Sad Gosvamy Astakam Lyrics — The Six Gosvamis of Vrindavana
Songs of Celebration
Śrī Ṣaḍ-gosvāmy-aṣṭaka
By Śrīla Śrīnivāsa Ācārya
Read Sad Gosvamy Astakam from Krishna Meditations, with Sanskrit transliteration and an English rendition by Kalakantha das.
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Original lyrics · Sanskrit transliteration
1) kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau premāmṛtāmbho-nidhī dhīrādhīra-jana-priyau priya-karau nirmatsarau pūjitau śrī-caitanya-kṛpā-bharau bhuvi bhuvo bhārāvahantārakau vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau
2) nānā-śāstra-vicāraṇaika-nipuṇau sad-dharma-saḿsthāpakau lokānāṁ hita-kāriṇau tri-bhuvane mānyau śaraṇyākarau rādhā-kṛṣṇa-padāravinda-bhajanā- nandena mattālikau vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau
3) śrī-gaurāṇga-guṇānuvarṇana-vidhau śraddhā-samṛddhy-anvitau pāpottāpa-nikṛntanau tanu-bhṛtāṁ́ govinda-gānāmṛtaiḥ ānandāmbudhi-vardhanaika-nipuṇau kaivalya-nistārakau vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau
4) tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati- śreṇīṁ sadā tuccha-vat bhūtvā dīna-gaṇeśakau karuṇayā kaupīna-kanthāśritau gopī-bhāva-rasāmṛtābdhi-laharī- kallola-magnau muhur vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau
5) kūjat-kokila-haṁsa-sārasa-gaṇā kīrṇe mayūrākule nānā-ratna-nibaddha-mūla-viṭapa- śrī-yukta-vṛndāvane rādhā-kṛṣṇam ahar-niśaṁ prabhajatau jīvārthadau yau mudā vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau
6) saṅkhyā-pūrvaka-nāma-gāna-natibhiḥ kālāvasānī-kṛtau nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau cātyanta-dīnau ca yau rādhā-kṛṣṇa-guṇa-smṛter madhurimā- nandena sammohitau vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau
7) rādhā-kuṇḍa-taṭe kalinda-tanayā- tīre ca vaṁ́śīvaṭe premonmāda-vaśād aśeṣa-daśayā grastau pramattau sadā gāyantau ca kadā harer guṇa-varaṁ bhāvābhibhūtau mudā vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau
8) he rādhe vraja-devīke ca lalite he nanda-sūno kutaḥ śrī-govardhana-kalpa-pādapa-tale kālindī-vane kutaḥ ghoṣantāv iti sarvato vraja-pure khedair mahā-vihvalau vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau
English rendition
1) Always dancing and chanting Krishna’s holy names, in oceans of endless bliss, free from envy, they’re loved and worshiped by all souls, the holy, crude, and distressed. Blessed by Caitanya, they deliver to the world the mercy He has bestowed. Vande rūpa sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva gopālakau
2) Scrutinizing the scriptures expertly, they prove eternal reality. Everyone in the three worlds offers praise to them while sheltering at their feet. They serve Rādhā and Krishna’s lotus feet in bliss and love’s astonishing moods. Vande rūpa sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva gopālakau
3) They know Gaurāṅga’s qualities and narrate them with great fulfillment and faith. They pour Govinda-nectar on conditioned souls, who cleanse distress as they bathe. Liberation alone can’t match the seas of bliss they bring to all fallen souls. Vande rūpa sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva gopālakau
4) Quickly leaving aristocratic social roles they had adopted before, they donned loincloths and tattered quilts as simple clothes and cared for comfort no more. Then they swam in the ocean of the gopīs’ love, absorbed in its ebbs and flows. Vande rūpa sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva gopālakau
5) Vrindavan, where the peacocks, cuckoos, swans, and cranes forever move through the air, sheltered them under splendid trees with jeweled roots that grow abundantly there. Day and night they served Rādhā Krishna in delight and shared life’s ultimate goal. Vande rūpa sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva gopālakau
6) Constantly, they would sing the holy name and bow, their time consumed in that way, overcoming the urge to eat, sleep, and enjoy that fills up most of our days. Thoughts of Rādhā and Krishna’s sweet and blissful ways enchanted these humble souls. Vande rūpa sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva gopālakau
7) They appeared to be mad, absorbed in love of God, with symptoms of ecstasy. On the banks of the Yamunā or Rādhā Kund, or at the Vaḿśī-vaṭ tree, they sang praises of Krishna’s qualities with joy, no matter where they might go. Vande rūpa sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva gopālakau
8) Shouting, “Rādhā, O Queen of Vraja! Lalitā! O Nanda’s mischievous son! Where are You? In the trees along Kālindī’s shore? Or over on Govardhan?” Quite distressed with the pangs of separation’s love they cried aloud as they roamed. Vande rūpa sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva gopālakau