Continuing our presentation of the recent release Sharanagati, in this song Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur describes how a surrendered soul prays to Sri Guru for the qualities needed to chant the Holy Name.
Sharanagati
Song Forty-four
gurudeva!
kṛpā-bindu diyā, kara’ ei dāse,
tṛṇāpekṣā ati dīna
sakala sahane, bala diyā kara’
nija-māne spṛhā-hīna [1]
gurudeva!–O spiritual master!; kṛpā–of mercy; bindu–a drop; diyā–giving; kara’–please make; ei–this; dāse–to the servant; tṛṇa–blade of grass; apekṣā–more than; ati–very; dīna–humble; sakala–all; sahane–for tolerating; bala–strength; diyā–giving; kara’–please make; nija–own; māne–for honour; spṛhā–desire; hīna–devoid. [1]
(1) O Gurudev! Give this servant a drop of your mercy and make him more humble than a blade of grass. Give him the strength to tolerate everything, and make him free from any desire for personal honour.
sakale sammāna, karite śakati,
deha’ nātha! yathāyatha
tabe ta’ gāiba, hari-nāma sukhe,
aparādha ha’be hata [2]
sakale–to everyone; sammāna–honour; karite–to do; śakati–the strength; deha’–please give; nātha!–O master!; yathāyatha–befittingly; tabe–then; ta’–certainly; gāiba–I will sing; hari–of the Lord; nāma–the Name; sukhe–happily; aparādha–offences; ha’be–will be; hata–destroyed. [2]
(2) O master! Give me the ability to befittingly honour everyone. Then I will sing the Lord’s Name happily, and all my offences will be eradicated.
kabe hena kṛpā, labhiyā e jana,
kṛtārtha ha-ibe, nātha!
śakti-buddhi-hīna, āmi ati dīna,
kara’ more ātma-sātha [3]
kabe–when?; hena–such; kṛpā–mercy; labhiyā–obtaining; e–this; jana–person; kṛtārtha–fulfilled; ha-ibe–will be; nātha!–O master!; śakti–strength; buddhi–and intelligence; hīna–devoid; āmi–I; ati–greatly; dīna–distressed; kara’–please do; more–to me; ātma–self; sātha–with. [3]
(3) When will this soul attain such mercy and become fulfilled? O master! I am devoid of ability and intelligence, and greatly distressed. Please accept me as your own.
yogyatā-vichāre, kichhu nāhi pāi,
tomāra karuṇā—sāra
karuṇā nā haile, kā̐diyā kā̐diyā,
prāṇa nā rākhiba āra [4]
yogyatā–fitness; vichāre–in considering; kichhu–anything; nāhi–not; pāi–I obtain; tomāra–your; karuṇā–mercy; sāra–the essence; karuṇā–merciful; nā–not; haile–if you are; kā̐diyā–crying; kā̐diyā–and crying; prāṇa–life; nā–not; rākhiba–I will maintain; āra–any more. [4]
(4) When I examine my qualifications, I find none. Your mercy is everything. If you are not merciful to me, then, crying incessantly, I will not live any longer.
(1–4) This song is based on the third verse of Sriman Mahaprabhu’s Shiksastakam:
tṛṇād api sunīchena taror iva sahiṣṇunā
amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ
“The Lord’s Name is always to be chanted with more humility than a blade of grass, tolerance like that of a tree, respect for everyone, and without desire for respect from anyone.”