Śrīla Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswāmī Mahārāj’s praise of Śrīla Kṛṣṇadās Bābājī Mahārāj in his preface to the first edition of Śrī Gauḍīya-gītāñjali.
Translated from the Bengali text written by
Śrīla Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswāmī Mahārāj
in the first edition of Śrī Gauḍīya-gītāñjali in 1983.
Preface
By the causeless mercy of Śrī Guru and Śrī Gaurāṅga, a long-standing need has been fulfilled by this publication of Śrī Gauḍīya-gītāñjali within a very short time. You will find in this Śrī Gauḍīya-gītāñjali nearly all the kīrtans in the line of Śrī Bhakti Vinod–Saraswatī that were sung daily and on special days in the time of Śrīla Prabhupād Bhakti Siddhānta Saraswatī Ṭhākur and that are still now sung in Śrī Chaitanya Sāraswat Maṭh.
Our most worshippable Śrī Guru Pāda-padma’s ever sincere friend and our genuinely affectionate well-wisher, Param Bhāgavat Pūjyapād Śrīla Kṛṣṇadās Bābājī Mahārāj, who has now reached the dust of Śrī Vṛndāvan Dhām, would greatly satisfy Śrī Śrī Guru Gaurāṅga Gāndharvā-Govindasundar by chanting these songs with profound appreciation and tears in his eyes in extremely sweet tunes that defamed even nectar. By joyfully, voluntarily, and proudly spreading the Sanskrit verses composed by our Śrī Guru Pāda-padma everywhere throughout India and affirming them to be consistent with and of dignity equal to those of Śrī Rūpa and Śrī Raghunāth, it is he primarily who has brought about good fortune for the souls of this world and thus felt the greatest joy. So, to preserve holy remembrance of him, his favourite kīrtans have been compiled here and offered to his holy lotus hands. May he always mercifully remain pleased with us. This is our prayer.
Earnestly devoted to Śrī Guru Pāda-padma Om Viṣṇupād Śrīla Bhakti Rakṣak Śrīdhar Dev-Goswāmī Mahārāj and Param Bhāgavat Śrīla Kṛṣṇadās Bābājī Mahārāj, Vaiṣṇava Āchārya Tridaṇḍi Swāmī Śrīmat Viraha Prakāś Mahārāj has generously contributed to the publication of this book, set a great example in the Vaiṣṇava world, and thus become the recipient of everyone’s gratiude.
Amongst all my godbrothers who have received the mercy of Śrī Guru and Śrī Gaurāṅga and become greatly worthy of recognition for this exceptional achievement of publishing this book within a very short time, the names of Śrīpād Nimāisundar Brahmachārī Vidyā Vinod Prabhu and Śrīmān Viśvarūp Brahmachārī Prabhu are especially deserving of mention.
O Vaiṣṇavas who see no faults! If you will mercifully pardon me for all the errors, as a result of my incapacity in editing, that have diminished the beauty of this collection of supramundane songs and inform this fallen soul of them so that proper service may be rendered in a future edition, I will be most grateful.
Humble, poor, and fallen,
The editor
Page 10
in the first edition of Śrī Gauḍīya-gītāñjali,
Śrī Chaitanya Sāraswat Maṭh’s kīrtan guide
শ্রীল কৃষ্ণদাস বাবাজী মহারাজের বন্দনা
śrīla kṛṣṇa-dāsa bābājī mahārājera vandanā
Obeisance unto Śrīla Kṛṣṇadās Bābājī Mahārāj
by
Śrīla Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswāmī Mahārāj
সৌম্যং সত্ত্বতনুং সহাসবদনং কণ্ঠং সুতানান্বিতং
কৃষ্ণানন্দকরং রটন্তমনিশং নামাক্ষরং সুন্দরম্ ।
শ্রীনন্দীশ্বরমাশ্রিতং ব্রজভুবি গৌরে চ মায়াপুরং
বন্দে যুক্তবিরাগ‑ভক্তি-লসিতং শ্রীকৃষ্ণদাস‑প্রভুম্ ॥
saumyaṁ sattva-tanuṁ sahāsa-vadanaṁ kaṇṭhaṁ sutānānvitaṁ
kṛṣṇānanda-karaṁ raṭantam aniśaṁ nāmākṣaraṁ sundaram
śrī-nandīśvaram-āśritaṁ vrajabhuvi gaure cha māyāpuraṁ
vande yukta-virāga-bhakti-lasitaṁ śrī-kṛṣṇa-dāsa-prabhum
“With his tranquil divine form, smiling face, and melodious voice, he pleases Śrī Kṛṣṇa by constantly and beautifully calling out His Name. Residing in Śrī Nandīśvar in Vraja Dhām or Śrī Māyāpur in Gaura Dhām, he is resplendent with perfect renunciation and devotion. I offer my obeisance to Śrīla Kṛṣṇadās Bābājī Mahārāj.”