Śrī Śrī Ṣaḍ-gosvāmy-aṣṭaka
(1)
kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau premāmṛtāmbho-nidhī
dhīrādhīra-jana-priyau priya-karau nirmatsarau pūjitau
śrī-caitanya-kṛpā-bharau bhuvi bhuvo bhārāvahantārakau
vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau
(2)
nānā-śāstra-vicāraṇaika-nipuṇau sad-dharma-saṁsthāpakau
lokānāṁ hita-kāriṇau tri-bhuvane mānyau śaraṇyākarau
rādhā-kṛṣṇa-padāravinda-bhajanānandena mattālikau
vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau
(3)
śrī-gaurāṅga-guṇānuvarṇana-vidhau śraddhā-samṛddhy-anvitau
pāpottāpa-nikṛntanau tanu-bhṛtāṁ govinda-gānāmṛtaiḥ
ānandāmbudhi-vardhanaika-nipuṇau kaivalya-nistārakau
vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau
(4)
tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tuccha-vat
bhūtvā dīna-gaṇeśakau karuṇayā kaupīna-kanthāśritau
gopī-bhāva-rasāmṛtābdhi-laharī-kallola-magnau muhur
vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau
(5)
kūjat-kokila-haṁsa-sārasa-gaṇākīrṇe mayūrākule
nānā-ratna-nibaddha-mūla-viṭapa-śrī-yukta-vṛndāvane
rādhā-kṛṣṇam ahar-niśaṁ prabhajatau jīvārthadau yau mudā
vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau
(6)
saṅkhyā-pūrvaka-nāma-gāna-natibhiḥ kālāvasānī-kṛtau
nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau cātyanta-dīnau ca yau
rādhā-kṛṣṇa-guṇa-smṛter madhurimānandena sammohitau
vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau
(7)
rādhā-kuṇḍa-taṭe kalinda-tanayā-tīre ca vaṁśīvaṭe
premonmāda-vaśād aśeṣa-daśayā grastau pramattau sadā
gāyantau ca kadā harer guṇa-varaṁ bhāvābhibhūtau mudā
vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau
(8)
he rādhe vraja-devike ca lalite he nanda-sūno kutaḥ
śrī-govardhana-kalpa-pādapa-tale kālindī-vanye kutaḥ
ghoṣantāv iti sarvato vraja-pure khedair mahā-vihvalau
vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau
I offer my respectful obeisances unto the six Gosvāmīs, namely Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī, Śrī Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, Śrī Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī, and Śrī Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, who are always engaged in chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa and dancing. They are just like the ocean of love of God, and they are popular both with the gentle and with the ruffians, because they are not envious of anyone. Whatever they do, they are all-pleasing to everyone, and they are fully blessed by Lord Caitanya. Thus they are engaged in missionary activities meant to deliver all the conditioned souls in the material universe.
I offer my respectful obeisances unto the six Gosvāmīs, namely Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī, Śrī Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, Śrī Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī, and Śrī Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, who are very expert in scrutinizingly studying all the revealed scriptures with the aim of establishing eternal religious principles for the benefit of all human beings. Thus they are honored all over the three worlds and they are worth taking shelter of because they are absorbed in the mood of the gopis and are engaged in the transcendental loving service of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa.
I offer my respectful obeisances unto the six Gosvāmīs, namely Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī, Śrī Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, Śrī Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī, and Śrī Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, who are very much enriched in understanding of Lord Caitanya and who are thus expert in narrating His transcendental qualities. They can purify all conditioned souls from the reactions of their sinful activities by pouring upon them transcendental songs about Govinda. As such, they are very expert in increasing the limits of the ocean of transcendental bliss, and they are the saviors of the living entities from the devouring mouth of liberation.
I offer my respectful obeisances unto the six Gosvāmīs, namely Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī, Śrī Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, Śrī Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī, and Śrī Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, who kicked off all association of aristocracy as insignificant. In order to deliver the poor conditioned souls, they accepted loincloths, treating themselves as mendicants, but they are always merged in the ecstatic ocean of the gopis’ love for Kṛṣṇa and bathe always and repeatedly in the waves of that ocean.
I offer my respectful obeisances unto the six Gosvāmīs, namely Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī, Śrī Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, Śrī Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī, and Śrī Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, who were always engaged in worshiping Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa in the transcendental land of Vṛndāvana where there are beautiful trees full of fruits and flowers which have under their roots all valuable jewels. The Gosvāmīs are perfectly competent to bestow upon the living entities the greatest boon of the goal of life.
I offer my respectful obeisances unto the six Gosvāmīs, namely Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī, Śrī Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, Śrī Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī, and Śrī Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, who were engaged in chanting the holy names of the Lord and bowing down in a scheduled measurement. In this way they utilized their valuable lives and in executing these devotional activities they conquered over eating and sleeping and were always meek and humble enchanted by remembering the transcendental qualities of the Lord.
I offer my respectful obeisances unto the six Gosvāmīs, namely Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī, Śrī Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, Śrī Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī, and Śrī Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, who were sometimes on the bank of the Rādhā-kunda lake or the shores of the Yamuna and sometimes at Vaṁśīvaṭa. There they appeared just like madmen in the full ecstasy of love for Kṛṣṇa, exhibiting different transcendental symptoms in their bodies, and they were merged in the ecstasy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
I offer my respectful obeisances unto the six Gosvāmīs, namely Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī, Śrī Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, Śrī Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī, and Śrī Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, who were chanting very loudly everywhere in Vṛndāvana, shouting, “Queen of Vṛndāvana, Rādhārāṇī! O Lalita! O son of Nanda Mahārāja! Where are you all now? Are you just on the hill of Govardhana, or are you under the trees on the bank of the Yamunā? Where are you?” These were their moods in executing Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Prabhupada’s Commentary to First Verse
They were practicing to teach us, āpani ācari’ prabhu jīvere śikhāya. Simply teaching will not do unless we practice. That is very important thing, practice, practical life. Simply quoting verses, like parrot, will not be very much beneficial. One must apply, jñānam vijñāna-sahitam. Jñāna means to know the thing, and vijñāna means to apply the things in practical life. Jñānaṁ vijñāna-sahitam. So we must know the vijñāna, how practically. That is taught by the Gosvāmīs, kṛṣṇot-kīrtana-gāna-nartana, always chanting the glories of Kṛṣṇa. Kīrtana, gāna, nartana, nartana means dancing. Dancing is very good. The more you dance, the more you become light; means the burden of material contamination becomes reduced. Dancing is so nice. Even if you don’t feel ecstasy, if you dance by force, that will also help us. Kṛṣṇot-kīrtana-gāna-nartanau-parau premāmṛtāmbho-nidhī. By dancing dancing, we shall develop our dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness, love for Kṛṣṇa. This is a nice process. Kṛṣṇot-kīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau premāmṛtāmbho-nidhī. Then you will merge into the ocean of love for Kṛṣṇa. So this is the highest stage of ecstasy for Kṛṣṇa consciousness, always chanting Kṛṣṇa’s name, dancing in ecstasy, and to be merged in the ocean of love for Kṛṣṇa. These are the perfection.
Dhīrādhīra jana-priyau, in this way we shall become friendly to every people, dhīrādhīra. There are two classes of men. Dhīra, sober, and other class, rogue. So both of them will be pleased by kṛṣṇot-kīrtana. You have practical experience. When there is kṛṣṇa-kīrtana, people, all classes of people, become very much pleased, and they join. As soon as your kīrtana will be pure saṅkīrtana, not artificial, not professional… There are many professional dancer. That will not attract. But, even if you do not know the art of dancing, if you simply dance in ecstasy for Kṛṣṇa’s love, that will be appreciated by everyone. That will be appreciated by everyone. Kṛṣṇot-kīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau. These are the art. One does not require to become a Vedāntist. Simply if one chants Kṛṣṇa’s name, holy name, and in ecstasy dances, he’s more than a Vedāntist. Actually vedānti means one who knows the ultimate knowledge, veda. Veda means knowledge. And anta means ultimate, vedānta. Then what is that ultimate knowledge? Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam Bg. 15.15. That is ultimate knowledge. So one who has understood Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa’s love, he’s dancing, then what more vedānta can do? That is the first class realization of vedānta. Kṛṣṇot-kīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau. So we should always offer our respect to the Gosvāmīs, ei chay gosāi yāra tāra mui dāsa, Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says. Tāṅ-sabāra pada-reṇu mora pañca-grās. We should be so humble, respectful to the Gosvāmīs. Not only these Gosvāmīs, anyone who is serving the Gosvāmīs. The Gosvāmīs has also the mission.
śrī-caitanya-mano-‘bhīṣṭaṁ
sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale
svayaṁ rūpaḥ kadā mahyaṁ
dadāti sva-padāntikam
When will Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda, who has established within this material world the mission to fulfill the desire of Lord Caitanya, give me shelter under his lotus feet?
That is our prayer. Śrī-caitanya-mano-‘bhīṣṭam, Lord Caitanya’s desire. What was His desire? His desire was,
pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma
sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma
That is His desire. Not to sit down in a secluded place, and to get cheap popularity as a petty meditator. Even if he’s meditator, but that is for himself, but Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that, “Go, everyone, in every village, in every town, and preach this gospel,
pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grama
sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma
This is Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s mano-‘bhīṣṭam, that is His desire. So śrī-caitanya mano-‘bhīṣṭaṁ sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale. Rūpa Gosvāmī, they established śrī-caitanya-mano-‘bhīṣṭam. Rūpa Gosvāmī was instructed by Caitanya Mahāprabhu personally, ten days in Allahabad. Similarly, it was instructed regularly for two months to Sanātana Gosvāmī in Benares, because He wanted Sanātana Gosvāmī and Rūpa Gosvāmī to preach His mission, mano-‘bhīṣṭam. Therefore our prayer is, we offer this prayer,
śrī-caitanya-mano-‘bhīṣṭaṁ
sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale
svayaṁ rūpaḥ kadā mahyaṁ
dadāti sva-padāntikam
When will Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda, who has established within this material world the mission to fulfill the desire of Lord Caitanya, give me shelter under his lotus feet?
If you want to preach the gospel of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, then the personalities who established, by writing these books, Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Hari-bhakti-vilāsa, Vidagdha-mādhava, so many books they have written. So we must go through them, must try to understand. Then we can understand what is the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Caitanya-bhāgavata, Caitanya-maṅgala, there are so many. Caitanya-candradoya by Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī. So many devotees, they have given us so many high literatures, we should consult. Therefore the prayer is, śrī-caitanya-mano-‘bhīṣṭaṁ sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale.
When will Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda, who has established within this material world the mission to fulfill the desire of Lord Caitanya, give me shelter under his lotus feet?
Persons who established the desire of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Padāntikam, when they will give shelter on their lotus feet. That means Gosvāmīs.
tāṅdera caraṇa-sevi-bhakta-sane vāsa
janame janame ei mor abhilāsa
Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, tādera caraṇa-sevi, let us serve the lotus feet of the Gosvāmīs, and live within the association of devotees. Otherwise we may fall down. Bhakta-sane-vāsa, one must live with the devotees.
satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido
bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ
taj-joṣaṇād āśv apavarga-vartmani
śraddhā ratir bhaktir anukramiṣyati
SB 3.25.25
Satāṁ prasaṅgān. We should have discourses of Bhagavad-gītā or Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or any literature about the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Mama vīrya-saṁvido those words are vīrya-saṁvido. Vīrya means potency. Just like, if a man is potent, as soon as there is sex, he gives birth, potency. Similarly, we should associate with devotees who have got potency, mama vīrya-saṁvido, bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ. Otherwise we may go on hearing for three millions of years, we are in the same position. But the words must be from the potent person. Potent person. Then it will act very quickly. Therefore Kṛṣṇa Himself advises, satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido SB 3.25.25. Satām, devotees. That same thing Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says. Tādera caraṇa, the desire should be, how to serve the Gosvāmīs, how to serve Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, how to serve Kṛṣṇa. That should be the desire, that this desire can be fulfilled when we are living with the devotees. Therefore we have got this society, Kṛṣṇa consciousness society. Anyone who will live in this society, naturally he will develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness, very quickly, very easily. Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ SB 3.25.25. Kṛṣṇa-kathāḥ is very potential. Therefore Sanātana Gosvāmī advises,