Vijnapti: Prayer of Heartfelt Hankering
কবে হবে বল সে দিন আমার ।
(আমার) অপরাধ ঘুচি’, শুদ্ধ নামে রুচি
কৃপা-বলে হবে হৃদয়ে সঞ্চর ॥১॥
kabe ha’be bala se dina āmāra
(āmāra) aparādha ghuchi’, śuddha nāme ruchi,
kṛpā-bale ha’be hṛdaye sañchara [1]
kabe–when?; ha’be–will be; bala–please tell; se–that; dina–day; amara–mine; aparadha–offences; ghuchi’–dispelling; suddha–pure; name–for the Name; ruchi (anuraga)–taste (deep loving attachment); krpa (nama va guru krpa)–of mercy (of the mercy of the Name, or, of the mercy of Sri Guru); bale–by the power; ha’be–will be; hrdaye–in my heart; sanchara–infused. [1]
Translation:
(1) Please tell me, when will that day be mine when my offences will be dispelled and taste for the pure Name will be infused within my heart by the power of mercy?
তৃণাধিক হীন, কবে নিজে মানি
সহিষ্ণুতা-গুণ হৃদয়েতে আনি’ ।
সকলে মানদ, আপনি অমানী
হয়ে আস্বাদিব নাম-রস-সার ॥২॥
tṛṇādhika hīna, kabe nije māni,
sahiṣṇutā-guṇa hṛdayete āni’
sakale mānada, āpani amānī,
ha’ye āsvādiba nāma-rasa-sāra [2]
trna–a blade of grass; adhika–more than; hina–low; kabe–when?; nije–towards myself; mani–considering; sahisnuta–of tolerance; guna–the quality; hrdayete–in the heart; ani’–bringing; sakale–to all; manada–desire to offer honour; apani–myself; amani–without desire for honour; ha’ye–being; asvadiba–I will taste; nama–of the Name; rasa–of the ecstatic nectar; sara–the essence. [2]
Translation:
(2) When will I feel myself to be lower than a blade of grass, bring the quality of tolerance within my heart, become eager to honour everyone and devoid of desire for honour from anyone, and relish the essence of the Name’s rasa?
(2) tṛṇādhika hīna … nāma-rasa-sāra: «When will I relish the Name’s rasa?» This verse was written in accordance with the third verse of Sriman Mahaprabhu’s Siksastakam:
tṛṇād api sunīchena taror iva sahiṣṇunā
amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ
«One who is more humble than a blade of grass, is as tolerant as a tree, and gives due honour to everyone without desiring honour from anyone, is capable of always chanting the Lord’s Name (without offence).»
ধন জন আর, কবিতা-সুন্দরী
বলিব না চাহি দেহ-সুখকরী ।
জন্মে জন্মে দাও, ওহে গৌরহরি!
অহৈতুকী ভক্তি চরণে তোমার ॥৩॥
dhana jana āra, kavitā-sundarī,
baliba nā chāhi deha-sukha-karī
janme janme dāo, ohe gaurahari!
ahaitukī bhakti charaṇe tomāra [3]
dhana–wealth; jana–followers (family); ara–and; kavita–erudition; sundari–beautiful women; baliba–I will say; na–not; chahi–I desire; deha– the material body; sukha–pleasure; kari–doing; janme–in birth; janme–after birth; dao–please give; ohe–oh; gaurahari!–Sriman Mahaprabhu!; ahaituki–causeless; bhakti–devotion; charane–for the feet; tomara–Your. [3]
Translation:
(3) When will I declare that I do not desire wealth, followers, erudition, beautiful women, or any other bodily pleasure? O Gaurahari! Birth after birth, please give me unconditional devotion to Your feet.»
(3) dhana jana āra … charaṇe tomāra: «When will I declare that I do not desire wealth … Please give me unconditional devotion to Your feet.» This verse was written in accordance with the fourth verse of Sriman Mahaprabhu’s Siksastakam:
na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ
kavitāṁ vā jagad-īśa kāmaye
mama janmani janmanīśvare
bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi
«O Lord of the universe, I do not desire wealth, followers, beautiful women, or erudition (dharma, artha, kama, or moksa). Birth after birth, I desire only unconditional devotion to You.»
(কবে) করিতে শ্রীকৃষ্ণ- নাম উচ্চারণ
পুলকিত দেহ গদ্গদ বচন ।
বৈবর্ণ্য-বেপথু, হবে সংঘটন
নিরন্তর নেত্রে ব’বে অশ্রুধার ॥৪॥
(kabe) karite śrī-kṛṣṇa- nāma uchchāraṇa,
pulakita deha gadgada vachana
vaivarṇya-vepathu, ha’be saṁghaṭana,
nirantara netre va’be aśru-dhāra [4]
kabe–when?; karite–in doing; sri-krsna–of Sri Krishna; nama–the Name; uchcharana–expression aloud; pulakita–horripilation; deha–body; gadgada–choked up; vachana–utterances; vaivarnya–turning; vepathu–trembling; ha’be–will be; samghatana–occurrence; nirantara–incessantly; netre–in the eyes; va’be–will flow; asru–of tears; dhara–streams. [4]
Translation:
(4) When will my hair stand on end, my voice falter, my complexion turn pale, my body tremble, and tears pour incessantly from my eyes while I call aloud Sri Krishna’s Name?
(4) vaivarṇya-vepathu ityādi: The symptoms of turning pale, trembling, and so forth, refer to asta-sattvika-vikar, the eight primary transformations of divine ecstasy.
[Translator’s note: this verse is reminiscent of the sixth verse of Sriman Mahaprabhu’s Siksastakam:
nayanaṁ galad-aśru-dhārayā
vadanaṁ gadgada-ruddhayā girā
pulakair nichitaṁ vapuḥ kadā
tava nāma-grahaṇe bhaviṣyati
«When will tears stream from my eyes, my voice falter, and the hair of my body stand on end as I call Your Name?»]
কবে নবদ্বীপে, সুরধুনী-তটে
‘গৌর-নিত্যানন্দ’ বলি’ নিষ্কপটে ।
নাচিয়া গাইয়া, বেড়াইব ছুটে
বাতুলের প্রায় ছাড়িয়া বিচার ॥৫॥
kabe navadvīpe, suradhunī-taṭe,
‘gaura-nityānanda’ bali’ niṣkapaṭe
nāchiyā gāiyā, beḍāiba chhuṭe,
vātulera prāya chhāḍiyā vichāra [5]
kabe–when?; navadvipe–in Nabadwip; suradhuni–of the Ganges; tate–on the bank; gaura-nityananda–‘Gaura-Nityananda!’; bali’–saying; niskapate–sincerely; nachiya–dancing; gaiya–singing; bedaiba–I will wander; chhute–running about; vatulera–as a madman; praya–almost; chhadiya–abandoning; vichara–concern, prudence. [5]
Translation:
(5) When will I wander along the banks of the Ganges in Nabadwip, sincerely calling out, «Gaura-Nityananda!», while dancing, singing, and running about, having abandoned all concerns as though mad?
(5) kabe navadvīpe … chhāḍiyā vichāra: «When will I wander in Nabadwip … as though mad?» A similar expression of longing to feel separation from the Lord is cited in Sri Sri Prapanna-jivanamrtam (3.25):
kadāhaṁ yamunā-tīre nāmāni tava kīrtayan
udbāṣpaḥ puṇḍarīkākṣa rachayiṣyāmi tāṇḍavam
«O lotus-eyed Lord! When will I dance on the banks of the Yamuna chanting Your Names as tears pour from my eyes?»
কবে নিত্যানন্দ, মোরে করি’ দয়া
ছাড়াইবে মোর বিষয়ের মায়া ।
দিয়া মোরে নিজ- চরণের ছায়া
নামের হাটেতে দিবে অধিকার ॥৬॥
kabe nityānanda, more kari’ dayā,
chhāḍāibe mora viṣayera māyā
diyā more nija- charaṇera chhāyā,
nāmera hāṭete dibe adhikāra [6]
kabe–when?; nityananda–Sri Nityananda Prabhu; more–to me; kari’–doing; daya–mercy; chhadaibe–will cause to abandon; mora–my; visayera–of mundanity; maya–attachment; diya–giving; more–to me; nija–own; charanera–of His feet; chhaya–shade; namera–of the Name; hatete–in the marketplace; dibe–will give; adhikara–qualification. [6]
Translation:
(6) When will Nityananda be merciful to me and cause me to abandon my attachment to mundanity? When will He give me the shade of His feet and grant me a place in the marketplace of the Name?
(6) kabe nityānanda … viṣayera māyā: «When will Nityananda cause me to abandon my attachment to mundanity?» Srila Narottam Thakur has similarly prayed in Prarthana (1.2):
āra kabe nitāichā̐da karuṇā karibe
saṁsāra-vāsanā more kabe tuchchha ha’be
«When will Sri Nitaicha̐d bestow His mercy? When will my worldly desires become insignificant?»
কিনিব লুটিব, হরি-নাম-রস
নম-রসে মাতি’ হইব বিবশ ।
রসের রসিক- চরণ-পরশ
করিয়া মজিব রসে অনিবার ॥৭॥
kiniba luṭiba, hari-nāma-rasa,
nama-rase māti’ ha-iba vivaśa
rasera rasika- charaṇa-paraśa,
kariyā majiba rase anibāra [7]
kiniba–I will buy; lutiba–I will festively scatter; hari–of Sri Hari; nama–of the Name; rasa–the nectar; nama–of the Name; rase–with the nectar; mati’–being intoxicated; ha-iba–I will become; vivasa (atma-vismrta)–overwhelmed (self-forgetful); rasera–of nectar; rasika (nama rasa-data sri gurudeva)–of a relisher, of a topmost devotee (of Sri Gurudev, the distributer of the rasa of the Name); charana–feet; parasa–touch; kariya–doing; majiba–I will become submerged; rase–in nectar; anibara–incessantly. [7]
Translation:
(7) When will I buy and festively scatter the rasa of the Lord’s Name? When will I become intoxicated and overwhelmed with that rasa? When will I touch the feet of a relisher of that rasa and become immersed in that rasa perpetually?
কবে জীবে দয়া, হইবে উদয়
নিজ সুখ ভুলি’ সুদীন-হৃদয় ।
ভকতিবিনোদ, করিয়া বিনয়
শ্রীআজ্ঞা-টহল করিবে প্রচার ॥৮॥
kabe jīve dayā, ha-ibe udaya,
nija-sukha bhuli’ sudīna-hṛdaya
bhakati-vinoda, kariyā vinaya,
śrī-ājñā-ṭahala karibe prachāra [8]
kabe–when?; jive–for souls; daya–mercy; ha-ibe–will be; udaya–an arising; nija–own; sukha–happiness; bhuli’–forgetting; sudina–most humble; hrdaya–heart; bhakati-vinoda–Bhakti Vinod; kariya–doing; vinaya–humility; sri-ajna–divine order; tahala–patrol; karibe–will do; prachara–preaching. [8]
Translation:
(8) When will compassion for all souls arise within me? When will Bhakti Vinod forget his own happiness and travel about respectfully preaching the divine order with a most humble heart?
(8) jīve dayā: «Compassion for all souls.» Jive daya means to make souls who are averse to Krishna become conscious of Him.
śrī ājñā-ṭahal: «The divine order.» This refers to following Sriman Mahaprabhu’s order to travel about continuously engaged in Nam-kirtan. Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur has described Sriman Mahaprabhu’s order as follows:
prabhura ājñāya bhāi, māgi ei bhikṣā
bala kṛṣṇa, bhaja kṛṣṇa, kara kṛṣṇa-śikṣā
«O brothers, on the order of Sriman Mahaprabhu, I beg from you this favour: chant ‘Krishna’, serve Krishna, and learn about Krishna.
aparādha-śūnya ha’ye laha kṛṣṇa-nāma
kṛṣṇa mātā kṛṣṇa pitā kṛṣṇa dhana prāṇa
«Be free from offences and chant Krishna’s Name. Krishna is your mother. Krishna is your father. Krishna is your wealth and life.
kṛṣṇera saṁsāra kara chhāḍi’ anāchāra
jīve dayā kṛṣṇa-nāma sarva-dharma-sāra
«Abandon sinful behaviour and dedicate your family life to Krishna. Being merciful to all souls by practicing Krishna-nam-sankirtan is the essence of all religion.»