Śikṣā Aṣṭakam
Śikṣāṣṭakam is a set of eight Sanskrit verses composed by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the 16th-century saint and founder of the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition. These verses encapsulate the essence of bhakti-yoga, emphasizing the chanting of the holy names of God, humility, and pure devotion to Krishna. As the only written work personally attributed to Śrī Caitanya, the Śikṣāṣṭakam holds profound significance in Gaudiya Vaishnavism, serving as a guiding light for practitioners seeking to cultivate selfless love for God. Its verses progressively reveal deeper stages of devotion, from initial faith to ultimate divine ecstasy, making it a cherished spiritual treasure.
चेतो दर्पण मार्जनं
भव महा दावाग्नि निर्वापणं
श्रेयः कैरव चन्द्रिका वितरणं
विद्या वधू जीवनम्
आनन्दाम्बुधि वर्धनं
प्रति पदं पूर्णामृतास्वादनं
सर्वात्म स्नपनं
परं विजयते श्री कृष्ण सङ्कीर्तनम्
ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṃ
bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇaṃ
śreyaḥ-kairava-candrikā-vitaraṇaṃ
vidyā-vadhū-jīvanam
ānandāmbudhi-vardhanaṃ
prati-padaṃ pūrṇāmṛtāsvādanaṃ
sarvātma-snapanaṃ
paraṃ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
May the congregational chanting of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s holy names be supremely victorious! It cleanses the mirror of the heart and extinguishes the blazing fire of material existence. It spreads the cooling moonlight of true auspiciousness, like the rays that cause the white lotus of good fortune to bloom. It is the very life of divine wisdom and the source of ever-expanding joy, allowing one to taste the full nectar of immortality at every step. It bathes the soul completely in divine ecstasy.
नाम्नामकारि बहुधा
निज सर्व शक्तिस्
तत्रार्पिता नियमितः
स्मरणे न कालः
एतादृशी तव कृपा
भगवन्ममापि
दुर्दैवमीदृशम्
इहाजनि नानुरागः
nāmnām akāri bahudhā
nija-sarva-śaktis
tatrārpitā niyamitaḥ
smaraṇe na kālaḥ
etādṛśī tava kṛpā
bhagavan mamāpi
durdaivam īdṛśam
ihājani nānurāgaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
O Lord, You have manifested Your holy names in countless forms, investing them with all Your divine power. There are no strict rules for remembering them, nor any restriction of time. Such is Your great mercy, yet my misfortune is such that I have no love for them.
तृणादपि सुनीचेन
तरोरपि सहिष्णुना
अमानिना मानदेन
कीर्तनीयः सदा हरिः
tṛṇād api sunīcena
taror api sahiṣṇunā
amāninā mānadena
kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
One should always chant the name of Lord Hari while being humbler than a blade of grass, more tolerant than a tree, expecting no respect for oneself but giving all respect to others.
न धनं न जनं न सुन्दरीं
कवितां वा जगदीश कामये
मम जन्मनि जन्मनीश्वरे
भवताद्भक्तिरहैतुकी त्वयि
na dhanaṃ na janaṃ na sundarīṃ
kavitāṃ vā jagadīśa kāmaye
mama janmani janmanīśvare
bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
O Lord of the Universe! I do not desire wealth, followers, a beautiful woman, or praise in poetry. My only wish, O Lord, is that in birth after birth, I may have unconditional devotion unto You.
अयि नन्द तनूज किङ्करं
पतितं मां विषमे भवाम्बुधौ
कृपया तव पाद पङ्कज
स्थित धूली सदृशं विचिन्तय
ayi nanda-tanūja kiṅkaraṃ
patitaṃ māṃ viṣame bhavāmbudhau
kṛpayā tava pāda-paṅkaja
sthita-dhūlī-sadṛśaṃ vicintaya
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
O son of Nanda (Krishna), I am Your eternal servant, yet somehow I have fallen into the ocean of birth and death. Kindly consider me like a speck of dust resting upon Your lotus feet.
नयनं गलदश्रुधारया
वदनं गदगदरुद्धया गिरा
पुलकैर्निचितं वपुः कदा
तव नाम ग्रहणे भविष्यति
nayanaṃ galadaśrudhārayā
vadanaṃ gadagadaruddhayā girā
pulakairnicitaṃ vapuḥ kadā
tava nāma-grahaṇe bhaviṣyati
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
O Lord, when will my eyes be filled with tears of love flowing incessantly as I chant Your holy names? When will my voice choke up, and when will the hairs of my body stand on end at the recitation of Your name?
युगायितं निमेषेण
चक्षुषा प्रावृषायितम्
शून्यायितं जगत्सर्वं
गोविन्द विरहेण मे
yugāyitaṃ nimeṣeṇa
cakṣuṣā prāvṛṣāyitam
śūnyāyitaṃ jagat sarvaṃ
govinda-viraheṇa me
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
A moment seems like an eternity, tears flow from my eyes like torrents of rain, and the whole world feels empty in Your absence, O Govinda (Krishna).
आश्लिष्य वा पाद रतां पिनष्टु माम्
अदर्शनान्मर्म हतां करोतु वा
यथा तथा वा विदधातु लम्पटो
मत्प्राण नाथस्तु स एव नापरः
āśliṣya vā pāda-ratāṃ pinaṣṭu mām
adarśanān marma-hatāṃ karotu vā
yathā tathā vā vidadhātu lampaṭo
mat-prāṇa-nāthas tu sa eva nāparaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Let Him embrace me, who is devoted to His feet, or let Him crush me with neglect. Let Him shatter my heart by remaining unseen. He is a debauchee after all and can do whatever He likes, but He alone remains the Lord of my life, and no one else.
