Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu ((1486–1534 CE) is a rare star in India's spiritual firmament. He gave up the scholarly approach to pursue God through infinite, constant Bhakti. Just before his passing, he composed these eight verses as his final and total precept to his disciples to pursue the path to God realization... his path of Bhakti. |
| शिक्षाष्टकम्(मूल संस्कृत) | Shikshashtakam (English) |
| चेतोदर्पणमार्जनं
भव-महादावाग्नि-निर्वापणम् श्रेयः-कैरवचन्द्रिकावितरणं विद्यावधू-जीवनम् । आनंदाम्बुधिवर्धनं प्रतिपदं पूर्णामृतास्वादनम् सर्वात्मस्नपनं परं विजयते श्रीकृष्ण-संकीर्तनम् ॥१॥ |
Let Sri Krishna sankirtana be ultimately victorious which cleanses dust off mind, extinguishes the formidable fire of repeated birth and death, glorious like rays of the moon, gives life to knowledge, increases the ocean of bliss, has every word sweet like nectar, makes everybody holy.॥1॥ |
| नाम्नामकारि
बहुधा निज सर्व शक्ति- स्तत्रार्पिता नियमितः स्मरणे न कालः। एतादृशी तव कृपा भगवन्ममापि दुर्दैवमीदृशमिहाजनि नानुरागः॥२॥ |
O Lord, you have filled your many names with all your power and these names can be remembered any time. O God, you are so kind to do it but I am so unfortunate that I don't love your beautiful names.॥2॥ |
| तृणादपि
सुनीचेन तरोरपि सहिष्णुना। अमानिना मानदेन कीर्तनीयः सदा हरिः ॥३॥ |
Assuming ourselves smaller than straw, being more tolerant than trees, devoid of pride and respecting others, we should always sing in praise of Sri Hari.॥3॥ |
| न धनं
न जनं न सुन्दरीं कवितां वा जगदीश कामये। मम जन्मनि जन्मनीश्वरे भवताद् भक्तिरहैतुकी त्वयि॥४॥ |
O Lord of the universe, I do not desire money, followers, women or poems. O God, I wish to have causeless devotion for you in my all births.॥4॥ |
| अयि
नन्दतनुज किंकरं पतितं मां विषमे भवाम्बुधौ। कृपया तव पादपंकज- स्थितधूलिसदृशं विचिन्तय॥५॥ |
O son of Nand, considering me as your eternal servant and bound in this ocean of birth and death, please show your mercy assuming me as a dust-particle in your lotus feet.॥5॥ |
| नयनं
गलदश्रुधारया वदनं गदगदरुद्धया गिरा। पुलकैर्निचितं वपुः कदा तव नाम-ग्रहणे भविष्यति॥६॥ |
O Lord, when will the tears of my eyes fill my face on taking your name, when will my voice choke up and when will the hairs of my body stand erect on reciting your name?॥6॥ |
| युगायितं
निमेषेण चक्षुषा प्रावृषायितम् । शून्यायितं जगत् सर्वं गोविन्द विरहेण मे॥७॥ |
O Krishna, in your separation, a moment looks like ages. Tears are flowing from my eyes like torrents of rain and all of this world seems meaningless.॥7॥ |
| आश्लिष्य
वा पादरतां पिनष्टु मा- मदर्शनान्मर्महतां करोतु वा। यथा तथा वा विदधातु लम्पटो मत्प्राणनाथस्तु स एव नापरः॥८॥ |
Whether He embraces me as a devotee of His feet or not, whether he appears before me or not, whether He accepts me as his own or not, the naughty Sri Krishna is my Lord and no one else.॥8॥ |
