Sri Namastakam

“Eight Prayers Glorifying the Holy Name”

by Srila Rupa Gosvami

Text 1​

nikhila-sruti-mauli-ratna-mala

dyuti-nirajita-pada-pankajanta

ayi mukta-kulair upasyamanam

paritas tvam hari-nama samsrayami

​O Hari-nama! The tips of the toes of Your lotus feet are constantly being worshiped by the glowing radiance emanating from the string of gems known as the Upanishads, the crown jewels of all the Vedas. You are eternally adored by liberated souls, such as Narada and Sukadeva. O Hari-nama! I take complete shelter of You.​

Text 2​

jaya namadheya muni-vrinda-geya he

jana-ranjanaya param aksharakrite

tvam anadarad api manag udiritam

nikhilogra-tapa-patalim vilumpasi​

O Hari-nama, all glories to You! Sung by all the sages, You are the supreme combination of syllables, and You bring transcendental bliss to all people. Even if a person utters You only once disrespectfully, still You relieve his many extreme sufferings.

Text 3

yad-abhaso ’py udyan kavalita-bhava-dhvanta-vibhavo

drisam tattvandhanam api disati bhakti-pranayinim

janas tasyodattam jagati bhagavan-nama-tarane

kriti te nirvaktum ka iha mahimanam prabhavati​

O sun of the Holy Name, even a dim glimmer of Your splendor swallows up the powerful darkness of materialistic life and gives those who are blind to the truth the vision to follow the path of pure devotional service. Who in this world, even if learned and pious, can fully describe Your transcendental glory?​

Text 4​

yad-brahma-sakshat-kriti-nishthayapi

vinasam ayati vina na bhogaih

apaiti nama sphuranena tat te

prarabdha-karmeti virauti vedah

​O Holy Name, the Vedas declare that meditation on the impersonal Brahman cannot bring freedom from karmic reactions, that they have to be enjoyed or suffered, but that when You manifest in one’s consciousness all karma at once disappears.

Text 5​

aghadamana-yasodanandanau nandasuno

kamalanayana-gopicandra-vrindavanendrah

pranatakaruna-krishnav ity aneka-svarupe

tvayi mama ratir uccair vardhatam namadheya​

O Holy Name, You have many forms, such as Aghadamana (Crusher of Aghasura), Yasodanandana (Darling Child of Yasoda), Nandasunu (Son of Nanda), Kamalanayana (Lotus-eyed One), Gopicandra (Moon of the Gopis), Vrindavanendra (King of Vrindavana), Pranatakaruna (He Who Is Merciful to the Surrendered Souls), and Krishna. I pray that my love for You in Your many forms may greatly increase.​

Text 6​

vacyam vacakam ity udeti bhavato nama svarupa-dvayam

purvasmat param eva hanta karunam tatrapi janimahe

yas tasmin vihitaparadha-nivahah prani samantad bhaved

\asyenedam upasya so ’pi hi sadanandambudhau majjati​

O Holy Name, You are manifested in two forms: the Supreme Person You designate, and the sound vibration that designates. We know that the second form is more merciful than the first, because even if a person offends Your first form in many ways, You plunge him into an ocean of transcendental bliss if he serves Your second form with his voice.​

Text 7​

suditasrita-janarti-rasaye

ramya-cid-ghana-sukha-svarupine

nama gokula-mahotsavaya te

krishna purna-vapushe namo namah​

O Holy Name! You destroy the many sufferings of those who take shelter of You. You are the very form of intense spiritual bliss, a festival of happiness for Gokula, and the perfect and complete form of Lord Krishna. Again and again I bow to You.

Text 8​

narada-vinojjivana

sudhormi-niryasa-madhuri-pura

tvam krishna-nama kamam

sphura me rasane rasena sada​

O enlivener of Narada’s vina, O flood of the waves of sweet nectar, O Holy Name of Lord Krishna, please forever manifest on my tongue with all Your nectarean sweetness.

See also: Guidelines for Japa Meditation