Śrīla Bhakti Vinod Ṭhākur’s song explaining the third verse of Śrī Śikṣāṣṭakam.
In honour of the month of Kārtik, word by word translations of Śrīla Bhakti Vinod Ṭhākur’s songs explaining Śrī Śikṣāṣṭakam are being presented as a series.
Śrī Śikṣāṣṭakam Verse Three
tṛṇād api sunīchena taror iva sahiṣṇunā
amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ [3]
hariḥ–The Name of Hari kīrtanīyaḥ–should be chanted sadā–always sunīchena–by one who is humble api–more so tṛṇāt–than a blade of grass, sahiṣṇunā–who is tolerant iva–like taroḥ–a tree, amāninā–who is prideless, [and] mānadena–who is respectful.
“The Name of the Lord should be chanted always by one who is more humble than a blade of grass, tolerant like a tree, respectful to others, and free from desire for respect.”
Gīti
śrī-kṛṣṇa-kīrtane yadi mānasa tohāra
parama yatane ta̐hi labha adhikāra [1]
yadi–If tohāra [āchchhe]–you have mānasa–a mind kīrtane–to chant śrī-kṛṣṇa–the Name of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, [then with] parama–great yatane–care, labha–get adhikāra–the qualification ta̐hi–for that. [1]
If you aspire to chant the Name of Kṛṣṇa, then, with great care, become qualified to do so.
tṛṇādhika hīna, dīna, akiñchana, chhāra
āpane mānabi sadā chhāḍi’ ahaṅkāra [2]
chhāḍi’–Give up [your] ahaṅkāra–false ego, [and] sadā–always mānabi–consider āpane–yourself hīna–lower adhika–than tṛṇa–grass, dīna–poor, akiñchana–needy, [and] chhāra–mean. [2]
Give up your false ego, and always consider yourself lower than grass, poor, needy, and mean.
vṛkṣa-sama kṣamā-guṇa karabi sādhana
pratihiṁsā tyaji’ anye karabi pālana [3]
sādhana karabi–Practise guṇa–the quality kṣamā–of tolerance sama–like vṛkṣa–a tree. tyaji’–Give up pratihiṁsā–vengeance [and] pālana karabi–nurture anye–others. [3]
Practise tolerance like a tree. Give up vengeance and nurture others.
jīvana-nirvāhe āne udvega nā dibe
para-upakāre nija-sukha pāsaribe [4]
dibe nā–Do not cause udvega–anxiety āne–to others jīvana-nirvāhe–for the maintenance of [your] life, [and] pāsaribe–forget [your] nija–own sukha–happiness upakāre–in the course of helping para–others. [4]
Do not trouble others for your own upkeep, and forget your own happiness in the course of helping others.
ha-ileo sarva-guṇe guṇī mahāśaya
pratiṣṭhāśā chhāḍi’ kara amānī hṛdaya [5]
ha-ileo–Even if you are mahāśaya–honourable [and] guṇī–qualified [with] sarva–all guṇe–qualities, chhāḍi’–give up āśā–desire pratiṣṭhā–for prestige [and] kara–make [your] hṛdaya–heart amānī–prideless. [5]
Even if you are honourable and qualified with all qualities, give up desire for prestige and make heart your prideless.
kṛṣṇa-adhiṣṭhāna sarva-jīve jāni’ sadā
karabi sammāna sabe ādare sarvadā [6]
jāni’–Knowing [that] sarva–every jīve–soul [is] sadā–eternally adhiṣṭhāna–an abode kṛṣṇa–of Kṛṣṇa, sarvadā–always ādare–respectfully sammāna karabi–honour sabe–everyone. [6]
Knowing Kṛṣṇa resides eternally within every soul, always respectfully honour everyone.
dainya, dayā, anye māna, pratiṣṭhā-varjana
chāri guṇe guṇī hai’ karaha kīrtana [7]
dainya–Humility, dayā–compassion, māna–honouring anye–others, [and] varjana–giving up pratiṣṭhā–prestige— hai’–become guṇī–qualified [with these] chāri–four guṇe–qualities [and] kīrtana karaha–chant. [7]
Humility, compassion, honouring others, and giving up prestige—become qualified with these four qualities and chant the Name.
bhakati-vinoda kā̐di’ bale prabhu-pāya
“heno adhikāra kabe dibe he amāya” [8]
kā̐di’–Crying pāya–at the feet prabhu–of the Lord, bhakati-vinoda–Bhakti Vinod bale–says, “he–“O kabe–when dibe–will You give amāya–me hena–these adhikāra”–qualifications?” [8]
Crying at the feet of the Lord, Bhakti Vinod says, “O when will You give me these qualifications?”
References