A A M M a a n n u u a a l l o o ffB B a a s s i i c c Vaiñëava Etiquettes & Prayers Vaiñëava Etiquettes & Prayers F F o o r r Ä Ä ç ç rra a y y a a ( ( L L e e v v e e l l - - 1 1 ) ) I n nte r r n nat tion n a a l l S Soci iet t y y ffor r K å åñ ë ëa C Con n s sc i io u us n nes ss F Fou un nd de e r r - - Ä Äc cä ärry ya a: H Hi isDi i v vi in ne e Gr ra a c ce A.C. Bh ha a kkt ti i v ve ed da a n nt t a a Sw wa am mi i Pr r a a b bh hu up pä ä d da a Ç Ç rré é Ç Ç rré é R R ä ä d d h h ä ä - - P P ä ä rrt t h h a a s s ä ä rra a t t h h i i M M a a n n d d i i rrH Ha a r reKKå å ñ ñë ëa aHi i l l l l, S Sa an nt t Na g ga r r Mai i n nR Roa a d d, E Ea as st t o offKKa a i i l l a a s s h h, Ne w wDe l l h hi i - -1100 065E Em ma ai i l l: [email protected][email protected]; W We e b bs s i i t te: www.iskcondelhi.com www.iskcondelhi.comP Ph h.: + +91- -11- - 2 262 23 35133- -37; Fa a x x: + +91- -11- - 4 46 6563 3557 7
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Basic Vaisnava Ettiquettes & Prayers for Asraya (Level-1)
Çré Guru praëäma
om ajïäna-timirändhasya jïänäïjana-çaläkayä
cakñur unmélitaà yena tasmai çré-gurave namaù
I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, who has opened my eyes, blinded by thedarkness of ignorance, with the torchlight of knowledge.
Çréla Prabhupäda Praëati
nama oà viñëu-pädäya kåñëa-preñöhäya bhü-taleçrémate bhaktivedänta-svämin iti nämine
I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda,who is very dear to Lord Kåñëa on this earth, having taken shelter at His lotus feet.
namas te särasvate deve gaura-väëé-pracäriëenirviçeña-çünyavädi-päçcätya-deça-täriëe
Our respectful obeisances are unto you, O spiritual master, servant of Sarasvaté Gosvämé. You arekindly preaching the message of Lord Caitanyadeva and delivering the Western countries, whichare filled with impersonalism and voidism.
I offer my obeisances to Çré Kåñëa Caitanya, Prabhu Nityänanda, Çré Advaita, Gadädhara, Çréväsaand all others in the line of devotion.
Hare Kåñëa, Hare Kåñëa, Kåñëa Kåñëa, Hare HareHare Räma, Hare Räma, Räma Räma, Hare Hare
My dear Lord, and the spiritual energy of the Lord, kindly engage me in Your service. I am nowembarrassed with this material service. Please engage me in Your service.
Prema-dhvani Prayers
• jaya oà viñëu-päda paramahaàsa parivräjakäcärya añöottara-çata çré çrémad a. c.bhaktivedänta svämé mahäräja prabhupäda-ké jaya.All glories to the äcärya Oà Viñëu-päda 108 Tridaëòé Gosvämé A.C. Bhaktivedanta SwamiPrabhupäda, who travels everywhere, preaching the glories of Hari, and who is situated on thehighest platform of sannyäsa.
Basic Vaisnava Ettiquettes & Prayers for Asraya (Level-1)
• ISKCON-Founder-Äcärya Çréla Prabhupäda-ké jaya.All glories to Çréla Prabhupäda, the Founder-Äcärya of the International Society for KåñëaConsciousness.
bhaktisiddhänta sarasvaté gosvämé mahäräja prabhupäda-ké jaya.All glories to the äcärya Oà Viñëu-päda 108 Tridaëòé Gosvämé Bhaktisiddhänta SarasvatéPrabhupäda, who travels across the earth, preaching the glories of Hari, and who is situated on thehighest platform of sannyäsa.
• jaya om viñëu-päda çréla gaurakiçora däsa bäbäjé mahäräja-ké jaya.All glories to Çréla Gaurakiçora däsa Bäbäjé.
• jaya çré rüpa sanätana bhaööa-raghunätha çré jéva gopäla bhaööa däsa raghunätha ñaò- gosvämé prabhu-ké jaya.All glories to the six Gosvämés, namely, Çré Rüpa, Sanatäna, Raghunätha Bhaööa, Jéva, GopälaBhaööa and Raghunätha Däsa.
• nämäcärya çréla haridäsa öhäkura-ké jaya.All glories to the Nämäcärya Çréla Haridäsa Öhäkura.
• prem-se kaho çré-kåñëa-caitanya prabhu nityänanda çré advaita, gadädhara, çréväsädi gaura-bhakta-vånda-ké jaya.Call out with love the names Çré Kåñëa Caitanya, Prabhu Nityänanda, Çré Advaita, Çré Gadädhara,Çréväsa and all the devotees of Lord Caitanya.
• çré çré rädha-kåñëa, gopa-gopénatha, çyäma-kuëòa, rädhä-kuëòa giri-govardhana-ké jaya.All glories to Rädhä and Kåñëa, the cowherd boys and girls, the cows, Çyäma-kuëòa, Rädhä-kuëòaand Govardhana Hill.(One may glorify the Deities of the temple at this time.)
• çré mäyäpur dhäma-ké jaya.All glories to Çré Mäyäpur-dhäma.
• çré våndävana dhäma-ké jaya.All glories to Çré Våndävana-dhäma.
Basic Vaisnava Ettiquettes & Prayers for Asraya (Level-1)
• bhakti-devé-ké jaya.All glories to Bhakti-devé.
• tulasé-devé-ké jaya.All glories to Tulasé-devé.
• ananta koöi vaiñëava-vånda-ké jaya.All glories to the unlimited millions of Vaiñëavas.
• çré hari-näma saìkértana-ké jaya.All glories to the congregational chanting of the holy name of Hari.
• grantha-räja çrémad-bhägavatam-ké jaya.All glories to the king of books, Çrémad-Bhägavatam.
• ISKCON-vartmäna-guru-vånda-ké jaya.All glories to the present gurus of ISKCON.
• samäveta bhakta-vånda-ké jaya.All glories to the assembled devotees.
• gaura-premänande hari-haribol.Chant the names Hari! Hari! in the ecstasy of Caitanya-prema.
• All glories to the assembled devotees. [three times]• All glories to Çré Guru and Çré Gauräìga.
• All glories to Çréla Prabhupäda.
Çré Nåsiàha Praëäma
namas te narasiàhäya prahlädähläda-däyinehiraëyakaçipor vakñaù-çilä-öaìka-nakhälaye
I offer my obeisances to Lord Narasiàha who gives joy to Prahläda Mahäräja and whose nails arelike chisels on the stonelike chest of the demon Hiraëyakaçipu.
ito nåsiàhaù parato nåsiàho yato yato yämi tato nåsiàhaùbahir nåsiàho hådaye nåsiàho nåsiàham ädià çaraëaà prapadye
Lord Nåsiàha is here and also there. Wherever I go Lord Nåsiàha is there. He is in the heart andis outside as well. I surrender to Lord Nåsiàha, the origin of all things and the supreme refuge.
tava kara-kamala-vare nakham adbhuta-çåìgaàdalita-hiraëyakaçipu-tanu-bhåìgamkeçava dhåta-narahari-rüpa jaya jagadéça hare
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O Keçava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of half-man, half-lion! All glories to You! Just as one can easily crush a wasp between one's fingernails, so in the
1. To blaspheme the great saintly persons who are preaching the glories of the Hare Kåñëamahä-mantra is the worst offense at the lotus feet of the holy name. The Näma-prabhu,
who is identical with Kåñëa, will never tolerate such blasphemous activities, even fromone who passes as a great devotee.
çivasya çré-viñëor ya iha guëa-nämädi-sakalaàdhiyä bhinnaà paçyet sa khalu hari-nämähita-karaù
2. In this material world the holy name of Viñëu is all-auspicious. Viñëu's name, form,qualities, and pastimes are all transcendental, absolute knowledge. Therefore, if one triesto separate the Absolute Personality of Godhead from His holy name or Histranscendental form, qualities, and pastimes, thinking them material, that is offensive.
Similarly, to think that the names of demigods such as Lord Çiva are as good as the nameof Lord Viñëu is also blasphemous.
guror avajïä
3. It is offensive to consider the spiritual master material and therefore to envy his exaltedposition.
çruti-çästra-nindanam
4. It is offensive to blaspheme the Vedic literature such as the four Vedas and the Puräëas.
artha-vädaù
5. It is offensive to consider the glories of the holy name exaggerations.
hari-nämni kalpanam
6. It is offensive to consider the holy name of the Lord imaginary.
Basic Vaisnava Ettiquettes & Prayers for Asraya (Level-1)
7. The greatest offense at the lotus feet of the holy name is to think that since chanting theholy name can counteract all sinful reactions one may therefore go on sinning and at thesame time chant the holy name to neutralize the reactions. One who thinks in this waycannot be purified by any program of sense restraint and severe austerities, nor by thevarious punishments of Yamaräja.
dharma-vrata-tyäga-hutädi-sarva-çubha-kriyä-sämyam api pramädaù
8. It is offensive to consider the chanting of the holy name equal to the performance ofordinary religious ceremonies or fire sacrifices, the observance of austere vows, or thepractice of renunciation, all of which are materialistic auspicious activities.
9. It is an offense to preach the glories of the holy name to those unwilling to hear, toatheists, or to those who have no faith in chanting the holy name.
çrutväpi näma-mähätmyaà yaù préti-rahito 'dhamaùahaà-mamädi-paramo nämni so 'py aparädha-kåt
10. If a person has heard the glories of the transcendental holy name of the Lord butnevertheless continues in the materialistic concept of life, thinking, "I am this body andeverything belonging to this body is mine," and if he thus shows no respect or love for thechanting of the holy name, that is an offense.
api pramädaù
It is also an offense to be inattentive while chanting.
Every devotee who claims to be a Vaiñëava must carefully guard against these ten offensesin order to quickly achieve the desired success, Kåñëa-prema
Vaiñëava-praëäma
väïchä-kalpa-tarubhyaç ca kåpä-sindhubhya eva ca patitänäà pävanebhyo vaiñëavebhyo namo namaù
I offer my respectful obeisances unto all the Vaiñëava devotees of the Lord. They are justlike desire trees who can fulfill the desires of everyone. They are oceans of mercy and arethe purifiers of the fallen souls.
Basic Vaisnava Ettiquettes & Prayers for Asraya (Level-1)
Çré Çré ÇikñäñöakaEight Instructions by Lord Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu
Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu instructed His disciples to write books on the science ofKåñëa, a task which His followers have continued to carry out down to the present day.The elaborations and expositions on the philosophy taught by Lord Caitanya are, in fact,the most voluminous, exacting, and consistent, due to the system of disciplic succession.Although Lord Caitanya was widely renowned as a scholar in His youth, He left only eightverses, called Çikñäñöaka. These eight verses clearly reveal His mission and precepts. Thesesupremely valuable prayers are translated herein.
1) Glory to the çré-kåñëa-saìkértana, which cleanses the heart of all the dust accumulatedfor years and extinguishes the fire of conditional life, of repeated birth and death. Thissaìkértana movement is the prime benediction for humanity at large because it spreadsthe rays of the benediction moon. It is the life of all transcendental knowledge. It increasesthe ocean of transcendental bliss, and it enables us to fully taste the nectar for which weare always anxious.
2) O my Lord, Your holy name alone can render all benediction to living beings, and thusYou have hundreds and millions of names, like Kåñëa and Govinda. In thesetranscendental names You have invested all Your transcendental energies. There are noteven hard and fast rules for chanting these names. O my Lord, out of kindness You enableus to easily approach You by Your holy names, but I am so unfortunate that I have noattraction for them.
(3)tåëäd api sunécenataror api sahiñëunäamäninä mänadenakértanéyaù sadä hariù
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3) One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinkingoneself lower than the straw in the street; one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid
of all sense of false prestige, and should be ready to offer all respect to others. In such astate of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly.
Basic Vaisnava Ettiquettes & Prayers for Asraya (Level-1)
(4)na dhanaà na janaà na sundaréàkavitäà vä jagad-éça kämayemama janmani janmanéçvare
bhavatäd bhaktir ahaituké tvayi
4) O almighty Lord, I have no desire to accumulate wealth, nor do I desire beautifulwomen, nor do I want any number of followers. I only want Your causeless devotionalservice, birth after birth.
5) O son of Mahäräja Nanda [Kåñëa], I am Your eternal servitor, yet somehow or other Ihave fallen into the ocean of birth and death. Please pick me up from this ocean of deathand place me as one of the atoms at Your lotus feet.
6) O my Lord, when will my eyes be decorated with tears of love flowing constantly whenI chant Your holy name? When will my voice choke up, and when will the hairs of mybody stand on end at the recitation of Your name?
7) O Govinda! Feeling Your separation, I am considering a moment to be like twelve yearsor more. Tears are flowing from my eyes like torrents of rain, and I am feeling all vacant inthe world in Your absence.
Basic Vaisnava Ettiquettes & Prayers for Asraya (Level-1)
8) I know no one but Kåñëa as my Lord, and He shall remain so even if He handles meroughly by His embrace or makes me brokenhearted by not being present before me. He iscompletely free to do anything and everything, for He is always my worshipful Lord,unconditionally.
Greeting The Deities (Govindam Prayers)
govindam ädi-puruñaà tam ahaà bhajämi govindam ädi-puruñaà tam ahaà bhajämi govindam ädi-puruñaà tam ahaà bhajämiveëuà kvaëantam aravinda-daläyatäkñaàbarhävataàsam asitämbuda-sundaräìgamkandarpa-koöi-kaminéya-viçeña-çobhaà
govindam ädi-puruñaà tam ahaà bhajämi
I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is adept in playing on His flute, withblooming eyes like lotus petals with head decked with peacock's feather, with the figure ofbeauty tinged with the hue of blue clouds, and His unique loveliness charming millions ofCupids. [Brahma-saàhitä 5.30]
I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, whose transcendental form is full of bliss, truth,substantiality and is thus full of the most dazzling splendor. Each of the limbs of thattranscendental figure possesses in Himself, the full-fledged functions of all the organs, andeternally sees, maintains and manifests the infinite universes, both spiritual and mundane.[Brahma-saàhitä 5.32]
Jaya Rädhä-MädhavaÇréla Prabhupäda was very fond of this song and sang it just before his lectures. InAllahabad and Gorakhpur Çréla Prabhupäda fell into a trance after singing the first twolines, and after some time he came back into external consciousness and said, "Now justchant Hare Kåñëa." Çréla Prabhupäda said that this song is "a picture of Våndävana.Everything is there-Çrématé Rädhäräëé, Våndävana, Govardhana, Yaçodä, and all thecowherd boys."
O Lord, this material body is a place of ignorance, and the senses are a network of pathsleading to death. Somehow we have fallen into this ocean of material sense enjoyment,and of all the senses the tongue is the most voracious and uncontrollable. It is verydifficult to conquer the tongue in this world. But You, dear Kåñëa, are very kind to us andhave given us such nice prasädam just to control the tongue. Now we take this prasädam
to our full satisfaction and glorify You-Çré Çré Rädhä and Kåñëa-and in love call for thehelp of Lord Caitanya and Nityänanda.
Çré Kåñëa Caitanya Prabhu A Prayer to the Lotus Feet of Çré Gauräìga
Text Oneçré-kåñëa-caitanya prabhu doyä koro moretomä binä ke doyälu jagat-saàsäre
My dear Lord Caitanya, please be merciful to me, because who can be more merciful thanYour Lordship within these three worlds?
Text Two patita-pävana-hetu tava avatäramo sama patita prabhu nä päibe ära
Your incarnation is just to reclaim the conditioned, fallen souls, but I assure You that Youwill not find a greater fallen soul than me. Therefore, my claim is first.
My dear Lord Nityänanda, You are always joyful in spiritual bliss. Since You alwaysappear very happy, I have come to You because I am most unhappy. If You kindly put
Your glance over me, then I may also become happy.
Text Fourdoyä koro sétä-pati adwaita gosäitava kåpä-bale päi caitanya-nitäi
My dear Advaita Prabhu, husband of Sétä, You are so kind. Please be merciful to me. IfYou are kind to me, naturally Lord Caitanya and Nityänanda will also be kind to me.
O Svarüpa Dämodara, personal secretary of Lord Caitanya, O six Gosvämés; Çré RupaGosvämé, Çré Sanätana Gosvämé, Çré Raghunätha Bhaööa Gosvämé, Çré Gopäla BhaööaGosvämé, Sré Jéva Gosvämé, and Çré Raghunätha däsa Gosvämé! O Lokanätha Gosvämé, mybeloved spiritual master! Narottama däsa also prays for your mercy.
Text Sixdoyä koro çré-äcärya prabhu çréniväsarämacandra-saìga mäge narottama-däsa
O Çréniväsa Äcärya, successor to the six Gosvämés! Please be merciful to me. Narottamadäsa always desires the company of Rämacandra Cakravarté.
Purport to the above song by His Divine GraceA.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda
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This is a song composed by Narottama däsa Öhäkura. He prays to Lord Caitanya, "Mydear Lord, please be merciful to me, because who can be more merciful than YourLordship within these three worlds?" Actually, this is a fact. Not only Narottama däsa
Öhäkura, but Rüpa Gosvämé also prayed to Lord Caitanya in this way. At the time of thefirst meeting of Lord Caitanya and Rüpa Gosvämé at Prayäga (Allahabad), Çréla RüpaGosvämé said, "My dear Lord, You are the most munificent of all incarnations, becauseYou are distributing love of Kåñëa, Kåñëa consciousness." When Kåñëa was personallypresent He simply asked us to surrender, but He did not distribute Himself so easily. Hemade conditions-"First of all you surrender." But this incarnation, Lord Caitanya,although Kåñëa Himself, makes no such condition. He simply distributes: "Take love ofKåñëa." Therefore Lord Caitanya is approved as the most munificent incarnation.Narottama däsa Öhäkura says, "Please be merciful to me. You are so magnanimous,because You have seen the fallen souls of this age, and You are very much compassionate
to them, but You should know also that I am the most fallen. No one is more greatly fallenthan me." Patita-pävana-hetu tava avatära: "Your incarnation is just to reclaim the
Basic Vaisnava Ettiquettes & Prayers for Asraya (Level-1)
conditioned, fallen souls, but I assure You that You will not find a greater fallen soul thanme. Therefore, my claim is first."
Then he prays to Lord Nityänanda. He says, hä hä prabhu nityänanda premänanda-sukhé:"My dear Lord Nityänanda, You are always joyful in spiritual bliss. Since You always
appear very happy, I have come to You because I am most unhappy. If You kindly putYour glance over me, I may also become happy." Then he prays to Advaita Prabhu. Doyäkoro sétä-pati adwaita gosäi. Advaita Prabhu's wife's name was Sétä. Therefore He issometimes addressed as sétä-pati. Thus Narottama däsa Öhäkura prays, "My dear AdvaitaPrabhu, husband of Sétä, You are so kind. Please be kind to me. If You are kind to me,naturally Lord Caitanya and Nityänanda will also be kind to me." Actually, AdvaitaPrabhu invited Lord Caitanya to come down. When Advaita Prabhu saw that the fallensouls were all engaged simply in sense gratificatory processes, not understanding Kåñëaconsciousness, He felt very much compassionate toward the fallen souls, and He also feltHimself incapable of claiming them all. He therefore prayed to Lord Kåñëa, "Please come
Yourself. Without Your personal presence it is not possible to deliver these fallen souls."Thus by His invitation Lord Caitanya appeared. Naturally, Narottama däsa Öhäkura praysto Advaita Prabhu, "If You will be kind to me, naturally Lord Caitanya and Nityänandaalso will be kind to me."
Then he prays to the Gosvämés. Hä hä swarüp, sanätana, rüpa, raghunätha. Swarüp refersto Svarüpa Dämodara, the personal secretary of Lord Caitanya. He was always withCaitanya Mahäprabhu and immediately arranged for whatever Caitanya Mahäprabhuwanted. Two personal attendants, Svarüpa Dämodara and Govinda, were alwaysconstantly with Lord Caitanya. Therefore, Narottama däsa Öhäkura also prays to SvarüpaDämodara and then to the six Gosvämés, the next disciples of Lord Caitanya-Çré RüpaGosvämé, Çré Sanätana Gosvämé, Çré Bhaööa Raghunätha Gosvämé, Çré Gopäla BhaööaGosvämé, Çré Jéva Gosvämé, and Çré Raghunätha däsa Gosvämé. These six Gosvämés weredirectly instructed by Lord Caitanya to spread this movement of Kåñëa consciousness.Narottama däsa Thäkura also prays for their mercy.
After the six Gosvämés, the next äcärya was Çréniväsa Äcärya. Actually, Narottama däsaÖhäkura was in the disciplic succession after Çréniväsa Äcärya and was almost hiscontemporary, and Narottama däsa's personal friend was Rämacandra Cakravarté.
Therefore he prays, "I always desire the company of Rämacandra." He desires a devotee's
company. The whole process is that we should always pray for the mercy of the superioräcäryas and keep company with pure devotees. Then it will be easier for us to advance inKåñëa consciousness and receive the mercy of Lord Caitanya and Lord Kåñëa. This is thesum and substance of this song sung by Narottama däsa Öhäkura.