Sri Shikshashtakam — Complete Lyrics
श्री शिक्षाष्टकम्
Sanskrit text with English transliteration and translation
Verse 1
चेतोदर्पणमार्जनं भवमहादावाग्निनिर्वापणं
श्रेयःकैरवचन्द्रिकावितरणं विद्यावधूजीवनम् ।
आनन्दाम्बुधिवर्धनं प्रतिपदं पूर्णामृतास्वादनं
सर्वात्मस्नपनं परं विजयते श्रीकृष्णसङ्कीर्तनम् ॥ १॥
ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇaṁ
śreyaḥ-kairava-candrikā-vitaraṇaṁ vidyā-vadhū-jīvanam |
ānandāmbudhi-vardhanaṁ prati-padaṁ pūrṇāmṛtāsvādanaṁ
sarvātma-snapanaṁ paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam || 1||
Glory to the Sri Krishna sankirtana, which cleanses the mirror of the heart, extinguishes the great forest-fire of material existence, spreads the cooling moonbeams of the lotus of good fortune, is the life of transcendental knowledge personified, increases the ocean of bliss, lets one taste full nectar at every step, and bathes and purifies the whole self.
Verse 2
नाम्नामकारि बहुधा निजसर्वशक्तिस्
तत्रार्पिता नियमितः स्मरणे न कालः ।
एतादृशी तव कृपा भगवन्ममापि
दुर्दैवमीदृशमिहाजनि नानुरागः ॥ २॥
nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktis
tatrārpitā niyamitaḥ smaraṇe na kālaḥ |
etādṛśī tava kṛpā bhagavan mamāpi
durdaivam īdṛśam ihājani nānurāgaḥ || 2||
O Lord, in Your holy name You have invested all Your potencies, and there are no hard rules of time for remembering it. Such is Your mercy, O Lord — yet such is my misfortune that I have no taste at all for that name.
Verse 3
तृणादपि सुनीचेन तरोरपि सहिष्णुना ।
अमानिना मानदेन कीर्तनीयः सदा हरिः ॥ ३॥
tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā |
amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ || 3||
One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than a blade of grass, being more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all desire for honour, and ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly.
Verse 4
न धनं न जनं न सुन्दरीं कवितां वा जगदीश कामये ।
मम जन्मनि जन्मनीश्वरे भवताद् भक्तिरहैतुकी त्वयि ॥ ४॥
na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ kavitāṁ vā jagad-īśa kāmaye |
mama janmani janmanīśvare bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi || 4||
O Lord of the universe, I do not desire wealth, nor followers, nor a beautiful wife, nor fine poetry. Let me only have unmotivated devotion unto You, birth after birth.
Verse 5
अयि नन्दतनुज किङ्करं पतितं मां विषमे भवाम्बुधौ ।
कृपया तव पादपङ्कज-स्थितधूलीसदृशं विचिन्तय ॥ ५॥
ayi nanda-tanuja kiṅkaraṁ patitaṁ māṁ viṣame bhavāmbudhau |
kṛpayā tava pāda-paṅkaja-sthita-dhūlī-sadṛśaṁ vicintaya || 5||
O son of Nanda (Krishna), I am Your eternal servant, yet I have fallen into the terrible ocean of birth and death. Please, out of Your mercy, count me as a particle of dust at Your lotus feet.
Verse 6
नयनं गलदश्रुधारया वदनं गद्गदरुद्धया गिरा ।
पुलकैर्निचितं वपुः कदा तव नामग्रहणे भविष्यति ॥ ६॥
nayanaṁ galad-aśru-dhārayā vadanaṁ gadgada-ruddhayā girā |
pulakair nicitaṁ vapuḥ kadā tava nāma-grahaṇe bhaviṣyati || 6||
O Lord, when will my eyes be adorned with streams of flowing tears, my voice falter and choke, and the hairs of my body stand erect in ecstasy as I chant Your holy name?
Verse 7
युगायितं निमेषेण चक्षुषा प्रावृषायितम् ।
शून्यायितं जगत्सर्वं गोविन्दविरहेण मे ॥ ७॥
yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa cakṣuṣā prāvṛṣāyitam |
śūnyāyitaṁ jagat sarvaṁ govinda-viraheṇa me || 7||
O Govinda! Feeling Your separation, a single moment seems like a great age; tears flow from my eyes like torrents of rain, and the whole world seems empty to me.
Verse 8
आश्लिष्य वा पादरतां पिनष्टु माम् अदर्शनान्मर्महतां करोतु वा ।
यथा तथा वा विदधातु लम्पटो मत्प्राणनाथस्तु स एव नापरः ॥ ८॥
āśliṣya vā pāda-ratāṁ pinaṣṭu mām adarśanān marma-hatāṁ karotu vā |
yathā tathā vā vidadhātu lampaṭo mat-prāṇa-nāthas tu sa eva nāparaḥ || 8||
Let Krishna tightly embrace this maidservant fallen at His feet, or trample me, or break my heart by never being seen — He may do whatever He likes, for He is forever the only Lord of my life, none other.
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