Prayer To Yogamaya

Prayer To Yogamaya by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura

āmāra samāna hīna nāhi e soṁsāre
asthira ha’yechi poḍi’ bhaba pārābāre

The likes of such a lowly soul as me is not to be found anywhere in this world. Thus I have become most agitated due to falling into this vast ocean of material existence.

kuladebī jogamāyā more kṛpā kori’
ābaraṇa sambaribe kabe biśwodarī

Oh Yogamaya! When will you show mercy to me by lifting up the curtain of illusion with which you shroud the universe in your external form of Mahamaya? You are known as Kuladevi, the traditional worshipable Goddess of all the Vaishnavas dynasties.

śunechi āgame bede mahimā tomāra
śrī-kṛṣṇa-bimukhe bāndhi karāo soṁsāra

I have heard of your glories and activities from the Vedic literatures. You take all those souls who are averse to Krishna and bind them within the material world.

śrī-kṛṣṇa-sāmmukhya jā’ra bhāgya-krame hoya
tā’re mukti diyā koro’ aśoka abhoya

To that person whose good fortune gradually dawns, allowing him to again become favorably disposed to Krishna, you award liberation and make him free from all grief and fear.

e dāse janani kori’ akaitaba doyā
bṛndābane deha’ sthāna tumi jogamāyā

Oh my dear Mother! Showing your causeless mercy to this servant, give me a place in Vrindavana, for you are Yogamaya Herself (the internal energy of yoga, or union).

tomāke laṅghiyā kothā jībe kṛṣṇa pāya
kṛṣṇa-rasa prakaṭilo tomāra kṛpāya

Without complying with you, no soul at any time can get Krishna, for the manifestation of Krishna’s pastimes is all enacted only by your mercy.

ttumi kṛṣṇa-sahacarī jagata-jananī
tumi dekhāile more kṛṣṇa-cintāmaṇi

You are the devoted follower of Lord Krishna, and you are the Mother of the universe. You have shown me the transcendental touchstone of Krishna consciousness.

niṣkapaṭa ho’ye mātā cāo mora pāne
baiṣṇaba biśwāsa bṛddhi ha’ka prati-khaṇe

My dear Mother, I sincerely wish that you will let my faith in the Vaisnavas increase at every moment.

baiṣṇaba-caraṇa binā bhaba-parābāra
bhakatibinoda nāre hoibāre pāra

Without the lotus feet of the devotees of the Lord, Bhaktivinoda is not able to cross to the other side of this ocean of material existence.

—Adapted from the book Śrī Śrī Kalyāṇa Kalpa-taru – The Desire Tree of Auspiciousness by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura.