Śrī Ramaṇa-māñjarī-aṣṭakam (visamavṛttena viracitam)

अहर्निशम् भावनामृतायाम् भाविता
भूत्वा विस्मरयसि त्वम् लौकिक गुणगाथा
तत्तद्भाव बर्धनार्थं त्वम् कल्पवल्ल̣रि
कृपा कदा करिष्यसि माम् श्रीरमण मञ्जरि

aharniśam bhāvanāmṛtāyām bhāvitā 
bhūtvā vismarayasi tvam laukika guṇagāthā
tattadbhāva bardhanārthaṃ tvam kalpavallạri
kṛpā kadā kariṣyasi mām śrīramaṇa mañjari

(1) Continuously absorbed in Kṛṣṇa prema, you have forgotten your sādhaka-deha (manifest body in this material world). You are a desire creeper that increases the tat-tat-bhāva mood of the māñjarīs; by your mercy you may reveal our constitutional spiritual form and ecstatic loving mood (māñjarī-bhāva). When, oh when, will that day come when you will bestow your mercy upon me?

पाटलवस्त्र चम्पकद्युति मनोहरं त्वम् श्रीराधिकायाः अभिसार तव नित्यकाम
अभिसार कामार्थं त्वम् कल्पवल्लरि कृपा कदा करिष्यसि माम् श्रीरमण मञ्जरि

pāṭalavastra campakadyuti manoharaṃ tvam śrīrādhikāyāḥ abhisāra tava nityakāma
abhisāra kāmārthaṃ tvam kalpavallari kṛpā kadā kariṣyasi mām śrīramaṇa mañjari

(2) Your attire is pink in color and your bodily complexion is golden like the beautiful golden plumeria. You are so attractive that even Kṛṣṇa becomes bewildered by seeing you. You are Rādhā’s eternal loving companion and your intimate service is to assist Her for abhisāra (when Rādhikā is proceeding to meet with Kṛṣṇa at night, at the appointed secret rendezvous place). You are a desire creeper for Rādhikā’s abhisāra. When, oh when, will that day come when you will bestow your mercy upon me?

कृष्णाकृष्ण निशायोग्य शृङ्गार कृत्वा अभिसारार्थं कृत्वा कॢप्त कर्पूरभूषा
श्रीराधा–अभिसारार्थं त्वम् कल्पवल्ल̣रि कृपा कदा करिष्यसि माम् श्रीरमण मञ्जरि

kṛṣṇākṛṣṇa niśāyogya śṛṅgāra kṛtvā abhisārārthaṃ kṛtvā kḷpta karpūrabhūṣā
śrīrādhā–abhisārārthaṃ tvam kalpavallạri kṛpā kadā kariṣyasi mām śrīramaṇa mañjari

(3) You will expertly decorate Rādhikā, disguising Her with different colourful matching clothes according to the visibility of the moon during the night, sometimes, during white fortnight, decorating Her with white ornaments and smearing camphor on Her body, and on black fortnight, dressing Her in deep dark color clothing. You conceal Rādhikā by cheating the people in general for Rādhikā must not be seen by them and the secret rendezvous place must be kept hidden. You are a desire creeper for Rādhikā’s abhisāra. When, oh when, will that day come when you will bestow your mercy upon me?

निशायाम् पथि वृक्षं दृष्ट्वा मुण्डित मुण्डम् विवर्ण भविष्यति श्रीराधायाः तुण्डम्
राधाभिसारार्थं त्वम् कल्पवल्ल̣रि कृपा कदा करिष्यसि माम् श्रीरमण मञ्जरि

niśāyām pathi vṛkṣaṃ dṛṣṭvā muṇḍita muṇḍam vivarṇa bhaviṣyati śrīrādhāyāḥ tuṇḍam
rādhābhisārārthaṃ tvam kalpavallạri kṛpā kadā kariṣyasi mām śrīramaṇa mañjari

(4) Seeing tree stumps on the way to abhisāra during the night, Rādhikā’s face becomes completely pale. She thinks that the very persons She is concealing Herself from, are standing there. You will say, “Oh Rādhe! Do not worry. They are only tree stumps, not people.” You are a desire creeper for Rādhikā’s abhisāra. When, oh when, will that day come when you will bestow your mercy upon me?

अभिसार काले तव स्कन्धे मुदिता न्यस्तहस्ता गुरवः प्रतारनार्थं शिञ्जित् (त्वया) वस्त्रवृता
गुरवः प्रतारनार्थं त्वम् कल्पवल्ल̣रि कृपा कदा करिष्यसि माम् श्रीरमण मञ्जरि

abhisāra kāle tava skandhe muditā nyastahastā guravaḥ pratāranārthaṃ śiñjit (tvayā) vastravṛtā
guravaḥ pratāranārthaṃ tvam kalpavallạri kṛpā kadā kariṣyasi mām śrīramaṇa mañjari

(5) Being very pleased with you, Rādhikā will keep Her arm on your shoulder during her abhisāra towards Kṛṣṇa. You will wrap a cloth around Her ankle bells so that no noise should be heard. In serving to conceal Rādhikā from Her superiors, you very cleverly arrange for whatever She requires at any moment. You are a desire creeper for cheating and tricking Her superiors. When, oh when, will that day come when you will bestow your mercy upon me?

अभिसार शिक्षायार्थं कण्टक कर्दमाक्त प्राङ्गणे श्रीराधां चालयटि (अति) मृदु संगोपने
अभिसार शिक्षायार्थं त्वम् कल्पवल्ल̣रि कृपा कदा करिष्यसि माम् श्रीरमण मञ्जरि

abhisāra śikṣāyārthaṃ kaṇṭaka kardamākta prāṅgaṇe śrīrādhāṃ cālayaṭi (ati) mṛdu saṃgopane
abhisāra śikṣāyārthaṃ tvam kalpavallạri kṛpā kadā kariṣyasi mām śrīramaṇa mañjari

(6) To best train and prepare Rādhikā for abhisāra at night, you place thorns here and there and pour water on the ground to make it muddy. Then you assist Rādhikā in practicing how to perfectly walk in the forest for abhisāra on a slippery, dark and rainy night. To teach Her abhisāra, you are a desire creeper. When, oh when, will that day come when you will bestow your mercy upon me?

अत्युकट मान प्रसाधनार्थं श्रीराधायाः अपेक्षयति युक्ति सदा सुवलोज्ज्वलयोः
राधा–मानोत्कर्षार्थं त्वम् कल्पवल्ल̣रि कृपा कदा करिष्यसि माम् श्रीरमण मञ्जरि

atyukaṭa māna prasādhanārthaṃ śrīrādhāyāḥ apekṣayati yukti sadā suvalojjvalayoḥ
rādhā–mānotkarṣārthaṃ tvam kalpavallạri kṛpā kadā kariṣyasi mām śrīramaṇa mañjari

(7) To nourish Rādhikā’s enchanting and inconceivable mood of māna or sulkiness, you always consult with Kṛṣṇa’s priya-narmāsakhās like Subala and Ujjwal. You are a desire-creeper for increasing the intensity of Rādhā’s sulky mood. When, oh when, will that day come when you will bestow your mercy upon me?

जित्वा व्रजराज सूनुम् वाक्युद्घे श्रीरासेश्वर्य्यः कृपा लभसि गणमध्ये
रासेश्वर्य्यः कृपार्थं त्वम् कल्पवल्ल̣रि कृपा कदा करिष्यसि माम् श्रीरमण मञ्जरि

jitvā vrajarāja sūnum vākyudghe śrīrāseśvaryyaḥ kṛpā labhasi gaṇamadhye
rāseśvaryyaḥ kṛpārthaṃ tvam kalpavallạri kṛpā kadā kariṣyasi mām śrīramaṇa mañjari

(8) Being victorious in a serious debate against Kṛṣṇa, the son of the king of Vraja, you, among Lalitā’s associates, received the mercy of Rāseśvarī. You are a desire creeper because of receiving mercy from Rāseśvarī. When, oh when, will that day come when you will bestow your mercy upon me?

इतीममद्भुत नवीन स्तोत्रं निशम्य श्रीरमण मञ्जरि
ललितायाः गणे स्थानंं दत्वा करिष्यसि नित्य सहचरि

itīmamadbhuta navīna stotraṃ niśamya śrīramaṇa mañjari
lalitāyāḥ gaṇe sthānaṃṃ datvā kariṣyasi nitya sahacari

(9) Upon hearing this new, astonishing, unprecedented and ever-fresh prayer about you, kindly give me some place within the associates of Lalitadevi and make me your eternal bosom friend.

In this last verse of Śrī Raman Māñjarī Aṣṭakam, the word “navina” carries different meanings.^[1] By the causeless mercy of Śrīla Gurudeva and the influence of their sincere bhajana, devotees will discover and relish many new meanings.

After the Janmāṣṭamī festival in 2008 at Śrī Giridhārī-Gauḍīya Māṭha, I prayed to Śrīla Gurudeva’s lotus feet and then said to him, “I have composed one aṣṭakama; I want to recite it for you. Would you like to hear it now?”

Śrīla Gurudeva said, “Ok, go ahead.”

I used to write some kīrtana from time to time and recite it to Śrīla Gurudeva. He used to become very happy hearing them. So, when I recited this aṣṭakam, Gurudeva looked at me and said, “How have you snatched my heart and put it on a piece of paper. How do you know all these things?”

I humbly replied, “Oh Gurudeva, this is only possible by your causeless mercy.”

Gurudeva enquired, “Who taught all these details to you.”

I replied, “Gurudeva, only you, no one else.”

Śrīla Gurudeva said, “I never explained anything about this to anyone. So tell me frankly how did you know all these details?”

(Due to deep intimacy, we used to joke with each other from time to time.) Śrīla Gurudeva said, “Do not joke with me. Don’t play with me. Tell me frankly how have you come to know all this? When did you compose this aṣṭakam?”

I replied, “I composed this aṣṭakam in 1992. After that so many changes or corrections have taken place inside this aṣṭakam. So I want to know from you if this aṣṭakāma is final or any changes will be required. No more sphurti (transcendental vision or revelation) is coming into my heart.”

Gurudeva replied, “This is final, no more changes are required. Now you have to open your heart. How you came to know all this details about my constitutional form and service?”

I replied, “Oh, Gurudeva! After His renounced order Mahāprabhu was in Jagannātha Purī. During the cart festival of Lord Jagannātha-deva, Śrīman Mahāprabhu was uttering one verse from the mundane literature named Sāhitya darpaṇa and Kāvya-prakāśa.

The śloka was:

यः कौमार-हरः स एव हि वरस् ता एव चैत्र-क्षपास्
ते चोन्मीलित-मालती-सुरभयः प्रौढाः कदम्बानिलाः
सा चैवास्मि तथापि तत्र सुरत-व्यापार-लीला-विधौ
रेवा-रोधसि वेतसी-तरु-तले चेतः समुत्कण्ठते

yaḥ kaumāra-haraḥ sa eva hi varas tā eva caitra-kṣapās
te conmīlita-mālatī-surabhayaḥ prauḍhāḥ kadambānilāḥ
sā caivāsmi tathāpi tatra surata-vyāpāra-līlā-vidhau
revā-rodhasi vetasī-taru-tale cetaḥ samutkaṇṭhate

Padyavali 386

That very personality who stole away my heart during my youth is now again my master. These are the same moonlit nights of the month of Caitra. The same fragrance of mālatī flowers is there, and the same sweet breezes are blowing from the kadamba forest. In our intimate relationship, I am also the same lover, yet still my mind is not happy here. I am eager to go back to that place on the bank of the Revā under the Vetasī tree. That is my desire.

All devotees became surprised why Śrīman Mahāprabhu was reciting this mundane lusty poetry pertaining to a mundane lover and his beloved. No one dared to ask this to Mahāprabhu, only Śrī Svarūpa Dāmodara understood Mahāprabhu’s heart.

“Oh Gurudeva! You have explained that not only Svarūpa Dāmodara understood, but Rāya Rāmānanda also understood Mahāprabhu’s heart, because one is Lalitā and another is Viśākhā. Both of them are fully aware of Śrīmatī’s heart and Śrīman Mahāprabhu is revealing His heart being absorbed in the mood of Rādhārāṇī.”

During that same cart festival of Lord Jagannātha-deva in the same year, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī was also present in Jagannātha Purī. Hearing that śloka from Śrīman Mahāprabhu’s lotus lips, he composed one parallel śloka which was originally spoken by Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī Herself:

प्रियः सो ‘यं कृष्णः सह-चरि कुरु-क्षेत्र-मिलितस्
तथाहं सा राधा तद् इदम् उभयोः सङ्गम-सुखम्
तथाप्य् अन्तः-खेलन्-मधुर-मुरली-पञ्चम-जुषे
मनो मे कालिन्दी-पुलिन-विपिनाय स्पृहयति

priyaḥ so ‘yaṃ kṛṣṇaḥ saha-cari kuru-kṣetra-militas
tathāhaṃ sā rādhā tad idam ubhayoḥ saṅgama-sukham
tathāpy antaḥ-khelan-madhura-muralī-pañcama-juṣe
mano me kālindī-pulina-vipināya spṛhayati

Padyavali 387

My dear friend, now I have met My very old and dear friend Kṛṣṇa on this field of Kurukṣetra. I am the same Rādhārāṇī, and now We are meeting together. It is very pleasant, but still I would like to go to the bank of the Yamunā beneath the trees of the forest there. I wish to hear the vibration of His sweet flute playing the fifth note within that forest of Vṛndāvana.

After writing that śloka on a palm leaf, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī kept the leaf under the grass roof of Haridāsa Ṭhākura’s bhajana kuṭīra, in Jagannātha Purī. Śrīman Mahāprabhu used to come to Siddha Bakul every moring to give his darśana to Haridāsa Ṭhākura. Whenever Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī or Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī used to come to Jagannātha Purī, they would stay with Śrīla Haridāsa Ṭhākura. When Mahāprabhu came to Siddha Bakul after Jagannātha-darśana, only Haridāsa Ṭhākura was present there and Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī went to take bath in the ocean. While Mahāprabhu was sitting in Siddha Bakul, He noticed the palm leaf slightly sticking out from the grass roof. Mahāprabhu took the palm leaf and understood that it was Rūpa Gosvāmī’s hand-writing. His handwriting was as beautiful as a row of pearls. A few minutes later Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī returned to Siddha Bakul from his bath and fully prostrated himself at the lotus feet of Mahāprabhu. Due to deep love and affection Śrīman Mahāprabhu gave a big slap on the back of Rūpa Gosvāmipāda. Mahāprabhu continued, “Oh, Rūpa! How you knew my heart?” Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī kept his face down and remained silent.

Later on, Śrīman Mahāprabhu disclosed this śloka among all of his devotees who were present during the cart festival of Lord Jagannāthadeva in Purī. Svarūpa Dāmodara Prabhu replied, “Oh Mahāprabhu! I’ve understood you have bestowed your causeless mercy and inspired everything inside the heart of Rūpa.”

Śrīman Mahāprabhu replied affirmatively, “Yes. Previously Rūpa had met me at Aradil village near Prayāga. Seeing his simplicity and qualification, I inspired everything inside the heart of Rūpa.”

I replied to Śrīla Gurudeva, “Oh, Śrīla Gurudeva! If Śrīman Mahāprabhu’s causeless mercy caused Rūpa Gosvāmī to compose the parallel śloka of Mahāprabhu’s inner mood, in the same way your causeless mercy made me compose this aṣṭakam about your constitutional form and service.” Śrīla Gurudeva became extremely pleased and gave his profuse blessings from the core of his heart. I cannot disclose the nature of these blessings as they are individual and personal.

Śrīla Gurudeva said, “I have one order for you. I am restricting you from explaining this aṣṭakam to anyone duing prakaṭa-līlā (his manifest pastime). Afterwards, it will be very helpful for advanced sādhakas in their sādhana-bhajana. At that time everyone can recite. They will obtain my mercy, no doubt.”

After this incident Śrīla Gurudeva spoke many times in appreciation of my service, sometimes to just a few individuals and sometimes in the presence of many devotees.^[2] It is all due to Śrīla Gurudeva’s pure heart, pure association and pure bhakti. Without his giving me his intimate service and his nourishing me with his constant guidance, none of this would be possible. All credit goes to Śrīla Gurudeva, his dear associates like my dīkṣā-guru, Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Vāmana Gosvāmī Mahārāja, his śikṣā-guru, Śrīla Bhaktivedana Swāmī Mahārāja, the previous Ācāryas, the Pañca Tattva, and the Mistress and Master of Vṛndāvana, Śrī Rādhā and Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Nāvina means primarily: (1) the brahmacārī name of Śrī Mādhava Mahārāja, the composer and author of this aṣṭakam prayer (2) Ever-fresh prayer (3) New prayer

[2]:

Śrīla Gurudeva: “I know that even in other Gauḍīya Maths, devotees have served their gurudeva whole-heartedly but no one has served their gurudeva whole-heartedly over three decades as Mādhava Mahārāja is serving me. I can never think even in my dream that someone can serve like him. He has crossed all the boundaries. I am indebted to him eternally. I am praying to my paramaradhyagurudeva Śrī Śrīmad Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja, all Gauḍīya gurū-parampara, all Vaiṣṇavas, associates of Śrīman Mahāprabhu and the Divine Couple and Their associates to all bestow their causeless mercy upon my Mādhava.” (Editorial note by Brajanātha dāsa)