Prabhupāda Vijaya

Chapter 18 of Prabhupāda Vijaya, 'Śrīla Prabhupāda-Līlā-Smaraṇa-Maṅgala Stotram' is a charming Bengali prayer composed by Swami Narasiṅgha in 1994. These 23 astounding verses sing the eternal glo­ries of His Divine Grace as meditated upon by his disciple. They remain to this day unrivalled in beauty, substance and realisation.

VERSE 1
jaya-re sva-pāriṣada, śrīla svāmī prabhupāda
abhaya amṛta parā-gati
tomāra caraṇa-padma, dhūli morā śreya-sadma
tāhe mama nitya paraṇati

WORD FOR WORD

jaya-re– all glories to you; sva-pāriṣada– with own associate servitors; śrīla svāmī prabhupāda– A.C. Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Prabhupāda; abhaya – fearlessness; amṛta – nectar; parā-gati– supreme goal; tomāra– your; caraṇa-padma–lotus feet; dhūli – dust; morā – my; śreya-sadma – all auspicious shelter; tāhe– in that; mama– my; nitya– continual; paraṇati– obeisances.

TRANSLATION

“All glories to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Prabhupāda. He is always accompanied by his associate servitors; his internal nature is just like the sweetest nectar and externally he appears like fearlessness personified. I continually offer my full prostrate obeisances unto the dust of his lotus feet that are the all auspicious shelter and goal of my life.”

VERSE 2
sat-jana vandita, mama cira vānchita
prabhupāda-padme sukha-sevā
tava sevā parasāde, purila se hṛdi sādhe
tava guṇa-śobhā mana-lobhā

WORD FOR WORD

sat-jana– saints and devotees; vandita– glorified; mama– mine; cira– eternal; vānchita– cherished desire; prabhupāda-padme– the lotus feet of Śrīla Prabhupāda; sukha-sevā – blissful spontaneous service; tava – your; sevā – service; parasāde – grace; purila– fulfilled; se– that; hṛdi-sādhe– heart’s desire; tava– your; guṇa– qualities; śobhā– beauty; mana-lobhā – charms the mind.

TRANSLATION

“The blissful service of the lotus feet of Śrīla Prabhupāda is glorified by the topmost saints and devotees. To obtain the unalloyed service of his lotus feet is the only cherishable goal of my life. That eternal desire is always being fulfilled by the nectar of His Divine Grace and therefore the beauty of his unlimited transcendental qualities continually charms my heart. Now my dear devotees, please hear with great care and attention the narration of Śrīla Prabhupāda-Lila-Smaraṇa-Maṅgala-Stotram, the transcendental qualities and pastimes of His Divine Grace, the topmost servant of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī.”

VERSE 3
śrī nandotsava-dine nija sakhī-gaṇa-sane
premānanda-nimagna śrī rādhe
sukha icchā parakāśa dāki nija priya dāsa
kahilena ‘pura ei sādhe’

WORD FOR WORD

śrī nandotsava dine– on the day of Nandotsava; nija – own; sakhī-gaṇa-sane– with Her sakhīs; premānanda– bliss of kṛṣṇa-prema; nimagna– deeply absorbed; śrī rādhe– Śrīmatī Rādhikā; sukha icchā – pleasant desire; parakāśa – revealing; dāki– calling; nija– own; priya-dāsa– dear servant; kahilena – said; pura – fulfill; ei – this; sādhe –desire.

TRANSLATION

“On the day when the grand festival of Śrī Nanda Mahārāja, celebrating the birth of Lord Kṛṣṇa was being held, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī accompanied by Her sakhīs, who were all deeply absorbed in the bliss of kṛṣṇa-prema, called for one of Her dearmost servants. Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, the Absolute Queen of Vṛndāvana, spoke thus revealing Her happy thoughts, ‘You must fulfill one desire of mine.'”

VERSE 4
āji śubha divasete, mama kṛpāśiṣa sāthe
avatīrṇe hao dharanīte
śrī kamalā-dhani tathā, tava gaura-sevā-kathā
pracārila bhaviṣya-vāṇīte

WORD FOR WORD

āji –today; śubha – auspicious; divasete – this day; mama – my; kṛpāśiṣa –merciful grace; sāthe – with; avatīrṇe – advent; hao– become; dharanīte – on the earth; śrī kamalā-dhani –dear blessed Kamalā; tathā– there; tava – your; gaura-sevā – service to Gaura; kathā – message; pracārila – spread; bhaviṣya-vāṇīte –fortelling.

TRANSLATION

“‘On this auspicious day you must advent on the earth along with my blessings and spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness in every town and village of the world. My very dear Śrī Kamalā (another name of Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura) has already announced your coming and she has also predicted your devotional service unto My Lord Gaurāṅga.'”

VERSE 5
iṣṭa-devī-pade-nami, tabe he śrī kṛṣṇa-premi
e dharāra kroḍa dhanya-kare
avatīrṇa haile nāmi, śuddha-bhakata-vaiṣṇava
śrī gaura-mohana-parivāre

WORD FOR WORD

iṣṭa-devī – Supreme adorable Goddess; pade – unto the lotus-feet; name – paying obeisances; tabe – then; śrī kṛṣṇa-prema – lover of Śrī Kṛṣṇa; e dharāra – of this earth; kroḍa – countless; dhanya-kare – blessing; avatīrṇa – advented; haile – became; nāmi – renowned; śuddha-bhakata-vaiṣṇava – pure devotee; śrī gaura-mohana – Śrī Gaura-mohana; parivāre – family.

TRANSLATION

“That unalloyed servant of Śrī Kṛṣṇa (later to be known as A.C. Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Prabhupāda), whose heart was filled with the most inconceivable love of Godhead, paying obeisances and offering countless prayers at the lotus feet of the Supremely Worshipable Goddess of Fortune then appeared on the Earth in a renowned devotee family, headed by the pure Vaiṣṇava, Śrī Gaura-mohana.”

VERSE 6 & 7
nija putra tare tini, parama kalyāṇa māni
prārthanā karilā sneha bhare
he vaiṣṇava sādhu-gaṇa, kara kṛpā anukṣana
mora prāṇa ei putra-pare

mama putra e abhaya, yena rādhā-dāsa haya
nitya-kāla seve rādhā-dhana
parama gaurava-bhaṅge, kīrtana karuka raṅge
tāṅra guṇa bhariyā bhuvana

WORD FOR WORD

nija – his; putra – son; tare – for; tini – he;parama – great; kalyāṇa – auspicious; māni – taking; prārthanā ­karilā – prayed; sneha bhare – with great affection; he vaiṣṇava – O Vaiṣṇavas; sādhu-gaṇa – O sādhus; kara kṛpā – give your mercy; anukṣana – continually; mora – my; prāṇa ­­– life and soul; ei – this; putra – son; pare – upon; mama – my; putra – son; e – this; abhaya­ – Abhaya; yena – so that; rādhā-dāsa – a servant of Śrī Rādhā; haya– becomes; nitya-kāla – all the time; seve ­– serves; rādhā-dhana ­– Rādhā, the Supreme Wealth; parama– great; gaurava-bhaṅge– in a grand and glorious way; kīrtana karuka – let him sing and preach; raṅge ­– in a joyful mood; tāṅra – Her; guṇa – qualities; bhariyā – inundating; bhuvana – the world.

TRANSLATION

“Invoking the blessings of the Vaiṣṇava sādhus upon his son, Gaura-mohana prayed to all of them with great sincerity, ‘O sādhus, O Vaiṣṇavas, please bestow your blessings upon this dear son of mine, who is my life and soul, so that he can become the servant of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī eternally serving Her, the Supreme wealth of life. Please bless him so that he can preach and sing Her qualities and glories in a most grand way, inundating the whole world.'”

VERSE 8
pare eka śubha-kāle, tvadīyā karuṇā bale
mililā śrī gurudeva-sāthe
śrī viṣṇu-kiraṇa-dyuti, su-divya karuṇā-mūrti-
rūpa tini herilā tāṅhāte

WORD FOR WORD

pare ­– afterwards; eka – one; śubha-kāle – auspicious moment; tvadīyā – Her (Rādhārāṇī’s); karuṇā ­– mercy; bale – caused by; mililā ­­– met; śrī gurudeva – His Gurudeva; sāthe – with; śrī viṣṇu-kiraṇa-dyuti ­– an effulgent ray of Viṣṇu; su-divya – divine; karuṇā – grace; mūrti-rūpa – personified; tini – he; herilā – saw; tāṅhāte ­– in him (Sarasvatī Ṭhākura).

TRANSLATION

“Afterwards, at an auspicious moment arranged by the grace of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī Śrīla Prabhupāda met his spiritual master (Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura). He saw the divine grace of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī in his Gurudeva and understood him to be an effulgent ray of Viṣṇu, His Divine Grace personified.”

VERSE 9
bhaya-hīna pracāraka, bhakti-sadācara dakṣa
prabhu-vara se dayitā dāsa
nija dṛdha citta-mate, nāma dilā sva-śiṣyete
īśa-abhaya-caraṇa dāsa

WORD FOR WORD

bhaya-hīna – fearless; pracāraka ­– preacher; bhakti-sadācara – practices of devotion; dakṣa– expert; prabhu-vara – great master; se – that; dayitā dāsa – Dayitā Dāsa; nija – own; dṛdha – powerful; citta-mate – according to his heart feeling; nāma – name, dilā – conferred; sva-śiṣyete – to is own disciple; īśa – the Supreme Lord; abhaya-caraṇa – fearless lotus-feet; dāsa – servant.

TRANSLATION

“That great divine master Śrī Varṣabhānavi Devī Dayitā Dāsa (another name of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, meaning the servant of the lover of Śrī Rādhā) who is expert at practicing pure devotional principles and who is a fearless preacher of the divine message of Godhead now conferred upon Śrīla Prabhupāda the name Abhaya Caraṇāravinda according to his own firm self-confident character. The meaning of that name is that he is the servitor of the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead that are the abode of all fearlessness and hopes for the pure devotees.”

VERSE 10
rādhā-kuṇḍa taṭāṅgane, ati antaraṅga sthāne
ela tāṅra sāndra premāveśa
gāḍha anurāga-mane, sarva-ātma nivedane
māthe tule-nilā gurvādeśa

WORD FOR WORD

rādhā-kuṇḍa –Rādhā-kuṇḍa; taṭāṅgane – on the bank; ati – most; antaraṅga – intimate; sthāne – place; ela – came; tāṅra – his; sāndra – condensed; premāveśa – loving ecstasy; gāḍha – intense; anurāga-mane– with loving heart; sarva-ātma– with all heart and soul; nivedane – surrender; māthe – on his head; tule-nilā – took up; gurvādeśa – the order of his guru.

TRANSLATION

“In the most intimate place of the mādhurya pastimes, namely Śrī Rādhā-kuṇḍa, Śrīla Prabhupāda experienced the full ecstasy of kṛṣṇa-prema. Wholeheartedly surrendering unto Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura with intense love Śrīla Prabhupāda received upon his head the most holy order of his Gurudeva, ‘If you ever get money print and distribute books.'”

VERSE 11
rūpa-sarasvatī-śrota, guru icchā-ājñā-mata
premabhare kīrtana karite
pradarśila e jagata, sakala saubhāgya yata
āse gāḍha guru-niṣṭha hate

WORD FOR WORD

rūpa-sarasvatī-śrota – the current of succession from Rūpa Gosvāmī down to Sarasvatī Ṭhākura; guru – spiritual master; icchā – desire; ājñā – order; mata – message; premabhare – with great loving devotion; kīrtana karate – singing and preaching; pradarśila – has shown; e – this; jagata – world; sakala – all; saubhāgya – fortune; yata – that; āse – comes; gāḍha guru-niṣṭha – adherent devotional service; hate – from.

TRANSLATION

“By singing and preaching with great loving devotion that sublime message of his Gurudeva, which is pure devotional knowledge of the Rūpa-Sarasvatī (Rūpānuga) stream, Śrīla Prabhupāda has shown to the world that all good fortune manifests from adherent devotional service unto the lotus feet of Śrī Guru.”

VERSE 12 & 13
śrī śrī rādhā-dāmodare, śrī jīvera mandire
prabhu-datta nija kuṭīrete
āra rūpa-samādhite, vraja-rāga āveśete
bhajana karilā rasa-prīte

śuddha-bhakta-ratna-maṇi, rūpe nitya-kāla tini
sethāya rahena virājita
yethā rādhā-pada-sevā, dhari rasa-mūrti-śobhā
nirantara hana prasphuṭita

WORD FOR WORD

śrī śrī rādhā-dāmodare – in the temple of Rādhā-Dāmodara; śrī jīvera mandire – in the temple of Jīva Gosvāmī; prabhu-datta – given by his divine masters; nija – own; kuṭīrete – room; āra – and; rūpa-samādhite – by the samādhi of Rūpa Gosvāmī; vraja-rāga āveśete – loving devotion of Vraja; bhajana karilā – performed bhajana; rasa-prīte – loving happiness; śuddha-bhakta – pure devotee; ratna-maṇi – precious gem; rūpe – form; nitya-kāla – eternally; tini – he; sethāya – there; rahena virājita – gloriously present; yethā – where; rādhā-pada-sevā – devotional service to the lotus-feet of Rādhārāṇī; dhari – taking; rasa-mūrti-śobhā – embodiement of all loving beauty; nirantara – eternally; hana – becomes; prasphuṭita – fully bloomed.

TRANSLATION

“In the temple of Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī, namely Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Dāmodara Mandira and Śrī Rupa’s samādhi, in his rooms given by his divine masters, Śrīla Prabhupāda performed his bhajana in the loving devotional mood of the vraja-gopīs. Śrīla Prabhupāda lives eternally in his place of bhajana as the precious gem among the pure devotees where the loving devotional service of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī constantly blooms personifying the beauty of divine ecstatic mellows.”

VERSE 14, 15 & 16
parama suhṛda haye, gaura-prema-vāṇī laye
pāścātya-deśete āilā yabe
‘bhāi’ bali śrī kṛṣṇere, sambodhiyā samādare
prārthanā karila ei tabe

bhāi! tava puṇya habe , rādhārāṇī khuśī habe
dhruva ati bali tomā tāi
labhive se bhāgya āru, yadi tumi khuśī kara
bhāgya-devī-rūpa śrī rādhāi

śrī siddhānta sarasvatī, rūpa dhari se śrīmatī
more ājñā dilā pracārite
sei icchā pūrṇa kara, āmāra vacana dhara
tabe pāri tāṅhāre sevite

WORD FOR WORD

parama – most; suhṛda – well-wishing friend; haye – becoming;gaura-prema-vāṇī – the message of divine love for Gaura; laye – carrying; pāścātya-deśete – in the western countries; āilā – came; yabe – when; bhāi – O brother; bali – taking; śrī kṛṣṇere sambodhiyā – addressing Śrī Kṛṣṇa; samādare – with love; prārthanā karila – prayed; ei – this; tabe­ ­– then; bhāi – O brother; tava –you; puṇya habe – acquire pious merit; rādhārāṇī khuśī habe – Rādhārāṇī will be pleased; dhruva ­ati – most definitely; bali – tell; tomā – You; tāi – therefore; labhive – will gain; se –that; bhāgya – fortune; āru –more; yadi – if; tumi ­– you; khuśī kara – please; bhāgya-devī-rūpa śrī rādhāi –Śrī Rādhikā, the goddess of all fortune; śrī siddhānta sarasvatī – Sarasvatī Ṭhākura; rūpa dhari – taking the form; se – that; śrīmatī – Rādhārāṇī; more – me; ājñā dilā – gave the order; pracārite – to preach; sei – that; icchā – desire; pūrṇa kara – fulfill; āmāra – My; vacana – advice; dhara ­– take; tabe – then; pāri – am able; tāṅhāre – Her; sevite –to serve.

TRANSLATION

“Leaving behind the sacred land of Vṛndāvana and taking a great risk in his old age, Śrīla Prabhupāda came to the western world as our Ever Well Wisher carrying with him the message of gaura-prema, love of Lord Gaurāṅga. Upon his arrival he earnestly prayed to Lord Kṛṣṇa addressing Him as ‘bhāi’ (O Brother) in an intense loving way. ‘O dear brother, my dear and intimate friend! I tell You this in a most definite way. You can achieve some invaluable merits by pleasing Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. You (Lord Kṛṣṇa) can really attain even more fortune if You can now please Her, the Supreme Goddess of all good fortunes. Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī Herself in the form of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura ordered me to preach Her message. Therefore, please take my word and advice and fulfill Her desire; then only can I attain success and serve my guru fully.’

VERSE 17 & 18
atula saubhāgya-khani, tāṅra ei divya-vāṇī
śrī nāma śrī śacī-putrāśraye
śrī svarūpa sanātana, rūpa-prabhu guru-gaṇa
sabe mahā-kṛpānvita haye

āmā-bhakta sabākāre, dena praveśādhikare
śrī rādhā-sevikā-gaṇāṅgane
vṛndāvana-govardhane, kabhu rādhā-kuṇḍa-pāne
parama abhīṣṭa-siddhi dāne

WORD FOR WORD

atula ­– incomparable; saubhāgya-khani – mine of good fortune; tāṅra – his; ei – this; divya-vāṇī – divine message; śrī nāma – the Holy Name; śrī śacī-putrāśraye – under the shelter of Śrī Caitanya, the son of Śacī; śrī svarūpa sanātana – Svarūpa-Dāmodara Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī; rūpa-prabhu – Rūpa Gosvāmī; guru-gaṇa – divine masters; sabe – all of them; mahā – greatly; kṛpānvita – gracious; haye – becoming; āmā – My; bhakta – devotees:sabākāre – all; dena – give; praveśādhikare – eligibility to enter; śrī rādhā-sevikā-gaṇāṅgane – in the embrace of the dear servitor associates of Śrīmati Rādhārāṇī; vṛndāvana-govardhane – at Govardhana in Vṛndāvana; kabhu – sometimes; rādhā-kuṇḍa-pāne – going to Rādhā-kuṇḍa; parama – supreme; abhīṣṭa siddhi – fulfillment of the goal of love; dāne – giving.

TRANSLATION

“The mine of incomparable good fortune is the message of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Prabhupāda – “If someone takes shelter of kṛṣṇa-nāma, and Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the son of mother Śacī, along with His dear associates, Śrī Svarūpa-Dāmodara, Sanātana Gosvāmī, and Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī – they being greatly pleased with such a person bestow upon him entrance into the embrace of the dear associate servitors of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī at Govardhana, Vṛndāvana, and sometimes at Śrī Rādhā-kuṇḍa – blessing them with the supreme fulfillment of the ultimate goal of kṛṣṇa-prema.”

VERSE 19
śrī rādhikā priyaṅkarī, śrī kārttikī-māsa bari
giri-rāja hṛdayete smari
tiṅho aprakaṭa hailā, nitya-līlā praveśilā
rāje yetā rādhā-saṅge hari

WORD FOR WORD

śrī rādhikā priyaṅkarī – dear to Rādhārāṇī; śrī kārttikī-māsa – the month of Kārttika, which is non-different to Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī; bari – accepting; giri-rāja – Govardhana, the king of mountains; hṛdayete – at heart; smari – remembering; tiṅho – he; aprakaṭa hailā – disappeared; nitya-līlā – eternal pastimes; praveśilā – entered; rāje – effulgently present; yetā – where; rādhā-saṅge hari – Śrī Hari, in the association of Śrī Rādhā.

TRANSLATION

“Completing his missionary activities in the western world Śrīla Prabhupāda returned to Vṛndāvana. Accepting the month of Kārttika, which is non-different from Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, bearing Girirāja-Govardhana in mind and embracing the lotus feet of his most worshipful Lord in the core of his heart, Śrīla Prabhupāda made his disappearance from this world and entered the nitya-līlā, the eternal loving pastimes of Goloka where Lord Govinda is always effulgently present with His dearmost Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī.”

VERSE 20
ei panthā pradarśane, śikṣā dilā āmāgaṇe
kon vastu-siddhi lakṣya haiya
kari vāsa govardhane, dainya ātma-nivedane
labha śrī rādhikā-gaṇāśraya

WORD FOR WORD

ei – this; panthā – path; pradarśane – by showing; śikṣā dilā – taught; āmāgaṇe – us; kon – which; vastu-siddhi – fulfillment of the ultimate aim and object of life; lakṣya – goal; haiya – is; kari vāsa – residing; govardhane – in Govardhana; dainya ātma-nivedane – by self-surrender and humility; labha – attain; śrī rādhikā-gaṇāśraya – the shelter of the associate servitors of Śrī Rādhikā.

TRANSLATION

“By showing us his disappearance from this world in the month of Kārttika and by revealing his desire to go to Govardhana Hill, Śrīla Prabhupāda has thus shown us the path which leads to the fulfillment of the ultimate aim and object of life, that is to obtain supreme shelter in the camp of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s associate-servants with humble self surrender, residing always at Śrī Govardhana.”

VERSE 21
kabe tāra aprākṛta, bhāva-guṇa-vibhūṣita
jīvana-caritra-madhurimā
satya kari e vāstave, āmāri sampada habe
e jīvane dāni sukha sīmā

WORD FOR WORD

kabe – when; tāra – his; aprākṛta – transcendental; bhāva-guṇa – mood and qualities; vibhūṣita – possessed with; jīvana-caritra – life and character; madhurimā – beauty; satya kari – actually; e vāstave – this reality; āmāri – my; sampada – wealth; habe – will become; e jīvane – in this life; dāni – giving; sukha sīmā – highest happiness.

TRANSLATION

“When will that day be mine, in some distant lifetime, when the beauty of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s transcendental life, possessed by the qualities of pure love for Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa actually become my only wealth giving me a taste of the highest happiness? O when will that day be mine?”

VERSE 22 & 23
sakala hṛdaya diye, sutivra ākāṅkhā laiye
sei āse rahi mui hīna
kabe sei bhāgya habe, e jīvana dhanya habe
kabe morāsibe se dina

prāṇa-bari prati-sthāne, tāṅri kṛpā-śaktyadhāne
labhi eka-niṣṭha tanu-mana
e dina sevaka tāṇra, guṇa-gāṅthā-sambhāra
kari yabe satata kīrtana

WORD FOR WORD

sakala – all; hṛdaya diye – yearning heart; sutivra – most keen; ākāṅkhā laiye – having longing; sei āse – hoping that; rahi – humbly; mui – I; hīna – lowly self; kabe – when; sei – that; bhāgya – fortune; habe – will; e –this; jīvana – life; dhanya – blessed; habe – will be; kabe – when; morā – my; āsibe – will come; se – that; dina – day; prāṇa-bari – with all my heart and soul; prati-sthāne – at every place; tāṅri – his; kṛpā-śaktyadhāne ­– empowered by his grace; labhi – having; eka-niṣṭha – firm determination; tanu-mana – body and mind; e – this; dina – fallen; sevaka – servant; tāṇra – his; guṇa-gāṅthā-sambhāra ­– the wealth of his qualities; kari yabe – will continue; satata – all the time; kīrtana – chant.

TRANSLATION

“Let us always pray to remain the humble and obedient servants of Śrīla Prabhupāda. With a burning heart, filled with an intense longing for his association, this poor and lowly insignificant beggar humbly prays for that fortunate day when the life of his servant will be empowered by His Divine Grace with firm determination so that I may with one pointedness, not caring for anything else, constantly sing with my body and mind the sweetest glories of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s unlimited transcendental qualities and pastimes.”