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.
चेतोदर्पणमार्जनं
भवमहादावाग्निनिर्वापणं
श्रेयःकैरवचन्द्रिकावितरणं
विद्यावधूजीवनम्
आनन्दाम्बुधिवर्धनं
प्रतिपदं पूर्णामृतास्वादनं
सर्वात्मस्नपनं
परं विजयते श्रीकृष्णसङ्कीर्तनम्
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
Cleansing the mirror of the heart, extinguishing the great forest-fire of worldly suffering, spreading the moonlight that makes the white lotus of supreme good fortune bloom, giving life to the bride of true knowledge, expanding the ocean of bliss, granting the taste of full nectar at every step, and bathing the entire self in bliss, All glory to this Śrī Kṛṣṇa saṅkīrtana!
नाम्नाम् अकारि बहुधा
निजसर्वशक्तिस्
तत्रार्पिता नियमितः
स्मरणे न कालः
एतादृशी तव कृपा
भगवन् ममापि
दुर्दैवम् ईदृशम्
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 revealed countless holy names of Yours, and into each one You have poured the fullness of Your divine power. No rule binds their remembrance - no hour is forbidden, no moment unfit. Such, such is the boundless mercy You show! And yet, O Bhagavān, what sorrow is mine, that even amidst all this grace, no true love for Your sacred names has awakened in my heart.
तृणाद् अपि सुनीचेन
तरोर् अपि सहिष्णुना
अमानिना मानदेन
कीर्तनीयः सदा हरिः
tṛṇād api sunīcena
taror api sahiṣṇunā
amāninā mānadena
kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
One should be humbler than a blade of grass, more patient and forbearing than a tree, seeking no respect for oneself while offering all respect to others. In such a state of heart, the holy name of Hari is to be sung always.
न धनं न जनं न सुन्दरीं
कवितां वा जगदीश कामये
मम जन्मनि जन्मनीश्वरे
भवताद् भक्तिर् अहैतुकी त्वयि
na dhanaṃ na janaṃ na sundarīṃ
kavitāṃ vā jagadīśa kāmaye
mama janmani janmanīśvare
bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
O Lord of all the worlds, I seek not wealth or riches, nor crowds of followers, nor the embrace of a beautiful woman, nor even the glory of enchanting poetry. All I ask, in birth after birth, is that causeless, unconditional love, pure devotion towards you alone, may ever dwell in my heart for You.
अयि नन्दतनूज किङ्करं
पतितं मां विषमे भवाम्बुधौ
कृपया तव पादपङ्कज
स्थितधूलीसदृशं विचिन्तय
ayi nanda-tanūja kiṅkaraṃ
patitaṃ māṃ viṣame bhavāmbudhau
kṛpayā tava pāda-paṅkaja
sthita-dhūlī-sadṛśaṃ vicintaya
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
O Nanda's darling Son - Kṛṣṇa, behold Your servant, fallen low, I have plunged into the cruel, stormy sea of birth and death. In boundless mercy, Lord, I beg You: think of me as but a speck of dust that clings forever to the lotus of Your feet.
नयनं गलदश्रुधारया
वदनं गदगदरुद्धया गिरा
पुलकैर्निचितं वपुः कदा
तव नामग्रहणे भविष्यति
nayanaṃ galadaśrudhārayā
vadanaṃ gadagadaruddhayā girā
pulakairnicitaṃ vapuḥ kadā
tava nāma-grahaṇe bhaviṣyati
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
When, O Lord, will my eyes overflow with torrents of tears, my voice tremble - choked by faltering speech out of love, and this body of mine be covered all over with thrills of ecstasy, all this arising simply by the chanting of Your holy name?
युगायितं निमेषेण
चक्षुषा प्रावृषायितम्
शून्यायितं जगत् सर्वं
गोविन्दविरहेण मे
yugāyitaṃ nimeṣeṇa
cakṣuṣā prāvṛṣāyitam
śūnyāyitaṃ jagat sarvaṃ
govinda-viraheṇa me
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
For me, each fleeting moment stretches like an endless age. My eyes have turned to monsoon clouds, pouring unceasing rain. The whole universe feels hollow, utterly void, all because I am parted, Govinda (Kṛṣṇa), from You.
आश्लिष्य वा पादरतां पिनष्टु माम्
अदर्शनान् मर्महतां करोतु वा
यथा तथा वा विदधातु लम्पटो
मत्प्राणनाथस् तु 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 either embrace me, his servant devoted to his feet, or let him trample me down; or by never appearing before me let him break my heart to pieces. Let that debauchee act towards me in whatever way he chooses but still, he alone is the Lord of my very life and no one else.
