Mangalacarana prayers

Sri Guru Pranama

om ajnana‑timirandhasya jnananjana‑salakaya

caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri‑gurave namah

om‑‑address; ajnana‑‑(of) ignorance; timira‑‑(by) the darkness; andhasya‑‑of one who was blinded; jnana‑anjana‑‑(by) the ointment of spiritual knowledge; salakaya‑‑by a medical instrument called a salaka, which is used to apply medical ointment to eyes afflicted with cataracts: caksuh‑‑eyes; unmilitam‑‑were opened; yena‑‑by whom; tasmai‑‑unto him; sri‑gurave‑‑unto my spiritual master; namah‑‑obeisances.

I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, who has opened my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance, with the torchlight of knowledge.

Sri Rupa Pranama

sri‑caitanya‑mano‑'bhistam sthapitum yena bhu‑tale

svayam rupah kada mahyam dadati sva‑padantikam

sri‑caitanya‑‑(of) Lord Caitanya; manah‑‑(within) the mind; abhistam‑‑what is desired; sthapitam‑‑established; yena‑‑by whom; bhu‑tale‑‑on the surface of the globe; svayam‑‑himself; rupah‑‑Srila Rupa Gosvami; kada‑‑when; mahyam‑‑unto me; dadati‑‑will give; sva‑‑his own; pada‑‑lotus feet; antikam‑‑proximity to.

When will Srila Rupa Gosvami Prabhupada, who has established within this material world the mission to fulfill the desire of Lord Caitanya, give me shelter under his lotus feet?

Mangalacarana

Vande 'ham sri‑guroh sri‑yuta‑pada‑kamalam sri‑gurun vaisnavams' ca

sri‑rupam sagrajatam saha‑gana‑raghunathanvitam tam sa jivam

sadvaitam savadhutam parijana‑sahitam krsna‑caitanya‑devam

sri‑radha‑krsna‑padan saha‑gana‑lalita‑sri‑visakhanvitams' ca

Vande‑‑offer my respectful obeisances; aham‑‑I; sri‑guroh‑‑of my initiating spiritual master or instructing spiritual master; sri‑yuta‑pada‑kamalam‑‑unto the opulent lotus feet; sri‑gurun‑‑unto the spiritual masters in the parampara systems beginning from Madhavendra Puri down to Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada; vaisnavan‑‑unto all the Vaisnavas, beginning from Lord Brahma and others coming from the very start of the creation; Ca‑‑and; sri‑rupam‑‑unto Srila Rupa Gosvami; sa‑agra‑jatam‑‑with his elder brothers Sri Sanatana Gosvami; saha‑gana‑raghunatha‑anvitam‑‑with Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami and his associates; tam‑‑unto him; sajivam‑‑with Jiva Gosvami; sa‑ advaitam‑‑with Advaita Acarya; sa‑avadhutam‑‑with Nityananda Prabhu; parijana‑sahitam‑‑and with Srivasa Thakura and all the other devotees; krsna‑caitanya‑devam‑‑unto Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; sri‑radha‑krsna‑padan‑‑unto the lotus feet of the all‑opulent Sri Krsna and Radharani, saha‑gana‑‑with associates; lalita‑sri‑visakha‑anvitan‑‑accompanied by Lalita and Sri Visakha; Ca‑‑also.

I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master and of all the other preceptors on the path of devotional service. I offer my respectful obeisances unto all the Vaisnavas and unto the six Gosvamis including Srila Rupa Gosvaml, Srila Sanatana Gosvami, Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami, Jiva Gosvami, and their associates. I offer my respectful obeisances unto Sri Advaita Acarya Prabhu, Sri Nityananda Prabhu, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and all His devotees, headed by Srivasa Thakura. I then offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of Lord Krsna, Srimati Radharani, and all the gopis, headed by Lalita and Visakha.

Srila Prabhupada Pranati

nama om visnu‑padaya krsna‑presthaya bhu‑tale

srimate bhaktivedanta‑svamin iti namine

namah‑‑obeisances; om‑address; visnu‑padaya‑‑unto him who is at the feet of Lord Visu; krsna‑presthaya‑‑who is very dear to Lord Krsna; bhu‑tale‑‑on the earth; srimate‑‑all‑beautiful; bhakti‑vedanta‑svamin‑‑A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami; iti‑‑thus; namine‑‑ who is named.

I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupalda, who is very dear to Lord Krsna, having taken shelter at His lotus feet.

namas te sarasvate deve gaura‑vani‑pracarine

nirvisesa ‑sunyavadi‑pascatya‑desa‑tarine

namah‑‑obeisances; to‑‑unto you, sarasvate deve‑‑servant of Bhaktisiddhanta

Sarasvati Gosvami; gaura‑vani‑‑the message of Lord Caitanya; pracarine‑‑who are

preaching; nirvisa‑‑impersonalism; sunya‑vadi‑‑(from) voidism;

pascatya‑‑Western; deska‑countries; tarine‑‑who are delivering.

Our respectful obeisances are unto you, O spiritual master, servant of

Sarasvati Gosvami. You are kindly preaching the message of Lord Caitanyadeva

and delivering the Western countries, which are filled with impersonalism and

voidism.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Pranati

nama om vinsu‑padaya krsna‑presthaya bhu‑tale

srimate bhaktisiddhanta‑sarasvatiti namine

I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhanta

Sarasvati, who is very dear to Lord Krnsa, having taken shelter at His lotus

feet.

sri‑ varsabhanavi‑devi‑dayitaya krpadhaye

krsna‑sambandha‑vijnana‑dayine prabhave namah

sri‑varsabhanavi‑devi‑dayitaya‑‑unto Sri Varsabhanavi‑devi‑dayita Dasa, the

servant of the lover of Srimati Radharani; krpa‑abdhaye‑‑who is an ocean of

mercy; krsna‑sambandha‑‑(of) the relationship with Krsna; vijnana‑‑(of) the

science; dayine‑‑who is the deliverer; prabhave‑‑unto the master;

namah‑‑obeisances.

I offer my respectful obeisances to Sri Varsabhanavi‑devi‑dayita Dasa [another name of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati], who is favored by Srimati Radharani and who is the ocean of transcendental mercy and the deliverer of the science of Krsna.

madhuryojjvala‑premadhya‑sri‑rupanuga‑bhaktida‑

sri‑gaura‑karuna‑sakti‑vigrahaya namo 'stu te

madhurya‑‑conjugal; ujjvala‑‑brilliant; prema‑‑love; adhya‑‑ enriched with;

sri‑rupa‑anuga‑‑following Srila Rupa Gosvami; bhakti‑da‑‑delivering devotional

service; sri‑gaura‑‑(of) Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; karuna‑‑(of) the mercy,

sakti‑‑energy; vigrahaya‑‑unto the personified; namah‑‑obeisances; astu‑‑let

there be; to‑‑unto you.

I offer my respectful obeisances unto you, the personified energy of Sri

Caitanya's mercy, who deliver devotional service which is enriched with

conjugal love of Radha and Krsna, coming exactly in the line of revelation of Srila Rupa Gosvami.

names te gaura‑vani‑sri‑murtaye dina‑tari,

rupanuga‑viruddhapasiddhanta‑dhvanta‑harine

namah‑‑obeisances; to‑‑unto you; gaura‑vani‑‑teachings of Lord Caitanya;

sri‑murtaye‑‑unto the personified; dina‑‑(of) the fallen; tarine‑‑unto the

deliverer; rupa‑anuga‑‑the philosophy which follows the teachings of Srila Rupa

Gosvami; viruddha‑‑against; apasiddhanta‑‑(of) unauthorized statements;

dhvanta‑‑the darkness; harine‑‑unto you who are removing.

I offer my respectful obeisances unto you, who are the personified teachings of Lord Caitanya. You are the deliverer of the fallen souls. You do not tolerate any statement which is against the teachings of devotional service enunciated by Srila Rupa Gosvami.

Srila Gaurakisora Pranati

namo gaura‑kisoraya saksad‑vairagya‑murtaye

vipralambha‑rasambhode padambujaya te namah

namah‑‑obeisances; gaura‑kisoraya‑‑unto Gaurakisora Dasa Babaji;

saksat‑‑directly; vairagya‑‑renunciation; murtaye‑‑unto the personified;

vipralambha‑‑(of) separation (from Krsna) rasa‑‑(of) the mellow; ambhodhe‑‑O

ocean; pada‑ambujaya‑‑unto the lotus feet; te‑‑your; namah‑‑obeisances.

I offer my respectful obeisances unto Gaurakisora Dasa Babaji Maharaja [the

spiritual master of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati], who is renunciation

personified. He is always merged in a feeling of separation and intense love of

Krsna.

Srila Bhaktivinoda Pranati

namo bhaktivinodaya sac‑cid‑ananda‑namine

gaura‑sakti‑svarupaya rupanuga‑varaya te

namah‑‑obeisances; bhaktivinodaya‑‑unto Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura;

sat‑cit‑ananda‑namine‑‑known as Saccidananda; gaura‑‑(of) Lord Caitanya;

sakti‑‑energy; svarupaya‑‑unto the personified; rupa‑anuga‑varaya‑‑who is a

revered follower of Srila Rupa Gosvami; te‑‑unto you.

I offer my respectful obeisances unto Saccidananda Bhaktivinoda, who is

transcendental energy of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He is a strict follower of the

Gosvamis, headed by Srila Rupa.

Srila Jagannatha Pranati

gauravirbhava‑bhumes tvam nirdesta saj‑jana‑priyah

vaisnava‑sarvabhaumah sri‑jagannathaya te namah

gaura‑‑(of) Lord Caitanya; avirbhava‑‑(of) the appearance; bhumeh‑‑of the

place; tvam‑‑you; nirdesta‑‑the indicator; sat‑jana‑‑ (to) all saintly persons;

priyah‑‑dear; vaisnava‑‑(of) the Vaisnavas; sarvabhaumah‑‑chief; sri

jagannathaya‑‑unto Jagannatha dasa Babaji; te‑‑unto you; namah‑‑obeisances.

I offer my respectful obeisances to Jagannatha Dasa Babaji, who is respected by

the entire Vaisnava community and who discovered the place where Lord Caitanya

appeared.

Sri Vaisnava Pranama

vancha‑kalpatarubhyas ca krpa‑sindhubhya eve ca

patitanam pavanebhyo vaisnavebhyo namo namah

vancha‑kalpa‑tarubhyah‑‑who are desire trees; ca‑‑and; Krpa‑‑ (of) mercy: (of)

mercy; sindhubhyah‑‑who are oceans; eva‑‑certainly; ca‑‑and; patitanam‑‑of the

fallen souls; pavanebhyah‑‑who are the purifiers, vaisnavehhyah‑‑unto the

Vaisnavas; namah namah‑‑repeated obeisances.

I offer my respectful obeisances unto all the Vaisnava devotees of the Lord.

They are just like desire trees who can fulfill the desires of everyone, and

they are full of compassion for the fallen conditioned souls.

Sri Gauranga Pranama

namo maha‑vadayaya krsna‑prema‑pradaya te

krsnaya krsna‑caitanya‑namne gaura‑tvise namah

namah‑‑obeisances; maha‑vadanyaya‑‑who is most munificent and charitably

disposed; krsna‑prema‑‑love of Krsna; pradaya‑‑ who can give; te‑‑unto You;

krsnaya‑‑the original Personality of Godhead; krsna‑caitanya‑namne‑‑under the

name Krsna Caitanya; gaura‑tvise‑‑ whose complexion is the golden complexion of Srimati Radharani; namah‑‑obeisances.

O most munificent incarnation! You are Krsna Himself ap pearing as Sri Krsna

Caitanya Mahaprabhu. You have assumed the golden color of Srimati Radharani,

and You are widely distributing pure love of Krsna. We offer our respectful

obeisances unto You.

Sri Panca‑tattva Pranama

panca‑tattvatmakam krsnam bhakta‑rupa‑svarupakam

bhaktavataram bhaktakhyam namami bhakta‑saktikam

panca‑tattva‑atmakam‑‑comprehending the five transcendental subject matters;

krsnam‑‑unto Lord Krsna; bhakta‑rupa‑‑in the form of a devotee; sva‑rupakam‑‑in

the expansion of a devotee; bhakta‑avataram‑‑in the incarnation of a devotee;

bhakta‑akhyam‑‑known as a devotee, namami‑‑I offer my obeisances

bhakta‑saktikam‑‑the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who supplies

energy to the devotee.

I offer my obeisances unto the Supreme Lord, Krsna, who is nondifferent from

His features as a devotee, devotional incarnation, devotional manifestation

pure devotee, and devotional energy.

Sri Krsna Pranama

he krsna karuna‑sindho dina‑bandho jagat‑pate

gopesa gopika kanta radha‑kanta namo 'stu te

he‑‑O; krsna‑‑Krsna; karuna‑sindho‑‑O ocean of mercy; Dina‑‑ (of) the

distressed; bandho‑‑O friend; jagat‑‑(of) the universe; pate‑‑O Lord;

gopa‑isa‑‑O master of the cowherdmen; gopika‑kanta‑‑O lover of the gopis;

radha‑kanta‑‑O lover of Radharani; namah‑‑obeisances; astu‑‑let there be;

to‑‑unto You.

O my dear Krsna, ocean of mercy, You are the friend of the distressed and the

source of creation. You are the master of the cowherd men and the lover of the

gopis, especially Radharani. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You.

Sambandhadhideva Pranama

jayatam suratau pangor mama manda‑mater gati

mat‑sarvasva‑padambhojau radha‑madana‑mohanau

jayatam‑‑all glory to; su‑ratau‑‑most merciful, or attached in conjugal love;

pangoh‑‑of one who is lame; mama‑‑of me; manda‑mateh‑‑foolish; gati‑‑refuge;

mat‑‑my; sarva‑sva‑‑everything; pada‑ambhojau‑‑whose lotus feet;

radha‑madana‑mohanau‑‑ Radharani and Madana‑mohana.

Glory to the all‑merciful Radha and Madana‑mohana! I am lame and ill advised,

yet They are my directors, and Their lotus feet are everything to me.

Abhidheyadhideva Pranama

divyad‑vrndaranya‑kalpa‑drumadhah

srimad‑ratnagara‑simhasana‑sthau

srimad‑radha‑srila‑govinda‑devau

presthalibhih sevyamanau smarami

divyat‑‑shining; vrnda‑aranya‑‑(in) the forest of Vrndavana;

kalpa‑druma‑‑desire tree: adhah‑‑beneath; srimat‑‑most beautiful,

ratna‑agara‑‑(in) a temple of jewels, simha‑asana‑sthau‑‑sitting on a throne;

srimat‑‑very beautiful; radha‑‑srimati Radharani; srila‑govinda‑devau‑‑and Sri

Govindadeva; prestha‑alibhih‑‑by most confidential associates;

sevyamanau‑‑being served; smarami‑‑I remember.

In a temple of jewels in Vrndavana, underneath a desire tree, Sri Sri

Radha‑Govinda, served by Their most confidential associates, sit upon an

effulgent throne. I offer my humble obeisances unto Them.

Prayojanadhideva Pranama

sriman rasa‑rasarambhi vamsi‑vata‑tata‑sthitah

Karsan venu‑svanair gopir gopinathah sriye 'stu nah

sriman‑‑most beautiful; rasa‑‑(of) the rasa dance, rasa‑‑(of) the mellow;

arambhi‑‑the initiator; vamsi‑vata‑‑(of) the name Vamsivata; tata‑‑on the

shore; sthitah‑‑standing; Karsan‑‑attracting; venu‑‑(of) the flute; svanaih‑‑by

the sounds, gopih‑‑the cowherd girls; gopi‑nathah‑‑Sri Gopinatha;

sriye‑‑benediction; astu‑‑let there be; Nah‑‑our.

Sri Srila Gopinatha, who originated the transcendental mellow of the rasa

dance, stands on the shore in Vamsivata and attracts the attention of the

cowherd damsels with the sound of His celebrated flute. May they all confer

upon us their benediction.

Sri Radha Pranama

tapta‑kancana‑gaurangi radhe vrndavanesvari

vrsabhanu‑sute devi pranamami hari‑priye

tapta‑‑molten; kancana‑‑(like) gold; gaura‑‑fair complexion; angi‑‑O one whose

body; radhe‑‑O Radharani, vrndavana‑isvari‑‑ O Queen of Vrndavana;

vrsabhanu‑sute‑‑O daughter of King Vrsabhanu; devi‑‑O goddess; pranamami‑‑I

offer my respects; hari‑priye‑‑O one who is very dear to Lord Krsna.

I offer my respects to Radharani, whose bodily complexion is like molten gold

and who is the Queen of Vrndavana. You are the daughter of King Vrsabhanu, and

You are very dear to Lord Krsna.

Panca‑tattva Maha‑mantra

(jaya) sri‑krsna‑caitanya prabhu nityananda

sri‑advaita gadadhara srivasadi‑gaura‑bhakta‑vrnda

Sri Caitanva Mahaprabhu is always accompanied by His plenary expansion Sri

Nityananda Prabhu, His incarnation Sri Advaita Prabhu, His internal potency Sri

Gadadhara Prabhu, and His marginal potency Srivasa Prabhu. He is in the midst of them as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One should know that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is always accompanied by these other tattvas. Therefore our obeisances to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu are complete when we say, sri‑krsna‑caitanya prabhu nityananda sri‑advaita gadadhara srivasadi‑gaura‑bhakta‑vrnda. As preachers of the Krsna consciousness movement, we first offer our obeisances to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu by chanting this Panca‑tattva mantra; then we say, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. There are ten offenses in the chanting of the Hare Krsna maha‑mantra, but these are not considered in the chanting of the Panca‑tattva mantra, namely, sri‑krsna‑caitanya prabhu nityananda sri‑advaita gadadhara srivasadi‑gaura‑bhakta‑vrnda. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is known as maha‑vadanyavatara, the most magnanimous incarnation, for He does not consider the offenses of the fallen souls. Thus to derive the

full benefit of the chanting of the maha‑mantra (Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna

Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare), we must first

take shelter of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, learn the Panca‑tattva mantra, and

then chant the Hare Krsna maha‑mantra. That will be very effective.

Hare Krsna Maha‑mantra:

HARE KRSNA HARE KRSNA KRSNA KRSNA HARE HARE

HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE

PURPORT by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

The transcendental vibration established by the chanting of Hare Krsna, Hare

Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare is

the sublime method of reviving our Krsna consciousness. As living spiritual

souls we are all originally Krsna conscious entities, but due to our

association with matter from time immemorial, our consciousness is now polluted

by the material atmosphere. The material atmosphere, in which we are now

living, is called Maya, or illusion. Maya means "that which is riot." And what

is this illusion? The illusion is that we are all trying to be lords of

material nature, while actually we are under the grip of her stringent laws.

When a servant artificially tries to imitate the all‑powerful master, this is

called illusion. In this polluted concept of life, we are all trying to exploit

the resources of material nature, but actually we are becoming more and more

entangled in her complexities. Therefore, although we are engaged in a hard

struggle to conquer nature, we are ever more dependent on her. This illusory

struggle against material nature can be stopped at once by revival of our Krsna

consciousness.

Krsna consciousness is not an artificial imposition on the mind; this

consciousness is the original energy of the living entity. When we hear the

transcendental vibration, this consciousness is revived. And this process is

recommended for this age by authorities. By practical experience also, one can

perceive that by chanting this maha‑mantra, or the Great Chanting for Deliv‑

erance, one can at once feel a transcendental ecstasy coming through from the

spiritual stratum. And when one is factually on the plane of spiritual

understanding‑‑surpassing the stages of senses, mind, and intelligence‑‑one is

situated on the transcendental plane. This chanting of Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna,

Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare is directly

enacted from the spiritual platform, and thus this sound vibration surpasses

all lower strata of consciousness‑‑ namely sensual, mental, and intellectual.

There is no need, therefore, to understand the language of the mantra, nor is

there any need for mental speculation or any intellectual adjustment for