Eight Prayers Glorifying Sri Vrindavana Dhama
Text One
na yoga-siddhir na mamastu mokso
vaikuntha-loke pi na parsadatvam
premapi na syad iti cet taram tu
mamastu vrindavana eva vasah
Let me not have mystic powers, impersonal liberation, the Lord’s association in Vaikuntha, or even pure love for Him, if instead of them I may reside in Vrindavana.
Text Two
tarnam janur yatra vidhir yayace
sad-bhakta-cudamanir uddhavo pi
viksyvaiva madhurya-dhuram tad asmin
mamastu vrindavana eva vasah
When Brahma and Uddhava, the crest jewels of devotees, saw the intense sweetness here, they begged to take birth here even as a blade of grass. For this reason I pray to reside in Vrindavana.
Text Three
kim te krtam hanta tapah ksititi
gopyo pi bhume stuvate sma kirtim
yenaiva krishnanghri-padankite smin
mamastu vrindavana eva vasah
Here the gopis glorified the earth, saying: “O Earth, what austerities have you done, so that your surface is now marked with Krishna’s footprints?” May I reside in Vrindavana.
Text Four
gopangana-lampatataiva yatra
yasyam rasah purnatamatvam apa
yato raso vai sa iti srutis tan
mamastu vrindavana eva vasah
May I reside in Vrindavana where, because the Vedas say raso vai sah (The Supreme Personality of Godhead is sweetness), transcendental sweetness attained its highest perfection in the gopis’ passionate love.
Text Five
bhandira-govardhana-rasa-pithais
tri-simake yojana-pancakena
mite vibhutvad amite pi casmin
mamastu vrindavana eva vasah
Although only five yojanas in circumference, bounded by Bhandiravana, Govardhana Hill and the rasa-dance arena, it is unlimited in transcendental opulence. May I reside in Vrindavana.
Text Six
yatradhipatyam vrsabhanu-putrya
yenodayet prema-sukham jananam
yasmin mamasa balavat yato smin
mamastu vrindavana eva vasah
Because Vrshabhanu’s daughter is the queen, and because here the happiness of pure love of God rises, I yearn to live here. I pray: May I reside in Vrindavana.
Text Seven
yasmin maha-rasa-vilasa-lila
na prapa yam srir api sa tapobhih
tatrollasan-manju-nikunja-punje
mamastu vrindavana eva vasah
Even by performing many austerities goddess Lakshmi could not enter the great rasa-dance pastime here. May I reside in the splendidly beautiful groves of Vrindavana.
Text Eight
sada ruru-nyanku-mukha visankam
khelanti kujanti pikali kirah
sikhandino yatra natanti tasmin
mamastu vrindavana eva vasah
May I reside in Vrindavana, where the ruru and nyanku deer fearlessly play, the cuckoos, bumblebees, and parrots sing, and the peacocks dance.
Text Nine
vrindavanasyastakam etad uccaih
pathanti ye niscala-buddhayas te
vrindavanesanghri-saroja-sevam
saksat labhante januso ‘nta eva
They who with great concentration read aloud this Vrindavanashtaka, at the end of this life attain direct service to the lotus feet of Vrindavana’s master.
