Śrī Gaura Avatār is the best of all Avatārs. Why don’t you serve Him? O mind, you resided beside water, but did not quench your thirst.
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Srila Gurudev singing Avatara sara on Gaura Purnima day, 28 February 1991. avatāra sāra gorā avatāra kena nā bhajili tā̐re kari’ nīre vāsa gela nā piyāsa āpana karama phere [1]
Śrī Gaura Avatār is the best of all Avatārs. Why don’t you serve Him? O mind, you resided beside water, but did not quench your thirst. You returned to your selfishness. kaṇṭakera taru sadāi sevili (mana) amṛta pā’bāra āśe prema-kalpataru śrī gaurāṅga āmāra tāhāre bhavili viṣe [2]
O mind, desiring to drink nectar, you constantly chewed thorned wood (and mistook the blood in your mouth for nectar). My Lord Gaurāṅga is a wish-fulfilling tree of divine love, but you considered Him to be poison. saurabhera āśe palāśa śuṅkili (mana) nāsāte paśila kīṭa ‘ikṣu-daṇḍa’ bhāvi’ kāṭha chuṣili (mana) kemane pāibi miṭha [3]
O mind, seeking a fragrance, you smelled the odourless palāśa flower, and insects entered your nose. O mind, considering it sugarcane, you sucked dry wood. How will you taste sweetness in this way? ‘hāra’ baliyā galāya parili (mana) śamana kiṅkara sāpa ‘śītala’ baliyā āguna pohāli (mana) pāili vajara-tāpa [4]
O mind, considering it a necklace, you wore death’s attendant serpent around your neck. O mind, considering it to be cooling, you embraced fire and received a scorching burn. saṁsāra bhajili śrī-gaurāṅga bhulili nā śunili sādhura kathā iha-parakāla dukāla khoyāli (mana) khāili āpana māthā [5]
You served your family (mundane ends), forgot Śrī Gaurāṅga, and never listened to the sādhus’ words. O mind, you wasted both this life and your next life. You depraved yourself.
(Śrīla Lochan Dās Ṭhākur)
O my brother! O my brother! No one has told you the glories of Lord Gaura. How great is Lord Brahmā? How great is Lord Śeṣa? They cannot eclipse the greatness of Lord Gaura.
Srila Gurudev singing Kali ghora timire on Gaura Purnima day, 28 February 1991. Download mp3 audio here. kali-ghora timire garasala jagajana dharama karama bahu-dūra asādhane chintāmaṇi vidhi milāola āni gorā boḍo doyāla ṭhākura [1]
The people of this world have now been devoured by the dense darkness of this age of Kali and all good activities have gone far away. Thus they are apathetic to the transcendental gems offered by the greatly merciful Lord Gaura. bhāi re bhāi! gorā guṇa kohone nā jāya koto śata-ānana koto chatur-ānana boroṇiyā ora nāhi pāya [2]
“O my brother! O my brother! No one has told you the glories of Lord Gaura. How great is Lord Brahmā? How great is Lord Śeṣa? They cannot eclipse the greatness of Lord Gaura. chāri veda ṣaḍ-dara-śana kori adhyayana se jadi gaurāṅga nāhi bhaje vṛthā tāra adhyayana lochana vihīna jana darpaṇe andhe kibā kāje [3]
“What use are the four Vedas and the six systems of philosophy if one does not worship Lord Gaurāṅga? Why study them? What use is a mirror to a blind man? veda vidyā dui kichui nā jānata se jadi gaurāṅga jāne sāra nayanānanda bhone sei to sakali jāne sarva-siddhi karatale tāra [4]
“If one knows the two kinds of Vedic knowledge, he still does not know anything. But if one knows Lord Gaurāṅga, he knows the most precious knowledge. Nayanānanda says: Such a person knows everything. All perfections stay in the palm of his hand.” (Srila Nayanananda Das)
“The anger-less, prideless, supremely joyful Nityānanda Rāy wanders throughout the towns. Going from door to door to the homes of the lowly and fallen souls, He distributes the Hare Krishna mahāmantra.”
Srila Gurudev singing Akrodha paramananda, in the year 1989. Download mp3 audio akrodha paramānanda nityānanda rāya abhimāna-śūnya nitāi nagare beḍāya [1]
The anger-less, prideless, supremely joyful Nityānanda Rāy wanders throughout the towns. adhama patita jīver dvāre dvāre giyā hari-nāma mahāmantra dena bilāiyā [2]
Going from door to door to the homes of the lowly and fallen souls, He distributes the Hare Krishna mahāmantra. yāre dekhe tāre kahe dante tṛṇa dhari’ āmāre kiniyā laha bhaja gaurahari [3]
With straw between His teeth, He says to whoever He sees, “Purchase Me: simply serve Gaurahari.” eta bali’ nityānanda bhūme gaḍi yāya sonāra parvata yena dhūlāte loṭāya [4]
Saying this, Nityānanda rolls on the ground like a golden mountain rolling in the dust. hena avatāre yāra rati nā janmila lochan bale sei pāpī ela āra gela [5]
Lochan Dās says of one who has not developed attachment to this Avatār, “Such a sinner simply came and went.” ekabar bhaja bhaja bhai
Oh brothers, just once serve. prema-data gaura-nitai bhaja bhaja bhai
Oh brothers, serve Gaura-Nitai, the givers of prema. saparsada gaura-nitai bhaja bhaja bhai
Oh brothers, serve Gaura-Nitai and Their associates. nitai gaura haribol, haribol, haribol, haribol
Chant Nitai, Gaura, Hari.
Srila Gurudev singing Hari Hari viphale janama gonainu, in Caracas, Venezuela, 1993. Download mp3 audio. hari hari!
viphale janama goṅāinu
manuṣya-janama pāiyā rādhā-kṛṣṇa nā bhajiyā
jāniyā śuniyā viṣa khāinu [1]
O Lord! My life has passed uselessly. I attained a human birth, but I did not serve Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. Knowingly I drank poison. (jene śune viṣa khelam)
(rādhā-kṛṣṇa nā bhajiyā, jene śune viṣa khelam) golokera prema-dhana hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana rati nā janmila kena tāya saṁsāra-viṣānale divā-niśi hiyā jvale juḍāite nā kainu upāya [2]
Why didn’t I develop attachment to Hari-nām-saṅkīrtan, the wealth of Goloka’s divine love? My heart burns day and night in the poisonous fire of saṁsāra, yet I have not sought any way to relieve it. vrajendra-nandana yei śachī-suta haila sei balarāma ha-ila nitāi dīna-hīna yata chhila hari-nāme uddhārila tāra śākṣī jagāi mādhāi [3]
Vrajendra Nandan became Śachī Suta and Balarām became Nitāi. They delivered all the fallen souls with the Holy Name. Jagāi and Mādhāi are evidence of this. hā hā prabhu nanda-suta vṛṣabhānu-sutā-yuta karuṇā karaha ei-bāra narottama-dāsa kaya nā ṭheliha rāṅgā pāya tomā vine ke āchhe āmāra [4]
O Rādhā! O Lord Kṛṣṇa! Be merciful to me this time. Narottam Dās says, “Please don’t push me away from Your reddish feet. Without You, who do I have?”
(Śrīla Narottam Dās Ṭhākur) (ei bār āmāy dayā kara)
Give Your mercy to me this time. (ha ha prabhu nanda-suta, ei bār āmāy dayā kara)
Oh Lord, son of Nanda Mahārāj, give Your mercy to me this time. (vṛṣabhānu-sutā-yuta, ei bār āmāy dayā kara)
Oh Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, give me Your mercy this time. (śrī charaṇe śaraṇ diyā ei bār āmāy dayā kara)
Give me the shelter of Your feet; give me Your mercy this time.
(śrī charaṇe sevā diyā ei bār āmāy dayā kara)
Give me the service of Your feet; give me Your mercy this time. (śrī charaṇe sevā diyā ei bār āmāy dayā kara)
Give me the service of Your feet; give me Your mercy this time. (patita pāvan gaurahari ei bār āmāy dayā kara)
Saviour of the fallen Gaurahari, give Your mercy to me this time.
(hari he, hari he, hari he, hari he)
Oh Lord! (gaurahari he, hari he, hari he, hari he)
Oh Gaurahari! Oh Lord!
Srila Gurudev singing Ki jani ki bale in the year 1989. Download mp3 audio. ki jāni ki bale tomāra dhāmete ha-inu śaraṇāgata tumi dayāmaya patita-pāvana patita-tāraṇe rata [1]
I do not know by what force I have taken shelter within Your abode. Surely it is by Your mercy alone, for You are ever seeking the purification and deliverance of the fallen souls. bharasā āmāra ei mātra nātha! tumi ta’ karuṇā-maya tava dayā pātra nāhi mora sama avaśya ghuchāre bhaya [2]
O Lord! You are merciful. This is my sole hope. There is no one who needs Your mercy more than I. Certainly You will dispel all my fear. āmāre tārite kāhāra śakati avanī-bhitare nāhi dayāla ṭhākura! ghoṣaṇā tomāra adhama pāmare trāhi [3]
There is no one on earth who has the power to deliver me. O merciful Lord! It is Your declaration that You deliver the lowest, most sinful persons. sakala chhāḍiyā āsiyāchhi āmi tomāra charaṇe nātha! āmi nitya-dāsa tumi pālayitā tumi goptā, jagannātha! [4]
Abandoning everything, I have come to Your feet, O Lord! I am Your eternal servant, and You are my maintainer and protector, O Lord of the universe! tomāra sakala āmi mātra dāsa āmāra tāribe tumi tomāra charaṇa karinu varaṇa āmāra nahi ta’ āmi [5]
Everything is Yours. I am only a servant. Certainly You will deliver me. I have embraced Your feet and no longer belong to myself. bhakati-vinoda kādiya śaraṇa la’yechhe tomāra pāya kṣami’ aparādha nāme ruchi diyā pālana karahe tāya [6]
Weeping, Bhakti Vinod takes shelter at Your feet. Forgiving his offences and giving him a taste for the Name, kindly maintain him.
(Śrīla Bhakti Vinod Ṭhākur)
Srila Gurudev singing Emana durmati, in the year 1989. Download mp3 audio. (prabhu he!) emana durmati saṁsāra bhitare paḍiyā āchhinu āmi tava nija-jana kona mahājane pāṭhāiyā dile tumi [1]
O Lord! I am very wicked-minded and have fallen into this material world, but You have sent a great soul, Your associate (to rescue me). dayā kari more patita dekhiyā kahila āmāre giyā ohe dīna-jana śuna bhāla kathā ullasita ha’be hiyā [2]
Seeing me so fallen and being merciful, he came to me and said, “O humble soul, listen to this wonderful message and your heart will rejoice. tomāre tārite śrī-kṛṣṇa-chaitanya navadvīpe avatāra tomā hena kata dīna-hīna jane karilena bhava-pāra [3]
“Śrī Kṛṣṇa Chaitanya has appeared in Nabadwīp to deliver you. He has brought many humble souls just like you to the shore of the ocean of material existence. vedera pratijñā rākhibāra tare rukma-varṇa vipra-suta mahāprabhu nāme nadīyā mātāya saṅge bhāi avadhūta [4]
“To fulfil the prophecies of the Vedas, He has appeared with a golden complexion as a brāhmaṇ’s son bearing the name ‘Mahāprabhu’ and driven all of Nadia mad with divine love in the company of His brother Nityānanda. nanda suta yini chaitanya gosāñī nija-nāma kari’ dāna tārila jagat tumi-o yāiyā laha nija paritrāṇa [5]
“Śrī Chaitanya, who is Kṛṣṇa Himself, has distributed His own Name and delivered the world. Go also and accept your deliverance.” se kathā śuniyā āsiyāchhi, nātha! tomāra charaṇa-tale bhakati-vinoda kādiyā kādiyā āpana-kāhinī bale [6]
O Lord, hearing this message, Bhakti Vinod has come to the soles of Your feet. Crying, he tells his story.
(Śrīla Bhakti Vinod Ṭhākur) (prabhu) ei bār āmāy dayā kara
O Lord, give Your mercy to me this time. patita pāvan nitāi-gaura ei bār āmāy dayā kara
O Saviours of the fallen Śrī Nitāi and Śrī Gaura, give Your mercy to me this time. (tomār) śrī charaṇe śaraṇ nilām ei bār āmāy dayā kara
I have taken shelter at Your feet; give me your mercy this time. tava dāser anudās kari’ ei bār āmāy dayā kara
Make me the servant of Your servant; give me Your mercy this time. sapārṣada gaurahari ei bār āmāy dayā kara
O Gaurahari with Your associates, give Your mercy to me this time. sapārṣada gaurahari ei bār āmāy dayā kara
O Gaurahari with Your associates, give your mercy to me this time. hari he hari he hari he hari he
O Lord! nitāi gaura hari he hari he hari he
O Nitāi, Gaura, Hari!
Srila Gurudev singing Gay Gora madhur svare, in the year 1989. Download mp3 audio.
[gāya gorā madhur svare
Gaurasundar sings in a sweet voice:] “hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare” [1] gṛhe thāka, vane thāka sadā ‘hari’ bale’ ḍāka sukhe duḥkhe bhulo nāka vadane hari-nām kara re [2]
Stay at home, or stay in a forest, regardless, always call out ‘Hari!’ In happiness and in sadness, don’t forget: chant the Lord’s Name aloud. māyā-jāle baddha ha’ye āchha michhe kāja la’ye ekhan-o chetana peye rādhā-mādhav-nām bala re [3]
Bound in Māyā’s net, you work in vain. Now, while you are still conscious, chant ‘Rādhā-Mādhava’. jīvana ha-ila śeṣa nā bhajile hṛṣīkeśa bhaktivinod-upadeśa ek-bār nām-rase māta re [4]
Your life is ending, but you have not served Hṛṣīkeś. Bhakti Vinod advises: once relish His Name’s nectar. (Śrīla Bhakti Vinod Ṭhākur)
Srila Gurudev singing Nitai-pada-kamala, in the year 1990. Download mp3 audio nitāi-pada-kamala koṭī-chandra-suśītala ye chhāyāya jagata juḍāya hena nitāi vine bhāi rādhā-kṛṣṇa pāite nāi dṛḍha kari’ dhara nitāira pāya [1]
Cooling like ten million moons, Nitāi’s lotus feet soothe the world with their shade. O brother! Without Nitāi, you cannot reach Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. Firmly grasp Nitāi’s feet. se sambandha nāhi yāra vṛthā janma gela tāra sei paśu baḍa durāchāra nitāi nā balila mukhe majila saṁsāra-sukhe vidyā-kule ki karibe tāra [2]
The life of one who had no connection with Nitāi passed in vain. Such an animal is very wicked. What will learning (aristocratic birth) do for one who was immersed in worldly pleasures and never called aloud, ‘Nitāi’? ahaṅkāre matta haiñā nitāi-pada pāsariyā asatyere satya kari’ māni nitāiyer karuṇā habe vraje rādhā-kṛṣṇa pābe dhara nitāiyer charaṇ du’khāni [3]
Maddened with pride, forgetting Nitāi’s feet, I accept untruth as truth. When Nitāi bestows His mercy you will reach Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa in Vraja. Grasp Nitāi’s feet! nitāiyer charaṇa satya tāhāra sevaka nitya nitāi-pada sadā kara āśa narottama baḍa duḥkhī nitāi more kara sukhī rākha rāṅgā-charaṇera pāśa [4]
Nitāi’s feet are truth, and His servants are eternal. Always aspire for Nitāi’s feet. Narottam is very sad: “O Nitāi! Make me happy. Keep me beside your reddish feet.”
(Śrīla Narottam Dās Ṭhākur)
Srila Gurudev singing Bhuliya Tomare, December 1989. Download mp3 audio file bhuliyā tomāre, saṁsāre āsiyā, peye nānā-vidha vyathā tomāra charaṇe, āsiyāchhi āmi, baliba duḥkhera kathā bhuliyā–forgetting; tomāre–about You; saṁsāre–in the material world; āsiyā– coming; peye–experiencing; nānā–various; vidha–forms; vyathā–of suffering; tomāra–Your; charaṇe–at the feet; āsiyāchhi–have come; āmi–I; baliba–will say; duḥkhera–of distress; kathā–tale. [1] Forgetting You and coming to the material world, I have undergone all sorts of suffering. Now I have come before Your feet and will express my tale of distress. jananī-jaṭhare, chhilāma yakhana, viṣama bandhana-pāśe eka-bāra prabhu! dekhā diyā more, vañchile e dīna dāse jananī–of my mother; jaṭhare–in the womb; chhilāma–I was; yakhana– when; viṣama–terrible; bandhana–binding; pāśe–with the ropes; eka–one; bāra–time; prabhu!–O Lord!; dekha–sight; diyā–giving; more–to me; vañchile–deprived; e–this; dīna–poor; dāse–to this servant. [2] While I was bound in the terrible confines of my mother’s womb, You once revealed Yourself to me, O Lord! Yet since then You have deprived this poor servant. takhana bhāvinu, janama pāiyā, kariba bhajana tava janama ha-ila, paḍi’ māyā-jāle, nā ha-ila jñāna-lava takhana–then; bhāvinu–I thought; janama–birth; pāiyā–obtaining; kariba–I will do; bhajana–service; tava–Your; janama–birth; ha-ila–happened; paḍi’– falling; māyā (māyāra)–of Māyā; jāle (phā̐de)–into the net (trap); nā–not; ha-ila–became; jñāna (jñānera)–of knowledge; lava (leśa)–a fraction (trace). [3] At that moment I thought I would engage in Your service after taking birth. Yet when I was born, I fell into māyā’s trap, and not a trace of such consciousness remained. ādarera chhele, svajanera kole, hāsiyā kāṭānu kāla janaka-jananī- snehete bhuliyā, saṁsāra lāgila bhāla ādarera–of adoring parents; chhele–a son; svajanera–of relatives; kole–in the lap; hāsiyā–smiling, laughing; kāṭānu–I passed; kāla–time; janaka–of my father; jananī–of my mother; snehete–due to the affection; bhuliyā–forgetting; saṁsāra–family life, the material world; lāgila–felt; bhāla–good. [4] As a son of adoring parents, I spent my time in their laps, smiling and laughing. Because of my mother and father’s affection, I forgot You and took pleasure in family life (material existence) krame dina dina, bālaka ha-iyā, khelinu bālaka saha āra kichhu-dine, jñāna upajila, pāṭha paḍi ahar-ahaḥ krame–gradually; dina–day; dina–day; bālaka–a boy; ha-iyā–becoming; khelinu–I played; bālaka–boys; saha–with; āra–more; kichhu–some; dine– after days; jñāna–faculty of knowledge; upajila (udita ha-ila)–arose; pāṭha– lessons; paḍi–I study; ahar-ahaḥ (dina dina, sarva-kṣaṇa)–day after day (all the time).
[5] Day by day I grew into a young boy and played with other young boys. Later on my intellect developed, and I studied my lessons day in and day out. vidyāra gaurave, bhrami’ deśe deśe, dhana upārjana kari’ svajana-pālana, kari eka-mane, bhulinu tomāre hari! vidyāra–of learning; gaurave–on the strength; bhrami’–travelling; deśe–in country; deśe–in (another) country; dhana–wealth; upārjana–earning; kari’–doing; svajana–relatives; pālana–maintenance; kari–I do; eka–single; mane–with a mind; bhulinu–I forgot; tomāre–about You; hari!–O Lord! [6] Then on the strength of my learning, I travelled from place to place, earned money, and maintained my family with undivided attention. I forgot You, O Lord! vārddhakye ekhana, bhakati-vinoda, kā̐diyā kātara ati nā bhajiyā tore, dina vṛthā gela, ekhana ki ha’be gati? vārddhakye–in old age; ekhana–now; bhakati-vinoda–Bhakti Vinod; kā̐diyā–crying; kātara–distressed; ati–very; nā–not; bhajiyā–serving; tore–to You; dina–days; vṛthā–vain; gela–passed; ekhana–now; ki–what?; habe–will be; gati–destination.
[7] Now aged, Bhakti Vinod cries in great distress, “Not serving You, I have passed my days in vain. What will be my fate now?” (prabhu ei bār āmāy dayā kara)
Lord, give Your mercy to me this time. (patita pāvan gaurahari ei bār āmāy dayā kara)
Saviour of the fallen Gaurahari, give Your mercy to me this time. (tomāra śrī charaṇe śaraṇ diyā ei bār āmāy dayā kara) Give me the shelter of Your feet; give me Your mercy this time. (tomāra śrī charaṇe sevā diyā ei bār āmāy dayā kara)
Give me the service of Your feet; give me Your mercy this time. (sapārṣada gaurahari ei bār āmāy dayā kara)
Gaurahari with Your associates, give Your mercy to me this time. (hari he, hari he, hari he!)
Oh Lord! (nitāi gauraharibol, haribol, haribol, haribol!)
Chant “Nitai Gaurahari”! Chant “Hari”! The main text of the song here is taken fromSharanagati, by Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur.
