MADHU BINDAVAH
PRANATI DASAKAM
Ten Obeisances
A Sanskrit poem offering on the 97th holy appearance day
of Om Visnupad Paramahamsa Astottara-sata-sri
Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj
নৌমি শ্রীগুরুপাদাব্জং যতিরাজেশ্বরেশ্বরম্ ।
শ্রীভক্তিরক্ষকং শ্রীল-শ্রীধর-স্বামিনং সদা ॥১॥
naumi sri-guru-padabjam yati-rajesvaresvaram
sri-bhakti-raksakam srila-sridhara-svaminam sada [1]
Eternally I offer my obeisance to the lotus feet of Sri Guru, the lord of the masters of the best of the sannyasis, Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Swami.
English translation of the expanded Bengali translation: Eternally I offer my obeisance to the holy lotus feet of my beloved Gurudev, the lord of the masters of the best of the sannyasis, Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Swami.
সুদীর্ঘোন্নতদীপ্তাঙ্গং সুপীব্য-বপুষং পরম্
ত্রিদণ্ড-তুলসীমালা-গোপীচন্দন-ভূষিতম্ ॥২॥
অচিন্ত্য-প্রতিভাস্নিগ্ধং দিব্যজ্ঞান-প্রভাকরম্
বেদাদি-সর্ব্বশাস্ত্রানাং সামঞ্জস্য-বিধায়কম্ ॥৩॥
গৌড়ীয়াচার্য্যরত্নানামুজ্জ্বলং রত্নকৌস্তুভম্
শ্রীচৈতন্যমহাপ্রেমোন্মত্তালীনাং শিরোমণিম্ ॥৪॥
sudirghonnata-diptangam supibya-vapusam param
tridanda-tulasi-mala-gopi-chandana-bhusitam [2]
achintya-pratibha-snigdham divya-jnana-prabhakaram
vedadi-sarva-śastranam samanjasya-vidhayakam [3]
gaudiyacharya-ratnanam ujjvalam ratna-kaustubham
sri-chaitanya-mahapremonmattalinam siromanim [4]
His lofty, exalted, and effulgent form, adorned with a tridanda, tulasi-mala, and gopi-chandan tilak, is the most relishable figure. Inconceivably brilliant and affectionate, he is a sun of divine knowledge and the harmoniser of all the revealed scriptures. He is the bright Kaustubha gem amongst the jewel-like Gaudiya Acharyas, and he is the crown-jewel amongst those who are ecstatic in the divine love of Sri Chaitanya.
Expanded translation: His lofty, dignified, divinely effulgent, incomparable holy form is a delight to the eyes, bears a tridanda, and is adorned with a tulasi necklace and gopi-chandan tilak. Although he is inconceivably brilliant, he is supremely affectionate. The ten directions are fully illuminated by the light of his divine—supramundane, extraordinary—pure knowledge. He is the harmoniser of all the scriptures—the Vedas, Vedanta, Upanisads, Brahma-samhita, and Puranas led by Srimad Bhagavatam. In the necklace of jewel-like Acharyas of the Sri Gaudiya school, he shines like the brilliant kaustubha gem, and he stands out as the crown jewel amongst the bee-like devotees who are ecstatic in the divine love of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. I offer my obeisance to my beloved Gurudev eternally.
গায়ত্র্যর্থ-বিনির্যাসং গীতাগূঢ়ার্থ-গৌরবম্
স্তোত্ররত্নাদি-সমৃদ্ধং প্রপন্নজীবনামৃতম্ ॥৫॥
অপূর্ব্বগ্রন্থ-সম্ভারং ভক্তানাং হৃদ্রসায়নম্
কৃপয়া যেন দত্তং তং নৌমি কারুণ্য-সুন্দরম্ ॥৬॥
gayatry-artha-viniryasam gita-gudhartha-gauravam
stotra-ratnadi-samrddham prapanna-jivanamrtam [5]
apurva-grantha-sambharam bhaktanam hrd-rasayanam
krpaya yena dattam tam naumi karunya-sundaram [6]
He mercifully gave the most essential meaning of the gayatri-mantra, the profound, hidden meaning of Srimad Bhagavad-gita, the Prapanna-jivanamrta replete with various jewel-like verses (such as those of Sri Yamun Acharya’s Stotra-ratna), and numerous other extraordinary books that are elixirs for the hearts of the devotees. I offer my obeisance to him, the embodiment of beauty and grace.
Expanded translation: He mercifully revealed the hidden meaning of gayatri, the mother of the Vedas, opened the storehouse of the profound hidden wealth of the deep meaning of Srimad Bhagavad-gita, and distributed this to the fallen souls. He composed and gave to the world the best of scriptures, Sri Sri Prapanna-jivanamrta, which is is replete with various jewel-like verses of the Lord and His devotees, and a collection of extraordinary books that are elixirs for the hearts and senses of the Lord’s devotees. I offer my obeisance to my beloved Gurudev, the embodiment of beauty and grace.
সঙ্কীর্ত্তন-মহারাস-রসব্ধেশ্চন্দ্রমানিভম্ ।
সংভাতি বিতরণ্ বিশ্বে গৌর-কৃষ্ণং গণৈঃ সহ ॥৭॥
sankirtana-maharasa-rasabdhes chandrama-nibham
sambhati vitaran visve gaura-krsnam ganaih saha [7]
He shines brightly with his associates as he distributes to the world Gaura Krishna, the moon arisen from the ocean of rasa that is the grand dance of Sri Krishna-sankirtan.
Expanded translation: He shines brilliantly as he distributes with his associates throughout the entire world Lord Sri Gaura Krishna, the moon arisen from the ocean of rasa that is the grand dance of Krishna-sankirtan.
ধামনি শ্রীনবদ্বীপে গুপ্তগোবর্দ্ধনে শুভে ।
বিশ্ববিশ্রুত-চৈতন্যসারস্বত-মঠোত্তমম্ ॥৮॥
স্থাপয়িত্বা গুরূন্ গৌর-রাধা-গোবিন্দবিগ্রহান্ ।
প্রকাশয়তি চাত্মানং সেবা-সংসিদ্ধি-বিগ্রহঃ ॥৯॥
গৌর-শ্রীরূপ-সিদ্ধান্ত-দিব্য-ধারাধরং গুরুম্ ।
শ্রীভক্তিরক্ষকং দেবং শ্রীধরং প্রণমাম্যহম্ ॥১০॥
dhamani sri-navadvipe gupta-govardhane subhe
visva-visruta-chaitanya-sarasvata-mathottamam [8]
sthapayitva gurun gaura-radha-govinda-vigrahan
prakasayati chatmanam seva-samsiddhi-vigrahah [9]
gaura-sri-rupa-siddhanta-divya-dhara-dharam gurum
sri-bhakti-raksakam devam sridharam pranamamy aham [10]
In the auspicious place of Gupta Govardhan in Sri Nabadwip Dham, he established the world-renowned and exalted Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math and the Deities Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Gandharva Govindasundar, and he then manifest himself as the deity of service in perfection. I offer my obeisance to Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj, my Gurudev, the carrier of the divine current of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur, Sri Rupa Goswami, and Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu.
Expanded translation: He established the world-renowned best of Maths, Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, in Gupta Govardhan of Sri Nabadwip Dham, which is nondfferent from Vraja, within Sri Koladwip, the Aparadha-bhanjan-pat (place where all offences are forgiven), manifested there beautiful service to the Deities Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Gandharva Govindasundar, and then revealed himself as the Deity of perfection in service. Eternally, I offer my obeisance to the holy lotus feet of Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj, the carrier of the divine current of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati in the line of Sri Rupa, the dearmost and favourite of Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu.
শ্রদ্ধয়া যঃ পঠেন্নিত্যং প্রণতি-দশকং মুদা ।
বিশতে রাগমার্গেষু তস্য ভক্ত-প্রসাদতঃ ॥১১॥
sraddhaya yah pathen nityam pranati-dasakam muda
visate raga-margesu tasya bhakta-prasadatah [11]
One who joyfully recites this Pranati-dasakam daily with faith enters the path of love (raga-marg) by the grace of his devotees.
Expanded translation: One who joyfully recites this Pranati-dasakam daily with faith attains the grace of Srila Gurudev’s associates and becomes qualified for service to the Lord on the path of love (raga-marg).