A HYMN TO SRI RAMAKRISHNA by Swami Vivekananda

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A HYMN TO SRI RAMAKRISHNA by Swami Vivekananda

 

This is a translation of Swami Vivekananda's Bengali hymn to Sri

Ramakrishna, reproduced from his Complete Works 4: 504-06. This hymn

is sung in all the centers of the Ramakrishna Order every evening to

the accompaniment of arati in the shrine.

 

 

We salute Thee, Lord! Adored of the world,

Samsara's bondage breaker, taintless Thou,

Embodiment of blessed qualities,

Thou transcendest all Gunas; human form

Thus bearest. Thee we salute and adore!

 

Refuge of mind and speech,

Thou art beyond

The reach of either.

Radiance art Thou

In all radiance that is.

 

The heart's cave

Is by Thy visitance resplendent made.

Verily Thou art that

which dispelleth

The densest darkness of Tamas in all.

 

Lo! In variety of melody

Forth-breaking in fine harmony most sweet,

Hymns of Thy devotees,

accompanied By mridanga

playing with music's grace,

Fill the air, in evening worship to Thee.

 

One glancing vision

at Thine eyes divine

Cleared by the collyrium of jnana

Defies deIusion.

 

O thou blotter-out

Of all the taints of sin,

Intelligence Pure, unmingled is Thy form.

Of the world

Thou art embellisher.

Self-luminous Art Thou.

 

O Ocean of feeling sublime,

And of Love Divine,

O God-maddened One,

Devotees win Thy blessed feet

and cross Safely

the swelling sea of samsara.

 

O Lord of the world,

through Thy yoga power

Thou shinest

as the Incarnation clear

Of this our time.

 

O thou of strict restraint,

Only through Thine unstinted grace

we seeThe mind in samadhi

completely merged;

Mercy Incarnate! austere are Thy deeds.

 

Thou dealest

to the evil of misery Destruction.

Kali's binding cords

Are cut by Thee asunder.

 

Thine own life

Thou gavest freely,

O sweet Sacrifice,

O best of men! O Savior of the world!

 

Devoid wert Thou

of the idea of sex,

Thought of possession

charmed Thee not.

 

To Thee

Obnoxious was all pleasure.

Give to us,

O greatest among tyagis,

love intense

Unto Thy sacred feet; give, we implore!

 

Fearless art Thou,

and past all gloom of doubt;

Thy mind is wrapt

in its own firm resolve;

 

Thy lovers, whose devotion mounts

above The realm of reason,

who renounce the pride

Of caste and parentage, of name and fame--

Their safe refuge

art Thou alone, O Lord!

 

My one true treasure

is Thy blessed feet,

Reaching which

the whole universe itself

Seems like a puddle

in the hollow made

By hoof of a passing cow.

 

O offering to Love!

O Seer of equality in all!

O verily, in Thee the pain

And evil of this mortal world escapes,

And vanishes, O cherished One in Thee! OM Jai Sri Ramakrishna! OM

 

Beloved family of light,

i have many, many fond memories of chanting this divine hymn at

Thakur's vesper services at RK centers, especially the one in San

Diego, when i lived there. The version we used was slightly different

in it's word usage and phrasing, but both are equally beautiful. The

one we used was titled "Breaker of This Word's Chain".

 

Jai Thakur Sri Ramakrishna! i bow to You Eternally!

Muktimaa