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श्री शिक्षाष्टकम् Meaning — Line by Line

श्री शिक्षाष्टकम्

Every verse and every word explained in English & Hindi

Meaning — Line by Line

Every verse of श्री शिक्षाष्टकम् with its Hindi meaning. Tap any word to hear it, or ▶ to recite the verse.

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  1. Verse 1. ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇaṁ
  2. Verse 2. nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktis
  3. Verse 3. tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā |
  4. Verse 4. na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ kavitāṁ vā jagad-īśa kāmaye |
  5. Verse 5. ayi nanda-tanuja kiṅkaraṁ patitaṁ māṁ viṣame bhavāmbudhau |
  6. Verse 6. nayanaṁ galad-aśru-dhārayā vadanaṁ gadgada-ruddhayā girā |
  7. Verse 7. yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa cakṣuṣā prāvṛṣāyitam |
  8. Verse 8. āśliṣya vā pāda-ratāṁ pinaṣṭu mām adarśanān marma-hatāṁ karotu vā |
Verse 1#

ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇaṁ

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||

Meaningश्रीकृष्ण-सङ्कीर्तन की जय हो, जो चित्तरूपी दर्पण को स्वच्छ करता है, संसाररूपी महादावानल को बुझाता है, कल्याणरूपी कुमुदिनी पर चन्द्रिका बरसाता है, विद्यारूपी वधू का जीवन है, आनन्द के समुद्र को बढ़ाता है, पद-पद पर पूर्ण अमृत का आस्वादन कराता है और सम्पूर्ण आत्मा को स्नात (पवित्र) कर देता है।

Verse 2#

nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktis

नाम्नामकारि बहुधा निजसर्वशक्तिस् तत्रार्पिता नियमितः स्मरणे 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||

Meaningहे भगवन्! आपके नामों में आपने अपनी समस्त शक्तियाँ निहित कर दी हैं, और उनके स्मरण के लिए कोई काल-नियम नहीं है। ऐसी आपकी कृपा है — फिर भी मेरा ऐसा दुर्भाग्य है कि उस नाम में मेरा तनिक भी अनुराग नहीं है।

Verse 3#

tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā |

तृणादपि सुनीचेन तरोरपि सहिष्णुना अमानिना मानदेन कीर्तनीयः सदा हरिः ३॥

tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā | amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ || 3||

Meaningतृण से भी अधिक नीच (विनम्र) होकर, वृक्ष से भी अधिक सहनशील होकर, स्वयं मान की इच्छा न रखते हुए और दूसरों को मान देते हुए — सदा भगवान् हरि का कीर्तन करना चाहिए।

Verse 4#

na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ kavitāṁ vā jagad-īśa kāmaye |

धनं जनं 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||

Meaningहे जगदीश! मैं न धन चाहता हूँ, न जन (अनुयायी), न सुन्दरी, न काव्य की कामना करता हूँ। बस जन्म-जन्म में आपमें मेरी अहैतुकी (निष्काम) भक्ति बनी रहे।

Verse 5#

ayi nanda-tanuja kiṅkaraṁ patitaṁ māṁ viṣame bhavāmbudhau |

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||

Meaningहे नन्दनन्दन! मैं आपका (नित्य) किङ्कर हूँ, किन्तु इस भयंकर भवसागर में गिर पड़ा हूँ। कृपया मुझे अपने चरणकमलों की धूलि-कण के समान (अपना) मान लीजिए।

Verse 6#

nayanaṁ galad-aśru-dhārayā vadanaṁ gadgada-ruddhayā girā |

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||

Meaningहे प्रभो! कब मेरे नेत्र अश्रुधारा से युक्त होंगे, वाणी गद्गद होकर रुक जाएगी, और आपका नाम लेते समय मेरा शरीर रोमांच से पुलकित हो उठेगा?

Verse 7#

yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa cakṣuṣā prāvṛṣāyitam |

युगायितं निमेषेण चक्षुषा प्रावृषायितम् शून्यायितं जगत्सर्वं गोविन्दविरहेण मे ७॥

yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa cakṣuṣā prāvṛṣāyitam | śūnyāyitaṁ jagat sarvaṁ govinda-viraheṇa me || 7||

Meaningहे गोविन्द! आपके विरह में एक क्षण एक युग के समान बीतता है, नेत्रों से वर्षा-धारा-सी अश्रु बहते हैं, और सारा जगत् मुझे शून्य प्रतीत होता है।

Verse 8#

āśliṣya vā pāda-ratāṁ pinaṣṭu mām adarśanān marma-hatāṁ karotu vā |

आश्लिष्य वा पादरतां पिनष्टु माम् अदर्शनान्मर्महतां करोतु वा यथा तथा वा विदधातु लम्पटो मत्प्राणनाथस्तु 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||

Meaningचाहे कृष्ण अपने चरणों में अनुरक्त इस दासी को आलिंगन करें, या अदर्शन देकर मेरा मर्म आहत करें, या जैसा चाहें वैसा करें — वे ही (लम्पट होकर भी) मेरे प्राणनाथ हैं, अन्य कोई नहीं।

Word-by-Word Breakdown

चेतोदर्पणमार्जनं
ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ
cleansing of the mirror of the heart/consciousness
भवमहादावाग्निनिर्वापणं
bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇaṁ
extinguishing the great forest-fire of material existence
श्रीकृष्णसङ्कीर्तनम्
śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam
the congregational chanting of Sri Krishna's holy names
विजयते
vijayate
all glories to / supremely triumphant is
नाम्नाम्
nāmnām
of the (holy) names
निजसर्वशक्तिः
nija-sarva-śaktiḥ
all of His own potencies
स्मरणे न कालः
smaraṇe na kālaḥ
no (fixed) time/rule for remembering them
न अनुरागः
na anurāgaḥ
I have no attachment/taste (for the name) — the speaker's lament
तृणादपि सुनीचेन
tṛṇād api sunīcena
being humbler than a blade of grass
तरोरपि सहिष्णुना
taror api sahiṣṇunā
being more tolerant than a tree
अमानिना मानदेन
amāninā mānadena
without desire for honour, offering all respect to others
कीर्तनीयः सदा हरिः
kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ
one should always chant the holy name of Hari
न धनं न जनं
na dhanaṁ na janaṁ
neither wealth nor followers
भक्तिरहैतुकी त्वयि
bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi
unmotivated (causeless) devotion unto You
अयि नन्दतनुज
ayi nanda-tanuja
O son of Nanda (Krishna)
पादपङ्कजस्थितधूलीसदृशं
pāda-paṅkaja-sthita-dhūlī-sadṛśaṁ
like a particle of dust at Your lotus feet
गलदश्रुधारया
galad-aśru-dhārayā
with streams of tears flowing (from the eyes)
नामग्रहणे
nāma-grahaṇe
while taking/chanting Your name
युगायितं निमेषेण
yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa
a single moment becomes like an entire age
गोविन्दविरहेण मे
govinda-viraheṇa me
in my separation from Govinda
मत्प्राणनाथः
mat-prāṇa-nāthaḥ
the Lord of my life
स एव नापरः
sa eva nāparaḥ
He alone and none other

Origin & History

Source: Chaitanya Charitamrita (Antya-lila 20), by Krishnadasa Kaviraja Goswami

Author: Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu

Period: 16th century CE

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, revered by Gaudiya Vaishnavas as the combined form of Radha and Krishna, left almost nothing in writing — except these eight verses, the Shikshashtakam. Composed in Sanskrit and treasured in Krishnadasa Kaviraja's Chaitanya Charitamrita, they move from the triumphant glorification of the holy name, through the humble mood required to chant it and the prayer for causeless devotion, to the soaring anguish of separation from Govinda. Together they form Sri Chaitanya's complete and final teaching on the path of harinama-sankirtana and the attainment of pure love of God.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Shikshashtakam?
The Shikshashtakam is a set of eight Sanskrit verses (shiksha = instruction, ashtakam = eight) composed by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. They are the only verses He personally wrote, and they distil His teaching on chanting the holy name and developing pure love for Krishna.
Who composed the Shikshashtakam and where is it found?
It was composed by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486–1534), the founder of the Gaudiya Vaishnava movement. The eight verses are preserved by Krishnadasa Kaviraja Goswami in the Chaitanya Charitamrita (Antya-lila, chapter 20), along with their explanation.
What does the third verse (trinad api sunichena) teach?
It gives the famous instruction that one should chant the holy name in a humble state of mind — thinking oneself lower than a blade of grass, more tolerant than a tree, free of the desire for honour and ready to honour others. In that mood one can chant Hari's name constantly.
How is the Shikshashtakam related to the Hare Krishna mantra?
The Shikshashtakam glorifies and explains the practice of chanting Krishna's holy names, of which the Hare Krishna maha-mantra is the foremost. Devotees often recite the Shikshashtakam as Sri Chaitanya's direct guidance on the right attitude and goal of chanting the maha-mantra.

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