Sri Sri Hari-Guru-Vaisnava-Vandana: Prayers unto Sri Hari, Sri Guru, and the Vaisnavas

vande ’haṁ śrī-guroḥ śrī-yuta-pada-kamalaṁ śrī-gurūn vaiṣṇavāṁś cha
śrī-rūpaṁ sāgrajātaṁ saha-gaṇa-raghunāthānvitaṁ taṁ sa-jīvam
sādvaitaṁ sāvadhūtaṁ parijana-sahitaṁ kṛṣṇa-chaitanya-devaṁ
śrī-rādhā-kṛṣṇa-pādān saha-gaṇa-lalitā-śrī-viśākhānvitāṁś cha

vande–offer obeisance; aham–I; sri-guroh–of my initiating spiritual master and instructing spiritual masters; sri-yuta–beautiful, glorious, divine; pada-kamalam–unto the lotus feet; sri-gurun–unto the spiritual masters of the Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya parampara; vaisnavan–unto all of the Lord’s devotees within all universal ages (unto all devotees of the past, present, and future); cha–and; sri-rupam–unto Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhu; sa–along with; agra-jatam–his elder brother Srila Sanatan Goswami Prabhu; saha–along with; gana–his devoted followers, all the devotees of the Rupanuga sampradaya; raghunatha–Srila Raghunath Das Goswami; anvitam–along with; tam–him, Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhu; sa–along with; jivam–Srila Jiva Goswami Prabhu; sa–along with; advaitam–Sri Advaita Acharya Prabhu; sa–along with; avadhutam–Sri Nityananda Prabhu; parijana–His associates (Sri Gadadhar Pandit, Sri Srivas Thakur, and so forth); sahitam–along with; krsna-chaitanya-devam–the Supreme Lord Sriman Mahaprabhu; sri-radha-krsna–of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna; padan–unto the feet; saha–along with; gana–all Their associates (Their sakhis and attendant manjaris); lalita–Sri Lalita Devi; sri-visakha–Sri Visakha Devi; anvitan–along with; cha–and.

I offer my obeisance unto the lotus feet of my initiating Guru, all of my instructing Gurus, all of the Gurus within the disciplic succession, and all of the Lord’s devotees. Next, I offer my obeisance unto Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhu, Srila Sanatan Goswami Prabhu, Srila Raghunath Das Goswami Prabhu, Srila Jiva Goswami Prabhu, and all of Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhu’s associates and followers. Thereafter, I offer my obeisance unto Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Nityananda Prabhu, Sri Advaita Prabhu, and all of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s associates. Finally, I offer my obeisance unto the feet of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna, Sri Lalita Devi, Sri Visakha Devi, and all of Their associates.

oṁ ajñāna-timirāndhasya jñānāñjana-śalākayā
chakṣur unmilitaṁ yena tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ

om–[prayerful address]; ajnana–of ignorance; timira–by the darkness; andhasya–of one who is blind; jnana–of knowledge; anjana–the collyrium (eye-salve); salakaya–pencil for applying collyrium; chaksuh–my eyes; unmilitam–opened; yena–by whom; tasmai–unto him; sri-gurave–unto my spiritual master; namah–I offer obeisance.

I offer my obeisance unto Sri Gurudev, who has opened my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance, with the salve of divine knowledge.

gurvābhīṣṭa-supūrakaṁ guru-gaṇair āśīṣa-saṁbhūṣitaṁ
chintyāchintya-samasta-veda-nipuṇaṁ śrī-rūpa-panthānugam
govindābhidham ujjvalaṁ vara-tanuṁ bhakty anvitaṁ sundaraṁ
vande viśva-guruñ cha divya-bhagavat-premṇo hi bīja-pradam

guru–of his spiritual master; abhista–desires; supurakam–fulfilling; guru–of his spiritual master; ganaih–associates; asisa–blessings; sambhusitam–fully adorned; chintya–conceivable; achintya–inconceivable; samasta–all; veda–knowledge, aspects of the Vedic scriptures; nipunam–expert; sri-rupa–of Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhu; pantha–the path; anugam–(pre-eminent) follower; govinda–‘Govinda’ — Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj; abhidham–named; ujjvalam–effulgent, divine; vara–exalted; tanum–form; bhakti–devotion; anvitam–infused; sundaram–beauty; vande–I offer my obeisance; visva–of the universe; gurum–spiritual master; cha–and; divya–divine; bhagavat–of the Supreme Lord; premnah–of divine love; hi–certainly; bija–seed; pradam–bestower.

I offer my obeisance unto he who perfectly fulfils his Gurudev’s most cherished desires; who is fully adorned with the blessings of his Gurudev’s associates; who is expert in all aspects of Vedic knowledge, both conceivable and inconceivable; who is the pre-eminent follower of Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhu’s line; who is known as ‘Govinda’ — Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj; whose beautiful, effulgent, exalted form is infused with pure devotion; who is the Guru of the entire universe; and who is the giver of the seed of divine love for the Supreme Lord.

devaṁ divya-tanuṁ suchanda-vadanaṁ bālārka-chelāñchitaṁ
sāndrānanda-puraṁ sad-eka-varanaṁ vairāgya-vidyāmbudhim
śrī-siddhānta-nidhiṁ subhakti-lasitaṁ sārasvatānām varaṁ
vande taṁ śubhadaṁ mad-eka-śaraṇaṁ nyāsīśvaraṁ śrīdharam

devam–lord; divya–divine; tanum–form; suchanda–most pleasing; vadanam–speaking; balarka–of the newly risen sun; chela–with garments; anchitam–adorned; sandra–intense; ananda–of ecstasy; puram–abode; sad–of the sadhus; eka–one; varanam–choice; vairagya–of renunciation; vidya–of knowledge; ambudhim–ocean; sri-siddhanta–of perfect conclusions; nidhim–reservoir; subhakti–with pure, highly advanced devotion; lasitam–resplendent; sarasvatanam–of the followers of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur; varam–the best; vande–I offer my obeisance; tam–unto him; subhadam–bestower of goodness; mad–my; eka–sole; saranam–shelter; nyasi–of all tridandi sannyasis; isvaram–leader, master; sridharam–Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj, the carrier of the current of pure devotion to Srimati Radharani flowing through Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhu.

I offer my obeisance unto my lord, Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj, whose speech is most pleasing; whose divine form is adorned with garments the colour of the newly-risen sun; who is an abode of intense, ecstatic devotion; who is the sadhus’ sole choice; who is an ocean of renunciation and knowledge; who is a treasure-house of perfect conclusions; who is resplendent with pure devotion; who is the best of Srila Saraswati Thakur’s followers; who is the giver of all good; who is the leading general of tridandi sannyasis; and who is my sole shelter.

śrī-siddhānta-sarasvatīti vidito gauḍīya-gurv-anvaye
bhāto bhānur iva prabhāta-gagane yo gaura-saṅkīrtanaiḥ
māyāvāda-timiṅgilodara-gatān uddhṛtya jīvanimān
kṛṣṇa-prema-sudhābdhi-gāhana-sukhaṁ prādāt prabhuṁ taṁ bhaje

sri-siddhanta-sarasvati–Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur; iti–thus; viditah–known; gaudiya–from Sri Svarup Damodar and Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhu (of madhura-rasa-bhakti); guru–of spiritual masters; anvaye–in the lineage; bhatah–shining; bhanuh–the sun; iva–like; prabhata–morning; gagane–in the sky; yah–who; gaura–of Sriman Mahaprabhu; sankirtanaih–through sankirtan (congregational glorification of the Names, Forms, Qualities, Pastimes, Associates, and Paraphernalia); mayavada–of illusionism; timingila–of the extraordinarily massive sea-creature (lit. whale-swallower); udara–the belly; gatan–those situated within; uddhrtya–delivering; jivaniman–the souls; krsna–of Krishna; prema–divine love; sudha–of the nectar; abdhi–in the ocean; gahana–of diving, swimming, bathing; sukham–the happiness; pradat–bestowed; prabhum–my lord, spiritual master; tam–him; bhaje–I serve.

I serve my lord, who is known as Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur. Within the Gaudiya sampradaya’s lineage of Gurus, he shines like the sun in the morning sky. Through the sankirtan of Sriman Mahaprabhu he rescues the jivas engulfed within the belly of the timingila of illusionism and bestows upon them the ecstasy of swimming in the nectarean ocean of divine love for Krishna.

namo gaura-kiśorāya bhaktāvadhūta mūrtaye
gaurāṅghri padma-bhṛṅgāya rādhā-bhāva-niṣeviṇe

namah–I offer my obeisance; gaura-kisoraya–unto Srila Gaura Kisor Das Babaji Maharaj; bhakta–of the devotee; avadhuta–an itinerant mendicant transcendental to varnasram-dharma whose ecstatic, purely devotional behaviour is incomprehensible (and disregarded) by worldly persons (and neophyte devotees); murtaye–unto the divine form; gaura–of Sriman Mahaprabhu; anghri–of the feet; padma–lotus; bhrngaya–unto the honey-bee; radha–Srimati Radharani; bhava–loving attachment (rati); nisevine–unto he who serves.

I offer my obeisance unto the divine form of the devotee-avadhut Srila Gaura Kisor Das Babaji Maharaj, who is a honey-bee at Sri Gaurasundar’s lotus feet and a servant of Srimati Radharani imbued with deep loving attachment.

vande bhakti-vinodaṁ śrī-gaura-śakti-svarūpakam
bhakti-śāstrajña-samrājaṁ rādhā-rasa-sudhā-nidhim

vande–I offer my obeisance; bhakti-vinodam–Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur; sri-gaura–of Sriman Mahaprabhu; sakti–of the potency; svarupakam–the personification; bhakti–of pure devotion; sastrajna–of knowers of the scriptures; samrajam–king; radha–to Srimati Radharani; rasa–of devotion; sudha–of the nectar; nidhim–reservoir.

I offer my obeisance unto Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur, the embodiment of Sri Gaurasundar’s potency. He is the king of all knowers of the scriptures of pure devotion and an ocean of the nectar of devotion to Srimati Radharani.

gaura-vrajāśritāśeṣair vaiṣṇavair vandya-vigraham
jagannātha-prabhuṁ vande premābdhiṁ vṛddha-vaiṣṇavam

gaura–of Sri Nabadwip Dham; vraja–of Sri Vrndavan Dham; asrita–by those who have taken shelter; asesaih–by all of those; vaisnavaih–by the devotees; vandya–worshippable; vigraham–form; jagannatha–Srila Jagannath Das Babaji Maharaj; prabhum–my lord; vande–I offer my obeisance; prema–of divine love; abdhim–an ocean; vrddha–elder; vaisnavam–devotee.

I offer my obeisance unto my lord, the ocean of divine love, Srila Jagannath Das Babaji Maharaj. He is the senior-most devotee, and worshipped by all who have taken shelter in Sri Nabadwip Dham and Sri Vraja Dham.

vāñchhā-kalpa-tarubhyaś cha kṛpā-sindhubhya eva cha
patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo vaiṣṇavebhyo namo namaḥ

vanchha–of desires; kalpa-tarubhyah–unto the wish-fulfilling trees; cha–and; krpa–of mercy; sindhubhyah–unto the oceans; eva–certainly; cha–and; patitanam–of the fallen; pavanebhyah–unto the saviours; vaisnavebhyah–unto the devotees of the Supreme Lord; namah namah–I offer my obeisance perpetually.

I eternally offer my obeisance unto the Lord’s devotees, who are saviours of the fallen, oceans of mercy, and wish-fulfilling trees.

pañcha-tattvātmakaṁ kṛṣṇaṁ bhakta-rūpa-svarūpakam
bhaktāvatāraṁ bhaktākhyaṁ namāmi bhakta-śaktikam

pancha–of five; tattva–truths; atmakam–the origin; krsnam–Sri Krishna Chaitanyadev; bhakta–of a devotee; rupa–form (of a devotee intent upon tasting the ecstatic nature of Himself); svarupakam–Sri Nityananda Prabhu, the brother of Sriman Mahaprabhu; bhakta–of a devotee; avataram–descended form (Sri Advaita Prabhu); bhakta–of a devotee (Sri Srivas Thakur and all devotees of the Lord sheltered in the rasas of santa, dasya, and vatsalya); akhyam–known as; namami–I offer my obeisance; bhakta–as a devotee; saktikam–potency (Sri Gadadhar Pandit, Sri Svarup Damodar, Sri Ramananda Ray, and so forth — all the devotees sheltered in madhura-rasa).

I offer my obeisance unto the five-fold manifestation of Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu known as the Pancha-Tattva: His form as a devotee (Sri Chaitanya Himself), His expanded form as a devotee (Sri Nityananda Prabhu), His Avatar as a devotee (Sri Advaita Prabhu), His pure devotees (Srivas Thakur, and so forth), and His devotional potency (Sri Gadadhar Pandit, and so forth).

namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te
kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-chaitanya-nāmne gaura-tviṣe namaḥ

namah–I offer my obeisance; maha–supremely; vadanyaya–unto the merciful; krsna–of Krishna; prema–of divine love; pradaya–unto the bestower; te–unto You; krsnaya–unto the dearmost beloved of the gopis; krsna-chaitanya–as ‘Sri Krishna Chaitanya’; namne–unto You who are known; gaura–golden; tvise–unto You who bear an effulgence; namah–I perpetually offer my obeisance.

I perpetually offer my obeisance unto You, Sri Krishna Chaitanya, the supremely merciful, golden form of Sri Krishna, the giver of Krishna-prema.

jayatāṁ suratau paṅgor mama manda-mater gatī
mat-sarvasva-padāmbhojau rādhā-madana-mohanau

jayatam–all glories; suratau–most merciful, or extremely, lovingly, attached in amorous Pastimes; pangoh–of one who is lame; mama–my; manda-mateh–of one who has meagre intelligence which is absorbed in mundanity (of one who is insincere and eager to pursue worldly enjoyment through selfish action, heavenly enjoyment through pious action, or liberation through knowledge); gati–shelter; mat–my; sarvasva–everything; padambhojau–lotus feet; radha–Srimati Radharani; madana–of Cupid; mohanau–enchanter.

All glory to merciful Sri Sri Radha–Madan Mohan! Though I am lame and wicked, They are my sole shelter, and Their lotus feet are everything to me.

nāma-śreṣṭhaṁ manum api śachī-putram atra svarūpaṁ
rūpaṁ tasyāgrajam uru-purīṁ māthurīṁ goṣṭha-vāṭīm
rādhā-kuṇḍaṁ giri-varam aho rādhikā-mādhavāśāṁ
prāpto yasya prathita-kṛpayā śrī-guruṁ taṁ nato ’smi

nama–Name; srestham–the supreme (the Hare Krishna mahamantra); manum–the eighteen-syllable bij-mantra heard and chanted by Brahma at the beginning of creation; api–also; sachi–of Srimati Sachi Devi; putram–the son (Sriman Mahaprabhu); atra–in this connection; svarupam–Srila Svarup Damodar; rupam–Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhu; tasya–his; agrajam–his elder brother, Srila Sanatan Goswami Prabhu; uru–supreme; purim–abode; mathurim–of Mathura; gostha–pasture-land; vatim–abode (place of the Pastimes of Krishna — Vrndavan); radha–of Sri Radha; kundam–the pond; giri–of mountains; varam–the best (Giriraj Govardhan); aho–oh!; radhika-madhava–for (the service of) Sri Sri Radha-Madhava; asam–the desire, eternal aspiration; praptah–obtained; yasya–whose; prathita–celebrated, extended; krpaya–by mercy; sri-gurum–my spiritual master; tam–to him; natah–one who offers obeisance; asmi–I am.

I offer my obeisance unto Sri Gurudev, by whose infinite mercy I have received the best of all the Lord’s Names (the mahamantra), the eighteen-syllable bij-mantra, Sriman Mahaprabhu, Srila Svarup Damodar, Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhu, Srila Sanatan Goswami Prabhu, the supreme abode of Mathura, Radha Kunda, Giriraj Govardhan, and the aspiration to serve Sri Sri Radha-Madhava.

atha natvā mantra-gurūn gurūn bhāgavatārthadān
vyāsān jagat-gurūn natvā tato jayam udīrayet

atha–thus; natva–after offering obeisance; mantra-gurun–unto the spiritual masters who confer initiation; gurun–unto the spiritual masters; bhagavata–of Srimad Bhagavatam (of the scriptures of pure devotion) artha–of the meaning; dan–givers; vyasan–the authors of vedic literature); jagat–of the whole universe; gurun–unto the spiritual masters; natva–after offering obeisance; tatah–thereafter; jayam–‘all glories’; udirayet–one should say.

After offering obeisance unto one’s initiating Guru, unto the Gurus who have taught one the meaning of the scriptures of pure devotion, and unto all the authors of Vedic literature, who are the Gurus of the entire universe, one should proclaim, «Jay!»

jayaḥ sa-parikara śrī-śrī-guru-gaurāṅga-gāndharvikā-
giridhārī-pādapadmānāṁ jayastu!

All glory to the lotus feet of Sri Gurudev, Sri Gauranga, Sri Sri Gandharvika-Giridhari, and all of Their associates!

vedartu-yuga-gaurābde gaurāvirbhāva-vāsare
śrī-laghu-chandrikā-bhāṣyaṁ samāptaṁ sādhu-saṅgatam

This Gentle Moonlight Commentary was completed in the association of sadhus in the year four hundred and sixty-four of the Gaurabda era (1949), on the appearance day of Sriman Mahaprabhu.

samāpto ’yaṁ grantham

This book is concluded.