Sikshashtaka - Lord Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu

Nama article 13th December 2007

 

Although Lord Chaitanya was widely renowned as a scholar in his youth, he left only eight verses, called Sikshashtaka. These eight verses clearly reveal his mission and precepts. These supremely valuable prayers are translated herein.

 

   1. Glory to the Sri Krishna 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. O my Lord, Your holy name alone can render all benediction to living beings, and thus You have hundreds and millions of names like Krishna 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. 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. 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. O son of Maharaja Nanda (Krishna), 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. 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. 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. I know no one but Krishna as my Lord, and He shall remain so even if He handles me roughly 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.

 

Slokas

 

चेतो- दर्पण-मार्जनं भव-महा- दावाग्नि-निर्वापणं
श्रेयः-कैरव- चन्द्रिका-वितरणं विद्या-वधू- जीवनम् .
आनन्द- अम्बुधि-वर्धनं प्रति-पदं पूर्णामृतास्वादनं
सर्वात्मस्नपनं परं विजयते श्रीकृष्ण संकीर्तनम् .. १..

नाम्नां अकारि बहुधा निज-सर्व- शक्तिः
तत्रार्पिता नियमितः स्मरणे न कालः .
एतादृशी तव कृपा भगवन्- ममापि
दुर्दैवम्- ईदृशम्-इहाजनि न-अनुरागः .. २..

तृणादपि सुनीचेन तरोरपि सहिष्णुना .
अमानिना मानदेन कीर्तनीयः सदा हरिः .. ३..

न- धनं न- जनं न- सुन्दरीम्
कवितां वा जगदीश कामये .
मम जन्मनि जन्मनि ईश्वरे
भवताद् भक्तिः अहैतुकी त्वयि  .. ४..

अयि नन्द- तनूज किंकरम्
पतितं मां विषमे-भव- अम्बुधौ .
कृपया तव पाद- पंकज-
स्थित धूलि-सदृशं विचिंतय .. ५..

नयनं गलद्- अश्रु-धारया
वदनं गद्गद- रुद्धया गिरा .
पुलकैर् निचितं वपुः कदा
तव नाम- ग्रहणे भविष्यति .. ६..

युगायितं निमेषेण चक्षुषा प्रावृषायितम् .
शून्यायितं जगत् सर्वं गोविन्द-विरहेण मे .. ७..

आश्लिष्य वा पाद-रतां पिनष्टु
माम्- अदर्शनान् मर्म- हतां करोतु वा .
यथा तथा वा विदधातु लंपटः
मत्-प्राण- नाथस् तु स एव न-अपरः .. ८..

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare