Śaraṇāgati (Surrendered to the Lord’s Shelter)

Vijñapti (Spiritual Request)

(1)
kabe ha’be bolo se-dina āmār
(āmār) aparādha ghuci’, śuddha nāme ruci,
kṛpā-bale ha’be hṛdoye sañcār

1) Please tell me, when oh when will that day be mine? My offenses will come to an end, and a taste for the pure holy name will be infused within my heart by the power of divine grace.

(2)
tṛnādhika hīna, kabe nije māni’,
sahiṣnutā-guna hṛdoyete āni’
sakale mānada, āpani amānī,
hoye āswādibo nāma-rasa-sār

2) Feeling myself lower than a blade of grass, welcoming the quality of forbearance into my heart, giving honor to all living beings, and being freed from false pride, when will I taste the essence of the liquid nectar of the holy name? *

(3)
dhana jana āra, kavitā-sundarī,
bolibo nā cāhi deho-sukha-karī
janme janme dāo, ohe gaurahari!
ahaitukī bhakti caraṇe tomār

3) Wealth, followers, beautiful women as described in worldly poetry-I do not want any such bodily pleasures. O Lord Gaurahari! Please give me unmotivated devotion to Your lotus feet birth after birth. **

(4)
(kabe) korite śrī-kṛṣṇa- nāma uccāraṇa,
pulakita deho gadgada vacana
vaivarnya-vepathu, ha’be saṁghaṭana,
nirantara netre ba’be aśru-dhār

4) When, while articulating the divine name of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, will my body be thrilled in ecstatic rapture, my words choking with emotion, loss of color and ecstatic trembling occuring, and streams of tears flowing constantly from my eyes?

(5)
kabe navadwīpe, suradhunī-taṭe,
gaura-nityānanda boli’ niṣkapaṭe
nāciyā gāiyā, beḍāibo chuṭe,
bātulera prāya chāḍiyā vicār

5) When, in the land of Navadvīpa, on the banks of the celestial Gaṅgā, will I run about innocently calling out, “O Gaura! O Nityānanda!”? Dancing and singing, I will wander about like a madman, giving up all consideration of proper social behavior.

(6)
kabe nityānanda, more kori’ doyā,
chāḍāibe mora viṣayera māyā
diyā more nija- caraṇera chāyā,
nāmera hāṭete dibe adhikār

6) When will Lord Nityānanda be merciful to me and release me from the illusion of worldliness? When will He give me the shade of His own lotus feet and bestow upon me the qualification necessary to enter the Marketplace of the Holy Name ***

(7)
kinibo, luṭibo, hari-nāma-rasa,
nāma-rase māti’ hoibo vivaśa
rasera rasika- caraṇa paraśa,
koriyā mojibo rase anibār

7) Somehow or other I shall buy or steal the mellows of the name of Lord Hari. Becoming thoroughly intoxicated by those liquid mellows, I will be stunned. By touching the feet of those great souls who are expert in relishing those mellows, I will be constantly immersed in the sweet nectar of the holy name.

(8)
kabe jīve doya, hoibe udoya,
nija-sukha bhuli’ sudīna-hṛdoya
bhakativinoda, koriyā vinoya,
śrī-ājñā-ṭahala koribe pracār

8) When will there be an awakening in me of compassion for all fallen souls? Then this Bhaktivinoda will forget his own happiness, and with a meek heart he will set out to propagate by humble solicitation the sacred order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

* This song is based on the tṛṇād api sunīcena verse of the Śikṣāṣṭaka uttered by Śrī Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu.

** This verse is based on the na dhanaṁ na janam na sundariṁ verse of the Śikṣāṣṭaka.

*** Śrīla Narottama Dāsa Ṭhākura has similarly sung, ār kabe nitāi cāṅda karuṇā koribe, viṣaya-vāsanā mor kabe tuccha habe – And when will the moon-like Nitāi have mercy upon me, thereby causing all my material desires to become insignificant.

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