Shri Shikshasta

[madanmohandas]

Shri Shiksastaka

Of Krishna's name the glory I extol,
Which polishes the mirror of the soul;
Extinguishes the worldly forest fire;
Quenching the mind's insatiate desire.
Or as the moon who sheds his balmy rays,
The lily of eternal good displays
Its spreading petals and invigorates
The Wisdom-bride, whose favour generates
A swelling tide in love's unbounded sea,
And grants at every step pure ecstasy;
Th'entire self is cleansed of every stain.
(In Krishna's name such benefits obtain.)1

You are, O Lord, for diverse names renowned,
Each name with your own potency endowed;
You have conferred, in disinterested grace,
No rules of cleanliness, or time, or place,
In contemplation of your holy name;
Yet I am fraught with misery and shame,
Since in despite of your great favour shown,
No love in me for your sweet name has grown. 2

Endued with a sincere humility,
More low than straw, forbearant as a tree;
Devoid of pride, still others honouring,
Thus Hari's name one may constantly sing. 3

I have no wish for wealth, friends, or commerce
With fair beauties depicted in choice verse;
But grant, O Universal Lord, to me,
From birth to birth, sans motive, love for thee. 4

O son of Nanda! I am but your slave,
Sunk in the sea of worldliness, O save
This servant, considering as is just,
That I am but a particle of dust,
Or flower pollen, whence I do entreat,
Adhering to the soles of your blest feet. 5

Ah! when will those tears stream down from my eyes,
When will my voice be choked, which speech denies,
When will the hairs rise up o'er all my frame,
By taking up the chanting of your name? 6

A mere moment becomes an age of pain,
Tears fall in torrents like autumnal rain;
A gloomy void is all the world, abhorred,
In absence of Govinda, my sweet Lord. 7

He may welcome me with embraces sweet,
Or trample me prostrated at his feet;
He may to me his audience deny,
Or break my heart in any other way;
Since he's a rogue who does whate'er he will,
Yet he alone remains my lover still. 8

Finis

[madanmohandas]

Sri Siksastaka of Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, text one.

The eight verses of the Siksastaka, attributed to Sri Chatanya deva were originally included in Sri Rupa's anthology Padyavali, and whether they were originally conceived as a single work, or subsequently arranged into a single theme, is not clear. Aside from two or three other verses, Sri Chaitanya has not left any writings in his own hand. One reason, perhaps, for his not having written more, is that his life and conduct were themselves the very themes of poetry, and from reading the accounts of his life, and noting the time spent relishing poetry, would not allow time for composition of complex narratives and philosophical tracts. Someone might object that, aside from text three, none of the verses of Siksastaka can be called 'teachings', to which it may be replied that, indeed that is true, but they have been taken as such, insofar as they teach by example. It would seem apparent that the formulation of doctrine and narratives on Krishna's deeds, were left to his adherents and followers, many of whom were highly skilled poets and rhetors. Due to the potent influence of Sri Chaitanya there was subsequently a promiscuous bursting forth in the lush and fertile garden of poesy.
In the first verse are enumerated the gradual stages of the development, from the initial commencement of devotional disciplines to the attainment of ecstatic love for Krishna.

cetodarpana maarjanam bhavamahaadaavaagni nirvaapanam
sreyah kairavacandrikaavitaranam vidyaavadhujivanam/
aanandaambudhivardhanam pratipadam purnaamrtaasvaadanam
sarvaatmasnapanam param vijayate sri krsna sankirtanam//

Of Krishna's name the glory I extol,
Which polishes the mirror of the soul;
Extinguishes the worldly forest fire,
Quenching the mind's insatiate desire;
As when the moon sheds cool and balmy rays,
The lily of eternal good displays
Unfurling petals and invigorates
The Wisdom-bride, whose favour generates
A swelling tide in love's unbounded sea,
Affording at each step pure ecstasy;
Th'entire self is cleansed of every stain;
(In Krishna's name such benefits obtain) 1

The stages of the gradual development of ecstatic love in the aspirant are outlined by Sri Rupa,

First there is faith, then holy company,
Then worship practised with sincerity,
Impediments are attenuated,
Then relish, then to become addicted,
Thereon emotion rises by degrees,
To the attainment of love's ecstasies.
These stages followed by the aspirant,
Reveal of love the final fulfilment. (BRS 1.4.15/16)

The quality of devotion and its effect according to the above steps is also mentioned,

All sore afflictions it eradicates,
And blessedness and fortune instigates;
It makes emancipation trifling seem,
And is rarely attained in the extreme;
Its particular innate property,
Is that of an intense felicity;
And is of such pure happiness the cause,
Krishna himself, attracted, to it draws. (BRS. 1.1.17)

Gajendra the tusker chief observes on the effects of devotion,
............
Since when they of your deeds wonderful sing,
Which all auspiciousness and blessings bring,
They are submerged in the unbounded sea,
Of bliss divine and loving ecstasy. (Bh.P. 8.3.20)

We also find in the Vishnu Purana a statement on the eradication of misery and the attainment of bliss,

Attainment of the Lord is deemed to be,
By learned ones, as the best remedy
To cure the afflictions of three-fold pain,
That in the womb, at birth, and age obtain;
And is attended by exclusive bliss,
The singular and final happiness. (VP.6.58/9)

[madanmohandas]

Sri Siksastaka text two.

A proclamation of the transcendental powers of Krishna's various names, and an expression of humility and longing.

naamnaamakaari bahudaa nijasarvasaktis-
tatraarpita niyamitah smarane na kaalah/
etaadrsi tava krpaa bhagavan mamaapi
durdaivamidrsam ihaajani naanuraagah//

Thou art, O Lord, for diverse names renowned,
Each name with thy own potency endowed;
Thou hast conferred, in disinterested grace,
No rules of cleanliness or time or place,
In contemplation of thy holy name;
Yet I am frought with misery and shame;
Since in despite of thy great favor shown,
No love in me for thy sweet name has grown. 2

'Each name with thy own potency endowed', implies Krishna the person and Krishna the name are the same, unlike the usual distinction between the person and their name.

The thought-gem of Krishna's name is endued,
With conscious beauty and beatitude;
Complete, hallowed, and free and unrestrained,
Since the name is not different from the named. (Brs.1.2.233)

Also,

Of all things sweet this is the pure sweetness,
Most auspicious of all auspiciousness;
It is the choicest ripe fruitage divine,
That grows upon the holy scripture's vine;
Uttered in faith, or even in disdain,
A human being straightway does attain,
Salvation, best of Bhrgus, I proclaim,
Such is the potency of Krishna's name. (Padyavali 26. attributed to Veda Vyasa)

Moreover,

The sacred name of Hari, Hari's name,
The name of Hari is the only gain;
Nor this, nor that, nor other means are there,
In Kali's age to accomplish welfare. (Brhan Naradiya Purana (?))

The superlative excellence of chanting Hari's name in this degenerate age is propounded by Suka muni in the Srimad Bhagavatam,

O king, this Kali age is frought with vice,
Yet there is but one virtue will suffice;
That singing Krishna's holy name and fame,
The soul may freedom from bondage attain. (Bhag.12.3.51)

Describing the powerful effects of Krishna's name on Radha, Paurnamasi addresses Nandimukhi, in Sri Rupa's Vidagdha Madhava, Act I,

Ah me! what nectar flows, pure and refined,
When the syllables 'Krish', and 'na' are joined;
When on the tongue to dance and play it learns,
For many tongues the eager chanter yearns;
And when it gains into the ear ingress,
A million ears the chanter would possess;
But when in the heart's courtyard it alights,
It ravishes the senses with delights;
The faculties of sense are all undone,
And then the chanter falls down in a swoon. (V.M)

Sri Rupa even suggests that the name is better than the named,

O name divine, your nature is two-fold,
That which is signified, and the word told;
And there is no distinction twixt the two,
Yet of the latter we may know it true,
A more abundant mercy has been shown
Since by the word a creature may atone
For heaps of sins in endless multitude,
And plunge in the sea of beatitude. (Namastaka.6)

[madanmohandas]

Siksastaka text three.

Developing the theme in the foregoing verse of longing and humility, the divine author, prescribes the ideal disposition to be entertained by the aspirant for the practice of Hari nama sankirtan, ie, the singing of Krishna's name and glory, and advises the cultivation of unassuming meekness, tolerance, humility and respect for others,

trnaadapi suneecena
taroriva sahisnuna/
amaaninaa maanadena
kirtaniya sadaa harih//

Endued with meek sincere humility,
More low than straw, forbearant as a tree;
Devoid of pride, still others honouring;
Thus one may Hari's name constantly sing. 3

Sanatana Goswami, in his Brhad Bhagavatamamrtam, defines 'dainya' or humility,

Although endowed with rarest quality,
He deems himself as base and unworthy,
Which extraordinary state of mind,
The learned ones as 'dainya' have defined.

By word and deed the wise should cultivate
Modesty and maintain a humble state,
And anything contrary to this view,
With diligence and care he will eschew. (Bba. 2.5.222/223)

Krishna advises Uddhava to show respect to all embodied beings,

Not caring for the mocking of his friends,
Quite unabashed, in humility bends,
And prostrated upon the earth he bows,
To dogs and outcast curs, asses and cows. (Bh. 11.29.16)

Narada to the Pracetesasas.

Within all bodied beings there abides
The self, wherein Lord Sri Hari resides,
Thus in all, and everywhere try to see
The self, and you will thus please Lord Hari. (Bhag.6.4.13)

On the efficacy of reciting Krishna's names with humility and longing, there is a passage in the Narasimha Purana,

Whoso, 'O Krishna, Krishna, Krishna!', cries,
I raise that person as the lotus rise
Above the waters where they erst did dwell,
E'en so, I lift them out of deepest hell.

And whosoever on me loudly calls,
While in prostration, on the ground he falls;
'O Lotus-eyed!, O God of gods!' I sue,
'O Lion-man! I seek refuge in you.

'O Janardan! O you of triple stride!
'In you alone for succor I confide!'
Thus those who seek me and earnestly pray,
I elevate and drive their grief away. (NP.8. 27-29))

[madanmohandas]

Siksastaka, text four.

Now, from text four to the end a connected theme can be observed from the respect of the progress of ardent longing. The Great Master, if I may use the term for Mahaprabhu, by example, illustrates how the devotee's longing is intensified and augmented. In text four, presently under discussion, is seen how the votary prays for disinterested devotion to the exclusion of extraneous desires for righteousness, wealth, pleasure, and even the termination of metempsychosis.

na dhanam na janam na sundarim
kavitam vaa jagadeesa kaamaye/
mama janmani janmaneesvare
bhavtad bhaktirahaituki tvayi//

I have no wish for wealth, friends, or commerse
With fair beauties depicted in choice verse;
But grant, O Universal Lord, to me,
From birth to birth, sans motive, love for thee. 4

Divine love or bhakti is defined by Sri Rupa in his Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu,

Without extraneous aspiration,
Nor hid by pious works or abstraction;
To cultivate a pleasing attitude
For Krishna, is the best beatitude. (Brs.1.1.11)

When from all conditioning adjuncts free,
With firm dedication and purity,
When by the sense faculties is adored,
Lord Hrshikesh, the sense faculty's Lord,
The definition true will thus be shown,
Of pure love, by the name of bhakti known. (Narada Pancaratra, cited in Brs. 1.1.12)

Bhakti to Purusottam is indeed
Sans motive, and which nothing might impede. ( Second half of Bhag. 3.29.12. Brs 1.1.13)

E'en if I offer to my devotee,
My wealth, realm, form or close proximity,
Or even oneness, still they would not swerve
To accept these, if me they could not serve. (Bhag. 3.29.13. Brs.1.1.14)

Also there is a famous stanza by Rama priya Hanuman,

O you who break the bonds of existence,
In loving you I seek no recompense,
For emancipation I do not pray,
Which makes the loving bonds dissolve away,
Where I am the servant and you my Lord,
My dear and cherished master most adored. (Brhad Bhag. 1.4.68)

In a similar strain, the author of Jagannathaska makes his submission,

I pray not for kingdom, nor wealth, nor gem,
Nor comely wife, desired by all men;
But let me sing forever and always,
Your glory which the Lord of ghosts does praise;
May that Lord Jagannath Swami alight
Upon the optic passage of my sight. (Jagannathastakam 7)

In Vritra's prayer from Book Six, is illustrated the deep longing of the devotee,

E'en as the fledgling, with eagerness stirred,
Awaits the succor of the mother bird,
As thirsty calves await the mother kine,
As for her husband does the dear wife pine,
Thus even so, I yearn and long to see,
O Lotus-eyed one, a vision of thee. (Bhag. 6.11.26)

[madanmohandas]

Siksastaka, text five.

How the devotee with a feeling of helpless insignificance, fondly entreats for the least of grace, indicating a further development in the intensity of ardent longing.

ayi nanda tanuja kinkaram
patitam maam visame bavaambudhau
krpayayaa tava paadapankaja
sthitadhuli sadrsim vincintaya//

O son of Nanda! I am but thy slave
Sunk in the sea of worldliness, O save!
To save this servant would be kind and just,
If you consider me as but the dust
Or flower pollen, as I do entreat,
Adhering to the soles of thy dear feet. 5

The 10th century devotee philosopher, Yamuna acharya, in his Stotra Ratna, addresses his supplication to Sri Hari, for the status of eternal servitude,

I will always attend thee, devoted,
With all mental disturbance quieted,
When will I thine eternal servant be,
My Master, and afford delight to thee? (SR.46)

[madanmohandas]

Siksastaka, texts, 6-8

nayanam galadasru dhaarayaa
vadanam gadgadayaa giraa
pulakair nicitam vapuh kadaa
tava naam grahane bhavisyati//6

Ah! when will those tears stream down from my eyes,
When will my voice be choked, which speech denies,
When will the hairs rise up o'er all my frame,
By taking up the chanting of thy name? 6

Srimad Bhagavatam illustrates the attainment of ecstatic emotions, in the sermon of the nine yogins; the two verses cited below have been determined to the very essence of the text.

Imbibing the hallowed deeds through the ears,
Of him whose hand the sign of cartwheel bears,
Songs that his names and births and deeds relate,
When he deigns in the world to incarnate;
Then one should wander, unattached and free,
And unabashed sing loud his high glory.

Thus avowed to sing the beloved's name,
A mind melting passion he does attain,
Now laughs, now sings, now weeps in sad despair,
Now dances like a madman without care.
(Bhag. 11.2.39/40)


yugaayitam nimesena
caksusaa pravrsayitam
sunyaayaitam jagatsarvam
govinda virahena me//7

A mere moment becomes an age of pain,
Tears fall in torrents like the monsoon rain,
A gloomy void is all the world abhorred,
In absence of Govinda, my sweet Lord! 7

In the anguish of impending separation, the cowherd damsels complained,

When he with ardent love and tender grace,
Sweet speech, the playful glance, the firm embrace,
Foregathered on those nights to dance the Ras,
Full many nights a one moment did pass;
How shall we endure the protracted time,
Of his desertion, but to mourn and pine?

Who at day's end to Vraja would repair,
With dust upon his garland and his hair,
The dust by tramping hooves of kine upraised;
And by his friends Ananta's friend was praised.
Moreover when he played the flute and smiled,
Our minds were captivated and beguiled.
How can we endure separation, how
Can we sustain our lives in sorrow now?

Bhag. 10.39.29/30


In the concluding text of Siksastaka, Sri Chaitanya speaks in the voice of Radha after a fit of pride or misunderstanding or severance for some other reason.

aaslisya vaa paadaratam pinastu maam
adarsanam marma hatam karotu vaa/
yathaa tathaa vaa vidhadhato
matpraananaathastu sa eve naaparah//

He may welcome me with embraces sweet,
Or trample me, prostrated at his feet,
He may to me his audience deny,
Or break my heart in any other way;
He is a rogue who does whate'er he will,
Yet he alone remains my lover still. 8

An illustration of Sri Chaitanya's relishing of divine poetry can be had in Chaitanya Charitamrta; in a passage where the Great Master in discussion with divine Nityananda and others survey the life and acts of Madhavendra Puri, they analyse one of his verses, something like this,

This stanza is most wonderful and rare,
That there is nothing with it to compare;
Like Malaya Chandan, when rubbed and ground,
Spreads its sweet fragrance more and more around,
E'en so, the odour of this verse is spread,
The more it is with deep attention read.

Or, as a heap of gems in a jewel mine,
This verse does like the Kaustubha gem shine;
This verse of rapture poems is the best,
By Radha Thakurani first expressed;
Since Madhavendra, by her grace inspired,
Composed this verse in heat of fancy fired;

No fourth person beside Gaura there is,
Who of this verse can relish the sweet bliss;
And at his life's end Puri did attain,
Reciting this verse o'er and o'er again,
Beatitude, and high perfection gain.

(the verse)

O Lord whose heart melts pitying the poor!
Mathura's Lord! will I e'er see you more?
My heart is rent with grief, not seeing you,
Ah me alas! dear Lord, what shall I do?

Hearing the verse, then falling to the ground,
The Master, in love frenzy, rolled around;
Nitai, in anxious haste, fearing mishap,
Caught hold on him and held him in his lap;
Then, after weeping much, Gaura begun,
Deranged by madness, here and there to run,
In ardent ecstasy and love's sweet pang,
The Master yelled and laughed and danced and sang,
'O Lord whose heart! O Lord whose heart!' he cried.
But with emotion choked the accent died;
And lementably Gaura weeps and cries,
While tears rush from the sluices of his eyes.

[Nitaidas]

On Verse 4 you might cite Rupa's lovely definition of bhakti beginning with anyAbhilAsitAzUnyam ... (Brs., 1.1.11) unless you think it is too well known already or too obvious.

There is also a verse on mental condition of the pure bhakta from the Bhagavata that might fit here (6.11.26). See if you like it and think it works. If so, let's add it.

I also have a couple of verses from Prabhupada (Sanatana) on humility that might work with verse 3. I will give you the details later.

[madanmohandas]

Yes, I will do. I'm just about to post MS 7, with Bhakti Lata parable.

[Nitaidas]

I see you have added those extra verses to Verse 4 and then some. Great! I got those in place.

As for Verse 3 there are a few possible additions, two from Prabhupad,

Brhad-bhAg. 2.5.223 and 224 on dainya or humility. Do you have access to a trans. for Brhad-bhagavatamrtam? If not, I can give a rough translation for you to work with.

For MAnada there is Bhag. 6.5.13, and Bhag. 11.29.16 and possibly 17.

[madanmohandas]

Nitai, are you sure about Bh. 6.5.13? Otherwise you may note that I have made the additions you suggested.
Also, I have added Bhag. 11.2.39/40 to the notes on Siksastaka 6 and a couple of verses 10.39.29/30 to text 7. So every verse has some relevant citations now, all excepting 5.
I have also take the liberty to add three more quotes to Siksataka text 2

[Nitaidas]

Jul 29, 2020 1:20:25 GMT -6 madanmohandas said:

Nitai, are you sure about Bh. 6.5.13? Otherwise you may note that I have made the additions you suggested.
Also, I have added Bhag. 11.2.39/40 to the notes on Siksastaka 6 and a couple of verses 10.39.29/30 to text 7. So every verse has some relevant citations now, all excepting 5.
I have also take the liberty to add three more quotes to Siksataka text 2

Great! Thanks. I will continue to work on it today and put the new quotes in place. I may have something for Verse 5, but it might be a bit of a stretch. My commentator considers 5 to represent the arrival at the stage of VidyAvadhU or full prema -bhakti. I see it as representing the full realization of one's true nature as a servant of Krsna, kinkaratva. The commentator recognizes this too but sees it as integrated with the various relationships various bhaktas are drawn to with respect to Krsna. So it is kinkaratva in DAsya, VAtsalya, Sakhya and Madhura. He finds quotes that express this kinkaratva in each of those moods.

Sorry. Bhag 6.4.13

[madanmohandas]

Yes. Certainly the element of dasya seems to be the main point.

Just added Yamuna acarya verse with Siksastaka 5

O yes, 6.4.13. done.

[Nitaidas]

Here is what I have so far. I have not started on the Manah-siksa yet and I still need to put in Verse 8 of the Siksastaka,

I have some more citations for Verse 6 of the Siksastaka and perhaps some for Verse 5. I have nothing to add for Verse 8, though that one really deserves more, that being the concluding text. Maybe I can find something from the the Brhad, or the Latlita Madhava or the Bhagavata. I am thinking about it. I hate leaving it to the CC. That is such an empty text.

Anyway, here is what I have at present.

[madanmohandas]

Fantastic. One or two omissions and a typo, no problem. In text 8 of U.A. the last line in parenthesis was meant as an alternative last line to the text. The original in bold type is apt.