Kirtan Guide
Śrī Śikṣāṣṭakam
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The eighth verse of the Śrī Śikṣāṣṭakam is as follows:
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- āśliṣya vā pāda-ratāṁ pinaṣṭu mām
- adarśanān marma-hatāṁ karotu vā
- yathā tathā vā vidadhātu lampaṭo
- mat-prāṇa-nāthas tu sa eva nāparaḥ
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“Krishna may embrace me in love or trample me under His feet. He may break my heart by hiding Himself from me. Let that debauchee do whatever He likes, but He will always be the only Lord of my life.”
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1
- bondhu-goṇ! śunoho vachana mora
- bhāvete bibhora, thākiye jokhon,
- dekhā deya chitta-chora
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Oh my friends! Listen to my words. I am filled to overflowing with devotional ecstasy when I have a divine vision of that thief who has stolen my heart.
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2
- bichakṣaṇa kori’ dekhite chāhile,
- hoya ā̐khi-agochara
- punaḥ nāhi dekhi’, kā̐daye parāṇa,
- duḥkhera nā thāke ora
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And when I want to see Him more clearly, He disappears from sight and becomes invisible. Again, not seeing Him, my soul weeps and my grief knows no bounds.
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3
- jagatera bandhu sei kobhu more loya sātha
- yathā tathā rākhu more āmāra se prāṇanātha
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Sometimes Krishna, the friend of the universe, takes me as one of His own, and sometimes He ignores me, but however He keeps me, He is the only Lord of my life.
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4
- darśan-ānanda-dāne, sukha dey mora prāṇe,
- bole more praṇoya-vachan
- punaḥ adarśan diyā, dagdha kore mora hiyā,
- prāṇe more māre prāṇa-dhan
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When He gives His blissful audience to me, He gives happiness to my soul. He gives me great ecstasy by allowing me to see Him and by speaking affectionately to me. Again He goes away, removing Himself from my sight. And by not letting me see Him, He burns my heart with the fire of separation.
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5
- jāhe tā’ra sukha hoy, sei sukha mama
- nija sukhe-duḥkhe mora sarvadāi sama
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But even though He pains my soul in this way, He is still the Lord of my life. Whatever is His happiness is also my happiness. And so, for me, my own happiness and distress is all the same.
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6
- bhakativinoda, saṁjoge bijoge,
- tāhe jāne prāṇeśvara
- tā’ra sukhe sukhī, sei prāṇa-nātha,
- se kobhu nā hoya paro
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In this way, Bhakti Vinod, in both union and separation, knows that Krishna is the only Lord of his soul. Krishna’s happiness is my happiness. He is the Lord of my life; there is no other Lord for me than Him.