Lord Caitanya's Mission

Translation by His Divine Grace A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu instructed His disciples to write books on the science of Krsna, 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 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 eight verses, called Siksastaka. These eight verses clearly reveal His mission and precepts. These supremely valuable prayers are translated herein.

1.


	ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam
	  sreyah-kairava-candrika-vitaranam vidya-vadhu-jivanam
	anandambudhi-vardhanam prati-padam purnamrtasvadanam
	  sarvatma-snapanam param vijayate sri-krsna-sankirtanam
Glory to the Sri Krsna sankirtana, which cleanses the heart of all the dust accumulated for years and extinguishes the fire of conditional life, of repeated birth and death. This sankirtana movement is the prime benediction for humanity at large because it spreads the rays of the benediction moon. It is the life of all transcendental knowledge. It increases the ocean of transcendental bliss, and it enables us to fully taste the nectar for which we are always anxious.

2.


		namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-saktis
		  tatrarpita niyamitah smarane na kalah
		etadrsi tava krpa bhagavan mamapi
		  durdaivam idrsam ihajani nanuragah
O my Lord, Your holy name alone can render all benediction to living beings, and thus You have hundreds and millions of names like Krsna and Govinda. In these transcendental names You have invested all Your transcendental energies. There are not even hard and fast rules for chanting these names. O my Lord, out of kindness You enable us to easily approach You by Your holy names, but I am so unfortunate that I have no attraction for them

3.


			trnad api sunicena
			  taror api sahisnuna
			amanina manadena
			  kirtaniyah sada harih
One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself 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 a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly.

4.


		na dhanam na janam na sundarim
		  kavitam va jagadi-isa kamaye
		mama janmani janmanisvare
		  bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki tvayi
O almighty Lord, I have no desire to accumulate wealth, nor do I desire beautiful women, nor do I want any number of followers. I only want Your causeless devotional service birth after birth.

5.


		ayi nanda-tanuja kinkaram
		  patitam man visame bhavambudhau
		krpaya tava pada-pankaja-
		  sthita-dhuli-sadrsam vicintaya
O son of Maharaja Nanda [Krsna], I am Your eternal servitor, yet somehow or other I have fallen into the ocean of birth and death. Please pick me up from this ocean of death and place me as one of the atoms at Your lotus feet.

6.


		nayanam galad-asru-dharaya
		  vadanam gadgada-ruddhaya gira
		pulakair nicitam vapuh kada
		  tava nama-grahane bhavisyati
O my Lord, when will my eyes be decorated with tears of love flowing constantly when I chant Your holy name? When will my voice choke up, and when will the hairs of my body stand on end at the recitation of Your name?

7.


			yugayitam nimesena
			  caksusa pravrsayitam
			sunyayitam jagat sarvam
			  govinda-virahena me
O Govinda! Feeling Your separation, I am considering a moment to be like twelve years or more. Tears are flowing from my eyes like torrents of rain, and I am feeling all vacant in the world in Your absence.

8.


		aslisya va pada-ratam pinastu mam
		  adarsanam marma-hatam karotu va
		yatha tatha va vidadhatu lampato
		  mat-prana-nathas tu sa eva naparah
I know no one but Krsna as my Lord, and He shall remain so even if He handles me roughly by His embrace or makes me brokenhearted by not being present before me. He is completely free to do anything and everything, for He is always my worshipful Lord unconditionally.

RP