prabhu-tava

Salt Lake City, Utah, USA · 2015

na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ
kavitāṁ vā jagad-īśa kāmaye
mama janmani janmanīśvare
bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi

prabhu tava pada-juge mora nivedana
nāhi māgi deho-sukha, vidyā dhana, jana

nāhi māgi svarga, āro mokṣa nāhi māgi
nā kori prārthanā kono vibhūtira lāgi

nija-karma-guṇa-doṣe je je janma pāi
janme janme jeno tava nāma-guṇa gāi

ei mātra āśā mama tomāra charaṇe
ahaitukī bhakti hṛde jāge anukṣaṇe

biṣoye je prīti ebe āchoye āmāra
sei-mata prīti hauk charaṇe tomāra

bipade sampade tāhā thākuka samabhāve
dine dine bṛddhi hauk nāmera prabhāve

paśu-pakṣī hoye thāki svarge bā niroye
tava bhakti rahu bhaktivinoda-hṛdoye

Translation

“Oh Lord, I have no desires to accumulate wealth, followers, beautiful women, or salvation. My only prayer is for Your causeless devotional service, birth after birth.”

1) O Lord! This is my humble submission at Your lotus feet. I do not ask for sense pleasure, learning, wealth or followers.

2) I do not beg for residence on the celestial planets, nor do I desire liberation from this mundane existence. Nor do I pray for the attainment of any mystic powers.

3) Whatever birth I may obtain due to the results of my previous worldly activities let it be so. I simply pray that I may sing the glories of Your Holy Name birth after birth.

4) This alone is my cherished hope, my aspiration, my prayer at Your lotus feet: Let causeless and uninterrupted devotion awaken within my heart and flow towards You.

5) Let me love Your lotus feet as much as I now love sense gratification; transfer my affection from the objects of the senses to Your lotus feet.

6) In danger or success, good fortune or disaster, let me remain equipoised. And let my affection for You increase day by day by the influence of the Holy Name.

7) Whether I live as bird or beast, in heaven or in hell, let the humble Bhaktivinoda always cherish devotion to You in his heart of hearts.