Prathama CaitanyÄ߯aka

“Eight Prayers Glorifying Lord Caitanya (1)”

by ãrÈla RÝpa GosvÄmÈ

Translated by ãrÈla PrabhupÄda and KuÃakratha dÄsa

(note: Translations followed by an asterisk are ãrÈla PrabhupÄda’s.)

 

TEXT 1

sadopÄsyaÛ ÃrÈmÄn dhÅta-manuja-kÄyaiÛ praÊayitÄÞ

vahadbhir gÈr-bÄÊair giriÃa-parame߯hi-prabhÅtibhiÛ

sva-bhaktebhyaÛ ÃuddhÄÞ nija-bhajana-mudrÄm upadiÃan

sa caitanyaÛ kiÞ me punar api dÅÃor yÄsyati padam

sadÄ—always; upÄsyaÛ—worshipable; ÃrÈ-mÄn—beautiful; dhÅta—who accepted; manuja-kÄyaiÛ—the bodies of men; praÊayitÄm—love; vahadbhiÛ—who were bearing; gir-bÄÊaiÛ—by the demigods; giriÃa—Lord ãiva; parame߯hi—and Lord BrahmÄ; prabhÅtibhiÛ—headed by; sva-bhaktebhyaÛ—unto His own devotees; ÃuddhÄm—pure; nija-bhajana—of His own worship; mudrÄm—the mark; upadiÃan—instructing; sa—that; caitanyaÛ—ãrÈ Caitanya MahÄprabhu; kim—whether; me—my; punaÛ api—again; dÅÃoÛ—of the eyes; yÄsyati—will go; padam—in the path.

Lord Caitanya MahÄprabhu is always the most worshipable Deity of the demigods, including Lord ãiva and Lord BrahmÄ, who came in the garb of ordinary men bearing love for Him. He instructs His own pure devotional service to His own devotees. Will He again become visible before the path of my eyes?*

TEXT 2

sureÃÄnÄÞ durgaÞ gatir atiÃayenopanißadÄÞ

munÈnÄÞ sarva-svaÞ praÊata-paÆalÈnÄÞ madhurimÄ

viniryÄsaÛ premÊo nikhila-paÃu-pÄlaÞbhuja-dÅÃÄm

sa caitanyaÛ kiÞ me punar api dÅÃor yÄsyati padam

sura-ÈÃÄnÄm—of the kings of the demigods; durgam—the fortress; gatiÛ—goal; atiÃayena—eminently; upanißadÄm—of the Upanißads; munÈnÄm—of the sages; sarva-svam—the be-all and end-all; praÊata-paÆalÈnÄm—of the surrendered devotees; madhurimÄ—the sweetness; viniryÄsaÛ—the essence; premÊaÛ—of love; nikhila—all; paÃu-pÄlÄ—of the cowherd women; ambuja-dÅÃÄm—lotus-eyed.

ãrÈ Caitanya MahÄprabhu is the protector of the demigods, the supreme goal of the Upanißads, the be-all and end-all of the great sages, the beautiful shelter of His devotees, and the essence of the love of the lotus-eyed gopÈs. Will He again be visible before the path of my eyes?*

 

TEXT 3

svarÝpaÞ bibhrÄÊo jagad-atulam advaita-dayitaÛ

prapanna-ÃrÈvÄso janita-paramÄnanda-garimÄ

harir dÈnoddhÄrÈ gajapati-kÅpotseka-taralaÛ

sa caitanyaÛ kiÞ me punar api dÅÃor yÄsyati padam

sva—own; rÝpaÞ—form; bibhrÄÊaÛ—manifesting; jagat—in the universe; atulam—incomparable; advaita—to Advaita äcÄrya; dayitaÛ—very dear; prapanna—surrendered; ÃrÈvÄso—ãrÈvÄsa PaÊÐita; janita—produced; paramÄnanda—of ParamÄnanda PurÈ; garimÄ—respect; hariÛ—Lord Hari (He who destroys the nescience of the material world); dÈna—the distressed; uddhÄrÈ—who delivers; gajapati—on King PratÄparudra; kÅpÄ—mercy; utseka-taralaÛ—showering.

 

ãrÈ Caitanya MahÄprabhu has manifested His own form, which cannot be compared to anything in the material universe. He is very dear to Advaita äcÄrya, and ãrÈvÄsa PaÊÐita is surrendered to Him. He is very respectful to ParamÄnanda PurÈ. He takes away the ignorance of the material world and delivers the conditioned souls suffering from the threefold miseries. He showered His mercy on MahÄrÄja PratÄparudra, the king of Orissa. Will He again become visible before the path of my eyes?*

TEXT 4

rasoddÄmÄ kÄmÄrbuda-madhura-dhÄmojjvala-tanur

yatÈnÄÞ uttaÞsas taraÊikara-vidyoti-vasanaÛ

hiraÊyÄÊÄÞ lakßmÈ-bharam abhibhavann ÄËgika-rucÄ

sa caitanyaÛ kiÞ me punar api dÅÃor yÄsyati padam

rasa—by the mellows of devotional service; uddÄmÄ—maddened; kÄma—of Cupids; arbuda—millions; madhura—of the sweetness; dhÄma—the abode; ujjvala—effulgent; tanuÛ—form; yatÈnÄm—of the sannyÄsÈs; uttaÞsaÛ—the crown; taraÊi-kara—like sunlight; vidyoti—effulgent; vasanaÛ—garments; hiraÊyÄÊÄm—of gold; lakßmÈ-bharam—all the beauty; abhibhavann—eclipsing; ÄËgika—of His form; rucÄ—with the splendor.

ãrÈ Caitanya MahÄprabhu becomes maddened by tasting the mellows of devotional service. His effulgent form is the abode of sweetness for millions of Cupids, and He is the crest jewel of sannyÄsÈs. His garments display the effulgence of the sun, and the splendor of His body eclipses the beauty of gold. Will He again become visible before the path of my eyes?

TEXT 5

hare kÅßÊety-uccaiÛ sphurita-rasano nÄma-gaÊanÄ-

kÅta-granthi-ÃreÊÈ-subhaga-kaÆi-sÝtrojjvala-karaÛ

viÃÄlÄkßo dÈrghÄrgala-yugala-khelÄÎcita-bhujaÛ

sa caitanyaÛ kiÞ me punar api dÅÃor yÄsyati padam

hare kÅßÊa iti—the Hare KÅßÊa mantra; uccaiÛ—loudly; sphurita—dancing; rasanaÛ—on the tongue; nÄma—of names; gaÊanÄ—for counting; kÅta—prepared; granthi—of knots; ÃreÊÈ—series; subhaga—beautiful; kaÆi-sÝtra—string; ujjvala—splendid; karaÛ—hand; viÃÄla—large; akßaÛ—eyes; dÈrgha—long; argala—beams; yugala—pair; khelÄ—with pastimes; aÎcita—bent; bhujaÛ—arms.

ãrÈ Caitanya MahÄprabhu chants the Hare KÅßÊa mantra in a loud voice, the holy name dancing on His tongue as He counts the number of recitations on a beautiful knotted string held in His effulgent hand. His eyes are large, and His long arms, bending as He performs His pastimes, reach down to His knees. Will He again become visible before the path of my eyes?

TEXT 6

payorÄÃes tÈre sphurad-upavanÄli-kalanayÄ

muhur vÅndÄraÊya-smaraÊa-janita-prema-vivaÃaÛ

kvacit kÅßÊÄvÅtti-pracala-rasano bhakti-rasikaÛ

sa caitanyaÛ kiÞ me punar api dÅÃor yÄsyati padam

payaÛ-rÄÃeÛ—of the sea; tÈre—on the beach; sphurat—beautiful; upavana—of gardens; Äli—rows; kalanayÄ—by seeing; muhuÛ—constantly; vÅndÄraÊya—the forest of VÅndÄvana; smaraÊa-janita—by remembering; prema-vivaÃaÛ—being overwhelmed by ecstatic love of KÅßÊa; kvacit—sometimes; kÅßÊa—of the holy name of KÅßÊa; ÄvÅtti--pracala—busily engaged; rasanaÛ—whose tongue; bhakti-rasikaÛ—expert in devotional service.

ãrÈ Caitanya MahÄprabhu is the topmost of all devotees. Sometimes, while walking on the beach, He would see a beautiful garden nearby and mistake it for the forest of VÅndÄvana. He would thus be completely overwhelmed by ecstatic love of KÅßÊa and begin to chant the holy name and dance. His tongue worked incessantly as He chanted “KÅßÊa! KÅßÊa!” Will He again become visible before the path of my eyes?*

TEXT 7

rathÄrÝÐhasyÄrÄd adhipadavi-nÈlÄcala-pater

adabhra-premormi-sphurita-naÆanollÄsa-vivaÃaÛ

sa-harßaÞ gÄyadbhiÛ parivÅta-tanur vaißÊava-janaiÛ

sa caitanyaÛ kiÞ me punar api dÅÃor yÄsyati padam

ratha-ÄrÝÐhasya—of the Supreme Lord, who was placed aboard the chariot; ÄrÄt—in front; adhipadavÈ—on the main road; nÈlÄcala-pateÛ—of Lord JagannÄtha, the Lord of NÈlÄcala; adabhra—great; prema-Ýrmi—by waves of love of God; sphurita; which was manifested; naÆana-ullÄsa—by the transcendental bliss of dancing; vivaÃaÛ—being overwhelmed; sa-harßam—with great pleasure; gÄyadbhiÛ—who were singing; parivÅta—surrounded; tanuÛ—His body; vaißÊava-janaiÛ—by the devotees.

ãrÈ Caitanya MahÄprabhu danced down the main road in great ecstasy before Lord JagannÄtha, the master of NÈlÄcala, who was sitting on His car. Overwhelmed by the transcendental bliss of dancing, and surrounded by the VaißÊavas who sang the holy names, He manifested waves of ecstatic love of Godhead. Will He again become visible before the path of my eyes?

TEXT 8

bhuvaÞ siÎcann aÃru-Ãrutibhir abhitaÛ sÄndra-pulakaiÛ

parÈtÄËgo nÈpa-stabaka-nava-kiÎjalka-jayibhiÛ

ghana-sveda-stoma-stimita-tanur utkÈrtana-sukhÈ

sa caitanyaÛ kiÞ me punar api dÅÃor yÄsyati padam

bhuvam—the earth; siÎcan—sprinkling; aÃru—of tears; ÃrutibhiÛ—with showers; abhitaÛ—everywhere; sÄndra—full; pulakaiÛ—hairs standing erect; parÈta—filled; aËgaÛ—the body; nÈpa—of the kadabma tree; stabaka—clusters of blossoms; nava—fresh; kiÎjalka—filaments; jayibhiÛ—glorious; ghana—full; sveda—perspiration; stoma—with much; stimita—moistened; tanuÛ—body; utkÈrtana—by loud chanting; sukhÈ—the happiness.

ãrÈ Caitanya MahÄprabhu became joyful during the loud chanting of the holy names, and he sprinkled the earth with showers of tears. All the hairs of His body, standing on end, appeared like beautiful filaments of fresh kadamba blossoms, and His body glistened with profuse perspiration. Will he again become visible before the path of my eyes?

TEXT 9

adhÈte gaurÄËga-smaraÊa-padavÈ maËgalataraÞ

kÅtÈ yo viÃrambha-sphurad-amala-dhÈr a߯akam idam

parÄnande sadyas tad-amala-padÄmbhoja-yugale

parisphÄrÄ tasya sphuratu nitarÄÞ prema-laharÈ

adhÈte—reads; gaurÄËga—of Lord Caitanya; smaraÊa—meditation; padavÈ—path; maËgalataraÞ—most auspicious; kÅtÈ—a pious person; yaÛ—who; viÃrambha—with faith; sphurad—shining; amala—pure; dhÈÛ—intelligence; a߯akam—eight verses; idam—this; parÄnande—in transcendental bliss; sadyaÛ—at once; tat—of Him; amala—splendid; padÄmbhoja—lotus feet; yugale—pair; parisphÄrÄ—great; tasya—of him; sphuratu—may be manifested; nitarÄÞ—at every moment; prema—of pure love; laharÈ—the waves.

May the great ocean full of waves of pure love for the two white lotus flowers of the feet of ãrÈ Caitanya MahÄprabhu become immediately manifested at every moment to whatever pious person reads these eight most auspicious verses, his pure intelligence shining with faith as he meditates on Lord GaurÄËga.