Sri Vrindavana Ashtakam

[ Eight Prayers Glorifying Sri Vrindavana Dhama ]



Text One



na yoga-siddhir na mamastu mokso

vaikuntha-loke pi na parsadatvam

premapi na syad iti cet taram tu
mamastu vrindavana eva vasah



Let me not have mystic powers, impersonal liberation, the Lord's association in Vaikuntha, or even pure love for Him, if instead of them I may reside in Vrindavana.



Text Two



tarnam janur yatra vidhir yayace

sad-bhakta-cudamanir uddhavo pi

viksyvaiva madhurya-dhuram tad asmin
mamastu vrindavana eva vasah



When Brahma and Uddhava, the crest jewels of devotees, saw the intense sweetness here, they begged to take birth here even as a blade of grass. For this reason I pray to reside in Vrindavana.



Text Three



kim te krtam hanta tapah ksititi

gopyo pi bhume stuvate sma kirtim

yenaiva krishnanghri-padankite smin
mamastu vrindavana eva vasah



Here the gopis glorified the earth, saying: "O Earth, what austerities have you done, so that your surface is now marked with Krishna's footprints?" May I reside in Vrindavana.



Text Four



gopangana-lampatataiva yatra

yasyam rasah purnatamatvam apa

yato raso vai sa iti srutis tan
mamastu vrindavana eva vasah



May I reside in Vrindavana where, because the Vedas say raso vai sah (The Supreme Personality of Godhead is sweetness), transcendental sweetness attained its highest perfection in the gopis' passionate love.



Text Five



bhandira-govardhana-rasa-pithais

tri-simake yojana-pancakena

mite vibhutvad amite pi casmin
mamastu vrindavana eva vasah



Although only five yojanas in circumference, bounded by Bhandiravana, Govardhana Hill and the rasa-dance arena, it is unlimited in transcendental opulence. May I reside in Vrindavana.



Text Six



yatradhipatyam vrsabhanu-putrya

yenodayet prema-sukham jananam

yasmin mamasa balavat yato smin
mamastu vrindavana eva vasah



Because Vrshabhanu's daughter is the queen, and because here the happiness of pure love of God rises, I yearn to live here. I pray: May I reside in Vrindavana.



Text Seven



yasmin maha-rasa-vilasa-lila

na prapa yam srir api sa tapobhih

tatrollasan-manju-nikunja-punje
mamastu vrindavana eva vasah



Even by performing many austerities goddess Lakshmi could not enter the great rasa-dance pastime here. May I reside in the splendidly beautiful groves of Vrindavana.



Text Eight



sada ruru-nyanku-mukha visankam

khelanti kujanti pikali kirah

sikhandino yatra natanti tasmin
mamastu vrindavana eva vasah



May I reside in Vrindavana, where the ruru and nyanku deer fearlessly play, the cuckoos, bumblebees, and parrots sing, and the peacocks dance.



Text Nine



vrindavanasyastakam etad uccaih

pathanti ye niscala-buddhayas te

vrindavanesanghri-saroja-sevam
saksat labhante januso 'nta eva



They who with great concentration read aloud this Vrindavanashtaka, at the end of this life attain direct service to the lotus feet of Vrindavana's master.