Śrīla Sarasvatī Gosvāmyāṣṭakam

This Sanskrit prayer was composed by Śrīla Śrīdhara Deva Gosvāmī Mahārāja in 1949 and was first published in Śrī Gauḍīya Patrikā (Vol.1, Issue 8) and later in the Hindi magazine, Bhāgavat Patrikā (Vol.1, issue 6) in 1955. This rare composition has been translated into English for the first time.

(1)

*āśaiśavopāsita bhakti-yogaṁ

duḥ-saṅga-tyāgāya dṛdha-pratijñaṁ

kṛṣṇānusandhāna-nimagna-cittaṁ

vande prabhuṁ śrīla-sarasvatīṁ tam*

I worship Śrīla Sarasvatī Prabhu, who has worshipped the path of bhakti-yoga since his childhood. He has a strong resolve to give up wicked association and his mind is fully absorbed in the search for Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

(2)

*śrī-gaura-pādābja su-bhṛṅga-rājaṁ

nāmnāṁ pracārodyama pūrṇa-hṛdaṁ

śrīdhāma-sevāsu nitānta-ceṣṭaṁ

*vande prabhuṁ śrīla-sarasvatīṁ tam

I worship Śrīla Sarasvatī Prabhu, who is a monarch amongst the bumble-bees swarming at the lotus feet of Śrī Gaura. His heart is full of zeal to propagate the Holy Name, and he fully endeavours to serve the holy dhāma.

(3)

*śāstrārtha nirdhāraṇa sad-vareṇyaṁ

bhakter viruddhāśaya-bheda-dakṣaṁ

nityaṁ satāṁ mānasa-rāja-haṁsaṁ

*vande prabhuṁ śrīla-sarasvatīṁ tam

**I worship Śrīla Sarasvatī Prabhu, who has ascertained the true and most excellent meaning of the śāstra, who is expert in suppressing anti-devotional sentiments, and who constantly wanders like a swan in the minds of the sādhus. **

(4)

*nirmāya vistāri-subodha-bhāṣyaṁ

tattvāndha-lokasya sudṛk pradaṁ ca

utpāditāśeṣa sudhī-pramodaṁ

vande prabhuṁ śrīla-sarasvatīṁ tam*

**I worship Śrīla Sarasvatī Prabhu, who, composing commentaries that are fully replete with proper knowledge, has enlightened those persons who were philosophically blind and has given unlimited bliss to the intelligent devotees. **

(5)

*gopeśa-netrotsava-vṛddhi-rāmaṁ

audārya-mādhurya-rasābdhi-pūrṇaṁ

rādhā-saras-tīra nivāsa-yatnaṁ

vande prabhuṁ śrīla-sarasvatīṁ tam*

I worship Śrīla Sarasvatī Prabhu, whose form is an ever-increasing festival of bliss to the eyes of the Lord of the cowherd boys. He is an ocean full of the mellows of magnanimity and sweetness, and he eagerly resides on the banks of Rādhā-kuṇḍa.

(6)

*śuddhena jñānena jagaj-janānāṁ

vināśitaṁ moha-ghanāndhakāraṁ

ācārya-varyeṇa kṛpāmayena

vande prabhuṁ śrīla-sarasvatīṁ tam*

I worship Śrīla Sarasvatī Prabhu. Through pure knowledge, that foremost ācārya who is full of mercy, has eradicated the dense darkness of bewilderment for the people of this world.

(7)

*pāre samudraṁ guru-gaura-vāṇīm

āmnāya-dhārā-prasṛtāṁ samṛddhāṁ

vistārya yo’tynta-mudaṁ pralebhe

vande prabhuṁ śrīla-sarasvatīṁ tam*

I worship Śrīla Sarasvatī Prabhu, who feels immense pleasure in propagating across the seas the message of Śrī Śrī Guru-Gāurāṅga which emanates from the divine current of the Vedas.

(8)

*caitanya-saṅgīta-sahasra-vaktraṁ

jīvasya duḥkhena dayādra-cittaṁ

bhṛtyeṣu dīneṣu kṛpā-guṇābdhiṁ*

vande prabhuṁ śrīla-sarasvatīṁ tam

He sings about Śrī Caitanya as though he possesses a thousand mouths, and his heart melts with compassion for the jīvas. I worship Śrīla Sarasvatī Prabhu, who is an ocean of mercy to this fallen servant.

(Translated into English by Swami B.V. Giri)

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