasvadanam
sarvatma-snapanam
param vijayate shri-krishna-sankirtanam
Glory to the Shri Krishna sankirtana
(congregational chanting of the Lord's holy names), which cleanses the heart of
all the dust accumulated for years and extinguishes the fire of conditional
life, of repeated birth and death. That sankirtana movement is the prime
benediction for humanity at large because it spreads the rays of the benediction
moon. It is the life of all transcendental knowledge. It increases the ocean of
transcendental bliss, and it enables us to fully taste the nectar for which we
are always anxious.
(2)
namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-shaktis
tatrarpita niyamitah smarane na kalaha
etadrishi tava kripa bhagavan mamapi
durdaivam idrisham
ihajani nanuragahah
O my Lord, Your holy name alone can
render all benediction to living beings, and thus You have hundreds and millions
of names, like Krishna and Govinda. In these transcendental names, you have
invested all Your transcendental energies. There are not even hard and fast
rules for chanting these names. O my Lord, out of kindness You enable us to
easily approach you by Your holy names, but I am so unfortunate that I have no
attraction for them.
(3)
trinad api sunicena
taror api sahishnuna
amanina manadena
kirtaniyah sada harihi
One should chant the holy name of the
Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the
street; one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false
prestige, and should be ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of
mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly.
(4)
na dhanam na janam na sundarim
kavitam va jagad-isha kamaye
mama janmani janmanishvare
bhavatad bhaktir
ahaituki tvayi
O almighty Lord, I have no desire to
accumulate wealth, nor do I desire beautiful women, nor do I want any number of
followers. I only want your causeless devotional service, birth after birth.
(5)
ayi nanda-tanuja kinkaram
patitam mam vishame bhavambudhau
kripaya tava pada-pankaja-
sthita-dhuli-sadrisham
vichintaya
O son of Maharaja Nanda [Krishna], I
am Your eternal servitor, yet somehow or other I have fallen into the ocean of
birth and death. Please pick me up from this ocean of death and place me as one
of the atoms at Your lotus feet.
(6)
nayanam galad-ashru-dharaya
vadanam gadgada-ruddhaya gira
pulakair nichitam vapuh kada
tava nama-grahane
bhavishyati
O my Lord, when will my eyes be
decorated with tears of love flowing constantly when I chant Your holy name?
When will my voice choke up, and when will the hairs of my body stand on end at
the recitation of Your name?
(7)
yugayitam nimeshena
chakshusha pravrishayitam
shunyayitam jagat sarvam
govinda-virahena me
O Govinda! Feeling Your separation, I
am considering a moment to be like twelve years or more. Tears are flowing from
my eyes like torrents of rain, and I am feeling all vacant in the world in Your
absence.
(8)
ashlishya va pada-ratam pinashtu mam
adarshanan marma-hatam karotu va
yatha tatha va vidadhatu lampato
mat-prana-nathas tu sa
eva naparaha
I know no one but Krishna as my Lord,
and He shall remain so even if He handles me roughly by His embrace or makes me
brokenhearted by not being present before me. He is completely free to do
anything and everything, for He is always my worshipful Lord, unconditionally.
Sri-Harer
Namastakam
In the above prayers by Lord Caitanya,
there is the mention of the importance of the chanting of the holy names of Lord
Krishna. This prayer/song on the glories of the holy name of Lord Hari, Krishna,
elaborates on that sentiment and is a great source of knowledge and meditation
for our spiritual advancement.
(1)
madhuram madhurebhyo' pi
mangalebhyo' pi mangalam
pavanam pavanebhyo' pi
harer namaiva kevalam
The holy name of Sri Hari (Krishna)
is alone the sweetest of all sweet things. It is the most auspicious of all
auspicious things and is the greatest purifier of all purifying things.
(2)
abrahma-stamba-paryantam
sarva maya-mayam jagat
satyam satyam punah satyam
harer namaiva kevalam
The entire material creation from
Brahma down to the clump of grass is a product of the illusory energy of the
Supreme. Sri Harinama is alone reality.
(3)
sa guruh sa pita chapi
sa mata bandhavo' pi saha
shikshayech chet sada smartum
harer namaiva kevalam
If someone teaches us to remember the
holy name of Hari alone, then that person is our preceptor, father, mother and
friend.
(4)
nihshwase nahi vishvasaha
kada ruddho bhavishyati
kirtaniya mato balyad
harer namaiva kevalam
There is no certainty in when our
last breath will come. Therefore the name of Hari must be exclusively chanted
from one's very childhood.
(5)
harih sada vaset tatra
yatra bhagavata janaha
gayanti bhakti-bhavena
harer namaiva kevalam
Sri Hari eternally dwells in that
place where great souls chant His holy name alone with great devotion.
(6)
aho duhkham maha-duhkham
duhkhad duhkhataram yataha
kachayam vismritam ratna
harer namaiva kevalam
Alas, what a sadness, what a great
sorrow, it is more painful than any misery, that this jewel of the Harinama [the
holy name of Lord Hari] has been mistaken as a piece of glass and has thus been
forgotten by the general mass of people.
(7)
diyatam diyatam karno
niyatam niyatam vachaha
giyatam giyatam nityam
harer namaiva kevalam
Hear again and again, utter over and
over, eternally sing and sing again the name of Hari alone.
(8)
trina-kritya jagat sarvam
rajate sakala-param
chid-ananda-mayam shuddham
harer namaiva kevalam
It is the Harinama alone which is
full of ecstasy and divine knowledge. It is the supreme pure and reigns supreme
over all, making the entire universe seem as insignificant as a blade of grass.
Man
Radhe Krishna
This song asks our mind to simply
focus and become absorbed on chanting the names of Radha and Krishna.
man Radhe Krishna, Radhe Krishna, Radhe Krishna bol
Radhe Krishna bol re,
Radha Krishna bol
Vrindavan mein khelan avein
lata pata phoolan barsavein
madhu dhara ki nadi bahavein
man phool bichhi
galiyan mein dole
Yamuna darshan karne ai
van ki chata badi sukhdai
hans mandali vahan ghir ai
kamalan ki mala le ai
man dekh yugal chavi kare kilol
Radhe kare kilol,
Shyama kare kilol
Please, O mind, simply chant Radhe Krishna, Radhe Krishna, Radhe Krishna!
Please chant Radhe Krishna, chant Radhe Krishna.
When Lord Krishna comes to play in Vrindavana, the creepers shower a rain of leaves and flowers. Honey flows from the flowers like a river and the mind meanders through lanes strewn with the blossoms.
Yamunadevi has come to behold the
beautiful form of Krishna. The beauty of the forest brings great pleasure.
Flocks of swans have wandered there, bringing with them a garland of lotus
flowers. Beholding the beautiful forms of Radha and Krishna, the mind is
singing. O Radha, my mind is singing. O Shyama [Krishna], my mind is singing.
[These prayers are available at www.stephen-knapp.com]
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