Śrī-Guru-vandana (śrī-guru-caraṇa-padma) - The Worship of Sri Guru - by Śrīla Narottama Dāsa Ṭhākura from Prema-bhakti-candrika

The following is the Śrī-guru-vandanana with the original translation. The first four verse are chanted in all ISKCON temples during Srila Prabhupada's puja i.e. Guru-puja. For those first four verses the current, more popular translation, that was added later, with Srila Prabhupada's consent I believe, to make it easier for recitation, is given first and the original translation is given second.

Please note that this is a Bengali song, so bando muñi and not vande muhi but pronounced bando muhi. Furthermore its actually lokanātha and not lokanāth, yet when singing the a should be dropped and sound like lokanāth. It is jāhāra not yāhāra.

Text One

শ্রী-গুরু-চরণ-পদ্ম, কেবল-ভকতি-সদ্ম,
বন্দো মুঞি সাবধান মতে।
যাঁহার প্রসাদে ভাই, এ ভব তরিয়া যাই,
কৃষ্ণ-প্রাপ্তি হয় যাহা হৈতে॥

śrī-guru-caraṇa-padma, kevala-bhakati-sadma,
bando muñi sāvadhāna mate
jāhāra prasāde bhāi, e bhava toriyā jāi,
kṛṣṇa-prāpti hoy jāhā haite

Synonyms

śrī-guru-caraṇa-padma – the lotus feet of our spiritual master; kevala bhakati – pure devotional service; sadma – the abode; bando muñi – I bow down; sāvadhāna mate – with great care and attention; jāhāra prasāde – by whose mercy; bhāi – O my dear brothers!; e bhava – this material existence; toriyā jāi – crossing over; kṛṣṇa-prāpti – obtaining Kṛṣṇa; hoy – there is; jāhā haite – by which.

Translation

The lotus feet of our spiritual master are the only way by which we can attain pure devotional service. I bow down to his lotus feet with great awe and reverence. By his grace one can cross the ocean of material suffering and obtain the mercy of Kṛṣṇa.

Translation

The lotus feet of our spiritual master are the abode of pure devotional service. I bow down to his lotus feet with great care and attention. My dear brothers! It is through the grace of our spiritual master that we can cross over this material existence and attain Kṛṣṇa.

Text Two

গুরু-মুখ-পদ্ম-বাক্য, চিত্তেতে করিয়া ঐক্য,
আর না করিহ মনে আশা।
শ্রী-গুরু-চরণে রতি, এই সে উত্তম-গতি,
যে প্রসাদে পূরে সর্ব আশা॥

guru-mukha-padma-vākya, cittete koriyā aikya,
ār nā koriho mane āśā
śrī-guru-caraṇe rati, ei se uttama-gati,
je prasāde pūre sarva āśā

Synonyms

guru-mukha-padma – the lotus mouth of the spiritual master; vākya – the words; cittete – with your heart; koriyā aikya – I will make one; ār – anything else; nā – do not; koriho mane – consider in the mind; āśā – desires; śrī-guru-caraṇe – to the lotus feet of the spiritual master; rati – attachment; ei – this; sei – that; uttama-gati – ultimate goal; ye prasāde – by which mercy; pūre – fulfills; sarva āśā – all desires.

Translation

My only wish is to have my consciousness purified by the words emanating from his lotus mouth. Attachment to his lotus feet is the perfection that fulfills all desires.

Translation

Make the teachings emanating from the lotus mouth of our spiritual master one with your heart, and do not desire anything else. Attachment to his lotus feet is the best way to make spiritual advancement. His mercy fulfills all desires for spiritual perfection.

Text Three

চক্ষু-দান দিল যেই, জন্মে জন্মে প্রভু সেই,
দিব্য জ্ঞান হৃদে প্রকাশিত।
প্রেম-ভক্তি যাহা হৈতে, অবিদ্যা বিনাশ যাতে,
বেদে গায় যাঁহার চরিত॥

cakṣu-dān dilo jei, janme janme prabhu sei,
divya jñān hṛde prokāśito
prema-bhakti jāhā hoite, avidyā vināśa jāte,
vede gāya jāhāra carita

Synonyms

cakṣu-dān – the gift of transcendental vision; dilo jei – who has given; janme janme – birth after birth; prabhu sei – he is my lord; divya-jñān – divine knowledge; hṛde – in the heart; prokāśito – is revealed; prema bhakti – loving devotional service; jāhā hoite – by which; avidyā – ignorance; vināśa jāte – is destroyed; vede – in the Vedic scriptures; gāya–is sung; jāhāra carita – whose character.

Translation

He opens my darkened eyes and fills my heart with transcendental knowledge. He is my Lord birth after birth. From him ecstatic prema emanates; by him ignorance is destroyed. The Vedic scriptures sing of his character

Translation

He who has given us the gift of transcendental vision is our lord, birth after birth. It is by his mercy that divine knowledge is revealed within our hearts, bestowing pure love for Krsna and destroying ignorance. The Vedic scriptures sing of his character.

Text Four

শ্রী-গুরু করুণা-সিন্ধু, অধম জনার বন্ধু,
লোকনাথ লোকের জীবন।
হা হা প্রভু কর দয়া, দেহ মোরে পদ-ছায়া,
এবে যশ ঘুযুক ত্রিভুবন॥

śrī-guru karuṇā-sindhu, adhama janāra bandhu,
lokanātha lokera jīvana
hā hā prabhu koro doyā, deho more pada-chāyā,
ebe jaśa ghuṣuka tribhuvana

Synonyms

śrī-guru – O spiritual master!; karuṇā-sindhu – O ocean of mercy!; adhama janāra – of the fallen souls; bandhu – the friend; lokanātha – O Lokanātha Goswami (or master of the planets)!; lokera jīvana – the life of all people; hā hā – alas! alas!; prabhu – O master!; koro doyā – please be merciful; deho more –please give to me; pada-chāyā – the shade of your lotus feet; ebe – now; jaśa – fame; ghuṣuka – may it be proclaimed; tri-bhuvana – throughout the three worlds

Translation

 Our spiritual master is the ocean of mercy, the friend of the poor, and the lord and master of the devotees. O master! Be merciful unto us and give us the shade of your lotus feet. Your fame is spread all over the three worlds. We take shelter of your lotus feet (dui pada laila carana).

Translation

O spiritual master, O ocean of mercy and friend of the fallen! O universal teacher and life of all people! Alas, alas, O Lokanatha Goswami! O master, please be merciful unto us and give us the shade of your lotus feet. May your glories now be proclaimed throughout the three worlds.

Text Five

বৈষ্ণব চরণ রেণু, ভূষণ করিয়া তনু,
যাহা হৈতে অনুভব হয়।
মার্জন হয় ভজন, সাধু সঙ্গে অনুক্ষণ,
অজ্ঞান অবিদ্যা পরাজয়॥

vaiṣṇava caraṇa reṇu, bhūṣaṇa koriyā tanu,
jāhā hoite anubhava 
hoy mārjana hoy bhajana, sādhu saṅge anukṣaṇa,
ajñāna avidyā parājaya

Synonyms

vaiṣṇava caraṇa – the feet of the Vaisnavas; reṇu – dust; bhūṣaṇa – jewels; koriyā – making; tanu – body; jāhā hoite – by which; anubhava hoy – there is affectionate feelings; mārjana – cleaning; hoy bhajana – there is devotional worship, sādhu saṅge – association of saintly persons; anukṣaṇa – continuously; ajñāna – ignorance; avidyā – lack of knowledge; parājaya – becomes defeated

Translation

 By making the dust of the Vaisnavas' feet the ornament of my body, ecstatic love comes. Washing the Vaisnavas' lotus feet is my method of worship. By always associating with the Vaisnavas, I shall overcome the darkness of ignorance.

Text Six

জয় সনাতন রূপ, প্রেম ভক্তি রস কূপ,
যুগল উজ্জ্বলময় তনু।
যাঁহার প্রসাদে লোক, পাসরিল সব শোক,
প্রকট কলপ তরু জনু॥

jaya sanātana rūpa, prema bhakti rasa kūpa
jugala ujjvalamaya tanu
jāhāra prasāde loka, pāsarilo sab śoka,
prakaṭa kalapa taru janu

Synonyms

jaya – all glories; sanātana – Srila Sanatana Goswami; rūpa – Srila Rupa Goswami; prema bhakti – loving devotional service; rasa – nectar; kūpa – a deep well; jugala – the Divine Couple; ujjvalamaya – full of effulgence; tanu – body; jāhāra – by whose; prasāde – mercy; loka - planets, pāsarilo – one could surpass; sab śoka – all forms of grief; prakaṭa – appears; kalapa taru – desire trees; janu – these personalities

Translation

 O Srila Sanatana Gosvami and Srila Rupa Gosvami, who are two deep wells of the nectar of pure love, two personifications of the splendid nectar of the Divine Couple, and two desire trees by whose mercy the entire world is free from suffering, all glories to you!

Text Seven

প্রেম ভক্তি রীতি যত, নিজ গ্রন্থে সুব্যকত,

লিখিয়াচেন দুই মহাশয়।

যাঁহার শ্রবণ হৈতে, প্রেমানন্দে ভাসে চিতে,

যুগল মধুর রসাশ্রয়॥

prema bhakti rīti yoto, nija granthe suvekata

likhiyāchen dui mahāśaya

jāhāra śravaṇa hoite, premānande bhāse cite,

jugala madhura rasāśraya

Synonyms

prema bhakti – loving devotional service; rīti – tradition; yoto – that is, nija – one’s own; granthe – scripture; suvekata – these great identities; likhiyāchen – it has been written; dui – two; mahāśaya – great intelligent personalities; jāhāra śravaṇa – by hearing about them; hoite premānande bhāse – there is language of ecstatic love; cite – in the heart; jugala – the Divine Couple; madhura rasa āśraya – shelter in the sweet mellows

Translation

In your books, you two great souls clearly described prema-bhakti. You are reservoirs of the sweet nectar of the Divine Couple. Hearing about you brings bliss to the heart. Their sweet mellows are my shelter.

Text Eight

যুগল কিশোর প্রেম, লক্ষ বাণ যেন হেম,

হেন ধন প্রকাশিল যাঁরা।

জয় রূপ সনাতন, দেহ মোরে প্রেম ধন,

সে রতন মোরে গলে হারা॥

jugala kiśora prema, lakṣa bāṇa yeno hema

heno dhana prakāśilo yārā

jaya rūpa sanātana, deho more prema dhana

se ratana more gole hārā

Synonyms

jugala kiśora – the Youthful Divine Couple; prema - love, lakṣa bāṇa – one hundred thousand arrows (the arrows being the flames i.e. melted a hundred thousand times); yeno – by whose; hema – gold; heno – such; dhana – wealth; prakāśilo – has illuminated; yārā – their; jaya – all glories; rūpa – Srila Rupa Goswami; sanātana – Srila Sanatana Goswami; deho more – please give to me; prema – divine love; dhana – wealth; se ratana – this jewel; more – my; gole hārā – a necklace around my neck

Translation

You are fabulously wealthy, possessing ecstatic love for the youthful Divine Couple, a love more precious than gold purified one hundred thousand times. O Rupa and Sanatana Gosvami, all glories to you! I beg you, please give me in charity some of these jewel necklaces.

Text Nine

ভাগবত শাস্ত্র মর্ম, নব বিধ ভক্তি ধর্ম,

সদাই করিব সুসেবন।

অন্য দেবআশ্রয় নাই, তোমারে কহিল ভাই,

এই ভক্তি পরম ভজন॥

bhāgavata śāstra marma, nava vidhā bhakti dharma,

sadāi koribo susevana

anya devāśraya nāi, tomāre kohilo bhāi,

ei bhakti parama bhajana

Synonyms

bhāgavata – Srimad Bhagavatam; śāstra – scripture; marma – rule; nava vidhā bhakti – nine fold process of devotional service; dharma – religious duties and principles; sadāi – always; koribo – I will do; susevana – perform loving service; anya – others; devāśraya – taking refuge in demigods; nāi - no, tomāre – to you; kohilo – I have said; bhāi – O brother; ei – this; bhakti – devotional service; parama – the topmost; bhajana – devotional worship

Translation

 I shall eternally engage in the nine-fold process of devotional service, which is the essential message of Srimad-Bhagavatam, and I shall not worship the demigods. O brother, I say to you: Devotional service is the most exalted kind of worship.

Text Ten

সাধু শাস্ত্র গুরু বাক্য, হৃদয়ে করিয়া ঐক্য,

সতত ভাসিব প্রেম মাঝে।

কর্মী জ্ঞানী ভক্তি হীন, ইহাকে করিব ভিন,

নরোত্তম এই তত্ত্ব গাজে॥

sādhu śāstra guru vākya, hṛdoye koriyā aikya,

satata bhāsibo prema mājhe

karmī jñānī bhakti hīna, ihāke koribo bhina,

narottama ei tattva gāje

Synonyms

sādhu – saintly persons; śāstra – scriptures; guru – spiritual master; vākya – words; hṛdoye – in the heart; koriyā aikya – I will make one; satata – all; bhāsibo – I will swim; prema – divine love; mājhe – float; karmī – people engaged in fruitive activities; jñānī – philosophical speculators; bhakti hīna – without devotional service, ihāke – from them; koribo – I will do; bhina - difference, narottama – Narottama Dasa Thakura; ei tattva – this truth; gāje – he sings

Translation

Making the words of the guru, sadhus and sastras one with my heart, I constantly float and swim in the ocean of pure love. I am different from the karmis and jnanis, who have no devotion for Krsna. Narottama speaks the truth.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => SVA 3: Savarana-sri-gaura-pada-padme (sri-krsna-caitanya prabhu)

Also I worked with the text from KKSongs.

One final note on the end of the fourth verse; the additional - We take shelter of your lotus feet (dui pada laila carana) - is due to the fact that most ISKCON devotees sang - dui pada laila carana - and thus the We take shelter of your lotus feet was added to the translation. However strict followers are advised to not add the dui pada laila carana as it is not in Srila Narottama Dasa Thakura's original text. However the We take shelter of your lotus feet remains a final staple after reciting the translation in all ISKCON temples.