Śrī Śikṣāṣṭaka – Song Three

(1)
śrī-kṛṣṇa-kīrtane jadi mānasa tohār
parama jatane tāhi labho adhikār


1) If you desire to engage in Sri-kṛṣṇa-kirtana, then with great care attain the required qualification.


(2)
tṛnādhika hīna, dīna, akiñcana chār
āpane mānobi sadā chāḍi’ ahaṅkār


2) You should give up all false pride and always consider yourself to be worthless, destitute, lower and more humble than a blade of grass

(3)
vṛkṣa-sama kṣamā-guna korobi sādhan
prati-hiṁsā tyāji’ anye korobi pālan


3) You should practice forgiveness like that of a tree, and giving up violence toward other living beings, you should protect and maintain them

(4)
jīvana-nirvāhe āne udvega nā dibe
para-upakāre nija-sukha pāsaribe


4) In the course of passing your life, you should never give anxiety to others, but rather do good to them while forgetting about your own happiness.

(5)
hoile-o sarva-guṇe guṇī mahāśoy
pratinṭhāśā chāḍi koro amānī hṛdoy

5) Even if one is a great soul possessing all good qualities, one should abandon all desires for fame and honor and make one’s heart humble

(6)
kṛṣṇa-adhiṣṭhāna sarva-jive jāni’ sadā
korobi sammāna sabe ādare sarvadā


6) Knowing that Lord Kṛṣṇa resides within all living creatures, one should with great respect consistently show honor to all beings

(7)
dainya, doyā, anye māna, pratiṣṭhā-varjan
cāri guṇe guṇī hoi’ koroha kīrtan


7) By possessing these four qualities-humility, mercifulness, respect toward others, and the renunciation of desires for prestige-one becomes virtuous. In such a state you may sing the glories of the Supreme Lord

(8)
bhakativinoda kāṅdi’, bole prabhu-pāy
heno adhikāra kabe dibe he āmāy


8) Weeping, Bhaktivinoda submits his prayer at the lotus feet of the the Lord: “O Lord, when will you give me the qualification for possessing attributes such as these?”