Prayers At The Lotus Feet Of Vaiṣṇavas

Prayers At The Lotus Feet Of Vaiṣṇavas by Srila Narottam DasThakura

śuniyāchi sādhu-mukhe bale sarva-jana
rī-rūpa-kṛpāya mile jugala-caraṇa
hā hā prabhu ! sanātana gaura-paribāra
sabe mili bāñcchā pūrṇa karaha āmāra
śrī-rūpera kṛpā jena āmāra prati haya
se pada āśraya jāra sei mahāśaya
prabhu lokanātha kabe saṅge laiñā jābe
śrī-rūpera pāda-padme more samarpibe
hena ki haibe mora narma-sakhī-gaṇa
anugata narottama karibe śāsane

I have heard from the mouths of pure devotees that by the mercy of Sri Rupa Goswami, one can attain the lotus feet of Sri Sri Radha and Krishna. O my lord, Sanatana Goswami, and the associates of Gauranga, all of you kindly fulfill
my desires.

Let the mercy of Sri Rupa Goswami be upon me, for whoever has taken shelter of him is my master.

When will my lord, Lokanatha Goswami, take me with him, and place me at the lotus feet of Sri Rupa?

Will it ever happen to me that the most dear sakhīs will chastise their servant, Narottama dasa?

ei nava-dāsī bali śrī-rūpa cāhibe
hena śubha-kṣaṇa mora kata-dine habe
śīghra ājñā karibena—dāsi hethā āya
sebāra susajjā-kārya karaha tvarāya
ānandita hañā hiyā taṅra ājñā-bale
pavitra mane kārya karibe tat-kāle
sebāra sāmagrī ratna-ṭhālete kariyā
subāsita bāri svarṇa-jhārite pūriyā
doṅhāra sammūkhe la’ye diba śīghra-gati
narottamera daśā kabe haibe e-mati

When will the auspicious moment come, when Sri Rupa Manjari will accept me as her maidservant?

She will order me saying, “Quickly make arrangement for the service of Sri Sri Radha and Krishna.”

With joyful mood and pure mind I will immediately execute that order. Taking the ingredients for Their service on
a golden plate along with scented water in a perforated waterpot, I will immediately take them to Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha and Krishna.

Thus Narottama yearns for such a situation.

śrī-rūpa paścāte āmi rahiba bhīta hañā
doṅhe pūnaḥ kahibena āmā pāne cāñā
sadaya hṛdaye doṅhe kahibena hāsi
kothāya pāile rūpa! ei nava dāsī
śrī-rūpa-mañjarī tabe doṅhā vākya śuni
mañjūlālī dila more ei dāsī āni
ati namra-citta āmi ihāre jānila
sebā-kārya diyā tabe hethāya rākhila
hena tattva doṅhākāra sākṣāte kahiyā

Seeing me standing in fear behind Sri Rupa, Radha and Krishna, with kind hearts will again smilingly ask Sri Rupa, “Where have you brought this new maidservant from?”

Hearing Their statements, Sri Rupa will answer: “Manjulali brought her and gave her to me. I could understand her to be very meek and humble, therefore engaging her with service I kept her here”.

Sri Rupa, after disclosing this information to Radha and Krishna, will mercifully engage Narottama dasa in Their service.

hā hā ! prabhu lokanātha rākha pāda-dvandve
kṛpā-dṛṣṭe cāha jadi haiyā ānande
mano-bāñcchā siddhi tabe haṅa purṇa-tṛṣṇa
hethāya caitanya mile sethā rādhā-kṛṣṇa
tumi nā karile dayā ke karibe āra
manera vāsanā purṇa kara ei bāra
e tina saṁsāre mora āra kehā nai
kṛpa kari ‘nija pada-tale deha ṭhāñi
śrī rādhā-kṛṣṇa-līlā-guṇa gāna rātri-dine
śrī narottama-bāṅchā purṇa nahe tuyā bine

O my lord Lokanatha Goswami, please keep me at your lotus feet. Please mercifully glance upon me.

Only by your mercy, my desires of attaining the shelter of Lord Chaitanya here, and attaining the shelter of Radha and Krishna in the spiritual world, will be fulfilled. If you neglect me, then who else will bestow mercy upon me?

Therefore I pray that you kindly fulfill my desires at this time. Please give me shelter under your lotus feet for I have no one else but you in the three worlds.

Narottama dasa wishes to glorify the pastimes and qualities of Radha and Krishna day and night. This is impossible without your mercy.

—Prārthanā by Srila Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, Published by Ishvara Dasa.