Prayers 9

 Amara Jivan

āmāra jīvana,  sadā pāpe rata, /  nāhiko punyera leṣa
parere udvega,  diyāchi je koto, / diyāchi jīvere kleśa

I am an impious sinner and have caused others great anxiety and trouble.

nija sukha lāgi’,  pāpe nāhi ḍori, / doyā-hīna swārtha-paro
para-sukhe duḥkhī,  sadā mithya-bhāṣī, / para-duḥkha sukha-karo

I have never hesitated to perform sinful act for my own enjoyment. Devoid of all compassion, concerned only with my own selfish interests, I am remorseful seeing others happy. I am a perpetual liar, and the misery of others is a source of great pleasure for me.

aśeṣa kāmanā,  hṛdi mājhe mora, / krodhī, dambha-parāyana
mada-matta sadā,  viṣaye mohita, / hiḿsā-garva vibhūṣana

The material desires within the core of my heart are unlimited. I am wrathful, devoted to false pride and arrogance, intoxicated by vanity, and bewildered by worldly affairs. Envy and egotism are the ornaments I wear.

nidrālasya hata,  sukārye virata, / akārye udyogī āmi
pratiṣṭha lāgiyā,  śāṭhya-ācaraṇa, / lobha-hata sadā kāmī

Ruined by laziness and sleep, I resist all pious deeds; yet I am very active and enthusiastic to perform wicked acts. For worldly fame and reputation I engage in the practice of deceitfulness. Thus I am destroyed by my own greed and am always lustful.

e heno durjana,  saj-jana-varjita, /  aparādhi nirantara
śubha-kārya-śūnya,  sadānartha-manāḥ, / nānā duḥkhe jara jara

A vile, wicked man such as this, rejected by godly people, is a constant offender. I am such a person, devoid of all good works, forever inclined toward evil, worn out and wasted by various miseries.

bārdhakye ekhona,  upāya-vihīna, / tā’te dīna akiñcana
bhakativinoda,  prabhura caraṇe, / kore duḥkha nivedana

Now in old age, deprived of all means of success, humbled and poor, Bhaktivinoda submits his tale of grief at the feet of the Supreme Lord.

Jiv Jago Jiv Jago

jīv jāgo, jīv jāgo, gauracānda bole
kota nidrā jāo māyā-piśācīra kole

Lord Gauranga is calling, "Wake up, sleeping souls! Wake up, sleeping souls! How long will you sleep in the lap of the witch called Maya? 

bhajibo boliyā ese saḿsāra-bhitare
bhuliyā rohile tumi avidyāra bhare

You have forgotten the way of devotional service and are lost in the world of birth and death.

tomāre loite āmi hoinu avatāra
āmi binā bandhu āra ke āche tomāra

I have descended just to save you; other than Myself you have no friend in this world.

enechi auṣadhi māyā nāśibāro lāgi'
hari-nāma mahā-mantra lao tumi māgi'

I have brought the medicine that will wipe out the disease of illusion from which you are suffering. Take this maha-mantra-Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama, Hare Rama Rama Rama, Hare Hare."

bhakativinoda prabhu-caraṇe pariyā
sei hari-nāma-mantra loilo māgiyā

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura says: "I fall at the Lord's feet, having taken this mahā-mantra."
Bala-Mukundastakam  (by ŚrīBilvamaṅgalācārya)

karāravindena padāravindaḿ / mukhāravinde viniveśayantam
vaṭasya patrasya puṭeśayānaḿ /bālaḿ mukundaḿ manasā smarāmi

I meditate on that infant Mukunda (Krsna) who is sleeping on the leaf of a banyan tree with his the lotus like foot placed in his lotus like mouth with his lotus like hand.

samhrutya lokān vaṭapatramadhye / śayanamādyanta vihīnarūpam
sarveśvaraḿ sarvahitāvatāraḿ / bālaḿ mukundaḿ manasā smarāmi

I meditate on that infant Mukunda who is sleeping holding all the worlds together on the leaf of a banyan tree in such form, which has no beginning or no end.  He is the incarnation of God for the welfare of all mankind and the Lord of all.

indīvaraśyāmala komalāńgam / indrādidevārcita pādapadmam
santānakalpadrumamāśritānāḿ / bālaḿ mukundaḿ manasā smarāmi

I meditate on Bala Mukunda in my heart, who has a delicate body like a blue lotus and whose foot is worshipped by all the gods and Indra etc. He is the wish-fulfilling tree for those who take refuge in him.

lambālakaḿ lambitahārayaṣṭiḿ / śṛuńgāralīlāńkita danta pańktim
bimbādharaḿ cāruviśālanetraḿ / bālaḿ mukundaḿ manasā smarāmi

I meditate on that Bala Mukunda in my heart, who has hanging curls and hanging necklaces, a beautiful row of teeth which are shown playfully. His lower lip is as red as a Bimba fruit and has beautiful wide eyes.

Parama Karuna Pahu

parama karuṇa, pahū dui jana / nitāi gauracandra
saba avatāra-sāra śiromaṇi/ kevala ānanda-kanda

The two Lords, Nitai-Gauracandra, are very merciful. They are the essence of all incarnations. The specific significance of these incarnations is that They introduced a process of chanting and dancing that is simply joyful.

bhajo bhajo bhāi, caitanya nitāi / sudṛḍha biśwāsa kori
viṣaya chāḍiyā, se rase majiyā, / mukhe bolo hari hari

My dear brother, I request that you just worship Lord Caitanya and Nityananda with firm conviction and faith. If one wants to be Krsna conscious by this process, one has to give up his engagement in sense gratification. One simply has to chant, "Hare Krsna! Hari Hari!" without any motive.

dekho ore bhāi, tri-bhuvane nāi, / emona doyāla dātā
paśu pākhī jhure, pāṣāṇa vidare, / śuni' jāńra guṇa-gāthā

My dear brother, just try and examine this. Within the three worlds there is no one like Lord Caitanya or Lord Nityananda. Their merciful qualities are so great that upon hearing Them even birds and beasts cry and stones melt. 

saḿsāre majiyā, rohili poriyā, /  se pade nahilo āśa
āpana karama, bhuñjāye śamana, / kahoye locana-dāsa

But Locana dasa regrets that I am entrapped by sense gratification. Since I have no attraction for the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda, then Yamaraja, the superintendent of death, is punishing me by not allowing me to be attracted by this movement.

Mama nivedana suno

gopīnāth, mama nivedana śuno
viṣayī durjana, sadā kāma-rata,
kichu nāhi mora guṇa

O Gopinatha, Lord of the gopis, please hear my request. I am a wicked materialist, always addicted to worldly desires, and no good qualities do I possess.

gopīnāth, āmāra bharasā tumi
tomāra caraṇe, loinu śaraṇa,
tomāra kińkora āmi

O Gopinatha, You are my only hope, and therefore I have taken shelter at Your lotus feet. I am now Your eternal servant.

gopīnāth, kemone śodhibe more
nā jāni bhakati, karme jaḍa-mati,
porechi soḿsāra-ghore

O Gopinatha, how will You purify me? I do not know what devotion is, and my materialistic mind is absorbed in fruitive work. I have fallen into this dark and perilous worldly existence.

gopīnāth, sakali tomāra māyā
nāhi mama bala, jñāna sunirmala,
swādīna nahe e kāyā

O Gopinatha, everything here is Your illusory energy. I have no strength or transcendental knowledge, and this body of mine is not independent and free from the control of material nature. 

gopīnāth, niyata caraṇe sthāna
māge e pāmara, kāndiyā kāndiyā,
korohe karuṇā dāna

O Gopinatha, this sinner, who is weeping and weeping, begs for an eternal place at Your divine feet. Please give him Your mercy.

gopīnāth, tumi to' sakali pāro
durjane tārite, tomāra śakati,
ke āche pāpīra āro

O Gopinatha, You are able to do anything, and therefore You have the power to deliver all sinners. Who is there that is more of a sinner than myself? 

gopīnāth, tumi kṛpā-pārābāra
jīvera kāraṇe, āsiyā prapañce,
līlā koile subistāra

O Gopinatha, You are the ocean of mercy. Having come into this phenomenal world, You expand Your divine pastimes for the sake of the fallen souls. 

gopīnāth, āmi ki doṣe doṣī
asura sakala, pāilo caraṇa,
vinodá thākilo bosi'

O Gopinatha, I am so sinful that although all the demons attained Your lotus feet, Bhaktivinoda has remained in worldly existence.

Gopinath Ghucao Samsara

gopināth, ghucāo saḿsāra jwālā
avidyā-jātanā, āro nāhi sahe,
janama-maraṇa-mālā

O Gopinatha, please remove the torment of worldly existence. I can no longer tolerate the pain of ignorance and the repeated succession of births and deaths. 

gopīnāth, āmi to' kāmera dāsa
viṣaya-bāsanā, jāgiche hṛdoye,
phādiche karama phāsa

O Gopinatha, indeed I am a servant of lust. Worldly desires are awakening in my heart, and thus the noose of fruitive work is beginning to tighten. 

gopināth, kabe vā jāgibo āmi
kāma-rūpa ari, dūre teyāgibo,
hṛdoye sphuribe tumi

O Gopinatha, when will I wake up and abandon afar this enemy of lust, end when will You manifest Yourself in my heart?  

gopīnāth, āmi to' tomāra jana
tomāre chāriyā, saḿsāra bhajinu,
bhuliyā āpana-dhana

O Gopinatha, I am Your devotee, but having abandoned You and thus having forgotten my real treasure, I have worshiped this mundane world. 

gopināth, tumi to' sakali jāno
āpanāra jane, daṇḍiyā ekhano,
śrī-caraṇe deho sthāno

O Gopinatha, You know everything. Now, having punished Your servant, please give him a place at Your lotus feet. 

gopīnāth, ei ki vicāra taba
bimukha dekhiyā, chāro nija-jane,
na koro' karuṇā-laba

O Gopinatha, is this Your judgment, that seeing me averse to You, You abandon Your servant and don't bestow even a particle of mercy upon him? 

gopīnāth, āmi to mūrakha ati
kise bhālo hoya, kabhu nā bujhinu,
tāi heno mama gati

O Gopinatha, I am certainly very foolish, and I have never known what is good for me. Therefore such is my condition.

gopīnāth, tumi to' paṇḍita-bara
mūḍhera mańgala, tumi anveṣibe,
e dāse nā bhāvo' para

O Gopinatha, You are indeed the wisest person. Please look for a way to bring about auspiciousness for this fool, and please do not consider this servant as an outsider.

Gopinath Amar Upaya

gopīnāth, āmāra upāya nāi
tumi kṛpā kori', āmāre loile,
saḿsāre uddhāra pāi

O Gopinatha, I have no means of success, but if You take me, having bestowed your mercy upon me, then I will obtain deliverance from this world. 

gopīnāth, porechi māyāra phere
dhana, dāra, suta, ghireche āmāre,
kāmete rekheche jere

O Gopinatha, I have fallen into the perils of material illusion. Wealth, wife, and sons have surrounded me, and lust has wasted me away. 

gopīnāth, mana je pāgala mora
nā māne śāsana, sadā acetana,
viṣaye ro 'yeche ghora

O Gopinatha, my mind is crazy and does not care for any authority. It is always senseless and has remained in the dark pit of worldly affairs. 

gopināth, hāra je menechi āmi
aneka jatana, hoilo bifala,
ekhano bharasā tumi

O Gopinatha, I have accepted my defeat. All of my various endeavors were useless. Now You are the only hope. 

gopīnāth, kemone hoibe gati
prabala indriya, bośī-bhūta mana,
nā chāre viṣaya-rati

O Gopinatha, how shall I make any advancement when my mind has come under the control of the powerful senses and does not abandon its attachment to materialism? 

gopīnāth, hṛdoye bosiyā mora
manake śamiyā, laho nija pāne,
ghucibe vipada ghora

O Gopinatha, after sitting down in the core of my heart and subduing my mind, please wake me to You. In this way the horrible dangers of this world will disappear. 

gopīnāth, anātha dekhiyā more
tumi hṛṣīkeśa, hṛṣīka damiyā,
tāro 'he saḿsṛti-ghore

O Gopinatha, You are Hrsikesa, the Lord of the senses. Seeing me so helpless, please control these senses of mine and deliver me from this dark and perilous worldly existence. 

gopīnāth, galāya legeche phāsa
kṛpā-asi dhori', bandhana chediyā,
vinode koroho dāsa

O Gopinatha, the noose of materialism has become fixed around my neck. Taking up the sword of Your mercy and cutting this bondage, make this Bhaktivinoda Your humble servant.

Hari He Doyal Mor

hari he doyāl mor jaya rādhā-nāth
bāro bāro ei-bāro loho nija sāth

O Hari! O my merciful Lord! All glories to You, O Lord of Radha! Again and again I have pleaded with You, and now I beg You yet again to accept me as Your own.

bahu yoni bhrami' nātha! loinu śaraṇ
nija-guṇe kṛpā koro' adhama-tāraṇ

O Lord! Hopelessly taking birth over and over, I have now come to You for refuge. Please show Your merciful nature and deliver this wretched soul.

jagata-kāraṇa tumi jagata-jīvan
tomā chāḍā kār nāhi he rādhā-ramaṇ

You are the cause of the universe, and its very life. Other than You, O lover of Radha, there is no shelter.

bhuvana-mańgala tumi bhuvaner pati
tumi upekhile nātha, ki hoibe gati

You bring about auspiciousness for the world, and You are the master of all the worlds as well. O Lord, what will become of me if You forsake me?

bhāviyā dekhinu ei jagata-mājhāre
tomā binā keho nāhi e dāse uddhāre

I have understood, after contemplating my predicament, that within this world there is no one who can deliver this servant but You. 

Ohe Vaisnava Thakura

ohe! vaiṣṇaba ṭhākura, doyāra sāgara,
e dāse koruṇā kori'
diyā pada-chāyā, śodho he āmāya,
tomāra caraṇa dhori

O venerable Vaisnava, devotee of Krsna! O ocean of mercy, be merciful unto your servant. Give me the shade of your lotus feet and purify me. I hold on to your lotus feet. 

chaya bega domi', chaya doṣa śodhi',
chaya guṇa deho' dāse
chaya sat-sańga, deho' he āmāre,
bosechi sańgera āśe

Teach me to control my six passions; rectify my six faults, bestow upon me the six qualities, and offer unto me the six kinds of holy association.*
*The six passions are those pertaining to words, the mind, anger, the tongue, the stomach and the genitals. The six faults are overeating, attachment to material things, inability to follow regulative principles, sense gratification, useless idle talk, and impure habits. The six positive qualities are enthusiasm in practicing devotional service, firm faith in devotional processes, a strong desire to attain prema-bhakti, a favorable service attitude, avoidance of non-devotees, and appreciation of the company of devotees. The six methods of association are to go to an assembly of devotees, to invite devotees into one's home, to discuss and hear devotional topics, to take the maha-prasada of devotees and to offer maha-prasada to devotees. 

ekākī āmāra, nāhi pāya bala,
hari-nāma-sańkīrtane
tumi kṛpā kori', śraddhā-bindu diyā,
deho' kṛṣṇa-nāma-dhane

I do not find the strength to carry on alone the sankirtana of the holy name of Hari. Please bless me by giving me just one drop of faith with which to obtain the great treasure of the holy name of Krsna.

kṛṣṇa se tomāra, kṛṣṇa dīte pāro,
tomāra śakati āche
āmi to' kāńgāla, 'kṛṣṇa' 'kṛṣṇa' boli',
dhāi tava pāche pāche

Krsna is yours. You have the power to give Him to me. I am simply your servant running behind you shouting, "Krsna! Krsna!" 

Hari Haraya Nama Krsna

hari haraye namaḥ kṛṣṇa yādavāya namaḥ
yādavāya mādhavāya keśavāya namaḥ

Hari! Obeisances to Lord Hari, unto Krsna, and Yadava. Obeisances to Lord of the Yadus, Madhava, Kesava. 

gopāla govinda rāma śrī-madhusūdana
giridhārī gopīnātha madana-mohana

Gopala! Govinda! Rama! O vanquisher of Madhu! Giridhari! Lord of the gopis! Bewilderer of cupid! 

śrī-caitanya-nityānanda śrī-advaita-sītā
hari guru vaiṣṇaba bhāgavata gītā

Sri Caitanya, Nityananda, Sri Advaita-Sita!  Hari! Guru! Vaisnavas! Srimad Bhagavatam! Bhagavad Gita! 

śrī-rūpa sanātana bhaṭṭa-raghunātha
śrī-jīva gopāla-bhaṭṭa dāsa-raghunātha

All glories to Srila Rupa Goswami, Sanatana Goswami and Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami, to Srila Jiva Goswami, Gopala  Bhatta Goswami, and Raghunatha Dasa Goswami!