(from Prarthana)
(1)
‘gauranga’ bolite habe pulaka-sarira
‘hari hari’ bolite nayane ba’ be near
(2)
ara kabe nitai-cander koruna hoibe
samsara-basana mora kabe tuccha ha’be
(3)
vishaya chariya kabe suddha ha ’be mana
kabe hama herabo sri-brindabana
(4)
rupa-raghunatha-pade hoibe akuti
kabe hama bujhabo se jugala-piriti
(5)
rupa-raghunatha-pade rahu mora asa
prarthana koroye sada narottama-dasa
Translation:
(1) When will that opportune moment come to me when there will be shivering of the body as soon as I chant Lord Gauranga's name? And after the shivering, while chanting Hare Krishna, when will there be tears pouring down from my eyes?
(2) When will that day come when Lord Nityananda's causeless mercy is bestowed upon me so that my desire for material enjoyment becomes very insignificant?
(3) When my mind is completely purified, being freed from material anxieties and desires, then I shall be able to understand Vrindavana and the conjugal love of Radha and Krishna, and then my spiritual life will be successful.
(4) When shall I be very much eager to study the books left by the six Gosvamis? One has to learn of the conjugal loving affairs of Radha-Krishna through the teachings of these six Gosvamis.
(5) Narottama dasa always wishes to understand this conjugal love under the direction of the six Gosvamis.
Purport
by His Divine Grace
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
This song was sung by Narottama dasa Thakura, a great devotee and acarya in the Gaudiya Vaishnavasampradaya, the disciplic succession coming down from Lord Caitanya. Narottama dasa Thakura has written many songs, which are recognized as authoritative by all Vaishnavas. He has sung these songs in simple Bengali language, but the purport—the deep meaning of his songs—is very significant. In this song he says, ‘gauranga’ bolite habe pulaka sarira. One has attained the perfection of chanting when as soon as he chants the name of Lord Gauranga, who initiated this sankirtana movement, at once there is shivering in his body. This is not to be imitated, but Narottama dasa Thakura is asking, "When will that opportune moment come to us when there will be shivering of the body as soon as we chant Lord Gauranga’s name?" And after the shivering—‘hari hari’ bolite nayane ba ’be nira: "While chanting Hare Krishna, there will be tears in the eyes." Then he says, ara kabe nitai-cander koruna hoibe. We are all asking about the mercy of Lord Nityananda. Nityananda is supposed to be the original spiritual master, so we have to approach Gauranga, Lord Caitanya, through the mercy of Lord Nityananda. What is the symptom of a person who has achieved the causeless mercy of Lord Nityananda? Narottama dasa Thakura says that the symptom of one who has actually received the causeless mercy of Lord Nityananda is that he has no more material desire. Ara kabe nitai-cander koruna hoibe samsara-basana mora kabe tuccha ha’be. Samsara-basana means "desire for material enjoyment," and Narottama dasa wonders when it will become very insignificant. Of course, as long as we have bodies we have to accept so many material things, but not in the spirit of enjoyment, but only to keep body and soul together. Narottama dasa says further, rupa-raghunatha-pade hoibe akuti: "When shall I be very much eager to study the books left by the six Gosvamis?" Akuti means "eagerness." Because Rupa Gosvami is the father of devotional service, he has written a book called Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu, in which there are nice directions on devotional service. These topics are also dealt with in Caitanya-caritamrita and other books, and we have given the summary of those directions in our book Teachings of Lord Caitanya. One has to learn of the conjugal loving affairs of Radha-Krishna through the teachings of these six Gosvamis. Narottama dasa Thakura directs us not to try to understand the conjugal love of Radha-Krishna by our own endeavor. We should try to understand this yugala-piriti, conjugal love, under the direction of the Gosvamis. As long as the mind is too much absorbed in materialistic thought, one cannot enter into the kingdom of Vrindavana. But Narottama dasa Thakura says, vishaya chariya kabe suddha ha’be mana kabe hama herabo sri-brindabana: "When the mind is completely purified, being freed from material anxieties and desires, then I shall be able to understand Vrindavana and the conjugal love of Radha and Krishna, and then my spiritual life will be successful."
Go Back To More Bhajans By Narottama Das Thakura OR All Vaishnava Acharya.