Sri Sri Siksastaka

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Sri Sri Siksastaka Eight

Instructions of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu

 

Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu instructed His disciples to write books on the

science of Krsna, a task which His followers have continued to carry out down

to the present day. The elaborations and expositions on the philosophy taught

by Lord Caitanya are, in fact, the most voluminous, exacting, and consistent,

due to the system of disciplic succession. Although Lord Caitanya was widely

renowned as a scholar in His youth, He left only eight verses, called

Siksastaka. These eight verses clearly reveal His mission and precepts. These

supremely valuable prayers are translated herein.

 

(1)

 

ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam

sreyah-kairava-candrika-vitaranam vidya-vadhu-jivanam

anandambudhi-vardhanam prati-padam purnamrtasvadanam sarvatma-snapanam

param vijayate sri-krsna-sankirtanam

 

Glory to the sri-krsna-sankirtana, which cleanses the heart of all the dust

accumulated for years and extinguishes the fire of conditional life, of

repeated birth and death. This sankirtana movement is the prime benediction for

humanity at large because it spreads the rays of the benediction moon. It is the

life of all transcendental knowledge. It increases the ocean of transcendental

bliss, and it enables us to fully taste the nectar for which we are always

anxious.

 

(2)

 

namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-saktis tatrarpita

niyamitah smarane na kalah etadrsi tava krpa bhagavan mamapi

durdaivam idrsam ihajani nanuragah

 

O my Lord, Your holy name alone can render all benediction to living beings,

and thus You have hundreds and millions of names, like Krsna and Govinda. In

these transcendental names You have invested all Your transcendental energies.

There are not even hard and fast rules for chanting these names. O my Lord, out

of kindness You enable us to easily approach You by Your holy names, but I am so

unfortunate that I have no attraction for them.

 

(3)

 

trnad api sunicena taror api

sahisnuna amanina manadena

kirtaniyah sada harih

 

One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind,

thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street; one should be more

tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige, and should be

ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the

holy name of the Lord constantly.

 

(4)

 

na dhanam na janam na sundarim kavitam va

jagad-isa kamaye mama janmani janmanisvare

bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki tvayi

 

O almighty Lord, I have no desire to accumulate wealth, nor do I desire

beautiful women, nor do I want any number of followers. I only want Your

causeless devotional service, birth after birth.

 

(5)

 

ayi nanda-tanuja kinkaram patitam mam visame

bhavambudhau krpaya tava pada-pankaja-

sthita-dhuli-sadrsam vicintaya

 

O son of Maharaja Nanda [Krsna], I am Your eternal servitor, yet somehow or

other I have fallen into the ocean of birth and death. Please pick me up from

this ocean of death and place me as one of the atoms at Your lotus feet.

 

(6)

 

nayanam galad-asru-dharaya vadanam

gadgada-ruddhaya gira pulakair nicitam vapuh kada

tava-nama-grahane bhavisyati

 

O my Lord, when will my eyes be decorated with tears of love flowing

constantly when I chant Your holy name? When will my voice choke up, and when

will the hairs of my body stand on end at the recitation of Your name?

 

(7)

 

yugayitam nimesena caksusa

pravrsayitam sunyayitam jagat sarvam

govinda-virahena me

 

O Govinda! Feeling Your separation, I am considering a moment to be like

twelve years or more. Tears are flowing from my eyes like torrents of rain, and

I am feeling all vacant in the world in Your absence.

 

(8)

 

aslisya va pada-ratam pinastu mam adarsanan

marma-hatam-hatam karotu va yatha tatha va vidadhatu lampato

mat-prana-nathas tu sa eva naparah

 

I know no one but Krsna as my Lord, and He shall remain so even if He handles

me roughly by His embrace or makes me brokenhearted by not being present before

me. He is completely free to do anything and everything, for He is always my

worshipful Lord, unconditionally.