SRI-NITYANANDASHTAKA

Eight Prayers Glorifying Lord Nityananda

by Srila Vrindavana dasa Thakura

Translated by Kusakratha dasa

TEXT 1

sarac-candra-bhrantim sphurad-amala-kantim gaja-gatim

hari-premonmattam dhrita-parama-sattvam smita-mukham
sadaghurnan-netram kara-kalita-vetram kali-bhidam
bhaje nityanandam bhajana-taru-kandam niravadhi

saratautumn; candrathe moon; bhrantimappearance; sphurat

shining; amalapure; kantimsplendid beauty; gaja-gatimgraceful gait of
an elephant; harifor Lord Hari; premaby pure love; unmattam
maddened; dhritacarries (i.e., is); paramaSupreme; sattvamTruth;
smitasmiling; mukhamface; sadaalways; ghurnatrolling; netram
eyes; karain His hand; kalitaplaced; vetramcowherd-boys stick; kali
Kali-yuga; bhidamdispersing; bhajeI worship; nityanandamLord
Nityananda; bhajanaof devotional service; taruof the tree; kandamthe
root; niravadhilimitless.

I worship Lord Nityananda, the limitless root of the tree of devotional

service. As He walks with the grace of a majestic elephant, His pure,
splendid beauty shines like the full autumn moon. Though He Himself is the
Absolute Truth, He is maddened with pure love for Lord Hari. He smiles as
He rolls His eyes in apparent intoxication, He carries a stick in His hand [in
the mood of a cowherd boy], and He breaks the power of the Age of Kali.
TEXT 2

rasanam agaram svajana-gana-sarvasvam atulam

tadiyaika-prana-pramita-vasudha-jahnava-patim
sada-premonmadam param aviditam manda-manasam
bhaje nityanandam bhajana-taru-kandam niravadhi

rasanamof the mellows of devotional service; agaramabode; svajanaof

His devotees; ganaof the multitude; sarvasvamthe be-all and end-all;
atulamwithout compare; tadiyaHis own; ekaonly; pranalife breath;
pramitameasured; vasudhaVasudha; jahnavaJahnava; patimLord;
 sadaalways; premaby pure love of Godhead;; unmadammaddened;
paramthe the Supreme Lord; aviditamnot known; manda-manasamby
the dim-witted.

I worship Lord Nityananda, the limitless root of the tree of devotional

service. He is the abode of the mellows of devotional service, and no one
can be compared to Him. He is the be-all and end-all for His devotees, and
the husband of Vasudha and Jahnava, to whom He is more dear than life
itself. Because He is always maddened with pure love for Krishna, the foolish
nondevotees cannot understand that He is the Supreme Personality of
Godhead Himself.
TEXT 3

saci-sunu-preshtham nikhila-jagad-ishtam sukha-mayam

kalau majjaj-jivoddharana-karanoddama-karunam
harer akhyanad va bhava-jaladhi-garvonnati-haram
bhaje nityanandam bhajana-taru-kandam niravadhi

saciof Saci-devi; sunuto the son (Lord Caitanya); preshthammost

dear; nikhilaentire; jagatby the universe; ishtamworshiped; sukha-
mayamhappyy; kalauin the Kali-yuga; majjatimmersed; jiva
conditioned souls; uddharanarescue; karanacause; uddamagreat;
karunammercy; harehof Lord Hari; akhyanatby chantng the holy
name; vaor; bhavaof material existence; jaladhiof the ocean; garva
of the pride; unnatiincrease; haramremoving.

I worship Lord Nityananda, the limitless root of the tree of devotional

service. He is very dear to the son of Saci-devi and is worshiped by the
entire universe. Out of His great mercy He chants the holy name of Lord
Hari, thus rescuing the souls drowning in the age of Kali and crushing the
pride of the ocean of repeated birth and death.

TEXT 4

aye bhratar ninam kali-kalushinam kim nu bhavita

tatha prayascittam racaya yad-anayasata ime
vrajanti tvam ittham saha bhagavata mantrayati yo
bhaje nityanandam bhajana-taru-kandam niravadhi

ayeO; bhratahbrother; ninamof the people; kaliof the Kali-yuga;

kalushinamfull of the sins; kim nuhow much more?; bhavitawill be;
tathain that way; prayascittamatonement; racayaplease make; yat
 because; anayasatahwith ease; imethese; vrajantigo; tvamto you;
itthamin this way; sahawith; bhagavatathe Lord; mantrayati
consults; yahwho.

I worship Lord Nityananda, the limitless root of the tree of devotional

service. He said to Lord Caitanya, O brother, the people are all becoming
infected by the sins of Kali-yuga. How will they atone for these sins? Please
give them a way to easily approach You.
TEXT 5

yatheshtham re bhratah kuru hari-hari-dhvanam anisam

tato vah samsarambudhi-tarana-dayo mayi laget
idam bahu-sphotair atati ratayan yah pratigriham
bhaje nityanandam bhajana-taru-kandam niravadhi

yatha-ishtamif you wish; reO; bhratahbrother; kuruplease perform;

hari-hariHari Hari; dhvanamsound; anisamconstantly; tatah
therefore; vahof you; samsaraof material existence; ambudhiof the
ocean; taranathe crossing; dayahgift; mayito me; lagetmay be;
idamthis; bahuof the arms; sphotaihraising; atatiwalks; ratayan
shouting; yahwho; prati-grihamto every house.

I worship Lord Nityananda, the limitless root of the tree of devotional

service. He went to each house in Bengal and, raising His arms, said, O
brother, if you will, please constantly chant athe holy name of Lord Hari. If
you do this, you will become free from the ocean of repeated a death. Please
give Me this gift of your liberation.
TEXT 6

balat samsarambhonidhi-harana-kumbhodbhavam aho

satam sreyah-sindhunnati-kumuda-bandhum samuditam
khala-sreni-sphurjit-timira-hara-surya-prabham aham
bhaje nityanandam bhajana-taru-kandam niravadhi

balatviolently; samsaraof material existence; ambhonidhiof the ocean;

haranaremoving; kumbha-udbhavamAgastya Muni (who was born from
a pot); ahoO; satamof the saintly devotees; sreyahof the good
fortune; sindhuthe ocean; unnatiexpanding; kumudaof the lotus;
bandhumthe friend (the moon); samuditamrising; khalaof the demons;
sreniof the multitude; sphurjitmanifested; timiradarkness; hara
removal; suryasun; prabhamsplendor; ahamI.
 I worship Lord Nityananda, the limitless root of the tree of devotional
service. He is the Agastya Muni who forcibly swallows the ocean of repated
death. He is a rising full moon (friend of the night-blooming lotus) who
expands the ocean of the saintly devotees good fortune. He is the blazing
sun who extinguishes the darkness of the community of demons.
TEXT 7

natantam gayantam harim anuvadantam pathi pathi

vrajantam pasyantam svam api na dayantam jana-ganam
prakurvantam santam sa-karuna-drig-antam prakalanad
bhaje nityanandam bhajana-taru-kandam niravadhi

natantamdancing; gayantamsinging; harimHari; anuvadantam

saying; pathi pathiin every road; vrajantamgoing; pasyantamseeing;
svam apiown relative; nanot; dayantamsympathizing; janaof the
people; ganammultitude; prakurvantamdoing; santamthe saintly
devotees; sawith; karunamercy; drikof the eyes; antamcorner;
prakalanatslightly.

I worship Lord Nityananda, the limitless root of the tree of devotional

service. He traveled on every path, dancing, singing the names of Lord Hari,
and describing His glories. Without considering His own interests, He was
merciful to the people, and He cast upon them His merciful sidelong glance.
TEXT 8

su-bibhranam bhratuh kara-sarasijam komalataram

mitho vaktralokocchalita-paramananda-hridayam
bhramantam madhuryair ahaha madayantam pura-janan
bhaje nityanandam bhajana-taru-kandam niravadhi

sunicely; bibhranamholding; bhratuhof His brother (Lord Caitanya);

karahand; sarasijamlotus; komalataramvery soft and beautiful;
mithahtogether; vaktraface; alokaby seeing; ucchalitaarisen;
paramatranscendental; anandabliss; hridayamheart; bhramantam
wandering; madhuryaihwith sweetness; ahahaO; madayantam
delighting; puraof the towns; jananthe people.

I worship Lord Nityananda, the limitless root of the tree of devotional

service. He fondly grasped His brother Lord Caitanyas soft and beautiful
lotus hand, and together they wandered here and there, delighting the
townspeople with Their sweet beauty. They both became filled with bliss
when They gazed upon each others lotus faces.
TEXT 9
 rasanam adharam rasika-vara-sad-vaishnava-dhanam
rasagaram saram patita-tati-taram smaranatah
param nityanandashtakam idam apurvam pathati yah
tad-anghri-dvandvabjam sphuratu nitaram tasya hridaye

rasanamof the mellows of devotional service; adharamreservoir; rasika

expert at relishing the mellows of devotional service; varaexcellent; sat
pious; vaishnavaof the devotees of the Lord; dhanamthe wealth; rasa
of the sweet taste of devotional service; agaramthe abode; saramthe
best; patitaof the fallen conditioned souls; tatiof the multitude; taram
the liberation; smaranatahfrom remembering; paramtranscendental;
nityanandaglorifying Lord Nityananda; ashtakameight verses; idam
this; apurvamunprecendented; pathatireads; yahwho; tatHis (Lord
Nityanandas); anghrifeet; dvandvatwo; abjamlotus; sphuratumay
be manifested; nitaramconstantly; tasyahis; hridayein the heart.

These eight verses glorifying Lord Nityananda are the abode of the mellows
of devotional service, and they are the wealth of the pure devotees expert at
relishing those mellows. All the fallen, conditioned souls can get liberation
just by remembering them. These verses are very excellent, transcendental,
and unprecedented. May the two lotus feet of Lord Nityananda appear
eternally in the hearts of those who read these verses and remember the
Lord.