Prayers 8

Corastakam

vraje prasiddhaḿ navanīta-cauraḿ
gopāńganānāḿ ca dukūla-cauram
aneka-janmārjita-pāpa-cauraḿ
caurāgragaṇyaḿ puruṣaḿ namāmi

I offer pranama to that foremost of thieves – who is famous in Vraja as the butter-thief and He who steals the gopis’ clothes, and who, for those who take shelter of Him, steals the sins which have accrued over many lifetimes.

śrī rādhikāyā hṛdayasya cauraḿ
navāmbuda-śyāmala-kānti-cauram
padāśritānāḿ ca samasta-cauraḿ
caurāgragaṇyaḿ puruṣaḿ namāmi

I offer pranama to the foremost of thieves – who steals Srimati Radhika’s heart, who steals the dark luster of a fresh raincloud, and who steals all the sins and sufferings of those who take shelter of His feet.

akiñcanī-kṛtya padāśritaḿ yaḥ
karoti bhikṣuḿ pathi geha-hīnam
kenāpy aho bhīṣaṇa-caura īdṛg
dṛṣṭaḥ-śruto vā na jagat-traye ’pi

He turns His surrendered devotees into paupers and wandering, homeless beggars – aho! such a fearsome thief has never been seen or heard of in all the three worlds.

yadīya nāmāpi haraty aśeṣaḿ
giri-prasārān api pāpa-rāśīn
āścarya-rūpo nanu caura īdṛg
dṛṣṭaḥ śruto vā na mayā kadāpi

Mere utterance of His name purges one of a mountain of sins – such an astonishingly wonderful thief I have never seen or heard of anywhere!

dhanaḿ ca mānaḿ ca tathendriyāṇi
prāṇāḿś ca hṛtvā mama sarvam eva
palāyase kutra dhṛto ’dya caura
tvaḿ bhakti-dāmnāsi mayā niruddhaḥ

O Thief! Having stolen my wealth, my honour, my senses, my life and my everything, where can You run to? I have caught You with the rope of my devotion.

chinatsi ghoraḿ yama-pāśa-bandhaḿ
bhinatsi bhīmaḿ bhava-pāśa-bandham
chinatsi sarvasya samasta-bandhaḿ
|naivātmano bhakta-kṛtaḿ tu bandham

You cut the terrible noose of Yamaraja, You sever the dreadful noose of material existence, and You slash everyone’s material bondage, but You are unable to cut the knot fastened by Your own loving devotees.

man-mānase tāmasa-rāśi-ghore
kārāgṛhe duḥkha-maye nibaddhaḥ
labhasva he caura! hare! cirāya
sva-caurya-doṣocitam eva daṇḍam

O stealer of my everything! O Thief! Today I have imprisoned You in the miserable prison-house of my heart which is very fearful due to the terrible darkness of my ignorance, and there for a very long time You will remain, receiving appropriate punishment for Your crimes of thievery!

kārāgṛhe vasa sadā hṛdaye madīye
mad-bhakti-pāśa-dṛḍha-bandhana-niścalaḥ san
tvāḿ kṛṣṇa he! pralaya-koṭi-śatāntare ’pi
sarvasva-caura! hṛdayān na hi mocayāmi

O Krsna, thief of my everything! The noose of my devotion remaining forever tight, You will continue to reside in the prison-house of my heart because I will not release You for millions of aeons.

Nitai Pada Kamala

nitāi-pada-kamala, koṭi-candra-suśītala
je chāyāy jagata jurāy
heno nitāi bine bhāi, rādhā-kṛṣṇa pāite nāi
dṛḍha kori' dharo nitāir pāy

The lotus feet of Lord Nityananda are a shelter where one will get the soothing moonlight not only of one, but of millions of moons. If the world wants to have real peace, it should take shelter of Lord Nityananda. Unless one takes shelter under the shade of the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda, it will be very difficult for him to approach Radha-Krsna. If one actually wants to enter into the dancing party of Radha-Krsna, he must firmly catch hold of the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda.

se sambandha nāhi jā'r, bṛthā janma gelo tā'r
sei paśu boro durācār
nitāi nā bolilo mukhe, majilo saḿsāra-sukhe
vidyā-kule ki koribe tār

Anyone who has not established his relationship with Nityananda Prabhu is understood to have spoiled his valuable human birth. Such a human being is actually an uncontrollable animal. Because he never uttered the holy name of Nityananda, he has become merged into so-called material happiness. What can his useless education and family tradition do to help him?

ahańkāre matta hoiyā, nitāi-pada pāsariyā
asatyere satya kori māni
nitāiyer koruṇā habe, braje rādhā-kṛṣṇa pābe
dharo nitāi-caraṇa du'khāni

Being maddened after false prestige and identification with the body, one is thinking, oh, what is Nityananda? What can He do for me? I don't care. The result is that he is accepting something false to be truth. If you actually want to approach the association of Radha-Krsna, you must first achieve the mercy of Lord Nityananda. When He is merciful toward you, then you will be able to approach Radha-Krsna. Therefore you should firmly grasp the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda.

nitāiyer caraṇa satya, tāhāra sevaka nitya
nitāi-pada sadā koro āśa
narottama boro dukhī, nitāi more koro sukhī
rākho rāńgā-caraṇera pāśa

The lotus feet of Nityananda are not illusion; they are a fact. One who engages in the transcendental loving service of Nityananda is also transcendental. Always try to catch the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda. This Narottama dasa is very unhappy, therefore I am praying to Lord Nityananda to make me happy. My dear Lord, please keep me close to Your lotus feet.

Manasa Deho Geho

mānasa, deho, geho, jo kichu mor
arpilū tuwā pade, nanda-kiśor!

Mind, body, and family, whatever may be mine, I have surrendered at Your lotus feet, O youthful son of Nanda!

sampade vipade, jīvane-maraṇe
dāy mama gelā, tuwā o-pada baraṇe

In good fortune or in bad, in life or at death, all my difficulties have disappeared by choosing those feet of Yours as my only shelter.

mārobi rākhobi-jo icchā tohārā
nitya-dāsa prati tuwā adhikārā

Slay me or protect me as You wish, for You are the master of Your eternal servant.

janmāobi moe icchā jadi tor
bhakta-gṛhe jani janma hau mor

If it is Your will that I be born again, then may it be in the home of Your devotee.

kīṭa-janma hau jathā tuwā dās
bahir-mukha brahma janme nāhi āś

May I be born again even as a worm, so long as I may remain Your devotee. I have no desire to be born as a Brahma averse to You.

bhukti-mukti-spṛhā vihīna je bhakta
labhaite tāko sańga anurakta

I yearn for the company of that devotee who is completely devoid of all desire for worldly enjoyment or liberation.

janaka, jananī, dayita, tanay
prabhu, guru, pati-tuhū sarva-moy

Father, mother, lover, son, Lord, preceptor, and husband; You are everything to me.

bhakativinoda kohe, śuno kāna!
rādhā-nātha! tuhū hāmāra parāṇa

Thakura Bhaktivinoda says, "O Kana, please hear me! O Lord of Radha, You are my life and soul!" 

Je Anilo Prema

je ānilo prema-dhana koruṇā pracur
heno prabhu kothā gelā ācārya-ṭhākur

He, who brought the treasure of divine love and who was filled with compassion and mercy--where has such a personality as Advaita Acarya gone?

kāhā mora swarūp rūpa kāhā sanātan
kāhā dāsa raghunātha patita-pāvan

Where are my Svarupa Damodara and Rupa Gosvami? Where is Sanatana? Where is Raghunatha Dasa, the savior of the fallen?

kāhā mora bhaṭṭa-juga kāhā kavirāj
eka-kāle kothā gelā gorā naṭa-rāj

Where are my Raghunatha Bhatta and Gopala Bhatta, and where is Krsnadasa Kaviraja? Where did Lord Gauranga, the great dancer, suddenly go?

pāṣāṇe kuṭibo māthā anale paśibo
gaurāńga guṇera nidhi kothā gele pābo

I will smash my head against the rock and enter into the fire. Where will I find Lord Gauranga, the reservoir of all wonderful qualities?

se-saba sańgīra sańge je koilo bilās
se-sańga nā pāiyā kānde narottama dās

Being unable to obtain the association of Lord Gauranga accompanied by all of these devotees in whose association He performed His pastimes, Narottama Dasa simply weeps. 

Mama Mana Mandire

mama mana mandire raha niśi-din
kṛṣṇa murāri śrī kṛṣṇa murāri

Please abide in the temple of my heart both day and night, O Krsna Murari, O Sri Krsna Murari! 

bhakti pritī mālā candan
tumi nio he nio citta-nandan

Devotion, love, flower garlands, and sandalwood- please accept them, O Delighter of the Heart!

jīvana maraṇa tava pūja nivedan
sundara he mana-hāri

In life or in death I worship You with these offerings, Beautiful One, O Enchanter of the Heart! 

eso nanda-kumār ār nanda-kumār
habe prema-pradīpe āratī tomār

Come, son of Nanda, and then, O Son of Nanda, I will offer Your arati ceremony with the lamplight of my love.

nayana jamunā jhare anibār
tomāra virahe giridhāri

The waters of the Yamuna River cascade incessantly from my eyes in your separation, O Holder of Govardhana Hill! 

bandana gane tava bajūk jīvana
kṛṣṇa murāri śrī kṛṣṇa murāri

May I pass my life absorbed only in songs of Your praise, O Krsna Murari, Sri Krsna Murari!

Vibhavari Sesa

vibhāvarī śeṣa, āloka-praveśa,
nidrā chāri’ uṭho jīva
bolo hari hari, mukunda murāri,
rāma kṛṣṇa hayagrīva

The night has come to an end and the light of dawn is entering. O jiva soul, arise and give up your sleep. Chant the holy names of Lord Hari, who is the giver of liberation; the enemy of the Mura demon; the supreme enjoyer; the all-attractive one; and the horse-headed incarnation, Hayagriva.

nṛsiṁha vāmana, śrī-madhusūdana,
brajendra-nandana śyāma
pūtanā-ghātana, kaiṭabha-śātana,
jaya dāśarathi-rāma

Lord Hari [Krsna] incarnated as the half-man, half-lion, Nrsimha. He appeared as a dwarf-brahmana named Upendra and is the killer of the Madhu demon. He is the beloved son of the King of Vraja, Nanda Maharaja, and is blackish in complexion. He is the slayer of the Putana witch and the destroyer of the demon
Kaitabha. All glories to Lord Hari, who appeared as Lord Rama, the son of King Dasaratha.

yaśodā dulāla, govinda-gopāla,
vṛndāvana purandara
gopī-priya-jana, rādhikā-ramaṇa,
bhuvana -sundara-bara

He is the darling of mother Yasoda; the giver of pleasure to the cows, land, and spiritual senses; and the protector of the cows. He is the Lord of the Vrndavana forest; the gopis' beloved; the lover of Radhika; and the most beautiful personality in all the worlds.

rāvāṇāntakara, mākhana-taskara,
gopī-jana-vastra-hārī
brajera rākhāla, gopa-vṛnda-pāla,
citta-hārī baṁśī-dhārī

As Ramacandra He brought about the end of the demoniac King Ravana; as Krsna He stole the older gopis' butter; He stole the younger gopis' clothes while they were bathing in the Yamuna. He is a cowherd boy of Vraja and the protector of the cowherd boys. He steals the hearts of all and always holds a flute. 

yogīndra-bandana, śrī-nanda-nandana,
braja-jana-bhaya-hārī
navīna nīrada, rūpa manohara,
mohana-baṁśī-bihārī

Lord Krsna is worshiped by the best of yogis and is the son of Nanda. He removes all the fears of the inhabitants of Vraja. He is the color of a fresh rain cloud, and His form is enchanting. When He wanders about, playing His flute, He looks very charming. 

yaśodā-nandana, kaṁsa-nisūdana,
nikuñja-rāsa-vilāsī
kadamba-kānana, rāsa-parāyaṇa,
bṛnda-vipina-nivāsī

He is the son of Yasoda and the killer of King Kamsa, and He sports in the rasa dance among the groves of Vraja. Krsna engages in this rasa dance underneath the kadamba trees, and He resides in the forest of Vrndavana. 

ānanda-vardhana, prema-niketana,
phula-śara-jojaka kāma
|gopāṅganā-gaṇa, citta-vinodana,
samasta-guṇa-gaṇa-dhāma

He increases the ecstasy of His devotees. He is the reservoir of all love and is the transcendental Cupid who uses His flowered arrows to increase the loving desires of the gopis. He is the pleasure of the gopis' hearts and the abode of all wonderful qualities. 

jāmuna-jīvana, keli-parāyaṇa,
mānasa-candra-cakora
nāma-sudhā-rasa, gāo kṛṣṇa-jaśa
rākho vacana mana mora

Lord Krsna is the life of the River Yamuna. He is always absorbed in amorous pastimes, and He is the moon of the gopis' minds, which are like the cakora birds that subsist only upon moonlight. O mind, obey these words of mine and sing the glories of Sri Krsna in the form of these holy names, which are full of nectarean mellows.