Verses of the Temple of Love and Affection

The verses have been organized in accordance with the following themes.
They can be viewed in this way by clicking on the names of the themes.

Hari-Katha
Sharanagati
Sri Nam Prabhu
Bhagavan Sri Chaitanyadev
Viraha
Akhila-Rasamrita-Murti Sri Krishna
Murali-Dhar Sri Krishna
Vrindavan
Sri Nityananda Ram
Sri Guru
The Vaishnav
Prayers
Pure Devotion
Advice
Poetry by Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj
Poetry About Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj
Additional Verses

Alternately, the verses can also be viewed in accordance with the sequential order in which they have been posted on the site by clicking here.

As you read, click on the verses themselves to view commentaries and explanations from their original postings.

Verses of the Temple of Love and Affection in Thematic Order

Hari-katha

śrī-śrīmad-bhagavat-padāmbuja-madhu-svādotsavaiḥ ṣaṭ-padair
nikṣiptā madhu-bindavaś cha parito bhraṣṭā mukhād guñjitaiḥ
yatnaiḥ kiñchid ihāhṛtaṁ nija-para-śreyo ’rthinā tan mayā
bhūyo-bhūya ito rajāṁsi pada-saṁlagnāni teṣāṁ bhaje
          (Sri Sri Prapanna-jivanamritam: 10.14)

“During the festival of relishing the nectar from the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, drops of nectar fall from the mouths of the bees as they hum (the glories of the Lord in an intoxicated mood). For my own supreme benefit, I have carefully gathered some of those drops of nectar herein. In this way I serve the dust of the feet of those great devotees again and again.”

tad eva ramyaṁ ruchiraṁ navaṁ navaṁ
tad eva śaśvan manaso mahotsavam
tad eva śokārṇava-śoṣaṇaṁ nṛṇāṁ
yad uttamaḥśloka-yaśo ’nugīyate
          (Srimad Bhagavatam: 12.12.5o)

“Chanting the glories of the Supreme Lord is pleasing, relishable, and ever new. It is a perpetual festival for the heart and dries up the ocean of lamentation.”

āyur harati vai puṁsām udyann astaṁ cha yann asau
tasyarte yat-kṣaṇo nīta uttama-śloka-vārtayā
(Srimad Bhagavatam:  2.3.17)

“The rising and setting of the sun decreases the duration of everyone’s life, except those who spend their time discussing the Supreme Lord.”

pārāśarya-vachaḥ sarojam-amalaṁ gītārtha-gandhotkaṭaṁ
nānākhyānaka-kesaraṁ hari-kathā-sambodhanābodhitam
loke sajjana-ṣaṭ-padair ahar-ahaḥ pepīyamānaṁ mudā
bhūyād bhārata-paṅkajaṁ kali-mala-pradhvaṁsi naḥ śreyase
            (Sri Gita-Mahatmya: 7)

“The words of Sri Krishna Dvaipayan Vyasadev are a perfect lotus flower. The meaning of the Gita is the beautiful fragrance of this lotus, the various episodes are its stamens, and the enlightening narrations about the Supreme Lord are its nectar. This nectar is drunk daily by the bee-like devotees in this world. May this Mahabharata lotus, the vanquisher of all evils in this age of Kali, graciously bestow auspiciousness upon us.”

nigama-kalpa-taror galitaṁ phalaṁ
śuka-mukhād amṛta-drava-saṁyutam
pibata bhāgavataṁ rasam ālayaṁ
muhur aho rasikā bhuvi bhāvukāḥ
          (Srimad Bhagavatam: 1.1.3)

“This ripened fruit of the wish-fulfilling tree of Vedic Scripture—Srimad Bhagavatam—is enriched with the nectar of Srila Shukadev Goswami’s the lotus mouth. Oh relishers of rasa! Always drink this juicy fruit. Oh devotees who are expert in all aspects of their loving-relationships with the Lord! Until you are utterly submerged in ecstasy, within this world relish Srimad Bhagavatam; and even when you do become utterly submerged in ecstasy, continue perpetually drinking this  this rasa.”

vikrīḍitaṁ vraja-vadhūbhir idaṁ cha viṣṇoḥ
śraddhānvito ’nuśṛṇuyād atha varṇayed yaḥ
bhaktiṁ parāṁ bhagavati pratilabhya kāmaṁ
hṛd-rogam āśv apahinoty achireṇa dhīraḥ
(Srimad Bhagavatam: 10.33.40)

“A sober soul who faithfully hears about, or describes, the play of Vishnu with the Vraja-gopis obtains supreme devotion for the Lord and their heart disease (material desires) is quickly dispelled.”

gaura-kathā payorāśī,        kṛṣṇa-dāsa tāhe bhāsi’
            āniyāchhe amṛtera dhāra
sei kāvya-sudhā pāne,        vaiṣṇava śītala prāṇe,
             āro pite chāhe bāra bāra
(Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur)

“After floating in the milk-reservoir of the glories of Sri Gaurasundar, Srila Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami has brought (into this world) a stream of nectar (in the form of Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita). When devotees drink the nectar of this poetry, their hearts are cooled and they desire to drink it again and again.”

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sach-chid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
anādir ādir govindaḥ sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam
          (Sri Brahma-samhita: 5.1)

“The personification of spiritual existence, consciousness and ecstasy, Sri Krishna, who is known as Govinda, is the Supreme Lord of all Lords. He is has no origin, He is the origin of all and He is the cause of all causes.”

kṛṣṇera yateka khelā,     sarvottama nara-līlā,
nara-vapu tāhāra svarūpa
gopa-veśa, veṇu-kara,     nava-kiśora, naṭa-vara,
nara-līlāra haya anurūpa
          (Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita: Madhya-lila, 21.101)

“Of all the Pastimes of the Supreme Lord Krishna, His human-like Pastimes are topmost. His human-like form is His original, personal form. His cowherd-boy garb, the flute He carries in His hand, His ever youthful appearance as an adolescent, and His quality of being the best of dancers all beautifully befit His human-like Pastimes.”

viśveṣām anurañjanena janayann ānandam indīvara-
śreṇī-śyāmala-komalair upanayann aṅgair anaṅgotsavam
svachchhandaṁ vraja-sundarībhir abhitaḥ praty-aṅgam āliṅgitaḥ
śṛṅgāraḥ sakhi mūrtimān iva madhau mugdho hariḥ krīḍati
(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita: Adi-lila, 4.224; Sri Gīta-govinda: 1.11)

“Delighting the entire universe, creating a festival of Cupid with His soft arms and legs which resemble blue lotus flowers, freely embraced in full by the beauties of Vraja on both sides, O friend, beautiful Sri Hari plays during the season of spring like the embodiment of amorous love.”

Sri Nityananda Ram

sphurad-amala-kirīṭaṁ kiṅkiṇī-kaṅkaṇārhaṁ
chalad-alaka-kapolaṁ kuṇḍala-śrī-mukhābjam
tuhina-giri-manojñaṁ nīla-meghāmbarāḍhyaṁ
hala-muṣala-viśālaṁ kāma-pālaṁ samīḍe
(Sri Garga Samhita: 8.13.4)

“I praise Balaram, who wears a radiant, immaculate jeweled crown that immediately captures everyone’s attention; who is adorned with tinkling bells and jeweled ornaments; whose curling locks of hair charmingly sway with agreeable negligence about beautifying His cheeks; whose handsome lotus face is bedecked with earrings; whose all-attractive complexion resembles a moonlit snow-capped mountain peak; whose garments resemble alluring dark-blue clouds; who appears illustrious carrying His plow and club; and who fulfills all desires.”

Sri Guru

varṣāyāṁ vai sajala-jalado vādayan mandra-bheriṁ
yadvad-viśve bhramati bahudhā vāridhārāṣcha varṣan
tadvad-bhūmau bhramasi sagaṇair ghoṣayan gaura-gāthā
nityaṁ divyāmṛta-sukaruṇāṁ tvaṁ hi deva! pravarṣan
          (Sri Guru-prashasti: 6)

“Just like the rain-clouds of the monsoon, which rumble with a deep, magnetic, kettle-drum like vibration and recurrently circle about showing torrents of rain everywhere, you, oh lord, similarly wander about this world accompanied by your associates resoundingly proclaiming the glories of Sri Gaurangadev and showering eternal, divine, nectarean mercy upon all.”

ādadānas tṛṇaṁ dantair idaṁ yāche punaḥ punaḥ
śrīmad rūpa-padāmbhoja-dhūliḥ syāṁ janma-janmani
          (Srila Raghunath Das Goswami)

“Taking a blade of grass between my teeth, I perpetually pray I may become a particle of dust at the lotus feet of Srimad Rupa Goswami Prabhu birth after birth.”

The Vaishnav

naiṣāṁ matis tāvad urukramāṅghriṁ
spṛśaty anarthāpagamo yad-arthaḥ
mahīyasāṁ pāda-rajo-’bhiṣekaṁ
niṣkiñchanānāṁ na vṛṇīta yāvat
          (Srimad Bhagavatam: 7.5.32)

“So long as persons pursuant of mundane happiness have not bathed in the dust of the feet of devotees who are detached from this world, they cannot touch the feet of the Lord, which are the destroyer of all evils.”

Advice

gurur na sa syāt sva-jano na sa syāt
pitā na sa syāj jananī na sā syāt
daivaṁ na tat syān na patiś cha sa syān
na mochayed yaḥ samupeta‑mṛtyum
          (Srimad Bhagavatam: 5.5.18)

“That guru is no guru, that kinsman is no kinsman, that father is no father, that mother is no mother, that demigod is no demigod, and that husband is no husband, who cannot save us from the jaws of death.”

Any so-called guru, relative, father, mother, demigod or husband who cannot save one from the bondage of material existence should be abandoned at once.

Additional Verses

hlādinīra sāra ‘prema’, prema-sāra ‘bhāva’
bhāvera parama-kāṣṭhā, nāma—‘mahā-bhāva’
mahābhāva-svarūpā śrī-rādhā-ṭhākurāṇī
sarva-guṇa-khani kṛṣṇa-kāntā-śiromaṇi
(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita: Adi-lila, 4.68–69)

“The essence of hladini is prem, the essence of prem is bhav, and the ultimate expression of bhav is mahabhav. Sri Radha Thakurani is the embodiment of mahabhav. She is the mine of all good qualities and the crest jewel of among the lovers of Krishna.”

devī kṛṣṇa-mayī proktā rādhikā para-devatā
sarva-lakṣmī-mayī sarva-kāntiḥ sammohinī parā
(Brihad-gautamiya-tantra)

“Radhika is known as Devi, Krishna-mayi, Para-devata, Sarva-laksmi-mayi, Sarva-kanti, Sammohini and Para.”

rādhā-bhajane yadi mati nāhi bhelā 
kṛṣṇa-bhajana tava akāraṇe gelā
(Gitavali: Radhashtakam, 8.1)

“If you do not desire to serve Radha, your service to Krishna goes for nothing.”

pramada-madana-līlāḥ kandare kandare te
rachayati nava-yūnor dvandvam asminn amandam
iti kila kalanārthaṁ lagnakas tad-dvayor me
nija-nikaṭa-nivāsaṁ dehi govardhana tvam
(Govardhana-vasa-prarthana-dashakam: 2)

“Oh Govardhan, the Divine Couple liberally enact Their Pastimes of maddened love within your caves. Please grant me a dwelling beside you so I can observe Their Pastimes.”

Verses of the Temple of Love and Affection

in Sequential Order

Temple of Love and Affection Verse One

śrī-śrīmad-bhagavat-padāmbuja-madhu-svādotsavaiḥ ṣaṭ-padair
nikṣiptā madhu-bindavaś cha parito bhraṣṭā mukhād guñjitaiḥ
yatnaiḥ kiñchid ihāhṛtaṁ nija-para-śreyo ’rthinā tan mayā
bhūyo-bhūya ito rajāṁsi pada-saṁlagnāni teṣāṁ bhaje
(Śrī Śrī Prapanna-jīvanāmṛtam: 10.14)
“During the grand, eternal festival of relishing the honey of the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, drops of that honey (inevitably) fall from the mouths of the bees (devotees) and become strewn in all directions as they go about humming the glories of the Lord in an intoxicated mood. For my own supreme benefit, I have gathered with great care some of those drops of honey herein. In this way I serve the dust of the lotus feet of those great souls (those bees in the lotus feet of the Lord) again and again.”

Temple of Love and Affection Verse Two

tad eva ramyaṁ ruchiraṁ navaṁ navaṁ
tad eva śaśvan manaso mahotsavam
tad eva śokārṇava-śoṣaṇaṁ nṛṇāṁ
yad uttamaḥśloka-yaśo ’nugīyate
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 12.12.5o)
“The Supreme Personality of Godhead is known as Uttamaḥśloka. This Name describes the Lord as He who possesses the topmost character and as He whose glories are sung by the sādhus—the topmost of all jīva-souls. Words and expressions by which the glories of Uttamaḥśloka are sung are supremely pleasing and attractive (ramya), bestow ever-fresh, newer and newer nectarean taste (incite ever-increasing divine hankering—ruchira), are a grand, perpetual festival for the heart and dry up the ocean of (all forms of) lamentation. (Such words and expressions are the only source of truth and auspiciousness.)”

Temple of Love and Affection Verse Three

āyur harati vai puṁsām udyann astaṁ cha yann asau
tasyarte yat-kṣaṇo nīta uttama-śloka-vārtayā
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 2.3.17)
“The rising and setting of the Sun decreases everyone’s duration of life except one who utilizes their time by dedicating themself to the message of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”

Temple of Love and Affection Verse Four

pārāśarya-vachaḥ sarojam-amalaṁ gītārtha-gandhotkaṭaṁ
nānākhyānaka-kesaraṁ hari-kathā-sambodhanābodhitam
loke sajjana-ṣaṭ-padair ahar-ahaḥ pepīyamānaṁ mudā
bhūyād bhārata-paṅkajaṁ kali-mala-pradhvaṁsi naḥ śreyase
(Śrī Gītā-Māhātmya: 7)
“The words of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyan Vyāsadev, the son of Parāśar Muni, are a perfect lotus flower. The meaning of the Gītā is the beautiful fragrance of this lotus, the various episodes are its stamens, and the enlightening narrations about the Supreme Lord are its nectar. In this world, the pure devotees are the bees who day after day delight in drinking the nectar of this lotus flower. May this Mahābhārat lotus, the vanquisher of all evils in this age of Kali, graciously bestow auspiciousness upon us.”

Temple of Love and Affection Verse Five

nigama-kalpa-taror galitaṁ phalaṁ
śuka-mukhād amṛta-drava-saṁyutam
pibata bhāgavataṁ rasam ālayaṁ
muhur aho rasikā bhuvi bhāvukāḥ
(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: 1.1.3)
“This ripened fruit of the wish-fulfilling tree of Vedic Scripture— Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam—is enriched with the nectar of the lotus mouth of Śrīla Śukadev Goswāmī. Oh rasikas! Oh connoisseurs of loving (service) relationships with the Supreme Lord! Always drink this juicy fruit (of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam). Oh devotees who are expert in all aspects of their supra-mundane loving-relationship with the Lord! Until you are utterly submerged in the supreme ecstasy of Your loving relationship with the Lord (rasa-tattva), within this world (as supra-mundane experts in devotion) relish Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam; and even when you do become utterly submerged in such supreme ecstasy, you will again continue perpetually drinking this supreme nectarean juice (the (rasa) of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam).”

Temple of Love and Affection Verse Six

gurur na sa syāt sva-jano na sa syāt
pitā na sa syāj jananī na sā syāt
daivaṁ na tat syān na patiś cha sa syān
na mochayed yaḥ samupeta‑mṛtyum
          (Srimad Bhagavatam: 5.5.18)

“That guru is no guru, that kinsman is no kinsman, that father is no father, that mother is no mother, that demigod is no demigod, and that husband is no husband, who cannot save us from the jaws of death.”

Any so-called guru, relative, father, mother, demigod or husband who cannot save one from the bondage of material existence should be abandoned at once.

Temple of Love and Affection Verse Seven

naiṣāṁ matis tāvad urukramāṅghriṁ
spṛśaty anarthāpagamo yad-arthaḥ
mahīyasāṁ pāda-rajo-’bhiṣekaṁ
niṣkiñchanānāṁ na vṛṇīta yāvat
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 7.5.32)
“So long as all such persons intently pursuant of mundane ends (gṛha-vratas) do no bath in the dust of the lotus feet of the great devotees (paramahaṁsas, niṣkiṣchan Vaiṣṇavas—who have abandoned all worldly desires, pursuits, activities, relationships and so forth, who are devoid of all mundane egotism, who are fully surrendered to the Lord and exclusively engaged in devotion; so long as materialistic persons do not embrace the shelter and guidance of such devotees of the Lord), their hearts never come in touch with the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord Urukram which are the destroyer of all anarthas (deep-set desires for mundane ends, obstacles to pure devotion, forms of perpetual misery within the material world; and thus the anarthas of such persons are never dispelled and it remains impossible for their hearts to become devoted to the Lord).”

Temple of Love and Affection Verse Eight

vikrīḍitaṁ vraja-vadhūbhir idaṁ cha viṣṇoḥ
śraddhānvito ’nuśṛṇuyād atha varṇayed yaḥ
bhaktiṁ parāṁ bhagavati pratilabhya kāmaṁ
hṛd-rogam āśv apahinoty achireṇa dhīraḥ
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.33.40)
“One who faithfully hears about or narrates the playful Pastimes of Lord Viṣṇu with the Vraja-gopīs obtains topmost devotion for the Supreme Lord. Quickly, their heart disease (all their material desire) is dispelled and they become sober.”

Temple of Love and Affection Verse Nine

gaura-kathā payorāśī,        kṛṣṇa-dāsa tāhe bhāsi’
āniyāchhe amṛtera dhāra
sei kāvya-sudhā pāne,        vaiṣṇava śītala prāṇe,
āro pite chāhe bāra bāra
(Śrīla Bhaktivinod Ṭhākur)
“After floating in the milk-reservoir of the glories of Sriman Mahaprabhu (Gaura-katha), Srila Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami has brought (into this world) a stream of nectar (in the form of Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita). When devotees drink the nectar of this poetry, their hearts are cooled and they desire to drink (this nectar) again and again.”

Temple of Love and Affection Verse Ten

varṣāyāṁ vai sajala-jalado vādayan mandra-bheriṁ
yadvad-viśve bhramati bahudhā vāridhārāṣcha varṣan
tadvad-bhūmau bhramasi sagaṇair ghoṣayan gaura-gāthā
nityaṁ divyāmṛta-sukaruṇāṁ tvaṁ hi deva! pravarṣan
(Śrī Guru-Praśasti: 6)
“Just like the rain-clouds of the rainy season (Varsha-kal) which rumble with a deep, magnetic, kettle-drum like vibration and recurrently circle about showing torrents of rain everywhere, you, oh lord, certainly similarly wander about this world, accompanied by your associates, resoundingly proclaiming the glories of Sri Gaurangadev and showering eternal, divine, nectarean mercy upon all.”

Temple of Love and Affection Verse Eleven

ādadānas tṛṇaṁ dantair idaṁ yāche punaḥ punaḥ
śrīmad rūpa-padāmbhoja-dhūliḥ syāṁ janma-janmani
(Śrīla Raghunāth Dās Goswāmī)
“Taking a blade of grass between my teeth, I perpetually pray I may become a particle of dust at the lotus feet of Śrīmad Rūpa Goswāmī Prabhu birth after birth.”

Temple of Love and Affection Verse Twelve

sphurad-amala-kirīṭaṁ kiṅkiṇī-kaṅkaṇārhaṁ
chalad-alaka-kapolaṁ kuṇḍala-śrī-mukhābjam
tuhina-giri-manojñaṁ nīla-meghāmbarāḍhyaṁ
hala-muṣala-viśālaṁ kāma-pālaṁ samīḍe
(Śrī Garga Saṁhitā: 8.13.4)
“I extol Kāma-Pāl, Śrī Balarām, who wears a radiant, immaculate jeweled crown that immediately captures everyone’s attention; who is adorned with tinkling bells and jeweled ornaments; whose curling locks of hair charmingly sway with agreeable negligence about beautifying His cheeks; whose handsome lotus face is bedecked with earrings; whose all-attractive complexion resembles a moonlit snow-capped mountain peak; whose garments resemble alluring dark-blue clouds; who appears illustrious carrying His plow and club; and who fulfills all desires.”

Temple of Love and Affection Verse Thirteen

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sach-chid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
anādir ādir govindaḥ sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam
(Śrī Brahma-saṁhitā: 5.1)
“The personification of spiritual existence, consciousness and ecstasy, Sri Krishna, who is known as Govinda, is the Supreme Lord of all Lords. He is has no origin, He is the origin of all and He is the cause of all causes.”

Temple of Love and Affection Verse Fourteen

kṛṣṇera yateka khelā,     sarvottama nara-līlā,
nara-vapu tāhāra svarūpa
gopa-veśa, veṇu-kara,     nava-kiśora, naṭa-vara,
nara-līlāra haya anurūpa
(Śrī Chaitanya-charitāmṛta: Madhya-līlā, 21.101)
“Of all the Pastimes of the Supreme Lord Krishna, His human-like Pastimes are topmost. His human-like form is His original, personal form. His cowherd-boy garb, the flute He carries in His hand, His ever youthful appearance as an adolescent, and His quality of being the best of dancers all beautifully befit His human-like Pastimes.”

Temple of Love and Affection Verse Fifteen

hlādinīra sāra ‘prema’, prema-sāra ‘bhāva’
bhāvera parama-kāṣṭhā, nāma—‘mahā-bhāva’
mahābhāva-svarūpā śrī-rādhā-ṭhākurāṇī
sarva-guṇa-khani kṛṣṇa-kāntā-śiromaṇi
(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita: Adi-lila, 4.68–69)

“The essence of hladini is prem, the essence of prem is bhav, and the ultimate expression of bhav is mahabhav. Sri Radha Thakurani is the embodiment of mahabhav. She is the mine of all good qualities and the crest jewel of among the lovers of Krishna.”

Temple of Love and Affection Verse Sixteen

devī kṛṣṇa-mayī proktā rādhikā para-devatā
sarva-lakṣmī-mayī sarva-kāntiḥ sammohinī parā
(Brihad-gautamiya-tantra)

“Radhika is known as Devi, Krishna-mayi, Para-devata, Sarva-laksmi-mayi, Sarva-kanti, Sammohini and Para.”

Temple of Love and Affection Verse Seventeen

rādhā-bhajane yadi mati nāhi bhelā 
kṛṣṇa-bhajana tava akāraṇe gelā
(Gitavali: Radhashtakam, 8.1)

“If you do not desire to serve Radha, your service to Krishna goes for nothing.”