Śrī Guru Praṇāma
oṁ ajñāna timirāndhasya jñānāñjana-śalākayā
cakṣur-unmilitaṁ yena tasmai śrī guruave namaḥ
“I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, who has opened my darkened eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance, with the torchlight of knowledge.”
Vandanā
vande’haṁ śrī-guru śrī-guroḥ śrī-yuta-pada-kamalaṁ śrī-gurūn vaiṣṇavāṁś ca
śrī-rūpam sāgrajātaṁ saha gaṇa raghunāthāthan-vitaṁ taṁ sa jīvaṁ
sādvaitaṁ sāvadhūtaṁ parijana-sahitaṁ kṛṣṇa-caitanya-devaṁ
śrī-rādhā-kṛṣṇa-pādān saha gaṇa lalitā śrī-viśākhā-vitāṁś ca
“I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master and all other preceptors on the path of devotional service. I offer my respectful obeisances unto all the Vaiṣṇavas and unto the Six Gosvāmīs, including Śrī Rūpa, Śrī Sanātana, Śrī Raghunātha Dāsa, Śrī Jīva and their associates. I offer my respectful obeisances unto Śrī Advaita Ācārya, Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and all His devotees headed by Śrīvāsa. I then offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and all the gopīs headed by Lalitā and Viśākhā.”
Śrī Guru Vandanā
nāma-śreṣṭham manum api śacī-putram atra svarūpaṁ
rūpaṁ tasyāgrajam uru-puriṁ māthuraṁ goṣṭhavātīṁ
rādhā-kuṇḍaṁ giri-varam aho rādhikā-mādhavāsāṁ
prāpto yasya prathita –kṛpayā śrī-guruṁ tam nato’smi
“I am fully indebted to Śrī Guru. Why? Because he has given me so many matchless gifts. What is that? He has given me the highest conception of the Holy Name of Kṛṣṇa, the highest form of sound which contains the highest form of thought, aspiration, ideal, everything. He has given me my dikṣā-mantra which contains a particular kind of meditation for my heart’s inner fulfillment and he has given me the service of Śrī Śacī-nandana, the son of Mother Śacī. My Gurudeva has brought me in connection with the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s personal servant, Śrī Svarūpa-dāmodara, the representative of Lalitā-devī, the dearest friend of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. My Gurudeva has bought me in connection with Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, the head of our sampradāya, who was personally selected by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to distribute bhakti-rasa, the highest mellow sweetness of spontaneous devotion, rāgānuga-bhakti. My spiritual master has given me the connection of Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī, who adjusts our position in relation to rāgānuga-bhakti by giving us sambandha-jñāna or the knowledge of what is what, and a proper acquaintance with the environment of pure devotion. My spiritual master has given me Mathurā-maṇḍala and Śrī Vṛndāvana, where Rādhā and Govinda eternally perform their loving pastimes. In this transcendental land all the forests, creepers, shrubs, every grain of sand, the hills, the water, everything bears the remembrance of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa-līlā. I am now becoming acquainted with the association of those cowherd people of Śrī Vṛndāvana, their nature, and their feelings of love for Kṛṣṇa. My spiritual master has given me the acquaintance of Śrī Rādhā-kuṇḍa, the favorite place of Rādhā-Govinda for their pastimes, and this great Govardhana Hill. Last, but not least, my spiritual master has given me the great hope that one day I may be accepted into the confidential camp of servitors who are always eagerly serving the lotus feet of Śrī Śrī Rādhikā-Mādhava-sundara. All these inconceivable, matchless gifts are given by my spiritual master. Therefore I bow down to his lotus feet.”
Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Prabhupāda Praṇāma
nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhūtale
śrīmate bhaktivedānta svāmīn iti nāmine
“I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Prabhupāda, who is very dear to Kṛṣṇa having taken shelter at His lotus feet.”
namaste sārasvatī-deve gaura-vāṇī pracāriṇe
nirviśeṣa śunyavādi-paścatya-deśa tāriṇe
“Our respectful obeisances unto you, O spiritual master, servant of Sarasvatī Gosvāmī. You are kindly preaching the message of Śrī Caitanya and delivering the western countries, which are filled with impersonalism and voidism.”
namaḥ oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhūtale
svāmī śrī bhaktivedānta prabhupādāya te nāmine
“I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Prabhupāda, who is very dear to Kṛṣṇa on this earth, having taken shelter at His lotus feet.”
guruvajñam śīrasi-dhāryaṁ śaktyāveśa svarūpine
hare-kṛṣṇeti mantrena paścatya-prācya tāriṇe
“Taking the order of his guru upon his head, he became empowered by Nityānanda Prabhu to act as a śaktyāveśa-avatāra. He distributed the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra all over the eastern and western worlds, delivering and uplifting all fallen souls.”
viśvācārya pravaryāya divya-kāruṇya-mūrtaye
śrī bhāgavata-mādhurya gītā-jñāna-pradāyine
“He is the best of millions of jagat-gurus, because he is the personification of divine mercy. He has distributed the sweet nectar of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam and the transcendental knowledge of Bhagavad-gītā all over the world.”
gaura-śrī-rūpa-siddhānta-sarasvatī niṣevine
rādhā-kṛṣṇa-padāmbhoja-bhṛṅgāya gurave namaḥ
“He is constantly engaged in exclusive devotional service to Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī and Śrī Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu. I offer my humble obeisances unto Śrīla Prabhupāda, who is like a bumblebee always tasting the nectar of the lotus feet of Śrī Śrī Rādhā and Govinda.”
Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī Praṇāma
yaḥ sāṅkhya-paṅkena kutarka-pāṁśunā
vivarta-gartena ca lupta-dīdhitim
śuddhaṁ vyadhād vak-sudhayā maheśvaraṁ
kṛṣṇaṁ sa jīvaḥ prabhu rastu no gatiḥ
“I have no other shelter except for Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī Prabhu, who has turned the atheistic Saṅkhya philosophy into mud, reduced dry logic into dust and extinguished the light within the cavern of Śaṅkara’s impersonal vivartavāda philosophy. His nectarean, pure words have established Śrī Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Lord, Who is beyond this material world.” (Śrī Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa, Govinda-bhāṣya)
śrī-rūpa caraṇa-dvandva rāginaṁ vraja-vāsinām
śrī-jīvam satataṁ vande mandeṣvānanda dāyinam
“I offer my repeated humble obeisances unto Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī whose heart is constantly attracted to the lotus feet of Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī. He is the crest-jewel of all Vrajavāsis and due to his causeless mercy, he bestows unimaginable joy to even the non-philosophical, dull-headed & lazy people by his deep philosophical views.” (Śrī Narahari Cakravartī Ṭhākura, Bhakti-ratnakāra 289)
Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī Praṇāma
śrī-caitanya-manobhīstaṁ sthāpitam yena bhūtale
svayaṁ rūpah kadā mahyaṁ dadāti sva-padāntikam
“When will Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī, who has established within this material world the mission to fulfill the desire of Lord Caitanya, give me shelter under his lotus feet?” (Śrī Narottama Dāsa Ṭhākura, Prema-bhakti-candrikā)
śrī-caitanya-dayā-sudhā-dhuni-dharo-dāmodar-āmodado
rāmānanda-sanātanānuga-raghu-śrī-jīva-jīvya-prabuḥ
rādhā-śyāma-rasāmṛtabdhi-makara-brātaika-samrāḍ-hi yaḥ
sa śrī-rūpa ihāmṛtabdhi-laharī-sparśe spṛhāṁ yacchatu
“With innermost hankering, I desire to embrace the waves of the ambrosial ocean known as Bhakti-rasāmrṛa-sindhu, manifested by Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī. He is the example of the divine mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and he enchants Śrī Svarūpa-dāmodara by his beautiful qualities. He is the loving follower of Śrī Rāmānanda and Sanātana Gosvāmī and as dear as life to Śrī Raghunātha Dāsa Gosvāmī and Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī. Diving deep within the nectar of ecstatic divine love of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Śyāma, he is the best of all the Vaiṣṇavas, expert in swimming in that ocean.” (Śrīla B.R. Śrīdhara Mahārāja, Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu commentary)
Śrī Vaiṣṇava Praṇāma
vañca-kalpa-tarubhyaś ca kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca
patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo vaiṣṇavebhyo namo namaḥ
“I bow down to the holy feet of the pure Vaiṣṇavas, who are like desire trees able to fulfill all the devotees aspirations. The Lord’s devotees are comparable to a vast ocean of causeless mercy, as they deliver the fallen souls from material existence. I offer all respects unto them.”
Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Dāmodara Praṇāma
vṛndāvana ramya-sthāna, sevā-kuñja tāra nāma,
śrī-rādhā-dāmodara sthiti
tāṅhāra caraṇe mui, ekānta āśraya lai,
kṛpā kari’ kara mora gati
“Vṛndāvana is a charming place, and situated in the grove known as Sevā-kuñja is the temple of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Dāmodara. Their lotus feet are my only shelter, and I appeal to Them to give me Their mercy and guide me to the ultimate goal of life.” (Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Maṅgalācaraṇa of Gītā-gāna)
aṅga-śyāmalima-chaṭābhir abhito mandī-kṛtendīvaraṁ
jāḍyaṁ jaguḍa-rociṣāṁ vidadhataṁ paṭṭāmbarasya śriyā
vṛndāraṇya-vilāsinaṁ hṛdi lasad-dāmābhir āmodaraṁ
rādhā-skandha-niveśitojjvala-bhujaṁ dhyāyema dāmodaram
“Let us meditate on Śrī Dāmodara, whose dark bodily luster embarrasses the blue lotus flowers, the splendor of whose silken garments stuns the glory of yellow kuṁkuma, who enjoys transcendental pastimes in the Vṛndāvana forest, whose chest is fragrant with a brilliant flower garland, and whose magnificent arm rests on Rādhā’s shoulder.” (Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī, Stava-mālā)
Śrī Pañca-Tattva Mahā-mantra
jaya śrī kṛṣṇa caitanya prabhu nityānanda
śrī advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi gaura-bhakta-vṛnda
Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa Mahā-mantra
HARE KṚṢṆA HARE KṚṢṆA KṚṢṆA KṚṢṆA HARE HARE
HARE RĀMA HARE RĀMA RĀMA RĀMA HARE HARE
Śrī Dāmodarāṣṭakam
by Śrī Satyavrata Muni
(1)
namāmīśvaram sac-cid-ānanda-rūpaṁ
lasad-kuṇḍalaṁ gokule bhrājamānam
yaśodā-bhiyolūkhalād dhāvamānaṁ
parāmṛṣṭam atyantato drutya gopyā
“To the Supreme Controller whose form is the embodiment of eternal existence, knowledge, and bliss, whose glistening shark-shaped earrings swing to and fro, who is beautifully shining in the divine realm of Gokula, who stole the butter that the gopīs kept hanging from the rafters of their storerooms and who then quickly jumped up and ran in retreat in fear of Mother Yaśodā but was ultimately caught – to that Supreme Lord, Śrī Dāmodara, I offer my humble obeisances.”
(2)
rudantaṁ muhur netra-yugmaṁ mrjantaṁ
karāmbhoja-yugmena sātaṅka-netram
muhuḥ śvāsa-kampa-trirekhāṅka-kaṇṭha-
sthita-graivaṁ-dāmodaraṁ bhakti-baddham
“Upon seeing His mother’s whipping stick, He cried and rubbed His eyes again and again with His two lotus hands. His eyes were fearful and His breathing quick, and as Mother Yaśodā bound His belly with ropes, He shivered in fright and His pearl necklace shook. To this Supreme Lord, Śrī Dāmodara, who is bound with His devotee’s pure love, I offer my humble obeisances.”
(3)
itīdṛk sva-līlābhir ānanda-kuṇḍe
sva-ghoṣaṁ nimajjantam ākhyāpayantam
tadīyeṣita-jñeṣu bhaktair jitatvaṁ
punaḥ prematas taṁ śatāvṛtti vande
“Those super excellent pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s babyhood drowned the inhabitants of Gokula in pools of ecstasy. He is revealing to those devotees who are absorbed in knowledge of His supreme majesty and opulence that He is only conquered by devotees whose pure love is imbued with intimacy and is free from all conceptions of awe and reverence. With great love I again offer my obeisances to Lord Dāmodara hundreds and hundreds of times.”
(4)
varaṁ deva mokṣam na mokṣāvadhiṁ va
na cānyaṁ vṛṇe’haṁ vareśād apīha
idaṁ te vapur nātha gopāla-bālaṁ
sadā me manasy āvirāstāṁ kim anyaiḥ
“O Lord, although You are able to give all kinds of benedictions, I do not pray to You for the boon of impersonal liberation, nor the highest liberation of eternal life in Vaikuṇṭha, nor any other boon (which may be obtained by executing the nine processes of bhakti). My only prayer is that Your childhood pastimes in Vṛndāvana may constantly appear in my heart, for what is the use of any other boon besides this?”
(5)
idaṁ te mukhāmbhojam atyanta-nīlair
vṛtaṁ kuntalaiḥ snigdha-raktaiś ca gopyā
muhuś cumbitaṁ bimba-raktā-dharaṁ me
manasy āvirāstām alaṁ lakṣa-lābhaiḥ
“O Lord, Your lotus face, which is encircled by locks of soft black hair tinged with red, is kissed again and again by Mother Yaśodā, and Your lips are reddish like the bimba fruit. May this beautiful vision of Your lotus face be ever manifest in my heart. Thousands and thousands of other benedictions are of no use to me.”
(6)
namo deva dāmodarānanta viṣṇo
prasīda prabho duḥkha-jālābdhi-magnam
kṛpā-dṛṣṭi-vṛṣṭyāti-dīnaṁ batānu-
gṛhāṇeśa mām ajñam edhy akṣi-dṛśyaḥ
“O Supreme Godhead, I offer my obeisances unto You. O Dāmodara! O Ananta! O Viṣṇu! O Master! O my Lord, be pleased upon me! By showering Your glance of mercy upon me, deliver this poor ignorant fool who is immersed in an ocean of worldly sorrows, and become visible to my eyes.”
(7)
kuverātmajau baddha-mūrtyaiva yadvat
tvayā mocitau bhakti-bhājau kṛtau ca
tathā prema-bhaktiṁ svakāṁ me prayaccha
na mokṣe graho me’sti dāmodareha
“O Lord Dāmodara, just as the two sons of Kuvera—Maṇigrīva and Nalakūvera—were delivered from the curse of Nārada and made into great devotees by You in Your form as a baby tied with rope by Mother Yaśodā to a wooden grinding mortar, in the same way, please give me Your own prema-bhakti. I only long for this and have no desire for any kind of liberation.”
(8)
namas te ‘stu dāmne sphurad-dīpti-dhāmne
tvadīyodarāyātha viśvasya dhāmne
namo rādhikāyai tvadīya priyāyai
namo ‘nanta-līlāya devāya tubhyam
“O Lord Dāmodara, I first of all offer my obeisances to the brilliantly effulgent rope which binds Your belly. I then offer my obeisances to Your belly, which is the abode of the entire universe. I humbly bow down to your most beloved Śrīmati Rādhārāṇī, and I offer all obeisances to You, the Supreme Lord, and to Your unlimited pastimes.”
