Verses from Srila Rupa Gosvami's Padyavali selected and translated by Kusakratha dasa
Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda, who are Lord Krsna and Lord Balarama, appeared in India five hundred years ago in the roles of devotees of Krsna to teach love of God through the chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra.
The Padyavali, an anthology of verses on the subject of devotion to Krsna, was compiled by Srila Rupa Gosvami, one of the chief disciples of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. The work contains 392 verses gleaned from the writings of over 125 authors, including both Rupa Gosvami's contemporaries and previous Vaisnava poets.
Introduction
padyavali viracita rasikair mukunda-
sambandha-bandhura-pada pramadormi-sindhuh
ramya samasta-tamasam damani kramena
sangrhyate krti-kadambaka-kautukaya
This Padyavali was written by devotees expert in the mellows of devotional service. This book contains many beautiful verses, which have been collected for the pleasure of the devotees. It illuminates the darkness of ignorance, and it is an ocean of transcendental bliss. Srila Rupa Gosvami
1 * (Translation by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.)
ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-mahadavagni-nirvapanam
sreyah kairava-candrika-vitaranam vidya-vadhu-jivanam
anandambudhi-vardhanam prati-padam purnamrtasvadanam
sarvatma-snapanam param vijayate sri-krsna-sankirtanam
Let there be all victory for the chanting of the holy name of Lord Krsna, which can cleanse the mirror of the heart and stop the miseries of the blazing fire of material existence. That chanting is the waxing moon that spreads the white lotus of good fortune for all living entities. It is the life and soul of all education. The chanting of the holy name of Krsna expands the blissful ocean of transcendental life. It gives a cooling effect to everyone and enables one to taste full nectar at every step. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu
2 * (Translation by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.)
namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-saktis
tatrarpita niyamitah smarane na kalah
etadrsi tava krpa bhagavan mamapi
durdaivam idrsam ihajani nanuragah
My Lord, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, in Your holy name there is all good fortune for the living entity, and therefore You have many names, such as Krsna and Govinda, by which You expand Yourself. You have invested all Your potencies in those names, and there are no hard and fast rules for remembering them. My dear Lord, although You bestow such mercy upon the fallen, conditioned souls by liberally teaching Your holy names, I am so unfortunate that I commit offenses while chanting the holy name, and therefore I do not achieve attachment for chanting. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu
3
kalyananam nidhanam kali-mala-mathanam pavanam pavananam
patheyam yan mumuksoh sapadi para-pada-praptaye procyamanam
visrama-sthanam ekam kavi-vara-vacasam jivanam saj-jananam
bijam dharma-drumasya prabhavatu bhavatam bhutaye krsna-nama
The holy name of Lord Krsna is a reservoir of all transcendental happiness. It destroys the sins of the Kali-yuga. It is the most purifying of all purifying things. It is the saintly person's food as he traverses the path to the spiritual world. It is the pleasure garden where the voices of the greatest saints, philosophers, and poets play. It is the life of the righteous and the seed of the tree of religion. May that holy name of Lord Krsna bring transcendental auspiciousness to you all. author unknown
4
vepante duritani moha-mahima sammoham alambate
satankam nakha-ranjanim kalayati sri-citraguptah krti
sanandam madhu-parka-sambhrti-vidhau vedhah karoty udyamam
vaktum namni tavesvarabhilasite brumah kim anyat param
O Supreme Personality of Godhead, when someone desires to chant Your holy name, sins tremble in fear, the glory of material illusion faints unconscious, Yamaraja's scribe Citragupta becomes happy and gazes at the chanter's toenails with awe and reverence, and Lord Brahma prepares madhu-parka with which to worship him. O Lord, what more can we say than this? author unknown
5
kah pareta-nagari-purandarah
ko bhaved atha tadiya-kinkarah
krsna-nama jagad-eka-mangalam
kantha-pitham urari-karoti cet
Lord Krsna's name is the only auspiciousness in this world. If one places it on his neck, then what is Yamaraja, the king of the other world, to him? What are Yamaraja's servants to him? Sri Anandacarya
6
svargarthiya vyavasitir asau dinayaty eva lokan
moksapeksa janayati janam kevalam klesa-bhajam
yogabhyasah parama-virasas tadrsaih kim prayasaih
sarvam tyaktva mama tu rasana krsna krsneti rautu
The attempt to attain the heavenly planets impoverishes the entire world. The desire to attain impersonal liberation brings only trouble. The regimen of yoga is dry and tasteless. What is the use of endeavors like these? I shall abandon them all and simply make my tongue chant "Krsna, Krsna." author unknown
7
viceyani vicaryani
vicintyani punah punah
krpanasya dhananiva
tvan-namani bhavantu nah
O Lord, just as a miser continually collects, counts, and remembers his money, in the same way let us continually collect, count, and remember Your holy names. Sri Bhavananda