Verses one through six of the Śikṣāṣṭakam, as explained in Śrī Chaitanya-charitāmṛta (Antya 20.8–37).
harṣe prabhu kahena,—“śuna svarūpa-rāma-rāya
nāma-saṅkīrtana—kalau parama upāya [8]
Joyfully, the Lord said, “O Svarūp and Rāma Rāy, listen! Nām-saṅkīrtan is the highest path in the Age of Kali.
saṅkīrtana-yajñe kalau kṛṣṇa-ārādhana
sei ta’ sumedhā pāya kṛṣṇera charaṇa [9]
“Kṛṣṇa is worshipped through the sacrifice of saṅkīrtan in the Age of Kali. The truly intelligent follow this path and attain Kṛṣṇa’s feet.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.5.32):
kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam
yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi sumedhasaḥ [10]
“‘The truly intelligent worship, through the sacrifice based on saṅkīrtan, the golden-complexioned Lord who constantly glorifies Kṛṣṇa, accompanied by His expansions, subexpansions, weapons and associates.’
nāma-saṅkīrtana haite sarvānartha-nāśa
sarva-śubhodaya, kṛṣṇa-premera ullāsa [11]
“Through Nām-saṅkīrtan, all anarthas are destroyed, all auspiciousness arises, and one rejoices with divine love for Kṛṣṇa.
cheto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇaṁ
śreyaḥ-kairava-chandrikā-vitaraṇaṁ vidyā-vadhū-jīvanam
ānandāmbudhi-vardhanaṁ prati-padaṁ pūrṇāmṛtāsvādanaṁ
sarvātma-snapanaṁ paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam [12]
“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 divine knowledge, 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!
saṅkīrtana haite pāpa-saṁsāra-nāśana
chitta-śuddhi, sarva-bhakti-sādhana-udgama [13]
kṛṣṇa-premodgama, premāmṛta-āsvādana
kṛṣṇa-prāpti, sevāmṛta-samudre majjana [14]
“Through saṅkīrtan, sin and mundanity are destroyed, the heart becomes purified, all practices of devotion are performed, divine love for Kṛṣṇa arises, one tastes the nectar of divine love, one attains Kṛṣṇa, and one becomes immersed in the ocean of the nectar of service.”
uṭhila viṣāda, dainya,—paḍe āpana-śloka
yāhāra artha śuni’ saba yāya duḥkha-śoka [15]
Remorse and humility then arose within the Lord, and He recited one of His verses. Hearing its meaning dispels all sadness and sorrow.
nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktis
tatrārpitā niyamitaḥ smaraṇe na kālaḥ
etādṛśī tava kṛpā bhagavan mamāpi
durdaivam īdṛśam ihājani nānurāgaḥ [16]
“O Lord, You have manifested Your many Names, placed all of Your power within Them, and made no rules regarding the time for remembering Them. Such is Your great mercy. My misfortune, however, is that I have no attachment to Your Names.
aneka-lokera vāñchhā—aneka-prakāra
kṛpāte karila aneka-nāmera prachāra [17]
“Many people have many different desires. Mercifully, You have distributed Your many Names.
khāite śuite yathā tathā nāma laya
kāla-deśa-niyama nāhi, sarva-siddhi haya [18]
“There are no rules regarding time or place. Chant the Name while eating, lying down, or doing anything else, and attain complete fulfilment.
sarva-śakti nāme dilā kariyā vibhāga
āmāra durdaiva,—nāme nāhi anurāga!” [19]
“‘You have divided and placed all of Your power within Your Names. My misfortune is that I have no attachment to Your Names!
ye-rūpe la-ile nāma prema upajaya
tāhāra lakṣaṇa śuna, svarūpa-rāma-rāya [20]
“O Svarūp and Rāma Rāy, listen to the characteristics of the way in which one chants the Name and develops divine love.
tṛṇād api sunīchena taror iva sahiṣṇunā
amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ [21]
“The Lord’s Name is to be chanted always, with more humility than a blade of grass, tolerance like that of a tree, respect for everyone, and without desire for respect from anyone.
uttama hañā āpanāke māne tṛṇādhama
dui-prakāre sahiṣṇutā kare vṛkṣa-sama [22]
“Although exalted, a devotee considers themself lower than grass and practices tolerance like a tree in two ways.
vṛkṣa yena kāṭileha kichhu nā bolaya
śukāñā maileha kāre pānī nā māgaya [23]
“A tree does not say anything when it is being cut and does not ask anyone for water when it is drying up.
yei ye māgaye, tāre deya āpana-dhana
gharma-vṛṣṭi sahe, ānera karaye rakṣaṇa [24]
“A tree gives its wealth to whoever asks for it, tolerates heat and rain, and protects others.
uttama hañā vaiṣṇava habe nirabhimāna
jīve sammāna dibe jāni’ ‘kṛṣṇa’-adhiṣṭhāna [25]
“Although exalted, a devotee is prideless and honours all souls, knowing them to be abodes of Kṛṣṇa.
ei-mata hañā yei kṛṣṇa-nāma laya
śrī-kṛṣṇa-charaṇe tā̐ra prema upajaya [26]
“One who chants Kṛṣṇa’s Name in this way develops divine love for Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s feet.”
kahite kahite prabhura dainya bāḍilā
’śuddha-bhakti’ kṛṣṇa-ṭhāñi māgite lāgilā [27]
As He spoke, the Lord’s humility intensified, and He began to pray to Kṛṣṇa for pure devotion.
premera svabhāva—yā̐hā premera sambandha
sei māne,—‘kṛṣṇe mora nāhi prema-gandha’ [28]
The nature of divine love is that one who has it feels, “I do not have even a trace of divine love for Kṛṣṇa.”
na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ
kavitāṁ vā jagad-īśa kāmaye
mama janmani janmanīśvare
bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi [29]
“O Lord of the universe, I do not desire wealth, followers, beautiful women, or learning (dharma, artha, kāma, or mokṣa). Birth after birth, I desire only unconditional devotion to You.
dhana, jana nāhi māgo̐, kavitā sundarī
’śuddha-bhakti’ deha’ more, kṛṣṇa kṛpā kari’ [30]
“I do not pray for wealth, followers, learning, or beautiful women. O Kṛṣṇa, mercifully give me pure devotion.”
ati dainye punaḥ māge dāsya-bhakti-dāna
āpanāre kare saṁsārī jīva-abhimāna [31]
In extreme humility, the Lord again prayed for the gift of devotional service, assuming the mentality of a conditioned soul.
ayi nanda-tanuja kiṅkaraṁ
patitaṁ māṁ viṣame bhavāmbudhau
kṛpayā tava pāda-paṅkaja-
sthita-dhūlī-sadṛśaṁ vichintaya [32]
“O Kṛṣṇa, Your servant has fallen into the terrible ocean of this world. Mercifully consider me a speck of dust at Your lotus feet.
tomāra nitya-dāsa mui, tomā pāsariyā
paḍiyāchho̐ bhavārṇave māyā-baddha hañā [33]
“I am Your eternal servant. Forgetting You, I have fallen into the ocean of material existence and become bound by Māyā.
kṛpā kari’ kara more pada-dhūli-sama
tomāra sevaka karo̐ tomāra sevana“ [34]
“Mercifully accept me as a particle of dust at Your feet. As Your servant, I shall engage in Your service.”
punaḥ ati utkaṇṭhā, dainya ha-ila udgama
kṛṣṇa-ṭhāñi māge prema-nāma-saṅkīrtana [35]
Again intense longing and humility arose, and Mahāprabhu prayed to Kṛṣṇa to chant the Name with divine love.
nayanaṁ galad-aśru-dhārayā
vadanaṁ gadgada-ruddhayā girā
pulakair nichitaṁ vapuḥ kadā
tava nāma-grahaṇe bhaviṣyati [36]
“When will tears stream from my eyes, my voice falter, and the hair on my body stand on end as I call Your Name?
prema-dhana vinā vyartha daridra jīvana!
’dāsa’ kari’ vetana more deha prema-dhana!“ [37]
“Without the wealth of divine love, life is meaningless and poor! Make me Your servant and pay me a salary of divine love!”