Śrīla Bhakti Vinod Ṭhākur’s song explaining the first verse of Śrī Śikṣāṣṭakam.
In honour of the month of Kārtik, word by word translations of Śrīla Bhakti Vinod Ṭhākur’s songs explaining Śrī Śikṣāṣṭakam will run as a series.
Śrī Śikṣāṣṭakam Verse One
cheto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahādāvāgni-nirvāpaṇaṁ
śreyaḥ-kairava-chandrikā-vitaraṇaṁ vidyā-vadhū-jīvanam
ānandāmbudhi-vardhanaṁ prati-padaṁ pūrṇāmṛtāsvādanaṁ
sarvātma-snapanaṁ paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam [1]
mārjanaṁ–The cleanser darpaṇa–of the mirror chetaḥ–of consciousness, nirvāpaṇaṁ–the extinguisher mahā–of the great dāva–forest agni–fire bhava–of material existence, vitaraṇaṁ–the shiner chandrikā–of moonlight kairava–on the evening lotus śreyaḥ–of good fortune, jīvanam–the life vadhū–of the wife vidyā–of knowledge, vardhanaṁ–the expander ambudhi–of the ocean ānanda–of ecstasy, āsvādanaṁ–the taste pūrṇa–of full amṛta–nectar prati–at every padaṁ–moment, [and] snapanaṁ–the soother sarva–of the entire ātma–self, [may] saṅkīrtanam–chanting [the Name] śrī-kṛṣṇa–of Śrī Kṛṣṇa [be] paraṁ–supremely vijayate–victorious! [1]
Śrī Kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtan cleanses the mirror of consciousness, extinguishes the raging forest fire of material existence, shines moonlight on the evening lotus of good fortune, is the life of the divine knowledge—the life of souls enlightened with paramour love for the Lord, expands the ocean of ecstasy, is the taste of full nectar at every moment, and soothes the entire self. May Śrī Kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtan be supremely victorious!
Gīti
pīta-varaṇa kali-pāvana gorā
gāoya‑i aichhana bhāva-vibhorā [1]
pīta–Golden varaṇa–coloured gorā–Gorā, pāvana–the saviour kali–of the Age of Kali, gāoya‑i–sings aichhana–as follows, vibhorā–overwhelmed bhāva–with love. [1]
Golden Gorā, the saviour of the Age of Kali, sings as follows, overwhelmed with love.
chitta-darpaṇa-parimārjanakārī
kṛṣṇa-kīrtana jaya chitta-bihārī [2]
jaya–All glory kīrtana–to the chanting kṛṣṇa–of the Name of Kṛṣṇa, [which is] parimārjanakārī–the purifier darpaṇa–of the mirror chitta–of consciousness [and] bihārī–the delight chitta–of the soul! [2]
All glory to Kṛṣṇa-kīrtan, which cleanses the mirror of consciousness and delights the soul!
helā-bhava-dāva-nirvāpaṇa-vṛtti
kṛṣṇa-kīrtana jaya kleśa‑nivṛtti [3]
jaya–All glory kīrtana–to the chanting kṛṣṇa–of the Name of Kṛṣṇa, [which] nirvāpaṇa-vṛtti–extinguishes dāva–the fire helā–of miserable bhava–material existence [and is] nivṛtti–the termination [of all] kleśa–suffering! [3]
All glory to Kṛṣṇa-kīrtan, which extinguishes the fire of material existence and ends all suffering!
śreyaḥ-kumuda-vidhu-jyotsnā-prakāśa
kṛṣṇa-kīrtana jaya bhakti-vilāsa [4]
jaya–All glory kīrtana–to the chanting kṛṣṇa–of the Name of Kṛṣṇa, vilāsa–the joy bhakti–of devotion, [which is] prakāśa–a manifestation vidhu-jyotsnā–of moonlight [on] kumuda–the evening lotus śreyaḥ–of good fortune! [4]
All glory to Kṛṣṇa-kīrtan, the joy of devotion, which shines moonlight on the evening lotus of good fortune!
viśuddha-vidyā-vadhū-jīvana-rūpa
kṛṣṇa-kīrtana jaya siddha-svarūpa [5]
jaya–All glory kīrtana–to the chanting kṛṣṇa–of the Name of Kṛṣṇa, siddha–the fulfulment svarūpa–of the self, [which takes] rūpa–form jīvana–as the life vadhū–of the wives [who have] viśuddha–pure vidyā–knowledge! [5]
All glory to Kṛṣṇa-kīrtan, the fulfilment of the self, the life of the souls purely enlightened with paramour love for the Lord!
ānanda-payonidhi-vardhana-kīrti
kṛṣṇa-kīrtana jaya plāvana-mūrti [6]
jaya–All glory kīrtana–to the chanting kṛṣṇa–of the Name of Kṛṣṇa, [which is] kīrti–renowned vardhana–for expanding payonidhi–the milk-ocean ānanda–of ecstasy [and assuming] mūrti–the form plāvana–of a flood! [6]
All glory to Kṛṣṇa-kīrtan, which is renowned for swelling the milk-ocean of ecstasy and causing it to overflow!
pade pade pīyūṣa-svāda-pradātā
kṛṣṇa-kīrtana jaya prema-vidhātā [7]
jaya–All glory kīrtana–to the chanting kṛṣṇa–of the Name of Kṛṣṇa, [which is] pradātā–a giver svāda–of the taste pīyūṣa–of nectar pade pade–at every moment [and is] vidhātā–a giver prema–of divine love! [7]
All glory to Kṛṣṇa-kīrtan, which gives the soul the taste of nectar at every moment and grants divine love!
bhakati-vinoda svātma-snapana-vidhāna
kṛṣṇa-kīrtana jaya prema-nidāna [8]
jaya–All glory kīrtana–to the chanting kṛṣṇa–of the Name of Kṛṣṇa, [which is] vidhāna–the establishment snapana–of a bath sva-ātma–for the soul bhakati-vinoda–of Bhakti Vinod [and is] nidāna–a storehouse prema–of divine love! [8]
All glory to Kṛṣṇa-kīrtan, which soothes the soul of Bhakti Vinod and is a storehouse of divine love!